Microchimeric cells in systemic lupus erythematosus: targets or innocent bystanders?

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Stevens, A M

2006-01-01

During pregnancy maternal and fetal cells commute back and forth leading to fetal microchimerism in the mother and maternal microchimerism in the child that can persist for years after the birth. Chimeric fetal and maternal cells can be hematopoietic or can differentiate into somatic cells in multiple organs, potentially acting as targets for 'autoimmunity' and so have been implicated in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases that resemble graft-versus-host disease after stem cell transplantation. Fetal cells have been found in women with systemic lupus erythematosus, both in the blood and a target organ, the kidney, suggesting that they may be involved in pathogenesis. Future studies will address how the host immune system normally tolerates maternal and fetal cells or how the balance may change during autoimmunity.

Early-Onset Chronic Inflammatory Disease Associated with Maternal Microchimerism

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Tomoaki Ishikawa

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Maternal microchimerism (mMc refers to the presence of a small population of cells originating from the mother. Whether mMc leads to autoimmune responses in children remains controversial. We describe here an 11-year-old boy with persistent fever and elevated levels of C-reactive protein from infancy onward. During infancy, the patient presented with high fever, skin rashes, and hepatic dysfunction. Careful examination including a liver biopsy failed to reveal the cause. At 4 years old, petechiae developed associated with thrombocytopenia and positive anti-dsDNA autoantibodies. Steroid pulse therapy was effective, but the effect of low-dose prednisone was insufficient. At age 9, an extensive differential diagnosis was considered especially for infantile onset autoinflammatory disorders but failed to make a definitive diagnosis. On admission, the patient exhibited short stature, hepatosplenomegaly, generalized superficial lymphadenopathy, and rashes. Laboratory findings revealed anemia, elevated levels of inflammation markers, and hypergammaglobulinemia. Serum complement levels were normal. Serum levels of IL-6 and B-cell activating factor were elevated. Viral infections were not identified. Although HLA typing revealed no noninherited maternal antigens in lymphocytes, female cells were demonstrated in the patient’s skin and lymph nodes, suggesting that maternal microchimerism might be involved in the pathogenesis of fever without source in infants.

Cigarette Smoke Exposure during Pregnancy Alters Fetomaternal Cell Trafficking Leading to Retention of Microchimeric Cells in the Maternal Lung

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Vogelgesang, Anja; Scapin, Cristina; Barone, Caroline; Tam, Elaine

2014-01-01

Cigarette smoke exposure causes chronic oxidative lung damage. During pregnancy, fetal microchimeric cells traffic to the mother. Their numbers are increased at the site of acute injury. We hypothesized that milder chronic diffuse smoke injury would attract fetal cells to maternal lungs. We used a green-fluorescent-protein (GFP) mouse model to study the effects of cigarette smoke exposure on fetomaternal cell trafficking. Wild-type female mice were exposed to cigarette smoke for about 4 weeks and bred with homozygote GFP males. Cigarette smoke exposure continued until lungs were harvested and analyzed. Exposure to cigarette smoke led to macrophage accumulation in the maternal lung and significantly lower fetal weights. Cigarette smoke exposure influenced fetomaternal cell trafficking. It was associated with retention of GFP-positive fetal cells in the maternal lung and a significant reduction of fetal cells in maternal livers at gestational day 18, when fetomaternal cell trafficking peaks in the mouse model. Cells quickly clear postpartum, leaving only a few, difficult to detect, persisting microchimeric cells behind. In our study, we confirmed the postpartum clearance of cells in the maternal lungs, with no significant difference in both groups. We conclude that in the mouse model, cigarette smoke exposure during pregnancy leads to a retention of fetal microchimeric cells in the maternal lung, the site of injury. Further studies will be needed to elucidate the effect of cigarette smoke exposure on the phenotypic characteristics and function of these fetal microchimeric cells, and confirm its course in cigarette smoke exposure in humans. PMID:24832066

Acquisition of the Rheumatoid Arthritis HLA Shared Epitope Through Microchimerism

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Yan, Zhen; Aydelotte, Tessa; Gadi, VK; Guthrie, Katherine A.; Nelson, J. Lee

2011-01-01

Objective HLA-DRB1 alleles associated with risk of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) encode similar HLA-DRβ(1 sequences referred to as the “shared epitope” (SE). The most common SE sequences are QKRAA and QRRAA. A substantial number of RA patients, nevertheless, lack the SE. Bi-directional fetal-maternal trafficking results in long-term persistence of fetal cells in the mother and maternal cells in her offspring, referred to as microchimerism (Mc). We asked whether RA patients who lack the SE can acquire the SE through Mc. Methods We developed specific real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) assays for the SE encoded sequences QKRAA and QRRAA. DNA extracted from peripheral blood mononuclear cells was tested with the SE-specific qPCR assays. A total of 86 subjects who were negative for the SE were studied, 52 women with RA and 34 healthy women. Results Mc with the SE was found significantly more often in RA patients than controls, odds ratio 4.1, 95% CI 1.6-10.0, p=0.003. Concentrations of SE Mc were also significantly higher among RA patients than controls, p=0.002. When analyzed separately for SE type, the prevalence of QKRAA Mc in RA vs. healthy women respectively was 17% vs. 3% (9/52 vs. 1/34, p=0.03) and of QRRAA 40% vs. 18% (21/52 vs. 6/34, p=0.04). Mc concentrations were also higher in RA than healthy subjects for QKRAA (p=0.03) and QRRAA (p=0.03). Conclusion Results indicate RA patients who genotypically lack the SE can acquire the SE as persistent Mc from maternal-fetal cell exchange and suggest SE-encoding Mc could be a risk factor for RA. PMID:21360493

Quantification of green fluorescent protein by in vivo imaging, PCR, and flow cytometry: comparison of transgenic strains and relevance for fetal cell microchimerism.

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Fujiki, Yutaka; Tao, Kai; Bianchi, Diana W; Giel-Moloney, Maryann; Leiter, Andrew B; Johnson, Kirby L

2008-02-01

Animal models are increasingly being used for the assessment of fetal cell microchimerism in maternal tissue. We wished to determine the optimal transgenic mouse strain and analytic technique to facilitate the detection of rare transgenic microchimeric fetal cells amongst a large number of maternal wild-type cells. We evaluated two strains of mice transgenic for the enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP): a commercially available, commonly used strain (C57BL/6-Tg(ACTB-EGFP)10sb/J) (CAG) and a newly created strain (ROSA26-EGFP) using three different techniques: in vivo and ex vivo fluorescent imaging (for whole body and dissected organs, respectively), PCR amplification of gfp, and flow cytometry (FCM). By fluorescent imaging, organs from CAG mice were 10-fold brighter than organs from ROSA26-EGFP mice (P characteristics that make it useful under specific experimental circumstances. The CAG mouse model is preferable when experiments require brighter cells, whereas ROSA26-EGFP is more appropriate when uniform or ubiquitous expression is more important than brightness. Investigators must carefully select the transgenic strain most suited to the experimental design to obtain the most consistent and reproducible data. In vivo imaging allows for phenotypic evaluation of whole animals and intact organs; however, we did not evaluate its utility for the detection of rare, fetal microchimeric cells in the maternal organs. Finally, while PCR amplification of a paternally inherited transgene does allow for the quantitative determination of rare microchimeric cells, FCM allows for both quantitative and qualitative evaluations of fetal cells at very high sensitivity in a plethora of maternal organs. (c) 2008 International Society for Analytical Cytology

Case-control study of fetal microchimerism and breast cancer.

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Vijayakrishna K Gadi

2008-03-01

Full Text Available Prior pregnancy is known to protect against development of breast cancer. Recent studies have demonstrated that pregnancy has the capacity to establish small numbers of immunologically active fetal-derived cells in the mother, a phenomenon known as fetal microchimerism (FMc. We asked whether presence of FMc, routinely acquired during pregnancy, is a protective factor for breast cancer.DNA extracts from peripheral blood specimens were obtained from a population-based case-control study of risk factors for breast cancer in women 21 to 45 years old. Specimens were tested with quantitative PCR for presence and concentrations of male DNA presumed to derive from prior pregnancies with a male fetus. Odds ratios (OR and 95% confidence intervals (CI were estimated with consideration of multiple established reproductive and environmental risk factors for breast cancer. FMc results were generated on 99 parous women, 54 with primary invasive breast cancer and 45 general population controls. FMc prevalence was 56% (25/45 and 26% (14/54 in controls and cases, respectively. Women harboring FMc were less likely to have had breast cancer (OR = 0.29, 95% CI 0.11-0.83; p = 0.02, adjusting for age, number of children, birth of a son, history of miscarriage, and total DNA tested. In addition, FMc concentrations were higher in controls versus cases (p = 0.01. Median concentrations were 2 (0-78 and 0 (0-374 fetal genomes/10(6 maternal genomes in controls and cases, respectively.Results suggest that the enigma of why some parous women are not afforded protection from breast cancer by pregnancy might in part be explained by differences in FMc. Mechanistic studies of FMc-derived protection against breast cancer are warranted.

Lack of association between thyroid autoantibodies and parity in a population study argues against microchimerism as a trigger of thyroid autoimmunity

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Pedersen, Inge Bülow; Laurberg, Peter; Knudsen, Nils

2006-01-01

Background: Thyroid autoimmunity is more common in females than in males. One possible explanation for this female preponderance may be the effect of oestrogens on the immune system. It has also been suggested that foetal microchimerism involving transfer of foetal cells into maternal tissue duri...

Ultra-Sensitive Droplet Digital PCR for the Assessment of Microchimerism in Cellular Therapies.

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Kliman, David; Castellano-Gonzalez, Gloria; Withers, Barbara; Street, Janine; Tegg, Elizabeth; Mirochnik, Oksana; Lai, Joey; Clancy, Leighton; Gottlieb, David; Blyth, Emily

2018-05-01

Current techniques to assess chimerism after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) are limited in both sensitivity and precision. These drawbacks are problematic in the context of cellular therapies that frequently result in microchimerism (donor chimerism VSTs). The levels of detection and quantification of the assay were .008% and .023%, with high levels of precision with samples of DNA content ranging from 1 to 300 ng DNA. From the panel of 29 insertion-deletion probes multiple informative markers were found for each of 43 HSCT donor-recipient pairs. In the case of third-party cellular therapies in which there were 3 DNA contributors (recipient, HSCT donor, and T-cell donor), a marker to detect the cellular product in a background of recipient and donor cells was available for 11 of 12 cases (92%). Chimerism by ddPCR was able to quantify chimerism in HSCT recipients and comparison against standard STR analysis in 8 HSCT patients demonstrated similar results, with the advantage of fast turnaround time. Persistence of donor microchimerism in patients undergoing microtransplantation for acute myeloid leukemia was detectable for up to 57 days in peripheral blood and bone marrow. The presence of microtransplant product DNA in bone marrow T cells after cell sorting was seen in the 1 patient tested. In patients receiving third-party VSTs for treatment of refractory viral infections, VST donor DNA was detected at low levels in 7 of 9 cases. ddPCR offers advantages over currently available methods for assessment of chimerism in standard HSCT and cellular therapies. Copyright © 2018 The American Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Cross-Generational Reproductive Fitness Enforced by Microchimeric Maternal Cells.

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Kinder, Jeremy M; Jiang, Tony T; Ertelt, James M; Xin, Lijun; Strong, Beverly S; Shaaban, Aimen F; Way, Sing Sing

2015-07-30

Exposure to maternal tissue during in utero development imprints tolerance to immunologically foreign non-inherited maternal antigens (NIMA) that persists into adulthood. The biological advantage of this tolerance, conserved across mammalian species, remains unclear. Here, we show maternal cells that establish microchimerism in female offspring during development promote systemic accumulation of immune suppressive regulatory T cells (Tregs) with NIMA specificity. NIMA-specific Tregs expand during pregnancies sired by males expressing alloantigens with overlapping NIMA specificity, thereby averting fetal wastage triggered by prenatal infection and non-infectious disruptions of fetal tolerance. Therefore, exposure to NIMA selectively enhances reproductive success in second-generation females carrying embryos with overlapping paternally inherited antigens. These findings demonstrate that genetic fitness, canonically thought to be restricted to Mendelian inheritance, is enhanced in female placental mammals through vertically transferred maternal cells that promote conservation of NIMA and enforce cross-generational reproductive benefits. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Gestational surrogacy: could be a way to be a way to reproduction? Pros and cons.

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Clementina, Peris

2011-06-01

The aim of this article was to address pros and cons of gestational surrogacy, the social and psychological issues involved in surrogate motherhood triads. Pros and cons of surrogacy, the possible insurgence of a hematologic disease in the fetus, hemolytic disease of the newborn, naturally acquired microchimerism in surrogacy cases, ethical, medical, psychologic, legal and religious issues of a problem are discussed.

The dynamics of naturally acquired immunity to Plasmodium falciparum infection.

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Mykola Pinkevych

Full Text Available Severe malaria occurs predominantly in young children and immunity to clinical disease is associated with cumulative exposure in holoendemic settings. The relative contribution of immunity against various stages of the parasite life cycle that results in controlling infection and limiting disease is not well understood. Here we analyse the dynamics of Plasmodium falciparum malaria infection after treatment in a cohort of 197 healthy study participants of different ages in order to model naturally acquired immunity. We find that both delayed time-to-infection and reductions in asymptomatic parasitaemias in older age groups can be explained by immunity that reduces the growth of blood stage as opposed to liver stage parasites. We found that this mechanism would require at least two components - a rapidly acting strain-specific component, as well as a slowly acquired cross-reactive or general immunity to all strains. Analysis and modelling of malaria infection dynamics and naturally acquired immunity with age provides important insights into what mechanisms of immune control may be harnessed by malaria vaccine strategists.

Localization of Haemophilus ducreyi in naturally acquired chancroidal ulcers.

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Bauer, Margaret E; Townsend, Carisa A; Ronald, Allan R; Spinola, Stanley M

2006-08-01

Haemophilus ducreyi causes the sexually transmitted genital ulcer disease chancroid. In human inoculation experiments, bacteria colocalize with neutrophils and macrophages but remain extracellular. The organism also colocalizes with collagen and fibrin but not with keratinocytes, fibroblasts, laminin, or fibronectin. These relationships are established by 48 h postinoculation and persist through the pustular stage of disease. To extend these observations to the ulcerative stage of disease, and to compare results in the human model with those of natural disease, we obtained biopsies from patients with naturally acquired chancroid. All ulcers were culture positive for H. ducreyi and histologically very similar to pustules from the human model. Staining with H. ducreyi-specific monoclonal antibodies demonstrated H. ducreyi within 5 biopsies. The organism was chiefly found within the granulocytic infiltrate of the ulcer. Dual staining for H. ducreyi and eukaryotic tissue components showed that H. ducreyi colocalized with neutrophils and fibrin at the ulcerative stage of disease. No bacteria were associated with keratinocytes, fibroblasts, or collagen. Overall, these findings are consistent with results from the human model. This is the first reported study to localize bacteria specifically identified as H. ducreyi within naturally acquired chancroid.

A Bias for the Natural? Children's Beliefs about Traits Acquired through Effort, Bribes, or Medicine

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Lockhart, Kristi L.; Keil, Frank C.; Aw, Justine

2013-01-01

Three studies compared beliefs about natural and late blooming positive traits with those acquired through personal effort, extrinsic rewards or medicine. Young children (5-6 years), older children (8-13 years), and adults all showed a strong bias for natural and late blooming traits over acquired traits. All age groups, except 8- to 10-year-olds,…

Selective organ specific inflammation in offspring harbouring microchimerism from strongly alloreactive mothers.

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Leveque, Lucie; Hodgson, Samantha; Peyton, Stephen; Koyama, Motoko; MacDonald, Kelli P A; Khosrotehrani, Kiarash

2014-05-01

The origins of autoimmunity are not yet understood despite significant advances in immunology. The trafficking of maternal cells to the offspring represents the very first immunological event in foetal life and is reinforced during lactation. The persistence of maternal cells in offspring's tissues and circulation has been associated with several autoimmune disorders. However a direct causal effect has never been demonstrated. Maternal T cells specifically targeting foetal insulin producing cells have been shown to generate islet inflammation without directly participating in this process. Our objective was to evaluate if alloreactive maternal cells could directly trigger a graft-versus host like reaction or indirectly influence the development of the offspring's regulatory T cells favouring autoimmunity. We adopted a breeding strategy comparing genetically identical offspring from either strongly alloreactive transgenic mothers compared to immunodeficient mothers. We detected maternal alloreactive T cells in the offspring and early signs of inflammation in small intestine of 6 weeks old offspring. Interestingly, CD4(+) Foxp3(+) regulatory T cell frequency was diminished in mesenteric lymph nodes from eight months old offspring born of alloreactive mothers compared to offspring of immunodeficient mothers. Our study favours a hypothesis where highly alloreactive maternal cell microchimerism indirectly predisposes offspring to autoimmunity. Crown Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Speech perception and reading: two parallel modes of understanding language and implications for acquiring literacy naturally.

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Massaro, Dominic W

2012-01-01

I review 2 seminal research reports published in this journal during its second decade more than a century ago. Given psychology's subdisciplines, they would not normally be reviewed together because one involves reading and the other speech perception. The small amount of interaction between these domains might have limited research and theoretical progress. In fact, the 2 early research reports revealed common processes involved in these 2 forms of language processing. Their illustration of the role of Wundt's apperceptive process in reading and speech perception anticipated descriptions of contemporary theories of pattern recognition, such as the fuzzy logical model of perception. Based on the commonalities between reading and listening, one can question why they have been viewed so differently. It is commonly believed that learning to read requires formal instruction and schooling, whereas spoken language is acquired from birth onward through natural interactions with people who talk. Most researchers and educators believe that spoken language is acquired naturally from birth onward and even prenatally. Learning to read, on the other hand, is not possible until the child has acquired spoken language, reaches school age, and receives formal instruction. If an appropriate form of written text is made available early in a child's life, however, the current hypothesis is that reading will also be learned inductively and emerge naturally, with no significant negative consequences. If this proposal is true, it should soon be possible to create an interactive system, Technology Assisted Reading Acquisition, to allow children to acquire literacy naturally.

Naturally Acquired Mentoring Relationships and Young Adult Outcomes among Adolescents with Learning Disabilities

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Ahrens, Kym; DuBois, David Lane; Lozano, Paula; Richardson, Laura P.

2010-01-01

We evaluated whether having a naturally acquired mentor during adolescence was associated with improved adult outcomes among youth with learning disabilities (YLD). Mentored youth were more likely to have graduated from high school, reported a higher level of self-esteem, and reported a higher overall number of positive outcomes than nonmentored…

Naturally acquired antibody responses to recombinant Pfs230 and Pfs48/45 transmission blocking vaccine candidates

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jones, Sophie; Grignard, Lynn; Nebie, Issa

2015-01-01

for the future evaluation of vaccine immunogenicity and efficacy in populations naturally exposed to malaria. METHODS: We determined naturally acquired antibody responses to the recombinant proteins Pfs48/45-10C and Pfs230-230CMB in children from three malaria endemic settings in Ghana, Tanzania and Burkina Faso......OBJECTIVES: Pfs48/45 and Pfs230 are Plasmodium falciparum sexual stage proteins and promising malaria transmission-blocking vaccine candidates. Antibody responses against these proteins may be naturally acquired and target antigens may be under selective pressure. This has consequences....... We also examined genetic polymorphisms in the P. falciparum gene pfs48/45. RESULTS: Antibody prevalence was 1.1-18.2% for 10C and 6.7-18.9% for 230CMB. In Burkina Faso we observed evidence of an age-dependent acquisition pattern for both 10C (p assays...

Naturally acquired immunity to Plasmodium falciparum malaria in Africa

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Hviid, Lars

2005-01-01

Infection by Plasmodium falciparum parasites can lead to substantial protective immunity to malaria, and available evidence suggest that acquisition of protection against some severe malaria syndromes can be fairly rapid. Although these facts have raised hopes that the development of effective...... protective immunity to P. falciparum malaria is acquired following natural exposure to the parasites is beginning to emerge, not least thanks to studies that have combined clinical and epidemiological data with basic immunological research. This framework involves IgG with specificity for clonally variant...... antigens on the surface of the infected erythrocytes, can explain some of the difficulties in relating particular immune responses with specificity for well-defined antigenic targets to clinical protection, and suggests a radically new approach to controlling malaria-related morbidity and mortality...

Histopathology of dairy cows' hooves with signs of naturally acquired laminitis

OpenAIRE

Mendes, Heloisa M.F.; Casagrande, Fernando P.; Lima, Ingrid R.; Souza, Cairo H.; Gontijo, Lílian D'.; Alves, Geraldo E.S.; Vasconcelos, Anilton C.; Faleiros, Rafael R.

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate histological changes in dairy cows' hooves with or without injuries from naturally acquired laminitis. Cull cows with no clinical signs of hoof abnormalities (G1, n=9) and those with macroscopic lesions associated with laminitis without (G2, n=23) or with lameness (G3, n=7) were used in the study. After slaughter, samples of dermo-epidermal junctions of sole, axial and dorsal regions of the hoof were obtained and histologically processed using HE a...

Naturally acquired anthrax antibodies in a cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) in Botswana.

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Good, Kyle M; Houser, Annmarie; Arntzen, Lorraine; Turnbull, Peter C B

2008-07-01

An outbreak of anthrax in the Jwana Game Reserve in Jwaneng, Botswana, was first observed when three cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) died of the disease in November 2004. In the aftermath of this event, banked serum samples collected from 23 wild-caught cheetahs were examined, by the inhibition enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA), for antibodies to the protective antigen (PA) of Bacillus anthracis. Of the 23 cheetahs, 16 regularly accessed the reserve. Antibodies to PA were detected in one cheetah collected in May 2004, indicating the disease was occurring well before it was first noticed. This appears to be the first demonstration of naturally acquired anthrax antibodies in cheetahs. The finding of one antibody-positive animal amongst at least 16 potentially exposed individuals is consistent with existing reports that it is uncommon for cheetahs to develop natural immunity to anthrax.

Naturally acquired antibody responses to recombinant Pfs230 and Pfs48/45 transmission blocking vaccine candidates.

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Jones, Sophie; Grignard, Lynn; Nebie, Issa; Chilongola, Jaffu; Dodoo, Daniel; Sauerwein, Robert; Theisen, Michael; Roeffen, Will; Singh, Shrawan Kumar; Singh, Rajesh Kumar; Singh, Sanjay; Kyei-Baafour, Eric; Tetteh, Kevin; Drakeley, Chris; Bousema, Teun

2015-07-01

Pfs48/45 and Pfs230 are Plasmodium falciparum sexual stage proteins and promising malaria transmission-blocking vaccine candidates. Antibody responses against these proteins may be naturally acquired and target antigens may be under selective pressure. This has consequences for the future evaluation of vaccine immunogenicity and efficacy in populations naturally exposed to malaria. We determined naturally acquired antibody responses to the recombinant proteins Pfs48/45-10C and Pfs230-230CMB in children from three malaria endemic settings in Ghana, Tanzania and Burkina Faso. We also examined genetic polymorphisms in the P. falciparum gene pfs48/45. Antibody prevalence was 1.1-18.2% for 10C and 6.7-18.9% for 230CMB. In Burkina Faso we observed evidence of an age-dependent acquisition pattern for both 10C (p < 0.001) and 230CMB (p = 0.031). Membrane feeding assays on a separate dataset demonstrated an association between functional transmission reducing activity and antibody prevalence for both 10C (p = 0.017) and 230CMB (p = 0.049). 17 single nucleotide polymorphisms were found in pfs48/45 (from 126 samples), with 5 non-synonymous SNPs in the Pfs48/45 10C region. We conclude there are naturally acquired antibody responses to both vaccine candidates which have functional relevance by reducing the transmissibility of infected individuals. We identified genetic polymorphisms, in pfs48/45 which exhibited geographical specificity. Copyright © 2015 The British Infection Association. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Naturally acquired antibody responses to recombinant Pfs230 and Pfs48/45 transmission blocking vaccine candidates

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jones, S; Grignard, L.; Nebie, I.; Chilongola, J.; Dodoo, D.; Sauerwein, R.W.; Theisen, M.; Roeffen, W.F.; Singh, S.K; Singh, R.K.; Kyei-Baafour, E.; Tetteh, K.; Drakeley, C.; Bousema, T.

2015-01-01

OBJECTIVES: Pfs48/45 and Pfs230 are Plasmodium falciparum sexual stage proteins and promising malaria transmission-blocking vaccine candidates. Antibody responses against these proteins may be naturally acquired and target antigens may be under selective pressure. This has consequences for the

Statistical Methods for Unusual Count Data

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Guthrie, Katherine A.; Gammill, Hilary S.; Kamper-Jørgensen, Mads

2016-01-01

microchimerism data present challenges for statistical analysis, including a skewed distribution, excess zero values, and occasional large values. Methods for comparing microchimerism levels across groups while controlling for covariates are not well established. We compared statistical models for quantitative...... microchimerism values, applied to simulated data sets and 2 observed data sets, to make recommendations for analytic practice. Modeling the level of quantitative microchimerism as a rate via Poisson or negative binomial model with the rate of detection defined as a count of microchimerism genome equivalents per...

A trade-off between natural and acquired antibody production in a reptile: implications for long-term resistance to disease

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Franziska C. Sandmeier

2012-08-01

Vertebrate immune systems are understood to be complex and dynamic, with trade-offs among different physiological components (e.g., innate and adaptive immunity within individuals and among taxonomic lineages. Desert tortoises (Gopherus agassizii immunised with ovalbumin (OVA showed a clear trade-off between levels of natural antibodies (NAbs; innate immune function and the production of acquired antibodies (adaptive immune function. Once initiated, acquired antibody responses included a long-term elevation in antibodies persisting for more than one year. The occurrence of either (a high levels of NAbs or (b long-term elevations of acquired antibodies in individual tortoises suggests that long-term humoral resistance to pathogens may be especially important in this species, as well as in other vertebrates with slow metabolic rates, concomitantly slow primary adaptive immune responses, and long life-spans.

Microchimerism decades after transfusion among combat-injured US veterans from the Vietnam, Korean, and World War II conflicts.

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Utter, Garth H; Lee, Tzong-Hae; Rivers, Ryan M; Montalvo, Lani; Wen, Li; Chafets, Daniel M; Reed, William F; Busch, Michael P

2008-08-01

Blood transfusion after traumatic injury can result in microchimerism (MC) of donor white cells (WBCs) in the recipient as late as 2 to 3 years postinjury, the longest prospective follow-up to date. The purpose of this study was to determine how long transfusion-associated MC lasts after traumatic injury. A group of US combat veterans who received transfusions who responded to a recruitment notice was retrospectively evaluated. Their blood was sampled, and MC was assessed by quantitative allele-specific polymerase chain reaction detection of differences at the HLA-DR locus or a panel of insertion-deletion polymorphism loci. Results of veterans were compared to those from an age- and gender-matched blood donor control group, from whom WBCs were retrieved from leukoreduction filters. Among 163 combat veterans who received transfusion and 150 control subjects who did not receive transfusions, 16 (9.8%) of the veterans and 1 (0.7%) control subject had evidence of MC (relative risk, 14.7; 95% confidence interval, 2.0-110). The veterans with MC included 3 who served in WWII (7% of subjects from that conflict), 5 in Korea (18%), and 6 in Vietnam (7%). Transfusion for combat-related injury can result in MC that lasts for 60 years, suggesting that it may involve permanent engraftment. MC is rare among male blood donors who did not receive transfusions, who are probably representative of individuals who have not had postnatal allogeneic exposures.

Temporal stability of naturally acquired immunity to Merozoite Surface Protein-1 in Kenyan Adults

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Crabb Brendan S

2009-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Naturally acquired immunity to blood-stage Plasmodium falciparum infection develops with age and after repeated infections. In order to identify immune surrogates that can inform vaccine trials conducted in malaria endemic populations and to better understand the basis of naturally acquired immunity it is important to appreciate the temporal stability of cellular and humoral immune responses to malaria antigens. Methods Blood samples from 16 adults living in a malaria holoendemic region of western Kenya were obtained at six time points over the course of 9 months. T cell immunity to the 42 kDa C-terminal fragment of Merozoite Surface Protein-1 (MSP-142 was determined by IFN-γ ELISPOT. Antibodies to the 42 kDa and 19 kDa C-terminal fragments of MSP-1 were determined by serology and by functional assays that measure MSP-119 invasion inhibition antibodies (IIA to the E-TSR (3D7 allele and growth inhibitory activity (GIA. The haplotype of MSP-119 alleles circulating in the population was determined by PCR. The kappa test of agreement was used to determine stability of immunity over the specified time intervals of 3 weeks, 6 weeks, 6 months, and 9 months. Results MSP-1 IgG antibodies determined by serology were most consistent over time, followed by MSP-1 specific T cell IFN-γ responses and GIA. MSP-119 IIA showed the least stability over time. However, the level of MSP-119 specific IIA correlated with relatively higher rainfall and higher prevalence of P. falciparum infection with the MSP-119 E-TSR haplotype. Conclusion Variation in the stability of cellular and humoral immune responses to P. falciparum blood stage antigens needs to be considered when interpreting the significance of these measurements as immune endpoints in residents of malaria endemic regions.

Risk of newly detected infections and cervical abnormalities in women seropositive for naturally acquired human papillomavirus type 16/18 antibodies: analysis of the control arm of PATRICIA.

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Castellsagué, Xavier; Naud, Paulo; Chow, Song-Nan; Wheeler, Cosette M; Germar, Maria Julieta V; Lehtinen, Matti; Paavonen, Jorma; Jaisamrarn, Unnop; Garland, Suzanne M; Salmerón, Jorge; Apter, Dan; Kitchener, Henry; Teixeira, Julio C; Skinner, S Rachel; Limson, Genara; Szarewski, Anne; Romanowski, Barbara; Aoki, Fred Y; Schwarz, Tino F; Poppe, Willy A J; Bosch, F Xavier; de Carvalho, Newton S; Peters, Klaus; Tjalma, Wiebren A A; Safaeian, Mahboobeh; Raillard, Alice; Descamps, Dominique; Struyf, Frank; Dubin, Gary; Rosillon, Dominique; Baril, Laurence

2014-08-15

We examined risk of newly detected human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and cervical abnormalities in relation to HPV type 16/18 antibody levels at enrollment in PATRICIA (Papilloma Trial Against Cancer in Young Adults; NCT00122681). Using Poisson regression, we compared risk of newly detected infection and cervical abnormalities associated with HPV-16/18 between seronegative vs seropositive women (15-25 years) in the control arm (DNA negative at baseline for the corresponding HPV type [HPV-16: n = 8193; HPV-18: n = 8463]). High titers of naturally acquired HPV-16 antibodies and/or linear trend for increasing antibody levels were significantly associated with lower risk of incident and persistent infection, atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance or greater (ASCUS+), and cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grades 1/2 or greater (CIN1+, CIN2+). For HPV-18, although seropositivity was associated with lower risk of ASCUS+ and CIN1+, no association between naturally acquired antibodies and infection was demonstrated. Naturally acquired HPV-16 antibody levels of 371 (95% confidence interval [CI], 242-794), 204 (95% CI, 129-480), and 480 (95% CI, 250-5756) EU/mL were associated with 90% reduction of incident infection, 6-month persistent infection, and ASCUS+, respectively. Naturally acquired antibodies to HPV-16, and to a lesser extent HPV-18, are associated with some reduced risk of subsequent infection and cervical abnormalities associated with the same HPV type. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Infectious Diseases Society of America.

Transcriptional Changes during Naturally Acquired Zika Virus Infection Render Dendritic Cells Highly Conducive to Viral Replication.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Xiaoming; Hua, Stephane; Chen, Hsiao-Rong; Ouyang, Zhengyu; Einkauf, Kevin; Tse, Samantha; Ard, Kevin; Ciaranello, Andrea; Yawetz, Sigal; Sax, Paul; Rosenberg, Eric S; Lichterfeld, Mathias; Yu, Xu G

2017-12-19

Although dendritic cells are among the human cell population best equipped for cell-intrinsic antiviral immune defense, they seem highly susceptible to infection with the Zika virus (ZIKV). Using highly purified myeloid dendritic cells isolated from individuals with naturally acquired acute infection, we here show that ZIKV induces profound perturbations of transcriptional signatures relative to healthy donors. Interestingly, we noted a remarkable downregulation of antiviral interferon-stimulated genes and innate immune sensors, suggesting that ZIKV can actively suppress interferon-dependent immune responses. In contrast, several host factors known to support ZIKV infection were strongly upregulated during natural ZIKV infection; these transcripts included AXL, the main entry receptor for ZIKV; SOCS3, a negative regulator of ISG expression; and IDO-1, a recognized inducer of regulatory T cell responses. Thus, during in vivo infection, ZIKV can transform the transcriptome of dendritic cells in favor of the virus to render these cells highly conducive to ZIKV infection. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Fetal microchimeric cells in a fetus-treats-its-mother paradigm do not contribute to dystrophin production in serially parous mdx females.

Science.gov (United States)

Seppanen, Elke Jane; Hodgson, Samantha Susan; Khosrotehrani, Kiarash; Bou-Gharios, George; Fisk, Nicholas M

2012-10-10

Throughout every pregnancy, genetically distinct fetal microchimeric stem/progenitor cells (FMCs) engraft in the mother, persist long after delivery, and may home to damaged maternal tissues. Phenotypically normal fetal lymphoid progenitors have been described to develop in immunodeficient mothers in a fetus-treats-its-mother paradigm. Since stem cells contribute to muscle repair, we assessed this paradigm in the mdx mouse model of Duchenne muscular dystrophy. mdx females were bred serially to either ROSAeGFP males or mdx males to obtain postpartum microchimeras that received either wild-type FMCs or dystrophin-deficient FMCs through serial gestations. To enhance regeneration, notexin was injected into the tibialis anterior of postpartum mice. FMCs were detected by qPCR at a higher frequency in injected compared to noninjected side muscle (P=0.02). However, the number of dystrophin-positive fibers was similar in mothers delivering wild-type compared to mdx pups. In addition, there was no correlation between FMC detection and percentage dystrophin, and no GFP+ve FMCs were identified that expressed dystrophin. In 10/11 animals, GFP+ve FMCs were detected by immunohistochemistry, of which 60% expressed CD45 with 96% outside the basal lamina defining myofiber contours. Finally we confirmed lack of FMC contribution to statellite cells in postpartum mdx females mated with Myf5-LacZ males. We conclude that the FMC contribution to regenerating muscles is insufficient to have a functional impact.

Maternal microchimerism: increased in the insulin positive compartment of type 1 diabetes pancreas but not in infiltrating immune cells or replicating islet cells.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jody Ye

Full Text Available Maternal microchimeric cells (MMc transfer across the placenta during pregnancy. Increased levels of MMc have been observed in several autoimmune diseases including type 1 diabetes but their role is unknown. It has been suggested that MMc are 1 effector cells of the immune response, 2 targets of the autoimmune response or 3 play a role in tissue repair. The aim of this study was to define the cellular phenotype of MMc in control (n = 14 and type 1 diabetes pancreas (n = 8.Using sex chromosome-based fluorescence in-situ hybridization, MMc were identified in male pancreas and their phenotype determined by concomitant immunofluorescence.In normal pancreas, MMc positive for endocrine, exocrine, duct and acinar markers were identified suggesting that these cells are derived from maternal progenitors. Increased frequencies of MMc were observed in type 1 diabetes pancreas (p = 0.03 with particular enrichment in the insulin positive fraction (p = 0.01. MMc did not contribute to infiltrating immune cells or Ki67+ islet cell populations in type 1 diabetes.These studies provide support for the hypothesis that MMc in human pancreas are derived from pancreatic precursors. Increased frequencies of MMc beta cells may contribute to the initiation of autoimmunity or to tissue repair but do not infiltrate islets in type 1 diabetes.

Efficacy of nitroscanate against naturally acquired infection with Ancylostoma caninum, Dipylidium caninum, and Trichuris vulpis in dogs.

Science.gov (United States)

Craig, T M; Mercer, S H; Wade, C G; Lynn, R C

1991-04-01

Eighteen dogs with naturally acquired helminth infections were used to evaluate the efficacy of nitroscanate against Ancylostoma caninum, Dipylidium caninum, and Trichuris vulpis. Approximately 15 minutes before treatment, the dogs were given 100 to 200 g of canned dog food. Ten dogs were treated with nitroscanate (50 mg/kg of body weight, PO), and 8 dogs were given placebo tablets PO. The dogs were euthanatized and necropsied 10 days after treatment and helminths were recovered from the small intestine and cecum. On the basis of the number of worms recovered from treated dogs vs the number recovered from control dogs, we determined the efficacy of nitroscanate to be 99.6% against A caninum, 99.8% against D caninum, and 0% against T vulpis.

The predictive validity of naturally acquired delayed-type hypersensitivity to leishmanin in resistance to Leishmania major-associated cutaneous leishmaniasis.

Science.gov (United States)

Ben Salah, Afif; Louzir, Hechmi; Chlif, Sadok; Mokni, Mourad; Zaatour, Amor; Raouene, Mohamed; Ismail, Riadh Ben; Dellagi, Koussay

2005-12-01

To accurately quantify the different outcomes of Leishmania major infection and to evaluate the fraction of zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis (ZCL) cases prevented by naturally acquired leishmanin skin test (LST) reactivity, a cohort of 470 children was followed up in 2 endemic foci, Remada and Dhiba, in southern Tunisia. During May 1997, before the ZCL emergence season, LST was performed, and results were reassessed 12 months later. Active case detection during the ZCL emergence season showed a high incidence of ZCL: 57.0% in Remada and 13.7% in Dhiba. The preventive fraction of ZCL conferred by LST reactivity increased proportionally with the reaction size before the emergence season, revealing a dose-response effect of approximately 70%. In addition, asymptomatic L. major infection appeared to be a significant form of natural immunization, particularly in the context of relatively low transmission. These findings may help in the design and evaluation of vaccines.

Role of major histocompatibility complex class II in resistance of mice to naturally acquired infection with Syphacia obvelata

Science.gov (United States)

Stewart, Patricia W.; Chapes, Stephen K.

2003-01-01

Genetics plays a substantial role in host resistance in many host-parasite interactions. We examined the prevalence of naturally acquired infection with Syphacia obvelata in a number of mouse strains housed in a non-barrier facility. These mice, which included cross-bred and congenic, inbred strains on various genetic backgrounds, differ in the loci for the immune function genes--major histocompatibility complex class II (MHCII), toll-like receptor 4 (Tlr4), and solute carrier family 11, member 1 (Slc11a1)--which allowed comparisons of the impact of these genes on resistance to pinworm infection. Male and female mice of various ages were sampled over an 18-month period; infection was determined by use of the cellophane tape test. Results indicated that mice that were MHCII+/+ had a significantly lower prevalence of infection than did mice that were MHCII-/-. Differences were not seen between male and female mice. Although MHCII+/+ mice had an age-associated decrease in infection prevalence, such decrease was not seen in MHCII-/- mice. In contrast, infection prevalence in mice with the normal Tlr4 gene (Tlr4(LPS-n/LPS-n)) gene did not differ significantly compared with that in mice that were homozygous for either the point mutation (Tlr4(LPS-d/LPS-d)) or deletion (Tlr4(LPS-del/LPS-del)) of that gene. Likewise, the presence (Sle11a1r/r) or absence (Slc11a1s/s) of functional alleles for Slc11a1 had no effect on the prevalence of infection with S. obvelata. In conclusion, presence of MHCII, but not Tlr4 or Slc11a1 significantly influences prevalence of naturally acquired infection with S. obvelata. These data justify further comprehensive analyses of the immune components that are involved in pinworm resistance.

Dynamic Changes in Fetal Microchimerism in Maternal Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells, CD4+ and CD8+ Cells in Normal Pregnancy

Science.gov (United States)

Adams Waldorf, Kristina M.; Gammill, Hilary S.; Lucas, Joëlle; Aydelotte, Tessa M.; Leisenring, Wendy M.; Lambert, Nathalie C.; Nelson, J. Lee

2010-01-01

Objective Cell trafficking during pregnancy results in persistence of small populations of fetal cells in the mother, known as fetal microchimerism (FMc). Changes in cell-free fetal DNA during gestation have been well-described, however, less is known about dynamic changes in fetal immune cells in maternal blood. We investigated FMc in maternal peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) longitudinally across gestation. Study Design Thirty-five women with normal pregnancies were studied. FMc was identified in PBMC, CD4+ and CD8+ subsets employing quantitative PCR assays targeting fetal-specific genetic polymorphisms. FMc quantities were reported as fetal genome equivalents (gEq) per 1,000,000 gEq mother’s cells. Poisson regression modeled the rate of FMc detection. Main Outcome Measure FMc in PBMC Results The probability of detecting one fetal cell equivalent increased 6.2-fold each trimester [Incidence Rate Ratio (IRR) 95% CI: 1.73, 21.91; p=0.005]. Although FMC in PBMC was not detected for the majority of time points, 7 of 35 women had detectable FMc during pregnancy at one or more time points, with the majority of positive samples being from the third trimester. There was a suggestion of greater HLA-sharing in families where women had FMc in PBMC. FMc was detected in 9% of CD4+ (2/23) and 18% of CD8+ (3/25) subsets. Conclusions FMc in PBMC increased as gestation progressed and was found within CD4+ and CD8+ subsets in some women in the latter half of gestation. A number of factors could influence cellular FMc levels including subclinical fetal-maternal interface changes and events related to parturition. Whether FMc during pregnancy predicts persistent FMc and/or correlates with fetal-maternal HLA-relationships also merits further study. PMID:20569981

Connectionist neuropsychology: uncovering ultimate causes of acquired dyslexia.

Science.gov (United States)

Woollams, Anna M

2014-01-01

Acquired dyslexia offers a unique window on to the nature of the cognitive and neural architecture supporting skilled reading. This paper provides an integrative overview of recent empirical and computational work on acquired dyslexia within the context of the primary systems framework as implemented in connectionist neuropsychological models. This view proposes that damage to general visual, phonological or semantic processing abilities are the root causes of different forms of acquired dyslexia. Recent case-series behavioural evidence concerning pure alexia, phonological dyslexia and surface dyslexia that supports this perspective is presented. Lesion simulations of these findings within connectionist models of reading demonstrate the viability of this approach. The commitment of such models to learnt representations allows them to capture key aspects of performance in each type of acquired dyslexia, particularly the associated non-reading deficits, the role of relearning and the influence of individual differences in the premorbid state of the reading system. Identification of these factors not only advances our understanding of acquired dyslexia and the mechanisms of normal reading but they are also relevant to the complex interactions underpinning developmental reading disorders.

Pennzoil to acquire part of Chevron's production

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1992-01-01

This paper reports that Pennzoil Co., Houston, will exchange 48% of its $2.2 billion investment in Chevron Corp. for a chunk of chevron's U.S. producing leases. The trade is to involve a tax free exchange of 15.75 million chevron Corp. shares held by Pennzoil for all the stock of Chevron PBC Inc., a Chevron unit owning Gulf of Mexico, Gulf Coast, Permian basin, and other U.S. oil and gas producing leases. Sixty percent of the acquired reserves are in the Gulf of Mexico and Gulf Coast where Pennzoil's operations are concentrated, and 60% of the acquired reserves consist of natural gas, mirroring Pennzoil's reserve ratios

A naturally-occurring histone acetyltransferase inhibitor derived from Garcinia indica impairs newly acquired and reactivated fear memories.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stephanie A Maddox

Full Text Available The study of the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying the consolidation and reconsolidation of traumatic fear memories has progressed rapidly in recent years, yet few compounds have emerged that are readily useful in a clinical setting for the treatment of anxiety disorders such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD. Here, we use a combination of biochemical, behavioral, and neurophysiological methods to systematically investigate the ability of garcinol, a naturally-occurring histone acetyltransferase (HAT inhibitor derived from the rind of the fruit of the Kokum tree (Garcina indica, to disrupt the consolidation and reconsolidation of Pavlovian fear conditioning, a widely studied rodent model of PTSD. We show that local infusion of garcinol into the rat lateral amygdala (LA impairs the training and retrieval-related acetylation of histone H3 in the LA. Further, we show that either intra-LA or systemic administration of garcinol within a narrow window after either fear conditioning or fear memory retrieval significantly impairs the consolidation and reconsolidation of a Pavlovian fear memory and associated neural plasticity in the LA. Our findings suggest that a naturally-occurring compound derived from the diet that regulates chromatin function may be useful in the treatment of newly acquired or recently reactivated traumatic memories.

A Naturally-Occurring Histone Acetyltransferase Inhibitor Derived from Garcinia indica Impairs Newly Acquired and Reactivated Fear Memories

Science.gov (United States)

Maddox, Stephanie A.; Watts, Casey S.; Doyère, Valérie; Schafe, Glenn E.

2013-01-01

The study of the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying the consolidation and reconsolidation of traumatic fear memories has progressed rapidly in recent years, yet few compounds have emerged that are readily useful in a clinical setting for the treatment of anxiety disorders such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Here, we use a combination of biochemical, behavioral, and neurophysiological methods to systematically investigate the ability of garcinol, a naturally-occurring histone acetyltransferase (HAT) inhibitor derived from the rind of the fruit of the Kokum tree (Garcina indica), to disrupt the consolidation and reconsolidation of Pavlovian fear conditioning, a widely studied rodent model of PTSD. We show that local infusion of garcinol into the rat lateral amygdala (LA) impairs the training and retrieval-related acetylation of histone H3 in the LA. Further, we show that either intra-LA or systemic administration of garcinol within a narrow window after either fear conditioning or fear memory retrieval significantly impairs the consolidation and reconsolidation of a Pavlovian fear memory and associated neural plasticity in the LA. Our findings suggest that a naturally-occurring compound derived from the diet that regulates chromatin function may be useful in the treatment of newly acquired or recently reactivated traumatic memories. PMID:23349897

Microquimerismo fetal-materno nas doenças reumáticas auto-imunes Maternal-fetal microchimerism in autoimmune rheumatic diseases

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Karin Spat Albino Barcellos

2004-02-01

Full Text Available Estudos recentes indicam a existência de um tráfego bidirecional de células durante a gestação humana normal. Células fetais persistem no sangue periférico materno por muitos anos após a gestação. Muitas doenças auto-imunes são mais prevalentes em mulheres, algumas das quais apresentam pico de incidência em fases tardias dos anos férteis femininos. A doença enxerto-versushospedeiro é uma condição conhecida de quimerismo e possui similaridades clínicas com algumas doenças auto-imunes reumáticas, notavelmente com esclerose sistêmica e síndrome de Sjögren e, algumas vezes, com lúpus eritematoso sistêmico. Este artigo explora a hipótese de que o microquimerismo fetal contribua para a patogênese de algumas doenças auto-imunes, baseado em revisões de estudos anteriores que trabalharam com esta hipótese. São apresentadas ressalvas de ordem conceitual e técnica a serem consideradas na interpretação dos dados da literatura.Recent studies indicate that there is bi-directional traffic of cells during normal human pregnancy. Fetal cells have been found to persist in the maternal peripheral blood for many years after pregnancy. Many autoimmune diseases are more prevalent in women, and some of them have peak incidence at late stages of childbearing years. Chronic graft versus host disease (cGVHD is a known condition of chimerism and has clinical similarities to some rheumatic autoimmune diseases, notably systemic sclerosis, Sjögren's syndrome and systemic lupus erythematosus. This article explores the hypothesis that fetal microchimerism contributes to the pathogenesis of some autoimmune diseases, based on reviews of previous studies that have worked with this hypothesis. Technical and conceptual considerations are presented for a critical appraisal of the available literature.

Histopathology of dairy cows' hooves with signs of naturally acquired laminitis

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Heloisa M.F. Mendes

2013-05-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this study was to investigate histological changes in dairy cows' hooves with or without injuries from naturally acquired laminitis. Cull cows with no clinical signs of hoof abnormalities (G1, n=9 and those with macroscopic lesions associated with laminitis without (G2, n=23 or with lameness (G3, n=7 were used in the study. After slaughter, samples of dermo-epidermal junctions of sole, axial and dorsal regions of the hoof were obtained and histologically processed using HE and PAS staining. Congestion, hemorrhage and inflammatory infiltrate in the dermis of sole, axial and dorsal regions were blindly and semiquantitatively evaluated by the same researcher. Inflammatory infiltrate was evaluated in the dermal laminae of axial and dorsal regions. The morphology of epidermal cells and the presence of irregularities in three regions of the basement membrane (BM length were examined using PAS staining. Scores of lesions in different regions of the hoof in the same group and in different groups for each region of the hoof were compared using non-parametric analyses. Inflammatory infiltrate in the dermis of all regions of the hoof was detected in all groups with no significant statistical difference. Cows with no clinical signs of hoof abnormalities secondary to laminitis (G1 have inflammation scores and epidermal cell changes similar to those of groups with laminitis injuries, suggesting the existence of a prodromal phase for this disease in bovines. BM had irregularities with a variable intensity along its length, however, with no difference among groups. The pattern of BM irregularities found has not been reported so far and does not resemble the BM collapse described in horses and cattle with induced acute laminitis. Is it concluded that even in the absence of macroscopic hoof signs associated to laminitis, dairy cows have histological injuries compatible with inflammation of the dermo-epidermal junction as in affected animals

Phylogenetically Acquired Representations and Evolutionary Algorithms.

OpenAIRE

Wozniak , Adrianna

2006-01-01

First, we explain why Genetic Algorithms (GAs), inspired by the Modern Synthesis, do not accurately model biological evolution, being rather an artificial version of artificial, rather than natural selection. Being focused on optimisation, we propose two improvements of GAs, with the aim to successfully generate adapted, desired behaviour. The first one concerns phylogenetic grounding of meaning, a way to avoid the Symbol Grounding Problem. We give a definition of Phylogenetically Acquired Re...

Pregnancy and the risk of autoimmune disease: An exploration.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

2012-01-31

Fetal microchimerism is the study of persisting fetal cells in the mother years after pregnancy and the purported implications for her health and longevity. Due to the association between pregnancy and autoimmune disease (AID), and the preponderance of these diseases in women, laboratory studies have for years attempted to link microchimeric fetal cells with the onset of AID after pregnancy. This new study gave us the opportunity to examine for the first time if this theory could be proven clinically in a large cohort of women. By examining whether different types of delivery affected the onset of AID, we also aimed to indirectly relate this finding to fetal microchimerism. The results did suggest an association between pregnancy and the risk of subsequent maternal AID, with increased risks noted after caesarean section (CS) and decreased risks after abortion. This is the first epidemiological study on the risk of AID following pregnancy.

Naturally occurring dominant drug resistance mutations occur infrequently in the setting of recently acquired hepatitis C.

Science.gov (United States)

Applegate, Tanya L; Gaudieri, Silvana; Plauzolles, Anne; Chopra, Abha; Grebely, Jason; Lucas, Michaela; Hellard, Margaret; Luciani, Fabio; Dore, Gregory J; Matthews, Gail V

2015-01-01

Direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) are predicted to transform hepatitis C therapy, yet little is known about the prevalence of naturally occurring resistance mutations in recently acquired HCV. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and frequency of drug resistance mutations in the viral quasispecies among HIV-positive and -negative individuals with recent HCV. The NS3 protease, NS5A and NS5B polymerase genes were amplified from 50 genotype 1a participants of the Australian Trial in Acute Hepatitis C. Amino acid variations at sites known to be associated with possible drug resistance were analysed by ultra-deep pyrosequencing. A total of 12% of individuals harboured dominant resistance mutations, while 36% demonstrated non-dominant resistant variants below that detectable by bulk sequencing (that is, Resistance variants (resistance from all classes, with the exception of sofosbuvir. Dominant resistant mutations were uncommonly observed in the setting of recent HCV. However, low-level mutations to all DAA classes were observed by deep sequencing at the majority of sites and in most individuals. The significance of these variants and impact on future treatment options remains to be determined. Clinicaltrials.gov NCT00192569.

Immunological characteristics and response to lipopolysaccharide of mouse lines selectively bred with natural and acquired immunities.

Science.gov (United States)

Narahara, Hiroki; Sakai, Eri; Katayama, Masafumi; Ohtomo, Yukiko; Yamamoto, Kanako; Takemoto, Miki; Aso, Hisashi; Ohwada, Shyuichi; Mohri, Yasuaki; Nishimori, Katsuhiko; Isogai, Emiko; Yamaguchi, Takahiro; Fukuda, Tomokazu

2012-05-01

Genetic improvement of resistance to infectious diseases is a challenging goal in animal breeding. Infection resistance involves multiple immunological characteristics, including natural and acquired immunity. In the present study, we developed an experimental model based on genetic selection, to improve immunological phenotypes. We selectively established three mouse lines based on phagocytic activity, antibody production and the combination of these two phenotypes. We analyzed the immunological characteristics of these lines using a lipopolysaccharide (LPS), which is one of the main components of Gram-negative bacteria. An intense immunological reaction was induced in each of the three mouse lines. Severe loss of body weight and liver damage were observed, and a high level of cytokine messenger RNA was detected in the liver tissue. The mouse line established using a combination of the two selection standards showed unique characteristics relative to the mouse lines selected on the basis of a single phenotype. Our results indicate that genetic selection and breeding is effective, even for immunological phenotypes with a relatively low heritability. Thus, it may be possible to improve resistance to infectious diseases by means of genetic selection. © 2011 The Authors. Animal Science Journal © 2011 Japanese Society of Animal Science.

Differences in microbiological profile between community-acquired, healthcare-associated and hospital-acquired infections.

Science.gov (United States)

Cardoso, Teresa; Ribeiro, Orquídea; Aragão, Irene; Costa-Pereira, Altamiro; Sarmento, António

2013-01-01

Microbiological profiles were analysed and compared for intra-abdominal, urinary, respiratory and bloodstream infections according to place of acquisition: community-acquired, with a separate analysis of healthcare-associated, and hospital-acquired. Prospective cohort study performed at a university tertiary care hospital over 1 year. Inclusion criteria were meeting the Centers for Disease Control definition of intra-abdominal, urinary, respiratory and bloodstream infections. A total of 1035 patients were included in the study. More than 25% of intra-abdominal infections were polymicrobial; multi-drug resistant gram-negatives were 38% in community-acquired, 50% in healthcare-associated and 57% in hospital-acquired. E. coli was the most prevalent among urinary infections: 69% in community-acquired, 56% in healthcare-associated and 26% in hospital-acquired; ESBL producers' pathogens were 10% in healthcare-associated and 3% in community-acquired and hospital-acquired. In respiratory infections Streptococcus pneumoniae was the most prevalent in community-acquired (54%) and MRSA in healthcare-associated (24%) and hospital-acquired (24%). A significant association was found between MRSA respiratory infection and hospitalization in the previous year (adjusted OR = 6.3), previous instrumentation (adjusted OR = 4.3) and previous antibiotic therapy (adjusted OR = 5.7); no cases were documented among patients without risk factors. Hospital mortality rate was 10% in community-acquired, 14% in healthcare-associated and 19% in hospital-acquired infection. This study shows that healthcare-associated has a different microbiologic profile than those from community or hospital acquired for the four main focus of infection. Knowledge of this fact is important because the existing guidelines for community-acquired are not entirely applicable for this group of patients.

HY immune tolerance is common in women without male offspring.

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Miranda P Dierselhuis

Full Text Available Sex difference is an established risk factor for hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT-related complications like graft versus host disease (GVHD. CD8pos cytotoxic T cells specific for Y chromosome-encoded minor Histocompatibility antigens (HY play an important role therein. Prior to HSC donation, female donors may encounter HY antigens through fetomaternal or transmaternal cell flow, potentially leading to the induction of HY-specific cytotoxic or regulatory immune responses. Whether HY priming occurs independent of parity, and whether HY priming is dependent on the presence of male microchimerism, is as yet unknown.We investigated the presence of HY-specific regulatory T cells (Treg and male microchimerism in 45 healthy women with a fully documented pregnancy and family history. HY peptide-induced linked suppression, a commonly reported functional feature of CD4pos and CD8pos Treg, was measured by trans vivo Delayed Type Hypersensitivity testing. As source of HY antigens, male microchimerism was analyzed by real-time PCR and defined by the presence of male DNA in at least one purified leukocyte cell type.HLA class I or class II restricted HY-specific Treg were detected in 26/42 (62% women eligible for analysis. The prevalence of HY-specific Treg was significantly higher in women who had never given birth to sons than in women with male offspring (p = 0.004. Male microchimerism could be detected in 24 out of 45 (53% women but did not correlate with the presence of HY specific Treg.HY-specific Treg in women with male offspring have been described previously. Here we show for the first time that, in fact, HY specific Treg are more common in nulliparous women and in parous women with female offspring. Their presence is independent of the presence of male microchimerism. Whether HY-specific Treg presence in female stem cell grafts might decrease the GVHD incidence in male HSCT recipients needs to be investigated.

Learning-by-Being-Acquired

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Colombo, Massimo Gaetano; Moreira, Solon; Rabbiosi, Larissa

2016-01-01

In horizontal acquisitions, the post-acquisition integration of the R&D function often damages the inventive labor force and results in lower innovative productivity of acquired inventors. In this paper we study post-acquisition integration in terms of R&D team reorganization-i.e., the creation...... of new teams with both inventors of the acquiring and acquired firms-and assess the impact of this integration action in the period that immediately follows the acquisition. Drawing on social identity and self-categorization theories, we argue that R&D team reorganization increases the acquired inventors...

Chemotherapeutic treatment of naturally acquired generalized demodicosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Folz, S D; Kratzer, D D; Conklin, R D; Nowakowski, L H; Kakuk, T J; Rector, D L

1983-08-01

Fifty-two dogs naturally parasitized with Demodex canis and having the generalized form of the disease were utilized to evaluate the efficacy and safety of single or multiple topical treatments with a liquid concentrate formulation of amitraz. Ten dogs (5 treated, 5 controls) were utilized to evaluate a single treatment. A single topical treatment with the miticide did not significantly reduce the incidence of dogs with mites, however, significant clinical improvement resulted. Side-effects were not observed after treatment. Forty-two dogs (26 treated, 16 controls) were utilized to evaluate multiple topical treatments with the liquid concentrate. A series of 3-6 treatments was applied topically at 14-day intervals. The dogs treated with the miticide received an average of 4.5 topical treatments. All (100%) of the dogs responded clinically, and the mean rate of improvement at four weeks post-treatment was 99.1%. Most dogs (96.2%) were cleared of mites after 3-6 treatments, and Mitaban did not cause any dermatologic, ocular, or other clinical side-effects. Multiple treatments with the liquid concentrate were highly efficacious and safe for treatment of generalized demodicosis. Control dogs did not improve clinically and retained mite populations.

Acquired neuropathies.

Science.gov (United States)

Lozeron, Pierre; Trocello, Jean-Marc; Kubis, Nathalie

2013-09-01

Acquired neuropathies represent most of the neuropathies encountered in clinical practice. Hundreds of causes have been identified even though up to 41% of patients are still classified as idiopathic (Rajabally and Shah in J Neurol 258:1431-1436, 1). Routine evaluation relies on comprehensive medical history taking, clinical examination, nerve conduction studies and laboratory tests. Other investigations such as nerve biopsy or nerve or muscle imaging are performed in specific settings. This review focuses on recent advances in acquired neuropathies.

Mergers and acquisitions in the natural gas industry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Burkhardt, D.A.; Brown, M.L.

1984-04-26

Three examples of natural gas distribution companies involved in merger activity illustrate how the distribution as well as the transmission side of the industry may be attractive to potential acquiring companies seeking diversification. Although the mergers are a new phenonmenon, the acquiring firms are attracted by the overlapping service areas and the operating efficiency of the regulated distributors. They also see a possible outlet for surplus natural gas. 1 table.

Use of CD25 as an immunohistochemical marker for acquired ocular toxoplasmosis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cristina Miyamoto

2010-10-01

Full Text Available PURPOSE: Toxoplasmosis is the most common cause of posterior infectious uveitis worldwide. It is often impossible to determine its congenital or acquired nature. Interleukin-2 (IL-2 in peripheral blood has been described as a possible marker for acquired toxoplasmosis. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the histopathological characteristics of ocular toxoplasmosis cases using CD25 as a marker for the expression of interleukin-2. METHODS: Ten formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded enucleated globes from ten immunocompetent patients with clinical diagnosis of toxoplasmosis were evaluated. Four patients had the acquired form of ocular toxoplasmosis (positive IgM while six were IgM negative and IgG positive for toxoplasmosis. Histopathological slides were reviewed for the extension of the retinal necrosis, number of toxo cysts, the granulomatous inflammatory reaction, the presence of T and B cells within the choroid and the IL-2 expression. Immunohistochemistry using monoclonal antibodies was performed to observe the expression of CD4, CD8, CD20, CD25, and CD68. RESULTS: The histopathological evaluation disclosed no differences between acquired and the other ocular toxoplasmosis cases regarding the characteristics studied. However, CD25 showed a higher expression of IL-2 on the 4 acquired cases of ocular toxoplasmosis compared to the remainders. CONCLUSIONS: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report showing that the use of CD25 as a marker for interleukin-2 could differentiate acquired ocular toxoplasmosis.

Community-acquired bacterial meningitis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van de Beek, Diederik; Brouwer, Matthijs; Hasbun, Rodrigo; Koedel, Uwe; Whitney, Cynthia G.; Wijdicks, Eelco

2016-01-01

Meningitis is an inflammation of the meninges and subarachnoid space that can also involve the brain cortex and parenchyma. It can be acquired spontaneously in the community - community-acquired bacterial meningitis - or in the hospital as a complication of invasive procedures or head trauma

Acquired Methemoglobinaemia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adil Al-Lawati

2012-05-01

Full Text Available Acquired methemoglobinaemia is a relatively rare condition and, therefore infrequently encountered in acute medical practice. Suspicion of the condition may be triggered when the measured PaO2 is ‘out of keeping’ with the oxygen saturations that are discovered with pulse oximetry. We describe two separate cases of acquired methemoglobinaemia secondary to the recreational use of alkyl nitrites (’poppers’. The patients presented at separate times to two different teaching hospitals in London, UK. The similarity of these cases has led the authors to conclude that a raised awareness of this potentially fatal condition, and its association with a widely-available recreational drug, is necessary to ensure a correct and timely diagnosis.

Conflicts between natural resources and structural protection

Science.gov (United States)

Stephen Bakken

1995-01-01

Each parcel of government land carries specific land use constraints and objectives. This is also true of private housing and business developments. When government land, which was acquired to protect the natural or cultural resources, borders private land, which was acquired to build and protect houses or businesses, conflicts arise. The flammable native vegetation on...

Laboratory-acquired brucellosis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fabiansen, C.; Knudsen, J.D.; Lebech, A.M.

2008-01-01

Brucellosis is a rare disease in Denmark. We describe one case of laboratory-acquired brucellosis from an index patient to a laboratory technician following exposure to an infected blood culture in a clinical microbiology laboratory Udgivelsesdato: 2008/6/9......Brucellosis is a rare disease in Denmark. We describe one case of laboratory-acquired brucellosis from an index patient to a laboratory technician following exposure to an infected blood culture in a clinical microbiology laboratory Udgivelsesdato: 2008/6/9...

Naturally acquired Lawsonia intracellularis infection in pigs studied from weaning to slaughter by indirect immunofluorescence antibody test and polymerase chain reaction on faeces

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Tim Kåre; Vigre, Håkan; Sørensen, Vibeke

2005-01-01

by immunofluorescence antibody test compared to 24% by immunohistochemistry on ileal samples. Thus, applied at the time of slaughter the antibody test appeared to be a highly sensitive ante-mortem diagnostic tool for identifying L. intracelluaris exposed pigs with or without current proliferative enteropathy. (c) 2004......The course of naturally acquired Lawsonia intracellularis infection was studied in 41 pigs by testing blood and faeces samples collected four to seven times from before weaning to slaughter 5 months old. At slaughter, a sample of ileum was taken for histopathology. In the first sampling when...... later on shed and/or were seropositive for L. intracellularis. The lowest prevalence of L. intracellularis was observed in 6-13 weeks old pigs and it seemed as though L. intracellularis in early infected pigs only activates a minor antibody response. At slaughter 66% of the pigs were found positive...

Functional neural changes associated with acquired amusia across different stages of recovery after stroke.

Science.gov (United States)

Sihvonen, Aleksi J; Särkämö, Teppo; Ripollés, Pablo; Leo, Vera; Saunavaara, Jani; Parkkola, Riitta; Rodríguez-Fornells, Antoni; Soinila, Seppo

2017-09-12

Brain damage causing acquired amusia disrupts the functional music processing system, creating a unique opportunity to investigate the critical neural architectures of musical processing in the brain. In this longitudinal fMRI study of stroke patients (N = 41) with a 6-month follow-up, we used natural vocal music (sung with lyrics) and instrumental music stimuli to uncover brain activation and functional network connectivity changes associated with acquired amusia and its recovery. In the acute stage, amusic patients exhibited decreased activation in right superior temporal areas compared to non-amusic patients during instrumental music listening. During the follow-up, the activation deficits expanded to comprise a wide-spread bilateral frontal, temporal, and parietal network. The amusics showed less activation deficits to vocal music, suggesting preserved processing of singing in the amusic brain. Compared to non-recovered amusics, recovered amusics showed increased activation to instrumental music in bilateral frontoparietal areas at 3 months and in right middle and inferior frontal areas at 6 months. Amusia recovery was also associated with increased functional connectivity in right and left frontoparietal attention networks to instrumental music. Overall, our findings reveal the dynamic nature of deficient activation and connectivity patterns in acquired amusia and highlight the role of dorsal networks in amusia recovery.

Acquired pulmonary artery stenosis in four dogs.

Science.gov (United States)

Scansen, Brian A; Schober, Karsten E; Bonagura, John D; Smeak, Daniel D

2008-04-15

4 dogs with acquired pulmonary artery stenosis (PAS) were examined for various clinical signs. One was a mixed-breed dog with congenital valvular PAS that subsequently developed peripheral PAS, one was a Golden Retriever with pulmonary valve fibrosarcoma, one was a Pembroke Welsh Corgi in which the left pulmonary artery had inadvertently been ligated during surgery for correction of patent ductus arteriosus, and one was a Boston Terrier with a heart-base mass compressing the pulmonary arteries. All 4 dogs were evaluated with 2-dimensional and Doppler echocardiography to characterize the nature and severity of the stenoses; other diagnostic tests were also performed. The mixed-breed dog with valvular and peripheral PAS was euthanized, surgical resection of the pulmonic valve mass was performed in the Golden Retriever, corrective surgery was performed on the Pembroke Welsh Corgi with left pulmonary artery ligation, and the Boston Terrier with the heart-base mass was managed medically. Acquired PAS in dogs may manifest as a clinically silent heart murmur, syncope, or right-sided heart failure. The diagnosis is made on the basis of imaging findings, particularly results of 2-dimensional and Doppler echocardiography. Treatment may include surgical, interventional, or medical modalities and is targeted at resolving the inciting cause.

A case of community-acquired Acinetobacter baumannii meningitis - has the threat moved beyond the hospital?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lowman, Warren; Kalk, Thomas; Menezes, Colin N.; John, Melanie A.; Grobusch, Martin P.

2008-01-01

Acinetobacter baumannii is a prolific nosocomial pathogen renowned for its multidrug-resistant nature. We report a case of community-acquired meningitis due to A. baumannii. The case highlights the potential pathogenicity of this organism and raises concerns that this highly adaptable organism may

Efficacy of fluralaner administered either orally or topically for the treatment of naturally acquired Sarcoptes scabiei var. canis infestation in dogs.

Science.gov (United States)

Taenzler, Janina; Liebenberg, Julian; Roepke, Rainer K A; Frénais, Régis; Heckeroth, Anja R

2016-07-07

The efficacy of fluralaner, formulated as a chewable tablet (Bravecto™) or topical solution (Bravecto™ Spot-on Solution), was evaluated against naturally acquired Sarcoptes scabiei var. canis infestation in dogs. The study was performed in privately-owned dogs naturally infested with S. scabiei var. canis. All dogs living in the same household as the infested dog were enrolled into one of 3 groups (2 fluralaner treated and 1 negative control). All dogs within one household were administered the same treatment, with one dog per household included in further observations and assessments. In total, 29 dogs confirmed positive for sarcoptic mange were included. On Day 0, all dogs in group 1 (n = 9) were treated once orally with fluralaner at a minimum dose of 25 mg/kg body weight; all dogs in group 2 (n = 11) were treated once topically with fluralaner at a dose of 25 mg/kg body weight; and dogs in group 3 (n = 9) were treated once topically with saline solution. Sarcoptes scabiei var. canis mites on each dog were counted before treatment and at 4 weeks after treatment in deep skin scrapings (~4 cm(2)) from 5 different body areas. Clinical signs of infestation (i.e. erythematous papules; casts, scales and crusts; body areas with hair loss) and pruritus were recorded at the same time points. Single oral or topical treatment with fluralaner resulted in a 100 % reduction in mite counts post-treatment (group 1: P = 0.0009 and group 2: P = 0.0011). Resolution of clinical signs at four weeks post-treatment was variable, with improvement observed for erythematous papules, casts and crusts, and pruritus. All fluralaner treated dogs showed an improvement in overall hair re-growth compared with pre-treatment observations. Fluralaner administered either orally or topically to naturally infested dogs eliminates Sarcoptes scabiei var. canis mites and improves clinical signs over a 4-week observation period.

Community-acquired pneumonia.

Science.gov (United States)

Falguera, M; Ramírez, M F

2015-11-01

This article not only reviews the essential aspects of community-acquired pneumonia for daily clinical practice, but also highlights the controversial issues and provides the newest available information. Community-acquired pneumonia is considered in a broad sense, without excluding certain variants that, in recent years, a number of authors have managed to delineate, such as healthcare-associated pneumonia. The latter form is nothing more than the same disease that affects more frail patients, with a greater number of risk factors, both sharing an overall common approach. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier España, S.L.U. y Sociedad Española de Medicina Interna (SEMI). All rights reserved.

Mesenchymal Stem Cell Benefits Observed in Bone Marrow Failure and Acquired Aplastic Anemia

Science.gov (United States)

Gonzaga, Vivian Fonseca; Lisboa, Gustavo Sabino; Frare, Eduardo Osório

2017-01-01

Acquired aplastic anemia (AA) is a type of bone marrow failure (BMF) syndrome characterized by partial or total bone marrow (BM) destruction resulting in peripheral blood (PB) pancytopenia, which is the reduction in the number of red blood cells (RBC) and white blood cells (WBC), as well as platelets (PLT). The first-line treatment option of AA is given by hematopoietic stem cell (HSCs) transplant and/or immunosuppressive (IS) drug administration. Some patients did not respond to the treatment and remain pancytopenic following IS drugs. The studies are in progress to test the efficacy of adoptive cellular therapies as mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), which confer low immunogenicity and are reliable allogeneic transplants in refractory severe aplastic anemia (SAA) cases. Moreover, bone marrow stromal cells (BMSC) constitute an essential component of the hematopoietic niche, responsible for stimulating and enhancing the proliferation of HSCs by secreting regulatory molecules and cytokines, providing stimulus to natural BM microenvironment for hematopoiesis. This review summarizes scientific evidences of the hematopoiesis improvements after MSC transplant, observed in acquired AA/BMF animal models as well as in patients with acquired AA. Additionally, we discuss the direct and indirect contribution of MSCs to the pathogenesis of acquired AA. PMID:29333168

Intercontrole acquiring by Framatome

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1997-01-01

The Framatome group, as the worldwide leader in nuclear power plant construction, has reinforced his competences in nuclear services thanks to the acquiring of the Intercontrole company, specialized in non-destructive testing in nuclear and industrial environments. After a presentation of the functioning principle and of the safety aspects of a PWR reactor, this press dossier presents in a first part the role of nuclear services and in particular of non-destructive testing in nuclear power plants (in-service inspection, regulatory aspects, testing processes). This part is illustrated with some examples of inspection performed on some components of the primary coolant loop (steam generators, reactor vessel, pressurizer, pipes, primary pumps). A second part presents the technical centres and units of Framatome in charge of performing non-destructive inspections, while a third part describes the industrial policy and strategy of the group in this domain (market of nuclear park maintenance in France, in the USA and worldwide, creation of the 'inspection and control' centre of Framatome). A last part presents the activities of the Intercontrole company and of its daughter companies with some examples of actions realized in the nuclear and natural gas domains. (J.S.)

Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome: A Preliminary Examination of the Effects on Gay Couples and Coupling.

Science.gov (United States)

Carl, Douglas

1986-01-01

The Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) epidemic significantly influences attitudes about life and lifestyles. Homosexuals have to give increased consideration to coupling, the nature of coupled relationships, sex and intimacy, and death long before the normal time. Discusses impact of AIDS on the early stages of gay coupling and on the…

48 CFR 1845.502-70 - Contractor-acquired property.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 6 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 true Contractor-acquired... Possession of Contractors 1845.502-70 Contractor-acquired property. All contractor-acquired property must be... contractor-acquired. (2) Submission of DD Form 1419, DOD Industrial Plant Requisition, or equivalent format...

Acquiring taste in home economics?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Stenbak Larsen, Christian

Objective: To explore how home economics was taught in Denmark before the recent Danish school reform, which also revised the objectives and content of home economics, naming it Food Knowledge (Madkundskab) Methods: Participant observation was done in home economic lessons in two case schools...... appreciated by the group of boys, and others again learned to stick with their idiosyncrasies when pressured by the teacher. Conclusions: Children were acquiring taste in the home economic lessons, but not only the kind of tastes that the teacher had planned for. This leads to reflections on the very complex...... process of taste acquiring and to a call for further research into taste acquiring in complex real life contexts as home economics lessons....

Acquired bleeding disorders

African Journals Online (AJOL)

B one marrow aplasia ... Laboratory approach to a suspected acquired bleeding disorder. (LER = leuko- .... lymphocytic leukaemia, and lymphoma). ... cells), a bone marrow aspirate and trephine biopsy (BMAT) is not ..... transplantation.

In Utero Exposure to Exosomal and B-Cell Alloantigens Lessens Alloreactivity of Recipients’ Lymphocytes Rather than Confers Allograft Tolerance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jeng-Chang Chen

2018-03-01

Full Text Available According to actively acquired tolerance, antigen exposure before full immune development in fetal or early neonatal life will cause tolerance to this specific antigen. In this study, we aimed to examine whether allogeneic tolerance could be elicited by in utero exposure to surface MHC antigens of allogenic cells or soluble form of MHC exosomes. Gestational day 14 FVB/N fetuses were subjected to intraperitoneal injection of allogeneic major histocompatibility complex (MHC exosomes or highly enriched B-cells. Postnatally, the recipients were examined for the immune responses to donor alloantigens by lymphocyte proliferative reactions and skin transplantation. In utero exposure to allogeneic MHC exosomes abolished the alloreactivity of recipients’ lymphocytes to the alloantigens, but could not confer skin allograft tolerance. In utero transplantation of highly enriched allogeneic B-cells generated low-level B-cell chimerism in the recipients. However, it only extended the survivals of skin allograft by a few days despite the lack of donor-specific alloreactivity of recipients’ lymphocyte. Thus, an early in utero contact with exosomal or B-cell alloantigens did not lead to full skin tolerance but rather, at best, only to delayed skin rejection in the presence of microchimerism made by B-cell inocula. These results argued against the theory of actively acquired tolerance, and implicated that in utero exposure to marrow cells in previous studies was a unique model of allo-tolerance induction that involved the establishment of significant hematopoietic chimerism. Taken together with the discovery of in utero sensitization to ovalbumin in our previous studies, the immunological consequences of fetal exposure to foreign antigens might vary according to the type or nature of antigens introduced.

In Utero Exposure to Exosomal and B-Cell Alloantigens Lessens Alloreactivity of Recipients' Lymphocytes Rather than Confers Allograft Tolerance.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Jeng-Chang; Ou, Liang-Shiou; Chan, Cheng-Chi; Kuo, Ming-Ling; Tseng, Li-Yun; Chang, Hsueh-Ling

2018-01-01

According to actively acquired tolerance, antigen exposure before full immune development in fetal or early neonatal life will cause tolerance to this specific antigen. In this study, we aimed to examine whether allogeneic tolerance could be elicited by in utero exposure to surface MHC antigens of allogenic cells or soluble form of MHC exosomes. Gestational day 14 FVB/N fetuses were subjected to intraperitoneal injection of allogeneic major histocompatibility complex (MHC) exosomes or highly enriched B-cells. Postnatally, the recipients were examined for the immune responses to donor alloantigens by lymphocyte proliferative reactions and skin transplantation. In utero exposure to allogeneic MHC exosomes abolished the alloreactivity of recipients' lymphocytes to the alloantigens, but could not confer skin allograft tolerance. In utero transplantation of highly enriched allogeneic B-cells generated low-level B-cell chimerism in the recipients. However, it only extended the survivals of skin allograft by a few days despite the lack of donor-specific alloreactivity of recipients' lymphocyte. Thus, an early in utero contact with exosomal or B-cell alloantigens did not lead to full skin tolerance but rather, at best, only to delayed skin rejection in the presence of microchimerism made by B-cell inocula. These results argued against the theory of actively acquired tolerance, and implicated that in utero exposure to marrow cells in previous studies was a unique model of allo-tolerance induction that involved the establishment of significant hematopoietic chimerism. Taken together with the discovery of in utero sensitization to ovalbumin in our previous studies, the immunological consequences of fetal exposure to foreign antigens might vary according to the type or nature of antigens introduced.

Infectious offspring: how birds acquire and transmit an avian polyomavirus in the wild.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jaime Potti

Full Text Available Detailed patterns of primary virus acquisition and subsequent dispersal in wild vertebrate populations are virtually absent. We show that nestlings of a songbird acquire polyomavirus infections from larval blowflies, common nest ectoparasites of cavity-nesting birds, while breeding adults acquire and renew the same viral infections via cloacal shedding from their offspring. Infections by these DNA viruses, known potential pathogens producing disease in some bird species, therefore follow an 'upwards vertical' route of an environmental nature mimicking horizontal transmission within families, as evidenced by patterns of viral infection in adults and young of experimental, cross-fostered offspring. This previously undescribed route of viral transmission from ectoparasites to offspring to parent hosts may be a common mechanism of virus dispersal in many taxa that display parental care.

Somatically acquired structural genetic differences

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Magaard Koldby, Kristina; Nygaard, Marianne; Christensen, Kaare

2016-01-01

Structural genetic variants like copy number variants (CNVs) comprise a large part of human genetic variation and may be inherited as well as somatically acquired. Recent studies have reported the presence of somatically acquired structural variants in the human genome and it has been suggested t...... with age.European Journal of Human Genetics advance online publication, 20 April 2016; doi:10.1038/ejhg.2016.34....

Acquired ventricular septal defect due to infective endocarditis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Randi E Durden

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Acquired intracardiac left-to-right shunts are rare occurrences. Chest trauma and myocardial infection are well-known causes of acquired ventricular septal defect (VSD. There have been several case reports describing left ventricle to right atrium shunt after infective endocarditis (IE. We present here a patient found to have an acquired VSD secondary to IE of the aortic and tricuspid valves in the setting of a known bicuspid aortic valve. This is the first case reported of acquired VSD in a pediatric patient in the setting of IE along with literature review of acquired left-to-right shunts.

Acquired Inventors’ Productivity after Horizontal Acquisition

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Colombo, Massimo G.; Moreira, Solon; Rabbiosi, Larissa

Effective integration of the R&D functions of the acquired and acquiring firms is essential for knowledge recombination after acquisition. However, prior research suggests that the post-acquisition integration process often damages the inventive labor force. We argue that an examination of the mu...

Curiosity Search: Producing Generalists by Encouraging Individuals to Continually Explore and Acquire Skills throughout Their Lifetime.

Science.gov (United States)

Stanton, Christopher; Clune, Jeff

2016-01-01

Natural animals are renowned for their ability to acquire a diverse and general skill set over the course of their lifetime. However, research in artificial intelligence has yet to produce agents that acquire all or even most of the available skills in non-trivial environments. One candidate algorithm for encouraging the production of such individuals is Novelty Search, which pressures organisms to exhibit different behaviors from other individuals. However, we hypothesized that Novelty Search would produce sub-populations of specialists, in which each individual possesses a subset of skills, but no one organism acquires all or most of the skills. In this paper, we propose a new algorithm called Curiosity Search, which is designed to produce individuals that acquire as many skills as possible during their lifetime. We show that in a multiple-skill maze environment, Curiosity Search does produce individuals that explore their entire domain, while a traditional implementation of Novelty Search produces specialists. However, we reveal that when modified to encourage intra-life behavioral diversity, Novelty Search can produce organisms that explore almost as much of their environment as Curiosity Search, although Curiosity Search retains a significant performance edge. Finally, we show that Curiosity Search is a useful helper objective when combined with Novelty Search, producing individuals that acquire significantly more skills than either algorithm alone.

Acquired intrathoracic kidney in thoracic kyphosis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Murayama, Sadayuki; Kawashima, Akira; Ohuchida, Toshiyuki; Russell, W.J.

1986-12-01

Two cases of acquired intrathoracic kidney associated with thoracic kyphosis are reported, with emphasis on the radiographic manifestations. A search of the scientific literature disclosed that the acquired type of this abnormality is rare. The importance of recognizing this entity from a differential diagnostic standpoint is underscored. (author)

The nature of self-esteem and its relationship to anxiety and depression in adult acquired brain injury

OpenAIRE

Longworth, Catherine; Deakins, Joseph; Rose, David; Gracey, Fergus

2016-01-01

Acquired brain injury (ABI) has a negative impact on self-esteem, which is in turn associated with mood disorders, maladaptive coping and reduced community participation. The aim of the current research was to explore self-esteem as a multi-dimensional construct and identify which factors are associated with symptoms of anxiety or depression. Eighty adults with ABI aged 17–56 years completed the Robson Self-Esteem Scale (RSES), of whom 65 also completed the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Sca...

And the Winner is – Acquired

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Henkel, Joachim; Rønde, Thomas; Wagner, Marcus

value in case of success—that is, a more radical innovation. In the second stage, successful entrants bid to be acquired by the incumbent. We assume that entrants cannot survive on their own, so being acquired amounts to a ‘prize’ in a contest. We identify an equilibrium in which the incumbent chooses...

Lack of renewal effect in extinction of naturally acquired conditioned eyeblink responses, but possible dependency on physical context.

Science.gov (United States)

Claassen, J; Mazilescu, L; Thieme, A; Bracha, V; Timmann, D

2016-01-01

Context dependency of extinction is well known and has extensively been studied in fear conditioning, but has rarely been assessed in eyeblink conditioning. One way to demonstrate context dependency of extinction is the renewal effect. ABA paradigms are most commonly used to show the renewal effect of extinguished learned fear: if acquisition takes place in context A, and extinction takes place in context B (extinction phase), learned responses will recover in subsequent extinction trials presented in context A (renewal phase). The renewal effect of the visual threat eyeblink response (VTER), a conditioned eyeblink response, which is naturally acquired in early infancy, was examined in a total of 48 young and healthy participants with two experiments using an ABA paradigm. Twenty paired trials were performed in context A (baseline trials), followed by 50 extinction trials in context B (extinction phase) and 50 extinction trials in context A (renewal phase). In 24 participants, contexts A and B were two different rooms, and in the other 24 participants, two different background colors (orange and blue) and noises were used. To rule out spontaneous recovery, an AAA design was used for comparison. There were significant effects of extinction in both experiments. No significant renewal effects were observed. In experiment 2, however, extinction was significantly less using orange background during extinction compared to the blue background. The present findings suggest that extinction of conditioned eyeblinks depends on the physical context. Findings add to the animal literature that context can play a role in the acquisition of classically conditioned eyeblink responses. Future studies, however, need to be performed to confirm the present findings. Lack of renewal effect may be explained by the highly overlearned character of the VTER.

7 CFR 1779.90 - Disposition of acquired property.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... Disposition of acquired property. (a) General. When the lender acquires title to the collateral and the final... 7 Agriculture 12 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Disposition of acquired property. 1779.90 Section... develop a plan to fully protect the collateral, and the lender must dispose of the collateral without...

Mortality predictors in community-acquired pneumonia | Tanimowo ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

acquired pneumonia to themedicalwards of Ladoke Akintola University ofTeaching Hospital between Jan. 2003 andDec. 2005. The case notes of 65 patients admitted for community-acquired pneumoniawere studiedwith respect to their admission ...

The Genomic Basis of Intrinsic and Acquired Antibiotic Resistance in the Genus Serratia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luisa Sandner-Miranda

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Serratia marcescens, a member of the Enterobacteriaceae family, was long thought to be a non-pathogenic bacterium prevalent in environmental habitats. Together with other members of this genus, it has emerged in recent years as an opportunistic nosocomial pathogen causing various types of infections. One important feature of pathogens belonging to this genus is their intrinsic and acquired resistance to a variety of antibiotic families, including β-lactam, aminoglycosides, quinolones and polypeptide antibiotics. The aim of this study was to elucidate which genes participate in the intrinsic and acquired antibiotic resistance of this genus in order to determine the Serratia genus resistome. We performed phylogenomic and comparative genomic analyses using 32 Serratia spp. genomes deposited in the NCBI GenBank from strains isolated from different ecological niches and different lifestyles. S. marcescens strain SmUNAM836, which was previously isolated from a Mexican adult with obstructive pulmonary disease, was included in this study. The results show that most of the antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs were found on the chromosome, and to a lesser degree, on plasmids and transposons acquired through horizontal gene transfer. Four strains contained the gyrA point mutation in codon Ser83 that confers quinolone resistance. Pathogenic and environmental isolates presented a high number of ARGs, especially genes associated with efflux systems. Pathogenic strains, specifically nosocomial strains, presented more acquired resistance genes than environmental isolates. We may conclude that the environment provides a natural reservoir for antibiotic resistance, which has been underestimated in the medical field.

The Genomic Basis of Intrinsic and Acquired Antibiotic Resistance in the Genus Serratia

Science.gov (United States)

Sandner-Miranda, Luisa; Vinuesa, Pablo; Cravioto, Alejandro; Morales-Espinosa, Rosario

2018-01-01

Serratia marcescens, a member of the Enterobacteriaceae family, was long thought to be a non-pathogenic bacterium prevalent in environmental habitats. Together with other members of this genus, it has emerged in recent years as an opportunistic nosocomial pathogen causing various types of infections. One important feature of pathogens belonging to this genus is their intrinsic and acquired resistance to a variety of antibiotic families, including β-lactam, aminoglycosides, quinolones and polypeptide antibiotics. The aim of this study was to elucidate which genes participate in the intrinsic and acquired antibiotic resistance of this genus in order to determine the Serratia genus resistome. We performed phylogenomic and comparative genomic analyses using 32 Serratia spp. genomes deposited in the NCBI GenBank from strains isolated from different ecological niches and different lifestyles. S. marcescens strain SmUNAM836, which was previously isolated from a Mexican adult with obstructive pulmonary disease, was included in this study. The results show that most of the antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) were found on the chromosome, and to a lesser degree, on plasmids and transposons acquired through horizontal gene transfer. Four strains contained the gyrA point mutation in codon Ser83 that confers quinolone resistance. Pathogenic and environmental isolates presented a high number of ARGs, especially genes associated with efflux systems. Pathogenic strains, specifically nosocomial strains, presented more acquired resistance genes than environmental isolates. We may conclude that the environment provides a natural reservoir for antibiotic resistance, which has been underestimated in the medical field.

The spatiotemporal system dynamics of acquired resistance in an engineered microecology.

Science.gov (United States)

Datla, Udaya Sree; Mather, William H; Chen, Sheng; Shoultz, Isaac W; Täuber, Uwe C; Jones, Caroline N; Butzin, Nicholas C

2017-11-22

Great strides have been made in the understanding of complex networks; however, our understanding of natural microecologies is limited. Modelling of complex natural ecological systems has allowed for new findings, but these models typically ignore the constant evolution of species. Due to the complexity of natural systems, unanticipated interactions may lead to erroneous conclusions concerning the role of specific molecular components. To address this, we use a synthetic system to understand the spatiotemporal dynamics of growth and to study acquired resistance in vivo. Our system differs from earlier synthetic systems in that it focuses on the evolution of a microecology from a killer-prey relationship to coexistence using two different non-motile Escherichia coli strains. Using empirical data, we developed the first ecological model emphasising the concept of the constant evolution of species, where the survival of the prey species is dependent on location (distance from the killer) or the evolution of resistance. Our simple model, when expanded to complex microecological association studies under varied spatial and nutrient backgrounds may help to understand the complex relationships between multiple species in intricate natural ecological networks. This type of microecological study has become increasingly important, especially with the emergence of antibiotic-resistant pathogens.

The Basic Nature of Ethical Problems Experienced by Persons with Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome: Implications for Nursing Ethics Education and Practice.

Science.gov (United States)

Cameron, Miriam E.; And Others

1993-01-01

Twenty-five persons with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) described and validated 100 ethical problems that are experienced by people with AIDS from 3 levels of ethical inquiry: descriptive ethics, normative ethics, and metaethics. Findings suggest strategies for improving nursing ethics education. (JOW)

Preschoolers Acquire General Knowledge by Sharing in Pretense

Science.gov (United States)

Sutherland, Shelbie L.; Friedman, Ori

2012-01-01

Children acquire general knowledge about many kinds of things, but there are few known means by which this knowledge is acquired. In this article, it is proposed that children acquire generic knowledge by sharing in pretend play. In Experiment 1, twenty-two 3- to 4-year-olds watched pretense in which a puppet represented a "nerp" (an unfamiliar…

Undiagnosed diabetes mellitus in community-acquired pneumonia

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Andreas Vestergaard; Faurholt-Jepsen, Daniel; Egelund, Gertrud Baunbæk

2017-01-01

Background: Diabetes mellitus is an important risk factor for community-acquired pneumonia, whereas the prevalence of undiagnosed diabetes mellitus and prediabetes in patients with community-acquired pneumonia is largely unknown. We aimed to determine the prevalence of prediabetes, undiagnosed......-acquired pneumonia included in the German Community-Acquired Pneumonia Competence Network (CAPNETZ) study between 2007 and 2014. The prevalence of undiagnosed diabetes mellitus and prediabetes was estimated based on hemoglobin A1c measurements. Logistic regression was used to assess risk factors for undiagnosed...... diabetes mellitus. Results: Fifteen percent of patients had known diabetes mellitus. Among patients without known diabetes mellitus, 5.0% had undiagnosed diabetes mellitus and 37.5% had prediabetes. Male sex (odds ratio [OR], 2.45 [95% confidence interval {CI}, 1.35-4.45]), body mass index ≥25 kg/m2 (OR, 2...

Corpus callosum demyelination associated with acquired stuttering.

Science.gov (United States)

Decker, Barbara McElwee; Guitar, Barry; Solomon, Andrew

2018-04-21

Compared with developmental stuttering, adult onset acquired stuttering is rare. However, several case reports describe acquired stuttering and an association with callosal pathology. Interestingly, these cases share a neuroanatomical localisation also demonstrated in developmental stuttering. We present a case of adult onset acquired stuttering associated with inflammatory demyelination within the corpus callosum. This patient's disfluency improved after the initiation of immunomodulatory therapy. © BMJ Publishing Group Ltd (unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Aetiological considerations of acquired aplastic anaemia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Malik, S.; Sarwar, I.; Mehmood, T.; Naz, F.

2009-01-01

Acquired aplastic anaemia is one of the important causes of pancytopenia. This study was conducted to observe the mode of presentation of acquired aplastic anaemia and to find out its possible etiological factors. Methods: It is a hospital based descriptive study of 100 patients of acquired aplastic anaemia. Results: Out of 100 patients 60 were male and 40 female. Majority (44%) of the patients were between 12 - 20 years of age. Patient presented with variable symptoms majority (40%) with fever. Most of the patients had haemoglobin levels between 4 - 6 gm/dl. (53%). Seventy percent of the cases had no obvious cause, while in 30% some known causative factors were found. Chloramphenicol was found to be the most common causative drug. Mortality was 35%. Thirty patients were partially treated and 15 were lost to follow up. Twenty patients showed improvement with treatment. Conclusions: Acquired aplastic anaemia is common among males and more prevalent in younger age group. It is idiopathic in 70% cases while 30% had some cause. It has very high mortality. Doctors need to keep in mind this fatal condition in patients presenting with anaemia and should properly investigate before prescribing antibiotics and haematinics. (author)

Dutch Multifactor Fatigue Scale : A New Scale to Measure the Different Aspects of Fatigue After Acquired Brain Injury

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Visser-Keizer, Annemarie C.; Hogenkamp, Antoinette; Westerhof-Evers, Herma J.; Egberink, Iris J. L.; Spikman, Jacoba M.

Objectives: To develop the Dutch Multifactor Fatigue Scale (DMFS), a new scale to assess the nature and impact of fatigue and coping with fatigue in the chronic phase after acquired brain injury (ABI) and to analyze the psychometric properties of this scale in a mixed group of patients with ABI.

Natural gas annual 1993 supplement: Company profiles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1995-02-01

The Natural Gas Annual provides information on the supply and disposition of natural gas to a wide audience including industry, consumers, Federal and State agencies, and educational institutions. This report, the Natural Gas Annual 1993 Supplement: Company Profiles, presents a detailed profile of 45 selected companies in the natural gas industry. The purpose of this report is to show the movement of natural gas through the various States served by the companies profiled. The companies in this report are interstate pipeline companies or local distribution companies (LDC`s). Interstate pipeline companies acquire gas supplies from company owned production, purchases from producers, and receipts for transportation for account of others. Pipeline systems, service area maps, company supply and disposition data are presented.

Myelofibrosis and acquired hemophilia A: a case report.

Science.gov (United States)

Wrobel, Marie; Comio, Emilie; Gay, Valerie; Baroudi, Noureddine; Meyer, Pascal; Chuniaud-Louche, Christine; Hacini, Maya; Pica, Gian Matteo

2016-05-07

Myelofibrosis and acquired hemophilia A is a rare association. To the best of our knowledge only one case of myelofibrosis and acquired hemophilia A has been previously described. A 66-year-old Caucasian man diagnosed with myelofibrosis evolving in acute myeloid leukemia was referred to us for postoperative bleeding. Hemostatic studies showed prolonged activated partial thromboplastin time, decreased factor VIII coagulation, and a high factor VIII inhibitor titer; these findings led to a diagnosis of acquired hemophilia A for which he was treated with methylprednisolone and recombinant activated factor VII on admission. Due to a lack of response he was subsequently treated with rituximab combined with activated prothrombin complex concentrates. Furthermore, he received azacytidine to treat the underlying hematological malignancies. Immunosuppressive rituximab therapy resolved acquired hemophilia A with marked efficacy. Rapid and accurate diagnosis, effective hemostatic therapy, and timely treatment for underlying disease are important in the management of acquired hemophilia A secondary to hematological malignancy.

14 CFR 1274.402 - Contractor acquired property.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 5 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Contractor acquired property. 1274.402 Section 1274.402 Aeronautics and Space NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS WITH COMMERCIAL FIRMS Property § 1274.402 Contractor acquired property. As provided in § 1274.923...

Natural Disasters and Nontuberculous Mycobacteria

Science.gov (United States)

Bernhard, Jon N.; Chan, Edward D.

2015-01-01

Infectious diseases acquired by survivors of large-scale natural disasters complicate the recovery process. During events such as tsunamis, hurricanes, earthquakes, and tornados and well into the recovery period, victims often are exposed to water-soil mixtures that have relocated with indigenous microbes. Because nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) are ubiquitous in water and soil, there is potential for increased exposure to these organisms during natural disasters. In this hypothesis-driven commentary, we discuss the rise in NTM lung disease and natural disasters and examine the geographic overlap of NTM infections and disaster frequencies in the United States. Moreover, we show an increased number of positive NTM cultures from Louisiana residents in the years following three of the relatively recent epic hurricanes and posit that such natural disasters may help to drive the increased number of NTM infections. Finally, we advocate for increased environmental studies and surveillance of NTM infections before and after natural disasters. PMID:25644904

Isolated acquired factor VII deficiency: review of the literature.

Science.gov (United States)

Mulliez, Sylvie M N; Devreese, Katrien M J

2016-04-01

Isolated acquired factor VII (FVII) deficiency is a rare haemorrhagic disorder. We report what is currently known about the pathogenesis, clinical features, diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of acquired FVII deficiency. We performed a literature search and included all articles published between 1980 and August 2015. Acquired FVII deficiency has been reported in 42 patients. There are well-established clinical diseases associated with acquired FVII deficiency, most notably infections, malignancy and haematological stem cell transplantation. The exact pathogenesis of the diseases is still unknown, but different pathophysiological hypotheses have been suggested. The clinical manifestation of acquired FVII deficiency varies greatly in severity; asymptomatic course as well as severe life-threatening bleeding diathesis and fatal bleedings have been described.

Investigation and identification of etiologies involved in the development of acquired hydronephrosis in aged laboratory mice with the use of high-frequency ultrasound imaging

Science.gov (United States)

Springer, Danielle A.; Allen, Michele; Hoffman, Victoria; Brinster, Lauren; Starost, Matthew F.; Bryant, Mark; Eckhaus, Michael

2014-01-01

Laboratory mice develop naturally occurring lesions that affect biomedical research. Hydronephrosis is a recognized pathologic abnormality of the mouse kidney. Acquired hydronephrosis can affect any mouse, as it is caused by any naturally occurring disease that impairs free urine flow. Many etiologies leading to this condition are of particular significance to aging mice. Non-invasive ultrasound imaging detects renal pelvic dilation, renal enlargement, and parenchymal loss for pre-mortem identification of this condition. High-frequency ultrasound transducers produce high-resolution images of small structures, ideal for detecting organ pathology in mice. Using a 40 MHz linear array transducer, we obtained high-resolution images of a diversity of pathologic lesions occurring within the abdomen of seven geriatric mice with acquired hydronephrosis that enabled a determination of the underlying etiology. Etiologies diagnosed from the imaging results include pyelonephritis, neoplasia, urolithiasis, mouse urologic syndrome, and spontaneous hydronephrosis, and were confirmed at necropsy. A retrospective review of abdominal scans from an additional 149 aging mice shows that the most common etiologies associated with acquired hydronephrosis are mouse urologic syndrome and abdominal neoplasia. This report highlights the utility of high-frequency ultrasound for surveying research mice for age-related pathology, and is the first comprehensive report of multiple cases of acquired hydronephrosis in mice. PMID:25143818

How are Concepts of Infinity Acquired?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Trzęsicki Kazimierz

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Concepts of infinity have been subjects of dispute since antiquity. The main problems of this paper are: is the mind able to acquire a concept of infinity? and: how are concepts of infinity acquired? The aim of this paper is neither to say what the meanings of the word “infinity” are nor what infinity is and whether it exists. However, those questions will be mentioned, but only in necessary extent.

Acquired hypofibrinogenemia: current perspectives

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Besser MW

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Martin W Besser,1 Stephen G MacDonald2 1Department of Haematology, 2Department of Specialist Haemostasis, The Pathology Partnership, Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge, UK Abstract: Acquired hypofibrinogenemia is most frequently caused by hemodilution and consumption of clotting factors. The aggressive replacement of fibrinogen has become one of the core principles of modern management of massive hemorrhage. The best method for determining the patient’s fibrinogen level remains controversial, and particularly in acquired dysfibrinogenemia, could have major therapeutic implications depending on which quantification method is chosen. This review introduces the available laboratory and point-of-care methods and discusses the relative advantages and limitations. It also discusses current strategies for the correction of hypofibrinogenemia. Keywords: Clauss fibrinogen assay, fibrinogen antigen, viscoelastic testing, ­gravimetric fibrinogen assay, PT-derived fibrinogen, functional fibrinogen, direct oral anticoagulant, dysfibrinogenemia, afibrinogenemia

Variable Domain N-Linked Glycans Acquired During Antigen-Specific Immune Responses Can Contribute to Immunoglobulin G Antibody Stability

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fleur S. van de Bovenkamp

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Immunoglobulin G (IgG can contain N-linked glycans in the variable domains, the so-called Fab glycans, in addition to the Fc glycans in the CH2 domains. These Fab glycans are acquired following introduction of N-glycosylation sites during somatic hypermutation and contribute to antibody diversification. We investigated whether Fab glycans may—in addition to affecting antigen binding—contribute to antibody stability. By analyzing thermal unfolding profiles of antibodies with or without Fab glycans, we demonstrate that introduction of Fab glycans can improve antibody stability. Strikingly, removal of Fab glycans naturally acquired during antigen-specific immune responses can deteriorate antibody stability, suggesting in vivo selection of stable, glycosylated antibodies. Collectively, our data show that variable domain N-linked glycans acquired during somatic hypermutation can contribute to IgG antibody stability. These findings indicate that introducing Fab glycans may represent a mechanism to improve therapeutic/diagnostic antibody stability.

Pneumonia - children - community acquired

Science.gov (United States)

Bronchopneumonia - children; Community-acquired pneumonia - children; CAP - children ... Viruses are the most common cause of pneumonia in infants and children. Ways your child can get CAP include: Bacteria and viruses living in the nose, sinuses, or mouth may spread ...

MECHANISMS IN ENDOCRINOLOGY Autoimmune thyroid disease: old and new players

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Effraimidis, Grigoris; Wiersinga, Wilmar M.

2014-01-01

The last 10 years have seen some progress in understanding the etiology of autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD). The female preponderance can now be explained - at least in part - by fetal microchimerism and X-chromosome inactivation. The number of identified susceptibility genes for AITD is increasing

19 CFR 148.33 - Articles acquired abroad.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 19 Customs Duties 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Articles acquired abroad. 148.33 Section 148.33... Articles acquired abroad. (a) Exemption. Each returning resident is entitled to bring in free of duty and..., Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (19 U.S.C. 1202), articles for his personal or household use...

26 CFR 1.9002-6 - Acquiring corporation.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 26 Internal Revenue 13 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Acquiring corporation. 1.9002-6 Section 1.9002... (CONTINUED) INCOME TAXES General Actuarial Valuations § 1.9002-6 Acquiring corporation. Section 5(d) of the... corporation by another corporation in a distribution or transfer described in section 381(a) of the Code the...

Acquired hypertrichosis lanuginosa

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kumar Pramod

1993-01-01

Full Text Available Acquired hypertirichosis lanuginose developed rapidly in a patient with no detectable malignancy. Soft, fine, downy hair growth was noticed on the face, ears, limbs and trunk. Bilaterally symmetrical vitiliginous macules were present on the ear and preauricular region. This case is reported because of its rarity, absence of any detectable malignancy and development of vitiligo, which to our knowledge has not been reported earlier.

Seeing mathematics: perceptual experience and brain activity in acquired synesthesia.

Science.gov (United States)

Brogaard, Berit; Vanni, Simo; Silvanto, Juha

2013-01-01

We studied the patient JP who has exceptional abilities to draw complex geometrical images by hand and a form of acquired synesthesia for mathematical formulas and objects, which he perceives as geometrical figures. JP sees all smooth curvatures as discrete lines, similarly regardless of scale. We carried out two preliminary investigations to establish the perceptual nature of synesthetic experience and to investigate the neural basis of this phenomenon. In a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study, image-inducing formulas produced larger fMRI responses than non-image inducing formulas in the left temporal, parietal and frontal lobes. Thus our main finding is that the activation associated with his experience of complex geometrical images emerging from mathematical formulas is restricted to the left hemisphere.

Severe Dermatophytosis and Acquired or Innate Immunodeficiency: A Review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Claire Rouzaud

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Dermatophytes are keratinophilic fungi responsible for benign and common forms of infection worldwide. However, they can lead to rare and severe diseases in immunocompromised patients. Severe forms include extensive and/or invasive dermatophytosis, i.e., deep dermatophytosis and Majocchi’s granuloma. They are reported in immunocompromised hosts with primary (autosomal recessive CARD9 deficiency or acquired (solid organ transplantation, autoimmune diseases requiring immunosuppressive treatments, HIV infection immunodeficiencies. The clinical manifestations of the infection are not specific. Lymph node and organ involvement may also occur. Diagnosis requires both mycological and histological findings. There is no consensus on treatment. Systemic antifungal agents such as terbinafine and azoles (itraconazole or posaconazole are effective. However, long-term outcome and treatment management depend on the site and extent of the infection and the nature of the underlying immunodeficiency.

Development of vaccines against Plasmodium falciparum malaria: taking lessons from naturally acquired protective immunity

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hviid, Lars

2007-01-01

The acquisition of substantial anti-malarial protection in people naturally exposed to P. falciparum is often cited as evidence that malaria vaccines can be developed, but is rarely used to guide the development. We are pursuing the development of vaccines based on antigens and immune responses...

Hospital-Acquired Condition Reduction Program

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services — In October 2014, CMS began reducing Medicare payments for subsection (d) hospitals that rank in the worst performing quartile with respect to hospital-acquired...

A dangerous hobby? Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae bacteremia most probably acquired from freshwater aquarium fish handling.

Science.gov (United States)

Asimaki, E; Nolte, O; Overesch, G; Strahm, C

2017-08-01

Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae is a facultative anaerobic Gram-positive rod that occurs widely in nature and is best known in veterinary medicine for causing swine erysipelas. In humans, infections are rare and mainly considered as occupationally acquired zoonosis. A case of E. rhusiopathiae bacteremia most likely associated with home freshwater aquarium handling is reported. The route of transmission was probably a cut with the dorsal fin of a dead pet fish. A short review of clinical presentations, therapeutic considerations and pitfalls of E. rhusiopathiae infections in humans is presented.

Acquired ichthyosis with hoffman's syndrome

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sathyanarayana B

2003-01-01

Full Text Available A middle aged man presented with features of acquired ichthyosis with Hoffman's syndrome. Laboratory tests support hypothyodism. Myoedema and hypertrophy of muscles were present. Patient was previously treated for Pellagra.

The role of donor-recipient relationship in long-term outcomes of living donor renal transplantation.

Science.gov (United States)

Miles, Clifford D; Schaubel, Douglas E; Liu, Dandan; Port, Friedrich K; Rao, Panduranga S

2008-05-27

Graft failure related to acute and chronic rejection remains an important problem in transplantation. An association has been reported between microchimerism and the development of tolerance. Since it has been established that cells of fetal origin can be found in maternal tissues long after parturition, and cells of maternal origin may persist for years in offspring, we hypothesized that this fetal-maternal microchimerism may confer tolerance and thus less graft loss for kidneys transplanted between mothers and their offspring. We used data from the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients to compare death-censored graft survival among recipients of living-related renal transplants sharing at least one human leukocyte antigen (HLA) haplotype with their donor. A total of 23,064 such transplants were reported from 1995 to 2004. A Cox proportional hazards model was constructed to compare death-censored graft survival among the following donor-recipient pairings: child-to-mother, child-to-father, mother-to-child, father-to-child, 1-haplotype matched siblings, and HLA-identical siblings. HLA-identical sibling recipients had the best survival, but results for the child-to-father group were not significantly worse (hazard ratio=1.07, P=0.47). Mother-to-child transplants had the poorest graft survival (hazard ratio=2.61, P<0.0001). We found no evidence of tolerance to kidneys transplanted between mothers and offspring. Our analysis of 1-haplotype matched living-related renal transplants argues against tolerance to organs based on fetal-maternal microchimerism. Mechanistic studies examining the relationship between chimerism and immune sensitization would be useful to explore our results, and may contribute to a better understanding of tolerance.

Evidence against suppressor cell involvement in naturally acquired tolerance of a minor histocompatibility antigen

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Johnson, L.L.

1991-01-01

The hypothesis was investigated that suppressor cells may be responsible for maintenance of immunologic tolerance of a minor H3 antigen in mice that express the antigen naturally. Lymphoid cell populations from B6.C-H-24c (HW54) mice, a congenic-resistant strain histoincompatible with H-24b-expressing C57BL/6 (B6) mice only with respect to the H-24 locus, were examined in cell-transfer experiments to see if they contained naturally arising H-24c-specific suppressor cells. The H-24 antigen was chosen for these studies because, unlike most other minor and major histocompatibility (H) antigens, it is not detectable on mature lymphoid cells by any of several functional criteria. Thus transfer of HW54 lymphoid cells to B6 hosts could be done without the complication of inducing hyporesponsiveness de novo in the host, as occurs with other minor H antigens that are expressed on lymphocytes. B6 hosts were given HW54 skin grafts along with HW54 lymphoid cells to assess their tolerance of the H-24c-encoded antigen. The hosts were either (1) normal, nonimmune B6 mice; (2) B6 mice rendered immunodeficient by thymectomy and irradiation (TxB) and repopulated with H-24c-immune B6 lymphocytes; or (3) TxB B6 hosts repopulated with nonimmune B6 lymphocytes. In each case it was found that the additionally infused HW54 lymphoid cells did not suppress the ability of these hosts to reject HW54 skin grafts. In other words, HW54 lymphoid cells appear not to possess suppressive activity specific for the H-24c antigen that might maintain antigen-specific natural tolerance. Additional experiments were performed to determine whether HW54 lymphoid cells can inhibit the ability of sublethally irradiated B6 mice to regain the capacity to reject HW54 skin

Occupationally Acquired American Cutaneous Leishmaniasis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria Edileuza Felinto de Brito

2012-01-01

Full Text Available We report two occupationally acquired cases of American cutaneous leishmaniasis (ACL: one accidental laboratory autoinoculation by contaminated needlestick while handling an ACL lesion sample, and one acquired during field studies on bird biology. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR assays of patient lesions were positive for Leishmania, subgenus Viannia. One isolate was obtained by culture (from patient 2 biopsy samples and characterized as Leishmania (Viannia naiffi through an indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA with species-specific monoclonal antibodies (mAbs and by multilocus enzyme electrophoresis (MLEE. Patients were successfully treated with N-methyl-glucamine. These two cases highlight the potential risks of laboratory and field work and the need to comply with strict biosafety procedures in daily routines. The swab collection method, coupled with PCR detection, has greatly improved ACL laboratory diagnosis.

7 CFR 3575.90 - Disposition of acquired property.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... property. (a) General. When the lender acquires title to the collateral and the final loss claim is not... 7 Agriculture 15 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Disposition of acquired property. 3575.90 Section... protect the collateral, and the lender must dispose of the collateral without delay. (b) Re-title...

Core Intuitions About Persons Coexist and Interfere With Acquired Christian Beliefs About God.

Science.gov (United States)

Barlev, Michael; Mermelstein, Spencer; German, Tamsin C

2017-04-01

This study tested the hypothesis that in the minds of adult religious adherents, acquired beliefs about the extraordinary characteristics of God coexist with, rather than replace, an initial representation of God formed by co-option of the evolved person concept. In three experiments, Christian religious adherents were asked to evaluate a series of statements for which core intuitions about persons and acquired Christian beliefs about God were consistent (i.e., true according to both [e.g., "God has beliefs that are true"] or false according to both [e.g., "All beliefs God has are false"]) or inconsistent (i.e., true on intuition but false theologically [e.g., "God has beliefs that are false"] or false on intuition but true theologically [e.g., "All beliefs God has are true"]). Participants were less accurate and slower to respond to inconsistent versus consistent statements, suggesting that the core intuitions both coexisted alongside and interfered with the acquired beliefs (Experiments 1 and 2). In Experiment 2 when responding under time pressure participants were disproportionately more likely to make errors on inconsistent versus consistent statements than when responding with no time pressure, suggesting that the resolution of interference requires cognitive resources the functioning of which decreases under cognitive load. In Experiment 3 a plausible alternative interpretation of these findings was ruled out by demonstrating that the response accuracy and time differences on consistent versus inconsistent statements occur for God-a supernatural religious entity-but not for a natural religious entity (a priest). Copyright © 2016 Cognitive Science Society, Inc.

Acquired factor VII deficiency associated with acute myeloid leukemia.

Science.gov (United States)

Anoun, Soumaya; Lamchahab, Mouna; Oukkache, Bouchra; Qachouh, Maryam; Benchekroun, Said; Quessar, Asmaa

2015-04-01

Isolated acquired factor VII deficiency is a rare coagulopathy. It has been reported in 31 patients with malignancy, sepsis, postoperatively, aplastic anemia, and during bone marrow transplantation. We discuss, through a new case of acquired factor VII deficiency, the characteristics of this disease when it is associated with acute myeloid leukemia. Acquired factor VII deficiency in hematological diseases can be caused by intensive chemotherapy, infections, or hepatic dysfunction. The best treatment in developing countries remains corticosteroids associated with plasma exchange, frozen plasma, and antibiotics.

Introducing Taiwanese Undergraduate Students to the Nature of Science through Nobel Prize Stories

Science.gov (United States)

Eshach, Haim; Hwang, Fu-Kwun; Wu, Hsin-Kai; Hsu, Ying-Shao

2013-01-01

Although there is a broad agreement among scientists and science educators that students should not only learn science, but also acquire some sense of its nature, it has been reported that undergraduate students possess an inadequate grasp of the nature of science (NOS). The study presented here examined the potential and effectiveness of Nobel…

Immunomodulation in community-acquired pneumonia

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Remmelts, H.H.F.

2013-01-01

Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is a common disease with considerable morbidity and mortality, despite effective antibiotic treatment. In this thesis, we showed that the major causative microorganisms in CAP trigger distinct inflammatory response profiles in the host. While an inflammatory

Impacts of Mergers and Acquisitions on Acquirer Banks’ Performance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Burhan Ali Shah

2017-09-01

Full Text Available This study investigates the effects of mergers and acquisitions (M & A on the operating performance of the acquirer banks in Pakistan. For this purpose, a sample of 18 transactions, involving acquirer banks, listed on the Karachi Stock Exchange, is used. The Financial Ratio Analysis (FRA is used to determine the effects of M & A. The significance of change in the operating performances is tested through a paired sample t-test. The results indicate deterioration in the performances of the acquirer banks in the post-merger period.

Pulmonary infiltrates during community acquired Gram-negative bacteremia

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fjeldsøe-Nielsen, Hans; Gjeraa, Kirsten; Berthelsen, Birgitte G

2013-01-01

The primary aim of this study was to describe the frequency of pulmonary infiltrates on chest X-ray (CXR) during community acquired Gram-negative bacteremia at a single centre in Denmark.......The primary aim of this study was to describe the frequency of pulmonary infiltrates on chest X-ray (CXR) during community acquired Gram-negative bacteremia at a single centre in Denmark....

The linguistic roots of Natural Pedagogy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Otávio eMattos

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Natural pedagogy is a human-specific capacity that allows us to acquire cultural information from communication even before the emergence of the first words, encompassing three core elements: (i a sensitivity to ostensive signals like eye contact that indicate to infants that they are being addressed through communication, (ii a subsequent referential expectation (satisfied by the use of declarative gestures and (iii a biased interpretation of ostensive-referential communication as conveying relevant information about the referent's kind (Csibra & Gergely, 2011, 2009, 2006. Remarkably, the link between natural pedagogy and another human-specific capacity, namely language, has rarely been investigated in detail. We here argue that children’s production and comprehension of declarative gestures around 10 months of age are in fact expressions of an evolving faculty of language. Through both declarative gestures and ostensive signals, infants can assign the roles of 3rd , 2nd and 1st person, building the ‘deictic space’ that grounds both natural pedagogy and language use. Secondly, we argue that the emergence of two kinds of linguistic structures (i.e. proto-determiner phrases and proto-sentences in the one-word period sheds light on the different kinds of information that children can acquire or convey at different stages of development (namely, generic knowledge about kinds and knowledge about particular events/actions/state of affairs, respectively. Furthermore, the development of nominal and temporal reference in speech allows children to cognize information in terms of spatial and temporal relations. In this way, natural pedagogy transpires as an inherent aspect of our faculty of language, rather than as an independent adaptation that pre-dates language in evolution or development (Csibra & Gergely, 2006. This hypothesis is further testable through predictions it makes on the different linguistic profiles of toddlers with developmental

The linguistic roots of natural pedagogy.

Science.gov (United States)

Mattos, Otávio; Hinzen, Wolfram

2015-01-01

Natural pedagogy is a human-specific capacity that allows us to acquire cultural information from communication even before the emergence of the first words, encompassing three core elements: (i) a sensitivity to ostensive signals like eye contact that indicate to infants that they are being addressed through communication, (ii) a subsequent referential expectation (satisfied by the use of declarative gestures) and (iii) a biased interpretation of ostensive-referential communication as conveying relevant information about the referent's kind (Csibra and Gergely, 2006, 2009, 2011). Remarkably, the link between natural pedagogy and another human-specific capacity, namely language, has rarely been investigated in detail. We here argue that children's production and comprehension of declarative gestures around 10 months of age are in fact expressions of an evolving faculty of language. Through both declarative gestures and ostensive signals, infants can assign the roles of third, second, and first person, building the 'deictic space' that grounds both natural pedagogy and language use. Secondly, we argue that the emergence of two kinds of linguistic structures (i.e., proto-determiner phrases and proto-sentences) in the one-word period sheds light on the different kinds of information that children can acquire or convey at different stages of development (namely, generic knowledge about kinds and knowledge about particular events/actions/state of affairs, respectively). Furthermore, the development of nominal and temporal reference in speech allows children to cognize information in terms of spatial and temporal relations. In this way, natural pedagogy transpires as an inherent aspect of our faculty of language, rather than as an independent adaptation that pre-dates language in evolution or development (Csibra and Gergely, 2006). This hypothesis is further testable through predictions it makes on the different linguistic profiles of toddlers with developmental

Design of Natural and Hybrid Ventilation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Heiselberg, Per

The effectiveness of natural ventilation, i.e. its ability to ensure indoor air quality and passive cooling in a building, depends greatly on the design process. Mechanical ventilation systems can be designed separately from the design of the building in which they are installed. They can also...... be installed in existing buildings after a few modifications. In contrast, ventilation systems using only natural forces such as wind and thermal buoyancy need to be designed together with the building, since the building itself and its components are the elements that can reduce or increase air movement...... as well as influence the air content (dust, pollution etc.). Architects and engineers need to acquire qualitative and quantitative information about the interactions between building characteristics and natural ventilation in order to design buildings and systems consistent with a passive low...

Modelling of Natural and Hybrid Ventilation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Heiselberg, Per

The effectiveness of natural ventilation, i.e. its ability to ensure indoor air quality and passive cooling in a building, depends greatly on the design process. Mechanical ventilation systems can be designed separately from the design of the building in which they are installed. They can also...... be installed in existing buildings after a few modifications. In contrast, ventilation systems using only natural forces such as wind and thermal buoyancy need to be designed together with the building, since the building itself and its components are the elements that can reduce or increase air movement...... as well as influence the air content (dust, pollution etc.). Architects and engineers need to acquire qualitative and quantitative information about the interactions between building characteristics and natural ventilation in order to design buildings and systems consistent with a passive low...

Pricing of natural gas in Kazakhstan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhapargaliev, I.K.

1996-01-01

Two state companies are in charge of natural gas supply in Kazakhstan. They buy, transport and sell natural gas and have monopolized the industry and provoked increase of gas prices. Ministry of Oil and gas Industry proposed demonopolization. The restructuring that took place caused new distribution of tasks in the gas industry. A more competitive environment was created leading to normalization of the natural gas prices. All economic subjects were granted the right to acquire gas regardless the type of ownership. Measures implemented for reorganization of gas companies contributed to the reduction of gas transport costs and prices by 50% and to decrease of gas prices in the southern regions by 50%. Despite these measures gas prices for household sector are still unchanged and are below the import prices, the main reason being the low average household income

Haemoglobin C and S role in acquired immunity against Plasmodium falciparum malaria.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Federica Verra

2007-10-01

Full Text Available A recently proposed mechanism of protection for haemoglobin C (HbC; beta6Glu-->Lys links an abnormal display of PfEMP1, an antigen involved in malaria pathogenesis, on the surface of HbC infected erythrocytes together with the observation of reduced cytoadhesion of parasitized erythrocytes and impaired rosetting in vitro. We investigated the impact of this hypothesis on the development of acquired immunity against Plasmodium falciparum variant surface antigens (VSA encoding PfEMP1 in HbC in comparison with HbA and HbS carriers of Burkina Faso. We measured: i total IgG against a single VSA, A4U, and against a panel of VSA from severe malaria cases in human sera from urban and rural areas of Burkina Faso of different haemoglobin genotypes (CC, AC, AS, SC, SS; ii total IgG against recombinant proteins of P. falciparum asexual sporozoite, blood stage antigens, and parasite schizont extract; iii total IgG against tetanus toxoid. Results showed that the reported abnormal cell-surface display of PfEMP1 on HbC infected erythrocytes observed in vitro is not associated to lower anti- PfEMP1 response in vivo. Higher immune response against the VSA panel and malaria antigens were observed in all adaptive genotypes containing at least one allelic variant HbC or HbS in the low transmission urban area whereas no differences were detected in the high transmission rural area. In both contexts the response against tetanus toxoid was not influenced by the beta-globin genotype. These findings suggest that both HbC and HbS affect the early development of naturally acquired immunity against malaria. The enhanced immune reactivity in both HbC and HbS carriers supports the hypothesis that the protection against malaria of these adaptive genotypes might be at least partially mediated by acquired immunity against malaria.

MRI of fetal acquired brain lesions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Prayer, Daniela; Brugger, Peter C.; Kasprian, Gregor; Witzani, Linde; Helmer, Hanns; Dietrich, Wolfgang; Eppel, Wolfgang; Langer, Martin

2006-01-01

Acquired fetal brain damage is suspected in cases of destruction of previously normally formed tissue, the primary cause of which is hypoxia. Fetal brain damage may occur as a consequence of acute or chronic maternal diseases, with acute diseases causing impairment of oxygen delivery to the fetal brain, and chronic diseases interfering with normal, placental development. Infections, metabolic diseases, feto-fetal transfusion syndrome, toxic agents, mechanical traumatic events, iatrogenic accidents, and space-occupying lesions may also qualify as pathologic conditions that initiate intrauterine brain damage. MR manifestations of acute fetal brain injury (such as hemorrhage or acute ischemic lesions) can easily be recognized, as they are hardly different from postnatal lesions. The availability of diffusion-weighted sequences enhances the sensitivity in recognizing acute ischemic lesions. Recent hemorrhages are usually readily depicted on T2 (*) sequences, where they display hypointense signals. Chronic fetal brain injury may be characterized by nonspecific changes that must be attributable to the presence of an acquired cerebral pathology. The workup in suspected acquired fetal brain injury also includes the assessment of extra-CNS organs that may be affected by an underlying pathology. Finally, the placenta, as the organ that mediates oxygen delivery from the maternal circulation to the fetus, must be examined on MR images

MRI of fetal acquired brain lesions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Prayer, Daniela [Department of Radiodiagnostics, Medical University of Vienna (Austria)]. E-mail: daniela.prayer@meduniwien.ac.at; Brugger, Peter C. [Center of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Medical University of Vienna (Austria); Kasprian, Gregor [Department of Radiodiagnostics, Medical University of Vienna (Austria); Witzani, Linde [Department of Radiodiagnostics, Medical University of Vienna (Austria); Helmer, Hanns [Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical University of Vienna (Austria); Dietrich, Wolfgang [Department of Neurosurgery, Medical University of Vienna (Austria); Eppel, Wolfgang [Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical University of Vienna (Austria); Langer, Martin [Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical University of Vienna (Austria)

2006-02-15

Acquired fetal brain damage is suspected in cases of destruction of previously normally formed tissue, the primary cause of which is hypoxia. Fetal brain damage may occur as a consequence of acute or chronic maternal diseases, with acute diseases causing impairment of oxygen delivery to the fetal brain, and chronic diseases interfering with normal, placental development. Infections, metabolic diseases, feto-fetal transfusion syndrome, toxic agents, mechanical traumatic events, iatrogenic accidents, and space-occupying lesions may also qualify as pathologic conditions that initiate intrauterine brain damage. MR manifestations of acute fetal brain injury (such as hemorrhage or acute ischemic lesions) can easily be recognized, as they are hardly different from postnatal lesions. The availability of diffusion-weighted sequences enhances the sensitivity in recognizing acute ischemic lesions. Recent hemorrhages are usually readily depicted on T2 (*) sequences, where they display hypointense signals. Chronic fetal brain injury may be characterized by nonspecific changes that must be attributable to the presence of an acquired cerebral pathology. The workup in suspected acquired fetal brain injury also includes the assessment of extra-CNS organs that may be affected by an underlying pathology. Finally, the placenta, as the organ that mediates oxygen delivery from the maternal circulation to the fetus, must be examined on MR images.

Multinational Exploration of Acquired R&D Activities

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gammelgaard, Jens

2004-01-01

R&D. This paper establishes the connection between amultinational corporation that follows a capability-motivated acquisition strategy and theR&D role new subsidiaries should play in order for the acquired resources to be utilizedcorporation-wide. Statistical findings reveal the need to follow......This paper presents the results of a survey of 54 Danish multinational corporations that haveacquired activities abroad. The role of the acquired R&D units was the focus of the survey,particularly with respect to the schism between basic and applied R&D, and the schismbetween autonomous and network...

Analysis of antibodies to newly described Plasmodium falciparum merozoite antigens supports MSPDBL2 as a predicted target of naturally acquired immunity.

Science.gov (United States)

Tetteh, Kevin K A; Osier, Faith H A; Salanti, Ali; Kamuyu, Gathoni; Drought, Laura; Failly, Marilyne; Martin, Christophe; Marsh, Kevin; Conway, David J

2013-10-01

Prospective studies continue to identify malaria parasite genes with particular patterns of polymorphism which indicate they may be under immune selection, and the encoded proteins require investigation. Sixteen new recombinant protein reagents were designed to characterize three such polymorphic proteins expressed in Plasmodium falciparum schizonts and merozoites: MSPDBL1 (also termed MSP3.4) and MSPDBL2 (MSP3.8), which possess Duffy binding-like (DBL) domains, and SURFIN4.2, encoded by a member of the surface-associated interspersed (surf) multigene family. After testing the antigenicities of these reagents by murine immunization and parasite immunofluorescence, we analyzed naturally acquired antibody responses to the antigens in two cohorts in coastal Kenya in which the parasite was endemic (Chonyi [n = 497] and Ngerenya [n = 461]). As expected, the prevalence and levels of serum antibodies increased with age. We then investigated correlations with subsequent risk of clinical malaria among children <11 years of age during 6 months follow-up surveillance. Antibodies to the polymorphic central region of MSPDBL2 were associated with reduced risk of malaria in both cohorts, with statistical significance remaining for the 3D7 allelic type after adjustment for individuals' ages in years and antibody reactivity to whole-schizont extract (Chonyi, risk ratio, 0.51, and 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.28 to 0.93; Ngerenya, risk ratio, 0.38, and 95% CI, 0.18 to 0.82). For the MSPDBL1 Palo Alto allelic-type antigen, there was a protective association in one cohort (Ngerenya, risk ratio, 0.53, and 95% CI, 0.32 to 0.89), whereas the other antigens showed no protective associations after adjustment. These findings support the prediction that antibodies to the polymorphic region of MSPDBL2 contribute to protective immunity.

Acquired pellicle as a modulator for dental erosion.

Science.gov (United States)

Vukosavljevic, Dusa; Custodio, William; Buzalaf, Marilia A R; Hara, Anderson T; Siqueira, Walter L

2014-06-01

Dental erosion is a multifactorial condition that can result in the loss of tooth structure and function, potentially increasing tooth sensitivity. The exposure of enamel to acids from non-bacterial sources is responsible for the progression of erosion. These erosive challenges are counteracted by the anti-erosive properties of the acquired pellicle (AP), an integument formed in vivo as a result of selective adsorption of salivary proteins on the tooth surface, containing also lipids and glycoproteins. This review provides an in-depth discussion regarding how the physical structure of the AP, along with its composition, contributes to AP anti-erosive properties. The physical properties that contribute to AP protective nature include pellicle thickness, maturation time, and site of development. The pellicle contains salivary proteins embedded within its structure that demonstrate anti-erosive properties; however, rather than individual proteins, protein-protein interactions play a fundamental role in the protective nature of the AP. In addition, dietary and synthetic proteins can modify the pellicle, enhancing its protective efficiency against dental erosion. The salivary composition of the AP and its corresponding protein-profile may be employed as a diagnostic tool, since it likely contains salivary biomarkers for oral diseases that initiate at the enamel surface, including dental erosion. Finally, by modifying the composition and structure of the AP, this protein integument has the potential to be used as a target-specific treatment option for oral diseases related to tooth demineralization. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

A case of acquired port wine stain: an association with repeated sunburn?

Science.gov (United States)

Seremet, Sila; Benar, Elif B; Afsar, Fatma Sule; Calli, Aylin; Ulusarac, Ozlem

2016-10-01

Unlike congenital port wine stain (PWS), an acquired PWS is a rare vascular lesion that develops later in life. Although solar damage is associated with acquired PWS, there is no reported case of acquired PWS after sunburn in the literature. We report a case of a 54-year-old man diagnosed with acquired PWS possibly caused by repeated sunburn. We recommended laser treatment to our patient; however, the patient did not chose to receive any treatment. Our case demonstrates a possible rare occurrence of an acquired PWS after sunburn with larger lesions and more diffuse distribution. For this reason, our case differs from other acquired PWS cases. © 2016 The International Society of Dermatology.

Liquid Fluoride Salt Experimentation Using a Small Natural Circulation Cell

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yoder Jr, Graydon L [ORNL; Heatherly, Dennis Wayne [ORNL; Williams, David F [ORNL; Elkassabgi, Yousri M. [Texas A& M University, Kingsville; Caja, Joseph [Electrochemical Systems, Inc.; Caja, Mario [ORNL; Jordan, John [Texas A& M University, Kingsville; Salinas, Roberto [Texas A& M University, Kingsville

2014-04-01

A small molten fluoride salt experiment has been constructed and tested to develop experimental techniques for application in liquid fluoride salt systems. There were five major objectives in developing this test apparatus: Allow visual observation of the salt during testing (how can lighting be introduced, how can pictures be taken, what can be seen) Determine if IR photography can be used to examine components submerged in the salt Determine if the experimental configuration provides salt velocity sufficient for collection of corrosion data for future experimentation Determine if a laser Doppler velocimeter can be used to quantify salt velocities. Acquire natural circulation heat transfer data in fluoride salt at temperatures up to 700oC All of these objectives were successfully achieved during testing with the exception of the fourth: acquiring velocity data using the laser Doppler velocimeter. This paper describes the experiment and experimental techniques used, and presents data taken during natural circulation testing.

[Acquired drives. The cortical mechanism responsible to the emergence and development of social existence].

Science.gov (United States)

József, Knoll

2007-10-01

when any group of cortical neurons will be influenced by enhancer substances on the level already inseparable from conscious perception. Thus, as the totality of the cortical neurons belonging to Group 3 or 4 works continuously on an unconscious level, there is a steadily operating, chaotic background noise in the human telencephalon. Even in the active state ("fight or flight" behavior, goal-seeking), when the actually dominant drive determines the rational goal to be reached, the noise is suppressed, but cannot cease to exist. But it never endangers the function of the actually dominant innate or acquired drive. From this situation it follows that the rational brain activity is necessarily amalgamated with an irrational brain activity and we live through every moment of our life experiencing the totality of order and chaos in our brain. Human society the maintenance of which has always required the proper manipulation of the brain of its members still finds itself in a state of development. It seeks its final equilibrium: namely, that state in which behavioral modification induced by the home/school/society triad will be based, from birth until death, on the exact knowledge of the natural laws that keep the brain and its self going. In this way, members of the community will understand that simultaneity of order and chaos in their brain is the physiological reality that determines human activity, and will consciously try to find the acquired drives that optimally fit their natural endowments. For the time being those who have been lucky enough to acquire the best fitting drives in due time, in the early uphill period of life, have had fair chances for success and happiness. In contrast, those who for any reason have missed this opportunity will remain frustrated and look for 'ersatz'. It seems reasonable to conclude that order and chaos are of equal importance in our brain. Without the ability to adapt ourselves to the concrete (science), we would not be able to

Acquired versus Non-Acquired Subsidiaries - Which Entry Mode do Parent Firms Prefer

OpenAIRE

Esther Kalkbrenner

2010-01-01

Despite the economic importance of international foreign direct investment (FDI) flows, investment decisions of multinational firms are not well understood. A multinational firm can establish a subsidiary in a foreign country through greenfield investment or through acquiring an existing firm in the target country. The goal of this paper is to shed some light on the determinants of foreign market entry modes. In particular to analyze the systematic variation in the mode choice of FDI, namely ...

The challenge of retaining customers acquired with free trials

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Datta, H.; Foubert, B.; van Heerde, H.J.

Many service firms acquire customers by offering free-trial promotions. A crucial challenge is to retain customers acquired with these free trials. To address this challenge, firms need to understand how free-trial customers differ from regular customers in terms of their decision making to retain

Recurrent and acquired tracheoesophageal fistulae (TEF)-Minimally invasive management.

Science.gov (United States)

Nazir, Zafar; Khan, Muhammad Arif Mateen; Qamar, Javaria

2017-10-01

Recurrent and acquired fistulae are a serious complication of congenital esophageal atresia and tracheoesophageal fistula (TEF) repair and foreign body ingestion (FBI) (e.g., button battery). We report our experience with a minimally invasive approach to recurrent and acquired TEF. Medical records of patients referred for management of recurrent and acquired TEF between 2003 and 2015 were reviewed retrospectively. Patients underwent endoscopic procedures (de-epithelization of fistulous tract and fibrin tissue adhesive-Tisseel R ) under general anesthesia. Nine children (7 male, 2 female) with age range 3months to 3years (mean 1.5year) were managed. TEF closed spontaneously in four patients, whereas in 5 patients the TEF closed after combined endoscopic procedure. Three patients required repeat endoscopic procedures. Follow-up ranged between 7months to 10years (mean 4.2years). Active observation and repeat combined endoscopic procedures are safe alternatives to open surgical repair of acquired and recurrent TEF. Level IV study. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Common acquired kidney diseases in children

African Journals Online (AJOL)

5. Common acquired kidney diseases in children. Examination of the urine is probably the most important investigation ... result from the same streptococcal infection. .... musculoskeletal system. ... Prediction of histopathology from clinical.

Evidence that the intra-amoebal Legionella drancourtii acquired a sterol reductase gene from eukaryotes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fournier Pierre-Edouard

2009-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Free-living amoebae serve as a natural reservoir for some bacteria that have evolved into «amoeba-resistant» bacteria. Among these, some are strictly intra-amoebal, such as Candidatus "Protochlamydia amoebophila" (Candidatus "P. amoebophila", whose genomic sequence is available. We sequenced the genome of Legionella drancourtii (L. drancourtii, another recently described intra-amoebal bacterium. By comparing these two genomes with those of their closely related species, we were able to study the genetic characteristics specific to their amoebal lifestyle. Findings We identified a sterol delta-7 reductase-encoding gene common to these two bacteria and absent in their relatives. This gene encodes an enzyme which catalyses the last step of cholesterol biosynthesis in eukaryotes, and is probably functional within L. drancourtii since it is transcribed. The phylogenetic analysis of this protein suggests that it was acquired horizontally by a few bacteria from viridiplantae. This gene was also found in the Acanthamoeba polyphaga Mimivirus genome, a virus that grows in amoebae and possesses the largest viral genome known to date. Conclusion L. drancourtii acquired a sterol delta-7 reductase-encoding gene of viridiplantae origin. The most parsimonious hypothesis is that this gene was initially acquired by a Chlamydiales ancestor parasite of plants. Subsequently, its descendents transmitted this gene in amoebae to other intra-amoebal microorganisms, including L. drancourtii and Coxiella burnetii. The role of the sterol delta-7 reductase in prokaryotes is as yet unknown but we speculate that it is involved in host cholesterol parasitism.

33 CFR 211.2 - Authority to acquire real estate.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Authority to acquire real estate..., DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE REAL ESTATE ACTIVITIES OF THE CORPS OF ENGINEERS IN CONNECTION WITH CIVIL WORKS PROJECTS Real Estate; General § 211.2 Authority to acquire real estate. (a) Congressional authority...

Enhancing Medicares Hospital Acquired Conditions Policy

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services — The current Medicare policy of non-payment to hospitals for Hospital Acquired Conditions (HAC) seeks to avoid payment for preventable complications identified within...

[Acquired angioedema – clinical characteristic of the patients diagnosed in 2012-2016 with acquired C1 inhibitor deficiency].

Science.gov (United States)

Stobiecki, Marcin; Czarnobilska, Ewa; Obtułowicz, Krystyna

Acquired angioedema is a rare disease caused by a deficiency of C1 esterase inhibitor with recurrent swelling symptoms. It may occur in the course of lymphoproliferative disorders or autoimmune diseases. Symptoms resemble hereditary angioedema, and the only differentiating features is negative family history, late onset of symptoms and accompanying lymphoproliferative disorder. The aim of the study was to analyze the cases of acquired angioedema. The retrospective analysis of 341 patients from the registry of patients with C1 inhibitor deficiency. Results: We identified 4 patients among 119 with HAE (3.57%) diagnosed in this same period of time 2012-2016 who fulfilled the criteria of acquired edema. In two cases the primary reason of angioedema was lymphoproliferive disease, in two monoclonal gammapathy of unknown reason. We analyzed also the results of laboratory tests C4, C1 inhibitor, C1q. In all cases the face was dominated localization. After the treatment of primary lymphoproliferive disease, in two cases, we observed total remission of angioedema. Only one patient with gammapathy require treatment with C1 inhibitor during the attacks. In these case we observed both plasma deriver, and recombinant C1 inhibitor were effective.

Neural basis of acquired amusia and its recovery after stroke

OpenAIRE

Sihvonen, A.J.; Ripollés, P.; Leo, V.; Rodríguez-Fornells, Antoni; Soinila, S.; Särkämö, T.

2016-01-01

Although acquired amusia is a relatively common disorder after stroke, its precise neuroanatomical basis is still unknown. To evaluate which brain regions form the neural substrate for acquired amusia and its recovery, we performed a voxel-based lesion-symptom mapping (VLSM) and morphometry (VBM) study with 77 human stroke subjects. Structural MRIs were acquired at acute and 6 month poststroke stages. Amusia and aphasia were behaviorally assessed at acute and 3 month poststroke stages using t...

Naturally acquired antibodies to Bacillus anthracis protective antigen in vultures of southern Africa

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

P. C.B. Turnbull

2008-08-01

Full Text Available TURNBULLP, P.C.B. DIEKMANNM,M., KILIAN, J.W., VERSFELDW, W.,DE VOS, V., ARNTZENL, L.,WOLTER, K., BARTELS, P. & KOTZE, A. 2008.N aturally acquired antibodies to Bacillusa nthracisp rotective antigeni n vultureso f southern Africa. Onderstepoort Journal of Veterinary Research, T5:95-102 Sera from 19 wild caught vultures in northern Namibia and 15 (12 wild caught and three captive bred but with minimal histories in North West Province, South Africa, were examined by an enzyme-linked immunosorbenats say( ELISAf or antibodiesto the Bacillus anthracis toxin protective antigen (PA. As assessed from the baseline established with a control group of ten captive reared vultures with well-documented histories, elevated titres were found in 12 of the 19 (63% wild caught Namibian birds as compared with none of the 15 South African ones. There was a highly significant difference between the Namibian group as a hole and the other groups (P 0.05. Numbers in the Namibian group were too small to determine any significances in species-, sex- or age-related differences within the raw data showing elevated titres in four out of six Cape Vultures, Gyps coprotheress, six out of ten Whitebacked Vultures, Gyps africanus, and one out of three Lappet-faced Vultures, Aegypiust racheliotus, or in five of six males versus three of seven females, and ten of 15 adults versus one of four juveniles. The results are in line with the available data on the incidence of anthrax in northern Namibia and South Africa and the likely contact of the vultures tested with anthrax carcasses. lt is not known whether elevated titre indicates infection per se in vultures or absorption of incompletely digested epitopes of the toxin or both. The results are discussed in relation to distances travelled by vultures as determined by new tracking techniques, how serology can reveal anthrax activity in an area and the issue of the role of vultures in transmission of anthrax.

2006 Maryland Department of Natural Resources Lidar: Caroline, Kent and Queen Anne Counties

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Maryland Department of Natural Resources requested the collection of LIDAR data over Kent, Queen Anne and Caroline Counties, MD. In response, EarthData acquired the...

Borrowing and Loan Words: The Lemmatizing of Newly Acquired ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

rbr

or foreign acquisition. English, for instance, is spoken in many countries on all five continents and is, therefore, able to acquire vocabulary from many lan- guages worldwide. This is coupled with the readiness and the ability of the language to acquire new terminology through borrowing, instead of following the puristic ...

Significance of acquired diverticular disease of the vermiform appendix

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kallenbach, Klaus; Hjorth, Sofie Vetli; Engel, Ulla

2012-01-01

To assess the prevalence of acquired diverticulum of the appendix (DA), including incipient forms and its possible significance as a marker of local/regional neoplasms.......To assess the prevalence of acquired diverticulum of the appendix (DA), including incipient forms and its possible significance as a marker of local/regional neoplasms....

Significance of anaerobes and oral bacteria in community-acquired pneumonia.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kei Yamasaki

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Molecular biological modalities with better detection rates have been applied to identify the bacteria causing infectious diseases. Approximately 10-48% of bacterial pathogens causing community-acquired pneumonia are not identified using conventional cultivation methods. This study evaluated the bacteriological causes of community-acquired pneumonia using a cultivation-independent clone library analysis of the 16S ribosomal RNA gene of bronchoalveolar lavage specimens, and compared the results with those of conventional cultivation methods. METHODS: Patients with community-acquired pneumonia were enrolled based on their clinical and radiological findings. Bronchoalveolar lavage specimens were collected from pulmonary pathological lesions using bronchoscopy and evaluated by both a culture-independent molecular method and conventional cultivation methods. For the culture-independent molecular method, approximately 600 base pairs of 16S ribosomal RNA genes were amplified using polymerase chain reaction with universal primers, followed by the construction of clone libraries. The nucleotide sequences of 96 clones randomly chosen for each specimen were determined, and bacterial homology was searched. Conventional cultivation methods, including anaerobic cultures, were also performed using the same specimens. RESULTS: In addition to known common pathogens of community-acquired pneumonia [Streptococcus pneumoniae (18.8%, Haemophilus influenzae (18.8%, Mycoplasma pneumoniae (17.2%], molecular analysis of specimens from 64 patients with community-acquired pneumonia showed relatively higher rates of anaerobes (15.6% and oral bacteria (15.6% than previous reports. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that anaerobes and oral bacteria are more frequently detected in patients with community-acquired pneumonia than previously believed. It is possible that these bacteria may play more important roles in community-acquired pneumonia.

Association between Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex phylogenetic lineage and acquired drug resistance.

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Courtney M Yuen

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Development of resistance to antituberculosis drugs during treatment (i.e., acquired resistance can lead to emergence of resistant strains and consequent poor clinical outcomes. However, it is unknown whether Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex species and lineage affects the likelihood of acquired resistance. METHODS: We analyzed data from the U.S. National Tuberculosis Surveillance System and National Tuberculosis Genotyping Service for tuberculosis cases during 2004-2011 with assigned species and lineage and both initial and final drug susceptibility test results. We determined univariate associations between species and lineage of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex bacteria and acquired resistance to isoniazid, rifamycins, fluoroquinolones, and second-line injectables. We used Poisson regression with backward elimination to generate multivariable models for acquired resistance to isoniazid and rifamycins. RESULTS: M. bovis was independently associated with acquired resistance to isoniazid (adjusted prevalence ratio = 8.46, 95% CI 2.96-24.14 adjusting for HIV status, and with acquired resistance to rifamycins (adjusted prevalence ratio = 4.53, 95% CI 1.29-15.90 adjusting for homelessness, HIV status, initial resistance to isoniazid, site of disease, and administration of therapy. East Asian lineage was associated with acquired resistance to fluoroquinolones (prevalence ratio = 6.10, 95% CI 1.56-23.83. CONCLUSIONS: We found an association between mycobacterial species and lineage and acquired drug resistance using U.S. surveillance data. Prospective clinical studies are needed to determine the clinical significance of these findings, including whether rapid genotyping of isolates at the outset of treatment may benefit patient management.

45 CFR 7.4 - Option to acquire foreign rights.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 45 Public Welfare 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Option to acquire foreign rights. 7.4 Section 7.4... Option to acquire foreign rights. In any case where it is determined that all domestic rights should be...-wide regulations issued thereunder, that the Government shall reserve an option to require the...

34 CFR 7.4 - Option to acquire foreign rights.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 34 Education 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Option to acquire foreign rights. 7.4 Section 7.4 Education Office of the Secretary, Department of Education EMPLOYEE INVENTIONS § 7.4 Option to acquire... issued thereunder, that the Government shall reserve an option to require the assignment of such rights...

Comparative dermatology: acquired digital fibrokeratoma

OpenAIRE

Cunha Filho, Roberto Rheingantz da

2008-01-01

Demonstra-se quadro característico de fibroqueratoma digital adquirido em trabalhadora rural de 42 anos de idade, que se compara a corno de rinoceronte.It is presented a case of a 42 year-old white female farmer with the classical feature of acquired digital fibrokeratoma, which is compared to rhinoceros horn.

REVIEW OF A CASE OF CHILD WITH ACQUIRED APHASIA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Silvana FILIPOVA

2004-12-01

Full Text Available Achieved children speech disabilities are manifested at certain level of development of speech from the age of 3 to 12 years. The speech disabilities with children from the age of one to three years have developmental and acquired characteristics. It is well-known when and why the disabilities occurr at acquired aphasia or disphasia.The child with acquired aphasia or disphasia has early brain impairements and a relative improvement happens with adequate treatment and prompt rehabilitation treatment. It is more obvious with children than with adults.This fast and complete rehabilitation happens due to the plastic character of child’s brain and the possibilities for intro-hemisphere and inter-hemisphere reorganization of speech functions in childhood.

Prognostic value of severity indicators of nursing-home-acquired pneumonia versus community-acquired pneumonia in elderly patients

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ugajin M

2014-02-01

Full Text Available Motoi Ugajin, Kenichi Yamaki, Natsuko Hirasawa, Takanori Kobayashi, Takeo Yagi Department of Respiratory Medicine, Ichinomiya-Nishi Hospital, Ichinomiya City, Japan Background: The credibility of prognostic indicators in nursing-home-acquired pneumonia (NHAP is not clear. We previously reported a simple prognostic indicator in community-acquired pneumonia (CAP: blood urea nitrogen to serum albumin (B/A ratio. This retrospective study investigated the prognostic value of severity indicators in NHAP versus CAP in elderly patients. Methods: Patients aged ≥65 years and hospitalized because of NHAP or CAP within the previous 3 years were enrolled. Demographics, coexisting illnesses, laboratory and microbiological findings, and severity scores (confusion, urea, respiratory rate, blood pressure, and age ≥65 [CURB-65] scale; age, dehydration, respiratory failure, orientation disturbance, and pressure [A-DROP] scale; and pneumonia severity index [PSI] were retrieved from medical records. The primary outcome was mortality within 28 days of admission. Results: In total, 138 NHAP and 307 CAP patients were enrolled. Mortality was higher in NHAP (18.1% than in CAP (4.6% (P<0.001. Patients with NHAP were older and had lower functional status and a higher rate of do-not-resuscitate orders, heart failure, and cerebrovascular diseases. The NHAP patients more frequently had typical bacterial pathogens. Using the receiver-operating characteristics curve for predicting mortality, the area under the curve in NHAP was 0.70 for the A-DROP scale, 0.69 for the CURB-65 scale, 0.67 for the PSI class, and 0.65 for the B/A ratio. The area under the curve in CAP was 0.73 for the A-DROP scale, 0.76 for the CURB-65 scale, 0.81 for the PSI class, and 0.83 for the B/A ratio. Conclusion: Patient mortality was greater in NHAP than in CAP. Patient characteristics, coexisting illnesses, and detected pathogens differed greatly between NHAP and CAP. The existing severity indicators

Acquired Myelodysplasia or Myelodysplastic Syndrome: Clearing the Fog

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Ethan A. Natelson

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS are clonal myeloid disorders characterized by progressive peripheral blood cytopenias associated with ineffective myelopoiesis. They are typically considered neoplasms because of frequent genetic aberrations and patient-limited survival with progression to acute myeloid leukemia (AML or death related to the consequences of bone marrow failure including infection, hemorrhage, and iron overload. A progression to AML has always been recognized among the myeloproliferative disorders (MPD but occurs only rarely among those with essential thrombocythemia (ET. Yet, the World Health Organization (WHO has chosen to apply the designation myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN, for all MPD but has not similarly recommended that all MDS become the myelodysplastic neoplasms (MDN. This apparent dichotomy may reflect the extremely diverse nature of MDS. Moreover, the term MDS is occasionally inappropriately applied to hematologic disorders associated with acquired morphologic myelodysplastic features which may rather represent potentially reversible hematological responses to immune-mediated factors, nutritional deficiency states, and disordered myelopoietic responses to various pharmaceutical, herbal, or other potentially myelotoxic compounds. We emphasize the clinical settings, and the histopathologic features, of such AMD that should trigger a search for a reversible underlying condition that may be nonneoplastic and not MDS.

Acquired epidermolysis bullosa

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Maricel Sucar Batista

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Epidermolysis bullosa is a group of diseases or skin disorders genetically transmitted and it is characterized by the appearance of bullae, ulcers and skin wounds. It usually appears at birth or in the first months of life. This is a case of a 72-year-old female patient who comes to the dermatology department with skin lesions of 6 months of evolution. A skin biopsy was performed, taking a sample for direct and indirect immunofluorescence. Acquired epidermolysis bullosa of unknown etiology was diagnosed. Treatment was started with low-dose colchicine to increase it later, according to the patient’s tolerance and disease progression.

Recent experiments testing an opponent-process theory of acquired motivation.

Science.gov (United States)

Solomon, R L

1980-01-01

There are acquired motives of the addiction type which seem to be non-associative in nature. They all seem to involve affective phenomena caused by reinforcers, unconditioned stimuli or innate releasers. When such stimuli are repeatedly presented, at least three affective phenomena occur: (1) affective contrast effects, (2) affective habituation (tolerance), and (3) affective withdrawal syndromes. These phenomena can be precipitated either by pleasant or unpleasant events (positive or negative reinforcers). Whenever we see these three phenomena, we also see the development of an addictive cycle, a new motivational system. These phenomena are explained by an opponent-process theory of motivation which holds that there are affect control systems which oppose large departures from affective equilibrium. The control systems are strengthened by use and weakened by disuse. Current observations and experiments testing the theory are described for: (1) the growth of social attachment (imprinting) in ducklings; and (2) the growth of adjunctive behaviors. The findings so far support the theory.

Innate-Type and Acquired-Type Allergy Regulated by IL-33

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Tomohiro Yoshimoto

2014-01-01

Full Text Available We propose two types of allergic response: IgE-dependent and IgE-independent, and designate these as 'acquired-type allergy' and 'innate-type allergy', respectively. IL-33 stimulates both innate (basophils, mast cells, or group 2 innate lymphoid cells and acquired (Th2 cells allergy-related cells to induce and/or augment Th2 cytokine production, which leads to eosinophilic inflammation in vivo. Thus, IL-33 is an essential regulator for both 'innate-type allergy' and 'acquired-type allergy', and might be an attractive therapeutic target for allergic diseases.

Using Plants to Explore the Nature & Structural Complexity of Life

Science.gov (United States)

Howard, Ava R.

2014-01-01

Use of real specimens brings the study of biology to life. This activity brings easily acquired plant specimens into the classroom to tackle common alternative conceptions regarding life, size, complexity, the nature of science, and plants as multicellular organisms. The activity occurs after a discussion of the characteristics of life and engages…

Acquired Credit Unions: Drivers of Takeover

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R. Raymond Sant

2015-08-01

Full Text Available In this paper we study acquired credit unions and analyze their financial performance up to six years prior to merger, on a quarterly basis. The primary focus is on balance sheet (asset liability management and profitability variables (return on assets. We find that acquired credit unions during the period 2008 (third quarter to 2014 (first quarter experienced negative return on assets for several quarters prior to their takeover. This was the result of a declining loan portfolio and increasing charge offs. In spite of decreasing lending activity, such credit unions continued to increase their deposits, i.e., adding to their cost base. Due to declining loans, their net interest margin as a proportion of deposits was also in decline. We argue that this is an indicator of poor management ability. Furthermore, our analysis finds that operating expenses were increasing over time, something that has been documented in previous literature also for smaller credit unions and is attributable to lack of economies of scale. The average asset size of the acquired credit unions in our sample is about $22 million just before acquisition. We attribute our findings to poor business strategy followed by such credit unions. We also conclude that signs of trouble are evident up to two years before merger on average and regulatory policy may have to become more proactive to manage the consolidation challenge faced by the credit union industry in general.

Acquiring Customers via Word-of-Mouth Referrals : A Virtuous Strategy?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Pieters, Constant; Lemmens, Aurélie

2015-01-01

Managers are increasingly using word-of-mouth (WOM) acquisition strategies, such as seeded WOM or referral programs, to acquire new customers. These strategies have proven successful in recruiting customers with higher margin and lower churn probability compared to customers acquired otherwise.

[Community-acquired Acinetobacter pneumonia].

Science.gov (United States)

Bernasconi, E; Wüst, J; Speich, R; Flury, G; Krause, M

1993-08-21

We report the history of a 38-year-old male native of Sri Lanka admitted to the emergency ward because of chest pain and shortness of breath. On physical and radiographic examination a bilateral predominantly right-sided pneumonia was found. The patient was admitted to the medical ICU and an antibiotic regimen with amoxicillin/clavulanic acid and erythromycin was initiated. Shortly afterwards septic shock developed. The patient was intubated and received high doses of catecholamines. He died 30 hours after admission to the hospital. Cultures from sputum, tracheal aspirate and blood grew Acinetobacter baumanni. Acinetobacter is an ubiquitous gram-negative rod with coccobacillary appearance in clinical specimens, that may appear gram-positive due to poor discoloration on Gram-stain. It is a well known causative agent of nosocomial infections, particularly in intensive care units. Community-acquired pneumonias, however, are quite rare. Sporadic cases have been reported from the US, Papua-New Guinea and Australia. Interestingly, these pneumonias are fulminant and have a high mortality. Chronic obstructive lung disease, diabetes, and tobacco and alcohol consumption appear to be predisposing factors. Due to the rapid course and poor prognosis, prompt diagnosis and adequate antibiotic treatment are indicated. Antibiotics use for community-acquired pneumonias, such as amoxicillin/clavulanic acid or macrolides, are not sufficient. Appropriate antibiotics for the initial treatment of suspected Acinetobacter infections include imipenem and carboxy- and ureidopenicillins combined with an aminoglycoside.

A quorum sensing-mediated switch contributes to natural transformation of Vibrio cholerae

OpenAIRE

Blokesch Melanie

2013-01-01

There is a fundamental gap in our understanding of how horizontal gene transfer contributes to the enormous range of genetic variations that are observed among bacteria. The objective of our study was to better understand how the acquisition of genetic material by natural transformation is regulated within a population of Vibrio cholerae cells. V. cholerae is an aquatic bacterium and a facultative human pathogen. It acquires natural competence for transformation in response to changing enviro...

Diagnosis and Treatment of Community-Acquired Pneumonia in Children

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

I.A. Karymdzhanov

2016-02-01

The initial antibiotic therapy of community-acquired pneumonia is carried out empirically. In the treatment of severe community-acquired pneumonia in children from 2 months to 5 years, the drug of choice is amoxicillin orally. Macrolides are the drugs of choice for children aged 5 to 16 years. In severe pneumonia, drugs of choice are amoxicillin clavulanate, 2nd–4th generation cephalosporins. In general, the duration of antibiotic therapy in the community-acquired pneumonia caused by typical bacteria is 7–10 days, by atypical bacteria — 10–14 days. In the real clinical practice, the errors associated with the choice of drug, route of administration, dosage, regimen of application, length of treatment are frequent during antibacterial therapy.

Soil and Oil, Trees and Seas: Building Nations through Natural Resources

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Helen

2014-01-01

This article describes the activities of the tribal colleges and universities in building programs aimed at helping students and energy companies acquire the skills needed for employment in the natural resource industries around the Native nations. Students are learning many skills--welding, construction technology, and safety. Students are also…

Idiopathic Acquired Hemophilia A with Undetectable Factor VIII Inhibitor

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nicholas B. Abt

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Objective. We present the case of a 73-year-old female, with no family or personal history of a bleeding disorder, who had a classic presentation for acquired hemophilia A. Factor VIII activity was low but detectable and a factor VIII inhibitor was undetectable. Methods. The patient’s plasma was comprehensively studied to determine the cause of the acquired coagulopathy. Using the Nijmegen modification of the Bethesda assay, no factor VIII autoantibody was measureable despite varying the incubation time from 1 to 3 hours. Results. The aPTT was prolonged at 46.8 seconds, which did not correct in the 4 : 1 mix but did with 1 : 1 mix. Using a one stage factor VIII activity assay, the FVIII activity was 16% and chromogenic FVIII activity was also 16%. The patient was treated with recombinant FVII and transfusion, significantly reducing bleeding. Long-term therapy was initiated with cyclophosphamide and prednisone with normalization of FVIII activity. Conclusions. Physicians can be presented with the challenging clinical picture of an acquired factor VIII inhibitor without a detectable inhibitor by the Bethesda assay. Standard therapy for an acquired hemophilia A should be considered.

Patients' Hand Washing and Reducing Hospital-Acquired Infection.

Science.gov (United States)

Haverstick, Stacy; Goodrich, Cara; Freeman, Regi; James, Shandra; Kullar, Rajkiran; Ahrens, Melissa

2017-06-01

Hand hygiene is important to prevent hospital-acquired infections. Patients' hand hygiene is just as important as hospital workers' hand hygiene. Hospital-acquired infection rates remain a concern across health centers. To improve patients' hand hygiene through the promotion and use of hand washing with soap and water, hand sanitizer, or both and improve patients' education to reduce hospital-acquired infections. In August 2013, patients in a cardiothoracic postsurgical step-down unit were provided with individual bottles of hand sanitizer. Nurses and nursing technicians provided hand hygiene education to each patient. Patients completed a 6-question survey before the intervention, at hospital discharge and 1, 2, and 3 months after the intervention. Hospital-acquired infection data were tracked monthly by infection prevention staff. Significant correlations were found between hand hygiene and rates of infection with vancomycin-resistant enterococci ( P = .003) and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus ( P = .01) after the intervention. After the implementation of hand hygiene interventions, rates of both infections declined significantly and patients reported more staff offering opportunities for and encouraging hand hygiene. This quality improvement project demonstrates that increased hand hygiene compliance by patients can influence infection rates in an adult cardiothoracic step-down unit. The decreased infection rates and increased compliance with hand hygiene among the patients may be attributed to the implementation of patient education and the increased accessibility and use of hand sanitizer. ©2017 American Association of Critical-Care Nurses.

Clinical role of Cefixime in community-acquired infections.

Science.gov (United States)

Dreshaj, Sh; Doda-Ejupi, T; Tolaj, I Q; Mustafa, A; Kabashi, S; Shala, N; Geca, Nj; Aliu, A; Daka, A; Basha, N

2011-01-01

Cefixime is an oral third generation cephalosporin, frequently used in respiratory tract infections (RTI) in the pediatric population. However, in some publications cefixime has demonstrated poor efficacy against staphylococci and streptococci. of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of cefixime in the treatment of community-acquired infections in a country where parenteral third generation cephalosporins have been used for a long time. The present study was designed to assess the clinical efficacy, bacteriological eradication rates and tolerability of cefixime in children with community-acquired upper RTI (URTI), lower RTI (LRTI) and uncomplicated urinary tract infections (UTI). The study was prospective, open, and included 89 patients, from 6 months to 28 years, of both sexes, with the diagnosis of community-acquired URTI, LRTI and UTI. The treatment with cefixime was successful in 30/30 (100%) patients suffering from acute otitis media (AOM), in 10/12 (83.3%) with acute sinusitis, in 12/12 patients (100%) with pneumonia, in 31/35 (88.57) with uncomplicated UTI. The antibiotic was well tolerated. In 10 days treatment we recorded one case (1.3%) with acute gastroenteritis and two cases (2.6%) of maculopapular rash. Side-effects were transient and disappeared after finishing therapy in all three of the cases. Community-acquired infections, such as AOM, LRTI and UTI, caused by susceptible pathogens, can be treated with cefixime, as a good choice for a successful clinical response.

Community-Acquired Acute Kidney Injury: A Nationwide Survey in China.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Yafang; Wang, Jinwei; Su, Tao; Qu, Zhen; Zhao, Minghui; Yang, Li

2017-05-01

This study aimed to describe the burden of community-acquired acute kidney injury (AKI) in China based on a nationwide survey about AKI. Cross-sectional and retrospective study. A national sample of 2,223,230 hospitalized adult patients from 44 academic/local hospitals in Mainland China was used. AKI was defined according to the 2012 KDIGO AKI creatinine criteria or an increase or decrease in serum creatinine level of 50% during the hospital stay. Community-acquired AKI was identified when a patient had AKI that could be defined at hospital admission. The rate, cause, recognition, and treatment of community-acquired AKI were stratified according to hospital type, latitude, and economic development of the regions in which the patients were admitted. All-cause in-hospital mortality and recovery of kidney function at hospital discharge. 4,136 patients with community-acquired AKI were identified during the 2 single-month snapshots (January 2013 and July 2013). Of these, 2,020 (48.8%) had cases related to decreased kidney perfusion; 1,111 (26.9%), to intrinsic kidney disease; and 499 (12.1%), to urinary tract obstruction. In the north versus the south, more patients were exposed to nephrotoxins or had urinary tract obstructions. 536 (13.0%) patients with community-acquired AKI had indications for renal replacement therapy (RRT), but only 347 (64.7%) of them received RRT. Rates of timely diagnosis and appropriate use of RRT were higher in regions with higher per capita gross domestic product. All-cause in-hospital mortality was 7.3% (295 of 4,068). Delayed AKI recognition and being located in northern China were independent risk factors for in-hospital mortality, and referral to nephrology providers was an independent protective factor. Possible misclassification of AKI and community-acquired AKI due to nonstandard definitions and missing data for serum creatinine. The features of community-acquired AKI varied substantially in different regions of China and were closely

Foodborne listeriosis acquired in hospitals.

Science.gov (United States)

Silk, Benjamin J; McCoy, Morgan H; Iwamoto, Martha; Griffin, Patricia M

2014-08-15

Listeriosis is characterized by bacteremia or meningitis. We searched for listeriosis case series and outbreak investigations published in English by 2013, and assessed the strength of evidence for foodborne acquisition among patients who ate hospital food. We identified 30 reports from 13 countries. Among the case series, the median proportion of cases considered to be hospital-acquired was 25% (range, 9%-67%). The median number of outbreak-related illnesses considered to be hospital-acquired was 4.0 (range, 2-16). All patients were immunosuppressed in 18 of 24 (75%) reports with available data. Eight outbreak reports with strong evidence for foodborne acquisition in a hospital implicated sandwiches (3 reports), butter, precut celery, Camembert cheese, sausage, and tuna salad (1 report each). Foodborne acquisition of listeriosis among hospitalized patients is well documented internationally. The number of listeriosis cases could be reduced substantially by establishing hospital policies for safe food preparation for immunocompromised patients and by not serving them higher-risk foods. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Infectious Diseases Society of America 2014. This work is written by (a) US Government employee(s) and is in the public domain in the US.

Automated surveillance system for hospital-acquired urinary tract infections in Denmark

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Condell, Orla; Gubbels, Sophie; Nielsen, J

2016-01-01

BACKGROUND: The Danish Hospital-Acquired Infections Database (HAIBA) is an automated surveillance system using hospital administrative, microbiological, and antibiotic medication data. AIM: To define and evaluate the case definition for hospital-acquired urinary tract infection (HA-UTI) and to de......BACKGROUND: The Danish Hospital-Acquired Infections Database (HAIBA) is an automated surveillance system using hospital administrative, microbiological, and antibiotic medication data. AIM: To define and evaluate the case definition for hospital-acquired urinary tract infection (HA-UTI......) and to describe surveillance data from 2010 to 2014. METHODS: The HA-UTI algorithm defined a laboratory-diagnosed UTI as a urine culture positive for no more than two micro-organisms with at least one at ≥10(4)cfu/mL, and a probable UTI as a negative urine culture and a relevant diagnosis code or antibiotic...... treatment. UTI was considered hospital-acquired if a urine sample was collected ≥48h after admission and UTI was calculated per 10,000 risk-days. For validation, prevalence was calculated for each day and compared to point prevalence survey (PPS) data. FINDINGS: HAIBA...

How Did Light Acquire a Velocity?

Science.gov (United States)

Lauginie, Pierre

2013-01-01

We discuss how light acquired a velocity through history, from the ancient Greeks to the early modern era. Combining abstract debates, models of light, practical needs, planned research and chance, this history illustrates several key points that should be brought out in science education.

Potentialities of radioisotope aniocardiography in diagnosis of acquired heart diseases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Malov, G.A.; Mikaelyan, R.S.; Dumpe, A.N.

1980-01-01

On the base of the examination of 40 patients with acquired heart diseases and 5 people without heart diseases for control determined are the most charactreristic signs of the acquired heart disease of visual observation on RPP transit (albumin of human serum labelled by sup(99m)Tc) through the heart cavities and magistral vessels. It is shown that there is a close connection between central and intracardial hemodynamics which permjts to judge on the cardiac output on the base of mean circulation time (MCT). Radioisotopic angiocardiography permits to find redistribution of lung blood flow in patients with acquired heart diseases, which can serve as indirect index of long hypertension

26 CFR 1.1014-2 - Property acquired from a decedent.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... TAX (CONTINUED) INCOME TAXES Basis Rules of General Application § 1.1014-2 Property acquired from a..., devise, or inheritance, or by the decedent's estate from the decedent, whether the property was acquired... inheritance from a decedent dying after August 26, 1937, and if such property consists of stock or securities...

Acquired Aplastic Anemia in Children

Science.gov (United States)

Hartung, Helge D.; Olson, Timothy S.; Bessler, Monica

2013-01-01

SYNOPSIS This article provides a practice-based and concise review of the etiology, diagnosis, and management of acquired aplastic anemia in children. Bone marrow transplantation, immunosuppressive therapy, and supportive care are discussed in detail. The aim is to provide the clinician with a better understanding of the disease and to offer guidelines for the management of children with this uncommon yet serious disorder. PMID:24237973

Rehabilitation of discourse impairments after acquired brain injury

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gigiane Gindri

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Language impairments in patients with acquired brain injury can have a negative impact on social life as well as on other cognitive domains. Discourse impairments are among the most commonly reported communication deficits among patients with acquired brain damage. Despite advances in the development of diagnostic tools for detecting such impairments, few studies have investigated interventions to rehabilitate patients presenting with these conditions. Objective: The aim of this study was to present a systematic review of the methods used in the rehabilitation of discourse following acquired brain injury. Methods: The PubMed database was searched for articles using the following keywords: "rehabilitation", "neurological injury", "communication" and "discursive abilities". Results: A total of 162 abstracts were found, but only seven of these met criteria for inclusion in the review. Four studies involved samples of individuals with aphasia whereas three studies recruited samples of individuals with traumatic brain injury. Conclusion: All but one article found that patient performance improved following participation in a discourse rehabilitation program.

The acquired hyperostosis syndrome

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dihlmann, W.; Hering, L.; Bargon, G.W.

1988-01-01

Sterno-costo-clavicular hyperostosis (SCCH) is the most common manifestation of a syndrome, consisting of increased bone metabolism, mostly new bone formation and heterotopic ossification of fibrous tissue, which we have characterised as the acquired hyperostosis syndrome. In part I we discuss the terminology, radiological appearances, scintigraphy, clinical and laboratory findings, bacteriology, histology, nosology, complications, treatment and differential diagnosis of SCCH. Chronic recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis (CRMO) is regarded as a phaenotype of SCCH, depending on the age. CRMO occurs in children, adolescents and young adults, SCCH predominantly in middleaged and elderly adults. (orig.) [de

Metropolitan natural area protection to maximize public access and species representation

Science.gov (United States)

Jane A. Ruliffson; Robert G. Haight; Paul H. Gobster; Frances R. Homans

2003-01-01

In response to widespread urban development, local governments in metropolitan areas in the United States acquire and protect privately-owned open space. We addressed the planner's problem of allocating a fixed budget for open space protection among eligible natural areas with the twin objectives of maximizing public access and species representation. Both...

Acquired dysfibrinogenemia secondary to multiple myeloma

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Kotlín, R.; Sobotková, A.; Riedel, Tomáš; Salaj, P.; Suttnar, J.; Reicheltová, Z.; Májek, P.; Khaznadar, T.; Dyr, J. E.

2008-01-01

Roč. 120, č. 2 (2008), s. 75-81 ISSN 0001-5792 R&D Projects: GA AV ČR KAN200670701 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z40500505 Keywords : acquired dysfibrinogenemia * amorphous clot * fibrinogen Subject RIV: CD - Macromolecular Chemistry Impact factor: 1.191, year: 2008

Direct cerebral and cardiac 17O-MRI at 3 Tesla: initial results at natural abundance.

Science.gov (United States)

Borowiak, Robert; Groebner, Jens; Haas, Martin; Hennig, Jürgen; Bock, Michael

2014-02-01

To establish direct (17)O-magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for metabolic imaging at a clinical field strength of 3 T. An experimental setup including a surface coil and transmit/receive switch was constructed. Natural abundance in vivo brain images of a volunteer were acquired with a radial three-dimensional (3D) sequence in the visual cortex and in the heart with electrocardiogram (ECG)-gating. In the brain, a signal-to-noise ratio of 36 was found at a nominal resolution of (5.6 mm)(3), and a transverse relaxation time of T(2)* = (1.9 ± 0.2) ms was obtained. In the heart (17)O images were acquired with a temporal resolution of 200 ms. Cerebral and cardiac (17)O-MRI at natural abundance is feasible at 3 T.

Acquired portosystemic collaterals: anatomy and imaging

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Leite, Andrea Farias de Melo; Mota Junior, Americo, E-mail: andreafariasm@gmail.com [Instituto de Medicina Integral Professor Fernando Figueira de Pernambuco (IMIP), Recife, PE (Brazil); Chagas-Neto, Francisco Abaete [Universidade de Fortaleza (UNIFOR), Fortaleza, CE (Brazil); Teixeira, Sara Reis; Elias Junior, Jorge; Muglia, Valdair Francisco [Universidade de Sao Paulo (FMRP/USP), Ribeirao Preto, SP (Brazil). Faculdade de Medicina

2016-07-15

Portosystemic shunts are enlarged vessels that form collateral pathological pathways between the splanchnic circulation and the systemic circulation. Although their causes are multifactorial, portosystemic shunts all have one mechanism in common - increased portal venous pressure, which diverts the blood flow from the gastrointestinal tract to the systemic circulation. Congenital and acquired collateral pathways have both been described in the literature. The aim of this pictorial essay was to discuss the distinct anatomic and imaging features of portosystemic shunts, as well as to provide a robust method of differentiating between acquired portosystemic shunts and similar pathologies, through the use of illustrations and schematic drawings. Imaging of portosystemic shunts provides subclinical markers of increased portal venous pressure. Therefore, radiologists play a crucial role in the identification of portosystemic shunts. Early detection of portosystemic shunts can allow ample time to perform endovascular shunt operations, which can relieve portal hypertension and prevent acute or chronic complications in at-risk patient populations. (author)

Acquired portosystemic collaterals: anatomy and imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Leite, Andrea Farias de Melo; Mota Junior, Americo; Chagas-Neto, Francisco Abaete; Teixeira, Sara Reis; Elias Junior, Jorge; Muglia, Valdair Francisco

2016-01-01

Portosystemic shunts are enlarged vessels that form collateral pathological pathways between the splanchnic circulation and the systemic circulation. Although their causes are multifactorial, portosystemic shunts all have one mechanism in common - increased portal venous pressure, which diverts the blood flow from the gastrointestinal tract to the systemic circulation. Congenital and acquired collateral pathways have both been described in the literature. The aim of this pictorial essay was to discuss the distinct anatomic and imaging features of portosystemic shunts, as well as to provide a robust method of differentiating between acquired portosystemic shunts and similar pathologies, through the use of illustrations and schematic drawings. Imaging of portosystemic shunts provides subclinical markers of increased portal venous pressure. Therefore, radiologists play a crucial role in the identification of portosystemic shunts. Early detection of portosystemic shunts can allow ample time to perform endovascular shunt operations, which can relieve portal hypertension and prevent acute or chronic complications in at-risk patient populations. (author)

Surveillance for hospital-acquired infections on surgical wards in a Dutch university hospital

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kamp-Hopmans, Titia E. M.; Blok, Hetty E. M.; Troelstra, Annet; Gigengack-Baars, Ada C. M.; Weersink, Annemarie J. L.; Vandenbroucke-Grauls, Christina M. J. E.; Verhoef, Jan; Mascini, Ellen M.

2003-01-01

OBJECTIVES: To determine incidence rates of hospital-acquired infections and to develop preventive measures to reduce the risk of hospital-acquired infections. METHODS: Prospective surveillance for hospital-acquired infections was performed during a 5-year period in the wards housing general and

Enhanced learning of natural visual sequences in newborn chicks.

Science.gov (United States)

Wood, Justin N; Prasad, Aditya; Goldman, Jason G; Wood, Samantha M W

2016-07-01

To what extent are newborn brains designed to operate over natural visual input? To address this question, we used a high-throughput controlled-rearing method to examine whether newborn chicks (Gallus gallus) show enhanced learning of natural visual sequences at the onset of vision. We took the same set of images and grouped them into either natural sequences (i.e., sequences showing different viewpoints of the same real-world object) or unnatural sequences (i.e., sequences showing different images of different real-world objects). When raised in virtual worlds containing natural sequences, newborn chicks developed the ability to recognize familiar images of objects. Conversely, when raised in virtual worlds containing unnatural sequences, newborn chicks' object recognition abilities were severely impaired. In fact, the majority of the chicks raised with the unnatural sequences failed to recognize familiar images of objects despite acquiring over 100 h of visual experience with those images. Thus, newborn chicks show enhanced learning of natural visual sequences at the onset of vision. These results indicate that newborn brains are designed to operate over natural visual input.

Tuberculosis and the acquired immune deficiency syndrome in South Brazil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vieira, M.V.; Genro, C.H.; Santos Silveira, R. de C. dos

1989-01-01

Tuberculosis and the acquired immune deficiency syndrome in South Brazil. The authors studied the incidence of tuberculosis in South Brazilian patients with acquired immune deficiency syndrome from January 1985 to June 1988. During this period, tuberculosis occurred in 10.3% of acquired immune deficiency syndrome patients. The socioeconomic conditions and the incidence of disease in the population were not confirmed as a potential risk for tuberculosis infection. Chest radiographs revealed pulmonary infiltrates in six patients, hilar and/or mediastinal adenopathy in three, and pleural effusion in two. The two remaining patients had pulmonary consolidation associated with other features. None of these patients presented pulmonary cavitation or radiographic findings of typical reactivation of pulmonary tuberculosis. (author) [pt

Processes Adopted to Integrate Intangible Resources in Global Acquisitions among Container Lines: Perceptions of Acquirer and Acquired

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Indika Sigera

2018-03-01

Full Text Available The spectrum of strategic co-operations among container lines varies from loose-knitted slot charters, liner conferences, shipping alliances, joint services and consortia, through to mergers and acquisitions (M&As. However, these forms of strategic co-operations have not always been able to achieve the intended synergetic growth resulting from the integration of resources. The Resource Based View (RBV suggests that integrating intangible resources, which are valuable, rare, inimitable and non-substitutable (VRIN, can make a significant contribution to the performance of post strategic co-operations. This research paper investigates the contribution of intangible resources to the post acquisition success six global acquisitions among container lines. The nine senior managers attached to global container lines were the main participants of this study. Five of them represented acquired container lines, four represented acquirer container lines. The paper explains their personnel experience on the processes adopts to integrate intangible resources in acquisitions. Keywords: Merger and Acquisitions, Intangible Resources, Container Lines, Task Integration, Human Integration

Musicality: instinct or acquired skill?

Science.gov (United States)

Marcus, Gary F

2012-10-01

Is the human tendency toward musicality better thought of as the product of a specific, evolved instinct or an acquired skill? Developmental and evolutionary arguments are considered, along with issues of domain-specificity. The article also considers the question of why humans might be consistently and intensely drawn to music if musicality is not in fact the product of a specifically evolved instinct. Copyright © 2012 Cognitive Science Society, Inc.

Value-based purchasing and hospital acquired conditions: are we seeing improvement?

Science.gov (United States)

Spaulding, Aaron; Zhao, Mei; Haley, D Rob

2014-12-01

To determine if the Value-Based Purchasing Performance Scoring system correlates with hospital acquired condition quality indicators. This study utilizes the following secondary data sources: the American Hospital Association (AHA) annual survey and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) Value-Based Purchasing and Hospital Acquired Conditions databases. Zero-inflated negative binomial regression was used to examine the effect of CMS total performance score on counts of hospital acquired conditions. Hospital structure variables including size, ownership, teaching status, payer mix, case mix, and location were utilized as control variables. The secondary data sources were merged into a single database using Stata 10. Total performance scores, which are used to determine if hospitals should receive incentive money, do not correlate well with quality outcome in the form of hospital acquired conditions. Value-based purchasing does not appear to correlate with improved quality and patient safety as indicated by Hospital Acquired Condition (HAC) scores. This leads us to believe that either the total performance score does not measure what it should, or the quality outcome measurements do not reflect the quality of the total performance scores measure. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Transfusion-Associated Microchimerism in Combat Casualties

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Dunne, James R; Lee, Tzong-Hae; Burns, Christopher; Cardo, Lisa J; Curry, Kathleen; Busch, Michael P

2007-01-01

...) in civilian trauma patients receiving allogenic red blood cell (RBC) transfusions. We explored the incidence of TA-MC in combat casualties receiving FrWB compared with patients receiving standard stored RBC transfusions. Methods...

A rare case of acquired lymphangioma circumscriptum of the penis.

Science.gov (United States)

Adikari, S; Philippidou, M; Samuel, M

2017-02-01

Acquired lymphangioma circumscriptum is a rare occurrence on the penis. We report a case of a 47-year-old man who presented with a single lesion of acquired lymphangioma circumscriptum on the penis resembling genital warts. We report the case to increase awareness of this rare condition which may mimic sexually transmitted infections such as genital warts.

Rocky Mountain spotted fever acquired in Florida, 1973-83.

Science.gov (United States)

Sacks, J J; Janowski, H T

1985-01-01

From 1973 to 1983, 49 Florida residents were reported with confirmed Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF), 25 of whom were considered to have had Florida-acquired disease. Although there was no history of tick exposure for six of these 25 persons, all had contact with dogs or outdoor activities during the incubation period. The tick vectors of RMSF are widely distributed throughout Florida. We conclude that RMSF, although rare in Florida, can be acquired in the state. PMID:4061716

The nature of self-esteem and its relationship to anxiety and depression in adult acquired brain injury.

Science.gov (United States)

Longworth, Catherine; Deakins, Joseph; Rose, David; Gracey, Fergus

2016-08-31

Acquired brain injury (ABI) has a negative impact on self-esteem, which is in turn associated with mood disorders, maladaptive coping and reduced community participation. The aim of the current research was to explore self-esteem as a multi-dimensional construct and identify which factors are associated with symptoms of anxiety or depression. Eighty adults with ABI aged 17-56 years completed the Robson Self-Esteem Scale (RSES), of whom 65 also completed the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale; 57.5% of the sample had clinically low self-esteem. The RSES had good internal consistency (α =   .89), and factor analysis identified four factors, which differed from those found previously in other populations. Multiple regression analysis revealed anxiety was differentially predicted by "Self-Worth" and "Self-Efficacy", R 2  =   .44, F(4, 58) =   9, p Self-Regard", R 2  =   .38, F(4, 58) =   9, p self-esteem after ABI. Self-esteem after ABI is multidimensional and differs in structure from self-esteem in the general population. A multidimensional model of self-esteem may be helpful in development of transdiagnostic cognitive behavioural accounts of adjustment.

A narrative analysis of a speech pathologist's work with Indigenous Australians with acquired communication disorders.

Science.gov (United States)

Hersh, Deborah; Armstrong, Elizabeth; Bourke, Noni

2015-01-01

To explore in detail the narrative of a speech pathologist (SP) working with Indigenous Australian clients with acquired communication disorders following stroke or brain injury. There is some evidence that Indigenous clients do not find speech pathology rehabilitation to be culturally appropriate but, currently, there is very little published on the nature of this service or the experiences of SPs who provide this rehabilitation. This research uses both thematic and structural narrative analysis of data from a semi-structured, in-depth interview with a SP to examine the adaptations that she made to address the needs of her adult neurological caseload of (mainly) Indigenous Australians from both urban and remote regions. The thematic analysis resulted in a core theme of flexibility and four other sub-themes: awareness of cultural context, client focus/person-centredness, being practical and working ethically. The structural narrative analysis allowed insight into the nature of clinical reasoning in a context lacking predictability and where previous clinical certainties required adaptation. Individual, detailed narratives are useful in exposing the challenges and clinical reasoning behind culturally sensitive practice. Implications for Rehabilitation Speech pathologists (SPs) can learn from hearing the clinical stories of colleagues with experience of providing rehabilitation in culturally diverse contexts, as well as from ongoing training in culturally competent and safe practices. Such stories help bridge understanding from the general to the particular. SPs working with Indigenous Australians with acquired communication disorders post-stroke and brain injury may find it helpful to consider how the themes, drawn from an interview with the clinician in this study - flexibility, awareness of cultural context, person-centredness, being practical and working ethically - might apply to their practice. Narratives may be helpful in staff training and form an important

Management of Acquired Atresia of the External Auditory Canal.

Science.gov (United States)

Bajin, Münir Demir; Yılmaz, Taner; Günaydın, Rıza Önder; Kuşçu, Oğuz; Sözen, Tevfik; Jafarov, Shamkal

2015-08-01

The aim was to evaluate surgical techniques and their relationship to postoperative success rate and hearing outcomes in acquired atresia of the external auditory canal. In this article, 24 patients with acquired atresia of the external auditory canal were retrospectively evaluated regarding their canal status, hearing, and postoperative success. Acquired stenosis occurs more commonly in males with a male: female ratio of 2-3:1; it seems to be a disorder affecting young adults. Previous ear surgery (13 patients, 54.2%) and external ear trauma (11 patients, 45.8%) were the main etiological factors of acquired ear canal stenosis. Mastoidectomy (12/13) and traffic accidents (8/11) comprise the majority of these etiological factors. Endaural incision is performed in 79.2% and postauricular incision for 20.8% of cases during the operation. As types of surgical approach, transcanal (70.8%), transmastoid (20.8%), and combined (8.4%) approaches are chosen. The atretic plate is generally located at the bony-cartilaginous junction (37.5%) and in the cartilaginous canal (33.3%); the bony canal is involved in a few cases only. Preserved healthy canal skin, split- or full-thickness skin grafts, or pre- or postauricular skin flaps are used to line the ear canal, but preserved healthy canal skin is preferred. The results of surgery are generally satisfactory, and complications are few if surgical principles are followed.

Venezuela natural gas outlook

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Silva, P.

1991-01-01

This paper reports on the natural gas outlook for Venezuela. First of all, it is very important to remember that in the last few years we have had frequent and unforeseen changes in the energy, ecological, geopolitical and economical fields which explain why all the projections of demand and prices for hydrocarbons and their products have failed to predict what later would happen in the market. Natural gas, with its recognized advantages over other traditional competitors such as oil, coal and nuclear energy, is identified as the component that is acquiring more weight in the energy equation, with a strengthening projection, not only as a resource that covers demand but as a key element in the international energy business. In fact, natural gas satisfies 21% of overall worldwide energy consumption, with an annual increase of 2.7% over the last few years, which is higher than the global energy growth of other fossil fuels. This tendency, which dates from the beginning of the 1980's, will continue with a possibility of increasing over the coming years. Under a foreseeable scenario, it is estimated that worldwide use of natural gas will increase 40% over the next 10 years and 75% on a longer term. Specifically for liquid methane (LNG), use should increase 60% during this last decade. The LPG increase should be moderate due to the limited demand until 1995 and to the stable trends that will continue its use until the end of this century

Expert System for support of natural gas network management; Sistema especialista para gerenciamento de redes de gas natural: SEGRED

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Silva, Jonny Carlos da [Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC), Florianopolis, SC (Brazil); Hirano, Eduardo Wulff [Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC), Florianopolis, SC (Brazil). Lab. de Hidraulica e Pneumatica (LASHIP); Moura, Newton Reis de [PETROBRAS, Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil); Freire, Luiz Gustavo de Melo [PETROBRAS S.A., Pojuca, BA (Brazil). Unidade de Negocios de Gas Natural (UNGN)

2004-07-01

This work reports on the SEGRED project, which aims to develop an expert system for management of natural gas transportation networks. The system is currently being developed by LASHIP-UFSC in partnership with PETROBRAS/CENPES and TBG. The SEGRED system consists of an environment designed to support natural gas pipeline management by means of remote supervision of process parameters and analysis of the mutual interactions of those parameters by an expert system integrated to a dynamic simulator. The system is deployed through a process that contributes to making available for use the knowledge about functions such as line packing analysis and line break detection, thus enhancing the quality of execution of these tasks, which are related to the management of natural gas transportation network. The main benefits consist of promoting efforts to acquire and organize expert knowledge. This process contributes to the generation of a knowledge base with corporate technical memory, which can be made available in a permanent, expansible and useful way for decision-making. (author)

Case report: unicameral bone cysts in a young patient with acquired generalized lipodystrophy.

Science.gov (United States)

Gregory, James M; Arkader, Alexandre; Bokhari, Aqiba; Bothari, Aqiba; Dormans, John P

2010-05-01

We report the case of a 13-year-old boy with bilateral distal femoral unicameral bone cysts (UBCs) associated with acquired generalized lipodystrophy. As opposed to congenital generalized lipodystrophy, cystic bone lesions in acquired generalized lipodystrophy are rare. After radiographic and histologic confirmation of the UBCs, we performed percutaneous intramedullary decompression, curettage, and grafting. UBCs can be an important manifestation of acquired generalized lipodystrophy. Cystic bone lesions appear to be less common in acquired generalized lipodystrophy than in congenital generalized lipodystrophy, and intramedullary adipose tissue loss may be a predisposing factor for the development of bone lesions in patients with acquired generalized lipodystrophy. When evaluating a patient with lipodystrophy, doctors should recognize the clinical course may include the development of UBCs.

[Acquired disorders of color vision].

Science.gov (United States)

Lascu, Lidia; Balaş, Mihaela

2002-01-01

This article is a general view of acquired disorders of color vision. The revision of the best known methods and of the etiopathogenic classification is not very important in ophthalmology but on the other hand, the detection of the blue defect advertise and associated ocular pathology. There is a major interest in serious diseases as multiple sclerosis, AIDS, diabetes melitus, when the first ocular sign can be a defect in the color vision.

Universal acquired melanosis (Carbon baby

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kaviarasan P

2008-01-01

Full Text Available We report a 3-year-old girl born with fair complexion which became darker. The color change was insidious in onset at the age of 5 months, asymptomatic and progressive involving the entire body surface. Histopathology revealed increased pigmentation of the epidermal basal layer. Universal acquired melanosis is a rare form of hypermelanosis which was synonymously referred to as "Carbon baby". This is a rare presentation with only one earlier case report.

Consensus on context-specific strategies for reducing the stigma of human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome in Zambézia Province, Mozambique

OpenAIRE

Mukolo, Abraham; Torres, Isabel; Bechtel, Ruth M.; Sidat, Mohsin; Vergara, Alfredo E.

2014-01-01

Stigma has been implicated in poor outcomes of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) care. Reducing stigma is important for HIV prevention and long-term treatment success. Although stigma reduction interventions are conducted in Mozambique, little is known about the current nature of stigma and the efficacy and effectiveness of stigma reduction initiatives. We describe action research to generate consensus on critical characteristics of HIV stigma and an...

Community-acquired pneumonia in older patients: does age influence systemic cytokine levels in community-acquired pneumonia?

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Kelly, Emer

2009-03-01

Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is a major cause of death in the elderly. The age-related increase in comorbid illnesses plays a part but the effect of aging on the immune response may be equally important. We aimed to evaluate patients with CAP for evidence of a muted response to infection in elderly patients admitted to hospital compared with a younger patient group.

Severe recurrent achalasia cardia responding to treatment of severe autoimmune acquired haemophilia

OpenAIRE

Al-Jafar, H; Laffan, M; Al-Sabah, S; Elmorsi, M; Habeeb, M; Alnajar, F

2012-01-01

Acquired haemophilia A and severe acquired achalasia are both very rare conditions with unknown aetiology. Haemophilia A is a haemorrhagic disease induced by deficiency or malfunction of coagulation factor VIII. Congenital haemophilia is an inherited disease transmitted by the mother through X-linked inheritance and primarily affects males. However, acquired haemophilia A is a serious, sudden-onset, autoimmune disease that affects either sex. In addition, achalasia is a disease of the oesopha...

Origins and consequences of technology acquirement by independent-living seniors: towards an integrative model.

Science.gov (United States)

Peek, S T M; Luijkx, K G; Vrijhoef, H J M; Nieboer, M E; Aarts, S; van der Voort, C S; Rijnaard, M D; Wouters, E J M

2017-08-22

Living independently can be challenging for seniors. Technologies are expected to help older adults age in place, yet little empirical research is available on how seniors develop a need for technologies, how they acquire these technologies, and how these subsequently affect their lives. Aging is complex, dynamic and personal. But how does this translate to seniors' adoption and acceptance of technology? To better understand origins and consequences of technology acquirement by independent-living seniors, an explorative longitudinal qualitative field study was set up. Home visits were made to 33 community-dwelling seniors living in the Netherlands, on three occasions (2012-2014). Semi-structured interviews were conducted on the timeline of acquirements, and people and factors involved in acquirements. Additionally, participants were interviewed on experiences in using technologies since acquirement. Thematic analysis was employed to analyze interview transcripts, using a realist approach to better understand the contexts, mechanisms and outcomes of technology acquirements. Findings were accumulated in a new conceptual model: The Cycle of Technology Acquirement by Independent-Living Seniors (C-TAILS), which provides an integrative perspective on why and how technologies are acquired, and why these may or may not prove to be appropriate and effective, considering an independent-living senior's needs and circumstances at a given point in time. We found that externally driven and purely desire-driven acquirements led to a higher risk of suboptimal use and low levels of need satisfaction. Technology acquirement by independent-living seniors may be best characterized as a heterogeneous process with many different origins, pathways and consequences. Furthermore, technologies that are acquired in ways that are not congruent with seniors' personal needs and circumstances run a higher risk of proving to be ineffective or inappropriate. Yet, these needs and circumstances are

Natural disasters and nontuberculous mycobacteria: a recipe for increased disease?

Science.gov (United States)

Honda, Jennifer R; Bernhard, Jon N; Chan, Edward D

2015-02-01

Infectious diseases acquired by survivors of large-scale natural disasters complicate the recovery process. During events such as tsunamis, hurricanes, earthquakes, and tornados and well into the recovery period, victims often are exposed to water-soil mixtures that have relocated with indigenous microbes. Because nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) are ubiquitous in water and soil, there is potential for increased exposure to these organisms during natural disasters. In this hypothesis-driven commentary, we discuss the rise in NTM lung disease and natural disasters and examine the geographic overlap of NTM infections and disaster frequencies in the United States. Moreover, we show an increased number of positive NTM cultures from Louisiana residents in the years following three of the relatively recent epic hurricanes and posit that such natural disasters may help to drive the increased number of NTM infections. Finally, we advocate for increased environmental studies and surveillance of NTM infections before and after natural disasters.

Functionality predictors in acquired brain damage.

Science.gov (United States)

Huertas Hoyas, E; Pedrero Pérez, E J; Águila Maturana, A M; García López-Alberca, S; González Alted, C

2015-01-01

Most individuals who have survived an acquired brain injury present consequences affecting the sensorimotor, cognitive, affective or behavioural components. These deficits affect the proper performance of daily living activities. The aim of this study is to identify functional differences between individuals with unilateral acquired brain injury using functional independence, capacity, and performance of daily activities. Descriptive cross-sectional design with a sample of 58 people, with right-sided injury (n=14 TBI; n=15 stroke) or left-sided injury (n = 14 TBI, n = 15 stroke), right handed, and with a mean age of 47 years and time since onset of 4 ± 3.65 years. The functional assessment/functional independence measure (FIM/FAM) and the International Classification of Functioning (ICF) were used for the study. The data showed significant differences (P<.000), and a large size effect (dr=0.78) in the cross-sectional estimates, and point to fewer restrictions for patients with a lesion on their right side. The major differences were in the variables 'speaking' and 'receiving spoken messages' (ICF variables), and 'Expression', 'Writing' and 'intelligible speech' (FIM/FAM variables). In the linear regression analysis, the results showed that only 4 FIM/FAM variables, taken together, predict 44% of the ICF variance, which measures the ability of the individual, and up to 52% of the ICF, which measures the individual's performance. Gait alone predicts a 28% of the variance. It seems that individuals with acquired brain injury in the left hemisphere display important differences regarding functional and communication variables. The motor aspects are an important prognostic factor in functional rehabilitation. Copyright © 2013 Sociedad Española de Neurología. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Enhanced acquired antibodies to a chimeric Plasmodium falciparum antigen; UB05-09 is associated with protective immunity against malaria.

Science.gov (United States)

Dinga, J N; Gamua, S D; Titanji, V P K

2017-08-01

It has been shown that covalently linking two antigens could enhance the immunogenicity of the chimeric construct. To prioritize such a chimera for malaria vaccine development, it is necessary to demonstrate that naturally acquired antibodies against the chimera are associated with protection from malaria. Here, we probe the ability of a chimeric construct of UB05 and UB09 antigens (UB05-09) to better differentiate between acquired immune protection and susceptibility to malaria. In a cross-sectional study, recombinant UB05-09 chimera and the constituent antigens were used to probe for specific antibodies in the plasma from children and adults resident in a malaria-endemic zone, using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Anti-UB05-09 antibody levels doubled that of its constituent antigens, UB09 and UB05, and this correlated with protection against malaria. The presence of enhanced UB05-09-specific antibody correlated with the absence of fever and parasitaemia, which are the main symptoms of malaria infection. The chimera is more effective in detecting and distinguishing acquired protective immunity against malaria than any of its constituents taken alone. Online B-cell epitope prediction tools confirmed the presence of B-cell epitopes in the study antigens. UB05-09 chimera is a marker of protective immunity against malaria that needs to be studied further. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The estimated lifetime probability of acquiring human papillomavirus in the United States.

Science.gov (United States)

Chesson, Harrell W; Dunne, Eileen F; Hariri, Susan; Markowitz, Lauri E

2014-11-01

Estimates of the lifetime probability of acquiring human papillomavirus (HPV) can help to quantify HPV incidence, illustrate how common HPV infection is, and highlight the importance of HPV vaccination. We developed a simple model, based primarily on the distribution of lifetime numbers of sex partners across the population and the per-partnership probability of acquiring HPV, to estimate the lifetime probability of acquiring HPV in the United States in the time frame before HPV vaccine availability. We estimated the average lifetime probability of acquiring HPV among those with at least 1 opposite sex partner to be 84.6% (range, 53.6%-95.0%) for women and 91.3% (range, 69.5%-97.7%) for men. Under base case assumptions, more than 80% of women and men acquire HPV by age 45 years. Our results are consistent with estimates in the existing literature suggesting a high lifetime probability of HPV acquisition and are supported by cohort studies showing high cumulative HPV incidence over a relatively short period, such as 3 to 5 years.

Differential Protein Expression in Congenital and Acquired Cholesteatomas.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Seung-Ho Shin

Full Text Available Congenital cholesteatomas are epithelial lesions that present as an epithelial pearl behind an intact eardrum. Congenital and acquired cholesteatomas progress quite differently from each other and progress patterns can provide clues about the unique origin and pathogenesis of the abnormality. However, the exact pathogenic mechanisms by which cholesteatomas develop remain unknown. In this study, key proteins that directly affect cholesteatoma pathogenesis are investigated with proteomics and immunohistochemistry. Congenital cholesteatoma matrices and retroauricular skin were harvested during surgery in 4 patients diagnosed with a congenital cholesteatoma. Tissue was also harvested from the retraction pocket in an additional 2 patients during middle ear surgery. We performed 2-dimensional (2D electrophoresis to detect and analyze spots that are expressed only in congenital cholesteatoma and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF/MS to separate proteins by molecular weight. Protein expression was confirmed by immunohistochemical staining. The image analysis of 2D electrophoresis showed that 4 congenital cholesteatoma samples had very similar protein expression patterns and that 127 spots were exclusively expressed in congenital cholesteatomas. Of these 127 spots, 10 major spots revealed the presence of titin, forkhead transcription activator homolog (FKH 5-3, plectin 1, keratin 10, and leucine zipper protein 5 by MALDI-TOF/MS analysis. Immunohistochemical staining showed that FKH 5-3 and titin were expressed in congenital cholesteatoma matrices, but not in acquired cholesteatomas. Our study shows that protein expression patterns are completely different in congenital cholesteatomas, acquired cholesteatomas, and skin. Moreover, non-epithelial proteins, including FKH 5-3 and titin, were unexpectedly expressed in congenital cholesteatoma tissue. Our data indicates that congenital cholesteatoma origins

Visual Categorization of Natural Movies by Rats

Science.gov (United States)

Vinken, Kasper; Vermaercke, Ben

2014-01-01

Visual categorization of complex, natural stimuli has been studied for some time in human and nonhuman primates. Recent interest in the rodent as a model for visual perception, including higher-level functional specialization, leads to the question of how rodents would perform on a categorization task using natural stimuli. To answer this question, rats were trained in a two-alternative forced choice task to discriminate movies containing rats from movies containing other objects and from scrambled movies (ordinate-level categorization). Subsequently, transfer to novel, previously unseen stimuli was tested, followed by a series of control probes. The results show that the animals are capable of acquiring a decision rule by abstracting common features from natural movies to generalize categorization to new stimuli. Control probes demonstrate that they did not use single low-level features, such as motion energy or (local) luminance. Significant generalization was even present with stationary snapshots from untrained movies. The variability within and between training and test stimuli, the complexity of natural movies, and the control experiments and analyses all suggest that a more high-level rule based on more complex stimulus features than local luminance-based cues was used to classify the novel stimuli. In conclusion, natural stimuli can be used to probe ordinate-level categorization in rats. PMID:25100598

Microsoft Acquired Nokia in Unipolar Operating System Market

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Netra Pal Singh

2014-09-01

Full Text Available The recent big tickets include Microsoft acquiring part of Nokia for US$ 7.2 billion, Verizon buy 45% stake in Vodafone for US$130 billion, Google acquiring Motorola for 12.5 billion. These buyouts are analyzed and commented by experts of the industry. This research paper attempted to collate their view in the context of Microsoft and Nokia deal on six parameters. These parameters are (i reasons for the downfall of the Nokia market share, (ii general comments of the experts, (iii similarities / dissimilarities of past and business models of the smartphone business, (iv reasons for Microsoft to buy out Nokia, (vi impact of buyout on Microsoft, Nokia, consumers and markets.

Acquired pathology of the pediatric spine and spinal cord

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Palasis, Susan; Hayes, Laura L.

2015-01-01

Pediatric spine pathology poses a diagnostic challenge for radiologists. Acquired spine pathology often yields nonspecific signs and symptoms in children, especially in the younger age groups, and diagnostic delay can carry significant morbidity. This review is focused on some of the more common diagnostic dilemmas we face when attempting to evaluate and diagnose acquired pediatric spine anomalies in daily practice. An understanding of some of the key differentiating features of these disease processes in conjunction with pertinent history, physical exam, and advanced imaging techniques can indicate the correct diagnosis. (orig.)

Acquired pathology of the pediatric spine and spinal cord

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Palasis, Susan; Hayes, Laura L. [Children' s Healthcare of Atlanta, Department of Radiology at Scottish Rite, Atlanta, GA (United States)

2015-09-15

Pediatric spine pathology poses a diagnostic challenge for radiologists. Acquired spine pathology often yields nonspecific signs and symptoms in children, especially in the younger age groups, and diagnostic delay can carry significant morbidity. This review is focused on some of the more common diagnostic dilemmas we face when attempting to evaluate and diagnose acquired pediatric spine anomalies in daily practice. An understanding of some of the key differentiating features of these disease processes in conjunction with pertinent history, physical exam, and advanced imaging techniques can indicate the correct diagnosis. (orig.)

Acquired Duodenal Obstruction in Children

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jen-Hung Chien

2008-10-01

Full Text Available Traumatic intramural hematoma of the duodenum is a rare cause of acquired duodenal obstruction in children, and a high degree of suspicion is therefore required to make an early and accurate diagnosis. We report a 6-year-old boy whose epigastrium was impacted by the handlebar of his bicycle during a traffic accident. The boy then experienced epigastralgia. Six days later, progressive bilious vomiting suggestive of gastrointestinal obstruction was noted. Imaging studies revealed a large hematoma extending from the fourth portion of the duodenum to the jejunum. Conservative methods of treatment failed to manage his condition. He underwent laparoscopic surgery to evacuate the hematoma. We also report a case of duodenal obstruction in a previously healthy 2-year-old girl who presented for the first time with acute symptoms of proximal intestinal obstruction. Contrast examinations showed apparent barium retention over the stomach and proximal duodenum. She underwent surgery due to persistent obstruction, and a mushroom-like foreign body was detected embedded in the orifice of the windsock duodenal web. After duodenoduodenostomy and removal of the bezoar, she had a smooth recovery and tolerated feeding well. We conclude that blunt abdominal trauma and incomplete duodenal obstruction, such as that caused by duodenal web, should be considered as possible causes of acquired proximal gastrointestinal obstruction in previously healthy children, despite their rarity.

Informant Report of Financial Capacity for Individuals With Chronic Acquired Brain Injury: An Assessment of Informant Accuracy.

Science.gov (United States)

Sunderaraman, Preeti; Cosentino, Stephanie; Lindgren, Karen; James, Angela; Schultheis, Maria

2018-03-29

Primarily, to investigate the association between informant report and objective performance on specific financial capacity (FC) tasks by adults with chronic, moderate to severe acquired brain injury, and to examine the nature of misestimates by the informants. Cross-sectional design. A postacute, community-based rehabilitation center. Data were obtained from 22 chronic acquired brain injury (CABI) adults, mean age of 46.6 years (SD = 8.67), mean years of education of 13.45 years (SD = 2.15), with moderate to severe acquired brain injury (86% had traumatic brain injury), with a mean postinjury period of 17.14 years (SD = 9.5). Whereas the CABI adults completed the Financial Competence Assessment Inventory interview-a combination of self-report and performance-based assessment, 22 informants completed a specifically designed parallel version of the interview. Pearson correlations and 1-sample t tests based on the discrepancy scores between informant report and CABI group's performance were used. The CABI group's performance was not associated with its informant's perceptions. One-sample t tests revealed that informants both underestimated and overestimated CABI group's performance. Results indicate lack of correspondence between self- and informant ratings. Further investigation revealed that misestimations by informants occurred in contrary directions with CABI adults' performance being inaccurately rated. These findings raise critical issues related to assuming that the informant report can be used as a "gold standard" for collecting functional data related to financial management, and the idea that obtaining objective data on financial tasks may represent a more valid method of assessing financial competency in adults with brain injury.

Method to acquire regions of fruit, branch and leaf from image of red apple in orchard

Science.gov (United States)

Lv, Jidong; Xu, Liming

2017-07-01

This work proposed a method to acquire regions of fruit, branch and leaf from red apple image in orchard. To acquire fruit image, R-G image was extracted from the RGB image for corrosive working, hole filling, subregion removal, expansive working and opening operation in order. Finally, fruit image was acquired by threshold segmentation. To acquire leaf image, fruit image was subtracted from RGB image before extracting 2G-R-B image. Then, leaf image was acquired by subregion removal and threshold segmentation. To acquire branch image, dynamic threshold segmentation was conducted in the R-G image. Then, the segmented image was added to fruit image to acquire adding fruit image which was subtracted from RGB image with leaf image. Finally, branch image was acquired by opening operation, subregion removal and threshold segmentation after extracting the R-G image from the subtracting image. Compared with previous methods, more complete image of fruit, leaf and branch can be acquired from red apple image with this method.

Kaposi sarcoma of the conjunctiva and eyelids associated with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shuler, J.D.; Holland, G.N.; Miles, S.A.; Miller, B.J.; Grossman, I.

1989-01-01

Three studies were performed to assess more accurately the prevalence, natural history, and appropriate treatment of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)-related Kaposi sarcoma involving ocular structures. The first study was a prospective examination of 100 male homosexuals with AIDS-related Kaposi sarcoma for signs of ophthalmic involvement. Of the 20 patients who had ophthalmic lesions, 16 had eyelid lesions and seven had conjunctival lesions. In four patients, the ophthalmic lesion was the first, and initially the only, clinically identified manifestation of Kaposi sarcoma. The second study was a retrospective review of all patients with ophthalmic Kaposi sarcoma examined at one institution over a six-year period to determine its natural history and response to therapy. Most lesions were slowly progressive and responded to systemic drug therapy. Six patients were successfully treated with radiation therapy to prevent complications. The third study was a retrospective review of all patients with AIDS-related ophthalmic Kaposi sarcoma treated with local irradiation by one radiation oncologist. Each of 12 patients showed a response to treatment, and ten had a complete resolution of lesions, but recurrences were common. Side effects included skin erythema in six patients and hair loss in one patient. For local treatment of ophthalmic Kaposi sarcoma, irradiation appears to be safe and effective for palliative therapy

Reversible chronic acquired complete atrioventricular block.

Science.gov (United States)

Rakovec, P; Milcinski, G; Voga, G; Korsic, L

1982-01-01

The return of atrioventricular conduction is reported in a case after nearly four years of complete acquired heart block. After recovery from atrioventricular block, right bundle branch block persisted, but P-R interval and H-V interval were normal. Three months later a relapse of second degree infranodal atrioventricular block was noted. A short review of similar cases from the literature is given.

Anticipatory parental care: acquiring resources for offspring prior to conception.

OpenAIRE

Boutin, S; Larsen, K W; Berteaux, D

2000-01-01

Many organisms acquire and defend resources outside the breeding season and this is thought to be for immediate survival and reproductive benefits. Female red squirrels (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus) acquire traditional food cache sites up to four months prior to the presence of any physiological or behavioural cues associated with mating or offspring dependency. They subsequently relinquish these resources to one of their offspring at independence (ten months later). We experimentally show that a...

Frequency of hospital acquired hyponatremia in a pediatric tertiary care setting

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bibi, S.; Haq, A.U.; Billo, A.G.; Bibi, S.; Gilani, S.Y.H.; Shah, S.R.A.

2015-01-01

Background: Hyponatremia is the most commonly encountered electrolyte disorder in children. In our country the epidemiology of hospital acquired hyponatremia has hardly ever been explored whereas the administration of hypotonic IV fluids is widely practiced here. Therefore we pioneered to conduct this study to determine the frequency of hospital acquired hyponatremia. Method: This was a cross sectional study carried out at Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi in paediatric ward and ICU over a period of 12 months. All children (>1 month and <15 years of age) admitted in paediatric units and on maintenance IV fluids who had serum sodium level measured on admission were included in the study and followed to identify patients who had a drop in serum sodium during hospitalization. Informed consent was taken from parents and collected data was recorded on a proforma. Results: A total of 865 patients were enrolled in the study. Hyponatremia was recorded in 405 patients on admission (46.8 percentage) while hospital acquired hyponatremia was documented in 240. children (27.7 percentage). Out of these 142 (59.2 percentage) were male and 98 (40.8 percentage) were female. Mean age of children in hospital acquired hyponatremia group was 60.67 months. Severity of hospital acquired hyponatremia was recorded as mild in 191 (79.6 percentage), moderate in 35 (14.6 percentage) and severe in 14 (5.8) children. Major disease categories included gastrointestinal disorder (30.4 percentage), respiratory illness (12.5 percentage), oncological disease (16.3 percentage), cardiovascular disease (11.7 percentage), infectious disease (9.2 percentage) and neurological illness (8.3 percentage). Conclusion: Hospital acquired hyponatremia is frequently encountered in our hospitalized children with majority of them receiving hypotonic IV solutions. (author)

AKT-mediated enhanced aerobic glycolysis causes acquired radioresistance by human tumor cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shimura, Tsutomu; Noma, Naoto; Sano, Yui; Ochiai, Yasushi; Oikawa, Toshiyuki; Fukumoto, Manabu; Kunugita, Naoki

2014-01-01

Background and purpose: Cellular radioresistance is a major impediment to effective radiotherapy. Here, we demonstrated that long-term exposure to fractionated radiation conferred acquired radioresistance to tumor cells due to AKT-mediated enhanced aerobic glycolysis. Material and methods: Two human tumor cell lines with acquired radioresistance were established by long-term exposure to fractionated radiation with 0.5 Gy of X-rays. Glucose uptake was inhibited using 2-deoxy-D-glucose, a non-metabolizable glucose analog. Aerobic glycolysis was assessed by measuring lactate concentrations. Cells were then used for assays of ROS generation, survival, and cell death as assessed by annexin V staining. Results: Enhanced aerobic glycolysis was shown by increased glucose transporter Glut1 expression and a high lactate production rate in acquired radioresistant cells compared with parental cells. Inhibiting the AKT pathway using the AKT inhibitor API-2 abrogated these phenomena. Moreover, we found that inhibiting glycolysis with 2-deoxy-D-glucose suppressed acquired tumor cell radioresistance. Conclusions: Long-term fractionated radiation confers acquired radioresistance to tumor cells by AKT-mediated alterations in their glucose metabolic pathway. Thus, tumor cell metabolic pathway is an attractive target to eliminate radioresistant cells and improve radiotherapy efficacy

Reducing the risk of ventilator-acquired pneumonia through head of bed elevation.

Science.gov (United States)

Keeley, Libby

2007-01-01

It has been suggested that placing critically ill ventilated patients in a semirecumbent position minimizes the likelihood of nosocomial pneumonia. This pilot study explores whether the incidence of ventilator-acquired pneumonia (VAP) can be reduced by elevating the head of the bed to 45 degrees. The design is quantitative in nature, using a randomized controlled trial. The method involves adult ventilated patients being randomly assigned to one of two positions, i.e. 45 degrees raised head of bed (treatment group) or 25 degrees raised head of bed (control group). Data collection relied upon the diagnosis of clinically suspected and microbiologically confirmed pneumonia defined by the Consensus Conference on VAP. Thirty patients were included in the study--17 in the treatment group and 13 in the control group. Results showed that 29% (five) in the treatment group and 54% (seven) in the control group contracted VAP (P VAP in the patients nursed at 45 degrees. However, because of the sample size this difference did not reach statistical significance.

Structural characterization and lipid composition of acquired cholesteatoma

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bloksgaard, Maria; Svane-Knudsen, Viggo; Sørensen, Jens A

2012-01-01

HYPOTHESIS: The goal of this work is to characterize the morphology and lipid composition of acquired cholesteatoma. We hypothesize that constitutive lipid membranes are present in the cholesteatoma and resemble those found in human skin stratum corneum. METHODS: We performed a comparative...... noninvasive structural and lipid compositional study of acquired cholesteatoma and control human skin using multiphoton excitation fluorescence microscopy-related techniques and high-performance thin-layer chromatography. RESULTS: The structural arrangement of the cholesteatoma is morphologically invariant...... along a depth of more than 200 μm and resembles the stratum corneum of hyperorthokeratotic skin. Lipid compositional analyses of the cholesteatoma show the presence of all major lipid classes found in normal skin stratum corneum (ceramides, long chain fatty acids, and cholesterol). Consistent with this...

Community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus: community transmission, pathogenesis, and drug resistance.

Science.gov (United States)

Yamamoto, Tatsuo; Nishiyama, Akihito; Takano, Tomomi; Yabe, Shizuka; Higuchi, Wataru; Razvina, Olga; Shi, Da

2010-08-01

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is able to persist not only in hospitals (with a high level of antimicrobial agent use) but also in the community (with a low level of antimicrobial agent use). The former is called hospital-acquired MRSA (HA-MRSA) and the latter community-acquired MRSA (CA-MRSA). It is believed MRSA clones are generated from S. aureus through insertion of the staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec), and outbreaks occur as they spread. Several worldwide and regional clones have been identified, and their epidemiological, clinical, and genetic characteristics have been described. CA-MRSA is likely able to survive in the community because of suitable SCCmec types (type IV or V), a clone-specific colonization/infection nature, toxin profiles (including Pantone-Valentine leucocidin, PVL), and narrow drug resistance patterns. CA-MRSA infections are generally seen in healthy children or young athletes, with unexpected cases of diseases, and also in elderly inpatients, occasionally surprising clinicians used to HA-MRSA infections. CA-MRSA spreads within families and close-contact groups or even through public transport, demonstrating transmission cores. Re-infection (including multifocal infection) frequently occurs, if the cores are not sought out and properly eradicated. Recently, attention has been given to CA-MRSA (USA300), which originated in the US, and is growing as HA-MRSA and also as a worldwide clone. CA-MRSA infection in influenza season has increasingly been noted as well. MRSA is also found in farm and companion animals, and has occasionally transferred to humans. As such, the epidemiological, clinical, and genetic behavior of CA-MRSA, a growing threat, is focused on in this study.

Short-term vegetation change on rehabilitated peatland on Rietvlei Nature Reserve

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C.E. Venter

2003-12-01

Full Text Available Natural peatlands occur on the Rietvlei Nature Reserve. Before the Pretoria City Council acquired the land, these peatlands were mined by private land-owners. Ditches were constructed to drain the area for mining and the peatlands became desicrated. Later the area was proclaimed as a nature reserve and has since then been managed as such. Rehabilitation of the drained peatland on Rietvlei Nature Reserve first started in 2000 as a Working for Water project. The aim of the rehabilitation was to close the ditches and rewet the peatland, to enable possible revival of the peatland. A baseline vegetation survey was undertaken during the summer (March to April of 2001 to determine the nature of the pioneer communities that established on the rehabilitated area. This survey was repeated during the summer (March to April of 2002 to detect changes in the vegetation. The same sample plots were used on both occasions. The initial pioneer vegetation was mostly composed of weedy annuals.

Naturally Acquired Antibodies to Plasmodium vivax Duffy Binding Protein (DBP) in Rural Brazilian Amazon

Science.gov (United States)

Souza-Silva, Flávia A.; da Silva-Nunes, Mônica; Sanchez, Bruno A. M.; Ceravolo, Isabela P.; Malafronte, Rosely S.; Brito, Cristiana F. A.; Ferreira, Marcelo U.; Carvalho, Luzia H.

2010-01-01

Duffy binding protein (DBP), a leading malaria vaccine candidate, plays a critical role in Plasmodium vivax erythrocyte invasion. Sixty-eight of 366 (18.6%) subjects had IgG anti-DBP antibodies by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in a community-based cross-sectional survey in the Brazilian Amazon Basin. Despite continuous exposure to low-level malaria transmission, the overall seroprevalence decreased to 9.0% when the population was reexamined 12 months later. Antibodies from 16 of 50 (36.0%) subjects who were ELISA-positive at the baseline were able to inhibit erythrocyte binding to at least one of two DBP variants tested. Most (13 of 16) of these subjects still had inhibitory antibodies when reevaluated 12 months later. Cumulative exposure to malaria was the strongest predictor of DBP seropositivity identified by multiple logistic regression models in this population. The poor antibody recognition of DBP elicited by natural exposure to P. vivax in Amazonian populations represents a challenge to be addressed by vaccine development strategies. PMID:20133990

Community-acquired Pneumonia in Hospitalized Urban Young ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

As part of a comprehensive hospital-based study of acute lower respiratory infections (ALRI) in under-five urban Nigerian children, we sought to identify the possible clinical and investigative correlates of lobar versus bronchopneumonia, and the possible determinants of mortality in community-acquired pneumonia. Over a ...

National Automated Surveillance of Hospital-Acquired Bacteremia in Denmark Using a Computer Algorithm

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gubbels, Sophie; Nielsen, Jens; Voldstedlund, Marianne

2017-01-01

BACKGROUND In 2015, Denmark launched an automated surveillance system for hospital-acquired infections, the Hospital-Acquired Infections Database (HAIBA). OBJECTIVE To describe the algorithm used in HAIBA, to determine its concordance with point prevalence surveys (PPSs), and to present trends...... advantages of automated surveillance, HAIBA allows monitoring of HA bacteremia across the healthcare system, supports prioritizing preventive measures, and holds promise for evaluating interventions. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2017;1-8....... for hospital-acquired bacteremia SETTING Private and public hospitals in Denmark METHODS A hospital-acquired bacteremia case was defined as at least 1 positive blood culture with at least 1 pathogen (bacterium or fungus) taken between 48 hours after admission and 48 hours after discharge, using the Danish...

Prognostic value of lactate clearance in severe community acquired pneumonia

OpenAIRE

Mohamed, Kamel Abd Elaziz; Ahmed, Dief Abd Elgalil

2014-01-01

Introduction: Severe community acquired pneumonia (SCAP) occurs in approximately 18–36% of all CAP and the mortality rate could be as high as 67% in patients with SCAP. Several studies have described a correlation between baseline lactate concentration and mortality of ICU patients. Aim of the work: To follow lactate clearance after admission for 24 h which could be an indicator of outcome in severe community acquired pneumonia. Patients and methods: Forty-six consecutively admitted adu...

Community-Acquired Pneumonia: a Comparison between elderly and nonelderly patients

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S. Jafari

2006-08-01

Full Text Available Background: Community-acquired pneumonia could be a life-threatening condition especially in elderly patients. The factors influencing the outcome in elderly patients are thought to be different from those in young adults. We compared the clinical and paraclinical profiles in elderly and nonelderly patients with community-acquired pneumonias. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, seventy nine patients who were hospitalized with community acquired pneumonia over a period of one year were included. Patients' medical records were reviewed; and data related to comorbid conditions, signs and symptoms, laboratory and radiographic findings were gathered using a checklist. Results: The clinical features, laboratory parameters and complications from pneumonia were almost similar in 41 elderly (group I, age ≥65years and 38 young (group II, age<65years subjects. Delirium was seen more in elderly group (p=0.05. The average body temperature and pulse rate were significantly higher in nonelderly group. Sixty one percent of elderly patients and 21% of young patients have Po2 less than 60 (p=0.02. Smoking (29.1%, neurological disturbances (19%, congestive heart failure (15.2%, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and diabetes mellitus (13.9% were associated comorbidities in both groups. In non elderly group, immune compromise and IV drug use were more common as underlying comorbid conditions. Two of three mortalities were due to elder patients. Conclusion: Community acquired pneumonia could have more serious clinical and abnormal laboratory features in the elderly than younger patients. Mortality rate may be higher in older patients. Comorbid conditions are frequently seen in both elderly and nonelderly patients with community acquired pneumonia, but IV drug use and immune compromise are more frequent in nonelderly patients.

An 'OPEP' to the natural gas?; Uma 'OPEP' (Organizacao dos Paises Exportadores de Petroleo) para o gas natural?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Moreira, Tathiany R. [Agencia Nacional do Petroleo, Gas Natural e Biocombustiveis (ANP), Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil); Szklo, Alexandre S.; Machado, Giovani V. [Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), RJ (Brazil). Coordenacao dos Programas de Pos-graduacao de Engenharia (COPPE). Programa de Planejamento Energetico

2008-07-01

The development of the worldwide natural gas industry and the importance that this energy source has acquired in the energy matrix of various countries has given rise to certain uneasiness amongst the importing countries regarding the increase in gas dependence. This preoccupation is due to the fact that natural gas occurs in concentrated areas and that its major producers have joined together in the Gas Exporter Countries Forum, giving rise to a debate of the possibility of this Forum developing into cartel configuration. This paper aims at an analysis of the viability of cartel formation in the natural gas industry, following the same model as that of the oil industry. Considering the basic conditions necessary for successful cartel activities in the natural gas industry, the text presents some factors that can indeed contribute towards collusion among the exporting countries. However, the positive effects that a gas cartel can generate for the exporting countries are not guaranteed. On the contrary, what is actually observed are conditions favorable to the rupture of collusive deals and to an increase in the penetration of substitute energy sources, given that monopoly prices are fixed to the natural gas by the cartel. (author)

Hospital-acquired Klebsiella pneumoniae infections in a paediatric ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

is an important preventable cause of increased ... between July 2003 and December 2010, who developed a hospital-acquired Klebsiella pneumoniae infection, was undertaken to describe the trend in ..... Bacterial nosocomial pneumonia in.

Complex changes in von Willebrand factor-associated parameters are acquired during uncomplicated pregnancy.

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Danielle N Drury-Stewart

Full Text Available The coagulation protein von Willebrand Factor (VWF is known to be elevated in pregnancy. However, the timing and nature of changes in VWF and associated parameters throughout pregnancy are not well understood.To better understand the changes in VWF provoked by pregnancy, we studied VWF-associated parameters in samples collected over the course of healthy pregnancies.We measured VWF antigen (VWF:Ag, VWF propeptide (VWFpp, Factor VIII (FVIII, and ADAMTS13 activity in samples collected from 46 women during pregnancy and at non-pregnant baseline. We also characterized pregnant vs. non-pregnant VWF multimer structure in 21 pregnancies, and performed isoelectric focusing (IEF of VWF in two pregnancies which had samples from multiple trimesters.VWF:Ag and FVIII levels were significantly increased during pregnancy. ADAMTS13 activity was unchanged. VWFpp levels increased much later in pregnancy than VWF:Ag, resulting in a progressive decrease in VWFpp:Ag ratios. FVIII:VWF ratios also decreased in pregnancy. Most pregnancies exhibited a clear loss of larger VWF multimers and altered VWF triplet structure. Further evidence of acquired VWF qualitative changes in pregnancy was found in progressive, reversible shifts in VWF IEF patterns over gestation.These data support a new view of pregnancy in which VWF can acquire qualitative changes associated with advancing gestational age. Modeling supports a scenario in which both increased VWF production and doubling of the VWF half-life would account for the data observed. We propose that gestation induces a prolongation in VWF survival, which likely contributes to increased total VWF levels and altered VWF structure.

The Impact of Hospital-Acquired Conditions on Medicare..

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services — According to findings reported in The Impact of Hospital-Acquired Conditions on Medicare Program Payments, published in Volume 4, Issue 4 of the Medicare and...

The role of disability self-concept in adaptation to congenital or acquired disability.

Science.gov (United States)

Bogart, Kathleen R

2014-02-01

Current theories of adaptation to disability do not address differences in adaptation to congenital or acquired disability. Although people with congenital disabilities are generally assumed to be better adapted than people with acquired disabilities, few studies have tested this, and even fewer have attempted to explain the mechanisms behind these differences. This study tested the proposition that whether a disability is congenital or acquired plays an important role in the development of the disability self-concept (consisting of disability identity and disability self-efficacy), which in turn, affects satisfaction with life. It was predicted that disability self-concept would be better developed among people with congenital, compared with acquired disabilities, predicting greater satisfaction with life in those with acquired conditions. 226 participants with congenital and acquired mobility disabilities completed a cross-sectional online questionnaire measuring satisfaction with life, self-esteem, disability identity, disability self-efficacy, and demographic information. Self-esteem, disability identity, disability self-efficacy, and income were significant predictors of satisfaction with life. Congenital onset predicted higher satisfaction with life; disability identity and disability self-efficacy, but not self-esteem, partially mediated the relationship. Findings highlight the distinction between adaptation to congenital versus acquired disability and the importance of disability self-concept, which are underresearched constructs. Results suggest that rather than attempting to "normalize" individuals with disabilities, health care professionals should foster their disability self-concept. Possible ways to improve disability self-concept are discussed, such as involvement in the disability community and disability pride. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved.

Some Characteristics of Patients with Community Acquired ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

There is a dearth of studies relating the information from the history of patients with community-acquired pneumonia to the mortality of the disease. The relationship between age, sex, occupation, marital status, smoking history, alcohol use, concomitant COPD / bronchial asthma, source of referral and the mortality of patients ...

Constitutional and acquired autosomal aneuploidy.

Science.gov (United States)

Jackson-Cook, Colleen

2011-12-01

Chromosomal imbalances can result from numerical or structural anomalies. Numerical chromosomal abnormalities are often referred to as aneuploid conditions. This article focuses on the occurrence of constitutional and acquired autosomal aneuploidy in humans. Topics covered include frequency, mosaicism, phenotypic findings, and etiology. The article concludes with a consideration of anticipated advances that might allow for the development of screening tests and/or lead to improvements in our understanding and management of the role that aneuploidy plays in the aging process and acquisition of age-related and constitutional conditions.

Naturalizations in Spain: integration indicator and strategy against the crisis

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Antidio Martínez de Lizarrondo Artola

2016-06-01

Full Text Available This article approaches the acquisition of the nationality like integration indicator. The considerable increase of concessions of nationality in the last years has its base in a norm that privileges the Latin Americans, but also seems that this route like a strategy has been adopted that cushions the effects of the crisis; for example, the unemployment rate decreases for who is naturalized. The analysis of the naturalizations in Spain by means of annual and accumulated rates shows the differences in the access according to the nationality of origin, as well as the existence of clear divergences between Independent Communities. One of the most novel findings is the correlation between unemployment and the naturalizations: in those regions where the differential of the rate of unemployment between native foreigners and more is elevated are more naturalizations and, to inverse, where a particular advantage in the improvement of unemployment if the Spanish nationality is acquired, to the being does not seem to perceive itself the very similar rate between foreigners and Spaniards, there are less naturalizations.

Antibiotic resistance in community-acquired urinary tract infections

African Journals Online (AJOL)

of community-acquired UTI organisms to amoxycillin and co-trimoxazole was .... Treatment of uncomplicated urinary tract infection in non-pregnant women. Postgrad ... Single-dose antibiotic treatment for symptomatic uri- nary tract infections in ...

Examination of the Accuracy of Coding Hospital-Acquired...

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services — A new study, Examination of the Accuracy of Coding Hospital-Acquired Pressure Ulcer Stages, published in Volume 4, Issue 1 of the Medicare and Medicaid Research...

Community-acquired pneumonia: 2012 history, mythology, and science.

Science.gov (United States)

Donowitz, Gerald R

2013-01-01

Pneumonia remains one of the major disease entities practicing physicians must manage. It is a leading cause of infection-related morbidity and mortality in all age groups, and a leading cause of death in those older than 65 years of age. Despite its frequency and importance, clinical questions have remained in the therapy of community-acquired pneumonia including when to start antibiotics, when to stop them, who to treat, and what agents to use. Answers to these questions have involved historical practice, mythology, and science-sometimes good science, and sometimes better science. How clinical decisions are made for patients with community-acquired pneumonia serves as an illustrative model for other problem areas of medicine and allows for insight as to how clinical decisions have been made and clinical practice established.

Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome associated with blood-product transfusions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jett, J.R.; Kuritsky, J.N.; Katzmann, J.A.; Homburger, H.A.

1983-01-01

A 53-year-old white man had fever, malaise, and dyspnea on exertion. His chest roentgenogram was normal, but pulmonary function tests showed impaired diffusion capacity and a gallium scan showed marked uptake in the lungs. Results of an open-lung biopsy documented Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia. Immunologic test results were consistent with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. The patient denied having homosexual contact or using intravenous drugs. Twenty-nine months before the diagnosis of pneumocystis pneumonia was made, the patient had had 16 transfusions of whole blood, platelets, and fresh-frozen plasma during coronary artery bypass surgery at another medical center. This patient is not a member of any currently recognized high-risk group and is believed to have contracted the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome from blood and blood-product transfusions

Genetic Determinism and the Innate-Acquired Distinction in Medicine

Science.gov (United States)

2009-01-01

This article illustrates in which sense genetic determinism is still part of the contemporary interactionist consensus in medicine. Three dimensions of this consensus are discussed: kinds of causes, a continuum of traits ranging from monogenetic diseases to car accidents, and different kinds of determination due to different norms of reaction. On this basis, this article explicates in which sense the interactionist consensus presupposes the innate–acquired distinction. After a descriptive Part 1, Part 2 reviews why the innate–acquired distinction is under attack in contemporary philosophy of biology. Three arguments are then presented to provide a limited and pragmatic defense of the distinction: an epistemic, a conceptual, and a historical argument. If interpreted in a certain manner, and if the pragmatic goals of prevention and treatment (ideally specifying what medicine and health care is all about) are taken into account, then the innate–acquired distinction can be a useful epistemic tool. It can help, first, to understand that genetic determination does not mean fatalism, and, second, to maintain a system of checks and balances in the continuing nature–nurture debates. PMID:20234831

The dynamics of natural Plasmodium falciparum infections.

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Ingrid Felger

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Natural immunity to Plasmodium falciparum has been widely studied, but its effects on parasite dynamics are poorly understood. Acquisition and clearance rates of untreated infections are key elements of the dynamics of malaria, but estimating these parameters is challenging because of frequent super-infection and imperfect detectability of parasites. Consequently, information on effects of host immune status or age on infection dynamics is fragmentary. METHODS: An age-stratified cohort of 347 individuals from Northern Ghana was sampled six times at 2 month intervals. High-throughput capillary electrophoresis was used to genotype the msp-2 locus of all P. falciparum infections detected by PCR. Force of infection (FOI and duration were estimated for each age group using an immigration-death model that allows for imperfect detection of circulating parasites. RESULTS: Allowing for imperfect detection substantially increased estimates of FOI and duration. Effects of naturally acquired immunity on the FOI and duration would be reflected in age dependence in these indices, but in our cohort data FOI tended to increase with age in children. Persistence of individual parasite clones was characteristic of all age-groups. Duration peaked in 5-9 year old children (average duration 319 days, 95% confidence interval 318;320. CONCLUSIONS: The main age-dependence is on parasite densities, with only small age-variations in the FOI and persistence of infections. This supports the hypothesis that acquired immunity controls transmission mainly by limiting blood-stage parasite densities rather than changing rates of acquisition or clearance of infections.

Visual categorization of natural movies by rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Vinken, Kasper; Vermaercke, Ben; Op de Beeck, Hans P

2014-08-06

Visual categorization of complex, natural stimuli has been studied for some time in human and nonhuman primates. Recent interest in the rodent as a model for visual perception, including higher-level functional specialization, leads to the question of how rodents would perform on a categorization task using natural stimuli. To answer this question, rats were trained in a two-alternative forced choice task to discriminate movies containing rats from movies containing other objects and from scrambled movies (ordinate-level categorization). Subsequently, transfer to novel, previously unseen stimuli was tested, followed by a series of control probes. The results show that the animals are capable of acquiring a decision rule by abstracting common features from natural movies to generalize categorization to new stimuli. Control probes demonstrate that they did not use single low-level features, such as motion energy or (local) luminance. Significant generalization was even present with stationary snapshots from untrained movies. The variability within and between training and test stimuli, the complexity of natural movies, and the control experiments and analyses all suggest that a more high-level rule based on more complex stimulus features than local luminance-based cues was used to classify the novel stimuli. In conclusion, natural stimuli can be used to probe ordinate-level categorization in rats. Copyright © 2014 the authors 0270-6474/14/3410645-14$15.00/0.

Consumer attitudes about health care-acquired infections and hand hygiene.

Science.gov (United States)

McGuckin, Maryanne; Waterman, Richard; Shubin, Arlene

2006-01-01

Mandatory reporting and disclosure of health care-acquired infections have resulted in controversy over the perceived notion that consumers will not understand how to interpret data and that such information may negatively influence utilization of hospitals. The objective was to determine consumers' attitudes about health care-acquired infections, hand hygiene practices, and patient empowerment. A telephone survey based on a random digit dialing sample of all households in the United States was conducted. Consumers were asked about choosing a hospital, hand hygiene practices, and health care-acquired infections. Some 94% of respondents rated environmental cleanliness as very important. Hospital infection rates would influence decision making for 93% of consumers. Four in 5 consumers said they would ask their health care worker to wash and sanitize his or her hands. Our findings strongly suggest that (1) consumers will use infection data in selecting and/or leaving a hospital system and (2) consumers are ready to be empowered with information to ensure a positive outcome.

Acquiring Procedural Skills from Lesson Sequences.

Science.gov (United States)

1985-08-13

Teachers of Mathematics . Washington, D)C: NCTM . Brueckner, I..J. (1930) Diagnostic aund remedial teaching in arithmetic. Philadelphia. PA: Winston. Burton...arithmetic and algebra, fr-m multi-lesson curricula. The central hypothesis is that students and teachers obey cc: :-.entions that cause the goal hierarchy...students and • . teachers obey conventions that cause the goal hierarchy of the acquired procedure to be a particular structural function of the sequential

Domestically Acquired Fascioliasis in Northern California

Science.gov (United States)

Weisenberg, Scott A.; Perlada, David E.

2013-01-01

Two cases of domestically acquired fascioliasis are reported. Patient One was a 63-year-old male who developed a febrile illness 2 months after eating watercress in Marin County. Patient Two was a 38-year-old male who had eaten watercress with Patient One, and also developed a febrile illness. Both patients had eosinophilia and liver lesions on imaging. Diagnosis was made by serology and treatment was with triclabendazole. PMID:23836562

Domestically acquired fascioliasis in northern California.

Science.gov (United States)

Weisenberg, Scott A; Perlada, David E

2013-09-01

Two cases of domestically acquired fascioliasis are reported. Patient One was a 63-year-old male who developed a febrile illness 2 months after eating watercress in Marin County. Patient Two was a 38-year-old male who had eaten watercress with Patient One, and also developed a febrile illness. Both patients had eosinophilia and liver lesions on imaging. Diagnosis was made by serology and treatment was with triclabendazole.

Bacterial natural transformation by highly fragmented and damaged DNA

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Overballe-Petersen, Søren; Harms, Klaus; Orlando, Ludovic Antoine Alexandre

2013-01-01

for microbes, but not as potential substrate for bacterial evolution. Here, we show that fragmented DNA molecules (≥20 bp) that additionally may contain abasic sites, cross-links, or miscoding lesions are acquired by the environmental bacterium Acinetobacter baylyi through natural transformation. With uptake......DNA molecules are continuously released through decomposition of organic matter and are ubiquitous in most environments. Such DNA becomes fragmented and damaged (often DNA is recognized as nutrient source...... of DNA from a 43,000-y-old woolly mammoth bone, we further demonstrate that such natural transformation events include ancient DNA molecules. We find that the DNA recombination is RecA recombinase independent and is directly linked to DNA replication. We show that the adjacent nucleotide variations...

Prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA in community-acquired primary pyoderma

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Patil Rahul

2006-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Although prevalence of MRSA strains is reported to be increasing, there are no studies of their prevalence in community-acquired primary pyodermas in western India. Aims: This study aimed at determining the prevalence of MRSA infection in community-acquired primary pyodermas. Methods: Open, prospective survey carried out in a tertiary care hospital in Mumbai. Materials and Methods: Eighty-six patients with primary pyoderma, visiting the dermatology outpatient, were studied clinically and microbiologically. Sensitivity testing was done for vancomycin, sisomycin, gentamicin, framycetin, erythromycin, methicillin, cefazolin, cefuroxime, penicillin G and ciprofloxacin. Phage typing was done for MRSA positive strains. Results : The culture positivity rate was 83.7%. Staphylococcus aureus was isolated in all cases except two. Barring one, all strains of Staphylococcus were sensitive to methicillin. Conclusions: Methicillin resistance is uncommon in community-acquired primary pyodermas in Mumbai. Treatment with antibacterials active against MRSA is probably unwarranted for community-acquired primary pyodermas.

Online continuing interprofessional education on hospital-acquired infections for Latin America

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Julio C. Medina-Presentado

2017-03-01

Discussion: Implementation of this educational program showed the feasibility of a continent-wide interprofessional massive course on hospital acquired-infections in Latin America, in the two main languages spoken in the region. Next steps included a new edition of this course and a “New Challenges” course on hospital-acquired infections, which were successfully implemented in the second semester of 2015 by the same institutions.

Acquired Auditory Verbal Agnosia and Seizures in Childhood

Science.gov (United States)

Cooper, Judith A.; Ferry, Peggy C.

1978-01-01

The paper presents a review of cases of children with acquired aphasia with convulsive disorder and discusses clinical features of three additional children in whom the specific syndrome of auditory verbal agnosia was identified. (Author/CL)

Original Article Hospital Acquired Infection in Obafemi Awolowo ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

2011-08-07

Aug 7, 2011 ... This study assesses the pattern of hospital acquired infections. (HAIs) and state of hygiene ... Unfortunately, due to inadequate resources and commitment to ... Turkey, India and Mexico (Rosenthal et al., 2005;. Salomao et al.

Research of CO2 concentration in naturally ventilated lecture room

Science.gov (United States)

Laska, Marta; Dudkiewicz, Edyta

2017-11-01

Naturally ventilated buildings especially dedicated for educational purposes need to be design to achieve required level of thermal comfort and indoor air quality. It is crucial in terms of both: health and productivity of the room users. Higher requirements of indoor environment are important due to the level of students concentration, their ability to acquire new knowledge and willingness to interact with the lecturer. The article presents the results of experimental study and surveys undertaken in naturally ventilated lecture room. The data is analysed in terms of CO2 concentration and its possible influence on users. Furthermore the outcome of the research is compared with the CO2 concentration models available in the literature.

Discrete return lidar in natural resources: Recommendations for project planning, data processing, and deliverables

Science.gov (United States)

Jeffrey S. Evans; Andrew T. Hudak; Russ Faux; Alistair M. S. Smith

2009-01-01

Recent years have seen the progression of light detection and ranging (lidar) from the realm of research to operational use in natural resource management. Numerous government agencies, private industries, and public/private stakeholder consortiums are planning or have recently acquired large-scale acquisitions, and a national U.S. lidar acquisition is likely before...

Efficacy of a novel topical fipronil, (S)-methoprene, eprinomectin and praziquantel combination against naturally acquired intestinal nematode and cestode infections in cats.

Science.gov (United States)

Knaus, Martin; Abu-Madi, Marawan A; Ibarra-Velarde, Froylán; Kok, Dawie J; Kusi, Ilir; Postoli, Rezart; Chester, S Theodore; Rosentel, Joseph; Alva, Roberto; Irwin, Jennifer; Visser, Martin; Winter, Renate; Rehbein, Steffen

2014-04-28

The efficacy of a novel topical combination formulation of fipronil, (S)-methoprene, eprinomectin and praziquantel against naturally acquired intestinal nematode and cestode infections in cats was evaluated in seven negative control, blinded studies. Cats were selected based on a pre-treatment faecal examination indicating a patent infection with at least hookworms (two studies), Toxocara ascarids (one study), taeniid cestodes (two studies) or Dipylidium cestodes (two studies). In each study, cats were assigned randomly to blocks of two animals each, based on decreasing pre-treatment body weight and were randomly allocated to one of two groups of six to 12 cats: untreated (control) or treated with topical fipronil (8.3%, w/v), (S)-methoprene (10%, w/v), eprinomectin (0.4%, w/v) and praziquantel (8.3%, w/v) (BROADLINE(®), Merial) at 0.12 mL/kg body weight (providing a minimum of 10mg fipronil+12 mg S-methoprene+0.5mg eprinomectin+10mg praziquantel per kg body weight). The topical treatment was administered directly on the skin in the midline of the neck in a single spot once on Day 0. For parasite recovery and count, cats were euthanized humanely and necropsied seven or ten days after treatment. A single treatment with the novel topical combination product provided 91% efficacy against Ancylostoma braziliense, ≥ 99% efficacy against Ancylostoma tubaeforme, and >97% efficacy against Toxocara cati. Similarly, excellent efficacy was established against Taenia taeniaeformis, Dipylidium caninum and Diplopylidium spp. as demonstrated by >97% and up to 100% reductions of cestode counts in the treated cats when compared to the untreated controls (P<0.01). All cats accepted the treatment well based on health observations post-treatment and daily health observations. No adverse experiences or other health problems were observed throughout the studies. The results of this series of controlled studies demonstrated high efficacy and excellent acceptability of the novel

WAYS OF ACQUIRING FLYING PHOBIA.

Science.gov (United States)

Schindler, Bettina; Vriends, Noortje; Margraf, Jürgen; Stieglitz, Rolf-Dieter

2016-02-01

The few studies that have explored how flying phobia is acquired have produced contradictory results. We hypothesized that classical conditioning plays a role in acquiring flying phobia and investigated if vicarious (model) learning, informational learning through media, and experiencing stressful life events at the time of onset of phobia also play a role. Thirty patients with flying phobia and thirty healthy controls matched on age, sex, and education were interviewed with the Mini-DIPS, the short German version of the Anxiety Disorders Interview Schedule (DSM-IV diagnostic criteria) and the Fear-of-Flying History Interview. Fifty Percent of patients with flying phobia and 53% of healthy controls reported frightening events in the air. There was no significant difference between the two samples. Thus there were not more classical conditioning events for patients with flying phobia. There also was no significant difference between the two samples for vicarious (model) learning: 37% of flying phobia patients and 23% of healthy controls felt influenced by model learning. The influence of informational learning through media was significantly higher for the clinical sample (70%) than for the control group (37%). Patients with flying phobia experienced significantly more stressful life events in the period of their frightening flight experience (60%) than healthy controls (19%). Frightening experiences while flying are quite common, but not everybody develops a flying phobia. Stressful life events and other factors might enhance conditionability. Informational learning through negative media reports probably reinforces the development of flying phobia. Clinical implications are discussed. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Severe Recurrent Achalasia Cardia Responding to Treatment of Severe Autoimmune Acquired Haemophilia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

H. Al-Jafar

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Acquired haemophilia A and severe acquired achalasia are both very rare conditions with unknown aetiology. Haemophilia A is a haemorrhagic disease induced by deficiency or malfunction of coagulation factor VIII. Congenital haemophilia is an inherited disease transmitted by the mother through X-linked inheritance and primarily affects males. However, acquired haemophilia A is a serious, sudden-onset, autoimmune disease that affects either sex. In addition, achalasia is a disease of the oesophagus caused by abnormal function of the nerves and muscles. It causes swallowing difficulties due to the inability of the lower oesophageal sphincter to relax during swallowing, leading to dysphagia, regurgitation and chest pain. In this report, we describe the case of a patient with severe, newly diagnosed, acquired haemophilia A with long-standing, recurrent achalasia; the achalasia had recurred 3 times despite complete and proper surgical fixation. Acquired haemophilia A is treated with immunosuppressive therapy. High-dose steroid therapy was administered for 7 months, during which the patient responded well; moreover, the achalasia did not recur for more than 2 years. The response of the achalasia to immunosuppressive therapy suggests that achalasia may be an autoimmune disorder and that there may be an association between both diseases. The findings of the present case suggest that achalasia may favourably respond to steroid therapy as a first-line treatment prior to surgery.

Principles of Antibiotic Management of Community-Acquired Pneumonia.

Science.gov (United States)

Bender, Michael T; Niederman, Michael S

2016-12-01

Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) encompasses a broad spectrum of disease severity and may require outpatient, inpatient, or intensive care management. Successful treatment hinges on expedient delivery of appropriate antibiotic therapy tailored to both the likely offending pathogens and the severity of disease. This review summarizes key principles in starting treatment and provides recommended empiric therapy regimens for each site of care. In addition, we discuss the antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory role macrolides play in CAP, as well as specific information for managing individual CAP pathogens such as community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and drug-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae . We also examine several novel antibiotics being developed for CAP and review the evidence guiding duration of therapy and current best practices for the transition of hospitalized patients from intravenous antibiotics to oral therapy. Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

Sigmoid plate dehiscence: Congenital or acquired condition?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liu, Zhaohui, E-mail: lzhtrhos@163.com [Capital Medical University, Beijing Tongren Hospital, No 1 Dong Jiao Min Street, Dongcheng District, Beijing 100730 (China); Li, Jing, E-mail: lijingxbh@yahoo.com.cn [Capital Medical University, Beijing Tongren Hospital, No 1 Dong Jiao Min Street, Dongcheng District, Beijing 100730 (China); Zhao, Pengfei, E-mail: zhaopengf05@163.com [Capital Medical University, Beijing Friendship Hospital, No 95 Yongan Road, Xicheng District, Beijing 100050 (China); Lv, Han, E-mail: chrislvhan@126.com [Capital Medical University, Beijing Friendship Hospital, No 95 Yongan Road, Xicheng District, Beijing 100050 (China); Dong, Cheng, E-mail: derc007@sina.com [Capital Medical University, Beijing Friendship Hospital, No 95 Yongan Road, Xicheng District, Beijing 100050 (China); Liu, Wenjuan, E-mail: wenjuanliu@163.com [Jining No. 1 People' s Hospital, No. 6 Health Street, Jining 272100 (China); Wang, Zhenchang, E-mail: cjr.wzhch@vip.163.com [Capital Medical University, Beijing Friendship Hospital, No 95 Yongan Road, Xicheng District, Beijing 100050 (China)

2015-05-15

Highlights: • CT with multiplanar reformations can accurately display the sigmoid platet dehiscence. • The prevalence of sigmoid plate dehiscence was no significant difference among different age groups. • The size of sigmoid plate bony defects were not statistically different among different age groups. • The sigmoid plate dehiscence is more commonly a congenital than an acquired condition. - Abstract: Background and purpose: The imaging features of sigmoid plate dehiscence-induced pulsatile tinnitus have been presented. The origin of the sigmoid plate dehiscence, however, remains unclear. Our aim was to assess the prevalence and extent of sigmoid plate dehiscence on computed tomography (CT) images in multiple age groups to determine whether this condition is more likely to be congenital or acquired. Materials and methods: We retrospectively reviewed contrast-enhanced CT images of sigmoid plates of temporal bones in 504 patients. Each temporal bone was characterized as normal or dehiscent. Patients were then subcategorized into four age groups, and the prevalence and extent of dehiscent sigmoid plates in each group were calculated and compared. Results: Overall, 80 patients had sigmoid plate dehiscence, nine of whom had it bilaterally. In successively older age groups, the prevalences of sigmoid plate dehiscence were 18.9%, 20.1%, 14.5%, and 12.7%, respectively. Respective average anteroposterior bony defect diameters were 3.7 ± 1.7, 3.0 ± 1.3, 3.1 ± 1.5, and 3.0 ± 1.1 mm. Respective average vertical bony defect diameters were 3.6 ± 2.3, 2.6 ± 1.2, 3.2 ± 1.5, and 3.0 ± 1.7 mm. The prevalence and extent of sigmoid plate dehiscence were not statistically different among the four age groups. Conclusions: The similar radiologic prevalence and extent of dehiscent sigmoid plates among the age groups suggest that the dehiscence is more commonly a congenital than an acquired condition.

Sigmoid plate dehiscence: Congenital or acquired condition?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, Zhaohui; Li, Jing; Zhao, Pengfei; Lv, Han; Dong, Cheng; Liu, Wenjuan; Wang, Zhenchang

2015-01-01

Highlights: • CT with multiplanar reformations can accurately display the sigmoid platet dehiscence. • The prevalence of sigmoid plate dehiscence was no significant difference among different age groups. • The size of sigmoid plate bony defects were not statistically different among different age groups. • The sigmoid plate dehiscence is more commonly a congenital than an acquired condition. - Abstract: Background and purpose: The imaging features of sigmoid plate dehiscence-induced pulsatile tinnitus have been presented. The origin of the sigmoid plate dehiscence, however, remains unclear. Our aim was to assess the prevalence and extent of sigmoid plate dehiscence on computed tomography (CT) images in multiple age groups to determine whether this condition is more likely to be congenital or acquired. Materials and methods: We retrospectively reviewed contrast-enhanced CT images of sigmoid plates of temporal bones in 504 patients. Each temporal bone was characterized as normal or dehiscent. Patients were then subcategorized into four age groups, and the prevalence and extent of dehiscent sigmoid plates in each group were calculated and compared. Results: Overall, 80 patients had sigmoid plate dehiscence, nine of whom had it bilaterally. In successively older age groups, the prevalences of sigmoid plate dehiscence were 18.9%, 20.1%, 14.5%, and 12.7%, respectively. Respective average anteroposterior bony defect diameters were 3.7 ± 1.7, 3.0 ± 1.3, 3.1 ± 1.5, and 3.0 ± 1.1 mm. Respective average vertical bony defect diameters were 3.6 ± 2.3, 2.6 ± 1.2, 3.2 ± 1.5, and 3.0 ± 1.7 mm. The prevalence and extent of sigmoid plate dehiscence were not statistically different among the four age groups. Conclusions: The similar radiologic prevalence and extent of dehiscent sigmoid plates among the age groups suggest that the dehiscence is more commonly a congenital than an acquired condition

Acquired secondary Grynfeltt's hernia: a case report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Renck, Decio Valente; Lopes Junior, Joao Ivan

2009-01-01

Lumbar hernia is a rare condition whose diagnosis is hardly achieved. The prevalence is higher in elderly men. The present case report describes the case of a male, 78-year-old patient who underwent pleural effusion drainage 17 years before presenting with clinical manifestations and tomographic findings compatible with acquired secondary Grynfeltt's hernia. (author)

Community-acquired pneumonia - a clinical approach to ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

to pneumonia acquired within the general community. CAP remains a common and ... patients.2 The exact incidence of atypical pathogens as a cause of CAP in South Africa is ... nor specific enough to use in clinical practice. There is a ..... resolve within 14 days but non-respiratory symptoms such as fatigue may persist for ...

Self-organizing maps applied to two-phase flow on natural circulation loop studies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Castro, Leonardo F.; Cunha, Kelly de P.; Andrade, Delvonei A.; Sabundjian, Gaiane; Torres, Walmir M.; Macedo, Luiz A.; Rocha, Marcelo da S.; Masotti, Paulo H.F.; Mesquita, Roberto N. de, E-mail: rnavarro@ipen.br [Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares (IPEN/CNEN-SP), Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil)

2015-07-01

Two-phase flow of liquid and gas is found in many closed circuits using natural circulation for cooling purposes. Natural circulation phenomenon is important on recent nuclear power plant projects for heat removal on 'loss of pump power' or 'plant shutdown' accidents. The accuracy of heat transfer estimation has been improved based on models that require precise prediction of pattern transitions of flow. Self-Organizing Maps are trained to digital images acquired on natural circulation flow instabilities. This technique will allow the selection of the more important characteristics associated with each flow pattern, enabling a better comprehension of each observed instability. This periodic flow oscillation behavior can be observed thoroughly in this facility due its glass-made tubes transparency. The Natural Circulation Facility (Circuito de Circulacao Natural - CCN) installed at Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares, IPEN/CNEN, is an experimental circuit designed to provide thermal hydraulic data related to one and two phase flow under natural circulation conditions. (author)

Gaps in patient care practices to prevent hospital-acquired delirium.

Science.gov (United States)

Alagiakrishnan, Kannayiram; Marrie, Thomas; Rolfson, Darryl; Coke, William; Camicioli, Richard; Duggan, D'Arcy; Launhardt, Bonnie; Fisher, Bruce; Gordon, Debbie; Hervas-Malo, Marilou; Magee, Bernice; Wiens, Cheryl

2009-10-01

To evaluate the current patient care practices that address the predisposing and precipitating factors contributing to the prevention of hospital-acquired delirium in the elderly. Prospective cohort (observational) study. Patients 65 years of age and older who were admitted to medical teaching units at the University of Alberta Hospital in Edmonton over a period of 7 months and who were at risk of delirium. Medical teaching units at the University of Alberta. Demographic data and information on predisposing factors for hospital-acquired delirium were obtained for all patients. Documented clinical practices that likely prevent common precipitants of delirium were also recorded. Of the 132 patients enrolled, 20 (15.2%) developed hospital-acquired delirium. At the time of admission several predisposing factors were not documented (eg, possible cognitive impairment 16 [12%], visual impairment 52 [39.4%], and functional status of activities of daily living 99 [75.0%]). Recorded precipitating factors included catheter use, screening for dehydration, and medications. Catheters were used in 35 (26.5%) patients, and fluid intake-and-output charting assessed dehydration in 57 (43.2%) patients. At the time of admission there was no documentation of hearing status in 69 (52.3%) patients and aspiration risk in 104 (78.8%) patients. After admission, reorientation measures were documented in only 16 (12.1%) patients. Although all patients had brief mental status evaluations performed once daily, this was not noted to occur twice daily (which would provide important information about fluctuation of mental status) and there was no formal attention span testing. In this study, hospital-acquired delirium was also associated with increased mortality (P < .004), increased length of stay (P < .007), and increased institutionalization (P < .027). Gaps were noted in patient care practices that might contribute to hospital-acquired delirium and also in measures to identify the development

Naturally-acquired humoral immune responses against the N- and C-termini of the Plasmodium vivax MSP1 protein in endemic regions of Brazil and Papua New Guinea using a multiplex assay

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Alonso Pedro L

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Progress towards the development of a malaria vaccine against Plasmodium vivax, the most widely distributed human malaria parasite, will require a better understanding of the immune responses that confer clinical protection to patients in regions where malaria is endemic. Methods Glutathione S-transferase (GST and GST-fusion proteins representing the N- terminus of the merozoite surface protein 1 of P. vivax, PvMSP1-N, and the C-terminus, PvMSP1-C, were covalently coupled to BioPlex carboxylated beads. Recombinant proteins and coupled beads were used, respectively, in ELISA and Bioplex assays using immune sera of P. vivax patients from Brazil and PNG to determine IgG and subclass responses. Concordances between the two methods in the seropositivity responses were evaluated using the Kappa statistic and the Spearman's rank correlation. Results The results using this methodology were compared with the classical microtitre enzyme-linked immnosorbent assay (ELISA, showing that the assay was sensitive, reproducible and had good concordance with ELISA; yet, further research into different statistical analyses seems desirable before claiming conclusive results exclusively based on multiplex assays. As expected, results demonstrated that PvMSP1 was immunogenic in natural infections of patients from different endemic regions of Brazil and Papua New Guinea (PNG, and that age correlated only with antibodies against the C-terminus part of the molecule. Furthermore, the IgG subclass profiles were different in these endemic regions having IgG3 predominantly recognizing PvMSP1 in Brazil and IgG1 predominantly recognizing PvMSP1 in PNG. Conclusions This study validates the use of the multiplex assay to measure naturally-acquired IgG antibodies against the merozoite surface protein 1 of P. vivax.

When words fail us: insights into language processing from developmental and acquired disorders.

Science.gov (United States)

Bishop, Dorothy V M; Nation, Kate; Patterson, Karalyn

2014-01-01

Acquired disorders of language represent loss of previously acquired skills, usually with relatively specific impairments. In children with developmental disorders of language, we may also see selective impairment in some skills; but in this case, the acquisition of language or literacy is affected from the outset. Because systems for processing spoken and written language change as they develop, we should beware of drawing too close a parallel between developmental and acquired disorders. Nevertheless, comparisons between the two may yield new insights. A key feature of connectionist models simulating acquired disorders is the interaction of components of language processing with each other and with other cognitive domains. This kind of model might help make sense of patterns of comorbidity in developmental disorders. Meanwhile, the study of developmental disorders emphasizes learning and change in underlying representations, allowing us to study how heterogeneity in cognitive profile may relate not just to neurobiology but also to experience. Children with persistent language difficulties pose challenges both to our efforts at intervention and to theories of learning of written and spoken language. Future attention to learning in individuals with developmental and acquired disorders could be of both theoretical and applied value.

Hydrocephalus in adults with community-acquired bacterial meningitis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Soemirien Kasanmoentalib, E.; Brouwer, Matthijs C.; van der Ende, Arie; van de Beek, Diederik

2010-01-01

Objective: To evaluate the occurrence, treatment, and outcome of hydrocephalus complicating community-acquired bacterial meningitis in adults. Methods: Case series from a prospective nationwide cohort study from Dutch hospitals from 2006 to 2009. Results: Hydrocephalus was diagnosed in 26 of 577

Hydrocephalus is a rare outcome in community-acquired bacterial meningitis in adults

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bodilsen, Jacob; Schønheyder, Henrik Carl; Nielsen, Henrik I

2013-01-01

BACKGROUND: Community-acquired bacterial meningitis (CABM) continues to have a high mortality rate and often results in severe sequelae among survivors. Lately, an increased effort has been focused on describing the neurological complications of meningitis including hydrocephalus. To aid in this ......BACKGROUND: Community-acquired bacterial meningitis (CABM) continues to have a high mortality rate and often results in severe sequelae among survivors. Lately, an increased effort has been focused on describing the neurological complications of meningitis including hydrocephalus. To aid...... in this field of research we set out to ascertain the risk and outcome of hydrocephalus in patients with community-acquired bacterial meningitis (CABM) in North Denmark Region. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective population-based cohort study of CABM cases above 14 years of age. Cases diagnosed during a 13......-year period, 1998 through 2010, were identified in a laboratory register and data were acquired through patient records. Cases not confirmed by culture met other strict inclusion criteria. The diagnosis of hydrocephalus relied upon the radiologists' reports on cranial imaging. Outcome was graded...

Acquired heart conditions in adults with congenital heart disease: a growing problem.

Science.gov (United States)

Tutarel, Oktay

2014-09-01

The number of adults with congenital heart disease is increasing due to the great achievements in the field of paediatric cardiology, congenital heart surgery and intensive care medicine over the last decades. Mortality has shifted away from the infant and childhood period towards adulthood. As congenital heart disease patients get older, a high prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors is encountered similar to the general population. Consequently, the contribution of acquired morbidities, especially acquired heart conditions to patient outcome, is becoming increasingly important. Therefore, to continue the success story of the last decades in the treatment of congenital heart disease and to further improve the outcome of these patients, more attention has to be given to the prevention, detection and adequate therapy of acquired heart conditions. The aim of this review is to give an overview about acquired heart conditions that may be encountered in adults with congenital heart disease. 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.

Severe Community-acquired Pneumonia Due to Legionella pneumophila Serogroup 6

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Chung-Yu Chen

2006-01-01

Full Text Available Legionella pneumophila is a common cause of sporadic community-acquired pneumonia, but culture-proven legionellosis is rarely diagnosed. There is no laboratory test for Legionnaires' disease that can detect all patients with the disease. Culture is the standard diagnostic method and should be initiated as soon as possible in suspected cases. We describe a rare case of community-acquired pneumonia caused by L. pneumophila serogroup 6. A 77-year-old man was admitted to a tertiary care hospital because of high fever, productive cough, and progressive dyspnea. Chest radiography showed bilateral pneumonia, which led to respiratory failure necessitating mechanical ventilatory support. Despite antibiotic therapy, his condition continued to deteriorate and acute renal failure also developed. Urine was negative for L. pneumophila. Culture of the sputum yielded L. pneumophila serogroup 6, although there was no elevation of the serum antibody titer. Pneumonia resolved gradually and he was extubated after treatment with levofloxacin followed by erythromycin. L. pneumophila other than serogroup 1 should be included in the differential diagnosis of patients with suspected atypical community-acquired pneumonia.

Technical Equivalency Documentation for a Newly Acquired Alpha Spectroscopy System

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hickman, D P; Fisher, S K; Hann, P R; Hume, R

2007-01-01

The response of a recently acquired Canberra(trademark) Alpha Analyst 'Blue' system (Chamber Number's 173-208) used by the Hazards Control, Radiation Safety Section, WBC/Spectroscopy Team has been studied with respect to an existing Canberra system. The existing Canberra system consists of thirty Alpha Analyst dual chambers Model XXXX comprising a total of sixty detectors (Chambers Number's 101-124 and 137-172). The existing chambers were previously compared to an older system consisting of thirty-six Model 7401 alpha spectrometry chambers (Chamber Number's 1-36) Chambers 101-124 and 137-172 are DOELAP accredited. The older system was previously DOELAP accredited for the routine Alpha Spectroscopy program used in LLNL's in vitro bioassay program. The newly acquired Alpha Analyst system operates on a network with software that controls and performs analysis of the current Alpha Analyst system (Chamber Number's 101-124 and 137-172). This exact same software is used for the current system and the newly acquired system and is DOELAP accredited. This document compares results from the existing Alpha System with the newer Alpha Analyst system

Acute periostitis in early acquired syphilis simulating shin splints in a jogger.

Science.gov (United States)

Meier, J L; Mollet, E

1986-01-01

Acute periostitis affecting the long bones is a characteristic but uncommon manifestation of syphilis in the adult with an early acquired infection. This report describes the history of a jogger who developed acute localized periostitis of the shaft of both tibiae during the early stage of acquired syphilis. Symptomatology was initially attributed to the medial tibial stress syndrome.

Atypical pathogens and challenges in community-acquired pneumonia

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Atypical organisms such as Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Chlamydia pneumoniae, and Legionella pneumophila are implicated in up to 40 percent of cases of community-acquired pneumonia. Antibiotic treatment is empiric and includes coverage for both typical and atypical organisms. Doxycycline, a fluoroquinolone with ...

Bacterial Isolates andAntibiotic Sensitivity in Community Acquired ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Objective: The objective of the studywas to determine bacterial causes of community acquired pneumonia and their antibiotic sensitivity pattern amongst patients admitted intomedicalwards inAminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano, Nigeria Methods: The study incorporated patients aged fifteen years and above admitted into ...

Тhe features of severe community acquired pneumonia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Avramenko I.V.

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Based on data from a prospective analysis for the year of observation, the article presents information about the features of severe community acquired pneumonia in patients who were hospitalized at the department of pulmonology (or therapy, as well as department of the intensive care from three teaching hospitals in Dnepropetrovsk, namely "Dnipropetrovsk City Hospital №6», "Dnipropetrovsk City Hospital №2», "Dnipropetrovsk City Hospital №16», which are the clinical ones of "Dnepropetrovsk Medical Academy of the Ministry of Health Ukraine". Dependence of the severity of the condition shown on duration of illness before admission, features of season character of disease. The effect of breathing exercises on the course of the disease. The results can be the basis for a more personal approach to the development of diagnostic and therapeutic programs for patients with severe community-acquired pneumonia.

The obesity paradox in community-acquired bacterial pneumonia.

Science.gov (United States)

Corrales-Medina, Vicente F; Valayam, Josemon; Serpa, Jose A; Rueda, Adriana M; Musher, Daniel M

2011-01-01

The impact of obesity on the outcome of pneumonia is uncertain. We retrospectively identified 266 hospitalized patients with proven pneumococcal or Haemophilus community-acquired pneumonia who had at least one body mass index (BMI, kg/m²) value documented in the 3 months before admission. Patients were classified as underweight (BMI values and BMI categories with the mortality at 30 days after admission for pneumonia was investigated. Increasing BMI values were associated with reduced 30-day mortality, even after adjustment for significant covariates (odds ratio 0.88, confidence interval 0.81-0.96; p<0.01). There was a significant trend towards lower mortality in the overweight and obese (non-parametric trend, p=0.02). Our data suggest that obesity may exert a protective effect against 30-day mortality from community-acquired bacterial pneumonia. Copyright © 2010 International Society for Infectious Diseases. All rights reserved.

Letter-By-Letter Reading: Natural Recovery and Response to Treatment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pélagie M. Beeson

2005-01-01

Full Text Available The present investigation provides a longitudinal study of an individual (RB with acquired alexia following left posterior cerebral artery stroke. At initial testing, RB exhibited acquired alexia characterized by letter-by-letter (LBL reading, mild anomic aphasia, and acquired agraphia. Repeated measures of reading accuracy and rate were collected for single words and text over the course of one year, along with probes of naming and spelling abilities. Improvements associated with natural recovery (i.e., without treatment were documented up to the fourth month post onset, when text reading appeared to be relatively stable. Multiple oral reading (MOR treatment was initiated at 22 weeks post-stroke, and additional improvements in reading rate and accuracy for text were documented that were greater than those expected on the basis of spontaneous recovery alone. Over the course of one year, reading reaction times for single words improved, and the word-length effect that is the hallmark of LBL reading diminished. RB's response to treatment supports the therapeutic value of MOR treatment to in LBL readers. His residual impairment of reading and spelling one-year post stroke raised the question as to whether further progress was impeded by degraded orthographic knowledge.

Uncertainties and credibility building of safety analyses. Natural analogues

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Laciok, A.

2001-07-01

The substance of natural analogues and their studies is defined as a complementary method to laboratory and in-situ experiments and modelling. The role of natural analogues in the processes of development of repositories is defined, mainly in performance assessment of repository system and communication with public. The criteria for identification of natural analogues which should be evaluated in the phase of initiation of new studies are specified. Review part of this report is divided to study of natural analogues and study of anthropogenic and industrial analogues. The main natural analogue studies performed in various countries, in different geological setting, with various aims are characterized. New results acquired in recently finished studies are included: Palmottu (2nd phase of project financed by European Commission), Oklo (results of research financed also by European Commission), Maqarin (3rd phase) and other information obtained from last meetings and workshops of NAWG. In view of the fact that programmes of development of deep repositories in Czech and Slovak Republics are interconnected, the natural analogues studies carried out in the Czech republic are incorporated in separate chapter - study of uranium accumulation in Tertiary clays at Ruprechtov site and study of degradation of natural glasses. In final part the areas of natural analogue studies as an integral part of development of deep geological repository are proposed along with characterization of broader context and aspects of realization of these studies (international cooperation, preparation and evaluation of procedures, communication with public). (author)

The impact of community-acquired pneumonia on the health-related quality-of-life in elderly.

Science.gov (United States)

Mangen, Marie-Josée J; Huijts, Susanne M; Bonten, Marc J M; de Wit, G Ardine

2017-03-14

The sustained health-related quality-of-life of patients surviving community-acquired pneumonia has not been accurately quantified. The aim of the current study was to quantify differences in health-related quality-of-life of community-dwelling elderly with and without community-acquired pneumonia during a 12-month follow-up period. In a matched cohort study design, nested in a prospective randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial on the efficacy of the 13-valent pneumococcal vaccine in community-dwelling persons of ≥65 years, health-related quality-of-life was assessed in 562 subjects hospitalized with suspected community-acquired pneumonia (i.e. diseased cohort) and 1145 unaffected persons (i.e. non-diseased cohort) matched to pneumonia cases on age, sex, and health status (EQ-5D-3L-index). Health-related quality-of-life was determined 1-2 weeks after hospital discharge/inclusion and 1, 6 and 12 months thereafter, using Euroqol EQ-5D-3L and Short Form-36 Health survey questionnaires. One-year quality-adjusted life years (QALY) were estimated for both diseased and non-diseased cohorts. Separate analyses were performed for pneumonia cases with and without radiologically confirmed community-acquired pneumonia. The one-year excess QALY loss attributed to community-acquired pneumonia was 0.13. Mortality in the post-discharge follow-up year was 8.4% in community-acquired pneumonia patients and 1.2% in non-diseased persons (p pneumonia patients, compared to non-diseased persons, but differences in health-related quality-of-life between radiologically confirmed and non-confirmed community-acquired pneumonia cases were not statistically significant. Community-acquired pneumonia was associated with a six-fold increased mortality and 16% lower quality-of-life in the post-discharge year among patients surviving hospitalization for community-acquired pneumonia, compared to non-diseased persons. ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT00812084 .

Lung ultrasound for the diagnosis of community-acquired pneumonia in children.

Science.gov (United States)

Stadler, Jacob A M; Andronikou, Savvas; Zar, Heather J

2017-10-01

Ultrasound (US) has been proposed as an alternative first-line imaging modality to diagnose community-acquired pneumonia in children. Lung US has the potential benefits over chest radiography of being radiation free, subject to fewer regulatory requirements, relatively lower cost and with immediate bedside availability of results. However, the uptake of lung US into clinical practice has been slow and it is not yet included in clinical guidelines for community-acquired pneumonia in children. The aim of this review is to give an overview of the equipment and techniques used to perform lung US in children with suspected pneumonia and the interpretation of relevant sonographic findings. We also summarise the current evidence of diagnostic accuracy and reliability of lung US compared to alternative imaging modalities in children and critically consider the strengths and limitations of lung US for use in children presenting with suspected community-acquired pneumonia.

Botulinum toxin in the management of sialorrhoea in acquired brain injury

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Carroll, A

2016-06-01

Sialorrhoea as a consequence of severe acquired brain injury can significantly negatively impact on quality of life. Medications used in its management have many side effects which can cause problems in the severely disabled. Botulinum toxin is an effective treatment of sialorrhoea in a number of neurological conditions but may also have a role to play in the management of sialorrhoea following severe ABI. We report on 4 cases of sialorrhoea following acquired brain injury causing a variety of problems, whose parotid glands were injected with Botulinum toxin type A (Dysport) 50mu each, under ultrasound guidance. All cases had a clinically and statistically significant reduction in drooling as measured by the teacher drooling scale (p=0.005) and carers Visual Analogue Scale (p=0.012). There were no side effects reported. Botulinum toxin is an effective treatment for sialorrhoea associated with acquired brain injury.

Motivating Students through Awareness of the Natural Correlation between College Learning and Corporate Work Settings

Science.gov (United States)

D'Aloisio, Anna

2006-01-01

This article argues that college students can be motivated to be active participants in their own education if made aware of the direct correlation between college learning and corporate work settings. Students can be shown that through the natural course of college learning, they are acquiring valuable core skills or transferable competencies…

Radiological pulmonary manifestations of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marchiori, Edson; Melo, Alessandro Severo Alves de; Ossa, Alfonso Jaramillo

1999-01-01

In this article are reviewed the principal radiologic manifestations of inflammatory and tumoral diseases the compromise the lungs of patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. In the group of inflammatory diseases the radiologic aspects of pneumocystosis, cytomegalovirus disease, cryptococcosis, tuberculosis and bacterial pneumonias are emphasized. In the neoplasic diseases' group the aspects of lymphoma and Kaposi's sarcoma are specially presented. (author)

A Case Of Bilateral Acquired Localized Lipoatrophy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Osman Tanrıkulu

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Lipoatrophy is characterized by inflammation and tissue loss in fatty tissue. This disease may be congenital or acquired, primary or secondary. Secondary lipoatrophy develops with infections, collagen tissue diseases, tumors and drug injections. In this report, we present the case of a 14-year-old female patient who developed lipoatrophy following intramuscular steroid injection to both buttocks.

Genetic control of acquired resistance to gastrointestinal nematode parasites in sheep

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Windon, R.G.; Wagland, B.M.; Dineen, J.K.

1988-01-01

A radiation attenuated larval vaccine has been used to evaluate the role of genetic components of the immune response in the control of Trichostrongylus colubriformis in sheep. Through selection based on age dependent responsiveness, lines of sheep have been established in which lambs are either high or low responders to vaccination and challenge infection. The estimated and realized heritabilities for the selected trait are 0.35-0.41. Significant interline differences were demonstrated and, within the lines, ewe lambs were consistently more responsive than rams or wethers. The effect of selection was not antigenically specific, since high responsiveness to T. colubriformis was associated with increased responsiveness to other related (T. rugatus) and unrelated parasites (Ostertagia circumcincta and Haemonchus contortus). In addition, high responders had a more vigorous reaction against naturally acquired infections than low responders. The general immunological competence was also increased in high responders; this was shown by the levels of serum complement fixing antibody to larval antigens after vaccination and challenge, in vitro blastogenic responses stimulated by larval antigens and the phagocytic function of peripheral leucocytes. No production penalty (weight gain and wool growth) was associated with heightened responsiveness. (author). 10 refs, 1 fig

25 CFR 166.219 - How do I acquire a permit through negotiation?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 25 Indians 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false How do I acquire a permit through negotiation? 166.219 Section 166.219 Indians BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR LAND AND WATER GRAZING PERMITS Permit Requirements Obtaining A Permit § 166.219 How do I acquire a permit through negotiation? (a) Permits may be negotiated and granted by th...

Oceanic protists with different forms of acquired phototrophy display contrasting biogeographies and abundance.

Science.gov (United States)

Leles, S G; Mitra, A; Flynn, K J; Stoecker, D K; Hansen, P J; Calbet, A; McManus, G B; Sanders, R W; Caron, D A; Not, F; Hallegraeff, G M; Pitta, P; Raven, J A; Johnson, M D; Glibert, P M; Våge, S

2017-08-16

This first comprehensive analysis of the global biogeography of marine protistan plankton with acquired phototrophy shows these mixotrophic organisms to be ubiquitous and abundant; however, their biogeography differs markedly between different functional groups. These mixotrophs, lacking a constitutive capacity for photosynthesis (i.e. non-constitutive mixotrophs, NCMs), acquire their phototrophic potential through either integration of prey-plastids or through endosymbiotic associations with photosynthetic microbes. Analysis of field data reveals that 40-60% of plankton traditionally labelled as (non-phototrophic) microzooplankton are actually NCMs, employing acquired phototrophy in addition to phagotrophy. Specialist NCMs acquire chloroplasts or endosymbionts from specific prey, while generalist NCMs obtain chloroplasts from a variety of prey. These contrasting functional types of NCMs exhibit distinct seasonal and spatial global distribution patterns. Mixotrophs reliant on 'stolen' chloroplasts, controlled by prey diversity and abundance, dominate in high-biomass areas. Mixotrophs harbouring intact symbionts are present in all waters and dominate particularly in oligotrophic open ocean systems. The contrasting temporal and spatial patterns of distribution of different mixotroph functional types across the oceanic provinces, as revealed in this study, challenges traditional interpretations of marine food web structures. Mixotrophs with acquired phototrophy (NCMs) warrant greater recognition in marine research. © 2017 The Author(s).

The nutritional literacy of elementary school pupils in the perspective of acquiring nutritional skills

OpenAIRE

Kostanjevec, Stojan; Erjavšek, Martina

2016-01-01

A person's health and quality of life are influenced by the degree of his or her nutritional literacy, and the acquired nutritional skills, determining the choice of food prepared and consumed by the person constitute an important part of it. Persons with nutritional skills are capable of using the acquired nutritional knowledge in planning their diet, buying their foodstuffs and in preparing their meals. The purpose of the study was to establish the nutritional skills acquired by elementary ...

Hospital-acquired complications in a randomized controlled clinical trial of a geriatric consultation team.

Science.gov (United States)

Becker, P M; McVey, L J; Saltz, C C; Feussner, J R; Cohen, H J

1987-05-01

As part of a controlled clinical trial of a geriatric consultation team (GCT), we investigated whether a GCT could affect the incidence of hospital-acquired complications in elderly patients. One hundred eighty-five patients, aged 75 years and older, were randomized into an intervention (N = 92) and a control (N = 93) group. Members of the intervention group received a GCT consultation and were routinely followed up throughout their hospitalization. The incidence of hospital-acquired complications for the entire study population was 38%. The type and rate of hospital-acquired complications in the intervention and control groups were not significantly different. Functional status on admission and admission to the psychiatry service were predictive for the occurrence of a hospital-acquired complication. In a broadly selected population such as this, the intensity of care available through a GCT was unable to reduce the occurrence of hospital-acquired complications. However, since this is only one aspect of a GCT function, and others may be of great importance, such aspects, and more targeted populations, must be evaluated before final conclusions can be reached about GCT efficiency.

Mechanisms, Risk Factors, and Management of Acquired Long QT Syndrome: A Comprehensive Review

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Eleftherios M. Kallergis

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Long QT syndrome is characterized by prolongation of the corrected QT (QTc interval on the surface electrocardiogram and is associated with precipitation of torsade de pointes (TdP, a polymorphic ventricular tachycardia that may cause sudden death. Acquired long QT syndrome describes pathologic excessive prolongation of the QT interval, upon exposure to an environmental stressor, with reversion back to normal following removal of the stressor. The most common environmental stressor in acquired long QT syndrome is drug therapy. Acquired long QT syndrome is an important issue for clinicians and a significant public health problem concerning the large number of drugs with this adverse effect with a potentially fatal outcome, the large number of patients exposed to these drugs, and our inability to predict the risk for a given individual. In this paper, we focus on mechanisms underlying QT prolongation, risk factors for torsades de pointes and describe the short- and long-term treatment of acquired long QT syndrome.

The sensitivity status of community-acquired Staphylococcus aureus ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Community acquired Staphylococcus aureus was isolated from various infectious sites in two private laboratories in Kano-city, Nigeria. A total of 247 (11%) Staphylococcu aureus isolates were recovered from all infectious sites except cerebro-spinal fluid. The least Staphylococcus aureus isolates were found in urine ...

The Efficacy Of Milbemycin Oxime In The Treatment Of Naturally Acquired Infestations Of Sarcoptes Scabiei On Dogs

OpenAIRE

Xu Q; Guo S; Li J; Wang Y; Shen Z; Yanping Wang; Ying Z; Zhang Z; Fu S; Ma L; Yang L; Wang J; Duanhui Ma

2013-01-01

Milbemycin oxime tablets were evaluated for efficacy against sarcoptic mange mites in naturally infested dogs. Sixty-five dogs were allocated to two groups and were housed individually. Fifty of the dogs were treated orally with milbemycin oxime at the proposed dose. The other fifteen were treated orally with vehicle. Study day 0 was defined as the first day of treatment administration. Dogs were treated on days 0, 7 and 14, and efficacy was assessed by counting viable mites recovered from sk...

Acquired thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura: new therapeutic options and their optimal use.

Science.gov (United States)

Cataland, S R; Wu, H M

2015-06-01

Advances in our understanding of the pathophysiology of both congenital and acquired thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) have led to both an increased understanding of the disease and novel approaches to therapy. The efficacy of rituximab in acquired TTP has led to consideration of rituximab as a prophylactic therapy to prevent relapse of TTP. Novel therapies that target the A1 domain of von Willebrand factor (VWF) to block the formation of microthrombotic disease have also entered clinical study and have demonstrated promise as potential therapeutic options. Additionally, a recombinant ADAMTS13 protease has been developed which may be an important therapeutic option for both congenital and acquired TTP. The development of these new therapeutic options for patients diagnosed with TTP has increased the importance of conducting prospective, randomized studies with these agents to both confirm their efficacy and more importantly understand their most appropriate role in the treatment of patients with TTP. © 2015 International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis.

Toward immunogenetic studies of amphibian chytridiomycosis: Linking innate and acquired immunity

Science.gov (United States)

Richmond, J.Q.; Savage, Anna E.; Zamudio, Kelly R.; Rosenblum, E.B.

2009-01-01

Recent declines in amphibian diversity and abundance have contributed significantly to the global loss of biodiversity. The fungal disease chytridiomycosis is widely considered to be a primary cause of these declines, yet the critical question of why amphibian species differ in susceptibility remains unanswered. Considerable evidence links environmental conditions and interspecific variability of the innate immune system to differential infection responses, but other sources of individual, population, or species-typical variation may also be important. In this article we review the preliminary evidence supporting a role for acquired immune defenses against chytridiomycosis, and advocate for targeted investigation of genes controlling acquired responses, as well as those that functionally bridge the innate and acquired immune systems. Immunogenetic data promise to answer key questions about chytridiomycosis susceptibility and host-pathogen coevolution, and will draw much needed attention to the importance of considering evolutionary processes in amphibian conservation management and practice. ?? 2009 by American Institute of Biological Sciences.

Clinical Predictors of Hospital-acquired Pneumonia Associated with Acute Ischemic

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Alexis Suárez Quesada

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Background: hospital-acquired pneumonia is a constant challenge given the current microbiological spectrum, antimicrobial resistance together with its high mortality, morbidity and hospital costs. Objective: to identify the clinical predictors of pneumonia associated with acute ischemic stroke. Methods: a prospective cohort study was conducted in 201 patients diagnosed with acute ischemic stroke consecutively admitted to the stroke unit of the General Carlos Manuel de Céspedes Teaching Hospital during the first seven days after the onset, from January 2012 through December 2013. The independent predictors of hospital-acquired pneumonia were obtained using multivariable logistic regression. Results: fifty six point seven percent were male. The mean age was 64.17 ± 14.33 years. Cases of hospital-acquired pneumonia associated with stroke accounted for 19, 9 %. Subjects who developed pneumonia were older (68.55 ± 13.51 vs. 63.08 ± 14.36 years, had a lower score in the Glasgow Coma Scale (8.00 ± 2.60 vs. 14.00 ± 2.82, and an increased number of leukocytes at admission (10.888 ± 3.487 vs. 9.233 ± 2.539 × 109/L. The following independent factors were identified: Glasgow Coma Scale ≤ 11 (OR: 26.099; 95 % CI 7.164-85.075, history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (OR: 8.896; 95 % CI 1.203-65.779, dysphagia (OR: 7.652; 95 % CI 2.369- 24.720, history of heart failure (OR: 4.583; 95 % CI 1.240- 16.932 and dysarthria/severe motor aphasia (OR: 4.222; 95 % CI 1.374- 12.975. Conclusions: the resulting logistic regression model is valid for predicting post-stroke pneumonia based on data routinely acquired.

[PECULIARITIES OF COMMUNITY-ACQUIRED PNEUMONIA IN CHILDREN WITH NEUROLOGICAL PATHOLOGY].

Science.gov (United States)

Zubarenko, O; Kopiyka, G; Kravchenko, T; Koval, L; Gurienko, K

2017-06-01

Neurological disorders in children highly affect the course of pneumonia, its outcome and the development of possible complications. The aim of the study was to reveal clinical and paraclinical features of community-acquired pneumonia in younger children with neurologic pathology infantile cerebral palsy. Under observation were 37 children with community-acquired pneumonia aged 1 to 3 years that suffered from spastic forms of infantile cerebral palsy. The comparison group consisted of 30 children with community-acquired pneumonia without any concomitant neurological pathology. The age of the children in the comparison and study groups was the same. The results of the study show that the presence of infantile cerebral palsy allow to relate the child to the risk group of respiratory pathology development. The course of community-acquired pneumonia in children affected by infantile cerebral palsy is characterized by rapid progression of symptoms and severity of the condition, and the clinical picture also has a number of characteristic features. Thus, cough, local physical data, classical laboratory signs of inflammation in the form of leukocytosis with neutrophil shift were noticed significantly less often in children with infantile cerebral palsy. The debut of the disease was often accompanied by bronchial obstruction, the inflammatory process was localized in the lower parts of the lungs and often matched the side of the neurologically affected part of the body. Children with cerebral palsy required a longer hospital-stay and a prolonged course of antibiotic therapy. Therefore, the risk of pneumonia in children with infantile cerebral palsy should be taken into account at the primary stage of medical care for the creation of preventive programs.

Socio-emotional behaviour following acquired brain injury

OpenAIRE

May, Michelle

2014-01-01

Introduction: Socio-emotional behaviour difficulties following acquired brain injury (ABI) have been shown to have a persisting negative effect on quality of life. A systematic review was carried out to look at the efficacy and clinical effectiveness of available psychological treatments for socio-emotional behaviour difficulties following ABI. Research was carried out to further understand socio-emotional behaviour by exploring the possible underlying cognitive aspects (specif...

Rare acquired hemostatic disorders as a cause of prolonged bleeding – presentation of two case reports

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Polona Novak

2011-10-01

Full Text Available BACKGROUNDPatient’s anamnesis is of primary importance in determining hemostatic disorders. Based on anamnestic data, a clinician may decide for further laboratory tests. We must consider an acquired bleeding disorder in a patient with unusual, unexpected and prolonged bleeding episodes. In this article we will describe two rare acquired hemostatic disordes.TWO CASE REPORTSOur first patient had prolonged bleeding after a pacemaker implantation. We diagnosed him with acquired von Willebrand syndrome. Further on, the patient required a planned surgical procedure. In our second case we describe a patient with unusual and excessive skin bruising and prolonged bleeding after teeth extractions. He was diagnosed with acquired hemophilia.CONCLUSIONIn the assessment of a patient with a potential acquired bleeding disorder we must first rule out the most common causes, such as iatrogenic ones. But, because of high morbidity and mortality rates, we must also be aware of some rare acquired bleeding disorders. In case of uncertainty, we should consult with a hematologist.

30 CFR 879.14 - Management of acquired land.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Management of acquired land. 879.14 Section 879.14 Mineral Resources OFFICE OF SURFACE MINING RECLAMATION AND ENFORCEMENT, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR ABANDONED MINE LAND RECLAMATION ACQUISITION, MANAGEMENT, AND DISPOSITION OF LANDS AND WATER § 879.14...

Childhood acquired heart disease in Nigeria: an echocardiographic ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Introduction: Acquired heart diseases (AHD) are not uncommon in children. The current multi-center study aims to provide a more representative data of AHD in Nigeria. Methods: Over 42 months, children referred for echocardiographic evaluation who had confirmed AHD in three centers in Nigeria were recruited. The data ...

Label-acquired magnetorotation for biosensing: An asynchronous rotation assay

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hecht, Ariel; Kinnunen, Paivo; McNaughton, Brandon; Kopelman, Raoul

2011-01-01

This paper presents a novel application of magnetic particles for biosensing, called label-acquired magnetorotation (LAM). This method is based on a combination of the traditional sandwich assay format with the asynchronous magnetic bead rotation (AMBR) method. In label-acquired magnetorotation, an analyte facilitates the binding of a magnetic label bead to a nonmagnetic solid phase sphere, forming a sandwich complex. The sandwich complex is then placed in a rotating magnetic field, where the rotational frequency of the sandwich complex is a function of the amount of analyte attached to the surface of the sphere. Here, we use streptavidin-coated beads and biotin-coated particles as analyte mimics, to be replaced by proteins and other biological targets in future work. We show this sensing method to have a dynamic range of two orders of magnitude.

Prevalence of Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus in pyogenic community and hospital acquired skin and soft tissues infections

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ahmad, M. K.; Asrar, A.

2014-01-01

Objective: To determine the percentage and frequency of Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus in community and hospital-acquired pyogenic skin and soft tissue infections. Methods: The descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at the Dermatology Department of Combined Military Hospital, Abbottabad, from June 2009 to March 2010, and comprised 144 community-acquired and 54 hospital-acquired skin and soft tissue infections. Pus swabs from the infected lesions one from each individual were sent to laboratory for culture and sensitivity tests. Methicillin resistance was detected by 1 (mu) g oxacillin disk. Organisms were labelled methicillin-resistant once the inhibition zone for oxocillin was less than 10 mm. Data analysis was done by using SPSS 20. Results: Of the 198 patients in the study, 98(49.5%) were males and 100(50.5%) were females, with an overall mean age of 33.7+-14.8144 years. There were 144(72.72%) community-acquired infections and 54(27.27%) had hospital-acquired infections. Community-acquired Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus numbered 40(27.8%) and hospital-acquired ones numbered 26(48.1%). Conclusion: Prevalence of Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus in community and hospital-acquired pyogenic skin and soft tissue infections was high. (author)

Risk of HPV-16/18 Infections and Associated Cervical Abnormalities in Women Seropositive for Naturally Acquired Antibodies: Pooled Analysis Based on Control Arms of Two Large Clinical Trials.

Science.gov (United States)

Safaeian, Mahboobeh; Castellsagué, Xavier; Hildesheim, Allan; Wacholder, Sholom; Schiffman, Mark H; Bozonnat, Marie-Cécile; Baril, Laurence; Rosillon, Dominique

2018-06-05

Studies on the role of antibodies produced after infection with human papillomavirus 18 (HPV-18) and subsequent protection from HPV-18 infection have been conflicting, mainly due to inadequate sample size. We pooled data from the control arms of the Costa Rica Vaccine Trial and the PATRICIA trial. Using Poisson regression we compared the risk of newly detected 1-time HPV-18 infection, HPV-18 1-year persistent infection (12MPI), and HPV-18-associated atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance or greater (ASC-US+) lesions between HPV-18 seropositive and seronegative women. High HPV-18 antibodies at enrollment was associated with reduced subsequent HPV-18 detection (P trend = 0.001; relative rate [RR] = 0.69; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.47-1.01 for the third quartile; RR = 0.63; 95% CI, 0.43-0.94 for the fourth quartile, compared to seronegative). The risk of 12MPI showed a decreasing trend with increasing antibodies (P trend = 0.06; RR = 0.72; 95% CI, 0.29-1.77; RR = 0.42; 95% CI, 0.13-1.32 for the third and fourth quartiles, respectively). Lastly, we observed a significant decreased risk of HPV-18 ASC-US+ with increasing antibody (P trend = 0.01; RR = 0.46; 95% CI, 0.21-0.97 for the fourth quartile). We also observed a significant decreased risk of HPV-16 infection, 12MPI, and ASC-US+ with increasing HPV-16 antibody level. High HPV-18 naturally acquired antibodies were associated with partial protection from future HPV-18 infections and associated lesions. NCT00128661 and NCT001226810.

Intraspecific geographic variation of fragrances acquired by orchid bees in native and introduced populations.

Science.gov (United States)

Ramírez, Santiago R; Eltz, Thomas; Fritzsch, Falko; Pemberton, Robert; Pringle, Elizabeth G; Tsutsui, Neil D

2010-08-01

Male orchid bees collect volatiles, from both floral and non-floral sources, that they expose as pheromone analogues (perfumes) during courtship display. The chemical profile of these perfumes, which includes terpenes and aromatic compounds, is both species-specific and divergent among closely related lineages. Thus, fragrance composition is thought to play an important role in prezygotic reproductive isolation in euglossine bees. However, because orchid bees acquire fragrances entirely from exogenous sources, the chemical composition of male perfumes is prone to variation due to environmental heterogeneity across habitats. We used Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS) to characterize the perfumes of 114 individuals of the green orchid bee (Euglossa aff. viridissima) sampled from five native populations in Mesoamerica and two naturalized populations in the southeastern United States. We recorded a total of 292 fragrance compounds from hind-leg extracts, and found that overall perfume composition was different for each population. We detected a pronounced chemical dissimilarity between native (Mesoamerica) and naturalized (U.S.) populations that was driven both by proportional differences of common compounds as well as the presence of a few chemicals unique to each population group. Despite these differences, our data also revealed remarkable qualitative consistency in the presence of several major fragrance compounds across distant populations from dissimilar habitats. In addition, we demonstrate that naturalized bees are attracted to and collect large quantities of triclopyr 2-butoxyethyl ester, the active ingredient of several commercially available herbicides. By comparing incidence values and consistency indices across populations, we identify putative functional compounds that may play an important role in courtship signaling in this species of orchid bee.

A knowledge creation info-structure to acquire and crystallize the tacit knowledge of health-care experts.

Science.gov (United States)

Abidi, Syed Sibte Raza; Cheah, Yu-N; Curran, Janet

2005-06-01

Tacit knowledge of health-care experts is an important source of experiential know-how, yet due to various operational and technical reasons, such health-care knowledge is not entirely harnessed and put into professional practice. Emerging knowledge-management (KM) solutions suggest strategies to acquire the seemingly intractable and nonarticulated tacit knowledge of health-care experts. This paper presents a KM methodology, together with its computational implementation, to 1) acquire the tacit knowledge possessed by health-care experts; 2) represent the acquired tacit health-care knowledge in a computational formalism--i.e., clinical scenarios--that allows the reuse of stored knowledge to acquire tacit knowledge; and 3) crystallize the acquired tacit knowledge so that it is validated for health-care decision-support and medical education systems.

Etiology and antibiotic susceptibility pattern of community-acquired ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Community-acquired urinary tract infections occur in individuals not admitted in hospital prior to development of the symptoms of the infection. It occurs mostly in women and caused by Escherichia coli. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of urinary tract infection among individuals residing within Jos ...

The ketogenic diet is effective for refractory epilepsy associated with acquired structural epileptic encephalopathy.

Science.gov (United States)

Villaluz, Mel Michel; Lomax, Lysa Boissé; Jadhav, Trupti; Cross, J Helen; Scheffer, Ingrid E

2018-07-01

Ketogenic diet therapies have proven efficacy for refractory epilepsy. There are many reports of their use in the genetic developmental and epileptic encephalopathies; however, little attention has been paid as to whether the diet is also effective in individuals with an acquired structural aetiology. We observed remarkable efficacy of the diet in two patients with hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy. We then analysed our cases with refractory structural epilepsies of acquired origin to characterize their response to the ketogenic diet. The classical ketogenic diet was implemented with dietary ratios of 3:1 to 4.4:1. Seizure frequency at 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, 1 year, and 2 years was ascertained. A responder was defined as greater than 50% seizure reduction compared to baseline. Seven of the nine patients were responders at 3 months. Somewhat surprisingly we found that the ketogenic diet was effective in patients with a developmental and epileptic encephalopathy due to an acquired structural aetiology. This cohort may not be routinely considered for the ketogenic diet because of their structural and acquired, rather than genetic, basis. The ketogenic diet should be considered early in the management of patients with acquired structural encephalopathies as it can improve seizure control with the potential to improve developmental outcome. The ketogenic diet was effective in children with epilepsy associated with an acquired structural aetiology. © 2018 Mac Keith Press.

Yeasts acquire resistance secondary to antifungal drug treatment by adaptive mutagenesis.

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David Quinto-Alemany

Full Text Available Acquisition of resistance secondary to treatment both by microorganisms and by tumor cells is a major public health concern. Several species of bacteria acquire resistance to various antibiotics through stress-induced responses that have an adaptive mutagenesis effect. So far, adaptive mutagenesis in yeast has only been described when the stress is nutrient deprivation. Here, we hypothesized that adaptive mutagenesis in yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Candida albicans as model organisms would also take place in response to antifungal agents (5-fluorocytosine or flucytosine, 5-FC, and caspofungin, CSP, giving rise to resistance secondary to treatment with these agents. We have developed a clinically relevant model where both yeasts acquire resistance when exposed to these agents. Stressful lifestyle associated mutation (SLAM experiments show that the adaptive mutation frequencies are 20 (S. cerevisiae -5-FC, 600 (C. albicans -5-FC or 1000 (S. cerevisiae--CSP fold higher than the spontaneous mutation frequency, the experimental data for C. albicans -5-FC being in agreement with the clinical data of acquisition of resistance secondary to treatment. The spectrum of mutations in the S. cerevisiae -5-FC model differs between spontaneous and acquired, indicating that the molecular mechanisms that generate them are different. Remarkably, in the acquired mutations, an ectopic intrachromosomal recombination with an 87% homologous gene takes place with a high frequency. In conclusion, we present here a clinically relevant adaptive mutation model that fulfils the conditions reported previously.

Acquired hyperostosis syndrome. Pt. 2

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dihlmann, W.; Hering, L.; Bargon, G.W.

1988-12-01

In the second part of this publication, we describe some additional findings in cases of sternocostoclavicular hyperostosis (SCCH). These include focal hyperostosis of the spine, in the pelvis and in the extremities and psoriatric skin lesions and severe forms of acne (acne conglobata, acne fulminans). An analysis of our 13 patients and of the relevant literature indicates that the hyperostosis is due to increased bone metabolism and heterotopic ossification of fibrous tissue and that these are the pathogenic bases of the changes in the axial skeleton, the pelvis and the bones of the extremities. We have suggested a scheme which would categorise the syndrom into complete, incomplete and possibly acquired forms. (orig./GDG).

Community-acquired pneumonia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Poetter-Lang, S.; Herold, C.J.

2017-01-01

The diagnosis of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is often not possible based only on the clinical symptoms and biochemical parameters. For every patient with the suspicion of CAP, a chest radiograph in two planes should be carried out. Additionally, a risk stratification for the decision between outpatient therapy or hospitalization is recommended. Based on the evaluation of the different radiological patterns as well as their extent and distribution, a rough allocation to so-called pathogen groups as well as a differentiation between viral and bacterial infections are possible; however, because different pathogens cause different patterns an accurate correlation is not feasible by relying purely on imaging. The radiological findings serve as proof or exclusion of pneumonia and can also be used to evaluate the extent of the disease (e.g. monolobular, multilobular, unilateral or bilateral). In cases of prolonged disease, suspicion of complications (e.g. pleural effusion or empyema, necrotizing pneumonia or abscess) or comorbid conditions (e.g. underlying pulmonary or mediastinal diseases) computed tomography is an important diagnostic tool in addition to chest radiography. Ultrasound is often used to diagnose pleural processes (e.g. parapneumonic effusion or pleural empyema). (orig.) [de

Acquired Elliptocytosis as a Manifestation of Myelodysplastic Syndrome with Ring Sideroblasts and Multilineage Dysplasia

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Jacob D. Kjelland

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Acquired elliptocytosis is a known but rarely described abnormality in the myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS. Here we report the case of an elderly male who was admitted to the hospital with chest pain, dyspnea, and fatigue and was found to be anemic with an elliptocytosis that had only recently been noted on peripheral smears of his blood. After bone marrow biopsy he was diagnosed with MDS with ring sideroblasts and multilineage dysplasia and acquired elliptocytosis. Here we report a rare case of acquired elliptocytosis cooccurring with MDS with ring sideroblasts and multilineage dysplasia.

The NHERI RAPID Facility: Enabling the Next-Generation of Natural Hazards Reconnaissance

Science.gov (United States)

Wartman, J.; Berman, J.; Olsen, M. J.; Irish, J. L.; Miles, S.; Gurley, K.; Lowes, L.; Bostrom, A.

2017-12-01

The NHERI post-disaster, rapid response research (or "RAPID") facility, headquartered at the University of Washington (UW), is a collaboration between UW, Oregon State University, Virginia Tech, and the University of Florida. The RAPID facility will enable natural hazard researchers to conduct next-generation quick response research through reliable acquisition and community sharing of high-quality, post-disaster data sets that will enable characterization of civil infrastructure performance under natural hazard loads, evaluation of the effectiveness of current and previous design methodologies, understanding of socio-economic dynamics, calibration of computational models used to predict civil infrastructure component and system response, and development of solutions for resilient communities. The facility will provide investigators with the hardware, software and support services needed to collect, process and assess perishable interdisciplinary data following extreme natural hazard events. Support to the natural hazards research community will be provided through training and educational activities, field deployment services, and by promoting public engagement with science and engineering. Specifically, the RAPID facility is undertaking the following strategic activities: (1) acquiring, maintaining, and operating state-of-the-art data collection equipment; (2) developing and supporting mobile applications to support interdisciplinary field reconnaissance; (3) providing advisory services and basic logistics support for research missions; (4) facilitating the systematic archiving, processing and visualization of acquired data in DesignSafe-CI; (5) training a broad user base through workshops and other activities; and (6) engaging the public through citizen science, as well as through community outreach and education. The facility commenced operations in September 2016 and will begin field deployments beginning in September 2018. This poster will provide an overview

An unusual cause of community-acquired pneumonia

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Jaimie Mittal

2018-01-01

Full Text Available We present a case of fatal community-acquired pneumonia (CAP due to Acinetobacter baumannii, which is rarely reported in the northeastern United States. Previously reported cases originate from tropical and subtropical climates, and infection tends to have an aggressive course with a poor outcome. Appropriate antimicrobial therapy is crucial; however, the associated systemic inflammatory response may overwhelm host defenses, especially in patients with certain co-morbidities.

Interventions for treating acute bleeding episodes in people with acquired hemophilia A.

Science.gov (United States)

Zeng, Yan; Zhou, Ruiqing; Duan, Xin; Long, Dan; Yang, Songtao

2014-08-28

Acquired hemophilia A is a rare bleeding disorder caused by autoantibodies to coagulation factor VIII (FVIII). In most cases, bleeding episodes are spontaneous and severe at presentation. The optimal hemostatic therapy is controversial. To determine the efficacy of hemostatic therapies for acute bleeds in people with acquired hemophilia A; and to compare different forms of therapy for these bleeds. We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) (The Cochrane Library 2014, Issue 4) and MEDLINE (Ovid) (1948 to 30 April 2014). We searched the conference proceedings of the: American Society of Hematology; European Hematology Association; International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis (ISTH); and the European Association for Haemophilia and Allied Disorders (EAHAD) (from 2000 to 30 April 2014). In addition to this we searched clinical trials registers. All randomised controlled trials and quasi-randomised trials of hemostatic therapies for people with acquired hemophilia A, with no restrictions on gender, age or ethnicity. No trials matching the selection criteria were eligible for inclusion. No trials matching the selection criteria were eligible for inclusion. No randomised clinical trials of hemostatic therapies for acquired hemophilia A were found. Thus, we are not able to draw any conclusions or make any recommendations on the optimal hemostatic therapies for acquired hemophilia A based on the highest quality of evidence. GIven that carrying out randomized controlled trials in this field is a complex task, the authors suggest that, while planning randomised controlled trials in which patients can be enrolled, clinicians treating the disease continue to base their choices on alternative, lower quality sources of evidence, which hopefully, in the future, will also be appraised and incorporated in a Cochrane Review.

Demographic and clinical data in acquired hemophilia A: results from the European Acquired Haemophilia Registry (EACH2).

Science.gov (United States)

Knoebl, P; Marco, P; Baudo, F; Collins, P; Huth-Kühne, A; Nemes, L; Pellegrini, F; Tengborn, L; Lévesque, H

2012-04-01

Acquired hemophilia A (AHA) is a rare autoimmune disease caused by autoantibodies against coagulation factor VIII and characterized by spontaneous hemorrhage in patients with no previous family or personal history of bleeding. Although data on several AHA cohorts have been collected, limited information is available on the optimal management of AHA. The European Acquired Hemophilia Registry (EACH2) was established to generate a prospective, large-scale, pan-European database on demographics, diagnosis, underlying disorders, bleeding characteristics, treatment and outcome of AHA patients. Five hundred and one (266 male, 235 female) patients from 117 centers and 13 European countries were included in the registry between 2003 and 2008. In 467 cases, hemostasis investigations and AHA diagnosis were triggered by a bleeding event. At diagnosis, patients were a median of 73.9 years. AHA was idiopathic in 51.9%; malignancy or autoimmune diseases were associated with 11.8% and 11.6% of cases. Fifty-seven per cent of the non-pregnancy-related cases were male. Four hundred and seventy-four bleeding episodes were reported at presentation, and hemostatic therapy initiated in 70.5% of patients. Delayed diagnosis significantly impacted treatment initiation in 33.5%. Four hundred and seventy-seven patients underwent immunosuppression, and 72.6% achieved complete remission. Representing the largest collection of consecutive AHA cases to date, EACH2 facilitates the analysis of a variety of open questions in AHA. © 2012 International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis.

Prognostic value of severity indicators of nursing-home-acquired pneumonia versus community-acquired pneumonia in elderly patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Ugajin, Motoi; Yamaki, Kenichi; Hirasawa, Natsuko; Kobayashi, Takanori; Yagi, Takeo

2014-01-01

The credibility of prognostic indicators in nursing-home-acquired pneumonia (NHAP) is not clear. We previously reported a simple prognostic indicator in community-acquired pneumonia (CAP): blood urea nitrogen to serum albumin (B/A) ratio. This retrospective study investigated the prognostic value of severity indicators in NHAP versus CAP in elderly patients. Patients aged ≥65 years and hospitalized because of NHAP or CAP within the previous 3 years were enrolled. Demographics, coexisting illnesses, laboratory and microbiological findings, and severity scores (confusion, urea, respiratory rate, blood pressure, and age ≥65 [CURB-65] scale; age, dehydration, respiratory failure, orientation disturbance, and pressure [A-DROP] scale; and pneumonia severity index [PSI]) were retrieved from medical records. The primary outcome was mortality within 28 days of admission. In total, 138 NHAP and 307 CAP patients were enrolled. Mortality was higher in NHAP (18.1%) than in CAP (4.6%) (Pscale, 0.69 for the CURB-65 scale, 0.67 for the PSI class, and 0.65 for the B/A ratio. The area under the curve in CAP was 0.73 for the A-DROP scale, 0.76 for the CURB-65 scale, 0.81 for the PSI class, and 0.83 for the B/A ratio. Patient mortality was greater in NHAP than in CAP. Patient characteristics, coexisting illnesses, and detected pathogens differed greatly between NHAP and CAP. The existing severity indicators had less prognostic value for NHAP than for CAP.

Features of Acquired Immunity in Malaria Endemic Areas

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

... of Acquired Immunity in Malaria Endemic Areas. Adults (>15 years) do not suffer from the disease. Concomitant presence of low levels of P. falciparum in immune persons. This immunity is lost within 6-12 months if a person moves out of endemic area. Antibodies mediate protection for the asexual stages of P. falciparum.

Changes in hemostasis in foals naturally infected with Strongylus vulgaris

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pihl, Tina Holberg; Krarup Nielsen, Martin; Jacobsen, Stine

2017-01-01

Strongylus vulgaris has been found endemic in equine populations subject to parasite control by targeted selective anthelmintic therapy. This study investigated hemostasis in foals naturally infected with S. vulgaris and monitored this response over the course of progressing infection stages...... 4. Strongylus vulgaris antibody levels were statistically associated with D-dimer (P = .0076) and fibrinogen (P = .0004) concentrations. Naturally acquired infection with S. vulgaris was associated with changes suggestive of mild activation of coagulation, fibrinolysis, and inflammation. The results....... The hemostatic indices D-dimer, antithrombin III (ATIII), fibrinogen, prothrombin time (PT), and activated partial thromboplastin time were evaluated in weekly blood samples for up to 50 weeks in 12 foals born into a herd with high prevalence of S. vulgaris. Results were compared with weekly S. vulgaris antibody...

Assessment of acquired capability for suicide in clinical practice.

Science.gov (United States)

Rimkeviciene, Jurgita; Hawgood, Jacinta; O'Gorman, John; De Leo, Diego

2016-12-01

The Interpersonal Psychological Theory of suicide proposes that the interaction between Thwarted Belongingness, Perceived Burdensomeness, and Acquired Capability for Suicide (ACS) predicts proximal risk of death by suicide. Instruments to assess all three constructs are available. However, research on the validity of one of them, the acquired capability for suicide scale (ACSS), has been limited, especially in terms of its clinical relevance. This study aimed to explore the utility of the different versions of the ACSS in clinical assessment. Three versions of the scale were investigated, the full 20-item version, a 7-item version and a single item version representing self-perceived capability for suicide. In a sample of patients recruited from a clinic specialising in the treatment of suicidality and in a community sample, all versions of the ACSS were found to show reasonable levels of reliability and to correlate as expected with reports of suicidal ideation, self-harm, and attempted suicide. The item assessing self-perceived acquired capacity for suicide showed highest correlations with all levels of suicidal behaviour. However, no version of the ACSS on its own showed a capacity to indicate suicide attempts in the combined sample. It is concluded that the versions of the scale have construct validity, but their clinical utility is limited. An assessment using a single item on self-perceived ACS outperforms the full and shortened versions of ACSS in clinical settings and can be recommended with caution for clinicians interested in assessing this characteristic.

Establishing Priorities for Acquiring Natural Resources Data Parameters

Science.gov (United States)

1981-11-01

but would significantly reduce its effectiveness. 5. Information which the lack of would terminate or render totally inef- fective a management program...the Interior, 1977). In the Beginning: An Introduction to Archeology (Little, Brown and Co., 1978). Hole, Frank and Robert H. Heizer , An Introduction

26 CFR 53.4943-5 - Present holdings acquired by trust or a will.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 26 Internal Revenue 17 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Present holdings acquired by trust or a will... Business Holdings § 53.4943-5 Present holdings acquired by trust or a will. (a) Interests to which section... terms of a will executed on or before May 26, 1969. (3) Certain revocable trusts. If an interest in a...

Acquired factor VIII inhibitor syndrome: A rare cause of hematuria

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Muthuvel Seral Kannan

2015-01-01

Full Text Available A 50-year-old woman presented with gross hematuria for 1 month. Clinical examinations, laboratory investigations, ultrasound and contrast computed tomography were normal, except anemia. Cystoscopy revealed bloody efflux from the right side. Retrograde pyelogram showed filling defect in the renal pelvis and biopsy was inconclusive. Renal angiogram was normal. She developed ecchymosis on the right thigh and arm with elevated activated partial thromboplastin time. The partial thromboplastin time correction study and Bethesda study confirmed the presence of acquired factor VIII inhibitor (acquired hemophilia. With flexible ureterorenoscopy, the mass in the renal pelvis was removed and its histopathology revealed clotted blood. The patient was subsequently managed with steroids and Factor eight inhibitor bypass activity.

Microbe-Induced Inflammatory Signals Triggering Acquired Bone Marrow Failure Syndromes.

Science.gov (United States)

Espinoza, J Luis; Kotecha, Ritesh; Nakao, Shinji

2017-01-01

Acquired bone marrow failure syndromes encompass a unique set of disorders characterized by a reduction in the effective production of mature cells by the bone marrow (BM). In the majority of cases, these syndromes are the result of the immune-mediated destruction of hematopoietic stem cells or their progenitors at various stages of differentiation. Microbial infection has also been associated with hematopoietic stem cell injury and may lead to associated transient or persistent BM failure, and recent evidence has highlighted the potential impact of commensal microbes and their metabolites on hematopoiesis. We summarize the interactions between microorganisms and the host immune system and emphasize how they may impact the development of acquired BM failure.

Software for Acquiring Image Data for PIV

Science.gov (United States)

Wernet, Mark P.; Cheung, H. M.; Kressler, Brian

2003-01-01

PIV Acquisition (PIVACQ) is a computer program for acquisition of data for particle-image velocimetry (PIV). In the PIV system for which PIVACQ was developed, small particles entrained in a flow are illuminated with a sheet of light from a pulsed laser. The illuminated region is monitored by a charge-coupled-device camera that operates in conjunction with a data-acquisition system that includes a frame grabber and a counter-timer board, both installed in a single computer. The camera operates in "frame-straddle" mode where a pair of images can be obtained closely spaced in time (on the order of microseconds). The frame grabber acquires image data from the camera and stores the data in the computer memory. The counter/timer board triggers the camera and synchronizes the pulsing of the laser with acquisition of data from the camera. PIVPROC coordinates all of these functions and provides a graphical user interface, through which the user can control the PIV data-acquisition system. PIVACQ enables the user to acquire a sequence of single-exposure images, display the images, process the images, and then save the images to the computer hard drive. PIVACQ works in conjunction with the PIVPROC program which processes the images of particles into the velocity field in the illuminated plane.

Nature, Genetics and the Biophilia Connection: Exploring Linkages with Social Work Values and Practice

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fred H. Besthorn

2003-05-01

Full Text Available Social work’s notion of environment and its environmental responsibilities has always been narrowly defined. The profession has tended to either neglect natural environmental issues or accept shallow, ecological conceptualizations of nature as something other, quite separate from the human enterprise and/or outside the reach of social work activity. The Biophilia Hypothesis, first articulated by Harvard biologist E.O.Wilson in 1984, offers social work as a fundamentally different view of the person/environment construct and argues for a primary shift in the way the profession views its relationship with the natural world. This article traces the conceptual development of the Biophilic theory and reviews pivotal empirical evidence explicitly arguing for the essential Biophilic premise that humans have acquired, through their long evolutionary history, a strong genetic predisposition for nature and natural settings. It offers key insights and examples for incorporating Biophilia into social work’s values and knowledge base and how it may impact the profession’s practice strategies and techniques.

Sequential Therapy of Community-Acquired Pneumonia in Children

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

I.A. Karimdzhanov

2014-04-01

Full Text Available Aim of the study — to examine the effectiveness of sequential therapy of injectable and oral forms cephalosporins of II generation, cefuroxime sodium and cefprozil, in children with acute community-acquired pneumonia. We examined 53 child patients aged 6 months — 14 years with acute community-acquired pneumonia. Patients were divided into 2 groups: 1st group — 26 patients who treated with cefuroxime sodium intramuscularly, and 2nd — 27 patients who treated with cefuroxime sodium in first 3 days and then from the 4th day — with cefprozil suspension orally. Both groups of patients were comparable by forms and course of pneumonia. In the clinic to all patients were conducted conventional clinical and laboratory investigations. Complex therapy was not different in both groups. Efficacy of treatment was assessed in dynamics. When comparing the effectiveness of two antibiotic regimens (cefuroxime sodium parenterally and sequential regimen with replacement by cefprozil orally there were no differences in the dynamics of clinical course, laboratory and radiological data. Finding of the conducted investigations before treatment showed that majority of patients had clinical and radiological evidence of pneumonia: fever, cough, shortness of breath, tachycardia, physical and radiological changes in the lungs. Evaluation of treatment efficacy showed that by the end of treatment in both groups of patients there was a positive clinical and radiological dynamics of the disease, the body temperature returned to normal, symptoms of intoxication, physical changes in the lungs disappeared, focal and infiltrative changes disappeared completely. Thus, sequential therapy with cephalosporins of II generation, cefuroxime and cefprozil, in the treatment of acute community-acquired pneumonia in children is a quite effective and safe method with good tolerability and no side effects.

Effect of storage on radiation and antibiotic acquired stability in bacilli

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tawfik, Z.S.

1991-01-01

The properties of two highly radioresistant bacterial strains namely B. laterosporous and B. firmus isolated, three years ago, from the water shielding the industrial Co-60 source of NCRRT Egypt were studied. The results showed that the studied isolates had lost their resistance to gamma irradiation as compared with their properties acquired at the time of isolation. The sensitivity test of these isolates to some antibiotics and sulpha drugs was also investigated, and was compared with tests performed on the same species isolated from tap water. The pronounced resistance of these isolates to some antibiotics acquired three years ago, had been lost by storage except for the case of the drug chemotrim. The results indicated that the acquired resistivity to both gamma irradiation and antibiotics due to the chronic exposure to gamma radiation is not stable. It is concluded that the genes controlling both phenomena, in the studied strains, fall into broad categories and the case might be a repair mechanism in the DNA during successive reproduction.2 fig., 2 tab

Preserved memory in retrograde amnesia: sparing of a recently acquired skill.

Science.gov (United States)

Squire, L R; Cohen, N J; Zouzounis, J A

1984-01-01

Recent work with amnesic patients has revealed a preserved capacity for acquiring and retaining new skills despite otherwise profound anterograde impairment. In addition to their anterograde impairment, amnesic patients also have retrograde memory loss for some information acquired prior to the amnesic event. The present experiment addresses for the first time the question of whether preservation of memory for skills is also a feature memory impairment. To determine the susceptibility of a recently learned skill to retrograde amnesia, we taught patients to read mirror-reversed words before and during the early part of a prescribed course of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) and then tested retention of the skill after the course of treatment had been completed. Patients prescribed bilateral or right unilateral ECT and depressed patients not receiving ECT acquired the mirror-reading skill at the same rate and then retained it at the same level. For the patients prescribed ECT, intact learning and retention of the skill occurred despite retrograde amnesia for the previous testing sessions and for the words that they had read previously.

Residual fMRI sensitivity for identity changes in acquired prosopagnosia.

Science.gov (United States)

Fox, Christopher J; Iaria, Giuseppe; Duchaine, Bradley C; Barton, Jason J S

2013-01-01

While a network of cortical regions contribute to face processing, the lesions in acquired prosopagnosia are highly variable, and likely result in different combinations of spared and affected regions of this network. To assess the residual functional sensitivities of spared regions in prosopagnosia, we designed a rapid event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) experiment that included pairs of faces with same or different identities and same or different expressions. By measuring the release from adaptation to these facial changes we determined the residual sensitivity of face-selective regions-of-interest. We tested three patients with acquired prosopagnosia, and all three of these patients demonstrated residual sensitivity for facial identity changes in surviving fusiform and occipital face areas of either the right or left hemisphere, but not in the right posterior superior temporal sulcus. The patients also showed some residual capabilities for facial discrimination with normal performance on the Benton Facial Recognition Test, but impaired performance on more complex tasks of facial discrimination. We conclude that fMRI can demonstrate residual processing of facial identity in acquired prosopagnosia, that this adaptation can occur in the same structures that show similar processing in healthy subjects, and further, that this adaptation may be related to behavioral indices of face perception.

Residual fMRI sensitivity for identity changes in acquired prosopagnosia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christopher J Fox

2013-10-01

Full Text Available While a network of cortical regions contribute to face processing, the lesions in acquired prosopagnosia are highly variable, and likely result in different combinations of spared and affected regions of this network. To assess the residual functional sensitivities of spared regions in prosopagnosia, we designed a rapid event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI experiment that included pairs of faces with same or different identities and same or different expressions. By measuring the release from adaptation to these facial changes we determined the residual sensitivity of face-selective regions-of-interest. We tested three patients with acquired prosopagnosia, and all three of these patients demonstrated residual sensitivity for facial identity changes in surviving fusiform and occipital face areas of either the right or left hemisphere, but not in the right posterior superior temporal sulcus. The patients also showed some residual capabilities for facial discrimination with normal performance on the Benton Facial Recognition Test, but impaired performance on more complex tasks of facial discrimination. We conclude that fMRI can demonstrate residual processing of facial identity in acquired prosopagnosia, that this adaptation can occur in the same structures that show similar processing in healthy subjects, and further, that this adaptation may be related to behavioral indices of face perception.

The Host Response in Patients with Sepsis Developing Intensive Care Unit-acquired Secondary Infections.

Science.gov (United States)

van Vught, Lonneke A; Wiewel, Maryse A; Hoogendijk, Arie J; Frencken, Jos F; Scicluna, Brendon P; Klein Klouwenberg, Peter M C; Zwinderman, Aeilko H; Lutter, Rene; Horn, Janneke; Schultz, Marcus J; Bonten, Marc M J; Cremer, Olaf L; van der Poll, Tom

2017-08-15

Sepsis can be complicated by secondary infections. We explored the possibility that patients with sepsis developing a secondary infection while in the intensive care unit (ICU) display sustained inflammatory, vascular, and procoagulant responses. To compare systemic proinflammatory host responses in patients with sepsis who acquire a new infection with those who do not. Consecutive patients with sepsis with a length of ICU stay greater than 48 hours were prospectively analyzed for the development of ICU-acquired infections. Twenty host response biomarkers reflective of key pathways implicated in sepsis pathogenesis were measured during the first 4 days after ICU admission and at the day of an ICU-acquired infection or noninfectious complication. Of 1,237 admissions for sepsis (1,089 patients), 178 (14.4%) admissions were complicated by ICU-acquired infections (at Day 10 [6-13], median with interquartile range). Patients who developed a secondary infection showed higher disease severity scores and higher mortality up to 1 year than those who did not. Analyses of biomarkers in patients who later went on to develop secondary infections revealed a more dysregulated host response during the first 4 days after admission, as reflected by enhanced inflammation, stronger endothelial cell activation, a more disturbed vascular integrity, and evidence for enhanced coagulation activation. Host response reactions were similar at the time of ICU-acquired infectious or noninfectious complications. Patients with sepsis who developed an ICU-acquired infection showed a more dysregulated proinflammatory and vascular host response during the first 4 days of ICU admission than those who did not develop a secondary infection.

Cosmic ray runs acquired with ATLAS muon stations

CERN Multimedia

Cerutti, F.

Starting in the fall 2005 several cosmic ray runs have been acquired in the ATLAS pit with six muon stations. These were three large outer and three large middle chambers of the feet sector (sector 13) that have been readout in the ATLAS cavern. In the first data taking period the trigger was based on two large scintillators (~300x30 cm2) positioned in sector 13 just below the large chambers. In this first run the precision chambers (the Monitored Drift Tubes) were operated in a close to final configuration. Typical trigger rates with this setup were of the order of 1 Hz. Several data sets of 10k events were acquired with final electronics up to the muon ROD and analysed with ATHENA-based software. These data allowed the first checks of the functionality and efficiency of the MDT stations in the ATLAS pit and the first measurement of the FE electronics noise in the ATLAS environment. A few event were also collected in a combined run with the TILE barrel calorimeter. An event display of a cosmic ray a...

Cancer resistance as an acquired and inheritable trait

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Koch, Janne; Hau, Jann; Jensen, Henrik Elvang

2014-01-01

AIM: To induce cancer resistance in wild-type mice and detect if the resistance could be inherited to the progeny of the induced resistant mice. Furthermore to investigate the spectrum and immunology of this inherited cancer resistance. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Resistance to with live S180 cancer c...... of the resistance is unknown but may involve epigenetic mechanisms. Other examples of inheritability of acquired phenotypic changes exist but, to our knowledge, this is the first demonstration of acquired, inherited cancer resistance.......AIM: To induce cancer resistance in wild-type mice and detect if the resistance could be inherited to the progeny of the induced resistant mice. Furthermore to investigate the spectrum and immunology of this inherited cancer resistance. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Resistance to with live S180 cancer...... cells in BALB/c mice was induced by immunization with inactivated S180 cancer cells. The immunization was performed by either frozen/thawed or irradiated cancer cells or cell-free ascitic fluid (CFAF). RESULTS: In all instances the induced resistance was demonstrated to be inheritable. The phenotype...

Guiding therapy and adjunctive treatment in community-acquired pneumonia

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Spoorenberg, S.M.C.

2018-01-01

Background: Despite the availability of effective antibiotics and vaccines, community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) remains the cause of significant morbidity and mortality worldwide.A major problem is that in absence of full spectrum rapid microbiology diagnostics, the antibiotic treatment at start is

The Influence of Disciplines on the Knowledge of Science: A Study of the Nature of Science

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

B. Akarsu

2010-06-01

Full Text Available At least four factors affect pupils’ understanding of the nature of science: teachers’ specialization in different science areas (physics, chemistry, and biology, gender issues, teaching experience in elementary school environments, and the perspectives of acquiring necessary knowledge. This study is the introduction part of a research project which will be initiated soon. Four elementary science teachers participated in the study. The results reveal that participants’ views of the aspects of nature of science are not solely diverged, based on their major disciplines, but there exist significant distinctions according to gender differences.

Brucella abortus infection acquired in microbiology laboratories.

Science.gov (United States)

Fiori, P L; Mastrandrea, S; Rappelli, P; Cappuccinelli, P

2000-05-01

We report an outbreak of laboratory-acquired Brucella abortus infection originating in the accidental breakage of a centrifuge tube. A total of 12 laboratory workers were infected (attack rate of 31%), with an incubation time ranging from 6 weeks to 5 months. Antibody titers were evaluated weekly in all personnel exposed, allowing the diagnosis of the infection in most cases before the onset of clinical symptoms, so that specific therapy could be administrated.

Meaningful Learning in the Permanent Exhibition Hall of the Natural Science Museum of Universidade de Caxias do Sul

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fabiana Setti Zulian

2014-12-01

Full Text Available The Museum of Natural Sciences, University of Caxias do Sul, the space of non-formal education, has great potential for the development of activities related to environmental education. In the permanent exhibition room are provided information on the concept of ecosystems, flora and fauna of regional ecosystems, the interaction between them and the environmental impacts that suffer be performed. In tutoring questions occur and students are to report give opportunity knowledge they have acquired in school and in everyday experiences, adding new insights to these, thus making meaningful learning. Aiming to conserve natural resources and enhance ecosystems of Rio Grande do Sul, with the familiar design to preserve: the ecosystems of the Rio Grande do Sul - The Natural Science Museum goes to School, in partnership with the Municipal Primary School Jardelino Ramos, we elaborated a different methodology in addition to visitation. After explanations of ecosystems, various activities, including game of questions and answers on ecosystems, bingo and interactive storytelling history were under taken in accordance with the age range of students. Participated in these activities about 450 students of the partner school. The result was significant, it was noted that in later activities in school the occurrence of transferring the knowledge acquired in visits to the Natural Science Museum, through the reports and actions of students.

Natural gas in Latin America and The Caribbean

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ortiz Duran, Rene

1993-01-01

The natural gas, considered at the moment, one of the few energy capable environmental hydro carburiferous and perhaps the cleanest, it has captured the attention of the world of the energy of final of century, due to the prominence that it has acquired in all the political, economic, social, cultural circles and inclusive religious, the topic of the protection and improvement of the environment in which they are unwrapped and the human activities are developed, animals and of all the species that populate the planet, however, taking in consideration the growing character of interdependence between nations and regions of the world and admitting the delicate balance existent in the nature, of which is part the man, is also imperative to consider, to study, and to agree the road and the form globally of reaching a sustainable development for all the countries and regions of the world. The author also refers to the consumption of the gas in other countries and his development

CMS Nonpayment Policy, Quality Improvement, and Hospital-Acquired Conditions: An Integrative Review.

Science.gov (United States)

Bae, Sung-Heui

This integrative review synthesized evidence on the consequences of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) nonpayment policy on quality improvement initiatives and hospital-acquired conditions. Fourteen articles were included. This review presents strong evidence that the CMS policy has spurred quality improvement initiatives; however, the relationships between the CMS policy and hospital-acquired conditions are inconclusive. In future research, a comprehensive model of implementation of the CMS nonpayment policy would help us understand the effectiveness of this policy.

Transfer of Juggling Skills Acquired in a Virtual Environment

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hauge, Alex Patrick; Kragegaard, Christian Skriver; Kjæhr, Emil Bering

2013-01-01

This paper explores whether motoric skills acquired within a virtual training environment can be successfully transferred to the real world by comparing a virtual environment with a traditional learning environment. Specifically, a system for learning juggling with virtual balls was designed with...

Predictors of Outcome following Acquired Brain Injury in Children

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, Abigail R.; DeMatt, Ellen; Salorio, Cynthia F.

2009-01-01

Acquired brain injury (ABI) in children and adolescents can result from multiple causes, including trauma, central nervous system infections, noninfectious disorders (epilepsy, hypoxia/ischemia, genetic/metabolic disorders), tumors, and vascular abnormalities. Prediction of outcomes is important, to target interventions, allocate resources,…

Integration of Field Studies and Undergraduate Research into an Interdisciplinary Course: Natural History of Tropical Carbonate Ecosystems

Science.gov (United States)

Eves, Robert L.; Davis, Larry E.; Brown, D. Gordon; Lamberts, William L.

2007-01-01

According to Carl Sagan (1987), "Science is a way of thinking much more than it is a body of knowledge." Field studies and undergraduate research provide students with the best opportunities for "thinking" about science, while at the same time acquiring a body of knowledge. Natural History of Tropical Carbonate Ecosystems is a…

Knowledge transfer process of Brazilian multinationals: comparing acquired subsidiaries to the greenfield ones

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Natacha Bertoia Silva

2012-07-01

Full Text Available The main purpose of this study was to explore the knowledge transfer process between the subsidiaries and the headquarter of Brazilian multinationals, and to identify the most used mechanisms for transferring knowledge. This paper also aims to point out existing barriers in this process, comparing acquired subsidiaries to the greenfield ones. International studies have shown differences in the process of knowledge transfer due to the origin of foreign units (entry mode. We surveyed in 2006 and 2007 a sample of 66 Brazilian subsidiaries of multinationals with overseas activities. As a result, the knowledge transfer from the headquarter to the subsidiary has occurred through meetings with top executives and the reception of Brazilian executives in both types of units. The barriers to knowledge transfer are bland, being clearer in acquired subsidiaries. Cultural resistance is the most prominent. When we focus on the acquired units, the hierarchical structure is seen as a barrier, probably reflecting the centralized attitude by the headquarters. At the same time, the lack of incentives for sharing knowledge is more evident in greenfield units. Also, the syndrome of not invented here is a perceived barrier by acquired units.

A guide to understanding social science research for natural scientists.

Science.gov (United States)

Moon, Katie; Blackman, Deborah

2014-10-01

Natural scientists are increasingly interested in social research because they recognize that conservation problems are commonly social problems. Interpreting social research, however, requires at least a basic understanding of the philosophical principles and theoretical assumptions of the discipline, which are embedded in the design of social research. Natural scientists who engage in social science but are unfamiliar with these principles and assumptions can misinterpret their results. We developed a guide to assist natural scientists in understanding the philosophical basis of social science to support the meaningful interpretation of social research outcomes. The 3 fundamental elements of research are ontology, what exists in the human world that researchers can acquire knowledge about; epistemology, how knowledge is created; and philosophical perspective, the philosophical orientation of the researcher that guides her or his action. Many elements of the guide also apply to the natural sciences. Natural scientists can use the guide to assist them in interpreting social science research to determine how the ontological position of the researcher can influence the nature of the research; how the epistemological position can be used to support the legitimacy of different types of knowledge; and how philosophical perspective can shape the researcher's choice of methods and affect interpretation, communication, and application of results. The use of this guide can also support and promote the effective integration of the natural and social sciences to generate more insightful and relevant conservation research outcomes. © 2014 Society for Conservation Biology.

The role of acquired immunity and periodontal disease progression.

Science.gov (United States)

Teng, Yen-Tung A

2003-01-01

Our understanding of the pathogenesis in human periodontal diseases is limited by the lack of specific and sensitive tools or models to study the complex microbial challenges and their interactions with the host's immune system. Recent advances in cellular and molecular biology research have demonstrated the importance of the acquired immune system not only in fighting the virulent periodontal pathogens but also in protecting the host from developing further devastating conditions in periodontal infections. The use of genetic knockout and immunodeficient mouse strains has shown that the acquired immune response-in particular, CD4+ T-cells-plays a pivotal role in controlling the ongoing infection, the immune/inflammatory responses, and the subsequent host's tissue destruction. In particular, studies of the pathogen-specific CD4+ T-cell-mediated immunity have clarified the roles of: (i) the relative diverse immune repertoire involved in periodontal pathogenesis, (ii) the contribution of pathogen-associated Th1-Th2 cytokine expressions in periodontal disease progression, and (iii) micro-organism-triggered periodontal CD4+ T-cell-mediated osteoclastogenic factor, 'RANK-L', which is linked to the induction of alveolar bone destruction in situ. The present review will focus on some recent advances in the acquired immune responses involving B-cells, CD8+ T-cells, and CD4+ T-cells in the context of periodontal disease progression. New approaches will further facilitate our understanding of their underlying molecular mechanisms that may lead to the development of new treatment modalities for periodontal diseases and their associated complications.

System Acquires Data On Reactivities Of Foams

Science.gov (United States)

Walls, Joe T.

1994-01-01

Data-acquisition and -plotting system, called DAPS(TM), developed enabling accurate and objective determination of physical properties related to reactivities of polyurethane and polyisocyanurate foams. Automated, computer-controlled test apparatus that acquires data on rates of rise, rise profiles, exothermic temperatures, and internal pressures of foams prepared from both manual and machine-mixed batches. Data used to determine minute differences between reaction kinetics and exothermic profiles of foam formulations, properties of end products which are statistically undifferentiated.

A Danish national strategy for treatment and rehabilitation after acquired brain injury

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Engberg, Aase W

2007-01-01

This study describes the establishment of a Danish national strategy for treatment and rehabilitation of acquired brain injury, particularly traumatic brain injury, in 1997. The vision was to create a system of tax-financed continuous treatment, restoration of function, and outpatient rehabilitat......This study describes the establishment of a Danish national strategy for treatment and rehabilitation of acquired brain injury, particularly traumatic brain injury, in 1997. The vision was to create a system of tax-financed continuous treatment, restoration of function, and outpatient...

Perception of using group buying sites to acquire tourist services cou-pons

OpenAIRE

Luiz Mendes Filho; Vanessa Araújo Jorge; Otávio Bezerra de Sena Júnior

2016-01-01

Technologies brought new forms of business as in the case of group buying sites, which are basically a way to sell on the Internet that allows consumers to buy goods and services at lower prices. This study analyzed the travelers’ perception of the use of group buying sites to acquire tourist services coupons. The research presents a quantitative-exploratory approach using the Technology Acceptance Model to investigate the use of group buying sites to acquire tourist services coupons during a...

Surveillance for Travel and Domestically Acquired Multidrug-Resistant Human Shigella Infections-Pennsylvania, 2006-2014.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Yu Lung; Tewari, Deepanker; Yealy, Courtney C; Fardig, David; M'ikanatha, Nkuchia M

2016-01-01

Shigellosis is a leading cause of enteric infections in the United States. We compared antimicrobial resistance in Shigella infections related to overseas travel (travel-associated) and in those acquired domestically by analyzing antimicrobial resistance patterns, geographic distributions, and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) patterns. We tested samples (n = 204) from a collection of isolates recovered from patients in Pennsylvania between 2006 and 2014. Isolates were grouped into travel- and non-travel-associated categories. Eighty-one (79.4%) of the Shigella isolates acquired during international travel were resistant to multiple antibiotics compared to 53 (52.1%) of the infections transmitted in domestic settings. A majority (79.4%) of isolates associated with international travel demonstrated resistance to aminoglycosides and tetracyclines, whereas 47 (46.1%) of the infections acquired domestically were resistant to tetracycline. Almost all isolates (92.2%) transmitted in domestic settings were resistant to aminoglycosides, and 5 isolates from adult male patients were resistant to azithromycin, a drug often used for empiric treatment of severe shigellosis. Twenty (19.6%) isolates associated with illnesses acquired during overseas travel in 4 countries were resistant to quinolones. One S. sonnei PFGE pattern was traced to a multidrug-resistant isolate acquired overseas that had caused a multistate outbreak of shigellosis, suggesting global dissemination of a drug-resistant species. Resistance to certain drugs-for example, tetracycline-increased in both overseas- and domestic-acquired infections during the study period. The prevalence of resistance to macrolides (azithromycin) and third-generation cephalosporins (ceftriaxone) was less than 1%; however, efforts to better monitor changes in drug resistance over time combined with increased antimicrobial stewardship are essential at the local, national, and global levels.

Strategies to improve clinical management of community-acquired pneumonia

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Meijvis, S.C.A.

2012-01-01

Despite advances during the last few decades in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP), its incidence remains high. In this thesis, strategies are described for improvement of the quality of clinical management in patients with pneumonia and for the reduction

The impact of blood glucose on community-acquired pneumonia

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Andreas Vestergaard; Egelund, Gertrud Baunbæk; Andersen, Stine Bang

2017-01-01

Hyperglycaemia is common in patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) and is a predictor of severe outcomes. Data are scarce regarding whether this association is affected by diabetes mellitus (DM) and also regarding its importance for severe outcomes in hospital. We determined the impact...

'Atypical' bacteria are a common cause of community-acquired ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Objectives. To assess the proportion of cases of community· acquired pneumonia caused by 'atypical' bacteria, inclUding the recently discovered Chlamydia pneumoniae, and to compare the clinical, radiographic and laboratory features of patients with and without 'atypical' bacteria. Methods. A prospective serological ...

Naturally acquired bovine besnoitiosis: histological and immunohistochemical findings in acute, subacute, and chronic disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Langenmayer, M C; Gollnick, N S; Majzoub-Altweck, M; Scharr, J C; Schares, G; Hermanns, W

2015-05-01

The pathogenesis of bovine besnoitiosis, a disease of increasing concern within Europe, is still incompletely understood. In this study, disease progression after natural infection with the causative apicomplexan Besnoitia besnoiti was monitored in histological skin sections of 5 individual female cattle over time. High-frequency skin sampling of 2 cattle with mild and 2 with severe acute, subacute, and chronic besnoitiosis, as well as from 1 animal during subclinical disease, enabled documentation from the beginning of the disease. Skin sections were stained with hematoxylin and eosin and Giemsa, periodic acid-Schiff reaction, and anti-Besnoitia immunohistochemistry. In all 4 clinically affected animals, tachyzoite-like endozoites could be detected for the first time by immunohistochemistry, and tissue cyst evolution was monitored. Besnoitiosis-associated lesions were not detected in the animal showing the subclinical course. Because of the inconsistency of the nomenclature of Besnoitia tissue cyst layers in the literature, a new nomenclature for B. besnoiti cyst wall layers is proposed: tissue cysts consist of a hypertrophied host cell with enlarged nuclei, an intracytoplasmic parasitophorous vacuole with bradyzoites, a sometimes vacuolated inner cyst wall, and an outer cyst wall in more developed cysts. Inner and outer cyst walls can be readily distinguished by using special stains. In 1 animal, extracystic B. besnoiti zoites were immunohistochemically detected during the chronic stage. At necropsy, the 2 severely affected cows displayed large numbers of B. besnoiti cysts in a variety of tissues, including the corium of the claws, contributing mainly to the development of chronic laminitis in these 2 cases. © The Author(s) 2014.

Independent radiographic prognostic factors in patients with hospital-treated community-acquired pneumonia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wilhelm, K.; Textor, J.; Schild, H.; Ewig, S.; Luederitz, B.; Krollmann, G.

1999-01-01

Purpose: To evaluate the independent prognostic impact of the chest radiograph for mortality from community-acquired pneumonia requiring hospitalization. Methods: Chest radiographs of 67 patients with hospital-treated community-acquired pneumonia were analyzed with regard to the prognostic implications of radiographic patterns, extent and density of infiltrates, and its evolution during treatment. Results: Non-survivors had a significantly higher extent of infiltrates (p=0.008), density of infiltrates (p=0.05), and radiographic spread during follow-up within 48-72 hours (p=0.0001). In multivariate analysis, persistent or progressive infiltrates were associated with a 47fold increase, and persistent or progressive density of infiltrates with an 18fold increase in risk of mortality. The presence of both parameters could correctly predict 96% of survivors and 90% of non-survivors. Conclusions: The chest radiograph is an independent predictor of the severity of pneumonia. Both persistent or progressive infiltrates and persistent or progressive density of infiltrates are independently associated with mortality from community-acquired pneumonia. (orig.) [de

Interleukin-2 and Interleukin-8 Gene Polymorphisms and Acquired Aplastic Anemia Risk in a Chinese Population.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Xuejie; Lin, Shengyun; Yang, Yan; Rong, Liucheng; He, Guangsheng; He, Hailong; Xue, Yao; Fang, Yongjun; Wang, Yaping

2017-01-01

Cytokines IL-2 and IL-8 both participate in immune regulation. However, the relationship between polymorphisms in these two cytokines and the risk of acquired aplastic anemia (acquired AA) has not been explored. We selected five SNPs including rs11575812, rs2069772 and rs2069762 of IL-2, rs2227306 and rs2227543 of IL-8. SNaPshot genotyping was used to test the genotypes of IL-2 and IL-8 polymorphisms in a population of 101 acquired AA patients and 165 healthy controls. The rs2069762 G allele appeared to be a protective mutation, but no significant differences were found in other four SNPs. We also found that rs2069762 had an impact on the transcriptional regulation. It could be assumed that the rs2069762 polymorphism might reduce the risk of acquired aplastic anemia, while the remaining four SNPs might not contribute to susceptibility to acquired AA in a Chinese population. © 2017 The Author(s)Published by S. Karger AG, Basel.

Community-acquired Clostridium difficile infection in children: A retrospective study.

Science.gov (United States)

Borali, Elena; Ortisi, Giuseppe; Moretti, Chiara; Stacul, Elisabetta Francesca; Lipreri, Rita; Gesu, Giovanni Pietro; De Giacomo, Costantino

2015-10-01

Community acquired-Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) has increased also in children in the last years. To determine the incidence of community-acquired CDI and to understand whether Clostridium difficile could be considered a symptom-triggering pathogen in infants. A five-year retrospective analysis (January 2007-December 2011) of faecal specimens from 124 children hospitalized in the Niguarda Ca' Granda Hospital for prolonged or muco-haemorrhagic diarrhoea was carried out. Stool samples were evaluated for common infective causes of diarrhoea and for Clostridium difficile toxins. Patients with and without CDI were compared for clinical characteristics and known risk factors for infection. Twenty-two children with CDI were identified in 5 years. An increased incidence of community-acquired CDI was observed, ranging from 0.75 per 1000 hospitalizations in 2007 to 9.8 per 1000 hospitalizations in 2011. Antimicrobial treatment was successful in all 19 children in whom it was administered; 8/22 CDI-positive children were younger than 2 years. No statistically significant differences in clinical presentation were observed between patients with and without CDI, nor in patients with and without risk factors for CDI. Our study shows that Clostridium difficile infection is increasing and suggests a possible pathogenic role in the first 2 years of life. Copyright © 2015 Editrice Gastroenterologica Italiana S.r.l. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Electrical Signaling, Photosynthesis and Systemic Acquired Acclimation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Magdalena Szechyńska-Hebda

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Electrical signaling in higher plants is required for the appropriate intracellular and intercellular communication, stress responses, growth and development. In this review, we have focus on recent findings regarding the electrical signaling, as a major regulator of the systemic acquired acclimation (SAA and the systemic acquired resistance (SAR. The electric signaling on its own cannot confer the required specificity of information to trigger SAA and SAR, therefore, we have also discussed a number of other mechanisms and signaling systems that can operate in combination with electric signaling. We have emphasized the interrelation between ionic mechanism of electrical activity and regulation of photosynthesis, which is intrinsic to a proper induction of SAA and SAR. In a special way, we have summarized the role of non-photochemical quenching and its regulator PsbS. Further, redox status of the cell, calcium and hydraulic waves, hormonal circuits and stomatal aperture regulation have been considered as components of the signaling. Finally, a model of light-dependent mechanisms of electrical signaling propagation has been presented together with the systemic regulation of light-responsive genes encoding both, ion channels and proteins involved in regulation of their activity. Due to space limitations, we have not addressed many other important aspects of hormonal and ROS signaling, which were presented in a number of recent excellent reviews.

Neurosis of acquired helplessness and role of hypoxia in the formation of this disorder in rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Vvedenskaya, O Yu; Avrushchenko, M A; Bol'shakova, T D; Khitrov, N K; Moroz, V V

2003-04-01

Acquisition of instrumental defense response with pain reinforcement uncertainty (25% reinforcement) induced the development of acquired helplessness in 50% rats. Acquired helplessness is characterized by the absence of responses to conditioned (light) and unconditioned stimuli (pain), minor response of plasma corticosterone to learning, gas markers of circulatory cerebral hypoxia (Delta A/V pO2 carotid artery/jugular vein), low sensitivity to severe hypobaric conditions, and high resistance of Purkinje cells in the cerebellum. Piracetam improved learning and prevented the development of acquired helplessness. Local changes in cerebral blood flow and energy deficit in neurons responsible for emotional stress during acquired helplessness impair adaptive capacity, but reduce energy consumption and protect neuronal structures.

29 CFR 789.5 - “* * * acquired * * * in good faith * * * for value without notice * * *.”

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 29 Labor 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false â* * * acquired * * * in good faith * * * for value without... OF 1938, RELATING TO WRITTEN ASSURANCES § 789.5 “* * * acquired * * * in good faith * * * for value... the goods in good faith in reliance on the specified written assurance in order to be accorded the...

Pseudomona pseudomallei community acquired pneumonia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Severiche, Diego

1998-01-01

This is the first published case report en Colombia about pseudomona pseudomallei community acquired pneumonia. This uncommon pathogen is from the epidemiological standpoint a very important one and medical community should be aware to look after it in those patients where no other etiological pathogen is recovered. A brief summary about epidemiology is showed, emphasizing those regions where it can be found. Likewise, comments about the differential diagnosis are important since it should be considered in those patients where tuberculosis is suspected. This is particularly representative for countries with high tuberculosis rates. Furthermore, a microbiological review is shown, emphasizing on isolation techniques, descriptions about therapeutics and other regarding treatment issues according international standards. Finally; a description about the clinical picture, laboratory findings, treatment and evolution of the case reported are shown for discussion

HOW ROMANIAN FINANCIAL AND INTERNAL AUDITORS ACQUIRE ACCOUNTING INFORMATION SYSTEMS KNOWLEDGE AND COMPETENCES?

OpenAIRE

Cardos Vasile - Daniel

2011-01-01

Research theme - in this article we investigate how Romanian financial and internal auditors acquire accounting information systems knowledge and competences and how they use this knowledge to improve their activity in order to fulfill their mission as required by the professional standards. Objectives - our main purpose is to establish through what type of courses Romanian financial and internal auditors acquiring accounting information systems knowledge and competences and how useful these ...

Thermal hydraulic phenomenology for the heating process in a natural circulation facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Torres, Walmir M.; Macedo, Luiz A.; Mesquita, Roberto N.; Masotti, Paulo Henrique F.; Libardi, Rosani Maria P.; Sabundjian, Gaiane; Andrade, Delvonei A.; Umbehaun, Pedro Ernesto; Conti, Thadeu N.; Silva Filho, Mauro F.S.; Melo, Gabriel R.

2009-01-01

This work describes thermal hydraulic phenomenology observed for the heating process in a natural circulation facility. Glass made circuit allows observations of the thermal hydraulic processes over several regions. Natural convection, natural circulation, nucleated sub-cooled, saturated boiling and some flow patterns such as, bubbly, slug and churn flow are observed and described. Facility heated and cooled parts are responsible for the natural circulation when in operation. An expansion tank accommodates the fluid density variations due to the temperature changes and void fraction. Instrumentation consists of thermocouples distributed along the circuit. Two differential pressure transducers are used for pressure and level measurements. Instrumentation signals and images are simultaneously acquired to help with phenomenon description. A CCD digital camera at a 250μs shutter speed is used for the images acquisition. Phenomenology described is based on a test under 1.1 x 10 5 W/m 2 of heat flux which corresponds to an electrical heater power of 7000 W and 0.0236 kg/s (85 l/h) of cooling flow rate. (author)

The motivational needs of primary health care nurses to acquire ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The motivational needs of primary health care nurses to acquire power as leaders in ... Ethical considerations were adhered to and respondents gave written ... Validity and reliability principles were applied during the entire research process.

Superior voice recognition in a patient with acquired prosopagnosia and object agnosia.

Science.gov (United States)

Hoover, Adria E N; Démonet, Jean-François; Steeves, Jennifer K E

2010-11-01

Anecdotally, it has been reported that individuals with acquired prosopagnosia compensate for their inability to recognize faces by using other person identity cues such as hair, gait or the voice. Are they therefore superior at the use of non-face cues, specifically voices, to person identity? Here, we empirically measure person and object identity recognition in a patient with acquired prosopagnosia and object agnosia. We quantify person identity (face and voice) and object identity (car and horn) recognition for visual, auditory, and bimodal (visual and auditory) stimuli. The patient is unable to recognize faces or cars, consistent with his prosopagnosia and object agnosia, respectively. He is perfectly able to recognize people's voices and car horns and bimodal stimuli. These data show a reverse shift in the typical weighting of visual over auditory information for audiovisual stimuli in a compromised visual recognition system. Moreover, the patient shows selectively superior voice recognition compared to the controls revealing that two different stimulus domains, persons and objects, may not be equally affected by sensory adaptation effects. This also implies that person and object identity recognition are processed in separate pathways. These data demonstrate that an individual with acquired prosopagnosia and object agnosia can compensate for the visual impairment and become quite skilled at using spared aspects of sensory processing. In the case of acquired prosopagnosia it is advantageous to develop a superior use of voices for person identity recognition in everyday life. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Normothermal or Hypothermal Extracorporeal Circulation Regimens in Patients with Acquired Heart Disease

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

V. V. Lomivorotov

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Background. Hypothermal extracorporeal circulation has been used in cardiosurgery over 50 years. However, recent trials have not shown its predominant effect on the protection of the brain, lung, and myocardium in patients during surgery. We have presumed that when normothermal extracorporeal circulation used in patients with acquired heart disease, its pathophysiological effect on the body is comparable with that of hypothermal extracorporeal circulation. Subjects and methods. One hundred and forty patients who were to undergo acquired heart disease correction were randomized into two equal groups: that using hypothermal or normothermal extracorporeal circulation. Perioperative troponin I and NT-proBNP concentrations, postoperative clinical course, and hospital morbidity and mortality rates were estimated. Results. There were no significant differences in the concentrations of troponin I and NT-proBNP at the study stages. In the normothermal extracorporeal circulation group patients with isolated aortic stenosis, the concentration of troponin I was higher than that in the hypothermal extracorporeal circulation group. Analyzing the postoperative course indicated that the duration of mechanical ventilation was significantly lower in the hypothermal extracorporeal circulation group than in the normothermal extracorporeal circulation group. There were no differences in hospital complications and mortality rates. Conclusion. Hypothermal versus normothermal extracorporeal circulation in the correction of acquired heart diseases has no predominant effect on tro-ponin I and NT-proBNP concentrations, postoperative clinical course, and hospital complications and mortality rates. Key words: extracorporeal circulation, hypothermia, acquired heart disease, troponin I, NT-proBNP.

Foliar application of systemic acquired resistance (SAR) inducers for ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

nbuensanteai

2013-08-14

Aug 14, 2013 ... induced by chitosan and BTH were involved in defense mechanism, reflecting the strong direct positive effect that chitosan ... to control plant diseases based on the systemic acquired resistance ... salicylic acid (SA) as a signal molecule and is associated ... treated plants for SAR relating chemical analyses.

Latex allergy in an infant with acquired hydrocephalus | Ehiozw ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

We report the case of a 3 month old male infant with acquired hydrocephalus undergoing ventriculo-peritoneal shunt insertion who developed wheals and suffered a respiratory arrest following contact with latex gloves. The need for anaesthetists to effectively diagnose and properly manage this rare clinical entity is ...

Possible origin of a natural conservation of flavor in an interaction with neutral Higgs bosons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ural'tsev, N.G.

1983-01-01

In technicolor models the masses of the neutral pseudo-Goldstone bosons which interact with quarks and leptons without flavor conservation automatically acquire an order of magnitude Mapprox.(m/sub q/#betta#/sub TC/)/sup 1/2/approx.0.2--1 TeV through the Yukawa interaction. As a result, an effective Lagrangian which conserves only light Higgs bosons satisfies the condition of natural flavor conservation

Acquired Methemoglobinemia - A Sporadic Holi Disaster.

Science.gov (United States)

Masavkar, Sanjeevani Satish; Mauskar, Anupama; Patwardhan, Gaurav; Bhat, Vasudeva; Manglani, Mamta V

2017-06-15

To study clinical profile and outcome in patients with methemoglobinemia following exposure to toxic colors during Holi festival. This retrospective study included 112 children (5 to 12 years) admitted with methemoglobinemia after playing Holi. Clinical and treatment details were reviewed. The common symptoms were giddiness, vomiting and headache. Treatment included thorough skin wash, intravenous fluid and methylene blue in 111 children. Age 7-9 and > 11 years, vomiting, giddiness, cyanosis, PaO2 < 80 mm Hg and oxygen saturation < 95% were associated with higher need for methylene blue. All children had a good outcome. Timely diagnosis and management of acquired methemoglobinemia can save lives.

Acquired apraxia of speech: a review.

Science.gov (United States)

Knollman-Porter, Kelly

2008-01-01

Apraxia of speech (AOS) is an acquired adult neurogenic communication disorder that often occurs following stroke. The purpose of this article is to review current research studies addressing the diagnostic and therapeutic management of AOS. Traditional definitions and characteristics are compared with current features that assist in the differential diagnosis of AOS. Prognostic indicators are reviewed in addition to how neuroplasticity may impact treatment in chronic AOS. Treatment techniques discussed include the articulatory kinematic approach (AKA), use of augmentative/alternative communication devices, intersystemic facilitation/reorganization, and constraint-induced therapy. Finally, the need to address functional communication through support groups, outside the therapeutic environment, is discussed.

Acquired ectropion uveae and secondary glaucoma due to trauma: report of 3 cases.

Science.gov (United States)

Markovic, Vujica; Vukovic, Dragan; Radosavljevic, Aleksandra; Marjanovic, Ivan

2017-01-19

To investigate the possible association between acquired ectropion uveae and blunt trauma to the eye. We present 3 cases of acquired ectropion uveae that occurred after blunt trauma to the eye. There are no previously published data on possible association of these conditions. A retrospective review was conducted of patients with ectropion uveae and eye injury at University Eye Hospital over a 10-year period (2006-2016). We analyzed medical records and clinical findings. Three eyes of 3 male patients with ocular trauma and ectropion uveae, ages 71, 68, and 5 years, were reviewed. The period between the eye injury and the diagnosis of ectropion uveae ranged from 10 to 36 months. All 3 eyes developed clinical evidence of secondary glaucoma with moderately to severely elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) (ranging from 29 to 48 mm Hg). Surgical treatment (trabeculectomy) was needed in 2 cases in order to control secondary glaucoma and conservative treatment was sufficient in 1 case. Mean patient follow-up was 19.3 ± 4.6 months. Trauma can be considered as a cause of acquired ectropion uveae. Acquired ectropion uveae following eye trauma may be associated with significant increase in IOP. All patients in our series had secondary glaucoma and 2 of 3 required surgical treatment for IOP control.

The efficacy of an imidacloprid/moxidectin combination against naturally acquired Sarcoptes scabiei infestations on dogs.

Science.gov (United States)

Fourie, L J; Heine, J; Horak, I G

2006-01-01

The study was undertaken to evaluate and compare the efficacy of an imidacloprid (10% w/v)/moxidectin (2.5% w/v) combination (Advocate Bayer HealthCare, Animal Health) with that of selamectin for the treatment of Sarcoptes scabiei on dogs. Thirty naturally infested dogs, of which one was later withdrawn because of distemper, were allocated to two equal groups and individually housed. The dogs in each group were treated twice, four weeks apart, with either the combination product (0.1 mL/kg body weight) or with selamectin (0.05 mL/kg body weight) administered topically. Skin scrapings were made every 14 days over a period of 50 to 64 days after the first treatment to quantify mite numbers. Clinical signs and the extent of sarcoptic lesions were assessed on each dog when skin scrapings were made. Efficacy was based on the presence or absence of mites, supported by clinical signs associated with canine sarcoptic mange. From Day 22 and onwards no Sarcoptes mites were found in the skin scrapings of any of the treated dogs. Treatment with the imidacloprid/moxidectin formulation or with selamectin was highly effective against Sarcoptes scabiei and resulted in an almost complete resolution of clinical signs within 50 to 64 days after the initial treatment.

Community acquired urinary tract infection: etiology and bacterial susceptibility

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dias Neto José Anastácio

2003-01-01

Full Text Available PURPOSE: Urinary tract infections (UTI are one of the most common infectious diseases diagnosed. UTI account for a large proportion of antibacterial drug consumption and have large socio-economic impacts. Since the majority of the treatments begins or is done completely empirically, the knowledge of the organisms, their epidemiological characteristics and their antibacterial susceptibility that may vary with time is mandatory. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to report the prevalence of uropathogens and their antibiotic susceptibility of the community acquired UTI diagnosed in our institution and to provide a national data. METHODS: We analyzed retrospectively the results of urine cultures of 402 patients that had community acquired urinary tract infection in the year of 2003. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients in this study was 45.34 ± 23.56 (SD years. There were 242 (60.2% females and 160 (39.8% males. The most commonly isolated organism was Escherichia coli (58%. Klebsiella sp. (8.4% and Enterococcus sp.(7.9% were reported as the next most common organisms. Of all bacteria isolated from community acquired UTI, only 37% were sensitive to ampicillin, 51% to cefalothin and 52% to trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole. The highest levels of susceptibility were to imipenem (96%, ceftriaxone (90%, amikacin (90%, gentamicin (88%, levofloxacin (86%, ciprofloxacin (73%, nitrofurantoin (77% and norfloxacin (75%. CONCLUSION: Gram-negative agents are the most common cause of UTI. Fluoroquinolones remains the choice among the orally administered antibiotics, followed by nitrofurantoin, second and third generation cephalosporins. For severe disease that require parenteral antibiotics the choice should be aminoglycosides, third generation cephalosporins, fluoroquinolones or imipenem, which were the most effective.

Acquired alopecia, mental retardation, short stature, microcephaly, and optic atrophy

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hennekam, R. C.; Renckens-Wennen, E. G.

1990-01-01

We report on a female patient who had acquired total alopecia, short stature, microcephaly, optic atrophy, severe myopia, and mental retardation. A survey of published reports failed to show an identical patient, despite various similar cases

Pediatric acquired brain injury.

Science.gov (United States)

Bodack, Marie I

2010-10-01

Although pediatric patients are sometimes included in studies about visual problems in patients with acquired brain injury (ABI), few studies deal solely with children. Unlike studies dealing with adult patients, in which mechanisms of brain injury are divided into cerebral vascular accident (CVA) and traumatic brain injury (TBI), studies on pediatric patients deal almost exclusively with traumatic brain injury, specifically caused by accidents. Here we report on the vision problems of 4 pediatric patients, ages 3 to 18 years, who were examined in the ophthalmology/optometry clinic at a children's hospital. All patients had an internally caused brain injury and after the initial insult manifested problems in at least one of the following areas: acuity, binocularity, motility (tracking or saccades), accommodation, visual fields, and visual perceptual skills. Pediatric patients can suffer from a variety of oculo-visual problems after the onset of head injury. These patients may or may not be symptomatic and can benefit from optometric intervention. Copyright © 2010 American Optometric Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Neonatal respiratory syncytial virus infection: role of transplacentally and breast milk-acquired antibodies.

OpenAIRE

Wong, D T; Ogra, P L

1986-01-01

The effect of transplacentally and breast milk-acquired antibodies on respiratory syncytial virus infection was studied in neonatal and 2-month-old cotton rats. Adult female rats infected intranasally with live virus regularly produced virus-specific antibodies in the serum, colostrum, and breast milk. By using foster feeding techniques, we showed that both transplacentally and breast milk-acquired antibodies were effective in reducing the replication of respiratory syncytial virus in the lun...

Characteristics of Individuals with Congenital and Acquired Deaf-Blindness

Science.gov (United States)

Dalby, Dawn M.; Hirdes, John P.; Stolee, Paul; Strong, J. Graham; Poss, Jeff; Tjam, Erin Y.; Bowman, Lindsay; Ashworth, Melody

2009-01-01

Using a standardized assessment instrument, the authors compared 182 adults with congenital deaf-blindness and those with acquired deaf-blindness. They found that those with congenital deaf-blindness were more likely to have impairments in cognition, activities of daily living, and social interactions and were less likely to use speech for…

Learning through Business Games: Acquiring Competences within Virtual Realities

Science.gov (United States)

Fortmuller, Richard

2009-01-01

The didactic function of business games is often seen only in the development of sociocommunicative competences and general problem-solving strategies. An equally important aspect of business games lies in the acquirement of technical and problem-oriented knowledge, which is the focus of this article. Moreover, this knowledge dimension is further…

Implicit Sublexical Phonological Processing in an Acquired Dyslexic Patient.

Science.gov (United States)

Hildebrandt, Nancy; Sokol, Scott M.

1993-01-01

Reports a case study of an acquired dyslexic subject who showed no evidence of having any access to sublexical phonological information. Notes, however, that the subject showed normal effects of spelling regularity for low-frequency words, suggesting sublexical phonological processing. Suggests that the types of explicit tasks previously used are…

Scientific literacy: Role of natural history studies in constructing understanding of the nature of science

Science.gov (United States)

Lutz, Martha Victoria Rosett

2002-01-01

Scientific literacy is a central goal of science education. One purpose of this investigation was to reevaluate the definition of 'scientific literacy.' Another purpose was to develop and implement new curriculum involving natural history experiments with insects, with the goal of allowing students opportunities to construct an understanding of the nature of science, a crucial aspect of scientific literacy. This investigation was a qualitative case study. Methods of data collection included direct observations, analysis of sketches and written products created by students and class-room teachers, and analysis of audio tapes. Major findings include: (1) Scientific literacy is generally defined by lists of factual information which students are expected to master. When asked to evaluate their knowledge of selected items on a list published in a science education reform curriculum guide, 15 practicing scientists reported lack of familiarity or comprehension with many items, with the exception of items within their areas of specialization. (2) Genuine natural history experiments using insects can be incorporated into the existing school schedule and need not require any increase in the budget for science materials. (3) Students as young as first through third grade can learn the manual techniques and conceptual skills necessary for designing and conducting original natural history experiments, including manipulating the insects, making accurate sketches, developing test able hypotheses, recording data, and drawing conclusions from their data. Students were generally enthusiastic both about working with live insects and also conducting genuine science experiments. (4) Girls appear both positive and engaged with natural history activities and may be more likely than boys to follow through on designing, conducting, and reporting on independent experiments. The results imply that a valid definition of scientific literacy should be based on the ability to acquire scientific

ISAba1 and Tn6168 acquisition by natural transformation leads to third-generation cephalosporins resistance in Acinetobacter baumannii.

Science.gov (United States)

Domingues, Sara; Rosário, Natasha; Ben Cheikh, Hadhemi; Da Silva, Gabriela Jorge

2018-05-15

Acinetobacter baumannii has intrinsic beta-lactamase genes, namely ampC and bla OXA-51 -like, which are only strongly expressed when the ISAba1 insertion sequence is upstream the 5' end of the genes. A second ampC gene has also been identified in some clinical A. baumannii strains. The increased expression of these genes leads to resistance to beta-lactams, including third-generation cephalosporins and/or carbapenems. The aim of this work was to assess the involvement of natural transformation in the transfer of chromosomal ampC-associated mobile elements, and related changes in the resistance profile of recipient cells. Natural transformation assays with the naturally competent A. baumannii A118 clinical isolate as recipient cell and the multidrug resistant A. baumannii Ab51 clinical isolate as the source of donor DNA produced transformants. All tested transformants showed integration of the ISAba1 close to the ampC gene. In two transformants, the ISAba1 was acquired by transposition and inserted between the usual folE and the ampC genes. The remaining transformants acquired the ISAba1 adjacent to a second ampC gene, as part of Tn6168, likely by homologous recombination. Our study demonstrates that natural transformation can contribute to the widespread of beta-lactams resistance, and acquisition of non-resistant determinants can lead to changes in the susceptibility profile of A. baumannii strains. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A methodology for acquiring qualitative knowledge for probabilistic graphical models

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kjærulff, Uffe Bro; Madsen, Anders L.

2004-01-01

We present a practical and general methodology that simplifies the task of acquiring and formulating qualitative knowledge for constructing probabilistic graphical models (PGMs). The methodology efficiently captures and communicates expert knowledge, and has significantly eased the model...

Presence and mechanisms of acquired antimicrobial resistance in Belgian Brachyspira hyodysenteriae isolates belonging to different clonal complexes.

Science.gov (United States)

Mahu, M; Pasmans, F; Vranckx, K; De Pauw, N; Vande Maele, L; Vyt, Philip; Vandersmissen, Tamara; Martel, A; Haesebrouck, F; Boyen, F

2017-08-01

Swine dysentery (SD) is an economically important disease for which antimicrobial treatment still occupies an important place to control outbreaks. However, acquired antimicrobial resistance is increasingly observed in Brachyspira hyodysenteriae. In this study, the Minimal Inhibitory Concentrations (MIC) of six antimicrobial compounds for 30 recent Belgian B. hyodysenteriae isolates were determined using a broth microdilution method. In addition, relevant regions of the 16S rRNA, 23S rRNA and the L3 protein encoding genes were sequenced to reveal mutations associated with acquired resistance. Finally, a phylogeny was reconstructed using minimal spanning tree analysis of multi locus sequence typing of the isolates. For lincomycin, doxycycline, tylosin and tylvalosin, at least 70% of the isolates did not belong to the wild-type population and were considered to have acquired resistance. For valnemulin and tiamulin, this was over 50%. In all isolates with acquired resistance to doxycycline, the G1058C mutation was present in their 16S rRNA gene. All isolates showing acquired resistance to lincomycin and both macrolides displayed the A2058T mutation in their 23S rRNA gene. Other mutations in this gene and the N148S mutation in the L3 protein were present in both wild-type isolates and isolates considered to have acquired resistance. Multi locus sequence analysis revealed a previously undescribed clonal complex, with 4 novel sequence types in which the majority of isolates showed acquired resistance to all tested antimicrobial products. In conclusion, acquired antimicrobial resistance is widespread among Belgian B. hyodysenteriae isolates. The emergence of multi-resistant clonal complexes can pose a threat to swine industry. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Acquired dysgraphia in adults following right or left-hemisphere stroke

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Jaqueline de Carvalho Rodrigues

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to assess the strengths and difficulties in word and pseudoword writing in adults with left- and right-hemisphere strokes, and discuss the profiles of acquired dysgraphia in these individuals.METHODS: The profiles of six adults with acquired dysgraphia in left- or right-hemisphere strokes were investigated by comparing their performance on word and pseudoword writing tasks against that of neurologically healthy adults. A case series analysis was performed on the patients whose impairments on the task were indicative of acquired dysgraphia.RESULTS: Two patients were diagnosed with lexical dysgraphia (one with left hemisphere damage, and the other with right hemisphere damage, one with phonological dysgraphia, another patient with peripheral dysgraphia, one patient with mixed dysgraphia and the last with dysgraphia due to damage to the graphemic buffer. The latter patients all had left-hemisphere damage (LHD. The patterns of impairment observed in each patient were discussed based on the dual-route model of writing.CONCLUSION: The fact that most patients had LHD rather than right-hemisphere damage (RHD highlights the importance of the former structure for word processing. However, the fact that lexical dysgraphia was also diagnosed in a patient with RHD suggests that these individuals may develop writing impairments due to damage to the lexical route, leading to heavier reliance on phonological processing. Our results are of significant importance to the planning of writing interventions in neuropsychology.

Prevention of hospital-acquired hyponatraemia

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lunøe, Mathilde; Overgaard-Steensen, C

2015-01-01

for prevention of hospital-acquired hyponatraemia is an understanding of what determines plasma sodium concentration (P-[Na(+) ]) in the individual patient. P-[Na(+) ] is determined by balances of water and cations according to Edelman. This paper discusses the mechanisms influencing water and cation balances....... In the hospitalised patient, non-osmotic antidiuretic hormone secretion is frequent and results in a reduced renal electrolyte-free water clearance (EFWC). This condition puts the patient at risk of hyponatraemia upon infusion of fluids that are hypotonic such as 5% glucose, Darrow-glucose, NaKglucose and 0.45% Na......Cl in 5% glucose. It is suggested that individualised fluid therapy includes the following: Firstly, bolus therapy with Ringer-acetate/Ringer-lactate/0.9% NaCl in the hypovolaemic patient to minimise the risk of fluid under-/overload. Secondly, P-[Na(+) ] should be monitored together with the balances...

Acquired auditory-visual synesthesia: A window to early cross-modal sensory interactions

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Pegah Afra

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Pegah Afra, Michael Funke, Fumisuke MatsuoDepartment of Neurology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USAAbstract: Synesthesia is experienced when sensory stimulation of one sensory modality elicits an involuntary sensation in another sensory modality. Auditory-visual synesthesia occurs when auditory stimuli elicit visual sensations. It has developmental, induced and acquired varieties. The acquired variety has been reported in association with deafferentation of the visual system as well as temporal lobe pathology with intact visual pathways. The induced variety has been reported in experimental and post-surgical blindfolding, as well as intake of hallucinogenic or psychedelics. Although in humans there is no known anatomical pathway connecting auditory areas to primary and/or early visual association areas, there is imaging and neurophysiologic evidence to the presence of early cross modal interactions between the auditory and visual sensory pathways. Synesthesia may be a window of opportunity to study these cross modal interactions. Here we review the existing literature in the acquired and induced auditory-visual synesthesias and discuss the possible neural mechanisms.Keywords: synesthesia, auditory-visual, cross modal

Qualification and competence in workers with limitations acquired in work related activity

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Rosa Liliana Sbriller

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Introduction: The present research is based on the posture of critical occupational therapy and analyzes the concept of occupational skills required in the current job market, and its application in processes of work exclusion - inclusion in people with limitations acquired due to work related activities. Objective: Describe and analyze the concept of labor competencies within the transformation of the globalized occupational world, and analyze the impact of the required skills in the processes of exclusion - inclusion of people with limitations acquired due to work related activities. Method: Qualitative research. Technique: Documentary analysis and literary review. Results: Consider skills as construction in social action promotes debate within the field of occupational therapy with regard to professional intervention, expanding opportunities for job inclusion of people limitations acquired due to work related activities within the context of economic exclusion from the globalized labor market. Conclusion: Understanding the problem and it is current implications, helps to question praxis of occupational therapy and promotes the basis for an empirical investigation.

Evaluation of Spectrodirectional Alfalfa Canopy Data Acquired During Daisex'99

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Strub, G.; Schaepman, M.E.; Knyazikhin, Y.; Itten, K.I.

2003-01-01

Field goniometer measurements are a tool to generate a priori bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) knowledge for correction and validation of directional reflectance data acquired by air- and spaceborne sensors. This study analyzes the diurnal hemispherical.-directional reflectance

The role of haloaerosolotherapy in immunorehabilitation of convalescents after community acquired pneumonia

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Olha Lemko

2015-02-01

Full Text Available Aim: Investigation of the peculiarities of different haloaerosoltherapy regimes influence (treatment with different intensity of haloaerosol load upon non-specific defense and cellular immunity at convalescents after community acquired pneumonia. Objectives: patients with community acquired pneumonia in the early convalescence period (after completing antibiotic therapy, who received treatment in conditions of artificial rock salt aerosol medium (haloaerosoltherapy. Material and Methods. 42 patients with non-severe community acquired pneumonia were examined in the early convalescence period before and after the course of haloaerosoltherapy, which was prescribed after antibacterial therapy. Immunological studies included: evaluation of phagocytic activity of neutrophils (PhAN - the percentage of phagocytic neutrophils, phagocytic number (PhN - average number of latex particles absorbed by a neutrophil; metabolism of neutrophils in the test with nitroblue tetrasolium (NBT-test spontaneous and induced, which allowed to assess the functional reserve of neutrophils (FR; calculation of cytochemical coefficient (CCC for lysosomal cationic proteins (LCP and for myeloperoxidase (MPO of neutrophils; number of T- and B-lymphocytes and their subpopulations (CD3+ -, CD4+ -, CD8+ -, CD22+ - lymphocytes, calculation the number of 0- lymphocytes and the ratio of CD4+ /CD8+ lymphocytes. Laboratory examinations were also conducted in 21 practically healthy individuals (control group. Two regimes of haloaerosoltherapy were used in recovery treatment of patients with community acquired pneumonia: treating complex №1 (TC-1 with standard haloaerosol load and with increased haloaerosol load (TC-2. Results. After completion the antibiotic therapy at patients with community acquired pneumonia the moderate inhibition of phagocytic activity of neutrophils (47,6±0,58% to 55,5±1,14% in control group remained and was accompanied with a decrease in neutrophil bactericidal

Identification of natural images and computer-generated graphics based on statistical and textural features.

Science.gov (United States)

Peng, Fei; Li, Jiao-ting; Long, Min

2015-03-01

To discriminate the acquisition pipelines of digital images, a novel scheme for the identification of natural images and computer-generated graphics is proposed based on statistical and textural features. First, the differences between them are investigated from the view of statistics and texture, and 31 dimensions of feature are acquired for identification. Then, LIBSVM is used for the classification. Finally, the experimental results are presented. The results show that it can achieve an identification accuracy of 97.89% for computer-generated graphics, and an identification accuracy of 97.75% for natural images. The analyses also demonstrate the proposed method has excellent performance, compared with some existing methods based only on statistical features or other features. The method has a great potential to be implemented for the identification of natural images and computer-generated graphics. © 2014 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

A Corpus-Based Comparative Study of "Learn" and "Acquire"

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Bei

2016-01-01

As an important yet intricate linguistic feature in English language, synonymy poses a great challenge for second language learners. Using the 100 million-word British National Corpus (BNC) as data and the software Sketch Engine (SkE) as an analyzing tool, this article compares the usage of "learn" and "acquire" used in natural…

Imaging of acquired non-traumatic cochlear lesions: iconographic essay

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Garcia, Marcelo de Mattos; Gonzaga, Juliana Gontijo

2006-01-01

Different non-traumatic acquired cochlear lesions are shown in this article with imaging methods. They may be responsible for neuro sensorial hearing loss or vertigo. The method of choice is computed tomography when evaluating the osseous labyrinth whereas magnetic resonance imaging has superior resolution in the studies of the membranaceous labyrinth. (author)

Childhood acquired heart diseases in Jos, north central Nigeria ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Background: The patterns of childhood acquired heart diseases (AHD) vary in different parts of the world and may evolve over time. We aimed to compare the pattern of childhood AHD in our institution to the historical and contemporary patterns in other parts of the country, and to highlight possible regional differences and ...

Iterative reconstruction with attenuation compensation from cone-beam projections acquired via nonplanar orbits

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zeng, G.L.; Weng, Y.; Gullberg, G.T.

1997-01-01

Single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) imaging with cone-beam collimators provides improved sensitivity and spatial resolution for imaging small objects with large field-of-view detectors. It is known that Tuy's cone-beam data sufficiency condition must be met to obtain artifact-free reconstructions. Even though Tuy's condition was derived for an attenuation-free situation, the authors hypothesize that an artifact-free reconstruction can be obtained even if the cone-beam data are attenuated, provided the imaging orbit satisfies Tuy's condition and the exact attenuation map is known. In the authors' studies, emission data are acquired using nonplanar circle-and-line orbits to acquire cone-beam data for tomographic reconstructions. An extended iterative ML-EM (maximum likelihood-expectation maximization) reconstruction algorithm is derived and used to reconstruct projection data with either a pre-acquired or assumed attenuation map. Quantitative accuracy of the attenuation corrected emission reconstruction is significantly improved

Analysis of the effectiveness of physical rehabilitation according spirographic indicators in community-acquired pneumonia during convalescence

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Y. S. Kalmykova

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Purpose : to make a program of physical rehabilitation for convalescents after community-acquired pneumonia, promotes normalization of respiratory function. The objectives of the study was to evaluate the dynamics spirographic indicators during convalescence community-acquired pneumonia. Material: the study involved 28 women aged 19 to 24 years with a diagnosis of community-acquired pneumonia after convalescent. Results: the positive influence of physiotherapy based dance aerobics; morning hygienic gymnastics; therapeutic massage and physical therapy on indicators of lung volumes, ventilation and bronchial patency according spirographic research. Conclusion: in community-acquired pneumonia during the convalescence period recommended physical rehabilitation, which includes curative gymnastics based on dance aerobics, morning hygienic gymnastics, massage therapy, physiotherapy. It improves the functionality of the cardiorespiratory system, nonspecific immunity and overall physical performance level.

The motivational needs of primary health care nurses to acquire ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Karien Jooste

for a significant part of service delivery in the health system. Professional nurses' .... motivational needs of PHC nurses to acquire power in the workplace at mine clinic .... recognition through rewards and status (Jooste, 2009, p. 165). 10.1.1.

HOW ROMANIAN FINANCIAL AND INTERNAL AUDITORS ACQUIRE ACCOUNTING INFORMATION SYSTEMS KNOWLEDGE AND COMPETENCES?

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Cardos Vasile - Daniel

2011-07-01

Full Text Available Research theme in this article we investigate how Romanian financial and internal auditors acquire accounting information systems knowledge and competences and how they use this knowledge to improve their activity in order to fulfill their mission as required by the professional standards. Objectives our main purpose is to establish through what type of courses Romanian financial and internal auditors acquiring accounting information systems knowledge and competences and how useful these courses are perceived by the auditors. Prior work audit professional organizations prescribed that auditors must acquire, maintain and develop their knowledge and competences. Information technology and information systems are considered to be a main knowledge component of professional development programs. The scientific literature indicates that auditors have to enhance their information systems knowledge in order to cope with the increasing complexity of the client's entities accounting information systems. We consider that our article embraces Curtis et al. (2009 call for research on how auditors obtain information systems knowledge. Methodology an electronic questionnaire was created and sent to Romanian financial and internal auditors, which were required to indicate the number of accounting information systems course they attended and how the knowledge gained improved their activity. Results We concluded that financial auditors acquire accounting information systems knowledge mainly by attending the courses organized by the Chamber of Financial Auditors of Romanian, while internal auditors by attending the course organized by the companies they are working with. Implications - The results of this study might be used by Romanian professional audit organizations in reconsidering their priorities regarding the accounting information systems knowledge and competence needs of their constituents. Originality/Contribution Our study is the first one to

Natural Killer T Cells: An Ecological Evolutionary Developmental Biology Perspective.

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, Amrendra; Suryadevara, Naveenchandra; Hill, Timothy M; Bezbradica, Jelena S; Van Kaer, Luc; Joyce, Sebastian

2017-01-01

Type I natural killer T (NKT) cells are innate-like T lymphocytes that recognize glycolipid antigens presented by the MHC class I-like protein CD1d. Agonistic activation of NKT cells leads to rapid pro-inflammatory and immune modulatory cytokine and chemokine responses. This property of NKT cells, in conjunction with their interactions with antigen-presenting cells, controls downstream innate and adaptive immune responses against cancers and infectious diseases, as well as in several inflammatory disorders. NKT cell properties are acquired during development in the thymus and by interactions with the host microbial consortium in the gut, the nature of which can be influenced by NKT cells. This latter property, together with the role of the host microbiota in cancer therapy, necessitates a new perspective. Hence, this review provides an initial approach to understanding NKT cells from an ecological evolutionary developmental biology (eco-evo-devo) perspective.

Natural Killer T Cells: An Ecological Evolutionary Developmental Biology Perspective

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, Amrendra; Suryadevara, Naveenchandra; Hill, Timothy M.; Bezbradica, Jelena S.; Van Kaer, Luc; Joyce, Sebastian

2017-01-01

Type I natural killer T (NKT) cells are innate-like T lymphocytes that recognize glycolipid antigens presented by the MHC class I-like protein CD1d. Agonistic activation of NKT cells leads to rapid pro-inflammatory and immune modulatory cytokine and chemokine responses. This property of NKT cells, in conjunction with their interactions with antigen-presenting cells, controls downstream innate and adaptive immune responses against cancers and infectious diseases, as well as in several inflammatory disorders. NKT cell properties are acquired during development in the thymus and by interactions with the host microbial consortium in the gut, the nature of which can be influenced by NKT cells. This latter property, together with the role of the host microbiota in cancer therapy, necessitates a new perspective. Hence, this review provides an initial approach to understanding NKT cells from an ecological evolutionary developmental biology (eco-evo-devo) perspective. PMID:29312339

Natural Killer T Cells: An Ecological Evolutionary Developmental Biology Perspective

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Amrendra Kumar

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Type I natural killer T (NKT cells are innate-like T lymphocytes that recognize glycolipid antigens presented by the MHC class I-like protein CD1d. Agonistic activation of NKT cells leads to rapid pro-inflammatory and immune modulatory cytokine and chemokine responses. This property of NKT cells, in conjunction with their interactions with antigen-presenting cells, controls downstream innate and adaptive immune responses against cancers and infectious diseases, as well as in several inflammatory disorders. NKT cell properties are acquired during development in the thymus and by interactions with the host microbial consortium in the gut, the nature of which can be influenced by NKT cells. This latter property, together with the role of the host microbiota in cancer therapy, necessitates a new perspective. Hence, this review provides an initial approach to understanding NKT cells from an ecological evolutionary developmental biology (eco-evo-devo perspective.

The acquired hyperostosis syndrome. Pt. 2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dihlmann, W.; Hering, L.; Bargon, G.W.

1988-01-01

In the second part of this publication, we describe some additional findings in cases of sternocostoclavicular hyperostosis (SCCH). These include focal hyperostosis of the spine, in the pelvis and in the extremities and psoriatric skin lesions and severe forms of acne (acne conglobata, acne fulminans). An analysis of our 13 patients and of the relevant literature indicates that the hyperostosis is due to increased bone metabolism and heterotopic ossification of fibrous tissue and that these are the pathogenic bases of the changes in the axial skeleton, the pelvis and the bones of the extremities. We have suggested a scheme which would categorise the syndrom into complete, incomplete and possibly acquired forms. (orig./GDG) [de

Acquiring and processing verb argument structure: distributional learning in a miniature language.

Science.gov (United States)

Wonnacott, Elizabeth; Newport, Elissa L; Tanenhaus, Michael K

2008-05-01

Adult knowledge of a language involves correctly balancing lexically-based and more language-general patterns. For example, verb argument structures may sometimes readily generalize to new verbs, yet with particular verbs may resist generalization. From the perspective of acquisition, this creates significant learnability problems, with some researchers claiming a crucial role for verb semantics in the determination of when generalization may and may not occur. Similarly, there has been debate regarding how verb-specific and more generalized constraints interact in sentence processing and on the role of semantics in this process. The current work explores these issues using artificial language learning. In three experiments using languages without semantic cues to verb distribution, we demonstrate that learners can acquire both verb-specific and verb-general patterns, based on distributional information in the linguistic input regarding each of the verbs as well as across the language as a whole. As with natural languages, these factors are shown to affect production, judgments and real-time processing. We demonstrate that learners apply a rational procedure in determining their usage of these different input statistics and conclude by suggesting that a Bayesian perspective on statistical learning may be an appropriate framework for capturing our findings.

Introducing Taiwanese undergraduate students to the nature of science through Nobel Prize stories

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Haim Eshach

2013-04-01

Full Text Available Although there is a broad agreement among scientists and science educators that students should not only learn science, but also acquire some sense of its nature, it has been reported that undergraduate students possess an inadequate grasp of the nature of science (NOS. The study presented here examined the potential and effectiveness of Nobel Prize stories as a vehicle for teaching NOS. For this purpose, a 36-hour course, “Albert Einstein’s Nobel Prize and the Nature of Science,” was developed and conducted in Taiwan Normal University. Ten undergraduate physics students participated in the course. Analysis of the Views of Nature of Science questionnaires completed by the students before and after the course, as well as the students’ own presentations of Nobel Prize stories (with an emphasis on how NOS characteristics are reflected in the story, showed that the students who participated in the course enriched their views concerning all aspects of NOS. The paper concludes with some suggestions for applying the novel idea of using Nobel Prize stories in physics classrooms.

THE EFFECT OF ACQUISITION ON THE STOCK RETURNS OF ACQUIRING COMPANIES: EXAMINING THE EFFECT OF ACQUISITIONS OCCURED THROUGH THE PERMISSION OF CAPITAL MARKET BOARD ON THE STOCK RETURNS OF ACQUIRING COMPANIES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

LEVENT ÇITAK

2013-06-01

Full Text Available A merger can be defined as the economical and legal integration of two or more firms. On the other hand, an acquisiton is the transfer of all asssets and liabilities of the target firm to the acquiring firm. In the literature, merger and acquisition concepts can be used interchangeably. Firms tend to merge for the sake of creating snergy, competitive advantage, diversification, increasing firm value etc. Mergers and acquisitions are sometimes in favour of acquiring firms’ stock holders and sometimes target firms’ stock holders. Merger gains change, depending on the type of the merger and form of payment. In this study, mergers that occured through the permission of Capital Market Board have been used for the analyses. Of the mergers which have the permission, acquiring firms that are listed on Istanbul Stock Exchange have been considered and postacquisition buy and hold abnormal returns and cumulative abnormal returns have been calculated. It is concluded that postacquisition abnormal returns aren’t statistically significant. On the other hand, 1 month, 3 month, 6 month, 1 year and 2 year buy and hold abnormal returns and cumulative abnormal returns of the acquiring firms that use different payment methods are not statistically different from each other, on the basis of same return horizon. Two different methods of abnormal return calculation don’t make any difference in postacquisition abnormal returns, either.

Precision grip in congenital and acquired hemiparesis: similarities in impairments and implications for neurorehabilitation - review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yannick eBleyenheuft

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Background: Patients with congenital and acquired hemiparesis incur long-term functional deficits, among which the loss of prehension that may impact their functional independence. Identifying, understanding and comparing the underlying mechanisms of prehension impairments represent an opportunity to better adapt neurorehabilitationObjective: The present review aims to provide a better understanding of precision grip deficits in congenital and acquired hemiparesis and to determine whether the severity and type of fine motor control impairments depend on whether or not the lesions are congenital or acquired in adulthood. Methods: Using combinations of the following key words: fingertip force, grip force, precision grip, cerebral palsy, stroke, pubmed and Scopus databases were used to search studies from 1984 to 2013. Results: Individuals with both congenital and acquired hemiparesis were able to some extent to use anticipatory motor control in precision grip tasks, even if this control was impaired in the paretic hand. In both congenital or acquired hemiparesis, the ability to plan efficient anticipatory motor control when the less-affected hand is used provides a possibility to remediate impairments in anticipatory motor control of the paretic hand. Conclusion: Surprisingly we observed very few differences between the results of studies in children with congenital hemiplegia and stroke patients. We suggest that the underlying specific strategies of neurorehabilitation developed for each one could benefit the other.

Natural resource damage assessments: Linking injury to restoration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Newell, M.; Collinson-Kahl, C.

1993-01-01

Under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) and the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA 90), natural resource trustees have the authority to act on behalf of the public to file claims for damages against potentially responsible parties for injury to, destruction of, or loss of natural resources and related human services caused by releases of hazardous substances or discharges of oil. Damages recovered must be used to restore, replace, or acquire the equivalent of such resources. Therefore, to adequately restore an injured resource and the services it provides, a natural resource restoration proposal should address, as directly as possible, the injuries caused by a hazardous substance release. In other words, the resources restored and services generated by the restoration activities should be commensurate in type and amount with the reduction in services caused by the release. More specifically, the natural resource damage assessment regulations indicate that services should be used as the common currency for linking injury to restoration. The following conceptual steps may be followed to develop a primary restoration program that is linked to the injuries: Define the resources that were injured, and identify the services provided by those resources that were reduced by the injury. Define the baseline levels of the quantity of the resource, and the quantity of the services that would have been provided by the resource if the injury had not occurred. Quantify the interim lost value, which represents the reduction in services (compared to a baseline) from the time of the injury through the time of full recovery of the resources, assuming natural recovery. Evaluate the potential restoration projects for inclusion in the primary restoration program, which is designed to accelerate and enhance natural recovery of the resources and the flow of services from the resources

Hemorrhagic abscess in a patient with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Casado-Naranjo, I.; Lopez-Trigo, J.; Ferrandiz, A.; Cervello, A.; Navarro, V.

1989-01-01

Cerebral toxoplasmosis is frequent among patients with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. The common computed tomography appearance of this complication is multiple low density area with ring enhancement. We describe a very rare picture of cerebral toxoplasmosis, this is multiple hemorrhagic toxoplasmic abscess. (orig.)

Itochu to Acquire 30% Share in Apparel Firm Shandong Ruyi

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

2011-01-01

In its bid to expand in China＇s clothing sector, Itochu Corp, a Japanese trading firm which owns textile plants across Asia including China, Japan and Hong Kong, is set to acquire a 30 percent stake in Chinese apparel company Shandong Ruyi Group.

Convergent Akt activation drives acquired EGFR inhibitor resistance in lung cancer

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jacobsen, Kirstine; Bertran-Alamillo, Jordi; Molina, Miguel Angel

2017-01-01

Non-small-cell lung cancer patients with activating epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations typically benefit from EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor treatment. However, virtually all patients succumb to acquired EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor resistance that occurs via diverse mechanisms....... The diversity and unpredictability of EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor resistance mechanisms presents a challenge for developing new treatments to overcome EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor resistance. Here, we show that Akt activation is a convergent feature of acquired EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor resistance......, across a spectrum of diverse, established upstream resistance mechanisms. Combined treatment with an EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor and Akt inhibitor causes apoptosis and synergistic growth inhibition in multiple EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor-resistant non-small-cell lung cancer models. Moreover...

Seeing the sound after visual loss: functional MRI in acquired auditory-visual synesthesia.

Science.gov (United States)

Yong, Zixin; Hsieh, Po-Jang; Milea, Dan

2017-02-01

Acquired auditory-visual synesthesia (AVS) is a rare neurological sign, in which specific auditory stimulation triggers visual experience. In this study, we used event-related fMRI to explore the brain regions correlated with acquired monocular sound-induced phosphenes, which occurred 2 months after unilateral visual loss due to an ischemic optic neuropathy. During the fMRI session, 1-s pure tones at various pitches were presented to the patient, who was asked to report occurrence of sound-induced phosphenes by pressing one of the two buttons (yes/no). The brain activation during phosphene-experienced trials was contrasted with non-phosphene trials and compared to results obtained in one healthy control subject who underwent the same fMRI protocol. Our results suggest, for the first time, that acquired AVS occurring after visual impairment is associated with bilateral activation of primary and secondary visual cortex, possibly due to cross-wiring between auditory and visual sensory modalities.

And the Winner is - Acquired

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Henkel, Joachim; Rønde, Thomas; Wagner, Marcus

2015-01-01

New entrants to a market tend to be superior to incumbents in originating radical innovations. We provide a new explanation for this phenomenon, based on markets for technology. It applies in industries where successful entrepreneurial firms, or their technologies, are acquired by incumbents...... that then commercialize the innovation. To this end we analyze an innovation game between one incumbent and a large number of entrants. In the first stage, firms compete to develop innovations of high quality. They do so by choosing, at equal cost, the success probability of their R&D approach, where a lower probability...... the incumbent performs the least radical project. Entrants pick pairwise different projects; the bigger the number of entrants, the more radical the most radical project. Generally, entrants tend to choose more radical R&D approaches and generate the highest value innovation in case of success. We illustrate...

Born Pupils? Natural Pedagogy and Cultural Pedagogy.

Science.gov (United States)

Heyes, Cecilia

2016-03-01

The theory of natural pedagogy is an important focus of research on the evolution and development of cultural learning. It proposes that we are born pupils; that human children genetically inherit a package of psychological adaptations that make them receptive to teaching. In this article, I first examine the components of the package-eye contact, contingencies, infant-directed speech, gaze cuing, and rational imitation-asking in each case whether current evidence indicates that the component is a reliable feature of infant behavior and a genetic adaptation for teaching. I then discuss three fundamental insights embodied in the theory: Imitation is not enough for cumulative cultural inheritance, the extra comes from blind trust, and tweaking is a powerful source of cognitive change. Combining the results of the empirical review with these insights, I argue that human receptivity to teaching is founded on nonspecific genetic adaptations for social bonding and social learning and acquires its species- and functionally specific features through the operation of domain-general processes of learning in sociocultural contexts. We engage, not in natural pedagogy, but in cultural pedagogy. © The Author(s) 2016.

Horizontal transmission of Paranosema locustae (Microsporidia) in grasshopper populations via predatory natural enemies.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang-Peng, Shi; Zheng, Xuan; Jia, Wan-Tong; Li, Ao-Mei; Camara, Ibrahima; Chen, Hong-Xing; Tan, Shu-Qian; Liu, Yi-Qing; Ji, Rong

2018-04-24

Paranosema locustae Canning, 1953 (Microsporidia) provides effective control of grasshoppers. While horizontal transmission of P. locustae is known to occur, evidence for the mechanisms of such transmission via predatory natural enemies was found. We conducted a three-year laboratory and field study to assess the potential impact of feces both from grasshoppers Locusta migratoria L. and from their natural enemies on the persistence of P. locustae. We found that P. locustae persisted among grasshopper populations in treated areas and in adjacent untreated areas for up to two years, and the density of grasshoppers decreased in both areas. We showed that healthy grasshoppers could be infected by feeding on food contaminated by feces from their natural enemies. Predators of grasshoppers retained a large number of spores acquired from eating grasshoppers infected with P. locustae. Spores in the feces of the main natural enemy, the beetle Pterostichus gebleri Dejean 1828 in treated area showed clear viability. These results demonstrate that predatory natural enemies are important vectors for this microsporidian disease, and suggest that sustainable transmission and continuing population suppression might be achieved by horizontal transmission through natural enemies, which should be maximized to increase the effectiveness of P. locustae. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Use and Storage of Test and Operations Data from the High Temperature Test Reactor Acquired by the US Government from the Japan Atomic Energy Agency

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gougar, Hans

2010-01-01

This document describes the use and storage of data from the High Temperature Test Reactor (HTTR) acquired from the Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) by the U.S. Government for high temperature reactor research under the Next Generation Nuclear Plant (NGNP) Project. Data acquired from foreign entities by the United States Government is subject to protections and restrictions that depend upon the nature of the data and its intended use. The storage and use of nuclear data is subject to international agreements, federal laws and Department of Energy regulations. Security systems and personnel are deployed at Department of Energy national laboratories in order to ensure that these laws are observed. Laboratory employees undergo extensive training in operational security to protect all sensitive and classified information. This document describes the facilities at which data from the High Temperature Test Reactor will be used. It also described the procedures and policies that ensure that this data is used only by authorized personnel and only for the purposes for which it is intended.

The immune system, natural autoantibodies and general homeostasis in health and disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Poletaev, A; Boura, P

2011-10-01

It is generally accepted that the destination of the immune system is not only to discriminate between self and non-self but also to mount responses against non-self. During the last decades, it became evident that weak self-reactivity is a necessary condition for immune homeostasis. Natural self reactivity and the internal image created by autoantibodies, participate greatly to the maintenance of homeostasis. Under conditions of increased or altered antigenic pressure, the homeostatic status is disrupted and the organism becomes vulnerable to the emergence of diseases. "Immunculus" is the self-reactive and interconnected entity of the immune system, provided by a complicated network of natural autoantibobies of different specificity, as a mosaic picture. Quantitative changes in each part of the image are related to variations of expression of relative antigens. The immune system takes in account image information from the continuous screening of the antigenic status and compares between presented state and the desired (optimal) one. Substantial and prolonged deviations from the optimal state, triggers the induction of compensatory and reparative processes, aiming to restore molecular and functional homeostasis. So, natural autoimmunity through the ability of natural a-Abs to induce mechanisms of natural and acquired immunity, aims to prevent pathogenic processes and maintain or restore health status.

Constraint-induced movement therapy for children with acquired brain injury

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schmidt Pedersen, Kristina; Pallesen, H.; Kristensen, H. K.

2016-01-01

An estimated 125-137 Danish children with acquired brain injury (ABI) require rehabilitation annually, 30-40 of these at a highly specialized level. Constraint-induced movement therapy (CIMT) has shown significant effects in increasing function in children with cerebral palsy. More knowledge of h...

School Reentry for Children with Acquired Central Nervous Systems Injuries

Science.gov (United States)

Carney, Joan; Porter, Patricia

2009-01-01

Onset of acquired central nervous system (CNS) injury during the normal developmental process of childhood can have impact on cognitive, behavioral, and motor function. This alteration of function often necessitates special education programming, modifications, and accommodations in the education setting for successful school reentry. Special…

Perception of using group buying sites to acquire tourist services cou-pons

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luiz Mendes Filho

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Technologies brought new forms of business as in the case of group buying sites, which are basically a way to sell on the Internet that allows consumers to buy goods and services at lower prices. This study analyzed the travelers’ perception of the use of group buying sites to acquire tourist services coupons. The research presents a quantitative-exploratory approach using the Technology Acceptance Model to investigate the use of group buying sites to acquire tourist services coupons during a trip. They were collected 60 valid questionnaires with students from a public university in northeastern of Brazil. It was used a data collection survey type, with a non-probabilistic convenience sample. Since this is a pilot study with a small sample, the results were verified by the structural equation modeling (SEM, using the technique Partial Least Squares (PLS. From the analysis, it was found that most people who responded to the questionnaires are using group buying sites to acquire tourist services coupons. However, according to the results, the group buying sites may not be easy tools to help in decision making in purchasing tourism services.

Acquired Codes of Meaning in Data Visualization and Infographics: Beyond Perceptual Primitives.

Science.gov (United States)

Byrne, Lydia; Angus, Daniel; Wiles, Janet

2016-01-01

While information visualization frameworks and heuristics have traditionally been reluctant to include acquired codes of meaning, designers are making use of them in a wide variety of ways. Acquired codes leverage a user's experience to understand the meaning of a visualization. They range from figurative visualizations which rely on the reader's recognition of shapes, to conventional arrangements of graphic elements which represent particular subjects. In this study, we used content analysis to codify acquired meaning in visualization. We applied the content analysis to a set of infographics and data visualizations which are exemplars of innovative and effective design. 88% of the infographics and 71% of data visualizations in the sample contain at least one use of figurative visualization. Conventions on the arrangement of graphics are also widespread in the sample. In particular, a comparison of representations of time and other quantitative data showed that conventions can be specific to a subject. These results suggest that there is a need for information visualization research to expand its scope beyond perceptual channels, to include social and culturally constructed meaning. Our paper demonstrates a viable method for identifying figurative techniques and graphic conventions and integrating them into heuristics for visualization design.

The WTP for property rights for the Giant Panda: can a charismatic species be an instrument for conservation of natural habitat?

OpenAIRE

Kontoleon, A.; Swanson, T.

2002-01-01

The paper presents the results from a stated preference study to address issues concerning the potential for using flag-ship species, such as the Giant Panda, to purchase the property rights for the conservation of natural habitat. The study finds, first, that there is clear WTP for acquiring the property rights for panda habitat. The nature of this demand is found both convincing and logically coherent in that it is an increasing function of land (at a diminishing rate). Secondly, the stu...

Passport of global nuclear business. ASME code certificate acquirement and inspection practices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kawabata, Hiroyuki; Terajima, Makoto; Anami, Kazuhiro

2010-01-01

There are possibilities of Japanese nuclear industries to participate in global business such as new and additional construction of nuclear power plants in US and also Asian and other developing countries in the world. It is requisite to acquire ASME code certificate for global business participation, just as passport. This article consists of five papers on present status of ASME code certificate acquirement and inspection practices of nuclear components vendors in the area of Japanese nuclear business. Activities of JSME Committee on Power Generation Facility Codes to make JSME codes corresponded to ASME nuclear codes and standards for their international deployment are also described. (T. Tanaka)

Bedside Evaluation of Cerebral Energy Metabolism in Severe Community-Acquired Bacterial Meningitis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rom Poulsen, Frantz; Schulz, Mette; Jacobsen, Anne

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND: Mortality and morbidity have remained high in bacterial meningitis. Impairment of cerebral energy metabolism probably contributes to unfavorable outcome. Intracerebral microdialysis is routinely used to monitor cerebral energy metabolism, and recent experimental studies indicate...... that this technique may separate ischemia and non-ischemic mitochondrial dysfunction. The present study is a retrospective interpretation of biochemical data obtained in a series of patients with severe community-acquired meningitis. METHODS: Cerebral energy metabolism was monitored in 15 patients with severe...... community-acquired meningitis utilizing intracerebral microdialysis and bedside biochemical analysis. According to previous studies, cerebral ischemia was defined as lactate/pyruvate (LP) ratio >30 with intracerebral pyruvate level

A Review of Promising Natural Chemopreventive Agents for Head and Neck Cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Crooker, Kyle; Aliani, Rana; Ananth, Megha; Arnold, Levi; Anant, Shrikant; Thomas, Sufi Mary

2018-03-30

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) accounts for 300,000 deaths per year worldwide and overall survival rates have shown little improvement over the past three decades. Current treatment methods including surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy leave patients with secondary morbidities. Thus, treatment of HNSCC may benefit from exploration of natural compounds as chemopreventive agents. With excellent safety profiles, reduced toxicities, antioxidant properties, and general acceptance for use as dietary supplements, natural compounds are viewed as a desirable area of investigation for chemoprevention. Though most of the field is early in development, numerous studies display the potential utility of natural compounds against HNSCC. These compounds face additional challenges such as low bioavailability for systemic delivery, potential toxicities when consumed in pharmacological doses, and acquired resistance. However, novel delivery vehicles and synthetic analogs have shown overcome some of these challenges. This review covers eleven promising natural compounds in the chemoprevention of HNSCC including vitamin A, curcumin, isothiocyanate, green tea, luteolin, resveratrol, genistein, lycopene, bitter melon, withaferin A, and guggulsterone. The review discusses the therapeutic potential and associated challenges of these agents in the chemopreventive efforts against HNSCC. Copyright ©2018, American Association for Cancer Research.

Analytical Determination of the Boundaries of Transition Natural Zones (Ecotones

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Rulev Aleksandr Sergeevich

2015-04-01

Full Text Available The morphological units that are part of the catena, are recognized in accordance with the response to the geomorphological and soil processes. The spatial relationship is the main unit between them. In this regard, the landscape patterns acquire a cascade type, and their main link becomes the zonal catena, which has specific stable features, reflecting the dependence of the complex of natural conditions and processes of latitude. However, clear-cut boundaries do not exist – they have spatial and temporal displacement, associated with the cyclical nature of the global climatic processes. The landscapes in these transition zones (ecotones a priori can be considered unstable. The detection of ecotones boundaries provides the opportunity to divide natural zones to potentially stable and potentially unstable parts for planning measures on preventing the degradation of landscapes localized in them. The latitude of the ecotones localization can be determined through the connection of the radiation heat flux on land (R with the normalized geographical latitude of the subboreal belt (x, which is described by the equation of the energy balance, expressed in the logistic function R = А / [1 + 0,72 exp(4,25 – Bx] + C.

Ancestral genes can control the ability of horizontally acquired loci to confer new traits.

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H Deborah Chen

2011-07-01

Full Text Available Horizontally acquired genes typically function as autonomous units conferring new abilities when introduced into different species. However, we reasoned that proteins preexisting in an organism might constrain the functionality of a horizontally acquired gene product if it operates on an ancestral pathway. Here, we determine how the horizontally acquired pmrD gene product activates the ancestral PmrA/PmrB two-component system in Salmonella enterica but not in the closely related bacterium Escherichia coli. The Salmonella PmrD protein binds to the phosphorylated PmrA protein (PmrA-P, protecting it from dephosphorylation by the PmrB protein. This results in transcription of PmrA-dependent genes, including those conferring polymyxin B resistance. We now report that the E. coli PmrD protein can activate the PmrA/PmrB system in Salmonella even though it cannot do it in E. coli, suggesting that these two species differ in an additional component controlling PmrA-P levels. We establish that the E. coli PmrB displays higher phosphatase activity towards PmrA-P than the Salmonella PmrB, and we identified a PmrB subdomain responsible for this property. Replacement of the E. coli pmrB gene with the Salmonella homolog was sufficient to render E. coli resistant to polymyxin B under PmrD-inducing conditions. Our findings provide a singular example whereby quantitative differences in the biochemical activities of orthologous ancestral proteins dictate the ability of a horizontally acquired gene product to confer species-specific traits. And they suggest that horizontally acquired genes can potentiate selection at ancestral loci.

Absence of death receptor translocation into lipid rafts in acquired TRAIL-resistant NSCLC cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Ouyang, Wen; Yang, Chunxu; Zhang, Simin; Liu, Yu; Yang, Bo; Zhang, Junhong; Zhou, Fuxiang; Zhou, Yunfeng; Xie, Conghua

2013-02-01

Resistance to tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) is a major limitation for its clinical use. The mechanisms of TRAIL resistance have been mostly studied in the context of cell lines that are intrinsically resistant to TRAIL. However, little is known about the molecular alterations that contribute to the development of acquired resistance during treatment with TRAIL. In this study, we established H460R, an isogenic cell line with acquired TRAIL resistance, from the TRAIL‑sensitive human lung cancer cell line H460 to investigate the mechanisms of acquired resistance. The acquired TRAIL‑resistant H460R cells remained sensitive to cisplatin. The mRNA and protein expression levels of death receptor 4 (DR4) and death receptor 5 (DR5) were not altered in either of the TRAIL-treated cell lines. Nevertheless, tests in which the DR4 or DR5 gene was overexpressed or silenced suggest that death receptor expression is necessary but not sufficient for TRAIL‑induced apoptosis. Compared with parental TRAIL-sensitive H460 cells, H460R cells showed a decreased TRAIL-induced translocation of DR4/DR5 into lipid rafts. Further studies showed that nystatin partially prevented lipid raft aggregation and DR4 and DR5 clustering and reduced apoptosis in H460 cells again. Analysis of apoptotic molecules showed that more pro-caspase-8, FADD, caspase-3 and Bid, but less cFLIP in H460 cells than in H460R cells. Our findings suggest that the lack of death receptor redistribution negatively impacts DISC assembly in lipid rafts, which at least partially leads to the development of acquired resistance to TRAIL in H460R cells.

Neuropathological and biochemical criteria to identify acquired Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease among presumed sporadic cases.

Science.gov (United States)

Kobayashi, Atsushi; Parchi, Piero; Yamada, Masahito; Mohri, Shirou; Kitamoto, Tetsuyuki

2016-06-01

As an experimental model of acquired Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD), we performed transmission studies of sporadic CJD using knock-in mice expressing human prion protein (PrP). In this model, the inoculation of the sporadic CJD strain V2 into animals homozygous for methionine at polymorphic codon 129 (129 M/M) of the PRNP gene produced quite distinctive neuropathological and biochemical features, that is, widespread kuru plaques and intermediate type abnormal PrP (PrP(Sc) ). Interestingly, this distinctive combination of molecular and pathological features has been, to date, observed in acquired CJD but not in sporadic CJD. Assuming that these distinctive phenotypic traits are specific for acquired CJD, we revisited the literature and found two cases showing widespread kuru plaques despite the 129 M/M genotype, in a neurosurgeon and in a patient with a medical history of neurosurgery without dura mater grafting. By Western blot analysis of brain homogenates, we revealed the intermediate type of PrP(Sc) in both cases. Furthermore, transmission properties of brain extracts from these two cases were indistinguishable from those of a subgroup of dura mater graft-associated iatrogenic CJD caused by infection with the sporadic CJD strain V2. These data strongly suggest that the two atypical CJD cases, previously thought to represent sporadic CJD, very likely acquired the disease through exposure to prion-contaminated brain tissues. Thus, we propose that the distinctive combination of 129 M/M genotype, kuru plaques, and intermediate type PrP(Sc) , represents a reliable criterion for the identification of acquired CJD cases among presumed sporadic cases. © 2015 Japanese Society of Neuropathology.

Preliminary quantification of a shape model for etch-pits formed during natural weathering of olivine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nowicki, M. Anna; Velbel, Michael A.

2011-01-01

Many etch-pits on olivine grains occur as a pair of cone-shaped pits sharing a base, which consequently appear as diamond-shaped etch-pits in cross-section. Quantitative image analysis of back-scattered electron images establishes empirical dimensions of olivine etch-pits in naturally weathered samples from Hawaii and North Carolina. Images of naturally etched olivine were acquired from polished thin-sections by scanning electron microscopy. An average cone-radius-to-height ratio (r:h) of 1.78 was determined for diamond-shaped cross-sections of etch-pits occurring in naturally weathered olivine grains, largely consistent with previous qualitative results. Olivine etch-pit shape as represented by r:h varies from slightly more than half the average value to slightly more than twice the average. Etch-pit shape does not appear to vary systematically with etch-pit size.

Life-threatening hemorrhage from acquired hemophilia A as a presenting manifestation of prostate cancer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chirag Sheth

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Acquired factor VIII deficiency (acquired hemophilia A is a rare condition characterized by the acquisition of autoantibodies that affect the clotting activity of factor VIII (fVIII. The most common manifestation in affected patients is a hemorrhagic diathesis. This disorder is associated with autoimmune diseases, pregnancy, postpartum period, drugs, and malignancy. Management of this condition begins with attempts to arrest an acute bleed based on the site and severity of bleeding and inhibitor titer. The next priority is eradication of the fVIII antibodies using immunosuppressive therapies. We report the case of a 66-year-old male who presented with spontaneous right thigh hematoma with prolonged activated partial prothrombin time and normal prothrombin time. Mixing studies confirmed the presence of an inhibitor. Further investigation for the underlying etiology of acquired hemophilia A leads to diagnosis of prostate cancer. Treatment consisted of bypassing agents including activated factor VII and activated prothrombin plasma concentrate to arrest the bleeding. Steroids and cyclophosphamide were added to suppress the fVIII inhibitors. Concomitant treatment of locally advanced prostate cancer with chemotherapy confirmed the eradication of the inhibitors. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of prostate cancer diagnosed and treated simultaneously with acquired hemophilia A resulting in favorable patient outcome.

Hospital management of community-acquired pneumonia in Malta

OpenAIRE

Callus, Roberta; Micallef, Josef; Mamo, Jonathan; Montefort, Stephen

2012-01-01

Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) remains a common diagnosis requiring hospital admission and a leading cause of death worldwide. No local guideline is currently available for the management of CAP. Our aim was to evaluate current practices in the management of CAP at Mater Dei Hospital, Malta. In this prospective study we looked at all adult patients admitted with CAP in winter and summer (105 consecutive days for both seasons). Data collected and analysed included: basic patient demographi...

Onychomycosis by Fusarium oxysporum probably acquired in utero

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vania O. Carvalho

2014-10-01

Full Text Available Fusarium oxysporum has been described as a pathogen causing onychomycosis, its incidence has been increasing in immunocompetent and disseminated infection can occur in immunosuppressed individuals. We describe the first case of congenital onychomycosis in a child caused by Fusarium oxysporum. The infection being acquired in utero was proven by molecular methods with the identification of the fungus both in the nail and placenta, most probably as an ascending contamination/infection in a HIV-positive, immunosuppressed mother.

Merge or Acquire - A Strategic Framework

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Awadhesh Pratap SINGH

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Merger or acquisition is always a long-debated topic in the field of Strategy and Finance from a long time. This article proposes a strategic framework using five steps process to deal with this issue. The step one defines the objective of merger or acquisition. Second step deals with SWOT analysis. Step three follows the framework proposed by Dyer JH et. al (2004 to decide on when to ally and when to acquire. Step four applies Parenting Fit matrix. Finally, the fifth and final step carried out the valuation to take a call on the price for acquisition. All along this journey, the paper takes up a relevant example of Bank of America’s acquisition to Merrill Lynch and concludes.

25 CFR 225.40 - Government employees cannot acquire minerals agreements.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 25 Indians 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Government employees cannot acquire minerals agreements. 225.40 Section 225.40 Indians BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR ENERGY AND MINERALS OIL AND GAS, GEOTHERMAL, AND SOLID MINERALS AGREEMENTS Minerals Agreements § 225.40 Government...

Advanced Methods for Clinical Outcome Prediction in Acquired Heart Disease

NARCIS (Netherlands)

L.C. Battes (Linda)

2014-01-01

markdownabstract__Abstract__ Acquired heart disease, which includes conditions such as coronary artery disease (CAD) and heart failure, continues to pose a large impediment on the individuals that suffer from it as well as on society in general. CAD is the leading cause of death in the

Behavior Management for Children and Adolescents with Acquired Brain Injury

Science.gov (United States)

Slifer, Keith J.; Amari, Adrianna

2009-01-01

Behavioral problems such as disinhibition, irritability, restlessness, distractibility, and aggression are common after acquired brain injury (ABI). The persistence and severity of these problems impair the brain-injured individual's reintegration into family, school, and community life. Since the early 1980s, behavior analysis and therapy have…

The Prevalence of Oropharyngeal Dysphagia in Danish Patients Hospitalised with Community-Acquired Pneumonia

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kristiansen, Dorte Melgaard; Baandrup, Ulrik; Bøgsted, Martin

2017-01-01

Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) and oropharyngeal dysphagia (OD) are prevalent conditions in the elderly. The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between CAP, OD, and frailty in patients admitted to a department of respiratory medicine at a regional hospital. The outcome was mort......Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) and oropharyngeal dysphagia (OD) are prevalent conditions in the elderly. The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between CAP, OD, and frailty in patients admitted to a department of respiratory medicine at a regional hospital. The outcome...

[Synchronous playing and acquiring of heart sounds and electrocardiogram based on labVIEW].

Science.gov (United States)

Dan, Chunmei; He, Wei; Zhou, Jing; Que, Xiaosheng

2008-12-01

In this paper is described a comprehensive system, which can acquire heart sounds and electrocardiogram (ECG) in parallel, synchronize the display; and play of heart sound and make auscultation and check phonocardiogram to tie in. The hardware system with C8051F340 as the core acquires the heart sound and ECG synchronously, and then sends them to indicators, respectively. Heart sounds are displayed and played simultaneously by controlling the moment of writing to indicator and sound output device. In clinical testing, heart sounds can be successfully located with ECG and real-time played.

An extra X does not prevent acquired hemophilia - Pregnancy-associated acquired hemophilia A.

Science.gov (United States)

Barg, Assaf A; Livnat, Tami; Kenet, Gili

2017-03-01

Acquired hemophilia A (AHA) is a severe bleeding disorder caused by autoantibodies against clotting factor VIII (FVIII). With an estimated annual incidence of 1.3 to 1.5 per million, AHA is a rare disease. An extremely rare form of AHA has been described among women in the peripartum period, and may present with peripartum hemorrhage. Notably, although hemorrhagic symptoms commonly present 1-4 months around delivery, they may occur up to 1 year after parturition. When caring for a mother with AHA it is important to note that Factor VIII inhibitor may be transferred via the placenta from the mother to the fetus. Hence the newborn may also be affected. It is important to increase the awareness of Gynecologists for clinical symptoms and laboratory signs of AHA in order to avoid delayed diagnosis. Treatment may involve use of bypass agents to control hemorrhage, despite the risk of thrombosis, while immunomodulation (with increasing role for Rituximab) may be required to eradicate the inhibiting antibodies. Our review will evaluate the epidemiology, diagnosis, clinical course and treatment of peripartum AHA, focusing upon mother and infant care. © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Acquired high titre factor VIII inhibitor with underlying polyarteritis nodosa.

Science.gov (United States)

Snowden, J A; Hutchings, M; Spearing, R; Patton, W N

1997-05-01

We here present the case of a 70-year-old woman referred to our unit for investigation of bleeding. Investigations confirmed a high titre acquired Factor VIII inhibitor. In association there was relapse of systemic illness associated with anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (atypical pattern) for which she had been treated five years previously. Immunosuppression was attempted, but it failed to have an impact both on the inhibitor titre and on the underlying disorder. The patient died from multi-organ failure and massive chest hemorrhage. Post-mortem showed necrotizing vasculitis of medium sized vessels at several sites, including the kidney, consistent with a diagnosis of polyarteritis nodosa. Although it is well recognised that Factor VIII inhibitors are found in conjunction with autoimmune disorders, this case is significant in that it is the first associated with histologically proven polyarteritis nodosa type vasculitis. The case illustrates the difficulties in the investigation and management of patients with acquired high titre Factor VIII inhibitors.

Acquired Inhibitors: A Special Case of Bleeding in Older Adults

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Richard G. Stefanacci

2012-01-01

Full Text Available This literature review is intended to familiarize physicians and healthcare providers of older adults with the potential causes of acute bleeding in older adults and to review diagnostic approaches that can produce prompt identification of acute bleeding and facilitate timely treatment. Adverse events from anticoagulant treatment and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID and aspirin use and abuse are among the most common causes of bleeding in older adults. Diagnoses infrequently considered—mild congenital hemophilia, acquired hemophilia, von Willebrand disease, and platelet dysfunction—can contribute to acute bleeding in older adults. The approach to management of bleeding varies. Management of acute bleeding in older adults can be challenging because these patients often have chronic comorbidity and have been prescribed long-term concomitant medications that can complicate diagnosis and treatment. Prompt recognition of acquired hemophilia, referral to an expert hematologist, and timely initiation of treatment could improve outcome in older patients who experience bleeding episodes resulting from this condition.

Health related quality of life in patients with community-acquired pneumococcal pneumonia in France

OpenAIRE

Andrade, Luiz Flavio; Saba, Grèce; Ricard, Jean-Damien; Messika, Jonathan; Gaillat, Jacques; Bonnin, Pierre; Chidiac, Christian; Illes, Hajnal-Gabriela; Laurichesse, Henri; Detournay, Bruno; Petitpretz, Patrick; de Pouvourville, Gérard

2018-01-01

Background Community Acquired Pneumococcal Pneumonia is a lung infection that causes serious health problems and can lead to complications and death. The aim of this study was to observe and analyze health related quality of life after a hospital episode for patients with community acquired pneumococcal pneumonia in France. Methods A total of 524 individuals were enrolled prospectively in the study and were followed for 12 months after hospital discharge. Presence of streptococcus pneumoniae ...

Acquired cutis laxa following urticarial vasculitis associated with IgA myeloma.

Science.gov (United States)

Turner, Ryan B; Haynes, Harley A; Granter, Scott R; Miller, Danielle M

2009-06-01

Cutis laxa (CL) is an inherited or acquired connective tissue disorder characterized clinically by loosely hanging skin folds. There is often preceding cutaneous inflammatory eruption (ie, urticaria, eczema, erythema multiforme), and there is frequently internal organ involvement of the gastrointestinal, urogenital, pulmonary, and cardiovascular systems. Histologically, there are degenerative changes in the dermal elastic fibers. Of the few reports on this rare disorder, authors have speculated about an immune-mediated destruction of elastic fibers, and monoclonal gammopathies, such as multiple myeloma or heavy chain deposition disease, have a recognized association with CL. We report an unusual case of rapidly progressing acquired CL associated with leukocytoclastic vasculitis, IgA myeloma, and an immune complex-mediated glomerulonephritis. Light microscopy of the lax skin revealed complete absence of elastic fibers in areas of vasculitis.

12 CFR 617.7610 - What should the System institution do when it decides to sell acquired agricultural real estate?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... decides to sell acquired agricultural real estate? 617.7610 Section 617.7610 Banks and Banking FARM CREDIT... institution do when it decides to sell acquired agricultural real estate? (a) Notify the previous owner, (1) Within 15 days of the System institution's decision to sell acquired agricultural real estate, it must...

12 CFR 617.7620 - What should the System institution do when it decides to sell acquired agricultural real estate...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... decides to sell acquired agricultural real estate at a public auction? 617.7620 Section 617.7620 Banks and... What should the System institution do when it decides to sell acquired agricultural real estate at a public auction? System institutions electing to sell or lease acquired agricultural real estate or a...

Inherited and acquired immunodeficiencies underlying tuberculosis in childhood

Science.gov (United States)

Boisson-Dupuis, Stéphanie; Bustamante, Jacinta; El-Baghdadi, Jamila; Camcioglu, Yildiz; Parvaneh, Nima; Azbaoui, Safaa El; Agader, Aomar; Hassani, Amal; Hafidi, Naima El; Mrani, Nidal Alaoui; Jouhadi, Zineb; Ailal, Fatima; Najib, Jilali; Reisli, Ismail; Zamani, Adil; Yosunkaya, Sebnem; Gulle-Girit, Saniye; Yildiran, Alisan; Cipe, Funda Erol; Torun, Selda Hancerli; Metin, Ayse; Atikan, Basak Yildiz; Hatipoglu, Nevin; Aydogmus, Cigdem; Kilic, Sara Sebnem; Dogu, Figen; Karaca, Neslihan; Aksu, Guzide; Kutukculer, Necil; Keser-Emiroglu, Melike; Somer, Ayper; Tanir, Gonul; Aytekin, Caner; Adimi, Parisa; Mahdaviani, Seyed Alireza; Mamishi, Setareh; Bousfiha, Aziz; Sanal, Ozden; Mansouri, Davood; Casanova, Jean-Laurent; Abel, Laurent

2015-01-01

Summary Tuberculosis (TB), caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.tb) and a few related mycobacteria, is a devastating disease, killing more than a million individuals per year worldwide. However, its pathogenesis remains largely elusive, as only a small proportion of infected individuals develop clinical disease either during primary infection or during reactivation from latency or secondary infection. Subacute, hematogenous, and extrapulmonary disease tends to be more frequent in infants, children, and teenagers than in adults. Life-threatening primary TB of childhood can result from known acquired or inherited immunodeficiencies, although the vast majority of cases remain unexplained. We review here the conditions conferring a predisposition to childhood clinical diseases caused by mycobacteria, including not only M.tb but also weakly virulent mycobacteria, such as BCG vaccines and environmental mycobacteria. Infections with weakly virulent mycobacteria are much rarer than TB, but the inherited and acquired immunodeficiencies underlying these infections are much better known. Their study has also provided genetic and immunological insights into childhood TB, as illustrated by the discovery of single-gene inborn errors of IFN-γ immunity underlying severe cases of TB. Novel findings are expected from ongoing and future human genetic studies of childhood TB in countries that combine a high proportion of consanguineous marriages, a high incidence of TB, and an excellent clinical care, such as Iran, Morocco, and Turkey. PMID:25703555

[Ceftaroline fosamil in community-acquired and nosocomial pneumonia].

Science.gov (United States)

Calbo, Esther; Zaragoza, Rafael

2014-03-01

Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is a common infection in developed countries and causes a large number of hospital admissions and deaths. In recent years, the incidence of this disease has increased, caused by progressive population aging. Following the introduction of the conjugate vaccine against Streptococcus pneumoniae, there have been significant epidemiological changes that require close monitoring because of the possible emergence of new patterns of resistance. This article aims to review the role of ceftaroline fosamil, a new parenteral cephalosporin with antibacterial activity against Gram-negative and Gram-positive pathogens, in the treatment of pneumonia. Several in vitro and in vivo studies have shown the efficacy of ceftaroline fosamil against penicillin-resistant S. pneumoniae and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Additionally, ceftaroline has shown similar efficacy and safety to ceftriaxone in the treatment of community-acquired pneumonia with severe prognosis (prognostic severity index III and IV) in two phase III clinical trials. Although a non-inferiority design was used for these clinical trials, some data suggest a superior efficacy of ceftaroline, with earlier clinical response and higher cure rate in infections caused by S. pneumoniae, making this drug particularly interesting for critically-ill patients admitted to the intensive care unit. Ceftaroline may also be considered for empirical and directed treatment of MRSA pneumonia. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier España, S.L. All rights reserved.

Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome-related primary cerebral lymphoma: response to irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khoo, V.S.; Wilson, P.C.; Sexton, M.J.; Liew, K.H.

2000-01-01

Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome-related primary cerebral lymphoma (AIDS-PCL) is uncommon. Fourteen cases of presumed AIDS-PCL between 1986 and 1995 were reviewed retrospectively in order to characterize the natural history, and the response to radiotherapy. The median age was 38 years (range 24-65). The median interval between seropositive diagnosis of HIV and AIDS-PCL was 28 months (range 5-113). The median duration of symptoms was 2 weeks (range 0.2-12). At presentation, the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (PS) was PS1 (2/14 patients), PS2 (6/14) and PS3 (6/14). The symptoms and signs were non-specific and depended on the site and extent of cerebral involvement. There was no characteristic pattern of brain imaging in terms of size, number, location or pattern of contrast enhancement of the cerebral lesions. Nine patients received various fractionation-dose schedules (range 8-50 Gy). Complete and partial responses were seen in 2/9 and 3/9 cases, respectively. Clinical stabilization of neurological symptoms was noted in 3/9 cases and disease progression in 1/9. The median survival times (MST) from presentation for irradiated and non-irradiated patients were 9.3 and 2.1 weeks, respectively (range 0.9-43.1). Although patient selection introduced bias, there appears to be a modest improvement in MST for treated patients. The MST with radiotherapy alone remains poor, but radiotherapy may provide palliation. For some selected patients, a prolonged response is possible. Copyright (1999) Blackwell Science Pty Ltd

Higgs naturalness and dark matter stability by scale invariance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jun Guo

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Extending the spacetime symmetries of standard model (SM by scale invariance (SI may address the Higgs naturalness problem. In this article we attempt to embed accidental dark matter (DM into SISM, requiring that the symmetry protecting DM stability is accidental due to the model structure rather than imposed by hand. In this framework, if the light SM-like Higgs boson is the pseudo Goldstone boson of SI spontaneously breaking, we can even pine down the model, two-Higgs-doublets plus a real singlet: The singlet is the DM candidate and the extra Higgs doublet triggers electroweak symmetry breaking via the Coleman–Weinberg mechanism; Moreover, it dominates DM dynamics. We study spontaneously breaking of SI using the Gillard–Weinberg approach and find that the second doublet should acquire vacuum expectation value near the weak scale. Moreover, its components should acquire masses around 380 GeV except for a light CP-odd Higgs boson. Based on these features, we explore viable ways to achieve the correct relic density of DM, facing stringent constraints from direct detections of DM. For instance, DM annihilates into bb¯ near the SM-like Higgs boson pole, or into a pair of CP-odd Higgs boson with mass above that pole.

Toxicity of oral radiotherapy in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cooper, J.S.; Fried, P.R.

1987-01-01

Although radiotherapy is a standard form of management of head and neck tumors, treatment of the oral cavity in patients who have the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome has produced unacceptable toxicity. Five such patients are described as a warning of enhanced toxicity of oral radiotherapy in this patient population

Barriers to acquiring English reading and writing skills by Zulu ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This article reflects on an investigation into the barriers that hinder Zulu-speaking. English second language (L2) learners in the Foundation Phase from acquiring reading and writing skills. These barriers are categorised as contextual, language, school and intrinsic learner factors. A questionnaire based on these categories ...

Acquire uterine vascular malformation: Clinical outcome of transarterial embolization

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kang, Chae Hoon [Dept. of Radiology, Gangneung Asan Hospital, Gangneung (Korea, Republic of); Yang, Seung Boo; Goo, Dong Erk; Kim, Yong Jae; Lee, Jae Myung; Lee, Woong Hee [Dept. of Radiology, Soonchunhyang University Gumi Hospital, Gumi (Korea, Republic of)

2017-02-15

To evaluate clinical outcomes of transarterial embolization of bilateral uterine arteries (UAE) in patients with acquired uterine vascular malformation (UVM). This retrospective study was performed on the medical records of all 19 patients who underwent transarterial embolization of bilateral UAE for the treatment of symptomatic UVMs from January 2003 to June 2011. Embolization was performed via the unilateral femoral artery approach with a catheter and angiographic techniques. Clinical success was defined as definitive resolution of abnormal vaginal bleeding. Post-procedural complications included all adverse events related to the embolization procedure. A total of 20 procedures were performed in 19 patients. One patient required repeat embolization because of incomplete embolization related to prominent high flow malformation. Clinically, in all patients, bleeding was controlled immediately after embolization. No complications occurred in all patients during the follow up period. In all patients who underwent successful UAE, menstrual cycles were normally restored within 1-2 months. Normal pregnancy with term delivery was observed in two of the 19 cases. Transarterial bilateral UAE is a safe and effective treatment in patients with vaginal bleeding caused by acquired UVM, and it allows the possibility of future pregnancy.

Acquire uterine vascular malformation: Clinical outcome of transarterial embolization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kang, Chae Hoon; Yang, Seung Boo; Goo, Dong Erk; Kim, Yong Jae; Lee, Jae Myung; Lee, Woong Hee

2017-01-01

To evaluate clinical outcomes of transarterial embolization of bilateral uterine arteries (UAE) in patients with acquired uterine vascular malformation (UVM). This retrospective study was performed on the medical records of all 19 patients who underwent transarterial embolization of bilateral UAE for the treatment of symptomatic UVMs from January 2003 to June 2011. Embolization was performed via the unilateral femoral artery approach with a catheter and angiographic techniques. Clinical success was defined as definitive resolution of abnormal vaginal bleeding. Post-procedural complications included all adverse events related to the embolization procedure. A total of 20 procedures were performed in 19 patients. One patient required repeat embolization because of incomplete embolization related to prominent high flow malformation. Clinically, in all patients, bleeding was controlled immediately after embolization. No complications occurred in all patients during the follow up period. In all patients who underwent successful UAE, menstrual cycles were normally restored within 1-2 months. Normal pregnancy with term delivery was observed in two of the 19 cases. Transarterial bilateral UAE is a safe and effective treatment in patients with vaginal bleeding caused by acquired UVM, and it allows the possibility of future pregnancy

Assessing Crop Coefficients for Natural Vegetated Areas Using Satellite Data and Eddy Covariance Stations

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Chiara Corbari

2017-11-01

Full Text Available The Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO method for potential evapotranspiration assessment is based on the crop coefficient, which allows one to relate the reference evapotranspiration of well irrigated grass to the potential evapotranspiration of specific crops. The method was originally developed for cultivated species based on lysimeter measurements of potential evapotranspiration. Not many applications to natural vegetated areas exist due to the lack of available data for these species. In this paper we investigate the potential of using evapotranspiration measurements acquired by micrometeorological stations for the definition of crop coefficient functions of natural vegetated areas and extrapolation to ungauged sites through remotely sensed data. Pastures, deciduous and evergreen forests have been considered and lower crop coefficient values are found with respect to FAO data.

Assessing Crop Coefficients for Natural Vegetated Areas Using Satellite Data and Eddy Covariance Stations.

Science.gov (United States)

Corbari, Chiara; Ravazzani, Giovanni; Galvagno, Marta; Cremonese, Edoardo; Mancini, Marco

2017-11-18

The Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) method for potential evapotranspiration assessment is based on the crop coefficient, which allows one to relate the reference evapotranspiration of well irrigated grass to the potential evapotranspiration of specific crops. The method was originally developed for cultivated species based on lysimeter measurements of potential evapotranspiration. Not many applications to natural vegetated areas exist due to the lack of available data for these species. In this paper we investigate the potential of using evapotranspiration measurements acquired by micrometeorological stations for the definition of crop coefficient functions of natural vegetated areas and extrapolation to ungauged sites through remotely sensed data. Pastures, deciduous and evergreen forests have been considered and lower crop coefficient values are found with respect to FAO data.

Comparative antimicrobial susceptibility of aerobic and facultative bacteria from community-acquired bacteremia to ertapenem in Taiwan

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fung Chang-Phone

2007-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Ertapenem is a once-a-day carbapenem and has excellent activity against many gram-positive and gram-negative aerobic, facultative, and anaerobic bacteria. The susceptibility of isolates of community-acquired bacteremia to ertapenem has not been reported yet. The present study assesses the in vitro activity of ertapenem against aerobic and facultative bacterial pathogens isolated from patients with community-acquired bacteremia by determining and comparing the MICs of cefepime, cefoxitin, ceftazidime, ceftriaxone, ertapenem, piperacillin, piperacillin-tazobactam, ciprofloxacin, amikacin and gentamicin. The prevalence of extended broad spectrum β-lactamases (ESBL producing strains of community-acquired bacteremia and their susceptibility to these antibiotics are investigated. Methods Aerobic and facultative bacteria isolated from blood obtained from hospitalized patients with community-acquired bacteremia within 48 hours of admission between August 1, 2004 and September 30, 2004 in Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Keelung, Taiwan, were identified using standard procedures. Antimicrobial susceptibility was evaluated by Etest according to the standard guidelines provided by the manufacturer and document M100-S16 Performance Standards of the Clinical Laboratory of Standard Institute. Antimicrobial agents including cefepime, cefoxitin, ceftazidime, ceftriaxone, ertapenem, piperacillin, piperacillin-tazobactam, ciprofloxacin, amikacin and gentamicin were used against the bacterial isolates to test their MICs as determined by Etest. For Staphylococcus aureus isolates, MICs of oxacillin were also tested by Etest to differentiate oxacillin-sensitive and oxacillin-resistant S. aureus. Results Ertapenem was highly active in vitro against many aerobic and facultative bacterial pathogens commonly recovered from patients with community-acquired bacteremia (128/159, 80.5 %. Ertapenem had more potent activity than ceftriaxone, piperacillin

25 CFR 166.220 - What are the basic steps for acquiring a permit through negotiation?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 25 Indians 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false What are the basic steps for acquiring a permit through negotiation? 166.220 Section 166.220 Indians BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR LAND AND WATER GRAZING PERMITS Permit Requirements Obtaining A Permit § 166.220 What are the basic steps for acquiring a permit through negotiation? The...

[Increasing incidence of community-acquired pneumonia caused by atypical microorganisms].

Science.gov (United States)

Tazón-Varela, M A; Alonso-Valle, H; Muñoz-Cacho, P; Gallo-Terán, J; Piris-García, X; Pérez-Mier, L A

2017-09-01

Knowing the most common microorganisms in our environment can help us to make proper empirical treatment decisions. The aim is to identify those microorganisms causing community-acquired pneumonia. An observational, descriptive and prospective study was conducted, including patients over 14 years with a clinical and radiographic diagnosis of community-acquired pneumonia during a 383 consecutive day period. A record was made of sociodemographic variables, personal history, prognostic severity scales, progress, and pathogenic agents. The aetiological diagnosis was made using blood cultures, detection of Streptococcus pneumoniae and Legionella pneumophila urinary antigens, sputum culture, influenza virus and Streptococcus pyogenes detection. Categorical variables are presented as absolute values and percentages, and continuous variables as their means and standard deviations. Of the 287 patients included in the study (42% women, mean age 66±22 years), 10.45% died and 70% required hospital admission. An aetiological diagnosis was achieved in 43 patients (14.98%), with 16 microorganisms found in 59 positive samples. The most frequently isolated pathogen was Streptococcus pneumonia (24/59, 41%), followed by gram-negative enteric bacilli, Klebsiella pneumonia, Escherichia coli, Serratia marcescens and Enterobacter cloacae isolated in 20% of the samples (12/59), influenza virus (5/59, 9%), methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (3/59, 5%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (2/59, 3%), Moraxella catarrhalis (2/59, 3%), Legionella pneumophila (2/59, 3%), and Haemophilus influenza (2/59, 3%). Polymicrobial infections accounted for 14% (8/59). A high percentage of atypical microorganisms causing community-acquired pneumonia were found. Copyright © 2016 Sociedad Española de Médicos de Atención Primaria (SEMERGEN). Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Potential Cost-effectiveness of Early Identification of Hospital-acquired Infection in Critically Ill Patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Tsalik, Ephraim L; Li, Yanhong; Hudson, Lori L; Chu, Vivian H; Himmel, Tiffany; Limkakeng, Alex T; Katz, Jason N; Glickman, Seth W; McClain, Micah T; Welty-Wolf, Karen E; Fowler, Vance G; Ginsburg, Geoffrey S; Woods, Christopher W; Reed, Shelby D

2016-03-01

Limitations in methods for the rapid diagnosis of hospital-acquired infections often delay initiation of effective antimicrobial therapy. New diagnostic approaches offer potential clinical and cost-related improvements in the management of these infections. We developed a decision modeling framework to assess the potential cost-effectiveness of a rapid biomarker assay to identify hospital-acquired infection in high-risk patients earlier than standard diagnostic testing. The framework includes parameters representing rates of infection, rates of delayed appropriate therapy, and impact of delayed therapy on mortality, along with assumptions about diagnostic test characteristics and their impact on delayed therapy and length of stay. Parameter estimates were based on contemporary, published studies and supplemented with data from a four-site, observational, clinical study. Extensive sensitivity analyses were performed. The base-case analysis assumed 17.6% of ventilated patients and 11.2% of nonventilated patients develop hospital-acquired infection and that 28.7% of patients with hospital-acquired infection experience delays in appropriate antibiotic therapy with standard care. We assumed this percentage decreased by 50% (to 14.4%) among patients with true-positive results and increased by 50% (to 43.1%) among patients with false-negative results using a hypothetical biomarker assay. Cost of testing was set at $110/d. In the base-case analysis, among ventilated patients, daily diagnostic testing starting on admission reduced inpatient mortality from 12.3 to 11.9% and increased mean costs by $1,640 per patient, resulting in an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of $21,389 per life-year saved. Among nonventilated patients, inpatient mortality decreased from 7.3 to 7.1% and costs increased by $1,381 with diagnostic testing. The resulting incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was $42,325 per life-year saved. Threshold analyses revealed the probabilities of developing

Erlotinib is a viable treatment for tumors with acquired resistance to cetuximab

Science.gov (United States)

Brand, Toni M; Dunn, Emily F; Iida, Mari; Myers, Rebecca A; Kostopoulos, Kellie T; Li, Chunrong; Peet, Chimera R

2011-01-01

The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is an ubiquitously expressed receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) and is recognized as a key mediator of tumorigenesis in many human tumors. Currently there are five EGFR inhibitors used in oncology, two monoclonal antibodies (panitumumab and cetuximab) and three tyrosine kinase inhibitors (erlotinib, gefitinib and lapatinib). Both strategies of EGFR inhibition have demonstrated clinical success; however, many tumors remain non-responsive or acquire resistance during therapy. To explore potential molecular mechanisms of acquired resistance to cetuximab we previously established a series of cetuximab-resistant clones by chronically exposing the NCI-H226 NSCLC cell line to escalating doses of cetuximab. Cetuximab-resistant clones exhibited a dramatic increase in the activation of EGFR, HER2 and HER3 receptors as well as increased signaling through the MAP K and AKT pathways. RNAi studies demonstrated dependence of cetuximab-resistant clones on the EGFR signaling network. These findings prompted investigation on whether or not cells with acquired resistance to cetuximab would be sensitive to the EGFR targeted TKI erlotinib. In vitro, erlotinib was able to decrease signaling through the EGFR axis, decrease cellular proliferation and induce apoptosis. To determine if erlotinib could have therapeutic benefit in vivo, we established cetuximab-resistant NCI-H226 mouse xenografts, and subsequently treated them with erlotinib. Mice harboring cetuximab-resistant tumors treated with erlotinib exhibited either a tumor regression or growth delay as compared with vehicle controls. Analysis of the erlotinib treated tumors demonstrated a decrease in cell proliferation and increased rates of apoptosis. The work presented herein suggests that (1) cells with acquired resistance to cetuximab maintain their dependence on EGFR and (2) tumors developing resistance to cetuximab can benefit from subsequent treatment with erlotinib, providing rationale

Acquiring a four-dimensional computed tomography dataset using an external respiratory signal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vedam, S S; Keall, P J; Kini, V R; Mostafavi, H; Shukla, H P; Mohan, R

2003-01-01

Four-dimensional (4D) methods strive to achieve highly conformal radiotherapy, particularly for lung and breast tumours, in the presence of respiratory-induced motion of tumours and normal tissues. Four-dimensional radiotherapy accounts for respiratory motion during imaging, planning and radiation delivery, and requires a 4D CT image in which the internal anatomy motion as a function of the respiratory cycle can be quantified. The aims of our research were (a) to develop a method to acquire 4D CT images from a spiral CT scan using an external respiratory signal and (b) to examine the potential utility of 4D CT imaging. A commercially available respiratory motion monitoring system provided an 'external' tracking signal of the patient's breathing. Simultaneous recording of a TTL 'X-Ray ON' signal from the CT scanner indicated the start time of CT image acquisition, thus facilitating time stamping of all subsequent images. An over-sampled spiral CT scan was acquired using a pitch of 0.5 and scanner rotation time of 1.5 s. Each image from such a scan was sorted into an image bin that corresponded with the phase of the respiratory cycle in which the image was acquired. The complete set of such image bins accumulated over a respiratory cycle constitutes a 4D CT dataset. Four-dimensional CT datasets of a mechanical oscillator phantom and a patient undergoing lung radiotherapy were acquired. Motion artefacts were significantly reduced in the images in the 4D CT dataset compared to the three-dimensional (3D) images, for which respiratory motion was not accounted. Accounting for respiratory motion using 4D CT imaging is feasible and yields images with less distortion than 3D images. 4D images also contain respiratory motion information not available in a 3D CT image

Natural radioelement mapping by carborne and ground gamma-ray spectrometry in the Philippines

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reyes, Rolando Y.; Petrache, Christina A.; Tabora, Estrellita U.; Garcia, Teofilo Y.

2010-01-01

Over the past years, the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute has been conducting a program aimed at mapping the abundance and distribution of the naturally occurring radioactive elements (radioelements) potassium (K), uranium (U) and thorium (Th) through the use of carborne and ground gamma-ray spectrometric survey techniques. This program was initiated with assistance from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) through a technical cooperation project entitled ''Gamma Ray Spectrometric Survey of the Philippines'', in which the carborne and ground gamma-ray spectrometric systems were acquired. The objectives of this project were to generate radioelement maps for geological studies and mineral resource assessment, and establish baseline information on the natural radioactivity of the country for environmental studies and monitoring. The pilot survey for this project, conducted over Marinduque Island, Philippines, is presented in this paper. (author)

Infection Control and Prevention: A Review of Hospital-Acquired Infections and the Economic Implications

OpenAIRE

Reed, Deoine; Kemmerly, Sandra A.

2009-01-01

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 2 million patients suffer from hospital-acquired infections every year and nearly 100,000 of them die. Most of these medical errors are preventable. Hospital-acquired infections result in up to $4.5 billion in additional healthcare expenses annually. The U.S. government has responded to this financial loss by focusing on healthcare quality report cards and by taking strong action to curb healthcare spending. The Medicare Program ha...

Design of two molecular methodologies for the rapid identification of Colombian community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolates

OpenAIRE

Escobar, Javier Antonio; Gómez, Ingrid Tatiana; Murillo, Martha Johanna; Castro, Betsy Esperanza; Chavarro, Bibiana; Márquez, Ricaurte Alejandro; Vanegas, Natasha

2012-01-01

Introduction. Community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) infections are found with increasing the frequency, both in healthy individuals in the community and in hospitalized patients. In Colombia and the Andean region, CA-MRSA isolates have a genetic background that is related to the pandemic USA300 clone. Objective. Two molecular methods are designed and standardized for the rapid differentiation of Colombian community-acquired and hospital-acquired methicillin-...

Burden of Hospital Acquired Infections and Antimicrobial Use in Vietnamese Adult Intensive Care Units.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vu Dinh Phu

Full Text Available Vietnam is a lower middle-income country with no national surveillance system for hospital-acquired infections (HAIs. We assessed the prevalence of hospital-acquired infections and antimicrobial use in adult intensive care units (ICUs across Vietnam.Monthly repeated point prevalence surveys were systematically conducted to assess HAI prevalence and antimicrobial use in 15 adult ICUs across Vietnam. Adults admitted to participating ICUs before 08:00 a.m. on the survey day were included.Among 3287 patients enrolled, the HAI prevalence was 29.5% (965/3266 patients, 21 missing. Pneumonia accounted for 79.4% (804/1012 of HAIs Most HAIs (84.5% [855/1012] were acquired in the survey hospital with 42.5% (363/855 acquired prior to ICU admission and 57.5% (492/855 developed during ICU admission. In multivariate analysis, the strongest risk factors for HAI acquired in ICU were: intubation (OR 2.76, urinary catheter (OR 2.12, no involvement of a family member in patient care (OR 1.94, and surgery after admission (OR 1.66. 726 bacterial isolates were cultured from 622/1012 HAIs, most frequently Acinetobacter baumannii (177/726 [24.4%], Pseudomonas aeruginosa (100/726 [13.8%], and Klebsiella pneumoniae (84/726 [11.6%], with carbapenem resistance rates of 89.2%, 55.7%, and 14.9% respectively. Antimicrobials were prescribed for 84.8% (2787/3287 patients, with 73.7% of patients receiving two or more. The most common antimicrobial groups were third generation cephalosporins, fluoroquinolones, and carbapenems (20.1%, 19.4%, and 14.1% of total antimicrobials, respectively.A high prevalence of HAIs was observed, mainly caused by Gram-negative bacteria with high carbapenem resistance rates. This in combination with a high rate of antimicrobial use illustrates the urgent need to improve rational antimicrobial use and infection control efforts.

Clinicians' ability, motivation, and opportunity to acquire and transfer knowledge: An age-driven perspective.

Science.gov (United States)

Profili, Silvia; Sammarra, Alessia; Dandi, Roberto; Mascia, Daniele

2017-11-08

Many countries are seeing a dramatic increase in the average age of their clinicians. The literature often highlights the challenges of high replacement costs and the need for strategies to retain older personnel. Less discussed are the potential pitfalls of knowledge acquisition and transfer that accompany this aging issue. We propose a conceptual framework for understanding how clinicians' age interact with ability, motivation, and opportunity to predict clinical knowledge transfer and acquisition in health care organizations. This study integrates life-span development perspectives with the ability-motivation-opportunity framework to develop a number of testable propositions on the interaction between age and clinicians' ability, motivation, and opportunity to acquire and transfer clinical knowledge. We posit that the interaction between ability (the knowledge and skills to acquire knowledge), motivation (the willingness to acquire and transfer knowledge), and opportunity (resources required for acquiring and transferring knowledge) is a determinant of successful knowledge management. We also suggest that clinicians' age-and more specifically, the cognitive and motivational changes that accompany aging-moderates these relationships. This study contributes to existing research by offering a set of testable propositions for future research. These propositions will hopefully encourage empirical research into this important topic and lead to guidelines for reducing the risks of organizational knowledge loss due to aging. We suggest several ways that health care organizations can tailor managerial practices in order to help capitalize on the knowledge-based resources held by their younger and older clinicians. Such initiatives may affect employees' ability (e.g., by providing specific training programs), motivation (e.g., by expanding subjective perceptions of future time at work), and opportunities (e.g., by providing mentoring, reverse mentoring, and coaching

Paraneoplastic addisonian pigmentation and acquired ichthyosis as presenting features of multiple myeloma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dar, N.R.; Raza, N.

2010-01-01

Black brown hyperpigmentation of the mucosae, sun exposed skin, palmar creases and frictional sites (Addisonian pigmentation) is characteristic of Addison disease. However, it can also occur as a para neoplastic manifestation of tumours like bronchogenic carcinoma. Acquired ichthyosis starts later in life and can also be a para neoplastic presentation.We report a unique combination of para neoplastic Addisonian pigmentation and acquired ichthyosis as presenting features in a patient with undiagnosed multiple myeloma. To the best of our knowledge this combination of para neoplastic dermatosis has not been documented before in multiple myeloma. It is concluded that the presence of more than one suspicious dermatosis may be an indicator of being para neoplastic requiring necessary work-up. (author)

Battlefield-Acquired Immunogenicity to Metals Affects Orthopaedic Implant Outcome

Science.gov (United States)

2015-10-01

Award Number: W81XWH-10-2-0138 TITLE: Battlefield-Acquired Immunogenicity to Metals Affects Orthopaedic Implant Outcome PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR...Immunogenicity to Metals Affects Orthopaedic pla t Outcome 5b. GRANT NUMBER W91ZSQ0135N646 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR(S) Nadim James...DISTRIBUTION / AVAILABILITY STATEMENT Approved for public release; distribution unlimited 13. SUPPLEM ENTARY NOTES 14. ABSTRACT The effects of battlefield

Neural Basis of Acquired Amusia and Its Recovery after Stroke.

Science.gov (United States)

Sihvonen, Aleksi J; Ripollés, Pablo; Leo, Vera; Rodríguez-Fornells, Antoni; Soinila, Seppo; Särkämö, Teppo

2016-08-24

Although acquired amusia is a relatively common disorder after stroke, its precise neuroanatomical basis is still unknown. To evaluate which brain regions form the neural substrate for acquired amusia and its recovery, we performed a voxel-based lesion-symptom mapping (VLSM) and morphometry (VBM) study with 77 human stroke subjects. Structural MRIs were acquired at acute and 6 month poststroke stages. Amusia and aphasia were behaviorally assessed at acute and 3 month poststroke stages using the Scale and Rhythm subtests of the Montreal Battery of Evaluation of Amusia (MBEA) and language tests. VLSM analyses indicated that amusia was associated with a lesion area comprising the superior temporal gyrus, Heschl's gyrus, insula, and striatum in the right hemisphere, clearly different from the lesion pattern associated with aphasia. Parametric analyses of MBEA Pitch and Rhythm scores showed extensive lesion overlap in the right striatum, as well as in the right Heschl's gyrus and superior temporal gyrus. Lesions associated with Rhythm scores extended more superiorly and posterolaterally. VBM analysis of volume changes from the acute to the 6 month stage showed a clear decrease in gray matter volume in the right superior and middle temporal gyri in nonrecovered amusic patients compared with nonamusic patients. This increased atrophy was more evident in anterior temporal areas in rhythm amusia and in posterior temporal and temporoparietal areas in pitch amusia. Overall, the results implicate right temporal and subcortical regions as the crucial neural substrate for acquired amusia and highlight the importance of different temporal lobe regions for the recovery of amusia after stroke. Lesion studies are essential in uncovering the brain regions causally linked to a given behavior or skill. For music perception ability, previous lesion studies of amusia have been methodologically limited in both spatial accuracy and time domain as well as by small sample sizes, providing

Acquiring 4D thoracic CT scans using a multislice helical method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Keall, P J; Starkschall, G; Shukla, H; Forster, K M; Ortiz, V; Stevens, C W; Vedam, S S; George, R; Guerrero, T; Mohan, R

2004-01-01

Respiratory motion degrades anatomic position reproducibility during imaging, necessitates larger margins during radiotherapy planning and causes errors during radiation delivery. Computed tomography (CT) scans acquired synchronously with the respiratory signal can be used to reconstruct 4D CT scans, which can be employed for 4D treatment planning to explicitly account for respiratory motion. The aim of this research was to develop, test and clinically implement a method to acquire 4D thoracic CT scans using a multislice helical method. A commercial position-monitoring system used for respiratory-gated radiotherapy was interfaced with a third generation multislice scanner. 4D cardiac reconstruction methods were modified to allow 4D thoracic CT acquisition. The technique was tested on a phantom under different conditions: stationary, periodic motion and non-periodic motion. 4D CT was also implemented for a lung cancer patient with audio-visual breathing coaching. For all cases, 4D CT images were successfully acquired from eight discrete breathing phases, however, some limitations of the system in terms of respiration reproducibility and breathing period relative to scanner settings were evident. Lung mass for the 4D CT patient scan was reproducible to within 2.1% over the eight phases, though the lung volume changed by 20% between end inspiration and end expiration (870 cm 3 ). 4D CT can be used for 4D radiotherapy, respiration-gated radiotherapy, 'slow' CT acquisition and tumour motion studies

Is Ocean Reflectance Acquired by Citizen Scientists Robust for Science Applications?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yuyan Yang

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Monitoring the dynamics of the productivity of ocean water and how it affects fisheries is essential for management. It requires data on proper spatial and temporal scales, which can be provided by operational ocean colour satellites. However, accurate productivity data from ocean colour imagery is only possible with proper validation of, for instance, the atmospheric correction applied to the images. In situ water reflectance data are of great value due to the requirements for validation and reflectance is traditionally measured with the Surface Acquisition System (SAS solar tracker system. Recently, an application for mobile devices, “HydroColor”, was developed to acquire water reflectance data. We examined the accuracy of the water reflectance measures acquired by HydroColor with the help of both trained and untrained citizens, under different environmental conditions. We used water reflectance data acquired by SAS solar tracker and by HydroColor onboard the BC ferry Queen of Oak Bay from July to September 2016. Monte Carlo permutation F tests were used to assess whether the differences between measurements collected by SAS solar tracker and HydroColor with citizens were significant. Results showed that citizen HydroColor measurements were accurate in red, green, and blue bands, as well as red/green and red/blue ratios under different environmental conditions. In addition, we found that a trained citizen obtained higher quality HydroColor data especially under clear skies at noon.

Importance of pharmacokinetic studies in the management of acquired factor X deficiency.

Science.gov (United States)

Lim, Ming Y; McCarthy, Timothy; Chen, Sheh-Li; Rollins-Raval, Marian A; Ma, Alice D

2016-01-01

Up to 14% of individuals with systemic AL amyloidosis develop acquired factor X deficiency, which occurs due to adsorption of factor X onto amyloid fibrils. Although baseline factor X levels are not predictive of bleeding risk in these patients, serious hemorrhagic complications can occur, particularly during invasive procedures. Optimal management strategies to attenuate bleeding risk in these patients are unknown. We describe our experience in the management of acquired factor X deficiency, secondary to systemic AL amyloidosis, in a case series of three patients who received prothrombin complex concentrates (PCCs) for treatment and prevention of bleeding events. We performed a retrospective review extracting information on baseline demographics, laboratory data, pharmacokinetic (PK) studies, and clinically documented bleeding events. Our case series demonstrates that individuals with acquired factor X deficiency secondary to amyloidosis have variable laboratory and clinical responses to PCCs. This is likely due to distinct amyloid loads and fibril sequences, leading to different binding avidities for factor X. Our data emphasize the importance of performing PK testing prior to any invasive procedures to determine the dose and frequency interval to achieve adequate factor X levels for hemostasis, given the variable response between individuals. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Use of a patient hand hygiene protocol to reduce hospital-acquired infections and improve nurses' hand washing.

Science.gov (United States)

Fox, Cherie; Wavra, Teresa; Drake, Diane Ash; Mulligan, Debbie; Bennett, Yvonne Pacheco; Nelson, Carla; Kirkwood, Peggy; Jones, Louise; Bader, Mary Kay

2015-05-01

Critically ill patients are at marked risk of hospital-acquired infections, which increase patients' morbidity and mortality. Registered nurses are the main health care providers of physical care, including hygiene to reduce and prevent hospital-acquired infections, for hospitalized critically ill patients. To investigate a new patient hand hygiene protocol designed to reduce hospital-acquired infection rates and improve nurses' hand-washing compliance in an intensive care unit. A preexperimental study design was used to compare 12-month rates of 2 common hospital-acquired infections, central catheter-associated bloodstream infection and catheter-associated urinary tract infection, and nurses' hand-washing compliance measured before and during use of the protocol. Reductions in 12-month infection rates were reported for both types of infections, but neither reduction was statistically significant. Mean 12-month nurse hand-washing compliance also improved, but not significantly. A hand hygiene protocol for patients in the intensive care unit was associated with reductions in hospital-acquired infections and improvements in nurses' hand-washing compliance. Prevention of such infections requires continuous quality improvement efforts to monitor lasting effectiveness as well as investigation of strategies to eliminate these infections. ©2015 American Association of Critical-Care Nurses.

Acquired radioresistance of cancer and the AKT/GSK3β/cyclin D1 overexpression cycle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shimura, Tsutomu

2011-01-01

Fractionated radiotherapy (RT) is widely used in cancer therapy for its advantages in the preservation of normal tissues. However, repopulation of surviving tumor cells during fractionated RT limits the efficacy of RT. In fact, repopulating tumors often acquire radioresistance and this is the major cause of failure of RT. We have recently demonstrated that human tumor cells acquire radioresistance when exposed to fractionated radiation (FR) of X-rays every 12 hours for 1 month. The acquired radioresistance was associated with overexpression of cyclin D1, a result of a series of molecular changes; constitutive activation of DNA-PK and AKT with concomitant down-regulation of glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK3β) which results in suppression of cyclin D1 proteolysis. Aberrant cyclin D1 overexpression in S-phase induced DNA double strand breaks which activated DNA-PK and established the vicious cycle of cycling D1 overexpression. This overexpression of cyclin D1 is responsible for the radioresistance phenotype of long-term FR cells, since this phenotype was completely abrogated by treatment of FR cells by the AKT/PKB signaling inhibitor (API-2), an AKT inhibitor or by a Cdk4 inhibitor. Thus, targeting the AKT/GSK3β/cyclin D1/Cdk4 pathway can be an efficient modality to suppress acquired radioresistance of tumor cells. In this article, I overview the newly discovered molecular mechanisms underlying acquired radioresistance of tumor cells induced by FR, and propose a strategy for eradication of tumors using fractionated RT by overcoming tumor radioresistance. (author)

City gates maintenance - TBG experience; Experiencia da TBG na manutencao de estacoes de entrega de gas natural

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rocha, Adir de Brito; Tavares, Cipriano Homem; Pinto, Jose Eduardo Christovao [Transportadora Brasileira Gasoduto Bolivia-Brasil, S.A., Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil)

2005-07-01

Owner and sole operator in Brasilian territory of the Bolivia-Brazil Gas Pipeline (GASBOL), the largest of its kind in South America, TBG started operations on July 1 st, 1999. Since then, it has ensured transportation of Bolivian natural gas into Brazil swiftly and safely. This paper relates the TBG experiences on Natural Gas City Gates maintenance and its components like filtering, heating, pressure reducing redundant valves, turbine meters, flow computers, solar panel power supply, satellite monitoring system, acquired by 6 years of operation of Brazil Bolivia Gas Pipe Line. It describes the definitions of maintenance plans using RCM - Reliability-centered Maintenance concepts and the most important learning experiences. (author)

Epidemic of medical errors and hospital-acquired infections: systemic and social causes

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Charney, William

2012-01-01

...) and pharmaceutical errors combined are the second or third leading killer of Americans annually: approximately 300,000 die from a combination of medical errors, hospital acquired infections (HAIs...

Implantation of cultured thymic fragments in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Danner, S. A.; Schuurman, H. J.; Lange, J. M.; Gmelig Meyling, F. H.; Schellekens, P. T.; Huber, J.; Kater, L.

1986-01-01

Cultured thymic fragments were implanted in one patient with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)-related complex (ARC) and in eight AIDS patients with opportunistic infections (OIs, four patients), Kaposi's sarcoma (KS, two patients), or both (two patients). Thereafter, objective clinical

The Biological Implausibility of the Nature-Nurture Dichotomy & What It Means for the Study of Infancy.

Science.gov (United States)

Lewkowicz, David J

2011-01-01

Since the time of the Greeks, philosophers and scientists have wondered about the origins of structure and function. Plato proposed that the origins of structure and function lie in the organism's nature whereas Aristotle proposed that they lie in its nurture. This nature/nurture dichotomy and the emphasis on the origins question has had a powerful effect on our thinking about development right into modern times. Despite this, empirical findings from various branches of developmental science have made a compelling case that the nature/nurture dichotomy is biologically implausible and, thus, that a search for developmental origins must be replaced by research into developmental processes. This change in focus recognizes that development is an immensely complex, dynamic, embedded, interdependent, and probabilistic process and, therefore, renders simplistic questions such as whether a particular behavioral capacity is innate or acquired scientifically uninteresting.

41 CFR 102-33.70 - What directives must we follow when planning to acquire Government aircraft?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... Parts Planning to Acquire Government Aircraft § 102-33.70 What directives must we follow when planning... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false What directives must we follow when planning to acquire Government aircraft? 102-33.70 Section 102-33.70 Public Contracts and...

Hospital-acquired infections in a Nigerian tertiary health facility: An ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Hospital-acquired infections in a Nigerian tertiary health facility: An audit of surveillance reports. ... This study evaluated the occurrence of HAI in a foremost tertiary health facility over a 5-year period for the purpose of reinforcing control efforts. Materials and Methods: A retrospective survey of records from the infection control ...

On the difficulties of acquiring mathematical experience: Case rural education

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Booss-Bavnbek, Bernhelm

2014-01-01

Based on a variety of philosophical approaches and my own work for decades in pure and applied mathematics teaching and research, I explain my view upon the basic difficulties of acquiring the “Mathematical Experience” (in the sense of P.J. Davis and R. Hersh 1981) and submit a list of claims how...