Significance of X-ray examinations of patients with Crohn's disease after intestinal-tract resections

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Kulke, H.; Hoerl, M.; Kasper, H.; Auer, I.O.

1988-12-01

After intestinal tract resection, the status of the intestinal tract of patients with Crohn's disease who had recurrent anastomoses versus those that did not analyzed using standardized procedures of stomach X-ray with small bowel follow through, barium enema and fistulography. The intestinal tract resections included ileostomy, transverse ileostomy, rectal ileostomy, and atypical procedures. The anstomoses and surrounding tissue were evaluated. The results were discussed and the X-ray characteristics of the current anastomosis and the existing changes in its environment were analyzed.

The significance of ultrasonography in urinary tract infection in children

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hwang, Dae Hyun; Lee, Kwang Sul; Jeon, Woo Ki; Kim, Ho Kyun; Lee, Ghi Jai; Kim, Jeong Sook; Jeon, Jong Dong; Han, Chang Yul; Song, Moon Kab

1990-01-01

Urinary tract infection(UTI) is one of the major bacterial disease of children that causes morbidity and inconvenience to many patients were related to recurrent vesicoureteral reflux. Radiological examinations of the 72 patients of urinary tract infection(UTI) who were visited to Seoul Paik Hospital from Jan 1st 1986 to Jul 30th 1989, were analysed in this study. US was used as an initial study in all patients who showed acute stage of UTI and followed by IVP, VCUG, 99m Tc-DMSA scan for veslcoureteral reflex or renal scarring. If US showed obstructing lesion, no further study was performed. The resulted were as follows: 1. US is valuable as a screening procedure during the first UTI in congenital abnormalities and in particular obstructive lesions that require surgery. 2. A normal US in a child older than 5 or 6 years is meaningful as an investigation in the group of the first documented UTI uncomplicated. 3. Vesicoureteral reflex, a major factor leading to parenchymal damage in young children can not be detected reliably by US. If the US is suggestive of vesicoureteral reflex, this should be confirmed by VCUG and 99m Tc-DMSA scan for renal scarring. If the US is normal or equivocal in recurrent infection and unexplained persistent clinical findings, this should be followed by VCUG and 9 9mTc-DMSA scan

The effect of using an interactive booklet on childhood respiratory tract infections in consultations: Study protocol for a cluster randomised controlled trial in primary care

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Nuttall Jacqueline

2008-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Respiratory tract infections in children result in more primary care consultations than any other acute condition, and are the most common reason for prescribing antibiotics (which are largely unnecessary. About a fifth of children consult again for the same illness episode. Providing parents with written information on respiratory tract infections may result in a reduction in re-consultation rates and antibiotic prescribing for these illnesses. Asking clinicians to provide and discuss the information during the consultation may enhance effectiveness. This paper outlines the protocol for a study designed to evaluate the use of a booklet on respiratory tract infections in children within primary care consultations. Methods/Design This will be a cluster randomised controlled trial. General practices will be randomised to provide parents consulting because their child has an acute respiratory tract infection with either an interactive booklet, or usual care. The booklet provides information on the expected duration of their child's illness, the likely benefits of various treatment options, signs and symptoms that should prompt re-consultation, and symptomatic treatment advice. It has been designed for use within the consultation and aims to enhance communication through the use of specific prompts. Clinicians randomised to using the interactive booklet will receive online training in its use. Outcomes will be assessed via a telephone interview with the parent two weeks after first consulting. The primary outcome will be the proportion of children who re-consult for the same illness episode. Secondary outcomes include: antibiotic use, parental satisfaction and enablement, and illness costs. Consultation rates for respiratory tract infections for the subsequent year will be assessed by a review of practice notes. Discussion Previous studies in adults and children have shown that educational interventions can result in reductions

Race, deprivation, and immigrant isolation: The spatial demography of air-toxic clusters in the continental United States.

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Liévanos, Raoul S

2015-11-01

This article contributes to environmental inequality outcomes research on the spatial and demographic factors associated with cumulative air-toxic health risks at multiple geographic scales across the United States. It employs a rigorous spatial cluster analysis of census tract-level 2005 estimated lifetime cancer risk (LCR) of ambient air-toxic emissions from stationary (e.g., facility) and mobile (e.g., vehicular) sources to locate spatial clusters of air-toxic LCR risk in the continental United States. It then tests intersectional environmental inequality hypotheses on the predictors of tract presence in air-toxic LCR clusters with tract-level principal component factor measures of economic deprivation by race and immigrant status. Logistic regression analyses show that net of controls, isolated Latino immigrant-economic deprivation is the strongest positive demographic predictor of tract presence in air-toxic LCR clusters, followed by black-economic deprivation and isolated Asian/Pacific Islander immigrant-economic deprivation. Findings suggest scholarly and practical implications for future research, advocacy, and policy. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

How Do Social Capital and HIV/AIDS Outcomes Geographically Cluster and Which Sociocontextual Mechanisms Predict Differences Across Clusters?

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Ransome, Yusuf; Dean, Lorraine T; Crawford, Natalie D; Metzger, David S; Blank, Michael B; Nunn, Amy S

2017-09-01

Place of residence has been associated with HIV transmission risks. Social capital, defined as features of social organization that improve efficiency of society by facilitating coordinated actions, often varies by neighborhood, and hypothesized to have protective effects on HIV care continuum outcomes. We examined whether the association between social capital and 2 HIV care continuum outcomes clustered geographically and whether sociocontextual mechanisms predict differences across clusters. Bivariate Local Moran's I evaluated geographical clustering in the association between social capital (participation in civic and social organizations, 2006, 2008, 2010) and [5-year (2007-2011) prevalence of late HIV diagnosis and linkage to HIV care] across Philadelphia, PA, census tracts (N = 378). Maps documented the clusters and multinomial regression assessed which sociocontextual mechanisms (eg, racial composition) predict differences across clusters. We identified 4 significant clusters (high social capital-high HIV/AIDS, low social capital-low HIV/AIDS, low social capital-high HIV/AIDS, and high social capital-low HIV/AIDS). Moran's I between social capital and late HIV diagnosis was (I = 0.19, z = 9.54, P social capital was lowest and HIV burden the highest, compared with clusters with high social capital and lowest HIV burden. The association between social participation and HIV care continuum outcomes cluster geographically in Philadelphia, PA. HIV prevention interventions should account for this phenomenon. Reducing geographic disparities will require interventions tailored to each continuum step and that address socioeconomic factors such as neighborhood median income.

HIV Clustering in Mississippi: Spatial Epidemiological Study to Inform Implementation Science in the Deep South.

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Stopka, Thomas J; Brinkley-Rubinstein, Lauren; Johnson, Kendra; Chan, Philip A; Hutcheson, Marga; Crosby, Richard; Burke, Deirdre; Mena, Leandro; Nunn, Amy

2018-04-03

In recent years, more than half of new HIV infections in the United States occur among African Americans in the Southeastern United States. Spatial epidemiological analyses can inform public health responses in the Deep South by identifying HIV hotspots and community-level factors associated with clustering. The goal of this study was to identify and characterize HIV clusters in Mississippi through analysis of state-level HIV surveillance data. We used a combination of spatial epidemiology and statistical modeling to identify and characterize HIV hotspots in Mississippi census tracts (n=658) from 2008 to 2014. We conducted spatial analyses of all HIV infections, infections among men who have sex with men (MSM), and infections among African Americans. Multivariable logistic regression analyses identified community-level sociodemographic factors associated with HIV hotspots considering all cases. There were HIV hotspots for the entire population, MSM, and African American MSM identified in the Mississippi Delta region, Southern Mississippi, and in greater Jackson, including surrounding rural counties (PHIV cases, HIV hotspots were significantly more likely to include urban census tracts (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 2.01, 95% CI 1.20-3.37) and census tracts that had a higher proportion of African Americans (AOR 3.85, 95% CI 2.23-6.65). The HIV hotspots were less likely to include census tracts with residents who had less than a high school education (AOR 0.95, 95% CI 0.92-0.98), census tracts with residents belonging to two or more racial/ethnic groups (AOR 0.46, 95% CI 0.30-0.70), and census tracts that had a higher percentage of the population living below the poverty level (AOR 0.51, 95% CI 0.28-0.92). We used spatial epidemiology and statistical modeling to identify and characterize HIV hotspots for the general population, MSM, and African Americans. HIV clusters concentrated in Jackson and the Mississippi Delta. African American race and urban location were

Spatiotemporal Distribution of Gastrointestinal Tract Cancer through GIS over 2007-2012 in Kermanshah-Iran.

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Reshadat, Sohyla; Saeidi, Shahram; Zangeneh, Ali Reza; Khademi, Nahid; Khasi, Keyvan; Ghasemi, SayedRamin; Gilan, Nader Rajabi

2015-01-01

Cancer is one of the common causes of disability and mortality in the world. The present study aimed to define the spatiotemporal distribution of gastrointestinal tract cancers using a geographic information system (GIS) over the time period of 2007-2012 in Kermanshah-Iran. The method of studying was descriptive-analytical as well as comparative with gastrointestinal tract cancer patients based in the City of Kermanshah over the time period covered. For data analysis, the GIS and SPSS 16.0 were applied. According to the pathological reports within the space of 5 years, 283 cases of gastrointestinal tract cancer (157 in males, 156 in females) were reported. The performed tests in terms of spatial distribution in the environment of GIS indicated that the disease demonstrated a clustered pattern in the City of Kermanshah. More to the point, some loci of this disease have emerged in the City of Kermanshah that in the first level, 6 neighborhoods with 29-59 cases of this disease per square kilometer and in the second level, 15-29 cases. Gastrointestinal tract cancer demonstrated an ascending trend within the space of 5 years of research and the spatiotemporal distribution of cancer featured a concentrated and clustered pattern in the City of Kermanshah.

Predicting healthcare outcomes in prematurely born infants using cluster analysis.

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MacBean, Victoria; Lunt, Alan; Drysdale, Simon B; Yarzi, Muska N; Rafferty, Gerrard F; Greenough, Anne

2018-05-23

Prematurely born infants are at high risk of respiratory morbidity following neonatal unit discharge, though prediction of outcomes is challenging. We have tested the hypothesis that cluster analysis would identify discrete groups of prematurely born infants with differing respiratory outcomes during infancy. A total of 168 infants (median (IQR) gestational age 33 (31-34) weeks) were recruited in the neonatal period from consecutive births in a tertiary neonatal unit. The baseline characteristics of the infants were used to classify them into hierarchical agglomerative clusters. Rates of viral lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) were recorded for 151 infants in the first year after birth. Infants could be classified according to birth weight and duration of neonatal invasive mechanical ventilation (MV) into three clusters. Cluster one (MV ≤5 days) had few LRTIs. Clusters two and three (both MV ≥6 days, but BW ≥or <882 g respectively), had significantly higher LRTI rates. Cluster two had a higher proportion of infants experiencing respiratory syncytial virus LRTIs (P = 0.01) and cluster three a higher proportion of rhinovirus LRTIs (P < 0.001) CONCLUSIONS: Readily available clinical data allowed classification of prematurely born infants into one of three distinct groups with differing subsequent respiratory morbidity in infancy. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The clinical significance of diuresis studies on the patients with dilated upper urinary tract

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kuroda, Noriyuki; Ueda, Toyofumi; Amano, Takuya; Kaji, Shinichi; Ichiya, Yuichi

1983-01-01

In order to determine the clinical value of diuresis urogram and diuresis renogram as the urodynamic assessment in dilated upper urinary tract, 21 kidneys of 17 patients (12 men and 5 women) with hydronephrosis or hydronephroureter were examined. The kidneys examined by diuresis urogram were divided into four grades - grade a (more than 22% of dilation), grade b (between 10 and 22%), grade c (less than 10%), and grade d (wash-out). Of 10 preoperative kidneys of 9 patients, 4 kidneys were in grade a (40%), 4 in grade b (40%), 2 in grade c (20%), and none in grade d (0%). Of 12 postoperative kidneys of 12 patients, 2 kidneys were in grade a (16.6%), 2 in grade b (16.7%), 4 in grade c (33.3%), and 4 in grade d (33.3%). The kidneys examined by diuresis renogram were divided into groups II, IIIb and IIIa in accordance with diuresis excretion index (DEI) and renogram pattern. Of 11 preoperative kidneys of 9 patients, 4 kidneys were in group II (36.7%), 2 in group IIIb (18.2%), and 5 in group IIIa (45.1%). Of 12 postoperative kidneys of 11 patients, 2 kidneys were in group II (16.7%), 2 in group IIIb (16.7%), and 8 in group IIIa (66.6%). There was no significant correlation between % dilation of diuresis urogram and DEI of diuresis renogram. Diuresis urogram and renogram give valuable information about the degree of obstruction in the dilated upper urinary tract, but do not always the same value on the same kidney each other. (J.P.N.)

The cryptic plasmid is more important for Chlamydia muridarum to colonize the mouse gastrointestinal tract than to infect the genital tract.

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Lili Shao

Full Text Available Chlamydia has been detected in the gastrointestinal tracts of both animals and humans. However, the mechanism by which Chlamydia colonizes the gut remains unclear. Chlamydia muridarum is known to spread from the genital to the gastrointestinal tracts hematogenously. The C. muridarum plasmid is a key pathogenic determinant in the mouse upper genital tract although plasmid-deficient C. muridarum is still able to colonize the upper genital tract. We now report that plasmid-deficient C. muridarum exhibits significantly delayed/reduced spreading from the mouse genital to the gastrointestinal tracts. C. muridarum with or without plasmid maintained similar levels in the mouse circulatory system following intravenous inoculation but the hematogenous plasmid-deficient C. muridarum was significantly less efficient in colonizing the gastrointestinal tract. Consistently, plasmid-deficient C. muridarum failed to restore normal colonization in the gastrointestinal tract even after intragastric inoculation at a high dose. Thus, we have demonstrated a plasmid-dependent colonization of C. muridarum in the gastrointestinal tract, supporting the concept that C. muridarum may have acquired the plasmid for adaptation to the mouse gastrointestinal tract during oral-fecal transmission. Since the plasmid is more important for C. muridarum to colonize the gastrointestinal tract than to infect the genital tract, the current study has laid a foundation for further defining the host pathways targeted by the plasmid-encoded or -regulated chlamydial effectors.

Significance of flow clustering and sequencing on sediment transport: 1D sediment transport modelling

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Hassan, Kazi; Allen, Deonie; Haynes, Heather

2016-04-01

. Results illustrate that clustered flood events generated sediment loads up to an order of magnitude greater than that of individual events of the same flood volume. Correlations were significant for sediment volume compared to both maximum flow discharge (R2<0.8) and number of events (R2 -0.5 to -0.7) within the cluster. The strongest correlations occurred for clusters with a greater number of flow events only slightly above-threshold. This illustrates that the numerical model can capture a degree of the non-linear morphological response to flow magnitude. Analysis of the relationship between morphological change and the skewness of flow events within each cluster was also determined, illustrating only minor sensitivity to cluster peak distribution skewness. This is surprising and discussion is presented on model limitations, including the capability of sediment transport formulae to effectively account for temporal processes of antecedent flow, hysteresis, local supply etc.

Bacterial diversity in different regions of gastrointestinal tract of Giant African snail (Achatina fulica).

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Pawar, Kiran D; Banskar, Sunil; Rane, Shailendra D; Charan, Shakti S; Kulkarni, Girish J; Sawant, Shailesh S; Ghate, Hemant V; Patole, Milind S; Shouche, Yogesh S

2012-12-01

The gastrointestinal (GI) tract of invasive land snail Achatina fulica is known to harbor metabolically active bacterial communities. In this study, we assessed the bacterial diversity in the different regions of GI tract of Giant African snail, A. fulica by culture-independent and culture-dependent methods. Five 16S rRNA gene libraries from different regions of GI tract of active snails indicated that sequences affiliated to phylum γ-Proteobacteria dominated the esophagus, crop, intestine, and rectum libraries, whereas sequences affiliated to Tenericutes dominated the stomach library. On phylogenetic analysis, 30, 27, 9, 27, and 25 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) from esophagus, crop, stomach, intestine, and rectum libraries were identified, respectively. Estimations of the total bacterial diversity covered along with environmental cluster analysis showed highest bacterial diversity in the esophagus and lowest in the stomach. Thirty-three distinct bacterial isolates were obtained, which belonged to 12 genera of two major bacterial phyla namely γ-Proteobacteria and Firmicutes. Among these, Lactococcus lactis and Kurthia gibsonii were the dominant bacteria present in all GI tract regions. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) analysis indicated significant differences in bacterial load in different GI tract regions of active and estivating snails. The difference in the bacterial load between the intestines of active and estivating snail was maximum. Principal component analysis (PCA) of terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism suggested that bacterial community structure changes only in intestine when snail enters estivation state. © 2012 The Authors. Published by Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Human vocal tract resonances and the corresponding mode shapes investigated by three-dimensional finite-element modelling based on CT measurement.

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Vampola, Tomáš; Horáček, Jaromír; Laukkanen, Anne-Maria; Švec, Jan G

2015-04-01

Resonance frequencies of the vocal tract have traditionally been modelled using one-dimensional models. These cannot accurately represent the events in the frequency region of the formant cluster around 2.5-4.5 kHz, however. Here, the vocal tract resonance frequencies and their mode shapes are studied using a three-dimensional finite element model obtained from computed tomography measurements of a subject phonating on vowel [a:]. Instead of the traditional five, up to eight resonance frequencies of the vocal tract were found below the prominent antiresonance around 4.7 kHz. The three extra resonances were found to correspond to modes which were axially asymmetric and involved the piriform sinuses, valleculae, and transverse vibrations in the oral cavity. The results therefore suggest that the phenomenon of speaker's and singer's formant clustering may be more complex than originally thought.

DENBRAN: A basic program for a significance test for multivariate normality of clusters from branching patterns in dendrograms

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Sneath, P. H. A.

A BASIC program is presented for significance tests to determine whether a dendrogram is derived from clustering of points that belong to a single multivariate normal distribution. The significance tests are based on statistics of the Kolmogorov—Smirnov type, obtained by comparing the observed cumulative graph of branch levels with a graph for the hypothesis of multivariate normality. The program also permits testing whether the dendrogram could be from a cluster of lower dimensionality due to character correlations. The program makes provision for three similarity coefficients, (1) Euclidean distances, (2) squared Euclidean distances, and (3) Simple Matching Coefficients, and for five cluster methods (1) WPGMA, (2) UPGMA, (3) Single Linkage (or Minimum Spanning Trees), (4) Complete Linkage, and (5) Ward's Increase in Sums of Squares. The program is entitled DENBRAN.

Clinical Significance of Cerebrovascular Biomarkers and White Matter Tract Integrity in Alzheimer Disease: Clinical correlations With Neurobehavioral Data in Cross-Sectional and After 18 Months Follow-ups.

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Wu, Ming-Kung; Lu, Yan-Ting; Huang, Chi-Wei; Lin, Pin-Hsuan; Chen, Nai-Ching; Lui, Chun-Chung; Chang, Wen-Neng; Lee, Chen-Chang; Chang, Ya-Ting; Chen, Sz-Fan; Chang, Chiung-Chih

2015-07-01

Cerebrovascular risk factors and white matter (WM) damage lead to worse cognitive performance in Alzheimer dementia (AD). This study investigated WM microstructure using diffusion tensor imaging in patients with mild to moderate AD and investigated specific fiber tract involvement with respect to predefined cerebrovascular risk factors and neurobehavioral data prediction cross-sectionally and after 18 months. To identify the primary pathoanatomic relationships of risk biomarkers to fiber tract integrity, we predefined 11 major association tracts and calculated tract specific fractional anisotropy (FA) values. Eighty-five patients with AD underwent neurobehavioral assessments including the minimental state examination (MMSE) and 12-item neuropsychiatric inventory twice with a 1.5-year interval to represent major outcome factors. In the cross-sectional data, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein, vitamin B12, and homocysteine levels correlated variably with WM FA values. After entering the biomarkers and WM FA into a regression model to predict neurobehavioral outcomes, only fiber tract FA or homocysteine level predicted the MMSE score, and fiber tract FA or age predicted the neuropsychiatric inventory total scores and subdomains of apathy, disinhibition, and aberrant motor behavior. In the follow-up neurobehavioral data, the mean global FA value predicted the MMSE and aberrant motor behavior subdomain, while age predicted the anxiety and elation subdomains. Cerebrovascular risk biomarkers may modify WM microstructural organization, while the association with fiber integrity showed greater clinical significance to the prediction of neurobehavioral outcomes both cross-sectionally and longitudinally.

Diagnostic value of 64-slice spiral computed tomography imaging of the urinary tract during the excretory phase for urinary tract obstruction.

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Zhao, De-Li; Jia, Guang-Sheng; Chen, Peng; Liu, Xin-Ding; Shu, Sheng-Jie; Ling, Zai-Sheng; Fan, Ting-Ting; Shen, Xiu-Fen; Zhang, Jin-Ling

2017-11-01

The present study aimed to assess the diagnostic value of 64-slice spiral computed tomography (CT) imaging of the urinary tract during the excretory phase for urinary tract obstruction. CT imaging of the urinary tract during the excretory phase was performed in 46 patients that had been diagnosed with urinary tract obstruction by B-mode ultrasound imaging or clinical manifestations. It was demonstrated that out of the 46 patients, 18 had pelvic and ureteral calculi, 12 cases had congenital malformations, 3 had ureteral stricture caused by urinary tract infection and 13 cases had malignant tumors of the urinary tract. The average X-ray dose planned for the standard CT scan of the urinary tract group 1 was 14.11±5.45 mSv, while the actual X-ray dose administered for the CT scan during the excretory phase group 2 was 9.01±4.56 mSv. The difference between the two groups was statistically significant (t=15.36; Purinary tract during the excretory phase has a high diagnostic value for urinary tract obstruction.

Radiological examination of the urinary tract

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gudmundsen, T.E.; Vinje, B.; Bloerstad, Oe.; Pedersen, H.K.

1992-01-01

Procedures for imaging the urinary tract have been recorded in six Norwegian hospitals for the last 24 years. For three of the hospitals, data were collected from 1965 to 1989, and for the other three from 1966, 1971 and 1975, respectively. There was a significant reduction in the number of intravenous pyelograms, voiding cystograms, and renal angiograms, but the number of retrograde pyelograms and plain radiographs of the urinary tract remained constant. Computed tomography of the urinary tract increased during the first years, but after the introduction of ultrasonography, the number of computed tomograms decreased. Ultrasonographic examinations of the urinary tract are still rapidly increasing, and seem to have replaced some of the other imaging techniques. The present results should be taken into consideration when planning the health care for the future. (au)

Glycosulfatase-Encoding Gene Cluster in Bifidobacterium breve UCC2003.

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Egan, Muireann; Jiang, Hao; O'Connell Motherway, Mary; Oscarson, Stefan; van Sinderen, Douwe

2016-11-15

Bifidobacteria constitute a specific group of commensal bacteria typically found in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) of humans and other mammals. Bifidobacterium breve strains are numerically prevalent among the gut microbiota of many healthy breastfed infants. In the present study, we investigated glycosulfatase activity in a bacterial isolate from a nursling stool sample, B. breve UCC2003. Two putative sulfatases were identified on the genome of B. breve UCC2003. The sulfated monosaccharide N-acetylglucosamine-6-sulfate (GlcNAc-6-S) was shown to support the growth of B. breve UCC2003, while N-acetylglucosamine-3-sulfate, N-acetylgalactosamine-3-sulfate, and N-acetylgalactosamine-6-sulfate did not support appreciable growth. By using a combination of transcriptomic and functional genomic approaches, a gene cluster designated ats2 was shown to be specifically required for GlcNAc-6-S metabolism. Transcription of the ats2 cluster is regulated by a repressor open reading frame kinase (ROK) family transcriptional repressor. This study represents the first description of glycosulfatase activity within the Bifidobacterium genus. Bifidobacteria are saccharolytic organisms naturally found in the digestive tract of mammals and insects. Bifidobacterium breve strains utilize a variety of plant- and host-derived carbohydrates that allow them to be present as prominent members of the infant gut microbiota as well as being present in the gastrointestinal tract of adults. In this study, we introduce a previously unexplored area of carbohydrate metabolism in bifidobacteria, namely, the metabolism of sulfated carbohydrates. B. breve UCC2003 was shown to metabolize N-acetylglucosamine-6-sulfate (GlcNAc-6-S) through one of two sulfatase-encoding gene clusters identified on its genome. GlcNAc-6-S can be found in terminal or branched positions of mucin oligosaccharides, the glycoprotein component of the mucous layer that covers the digestive tract. The results of this study provide

Urinary tract infections in children.

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Sedberry-Ross, Sherry; Pohl, Hans G

2008-03-01

Urinary tract infections can be a significant source of morbidity in the pediatric population. The mainstay of evaluating urinary tract infections in children has been physical examination, urinalysis and culture, and renal and bladder sonography and contrast cystography. However, novel clinical paradigms now consider the importance of various risk factors, such as bacterial virulence and antibiotic-resistance patterns, elimination disorders, and the role of innate immunity and inflammation in determining the likelihood of renal cortical scarring.

Effect of a training and educational intervention for physicians and caregivers on antibiotic prescribing for upper respiratory tract infections in children at primary care facilities in rural China: a cluster-randomised controlled trial.

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Wei, Xiaolin; Zhang, Zhitong; Walley, John D; Hicks, Joseph P; Zeng, Jun; Deng, Simin; Zhou, Yu; Yin, Jia; Newell, James N; Sun, Qiang; Zou, Guanyang; Guo, Yan; Upshur, Ross E G; Lin, Mei

2017-12-01

Inappropriate antibiotic prescribing contributes to the generation of drug resistance worldwide, and is particularly common in China. We assessed the effectiveness of an antimicrobial stewardship programme aiming to reduce inappropriate antibiotic prescribing in paediatric outpatients by targeting providers and caregivers in primary care hospitals in rural China. We did a pragmatic, cluster-randomised controlled trial with a 6-month intervention period. Clusters were primary care township hospitals in two counties of Guangxi province in China, which were randomly allocated to the intervention group or the control group (in a 1:1 ratio in Rong county and in a 5:6 ratio in Liujiang county). Randomisation was stratified by county. Eligible participants were children aged 2-14 years who attended a township hospital as an outpatient and were given a prescription following a primary diagnosis of an upper respiratory tract infection. The intervention included clinician guidelines and training on appropriate prescribing, monthly prescribing peer-review meetings, and brief caregiver education. In hospitals allocated to the control group, usual care was provided, with antibiotics prescribed at the individual clinician's discretion. Patients were masked to their allocated treatment group but doctors were not. The primary outcome was the antibiotic prescription rate in children attending the hospitals, defined as the cluster-level proportion of prescriptions for upper respiratory tract infections in 2-14-year-old outpatients, issued during the final 3 months of the 6-month intervention period (endline), that included one or more antibiotics. The outcome was based on prescription records and analysed by modified intention-to-treat. This study is registered with the ISRCTN registry, number ISRCTN14340536. We recruited all 25 eligible township hospitals in the two counties (14 hospitals in Rong county and 11 in Liujiang county), and randomly allocated 12 to the intervention group

Postpartum urinary tract infection by mode of delivery

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gundersen, Tina Djernis; Krebs, Lone; Loekkegaard, Ellen Christine Leth

2018-01-01

OBJECTIVES: To examine the association between postpartum urinary tract infection and intended mode of delivery as well as actual mode of delivery. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: All live births in Denmark between 2004 and 2010 (n=450 856). Births were classified...... was postpartum urinary tract infection (n=16 295) within 30 days post partum, defined as either a diagnosis of urinary tract infection in the National Patient Registry or redemption of urinary tract infection-specific antibiotics recorded in the Register of Medicinal Product Statistics. RESULTS: We found that 4.......6% of women with intended caesarean delivery and 3.5% of women with intended vaginal delivery were treated for postpartum urinary tract infection.Women with intended caesarean delivery had a significantly increased risk of postpartum urinary tract infection compared with women with intended vaginal delivery...

Urinary Tract Infection (UTI)

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... Home A-Z Health Topics Urinary tract infections Urinary tract infections > A-Z Health Topics Urinary tract infections (PDF, ... Embed Subscribe To receive Publications email updates Submit Urinary tract infections Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are most often caused ...

Spatial clustering and local risk of leprosy in São Paulo, Brazil.

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Antônio Carlos Vieira Ramos

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Although the detection rate is decreasing, the proportion of new cases with WHO grade 2 disability (G2D is increasing, creating concern among policy makers and the Brazilian government. This study aimed to identify spatial clustering of leprosy and classify high-risk areas in a major leprosy cluster using the SatScan method.Data were obtained including all leprosy cases diagnosed between January 2006 and December 2013. In addition to the clinical variable, information was also gathered regarding the G2D of the patient at diagnosis and after treatment. The Scan Spatial statistic test, developed by Kulldorff e Nagarwalla, was used to identify spatial clustering and to measure the local risk (Relative Risk-RR of leprosy. Maps considering these risks and their confidence intervals were constructed.A total of 434 cases were identified, including 188 (43.31% borderline leprosy and 101 (23.28% lepromatous leprosy cases. There was a predominance of males, with ages ranging from 15 to 59 years, and 51 patients (11.75% presented G2D. Two significant spatial clusters and three significant spatial-temporal clusters were also observed. The main spatial cluster (p = 0.000 contained 90 census tracts, a population of approximately 58,438 inhabitants, detection rate of 22.6 cases per 100,000 people and RR of approximately 3.41 (95%CI = 2.721-4.267. Regarding the spatial-temporal clusters, two clusters were observed, with RR ranging between 24.35 (95%CI = 11.133-52.984 and 15.24 (95%CI = 10.114-22.919.These findings could contribute to improvements in policies and programming, aiming for the eradication of leprosy in Brazil. The Spatial Scan statistic test was found to be an interesting resource for health managers and healthcare professionals to map the vulnerability of areas in terms of leprosy transmission risk and areas of underreporting.

Spatial clustering and local risk of leprosy in São Paulo, Brazil.

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Ramos, Antônio Carlos Vieira; Yamamura, Mellina; Arroyo, Luiz Henrique; Popolin, Marcela Paschoal; Chiaravalloti Neto, Francisco; Palha, Pedro Fredemir; Uchoa, Severina Alice da Costa; Pieri, Flávia Meneguetti; Pinto, Ione Carvalho; Fiorati, Regina Célia; Queiroz, Ana Angélica Rêgo de; Belchior, Aylana de Souza; Dos Santos, Danielle Talita; Garcia, Maria Concebida da Cunha; Crispim, Juliane de Almeida; Alves, Luana Seles; Berra, Thaís Zamboni; Arcêncio, Ricardo Alexandre

2017-02-01

Although the detection rate is decreasing, the proportion of new cases with WHO grade 2 disability (G2D) is increasing, creating concern among policy makers and the Brazilian government. This study aimed to identify spatial clustering of leprosy and classify high-risk areas in a major leprosy cluster using the SatScan method. Data were obtained including all leprosy cases diagnosed between January 2006 and December 2013. In addition to the clinical variable, information was also gathered regarding the G2D of the patient at diagnosis and after treatment. The Scan Spatial statistic test, developed by Kulldorff e Nagarwalla, was used to identify spatial clustering and to measure the local risk (Relative Risk-RR) of leprosy. Maps considering these risks and their confidence intervals were constructed. A total of 434 cases were identified, including 188 (43.31%) borderline leprosy and 101 (23.28%) lepromatous leprosy cases. There was a predominance of males, with ages ranging from 15 to 59 years, and 51 patients (11.75%) presented G2D. Two significant spatial clusters and three significant spatial-temporal clusters were also observed. The main spatial cluster (p = 0.000) contained 90 census tracts, a population of approximately 58,438 inhabitants, detection rate of 22.6 cases per 100,000 people and RR of approximately 3.41 (95%CI = 2.721-4.267). Regarding the spatial-temporal clusters, two clusters were observed, with RR ranging between 24.35 (95%CI = 11.133-52.984) and 15.24 (95%CI = 10.114-22.919). These findings could contribute to improvements in policies and programming, aiming for the eradication of leprosy in Brazil. The Spatial Scan statistic test was found to be an interesting resource for health managers and healthcare professionals to map the vulnerability of areas in terms of leprosy transmission risk and areas of underreporting.

Expression and Significance of the HIP/PAP and RegIIIγ Antimicrobial Peptides during Mammalian Urinary Tract Infection.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

John David Spencer

Full Text Available Recent evidence indicates that antimicrobial peptides (AMPs serve key roles in defending the urinary tract against invading uropathogens. To date, the individual contribution of AMPs to urinary tract host defense is not well defined. In this study, we identified Regenerating islet-derived 3 gamma (RegIIIγ as the most transcriptionally up-regulated AMP in murine bladder transcriptomes following uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC infection. We confirmed induction of RegIIIγ mRNA during cystitis and pyelonephritis by quantitative RT-PCR. Immunoblotting demonstrates increased bladder and urinary RegIIIγ protein levels following UPEC infection. Immunostaining localizes RegIIIγ protein to urothelial cells of infected bladders and kidneys. Human patients with UTI have increased urine concentrations of the orthologous Hepatocarcinoma-Intestine-Pancreas / Pancreatitis Associated Protein (HIP/PAP compared to healthy controls. Recombinant RegIIIγ protein does not demonstrate bactericidal activity toward UPEC in vitro, but does kill Staphylococcus saprophyticus in a dose-dependent manner. Kidney and bladder tissue from RegIIIγ knockout mice and wild-type mice contain comparable bacterial burden following UPEC and Gram-positive UTI. Our results demonstrate that RegIIIγ and HIP/PAP expression is induced during human and murine UTI. However, their specific function in the urinary tract remains uncertain.

Expression and Significance of the HIP/PAP and RegIIIγ Antimicrobial Peptides during Mammalian Urinary Tract Infection

Science.gov (United States)

Spencer, John David; Jackson, Ashley R.; Li, Birong; Ching, Christina B.; Vonau, Martin; Easterling, Robert S.; Schwaderer, Andrew L.; McHugh, Kirk M.; Becknell, Brian

2015-01-01

Recent evidence indicates that antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) serve key roles in defending the urinary tract against invading uropathogens. To date, the individual contribution of AMPs to urinary tract host defense is not well defined. In this study, we identified Regenerating islet-derived 3 gamma (RegIIIγ) as the most transcriptionally up-regulated AMP in murine bladder transcriptomes following uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) infection. We confirmed induction of RegIIIγ mRNA during cystitis and pyelonephritis by quantitative RT-PCR. Immunoblotting demonstrates increased bladder and urinary RegIIIγ protein levels following UPEC infection. Immunostaining localizes RegIIIγ protein to urothelial cells of infected bladders and kidneys. Human patients with UTI have increased urine concentrations of the orthologous Hepatocarcinoma-Intestine-Pancreas / Pancreatitis Associated Protein (HIP/PAP) compared to healthy controls. Recombinant RegIIIγ protein does not demonstrate bactericidal activity toward UPEC in vitro, but does kill Staphylococcus saprophyticus in a dose-dependent manner. Kidney and bladder tissue from RegIIIγ knockout mice and wild-type mice contain comparable bacterial burden following UPEC and Gram-positive UTI. Our results demonstrate that RegIIIγ and HIP/PAP expression is induced during human and murine UTI. However, their specific function in the urinary tract remains uncertain. PMID:26658437

Segregation of virulent influenza A(H1N1 variants in the lower respiratory tract of critically ill patients during the 2010-2011 seasonal epidemic.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Antonio Piralla

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Since its appearance in 2009, the pandemic influenza A(H1N1 virus circulated worldwide causing several severe infections. METHODS: Respiratory samples from patients with 2009 influenza A(H1N1 and acute respiratory distress attending 24 intensive care units (ICUs as well as from patients with lower respiratory tract infections not requiring ICU admission and community upper respiratory tract infections in the Lombardy region (10 million inhabitants of Italy during the 2010-2011 winter-spring season, were analyzed. RESULTS: In patients with severe ILI, the viral load was higher in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL with respect to nasal swab (NS, (p<0.001 suggesting a higher virus replication in the lower respiratory tract. Four distinct virus clusters (referred to as cluster A to D circulated simultaneously. Most (72.7%, n = 48 of the 66 patients infected with viruses belonging to cluster A had a severe (n = 26 or moderate ILI (n = 22. Amino acid mutations (V26I, I116M, A186T, D187Y, D222G/N, M257I, S263F, I286L/M, and N473D were observed only in patients with severe ILI. D222G/N variants were detected exclusively in BAL samples. CONCLUSIONS: Multiple virus clusters co-circulated during the 2010-2011 winter-spring season. Severe or moderate ILI were associated with specific 2009 influenza A(H1N1 variants, which replicated preferentially in the lower respiratory tract.

Segmentation of High Angular Resolution Diffusion MRI using Sparse Riemannian Manifold Clustering

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Wright, Margaret J.; Thompson, Paul M.; Vidal, René

2015-01-01

We address the problem of segmenting high angular resolution diffusion imaging (HARDI) data into multiple regions (or fiber tracts) with distinct diffusion properties. We use the orientation distribution function (ODF) to represent HARDI data and cast the problem as a clustering problem in the space of ODFs. Our approach integrates tools from sparse representation theory and Riemannian geometry into a graph theoretic segmentation framework. By exploiting the Riemannian properties of the space of ODFs, we learn a sparse representation for each ODF and infer the segmentation by applying spectral clustering to a similarity matrix built from these representations. In cases where regions with similar (resp. distinct) diffusion properties belong to different (resp. same) fiber tracts, we obtain the segmentation by incorporating spatial and user-specified pairwise relationships into the formulation. Experiments on synthetic data evaluate the sensitivity of our method to image noise and the presence of complex fiber configurations, and show its superior performance compared to alternative segmentation methods. Experiments on phantom and real data demonstrate the accuracy of the proposed method in segmenting simulated fibers, as well as white matter fiber tracts of clinical importance in the human brain. PMID:24108748

Short communication: cheminformatics analysis to identify predictors of antiviral drug penetration into the female genital tract.

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Thompson, Corbin G; Sedykh, Alexander; Nicol, Melanie R; Muratov, Eugene; Fourches, Denis; Tropsha, Alexander; Kashuba, Angela D M

2014-11-01

The exposure of oral antiretroviral (ARV) drugs in the female genital tract (FGT) is variable and almost unpredictable. Identifying an efficient method to find compounds with high tissue penetration would streamline the development of regimens for both HIV preexposure prophylaxis and viral reservoir targeting. Here we describe the cheminformatics investigation of diverse drugs with known FGT penetration using cluster analysis and quantitative structure-activity relationships (QSAR) modeling. A literature search over the 1950-2012 period identified 58 compounds (including 21 ARVs and representing 13 drug classes) associated with their actual concentration data for cervical or vaginal tissue, or cervicovaginal fluid. Cluster analysis revealed significant trends in the penetrative ability for certain chemotypes. QSAR models to predict genital tract concentrations normalized to blood plasma concentrations were developed with two machine learning techniques utilizing drugs' molecular descriptors and pharmacokinetic parameters as inputs. The QSAR model with the highest predictive accuracy had R(2)test=0.47. High volume of distribution, high MRP1 substrate probability, and low MRP4 substrate probability were associated with FGT concentrations ≥1.5-fold plasma concentrations. However, due to the limited FGT data available, prediction performances of all models were low. Despite this limitation, we were able to support our findings by correctly predicting the penetration class of rilpivirine and dolutegravir. With more data to enrich the models, we believe these methods could potentially enhance the current approach of clinical testing.

Urinary Tract Health

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... related to the urinary tract health of women: Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs) and Urinary Incontinence (UI). For information on a range of urinary tract health issues for women, men, and children, visit the National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information ...

Asymptomatic bacteriuria and symptomatic urinary tract infections during pregnancy.

Science.gov (United States)

Macejko, Amanda M; Schaeffer, Anthony J

2007-02-01

Urinary tract infections are common complications of pregnancy; upper tract infections in particular may lead to significant morbidity for both the mother and fetus. Bacteriuria is a significant risk factor for developing pyelonephritis in pregnant women. Therefore, proper screening and treatment of bacteriuria during pregnancy is necessary to prevent complications. All women should be screened for bacteriuria in the first trimester, and women with a history of recurrent urinary tract infections or anomalies should have repeat bacteriuria screening throughout pregnancy. Treatment of bacteriuria should include 3-day therapy with appropriate antimicrobials, and women should be followed closely after treatment because recurrence may occur in up to one third of patients.

Dysbiosis of upper respiratory tract microbiota in elderly pneumonia patients.

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de Steenhuijsen Piters, Wouter A A; Huijskens, Elisabeth G W; Wyllie, Anne L; Biesbroek, Giske; van den Bergh, Menno R; Veenhoven, Reinier H; Wang, Xinhui; Trzciński, Krzysztof; Bonten, Marc J; Rossen, John W A; Sanders, Elisabeth A M; Bogaert, Debby

2016-01-01

Bacterial pneumonia is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in elderly. We hypothesize that dysbiosis between regular residents of the upper respiratory tract (URT) microbiome, that is balance between commensals and potential pathogens, is involved in pathogen overgrowth and consequently disease. We compared oropharyngeal microbiota of elderly pneumonia patients (n=100) with healthy elderly (n=91) by 16S-rRNA-based sequencing and verified our findings in young adult pneumonia patients (n=27) and young healthy adults (n=187). Microbiota profiles differed significantly between elderly pneumonia patients and healthy elderly (PERMANOVA, P<0.0005). Highly similar differences were observed between microbiota profiles of young adult pneumonia patients and their healthy controls. Clustering resulted in 11 (sub)clusters including 95% (386/405) of samples. We observed three microbiota profiles strongly associated with pneumonia (P<0.05) and either dominated by lactobacilli (n=11), Rothia (n=51) or Streptococcus (pseudo)pneumoniae (n=42). In contrast, three other microbiota clusters (in total n=183) were correlated with health (P<0.05) and were all characterized by more diverse profiles containing higher abundances of especially Prevotella melaninogenica, Veillonella and Leptotrichia. For the remaining clusters (n=99), the association with health or disease was less clear. A decision tree model based on the relative abundance of five bacterial community members in URT microbiota showed high specificity of 95% and sensitivity of 84% (89% and 73%, respectively, after cross-validation) for differentiating pneumonia patients from healthy individuals. These results suggest that pneumonia in elderly and young adults is associated with dysbiosis of the URT microbiome with bacterial overgrowth of single species and absence of distinct anaerobic bacteria. Whether the observed microbiome changes are a cause or a consequence of the development of pneumonia or merely coincide with

Clinical significance of measurement of serum IL-8, TNF-α and gastrin contents in helicobacter pylori associated digestive tract diseases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cao Jianfan; Ma Yunbao; Gao Leihua

2003-01-01

Objective: To investigate the relationship between the serum levels of IL-8, TNF-α, Gastrin and disease process in HP infection associated chronic gastritis and duodenal ulcer. Methods: Diagnosis was established in 35 HP positive chronic gastritis and 30 HP positive duodenal ulcer patients through gastroscopy, histopathology and 14 C-UBT test. RIA was adopted to measure the plasma contents of the three parameters in those 65 patients and 32 controls. Results: The serum IL-8, TNF-α and Gastrin (Gas) levels in patients with chronic gastritis were significantly higher than those in controls (p<0.01). Significant difference also existed between the contents in the two disease group (p<0.01). Conclusion: It proved that HP infection played an important role in the development of the two digestive tract diseases

Tract-oriented statistical group comparison of diffusion in sheet-like white matter

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lyksborg, Mark; Dyrby, T. B.; Sorensen, P. S.

2013-01-01

tube-like shapes, not always suitable for modelling the white matter tracts of the brain. The tract-oriented technique aimed at group studies, integrates the usage of multivariate features and outputs a single value of significance indicating tract-specific differences. This is in contrast to voxel...... based analysis techniques which outputs a significance per voxel basis, and requires multiple comparison correction. We demonstrate our technique by comparing a group of controls with a group of Multiple Sclerosis subjects obtaining significant differences on 11 different fascicle structures....

CONSTRAINING CLUSTER PHYSICS WITH THE SHAPE OF X-RAY CLUSTERS: COMPARISON OF LOCAL X-RAY CLUSTERS VERSUS ΛCDM CLUSTERS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lau, Erwin T.; Nagai, Daisuke; Kravtsov, Andrey V.; Vikhlinin, Alexey; Zentner, Andrew R.

2012-01-01

Recent simulations of cluster formation have demonstrated that condensation of baryons into central galaxies during cluster formation can drive the shape of the gas distribution in galaxy clusters significantly rounder out to their virial radius. These simulations generally predict stellar fractions within cluster virial radii that are ∼2-3 times larger than the stellar masses deduced from observations. In this paper, we compare ellipticity profiles of simulated clusters performed with varying input physics (radiative cooling, star formation, and supernova feedback) to the cluster ellipticity profiles derived from Chandra and ROSAT observations, in an effort to constrain the fraction of gas that cools and condenses into the central galaxies within clusters. We find that local relaxed clusters have an average ellipticity of ε = 0.18 ± 0.05 in the radial range of 0.04 ≤ r/r 500 ≤ 1. At larger radii r > 0.1r 500 , the observed ellipticity profiles agree well with the predictions of non-radiative simulations. In contrast, the ellipticity profiles of simulated clusters that include dissipative gas physics deviate significantly from the observed ellipticity profiles at all radii. The dissipative simulations overpredict (underpredict) ellipticity in the inner (outer) regions of galaxy clusters. By comparing simulations with and without dissipative gas physics, we show that gas cooling causes the gas distribution to be more oblate in the central regions, but makes the outer gas distribution more spherical. We find that late-time gas cooling and star formation are responsible for the significantly oblate gas distributions in cluster cores, but the gas shapes outside of cluster cores are set primarily by baryon dissipation at high redshift (z ≥ 2). Our results indicate that the shapes of X-ray emitting gas in galaxy clusters, especially at large radii, can be used to place constraints on cluster gas physics, making it potential probes of the history of baryonic

White matter tract covariance patterns predict age-declining cognitive abilities.

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Gazes, Yunglin; Bowman, F DuBois; Razlighi, Qolamreza R; O'Shea, Deirdre; Stern, Yaakov; Habeck, Christian

2016-01-15

Previous studies investigating the relationship of white matter (WM) integrity to cognitive abilities and aging have either focused on a global measure or a few selected WM tracts. Ideally, contribution from all of the WM tracts should be evaluated at the same time. However, the high collinearity among WM tracts precludes systematic examination of WM tracts simultaneously without sacrificing statistical power due to stringent multiple-comparison corrections. Multivariate covariance techniques enable comprehensive simultaneous examination of all WM tracts without being penalized for high collinearity among observations. In this study, Scaled Subprofile Modeling (SSM) was applied to the mean integrity of 18 major WM tracts to extract covariance patterns that optimally predicted four cognitive abilities (perceptual speed, episodic memory, fluid reasoning, and vocabulary) in 346 participants across ages 20 to 79years old. Using expression of the covariance patterns, age-independent effects of white matter integrity on cognition and the indirect effect of WM integrity on age-related differences in cognition were tested separately, but inferences from the indirect analyses were cautiously made given that cross-sectional data set was used in the analysis. A separate covariance pattern was identified that significantly predicted each cognitive ability after controlling for age except for vocabulary, but the age by WM covariance pattern interaction was not significant for any of the three abilities. Furthermore, each of the patterns mediated the effect of age on the respective cognitive ability. A distinct set of WM tracts was most influential in each of the three patterns. The WM covariance pattern accounting for fluid reasoning showed the most number of influential WM tracts whereas the episodic memory pattern showed the least number. Specific patterns of WM tracts make significant contributions to the age-related differences in perceptual speed, episodic memory, and

Urinary tract infections during pregnancy.

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Le, Jennifer; Briggs, Gerald G; McKeown, Anna; Bustillo, Gerardo

2004-10-01

To provide a comprehensive review of urinary tract infections (UTIs) during pregnancy. All aspects of UTIs, including epidemiology, pathogenesis, resistance, clinical features, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention, were reviewed. MEDLINE (1966-August 2003) and Cochrane Library searches were performed using the key search terms urinary tract infection, pyelonephritis, cystitis, asymptomatic bacteriuria, and resistance. All article abstracts were evaluated for relevance. Only articles pertaining to pregnancy were included. The majority of published literature were review articles; the number of original clinical studies was limited. UTIs are the most common bacterial infections during pregnancy. They are characterized by the presence of significant bacteria anywhere along the urinary tract. Pyelonephritis is the most common severe bacterial infection that can lead to perinatal and maternal complications including premature delivery, infants with low birth weight, fetal mortality, preeclampsia, pregnancy-induced hypertension, anemia, thrombocytopenia, and transient renal insufficiency. Enterobacteriaceae account for 90% of UTIs. The common antibiotics used are nitrofurantoin, cefazolin, cephalexin, ceftriaxone, and gentamicin. Therapeutic management of UTIs in pregnancy requires proper diagnostic workup and thorough understanding of antimicrobial agents to optimize maternal outcome, ensure safety to the fetus, and prevent complications that lead to significant morbidity and mortality in both the fetus and the mother.

The role of the plain radiograph and renal tract ultrasound in the management of children with renal tract calculi

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smith, S.L.; Somers, J.M.; Broderick, N.; Halliday, K.

2000-01-01

AIMS: The aim of this retrospective study was to assess the relative efficacy of plain abdominal radiographs and detailed renal tract ultrasound (US) examination in the diagnosis and follow-up of children with renal tract calculi. METHODS: The records and imaging studies of 28 paediatric patients who had presented with proven renal tract calculi over a period of 5 years were examined. RESULTS: In 23 (82%) patients, US was the first investigation. All these patients also had plain radiographs. Plain radiographs were the first investigation in five (18%) patients. All renal calculi (100%) visible on plain films were demonstrated on US. Furthermore, detailed US often provided other clinically significant findings that were not apparent on plain films. CONCLUSION: As a result of this study it is recommend that detailed US should be the investigation of choice in children with suspected renal tract calculi. Smith, S.L. (2000)

The role of the plain radiograph and renal tract ultrasound in the management of children with renal tract calculi

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Smith, S L; Somers, J M; Broderick, N; Halliday, K

2000-09-01

AIMS: The aim of this retrospective study was to assess the relative efficacy of plain abdominal radiographs and detailed renal tract ultrasound (US) examination in the diagnosis and follow-up of children with renal tract calculi. METHODS: The records and imaging studies of 28 paediatric patients who had presented with proven renal tract calculi over a period of 5 years were examined. RESULTS: In 23 (82%) patients, US was the first investigation. All these patients also had plain radiographs. Plain radiographs were the first investigation in five (18%) patients. All renal calculi (100%) visible on plain films were demonstrated on US. Furthermore, detailed US often provided other clinically significant findings that were not apparent on plain films. CONCLUSION: As a result of this study it is recommend that detailed US should be the investigation of choice in children with suspected renal tract calculi. Smith, S.L. (2000)

Will the implementation of the 2007 National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidelines on childhood urinary tract infection (UTI) in the UK miss significant urinary tract pathology?

Science.gov (United States)

Deader, Rafia; Tiboni, Sonia G; Malone, Padraig S J; Fairhurst, Joanna

2012-08-01

• To investigate whether the implementation of the August 2007 National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidelines would miss significant urinary tract pathology in children with urinary tract infection (UTI). • All ultrasound (US) performed in children aged >6 months, during the year 1 August 2006 to 31 July 2007 for UTI, were retrospectively studied. • Each US scan in the study population of 346 was categorised dependent on whether it was appropriate or inappropriate to have been performed under the new guidelines and whether the US scan was normal or abnormal. • The records of each patient with an inappropriate abnormal US scan were re-analysed to see if patient management was affected by the US scan. • In 2011 patients with an original inappropriate abnormal US scan were re-evaluated to identify if any had presented with further urinary pathology. • In accordance with the NICE guidelines patients were divided by age. • Children aged 0.5-3 years: 78/95 (82%) US scans were inappropriate of which 12 (15%) were abnormal and four of these had a further documented UTI. After careful assessment of the US abnormalities it was judged that only one would have benefited from the initial US scan. • Children aged >3 years: 146/251 (58%) US scans were inappropriate of which 21(14%) were abnormal and six of these (29%) had a further documented UTI. After careful assessment of the US abnormalities it was judged that only three of 21 (14%) would have benefited from the initial US scan. • The vast majority of anomalies detected on the inappropriate US scans were of little clinical significance. • It is difficult to identify any patient who would have been truly disadvantaged if the US scan had not been performed after the initial UTI. • The NICE guidelines are safe to follow. © 2011 THE AUTHORS. BJU INTERNATIONAL © 2011 BJU INTERNATIONAL.

Clinical significance of a presystolic wave on Doppler examination of the left ventricular outflow tract.

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Joshi, Kamal R; Kabirdas, Deepa; Romero-Corral, Abel; Shah, Mahek; Figueredo, Vincent M; Pressman, Gregg S

2014-11-15

A presystolic wave (PSW) is commonly seen on Doppler examination of the left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT), but is little studied. We conducted a retrospective study to assess the prevalence of the PSW, correlations with various Doppler parameters, and its clinical significance. Two hundred echocardiograms, 100 with ejection fraction (EF) >55% and 100 with EF <45%, were reviewed. Mitral inflow velocities, septal annular velocities, LVOT, and PSW velocities were measured. Major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE [death, heart failure hospitalization, atrial fibrillation, and stroke]) were compared between those with and without a PSW, in both EF groups. Mean age was 58 ± 15 years; 56% were men and 69% were African-American. PSW prevalence was similar between normal (68%) and reduced EF groups (62%). However, its velocity was less in the low EF group (37 ± 10 vs 48 ± 16 cm/s, p <0.0001). In subjects with normal EF PSW velocity correlated with mitral A velocity (rho = 0.43, p = 0.0003). In subjects with reduced EF the association with A velocity was not significant (rho = 0.22, p = 0.09), but there was a significant association with annular a' velocity (rho = 0.38, p = 0.002). Over a mean follow-up of 1.7 ± 0.3 years, 57 subjects (28%) experienced MACE. Those without a PSW had more MACE (39% vs 23%, p = 0.02); PSW absence remained predictive of MACE after adjustment for multiple variables, especially in patients with reduced EF. In conclusion, PSW is common in the LVOT. Its presence and magnitude are associated with measures of atrial contraction. Its absence is associated with increased rates of adverse events, especially in patients with low EF. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Vocal Tract and Glottal Function During and After Vocal Exercising With Resonance Tube and Straw

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Guzman, M.; Laukkanen, A. M.; Krupa, P.; Horáček, Jaromír; Švec, J.G.; Geneid, A.

2013-01-01

Roč. 27, č. 4 (2013), "523.e19"-"523.e34" ISSN 0892-1997 R&D Projects: GA ČR GAP101/12/1306 Institutional support: RVO:61388998 Keywords : vocal exercises * resonance tube * vocal tract impedance * computerized tomography * singer’s/speaker’s formant cluster Subject RIV: BI - Acoustics Impact factor: 0.944, year: 2013 http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/08921997

Genital and Urinary Tract Defects

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... conditions > Genital and urinary tract defects Genital and urinary tract defects E-mail to a friend Please fill ... and extra fluids. What problems can genital and urinary tract defects cause? Genital and urinary tract defects affect ...

Left hemisphere fractional anisotropy increase in noise-induced tinnitus: a diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) study of white matter tracts in the brain.

Science.gov (United States)

Benson, Randall R; Gattu, Ramtilak; Cacace, Anthony T

2014-03-01

Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) is a contemporary neuroimaging modality used to study connectivity patterns and microstructure of white matter tracts in the brain. The use of DTI in the study of tinnitus is a relatively unexplored methodology with no studies focusing specifically on tinnitus induced by noise exposure. In this investigation, participants were two groups of adults matched for etiology, age, and degree of peripheral hearing loss, but differed by the presence or absence (+/-) of tinnitus. It is assumed that matching individuals on the basis of peripheral hearing loss, allows for differentiating changes in white matter microstructure due to hearing loss from changes due to the effects of chronic tinnitus. Alterations in white matter tracts, using the fractional anisotropy (FA) metric, which measures directional diffusion of water, were quantified using tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) with additional details provided by in vivo probabilistic tractography. Our results indicate that 10 voxel clusters differentiated the two groups, including 9 with higher FA in the group with tinnitus. A decrease in FA was found for a single cluster in the group with tinnitus. However, seven of the 9 clusters with higher FA were in left hemisphere thalamic, frontal, and parietal white matter. These foci were localized to the anterior thalamic radiations and the inferior and superior longitudinal fasciculi. The two right-sided clusters with increased FA were located in the inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus and superior longitudinal fasciculus. The only decrease in FA for the tinnitus-positive group was found in the superior longitudinal fasciculus of the left parietal lobe. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Kidneys and Urinary Tract

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... Videos for Educators Search English Español Kidneys and Urinary Tract KidsHealth / For Teens / Kidneys and Urinary Tract What's ... a sign of diabetes . What the Kidneys and Urinary Tract Do Although the two kidneys work together to ...

Urinary Tract Infections (For Kids)

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... Staying Safe Videos for Educators Search English Español Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs) KidsHealth / For Kids / Urinary Tract Infections ( ... Let's find out more. What Exactly Is a Urinary Tract? Your urinary tract is actually a system made ...

Treatment ofurinary tract infection inchildren

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Danuta Zwolińska

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Urinary tract infection is the most frequent bacterial infection in children. Its prevalence in the population younger than 14 years of age has been estimated at 5–10%. Its high recurrence, especially in patients with risk factors, poses a significant problem. The risk factors most common in the group of children ≤3 years are congenital defects blocking the flow of urine to the bladder, whereas in older children they most typically include a tendency for constipation and dysfunction of the lower urinary tract. The clinical picture is variable and depends on the child’s age, immunity status, pathogen virulence and localisation of infection. The mildest form of urinary tract infection is asymptomatic bacteriuria, whereas more severe presentations include acute pyelonephritis, acute focal bacterial nephritis and urosepsis. Prognosis is usually good, but under certain circumstances hypertension, proteinuria and chronic kidney disease may develop. Therefore, early introduced appropriate treatment is essential. According to the Polish Society for Paediatric Nephrology guidelines, asymptomatic bacteriuria does not warrant treatment, whereas febrile patients (>38°C under 24 months old with a suspicion for urinary tract infection must be promptly administered antibiotic therapy, after a urine specimen has been obtained for culture. For many years, urinary tract infection has remained a topic of controversy in terms of therapy duration and administration route. Inpatient treatment of children under 3 months of age is an accepted rule. Acute pyelonephritis necessitates a longer therapy, lasting from 7 to 10 days, whereas the duration of treatment of lower urinary tract infection has been cut down to 3 up to 5 days. Routine prophylactic antimicrobial therapy is not recommended following the initial urinary tract infection episode, yet should be considered in special circumstances. Alternative

Urinary Tract Infections (For Teens)

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... Staying Safe Videos for Educators Search English Español Urinary Tract Infections KidsHealth / For Teens / Urinary Tract Infections What's ... especially girls — visit a doctor. What Is a Urinary Tract Infection? A bacterial urinary tract infection (UTI) is ...

Expression of Phospho-ELK1 and Its Prognostic Significance in Urothelial Carcinoma of the Upper Urinary Tract

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Satoshi Inoue

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Using preclinical models, we have recently found that ELK1, a transcriptional factor that activates downstream targets, including c-fos proto-oncogene, induces bladder cancer outgrowth. Here, we immunohistochemically determined the expression status of phospho-ELK1, an activated form of ELK1, in upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma (UUTUC. Overall, phospho-ELK1 was positive in 47 (47.5%; 37 weak (1+ and 10 moderate (2+ of 99 UUTUCs, which was significantly (P = 0.002 higher than in benign urothelium (21 (25.3% of 83; 17 1+ and 4 2+ and was also associated with androgen receptor expression (P = 0.001. Thirteen (35.1% of 37 non-muscle-invasive versus 34 (54.8% of 62 muscle-invasive UUTUCs (P = 0.065 were immunoreactive for phospho-ELK1. Lymphovascular invasion was significantly (P = 0.014 more often seen in phospho-ELK1(2+ tumors (80.0% than in phospho-ELK1(0/1+ tumors (36.0%. There were no statistically significant associations between phospho-ELK1 expression and tumor grade, presence of concurrent carcinoma in situ or hydronephrosis, or pN status. Kaplan-Meier and log-rank tests revealed that patients with phospho-ELK1(2+ tumor had marginally and significantly higher risks of disease progression (P = 0.055 and cancer-specific mortality (P = 0.008, respectively, compared to those with phospho-ELK1(0/1+ tumor. The current results thus support our previous observations in bladder cancer and further suggest that phospho-ELK1 overexpression serves as a predictor of poor prognosis in patients with UUTUC.

Urinary Tract Infections (For Kids)

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Full Text Available ... Staying Safe Videos for Educators Search English Español Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs) KidsHealth / For Kids / Urinary Tract Infections ( ... Let's find out more. What Exactly Is a Urinary Tract? Your urinary tract is actually a system made ...

Diffusion abnormalities of the uncinate fasciculus in Alzheimer's disease: diffusion tensor tract-specific analysis using a new method to measure the core of the tract

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yasmin, Hasina; Nakata, Yasuhiro; Abe, Osamu; Masutani, Yoshitaka; Ohtomo, Kuni; Aoki, Shigeki; Sato, Noriko; Nemoto, Kiyotaka; Arima, Kunimasa; Furuta, Nobuo; Uno, Masatake; Hirai, Shigeo

2008-01-01

Our aim was to determine diffusion abnormalities in the uncinate fasciculus (UF) in Alzheimer's disease (AD) by diffusion tensor tractography (DTT) using a new method for measuring the core of the tract. We studied 19 patients with AD and 19 age-matched control subjects who underwent MRI using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). DTT of the UF was generated. The mean diffusivity (MD) and fractional anisotropy (FA) of the core of the tract were measured after voxelized tract shape processing. Student's t-test was used to compare results between patients with AD and controls. Intraobserver correlation tests were also performed. FA was significantly lower (P 0.93 for measured FA and r > 0.92 for measured MD. Our results suggest that FA reflects progression of AD-related histopathological changes in the UF of the white matter and may represent a useful biological index in monitoring AD. Diffusion tensor tract-specific analysis with voxelized tract shape processing to measure the core of the tract may be a sensitive tool for evaluation of diffusion abnormalities of white matter tracts in AD. (orig.)

Ultra-violet resonance Raman spectroscopy for the rapid discrimination of urinary tract infection bacteria.

Science.gov (United States)

Jarvis, Roger M; Goodacre, Royston

2004-03-19

The ability to identify pathogenic organisms rapidly provides significant benefits to clinicians; in particular, with respect to best prescription practices and tracking of recurrent infections. Conventional bioassays require 3-5 days before identification of an organism can be made, thus compromising the effectiveness with which patients can be treated for bacterial infections. We analysed 20 clinical isolates of urinary tract infections (UTI) by ultra-violet resonance Raman (UVRR) spectroscopy, utilising 244 nm excitation delivering approximately 0.1 mW laser power at the sample, with typical spectral collection times of 120 s. UVRR results in resonance-enhanced Raman signals for certain chromophoric segments of macromolecules, intensifying those selected bands above what would otherwise be observed for a normal Raman experiment. Utilising the whole-organism 'fingerprints' obtained by UVRR we were able to discriminate successfully between UTI pathogens using chemometric cluster analyses. This work demonstrates significant improvements in the speed with which spectra can be obtained by Raman spectroscopic techniques for the discrimination of clinical bacterial samples.

Diffusion abnormalities of the uncinate fasciculus in Alzheimer's disease: diffusion tensor tract-specific analysis using a new method to measure the core of the tract

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yasmin, Hasina; Nakata, Yasuhiro; Abe, Osamu; Masutani, Yoshitaka; Ohtomo, Kuni [University of Tokyo, Department of Radiology, Tokyo (Japan); Aoki, Shigeki [University of Tokyo, Department of Radiology, Tokyo (Japan); Sato, Noriko [National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Department of Radiology, National Center Hospital for Mental, Nervous and Muscular Disorders, Tokyo (Japan); Nemoto, Kiyotaka [Ibaraki Prefectural Tomobe Hospital, Department of Psychiatry, Ibaraki (Japan); Arima, Kunimasa; Furuta, Nobuo [National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, National Center Hospital for Mental, Nervous and Muscular Disorders, Tokyo (Japan); Uno, Masatake [Yoshioka Rehabilitation Clinic, Department of Psychiatry, Tokyo (Japan); Hirai, Shigeo [Iruma Hirai Clinic, Department of Psychiatry, Saitama (Japan)

2008-04-15

Our aim was to determine diffusion abnormalities in the uncinate fasciculus (UF) in Alzheimer's disease (AD) by diffusion tensor tractography (DTT) using a new method for measuring the core of the tract. We studied 19 patients with AD and 19 age-matched control subjects who underwent MRI using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). DTT of the UF was generated. The mean diffusivity (MD) and fractional anisotropy (FA) of the core of the tract were measured after voxelized tract shape processing. Student's t-test was used to compare results between patients with AD and controls. Intraobserver correlation tests were also performed. FA was significantly lower (P < 0.0001) in the UF of patients with AD than of controls. There was no significant difference in MD along the UF between the two groups. Intraobserver reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient) for the first and second measurement was r > 0.93 for measured FA and r > 0.92 for measured MD. Our results suggest that FA reflects progression of AD-related histopathological changes in the UF of the white matter and may represent a useful biological index in monitoring AD. Diffusion tensor tract-specific analysis with voxelized tract shape processing to measure the core of the tract may be a sensitive tool for evaluation of diffusion abnormalities of white matter tracts in AD. (orig.)

[Lower urinary tract dysfunction in Guillain-Barre syndrome].

Science.gov (United States)

Reitz, A; Mohr, M; Leistner, N; Tabaza, R; Anding, R; Brehmer, B; Kirschner-Hermanns, R

2018-02-01

Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) as acute inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy frequently leads to lower urinary tract dysfunction. The available knowledge in the medical literature is limited and good recommendations for diagnosis and therapy are rare. In this study, 189 patients with GBS were screened for lower urinary tract dysfunction. In symptomatic patients, a urodynamic study was performed. Detrusor contractility, post-void residual, and changes of the symptoms over time were studied. Overall Barthel index and urinary control Barthel index as well as the relationship of time after onset of the disease and post-void residual were studied as possible screening criteria for urodynamic assessment. According to the urinary control Barthel index (BI), 115 of 189 patients (61%) presented lower urinary tract symptoms sometime during the course of disease. In 28 patients, these symptoms were temporary during the acute phase. At the time of urological assessment, 87 patients had lower urinary tract symptoms. At the end of rehabilitation, 37 had no symptoms anymore (BI 10), 20 were able to control micturition to a certain extent (BI 5), and 30 had no lower urinary tract control (BI 0). There was a significant negative correlation between post-void residual volume and overall BI (ρ -0.5823, p < 0.0001) and BI for urinary tract control (ρ -0.6430, p < 0.0001). Overall BI and BI for urinary tract control are suitable screening criteria for urodynamic assessment.

Vocal tract and glottal function during and after vocal exercising with resonance tube and straw.

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Guzman, Marco; Laukkanen, Anne-Maria; Krupa, Petr; Horáček, Jaromir; Švec, Jan G; Geneid, Ahmed

2013-07-01

The present study aimed to investigate the vocal tract and glottal function during and after phonation into a tube and a stirring straw. A male classically trained singer was assessed. Computerized tomography (CT) was performed when the subject produced [a:] at comfortable speaking pitch, phonated into the resonance tube and when repeating [a:] after the exercise. Similar procedure was performed with a narrow straw after 15 minutes silence. Anatomic distances and area measures were obtained from CT midsagittal and transversal images. Acoustic, perceptual, electroglottographic (EGG), and subglottic pressure measures were also obtained. During and after phonation into the tube or straw, the velum closed the nasal passage better, the larynx position lowered, and hypopharynx area widened. Moreover, the ratio between the inlet of the lower pharynx and the outlet of the epilaryngeal tube became larger during and after tube/straw phonation. Acoustic results revealed a stronger spectral prominence in the singer/speaker's formant cluster region after exercising. Listening test demonstrated better voice quality after straw/tube than before. Contact quotient derived from EGG decreased during both tube and straw and remained lower after exercising. Subglottic pressure increased during straw and remained somewhat higher after it. CT and acoustic results indicated that vocal exercises with increased vocal tract impedance lead to increased vocal efficiency and economy. One of the major changes was the more prominent singer's/speaker's formant cluster. Vocal tract and glottal modifications were more prominent during and after straw exercising compared with tube phonation. Copyright © 2013 The Voice Foundation. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Finite element modelling of vocal tract changes after voice therapy

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Vampola T.

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Two 3D finite element (FE models were constructed, based on CT measurements of a subject phonating on [a:] before and after phonation into a tube. Acoustic analysis was performed by exciting the models with acoustic flow velocity at the vocal folds. The generated acoustic pressure of the response was computed in front of the mouth and inside the vocal tract for both FE models. Average amplitudes of the pressure oscillations inside the vocal tract and in front of the mouth were compared to display the cost-efficiency of sound energy transfer at different formant frequencies. The formants F1–F3 correspond to classical vibration modes also solvable by 1D vocal tract model. However, for higher formants, there occur more complicated transversal modes which require 3D modelling. A special attention is given to the higher frequency range (above 3.5 Hz where transversal modes exist between piriform sinuses and valleculae. Comparison of the pressure oscillation inside and outside the vocal tract showed that formants differ in their efficiency, F4 (at about 3.5 kHz, i.e. at the speaker’s or singer’s formant region being the most effective. The higher formants created a clear formant cluster around 4 kHz after the vocal exercise with the tube. Since the human ear is most sensitive to frequencies between 2 and 4 kHz concentration of sound energy in this frequency region (F4–F5 is effective for communication. The results suggest that exercising using phonation into tubes help in improving the vocal economy.

Prevalence of urinary tract infection and vesicoureteral reflux in children with lower urinary tract dysfunction.

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Van Batavia, Jason P; Ahn, Jennifer J; Fast, Angela M; Combs, Andrew J; Glassberg, Kenneth I

2013-10-01

Lower urinary tract dysfunction is a common pediatric urological problem that is often associated with urinary tract infection. We determined the prevalence of a urinary tract infection history in children with lower urinary tract dysfunction and its association, if any, with gender, bowel dysfunction, vesicoureteral reflux and specific lower urinary tract conditions. We retrospectively reviewed the charts of children diagnosed with and treated for lower urinary tract dysfunction, noting a history of urinary tract infection with or without fever, gender, bowel dysfunction and vesicoureteral reflux in association with specific lower urinary tract conditions. Of the 257 boys and 366 girls with a mean age of 9.1 years 207 (33%) had a urinary tract infection history, including 88 with at least 1 febrile infection. A total of 64 patients underwent voiding cystourethrogram/videourodynamics, which revealed reflux in 44 (69%). In 119 of the 207 patients all infections were afebrile and 18 underwent voiding cystourethrogram/videourodynamics, which revealed reflux in 5 (28%). A urinary tract infection history was noted in 53% of girls but only 5% of boys (p infection history than patients with idiopathic detrusor overactivity disorder or primary bladder neck dysfunction (each p urinary tract dysfunction have a much higher urinary tract infection incidence than males. This association was most often noted for lower urinary tract conditions in which urinary stasis occurs, including detrusor underutilization disorder and dysfunctional voiding. Reflux was found in most girls with a history of febrile infections. Since reflux was identified in more than a quarter of girls with only afebrile infections who were evaluated for reflux, it may be reasonable to perform voiding cystourethrogram or videourodynamics in some of them to identify reflux. Copyright © 2013 American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Qualified Census Tracts

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Department of Housing and Urban Development — A Qualified Census Tract (QCT) is any census tract (or equivalent geographic area defined by the Census Bureau) in which at least 50% of households have an income...

Proteus mirabilis and Urinary Tract Infections.

Science.gov (United States)

Schaffer, Jessica N; Pearson, Melanie M

2015-10-01

Proteus mirabilis is a Gram-negative bacterium and is well known for its ability to robustly swarm across surfaces in a striking bulls'-eye pattern. Clinically, this organism is most frequently a pathogen of the urinary tract, particularly in patients undergoing long-term catheterization. This review covers P. mirabilis with a focus on urinary tract infections (UTI), including disease models, vaccine development efforts, and clinical perspectives. Flagella-mediated motility, both swimming and swarming, is a central facet of this organism. The regulation of this complex process and its contribution to virulence is discussed, along with the type VI-secretion system-dependent intra-strain competition, which occurs during swarming. P. mirabilis uses a diverse set of virulence factors to access and colonize the host urinary tract, including urease and stone formation, fimbriae and other adhesins, iron and zinc acquisition, proteases and toxins, biofilm formation, and regulation of pathogenesis. While significant advances in this field have been made, challenges remain to combatting complicated UTI and deciphering P. mirabilis pathogenesis.

Occipital White Matter Tracts in Human and Macaque.

Science.gov (United States)

Takemura, Hiromasa; Pestilli, Franco; Weiner, Kevin S; Keliris, Georgios A; Landi, Sofia M; Sliwa, Julia; Ye, Frank Q; Barnett, Michael A; Leopold, David A; Freiwald, Winrich A; Logothetis, Nikos K; Wandell, Brian A

2017-06-01

We compare several major white-matter tracts in human and macaque occipital lobe using diffusion magnetic resonance imaging. The comparison suggests similarities but also significant differences in the tracts. There are several apparently homologous tracts in the 2 species, including the vertical occipital fasciculus (VOF), optic radiation, forceps major, and inferior longitudinal fasciculus (ILF). There is one large human tract, the inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus, with no corresponding fasciculus in macaque. We could identify the macaque VOF (mVOF), which has been little studied. Its position is consistent with classical invasive anatomical studies by Wernicke. VOF homology is supported by similarity of the endpoints in V3A and ventral V4 across species. The mVOF fibers intertwine with the dorsal segment of the ILF, but the human VOF appears to be lateral to the ILF. These similarities and differences between the occipital lobe tracts will be useful in establishing which circuitry in the macaque can serve as an accurate model for human visual cortex. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Two-picture urography in urinary tract infections

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Laehde, S.; Standertskjoeld-Nordenstam, C.G.; Suoranta, H.; Pyhtinen, J.

1981-01-01

Researchers analyzed separately from a urographic series 1 radiograph of the kidneys, ureters and bladder after releasing compression. The diagnosis was compared to that of the complete series in 230 consecutive urographic studies performed for recurrent urinary tract infections. The findings were in agreement in 88 per cent of the cases and no therapeutically significant change was overlooked owing to the decrease in the number of exposures. A urographic series with 2 films is described and recommended for the screening of recurrent urinary tract infections in young patients

Significance of isolated vasculitis in the gynecological tract: what clinicians do with the pathologic diagnosis of vasculitis?

Science.gov (United States)

Roma, Andres A; Amador-Ortiz, Catalina; Liapis, Helen

2014-08-01

Vasculitides includes a heterogeneous group of disorders with the common histologic findings of vascular wall inflammation. Systemic or localized disease (eg, renal vasculitis) has serious consequences. The incidence of isolated gynecologic vasculitis diagnosed on pathology specimens and its significance is little known. We performed a 20 year retrospective review including 53 cases with vasculitis diagnosis affecting the female genital tract identified in pathology reports. None had prior symptoms or were diagnosed with generalized vasculitis, while one patient had prior diagnosis of fibromyalgia. Most patients presented with abnormal bleeding and were treated for conditions unrelated to vasculitis. The different types of vasculitis were: predominantly lymphocytic (nonspecific) 30 cases, necrotizing 17 cases and granulomatous 6 cases. Only 2 patients had additional serologic tests. None of the patients with isolated gynecologic vasculitis received corticosteroids or additional treatment related to the vasculitis. None of the patients developed systemic vasculitis at follow-up (2 months-19.5 years; mean, 5.5 years). Isolated gynecologic vasculitis diagnosed on pathology slides is rarely associated with systemic vasculitis. Potential isolated gynecologic vasculitis causes include: previous surgical interventions and vascular inflammation secondary to local neoplasm. In almost all cases, clinicians did not perform a thorough laboratory analysis to exclude systemic vasculitis and therapy was not required in any case, suggesting minimal clinical significance. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Congenital anomalies of the urinary tract.

Science.gov (United States)

Pohl, Hans G; Belman, A Barry

2014-01-01

The upper urinary tract forms as a consequence of the reciprocal inductive signals between the metanephric mesenchyme and ureteric bud. A clue to the timing of events leading to an abnormality of the upper urinary tract can be the presence also of associated anomalies of internal genitalia since separation of these systems occurs at about the 10th week of gestation. Prenatal sonography has facilitated the detection of urological abnormalities presenting with hydronephrosis. Hydronephrosis suggests obstruction, but by itself cannot be equated with it. Instead, further radiographic imaging is required to delineate anatomy and function. Now, moreover, non-surgical management of CAKUT should be considered whenever possible. Despite the widespread use of prenatal screening sonography that usually identifies the majority of congenital anomalies of the urinary tract, many children still present with febrile urinary tract infection (UTI). Regardless of the etiology for the presentation, the goal of management is preservation of renal function through mitigation of the risk for recurrent UTI and/or obstruction. In the past many children underwent surgical repair aimed at normalization of the appearance of the urinary tract. Today, management has evolved such that in most cases surgical reconstruction is performed only after a period of observation - with or without urinary prophylaxis. The opinions presented in this section are not espoused by all pediatric urologists but represent instead the practice that has evolved at Children's National Medical Center (Washington DC) based significantly on information obtained by nuclear renography, in addition to sonography and contrast cystography.

Are clusters of dietary patterns and cluster membership stable over time? Results of a longitudinal cluster analysis study.

Science.gov (United States)

Walthouwer, Michel Jean Louis; Oenema, Anke; Soetens, Katja; Lechner, Lilian; de Vries, Hein

2014-11-01

Developing nutrition education interventions based on clusters of dietary patterns can only be done adequately when it is clear if distinctive clusters of dietary patterns can be derived and reproduced over time, if cluster membership is stable, and if it is predictable which type of people belong to a certain cluster. Hence, this study aimed to: (1) identify clusters of dietary patterns among Dutch adults, (2) test the reproducibility of these clusters and stability of cluster membership over time, and (3) identify sociodemographic predictors of cluster membership and cluster transition. This study had a longitudinal design with online measurements at baseline (N=483) and 6 months follow-up (N=379). Dietary intake was assessed with a validated food frequency questionnaire. A hierarchical cluster analysis was performed, followed by a K-means cluster analysis. Multinomial logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify the sociodemographic predictors of cluster membership and cluster transition. At baseline and follow-up, a comparable three-cluster solution was derived, distinguishing a healthy, moderately healthy, and unhealthy dietary pattern. Male and lower educated participants were significantly more likely to have a less healthy dietary pattern. Further, 251 (66.2%) participants remained in the same cluster, 45 (11.9%) participants changed to an unhealthier cluster, and 83 (21.9%) participants shifted to a healthier cluster. Men and people living alone were significantly more likely to shift toward a less healthy dietary pattern. Distinctive clusters of dietary patterns can be derived. Yet, cluster membership is unstable and only few sociodemographic factors were associated with cluster membership and cluster transition. These findings imply that clusters based on dietary intake may not be suitable as a basis for nutrition education interventions. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Hepatic Tract Plug-Embolisation After Biliary Stenting. Is It Worthwhile?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dale, Adam P., E-mail: adamdale@doctors.org.uk [Basingstoke and North Hampshire Hospital, Department of Medical Microbiology (United Kingdom); Khan, Rafeh, E-mail: rafeh.khan@yahoo.com; Mathew, Anup, E-mail: anup.mathew@sth.nhs.uk; Hersey, Naomi O., E-mail: Naomi.Hersey@sth.nhs.uk; Peck, Robert, E-mail: Robert.Peck@sth.nhs.uk; Lee, Frederick, E-mail: fred.lee@sth.nhs.uk [Northern General Hospital, Department of Radiology (United Kingdom); Goode, Stephen D., E-mail: S.Goode@sheffield.ac.uk [Northern General Hospital, Sheffield Vascular Institute (United Kingdom)

2015-10-15

PurposePTC and stenting procedures are associated with significant risks including life-threatening haemorrhage, sepsis, renal failure and high mortality rates. PTC tract closure methods are utilised to reduce haemorrhagic complications despite little evidence to support their use. The current study assesses the incidence of haemorrhagic complications following PTC and stenting procedures, both prior to and following the introduction of a dedicated expanding gelatin foam-targeted embolisation liver tract closure technique.Materials and MethodsHaemorrhagic complications were retrospectively identified in patients undergoing PTC procedures both prior to (subgroup 1) and following (subgroup 2) the introduction of a dedicated targeted liver tract closure method between 9/11/2010 and 10/08/2012 in a single tertiary referral centre. Mean blood Hb decrease following PTC was established in subgroups 1 and 2. Kaplan–Meier life-table analysis was performed to compare survival outcomes between subgroups using the log-rank test.ResultsHaemorrhagic complications were significantly reduced following the introduction of the targeted PTC tract closure method [(12 vs. 3 % of subgroups 1 (n = 101) and 2 (n = 92), respectively (p = 0.027)]. Mean blood Hb decrease following PTC was 1.40 versus 0.68 g/dL in subgroups 1 and 2, respectively (p = 0.069). 30-day mortality was 14 and 12 % in subgroups 1 and 2, respectively. 50 % of the entire cohort had died by 174 days post-PTC.ConclusionIntroduction of liver tract embolisation significantly reduced haemorrhagic complications in our patient cohort. Utilisation of this method has the potential to reduce the morbidity and mortality burden associated with post-PTC haemorrhage by preventing bleeding from the liver access tract.

Hepatic Tract Plug-Embolisation After Biliary Stenting. Is It Worthwhile?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dale, Adam P.; Khan, Rafeh; Mathew, Anup; Hersey, Naomi O.; Peck, Robert; Lee, Frederick; Goode, Stephen D.

2015-01-01

PurposePTC and stenting procedures are associated with significant risks including life-threatening haemorrhage, sepsis, renal failure and high mortality rates. PTC tract closure methods are utilised to reduce haemorrhagic complications despite little evidence to support their use. The current study assesses the incidence of haemorrhagic complications following PTC and stenting procedures, both prior to and following the introduction of a dedicated expanding gelatin foam-targeted embolisation liver tract closure technique.Materials and MethodsHaemorrhagic complications were retrospectively identified in patients undergoing PTC procedures both prior to (subgroup 1) and following (subgroup 2) the introduction of a dedicated targeted liver tract closure method between 9/11/2010 and 10/08/2012 in a single tertiary referral centre. Mean blood Hb decrease following PTC was established in subgroups 1 and 2. Kaplan–Meier life-table analysis was performed to compare survival outcomes between subgroups using the log-rank test.ResultsHaemorrhagic complications were significantly reduced following the introduction of the targeted PTC tract closure method [(12 vs. 3 % of subgroups 1 (n = 101) and 2 (n = 92), respectively (p = 0.027)]. Mean blood Hb decrease following PTC was 1.40 versus 0.68 g/dL in subgroups 1 and 2, respectively (p = 0.069). 30-day mortality was 14 and 12 % in subgroups 1 and 2, respectively. 50 % of the entire cohort had died by 174 days post-PTC.ConclusionIntroduction of liver tract embolisation significantly reduced haemorrhagic complications in our patient cohort. Utilisation of this method has the potential to reduce the morbidity and mortality burden associated with post-PTC haemorrhage by preventing bleeding from the liver access tract

Sertoli cell-specific ablation of miR-17-92 cluster significantly alters whole testis transcriptome without apparent phenotypic effects.

Science.gov (United States)

Hurtado, Alicia; Real, Francisca M; Palomino, Rogelio; Carmona, Francisco David; Burgos, Miguel; Jiménez, Rafael; Barrionuevo, Francisco J

2018-01-01

MicroRNAs are frequently organized into polycistronic clusters whose transcription is controlled by a single promoter. The miR-17-92 cluster is expressed in most embryonic and postnatal organs. It is a potent oncogene associated to several types of cancer and it is involved in several important developmental processes. In the testis, expression of the miR-17-92 cluster in the germ cells is necessary to maintain normal spermatogenesis. This cluster is also expressed in Sertoli cells (the somatic cells of the seminiferous tubules), which require miRNAs for correct cell development and survival. To study the possible role of miR-17-92 in Sertoli cell development and function and, in order to overcome the postnatal lethality of miR-17-92-/ mice, we conditionally deleted it in embryonic Sertoli cells shortly after the sex determination stage using an Amh-Cre allele. Mutant mice developed apparently normal testes and were fertile, but their testis transcriptomes contained hundreds of moderately deregulated genes, indicating that testis homeostasis is tightly controlled in mammals and that miR-17-92 expression in Sertoli cells contribute to maintain normal gene expression levels, but is unnecessary for testis development and function. Our results show that significant deregulation of hundreds of genes might have no functional consequences.

Urinary Tract and How It Works

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... VUR) The Urinary Tract & How It Works The Urinary Tract & How It Works On this page: What is ... a person produces? Clinical Trials What is the urinary tract and how does it work? The urinary tract ...

Neonatal Staphylococcus lugdunensis urinary tract infection.

Science.gov (United States)

Hayakawa, Itaru; Hataya, Hiroshi; Yamanouchi, Hanako; Sakakibara, Hiroshi; Terakawa, Toshiro

2015-08-01

Staphylococcus lugdunensis is a known pathogen of infective endocarditis, but not of urinary tract infection. We report a previously healthy neonate without congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract who developed urinary tract infection due to Staphylococcus lugdunensis, illustrating that Staphylococcus lugdunensis can cause urinary tract infection even in those with no urinary tract complications. © 2015 Japan Pediatric Society.

Molecular epidemiology of WU polyomavirus in hospitalized children with acute respiratory tract infection in China.

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Zhu, Teng; Lu, Qing-Bin; Zhang, Shu-Yan; Wo, Ying; Zhuang, Lu; Zhang, Pan-He; Zhang, Xiao-Ai; Wei, Wei; Liu, Wei

2017-05-01

To explore the molecular epidemiology and clinical characteristics of Washington University polyomavirus (WUPyV) infection in pediatric patients with acute respiratory tract infections in China. A laboratory surveillance was performed to recruit pediatric patients with acute respiratory tract infections. WUPyV was detected using real-time PCR and complete genome was sequenced for randomly selected positive nasopharyngeal aspirate. Altogether 122 (7.5%) of 1617 children found to be infected with WUPyV and 88 (72.1%) were coinfected with other viruses during 2012-2015. The phylogenetic analysis showed that 14 strains from our study formed two new clusters (Id and IIIc) within the Branch I and Branch III, respectively. WUPyV is persistently circulating in China. Surveillance on WUPyV infection in wider areas and long persistence is warranted.

Urinary Tract Infections (For Kids)

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Full Text Available ... Health Growth & Development Infections Diseases & Conditions Pregnancy & Baby Nutrition & Fitness Emotions & Behavior School & Family Life First Aid & ... Kids / Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs) What's in this article? What Exactly Is a Urinary Tract? Urinary Tract ...

Urinary Tract Infections (For Kids)

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Full Text Available ... urinary tract infection, or UTI, you're probably thinking about peeing quite a lot. Why? Because it ... Urinary Tract? Your urinary tract is actually a system made up of these main parts: two kidneys ...

Urinary Tract Infections (For Kids)

Medline Plus

Full Text Available ... Infections Diseases & Conditions Pregnancy & Baby Nutrition & Fitness Emotions & Behavior School & Family Life First Aid & Safety Doctors & Hospitals ... Kids / Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs) What's in this article? What Exactly Is a Urinary Tract? Urinary Tract ...

Proteus mirabilis and Urinary Tract Infections

Science.gov (United States)

Schaffer, Jessica N.; Pearson, Melanie M.

2015-01-01

Proteus mirabilis is a Gram-negative bacterium which is well-known for its ability to robustly swarm across surfaces in a striking bulls’-eye pattern. Clinically, this organism is most frequently a pathogen of the urinary tract, particularly in patients undergoing long-term catheterization. This review covers P. mirabilis with a focus on urinary tract infections (UTI), including disease models, vaccine development efforts, and clinical perspectives. Flagella-mediated motility, both swimming and swarming, is a central facet of this organism. The regulation of this complex process and its contribution to virulence is discussed, along with the type VI-secretion system-dependent intra-strain competition which occurs during swarming. P. mirabilis uses a diverse set of virulence factors to access and colonize the host urinary tract, including urease and stone formation, fimbriae and other adhesins, iron and zinc acquisition, proteases and toxins, biofilm formation, and regulation of pathogenesis. While significant advances in this field have been made, challenges remain to combatting complicated UTI and deciphering P. mirabilis pathogenesis. PMID:26542036

Urinary Tract Infections (For Kids)

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Full Text Available ... Staying Safe Videos for Educators Search English Español Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs) KidsHealth / For Kids / Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs) ... How Do I Know if I Have a UTI? You may notice signs of a urinary tract ...

Risk factors for postoperative urinary tract infection following midurethral sling procedures.

Science.gov (United States)

Doganay, Melike; Cavkaytar, Sabri; Kokanali, Mahmut Kuntay; Ozer, Irfan; Aksakal, Orhan Seyfi; Erkaya, Salim

2017-04-01

To identify the potential risk factors for urinary tract infections following midurethral sling procedures. 556 women who underwent midurethral sling procedure due to stress urinary incontinence over a four-year period were reviewed in this retrospective study. Of the study population, 280 women underwent TVT procedures and 276 women underwent TOT procedures. Patients were evaluated at 4-8 weeks postoperatively and were investigated for the occurrence of a urinary tract infection. Patients who experienced urinary tract infection were defined as cases, and patients who didn't were defined as controls. All data were collected from medical records. Multivariate logistic regression model was used to identify the risk factors for urinary tract infection. Of 556 women, 58 (10.4%) were defined as cases while 498 (89.6%) were controls. The mean age of women in cases (57.8±12.9years) was significantly greater than in controls (51.8±11.2years) (purinary tract infection, concomitant vaginal hysterectomy and cystocele repair, TVT procedure and postoperative postvoiding residual bladder volume ≥100ml were more common in cases than in controls. However, in multivariate regression analysis model presence of preoperative urinary tract infection [OR (95% CI)=0.1 (0.1-0.7); p=0.013], TVT procedure [OR (95% CI)=8.4 (3.1-22.3); p=0.000] and postoperative postvoiding residual bladder volume ≥100ml [OR (95% CI)=4.6 (1.1-19.2); p=0.036] were significant independent risk factors for urinary tract infection following midurethral slings CONCLUSION: Urinary tract infection after midurethral sling procedures is a relatively common complication. The presence of preoperative urinary tract infection, TVT procedure and postoperative postvoiding residual bladder volume ≥100ml may increase the risk of this complication. Identification of these factors could help surgeons to minimize this complicationby developing effective strategies. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

An Investigation of Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms in Women Aged 40 and Over.

Science.gov (United States)

Sever, Neziha; Oskay, Umran

2017-01-01

The objective of this study was to determine lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and associated risk factors in women aged 40 years and over. The study was carried out with a total of 312 women. The data were collected between 1 January 2009 and 30 July 2010. As research instruments, an interview form of 19 questions that questioned personal characteristics and was developed by researchers, and the Bristol Female Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms (BFLUTS) Questionnaire evaluating lower urinary tract symptoms were used. Linear regression analysis was used to detect associated risk factors. The rates of urgency, urinary incontinence, nocturia, and frequency symptoms were 61.5, 52.2, 18.9, and 25%, respectively. BFLUTS total scores increased with age, but the present study has detected no statistically significant differences (P > 0.05). BFLUTS scores of the women demonstrated statistically significant differences according to several risk factors including menopause status (P = 0.03), presence of chronic illness (P = 0.000), medicine use (P = 0.000), recurrent urinary tract infections (P = 0.000), body mass index (BMI) (P = 0.004), delivery number (P = 0.005) and chronic constipation (P = 0.002). Multiple linear regression analysis determined that frequent urinary tract infections, presence of chronic illness, chronic constipation, BMI and number of deliveries were significantly related to LUTS development. The most common LUTS was urgency in women aged 40 years and older. Recurrent urinary tract infection was determined as the most significant risk factor for LUTS, followed by chronic illness, chronic constipation, higher BMI and parity. © 2015 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

Significance of calculated cluster conformations of benzene: comment on a publication by D. E. Williams

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van de Waal, B.W.

1981-01-01

Results of potential-energy minimization, applied to clusters of benzene molecules, have been reported recently by Williams [Acta Cryst. (1980), A36, 715-723]. Two stable tridecamer clusters were found and compared with a 13-molecule fragment from crystalline orthorhombic benzene. In this comment

Human Alpha Defensin 5 Expression in the Human Kidney and Urinary Tract

Science.gov (United States)

Porter, Edith; Bevins, Charles L.; DiRosario, Julianne; Becknell, Brian; Wang, Huanyu

2012-01-01

Background The mechanisms that maintain sterility in the urinary tract are incompletely understood. Recent studies have implicated the importance of antimicrobial peptides (AMP) in protecting the urinary tract from infection. Here, we characterize the expression and relevance of the AMP human alpha-defensin 5 (HD5) in the human kidney and urinary tract in normal and infected subjects. Methodology/Principal Findings Using RNA isolated from human kidney, ureter, and bladder tissue, we performed quantitative real-time PCR to show that DEFA5, the gene encoding HD5, is constitutively expressed throughout the urinary tract. With pyelonephritis, DEFA5 expression significantly increased in the kidney. Using immunoblot analysis, HD5 production also increased with pyelonephritis. Immunostaining localized HD5 to the urothelium of the bladder and ureter. In the kidney, HD5 was primarily produced in the distal nephron and collecting tubules. Using immunoblot and ELISA assays, HD5 was not routinely detected in non-infected human urine samples while mean urinary HD5 production increased with E.coli urinary tract infection. Conclusions/Significance DEFA5 is expressed throughout the urinary tract in non-infected subjects. Specifically, HD5 is expressed throughout the urothelium of the lower urinary tract and in the collecting tubules of the kidney. With infection, HD5 expression increases in the kidney and levels become detectable in the urine. To our knowledge, our findings represent the first to quantitate HD5 expression and production in the human kidney. Moreover, this is the first report to detect the presence of HD5 in infected urine samples. Our results suggest that HD5 may have an important role in maintaining urinary tract sterility. PMID:22359618

Tract specific analysis in patients with sickle cell disease

Science.gov (United States)

Chai, Yaqiong; Coloigner, Julie; Qu, Xiaoping; Choi, Soyoung; Bush, Adam; Borzage, Matt; Vu, Chau; Lepore, Natasha; Wood, John

2015-12-01

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a hereditary blood disorder in which the oxygen-carrying hemoglobin molecule in red blood cells is abnormal. It affects numerous people in the world and leads to a shorter life span, pain, anemia, serious infections and neurocognitive decline. Tract-Specific Analysis (TSA) is a statistical method to evaluate white matter alterations due to neurocognitive diseases, using diffusion tensor magnetic resonance images. Here, for the first time, TSA is used to compare 11 major brain white matter (WM) tracts between SCD patients and age-matched healthy subjects. Alterations are found in the corpus callosum (CC), the cortico-spinal tract (CST), inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus (IFO), inferior longitudinal fasciculus (ILF), superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF), and uncinated fasciculus (UNC). Based on previous studies on the neurocognitive functions of these tracts, the significant areas found in this paper might be related to several cognitive impairments and depression, both of which are observed in SCD patients.

Main features of the proposed NCRP respiratory tract model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Phalen, R.F.; Fisher, G.L.; Moss, O.R.; Schlesinger, R.B.; Swift, D.L.

1991-01-01

The proposed NCRP respiratory tract dosimetry model regions include the naso-oro-pharyngo-laryngeal (NOPL), the tracheobronchial (TB), the pulmonary (P), and the lymph nodes (LN). Input aerosol concentrations are derived from a consideration of particle-size-dependent inspirability. Particle deposition in the respiratory tract is modelled using the mechanisms of inertial impaction, sedimentation and diffusion. The rates of absorption of particles, and transport to the blood, have been derived from clearance data from people and laboratory animals. The effect of body growth on particle deposition is considered. Particle clearance rates are assumed to be independent of age. The proposed respiratory tract model differs significantly from the 1966 Task Group Model in that (1) inspirability is considered; (2) new sub-regions of the respiratory tract are considered; (3) absorption of materials by the blood is treated in a more sophisticated fashion; and (4) body size (and thus age) is taken into account. (author)

Interventions for preventing recurrent urinary tract infection during pregnancy.

Science.gov (United States)

Schneeberger, Caroline; Geerlings, Suzanne E; Middleton, Philippa; Crowther, Caroline A

2012-11-14

Recurrent urinary tract infections (RUTI) are common in women who are pregnant and may cause serious adverse pregnancy outcomes for both mother and child including preterm birth and small-for-gestational-age babies. Interventions used to prevent RUTI in women who are pregnant can be pharmacological (antibiotics) or non-pharmacological (cranberry products, acupuncture, probiotics and behavioural modifications). So far little is known about the best way to prevent RUTI in pregnant women. To assess the effects of interventions for preventing recurrent urinary tract infections in pregnant women.The primary maternal outcomes were RUTI before birth (variously defined) and preterm birth (before 37 weeks). The primary infant outcomes were small-for-gestational age and total mortality. We searched the Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group's Trials Register (8 June 2012) and reference lists of retrieved articles. Published, unpublished and ongoing randomised controlled trials (RCTs), quasi-RCTs, clustered-randomised trials and abstracts of any intervention (pharmacological and non-pharmacological) for preventing RUTI during pregnancy (compared with another intervention, placebo or with usual care). Two review authors independently evaluated the one identified trial for inclusion and assessed trial quality. Two review authors extracted data. Data were checked for accuracy. The review included one trial involving 200 women. The trial compared a daily dose of nitrofurantoin and close surveillance (regular clinic visit, urine cultures and antibiotics when a positive culture was found) with close surveillance only. No significant differences were found for the primary outcomes: recurrent pyelonephritis (risk ratio (RR) 0.89, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.31 to 2.53, one study, 167 women), recurrent urinary tract infection before birth (RR 0.30, 95% CI 0.06 to 1.38; one study 167 women) and preterm birth (before 37 weeks) (RR 1.18, 95% CI 0.42 to 3.35; one study 147 women). The

Probiotics prophylaxis in pyelonephritis infants with normal urinary tracts.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Seung Joo; Cha, Jihae; Lee, Jung Won

2016-11-01

Pyelonephritis in infants is considered as a major factor for the formation of renal scar. To prevent recurrent pyelonephritis and renal damage, prophylaxis is extremely important. The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of probiotic and antibiotic prophylaxis or no-prophylaxis in infants with pyelonephritis and normal urinary tract. Altogether 191 infants, who were diagnosed with acute pyelonephritis, proven to have normal urinary tracts and followed up for 6 months on prophylaxis, were retrospectively evaluated. According to the types of prophylaxis, the infants were divided into three groups [probiotics (Lactobacillus species), antibiotics (trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, TMP/SMX), and noprophylaxis]. The incidence of recurrent urinary tract infection (UTI) during 6 months after the development of pyelonephritis, main causative uropathogens, and its antimicrobial sensitivities were compared. The incidence of recurrent UTI in the probiotic group was 8.2%, which was significantly lower than 20.6% in the no-prophylaxis group (P=0.035) and was not significantly different from 10.0% of the antibiotic group (P=0.532). The significant difference between the probiotic and no-prophylaxis groups was seen only in male infants (P=0.032). The main causative organism of recurrent UTI was Escherichia coli (E.coli), which was not different among the three groups (P=0.305). The resistance rate of E. coli to TMP/SMX was 100% in the antibiotic group, which was significantly higher than 25.0% in the probiotic group and 41.7% in the no-prophylaxis group (P=0.008). Probiotic prophylaxis was more effective in infants with pyelonephritis and normal urinary tract than in those with no-prophylaxis. It could be used as a natural alternative to antibiotic prophylaxis.

Treatments for symptomatic urinary tract infections during pregnancy.

Science.gov (United States)

Vazquez, Juan C; Abalos, Edgardo

2011-01-19

Urinary tract infections, including pyelonephritis, are serious complications that may lead to significant maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality. There is a large number of drugs, and combination of them, available to treat urinary tract infections, most of them tested in non-pregnant women. Attempts to define the optimal antibiotic regimen for pregnancy have, therefore, been problematic. The objective of this review was to determine, from the best available evidence from randomised controlled trials, which agent is the most effective for the treatment of symptomatic urinary tract infections during pregnancy in terms of cure rates, recurrent infection, incidence of preterm delivery and premature rupture of membranes, admission to neonatal intensive care unit, need for change of antibiotic, and incidence of prolonged pyrexia. We searched the Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group Trials Register (November 2009) and reference lists of articles. We considered all trials where the intention was to allocate participants randomly to one of at least two alternative treatments for any symptomatic urinary tract infection. Both review authors assessed trial quality and extracted data. We included 10 studies, recruiting a total of 1125 pregnant women. In most of the comparisons there were no significant differences between the treatments under study with regard to cure rates, recurrent infection, incidence of preterm delivery, admission to neonatal intensive care unit, need for change of antibiotic and incidence of prolonged pyrexia. When cefuroxime and cephradine were compared, there were better cure rates (29/49 versus 41/52) and fewer recurrences (20/49 versus 11/52) in the cefuroxime group. There was only one other statistically significant difference when comparing outpatient versus inpatient treatment. Gestational age at birth was greater in women from the outpatient group (38.86 versus 37.21), while birthweight was on average greater in the inpatient group

Zika Virus in the Male Reproductive Tract

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Liesel Stassen

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Arthropod-borne viruses (arboviruses are resurging across the globe. Zika virus (ZIKV has caused significant concern in recent years because it can lead to congenital malformations in babies and Guillain-Barré syndrome in adults. Unlike other arboviruses, ZIKV can be sexually transmitted and may persist in the male reproductive tract. There is limited information regarding the impact of ZIKV on male reproductive health and fertility. Understanding the mechanisms that underlie persistent ZIKV infections in men is critical to developing effective vaccines and therapies. Mouse and macaque models have begun to unravel the pathogenesis of ZIKV infection in the male reproductive tract, with the testes and prostate gland implicated as potential reservoirs for persistent ZIKV infection. Here, we summarize current knowledge regarding the pathogenesis of ZIKV in the male reproductive tract, the development of animal models to study ZIKV infection at this site, and prospects for vaccines and therapeutics against persistent ZIKV infection.

Urinary Tract Infection in Children: A Review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Farzana Hamid

2013-07-01

Full Text Available Urinary tract infection (UTI is one of the most common paediatric infections. By the time children are 5 years old, about 8% of girls and about 1-2% of boys have had at least one episode of UTI. UTIs are caused mainly by colonic bacteria, such as Escherichia coli, followed by Klebsiella and Proteus. However, any organism that gains access to the urinary tract system may cause infection, including fungi (Candida species and viruses. In some instances, UTI results in recognition of an important underlying structural abnormality of the urinary tract. The febrile infant or child with clinically significant bacteriuria and no other site of infection to explain the fever, even in the absence of systemic symptoms has UTI. Signs and symptoms of UTIs vary depending on the child's age and on which part of the urinary tract is infected. The diagnosis of UTI is based on routine microscopic examination and culture of a properly collected urine specimen. Imaging studies are done in selected patients to identify anatomic abnormalities. Most cases of uncomplicated UTI respond readily to outpatient antibiotic treatment without further sequelae. All patients should have close follow-up to evaluate response to antibiotics and to prevent the development of long term complication.

Tailored interventions to improve antibiotic use for lower respiratory tract infections in hospitals: a cluster-randomized, controlled trial.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schouten, J.A.; Hulscher, M.E.J.L.; Trap-Liefers, J.; Akkermans, R.P.; Kullberg, B.J.; Grol, R.P.T.M.; Meer, J.W.M. van der

2007-01-01

BACKGROUND: Limited data exist on the most effective approach to increase the quality of antibiotic use for lower respiratory tract infections at hospitals. METHODS: One thousand nine hundred six patients with community-acquired pneumonia or an exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide and other preprovasoactive intestinal polypeptide-derived peptides in the female and male genital tract: localization, biosynthesis, and functional and clinical significance

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ottesen, B; Fahrenkrug, J

1995-01-01

Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide, a neuropeptide with wide distribution in the central and peripheral nervous system, has a broad spectrum of biologic actions. The demonstration of vasoactive intestinal polypeptide containing nerve fibers within the female and male genital tract 17 years ago...... indicated a putative role for this peptide in the local nervous control of reproductive functions. The genes encoding the preprovasoactive intestinal polypeptide precursor molecule and the vasoactive intestinal polypeptide receptor have been identified. The gene expression has been studied by the use...... in the genital tracts (i.e., blood flow and nonvascular smooth muscle relaxation). In the ovary vasoactive intestinal polypeptide seems to play an important role as regulator and/or modulator of folliculogenesis and steroidogenesis. In the male genital tract vasoactive intestinal polypeptide seems to participate...

Procalcitonin and C-reactive protein in urinary tract infection diagnosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Rui-Ying; Liu, Hua-Wei; Liu, Ji-Ling; Dong, Jun-Hua

2014-05-30

Urinary infections are a common type of pediatric disease, and their treatment and prognosis are closely correlated with infection location. Common clinical manifestations and laboratory tests are insufficient to differentiate between acute pyelonephritis and lower urinary tract infection. This study was conducted to explore a diagnostic method for upper and lower urinary tract infection differentiation. The diagnostic values of procalcitonin (PCT) and C-reactive protein (CRP) were analyzed using the receiver operating characteristic curve method for upper and lower urinary tract infection differentiation. PCT was determined using chemiluminescent immunoassay. The PCT and CRP values in children with acute pyelonephritis were significantly higher than those in children with lower urinary tract infection (3.90 ± 3.51 ng/ml and 68.17 ± 39.42 mg/l vs. 0.48 ± 0.39 ng/ml and 21.39 ± 14.92 mg/l). The PCT values were correlated with the degree of renal involvement, whereas the CRP values failed to show such a significant correlation. PCT had a sensitivity of 90.47% and a specificity of 88% in predicting nephropathia, whereas CRP had sensitivity of 85.71% and a specificity of 48%. Both PCT and CRP can be used for upper and lower urinary tract infection differentiation, but PCT has higher sensitivity and specificity in predicting pyelonephritis than CRP. PCT showed better results than CRP. PCT values were also correlated with the degree of renal involvement.

Odontogenic sinus tracts: a cohort study.

Science.gov (United States)

Slutzky-Goldberg, Iris; Tsesis, Igor; Slutzky, Hagay; Heling, Ilana

2009-01-01

To determine the prevalence,location, and distribution of sinus tracts in patients referred for endodontic consultation. This cohort study included 1,119 subjects referred for endodontic consultation, 108 of whom presented with sinus tracts. Following clinical and radiographic examination, the diameter of the rarifying osteitis lesion on the radiograph was measured and the path and origin of the sinus tracts determined. Signs and symptoms, tooth site,buccal/lingual location, and diameter were recorded. Data were statistically analyzed using Pearson chi-square test. Sinus tracts originated mainly from maxillary teeth (63.1%); only 38.9% originated from mandibular teeth. Chronic periapical abscess was the most prevalent diagnosed origin (71.0%). Broken restorations were highly associated with the presence of sinus tracts (53.0%). The most frequent site of orifices was buccal(82.4%), followed by lingual or palatal (12.0%). Orifices on the lingual aspect of the gingiva were observed in mandibularmolars. There was an 86.8% correlation between the occurrence of an apically located sinus tract and apical rarifying osteitis(P<.01). Sinus tract in the lingual or palatal aspect of the gingiva is relatively common. Practitioners should look for signs of sinus tract during routine examination

Characterization and Ecology of Carboxymethylcellulase-Producing Anaerobic Bacterial Communities Associated with the Intestinal Tract of the Pinfish, Lagodon rhomboides

OpenAIRE

Stellwag, E. J.; Smith, T. D.; Luczkovich, J. J.

1995-01-01

Carboxymethylcellulase (CMCase)-producing obligate anaerobes were isolated from the intestinal tract contents but not the feeding habitat of seagrass-consuming pinfish. Taxonomic characterization of these CMCase-producing strains revealed four taxonomic clusters; three were clostridial and one was of unknown taxonomic affinity. Our results demonstrated that the CMCase-producing obligate anaerobe community from pinfish differed from functionally similar microbial communities in terrestrial her...

Pediatric urinary tract infection

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Blickman, J.G.

1991-02-06

Acute urinary tract infection (UTI) is an important cause of morbidity in children and may be complicated by congenital urinary tract abnormalities of a functional or anatomic nature which, predispose to recurrent UTI's that in turn may lead to renal failure and hypertension. Early radiologic and ultrasonographic investigations may reveal these anatomic anomalies in particular because the urinary tract, specifically in children, is not readily accessible to adequate clinical examinations Excretory urography (EU) has been considered as the 'gold standard' of upper urinary tract visualization, while the voiding cystourethrogram (VCUG) was thought to be the preferential method of imaging of the lower urinary tract. Recently, major technical advances have altered this commonly accepted diagnostic workup. Although ultrasonography, radio-nuclide scanning and urodynamics have become important contributors to the understanding of pathophysiology of UTI's their value and place in assessment of the sequence of imaging has not been comprehensively studied. This thesis deals about the optimization of the choice and the order of the different imaging techniques used in the evaluation of children, younger than six year with UTI. (author). 243 refs.; 23 figs.; 8 tabs.

Pediatric urinary tract infection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Blickman, J.G.

1991-01-01

Acute urinary tract infection (UTI) is an important cause of morbidity in children and may be complicated by congenital urinary tract abnormalities of a functional or anatomic nature which, predispose to recurrent UTI's that in turn may lead to renal failure and hypertension. Early radiologic and ultrasonographic investigations may reveal these anatomic anomalies in particular because the urinary tract, specifically in children, is not readily accessible to adequate clinical examinations Excretory urography (EU) has been considered as the 'gold standard' of upper urinary tract visualization, while the voiding cystourethrogram (VCUG) was thought to be the preferential method of imaging of the lower urinary tract. Recently, major technical advances have altered this commonly accepted diagnostic workup. Although ultrasonography, radio-nuclide scanning and urodynamics have become important contributors to the understanding of pathophysiology of UTI's their value and place in assessment of the sequence of imaging has not been comprehensively studied. This thesis deals about the optimization of the choice and the order of the different imaging techniques used in the evaluation of children, younger than six year with UTI. (author). 243 refs.; 23 figs.; 8 tabs

Recurrent urinary tract infections in females

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mohsin, R.; Siddiqui, K.M.

2010-01-01

Uncomplicated Urinary tract infections are common in adult women across the entire age spectrum, with mean annual incidence of 15% and 10% in those aged 15-39 and 40-79 years, respectively. Urinary tract infection (UTI), with its diverse clinical syndromes and affected host groups, remains one of the most common but widely misunderstood and challenging infectious diseases encountered in clinical practice. Recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs) present a significant problem for women and a challenge for the doctors who care for them. The diagnosis of uncomplicated UTI can be achieved best by a thorough assessment of patient symptoms with or without the addition of a urine dipstick test. Treatment should be based on the most recent guidelines, taking into account resistance patterns in the local community. The patient who suffers from recurrent UTIs can be treated safely and effectively with continuous antibiotic prophylaxis, post-coital therapy, or self-initiated treatment. This review article covers the latest trends in the management of recurrent UTI among women. Further research is needed regarding rapid diagnosis of UTI, accurate presumptive identification of patients with resistant pathogens, and development of new antimicrobials for drug-resistant UTI. (author)

Clustering Dycom

KAUST Repository

Minku, Leandro L.

2017-10-06

Background: Software Effort Estimation (SEE) can be formulated as an online learning problem, where new projects are completed over time and may become available for training. In this scenario, a Cross-Company (CC) SEE approach called Dycom can drastically reduce the number of Within-Company (WC) projects needed for training, saving the high cost of collecting such training projects. However, Dycom relies on splitting CC projects into different subsets in order to create its CC models. Such splitting can have a significant impact on Dycom\\'s predictive performance. Aims: This paper investigates whether clustering methods can be used to help finding good CC splits for Dycom. Method: Dycom is extended to use clustering methods for creating the CC subsets. Three different clustering methods are investigated, namely Hierarchical Clustering, K-Means, and Expectation-Maximisation. Clustering Dycom is compared against the original Dycom with CC subsets of different sizes, based on four SEE databases. A baseline WC model is also included in the analysis. Results: Clustering Dycom with K-Means can potentially help to split the CC projects, managing to achieve similar or better predictive performance than Dycom. However, K-Means still requires the number of CC subsets to be pre-defined, and a poor choice can negatively affect predictive performance. EM enables Dycom to automatically set the number of CC subsets while still maintaining or improving predictive performance with respect to the baseline WC model. Clustering Dycom with Hierarchical Clustering did not offer significant advantage in terms of predictive performance. Conclusion: Clustering methods can be an effective way to automatically generate Dycom\\'s CC subsets.

[The role of the uretral catheter in the development of catheter- related urinary tract infection].

Science.gov (United States)

Vasilyev, A O; Govorov, A V; Shiryaev, A A; Pushkar, D Yu

2017-12-01

The most common source of nosocomial infection is the urinary tract, especially if they it is drained with a urethral catheter. Catheter-associated urinary tract infections account for at least 80% of all complicated urinary tract infections and are the most common type of hospital-acquired infection. Intestinal microflora plays the leading role in the pathogenesis of catheter-associated urinary tract infections, whereas the most important risk factor for their development is the long duration of urinary catheter drainage. In the case of short-term and intermittent catheterization, routine antibiotic prophylaxis is not required, but if a patient develops clinically significant infection, antibiotic therapy is required followed by definitive therapy based on culture. Urethral catheters coated with antimicrobial substances and anti-inflammatory agents can significantly reduce the adhesion and migration of bacteria, thereby reducing the incidence of urinary tract infections. Despite this, the incidence of catheter-associated infection remains high. We have reviewed recent literature related to catheter-associated urinary tract infections and the best means of preventing this condition.

Proteus mirabilis fimbriae- and urease-dependent clusters assemble in an extracellular niche to initiate bladder stone formation.

Science.gov (United States)

Schaffer, Jessica N; Norsworthy, Allison N; Sun, Tung-Tien; Pearson, Melanie M

2016-04-19

The catheter-associated uropathogenProteus mirabilisfrequently causes urinary stones, but little has been known about the initial stages of bladder colonization and stone formation. We found thatP. mirabilisrapidly invades the bladder urothelium, but generally fails to establish an intracellular niche. Instead, it forms extracellular clusters in the bladder lumen, which form foci of mineral deposition consistent with development of urinary stones. These clusters elicit a robust neutrophil response, and we present evidence of neutrophil extracellular trap generation during experimental urinary tract infection. We identified two virulence factors required for cluster development: urease, which is required for urolithiasis, and mannose-resistantProteus-like fimbriae. The extracellular cluster formation byP. mirabilisstands in direct contrast to uropathogenicEscherichia coli, which readily formed intracellular bacterial communities but not luminal clusters or urinary stones. We propose that extracellular clusters are a key mechanism ofP. mirabilissurvival and virulence in the bladder.

Generalized q-sampling imaging fiber tractography reveals displacement and infiltration of fiber tracts in low-grade gliomas

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Celtikci, Pinar; Fernandes-Cabral, David T.; Yeh, Fang-Cheng; Panesar, Sandip S.; Fernandez-Miranda, Juan C. [University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Department of Neurological Surgery, Pittsburgh, PA (United States)

2018-03-15

Low-grade gliomas (LGGs) are slow growing brain tumors that often cause displacement and/or infiltration of the surrounding white matter pathways. Differentiation between infiltration and displacement of fiber tracts remains a challenge. Currently, there is no reliable noninvasive imaging method capable of revealing such white matter alteration patterns. We employed quantitative anisotropy (QA) derived from generalized q-sampling imaging (GQI) to identify patterns of fiber tract alterations by LGGs. Sixteen patients with a neuropathological diagnosis of LGG (WHO grade II) were enrolled. Peritumoral fiber tracts underwent qualitative and quantitative evaluation. Contralateral hemisphere counterparts were used for comparison. Tracts were qualitatively classified as unaffected, displaced, infiltrated or displaced, and infiltrated at once. The average QA of whole tract (W), peritumoral tract segment (S), and their ratio (S/W) were obtained and compared to the healthy side for quantitative evaluation. Qualitative analysis revealed 9 (13.8%) unaffected, 24 (36.9%) displaced, 13 (20%) infiltrated, and 19 (29.2%) tracts with a combination of displacement and infiltration. There were no disrupted tracts. There was a significant increase in S/W ratio among displaced tracts in the pre-operative scans in comparison with the contralateral side. QA values of peritumoral tract segments (S) were significantly lower in infiltrated tracts. WHO grade II LGGs might displace, infiltrate, or cause a combination of displacement and infiltration of WM tracts. QA derived from GQI provides valuable information that helps to differentiate infiltration from displacement. Anisotropy changes correlate with qualitative alterations, which may serve as a potential biomarker of fiber tract integrity. (orig.)

"Urinary Tract Infection"-Requiem for a Heavyweight.

Science.gov (United States)

Finucane, Thomas E

2017-08-01

"Urinary tract infection" ("UTI") is an ambiguous, expansive, overused diagnosis that can lead to marked, harmful antibiotic overtreatment. "Significant bacteriuria," central to most definitions of "UTI," has little significance in identifying individuals who will benefit from treatment. "Urinary symptoms" are similarly uninformative. Neither criterion is well defined. Bacteriuria and symptoms remit and recur spontaneously. Treatment is standard for acute uncomplicated cystitis and common for asymptomatic bacteriuria, but definite benefits are few. Treatment for "UTI" in older adults with delirium and bacteriuria is widespread but no evidence supports the practice, and expert opinion opposes it. Sensitive diagnostic tests now demonstrate that healthy urinary tracts host a ubiquitous, complex microbial community. Recognition of this microbiome, largely undetectable using standard agar-based cultures, offers a new perspective on "UTI." Everyone is bacteriuric. From this perspective, most people who are treated for a "UTI" would probably be better off without treatment. Elderly adults, little studied in this regard, face particular risk. Invasive bacterial diseases such as pyelonephritis and bacteremic bacteriuria are also "UTIs." Mindful decisions about antibiotic use will require a far better understanding of how pathogenicity arises within microbial communities. It is likely that public education and meaningful informed-consent discussions about antibiotic treatment of bacteriuria, emphasizing potential harms and uncertain benefits, would reduce overtreatment. Emphasizing the microbiome's significance and using the term "urinary tract dysbiosis" instead of "UTI" might also help and might encourage mindful study of the relationships among host, aging, microbiome, disease, and antibiotic treatment. © 2017, Copyright the Author Journal compilation © 2017, The American Geriatrics Society.

Endemic and Epidemic Lineages of Escherichia coli that Cause Urinary Tract Infections

Science.gov (United States)

Tabor, Helen; Tellis, Patricia; Vincent, Caroline; Tellier, Pierre-Paul

2008-01-01

Women with urinary tract infections (UTIs) in California, USA (1999–2001), were infected with closely related or indistinguishable strains of Escherichia coli (clonal groups), which suggests point source dissemination. We compared strains of UTI-causing E. coli in California with strains causing such infections in Montréal, Québec, Canada. Urine specimens from women with community-acquired UTIs in Montréal (2006) were cultured for E. coli. Isolates that caused 256 consecutive episodes of UTI were characterized by antimicrobial drug susceptibility profile, enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus 2 PCR, serotyping, XbaI and NotI pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, multilocus sequence typing, and phylogenetic typing. We confirmed the presence of drug-resistant, genetically related, and temporally clustered E. coli clonal groups that caused community-acquired UTIs in unrelated women in 2 locations and 2 different times. Two clonal groups were identified in both locations. Epidemic transmission followed by endemic transmission of UTI-causing clonal groups may explain these clusters of UTI cases. PMID:18826822

Antibiotic resistance in children with recurrent or complicated urinary tract infection.

Science.gov (United States)

Younis, N; Quol, K; Al-Momani, T; Al-Awaisheh, F; Al-Kayed, D

2009-01-01

Urinary tract infection is certainly one of the most common childhood infections. Emerging resistance to the antibiotics is not unusual. Current hospitalization for children with urinary tract infection is reserved for severe or complicated cases. The aim of the present study was to determine the antibiotic resistance pattern among children with recurrent or complicated urinary tract infection. A retrospective study carried out at Prince Hashem hospital, Zarqa city, eastern Jordan and involved 336 episodes of culture proved urinary tract infection obtained from 121 patients with recurrent UTI, who used prophylactic antibiotics during the period from April 1, 2004 to December 31, 2006. The isolated microorganisms and there antibiotics susceptibility were studied. Seventy three patients (60.3%) were found to have some forms of urinary tract anomaly, significantly more prevalent among male children Purinary tract infection (64.3% vs. 16.6%, Purinary tract infection. Proteus, Pseudomonas and Candida spp. were more prevalent in patients with complicated (Presistant to most antibiotics tested. Pediatric urine culture isolates are becoming increasingly resistant to commonly used antibiotics. Empirical treatment with Trimethoprim-Sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX) or Cephalexin as the initial drug is ineffective. Nitrofurantoin and Nalidixic acid can be considered as the first line antibiotics for prophylaxis and or treatment of patients with recurrent UTI, while Meropenam and Ciprofloxacin can be used empirically in treating patients with complicated UTI.

Upper Respiratory Tract Diseases in Athletes in Different Sports Disciplines.

Science.gov (United States)

Gałązka-Franta, Anna; Jura-Szołtys, Edyta; Smółka, Wojciech; Gawlik, Radosław

2016-12-01

Upper respiratory tract diseases in athletes are a very common medical problem. Training conditions in different sports disciplines increase the risk of upper respiratory disease. Epidemiological evidence suggests that heavy acute or chronic exercise is related to an increased incidence of upper respiratory tract infections in athletes. Regular physical exercise at high intensity may lead to transient immunosuppression due to high prevalence of allergic diseases in athletes. Regardless of the cause they can exclude athletes from the training program and significantly impair their performance. In the present work, the most common upper respiratory tract diseases in athletes taking into account the disciplines in which they most often occur were presented. The focus was laid on symptoms, diagnostic methods and pharmacotherapy. Moreover, preventive procedures which can help reduce the occurrence of upper respiratory tract disease in athletes were presented. Management according to anti-doping rules, criteria for return to training and competition as an important issues of athlete's health were discussed.

Survey of risk factors urinary tract infection

OpenAIRE

A Dehghani; M zahedi; M moezzi; M dafei; H Falahzadeh

2016-01-01

Introduction: Women are very susceptible to urinary tract infections and pregnancy raises the risk of urinary tract infection. In general, little information on the risk factors of urinary tract infection in pregnancy is underway. Urinary tract infection in pregnancy is an important risk factor for pregnancy dire consequences. The purpose of this study is to find risk factors associated with urinary tract infection in pregnant women. Methods: The study was observational and retrospective ...

Clustering of near clusters versus cluster compactness

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yu Gao; Yipeng Jing

1989-01-01

The clustering properties of near Zwicky clusters are studied by using the two-point angular correlation function. The angular correlation functions for compact and medium compact clusters, for open clusters, and for all near Zwicky clusters are estimated. The results show much stronger clustering for compact and medium compact clusters than for open clusters, and that open clusters have nearly the same clustering strength as galaxies. A detailed study of the compactness-dependence of correlation function strength is worth investigating. (author)

Kidneys and Urinary Tract (For Parents)

Science.gov (United States)

... Videos for Educators Search English Español Kidneys and Urinary Tract KidsHealth / For Parents / Kidneys and Urinary Tract What's ... Los riñones y las vías urinarias Kidneys and Urinary Tract Basics Our bodies produce several kinds of wastes, ...

Real-Time Vocal Tract Modelling

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

K. Benkrid

2008-03-01

Full Text Available To date, most speech synthesis techniques have relied upon the representation of the vocal tract by some form of filter, a typical example being linear predictive coding (LPC. This paper describes the development of a physiologically realistic model of the vocal tract using the well-established technique of transmission line modelling (TLM. This technique is based on the principle of wave scattering at transmission line segment boundaries and may be used in one, two, or three dimensions. This work uses this technique to model the vocal tract using a one-dimensional transmission line. A six-port scattering node is applied in the region separating the pharyngeal, oral, and the nasal parts of the vocal tract.

Renal dynamic functional scintigraphy in children with congenital urinary tract anomalies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cui Ruixue; Zhou Qian

2000-01-01

Objective: To clarify the characteristics of renal scintigraphy in children with various congenital urinary tract anomalies and to evaluate their clinical significance. Methods: 51 children with congenital urinary tract anomalies were studied by 99 Tc m -DTPA renal dynamic functional scintigraphy (RDFS)). Among them, 8 cases were studied by diuretic renography in addition. Results: RDFS provided: 1) Both the morphological information of anomalies and the split renal function. 2) Localization of the site of urinary tract obstruction. In case of pelviureteric junction obstruction, the hydronephrosis was usually severe but with normal size ureter, whereas in ureterovesical junction obstruction the hydronephrosis was less severe but with dilatation of ureter. In case of lower urinary tract obstruction, the hydronephrosis and hydroureter were bilateral. Diuretic renography differentiated obstructive from non-obstructive hydronephrosis. By comparing pre-and post operative studies, it was easy to evaluate the recovery of renal function. Conclusions: RDFS is a valuable modality for giving both anatomical and functional information in children with congenital urinary tract anomalies and the authors suggest it should be used more popularly in Pediatrics

Cluster-cluster clustering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barnes, J.; Dekel, A.; Efstathiou, G.; Frenk, C.S.; Yale Univ., New Haven, CT; California Univ., Santa Barbara; Cambridge Univ., England; Sussex Univ., Brighton, England)

1985-01-01

The cluster correlation function xi sub c(r) is compared with the particle correlation function, xi(r) in cosmological N-body simulations with a wide range of initial conditions. The experiments include scale-free initial conditions, pancake models with a coherence length in the initial density field, and hybrid models. Three N-body techniques and two cluster-finding algorithms are used. In scale-free models with white noise initial conditions, xi sub c and xi are essentially identical. In scale-free models with more power on large scales, it is found that the amplitude of xi sub c increases with cluster richness; in this case the clusters give a biased estimate of the particle correlations. In the pancake and hybrid models (with n = 0 or 1), xi sub c is steeper than xi, but the cluster correlation length exceeds that of the points by less than a factor of 2, independent of cluster richness. Thus the high amplitude of xi sub c found in studies of rich clusters of galaxies is inconsistent with white noise and pancake models and may indicate a primordial fluctuation spectrum with substantial power on large scales. 30 references

Corticobulbar tract changes as predictors of dysarthria in childhood brain injury.

Science.gov (United States)

Liégeois, Frédérique; Tournier, Jacques-Donald; Pigdon, Lauren; Connelly, Alan; Morgan, Angela T

2013-03-05

To identify corticobulbar tract changes that may predict chronic dysarthria in young people who have sustained a traumatic brain injury (TBI) in childhood using diffusion MRI tractography. We collected diffusion-weighted MRI data from 49 participants. We compared 17 young people (mean age 17 years, 10 months; on average 8 years postinjury) with chronic dysarthria who sustained a TBI in childhood (range 3-16 years) with 2 control groups matched for age and sex: 1 group of young people who sustained a traumatic injury but had no subsequent dysarthria (n = 15), and 1 group of typically developing individuals (n = 17). We performed tractography from spherical seed regions within the precentral gyrus white matter to track: 1) the hand-related corticospinal tract; 2) the dorsal corticobulbar tract, thought to correspond to the lips/larynx motor representation; and 3) the ventral corticobulbar tract, corresponding to the tongue representation. Despite widespread white matter damage, radial (perpendicular) diffusivity within the left dorsal corticobulbar tract was the best predictor of the presence of dysarthria after TBI. Diffusion metrics in this tract also predicted speech and oromotor performance across the whole group of TBI participants, with additional significant contributions from ventral speech tract volume in the right hemisphere. An intact left dorsal corticobulbar tract seems crucial to the normal execution of speech long term after acquired injury. Examining the speech-related motor pathways using diffusion-weighted MRI tractography offers a promising prognostic tool for people with acquired, developmental, or degenerative neurologic conditions likely to affect speech.

Diabetes and Risk of Community-Acquired Respiratory Tract Infections, Urinary Tract Infections, and Bacteremia

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Thomsen, Reimar W.; Mor, Anil

2013-01-01

This review provides an update on the risk of several important community-acquired infections seen in patients with diabetes: respiratory tract infections, urinary tract infections, and bacteremia. Respiratory tract infections: Recent epidemiological evidence shows a modest (1.25 to 1.75-fold) risk...... increase for hospitalization with pneumonia associated with diabetes. The increase of risk for tuberculosis is of similar magnitude in highly developed countries, and possibly higher in low-income countries. Poor glycemic control and long diabetes duration predict higher risk for both pneumonia...... and tuberculosis. Limited data is available for diabetes and influenza, yet both influenza and pneumococcal vaccination is recommended in patients with diabetes. Urinary tract infections: The risk of asymptomatic bacteriuria and cystitis is 1.5 to 2 times increased in diabetes patients, while their risk...

Measurement of optic tracts in normal Chinese adults of the Han nationality based on the high-resolution MRI

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Changying; Shi Linping; Zhang Yang; Wang Jian; Chen Nan; Wang Xing; Li Kuncheng; Zhuo Yan; Chen Lin

2010-01-01

Objective: To explore the morphological characteristics of optic tracts in healthy Chinese Han adults on the high-resolution MRI and fill the database of Chinese standard brain with morphological data of optic tracts. Methods: Cerebral MRI scans with T 1 WI 3D MPRAGE sequence of 1000 healthy Chinese volunteers from 15 hospitals were divided into five stages, ranging in age from 18 to 70. With the technique of multi-baseline, structure and morphology of optic tracts were displayed optimally on the images with multiplanar reconstruction. Data were measured as following: transverse distance of the cisternal optic tract (TD1) and peri-crural optic tract (TD2), length from the cisternal optic tract to the peri-crural optic tract (L), angle between optic tract(AOT) and height of optic tract from its first segment to plane of anterior commissure (H) including H1, H2, H3, H4 and H5. The measurements of optic tracts between sexualities and among age groups were compared by anasis of covariance; those among five age groups were compared pairwisedly by least significant difference analysis (LSD); and the differences of measurements between left and right optic tracts were analyzed using paired t test. Results: (1) Comparisons of optic tract structures between male and female: the mean optic tract length of male [(11.69±1.45),(11.56±1.44) mm] was significant longer than that of female [(10.58±1.29), (10.40±1.34) mm] (F=22.236, 29.703, P=0.000); the mean H1 of male [(2.56±0.28), (2.60±0.29) mm] and female [(2.57±0.31), (2.63±0.32) mm] were significantly different (F= 11.130,7.805, P=0.000, 0.005). No significant differences of the other measurements were found between male and female (P>0.05). (2) Comparisons among age groups: among 5 age groups, TD1 of both sides [left TD1 :(4.64 ± 0.51) ,(4.64 ± 0.57), (4.55 ± 0.58), (4.39 ± 0.53), (4.36 ± 0.58) mm; right TD1: (4.84 ± 0.53), (4.80 ± 0.60 ), (4.77 ± 0.65), (4.60 ± 0.59), (4.57 ± 0.59) mm ] and the right TD2

Malignant tumours in the digestive tract of employees of the gas industry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Manz, A.; Berger, J.; Waltsgott, H.; Kersting, A.

1991-01-01

An epidemiological study was carried out to investigate whether the influences of a person's working environment can lead to the development of malignant tumours in the digestive tract. The subjects of the study were employees of a large gas company, 4.928 men and 592 women. It appears that the workers at the furnace block were relatively more affected by tumors of the digestive tract than the other groups. The SMR as compared with the office workers and administrative personnel is 2.838, and compared with the other industrial employees is 1.333. The differences in both cases are statistically significant. Smoking habits have even less effects on the development of carcinomas of the digestive tract than on those of the respiratory tract. Apart from this, it is only the upper section of the digestive tract (the oral cavity, esophagus and stomach) which could be influenced by smoking. Psychological/nervous strain seems to accelerate the formation of such tumours, especially in the stomach region. (orig.) [de

Pathophysiology of nocturnal lower urinary tract symptoms in older patients with urinary incontinence.

Science.gov (United States)

Denys, Marie-Astrid; Decalf, Veerle; Kumps, Candy; Petrovic, Mirko; Goessaert, An-Sofie; Everaert, Karel

2017-11-01

To explore the mismatch between functional bladder capacity and nocturnal urine production, and to study the pathophysiology of an increased nocturnal urine production in older patients with urinary incontinence. The present prospective observational study included adults aged ≥65 years with urinary incontinence. Participants completed questionnaires, frequency volume charts and renal function profiles. The nocturnal lower urinary tract symptom index was defined as nocturnal urine output/maximum voided volume; the nocturnal polyuria index as nocturnal/24 h urine output. The median age (n = 95) was 74 years (69-79), 87% were women and 73% had nocturnal lower urinary tract symptoms (nocturnal urinary incontinence or nocturia ≥2). Participants with nocturnal lower urinary tract symptoms had a significantly higher nocturnal urine output (809 mL vs 650 mL; P = 0.001) and no significant difference in maximum voided volume (350 mL vs 437 mL; P = 0.079) compared with participants without nocturnal lower urinary tract symptoms. Participants (nocturnal polyuria index >33% [n = 56], nocturnal polyuria index >40% [n = 42], nocturnal lower urinary tract symptom index >1.87 [n = 51]) showed higher night-time diuresis rates, free water and sodium clearance compared with during the daytime. Controls (nocturnal polyuria index ≤33% [n = 26], nocturnal polyuria index ≤40% [n = 40], nocturnal lower urinary tract symptom index ≤1.87 [n = 44]) had no circadian rhythm in their diuresis rate or sodium clearance, but more nocturnal free water clearance compared with during the daytime. The majority of older adults with urinary incontinence present nocturnal lower urinary tract symptoms. An increased nocturnal sodium diuresis seems to be the only mechanism differentiating patients with nocturnal lower urinary tract symptoms from controls. © 2017 The Japanese Urological Association.

Gene cluster statistics with gene families.

Science.gov (United States)

Raghupathy, Narayanan; Durand, Dannie

2009-05-01

Identifying genomic regions that descended from a common ancestor is important for understanding the function and evolution of genomes. In distantly related genomes, clusters of homologous gene pairs are evidence of candidate homologous regions. Demonstrating the statistical significance of such "gene clusters" is an essential component of comparative genomic analyses. However, currently there are no practical statistical tests for gene clusters that model the influence of the number of homologs in each gene family on cluster significance. In this work, we demonstrate empirically that failure to incorporate gene family size in gene cluster statistics results in overestimation of significance, leading to incorrect conclusions. We further present novel analytical methods for estimating gene cluster significance that take gene family size into account. Our methods do not require complete genome data and are suitable for testing individual clusters found in local regions, such as contigs in an unfinished assembly. We consider pairs of regions drawn from the same genome (paralogous clusters), as well as regions drawn from two different genomes (orthologous clusters). Determining cluster significance under general models of gene family size is computationally intractable. By assuming that all gene families are of equal size, we obtain analytical expressions that allow fast approximation of cluster probabilities. We evaluate the accuracy of this approximation by comparing the resulting gene cluster probabilities with cluster probabilities obtained by simulating a realistic, power-law distributed model of gene family size, with parameters inferred from genomic data. Surprisingly, despite the simplicity of the underlying assumption, our method accurately approximates the true cluster probabilities. It slightly overestimates these probabilities, yielding a conservative test. We present additional simulation results indicating the best choice of parameter values for data

Predicting the Risk of Breakthrough Urinary Tract Infections: Primary Vesicoureteral Reflux.

Science.gov (United States)

Hidas, Guy; Billimek, John; Nam, Alexander; Soltani, Tandis; Kelly, Maryellen S; Selby, Blake; Dorgalli, Crystal; Wehbi, Elias; McAleer, Irene; McLorie, Gordon; Greenfield, Sheldon; Kaplan, Sherrie H; Khoury, Antoine E

2015-11-01

We constructed a risk prediction instrument stratifying patients with primary vesicoureteral reflux into groups according to their 2-year probability of breakthrough urinary tract infection. Demographic and clinical information was retrospectively collected in children diagnosed with primary vesicoureteral reflux and followed for 2 years. Bivariate and binary logistic regression analyses were performed to identify factors associated with breakthrough urinary tract infection. The final regression model was used to compute an estimation of the 2-year probability of breakthrough urinary tract infection for each subject. Accuracy of the binary classifier for breakthrough urinary tract infection was evaluated using receiver operator curve analysis. Three distinct risk groups were identified. The model was then validated in a prospective cohort. A total of 252 bivariate analyses showed that high grade (IV or V) vesicoureteral reflux (OR 9.4, 95% CI 3.8-23.5, p urinary tract infection (OR 5.3, 95% CI 1.1-24.7, p = 0.034) and female gender (OR 2.6, 95% CI 0.097-7.11, p urinary tract infection. Subgroup analysis revealed bladder and bowel dysfunction was a significant risk factor more pronounced in low grade (I to III) vesicoureteral reflux (OR 2.8, p = 0.018). The estimation model was applied for prospective validation, which demonstrated predicted vs actual 2-year breakthrough urinary tract infection rates of 19% vs 21%. Stratifying the patients into 3 risk groups based on parameters in the risk model showed 2-year risk for breakthrough urinary tract infection was 8.6%, 26.0% and 62.5% in the low, intermediate and high risk groups, respectively. This proposed risk stratification and probability model allows prediction of 2-year risk of patient breakthrough urinary tract infection to better inform parents of possible outcomes and treatment strategies. Copyright © 2015 American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights

Urinary Tract Infections (For Kids)

Medline Plus

Full Text Available ... Staying Safe Videos for Educators Search English Español Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs) KidsHealth / For Kids / Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs) What's in this article? What Exactly Is ...

Probiotics in the prophylaxis of recurrent urinary tract infections in children

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Danuta Zwolińska

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Recurrent urinary tract infections are a serious clinical problem both in adults and children. Febrile episodes of recurrent urinary tract infections may lead to the formation of renal scars and development of chronic kidney disease. Traditionally, management involved antibiotic prophylaxis introduced after a first febrile episode. Recently, however, the indications for antibiotic therapy have been narrowed down to treat cases of recurrent urinary tract infections and disorders which pose a significant risk for their development. In the current era of the ubiquitous use of antibiotics, bacterial resistance is an increasingly alarming problem, hence the recent search for alternative methods of prophylactic treatment. For many reasons, probiotics appear to be an excellent alternative. The microbiome of the human gastrointestinal tract and urogenital tract consists of a multitude of helpful probiotic bacteria, including the especially beneficial Lactobacillus strain. A significant relationship has been confirmed to exist between infections of the urinary tract and a decreased number of lactobacilli. Their antibacterial properties include their ability to  secrete numerous substances inhibiting the growth of  pathogenic microorganisms and to form a biofilm preventing the adhesion of uropathogens to the epithelium of the urinary tract as well as, indirectly, their immunomodulatory potential. This study is aimed at discussing the existing evidence supporting the effectiveness of probiotics in the prophylaxis of recurrent urinary tract infections, with special emphasis on the paediatric population. Probiotics make an excellent and safe alternative for the traditional prophylactic antibiotic therapy.

Rationale diagnostic approach to biliary tract imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Helmberger, H.; Huppertz, A.; Ruell, T.; Zillinger, C.; Ehrenberg, C.; Roesch, T.

1998-01-01

Since the introduction of MR cholangiography (MRC) diagnostic imaging of the biliary tract has been significantly improved. While percutaneous ultrasonography is still the primary examination, computed tomography (CT), conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), as well as the direct imaging modalities of the biliary tract - iv cholangiography, endoscopic-retrograde-cholangiography (ERC), and percutaneous-transhepatic-cholangiography (PTC) are in use. This article discusses the clinical value of the different diagnostic techniques for the various biliary pathologies with special attention to recent developments in MRC techniques. An algorithm is presented offering a rational approach to biliary disorders. With further technical improvement shifts from ERC(P) to MRC(P) for biliary imaging could be envisioned, ERCP further concentrating on its role as a minimal invasive treatment option. (orig.) [de

Substructure in clusters of galaxies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fitchett, M.J.

1988-01-01

Optical observations suggesting the existence of substructure in clusters of galaxies are examined. Models of cluster formation and methods used to detect substructure in clusters are reviewed. Consideration is given to classification schemes based on a departure of bright cluster galaxies from a spherically symmetric distribution, evidence for statistically significant substructure, and various types of substructure, including velocity, spatial, and spatial-velocity substructure. The substructure observed in the galaxy distribution in clusters is discussed, focusing on observations from general cluster samples, the Virgo cluster, the Hydra cluster, Centaurus, the Coma cluster, and the Cancer cluster. 88 refs

White matter tract network disruption explains reduced conscientiousness in multiple sclerosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Fuchs, Tom A; Dwyer, Michael G; Kuceyeski, Amy; Choudhery, Sanjeevani; Carolus, Keith; Li, Xian; Mallory, Matthew; Weinstock-Guttman, Bianca; Jakimovski, Dejan; Ramasamy, Deepa; Zivadinov, Robert; Benedict, Ralph H B

2018-05-08

Quantifying white matter (WM) tract disruption in people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS) provides a novel means for investigating the relationship between defective network connectivity and clinical markers. PwMS exhibit perturbations in personality, where decreased Conscientiousness is particularly prominent. This trait deficit influences disease trajectory and functional outcomes such as work capacity. We aimed to identify patterns of WM tract disruption related to decreased Conscientiousness in PwMS. Personality assessment and brain MRI were obtained in 133 PwMS and 49 age- and sex-matched healthy controls (HC). Lesion maps were applied to determine the severity of WM tract disruption between pairs of gray matter regions. Next, the Network-Based-Statistics tool was applied to identify structural networks whose disruption negatively correlates with Conscientiousness. Finally, to determine whether these networks explain unique variance above conventional MRI measures and cognition, regression models were applied controlling for age, sex, brain volume, T2-lesion volume, and cognition. Relative to HCs, PwMS exhibited lower Conscientiousness and slowed cognitive processing speed (p = .025, p = .006). Lower Conscientiousness in PwMS was significantly associated with WM tract disruption between frontal, frontal-parietal, and frontal-cingulate pathways in the left (p = .02) and right (p = .01) hemisphere. The mean disruption of these pathways explained unique additive variance in Conscientiousness, after accounting for conventional MRI markers of pathology and cognition (ΔR 2  = .049, p = .029). Damage to WM tracts between frontal, frontal-parietal, and frontal-cingulate cortical regions is significantly correlated with reduced Conscientiousness in PwMS. Tract disruption within these networks explains decreased Conscientiousness observed in PwMS as compared with HCs. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Microbiota of male genital tract: impact on the health of man and his partner.

Science.gov (United States)

Mändar, Reet

2013-03-01

This manuscript describes the male genital tract microbiota and the significance of it on the host's and his partner's health. Microbiota exists in male lower genital tract, mostly in urethra and coronal sulcus while high inter-subject variability exists. Differences appear between sexually transmitted disease positive and negative men as well as circumcised and uncircumcised men. Upper genital tract is generally germ-free, except in case of infections. Prostatitis patients have frequently abundant polymicrobial communities in their semen, expressed prostatic secretion and/or post-massage urine. Coryneform bacteria have ambivalent role in male urogenital tract being frequently commensals but sometimes associated with prostatitis and urethritis. Interactions between male and female genital tract microbiota are highly likely yet there are very scarce studies on the couples' genital tract microbiota. Increase of bacterial vaginosis-type microbiota and coliforms are the most typical findings in men while the adverse effect of male genital tract bacteria on in vitro fertilization and pregnancy outcome has also been indicated. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Large-Scale Multi-Dimensional Document Clustering on GPU Clusters

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cui, Xiaohui [ORNL; Mueller, Frank [North Carolina State University; Zhang, Yongpeng [ORNL; Potok, Thomas E [ORNL

2010-01-01

Document clustering plays an important role in data mining systems. Recently, a flocking-based document clustering algorithm has been proposed to solve the problem through simulation resembling the flocking behavior of birds in nature. This method is superior to other clustering algorithms, including k-means, in the sense that the outcome is not sensitive to the initial state. One limitation of this approach is that the algorithmic complexity is inherently quadratic in the number of documents. As a result, execution time becomes a bottleneck with large number of documents. In this paper, we assess the benefits of exploiting the computational power of Beowulf-like clusters equipped with contemporary Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) as a means to significantly reduce the runtime of flocking-based document clustering. Our framework scales up to over one million documents processed simultaneously in a sixteennode GPU cluster. Results are also compared to a four-node cluster with higher-end GPUs. On these clusters, we observe 30X-50X speedups, which demonstrates the potential of GPU clusters to efficiently solve massive data mining problems. Such speedups combined with the scalability potential and accelerator-based parallelization are unique in the domain of document-based data mining, to the best of our knowledge.

Respiratory Tract Infections and Voice Quality in 4-Year-old Children in the STEPS Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Kallvik, Emma; Toivonen, Laura; Peltola, Ville; Kaljonen, Anne; Simberg, Susanna

2018-03-02

Health-related factors are part of the multifactorial background of dysphonia in children. Respiratory tract infections affect the same systems and structures that are used for voice production. The purpose of this study was to investigate if the number of respiratory tract infections or the viral etiology were significant predictors for a more hoarse voice quality. The participants were 4-year-old children who participated in the multidisciplinary STEPS study (Steps to the Healthy Development and Well-being of Children) where they were followed up from pregnancy or birth to 4 years of age. Data were collected through questionnaires and a health diary filled in by the parents. Some of the children were followed up more intensively for respiratory tract infections during the first 2 years of life, and nasal swab samples were taken at the onset of respiratory symptoms. Our participants were 489 of these children who had participated in the follow-up for at least 1 year and for whom data on respiratory tract infections and data on voice quality were available. The number of hospitalizations due to respiratory tract infections was a significant predictor for a more hoarse voice quality. Neither the number of rhinovirus infections nor the number of respiratory syncytial virus infections was statistically significant predictors for a more hoarse voice quality. Based on our results, we would suggest including questions on the presence of respiratory tract infections that have led to hospitalization in the pediatric voice anamnesis. Whether the viral etiology of respiratory tract infections is of importance or not requires further research. Copyright © 2018 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Radiological diagnostics in oncology. Vol. 2. Gasterointestinal tract, urogenital tract, retroperitoneum

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Layer, G.

2008-01-01

The radiological diagnostics is of main importance for identification, status classification, therapy planning and control and aftertreatment of tumor diseases; therefore there is a need for appropriate requirements dependent on the specific case. The volume contains the following contributions: oesophasus carcinoma, stomach carcinoma, small intestine carcinoma, colorectal carcinoma, liver carcinoma, gall bladder and biliary tract carcinoma, exocrine pancreas carcinoma, kidney and urinary tract carcinomas, testicular carcinoma, prostate carcinoma, malign tumor in the adrenal gland, uterus carcinoma, uterine carcinoma

Urinary Tract Infections in Children

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mustafa Taskesen

2009-04-01

Full Text Available Urinary tract infections (UTI are frequent conditions in children. Untreated urinary tract infections can lead to serious kidney problems that could threaten the life of the child. Therefore, early detection and treatment of urinary tract infection is important. In older children, urinary tract infections may cause obvious symptoms such as stomach ache and disuria. In infants and young children, UTIs may be harder to detect because of less specific symptoms. Recurrences are common in children with urinary abnormalities such as neurogenic bladder, vesicourethral reflux or those with very poor toilet and hygiene habits. This article reviews the diagnostic approach and presents the current data related to the roles of radiologic imaging, surgical correction and antibiotic prophylaxis of UTIs in children. [Archives Medical Review Journal 2009; 18(2.000: 57-69

500 Cities: Census Tract Boundaries

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services — This census tract shapefile for the 500 Cities project was extracted from the Census 2010 Tiger/Line database and modified to remove portions of census tracts that...

The effect of XPD polymorphisms on digestive tract cancers risk: a meta-analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Du, Haina; Guo, Nannan; Shi, Bin; Zhang, Qian; Chen, Zhipeng; Lu, Kai; Shu, Yongqian; Chen, Tao; Zhu, Lingjun

2014-01-01

The Xeroderma pigmento-sum group D gene (XPD) plays a key role in nucleotide excision repair. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) located in its functional region may alter DNA repair capacity phenotype and cancer risk. Many studies have demonstrated that XPD polymorphisms are significantly associated with digestive tract cancers risk, but the results are inconsistent. We conducted a comprehensive meta-analysis to assess the association between XPD Lys751Gln polymorphism and digestive tract cancers risk. The digestive tract cancers that our study referred to, includes oral cancer, esophageal cancer, gastric cancer and colorectal cancer. We searched PubMed and EmBase up to December 31, 2012 to identify eligible studies. A total of 37 case-control studies including 9027 cases and 16072 controls were involved in this meta-analysis. Statistical analyses were performed with Stata software (version 11.0, USA). Odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to assess the strength of the association. The results showed that XPD Lys751Gln polymorphism was associated with the increased risk of digestive tract cancers (homozygote comparison (GlnGln vs. LysLys): OR = 1.12, 95% CI = 1.01-1.24, P = 0.029, P heterogeneity = 0.133). We found no statistical evidence for a significantly increased digestive tract cancers risk in the other genetic models. In the subgroup analysis, we also found the homozygote comparison increased the susceptibility of Asian population (OR = 1.28, 95% CI = 1.01-1.63, P = 0.045, P heterogeneity = 0.287). Stratified by cancer type and source of control, no significantly increased cancer risk was found in these subgroups. Additionally, risk estimates from hospital-based studies and esophageal studies were heterogeneous. Our meta-analysis suggested that the XPD 751Gln/Gln genotype was a low-penetrate risk factor for developing digestive tract cancers, especially in Asian populations.

[Mechanisms of urinary tract sterility maintenance].

Science.gov (United States)

Okrągła, Emilia; Szychowska, Katarzyna; Wolska, Lidia

2014-06-02

Physiologically, urine and the urinary tract are maintained sterile because of physical and chemical properties of urine and the innate immune system's action. The urinary tract is constantly exposed to the invasion of microorganisms from the exterior environment, also because of the anatomical placement of the urethra, in the vicinity of the rectum. Particularly vulnerable to urinary tract infections (UTI) are women (an additional risk factor is pregnancy), but also the elderly and children. The main pathogens causing UTI are bacteria; in 70-95% of cases it is the bacterium Escherichia coli. Infections caused by viruses and fungi are less common and are associated with decreased immunity, pharmacotherapy, or some diseases. Bacteria have evolved a number of factors that facilitate the colonization of the urinary tract: the cover and cell membrane antigens O and K1, lipopolysaccharide (LPS), fimbriae, pile and cilia. On the other hand, the human organism has evolved mechanisms to hinder colonization of the urinary tract: mechanisms arising from the anatomical structure of the urinary tract, the physicochemical properties of the urine and the activity of the innate immune system, also known as non-specific, which isolates and destroys pathogens using immunological processes, and the mechanisms for release of antimicrobial substances such as Tamm-Horsfall protein, mucopolysaccharides, immunoglobulins IgA and IgG, lactoferrin, lipocalin, neutrophils, cytokines and antimicrobial peptides. This review aims to analyze the state of knowledge on the mechanisms to maintain the sterility of the urinary tract used by the human organism and bacterial virulence factors to facilitate the colonization of the urinary tract.

[Urinary tract infection caused by Enterobacteriaceae and its relationship with vesicoureteral reflux].

Science.gov (United States)

Díaz Álvarez, Manuel; Acosta Batista, Bárbara; Pérez Córdova, Rodolfo; Hernández Robledo, Ernesto

The first urinary tract infection can be a marker of a urinary tract anomaly, mainly vesicoureteral reflux. The aim of this work was to determine the association between isolated enterobacteria with the presence and grade of vesicoureteral reflux in neonatal patients with their first urinary tract infection. A retrospective, observational and analytic study of newborns, who were admitted to the Neonatal Department, University Pediatric Hospital "Juan Manuel Márquez," in Havana, Cuba, from 1992 to 2013 was conducted. The causal microorganism of urinary tract infection was from the Enterobacteriaceae family. They were evaluated by radio imaging. The association between the presence and grade of vesicoureteral reflux with the causal microorganism of the urinary tract infection was analyzed. Newborn infants with urinary tract infection (450) were studied. Bacterial isolations in the urine cultures corresponded to E. coli in 316 cases (70.2%). The prevalence of vesicoureteral reflux was 18.2%. The presence of bacteria corresponding to the Enterobacteriaceae family (other than E. coli) had significant risk association with vesicoureteral reflux (OR: 2.02; p urinary tract infection. However, an association between the isolation of a microorganism of the Enterobacteriaceae family different to E. coli with the presence of vesicoureteral reflux and mainly with higher grades of vesicoureteral reflux exists. Copyright © 2017 Hospital Infantil de México Federico Gómez. Publicado por Masson Doyma México S.A. All rights reserved.

High EDSS can predict risk for upper urinary tract damage in patients with multiple sclerosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Ineichen, Benjamin V; Schneider, Marc P; Hlavica, Martin; Hagenbuch, Niels; Linnebank, Michael; Kessler, Thomas M

2018-04-01

Neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction (NLUTD) is very common in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), and it might jeopardize renal function and thereby increase mortality. Although there are well-known urodynamic risk factors for upper urinary tract damage, no clinical prediction parameters are available. We aimed to assess clinical parameters potentially predicting urodynamic risk factors for upper urinary tract damage. A consecutive series of 141 patients with MS referred from neurologists for primary neuro-urological work-up including urodynamics were prospectively evaluated. Clinical parameters taken into account were age, sex, duration, and clinical course of MS and Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS). Multivariate modeling revealed EDSS as a clinical parameter significantly associated with urodynamic risk factors for upper urinary tract damage (odds ratio = 1.34, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.06-1.71, p = 0.02). Using receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curves, an EDSS of 5.0 as cutoff showed a sensitivity of 86%-87% and a specificity of 52% for at least one urodynamic risk factor for upper urinary tract damage. High EDSS is significantly associated with urodynamic risk factors for upper urinary tract damage and allows a risk-dependent stratification in daily neurological clinical practice to identify MS patients requiring further neuro-urological assessment and treatment.

Premenopausal women with recurrent urinary tract infections have lower quality of life.

Science.gov (United States)

Ennis, Siobhan S; Guo, Huifang; Raman, Lata; Tambyah, Paul A; Chen, Swaine L; Tiong, Ho Yee

2018-05-22

To examine the impact on quality of life of recurrent acute uncomplicated urinary tract infection among premenopausal Singaporean women, and to determine the risk factors for lower quality of life among these patients. A total of 85 patients with recurrent acute uncomplicated urinary tract infection who were referred to the Urology Department at the National University Hospital, Singapore, were prospectively recruited over a 3-year period to complete the validated Short Form 36 Health Survey version 1. In addition, demographic and clinical details including symptomology and medical history were analyzed for factors impacting quality of life. Short Form 36 Health Survey version 1 results were compared with published population norms. After adjusting for age, gender and race, recurrent acute uncomplicated urinary tract infection patients had significantly lower quality of life on seven out of eight Short Form 36 Health Survey version 1 domains when compared with age-, gender- and race-adjusted population norms for Singapore. Among those with recurrent acute uncomplicated urinary tract infection, those who also reported caffeine consumption had significantly lower Short Form 36 Health Survey version 1 scores than those who did not. Those who reported chronic constipation also had consistently lower Short Form 36 Health Survey version 1 scores across all domains. Recurrent acute uncomplicated urinary tract infection has a negative impact on the quality of life of premenopausal, otherwise healthy women. Recurrent acute uncomplicated urinary tract infection patients who also have chronic constipation or consume caffeine have lower quality of life than those who do not. More studies are required to understand the relationships between these common problems and risk factors. © 2018 The Japanese Urological Association.

Urinary Tract Infections (For Kids)

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Full Text Available ... an infection somewhere in your urinary tract. Let's find out more. What Exactly Is a Urinary Tract? ... bladder, your brain tells you it's time to find a bathroom. Once you're ready to pee, ...

Urinary Tract Infections (For Kids)

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Full Text Available ... Urinary Tract? Your urinary tract is actually a system made up of these main parts: two kidneys ... topic for: Kids Chronic Kidney Diseases Movie: Urinary System Your Urinary System Bedwetting View more About Us ...

Urinary Tract Infections (For Kids)

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Full Text Available ... Urinary Tract? Your urinary tract is actually a system made up of these main parts: two kidneys ... topic for: Kids Chronic Kidney Diseases Movie: Urinary System Your Urinary System Bedwetting View more Partner Message ...

Abnormalities of magnesium homeostasis in patients with chemotherapy-induced alimentary tract mucositis

OpenAIRE

Neven Baršić; Filip Grubišić-Čabo; Marko Nikolić; Neven Ljubičić

2016-01-01

Purpose: Hypomagnesemia contributes to morbidity in a significant proportion of hospitalized and severely ill patients, but it could also have beneficial anticancer effects. Alimentary tract mucositis is a frequent complication of cytotoxic chemotherapy. The aim of this study was to determine frequency and severity of hypomagnesemia in patients with different grades of chemotherapy-induced alimentary tract mucositis and to assess its clinical manifestations. Methods: Multicentric observat...

[Urinary tract infections in adults].

Science.gov (United States)

Michno, Mikolaj; Sydor, Antoni

Review of urinary tract infections in adults including etiology, pathogenesis, classification and the most important therapeutic recommendations. Urinary tract infections are still a common clinical problem occurring more often in sexually active women, pregnancy, elderly , after catherization of a urinary bladder and urological surgery as well as in the co-existence of diabetes or nephrolithiasis. Due to the anatomical differences, women suffer more often than men. The main etiological factor is Escherichia coli, even though it plays a lesser role in the complicated infections, than in non-complicated ones. Apart from that, the infections may also be caused by atypical microbes, viruses and fungi. Relapses as well as reinfections are typical features of urinary tract infections and in some cases prolonged infections can spread from lower to upper urinary tract contributing to pyelonephritis, urosepsis or even death. These long-term infections can progress in a hidden, insidious, oligosymptomatic or asymptomatic manner leading to irreversible, progressive deterioration of renal function. They can also mask other diseases such as tuberculosis or neoplasms of the urinary tract, which leads to the delayed diagnosis and treatment. Diagnosis and treatment of urinary tract infections is a complex problem, often requiring specialized procedures as well as hospitalization. The choice of a therapy is determined by the type of infection, general condition, age and coexisting diseases. Rapid diagnosis and implementation of proper pharmacotherapy may shorten the time of treatment and hospitalization, preventing serious complications and reinfections.

Computed tomography of the gastrointestinal tract

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Megibow, A.J.; Balthazar, E.J.

1986-01-01

New generation CT scans combined with high-detail barium studies have now allowed radiologists to see and gain a more complete understanding of the wall and surrounding structures of the gastrointestinal tract. The editors state that their intent is to ''present in a comprehensive volume an up-to-date evaluation o the role, significance, indications, and limitations of computed tomography of the gastrointestinal tract.'' There is an initial chapter on CT scanning techniques and the use of oral contrast agents. Chapters follow on Ct of the esophagus, stomach, duodenum, small bowel, and colon. The chapters start with a description of the anatomic structures and then cover in detail common pathologic conditions that affect the organ. Indications for examinations are also included in many chapters. There are final chapters on percutaneous drainage of abscesses and fluid collections and on radiologic-patholoic correlation of some of the more common entities

Anatomy and Physiology of the Urinary Tract: Relation to Host Defense and Microbial Infection.

Science.gov (United States)

Hickling, Duane R; Sun, Tung-Tien; Wu, Xue-Ru

2015-08-01

The urinary tract exits to a body surface area that is densely populated by a wide range of microbes. Yet, under most normal circumstances, it is typically considered sterile, i.e., devoid of microbes, a stark contrast to the gastrointestinal and upper respiratory tracts where many commensal and pathogenic microbes call home. Not surprisingly, infection of the urinary tract over a healthy person's lifetime is relatively infrequent, occurring once or twice or not at all for most people. For those who do experience an initial infection, the great majority (70% to 80%) thankfully do not go on to suffer from multiple episodes. This is a far cry from the upper respiratory tract infections, which can afflict an otherwise healthy individual countless times. The fact that urinary tract infections are hard to elicit in experimental animals except with inoculum 3-5 orders of magnitude greater than the colony counts that define an acute urinary infection in humans (105 cfu/ml), also speaks to the robustness of the urinary tract defense. How can the urinary tract be so effective in fending off harmful microbes despite its orifice in a close vicinity to that of the microbe-laden gastrointestinal tract? While a complete picture is still evolving, the general consensus is that the anatomical and physiological integrity of the urinary tract is of paramount importance in maintaining a healthy urinary tract. When this integrity is breached, however, the urinary tract can be at a heightened risk or even recurrent episodes of microbial infections. In fact, recurrent urinary tract infections are a significant cause of morbidity and time lost from work and a major challenge to manage clinically. Additionally, infections of the upper urinary tract often require hospitalization and prolonged antibiotic therapy. In this chapter, we provide an overview of the basic anatomy and physiology of the urinary tract with an emphasis on their specific roles in host defense. We also highlight the

Mechanisms of urinary tract sterility maintenance

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Emilia Okrągła

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Physiologically, urine and the urinary tract are maintained sterile because of physical and chemical properties of urine and the innate immune system’s action. The urinary tract is constantly exposed to the invasion of microorganisms from the exterior environment, also because of the anatomical placement of the urethra, in the vicinity of the rectum. Particularly vulnerable to urinary tract infections (UTI are women (an additional risk factor is pregnancy, but also the elderly and children. The main pathogens causing UTI are bacteria; in 70-95% of cases it is the bacterium Escherichia coli. Infections caused by viruses and fungi are less common and are associated with decreased immunity, pharmacotherapy, or some diseases. Bacteria have evolved a number of factors that facilitate the colonization of the urinary tract: the cover and cell membrane antigens O and K1, lipopolysaccharide (LPS, fimbriae, pile and cilia. On the other hand, the human organism has evolved mechanisms to hinder colonization of the urinary tract: mechanisms arising from the anatomical structure of the urinary tract, the physicochemical properties of the urine and the activity of the innate immune system, also known as non-specific, which isolates and destroys pathogens using immunological processes, and the mechanisms for release of antimicrobial substances such as Tamm-Horsfall protein, mucopolysaccharides, immunoglobulins IgA and IgG, lactoferrin, lipocalin, neutrophils, cytokines and antimicrobial peptides. This review aims to analyze the state of knowledge on the mechanisms to maintain the sterility of the urinary tract used by the human organism and bacterial virulence factors to facilitate the colonization of the urinary tract.

Prevalence of Urinary Tract Infection and Associated Risk Factors in Pregnant Women

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Raheleh Alijahan

2014-10-01

Full Text Available Background: Urinary tract infection, as a risk factor for adverse maternal and prenatal outcomes, is one of the most common bacterial infections during pregnancy. The objective of this study was to determine prevalence of urinary tract infection and its associated risk factors in pregnant women. Material and Methods: In a cross-sectional analytical study a total 2496 pregnant women who were underwent prenatal care through July 2011 in three rural and six urban health centers of Ardabil city, were selected by multistage sampling. Data collection was performed using a self designed questionnaire from women's prenatal care records, 240 pregnant women with positive urine culture were considered as a case group and the remaining as a control group. Data were analyzed through Kruskal – Wallis, Chi-square and Stepwise Logistic Regression statistical tests using SPSS version 16. Results: The incidence of urinary tract infection was 9.7%. Low socioeconomic status ( p=0.021, OR= 2/338, CI= 1/138-4/766,distance between pregnancies less than 3 years( p=0.026, OR= 2/137, CI= 1/093-4/141,and hyperemesis gravidarum( p=0.039, OR=2/06, CI= 1/038-4/098were determined as risk factors that significantly contribute to urinary tract infection in pregnant women. Conclusion: We conclude that appropriate distance between pregnancies, intensive care of pregnant women with low socioeconomic status and hyperemesis gravidarum may significantly prevent urinary tract infection and its related adverse health effects among pregnant women. K

An Investigation of Vocal Tract Characteristics for Acoustic Discrimination of Pathological Voices

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Jung-Won Lee

2013-01-01

Full Text Available This paper investigates the effectiveness of measures related to vocal tract characteristics in classifying normal and pathological speech. Unlike conventional approaches that mainly focus on features related to the vocal source, vocal tract characteristics are examined to determine if interaction effects between vocal folds and the vocal tract can be used to detect pathological speech. Especially, this paper examines features related to formant frequencies to see if vocal tract characteristics are affected by the nature of the vocal fold-related pathology. To test this hypothesis, stationary fragments of vowel /aa/ produced by 223 normal subjects, 472 vocal fold polyp subjects, and 195 unilateral vocal cord paralysis subjects are analyzed. Based on the acoustic-articulatory relationships, phonation for pathological subjects is found to be associated with measures correlated with a raised tongue body or an advanced tongue root. Vocal tract-related features are also found to be statistically significant from the Kruskal-Wallis test in distinguishing normal and pathological speech. Classification results demonstrate that combining the formant measurements with vocal fold-related features results in improved performance in differentiating vocal pathologies including vocal polyps and unilateral vocal cord paralysis, which suggests that measures related to vocal tract characteristics may provide additional information in diagnosing vocal disorders.

Postpartum urinary tract infection by mode of delivery: a Danish nationwide cohort study.

Science.gov (United States)

Gundersen, Tina Djernis; Krebs, Lone; Loekkegaard, Ellen Christine Leth; Rasmussen, Steen Christian; Glavind, Julie; Clausen, Tine Dalsgaard

2018-03-14

To examine the association between postpartum urinary tract infection and intended mode of delivery as well as actual mode of delivery. Retrospective cohort study. All live births in Denmark between 2004 and 2010 (n=450 856). Births were classified by intended caesarean delivery (n=45 053) or intended vaginal delivery (n=405 803), and by actual mode of delivery: spontaneous vaginal delivery, operative vaginal delivery, emergency or planned caesarean delivery in labour or prelabour. The primary outcome measure was postpartum urinary tract infection (n=16 295) within 30 days post partum, defined as either a diagnosis of urinary tract infection in the National Patient Registry or redemption of urinary tract infection-specific antibiotics recorded in the Register of Medicinal Product Statistics. We found that 4.6% of women with intended caesarean delivery and 3.5% of women with intended vaginal delivery were treated for postpartum urinary tract infection.Women with intended caesarean delivery had a significantly increased risk of postpartum urinary tract infection compared with women with intended vaginal delivery (OR 1.33, 95% CI 1.27 to 1.40), after adjustment for age at delivery, smoking, body mass index, educational level, gestational diabetes mellitus, infection during pregnancy, birth weight, preterm delivery, preterm prelabour rupture of membranes, pre-eclampsia, parity and previous caesarean delivery (adjusted OR 1.24, 95% CI 1.17 to 1.46).Using actual mode of delivery as exposure, all types of operative delivery had an equally increased risk of postpartum urinary tract infection compared with spontaneous vaginal delivery. Compared with intended vaginal delivery, intended caesarean delivery was significantly associated with a higher risk of postpartum urinary tract infection. Future studies should focus on reducing routine catheterisation prior to operative vaginal delivery as well as improving procedures related to catheterisation. © Article author

The pan-genome of Lactobacillus reuteri strains originating from the pig gastrointestinal tract.

Science.gov (United States)

Wegmann, Udo; MacKenzie, Donald A; Zheng, Jinshui; Goesmann, Alexander; Roos, Stefan; Swarbreck, David; Walter, Jens; Crossman, Lisa C; Juge, Nathalie

2015-12-01

Lactobacillus reuteri is a gut symbiont of a wide variety of vertebrate species that has diversified into distinct phylogenetic clades which are to a large degree host-specific. Previous work demonstrated host specificity in mice and begun to determine the mechanisms by which gut colonisation and host restriction is achieved. However, how L. reuteri strains colonise the gastrointestinal (GI) tract of pigs is unknown. To gain insight into the ecology of L. reuteri in the pig gut, the genome sequence of the porcine small intestinal isolate L. reuteri ATCC 53608 was completed and consisted of a chromosome of 1.94 Mbp and two plasmids of 138.5 kbp and 9.09 kbp, respectively. Furthermore, we generated draft genomes of four additional L. reuteri strains isolated from pig faeces or lower GI tract, lp167-67, pg-3b, 20-2 and 3c6, and subjected all five genomes to a comparative genomic analysis together with the previously completed genome of strain I5007. A phylogenetic analysis based on whole genomes showed that porcine L. reuteri strains fall into two distinct clades, as previously suggested by multi-locus sequence analysis. These six pig L. reuteri genomes contained a core set of 1364 orthologous gene clusters, as determined by OrthoMCL analysis, that contributed to a pan-genome totalling 3373 gene clusters. Genome comparisons of the six pig L. reuteri strains with 14 L. reuteri strains from other host origins gave a total pan-genome of 5225 gene clusters that included a core genome of 851 gene clusters but revealed that there were no pig-specific genes per se. However, genes specific for and conserved among strains of the two pig phylogenetic lineages were detected, some of which encoded cell surface proteins that could contribute to the diversification of the two lineages and their observed host specificity. This study extends the phylogenetic analysis of L. reuteri strains at a genome-wide level, pointing to distinct evolutionary trajectories of porcine L. reuteri

Surgical management for upper urinary tract transitional cell carcinoma.

Science.gov (United States)

Rai, Bhavan Prasad; Shelley, Mike; Coles, Bernadette; Biyani, Chandra S; El-Mokadem, Ismail; Nabi, Ghulam

2011-04-13

Upper tract transitional cell carcinomas (TCC) are uncommon and aggressive tumours. There are a number of surgical approaches to manage this condition including open radical nephroureterectomy and laparoscopic procedures. To determine the best surgical management option for upper tract transitional cell carcinoma. A sensitive search strategy was developed to identify relevant studies for inclusion in this review. The following databases were searched for randomised trials evaluating surgical approaches to the management of upper tract TCC: Medline EMBASE, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), CINAHL, British Nursing Index, AMED, LILACS, Web of Science®, Scopus, Biosis, TRIP, Biomed Central, Dissertation Abstracts, and ISI Proceedings. The following criteria that were considered for this review.Types of studies - All randomised or quasi-randomised controlled trials comparing the various surgical methods and approaches for the management of localised upper tract transitional cell carcinoma. Types of participants - All adult patients with localised transitional cell carcinoma. Localised disease was defined as limited to the kidney or ureter with no gross regional lymph nodal enlargement on imaging. Types of interventions - Any surgical method or approach for managing localised upper tract transitional cell carcinoma. Types of outcome measures - Overall and cancer-specific survival were primary outcomes. Surgery-related morbidity. Quality of life and health economics outcomes were secondary outcomes. Two review authors examined the search results independently to identify trials for inclusion. We identified one randomised controlled trial that met our inclusion criteria. The trial showed that the laparoscopic approach had superior peri-operative outcomes compared to open approach. Laparoscopic was superior and statistically significant for blood loss (104 mL (millilitres) versus 430 mL, P management of upper tract transitional cell carcinoma

Urinary Tract Infections (For Kids)

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Full Text Available ... First Aid & Safety Doctors & Hospitals Videos Recipes for Kids Kids site Sitio para niños How the Body Works ... English Español Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs) KidsHealth / For Kids / Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs) What's in this article? ...

Unbiased group-wise image registration: applications in brain fiber tract atlas construction and functional connectivity analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Geng, Xiujuan; Gu, Hong; Shin, Wanyong; Ross, Thomas J; Yang, Yihong

2011-10-01

We propose an unbiased implicit-reference group-wise (IRG) image registration method and demonstrate its applications in the construction of a brain white matter fiber tract atlas and the analysis of resting-state functional MRI (fMRI) connectivity. Most image registration techniques pair-wise align images to a selected reference image and group analyses are performed in the reference space, which may produce bias. The proposed method jointly estimates transformations, with an elastic deformation model, registering all images to an implicit reference corresponding to the group average. The unbiased registration is applied to build a fiber tract atlas by registering a group of diffusion tensor images. Compared to reference-based registration, the IRG registration improves the fiber track overlap within the group. After applying the method in the fMRI connectivity analysis, results suggest a general improvement in functional connectivity maps at a group level in terms of larger cluster size and higher average t-scores.

Macroeconomic Dimensions in the Clusterization Processes: Lithuanian Biomass Cluster Case

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Navickas Valentinas

2017-03-01

Full Text Available The Future production systems’ increasing significance will impose work, which maintains not a competitive, but a collaboration basis, with concentrated resources and expertise, which can help to reach the general purpose. One form of collaboration among medium-size business organizations is work in clusters. Clusterization as a phenomenon has been known from quite a long time, but it offers simple benefits to researches at micro and medium levels. The clusterization process evaluation in macroeconomic dimensions has been comparatively little investigated. Thereby, in this article, the clusterization processes is analysed by concentrating our attention on macroeconomic factor researches. The authors analyse clusterization’s influence on country’s macroeconomic growth; they apply a structure research methodology for clusterization’s macroeconomic influence evaluation and propose that clusterization processes benefit macroeconomic analysis. The theoretical model of clusterization processes was validated by referring to a biomass cluster case. Because biomass cluster case is a new phenomenon, currently there are no other scientific approaches to them. The authors’ accomplished researches show that clusterization allows the achievement of a large positive slip in macroeconomics, which proves to lead to a high value added to creation, a faster country economic growth, and social situation amelioration.

Recurrent Urinary Tract Infection Among Renal Transplant Recipients: Risk Factors and Long-Term Outcome.

Science.gov (United States)

Tawab, Khaled Abdel; Gheith, Osama; Al Otaibi, Torki; Nampoory, Naryanam; Mansour, Hany; Halim, Medhat A; Nair, Prasad; Said, Tarek; Abdelmonem, Mohamed; El-Sayed, Ayman; Awadain, Waleed

2017-04-01

Urinary tract infection is the most common type of bacterial infection in kidney transplant procedures, with adverse effects on graft and patient survival. We aimed to evaluate the risk factors of recurrent urinary tract infection in renal transplant recipients and its impact on patient and graft survival. In a cohort of 1019 patients who were transplanted between 2000 and 2010 at Hamed Al-Essa Organ Transplant Center in Kuwait, 86% developed at least 1 episode of urinary tract infection, with only 6.2% of patients having recurrent infections. We compared patients with recurrent urinary tract infections (group 1) with those who had no recurrence (group 2) regarding their risk factors. Patients in group 1 were significantly younger than those in group 2 (34.9 ± 23 vs 42.8 ± 16 y; P urinary tract infections (P infections were significantly more prevalent among group 1 (10.8% vs 3.8%; P = .008). Long-term graft outcome (functioning and failed) were 78.5% and 21.5% in group 1 versus 85.1% and 13.9% in group 2 (P = .18). Patient outcomes (living and deceased donors) were 98.4% and 1.6% in group 1 versus 95.7% and 4.3% in group 2 (P = .187). Adult females, thymoglobulin induction, pretransplant urologic problems, and hepatitis C infection were the risk factors of recurrent urinary tract infection among our renal transplant patients. However, recurrence did not adversely affect graft or patient survival.

Personalized PageRank Clustering: A graph clustering algorithm based on random walks

Science.gov (United States)

A. Tabrizi, Shayan; Shakery, Azadeh; Asadpour, Masoud; Abbasi, Maziar; Tavallaie, Mohammad Ali

2013-11-01

Graph clustering has been an essential part in many methods and thus its accuracy has a significant effect on many applications. In addition, exponential growth of real-world graphs such as social networks, biological networks and electrical circuits demands clustering algorithms with nearly-linear time and space complexity. In this paper we propose Personalized PageRank Clustering (PPC) that employs the inherent cluster exploratory property of random walks to reveal the clusters of a given graph. We combine random walks and modularity to precisely and efficiently reveal the clusters of a graph. PPC is a top-down algorithm so it can reveal inherent clusters of a graph more accurately than other nearly-linear approaches that are mainly bottom-up. It also gives a hierarchy of clusters that is useful in many applications. PPC has a linear time and space complexity and has been superior to most of the available clustering algorithms on many datasets. Furthermore, its top-down approach makes it a flexible solution for clustering problems with different requirements.

Urinary Tract Infections (For Kids)

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Full Text Available ... Urinary Tract? Your urinary tract is actually a system made up of these main parts: two kidneys two ureters (say: ... Chronic Kidney Diseases Movie: Urinary System Your Urinary System Bedwetting View more ... & Terms of Use Notice of Nondiscrimination Visit the Nemours Web ...

Clinical Significance of Renal Pelvic Dilatation less than 10 mm in Neonates: Correlation with Urinary Tract Infection and Vesicoureteral Reflux

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Lee, Woong Hee; Kim, Young Tong; Jo, Sung Sik; Kim, Sang Won; Shin, Hyung Cheol; Kim, Il Young [Cheonan Hospital, Soonchunhyang University, Cheonan (Korea, Republic of)

2009-12-15

We wanted to evaluate the correlation of mild renal pelvic dilatation (RPD) that is observed to be less than 10 mm on ultrasound (US) with urinary tract infection (UTI) and vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) in neonates. We reviewed 137 kidneys of 107 neonates who had RPD less than 10 mm on US. All the kidneys were divided into two groups: Group I (RPD <= 5.0 mm) and Group II (RPD > 5.0 mm), and we statistically analyzed the RPD change according to UTI and VUR. Seven neonates had VUR (5.1%), and there was no statistical significance between Group I (6 neonates, 5.6%) and Group II (1 neonate, 3.3%). Thirty seven cases (27%) had UTI and there was no statistical significance between Group I (30 cases, 28.0%) and Group II (7 cases, 23.3%). The RPD did not change in 81.8% of the cases, it increased in 4.4% of the cases and it decreased in 13.9% of the cases on follow up US. The incidence of VUR and UTI were not different according to the change of RPD. There were no statistical differences between the changes of RPD and the incidences of UTI and VUR in neonates with mild RPD less than 10 mm. Most of RPD did not change on the follow up US

Clinical Significance of Renal Pelvic Dilatation less than 10 mm in Neonates: Correlation with Urinary Tract Infection and Vesicoureteral Reflux

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Woong Hee; Kim, Young Tong; Jo, Sung Sik; Kim, Sang Won; Shin, Hyung Cheol; Kim, Il Young

2009-01-01

We wanted to evaluate the correlation of mild renal pelvic dilatation (RPD) that is observed to be less than 10 mm on ultrasound (US) with urinary tract infection (UTI) and vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) in neonates. We reviewed 137 kidneys of 107 neonates who had RPD less than 10 mm on US. All the kidneys were divided into two groups: Group I (RPD ≤ 5.0 mm) and Group II (RPD > 5.0 mm), and we statistically analyzed the RPD change according to UTI and VUR. Seven neonates had VUR (5.1%), and there was no statistical significance between Group I (6 neonates, 5.6%) and Group II (1 neonate, 3.3%). Thirty seven cases (27%) had UTI and there was no statistical significance between Group I (30 cases, 28.0%) and Group II (7 cases, 23.3%). The RPD did not change in 81.8% of the cases, it increased in 4.4% of the cases and it decreased in 13.9% of the cases on follow up US. The incidence of VUR and UTI were not different according to the change of RPD. There were no statistical differences between the changes of RPD and the incidences of UTI and VUR in neonates with mild RPD less than 10 mm. Most of RPD did not change on the follow up US

The nature of immune responses to urinary tract infections

Science.gov (United States)

Abraham, Soman N.; Miao, Yuxuan

2016-01-01

The urinary tract is constantly exposed to microorganisms that inhabit the gastrointestinal tract, but generally the urinary tract resists infection by gut microorganisms. This resistance to infection is mainly ascribed to the versatility of the innate immune defences in the urinary tract as the adaptive immune responses are limited, particularly when only the lower urinary tract is infected. In recent years, as the strengths and weaknesses of the immune system of the urinary tract have emerged and as the virulence attributes of uropathogens are recognized, several potentially effective and unconventional strategies to contain or prevent urinary tract infections have emerged. PMID:26388331

Hα star formation rates of z > 1 galaxy clusters in the IRAC shallow cluster survey

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zeimann, Gregory R.; Stanford, S. A.; Brodwin, Mark; Gonzalez, Anthony H.; Mancone, Conor; Snyder, Gregory F.; Stern, Daniel; Eisenhardt, Peter; Dey, Arjun; Moustakas, John

2013-01-01

We present Hubble Space Telescope near-IR spectroscopy for 18 galaxy clusters at 1.0 Cluster Survey. We use Wide Field Camera 3 grism data to spectroscopically identify Hα emitters in both the cores of galaxy clusters as well as in field galaxies. We find a large cluster-to-cluster scatter in the star formation rates within a projected radius of 500 kpc, and many of our clusters (∼60%) have significant levels of star formation within a projected radius of 200 kpc. A stacking analysis reveals that dust reddening in these star-forming galaxies is positively correlated with stellar mass and may be higher in the field than the cluster at a fixed stellar mass. This may indicate a lower amount of gas in star-forming cluster galaxies than in the field population. Also, Hα equivalent widths of star-forming galaxies in the cluster environment are still suppressed below the level of the field. This suppression is most significant for lower mass galaxies (log M * < 10.0 M ☉ ). We therefore conclude that environmental effects are still important at 1.0 clusters with log M * ≲ 10.0 M ☉ .

Systemic Immune Activation and HIV Shedding in the Female Genital Tract.

Science.gov (United States)

Spencer, LaShonda Y; Christiansen, Shawna; Wang, Chia-Hao H; Mack, Wendy J; Young, Mary; Strickler, Howard D; Anastos, Kathryn; Minkoff, Howard; Cohen, Mardge; Geenblatt, Ruth M; Karim, Roksana; Operskalski, Eva; Frederick, Toni; Homans, James D; Landay, Alan; Kovacs, Andrea

2016-02-01

Plasma HIV RNA is the most significant determinant of cervical HIV shedding. However, shedding is also associated with sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and cervical inflammation. The mechanism by which this occurs is poorly understood. There is evidence that systemic immune activation promotes viral entry, replication, and HIV disease progression. We hypothesized that systemic immune activation would be associated with an increase in HIV genital shedding. Clinical assessments, HIV RNA in plasma and genital secretions, and markers of immune activation (CD38(+)DR(+) and CD38(-)DR(-)) on CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells in blood were evaluated in 226 HIV+ women enrolled in the Women's Interagency HIV Study. There were 569 genital evaluations of which 159 (28%) exhibited HIV RNA shedding, defined as HIV viral load >80 copies per milliliter. We tested associations between immune activation and shedding using generalized estimating equations with logit link function. In the univariate model, higher levels of CD4(+) and CD8(+) T-cell activation in blood were significantly associated with genital tract shedding. However, in the multivariate model adjusting for plasma HIV RNA, STIs, and genital tract infections, only higher levels of resting CD8(+) T cells (CD38(-)DR(-)) were significantly inversely associated with HIV shedding in the genital tract (odds ratios = 0.44, 95% confidence interval: 0.21 to 0.9, P = 0.02). The association of systemic immune activation with genital HIV shedding is multifactorial. Systemic T-cell activation is associated with genital tract shedding in univariate analysis but not when adjusting for plasma HIV RNA, STIs, and genital tract infections. In addition, women with high percentage of resting T cells are less likely to have HIV shedding compared with those with lower percentages. These findings suggest that a higher percentage of resting cells, as a result of maximal viral suppression with treatment, may decrease local genital activation, HIV

Prophylactic Effect of Probiotic Capsule(Lactocare on Urinery Tract Infection of Cateterized Intensive Care Unit Patients

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nader Zarinfar

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background: Probiotics are known as a factor for prevention of infectious diseases such as urinary tract infection(UTI. The present study aimed to investigate the positive effects of probiotics on urinery truct infection of cateterized intensive care unit patients. Materials and Methods: In a triple blind clinical trial, 125 cateterized intensive care unit patients were randomly selected and divided into two groups, Treatment group (n = 63 was well matched with placebo group (n = 62 for age and sex and duration of admission .Case group received one lactocare capsule for 10 days and control group with a same method received placebo for 10 days. In both groups urine analysis and urine culture were measured with a same method at the first day and then twentieth day and finally data were analysed with t-test. Results: The incidence of urinary tract infection between treatment and control group (respectively 17.4% and 22.5% had no statistically significant difference (p=0.672. But, in terms of sex, incidence of urinary tract infections in women compared to men with the same condition was significantly different(p=0.002. In treatment group with long term cathetrization, urinary tract infections significantly were significantly different(p=0.041. Conclusion: Administration of lactocare capsule has no statistically significant impact on the incidence of urinery truct infection of cateterized intensive care unit patients. In comparsion of cateterized men and women receiving probiotics, the reduction of urinary tract infection in women was more than in men. Probiotics had preventive effects on long term catheterization.

36 CFR 254.42 - Valuation of tracts.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 36 Parks, Forests, and Public Property 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Valuation of tracts. 254.42 Section 254.42 Parks, Forests, and Public Property FOREST SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE LANDOWNERSHIP ADJUSTMENTS Conveyance of Small Tracts § 254.42 Valuation of tracts. (a) Approximately equal value shall be...

Staphylococcus aureus urinary tract infections in children are associated with urinary tract abnormalities and vesico-ureteral reflux.

Science.gov (United States)

Megged, Orli

2014-02-01

Staphylococcus aureus is an uncommon cause of pediatric urinary tract infection (UTI). Data regarding urinary tract malformations in children with S. aureus UTI is limited. The medical records of all children aged 0 to 16 years at Shaare Zedek Medical Center between 2001 and 2013 and who were diagnosed with S. aureus UTI were reviewed for demographic, clinical, and laboratory data. Patients with Escherichia coli UTIs during the same period were included as controls. S. aureus was the cause of UTI in 26 children, of whom six were bacteremic. Compared to children with E. coli UTI, children with S. aureus had higher rates of abnormal findings in ultrasound (77 vs. 22%; p UTI had abnormal voiding cystourethrogram (53 vs. 23%; p UTI was significantly longer than for patients with E. coli UTI (8 vs. 2.3 days; p = 0.0003). S. aureus is an uncommon urinary pathogen among children. The finding of S. aureus UTI requires thorough search for urinary abnormalities.

Spanning Tree Based Attribute Clustering

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zeng, Yifeng; Jorge, Cordero Hernandez

2009-01-01

Attribute clustering has been previously employed to detect statistical dependence between subsets of variables. We propose a novel attribute clustering algorithm motivated by research of complex networks, called the Star Discovery algorithm. The algorithm partitions and indirectly discards...... inconsistent edges from a maximum spanning tree by starting appropriate initial modes, therefore generating stable clusters. It discovers sound clusters through simple graph operations and achieves significant computational savings. We compare the Star Discovery algorithm against earlier attribute clustering...

Clinical features and risk factors for development of urinary tract infections in cats.

Science.gov (United States)

Martinez-Ruzafa, Ivan; Kruger, John M; Miller, RoseAnn; Swenson, Cheryl L; Bolin, Carole A; Kaneene, John B

2012-10-01

The clinical and diagnostic features of 155 cats with urinary tract infection (UTI) and 186 controls with negative urine culture/s were characterized retrospectively (signalment, clinical signs, urinalysis, urine culture, concurrent diseases, lower urinary tract diagnostic/therapeutic procedures). Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify risk factors associated with UTI. Cats of all ages were affected by UTI with no sex/breed predisposition. Lower urinary tract signs were absent in 35.5% of cats with UTI. Pyuria and bacteriuria had sensitivities of 52.9% and 72.9%, and specificities of 85.5% and 67.7% for detection of UTI, respectively. Risk factors significantly associated with increased odds of UTI were urinary incontinence [odds ratio (OR)=10.78, P=0.0331], transurethral procedures (OR=8.37, Purinary tract anatomic abnormalities improved statistical model performance and contributed to UTI.

Upper urinary tract tumors

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gandrup, Karen L; Nordling, Jørgen; Balslev, Ingegerd

2014-01-01

BACKGROUND: Computed tomography urography (CTU) is used widely in the work-up of patients with symptoms of urinary tract lesions. Preoperative knowledge of whether a tumor is invasive or non-invasive is important for the choice of surgery. So far there are no studies about the distinction...... of invasive and non-invasive tumors in ureter and renal pelvis based on the enhancement measured with Hounsfield Units. PURPOSE: To examine the value of CTU using split-bolus technique to distinguish non-invasive from invasive urothelial carcinomas in the upper urinary tract. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Patients...... obtained at CTU could distinguish between invasive and non-invasive lesions. No patients had a CTU within the last year before the examination that resulted in surgery. CONCLUSION: A split-bolus CTU cannot distinguish between invasive and non-invasive urothelial tumors in the upper urinary tract...

Assessment of lower urinary tract symptoms in men by international prostate symptom score and core lower urinary tract symptom score.

Science.gov (United States)

Fujimura, Tetsuya; Kume, Haruki; Nishimatsu, Hiroaki; Sugihara, Toru; Nomiya, Akira; Tsurumaki, Yuzuri; Miyazaki, Hideyo; Suzuki, Motofumi; Fukuhara, Hiroshi; Enomoto, Yutaka; Homma, Yukio

2012-05-01

Study Type - Therapy (symptom prevalence). Level of Evidence 2a. What's known on the subject? and What does the study add? The International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) has been most commonly used for the symptom assessment of men with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS). However, LUTS in men are so variable that they may not be fully captured by the IPSS questionnaire alone. This study has demonstrated that the Core Lower Urinary Tract Symptom Score (CLSS) questionnaire, which addresses 10 important symptoms, is an appropriate initial assessment tool for LUTS in men with various diseases/conditions. International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) has been commonly used to assess lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS). We have recently developed Core Lower Urinary Tract Symptom Score (CLSS). The aim of this study is to compare IPSS and CLSS for assessing LUTS in men.  Consecutive 515 men fulfilled IPSS and CLSS questionnaires. IPSS QOL Index was used as the QOL surrogate. The clinical diagnoses were BPH (n = 116), BPH with OAB wet (n =80), prostate cancer (n = 128), prostatitis (n = 68), underactive bladder (n = 8), others (n = 72), and controls (e.g., occult blood) (n = 42). Simple statistics and predictability of poor QOL (QOL Index 4 or greater) were examined. All symptom scores were significantly increased in symptomatic men compared with controls. Scores of corresponding symptoms of two questionnaires were significantly correlated (r = 0.58-0.85, all P incontinence, slow stream, straining, incomplete emptying, bladder pain and urethral pain) as independent factors. The hazard ratios for bladder pain (2.2) and urgency incontinence (2.0) were among the highest. All the nine symptoms are addressed in CLSS, while three symptoms (urgency incontinence, bladder, and urethral pain) are dismissed in IPSS. CLSS questionnaire is more comprehensive than IPSS questionnaire for symptom assessment of men with various diseases/conditions, although both questionnaires can capture

SMV1, an extremely stable thermophilic virus platform for nanoparticle trafficking in the mammalian GI tract

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Uldahl, Kristine Buch; Walk, S. T.; Olshefsky, S. C.

2017-01-01

undetectable inflammatory response. Finally, we used human intestinal organoids (HIOs) to show that labelled SMV1 did not invade or otherwise perturb the human GI tract epithelium. Conclusion: Sulfolobus monocaudavirus 1 appeared stable and safe during passage though the mammalian GI tract. Significance...

The Vocal Tract Organ: A New Musical Instrument Using 3-D Printed Vocal Tracts.

Science.gov (United States)

Howard, David M

2017-10-27

The advent and now increasingly widespread availability of 3-D printers is transforming our understanding of the natural world by enabling observations to be made in a tangible manner. This paper describes the use of 3-D printed models of the vocal tract for different vowels that are used to create an acoustic output when stimulated with an appropriate sound source in a new musical instrument: the Vocal Tract Organ. The shape of each printed vocal tract is recovered from magnetic resonance imaging. It sits atop a loudspeaker to which is provided an acoustic L-F model larynx input signal that is controlled by the notes played on a musical instrument digital interface device such as a keyboard. The larynx input is subject to vibrato with extent and frequency adjustable as desired within the ranges usually found for human singing. Polyphonic inputs for choral singing textures can be applied via a single loudspeaker and vocal tract, invoking the approximation of linearity in the voice production system, thereby making multiple vowel stops a possibility while keeping the complexity of the instrument in reasonable check. The Vocal Tract Organ offers a much more human and natural sounding result than the traditional Vox Humana stops found in larger pipe organs, offering the possibility of enhancing pipe organs of the future as well as becoming the basis for a "multi-vowel" chamber organ in its own right. Copyright © 2017 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The effect of XPD polymorphisms on digestive tract cancers risk: a meta-analysis.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Haina Du

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: The Xeroderma pigmento-sum group D gene (XPD plays a key role in nucleotide excision repair. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP located in its functional region may alter DNA repair capacity phenotype and cancer risk. Many studies have demonstrated that XPD polymorphisms are significantly associated with digestive tract cancers risk, but the results are inconsistent. We conducted a comprehensive meta-analysis to assess the association between XPD Lys751Gln polymorphism and digestive tract cancers risk. The digestive tract cancers that our study referred to, includes oral cancer, esophageal cancer, gastric cancer and colorectal cancer. METHODS: We searched PubMed and EmBase up to December 31, 2012 to identify eligible studies. A total of 37 case-control studies including 9027 cases and 16072 controls were involved in this meta-analysis. Statistical analyses were performed with Stata software (version 11.0, USA. Odds ratios (ORs with 95% confidence intervals (CIs were used to assess the strength of the association. RESULTS: The results showed that XPD Lys751Gln polymorphism was associated with the increased risk of digestive tract cancers (homozygote comparison (GlnGln vs. LysLys: OR = 1.12, 95% CI = 1.01-1.24, P = 0.029, P heterogeneity = 0.133. We found no statistical evidence for a significantly increased digestive tract cancers risk in the other genetic models. In the subgroup analysis, we also found the homozygote comparison increased the susceptibility of Asian population (OR = 1.28, 95% CI = 1.01-1.63, P = 0.045, P heterogeneity = 0.287. Stratified by cancer type and source of control, no significantly increased cancer risk was found in these subgroups. Additionally, risk estimates from hospital-based studies and esophageal studies were heterogeneous. CONCLUSIONS: Our meta-analysis suggested that the XPD 751Gln/Gln genotype was a low-penetrate risk factor for developing digestive tract cancers, especially in Asian populations.

Survey of risk factors urinary tract infection

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A Dehghani

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Women are very susceptible to urinary tract infections and pregnancy raises the risk of urinary tract infection. In general, little information on the risk factors of urinary tract infection in pregnancy is underway. Urinary tract infection in pregnancy is an important risk factor for pregnancy dire consequences. The purpose of this study is to find risk factors associated with urinary tract infection in pregnant women. Methods: The study was observational and retrospective analysis was carried on in the winter of which 310 pregnant women participated in 11 health centers in Shahrekord. Of these 155 cases (patients and 155 controls (healthy that were matched for age Information required from the health records of pregnant women and complete Czech list of researcher whose validity was confirmed by experts were gathered. Information needed by pregnant women health records and complete list researcher was collected. Czech list contains a number of possible risk factors for illness and demographic characteristics of the study participants was Statistical analysis software spss version 16 by using chi square tests and logistic regression and t analysis was performed. Results: Among the variables vomiting (p = 0/00 a history of urinary tract infection in a previous pregnancy (P =.001, CI = 1.508-4.408, OR = 2.578 abortion own history (P =.014, CI = 1.165 -3.847, OR = 2.117, respectively, the most important risk factors for urinary tract infection in pregnant women were determined. Conclusion: Prevention and treatment of vomiting in pregnancy prevention of urinary tract infections during pregnancy. Prevention of abortion can play an important role in the prevention of urinary tract infection and its complications in pregnancy. The study also revealed a number of factors can have an impact on urinary tract infection in pregnancy that has not been enough attention and it is necessary that more attention be placed on health programs and

Hospitalization for community-acquired febrile urinary tract infection: validation and impact assessment of a clinical prediction rule.

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Stalenhoef, Janneke E; van der Starre, Willize E; Vollaard, Albert M; Steyerberg, Ewout W; Delfos, Nathalie M; Leyten, Eliane M S; Koster, Ted; Ablij, Hans C; Van't Wout, Jan W; van Dissel, Jaap T; van Nieuwkoop, Cees

2017-06-06

There is a lack of severity assessment tools to identify adults presenting with febrile urinary tract infection (FUTI) at risk for complicated outcome and guide admission policy. We aimed to validate the Prediction Rule for Admission policy in Complicated urinary Tract InfeCtion LEiden (PRACTICE), a modified form of the pneumonia severity index, and to subsequentially assess its use in clinical practice. A prospective observational multicenter study for model validation (2004-2009), followed by a multicenter controlled clinical trial with stepped wedge cluster-randomization for impact assessment (2010-2014), with a follow up of 3 months. Paricipants were 1157 consecutive patients with a presumptive diagnosis of acute febrile UTI (787 in validation cohort and 370 in the randomized trial), enrolled at emergency departments of 7 hospitals and 35 primary care centers in the Netherlands. The clinical prediction rule contained 12 predictors of complicated course. In the randomized trial the PRACTICE included guidance on hospitalization for high risk (>100 points) and home discharge for low risk patients (urinary tract infection, futher improvement is necessary to reduce the occurrence of secondary hospital admissions. NTR4480 http://www.trialregister.nl/trialreg/admin/rctview.asp?TC=4480 , registered retrospectively 25 mrt 2014 (during enrollment of subjects).

Metabolomics Approach to Male Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms: Identification of Possible Biomarkers and Potential Targets for New Treatments.

Science.gov (United States)

Mitsui, Takahiko; Kira, Satoru; Ihara, Tatsuya; Sawada, Norifumi; Nakagomi, Hiroshi; Miyamoto, Tatsuya; Shimura, Hiroshi; Yokomichi, Hiroshi; Takeda, Masayuki

2018-05-01

We identified metabolites using a metabolomics approach and investigated the association between these metabolites and lower urinary tract symptoms. We used a 24-hour bladder diary and I-PSS (International Prostate Symptom Score) to assess micturition behavior and lower urinary tract symptoms in 58 male patients without apparent neurological disease. Lower urinary tract symptoms were defined as a total I-PSS score of 8 or greater. Patients with a score of 7 or less were placed in the control group. A comprehensive study of plasma metabolites was also performed by capillary electrophoresis time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Metabolites were compared between the lower urinary tract symptoms and control groups using the Mann-Whitney U test. Biomarkers of male lower urinary tract symptoms from the metabolites were analyzed using multivariable logistic regression analysis to determine the OR. Of the 58 men 32 were in the lower urinary tract symptoms group and the remaining 26 were in the control group. The 24-hour bladder diary showed that nocturnal urine volume, 24-hour micturition frequency, nocturnal micturition frequency and the nocturia index were significantly higher in the lower urinary tract symptoms group. Metabolomics analysis identified 60 metabolites from patient plasma. Multivariate analysis revealed that increased glutamate and decreased arginine, asparagine and inosine monophosphate were significantly associated with lower urinary tract symptoms in males. Decreases in citrulline and glutamine could also be associated with male lower urinary tract symptoms. Male lower urinary tract symptoms may develop due to abnormal metabolic processes in some pathways. Potential new treatments for lower urinary tract symptoms can be developed by identifying changes in the amino acid profiles. Copyright © 2018 American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effect of cluster sets on plyometric jump power.

Science.gov (United States)

Moreno, Steven D; Brown, Lee E; Coburn, Jared W; Judelson, Daniel A

2014-09-01

Cluster sets may lead to enhanced power (PW) production by allowing for partial recovery. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of cluster sets vs. traditional sets on plyometric jump PW, ground reaction force, take-off velocity (TOV), and jump height (JH). Twenty-six recreationally trained college men completed 3 testing sessions, which involved performing repeated body-weight (BW) plyometric squat jumps across 3 different set configurations: traditional (2 sets of 10 with 90-second rest between sets), cluster 1 (4 sets of 5 with 30-second rest between sets), and cluster 2 (10 sets of 2 with 10-second rest between sets). Ground reaction force results demonstrated no interaction or main effect for condition, but there was a significant (p ≤ 0.05) main effect for repetition, where repetition 1 was significantly less than repetitions 3-5, 7-10, 12-15, and 17-20. For TOV, PW, and JH, there were significant interactions. Take-off velocity resulted in the following: Traditional, repetition 1 was significantly greater than repetitions 7-10 and 17-20, but was significantly less than repetition 13; cluster 1, repetition 1 was significantly less than repetitions 2-5; and cluster 2, there were no significant differences. Power resulted in the following: Traditional, repetition 1 was significantly greater than repetitions 4-10 and 14-20; cluster 1, repetition 1 was significantly greater than repetitions 7-10 and 12-20; and cluster 2, repetition 1 was significantly greater than repetitions 3, 6-18, and 20. Jump height resulted in the following: Traditional, repetition 1 was significantly greater than repetitions 18-20, but was significantly less than repetitions 3 and 13. For cluster 1 and cluster 2, there were no significant differences. These results demonstrate that cluster sets, specifically 10 sets of 2, allow for a greater maintenance of PW, TOV, and JH compared with a traditional 2 sets of 10 when performing repeated BW plyometric squat jumps. A lack

Intrahepatic biliary tract adenocarcinoma. Review of literature

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Encalada, Edmundo; Engracia, Ruth; Calle, Carlos; Rivera, Tania; Marengo, Carlos

2002-01-01

A seven years old patient, with a biliary tract tumoration, diagnosed by computerized tomography and eco, which had practice an exploratory laparotomy, finding an intrahepatic tumor at the left hepatic tract level, with a pathological diagnosis of papillary adenocarcinoma moderately differentiated the biliary tract. The surgery is the main treatment, auxiliary treatments with chemotherapy and radiotherapy. (The author)

a seven months retrospective study on urinary tract infection among

African Journals Online (AJOL)

DR. AMINU

Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) is a significant health problem world wide, ... responsible for a high rate of morbidity in neonates and children. ... predominant bacterial pathogens and their sensitivity to antibiotics so as to guide ... resistant strains.

Effect of Antifungal Treatment in a Diet-Based Murine Model of Disseminated Candidiasis Acquired via the Gastrointestinal Tract

Science.gov (United States)

Najvar, Laura K.; Bocanegra, Rosie; Olivo, Marcos; Kirkpatrick, William R.; Wiederhold, Nathan P.; Patterson, Thomas F.

2016-01-01

Candida albicans, normally found as a commensal in the gut, is a major human fungal pathogen responsible for both mucosal and systemic infections in a wide variety of immunocompromised individuals, including cancer patients and organ transplant recipients. The gastrointestinal tract represents a major portal of entry for the establishment of disseminated candidiasis in many of these individuals. Here we report the development of a diet-based mouse model for disseminated candidiasis acquired via the gastrointestinal tract. Using this model, as well as an appropriate immunosuppression regimen, we demonstrate that dissemination of C. albicans from the gastrointestinal tract can result in mortality within 30 days postinfection. We also show a significant increase in fungal burden in systemic organs, but not gastrointestinal tract organs, upon immunosuppression. Importantly, we demonstrate that the administration of two widely used antifungals, fluconazole and caspofungin, either pre- or postimmunosuppression, significantly reduces fungal burdens. This model should prove to be of significant value for testing the ability of both established and experimental therapeutics to inhibit C. albicans dissemination from the gastrointestinal tract in an immunocompromised host as well as the subsequent mortality that can result from disseminated candidiasis. PMID:27572393

Therapeutic management of Urinary Tract Infections (UTI): A ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) is one of the most common diseases and a significant cause of morbidity in all age groups. There are large differences in the management of UTI with respect to definition, diagnosis and treatment. This retrospective study reviewed the diagnosis and drug treatment of UTI at the Teaching ...

Bladder Infection (Urinary Tract Infection - UTI) in Adults

Science.gov (United States)

... The Urinary Tract & How It Works Bladder Infection (Urinary Tract Infection—UTI) in Adults View or Print All ... Bladder infections are the most common type of urinary tract infection (UTI), but any part of your urinary ...

Star formation and substructure in galaxy clusters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cohen, Seth A.; Hickox, Ryan C.; Wegner, Gary A.; Einasto, Maret; Vennik, Jaan

2014-01-01

We investigate the relationship between star formation (SF) and substructure in a sample of 107 nearby galaxy clusters using data from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. Several past studies of individual galaxy clusters have suggested that cluster mergers enhance cluster SF, while others find no such relationship. The SF fraction in multi-component clusters (0.228 ± 0.007) is higher than that in single-component clusters (0.175 ± 0.016) for galaxies with M r 0.1 <−20.5. In both single- and multi-component clusters, the fraction of star-forming galaxies increases with clustercentric distance and decreases with local galaxy number density, and multi-component clusters show a higher SF fraction than single-component clusters at almost all clustercentric distances and local densities. Comparing the SF fraction in individual clusters to several statistical measures of substructure, we find weak, but in most cases significant at greater than 2σ, correlations between substructure and SF fraction. These results could indicate that cluster mergers may cause weak but significant SF enhancement in clusters, or unrelaxed clusters exhibit slightly stronger SF due to their less evolved states relative to relaxed clusters.

Globular clusters and galaxy halos

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Van Den Bergh, S.

1984-01-01

Using semipartial correlation coefficients and bootstrap techniques, a study is made of the important features of globular clusters with respect to the total number of galaxy clusters and dependence of specific galaxy cluster on parent galaxy type, cluster radii, luminosity functions and cluster ellipticity. It is shown that the ellipticity of LMC clusters correlates significantly with cluster luminosity functions, but not with cluster age. The cluter luminosity value above which globulars are noticeably flattened may differ by a factor of about 100 from galaxy to galaxy. Both in the Galaxy and in M31 globulars with small core radii have a Gaussian distribution over luminosity, whereas clusters with large core radii do not. In the cluster systems surrounding the Galaxy, M31 and NGC 5128 the mean radii of globular clusters was found to increase with the distance from the nucleus. Central galaxies in rich clusters have much higher values for specific globular cluster frequency than do other cluster ellipticals, suggesting that such central galaxies must already have been different from normal ellipticals at the time they were formed

Radionuclide imaging of the lower genitourinary tract

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lowery, P.A.; Pjura, G.A.; Kin, E.E.; Brown, W.D.

1988-01-01

The major use of radionuclide cystography is in the management of children with vesicoureteral reflux (VUR). Reflux is common, occurring in one-third to one-half of children with urinary tract infection. The significance of VUR lies in its associated symptoms and consequences, which include impaired renal growth and function, vague ill health, renal pain, and more importantly the development of reflux nephropathy, a significant cause of end-stage renal disease and hypertension in children. Although reflux may resolve spontaneously, particularly milder degrees of reflux, the age at which this may occur is unpredictable and repeated follow-up cystography over a number of years may be necessary. Therefore, it is important to minimize radiation to the child while providing accurate diagnostic information. This paper discusses how the technique of radionuclide cystography compares favorably with routine contrast voiding cystourethrography (VCUG) in these respects, and in addition can provide quantitative information not obtained by radiographic techniques. Other indications may include screening siblings of patients known to have reflux, follow-up of antireflux surgery and occasionally screening for reflux in children who have had urinary tract infection

Diagnostic imaging of the kidney and the urinary tract in infancy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Troeger, J.; Darge, K.; Rohrschneider, W.

1999-01-01

Imaging flow charts differ in pediatric and general radiology. The reasons are: Different illnesses, different consequences arising out of imaging results and different sequence of imaging methods. Ultrasound is always the first imaging method of the urinary tract in infancy and childhood starts with ultrasound with the exception of severe abdominal trauma which is investigated by computertomography. The decision 'normal or abnormal' is possible using ultrasound in the most pediatric cases. The diagnostic value and significance of ultrasound in infancy and childhood is far better than in general radiology because of the higher resolution of the high-frequency units taken. The result of the ultrasound examination should be the basis for the following imaging procedures. We will describe diagnostic flow charts starting with three important clinical symptoms: Prenatal pathology, urinary tract obstruction and urinary tract infection. (orig.) [de

Comparing between results and complications of doing voiding cystourethrogram in the first week following urinary tract infection and in 2-6 weeks after urinary tract infection in children referring to a teaching hospital.

Science.gov (United States)

Yousefichaijan, Parsa; Dorreh, Fatemeh; Shahsavari, Someyeh; Pakniyat, Abdolghader

2016-01-01

Urinary tract infection is the most common genitourinary disease in children so about 40% of the children with urinary tract infection suffering from reflux that caused some consequences such as pyelonephritis and kidney parenchymal injury. This research was conducted to compare the timing of voiding cystourethrogram (VCUG) in children with urinary tract infection in first week and after the first week of urinary tract infection. This research is a case-control study that both case and control groups include 208 children from 1 month to 12 years old with the complain of urinary tract infection. In case group, the VCUG was performed at the first week of infection and in control group, the VCUG was performed after the first week of infection. complication such as dysuria was observed in two-thirds of children who VCUG was performed during first week after urinary tract infection. Parents stress in case group was more than the other (P=0.015). For overall, the incidence of reflux in case and control groups was 49.5% and 50%, respectively. The mean of reflux grading in right kidney in case group was lower than control group resulting in significant differences between two groups. According to higher grade of stress in parents and complications due to VCUG at the first week of urinary tract infection, it is suggested that VCUG be conducted on selective patients in the hospital at the first week of urinary tract infection and during hospitalization.

The rotation of galaxy clusters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tovmassian, H.M.

2015-01-01

The method for detection of the galaxy cluster rotation based on the study of distribution of member galaxies with velocities lower and higher of the cluster mean velocity over the cluster image is proposed. The search for rotation is made for flat clusters with a/b> 1.8 and BMI type clusters which are expected to be rotating. For comparison there were studied also round clusters and clusters of NBMI type, the second by brightness galaxy in which does not differ significantly from the cluster cD galaxy. Seventeen out of studied 65 clusters are found to be rotating. It was found that the detection rate is sufficiently high for flat clusters, over 60 per cent, and clusters of BMI type with dominant cD galaxy, ≈ 35 per cent. The obtained results show that clusters were formed from the huge primordial gas clouds and preserved the rotation of the primordial clouds, unless they did not have mergings with other clusters and groups of galaxies, in the result of which the rotation has been prevented

Circumvention of chaperone requirement for aggregate formation of a short polyglutamine tract by the co-expression of a long polyglutamine tract.

Science.gov (United States)

Kimura, Yoko; Koitabashi, Sumiko; Kakizuka, Akira; Fujita, Takashi

2002-10-04

Polyglutamine disease is now recognized as one of the conformational, amyloid-related diseases. In this disease, polyglutamine expansion in proteins has toxic effects on cells and also results in the formation of aggregates. Polyglutamine aggregate formation is accompanied by conversion of the polyglutamine from a soluble to an insoluble form. In yeast, the efficiency of the aggregate formation is determined by the balance of various parameters, including the length of the polyglutamine tract, the function of Hsp104, and the level of polyglutamine expression. In this study, we found that the co-expression of a long polyglutamine tract, which formed aggregates independently of the function of Hsp104, enhanced the formation of aggregates of a short polyglutamine tract in wild-type cells as well as in Deltahsp104 mutant cells. Thus, the expression of a long polyglutamine tract would be an additional parameter determining the efficiency of aggregate formation of a short polyglutamine tract. The co-localization of aggregates of long and short polyglutamine tracts suggests the possibility that the enhancement occurs due to the seeding of aggregates of the long polyglutamine tracts.

Frailty and Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms.

Science.gov (United States)

Suskind, Anne M

2017-09-01

The incidence of both frailty and lower urinary tract symptoms, including urinary incontinence, overactive bladder, underactive bladder, and benign prostatic hyperplasia, increases with age. However, our understanding of the relationship between frailty and lower urinary tract symptoms, both in terms of pathophysiology and in terms of the evaluation and management of such symptoms, is greatly lacking. This brief review will summarize definitions and measurement tools associated with frailty and will also review the existing state of the literature on frailty and lower urinary tract symptoms in older individuals.

Urinary Tract Cancer in Lynch Syndrome; Increased Risk in Carriers of MSH2 Mutations

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Joost, Patrick; Therkildsen, Christina; Dominguez-Valentin, Mev

2015-01-01

and microsatellite instability in 23% of the tumors. Mutations in MSH2 were overrepresented (73%), and MSH2 mutation carriers were at a significantly increased risk of developing urinary tract cancer compared with individuals with mutations in MLH1 or MSH6. CONCLUSION: Cancers of the upper urinary tract...

Mechanosensitive Piezo Channels in the Gastrointestinal Tract.

Science.gov (United States)

Alcaino, C; Farrugia, G; Beyder, A

2017-01-01

Sensation of mechanical forces is critical for normal function of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and abnormalities in mechanosensation are linked to GI pathologies. In the GI tract there are several mechanosensitive cell types-epithelial enterochromaffin cells, intrinsic and extrinsic enteric neurons, smooth muscle cells and interstitial cells of Cajal. These cells use mechanosensitive ion channels that respond to mechanical forces by altering transmembrane ionic currents in a process called mechanoelectrical coupling. Several mechanosensitive ionic conductances have been identified in the mechanosensory GI cells, ranging from mechanosensitive voltage-gated sodium and calcium channels to the mechanogated ion channels, such as the two-pore domain potassium channels K2P (TREK-1) and nonselective cation channels from the transient receptor potential family. The recently discovered Piezo channels are increasingly recognized as significant contributors to cellular mechanosensitivity. Piezo1 and Piezo2 are nonselective cationic ion channels that are directly activated by mechanical forces and have well-defined biophysical and pharmacologic properties. The role of Piezo channels in the GI epithelium is currently under investigation and their role in the smooth muscle syncytium and enteric neurons is still not known. In this review, we outline the current state of knowledge on mechanosensitive ion channels in the GI tract, with a focus on the known and potential functions of the Piezo channels. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Dual-radionuclide simultaneous gastric emptying and bile transit study after gastric surgery with double-tract reconstruction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakajima, Kenichi; Kawano, Masaya; Kinami, Shinichi; Fujimura, Takashi; Miwa, Koichi; Tonami, Norihisa

2005-01-01

The physiology of gastrointestinal transfer function after proximal gastrectomy with bypass-tract reconstruction is not well understood. We applied a simultaneous dual-radionuclide method with a hepatobiliary imaging and gastric emptying study to evaluate physiologic alterations occurring after surgery. Nineteen patients with early gastric cancer, including 9 preoperative control patients and 10 who had proximal gastrectomy and double-tract reconstruction surgery were examined by dual-radionuclide hepatobiliary and gastric emptying studies ( 99m Tc PMT and 111 In DTPA). Retention fraction in the stomach at 3 minutes (R3) and 60 minutes (R60) and gastric emptying half-time (GET) were calculated. Bile reflux and mixture of bile and food were also evaluated. The retention fractions of R3 and R60 were significantly lower in the double-tract reconstruction group than those in the preoperative group. GET differed significantly between the double-tract and preoperative groups (20.7 min±7.1 min and 36.2 min±11.0 min, p=0.0018). The mixture of bile and food was not good in the double-tract reconstruction group (p=0.014 vs. preoperative). Patients with a large residual stomach showed slower initial emptying (p=0.0068) and a better mixture of bile and food (p=0.058) compared to those with a small residual stomach. The bile reflux was not significantly increased after surgery. The dual-radionuclide gastrointestinal and hepatobiliary imaging was feasible and could demonstrate characteristic transit patterns of the foods and bile in the double-tract reconstruction procedure. A larger residual stomach, if possible, is desirable to provide better transfer and mixing of bile and foods. (author)

Modified genetic algorithms to model cluster structures in medium-size silicon clusters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bazterra, Victor E.; Ona, Ofelia; Caputo, Maria C.; Ferraro, Marta B.; Fuentealba, Patricio; Facelli, Julio C.

2004-01-01

This paper presents the results obtained using a genetic algorithm (GA) to search for stable structures of medium size silicon clusters. In this work the GA uses a semiempirical energy function to find the best cluster structures, which are further optimized using density-functional theory. For small clusters our results agree well with previously reported structures, but for larger ones different structures appear. This is the case of Si 36 where we report a different structure, with significant lower energy than those previously found using limited search approaches on common structural motifs. This demonstrates the need for global optimization schemes when searching for stable structures of medium-size silicon clusters

Cranberry for Urinary Tract Infection: From Bench to Bedside.

Science.gov (United States)

Nabavi, Seyed Fazel; Sureda, Antoni; Daglia, Maria; Izadi, Morteza; Nabavi, Seyed Mohammad

2017-01-01

Urinary tract infections are common infectious diseases which can occur in any part of the urinary tract such as bladder, kidney, ureters, and urethra. They are commonly caused by bacteria that enter through the urethra. Urinary tract infections commonly develop in the bladder and spread to renal tissues. Up to now, there are different antimicrobial agents which have beneficial role on urinary tract infections. However, most of them cause different adverse effects and therefore, much attention has been paid to the search for effective therapeutic agents with negligible adverse effects. Cranberry is known as one of the most important edible plants, which possesses potent antimicrobial effects against the bacteria responsible for urinary tract infections. Growing evidence has shown that cranberry suppresses urinary tract infections and eradicates the bacteria. Therefore, the aim of this study is to critically review the available literature regarding the antimicrobial activities of cranberry against urinary tract infection microorganisms. In addition, we discuss etiology, epidemiology, risk factors, and current drugs of urinary tract infections to provide a more complete picture of this disease.

Urinary tract infection in renal transplant recipients | Elkehili | Arab ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Introduction: Urinary tract infection (UTI) is the commonest bacterial infection occurring in renal transplant recipients, and it is associated with significant morbidity. This study aimed to assess the characteristics of all UTI episodes diagnosed in renal transplant patients who attended regularly for follow up in the nephrology ...

Biliary tract duplication cyst with gastric heterotopia

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Grumbach, K.; Baker, D.H.; Weigert, J.; Altman, R.P.

1988-05-01

Cystic duplications of the biliary tract are rare anomalies, easily mistaken for choledochal cysts. Surgical drainage is the preferred therapy for choledochal cyst, but cystic duplication necessitates surgical excision as duplications may contain heterotopic gastric mucosa leading to peptic ulceration of the biliary tract. We report a case of biliary tract duplication cyst containing heterotopic alimentary mucosa which had initially been diagnosed and surgically treated as a choledochal cyst.

Biliary tract duplication cyst with gastric heterotopia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grumbach, K.; Baker, D.H.; Weigert, J.; Altman, R.P.

1988-01-01

Cystic duplications of the biliary tract are rare anomalies, easily mistaken for choledochal cysts. Surgical drainage is the preferred therapy for choledochal cyst, but cystic duplication necessitates surgical excision as duplications may contain heterotopic gastric mucosa leading to peptic ulceration of the biliary tract. We report a case of biliary tract duplication cyst containing heterotopic alimentary mucosa which had initially been diagnosed and surgically treated as a choledochal cyst. (orig.)

Urinary tract infections in symptomatic pregnant women attending ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Background: Several notable human pathogens cause urinary tract infections. Several factors are known to predispose an individual to developing urinary tract infections; one of the factors is pregnancy. Therefore, this research set out to determine the bacteriologic profile of urinary tract infection and the susceptibility pattern ...

Urinary Tract Infections in Children : EAU/ESPU Guidelines

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Stein, Raimund; Dogan, Hasan S.; Hoebeke, Piet; Kocvara, Radim; Nijman, Rien J. M.; Radmayr, Christian; Tekgul, Serdar

Context: In 30% of children with urinary tract anomalies, urinary tract infection (UTI) can be the first sign. Failure to identify patients at risk can result in damage to the upper urinary tract. Objective: To provide recommendations for the diagnosis, treatment, and imaging of children presenting

Occult pneumomediastinum in blunt chest trauma: clinical significance.

Science.gov (United States)

Rezende-Neto, J B; Hoffmann, J; Al Mahroos, M; Tien, H; Hsee, L C; Spencer Netto, F; Speers, V; Rizoli, S B

2010-01-01

Thoracic injuries are potentially responsible for 25% of all trauma deaths. Chest X-ray is commonly used to screen patients with chest injury. However, the use of computed tomography (CT) scan for primary screening is increasing, particularly for blunt trauma. CT scans are more sensitive than chest X-ray in detecting intra-thoracic abnormalities such as pneumothoraces and pneumomediastinums. Pneumomediastinum detected by chest X-ray or "overt pneumomediastinum", raises the concern of possible aerodigestive tract injuries. In contrast, there is scarce information on the clinical significance of pneumomediastinum diagnosed by CT scan only or "occult pneumomediastinum". Therefore we investigated the clinical consequences of occult pneumomediastinum in our blunt trauma population. A 2-year retrospective chart review of all blunt chest trauma patients with initial chest CT scan admitted to a level I trauma centre. Data extracted from the medical records include; demographics, occult, overt, or no pneumomediastinum, the presence of intra-thoracic aerodigestive tract injuries (trachea, bronchus, and/or esophagus), mechanism and severity of injury, endotracheal intubation, chest thoracostomy, operations and radiological reports by an attending radiologist. All patients with intra-thoracic aerodigestive tract injuries from 1994 to 2004 were also investigated. Of 897 patients who met the inclusion criteria 839 (93.5%) had no pneumomediastinum. Five patients (0.6%) had overt pneumomediastinum and 53 patients (5.9%) had occult pneumomediastinum. Patients with occult pneumomediastinum had significantly higher ISS and AIS chest (pchest thoracostomy tube was more common (ppneumothorax. None of the patients with occult pneumomediastinum had aerodigestive tract injuries (95%CI 0-0.06). Follow up CT scan of patients with occult pneumomediastinum showed complete resolution in all cases, in average 3 h after the initial exam. Occult pneumomediastinum occurred in approximately 6% of

C-reactive protein levels in girls with lower urinary tract symptoms.

Science.gov (United States)

Tarhan, H; Ekin, R G; Can, E; Cakmak, O; Yavascan, O; Mutlubas Ozsan, F; Helvaci, M; Zorlu, F

2016-04-01

Daytime lower urinary tract (LUT) conditions are identified as daytime incontinence problems for children in whom any cause of neuropathy and uropathy has been excluded. C-reactive protein (CRP) is a common marker of acute or chronic inflammation and infection. Increased CRP levels have been detected in the studies conducted on adults diagnosed with overactive bladders and interstitial cystitis. This study aimed to investigate the role of serum CRP levels in girls suffering from daytime LUT conditions. Out of the 752 patients who presented to the outpatient clinics with lower urinary tract symptoms, 709 were excluded due to: being boys, having previous urinary tract surgery, an active urinary tract infection, a neurological anomaly, a urinary system anomaly, having rheumatic disease, any chronic disease, any febrile infection over the past week, a history of constipation, and enuresis nocturna. Forty-three girls with LUT conditions and aged 8-10 years were included in the study as the patient group. Forty girls who attended the urology outpatient clinic without LUT conditions, or active urinary tract infections and any chronic disease requiring follow-up constituted the control group. Under the control of the parents, all subjects were asked to fill out 3-day voiding diaries. The voiding diaries identified frequency, urgency, urgency urinary incontinence, and functional bladder capacity data. All subjects also completed a dysfunctional voiding scoring system (DVSS). The serum CRP levels of all subjects were measured. There was a significant difference in serum CRP levels and DVSS between the patient group and the control group (P = 0.001, P = 0.001). The mean serum CRP levels showed a significant increase when frequency and urgency scores were ≥8, the urge incontinence score was ≥2 and the DVS score DVSS was ≥14 in the voiding diaries of the patient group (Table). Lower urinary tract dysfunction is defined as a condition involving abnormalities of filling and

Clinical implications of the microbiome in urinary tract diseases.

Science.gov (United States)

Hiergeist, Andreas; Gessner, André

2017-03-01

The purpose of this review is to outline and evaluate the most recent literature on the role of the microbiome in urinary tract diseases. High throughput molecular DNA sequencing of bacterial 16S rRNA genes enabled the analysis of complex microbial communities inhabiting the human urinary tract. Several recent studies have identified bacterial taxa of the urinary microbiome to impact urinary tract diseases including interstitial cystitis, urgency urinary incontinence or calcium oxalate stone formation. Furthermore, treatment of urinary tract infections by antibiotics globally impacts community profiles of the intestinal microbiota and might indirectly influence human health. Alternative treatment options like application of probiotics for the treatment of urinary tract infections are currently under investigation. The urinary microbiome and its relationship to urinary tract diseases is currently under comprehensive investigation. Further studies are needed to shed light on the role of commensal microbiota for urinary tract infections.

Endoluminal pharmacologic stimulation of the upper urinary tract.

Science.gov (United States)

Jakobsen, Jørn Skibsted

2013-05-01

The experiments performed in this PhD thesis were conducted at the Institute of Experimental Surgery, Skejby Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark and at the Laboratory of Animal Science, Odense University Hospital, Denmark. The thesis is based on 3 peer review articles published in international journals and a review. Diagnostic or therapeutic endoscopic upper urinary tract procedures are usually characterised as minimal invasive procedures and associated with a low complication rate. Most often fever or pain are seen and sometimes septicaemia. However, mucosa lesion or even ureteric ruptures are known complications. Research has suggested that high renal pelvic pressures generated during these procedures, might contribute to per-/postoperative complications seen, and even possible renal parenchymal damage. Nevertheless, local administration (endoluminal) of a relaxant drug has not previously been tried in order to lower renal pelvic pressure. The purposes of this thesis were to examine the effect of local administration (endoluminal) of the nonspecific β-adrenergic agonist ISOproterenol (ISO) on: 1) The normal pressure flow relation in porcine ureter, 2) The effect of endoluminal ISO perfusion during flexible ureterorenoscopy, 3) The pressure flow relation during semirigid ureterorenoscopy and 4) The cardiovascular system. Among other receptor-types β-adrenergic receptor are located in the upper urinary tract and the activation thereof mediates smooth muscle relaxation. We have shown - in an animal experimental model - that ISO added to the irrigation fluid had significant impact on the renal pelvic pressures generated during upper urinary tract endoscopy. ISO significantly and dose dependently reduced the normal pressure flow relations by approximately 80% without concomitant cardiovascular side effects or measurable plasma levels of ISO. During flexible ureterorenoscopy 0.1 µg/ml ISO added to the irrigation fluid significantly reduced renal pelvic pressure during

Lower Urinary Tract Dysfunction in Children

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Jong, Tom P. V. M.; Klijn, Aart J.; Vijverberg, Marianne A. W.

2012-01-01

Up to 10% of school-age children suffer from recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs) and/or urinary incontinence. Lower urinary tract problems are, together with asthma, the most important chronic disease of the pediatric age group. Diagnosis must discriminate among those children with functional

Language, aging, and cognition: frontal aslant tract and superior longitudinal fasciculus contribute toward working memory performance in older adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Rizio, Avery A; Diaz, Michele T

2016-06-15

Previous research has documented change in white matter tract integrity with increasing age. Both interhemispheric and intrahemispheric tracts that underlie language processing are susceptible to these age-related changes. The aim of the current study was to explore age and white matter integrity in language-related tracts as predictors of cognitive task performance in younger and older adults. To this end, we carried out principal component analyses of white matter tracts and confirmatory factor analysis of neuropsychological measures. We next carried out a series of regression analyses that used white matter components to predict scores on each of the neuropsychological components. For both younger and older adults, age was a significant predictor of processing speed and working memory. However, white matter integrity did not contribute independently toward these models. In older adults only, both age and a white matter component that included the bilateral frontal aslant tract and left superior longitudinal fasciculus were significant predictors of working memory. Taken together, these results extend our understanding of the contributions of language-related white matter structure to cognitive processing and highlight the effects of age-related differences in both frontal and dorsal tracts.

Long-Term Outcomes of Renal Transplant in Recipients With Lower Urinary Tract Dysfunction.

Science.gov (United States)

Wilson, Rebekah S; Courtney, Aisling E; Ko, Dicken S C; Maxwell, Alexander P; McDaid, James

2018-01-02

Lower urinary tract dysfunction can lead to chronic kidney disease, which, despite surgical intervention, will progress to end-stage renal disease, requiring dialysis. Urologic pathology may damage a transplanted kidney, limiting patient and graft survival. Although smaller studies have suggested that urinary tract dysfunction does not affect graft or patient survival, this is not universally accepted. Northern Ireland has historically had the highest incidence of neural tube defects in Europe, giving rich local experience in caring for patients with lower urinary tract dysfunction. Here, we analyzed outcomes of renal transplant recipients with lower urinary tract dysfunction versus control recipients. We identified 3 groups of kidney transplant recipients treated between 2001 and 2010; those in group 1 had end-stage renal disease due to lower urinary tract dysfunction with prior intervention (urologic surgery, long-term catheter, or intermittent self-catheterization), group 2 had end-stage renal disease secondary to lower urinary tract dysfunction without intervention, and group 3 had end-stage renal disease due to polycystic kidney disease (chosen as a relatively healthy control cohort without comorbid burden of other causes of end-stage renal disease such as diabetes). The primary outcome measured, graft survival, was death censored, with graft loss defined as requirement for renal replacement therapy or retransplant. Secondary outcomes included patient survival and graft function. In 150 study patients (16 patients in group 1, 64 in group 2, and 70 in group 3), 5-year death-censored graft survival was 93.75%, 90.6%, and 92.9%, respectively, with no significant differences in graft failure among groups (Cox proportional hazards model). Five-year patient survival was 100%, 100%, and 94.3%, respectively. Individuals with a history of lower urinary tract dysfunction had graft and patient survival rates similar to the control group. When appropriately treated, lower

Peptide Hormones in the Gastrointestinal Tract

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rehfeld, Jens F.

2015-01-01

Gastrointestinal hormones are peptides released from endocrine cells and neurons in the digestive tract. More than 30 hormone genes are currently known to be expressed in the gastrointestinal tract, which makes the gut the largest hormone-producing organ in the body. Modern biology makes it feasi...

Disentangling Porterian Clusters

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jagtfelt, Tue

, contested theory become so widely disseminated and applied as a normative and prescriptive strategy for economic development? The dissertation traces the introduction of the cluster notion into the EU’s Lisbon Strategy and demonstrates how its inclusion originates from Porter’s colleagues: Professor Örjan...... to his membership on the Commission on Industrial Competitiveness, and that the cluster notion found in his influential book, Nations, represents a significant shift in his conception of cluster compared with his early conceptions. This shift, it is argued, is a deliberate attempt by Porter to create...... a paradigmatic textbook that follows Kuhn’s blueprint for scientific revolutions by instilling Nations with circular references and thus creating a local linguistic holism conceptualized through an encompassing notion of cluster. The dissertation concludes that the two research questions are philosophically...

Microstructure, length, and connection of limbic tracts in normal human brain development

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Qiaowen eYu

2014-08-01

Full Text Available The cingulum and fornix play an important role in memory, attention, spatial orientation and feeling functions. Both microstructure and length of these limbic tracts can be affected by mental disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease, depression, autism, anxiety, and schizophrenia. To date, there has been little systematic characterization of their microstructure, length and functional connectivity in normally developing brains. In this study, diffusion tensor imaging (DTI and resting state functional MRI (rs-fMRI data from 65 normally developing right-handed subjects from birth to young adulthood was acquired. After cingulate gyrus part of the cingulum (cgc, hippocampal part of the cingulum (cgh and fornix (fx were traced with DTI tractography, absolute and normalized tract lengths and DTI-derived metrics including fractional anisotropy, mean, axial and radial diffusivity were measured for traced limbic tracts. Free water elimination (FWE algorithm was adopted to improve accuracy of the measurements of DTI-derived metrics. The role of these limbic tracts in the functional network at birth and adulthood was explored. We found a logarithmic age-dependent trajectory for FWE-corrected DTI metric changes with fast increase of microstructural integrity from birth to 2-year-old followed by a slow increase to 25-year-old. Normalized tract length of cgc increases with age, while no significant relationship with age was found for normalized tract lengths of cgh and fx. Stronger microstructural integrity on the left side compared to that of right side was found. With integrated DTI and rs-fMRI, the key connectional role of cgc and cgh in the default mode network (DMN was confirmed as early as birth. Systematic characterization of length and DTI metrics after FWE correction of limbic tracts offers insight into their morphological and microstructural developmental trajectories. These trajectories may serve as a normal reference for pediatric patients with

Patients with Urinary Incontinence Appear More Likely to Develop Upper Urinary Tract Stones: A Nationwide, Population-Based Study with 8-Year Follow-Up

Science.gov (United States)

Chung, Hsiao-Jen; Lin, Alex Tong-Long; Lin, Chih-Chieh; Chen, Tzeng-Ji; Chen, Kuang-Kuo

2016-01-01

This study aimed to investigate associations between primary urinary incontinence and development of upper urinary tract stones in a nationwide population in Taiwan. Data of 1,777 adults with primary urinary incontinence and 26,655 controls (groups A, B, and C) without urinary incontinence at study inception were retrieved from the National Health Insurance System database in Taiwan and were analyzed retrospectively. No enrolled subjects had previous diagnosis of upper urinary tract stones or spinal cord injury. All subjects were followed through end of 2009, with a minimum follow-up of 8 years. A greater percentage of study subjects (334/1777, 18.8%) developed upper urinary tract stones than that of control groups A (865/8885, 9.7%) and B (888/8885, 10%), and C (930/8885, 10.5%) (all p-values Urinary incontinence was associated with significantly increased risk of developing urinary tract stones (HR 1.99, 95% CI, 1.70–2.34, p urinary tract stones (both p-values urinary incontinence was still associated with a significantly increased risk of developing upper urinary tract stones (HR 1.99, 95% CI = 1.76–2.26, p urinary incontinence suggests that urinary incontinence is associated with a significantly increased risk of developing upper urinary tract stones. Study findings suggest that physicians treating patients with urinary incontinence should give attention to early detection of upper urinary tract stones. PMID:27536881

Patients with Urinary Incontinence Appear More Likely to Develop Upper Urinary Tract Stones: A Nationwide, Population-Based Study with 8-Year Follow-Up.

Science.gov (United States)

Chung, Hsiao-Jen; Lin, Alex Tong-Long; Lin, Chih-Chieh; Chen, Tzeng-Ji; Chen, Kuang-Kuo

2016-01-01

This study aimed to investigate associations between primary urinary incontinence and development of upper urinary tract stones in a nationwide population in Taiwan. Data of 1,777 adults with primary urinary incontinence and 26,655 controls (groups A, B, and C) without urinary incontinence at study inception were retrieved from the National Health Insurance System database in Taiwan and were analyzed retrospectively. No enrolled subjects had previous diagnosis of upper urinary tract stones or spinal cord injury. All subjects were followed through end of 2009, with a minimum follow-up of 8 years. A greater percentage of study subjects (334/1777, 18.8%) developed upper urinary tract stones than that of control groups A (865/8885, 9.7%) and B (888/8885, 10%), and C (930/8885, 10.5%) (all p-values Urinary incontinence was associated with significantly increased risk of developing urinary tract stones (HR 1.99, 95% CI, 1.70-2.34, p urinary tract stones (both p-values urinary incontinence was still associated with a significantly increased risk of developing upper urinary tract stones (HR 1.99, 95% CI = 1.76-2.26, p urinary incontinence suggests that urinary incontinence is associated with a significantly increased risk of developing upper urinary tract stones. Study findings suggest that physicians treating patients with urinary incontinence should give attention to early detection of upper urinary tract stones.

Study of females genital tract microflora diversity

OpenAIRE

Vertelytė, Justina

2016-01-01

Study of females genital tract microflora diversity SUMMARY Study of female genital tract microflora diversity Authors of Master’s degree scientific research work: Justina Vertelytė Head of Master’s degree scientific research work: dr Silvija Kiverytė Vilnius, 2016 The aim of research work was to investigate and analyze the composition of the microflora of the female genital tract using the methods of microbiological smear, vaginal wet mount and PCR. The objectives of the work were to evaluat...

Development of the lower urinary tract and its functional disorders

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Peco-Antić Amira

2015-01-01

Full Text Available A normal development of lower urinary tract function control evolves from involuntary bladder empting (incontinence during infancy to daytime urinary continence, and finally a successful day and night continence that is generally achieved by the 5th to 7th year of age. This gradual process primarily depends on the progressive maturation of the neural control of the lower urinary tract, but it is also influenced by behavioral training that evolves through social support. Functional voiding disorders (bladder dysfunction are common problems during childhood. They are present in 5-15 % of general pediatric population, and in one-fifth of school-age children or in over one-third of patients of the pediatric urologist or nephrologist. More than half of children with bladder dysfunction have vesicoureteral reflux, and more than two-thirds have recurrent urinary tract infections. There is also a frequent association of bladder dysfunction with constipation and encopresis (dysfunctional elimination syndrome. Bladder dysfunction may cause a permanent damage to the upper urinary tract and kidneys. In addition, urinary incontinence, as the most common manifestation of bladder dysfunction can be the cause of major stress in schoolage children and have a negative effect on the child’s feeling of self-esteem. Thus, a timely detection and treatment of this group of disorders in children is highly significant.

Diagnosis and treatment of urinary tract infections across age groups.

Science.gov (United States)

Chu, Christine M; Lowder, Jerry L

2018-01-02

Urinary tract infections are the most common outpatient infections, but predicting the probability of urinary tract infections through symptoms and test results can be complex. The most diagnostic symptoms of urinary tract infections include change in frequency, dysuria, urgency, and presence or absence of vaginal discharge, but urinary tract infections may present differently in older women. Dipstick urinalysis is popular for its availability and usefulness, but results must be interpreted in context of the patient's pretest probability based on symptoms and characteristics. In patients with a high probability of urinary tract infection based on symptoms, negative dipstick urinalysis does not rule out urinary tract infection. Nitrites are likely more sensitive and specific than other dipstick components for urinary tract infection, particularly in the elderly. Positive dipstick testing is likely specific for asymptomatic bacteriuria in pregnancy, but urine culture is still the test of choice. Microscopic urinalysis is likely comparable to dipstick urinalysis as a screening test. Bacteriuria is more specific and sensitive than pyuria for detecting urinary tract infection, even in older women and during pregnancy. Pyuria is commonly found in the absence of infection, particularly in older adults with lower urinary tract symptoms such as incontinence. Positive testing may increase the probability of urinary tract infection, but initiation of treatment should take into account risk of urinary tract infection based on symptoms as well. In cases in which the probability of urinary tract infection is moderate or unclear, urine culture should be performed. Urine culture is the gold standard for detection of urinary tract infection. However, asymptomatic bacteriuria is common, particularly in older women, and should not be treated with antibiotics. Conversely, in symptomatic women, even growth as low as 10 2 colony-forming unit/mL could reflect infection. Resistance is

Contemporary surgical trends in the management of upper tract calculi.

Science.gov (United States)

Oberlin, Daniel T; Flum, Andrew S; Bachrach, Laurie; Matulewicz, Richard S; Flury, Sarah C

2015-03-01

Upper tract nephrolithiasis is a common surgical condition that is treated with multiple surgical techniques, including shock wave lithotripsy, ureteroscopy and percutaneous nephrolithotomy. We analyzed case logs submitted to the ABU by candidates for initial certification and recertification to help elucidate the trends in management of upper tract urinary calculi. Annualized case logs from 2003 to 2012 were analyzed. We used logistic regression models to assess how surgeon specific attributes affected the way that upper tract stones were treated. Cases were identified by the CPT code of the corresponding procedure. A total of 6,620 urologists in 3 certification groups recorded case logs, including 2,275 for initial certification, 2,381 for first recertification and 1,964 for second recertification. A total of 441,162 procedures were logged, of which 54.2% were ureteroscopy, 41.3% were shock wave lithotripsy and 4.5% were percutaneous nephrolithotomy. From 2003 to 2013 there was an increase in ureteroscopy from 40.9% to 59.6% and a corresponding decrease in shock wave lithotripsy from 54% to 36.3%. For new urologists ureteroscopy increased from 47.6% to 70.9% of all stones cases logged and for senior clinicians ureteroscopy increased from 40% to 55%. Endourologists performed a significantly higher proportion of percutaneous nephrolithotomies than nonendourologists (10.6% vs 3.69%, p <0.0001) and a significantly smaller proportion of shock wave lithotripsies (34.2% vs 42.2%, p = 0.001). Junior and senior clinicians showed a dramatic adoption of endoscopic techniques. Treatment of upper tract calculi is an evolving field and provider specific attributes affect how these stones are treated. Copyright © 2015 American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Dosimetry of the respiratory tract

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roy, M.

1996-01-01

A new dosimetric model of the human respiratory tract has been recently recommended by the International Commission on Radiological Protection, in ICRP Publication 66. This model was intended to update the previous lung model of the Task Group on Lung Dynamics that was adopted by ICRP in Publication 30. With this aim, extensive reviews of the available knowledge were made for anatomy and physiology of the respiratory tract and for deposition, clearance and biological effects of inhaled radionuclides. Finally, expanded dosimetry requirements resulted in a widely different approach from the former model. The main features of the new model are the followings: instead of calculating the average dose to the total mass of blood filled lung, the model takes account of differences in radiosensitivity of the venous respiratory tract tissues. It applies not only to adult workers but also to all members of the population, and provides reference values for children aged 3 months, 1, 5, 10, and 15 years, and adults. Deposition modelling of airborne gases and aerosols associates age dependent breathing rates, airway dimensions and physical activity, to particle size, density and chemical form of inhaled material. Clearance results of competition between mechanical transport clearance and absorption to blood. At each step of the calculation, adjustment guidance is provided to account for use of exact values of particle sizes and specific dissolution rates of inhaled material in order to calculate their own parameter of retention in the airways, and to assess accurately doses to the respiratory tract. Possible influence of smoking, of respiratory tract diseases and of eventual exposure to airborne toxicants is also addressed. (author)

Tract- and county-level income inequality and individual risk of obesity in the United States.

Science.gov (United States)

Fan, Jessie X; Wen, Ming; Kowaleski-Jones, Lori

2016-01-01

We tested three alternative hypotheses regarding the relationship between income inequality and individual risk of obesity at two geographical scales: U.S. Census tract and county. Income inequality was measured by Gini coefficients, created from the 2000 U.S. Census. Obesity was clinically measured in the 2003-2008 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). The individual measures and area measures were geo-linked to estimate three sets of multi-level models: tract only, county only, and tract and county simultaneously. Gender was tested as a moderator. At both the tract and county levels, higher income inequality was associated with lower individual risk of obesity. The size of the coefficient was larger for county-level Gini than for tract-level Gini; and controlling income inequality at one level did not reduce the impact of income inequality at the other level. Gender was not a significant moderator for the obesity-income inequality association. Higher tract and county income inequality was associated with lower individual risk of obesity, indicating that at least at the tract and county levels and in the context of cross-sectional data, the public health goal of reducing the rate of obesity is in line with anti-poverty policies of addressing poverty through mixed-income development where neighborhood income inequality is likely higher than homogeneous neighborhoods. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Exploring relationships of catheter-associated urinary tract infection and blockage in people with long-term indwelling urinary catheters.

Science.gov (United States)

Wilde, Mary H; McMahon, James M; Crean, Hugh F; Brasch, Judith

2017-09-01

To describe and explore relationships among catheter problems in long-term indwelling urinary catheter users, including excess healthcare use for treating catheter problems. Long-term urinary catheter users experience repeated problems with catheter-related urinary tract infection and blockage of the device, yet little has been reported of the patterns and relationships among relevant catheter variables. Secondary data analysis was conducted from a sample in a randomised clinical trial, using data from the entire sample of 202 persons over 12 months' participation. Descriptive statistics were used to characterise the sample over time. Zero-inflated negative binomial models were employed for logistic regressions to evaluate predictor variables of the presence/absence and frequencies of catheter-related urinary tract infection and blockage. Catheter-related urinary tract infection was marginally associated with catheter blockage. Problems reported at least once per person in the 12 months were as follows: catheter-related urinary tract infection 57%, blockage 34%, accidental dislodgment 28%, sediment 87%, leakage (bypassing) 67%, bladder spasms 59%, kinks/twists 42% and catheter pain 49%. Regression analysis demonstrated that bladder spasms were significantly related to catheter-related urinary tract infection and sediment amount, and catheter leakages were marginally significantly and positively related to catheter-related urinary tract infection. Frequencies of higher levels of sediment and catheter leakage were significantly associated with higher levels of blockage, and being female was associated with fewer blockages. Persons who need help with eating (more disabled) were also more likely to have blockages. Catheter-related urinary tract infection and blockage appear to be related and both are associated with additional healthcare expenditures. More research is needed to better understand how to prevent adverse catheter outcomes and patterns of problems in

Lower urinary tract development and disease

Science.gov (United States)

Rasouly, Hila Milo; Lu, Weining

2013-01-01

Congenital Anomalies of the Lower Urinary Tract (CALUT) are a family of birth defects of the ureter, the bladder and the urethra. CALUT includes ureteral anomalies such as congenital abnormalities of the ureteropelvic junction (UPJ) and ureterovesical junction (UVJ), and birth defects of the bladder and the urethra such as bladder-exstrophy-epispadias complex (BEEC), prune belly syndrome (PBS), and posterior urethral valves (PUV). CALUT is one of the most common birth defects and is often associated with antenatal hydronephrosis, vesicoureteral reflux (VUR), urinary tract obstruction, urinary tract infections (UTI), chronic kidney disease and renal failure in children. Here, we discuss the current genetic and molecular knowledge about lower urinary tract development and genetic basis of CALUT in both human and mouse models. We provide an overview of the developmental processes leading to the formation of the ureter, bladder, and urethra, and different genes and signaling pathways controlling these developmental processes. Human genetic disorders that affect the ureter, bladder and urethra and associated gene mutations are also presented. As we are entering the post-genomic era of personalized medicine, information in this article may provide useful interpretation for the genetic and genomic test results collected from patients with lower urinary tract birth defects. With evidence-based interpretations, clinicians may provide more effective personalized therapies to patients and genetic counseling for their families. PMID:23408557

Comparative Immunohistochemical Analysis of Ochratoxin A Tumourigenesis in Rats and Urinary Tract Carcinoma in Humans; Mechanistic Significance of p-S6 Ribosomal Protein Expression

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Sarah Pinder

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Ochratoxin A (OTA is considered to be a possible human urinary tract carcinogen, based largely on a rat model, but no molecular genetic changes in the rat carcinomas have yet been defined. The phosphorylated-S6 ribosomal protein is a marker indicating activity of the mammalian target of rapamycin, which is a serine/threonine kinase with a key role in protein biosynthesis, cell proliferation, transcription, cellular metabolism and apoptosis, while being functionally deregulated in cancer. To assess p-S6 expression we performed immunohistochemistry on formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded tumours and normal tissues. Marked intensity of p-S6 expression was observed in highly proliferative regions of rat renal carcinomas and a rare angiosarcoma, all of which were attributed to prolonged exposure to dietary OTA. Only very small OTA-generated renal adenomas were negative for p-S6. Examples of rat subcutaneous fibrosarcoma and testicular seminoma, as well as of normal renal tissue, showed no or very weak positive staining. In contrast to the animal model, human renal cell carcinoma, upper urinary tract transitional cell carcinoma from cases of Balkan endemic nephropathy, and a human angiosarcoma were negative for p-S6. The combined findings are reminiscent of constitutive changes in the rat tuberous sclerosis gene complex in the Eker strain correlated with renal neoplasms, Therefore rat renal carcinogenesis caused by OTA does not obviously mimic human urinary tract tumourigenesis.

Effect of needle tract bleeding on occurrence of pneumothorax after transthoracic needle biopsy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Topal, U.; Berkman, Yahya M.

2005-01-01

Purpose: Occasionally bleeding along the needle trajectory is observed at post-biopsy computed tomographic sections. This study was designed to evaluate the possible effect of needle tract bleeding on the occurrence of pneumothorax and on requirement of chest tube insertion. Materials and methods: Two hundred eighty-four needle biopsies performed in 275 patients in whom the needle traversed the aerated lung parenchyma were retrospectively reviewed. Bleeding along the needle tract, occurrence of pneumothorax and need for chest tube insertion, type and size of the needle, size of the lesion, length of the lung traversed by the needle, presence or absence of emphysema were noted. Effect of these factors on the rate of pneumothorax and needle-tract bleeding was evaluated. The data were analyzed by χ 2 test. Results: Pneumothorax developed in 100 (35%) out of 284 procedures requiring chest tube placement in 16 (16%). Variables that were significantly associated with an increased risk of pneumothorax were depth of the lesion (P 0.05). However, analysis of the relation between length of lung traversed by the needle, tract-bleeding and pneumothorax rate indicated that tract-bleeding had a preventive effect on development of pneumothorax (P 0.05). Conclusion: Bleeding in the needle tract has a preventive effect on the occurrence of the pneumothorax in deep-seated lesions and in the presence of emphysema, although it does not affect the overall rate of pneumothorax

Saw palmetto for the treatment of men with lower urinary tract symptoms.

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Gerber, G S

2000-05-01

A comprehensive review of the literature on the use of saw palmetto in men with lower urinary tract symptoms is provided. A literature search of studies that have assessed the mechanism of action and clinical results of saw palmetto in men with benign prostatic hyperplasia was performed. A variety of potential mechanisms of action of saw palmetto have been demonstrated through in vitro studies, including 5-alpha reductase inhibition, adrenergic receptor antagonism and intraprostatic androgen receptor blockade. Clinical evidence of the relevance of these effects is largely unavailable. The use of saw palmetto in men with benign prostatic hyperplasia is safe with no recognized adverse effects. No effect on serum prostate specific antigen has been noted. Placebo controlled trials and meta-analyses have suggested that saw palmetto leads to subjective and objective improvement in men with lower urinary tract symptoms. However, most studies are significantly limited by methodological flaws, small patient numbers and brief treatment intervals. Evidence suggests that saw palmetto may have a significant effect on urinary flow rates and symptom scores compared to placebo in men with lower urinary tract symptoms. However, large scale, placebo controlled trials are needed to assess the efficacy of saw palmetto.

Imaging after urinary tract infection in older children and adolescents.

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Kurtz, Michael P; Chow, Jeanne S; Johnson, Emilie K; Rosoklija, Ilina; Logvinenko, Tanya; Nelson, Caleb P

2015-05-01

There are few guidelines and little data on imaging after urinary tract infections in older children. We determined the clinical yield of renal and bladder ultrasound, and voiding cystourethrogram in older children and adolescents after urinary tract infection. We analyzed findings on voiding cystourethrogram, and renal and bladder ultrasound as well as the clinical history of patients who underwent the 2 studies on the same day between January 2006 and December 2010. We selected for study patients 5 to 18 years old who underwent imaging for urinary tract infection. Those with prior postnatal genitourinary imaging or prenatal hydronephrosis were excluded from analysis. We identified a cohort of 153 patients, of whom 74% were 5 to 8 years old, 21% were 8 to 12 years old and 5% were 12 to 18 years old. Of the patients 77% were female, 78% had a febrile urinary tract infection history and 55% had a history of recurrent urinary tract infections. Renal and bladder ultrasound findings revealed hydronephrosis in 7.8% of patients, ureteral dilatation in 3.9%, renal parenchymal findings in 20% and bladder findings in 12%. No patient had moderate or greater hydronephrosis. Voiding cystourethrogram showed vesicoureteral reflux in 34% of cases and bladder or urethral anomalies in 12%. Reflux was grade I, II-III and greater than III in 5.9%, 26% and 2% of patients, respectively. For any voiding cystourethrogram abnormality the sensitivity and specificity of any renal and bladder ultrasound abnormality were 0.49 (95% CI 0.37-0.62) and 0.76 (95% CI 0.66-0.84), respectively. Positive and negative predictive values were 0.58 (95% CI 0.44-0.71) and 0.69 (0.59-0.77), respectively. In older children with a history of urinary tract infection the imaging yield is significant. However, imaging revealed high grade hydronephrosis or high grade vesicoureteral reflux in few patients. Renal ultrasound is not reliable for predicting voiding cystourethrogram findings such as vesicoureteral

Dependence of paracentric inversion rate on tract length

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

York, Thomas L; Durrett, Rick; Nielsen, Rasmus

2007-01-01

BACKGROUND: We develop a Bayesian method based on MCMC for estimating the relative rates of pericentric and paracentric inversions from marker data from two species. The method also allows estimation of the distribution of inversion tract lengths. RESULTS: We apply the method to data from...... Drosophila melanogaster and D. yakuba. We find that pericentric inversions occur at a much lower rate compared to paracentric inversions. The average paracentric inversion tract length is approx. 4.8 Mb with small inversions being more frequent than large inversions.If the two breakpoints defining...... a paracentric inversion tract are uniformly and independently distributed over chromosome arms there will be more short tract-length inversions than long; we find an even greater preponderance of short tract lengths than this would predict. Thus there appears to be a correlation between the positions...

Acoustic Vocal Tract Model of One-year-old Children

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M. Vojnović

2014-11-01

Full Text Available The physical shape of vocal tract and its formant (resonant frequencies are directly related. The study of this functional connectivity is essential in speech therapy practice with children. Most of the perceived children’s speech anomalies can be explained on a physical level: malfunctioning movement of articulation organs. The current problem is that there is no enough data on the anatomical shape of children’s vocal tract to create its acoustic model. Classical techniques for vocal tract shape imaging (X-ray, magnetic resonance, etc. are not appropriate for children. One possibility is to start from the shape of the adult vocal tract and correct it based on anatomical, morphological and articulatory differences between children and adults. This paper presents a method for vocal tract shape estimation of the child aged one year. The initial shapes of the vocal tract refer to the Russian vowels spoken by an adult male. All the relevant anatomical and articulation parameters, that influence the formant frequencies, are analyzed. Finally, the hypothetical configurations of the children’s vocal tract, for the five vowels, are presented.

Clinical and diagnostic significance of urinary neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin-2 measurement in children with microbial inflammatory kidney and urinary tract diseases

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A. V. Eremeeva

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Objective: to study the clinical and diagnostic significance of urinary neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin-2 (NGAL measurement in children with urinary tract infection (я=15 and pyelonephritis (я=15. The patients' age was 1 to 16 years (mean age, 7.32+4.52 years. The diagnosis was verified on the basis of clinical and laboratory findings and medical history and instrumental examination data. Urinary NGAL levels were measured by enzyme immunoassay (a Bio\\fendor Laboratory Medicine kit and calculated with reference to mg of creatinine. Urinary NGAL levels were established to depend on the degree of renal parenchymal damage. The investigation showed a relationship between the excretion of NGAL during the acute phase of pyelonephritis and the detection of renal scarring, as evidenced by statistical DMCA nephroscintigraphy. The acute pyelonephritis group exhibited a moderate direct correlation between the renal excretion of NGAL and the degree of leukocytosis and the blood levels of C-reactive protein. The findings allow recommendations for measuring urinary NGAL levels as an additional noninvasive marker for the early detection of renal parenchymal damage.

Imaging of transitional cell carcinomas of the urinary tracts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ozmen, M.

2012-01-01

Full text: Transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) is the most common urothelial neoplasm to involve the upper urinary tract and bladder. Prognosis significantly worsens with deeper invasion. The role of imaging is to detect the tiniest urothelial neoplasms while still potentially resectable and curable. In case of advance disease, imaging should identify the extent of disease. Intravenous or retrograde urography, ultrasonography, computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging have been used for diagnosis of TCC. The diagnostic performances of these imaging modalities differ from each other. A recent review regarding imaging of TCC by Razavi et al states that the retrieved sensitivity/specificity for the detection of TCC of upper urinary tract for CT urography (CTU), MR urography, excretory urography, and retrograde urography were 96%/99%, 69%/97%, 80%/81%, and 96%/96%, respectively. For detecting bladder cancer, the retrieved sensitivity/specificity for CT cystography, MR cystography, and ultrasonography were 94%/98%, 91%/95%, and 78%/96%, respectively. They conclude that CT urography is the best imaging technique for confirming or excluding malignancy in the upper urinary tract, whereas CT cystography has the best diagnostic performance for diagnosing bladder cancer. While cystoscopy is still considered by most to be the gold-standard for evaluation of the urinary bladder, CTU is playing an increasing role in the detection of urinary bladder urothelial neoplasms. As with the upper urinary tract, bladder urothelial neoplasms typically present as a filling defect, a focal mass, or an area of abnormal focal wall thickening. Magnetic resonance imaging is superior for evaluation of the depth of tumour invasion into the bladder wall, but this knowledge may not ultimately affect treatment as feasibility for radical cystectomy depends on staging by a combination of clinical, histopathological and imaging findings. Radical cystectomy may include resection of adjacent organs

Genomic organization, tissue distribution and functional characterization of the rat Pate gene cluster.

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Angireddy Rajesh

Full Text Available The cysteine rich prostate and testis expressed (Pate proteins identified till date are thought to resemble the three fingered protein/urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor proteins. In this study, for the first time, we report the identification, cloning and characterization of rat Pate gene cluster and also determine the expression pattern. The rat Pate genes are clustered on chromosome 8 and their predicted proteins retained the ten cysteine signature characteristic to TFP/Ly-6 protein family. PATE and PATE-F three dimensional protein structure was found to be similar to that of the toxin bucandin. Though Pate gene expression is thought to be prostate and testis specific, we observed that rat Pate genes are also expressed in seminal vesicle and epididymis and in tissues beyond the male reproductive tract. In the developing rats (20-60 day old, expression of Pate genes seem to be androgen dependent in the epididymis and testis. In the adult rat, androgen ablation resulted in down regulation of the majority of Pate genes in the epididymides. PATE and PATE-F proteins were found to be expressed abundantly in the male reproductive tract of rats and on the sperm. Recombinant PATE protein exhibited potent antibacterial activity, whereas PATE-F did not exhibit any antibacterial activity. Pate expression was induced in the epididymides when challenged with LPS. Based on our results, we conclude that rat PATE proteins may contribute to the reproductive and defense functions.

Serine-rich repeat proteins and pili promote Streptococcus agalactiae colonization of the vaginal tract.

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Sheen, Tamsin R; Jimenez, Alyssa; Wang, Nai-Yu; Banerjee, Anirban; van Sorge, Nina M; Doran, Kelly S

2011-12-01

Streptococcus agalactiae (group B streptococcus [GBS]) is a Gram-positive bacterium found in the female rectovaginal tract and is capable of producing severe disease in susceptible hosts, including newborns and pregnant women. The vaginal tract is considered a major reservoir for GBS, and maternal vaginal colonization poses a significant risk to the newborn; however, little is known about the specific bacterial factors that promote GBS colonization and persistence in the female reproductive tract. We have developed in vitro models of GBS interaction with the human female cervicovaginal tract using human vaginal and cervical epithelial cell lines. Analysis of isogenic mutant GBS strains deficient in cell surface organelles such as pili and serine-rich repeat (Srr) proteins shows that these factors contribute to host cell attachment. As Srr proteins are heavily glycosylated, we confirmed that carbohydrate moieties contribute to the effective interaction of Srr-1 with vaginal epithelial cells. Antibody inhibition assays identified keratin 4 as a possible host receptor for Srr-1. Our findings were further substantiated in an in vivo mouse model of GBS vaginal colonization, where mice inoculated with an Srr-1-deficient mutant exhibited decreased GBS vaginal persistence compared to those inoculated with the wild-type (WT) parental strain. Furthermore, competition experiments in mice showed that WT GBS exhibited a significant survival advantage over the ΔpilA or Δsrr-1 mutant in the vaginal tract. Our results suggest that these GBS surface proteins contribute to vaginal colonization and may offer new insights into the mechanisms of vaginal niche establishment.

Comparative in vitro inhibition of urinary tract pathogens by single- and multi-strain probiotics.

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Chapman, C M C; Gibson, G R; Todd, S; Rowland, I

2013-09-01

Multi-species probiotic preparations have been suggested as having a wide spectrum of application, although few studies have compared their efficacy with that of individual component strains at equal concentrations. We therefore tested the ability of 4 single probiotics and 4 probiotic mixtures to inhibit the urinary tract pathogens Escherichia coli NCTC 9001 and Enterococcus faecalis NCTC 00775. We used an agar spot test to test the ability of viable cells to inhibit pathogens, while a broth inhibition assay was used to assess inhibition by cell-free probiotic supernatants in both pH-neutralised and non-neutralised forms. In the agar spot test, all probiotic treatments showed inhibition, L. acidophilus was the most inhibitory single strain against E. faecalis, L. fermentum the most inhibitory against E. coli. A commercially available mixture of 14 strains (Bio-Kult(®)) was the most effective mixture, against E. faecalis, the 3-lactobacillus mixture the most inhibitory against E. coli. Mixtures were not significantly more inhibitory than single strains. In the broth inhibition assays, all probiotic supernatants inhibited both pathogens when pH was not controlled, with only 2 treatments causing inhibition at a neutral pH. Both viable cells of probiotics and supernatants of probiotic cultures were able to inhibit growth of two urinary tract pathogens. Probiotic mixtures prevented the growth of urinary tract pathogens but were not significantly more inhibitory than single strains. Probiotics appear to produce metabolites that are inhibitory towards urinary tract pathogens. Probiotics display potential to reduce the incidence of urinary tract infections via inhibition of colonisation.

[Expression and clinical significance of 5hmC in bladder urothelial carcinoma].

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Li, Jie; Xu, Yuqiao; Zhang, Zhiwen; Zhang, Ming; Zhang, Zhekai; Zhang, Feng; Li, Qing

2016-02-01

To investigate the expression of 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC) in bladder urothelial carcinoma (UC) and its clinical significance. The expression of 5hmC in 21 cases of UC tissues and pericarcinous urinary tract epithelium was detected by immunohistochemical staining. Then the expression of 5hmC in the surgical resection of UC tissues in 92 cases was also surveyed. Non parametric U Mann-Whitney test was used to analyze the correlation between 5hmC expression and clinical data. Single factor survival analysis was performed by Kaplan-Meier test. The expression of 5hmC in normal urinary tract epithelium and UC tissues was significantly different, but there was no significant difference in the expression of 5hmC between low and high grades of UC tissues as well as between different TNM grades. Kaplan-Meier single factor survival analysis showed that there was no significant correlation between the 5hmC expression level and the survival rate or the recurrence-free survival of UC patients. The expression level of 5hmC in UC tissues is significantly lower than that in pericarcinous urinary tract epithelium. There is no correlation between the 5hmC expression and the progression, prognosis and recurrence of UC.

The association between white-matter tract abnormalities, and neuropsychiatric and cognitive symptoms in retired professional football players with multiple concussions.

Science.gov (United States)

Multani, Namita; Goswami, Ruma; Khodadadi, Mozhgan; Ebraheem, Ahmed; Davis, Karen D; Tator, Charles H; Wennberg, Richard; Mikulis, David J; Ezerins, Leo; Tartaglia, Maria Carmela

2016-07-01

Retired professional athletes, who have suffered repetitive concussions, report symptoms of depression, anxiety, and memory impairment over time. Moreover, recent imaging data suggest chronic white-matter tract deterioration in sport-related concussion. The aim of this study is to evaluate the impact of repetitive concussions in retired professional football players on white-matter tracts, and relate these changes to neuropsychological function. All subjects (18 retired professional football players and 17 healthy controls) underwent imaging, neuropsychological assessment, and reported on concussion-related symptoms. Whole brain tract-based spatial statistics analysis revealed increased axial diffusivity in the right hemisphere of retired players in the (1) superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF), (2) corticospinal tract, and (3) anterior thalamic radiations, suggesting chronic axonal degeneration in these tracts. Moreover, retired players report significantly higher neuropsychiatric and cognitive symptoms than healthy controls, and worsening of these symptoms since their last concussion. Loss of integrity in the right SLF significantly correlated with participants' visual learning ability. In sum, these results suggest that repetitive concussions in retired professional football players are associated with focal white-matter tract abnormalities that could explain some of the neuropsychiatric symptoms and cognitive deficits experienced by these retired athletes.

A Novel Cluster Head Selection Algorithm Based on Fuzzy Clustering and Particle Swarm Optimization.

Science.gov (United States)

Ni, Qingjian; Pan, Qianqian; Du, Huimin; Cao, Cen; Zhai, Yuqing

2017-01-01

An important objective of wireless sensor network is to prolong the network life cycle, and topology control is of great significance for extending the network life cycle. Based on previous work, for cluster head selection in hierarchical topology control, we propose a solution based on fuzzy clustering preprocessing and particle swarm optimization. More specifically, first, fuzzy clustering algorithm is used to initial clustering for sensor nodes according to geographical locations, where a sensor node belongs to a cluster with a determined probability, and the number of initial clusters is analyzed and discussed. Furthermore, the fitness function is designed considering both the energy consumption and distance factors of wireless sensor network. Finally, the cluster head nodes in hierarchical topology are determined based on the improved particle swarm optimization. Experimental results show that, compared with traditional methods, the proposed method achieved the purpose of reducing the mortality rate of nodes and extending the network life cycle.

Genesis of cluster associations of enterprises

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Pulina Tetyana V.

2013-03-01

Full Text Available The goal of the article is the study of genesis of creation of cluster associations of enterprises. It considers genesis of cluster definitions. It shows and analyses components that define the “cluster” concept. Researchers from many countries offer a significant number of definitions of the “cluster” term specifically in the economic direction, but there is no single generally accepted definition as of today. This fact is the result of a significant diversity of cluster structures. The article conducts a comparative analysis of classifications of cluster associations of enterprises. It identifies advantages and shortcomings of the cluster approach both from the position of an enterprise and from the position of a regional economy administration. The article marks out specific features of the life cycle of cluster associations of enterprises, which consists of the preparatory stage and stage of commercialisation. Majority of studies consider the preparatory stage and the stage of commercialisation, which consists of the following stages: entering market with a common brand, growth, maturity and crisis – is, practically, not considered. Taking into account the fact that the main result of cluster activity is the synergetic effect from mutually beneficial co-operation and activity results facilitate ensuring competitiveness of cluster enterprises, regional and national economies, the author gives own definition of a cluster.

PABPN1 polyalanine tract deletion and long expansions modify its aggregation pattern and expression

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Klein, Arnaud F.; Ebihara, Mitsuru; Alexander, Christine; Dicaire, Marie-Josee; Sasseville, A. Marie-Josee; Langelier, Yves; Rouleau, Guy A.; Brais, Bernard

2008-01-01

Expansions of a (GCN) 10 /polyalanine tract in the Poly(A) Binding Protein Nuclear 1 (PABPN1) cause autosomal dominant oculopharyngeal muscular dystrophy (OPMD). In OPMD muscles, as in models, PABPN1 accumulates in intranuclear inclusions (INIs) whereas in other diseases caused by similar polyalanine expansions, the mutated proteins have been shown to abnormally accumulate in the cytoplasm. This study presents the impact on the subcellular localization of PABPN1 produced by large expansions or deletion of its polyalanine tract. Large tracts of more than 24 alanines result in the nuclear accumulation of PABPN1 in SFRS2-positive functional speckles and a significant decline in cell survival. These large expansions do not cause INIs formation nor do they lead to cytoplasmic accumulation. Deletion of the polyalanine tract induces the formation of aggregates that are located on either side and cross the nuclear membrane, highlighting the possible role of the N-terminal polyalanine tract in PABPN1 nucleo-cytoplasmic transport. We also show that even though five other proteins with polyalanine tracts tend to aggregate when over-expressed they do not co-aggregate with PABPN1 INIs. This study presents the first experimental evidence that there may be a relative loss of function in OPMD by decreasing the availability of PABPN1 through an INI-independent mechanism

Genital tract of zebu (Bos indicus cows in Niger

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M. Moussa Garba

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The anatomical characteristics, and the ovarian and pathological structures of the genital tract of 500 zebu (Bos indicus females belonging to four breeds (Azawak, Bororo, Djelli, Goudali were studied at Niamey’s slaughterhouse in Niger from August 15 to December 15, 2011. Each animal was examined before slaughter. The cows and heifers were on average 8 ± 2.5 years old. Their mean body condition score was 1.6 ± 0.6 and mean carcass weight 113 ± 21 kg. The anatomical characteristics of the genital tract did not show differences between breeds (p > 0.05. The following characteristics were observed: cervix diameter 3.4 ± 1.1 cm, cervix length 8.1 ± 2.5 cm, horn length 21.6 ± 5.2 cm, horn diameter 1.6 ± 0.5 cm, length and width of the right ovary 19.8 ± 4.4 and 11.2 ± 3.8 mm, of the left ovary 18.8 ± 4.5 and 10.2 ± 3.3 mm, and weight of the right and left ovaries 2.9 ± 1.8 and 2.5 ± 1.6 g, respectively. A corpus luteum was identified in only 14% cases and no visible follicles were found on the surface of the ovaries in 32% cases. These characteristics were significantly (p < 0.05 influenced by the age of the animal. Among the examined females, 7.4% were confirmed pregnant. Various genital tract diseases (cysts, uterine infection, free martinism, pyometra... were observed in 10.4% of the genital tracts.

Diagnosis of liver, biliary tract and gastrointestine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aburano, Tamio

1981-01-01

The role of RI imaging in the diagnosis of lesions of the liver, biliary tracts and gastrointestinal tracts are reviewed, and representative cases are shown. Liver scintigraphy was of value for the diagnosis of lesions limitted to the liver such as primary and metastatic liver cancer and inflammatory liver diseases. However, RI methods were less useful in the diagnosis of lesions of the biliary tracts and stomach. RI scintigraphy was more sensitive than angiography in the detection of Meckel's deverticulum, Ballet's esophagus, and gastrointestinal hemorrhage. (Tsunoda, M.)

Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract in individuals diagnosed as children with atypical autism

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mouridsen, Svend Erik Birkebæk; Isager, Torben; Rich, Bente

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study is to compare the prevalence and types of diseases (International Classification of Mental and Behavioural Disorders, 10th Edition codes K20-K93) relating to the gastrointestinal tract in a clinical sample of 89 individuals diagnosed as children with atypical autism...... with atypical autism, a total of 22 (24.7%) were registered with at least one diagnosis of any disease of the gastrointestinal tract, against 47 of 258 (18.2%) in the comparison group (p = 0.22; odds ratio = 1.5; 95% confidence interval = 0.8-2.6). Without reaching statistical significance, the rate of diseases...... of the gastrointestinal tract was particularly high (odds ratio = 1.2) in those with intelligence quotient autism had about the same frequency of gastric, intestinal and hepatic diseases as had controls....

A holistic approach to CAKUT (Congenital Anomalies of the Kidney and Urinary Tract

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Giuseppe Masnata

2016-02-01

Full Text Available The urinary tract malformations, today called CAKUT (Congenital Anomalies of the Kidney and Urinary Tract, include a range of morphological and/or functional abnormalities of the kidney and urinary tract diseases, apart from being the main cause of renal failure in children. The frequency of these birth defects is around 2% of pregnancies and many genetic syndromes may include CAKUT: about 500 of them have been described. The CAKUT concern localized alterations at different levels of the urinary system: hydronephrosis, vesicoureteral reflux, duplex collecting system, megaureter, kidney dysplasia. In the approach to the child with CAKUT it is important to identify a population at risk, distinguishing between CAKUT with and without clinical significance, applying a tailored approach to the individual patient, avoiding unnecessary investigations and treatments.

The genitourinary tract

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Currarino, G.

1985-01-01

Considerable progress has been made in the field of pediatric uroradiology, as in most other aspects of radiology, since the last edition of this text was published in 1978. To a large extent, this progress was due to the remarkable advances in, and an increased application of, ultrasound, computed tomography, and nuclear imaging. In this section, an attempt has been made to incorporate and illustrate some of the applications of these diagnostic modalities to pediatric urology. The subjects discussed in this section include a brief account of the major radiologic procedures used in pediatric urology, followed by a review of the most common congenital and acquired diseases of the urinary tract and of the male and female genital tract, precocious puberty and intersex conditions, and disorders of the adrenal glands and related structures

Prospective comparison of molecular signatures in urothelial cancer of the bladder and the upper urinary tract--is there evidence for discordant biology?

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Krabbe, Laura-Maria; Lotan, Yair; Bagrodia, Aditya; Gayed, Bishoy A; Darwish, Oussama M; Youssef, Ramy F; Bolenz, Christian; Sagalowsky, Arthur I; Raj, Ganesh V; Shariat, Shahrokh F; Kapur, Payal; Margulis, Vitaly

2014-04-01

Upper tract urothelial carcinoma is rare and less well studied than bladder cancer. It remains questionable if findings in bladder cancer can safely be extrapolated to upper tract urothelial carcinoma. We prospectively evaluate molecular profiles of upper tract urothelial carcinoma and bladder cancer using a cell cycle biomarker panel. Immunohistochemical staining for p21, p27, p53, cyclin E and Ki-67 was prospectively performed for 96 patients with upper tract urothelial carcinoma and 159 patients with bladder cancer with nonmetastatic high grade urothelial carcinoma treated with extirpative surgery. Data were compared between the groups according to pathological stage. Primary outcome was assessment of differences in marker expression. Secondary outcome was difference in survival according to marker status. During a median followup of 22.0 months 31.2% of patients with upper tract urothelial carcinoma and 28.3% of patients with bladder cancer had disease recurrence, and 20.8% and 27.7% died of upper tract urothelial carcinoma and bladder cancer, respectively. The number of altered markers was not significantly different between the study groups. Overall 34 patients (35.4%) with upper tract urothelial carcinoma and 62 (39.0%) with bladder cancer had an unfavorable marker score (more than 2 markers altered). There were no significant differences between upper tract urothelial carcinoma and bladder cancer in the alteration status of markers, the number of altered markers and biomarker score when substratified by pathological stage. There were no significant differences in survival outcomes between patients with upper tract urothelial carcinoma and those with bladder cancer according to the number of altered markers and biomarker score. Our results demonstrate the molecular similarity of upper tract urothelial carcinoma and bladder cancer in terms of cell cycle and proliferative tissue markers. These findings have important implications and support the further

Urinary tract infection in women - self-care

Science.gov (United States)

Most urinary tract infections (UTIs) are caused by bacteria that enter the urethra and travel to the bladder. ... BATHING AND HYGIENE To prevent future urinary tract infections, ... believe make infections more likely. Change your pad each time ...

Systemic Sclerosis and the Gastrointestinal Tract-Clinical Approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Braun-Moscovici, Yolanda; Brun, Rita; Braun, Marius

2016-10-31

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a multisystem disease characterized by functional and structural abnormalities of small blood vessels, fibrosis of the skin and internal organs, immune system activation, and autoimmunity. The gastrointestinal tract is involved in nearly all patients and is a source of significant morbidity and even mortality. The aim of this review is to summarize the pathogenesis and to provide a clinical approach to these patients.

Extraction Strings for Ureteric Stents: Is There an Increased Risk for Urinary Tract Infections?

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Fröhlich, Maryna; Fehr, Jan; Sulser, Tullio; Eberli, Daniel; Mortezavi, Ashkan

To evaluate urinary tract infections associated with placement of ureteric stents, we performed a retrospective study and compared rates between patients with and patients without an extraction string attached to the ureteric stent. Indwelling ureteric stents are routinely removed by cystoscopy. If an extraction string has been connected to the stent at the time of placement, however, the removal can be performed without an invasive procedure. Concerns exist regarding the risk for an unintentional dislocation, increased stent-related discomfort, or an increase of the post-operative urinary tract infection rate. All elective transurethral ureteric stent placements performed between November 2011 and December 2012 in our department were included for this investigation. Urinary tract infection was defined according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)/National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) surveillance definition of health-care-associated infections. Patients with an existing urinary tract infection at the time of admission were excluded from the analysis. A total of 342 patients receiving ureteric stents were evaluated regarding post-operative urinary tract infections. Of these patients, 127 (37.1%) had an extraction string and 215 (62.9%) a stent without a string. The total urinary tract infection rate was 6.4% with no significant difference between the two groups (7.9% vs. 5.6%, p = 0.49). In the present study, we did not observe an increased rate of post-operative urinary tract infections in patients with an extraction string attached to the ureteral stent. Extraction string is a good option for patients to avoid cystoscopic stent removal.

The Relationship between Sleep Disorders and Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms: Results from the NHANES.

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Fantus, Richard J; Packiam, Vignesh T; Wang, Chi H; Erickson, Bradley A; Helfand, Brian T

2018-07-01

It is well established that sleep disorders are associated with the nocturia prevalence in men. While previous literature supports that patients with sleep disorders are at increased risk for nocturia, the risk of daytime lower urinary tract symptoms has not been well established. We examined the NHANES (National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey) database between 2006 and 2008. Men older than 40 years who completed the sleep, prostate and kidney questionnaires were included in study. The presence of lower urinary tract symptoms was defined as 2 or more symptoms, including hesitancy, incomplete emptying and/or nocturia. Multivariable models using logistic regression were constructed to compare groups of men with and without a sleep disorder. Of the 3,071 men who completed all survey questions 270 (8.8%) reported a sleep disorder. Men with a sleep disorder had a significantly higher body mass index (30.8 vs 27.4 kg/m 2 ), a greater likelihood of reporting diabetes (20.3% vs 10.2%) and more comorbidities (72.6% vs 45.2%, all p urinary tract symptoms (OR 1.12) and daytime lower urinary tract symptoms (OR 1.27, all p urinary tract symptoms independent of body mass index, diabetes and an increased number of comorbidities. Based on the current data clinicians should consider assessing lower urinary tract symptoms in men with a sleep disorder since intervention could improve lower urinary tract symptoms and sleep disorders as well as daytime urinary symptoms. Copyright © 2018 American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The incidence of urinary tract cancers is related to preserved diuresis: a single-center report.

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Premuzic, Vedran; Gamulin, Marija; Coric, Marijana; Jelakovic, Bojan

2017-12-01

Residual diuresis progressively decreases with longer dialysis vintage, and higher incidence of renal and urinary tract cancers was often observed in hemodialyzed patients compared to the general population so we hypothesized that patients without preserved residual diuresis have higher risk of renal and urinary tract cancers than patients with preserved residual diuresis. Retrospective clinical data and pathology reports were completed for 307 uremic patients undergoing chronic hemodialysis. Patients were divided into two subgroups regarding residual diuresis: the first group with residual diuresis  500 mL. Site- and type-specific cancers in our population of ESRD patients were all localized in estrogen-positive receptor organs. The increased risk of all types of urinary tract cancers occurred in the whole group, men and women, when compared to general population. There were a significantly higher number of patients with all types of cancers in the group with residual diuresis  500 mL. Importantly, all urinary tract cancers were present in patients with residual diuresis urinary tract cancers found in ESRD patients undergoing chronic hemodialysis is associated with lost residual diuresis. Residual diuresis in these patients might be considered a risk marker for future urinary tract cancers as well as already established markers.

Oncologic imaging of the genitourinary tract

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McClennan, B.L.

1987-01-01

Malignant neoplasms of the genitourinary (GU) tract account for a significant number of cancer-related deaths in man. For example, prostate cancer is the third leading cause of cancer-related death in adult males. Early diagnosis and treatment can have a profound effect on patient prognosis and survival. This paper examines the large body of information related to primary tumors of the kidney, bladder, and prostate, and their pattern of spread. Tumor oncology is discussed and related to the utility of available techniques, such as CT, MR imaging, and US. Imaging strategies are discussed that stress consideration of therapeutic efficacy and patient outcome. Current tumor staging and classification is presented and the various imaging strategies keyed to detection, definition, and treatment options for GU tract tumors. The strengths and limitations of modern imaging techniques are reviewed. An optimal approach to effective workup is developed with regard to availability, evolving technology, and cost efficacy. The controversies and conflicts in imaging and treatment options are explored while constructing a step-by-step approach that is both flexible and pragmatic for the clinician and radiologist faced daily with oncologic management choices

What Is PG-TRAK90? An Introduction to PGCC's Lifestyle Cluster System for Student Recruitment Targeting and Enrollment Analysis. Market Analysis MA94-1.

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Boughan, Karl

PG-TRAK90 is a cluster-based geographic marketing system designed by Maryland's Prince George's Community College (PGCC) to maximize educational marketing objectives. To create it, United States Census Bureau files containing over 200 demographic, housing, and lifecycle variables for 172 tracts in Prince George County (PGC) were reformatted into…

Behavior of the meat-borne bacterium Lactobacillus sakei during its transit through the gastrointestinal tracts of axenic and conventional mice

OpenAIRE

Chiaramonte , Fabrizio; Blugeon , Sebastien; Chaillou , Stephane; Langella , Philippe; Zagorec , Monique

2009-01-01

A Lactobacillus sakei strain named FLEC01 was isolated from human feces and characterized genotypically. Comparison of the genetic features of this strain with those of both the meat-borne L. sakei strain 23K and another human isolate, LTH5590, showed that they belong to different but closely related clusters. The three L. sakei strains did not persist and only transited through the gastrointestinal tracts (GITs) of conventional C3H/HeN mice. In contrast, they all colonized the GITs of axenic...

Global gene expression profiling of the asymptomatic bacteriuria Escherichia coli strain 83972 in the human urinary tract

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hancock, Viktoria; Klemm, Per

2006-01-01

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are an important health problem worldwide, with many million cases each year. Escherichia coli is the most common organism causing UTIs in humans. The asymptomatic bacteriuria E. coli strain 83972 is an excellent colonizer of the human urinary tract, where it causes...... long-term bladder colonization. The strain has been used for prophylactic purposes in patients prone to more severe and recurrent UTIs. For this study, we used DNA microarrays to monitor the expression profile of strain 83972 in the human urinary tract. Significant differences in expression levels were...

In vitro activity of vaccinium macrocarpon (cranberry) on urinary tract pathogens in uncomplicated urinary tract infection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bukhari, S.; Tariq, S.; Alam, M.A.; Chiragh, S.; Wazir, M.S.; Suleman, M.

2015-01-01

Background: Urinary tract infection is the most common bacterial infection in the community, mainly caused by Escherichia coli (E coli). Due to its high incidence and recurrence, problems are faced in the treatment with antibiotics. Cranberry being herbal remedy have long been the focus of interest for their beneficial effects in preventing urinary tract infections. This study was conducted to analyse in vitro activity of cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon) on uropathogenic E coli in uncomplicated urinary tract infections. Method: In this laboratory based single group experimental study, anti-bacterial activity of Vaccinium macrocarpon concentrate on urinary tract E coli was investigated, in vitro. Ninety-six culture positive cases of different uropathogens were identified. Vaccinium macrocarpon concentrate at different concentrations was prepared in distilled water and put in wells punched in nutrient agar. E coli isolates were inoculated on the plates and incubated at 37 Degree C for 24 hours. A citric acid solution of the same pH as that of Vaccinium macrocarpon was used and put in a well on the same plate to exclude the effect of pH. Results: A total of 35 isolates of E coli were identified out of 96 culture positive specimens of urine and found sensitive to Vaccinium macrocarpon (p<0.000). Results revealed that Vaccinium macrocarpon has antibacterial effect against E coli. Furthermore the antibacterial activity of Vaccinium macrocarpon has dose response relationship. Acidic nature of Vaccinium macrocarpon due to its pH is not contributory towards its antibacterial effect. Conclusion: Vaccinium macrocarpon concentrate may be used in urinary tract infection caused by E coli. (author)

[Genes in the development of female genital tract].

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Chen, Na; Zhu, Lan; Lang, Jing-he

2013-12-01

Female genital tract, which includes oviduct, uterus, and vagina, is critical for female reproduction. In recent years, animal experiments using knockout mice and genetic studies on patients with female genital malformations have contributed substantially to our understanding of the molecular mechanisms in the female genital tract development. Here we review genes that are involved in various stages of female genital tract formation and development.

Enteric Micromotor Can Selectively Position and Spontaneously Propel in the Gastrointestinal Tract.

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Li, Jinxing; Thamphiwatana, Soracha; Liu, Wenjuan; Esteban-Fernández de Ávila, Berta; Angsantikul, Pavimol; Sandraz, Elodie; Wang, Jianxing; Xu, Tailin; Soto, Fernando; Ramez, Valentin; Wang, Xiaolei; Gao, Weiwei; Zhang, Liangfang; Wang, Joseph

2016-09-22

The gastrointestinal (GI) tract, which hosts hundreds of bacteria species, becomes the most exciting organ for the emerging microbiome research. Some of these GI microbes are hostile and cause a variety of diseases. These bacteria colonize in different segments of the GI tract dependent on the local physicochemical and biological factors. Therefore, selectively locating therapeutic or imaging agents to specific GI segments is of significant importance for studying gut microbiome and treating various GI-related diseases. Herein, we demonstrate an enteric micromotor system capable of precise positioning and controllable retention in desired segments of the GI tract. These motors, consisting of magnesium-based tubular micromotors coated with an enteric polymer layer, act as a robust nanobiotechnology tool for site-specific GI delivery. The micromotors can deliver payload to a particular location via dissolution of their enteric coating to activate their propulsion at the target site toward localized tissue penetration and retention.

FEMALE GENITAL TRACT CANCERS IN SAGAMU, SOUTHWEST, NIGERIA.

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Adefuye, P O; Adefuye, B O; Oluwole, A A

2014-11-01

To describe pattern of female genital tract cancers seen at Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital (OOUTH), Sagamu, Nigeria. This is a retrospective review of all cases of female genital tract cancers managed at the Gynaecology department of OOUTH, Sagamu, Nigeria. OOUTH is a tertiary health institution of the State's university and it takes referrals from within and outside the State. Case records of all female genital tract cancers managed between January 2004 and December 2013 were retrieved and analysed using SPSS version 16.0. There were 2059 women treated forvarious gynaecologic conditions, 179 (8.7%) were cases of female genital tract cancers and 161 records were available for analysis. Cervical cancer constituted the commonest (51.6%), followed by ovarian (35.4%), endometrial (9.9%), and choriocarcinoma (1.9%). There were no cases of vaginal and fallopian tube cancers. The lowest mean age was found in choriocarcinoma (36.60 ± 4.50 years) and highest in vulvar cancer (70.00 ± 2.82 years). The mean ages for cervical, endometrial and ovarian cancers were (51.98 ± 12.39), (65.38 ± 7.24), and (54.42 ± 10.51) years respectively. Similarly the least mean parity was found in choriocarcinoma (2.33 ± 1.52), and the highest in vulvar cancer (6.00 ± 1.44). The mean parity for cervical, endometrial, and ovarian were (4.10 ± 1.49),(3.06 ± 1.48), and (3.72 ± 1.68) respectively. These differences are statistically significant, age; F = 7.61, p < 0.0001, and parity; F = 3.27, p= 0.013. Incidence of cervical, endometrial, and ovarian cancers remain high and presentations are at late stages. There is a need to improve on cervical cancer screening, and for the attending physicians to improve on their indices of suspicions as regards endometrial and ovarian cancers.

gastrointestinal tract

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Rolandas Vaicekauskas

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Introduction : Accurate diagnosis of subepithelial lesions (SELs in the gastrointestinal tract depends on a variety of methods: endoscopy, endoscopic ultrasound and different types of biopsy. Making an error-free diagnosis is vital for the subsequent application of an appropriate treatment. Aim: To evaluate the efficacy of deep biopsy via the endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD technique for SELs in the upper gastrointestinal tract. Material and methods: It was a case series study. Deep biopsy via the ESD technique was completed in 38 patients between November 2012 and October 2014. Thirty-eight SELs in the upper gastrointestinal tract of varying size (very small ≤ 1 cm, small 1–2 cm and large ≥ 2 cm by means of the ESD technique after an incision with an electrosurgical knife of the overlying layers and revealing a small part of the lesion were biopsied under direct endoscopic view. Results: Deep biopsy via the ESD technique was diagnostic in 28 of 38 patients (73.3%; 95% CI: 59.7–89.7%. The diagnostic yield for SELs with a clear endophytic shape increased to 91.3%. An evident endophytic appearance of a subepithelial lesion, the mean number of biopsied samples (6.65 ±1.36 and the total size in length of all samples per case (19.88 ±8.07 mm were the main criteria influencing the positiveness of deep biopsy in the diagnostic group compared to the nondiagnostic one (p = 0.001; p = 0.025; p = 0.008. Conclusions : Deep biopsy via the ESD technique is an effective and safe method for the diagnosis of SELs especially with a clear endophytic appearance in a large number of biopsied samples.

Relative efficiency and sample size for cluster randomized trials with variable cluster sizes.

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You, Zhiying; Williams, O Dale; Aban, Inmaculada; Kabagambe, Edmond Kato; Tiwari, Hemant K; Cutter, Gary

2011-02-01

The statistical power of cluster randomized trials depends on two sample size components, the number of clusters per group and the numbers of individuals within clusters (cluster size). Variable cluster sizes are common and this variation alone may have significant impact on study power. Previous approaches have taken this into account by either adjusting total sample size using a designated design effect or adjusting the number of clusters according to an assessment of the relative efficiency of unequal versus equal cluster sizes. This article defines a relative efficiency of unequal versus equal cluster sizes using noncentrality parameters, investigates properties of this measure, and proposes an approach for adjusting the required sample size accordingly. We focus on comparing two groups with normally distributed outcomes using t-test, and use the noncentrality parameter to define the relative efficiency of unequal versus equal cluster sizes and show that statistical power depends only on this parameter for a given number of clusters. We calculate the sample size required for an unequal cluster sizes trial to have the same power as one with equal cluster sizes. Relative efficiency based on the noncentrality parameter is straightforward to calculate and easy to interpret. It connects the required mean cluster size directly to the required sample size with equal cluster sizes. Consequently, our approach first determines the sample size requirements with equal cluster sizes for a pre-specified study power and then calculates the required mean cluster size while keeping the number of clusters unchanged. Our approach allows adjustment in mean cluster size alone or simultaneous adjustment in mean cluster size and number of clusters, and is a flexible alternative to and a useful complement to existing methods. Comparison indicated that we have defined a relative efficiency that is greater than the relative efficiency in the literature under some conditions. Our measure

Fungal Urinary Tract Infection in Burn Patients‎

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Suad Yousuf Aldorkee

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Background: Urinary tract infection is the most common hospital-acquired infection. Fungal species are unusual causes of urinary tract infection in healthy individuals, but common in the hospital setting or among patients with predisposing diseases and structural abnormalities of the kidney and collecting system. Burn patients are susceptible to nosocomial infections owing to the immunocompromising effects of burn injury, cutaneous and respiratory tract injury, prolonged intensive care unit stays and broad-spectrum antibiotic therapy. Objective: The study population includes adult patients of both genders who presented with different percentages of body burns. Urine sample was collected from each patient at the time of admission and weekly thereafter for 6 weeks and sent for general urine examination and urine culture to test for the possibility of fungal growth. Those who found to develop fungal UTI by urine culture during their hospitalization and had no infection at the time of admission were selected as subjects for our study. Results: 28 (18.6% patients had positive fungal culture during their hospitalization, 11 of them were males and 17 were females, the most common age of presentation was 41-50 years and the mean age ± SD was (44.4 ± 10.7 years. The most common isolated fungi were Candida albicans (64.3%, followed by Candida glabrata (21.4% and Candida tropicalis (7.1%. The majority of patients developed infection within the 2nd and 3rd weeks of hospitalization, however, those who presented with total body surface area burned > 40% developed an earlier infection within the 1st week. Female gender, urethral catheterization and diabetes mellitus were significantly associated with higher risk of infection as the P values were 0.03, 0.005 and 0.004 respectively. Conclusion: Fungal urinary tract infection occurred in 18.6% of burn patients. The most common causative fungi are candida species. Advanced age, female gender, high percentage of

Urinary Tract Infection: Pathogenesis and Outlook

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McLellan, Lisa K.; Hunstad, David A.

2016-01-01

The clinical syndromes comprising urinary tract infection (UTI) continue to exert significant impact on millions of patients worldwide, most of whom are otherwise healthy women. Antibiotic therapy for acute cystitis does not prevent recurrences, which plague up to one fourth of women after an initial UTI. Rising antimicrobial resistance among uropathogenic bacteria further complicates therapeutic decisions, necessitating new approaches based on fundamental biological investigation. In this review, we highlight contemporary advances in the field of UTI pathogenesis and how these might inform both our clinical perspective and future scientific priorities. PMID:27692880

Urinary tract infections in pregnancy.

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Ovalle, A; Levancini, M

2001-01-01

Urinary tract infections are very common during pregnancy. Escherichia coli is the most common pathogen isolated from pregnant women. Ampicillin should not be used because of its high resistance to Escherichia coli. Pyelonephritis can cause morbidity and can be life-threatening to both mother and fetus. Second and third-generation cephalosporins are recommended for treatment, administered initially intravenously during hospitalization. Cultures and the study of virulence factors of uropathogenic Escherichia coli are recommended for the adequate management of pyelonephritis. The lower genital tract infection associated with pyelonephritis is responsible for the failure of antibiotic treatment. Asymptomatic bacteriuria can evolve into cystitis or pyelonephritis. All pregnant women should be routinely screened for bacteriuria using urine culture, and should be treated with nitrofurantoin, sulfixosazole or first-generation cephalosporins. Recurrent urinary infection should be treated with prophylactic antibiotics. Pregnant women who develop urinary tract infections with group B streptococcal infection should be treated with prophylactic antibiotics during labour to prevent neonatal sepsis. Preterm delivery is frequent. Evidence suggests that infection plays a role in the pathogenesis of preterm labour. Experimental models in pregnant mice support the theory that Escherichia coli propagated by the transplacental route, involving bacterial adhesins, induces preterm delivery, but this has not been demonstrated in humans. Ascending lower genital tract infections are the most probable cause of preterm delivery, but this remains to be proved.

Analysis of Network Clustering Algorithms and Cluster Quality Metrics at Scale.

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Emmons, Scott; Kobourov, Stephen; Gallant, Mike; Börner, Katy

2016-01-01

Notions of community quality underlie the clustering of networks. While studies surrounding network clustering are increasingly common, a precise understanding of the realtionship between different cluster quality metrics is unknown. In this paper, we examine the relationship between stand-alone cluster quality metrics and information recovery metrics through a rigorous analysis of four widely-used network clustering algorithms-Louvain, Infomap, label propagation, and smart local moving. We consider the stand-alone quality metrics of modularity, conductance, and coverage, and we consider the information recovery metrics of adjusted Rand score, normalized mutual information, and a variant of normalized mutual information used in previous work. Our study includes both synthetic graphs and empirical data sets of sizes varying from 1,000 to 1,000,000 nodes. We find significant differences among the results of the different cluster quality metrics. For example, clustering algorithms can return a value of 0.4 out of 1 on modularity but score 0 out of 1 on information recovery. We find conductance, though imperfect, to be the stand-alone quality metric that best indicates performance on the information recovery metrics. Additionally, our study shows that the variant of normalized mutual information used in previous work cannot be assumed to differ only slightly from traditional normalized mutual information. Smart local moving is the overall best performing algorithm in our study, but discrepancies between cluster evaluation metrics prevent us from declaring it an absolutely superior algorithm. Interestingly, Louvain performed better than Infomap in nearly all the tests in our study, contradicting the results of previous work in which Infomap was superior to Louvain. We find that although label propagation performs poorly when clusters are less clearly defined, it scales efficiently and accurately to large graphs with well-defined clusters.

Clustering of resting state networks.

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Megan H Lee

Full Text Available The goal of the study was to demonstrate a hierarchical structure of resting state activity in the healthy brain using a data-driven clustering algorithm.The fuzzy-c-means clustering algorithm was applied to resting state fMRI data in cortical and subcortical gray matter from two groups acquired separately, one of 17 healthy individuals and the second of 21 healthy individuals. Different numbers of clusters and different starting conditions were used. A cluster dispersion measure determined the optimal numbers of clusters. An inner product metric provided a measure of similarity between different clusters. The two cluster result found the task-negative and task-positive systems. The cluster dispersion measure was minimized with seven and eleven clusters. Each of the clusters in the seven and eleven cluster result was associated with either the task-negative or task-positive system. Applying the algorithm to find seven clusters recovered previously described resting state networks, including the default mode network, frontoparietal control network, ventral and dorsal attention networks, somatomotor, visual, and language networks. The language and ventral attention networks had significant subcortical involvement. This parcellation was consistently found in a large majority of algorithm runs under different conditions and was robust to different methods of initialization.The clustering of resting state activity using different optimal numbers of clusters identified resting state networks comparable to previously obtained results. This work reinforces the observation that resting state networks are hierarchically organized.

Seroepidemiology of Klebsiella pneumoniae colonizing the intestinal tract of healthy chinese and overseas chinese adults in Asian countries

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Lin Yi-Tsung

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Capsular serotypes K1 and K2 of Klebsiella pneumoniae are thought to the major virulence determinants responsible for liver abscess. The intestine is one of the major reservoirs of K. pneumoniae, and epidemiological studies have suggested that the majority of K. pneumoniae infections are preceded by colonization of the gastrointestinal tract. The possibility of fecal-oral transmission in liver abscess has been raised on the basis of molecular typing of isolates. Data on the serotype distribution of K. pneumoniae in stool samples from healthy individuals has not been previously reported. This study investigated the seroepidemiology of K. pneumoniae isolates from the intestinal tract of healthy Chinese in Asian countries. Stool specimens from healthy adult Chinese residents of Taiwan, Japan, Hong Kong, China, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, and Vietnam were collected from August 2004 to August 2010 for analysis. Results Serotypes K1/K2 accounted for 9.8% of all K. pneumoniae isolates from stools in all countries. There was no significant difference in the prevalence of K1/K2 isolates among the countries excluding Thailand and Vietnam. The antimicrobial susceptibility pattern was nearly the same in K. pneumoniae isolates. The result of pulsed-field gel electrophoresis revealed no major clonal cluster of serotype K1 isolates. Conclusions The result showed that Chinese ethnicity itself might be a major factor predisposing to intestinal colonization by serotype K1/K2 K. pneumoniae isolates. The prevalent serotype K1/K2 isolates may partially correspond to the prevalence of K. pneumoniae liver abscess in Asian countries.

Respiratory tract dose calculation considering physiological parameters from samples of Brazilian population

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reis, A.; Lopes, R.; Lourenco, M.; Cardoso, J.

2006-01-01

The Human Respiratory Tract Model proposed by the ICRP Publication 66 accounts for the morphology and physiology of the respiratory tract. The ICRP 66 presents deposition fraction in the respiratory tract regions considering reference values from Caucasian man. However, in order to obtain a more accurate assessment of intake and dose the ICRP recommends the use of specific information when they are available. The application of parameters from Brazilian population in the deposition and in the clearance model shows significant variations in the deposition fractions and in the fraction of inhaled activity transferred to blood. The main objective of this study is to evaluate the influence in dose calculation to each region of the respiratory tract when physiological parameters from Brazilian population are applied in the model. The purpose of the dosimetric model is to evaluate dose to each tissues of respiratory tract that are potentially risk from inhaled radioactive materials. The committed equivalent dose, H.T., is calculated by the product of the total number of transformations of the radionuclide in tissue source S over a period of fifty years after incorporation and of the energy absorbed per unit mass in the target tissue T, for each radiation emitted per transformation in tissue source S. The dosimetric model of Human Respirator y Tract was implemented in the software Excel for Windows (version 2000) and H.T. was determined in two stages. First it was calculated the number of total transformations, US, considering the fractional deposition of activity in each source tissue and then it was calculated the total energy absorbed per unit mass S.E.E., in the target tissue. It was assumed that the radionuclide emits an alpha particle with average energy of 5.15 MeV. The variation in the fractional deposition in the compartments of the respiratory tract in changing the physiological parameters from Caucasian to Brazilian adult man causes variation in the number of

URINARY TRACT INFECTIONS IN PREGNANCY

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N Sivalingam

2007-01-01

Full Text Available Urinary tract infections frequently affect pregnant mothers. This problem causes significant morbidity and healthcare expenditure. Three common clinical manifestations of UTIs in pregnancy are: asymptomatic bacteriuria, acute cystitis and acute pyelonephritis. Escherichia coli remains the most frequent organism isolated in UTIs. All pregnant mothers should be screened for UTIs in pregnancy and antibiotics should be commenced without delay. Urine culture and sensitivity is the gold standard in diagnosing UTIs. Without treatment, asymptomatic bacteriuria in pregnancy is associated with preterm delivery, intrauterine growth retardation, low birth weight, maternal hypertension, pre-eclampsia and anaemia. Acute pyelonephritis can lead to maternal sepsis. Recurrent UTIs in pregnancy require prophylactic antibiotic treatment.

Seizure clusters: characteristics and treatment.

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Haut, Sheryl R

2015-04-01

Many patients with epilepsy experience 'clusters' or flurries of seizures, also termed acute repetitive seizures (ARS). Seizure clustering has a significant impact on health and quality of life. This review summarizes recent advances in the definition and neurophysiologic understanding of clustering, the epidemiology and risk factors for clustering and both inpatient and outpatient clinical implications. New treatments for seizure clustering/ARS are perhaps the area of greatest recent progress. Efforts have focused on creating a uniform definition of a seizure cluster. In neurophysiologic studies of refractory epilepsy, seizures within a cluster appear to be self-triggering. Clinical progress has been achieved towards a more precise prevalence of clustering, and consensus guidelines for epilepsy monitoring unit safety. The greatest recent advances are in the study of nonintravenous route of benzodiazepines as rescue medications for seizure clusters/ARS. Rectal benzodiazepines have been very effective but barriers to use exist. New data on buccal, intramuscular and intranasal preparations are anticipated to lead to a greater number of approved treatments. Progesterone may be effective for women who experience catamenial clusters. Seizure clustering is common, particularly in the setting of medically refractory epilepsy. Clustering worsens health and quality of life, and the field requires greater focus on clarifying of definition and clinical implications. Progress towards the development of nonintravenous routes of benzodiazepines has the potential to improve care in this area.

Histopathologic diagnosis of eosinophilic conditions in the gastrointestinal tract.

Science.gov (United States)

Hurrell, Jennifer M; Genta, Robert M; Melton, Shelby D

2011-09-01

Eosinophils, a constitutive component of the columnar-lined gastrointestinal tract, play an essential role in allergic responses and parasitic infections. The tissue density of these cells also increases in a variety of conditions of uncertain etiology. With the exception of the esophageal squamous epithelium, in which no eosinophils are normally present, the population of normal eosinophils in the remainder of the luminal gut is poorly defined. Therefore, histopathologists must rely on their subjective judgment to determine when a diagnosis of eosinophilic gastritis, enteritis, or colitis should be rendered. Eosinophilic esophagitis is currently the best defined and most studied eosinophilic condition of the digestive tract; therefore, the confidence in accurate diagnosis is increasing. In contrast, the characteristic clinicopathologic features of eosinophilic conditions affecting other parts of the digestive tract remain somewhat elusive. This review was designed to present pathologists with simple and practical information for the biopsy-based histopathologic diagnosis of eosinophilic esophagitis, gastritis, enteritis, and colitis. It was prepared by critically reviewing more than 200 articles on the topic, along with incorporating evidence accumulated through our own collective experience. We anticipate that by increasing pathologists' confidence in reporting these abnormal but often nameless eosinophilic infiltrates, we can help better define and characterize their significance.

URINARY TRACT INFECTION IN CHILDREN

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T. V. Margieva

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The issues of diagnosing and treating urinary tract infections and their role in development of renal injury are being actively discussed by scientists and practicing pediatricians. The article presents the most recent data on etiological factors, pathogenesis and clinical manifestations of this disease. It provides recommendations on diagnosis and management of patients depending on their age. The article presents a discussion of antibacterial therapy course duration and indications for anti-relapse treatment. The study demonstrates that intravenous antibacterial therapy must be launched immediately in neonates in the event of pyretic fever; empirical antibacterial therapy must be launched immediately in older children after diagnosis of the urinary tract infection has been confirmed; subsequently, treatment ought to be corrected depending on the results of a bacteriological trial, sensitivity to antibiotics and effectiveness of the prescribed antibiotic. Along with normalization of urination rhythm and water intake schedule, antibacterial preventive therapy might be considered, if effective, in the event of recurrent nature of the urinary tract infection. 

Abnormal asymmetry of white matter tracts between ventral posterior cingulate cortex and middle temporal gyrus in recent-onset schizophrenia.

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Joo, Sung Woo; Chon, Myong-Wuk; Rathi, Yogesh; Shenton, Martha E; Kubicki, Marek; Lee, Jungsun

2018-02-01

Previous studies have reported abnormalities in the ventral posterior cingulate cortex (vPCC) and middle temporal gyrus (MTG) in schizophrenia patients. However, it remains unclear whether the white matter tracts connecting these structures are impaired in schizophrenia. Our study investigated the integrity of these white matter tracts (vPCC-MTG tract) and their asymmetry (left versus right side) in patients with recent onset schizophrenia. Forty-seven patients and 24 age-and sex-matched healthy controls were enrolled in this study. We extracted left and right vPCC-MTG tract on each side from T1W and diffusion MRI (dMRI) at 3T. We then calculated the asymmetry index of diffusion measures of vPCC-MTG tracts as well as volume and thickness of vPCC and MTG using the formula: 2×(right-left)/(right+left). We compared asymmetry indices between patients and controls and evaluated their correlations with the severity of psychiatric symptoms and cognition in patients using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), video-based social cognition scale (VISC) and the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS-III). Asymmetry of fractional anisotropy (FA) and radial diffusivity (RD) in the vPCC-MTG tract, while present in healthy controls, was not evident in schizophrenia patients. Also, we observed that patients, not healthy controls, had a significant FA decrease and RD increase in the left vPCC-MTG tract. There was no significant association between the asymmetry indices of dMRI measures and IQ, VISC, or PANSS scores in schizophrenia. Disruption of asymmetry of the vPCC-MTG tract in schizophrenia may contribute to the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Female cluster headache in the United States of America: what are the gender differences? Results from the United States Cluster Headache Survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Rozen, Todd D; Fishman, Royce S

2012-06-15

To present results from the United States Cluster Headache Survey regarding gender differences in cluster headache demographics, clinical characteristics, diagnostic delay, triggers, treatment response and personal burden. Very few studies have looked at the gender differences in cluster headache presentation. The United States Cluster Headache Survey is the largest study of cluster headache sufferers ever completed in the United States and it is also the largest study of female cluster headache patients ever presented. The total survey consisted of 187 multiple choice questions which dealt with various issues related to cluster headache including: demographics, clinical characteristics, concomitant medical conditions, family history, triggers, smoking history, diagnosis, treatment response and personal burden. A group of questions were specifically targeted to female cluster headache patients. The survey was placed on a website from October to December 2008. For all survey responders the diagnosis of cluster headache needed to be made by a neurologist but there was no validation of the headache diagnosis by the authors. 1134 individuals completed the survey (816 male, 318 female). Key Points that define the differences between female and male cluster headache include: a. Age of onset: women develop cluster headache at an earlier age than men and are more likely to develop a second peak of cluster headache onset after 50 years of age. b. Family history: woman cluster headache sufferers are more likely to have a family history of both cluster headache and migraine and have an increased familial risk of Parkinson's disease. c. Comorbid conditions: female cluster headaches sufferers are significantly more likely to experience depression and have asthma than males. d. Aura issues: aura with cluster headache is equally common in both sexes, but aura duration is shorter in women. Women are much more likely to experience sensory, language and brainstem auras. e. Pain

a seven months retrospective study on urinary tract infection among

African Journals Online (AJOL)

DR. AMINU

ABSTRACT. Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) is a significant health problem world wide, affecting all ages and both sexes. It is the most common infectious complication associated with serious risk in pregnancy and responsible for a high rate of morbidity in neonates and children. Most often antibiotics are prescribed in UTI ...

Histological Features of the Gastrointestinal Tract of Wild Indonesian Shortfin Eel, Anguilla bicolor bicolor (McClelland, 1844, Captured in Peninsular Malaysia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nurrul Shaqinah Nasruddin

2014-01-01

Full Text Available This study was conducted to record the histological features of the gastrointestinal tract of wild Indonesian shortfin eel, Anguilla bicolor bicolor (McClelland, 1844, captured in Peninsular Malaysia. The gastrointestinal tract was segmented into the oesophagus, stomach, and intestine. Then, the oesophagus was divided into five (first to fifth, the stomach into two (cardiac and pyloric, and the intestine into four segments (anterior, intermediate, posterior, and rectum for histological examinations. The stomach had significantly taller villi and thicker inner circular muscles compared to the intestine and oesophagus. The lamina propria was thickest in stomach, significantly when compared with oesophagus, but not with the intestine. However, the intestine showed significantly thicker outer longitudinal muscle while gastric glands were observed only in the stomach. The histological features were closely associated with the functions of the different segments of the gastrointestinal tract. In conclusion, the histological features of the gastrointestinal tract of A. b. bicolor are consistent with the feeding habit of a carnivorous fish.

Histological features of the gastrointestinal tract of wild Indonesian shortfin eel, Anguilla bicolor bicolor (McClelland, 1844), captured in Peninsular Malaysia.

Science.gov (United States)

Nasruddin, Nurrul Shaqinah; Azmai, Mohammad Noor Amal; Ismail, Ahmad; Saad, Mohd Zamri; Daud, Hassan Mohd; Zulkifli, Syaizwan Zahmir

2014-01-01

This study was conducted to record the histological features of the gastrointestinal tract of wild Indonesian shortfin eel, Anguilla bicolor bicolor (McClelland, 1844), captured in Peninsular Malaysia. The gastrointestinal tract was segmented into the oesophagus, stomach, and intestine. Then, the oesophagus was divided into five (first to fifth), the stomach into two (cardiac and pyloric), and the intestine into four segments (anterior, intermediate, posterior, and rectum) for histological examinations. The stomach had significantly taller villi and thicker inner circular muscles compared to the intestine and oesophagus. The lamina propria was thickest in stomach, significantly when compared with oesophagus, but not with the intestine. However, the intestine showed significantly thicker outer longitudinal muscle while gastric glands were observed only in the stomach. The histological features were closely associated with the functions of the different segments of the gastrointestinal tract. In conclusion, the histological features of the gastrointestinal tract of A. b. bicolor are consistent with the feeding habit of a carnivorous fish.

Childhood Midline Tract Carcinoma Treatment (PDQ®)—Patient Version

Science.gov (United States)

Childhood midline tract carcinoma occurs in the respiratory tract or other places along the center line of the body. It is sometimes caused by a change in the NUT gene (NUT midline carcinoma). Get information about childhood midline tract carcinoma, including symptoms, tests, and multimodality treatment in this expert-reviewed summary.

[Relationship between viral load of human bocavirus and clinical characteristics in children with acute lower respiratory tract infection].

Science.gov (United States)

Ding, Xiao-Fang; Zhang, Bing; Zhong, Li-Li; Xie, Le-Yun; Xiao, Ni-Guang

2017-03-01

To investigate the prevalence of human bocavirus (HBoV) in children with acute lower respiratory tract infection and to explore the relationship between the viral load of HBoV and the clinical characteristics of acute lower respiratory tract infection in children. A total of 1 554 nasopharyngeal aspirates from children who were hospitalized due to acute lower respiratory tract infection between March 2011 and March 2014 were collected. Quantitative real-time PCR was used to detect 12 RNA and 2 DNA viruses, adenovirus (ADV) and HBoV, and to measure the viral load of HBoV in HBoV-positive children. A comprehensive analysis was performed with reference to clinical symptoms and indicators. In the 1 554 specimens, 1 212 (77.99%) were positive for viruses, and 275 (17.70%) were HBoV-positive. In HBoV-positive cases, 94.9% were aged infection, and 230 (83.64%) had mixed infection. There was no significant difference in viral load between children with single infection and mixed infection (P>0.05). The patients with fever had a significantly higher viral load than those without fever (Pacute lower respiratory tract infection (P>0.05). HBoV is one of the important pathogens of acute lower respiratory tract infection in children. Children with a higher viral load of HBoV are more likely to experience symptoms such as fever and wheezing. However, the severity of disease and mixed infection are not significantly related to viral load.

Granular cells Tumor in the gastrointestinal tract

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Castano LL, Rodrigo; Gaitan B, Maria H; Juliao E, Fabian

2005-01-01

Granular cells tumors are ubiquitous lesions in the gastrointestinal tract, are rare and asymptomatic and they are generally an incidental discovery at gastroduodenoscopy or colonoscopy. In the gastrointestinal tract they are more frequently located in the esophagus, right colon and rectum, stomach, appendix, small intestine or biliopancreatic tract. This article describes three patients with four tumors of granular cells in rectum, esophagus (2 lesions) and appendix. It becomes special emphasis in their neural origin, their benign behavior that justifies the endoscopic resections or limited surgical excisions and the necessity of a pursuit for the possibility, although little, of malignant transformation

THE DYNAMICAL STATE OF BRIGHTEST CLUSTER GALAXIES AND THE FORMATION OF CLUSTERS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Coziol, R.; Andernach, H.; Caretta, C. A.; Alamo-MartInez, K. A.; Tago, E.

2009-01-01

A large sample of Abell clusters of galaxies, selected for the likely presence of a dominant galaxy, is used to study the dynamical properties of the brightest cluster members (BCMs). From visual inspection of Digitized Sky Survey images combined with redshift information we identify 1426 candidate BCMs located in 1221 different redshift components associated with 1169 different Abell clusters. This is the largest sample published so far of such galaxies. From our own morphological classification we find that ∼92% of the BCMs in our sample are early-type galaxies and 48% are of cD type. We confirm what was previously observed based on much smaller samples, namely, that a large fraction of BCMs have significant peculiar velocities. From a subsample of 452 clusters having at least 10 measured radial velocities, we estimate a median BCM peculiar velocity of 32% of their host clusters' radial velocity dispersion. This suggests that most BCMs are not at rest in the potential well of their clusters. This phenomenon is common to galaxy clusters in our sample, and not a special trait of clusters hosting cD galaxies. We show that the peculiar velocity of the BCM is independent of cluster richness and only slightly dependent on the Bautz-Morgan type. We also find a weak trend for the peculiar velocity to rise with the cluster velocity dispersion. The strongest dependence is with the morphological type of the BCM: cD galaxies tend to have lower relative peculiar velocities than elliptical galaxies. This result points to a connection between the formation of the BCMs and that of their clusters. Our data are qualitatively consistent with the merging-groups scenario, where BCMs in clusters formed first in smaller subsystems comparable to compact groups of galaxies. In this scenario, clusters would have formed recently from the mergers of many such groups and would still be in a dynamically unrelaxed state.

Intraoperative tractography and neuronavigation of the pyramidal tract

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nimsky, C.; Ganslandt, O.; Weigel, D.; Keller, B. von; Stadlbauer, A.; Akutsu, H.; Hammen, T.; Buchfelder, M.

2008-01-01

Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) based fiber tracking was applied to visualize the course of the pyramidal tract in the surgical field by microscope-based navigation. In 70 patients with lesions adjacent to the pyramidal tract, DTI data were integrated in a navigational setup. Diffusion data (b=0) were rigidly registered with standard T1-weighted 3-D images. Fiber tracking was performed applying a tensor-deflection algorithm using a multiple volume of interest approach as seed regions for tracking. fMRI data identifying the motor gyrus were applied as selection criteria to define the fibers of interest. After tracking, a 3-D object was generated representing the pyramidal tract. In selected cases, the intraoperative image data (1.5 T intraoperative MRI) were used to update the navigation system. In all patients the pyramidal tract could be visualized in the operative field applying the heads-up display of the operating microscope. In 8 patients (11%) a new or aggravated postoperative paresis could be observed, which was transient in 5 of them; thus, only in 3 patients (4.2%) was there a new permanent neurological deficit. Intraoperative imaging depicted a shifting of the pyramidal tract which amounted up to 15 mm; even the direction of shifting was variable and could not be predicted before surgery, so that mathematical models trying to predict brain shift behaviour are of restricted value only. DTI fiber tracking data can be reliably integrated into navigational systems providing intraoperative visualization of the pyramidal tract. This technique allowed the resection of lesions adjacent to the pyramidal tract with low morbidity. (author)

An Improved Cluster Richness Estimator

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rozo, Eduardo; /Ohio State U.; Rykoff, Eli S.; /UC, Santa Barbara; Koester, Benjamin P.; /Chicago U. /KICP, Chicago; McKay, Timothy; /Michigan U.; Hao, Jiangang; /Michigan U.; Evrard, August; /Michigan U.; Wechsler, Risa H.; /SLAC; Hansen, Sarah; /Chicago U. /KICP, Chicago; Sheldon, Erin; /New York U.; Johnston, David; /Houston U.; Becker, Matthew R.; /Chicago U. /KICP, Chicago; Annis, James T.; /Fermilab; Bleem, Lindsey; /Chicago U.; Scranton, Ryan; /Pittsburgh U.

2009-08-03

Minimizing the scatter between cluster mass and accessible observables is an important goal for cluster cosmology. In this work, we introduce a new matched filter richness estimator, and test its performance using the maxBCG cluster catalog. Our new estimator significantly reduces the variance in the L{sub X}-richness relation, from {sigma}{sub lnL{sub X}}{sup 2} = (0.86 {+-} 0.02){sup 2} to {sigma}{sub lnL{sub X}}{sup 2} = (0.69 {+-} 0.02){sup 2}. Relative to the maxBCG richness estimate, it also removes the strong redshift dependence of the richness scaling relations, and is significantly more robust to photometric and redshift errors. These improvements are largely due to our more sophisticated treatment of galaxy color data. We also demonstrate the scatter in the L{sub X}-richness relation depends on the aperture used to estimate cluster richness, and introduce a novel approach for optimizing said aperture which can be easily generalized to other mass tracers.

The X-ray spectra of clusters of galaxies and their relationship to other cluster properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mitchell, R.J.; Dickens, R.J.; Burnell, S.J.B.; Culhane, J.L.

1979-01-01

New observations with the MSSL proportional counter spectrometer on the Ariel V satellite of the X-ray spectra of 20 candidate clusters of galaxies are reported. The data are compared with the results from the OSO-8 satellite and the combined sample of some 30 cluster X-ray spectra are analysed. The present study finds generally larger values of Lsub(X) than do Uhuru or the SSI, which, because of the larger field of view, may indicate significant amounts of hot gas away from the cluster centres. The validity of all X-ray cluster identifications has been examined, and sources have been classified according to certainty of identification. The incidence of X-ray line emission from the clusters has been investigated and temperatures, kTsub(X), have been derived on the basis of an isothermal model. Relationships between X-ray, optical and radio properties of the clusters have been studied. The more massive, centrally condensed clusters generally contain higher temperature gas and have a greater luminosity than the less massive, more irregular clusters. (author)

MR urography versus retrograde pyelography/ureteroscopy for the exclusion of upper urinary tract malignancy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, K.S., E-mail: kslee@bidmc.harvard.ed [Department of Radiology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA (United States); Zeikus, E. [Department of Radiology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA (United States); DeWolf, W.C. [Department of Surgery, Division of Urology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA (United States); Rofsky, N.M.; Pedrosa, I. [Department of Radiology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA (United States)

2010-03-15

Aim: To evaluate the diagnostic performance of magnetic resonance urography (MRU) versus retrograde pyelography and/or ureteroscopy (RPU) in the detection of upper urinary tract neoplasms. Materials and methods: This retrospective study included 35 patients with suspected upper urinary tract malignancy who underwent MRU and RPU within 6-months in our institution during the study period (February 2002 to January 2007). MRU and RPU reports were reviewed and results recorded. For each patient, the urinary tract was sub-divided into four regions for analysis: left kidney/renal pelvis, left ureter, right kidney/renal pelvis, and right ureter. MRU and RPU results for each patient were compared to a reference standard and the diagnostic performance of both techniques was compared. Results: A total of 113 regions were analysed on MRU and 90 regions on RPU. Nineteen neoplasms were identified. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value for the detection of urinary tract neoplasms were 63, 91, 60, and 92% for MRU, respectively, and 53, 97, 83, and 88% for RPU, respectively. These differences were not statistically significant (p > 0.05). Conclusion: The high negative predictive value of MRU in the present series supports its use as a non-invasive screening examination for excluding the presence of upper urinary tract malignancy.

THE ASSEMBLY OF GALAXY CLUSTERS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Berrier, Joel C.; Stewart, Kyle R.; Bullock, James S.; Purcell, Chris W.; Barton, Elizabeth J.; Wechsler, Risa H.

2009-01-01

We study the formation of 53 galaxy cluster-size dark matter halos (M = 10 14.0-14.76 M sun ) formed within a pair of cosmological Λ cold dark matter N-body simulations, and track the accretion histories of cluster subhalos with masses large enough to host ∼0.3 L * galaxies. By associating subhalos with cluster galaxies, we find the majority of galaxies in clusters experience no 'preprocessing' in the group environment prior to their accretion into the cluster. On average, 70% of cluster galaxies fall into the cluster potential directly from the field, with no luminous companions in their host halos at the time of accretion; less than 12% are accreted as members of groups with five or more galaxies. Moreover, we find that cluster galaxies are significantly less likely to have experienced a merger in the recent past (∼<6 Gyr) than a field halo of the same mass. These results suggest that local cluster processes such as ram pressure stripping, galaxy harassment, or strangulation play the dominant role in explaining the difference between cluster and field populations at a fixed stellar mass, and that pre-evolution or past merging in the group environment is of secondary importance for setting cluster galaxy properties for most clusters. The accretion times for z = 0 cluster members are quite extended, with ∼20% incorporated into the cluster halo more than 7 Gyr ago and ∼20% within the last 2 Gyr. By comparing the observed morphological fractions in cluster and field populations, we estimate an approximate timescale for late-type to early-type transformation within the cluster environment to be ∼6 Gyr.

Evaluation of the Nitrite Test in Screening for Urinary Tract Infection ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Background: Urinary tract infection (UTI) is a significant cause of morbidity in ... It will be useful to have a simple means of screening such children for UTI with a ... a positive predictive value of 87.5 percent and a negative predictive value of ...

Discrete potentials guided radiofrequency ablation for idiopathic outflow tract ventricular arrhythmias.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Enzhao; Xu, Gang; Liu, Tong; Ye, Lan; Zhang, Qitong; Zhao, Yanshu; Li, Guangping

2015-03-01

Discrete potentials (DPs) have been recorded and targeted as the site of ablation of the outflow tract arrhythmias. The aim of the present study was to investigate the significance of DPs with respect to mapping and ablation for idiopathic outflow tract premature ventricular contractions (PVCs) or ventricular tachycardias (VTs). Seventeen consecutive patients with idiopathic right or left ventricular outflow tract PVCs/VTs who underwent radiofrequency catheter ablation were included. Intracardiac electrograms during the mapping and ablation were analysed. During sinus rhythm, sharp high-frequency DPs that displayed double or multiple components were recorded following or buried in the local ventricular electrograms in all of the 17 patients, peak amplitude 0.51 ± 0.21 mV. The same potential was recorded prior to the local ventricular potential of the PVCs/VTs. Spontaneous reversal of the relationship of the DPs to the local ventricular electrogram during the arrhythmias was noted. The DPs were related to a region of low voltage showed by intracardiac high-density contact mapping. At the sites with DPs, lower unipolar and bipolar ventricular voltage of sinus beats were noted compared with the adjacent regions without DPs (unipolar: 6.1 ± 1.8 vs. 8.3 ± 2.3 mV, P Discrete potentials were not present in seven controls. Discrete potentials and related low-voltage regions were common in idiopathic outflow tract ventricular arrhythmias. Discrete potential- and substrate-guided ablation strategy will help to reduce the recurrence of idiopathic outflow tract arrhythmias. Published on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved. © The Author 2014. For permissions please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Serine-Rich Repeat Proteins and Pili Promote Streptococcus agalactiae Colonization of the Vaginal Tract ▿

Science.gov (United States)

Sheen, Tamsin R.; Jimenez, Alyssa; Wang, Nai-Yu; Banerjee, Anirban; van Sorge, Nina M.; Doran, Kelly S.

2011-01-01

Streptococcus agalactiae (group B streptococcus [GBS]) is a Gram-positive bacterium found in the female rectovaginal tract and is capable of producing severe disease in susceptible hosts, including newborns and pregnant women. The vaginal tract is considered a major reservoir for GBS, and maternal vaginal colonization poses a significant risk to the newborn; however, little is known about the specific bacterial factors that promote GBS colonization and persistence in the female reproductive tract. We have developed in vitro models of GBS interaction with the human female cervicovaginal tract using human vaginal and cervical epithelial cell lines. Analysis of isogenic mutant GBS strains deficient in cell surface organelles such as pili and serine-rich repeat (Srr) proteins shows that these factors contribute to host cell attachment. As Srr proteins are heavily glycosylated, we confirmed that carbohydrate moieties contribute to the effective interaction of Srr-1 with vaginal epithelial cells. Antibody inhibition assays identified keratin 4 as a possible host receptor for Srr-1. Our findings were further substantiated in an in vivo mouse model of GBS vaginal colonization, where mice inoculated with an Srr-1-deficient mutant exhibited decreased GBS vaginal persistence compared to those inoculated with the wild-type (WT) parental strain. Furthermore, competition experiments in mice showed that WT GBS exhibited a significant survival advantage over the ΔpilA or Δsrr-1 mutant in the vaginal tract. Our results suggest that these GBS surface proteins contribute to vaginal colonization and may offer new insights into the mechanisms of vaginal niche establishment. PMID:21984789

Voice classification and vocal tract of singers: a study of x-ray images and morphology.

Science.gov (United States)

Roers, Friederike; Mürbe, Dirk; Sundberg, Johan

2009-01-01

This investigation compares vocal tract dimensions and the classification of singer voices by examining an x-ray material assembled between 1959 and 1991 of students admitted to the solo singing education at the University of Music, Dresden, Germany. A total of 132 images were available to analysis. Different classifications' values of the lengths of the total vocal tract, the pharynx, and mouth cavities as well as of the relative position of the larynx, the height of the palatal arch, and the estimated vocal fold length were analyzed statistically, and some significant differences were found. The length of the pharynx cavity seemed particularly influential on the total vocal tract length, which varied systematically with classification. Also studied were the relationships between voice classification and the body height and weight and the body mass index. The data support the hypothesis that there are consistent morphological vocal tract differences between singers of different voice classifications.

Effect of Mucunapruriens on the Reproductive Tract of Giant African ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Gonado somatic index was not significantly affected by the three feed used in this study, while those snail fed concentrate alone laid higher number of eggs compared to other feed. It was concluded from this study that concentrates support egg number, organ weight, reproductive tract development and shell increase in size ...

[Urinary tract infections in pregnancy: when to treat, how to treat, and what to treat with].

Science.gov (United States)

Kladenský, J

2012-04-01

Urinary tract infections (UTI) in pregnant women are a relatively frequent occurrence and the spectrum of these infections ranges from lower urinary tract disease (asymptomatic bacteriuria, acute cystitis) to upper urinary tract disease (acute pyelonephritis). Anatomical and functional changes in the urinary tract in pregnancy result in significantly higher susceptibility to progression of the infection from asymptomatic bacteriuria to the stage of acute pyelonephritis. Untreated asymptomatic bacteriuria in pregnancy leads, in as much as 40%, to the development of acute pyelonephritis with all the subsequent negative effects not only for the woman herself, but particularly for the fetus. Bacteriuria in pregnancy accounts for a significantly higher number of newborns with a low birth weight, low gestational age and higher neonatal mortality rate. Therefore, it is necessary to perform screening for bacteriuria in pregnant women and, when the finding is positive, to treat this bacteriuria. The selection of an appropriate antimicrobial agent to treat urinary tract infection in pregnancy is limited by the safety of a given drug not only for the woman, but particularly for the fetus. The article provides an overview of medications that can be safely used throughout the pregnancy or only in certain stages of pregnancy. The selection of an appropriate antibiotic should always be preceded by the result of urine culture. The article presents the principles and rules for treating asymptomatic bacteriuria, acute cystitis and acute pyelonephritis in pregnant women.

A comparison among four tract dilation methods of percutaneous nephrolithotomy: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Dehong, Cao; Liangren, Liu; Huawei, Liu; Qiang, Wei

2013-11-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the Amplatz dilation (AD), metal telescopic dilation (MTD), balloon dilation (BD), and one-shot dilation (OSD) methods for tract dilation during percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL). Relevant eligible studies were identified using three electronic databases (Medline, EMBASE, and Cochrane CENTRAL). Database acquisition and quality evaluation were independently performed by two reviewers. Efficacy (stone-free rate, surgical duration, and tract dilatation fluoroscopy time) and safety (transfusion rate and hemoglobin decrease) were evaluated using Review Manager 5.2. Four randomized controlled trials and eight clinical controlled trials involving 6,820 patients met the inclusion criteria. The pooled result from a meta-analysis showed statistically significant differences in tract dilatation fluoroscopy time and hemoglobin decrease between the OSD and MTD groups, which showed comparable stone-free and transfusion rates. Significant differences in transfusion rate were found between the BD and MTD groups. Among patients without previous open renal surgery, those who underwent BD exhibited a lower blood transfusion rate and a shorter surgical duration compared with those who underwent AD. The OSD technique is safer and more efficient than the MTD technique for tract dilation during PCNL, particularly in patients with previous open renal surgery, resulting in a shorter tract dilatation fluoroscopy time and a lesser decrease in hemoglobin. The efficacy and safety of BD are better than AD in patients without previous open renal surgery. The OSD technique should be considered for most patients who undergo PCNL therapy.

Fractional anisotropy in white matter tracts of very-low-birth-weight infants

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dudink, Jeroen; Conneman, Nikk; Goudoever, Johannes van; Govaert, Paul [Erasmus MC-Sophia Children' s Hospital, Division of Neonatology, Department of Paediatrics, P.O. Box 2060, Rotterdam (Netherlands); Lequin, Maarten [Erasmus MC-Sophia Children' s Hospital, Division of Paediatrics, Department of Radiology, Rotterdam (Netherlands); Pul, Carola van [Maxima Medical Center, Department of Clinical Physics, Veldhoven (Netherlands); Buijs, Jan [Maxima Medical Center, Division of Neonatology, Department of Paediatrics, Veldhoven (Netherlands)

2007-12-15

Advances in neonatal intensive care have not yet reduced the high incidence of neurodevelopmental disability among very-low-birth-weight (VLBW) infants. As neurological deficits are related to white-matter injury, early detection is important. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) could be an excellent tool for assessment of white-matter injury. To provide DTI fractional anisotropy (FA) reference values for white-matter tracts of VLBW infants for clinical use. We retrospectively analysed DTI images of 28 VLBW infants (26-32 weeks gestational age) without evidence of white-matter abnormalities on conventional MRI sequences, and normal developmental outcome (assessed at age 1-3 years). For DTI an echoplanar sequence with diffusion gradient (b = 1,000 s/mm{sup 2}) applied in 25 non-collinear directions was used. We measured FA and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) of different white-matter tracts in the first 4 days of life. A statistically significant correlation was found between gestational age and FA of the posterior limb of the internal capsule in VLBW infants (r = 0.495, P<0.01). Values of FA and ADC were measured in white-matter tracts of VLBW infants. FA of the pyramidal tracts measured in the first few days after birth is related to gestational age. (orig.)

Fractional anisotropy in white matter tracts of very-low-birth-weight infants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dudink, Jeroen; Conneman, Nikk; Goudoever, Johannes van; Govaert, Paul; Lequin, Maarten; Pul, Carola van; Buijs, Jan

2007-01-01

Advances in neonatal intensive care have not yet reduced the high incidence of neurodevelopmental disability among very-low-birth-weight (VLBW) infants. As neurological deficits are related to white-matter injury, early detection is important. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) could be an excellent tool for assessment of white-matter injury. To provide DTI fractional anisotropy (FA) reference values for white-matter tracts of VLBW infants for clinical use. We retrospectively analysed DTI images of 28 VLBW infants (26-32 weeks gestational age) without evidence of white-matter abnormalities on conventional MRI sequences, and normal developmental outcome (assessed at age 1-3 years). For DTI an echoplanar sequence with diffusion gradient (b = 1,000 s/mm 2 ) applied in 25 non-collinear directions was used. We measured FA and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) of different white-matter tracts in the first 4 days of life. A statistically significant correlation was found between gestational age and FA of the posterior limb of the internal capsule in VLBW infants (r = 0.495, P<0.01). Values of FA and ADC were measured in white-matter tracts of VLBW infants. FA of the pyramidal tracts measured in the first few days after birth is related to gestational age. (orig.)

Radiology illustrated. Gastrointestinal tract

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choi, Byung Ihn

2015-01-01

Radiology Illustrated: Gastrointestinal Tract is the second of two volumes designed to provide clear and practical guidance on the diagnostic imaging of abdominal diseases. The book presents approximately 300 cases with 1500 carefully selected and categorized illustrations of gastrointestinal tract diseases, along with key text messages and tables that will help the reader easily to recall the relevant images as an aid to differential diagnosis., Essential points are summarized at the end of each text message to facilitate rapid review and learning. Additionally, brief descriptions of each clinical problem are provided, followed by case studies of both common and uncommon pathologies that illustrate the roles of the different imaging modalities, including ultrasound, radiography, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging.

Radiology illustrated. Gastrointestinal tract

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Choi, Byung Ihn (ed.) [Seoul National University Hospital (Korea, Republic of). Dept. of Radiology

2015-02-01

Radiology Illustrated: Gastrointestinal Tract is the second of two volumes designed to provide clear and practical guidance on the diagnostic imaging of abdominal diseases. The book presents approximately 300 cases with 1500 carefully selected and categorized illustrations of gastrointestinal tract diseases, along with key text messages and tables that will help the reader easily to recall the relevant images as an aid to differential diagnosis., Essential points are summarized at the end of each text message to facilitate rapid review and learning. Additionally, brief descriptions of each clinical problem are provided, followed by case studies of both common and uncommon pathologies that illustrate the roles of the different imaging modalities, including ultrasound, radiography, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging.

New ICRP human respiratory tract model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bailey, M.R.

1993-01-01

The new ICRP dosimetric model for the human respiratory tract is based on the premise that the large differences in radiation sensitivity of respiratory tract tissues, and the wide range of doses they receive argue for calculating specific tissue doses rather than average lung doses. The model is also directly applicable to the worldwide population of both workers and the public. The requirement to describe intake, and deposition, clearance and dosimetry in each respiratory tract region, for a wide range of subjects at various levels of exercise necessarily means that the model is more complex than that of ICRP Publication 30. The widespread use of powerful personal computers, and the availability of user-friendly software to implement the model, however, will make it widely and readily accessible when the report is published. (Author)

Predictive model of urinary tract infection after surgical treatment for women with endometrial cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Machida, Hiroko; Hom, Marianne S; Shabalova, Anastasiya; Grubbs, Brendan H; Matsuo, Koji

2017-08-01

The aim of the study was to identify risk factors associated with postoperative urinary tract infections (UTIs) following hysterectomy-based surgical staging in women with endometrial cancer. This is a retrospective study utilizing an institutional database (2008-2016) of stage I-IV endometrial cancer cases that underwent hysterectomy-based surgery. UTIs occurring within a 30-day time period after surgery were examined and correlated to patient clinico-pathological demographics. UTIs were observed in 44 (6.4%, 95% confidence interval 4.6-8.2) out of 687 cases subsequent to the diagnosis of endometrial cancer. UTI cases were significantly associated with obesity, advanced stage, prolonged operative time, hysterectomy type, pelvic lymphadenectomy, non-β-lactam antibiotics, and intraoperative urinary tract injury (all, p Urinary tract infections are common in women following surgical treatment for women with endometrial cancer with risk factors being a prolonged surgical time, radical hysterectomy, and non-guideline perioperative anti-microbial agent use. Consideration of prophylactic anti-microbial agent use in a high-risk group of postoperative urinary tract infection merits further investigation.

Analysis of genetic association using hierarchical clustering and cluster validation indices.

Science.gov (United States)

Pagnuco, Inti A; Pastore, Juan I; Abras, Guillermo; Brun, Marcel; Ballarin, Virginia L

2017-10-01

It is usually assumed that co-expressed genes suggest co-regulation in the underlying regulatory network. Determining sets of co-expressed genes is an important task, based on some criteria of similarity. This task is usually performed by clustering algorithms, where the genes are clustered into meaningful groups based on their expression values in a set of experiment. In this work, we propose a method to find sets of co-expressed genes, based on cluster validation indices as a measure of similarity for individual gene groups, and a combination of variants of hierarchical clustering to generate the candidate groups. We evaluated its ability to retrieve significant sets on simulated correlated and real genomics data, where the performance is measured based on its detection ability of co-regulated sets against a full search. Additionally, we analyzed the quality of the best ranked groups using an online bioinformatics tool that provides network information for the selected genes. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Subaru Weak Lensing Measurements of Four Strong Lensing Clusters: Are Lensing Clusters Over-Concentrated?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Oguri, Masamune; Hennawi, Joseph F.; Gladders, Michael D.; Dahle, Haakon; Natarajan, Priyamvada; Dalal, Neal; Koester, Benjamin P.; Sharon, Keren; Bayliss, Matthew

2009-01-29

We derive radial mass profiles of four strong lensing selected clusters which show prominent giant arcs (Abell 1703, SDSS J1446+3032, SDSS J1531+3414, and SDSS J2111-0115), by combining detailed strong lens modeling with weak lensing shear measured from deep Subaru Suprime-cam images. Weak lensing signals are detected at high significance for all four clusters, whose redshifts range from z = 0.28 to 0.64. We demonstrate that adding strong lensing information with known arc redshifts significantly improves constraints on the mass density profile, compared to those obtained from weak lensing alone. While the mass profiles are well fitted by the universal form predicted in N-body simulations of the {Lambda}-dominated cold dark matter model, all four clusters appear to be slightly more centrally concentrated (the concentration parameters c{sub vir} {approx} 8) than theoretical predictions, even after accounting for the bias toward higher concentrations inherent in lensing selected samples. Our results are consistent with previous studies which similarly detected a concentration excess, and increases the total number of clusters studied with the combined strong and weak lensing technique to ten. Combining our sample with previous work, we find that clusters with larger Einstein radii are more anomalously concentrated. We also present a detailed model of the lensing cluster Abell 1703 with constraints from multiple image families, and find the dark matter inner density profile to be cuspy with the slope consistent with -1, in agreement with expectations.

VIRAL ETIOLOGY OF RECURRENT URINARY TRACT INFECTIONS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

H. S. Ibishev

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction. Recurrent urinary tract infection is an actual problem of modern urology.Objective. Complex investigation of urinary tract infections including viral etiology for chronic recurrent cystitis in womenMaterials and methods. The study included 31 women with recurrent infection of urinary tract. Inclusion criteria were the presence of lower urinary tract symptoms caused by infection, severe recurrent course, the lack of anatomical and functional disorders of the urinary tract, the absence of bacterial pathogens during the study, taking into account the culture of aerobic and anaerobic culturing techniques.Results. The analysis of the clinical manifestations, the dominant in the study group were pain and urgency to urinate at 100% and 90% of women surveyed, respectively, and less frequent urination were recorded in 16.1% of patients. In general clinical examination of urine in all cases identified leukocyturia and 90% of the hematuria. By using a polymerase chain reaction (PCR in midstream urine of all examined was verified 10 types of human papilloma virus (HPV with the predominance of 16 and 18 types . Considering the presence of recurrent infectious and inflammatory processes of the urinary tract, cystoscopy with bladder biopsy was performed for all patients. When histomorphological biopsies of all patients surveyed noted the presence of the specific characteristics of HPV: papillary hyperplasia with squamous koilocytosis, pale cytoplasm and shrunken kernels. When analyzing the results of PCR biopsy data corresponded with the results of PCR in midstream urine in all biopsies was detected HPV.Conclusions. Human papillomavirus infection may be involved in the development of viral cystitis. In the etiological structure of viral cystitis, both highly oncogenic and low oncogenic HPV types can act.

Spinal tract pathology in AIDS: postmortem MRI correlation with neuropathology

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Santosh, C.G. [City Hospital, Edinburgh (United Kingdom). MRI Unit; Bell, J.E. [Western General Hospital, Edinburgh (United Kingdom). Neuropathology Lab.; Best, J.J.K. [City Hospital, Edinburgh (United Kingdom). MRI Unit

1995-02-01

Vacuolar myelopathy (VM) and tract pallor are poorly understood spinal tract abnormalities in patients with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). We studied the ability of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to detect these changes in spinal cord specimens postmortem and whether criteria could be formulated which would allow these conditions to be differentiated from other lesions of the spinal cord in AIDS, such as lymphoma, cytomegalovirus (CMV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) myelitis. We imaged 38 postmortem specimens of spinal cord. The MRI studies were interpreted blind. The specimens included cases of VM myelin pallor. CMV myeloradiculitis, HIV myelitis, lymphoma as well as normal cords, both HIV+ve and HIV-ve. MRI showed abnormal signal, suggestive of tract pathology, in 10 of the 14 cases with histopathological evidence of tract changes. The findings in VM and tract pallor on proton-density and T{sub 2}-weighted MRI were increased signal from the affected white-matter tracts, present on multiple contiguous slices and symmetrical in most cases. The pattern was sufficiently distinct to differentiate spinal tract pathology from other spinal cord lesions in AIDS. (orig.)

Prenatal suspicion and postnatal diagnosis of urinary tract malformation in children

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krzemien, G.; Roszkowska-Blaim, M.; Szmigielska, A.; Wojnar, J.; Kostro, I.; Sekowska, R.; Karpinska, M.; Madzik, J.; Biejat, A.; Majkowska, Z.; Marcinski, A.

2005-01-01

Introduction of prenatal ultrasonography (USG) in fetus diagnostic caused early detection of congenital urinary tract abnormalities. Dilatation of renal pelvis, which is detected in ultrasonography from 16 week of gestational age is the most common abnormality in fetal urinary tract. The aim of the study was to assess the frequency of congenital abnormalities in urinary tract in children with prenatal suspicion of anomalies. The retrospective study included 100 children with prenatal suspicion of congenital abnormalities in urinary tract. Changes in urinary tract were detected in ultrasonography between 18-41 (mean 32,6±5,6) week of gestational age. Unilateral dilatation of urinary tract was found in 57% fetuses, bilateral dilatation in 31%, others anomalies in 12% fetuses. Ultrasonography of urinary tract was done in all children in 1-122 (mean 17,5±20,5) day of life, cystourethrography in 93% of children, renal dynamic scintygraphy in 52%, renal static scintygraphy in 16% and urography in 39% of children. Congenital urinary tract abnormalities were detected in 63% of children. Transient dilatation of renal pelvis was observed in 25% of children. We didn't find any abnormalities in 12% patients. The most common changes in urinary tract were: ureteropelvic junction obstruction (22%), vesicoureteral reflux (15%), ureterovesical junction obstruction (7%), posterior urethral valve (7%) and polycystic renal dysplasia (7%). 33% children were qualified for invasive treatment. 1. Prenatal and postnatal ultrasonography of urinary tract allows detecting congenital abnormalities of urinary tract early age of life. 2. High percentage of abnormalities in urinary tract detected in prenatal ultrasonography orders cooperation between neonatologist, urologist and nephrologist. (author)

Fetal Urinary Tract Anomalies: Review of Pathophysiology, Imaging, and Management.

Science.gov (United States)

Mileto, Achille; Itani, Malak; Katz, Douglas S; Siebert, Joseph R; Dighe, Manjiri K; Dubinsky, Theodore J; Moshiri, Mariam

2018-05-01

Common fetal anomalies of the kidneys and urinary tract encompass a complex spectrum of abnormalities that can be detected prenatally by ultrasound. Common fetal anomalies of the kidneys and urinary tract can affect amniotic fluid volume production with the development of oligohydramnios or anhydramnios, resulting in fetal pulmonary hypoplasia and, potentially, abnormal development of other fetal structures. We provide an overview of common fetal anomalies of the kidneys and urinary tract with an emphasis on sonographic patterns as well as pathologic and postnatal correlation, along with brief recommendations for postnatal management. Of note, we render an updated classification of fetal abnormalities of the kidneys and urinary tract based on the presence or absence of associated urinary tract dilation. In addition, we review the 2014 classification of urinary tract dilation based on the Linthicum multidisciplinary consensus panel.

Phylogenetic Analysis of Bacterial Communities in Different Regions of the Gastrointestinal Tract of Agkistrodon piscivorus, the Cottonmouth Snake.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Timothy J Colston

Full Text Available Vertebrates are metagenomic organisms in that they are composed not only of their own genes but also those of their associated microbial cells. The majority of these associated microorganisms are found in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT and presumably assist in processes such as energy and nutrient acquisition. Few studies have investigated the associated gut bacterial communities of non-mammalian vertebrates, and most rely on captive animals and/or fecal samples only. Here we investigate the gut bacterial community composition of a squamate reptile, the cottonmouth snake, Agkistrodon piscivorus through pyrosequencing of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene. We characterize the bacterial communities present in the small intestine, large intestine and cloaca. Many bacterial lineages present have been reported by other vertebrate gut community studies, but we also recovered unexpected bacteria that may be unique to squamate gut communities. Bacterial communities were not phylogenetically clustered according to GIT region, but there were statistically significant differences in community composition between regions. Additionally we demonstrate the utility of using cloacal swabs as a method for sampling snake gut bacterial communities.

Urinary Tract Infection and Bacteriuria in Pregnancy.

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Glaser, Alexander P; Schaeffer, Anthony J

2015-11-01

Bacteriuria during pregnancy may be classified as asymptomatic bacteriuria, infections of the lower urinary tract (cystitis), or infections of the upper urinary tract (pyelonephritis). Lower tract bacteriuria is associated with an increased risk of developing pyelonephritis in pregnancy, which is itself associated with adverse maternal and fetal outcomes. Pregnant women should be screened for the presence of bacteriuria early in pregnancy. All bacteriuria in pregnancy should be treated, and antimicrobial choice in pregnancy should reflect safety for both the mother and the fetus. After treatment of bacteriuria, patients should be followed closely due to risk of recurrent bacteriuria. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Radionuclide uroflowmetry and urethral caliper in girls with urinary tract disease

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mrhac, L.; Mrhacova, L.; Cerny, J.; Marten, J.; Goj, P.; Hladik, M.

1988-01-01

In a group of 178 girls aged 4 to 15 years suffering from various inflammations of the urinary tract a clinical and laboratory examinations were made, calibration of the urethra and radionuclide uroflowmetry (UFM). The methods are described of calibration of the urethra and uroflowmetry. Presented are normal and pathological values of both examinations and the evaluation of the relationship between calibration values of the urethra and parameters of UFM. No correlation was found between the results of these examinations. In the group of girls with urinary tract infections impaired urodynamics were found in 26 to 34%. Higher incidence was not revealed of impaired urodynamics in more serious conditions, i.e. pyelonephritis. A bladder residue was significantly more frequent in impaired urodynamics. This was not the case in vesiculoureteral reflux. In girls with enuresis a significantly higher incidence of impaired urodynamics was observed. Calibration of the urethra and uroflowmetry are complementary examination methods which cannot replace each other. (author). 3 figs., 2 tabs., 18 refs

Outcomes of targeted treatment for vesicoureteral reflux in children with nonneurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction.

Science.gov (United States)

Fast, Angela M; Nees, Shannon N; Van Batavia, Jason P; Combs, Andrew J; Glassberg, Kenneth I

2013-09-01

There is a known association between nonneurogenic lower urinary tract conditions and vesicoureteral reflux. Whether reflux is secondary to the lower urinary tract condition or coincidental is controversial. We determined the rate of reflux resolution in patients with lower urinary tract dysfunction using targeted treatment for the underlying condition. Patients diagnosed and treated for a lower urinary tract condition who had concomitant vesicoureteral reflux at or near the time of diagnosis were included. Patients underwent targeted treatment and antibiotic prophylaxis, and reflux was monitored with voiding cystourethrography or videourodynamics. Vesicoureteral reflux was identified in 58 ureters in 36 females and 5 males with a mean age of 6.2 years. After a mean of 3.1 years of treatment reflux resolved with targeted treatment in 26 of 58 ureters (45%). All of these patients had a history of urinary tract infections before starting targeted treatment. Resolution rates of vesicoureteral reflux were similar for all reflux grades. Resolution or significant improvement of reflux was greater in the ureters of patients with dysfunctional voiding (70%) compared to those with idiopathic detrusor overactivity disorder (38%) or detrusor underutilization (40%). Vesicoureteral reflux associated with lower urinary tract conditions resolved with targeted treatment and antibiotic prophylaxis in 45% of ureters. Unlike the resolution rates reported in patients with reflux without a coexisting lower urinary tract condition, we found that there were no differences in resolution rates among grades I to V reflux in patients with lower urinary tract conditions. Patients with dysfunctional voiding had the most improvement and greatest resolution of reflux. Additionally grade V reflux resolved in some patients. Copyright © 2013 American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Brightest Cluster Galaxies in REXCESS Clusters

Science.gov (United States)

Haarsma, Deborah B.; Leisman, L.; Bruch, S.; Donahue, M.

2009-01-01

Most galaxy clusters contain a Brightest Cluster Galaxy (BCG) which is larger than the other cluster ellipticals and has a more extended profile. In the hierarchical model, the BCG forms through many galaxy mergers in the crowded center of the cluster, and thus its properties give insight into the assembly of the cluster as a whole. In this project, we are working with the Representative XMM-Newton Cluster Structure Survey (REXCESS) team (Boehringer et al 2007) to study BCGs in 33 X-ray luminous galaxy clusters, 0.055 < z < 0.183. We are imaging the BCGs in R band at the Southern Observatory for Astrophysical Research (SOAR) in Chile. In this poster, we discuss our methods and give preliminary measurements of the BCG magnitudes, morphology, and stellar mass. We compare these BCG properties with the properties of their host clusters, particularly of the X-ray emitting gas.

Antibiotic resistance in community-acquired urinary tract infections

African Journals Online (AJOL)

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

Antimicrobial sensitivity pattern of organisms causing urinary tract ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

2011-12-12

Dec 12, 2011 ... Objective: The knowledge of antimicrobial sensitivity pattern of common etiological ... of childhood urinary tract infections (UTI) in this environment are resistant to most ... causing urinary tract infection in children with sickle.

Urinary Tract Infection: Pathogenesis and Outlook.

Science.gov (United States)

McLellan, Lisa K; Hunstad, David A

2016-11-01

The clinical syndromes comprising urinary tract infection (UTI) continue to exert significant impact on millions of patients worldwide, most of whom are otherwise healthy women. Antibiotic therapy for acute cystitis does not prevent recurrences, which plague up to one fourth of women after an initial UTI. Rising antimicrobial resistance among uropathogenic bacteria further complicates therapeutic decisions, necessitating new approaches based on fundamental biological investigation. In this review, we highlight contemporary advances in the field of UTI pathogenesis and how these might inform both our clinical perspective and future scientific priorities. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Surface charge-conversion polymeric nanoparticles for photodynamic treatment of urinary tract bacterial infections

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, Shijie; Shao, Chen; Qiao, Shenglin; Li, Lili; Qi, Guobin; Lin, Yaoxin; Qiao, Zengying; Wang, Hao

2015-01-01

Urinary tract infections are typical bacterial infections which result in a number of economic burdens. With increasing antibiotic resistance, it is urgent that new approaches are explored that can eliminate pathogenic bacteria without inducing drug resistance. Antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a new promising tactic. It is a gentle in situ photochemical reaction in which a photosensitizer (PS) generates reactive oxygen species (ROS) under laser irradiation. In this work, we have demonstrated Chlorin e6 (Ce6) encapsulated charge-conversion polymeric nanoparticles (NPs) for efficiently targeting and killing pathogenic bacteria in a weakly acidic urinary tract infection environment. Owing to the surface charge conversion of NPs in an acidic environment, the NPs exhibited enhanced recognition for Gram-positive (ex. S. aureus) and Gram-negative (ex. E. coli) bacteria due to the charge interaction. Also, those NPs showed significant antibacterial efficacy in vitro with low cytotoxicity. The MIC value of NPs to E. coli is 17.91 μg ml"−"1, compared with the free Ce6 value of 29.85 μg ml"−"1. Finally, a mouse acute cystitis model was used to assess the photodynamic therapy effects in urinary tract infections. A significant decline (P < 0.05) in bacterial cells between NPs and free Ce6 occurred in urine after photodynamic therapy treatment. And the plated counting results revealed a remarkable bacterial cells drop (P < 0.05) in the sacrificed bladder tissue. Above all, this nanotechnology strategy opens a new door for the treatment of urinary tract infections with minimal side effects. (paper)

Surface charge-conversion polymeric nanoparticles for photodynamic treatment of urinary tract bacterial infections

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Shijie; Qiao, Shenglin; Li, Lili; Qi, Guobin; Lin, Yaoxin; Qiao, Zengying; Wang, Hao; Shao, Chen

2015-12-01

Urinary tract infections are typical bacterial infections which result in a number of economic burdens. With increasing antibiotic resistance, it is urgent that new approaches are explored that can eliminate pathogenic bacteria without inducing drug resistance. Antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a new promising tactic. It is a gentle in situ photochemical reaction in which a photosensitizer (PS) generates reactive oxygen species (ROS) under laser irradiation. In this work, we have demonstrated Chlorin e6 (Ce6) encapsulated charge-conversion polymeric nanoparticles (NPs) for efficiently targeting and killing pathogenic bacteria in a weakly acidic urinary tract infection environment. Owing to the surface charge conversion of NPs in an acidic environment, the NPs exhibited enhanced recognition for Gram-positive (ex. S. aureus) and Gram-negative (ex. E. coli) bacteria due to the charge interaction. Also, those NPs showed significant antibacterial efficacy in vitro with low cytotoxicity. The MIC value of NPs to E. coli is 17.91 μg ml-1, compared with the free Ce6 value of 29.85 μg ml-1. Finally, a mouse acute cystitis model was used to assess the photodynamic therapy effects in urinary tract infections. A significant decline (P < 0.05) in bacterial cells between NPs and free Ce6 occurred in urine after photodynamic therapy treatment. And the plated counting results revealed a remarkable bacterial cells drop (P < 0.05) in the sacrificed bladder tissue. Above all, this nanotechnology strategy opens a new door for the treatment of urinary tract infections with minimal side effects.

Increased risk of pneumonia in residents living near poultry farms: does the upper respiratory tract microbiota play a role?

Science.gov (United States)

Smit, Lidwien A M; Boender, Gert Jan; de Steenhuijsen Piters, Wouter A A; Hagenaars, Thomas J; Huijskens, Elisabeth G W; Rossen, John W A; Koopmans, Marion; Nodelijk, Gonnie; Sanders, Elisabeth A M; Yzermans, Joris; Bogaert, Debby; Heederik, Dick

2017-01-01

Air pollution has been shown to increase the susceptibility to community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). Previously, we observed an increased incidence of CAP in adults living within 1 km from poultry farms, potentially related to particulate matter and endotoxin emissions. We aim to confirm the increased risk of CAP near poultry farms by refined spatial analyses, and we hypothesize that the oropharyngeal microbiota composition in CAP patients may be associated with residential proximity to poultry farms. A spatial kernel model was used to analyze the association between proximity to poultry farms and CAP diagnosis, obtained from electronic medical records of 92,548 GP patients. The oropharyngeal microbiota composition was determined in 126 hospitalized CAP patients using 16S-rRNA-based sequencing, and analyzed in relation to residential proximity to poultry farms. Kernel analysis confirmed a significantly increased risk of CAP when living near poultry farms, suggesting an excess risk up to 1.15 km, followed by a sharp decline. Overall, the oropharyngeal microbiota composition differed borderline significantly between patients living PERMANOVA p  = 0.075). Results suggested a higher abundance of Streptococcus pneumoniae (mean relative abundance 34.9% vs. 22.5%, p  = 0.058) in patients living near poultry farms, which was verified by unsupervised clustering analysis, showing overrepresentation of a S. pneumoniae cluster near poultry farms ( p  = 0.049). Living near poultry farms is associated with an 11% increased risk of CAP, possibly resulting from changes in the upper respiratory tract microbiota composition in susceptible individuals. The abundance of S. pneumoniae near farms needs to be replicated in larger, independent studies.

Vitamin D Deficiency and Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms in Women.

Science.gov (United States)

Aydogmus, H; Demirdal, U S

2018-06-09

The association of vitamin D deficiency and pelvic floor dysfunction has been examined by numerous studies. Lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) associated with bladder filling and voiding functions are common in both sexes. A recent study reports a higher incidence of LTUS in men over 50 years old with vitamin D deficiency. The aim of the study is to investigate whether there is a difference in the Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms frequency between women with vitamin D deficiency and the control group or not. In this case control study, a total of 150 women who had a measured vitamin D level within a month were divided into two groups, one with a serum vitamin D deficiency and the other with a normal vitamin D level. Both groups were evaluated in terms of menopausal status, numbers of pregnancy and delivery, pelvic examination findings, pelvic floor muscle strength, level of pelvic organ prolapse, LUTS scores, and the findings were recorded. Both groups were compared for the presence of lower urinary system symptoms. The BFLUTS validated for Turkish-speaking populations was used to assess lower urinary system symptoms. Statistical analyses were performed via IBM SPSS Statistics 23.0. The results were considered significant at p D deficiency was detected in 67.3% of the participants. No significant differences were found between the groups regarding variables that could affect lower urinary system symptoms such as menopausal status, presence of pelvic organ prolapse and neonatal weight (fetal macrosomia) The Pelvic Floor Muscle Strength was significantly lower in the group with vitamin D deficiency than the control group. BFLUTS scores of premenopausal women with vitamin D deficiency were found to be similar to the control group, likewise no significant differences in the BFLUTS scores were detected in postmenopausal women. Although vitamin D deficiency causes a significant reduction in pelvic floor muscle strength, no significant correlation was found between lower

Tumorigenic Effects of Tamoxifen on the Female Genital Tract

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kaei Nasu M.D., Ph.D.

2008-01-01

Full Text Available Tamoxifen is widely used for endocrine treatment and breast cancer prevention. It acts as both an estrogen antagonist in breast tissue and an estrogen agonist in the female lower genital tract. Tamoxifen causes severe gynecologic side effects, such as endometrial cancer. This review focuses on the effects of prolonged tamoxifen treatment on the human female genital tract and considers its tumorigenicity in the gynecologic organs through clinical data analysis. Tamoxifen is associated with an increased incidence of benign endometrial lesions such as polyps and hyperplasia and a two- to four-fold increased risk of endometrial cancer in postmenopausal patients. Moreover, the incidence of functional ovarian cysts is significantly high in premenopausal tamoxifen users. To prevent tamoxifen from having severe side effects in gynecologic organs, frequent gynecological examination should be performed for both premenopausal and postmenopausal patients with breast cancer who are treated with this drug.

Targeted Therapy for Biliary Tract Cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Furuse, Junji; Okusaka, Takuji

2011-01-01

It is necessary to establish effective chemotherapy to improve the survival of patients with biliary tract cancer, because most of these patients are unsuitable candidates for surgery, and even patients undergoing curative surgery often have recurrence. Recently, the combination of cisplatin plus gemcitabine was reported to show survival benefits over gemcitabine alone in randomized clinical trials conducted in the United Kingdom and Japan. Thus, the combination of cisplatin plus gemcitabine is now recognized as the standard therapy for unresectable biliary tract cancer. One of the next issues that need to be addressed is whether molecular targeted agents might also be effective against biliary tract cancer. Although some targeted agents have been investigated as monotherapy for first-line chemotherapy, none were found to exert satisfactory efficacy. On the other hand, monoclonal antibodies such as bevacizumab and cetuximab have also been investigated in combination with a gemcitabine-based regimen and have been demonstrated to show promising activity. Furthermore, clinical trials using new targeted agents for biliary tract cancer are also proposed. This cancer is a relatively rare and heterogeneous tumor consisting of cholangiocarcinoma and gallbladder carcinoma. Therefore, a large randomized clinical trial is necessary to confirm the efficacy of chemotherapy, and international collaboration is important

Label-Free Imaging of Female Genital Tract Melanocytic Lesions With Pump-Probe Microscopy: A Promising Diagnostic Tool.

Science.gov (United States)

Robles, Francisco E; Deb, Sanghamitra; Fischer, Martin C; Warren, Warren S; Selim, Maria Angelica

2017-04-01

Melanomas of the female genital tract present a unique clinical challenge. Not only are these lesions in an anatomically sensitive area, but also they tend to be multifocal and have high recurrence rates. Furthermore, several benign melanocytic proliferations resemble early-stage melanoma clinically and/or histopathologically. Thus, there is a significant need for additional tools that can help correctly diagnose and stage these lesions. Here, we quantitatively and nondestructively analyze the chemical composition of melanin in excised pigmented lesions of the female genital tract using pump-probe microscopy, a high-resolution optical imaging technique that is sensitive to many biochemical properties of melanin. Thirty-one thin (~5 μm) tissue sections previously excised from female genital tract melanocytic lesions were imaged with pump-probe microscopy and analyzed. We find significant quantitative differences in melanin type and structure between melanoma and nonmalignant melanocytic proliferations. Our analysis also suggests a link between the molecular signatures of melanins and lesion-specific genetic mutations. Finally, significant differences are found between metastatic and nonmetastatic melanomas. The limitations of this work include the fact that molecular information is restricted to melanin pigment and the sample size is relatively small. Pump-probe microscopy provides unique information regarding the biochemical composition of genital tract melanocytic lesions, which can be used to improve the diagnosis and staging of vulvar melanomas.

Urinary tract infection among fistula patients admitted at Hamlin fistula hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Science.gov (United States)

Dereje, Matifan; Woldeamanuel, Yimtubezinesh; Asrat, Daneil; Ayenachew, Fekade

2017-02-16

Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) causes a serious health problem and affects millions of people worldwide. Patients with obstetric fistula usually suffer from incontinence of urine and stool, which can predispose them to frequent infections of the urinary tract. Therefore the aim of this study was to determine the etiologic agents, drug resistance pattern of the isolates and associated risk factor for urinary tract infection among fistula patients in Addis Ababa fistula hospital, Ethiopia. Across sectional study was conducted from February to May 2015 at Hamlin Fistula Hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Socio-demographic characteristics and other UTI related risk factors were collected from study participants using structured questionnaires. The mid-stream urine was collected and cultured on Cysteine lactose electrolyte deficient agar and blood agar. Antimicrobial susceptibility was done by using disc diffusion method and interpreted according to Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI). Data was entered and analyzed by using SPSS version 20. Out of 210 fistula patients investigated 169(80.5%) of the patient were younger than 25 years. Significant bacteriuria was observed in 122/210(58.1%) and 68(55.7%) of the isolates were from symptomatic cases. E.coli 65(53.7%) were the most common bacterial pathogen isolated followed by Proteus spp. 31(25.4%). Statistical Significant difference was observed with history of previous UTI (P = 0.031) and history of catheterization (P = 0.001). Gram negative bacteria isolates showed high level of resistance (>50%) to gentamicin and ciprofloxacin, while all gram positive bacteria isolated were showed low level of resistance (20-40%) to most of antibiotic tested. The overall prevalence of urinary tract infection among fistula patient is 58.1%. This study showed that the predominant pathogen of UTI were E.coli followed by Proteus spp. It also showed that amoxicillin-clavulanic acid was a drug of choice for urinary tract

Does Peak Urine Flow Rate Predict the Development of Incident Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms in Men with Mild to No Current Symptoms? Results from REDUCE.

Science.gov (United States)

Simon, Ross M; Howard, Lauren E; Moreira, Daniel M; Roehrborn, Claus; Vidal, Adriana; Castro-Santamaria, Ramiro; Freedland, Stephen J

2017-09-01

We determined whether decreased peak urine flow is associated with future incident lower urinary tract symptoms in men with mild to no lower urinary tract symptoms. Our population consisted of 3,140 men from the REDUCE (Reduction by Dutasteride of Prostate Cancer Events) trial with mild to no lower urinary tract symptoms, defined as I-PSS (International Prostate Symptom Score) less than 8. REDUCE was a randomized trial of dutasteride vs placebo for prostate cancer prevention in men with elevated prostate specific antigen and negative biopsy. I-PSS measures were obtained every 6 months throughout the 4-year study. The association between peak urine flow rate and progression to incident lower urinary tract symptoms, defined as the first of medical treatment, surgery or sustained and clinically significant lower urinary tract symptoms, was tested by multivariable Cox models, adjusting for various baseline characteristics and treatment arm. On multivariable analysis as a continuous variable, decreased peak urine flow rate was significantly associated with an increased risk of incident lower urinary tract symptoms (p = 0.002). Results were similar in the dutasteride and placebo arms. On univariable analysis when peak flow was categorized as 15 or greater, 10 to 14.9 and less than 10 ml per second, flow rates of 10 to 14.9 and less than 10 ml per second were associated with a significantly increased risk of incident lower urinary tract symptoms (HR 1.39, p = 0.011 and 1.67, p urinary tract symptoms a decreased peak urine flow rate is independently associated with incident lower urinary tract symptoms. If confirmed, these men should be followed closer for incident lower urinary tract symptoms. Copyright © 2017 American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Electronic structure of metal clusters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wertheim, G.K.

1989-01-01

Photoemission spectra of valence electrons in metal clusters, together with threshold ionization potential measurements, provide a coherent picture of the development of the electronic structure from the isolated atom to the large metallic cluster. An insulator-metal transition occurs at an intermediate cluster size, which serves to define the boundary between small and large clusters. Although the outer electrons may be delocalized over the entire cluster, a small cluster remains insulating until the density of states near the Fermi level exceeds 1/kT. In large clusters, with increasing cluster size, the band structure approaches that of the bulk metal. However, the bands remain significantly narrowed even in a 1000-atom cluster, giving an indication of the importance of long-range order. The core-electron binding-energy shifts of supported metal clusters depend on changes in the band structure in the initial state, as well as on various final-state effects, including changes in core hole screening and the coulomb energy of the final-state charge. For cluster supported on amorphous carbon, this macroscopic coulomb shift is often dominant, as evidenced by the parallel shifts of the core-electron binding energy and the Fermi edge. Auger data confirm that final-state effects dominate in cluster of Sn and some other metals. Surface atom core-level shifts provide a valuable guide to the contributions of initial-state changes in band structure to cluster core-electron binding energy shifts, especially for Au and Pt. The available data indicate that the shift observed in supported, metallic clusters arise largely from the charge left on the cluster by photoemission. As the metal-insulator transition is approached from above, metallic screening is suppressed and the shift is determined by the local environment. (orig.)

Studies on the function of upper urinary tract, 13

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Osaka, Uichi

1980-01-01

In order to clarify the changes of the ureteral function after ureterolithotomy, 131 I-Hippuran renograms were recorded at 3 times before, immediately after (i.e. 1 - 2 days after) and 10 days after the lithotomy in 52 patients. The influences of preoperative hydronephrosis or urinary tract infection upon the postoperative renogram patterns were studied. The following results were obtained. 1. In the renogram findings of the preoperative 52 cases, 28 delayed excretion types, 15 obstructive types and 9 standard types were shown. 2. The postoperative renogram patterns showed a tendency of increased obstruction immediately after the operation (56.9%) irrespective of the location of the calculi in the ureter, and the recovering excretion phases became visible on the 10th postoperative day (51.1%). 3. In the findings on the postoperative renograms, a tendency of increased obstruction was noted in many of the patients of the non-hydronephrotic group than the hydronephrotic group immediately after the operation, but no statistically significant difference was noted. On the 10th postoperative day, slightly more patients of the hydronephrotic group tended to show improvements of obstruction than those of the non-hydronephrotic group, but with no statistically significant difference. 4. In the relationship between the hydronephrosis and urinary tract infection, the infection rate was 26.9% (7 out of 26) in the non-hydronephrotic group and 52.4% (11 out of 21) in the hydronephrotic group. 5. In the findings on the renograms viewed from presence of urinary tract infection, slightly more cases of increased obstruction were found out immediately after the operation in the non-infected group than in the infected group. On the 10th postoperative day, slightly more cases of improvements of obstruction were noted in the infected group than in the non-infected group, but no statistically significant difference was seen between the two groups at either of the two points. (author)

Metal cluster compounds - chemistry and importance; clusters containing isolated main group element atoms, large metal cluster compounds, cluster fluxionality

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Walther, B.

1988-01-01

This part of the review on metal cluster compounds deals with clusters containing isolated main group element atoms, with high nuclearity clusters and metal cluster fluxionality. It will be obvious that main group element atoms strongly influence the geometry, stability and reactivity of the clusters. High nuclearity clusters are of interest in there own due to the diversity of the structures adopted, but their intermediate position between molecules and the metallic state makes them a fascinating research object too. These both sites of the metal cluster chemistry as well as the frequently observed ligand and core fluxionality are related to the cluster metal and surface analogy. (author)

urinary tract infections in symptomatic pregnant women attending

African Journals Online (AJOL)

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bacterial infections in the elderly but also the most common and ... For pregnant women, urinary tract infection is the most common ... causing arthropathy in children. Urinary tract ... resistance in our environment, resistance such as β-. Urinary ...

Antimicrobial sensitivity pattern of organisms causing urinary tract ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Antimicrobial sensitivity pattern of organisms causing urinary tract infection in ... out on bacterial isolates from the urine of febrile children with sickle cell anemia ... of childhood urinary tract infections (UTI) in this environment are resistant to ...

Pediatric Urinary Tract Infection

Science.gov (United States)

SBA National Resource Center: 800-621-3141 Pediatric Urinary Tract Infections and Catheterization in Children with Neurogenic Bladder and Bowel Why is it important to begin urologic care in infancy and ...

Cutaneous sinus tracts (or emerging sinus tracts of odontogenic origin: a report of 3 cases

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ronald S Brown

2010-07-01

Full Text Available Ronald S Brown1, Robert Jones2, Tawana Feimster3, Frances E Sam21Department of Oral Diagnostic Services, Howard University College of Dentistry, Washington, DC, USA; 2Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Howard University College of Dentistry, Washington, DC, USA; 3Department of Endodontics, Howard University College of Dentistry, Washington, DC, USAAbstract: Three cases are presented in which patients presented with either cutaneous swelling or cutaneous sinus tracts of odontogenic origin. A cutaneous sinus tract of odontogenic origin is a pathway through the alveolar bone that typically begins at the apex of an infected tooth or of an infected portion of the dental alveolus and empties infected material (pus through the skin. Where as the more common finding of an oral fistula is a pathway from the apical periodontal area of a tooth to the surface of the oral mucous membrane, permitting the discharge of suppurative material. Diagnosis, etiology and treatment are discussed with reference to patient history, clinical examinations, imaging, and treatment perspectives.Keywords: dental abscess, fistula, cutaneous sinus tract, odotogenic infection

Antibiotic Resistance of Urinary Tract Infection of Children Under 14 Years Admitted To The Pediatric Clinic of Imam Sajjad Hospital, 2012

OpenAIRE

F Asadi Manesh F; A Sharifi; Z Mohammad Hosini; H Nasrolahi; N Hosseini; A Kalantari; SAM Khosravani

2014-01-01

Background & aim: Urinary tract infection is the most common childhood infections after upper respiratory tract infection. Early diagnosis, proper treatment and appropriate patient follow-up can lead to a significant reduction in symptoms. The purpose of this study was to determine the antimicrobial resistance of urinary tract infection in children under 14 years admitted to the pediatric clinic of Imam Sajjad (AS) Yasooj. Methods: Methods: In this cross-sectional study antibiotic sensiti...

[Microflora of gastrointestinal tract in patients with chronic cholecystitis].

Science.gov (United States)

Mikhaĭlova, E S; Chervinets, V M; Chervinets, Iu V; Barashkov, A P; Sekareva, E V

2008-01-01

Assessment of quantitative and qualitative characteristics of gastrointestinal microflora in patients with chronic cholecystitis. Bacteriological analysis of biopsy samples of esophageal and gastric mucosae as well as stool samples was performed in 10 healthy volunteers and 28 patients with chronic cholecystitis. Opportunistic microorganisms are acquiring greater significance in formation of gastrointestinal microbiocenosis. Significant increase of both isolation rate and density of gastrointestinal tract colonization by staphylococci, enterobacteriae and anaerobic microorganisms was revealed. Obtained results showed abnormalities of microbiocenosis of esophageal and gastric mucosae and presence of intestinal disbacteriosis of different degrees of intensity.

Chemisorption on size-selected metal clusters: activation barriers and chemical reactions for deuterium and aluminum cluster ions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jarrold, M.F.; Bower, J.E.

1988-01-01

The authors describe a new approach to investigating chemisorption on size-selected metal clusters. This approach involves investigating the collision-energy dependence of chemisorption using low-energy ion beam techniques. The method provides a direct measure of the activation barrier for chemisorption and in some cases an estimate of the desorption energy as well. They describe the application of this technique to chemisorption of deuterium on size-selected aluminum clusters. The activation barriers increase with cluster size (from a little over 1 eV for Al 10 + to around 2 eV for Al 27 + ) and show significant odd-even oscillations. The activation barriers for the clusters with an odd number of atoms are larger than those for the even-numbered clusters. In addition to chemisorption of deuterium onto the clusters, chemical reactions were observed, often resulting in cluster fragmentation. The main products observed were Al/sub n-1/D + , Al/sub n-2/ + , and Al + for clusters with n + and Al/sub n-1/D + for the larger clusters

Visceral pain originating from the upper urinary tract

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pedersen, Katja Venborg; Drewes, Asbjørn Mohr; Frimodt-Møller, Poul Christian

2010-01-01

Pain originating from the upper urinary tract is a common problem and stone colic is one of the most intense pain conditions that can be experienced in the clinic. The pain is difficult to alleviate and often leads to medical attention. In humans, pain mechanisms of the upper urinary tract pain...... are still poorly understood, which often leads to a trial and error approach in clinical pain management. Pain from the upper urinary tract seems to have all the characteristics of pure visceral pain, including referred pain with or without hyperalgesia/trophic changes in somatic tissues and viscero......-visceral hyperalgesia. However, further studies are needed to better understand these visceral pain mechanisms with regard to optimising pain management. This review gives an introduction to visceral pain in general and upper urinary tract pain in particular, with special reference to pain pathways and pharmacological...

Lower Urinary Tract Injuries Following Blunt Trauma: A Review of Contemporary Management

Science.gov (United States)

Kong, Jennifer P. L; Bultitude, Matthew F; Royce, Peter; Gruen, Russell L; Cato, Alex; Corcoran, Niall M

2011-01-01

Lower urinary tract trauma, although relatively uncommon in blunt trauma, can lead to significant morbidity when diagnosed late or left untreated; urologists may only encounter a handful of these injuries in their career. This article reviews the literature and reports on the management of these injuries, highlighting the issues facing clinicians in this subspecialty. Also presented is a structured review detailing the mechanisms, classification, diagnosis, management, and complications of blunt trauma to the bladder and urethra. The prognosis for bladder rupture is excellent when treated. Significant intraperitoneal rupture or involvement of the bladder neck mandates surgical repair, whereas smaller extraperitoneal lacerations may be managed with catheterization alone. With the push for management of trauma patients in larger centers, urologists in these hospitals are seeing increasing numbers of lower urinary tract injuries. Prospective analysis may be achieved in these centers to address the current lack of Level 1 evidence. PMID:22114545

Supporting the improvement and management of prescribing for urinary tract infections (SIMPle): protocol for a cluster randomized trial.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Duane, Sinead

2013-01-01

The overuse of antimicrobials is recognized as the main selective pressure driving the emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance in human bacterial pathogens. Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are among the most common infections presented in primary care and empirical antimicrobial treatment is currently recommended. Previous research has identified that a substantial proportion of Irish general practitioners (GPs) prescribe antimicrobials for UTIs that are not in accordance with the Guidelines for Antimicrobial Prescribing in Primary Care in Ireland. The aim of this trial is to design, implement and evaluate the effectiveness of a complex intervention on GP antimicrobial prescribing and adult (18 years of age and over) patients\\' antimicrobial consumption when presenting with a suspected UTI.

Subtotal obstruction of the male reproductive tract.

Science.gov (United States)

Dohle, G R; van Roijen, J H; Pierik, F H; Vreeburg, J T M; Weber, R F A

2003-03-01

Bilateral obstruction of the male reproductive tract is suspected in men with azoospermia, normal testicular volume and normal FSH. A testicular biopsy is required to differentiate between an obstruction and a testicular insufficiency. Unilateral or subtotal bilateral obstructions and epididymal dysfunction may cause severe oligozoospermia in men with a normal spermatogenesis. However, information on spermatogenesis in oligozoospermic men is lacking, since testicular biopsy is not routinely performed. Men with a sperm concentration of scoring method. A testicular biopsy was performed in 78 men with severe oligozoospermia. The medical history showed male accessory gland infection in 12.8%, previous hernia repair in 14.1% and a history of cryptorchidism in 12.8%. A normal or slightly disturbed spermatogenesis (Johnsen score >8) was present in 39/78 (50%) of the men. Hernia repair occurred more often in men with normal spermatogenesis. A varicocele was predominantly seen in men with a disturbed spermatogenesis. FSH was significantly lower ( Preproductive tract is a frequent cause of severe oligozoospermia in men with a normal testicular volume and a normal FSH. In other cases, an epididymal dysfunction might explain the oligozoospermia in men with a normal testicular biopsy score.

Urinary Tract Infections.

Science.gov (United States)

Plummer, Nancy; Michael, Nancy, Ed.

This module on urinary tract infections is intended for use in inservice or continuing education programs for persons who administer medications in long-term care facilities. Instructor information, including teaching suggestions, and a listing of recommended audiovisual materials and their sources appear first. The module goal and objectives are…

Multi-detector CT urography: effect of oral hydration and contrast medium volume on renal parenchymal enhancement and urinary tract opacification - a quantitative and qualitative analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Szolar, Dieter H.; Tillich, Manfred; Preidler, Klaus W.

2010-01-01

To assess the effect of oral hydration and contrast-medium volume on renal enhancement and urinary tract opacification in multi-detector CT urography. A total of 192 patients were assigned to different protocols with varying doses of contrast agent with and without oral hydration. The attenuation was measured in the renal parenchyma in the unenhanced, nephrographic and excretory phase, and in the urinary tract in excretory phase imaging, respectively. Opacification of the urinary tract was graded on volume rendered images. Oral hydration did not significantly alter renal parenchymal enhancement in both the nephrographic and the excretory phase (p > 0.001), but significantly decreased mean attenuation of the urinary tract in the excretory phase (p ≤ 0.001), and improved continuous opacification of all ureter segments (p < 0.01). Higher volumes of contrast medium improved renal parenchymal enhancement (p ≤ 0.001) and continuous opacification of the urinary tract (p ≤ 0.01). Oral hydration leads to lower attenuation values in the urinary tract but improves the continuous opacification of the tract. Increase in contrast medium volume leads to higher renal parenchymal enhancement as well as to an increased continuous opacification of the urinary tract. Decrease in contrast medium volume cannot be compensated for by oral hydration in terms of parenchymal enhancement. (orig.)

PREFACE: Nuclear Cluster Conference; Cluster'07

Science.gov (United States)

Freer, Martin

2008-05-01

The Cluster Conference is a long-running conference series dating back to the 1960's, the first being initiated by Wildermuth in Bochum, Germany, in 1969. The most recent meeting was held in Nara, Japan, in 2003, and in 2007 the 9th Cluster Conference was held in Stratford-upon-Avon, UK. As the name suggests the town of Stratford lies upon the River Avon, and shortly before the conference, due to unprecedented rainfall in the area (approximately 10 cm within half a day), lay in the River Avon! Stratford is the birthplace of the `Bard of Avon' William Shakespeare, and this formed an intriguing conference backdrop. The meeting was attended by some 90 delegates and the programme contained 65 70 oral presentations, and was opened by a historical perspective presented by Professor Brink (Oxford) and closed by Professor Horiuchi (RCNP) with an overview of the conference and future perspectives. In between, the conference covered aspects of clustering in exotic nuclei (both neutron and proton-rich), molecular structures in which valence neutrons are exchanged between cluster cores, condensates in nuclei, neutron-clusters, superheavy nuclei, clusters in nuclear astrophysical processes and exotic cluster decays such as 2p and ternary cluster decay. The field of nuclear clustering has become strongly influenced by the physics of radioactive beam facilities (reflected in the programme), and by the excitement that clustering may have an important impact on the structure of nuclei at the neutron drip-line. It was clear that since Nara the field had progressed substantially and that new themes had emerged and others had crystallized. Two particular topics resonated strongly condensates and nuclear molecules. These topics are thus likely to be central in the next cluster conference which will be held in 2011 in the Hungarian city of Debrechen. Martin Freer Participants and Cluster'07

Association Between Early Idiopathic Neonatal Jaundice and Urinary Tract Infections

Science.gov (United States)

Özcan, Murat; Sarici, S Ümit; Yurdugül, Yüksel; Akpinar, Melis; Altun, Demet; Özcan, Begüm; Serdar, Muhittin A; Sarici, Dilek

2017-01-01

Background and purpose: Etiologic role, incidence, demographic, and response-to-treatment characteristics of urinary tract infection (UTI) among neonates, its relationship with significant neonatal hyperbilirubinemia, and abnormalities of the urinary system were studied in a prospective investigation in early (≤10 days) idiopathic neonatal jaundice in which all other etiologic factors of neonatal hyperbilirubinemia were ruled out. Patients and methods: Urine samples for microscopic and bacteriologic examination were obtained with bladder catheterization from 155 newborns with early neonatal jaundice. Newborns with a negative urine culture and with a positive urine culture were defined as group I and group II, respectively, and the 2 groups were compared with each other. Results: The incidence of UTI in whole of the study group was 16.7%. Serum total and direct bilirubin levels were statistically significantly higher in group II when compared with group I (P = .005 and P = .001, respectively). Decrease in serum total bilirubin level at the 24th hour of phototherapy was statistically significantly higher in group I compared with group II (P = .022). Conclusions: Urinary tract infection should be investigated in the etiologic evaluation of newborns with significant hyperbilirubinemia. The possibility of UTI should be considered in jaundiced newborns who do not respond to phototherapy well or have a prolonged duration of phototherapy treatment. PMID:28469520

The microbiota of the respiratory tract : Gatekeeper to respiratory health

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Man, Wing Ho; De Steenhuijsen Piters, Wouter A.A.; Bogaert, Debby

2017-01-01

The respiratory tract is a complex organ system that is responsible for the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide. The human respiratory tract spans from the nostrils to the lung alveoli and is inhabited by niche-specific communities of bacteria. The microbiota of the respiratory tract probably acts

Concurrent Preoperative Presence of Hydronephrosis and Flank Pain Independently Predicts Worse Outcome of Upper Tract Urothelial Carcinoma.

Science.gov (United States)

Yeh, Hsin-Chih; Jan, Hau-Chern; Wu, Wen-Jeng; Li, Ching-Chia; Li, Wei-Ming; Ke, Hung-Lung; Huang, Shu-Pin; Liu, Chia-Chu; Lee, Yung-Chin; Yang, Sheau-Fang; Liang, Peir-In; Huang, Chun-Nung

2015-01-01

To investigate the impact of preoperative hydronephrosis and flank pain on prognosis of patients with upper tract urothelial carcinoma. In total, 472 patients with upper tract urothelial carcinoma managed by radical nephroureterectomy were included from Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital Healthcare System. Clinicopathological data were collected retrospectively for analysis. The significance of hydronephrosis, especially when combined with flank pain, and other relevant factors on overall and cancer-specific survival were evaluated. Of the 472 patients, 292 (62%) had preoperative hydronephrosis and 121 (26%) presented with flank pain. Preoperative hydronephrosis was significantly associated with age, hematuria, flank pain, tumor location, and pathological tumor stage. Concurrent presence of hydronephrosis and flank pain was a significant predictor of non-organ-confined disease (multivariate-adjusted hazard ratio = 2.10, P = 0.025). Kaplan-Meier analysis showed significantly poorer overall and cancer-specific survival in patients with preoperative hydronephrosis (P = 0.005 and P = 0.026, respectively) and in patients with flank pain (P hydronephrosis and flank pain independently predicted adverse outcome (hazard ratio = 1.98, P = 0.016 for overall survival and hazard ratio = 1.87, P = 0.036 for and cancer-specific survival, respectively) in multivariate Cox proportional hazards models. In addition, concurrent presence of hydronephrosis and flank pain was also significantly predictive of worse survival in patient with high grade or muscle-invasive disease. Notably, there was no difference in survival between patients with hydronephrosis but devoid of flank pain and those without hydronephrosis. Concurrent preoperative presence of hydronephrosis and flank pain predicted non-organ-confined status of upper tract urothelial carcinoma. When accompanied with flank pain, hydronephrosis represented an independent predictor for worse outcome in patients with upper tract

Chemical exposure and leukemia clusters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cartwright, R.A.

1992-01-01

This paper draws attention to the heterogeneous distribution of leukemia in childhood and in adults. The topic of cluster reports and generalized clustering is addressed. These issues are applied to what is known of the risk factor for both adult and childhood leukemia. Finally, the significance of parental occupational exposure and childhood leukemia is covered. (author). 23 refs

The innate immune response during urinary tract infection and pyelonephritis.

Science.gov (United States)

Spencer, John David; Schwaderer, Andrew L; Becknell, Brian; Watson, Joshua; Hains, David S

2014-07-01

Despite its proximity to the fecal flora, the urinary tract is considered sterile. The precise mechanisms by which the urinary tract maintains sterility are not well understood. Host immune responses are critically important in the antimicrobial defense of the urinary tract. During recent years, considerable advances have been made in our understanding of the mechanisms underlying immune homeostasis of the kidney and urinary tract. Dysfunctions in these immune mechanisms may result in acute disease, tissue destruction and overwhelming infection. The objective of this review is to provide an overview of the innate immune response in the urinary tract in response to microbial assault. In doing so, we focus on the role of antimicrobial peptides-a ubiquitous component of the innate immune response.

Clinical profile and antibiotics sensitivity in childhood urinary tract infection at Dhulikhel Hospital.

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, S D; Madhup, S K

2013-01-01

Urinary Tract Infection implies presence of actively multiplying organisms in the urinary tract. Although it is infrequently associated with mortality, it is still a significant cause of morbidity. Early diagnosis is critical to preserve renal function of growing kidney. Our purpose was to determine the clinical, microbiologic profile and antibiotic sensitivity of such infections in pediatric Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) patients at Dhulikhel Hospital. A hospital based prospective descriptive study of 135 children from 2 months to 16 years, with clinical diagnosis of urinary tract infection who visited the pediatric department of Dhulikhel Hospital over the period of 15 months were enrolled in the study. All patients underwent routine urine analysis and culture. Children with recurrent UTI underwent micturating cystourethrogram (MCUG). Children with recurrent UTI of more than two years and with feature of pyelonephritis underwent USG abdomen as well. Complications and response of the treatment was observed in all cases of UTI. All data were entered in Epidata and data analysis was done using spss 16 version. Among 135 children, 32.5% were male and 67.4% were female. Fever was the most common presenting symptom in 74.80% of patients followed by dysuria in 54.1%. Among these children 95.6% had significant pyuria and 45% had culture positive infection. Children who showed positive for bacteriuria, Escherichia coli (78.7%) was the most common organism and are more than 80% sensitive to Amikacin, Gentamicin, Ceftriaxone, Ofloxacin, Nalidixic acid, Imipenem and Vancomycin. Co-trimoxazole was the most common drug used for treatment with a mean drug respond time of (mean+/-S.D) of 2.21+/-.78 days. 2+/-. Children who had recurrent UTI were more prone to develop culture positive UTI (p=0.0001). Urinary Tract Infection in female was almost twice more common than in male. Cotrimoxazole was the most common drug used for treatment, sensitivity of this drug was less than 50% for

Cranberry in prevention of urinary tract Infections in pregnancy

OpenAIRE

Miranda-Machado Pablo Andrés

2011-01-01

The urinary infection tract is the most common infectious complication in pregnancy.The aim was to conduct a literature review of the evidence on effectiveness, safetyand cost effectiveness of cranberry products in preventing urinary tract infection inpregnancy. Studies suggest a potential protective effect of cranberry products againsturinary tract infection in pregnancy and there is no documented evidence of danger orcontraindication in pregnancy or lactation. The cost effectiveness of cran...

Proanthocyanidins-Will they effectively restrain conspicuous bacterial strains devolving on urinary tract infection?

Science.gov (United States)

Jagannathan, Venkataseshan; Viswanathan, Pragasam

2018-05-18

Struvite or infection stones are one of the major clinical burdens among urinary tract infection, which occur due to the interaction between microbes and urine mineral components. Numerous urinary tract infection (UTI) causing microbes regulate through biofilm formation for survival from host defense, it is often found difficult in its eradication with simple anti-microbial agents and also the chance of recurrence and resistance development is significantly high. Cranberry consumption and maintenance of urinary tract health have been supported by clinical, epidemiological, and mechanistic studies. It predominantly contains proanthocyanidins that belong to the class of polyphenols with repeating catechin and epicatechin monomeric units. Numerous studies have correlated proanthocyanidin consumption and prevention of bacterial adhesion to uroepithelial cells. Quorum sensing (QS) is the prime mechanism that drives bacteria to coordinate biofilm development and virulence expression. Reports have shown that proanthocyanidins are effective in disrupting cell-cell communication by quenching signal molecules. Overall, this review assesses the merits of proanthocyanidins and its effective oppression on adherence, motility, QS, and biofilm formation of major UTI strains such as Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Proteus mirabilis by comparing and evaluating results from many significant findings. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Vacancy-indium clusters in implanted germanium

KAUST Repository

Chroneos, Alexander I.

2010-04-01

Secondary ion mass spectroscopy measurements of heavily indium doped germanium samples revealed that a significant proportion of the indium dose is immobile. Using electronic structure calculations we address the possibility of indium clustering with point defects by predicting the stability of indium-vacancy clusters, InnVm. We find that the formation of large clusters is energetically favorable, which can explain the immobility of the indium ions. © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Vacancy-indium clusters in implanted germanium

KAUST Repository

Chroneos, Alexander I.; Kube, R.; Bracht, Hartmut A.; Grimes, Robin W.; Schwingenschlö gl, Udo

2010-01-01

Secondary ion mass spectroscopy measurements of heavily indium doped germanium samples revealed that a significant proportion of the indium dose is immobile. Using electronic structure calculations we address the possibility of indium clustering with point defects by predicting the stability of indium-vacancy clusters, InnVm. We find that the formation of large clusters is energetically favorable, which can explain the immobility of the indium ions. © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Presence of Human Bocavirus 1 in Hospitalised Children with Acute Respiratory Tract Infections in Latvia and Lithuania / Cilvēka Bokavīrusa 1 Klātbūtne Latvijā Un Lietuvā Hospitalizētiem Bērniem Ar Akūtām Elpceīu Slimībām

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nora-Krūkle Zaiga

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Human bocavirus 1 (HBoV1 is a parvovirus recently found to be a possible aetiologic agent of acute respiratory disease in children. We conducted the first clinical and molecular study on this virus in Latvia (LV and Lithuania (LT. The aim of the study was to determine the occurrence of HBoV1 in respiratory tract samples taken from hospitalised children with acute respiratory tract infections in LV and LT. In total 186 children with age one to 50 months, and who fulfilled criteria of acute respiratory tract infection, including lower respiratory tract infections, with or without fever, were included in this study. A nasopharyngeal aspirate was obtained from each patient on admission. DNA was isolated and polimerase chain reaction (PCR performed targeting the HBoV1 NS1sequence. HBoV1 positive samples were sequenced and phylogenetic analysis was performed. HBoV1 sequence was detected in 42 (32% of 130 LV and in 8 (14% of 56 LT samples. In LV the majority of patients with HBoV1 infection were observed in February while in LT in October. The phylogenetic tree for HBoV1 indicated that isolates of HBoV1 cluster closely and include almost all of the isolates in this study. HBoV1 is common in Latvia and Lithuania and might be a significant pathogen that contributes to acute respiratory tract infections in children.

Formation of stable products from cluster-cluster collisions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alamanova, Denitsa; Grigoryan, Valeri G; Springborg, Michael

2007-01-01

The formation of stable products from copper cluster-cluster collisions is investigated by using classical molecular-dynamics simulations in combination with an embedded-atom potential. The dependence of the product clusters on impact energy, relative orientation of the clusters, and size of the clusters is studied. The structures and total energies of the product clusters are analysed and compared with those of the colliding clusters before impact. These results, together with the internal temperature, are used in obtaining an increased understanding of cluster fusion processes

Upper respiratory tract (image)

Science.gov (United States)

The major passages and structures of the upper respiratory tract include the nose or nostrils, nasal cavity, mouth, throat (pharynx), and voice box (larynx). The respiratory system is lined with a mucous membrane that ...

Urinary tract infection - children

Science.gov (United States)

UTI - children; Cystitis - children; Bladder infection - children; Kidney infection - children; Pyelonephritis - children ... Craig JC. Long-term antibiotics for preventing recurrent urinary tract infection in children. Cochrane Database Syst Rev . 2011;(3):CD001534. PMID: ...

Antibacterial activities of medicinal plants against multidrug resistant urinary tract pathogens

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aziz, M.A.; Adnan, M.; Rahman, H.; Allah, A.; Hashem, A.

2017-01-01

Urinary tract infections (UTI) caused by multi-drug resistant (MDR) bacterial pathogens have become a serious global health concern. Main etiological agents for UTI are Escherichia coli, Acinetobacter baumannii, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Recently, medicinal plants have found great popularity in medical treatment for different kinds of infections including urinary tract infections. The study has been planned to evaluate the efficacy of alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins and crude extracts of medicinal plants i.e. Syzygium aromaticum, Glycerrhiza glabra,Laurus nobilis and Brassica rapa against MDR urinary tract pathogens through agar well diffusion method. To investigate the Minimum Inhibitory Concentrations (MICs) and Minimum Bactericidal Concentration (MBCs), dilution method was used. Quantitative evaluations of phytochemicals indicated the presence of alkaloids in higher concentrations. Results obtained for the antibacterial activities, the crude extracts of the four plants showed significantly higher inhibition zones as compared to other phytochemicals. The MIC values obtained for different extracts varying from 7.5-15 mg/ml. Comparig the activities of the extracts of the the four medicinal plants it was found that Syzygium aromaticum was the most potent plant against the tested bacterial pathogens indicating its strong candidateship for the drug development. (author)

Acute ingestion dosimetry using the ICRP 30 gastrointestinal tract model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cassels, B.M.

1987-01-01

This paper examines the gastrointestinal (GI) tract model used for dosimetry as outlined in ICRP30, to allow quick calculations of effective dose equivalents for acute radionuclide ingestion. A computer program has been developed to emulate the GI tract model. The program and associated data files are structured so that the GI tract model parameters can be varied, while the file structure and algorithm for the GI tract model should require minimal modification to allow the same theories that apply in this model to be used for other dosimetric models

Glycemic Control and Urinary Tract Infections in Women with Type 1 Diabetes: Results from the DCCT/EDIC.

Science.gov (United States)

Lenherr, Sara M; Clemens, J Quentin; Braffett, Barbara H; Cleary, Patricia A; Dunn, Rodney L; Hotaling, James M; Jacobson, Alan M; Kim, Catherine; Herman, William; Brown, Jeanette S; Wessells, Hunter; Sarma, Aruna V

2016-10-01

We examined the relationship between glycemic control and urinary tract infections in women with type 1 diabetes mellitus. Women enrolled in the Epidemiology of Diabetes Interventions and Complications study, the observational followup of the Diabetes Control and Complications Trial, were surveyed to assess the rate of physician diagnosed urinary tract infections in the preceding 12 months. The relationship between glycated hemoglobin levels and number of urinary tract infections in the previous 12 months was assessed using a multivariable Poisson regression model. A total of 572 women were evaluated at year 17. Mean age was 50.7 ± 7.2 years, mean body mass index was 28.6 ± 5.9 kg/m(2), mean type 1 diabetes duration was 29.8 ± 5.0 years and mean glycated hemoglobin was 8.0% ± 0.9%. Of these women 86 (15.0%) reported at least 1 physician diagnosed urinary tract infection during the last 12 months. Higher glycated hemoglobin levels were significantly associated with number of urinary tract infections such that for every unit increase (1%) in recent glycated hemoglobin level, there was a 21% (p=0.02) increase in urinary tract infection frequency in the previous 12 months after adjusting for race, hysterectomy status, urinary incontinence, sexual activity in the last 12 months, peripheral and autonomic neuropathy, and nephropathy. The frequency of urinary tract infections increases with poor glycemic control in women with type 1 diabetes. This relationship is independent of other well described predictors of urinary tract infections and suggests that factors directly related to glycemic control may influence the risk of lower urinary tract infections. Copyright © 2016 American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

First and recurrent pediatric urinary tract infections: do they have different antibiotic susceptibilities?

Science.gov (United States)

Narchi, H; Al-Hamdani, M

2008-08-01

Antibiotic susceptibility studies in children rarely differentiate between first and recurrent urinary tract infections (UTI), although the latter, frequently associated with underlying urinary tract anomalies and antibiotic prophylaxis, are more likely to be associated with higher antibiotic resistance of uropathogens as a result. We investigated whether antibiotic resistance was different between first and recurrent UTIs in 250 episodes (145 first and 105 recurrent) in 154 children (2 months to 12 years of age) with culture proven UTI. According to univariate analysis, resistance to cefuroxime and gentamicin was significantly lower in recurrences. This association remained statistically significant in the multivariable analysis, with adjusted odds ratio OR of 0.8 for cefuroxime (p=0.04) and for gentamicin (p=0.003) after adjusting for the role of confounding factors. The risk of resistance to other antibiotics was otherwise similar for first and recurrent UTIs.

Document clustering methods, document cluster label disambiguation methods, document clustering apparatuses, and articles of manufacture

Science.gov (United States)

Sanfilippo, Antonio [Richland, WA; Calapristi, Augustin J [West Richland, WA; Crow, Vernon L [Richland, WA; Hetzler, Elizabeth G [Kennewick, WA; Turner, Alan E [Kennewick, WA

2009-12-22

Document clustering methods, document cluster label disambiguation methods, document clustering apparatuses, and articles of manufacture are described. In one aspect, a document clustering method includes providing a document set comprising a plurality of documents, providing a cluster comprising a subset of the documents of the document set, using a plurality of terms of the documents, providing a cluster label indicative of subject matter content of the documents of the cluster, wherein the cluster label comprises a plurality of word senses, and selecting one of the word senses of the cluster label.

The Little Engines That Could? Globular Clusters Contribute Significantly to Reionization-era Star Formation

Science.gov (United States)

Boylan-Kolchin, Michael

2018-06-01

Metal-poor globular clusters (GCs) are both numerous and ancient, which indicates that they may be important contributors to ionizing radiation in the reionization era. Starting from the observed number density and stellar mass function of old GCs at z = 0, I compute the contribution of GCs to ultraviolet luminosity functions (UVLFs) in the high-redshift Universe (10 ≳ z ≳ 4). Even under absolutely minimal assumptions - no disruption of GCs and no reduction in GC stellar mass from early times to the present - GC star formation contributes non-negligibly to the UVLF at luminosities that are accessible to the Hubble Space Telescope (HST; M1500 ≈ -17). If the stellar masses of GCs were significantly higher in the past, as is predicted by most models explaining GC chemical anomalies, then GCs dominate the UV emission from many galaxies in existing deep-field observations. On the other hand, it is difficult to reconcile observed UVLFs with models requiring stellar masses at birth that exceed present-day stellar masses by more than a factor of 5. The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) will be able to directly detect individual GCs at z ˜ 6 in essentially all bright galaxies, and many galaxies below the knee of the UVLF, for most of the scenarios considered here. The properties of a subset of high-redshift sources with -19 ≲ M_{1500} ≲ -14 in HST lensing fields indicate that they may actually be GCs in formation.

Transformation kinetics for nucleus clusters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Villa, Elena; Rios, Paulo R.

2009-01-01

A rigorous mathematical approach based on stochastic geometry concepts is presented to extend previous Johnson-Mehl, Avrami, Kolmogorov treatment of transformation kinetics to situations in which nuclei are not homogeneously located in space but are located in clusters. An exact analytical solution is presented here for the first time assuming that nucleation sites follow a Matern cluster process. The influence of Matern cluster process parameters on subsequent growth kinetics and the microstructural path are illustrated by means of numerical examples. Moreover, using the superposition principle, exact analytical solutions are also obtained when nucleation takes place by a combination of a Matern cluster process and an inhomogeneous Poisson point process. The new solutions presented here significantly increase the number of exactly solvable cases available to formal kinetics.

Urinary tract infections in women with urogynaecological symptoms

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lakeman, Marielle M. E.; Roovers, Jan-Paul W. R.

2016-01-01

Urinary tract infections are common in the field of urogynaecology. Women with persistent urinary symptoms seem more likely to have bacteriuria despite negative cultures. In this review, we will give an overview of the recent insights on the relationship between urinary tract infection and

Ruprecht 106 - A young metal-poor Galactic globular cluster

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Buonanno, R.; Buscema, G.; Fusi Pecci, F.; Richer, H.B.; Fahlman, G.G.

1990-01-01

The first CCD photometric survey in the Galactic globular cluster Ruprecht 106 has been performed. The results show that Ruprecht 106 is a metal-poor cluster with (Fe/H) about -2 located at about 25 kpc from the Galactic center. A sizable, high centrally concentrated population of blue stragglers was detected. Significant differences in the positions of the turnoffs in the color-magnitude diagram are found compared to those in metal-poor clusters. The cluster appears younger than other typical metal-poor Galactic globulars by about 4-5 Gyr; if true, this object would represent the first direct proof of the existence of a significant age spread among old, very metal-poor clusters. 51 refs

Respiratory tract infection during Hajj

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alzeer Abdulaziz

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Respiratory tract infection during Hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca is a common illness, and it is responsible for most of the hospital admissions. Influenza virus is the leading cause of upper respiratory tract infection during Hajj, and pneumonia can be serious. Taking into account the close contacts among the pilgrims, as well as the crowding, the potential for transmission of M. tuberculosis is expected to be high. These pilgrims can be a source for spreading infection on their return home. Although vaccination program for influenza is implemented, its efficacy is uncertain in this religious season. Future studies should concentrate on prevention and mitigation of these infections.

Prevalence of upper urinary tract anomalies in hospitalized premature infants with urinary tract infection.

Science.gov (United States)

Vachharajani, A; Vricella, G J; Najaf, T; Coplen, D E

2015-05-01

The 2011 American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) guidelines address imaging after initial febrile urinary tract infection (UTI) in infants >2 months of age. We sought to determine the frequency of upper urinary tract anomalies (hydronephrosis and vesicoureteral reflux (VUR)) in hospitalized premature infants with UTI. We retrospectively reviewed the electronic medical records of neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admissions at a tertiary care children's hospital between 1 January 2006 and 31 December 2010. We queried the records for UTI, renal ultrasound (US) and voiding cystourethrogram (VCUG). We identified 3518 unique admissions. UTI occurred in 118 infants (3%). Sixty-nine (60%) had a normal US. Renal dilation was predominantly renal pelvic dilation (12%) and isolated caliectasis (22%). VUR was identified in 15 (14%) infants evaluated with a VCUG. VUR was identified in nine (12%) infants without and in seven (16%) with an abnormality on US. Reflux was identified in 7% of male and 38% of female infants with a UTI. Anatomic abnormalities of the upper urinary tract are uncommon in premature infants with a UTI that occurs during neonatal hospitalization. In concordance with the AAP guidelines, a VCUG may not be required in all NICU infants under age 2 months after a single UTI.

No. 250-Recurrent Urinary Tract Infection.

Science.gov (United States)

Epp, Annette; Larochelle, Annick

2017-10-01

To provide an update of the definition, epidemiology, clinical presentation, investigation, treatment, and prevention of recurrent urinary tract infections in women. Continuous antibiotic prophylaxis, post-coital antibiotic prophylaxis, and acute self-treatment are all efficient alternatives to prevent recurrent urinary tract infection. Vaginal estrogen and cranberry juice can also be effective prophylaxis alternatives. A search of PubMed and The Cochrane Library for articles published in English identified the most relevant literature. Results were restricted to systematic reviews, randomized control trials/controlled clinical trials, and observational studies. There were no date restrictions. This update is the consensus of the Sub-Committee on Urogynaecology of the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada. Recommendations were made according to the guidelines developed by the Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care (Table 1). Recurrent urinary tract infections need careful investigation and can be efficiently treated and prevented. Different prophylaxis options can be selected according to each patient's characteristics. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Urinary glicosaminoglycans levels in women with urinary tract infection and non urinary tract infection

Science.gov (United States)

Pasaribu, H. P.; Hanifa, A.; Tala, R. Z.; Ardiansyah, E.; Simanjuntak, R. Y.; Effendy, I. H.

2018-03-01

UTI is an infection that occurs in the urinary tract due to the proliferation of a microorganism. Female is fourteen times more vulnerable to UTI than male, because their urethra is shorter. Bladder epithelium is coated with a thin layer of glycosaminoglycans which act as a non-specific anti-adherence factor and nonspecific defense mechanisms against infection and can be found in the urine. An analytic study with cross sectional approach was conducted in 46 patients (23 with UTI and 23 non UTI) from June 2016 to determine differences in levels of urinary glycosaminoglycans between two groups. Urine samples were taken and tested for UTI and non UTI strips test. Laboratory examination of urine GAGs levels using ELISA kit for Human Glycosaminoglycans, then tabulated and analyzed using SPSS. The result showed no significant differences in the characteristics of women between two groups. There are significant differences in the mean levels of urinary GAGs in women with UTI compared with Non-UTI (69.74 ± 21.34; 21.39 ± 2.61 mg/l; p UTI incidence, with low odds ratio values and no significant difference in the mean of urinary glicosaminoglycans level based on sexual status.

Nuclear clustering - a cluster core model study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Paul Selvi, G.; Nandhini, N.; Balasubramaniam, M.

2015-01-01

Nuclear clustering, similar to other clustering phenomenon in nature is a much warranted study, since it would help us in understanding the nature of binding of the nucleons inside the nucleus, closed shell behaviour when the system is highly deformed, dynamics and structure at extremes. Several models account for the clustering phenomenon of nuclei. We present in this work, a cluster core model study of nuclear clustering in light mass nuclei

The colposcopic atlas of schistosomiasis in the lower female genital tract based on studies in Malawi, Zimbabwe, Madagascar and South Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Norseth, Hanne M; Ndhlovu, Patricia D; Kleppa, Elisabeth; Randrianasolo, Bodo S; Jourdan, Peter M; Roald, Borghild; Holmen, Sigve D; Gundersen, Svein G; Bagratee, Jayanthilall; Onsrud, Mathias; Kjetland, Eyrun F

2014-01-01

Schistosoma (S.) haematobium is a neglected tropical disease which may affect any part of the genital tract in women. Female genital schistosomiasis (FGS) may cause abnormal vaginal discharge, contact bleeding, genital tumours, ectopic pregnancies and increased susceptibility to HIV. Symptoms may mimic those typical of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and women with genital schistosomiasis may be incorrectly diagnosed. An expert consensus meeting suggested that the following findings by visual inspection should serve as proxy indicators for the diagnosis of schistosomiasis of the lower genital tract in women from S. haematobium endemic areas: sandy patches appearing as (1) single or clustered grains or (2) sandy patches appearing as homogenous, yellow areas, or (3) rubbery papules. In this atlas we aim to provide an overview of the genital mucosal manifestations of schistosomiasis in women. Photocolposcopic images were captured from women, between 1994 and 2012 in four different study sites endemic for S. haematobium in Malawi, Zimbabwe, South Africa and Madagascar. Images and specimens were sampled from sexually active women between 15 and 49 years of age. Colposcopic images of other diseases are included for differential diagnostic purposes. This is the first atlas to present the clinical manifestations of schistosomiasis in the lower female genital tract. It will be freely available for online use, downloadable as a presentation and for print. It could be used for training purposes, further research, and in clinical practice.

The affective discourse dynamics of metaphor clustering The affective discourse dynamics of metaphor clustering

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lynne Cameron

2010-05-01

Full Text Available

Metaphor is examined in the very different iscourse contexts of the classroom and of reconciliation talk to highlight the neglected affective dimension. The distribution of metaphors across discourse shows clustering at certain points, often where speakers are engaged in critical interpersonal discourse activity. Clusters in classroom talk co-occur with sequences of agenda management where teachers prepare students for upcoming lessons and with giving feedback to students, both of which require careful management of interpersonal and affective issues. Clusters in reconciliation talk co-occur with discourse management and with two situations with significant affective dynamics: appropriation of metaphor and exploration of alternative scenarios.

Metaphor is examined in the very different iscourse contexts of the classroom and of reconciliation talk to highlight the neglected affective dimension. The distribution of metaphors across discourse shows clustering at certain points, often where speakers are engaged in critical interpersonal discourse activity. Clusters in classroom talk co-occur with sequences of agenda management where teachers prepare students for upcoming lessons and with giving feedback to students, both of which require careful management of interpersonal and affective issues. Clusters in reconciliation talk co-occur with discourse management and with two situations with significant affective dynamics: appropriation of metaphor and exploration of alternative scenarios.

Assessing Urinary Tract Junction Obstruction Defects by Methylene Blue Dye Injection.

Science.gov (United States)

Yun, Kangsun

2017-10-12

Urinary tract junction obstruction defects are congenital anomalies inducing hydronephrosis and hydroureter. Murine urinary tract junction obstruction defects can be assessed by tracking methylene blue dye flow within the urinary system. Methylene blue dye is injected into the renal pelvis of perinatal embryonic kidneys and dye flow is monitored from the renal pelvis of the kidney through the ureter and into the bladder lumen after applying hydrostatic pressure. Dye accumulation will be evident in the bladder lumen of the normal perinatal urinary tract, but will be constrained between the renal pelvis and the end point of an abnormal ureter, if urinary tract obstructions occur. This method facilitates the confirmation of urinary tract junction obstructions and visualization of hydronephrosis and hydroureter. This manuscript describes a protocol for methylene blue dye injection into the renal pelvis to confirm urinary tract junction obstructions.

Acoustic vocal tract model of one-year-old children

OpenAIRE

Vojnović, Milan; Bogavac, Ivana; Dobrijević, Ljiljana

2014-01-01

The physical shape of vocal tract and its formant (resonant) frequencies are directly related. The study of this functional connectivity is essential in speech therapy practice with children. Most of the perceived children’s speech anomalies can be explained on a physical level: malfunctioning movement of articulation organs. The current problem is that there is no enough data on the anatomical shape of children’s vocal tract to create its acoustic model. Classical techniques for vocal tract...

Recurrent Urinary Tract Infections and Related Conditions (For Parents)

Science.gov (United States)

... Safe Videos for Educators Search English Español Recurrent Urinary Tract Infections and Related Conditions KidsHealth / For Parents / Recurrent Urinary Tract Infections and Related Conditions What's in this article? ...

Bacterial Uropathogens in Urinary Tract Infection and Antibiotic ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

BACKGROUND: Urinary tract infection (UTI) is one of the most common bacterial infections encountered by clinicians in developing countries. Area-specific monitoring studies aimed to gain knowledge about the type of pathogens responsible for urinary tract infections and their resistance patterns may help the clinician to ...

Female genital tract cancers in Sagamu, southwest, Nigeria ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Objective: To describe pattern of female genital tract cancers seen at Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital (OOUTH), Sagamu, Nigeria. Design: This is a retrospective review of all cases of female genital tract cancers managed at the Gynaecology department of OOUTH, Sagamu, Nigeria. Setting: OOUTH is a ...

Cluster fusion algorithm: application to Lennard-Jones clusters

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Solov'yov, Ilia; Solov'yov, Andrey V.; Greiner, Walter

2006-01-01

paths up to the cluster size of 150 atoms. We demonstrate that in this way all known global minima structures of the Lennard-Jones clusters can be found. Our method provides an efficient tool for the calculation and analysis of atomic cluster structure. With its use we justify the magic number sequence......We present a new general theoretical framework for modelling the cluster structure and apply it to description of the Lennard-Jones clusters. Starting from the initial tetrahedral cluster configuration, adding new atoms to the system and absorbing its energy at each step, we find cluster growing...... for the clusters of noble gas atoms and compare it with experimental observations. We report the striking correspondence of the peaks in the dependence of the second derivative of the binding energy per atom on cluster size calculated for the chain of the Lennard-Jones clusters based on the icosahedral symmetry...

Cluster fusion algorithm: application to Lennard-Jones clusters

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Solov'yov, Ilia; Solov'yov, Andrey V.; Greiner, Walter

2008-01-01

paths up to the cluster size of 150 atoms. We demonstrate that in this way all known global minima structures of the Lennard-Jones clusters can be found. Our method provides an efficient tool for the calculation and analysis of atomic cluster structure. With its use we justify the magic number sequence......We present a new general theoretical framework for modelling the cluster structure and apply it to description of the Lennard-Jones clusters. Starting from the initial tetrahedral cluster configuration, adding new atoms to the system and absorbing its energy at each step, we find cluster growing...... for the clusters of noble gas atoms and compare it with experimental observations. We report the striking correspondence of the peaks in the dependence of the second derivative of the binding energy per atom on cluster size calculated for the chain of the Lennard-Jones clusters based on the icosahedral symmetry...

High incidence of urinary tract infection in patients with coeliac disease.

OpenAIRE

Saalman, R; Fällström, S P

1996-01-01

The concomitant occurrence of urinary tract infection (UTI) and coeliac disease was studied retrospectively among children with coeliac disease. There was a significantly higher risk of first time UTI in children with coeliac disease than in an unselected population of children. In the majority of cases UTI was associated with untreated, active coeliac disease.

When clusters collide: constraints on antimatter on the largest scales

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Steigman, Gary

2008-01-01

Observations have ruled out the presence of significant amounts of antimatter in the Universe on scales ranging from the solar system, to the Galaxy, to groups and clusters of galaxies, and even to distances comparable to the scale of the present horizon. Except for the model-dependent constraints on the largest scales, the most significant upper limits to diffuse antimatter in the Universe are those on the ∼Mpc scale of clusters of galaxies provided by the EGRET upper bounds to annihilation gamma rays from galaxy clusters whose intracluster gas is revealed through its x-ray emission. On the scale of individual clusters of galaxies the upper bounds to the fraction of mixed matter and antimatter for the 55 clusters from a flux-limited x-ray survey range from 5 × 10 −9 to −6 , strongly suggesting that individual clusters of galaxies are made entirely of matter or of antimatter. X-ray and gamma-ray observations of colliding clusters of galaxies, such as the Bullet Cluster, permit these constraints to be extended to even larger scales. If the observations of the Bullet Cluster, where the upper bound to the antimatter fraction is found to be −6 , can be generalized to other colliding clusters of galaxies, cosmologically significant amounts of antimatter will be excluded on scales of order ∼20 Mpc (M∼5×10 15 M sun )

UPPER GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT HEMORRHAGE AND NONSTEROIDALANTIINFLAMMATORY DRUGS (NSAIDs – A 5-YEAR PROSPECTIVE STUDY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pavel Skok

2002-03-01

Full Text Available Background. Adverse effects of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs are a common cause of digestive tract hemorrhage.Study aims. The purpose of the study was to ascertain the percent of patients taking NSAIDs with upper digestive tract hemorrhage.Type of study. Prospective, analytical.Patients and methods. The study includes patients in which urgent endoscopic investigations of the upper digestive tract were carried out due to gastrointestinal hemorrhage between 1 January 1994 and 31 December 1998.Results. 3366 patients were investigated: 1222 women and 2144 men; the average age of our patients was 57.5 years (SD ± 17.1, a 2–97 year span. In 2905 patients (86.3% the source of bleeding was confirmed in the upper gastrointestinal tract. Among our patients 55% were aged over 60 years, 26.7% were older than 80 years. Sequelae of peptic ulcer disease were the most significant cause of gastrointestinal hemorrhage, in 47.7% of our patients (1387/2905. In the last week prior to bleeding, 19% of patients (552/2905 were taking regularly NSAIDs, corticosteroids, salycilates or anticoagulant therapy at least in single daily dose. The majority of patients, 94.5%, were taking NSAIDs or salycilates. Among NSAIDs they were taking most often ketoprofen, diclofenac or naproxen/ naproxen natrium, less often ibuprofen, nabumeton, etodolac or piroxicam.Conclusions. Upper digestive tract hemorrhage is a serious complication of NSAIDs medication, particularly in older patients

Programmed Death-ligand 1 Expression in Upper Tract Urothelial Carcinoma.

Science.gov (United States)

Skala, Stephanie L; Liu, Tzu-Ying; Udager, Aaron M; Weizer, Alon Z; Montgomery, Jeffrey S; Palapattu, Ganesh S; Siddiqui, Javed; Cao, Xuhong; Fields, Kristina; Abugharib, Ahmed E; Soliman, Moaaz; Hafez, Khaled S; Miller, David; Lee, Cheryl T; Alva, Ajjai; Chinnaiyan, Arul M; Morgan, Todd M; Spratt, Daniel E; Jiang, Hui; Mehra, Rohit

2017-10-01

Urothelial carcinoma (UC) is the most common malignancy of the urinary tract. Upper tract (renal pelvis and ureter) urothelial carcinomas (UTUC) account for approximately 5% of UCs but a significant subset are invasive and associated with poor clinical outcomes. To evaluate programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression in UTUC. UTUC cases from 1997-2016 were retrospectively identified from the surgical pathology database at a single large academic institution. The cohort included 149 cases: 27 low-grade and 24 high-grade pathologic T (pT)a, 29 pT1, 23 pT2, 38 pT3, and eight pT4. PD-L1 immunohistochemistry (IHC) was performed on representative whole tumor sections using anti-PD-L1 primary antibody clone 5H1. PD-L1 expression was evaluated using a previously established cut-off for positivity (≥ 5% membranous staining). Association between PD-L1 IHC expression and clinicopathologic parameters was examined with Fisher's exact test; the effect of PD-L1 expression on cancer-specific mortality was assessed using the Cox proportional hazard model. Approximately one-third (32.7%) of invasive primary UTUC and 23.5% of all primary UTUC (invasive and noninvasive tumors) demonstrated positive PD-L1 expression. Positive PD-L1 expression was associated with high histologic grade, high pathologic stage, and angiolymphatic invasion. Cancer-specific survival was not significantly associated with positive PD-L1 expression using a 5% cut-off. Study limitations include the retrospective nature and the fact that PD-L1 expression by IHC is an imperfect surrogate for response to therapy. Positive PD-L1 expression in approximately one-third of primary invasive UTUC and association with high-risk clinicopathologic features provide a rational basis for further investigation of PD-L1-based immunotherapeutics in these patients. Upper tract urothelial carcinoma is often associated with poor clinical outcome. While current treatment options for advanced upper tract urothelial carcinoma are

Manifestations of Immune Privilege in the Human Reproductive Tract

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gary F Clark

2013-02-01

Full Text Available Like other mucosal surfaces (e.g., the gastrointestinal tract, the respiratory tract, the human female reproductive tract acts as an initial barrier to foreign antigens. In this role, the epithelial surface and subepithelial immune cells must balance protection against pathogenic insults against harmful inflammatory reactions and acceptance of particular foreign antigens. Two common examples of these acceptable foreign antigens are the fetal allograft and human semen/sperm. Both are purposely deposited into the female genital tract and appropriate immunologic response to these non-self antigens is essential to the survival of the species. In light of the weight of this task, it is not surprising that multiple, redundant and overlapping mechanisms are involved. For instance, cells at the immunologic interface between self (female reproductive tract epithelium and non-self (placental trophoblast cells or human sperm express glycosylation patterns that mimic those on many metastatic cancer cells and successful pathogens. The cytokine/chemokine milieu at this interface is altered through endocrine and immunologic mechanisms to favor tolerance of non-self. The foreign cells themselves also play an integral role in their own immunologic acceptance, since sperm and placental trophoblast cells are unusual and unique in their antigen presenting molecule expression patterns. Here, we will discuss these and other mechanisms that allow the human female reproductive tract to perform this delicate and indispensible balancing act.

Directional clustering in highest energy cosmic rays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goldberg, Haim; Weiler, Thomas J.

2001-01-01

An unexpected degree of small-scale clustering is observed in highest-energy cosmic ray events. Some directional clustering can be expected due to purely statistical fluctuations for sources distributed randomly in the sky. This creates a background for events originating in clustered sources. We derive analytic formulas to estimate the probability of random cluster configurations, and use these formulas to study the strong potential of the HiRes, Auger, Telescope Array and EUSO-OWL-AirWatch facilities for deciding whether any observed clustering is most likely due to nonrandom sources. For a detailed comparison to data, our analytical approach cannot compete with Monte Carlo simulations, including experimental systematics. However, our derived formulas do offer two advantages: (i) easy assessment of the significance of any observed clustering, and most importantly, (ii) an explicit dependence of cluster probabilities on the chosen angular bin size

Spectral embedded clustering: a framework for in-sample and out-of-sample spectral clustering.

Science.gov (United States)

Nie, Feiping; Zeng, Zinan; Tsang, Ivor W; Xu, Dong; Zhang, Changshui

2011-11-01

Spectral clustering (SC) methods have been successfully applied to many real-world applications. The success of these SC methods is largely based on the manifold assumption, namely, that two nearby data points in the high-density region of a low-dimensional data manifold have the same cluster label. However, such an assumption might not always hold on high-dimensional data. When the data do not exhibit a clear low-dimensional manifold structure (e.g., high-dimensional and sparse data), the clustering performance of SC will be degraded and become even worse than K -means clustering. In this paper, motivated by the observation that the true cluster assignment matrix for high-dimensional data can be always embedded in a linear space spanned by the data, we propose the spectral embedded clustering (SEC) framework, in which a linearity regularization is explicitly added into the objective function of SC methods. More importantly, the proposed SEC framework can naturally deal with out-of-sample data. We also present a new Laplacian matrix constructed from a local regression of each pattern and incorporate it into our SEC framework to capture both local and global discriminative information for clustering. Comprehensive experiments on eight real-world high-dimensional datasets demonstrate the effectiveness and advantages of our SEC framework over existing SC methods and K-means-based clustering methods. Our SEC framework significantly outperforms SC using the Nyström algorithm on unseen data.

Streptococcus pneumoniae urinary tract infection in pedeatrics.

Science.gov (United States)

Pougnet, Richard; Sapin, Jeanne; De Parscau, Loïc; Pougnet, Laurence

2017-06-01

Streptococcus pneumoniae infections in children are most often lung infections or meningitis. Urinary tract infections are much rarer. We present the case of a urinary tract infection with Streptococcus pneumoniae. The clinical picture was classical. The urine culture showed the presence of Streptococcus pneumoniae in urine (10 4 UFC/mL; with 2 × 10 4 leucocytes/mL). The literature mentions a few cases of such infections. In some studies, the prevalence of Streptococcus pneumoniae in urine of children is less than 1%. Those children mostly present abnormalities of urinary tract. In our case, urinary ultrasound scan have shown the presence of an ectopic kidney in this child. The discussion between the clinician and the biologist has contributed to the discovery of this renal anomaly.

Projected coupled cluster theory.

Science.gov (United States)

Qiu, Yiheng; Henderson, Thomas M; Zhao, Jinmo; Scuseria, Gustavo E

2017-08-14

Coupled cluster theory is the method of choice for weakly correlated systems. But in the strongly correlated regime, it faces a symmetry dilemma, where it either completely fails to describe the system or has to artificially break certain symmetries. On the other hand, projected Hartree-Fock theory captures the essential physics of many kinds of strong correlations via symmetry breaking and restoration. In this work, we combine and try to retain the merits of these two methods by applying symmetry projection to broken symmetry coupled cluster wave functions. The non-orthogonal nature of states resulting from the application of symmetry projection operators furnishes particle-hole excitations to all orders, thus creating an obstacle for the exact evaluation of overlaps. Here we provide a solution via a disentanglement framework theory that can be approximated rigorously and systematically. Results of projected coupled cluster theory are presented for molecules and the Hubbard model, showing that spin projection significantly improves unrestricted coupled cluster theory while restoring good quantum numbers. The energy of projected coupled cluster theory reduces to the unprojected one in the thermodynamic limit, albeit at a much slower rate than projected Hartree-Fock.

Biofilm formation by asymptomatic and virulent urinary tract infectious Escherichia coli strains

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hancock, Viktoria; Ferrieres, Lionel; Klemm, Per

2007-01-01

have investigated the biofilm-forming capacity on abiotic surfaces of groups of ABU strains and UPEC strains in human urine. We found that there is a strong bias; ABU strains were significantly better biofilm formers than UPEC strains. Our data suggest that biofilm formation in urinary tract infectious...

Value of Ultrasound in Detecting Urinary Tract Anomalies After First Febrile Urinary Tract Infection in Children.

Science.gov (United States)

Ghobrial, Emad E; Abdelaziz, Doaa M; Sheba, Maha F; Abdel-Azeem, Yasser S

2016-05-01

Background Urinary tract infection (UTI) is an infection that affects part of the urinary tract. Ultrasound is a noninvasive test that can demonstrate the size and shape of kidneys, presence of dilatation of the ureters, and the existence of anatomic abnormalities. The aim of the study is to estimate the value of ultrasound in detecting urinary tract anomalies after first attack of UTI. Methods This study was conducted at the Nephrology Clinic, New Children's Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, from August 2012 to March 2013, and included 30 children who presented with first attack of acute febrile UTI. All patients were subjected to urine analysis, urine culture and sensitivity, serum creatinine, complete blood count, and imaging in the form of renal ultrasound, voiding cysto-urethrography, and renal scan. Results All the patients had fever with a mean of 38.96°C ± 0.44°C and the mean duration of illness was 6.23 ± 5.64 days. Nineteen patients (63.3%) had an ultrasound abnormality. The commonest abnormalities were kidney stones (15.8%). Only 2 patients who had abnormal ultrasound had also vesicoureteric reflux on cystourethrography. Sensitivity of ultrasound was 66.7%, specificity was 37.5%, positive predictive value was 21.1%, negative predictive value was 81.8%, and total accuracy was 43.33%. Conclusion We concluded that ultrasound alone was not of much value in diagnosing and putting a plan of first attack of febrile UTI. It is recommended that combined investigations are the best way to confirm diagnosis of urinary tract anomalies. © The Author(s) 2015.

An endogenous ribonuclease inhibitor regulates the antimicrobial activity of ribonuclease 7 in the human urinary tract

Science.gov (United States)

Spencer, John David; Schwaderer, Andrew L.; Eichler, Tad; Wang, Huanyu; Kline, Jennifer; Justice, Sheryl S.; Cohen, Daniel M.; Hains, David S.

2013-01-01

Recent studies stress the importance of antimicrobial peptides in protecting the urinary tract from infection. Previously, we have shown that ribonuclease 7 (RNase 7) is a potent antimicrobial peptide that has broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity against uropathogenic bacteria. The urothelium of the lower urinary tract and intercalated cells of the kidney produce RNase 7 but regulation of its antimicrobial activity has not been well defined. Here we characterize the expression of an endogenous inhibitor, ribonuclease inhibitor (RI), in the urinary tract and evaluate its effect on RNase 7’s antimicrobial activity. Using RNA isolated from non-infected human bladder and kidney tissue, quantitative real-time PCR showed that RNH1, the gene encoding RI, is constitutively expressed throughout the urinary tract. With pyelonephritis, RNH1 expression and RI peptide production significantly decrease. Immunostaining localized RI production to the umbrella cells of the bladder and intercalated cells of the renal collecting tubule. In vitro assays showed that RI bound to RNase 7 and suppressed its antimicrobial activity by blocking its ability to bind the cell wall of uropathogenic bacteria. Thus, these results demonstrate a new immunomodulatory role for RI and identified a unique regulatory pathway that may affect how RNase 7 maintains urinary tract sterility. PMID:24107847

Childhood urinary tract infection in Benin City: pathogens and ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Childhood urinary tract infection in Benin City: pathogens and antimicrobial ... of bacterial isolates implicated in urinary tract infection (UTI) amongst children was ... There is also an emerging resistance of common pathogens to azithromycin ...

A rat uterine horn model of genital tract wound healing.

Science.gov (United States)

Schlaff, W D; Cooley, B C; Shen, W; Gittlesohn, A M; Rock, J A

1987-11-01

A rat uterine horn model of genital tract wound healing is described. Healing was reflected by acquisition of strength and elasticity, measured by burst strength (BS) and extensibility (EX), respectively. A tensiometer (Instron Corp., Canton, MA) was used to assess these characteristics in castrated and estrogen-supplemented or nonsupplemented animals. While the horn weights (HW), BS, and EX of contralateral horns were not significantly different, the intra-animal variation of HW was 7.2%, BS was 17.7% and EX was 38.2%. In a second experiment, one uterine horn was divided and anastomosed, and the animal given estrogen supplementation or a placebo pellet. Estrogen administration was found to increase BS and EX of anastomosed horns prior to 14 days, but had no beneficial effect at 21 or 42 days. The data suggest that estrogen may be required for optimal early healing of genital tract wounds.

Cluster size selectivity in the product distribution of ethene dehydrogenation on niobium clusters.

Science.gov (United States)

Parnis, J Mark; Escobar-Cabrera, Eric; Thompson, Matthew G K; Jacula, J Paul; Lafleur, Rick D; Guevara-García, Alfredo; Martínez, Ana; Rayner, David M

2005-08-18

Ethene reactions with niobium atoms and clusters containing up to 25 constituent atoms have been studied in a fast-flow metal cluster reactor. The clusters react with ethene at about the gas-kinetic collision rate, indicating a barrierless association process as the cluster removal step. Exceptions are Nb8 and Nb10, for which a significantly diminished rate is observed, reflecting some cluster size selectivity. Analysis of the experimental primary product masses indicates dehydrogenation of ethene for all clusters save Nb10, yielding either Nb(n)C2H2 or Nb(n)C2. Over the range Nb-Nb6, the extent of dehydrogenation increases with cluster size, then decreases for larger clusters. For many clusters, secondary and tertiary product masses are also observed, showing varying degrees of dehydrogenation corresponding to net addition of C2H4, C2H2, or C2. With Nb atoms and several small clusters, formal addition of at least six ethene molecules is observed, suggesting a polymerization process may be active. Kinetic analysis of the Nb atom and several Nb(n) cluster reactions with ethene shows that the process is consistent with sequential addition of ethene units at rates corresponding approximately to the gas-kinetic collision frequency for several consecutive reacting ethene molecules. Some variation in the rate of ethene pick up is found, which likely reflects small energy barriers or steric constraints associated with individual mechanistic steps. Density functional calculations of structures of Nb clusters up to Nb(6), and the reaction products Nb(n)C2H2 and Nb(n)C2 (n = 1...6) are presented. Investigation of the thermochemistry for the dehydrogenation of ethene to form molecular hydrogen, for the Nb atom and clusters up to Nb6, demonstrates that the exergonicity of the formation of Nb(n)C2 species increases with cluster size over this range, which supports the proposal that the extent of dehydrogenation is determined primarily by thermodynamic constraints. Analysis of

Selective digestive tract decontamination and selective oropharyngeal decontamination and antibiotic resistance in patients in intensive-care units: an open-label, clustered group-randomised, crossover study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Smet, A.M. de; Kluytmans, J.A.; Blok, H.E.; Mascini, E.M.; Benus, R.F.; Bernards, A.T.; Kuijper, E.J.; Leverstein-van Hall, M.A.; Jansz, A.R.; Jongh, B.M. de; Asselt, G.J. van; Frenay, I.H.; Thijsen, S.F.; Conijn, S.N.; Kaan, J.A.; Arends, J.P.; Sturm, P.D.J.; Bootsma, M.C.; Bonten, M.J.

2011-01-01

BACKGROUND: Previously, we assessed selective digestive tract decontamination (SDD) and selective oropharyngeal decontamination (SOD) on survival and prevention of bacteraemia in patients in intensive-care units. In this analysis, we aimed to assess effectiveness of these interventions for

Adherence of Lactobacillus crispatus to vaginal epithelial cells from women with or without a history of recurrent urinary tract infection.

Science.gov (United States)

Kwok, Louisa; Stapleton, Ann E; Stamm, Walter E; Hillier, Sharon L; Wobbe, Cheryl L; Gupta, Kalpana

2006-11-01

Lactobacillus crispatus strain CTV-05 is a vaginal probiotic proposed for use in women with recurrent urinary tract infection to reduce vaginal colonization with Escherichia coli and the risk of urinary tract infection. However, the ability of this probiotic strain to adhere to the target mucosa, vaginal epithelial cells, has not been assessed in women with recurrent urinary tract infection. We measured the adherence of L. crispatus strain CTV-05 to vaginal epithelial cells collected from more than 100 premenopausal women with (cases) and without (controls) a history of recurrent urinary tract infection. We also examined the effects of relevant host factors on bacterial adherence. Bacterial adherence assays were performed by combining L. crispatus CTV-05 with exfoliated vaginal epithelial cells collected from 51 case women and 51 controls. L. crispatus CTV-05 adhered in high numbers to vaginal epithelial cells from women with recurrent urinary tract infection (mean adherence of 50.5 lactobacilli per vaginal epithelial cell) and controls (mean adherence of 39.4 lactobacilli per vaginal epithelial cell). Adherence was significantly higher using vaginal epithelial cells from women with a maternal history of urinary tract infection (p = 0.036) and a nonsecretor phenotype (p urinary tract infection. These data strongly support further evaluation of this probiotic in clinical trials of women with recurrent urinary tract infection.

[Tomato peel: rare cause of biliary tract obstruction].

Science.gov (United States)

Hagymási, Krisztina; Péter, Zoltán; Csöregh, Eva; Szabó, Emese; Tulassay, Zsolt

2011-11-20

Foreign bodies in the biliary tree are rare causes of obstructive jaundice. Food bezoars are infrequent as well. They can cause biliary obstruction after biliary tract interventions, or in the presence of biliary-bowel fistula or duodenum diverticulum. Food bezoars usually pass the gastrointestinal tract without any symptoms, but they can cause abdominal pain and obstructive jaundice in the case of biliary tract obstruction. Endoscopic retrograde cholangio-pancreatography has the major role in the diagnosis and the treatment of the disease. Authors summarize the medical history of a 91-year-old female patient, who developed vomiting and right subcostal pain due to the presence of tomato peel within the ductus choledochus.

Distal Ureteral Diameter Ratio is Predictive of Breakthrough Febrile Urinary Tract Infection.

Science.gov (United States)

Arlen, Angela M; Leong, Traci; Guidos, P Joseph; Alexander, Siobhan E; Cooper, Christopher S

2017-12-01

Distal ureteral diameter ratio is an objective measure that is prognostic of spontaneous resolution of vesicoureteral reflux. Along with likelihood of resolution, improved identification of children at risk for recurrent febrile urinary tract infections may impact management decisions. We evaluated the usefulness of ureteral diameter ratio as a predictive factor for breakthrough febrile urinary tract infections. Children with primary vesicoureteral reflux and detailed voiding cystourethrogram were identified. Ureteral diameter ratio was computed by measuring largest ureteral diameter within the pelvis and dividing by the distance between L1 and L3 vertebral bodies. Demographics, vesicoureteral reflux grade, laterality, presence/absence of bladder-bowel dysfunction, and ureteral diameter ratio were tested in univariate and multivariable analyses. Primary outcome was breakthrough febrile urinary tract infections. We analyzed 112 girls and 28 boys with a mean ± SD age of 2.5 ± 2.3 years at diagnosis. Vesicoureteral reflux was grade 1 to 2 in 64 patients (45.7%), grade 3 in 50 (35.7%), grade 4 in 16 (11.4%) and grade 5 in 10 (7.2%). Mean ± SD followup was 3.2 ± 2.7 years. A total of 40 children (28.6%) experienced breakthrough febrile urinary tract infections. Ureteral diameter ratio was significantly greater in children with (0.36) vs without (0.25) breakthrough febrile infections (p = 0.004). Controlling for vesicoureteral reflux grade, every 0.1 U increase in ureteral diameter ratio resulted in 1.7 times increased odds of breakthrough infection (95% CI 1.24 to 2.26, p urinary tract infections independent of reflux grade. Ureteral diameter ratio provides valuable prognostic information about risk of recurrent pyelonephritis and may assist with clinical decision-making. Copyright © 2017 American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Addressing the path-length-dependency confound in white matter tract segmentation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Liptrot, Matthew George; Sidaros, Karam; Dyrby, Tim B.

2014-01-01

of streamlines emitted per voxel, and a threshold applied at each iteration. As few as 20 streamlines per seed-voxel, and a robust range of ICE-T thresholds, were shown to sufficiently segment the desired tract network. Outside this range, the tract network either approximated the complete white-matter...... complexity, and therefore cannot be handled using linear correction methods. ICE-T is an easy-to-implement framework that acts as a wrapper around most probabilistic streamline tractography methods, iteratively growing the tractography seed regions. Tract networks segmented with ICE-T can subsequently...... consider this or a similar approach when using tractography to provide tract segmentations for tract based analysis, or for brain network analysis....

Anatomy and histology of the lower urinary tract

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Pradidarcheep, Wisuit; Wallner, Christian; Dabhoiwala, Noshir F.; Lamers, Wouter H.

2011-01-01

The function of the lower urinary tract is basically storage of urine in the bladder and the at-will periodic evacuation of the stored urine. Urinary incontinence is one of the most common lower urinary tract disorders in adults, but especially in the elderly female. The urethra, its sphincters, and

Comprehensive cluster analysis with Transitivity Clustering.

Science.gov (United States)

Wittkop, Tobias; Emig, Dorothea; Truss, Anke; Albrecht, Mario; Böcker, Sebastian; Baumbach, Jan

2011-03-01

Transitivity Clustering is a method for the partitioning of biological data into groups of similar objects, such as genes, for instance. It provides integrated access to various functions addressing each step of a typical cluster analysis. To facilitate this, Transitivity Clustering is accessible online and offers three user-friendly interfaces: a powerful stand-alone version, a web interface, and a collection of Cytoscape plug-ins. In this paper, we describe three major workflows: (i) protein (super)family detection with Cytoscape, (ii) protein homology detection with incomplete gold standards and (iii) clustering of gene expression data. This protocol guides the user through the most important features of Transitivity Clustering and takes ∼1 h to complete.

Endometrioid carcinoma of the upper urinary tract

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kulkarni Jagdeesh

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Herein, we report a second case of endometrioid carcinoma of the upper urinary tract presenting 17 years after hysterectomy for high grade adenocarcinoma of ovary. A 51-year-old nullipara presented to us with a complaint of hematuria. After complete work up, she underwent right radical nephro-ureterectomy with bladder cuff excision. The histology showed endometrioid carcinoma of upper urinary tract without any evidence of endometriosis.

Dynamics and establishment of Clostridium difficile infection in the murine gastrointestinal tract.

Science.gov (United States)

Koenigsknecht, Mark J; Theriot, Casey M; Bergin, Ingrid L; Schumacher, Cassie A; Schloss, Patrick D; Young, Vincent B

2015-03-01

Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) following antibiotic therapy is a major public health threat. While antibiotic disruption of the indigenous microbiota underlies the majority of cases of CDI, the early dynamics of infection in the disturbed intestinal ecosystem are poorly characterized. This study defines the dynamics of infection with C. difficile strain VPI 10463 throughout the gastrointestinal (GI) tract using a murine model of infection. After inducing susceptibility to C. difficile colonization via antibiotic administration, we followed the dynamics of spore germination, colonization, sporulation, toxin activity, and disease progression throughout the GI tract. C. difficile spores were able to germinate within 6 h postchallenge, resulting in the establishment of vegetative bacteria in the distal GI tract. Spores and cytotoxin activity were detected by 24 h postchallenge, and histopathologic colitis developed by 30 h. Within 36 h, all infected mice succumbed to infection. We correlated the establishment of infection with changes in the microbiota and bile acid profile of the small and large intestines. Antibiotic administration resulted in significant changes to the microbiota in the small and large intestines, as well as a significant shift in the abundance of primary and secondary bile acids. Ex vivo analysis suggested the small intestine as the site of spore germination. This study provides an integrated understanding of the timing and location of the events surrounding C. difficile colonization and identifies potential targets for the development of new therapeutic strategies. Copyright © 2015, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Selective digestive tract decontamination and selective oropharyngeal decontamination and antibiotic resistance in patients in intensive-care units : an open-label, clustered group-randomised, crossover study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Smet, Anne Marie G. A.; Kluytmans, Jan A. J. W.; Blok, Hetty E. M.; Mascini, Ellen M.; Benus, Robin F. J.; Bernards, Alexandra T.; Kuijper, Ed J.; Leverstein-van Hall, Maurine A.; Jansz, Arjan R.; de Jongh, Bartelt M.; van Asselt, Gerard J.; Frenay, Ine H. M. E.; Thijsen, Steven F. T.; Conijn, Simon N. M.; Kaan, Jan A.; Arends, Jan P.; Sturm, Patrick D. J.; Bootsma, Martin C. J.; Bonten, Marc J. M.

Background Previously, we assessed selective digestive tract decontamination (SDD) and selective oropharyngeal decontamination (SOD) on survival and prevention of bacteraemia in patients in intensive-care units. In this analysis, we aimed to assess effectiveness of these interventions for prevention

A prospective study of urinary tract infection during pelvic radiotherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bialas, I.; Bessell, E.M.; Sokal, M.

1989-01-01

The frequency of urinary tract infection before and during pelvic radiotherapy was studied prospectively in 172 patients who were not catherised and had not had instrumentation for at least 4 weeks prior to radiotherapy. The incidence of urinary tract infection prior to radiotherapy was 17% and a further 17% of patients develped a urinary tract infection during radiotherapy. Mid-stream specimens of urine (MSU) should be examined for infection on a weekly basis during pelvic radiotherapy not only to identify this additional 17% of patients but also to detect those patients who have persistent urinary tract infection in spite of treatment with appropriate antibiotics. (author). 6 refs.; 1 fig.; 4 tabs

Exploring the Internal Dynamics of Globular Clusters

Science.gov (United States)

Watkins, Laura L.; van der Marel, Roeland; Bellini, Andrea; Luetzgendorf, Nora; HSTPROMO Collaboration

2018-01-01

Exploring the Internal Dynamics of Globular ClustersThe formation histories and structural properties of globular clusters are imprinted on their internal dynamics. Energy equipartition results in velocity differences for stars of different mass, and leads to mass segregation, which results in different spatial distributions for stars of different mass. Intermediate-mass black holes significantly increase the velocity dispersions at the centres of clusters. By combining accurate measurements of their internal kinematics with state-of-the-art dynamical models, we can characterise both the velocity dispersion and mass profiles of clusters, tease apart the different effects, and understand how clusters may have formed and evolved.Using proper motions from the Hubble Space Telescope Proper Motion (HSTPROMO) Collaboration for a set of 22 Milky Way globular clusters, and our discrete dynamical modelling techniques designed to work with large, high-quality datasets, we are studying a variety of internal cluster properties. We will present the results of theoretical work on simulated clusters that demonstrates the efficacy of our approach, and preliminary results from application to real clusters.

Cluster-cluster correlations and constraints on the correlation hierarchy

Science.gov (United States)

Hamilton, A. J. S.; Gott, J. R., III

1988-01-01

The hypothesis that galaxies cluster around clusters at least as strongly as they cluster around galaxies imposes constraints on the hierarchy of correlation amplitudes in hierachical clustering models. The distributions which saturate these constraints are the Rayleigh-Levy random walk fractals proposed by Mandelbrot; for these fractal distributions cluster-cluster correlations are all identically equal to galaxy-galaxy correlations. If correlation amplitudes exceed the constraints, as is observed, then cluster-cluster correlations must exceed galaxy-galaxy correlations, as is observed.

Supporting the improvement and management of prescribing for urinary tract infections (SIMPle): protocol for a cluster randomized trial

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-01

Background The overuse of antimicrobials is recognized as the main selective pressure driving the emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance in human bacterial pathogens. Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are among the most common infections presented in primary care and empirical antimicrobial treatment is currently recommended. Previous research has identified that a substantial proportion of Irish general practitioners (GPs) prescribe antimicrobials for UTIs that are not in accordance with the Guidelines for Antimicrobial Prescribing in Primary Care in Ireland. The aim of this trial is to design, implement and evaluate the effectiveness of a complex intervention on GP antimicrobial prescribing and adult (18 years of age and over) patients’ antimicrobial consumption when presenting with a suspected UTI. Methods/design The Supporting the Improvement and Management of Prescribing for urinary tract infections (SIMPle) study is a three-armed intervention with practice-level randomization. Adult patients presenting with suspected UTIs in primary care will be included in the study. The intervention integrates components for both GPs and patients. For GPs the intervention includes interactive workshops, audit and feedback reports and automated electronic prompts summarizing recommended first-line antimicrobial treatment and, for one intervention arm, a recommendation to consider delayed antimicrobial treatment. For patients, multimedia applications and information leaflets are included. Thirty practices will be recruited to the study; laboratory data indicate that 2,038 patients will be prescribed an antimicrobial in the study. The primary outcome is a change in prescribing of first-line antimicrobials for UTIs in accordance with the Guidelines for Antimicrobial Prescribing in Primary Care in Ireland. The study will take place over 15 months with a six-month intervention period. Data will be collected through a remote electronic anonymized data-extraction system

Bladder volume at onset of vesicoureteral reflux is an independent risk factor for breakthrough febrile urinary tract infection.

Science.gov (United States)

Alexander, Siobhan E; Arlen, Angela M; Storm, Douglas W; Kieran, Kathleen; Cooper, Christopher S

2015-04-01

Improved identification of children with vesicoureteral reflux at risk for recurrent febrile urinary tract infection may impact management decisions. We hypothesized that reflux occurring earlier during bladder filling increases the duration of exposure of the kidneys to bacteria, and, therefore, increases the risk of pyelonephritis. Children with vesicoureteral reflux and detailed voiding cystourethrogram data were identified. Bladder volume at onset of reflux was normalized for age. Demographics, reflux grade, laterality, presence/absence of bladder-bowel dysfunction and breakthrough febrile urinary tract infections were assessed. Median followup was 24 months (IQR 12 to 52). A total of 208 girls and 47 boys were analyzed with a mean ± SD age at diagnosis of 3.1 ± 2.6 years. On univariate analysis history of febrile urinary tract infection (HR 2.17, 95% CI 1.33-2.85, p = 0.01), dilating vesicoureteral reflux (HR 1.6, 95% CI 1.05-2.42, p = 0.03) and bladder-bowel dysfunction (HR 1.66, 95% CI 0.99-2.75, p = 0.05) were associated with an increased risk of breakthrough febrile urinary tract infection. Median bladder volume at onset of reflux in children with breakthrough febrile urinary tract infection was significantly less (33.1%) than in those without infection (49.5%, p = 0.003). Reflux onset at 35% predicted bladder capacity or less was associated with a significantly increased risk of breakthrough febrile urinary tract infection on multivariate analysis (HR 1.58, 95% CI 1.05-2.38, p = 0.03). Children with early filling vesicoureteral reflux are at increased risk for breakthrough febrile urinary tract infection independent of reflux grade. Bladder volume at onset of reflux should be recorded during cystograms since it provides additional prognostic information about the risk of pyelonephritis and resolution, and may assist with counseling and clinical decision making. Copyright © 2015 American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc. Published by

[The features in preventing recurrent lower urinary tract infection].

Science.gov (United States)

Gadzhieva, Z K; Kazilov, Yu B

2016-08-01

This review outlines characteristics of medications most commonly used for preventing recurrent lower urinary tract infection (UTI). It shows that the treatment and prophylaxis of UTI should be comprehensive and include the restoration of the normal urogenital tract anatomy and use in addition to antibacterial and anti-inflammatory drugs, agents, normalizing the function of the lower urinary tract, as well as drugs for local and systemic immunoprophylaxis, protection of the urothelium from recurrent infection, local hormone replacement therapy in menopause, and dietary supplements to acidify the urine.

Preventive and therapeutic administration of an indigenous Lactobacillus sp. strain against Proteus mirabilis ascending urinary tract infection in a mouse model.

Science.gov (United States)

Fraga, Martín; Scavone, Paola; Zunino, Pablo

2005-07-01

Probiotics are increasingly being considered as non-pharmaceutical and safe potential alternatives for the treatment and prevention of a variety of pathologies including urinary tract infections. These are the most common infections in medical practice and are frequently treated with antibiotics, which have generated an intense selective pressure over bacterial populations. Proteus mirabilis is a common cause of urinary tract infections in catheterised patients and people with abnormalities of the urinary tract. In this work we isolated, identified and characterised an indigenous Lactobacillus murinus strain (LbO2) from the vaginal tract of a female mouse. In vitro characterisation of LbO2 included acid and bile salts tolerance, growth in urine, adherence to uroepithelial cells and in vitro antimicrobial activity. The selected strain showed interesting properties, suitable for its use as a probiotic. The ability of LbO2 to prevent and even treat ascending P. mirabilis urinary tract infection was assessed using an experimental model in the mouse. Kidney and bladder P. mirabilis counts were significantly lower in mice preventively treated with the probiotic than in non-treated mice. When LbO2 was used for therapeutic treatment, bladder counts of treated mice were significantly lower although no significant differences were detected in P. mirabilis kidney colonisation of treated and non-treated animals. These results are encouraging and prompt further research related to probiotic strains and the basis of their effects for their use in human and animal health.

Non-toxic lead sulfide nanodots as efficient contrast agents for visualizing gastrointestinal tract.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Zhen; Ran, Xiang; Liu, Jianhua; Du, Yingda; Ren, Jinsong; Qu, Xiaogang

2016-09-01

Non-invasive imaging of gastrointestinal (GI) tract using novel but efficient contrast agents is of the most important issues in the diagnosis and prognosis of GI diseases. Here, for the first time, we reported the design and synthesis of biothiol-decorated lead sulfide nanodots, as well as their usages in functional dual-modality imaging of GI tract in vivo. Due to the presence of glutathione on the surface of the nanodots, these well-prepared contrast agents could decrease the unwanted ion leakage, withstand the harsh conditions in GI tract, and avoid the systemic absorption after oral administration. Compared with clinical barium meal and iodine-based contrast agents, these nanodots exhibited much more significant enhancement in contrast efficiency during both 2D X-ray imaging and 3D CT imaging. Different from some conventional invasive imaging modalities, such as gastroscope and enteroscope, non-invasive imaging strategy by using glutathione modified PbS nanodots as contrast agents could reduce the painfulness towards patients, facilitate the imaging procedure, and economize the manipulation period. Moreover, long-term toxicity and bio-distribution of these nanodots after oral administration were evaluated in detail, which indicated their overall safety. Based on our present study, these nanodots could act as admirable contrast agents to integrate X-ray imaging and CT imaging for the direct visualization of GI tract. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Nitrofurantoin--clinical relevance in uncomplicated urinary tract infections].

Science.gov (United States)

Stock, Ingo

2014-07-01

The nitrofuran derivative nitrofurantoin has been used for more than 60 years for the antibacterial therapy of uncomplicated urinary tract infections (UTI). Despite its long application, this antibiotic retained good activity against Escherichia coli and some other pathogens of uncomplicated urinary tract infections such as Staphylococcus saprophyticus and Enterococcus species. Nitrofurantoin therapy has been shown to be accompanied by numerous adverse drug effects. Among these, there are also serious side effects such as pulmonary reactions and polyneuropathy, which mainly occur in long-term use. Recent studies, however, have shown a good efficacy and tolerability of short-term nitrofurantoin therapy comparable to previous established standard therapeutic regimens applying cotrimoxazole or quinolones. Because of these data and the alarming resistance rates of uropathogenic Escherichia coli to cotrimoxazole and quinolones that have been increased markedly in several countries, the clinical significance ofnitrofurantoin has been raised again. In many current treatment guidelines, e. g., the international clinical practice guidelines for the treatment of acute uncomplicated cystitis and pyelonephritis in women published by the Infectious Diseases Society of America and the European Society for Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, nitrofurantoin has been recommended as one first-line antibiotic of empiric antibacterial treatment of uncomplicated cystitis in otherwise healthy women. In Germany, however, nitrofurantoin should only be applied if more effective and less risky antibiotics cannot be used. Nitrofurantoin is contraindicated in the last three months of pregnancy and in patients suffering from renal impairment of each degree. Despite compatibility concerns, nitrofurantoin has also been recommended for the re-infection prophylaxis of recurrent uncomplicated urinary tract infections in Germany and several other countries.

White matter tracts associated with set-shifting in healthy aging.

Science.gov (United States)

Perry, Michele E; McDonald, Carrie R; Hagler, Donald J; Gharapetian, Lusineh; Kuperman, Joshua M; Koyama, Alain K; Dale, Anders M; McEvoy, Linda K

2009-11-01

Attentional set-shifting ability, commonly assessed with the Trail Making Test (TMT), decreases with increasing age in adults. Since set-shifting performance relies on activity in widespread brain regions, deterioration of the white matter tracts that connect these regions may underlie the age-related decrease in performance. We used an automated fiber tracking method to investigate the relationship between white matter integrity in several cortical association tracts and TMT performance in a sample of 24 healthy adults, 21-80 years. Diffusion tensor images were used to compute average fractional anisotropy (FA) for five cortical association tracts, the corpus callosum (CC), and the corticospinal tract (CST), which served as a control. Results showed that advancing age was associated with declines in set-shifting performance and with decreased FA in the CC and in association tracts that connect frontal cortex to more posterior brain regions, including the inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus (IFOF), uncinate fasciculus (UF), and superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF). Declines in average FA in these tracts, and in average FA of the right inferior longitudinal fasciculus (ILF), were associated with increased time to completion on the set-shifting subtask of the TMT but not with the simple sequencing subtask. FA values in these tracts were strong mediators of the effect of age on set-shifting performance. Automated tractography methods can enhance our understanding of the fiber systems involved in performance of specific cognitive tasks and of the functional consequences of age-related changes in those systems.

Executive deficits, not processing speed relates to abnormalities in distinct prefrontal tracts in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Pettit, Lewis D; Bastin, Mark E; Smith, Colin; Bak, Thomas H; Gillingwater, Thomas H; Abrahams, Sharon

2013-11-01

Cognitive impairment in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is characterized by deficits on tests of executive function; however, the contribution of abnormal processing speed is unknown. Methods are confounded by tasks that depend on motor speed in patients with physical disability. Structural and functional magnetic resonance imaging studies have revealed multi-system cerebral involvement, with evidence of reduced white matter volume and integrity in predominant frontotemporal regions. The current study has two aims. First, to investigate whether cognitive impairments in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis are due to executive dysfunction or slowed processing speed using methodology that accommodates motor disability. This is achieved using a dual-task paradigm and tasks that manipulate stimulus presentation times and do not rely on response motor speed. Second, to identify relationships between specific cognitive impairments and the integrity of distinct white matter tracts. Thirty patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and 30 age- and education-matched control subjects were administered an experimental dual-task procedure that combined a visual inspection time task and digit recall. In addition, measures of executive function (including letter fluency) and processing speed (visual inspection time and rapid serial letter identification) were administered. Integrity of white matter tracts was determined using region of interest analyses of diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging data. Patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis did not show impairments on tests of processing speed, but executive deficits were revealed once visual inspection time was combined with digit recall (dual-task) and in letter fluency. In addition to the corticospinal tracts, significant differences in fractional anisotropy and mean diffusivity were found between groups in a number of prefrontal and temporal white matter tracts including the anterior cingulate, anterior thalamic radiation

CDBG Activity Funding by Tract

Data.gov (United States)

Department of Housing and Urban Development — All CDBG activities in the categories of acquisition, economic development, housing, public improvements, public services, and other summarized by Census Tract.

Expression and antimicrobial function of beta-defensin 1 in the lower urinary tract.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Brian Becknell

Full Text Available Beta defensins (BDs are cationic peptides with antimicrobial activity that defend epithelial surfaces including the skin, gastrointestinal, and respiratory tracts. However, BD expression and function in the urinary tract are incompletely characterized. The purpose of this study was to describe Beta Defensin-1 (BD-1 expression in the lower urinary tract, regulation by cystitis, and antimicrobial activity toward uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC in vivo. Human DEFB1 and orthologous mouse Defb1 mRNA are detectable in bladder and ureter homogenates, and human BD-1 protein localizes to the urothelium. To determine the relevance of BD-1 to lower urinary tract defense in vivo, we evaluated clearance of UPEC by Defb1 knockout (Defb1(-/- mice. At 6, 18, and 48 hours following transurethral UPEC inoculation, no significant differences were observed in bacterial burden in bladders or kidneys of Defb1(-/- and wild type C57BL/6 mice. In wild type mice, bladder Defb1 mRNA levels decreased as early as two hours post-infection and reached a nadir by six hours. RT-PCR profiling of BDs identified expression of Defb3 and Defb14 mRNA in murine bladder and ureter, which encode for mBD-3 and mBD-14 protein, respectively. MBD-14 protein expression was observed in bladder urothelium following UPEC infection, and both mBD-3 and mBD-14 displayed dose-dependent bactericidal activity toward UPEC in vitro. Thus, whereas mBD-1 deficiency does not alter bladder UPEC burden in vivo, we have identified mBD-3 and mBD-14 as potential mediators of mucosal immunity in the lower urinary tract.

[Uncommon non-fermenting Gram-negative rods as pathogens of lower respiratory tract infection].

Science.gov (United States)

Juhász, Emese; Iván, Miklós; Pongrácz, Júlia; Kristóf, Katalin

2018-01-01

Glucose non-fermenting Gram-negative bacteria are ubiquitous environmental organisms. Most of them are identified as opportunistic, nosocomial pathogens in patients. Uncommon species are identified accurately, mainly due to the introduction of matrix-assisted laser desorption-ionization time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) in clinical microbiology practice. Most of these uncommon non-fermenting rods are isolated from lower respiratory tract samples. Their significance in lower respiratory tract infections, such as rules of their testing are not clarified yet. The aim of this study was to review the clinical microbiological features of these bacteria, especially their roles in lower respiratory tract infections and antibiotic treatment options. Lower respiratory tract samples of 3589 patients collected in a four-year period (2013-2016) were analyzed retrospectively at Semmelweis University (Budapest, Hungary). Identification of bacteria was performed by MALDI-TOF MS, the antibiotic susceptibility was tested by disk diffusion method. Stenotrophomonas maltophilia was revealed to be the second, whereas Acinetobacter baumannii the third most common non-fermenting rod in lower respiratory tract samples, behind the most common Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The total number of uncommon non-fermenting Gram-negative isolates was 742. Twenty-three percent of isolates were Achromobacter xylosoxidans. Beside Chryseobacterium, Rhizobium, Delftia, Elizabethkingia, Ralstonia and Ochrobactrum species, and few other uncommon species were identified among our isolates. The accurate identification of this species is obligatory, while most of them show intrinsic resistance to aminoglycosides. Resistance to ceftazidime, cefepime, piperacillin-tazobactam and carbapenems was frequently observed also. Ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole were found to be the most effective antibiotic agents. Orv Hetil. 2018; 159(1): 23-30.

Expression and Antimicrobial Function of Beta-Defensin 1 in the Lower Urinary Tract

Science.gov (United States)

Becknell, Brian; Spencer, John David; Carpenter, Ashley R.; Chen, Xi; Singh, Aspinder; Ploeger, Suzanne; Kline, Jennifer; Ellsworth, Patrick; Li, Birong; Proksch, Ehrhardt; Schwaderer, Andrew L.; Hains, David S.; Justice, Sheryl S.; McHugh, Kirk M.

2013-01-01

Beta defensins (BDs) are cationic peptides with antimicrobial activity that defend epithelial surfaces including the skin, gastrointestinal, and respiratory tracts. However, BD expression and function in the urinary tract are incompletely characterized. The purpose of this study was to describe Beta Defensin-1 (BD-1) expression in the lower urinary tract, regulation by cystitis, and antimicrobial activity toward uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) in vivo. Human DEFB1 and orthologous mouse Defb1 mRNA are detectable in bladder and ureter homogenates, and human BD-1 protein localizes to the urothelium. To determine the relevance of BD-1 to lower urinary tract defense in vivo, we evaluated clearance of UPEC by Defb1 knockout (Defb1 -/-) mice. At 6, 18, and 48 hours following transurethral UPEC inoculation, no significant differences were observed in bacterial burden in bladders or kidneys of Defb1 -/- and wild type C57BL/6 mice. In wild type mice, bladder Defb1 mRNA levels decreased as early as two hours post-infection and reached a nadir by six hours. RT-PCR profiling of BDs identified expression of Defb3 and Defb14 mRNA in murine bladder and ureter, which encode for mBD-3 and mBD-14 protein, respectively. MBD-14 protein expression was observed in bladder urothelium following UPEC infection, and both mBD-3 and mBD-14 displayed dose-dependent bactericidal activity toward UPEC in vitro. Thus, whereas mBD-1 deficiency does not alter bladder UPEC burden in vivo, we have identified mBD-3 and mBD-14 as potential mediators of mucosal immunity in the lower urinary tract. PMID:24204930

Convex Clustering: An Attractive Alternative to Hierarchical Clustering

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Gary K.; Chi, Eric C.; Ranola, John Michael O.; Lange, Kenneth

2015-01-01

The primary goal in cluster analysis is to discover natural groupings of objects. The field of cluster analysis is crowded with diverse methods that make special assumptions about data and address different scientific aims. Despite its shortcomings in accuracy, hierarchical clustering is the dominant clustering method in bioinformatics. Biologists find the trees constructed by hierarchical clustering visually appealing and in tune with their evolutionary perspective. Hierarchical clustering operates on multiple scales simultaneously. This is essential, for instance, in transcriptome data, where one may be interested in making qualitative inferences about how lower-order relationships like gene modules lead to higher-order relationships like pathways or biological processes. The recently developed method of convex clustering preserves the visual appeal of hierarchical clustering while ameliorating its propensity to make false inferences in the presence of outliers and noise. The solution paths generated by convex clustering reveal relationships between clusters that are hidden by static methods such as k-means clustering. The current paper derives and tests a novel proximal distance algorithm for minimizing the objective function of convex clustering. The algorithm separates parameters, accommodates missing data, and supports prior information on relationships. Our program CONVEXCLUSTER incorporating the algorithm is implemented on ATI and nVidia graphics processing units (GPUs) for maximal speed. Several biological examples illustrate the strengths of convex clustering and the ability of the proximal distance algorithm to handle high-dimensional problems. CONVEXCLUSTER can be freely downloaded from the UCLA Human Genetics web site at http://www.genetics.ucla.edu/software/ PMID:25965340

Food security and ecological footprint of chittagong hill tracts in bangladesh

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bala, B.K.; Hossain, M.A.

2014-01-01

This paper presents food security and ecological footprint of the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) in Bangladesh. To estimate food security and ecological footprint, primary and secondary data were collected and a multistage sampling was designed for selecting the farm households from the three districts of the Hill Tracts of Chittagong. A quantitative method for computation of food security was used. To estimate the environmental sustainability sustainability as upazila (sub-district) levels, a method of computation of ecological footprint developed by Wackernagel was used. Multiple logistic regression models were fitted to data on food security of the farmers in CHT to identify the factors affecting food security at household levels in CHT. Overall status of food security at upazila levels was found to be good for all the upazilas except Rangamati sadar and the best was found Alikadam. Environmental status in the Hill Tracts of Chittagong was poor for all the upazilas. Household food security was found to be significantly (p<0.05) affected by farm size, education, professions, crops cultivated (jhum and tobacco), distance from market and transition from jhum to horticulture. This study supports transition from jhum to horticulture crops for increased food security and banning tobacco cultivation to avoid deforestation in CHT. (author)

Lexical preferences in Dutch verbal cluster ordering

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bloem, J.; Bellamy, K.; Karvovskaya, E.; Kohlberger, M.; Saad, G.

2016-01-01

This study discusses lexical preferences as a factor affecting the word order variation in Dutch verbal clusters. There are two grammatical word orders for Dutch two-verb clusters, with no clear meaning difference. Using the method of collostructional analysis, I find significant associations

Risk factors for extrahepatic biliary tract carcinoma in men

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ahrens, Wolfgang; Timmer, Antje; Vyberg, Mogens

2007-01-01

OBJECTIVES: To identify risk factors of carcinoma of the extrahepatic biliary tract in men. METHODS: Newly diagnosed and histologically confirmed patients, 35-70 years old, were interviewed between 1995 and 1997 in Denmark, Sweden, France, Germany and Italy. Population controls were frequency...... for extrahepatic biliary tract carcinoma in men (odds ratio 2.49; 95% confidence interval 1.32-4.70), particularly for gall bladder tumors (odds ratio 4.68; 95% confidence interval 1.85-11.84). For a body mass index [height (m) divided by squared weight (kg)] >30 at age 35 years, an excess risk was observed (odds...... as a strong risk factor for extrahepatic biliary tract carcinoma, whereas we did not find any strong lifestyle-associated risk factors. Inconsistent results across studies concerning the association of extrahepatic biliary tract carcinoma with overweight and obesity may be explained by the different...

Pitfalls of diagnosing urinary tract infection in infants and young children.

Science.gov (United States)

Yamasaki, Yasuhito; Uemura, Osamu; Nagai, Takuhito; Yamakawa, Satoshi; Hibi, Yoshiko; Yamamoto, Masaki; Nakano, Masaru; Kasahara, Katsuaki; Bo, Zhang

2017-07-01

The aim of this study was to examine the sensitivity and specificity of pyuria-based diagnosis of urinary tract infection (UTI) in urine collected by transurethral catheterization, and the reliability of diagnosis of pyuria in urine collected in a perineal bag. The gold standard for UTI diagnosis is significant colony counts of a single organism in urine obtained in a sterile manner. We enrolled 301 patients who underwent medical examination at the present hospital for possible UTI between January 2005 and December 2009. We collected 438 urine samples by transurethral catheterization. We investigated the accuracy of pyuria-based diagnosis of UTI using transurethral catheterization urine specimens, and the reliability of diagnosis of pyuria using bag-collected urine specimens. The false-negative rate of UTI diagnosis based on pyuria in transurethral catheterization urine sediments was 9.0%; there was no significant difference in the false-negative rate of UTI diagnosis between boys and girls. Approximately 28% of pyuria-positive bag-collected urine specimens were pyuria negative on transurethral catheterization; this rate was significantly higher in girls than in boys (56.7% vs. 8.9%, P UTI. Pyuria in bag-collected urine specimens frequently consists of urine leukocytes from external genitalia as well as from the urinary tract. © 2017 Japan Pediatric Society.

Gadolinium labeled pharmaceuticals as potential MRI contrast agents for liver and biliary tract

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Najafi, A.; Amparo, E.G.; Johnson, R.F. Jr.

1987-01-01

Three gadolinium-labeled compounds, potential nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) imaging contrast agents for liver and biliary tract, were studied: 1) Gd-DISIDA, 2) Gd-DTPA-Liposomes, and 3) Gd-DTPA dihexadecylamide (Gd-diamide). In each case, ''Carrier Added'' Gd-153 with specific activity of about 5uCi/mg was used. Each labeled compound was evaluated in experimental animals. Gd-DISIDA proved unsatisfactory because of in vivo instability. Gd-DTPA-Liposomes demonstrated strong toxic effects probably due to pulmonary embolism when large amounts of this compound was administered intravenously. Gd-diamide showed good uptake in the hepatocytes with subsequent excretion into the biliary tract. Several rabbits were imaged in a 0.6T NMR imaging system before and after injection of Gd-diamide. Pulse sequences were chosen that would yield T1-weighted images and permit calculation of T1 relaxation times. This compound produced significant shortening of the T1 relaxation times of the liver and observable increase in intensity on the T1-weighted images. Gd-diamide shows promise as potential NMR contrast agent for liver and biliary tract imaging. (author)

Inhibition of histone deacetylase for the treatment of biliary tract cancer: A new effective pharmacological approach

Science.gov (United States)

Bluethner, Thilo; Niederhagen, Manuel; Caca, Karel; Serr, Frederik; Witzigmann, Helmut; Moebius, Christian; Mossner, Joachim; Wiedmann, Marcus

2007-01-01

AIM: To investigate in vitro and in vivo therapeutic effects of histone deacetylase inhibitors NVP-LAQ824 and NVP-LBH589 on biliary tract cancer. METHODS: Cell growth inhibition by NVP-LAQ824 and NVP-LBH589 was studied in vitro in 7 human biliary tract cancer cell lines by MTT assay. In addition, the anti-tumoral effect of NVP-LBH589 was studied in a chimeric mouse model. Anti-tumoral drug mechanism was assessed by immunoblotting for acH4 and p21WAF-1/CIP-1, PARP assay, cell cycle analysis, TUNEL assay, and immunhistochemistry for MIB-1. RESULTS: In vitro treatment with both compounds significantly suppressed the growth of all cancer cell lines [mean IC50 (3 d) 0.11 and 0.05 μmol/L, respectively], and was associated with hyperacetylation of nucleosomal histone H4, increased expression of p21WAF-1/CIP-1, induction of apoptosis (PARP cleavage), and cell cycle arrest at G2/M checkpoint. After 28 d, NVP-LBH589 significantly reduced tumor mass by 66% (bile duct cancer) and 87% (gallbladder cancer) in vivo in comparison to placebo, and potentiated the efficacy of gemcitabine. Further analysis of the tumor specimens revealed increased apoptosis by TUNEL assay and reduced cell proliferation (MIB-1). CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that NVP-LBH589 and NVP-LAQ824 are active against human biliary tract cancer in vitro. In addition, NVP-LBH589 demonstrated significant in vivo activity and potentiated the efficacy of gemcitabine. Therefore, further clinical evaluation of this new drug for the treatment of biliary tract cancer is recommended. PMID:17729398

Antimicrobial Stewardship and Urinary Tract Infections

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lilian M. Abbo

2014-05-01

Full Text Available Urinary tract infections are the most common bacterial infections encountered in ambulatory and long-term care settings in the United States. Urine samples are the largest single category of specimens received by most microbiology laboratories and many such cultures are collected from patients who have no or questionable urinary symptoms. Unfortunately, antimicrobials are often prescribed inappropriately in such patients. Antimicrobial use, whether appropriate or inappropriate, is associated with the selection for antimicrobial-resistant organisms colonizing or infecting the urinary tract. Infections caused by antimicrobial-resistant organisms are associated with higher rates of treatment failures, prolonged hospitalizations, increased costs and mortality. Antimicrobial stewardship consists of avoidance of antimicrobials when appropriate and, when antimicrobials are indicated, use of strategies to optimize the selection, dosing, route of administration, duration and timing of antimicrobial therapy to maximize clinical cure while limiting the unintended consequences of antimicrobial use, including toxicity and selection of resistant microorganisms. This article reviews successful antimicrobial stewardship strategies in the diagnosis and treatment of urinary tract infections.

[Analysis of changes in lower urinary tract symptoms with aging].

Science.gov (United States)

Soga, Norihito; Sugimura, Yoshiki

2004-09-01

Urination disorders start to appear in an age-dependent fashion, which contribute to the degradation of quality of life (QOL) in erderly persons. This study focused on elucidating changes of the lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and changing of voiding condition with aging in the subjects, who offered the health checks. We evaluated urinary function in 225 Japanese males (age 20-79), estimated International prostate symptom score (IPSS), QOL score, uroflowmetry, prostate volume and residual urine (estimated from transabdominal ultrasonography). In addition, 539 females (age 20-89) were assigned IPSS and QOL scores. The distribution of severity of symptoms significantly changed with age in both sexes. QOL scores tended to increase in males, IPSS, prostate volume and residual urine were significantly increasing related to age, and advanced age was associated with a decline of voiding volume and Qmax. Comparison of QOL scores and IPSS criteria demonstrated a significantly positive correlation with incomplete emptying and a weak stream. A significant negative correlation was found between the QOL score and Qmax. The distribution of middle level of symptom, divided by clinical guideline for benign prostatic hyperplasia, significantly increased with age. On the other hand, in females, the QOL score seemed to be stable whilst there was a slight increase of IPSS. In contrast, frequency and incomplete emptying were significantly related to QOL scores. These investigations supported changing of lower urinary tract disorder with aging in both sexes. Since the approximate 50% of sixth and seventh decade males, classified to the middle level of symtom, which need treatment, the high incident of degradation of the LUTS with age, should predict for the future.

Findings in cystourethrography that suggest lower urinary tract dysfunction in children with vesicoureteral reflux

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ubirajara Barroso Jr

2004-12-01

Full Text Available PURPOSE: Children with lower urinary tract dysfunction and vesicoureteral reflux, at cystography assessment, frequently present alterations in the lower urinary tract anatomy such as dilated posterior urethra, irregularity of the bladder wall and diverticula. However, the significance of these findings is unknown. The objective of this study is to evaluate the incidence of these findings, their time of disappearance and their correlation with the severity of the reflux. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 193 children with vesicoureteral reflux, considered simple, in the age group above 5 years at the moment of diagnosis, were analyzed. The recommendation for follow-up of these patients was one voiding cystoureterography (VCUG each year. Only patients with a minimum of 2 VCUGs performed in a period of at least 6 months were considered. The VCUGs were classified as positive and negative in relation to findings that were characteristic of lower urinary tract dysfunction (LUTD. RESULTS: From the 193 children analyzed, 50 (26% presented positive VCUG and 143 negative VCUG. From the patients without symptoms of lower urinary tract dysfunction (n = 135, 12 (9% presented positive VCUG and 123 (91% a negative VCUG. From the patients with negative VCUG, 68 (48% presented unilateral reflux and 75 (52% presented bilateral reflux. From those with positive VCUG, 26 (52% had unilateral reflux and 24 bilateral reflux (48%. This difference was not statistically significant. A higher incidence of grade II reflux was more evident in patients with negative VCUG and degree III in patients with positive VCUG (p < 0.05. CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrated that 64% of the patients with LUTD and reflux presented findings in the VCUG that suggest dysfunction.

RELICS: Strong Lens Models for Five Galaxy Clusters from the Reionization Lensing Cluster Survey

Science.gov (United States)

Cerny, Catherine; Sharon, Keren; Andrade-Santos, Felipe; Avila, Roberto J.; Bradač, Maruša; Bradley, Larry D.; Carrasco, Daniela; Coe, Dan; Czakon, Nicole G.; Dawson, William A.; Frye, Brenda L.; Hoag, Austin; Huang, Kuang-Han; Johnson, Traci L.; Jones, Christine; Lam, Daniel; Lovisari, Lorenzo; Mainali, Ramesh; Oesch, Pascal A.; Ogaz, Sara; Past, Matthew; Paterno-Mahler, Rachel; Peterson, Avery; Riess, Adam G.; Rodney, Steven A.; Ryan, Russell E.; Salmon, Brett; Sendra-Server, Irene; Stark, Daniel P.; Strolger, Louis-Gregory; Trenti, Michele; Umetsu, Keiichi; Vulcani, Benedetta; Zitrin, Adi

2018-06-01

Strong gravitational lensing by galaxy clusters magnifies background galaxies, enhancing our ability to discover statistically significant samples of galaxies at {\\boldsymbol{z}}> 6, in order to constrain the high-redshift galaxy luminosity functions. Here, we present the first five lens models out of the Reionization Lensing Cluster Survey (RELICS) Hubble Treasury Program, based on new HST WFC3/IR and ACS imaging of the clusters RXC J0142.9+4438, Abell 2537, Abell 2163, RXC J2211.7–0349, and ACT-CLJ0102–49151. The derived lensing magnification is essential for estimating the intrinsic properties of high-redshift galaxy candidates, and properly accounting for the survey volume. We report on new spectroscopic redshifts of multiply imaged lensed galaxies behind these clusters, which are used as constraints, and detail our strategy to reduce systematic uncertainties due to lack of spectroscopic information. In addition, we quantify the uncertainty on the lensing magnification due to statistical and systematic errors related to the lens modeling process, and find that in all but one cluster, the magnification is constrained to better than 20% in at least 80% of the field of view, including statistical and systematic uncertainties. The five clusters presented in this paper span the range of masses and redshifts of the clusters in the RELICS program. We find that they exhibit similar strong lensing efficiencies to the clusters targeted by the Hubble Frontier Fields within the WFC3/IR field of view. Outputs of the lens models are made available to the community through the Mikulski Archive for Space Telescopes.

Drug utilization study of antibiotics for urinary tract infections in a ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

A drug utilization pattern of antibiotics for urinary tract infections in 200 cases above 18 years of age was done at Katuri Medical College Hospital, Guntur, India. The antibiotic sensitivity profile of the microorganism causing urinary tract infections was studied in cases diagnosed as urinary tract infection. The patients with ...

Upper gastrointestinal tract bleeding in Ilorin, Nigeria - a report of 30 ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Upper gastrointestinal tract bleeding in Ilorin, Nigeria - a report of 30 cases. A.B Olokoba, L.B Olokoba, A.A.G Jimoh. Abstract. Background: Upper gastrointestinal tract bleeding refers to blood loss within the intraluminal gastrointestinal tract from any location between the upper oesophagus to the duodenum at the ligament ...

Gastrointestinal tract volume measurement method using a compound eye type endoscope

Science.gov (United States)

Yoshimoto, Kayo; Yamada, Kenji; Watabe, Kenji; Kido, Michiko; Nagakura, Toshiaki; Takahashi, Hideya; Nishida, Tsutomu; Iijima, Hideki; Tsujii, Masahiko; Takehara, Tetsuo; Ohno, Yuko

2015-03-01

We propose an intestine volume measurement method using a compound eye type endoscope. This method aims at assessment of the gastrointestinal function. Gastrointestinal diseases are mainly based on morphological abnormalities. However, gastrointestinal symptoms are sometimes apparent without visible abnormalities. Such diseases are called functional gastrointestinal disorder, for example, functional dyspepsia, and irritable bowel syndrome. One of the major factors for these diseases is abnormal gastrointestinal motility. For the diagnosis of the gastrointestinal tract, both aspects of organic and functional assessment is important. While endoscopic diagnosis is essential for assessment of organic abnormalities, three-dimensional information is required for assessment of the functional abnormalities. Thus, we proposed the three dimensional endoscope system using compound eye. In this study, we forces on the volume of gastrointestinal tract. The volume of the gastrointestinal tract is thought to related its function. In our system, we use a compound eye type endoscope system to obtain three-dimensional information of the tract. The volume can be calculated by integrating the slice data of the intestine tract shape using the obtained three-dimensional information. First, we evaluate the proposed method by known-shape tube. Then, we confirm that the proposed method can measure the tract volume using the tract simulated model. Our system can assess the wall of gastrointestinal tract directly in a three-dimensional manner. Our system can be used for examination of gastric morphological and functional abnormalities.

Deletion of the miR-143/145 Cluster Leads to Hydronephrosis in Mice

Science.gov (United States)

Medrano, Silvia; Sequeira-Lopez, Maria Luisa S.; Gomez, R. Ariel

2015-01-01

Obstructive nephropathy, the leading cause of kidney failure in children, can be anatomic or functional. The underlying causes of functional hydronephrosis are not well understood. miRNAs, which are small noncoding RNAs, regulate gene expression at the post-transcriptional level. We found that miR-145-5p, a member of the miR-143/145 cluster that is highly expressed in smooth muscle cells of the renal vasculature, was present in the pelvicalyceal system and the ureter. To evaluate whether the miR-143/145 cluster is involved in urinary tract function we performed morphologic, functional, and gene expression studies in mice carrying a whole-body deletion of miR-143/145. miR-143/145–deficient mice developed hydronephrosis, characterized by severe papillary atrophy and dilatation of the pelvicalyceal system without obvious physical obstruction. Moreover, mutant mice showed abnormal ureteral peristalsis. The number of ureter contractions was significantly higher in miR-143/145–deficient mice. Peristalsis was replaced by incomplete, short, and more frequent contractions that failed to completely propagate in a proximal-distal direction. Microarray analysis showed 108 differentially expressed genes in ureters of miR-143/145–deficient mice. Ninety genes were up-regulated and 18 genes were down-regulated, including genes with potential regulatory roles in smooth muscle contraction and extracellular matrix-receptor interaction. We show that miR-143/145 are important for the normal peristalsis of the ureter and report an association between the expression of these miRNAs and hydronephrosis. PMID:25307343

Evaluation of lower urinary tract dysfunction in Turkish primary schoolchildren: an epidemiological study.