Confirmation bias in studies of nestmate recognition: a cautionary note for research into the behaviour of animals.

Science.gov (United States)

van Wilgenburg, Ellen; Elgar, Mark A

2013-01-01

Confirmation bias is a tendency of people to interpret information in a way that confirms their expectations. A long recognized phenomenon in human psychology, confirmation bias can distort the results of a study and thus reduce its reliability. While confirmation bias can be avoided by conducting studies blind to treatment groups, this practice is not always used. Surprisingly, this is true of research in animal behaviour, and the extent to which confirmation bias influences research outcomes in this field is rarely investigated. Here we conducted a meta-analysis, using studies on nestmate recognition in ants, to compare the outcomes of studies that were conducted blind with those that were not. Nestmate recognition studies typically perform intra- and inter colony aggression assays, with the a priori expectation that there should be little or no aggression among nestmates. Aggressive interactions between ants can include subtle behaviours such as mandible flaring and recoil, which can be hard to quantify, making these types of assays prone to confirmation bias. Our survey revealed that only 29% of our sample of 79 studies were conducted blind. These studies were more likely to report aggression among nestmates if they were conducted blind (73%) than if they were not (21%). Moreover, we found that the effect size between nestmate and non-nestmate treatment means is significantly lower in experiments conducted blind than those in which colony identity is known (1.38 versus 2.76). We discuss the implications of the impact of confirmation bias for research that attempts to obtain quantitative synthesises of data from different studies.

Confirmation bias in studies of nestmate recognition: a cautionary note for research into the behaviour of animals.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ellen van Wilgenburg

Full Text Available Confirmation bias is a tendency of people to interpret information in a way that confirms their expectations. A long recognized phenomenon in human psychology, confirmation bias can distort the results of a study and thus reduce its reliability. While confirmation bias can be avoided by conducting studies blind to treatment groups, this practice is not always used. Surprisingly, this is true of research in animal behaviour, and the extent to which confirmation bias influences research outcomes in this field is rarely investigated. Here we conducted a meta-analysis, using studies on nestmate recognition in ants, to compare the outcomes of studies that were conducted blind with those that were not. Nestmate recognition studies typically perform intra- and inter colony aggression assays, with the a priori expectation that there should be little or no aggression among nestmates. Aggressive interactions between ants can include subtle behaviours such as mandible flaring and recoil, which can be hard to quantify, making these types of assays prone to confirmation bias. Our survey revealed that only 29% of our sample of 79 studies were conducted blind. These studies were more likely to report aggression among nestmates if they were conducted blind (73% than if they were not (21%. Moreover, we found that the effect size between nestmate and non-nestmate treatment means is significantly lower in experiments conducted blind than those in which colony identity is known (1.38 versus 2.76. We discuss the implications of the impact of confirmation bias for research that attempts to obtain quantitative synthesises of data from different studies.

Genome-wide association study of multiple sclerosis confirms a novel locus at 5p13.1.

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Fuencisla Matesanz

Full Text Available Multiple Sclerosis (MS is the most common progressive and disabling neurological condition affecting young adults in the world today. From a genetic point of view, MS is a complex disorder resulting from the combination of genetic and non-genetic factors. We aimed to identify previously unidentified loci conducting a new GWAS of Multiple Sclerosis (MS in a sample of 296 MS cases and 801 controls from the Spanish population. Meta-analysis of our data in combination with previous GWAS was done. A total of 17 GWAS-significant SNPs, corresponding to three different loci were identified:HLA, IL2RA, and 5p13.1. All three have been previously reported as GWAS-significant. We confirmed our observation in 5p13.1 for rs9292777 using two additional independent Spanish samples to make a total of 4912 MS cases and 7498 controls (ORpooled = 0.84; 95%CI: 0.80-0.89; p = 1.36 × 10-9. This SNP differs from the one reported within this locus in a recent GWAS. Although it is unclear whether both signals are tapping the same genetic association, it seems clear that this locus plays an important role in the pathogenesis of MS.

Performance Confirmation Plan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lindner, E.N.

2000-01-01

As described, the purpose of the Performance Confirmation Plan is to specify monitoring, testing, and analysis activities for evaluating the accuracy and adequacy of the information used to determine that performance objectives for postclosure will be met. This plan defines a number of specific performance confirmation activities and associated test concepts in support of the MGR that will be implemented to fulfill this purpose. In doing so, the plan defines an approach to identify key factors and processes, predict performance, establish tolerances and test criteria, collect data (through monitoring, testing, and experiments), analyze these data, and recommend appropriate action. The process of defining which factors to address under performance confirmation incorporates input from several areas. In all cases, key performance confirmation factors are those factors which are: (1) important to safety, (2) measurable and predictable, and (3) relevant to the program (i.e., a factor that is affected by construction, emplacement, or is a time-dependent variable). For the present version of the plan, performance confirmation factors important to safety are identified using the principal factors from the RSS (CRWMS M and O 2000a) (which is derived from TSPA analyses) together with other available performance assessment analyses. With this basis, key performance confirmation factors have been identified, and test concepts and test descriptions have been developed in the plan. Other activities are also incorporated into the performance confirmation program outside of these key factors. Additional activities and tests have been incorporated when they are prescribed by requirements and regulations or are necessary to address data needs and model validation requirements relevant to postclosure safety. These other activities have been included with identified factors to construct the overall performance confirmation program

Performance Confirmation Plan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lindner, E.N.

2000-01-01

As described, the purpose of the Performance Confirmation Plan is to specify monitoring, testing, and analysis activities for evaluating the accuracy and adequacy of the information used to determine that performance objectives for postclosure will be met. This plan defines a number of specific performance confirmation activities and associated test concepts in support of the MGR that will be implemented to fulfill this purpose. In doing so, the plan defines an approach to identify key factors and processes, predict performance, establish tolerances and test criteria, collect data (through monitoring, testing, and experiments), analyze these data, and recommend appropriate action. The process of defining which factors to address under performance confirmation incorporates input from several areas. In all cases, key performance confirmation factors are those factors which are: (1) important to safety, (2) measurable and predictable, and (3) relevant to the program (i.e., a factor that i s affected by construction, emplacement, or is a time-dependent variable). For the present version of the plan, performance confirmation factors important to safety are identified using the principal factors from the RSS (CRWMS M and O 2000a) (which is derived from TSPA analyses) together with other available performance assessment analyses. With this basis, key performance confirmation factors have been identified, and test concepts and test descriptions have been developed in the plan. Other activities are also incorporated into the performance confirmation program outside of these key factors. Additional activities and tests have been incorporated when they are prescribed by requirements and regulations or are necessary to address data needs and model validation requirements relevant to postclosure safety. These other activities have been included with identified factors to construct the overall performance confirmation program

Study of functional-performance deficits in athletes with previous ankle sprains

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hamid Babaee

2008-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background: Despite the importance of functional-performance deficits in athletes with history of ankle sprain few, studies have been carried out in this area. The aim of this research was to study relationship between previous ankle sprains and functional-performance deficits in athletes. Materials and methods: The subjects were 40 professional athletes selected through random sampling among volunteer participants in soccer, basketball, volleyball and handball teams of Lorestan province. The subjects were divided into 2 groups: Injured group (athletes with previous ankle sprains and healthy group (athletes without previous ankle sprains. In this descriptive study we used Functional-performance tests (figure 8 hop test and side hop test to determine ankle deficits and limitations. They participated in figure 8 hop test including hopping in 8 shape course with the length of 5 meters and side hop test including 10 side hop repetitions in course with the length of 30 centimeters. Time were recorded via stopwatch. Results: After data gathering and assessing information distributions, Pearson correlation was used to assess relationships, and independent T test to assess differences between variables. Finally the results showed that there is a significant relationship between previous ankle sprains and functional-performance deficits in the athletes. Conclusion: The athletes who had previous ankle sprains indicated functional-performance deficits more than healthy athletes in completion of mentioned functional-performance tests. The functional-performance tests (figure 8 hop test and side hop test are sensitive and suitable to assess and detect functional-performance deficits in athletes. Therefore we can use the figure 8 hop and side hop tests for goals such as prevention, assessment and rehabilitation of ankle sprains without spending too much money and time.

Low incidence of psychosis in Italy: confirmation from the first epidemiological study in Sicily

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Capuccio, V.; Fearon, P.; Ferraro, L.; Kirkbride, J.B.; La Cascia, C.; Sartorio, C.; Seminerio, F.; Tripoli, G.; Di Forti, M.

2017-01-01

Purpose The incidence of psychotic disorders varies in different geographical areas. As there have been no reports from Southern Italy, this study aimed to determine the incidence rate of first episode psychosis in Palermo, Sicily. Methods All patients, aged 18-65 years, presenting with a first episode of psychosis (FEP) (ICD-10 F20-F29, F30-F33) to mental health services in Palermo, were recorded over a 3-year period. Incidence rates of psychotic disorders and their 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were estimated. Poisson regression was applied to estimate the differences in incidence rate ratio (IRR) by age, sex and migrant status. Results Two hundred and four FEP participants were identified during the three years; 183 (89.7%, males n=112) participants were native Italians and 21 were migrants (10.3%, males n=14). The crude incidence of all psychoses was 15.9 (95% CI 13.7-18.1). As predicted, the risk of schizophrenia F20 was higher in males compared to females (adjusted IRR=1.99, 95% CI 1.36-2.88) and in migrants compared to native Italians (adjusted IRR= 4.02, 95% CI 2.39-6.75). Conclusions This study, the first from Sicily, confirms previous findings from Northern Italy that the risk of schizophrenia and other psychoses is much lower in Italian cities than those reported from cities in Northern Europe; the reasons for this disparity may provide important clues to the aetiology of psychosis. PMID:28032136

Personality disorders in previously detained adolescent females: a prospective study

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Krabbendam, A.; Colins, O.F.; Doreleijers, T.A.H.; van der Molen, E.; Beekman, A.T.F.; Vermeiren, R.R.J.M.

2015-01-01

This longitudinal study investigated the predictive value of trauma and mental health problems for the development of antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) and borderline personality disorder (BPD) in previously detained women. The participants were 229 detained adolescent females who were assessed

Family-based exome-wide association study of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia among Hispanics confirms role of ARID5B in susceptibility.

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Natalie P Archer

Full Text Available We conducted an exome-wide association study of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL among Hispanics to confirm and identify novel variants associated with disease risk in this population. We used a case-parent trio study design; unlike more commonly used case-control studies, this study design is ideal for avoiding issues with population stratification bias among this at-risk ethnic group. Using 710 individuals from 323 Guatemalan and US Hispanic families, two inherited SNPs in ARID5B reached genome-wide level significance: rs10821936, RR = 2.31, 95% CI = 1.70-3.14, p = 1.7×10-8 and rs7089424, RR = 2.22, 95% CI = 1.64-3.01, p = 5.2×10-8. Similar results were observed when restricting our analyses to those with the B-ALL subtype: ARID5B rs10821936 RR = 2.22, 95% CI = 1.63-3.02, p = 9.63×10-8 and ARID5B rs7089424 RR = 2.13, 95% CI = 1.57-2.88, p = 2.81×10-7. Notably, effect sizes observed for rs7089424 and rs10821936 in our study were >20% higher than those reported among non-Hispanic white populations in previous genetic association studies. Our results confirmed the role of ARID5B in childhood ALL susceptibility among Hispanics; however, our assessment did not reveal any strong novel inherited genetic risks for acute lymphoblastic leukemia among this ethnic group.

Prospective memory and its correlates and predictors in schizophrenia: an extension of previous findings.

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Ungvari, Gabor S; Xiang, Yu-Tao; Tang, Wai-Kwong; Shum, David

2008-09-01

Prospective memory (PM) is the ability to remember to do something in the future without explicit prompts. Extending the number of subjects and the scope of our previously published study, this investigation examined the relationship between PM and socio-demographic and clinical factors, activities of daily living (ADL) and frontal lobe functions in patients with chronic schizophrenia. One hundred and ten Chinese schizophrenia patients, 60 from the previous study and 50 additional patients recruited for this study, and 110 matched healthy comparison subjects (HC) formed the study sample. Patients' clinical condition and activity of daily living were evaluated with the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) and the Functional Needs Assessment (FNA). Time- and event-based PM tasks and three tests of prefrontal lobe functions (Design Fluency Test [DFT], Tower of London [TOL], Wisconsin Card Sorting Test [WCST]) were also administered. Patients' level of ADL and psychopathology were not associated with PM functions and only anticholinergic medications (ACM) showed a significant negative correlational relationship with PM tasks. Confirming the findings of the previous study, patients performed significantly more poorly on all two PM tasks than HC. Performance on time-based PM task significantly correlated with age, education level and DFT in HC and with age, DFT, TOL and WCST in patients. Patients' performance on the event-based PM correlated with DFT and one measure of WCST. In patients, TOL and age predicted the performance on time-based PM task; DFT and WCST predicted the event-based task. Involving a large sample of patients with matched controls, this study confirmed that PM is impaired in chronic schizophrenia. Deficient PM functions were related to prefrontal lobe dysfunction in both HC and patients but not to the patients' clinical condition, nor did they significantly affect ADL. ACMs determined certain aspects of PM.

Confirmation of RAX gene involvement in human anophthalmia.

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Lequeux, L; Rio, M; Vigouroux, A; Titeux, M; Etchevers, H; Malecaze, F; Chassaing, N; Calvas, P

2008-10-01

Microphthalmia and anophthalmia are at the severe end of the spectrum of abnormalities in ocular development. Mutations in several genes have been involved in syndromic and non-syndromic anophthalmia. Previously, RAX recessive mutations were implicated in a single patient with right anophthalmia, left microphthalmia and sclerocornea. In this study, we report the findings of novel compound heterozygous RAX mutations in a child with bilateral anophthalmia. Both mutations are located in exon 3. c.664delT is a frameshifting deletion predicted to introduce a premature stop codon (p.Ser222ArgfsX62), and c.909C>G is a nonsense mutation with similar consequences (p.Tyr303X). This is the second report of a patient with anophthalmia caused by RAX mutations. These findings confirm that RAX plays a major role in the early stages of eye development and is involved in human anophthalmia.

Family-based exome-wide association study of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia among Hispanics confirms role of ARID5B in susceptibility

Science.gov (United States)

Stoltze, Ulrik; Scheurer, Michael E.; Wilkinson, Anna V.; Lin, Ting-Nien; Qian, Maoxiang; Goodings, Charnise; Swartz, Michael D.; Ranjit, Nalini; Rabin, Karen R.; Peckham-Gregory, Erin C.; Plon, Sharon E.; de Alarcon, Pedro A.; Zabriskie, Ryan C.; Antillon-Klussmann, Federico; Najera, Cesar R.; Yang, Jun J.

2017-01-01

We conducted an exome-wide association study of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) among Hispanics to confirm and identify novel variants associated with disease risk in this population. We used a case-parent trio study design; unlike more commonly used case-control studies, this study design is ideal for avoiding issues with population stratification bias among this at-risk ethnic group. Using 710 individuals from 323 Guatemalan and US Hispanic families, two inherited SNPs in ARID5B reached genome-wide level significance: rs10821936, RR = 2.31, 95% CI = 1.70–3.14, p = 1.7×10−8 and rs7089424, RR = 2.22, 95% CI = 1.64–3.01, p = 5.2×10−8. Similar results were observed when restricting our analyses to those with the B-ALL subtype: ARID5B rs10821936 RR = 2.22, 95% CI = 1.63–3.02, p = 9.63×10−8 and ARID5B rs7089424 RR = 2.13, 95% CI = 1.57–2.88, p = 2.81×10−7. Notably, effect sizes observed for rs7089424 and rs10821936 in our study were >20% higher than those reported among non-Hispanic white populations in previous genetic association studies. Our results confirmed the role of ARID5B in childhood ALL susceptibility among Hispanics; however, our assessment did not reveal any strong novel inherited genetic risks for acute lymphoblastic leukemia among this ethnic group. PMID:28817678

Confirmed detection of Cyclospora cayetanesis, Encephalitozoon intestinalis and Cryptosporidium parvum in water used for drinking.

Science.gov (United States)

Dowd, Scot E; John, David; Eliopolus, James; Gerba, Charles P; Naranjo, Jaime; Klein, Robert; López, Beatriz; de Mejía, Maricruz; Mendoza, Carlos E; Pepper, Ian L

2003-09-01

Human enteropathogenic microsporidia (HEM), Cryptosporidium parvum, Cyclospora cayetanesis, and Giardia lamblia are associated with gastrointestinal disease in humans. To date, the mode of transmission and environmental occurrence of HEM (Encephalitozoon intestinalis and Enterocytozoon bieneusi) and Cyclospora cayetanesis have not been fully elucidated due to lack of sensitive and specific environmental screening methods. The present study was undertaken with recently developed methods, to screen various water sources used for public consumption in rural areas around the city of Guatemala. Water concentrates collected in these areas were subjected to community DNA extraction followed by PCR amplification, PCR sequencing and computer database homology comparison (CDHC). All water samples screened in this study had been previously confirmed positive for Giardia spp. by immunofluorescent assay (IFA). Of the 12 water concentrates screened, 6 showed amplification of microsporidial SSU-rDNA and were subsequently confirmed to be Encephalitozoon intestinalis. Five of the samples allowed for amplification of Cyclospora 18S-rDNA; three of these were confirmed to be Cyclospora cayetanesis while two could not be identified because of inadequate sequence information. Thus, this study represents the first confirmed identification of Cyclospora cayetanesis and Encephalitozoon intestinalis in source water used for consumption. The fact that the waters tested may be used for human consumption indicates that these emerging protozoa may be transmitted by ingestion of contaminated water.

Benzimidazole resistance of sheep nematodes in Norway confirmed through controlled efficacy test

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Domke Atle V

2012-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Resistance against benzimidazoles (BZ has recently been detected in Norwegian sheep flocks through a large scale prevalence survey based on the faecal egg count reduction test (FECRT. The use of this test in combination with bulk larval culture only gives an indication of which gastrointestinal nematodes genera that are involved and these results have to be confirmed by a controlled efficacy test (CET to get accurate information about resistant nematodes populations at species level. A CET was therefore performed with larvae from two flocks where BZ resistance was previously detected through FECRT. Results The latter test confirmed the previous results in both flocks. In flock A, the BZ resistant nematode population consisted solely of Haemonchus contortus, whereas H. contortus and Teladorsagia circumcincta comprised the resistant worm population in flock B. Conclusions Some discrepancies that have been recorded between FECRT and CET results regarding time for post-treatment coproscopical examination and a temporary suppression of faecal egg excretion are discussed.

THE SWIFT AGN AND CLUSTER SURVEY. II. CLUSTER CONFIRMATION WITH SDSS DATA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Griffin, Rhiannon D.; Dai, Xinyu; Kochanek, Christopher S.; Bregman, Joel N.

2016-01-01

We study 203 (of 442) Swift AGN and Cluster Survey extended X-ray sources located in the SDSS DR8 footprint to search for galaxy over-densities in three-dimensional space using SDSS galaxy photometric redshifts and positions near the Swift cluster candidates. We find 104 Swift clusters with a >3σ galaxy over-density. The remaining targets are potentially located at higher redshifts and require deeper optical follow-up observations for confirmation as galaxy clusters. We present a series of cluster properties including the redshift, brightest cluster galaxy (BCG) magnitude, BCG-to-X-ray center offset, optical richness, and X-ray luminosity. We also detect red sequences in ∼85% of the 104 confirmed clusters. The X-ray luminosity and optical richness for the SDSS confirmed Swift clusters are correlated and follow previously established relations. The distribution of the separations between the X-ray centroids and the most likely BCG is also consistent with expectation. We compare the observed redshift distribution of the sample with a theoretical model, and find that our sample is complete for z ≲ 0.3 and is still 80% complete up to z ≃ 0.4, consistent with the SDSS survey depth. These analysis results suggest that our Swift cluster selection algorithm has yielded a statistically well-defined cluster sample for further study of cluster evolution and cosmology. We also match our SDSS confirmed Swift clusters to existing cluster catalogs, and find 42, 23, and 1 matches in optical, X-ray, and Sunyaev–Zel’dovich catalogs, respectively, and so the majority of these clusters are new detections

Confirmation of the reported association of clonal chromosomal mosaicism with an increased risk of incident hematologic cancer.

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Ursula M Schick

Full Text Available Chromosomal abnormalities provide clinical utility in the diagnosis and treatment of hematologic malignancies, and may be predictive of malignant transformation in individuals without apparent clinical presentation of a hematologic cancer. In an effort to confirm previous reports of an association between clonal mosaicism and incident hematologic cancer, we applied the anomDetectBAF algorithm to call chromosomal anomalies in genotype data from previously conducted Genome Wide Association Studies (GWAS. The genotypes were initially collected from DNA derived from peripheral blood of 12,176 participants in the Group Health electronic Medical Records and Genomics study (eMERGE and the Women's Health Initiative (WHI. We detected clonal mosaicism in 169 individuals (1.4% and large clonal mosaic events (>2 mb in 117 (1.0% individuals. Though only 9.5% of clonal mosaic carriers had an incident diagnosis of hematologic cancer (multiple myeloma, myelodysplastic syndrome, lymphoma, or leukemia, the carriers had a 5.5-fold increased risk (95% CI: 3.3-9.3; p-value = 7.5×10(-11 of developing these cancers subsequently. Carriers of large mosaic anomalies showed particularly pronounced risk of subsequent leukemia (HR = 19.2, 95% CI: 8.9-41.6; p-value = 7.3×10(-14. Thus we independently confirm the association between detectable clonal mosaicism and hematologic cancer found previously in two recent publications.

Intensive care nursing students' perceptions of simulation for learning confirming communication skills: A descriptive qualitative study.

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Karlsen, Marte-Marie Wallander; Gabrielsen, Anita Kristin; Falch, Anne Lise; Stubberud, Dag-Gunnar

2017-10-01

The aim of this study was to explore intensive care nursing students experiences with confirming communication skills training in a simulation-based environment. The study has a qualitative, exploratory and descriptive design. The participants were students in a post-graduate program in intensive care nursing, that had attended a one day confirming communication course. Three focus group interviews lasting between 60 and 80min were conducted with 14 participants. The interviews were transcribed verbatim. Thematic analysis was performed, using Braun & Clark's seven steps. The analysis resulted in three main themes: "awareness", "ice-breaker" and "challenging learning environment". The participants felt that it was a challenge to see themselves on the video-recordings afterwards, however receiving feedback resulted in better self-confidence in mastering complex communication. The main finding of the study is that the students reported improved communication skills after the confirming communication course. However; it is uncertain how these skills can be transferred to clinical practice improving patient outcomes. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Molecular Confirmation of Trypanosoma evansi and Babesia bigemina in Cattle from Lower Egypt

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Mahmoud M. Elhaig, Abdelfattah Selim, Mohamed M. Mahmoud and Eman K El-Gayar

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Trypanosomosis and babesiosis are economically important vector-borne diseases for animal health and productivity in developing countries. In Egypt, molecular epidemiological surveys on such diseases are scarce. In the present study, we examined 475 healthy and 25 clinically diagnosed cattle from three provinces in Lower Egypt, for Trypanosoma (T. and Babesia (B. infections using an ITS1 PCR assay that confirmed Trypanosoma species presence and an 18S rRNA assay that detected B. bigemina. Results confirmed Trypanosoma spp. and B. bigemina presence in 30.4% and 11% individuals, respectively, with eight animals (1.6% being co-infected with both hemoparasites. Subsequent type-specific PCRs revealed that all Trypanosoma PCR positive samples corresponded to T. evansi and that none of the animals harboured T. brucei gambiense or T. brucei rhodesiense. Nucleotide sequencing of the variable surface glycoprotein revealed the T. evansi cattle strain to be most closely related (99% nucleotide sequence identity to strains previously detected in dromedary camels in Egypt, while the 18S rRNA gene phylogeny confirmed the presence of a unique B. bigemina haplotype closely related to strains from Turkey and Brazil. Statistically significant differences in PCR prevalence were noted with respect to gender, clinical status and locality. These results confirm the presence of high numbers of carrier animals and signal the need for expanded surveillance and control efforts.

Confirmation of dyslexia susceptibility loci on chromosomes 1p and 2p, but not 6p in a Dutch sib-pair collection.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kovel, C.G.F. de; Franke, B.; Hol, F.A.; Lebrec, J.J.; Maassen, B.A.M.; Brunner, H.G.; Padberg, G.W.A.M.; Platko, J.; Pauls, D.

2008-01-01

In this study, we attempted to confirm genetic linkage to developmental dyslexia and reading-related quantitative traits of loci that have been shown to be associated with dyslexia in previous studies. In our sample of 108 Dutch nuclear families, the categorical trait showed strongest linkage to

Culture confirmation of tuberculosis cases in Birmingham, UK.

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Hayer, Kalbir S; Sitch, Alice J; Dedicoat, Martin; Wood, Annette L

2013-10-01

The proportion of culture-confirmed tuberculosis (TB) cases in Birmingham had gradually decreased to less than 65% in 2008. Reasons for this were unclear, therefore this study assessed diagnostic methods used for confirming TB and reviewed factors involved in positive culture. A cross-sectional study was carried out. A list of notified TB cases for Birmingham in those aged 16 y and over in 2009 was collated. Where no positive culture was recorded, further data were collected from hospital databases and case notes. Of 449 TB cases, 419 (93%) had samples taken for culture testing. Of all cases, 309 (69%) were confirmed by culture testing; of those receiving culture testing, 73% were confirmed. Pulmonary TB was identified as a predictor of positive culture in both the unadjusted and adjusted analyses: odds ratio (OR) 2.05, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.32-3.19, and OR 2.32, 95% CI 1.29-4.17, respectively. Gender, age, ethnicity, UK born, and treatment delay were not significantly associated with positive culture. Of 140 cases not confirmed by culture, 129 (92%) had their diagnosis supported by at least one other test. The vast majority of TB cases had microbiological specimens taken to help confirm the disease. Furthermore, culture confirmation rates in Birmingham were meeting national targets in 2009. However culture confirmation rates were significantly lower in extrapulmonary TB, therefore further work is suggested in this group. The role of other investigations (e.g. interferon-gamma release assay (IGRA), Mantoux) is unclear. Further collaboration between clinicians, histopathologists, and microbiologists is advised to ensure samples are sent appropriately and culture confirmation is optimized.

A CATALOG OF NEW SPECTROSCOPICALLY CONFIRMED MASSIVE OB STARS IN CARINA

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Alexander, Michael J.; Hanes, Richard J.; McSwain, M. Virginia [Department of Physics, Lehigh University, 16 Memorial Drive East, Bethlehem, PA 18015 (United States); Povich, Matthew S., E-mail: alexamic@lafayette.edu, E-mail: rjh314@lehigh.edu, E-mail: mcswain@lehigh.edu, E-mail: mspovich@cpp.edu [Department of Physics and Astronomy, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, CA 91768 (United States)

2016-12-01

The Carina star-forming region is one of the largest in the Galaxy, and its massive star population is still being unveiled. The large number of stars combined with high, and highly variable, interstellar extinction makes it inherently difficult to find OB stars in this type of young region. We present the results of a spectroscopic campaign to study the massive star population of the Carina Nebula, with the primary goal to confirm or reject previously identified Carina OB star candidates. A total of 141 known O- and B-type stars and 94 candidates were observed, of which 73 candidates had high enough signal-to-noise ratio to classify. We find 23 new OB stars within the Carina Nebula, a 32% confirmation rate. One of the new OB stars has blended spectra and is suspected to be a double-lined spectroscopic binary (SB2). We also reclassify the spectral types of the known OB stars and discover nine new SB2s among this population. Finally, we discuss the spatial distribution of these new OB stars relative to known structures in the Carina Nebula.

Influence of Malnutrition on Adverse Outcome in Children with Confirmed or Probable Viral Encephalitis: A Prospective Observational Study

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Priyanka Singh

2015-01-01

Full Text Available A prospective observational study was conducted in a tertiary care teaching hospital from August 2008 to August 2009 to explore the independent predictors of adverse outcome in the patients with confirmed/probable viral encephalitis. The primary outcome variable was the incidence of adverse outcomes defined as death or severe neurological deficit such as loss of speech, motor deficits, behavioural problems, blindness, and cognitive impairment. Patients with confirmed or probable viral encephalitis were classified into two groups based on their Z-score of weight-for-age as per WHO growth charts. Group I. Patients with confirmed or probable viral encephalitis with weight-for-age (W/A Z-scores below −2SD were classified as undernourished. Group II. Patients with confirmed or probable viral encephalitis were classified as having normal nutritional status (weight-for-age Z-score >−2SD. A total of 114 patients were classified as confirmed or probable viral encephalitis based on detailed investigations. On multivariate logistic regression, undernutrition (adjusted OR: 5.05; 95% CI: 1.92 to 13.44 and requirement of ventilation (adjusted OR: 6.75; 95% CI: 3.63 to 77.34 were independent predictors of adverse outcomes in these patients. Thus, the results from our study highlight that the association between undernutrition and adverse outcome could be extended to the patients with confirmed/probable viral encephalitis.

Confirmation test for hysteroscopic sterilization: a descriptive study of patient tolerability and impressions

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Chapa HO

2013-03-01

Full Text Available Hector O Chapa, Gonzalo VenegasDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Methodist Medical and Women’s Specialty Center, Dallas, TX, USABackground: This retrospective descriptive study describes patient follow-up and tolerability of the post-hysteroscopic sterilization confirmation test.Methods: Recruitment for the original sterilization procedure was from January 2008 to March 2009; subsequent confirmation test (hysterosalpingogram capture was from March 2008 to July 2009. Patients were given a 10 cm visual analog pain scale during the hysteroscopic sterilization procedure, and took the scale with them as a take-home sheet. Following hysterosalpingography (HSG, patients received a follow-up phone call within 24 hours, and were asked to rate their pain during the hysterosalpingogram as well as during the first 2 hours following the test.Results: Eighty-nine hysteroscopic sterilizations were performed under local paracervical block and oral nonsteroidal medication. The median immediate post-sterilization visual analog pain score was 1.9 (range 1.7–2.1, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.3–1.5. Of the 89 sterilization procedures, 79% (n = 70 patients underwent a confirmation test using HSG. Ten percent (n = 7 of the hysterosalpinograms were performed at least 3 months after sterilization (mean 17 [range 14–20] weeks. Median intratest visual analog pain score overall (n = 70 was 1.8 (range 1.6–1.9, 95% CI 1.5–1.9. Following the test, the median visual analog pain score was 1.7 (range 1.6–1.9, 95% CI 1.4–0.18. Of the 70 patients who participated in visual analog pain score capture, 64 had a paper copy of the scale had six had it via email. Of the 19 who did not complete hysterosalpinography, five were lost to follow-up. Reasons given by the remaining 14 for noncompliance with hysterosalpinography were: a busy schedule/childcare issues (62%, fear of the test (13%, trust in the sterilization procedure alone (13%, and forgetting the

Previously unreported abnormalities in Wolfram Syndrome Type 2.

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Akturk, Halis Kaan; Yasa, Seda

2017-01-01

Wolfram syndrome (WFS) is a rare autosomal recessive disease with non-autoimmune childhood onset insulin dependent diabetes and optic atrophy. WFS type 2 (WFS2) differs from WFS type 1 (WFS1) with upper intestinal ulcers, bleeding tendency and the lack ofdiabetes insipidus. Li-fespan is short due to related comorbidities. Only a few familieshave been reported with this syndrome with the CISD2 mutation. Here we report two siblings with a clinical diagnosis of WFS2, previously misdiagnosed with type 1 diabetes mellitus and diabetic retinopathy-related blindness. We report possible additional clinical and laboratory findings that have not been pre-viously reported, such as asymptomatic hypoparathyroidism, osteomalacia, growth hormone (GH) deficiency and hepatomegaly. Even though not a requirement for the diagnosis of WFS2 currently, our case series confirm hypogonadotropic hypogonadism to be also a feature of this syndrome, as reported before. © Polish Society for Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetology.

Opinion dynamics with confirmation bias.

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Armen E Allahverdyan

Full Text Available Confirmation bias is the tendency to acquire or evaluate new information in a way that is consistent with one's preexisting beliefs. It is omnipresent in psychology, economics, and even scientific practices. Prior theoretical research of this phenomenon has mainly focused on its economic implications possibly missing its potential connections with broader notions of cognitive science.We formulate a (non-Bayesian model for revising subjective probabilistic opinion of a confirmationally-biased agent in the light of a persuasive opinion. The revision rule ensures that the agent does not react to persuasion that is either far from his current opinion or coincides with it. We demonstrate that the model accounts for the basic phenomenology of the social judgment theory, and allows to study various phenomena such as cognitive dissonance and boomerang effect. The model also displays the order of presentation effect-when consecutively exposed to two opinions, the preference is given to the last opinion (recency or the first opinion (primacy -and relates recency to confirmation bias. Finally, we study the model in the case of repeated persuasion and analyze its convergence properties.The standard Bayesian approach to probabilistic opinion revision is inadequate for describing the observed phenomenology of persuasion process. The simple non-Bayesian model proposed here does agree with this phenomenology and is capable of reproducing a spectrum of effects observed in psychology: primacy-recency phenomenon, boomerang effect and cognitive dissonance. We point out several limitations of the model that should motivate its future development.

Confirmation of parity violation in the $\\gamma$ decay of $^{180}$Hf$^{m}$

CERN Document Server

Stone, J R; Stone, N J; Severijns, N; Hass, M; Zakoucky, D; Giles, T; Köster, U; Kraev, I S; Lakshmi, S; Lindroos, M; Wauters, F

2007-01-01

This paper reports measurements using the technique of On Line Nuclear Orientation (OLNO) which reexamine the gamma decay of isomeric $^{\\rm 180}$Hf$^{\\rm m}$ and specifically the 501 keV 8$^{\\rm -}$ -- 6$^{\\rm +}$ transition. The irregular admixture of E2 to M2/E3 multipolarity in this transition, deduced from the forward-backward asymmetry of its angular distribution, has for decades stood as the prime evidence for parity mixing in nuclear states. The experiment, based on ion implantation of the newly developed mass-separated $^{\\rm 180}$Hf$^{\\rm m}$ beam at ISOLDE, CERN into an iron foil maintained at millikelvin temperatures, produces higher degrees of polarization than were achieved in previous studies of this system. The value found for the E2/M2 mixing ratio, $\\epsilon$ = -0.0324(16)(17), is in close agreement with the previous published average value $\\epsilon$ = - 0.030(2), in full confirmation of the presence of the irregular E2 admixture in the 501 keV transition. The temperature dependence of the ...

[Epidemiological investigation on confirmed cases of schistosomiasis in Hubei Province].

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Yan-Yan, Chen; Shun-Xiang, Cai; Guo, Li; Ying, Xiao; Xiao-Wei, Shan; Juan, Zhang; Jian-Bing, Liu

2016-05-10

To grasp the distribution and epidemiology of confirmed cases of schistosomiasis in Hubei Province, so as to provide the evidence for promoting the prevention and control work. The confirmed cases of schistosomiasis in Hubei Province from 2010 to 2014 were epidemiologically investigated, and the prevalence characteristics and main influencing factors were analyzed. A total of 10 102 confirmed cases from 2010 to 2014 were surveyed. There were 1 062 local infected patients, accounting for 10.51% and including 354 repeated infections and 17 newly infected. There were 290 foreigninfected patients, accounting for 2.87%, with 206 repeated infection cases and 84 newly infected. There were 8 750 historical patients, including 2 229 patients who leaked the former schistosomiasis investigations, accounting for 22.06%; 570 patients missed treatment, accounting for 5.64%; 3 640 patients were treated with non-standard therapy, accounting for 36.03%; 2 311 patients were treated with poor medication efficacy, accounting for 22.88%. The multivariate non-conditional Logistic regression, targeting at confirmed cases in 2014, showed that, for the leaking investigations, the potential risk factors included the age, educational level, and latrine renovation ( b ＞0, OR ＞1), the protective factors were the times of previous treatment, cattle feeding in villager team, and Oncomelania hupensis snails in surroundings ( b ＜0, OR ＜1); for the treatment-missing, the age, educational level, snails in the surroundings of residence were risk factors ( b ＜0, OR ＜1); for the substandard treatment, the risk factors included the occupation and snails in the surroundings of residence ( b ＞0, OR ＞1), and the educational level and snails in the own field were protective factors ( b ＜0, OR ＜1). The epidemiological investigation on the confirmed cases of schistosomiasis could grasp the epidemic factors so as to improve the management and carry out the scientific control.

Integrating technology readiness into the expectation-confirmation model: an empirical study of mobile services.

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Chen, Shih-Chih; Liu, Ming-Ling; Lin, Chieh-Peng

2013-08-01

The aim of this study was to integrate technology readiness into the expectation-confirmation model (ECM) for explaining individuals' continuance of mobile data service usage. After reviewing the ECM and technology readiness, an integrated model was demonstrated via empirical data. Compared with the original ECM, the findings of this study show that the integrated model may offer an ameliorated way to clarify what factors and how they influence the continuous intention toward mobile services. Finally, the major findings are summarized, and future research directions are suggested.

Neuronal antibodies in patients with suspected or confirmed sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.

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Rossi, Meghan; Mead, Simon; Collinge, John; Rudge, Peter; Vincent, Angela

2015-06-01

There have been reports of patients with antibodies to neuronal antigens misdiagnosed as sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (sCJD). Conversely, low levels of antibodies to neuronal proteins have been reported in patients with sCJD. However, the frequency of misdiagnoses, or of antibodies in patients with subsequently confirmed sCJD, is not clear. We reviewed 256 consecutive cases of sCJD seen in the National Prion Clinic, of whom 150 had sera previously referred for selected antibody tests. Eighty-two available samples were retested for antibodies to N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR), the glycine receptor (GlyR), voltage-gated potassium channel (VGKC)-complex and the associated proteins, leucine-rich glioma inactivated 1 (LGI1) and contactin-associated protein 2 (CASPR2). Four of the initial 150 sera referred were positive; two had antibodies to NMDAR, and two to the VGKC-complex, one of which was also positive for GlyR antibodies. Of the 82 sCJD sera retested, one had VGKC-complex antibodies confirming the previous result, two had CASPR2 and GlyR antibodies and one had CASPR2 and NMDAR antibodies; all antibodies were at low levels. Over the same period three patients with autoimmune encephalitis and high VGKC-complex antibodies were initially referred as sCJD. This study indicates that VGKC-complex/LGI1 antibodies. Low titres of neuronal antibodies occur only rarely in suspected patients with sCJD and when present should be interpreted with caution. 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.

A confirmative clinimetric analysis of the 36-item Family Assessment Device.

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Timmerby, Nina; Cosci, Fiammetta; Watson, Maggie; Csillag, Claudio; Schmitt, Florence; Steck, Barbara; Bech, Per; Thastum, Mikael

2018-02-07

The Family Assessment Device (FAD) is a 60-item questionnaire widely used to evaluate self-reported family functioning. However, the factor structure as well as the number of items has been questioned. A shorter and more user-friendly version of the original FAD-scale, the 36-item FAD, has therefore previously been proposed, based on findings in a nonclinical population of adults. We aimed in this study to evaluate the brief 36-item version of the FAD in a clinical population. Data from a European multinational study, examining factors associated with levels of family functioning in adult cancer patients' families, were used. Both healthy and ill parents completed the 60-item version FAD. The psychometric analyses conducted were Principal Component Analysis and Mokken-analysis. A total of 564 participants were included. Based on the psychometric analysis we confirmed that the 36-item version of the FAD has robust psychometric properties and can be used in clinical populations. The present analysis confirmed that the 36-item version of the FAD (18 items assessing 'well-being' and 18 items assessing 'dysfunctional' family function) is a brief scale where the summed total score is a valid measure of the dimensions of family functioning. This shorter version of the FAD is, in accordance with the concept of 'measurement-based care', an easy to use scale that could be considered when the aim is to evaluate self-reported family functioning.

A Longitudinal Study of Motivations Before and Psychosexual Outcomes After Genital Gender-Confirming Surgery in Transmen.

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van de Grift, Tim C; Pigot, Garry L S; Boudhan, Siham; Elfering, Lian; Kreukels, Baudewijntje P C; Gijs, Luk A C L; Buncamper, Marlon E; Özer, Müjde; van der Sluis, Wouter; Meuleman, Eric J H; Bouman, Mark-Bram; Mullender, Margriet G

2017-12-01

Genital dissatisfaction is an important reason for transmen to undergo genital gender-confirming surgery (GCS; phalloplasty or metoidioplasty). However, little is known about motives for choosing specific techniques, how transmen benefit postoperatively, and whether psychosexual outcomes improve. To evaluate motivations for and psychosexual outcomes after GCS. A longitudinal study of 21 transmen at least 1 year after GCS was conducted. Participants were recruited through their surgeon. Data were collected when they applied for surgery and at least 1 year after surgery. Data collection included semistructured questionnaires on motivations for surgery, postoperative experiences, and standardized measures of psychological symptoms, body image, self-esteem, sexuality, and quality of life (pre- and postoperative). Information on surgical complications and corrections was retrieved from medical records. Most participants underwent phalloplasty with urethral lengthening using a radial forearm flap. Although problematic voiding symptoms were prevalent, many participants were satisfied with their penile function. The strongest motivations to pursue penile surgery were confirmation of one's identity (100%), enabling sexual intercourse (78%), and voiding while standing (74%). No significant differences between postoperative and reference values were observed for standardized measures. After surgery, transmen were more sexually active (masturbation and with a partner) and used their genitals more frequently during sex compared with before surgery (31-78%). The present study provides input for preoperative decision making: (i) main motives for surgery include identity confirmation, voiding, and sexuality, (ii) surgery can result in more sexual activity and genital involvement during sex, although some distress can remain, but (iii) complications and voiding symptoms are prevalent. Study strengths include its longitudinal design and the novelty of the studied outcomes. The main

Confirmation of the Three-Factor Model of Problematic Internet Use on Off-Line Adolescent and Adult Samples

OpenAIRE

Koronczai, Beatrix; Urbán, Róbert; Kökönyei, Gyöngyi; Paksi, Borbála; Papp, Krisztina; Kun, Bernadette; Arnold, Petra; Kállai, János; Demetrovics, Zsolt

2011-01-01

As the Internet became widely used, problems associated with its excessive use became increasingly apparent. Although for the assessment of these problems several models and related questionnaires have been elaborated, there has been little effort made to confirm them. The aim of the present study was to test the three-factor model of the previously created Problematic Internet Use Questionnaire (PIUQ) by data collection methods formerly not applied (off-line group and face-to-face settings),...

Broadening the study of inductive reasoning: confirmation judgments with uncertain evidence.

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Mastropasqua, Tommaso; Crupi, Vincenzo; Tentori, Katya

2010-10-01

Although evidence in real life is often uncertain, the psychology of inductive reasoning has, so far, been confined to certain evidence. The present study extends previous research by investigating whether people properly estimate the impact of uncertain evidence on a given hypothesis. Two experiments are reported, in which the uncertainty of evidence is explicitly (by means of numerical values) versus implicitly (by means of ambiguous pictures) manipulated. The results show that people's judgments are highly correlated with those predicted by normatively sound Bayesian measures of impact. This sensitivity to the degree of evidential uncertainty supports the centrality of inductive reasoning in cognition and opens the path to the study of this issue in more naturalistic settings.

High-throughput DNA methylation analysis in anorexia nervosa confirms TNXB hypermethylation.

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Kesselmeier, Miriam; Pütter, Carolin; Volckmar, Anna-Lena; Baurecht, Hansjörg; Grallert, Harald; Illig, Thomas; Ismail, Khadeeja; Ollikainen, Miina; Silén, Yasmina; Keski-Rahkonen, Anna; Bulik, Cynthia M; Collier, David A; Zeggini, Eleftheria; Hebebrand, Johannes; Scherag, André; Hinney, Anke

2018-04-01

Patients with anorexia nervosa (AN) are ideally suited to identify differentially methylated genes in response to starvation. We examined high-throughput DNA methylation derived from whole blood of 47 females with AN, 47 lean females without AN and 100 population-based females to compare AN with both controls. To account for different cell type compositions, we applied two reference-free methods (FastLMM-EWASher, RefFreeEWAS) and searched for consensus CpG sites identified by both methods. We used a validation sample of five monozygotic AN-discordant twin pairs. Fifty-one consensus sites were identified in AN vs. lean and 81 in AN vs. population-based comparisons. These sites have not been reported in AN methylation analyses, but for the latter comparison 54/81 sites showed directionally consistent differential methylation effects in the AN-discordant twins. For a single nucleotide polymorphism rs923768 in CSGALNACT1 a nearby site was nominally associated with AN. At the gene level, we confirmed hypermethylated sites at TNXB. We found support for a locus at NR1H3 in the AN vs. lean control comparison, but the methylation direction was opposite to the one previously reported. We confirm genes like TNXB previously described to comprise differentially methylated sites, and highlight further sites that might be specifically involved in AN starvation processes.

Evaluation of repetitive stimulation test (RST in 30 patients with Myasthenia Gravis, who were previously confirmed by clinical sign and tensilon test 1996-99

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"Ghabaee M

2001-07-01

Full Text Available est (RST is the most commonly used electrodiagnostic test to asses the defect of neuromuscular transmission, which is reported to be positive in the diffuse and restricted ocular forms 60-95% and 14-50%, respectively. In a cross-sectional study, to determine the efficacy of repetitive stimulation test in myasthenia gravis, we evaluated the results in 30 cases who were hospitalized in Imam Khomeini Hospital during 1996-1999. Patients were first selected clinically and then confirmed by Tensilon test.Various clinical types including generalized and restricted ocular forms with different severity and duration were entered in this study. Considering the fact that the positiveness of the test is enhanced by assessment of more muscle groups, we evaluated decremental response in the facial, proximal and distal muscles of limbs. 90% of patients had the generalized form of the disease, whereas ocular myasthenia gravis was seen only in 10% of the cases. 74% of females and 73% of males showed positive response (overall: 73.3%. No significant association was found between the positive response, and age and sex. Peaks of incidences of the disease for the males were in fourth and sixth decades and for the females in thired decades

Revised associative inference paradigm confirms relational memory impairment in schizophrenia.

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Armstrong, Kristan; Williams, Lisa E; Heckers, Stephan

2012-07-01

Patients with schizophrenia have widespread cognitive impairments, with selective deficits in relational memory. We previously reported a differential relational memory deficit in schizophrenia using the Associative Inference Paradigm (AIP), a task suggested by the Cognitive Neuroscience Treatment Research to Improve Cognition in Schizophrenia (CNTRICS) initiative to examine relational memory. However, the AIP had limited feasibility for testing in schizophrenia because of high attrition of schizophrenia patients during training. Here we developed and tested a revised version of the AIP to improve feasibility. 30 healthy control and 37 schizophrenia subjects received 3 study-test sessions on 3 sets of paired associates: H-F1 (house paired with face), H-F2 (same house paired with new face), and F3-F4 (two novel faces). After training, subjects were tested on the trained, noninferential Face-Face pairs (F3-F4) and novel, inferential Face-Face pairs (F1-F2), constructed from the faces of the trained House-Face pairs. Schizophrenia patients were significantly more impaired on the inferential F1-F2 pairs than the noninferential F3-F4 pairs, providing evidence for a differential relational memory deficit. Only 8% of schizophrenia patients were excluded from testing because of poor training performance. The revised AIP confirmed the previous finding of a relational memory deficit in a larger and more representative sample of schizophrenia patients.

Plutonian Moon confirmed

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In late February, two separate observations confirmed the 1978 discovery by U.S. Naval Observatory scientist James W. Christy of a moon orbiting the planet Pluto. According to the U.S. Naval Observatory, these two observations were needed before the International Astronomical Society (IAS) would officially recognize the discovery.Two types of observations of the moon, which was named Charon after the ferryman in Greek mythology who carried the dead to Pluto's realm, were needed for confirmation: a transit, in which the moon passes in front of Pluto, and an occultation, in which the moon passes behind the planet. These two phenomena occur only during an 8-year period every 124 years that had been calculated to take place during 1984-1985. Both events were observed in late February.

Confirmation of Essure placement using transvaginal ultrasound.

Science.gov (United States)

Veersema, Sebastiaan; Vleugels, Michel; Koks, Caroline; Thurkow, Andreas; van der Vaart, Huub; Brölmann, Hans

2011-01-01

To evaluate the protocol for confirmation of satisfactory Essure placement using transvaginal ultrasound. Prospective multicenter cohort study (Canadian Task Force classification II-2). Outpatient departments of 4 teaching hospitals in the Netherlands. Eleven hundred forty-five women who underwent hysteroscopic sterilization using the Essure device between March 2005 and December 2007. Transvaginal ultrasound examination 12 weeks after uncomplicated successful bilateral placement or as indicated according to the transvaginal ultrasound protocol after 4 weeks, and hysterosalpingography (HSG) at 12 weeks to confirm correct placement of the device after 3 months. The rate of successful placement was 88.4% initially. In 164 women (15%), successful placement was confirmed at HSG according the protocol. In 9 patients (0.84%), incorrect position of the device was observed at HSG. The cumulative pregnancy rate after 18 months was 3.85 per thousand women. Transvaginal ultrasound should be the first diagnostic test used to confirm the adequacy of hysteroscopic Essure sterilization because it is minimally invasive, averts ionizing radiation, and does not decrease the effectiveness of the Essure procedure. Copyright © 2011 AAGL. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Confirmation bias in human reinforcement learning: Evidence from counterfactual feedback processing

Science.gov (United States)

Lefebvre, Germain; Blakemore, Sarah-Jayne

2017-01-01

Previous studies suggest that factual learning, that is, learning from obtained outcomes, is biased, such that participants preferentially take into account positive, as compared to negative, prediction errors. However, whether or not the prediction error valence also affects counterfactual learning, that is, learning from forgone outcomes, is unknown. To address this question, we analysed the performance of two groups of participants on reinforcement learning tasks using a computational model that was adapted to test if prediction error valence influences learning. We carried out two experiments: in the factual learning experiment, participants learned from partial feedback (i.e., the outcome of the chosen option only); in the counterfactual learning experiment, participants learned from complete feedback information (i.e., the outcomes of both the chosen and unchosen option were displayed). In the factual learning experiment, we replicated previous findings of a valence-induced bias, whereby participants learned preferentially from positive, relative to negative, prediction errors. In contrast, for counterfactual learning, we found the opposite valence-induced bias: negative prediction errors were preferentially taken into account, relative to positive ones. When considering valence-induced bias in the context of both factual and counterfactual learning, it appears that people tend to preferentially take into account information that confirms their current choice. PMID:28800597

Confirmation bias in human reinforcement learning: Evidence from counterfactual feedback processing.

Science.gov (United States)

Palminteri, Stefano; Lefebvre, Germain; Kilford, Emma J; Blakemore, Sarah-Jayne

2017-08-01

Previous studies suggest that factual learning, that is, learning from obtained outcomes, is biased, such that participants preferentially take into account positive, as compared to negative, prediction errors. However, whether or not the prediction error valence also affects counterfactual learning, that is, learning from forgone outcomes, is unknown. To address this question, we analysed the performance of two groups of participants on reinforcement learning tasks using a computational model that was adapted to test if prediction error valence influences learning. We carried out two experiments: in the factual learning experiment, participants learned from partial feedback (i.e., the outcome of the chosen option only); in the counterfactual learning experiment, participants learned from complete feedback information (i.e., the outcomes of both the chosen and unchosen option were displayed). In the factual learning experiment, we replicated previous findings of a valence-induced bias, whereby participants learned preferentially from positive, relative to negative, prediction errors. In contrast, for counterfactual learning, we found the opposite valence-induced bias: negative prediction errors were preferentially taken into account, relative to positive ones. When considering valence-induced bias in the context of both factual and counterfactual learning, it appears that people tend to preferentially take into account information that confirms their current choice.

Development and confirmation of potential gene classifiers of human clear cell renal cell carcinoma using next-generation RNA sequencing.

Science.gov (United States)

Eikrem, Oystein S; Strauss, Philipp; Beisland, Christian; Scherer, Andreas; Landolt, Lea; Flatberg, Arnar; Leh, Sabine; Beisvag, Vidar; Skogstrand, Trude; Hjelle, Karin; Shresta, Anjana; Marti, Hans-Peter

2016-12-01

A previous study by this group demonstrated the feasibility of RNA sequencing (RNAseq) technology for capturing disease biology of clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC), and presented initial results for carbonic anhydrase-9 (CA9) and tumor necrosis factor-α-induced protein-6 (TNFAIP6) as possible biomarkers of ccRCC (discovery set) [Eikrem et al. PLoS One 2016;11:e0149743]. To confirm these results, the previous study is expanded, and RNAseq data from additional matched ccRCC and normal renal biopsies are analyzed (confirmation set). Two core biopsies from patients (n = 12) undergoing partial or full nephrectomy were obtained with a 16 g needle. RNA sequencing libraries were generated with the Illumina TruSeq ® Access library preparation protocol. Comparative analysis was done using linear modeling (voom/Limma; R Bioconductor). The formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded discovery and confirmation data yielded 8957 and 11,047 detected transcripts, respectively. The two data sets shared 1193 of differentially expressed genes with each other. The average expression and the log 2 -fold changes of differentially expressed transcripts in both data sets correlated, with R²   =   .95 and R²   =   .94, respectively. Among transcripts with the highest fold changes were CA9, neuronal pentraxin-2 and uromodulin. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition was highlighted by differential expression of, for example, transforming growth factor-β 1 and delta-like ligand-4. The diagnostic accuracy of CA9 was 100% and 93.9% when using the discovery set as the training set and the confirmation data as the test set, and vice versa, respectively. These data further support TNFAIP6 as a novel biomarker of ccRCC. TNFAIP6 had combined accuracy of 98.5% in the two data sets. This study provides confirmatory data on the potential use of CA9 and TNFAIP6 as biomarkers of ccRCC. Thus, next-generation sequencing expands the clinical application of tissue analyses.

Fine-needle aspiration cytology of postirradiation sarcomas, including angiosarcoma, with immunocytochemical confirmation

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Silverman, J.F.; Lannin, D.L.; Larkin, E.W.; Feldman, P.; Frable, W.J. (East Carolina Univ. School of Medicine, Greenville, NC (USA))

1989-01-01

Postirradiation sarcomas are an unusual but well-recognized late effect of cancer therapy. In this article, a fine-needle aspiration (FNA) series of four cases is presented. There were three female patients and one male patient, with an age range of 28-55 yr (mean, 41). Two of the patients were irradiated for uterine cervical carcinoma while the other two received irradiation for malignant lymphoma. The time interval to the development of the postirradiation sarcoma ranged from 10 to greater than 20 yr. There were a postirradiation synovial sarcoma of the buttock region, malignant fibrous histiocytoma of the bone (femur), and rhabdomyosarcoma and angiosarcoma of the retroperitoneum. A spectrum of cytologic findings was encountered, reflecting the specific types of sarcomas. Immunocytochemical studies performed on the aspirated material from the angiosarcoma demonstrated the utility of immunoperoxidase stains for ULEX europaeus agglutinin-1 (UEA-1) and, to a lesser degree, factor VIII-related antigen antibody, confirming the vascular nature of this malignancy. The FNA findings from all four cases demonstrated cytologic features that allowed recognition of this unusual complication of irradiation treatment. This article confirms the utility of FNA cytology in following patients with previous malignancies and differentiating a postirradiation sarcoma from recurrent carcinoma.

Fine-needle aspiration cytology of postirradiation sarcomas, including angiosarcoma, with immunocytochemical confirmation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Silverman, J.F.; Lannin, D.L.; Larkin, E.W.; Feldman, P.; Frable, W.J.

1989-01-01

Postirradiation sarcomas are an unusual but well-recognized late effect of cancer therapy. In this article, a fine-needle aspiration (FNA) series of four cases is presented. There were three female patients and one male patient, with an age range of 28-55 yr (mean, 41). Two of the patients were irradiated for uterine cervical carcinoma while the other two received irradiation for malignant lymphoma. The time interval to the development of the postirradiation sarcoma ranged from 10 to greater than 20 yr. There were a postirradiation synovial sarcoma of the buttock region, malignant fibrous histiocytoma of the bone (femur), and rhabdomyosarcoma and angiosarcoma of the retroperitoneum. A spectrum of cytologic findings was encountered, reflecting the specific types of sarcomas. Immunocytochemical studies performed on the aspirated material from the angiosarcoma demonstrated the utility of immunoperoxidase stains for ULEX europaeus agglutinin-1 (UEA-1) and, to a lesser degree, factor VIII-related antigen antibody, confirming the vascular nature of this malignancy. The FNA findings from all four cases demonstrated cytologic features that allowed recognition of this unusual complication of irradiation treatment. This article confirms the utility of FNA cytology in following patients with previous malignancies and differentiating a postirradiation sarcoma from recurrent carcinoma

Perceived Residential Environment Quality Indicators and neighborhood attachment: A confirmation study on a Chinese sample in Chongqing.

Science.gov (United States)

Mao, Yanhui; Fornara, Ferdinando; Manca, Sara; Bonnes, Mirilia; Bonaiuto, Marino

2015-09-01

This paper concerns people's assessment of their neighborhood of residence in a Chinese urban context. The aim of the study was to verify the factorial structure and the reliability of two instruments originally developed and validated in Italy (the full versions of the Perceived Residential Environment Quality Indicators [PREQIs] and of the Neighborhood Attachment Scale [NAS]) in a different cultural and linguistic context. The instruments consist of 11 scales measuring the PREQIs and one scale measuring neighborhood attachment (NA). The PREQIs scales include items covering four macroevaluative domains of residential environment quality: architectural and urban planning aspects (three scales: Architectural and Town-planning Space, Organization of Accessibility and Roads, Green Areas), sociorelational aspects (one scale: People and Social Relations), functional aspects (four scales: Welfare Services, Recreational Services, Commercial Services, and Transport Services), and contextual aspects (three scales: Pace of Life, Environmental Health, Upkeep and Care). The PREQIs and NAS were included in a self-report questionnaire, which had been translated and back-translated from English to Chinese, and was then administered to 340 residents in six districts (differing along various features) of a highly urbanized context in China, the city of Chongqing. Results confirmed the factorial structure of the scales and demonstrated good internal consistency of the indicators, thus reaffirming the results of previous studies carried out in Western urban contexts. The indicators tapping the neighborhood's contextual aspects (i.e., pace of life, environmental health, and upkeep) emerged as most correlated to NA. © 2015 The Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences and Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

A case of leucism in the burrowing owl Athene cunicularia (Aves: Strigiformes with confirmation of species identity using cytogenetic analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Denise M Nogueira

2011-02-01

Full Text Available Leucism is an inherited disorder, characterized by the lack of pigments in part or all of the body, normal coloration of the eyes and, in birds, in naked parts such as the bill and legs. This kind of disorder is sometimes erroneously designated as albinism or partial albinism. In this study, we present a case of leucism in a wild owl. The studied individual presented completely white plumage, light-yellow coloration of legs and bill and normal coloration of eyes. According to morphological features, this owl is a specimen of burrowing owl, Athene cunicularia (Molina, 1782. To confirm the species identity, we used cytogenetic analyses for karyotypic determination, comparing it to the previously described one in the literature. We also studied a captive female of A. cunicularia to complement the species karyotype, which was described in the literature based only on a single male. The karyotype of the leucistic owl individual was compatible with the previously published one for A. cunicularia, confirming the bird was a male specimen. Cytogenetic analysis of the captive female showed that the W sex chromosome is metacentric and comparable to the seventh pair in size. This is the first description of a case of leucism in A. cunicularia for South America. Long-term studies are needed in the Neotropical region to evaluate survival and breeding success in leucistic birds.

Study of some physical aspects previous to design of an exponential experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Caro, R.; Francisco, J. L. de

1961-01-01

This report presents the theoretical study of some physical aspects previous to the design of an exponential facility. The are: Fast and slow flux distribution in the multiplicative medium and in the thermal column, slowing down in the thermal column, geometrical distribution and minimum needed intensity of sources access channels and perturbations produced by possible variations in its position and intensity. (Author) 4 refs

Calibration and Confirmation in Geophysical Models

Science.gov (United States)

Werndl, Charlotte

2016-04-01

For policy decisions the best geophysical models are needed. To evaluate geophysical models, it is essential that the best available methods for confirmation are used. A hotly debated issue on confirmation in climate science (as well as in philosophy) is the requirement of use-novelty (i.e. that data can only confirm models if they have not already been used before. This talk investigates the issue of use-novelty and double-counting for geophysical models. We will see that the conclusions depend on the framework of confirmation and that it is not clear that use-novelty is a valid requirement and that double-counting is illegitimate.

Radon anomalies prior to earthquakes (1). Review of previous studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ishikawa, Tetsuo; Tokonami, Shinji; Yasuoka, Yumi; Shinogi, Masaki; Nagahama, Hiroyuki; Omori, Yasutaka; Kawada, Yusuke

2008-01-01

The relationship between radon anomalies and earthquakes has been studied for more than 30 years. However, most of the studies dealt with radon in soil gas or in groundwater. Before the 1995 Hyogoken-Nanbu earthquake, an anomalous increase of atmospheric radon was observed at Kobe Pharmaceutical University. The increase was well fitted with a mathematical model related to earthquake fault dynamics. This paper reports the significance of this observation, reviewing previous studies on radon anomaly before earthquakes. Groundwater/soil radon measurements for earthquake prediction began in 1970's in Japan as well as foreign countries. One of the most famous studies in Japan is groundwater radon anomaly before the 1978 Izu-Oshima-kinkai earthquake. We have recognized the significance of radon in earthquake prediction research, but recently its limitation was also pointed out. Some researchers are looking for a better indicator for precursors; simultaneous measurements of radon and other gases are new trials in recent studies. Contrary to soil/groundwater radon, we have not paid much attention to atmospheric radon before earthquakes. However, it might be possible to detect precursors in atmospheric radon before a large earthquake. In the next issues, we will discuss the details of the anomalous atmospheric radon data observed before the Hyogoken-Nanbu earthquake. (author)

A Flexible-Dose Study of Paliperidone ER in Patients With Nonacute Schizophrenia Previously Treated Unsuccessfully With Oral Olanzapine.

Science.gov (United States)

Kotler, Moshe; Dilbaz, Nesrin; Rosa, Fernanda; Paterakis, Periklis; Milanova, Vihra; Smulevich, Anatoly B; Lahaye, Marjolein; Schreiner, Andreas

2016-01-01

The goal of this study was to explore the tolerability, safety, and treatment response of switching from oral olanzapine to paliperidone extended release (ER). Adult patients with nonacute schizophrenia who had been treated unsuccessfully with oral olanzapine were switched to flexible doses of paliperidone ER (3 to 12 mg/d). The primary efficacy outcome was a ≥ 20% improvement in Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) total scores from baseline to endpoint for patients who switched medications because of lack of efficacy with olanzapine and noninferiority versus previous olanzapine treatment (mean endpoint change in PANSS total scores vs. baseline of ≤ 5 points) for patients who switched for reasons other than lack of efficacy. Safety and tolerability were assessed by monitoring adverse events, extrapyramidal symptoms, and weight change. Of 396 patients, 65.2% were men, mean age was 40.0 ± 12.0 years, and 75.5% had paranoid schizophrenia. Among the patients whose main reason for switching was lack of efficacy, an improvement in the PANSS total score of ≥ 20% occurred in 57.4% of patients. Noninferiority was confirmed for each subgroup of patients whose main reason for switching was something other than lack of efficacy. Paliperidone ER was generally well tolerated. Extrapyramidal symptoms as measured by total Extrapyramidal Symptom Rating Scale scores showed statistically significant and clinically relevant improvements at endpoint, the average weight decreased by 0.8 ± 5.2 kg at endpoint, and a clinically relevant weight gain of ≥ 7% occurred in 8.0% of patients. Paliperidone ER flexibly-dosed over 6 months was well tolerated and associated with a meaningful clinical response in patients with nonacute schizophrenia who had previously been unsuccessfully treated with oral olanzapine.

Experimenter Confirmation Bias and the Correction of Science Misconceptions

Science.gov (United States)

Allen, Michael; Coole, Hilary

2012-06-01

This paper describes a randomised educational experiment ( n = 47) that examined two different teaching methods and compared their effectiveness at correcting one science misconception using a sample of trainee primary school teachers. The treatment was designed to promote engagement with the scientific concept by eliciting emotional responses from learners that were triggered by their own confirmation biases. The treatment group showed superior learning gains to control at post-test immediately after the lesson, although benefits had dissipated after 6 weeks. Findings are discussed with reference to the conceptual change paradigm and to the importance of feeling emotion during a learning experience, having implications for the teaching of pedagogies to adults that have been previously shown to be successful with children.

Confirmation of Essure placement using transvaginal ultrasound

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Veersema, Sebastiaan; Vleugels, Michel; Koks, Caroline; Thurkow, Andreas; van der Vaart, Huub; Brölmann, Hans

2011-01-01

To evaluate the protocol for confirmation of satisfactory Essure placement using transvaginal ultrasound. Prospective multicenter cohort study (Canadian Task Force classification II-2). Outpatient departments of 4 teaching hospitals in the Netherlands. Eleven hundred forty-five women who underwent

A Bayesian approach shows no correlation between transit-depth and stellar metallicity for confirmed and candidates Kepler gas giants planets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nehmé, C; Sarkis, P

2017-01-01

Previous study to investigate the correlation between the transit depth and the stellar metallicity of Kepler’s (Q1-Q12) gas giant planets (radii of 5-20R ⊙ ) has led to a weakly significant negative correlation. We use the cumulative catalog of planets detected by the NASA Kepler mission Q1-Q17 catalog, as of April 2015, to perform a solid statistical analysis of this correlation. In the present work, we revise this correlation, within a Bayesian framework, for two large samples: sample A confirmed planets and sample B (confirmed + candidates). We expand a hierarchical method to account for false positives in the studied samples. Our statistical analysis reveals no correlation between the transit depth and the stellar metallicity. This has implications for planet formation theory and interior structure of giant planets. (paper)

Preliminary Analysis of Remote Monitoring and Robotic Concepts for Performance Confirmation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McAffee, D.A.

1997-01-01

As defined in 10 CFR Part 60.2, Performance Confirmation is the ''program of tests, experiments and analyses which is conducted to evaluate the accuracy and adequacy of the information used to determine with reasonable assurance that the performance objectives for the period after permanent closure will be met''. The overall Performance Confirmation program begins during site characterization and continues up to repository closure. The main purpose of this document is to develop, explore and analyze initial concepts for using remotely operated and robotic systems in gathering repository performance information during Performance Confirmation. This analysis focuses primarily on possible Performance Confirmation related applications within the emplacement drifts after waste packages have been emplaced (post-emplacement) and before permanent closure of the repository (preclosure). This will be a period of time lasting approximately 100 years and basically coincides with the Caretaker phase of the project. This analysis also examines, to a lesser extent, some applications related to Caretaker operations. A previous report examined remote handling and robotic technologies that could be employed during the waste package emplacement phase of the project (Reference 5.1). This analysis is being prepared to provide an early investigation of possible design concepts and technical challenges associated with developing remote systems for monitoring and inspecting activities during Performance Confirmation. The writing of this analysis preceded formal development of Performance Confirmation functional requirements and program plans and therefore examines, in part, the fundamental Performance Confirmation monitoring needs and operating conditions. The scope and primary objectives of this analysis are to: (1) Describe the operating environment and conditions expected in the emplacement drifts during the preclosure period. (Presented in Section 7.2). (2) Identify and discuss the

Experimental verification for in vitro technique confirmation of bystander effect induced by gamma radiation in CHO-K1 cell line

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Viana, P.H.L.; Goes, A.M.; Gomes, D.A.

2013-01-01

The bystander effect refers to biological responses detected in cells not directly irradiated but influenced, somehow, by signals transmitted from neighboring irradiated cells. These biological responses include sister chromatid exchange, mutations, micronucleus formation, chromosomal aberrations, carcinogenesis, apoptosis and necrosis. Although its existence is unquestionable, the mechanisms involved on triggering the bystander effect are not yet completely elucidated. Previous studies have shown that the bystander effect depends on a large variety of parameters including the radiation dose, the dose rate, the type of radiation and type of cells or tissue. This study aims to confirm the technique previously used in the literature in human cell lines for the bystander effect verification. The results suggest that the working conditions adopted by the group show technical efficiency and enables the reproduction of the bystander effect. (author)

Racial athletic stereotype confirmation in college football recruiting.

Science.gov (United States)

Thomas, Grant; Good, Jessica J; Gross, Alexi R

2015-01-01

The present study tested real-world racial stereotype use in the context of college athletic recruiting. Stereotype confirmation suggests that observers use stereotypes as hypotheses and interpret relevant evidence in a biased way that confirms their stereotypes. Shifting standards suggest that the evaluative standard to which we hold a target changes as a function of their group membership. We examined whether stereotype confirmation and shifting standards effects would be seen in college football coaches during recruiting. College football coaches evaluated a Black or White player on several attributes and made both zero- and non-zero-sum allocations. Results suggested that coaches used the evidence presented to develop biased subjective evaluations of the players based on race while still maintaining equivalent objective evaluations. Coaches also allocated greater overall resources to the Black recruit than the White recruit.

Summary of Previous Chamber or Controlled Anthrax Studies and Recommendations for Possible Additional Studies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Piepel, Gregory F.; Amidan, Brett G.; Morrow, Jayne B.

2010-12-29

This report and an associated Excel file(a) summarizes the investigations and results of previous chamber and controlled studies(b) to characterize the performance of methods for collecting, storing and/or transporting, extracting, and analyzing samples from surfaces contaminated by Bacillus anthracis (BA) or related simulants. This report and the Excel are the joint work of the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) for the Department of Homeland Security, Science and Technology Directorate. The report was originally released as PNNL-SA-69338, Rev. 0 in November 2009 with limited distribution, but was subsequently cleared for release with unlimited distribution in this Rev. 1. Only minor changes were made to Rev. 0 to yield Rev. 1. A more substantial update (including summarizing data from other studies and more condensed summary tables of data) is underway

An fMRI study of neuronal activation in schizophrenia patients with and without previous cannabis use

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Else-Marie eLøberg

2012-10-01

Full Text Available Previous studies have mostly shown positive effects of cannabis use on cognition in patients with schizophrenia, which could reflect lower neurocognitive vulnerability. There are however no studies comparing whether such cognitive differences have neuronal correlates. Thus, the aim of the present study was to compare whether patients with previous cannabis use differ in brain activation from patients who has never used cannabis. The patients groups were compared on the ability to up-regulate an effort mode network during a cognitive task and down-regulate activation in the same network during a task-absent condition. Task-present and task-absent brain activation was measured by functional magnetic resonance neuroimaging (fMRI. Twenty-six patients with a DSM-IV and ICD-10 diagnosis of schizophrenia were grouped into a previous cannabis user group and a no-cannabis group. An auditory dichotic listening task with instructions of attention focus on either the right or left ear stimulus was used to tap verbal processing, attention and cognitive control, calculated as an aggregate score. When comparing the two groups, there were remaining activations in the task-present condition for the cannabis group, not seen in the no-cannabis group, while there was remaining activation in the task-absent condition for the no-cannabis group, not seen in the cannabis group. Thus, the patients with previous cannabis use showed increased activation in an effort mode network and decreased activation in the default mode network as compared to the no-cannabis group. It is concluded that the present study show some differences in brain activation to a cognitively challenging task between previous cannabis and no-cannabis schizophrenia patients.

Sex ratio at birth in India, its relation to birth order, sex of previous children and use of indigenous medicine.

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Samiksha Manchanda

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: Sex-ratio at birth in families with previous girls is worse than those with a boy. Our aim was to prospectively study in a large maternal and child unit sex-ratio against previous birth sex and use of traditional medicines for sex selection. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Sex-ratio among mothers in families with a previous girl and in those with a previous boy, prevalence of indigenous medicine use and sex-ratio in those using medicines for sex selection. RESULTS: Overall there were 806 girls to 1000 boys. The sex-ratio was 720:1000 if there was one previous girl and 178:1000 if there were two previous girls. In second children of families with a previous boy 1017 girls were born per 1000 boys. Sex-ratio in those with one previous girl, who were taking traditional medicines for sex selection, was 928:1000. CONCLUSION: Evidence from the second children clearly shows the sex-ratio is being manipulated by human interventions. More mothers with previous girls tend to use traditional medicines for sex selection, in their subsequent pregnancies. Those taking such medication do not seem to be helped according to expectations. They seem to rely on this method and so are less likely use more definitive methods like sex selective abortions. This is the first such prospective investigation of sex ratio in second children looked at against the sex of previous children. More studies are needed to confirm the findings.

RADIAL VELOCITY OBSERVATIONS AND LIGHT CURVE NOISE MODELING CONFIRM THAT KEPLER-91b IS A GIANT PLANET ORBITING A GIANT STAR

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barclay, Thomas; Huber, Daniel; Rowe, Jason F.; Quintana, Elisa V.; Endl, Michael; Cochran, William D.; MacQueen, Phillip J.; Foreman-Mackey, Daniel

2015-01-01

Kepler-91b is a rare example of a transiting hot Jupiter around a red giant star, providing the possibility to study the formation and composition of hot Jupiters under different conditions compared to main-sequence stars. However, the planetary nature of Kepler-91b, which was confirmed using phase-curve variations by Lillo-Box et al., was recently called into question based on a re-analysis of Kepler data. We have obtained ground-based radial velocity observations from the Hobby-Eberly Telescope and unambiguously confirm the planetary nature of Kepler-91b by simultaneously modeling the Kepler and radial velocity data. The star exhibits temporally correlated noise due to stellar granulation which we model as a Gaussian Process. We hypothesize that it is this noise component that led previous studies to suspect Kepler-91b to be a false positive. Our work confirms the conclusions presented by Lillo-Box et al. that Kepler-91b is a 0.73 ± 0.13 M Jup planet orbiting a red giant star

Clinical presentation of acute coronary syndrome in patients previously treated with nitrates.

Science.gov (United States)

Latour-Pérez, Jaime; Gómez-Tello, Vicente; Fuset-Cabanes, María Paz; Balsa, Eva de Miguel; Sáez, Frutos Del Nogal; Orts, Francisco Javier Coves; Rodríguez, Carmen Martín; Pino-Izquierdo, Karel; Pesquera, María de la Concepción Pavía; Rodríguez, Antonio José Montón

2013-11-01

Several reports have suggested that nitrates limit acute ischaemic damage by a mechanism similar to preconditioning. This study aims to evaluate the effect of chronic oral nitrates on the clinical presentation and short-term outcomes of patients admitted with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). A retrospective cohort study was conducted in patients with ACS admitted to 62 acute care units from 2010 to 2011. A propensity score-matched samples analysis was performed. We analysed 3171 consecutive patients, of whom 298 (9.4%) were chronically treated with nitrates. Patients previously treated with nitrates had higher comorbidity and disease severity at admission, lower prevalence of ACS with ST elevation, lower troponin elevation, higher prevalence of initial Killip class 2-4 and higher hospital mortality. The propensity score-matched analysis confirmed that previous use of nitrates is independently associated with a lower prevalence of ST-elevation ACS [odds ratio (OR) 0.53, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.36-0.78; P = 0.0014] and a lower troponin elevation (OR 0.61, 95% CI 0.41-0.92) but not with Killip class on admission (OR 1.18, 95% CI 0.83-1.67, P = 0.3697) or mortality (OR 0.71, 95% CI 0.37-1.38, P = 0.3196). The results support the hypothesis that nitrates have a protective effect on acute ischaemic injury.

Evidence for nitrite-dependent anaerobic methane oxidation as a previously overlooked microbial methane sink in wetlands

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Bao-lan; Shen, Li-dong; Lian, Xu; Zhu, Qun; Liu, Shuai; Huang, Qian; He, Zhan-fei; Geng, Sha; Cheng, Dong-qing; Lou, Li-ping; Xu, Xiang-yang; Zheng, Ping; He, Yun-feng

2014-01-01

The process of nitrite-dependent anaerobic methane oxidation (n-damo) was recently discovered and shown to be mediated by “Candidatus Methylomirabilis oxyfera” (M. oxyfera). Here, evidence for n-damo in three different freshwater wetlands located in southeastern China was obtained using stable isotope measurements, quantitative PCR assays, and 16S rRNA and particulate methane monooxygenase gene clone library analyses. Stable isotope experiments confirmed the occurrence of n-damo in the examined wetlands, and the potential n-damo rates ranged from 0.31 to 5.43 nmol CO2 per gram of dry soil per day at different depths of soil cores. A combined analysis of 16S rRNA and particulate methane monooxygenase genes demonstrated that M. oxyfera-like bacteria were mainly present in the deep soil with a maximum abundance of 3.2 × 107 gene copies per gram of dry soil. It is estimated that ∼0.51 g of CH4 m−2 per year could be linked to the n-damo process in the examined wetlands based on the measured potential n-damo rates. This study presents previously unidentified confirmation that the n-damo process is a previously overlooked microbial methane sink in wetlands, and n-damo has the potential to be a globally important methane sink due to increasing nitrogen pollution. PMID:24616523

Laparoscopy After Previous Laparotomy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zulfo Godinjak

2006-11-01

Full Text Available Following the abdominal surgery, extensive adhesions often occur and they can cause difficulties during laparoscopic operations. However, previous laparotomy is not considered to be a contraindication for laparoscopy. The aim of this study is to present that an insertion of Veres needle in the region of umbilicus is a safe method for creating a pneumoperitoneum for laparoscopic operations after previous laparotomy. In the last three years, we have performed 144 laparoscopic operations in patients that previously underwent one or two laparotomies. Pathology of digestive system, genital organs, Cesarean Section or abdominal war injuries were the most common causes of previouslaparotomy. During those operations or during entering into abdominal cavity we have not experienced any complications, while in 7 patients we performed conversion to laparotomy following the diagnostic laparoscopy. In all patients an insertion of Veres needle and trocar insertion in the umbilical region was performed, namely a technique of closed laparoscopy. Not even in one patient adhesions in the region of umbilicus were found, and no abdominal organs were injured.

Data from studies of previous radioactive waste disposal in Massachusetts Bay

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Curtis, W.R.; Mardis, H.M.

1984-12-01

This report presents the results of studies conducted in Massachusetts Bay during 1981 and 1982. Included are data from: (1) a side scan sonar survey of disposal areas in the Bay that was carried out by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) for EPA; (2) Collections of sediment and biota by NOAA for radiochemical analysis by EPA; (3) collections of marketplace seafood samples by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for radioanalysis by both FDA and EPA; and (4) a radiological monitoring survey of LLW disposal areas by EPA to determine whether there should be any concern for public health resulting from previous LLW disposals in the Bay

Lay Evaluation of Financial Experts: The Action Advice Effect and Confirmation Bias.

Science.gov (United States)

Zaleskiewicz, Tomasz; Gasiorowska, Agata; Stasiuk, Katarzyna; Maksymiuk, Renata; Bar-Tal, Yoram

2016-01-01

The goal of this experimental project was to investigate lay peoples' perceptions of epistemic authority (EA) in the field of finance. EA is defined as the extent to which a source of information is treated as evidence for judgments independently of its objective expertise and based on subjective beliefs. Previous research suggested that EA evaluations are biased and that lay people tend to ascribe higher EA to experts who advise action (in the case of medical experts) or confirm clients' expectations (in the case of politicians). However, there has been no research into biases in lay evaluations of financial experts and this project is aimed to fill this gap. Experiment 1 showed that lay people tended to ascribe greater authority to financial consultants who gave more active advice to clients considering taking out a mortgage. Experiment 2 confirmed the action advice effect found in Experiment 1. However, the outcomes of Experiments 2 and - particularly - 3 suggested that this bias might also be due to clients' desire to confirm their own opinions. Experiment 2 showed that the action advice effect was moderated by clients' own opinions on taking loans. Lay people ascribed the greatest EA to the advisor in the scenario in which he advised taking action and where this coincided with the client's positive opinion on the advisability of taking out a loan. In Experiment 3 only participants with a positive opinion on the financial product ascribed greater authority to experts who recommended it; participants whose opinion was negative tended to rate consultants who advised rejecting the product more highly. To conclude, these three experiments revealed that lay people ascribe higher EA to financial consultants who advise action rather than maintenance of the status quo , but this effect is limited by confirmation bias: when the client's a priori opinion is salient, greater authority is ascribed to experts whose advice confirms it. In this sense, results presented in the

Pathological Confirmation of Optic Neuropathy in Familial Dysautonomia.

Science.gov (United States)

Mendoza-Santiesteban, Carlos E; Palma, Jose-Alberto; Hedges, Thomas R; Laver, Nora V; Farhat, Nada; Norcliffe-Kaufmann, Lucy; Kaufmann, Horacio

2017-03-01

Clinical data suggest that optic neuropathy and retinal ganglion cell loss are the main cause of visual decline in patients with familial dysautonomia, but this has not previously been confirmed by pathological analyses. We studied retinas and optic nerves in 6 eyes from 3 affected patients obtained at autopsy. Analyses included routine neurohistology and immunohistochemistry for neurofilaments, cytochrome c oxidase (COX), and melanopsin-containing ganglion cells. We observed profound axon loss in the temporal portions of optic nerves with relative preservation in the nasal portions; this correlated with clinical and optical coherence tomography findings in 1 patient. Retinal ganglion cell layers were markedly reduced in the central retina, whereas melanopsin-containing ganglion cells were relatively spared. COX staining was reduced in the temporal portions of the optic nerve indicating reduced mitochondrial density. Axonal swelling with degenerating lysosomes and mitochondria were observed by electron microscopy. These findings support the concept that there is a specific optic neuropathy and retinopathy in patients with familial dysautonomia similar to that seen in other optic neuropathies with mitochondrial dysfunction. This raises the possibility that defective expression of the IkB kinase complex-associated protein (IKAP) resulting from mutations in IKBKAP affects mitochondrial function in the metabolism-dependent retinal parvocellular ganglion cells in this condition. © 2017 American Association of Neuropathologists, Inc. All rights reserved.

Combined analysis of data from two granddaughter designs: A simple strategy for QTL confirmation and increasing experimental power in dairy cattle

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Blümel Jürgen

2003-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract A joint analysis of five paternal half-sib Holstein families that were part of two different granddaughter designs (ADR- or Inra-design was carried out for five milk production traits and somatic cell score in order to conduct a QTL confirmation study and to increase the experimental power. Data were exchanged in a coded and standardised form. The combined data set (JOINT-design consisted of on average 231 sires per grandsire. Genetic maps were calculated for 133 markers distributed over nine chromosomes. QTL analyses were performed separately for each design and each trait. The results revealed QTL for milk production on chromosome 14, for milk yield on chromosome 5, and for fat content on chromosome 19 in both the ADR- and the Inra-design (confirmed within this study. Some QTL could only be mapped in either the ADR- or in the Inra-design (not confirmed within this study. Additional QTL previously undetected in the single designs were mapped in the JOINT-design for fat yield (chromosome 19 and 26, protein yield (chromosome 26, protein content (chromosome 5, and somatic cell score (chromosome 2 and 19 with genomewide significance. This study demonstrated the potential benefits of a combined analysis of data from different granddaughter designs.

Confirmation study On the effectiveness of prospecting techniques for deep geothermal resources

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1993-01-01

Annual study results in 1992 of this study were summarized which has been promoted as a part of the geothermal energy R and D based on the Sunshine Project. In 1992, as for the exploration method using electromagnetic waves, after the previously developed array CSMT equipment was improved to make its data acquisition system faster and more accurate, the equipment was applied to a geothermal field, and the resistivity structure of the field was also studied. As for the method using seismic waves, seismic tomography and vertical seismic profiling experiments were conducted to improve measurement and analysis techniques for fracture systems, and the development of high-temperature downhole instruments was continued, while the correlation between fractures and hydrological characteristics was derived from various data obtained by comprehensive analysis method. As for the method using microearthquake, several program modules were improved, and the programs were mostly completed for calculating hypocenters, magnitudes and focal mechanisms from various observed data. 6 figs.

Endoscopic submucosal dissection for locally recurrent colorectal lesions after previous endoscopic mucosal resection.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Pinghong; Yao, Liqing; Qin, Xinyu; Xu, Meidong; Zhong, Yunshi; Chen, Weifeng

2009-02-01

The objective of this study was to determine the efficacy and safety of endoscopic submucosal dissection for locally recurrent colorectal cancer after previous endoscopic mucosal resection. A total of 16 patients with locally recurrent colorectal lesions were enrolled. A needle knife, an insulated-tip knife and a hook knife were used to resect the lesion along the submucosa. The rate of the curative resection, procedure time, and incidence of complications were evaluated. Of 16 lesions, 15 were completely resected with endoscopic submucosal dissection, yielding an en bloc resection rate of 93.8 percent. Histologic examination confirmed that lateral and basal margins were cancer-free in 14 patients (87.5 percent). The average procedure time was 87.2 +/- 60.7 minutes. None of the patients had immediate or delayed bleeding during or after endoscopic submucosal dissection. Perforation in one patient (6.3 percent) was the only complication and was managed conservatively. The mean follow-up period was 15.5 +/- 6.8 months; none of the patients experienced lesion residue or recurrence. Endoscopic submucosal dissection appears to be effective for locally recurrent colorectal cancer after previous endoscopic mucosal resection, making it possible to resect whole lesions and provide precise histologic information.

CERN confirms LHC schedule

CERN Document Server

2003-01-01

The CERN Council held its 125th session on 20 June. Highlights of the meeting included confirmation that the LHC is on schedule for a 2007 start-up, and the announcement of a new organizational structure in 2004.

Preoperative screening: value of previous tests.

Science.gov (United States)

Macpherson, D S; Snow, R; Lofgren, R P

1990-12-15

To determine the frequency of tests done in the year before elective surgery that might substitute for preoperative screening tests and to determine the frequency of test results that change from a normal value to a value likely to alter perioperative management. Retrospective cohort analysis of computerized laboratory data (complete blood count, sodium, potassium, and creatinine levels, prothrombin time, and partial thromboplastin time). Urban tertiary care Veterans Affairs Hospital. Consecutive sample of 1109 patients who had elective surgery in 1988. At admission, 7549 preoperative tests were done, 47% of which duplicated tests performed in the previous year. Of 3096 previous results that were normal as defined by hospital reference range and done closest to the time of but before admission (median interval, 2 months), 13 (0.4%; 95% CI, 0.2% to 0.7%), repeat values were outside a range considered acceptable for surgery. Most of the abnormalities were predictable from the patient's history, and most were not noted in the medical record. Of 461 previous tests that were abnormal, 78 (17%; CI, 13% to 20%) repeat values at admission were outside a range considered acceptable for surgery (P less than 0.001, frequency of clinically important abnormalities of patients with normal previous results with those with abnormal previous results). Physicians evaluating patients preoperatively could safely substitute the previous test results analyzed in this study for preoperative screening tests if the previous tests are normal and no obvious indication for retesting is present.

Pupillary Responses to Robotic and Human Emotions: The Uncanny Valley and Media Equation Confirmed

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anne Reuten

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Physiological responses during human–robots interaction are useful alternatives to subjective measures of uncanny feelings for nearly humanlike robots (uncanny valley and comparable emotional responses between humans and robots (media equation. However, no studies have employed the easily accessible measure of pupillometry to confirm the uncanny valley and media equation hypotheses, evidence in favor of the existence of these hypotheses in interaction with emotional robots is scarce, and previous studies have not controlled for low level image statistics across robot appearances. We therefore recorded pupil size of 40 participants that viewed and rated pictures of robotic and human faces that expressed a variety of basic emotions. The robotic faces varied along the dimension of human likeness from cartoonish to humanlike. We strictly controlled for confounding factors by removing backgrounds, hair, and color, and by equalizing low level image statistics. After the presentation phase, participants indicated to what extent the robots appeared uncanny and humanlike, and whether they could imagine social interaction with the robots in real life situations. The results show that robots rated as nearly humanlike scored higher on uncanniness, scored lower on imagined social interaction, evoked weaker pupil dilations, and their emotional expressions were more difficult to recognize. Pupils dilated most strongly to negative expressions and the pattern of pupil responses across emotions was highly similar between robot and human stimuli. These results highlight the usefulness of pupillometry in emotion studies and robot design by confirming the uncanny valley and media equation hypotheses.

Risk factors for overuse shoulder injuries in a mixed-sex cohort of 329 elite handball players: previous findings could not be confirmed.

Science.gov (United States)

Andersson, Stig Haugsboe; Bahr, Roald; Clarsen, Benjamin; Myklebust, Grethe

2017-08-07

Shoulder injuries are common among handball players and predominantly characterised by overuse characteristics. Reduced total glenohumeral rotation, external rotation weakness and scapular dyskinesis have been identified as risk factors among elite male handball players. To assess whether previously identified risk factors are associated with overuse shoulder injuries in a large cohort of elite male and female handball players. 329 players (168 male, 161 female) from the two upper divisions in Norway were included and tested prior to the 2014-2015 season. Measures included glenohumeral internal and external rotation range of motion, isometric internal and external rotation strength, and assessment of scapular dyskinesis. Players were followed prospectively for one competitive season, with prevalence and severity of shoulder problems registered monthly using the Oslo Sports Trauma Research Center Overuse Injury Questionnaire. A severity score based on players' questionnaire responses was used as the outcome measure in multivariable logistic regression to investigate associations between candidate risk factors and overuse shoulder injury. No significant associations were found between total rotation (OR 1.05 per 5° change, 95% CI 0.98 to 1.13), external rotation strength (OR 1.05 per 10 N change, 95% CI 0.92 to 1.20) or obvious scapular dyskinesis (OR 1.23, 95% CI 0.25 to 5.99) and overuse shoulder injury. A significant positive association was found between greater internal rotation (OR 1.16 per 5° change, 95% CI 1.00 to 1.34) and overuse shoulder injury. None of the previously identified risk factors were associated with overuse shoulder injuries in a mixed-sex cohort of elite handball players. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Lay Evaluation of Financial Experts: The Action Advice Effect and Confirmation Bias

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Tomasz Zaleskiewicz

2016-09-01

Full Text Available The goal of this experimental project was to investigate lay peoples’ perceptions of epistemic authority (EA in the field of finance. EA is defined as the extent to which a source of information is treated as evidence for judgments independently of its objective expertise and based on subjective beliefs. Previous research suggested that EA evaluations are biased and that lay people tend to ascribe higher EA to experts who advise action (in the case of medical experts or confirm clients’ expectations (in the case of politicians. However, there has been no research into biases in lay evaluations of financial experts and this project is aimed to fill this gap. Experiment 1 showed that lay people tended to ascribe greater authority to financial consultants who gave more active advice to clients considering taking out a mortgage. Experiment 2 confirmed the action advice effect found in Experiment 1. However, the outcomes of Experiments 2 and – particularly – 3 suggested that this bias might also be due to clients’ desire to confirm their own opinions. Experiment 2 showed that the action advice effect was moderated by clients’ own opinions on taking loans. Lay people ascribed the greatest EA to the advisor in the scenario in which he advised taking action and where this coincided with the client’s positive opinion on the advisability of taking out a loan. In Experiment 3 only participants with a positive opinion on the financial product ascribed greater authority to experts who recommended it; participants whose opinion was negative tended to rate consultants who advised rejecting the product more highly. To conclude, these three experiments revealed that lay people ascribe higher EA to financial consultants who advise action rather than maintenance of the status quo, but this effect is limited by confirmation bias: when the client’s a priori opinion is salient, greater authority is ascribed to experts whose advice confirms it. In this

Histologically confirmed intracranial tumors managed at Enugu, Nigeria

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Chika Anele Ndubuisi

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Background: There is controversy about the global distribution of intracranial tumors (ICTs. The previous reports from Africa suggested low frequency and different pattern of distribution of brain tumors from what obtains in other continents. The limitations at that time, including paucity of diagnostic facilities and personnel, have improved. Objective: The objective of this study is to analyze the current trend and distribution of histology confirmed brain tumors managed in Enugu, in a decade. Methods: A retrospective analysis of ICTs managed between 2006 and 2015 at Memfys Hospital, Enugu. Only cases with conclusive histology report were analyzed. The World Health Organization ICT classification was used. Results: This study reviewed 252 patients out of 612 neuroimaging diagnosed brain tumors. Mean age was 42.8 years and male-to-female ratio was 1.2:1.0. Annual frequency increased from 11 in 2006 to 55 in 2015. Metastatic brain tumors accounted for 5.6%, and infratentorial tumors represented 16.3%. Frequency of the common primary tumors were meningioma (32.9%, glioma (23.8%, pituitary adenomas (13.5%, and craniopharyngioma (7.5% (P = 0.001. Vestibular schwannoma accounted for 1.2%. Meningioma did not have gender difference (P = 0.714. Medulloblastoma, glioma, and craniopharyngioma were the most common pediatric tumors. About 8.7% presented unconscious (P < 0.001. There was no significant difference between radiology and histology diagnosis (P = 0.932. Conclusion: Meningioma is the most frequent tumor with increasing male incidence, but the frequency of glioma is increasing. Metastasis, acoustic schwannoma, lymphoma, and germ cell tumors seem to be uncommon. Late presentation is the rule.

The Efficacy and Safety of Icotinib in Patients with Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Previously Treated with Chemotherapy: A Single-Arm, Multi-Center, Prospective Study.

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Xingsheng Hu

Full Text Available Icotinib is a small molecule targeting epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase, which shows non-inferior efficacy and better safety comparing to gefitinib in previous phase III trial. The present study was designed to further evaluate the efficacy and safety of icotinib in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC previously treated with platinum-based chemotherapy.Patients with NSCLC progressing after one or two lines of chemotherapy were enrolled to receive oral icotinib (125 mg tablet, three times per day. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival. The secondary endpoints included overall survival, objective response rate, time to progression, quality of life and safety.From March 16, 2010 to October 9, 2011, 128 patients from 15 centers nationwide were enrolled, in which 124 patients were available for efficacy evaluation and 127 patients were evaluable for safety. The median progression-free survival and time to progression were 5.0 months (95%CI 2.9-6.6 m and 5.4 months (95%CI 3.1-7.9 m, respectively. The objective response rate and disease control rate were 25.8% and 67.7% respectively. Median overall survival exceeded 17.6 months (95%CI 14.2 m-NA according to censored data. Further follow-up of overall survival is ongoing. The most frequent treatment-related adverse events were rash (26%, 33/127, diarrhea (12.6%, 16/127 and elevation of transaminase (15.7%, 20/127.In general, this study showed similar efficacy and numerically better safety when compared with that in ICOGEN trial, further confirming the efficacy and safety of icotinib in treating patients with advanced NSCLC previously treated with chemotherapy.ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02486354.

The Efficacy and Safety of Icotinib in Patients with Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Previously Treated with Chemotherapy: A Single-Arm, Multi-Center, Prospective Study.

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Hu, Xingsheng; Zhang, Li; Shi, Yuankai; Zhou, Caicun; Liu, Xiaoqing; Wang, Dong; Song, Yong; Li, Qiang; Feng, Jifeng; Qin, Shukui; Xv, Nong; Zhou, Jianying; Zhang, Li; Hu, Chunhong; Zhang, Shucai; Luo, Rongcheng; Wang, Jie; Tan, Fenlai; Wang, Yinxiang; Ding, Lieming; Sun, Yan

2015-01-01

Icotinib is a small molecule targeting epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase, which shows non-inferior efficacy and better safety comparing to gefitinib in previous phase III trial. The present study was designed to further evaluate the efficacy and safety of icotinib in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) previously treated with platinum-based chemotherapy. Patients with NSCLC progressing after one or two lines of chemotherapy were enrolled to receive oral icotinib (125 mg tablet, three times per day). The primary endpoint was progression-free survival. The secondary endpoints included overall survival, objective response rate, time to progression, quality of life and safety. From March 16, 2010 to October 9, 2011, 128 patients from 15 centers nationwide were enrolled, in which 124 patients were available for efficacy evaluation and 127 patients were evaluable for safety. The median progression-free survival and time to progression were 5.0 months (95%CI 2.9-6.6 m) and 5.4 months (95%CI 3.1-7.9 m), respectively. The objective response rate and disease control rate were 25.8% and 67.7% respectively. Median overall survival exceeded 17.6 months (95%CI 14.2 m-NA) according to censored data. Further follow-up of overall survival is ongoing. The most frequent treatment-related adverse events were rash (26%, 33/127), diarrhea (12.6%, 16/127) and elevation of transaminase (15.7%, 20/127). In general, this study showed similar efficacy and numerically better safety when compared with that in ICOGEN trial, further confirming the efficacy and safety of icotinib in treating patients with advanced NSCLC previously treated with chemotherapy. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02486354.

Homicide and domestic violence. Are there different psychological profiles mediated by previous exerted on the victim?

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Montserrat Yepes

2009-07-01

Full Text Available A sample of 46 men was evaluated with the DAPP (Questionnaire of Domestic Aggressor Psychological Profile. All were inmates convicted for various degrees of violence against their wives in different prisons. The sample was divided into three groups: homicides without previous violence against their wives (H (n=11, homicides with previous violence (VH (n=9 and domestic batterers without previous homicide attempts against their partners (B (n=26. The aim of the study was to analyze the possible existence of three different kinds of profiles and more specifically if it’s possible to obtain an independent profile for domestic homicides with previous episodes of violence against their wives. The results neither confirm the hypothesis as whole nor for the violent homicides. However, differences between groups were obtained in the admission and description of the facts, in the risk of future violence, in some sociodemographical characteristics (i.e., level of education, social status, in the couple relationship, in the dissatisfaction concerning the unachieved ideal woman, in the use of extreme physical force during the aggression, the time of the first aggression, the use of verbal threats during the aggression, explanation of the events to the family and the period of time between the beginning of the romantic relationship and the manifestation of violence. The implications of the results for the theoretical frameworks proposed and future research are discussed.

In vitro fertilization outcome in women with endometriosis & previous ovarian surgery

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Sonja Pop-Trajkovic

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Background & objectives: Women with endometriosis often need in vitro fertilization (IVF to concieve. There are conflicting data on the results of IVF in patients with endometriosis. This study was undertaken to elucidate the influence of endometriosis on IVF outcome to give the best counselling for infertile patient with this problem. Methods: The outcome measures in 78 patients with surgically confirmed endometriosis were compared with 157 patients with tubal factor infertility, all of whom have undergone IVF. The groups were matched for age and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH levels. Outcome measures included number of follicles, number of ocytes, peak oestradiol (E2 concentrations and mean number of ampoules of gonadotropins. Cumulative pregnancy, miscarriage and live birth rates were calculated in both the groups. Results: Higher cancelation rates, higher total gonadotropin requirements, lower peak E2 levels and lower oocyte yield were found in women with endometriosis and previous surgery compared with those with tubal factor infertility. However, no differences were found in fertilization, implantation, pregnancy, miscarriage, multiple births and delivery rates between the endometriosis and tubal factor infertility groups. Interpretation & conclusions: The present findings showed that women with endometriosis and previous surgery responded less well to gonadotropins during ovarian stimulation and hence the cost of treatment to achieve pregnancy was higher in this group compared with those with tubal factor infertility. However, the outcome of IVF treatment in patients with endometriosis was as good as in women with tubal factor infertility.

Bacteriologically confirmed tuberculosis in children

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Ozere, I.; Sele, A.; Ozolina, A.

2005-01-01

Tuberculosis in children and adults is a growing problem with important public health implications. In Latvia the incidence of tuberculosis (TB) in children up to age 14 has increased from 7,1 per 100000 in 1992 to 28,8 per 100000 in 2003. The diagnosis of TB is confirmed by isolation and identification of M. tuberculosis (MT) from clinical specimen. Confirmation of the disease, however, is difficult in children due to poor bacilli excretion and even under the best circumstances only about 30-40% of pediatric TB cases are proved bacteriologically. Of the 370 pediatric TB cases diagnosed between January 1, 2001 and December 1, 2003 in Latvia, 53 (14,3%) were confirmed bacteriologically. The clinical, radiological, immunological and anamnestic features of confirmed TB can serve as cornerstones for diagnosing of TB, when culture is not available. Objective To evaluate the sensitivity of diagnostic criteria of TB, clinical and radiological manifestation of TB and drug susceptibility of MT isolated also. Methods All consecutive children (53 in total) up to age 14 diagnosed with bacteriologically confirmed TB during 01.01.2001. -01.12.2003. were prospectively evaluated for reasons mentioned above. Results Of the 53 children identified all but one had respiratory tract TB. 17(32,1 %) children were under 4 years of age, 9 (17%) children were 5-9 years old, but 27 (50,9%) patients were 10-14 years old. During evaluation data on TB source case were found in addition in 13 children and total TB contact history was positive in 37 (69,8%) patients. All clinical and radiographical forms of respiratory tract TB were diagnosed. The most common encountered forms were intrathoracic adenopathy in 10 (18,9%) cases and TB pneumonia in 6 (11,3%) cases in children aged 10-14 years. lnthrathoracic adenopathy associated with segmental parenchymal lesion was the most common form in children under 4 years of age -7 (13,2%) cases respectively. Conclusions 1. The clinical and radiological

Demographics and Incidence of Histologically Confirmed Intracranial Tumors: A Five-year, Two-center Prospective Study

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Dzhenkov, Deyan L; Kitanova, Martina; Ghenev, Peter; Tonchev, Anton B

2017-01-01

Introduction Intracranial tumors (ICTs) are a diverse group of malignancies that pose an immediate threat to patients' lives, no matter their local or metastatic origin, benign or malignant nature. These lesions have severe clinical courses and need to be diagnosed and treated as soon as possible, with pathological verification being the pivotal moment in the process of determining curative modalities. Aim The aim of this study was to compare the incidence of histologically confirmed ICTs in Eastern Bulgaria, based on their type (primary, metastatic, and non-volume occupying lesions (NVOL)), their respective subtypes, and incidence in a descriptive manner. Materials and Methods For a period of five full calendar years (January 1st, 2012 – December 31st, 2016), all histologically confirmed cases of intracranial tumors were prospectively collected from two individual tertiary healthcare institutions. The cases were then statistically analyzed in a descriptive manner, and incidences of primary, metastatic, and NVOL were compared with regards to their specific origins, types, and subtypes. Metastatic tumors were further segregated relative to their intracranial metastatic location. Results The total number of individual ICTs registered in the set timeframe was 822. Primary ICTs represented a total of 66.12% of the histologically confirmed cases, with the most common entries being tumors from a glial and meningeal origin, 30.90% were histologically confirmed as metastatic ICTs, from which the most common entries were of pulmonary origin, and the other 2.94% were NVOL. On behalf of their intracranial metastatic location, metastatic tumors were located predominantly in the supratentorial region, represented as a total of 87.80%, while the other 12.20% were located in the subtentorial region. Based on the descriptive analysis, the annual incidence per 100,000 capita of all ICTs is 9.12, comprised of 6.03 per 100,000 for primary ICTs, 2.82 per 100,000 for metastatic

PERFORMANCE CONFIRMATION IN-SITU INSTRUMENTATION

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

N.T. Raczka

2000-01-01

The purpose of this document is to identify and analyze the types of in-situ instruments and methods that could be used in support of the data acquisition portion of the Performance Confirmation (PC) program at the potential nuclear waste repository at Yucca Mountain. The PC program will require geomechanical , geophysical, thermal, and hydrologic instrumentation of several kinds. This analysis is being prepared to document the technical issues associated with each type of measurement during the PC period. This analysis utilizes the ''Performance Confirmation Input Criteria'' (CRWMS M andO 1999a) as its starting point. The scope of this analysis is primarily on the period after the start of waste package emplacement and before permanent closure of the repository, a period lasting between 15 and 300 years after last package emplacement (Stroupe 2000, Attachment 1, p. 1). The primary objectives of this analysis are to: (1) Review the design criteria as presented in the ''Performance Confirmation Input Criteria'' (CRWMS M andO 1999a). The scope of this analysis will be limited to the instrumentation related to parameters that require continuous monitoring of the conditions underground. (2) Preliminary identification and listing of the data requirements and parameters as related to the current repository layout in support of PC monitoring. (3) Preliminary identification of methods and instrumentation for the acquisition of the required data. Although the ''Performance Confirmation Input Criteria'' (CRWMS M andO 1999a) defines a broad range of data that must be obtained from a variety of methods, the focus of this analysis is on instrumentation related to the performance of the rock mass and the formation of water in the repository environment, that is obtainable from in-situ observation, testing, and monitoring

RSA prediction of high failure rate for the uncoated Interax TKA confirmed by meta-analysis.

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Pijls, Bart G; Nieuwenhuijse, Marc J; Schoones, Jan W; Middeldorp, Saskia; Valstar, Edward R; Nelissen, Rob G H H

2012-04-01

In a previous radiostereometric (RSA) trial the uncoated, uncemented, Interax tibial components showed excessive migration within 2 years compared to HA-coated and cemented tibial components. It was predicted that this type of fixation would have a high failure rate. The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to investigate whether this RSA prediction was correct. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to determine the revision rate for aseptic loosening of the uncoated and cemented Interax tibial components. 3 studies were included, involving 349 Interax total knee arthroplasties (TKAs) for the comparison of uncoated and cemented fixation. There were 30 revisions: 27 uncoated and 3 cemented components. There was a 3-times higher revision rate for the uncoated Interax components than that for cemented Interax components (OR = 3; 95% CI: 1.4-7.2). This meta-analysis confirms the prediction of a previous RSA trial. The uncoated Interax components showed the highest migration and turned out to have the highest revision rate for aseptic loosening. RSA appears to enable efficient detection of an inferior design as early as 2 years postoperatively in a small group of patients.

Mg doped InN and confirmation of free holes in InN

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, K.; Yamaguchi, T.; Miller, N.; Mayer, M. A.; Haller, E. E.; Iwamoto, R.; Araki, T.; Nanishi, Y.; Yu, K. M.; Walukiewicz, W.; Ager, J. W. III

2011-01-01

We report a systematic investigation on Mg doped InN epilayers grown by radio-frequency plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy. Electrolyte capacitance voltage (ECV) combined with thermopower measurements find p-type conduction over an Mg concentration range. For InN:Mg in this p-type 'window' the Seebeck coefficients dramatically change their signs from negative to positive when the thickness of undoped InN interlayer decreases to zero. This notable sign change of Seebeck coefficient explains the previous inconsistency between ECV and thermopower results and confirms the existence of mobile holes in the InN:Mg. Taking into account the undoped InN interlayer, the hole density and mobility are extracted.

Prevalence of fibromyalgia in France: a multi-step study research combining national screening and clinical confirmation: The DEFI study (Determination of Epidemiology of FIbromyalgia

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Ravaud Philippe

2011-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Fibromyalgia is a common disease, but little is known on its real prevalence in France. This epidemiological study aimed to assess fibromyalgia (FM prevalence in the French metropolitan population, based on a multi-step sampling analysis, combining national screening and clinical confirmation by trained specialists. Methods a sampling method on the entire national territory was used: patients over 18 years of age accepting to take part in the study were contacted by telephone using the LFES Questionnaire, a screening test for FM. The, for patients detected by the LFESQ, a visit with a FM-trained rheumatologist was proposed to confirm FM, based on 1990 ACR criteria. Each detected patient completed the following self-questionnaires: SF36, HADS, stress VAS, Co-morbidities and Regional pain score. Results 3081 patients were contacted in 5 representative French regions, of which 232 patients were screened for FM. A fibromyalgia diagnosis was then confirmed by rheumatologist in 20 cases (17 female and 3 male, 56.9 ± 13.2 years. The final estimated FM prevalence was 1.6 (CI95: 1.2%; 2.0%. No significant difference was detected between the patients accepting (CS+ and refusing (CS- rheumatologist visit for the SF36 score, regional pain score, stress VAS scale and co-morbidities. In patients detected for FM by the LFESQ, we found a statistically significant decrease in quality of life and a statistically significant increase in stress level in patients with a confirmed diagnosis (FM+ (6.3 ± 1.9 compared to patients with an invalidated diagnosis (FM- (4.4 ± 2.8; p = 0.007. The study also demonstrated a significant association, independently of ACR criteria, between the diagnosis of FM and several factors such as regional pain score > 10, elevated stress level, low SF36 scale score and presence of gastro-intestinal disorder co-morbidities. Conclusion Fibromyalgia is a common condition; the 1.6% prevalence calculated in the French

Performance Confirmation Data Acquisition System

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

D.W. Markman

2000-01-01

The purpose of this analysis is to identify and analyze concepts for the acquisition of data in support of the Performance Confirmation (PC) program at the potential subsurface nuclear waste repository at Yucca Mountain. The scope and primary objectives of this analysis are to: (1) Review the criteria for design as presented in the Performance Confirmation Data Acquisition/Monitoring System Description Document, by way of the Input Transmittal, Performance Confirmation Input Criteria (CRWMS M and O 1999c). (2) Identify and describe existing and potential new trends in data acquisition system software and hardware that would support the PC plan. The data acquisition software and hardware will support the field instruments and equipment that will be installed for the observation and perimeter drift borehole monitoring, and in-situ monitoring within the emplacement drifts. The exhaust air monitoring requirements will be supported by a data communication network interface with the ventilation monitoring system database. (3) Identify the concepts and features that a data acquisition system should have in order to support the PC process and its activities. (4) Based on PC monitoring needs and available technologies, further develop concepts of a potential data acquisition system network in support of the PC program and the Site Recommendation and License Application

Clinical experience with contrast infusion sonography as an Essure confirmation test.

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Connor, Viviane F

2011-06-01

The purpose of this study was to assess the clinical experience, including the feasibility, safety, compliance, and efficacy, of contrast infusion sonography as an Essure (Conceptus Inc, Mountain View, CA) confirmation test. A retrospective chart review and telephone survey were conducted at an academic multispecialty group. The study participants were women with Essure intervention who underwent contrast infusion sonography, transvaginal sonography, and hysterosalpingography as Essure confirmation tests. The main outcome measures included the feasibility, safety, compliance, and efficacy of contrast infusion sonography as a first-line Essure confirmation test. A total of 118 women had successful bilateral Essure placement. Of the 63 who consented to contrast infusion sonography, 53 (84.1%) had proper bilateral placement and tubal occlusion and were encouraged to rely on Essure. Four were suspected of having unilateral tubal patency; hysterosalpingography in 2 confirmed bilateral tubal occlusion, and 2 were noncompliant with second-line hysterosalpingography. Three patients suspected of having unsatisfactory or uncertain placement on initial transvaginal sonography were encouraged to undergo hysterosalpingography in lieu of contrast infusion sonography, which confirmed unsatisfactory placement in 2 and proper placement and occlusion in 1. Three contrast infusion sonographic procedures could not be completed because of technical issues; therefore, contrast infusion sonography was feasible in 95.2% of the patients (60 of 63). No notable adverse events occurred. Only 17 patients were noncompliant with any confirmation test, yielding an overall compliance rate of 86% (101 of 118). No pregnancies occurred during 669 woman-months of follow-up. The average reimbursement for contrast infusion sonography was US$251.78. Preliminary clinical data suggest that contrast infusion sonography is a feasible, safe, and accurate Essure confirmation test, which is well accepted by

Replication study confirms link between TSPAN18 mutation and schizophrenia in Han Chinese.

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Jianmin Yuan

Full Text Available Schizophrenia (SCZ is a severe psychiatric disorder associated with many different risk factors, both genetic and environmental. A recent genome-wide association study (GWAS of Han Chinese identified three single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs rs11038167, rs11038172, and rs835784 in the tetraspanins gene TSPAN18 as possible susceptibility loci for schizophrenia. Hoping to validate these findings, we conducted a case-control study of Han Chinese with 1093 schizophrenia cases and 1022 healthy controls. Using the LDR-PCR method to genotype polymorphisms in TSPAN18, we found no significant differences (P>0.05 between patients and controls in either the allele or genotype frequency of the SNPs rs11038167 and rs11038172. We did find, however, that the frequency of the 'A' allele of SNP rs835784 is significantly higher in patients than in controls. We further observed a significant association (OR= 1.197, 95%CI= 1.047-1.369 between risk for SCZ and this 'A' allele. These results confirm the significant association, in Han Chinese populations, of increased SCZ risk and the variant of the TSPAN18 gene containing the 'A' allele of SNP rs835784.

Confirmation of acute nitrate poisoning differentiating from anthrax in three Indian indigenous cattle

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Kumaresan Nagarajan

2015-03-01

Full Text Available This article reports cases of nitrate poisoning in Indian indigenous cattle breeds comprising two Gir cows aging 4 years each, and one Barugur cow at 1.5 years of age. The cattle with case history of sudden death and oozing of partially clotted blood from the anal opening were brought to the Central University Laboratory (CUL, Center for Animal Health Studies (CAHS, Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (TANUVAS for diagnostic investigation with a suspicion of anthrax. According to anamnesis, all the animals were clinically normal and did not reveal any abnormality on the previous day. The animals were fed with recently harvested sorghum leaves and stalks. Smears examined for anthrax were found negative. Biological test (mice inoculation for anthrax was also negative. Gross lesions on necropsy examination of the carcases were suggestive of nitrate intoxication. Finally, nitrate intoxication of these cattle was confirmed by chemical and toxicological analysis of fodder, rumen content, aqueous humor, liver, kidney and urine.

Molecular Confirmation of Salmonella typhimuriumin Poultry from Kathmandu Valley

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Sanjeev Kumar Adhikari

2018-05-01

Full Text Available A prevalence study was carried to isolate Salmonella typhimurium from blood (n= 50 and gut samples (n=100 of poultry in Kathmandu valley during early 2016. Salmonella typhimurium bacteria isolated in the selective media were biochemically confirmed based on Bergey’s Manual. Two sets of oligonucleotide primers-the genus specific 16S rRNA and the organism specific invA were employed for molecular level confirmation by the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR assay. The amplified fragments in 1% agarose gel observed at 406bp and 285bp, respectively confirmed the isolates to be Salmonella typhimurium. Of 150 samples tested, Salmonella typhimurium were isolated from 49 samples, among which nine were from blood (18% and forty from the gut (40%. The present result indicated an alarmingly high level of Salmonella typhimurium, which can result inzoonotic infection in humans owing to increased contact with poultry and consumption of poultry products in the Kathmandu valley.

First Spectroscopic Confirmations of z ∼ 7.0 Ly α Emitting Galaxies in the LAGER Survey

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Hu, Weida; Wang, Junxian; Kang, Wenyong; Kong, Xu; Yang, Huan [CAS Key Laboratory for Research in Galaxies and Cosmology, Department of Astronomy, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026 (China); Zheng, Zhen-Ya; Jiang, Chunyan [CAS Key Laboratory for Research in Galaxies and Cosmology, Shanghai Astronomical Observatory, Shanghai 200030 (China); Malhotra, Sangeeta; Rhoads, James; Gonzalez, Alicia; Tilvi, Vithal [School of Earth and Space Exploration, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287 (United States); Infante, Leopoldo [Las Campanas Observatory, Carnegie Institution for Science, Casilla 601, La Serena (Chile); Walker, Alistair R. [Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory, Casilla 603, La Serena (Chile); Jiang, Linhua [The Kavli Institute for Astronomy and Astrophysics, Peking University, Beijing 100871 (China); Hibon, Pascale [European Southern Observatory, Alonso de Cordova 3107, Casilla 19001, Santiago (Chile); Barrientos, L. Felipe; Galaz, Gaspar [Centro de Astroingeniería, Facultad de Física, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago (Chile); Finkelstein, Steven [Department of Astronomy, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712 (United States); Zheng, XianZhong, E-mail: urverda@mail.ustc.edu.cn, E-mail: jxw@ustc.edu.cn, E-mail: zhengzy@shao.ac.cn, E-mail: Sangeeta.Malhotra@asu.edu, E-mail: James.Rhoads@asu.edu, E-mail: linfante@carnegiescience.edu [Purple Mountain Observatory, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008 (China)

2017-08-20

Narrowband imaging is a highly successful approach for finding large numbers of high-redshift Ly α emitting galaxies (LAEs) up to z ∼ 6.6. However, at z ≳ 7 there are as of yet only three narrowband selected LAEs with spectroscopic confirmations (two at z ∼ 6.9–7.0, one at z ∼ 7.3), which hinders extensive studies on cosmic reionization and galaxy evolution at this key epoch. We have selected 23 candidate z ∼ 6.9 LAEs in COSMOS field with the large area narrowband survey Lyman-Alpha Galaxies at the End of Reionization (LAGER). In this work, we present spectroscopic follow-up observations of 12 candidates using the Inamori Magellan Areal Camera and Spectrograph on Magellan. For nine of these, the observations are sufficiently deep to detect the expected lines. Ly α emission lines are identified in six sources (yielding a success rate of 2/3), including three luminous LAEs with Ly α luminosities of L {sub Lyα} ∼ 10{sup 43.5} erg s{sup −1}, the highest among known spectroscopically confirmed galaxies at ≳7.0. This triples the sample size of spectroscopically confirmed narrowband selected LAEs at z ≳ 7, and confirms the bright-end bump in the Ly α luminosity function we previously derived based on the photometric sample, supporting a patchy reionization scenario. Two luminous LAEs appear physically linked with a projected distance of 1.1 pMpc and velocity difference of ∼170 km s{sup −1}. They likely sit in a common ionized bubble produced by themselves or with close neighbors, which reduces the intergalactic medium attenuation of Ly α . A tentative narrow N v λ 1240 line is seen in one source, hinting at activity of a central massive black hole with metal-rich line-emitting gas.

RNAi-mediated silencing of enolase confirms its biological importance in Clonorchis sinensis.

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Wang, Xiaoyun; Chen, Wenjun; Tian, Yanli; Huang, Yan; Li, Xuerong; Yu, Xinbing

2014-04-01

Clonorchis sinensis (C. sinensis) infection is still a common public health problem in freshwater fish consumption areas in Asian countries. More molecular evidence are required to speed up the prevention strategies to control this kind of infectious disease. In the present study, to confirm the biological importance of Csenolase followed by our previous observations of the key metabolic enzyme, we explored the RNA silence effect of the Csenolase-derived RNA interference (RNAi) in C. sinensis. The extramembranous region aa105-226 was selected as the target sequence of RNA silence. Csenolase-derived double strand RNA (dsRNA-Csenolase, 366 bp) was synthetized and delivered into C. sinensis by soaking approach. The penetration of dsRNA into adult worms and metacercariae was tracked using fluorescently labeled RNA. Western blotting and qRT-PCR experiments were performed to determine dsRNA-Csenolase-silencing effect. Our results showed that, after incubating for 120 h, dsRNA-Csenolase could effectively target and downregulate the expression of Csenolase in both adult worms (P sinensis adult worms (P sinensis, allowing further applications in identifying functional genes in C. sinensis.

Are people at high risk for diabetes visiting health facility for confirmation of diagnosis? A population-based study from rural India.

Science.gov (United States)

Srinivasapura Venkateshmurthy, Nikhil; Soundappan, Kathirvel; Gummidi, Balaji; Bhaskara Rao, Malipeddi; Tandon, Nikhil; Reddy, K Srinath; Prabhakaran, Dorairaj; Mohan, Sailesh

2018-01-01

India is witnessing a rising burden of type 2 diabetes mellitus. India's National Programme for Prevention and Control of Diabetes, Cancer, Cardiovascular diseases and Stroke recommends population-based screening and referral to primary health centre for diagnosis confirmation and treatment initiation. However, little is known about uptake of confirmatory tests among screen positives. To estimate the uptake of confirmatory tests and identify the reasons for not undergoing confirmation by those at high risk for developing diabetes. We analysed data collected under project UDAY, a comprehensive diabetes and hypertension prevention and management programme, being implemented in rural Andhra Pradesh, India. Under UDAY, population-based screening for diabetes was carried out by project health workers using a diabetes risk score and capillary blood glucose test. Participants at high risk for diabetes were asked to undergo confirmatory tests. On follow-up visit, health workers assessed if the participant had undergone confirmation and ask for reasons if not so. Of the 35,475 eligible adults screened between April 2015 and August 2016, 10,960 (31%) were determined to be at high risk. Among those at high risk, 9670 (88%) were followed up, and of those, only 616 (6%) underwent confirmation. Of those who underwent confirmation, 'lack of symptoms of diabetes warranting visit to health facility' (52%) and 'being at high risk was not necessary enough to visit' (41%) were the most commonly reported reasons for non-confirmation. Inconvenient facility time (4.4%), no nearby facility (3.2%), un-affordability (2.2%) and long waiting time (1.6%) were the common health system-related factors that affected the uptake of the confirmatory test. Confirmation of diabetes was abysmally low in the study population. Low uptake of the confirmatory test might be due to low 'risk perception'. The uptake can be increased by improving the population risk perception through individual and

Estimating the effect of current, previous and never use of drugs in studies based on prescription registries

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Lars Hougaard; Løkkegaard, Ellen; Andreasen, Anne Helms

2009-01-01

of this misclassification for analysing the risk of breast cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Prescription data were obtained from Danish Registry of Medicinal Products Statistics and we applied various methods to approximate treatment episodes. We analysed the duration of HT episodes to study the ability to identify......PURPOSE: Many studies which investigate the effect of drugs categorize the exposure variable into never, current, and previous use of the study drug. When prescription registries are used to make this categorization, the exposure variable possibly gets misclassified since the registries do...... not carry any information on the time of discontinuation of treatment.In this study, we investigated the amount of misclassification of exposure (never, current, previous use) to hormone therapy (HT) when the exposure variable was based on prescription data. Furthermore, we evaluated the significance...

Hubble space telescope/advanced camera for surveys confirmation of the dark substructure in A520

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jee, M. J.; Hoekstra, H.; Mahdavi, A.; Babul, A.

2014-01-01

We present a weak-lensing study of the cluster A520 based on Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS) data. The excellent data quality provides a mean source density of ∼109 arcmin –2 , which improves both resolution and significance of the mass reconstruction compared to a previous study based on Wide Field Planetary Camera 2 (WFPC2) images. We take care in removing instrumental effects such as the charge trailing due to radiation damage of the detector and the position-dependent point-spread function. This new ACS analysis confirms the previous claims that a substantial amount of dark mass is present between two luminous subclusters where we observe very little light. The centroid of the dark peak in the current ACS analysis is offset to the southwest by ∼1' with respect to the centroid from the WFPC2 analysis. Interestingly, this new centroid is in better agreement with the location where the X-ray emission is strongest, and the mass-to-light ratio estimated with this centroid is much higher (813 ± 78 M ☉ /L R☉ ) than the previous value; the aperture mass with the WFPC2 centroid provides a consistent mass. Although we cannot provide a definite explanation for the dark peak, we discuss a revised scenario, wherein dark matter with a more conventional range (σ DM /m DM < 1 cm 2 g –1 ) of self-interacting cross-section can lead to the detection of this dark substructure. If supported by detailed numerical simulations, this hypothesis opens up the possibility that the A520 system can be used to establish a lower limit of the self-interacting cross-section of dark matter.

Scrapping of student bursaries confirmed.

Science.gov (United States)

Longhurst, Chris

2016-07-27

Student bursaries for nurses will be scrapped from next year, the government has confirmed. Undergraduate nursing and midwifery students in England will now face tuition fees and student loans from August 2017.

Retrospective analysis on malignant calcification previously misdiagnosed as benign on screening mammography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ha, Su Min; Cha, Joo Hee; Kim, Hak Hee; Shin, Hee Jung; Chae, Eun Young; Choi, Woo Jung

2017-01-01

The purpose of our study was to investigate the morphology and distribution of calcifications initially interpreted as benign or probably benign, but proven to be malignant by subsequent stereotactic biopsy, and to identify the reason for misinterpretation or underestimation at the initial diagnosis. Out of 567 women who underwent stereotactic biopsy for calcifications at our hospital between January 2012 and December 2014, 167 women were diagnosed with malignancy. Forty-six of these 167 women had previous mammography assessed as benign or probably benign which was changed to suspicious malignancy on follow-up mammography. Of these 46 women, three women with biopsy-proven benign calcifications at the site of subsequent cancer were excluded, and 43 patients were finally included. The calcifications (morphology, distribution, extent, associated findings) in the previous and follow-up mammography examinations were analyzed according to the Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) lexicon and assessment category. We classified the patients into two groups: 1) group A patients who were still retrospectively re-categorized as less than or equal to BI-RADS 3 and 2) group B patients who were re-categorized as equal to or higher than BI-RADS 4a and whose results should have prompted previous diagnostic assessment. In the follow-up mammography examinations, change in calcification morphology (n = 27, 63%) was the most frequent cause of assessment change. The most frequent previous mammographic findings of malignant calcification were amorphous morphology (n = 26, 60%) and grouped distribution (n = 36, 84%). The most frequent calcification findings at reassessment were amorphous morphology (n = 4, 9%), fine pleomorphic calcification (n = 30, 70%), grouped distribution (n = 23, 53%), and segmental calcification (n = 12, 28%). There were 33 (77%) patients in group A, and 10 patients (23%) in group B. Amorphous morphology and grouped distribution were the most frequent

Retrospective analysis on malignant calcification previously misdiagnosed as benign on screening mammography

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ha, Su Min [Dept. of Radiology, Research Institute of Radiology, Chung Ang University Hospital, Seoul(Korea, Republic of); Cha, Joo Hee; Kim, Hak Hee; Shin, Hee Jung; Chae, Eun Young; Choi, Woo Jung [Dept. of Radiology, Research Institute of Radiology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2017-04-15

The purpose of our study was to investigate the morphology and distribution of calcifications initially interpreted as benign or probably benign, but proven to be malignant by subsequent stereotactic biopsy, and to identify the reason for misinterpretation or underestimation at the initial diagnosis. Out of 567 women who underwent stereotactic biopsy for calcifications at our hospital between January 2012 and December 2014, 167 women were diagnosed with malignancy. Forty-six of these 167 women had previous mammography assessed as benign or probably benign which was changed to suspicious malignancy on follow-up mammography. Of these 46 women, three women with biopsy-proven benign calcifications at the site of subsequent cancer were excluded, and 43 patients were finally included. The calcifications (morphology, distribution, extent, associated findings) in the previous and follow-up mammography examinations were analyzed according to the Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) lexicon and assessment category. We classified the patients into two groups: 1) group A patients who were still retrospectively re-categorized as less than or equal to BI-RADS 3 and 2) group B patients who were re-categorized as equal to or higher than BI-RADS 4a and whose results should have prompted previous diagnostic assessment. In the follow-up mammography examinations, change in calcification morphology (n = 27, 63%) was the most frequent cause of assessment change. The most frequent previous mammographic findings of malignant calcification were amorphous morphology (n = 26, 60%) and grouped distribution (n = 36, 84%). The most frequent calcification findings at reassessment were amorphous morphology (n = 4, 9%), fine pleomorphic calcification (n = 30, 70%), grouped distribution (n = 23, 53%), and segmental calcification (n = 12, 28%). There were 33 (77%) patients in group A, and 10 patients (23%) in group B. Amorphous morphology and grouped distribution were the most frequent

Reliability of Ultrasonography in Confirming Endotracheal Tube Placement in an Emergency Setting

Science.gov (United States)

Thomas, Vimal Koshy; Paul, Cherish; Rajeev, Punchalil Chathappan; Palatty, Babu Urumese

2017-01-01

Background and Objectives: Over the past few years, ultrasonography is increasingly being used to confirm the correct placement of endotracheal tube (ETT). In our study, we aimed to compare it with the traditional clinical methods and the gold standard quantitative waveform capnography. Two primary outcomes were measured in our study. First was the sensitivity and specificity of ultrasonography against the other two methods to confirm endotracheal intubation. The second primary outcome assessed was the time taken for each method to confirm tube placement in an emergency setting. Methods: This is a single-centered, prospective cohort study conducted in an emergency department of a tertiary care hospital. We included 100 patients with indication of emergency intubation by convenient sampling. The intubation was performed as per standard hospital protocol. As part of the study protocol, ultrasonography was used to identify ETT placement simultaneously with the intubation procedure along with quantitative waveform capnography (end-tidal carbon dioxide) and clinical methods. Confirmation of tube placement and time taken for the same were noted by three separate health-care staffs. Results and Discussion: Out of the 100 intubation attempts, five (5%) had esophageal intubations. The sensitivity and specificity of diagnosis using ultrasonography were 97.89% and 100%, respectively. This was statistically comparable with the other two modalities. The time taken to confirm tube placement with ultrasonography was 8.27 ± 1.54 s compared to waveform capnography and clinical methods which were 18.06 ± 2.58 and 20.72 ± 3.21 s, respectively. The time taken by ultrasonography was significantly less. Conclusions: Ultrasonography confirmed tube placement with comparable sensitivity and specificity to quantitative waveform capnography and clinical methods. But then, it yielded results considerably faster than the other two modalities. PMID:28584427

Frequency and predictors of confirmed hypoglycaemia in type 1 and insulin-treated type 2 diabetes mellitus patients in a real-life setting: results from the DIALOG study.

Science.gov (United States)

Cariou, B; Fontaine, P; Eschwege, E; Lièvre, M; Gouet, D; Huet, D; Madani, S; Lavigne, S; Charbonnel, B

2015-04-01

DIALOG assessed the prevalence and predictors of hypoglycaemia in patients with type 1 (T1DM) or insulin-treated type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in a real-life setting. In this observational study, insulin-treated patients (n=3048) completed prospective daily questionnaires reporting the frequency and consequences of severe/confirmed non-severe hypoglycaemia over 30 days. Patients (n=3743) also retrospectively reported severe hypoglycaemia over the preceding year. In this prospective survey, 85.3% and 43.6% of patients with T1DM and T2DM, respectively, reported experiencing at least one confirmed hypoglycaemic event over 30 days, while 13.4% and 6.4%, respectively, reported at least one severe event. Hypoglycaemia frequency increased with longer duration of diabetes and insulin therapy. Strongly predictive factors for hypoglycaemia were previous hypoglycaemia, >2 injections/day, BMIinsulin therapy>10 years. HbA1c level was not predictive of hypoglycaemia in either T1DM or T2DM. The confirmed hypoglycaemia rate was increased in the lowest compared with the highest tertile of HbA1c in T1DM, but not T2DM. At the time of enrolment, physicians reported severe hypoglycaemia in 23.6% and 11.9% of T1DM and T2DM patients, respectively, during the preceding year; the retrospective survey yielded frequencies of 31.5% and 21.7%, respectively. Also, severe hypoglycaemia led to medical complications in 10.7% and 7.8% of events in T1DM and T2DM patients, respectively, over 30 days. Using a unique combined prospective and retrospective approach, the DIALOG study found a relatively high frequency of hypoglycaemia among insulin-treated patients. These findings emphasize the importance of a patient-centred approach for managing diabetes in which hypoglycaemia risk evaluation is critical. ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01628341. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Human cystic echinococcosis in Turkey: a preliminary study on DNA polymorphisms of hydatid cysts removed from confirmed patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Orsten, Serra; Boufana, Belgees; Ciftci, Turkmen; Akinci, Devrim; Karaagaoglu, Ergun; Ozkuyumcu, Cumhur; Casulli, Adriano; Akhan, Okan

2018-04-01

Cystic echinococcosis caused by the larval stages of Echinococcus granulosus sensu lato s.l is endemic in Turkey with a high public health impact particularly in rural areas. The aim of this study was to investigate the genetic variation and population structure of E. granulosus s.s using metacestode isolates removed from surgically confirmed patients originating from several regions in Turkey and to investigate the occurrence of autochthonous transmission. Using DNA extracted from a total of 46 human-derived CE isolates, we successfully analysed an 827-bp fragment within the cox1 mitochondrial gene and confirmed the causative agent of human cystic echinococcosis in patients included in this study to be Echinococcus granulosus s.s (G1 and G3 genotypes). The haplotype parsimony network consisted of 28 haplotypes arranged within three main clusters and the neutrality indices were both negative and significant indicating negative selection or population expansion. The assessment carried out in this study using GenBank nucleotide sequence data from Turkey for sheep and cattle hosts demonstrated the importance of autochthonous transmission with sheep, cattle and humans harbouring the same haplotypes. Further studies are required to investigate the biological significance, if any, of E. granulosus s.s haplotypes and the genetic variability of CE from human patients using longer nucleotide sequences and a larger sample set.

The value of computerized tomography and sonography in different types of pancreatitis, judged on the basis of a diagnosis previously confirmed by retrograde endoscopic cholangiopancreaticography and the pancreomycin-secretin test

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sewing, G.

1985-01-01

The blind study described here pointed to a diagnostic superiority of computered tomography, the results of which in chronic pancreatitis were judged to be better than those of sonography, chiefly because of its high sensitivity in the detection of calcified deposits in the pancreas. The values determined, in particular those relating to the specifity of the methods used, were lower than the data given by other authors. From the findings revealed here there was, however, sufficient evidence to confirm that both computered tomography and sonography certainly have their merits as non-invasive methods of morphological examination in the diagnosis of pancreatitis. They should therefore be used, preferably in combined form, prior to any other diagnostic measures that may be more hazardous to the patient. (MBC) [de

Human metabolites of brevetoxin PbTx-2: Identification and confirmation of structure

Science.gov (United States)

Guo, Fujiang; An, Tianying; Rein, Kathleen S.

2010-01-01

Four metabolites were identified upon incubation of brevetoxin (PbTx-2) with human liver microsomes. Chemical transformation of PbTx-2 confirmed the structures of three known metabolites BTX-B5, PbTx-9 and 41, 43-dihydro-BTX-B5 and a previously unknown metabolite, 41, 43-dihydro-PbTx-2. These metabolites were also observed upon incubation of PbTx-2 with nine human recombinant cytochrome P450s (1A1, 1A2, 2C8, 2C9, 2C19, 2D6, 2E1, 3A4 and 3A5). Cytochrome P450 3A4 produced oxidized metabolites while other CYPs generated the reduced products. PMID:20600229

Completed suicide in an autopsy-confirmed case of early onset Alzheimer's disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Hartzell, Jennifer Wiener; Geary, Richard; Gyure, Kymberly; Chivukula, Venkata Ravi; Haut, Marc W

2018-04-01

We report a case of a 57-year-old male with clinically diagnosed and autopsy-confirmed early onset Alzheimer's disease who completed suicide by gunshot wound to the chest. This case has several unique aspects that have not been discussed in previous case reports of completed suicide in Alzheimer's disease. In particular, our patient's death was highly planned with successful compensation for his cognitive deficits. After all firearms had been removed from the home as a safety precaution, he obtained a new weapon, hid it and left himself cues to find and use it. The case is discussed in the context of literature differentiating the neural circuitry propagating impulsive versus planned suicidal acts.

Selective enrichment of volatiles confirmed

Science.gov (United States)

de Pater, Imke

2018-05-01

Hydrogen sulfide gas is detected above Uranus's main cloud deck, confirming the prevalence of H2S ice particles as the main cloud component and a strongly unbalanced nitrogen/sulfur ratio in the planet's deep atmosphere.

Plantar pressure in diabetic peripheral neuropathy patients with active foot ulceration, previous ulceration and no history of ulceration: a meta-analysis of observational studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Fernando, Malindu Eranga; Crowther, Robert George; Pappas, Elise; Lazzarini, Peter Anthony; Cunningham, Margaret; Sangla, Kunwarjit Singh; Buttner, Petra; Golledge, Jonathan

2014-01-01

Elevated dynamic plantar pressures are a consistent finding in diabetes patients with peripheral neuropathy with implications for plantar foot ulceration. This meta-analysis aimed to compare the plantar pressures of diabetes patients that had peripheral neuropathy and those with neuropathy with active or previous foot ulcers. Published articles were identified from Medline via OVID, CINAHL, SCOPUS, INFORMIT, Cochrane Central EMBASE via OVID and Web of Science via ISI Web of Knowledge bibliographic databases. Observational studies reporting barefoot dynamic plantar pressure in adults with diabetic peripheral neuropathy, where at least one group had a history of plantar foot ulcers were included. Interventional studies, shod plantar pressure studies and studies not published in English were excluded. Overall mean peak plantar pressure (MPP) and pressure time integral (PTI) were primary outcomes. The six secondary outcomes were MPP and PTI at the rear foot, mid foot and fore foot. The protocol of the meta-analysis was published with PROPSERO, (registration number CRD42013004310). Eight observational studies were included. Overall MPP and PTI were greater in diabetic peripheral neuropathy patients with foot ulceration compared to those without ulceration (standardised mean difference 0.551, 95% CI 0.290-0.811, pdiabetic peripheral neuropathy with a history of foot ulceration compared to those with diabetic neuropathy without a history of ulceration. More homogenous data is needed to confirm these findings.

Health Risk of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in Drinking Water and Meat and Meat Products and Vegetables to Diarrhoeic Confirmed and Non-Confirmed HIV/AIDS Patients

Science.gov (United States)

Abong`O, B. O.; Momba, M. N. B.; Rodda, N.

The current study explored the health risk of E. coli O157:H7 to diarrhoeic confirmed and non-confirmed HIV/AIDS patients due to their exposure to presumed ingestion of water, meat products and vegetables ostensibly contaminated with E. coli O157:H7. Strains of E. coli O157:H7 were isolated by enrichment culture and on Cefixime-Telurite Sorbitol MacConkey agar. Average counts of presumptive E. coli O157 were used for dose-response assessment. Probability of infection to confirmed and non-confirmed HIV/AIDS patients was 20 and 27% from meat and meat products, 21% and 15% from vegetables and 100% due to ingestion of 1500 mL person-1 day-1 of water. Drinking water had higher probability of transmitting E. coli O157:H7 infections than meat and meat products and vegetables. Probability of E. coli O157:H7 infections were high for confirmed HIV/AIDS patients than for non-confirmed patients. Water and foods consumed by HIV/AIDS patients should be safe of any microbial contaminants, these waters and foods should as well be investigated for other enteric pathogens to establish their safety.

Feature binding and attention in working memory: a resolution of previous contradictory findings.

Science.gov (United States)

Allen, Richard J; Hitch, Graham J; Mate, Judit; Baddeley, Alan D

2012-01-01

We aimed to resolve an apparent contradiction between previous experiments from different laboratories, using dual-task methodology to compare effects of a concurrent executive load on immediate recognition memory for colours or shapes of items or their colour-shape combinations. Results of two experiments confirmed previous evidence that an irrelevant attentional load interferes equally with memory for features and memory for feature bindings. Detailed analyses suggested that previous contradictory evidence arose from limitations in the way recognition memory was measured. The present findings are inconsistent with an earlier suggestion that feature binding takes place within a multimodal episodic buffer Baddeley, ( 2000 ) and support a subsequent account in which binding takes place automatically prior to information entering the episodic buffer Baddeley, Allen, & Hitch, ( 2011 ). Methodologically, the results suggest that different measures of recognition memory performance (A', d', corrected recognition) give a converging picture of main effects, but are less consistent in detecting interactions. We suggest that this limitation on the reliability of measuring recognition should be taken into account in future research so as to avoid problems of replication that turn out to be more apparent than real.

Toward Confirming a Framework for Securing the Virtual Machine Image in Cloud Computing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Raid Khalid Hussein

2017-04-01

Full Text Available The concept of cloud computing has arisen thanks to academic work in the fields of utility computing, distributed computing, virtualisation, and web services. By using cloud computing, which can be accessed from anywhere, newly-launched businesses can minimise their start-up costs. Among the most important notions when it comes to the construction of cloud computing is virtualisation. While this concept brings its own security risks, these risks are not necessarily related to the cloud. The main disadvantage of using cloud computing is linked to safety and security. This is because anybody which chooses to employ cloud computing will use someone else’s hard disk and CPU in order to sort and store data. In cloud environments, a great deal of importance is placed on guaranteeing that the virtual machine image is safe and secure. Indeed, a previous study has put forth a framework with which to protect the virtual machine image in cloud computing. As such, the present study is primarily concerned with confirming this theoretical framework so as to ultimately secure the virtual machine image in cloud computing. This will be achieved by carrying out interviews with experts in the field of cloud security.

Effect of Previous Abdominal Surgery on Laparoscopic Liver Resection: Analysis of Feasibility and Risk Factors for Conversion.

Science.gov (United States)

Cipriani, Federica; Ratti, Francesca; Fiorentini, Guido; Catena, Marco; Paganelli, Michele; Aldrighetti, Luca

2018-03-28

Previous abdominal surgery has traditionally been considered an additional element of difficulty to later laparoscopic procedures. The aim of the study is to analyze the effect of previous surgery on the feasibility and safety of laparoscopic liver resection (LLR), and its role as a risk factor for conversion. After matching, 349 LLR in patients known for previous abdominal surgery (PS group) were compared with 349 LLR on patients with a virgin abdomen (NPS group). Subgroup analysis included 161 patients with previous upper abdominal surgery (UPS subgroup). Feasibility and safety were evaluated in terms of conversion rate, reasons for conversion and outcomes, and risk factors for conversion assessed via uni/multivariable analysis. Conversion rate was 9.4%, and higher for PS patients compared with NPS patients (13.7% versus 5.1%, P = .021). Difficult adhesiolysis resulted the commonest reason for conversion in PS group (5.7%). However, operative time (P = .840), blood loss (P = .270), transfusion (P = .650), morbidity rate (P = .578), hospital stay (P = .780), and R1 rate (P = .130) were comparable between PS and NPS group. Subgroup analysis confirmed higher conversion rates for UPS patients (23%) compared with both NPS (P = .015) and PS patients (P = .041). Previous surgery emerged as independent risk factor for conversion (P = .033), alongside the postero-superior location and major hepatectomy. LLR are feasible in case of previous surgery and proved to be safe and maintain the benefits of LLR carried out in standard settings. However, a history of surgery should be considered a risk factor for conversion.

Combining complexity measures of EEG data: multiplying measures reveal previously hidden information.

Science.gov (United States)

Burns, Thomas; Rajan, Ramesh

2015-01-01

Many studies have noted significant differences among human electroencephalograph (EEG) results when participants or patients are exposed to different stimuli, undertaking different tasks, or being affected by conditions such as epilepsy or Alzheimer's disease. Such studies often use only one or two measures of complexity and do not regularly justify their choice of measure beyond the fact that it has been used in previous studies. If more measures were added to such studies, however, more complete information might be found about these reported differences. Such information might be useful in confirming the existence or extent of such differences, or in understanding their physiological bases. In this study we analysed publically-available EEG data using a range of complexity measures to determine how well the measures correlated with one another. The complexity measures did not all significantly correlate, suggesting that different measures were measuring unique features of the EEG signals and thus revealing information which other measures were unable to detect. Therefore, the results from this analysis suggests that combinations of complexity measures reveal unique information which is in addition to the information captured by other measures of complexity in EEG data. For this reason, researchers using individual complexity measures for EEG data should consider using combinations of measures to more completely account for any differences they observe and to ensure the robustness of any relationships identified.

SPECTROSCOPIC CONFIRMATION OF FAINT LYMAN BREAK GALAXIES NEAR REDSHIFT FIVE IN THE HUBBLE ULTRA DEEP FIELD

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rhoads, James E.; Malhotra, Sangeeta; Cohen, Seth; Grogin, Norman; Hathi, Nimish; Ryan, Russell; Straughn, Amber; Windhorst, Rogier A.; Pirzkal, Norbert; Xu Chun; Koekemoer, Anton; Panagia, Nino; Dickinson, Mark; Ferreras, Ignacio; Gronwall, Caryl; Kuemmel, Martin; Walsh, Jeremy; Meurer, Gerhardt; Pasquali, Anna; Yan, H.-J.

2009-01-01

We present the faintest spectroscopically confirmed sample of z ∼ 5 Lyman break galaxies (LBGs) to date. The sample is based on slitless grism spectra of the Hubble Ultra Deep Field region from the Grism ACS Program for Extragalactic Science (GRAPES) and Probing Evolution and Reionization Spectroscopically (PEARS) projects, using the G800L grism on the Hubble Space Telescope Advanced Camera for Surveys. We report here confirmations of 39 galaxies, preselected as candidate LBGs using photometric selection criteria. We compare a 'traditional' V-dropout selection, based on the work of Giavalisco et al., to a more liberal one (with V - i > 0.9), and find that the traditional criteria are about 64% complete and 81% reliable. We also study the Lyα emission properties of our sample. We find that Lyα emission is detected in ∼1/4 of the sample, and that the liberal V-dropout color selection includes ∼55% of previously published line-selected Lyα sources. Finally, we examine our stacked two-dimensional spectra. We demonstrate that strong, spatially extended (∼1'') Lyα emission is not a generic property of these LBGs, but that a modest extension of the Lyα photosphere (compared to the starlight) may be present in those galaxies with prominent Lyα emission.

Consumer satisfaction and confirmation of habits of comprehension

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sørensen, Bent; Andersen, Christian; Andersen, Morten Purup

2014-01-01

the formation of consumer satisfaction; the perspective is that of the confirmation paradigm within advertisement research. Inductive advertisements support cognitive habit formation through confirmation, and the confirmation paradigm explains exactly consumer satisfaction with reference to confirmation. Hence......The purpose of this article is twofold: First, within a Peircean framework it shall be demonstrated how there is a relation between the compositional structure of certain types of print advertisements and their bringing about inductive comprehension, and how the consumer can be understood...... as a bundle of habits. It is the assumption that advertising that supports an inductive effect particularly appeals to the cognitive tendency of habit formation in the consumer. Second, it is asked whether advertisements that predominantly invite inductive processes of comprehension also influence...

IgG4-related hypophysitis is highly prevalent among cases of histologically confirmed hypophysitis.

Science.gov (United States)

Bernreuther, Christian; Illies, Christopher; Flitsch, Jörg; Buchfelder, Michael; Buslei, Rolf; Glatzel, Markus; Saeger, Wolfgang

2017-11-01

IgG4-related disease is an immune-mediated disease with manifestations in most organ systems among them the pituitary gland. To date, few cases of histologically confirmed cases of IgG-related hypophysitis have been reported. The aim of this study was to retrospectively determine the prevalence of IgG4-related hypophysitis among cases previously diagnosed as primary hypophysitis (lymphocytic hypophysitis, granulomatous hypophysitis and hypophysitis not otherwise specified). Histological and immunohistochemical analysis revealed that 12 of 29 cases (41.4%) previously diagnosed as primary hypophysitis fulfilled the criteria for IgG4-related disease and, thus, IgG4-related hypophysitis should always be considered in the differential diagnosis of primary hypophysitis. All cases of IgG4-related hypophysitis showed a dense lymphoplasmacytic infiltrate with more than 10 IgG4-positive cells per high power field and a ratio of IgG4/IgG-positive cells of more than 40%, whereas storiform fibrosis was an inconsistent histological feature and was also seen in few cases of non-IgG-related hypophysitis, thus lacking sensitivity and specificity. Obliterative phlebitis was not seen in any case. Thus, histological criteria defined for IgG4-related disease in other organs should be modified for IgG4-related hypophysitis, accordingly. © 2016 International Society of Neuropathology.

A new quantum sealed-bid auction protocol with secret order in post-confirmation

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Jing-Tao; Chen, Xiu-Bo; Xu, Gang; Meng, Xiang-Hua; Yang, Yi-Xian

2015-10-01

A new security protocol for quantum sealed-bid auction is proposed to resist the collusion attack from some malicious bidders. The most significant feature of this protocol is that bidders prepare their particles with secret order in post-confirmation for encoding bids. In addition, a new theorem and its proof are given based on the theory of combinatorial mathematics, which can be used as evaluation criteria for the collusion attack. It is shown that the new protocol is immune to the collusion attack and meets the demand for a secure auction. Compared with those previous protocols, the security, efficiency and availability of the proposed protocol are largely improved.

Hamstring Reinjuries Occur at the Same Location and Early After Return to Sport: A Descriptive Study of MRI-Confirmed Reinjuries

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wangensteen, Arnlaug; Tol, Johannes L.; Witvrouw, Erik; van Linschoten, Robbart; Almusa, Emad; Hamilton, Bruce; Bahr, Roald

2016-01-01

Despite relatively high reinjury rates after acute hamstring injuries, there is a lack of detailed knowledge about where and when hamstring reinjuries occur, and studies including imaging-confirmed reinjuries are scarce. To investigate the location, radiological severity, and timing of reinjuries on

Eric Besson: the financial advantage of nuclear energy is confirmed

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

2012-01-01

The French minister of energy, E. Besson said that the study of the Court of Auditors on the real costs of nuclear energy confirmed the competitiveness of nuclear power. The Court of Auditors confirmed also that public expenditures in favor of nuclear energy are balanced by the gain through the tax on nuclear facilities. The Court of Auditors confirms also that dismantlement charges and charges for the management of radioactive wastes are included in the present costs of nuclear energy at an adequate level with today's knowledge. The total cost of nuclear energy is very competitive, it ranges form 32.5 euros/MWh to 49.5 euros/MWh according to the cost accounting method used. One of major parameters for cost elaboration is the knowledge of the lengths of the operating life of the power plant. The longer the extension is, the lower is the investment cost. (A.C.)

Implant breast reconstruction after salvage mastectomy in previously irradiated patients.

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Persichetti, Paolo; Cagli, Barbara; Simone, Pierfranco; Cogliandro, Annalisa; Fortunato, Lucio; Altomare, Vittorio; Trodella, Lucio

2009-04-01

The most common surgical approach in case of local tumor recurrence after quadrantectomy and radiotherapy is salvage mastectomy. Breast reconstruction is the subsequent phase of the treatment and the plastic surgeon has to operate on previously irradiated and manipulated tissues. The medical literature highlights that breast reconstruction with tissue expanders is not a pursuable option, considering previous radiotherapy a contraindication. The purpose of this retrospective study is to evaluate the influence of previous radiotherapy on 2-stage breast reconstruction (tissue expander/implant). Only patients with analogous timing of radiation therapy and the same demolitive and reconstructive procedures were recruited. The results of this study prove that, after salvage mastectomy in previously irradiated patients, implant reconstruction is still possible. Further comparative studies are, of course, advisable to draw any conclusion on the possibility to perform implant reconstruction in previously irradiated patients.

Confirmation that RIPK4 mutations cause not only Bartsocas-Papas syndrome but also CHAND syndrome.

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Busa, Tiffany; Jeraiby, Mohammed; Clémenson, Alix; Manouvrier, Sylvie; Granados, Viviana; Philip, Nicole; Touraine, Renaud

2017-11-01

CHAND syndrome is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by curly hair, ankyloblepharon, and nail dysplasia. Only few patients were reported to date. A homozygous RIPK4 mutation was recently identified by homozygosity mapping and whole exome sequencing in three patients from an expanded consanguineous kindred with a clinical diagnosis of CHAND syndrome. RIPK4 was previously known to be implicated in Bartsocas-Papas syndrome, the autosomal recessive form of popliteal pterygium syndrome. We report here two cases of RIPK4 homozygous mutations in a fetus with severe Bartsocas-Papas syndrome and a patient with CHAND syndrome. The patient with CHAND syndrome harbored the same mutation as the one identified in the family previously reported. We thus confirm the implication of RIPK4 gene in CHAND syndrome in addition to Bartsocas-Papas syndrome and discuss genotype/phenotype correlations. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Confirming Sterility of an Autoclaved Infected Femoral Component for Use in an Articulated Antibiotic Knee Spacer: A Pilot Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Lyons, Steven T; Wright, Coy A; Krute, Christina N; Rivera, Frances E; Carroll, Ronan K; Shaw, Lindsey N

2016-01-01

Antibiotic spacer designs have proven effective at eradicating infection during a two-stage revision arthroplasty. Temporary reuse of the steam-sterilized femoral component and a new all poly tibia component has been described as an effective articulating antibiotic spacer, but sterility concerns persist. Six explanted cobalt chrome femurs from patients with grossly infected TKA's and six stock femurs inoculated with different bacterial species were confirmed to be bacteria-free after autoclaving under a standard gravity-displacement cycle. The effect of steam sterilization on cobalt chrome fragments contaminated with MRSA biofilm was analyzed microscopically to quantify remaining biofilm. The autoclave significantly reduced the biofilm burden on the cobalt chrome fragments. This study confirmed sterility of the femur after a standard gravity-displacement cycle (132°C, 27 PSIG, 10 minutes). Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Factors associated with child sexual abuse confirmation at forensic examinations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Welington dos Santos Silva

Full Text Available Abstract The aim of this study is identify potential factors associated with child sexual abuse confirmation at forensic examinations. The forensic files of children under 12 years of age reporting sexual abuse at the Nina Rodrigues Institute of Forensic Medicine in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil between January 2008 and December 2009 were reviewed. A multivariate analysis was conducted to identify factors associated with finding evidence of sexual abuse in forensic examinations. The proportion of cases confirmed by the forensic physician based on material evidence was 10.4%. Adjusted analysis showed that the variables place of birth, type of abuse reported, family relationship between the child and the perpetrator, and the interval between the reported abuse and the forensic examination were not independently associated with finding forensic evidence of sexual abuse. A report of penetration was associated with a five-fold greater likelihood of confirmation, while the victim being 10-11 years of age was associated with a two-fold of abuse confirmation than younger children. These findings should be taken into consideration when drawing up guidelines for the multidisciplinary evaluation of children suspected of being victims of sexual abuse and in deciding whether to refer the child for forensic examination.

Model confirmation in climate economics

Science.gov (United States)

Millner, Antony; McDermott, Thomas K. J.

2016-01-01

Benefit–cost integrated assessment models (BC-IAMs) inform climate policy debates by quantifying the trade-offs between alternative greenhouse gas abatement options. They achieve this by coupling simplified models of the climate system to models of the global economy and the costs and benefits of climate policy. Although these models have provided valuable qualitative insights into the sensitivity of policy trade-offs to different ethical and empirical assumptions, they are increasingly being used to inform the selection of policies in the real world. To the extent that BC-IAMs are used as inputs to policy selection, our confidence in their quantitative outputs must depend on the empirical validity of their modeling assumptions. We have a degree of confidence in climate models both because they have been tested on historical data in hindcasting experiments and because the physical principles they are based on have been empirically confirmed in closely related applications. By contrast, the economic components of BC-IAMs often rely on untestable scenarios, or on structural models that are comparatively untested on relevant time scales. Where possible, an approach to model confirmation similar to that used in climate science could help to build confidence in the economic components of BC-IAMs, or focus attention on which components might need refinement for policy applications. We illustrate the potential benefits of model confirmation exercises by performing a long-run hindcasting experiment with one of the leading BC-IAMs. We show that its model of long-run economic growth—one of its most important economic components—had questionable predictive power over the 20th century. PMID:27432964

Impact of Drill and Blast Excavation on Repository Performance Confirmation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Keller, R.; Francis, N.; Houseworth, J.; Kramer, N.

2000-01-01

There has been considerable work accomplished internationally examining the effects of drill and blast excavation on rock masses surrounding emplacement openings of proposed nuclear waste repositories. However, there has been limited discussion tying the previous work to performance confirmation models such as those proposed for Yucca Mountain, Nevada. This paper addresses a possible approach to joining the available information on drill and blast excavation and performance confirmation. The method for coupling rock damage data from drill and blast models to performance assessment models for fracture flow requires a correlation representing the functional relationship between the peak particle velocity (PPV) vibration levels and the potential properties that govern water flow rates in the host rock. Fracture aperture and frequency are the rock properties which may be most influenced by drill and blast induced vibration. If it can be shown (using an appropriate blasting model simulation) that the effect of blasting is far removed from the waste package in an emplacement drift, then disturbance to the host rock induced in the process of drill and blast excavation may be reasonably ignored in performance assessment calculations. This paper proposes that the CANMET (Canada Center for Mineral and Energy Technology) Criterion, based on properties that determine rock strength, may be used to define a minimum PPV. This PPV can be used to delineate the extent of blast induced damage. Initial applications have demonstrated that blasting models can successfully be coupled with this criterion to predict blast damage surrounding underground openings. The Exploratory Studies Facility at Yucca Mountain has used a blasting model to generate meaningful estimates of near-field vibration levels and damage envelopes correlating to data collected from pre-existing studies conducted. Further work is underway to expand this application over a statistical distribution of geologic

Strategic use of preference confirmation in group decision making: the role of competition and dissent.

Science.gov (United States)

Toma, Claudia; Gilles, Ingrid; Butera, Fabrizio

2013-03-01

The present research investigates the moderating role of goal interdependence and dissent on individual preference confirmation in hidden-profile tasks. We propose that preference confirmation can be used strategically to deal with competition and dissent likely to arise in group decision making. In two studies, participants first received incomplete information about a car accident investigation, and then read a fictitious discussion with two other participants containing full information. The interaction with the fictitious participants was presented either as cooperative or competitive. We predicted and found preference confirmation to be higher in competition than cooperation, when initial preferences were dissenting (Studies 1 & 2), but to be higher in cooperation than in competition, when initial preferences were consensual (Study 2). Also, the increased versus decreased preference confirmation in competition with, respectively, dissent and no dissent were found to be predicted by self-enhancement strategies (Study 2). These findings contribute to a better understanding of the boundary conditions of preference confirmation in hidden profiles and shed a new light on the role of motivated information processing in these tasks. © 2011 The British Psychological Society.

Case-control study for colorectal cancer genetic susceptibility in EPICOLON: previously identified variants and mucins

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Moreno Victor

2011-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Colorectal cancer (CRC is the second leading cause of cancer death in developed countries. Familial aggregation in CRC is also important outside syndromic forms and, in this case, a polygenic model with several common low-penetrance alleles contributing to CRC genetic predisposition could be hypothesized. Mucins and GALNTs (N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase are interesting candidates for CRC genetic susceptibility and have not been previously evaluated. We present results for ten genetic variants linked to CRC risk in previous studies (previously identified category and 18 selected variants from the mucin gene family in a case-control association study from the Spanish EPICOLON consortium. Methods CRC cases and matched controls were from EPICOLON, a prospective, multicenter, nationwide Spanish initiative, comprised of two independent stages. Stage 1 corresponded to 515 CRC cases and 515 controls, whereas stage 2 consisted of 901 CRC cases and 909 controls. Also, an independent cohort of 549 CRC cases and 599 controls outside EPICOLON was available for additional replication. Genotyping was performed for ten previously identified SNPs in ADH1C, APC, CCDN1, IL6, IL8, IRS1, MTHFR, PPARG, VDR and ARL11, and 18 selected variants in the mucin gene family. Results None of the 28 SNPs analyzed in our study was found to be associated with CRC risk. Although four SNPs were significant with a P-value ADH1C (OR = 1.63, 95% CI = 1.06-2.50, P-value = 0.02, recessive, rs1800795 in IL6 (OR = 1.62, 95% CI = 1.10-2.37, P-value = 0.01, recessive, rs3803185 in ARL11 (OR = 1.58, 95% CI = 1.17-2.15, P-value = 0.007, codominant, and rs2102302 in GALNTL2 (OR = 1.20, 95% CI = 1.00-1.44, P-value = 0.04, log-additive 0, 1, 2 alleles], only rs3803185 achieved statistical significance in EPICOLON stage 2 (OR = 1.34, 95% CI = 1.06-1.69, P-value = 0.01, recessive. In the joint analysis for both stages, results were only significant for rs3803185 (OR = 1

Case-control study for colorectal cancer genetic susceptibility in EPICOLON: previously identified variants and mucins

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abulí, Anna; Morillas, Juan D; Rigau, Joaquim; Latorre, Mercedes; Fernández-Bañares, Fernando; Peña, Elena; Riestra, Sabino; Payá, Artemio; Jover, Rodrigo; Xicola, Rosa M; Llor, Xavier; Fernández-Rozadilla, Ceres; Carvajal-Carmona, Luis; Villanueva, Cristina M; Moreno, Victor; Piqué, Josep M; Carracedo, Angel; Castells, Antoni; Andreu, Montserrat; Ruiz-Ponte, Clara; Castellví-Bel, Sergi; Alonso-Espinaco, Virginia; Muñoz, Jenifer; Gonzalo, Victoria; Bessa, Xavier; González, Dolors; Clofent, Joan; Cubiella, Joaquin

2011-01-01

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second leading cause of cancer death in developed countries. Familial aggregation in CRC is also important outside syndromic forms and, in this case, a polygenic model with several common low-penetrance alleles contributing to CRC genetic predisposition could be hypothesized. Mucins and GALNTs (N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase) are interesting candidates for CRC genetic susceptibility and have not been previously evaluated. We present results for ten genetic variants linked to CRC risk in previous studies (previously identified category) and 18 selected variants from the mucin gene family in a case-control association study from the Spanish EPICOLON consortium. CRC cases and matched controls were from EPICOLON, a prospective, multicenter, nationwide Spanish initiative, comprised of two independent stages. Stage 1 corresponded to 515 CRC cases and 515 controls, whereas stage 2 consisted of 901 CRC cases and 909 controls. Also, an independent cohort of 549 CRC cases and 599 controls outside EPICOLON was available for additional replication. Genotyping was performed for ten previously identified SNPs in ADH1C, APC, CCDN1, IL6, IL8, IRS1, MTHFR, PPARG, VDR and ARL11, and 18 selected variants in the mucin gene family. None of the 28 SNPs analyzed in our study was found to be associated with CRC risk. Although four SNPs were significant with a P-value < 0.05 in EPICOLON stage 1 [rs698 in ADH1C (OR = 1.63, 95% CI = 1.06-2.50, P-value = 0.02, recessive), rs1800795 in IL6 (OR = 1.62, 95% CI = 1.10-2.37, P-value = 0.01, recessive), rs3803185 in ARL11 (OR = 1.58, 95% CI = 1.17-2.15, P-value = 0.007, codominant), and rs2102302 in GALNTL2 (OR = 1.20, 95% CI = 1.00-1.44, P-value = 0.04, log-additive 0, 1, 2 alleles], only rs3803185 achieved statistical significance in EPICOLON stage 2 (OR = 1.34, 95% CI = 1.06-1.69, P-value = 0.01, recessive). In the joint analysis for both stages, results were only significant for rs3803185 (OR = 1.12, 95% CI = 1

Evaluation of the Widal tube agglutination test for the diagnosis of typhoid fever among children admitted to a rural hdospital in Tanzania and a comparison with previous studies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Malahiyo Rajabu

2010-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The diagnosis of typhoid fever is confirmed by culture of Salmonella enterica serotype Typhi (S. typhi. However, a more rapid, simpler, and cheaper diagnostic method would be very useful especially in developing countries. The Widal test is widely used in Africa but little information exists about its reliability. Methods We assessed the performance of the Widal tube agglutination test among febrile hospitalized Tanzanian children. We calculated the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV, and negative predictive value (NPV of various anti-TH and -TO titers using culture-confirmed typhoid fever cases as the "true positives" and all other febrile children with blood culture negative for S. typhi as the "true negatives." Results We found that 16 (1% of 1,680 children had culture-proven typhoid fever. A single anti-TH titer of 1:80 and higher was the optimal indicator of typhoid fever. This had a sensitivity of 75%, specificity of 98%, NPV of 100%, but PPV was only 26%. We compared our main findings with those from previous studies. Conclusion Among febrile hospitalized Tanzanian children with a low prevalence of typhoid fever, a Widal titer of ≥ 1:80 performed well in terms of sensitivity, specificity, and NPV. However a test with improved PPV that is similarly easy to apply and cost-efficient is desirable.

U.S. Senate confirms new USGS director

Science.gov (United States)

Showstack, Randy

Shortly before adjourning in October, the U.S. Senate confirmed Charles Groat as the new director of the U.S. Geological Survey. Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt is expected to swear him in shortly as the agency's 13th director. Groat takes over from Thomas Casadevall, who has served as acting director since Gordon Eaton resigned in September 1997.Groat, an AGU member, has more than 25 years of experience in the Earth science fields, including energy and minerals resource assessment, groundwater occurrence and protection, geomorphic processes and landform evolution in desert areas, and coastal studies.

Expression Analysis of Previously Verified Fecal and Plasma Dow-regulated MicroRNAs (miR-4478, 1295-3p, 142-3p and 26a-5p), in FFPE Tissue Samples of CRC Patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Ghanbari, Reza; Rezasoltani, Sama; Hashemi, Javad; Mohamadkhani, Ashraf; Tahmasebifar, Arash; Arefian, Ehsan; Mobarra, Naser; Asadi, Jahanbakhsh; Nazemalhosseini Mojarad, Ehsan; Yazdani, Yaghoub; Knuutila, Sakari; Malekzadeh, Reza

2017-02-01

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common causes of cancer-related mortality worldwide. Early diagnosis of this neoplasm is critical and may reduce patients' mortality. MicroRNAs are small non-coding RNA molecules whose expression pattern can be altered in various diseases such as CRC. In this study, we evaluated the expression levels of miR-142-3p, miR-26a-5p (their reduced expression in plasma samples of CRC patients was previously confirmed), miR-4478 and miR-1295-3p (their reduced expression in stool samples of CRC patients was previously confirmed) in tissue samples of CRC patients in comparison to healthy subjects. To achieve this purpose, total RNA including small RNA was extracted from 53 CRC and 35 normal subjects' Formalin-fixed, Paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue samples using the miRNeasy FFPE Mini Kit. The expression levels of these four selected miRNAs were measured using quantitative Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR). We found that the expression levels of miR-4478 and miR-1295b-3p (two previously down-regulated fecal miRNAs) were significantly decreased in FFPE samples of CRC patients compared to healthy controls. On the other hand, no significant differences were seen in expression levels of miR-142-3p and miR-26a-5p (two previously down-regulated circulating miRNAs) in FFPE samples between these two groups. Regarding current findings, it may be concluded that to diagnose CRC patients based on the miRNAs approach, stool samples are more likely preferable to plasma samples; nevertheless, additional studies with more samples are needed to confirm the results.

Independent association of resting energy expenditure with blood pressure: confirmation in populations of the African diaspora.

Science.gov (United States)

Creber, Chloe; Cooper, Richard S; Plange-Rhule, Jacob; Bovet, Pascal; Lambert, Estelle V; Forrester, Terrence E; Schoeller, Dale; Riesen, Walter; Korte, Wolfgang; Cao, Guichan; Luke, Amy; Dugas, Lara R

2018-01-10

Obesity is a major risk factor for hypertension, however, the physiologic mechanisms linking increased adiposity to elevations in blood pressure are not well described. An increase in resting energy expenditure (REE) is an obligatory consequence of obesity. Previous survey research has demonstrated that REE is an independent predictor of blood pressure, and eliminates the co-linear association of body mass index. This observation has received little attention and there have been no attempts to provide a causal explanation. At baseline in an international comparative study on obesity, 289 participants aged 25-44 were recruited from communities in the US, the Seychelles, Ghana and South Africa and had REE measured with indirect calorimetry. All participants were thought to be free of major illness. In multivariate regression models, both systolic and diastolic blood pressure were positively associated with REE (p < 0.01), while body mass index and fat mass were negatively correlated with systolic blood pressure (p < 0.01, and p < 0.05 respectively), but not diastolic blood pressure. These data confirm previous reports and suggest that a common physiologic abnormality links REE and blood pressure. Elevated catecholamines, a putative metabolic characteristic of obesity, is a possible candidate to explain this association. The direct role of excess adipose tissue is open to question.

Effect of a supplementation with myo-inositol plus melatonin on oocyte quality in women who failed to conceive in previous in vitro fertilization cycles for poor oocyte quality: a prospective, longitudinal, cohort study.

Science.gov (United States)

Unfer, Vittorio; Raffone, Emanuela; Rizzo, Piero; Buffo, Silvia

2011-11-01

Several factors can affect oocyte quality and therefore pregnancy outcome in assisted reproductive technology (ART) cycles. Recently, a number of studies have shown that the presence of several compounds in the follicular fluid positively correlates with oocyte quality and maturation (i.e., myo-inositol and melatonin). In the present study, we aim to evaluate the pregnancy outcomes after the administration of myo-inositol combined with melatonin in women who failed to conceive in previous in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycles due to poor oocyte quality. Forty-six women were treated with 4 g/day myo-inositol and 3 mg/day melatonin (inofolic® and inofolic® Plus, Lo.Lipharma, Rome) for 3 months and then underwent a new IVF cycle. After treatment, the number of mature oocytes, the fertilization rate, the number of both, total and top-quality embryos transferred were statistically higher compared to the previous IVF cycle, while there was no difference in the number of retrieved oocyte. After treatment, a total of 13 pregnancies occurred, 9 of them were confirmed echographically; four evolved in spontaneous abortion. The treatment with myo-inositol and melatonin improves ovarian stimulation protocols and pregnancy outcomes in infertile women with poor oocyte quality.

Experience with confirmation measurement at Los Alamos

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marshall, R.S.; Wagner, R.P.; Hsue, F.

1985-01-01

Confirmation measurements are used at Los Alamos in support of incoming and outgoing shipment accountibility and for support of both at 235 U and Pu inventories. Statistical data are presented to show the consistency of measurements on items of identical composition and on items measured at two facilitis using similar instruments. A description of confirmation measurement techniques used in support of 235 U and Pu inventories and a discussion on the ability of the measurements to identify items with misstated SNM are given

Experience with confirmation measurement at Los Alamos

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marshall, R.S.; Wagner, R.P.

1985-01-01

Confirmation measurements are used at Los Alamos in support of incoming and outgoing shipment accountability and for support of both 235 U and Pu inventories. Statistical data are presented to show the consistency of measurements on items of identical composition and on items measured at two facilities using similar instruments. A description of confirmation measurement techniques used in support of 235 U and Pu inventories and a discussion on the ability of the measurements to identify items with misstated SNM are given

Troubleshooting Requests e-mail Confirmation

CERN Multimedia

TS Department

2004-01-01

In an ongoing effort to improve quality of the repair requests, a new e-mail confirmation automatic system will be implemented starting from the 21st October. All repair requests transmitted to the TCR (72201) or the FM Helpdesk (77777) will be confirmed in an e-mail to the requestor, provided that the latter has a valid e-mail address in the HR database. The e-mail will contain a reference number, a brief description of the problem, the location and a contact where more information can be obtained. A second e-mail will be sent when the processing of the repair request is finished. We hope that this initiative will improve the transparency and quality of our service. Helpdesk Troubleshooting Requests (reminder) We remind you that all the repair requests and other communication concerning the CERN machine buildings have to be transmitted to the TCR via 72201, whereas the ones concerning tertiary buildings are handled directly by the FM helpdesk under the phone number 77777, i.e. problems on systems and equ...

Plant data evaluation of performance confirmation test in HTTR after Tohoku-Pacific Ocean Earthquake

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ono, Masato; Tochio, Daisuke; Shinohara, Masanori; Shimazaki, Yosuke; Yanagi, Shunki; Iigaki, Kazuhiko

2012-03-01

Tohoku-Pacific Ocean Earthquake occurred on March 11th 2011 and the earthquake intensity of an upper 5 on the Japanese scale was observed in Oarai town. HTTR conducted the confirmation test on cold state in order to ensure the facilities/instruments of reactor building operate normally. In this test, the plant data in the facilities/instruments start-up phase and continue steady operation phase were measured and compared with the previous operation data, and the soundness of facilities/instruments is evaluated. As a result, in after the earthquake, the facilities/instruments operate normally and the reactor cooling function of the HTTR were ensured. (author)

Plant data evaluation of performance confirmation test in HTTR after Tohoku-Pacific Ocean Earthquake

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ono, Masato; Tochio, Daisuke; Shinohara, Masanori; Shimazaki, Yosuke; Yanagi, Shunki; Iigaki, Kazuhiko

2012-01-01

Tohoku-Pacific Ocean Earthquake occurred on March 11th 2011 and the earthquake intensity of an upper 5 on the Japanese scale was observed in Oarai town. HTTR conducted the confirmation test on cold state in order to ensure the facilities/instruments of reactor building operate normally. In this test, the plant data in the facilities/instruments start-up phase and continue steady operation phase were measured and compared with the previous operation data, and the soundness of facilities/instruments is evaluated. As a result, in after the earthquake, the facilities/instruments operate normally and the reactor cooling function of the HTTR were ensured. (author)

Confirmation of the three-factor model of problematic internet use on off-line adolescent and adult samples.

Science.gov (United States)

Koronczai, Beatrix; Urbán, Róbert; Kökönyei, Gyöngyi; Paksi, Borbála; Papp, Krisztina; Kun, Bernadette; Arnold, Petra; Kállai, János; Demetrovics, Zsolt

2011-11-01

As the Internet became widely used, problems associated with its excessive use became increasingly apparent. Although for the assessment of these problems several models and related questionnaires have been elaborated, there has been little effort made to confirm them. The aim of the present study was to test the three-factor model of the previously created Problematic Internet Use Questionnaire (PIUQ) by data collection methods formerly not applied (off-line group and face-to-face settings), on the one hand, and by testing on different age groups (adolescent and adult representative samples), on the other hand. Data were collected from 438 high-school students (44.5 percent boys; mean age: 16.0 years; standard deviation=0.7 years) and also from 963 adults (49.9 percent males; mean age: 33.6 years; standard deviation=11.8 years). We applied confirmatory factor analysis to confirm the measurement model of problematic Internet use. The results of the analyses carried out inevitably support the original three-factor model over the possible one-factor solution. Using latent profile analysis, we identified 11 percent of adults and 18 percent of adolescent users characterized by problematic use. Based on exploratory factor analysis, we also suggest a short form of the PIUQ consisting of nine items. Both the original 18-item version of PIUQ and its short 9-item form have satisfactory reliability and validity characteristics, and thus, they are suitable for the assessment of problematic Internet use in future studies.

VLA radio-continuum survey of a sample of confirmed and marginal barium stars

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Drake, S.A.; Simon, T.; Linsky, J.L.

1987-01-01

Results are reported from a 6-cm VLA survey of five confirmed Ba II stars and eight mild Ba II stars, undertaken to search for evidence of gyrosynchrotron emission or thermal emission from the primary star's wind that is enhanced or photoionized by a white dwarf companion. Of these 13 stars, only Beta UMi was detected as a possible radio source at a flux level of 0.11 mJy (3sigma). The 6-cm radio luminosities (L6) of the other stars are as small as log L6 less than or equal to 14.0 and are an order of magnitude or more lower than the average levels found in RS CVn systems, but are consistent with the L6 upper limits previously found for stars of spectral type similar to the Ba II stars and normal elemental abundances. The upper limit to the radio luminosity for the possible mild Ba II star 56 Peg, when combined with its previously known X-ray luminosity, may provide useful constraints on the various models that have been proposed for this interesting object, once its orbital period is known. 28 references

Heritability and confirmation of genetic association studies for childhood asthma in twins.

Science.gov (United States)

Ullemar, V; Magnusson, P K E; Lundholm, C; Zettergren, A; Melén, E; Lichtenstein, P; Almqvist, C

2016-02-01

Although the genetics of asthma has been extensively studied using both quantitative and molecular genetic analysis methods, both approaches lack studies specific to the childhood phenotype and including other allergic diseases. This study aimed to give specific estimates for the heritability of childhood asthma and other allergic diseases, to attempt to replicate findings from genomewide association studies (GWAS) for childhood asthma and to test the same variants against other allergic diseases. In a cohort of 25 306 Swedish twins aged 9 or 12 years, data on asthma were available from parental interviews and population-based registers. The interviews also inquired about wheeze, hay fever, eczema, and food allergy. Through structural equation modeling, the heritability of all phenotypes was calculated. A subset of 10 075 twins was genotyped for 16 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) selected from previous GWAS; these were first tested for association with asthma and significant findings also against the other allergic diseases. The heritability of any childhood asthma was 0.82 (95% CI 0.79-0.85). For the other allergic diseases, the range was approximately 0.60-0.80. Associations for six SNPs with asthma were replicated, including rs2305480 in the GSDMB gene (OR 0.80, 95% CI 0.74-0.86, P = 1.5*10(-8) ; other significant associations all below P = 3.5*10(-4) ). Of these, only rs3771180 in IL1RL1 was associated with any other allergic disease (for hay fever, OR 0.64, 95% CI 0.53-0.77, P = 2.5*10(-6) ). Asthma and allergic diseases of childhood are highly heritable, and these high-risk genetic variants associated specifically with childhood asthma, except for one SNP shared with hay fever. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Large scale international replication and meta-analysis study confirms association of the 15q14 locus with myopia. The CREAM consortium

NARCIS (Netherlands)

V.J.M. Verhoeven (Virginie); P.G. Hysi (Pirro); S-M. Saw (Seang-Mei); V. Vitart (Veronique); A. Mirshahi (Alireza); J. Guggenheim (Jean); M.F. Cotch (Mary Frances); K. Yamashiro (Kenji); P.N. Baird (Paul); D.A. Mackey (David); R. Wojciechowski (Robert); M.K. Ikram (Kamran); A.W. Hewit (Alex); P. Duggal (Priya); S. Janmahasatian (Sarayut); C.C. Khor; Q. Fan (Qiao); X. Zhou (Xinying); T.L. Young (Terri); E.S. Tai (Shyong); L.-K. Goh; Y.J. Li (Yi); T. Aung (Tin); E.N. Vithana (Eranga); Y.Y. Teo (Yik Ying); W.-T. Tay; X. Sim (Xueling); I. Rudan (Igor); C. Hayward (Caroline); A.F. Wright (Alan); O. Polasek (Ozren); H. Campbell (Harry); J.F. Wilson (James); B. Fleck (Brian); I. Nakata (Isao); N. Yoshimura; R. Yamada (Ryo); F. Matsuda (Fumihiko); K. Ohno-Matsui (Kyoko); A. Nag (Abhishek); G. Mcmahon (George); B. St Pourcain (Beate); Y. Lu (Yi); J.S. Rahi (Jugnoo); P. Cumberland (Phillippa); S. Bhattacharya (Shoumo); C.L. Simpson (Claire); L.D. Atwood (Larry); X. Li (Xiaohui); L.J. Raffel (Leslie); D. Murgia (Daniela); L. Portas (Laura); D.D.G. Despriet (Dominique); L.M.E. van Koolwijk (Leonieke); C. Wolfram (Christian); K.J. Lackner (Karl); A. Tönjes (Anke); R. Mägi (Reedik); T. Lehtimäki (Terho); M. Kähönen (Mika); T. Esko (Tõnu); A. Metspalu (Andres); T. Rantanen (Taina); O. Pärssinen (Olavi); B.E.K. Klein (Barbara); T. Meitinger (Thomas); T.D. Spector (Timothy); B.A. Oostra (Ben); G.D. Smith; P.T.V.M. de Jong (Paulus); A. Hofman (Albert); N. Amin (Najaf); L.C. Karssen (Lennart); F. Rivadeneira Ramirez (Fernando); J.R. Vingerling (Hans); G. Eiriksdottir (Gudny); V. Gudnason (Vilmundur); A. Döring (Angela); T. Bettecken (Thomas); A.G. Uitterlinden (André); C. Williams (Cathy); T. Zeller (Tanja); R. Castagne (Raphaële); K. Oexle (Konrad); C.M. van Duijn (Cornelia); S.K. Iyengar (Sudha); P. Mitchell (Paul); J.J. Wang (Jie Jin); R. Höhn (René); A.F.H. Pfeiffer (Andreas); J.E. Bailey-Wilson (Joan); D.E. Stambolian (Dwight); T.Y. Wong (Tien Yin); C.J. Hammond (Christopher); C.C.W. Klaver (Caroline)

2012-01-01

textabstractMyopia is a complex genetic disorder and a common cause of visual impairment among working age adults. Genome-wide association studies have identified susceptibility loci on chromosomes 15q14 and 15q25 in Caucasian populations of European ancestry. Here, we present a confirmation and

Surgical versus injection treatment for injection-confirmed chronic sacroiliac joint pain

Science.gov (United States)

Spiker, William Ryan; Lawrence, Brandon D.; Raich, Annie L.; Skelly, Andrea C.; Brodke, Darrel S.

2012-01-01

Study design: Systematic review. Study rationale: Chronic sacroiliac joint pain (CSJP) is a common clinical entity with highly controversial treatment options. A recent systematic review compared surgery with denervation, but the current systematic review compares outcomes of surgical intervention with therapeutic injection for the treatment of CSJP and serves as the next step for evaluating current evidence on the comparative effectiveness of treatments for non-traumatic sacroiliac joint pain. Objective or clinical question: In adult patients with injection-confirmed CSJP, does surgical treatment lead to better outcomes and fewer complications than injection therapy? Methods: A systematic review of the English-language literature was undertaken for articles published between 1970 and June 2012. Electronic databases and reference lists of key articles were searched to identify studies evaluating surgery or injection treatment for injection-confirmed CSJP. Studies involving traumatic onset or non-injection–confirmed CSJP were excluded. Two independent reviewers assessed the level of evidence quality using the grading of recommendations assessment, development and evaluation (GRADE) system, and disagreements were resolved by consensus. Results: We identified twelve articles (seven surgical and five injection treatment) meeting our inclusion criteria. Regardless of the type of treatment, most studies reported over 40% improvement in pain as measured by Visual Analog Scale or Numeric rating Scale score. Regardless of the type of treatment, most studies reported over 20% improvement in functionality. Most complications were reported in the surgical studies. Conclusion: Surgical fusion and therapeutic injections can likely provide pain relief, improve quality of life, and improve work status. The comparative effectiveness of these interventions cannot be evaluated with the current literature. PMID:23526911

Development of the Performance Confirmation Program at Yucca Mountain, Nevada

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

G.D. LeCain; D. Barr; D. Weaver; R. Snell; S.W. Goodin; F.D. Hansen

2006-01-01

The Yucca Mountain Performance Confirmation program consists of tests, monitoring activities, experiments, and analyses to evaluate the adequacy of assumptions, data, and analyses that form the basis of the conceptual and numerical models of flow and transport associated with a proposed radioactive waste repository at Yucca Mountain, Nevada. The Performance Confirmation program uses an eight-stage risk-informed, performance-based approach. Selection of the Performance Confirmation activities (a parameter and a test method) for inclusion in the Performance Confirmation program was done using a risk-informed performance-based decision analysis. The result of this analysis and review was a Performance Confirmation base portfolio that consists of 20 activities. The 20 Performance Confirmation activities include geologic, hydrologic, and construction/engineering testing. Several of the activities were initiated during site characterization and are ongoing. Others activities will commence during construction and/or post emplacement and will continue until repository closure

Large scale international replication and meta-analysis study confirms association of the 15q14 locus with myopia. The CREAM consortium

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Verhoeven, Virginie J. M.; Hysi, Pirro G.; Saw, Seang-Mei; Vitart, Veronique; Mirshahi, Alireza; Guggenheim, Jeremy A.; Cotch, Mary Frances; Yamashiro, Kenji; Baird, Paul N.; Mackey, David A.; Wojciechowski, Robert; Ikram, M. Kamran; Hewitt, Alex W.; Duggal, Priya; Janmahasatian, Sarayut; Khor, Chiea-Chuen; Fan, Qiao; Zhou, Xin; Young, Terri L.; Tai, E.-Shyong; Goh, Liang-Kee; Li, Yi-Ju; Aung, Tin; Vithana, Eranga; teo, Yik-Ying; Tay, Wanting; Sim, Xueling; Rudan, Igor; Hayward, Caroline; Wright, Alan F.; Polasek, Ozren; Campbell, Harry; Wilson, James F.; Fleck, Brian W.; Nakata, Isao; Yoshimura, Nagahisa; Yamada, Ryo; Matsuda, Fumihiko; Ohno-Matsui, Kyoko; Nag, Abhishek; McMahon, George; St Pourcain, Beate; Lu, Yi; Rahi, Jugnoo S.; Cumberland, Phillippa M.; Bhattacharya, Shomi; Simpson, Claire L.; Atwood, Larry D.; Li, Xiaohui; Raffel, Leslie J.; Murgia, Federico; Portas, Laura; Despriet, Dominiek D. G.; van Koolwijk, Leonieke M. E.; Wolfram, Christian; Lackner, Karl J.; Tönjes, Anke; Mägi, Reedik; Lehtimäki, Terho; Kähönen, Mika; Esko, Tõnu; Metspalu, Andres; Rantanen, Taina; Pärssinen, Olavi; Klein, Barbara E.; Meitinger, Thomas; Spector, Timothy D.; Oostra, Ben A.; Smith, Albert V.; de Jong, Paulus T. V. M.; Hofman, Albert; Amin, Najaf; Karssen, Lennart C.; Rivadeneira, Fernando; Vingerling, Johannes R.; Eiríksdóttir, Guðný; Gudnason, Vilmundur; Döring, Angela; Bettecken, Thomas; Uitterlinden, André G.; Williams, Cathy; Zeller, Tanja; Castagné, Raphaële; Oexle, Konrad; van Duijn, Cornelia M.; Iyengar, Sudha K.; Mitchell, Paul; Wang, Jie Jin; Höhn, René; Pfeiffer, Norbert; Bailey-Wilson, Joan E.; Stambolian, Dwight; Wong, Tien-Yin; Hammond, Christopher J.; Klaver, Caroline C. W.

2012-01-01

Myopia is a complex genetic disorder and a common cause of visual impairment among working age adults. Genome-wide association studies have identified susceptibility loci on chromosomes 15q14 and 15q25 in Caucasian populations of European ancestry. Here, we present a confirmation and meta-analysis

Clinical efficacy of BG-12 (dimethyl fumarate) in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis: subgroup analyses of the CONFIRM study.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Hutchinson, Michael

2013-09-01

In the phase 3, randomized, placebo-controlled and active reference (glatiramer acetate) comparator CONFIRM study in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis, oral BG-12 (dimethyl fumarate) reduced the annualized relapse rate (ARR; primary endpoint), as well as the proportion of patients relapsed, magnetic resonance imaging lesion activity, and confirmed disability progression, compared with placebo. We investigated the clinical efficacy of BG-12 240 mg twice daily (BID) and three times daily (TID) in patient subgroups stratified according to baseline demographic and disease characteristics including gender, age, relapse history, McDonald criteria, treatment history, Expanded Disability Status Scale score, T2 lesion volume, and gadolinium-enhancing lesions. BG-12 treatment demonstrated generally consistent benefits on relapse-related outcomes across patient subgroups, reflecting the positive findings in the overall CONFIRM study population. Treatment with BG-12 BID and TID reduced the ARR and the proportion of patients relapsed at 2 years compared with placebo in all subgroups analyzed. Reductions in ARR with BG-12 BID versus placebo ranged from 34% [rate ratio 0.664 (95% confidence interval 0.422-1.043)] to 53% [0.466 (0.313-0.694)] and from 13% [0.870 (0.551-1.373)] to 67% [0.334 (0.226-0.493)] with BG-12 TID versus placebo. Treatment with glatiramer acetate reduced the ARR and the proportion of patients relapsed at 2 years compared with placebo in most patient subgroups. The results of these analyses indicate that treatment with BG-12 is effective on relapses across a broad range of patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis with varied demographic and disease characteristics.

Phylogenetic analysis and confirmation of the endospore-forming nature of Pasteuria penetrans based on the spo0A gene.

Science.gov (United States)

Trotter, James R; Bishop, Alistair H

2003-08-29

Pasteuria penetrans is an obligate parasite of plant parasitic nematodes and has yet to be grown in vitro. We have cloned the pivotal sporulation gene, spo0A, which is the first whole gene yet to come from this organism. Partial spo0A sequences were also obtained from the related bacteria, Pasteuria ramosa and Alicyclobacillus acidocaldarius. Phylogenetic analyses using the spo0A sequence data from this and previous studies confirmed the closeness of the genera Pasteuria and members of the supergenus Bacillus. A segment of the spo0A gene was also used to show that genetic heterogeneity exists within and between populations of P. penetrans. This may explain, partly at least, the variability of P. penetrans as a biological control agent of nematodes.

Atypical myopathy in Denmark confirmed with the aTRAQ assay

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Høffer, Sofie Esbjørn; Votion, Dominique-Marie; Anderberg, Marie

2016-01-01

Atypical myopathy is a severe form of rhabdomyolysis that occurs in grazing horses. Over the past decades, the disease has been emerging in Europe. The disease is widespread in Europe and has been suspected in Denmark since 2000, yet no cases have been confirmed. The objective of this study...

Induction and Confirmation Theory: An Approach based on a Paraconsistent Nonmonotonic Logic

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ricardo Sousa Silvestre

2011-05-01

Full Text Available This paper is an effort to realize and explore the connections that exist between nonmonotonic logic and confirmation theory. We pick up one of the most wide-spread nonmonotonic formalisms – default logic – and analyze to what extent and under what adjustments it could work as a logic of induction in the philosophical sense. By making use of this analysis, we extend default logic so as to make it able to minimally perform the task of a logic of induction, having as a result a system which we believe has interesting properties from the standpoint of theory of confirmation. It is for instance able to represent chains of inductive rules as well as to reason paraconsistently on the conclusions obtained from them. We then use this logic to represent some traditional ideas concerning confirmation theory, in particular the ones proposed by Carl Hempel in his classical paper "Studies in the Logic of Confirmation" of 1945 and the ones incorporated in the so-called abductive and hy-pothetico-deductive models.

Stereotype confirmation concerns predict dropout from cognitive behavioral therapy for social anxiety disorder.

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, Suzanne; Price, Matthew; Mehta, Natasha; Anderson, Page L

2014-08-19

There are high attrition rates observed in efficacy studies for social anxiety disorder, and research has not identified consistent nor theoretically meaningful predictors of dropout. Pre-treatment symptom severity and demographic factors, such as age and gender, are sometimes predictive of dropout. The current study examines a theoretically meaningful predictor of attrition based on experiences associated with social group membership rather than differences between social group categories--fear of confirming stereotypes. This is a secondary data analysis of a randomized controlled trial comparing two cognitive behavioral treatments for social anxiety disorder: virtual reality exposure therapy and exposure group therapy. Participants (N = 74) with a primary diagnosis of social anxiety disorder who were eligible to participate in the parent study and who self-identified as either "African American" (n = 31) or "Caucasian" (n = 43) completed standardized self-report measures of stereotype confirmation concerns (SCC) and social anxiety symptoms as part of a pre-treatment assessment battery. Hierarchical logistic regression showed that greater stereotype confirmation concerns were associated with higher dropout from therapy--race, age, gender, and pre-treatment symptom severity were not. Group treatment also was associated with higher dropout. These findings urge further research on theoretically meaningful predictors of attrition and highlight the importance of addressing cultural variables, such as the experience of stereotype confirmation concerns, during treatment of social anxiety to minimize dropout from therapy.

Human Papilloma Virus Identification in Breast Cancer Patients with Previous Cervical Neoplasia.

Science.gov (United States)

Lawson, James S; Glenn, Wendy K; Salyakina, Daria; Clay, Rosemary; Delprado, Warick; Cheerala, Bharathi; Tran, Dinh D; Ngan, Christopher C; Miyauchi, Shingo; Karim, Martha; Antonsson, Annika; Whitaker, Noel J

2015-01-01

Women with human papilloma virus (HPV)-associated cervical neoplasia have a higher risk of developing breast cancer than the general female population. The purpose of this study was to (i) identify high-risk HPVs in cervical neoplasia and subsequent HPV positive breast cancers which developed in the same patients and (ii) determine if these HPVs were biologically active. A range of polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemical techniques were used to conduct a retrospective cohort study of cervical precancers and subsequent breast cancers in the same patients. The same high-risk HPV types were identified in both the cervical and breast specimens in 13 (46%) of 28 patients. HPV type 18 was the most prevalent. HPVs appeared to be biologically active as demonstrated by the expression of HPV E7 proteins and the presence of HPV-associated koilocytes. The average age of these patients diagnosed with breast cancer following prior cervical precancer was 51 years, as compared to 60 years for all women with breast cancer (p for difference = 0.001). These findings indicate that high-risk HPVs can be associated with cervical neoplasia and subsequent young age breast cancer. However, these associations are unusual and are a very small proportion of breast cancers. These outcomes confirm and extend the observations of two similar previous studies and offer one explanation for the increased prevalence of serious invasive breast cancer among young women.

Human papilloma virus identification in breast cancer patients with previous cervical neoplasia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

James Sutherland Lawson

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Purpose: Women with human papilloma virus (HPV associated cervical neoplasia have a higher risk of developing breast cancer than the general female population. The purpose of this study was to (i identify high risk for cancer HPVs in cervical neoplasia and subsequent HPV positive breast cancers which developed in the same patients and (ii determine if these HPVs were biologically active.Methods: A range of polymerase chain reaction (PCR and immunohistochemical techniques were used to conduct a retrospective cohort study of cervical precancers and subsequent breast cancers in the same patients. Results: The same high risk HPV types were identified in both the cervical and breast specimens in 13 (46% of 28 patients. HPV type 18 was the most prevalent. HPVs appeared to be biologically active as demonstrated by the expression of HPV E7 proteins and the presence of HPV associated koilocytes. The average age of these patients diagnosed with breast cancer following prior cervical precancer was 51 years, as compared to 60 years for all women with breast cancer (p for difference = 0.001. Conclusions: These findings indicate that high risk HPVs can be associated with cervical neoplasia and subsequent young age breast cancer. However these associations are unusual and are a very small proportion of breast cancers. These outcomes confirm and extend the observations of 2 similar previous studies and offer one explanation for the increased prevalence of serious invasive breast cancer among young women.

An alternative method to achieve metrological confirmation in measurement process

Science.gov (United States)

Villeta, M.; Rubio, E. M.; Sanz, A.; Sevilla, L.

2012-04-01

Metrological confirmation process must be designed and implemented to ensure that metrological characteristics of the measurement system meet metrological requirements of the measurement process. The aim of this paper is to present an alternative method to the traditional metrological requirements about the relationship between tolerance and measurement uncertainty, to develop such confirmation processes. The proposed way to metrological confirmation considers a given inspection task of the measurement process into the manufacturing system, and it is based on the Index of Contamination of the Capability, ICC. Metrological confirmation process is then developed taking into account the producer risks and economic considerations on this index. As a consequence, depending on the capability of the manufacturing process, the measurement system will be or will not be in adequate state of metrological confirmation for the measurement process.

Physical Confirmation and Comparative Genomics of the Rat Mammary carcinoma susceptibility 3 Quantitative Trait Locus

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Saasha Le

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Human breast and rat mammary cancer susceptibility are complex phenotypes where complete sets of risk associated loci remain to be identified for both species. We tested multiple congenic rat strains to physically confirm and positionally map rat Mammary carcinoma susceptibility 3 (Mcs3—a mammary cancer resistance allele previously predicted at Rattus norvegicus chromosome 1 (RNO1. The mammary cancer susceptible Wistar Furth (WF strain was the recipient, and the mammary cancer resistant Copenhagen (Cop strain was the RNO1-segment donor for congenics. Inbred WF females averaged 6.3 carcinogen-induced mammary carcinomas per rat. Two WF.Cop congenic strains averaged 2.8 and 3.4 mammary carcinomas per rat, which confirmed Mcs3 as an independently acting allele. Two other WF.Cop congenic strains averaged 6.6 and 8.1 mammary carcinomas per rat, and, thus, did not contain Mcs3. Rat Mcs3 was delimited to 27.8 Mb of RNO1 from rs8149408 to rs105131702 (RNO1:143700228-171517317 of RGSC 6.0/rn6. Human genetic variants with p values for association to breast cancer risk below 10−7 had not been reported for Mcs3 orthologous loci; however, human variants located in Mcs3-orthologous regions with potential association to risk (10−7 < p < 10−3 were listed in some population-based studies. Further, rat Mcs3 contains sequence orthologous to human 11q13/14—a region frequently amplified in female breast cancer. We conclude that Mcs3 is an independently acting mammary carcinoma resistance allele. Human population-based, genome-targeted association studies interrogating Mcs3 orthologous loci may yield novel breast cancer risk associated variants and genes.

Tracers confirm downward mixing of Tyrrhenian Sea upper waters associated with the Eastern Mediterranean Transient

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

W. Roether

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Observations of tritium and ³He in the Tyrrhenian Sea, 1987–2009, confirm the enhanced vertical mixing of intermediate waters into the deep waters that has been noted and associated with the Eastern Mediterranean Transient in previous studies. Our evidence for the mixing rests on increasing tracer concentrations in the Tyrrhenian deep waters, accompanied by decreases in the upper waters, which are supplied from the Eastern Mediterranean. The downward transfer is particularly evident between 1987 and 1997. Later on, information partly rests on increasing tritium-³He ages; here we correct the observed ³He for contributions released from the ocean floor. The Tyrrhenian tracer distributions are fully compatible with data upstream of the Sicily Strait and in the Western Mediterranean. The tracer data show that mixing reached to the bottom and confirm a cyclonic nature of the deep water circulation in the Tyrrhenian. They furthermore indicate that horizontal homogenization of the deep waters occurs on a time scale of roughly 5 years. Various features point to a reduced impact of Western Mediterranean Deep Water (WMDW in the Tyrrhenian during the enhanced-mixing period. This is an important finding because it implies less upward mixing of WMDW, which has been named a major process to enable the WMDW to leave the Mediterranean via the Gibraltar Strait. On the other hand, the TDW outflow for several years represented a major influx of enhanced salinity and density waters into the deep-water range of the Western Mediterranean.

Structure of ‘linkerless’ hydroxamic acid inhibitor-HDAC8 complex confirms the formation of an isoform-specific subpocket

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tabackman, Alexa A.; Frankson, Rochelle; Marsan, Eric S.; Perry, Kay; Cole, Kathryn E. (Ithaca); (Cornell); (Christopher Newport U)

2016-11-04

Histone deacetylases (HDACs) catalyze the hydrolysis of acetylated lysine side chains in histone and non-histone proteins, and play a critical role in the regulation of many biological processes, including cell differentiation, proliferation, senescence, and apoptosis. Aberrant HDAC activity is associated with cancer, making these enzymes important targets for drug design. In general, HDAC inhibitors (HDACi) block the proliferation of tumor cells by inducing cell differentiation, cell cycle arrest, and/or apoptosis, and comprise some of the leading therapies in cancer treatments. To date, four HDACi have been FDA approved for the treatment of cancers: suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA, Vorinostat, Zolinza®), romidepsin (FK228, Istodax®), belinostat (Beleodaq®), and panobinostat (Farydak®). Most current inhibitors are pan-HDACi, and non-selectively target a number of HDAC isoforms. Six previously reported HDACi were rationally designed, however, to target a unique sub-pocket found only in HDAC8. While these inhibitors were indeed potent against HDAC8, and even demonstrated specificity for HDAC8 over HDACs 1 and 6, there were no structural data to confirm the mode of binding. Here we report the X-ray crystal structure of Compound 6 complexed with HDAC8 to 1.98 Å resolution. We also describe the use of molecular docking studies to explore the binding interactions of the other 5 related HDACi. Our studies confirm that the HDACi induce the formation of and bind in the HDAC8-specific subpocket, offering insights into isoform-specific inhibition.

Characterisation and confirmation of rare beta-thalassaemia mutations in the Malay, Chinese and Indian ethnic groups in Malaysia.

Science.gov (United States)

Tan, Jin Ai Mary Anne; Chin, Pui See; Wong, Yean Ching; Tan, Kim Lian; Chan, Lee Lee; George, Elizabeth

2006-10-01

In Malaysia, about 4.5% of the Malay and Chinese populations are heterozygous carriers of beta-thalassaemia. The initial identification of rare beta-globin gene mutations by genomic sequencing will allow the development of simpler and cost-effective PCR-based techniques to complement the existing amplification refractory mutation system (ARMS) and gap-PCR used for the identification of beta-thalassaemia mutations. DNA from 173 beta-thalassaemia carriers and five beta-thalassaemia major patients from the Malay, Chinese and Indian ethnic groups were first analysed by ARMS and gap-PCR. Ninety-five per cent (174/183) of the 183 beta-globin genes studied were characterised using these two techiques. The remaining nine uncharacterised beta-globin genes (4.9%) were analysed using genomic sequencing of a 904 bp amplified PCR product consisting of the promoter region, exon 1, intervening sequence (IVS) 1, exon 2 and the 5' IVS2 regions of the beta-globin gene. The rare beta-globin mutations detected in the Chinese patients were CD27/28 (+C) and CD43 (GAG-TAG), and -88 (C-T) in an Indian patient. Beta-globin mutations at CD16 (-C), IVS1-1 (G-A), IVS2-1 (G-A), -86 (C-G) and Haemoglobin South Florida (CD1, GTG-ATG) were confirmed in the Malay patients. The seven rare beta-globin mutations and a rare haemoglobin variant confirmed in this study have been described in other populations but have not been previously described in Malaysian beta-thalassemia patients.

Laboratory confirmation of measles in elimination settings: experience from the Republic of the Marshall Islands, 2003.

Science.gov (United States)

Hyde, Terri B; Nandy, Robin; Hickman, Carole J; Langidrik, Justina R; Strebel, Peter M; Papania, Mark J; Seward, Jane F; Bellini, William J

2009-02-01

To highlight the complications involved in interpreting laboratory tests of measles immunoglobulin M (IgM) for confirmation of infection during a measles outbreak in a highly vaccinated population after conducting a mass immunization campaign as a control measure. This case study was undertaken in the Republic of the Marshall Islands during a measles outbreak in 2003, when response immunization was conducted. A measles case was defined as fever and rash and one or more of cough, coryza or conjunctivitis. Between 13 July and 7 November 2003, serum samples were obtained from suspected measles cases for serologic testing and nasopharyngeal swabs were taken for viral isolation by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Specimens were collected from 201 suspected measles cases (19% of total): of the ones that satisfied the clinical case definition, 45% were IgM positive (IgM+) and, of these, 24% had received measles vaccination within the previous 45 days (up to 45 days after vaccination an IgM+ result could be due to either vaccination or wild-type measles infection). The proportion of IgM+ results varied with clinical presentation, the timing of specimen collection and vaccination status. Positive results on RT-PCR occurred in specimens from eight IgM-negative and four IgM+ individuals who had recently been vaccinated. During measles outbreaks, limiting IgM testing to individuals who meet the clinical case definition and have not been recently vaccinated allows for measles to be confirmed while conserving resources.

Simulation of the Effect of Different Presbyopia-Correcting Intraocular Lenses With Eyes With Previous Laser Refractive Surgery.

Science.gov (United States)

Camps, Vicente J; Miret, Juan J; García, Celia; Tolosa, Angel; Piñero, David P

2018-04-01

To simulate the optical performance of three presbyopia-correcting intraocular lenses (IOLs) implanted in eyes with previous laser refractive surgery. A simulation of the through-focus modulation transfer function (MTF) was performed for three presbyopia-correcting IOLs (Mplus, Oculentis GmbH, Berlin, Germany; Symfony, Johnson & Johnson Vision, Santa Ana, CA; and Mini Well, SIFI S.p.A., Lavinaio, Italy) in one eye with previous myopic LASIK and another with hyperopic LASIK. Real topographic data and the wavefront aberration profile of each IOL obtained with a Hartmann-Shack sensor were used. In the eye with myopic LASIK, all IOLs lost optical quality at near and intermediate distances for 4- and 4.7-mm pupil size. For 3-mm pupil size, the Mini Well IOL showed the best intermediate and near MTF and maintained the far focus independently of the pupil. In the eye with hyperopic LASIK, the Mini Well IOL showed an intermediate, distance, and -4.00-diopter (D) foci for all pupils. The Symfony IOL showed a depth of focus at far and intermediate distance for 3-mm and a focus at -2.50 D in the rest. The Mplus showed a focus of -4.50 and -3.00 D for the 3- and 4-mm pupil, respectively. The Mini Well and Symfony IOLs seem to work better than the Mplus IOL in eyes with previous myopic LASIK. With previous hyperopic LASIK, the Mini Well IOL seems to be able to provide acceptable near, intermediate, and far foci for all pupil sizes. These findings should be confirmed in future clinical studies. [J Refract Surg. 2018;34(4):222-227.]. Copyright 2018, SLACK Incorporated.

Prevalence of abnormal Pap smears in a consecutive and previously unscreened population in Romania.

Science.gov (United States)

Stolnicu, Simona; Musca, Simona; Micu, Dorian; Micu, Luminita; Moldovan, Cosmin; Puscasiu, Lucian

2014-02-01

To determine the prevalence of abnormal cervical smears in a previously unscreened and asymptomatic population in Romania and to compare the data with those from other countries in Europe. In a retrospective study, data were reviewed from smears obtained from women in Romania who had been referred to the gynecologist between January 2006 and December 2011. The smears were collected through 3 regional opportunistic programs of cervical screening and were classified according to the Bethesda system. During the study period, 50536 smear tests were carried out. Of these, 100 smears (0.2%) were unsatisfactory and excluded from the study. Among the remaining 50436 smears, 2965 patients (5.9%) had abnormal epithelial changes. Most of the abnormal smears were represented by atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (2.6% of all smears). The data confirmed that there is a high prevalence of high-grade intraepithelial squamous-type lesions (0.9% of all smears) in Romania, and of abnormal smears in women younger than 25years of age (14.0% of all abnormal smears). The data show that there is a high prevalence of epithelial abnormalities among cervical smears in Romania compared with other European countries that run a national screening program. © 2013.

OBSERVATION AND CONFIRMATION OF SIX STRONG-LENSING SYSTEMS IN THE DARK ENERGY SURVEY SCIENCE VERIFICATION DATA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nord, B.; Buckley-Geer, E.; Lin, H.; Diehl, H. T.; Kuropatkin, N.; Allam, S.; Finley, D. A.; Flaugher, B.; Gaitsch, H.; Merritt, K. W.; Helsby, J.; Amara, A.; Collett, T.; Caminha, G. B.; De Bom, C.; Da Pereira, M. Elidaiana S.; Desai, S.; Dúmet-Montoya, H.; Furlanetto, C.; Gill, M.

2016-01-01

We report the observation and confirmation of the first group- and cluster-scale strong gravitational lensing systems found in Dark Energy Survey data. Through visual inspection of data from the Science Verification season, we identified 53 candidate systems. We then obtained spectroscopic follow-up of 21 candidates using the Gemini Multi-object Spectrograph at the Gemini South telescope and the Inamori-Magellan Areal Camera and Spectrograph at the Magellan/Baade telescope. With this follow-up, we confirmed six candidates as gravitational lenses: three of the systems are newly discovered, and the remaining three were previously known. Of the 21 observed candidates, the remaining 15 either were not detected in spectroscopic observations, were observed and did not exhibit continuum emission (or spectral features), or were ruled out as lensing systems. The confirmed sample consists of one group-scale and five galaxy-cluster-scale lenses. The lensed sources range in redshift z ∼ 0.80–3.2 and in i -band surface brightness i SB ∼ 23–25 mag arcsec −2 (2″ aperture). For each of the six systems, we estimate the Einstein radius θ E and the enclosed mass M enc , which have ranges θ E ∼ 5″–9″ and M enc ∼ 8 × 10 12 to 6 × 10 13 M ⊙ , respectively.

OBSERVATION AND CONFIRMATION OF SIX STRONG-LENSING SYSTEMS IN THE DARK ENERGY SURVEY SCIENCE VERIFICATION DATA

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nord, B.; Buckley-Geer, E.; Lin, H.; Diehl, H. T.; Kuropatkin, N.; Allam, S.; Finley, D. A.; Flaugher, B.; Gaitsch, H.; Merritt, K. W. [Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, P.O. Box 500, Batavia, IL 60510 (United States); Helsby, J. [Kavli Institute for Cosmological Physics, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637 (United States); Amara, A. [Department of Physics, ETH Zurich, Wolfgang-Pauli-Strasse 16, CH-8093 Zurich (Switzerland); Collett, T. [Institute of Cosmology and Gravitation, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, PO1 3FX (United Kingdom); Caminha, G. B.; De Bom, C.; Da Pereira, M. Elidaiana S. [ICRA, Centro Brasileiro de Pesquisas Físicas, Rua Dr. Xavier Sigaud 150, CEP 22290-180, Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil); Desai, S. [Excellence Cluster Universe, Boltzmannstrasse 2, D-85748 Garching (Germany); Dúmet-Montoya, H. [Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro—Campus Macaé, Rua Aloísio Gomes da Silva, 50—Granja dos Cavaleiros, Cep: 27930-560, Macaé, RJ (Brazil); Furlanetto, C. [University of Nottingham, School of Physics and Astronomy, Nottingham NG7 2RD (United Kingdom); Gill, M., E-mail: nord@fnal.gov [SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, CA 94025 (United States); Collaboration: DES Collaboration; and others

2016-08-10

We report the observation and confirmation of the first group- and cluster-scale strong gravitational lensing systems found in Dark Energy Survey data. Through visual inspection of data from the Science Verification season, we identified 53 candidate systems. We then obtained spectroscopic follow-up of 21 candidates using the Gemini Multi-object Spectrograph at the Gemini South telescope and the Inamori-Magellan Areal Camera and Spectrograph at the Magellan/Baade telescope. With this follow-up, we confirmed six candidates as gravitational lenses: three of the systems are newly discovered, and the remaining three were previously known. Of the 21 observed candidates, the remaining 15 either were not detected in spectroscopic observations, were observed and did not exhibit continuum emission (or spectral features), or were ruled out as lensing systems. The confirmed sample consists of one group-scale and five galaxy-cluster-scale lenses. The lensed sources range in redshift z ∼ 0.80–3.2 and in i -band surface brightness i {sub SB} ∼ 23–25 mag arcsec{sup −2} (2″ aperture). For each of the six systems, we estimate the Einstein radius θ {sub E} and the enclosed mass M {sub enc}, which have ranges θ {sub E} ∼ 5″–9″ and M {sub enc} ∼ 8 × 10{sup 12} to 6 × 10{sup 13} M {sub ⊙}, respectively.

Confirmation of the observation of 2νββ decay of 76Ge

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Avignone, F.T. III; Guerard, C.K.; Brodzinski, R.L.; Miley, H.S.; Reeves, J.H.; Kirpichnikov, I.V.; Starostin, A.S.; Pogosov, V.S.; Tamanyan, A.G.

1991-01-01

Two previous independent reports of 2v ββ decay by the ITEP-YPI Collaboration, T 1/2 2v =(9±1)x10 20 yr (1σ), and the PNL-USC Collaboration, T 1/2 2v =(1.12(+0.48-0.26)x10 21 yr (2σ), are confirmed. A 0.25 kg Ge(Li) detector, isotopically enriched to 85% in 76 Ge, was operated in the PNL-USC ultralow-background facility in the Homestake gold mine. Following a single correction to the data, a spectrum resembling that observed in the earlier PNL-USC experiment, with about the same intensity per 76 Ge atom per year, was observed. The measured half-life is T 1/2 2v =(9.2(+0.7-0.4)x10 20 yr (2σ). (orig.)

Confirmed Datura poisoning in a horse most probably due to D. ferox in contaminated tef hay : clinical communication

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R. Gerber

2006-06-01

Full Text Available Two out of a group of 23 mares exposed to tef hay contaminated with Datura ferox (and possibly D. stramonium developed colic. The 1st animal was unresponsive to conservative treatment, underwent surgery for severe intestinal atony and had to be euthanased. The 2nd was less seriously affected, responded well to analgesics and made an uneventful recovery. This horse exhibited marked mydriasis on the first 2 days of being poisoned and showed protracted, milder mydriasis for a further 7 days. Scopolamine was chemically confirmed in urine from this horse for 3 days following the colic attack, while atropine could just be detected for 2 days. Scopolamine was also the main tropane alkaloid found in the contaminating plant material, confirming that this had most probably been a case of D. ferox poisoning. Although Datura intoxication of horses from contaminated hay was suspected previously, this is the 1st case where the intoxication could be confirmed by urine analysis for tropane alkaloids. Extraction and detection methods for atropine and scopolamine in urine are described employing enzymatic hydrolysis followed by liquid-liquid extraction and liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS.

Subsequent pregnancy outcome after previous foetal death

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Nijkamp, J. W.; Korteweg, F. J.; Holm, J. P.; Timmer, A.; Erwich, J. J. H. M.; van Pampus, M. G.

Objective: A history of foetal death is a risk factor for complications and foetal death in subsequent pregnancies as most previous risk factors remain present and an underlying cause of death may recur. The purpose of this study was to evaluate subsequent pregnancy outcome after foetal death and to

A study to confirm the reliability and construct validity of an organisational citizenship behaviour measure on a South African sample

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bright Mahembe

2015-10-01

Research purpose: The primary goal of the study was to validate the Organisational Citizenship Behaviour Scale (OCBS developed by Podsakoff, Mackenzie, Moorman and Fetter (1990 on a South African sample. Motivation for the study: Organisational citizenship behaviour is one of the important workplace outcomes. A psychometrically sound instrument is therefore required. Research design, approach and method: The sample consisted of 503 employees from the educational sector in the Eastern and Western Cape Provinces of South Africa. The OCBS was used to measure organisational citizenship behaviour. Main findings: High levels of reliability were found for the OCBS sub-scales. The first and second-order measurement models of the OCBS showed good fit. A competing one-factor model did not show good model fit. In terms of discriminant validity four of the five subdimensions correlated highly. Practical/managerial implications: Although the OCBS demonstrated some sound reliability coefficients and reasonable construct validity, the discriminant validity of four of the subscales raise some questions which future studies should confirm. The use of the instrument should help to continue to measure the much-needed extra-role behaviours that mirror an employee’s interest in the success of the organisation. Contribution/value-add: The study contributes to the requirements of the Employment Equity Act (No. 55 of 1998 and the Amended Employment Equity Act of South Africa (Republic of South Africa, 1998; 2014. This promotes the use of reliable and valid instruments in South Africa by confirming the psychometric properties of the OCBS.

The biomechanics of running in athletes with previous hamstring injury: A case-control study.

Science.gov (United States)

Daly, C; Persson, U McCarthy; Twycross-Lewis, R; Woledge, R C; Morrissey, D

2016-04-01

Hamstring injury is prevalent with persistently high reinjury rates. We aim to inform hamstring rehabilitation by exploring the electromyographic and kinematic characteristics of running in athletes with previous hamstring injury. Nine elite male Gaelic games athletes who had returned to sport after hamstring injury and eight closely matched controls sprinted while lower limb kinematics and muscle activity of the previously injured biceps femoris, bilateral gluteus maximus, lumbar erector spinae, rectus femoris, and external oblique were recorded. Intergroup comparisons of muscle activation ratios and kinematics were performed. Previously injured athletes demonstrated significantly reduced biceps femoris muscle activation ratios with respect to ipsilateral gluteus maximus (maximum difference -12.5%, P = 0.03), ipsilateral erector spinae (maximum difference -12.5%, P = 0.01), ipsilateral external oblique (maximum difference -23%, P = 0.01), and contralateral rectus femoris (maximum difference -22%, P = 0.02) in the late swing phase. We also detected sagittal asymmetry in hip flexion (maximum 8°, P = 0.01), pelvic tilt (maximum 4°, P = 0.02), and medial rotation of the knee (maximum 6°, P = 0.03) effectively putting the hamstrings in a lengthened position just before heel strike. Previous hamstring injury is associated with altered biceps femoris associated muscle activity and potentially injurious kinematics. These deficits should be considered and addressed during rehabilitation. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The role of laboratory confirmations and molecular epidemiology in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This review reports on the role of laboratory confirmation and molecular epidemiology in global eradication of measles. The role of laboratory confirmation and molecular epidemiology in defining the origins of measles outbreaks cannot be overemphasized. New serological tests based on recombinant proteins detect only a ...

Confirming psychogenic nonepileptic seizures with video-EEG: sex matters.

Science.gov (United States)

Noe, Katherine H; Grade, Madeline; Stonnington, Cynthia M; Driver-Dunckley, Erika; Locke, Dona E C

2012-03-01

The influence of gender on psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES) diagnosis was examined retrospectively in 439 subjects undergoing video-EEG (vEEG) for spell classification, of whom 142 women and 42 men had confirmed PNES. The epileptologist's predicted diagnosis was correct in 72% overall. Confirmed epilepsy was correctly predicted in 94% men and 88% women. In contrast, confirmed PNES was accurately predicted in 86% women versus 61% men (p=0.003). Sex-based differences in likelihood of an indeterminate admission were not observed for predicted epilepsy or physiologic events, but were for predicted PNES (39% men, 12% women, p=0.0002). More frequent failure to record spells in men than women with predicted PNES was not explained by spell frequency, duration of monitoring, age, medication use, or personality profile. PNES are not only less common in men, but also more challenging to recognize in the clinic, and even when suspected more difficult to confirm with vEEG. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Dexamethasone intravitreal implant in previously treated patients with diabetic macular edema : Subgroup analysis of the MEAD study

OpenAIRE

Augustin, A.J.; Kuppermann, B.D.; Lanzetta, P.; Loewenstein, A.; Li, X.; Cui, H.; Hashad, Y.; Whitcup, S.M.; Abujamra, S.; Acton, J.; Ali, F.; Antoszyk, A.; Awh, C.C.; Barak, A.; Bartz-Schmidt, K.U.

2015-01-01

Background Dexamethasone intravitreal implant 0.7?mg (DEX 0.7) was approved for treatment of diabetic macular edema (DME) after demonstration of its efficacy and safety in the MEAD registration trials. We performed subgroup analysis of MEAD study results to evaluate the efficacy and safety of DEX 0.7 treatment in patients with previously treated DME. Methods Three-year, randomized, sham-controlled phase 3 study in patients with DME, best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) of 34?68 Early Treatment...

Subsequent childbirth after a previous traumatic birth.

Science.gov (United States)

Beck, Cheryl Tatano; Watson, Sue

2010-01-01

Nine percent of new mothers in the United States who participated in the Listening to Mothers II Postpartum Survey screened positive for meeting the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition criteria for posttraumatic stress disorder after childbirth. Women who have had a traumatic birth experience report fewer subsequent children and a longer length of time before their second baby. Childbirth-related posttraumatic stress disorder impacts couples' physical relationship, communication, conflict, emotions, and bonding with their children. The purpose of this study was to describe the meaning of women's experiences of a subsequent childbirth after a previous traumatic birth. Phenomenology was the research design used. An international sample of 35 women participated in this Internet study. Women were asked, "Please describe in as much detail as you can remember your subsequent pregnancy, labor, and delivery following your previous traumatic birth." Colaizzi's phenomenological data analysis approach was used to analyze the stories of the 35 women. Data analysis yielded four themes: (a) riding the turbulent wave of panic during pregnancy; (b) strategizing: attempts to reclaim their body and complete the journey to motherhood; (c) bringing reverence to the birthing process and empowering women; and (d) still elusive: the longed-for healing birth experience. Subsequent childbirth after a previous birth trauma has the potential to either heal or retraumatize women. During pregnancy, women need permission and encouragement to grieve their prior traumatic births to help remove the burden of their invisible pain.

Characterization of previously unidentified lunar pyroclastic deposits using Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera (LROC) data

Science.gov (United States)

Gustafson, J. Olaf; Bell, James F.; Gaddis, Lisa R.R.; Hawke, B. Ray Ray; Giguere, Thomas A.

2012-01-01

We used a Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera (LROC) global monochrome Wide-angle Camera (WAC) mosaic to conduct a survey of the Moon to search for previously unidentified pyroclastic deposits. Promising locations were examined in detail using LROC multispectral WAC mosaics, high-resolution LROC Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) images, and Clementine multispectral (ultraviolet-visible or UVVIS) data. Out of 47 potential deposits chosen for closer examination, 12 were selected as probable newly identified pyroclastic deposits. Potential pyroclastic deposits were generally found in settings similar to previously identified deposits, including areas within or near mare deposits adjacent to highlands, within floor-fractured craters, and along fissures in mare deposits. However, a significant new finding is the discovery of localized pyroclastic deposits within floor-fractured craters Anderson E and F on the lunar farside, isolated from other known similar deposits. Our search confirms that most major regional and localized low-albedo pyroclastic deposits have been identified on the Moon down to ~100 m/pix resolution, and that additional newly identified deposits are likely to be either isolated small deposits or additional portions of discontinuous, patchy deposits.

Challenging previous conceptions of vegetarianism and eating disorders.

Science.gov (United States)

Fisak, B; Peterson, R D; Tantleff-Dunn, S; Molnar, J M

2006-12-01

The purpose of this study was to replicate and expand upon previous research that has examined the potential association between vegetarianism and disordered eating. Limitations of previous research studies are addressed, including possible low reliability of measures of eating pathology within vegetarian samples, use of only a few dietary restraint measures, and a paucity of research examining potential differences in body image and food choice motives of vegetarians versus nonvegetarians. Two hundred and fifty-six college students completed a number of measures of eating pathology and body image, and a food choice motives questionnaire. Interestingly, no significant differences were found between vegetarians and nonvegetarians in measures of eating pathology or body image. However, significant differences in food choice motives were found. Implications for both researchers and clinicians are discussed.

Use of urinary pregnanediol 3-glucuronide to confirm ovulation.

Science.gov (United States)

Ecochard, R; Leiva, R; Bouchard, T; Boehringer, H; Direito, A; Mariani, A; Fehring, R

2013-10-01

Urinary hormonal markers may assist in increasing the efficacy of Fertility Awareness Based Methods (FABM). This study uses urinary pregnanediol-3a-glucuronide (PDG) testing to more accurately identify the infertile phase of the menstrual cycle in the setting of FABM. Secondary analysis of an observational and simulation study, multicentre, European study. The study includes 107 women and tracks daily first morning urine (FMU), observed the changes in cervical mucus discharge, and ultrasonography to identify the day of ovulation over 326 menstrual cycles. The following three scenarios were tested: (A) use of the daily pregnandiol-3a-glucuronide (PDG) test alone; (B) use of the PDG test after the first positive urine luteinizing hormone (LH) kit result; (C) use of the PDG test after the disappearance of fertile type mucus. Two models were used: (1) one day of PDG positivity; or (2) waiting for three days of PDG positivity before declaring infertility. After the first positivity of a LH test or the end of fertile mucus, three consecutive days of PDG testing over a threshold of 5μg/mL resulted in a 100% specificity for ovulation confirmation. They were respectively associated an identification of an average of 6.1 and 7.6 recognized infertile days. The results demonstrate a clinical scenario with 100% specificity for ovulation confirmation and provide the theoretical background for a future development of a competitive lateral flow assay for the detection of PDG in the urine. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Soundness confirmation through cold test of the system equipment of HTTR

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ono, Masato; Shinohara, Masanori; Iigaki, Kazuhiko; Tochio, Daisuke; Nakagawa, Shigeaki; Shimazaki, Yosuke

2014-01-01

HTTR was established at the Oarai Research and Development Center of Japan Atomic Energy Agency, for the purpose of the establishment and upgrading of high-temperature gas-cooled reactor technology infrastructure. Currently, it performs a safety demonstration test in order to demonstrate the safety inherent in high-temperature gas-cooled reactor. After the Great East Japan Earthquake, it conducted confirmation test for the purpose of soundness survey of facilities and equipment, and it confirmed that the soundness of the equipment was maintained. After two years from the confirmation test, it has not been confirmed whether the function of dynamic equipment and the soundness such as the airtightness of pipes and containers are maintained after receiving the influence of damage or deterioration caused by aftershocks generated during two years or aging. To confirm the soundness of these facilities, operation under cold state was conducted, and the obtained plant data was compared with confirmation test data to evaluate the presence of abnormality. In addition, in order to confirm through cold test the damage due to aftershocks and degradation due to aging, the plant data to compare was supposed to be the confirmation test data, and the evaluation on abnormality of the plant data of machine starting time and normal operation data was performed. (A.O.)

A previous hamstring injury affects kicking mechanics in soccer players.

Science.gov (United States)

Navandar, Archit; Veiga, Santiago; Torres, Gonzalo; Chorro, David; Navarro, Enrique

2018-01-10

Although the kicking skill is influenced by limb dominance and sex, how a previous hamstring injury affects kicking has not been studied in detail. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of sex and limb dominance on kicking in limbs with and without a previous hamstring injury. 45 professional players (males: n=19, previously injured players=4, age=21.16 ± 2.00 years; females: n=19, previously injured players=10, age=22.15 ± 4.50 years) performed 5 kicks each with their preferred and non-preferred limb at a target 7m away, which were recorded with a three-dimensional motion capture system. Kinematic and kinetic variables were extracted for the backswing, leg cocking, leg acceleration and follow through phases. A shorter backswing (20.20 ± 3.49% vs 25.64 ± 4.57%), and differences in knee flexion angle (58 ± 10o vs 72 ± 14o) and hip flexion velocity (8 ± 0rad/s vs 10 ± 2rad/s) were observed in previously injured, non-preferred limb kicks for females. A lower peak hip linear velocity (3.50 ± 0.84m/s vs 4.10 ± 0.45m/s) was observed in previously injured, preferred limb kicks of females. These differences occurred in the backswing and leg-cocking phases where the hamstring muscles were the most active. A variation in the functioning of the hamstring muscles and that of the gluteus maximus and iliopsoas in the case of a previous injury could account for the differences observed in the kicking pattern. Therefore, the effects of a previous hamstring injury must be considered while designing rehabilitation programs to re-educate kicking movement.

Thumb rule of visual angle: a new confirmation.

Science.gov (United States)

Groot, C; Ortega, F; Beltran, F S

1994-02-01

The classical thumb rule of visual angle was reexamined. Hence, the visual angle was measured as a function of a thumb's width and the distance between eye and thumb. The measurement of a thumb's width when held at arm's length was taken on 67 second-year students of psychology. The visual angle was about 2 degrees as R. P. O'Shea confirmed in 1991. Also, we confirmed a linear relationship between the size of a thumb's width at arm's length and the visual angle.

[Meningitis and white matter lesions due to Streptococcus mitis in a previously healthy child].

Science.gov (United States)

Yiş, Reyhan; Yüksel, Ciğdem Nükhet; Derundere, Umit; Yiş, Uluç

2011-10-01

Streptococcus mitis, an important member of viridans streptococci, is found in the normal flora of the oropharynx, gastrointestinal tract, female genital tract and skin. Although it is of low pathogenicity and virulence, it may cause serious infections in immunocompromised patients. Meningitis caused by S.mitis has been described in patients with previous spinal anesthesia, neurosurgical procedure, malignancy, bacterial endocarditis with neurological complications and alcoholics, but it is rare in patients who are previously healthy. In this report, a rare case of meningoencephalitis caused by S.mitis developed in a previously healthy child has been presented. A previously healthy eight-year-old girl who presented with fever, altered state of consciousness, and headache was hospitalized in intensive care unit with the diagnosis of meningitis. Past history revealed that she was treated with amoxicillin-clavulanate for acute sinusitis ten days before her admission. Whole blood count revealed the followings: hemoglobin 13 g/dl, white blood cell count 18.6 x 109/L (90% neutrophils), platelet count 200 x 109/L and 150 leucocytes were detected on cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) examination. Protein and glucose levels of CSF were 80 mg/dl and 40 mg/dl (concomitant blood glucose 100 mg/dl), respectively. Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed widespread white matter lesions, and alpha-hemolytic streptococci were grown in CSF culture. The isolate was identified as S.mitis with conventional methods, and also confirmed by VITEK2 (bioMerieux, France) and API 20 STREP (bioMerieux, France) systems. Isolate was found susceptible to penicillin, erythromycin, clindamycin, tetracycline, cefotaxime, vancomycin and chloramphenicol. Regarding the etiology, echocardiography revealed no vegetation nor valve pathology, and peripheral blood smear showed no abnormality. Immunoglobulin and complement levels were within normal limits. Ongoing inflammation in maxillary sinuses detected in

Technique for sparing previously irradiated critical normal structures in salvage proton craniospinal irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McDonald, Mark W; Wolanski, Mark R; Simmons, Joseph W; Buchsbaum, Jeffrey C

2013-01-01

Cranial reirradiation is clinically appropriate in some cases but cumulative radiation dose to critical normal structures remains a practical concern. The authors developed a simple technique in 3D conformal proton craniospinal irradiation (CSI) to block organs at risk (OAR) while minimizing underdosing of adjacent target brain tissue. Two clinical cases illustrate the use of proton therapy to provide salvage CSI when a previously irradiated OAR required sparing from additional radiation dose. The prior radiation plan was coregistered to the treatment planning CT to create a planning organ at risk volume (PRV) around the OAR. Right and left lateral cranial whole brain proton apertures were created with a small block over the PRV. Then right and left lateral “inverse apertures” were generated, creating an aperture opening in the shape of the area previously blocked and blocking the area previously open. The inverse aperture opening was made one millimeter smaller than the original block to minimize the risk of dose overlap. The inverse apertures were used to irradiate the target volume lateral to the PRV, selecting a proton beam range to abut the 50% isodose line against either lateral edge of the PRV. Together, the 4 cranial proton fields created a region of complete dose avoidance around the OAR. Comparative photon treatment plans were generated with opposed lateral X-ray fields with custom blocks and coplanar intensity modulated radiation therapy optimized to avoid the PRV. Cumulative dose volume histograms were evaluated. Treatment plans were developed and successfully implemented to provide sparing of previously irradiated critical normal structures while treating target brain lateral to these structures. The absence of dose overlapping during irradiation through the inverse apertures was confirmed by film. Compared to the lateral X-ray and IMRT treatment plans, the proton CSI technique improved coverage of target brain tissue while providing the least

Presence in the pre-surgical fine-needle aspiration of potential thyroid biomarkers previously identified in the post-surgical one.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Federica Ciregia

Full Text Available Fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNA is usually applied to distinguish benign from malignant thyroid nodules. However, cytological analysis cannot always allow a proper diagnosis. We believe that the improvement of the diagnostic capability of pre-surgical FNA could avoid unnecessary thyroidectomy. In a previous study, we performed a proteome analysis to examine FNA collected after thyroidectomy. With the present study, we examined the applicability of these results on pre-surgical FNA. We collected pre-surgical FNA from 411 consecutive patients, and to obtain a correct comparison with our previous results, we processed only benign (n=114, papillary classical variant (cPTC (n=34 and papillary tall cell variant (TcPTC (n=14 FNA. We evaluated levels of five proteins previously found up-regulated in thyroid cancer with respect to benign nodules. ELISA and western blot (WB analysis were used to assay levels of L-lactate dehydrogenase B chain (LDHB, Ferritin heavy chain, Ferritin light chain, Annexin A1 (ANXA1, and Moesin in FNA. ELISA assays and WB analysis confirmed the increase of LDHB, Moesin, and ANXA1 in pre-surgical FNA of thyroid papillary cancer. Sensitivity and specificity of ANXA1 were respectively 87 and 94% for cPTC, 85 and 100% for TcPTC. In conclusion, a proteomic analysis of FNA from patients with thyroid nodules may help to distinguish benign versus malignant thyroid nodules. Moreover, ANXA1 appears to be an ideal candidate given the high sensitivity and specificity obtained from ROC curve analysis.

Confirmation of eradication of Helicobacter pylori infection by 14C-urea breath test

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pathak, C.M.; Bhasin, D.K.; Sharma, B.C.; Roy, P.; Vaiphei, K.

1998-01-01

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is a potent urease producer, a characteristic that has been exploited in the development of the 14 C-urea breath test (UBT). 14 C-UBT is being used as a highly reliable test for the diagnosis of H. pylori infection. There is paucity of reports on the utility of this test to confirm the H. pylori eradication after its treatment. The study was conducted to determine the utility of 14 C-UBT in confirming the eradication of H. pylori

No discrimination against previous mates in a sexually cannibalistic spider

Science.gov (United States)

Fromhage, Lutz; Schneider, Jutta M.

2005-09-01

In several animal species, females discriminate against previous mates in subsequent mating decisions, increasing the potential for multiple paternity. In spiders, female choice may take the form of selective sexual cannibalism, which has been shown to bias paternity in favor of particular males. If cannibalistic attacks function to restrict a male's paternity, females may have little interest to remate with males having survived such an attack. We therefore studied the possibility of female discrimination against previous mates in sexually cannibalistic Argiope bruennichi, where females almost always attack their mate at the onset of copulation. We compared mating latency and copulation duration of males having experienced a previous copulation either with the same or with a different female, but found no evidence for discrimination against previous mates. However, males copulated significantly shorter when inserting into a used, compared to a previously unused, genital pore of the female.

Abiraterone in metastatic prostate cancer without previous chemotherapy

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ryan, Charles J.; Smith, Matthew R.; de Bono, Johann S.; Molina, Arturo; Logothetis, Christopher J.; de Souza, Paul; Fizazi, Karim; Mainwaring, Paul; Piulats, Josep M.; Ng, Siobhan; Carles, Joan; Mulders, Peter F. A.; Basch, Ethan; Small, Eric J.; Saad, Fred; Schrijvers, Dirk; van Poppel, Hendrik; Mukherjee, Som D.; Suttmann, Henrik; Gerritsen, Winald R.; Flaig, Thomas W.; George, Daniel J.; Yu, Evan Y.; Efstathiou, Eleni; Pantuck, Allan; Winquist, Eric; Higano, Celestia S.; Taplin, Mary-Ellen; Park, Youn; Kheoh, Thian; Griffin, Thomas; Scher, Howard I.; Rathkopf, Dana E.; Boyce, A.; Costello, A.; Davis, I.; Ganju, V.; Horvath, L.; Lynch, R.; Marx, G.; Parnis, F.; Shapiro, J.; Singhal, N.; Slancar, M.; van Hazel, G.; Wong, S.; Yip, D.; Carpentier, P.; Luyten, D.; de Reijke, T.

2013-01-01

Abiraterone acetate, an androgen biosynthesis inhibitor, improves overall survival in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer after chemotherapy. We evaluated this agent in patients who had not received previous chemotherapy. In this double-blind study, we randomly assigned

A Mountain-Scale Monitoring Network for Yucca Mountain Performance Confirmation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Freifeld, Barry; Tsang, Yvonne

2006-01-01

Confirmation of the performance of Yucca Mountain is required by 10 CFR Part 63.131 to indicate, where practicable, that the natural system acts as a barrier, as intended. Hence, performance confirmation monitoring and testing would provide data for continued assessment during the pre-closure period. In general, to carry out testing at a relevant scale is always important, and in the case of performance confirmation, it is particularly important to be able to test at the scale of the repository. We view the large perturbation caused by construction of the repository at Yucca Mountain as a unique opportunity to study the large-scale behavior of the natural barrier system. Repository construction would necessarily introduce traced fluids and result in the creation of leachates. A program to monitor traced fluids and construction leachates permits evaluation of transport through the unsaturated zone and potentially downgradient through the saturated zone. A robust sampling and monitoring network for continuous measurement of important parameters, and for periodic collection of agrochemical samples, is proposed to observe thermo-hydrogeochemical changes near the repository horizon and down to the water table. The sampling and monitoring network can be used to provide data to (1) assess subsurface conditions encountered and changes in those conditions during construction and waste emplacement operations; and (2) for modeling to determine that the natural system is functioning as intended

Secondary recurrent miscarriage is associated with previous male birth.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Ooi, Poh Veh

2012-01-31

Secondary recurrent miscarriage (RM) is defined as three or more consecutive pregnancy losses after delivery of a viable infant. Previous reports suggest that a firstborn male child is associated with less favourable subsequent reproductive potential, possibly due to maternal immunisation against male-specific minor histocompatibility antigens. In a retrospective cohort study of 85 cases of secondary RM we aimed to determine if secondary RM was associated with (i) gender of previous child, maternal age, or duration of miscarriage history, and (ii) increased risk of pregnancy complications. Fifty-three women (62.0%; 53\\/85) gave birth to a male child prior to RM compared to 32 (38.0%; 32\\/85) who gave birth to a female child (p=0.002). The majority (91.7%; 78\\/85) had uncomplicated, term deliveries and normal birth weight neonates, with one quarter of the women previously delivered by Caesarean section. All had routine RM investigations and 19.0% (16\\/85) had an abnormal result. Fifty-seven women conceived again and 33.3% (19\\/57) miscarried, but there was no significant difference in failure rates between those with a previous male or female child (13\\/32 vs. 6\\/25, p=0.2). When patients with abnormal results were excluded, or when women with only one previous child were considered, there was still no difference in these rates. A previous male birth may be associated with an increased risk of secondary RM but numbers preclude concluding whether this increases recurrence risk. The suggested association with previous male birth provides a basis for further investigations at a molecular level.

Secondary recurrent miscarriage is associated with previous male birth.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Ooi, Poh Veh

2011-01-01

Secondary recurrent miscarriage (RM) is defined as three or more consecutive pregnancy losses after delivery of a viable infant. Previous reports suggest that a firstborn male child is associated with less favourable subsequent reproductive potential, possibly due to maternal immunisation against male-specific minor histocompatibility antigens. In a retrospective cohort study of 85 cases of secondary RM we aimed to determine if secondary RM was associated with (i) gender of previous child, maternal age, or duration of miscarriage history, and (ii) increased risk of pregnancy complications. Fifty-three women (62.0%; 53\\/85) gave birth to a male child prior to RM compared to 32 (38.0%; 32\\/85) who gave birth to a female child (p=0.002). The majority (91.7%; 78\\/85) had uncomplicated, term deliveries and normal birth weight neonates, with one quarter of the women previously delivered by Caesarean section. All had routine RM investigations and 19.0% (16\\/85) had an abnormal result. Fifty-seven women conceived again and 33.3% (19\\/57) miscarried, but there was no significant difference in failure rates between those with a previous male or female child (13\\/32 vs. 6\\/25, p=0.2). When patients with abnormal results were excluded, or when women with only one previous child were considered, there was still no difference in these rates. A previous male birth may be associated with an increased risk of secondary RM but numbers preclude concluding whether this increases recurrence risk. The suggested association with previous male birth provides a basis for further investigations at a molecular level.

Malarone treatment failure and in vitro confirmation of resistance of Plasmodium falciparum isolate from Lagos, Nigeria.

Science.gov (United States)

Fivelman, Quinton L; Butcher, Geoffrey A; Adagu, Ipemida S; Warhurst, David C; Pasvol, Geoffrey

2002-02-08

We report the first in vitro and genetic confirmation of Malarone (GlaxoSmithKline; atovaquone and proguanil hydrochloride) resistance in Plasmodium falciparum acquired in Africa. On presenting with malaria two weeks after returning from a 4-week visit to Lagos, Nigeria without prophylaxis, a male patient was given a standard 3-day treatment course of Malarone. Twenty-eight days later the parasitaemia recrudesced. Parasites were cultured from the blood and the isolate (NGATV01) was shown to be resistant to atovaquone and the antifolate pyrimethamine. The cytochrome b gene of isolate NGATV01 showed a single mutation, Tyr268Asn which has not been seen previously.

escherichia coli serotypes confirmed in experimental mammary ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

DJFLEX

VARIATIONS IN VIRULENCE OF THREE (3) ESCHERICHIA COLI. SEROTYPES CONFIRMED IN ... ows are susceptible to E. coli infection because. E. coli exist in the .... Coli infections in mice: A laboratory animal model for research in.

The effect of metacognitive self on confirmation bias revealed in relation to community and competence

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Brycz Hanna

2014-09-01

Full Text Available The main goal of our study was to investigate the role of insight into one’s own biases (metacognitive self in the process of hypothesis validation in accordance to the two fundamental social perception domains (community and competence on the example of confirmation bias. The study was conducted on a group of 593 participants with the use of a confirmation bias procedure, a free recall procedure and the Metacognitive Self scale. We manipulated with the domain and the value of information given to the respondents. We suspected that individuals with a high metacognitive self, in opposition to low metacognitive self ones, would not process the given information according to the two fundamental social perception domains. The results verified the existence of an interaction effect of the metacognitive self (MCS and the domain of the information given about a perceived person on the susceptibility to follow the confirmation bias. Contrary to the low metacognitive self individuals, who show a higher tendency for the confirmation bias within the competence than the community domain, persons with a high insight into their own biases express the same level of confirmation bias in no respect to the domain of the information. The value of the information has no significant influence.

Incidental Risk of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus among Patients with Confirmed and Unconfirmed Prediabetes.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kimberly D Brunisholz

Full Text Available To determine the risk of type 2 diabetes (T2DM diagnosis among patients with confirmed and unconfirmed prediabetes (preDM relative to an at-risk group receiving care from primary care physicians over a 5-year period.Utilizing data from the Intermountain Healthcare (IH Enterprise Data Warehouse (EDW from 2006-2013, we performed a prospective analysis using discrete survival analysis to estimate the time to diagnosis of T2DM among groups.Adult patients who had at least one outpatient visit with a primary care physician during 2006-2008 at an IH clinic and subsequent visits through 2013. Patients were included for the study if they were (a at-risk for diabetes (BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2 and one additional risk factor: high risk ethnicity, first degree relative with diabetes, elevated triglycerides or blood pressure, low HDL, diagnosis of gestational diabetes or polycystic ovarian syndrome, or birth of a baby weighing >9 lbs; or (b confirmed preDM (HbA1c ≥ 5.7-6.49% or fasting blood glucose 100-125 mg/dL; or (c unconfirmed preDM (documented fasting lipid panel and glucose 100-125 mg/dL on the same day.Of the 33,838 patients who were eligible for study, 57.0% were considered at-risk, 38.4% had unconfirmed preDM, and 4.6% had confirmed preDM. Those with unconfirmed and confirmed preDM tended to be Caucasian and a greater proportion were obese compared to those at-risk for disease. Patients with unconfirmed and confirmed preDM tended to have more prevalent high blood pressure and depression as compared to the at-risk group. Based on the discrete survival analyses, patients with unconfirmed preDM and confirmed preDM were more likely to develop T2DM when compared to at-risk patients.Unconfirmed and confirmed preDM are strongly associated with the development of T2DM as compared to patients with only risk factors for disease.

The Destructive Action of IL-1α and IL-1β in IDDM is a Multistage Process: Evidence and Confirmation by Apoptotic Studies, Induction of Intermediates and Electron Microscopy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. Vassiliadis

1999-01-01

Full Text Available Using the rat β-cell RIN-5AH insulinoma line as a means for studying insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM, it is shown that interleukin-1 (IL-1 induces β-cell damage initiated by early apoptotic signals. This action is demonstrated by DNA fragmentation, as assessed by specific BrdU labeling, surface expression of Fas and nitric oxide (NO production. In addition, the interplay between NO and Fas is shown, while scanning electron microscopy (SEM confirms apoptosis by revealing the degree and type of cellular damage which, in the case of IL-1α, can be reversed by an inhibitor to NO synthesis. Apoptosis is also reconfirmed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM by observing condensed nuclear chromatin after IL-1 exposure. Thus, treatment of insulinoma cells with IL-1α and IL-1β seems to initiate a number of signals, including PKC activation as published previously, that ultimately lead to β-cell destruction. Each IL-1 isoform, however, definitely follows a different pathway of action.

Neuroimaging findings in children with retinopathy-confirmed cerebral malaria

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Potchen, Michael J.; Birbeck, Gretchen L.; DeMarco, J. Kevin; Kampondeni, Sam D.; Beare, Nicholas; Molyneux, Malcolm E.; Taylor, Terrie E.

2010-01-01

Purpose: To describe brain CT findings in retinopathy-confirmed, paediatric cerebral malaria. Materials and methods: In this outcomes study of paediatric cerebral malaria, a subset of children with protracted coma during initial presentation was scanned acutely. Survivors experiencing adverse neurological outcomes also underwent a head CT. All children had ophthalmological examination to confirm the presence of the retinopathy specific for cerebral malaria. Independent interpretation of CT images was provided by two neuroradiologists. Results: Acute brain CT findings in three children included diffuse oedema with obstructive hydrocephalus (2), acute cerebral infarctions in multiple large vessel distributions with secondary oedema and herniation (1), and oedema of thalamic grey matter (1). One child who was reportedly normal prior to admission had parenchymal atrophy suggestive of pre-existing CNS injury. Among 56 survivors (9-84 months old), 15 had adverse neurologic outcomes-11/15 had a follow-up head CT, 3/15 died and 1/15 refused CT. Follow-up head CTs obtained 7-18 months after the acute infection revealed focal and multifocal lobar atrophy correlating to regions affected by focal seizures during the acute infection (5/11). Other findings were communicating hydrocephalus (2/11), vermian atrophy (1/11) and normal studies (3/11). Conclusions: The identification of pre-existing imaging abnormalities in acute cerebral malaria suggests that population-based studies are required to establish the rate and nature of incidental imaging abnormalities in Malawi. Children with focal seizures during acute cerebral malaria developed focal cortical atrophy in these regions at follow-up. Longitudinal studies are needed to further elucidate mechanisms of CNS injury and death in this common fatal disease.

Neuroimaging findings in children with retinopathy-confirmed cerebral malaria

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Potchen, Michael J. [Michigan State University, Department of Radiology, 184 Radiology Building, East Lansing, MI 48824-1303 (United States)], E-mail: mjp@rad.msu.edu; Birbeck, Gretchen L. [Michigan State University, International Neurologic and Psychiatric Epidemiology Program, 324 West Fee Hall, East Lansing, MI 48824 (United States)], E-mail: Gretchen.Birbeck@ht.msu.edu; DeMarco, J. Kevin [Michigan State University, Department of Radiology, 184 Radiology Building, East Lansing, MI 48824-1303 (United States)], E-mail: jkd@rad.msu.edu; Kampondeni, Sam D. [University of Malawi, Department of Radiology, Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital, Blantyre (Malawi)], E-mail: kamponde@msu.edu; Beare, Nicholas [St. Paul' s Eye Unit, Royal Liverpool University Hospital, Prescot Street, Liverpool L7 8XP (United Kingdom)], E-mail: nbeare@btinternet.com; Molyneux, Malcolm E. [Malawi-Liverpool-Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Programme, College of Medicine (Malawi); School of Tropical Medicine, University of Liverpool, Liverpool (United Kingdom)], E-mail: mmolyneux999@google.com; Taylor, Terrie E. [Michigan State University, College of Osteopathic Medicine, B309-B West Fee Hall, East Lansing, MI 48824 (United States); University of Malawi, College of Medicine, Blantyre Malaria Project, Blantyre (Malawi)], E-mail: taylort@msu.edu

2010-04-15

Purpose: To describe brain CT findings in retinopathy-confirmed, paediatric cerebral malaria. Materials and methods: In this outcomes study of paediatric cerebral malaria, a subset of children with protracted coma during initial presentation was scanned acutely. Survivors experiencing adverse neurological outcomes also underwent a head CT. All children had ophthalmological examination to confirm the presence of the retinopathy specific for cerebral malaria. Independent interpretation of CT images was provided by two neuroradiologists. Results: Acute brain CT findings in three children included diffuse oedema with obstructive hydrocephalus (2), acute cerebral infarctions in multiple large vessel distributions with secondary oedema and herniation (1), and oedema of thalamic grey matter (1). One child who was reportedly normal prior to admission had parenchymal atrophy suggestive of pre-existing CNS injury. Among 56 survivors (9-84 months old), 15 had adverse neurologic outcomes-11/15 had a follow-up head CT, 3/15 died and 1/15 refused CT. Follow-up head CTs obtained 7-18 months after the acute infection revealed focal and multifocal lobar atrophy correlating to regions affected by focal seizures during the acute infection (5/11). Other findings were communicating hydrocephalus (2/11), vermian atrophy (1/11) and normal studies (3/11). Conclusions: The identification of pre-existing imaging abnormalities in acute cerebral malaria suggests that population-based studies are required to establish the rate and nature of incidental imaging abnormalities in Malawi. Children with focal seizures during acute cerebral malaria developed focal cortical atrophy in these regions at follow-up. Longitudinal studies are needed to further elucidate mechanisms of CNS injury and death in this common fatal disease.

A longitudinal study of plasma insulin and glucagon in women with previous gestational diabetes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Damm, P; Kühl, C; Hornnes, P

1995-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether plasma insulin or glucagon predicts later development of diabetes in women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: The subjects studied were 91 women with diet-treated GDM and 33 healthy women. Plasma insulin and glucagon during a 50...... at follow-up (2 had insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, 13 had non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, and 12 had impaired glucose tolerance). Compared with the control subjects, women with previous GDM had relatively impaired insulin secretion (decreased insulinogenic index and delayed peak insulin...... for subsequent development of overt diabetes (logistic regression analysis). CONCLUSIONS: Women who develop GDM have a relative insulin secretion deficiency, the severity of which is predictive for later development of diabetes. Furthermore, our data indicate that their relatively reduced beta-cell function may...

Nonintrusive irradiated fuel inventory confirmation technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dowdy, E.J.; Nicholson, N.; Caldwell, J.T.

1980-01-01

Successful tests showing correlation between the intensity of the Cerenkov glow surrounding irradiated fuel assemblies in water-filled spent fuel storage ponds and the exposure and cooling times of assemblies have been concluded. Fieldable instruments used in subsequent tests confirmed that such measurements can be made easily and rapidly, without fuel assembly movement or the introduction of apparatus into the storage ponds

Confirmation that pulse and continuous peracetic acid administration does not disrupt the acute stress response in rainbow trout

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gesto, Manuel; Liu, Dibo; Pedersen, Lars-Flemming

2018-01-01

. If that is true, PAA would also be a good option from the point of view of fish physiology. However, stronger evidence is needed to confirm that the use of PAA is welfare-friendly to fish. Besides habituation, other hypothetical factors such as desensitization, physiological exhaustion or PAA-mediated endocrine...... response was evaluated by measuring plasma cortisol, plasma glucose, plasma lactate and brain serotonergic activity. All fish were equally able to mount a normal physiological stress response to the secondary stressor independent of previous exposure to PAA. This suggests that the decrease in the cortisol...

Genetic Confirmation of Mungbean (Vigna radiata) and Mashbean (Vigna mungo) Interspecific Recombinants using Molecular Markers.

Science.gov (United States)

Abbas, Ghulam; Hameed, Amjad; Rizwan, Muhammad; Ahsan, Muhammad; Asghar, Muhammad J; Iqbal, Nayyer

2015-01-01

Molecular confirmation of interspecific recombinants is essential to overcome the issues like self-pollination, environmental influence, and inadequacy of morphological characteristics during interspecific hybridization. The present study was conducted for genetic confirmation of mungbean (female) and mashbean (male) interspecific crosses using molecular markers. Initially, polymorphic random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD), universal rice primers (URP), and simple sequence repeats (SSR) markers differentiating parent genotypes were identified. Recombination in hybrids was confirmed using these polymorphic DNA markers. The NM 2006 × Mash 88 was most successful interspecific cross. Most of true recombinants confirmed by molecular markers were from this cross combination. SSR markers were efficient in detecting genetic variability and recombination with reference to specific chromosomes and particular loci. SSR (RIS) and RAPD identified variability dispersed throughout the genome. In conclusion, DNA based marker assisted selection (MAS) efficiently confirmed the interspecific recombinants. The results provided evidence that MAS can enhance the authenticity of selection in mungbean improvement program.

A study about the interest and previous contact of high school students with Astronomy

Science.gov (United States)

Carvalho, C. L.; Zanitti, M. H. R.; Felicidade, B. L.; Gomes, A. D. T.; Dias, E. W.; Coelho, F. O.

2016-04-01

The currently problems in Astronomy teaching in Brazilian Basic Education contrast with the space, and the popularity that astronomical themes have in various media in the country. In this work, we present the results of a study about the interest, and previous contact of high school students from a public school in the city of "São João del-Rei"/MG with topics related to Astronomy. The study and the pedagogical intervention were carried out by students of the PIBID/CAPES/UFSJ. The intervention was performed through an oral exposition with the students' participation, followed by the use of the Stellarium program. The results suggest the majority of students surveyed are interested in Astronomy, and have had some contact with the area. However, some inconsistencies in their responses were identified and examined. The implications for research and for Astronomy Education are discussed. We also make some considerations about relationship between the lack of specific knowledge and the misinformation as one possible reason for the little interest of students in various areas of Science.

Ifosfamide in previously untreated disseminated neuroblastoma. Results of Study 3A of the European Neuroblastoma Study Group.

Science.gov (United States)

Kellie, S J; De Kraker, J; Lilleyman, J S; Bowman, A; Pritchard, J

1988-05-01

A prospective study of the effectiveness of ifosfamide as a single agent in the management of previously untreated patients with Evans stage IV neuroblastoma was undertaken. Eighteen children aged more than 1 year were treated with ifosfamide (IFX) 3 g/m2 daily for 2 days immediately after diagnosis and 3 weeks later. Treatment was continued with combination chemotherapy using vincristine, cyclophosphamide, cisplatinum and etoposide (OPEC) or a variant. Mesna (2-mercaptoethane sulphonate) was given to all patients during IFX treatment to prevent urotoxicity. Eight of the 18 patients (44%) responded to IFX. Nine had greater than 66% reduction in baseline tumor volume. Of 15 evaluable patients with raised pre-treatment urinary catecholamine excretion, six (40%) achieved greater than 50% reduction in pretreatment levels. Two of 10 patients evaluable for bone marrow response had complete clearance. Toxicity was mild in all patients. Upon completing 'first line' therapy, only four patients (22%) achieved a good partial remission (GPR) or complete response (CR). Median survival was 11 months. There was a lower rate of attaining GPR and shortened median survival in patients receiving phase II IFX before OPEC or variant, compared to patients with similar pre-treatment characteristics treated with OPEC from diagnosis in an earlier study.

XMM-Newton confirmation of a new intermediate polar: XMMU J185330.7-012815

Science.gov (United States)

Hui, C. Y.; Sriram, K.; Choi, C.-S.

2012-01-01

We report on the results of a detailed spectro-imaging and temporal analysis of an archival XMM-Newton observation of a new intermediate polar XMMU J185330.7-012815. Its X-ray spectrum can be well described by a multitemperature thermal plasma model with the K lines of heavy elements clearly detected. Possible counterparts of XMMU J185330.7-012815 have been identified in optical and ultraviolet (UV) bands. The low values of the inferred X-ray-to-UV and X-ray-to-optical flux ratios safely rule out the possibility of its being an isolated neutron star. We confirm the X-ray periodicity of ˜238 s but, differently from the previous preliminary results, we do not find any convincing evidence of phase shift in this observation. We further investigate its properties through an energy-resolved temporal analysis and find that the pulsed fraction monotonically increases with energy.

Dabrafenib plus trametinib in patients with previously untreated BRAFV600E-mutant metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer: an open-label, phase 2 trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Planchard, David; Smit, Egbert F; Groen, Harry J M; Mazieres, Julien; Besse, Benjamin; Helland, Åslaug; Giannone, Vanessa; D'Amelio, Anthony M; Zhang, Pingkuan; Mookerjee, Bijoyesh; Johnson, Bruce E

2017-10-01

BRAF V600E mutation occurs in 1-2% of lung adenocarcinomas and acts as an oncogenic driver. Dabrafenib, alone or combined with trametinib, has shown substantial antitumour activity in patients with previously treated BRAF V600E -mutant metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We aimed to assess the activity and safety of dabrafenib plus trametinib treatment in previously untreated patients with BRAF V600E -mutant metastatic NSCLC. In this phase 2, sequentially enrolled, multicohort, multicentre, non-randomised, open-label study, adults (≥18 years of age) with previously untreated metastatic BRAF V600E -mutant NSCLC were enrolled into cohort C from 19 centres in eight countries within North America, Europe, and Asia. Patients received oral dabrafenib 150 mg twice per day plus oral trametinib 2 mg once per day until disease progression, unacceptable adverse events, consent withdrawal, or death. The primary endpoint was investigator-assessed overall response, defined as the percentage of patients who achieved a confirmed complete response or partial response per Response Evaluation Criteria In Solid Tumors version 1.1. The primary and safety analyses were by intention to treat in the protocol-defined population (previously untreated patients). The study is ongoing, but no longer recruiting patients. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01336634. Between April 16, 2014, and Dec 28, 2015, 36 patients were enrolled and treated with first-line dabrafenib plus trametinib. Median follow-up was 15·9 months (IQR 7·8-22·0) at the data cutoff (April 28, 2017). The proportion of patients with investigator-assessed confirmed overall response was 23 (64%, 95% CI 46-79), with two (6%) patients achieving a complete response and 21 (58%) a partial response. All patients had one or more adverse event of any grade, and 25 (69%) had one or more grade 3 or 4 event. The most common (occurring in more than two patients) grade 3 or 4 adverse events were

16 CFR 1633.5 - Prototype pooling and confirmation testing requirements.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 16 Commercial Practices 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Prototype pooling and confirmation testing... Prototype pooling and confirmation testing requirements. (a) Prototype pooling. One or more manufacturers may rely on a qualified prototype produced by another manufacturer or prototype developer provided...

Immunogenicity and safety of tetravalent dengue vaccine in 2-11 year-olds previously vaccinated against yellow fever: randomized, controlled, phase II study in Piura, Peru.

Science.gov (United States)

Lanata, Claudio F; Andrade, Teresa; Gil, Ana I; Terrones, Cynthia; Valladolid, Omar; Zambrano, Betzana; Saville, Melanie; Crevat, Denis

2012-09-07

In a randomized, placebo-controlled, monocenter, observer blinded study conducted in an area where dengue is endemic, we assessed the safety and immunogenicity of a recombinant, live, attenuated, tetravalent dengue vaccine candidate (CYD-TDV) in 2-11 year-olds with varying levels of pre-existing yellow-fever immunity due to vaccination 1-7 years previously. 199 children received 3 injections of CYD-TDV (months 0, 6 and 12) and 99 received placebo (months 0 and 6) or pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (month 12). One month after the third dengue vaccination, serotype specific neutralizing antibody GMTs were in the range of 178-190 (1/dil) (versus 16.7-38.1 in the control group), a 10-20 fold-increase from baseline, and 94% of vaccines were seropositive to all four serotypes (versus 39% in the control group). There were no vaccine-related SAEs. The observed reactogenicity profile was consistent with phase I studies, with severity grade 1-2 injection site pain, headache, malaise and fever most frequently reported and no increase after subsequent vaccinations. Virologically confirmed dengue cases were seen after completion of the 3 doses: 1 in the CYD-TDV group (N=199), and 3 in the control group (N=99). A 3-dose regimen of CYD-TDV had a good safety profile in 2-11 year olds with a history of YF vaccination and elicited robust antibody responses that were balanced against the four serotypes. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Youth suicide: an insight into previous hospitalisation for injury and sociodemographic conditions from a nationwide cohort study.

Science.gov (United States)

Zambon, Francesco; Laflamme, Lucie; Spolaore, Paolo; Visentin, Cristiana; Hasselberg, Marie

2011-06-01

This study investigates the degree to which a previous hospitalisation for injury of any intent is a risk of subsequent youth suicide and whether this association is influenced by family socioeconomic status or economic stress. A nationwide register-based cohort study was conducted covering all Swedish subjects born between January 1977 and December 1991 (N=1,616,342, male/female ratio=1.05). The cohort subjects were followed-up from January 1998 to December 2003, when aged 7-26 years. Poisson regression and the likelihood ratio test (95% CI) were used to assess the age-adjusted effect of hospitalisation for injuries of various intent on youth suicide and its effect once adjusted for family sociodemographic and social circumstances. Each set of exposures was associated independently and significantly with suicide mortality. Being hospitalised for self-inflicted injuries or injuries of undetermined intent was associated with a risk of suicide 36 to 47 times, respectively, that of subjects never hospitalised in the period under study (95% CI 28.36 to 45.58 and 26.67 to 83.87 for self-inflicted injuries and for events of undetermined intent, respectively; overall psuicide (RR 3.08; 95% CI 2.26 to 4.19). These effects were solid and not substantially altered after adjustment for family demographic and socioeconomic circumstances. A strong association exists between previous hospitalisation for injury of any intent and youth suicide. The association is robust and unaltered by family socioeconomic circumstances.

Psychotherapy of Depression: A Self-Confirmation Model.

Science.gov (United States)

Andrews, John D. W.

1989-01-01

Concepts of self-confirmation, interpersonal diagnosis, and prototype construction are used to integrate research and clinical findings concerning depression. Various theoretical accounts and bodies of data that fit within this integrative conceptual framework are examined, and implications for psychotherapy are discussed. (SLD)

Induction and Confirmation Theory: An Approach based on a Paraconsistent Nonmonotonic Logic

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ricardo Sousa Silvestre

2010-12-01

Full Text Available This paper is an effort to realize and explore the connections that exist between nonmonotonic logic and confirmation theory. We pick up one of the most wide-spread nonmonotonic formalisms – default logic – and analyze to what extent and under what adjustments it could work as a logic of induction in the philosophical sense. By making use of this analysis, we extend default logic so as to make it able to minimally perform the task of a logic of induction, having as a result a system which we believe has interesting properties from the standpoint of theory of confirmation. It is for instance able to represent chains of inductive rules as well as to reason paraconsistently on the conclusions obtained from them. We then use this logic to represent some traditional ideas concerning confirmation theory, in particular the ones proposed by Carl Hempel in his classical paper “Studies in the Logic of Confirmation” of 1945 and the ones incorporated in the so-called abductive and hy-pothetico-deductive models.

Confirmation of gastric tube bedside placement with the sky blue method.

Science.gov (United States)

Imamura, Takashi; Maeda, Hajime; Kinoshita, Hidetoshi; Shibukawa, Yasuko; Suda, Kiyomi; Fukuda, Yutaka; Goto, Aya; Nagasawa, Katsutoshi

2014-02-01

The purpose was to review our experiences and determine if applying the sky blue method is reliable in confirming gastric tube (GT) placement in neonates. The study population consisted of 44 infants (55 placements) who were admitted to the Takeda General Hospital between April 2012 and March 2013 and who required GT exchange. The sky blue method using indigo carmine (IC) was indicated for planned tube exchange only. Diluted IC was injected into the gastric space via the old GT just before the tube exchange. The tube was exchanged using a standard method. Then, we checked whether the diluted IC could be collected through the new GT or not. The reasons for GT placement were a gestational age of sky blue method was considered successful in 52 placements (94.4%), with the remaining 3 placements (5.6%) considered to be failures due to the inability to obtain IC from the gastric space. No adverse events were observed during the tube exchange period. Based on the results, the sky blue method can be considered to be reliable method for the confirmation of GT placement. These results also suggest that the number of radiologic evaluations performed to confirm correct replacement of the GT in infants can be reduced in the future.

Outcome of trial of scar in patients with previous caesarean section

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khan, B.; Bashir, R.; Khan, W.

2016-01-01

Medical evidence indicates that 60-80% of women can achieve vaginal delivery after a previous lower segment caesarean section. Proper selection of patients for trial of scar and vigilant monitoring during labour will achieve successful maternal and perinatal outcome. The objective of our study is to establish the fact that vaginal delivery after one caesarean section has a high success rate in patients with previous one caesarean section for non-recurrent cause. Methods: The study was conducted in Ayub Teaching Abbottabad, Gynae-B Unit. All labouring patients, during the study period of five years, with previous one caesarean section and between 37 weeks to 41 weeks of gestation for a non-recurrent cause were included in the study. Data was recorded on special proforma designed for the purpose. Patients who had previous classical caesarean section, more than one caesarean section, and previous caesarean section with severe wound infection, transverse lie and placenta previa in present pregnancy were excluded. Foetal macrosomia (wt>4 kg) and severe IUGR with compromised blood flow on Doppler in present pregnancy were also not considered suitable for the study. Patients who had any absolute contraindication for vaginal delivery were also excluded. Results: There were 12505 deliveries during the study period. Total vaginal deliveries were 8790 and total caesarean sections were 3715. Caesarean section rate was 29.7%. Out of these 8790 patients, 764 patients were given a trial of scar and 535 patients delivered successfully vaginally (70%). Women who presented with spontaneous onset of labour were more likely to deliver vaginally (74.8%) as compared to induction group (27.1%). Conclusion: Trial of vaginal birth after caesarean (VBAC) in selected cases has great importance in the present era of the rising rate of primary caesarean section. (author)

Sudden unexpected death in children with a previously diagnosed cardiovascular disorder

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Polderman, Florens N.; Cohen, Joeri; Blom, Nico A.; Delhaas, Tammo; Helbing, Wim A.; Lam, Jan; Sobotka-Plojhar, Marta A.; Temmerman, Arno M.; Sreeram, Narayanswani

2004-01-01

BACKGROUND: It is known that children with previously diagnosed heart defects die suddenly. The causes of death are often unknown. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to identify all infants and children within the Netherlands with previously diagnosed heart disease who had a sudden unexpected death

Sudden unexpected death in children with a previously diagnosed cardiovascular disorder

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Polderman, F.N.; Cohen, Joeri; Blom, N.A.; Delhaas, T.; Helbing, W.A.; Lam, J.; Sobotka-Plojhar, M.A.; Temmerman, Arno M.; Sreeram, N.

2004-01-01

Background: It is known that children with previously diagnosed heart defects die suddenly. The causes of death are often unknown. Objective: The aim of the study was to identify all infants and children within the Netherlands with previously diagnosed heart disease who had a sudden unexpected death

Using Daily Horoscopes To Demonstrate Expectancy Confirmation.

Science.gov (United States)

Munro, Geoffrey D.; Munro, James E.

2000-01-01

Describes a classroom demonstration that uses daily horoscopes to show the effect that expectation can have on judgment. Addresses the preparation, procedure, and results of the demonstration, and student evaluations. States that the demonstration appears to be effective for teaching students about expectancy confirmation. (CMK)

Poliomyelitis in Osun State, Nigeria: Two Confirmed Cases After 6 ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The Clinico-epidemological characteristics of two confirmed cases of poliomyelitis detected by Acute Flaccid Paralysis (AFP) surveillance in Osun State of Nigeria after almost 6 years of the last confirmed case in the State was reported to provide information for formulating possible aetiological hypothesis and to adequately ...

Malarone treatment failure and in vitro confirmation of resistance of Plasmodium falciparum isolate from Lagos, Nigeria

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Warhurst David C

2002-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract We report the first in vitro and genetic confirmation of Malarone® (GlaxoSmithKline; atovaquone and proguanil hydrochloride resistance in Plasmodium falciparum acquired in Africa. On presenting with malaria two weeks after returning from a 4-week visit to Lagos, Nigeria without prophylaxis, a male patient was given a standard 3-day treatment course of Malarone®. Twenty-eight days later the parasitaemia recrudesced. Parasites were cultured from the blood and the isolate (NGATV01 was shown to be resistant to atovaquone and the antifolate pyrimethamine. The cytochrome b gene of isolate NGATV01 showed a single mutation, Tyr268Asn which has not been seen previously.

Study of 185 diabetic patients with cerebrovascular accident as confirmed on CT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ito, Yasuo; Yanaga, Tatsurou; Nunoi, Kiyohide.

1988-01-01

In 185 diabetic patients with cerebrovascular accident (CVA) from 15 institutions, responsible lesions were confirmed on CT. The ratio of men to women was 2:1. Multiple cerebral infarction was seen in 22%. According to the type and lesions of CVA, CVA was classified as cerebral infarction confined to the perforating branch (Group 1), that confined to the cortical branch (Group II), and cerebral hemorrhage (Group III). The common background factors for initial CVA were a history of hypertension, abnormal ECG findings, abnormality in the fundus of the eyes, and 121-199 mmHg/dl of fasting blood sugar in all groups. Groups I and II were characterized by comprising many patients with diabetic retinopathy, proteinuria, and hyperlipemia. In Group I, the patients tended to be young and managed unfavorably, and to have hypertriglyceremia, while patients in Group II were old and managed favorably and had frequently atrial fibrillation. Many patients in Group III had a history of diabetes mellitus over less than 5 years and were not managed for diabetes mellitus and hypertension. Prognosis was the most favorable in Group I. There was no background factor for prognosis in Group III. (Namekawa, K)

Standardized assessment of psychosocial factors and their influence on medically confirmed health outcomes in workers: a systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Rosário, Susel; Fonseca, João A; Nienhaus, Albert; da Costa, José Torres

2016-01-01

Previous studies of psychosocial work factors have indicated their importance for workers' health. However, to what extent health problems can be attributed to the nature of the work environment or other psychosocial factors is not clear. No previous systematic review has used inclusion criteria based on specific medical evaluation of work-related health outcomes and the use of validated instruments for the assessment of the psychosocial (work) environment. The aim of this systematic review is to summarize the evidence assessing the relationship between the psychosocial work environment and workers' health based on studies that used standardized and validated instruments to assess the psychosocial work environment and that focused on medically confirmed health outcomes. A systematic review of the literature was carried out by searching the databases PubMed, B-ON, Science Direct, Psycarticles, Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection and the search engine (Google Scholar) using appropriate words for studies published from 2004 to 2014. This review follows the recommendations of the Statement for Reporting Systematic Reviews (PRISMA). Studies were included in the review if data on psychosocial validated assessment method(s) for the study population and specific medical evaluation of health-related work outcome(s) were presented. In total, the search strategy yielded 10,623 references, of which 10 studies (seven prospective cohort and three cross-sectional) met the inclusion criteria. Most studies (7/10) observed an adverse effect of poor psychosocial work factors on workers' health: 3 on sickness absence, 4 on cardiovascular diseases. The other 3 studies reported detrimental effects on sleep and on disease-associated biomarkers. A more consistent effect was observed in studies of higher methodological quality that used a prospective design jointly with the use of validated instruments for the assessment of the psychosocial (work) environment and clinical

Kepler Confirmation of Multi-Planet Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Cochran, W. D.

2011-10-01

The NASA Kepler spacecraft has detected 170 candidate multi-planet systems in the first two quarters of data released in February 2011 by Borucki et al. (2011). These systems comprise 115 double candidate systems, 45 triple candidate sys- tems, and 10 systems with 4 or more candidate planets. The architecture and dynamics of these systems were discussed by Lissauer et al. (2011), and a comparison of candidates in single- and multi-planet systems was presented by Latham et al. (2011). Proceeding from "planetary candidate" systems to confirmed and validated multi-planet systems is a difficult process, as most of these systems orbit stars too faint to obtain extremely precise (1ms-1) radial velocity confimation. Here, we discuss in detail the use of transit timing vari- ations (cf. e.g. Holman et al., 2010) to confirm planets near a mean motion resonance. We also discuss extensions to the BLENDER validation (Torres et al., 2004, 2011; Fressin et al., 2011) to validate planets in multi-planet systems. Kepler was competitively selected as the tenth Discovery mission. Funding for the Kepler Mis- sion is provided by NASA's Science Mission Direc- torate. We are deeply grateful for the very hard work of the entire Kepler team.

Everolimus for Previously Treated Advanced Gastric Cancer: Results of the Randomized, Double-Blind, Phase III GRANITE-1 Study

Science.gov (United States)

Ohtsu, Atsushi; Ajani, Jaffer A.; Bai, Yu-Xian; Bang, Yung-Jue; Chung, Hyun-Cheol; Pan, Hong-Ming; Sahmoud, Tarek; Shen, Lin; Yeh, Kun-Huei; Chin, Keisho; Muro, Kei; Kim, Yeul Hong; Ferry, David; Tebbutt, Niall C.; Al-Batran, Salah-Eddin; Smith, Heind; Costantini, Chiara; Rizvi, Syed; Lebwohl, David; Van Cutsem, Eric

2013-01-01

Purpose The oral mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitor everolimus demonstrated promising efficacy in a phase II study of pretreated advanced gastric cancer. This international, double-blind, phase III study compared everolimus efficacy and safety with that of best supportive care (BSC) in previously treated advanced gastric cancer. Patients and Methods Patients with advanced gastric cancer that progressed after one or two lines of systemic chemotherapy were randomly assigned to everolimus 10 mg/d (assignment schedule: 2:1) or matching placebo, both given with BSC. Randomization was stratified by previous chemotherapy lines (one v two) and region (Asia v rest of the world [ROW]). Treatment continued until disease progression or intolerable toxicity. Primary end point was overall survival (OS). Secondary end points included progression-free survival (PFS), overall response rate, and safety. Results Six hundred fifty-six patients (median age, 62.0 years; 73.6% male) were enrolled. Median OS was 5.4 months with everolimus and 4.3 months with placebo (hazard ratio, 0.90; 95% CI, 0.75 to 1.08; P = .124). Median PFS was 1.7 months and 1.4 months in the everolimus and placebo arms, respectively (hazard ratio, 0.66; 95% CI, 0.56 to 0.78). Common grade 3/4 adverse events included anemia, decreased appetite, and fatigue. The safety profile was similar in patients enrolled in Asia versus ROW. Conclusion Compared with BSC, everolimus did not significantly improve overall survival for advanced gastric cancer that progressed after one or two lines of previous systemic chemotherapy. The safety profile observed for everolimus was consistent with that observed for everolimus in other cancers. PMID:24043745

WFC3 GRISM CONFIRMATION OF THE DISTANT CLUSTER Cl J1449+0856 AT (z) = 2.00: QUIESCENT AND STAR-FORMING GALAXY POPULATIONS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gobat, R.; Strazzullo, V.; Daddi, E. [Laboratoire AIM-Paris-Saclay, CEA/DSM-CNRS-Université Paris Diderot, Irfu/Service d' Astrophysique, CEA Saclay, Orme des Merisiers, F-91191 Gif sur Yvette (France); Onodera, M.; Carollo, M. [Institute for Astronomy, ETH Zürich Wolfgang-Pauli-strasse 27, 8093 Zürich (Switzerland); Renzini, A. [INAF-Osservatorio Astronomico di Padova Vicolo dell' Osservatorio 5, I-35122 Padova (Italy); Finoguenov, A. [University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 33 (Yliopistonkatu 4), FI-00014 Helsinki (Finland); Cimatti, A. [Università di Bologna, Dipartimento di Astronomia Via Ranzani 1, I-40127 Bologna (Italy); Scarlata, C. [School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Minnesota 116 Church Street Southeast, Minneapolis, MN 55455 (United States); Arimoto, N. [Subaru Telescope, National Astronomical Observatory of Japan 650 North A' ohoku Place, Hilo, HI 96720 (United States)

2013-10-10

We present deep Hubble Space Telescope Wide Field Camera 3 (HST/WFC3) slitless spectroscopic observations of the distant cluster Cl J1449+0856. These cover a single pointing with 18 orbits of G141 spectroscopy and F140W imaging, allowing us to derive secure redshifts down to M{sub 140} ∼ 25.5 AB and 3σ line fluxes of ∼5 × 10{sup –18} erg s{sup –1} cm{sup –2}. In particular, we were able to spectroscopically confirm 12 early-type galaxies (ETGs) in the field up to z ∼ 3, 6 of which are in the cluster core, which represents the first direct spectroscopic confirmation of quiescent galaxies in a z = 2 cluster environment. With 140 redshifts in a ∼6 arcmin{sup 2} field, we can trace the spatial and redshift galaxy distribution in the cluster core and background field. We find two strong peaks at z = 2.00 and z = 2.07, where only one was seen in our previously published ground-based data. Due to the spectroscopic confirmation of the cluster ETGs, we can now reevaluate the redshift of Cl J1449+0856 at z = 2.00, rather than z = 2.07, with the background overdensity being revealed to be sparse and {sup s}heet{sup -}like. This presents an interesting case of chance alignment of two close yet unrelated structures, each one preferentially selected by different observing strategies. With 6 quiescent or early-type spectroscopic members and 20 star-forming ones, Cl J1449+0856 is now reliably confirmed to be at z = 2.00. The identified members can now allow for a detailed study of galaxy properties in the densest environment at z = 2.

Central venous stenosis among hemodialysis patients is often not associated with previous central venous catheters.

Science.gov (United States)

Kotoda, Atsushi; Akimoto, Tetsu; Kato, Maki; Kanazawa, Hidenori; Nakata, Manabu; Sugase, Taro; Ogura, Manabu; Ito, Chiharu; Sugimoto, Hideharu; Muto, Shigeaki; Kusano, Eiji

2011-01-01

It is widely assumed that central venous stenosis (CVS) is most commonly associated with previous central venous catheterization among the chronic hemodialysis (HD) patients. We evaluated the validity of this assumption in this retrospective study. The clinical records from 2,856 consecutive HD patients with vascular access failure during a 5-year period were reviewed, and a total of 26 patients with symptomatic CVS were identified. Combined with radiological findings, their clinical characteristics were examined. Only seven patients had a history of internal jugular dialysis catheterization. Diagnostic multidetector row computed tomography angiography showed that 7 of the 19 patients with no history of catheterization had left innominate vein stenosis due to extrinsic compression between the sternum and arch vessels. These patients had a shorter period from the time of creation of the vascular access to the initial referral (9.2 ± 7.6 months) than the rest of the patients (35.5 ± 18.6 months, p = 0.0017). Our findings suggest that cases without a history of central venous catheterization may not be rare among the HD patients with symptomatic CVS. However, those still need to be confirm by larger prospective studies of overall chronic HD patients with symptomatic CVS.

The solids-flux theory--confirmation and extension by using partial differential equations.

Science.gov (United States)

Diehl, Stefan

2008-12-01

The solids-flux theory has been used for half a century as a tool for estimating concentration and fluxes in the design and operation of secondary settling tanks during stationary conditions. The flux theory means that the conservation of mass is used in one dimension together with the batch-settling flux function according to the Kynch assumption. The flux theory results correspond to stationary solutions of a partial differential equation, a conservation law, with discontinuous coefficients modelling the continuous-sedimentation process in one dimension. The mathematical analysis of such an equation is intricate, partly since it cannot be interpreted in the classical sense. Recent results, however, make it possible to partly confirm and extend the previous flux theory statements, partly draw new conclusions also on the dynamic behaviour and the possibilities and limitations for control. We use here a single example of an ideal settling tank and a given batch-settling flux in a whole series of calculations. The mathematical results are adapted towards the application and many of them are conveniently presented in terms of operating charts.

Response to health insurance by previously uninsured rural children.

Science.gov (United States)

Tilford, J M; Robbins, J M; Shema, S J; Farmer, F L

1999-08-01

To examine the healthcare utilization and costs of previously uninsured rural children. Four years of claims data from a school-based health insurance program located in the Mississippi Delta. All children who were not Medicaid-eligible or were uninsured, were eligible for limited benefits under the program. The 1987 National Medical Expenditure Survey (NMES) was used to compare utilization of services. The study represents a natural experiment in the provision of insurance benefits to a previously uninsured population. Premiums for the claims cost were set with little or no information on expected use of services. Claims from the insurer were used to form a panel data set. Mixed model logistic and linear regressions were estimated to determine the response to insurance for several categories of health services. The use of services increased over time and approached the level of utilization in the NMES. Conditional medical expenditures also increased over time. Actuarial estimates of claims cost greatly exceeded actual claims cost. The provision of a limited medical, dental, and optical benefit package cost approximately $20-$24 per member per month in claims paid. An important uncertainty in providing health insurance to previously uninsured populations is whether a pent-up demand exists for health services. Evidence of a pent-up demand for medical services was not supported in this study of rural school-age children. States considering partnerships with private insurers to implement the State Children's Health Insurance Program could lower premium costs by assembling basic data on previously uninsured children.

Laboratory-confirmed Congenital Rubella Syndrome at the ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Esem

ORIGINAL ARTICLE. Laboratory-confirmed Congenital Rubella Syndrome at the University Teaching Hospital in Lusaka,. Zambia-Case Reports. 1,2. 3. 3. 4 ... microcephaly. Rubella Immunoglobulin M (IgM) results were positive. The third case, a girl, was seen at twelve weeks and brought in for slow growth rate. On.

Language Outcomes in Deaf or Hard of Hearing Teenagers Who Are Spoken Language Users: Effects of Universal Newborn Hearing Screening and Early Confirmation.

Science.gov (United States)

Pimperton, Hannah; Kreppner, Jana; Mahon, Merle; Stevenson, Jim; Terlektsi, Emmanouela; Worsfold, Sarah; Yuen, Ho Ming; Kennedy, Colin R

This study aimed to examine whether (a) exposure to universal newborn hearing screening (UNHS) and b) early confirmation of hearing loss were associated with benefits to expressive and receptive language outcomes in the teenage years for a cohort of spoken language users. It also aimed to determine whether either of these two variables was associated with benefits to relative language gain from middle childhood to adolescence within this cohort. The participants were drawn from a prospective cohort study of a population sample of children with bilateral permanent childhood hearing loss, who varied in their exposure to UNHS and who had previously had their language skills assessed at 6-10 years. Sixty deaf or hard of hearing teenagers who were spoken language users and a comparison group of 38 teenagers with normal hearing completed standardized measures of their receptive and expressive language ability at 13-19 years. Teenagers exposed to UNHS did not show significantly better expressive (adjusted mean difference, 0.40; 95% confidence interval [CI], -0.26 to 1.05; d = 0.32) or receptive (adjusted mean difference, 0.68; 95% CI, -0.56 to 1.93; d = 0.28) language skills than those who were not. Those who had their hearing loss confirmed by 9 months of age did not show significantly better expressive (adjusted mean difference, 0.43; 95% CI, -0.20 to 1.05; d = 0.35) or receptive (adjusted mean difference, 0.95; 95% CI, -0.22 to 2.11; d = 0.42) language skills than those who had it confirmed later. In all cases, effect sizes were of small size and in favor of those exposed to UNHS or confirmed by 9 months. Subgroup analysis indicated larger beneficial effects of early confirmation for those deaf or hard of hearing teenagers without cochlear implants (N = 48; 80% of the sample), and these benefits were significant in the case of receptive language outcomes (adjusted mean difference, 1.55; 95% CI, 0.38 to 2.71; d = 0.78). Exposure to UNHS did not account for significant

Deductive Reasoning and Social Anxiety : Evidence for a Fear-confirming Belief Bias

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vroling, Maartje S.; de Jong, Peter J.

2009-01-01

This study investigated the relationship between belief bias and fear of negative evaluation. Belief bias refers to a bias in deductive reasoning that acts to confirm rather than falsify prior beliefs. Participants (N = 52) with varying levels of fear of negative evaluation completed a belief bias

Detection of alkaline phosphatase in canine cells previously stained with Wright-Giemsa and its utility in differentiating osteosarcoma from other mesenchymal tumors.

Science.gov (United States)

Ryseff, Julia K; Bohn, Andrea A

2012-09-01

Osteosarcoma (OSA) is a common primary bone tumor in dogs. Demonstration of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) reactivity by tumor cells on unstained slides is useful in differentiating osteosarcoma from other types of sarcoma. However, unstained slides are not always available. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the diagnostic utility of detecting ALP expression in differentiating osteosarcoma from other sarcomas in dogs using cytologic material previously stained with Wright-Giemsa stain and to assess the sensitivity and specificity of ALP expression for diagnosing osteosarcoma using a specific protocol. Archived aspirates of histologically confirmed sarcomas in dogs that had been previously stained with Wright-Giemsa stain were treated with 5-bromo, 4-chloro, 3-indolyl phosphate/nitroblue tetrazolium (BCIP/NBT) as a substrate for ALP. Cells were evaluated for expression of ALP after incubation with BCIP/NBT for 1 hour. Sensitivity and specificity of ALP expression for diagnosis of OSA were calculated. In samples from 83 dogs, cells from 15/17 OSAs and from 4/66 tumors other than OSA (amelanotic melanoma, gastrointestinal stromal tumor, collision tumor, and anaplastic sarcoma) expressed ALP. Sensitivity and specificity of ALP expression detected using BCIP/NBT substrate applied to cells previously stained with Wright-Giemsa stain for OSA were 88 and 94%, respectively. ALP expression detected using BCIP/NBT substrate applied to previously stained cells is useful in differentiating canine OSA from other mesenchymal neoplasms. © 2012 American Society for Veterinary Clinical Pathology.

Theory-Led Confirmation Bias and Experimental Persona

Science.gov (United States)

Allen, Michael

2011-01-01

Questionnaire and interview findings from a survey of three Year 8 (ages 12-13 years) science practical lessons (n = 52) demonstrate how pupils' data collection and inference making were sometimes biased by desires to confirm a personal theory. A variety of behaviours are described where learners knowingly rejected anomalies, manipulated…

Adherence to headache treatment and profile of previous health professional seeking among patients with chronic headache: a retrospective analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Krymchantowski, Abouch Valenty; Adriano, Marcus Vinicius; de Góes, Renemilda; Moreira, Pedro Ferreira; da Cunha Jevoux, Carla

2007-04-26

Chronic headache is common among patients in neurology clinics. Patients may suffer important economic and social losses because of headaches, which may result in high expectations for treatment outcomes. When their treatment goals are not reached quickly, treatment may be difficult to maintain and patients may consult with numerous health professionals. This retrospective study evaluated the relationship between treatment and the profiles of previous health professionals consulted by patients in a tertiary headache center. The records were reviewed of all patients from a headache center who were seen in initial consultation between January 2000 and June 2003. Data related to patient demographic characteristics (sex and age), headache diagnosis, and the profile (quality and quantity) of previous healthcare consultations exclusively related to headache, were collected. The headache diagnoses were confirmed according to the IHS criteria (1988) and to the Silberstein criteria (1994,1996). Although adherence includes taking the prescribed medicines, discontinuing overused symptomatic medications, and changing behavior, among other things, for this study, adherence was defined as when the patient returned at least 2 times within a 3- to 3.5-month period. Patients were separated into groups depending on the number of different healthcare professionals they had consulted, from none to more than 7. Data from 495 patients were analyzed; 357 were women and 138 were men (ages 6 to 90 years; mean, 41.1 +/- 15.05 years). The headache diagnoses included migraine without aura (43.2%), chronic (transformed) migraine (40%), cluster headache (6.5%), episodic tension-type headache (0.8%), and hemicrania continua (0.4%). The 24.2% of patients who sought care from no more than 1 health professional showed a 59.8% adherence rate; 29% of the total had consulted 7 or more health professionals and showed an adherence rate of 74.3% (P = .0004). In Brazil, the belief is widespread that

Confirmation tests of PWR surveillance capsule shipping container

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tomita, N.; Ue, K.; Ohashi, M.; Asada, K.; Yoneda, Y.

1980-01-01

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. carried out the confirmation tests to confirm the reliability of the PWR surveillance capsule shipping container and to collect cask design data using a 10-ton weight full scale model at Kobe Shipyard and Engine Works. This report presents the outline of these tests. The B Type container was a cylinder 3289 mm long, 1080 mm in diameter and designed in accordance with the new modified Japanese regulations similar to IAEA regulation. These tests consist of four 9 m drop tests, two 1 m puncture tests, a fire test and an immersion test. In conclusion, safetyness of this container has been proved and various technical data for cask design were also collected through these tests. (author)

Utilization of thin-layer chromatography for confirmational sampling during remedial excavation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Burton, P.J.

1996-01-01

Thin-layer chromatography (TLC) is a simple, efficient, inexpensive, and accurate method of chemical analysis. This method is applicable to field testing for confirming the limits of excavation during excavation of petroleum, oil, and/or lubricant (POL) contamination. Traditionally, excavation at contaminated sites suffers from a time delay due to the need to obtain laboratory confirmation of the limits of excavation. All suspected contaminated material is removed for stockpiling or remediation. The remaining soils need to be sampled to confirm that no contaminated material remains in the excavation. The site scientist collects samples and sends them out for analysis at a certified laboratory. The laboratory requires, even for a rush order, several days to analyze the samples. This time delay interferes with the efficiency of the operation. The excavations either have to be left open (which is a safety hazard) or reopened if additional material must be excavated. TLC samples can be collected and analyzed in several hours allowing for a short turnaround time for analytical results. The TLC method can be easily performed by a technician. Results of a case study from a subarctic Alaskan site will be reported. Simple operational TLC procedures will be shared. The equipment required for TLC analysis will be outlined. Correlation data between TLC and laboratory analysis will be presented

Confirmation of Maslow's Hypothesis of Synergy: Developing an Acceptance of Selfishness at the Workplace Scale.

Science.gov (United States)

Takaki, Jiro; Taniguchi, Toshiyo; Fujii, Yasuhito

2016-04-30

This study aimed to develop a new Acceptance of Selfishness at the Workplace Scale (ASWS) and to confirm Maslow's hypothesis of synergy: if both a sense of contribution and acceptance of selfishness at the workplace are high, workers are psychologically healthy. In a cross-sectional study with employees of three Japanese companies, 656 workers answered a self-administered questionnaire on paper completely (response rate = 66.8%). Each questionnaire was submitted to us in a sealed envelope and analyzed. The ASWS indicated high internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.86). Significant (p Maslow's hypothesis of synergy was confirmed.

[TECOS: confirmation of the cardiovascular safety of sitaliptin].

Science.gov (United States)

Scheen, A J; Paquot, N

2015-10-01

The cardiovascular safety of sitagliptin has been evaluated in TECOS ("Trial Evaluating Cardiovascular Outcomes with Sitagliptin"). TECOS recruited patients with type 2 diabetes and a history of cardiovascular disease who received, as add-on to their usual therapy, either sitagliptin (n = 7.257) or placebo (n = 7.266), with a median follow-up of 3 years. The primary cardiovascular outcome was a composite of cardiovascular death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, nonfatal stroke, or hospitalization for unstable angina. Sitagliptin was noninferior to placebo for the primary composite cardiovascular outcome (hazard ratio, 0.98; 95% confidence interval, 0.88 to 1.09; P<0.001). Rates of hospitalization for heart failure did not differ between the two groups (hazard ratio, 1.00; 95% CI, 0.83 to 1.20; P=0.98). The cardiovascular safety of sitagliptin, which was already shown in meta-analyses of phase II-III randomised controlled trials and in observational cohort studies in real life, is now confirmed in the landmark prospective cardiovascular outcome study TECOS.

Autopsy-confirmed hippocampal-sparing Alzheimer's disease with delusional jealousy as initial manifestation.

Science.gov (United States)

Fujishiro, Hiroshige; Iritani, Shuji; Hattori, Miho; Sekiguchi, Hirotaka; Matsunaga, Shinji; Habuchi, Chikako; Torii, Youta; Umeda, Kentaro; Ozaki, Norio; Yoshida, Mari; Fujita, Kiyoshi

2015-09-01

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is clinically characterized by gradual onset over years with worsening of cognition. The initial and most prominent cognitive deficit is commonly memory dysfunction. However, a subset of AD cases has less hippocampal atrophy than would be expected relative to the predominance of cortical atrophy. These hippocampal-sparing cases have distinctive clinical features, including the presence of focal cortical clinical syndromes. Given that previous studies have indicated that severe hippocampal atrophy corresponds to prominent loss of episodic memory, it is likely that memory impairment is initially absent in hippocampal-sparing AD cases. Here, we report on a patient with an 8-year history of delusional jealousy with insidious onset who was clinically diagnosed as possible AD and pathologically confirmed to have AD with relatively preserved neurons in the hippocampus. This patient had delusional jealousy with a long pre-dementia stage, which initially was characterized by lack of memory impairment. Head magnetic resonance imaging findings showed preserved hippocampal volume with bilateral enlarged ventricles and mild-to-moderate cortical atrophy. Head single-photon emission computed tomography revealed severely decreased regional cerebral blood flow in the right temporal lobe. The resolution of the delusion was attributed to pharmacotherapy by an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor, suggesting that the occurrence of delusional jealousy was due to the disease process of AD. Although the neural basis of delusional jealousy remains unclear, this hippocampal-sparing AD case may be classified as an atypical presentation of AD. © 2015 The Authors. Psychogeriatrics © 2015 Japanese Psychogeriatric Society.

Predictive factors for the development of diabetes in women with previous gestational diabetes mellitus

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Damm, P.; Kühl, C.; Bertelsen, Aksel

1992-01-01

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence of diabetes in women with previous dietary-treated gestational diabetes mellitus and to identify predictive factors for development of diabetes. STUDY DESIGN: Two to 11 years post partum, glucose tolerance was investigated in 241...... women with previous dietary-treated gestational diabetes mellitus and 57 women without previous gestational diabetes mellitus (control group). RESULTS: Diabetes developed in 42 (17.4%) women with previous gestational diabetes mellitus (3.7% insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus and 13.7% non...... of previous patients with gestational diabetes mellitus in whom plasma insulin was measured during an oral glucose tolerance test in late pregnancy a low insulin response at diagnosis was found to be an independent predictive factor for diabetes development. CONCLUSIONS: Women with previous dietary...

CONFIRMATION OF THE MATHEMATICAL MODEL ADEQUACY OF A LINEAR SYNCHRONOUS MOTOR

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

V. F. Novikov

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Purpose.To reduce labor costs and the amount of computer time in the design of linear synchronous motors with excitation from a source of a constant magnetic field of high-speed ground transportation it is necessary to use engineering methods. The purpose of this study is to confirm the adequacy of the previously proposed mathematical model of this engine and assumptions. It is also intended to confirm the possibility of applying the method of calculation of traction that occurs in the engine in the interaction of the permanent magnetic field of the excitation system of a vehicle with a coil track structure.Methodology. As for empirical theories the positive result of the experiment is not absolute proof of the truth, for an unambiguous conclusion about the adequacy of the developed model and the effectiveness of the developed methods need to be tested for falsification. In accordance with this criterion, it is necessary to conduct an experiment, the results of which will coincide with the calculation but you also need to avoid errors caused by random coincidences. For this purpose the experiments with varying parameters are conducted. Findings. In a critical experiment configuration changes of the excitation system were held so that the shape dependence of traction from displacement is differed significantly. The comparison of the results of the calculated and experimental values of traction for different configurations showed that the differences are minor and easily explained by measurement error and uneven gaps between the poles and excitation coils of the track structure. Originality. The adequacy of the mathematical model of a linear synchronous motor without a ferromagnetic magnetic circuit and the assumptions and applicability of the calculation method of traction forces involved in it, at the interaction of a permanent magnetic field of the excitation system of a vehicle with a coil track structure were proved. This proof is built on

Eight previously unidentified mutations found in the OA1 ocular albinism gene

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dufier Jean-Louis

2006-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Ocular albinism type 1 (OA1 is an X-linked ocular disorder characterized by a severe reduction in visual acuity, nystagmus, hypopigmentation of the retinal pigmented epithelium, foveal hypoplasia, macromelanosomes in pigmented skin and eye cells, and misrouting of the optical tracts. This disease is primarily caused by mutations in the OA1 gene. Methods The ophthalmologic phenotype of the patients and their family members was characterized. We screened for mutations in the OA1 gene by direct sequencing of the nine PCR-amplified exons, and for genomic deletions by PCR-amplification of large DNA fragments. Results We sequenced the nine exons of the OA1 gene in 72 individuals and found ten different mutations in seven unrelated families and three sporadic cases. The ten mutations include an amino acid substitution and a premature stop codon previously reported by our team, and eight previously unidentified mutations: three amino acid substitutions, a duplication, a deletion, an insertion and two splice-site mutations. The use of a novel Taq polymerase enabled us to amplify large genomic fragments covering the OA1 gene. and to detect very likely six distinct large deletions. Furthermore, we were able to confirm that there was no deletion in twenty one patients where no mutation had been found. Conclusion The identified mutations affect highly conserved amino acids, cause frameshifts or alternative splicing, thus affecting folding of the OA1 G protein coupled receptor, interactions of OA1 with its G protein and/or binding with its ligand.

Genotyping-By-Sequencing (GBS) Detects Genetic Structure and Confirms Behavioral QTL in Tame and Aggressive Foxes (Vulpes vulpes).

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, Jennifer L; Wittgenstein, Helena; Mitchell, Sharon E; Hyma, Katie E; Temnykh, Svetlana V; Kharlamova, Anastasiya V; Gulevich, Rimma G; Vladimirova, Anastasiya V; Fong, Hiu Wa Flora; Acland, Gregory M; Trut, Lyudmila N; Kukekova, Anna V

2015-01-01

The silver fox (Vulpes vulpes) offers a novel model for studying the genetics of social behavior and animal domestication. Selection of foxes, separately, for tame and for aggressive behavior has yielded two strains with markedly different, genetically determined, behavioral phenotypes. Tame strain foxes are eager to establish human contact while foxes from the aggressive strain are aggressive and difficult to handle. These strains have been maintained as separate outbred lines for over 40 generations but their genetic structure has not been previously investigated. We applied a genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS) approach to provide insights into the genetic composition of these fox populations. Sequence analysis of EcoT22I genomic libraries of tame and aggressive foxes identified 48,294 high quality SNPs. Population structure analysis revealed genetic divergence between the two strains and more diversity in the aggressive strain than in the tame one. Significant differences in allele frequency between the strains were identified for 68 SNPs. Three of these SNPs were located on fox chromosome 14 within an interval of a previously identified behavioral QTL, further supporting the importance of this region for behavior. The GBS SNP data confirmed that significant genetic diversity has been preserved in both fox populations despite many years of selective breeding. Analysis of SNP allele frequencies in the two populations identified several regions of genetic divergence between the tame and aggressive foxes, some of which may represent targets of selection for behavior. The GBS protocol used in this study significantly expanded genomic resources for the fox, and can be adapted for SNP discovery and genotyping in other canid species.

49 CFR 173.23 - Previously authorized packaging.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 49 Transportation 2 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Previously authorized packaging. 173.23 Section... REQUIREMENTS FOR SHIPMENTS AND PACKAGINGS Preparation of Hazardous Materials for Transportation § 173.23 Previously authorized packaging. (a) When the regulations specify a packaging with a specification marking...

Reorientation-effect measurement of the first 2+ state in 12C: Confirmation of oblate deformation

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar Raju, M.; Orce, J. N.; Navrátil, P.; Ball, G. C.; Drake, T. E.; Triambak, S.; Hackman, G.; Pearson, C. J.; Abrahams, K. J.; Akakpo, E. H.; Al Falou, H.; Churchman, R.; Cross, D. S.; Djongolov, M. K.; Erasmus, N.; Finlay, P.; Garnsworthy, A. B.; Garrett, P. E.; Jenkins, D. G.; Kshetri, R.; Leach, K. G.; Masango, S.; Mavela, D. L.; Mehl, C. V.; Mokgolobotho, M. J.; Ngwetsheni, C.; O'Neill, G. G.; Rand, E. T.; Sjue, S. K. L.; Sumithrarachchi, C. S.; Svensson, C. E.; Tardiff, E. R.; Williams, S. J.; Wong, J.

2018-02-01

A Coulomb-excitation reorientation-effect measurement using the TIGRESS γ-ray spectrometer at the TRIUMF/ISAC II facility has permitted the determination of the 〈 21+ ‖ E 2 ˆ ‖21+ 〉 diagonal matrix element in 12C from particle-γ coincidence data and state-of-the-art no-core shell model calculations of the nuclear polarizability. The nuclear polarizability for the ground and first-excited (21+) states in 12C have been calculated using chiral NN N4LO500 and NN+3NF350 interactions, which show convergence and agreement with photo-absorption cross-section data. Predictions show a change in the nuclear polarizability with a substantial increase between the ground state and first excited 21+ state at 4.439 MeV. The polarizability of the 21+ state is introduced into the current and previous Coulomb-excitation reorientation-effect analyses of 12C. Spectroscopic quadrupole moments of QS (21+) = + 0.053 (44) eb and QS (21+) = + 0.08 (3) eb are determined, respectively, yielding a weighted average of QS (21+) = + 0.071 (25) eb, in agreement with recent ab initio calculations. The present measurement confirms that the 21+ state of 12C is oblate and emphasizes the important role played by the nuclear polarizability in Coulomb-excitation studies of light nuclei.

The job satisfaction of principals of previously disadvantaged schools

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The aim of this study was to identify influences on the job satisfaction of previously disadvantaged ..... I am still riding the cloud … I hope it lasts. .... as a way of creating a climate and culture in schools where individuals are willing to explore.

22 CFR 40.91 - Certain aliens previously removed.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 22 Foreign Relations 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Certain aliens previously removed. 40.91... IMMIGRANTS UNDER THE IMMIGRATION AND NATIONALITY ACT, AS AMENDED Aliens Previously Removed § 40.91 Certain aliens previously removed. (a) 5-year bar. An alien who has been found inadmissible, whether as a result...

Is email a reliable means of contacting authors of previously published papers? A study of the Emergency Medicine Journal for 2001.

Science.gov (United States)

O'Leary, F

2003-07-01

To determine whether it is possible to contact authors of previously published papers via email. A cross sectional study of the Emergency Medicine Journal for 2001. 118 articles were included in the study. The response rate from those with valid email addresses was 73%. There was no statistical difference between the type of email address used and the address being invalid (p=0.392) or between the type of article and the likelihood of a reply (p=0.197). More responses were obtained from work addresses when compared with Hotmail addresses (86% v 57%, p=0.02). Email is a valid means of contacting authors of previously published articles, particularly within the emergency medicine specialty. A work based email address may be a more valid means of contact than a Hotmail address.

Does the patients′ educational level and previous counseling affect their medication knowledge?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abdulmalik M Alkatheri

2013-01-01

Conclusions: The education level of the patient and previous counseling are positively linked to medication knowledge. Knowledge of the medications′ side effects proved to be the most difficult task for the participants in this study, requiring the highest level of education, and was improved by previous counseling.

Confirm calculation of 12 MeV non-destructive testing electron linear accelerator target

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ma Shudong; Zhang Rutong; Guo Yanbin; Zhou Yuan; Li Xuexian; Chen Yan

2012-01-01

The confirm calculation of 12 MeV non-destructive testing (NDT) electron linear accelerator (LINAC) target was studied. Firstly, the most optimal target thickness and related photon dose yield, distributions of dose rate, and related photon conversion efficiencies were got by calculation with specific analysis of the physical mechanism of the interactions between the beam and target; Secondly, the photon dose rate distribution, converter efficiencies, and thickness of various kinds of targets, such as W, Au, Ta, etc. were verified by MCNP simulation and the most optimal target was got using the MCNP code; Lastly, the calculation results of theory and MCNP were compared to confirm the validity of target calculation. (authors)

Objective confirmation of asthma diagnosis improves medication adherence

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Backer, V; Stensen, L; Sverrild, A

2017-01-01

OBJECTIVE: The impact of diagnostic work-up in asthma management on medication redemption and probably also drug adherence is largely unknown, but we hypothesized that a confirmed diagnosis of asthma in a hospital-based out-patient clinic increases the willingness to subsequent medication...... redemption in a real life setting. METHODS: In a retrospective register-based study, 300 medical records of patients referred with possible asthma during one year were examined, of whom 171 had asthma (57%). One-year data on dispensed medicine was collected using the Danish Registry of Medicinal Product...... more frequently prescribed new therapy compared to those with unverified asthma (88.9% vs. 65.0%, respectively, p time redemption of prescriptions (72% vs. 64%, respectively, p = 0.3), whereas the second (52% vs. 27%, p = 0.001) and third or more asthma...

Previous treatment, sputum-smear nonconversion, and suburban living: The risk factors of multidrugresistant tuberculosis among Malaysians

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Noorsuzana Mohd Shariff

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The number of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis patients is increasing each year in many countries all around the globe. Malaysia has no exception in facing this burdensome health problem. We aimed to investigate the factors that contribute to the occurrence of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis among Malaysian tuberculosis patients. An unmatched case-control study was conducted among tuberculosis patients who received antituberculosis treatments from April 2013 until April 2014. Cases are those diagnosed as pulmonary tuberculosis patients clinically, radiologically, and/or bacteriologically, and who were confirmed to be resistant to both isoniazid and rifampicin through drug-sensitivity testing. On the other hand, pulmonary tuberculosis patients who were sensitive to all first-line antituberculosis drugs and were treated during the same time period served as controls. A total of 150 tuberculosis patients were studied, of which the susceptible cases were 120. Factors found to be significantly associated with the occurrence of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis are being Indian or Chinese (odds ratio 3.17, 95% confidence interval 1.04–9.68; and odds ratio 6.23, 95% confidence interval 2.24–17.35, respectively, unmarried (odds ratio 2.58, 95% confidence interval 1.09–6.09, living in suburban areas (odds ratio 2.58, 95% confidence interval 1.08–6.19, are noncompliant (odds ratio 4.50, 95% confidence interval 1.71–11.82, were treated previously (odds ratio 8.91, 95% confidence interval 3.66–21.67, and showed positive sputum smears at the 2nd (odds ratio 7.00, 95% confidence interval 2.46–19.89 and 6th months of treatment (odds ratio 17.96, 95% confidence interval 3.51–91.99. Living in suburban areas, positive sputum smears in the 2nd month of treatment, and was treated previously are factors that independently contribute to the occurrence of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis. Those with positive smears in the second month of treatment

SONOGRAPHIC PREDICTION OF SCAR DEHISCENCE IN WOMEN WITH PREVIOUS CAESAREAN SECTION

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Shubhada Suhas Jajoo

2018-01-01

Full Text Available BACKGROUND Caesarean section (Sectio Caesarea is a surgical method for the completion of delivery. After various historical modifications of operative techniques, modern approach consists in the transverse dissection of the anterior wall of the uterus. The rate of vaginal birth after caesarean section was significantly reduced from year to year and the rate of repeated caesarean section is increased during the past 10 years. Evaluation of scar thickness is done by ultrasound, but it is still debatable size of thick scar that would be guiding “cut-off value” for the completion of the delivery method. To better assess the risk of uterine rupture, some authors have proposed sonographic measurement of lower uterine segment thickness near term assuming that there is an inverse correlation between LUS thickness and the risk of uterine scar defect. Therefore, this assessment for the management of women with prior CS may increase safety during labour by selecting women with the lowest risk of uterine rupture. The aim of the study is to study the diagnostic accuracy of sonographic measurements of the Lower Uterine Segment (LUS thickness near term in predicting uterine scar defects in women with prior Caesarean Section (CS. We aim to ascertain the best cut-off values for predicting uterine rupture. MATERIALS AND METHODS 100 antenatal women with history of previous one LSCS who come to attend antenatal clinic will be assessed for scar thickness by transabdominal ultrasonography and its correlation with intraoperative findings. This prospective longitudinal study was conducted for 1 year after IEC approval with inclusion criteria previous one LSCS. Exclusion criteria- 1 Previous myomectomy scar; 2 Previous 2 LSCS; 3 Previous hysterotomy scar. RESULTS Our findings indicate that there is a strong association between degree of LUS thinning measured near term and the risk of uterine scar defect at birth. In our study, optimal cut-off value for predicting

Local recurrence risk after previous salvage mastectomy.

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Tanabe, M; Iwase, T; Okumura, Y; Yoshida, A; Masuda, N; Nakatsukasa, K; Shien, T; Tanaka, S; Komoike, Y; Taguchi, T; Arima, N; Nishimura, R; Inaji, H; Ishitobi, M

2016-07-01

Breast-conserving surgery is a standard treatment for early breast cancer. For ipsilateral breast tumor recurrence (IBTR) after breast-conserving surgery, salvage mastectomy is the current standard surgical procedure. However, it is not rare for patients with IBTR who have received salvage mastectomy to develop local recurrence. In this study, we examined the risk factors of local recurrence after salvage mastectomy for IBTR. A total of 118 consecutive patients who had histologically confirmed IBTR without distant metastases and underwent salvage mastectomy without irradiation for IBTR between 1989 and 2008 were included from eight institutions in Japan. The risk factors of local recurrence were assessed. The median follow-up period from salvage mastectomy for IBTR was 4.6 years. Patients with pN2 or higher on diagnosis of the primary tumor showed significantly poorer local recurrence-free survival than those with pN0 or pN1 at primary tumor (p mastectomy for IBTR. Further research and validation studies are needed. (UMIN-CTR number UMIN000008136). Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The French methodology for EBS confirmation and demonstration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Plas, F.; Voinis, S.; Mayer, S.

2007-01-01

The December 30, 1991 French Waste Act entrusted ANDRA, the French national agency for radioactive waste management, with the task of assessing the feasibility of deep geological disposal of high- and medium-level long-lived waste (HLW and ILW, respectively C-waste and B-waste types in French) plus spent fuel (CU in French). In that context, the 'Dossier 2005 Argile' submitted by ANDRA presents the feasibility assessment - with regard to the technical capacity to accommodate all wastes, to reversibility, and to safety - of a radioactive waste disposal in a clay formation studied at the Meuse/Haute-Marne URL. This report was built upon an iterative approach between site characterisation, design, modelling, phenomenological analysis and safety analysis, in which two principles always guided the elaboration of the safety case: the principle of robustness - repository components must maintain their functionality given reasonable solicitations, taking into account uncertainties on the nature and level of these solicitations; and the principle of demonstrability - safety must be verified without requiring complex demonstrations, and based on multiple lines of evidence/argument (numerical simulation, qualitative arguments such as use of natural analogues, experiments and technological demonstrators). In that respect, the EBS definition, demonstration and confirmation of design is a part of the overall safety case. The 'Dossier 2005 Argile' was submitted to three independent peer reviews. The aim. of this article is to present the methodology that ANDRA implemented in the context of 'Dossier 2005 Argile' for defining, demonstrating and confirming the EBS design as well as the future programme with respect with the new Act of 28 June 2006. (author)

A novel CYBB mutation with the first genetically confirmed case of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

A case of a child with chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) presenting with recurrent mycobacterial infections and invasive Aspergillus fumigatus disease is described. Genetic analysis confirmed X-linked CGD with a novel mutation in exon 10 of the CYBB gene – the first South African report of genetically confirmed CGD.

Pathological confirmation of nerve-sparing types performed during robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP).

Science.gov (United States)

Ko, Woo Jin; Hruby, Gregory W; Turk, Andrew T; Landman, Jaime; Badani, Ketan K

2013-03-01

WHAT'S KNOWN ON THE SUBJECT? AND WHAT DOES THE STUDY ADD?: Incremental nerve-sparing techniques (NSTs) improve postoperative erectile function after robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP). However, there are no studies to date that histologically confirm the surgeon intended NST. Thus, in the present study, we histologically confirmed that the surgeon performed the nerve preservation as his intended NSTs during RARP. Also, we found that there was more variability in fascia width outcome on the left side compared with the right. Therefore, when performing nerve preservation on the surgeon's non-dominant side, we need to pay more close attention. To confirm that the surgeon achieved true intended histological nerve sparing during robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) by studying RP specimens. To aid the novice robotic surgeon to develop the skills of RARP. Between June 2008 and May 2009, 122 consecutive patients underwent RARP by a single surgeon (K.K.B.). The degree of nerve sparing (wide resection [WR], interfascial nerve sparing [ITE-NS], intrafascial nerve sparing [ITR-NS]) on both sides was recorded. The posterior sectors of RP specimens from distal, mid, and proximal parts were evaluated. Fascia width (FW) of each position in RP specimens were compared across nerve-sparing types (NSTs). FW was recorded at 15 ° intervals (3-9 o'clock position), measured as the distance between the outermost prostate gland and surgical margin. The slides were reviewed by an experienced uropathologist who was 'blinded' to the NST. In all, 93 men were included. The overall mean (sd) FW was the greatest in the order of WR, ITE-NS, and ITR-NS, at 2.42 (1.62), 1.71 (1.40) and 1.16 (1.08) mm, respectively (P ITE-NS, bilateral ITE-NS, ITE-NS/WR, and bilateral WR, respectively. To further validate and confirm these preliminary findings, additional studies involving multicentre cohorts would be required. The surgeon intended dissection and FW correlate, with ITR

Histopathology confirms white-nose syndrome in bats in Europe.

Science.gov (United States)

Pikula, Jiri; Bandouchova, Hana; Novotny, Ladislav; Meteyer, Carol U; Zukal, Jan; Irwin, Nancy R; Zima, Jan; Martínková, Natália

2012-01-01

White-nose syndrome, associated with the fungal skin infection geomycosis, caused regional population collapse in bats in North America. Our results, based on histopathology, show the presence of white-nose syndrome in Europe. Dermatohistopathology on two bats (Myotis myotis) found dead in March 2010 with geomycosis in the Czech Republic had characteristics resembling Geomyces destructans infection in bats confirmed with white-nose syndrome in US hibernacula. In addition, a live M. myotis, biopsied for histopathology during hibernation in April 2011, had typical fungal infection with cupping erosion and invasion of muzzle skin diagnostic for white-nose syndrome and conidiospores identical to G. destructans that were genetically confirmed as G. destructans.

Heat Flux Inhibition by Whistlers: Experimental Confirmation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eichler, D.

2002-01-01

Heat flux in weakly magnetized collisionless plasma is, according to theoretical predictions, limited by whistler turbulence that is generated by heat flux instabilities near threshold. Observations of solar wind electrons by Gary and coworkers appear to confirm the limit on heat flux as being roughly the product of the magnetic energy density and the electron thermal velocity, in agreement with prediction (Pistinner and Eichler 1998)

The price of information: Increased inspection costs reduce the confirmation bias in visual search.

Science.gov (United States)

Rajsic, Jason; Wilson, Daryl E; Pratt, Jay

2018-04-01

In visual search, there is a confirmation bias such that attention is biased towards stimuli that match a target template, which has been attributed to covert costs of updating the templates that guide search [Rajsic, Wilson, & Pratt, 2015. Confirmation bias in visual search. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance. Advance online publication. doi:10.1037/xhp0000090]. In order to provide direct evidence for this speculation, the present study increased the cost of inspections in search by using gaze- and mouse-contingent searches, which restrict the manner in which information in search displays can be accrued, and incur additional motor costs (in the case of mouse-contingent searches). In a fourth experiment, we rhythmically mask elements in the search display to induce temporal inspection costs. Our results indicated that confirmation bias is indeed attenuated when inspection costs are increased. We conclude that confirmation bias results from the low-cost strategy of matching information to a single, concrete visual template, and that more sophisticated guidance strategies will be used when sufficiently beneficial. This demonstrates that search guidance itself comes at a cost, and that the form of guidance adopted in a given search depends on a comparison between guidance costs and the expected benefits of their implementation.

The job satisfaction of principals of previously disadvantaged schools

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The aim of this study was to identify influences on the job satisfaction of previously disadvantaged school principals in North-West Province. Evans's theory of job satisfaction, morale and motivation was useful as a conceptual framework. A mixedmethods explanatory research design was important in discovering issues with ...

Cross-cultural analysis of teacher confirmation, student motivation, classroom emotion and emotional interest in China, Korea and Japan

OpenAIRE

Shen, Tingting

2016-01-01

This study investigates the relationship between teacher confirmation and student motivation across three cultures: China, Korea, and Japan and studies how classroom emotion and emotional interest influence this relationship in three different countries. Students in China (n=718), Korea (n=362), and Japan (n=350) completed questionnaires assessing their perceived teacher confirmation, student motivation, classroom emotion and emotional interest. Results of these samples indicate that teacher ...

Doxorubicin and ifosfamide combination chemotherapy in previously treated acute leukemia in adults: a Southwest Oncology Group pilot study.

Science.gov (United States)

Ryan, D H; Bickers, J N; Vial, R H; Hussein, K; Bottomley, R; Hewlett, J S; Wilson, H E; Stuckey, W J

1980-01-01

The Southwest Oncology Group did a limited institutional pilot study of the combination of doxorubicin and ifosfamide in the treatment of previously treated adult patients with acute leukemia. Thirty-four patients received one or two courses of the combination. All patients had received prior chemotherapy and 32 had received prior anthracycline chemotherapy. Three patients died before their responses could be fully evaluated. Fourteen patients achieved complete remission (41%) and one patient achieved partial remission. The complete remission rate was 27% for patients with acute myeloblastic leukemia (myelomonoblastic leukemia, monoblastic leukemia, and erythroleukemia) and 89% for patients with acute lymphocytic and undifferentiated leukemia (ALL). Toxic effects included severe hematologic reactions in 33 of 34 patients, hematuria in six patients, altered sensorium in one patient, and congestive heart failure in one patient. The safety of the combination was established and toxic side effects of this therapy were tolerable. The 89% complete remission rate for previously treated patients with ALL suggests that the combination of doxorubicin and ifosfamide may be particularly effective in ALL.

Survey of herbal cannabis (marijuana) use in rheumatology clinic attenders with a rheumatologist confirmed diagnosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Ste-Marie, Peter A; Shir, Yoram; Rampakakis, Emmanouil; Sampalis, John S; Karellis, Angela; Cohen, Martin; Starr, Michael; Ware, Mark A; Fitzcharles, Mary-Ann

2016-12-01

Cannabinoids may hold potential for the management of rheumatic pain. Arthritis, often self-reported, is commonly cited as the reason for the use of medicinal herbal cannabis (marijuana). We have examined the prevalence of marijuana use among 1000 consecutive rheumatology patients with a rheumatologist-confirmed diagnosis and compared in an exploratory manner the clinical characteristics of medicinal users and nonusers. Current marijuana use, medicinal or recreational, was reported by 38 patients (3.8%; 95% CI: 2.8-5.2). Ever use of marijuana for medical purposes was reported by 4.3% (95% CI: 3.2-5.7), with 28 (2.8%; 95% CI: 1.9-4.0) reporting current medicinal use. Current medicinal users had a spectrum of rheumatic conditions, with over half diagnosed with osteoarthritis. Medicinal users were younger, more likely unemployed or disabled, and reported poorer global health. Pain report and opioid use was greater for users, but they had similar physician global assessment of disease status compared with nonusers. Medicinal users were more likely previous recreational users, with approximately 40% reporting concurrent recreational use. Therefore, less than 3% of rheumatology patients reported current use of medicinal marijuana. This low rate of use in patients with a rheumatologist-confirmed diagnosis is in stark contrast to the high rates of severe arthritis frequently reported by medicinal marijuana users, especially in Canada. Familiarity with marijuana as a recreational product may explain use for some as disease status was similar for both groups.

Improved Safety and Efficacy of Small-Bore Feeding Tube Confirmation Using an Electromagnetic Placement Device.

Science.gov (United States)

Powers, Jan; Luebbehusen, Michael; Aguirre, Lillian; Cluff, Julia; David, Mary Ann; Holly, Vince; Linford, Lorraine; Park, Nancy; Brunelle, Rocco

2018-04-01

Early enteral nutrition has been shown to decrease complications and improve patient outcomes. Post pyloric feeding is recommended for patients with gastric intolerance or at high risk for aspiration. Feeding tube placement can be challenging and pose risk of pulmonary complications. Reliance on radiographic confirmation for feeding tube placement exposes the patient to radiation. Electromagnetic placement device (EMPD) may offer a method to minimize pulmonary complications, increase successful placement, and decrease radiation exposure to the patient. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of using EMPD verification, instead of routine abdominal radiographic confirmation, for small-bore feeding tube placement. Variables evaluated were adverse events, utilization of radiographs for confirmation, and success rate of feeding tube placement in the ordered location. Two time frames were reviewed. In a 1-year period, 3754 small-bore feeding tubes were placed using EMPD, with zero adverse events noted. Radiographic confirmation was utilized in 0%-29.2% of the EMPD placed tubes. Successful placement of feeding tubes using EMPD ranged from 94%-99.6%. During a 5-year period, 7081 EMPD feeding tubes were evaluated. One adverse event, pneumothorax, occurred during the placement of these 7081 tubes, for a rate of 0.014%. Feeding tube placement confirmation is safe and efficacious via EMPD providing an effective method of feeding tube placement with a success rate >94% into the desired location. EMPD is an accurate verification method of distal tip location, eliminating the need for routine abdominal radiographic confirmation. © 2018 American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition.

ATLANTIC DIP: simplifying the follow-up of women with previous gestational diabetes.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Noctor, E

2013-11-01

Previous gestational diabetes (GDM) is associated with a significant lifetime risk of type 2 diabetes. In this study, we assessed the performance of HbA1c and fasting plasma glucose (FPG) measurements against that of 75 g oral glucose tolerance testing (OGTT) for the follow-up screening of women with previous GDM.

Further investigation of confirmed urinary tract infection (UTI in children under five years: a systematic review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cooper Julie

2005-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Further investigation of confirmed UTI in children aims to prevent renal scarring and future complications. Methods We conducted a systematic review to determine the most effective approach to the further investigation of confirmed urinary tract infection (UTI in children under five years of age. Results 73 studies were included. Many studies had methodological limitations or were poorly reported. Effectiveness of further investigations: One study found that routine imaging did not lead to a reduction in recurrent UTIs or renal scarring. Diagnostic accuracy: The studies do not support the use of less invasive tests such as ultrasound as an alternative to renal scintigraphy, either to rule out infection of the upper urinary tract (LR- = 0.57, 95%CI: 0.47, 0.68 and thus to exclude patients from further investigation or to detect renal scarring (LR+ = 3.5, 95% CI: 2.5, 4.8. None of the tests investigated can accurately predict the development of renal scarring. The available evidence supports the consideration of contrast-enhanced ultrasound techniques for detecting vesico-ureteric reflux (VUR, as an alternative to micturating cystourethrography (MCUG (LR+ = 14.1, 95% CI: 9.5, 20.8; LR- = 0.20, 95%CI: 0.13, 0.29; these techniques have the advantage of not requiring exposure to ionising radiation. Conclusion There is no evidence to support the clinical effectiveness of routine investigation of children with confirmed UTI. Primary research on the effectiveness, in terms of improved patient outcome, of testing at all stages in the investigation of confirmed urinary tract infection is urgently required.

[Confirming Indicators of Qualitative Results by Chromatography-mass Spectrometry in Biological Samples].

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, S D; Zhang, D M; Zhang, W; Zhang, W F

2017-04-01

Because of the exist of complex matrix, the confirming indicators of qualitative results for toxic substances in biological samples by chromatography-mass spectrometry are different from that in non-biological samples. Even in biological samples, the confirming indicators are different in various application areas. This paper reviews the similarities and differences of confirming indicators for the analyte in biological samples by chromatography-mass spectrometry in the field of forensic toxicological analysis and other application areas. These confirming indicators include retention time （RT）, relative retention time （RRT）, signal to noise （S/N）, characteristic ions, relative abundance of characteristic ions, parent ion-daughter ion pair and abundance ratio of ion pair, etc. Copyright© by the Editorial Department of Journal of Forensic Medicine.

Challenges for molecular and serological ZIKV infection confirmation.

Science.gov (United States)

de Vasconcelos, Zilton Farias Meira; Azevedo, Renata Campos; Thompson, Nathália; Gomes, Leonardo; Guida, Letícia; Moreira, Maria Elisabeth Lopes

2018-01-01

Zika Virus (ZIKV), member of Flaviviridae family and Flavivirus genus, has recently emerged as international public health emergency after its association with neonatal microcephaly cases. Clinical diagnosis hindrance involves symptom similarities produced by other arbovirus infections, therefore laboratory confirmation is of paramount importance. The most reliable test available is based on ZIKV RNA detection from body fluid samples. However, short viremia window periods and asymptomatic infections diminish the success rate for RT-PCR positivity. Beyond molecular detection, all serology tests in areas where other Flavivirus circulates proved to be a difficult task due to the broad range of cross-reactivity, especially with dengue pre-exposed individuals. Altogether, lack of serological diagnostic tools brings limitations to any retrospective evaluation. Those studies are central in the context of congenital infection that could occur asymptomatically and mask prevalence and risk rates.

A comparison of morbidity associated with placenta previa with and without previous caesarean sections

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baqai, S.; Siraj, A.; Noor, N.

2018-01-01

To compare the morbidity associated with placenta previa with and without previous caesarean sections. Study Design: Retrospective comparative study. Place and Duration of Study: From March 2014 till March 2016 in the department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at PNS Shifa hospital Karachi. Material and Methods: After the approval from hospital ethical committee, antenatal patients with singleton pregnancy of gestational age >32 weeks, in the age group of 20-40 years diagnosed to have placenta previa included in the study. All patients with twin pregnancy less than 20 years and more than 40 years of age were excluded. The records of all patients fulfilling the inclusion criteria were reviewed. Data had been collected for demographic and maternal variables, placenta previa, history of previous lower segment caesarean section (LSCS), complications associated with placenta previa and techniques used to control blood loss were recorded. Results: During the study period, 6879 patients were delivered in PNS Shifa, out of these, 2060 (29.9%) had caesarean section out of these, 47.3% patients had previous history of LSCS. Thirty three (1.6%) patients were diagnosed to have placenta previa and frequency of placenta previa was significantly higher in patients with previous history of LSCS than previous normal delivery of LSCS i.e. 22 vs. 11 (p=0.023). It was observed that the frequency of morbidly adherent placenta (MAP) and Intensive care unit (ICU) stay were significantly higher in patients with previous history of LSCS than previous history of normal delivery. Conclusion: Frequency of placenta previa was significantly higher in patients with history of LSCS. Also placenta previa remains a major risk factor for various maternal complications. (author)

Is magnification necessary to confirm visual inspection of cervical abnormalities? A randomized trial in Peru

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jennifer L. Winkler

2008-01-01

Full Text Available OBJECTIVES: Cervical cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among women in developing countries. This study was designed to evaluate whether visual inspection with acetic acid and magnification (VIAM improved confirmation of cervical lesions as compared to confirmation with visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA without magnification when used by physicians. METHODS: From April-December 2004, women in San Martin, Peru, who were referred as VIA-positive by an "obstetriz" (a professional midwife with 6 years of university training were randomized into two groups for confirmatory screening by a physician using either VIA or VIAM with an AviScope,TM a hand-held 4x magnification scope with a green light source. The reference standard for the presence or absence of cervical neoplasia was colposcopy and directed biopsy, as required. RESULTS: A total of 358 women participated in the study; 161 had a confirmatory examination with VIAM and 159 with VIA. Sensitivity for low- or high-grade lesions was 68% with VIA and 77% with VIAM, and specificity was 62% with VIA and 63% with VIAM; however, these differences were not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: For settings where physician confirmation of cervical abnormalities identified through visual inspection is required and available, this study demonstrates that VIAM had no significant advantage over VIA.

Histopathology confirms white-nose syndrome in bats in Europe

Science.gov (United States)

Pikula, J.; Bandouchova, H.; Novotny, L.; Meteyer, C.U.; Zukal, J.; Irwin, N.R.; Zima, J.; Martinkova, N.

2012-01-01

White-nose syndrome, associated with the fungal skin infection geomycosis, caused regional population collapse in bats in North America. Our results, based on histopathology, show the presence of white-nose syndrome in Europe. Dermatohistopathology on two bats (Myotis myotis) found dead in March 2010 with geomycosis in the Czech Republic had characteristics resembling Geomyces destructans infection in bats confirmed with white-nose syndrome in US hibernacula. In addition, a live M. myotis, biopsied for histopathology during hibernation in April 2011, had typical fungal infection with cupping erosion and invasion of muzzle skin diagnostic for white-nose syndrome and conidiospores identical to G. destructans that were genetically confirmed as G. destructans. ?? Wildlife Disease Association 2012.

Small breed dogs with confirmed stroke: concurrent diseases and sonographic findings

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

C.F. Carvalho

2012-10-01

Full Text Available Cerebrovascular accidents (CVA are important causes of neurological clinical signs in dogs. The objective of this work was to describe concurrent diseases and ultrasonographic features in dogs with CVA confirmed through postmortem evaluation. All medical records of transcranial Doppler ultrasonography (TCDUS examinations performed in 512 dogs between 2007 and 2009 were reviewed, searching for history and clinical diagnosis, as well as sonographic and histological results. Forty-two dogs were selected, showing acute onset of clinical signs with no progressive focal cerebral dysfunction and diagnosis of cerebrovascular disease confirmed at necropsy. Concurrent diseases and conditions were: cerebral amyloid microangiopathy (33%, endocrinopathies (31%, coagulopathy (24%, Schnauzer hyperlipemia (7% and unknown (5%. The relation between sonography and histology results indicated 100% sensitivity and 90% specificity for focal lesion detection. A diffuse decrease in echogenicity was related to inflammatory diseases and/or edema with 62% sensitivity. A diffuse increase in echogenicity has 100% sensitivity and was usually related to aging changes. This study showed the occurrence of coexisting diseases with CVA and sonographic features of these conditions in small breed dogs.

Sunburn and sun-protective behaviors among adults with and without previous nonmelanoma skin cancer: a population-based study

Science.gov (United States)

Fischer, Alexander H.; Wang, Timothy S.; Yenokyan, Gayane; Kang, Sewon; Chien, Anna L.

2016-01-01

Background Individuals with previous nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC) are at increased risk for subsequent skin cancer, and should therefore limit UV exposure. Objective To determine whether individuals with previous NMSC engage in better sun protection than those with no skin cancer history. Methods We pooled self-reported data (2005 and 2010 National Health Interview Surveys) from US non-Hispanic white adults (758 with and 34,161 without previous NMSC). We calculated adjusted prevalence odds ratios (aPOR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI), taking into account the complex survey design. Results Individuals with previous NMSC versus no history of NMSC had higher rates of frequent use of shade (44.3% versus 27.0%; aPOR=1.41; 1.16–1.71), long sleeves (20.5% versus 7.7%; aPOR=1.55; 1.21–1.98), a wide-brimmed hat (26.1% versus 10.5%; aPOR=1.52; 1.24–1.87), and sunscreen (53.7% versus 33.1%; aPOR=2.11; 95% CI=1.73–2.59), but did not have significantly lower odds of recent sunburn (29.7% versus 40.7%; aPOR=0.95; 0.77–1.17). Among subjects with previous NMSC, recent sunburn was inversely associated with age, sun avoidance, and shade but not sunscreen. Limitations Self-reported cross-sectional data and unavailable information quantifying regular sun exposure. Conclusion Physicians should emphasize sunburn prevention when counseling patients with previous NMSC, especially younger adults, focusing on shade and sun avoidance over sunscreen. PMID:27198078

Confirmation of the safety of 'Mutsu', the first nuclear ship in Japan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1981-01-01

The Nuclear Safety Commission deliberated on the ''confirmation of the safety in the first nuclear ship ''Mutsu'' in Japan reported to it by the Committee on Examination of Reactor Safety, and acknowledged the policy toward the safety of the ship by the Science and Technology Agency. The CERS, requested by the NSC, had studied as to whether the judgement and policy by the STA toward the safety of the reactor installation in the n.s. Mutsu were appropriate. Safety confirmation concerns the following matters: reliability of the heat exchanger, piping, valves, etc., which are not duplicated with those in the emergency core cooling system, common use items for safety protection system and instrumentation and control system, fire protection, abnormal transients during operation, operation of the emergency core cooling system, analysis simulating the TMI nuclear power accident in the United States, etc. (J.P.N.)

Previous experiences and emotional baggage as barriers to lifestyle change - a qualitative study of Norwegian Healthy Life Centre participants.

Science.gov (United States)

Følling, Ingrid S; Solbjør, Marit; Helvik, Anne-S

2015-06-23

Changing lifestyle is challenging and difficult. The Norwegian Directorate of Health recommends that all municipalities establish Healthy Life Centres targeted to people with lifestyle issues. Little is known about the background, experiences and reflections of participants. More information is needed about participants to shape effective lifestyle interventions with lasting effect. This study explores how participants in a lifestyle intervention programme describe previous life experiences in relation to changing lifestyle. Semi-structured qualitative in-depth interviews were performed with 23 participants (16 women and 7 men) aged 18 - 70 years. The data were analysed using systematic text condensation searching for issues describing participants' responses, and looking for the essence, aiming to share the basis of life-world experiences as valid knowledge. Participants identified two main themes: being stuck in old habits, and being burdened with emotional baggage from their previous negative experiences. Participants expressed a wish to change their lifestyles, but were unable to act in accordance with the health knowledge they possessed. Previous experiences with lifestyle change kept them from initiating attempts without professional assistance. Participants also described being burdened by an emotional baggage with problems from childhood and/or with family, work and social life issues. Respondents said that they felt that emotional baggage was an important explanation for why they were stuck in old habits and that conversely, being stuck in old habits added load to their already emotional baggage and made it heavier. Behavioural change can be hard to perform as psychological distress from life baggage can influence the ability to change. The study participants' experience of being stuck in old habits and having substantial emotional baggage raises questions as to whether or not Healthy Life Centres are able to help participants who need to make a lifestyle

Previous Fractures at Multiple Sites Increase the Risk for Subsequent Fractures: The Global Longitudinal Study of Osteoporosis in Women

Science.gov (United States)

Gehlbach, Stephen; Saag, Kenneth G.; Adachi, Jonathan D.; Hooven, Fred H.; Flahive, Julie; Boonen, Steven; Chapurlat, Roland D.; Compston, Juliet E.; Cooper, Cyrus; Díez-Perez, Adolfo; Greenspan, Susan L.; LaCroix, Andrea Z.; Netelenbos, J. Coen; Pfeilschifter, Johannes; Rossini, Maurizio; Roux, Christian; Sambrook, Philip N.; Silverman, Stuart; Siris, Ethel S.; Watts, Nelson B.; Lindsay, Robert

2016-01-01

Previous fractures of the hip, spine, or wrist are well-recognized predictors of future fracture, but the role of other fracture sites is less clear. We sought to assess the relationship between prior fracture at 10 skeletal locations and incident fracture. The Global Longitudinal Study of Osteoporosis in Women (GLOW) is an observational cohort study being conducted in 17 physician practices in 10 countries. Women ≥ 55 years answered questionnaires at baseline and at 1 and/or 2 years (fractures in previous year). Of 60,393 women enrolled, follow-up data were available for 51,762. Of these, 17.6%, 4.0%, and 1.6% had suffered 1, 2, or ≥3 fractures since age 45. During the first 2 years of follow-up, 3149 women suffered 3683 incident fractures. Compared with women with no prior fractures, women with 1, 2, or ≥ 3 prior fractures were 1.8-, 3.0-, and 4.8-fold more likely to have any incident fracture; those with ≥3 prior fractures were 9.1-fold more likely to sustain a new vertebral fracture. Nine of 10 prior fracture locations were associated with an incident fracture. The strongest predictors of incident spine and hip fractures were prior spine fracture (hazard ratio 7.3) and hip (hazard ratio 3.5). Prior rib fractures were associated with a 2.3-fold risk of subsequent vertebral fracture, previous upper leg fracture predicted a 2.2-fold increased risk of hip fracture; women with a history of ankle fracture were at 1.8-fold risk of future fracture of a weight-bearing bone. Our findings suggest that a broad range of prior fracture sites are associated with an increased risk of incident fractures, with important implications for clinical assessments and risk model development. PMID:22113888

Uncovering the hidden risk architecture of the schizophrenias: confirmation in three independent genome-wide association studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Arnedo, Javier; Svrakic, Dragan M; Del Val, Coral; Romero-Zaliz, Rocío; Hernández-Cuervo, Helena; Fanous, Ayman H; Pato, Michele T; Pato, Carlos N; de Erausquin, Gabriel A; Cloninger, C Robert; Zwir, Igor

2015-02-01

The authors sought to demonstrate that schizophrenia is a heterogeneous group of heritable disorders caused by different genotypic networks that cause distinct clinical syndromes. In a large genome-wide association study of cases with schizophrenia and controls, the authors first identified sets of interacting single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that cluster within particular individuals (SNP sets) regardless of clinical status. Second, they examined the risk of schizophrenia for each SNP set and tested replicability in two independent samples. Third, they identified genotypic networks composed of SNP sets sharing SNPs or subjects. Fourth, they identified sets of distinct clinical features that cluster in particular cases (phenotypic sets or clinical syndromes) without regard for their genetic background. Fifth, they tested whether SNP sets were associated with distinct phenotypic sets in a replicable manner across the three studies. The authors identified 42 SNP sets associated with a 70% or greater risk of schizophrenia, and confirmed 34 (81%) or more with similar high risk of schizophrenia in two independent samples. Seventeen networks of SNP sets did not share any SNP or subject. These disjoint genotypic networks were associated with distinct gene products and clinical syndromes (i.e., the schizophrenias) varying in symptoms and severity. Associations between genotypic networks and clinical syndromes were complex, showing multifinality and equifinality. The interactive networks explained the risk of schizophrenia more than the average effects of all SNPs (24%). Schizophrenia is a group of heritable disorders caused by a moderate number of separate genotypic networks associated with several distinct clinical syndromes.

Risk factors for fatality among confirmed adult dengue inpatients in Singapore: a matched case-control study.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tun-Linn Thein

Full Text Available OBJECTIVES: To identify demographic, clinical and laboratory risk factors for death due to dengue fever in adult patients in Singapore. METHODS: Multi-center retrospective study of hospitalized adult patients with confirmed dengue fever in Singapore between 1 January 2004 and 31 December 2008. Non-fatal controls were selected by matching age and year of infection with fatal cases. World Health Organization 1997, 2009 criteria were applied to define dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF, warning signs and severe dengue. Statistical significance was assessed by conditional logistic regression modeling. RESULTS: Significantly more fatal cases than matched controls had pre-existing co-morbid conditions, and presented with abdominal pain/tenderness. Median pulse rates were significantly higher while myalgia was significantly less frequent in cases. . Fatal cases also had higher leucocyte counts, platelet counts, serum sodium, potassium, urea, creatine and bilirubin levels on admission compared to controls. There was no statistical significant difference between the prevalence of DHF and hematocrit level among cases and controls. Multivariate analysis showed myalgia and leucocyte count at presentation were independent predictors of fatality (adjusted odds ratios 0.09 and 2.94 respectively. None of the controls was admitted to intensive care unit (ICU or given blood transfusion, while 71.4% and 28.6% of fatal cases received ICU admission and blood transfusion. CONCLUSIONS: Absence of myalgia and leucocytosis on admission were independently associated with fatality in our matched case-control study. Fatalities were also commonly associated with co-morbidities and clinicians should be alarmed if dengue patients fulfilled severe dengue case definition on admission.

Previous dropout from diabetic care as a predictor of patients' willingness to use mobile applications for self-management: A cross-sectional study.

Science.gov (United States)

Yamaguchi, Satoko; Waki, Kayo; Tomizawa, Nobuko; Waki, Hironori; Nannya, Yasuhito; Nangaku, Masaomi; Kadowaki, Takashi; Ohe, Kazuhiko

2017-07-01

Preventing dropout is crucial in managing diabetes. Accordingly, we investigated whether patients who had dropped out of diabetic care are suitable candidates for the use of mobile technologies - such as smartphone applications - to support self-management (mHealth), which might help prevent dropout. We carried out a cross-sectional study in Tokyo, Japan. Patients aged 20 years or older who were clinically diagnosed as diabetic and who regularly visited the outpatient unit at the University of Tokyo Hospital were recruited between August 2014 and March 2015. Data were collected through face-to-face structured interviews, physical measurements and medical records. Participants were asked whether they were willing to use mHealth after being shown DialBetics - an mHealth application for diabetics - as an example, and about their history of dropout and previous mHealth experience. Data were analyzed by multivariate logistic regression models. Of 307 patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes, 34 (11.1%) had previously dropped out from diabetic care. Multivariate analysis identified previous mHealth experience as a negative predictor of dropout (odds ratio 0.211, P = 0.023). Of those 34 patients, 27 (79.4%) expressed willingness to use mHealth, a significantly higher percentage than for those who had never dropped out (51.5%, P = 0.002). After adjusting for confounders, history of dropout remained a strong predictor of willingness (odds ratio 3.870, P = 0.004). Patients who previously dropped out of diabetic care are suitable candidates for mHealth. Future studies must evaluate whether mHealth is effective for preventing repeated dropout and improving glycemic control among this population. © 2016 The Authors. Journal of Diabetes Investigation published by Asian Association for the Study of Diabetes (AASD) and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

78 FR 21045 - Confirmation, Portfolio Reconciliation, Portfolio Compression, and Swap Trading Relationship...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-04-09

... COMMODITY FUTURES TRADING COMMISSION 17 CFR Part 23 RIN 3038-AC96 Confirmation, Portfolio Reconciliation, Portfolio Compression, and Swap Trading Relationship Documentation Requirements for Swap Dealers... CFTC published final rules setting forth requirements for swap confirmation, portfolio reconciliation...

Previous utilization of service does not improve timely booking in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Previous utilization of service does not improve timely booking in antenatal care: Cross sectional study ... Journal Home > Vol 24, No 3 (2010) > ... Results: Past experience on antenatal care service utilization did not come out as a predictor for ...

Impact of previously disadvantaged land-users on sustainable ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Impact of previously disadvantaged land-users on sustainable agricultural ... about previously disadvantaged land users involved in communal farming systems ... of input, capital, marketing, information and land use planning, with effect on ...

An experimental genetic system using Berberis vulgaris confirms sexual recombination in Puccinia striiformis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rodriguez Algaba, Julian; Walter, Stephanie; Sørensen, Chris Khadgi

An effort to develop an experimental genetic system for the stripe (yellow) rust fungus using Berberis vulgaris as an alternate host has been made by INRA Grignon (F) and GRRC (DK). The first attempts to achieve infection using European isolates and B. vulgaris plants from France were unsuccessful...... and to study genotypic diversity. The markers confirmed the parental origin and markers that were heterozygous in the parent generally segregated in the S1 progenies. A largest number of multilocus genotypes observed among the progeny isolates confirmed successful sexual recombination. Segregation...... for avirulence and virulence was investigated using 15 single R-gene wheat lines. The sexual structures and spore forms were documented by microscopic and macroscopic imaging at crucial time points during the life cycle of Pst on the alternate host....

Added Diagnostic Value of Cerebrospinal Fluid Biomarkers for Differential Dementia Diagnosis in an Autopsy-Confirmed Cohort.

Science.gov (United States)

Niemantsverdriet, Ellis; Feyen, Bart F E; Le Bastard, Nathalie; Martin, Jean-Jacques; Goeman, Johan; De Deyn, Peter Paul; Bjerke, Maria; Engelborghs, Sebastiaan

2018-01-01

Differential dementia diagnosis remains a challenge due to overlap of clinical profiles, which often results in diagnostic doubt. Determine the added diagnostic value of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers for differential dementia diagnosis as compared to autopsy-confirmed diagnosis. Seventy-one dementia patients with autopsy-confirmed diagnoses were included in this study. All neuropathological diagnoses were established according to standard neuropathological criteria and consisted of Alzheimer's disease (AD) or other dementias (NONAD). CSF levels of Aβ1 - 42, T-tau, and P-tau181 were determined and interpreted based on the IWG-2 and NIA-AA criteria, separately. A panel of three neurologists experienced with dementia made clinical consensus dementia diagnoses. Clinical and CSF biomarker diagnoses were compared to the autopsy-confirmed diagnoses. Forty-two patients (59%) had autopsy-confirmed AD, whereas 29 patients (41%) had autopsy-confirmed NONAD. Of the 24 patients with an ambiguous clinical dementia diagnosis, a correct diagnosis would have been established in 67% of the cases applying CSF biomarkers in the context of the IWG-2 or the NIA-AA criteria respectively. AD CSF biomarkers have an added diagnostic value in differential dementia diagnosis and can help establishing a correct dementia diagnosis in case of ambiguous clinical dementia diagnoses.

Previous treatment, sputum-smear nonconversion, and suburban living: The risk factors of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis among Malaysians.

Science.gov (United States)

Mohd Shariff, Noorsuzana; Shah, Shamsul Azhar; Kamaludin, Fadzilah

2016-03-01

The number of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis patients is increasing each year in many countries all around the globe. Malaysia has no exception in facing this burdensome health problem. We aimed to investigate the factors that contribute to the occurrence of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis among Malaysian tuberculosis patients. An unmatched case-control study was conducted among tuberculosis patients who received antituberculosis treatments from April 2013 until April 2014. Cases are those diagnosed as pulmonary tuberculosis patients clinically, radiologically, and/or bacteriologically, and who were confirmed to be resistant to both isoniazid and rifampicin through drug-sensitivity testing. On the other hand, pulmonary tuberculosis patients who were sensitive to all first-line antituberculosis drugs and were treated during the same time period served as controls. A total of 150 tuberculosis patients were studied, of which the susceptible cases were 120. Factors found to be significantly associated with the occurrence of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis are being Indian or Chinese (odds ratio 3.17, 95% confidence interval 1.04-9.68; and odds ratio 6.23, 95% confidence interval 2.24-17.35, respectively), unmarried (odds ratio 2.58, 95% confidence interval 1.09-6.09), living in suburban areas (odds ratio 2.58, 95% confidence interval 1.08-6.19), are noncompliant (odds ratio 4.50, 95% confidence interval 1.71-11.82), were treated previously (odds ratio 8.91, 95% confidence interval 3.66-21.67), and showed positive sputum smears at the 2nd (odds ratio 7.00, 95% confidence interval 2.46-19.89) and 6th months of treatment (odds ratio 17.96, 95% confidence interval 3.51-91.99). Living in suburban areas, positive sputum smears in the 2nd month of treatment, and was treated previously are factors that independently contribute to the occurrence of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis. Those with positive smears in the second month of treatment, have a history of previous

Response to deep TMS in depressive patients with previous electroconvulsive treatment.

Science.gov (United States)

Rosenberg, Oded; Zangen, Abraham; Stryjer, Rafael; Kotler, Moshe; Dannon, Pinhas N

2010-10-01

The efficacy of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) in the treatment of major depression has already been shown. Novel TMS coils allowing stimulation of deeper brain regions have recently been developed and studied. Our study is aimed at exploring the possible efficacy of deep TMS in patients with resistant depression, who previously underwent electroconvalsive therapy (ECT). Using Brainsway's deep TMS H1 coil, six patients who previously underwent ECT, were treated with 120% power of the motor threshold at a frequency of 20 Hz. Patients underwent five sessions per week, up to 4 weeks. Before the study, patients were evaluated using the Hamilton depression rating scale (HDRS, 24 items), the Hamilton anxiety scale, and the Beck depression inventory and were again evaluated after 5, 10, 15, and 20 daily treatments. Response to treatment was considered a reduction in the HDRS of at least 50%, and remission was considered a reduction of the HDRS-24 below 10 points. Two of six patients responded to the treatment with deep TMS, including one who achieved full remission. Our results suggest the possibility of a subpopulation of depressed patients who may benefit from deep TMS treatment, including patients who did not respond to ECT previously. However, the power of the study is small and similar larger samples are needed. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Influence of previous knowledge in Torrance tests of creative thinking

OpenAIRE

Aranguren, María; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas CONICET

2015-01-01

The aim of this work is to analyze the influence of study field, expertise and recreational activities participation in Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking (TTCT, 1974) performance. Several hypotheses were postulated to explore the possible effects of previous knowledge in TTCT verbal and TTCT figural university students’ outcomes. Participants in this study included 418 students from five study fields: Psychology;Philosophy and Literature, Music; Engineering; and Journalism and Advertisin...

Reorientation-effect measurement of the first 2+ state in 12C: Confirmation of oblate deformation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Kumar Raju

2018-02-01

Full Text Available A Coulomb-excitation reorientation-effect measurement using the TIGRESS γ−ray spectrometer at the TRIUMF/ISAC II facility has permitted the determination of the 〈21+‖E2ˆ‖21+〉 diagonal matrix element in 12C from particle−γ coincidence data and state-of-the-art no-core shell model calculations of the nuclear polarizability. The nuclear polarizability for the ground and first-excited (21+ states in 12C have been calculated using chiral NN N4LO500 and NN+3NF350 interactions, which show convergence and agreement with photo-absorption cross-section data. Predictions show a change in the nuclear polarizability with a substantial increase between the ground state and first excited 21+ state at 4.439 MeV. The polarizability of the 21+ state is introduced into the current and previous Coulomb-excitation reorientation-effect analyses of 12C. Spectroscopic quadrupole moments of QS(21+=+0.053(44 eb and QS(21+=+0.08(3 eb are determined, respectively, yielding a weighted average of QS(21+=+0.071(25 eb, in agreement with recent ab initio calculations. The present measurement confirms that the 21+ state of 12C is oblate and emphasizes the important role played by the nuclear polarizability in Coulomb-excitation studies of light nuclei.

Confirmation and lucidity during conversations with a woman with severe dementia.

Science.gov (United States)

Normann, Hans Ketil; Norberg, Astrid; Asplund, Kenneth

2002-08-01

Patients with severe dementia sometimes surprise the care providers because they seem to be much more aware of their situation and function much more adequately than usual. Such episodes are labelled 'episodes of lucidity' (ELs). The aim of this study was to describe the characteristics of the particular conversations with a woman with severe dementia when ELs occurred as compared with conversations when she was not lucid. A woman with a probable diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) was selected. Her Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) was estimated as 3. The first author met the woman for 4 hours five times over a period of 2 weeks. RESEARCH ETHODS: The conversations were tape-recorded and transcribed verbatim. The text was divided into 278 content units and analysed. Lucidity is promoted by supporting the patient in various ways, that is sharing the patient's view, repeating and reformulating the patient's utterance, reinforcing the patient by using positive utterances, not emphasizing errors and supporting the patient's language in various ways, and avoiding making demands. The relation between the patient and her conversation partner during ELs is characterized by confirmation and communion. This case study indicates that a supportive attitude in conversation with the patient with severe dementia promotes lucidity. A supportive attitude includes the avoidance on the part of the conversational partner making demands on the patient, confirming the patient as an important, unique and valuable person and creating communion. The connection between supporting and avoiding demands and lucidity/nonlucidity during conversation needs further study.

Determining root correspondence between previously and newly detected objects

Science.gov (United States)

Paglieroni, David W.; Beer, N Reginald

2014-06-17

A system that applies attribute and topology based change detection to networks of objects that were detected on previous scans of a structure, roadway, or area of interest. The attributes capture properties or characteristics of the previously detected objects, such as location, time of detection, size, elongation, orientation, etc. The topology of the network of previously detected objects is maintained in a constellation database that stores attributes of previously detected objects and implicitly captures the geometrical structure of the network. A change detection system detects change by comparing the attributes and topology of new objects detected on the latest scan to the constellation database of previously detected objects.

Exploratory laparotomy in the management of confirmed necrotizing ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

confirmed NEC who undergo laparotomy remain high in infants despite optimal medical and surgical care. Ann. Pediatr Surg 11:123–126 c 2015 Annals of Pediatric. Surgery. ... Radcliffe Hospital, Headley Way, Headington, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK e-mail: ... The institutional review board of the John Radcliffe. Hospital, Oxford ...

77 FR 55903 - Confirmation, Portfolio Reconciliation, Portfolio Compression, and Swap Trading Relationship...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-09-11

... Vol. 77 Tuesday, No. 176 September 11, 2012 Part II Commodity Futures Trading Commission 17 CFR Part 23 Confirmation, Portfolio Reconciliation, Portfolio Compression, and Swap Trading Relationship... FUTURES TRADING COMMISSION 17 CFR Part 23 RIN 3038-AC96 Confirmation, Portfolio Reconciliation, Portfolio...

Battle of the sexes: gender stereotype confirmation and reactance in negotiations.

Science.gov (United States)

Kray, L J; Thompson, L; Galinsky, A

2001-06-01

The authors examined how gender stereotypes affect negotiation performance. Men outperformed women when the negotiation was perceived as diagnostic of ability (Experiment 1) or the negotiation was linked to gender-specific traits (Experiment 2), suggesting the threat of negative stereotype confirmation hurt women's performance relative to men. The authors hypothesized that men and women confirm gender stereotypes when they are activated implicitly, but when stereotypes are explicitly activated, people exhibit stereotype reactance, or the tendency to behave in a manner inconsistent with a stereotype. Experiment 3 confirmed this hypothesis. In Experiment 4, the authors examined the cognitive processes involved in stereotype reactance and the conditions under which cooperative behaviors between men and women can be promoted at the bargaining table (by activating a shared identity that transcends gender).

Elementary School-Based Influenza Vaccination: Evaluating Impact on Respiratory Illness Absenteeism and Laboratory-Confirmed Influenza

Science.gov (United States)

Kjos, Sonia A.; Irving, Stephanie A.; Meece, Jennifer K.; Belongia, Edward A.

2013-01-01

Background Studies of influenza vaccine effectiveness in schools have assessed all-cause absenteeism rather than laboratory-confirmed influenza. We conducted an observational pilot study to identify absences due to respiratory illness and laboratory-confirmed influenza in schools with and without school-based vaccination. Methods A local public health agency initiated school-based influenza vaccination in two Wisconsin elementary schools during October 2010 (exposed schools); two nearby schools served as a comparison group (non-exposed schools). Absences due to fever or cough illness were monitored for 12 weeks. During the 4 weeks of peak influenza activity, parents of absent children with fever/cough illness were contacted and offered influenza testing. Results Parental consent for sharing absenteeism data was obtained for 937 (57%) of 1,640 students. Fifty-two percent and 28%, respectively, of all students in exposed and non-exposed schools were vaccinated. Absences due to fever or cough illness were significantly lower in the exposed schools during seven of 12 surveillance weeks. Twenty-seven percent of students at exposed schools and 39% at unexposed schools had one or more days of absence due to fever/cough illness (pabsenteeism due to fever or cough illness, but not absenteeism for other reasons. Although nonspecific, absence due to fever or cough illness may be a useful surrogate endpoint in school-based studies if identification of laboratory confirmed influenza is not feasible. PMID:23991071

Treatment satisfaction with paliperidone extended-release tablets: open-label study in schizophrenia patients dissatisfied with previous antipsychotic medication

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yang FD

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Fu De Yang,1 Juan Li,1 Yun Long Tan,1 Wei Ye Liang,1 Rongzhen Zhang,1 Ning Wang,1 Wei Feng,1 Shangli Cai,2 Jian Min Zhuo,2 Li Li Zhang2 1Beijing Hui-Long-Guan Hospital, 2Department of Medical Affairs, Xian Janssen Pharmaceutical Ltd, Beijing, People’s Republic of China Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the changes in treatment satisfaction after switching to paliperidone extended-release (ER in Chinese schizophrenia patients dissatisfied with their previous antipsychotic treatment.Methods: In this 8-week, open-label, single-arm, multicenter, prospective study, 1,693 patients dissatisfied with previous antipsychotic medication were enrolled and switched to paliperidone ER tablets (3–12 mg/d based on clinical judgment. The primary efficacy end point was change in Medication Satisfaction Questionnaire (MSQ score from baseline to week 8. The secondary end points included percentage of patients with MSQ score ≥4, as well as changes in Clinical Global Improvement-Severity (CGI-S and Personal and Social Performance (PSP scores.Results: MSQ scores increased significantly from baseline (mean [standard deviation {SD}]: 2.48 [0.55] to week 8 (5.47 [0.89], P<0.0001; primary end point, full analysis set. The percentage of patients with MSQ score ≥4 was 95.9% at week 8, indicating that most of the patients were satisfied with their treatment. Significant (P<0.0001 improvements from baseline to week 8 were noted in CGI-S score (2.37 [1.20] and PSP score (25.5 [15.0]. A total of 174 (10.28% patients experienced adverse events (AEs. The most common (>10 patients events were extrapyramidal disorder (n=84, 4.96%, poor quality sleep (n=18, 1.06% and akathisia (n=13, 0.77%. The majority of AEs were mild to moderate in severity. No deaths occurred.Conclusion: Treatment satisfaction improved after switching to paliperidone ER from the previous antipsychotic in Chinese patients with schizophrenia. Keywords: atypical antipsychotics, open label

Predictors of HIV/AIDS confirmation and differences by guardian status in HIV+ adolescents in Jamaica.

Science.gov (United States)

Pilgrim, N; Kershaw, T; Pierre, R B; Moore, J; Palmer, P; Davis, D; Christie, C D C

2008-06-01

Approximately 25% of the cumulative AIDS cases in Jamaica involve adolescents and young adults. However the lives of adolescents living with HIV within Jamaica and the Caribbean have been understudied. (1) To describe the sociodemographic characteristics of HIV+ Jamaican adolescents who have ever been a part of the Kingston Paediatric/Perinatal HIV Programme (KPAIDS) from September 1, 2002 to August 31, 2006 (2). To identify predictors of HIV/AIDS confirmation as well as factors associated or uniquely present in these adolescents by their guardian status. Seventy-two HIV+ adolescents, ages 10-19 years, were included. Factors studied included demographics as well as time to and time between HIV and AIDS confirmation. Data were analyzed by bivariate and multivariate statistics. The mean age of the adolescents was 12.6 +/- 2.8 years with slightly more males (52.8%) in the programme. There were equal proportions of adolescents living with HIV as with AIDS (43.1%). There were equal proportions who were lost to follow-up or deceased (8.3%). Twenty-two of them lived with parents, 25 with guardians and 18 in residential institutions. The primary mode of transmission was perinatal infection (68.1%), followed by sexual (20.8%), blood transfusion (2.9%) and unknown (8.3%). The mean time from HIV exposure to HIV confirmation and AIDS confirmation in mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) cases were 8.0 +/- 2.9 years and 9.6 +/- 3.3 years, respectively. In the multivariate analysis model, age and gender were significant in predicting time from HIV exposure to HIV confirmation. The majority of HIV-positive adolescents reside with parents and guardians and this might indicate support in spite of stigma and discrimination. However; the mean time to HIV confirmation in MTCT cases is quite long and must be reduced.

Parasitological Confirmation and Analysis of Leishmania Diversity in Asymptomatic and Subclinical Infection following Resolution of Cutaneous Leishmaniasis.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mariana Rosales-Chilama

2015-12-01

Full Text Available The contribution of individuals with subclinical infection to the transmission and endemicity of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL is unknown. Immunological evidence of exposure to Leishmania in residents of endemic areas has been the basis for defining the human population with asymptomatic infection. However, parasitological confirmation of subclinical infection is lacking.We investigated the presence and viability of Leishmania in blood and non-invasive mucosal tissue samples from individuals with immunological evidence of subclinical infection in endemic areas for CL caused by Leishmania (Viannia in Colombia. Detection of Leishmania kDNA was conducted by PCR-Southern Blot, and parasite viability was confirmed by amplification of parasite 7SLRNA gene transcripts. A molecular tool for genetic diversity analysis of parasite populations causing persistent subclinical infection based on PCR amplification and sequence analysis of an 82bp region between kDNA conserved blocks 1 and 2 was developed.Persistent Leishmania infection was demonstrated in 40% (46 of 114 of leishmanin skin test (LST positive individuals without active disease; parasite viability was established in 59% of these (27 of 46; 24% of total. Parasite burden quantified from circulating blood monocytes, nasal, conjunctival or tonsil mucosal swab samples was comparable, and ranged between 0.2 to 22 parasites per reaction. kDNA sequences were obtained from samples from 2 individuals with asymptomatic infection and from 26 with history of CL, allowing genetic distance analysis that revealed diversity among sequences and clustering within the L. (Viannia subgenus.Our results provide parasitological confirmation of persistent infection among residents of endemic areas of L. (Viannia transmission who have experienced asymptomatic infection or recovered from CL, revealing a reservoir of infection that potentially contributes to the endemicity and transmission of disease. kDNA genotyping

Parasitological Confirmation and Analysis of Leishmania Diversity in Asymptomatic and Subclinical Infection following Resolution of Cutaneous Leishmaniasis.

Science.gov (United States)

Rosales-Chilama, Mariana; Gongora, Rafael E; Valderrama, Liliana; Jojoa, Jimena; Alexander, Neal; Rubiano, Luisa C; Cossio, Alexandra; Adams, Emily R; Saravia, Nancy G; Gomez, María Adelaida

2015-12-01

The contribution of individuals with subclinical infection to the transmission and endemicity of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is unknown. Immunological evidence of exposure to Leishmania in residents of endemic areas has been the basis for defining the human population with asymptomatic infection. However, parasitological confirmation of subclinical infection is lacking. We investigated the presence and viability of Leishmania in blood and non-invasive mucosal tissue samples from individuals with immunological evidence of subclinical infection in endemic areas for CL caused by Leishmania (Viannia) in Colombia. Detection of Leishmania kDNA was conducted by PCR-Southern Blot, and parasite viability was confirmed by amplification of parasite 7SLRNA gene transcripts. A molecular tool for genetic diversity analysis of parasite populations causing persistent subclinical infection based on PCR amplification and sequence analysis of an 82bp region between kDNA conserved blocks 1 and 2 was developed. Persistent Leishmania infection was demonstrated in 40% (46 of 114) of leishmanin skin test (LST) positive individuals without active disease; parasite viability was established in 59% of these (27 of 46; 24% of total). Parasite burden quantified from circulating blood monocytes, nasal, conjunctival or tonsil mucosal swab samples was comparable, and ranged between 0.2 to 22 parasites per reaction. kDNA sequences were obtained from samples from 2 individuals with asymptomatic infection and from 26 with history of CL, allowing genetic distance analysis that revealed diversity among sequences and clustering within the L. (Viannia) subgenus. Our results provide parasitological confirmation of persistent infection among residents of endemic areas of L. (Viannia) transmission who have experienced asymptomatic infection or recovered from CL, revealing a reservoir of infection that potentially contributes to the endemicity and transmission of disease. kDNA genotyping establishes proof

Towards the confirmation of QCD on the lattice. Improved actions and algorithms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krieg, Stefan F.

2009-01-01

Lattice Quantum Chromodynamics has made tremendous progress over the last decade. New and improved simulation algorithms and lattice actions enable simulations of the theory with unprecedented accuracy. In the first part of this thesis, novel simulation algorithms for dynamical overlap fermions are presented. The generic Hybrid Monte Carlo algorithm is adapted to treat the singularity in the Molecular Dynamics force, to increase the tunneling rate between different topological sectors and to improve the overall volume scaling of the combined algorithm. With this new method, simulations with dynamical overlap fermions can reach smaller lattice spacings, larger volumes, smaller quark masses, and therefore higher precision than had previously been possible. The second part of this thesis is focused on a large scale simulation aiming to compute the light hadron mass spectrum. This simulation is based on a tree-level Symanzik improved gauge and tree-level improved stout-smeared Wilson clover action. The efficiency of the combination of this action and the improved simulation algorithms used allows to completely control all systematic errors. Therefore, this simulation provides a highly accurate ab initio calculation of the masses of the light hadrons, such as the proton, responsible for 95% of the mass of the visible universe, and confirms Lattice QCD in the light hadron sector. (orig.)

Towards the confirmation of QCD on the lattice. Improved actions and algorithms

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Krieg, Stefan F.

2009-07-01

Lattice Quantum Chromodynamics has made tremendous progress over the last decade. New and improved simulation algorithms and lattice actions enable simulations of the theory with unprecedented accuracy. In the first part of this thesis, novel simulation algorithms for dynamical overlap fermions are presented. The generic Hybrid Monte Carlo algorithm is adapted to treat the singularity in the Molecular Dynamics force, to increase the tunneling rate between different topological sectors and to improve the overall volume scaling of the combined algorithm. With this new method, simulations with dynamical overlap fermions can reach smaller lattice spacings, larger volumes, smaller quark masses, and therefore higher precision than had previously been possible. The second part of this thesis is focused on a large scale simulation aiming to compute the light hadron mass spectrum. This simulation is based on a tree-level Symanzik improved gauge and tree-level improved stout-smeared Wilson clover action. The efficiency of the combination of this action and the improved simulation algorithms used allows to completely control all systematic errors. Therefore, this simulation provides a highly accurate ab initio calculation of the masses of the light hadrons, such as the proton, responsible for 95% of the mass of the visible universe, and confirms Lattice QCD in the light hadron sector. (orig.)

Caldwell Ranch Exploration and Confirmation Project, Northwest Geysers, CA

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Walters, Mark A.

2013-04-25

The purpose of the Caldwell Ranch Exploration and Confirmation Project was to drill, test, and confirm the present economic viability of the undeveloped geothermal reservoir in the 870 acre Caldwell Ranch area of the Northwest Geysers that included the CCPA No.1 steam field. All of the drilling, logging, and sampling challenges were met. Three abandoned wells, Prati 5, Prati 14 and Prati 38 were re-opened and recompleted to nominal depths of 10,000 feet in 2010. Two of the wells required sidetracking. The flow tests indicated Prati 5 Sidetrack 1 (P-5 St1), Prati 14 (P-14) and Prati 38 Sidetrack 2 (P-38 St2) were collectively capable of initially producing an equivalent of 12 megawatts (MWe) of steam using a conversion rate of 19,000 pounds of steam/hour

The 'Eco Swiss’ Doctrine Con-firmed in Principle in Danish Law

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bergqvist, Christian; Christensen, Laurits Peder Schmidt

2016-01-01

In a January 2016 ruling the Danish Supreme Court rejected the argument that a 2011 arbitration award infringed competition law and therefore should be set aside but confirmed in principle the ability to require this.......In a January 2016 ruling the Danish Supreme Court rejected the argument that a 2011 arbitration award infringed competition law and therefore should be set aside but confirmed in principle the ability to require this....

Erlotinib-induced rash spares previously irradiated skin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lips, Irene M.; Vonk, Ernest J.A.; Koster, Mariska E.Y.; Houwing, Ronald H.

2011-01-01

Erlotinib is an epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitor prescribed to patients with locally advanced or metastasized non-small cell lung carcinoma after failure of at least one earlier chemotherapy treatment. Approximately 75% of the patients treated with erlotinib develop acneiform skin rashes. A patient treated with erlotinib 3 months after finishing concomitant treatment with chemotherapy and radiotherapy for non-small cell lung cancer is presented. Unexpectedly, the part of the skin that had been included in his previously radiotherapy field was completely spared from the erlotinib-induced acneiform skin rash. The exact mechanism of erlotinib-induced rash sparing in previously irradiated skin is unclear. The underlying mechanism of this phenomenon needs to be explored further, because the number of patients being treated with a combination of both therapeutic modalities is increasing. The therapeutic effect of erlotinib in the area of the previously irradiated lesion should be assessed. (orig.)

Quantifying the influence of previously burned areas on suppression effectiveness and avoided exposure: A case study of the Las Conchas Fire

Science.gov (United States)

Matthew P. Thompson; Patrick Freeborn; Jon D. Rieck; Dave Calkin; Julie W. Gilbertson-Day; Mark A. Cochrane; Michael S. Hand

2016-01-01

We present a case study of the Las Conchas Fire (2011) to explore the role of previously burned areas (wildfires and prescribed fires) on suppression effectiveness and avoided exposure. Methodological innovations include characterisation of the joint dynamics of fire growth and suppression activities, development of a fire line effectiveness framework, and...

Scientists confirm delay in testing new CERN particle accelerator

CERN Multimedia

2007-01-01

"Scientists seeking to uncover the secrets of the universe will have to wait a little longer after the CERN laboratory inswitzerland on Monday confirmed a delay in tests of a massive new particle accelerator." (1 page)

Phase II trial of veliparib in patients with previously treated BRCA-mutated pancreas ductal adenocarcinoma.

Science.gov (United States)

Lowery, Maeve A; Kelsen, David P; Capanu, Marinela; Smith, Sloane C; Lee, Jonathan W; Stadler, Zsofia K; Moore, Malcolm J; Kindler, Hedy L; Golan, Talia; Segal, Amiel; Maynard, Hannah; Hollywood, Ellen; Moynahan, MaryEllen; Salo-Mullen, Erin E; Do, Richard Kinh Gian; Chen, Alice P; Yu, Kenneth H; Tang, Laura H; O'Reilly, Eileen M

2018-01-01

BRCA-associated cancers have increased sensitivity to poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitors (PARPis). This single arm, non-randomised, multicentre phase II trial evaluated the response rate of veliparib in patients with previously treated BRCA1/2- or PALB2-mutant pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Patients with stage III/IV PDAC and known germline BRCA1/2 or PALB2 mutation, 1-2 lines of treatment, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group 0-2, were enrolled. Veliparib was dosed at a volume of 300 mg twice-daily (N = 3), then 400 mg twice-daily (N = 15) days 1-28. The primary end-point was to determine the response rate of veliparib; secondary end-points included progression-free survival (PFS), duration of response, overall survival (OS) and safety. Sixteen patients were enrolled; male N = 8 (50%). Median age was 52 years (range 43-77). Five (31%) had a BRCA1 and 11 (69%) had a BRCA2 mutation. Fourteen (88%) patients had received prior platinum-based therapy. No confirmed partial responses (PRs) were seen: one (6%) unconfirmed PR was observed at 4 months with disease progression (PD) at 6 months; four (25%) had stable disease (SD), whereas 11 (69%) had PD as best response including one with clinical PD. Median PFS was 1.7 months (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.57-1.83) and median OS was 3.1 months (95% CI 1.9-4.1). Six (38%) patients had grade III toxicity, including fatigue (N = 3), haematology (N = 2) and nausea (N = 1). Veliparib was well tolerated, but no confirmed response was observed although four (25%) patients remained on study with SD for ≥ 4 months. Additional strategies in this population are needed, and ongoing trials are evaluating PARPis combined with chemotherapy (NCT01585805) and as a maintenance strategy (NCT02184195). Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Dissociation in decision bias mechanism between probabilistic information and previous decision

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yoshiyuki eKaneko

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Target detection performance is known to be influenced by events in the previous trials. It has not been clear, however, whether this bias effect is due to the previous sensory stimulus, motor response, or decision. Also it remains open whether or not the previous trial effect emerges via the same mechanism as the effect of knowledge about the target probability. In the present study, we asked normal human subjects to make a decision about the presence or absence of a visual target. We presented a pre-cue indicating the target probability before the stimulus, and also a decision-response mapping cue after the stimulus so as to tease apart the effect of decision from that of motor response. We found that the target detection performance was significantly affected by the probability cue in the current trial and also by the decision in the previous trial. While the information about the target probability modulated the decision criteria, the previous decision modulated the sensitivity to target-relevant sensory signals (d-prime. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, we also found that activation in the left intraparietal sulcus was decreased when the probability cue indicated a high probability of the target. By contrast, activation in the right inferior frontal gyrus was increased when the subjects made a target-present decision in the previous trial, but this change was observed specifically when the target was present in the current trial. Activation in these regions was associated with individual-difference in the decision computation parameters. We argue that the previous decision biases the target detection performance by modulating the processing of target-selective information, and this mechanism is distinct from modulation of decision criteria due to expectation of a target.

Dissociation in decision bias mechanism between probabilistic information and previous decision

Science.gov (United States)

Kaneko, Yoshiyuki; Sakai, Katsuyuki

2015-01-01

Target detection performance is known to be influenced by events in the previous trials. It has not been clear, however, whether this bias effect is due to the previous sensory stimulus, motor response, or decision. Also it remains open whether or not the previous trial effect emerges via the same mechanism as the effect of knowledge about the target probability. In the present study, we asked normal human subjects to make a decision about the presence or absence of a visual target. We presented a pre-cue indicating the target probability before the stimulus, and also a decision-response mapping cue after the stimulus so as to tease apart the effect of decision from that of motor response. We found that the target detection performance was significantly affected by the probability cue in the current trial and also by the decision in the previous trial. While the information about the target probability modulated the decision criteria, the previous decision modulated the sensitivity to target-relevant sensory signals (d-prime). Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), we also found that activation in the left intraparietal sulcus (IPS) was decreased when the probability cue indicated a high probability of the target. By contrast, activation in the right inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) was increased when the subjects made a target-present decision in the previous trial, but this change was observed specifically when the target was present in the current trial. Activation in these regions was associated with individual-difference in the decision computation parameters. We argue that the previous decision biases the target detection performance by modulating the processing of target-selective information, and this mechanism is distinct from modulation of decision criteria due to expectation of a target. PMID:25999844

Security analysis with improved design of post-confirmation mechanism for quantum sealed-bid auction with single photons

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Ke-Jia; Kwek, Leong-Chuan; Ma, Chun-Guang; Zhang, Long; Sun, Hong-Wei

2018-02-01

Quantum sealed-bid auction (QSA) has been widely studied in quantum cryptography. For a successful auction, post-confirmation is regarded as an important mechanism to make every bidder verify the identity of the winner after the auctioneer has announced the result. However, since the auctioneer may be dishonest and collude with malicious bidders in practice, some potential loopholes could exist. In this paper, we point out two types of collusion attacks for a particular post-confirmation technique with EPR pairs. And it is not difficult to see that there exists no unconditionally secure post-confirmation mechanism in the existing QSA model, if the dishonest participants have the ability to control multiparticle entanglement. In the view of this, we note that some secure implementation could exist if the participants are supposed to be semi-quantum, i.e., they can only control single photons. Finally, two potential methods to design post-confirmation mechanism are presented in this restricted scenario.

In vitro study of platelet function confirms the contribution of the ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation in the lesions observed in riboflavin/UVB-treated platelet concentrates.

Science.gov (United States)

Abonnenc, Mélanie; Sonego, Giona; Crettaz, David; Aliotta, Alessandro; Prudent, Michel; Tissot, Jean-Daniel; Lion, Niels

2015-09-01

Platelet inactivation technologies (PITs) have been shown to increase platelet storage lesions (PSLs). This study investigates amotosalen/ultraviolet (UV)A- and riboflavin/UVB-induced platelet (PLT) lesions in vitro. Particular attention is given to the effect of UVB alone on PLTs. Buffy coat-derived PLT concentrates (PCs) were treated with amotosalen/UVA, riboflavin/UVB, or UVB alone and compared to untreated PCs throughout storage. In vitro PLT function was assessed by blood gas and metabolite analyses, flow cytometry-based assays (CD62P, JC-1, annexin V, PAC-1), hypotonic shock response, and static adhesion to fibrinogen-coated wells. In our experimental conditions, riboflavin/UVB-treated PCs showed the most pronounced differences compared to untreated and amotosalen/UVA-treated PCs. The riboflavin/UVB treatment led to a significant increase of anaerobic glycolysis rate despite functional mitochondria, a significant increase of CD62P on Day 2, and a decrease of JC-1 aggregates and increase of annexin V on Day 7. The expression of active GPIIbIIIa (PAC-1) and the adhesion to fibrinogen was significantly increased from Day 2 of storage in riboflavin/UVB-treated PCs. Importantly, we showed that these lesions were caused by the UVB radiation alone, independently of the presence of riboflavin. The amotosalen/UVA-treated PCs confirmed previously published results with a slight increase of PSLs compared to untreated PCs. Riboflavin/UVB-treated PCs present significant in vitro PSLs compared to untreated PCs. These lesions are caused by the UVB radiation alone and probably involve the generation of reactive oxygen species. The impact of these observations on clinical use must be investigated. © 2015 AABB.

Predictive effects of previous episodes on the risk of recurrence in depressive and bipolar disorders

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kessing, Lars Vedel; Andersen, Per Kragh

2005-01-01

Findings from several studies have suggested that the risk of recurrence increases with the number of previous episodes in depressive and bipolar disorders. However, a comprehensive and critical review of the literature published during the past century shows that in several previous studies...

CERN confirms goal of 2007 start-up for LHC

CERN Document Server

2005-01-01

Speaking at the 131st session of CERN Council on 17 December 2004, the Director-General, Robert Aymar, confirmed that the top priority is to maintain the goal of starting up the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) in 2007.

Theoretical prediction and experimental confirmation of unusual ternary ordered semiconductor compounds in Sr-Pb-S system.

Science.gov (United States)

Hao, Shiqiang; Zhao, Li-Dong; Chen, Chang-Qiang; Dravid, Vinayak P; Kanatzidis, Mercouri G; Wolverton, Christopher M

2014-01-29

We examine the thermodynamics of phase separation and ordering in the ternary Ca(x)Pb(1-x)S and Sr(x)Pb(1-x)S systems by density-functional theory combined with a cluster expansion and Monte Carlo simulations. Similar to most other ternary III-V or IV-VI semiconductor alloys, we find that bulk phase separation is thermodynamically preferred for PbS-CaS. However, we predict the surprising existence of stable, ordered ternary compounds in the PbS-SrS system. These phases are previously unreported ordered rocksalt-based compounds: SrPb3S4, SrPbS2, and Sr3PbS4. The stability of these predicted ordered phases is confirmed by transmission electron microscopy observations and band gap measurements. We believe this work paves the way for a combined theory-experiment approach to decipher complex phase relations in multicomponent chalcogenide systems.

Vaccine effectiveness against medically attended laboratory-confirmed influenza in Japan, 2011-2012 Season.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Motoi Suzuki

Full Text Available The objective of this study was to estimate influenza vaccine effectiveness (VE against medically attended, laboratory-confirmed influenza during the 2011-2012 season in Japan using a test-negative case-control study design. The effect of co-circulating non-influenza respiratory viruses (NIRVs on VE estimates was also explored. Nasopharyngeal swab samples were collected from outpatients with influenza-like illnesses (ILIs in a community hospital in Nagasaki, Japan. Thirteen respiratory viruses (RVs, including influenza A and B, were identified from the samples using a multiplex polymerase chain reaction. The difference in VE point estimates was assessed using three different controls: ILI patients that tested negative for influenza, those that tested negative for all RVs, and those that tested positive for NIRVs. The adjusted VE against medically attended, laboratory-confirmed influenza using all influenza-negative controls was 5.3% (95% confidence interval [CI], -60.5 to 44.1. The adjusted VEs using RV-negative and NIRV-positive controls were -1.5% (95% CI, -74.7 to 41 and 50% (95% CI, -43.2 to 82.5, respectively. Influenza VE was limited in Japan during the 2011-2012 season. Although the evidence is not conclusive, co-circulating NIRVs may affect influenza VE estimates in test-negative case-control studies.

Evaluation of a rapid dipstick (Crystal VC for the diagnosis of cholera in Zanzibar and a comparison with previous studies.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Benedikt Ley

Full Text Available The gold standard for the diagnosis of cholera is stool culture, but this requires laboratory facilities and takes at least 24 hours. A rapid diagnostic test (RDT that can be used by minimally trained staff at treatment centers could potentially improve the reporting and management of cholera outbreaks.We evaluated the Crystal VC™ RDT under field conditions in Zanzibar in 2009. Patients presenting to treatment centers with watery diarrhea provided a stool sample for rapid diagnostic testing. Results were compared to stool culture performed in a reference laboratory. We assessed the overall performance of the RDT and evaluated whether previous intake of antibiotics, intravenous fluids, location of testing, and skill level of the technician affected the RDT results.We included stool samples from 624 patients. Compared to culture, the overall sensitivity of the RDT was 93.1% (95%CI: 88.7 to 96.2%, specificity was 49.2% (95%CI: 44.3 to 54.1%, the positive predictive value was 47.0% (95%CI: 42.1 to 52.0% and the negative predictive value was 93.6% (95%CI: 89.6 to 96.5%. The overall false positivity rate was 50.8% (213/419; fieldworkers frequently misread very faint test lines as positive.The observed sensitivity of the Crystal VC RDT evaluated was similar compared to earlier versions, while specificity was poorer. The current version of the RDT could potentially be used as a screening tool in the field. Because of the high proportion of false positive results when field workers test stool specimens, positive results will need to be confirmed with stool culture.

Automatic electromagnetic valve for previous vacuum

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Granados, C. E.; Martin, F.

1959-01-01

A valve which permits the maintenance of an installation vacuum when electric current fails is described. It also lets the air in the previous vacuum bomb to prevent the oil ascending in the vacuum tubes. (Author)

Numerical simulation of the shot peening process under previous loading conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Romero-Ángeles, B; Urriolagoitia-Sosa, G; Torres-San Miguel, C R; Molina-Ballinas, A; Benítez-García, H A; Vargas-Bustos, J A; Urriolagoitia-Calderón, G

2015-01-01

This research presents a numerical simulation of the shot peening process and determines the residual stress field induced into a component with a previous loading history. The importance of this analysis is based on the fact that mechanical elements under shot peening are also subjected to manufacturing processes, which convert raw material into finished product. However, material is not provided in a virgin state, it has a previous loading history caused by the manner it is fabricated. This condition could alter some beneficial aspects of the residual stress induced by shot peening and could accelerate the crack nucleation and propagation progression. Studies were performed in beams subjected to strain hardening in tension (5ε y ) before shot peening was applied. Latter results were then compared in a numerical assessment of an induced residual stress field by shot peening carried out in a component (beam) without any previous loading history. In this paper, it is clearly shown the detrimental or beneficial effect that previous loading history can bring to the mechanical component and how it can be controlled to improve the mechanical behavior of the material

Does previous use affect litter box appeal in multi-cat households?

Science.gov (United States)

Ellis, J J; McGowan, R T S; Martin, F

2017-08-01

It is commonly assumed that cats actively avoid eliminated materials (especially in multi-cat homes), suggesting regular litter box cleaning as the best defense against out-of-box elimination. The relationship between previous use and litter box appeal to familiar subsequent users is currently unknown. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between previous litter box use and the identity of the previous user, type of elimination, odor, and presence of physical/visual obstructions in a multi-cat household scenario. Cats preferred a clean litter box to a dirty one, but the identity of the previous user had no impact on preferences. While the presence of odor from urine and/or feces did not impact litter box preferences, the presence of odorless faux-urine and/or feces did - with the presence of faux-feces being preferred over faux-urine. Results suggest neither malodor nor chemical communication play a role in litter box preferences, and instead emphasize the importance of regular removal of physical/visual obstructions as the key factor in promoting proper litter box use. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Preclosure monitoring and performance confirmation at Yucca Mountain: Applicability of geophysical, geohydrological, and geochemical methods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsang, C.F.

1989-06-01

The present paper presents considerations on studies that would be required for preclosure monitoring and performance confirmation of a nuclear waste geologic repository in an unsaturated zone. The critical parameters that should be monitored are reviewed and two scales of measurement relevant to monitoring activities, room scale and repository scale, are taken as a framework for investigation. A number of monitoring methods based on geophysics, geohydrology, and geochemistry are briefly summarized for their potential usefulness for preclosure monitoring and performance confirmation of the geologic repository. Particular emphasis is given to measurement of the spatial distribution of parameters in contrast to single-point measurements of quantities. 12 refs., 1 fig., 1 tab

HEART TRANSPLANTATION IN PATIENTS WITH PREVIOUS OPEN HEART SURGERY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R. Sh. Saitgareev

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Heart Transplantation (HTx to date remains the most effective and radical method of treatment of patients with end-stage heart failure. The defi cit of donor hearts is forcing to resort increasingly to the use of different longterm mechanical circulatory support systems, including as a «bridge» to the follow-up HTx. According to the ISHLT Registry the number of recipients underwent cardiopulmonary bypass surgery increased from 40% in the period from 2004 to 2008 to 49.6% for the period from 2009 to 2015. HTx performed in repeated patients, on the one hand, involves considerable technical diffi culties and high risks; on the other hand, there is often no alternative medical intervention to HTx, and if not dictated by absolute contradictions the denial of the surgery is equivalent to 100% mortality. This review summarizes the results of a number of published studies aimed at understanding the immediate and late results of HTx in patients, previously underwent open heart surgery. The effect of resternotomy during HTx and that of the specifi c features associated with its implementation in recipients previously operated on open heart, and its effects on the immediate and long-term survival were considered in this review. Results of studies analyzing the risk factors for perioperative complications in repeated recipients were also demonstrated. Separately, HTx risks after implantation of prolonged mechanical circulatory support systems were examined. The literature does not allow to clearly defi ning the impact factor of earlier performed open heart surgery on the course of perioperative period and on the prognosis of survival in recipients who underwent HTx. On the other hand, subject to the regular fl ow of HTx and the perioperative period the risks in this clinical situation are justifi ed as a long-term prognosis of recipients previously conducted open heart surgery and are comparable to those of patients who underwent primary HTx. Studies

Confirmation of ACRU model results for applications in land use and climate change studies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

G. P. W. Jewitt

2010-12-01

Full Text Available The hydrological responses of a catchment are sensitive to, and strongly coupled to, land use and climate, and changes thereof. The hydrological responses to the impacts of changing land use and climate will be the result of complex interactions, where the change in one may moderate or exacerbate the effects of the other. Further difficulties in assessing these interactions are that dominant drivers of the hydrological system may vary at different spatial and temporal scales. To assess these interactions, a process-based hydrological model, sensitive to land use and climate, and changes thereof, needs to be used. For this purpose the daily time step ACRU model was selected. However, to be able to use a hydrological model such as ACRU with confidence its representation of reality must be confirmed by comparing simulated output against observations across a range of climatic conditions. Comparison of simulated against observed streamflow was undertaken in three climatically diverse South African catchments, ranging from the semi-arid, sub-tropical Luvuvhu catchment, to the winter rainfall Upper Breede catchment and the sub-humid Mgeni catchment. Not only do the climates of the catchments differ, but their primary land uses also vary. In the upper areas of the Mgeni catchment commercial plantation forestry is dominant, while in the middle reaches there are significant areas of commercial plantation sugarcane and urban areas, while the lower reaches are dominated by urban areas. The Luvuvhu catchment has a large proportion of subsistence agriculture and informal residential areas. In the Upper Breede catchment in the Western Cape, commercial orchards and vineyards are the primary land uses. Overall the ACRU model was able to represent the high, low and total flows, with satisfactory Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency indexes obtained for the selected catchments. The study concluded that the ACRU model can be used with confidence to simulate the streamflows

Confirmation of ACRU model results for applications in land use and climate change studies

Science.gov (United States)

Warburton, M. L.; Schulze, R. E.; Jewitt, G. P. W.

2010-12-01

The hydrological responses of a catchment are sensitive to, and strongly coupled to, land use and climate, and changes thereof. The hydrological responses to the impacts of changing land use and climate will be the result of complex interactions, where the change in one may moderate or exacerbate the effects of the other. Further difficulties in assessing these interactions are that dominant drivers of the hydrological system may vary at different spatial and temporal scales. To assess these interactions, a process-based hydrological model, sensitive to land use and climate, and changes thereof, needs to be used. For this purpose the daily time step ACRU model was selected. However, to be able to use a hydrological model such as ACRU with confidence its representation of reality must be confirmed by comparing simulated output against observations across a range of climatic conditions. Comparison of simulated against observed streamflow was undertaken in three climatically diverse South African catchments, ranging from the semi-arid, sub-tropical Luvuvhu catchment, to the winter rainfall Upper Breede catchment and the sub-humid Mgeni catchment. Not only do the climates of the catchments differ, but their primary land uses also vary. In the upper areas of the Mgeni catchment commercial plantation forestry is dominant, while in the middle reaches there are significant areas of commercial plantation sugarcane and urban areas, while the lower reaches are dominated by urban areas. The Luvuvhu catchment has a large proportion of subsistence agriculture and informal residential areas. In the Upper Breede catchment in the Western Cape, commercial orchards and vineyards are the primary land uses. Overall the ACRU model was able to represent the high, low and total flows, with satisfactory Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency indexes obtained for the selected catchments. The study concluded that the ACRU model can be used with confidence to simulate the streamflows of the three selected

18 CFR 300.10 - Application for confirmation and approval.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... REGULATORY COMMISSION, DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY REGULATIONS FOR FEDERAL POWER MARKETING ADMINISTRATIONS CONFIRMATION AND APPROVAL OF THE RATES OF FEDERAL POWER MARKETING ADMINISTRATIONS Filing Requirements § 300.10... with applicable laws and that it is the lowest possible rate consistent with sound business principles...

The 12q14 microdeletion syndrome: six new cases confirming the role of HMGA2 in growth.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Lynch, Sally Ann

2011-05-01

We report six patients with array deletions encompassing 12q14. Out of a total of 2538 array investigations carried out on children with developmental delay and dysmorphism in three diagnostic testing centres, six positive cases yielded a frequency of 1 in 423 for this deletion syndrome. The deleted region in each of the six cases overlaps significantly with previously reported cases with microdeletions of this region. The chromosomal range of the deletions extends from 12q13.3q15. In the current study, we report overlapping deletions of variable extent and size but primarily comprising chromosomal bands 12q13.3q14.1. Four of the six deletions were confirmed as de novo events. Two cases had deletions that included HMGA2, and both children had significant short stature. Neither case had osteopoikilosis despite both being deleted for LEMD3. Four cases had deletions that ended proximal to HMGA2 and all of these had much better growth. Five cases had congenital heart defects, including two with atrial septal defects, one each with pulmonary stenosis, sub-aortic stenosis and a patent ductus. Four cases had moderate delay, two had severe developmental delay and a further two had a diagnosis of autism. All six cases had significant speech delay with subtle facial dysmorphism.

The prevalence of previous self-harm amongst self-poisoning patients in Sri Lanka

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mohamed, Fahim; Perera, Aravinda; Wijayaweera, Kusal

2011-01-01

BACKGROUND: One of the most important components of suicide prevention strategies is to target people who repeat self-harm as they are a high risk group. However, there is some evidence that the incidence of repeat self-harm is lower in Asia than in the West. The objective of this study...... was to investigate the prevalence of previous self-harm among a consecutive series of self-harm patients presenting to hospitals in rural Sri Lanka. METHOD: Six hundred and ninety-eight self-poisoning patients presenting to medical wards at two hospitals in Sri Lanka were interviewed about their previous episodes...... of self-harm. RESULTS: Sixty-one (8.7%, 95% CI 6.7-11%) patients reported at least one previous episode of self-harm [37 (10.7%) male, 24 (6.8%) female]; only 19 (2.7%, 95% CI 1.6-4.2%) patients had made more than one previous attempt. CONCLUSION: The low prevalence of previous self-harm is consistent...

Sunburn and sun-protective behaviors among adults with and without previous nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC): A population-based study.

Science.gov (United States)

Fischer, Alexander H; Wang, Timothy S; Yenokyan, Gayane; Kang, Sewon; Chien, Anna L

2016-08-01

Individuals with previous nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC) are at increased risk for subsequent skin cancer, and should therefore limit ultraviolet exposure. We sought to determine whether individuals with previous NMSC engage in better sun protection than those with no skin cancer history. We pooled self-reported data (2005 and 2010 National Health Interview Surveys) from US non-Hispanic white adults (758 with and 34,161 without previous NMSC). We calculated adjusted prevalence odds ratios (aPOR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI), taking into account the complex survey design. Individuals with previous NMSC versus no history of NMSC had higher rates of frequent use of shade (44.3% vs 27.0%; aPOR 1.41; 95% CI 1.16-1.71), long sleeves (20.5% vs 7.7%; aPOR 1.55; 95% CI 1.21-1.98), a wide-brimmed hat (26.1% vs 10.5%; aPOR 1.52; 95% CI 1.24-1.87), and sunscreen (53.7% vs 33.1%; aPOR 2.11; 95% CI 1.73-2.59), but did not have significantly lower odds of recent sunburn (29.7% vs 40.7%; aPOR 0.95; 95% CI 0.77-1.17). Among those with previous NMSC, recent sunburn was inversely associated with age, sun avoidance, and shade but not sunscreen. Self-reported cross-sectional data and unavailable information quantifying regular sun exposure are limitations. Physicians should emphasize sunburn prevention when counseling patients with previous NMSC, especially younger adults, focusing on shade and sun avoidance over sunscreen. Copyright © 2016 American Academy of Dermatology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effect of Previous Irradiation on Vascular Thrombosis of Microsurgical Anastomosis: A Preclinical Study in Rats

Science.gov (United States)

Gallardo-Calero, Irene; López-Fernández, Alba; Romagosa, Cleofe; Vergés, Ramona; Aguirre-Canyadell, Marius; Soldado, Francisco; Velez, Roberto

2016-01-01

Background: The objective of the present investigation was to compare the effect of neoadjuvant irradiation on the microvascular anastomosis in cervical bundle using an experimental model in rats. Methods: One hundred forty male Sprague–Dawley rats were allocated into 4 groups: group I, control, arterial microanastomosis; group II, control, venous microanastomosis; group III, arterial microanastomosis with previous irradiation (20 Gy); and group IV, venous microanastomosis with previous irradiation (20 Gy). Clinical parameters, technical values of anastomosis, patency, and histopathological parameters were evaluated. Results: Irradiated groups (III and IV) and vein anastomosis groups (II and IV) showed significantly increased technical difficulties. Group IV showed significantly reduced patency rates (7/35) when compared with the control group (0/35). Radiotherapy significantly decreased the patency rates of the vein (7/35) when compared with the artery (1/35). Groups III and IV showed significantly reduced number of endothelial cells and also showed the presence of intimal thickening and adventitial fibrosis as compared with the control group. Conclusion: Neoadjuvant radiotherapy reduces the viability of the venous anastomosis in a preclinical rat model with a significant increase in the incidence of vein thrombosis. PMID:27975009

Pathologically confirmed breast cancer in Malawi: a descriptive study

African Journals Online (AJOL)

2015-03-12

Mar 12, 2015 ... Breast cancer is the most common female cancer in Africa, yet no published studies have ... receptor (HR) negative. However, HR ... to develop early diagnosis efforts to address high mortality rates. .... High Incidence of Triple-.

Confidential donation confirmation as an alternative to confidential unit exclusion: 15 months experience of the HEMOMINAS foundation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Flávia Cristine Martineli Loureiro

2011-01-01

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Confidential unit exclusion remains a controversial strategy to reduce the residual risk of transfusion-transmitted infections. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to analyze confidential unit exclusion from its development in a large institution in light of confidential donation confirmation. METHODS: Data of individuals who donated from October 1, 2008 to December 31, 2009 were analyzed in a case-control study. The serological results and sociodemographic characteristics of donors who did not confirm their donations were compared to those who did. Variables with p-values < 0.20 in univariate analysis were included in a logistic multivariate analysis. RESULTS: In the univariate analysis there was a statically significant association between positive serological results and response to confidential donation confirmation of "No". Donation type, (firsttime or return donor - OR 1.69, CI 1.37-2.09, gender (OR 1.66, CI 1.35-2.04, education level (OR 2.82, CI 2.30-3.47 and ethnic background (OR 0.67, CI 0.55-0.82 were included in the final logistic regression model. In all logistic regression models analyzed, the serological suitability and confidential donation confirmation were not found to be statistically associated. The adoption of new measures of clinical classification such as audiovisual touch-screen computer-assisted self-administered interviews might be more effective than confidential unit exclusion in the identification of donor risk behavior. The requirement that transfusion services continue to use confidential unit exclusion needs to be debated in countries where more specific and sensitive clinical and serological screening methods are available. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that there are not enough benefits to justify continued use of confidential donation confirmation in the analyzed institution.

Characteristics of a previously undescribed fishery and habitat for Manta alfredi in the Philippines

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jo Marie V. Acebes

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Seven species of mobulid rays occur in the Philippines, six of which, including the Giant Manta Ray (Manta birostris are caught directly or indirectly. In the Bohol Sea, mobulids have been fished since at least the nineteenth century yet the extent is not well-understood. A second species of manta, Manta alfredi was taxonomically resurrected in 2009 and also only recently been confirmed to occur in the Philippines. This study aimed to identify and describe the presence of and fishery for M. alfredi in a previously unknown area of occurrence in the Philippines. Key informant interviews, observation of catch landings, and tissue sample collection were conducted in a fishing village off Dinagat Island. Based on morphological examination and through DNA barcoding using the mitochondrial DNA CO1 gene of tissue samples it was verified that the species targeted in this area is the reef manta ray, Manta alfredi. Local ecological knowledge of the fishers provided important information on the extent and characteristics of the fishery. This relatively recent ray fishery in the Surigao Strait is the source of mobulids during the off-fishing season in Bohol with fishers from this area transporting and selling their processed catches to Bohol. The description of this fishery and habitat for the reef manta ray in the Surigao Strait is important in the understanding of the status of the species in the Philippines and in designing a management framework.

CONFIRMATION OF CIRCUMSTELLAR PHOSPHINE

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Agúndez, M.; Cernicharo, J. [Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Madrid, CSIC, C/ Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz 3, E-28049 Cantoblanco (Spain); Decin, L. [Sterrenkundig Instituut Anton Pannekoek, University of Amsterdam, Science Park 904, NL-1098 Amsterdam (Netherlands); Encrenaz, P. [LERMA, Observatoire de Paris, 61 Av. de l' Observatoire, F-75014 Paris (France); Teyssier, D. [European Space Astronomy Centre, Urb. Villafranca del Castillo, P.O. Box 50727, E-28080 Madrid (Spain)

2014-08-01

Phosphine (PH{sub 3}) was tentatively identified a few years ago in the carbon star envelopes IRC +10216 and CRL 2688 from observations of an emission line at 266.9 GHz attributable to the J = 1-0 rotational transition. We report the detection of the J = 2-1 rotational transition of PH{sub 3} in IRC +10216 using the HIFI instrument on board Herschel, which definitively confirms the identification of PH{sub 3}. Radiative transfer calculations indicate that infrared pumping in excited vibrational states plays an important role in the excitation of PH{sub 3} in the envelope of IRC +10216, and that the observed lines are consistent with phosphine being formed anywhere between the star and 100 R {sub *} from the star, with an abundance of 10{sup –8} relative to H{sub 2}. The detection of PH{sub 3} challenges chemical models, none of which offer a satisfactory formation scenario. Although PH{sub 3} holds just 2% of the total available phosphorus in IRC +10216, it is, together with HCP, one of the major gas phase carriers of phosphorus in the inner circumstellar layers, suggesting that it could also be an important phosphorus species in other astronomical environments. This is the first unambiguous detection of PH{sub 3} outside the solar system, and is a further step toward a better understanding of the chemistry of phosphorus in space.

Confirming theoretical pay constructs of a variable pay scheme

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sibangilizwe Ncube

2013-05-01

Full Text Available Orientation: Return on the investment in variable pay programmes remains controversial because their cost versus contribution cannot be empirically justified. Research purpose: This study validates the findings of the model developed by De Swardt on the factors related to successful variable pay programmes. Motivation for the study: Many organisations blindly implement variable pay programmes without any means to assess the impact these programmes have on the company’s performance. This study was necessary to validate the findings of an existing instrument that validates the contribution of variable pay schemes. Research design, approach and method: The study was conducted using quantitative research. A total of 300 completed questionnaires from a non-purposive sample of 3000 participants in schemes across all South African industries were returned and analysed. Main findings: Using exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, it was found that the validation instrument developed by De Swardt is still largely valid in evaluating variable pay schemes. The differences between the study and the model were reported. Practical/managerial implications: The study confirmed the robustness of an existing model that enables practitioners to empirically validate the use of variable pay plans. This model assists in the design and implementation of variable pay programmes that meet critical success factors. Contribution/value-add: The study contributed to the development of a measurement instrument that will assess whether a variable pay plan contributes to an organisation’s success.

Cognitive bias in action: evidence for a reciprocal relation between confirmation bias and fear in children.

Science.gov (United States)

Remmerswaal, Danielle; Huijding, Jorg; Bouwmeester, Samantha; Brouwer, Marlies; Muris, Peter

2014-03-01

Some cognitive models propose that information processing biases and fear are reciprocally related. This idea has never been formally tested. Therefore, this study investigated the existence of a vicious circle by which confirmation bias and fear exacerbate each other. One-hundred-and-seventy-one school children (8-13 years) were first provided with threatening, ambiguous, or positive information about an unknown animal. Then they completed a computerized information search task during which they could collect additional (negative, positive, or neutral) information about the novel animal. Because fear levels were repeatedly assessed during the task, it was possible to examine the reciprocal relationship between confirmation bias and fear. A reciprocal relation of mutual reinforcement was found between confirmation bias and fear over the course of the experiment: increases in fear predicted subsequent increases in the search for negative information, and increases in the search for negative information further enhanced fear on a later point-in-time. In addition, the initial information given about the animals successfully induced diverging fear levels in the children, and determined their first inclination to search for additional information. As this study employed a community sample of primary school children, future research should test whether these results can be generalized to clinically anxious youth. These findings provide first support for the notion that fearful individuals may become trapped in a vicious circle in which fear and a fear-related confirmation bias mutually strengthen each other, thereby maintaining the anxiety pathology. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A cross-sectional study of tuberculosis drug resistance among previously treated patients in a tertiary hospital in Accra, Ghana: public health implications of standardized regimens.

Science.gov (United States)

Forson, Audrey; Kwara, Awewura; Kudzawu, Samuel; Omari, Michael; Otu, Jacob; Gehre, Florian; de Jong, Bouke; Antonio, Martin

2018-04-02

Mycobacterium tuberculosis drug resistance is a major challenge to the use of standardized regimens for tuberculosis (TB) therapy, especially among previously treated patients. We aimed to investigate the frequency and pattern of drug resistance among previously treated patients with smear-positive pulmonary tuberculosis at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital Chest Clinic, Accra. This was a cross-sectional survey of mycobacterial isolates from previously treated patients referred to the Chest Clinic Laboratory between October 2010 and October 2013. The Bactec MGIT 960 system for mycobactrerial culture and drug sensitivity testing (DST) was used for sputum culture of AFB smear-positive patients with relapse, treatment failure, failure of smear conversion, or default. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize patient characteristics, and frequency and patterns of drug resistance. A total of 112 isolates were studied out of 155 from previously treated patients. Twenty contaminated (12.9%) and 23 non-viable isolates (14.8%) were excluded. Of the 112 studied isolates, 53 (47.3%) were pan-sensitive to all first-line drugs tested Any resistance (mono and poly resistance) to isoniazid was found in 44 isolates (39.3%) and any resistance to streptomycin in 43 (38.4%). Thirty-one (27.7%) were MDR-TB. Eleven (35.5%) out of 31 MDR-TB isolates were pre-XDR. MDR-TB isolates were more likely than non-MDR isolates to have streptomycin and ethambutol resistance. The main findings of this study were the high prevalence of MDR-TB and streptomycin resistance among previously treated TB patients, as well as a high prevalence of pre-XDR-TB among the MDR-TB patients, which suggest that first-line and second-line DST is essential to aid the design of effective regimens for these groups of patients in Ghana.

Experimental verification for in vitro technique confirmation of bystander effect induced by gamma radiation in CHO-K1 cell line; Verificacao experimental para confirmacao da tecnica in vitro do efeito bystander induzido por radiacao gama na linhagem celular CHO-K1

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Viana, P.H.L.; Goes, A.M.; Gomes, D.A., E-mail: pedroleroybio@hotmail.com [Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, MG (Brazil). Departamento Bioquimica e Imunologia. Lab. de Imunologia Celular e Molecular; Grynberg, S.E., E-mail: seg@cdtn.br [Centro de Desenvolvimento da Tecnologia Nuclear (CDTN/CNEN-MG), Belo Horizonte, MG (Brazil)

2013-08-15

The bystander effect refers to biological responses detected in cells not directly irradiated but influenced, somehow, by signals transmitted from neighboring irradiated cells. These biological responses include sister chromatid exchange, mutations, micronucleus formation, chromosomal aberrations, carcinogenesis, apoptosis and necrosis. Although its existence is unquestionable, the mechanisms involved on triggering the bystander effect are not yet completely elucidated. Previous studies have shown that the bystander effect depends on a large variety of parameters including the radiation dose, the dose rate, the type of radiation and type of cells or tissue. This study aims to confirm the technique previously used in the literature in human cell lines for the bystander effect verification. The results suggest that the working conditions adopted by the group show technical efficiency and enables the reproduction of the bystander effect. (author)

Confirmation of antibodies against L-tryptophan-like epitope in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Confirmation of antibodies against L-tryptophan-like epitope in human African trypanosomosis serological diagnostic. ... number of patients in Congo. A diagnostic test based on this synthetic epitope, especially in combination with other tests, might improve the HAT diagnostic test in field conditions. Key words: Tryptophan ...

Experimental Confirmation of Nonlinear-Model- Predictive Control Applied Offline to a Permanent Magnet Linear Generator for Ocean-Wave Energy Conversion

KAUST Repository

Tom, Nathan; Yeung, Ronald W.

2015-01-01

To further maximize power absorption in both regular and irregular ocean wave environments, nonlinear-model-predictive control (NMPC) was applied to a model-scale point absorber developed at the University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA. The NMPC strategy requires a power-takeoff (PTO) unit that could be turned on and off, as the generator would be inactive for up to 60% of the wave period. To confirm the effectiveness of this NMPC strategy, an in-house-designed permanent magnet linear generator (PMLG) was chosen as the PTO. The time-varying performance of the PMLG was first characterized by dry-bench tests, using mechanical relays to control the electromagnetic conversion process. The on/off sequencing of the PMLG was tested under regular and irregular wave excitation to validate NMPC simulations using control inputs obtained from running the choice optimizer offline. Experimental results indicate that successful implementation was achieved and absorbed power using NMPC was up to 50% greater than the passive system, which utilized no controller. Previous investigations into MPC applied to wave energy converters have lacked the experimental results to confirm the reported gains in power absorption. However, after considering the PMLG mechanical-to-electrical conversion efficiency, the electrical power output was not consistently maximized. To improve output power, a mathematical relation between the efficiency and damping magnitude of the PMLG was inserted in the system model to maximize the electrical power output through continued use of NMPC which helps separate this work from previous investigators. Of significance, results from latter simulations provided a damping time series that was active over a larger portion of the wave period requiring the actuation of the applied electrical load, rather than on/off control.

Associations of polychlorinated biphenyl exposure and endogenous hormones with diabetes in post-menopausal women previously employed at a capacitor manufacturing plant.

Science.gov (United States)

Persky, Victoria; Piorkowski, Julie; Turyk, Mary; Freels, Sally; Chatterton, Robert; Dimos, John; Bradlow, H Leon; Chary, Lin Kaatz; Burse, Virlyn; Unterman, Terry; Sepkovic, Daniel; McCann, Kenneth

2011-08-01

There is an increasing body of literature showing associations of organochlorine exposure with risk of diabetes and insulin resistance. Some studies suggest that associations differ by gender and that diabetes risk, in turn, may be affected by endogenous steroid hormones. This report examines the relationships of serum PCBs and endogenous hormones with history of diabetes in a cohort of persons previously employed at a capacitor manufacturing plant. A total of 118 women were post-menopausal with complete data, of whom 93 were not using steroid hormones in 1996, at the time of examination, which included a survey of exposure and medical history, height, weight and collection of blood and urine for measurements of lipids, liver function, hematologic markers and endogenous hormones. This analysis examines relationships of serum polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), work exposure and endogenous hormones with self-reported history of diabetes after control for potential confounders. All PCB exposure groups were significantly related to history of diabetes, but not to insulin resistance as measured by the homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) in non-diabetics. Diabetes was also independently and inversely associated with follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) and triiodothyronine (T3) uptake. HOMA-IR was positively associated with body mass index (BMI) and C-reactive protein (CRP) and inversely associated with sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) and T3 uptake after control for PCB exposure. Possible biologic mechanisms are discussed. This study confirms previous reports relating PCB exposure to diabetes and suggests possible hormonal pathways deserving further exploration. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Community-acquired Pseudomonas aeruginosa-pneumonia in a previously healthy man occupationally exposed to metalworking fluids

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fernando Peixoto Ferraz de Campos

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Although the Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection is well known and frequently found in hospitals and nursing care facilities, many cases are also reported outside these boundaries. In general, this pathogen infects debilitated patients either by comorbidities or by any form of immunodeficiency. In cases of respiratory infection, tobacco abuse seems to play an important role as a risk factor. In previously healthy patients, community-acquired pneumonia (CAP with P. aeruginosa as the etiological agent is extremely rare, and unlike the cases involving immunocompromised or hospitalized patients, the outcome is severe, and is fatal in up to 61.1% of cases. Aerosolized contaminated water or solutions are closely linked to the development of respiratory tract infection. In this setting, metalworking fluids used in factories may be implicated in CAP involving previously healthy people. The authors report the case of a middle-aged man who worked in a metalworking factory and presented a right upper lobar pneumonia with a rapid fatal outcome. P. aeruginosa was cultured from blood and tracheal aspirates. The autopsy findings confirmed a hemorrhagic necrotizing pneumonia with bacteria-invading vasculitis and thrombosis. A culture of the metalworking fluid of the factory was also positive for P. aeruginosa. The pulsed-field gel electrophoresis showed that both strains (blood culture and metalworking fluid were genetically indistinguishable. The authors highlight the occupational risk for the development of this P. aeruginosa-infection in healthy people.

Evaluation of histologically confirmed carcinoma of the cervix in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Data collected was analysed with SPSS version 20.0 software and presented in tables and charts. Results: Sixty two patients with histological confirmation of ... The commonest histological type of cervical cancer was squamous cell carcinoma accounting for 88.9%. Twenty (44.4%) patients were referred for radiotherapy and ...

Confirmation of quasi-static approximation in SAR evaluation for a wireless power transfer system.

Science.gov (United States)

Hirata, Akimasa; Ito, Fumihiro; Laakso, Ilkka

2013-09-07

The present study discusses the applicability of the magneto-quasi-static approximation to the calculation of the specific absorption rate (SAR) in a cylindrical model for a wireless power transfer system. Resonant coils with different parameters were considered in the 10 MHz band. A two-step quasi-static method that is comprised of the method of moments and the scalar-potential finite-difference methods is applied, which can consider the effects of electric and magnetic fields on the induced SAR separately. From our computational results, the SARs obtained from our quasi-static method are found to be in good agreement with full-wave analysis for different positions of the cylindrical model relative to the wireless power transfer system, confirming the applicability of the quasi-static approximation in the 10 MHz band. The SAR induced by the external electric field is found to be marginal as compared to that induced by the magnetic field. Thus, the dosimetry for the external magnetic field, which may be marginally perturbed by the presence of biological tissue, is confirmed to be essential for SAR compliance in the 10 MHz band or lower. This confirmation also suggests that the current in the coil rather than the transferred power is essential for SAR compliance.

Confirmation of quasi-static approximation in SAR evaluation for a wireless power transfer system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hirata, Akimasa; Ito, Fumihiro; Laakso, Ilkka

2013-01-01

The present study discusses the applicability of the magneto-quasi-static approximation to the calculation of the specific absorption rate (SAR) in a cylindrical model for a wireless power transfer system. Resonant coils with different parameters were considered in the 10 MHz band. A two-step quasi-static method that is comprised of the method of moments and the scalar-potential finite-difference methods is applied, which can consider the effects of electric and magnetic fields on the induced SAR separately. From our computational results, the SARs obtained from our quasi-static method are found to be in good agreement with full-wave analysis for different positions of the cylindrical model relative to the wireless power transfer system, confirming the applicability of the quasi-static approximation in the 10 MHz band. The SAR induced by the external electric field is found to be marginal as compared to that induced by the magnetic field. Thus, the dosimetry for the external magnetic field, which may be marginally perturbed by the presence of biological tissue, is confirmed to be essential for SAR compliance in the 10 MHz band or lower. This confirmation also suggests that the current in the coil rather than the transferred power is essential for SAR compliance. (note)

The consistency principle in interpersonal communication: consequences of preference confirmation and disconfirmation in collective decision making.

Science.gov (United States)

Mojzisch, Andreas; Kerschreiter, Rudolf; Faulmüller, Nadira; Vogelgesang, Frank; Schulz-Hardt, Stefan

2014-06-01

Interpersonal cognitive consistency is a driving force in group behavior. In this article, we propose a new model of interpersonal cognitive consistency in collective decision making. Building on ideas from the mutual enhancement model (Wittenbaum, Hubbell, & Zuckerman, 1999), we argue that group members evaluate one another more positively when they mention information confirming each other's preferences instead of information disconfirming these preferences. Furthermore, we argue that this effect is mediated by perceived information quality: Group members evaluate one another more positively when they mention information confirming each other's preferences because they perceive this information to be more important and accurate than information disconfirming each other's preferences. Finally, we hypothesize that group members who communicate information confirming each other's preferences receive positive feedback for doing so, which, in turn, leads group members to mention even more of this information. The results of 3 studies with pseudo and face-to-face interacting dyads provide converging support for our model.

The pathogenicity of genetic variants previously associated with left ventricular non-compaction

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Abbasi, Yeganeh; Jabbari, Javad; Jabbari, Reza

2016-01-01

BACKGROUND: Left ventricular non-compaction (LVNC) is a rare cardiomyopathy. Many genetic variants have been associated with LVNC. However, the number of the previous LVNC-associated variants that are common in the background population remains unknown. The aim of this study was to provide...... an updated list of previously reported LVNC-associated variants with biologic description and investigate the prevalence of LVNC variants in healthy general population to find false-positive LVNC-associated variants. METHODS AND RESULTS: The Human Gene Mutation Database and PubMed were systematically...... searched to identify all previously reported LVNC-associated variants. Thereafter, the Exome Sequencing Project (ESP) and the Exome Aggregation Consortium (ExAC), that both represent the background population, was searched for all variants. Four in silico prediction tools were assessed to determine...

Reoperative sentinel lymph node biopsy after previous mastectomy.

Science.gov (United States)

Karam, Amer; Stempel, Michelle; Cody, Hiram S; Port, Elisa R

2008-10-01

Sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy is the standard of care for axillary staging in breast cancer, but many clinical scenarios questioning the validity of SLN biopsy remain. Here we describe our experience with reoperative-SLN (re-SLN) biopsy after previous mastectomy. Review of the SLN database from September 1996 to December 2007 yielded 20 procedures done in the setting of previous mastectomy. SLN biopsy was performed using radioisotope with or without blue dye injection superior to the mastectomy incision, in the skin flap in all patients. In 17 of 20 patients (85%), re-SLN biopsy was performed for local or regional recurrence after mastectomy. Re-SLN biopsy was successful in 13 of 20 patients (65%) after previous mastectomy. Of the 13 patients, 2 had positive re-SLN, and completion axillary dissection was performed, with 1 having additional positive nodes. In the 11 patients with negative re-SLN, 2 patients underwent completion axillary dissection demonstrating additional negative nodes. One patient with a negative re-SLN experienced chest wall recurrence combined with axillary recurrence 11 months after re-SLN biopsy. All others remained free of local or axillary recurrence. Re-SLN biopsy was unsuccessful in 7 of 20 patients (35%). In three of seven patients, axillary dissection was performed, yielding positive nodes in two of the three. The remaining four of seven patients all had previous modified radical mastectomy, so underwent no additional axillary surgery. In this small series, re-SLN was successful after previous mastectomy, and this procedure may play some role when axillary staging is warranted after mastectomy.

Can Confirmation Measures Reflect Statistically Sound Dependencies in Data? The Concordance-based Assessment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Susmaga Robert

2018-03-01

Full Text Available The paper considers particular interestingness measures, called confirmation measures (also known as Bayesian confirmation measures, used for the evaluation of “if evidence, then hypothesis” rules. The agreement of such measures with a statistically sound (significant dependency between the evidence and the hypothesis in data is thoroughly investigated. The popular confirmation measures were not defined to possess such form of agreement. However, in error-prone environments, potential lack of agreement may lead to undesired effects, e.g. when a measure indicates either strong confirmation or strong disconfirmation, while in fact there is only weak dependency between the evidence and the hypothesis. In order to detect and prevent such situations, the paper employs a coefficient allowing to assess the level of dependency between the evidence and the hypothesis in data, and introduces a method of quantifying the level of agreement (referred to as a concordance between this coefficient and the measure being analysed. The concordance is characterized and visualised using specialized histograms, scatter-plots, etc. Moreover, risk-related interpretations of the concordance are introduced. Using a set of 12 confirmation measures, the paper presents experiments designed to establish the actual concordance as well as other useful characteristics of the measures.

CONFIRMATION OF HOT JUPITER KEPLER-41b VIA PHASE CURVE ANALYSIS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Quintana, Elisa V.; Rowe, Jason F.; Caldwell, Douglas A.; Christiansen, Jessie L.; Jenkins, Jon M.; Morris, Robert L.; Smith, Jeffrey C.; Thompson, Susan E.; Barclay, Thomas; Howell, Steve B.; Borucki, William J.; Sanderfer, Dwight T.; Still, Martin; Ciardi, David R.; Demory, Brice-Olivier; Klaus, Todd C.; Fulton, Benjamin J.; Shporer, Avi

2013-01-01

We present high precision photometry of Kepler-41, a giant planet in a 1.86 day orbit around a G6V star that was recently confirmed through radial velocity measurements. We have developed a new method to confirm giant planets solely from the photometric light curve, and we apply this method herein to Kepler-41 to establish the validity of this technique. We generate a full phase photometric model by including the primary and secondary transits, ellipsoidal variations, Doppler beaming, and reflected/emitted light from the planet. Third light contamination scenarios that can mimic a planetary transit signal are simulated by injecting a full range of dilution values into the model, and we re-fit each diluted light curve model to the light curve. The resulting constraints on the maximum occultation depth and stellar density combined with stellar evolution models rules out stellar blends and provides a measurement of the planet's mass, size, and temperature. We expect about two dozen Kepler giant planets can be confirmed via this method.

Implementation of the Fissile Mass Flow Monitor Source Verification and Confirmation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Uckan, Taner [ORNL; March-Leuba, Jose A [ORNL; Powell, Danny H [ORNL; Nelson, Dennis [Sandia National Laboratories (SNL); Radev, Radoslav [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL)

2007-12-01

This report presents the verification procedure for neutron sources installed in U.S. Department of Energy equipment used to measure fissile material flow. The Fissile Mass Flow Monitor (FMFM) equipment determines the {sup 235}U fissile mass flow of UF{sub 6} gas streams by using {sup 252}Cf neutron sources for fission activation of the UF{sub 6} gas and by measuring the fission products in the flow. The {sup 252}Cf sources in each FMFM are typically replaced every 2 to 3 years due to their relatively short half-life ({approx} 2.65 years). During installation of the new FMFM sources, the source identity and neutronic characteristics provided by the manufacturer are verified with the following equipment: (1) a remote-control video television (RCTV) camera monitoring system is used to confirm the source identity, and (2) a neutron detection system (NDS) is used for source-strength confirmation. Use of the RCTV and NDS permits remote monitoring of the source replacement process and eliminates unnecessary radiation exposure. The RCTV, NDS, and the confirmation process are described in detail in this report.

Implementation of the Fissile Mass Flow Monitor Source Verification and Confirmation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Uckan, Taner; March-Leuba, Jose A.; Powell, Danny H.; Nelson, Dennis; Radev, Radoslav

2007-01-01

This report presents the verification procedure for neutron sources installed in U.S. Department of Energy equipment used to measure fissile material flow. The Fissile Mass Flow Monitor (FMFM) equipment determines the 235 U fissile mass flow of UF 6 gas streams by using 252 Cf neutron sources for fission activation of the UF 6 gas and by measuring the fission products in the flow. The 252 Cf sources in each FMFM are typically replaced every 2 to 3 years due to their relatively short half-life (∼ 2.65 years). During installation of the new FMFM sources, the source identity and neutronic characteristics provided by the manufacturer are verified with the following equipment: (1) a remote-control video television (RCTV) camera monitoring system is used to confirm the source identity, and (2) a neutron detection system (NDS) is used for source-strength confirmation. Use of the RCTV and NDS permits remote monitoring of the source replacement process and eliminates unnecessary radiation exposure. The RCTV, NDS, and the confirmation process are described in detail in this report.

77 FR 70176 - Previous Participation Certification

Science.gov (United States)

2012-11-23

... participants' previous participation in government programs and ensure that the past record is acceptable prior... information is designed to be 100 percent automated and digital submission of all data and certifications is... government programs and ensure that the past record is acceptable prior to granting approval to participate...

First confirmation of Pseudogymnoascus destructans in British bats and hibernacula.

Science.gov (United States)

Barlow, A M; Worledge, L; Miller, H; Drees, K P; Wright, P; Foster, J T; Sobek, C; Borman, A M; Fraser, M

2015-07-18

White-nose syndrome (WNS) is a fatal fungal infection of bats in North America caused by Pseudogymnoascus destructans. P. destructans has been confirmed in Continental Europe but not associated with mass mortality. Its presence in Great Britain was unknown. Opportunistic sampling of bats in GB began during the winter of 2009. Any dead bats or samples from live bats with visible fungal growths were submitted to the Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency for culture. Active surveillance by targeted environmental sampling of hibernacula was carried out during the winter of 2012/2013. Six hibernacula were selected by their proximity to Continental Europe. Five samples, a combination of surface swabs or sediment samples, were collected. These were sent to the Center for Microbial Genetics and Genomics, Northern Arizona University, for P. destructans PCR. Forty-eight incidents were investigated between March 2009 and July 2013. They consisted of 46 bat carcases and 31 other samples. A suspected P. destructans isolate was cultured from a live Daubenton's bat (Myotis daubentonii) sampled in February 2013. This isolate was confirmed by the Mycology Reference Laboratory, Bristol (Public Health England), as P. destructans. A variety of fungi were isolated from the rest but all were considered to be saprophytic or incidental. P. destructans was also confirmed by the Center for Microbial Genetics and Genomics in five of the six sites surveyed. British Veterinary Association.

Urinary incontinence and vaginal squeeze pressure two years post-cesarean delivery in primiparous women with previous gestational diabetes mellitus

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Angélica Mércia Pascon Barbosa

2011-01-01

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: To assess the prevalence of urinary incontinence and associated vaginal squeeze pressure in primiparous women with and without previous gestational diabetes mellitus two years post-cesarean delivery. METHODS: Primiparous women who delivered by cesarean two years previously were interviewed about the delivery and the occurrence of incontinence. Incontinence was reported by the women and vaginal pressure evaluated by a Perina perineometer. Sixty-three women with gestational diabetes and 98 women without the disease were screened for incontinence and vaginal pressure. Multiple logistic regression models were used to evaluate the independent effects of gestational diabetes. RESULTS: The prevalence of gestational incontinence was higher among women with gestational diabetes during their pregnancies (50.8% vs. 31.6% and two years after a cesarean (44.8% vs. 18.4%. Decreased vaginal pressure was also significantly higher among women with gestational diabetes (53.9% vs. 37.8%. Maternal weight gain and newborn weight were risk factors for decreased vaginal pressure. Maternal age, gestational incontinence and decreased vaginal pressure were risk factors for incontinence two years after a cesarean. In a multivariate logistic model, gestational diabetes was an independent risk factor for gestational incontinence. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of incontinence and decreased vaginal pressure two years post-cesarean were elevated among women with gestational diabetes compared to women who were normoglycemic during pregnancy. We confirmed an association between gestational diabetes mellitus and a subsequent decrease of vaginal pressure two years post-cesarean. These results may warrant more comprehensive prospective and translational studies.

Theory of Planned Behavior in the Classroom: An Examination of the Instructor Confirmation-Interaction Model

Science.gov (United States)

Burns, Michael E.; Houser, Marian L.; Farris, Kristen LeBlanc

2018-01-01

The current study utilizes the theory of planned behavior (Ajzen "Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes," 50, 179-211 Ajzen 1991) to examine an instructor confirmation-interaction model in the instructional communication context to discover a means by which instructors might cultivate positive student attitudes and…

Performance confirmation data acquisition system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McAffee, D.A.; Raczka, N.T.

1997-01-01

As part of the Viability Assessment (VA) work, this QAP-3-9 document presents and evaluates a comprehensive set of viable concepts for collecting Performance Confirmation (PC) related data. The concepts include: monitoring subsurface repository air temperatures, humidity levels and gaseous emissions via the subsurface ventilation systems, and monitoring the repository geo-technical parameters and rock mass from bore-holes located along the perimeter main drifts and throughout a series of human-rated Observation Drifts to be located in a plane 25 meters above the plane of the emplacement drifts. A key element of this document is the development and analysis of a purposed multi-purpose Remote Inspection Gantry that would provide direct, real-time visual, thermal, and radiological monitoring of conditions inside operational emplacement drifts and close-up observations of in-situ Waste Packages. Preliminary finite-element analyses are presented that indicate the technological feasibility of operating an inspection gantry inside the operational emplacement drifts for short inspection missions lasting 2--3 hours. Overall reliability, availability, and maintainability of the PC data collection concepts are discussed. Preliminary concepts for PC data collection network are also provided

Performance confirmation data acquisition system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

McAffee, D.A.; Raczka, N.T. [Yucca Mountain Project, Las Vegas, NV (United States)

1997-12-31

As part of the Viability Assessment (VA) work, this QAP-3-9 document presents and evaluates a comprehensive set of viable concepts for collecting Performance Confirmation (PC) related data. The concepts include: monitoring subsurface repository air temperatures, humidity levels and gaseous emissions via the subsurface ventilation systems, and monitoring the repository geo-technical parameters and rock mass from bore-holes located along the perimeter main drifts and throughout a series of human-rated Observation Drifts to be located in a plane 25 meters above the plane of the emplacement drifts. A key element of this document is the development and analysis of a purposed multi-purpose Remote Inspection Gantry that would provide direct, real-time visual, thermal, and radiological monitoring of conditions inside operational emplacement drifts and close-up observations of in-situ Waste Packages. Preliminary finite-element analyses are presented that indicate the technological feasibility of operating an inspection gantry inside the operational emplacement drifts for short inspection missions lasting 2--3 hours. Overall reliability, availability, and maintainability of the PC data collection concepts are discussed. Preliminary concepts for PC data collection network are also provided.

Effects of previous ovarian surgery for endometriosis on the outcome of assisted reproduction treatment.

Science.gov (United States)

Geber, Selmo; Ferreira, Daniela Parreiras; Spyer Prates, Luis Felipe Víctor; Sales, Liana; Sampaio, Marcos

2002-01-01

Endometriosis affects 2-50% of women at reproductive age. Surgery is an option for treatment, but there is no convincing evidence that it promotes a significant improvement in fertility. Also, the removal of ovarian endometrioma might lead to a reduction in the follicular reserve and response to stimulation. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of previous ovarian surgery for endometriosis on the ovarian response in assisted reproduction treatment cycles and its pregnancy outcome. A total of 61 women, with primary infertility and previously having undergone ovarian surgery for endometriosis, who had received 74 IVF/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycles, were studied (study group). A further 74 patients with primary infertility who underwent 77 IVF/ICSI cycles within#10; the same period of time, at the same clinic and without previous ovarian surgery or endometriosis were studied as a control group. Patients were matched for age and treatment performed. Patients 35 years with previous ovarian surgery needed more ampoules for ovulation induction (P = 0.017) and had fewer follicles and oocytes than women in the control group (P = 0.001). Duration of folliculogenesis was similar in both groups, as was fertilization rate. A total of 10 patients achieved pregnancy in the study group (34.5%) and 14 (48.3%) in the control group. Although a lower pregnancy rate was observed in patients who had undergone previous ovarian surgery, this difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.424). In conclusion, ovarian surgery for the treatment of endometriosis reduces the ovarian outcome in IVF/ICSI cycles in women >35 years old, and might also decrease pregnancy rates. Therefore, for infertile patients, non-surgical treatment might be a better option to avoid reduction of the ovarian response.

Breast skin calcifications: Mammographic recognition and confirmation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Berkowitz, J.E.; Gatewood, O.M.B.; Gayler, B.W.

1987-01-01

The authors found microcalcifications in the skin of the breast to occur in 8% of patients undergoing mammography, a prevalence much higher than what has been previously reported. Usually in incidental finding, breast skin calcifications are readily recognized when they are multiple, bilateral, coarse, or polygonal with a central radiolucency; when they are located in a peripheral portion of the breast on at least one view, or when they are serendipitously imaged within the skin. One hundred patients with breast skin calcifications were studied. In 15 patients in whom clustered dermal calcifications simulated parenchymal microcalcifications, template-guided tangential views permitted precise skin localization. Three of those patients had been referred for needle localization before biopsy and four after failed biopsy for clustered microcalcifications. Dermal calcifications can pose a vexing problem in the management of microcalcifications of the breast. A high index of suspicion is warrented in order to forestall unnecessary or unsuccessful biopsies

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) is tolerant to higher levels of salinity than previous guidelines indicated: Implications of field and greenhouse studies

Science.gov (United States)

Putnam, Daniel H.; Benes, Sharon; Galdi, Giuliano; Hutmacher, Bob; Grattan, Steve

2017-04-01

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) is the most widely grown leguminous forage crop in North America and is valued for high productivity, quality, economic value, and for dairy productivity. Alfalfa has historically been classified as moderately sensitive to saline conditions, with yield declines predicted at >2 dS/m in the saturated soil paste extract. However, greenhouse, sand tank, and field studies over the past five years have confirmed that alfalfa can be grown with limited negative effects at much higher salinity levels. A broad collection of alfalfa varieties has exhibited a range of resistance at irrigation water salinities >5 dS/m ECw in greenhouse trials, with significant variation due to variety. USDA-ARS sand tank studies indicated similar or greater tolerances closer to 8 dS/m in the soil water, in addition to confirmation of significant varietal differences. A three-year field study on clay loam soil with applications of 5-7 dS/m ECw irrigation water indicated normal yields and excellent stand survivability. A second field study in the same soil type with levels from 8-10 dS/m ECw showed yield reductions of 10-15% but economic yields were still achieved at those levels. Field and greenhouse studies were conducted with mixed salt saline sodic waters typical of the San Joaquin Valley of California. Field evaluation of variety performance was subject to greater variation due to secondary salinity-soil interactions including water infiltration and crusting problems, not only salinity per-se. Thus, adequate irrigation water availability to the crop may be as important as salinity in impacting yields under field conditions. Once established, the deep-rooted characteristics of alfalfa enable utilization of deeper subsurface moisture, even at moderate to high salinity levels, as documented by USDA lysimeter studies. Significant advantages to salinity-tolerant varieties have been observed. It will be important to consider specific management factors which may enable

The long-term consequences of previous hyperthyroidism

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hjelm Brandt Kristensen, Frans

2015-01-01

Thyroid hormones affect every cell in the human body, and the cardiovascular changes associated with increased levels of thyroid hormones are especially well described. As an example, short-term hyperthyroidism has positive chronotropic and inotropic effects on the heart, leading to a hyperdynamic...... with CVD, LD and DM both before and after the diagnosis of hyperthyroidism. Although the design used does not allow a stringent distinction between cause and effect, the findings indicate a possible direct association between hyperthyroidism and these morbidities, or vice versa....... vascular state. While it is biologically plausible that these changes may induce long-term consequences, the insight into morbidity as well as mortality in patients with previous hyperthyroidism is limited. The reasons for this are a combination of inadequately powered studies, varying definitions...

Association between previous splenectomy and gastric dilatation-volvulus in dogs: 453 cases (2004-2009).

Science.gov (United States)

Sartor, Angela J; Bentley, Adrienne M; Brown, Dorothy C

2013-05-15

To evaluate the association between previous splenectomy and gastric dilatation-volvulus (GDV) in dogs. Multi-institutional retrospective case-control study. Animals-151 dogs treated surgically for GDV and 302 control dogs with no history of GDV. Computerized records of dogs evaluated via exploratory laparotomy or abdominal ultrasonography were searched, and dogs with GDV and dogs without GDV (control dogs) were identified. Two control dogs were matched with respect to age, body weight, sex, neuter status, and breed to each dog with GDV. Data were collected on the presence or absence of the spleen for both dogs with GDV and control dogs. Conditional logistic regression analysis was used to investigate the association of previous splenectomy with GDV. 6 (4%) dogs in the GDV group and 3 (1%) dogs in the control group had a history of previous splenectomy. The odds of GDV in dogs with a history of previous splenectomy in this population of dogs were 5.3 times those of dogs without a history of previous splenectomy (95% confidence interval, 1.1 to 26.8). For the patients in the present study, there was an increased odds of GDV in dogs with a history of splenectomy. Prophylactic gastropexy may be considered in dogs undergoing a splenectomy, particularly if other risk factors for GDV are present.

[Prevalence of previously diagnosed diabetes mellitus in Mexico.

Science.gov (United States)

Rojas-Martínez, Rosalba; Basto-Abreu, Ana; Aguilar-Salinas, Carlos A; Zárate-Rojas, Emiliano; Villalpando, Salvador; Barrientos-Gutiérrez, Tonatiuh

2018-01-01

To compare the prevalence of previously diagnosed diabetes in 2016 with previous national surveys and to describe treatment and its complications. Mexico's national surveys Ensa 2000, Ensanut 2006, 2012 and 2016 were used. For 2016, logistic regression models and measures of central tendency and dispersion were obtained. The prevalence of previously diagnosed diabetes in 2016 was 9.4%. The increase of 2.2% relative to 2012 was not significant and only observed in patients older than 60 years. While preventive measures have increased, the access to medical treatment and lifestyle has not changed. The treatment has been modified, with an increase in insulin and decrease in hypoglycaemic agents. Population aging, lack of screening actions and the increase in diabetes complications will lead to an increase on the burden of disease. Policy measures targeting primary and secondary prevention of diabetes are crucial.

Analysis of previous perceptual and motor experience in breaststroke kick learning

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ried Bettina

2015-12-01

Full Text Available One of the variables that influence motor learning is the learner’s previous experience, which may provide perceptual and motor elements to be transferred to a novel motor skill. For swimming skills, several motor experiences may prove effective. Purpose. The aim was to analyse the influence of previous experience in playing in water, swimming lessons, and music or dance lessons on learning the breaststroke kick. Methods. The study involved 39 Physical Education students possessing basic swimming skills, but not the breaststroke, who performed 400 acquisition trials followed by 50 retention and 50 transfer trials, during which stroke index as well as rhythmic and spatial configuration indices were mapped, and answered a yes/no questionnaire regarding previous experience. Data were analysed by ANOVA (p = 0.05 and the effect size (Cohen’s d ≥0.8 indicating large effect size. Results. The whole sample improved their stroke index and spatial configuration index, but not their rhythmic configuration index. Although differences between groups were not significant, two types of experience showed large practical effects on learning: childhood water playing experience only showed major practically relevant positive effects, and no experience in any of the three fields hampered the learning process. Conclusions. The results point towards diverse impact of previous experience regarding rhythmic activities, swimming lessons, and especially with playing in water during childhood, on learning the breaststroke kick.

Diagnostic accuracy for X-ray chest in interstitial lung disease as confirmed by high resolution computed tomography (HRCT) chest

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Afzal, F.; Raza, S.; Shafique, M.

2017-01-01

Objective: To determine the diagnostic accuracy of x-ray chest in interstitial lung disease as confirmed by high resolution computed tomography (HRCT) chest. Study Design: A cross-sectional validational study. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Combined Military Hospital Rawalpindi, from Oct 2013 to Apr 2014. Material and Method: A total of 137 patients with clinical suspicion of interstitial lung disease (ILD) aged 20-50 years of both genders were included in the study. Patients with h/o previous histopathological diagnosis, already taking treatment and pregnant females were excluded. All the patients had chest x-ray and then HRCT. The x-ray and HRCT findings were recorded as presence or absence of the ILD. Results: Mean age was 40.21 ± 4.29 years. Out of 137 patients, 79 (57.66 percent) were males and 58 (42.34 percent) were females with male to female ratio of 1.36:1. Chest x-ray detected ILD in 80 (58.39 percent) patients, out of which, 72 (true positive) had ILD and 8 (false positive) had no ILD on HRCT. Overall sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and diagnostic accuracy of chest x-ray in diagnosing ILD was 80.0 percent, 82.98 percent, 90.0 percent, 68.42 percent and 81.02 percent respectively. Conclusion: This study concluded that chest x-ray is simple, non-invasive, economical and readily available alternative to HRCT with an acceptable diagnostic accuracy of 81 percent in the diagnosis of ILD. (author)

Previous Employment and Job Satisfaction Conditions: The Case of Regional Administration

Science.gov (United States)

Amalia, Myronaki; Nikolaos, Antonakas

2009-08-01

In the present work we study the different dimensions of satisfaction and the way of constitution of satisfaction of an important sample of the employees in the Regional administration of Crete and in their connection with the variable of the previous employment. We found statistically important differences for the components of satisfaction from the life, collaboration in and outside from the department, in the social satisfaction and the variable of the years in the service (labour group with satisfaction than the other previous employment groups. In the other hand the group with many years in the service presents bigger satisfaction than the other groups. Finally, is important to note that the sample present some interesting characteristics.

Confirmation of radiation pressure effects in laser--plasma interactions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Attwood, D.T.; Sweeney, D.W.; Auerbach, J.M.; Lee, P.H.Y.

1977-10-01

Interferometric data resolved in 1μm and 15 psec confirms the dominant role of radiation pressure during high intensity laser-plasma interactions. Specifically observed manifestations include electron density profiles steepened to 1 μm scale length, clearly defined upper and lower density shelves, and small and large scale deformation of transverse isodensity surfaces

Long-term Assessment of Post-Treatment Symptoms in Patients With Culture-Confirmed Early Lyme Disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Weitzner, Erica; McKenna, Donna; Nowakowski, John; Scavarda, Carol; Dornbush, Rhea; Bittker, Susan; Cooper, Denise; Nadelman, Robert B; Visintainer, Paul; Schwartz, Ira; Wormser, Gary P

2015-12-15

Lyme disease patients with erythema migrans are said to have post-treatment Lyme disease symptoms (PTLDS) if there is persistence of subjective symptoms for at least 6 months following antibiotic treatment and resolution of the skin lesion. The purpose of this study was to characterize PTLDS in patients with culture-confirmed early Lyme disease followed for >10 years. Adult patients with erythema migrans with a positive skin or blood culture for Borrelia burgdorferi were enrolled in a prospective study beginning in 1991 and followed up at 6 months and annually thereafter to determine the long-term outcome of this infection. The genotype of the infecting strain of B. burgdorferi was evaluated in subjects with PTLDS. One hundred twenty-eight subjects with culture-confirmed early Lyme disease, of whom 55% were male, were followed for a mean ± SD of 14.98 ± 2.71 years (median = 15 years; range = 11-20 years). Fourteen (10.9%) were regarded as having possible PTLDS, but only 6 (4.7%) had PTLDS documented at their last study visit. Nine (64.3%) had only a single symptom. None of the 6 with PTLDS at their last visit was considered to be functionally impaired by the symptom(s). PTLDS was not associated with a particular genotype of B. burgdorferi. PTLDS may persist for >10 years in some patients with culture-confirmed early Lyme disease. Such long-standing symptoms were not associated with functional impairment or a particular strain of B. burgdorferi. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Verification of the model of predisposition in triathlon – structural model of confirmative factor analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lenka Kovářová

2012-09-01

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: The triathlon is a combination of three different types of sport – swimming, cycling, and running. Each of these requires different top level predispositions and complex approach to talent selection is a rather difficult process. Attempts to identify assumptions in the triathlon have so far been specific and focused only on some groups of predispositions (physiology, motor tests, and psychology. The latest studies missed the structural approach and were based on determinants of sport performance, theory of sports training and expert assessment. OBJECTIVE: The aim of our study was to verify the model of predisposition in the short triathlon for talent assessment of young male athletes age 17–20 years. METHODS: The research sample consisted of 55 top level triathletes – men, who were included in the Government supported sports talent programme in the Czech Republic at the age of 17–20 years. We used a confirmative factor analysis (FA and Path diagram to verify the model, which allow us to explain mutual relationships among observed variables. For statistical data processing we used a structure equating modeling (SEM by software Lisrel L88. RESULTS: The study confirms best structural model for talent selection in triathlon at the age of 17–20 years old men, which composed seventeen indicators (tests and explained 91% of all cross-correlations (Goodness of Fit Index /GFI/ 0.91, Root Mean Square Residual /RMSR/ 0.13. Tests for predispositions in triathlons were grouped into five items, three motor predispositions (swimming, cycling and running skills, aerobic and psychological predispositions. Aerobic predispositions showed the highest importance to the assumptions to the general factor (1.00; 0. Running predispositions were measured as a very significant factor (–0.85; 0.28 which confirms importance of this critical stage of the race. Lower factor weight showed clusters of swimming (–0.61; 0.63 and cycling (0.53; 0

A Survey of Patients' Preoperative Need for Information About Postoperative Pain-Effect of Previous Surgery Experience.

Science.gov (United States)

Mavridou, Paraskevi; Manataki, Adamantia; Arnaoutoglou, Elena; Damigos, Dimitrios

2017-10-01

The aim of this study was to determine the kind of information patients need preoperatively about postoperative pain (POP) and whether this is affected by previous surgery experience. A descriptive study design using preoperative questionnaires. Questionnaires with fixed questions related to POP and its management were distributed preoperatively to consenting, consecutive surgical patients. Patients were divided into two groups: patients with previous surgery experience (group A) and patients without previous surgery experience (group B). Of the patients who participated in the study, 94.2% wanted information about POP and 77.8% of them believe that they will feel calmer if they get the information they need. The patients' biggest concern relates to pain management issues after discharge. Next, in order of preference is information about the analgesics that they need to take. The patients want to be informed primarily with a personal interview (59.4%). Previous surgery experience has no effect on patients' needs for information. Most of the patients want to be informed about the management of the POP after being discharged. It is remarkable that patients who had previous surgery experience need the same information with those who had no previous surgery. Copyright © 2016 American Society of PeriAnesthesia Nurses. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Detection and confirmation of toxigenic Vibrio cholerae O1 in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

2013-08-20

Aug 20, 2013 ... mental water samples, as well as for confirmation of clinical isolates. Keywords: ... Monitoring the presence of V. cholerae in drinking water sources ... have several advantages: they are rapid, sensitive, highly selective and do ...

Obtaining confirmation through social relationships: Norwegian first-time mothers' experiences while on maternity leave.

Science.gov (United States)

Alstveit, Marit; Severinsson, Elisabeth; Karlsen, Bjørg

2010-03-01

The social relationships of employed women on maternity leave undergo significant changes. The aim of the study was to illuminate first-time mothers' experiences of social relationships while on maternity leave. Nine mothers were interviewed at both 3-5 months and 11-14 months post-partum and the data were analyzed by means of interpretative analysis. The main theme of obtaining confirmation through social relationships was based on two themes (being confirmed by other mothers and balancing between being a mother and an employee) and on four subthemes (seeking company, sharing experiences, feeling ineffective and in a state of stagnation, and trying to handle contact with the workplace). In order to strengthen the social relationships of mothers, the mother-child health service should offer all mothers the opportunity to join a peer support group, while employers could keep in regular contact with staff members on maternity leave.

First confirmed record of Elodea canadensis Michx. (Hydrocharitaceae in Greece

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Poulis Georgios

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The paper confirms the presence of Elodea canadensis Michx. in Greece and outlines the history of contradictory relevant reports. This is also the first report of the species′ presence in the transboundary lake Great Prespa.

Influence of previous experience on resistance training on reliability of one-repetition maximum test.

Science.gov (United States)

Ritti-Dias, Raphael Mendes; Avelar, Ademar; Salvador, Emanuel Péricles; Cyrino, Edilson Serpeloni

2011-05-01

The 1-repetition maximum test (1RM) has been widely used to assess maximal strength. However, to improve accuracy in assessing maximal strength, several sessions of the 1RM test are recommended. The aim of this study was to analyze the influence of previous resistance training experience on the reliability of 1RM test. Thirty men were assigned to the following 2 groups according to their previous resistance training experience: no previous resistance training experience (NOEXP) and more than 24 months of resistance training experience (EXP). All subjects performed the 1RM tests in bench press and squat in 4 sessions on distinct days. There was a significant session × group effect in bench press (F = 3.09; p reliability of the 1RM test is influenced by the subject's previous experience in resistance training. Subjects without experience in resistance training require more practice and familiarization and show greater increases in maximal strength between sessions than subjects with previous experience in resistance training.

GRAN SASSO/GRENOBLE: Artificial neutrino source confirms solar neutrino result

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1995-01-01

In 1992, the Gallex experiment announced the first observation of the neutrinos produced in the primary proton-proton fusion reaction in the core of the Sun, reaction at the origin of the energy production by our star (September 1992, page 1). The Gallex team stressed that the observed neutrino flux was only about two-thirds of the predicted level, confirming the deficit observed by the two pioneering experiments, Ray Davis' chlorine-based detector in the USA and the Kamiokande study in Japan (which are only sensitive to neutrinos from subsidiary solar fusion processes). This deficit demands explanation, and could considerably modify our understanding of how stars shine and/or of neutrino physics. But before drawing conclusions, the Gallex result had to be checked. Gallex, installed in the Italian Gran Sasso underground Laboratory, is a radiochemical experiment using neutrino interactions to transform gallium-71 into germanium-71. The latter is radioactive and decays with a half-life of 11.4 days. Counting the germanium-71 atoms extracted from the target tank measures the neutrino flux to which the detector is exposed. Neutrinos are famous for their reluctance to interact. 65 billion per square centimetre per second on the surface of the Earth produce only one germanium-71 atom in the Gallex target containing 30 tons of gallium. This is at the limit of homeopathy (extracting few atoms of germanium-71 from a solution containing 10 30 atoms) and needs careful checking. Since it is not possible to switch off the Sun, the only recourse was to build an artificial neutrino source more powerful than the Sun as a benchmark. This was done last summer. Last May, 36 kilograms of chromium grains were placed in the Siloe reactor of the French Commissariat à l'énergie atomique, Grenoble. The chromium had been previously enriched to 40% chromium-50 by the Kurchatov Institute in Moscow (natural chromium contains only 4.5% chromium-50). A dedicated core was built for

Patterns of presentation of chronic ischemic heart disease with and without previous myocardial infarction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ahmad, R.; Rabbani, A.; Awan, Z.A.

2009-01-01

The prevalence of Ischemic Heart Disease (IHD) is on the rise, from increasing lifespan of population and availability of better medical facilities. We studied chronic IHD cases with and without previous myocardial infarction, in Hazara, NWFP, Pakistan to evaluate left ventricular (LV) dysfunction, wall motion abnormalities and complications of IHD. All patients presenting with history of chest pain in Medical 'C' Unit, Ayub Teaching Hospital, Abbottabad from June 2004 to May 2005 were included in the study. Patients with non-cardiac chest pain were excluded from the study. Cases with congenital and rheumatic heart disease, cardiomyopathies, unstable angina and acute MI were excluded. Patients with IHD with or without myocardial infarction (MI) were studied for left ventricular dysfunction (ejection fraction, left atrial size, E/A ratio), wall motion abnormalities and complications of IHD (Mitral regurgitation, Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD), LV aneurysm, LV clot). Clinical and echocardiographic evaluation was done in each case. Out of 183 cases of chronic IHD, 123 patients were without previous MI and 60 had had previous MI. Ejection fraction (EF) was 45%+-15 in the group without MI and 35+-11% in cases with MI. Left Atrium (LA) size was 35+-6 mm and 39+-4 mm in the two groups respectively. LV diastolic dysfunction was seen in 17% in the first and 24% in the second group respectively. Global hypokinesia was seen in 8% and 17% in the 2 groups respectively. Regional Wall Motion Abnormality (RWMA) was observed in 12% in patients without MI and in 58% cases with MI. Mitral regurgitation was seen in 10 and 20% in the 2 groups respectively LV clots, VSD, LV and aneurysm were seen in 8.4, 5, and 6.5% respectively, only in cases with previous MI. LV dysfunction, wall motion abnormalities and mitral regurgitation were more common in IHD cases with previous heart attack. (author)

75 FR 76056 - FEDERAL REGISTER CITATION OF PREVIOUS ANNOUNCEMENT:

Science.gov (United States)

2010-12-07

... SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Sunshine Act Meeting FEDERAL REGISTER CITATION OF PREVIOUS ANNOUNCEMENT: STATUS: Closed meeting. PLACE: 100 F Street, NE., Washington, DC. DATE AND TIME OF PREVIOUSLY ANNOUNCED MEETING: Thursday, December 9, 2010 at 2 p.m. CHANGE IN THE MEETING: Time change. The closed...

VBAC Scoring: Successful vaginal delivery in previous one caesarean section in induced labour

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Raja, J.F.; Bangash, K.T.; Mahmud, G.

2013-01-01

Objective: To develop a scoring system for the prediction of successful vaginal birth after caesarean section, following induction of labour with intra-vaginal E2 gel (Glandin). Methods: The cross-sectional study was conducted from January 2010 to August 2011, at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences in Islamabad. Trial of labour in previous one caesarean section, undergoing induction with intra-vaginal E2 gel, was attempted in 100 women. They were scored according to six variables; maternal age; gestation; indications of previous caesarean; history of vaginal birth either before or after the previous caesarean; Bishop score and body mass index. Multivariate and univariate logistic regression analysis was used to develop the scoring system. Results: Of the total, 67 (67%) women delivered vaginally, while 33 (33%) ended in repeat caesarean delivery. Among the subjects, 55 (55%) women had no history of vaginal delivery either before or after previous caesarean section; 15 (15%) had history of vaginal births both before and after the previous caesarean; while 30 (30%) had vaginal delivery only after the previous caesarean section. Rates of successful vaginal birth after caesarean increased from 38% in women having a score of 0-3 to 58% in patients scoring 4-6. Among those having a score of 7-9 and 10-12, the success rates were 71% and 86% respectively. Conclusion: Increasing scores correlated with the increasing probability of vaginal birth after caesarean undergoing induction of labour. The admission VBAC scoring system is useful in counselling women with previous caesarean for the option of induction of labour or repeat caesarean delivery. (author)

28 CFR 10.5 - Incorporation of papers previously filed.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 28 Judicial Administration 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Incorporation of papers previously filed... CARRYING ON ACTIVITIES WITHIN THE UNITED STATES Registration Statement § 10.5 Incorporation of papers previously filed. Papers and documents already filed with the Attorney General pursuant to the said act and...

Zika emergence in the French Territories of America and description of first confirmed cases of Zika virus infection on Martinique, November 2015 to February 2016.

Science.gov (United States)

Daudens-Vaysse, Elise; Ledrans, Martine; Gay, Noellie; Ardillon, Vanessa; Cassadou, Sylvie; Najioullah, Fatiha; Leparc-Goffart, Isabelle; Rousset, Dominique; Herrmann, Cécile; Cesaire, Raymond; Maquart, Marianne; Flusin, Olivier; Matheus, Séverine; Huc-Anaïs, Patricia; Jaubert, Josiane; Criquet-Hayot, Anne; Hoen, Bruno; Djossou, Felix; Locatelli-Jouans, Corinne; Blateau, Alain; McKenzie, Anne-Marie; Melin, Mathilde; Saint-Martin, Patrick; Dorléans, Frédérique; Suivant, Claudine; Carvalho, Luisiane; Petit-Sinturel, Marion; Andrieu, Audrey; Noël, Harold; Septfons, Alexandra; Gallay, Anne; Paty, Marie-Claire; Filleul, Laurent; Cabié, André

2016-07-14

Following of the emergence of Zika virus in Brazil in 2015, an epidemiological surveillance system was quickly implemented in the French overseas Territories of America (FTA) according to previous experience with dengue and chikungunya and has detected first cases of Zika. General practitioners and medical microbiologists were invited to report all clinically suspected cases of Zika, laboratory investigations were systematically conducted (RT-PCR). On 18 December, the first autochthonous case of Zika virus infection was confirmed by RT-PCR on French Guiana and Martinique, indicating introduction of Zika virus in FTA. The viral circulation of Zika virus was then also confirmed on Guadeloupe and Saint-Martin. We report here early findings on 203 confirmed cases of Zika virus infection identified by RT-PCR or seroneutralisation on Martinique Island between 24 November 2015 and 20 January 2016. All cases were investigated. Common clinical signs were observed (maculopapular rash, arthralgia, fever, myalgia and conjunctival hyperaemia) among these patients, but the rash, the foundation of our case definition, may be absent in a significant proportion of patients (16%). These results are important for the implementation of a suspected case definition, the main tool for epidemiological surveillance, in territories that may be affected by ZIKV emergence, including Europe. This article is copyright of The Authors, 2016.

Risk Factors for Fatal Hyperglycaemia Confirmed by Forensic Postmortem Examination - A Nationwide Cohort in Sweden

Science.gov (United States)

Walz, Lotta; Jönsson, Anna K.; Zilg, Brita; Östgren, Carl Johan; Druid, Henrik

2016-01-01

Aims/Hypothesis The aim of this study was to identify risk factors associated with confirmed fatal hyperglycaemia, which could predispose potentially preventable deaths in individuals on glucose lowering drugs. Methods A retrospective register-based case-control study conducted on a nationwide cohort with individuals who died due to hyperglycaemia as determined by forensic postmortem examination, in Sweden August 2006 to December 2012. Vitreous glucose was used to diagnose hyperglycaemia postmortem. The forensic findings stored in the National Forensic Medicine Database were linked to nationwide registers. Cases that died due to confirmed hyperglycemia with dispensed glucose lowering drugs were identified and living controls with dispensed glucose lowering drugs were randomly selected in the Swedish prescribed drug register and matched on age and sex. Information on comorbidities, dispensed pharmaceuticals, clinical data and socioeconomic factors were obtained for cases and controls. Adjusted multiple logistic regression models were used to identify risk factors associated with fatal hyperglycaemia. Results During the study period 322 individuals, mostly males (79%) with the mean age of 53.9 years (SD.± 14) died due to confirmed hyperglycaemia. Risk factors for fatal hyperglycaemia included; insulin treatment (OR = 4.40; 95%CI,1.96, 9.85), poor glycaemic control (OR = 2.00 95%CI,1.23, 3.27), inadequate refill-adherence before death (OR = 3.87; 95%CI,1.99, 7.53), microvascular disease (OR = 3.26; 95% CI, 1.84, 5.79), psychiatric illness (OR = 2.30; 95% CI,1.32, 4.01), substance abuse (OR = 8.85; 95%CI,2.34, 35.0) and/or living alone (OR = 2.25; 95%CI,1.21, 4.18). Conclusions/Interpretation Our results demonstrate the importance of clinical attention to poor glycaemic control in subjects with psychosocial problems since it may indicate serious non-adherence, which consequently could lead to fatal hyperglycaemia. PMID:27768720

L0 Confirmation with fast, Tsa based tracking in the T-stations

CERN Document Server

Albrecht, J; Terrier, H

2007-01-01

A fast tracking algorithm to confirm the high $p_T$ L0 trigger objects with tracks from the T-stations is presented. The L0 trigger candidate is used to define a search window to a potential track. Using this, a seeded track search is performed. The track finding algorithm is based on the \\textit{TsaSeeding} algorithm~\\cite{bib:Tsa}. The efficiency to confirm a true L0 trigger signal is around 96\\%, the momentum can be measured up to $\\Delta p/p$=3\\%.

Fear-related confirmation bias in children: a comparison between neutral- and dangerous-looking animals.

Science.gov (United States)

Dibbets, Pauline; Fliek, Lorraine; Meesters, Cor

2015-06-01

The purpose of this study was to examine confirmation bias in children without explicitly inducing fear. Eighty non-clinical children (7-13 years) were shown pictures of a neutral animal (quokka) and two dangerous-looking animals (aye aye and possum). For each animal, levels of perceived fear, threat and request for additional threatening or non-threatening information were obtained. A behavioral approach test (BAT) was included as behavioral measure of fear. The results indicated that the aye aye and possum were rated as more threatening and fearful than the quokka. For the aye aye and possum higher fear levels coincided with search for more threatening than non-threatening information. This pattern was absent in non-fearful children and for the non-threatening quokka. During the BAT the quokka was more often approached first compared to the aye aye and possum. Our findings suggest that confirmation bias in children can be observed without using verbal fear induction.

Impulsivity moderates the relationship between previous quit failure and cue-induced craving.

Science.gov (United States)

Erblich, Joel; Michalowski, Alexandra

2015-12-01

Poor inhibitory control has been shown to be an important predictor of relapse to a number of drugs, including nicotine. Indeed, smokers who exhibit higher levels of impulsivity are thought to have impaired regulation of urges to smoke, and previous research has suggested that impulsivity may moderate cue-induced cigarette cravings. To that end, we conducted a study to evaluate the interplay between failed smoking cessation, cue-induced craving, and impulsivity. Current smokers (n=151) rated their cigarette cravings before and after laboratory to exposure to smoking cues, and completed questionnaires assessing impulsivity and previous failed quit attempts. Findings indicated that shorter duration of previous failed quit attempts was related to higher cue-induced cigarette craving, especially among smokers with higher levels of impulsivity. Results underscore the importance of considering trait impulsivity as a factor in better understanding the management of cue-induced cravings. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Safety confirmation study of TRUEX solvent by accelerating rate calorimeter (ARC)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sato, Yoshihiko; Hirumachi, Suguru; Takeda, Shinso; Kanazawa, Yoshito; Sasaya, Shinji

1999-02-01

In order to confirm the engineering safety on the TRUEX solvent (mixed solvent of CMPO/TBP/n-dodecane) for separating the transuranics from high-level activity liquid waste in advanced nuclear fuel recycling technological R and D, thermal behavior and pressure behavior in heating PUREX solvent (mixed solvent of 30% TBP-n-dodecane), TRUEX solvent and in the exothermic reaction of TRUEX solvent etc. and nitric acid in sealed adiabatic system which was severer condition than actual plant were measured by using accelerating rate calorimeter (ARC). The Arrhenius parameters (activation energy and frequency factor) which are necessary for the evaluation of reaction rate was examined from the measurement data in ARC. Analytical method and analysis condition of reaction products were examined in order to clarify chemical form of reaction products in exothermic reaction between solvent and nitric acid in ARC, and the qualitative evaluation was carried out. Main results are shown in the following. 1) TBP, CMPO, n-dodecane and 10 M nitric acid hardly exothermed in the simple substance. 2) On the solvent phase after the solvent contacted with 10 M nitric acid and the equilibrium has been attained (single-phase sample), the heat quantity per unit sample weight of the TRUEX solvent tended to be bigger than that of the PUREX solvent when heat quantity was evaluated in ARC. However, on the mixed sample of solvent and 10 M nitric acid enclosed in a sample container simultaneously (two phase system sample), the heat quantity per unit solvent weight was almost equivalent for PUREX solvent and TRUEX solvent. 3) The kinetic analysis was carried out, and on the TBP-10 M nitric acid single-phase sample, the activation energy of the reaction was evaluated to be 118 kJ/mol. Its activation energy was approximately equal to 112 kJ/mol by Nichols. The reaction rate constant was calculated, and it was shown that reaction rate constants of PUREX solvent-10 M nitric acid single-phase sample and

Vitamin D deficiency in medical patients at a central hospital in Malawi: a comparison with TB patients from a previous study.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yamikani Mastala

Full Text Available OBJECTIVES: To determine the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency (VDD in adult medical, non-tuberculous (non-TB patients. To investigate associations with VDD. To compare the results with a similar study in TB patients at the same hospital. DESIGN: Cross-sectional sample. SETTING: Central hospital in Malawi. PARTICIPANTS: Adult non-TB patients (n = 157, inpatients and outpatients. OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome was the prevalence of VDD. Potentially causal associations sought included nutritional status, in/outpatient status, HIV status, anti-retroviral therapy (ART and, by comparison with a previous study, a diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB. RESULTS: Hypovitaminosis D (≤75 nmol/L occurred in 47.8% (75/157 of patients, 16.6% (26/157 of whom had VDD (≤50 nmol/L. None had severe VDD (≤25 nmol/L. VDD was found in 22.8% (23/101 of in-patients and 5.4% (3/56 of out-patients. In univariable analysis in-patient status, ART use and low dietary vitamin D were significant predictors of VDD. VDD was less prevalent than in previously studied TB patients in the same hospital (68/161 = 42%. In multivariate analysis of the combined data set from both studies, having TB (OR 3.61, 95%CI 2.02-6.43 and being an in-patient (OR 2.70, 95%CI 1.46-5.01 were significant independent predictors of VDD. CONCLUSIONS: About half of adult medical patients without TB have suboptimal vitamin D status, which is more common in in-patients. VDD is much more common in TB patients than non-TB patients, even when other variables are controlled for, suggesting that vitamin D deficiency is associated with TB.

Hamstring Reinjuries Occur at the Same Location and Early After Return to Sport: A Descriptive Study of MRI-Confirmed Reinjuries.

Science.gov (United States)

Wangensteen, Arnlaug; Tol, Johannes L; Witvrouw, Erik; Van Linschoten, Robbart; Almusa, Emad; Hamilton, Bruce; Bahr, Roald

2016-08-01

Despite relatively high reinjury rates after acute hamstring injuries, there is a lack of detailed knowledge about where and when hamstring reinjuries occur, and studies including imaging-confirmed reinjuries are scarce. To investigate the location, radiological severity, and timing of reinjuries on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) compared with the index injury. Case series; Level of evidence, 4. A MRI scan was obtained ≤5 days after an acute hamstring index injury in 180 athletes, and time to return to sport (RTS) was registered. Athletes with an MRI-confirmed reinjury in the same leg ≤365 days after RTS were included. Categorical grading and standardized MRI parameters of the index injury and reinjury were scored by a single radiologist (with excellent intraobserver reliability). To determine the location of the reinjury, axial and coronal views of the index injury and reinjury were directly compared on proton density-weighted fat-suppressed images. In the 19 athletes included with reinjury, 79% of these reinjuries occurred in the same location within the muscle as the index injury. The median time to RTS after the index injury was 19 days (range, 5-37 days; interquartile range [IQR], 15 days). The median time between the index injury and reinjury was 60 days (range, 20-316 days; IQR, 131 days) and the median time between RTS after the index injury and the reinjury was 24 days (range, 4-311 days; IQR, 140 days). More than 50% of reinjuries occurred within 25 days (4 weeks) after RTS from the index injury and 50% occurred within 50 days after the index injury. All reinjuries with more severe radiological grading occurred in the same location as the index injury. The majority of the hamstring reinjuries occurred in the same location as the index injury, early after RTS and with a radiologically greater extent, suggesting incomplete biological and/or functional healing of the index injury. Specific exercise programs focusing on reinjury prevention initiated

Clinical epidemiological and echographic characterization of patients with confirmed dengue

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martinez Lopez, Jose Angel

2010-01-01

A descriptive and cross-sectional study of 902 patients with confirmed diagnosis of dengue and admitted at the 'Dr. Juan Bruno Zayas Alfonso' General Hospital was carried out in Santiago de Cuba, from April to October, 2006, in order to characterize them from the clinical, epidemiological and echographic point of view. Women belonging to the 36-45 year-old group were the most affected and the abdominal pain constituted the main clinical symptom of alarm in all those affected. The echographic findings took place between the fourth and sixth days of clinical course, mainly in men, and the onset of the perivesicular edema was very early in this stage, with primacy in women. The patients with cholecystectomy presented fluid infiltration in the vesicular channel, while the loops of bowel were observed loosened and their walls were edematous

Confirmation test of powder mixing process in J-MOX

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ota, Hiroshi; Osaka, Shuichi; Kurita, Ichiro

2009-01-01

Japan Nuclear Fuel Ltd. (hereafter, JNFL) MOX Fuel Fabrication Plant (hereafter, J-MOX) is what fabricates MOX fuel for domestic light water power plants. Development of design concept of J-MOX was started mid 90's and the frame of J-MOX process was clarified around 2000 including adoption of MIMAS process as apart of J-MOX powder process. JNFL requires to take an answer to any technical question that has not been clarified ever before by world's MOX and/or Uranium fabricators before it commissions equipment procurement. J-MOX is to be constructed adjacent to the Rokkasho Reprocessing Plant (RRP) and to utilize MH-MOX powder recovered at RRP. The combination of the MIMAS process and the MH-MOX powder is what has never tried in the world. Therefore JNFL started a series of confirmation tests of which the most important is the powder test to confirm the applicability of MH-MOX powder to the MIMAS process. The MH-MOX powder, consisting of 50% plutonium oxide and 50% uranium oxide, originates JAEA development utilizing microwave heating (MH) technology. The powder test started with laboratory scale small equipment utilizing both uranium and the MOX powder in 2000, left a solution to tough problem such as powder adhesion onto equipment, and then was followed by a large scale equipment test again with uranium and the MOX powder. For the MOX test, actual size equipment within glovebox was manufactured and installed in JAEA plutonium fuel center in 2005, and based on results taken so far an understanding that the MIMAS equipment, with the MH-MOX powder, can present almost same quality MOX pellet as what is introduced as fabricated in Europe was developed. The test was finished at the end of Japanese fiscal year (JFY) 2007, and it was confirmed that the MOX pellets fabricated in this test were almost satisfied with the targeted specifications set for domestic LWR MOX fuels. (author)

Neutrons confirmed in Nagasaki and at the Army pulsed radiation Facility: Implications for Hiroshima

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Straume, T.; Harris, L.J.; Marchett, A.A.; Egbert, S.D.

1994-01-01

Recent reports have clearly demonstrated that large discrepancies exist between neutron activation measured in Hiroshima and activation calculated using the current dosimetry system DS86. The reports confirmed previous results for cobalt activation in Hiroshoma that suggested problems, and this has spurred a joint U.S.-Japan effort to identify the source(s) of this discrepancy. Here, new results are presented that appear to eliminate both the measurements of neutron activation and the DS86 air-transport calculations are potential sources of the discrepancy in Hiroshima. Computer transport of DS86 fission neutrons through large distances of air was validated using concrete samples from Nagasaki and chloride detectors placed at selected distances from a bare uranium reactor. In both cases accelerator mass spectrometry was used to measure thermal neutron activation via the reaction. 35 Cl(n, γ) 36 Cl (half-life, 301,000 years). Good agreement was observed between measurements of neutron activation and DS86 calculations for Nagasaki, as well as for the reactor experiment. Thus the large discrepancy observed in Hiroshima appears not to be due to uncertainties in air-transport calculations or in the activation measurements; rather, the discrepancy appears to be due to uncertainties associated with the Hiroshima bomb itself. 15 refs., 3 figs., 8 tabs

Pancreatic pseudocysts. Radiological and ultrasonographic studies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Contrera, J.D.; Uemura, L.; Palma, J.K.; Souza, L.P. de; Ferraz, L.R.L.; Magalhaes, P.J.A. (Sao Paulo Univ., Ribeirao Preto (Brazil). Faculdade de Medicina)

Radiological and ultrasonographic studies of ten patients with surgically confirmed pancreatic pseudocysts were reviewed. All of them were male, with previous story of chronic alcoholism and clinical evidences of pancreatitis. The most important radiological finding consisted of a mass opacifying the epigastrium, displacing the stomach and bowel loops. ultrasound studies showed that the lesions were predominantly cystic, rounded or oval-shaped with smooth or irregular contours and of various sizes.

First Report of Preoperative Imaging Diagnosis of a Surgically Confirmed Case of Valentino′s Syndrome

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Parag Suresh Mahajan

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Perforation of a duodenal ulcer (DU into the retroperitoneal space presenting with clinical features of acute appendicitis is known as Valentino′s syndrome. Post duodenal perforation, the gastric and duodenal fluids tend to settle in the right paracolic gutter causing peritonitis and clinically mimicking acute appendicitis. Only three cases of Valentino′s syndrome have been reported till date in the published literature and there is only one previous report of its preoperative imaging diagnosis. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of preoperative imaging diagnosis in a surgically confirmed case of Valentino′s syndrome. In most cases, patients with undiagnosed Valentino′s syndrome are operated for acute appendicitis, and on finding a normal appendix, search is made for the cause of peritonitis, which then leads to retroperitoneal perforation of duodenum. The diagnosis of Valentino′s syndrome by computed tomography (CT imaging is easy and can help in avoiding the surgery or directing the surgeon directly to the repair of the duodenal perforation. It is, therefore, essential for emergency physicians, surgeons, and radiologists to know about this entity and consider it in the differential diagnosis.

How to prevent type 2 diabetes in women with previous gestational diabetes?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pedersen, Anne Louise Winkler; Terkildsen Maindal, Helle; Juul, Lise

2017-01-01

OBJECTIVES: Women with previous gestational diabetes (GDM) have a seven times higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes (T2DM) than women without. We aimed to review the evidence of effective behavioural interventions seeking to prevent T2DM in this high-risk group. METHODS: A systematic review...... of RCTs in several databases in March 2016. RESULTS: No specific intervention or intervention components were found superior. The pooled effect on diabetes incidence (four trials) was estimated to: -5.02 per 100 (95% CI: -9.24; -0.80). CONCLUSIONS: This study indicates that intervention is superior...... to no intervention in prevention of T2DM among women with previous GDM....

Fish quality – linking previous infections to the quality of consumers’ fillet

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

The quality of the fish meat is dependent upon a wide range of biological and non-biological factors. In the present study it has been established that previous infections by Vibrio anguillarum in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) influence the quality of the fish meat (fillet) at slaughter more...... than after the fish have recovered from the infection. The texture of the fillet analysed by sensory analysis showed changes, which could be explained by previous tissue damage caused by the infection. These changes indicated formation of scars in affected tissue during the processes of tissue repair......, which gave rise to a more fibrous, tougher and flaky texture of the fillets....

Effect of media composition, including gelling agents, on isolation of previously uncultured rumen bacteria.

Science.gov (United States)

Nyonyo, T; Shinkai, T; Tajima, A; Mitsumori, M

2013-01-01

The aim of this study was to develop novel anaerobic media using gellan gum for the isolation of previously uncultured rumen bacteria. Four anaerobic media, a basal liquid medium (BM) with agar (A-BM), a modified BM (MBM) with agar (A-MBM), an MBM with phytagel (P-MBM) and an MBM with gelrite (G-MBM) were used for the isolation of rumen bacteria and evaluated for the growth of previously uncultured rumen bacteria. Of the 214 isolates composed of 144 OTUs, 103 isolates (83 OTUs) were previously uncultured rumen bacteria. Most of the previously uncultured strains were obtained from A-MBM, G-MBM and P-MBM, but the predominant cultural members, isolated from each medium, differed. A-MBM and G-MBM showed significantly higher numbers of different OTUs derived from isolates than A-BM (P rumen bacteria were isolated from all media used, the ratio of previously uncultured bacteria to total isolates was increased in A-MBM, P-MBM and G-MBM. © 2012 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

Confirmation of the decontamination ability using the dry blasting device

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Izuka, Hirotaka; Tsuhara, Yuuki; Ito, Hajime; Fukuda, Kazuhiro; Sugahara, Yasuhiro; Kanamori, Yoji

2017-01-01

The decontamination method of metallic waste was considered to reduce the radioactive waste in decommissioning a nuclear power plant. Stainless steel occupies most for the material of the system equipment of PWR. The contamination by radioactive materials is stuck in the surface in the equipment as the metal oxide (e.g. chromium oxide, iron oxide). The method of efficient abrasion by the dry blasting device was considered to remove metal oxide from stainless steel. The kind of blasting abrasives material and the abrasive operation condition (the blasting angle, rate) were considered to investigate the abrasion ability to stainless steel. The abrasive condition which was appropriate abrasive ability was investigated and appropriate blasting abrasives was selected to stainless steel. The decontamination test by selected blasting abrasives and abrasive operation condition was performed using samples and the relation between abrasive rate and activity concentration was confirmed. The metallic radioactive waste was confirmed to be able to decontaminate to the clearance level. (author)

Outcome of secondary high-grade glioma in children previously treated for a malignant condition: A study of the Canadian Pediatric Brain Tumour Consortium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carret, Anne-Sophie; Tabori, Uri; Crooks, Bruce; Hukin, Juliette; Odame, Isaac; Johnston, Donna L.; Keene, Daniel L.; Freeman, Carolyn; Bouffet, Eric

2006-01-01

Background and purpose: Reports of secondary high-grade glioma (HGG) in survivors of childhood cancer are scarce. The aim of this study was to review the pattern of diagnosis, the treatment, and outcome of secondary pediatric HGG. Patients and methods: We performed a multi-center retrospective study among the 17 paediatric institutions participating in the Canadian Pediatric Brain Tumour Consortium (CPBTC). Results: We report on 18 patients (14 males, 4 females) treated in childhood for a primary cancer, who subsequently developed a HGG as a second malignancy. All patients had previously received radiation therapy +/- chemotherapy for either acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (n = 9) or solid tumour (n = 9). All HGG occurred within the previous radiation fields. At the last follow-up, 17 patients have died and the median survival time is 9.75 months. Conclusion: Although aggressive treatment seems to provide sustained remissions in some patients, the optimal management is still to be defined. Further documentation of such cases is necessary in order to better understand the pathogenesis, the natural history and the prevention of these tumours

Flow confirmation study for central venous port in oncologic outpatient undergoing chemotherapy: Evaluation of suspected system-related mechanical complications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sofue, Keitaro, E-mail: ksofue@ncc.go.jp [Divisions of Diagnostic Radiology, National Cancer Center Hospital (Japan); Department of Radiology, Kobe University, Graduate School of Medicine (Japan); Arai, Yasuaki; Takeuchi, Yoshito [Divisions of Diagnostic Radiology, National Cancer Center Hospital (Japan); Sugimura, Kazuro [Department of Radiology, Kobe University, Graduate School of Medicine (Japan)

2013-11-01

Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy and outcome of a flow confirmation study (FCS) in oncologic outpatients undergoing chemotherapy suspected of a central venous port (CVP) system-related mechanical complication. Materials and methods: A total of 66 patients (27 men, 39 women; mean age, 60 years) received FCS for the following reasons: prolonged infusion time during chemotherapy (n = 32), inability to inject saline fluid (n = 15), lateral neck and/or back pain (n = 6), subcutaneous extravasation of anticancer drug (n = 5), arm swelling (n = 4), and inability to puncture the port (n = 4). FCS consisted of examining the position of CVP, potential secondary shifts or fractures, and integrity of the system using contrast material through the port. Results: Of the 66 patients, 43 had an abnormal finding uncovered by FCS. The most frequent abnormal findings was catheter kinking (n = 22). Explantation and reimplantation of the CVP system was required in 21 of the 66 patients. Remaining 45 patients were able continue using the CVP system after the FCS without any system malfunction. Conclusion: FCS was effective for evaluating CVP system-related mechanical complications and was useful for deciding whether CVP system explantation and reimplantation was required.

Flow confirmation study for central venous port in oncologic outpatient undergoing chemotherapy: Evaluation of suspected system-related mechanical complications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sofue, Keitaro; Arai, Yasuaki; Takeuchi, Yoshito; Sugimura, Kazuro

2013-01-01

Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy and outcome of a flow confirmation study (FCS) in oncologic outpatients undergoing chemotherapy suspected of a central venous port (CVP) system-related mechanical complication. Materials and methods: A total of 66 patients (27 men, 39 women; mean age, 60 years) received FCS for the following reasons: prolonged infusion time during chemotherapy (n = 32), inability to inject saline fluid (n = 15), lateral neck and/or back pain (n = 6), subcutaneous extravasation of anticancer drug (n = 5), arm swelling (n = 4), and inability to puncture the port (n = 4). FCS consisted of examining the position of CVP, potential secondary shifts or fractures, and integrity of the system using contrast material through the port. Results: Of the 66 patients, 43 had an abnormal finding uncovered by FCS. The most frequent abnormal findings was catheter kinking (n = 22). Explantation and reimplantation of the CVP system was required in 21 of the 66 patients. Remaining 45 patients were able continue using the CVP system after the FCS without any system malfunction. Conclusion: FCS was effective for evaluating CVP system-related mechanical complications and was useful for deciding whether CVP system explantation and reimplantation was required

Algorithm of Transvaginal Ultrasound and/or Hysterosalpingogram for Confirmation Testing at 3 Months after Essure Placement.

Science.gov (United States)

Vleugels, Michel; Cheng, Ru-Fong; Goldstein, Jeffrey; Bangerter, Keith; Connor, Viviane

To evaluate the algorithm of transvaginal ultrasound (TVU) and/or modified hysterosalpingogram (HSG) confirmation testing 3 months after Essure placement to determine if women can rely on the device for permanent birth control. Interim analysis of an ongoing 10-year, prospective, multicenter, nonrandomized, single-arm, international trial (Canadian Task Force classification II-2). Twenty study centers in the United States (n = 12), Canada (n = 1), The Netherlands (n = 6), and Spain (n = 1). Women undergoing the Essure procedure for permanent birth control. Based on the algorithm for confirmation testing, women with an uncomplicated Essure procedure underwent TVU as the confirmation test; modified HSG was used for women ineligible for TVU, when TVU findings were abnormal or inconclusive, or based on the physician's discretion. Co-primary endpoints (intention-to-treat [ITT] population) were the reliance rate and the 1-year pregnancy rate. Safety evaluation was based on adverse events. Bilateral insert placement was attempted in 597 women (ITT population) and achieved in 582 of 597 (97.5%). A total of 547 women were told to rely on Essure for permanent birth control. Both co-primary endpoints met prespecified limits: based on Bayesian statistics, the reliance rate was 91.6% (547/597; 95% credible interval, 89.2%-93.6%) and the 1-year pregnancy rate .67% (95% credible interval, .16%-1.53%). Using the algorithm for confirmation testing, of 547 subjects told to rely on Essure, 470 (86%) underwent TVU alone, 30 (6%) had modified HSG alone, and 47 (9%) had TVU followed by modified HSG. Four women became pregnant after being told to rely on Essure. They all had confirmation testing with TVU alone, and each initially read incorrectly as optimal insert locations. In each case postpregnancy follow-up and root cause analysis revealed unsatisfactory insert locations, 2 of which were perforations. Most adverse events were mild and unrelated to Essure. The

Predicting fruit consumption: the role of habits, previous behavior and mediation effects

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Vries, H.; Eggers, S.M.; Lechner, L.; van Osch, L.; van Stralen, M.M.

2014-01-01

Background: This study assessed the role of habits and previous behavior in predicting fruit consumption as well as their additional predictive contribution besides socio-demographic and motivational factors. In the literature, habits are proposed as a stable construct that needs to be controlled

Cereal fiber intake may reduce risk of gastric adenocarcinomas : The EPIC-EURGAST study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Mendez, M. A.; Pera, Guillem; Aguclo, Antonio; Bueno-de-Mesquita, H. Bas; Palli, Domenico; Boeing, Heiner; Carneiro, Ftima; Berrino, Franco; Sacerdote, Carlotta; Tumino, Rosario; Panico, Salvatore; Berglund, Goeran; Manjer, Jonas; Johansson, Ingegerd; Stenling, Roger; Martinez, Carmen; Dorronsoro, Miren; Barricarte, Aurelio; Tormo, Maria J.; Quiros, Jose R.; Allen, Naomi; Key, Timothy J.; Bingham, Sheila; Linseisen, Jakob; Kaaks, Rudolf; Overvad, Kim; Jensen, Majken; Olsen, Anja; Tjonneland, Anne; Peeters, Petra H. M.; Numans, Mattijs E.; Ocke, Marga C.; Clavel-Chapelon, Francoise; Boutron-Ruault, Marie-Christine; Trichopoulou, Antonia; Lund, Eiliv; Slimani, Nadia; Jenab, Mazda; Ferrari, Pietro; Riboli, Elio; Gonzalez, Carlos A.

2007-01-01

Numerous case-control studies suggest dietary fiber may reduce risk of gastric cancer, but this has not been confirmed prospectively. A previous case-control study reported reduced risk of gastric cardia adenocarcinomas associated with cereal fiber, but not with fruit or vegetable fiber. To date,

Barriers to postpartum screening for type 2 diabetes: a qualitative study of women with previous gestational diabetes.

Science.gov (United States)

Rafii, Forough; Rahimparvar, Seyedeh Fatemeh Vasegh; Mehrdad, Neda; Keramat, Afsaneh

2017-01-01

Risk of developing type 2 diabetes is increased in women with previous gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Postpartum glycemic screening is recommended in women with recent GDM. But this screening rate is low and the reasons are unclear. The aim of this study was to explore the experiences of Iranian women with recent GDM on barriers of postpartum screening for diabetes. This qualitative study was conducted in Tehran, Iran in 2016. Semi-structured interview was used for data collection. 22 women with recent GDM were interviewed. These women gave birth in Tehran hospitals at a minimum of 6 months before interview. The missed screening defined as not attending to laboratory for Fasting Blood Sugar and/or Oral Glucose Tolerance Test, 6 week to 6 month after their child birthing. The data was analyzed by content analysis method. Themes and sub-themes that illustrated the barriers to postpartum diabetes screening were: inadequate education (about developing diabetes in the future, implementation of the screening, and glucometer validity in diagnosis of diabetes), perceiving the screening as difficult (feeling comfortable with the glucometer, poor laboratory conditions, issues related to the baby/babies, and financial problems), improper attitudes toward the screening (unwilling to get diagnosed, not giving priority to oneself, having false beliefs) and procrastination (gap to intention and action, self-deception and self-regulation failure). Women with recent GDM reported several barriers for postpartum diabetes screening. This study help to develop the evidence-based interventions for improving this screening rate.

Total hip arthroplasty after a previous pelvic osteotomy: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Shigemura, T; Yamamoto, Y; Murata, Y; Sato, T; Tsuchiya, R; Wada, Y

2018-06-01

There are several reports regarding total hip arthroplasty (THA) after a previous pelvic osteotomy (PO). However, to our knowledge, until now there has been no formal systematic review and meta-analysis published to summarize the clinical results of THA after a previous PO. Therefore, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of results of THA after a previous PO. We focus on these questions as follows: does a previous PO affect the results of subsequent THA, such as clinical outcomes, operative time, operative blood loss, and radiological parameters. Using PubMed, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library, we searched for relevant original papers. The pooling of data was performed using RevMan software (version 5.3, Cochrane Collaboration, Oxford, UK). A p-value50%, significant heterogeneity was assumed and a random-effects model was applied for the meta-analysis. A fixed-effects model was applied in the absence of significant heterogeneity. Eleven studies were included in this meta-analysis. The pooled results indicated that there was no significant difference in postoperative Merle D'Aubigne-Postel score (I 2 =0%, SMD=-0.15, 95% CI: -0.36 to 0.06, p=0.17), postoperative Harris hip score (I 2 =60%, SMD=-0.23, 95% CI: -0.50 to 0.05, p=0.10), operative time (I 2 =86%, SMD=0.37, 95% CI: -0.09 to 0.82, p=0.11), operative blood loss (I 2 =82%, SMD=0.23, 95% CI: -0.17 to 0.63, p=0.25), and cup abduction angle (I 2 =43%, SMD=-0.08, 95% CI: -0.25 to 0.09, p=0.38) between THA with and without a previous PO. However, cup anteversion angle of THA with a previous PO was significantly smaller than that of without a previous PO (I 2 =77%, SMD=-0.63, 95% CI: -1.13 to -0.13, p=0.01). Systematic review and meta-analysis of results of THA after a previous PO was performed. A previous PO did not affect the results of subsequent THA, except for cup anteversion. Because of the low quality evidence currently available, high-quality randomized controlled trials are required

Influence of previous administration of trans-phenylcyclopropylamine on radioprotective and hypothermic effects of serotonin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Misustova, J.; Hosek, B.; Novak, L.; Kautska, J.

1978-01-01

The influence of a previous administration of trans-phenylcyclopropylamine (t-PCPA) on radioprotective and hypothermic effects of serotonin was studied in male mice of the H strain, which were given t-PCPA in the dose of 4 mg/kg intraperitoneally 2 or 7 hours before application of serotonin (40 mg/kg, i.p.). The time course of protection was studied for exposures to 800 and 900 R. The results have shown that a previous administration of t-PCPA does not alter the short-time protective effect of serotonin, but that it significantly prolongs the time course of protection. The administration of t-PCPA also affects the starting speed and the duration of the serotonin-induced hypothermic reaction. The established correlation between prolongation of the radioprotective and hypothermic effects of serotonin induced by previous application of t-PCPA supplements the results with the existence of mutual relationship between changes of the energetic exchange and radioresistance of the organism. (author)

Anaplasma phagocytophilum in Danish sheep: confirmation by DNA sequencing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thamsborg Stig M

2009-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The presence of Anaplasma phagocytophilum, an Ixodes ricinus transmitted bacterium, was investigated in two flocks of Danish grazing lambs. Direct PCR detection was performed on DNA extracted from blood and serum with subsequent confirmation by DNA sequencing. Methods 31 samples obtained from clinically normal lambs in 2000 from Fussingø, Jutland and 12 samples from ten lambs and two ewes from a clinical outbreak at Feddet, Zealand in 2006 were included in the study. Some of the animals from Feddet had shown clinical signs of polyarthritis and general unthriftiness prior to sampling. DNA extraction was optimized from blood and serum and detection achieved by a 16S rRNA targeted PCR with verification of the product by DNA sequencing. Results Five DNA extracts were found positive by PCR, including two samples from 2000 and three from 2006. For both series of samples the product was verified as A. phagocytophilum by DNA sequencing. Conclusions A. phagocytophilum was detected by molecular methods for the first time in Danish grazing lambs during the two seasons investigated (2000 and 2006.

[Parathyroid cancer in a patient with previous history of hypernephroma: a clinical case].

Science.gov (United States)

Martín Navarro, J; Mendoza, E; Mateos, P; Cereceda, A; Coca, S

2007-01-01

We report the clinical case of a 55 year-old male patient, with a previous history of nephrectomy by hypernephroma sixteen years ago, first presenting hypercalcemia and rising of intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH) levels. A localization study revealed an intrathyroid nodule with cystic appearance. After undergoing a hemi-thyroidectomy, the patient is diagnosed with parathyroid carcinoma. This article analyzes previously published cases presenting parathyroidal pathologies associated with hypernephroma. A broader differential diagnosis--including the screening of parathyroidal pathologies should be considered in patients with hypercalcemia and hypernephroma.

DIRECT IMAGING CONFIRMATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF A DUST-ENSHROUDED CANDIDATE EXOPLANET ORBITING FOMALHAUT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Currie, Thayne; Debes, John; Rodigas, Timothy J.; Burrows, Adam; Itoh, Yoichi; Fukagawa, Misato; Kenyon, Scott J.; Kuchner, Marc; Matsumura, Soko

2012-01-01

We present Subaru/IRCS J-band data for Fomalhaut and a (re)reduction of archival 2004-2006 HST/ACS data first presented by Kalas et al. We confirm the existence of a candidate exoplanet, Fomalhaut b, in both the 2004 and 2006 F606W data sets at a high signal-to-noise ratio. Additionally, we confirm the detection at F814W and present a new detection in F435W. Fomalhaut b's space motion may be consistent with it being in an apsidally aligned, non-debris ring-crossing orbit, although new astrometry is required for firmer conclusions. We cannot confirm that Fomalhaut b exhibits 0.7-0.8 mag variability cited as evidence for planet accretion or a semi-transient dust cloud. The new, combined optical spectral energy distribution and IR upper limits confirm that emission identifying Fomalhaut b originates from starlight scattered by small dust, but this dust is most likely associated with a massive body. The Subaru and IRAC/4.5 μm upper limits imply M J , still consistent with the range of Fomalhaut b masses needed to sculpt the disk. Fomalhaut b is very plausibly 'a planet identified from direct imaging' even if current images of it do not, strictly speaking, show thermal emission from a directly imaged planet.

Immediacy Bias in Emotion Perception: Current Emotions Seem More Intense than Previous Emotions

Science.gov (United States)

Van Boven, Leaf; White, Katherine; Huber, Michaela

2009-01-01

People tend to perceive immediate emotions as more intense than previous emotions. This "immediacy bias" in emotion perception occurred for exposure to emotional but not neutral stimuli (Study 1), when emotional stimuli were separated by both shorter (2 s; Studies 1 and 2) and longer (20 min; Studies 3, 4, and 5) delays, and for emotional…

External evaluation on Monju Core Confirmation Test in FY 2010 (the Technical Committee on Monju Research Utilization)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2011-06-01

This report describes the review made by the 'Technical Committee on Monju Research Utilization' on the results of Core Confirmation Test conducted from May to July in 2010. The committee consists of technical specialists in the relevant engineering domains from various Japanese industries and universities. The Committee was convened twice in 2010, in August and December, where the each item of the Core Confirmation Test was explained by individual personnel in charge, and the outline and the detailed analysis were discussed, respectively. Evaluations were made by the Committee after the questions and answers. Main points of the evaluations are listed below: After the 14 year stand-by, the Core Confirmation Test has been successfully completed within a brief duration of 3 months, with provision of precious technical data for future development and commercialization of FBRs. Safety has been confirmed and valuable data for analysis code validation have been acquired on an FBR core containing 1.5%wt of Am-241. It is significant that the newly released nuclear data library, JENDL-4.0 has been validated based on studies of capture cross section of Am-241 and of fission cross section of Pu-239. Finally, the chief examiner of the Committee stated his expectation for advancement of Japanese FBR technologies with the JAEA's leadership based of achievements on Monju, to be reflected on subsequent FBR developments. (author)

Web-Based Honorarium Confirmation System Prototype

Science.gov (United States)

Wisswani, N. W.; Catur Bawa, I. G. N. B.

2018-01-01

Improving services in academic environment can be applied by regulating salary payment process for all employees. As a form of control to maintain financial transparency, employees should have information concerning salary payment process. Currently, notification process of committee honorarium will be accepted by the employees in a manual manner. The salary will be received by the employee bank account and to know its details, they should go to the accounting unit to find out further information. Though there are some employees entering the accounting unit, they still find difficulty to obtain information about detailed honor information that they received in their accounts. This can be caused by many data collected and to be managed. Based on this issue, this research will design a prototype of web-based system for accounting unit system in order to provide detailed financial transaction confirmation to employee bank accounts that have been informed through mobile banking system. This prototype will be developed with Waterfall method through testing on final users after it is developed through PHP program with MySQL as DBMS

Previously unknown species of Aspergillus.

Science.gov (United States)

Gautier, M; Normand, A-C; Ranque, S

2016-08-01

The use of multi-locus DNA sequence analysis has led to the description of previously unknown 'cryptic' Aspergillus species, whereas classical morphology-based identification of Aspergillus remains limited to the section or species-complex level. The current literature highlights two main features concerning these 'cryptic' Aspergillus species. First, the prevalence of such species in clinical samples is relatively high compared with emergent filamentous fungal taxa such as Mucorales, Scedosporium or Fusarium. Second, it is clearly important to identify these species in the clinical laboratory because of the high frequency of antifungal drug-resistant isolates of such Aspergillus species. Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) has recently been shown to enable the identification of filamentous fungi with an accuracy similar to that of DNA sequence-based methods. As MALDI-TOF MS is well suited to the routine clinical laboratory workflow, it facilitates the identification of these 'cryptic' Aspergillus species at the routine mycology bench. The rapid establishment of enhanced filamentous fungi identification facilities will lead to a better understanding of the epidemiology and clinical importance of these emerging Aspergillus species. Based on routine MALDI-TOF MS-based identification results, we provide original insights into the key interpretation issues of a positive Aspergillus culture from a clinical sample. Which ubiquitous species that are frequently isolated from air samples are rarely involved in human invasive disease? Can both the species and the type of biological sample indicate Aspergillus carriage, colonization or infection in a patient? Highly accurate routine filamentous fungi identification is central to enhance the understanding of these previously unknown Aspergillus species, with a vital impact on further improved patient care. Copyright © 2016 European Society of Clinical Microbiology and

Kyasanur Forest Disease Prevalence in Western Ghats Proven and Confirmed by Recent Outbreak in Maharashtra, India, 2016.

Science.gov (United States)

Gurav, Yogesh K; Yadav, Pragya D; Gokhale, Mangesh D; Chiplunkar, Tushar R; Vishwanathan, Rajlakshmi; Patil, Deepak Y; Jain, Rajlaxmi; Shete, Anita M; Patil, Savita L; Sarang, G D; Sapkal, Gajanan N; Andhare, M D; Sale, Y R; Awate, Pradeep S; Mourya, Devendra T

2018-03-01

Kyasanur forest disease (KFD) outbreak was confirmed in Dodamarg Taluka, Sindhudurga district (Maharashtra) in India during the year 2016. The rise in suspected KFD cases was reported in January 2016, peaked during March, and then declined gradually from April 2016. The outbreak was thoroughly investigated considering different socio-clinical parameters. Total, 488 suspected KFD cases were investigated using KFD specific real-time RT-PCR and anti-KFDV IgM enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Sero-epidemiological survey was carried out in the affected area using anti-KFDV IgG ELISA. Among suspected KFD cases, high age-specific attack rate (105.1 per 1000 persons) was observed in adults (aged 40-59 years). Out of 488 suspected KFD cases, 130 were laboratory confirmed. Of these, 54 cases were KFDV real-time RT-PCR positive, 66 cases were anti-KFDV IgM ELISA positive and 10 cases were positive by both the assays. Case fatality ratio among laboratory-confirmed KFD cases were 2.3% (3/130). Majority of laboratory-confirmed KFD cases (93.1%) had visited Western Ghats forest in Dodamarg for activities like working in cashew nut farms (79.8%), cashew nut fruit collection (76.6%), collection of firewood (68.5%) and dry leaves/grass (40.3%), etc., before the start of symptoms. Common clinical features included fever (100%), headache (93.1%), weakness (84.6%), and myalgia (83.1%). Hemorrhagic manifestations were observed in nearly one-third of the laboratory-confirmed KFD cases (28.5%). A seroprevalence of (9.7%, 72/745) was recorded in KFD-affected area and two neighboring villages (9.1%, 15/165). Serosurvey conducted in Ker village showed clinical to subclinical ratio of 6:1 in KFD-affected areas. This study confirms the outbreak of KFD Sindhudurg district with 130 cases. Detection of anti-KFDV IgG antibodies among the healthy population in KFD-affected area during the KFD outbreak suggested the past exposure of KFD infection. This outbreak investigation has helped

[First confirmed case of laryngeal diphtheria in Djibouti].

Science.gov (United States)

Koeck, J L; Merle, C; Bimet, F; Kiredjian, M; Goullin, B; Teyssou, R

2000-01-01

The first bacteriologically confirmed case of laryngeal diphtheria in Djibouti was reported in 1998. It involved a three-year-old native-born infant who had been vaccinated during the first year of life with three doses of a combined vaccine against diphtheria, tetanus, poliomyelitis, and pertussis. A rapid clinical improvement was observed under erythromycin treatment. Other cases of laryngeal diphtheria have been observed. It is important to reverse decreasing vaccinal coverage in Djibouti and to warn incoming travelers of the need to be adequate immunized against diphtheria. Enhanced epidemiologic surveillance of this disease is also needed.

Long-term assessment of fatigue in patients with culture-confirmed Lyme disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Wormser, Gary P; Weitzner, Erica; McKenna, Donna; Nadelman, Robert B; Scavarda, Carol; Nowakowski, John

2015-02-01

Fatigue is a common symptom with numerous causes. Severe fatigue is thought to be an important manifestation of post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome. The frequency with which severe fatigue occurs as a long-term sequela in prospectively followed patients with Lyme disease is unknown. Patients with culture-confirmed Lyme disease who originally presented with erythema migrans have been evaluated annually in a prospective study to determine their long-term outcome. In 2011-2013, subjects were evaluated for fatigue using an 11-item Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS-11) that has been used in studies of post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome. An FSS-11 score of ≥4.0 is indicative of severe fatigue. A total of 100 subjects were assessed, 52% of whom were male; the mean age was 64.9 years (range, 42-86 years). The mean duration of follow-up was 15.4 years (range, 11-20 years). Nine subjects had severe fatigue but in none as a consequence of Lyme disease. Only 3 subjects were thought to possibly have persistent fatigue from Lyme disease. The FSS-11 value for these 3 individuals was less than 4, averaging 2.27, and none had functional impairment. Severe fatigue was found in 9 patients (9%) with culture-confirmed early Lyme disease at 11 to 20 years after presentation, but was due to causes other than Lyme disease. Fatigue of lesser severity was possibly due to Lyme disease, but was found in only 3% of 100 patients, and therefore is rarely a long-term complication of this infection. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Cytokine Release Assays as Tests for Exposure to Leishmania, and for Confirming Cure from Leishmaniasis, in Solid Organ Transplant Recipients.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eugenia Carrillo

Full Text Available Spain has one of the world's largest pools of organ donors and is a global leader in terms of the number of transplants it performs. The current outbreak of leishmaniasis in Fuenlabrada (in the southwest of the region of Madrid, Spain has involved 600 clinical cases since late 2009 (prevalence 0.2%. It may therefore be wise to monitor the town's transplanted population for Leishmania infantum; its members are immunosuppressed and at greater risk of infection and relapse following treatment. The present work examines the use of cytokine release assays to determine the prevalence of Leishmania infection in this population, and to confirm recovery following treatment for visceral leishmaniasis (VL. The humoral and cellular immune responses to L. infantum were characterized in 63 solid organ transplant (SOT recipients from Fuenlabrada, 57 of whom reported no previous episode of VL (NVL subjects, and six of whom had been cured of VL (CVL subjects. Seventeen subjects (12 NVL and 5 CVL showed a patent lymphoproliferative response to soluble Leishmania antigen (SLA. Stimulation of peripheral blood mononuclear cell cultures and of whole blood with SLA led to the production of different combinations of cytokines that might serve to confirm Leishmania infection or recovery from VL and help prevent cured patients from relapsing into this serious condition.

22 CFR 40.93 - Aliens unlawfully present after previous immigration violation.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 22 Foreign Relations 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Aliens unlawfully present after previous... TO BOTH NONIMMIGRANTS AND IMMIGRANTS UNDER THE IMMIGRATION AND NATIONALITY ACT, AS AMENDED Aliens Previously Removed § 40.93 Aliens unlawfully present after previous immigration violation. An alien described...

Fire Risk Scoping Study: Investigation of nuclear power plant fire risk, including previously unaddressed issues

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lambright, J.A.; Nowlen, S.P.; Nicolette, V.F.; Bohn, M.P.

1989-01-01

An investigation of nuclear power plant fire risk issues raised as a result of the USNRC sponsored Fire Protection Research Program at Sandia National Laboratories has been performed. The specific objectives of this study were (1) to review and requantify fire risk scenarios from four fire probabilistic risk assessments (PRAs) in light of updated data bases made available as a result of USNRC sponsored Fire Protection Research Program and updated computer fire modeling capabilities, (2) to identify potentially significant fire risk issues that have not been previously addressed in a fire risk context and to quantify the potential impact of those identified fire risk issues where possible, and (3) to review current fire regulations and plant implementation practices for relevance to the identified unaddressed fire risk issues. In performance of the fire risk scenario requantifications several important insights were gained. It was found that utilization of a more extensive operational experience base resulted in both fire occurrence frequencies and fire duration times (i.e., time required for fire suppression) increasing significantly over those assumed in the original works. Additionally, some thermal damage threshold limits assumed in the original works were identified as being nonconservative based on more recent experimental data. Finally, application of the COMPBRN III fire growth model resulted in calculation of considerably longer fire damage times than those calculated in the original works using COMPBRN I. 14 refs., 2 figs., 16 tabs

Initial results of CyberKnife treatment for recurrent previously irradiated head and neck cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Himei, Kengo; Katsui, Kuniaki; Yoshida, Atsushi

2003-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of CyberKnife for recurrent previously irradiated head and neck cancer. Thirty-one patients with recurrent previously irradiated head and neck cancer were treated with a CyberKnife from July 1999 to March 2002 at Okayama Kyokuto Hospital were retrospectively studied. The accumulated dose was 28-80 Gy (median 60 Gy). The interval between CyberKnife treatment and previous radiotherapy was 0.4-429.5 months (median 16.3 months). Primary lesions were nasopharynx: 7, maxillary sinus: 6, tongue: 5, ethmoid sinus: 3, and others: 1. The pathology was squamous cell carcinoma: 25, adenoid cystic carcinoma: 4, and others: 2. Symptoms were pain: 8, and nasal bleeding: 2. The prescribed dose was 15.0-40.3 Gy (median 32.3 Gy) as for the marginal dose. The response rate (complete response (CR)+partial response (PR)) and local control rate (CR+PR+no change (NC)) was 74% and 94% respectively. Pain disappeared for 4 cases, relief was obtained for 4 cases and no change for 2 cases and nasal bleeding disappeared for 2 cases for an improvement of symptoms. An adverse effects were observed as mucositis in 5 cases and neck swelling in one case. Prognosis of recurrent previously irradiated head and neck cancer was estimated as poor. Our early experience shows that CyberKnife is expected to be feasible treatment for recurrent previously irradiated head and neck cancer, and for the reduction adverse effects and maintenance of useful quality of life (QOL) for patients. (author)

Lathyrus linearifolius (Leguminosae-Vicieae confirmed species for the Argentine flora

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ricardo O. Vanni

2005-01-01

Full Text Available Lathyrus linearifolius Vogel is confirmed in the Argentine flora. The number of species of the genus recorded for the northeast region is increased to nine. The new citation is described and illustrated indicating its geographic distribution. A key to distinguish the nine species from NE of Argentina is provided

Association between previously identified loci affecting telomere length and coronary heart disease (CHD in Han Chinese population

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ding H

2014-05-01

Full Text Available Hui Ding,1 Fen Yan,1 Lin-Lin Zhou,2 Xiu-Hai Ji,3 Xin-Nan Gu,1 Zhi-Wei Tang,1 Ru-Hua Chen11Department of Pulmonary Medicine, The Affiliated Yixing People's Hospital, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu Province, 2Department of Cardiology, Affiliated Cixi Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, 3Department of Oncology, Affiliated Taicang Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, People's Republic of ChinaPurpose: To replicate previously confirmed telomere-length loci in a Chinese Han population with coronary heart disease (CHD, and investigate these loci and the possibility of and age at onset of CHD.Patients and methods: 1514 CHD patients and 2470 normal controls were recruited. Medical data including age, sex, body mass index, lipid profiles, history of hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and dyslipidemia were collected from all the participants. Seven previously identified single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs related to leucocyte telomere length were genotyped, including rs10936599 in TERC, rs2736100 in TERT, rs7675998 in NAF1, rs9420907 in OBFC1, rs8105767 in ZNF208, rs755017 in RTEL1, and rs11125529 in ACYP2.Results: No significant difference in genotype frequencies from the Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium test was noted for all tested SNPs both in the CHD patients and the normal controls. No polymorphism was observed for rs9420907, and AA genotype was noted in both the CHD patients and the controls. Neither the genotype nor the allele frequencies of rs2736100, rs8105767, rs11125529, and rs2967374 were significantly different between the CHD patients and the normal controls. For rs10936599 and rs755017, statistical difference was found for the allele frequency but not genotype. Distributions of genotype and allele were significantly different between the two groups for rs7675998. The odds ratio for carriers of CHD was 2.127 (95% confidence interval: 1.909–2.370 for the A allele of rs

Underestimation of Severity of Previous Whiplash Injuries

Science.gov (United States)

Naqui, SZH; Lovell, SJ; Lovell, ME

2008-01-01

INTRODUCTION We noted a report that more significant symptoms may be expressed after second whiplash injuries by a suggested cumulative effect, including degeneration. We wondered if patients were underestimating the severity of their earlier injury. PATIENTS AND METHODS We studied recent medicolegal reports, to assess subjects with a second whiplash injury. They had been asked whether their earlier injury was worse, the same or lesser in severity. RESULTS From the study cohort, 101 patients (87%) felt that they had fully recovered from their first injury and 15 (13%) had not. Seventy-six subjects considered their first injury of lesser severity, 24 worse and 16 the same. Of the 24 that felt the violence of their first accident was worse, only 8 had worse symptoms, and 16 felt their symptoms were mainly the same or less than their symptoms from their second injury. Statistical analysis of the data revealed that the proportion of those claiming a difference who said the previous injury was lesser was 76% (95% CI 66–84%). The observed proportion with a lesser injury was considerably higher than the 50% anticipated. CONCLUSIONS We feel that subjects may underestimate the severity of an earlier injury and associated symptoms. Reasons for this may include secondary gain rather than any proposed cumulative effect. PMID:18201501

Validation of a Blood-Based Laboratory Test to Aid in the Confirmation of a Diagnosis of Schizophrenia

NARCIS (Netherlands)

E. Schwartz (Emanuel); R. Izmailov (Rauf); M. Spain (Michael); A. Barnes (Anthony); J.P. Mapes (James); P.C. Guest (Paul); H. Rahmoune (Hassan); S. Pietsch (Sandra); F.M. Leweke (Marcus); M. Rothermundt (Matthias); J. Steiner (Johann); D. Koethe (Dagmar); L. Kranaster (Laura); P. Ohrmann (Patricia); T. Suslow (Thomas); Y. Levin (Yishai); B. Bogerts (Bernhard); N.J.M. van Beveren (Nico); G. McAllister (George); N. Weber (Natalya); D. Niebuhr (David); D. Cowan (David); R.H. Yolken (Robert); S. Bahn (Sabine)

2010-01-01

textabstractAbstract: We describe the validation of a serum-based test developed by Rules-Based Medicine which can be used to help confirm the diagnosis of schizophrenia. In preliminary studies using multiplex immunoassay profiling technology, we identified a disease signature comprised of 51

Detection of previously undiagnosed cases of COPD in a high-risk population identified in general practice

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Løkke, Anders; Ulrik, Charlotte Suppli; Dahl, Ronald

2012-01-01

Background and Aim: Under-diagnosis of COPD is a widespread problem. This study aimed to identify previously undiagnosed cases of COPD in a high-risk population identified through general practice. Methods: Participating GPs (n = 241) recruited subjects with no previous diagnosis of lung disease,...

How value-glamour investors use financial information: UK evidence of investor's confirmation bias

OpenAIRE

Doung, C.; Pescetto, G.; Santamaria, D.

2014-01-01

The paper investigates investor’s behaviour in the context of value–glamour investing and fundamental analysis, and provides a direct test of the confirmation bias by bringing together the evidence from several strands of literature into a well-defined framework of investor behaviour. The empirical evidence presented is in line with a model of\\ud investor’s asymmetric reaction to good and bad news due to confirmation bias. Pessimistic value investors typically under-react to good financial in...

Homicide and domestic violence. Are there different psychological profiles mediated by previous exerted on the victim?

OpenAIRE

Montserrat Yepes; Maria R. Vinas; Inmaculada Armadans; Miguel A. Soria

2009-01-01

A sample of 46 men was evaluated with the DAPP (Questionnaire of Domestic Aggressor Psychological Profile). All were inmates convicted for various degrees of violence against their wives in different prisons. The sample was divided into three groups: homicides without previous violence against their wives (H) (n=11), homicides with previous violence (VH) (n=9) and domestic batterers without previous homicide attempts against their partners (B) (n=26). The aim of the study was to analyze the p...

18 CFR 154.302 - Previously submitted material.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 18 Conservation of Power and Water Resources 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Previously submitted material. 154.302 Section 154.302 Conservation of Power and Water Resources FEDERAL ENERGY REGULATORY... concurrently with the rate change filing. There must be furnished to the Director, Office of Energy Market...

The complete genome sequence of a virus associated with cotton blue disease, cotton leafroll dwarf virus, confirms that it is a new member of the genus Polerovirus.

Science.gov (United States)

Distéfano, Ana J; Bonacic Kresic, Ivan; Hopp, H Esteban

2010-11-01

Cotton blue disease is the most important virus disease of cotton in the southern part of America. The complete nucleotide sequence of the ssRNA genome of the cotton blue disease-associated virus was determined for the first time. It comprised 5,866 nucleotides, and the deduced genomic organization resembled that of members of the genus Polerovirus. Sequence homology comparison and phylogenetic analysis confirm that this virus (previous proposed name cotton leafroll dwarf virus) is a member of a new species within the genus Polerovirus.

Reflections of distraction in memory: transfer of previous distraction improves recall in younger and older adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Thomas, Ruthann C; Hasher, Lynn

2012-01-01

Three studies explored whether younger and older adults' free recall performance can benefit from prior exposure to distraction that becomes relevant in a memory task. Participants initially read stories that included distracting text. Later, they studied a list of words for free recall, with half of the list consisting of previously distracting words. When the memory task was indirect in its use of distraction (Study 1), only older adults showed transfer, with better recall of previously distracting compared with new words, which increased their recall to match that of younger adults. However, younger adults showed transfer when cued about the relevance of previous distraction both before studying the words (Study 2) and before recalling the words (Study 3) in the memory test. Results suggest that both younger and older adults encode distraction, but younger adults require explicit cueing to use their knowledge of distraction. In contrast, older adults transfer knowledge of distraction in both explicitly cued and indirect memory tasks. Results are discussed in terms of age differences in inhibition and source-constrained retrieval.

Study of Charm Baryons with the BaBar Experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Petersen, Brian Aa.

2006-01-01

The authors report on several studies of charm baryon production and decays by the BABAR collaboration. They confirm previous observations of the Ξ' c 0/+ , Ξ c (2980) + and Ξ c (3077) + baryons, measure branching ratios for Cabibbo-suppressed Λ c + decays and use baryon decays to study the properties of the light-quark baryons, (Omega) - and Ξ(1690) 0

Analytical approach for confirming the achievement of LMFBR reliability goals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ingram, G.E.; Elerath, J.G.; Wood, A.P.

1981-01-01

The approach, recommended by GE-ARSD, for confirming the achievement of LMFBR reliability goals relies upon a comprehensive understanding of the physical and operational characteristics of the system and the environments to which the system will be subjected during its operational life. This kind of understanding is required for an approach based on system hardware testing or analyses, as recommended in this report. However, for a system as complex and expensive as the LMFBR, an approach which relies primarily on system hardware testing would be prohibitive both in cost and time to obtain the required system reliability test information. By using an analytical approach, results of tests (reliability and functional) at a low level within the specific system of interest, as well as results from other similar systems can be used to form the data base for confirming the achievement of the system reliability goals. This data, along with information relating to the design characteristics and operating environments of the specific system, will be used in the assessment of the system's reliability

Late preterm birth and previous cesarean section: a population-based cohort study.

Science.gov (United States)

Yasseen Iii, Abdool S; Bassil, Kate; Sprague, Ann; Urquia, Marcelo; Maguire, Jonathon L

2018-02-21

Late preterm birth (LPB) is increasingly common and associated with higher morbidity and mortality than term birth. Yet, little is known about the influence of previous cesarean section (PCS) and the occurrence of LPB in subsequent pregnancies. We aim to evaluate this association along with the potential mediation by cesarean sections in the current pregnancy. We use population-based birth registry data (2005-2012) to establish a cohort of live born singleton infants born between 34 and 41 gestational weeks to multiparous mothers. PCS was the primary exposure, LPB (34-36 weeks) was the primary outcome, and an unplanned or emergency cesarean section in the current pregnancy was the potential mediator. Associations were quantified using propensity weighted multivariable Poisson regression, and mediating associations were explored using the Baron-Kenny approach. The cohort included 481,531 births, 21,893 (4.5%) were LPB, and 119,983 (24.9%) were predated by at least one PCS. Among mothers with at least one PCS, 6307 (5.26%) were LPB. There was increased risk of LPB among women with at least one PCS (adjusted Relative Risk (aRR): 1.20 (95%CI [1.16, 1.23]). Unplanned or emergency cesarean section in the current pregnancy was identified as a strong mediator to this relationship (mediation ratio = 97%). PCS was associated with higher risk of LPB in subsequent pregnancies. This may be due to an increased risk of subsequent unplanned or emergency preterm cesarean sections. Efforts to minimize index cesarean sections may reduce the risk of LPB in subsequent pregnancies.

DIRECT IMAGING CONFIRMATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF A DUST-ENSHROUDED CANDIDATE EXOPLANET ORBITING FOMALHAUT

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Currie, Thayne [Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON (Canada); Debes, John [Space Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore, MD (United States); Rodigas, Timothy J. [Steward Observatory, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ (United States); Burrows, Adam [Department of Astrophysical Sciences, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ (United States); Itoh, Yoichi [Nishi-Harima Observatory, University of Hyogo, Kobe (Japan); Fukagawa, Misato [Department of Earth and Space Sciences, Osaka University, Osaka (Japan); Kenyon, Scott J. [Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, Cambridge, MA (United States); Kuchner, Marc [Stellar and Exoplanets Laboratory, NASA-Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD (United States); Matsumura, Soko, E-mail: currie@astro.utoronto.ca [Department of Astronomy, University of Maryland-College Park, College Park, MD (United States)

2012-12-01

We present Subaru/IRCS J-band data for Fomalhaut and a (re)reduction of archival 2004-2006 HST/ACS data first presented by Kalas et al. We confirm the existence of a candidate exoplanet, Fomalhaut b, in both the 2004 and 2006 F606W data sets at a high signal-to-noise ratio. Additionally, we confirm the detection at F814W and present a new detection in F435W. Fomalhaut b's space motion may be consistent with it being in an apsidally aligned, non-debris ring-crossing orbit, although new astrometry is required for firmer conclusions. We cannot confirm that Fomalhaut b exhibits 0.7-0.8 mag variability cited as evidence for planet accretion or a semi-transient dust cloud. The new, combined optical spectral energy distribution and IR upper limits confirm that emission identifying Fomalhaut b originates from starlight scattered by small dust, but this dust is most likely associated with a massive body. The Subaru and IRAC/4.5 {mu}m upper limits imply M < 2 M{sub J} , still consistent with the range of Fomalhaut b masses needed to sculpt the disk. Fomalhaut b is very plausibly 'a planet identified from direct imaging' even if current images of it do not, strictly speaking, show thermal emission from a directly imaged planet.

Developing a system to predict laboratory-confirmed chlamydial and/or gonococcal urethritis in adult male emergency department patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Merchant, Roland C; DePalo, Dina M; Liu, Tao; Rich, Josiah D; Stein, Michael D

2010-01-01

We aimed to create a system for predicting which male emergency department (ED) patients with suspected chlamydial and/or gonococcal urethritis would have laboratory-confirmed infections based on clinical factors available at the initial ED encounter. We used statistical models to develop a system to predict either the presence or absence of laboratory-confirmed chlamydial and/or gonorrheal urethritis based on patient demographics and presenting symptoms. Data for the system were extracted from a retrospective chart review of adult male patients who were suspected of having, and were tested for, chlamydial and/or gonococcal urethritis at an adult, urban, northeastern United States, academic ED from January 1998 to December 2004. Among the 822 patients tested, 29.2% had chlamydia, gonorrhea, or both infections; 13.8% were infected with chlamydia alone, 12.1% were infected with gonorrhea alone, and 3.3% were infected with both. From the statistical models, the following factors were predictive of a positive laboratory test for chlamydia and/or gonorrhea: age urethritis, paired with baseline ED prevalence of these infections, was confirmed through internal validation testing to modestly predict which patients had or did not have a laboratory-confirmed infection. This system of a combination of risk factors available during the clinical encounter in the ED modestly predicts which adult male patients suspected of having chlamydial and/or gonorrheal urethritis are more likely to have or not have a laboratory-confirmed infection. A prospective study is needed to create and validate a clinical prediction rule based on the results of this system.

Predicting intraindividual changes in learning strategies: The effects of previous achievement

OpenAIRE

Buško, Vesna; Mujagić, Amela

2013-01-01

Socio-cognitive models of self-regulated learning (e.g., Pintrich, 2000) emphasize contextualized nature oflearning process, and within-person variation in learning processes, along with between-person variability in selfregulation.Previous studies about contextual nature of learning strategies have mostly focused on the effects ofdifferent contextual factors on interindividual differences in learning strategies utilization. However, less attentionwas given to the question about contextual ef...

Left ventricular asynergy score as an indicator of previous myocardial infarction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Backman, C.; Jacobsson, K.A.; Linderholm, H.; Osterman, G.

1986-01-01

Sixty-eight patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) i.e. a hisotry of angina of effort and/or previous 'possible infarction' were examined inter alia with ECG and cinecardioangiography. A system of scoring was designed which allowed a semiquantitative estimate of the left ventricular asynergy from cinecardioangiography - the left ventricular motion score (LVMS). The LVMS was associated with the presence of a previous myocardial infarction (MI), as indicated by the history and ECG findings. The ECG changes specific for a previous MI were associated with high LVMS values and unspecific or absent ECG changes with low LVMS values. Decision thresholds for ECG changes and asynergy in diagnosing a previous MI were evaluated by means of a ROC analysis. The accuracy of ECG in detecting a previous MI was slightly higher when asynergy indicated a 'true MI' than when autopsy result did so in a comparable group. Therefore the accuracy of asynergy (LVMS ≥ 1) in detecting a previous MI or myocardial fibrosis in patients with CHD should be at least comparable with that of autopsy (scar > 1 cm). (orig.)

Swift/BAT confirms the giant outburst of H 1417-624

Science.gov (United States)

Krimm, H. A.; Barthelmy, S. D.; Cummings, J. R.; Lien, A. Y.; Markwardt, C. B.; Palmer, D. M.; Sakamoto, T.; Stamatikos, M.; Ukwatta, T. N.

2018-04-01

The Swift/BAT transient monitor confirms the current outburst from the Be/X-ray binary pulsar, H 1417-624 ( = 2S 1417-624) (Nakajima et al., ATel #11479). In the BAT 15-50 keV energy band, the outburst began approximately on 20 March 2018 (MJD 57467) and the count rate has been steadily rising since that time.

Defining and Confirming the Relationship between Irrational Beliefs and Communication Apprehension: An Extension.

Science.gov (United States)

Ambler, Bob; Elkins, Mike

A study sought to affirm the previously established relationship between irrational beliefs and communication apprehension. Four hundred and fifty-four subjects completed an Irrational Beliefs Test (IBT) and all 24 questions of the Personal Report of Communication Apprehension (PRCA-24) test. Results support the hypothesis that students high in…

Comparison of a conventional and nested PCR for diagnostic confirmation and genotyping of Orientia tsutsugamushi.

Science.gov (United States)

Janardhanan, Jeshina; Prakash, John Antony Jude; Abraham, Ooriapadickal C; Varghese, George M

2014-05-01

A nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) targeting the 56-kDa antigen gene is currently the most commonly used molecular technique for confirmation of scrub typhus and genotyping of Orientia tsutsugamushi. In this study, we have compared the commonly used nested PCR (N-PCR) with a single-step conventional PCR (C-PCR) for amplification and genotyping. Eschar samples collected from 24 patients with scrub typhus confirmed by IgM enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay were used for DNA extraction following which amplifications were carried out using nested and C-PCR methods. The amplicons were sequenced and compared to other sequences in the database using BLAST. Conventional PCR showed a high positivity rate of 95.8% compared to the 75% observed using N-PCR. On sequence analysis, the N-PCR amplified region showed more variation among strains than the C-PCR amplified region. The C-PCR, which is more economical, provided faster and better results compared to N-PCR. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Urinary tract infections in hospital pediatrics: many previous antibiotherapy and antibiotics resistance, including fluoroquinolones.

Science.gov (United States)

Garraffo, A; Marguet, C; Checoury, A; Boyer, S; Gardrat, A; Houivet, E; Caron, F

2014-02-01

We studied antibiotic resistance in pediatric UTIs and we evaluated the impact of antibiotic exposure in the previous 12 months, very little French data being available for this population. We conducted a multicenter prospective study including children consulting for, or admitted in 2 hospitals. Prior antibiotic exposure was documented from their health record. One hundred and ten patients (73 girls), 11 days to 12 years of age, were included in 10 months. Ninety-six percent presented with pyelonephritis, associated to uropathy for 25%. Escherichia coli was predominant (78%), followed by Proteus spp. and Enterococcus spp. The antibiotic resistance rate of E. coli was high and close to that reported for adults with complicated UTIs: amoxicillin 60%, amoxicillin-clavulanate 35%, cefotaxim 5%, trimethoprim-sulfametoxazole 26%, nalidixic acid 9%, ciprofloxacin 7%, gentamycin 1%, nitrofurantoin and fosfomycin 0%. The antibiotic exposure in the previous 12 months involved 62 children (56%) most frequently with β-lactams (89%) for a respiratory tract infection (56%). A clear relationship between exposure and resistance was observed for amoxicillin (71% vs. 46%), first generation (65% vs. 46%) and third generation (9% vs. 3%) cephalosporins, or trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (36% vs. 15%). However, antibiotic exposure could not account alone for the results, as suggested by the 7% of ciprofloxacin resistance, observed without any identified previous treatment. Bacterial species and antibiotic resistance level in children are similar to those reported for adults. Antibiotic exposure in the previous 12 months increases the risk of resistance but other factors are involved (previous antibiotic therapies and fecal-oral or mother-to-child transmission). Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Reasoning with Previous Decisions: Beyond the Doctrine of Precedent

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Komárek, Jan

2013-01-01

in different jurisdictions use previous judicial decisions in their argument, we need to move beyond the concept of precedent to a wider notion, which would embrace practices and theories in legal systems outside the Common law tradition. This article presents the concept of ‘reasoning with previous decisions...... law method’, but they are no less rational and intellectually sophisticated. The reason for the rather conceited attitude of some comparatists is in the dominance of the common law paradigm of precedent and the accompanying ‘case law method’. If we want to understand how courts and lawyers......’ as such an alternative and develops its basic models. The article first points out several shortcomings inherent in limiting the inquiry into reasoning with previous decisions by the common law paradigm (1). On the basis of numerous examples provided in section (1), I will present two basic models of reasoning...

Mortality Among Confirmed Lassa Fever Cases During the 2015-2016 Outbreak in Nigeria.

Science.gov (United States)

Buba, Maryam Ibrahim; Dalhat, Mahmood Muazu; Nguku, Patrick Mboya; Waziri, Ndadilnasiya; Mohammad, Jibreel Omar; Bomoi, Idriss Mohammed; Onyiah, Amaka Pamela; Onwujei, Jude; Balogun, Muhammad Shakir; Bashorun, Adebobola Toluwalashe; Nsubuga, Peter; Nasidi, Abdulsalami

2018-02-01

To determine factors associated with mortality among confirmed Lassa fever cases. We reviewed line lists and clinical records of laboratory-confirmed cases of Lassa fever during the 2016 outbreak in Nigeria to determine factors associated with mortality. We activated an incident command system to coordinate response. We documented 47 cases, 28 of whom died (case fatality rate [CFR] = 59.6%; mean age 31.4 years; SD = ±18.4 years). The youngest and the oldest were the most likely to die, with 100% mortality in those aged 5 years or younger and those aged 55 years or older. Patients who commenced ribavirin were more likely to survive (odds ratio [OR] = 0.1; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.03, 0.50). Fatality rates went from 100% (wave 1) through 69% (wave 2) to 31% (wave 3; χ 2 for linear trend: P command system activation were more likely to die (OR = 4.4; 95% CI = 1.1, 17.6). The only pregnant patient in the study died postpartum. Effective, coordinated response reduces mortality from public health events. Attention to vulnerable groups during disasters is essential. Public Health Implications. Activating an incident command system improves the outcome of disasters in resource-constrained settings.

The relationship of previous training and experience of journal peer reviewers to subsequent review quality.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michael L Callaham

2007-01-01

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Peer review is considered crucial to the selection and publication of quality science, but very little is known about the previous experiences and training that might identify high-quality peer reviewers. The reviewer selection processes of most journals, and thus the qualifications of their reviewers, are ill defined. More objective selection of peer reviewers might improve the journal peer review process and thus the quality of published science. METHODS AND FINDINGS: 306 experienced reviewers (71% of all those associated with a specialty journal completed a survey of past training and experiences postulated to improve peer review skills. Reviewers performed 2,856 reviews of 1,484 separate manuscripts during a four-year study period, all prospectively rated on a standardized quality scale by editors. Multivariable analysis revealed that most variables, including academic rank, formal training in critical appraisal or statistics, or status as principal investigator of a grant, failed to predict performance of higher-quality reviews. The only significant predictors of quality were working in a university-operated hospital versus other teaching environment and relative youth (under ten years of experience after finishing training. Being on an editorial board and doing formal grant (study section review were each predictors for only one of our two comparisons. However, the predictive power of all variables was weak. CONCLUSIONS: Our study confirms that there are no easily identifiable types of formal training or experience that predict reviewer performance. Skill in scientific peer review may be as ill defined and hard to impart as is "common sense." Without a better understanding of those skills, it seems unlikely journals and editors will be successful in systematically improving their selection of reviewers. This inability to predict performance makes it imperative that all but the smallest journals implement routine review ratings

Strategic use of preference confirmation in group decision making : The role of competition and dissent

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Toma, C.; Gilles, I.; Butera, F.

2013-01-01

The present research investigates the moderating role of goal interdependence and dissent on individual preference confirmation in hidden-profile tasks. We propose that preference confirmation can be used strategically to deal with competition and dissent likely to arise in group decision making. In

77 FR 18305 - Agency Information Collection; Activity Under OMB Review; Report of Passengers Denied Confirmed...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-03-27

... Confirmed Space--BTS Form 251 AGENCY: Research & Innovative Technology Administration (RITA), Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), DOT. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of... BTS collecting reports on the number of passengers holding confirmed reservations that voluntarily or...

Verifying Parentage and Confirming Identity in Blackberry with a Fingerprinting Set

Science.gov (United States)

Parentage and identity confirmation is an important aspect of clonally propagated crops outcrossing. Potential errors resulting misidentification include off-type pollination events, labeling errors, or sports of clones. DNA fingerprinting sets are an excellent solution to quickly identify off-type ...

Adverse obstetric outcomes in women with previous cesarean for dystocia in second stage of labor.

Science.gov (United States)

Jastrow, Nicole; Demers, Suzanne; Gauthier, Robert J; Chaillet, Nils; Brassard, Normand; Bujold, Emmanuel

2013-03-01

To evaluate obstetric outcomes in women undergoing a trial of labor (TOL) after a previous cesarean for dystocia in second stage of labor. A retrospective cohort study of women with one previous low transverse cesarean undergoing a first TOL was performed. Women with previous cesarean for dystocia in first stage and those with previous dystocia in second stage were compared with those with previous cesarean for nonrecurrent reasons (controls). Multivariable regressions analyses were performed. Of 1655 women, those with previous dystocia in second stage of labor (n = 204) had greater risks than controls (n = 880) to have an operative delivery [odds ratio (OR): 1.5; 95% confidence intervals (CI) 1.1 to 2.2], shoulder dystocia (OR: 2.9; 95% CI 1.1 to 8.0), and uterine rupture in the second stage of labor (OR: 4.9; 95% CI 1.1 to 23), and especially in case of fetal macrosomia (OR: 29.6; 95% CI 4.4 to 202). The median second stage of labor duration before uterine rupture was 2.5 hours (interquartile range: 1.5 to 3.2 hours) in these women. Previous cesarean for dystocia in the second stage of labor is associated with second-stage uterine rupture at next delivery, especially in cases of suspected fetal macrosomia and prolonged second stage of labor. Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

Antimetabolites in cataract surgery to prevent failure of a previous trabeculectomy.

Science.gov (United States)

Thomas, Roger E; Crichton, Andrew; Thomas, Bennett C

2014-07-28

Patients having cataract surgery have often earlier undergone a trabeculectomy for glaucoma. However, cataract surgery may be associated with failure of the previous glaucoma surgery and antimetabolites may be used with cataract surgery to prevent such failure. There is no systematic review on whether antimetabolites with cataract surgery prevent failure of a previous trabeculectomy. To assess the effects of antimetabolites with cataract surgery on functioning of a previous trabeculectomy. We searched CENTRAL (which contains the Cochrane Eyes and Vision Group Trials Register) (2014, Issue 5), Ovid MEDLINE, Ovid MEDLINE In-Process and Other Non-Indexed Citations, Ovid MEDLINE Daily, Ovid OLDMEDLINE (January 1946 to June 2014), EMBASE (January 1980 to June 2014), Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature Database (LILACS) (January 1982 to June 2014), the metaRegister of Controlled Trials (mRCT) (www.controlled-trials.com), ClinicalTrials.gov (www.clinicaltrials.gov) and the World Health Organization (WHO) International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP) (www.who.int/ictrp/search/en). We did not use any date or language restrictions in the electronic searches for trials. We last searched the electronic databases on 10 June 2014. We also searched the Science Citation Index database (July 2013) and reference lists of potentially relevant studies. Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of antimetabolites with cataract surgery in people with a functioning trabeculectomy. Two review authors independently reviewed the titles and abstracts from the electronic searches. Two review authors independently assessed relevant full-text articles and entered data. We identified no RCTs to test the effectiveness of antimetabolites with cataract surgery in individuals with the intention of preventing failure of a previous trabeculectomy. There are no RCTs of antimetabolites with cataract surgery in people with a functioning trabeculectomy. Appropriately powered RCTs

Status report on the TSA Systems, Ltd., MCA465 gamma-ray confirmation instrument

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fehlau, P.E.; Rutherford, D.A.

1994-01-01

The TSA Systems, Ltd., MCA465 is hand-portable, low resolution, gamma-ray instrument for confirming special nuclear materials (SNM) and related applications. The instrument evolved from earlier TSA Systems hand-held instruments, and, since its inception in 1991, it has been undergoing cycles of evaluation and then repair or redesign to correct problems. Through the efforts of Los Alamos, Rocky Flats, and TSA Systems, the MCA465 now has achieved commendable progress toward achieving quality performance as a rapid confirmation tool for SNM

Creatinine concentrations of accumulated intrauterine fluid to confirm the clinical diagnosis of urometra in mares.

Science.gov (United States)

Schnobrich, M R; Gordon, D L; Scoggin, C F; Bradecamp, E A; Canisso, I F

2017-03-25

Urine pooling, as a persistent condition, is a cause of infertility in mares due to endometrial inflammation and sperm toxicity. Identification of urometra can be challenging in mares presenting with the condition intermittently, or when urine flows into the uterus but is undetectable in the vagina. Currently, there are no reported objective methods to confirm the clinical diagnosis of urine contamination in intrauterine-fluid accumulations. Since creatinine is present in high concentrations in urine and does not diffuse across cell membranes, creatinine concentration should be increased in mares with urometra, but negligible in normal and mares with intrauterine fluid accumulation (non-urometra cases). To test this hypothesis, creatinine concentrations of intrauterine fluid were measured in mares with a clinical diagnosis of urine accumulation (n=9) or intrauterine fluid containing no urine (n=10). Results showed that creatinine concentrations (mg/dl) were significantly higher in mares that had a clinical diagnosis of urometra (42.8±12.6, range 4.1-109.2) compared with those that did not (0.38±0.1, range 0-0.9). Also, two mares after urethral extension surgery demonstrated a remarkable reduction in creatinine concentrations. This study highlights an undocumented approach to confirm a clinical diagnosis of urometra in mares; the authors anticipate that testing for creatinine in the uterine fluid of mares may become a standard tool for identifying urometra in mares and confirming the success of urogenital surgeries. British Veterinary Association.

[Variations in the diagnostic confirmation process between breast cancer mass screening units].

Science.gov (United States)

Natal, Carmen; Fernández-Somoano, Ana; Torá-Rocamora, Isabel; Tardón, Adonina; Castells, Xavier

2016-01-01

To analyse variations in the diagnostic confirmation process between screening units, variations in the outcome of each episode and the relationship between the use of the different diagnostic confirmation tests and the lesion detection rate. Observational study of variability of the standardised use of diagnostic and lesion detection tests in 34 breast cancer mass screening units participating in early-detection programmes in three Spanish regions from 2002-2011. The diagnostic test variation ratio in percentiles 25-75 ranged from 1.68 (further appointments) to 3.39 (fine-needle aspiration). The variation ratio in detection rates of benign lesions, ductal carcinoma in situ and invasive cancer were 2.79, 1.99 and 1.36, respectively. A positive relationship between rates of testing and detection rates was found with fine-needle aspiration-benign lesions (R(2): 0.53), fine-needle aspiration-invasive carcinoma (R(2): 0 28), core biopsy-benign lesions (R(2): 0.64), core biopsy-ductal carcinoma in situ (R(2): 0.61) and core biopsy-invasive carcinoma (R(2): 0.48). Variation in the use of invasive tests between the breast cancer screening units participating in early-detection programmes was found to be significantly higher than variations in lesion detection. Units which conducted more fine-needle aspiration tests had higher benign lesion detection rates, while units that conducted more core biopsies detected more benign lesions and cancer. Copyright © 2016 SESPAS. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Recognizing true H5N1 infections in humans during confirmed outbreaks.

Science.gov (United States)

Zaman, Mukhtiar; Gasimov, Viktor; Oner, Ahmet Faik; Dogan, Nazim; Adisasmito, Wiku; Coker, Richard; Bamgboye, Ebun L; Chan, Paul K S; Hanshaoworakul, Wanna; Lee, Nelson; Phommasack, Bounlay; Touch, Sok; Tsang, Owen; Swenson, Anna; Toovey, Stephen; Dreyer, Nancy Ann

2014-02-13

The goal of this study was to evaluate whether any characteristics that are evident at presentation for urgent medical attention could be used to differentiate cases of H5N1 in the absence of viral testing. Information about exposure to poultry, clinical signs and symptoms, treatments, and outcomes was abstracted from existing data in the global avian influenza registry (www.avianfluregistry.org) using standardized data collection tools for documented and possible cases of H5N1 infection who presented for medical attention between 2005-2011 during known H5N1 outbreaks in Azerbaijan, Indonesia, Pakistan and Turkey. Demography, exposure to poultry, and presenting symptoms were compared, with only the common symptoms of fever and headache presenting significantly more frequently in confirmed H5N1 cases than in possible cases. Reported exposure to  infected humans was also more common in confirmed cases. In contrast, unexplained respiratory illness, sore throat, excess sputum production, and rhinorrhea were more frequent in possible cases. Overall, oseltamivir treatment showed a survival benefit, with the greatest benefit shown in H5N1 cases who were treated within two days of symptom onset (51% reduction in case fatality). Since prompt treatment with antivirals conferred a strong survival benefit for H5N1 cases, presumptive antiviral treatment should be considered for all possible cases presenting during an outbreak of H5N1 as a potentially life-saving measure.

Identification of balanced chromosomal rearrangements previously unknown among participants in the 1000 Genomes Project: implications for interpretation of structural variation in genomes and the future of clinical cytogenetics.

Science.gov (United States)

Dong, Zirui; Wang, Huilin; Chen, Haixiao; Jiang, Hui; Yuan, Jianying; Yang, Zhenjun; Wang, Wen-Jing; Xu, Fengping; Guo, Xiaosen; Cao, Ye; Zhu, Zhenzhen; Geng, Chunyu; Cheung, Wan Chee; Kwok, Yvonne K; Yang, Huanming; Leung, Tak Yeung; Morton, Cynthia C; Cheung, Sau Wai; Choy, Kwong Wai

2017-11-02

PurposeRecent studies demonstrate that whole-genome sequencing enables detection of cryptic rearrangements in apparently balanced chromosomal rearrangements (also known as balanced chromosomal abnormalities, BCAs) previously identified by conventional cytogenetic methods. We aimed to assess our analytical tool for detecting BCAs in the 1000 Genomes Project without knowing which bands were affected.MethodsThe 1000 Genomes Project provides an unprecedented integrated map of structural variants in phenotypically normal subjects, but there is no information on potential inclusion of subjects with apparent BCAs akin to those traditionally detected in diagnostic cytogenetics laboratories. We applied our analytical tool to 1,166 genomes from the 1000 Genomes Project with sufficient physical coverage (8.25-fold).ResultsWith this approach, we detected four reciprocal balanced translocations and four inversions, ranging in size from 57.9 kb to 13.3 Mb, all of which were confirmed by cytogenetic methods and polymerase chain reaction studies. One of these DNAs has a subtle translocation that is not readily identified by chromosome analysis because of the similarity of the banding patterns and size of exchanged segments, and another results in disruption of all transcripts of an OMIM gene.ConclusionOur study demonstrates the extension of utilizing low-pass whole-genome sequencing for unbiased detection of BCAs including translocations and inversions previously unknown in the 1000 Genomes Project.GENETICS in MEDICINE advance online publication, 2 November 2017; doi:10.1038/gim.2017.170.

Incidence of Acneform Lesions in Previously Chemically Damaged Persons-2004

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

N Dabiri

2008-04-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT: Introduction & Objective: Chemical gas weapons especially nitrogen mustard which was used in Iraq-Iran war against Iranian troops have several harmful effects on skin. Some other chemical agents also can cause acne form lesions on skin. The purpose of this study was to compare the incidence of acneform in previously chemically damaged soldiers and non chemically damaged persons. Materials & Methods: In this descriptive and analytical study, 180 chemically damaged soldiers, who have been referred to dermatology clinic between 2000 – 2004, and forty non-chemically damaged people, were chosen randomly and examined for acneform lesions. SPSS software was used for statistic analysis of the data. Results: The mean age of the experimental group was 37.5 ± 5.2 and that of the control group was 38.7 ± 5.9 years. The mean percentage of chemical damage in cases was 31 percent and the time after the chemical damage was 15.2 ± 1.1 years. Ninety seven cases (53.9 percent of the subjects and 19 people (47.5 percent of the control group had some degree of acne. No significant correlation was found in incidence, degree of lesions, site of lesions and age of subjects between two groups. No significant correlation was noted between percentage of chemical damage and incidence and degree of lesions in case group. Conclusion: Incidence of acneform lesions among previously chemically injured peoples was not higher than the normal cases.

Executive Functioning and Visuospatial Abilities in Bulimia Nervosa with or without a Previous History of Anorexia Nervosa.

Science.gov (United States)

Degortes, Daniela; Tenconi, Elena; Santonastaso, Paolo; Favaro, Angela

2016-03-01

The aim of the present study was to investigate executive functioning and visuospatial abilities in patients with bulimia nervosa (BN), with a particular interest in exploring the impact of a previous diagnosis of anorexia nervosa (AN). Several neuropsychological tasks were administered to 89 BN patients (52 with a previous history of AN and 37 without previous AN) and 160 healthy women. A poorer performance on set-shifting measures (Wisconsin Card Sorting Test) was found only in BN patients with a previous history of AN. Decision-making abilities (Iowa Gambling Task) were significantly impaired in the whole sample of BN patients, but difficulties were more pronounced in the subgroup with previous AN. Finally, we did not find any differences in response inhibition and visuospatial abilities between the two samples of BN patients and healthy women. Our findings support the idea that cognitive abilities in patients with BN are more impaired in the presence of a prior history of AN. The clinical and treatment implications of our findings should be explored in future studies. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association.

Impact of Availability and Use of ART/PMTCT Services on Fertility Desires of Previously Pregnant Women in Rakai, Uganda: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Litwin, Lindsay E; Makumbi, Frederick E; Gray, Ronald; Wawer, Maria; Kigozi, Godfrey; Kagaayi, Joseph; Nakigozi, Gertrude; Lutalo, Tom; Serwada, David; Brahmbhatt, Heena

2015-07-01

To assess fertility desires by availability and use of antiretroviral therapy and prevention of mother-to-child transmission (ART/PMTCT) services in Rakai, Uganda. Retrospective analyses of longitudinal data from the Rakai Community Cohort Study. Study participants were retrospectively identified and categorized by HIV status. Availability of ART/PMTCT services in Rakai was defined in three periods: (1) pre-ART/PMTCT (ART/PMTCT rollout (2005-2006), and (3) universal ART/PMTCT (>2006); and use of ART/PMTCT was coded as yes if the woman received services. Trends in fertility desires were assessed by χ. "Modified" Poisson regression was performed using generalized linear models with a log link and Poisson family to estimate prevalence rate ratios (PRRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of desire for another child among previously and currently pregnant women; PRRs were adjusted for demographic and behavioral factors. A total of 4227 sexually active women in Rakai, including 436 HIV+ women, contributed 13,970 observations over 5 survey rounds. Fertility desires increased in the population in the ART/PMTCT rollout [adjusted (adj.) PRR: 1.08, 95% CI: 1.04 to 1.13] and the universal availability periods (adj. PRR: 1.11, 95% CI: 1.08 to 1.14) compared with pre-ART/PMTCT period. A total of 862 woman observations used ART/PMTCT services. Fertility desires were similar among ART/PMTCT service users and nonusers in cross-sectional analysis (adj. PRR: 0.84, 95% CI: 0.62 to 1.14) and 1 year after ART/PMTCT use (adj. PRR: 1.27, 95% CI: 0.83 to 1.94). Availability of ART/PMTCT may increase fertility desires of previously pregnant women in Rakai, Uganda. Use of ART/PMTCT services was not correlated with fertility desires of previously or current pregnant women.

A SUCCESSFUL BROADBAND SURVEY FOR GIANT Ly{alpha} NEBULAE. II. SPECTROSCOPIC CONFIRMATION

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Prescott, Moire K. M. [Department of Physics, University of California, Broida Hall, Mail Code 9530, Santa Barbara, CA 93106 (United States); Dey, Arjun; Jannuzi, Buell T., E-mail: mkpresco@physics.ucsb.edu [National Optical Astronomy Observatory, 950 North Cherry Avenue, Tucson, AZ 85719 (United States)

2013-01-01

Using a systematic broadband search technique, we have carried out a survey for large Ly{alpha} nebulae (or Ly{alpha} {sup b}lobs{sup )} at 2 {approx}< z {approx}< 3 within 8.5 deg{sup 2} of the NOAO Deep Wide-Field Survey Booetes field, corresponding to a total survey comoving volume of Almost-Equal-To 10{sup 8} h {sup -3} {sub 70} Mpc{sup 3}. Here, we present our spectroscopic observations of candidate giant Ly{alpha} nebulae. Of 26 candidates targeted, 5 were confirmed to have Ly{alpha} emission at 1.7 {approx}< z {approx}< 2.7, 4 of which were new discoveries. The confirmed Ly{alpha} nebulae span a range of Ly{alpha} equivalent widths, colors, sizes, and line ratios, and most show spatially extended continuum emission. The remaining candidates did not reveal any strong emission lines, but instead exhibit featureless, diffuse, blue continuum spectra. Their nature remains mysterious, but we speculate that some of these might be Ly{alpha} nebulae lying within the redshift desert (i.e., 1.2 {approx}< z {approx}< 1.6). Our spectroscopic follow-up confirms the power of using deep broadband imaging to search for the bright end of the Ly{alpha} nebula population across enormous comoving volumes.

Lessons learned from the CEOG generic accident management guidelines confirmation (validation) exercise

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khalil, Y.F.; Schneider, R.E.; Greene, M.A.

1996-01-01

In July 1995, the CE Owner's Group completed and issued Revision 0 of the Generic Accident Management Guidelines (AMG's) to the owners group task participants. This guidance provides a structured mechanism for the plant staff at CE utilities to respond to accidents that beyond the plant design basis and, possibly, the Emergency Operating Procedures. Prior to final issue of the generic AMGs, the CEOG conducted an AMG Confirmation Exercise to establish the ability of the AMGs to fulfill this important role. The specific objectives of the AMG Confirmation Exercise were to (1) clarify the interactions and transitions between the AMG/Technical Support Center (TSC) and the EOPS/Operations Personnel (2) validate the adequacy of the AMG data collection and plant condition diagnostic evaluation process and (3) assess the feasibility of the mechanical material and recommendations contained in the AMG's. The purpose of paper is to provide a detailed description of the AMG Confirmation Exercise as well as important lessons learned during the planning and implementation of the exercise. In addition, a discussion will be presented pertaining to the relationship between the AMG's (incumbent to the Technical Support Center) and the plants Emergency Operating Procedures (incumbent to the Control Room Operations Staff)

Direct Imaging Confirmation and Characterization of a Dust-Enshrouded Candidate Exoplanet Orbiting Fomalhaut

OpenAIRE

Currie, Thayne; Debes, John; Rodigas, Timothy J.; Burrows, Adam; Itoh, Yoichi; Fukagawa, Misato; Kenyon, Scott; Kuchner, Marc; Matsumura, Soko

2012-01-01

We present Subaru/IRCS J band data for Fomalhaut and a (re)reduction of archival 2004--2006 HST/ACS data first presented by Kalas et al. (2008). We confirm the existence of a candidate exoplanet, Fomalhaut b, in both the 2004 and 2006 F606W data sets at a high signal-to-noise. Additionally, we confirm the detection at F814W and present a new detection in F435W. Fomalhaut b's space motion may be consistent with it being in an apsidally-aligned, non debris ring-crossing orbit, although new astr...

Control of antioxidant supplementation through interview is not appropriate in oxidative-stress sport studies: Analytical confirmation should be required.

Science.gov (United States)

Barranco-Ruiz, Yaira; Aragón-Vela, Jeronimo; Casals, Cristina; Martínez-Amat, Antonio; Casuso, Rafael A; Huertas, Jesus R

2017-01-01

Controlling antioxidant supplementation in athletes involved in studies related to oxidative stress and muscle damage is the key to ensure results. The aim of this study was to confirm through high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis whether well-trained individuals lied during a personal interview when asked if they were taking supplements with antioxidants, and how this could affect oxidative stress, muscle damage, and antioxidant response. A total of 94 men, well trained in endurance sports, volunteered in this study. They denied taking any antioxidant supplementation at initial interview. After a HPLC analysis, abnormal α-tocopherol concentrations were detected, probably due to a hidden antioxidant supplementation. Participants were classified into two groups: no evidence of antioxidant supplementation (NS group = α-tocopherol values antioxidant supplementation (S group = α-tocopherol values >80 nmol/mL; n = 19). Lipid peroxidation, muscle damage, antioxidant enzyme activity, and nonenzymatic antioxidant content were analyzed according to this classification. Statistical comparisons were performed using Student's t test. The α-tocopherol concentrations were significantly higher in the S group than in the NS group (MD = 725.01 ± 39.01 nmol/mL; P = 0.001). The S group showed a trend toward lower hydroperoxides than the NS group (MD = 1.19 ± 0.72 nmol/mL; P = 0.071). The S group showed significantly lower catalase activity than the NS group (MD = 0.10 ± 0.02-seg-1 mg-1; P antioxidant supplementation in a personal interview, as they showed high plasmatic α-tocopherol concentrations after HPLC verification. Catalase activity seems to be affected by high α-tocopherol plasma levels. Therefore, we strongly recommend the HPLC analysis as a necessary tool to verify the antioxidant intake and preserve results in studies linking oxidative stress and sport. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Should previous mammograms be digitised in the transition to digital mammography?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Taylor-Phillips, S.; Gale, A.G.; Wallis, M.G.

2009-01-01

Breast screening specificity is improved if previous mammograms are available, which presents a challenge when converting to digital mammography. Two display options were investigated: mounting previous film mammograms on a multiviewer adjacent to the workstation, or digitising them for soft copy display. Eight qualified screen readers were videotaped undertaking routine screen reading for two 45-min sessions in each scenario. Analysis of gross eye and head movements showed that when digitised, previous mammograms were examined a greater number of times per case (p=0.03), due to a combination of being used in 19% more cases (p=0.04) and where used, looked at a greater number of times (28% increase, p=0.04). Digitising previous mammograms reduced both the average time taken per case by 18% (p=0.04) and the participants' perceptions of workload (p < 0.05). Digitising previous analogue mammograms may be advantageous, in particular in increasing their level of use. (orig.)

Completion pancreatectomy and islet cell autotransplantation as salvage therapy for patients failing previous operative interventions for chronic pancreatitis.

Science.gov (United States)

Wilson, Gregory C; Sutton, Jeffrey M; Smith, Milton T; Schmulewitz, Nathan; Salehi, Marzieh; Choe, Kyuran A; Levinsky, Nick C; Brunner, John E; Abbott, Daniel E; Sussman, Jeffrey J; Edwards, Michael J; Ahmad, Syed A

2015-10-01

Traditional decompressive and/or pancreatic resection procedures have been the cornerstone of operative therapy for refractory abdominal pain secondary to chronic pancreatitis. Management of patients that fail these traditional interventions represents a clinical dilemma. Salvage therapy with completion pancreatectomy and islet cell autotransplantation (CPIAT) is an emerging treatment option for this patient population; however, outcomes after this procedure have not been well-studied. All patients undergoing CPIAT after previous decompressive and/or pancreatic resection for the treatment of chronic pancreatitis at our institution were identified for inclusion in this single-center observational study. Study end points included islet yield, narcotic requirements, glycemic control, and quality of life (QOL). QOL was assessed using the Short Form (SF)-36 health questionnaire. Sixty-four patients underwent CPIAT as salvage therapy. The median age at time of CPIAT was 38 years (interquartile range [IQR], 14.7-65.4). The most common etiology of chronic pancreatitis was idiopathic pancreatitis (66%; n = 42) followed by genetically linked pancreatitis (9%; n = 6) and alcoholic pancreatitis (8%; n = 5). All of these patients had previously undergone prior limited pancreatic resection or decompressive procedure. The majority of patients (50%; n = 32) underwent prior pancreaticoduodenectomy, whereas the remainder had undergone distal pancreatectomy (17%; n = 11), Frey (13%; n = 8), Puestow (13%; n = 8), or Berne (8%; n = 5) procedures. Median time from initial surgical intervention to CPIAT was 28.1 months (IQR, 13.6-43.0). All of these patients underwent a successful CPIAT. Mean operative time was 502.2 minutes with average hospital duration of stay of 13 days. Islet cell isolation was feasible despite previous procedures with a mean islet yield of 331,304 islet cell equivalents, which totaled an islet cell autotransplantation of 4,737 ± 492 IEQ/kg body weight. Median

NASA Observatory Confirms Black Hole Limits

Science.gov (United States)

2005-02-01

The very largest black holes reach a certain point and then grow no more, according to the best survey to date of black holes made with NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory. Scientists have also discovered many previously hidden black holes that are well below their weight limit. These new results corroborate recent theoretical work about how black holes and galaxies grow. The biggest black holes, those with at least 100 million times the mass of the Sun, ate voraciously during the early Universe. Nearly all of them ran out of 'food' billions of years ago and went onto a forced starvation diet. Focus on Black Holes in the Chandra Deep Field North Focus on Black Holes in the Chandra Deep Field North On the other hand, black holes between about 10 and 100 million solar masses followed a more controlled eating plan. Because they took smaller portions of their meals of gas and dust, they continue growing today. "Our data show that some supermassive black holes seem to binge, while others prefer to graze", said Amy Barger of the University of Wisconsin in Madison and the University of Hawaii, lead author of the paper describing the results in the latest issue of The Astronomical Journal (Feb 2005). "We now understand better than ever before how supermassive black holes grow." One revelation is that there is a strong connection between the growth of black holes and the birth of stars. Previously, astronomers had done careful studies of the birthrate of stars in galaxies, but didn't know as much about the black holes at their centers. DSS Optical Image of Lockman Hole DSS Optical Image of Lockman Hole "These galaxies lose material into their central black holes at the same time that they make their stars," said Barger. "So whatever mechanism governs star formation in galaxies also governs black hole growth." Astronomers have made an accurate census of both the biggest, active black holes in the distance, and the relatively smaller, calmer ones closer by. Now, for the first

Systematic review of the risk of uterine rupture with the use of amnioinfusion after previous cesarean delivery.

Science.gov (United States)

Hicks, Paul

2005-04-01

Amnioinfusion is commonly used for the intrapartum treatment of women with pregnancy complicated by thick meconium or oligohydramnios with deep variable fetal heart rate decelerations. Its benefit in women with previous cesarean deliveries is less known. Theoretically, rapid increases in intrauterine volume would lead to a higher risk of uterine rupture. Searches of the Cochrane Library from inception to the third quarter of 2001 and MEDLINE, 1966 to November 2001, were performed by using keywords "cesarean" and "amnioinfusion." Search terms were expanded to maximize results. All languages were included. Review articles, editorials, and data previously published in other sites were not analyzed. Four studies were retrieved having unduplicated data describing amnioinfusion in women who were attempting a trial of labor after previous cesarean section. As the studies were of disparate types, meta-analysis was not possible. The use of amnioinfusion in women with previous cesarean delivery who are undergoing a trial of labor may be a safe procedure, but confirmatory large, controlled prospective studies are needed before definitive recommendations can be made.

Life-history traits in an evergreen Mediterranean oak respond differentially to previous experimental environments

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. M. Rey Benayas

2008-06-01

Full Text Available Living organisms respond both to current and previous environments, which can have important consequences on population dynamics. However, there is little experimental evidence based on long-term field studies of the effects of previous environments on the performance of individuals. We tested the hypothesis that trees that establish under different environmental conditions perform differently under similar post-establishment conditions. We used the slow-growing, evergreen Mediterranean oak Quercus ilex subsp. rotundifolia as target species. We analyzed the effects of previous environments, competition effects and tradeoffs among life-history traits (survival, growth, and reproduction. We enhanced seedling establishment for three years by reducing abiotic environmental harshness by means of summer irrigation and artificial shading in 12 experimental plots, while four plots remained as controls. Then these treatments were interrupted for ten years. Seedlings under ameliorated environmental conditions survived and grew faster during early establishment. During the post-management period, previous treatments 1 did not have any effect on survival, 2 experienced a slower above-ground growth, 3 decreased root biomass as indicated from reflectivity of Ground Penetration Radar, 4 increased acorn production mostly through a greater canopy volume and 5 increased acorn production effort. The trees exhibited a combination of effects related to acclimation for coping with abiotic stress and effects of intra-specific competition. In accordance with our hypothesis, tree performance overall depended on previous environmental conditions, and the response was different for different life-history traits. We recommend early management because it increased plot cover, shortened the time to attain sexual maturity and increased the amount of acorn production. Plots such as those assessed in this study may act as sources of propagules in deforested

14 CFR 121.406 - Credit for previous CRM/DRM training.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 3 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Credit for previous CRM/DRM training. 121... previous CRM/DRM training. (a) For flightcrew members, the Administrator may credit CRM training received before March 19, 1998 toward all or part of the initial ground CRM training required by § 121.419. (b...

Rapid mineralisation of the herbicide isoproturon in soil from a previously treated Danish agricultural field.

Science.gov (United States)

Sørensen, Sebastian R; Aamand, Jens

2003-10-01

Mineralisation of the phenylurea herbicide isoproturon (3-(4-isopropylphenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea) and two of its known metabolites, 3-(4-isopropylphenyl)-1-methylurea (monodesmethyl-isoproturon) and 4-isopropylaniline, was studied in Danish agricultural soils with or without previous exposure to isoproturon. A potential for rapid mineralisation of isoproturon and the two metabolites was present in soils sampled from three plots within an agricultural field previously treated regularly with the herbicide, with 34-45%, 51-58% and 33-36% of the added [phenyl-U-14C]isoproturon, [phenyl-U-14C]monodesmethyl-isoproturon and [phenyl-U-14C]4-isopropylaniline metabolised to [14C]carbon dioxide within 30 days at 20 degrees C. In contrast, such extensive mineralisation of these three compounds was not observed within this period in soils sampled from two other agricultural fields without previous treatment with isoproturon. The mineralisation patterns indicated growth-linked metabolism of the three compounds in the previously exposed soils, and doubling times for [14C]carbon dioxide production ranged from 1.6 to 3.2, 1.0 to 2.1 and 1.3 to 1.7 days for isoproturon, monodesmethyl-isoproturon and 4-isopropylaniline, respectively. The ability to mineralise [phenyl-U-14C]isoproturon to [14C]carbon dioxide was successfully sub-cultured to a fresh mineral medium which provided isoproturon as sole source of carbon and nitrogen. One of the soils sampled from an agricultural field not previously treated with isoproturon showed accelerated mineralisation of [phenyl-U-14C]4-isopropylaniline toward the end of the experiment, with a doubling time for [14C]carbon dioxide production of 7.4days. This study indicates that the occurrence of rapid mineralisation of the phenyl ring of isoproturon to carbon dioxide is related to previous exposure to the herbicide, which suggests that microbial adaptation upon repeated isoproturon use may occur within agricultural fields.

Isotopic Generation and Confirmation of the PWR Application Model?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

L.B. Wimmer

2003-01-01

The objective of this calculation is to establish an isotopic database to represent commercial spent nuclear fuel (CSNF) from pressurized water reactors (PWRs) in criticality analyses performed for the proposed Monitored Geologic Repository at Yucca Mountain, Nevada. Confirmation of the conservatism with respect to criticality in the isotopic concentration values represented by this isotopic database is performed as described in Section 3.5.3.1.2 of the ''Disposal Criticality Analysis Methodology Topical Report'' (YMP 2000). The isotopic database consists of the set of 14 actinides and 15 fission products presented in Section 3.5.2.1.1 of YMP 2000 for use in CSNF burnup credit. This set of 29 isotopes is referred to as the principal isotopes. The oxygen isotope from the UO 2 fuel is also included in the database. The isotopic database covers enrichments of 235 U ranging from 1.5 to 5.5 weight percent (wt%) and burnups ranging from approximately zero to 75 GWd per metric ton of uranium (mtU). The choice of fuel assembly and operating history values used in generating the isotopic database are provided is Section 5. Tables of isotopic concentrations for the 29 principal isotopes (plus oxygen) as a function of enrichment and burnup are provided in Section 6.1. Results of the confirmation of the conservatism with respect to criticality in the isotopic concentration values are provided in Section 6.2

Thermal release of D2 from new Be-D co-deposits on previously baked co-deposits

Science.gov (United States)

Baldwin, M. J.; Doerner, R. P.

2015-12-01

Past experiments and modeling with the TMAP code in [1, 2] indicated that Be-D co-deposited layers are less (time-wise) efficiently desorbed of retained D in a fixed low-temperature bake, as the layer grows in thickness. In ITER, beryllium rich co-deposited layers will grow in thickness over the life of the machine. Although, compared with the analyses in [1, 2], ITER presents a slightly different bake efficiency problem because of instances of prior tritium recover/control baking. More relevant to ITER, is the thermal release from a new and saturated co-deposit layer in contact with a thickness of previously-baked, less-saturated, co-deposit. Experiments that examine the desorption of saturated co-deposited over-layers in contact with previously baked under-layers are reported and comparison is made to layers of the same combined thickness. Deposition temperatures of ∼323 K and ∼373 K are explored. It is found that an instance of prior bake leads to a subtle effect on the under-layer. The effect causes the thermal desorption of the new saturated over-layer to deviate from the prediction of the validated TMAP model in [2]. Instead of the D thermal release reflecting the combined thickness and levels of D saturation in the over and under layer, experiment differs in that, i) the desorption is a fractional superposition of desorption from the saturated over-layer, with ii) that of the combined over and under -layer thickness. The result is not easily modeled by TMAP without the incorporation of a thin BeO inter-layer which is confirmed experimentally on baked Be-D co-deposits using X-ray micro-analysis.

Thermal release of D_2 from new Be-D co-deposits on previously baked co-deposits

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baldwin, M.J.; Doerner, R.P.

2015-01-01

Past experiments and modeling with the TMAP code in [1, 2] indicated that Be-D co-deposited layers are less (time-wise) efficiently desorbed of retained D in a fixed low-temperature bake, as the layer grows in thickness. In ITER, beryllium rich co-deposited layers will grow in thickness over the life of the machine. Although, compared with the analyses in [1, 2], ITER presents a slightly different bake efficiency problem because of instances of prior tritium recover/control baking. More relevant to ITER, is the thermal release from a new and saturated co-deposit layer in contact with a thickness of previously-baked, less-saturated, co-deposit. Experiments that examine the desorption of saturated co-deposited over-layers in contact with previously baked under-layers are reported and comparison is made to layers of the same combined thickness. Deposition temperatures of ∼323 K and ∼373 K are explored. It is found that an instance of prior bake leads to a subtle effect on the under-layer. The effect causes the thermal desorption of the new saturated over-layer to deviate from the prediction of the validated TMAP model in [2]. Instead of the D thermal release reflecting the combined thickness and levels of D saturation in the over and under layer, experiment differs in that, i) the desorption is a fractional superposition of desorption from the saturated over-layer, with ii) that of the combined over and under -layer thickness. The result is not easily modeled by TMAP without the incorporation of a thin BeO inter-layer which is confirmed experimentally on baked Be-D co-deposits using X-ray micro-analysis.

Previously unidentified changes in renal cell carcinoma gene expression identified by parametric analysis of microarray data

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lenburg, Marc E; Liou, Louis S; Gerry, Norman P; Frampton, Garrett M; Cohen, Herbert T; Christman, Michael F

2003-01-01

Renal cell carcinoma is a common malignancy that often presents as a metastatic-disease for which there are no effective treatments. To gain insights into the mechanism of renal cell carcinogenesis, a number of genome-wide expression profiling studies have been performed. Surprisingly, there is very poor agreement among these studies as to which genes are differentially regulated. To better understand this lack of agreement we profiled renal cell tumor gene expression using genome-wide microarrays (45,000 probe sets) and compare our analysis to previous microarray studies. We hybridized total RNA isolated from renal cell tumors and adjacent normal tissue to Affymetrix U133A and U133B arrays. We removed samples with technical defects and removed probesets that failed to exhibit sequence-specific hybridization in any of the samples. We detected differential gene expression in the resulting dataset with parametric methods and identified keywords that are overrepresented in the differentially expressed genes with the Fisher-exact test. We identify 1,234 genes that are more than three-fold changed in renal tumors by t-test, 800 of which have not been previously reported to be altered in renal cell tumors. Of the only 37 genes that have been identified as being differentially expressed in three or more of five previous microarray studies of renal tumor gene expression, our analysis finds 33 of these genes (89%). A key to the sensitivity and power of our analysis is filtering out defective samples and genes that are not reliably detected. The widespread use of sample-wise voting schemes for detecting differential expression that do not control for false positives likely account for the poor overlap among previous studies. Among the many genes we identified using parametric methods that were not previously reported as being differentially expressed in renal cell tumors are several oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes that likely play important roles in renal cell

Value and reliability of findings from previous epidemiologic studies in the assessment of radiation-related cancer risks. Pt. 3

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Frasch, G.; Martignoni, K.

1990-01-01

The theories put forward here are predominantly based on pooled data from previous studies in a number of cohorts made up by mostly non-average individuals. These studies were carried out by various researchers and differed in procedures and aims. Factors of major importance to the validity and reliability of the conclusions drawn from this study are pointed out. In one chapter some light is thrown on factors known to bear a relation to the incidence of radiation-induced cancer of the breast, even though at present this can only very vaguely be described on a quantitative basis. These factors include fractionated dose regimens, pregnancies and parturitions, menarche, menopause, synergisms as well as secondary cancer of the breast. The available body of evidence suggests that exposure of each of 1 million women to a dose of 10 mGy (rad) can be linked with approx. 3 additional cases of mammary cancer reported on an average per year after the latency period. The fact that there is some statistical scatter around this value is chiefly attributable to age-related causes at the beginning of exposure. Differences in ethnic and cultural characteristics between the populations investigated appeared to be less important here. (orig./MG) [de

A CoGeNT confirmation of the DAMA signal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Foot, R.

2010-01-01

The CoGeNT Collaboration has recently reported a rising low energy spectrum in their ultra low noise Germanium detector. This is particularly interesting as the energy range probed by CoGeNT overlaps with the energy region in which DAMA has observed their annual modulation signal. We show that the mirror dark matter candidate can simultaneously explain both the DAMA annual modulation signal and the rising low energy spectrum observed by CoGeNT. This constitutes a model dependent confirmation of the DAMA signal and adds weight to the mirror dark matter paradigm.

Maternal condition and previous reproduction interact to affect offspring sex in a wild mammal.

Science.gov (United States)

Douhard, Mathieu; Festa-Bianchet, Marco; Pelletier, Fanie

2016-08-01

Trivers and Willard proposed that offspring sex ratio should vary with maternal condition when condition, meant as maternal capacity to care, has different fitness consequences for sons and daughters. In polygynous and dimorphic species, mothers in good condition should preferentially produce sons, whereas mothers in poor condition should produce more daughters. Despite its logical appeal, support for this hypothesis has been inconsistent. Sex-ratio variation may be influenced by additional factors, such as environmental conditions and previous reproduction, which are often ignored in empirical studies. We analysed 39 years of data on bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) that fit all the assumptions of the Trivers-Willard hypothesis. Production of sons increased with maternal condition only for mothers that weaned a son the previous year. This relationship likely reflects a mother's ability to bear the higher reproductive costs of sons. The interaction between maternal condition and previous weaning success on the probability of producing a son was independent of the positive effect of paternal reproductive success. Maternal and paternal effects accounted for similar proportions of the variance in offspring sex. Maternal reproductive history should be considered in addition to current condition in studies of sex allocation. © 2016 The Author(s).

Dietary self-efficacy predicts AHEI diet quality in women with previous gestational diabetes.

Science.gov (United States)

Ferranti, Erin Poe; Narayan, K M Venkat; Reilly, Carolyn M; Foster, Jennifer; McCullough, Marjorie; Ziegler, Thomas R; Guo, Ying; Dunbar, Sandra B

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the association of intrapersonal influences of diet quality as defined by the Health Belief Model constructs in women with recent histories of gestational diabetes. A descriptive, correlational, cross-sectional design was used to analyze relationships between diet quality and intrapersonal variables, including perceptions of threat of type 2 diabetes mellitus development, benefits and barriers of healthy eating, and dietary self-efficacy, in a convenience sample of 75 community-dwelling women (55% minority; mean age, 35.5 years; SD, 5.5 years) with previous gestational diabetes mellitus. Diet quality was defined by the Alternative Healthy Eating Index (AHEI). Multiple regression was used to identify predictors of AHEI diet quality. Women had moderate AHEI diet quality (mean score, 47.6; SD, 14.3). Only higher levels of education and self-efficacy significantly predicted better AHEI diet quality, controlling for other contributing variables. There is a significant opportunity to improve diet quality in women with previous gestational diabetes mellitus. Improving self-efficacy may be an important component to include in nutrition interventions. In addition to identifying other important individual components, future studies of diet quality in women with previous gestational diabetes mellitus are needed to investigate the scope of influence beyond the individual to potential family, social, and environmental factors. © 2014 The Author(s).