Finite groups all of whose minimal subgroups are NE-subgroups

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Logo of the Indian Academy of Sciences. Indian Academy of Sciences ... In this article, we investigate the structure of under the assumption that subgroups of prime order are *-subgroups of . The finite groups, all of whose minimal subgroups of the generalized Fitting subgroup are *-subgroups are classified.

Finite groups all of whose minimal subgroups are NE∗ -subgroups

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

subgroup of G if there exists a subnormal subgroup T of G such that G = HT and H ∩ T is a. NE-subgroup of G. In this article, we investigate the structure of G under the assump- tion that subgroups of prime order are NE∗-subgroups of G. The finite ...

Internalin profiling and multilocus sequence typing suggest four Listeria innocua subgroups with different evolutionary distances from Listeria monocytogenes.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Jianshun; Chen, Qiaomiao; Jiang, Lingli; Cheng, Changyong; Bai, Fan; Wang, Jun; Mo, Fan; Fang, Weihuan

2010-03-31

Ecological, biochemical and genetic resemblance as well as clear differences of virulence between L. monocytogenes and L. innocua make this bacterial clade attractive as a model to examine evolution of pathogenicity. This study was attempted to examine the population structure of L. innocua and the microevolution in the L. innocua-L. monocytogenes clade via profiling of 37 internalin genes and multilocus sequence typing based on the sequences of 9 unlinked genes gyrB, sigB, dapE, hisJ, ribC, purM, gap, tuf and betL. L. innocua was genetically monophyletic compared to L. monocytogenes, and comprised four subgroups. Subgroups A and B correlated with internalin types 1 and 3 (except the strain 0063 belonging to subgroup C) and internalin types 2 and 4 respectively. The majority of L. innocua strains belonged to these two subgroups. Subgroup A harbored a whole set of L. monocytogenes-L. innocua common and L. innocua-specific internalin genes, and displayed higher recombination rates than those of subgroup B, including the relative frequency of occurrence of recombination versus mutation (rho/theta) and the relative effect of recombination versus point mutation (r/m). Subgroup A also exhibited a significantly smaller exterior/interior branch length ratio than expected under the coalescent model, suggesting a recent expansion of its population size. The phylogram based on the analysis with correction for recombination revealed that the time to the most recent common ancestor (TMRCA) of L. innocua subgroups A and B were similar. Additionally, subgroup D, which correlated with internalin type 5, branched off from the other three subgroups. All L. innocua strains lacked seventeen virulence genes found in L. monocytogenes (except for the subgroup D strain L43 harboring inlJ and two subgroup B strains bearing bsh) and were nonpathogenic to mice. L. innocua represents a young species descending from L. monocytogenes and comprises four subgroups: two major subgroups A and B

Internalin profiling and multilocus sequence typing suggest four Listeria innocua subgroups with different evolutionary distances from Listeria monocytogenes

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

Background Ecological, biochemical and genetic resemblance as well as clear differences of virulence between L. monocytogenes and L. innocua make this bacterial clade attractive as a model to examine evolution of pathogenicity. This study was attempted to examine the population structure of L. innocua and the microevolution in the L. innocua-L. monocytogenes clade via profiling of 37 internalin genes and multilocus sequence typing based on the sequences of 9 unlinked genes gyrB, sigB, dapE, hisJ, ribC, purM, gap, tuf and betL. Results L. innocua was genetically monophyletic compared to L. monocytogenes, and comprised four subgroups. Subgroups A and B correlated with internalin types 1 and 3 (except the strain 0063 belonging to subgroup C) and internalin types 2 and 4 respectively. The majority of L. innocua strains belonged to these two subgroups. Subgroup A harbored a whole set of L. monocytogenes-L. innocua common and L. innocua-specific internalin genes, and displayed higher recombination rates than those of subgroup B, including the relative frequency of occurrence of recombination versus mutation (ρ/θ) and the relative effect of recombination versus point mutation (r/m). Subgroup A also exhibited a significantly smaller exterior/interior branch length ratio than expected under the coalescent model, suggesting a recent expansion of its population size. The phylogram based on the analysis with correction for recombination revealed that the time to the most recent common ancestor (TMRCA) of L. innocua subgroups A and B were similar. Additionally, subgroup D, which correlated with internalin type 5, branched off from the other three subgroups. All L. innocua strains lacked seventeen virulence genes found in L. monocytogenes (except for the subgroup D strain L43 harboring inlJ and two subgroup B strains bearing bsh) and were nonpathogenic to mice. Conclusions L. innocua represents a young species descending from L. monocytogenes and comprises four subgroups: two

Differences in MRI findings between subgroups of recent-onset childhood arthritis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kirkhus, Eva; Flatoe, Berit; Smith, Hans-Joergen; Riise, Oeystein; Reiseter, Tor

2011-01-01

MRI is sensitive for joint inflammation, but its ability to separate subgroups of arthritis in children has been questioned. Infectious arthritis (IA), postinfectious arthritis (PA), transient arthritis (TA) and juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) are subgroups that may need early, different treatment. To determine whether MRI findings differ in IA, PA/TA and JIA in recent-onset childhood arthritis. Fifty-nine children from a prospective study of incidence of arthritis (n = 216) were, based on clinical and biochemical criteria, examined by MRI. Joint fluid, synovium, bone marrow, soft tissue and cartilage were scored retrospectively and analysed by Pearson chi-square test and logistic regression analysis. Fifty-nine children had MRI of one station. IA was suggested by bone marrow oedema (OR 7.46, P = 0.011) and absence of T1-weighted and T2-weighted low signal intensity synovial tissue (OR 0.06, P = 0.015). Furthermore, soft-tissue oedema and reduced contrast enhancement in the epiphyses were more frequent in children with IA. JIA correlated positively with low signal intensity synovial tissue (OR 13.30, P < 0.001) and negatively with soft-tissue oedema (OR 0.20, P = 0.018). No significant positive determinants were found for PA/TA, but bone marrow oedema, soft-tissue oedema, irregular thickened synovium and low signal intensity synovial tissue was less frequent than in IA/JIA. In children with high clinical suspicion of recent onset arthritis, there was a significant difference in the distribution of specific MRI features among the diagnostic groups. (orig.)

Internalin profiling and multilocus sequence typing suggest four Listeria innocua subgroups with different evolutionary distances from Listeria monocytogenes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wang Jun

2010-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Ecological, biochemical and genetic resemblance as well as clear differences of virulence between L. monocytogenes and L. innocua make this bacterial clade attractive as a model to examine evolution of pathogenicity. This study was attempted to examine the population structure of L. innocua and the microevolution in the L. innocua-L. monocytogenes clade via profiling of 37 internalin genes and multilocus sequence typing based on the sequences of 9 unlinked genes gyrB, sigB, dapE, hisJ, ribC, purM, gap, tuf and betL. Results L. innocua was genetically monophyletic compared to L. monocytogenes, and comprised four subgroups. Subgroups A and B correlated with internalin types 1 and 3 (except the strain 0063 belonging to subgroup C and internalin types 2 and 4 respectively. The majority of L. innocua strains belonged to these two subgroups. Subgroup A harbored a whole set of L. monocytogenes-L. innocua common and L. innocua-specific internalin genes, and displayed higher recombination rates than those of subgroup B, including the relative frequency of occurrence of recombination versus mutation (ρ/θ and the relative effect of recombination versus point mutation (r/m. Subgroup A also exhibited a significantly smaller exterior/interior branch length ratio than expected under the coalescent model, suggesting a recent expansion of its population size. The phylogram based on the analysis with correction for recombination revealed that the time to the most recent common ancestor (TMRCA of L. innocua subgroups A and B were similar. Additionally, subgroup D, which correlated with internalin type 5, branched off from the other three subgroups. All L. innocua strains lacked seventeen virulence genes found in L. monocytogenes (except for the subgroup D strain L43 harboring inlJ and two subgroup B strains bearing bsh and were nonpathogenic to mice. Conclusions L. innocua represents a young species descending from L. monocytogenes and

Existence of a dictatorial subgroup in social choice with independent subgroup utility scales, an alternative proof

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Khmelnitskaya, Anna Borisovna; van Deemen, Adrian; Rusinowska, Agnieszka

2010-01-01

Social welfare orderings for different scales of individual utility measurement in distinct population subgroups are studied. In Khmelnitskaya (2000), employing the continuous version of Arrow’s impossibility theorem, it was shown that for combinations of independent subgroups scales every

Generalized Sum of Fuzzy Subgroup and α-cut Subgroup

OpenAIRE

Daher Waly Freh Al-Rekabi; Alia Shany Hassan

2012-01-01

p>In this paper we study some results of the generalized sum of a fuzzynbsp;subgroup and alpha;-cut subgroup, we define a alpha;-cut subset and alpha;-cut subgroup, and then. We study some of their properties./p>

A cross section study on low-dose lonization radiation and health effects in different sex subgroups of occupational population

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Jiayuan; Yang Fei; Huang Zhonghang; Lu Xiaoqing; Liu Hui; Jiang Di; Yang Yuan

2009-01-01

Objective: To explore the relationship between long-time exposure to low-dose ionization radiation and health effects. Methods: 1052 occupational subjects exposed to ionization radiation in Chengdu city were recruited in monitoring cohort in 2007, including 785 men (74.62%) and 267 women (25.38%). Individual exposure dose were monitored by Thermoluminescent Measurement. Health effects include blood routine examination, Chromosomal aberration, eye lens test, etc. Variance Analysis (ANOVA), χ 2 Test and Univariate Procedure of General Liner Model (Covariance Analysis) were implemented to test the difference among subgroups with SPSS 13.0 software. Results: Annual average of exposure dose of male and female were (0.76 ± 0.65) mSv and (0.75 ± 0.64) mSv. There is no statistical significant between sex subgroups (F= (0.136, P = 0.712). In females subgroup, the frequencies and ratios with low WBC, Low platelet, high RBC and high HGB were 30 (11.2%), 45(16.9%), 4(1.5%) and 3(1.1%) respectively. And in male subgroup, frequencies and ratios of above index were 32 (4.1%), 147 (18.7%), 64 (8.2%) and 115 (14.6%) respectively. Except low platelet, the distribution differences of the rest three blood indexes between sex subgroups were statistically significant (χ 2 test, P<0.01). Either in male or in female subgroups, no statistically significant difference of all health indexes(RBC, WBC, Platelet, HGB, and Chromosomal aberration) was observed in different radiation dose teams. Conclusion: In this monitoring cohort, the health effects were related to hormesis and adaptive response as well as radiation damage accumulation effect of low-dose ionization radiation. Females were the sensitive group to suffer adverse effects, while blood indexes were the sensitive indexes for monitoring radiation exposure. (authors)

Myasthenia gravis: subgroup classification and therapeutic strategies.

Science.gov (United States)

Gilhus, Nils Erik; Verschuuren, Jan J

2015-10-01

Myasthenia gravis is an autoimmune disease that is characterised by muscle weakness and fatigue, is B-cell mediated, and is associated with antibodies directed against the acetylcholine receptor, muscle-specific kinase (MUSK), lipoprotein-related protein 4 (LRP4), or agrin in the postsynaptic membrane at the neuromuscular junction. Patients with myasthenia gravis should be classified into subgroups to help with therapeutic decisions and prognosis. Subgroups based on serum antibodies and clinical features include early-onset, late-onset, thymoma, MUSK, LRP4, antibody-negative, and ocular forms of myasthenia gravis. Agrin-associated myasthenia gravis might emerge as a new entity. The prognosis is good with optimum symptomatic, immunosuppressive, and supportive treatment. Pyridostigmine is the preferred symptomatic treatment, and for patients who do not adequately respond to symptomatic therapy, corticosteroids, azathioprine, and thymectomy are first-line immunosuppressive treatments. Additional immunomodulatory drugs are emerging, but therapeutic decisions are hampered by the scarcity of controlled studies. Long-term drug treatment is essential for most patients and must be tailored to the particular form of myasthenia gravis. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Histopathological subgroups in knee osteoarthritis.

Science.gov (United States)

Wyatt, L A; Moreton, B J; Mapp, P I; Wilson, D; Hill, R; Ferguson, E; Scammell, B E; Walsh, D A

2017-01-01

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a heterogeneous, multi-tissue disease. We hypothesised that different histopathological features characterise different stages during knee OA progression, and that discrete subgroups can be defined based on validated measures of OA histopathological features. Medial tibial plateaux and synovium were from 343 post-mortem (PM) and 143 OA arthroplasty donations. A 'chondropathy/osteophyte' group (n = 217) was classified as PM cases with osteophytes or macroscopic medial tibiofemoral chondropathy lesions ≥grade 3 to represent pre-surgical (early) OA. 'Non-arthritic' controls (n = 48) were identified from the remaining PM cases. Mankin histopathological scores were subjected to Rasch analysis and supplemented with histopathological scores for subchondral bone marrow replacement and synovitis. Item weightings were derived by principle components analysis (PCA). Histopathological subgroups were sought using latent class analysis (LCA). Chondropathy, synovitis and osteochondral pathology were each associated with OA at arthroplasty, but each was also identified in some 'non-arthritic' controls. Tidemark breaching in the chondropathy/osteophyte group was greater than in non-arthritic controls. Three histopathological subgroups were identified, characterised as 'mild OA', or 'severe OA' with mild or moderate/severe synovitis. Presence and severity of synovitis helps define distinct histopathological OA subgroups. The absence of a discrete 'normal' subgroup indicates a pathological continuum between normality and OA status. Identifying specific pathological processes and their clinical correlates in OA subgroups has potential to accelerate the development of more effective therapies. Copyright © 2016 Osteoarthritis Research Society International. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cluster subgroups based on overall pressure pain sensitivity and psychosocial factors in chronic musculoskeletal pain: Differences in clinical outcomes.

Science.gov (United States)

Almeida, Suzana C; George, Steven Z; Leite, Raquel D V; Oliveira, Anamaria S; Chaves, Thais C

2018-05-17

We aimed to empirically derive psychosocial and pain sensitivity subgroups using cluster analysis within a sample of individuals with chronic musculoskeletal pain (CMP) and to investigate derived subgroups for differences in pain and disability outcomes. Eighty female participants with CMP answered psychosocial and disability scales and were assessed for pressure pain sensitivity. A cluster analysis was used to derive subgroups, and analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to investigate differences between subgroups. Psychosocial factors (kinesiophobia, pain catastrophizing, anxiety, and depression) and overall pressure pain threshold (PPT) were entered into the cluster analysis. Three subgroups were empirically derived: cluster 1 (high pain sensitivity and high psychosocial distress; n = 12) characterized by low overall PPT and high psychosocial scores; cluster 2 (high pain sensitivity and intermediate psychosocial distress; n = 39) characterized by low overall PPT and intermediate psychosocial scores; and cluster 3 (low pain sensitivity and low psychosocial distress; n = 29) characterized by high overall PPT and low psychosocial scores compared to the other subgroups. Cluster 1 showed higher values for mean pain intensity (F (2,77)  = 10.58, p cluster 3, and cluster 1 showed higher values for disability (F (2,77)  = 3.81, p = 0.03) compared with both clusters 2 and 3. Only cluster 1 was distinct from cluster 3 according to both pain and disability outcomes. Pain catastrophizing, depression, and anxiety were the psychosocial variables that best differentiated the subgroups. Overall, these results call attention to the importance of considering pain sensitivity and psychosocial variables to obtain a more comprehensive characterization of CMP patients' subtypes.

Differences in knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and perceived risks regarding colorectal cancer screening among Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese sub-groups.

Science.gov (United States)

Le, T Domi; Carney, Patricia A; Lee-Lin, Frances; Mori, Motomi; Chen, Zunqiu; Leung, Holden; Lau, Christine; Lieberman, David A

2014-04-01

Asian ethnic subgroups are often treated as a single demographic group in studies looking at cancer screening and health disparities. To evaluate knowledge and health beliefs associated with colorectal cancer (CRC) and CRC screening among Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese subgroups, a survey assessed participants' demographic characteristics, healthcare utilization, knowledge, beliefs, attitudes associated with CRC and CRC screening. Exploratory factor analysis identified six factors accounting >60 % of the total variance in beliefs and attitudes. Cronbach's alpha coefficients assessed internal consistency. Differences among Asian subgroups were assessed using a Chi square, Fisher's exact, or Kruskal-Wallis test. Pearson's correlation coefficient assessed an association among factors. 654 participants enrolled: 238 Chinese, 217 Korean, and 199 Vietnamese. Statistically significant differences existed in demographic and health care provider characteristics, knowledge, and attitude/belief variables regarding CRC. These included knowledge of CRC screening modalities, reluctance to discuss cancer, belief that cancer is preventable by diet and lifestyle, and intention to undergo CRC screening. Chinese subjects were more likely to use Eastern medicine (52 % Chinese, 25 % Korean, 27 % Vietnamese; p Vietnamese; p Vietnamese subjects were less likely to consider CRC screening (95 % Chinese, 95 % Korean, 80 % Vietnamese; p < 0.0001). Important differences exist in knowledge, attitudes, and health beliefs among Asian subgroups. Understanding these differences will enable clinicians to deliver tailored, effective health messages to improve CRC screening and other health behaviors.

Model-Based Recursive Partitioning for Subgroup Analyses.

Science.gov (United States)

Seibold, Heidi; Zeileis, Achim; Hothorn, Torsten

2016-05-01

The identification of patient subgroups with differential treatment effects is the first step towards individualised treatments. A current draft guideline by the EMA discusses potentials and problems in subgroup analyses and formulated challenges to the development of appropriate statistical procedures for the data-driven identification of patient subgroups. We introduce model-based recursive partitioning as a procedure for the automated detection of patient subgroups that are identifiable by predictive factors. The method starts with a model for the overall treatment effect as defined for the primary analysis in the study protocol and uses measures for detecting parameter instabilities in this treatment effect. The procedure produces a segmented model with differential treatment parameters corresponding to each patient subgroup. The subgroups are linked to predictive factors by means of a decision tree. The method is applied to the search for subgroups of patients suffering from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis that differ with respect to their Riluzole treatment effect, the only currently approved drug for this disease.

Cytogenetic prognostication within medulloblastoma subgroups.

Science.gov (United States)

Shih, David J H; Northcott, Paul A; Remke, Marc; Korshunov, Andrey; Ramaswamy, Vijay; Kool, Marcel; Luu, Betty; Yao, Yuan; Wang, Xin; Dubuc, Adrian M; Garzia, Livia; Peacock, John; Mack, Stephen C; Wu, Xiaochong; Rolider, Adi; Morrissy, A Sorana; Cavalli, Florence M G; Jones, David T W; Zitterbart, Karel; Faria, Claudia C; Schüller, Ulrich; Kren, Leos; Kumabe, Toshihiro; Tominaga, Teiji; Shin Ra, Young; Garami, Miklós; Hauser, Peter; Chan, Jennifer A; Robinson, Shenandoah; Bognár, László; Klekner, Almos; Saad, Ali G; Liau, Linda M; Albrecht, Steffen; Fontebasso, Adam; Cinalli, Giuseppe; De Antonellis, Pasqualino; Zollo, Massimo; Cooper, Michael K; Thompson, Reid C; Bailey, Simon; Lindsey, Janet C; Di Rocco, Concezio; Massimi, Luca; Michiels, Erna M C; Scherer, Stephen W; Phillips, Joanna J; Gupta, Nalin; Fan, Xing; Muraszko, Karin M; Vibhakar, Rajeev; Eberhart, Charles G; Fouladi, Maryam; Lach, Boleslaw; Jung, Shin; Wechsler-Reya, Robert J; Fèvre-Montange, Michelle; Jouvet, Anne; Jabado, Nada; Pollack, Ian F; Weiss, William A; Lee, Ji-Yeoun; Cho, Byung-Kyu; Kim, Seung-Ki; Wang, Kyu-Chang; Leonard, Jeffrey R; Rubin, Joshua B; de Torres, Carmen; Lavarino, Cinzia; Mora, Jaume; Cho, Yoon-Jae; Tabori, Uri; Olson, James M; Gajjar, Amar; Packer, Roger J; Rutkowski, Stefan; Pomeroy, Scott L; French, Pim J; Kloosterhof, Nanne K; Kros, Johan M; Van Meir, Erwin G; Clifford, Steven C; Bourdeaut, Franck; Delattre, Olivier; Doz, François F; Hawkins, Cynthia E; Malkin, David; Grajkowska, Wieslawa A; Perek-Polnik, Marta; Bouffet, Eric; Rutka, James T; Pfister, Stefan M; Taylor, Michael D

2014-03-20

Medulloblastoma comprises four distinct molecular subgroups: WNT, SHH, Group 3, and Group 4. Current medulloblastoma protocols stratify patients based on clinical features: patient age, metastatic stage, extent of resection, and histologic variant. Stark prognostic and genetic differences among the four subgroups suggest that subgroup-specific molecular biomarkers could improve patient prognostication. Molecular biomarkers were identified from a discovery set of 673 medulloblastomas from 43 cities around the world. Combined risk stratification models were designed based on clinical and cytogenetic biomarkers identified by multivariable Cox proportional hazards analyses. Identified biomarkers were tested using fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) on a nonoverlapping medulloblastoma tissue microarray (n = 453), with subsequent validation of the risk stratification models. Subgroup information improves the predictive accuracy of a multivariable survival model compared with clinical biomarkers alone. Most previously published cytogenetic biomarkers are only prognostic within a single medulloblastoma subgroup. Profiling six FISH biomarkers (GLI2, MYC, chromosome 11 [chr11], chr14, 17p, and 17q) on formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissues, we can reliably and reproducibly identify very low-risk and very high-risk patients within SHH, Group 3, and Group 4 medulloblastomas. Combining subgroup and cytogenetic biomarkers with established clinical biomarkers substantially improves patient prognostication, even in the context of heterogeneous clinical therapies. The prognostic significance of most molecular biomarkers is restricted to a specific subgroup. We have identified a small panel of cytogenetic biomarkers that reliably identifies very high-risk and very low-risk groups of patients, making it an excellent tool for selecting patients for therapy intensification and therapy de-escalation in future clinical trials.

Quality-of-Life Differences among Diagnostic Subgroups of Children Receiving Ventilating Tubes for Otitis Media.

Science.gov (United States)

Heidemann, Christian Hamilton; Lauridsen, Henrik Hein; Kjeldsen, Anette Drøhse; Faber, Christian Emil; Johansen, Eva Charlotte Jung; Godballe, Christian

2015-10-01

The pathological picture may differ considerably between diagnostic subgroups of children with otitis media receiving ventilating tubes. The aims of this study are to investigate differences in quality of life among diagnostic subgroups of children treated with ventilating tubes and to investigate possible predictors for clinical success. Longitudinal observational study. Secondary care units. Four hundred ninety-one families were enrolled in the study. The Otitis Media-6 questionnaire was applied in the assessment of child quality of life. Caregivers completed questionnaires at 7 time points from before treatment to 18-month follow-up. Logistic regression analysis was used to investigate possible predictors for clinical success. Response rates ranged from 96% to 81%; diagnostic distribution: 15% recurrent acute otitis media (rAOM), 47% otitis media with effusion (OME), and 38% mixed diagnosis of rAOM and OME (rAOM/OME). There were no significant differences between children diagnosed with rAOM and children diagnosed with rAOM/OME. However, these children had a significantly poorer quality of life at baseline compared with children diagnosed with only OME. Factors associated with clinical success included a diagnosis of rAOM, number of interrupted nights, physician visits, and canceled social activities due to OM. Results highlight the importance of distinguishing between diagnostic subgroups of children having ventilating tube treatment. A diagnosis of rAOM was found to predict baseline quality of life. Children with rAOM with or without OME were found to suffer significantly more than children with only OME before treatment. Factors associated with disease severity were found to predict clinical success. © American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Foundation 2015.

Identifying subgroups of patients using latent class analysis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Anne Mølgaard; Kent, Peter; Hestbæk, Lise

2017-01-01

BACKGROUND: Heterogeneity in patients with low back pain (LBP) is well recognised and different approaches to subgrouping have been proposed. Latent Class Analysis (LCA) is a statistical technique that is increasingly being used to identify subgroups based on patient characteristics. However......, as LBP is a complex multi-domain condition, the optimal approach when using LCA is unknown. Therefore, this paper describes the exploration of two approaches to LCA that may help improve the identification of clinically relevant and interpretable LBP subgroups. METHODS: From 928 LBP patients consulting...... of statistical performance measures, qualitative evaluation of clinical interpretability (face validity) and a subgroup membership comparison. RESULTS: For the single-stage LCA, a model solution with seven patient subgroups was preferred, and for the two-stage LCA, a nine patient subgroup model. Both approaches...

Attacking Heterogeneity in Schizophrenia by Deriving Clinical Subgroups From Widely Available Symptom Data.

Science.gov (United States)

Dickinson, Dwight; Pratt, Danielle N; Giangrande, Evan J; Grunnagle, MeiLin; Orel, Jennifer; Weinberger, Daniel R; Callicott, Joseph H; Berman, Karen F

2018-01-13

Previous research has identified (1) a "deficit" subtype of schizophrenia characterized by enduring negative symptoms and diminished emotionality and (2) a "distress" subtype associated with high emotionality-including anxiety, depression, and stress sensitivity. Individuals in deficit and distress categories differ sharply in development, clinical course and behavior, and show distinct biological markers, perhaps signaling different etiologies. We tested whether deficit and distress subtypes would emerge from a simple but novel data-driven subgrouping analysis, based on Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) negative and distress symptom dimensions, and whether subgrouping was informative regarding other facets of behavior and brain function. PANSS data, and other assessments, were available for 549 people with schizophrenia diagnoses. Negative and distress symptom composite scores were used as indicators in 2-step cluster analyses, which divided the sample into low symptom (n = 301), distress (n = 121), and deficit (n = 127) subgroups. Relative to the low-symptom group, the deficit and distress subgroups had comparably higher total PANSS symptoms (Ps symptom, cognitive and personality variables, among others. Initial analyses of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data from a 182-participant subset of the full sample also suggested distinct patterns of neural recruitment during working memory. The field seeks more neuroscience-based systems for classifying psychiatric conditions, but these are inescapably behavioral disorders. More effective parsing of clinical and behavioral traits could identify homogeneous target groups for further neural system and molecular studies, helping to integrate clinical and neuroscience approaches. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Maryland Psychiatric Research Center 2017.

Perceived discrimination and chronic health in adults from nine ethnic subgroups in the USA.

Science.gov (United States)

Carlisle, Shauna K

2015-01-01

This comparative analysis examines the association between chronic cardiovascular, respiratory and pain conditions, race, ethnicity, nativity, length of residency, and perceived discrimination among three racial and nine ethnic subgroups of Asian Americans (Vietnamese, Filipino, and Chinese), Latino-American (Cuban, Portuguese, and Mexican), and Afro-Caribbean American (Haitian, Jamaican, and Trinidadian/Tobagonian) respondents. Analysis used weighted Collaborative Psychiatric Epidemiology Surveys-merged data from the National Latino and Asian American Study and the National Survey of American Life. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to determine which groups within the model were more likely to report perceived discrimination effects. Afro-Caribbean subgroups were more likely to report perceived discrimination than Asian American and Latino-American subgroups were. Logistic regression revealed a significant positive association with perceived discrimination and chronic pain only for Latino-American respondents. Significant differences in reports of perceived discrimination emerged by race and ethnicity. Caribbean respondents were more likely to report high levels of perceived discrimination; however, they showed fewer significant associations related to chronic health conditions compared to Asian Americans and Latino-Americans. Examination of perceived discrimination across ethnic subgroups reveals large variations in the relationship between chronic health and discrimination by race and ethnicity. Examining perceived discrimination by ethnicity may reveal more complex chronic health patterns masked by broader racial groupings.

For whom does it work? Subgroup differences in the effects of a school-based universal prevention program

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Spilt, J.L.; Koot, H.M.; van Lier, P.A.C.

2013-01-01

This study examined subgroup differences in the effectiveness of a universal classroom-based preventive intervention. The Good Behavior Game (GBG) was delivered in Grade 1 and 2 in a randomized controlled trial including 759 students. Changes in externalizing and internalizing problems were modeled

In a secondary care setting, differences between neck pain subgroups classified using the Quebec task force classification system were typically small

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rasmussen, Hanne; Kent, Peter; Kjaer, Per

2015-01-01

and patients with NP + NRI had experienced the largest improvements in pain intensity. Similar results were obtained for activity limitation. CONCLUSIONS: This study found baseline and outcome differences between neck pain subgroups classified using the Quebec Task Force Classification System. However......BACKGROUND: The component of the Quebec Task Force Classification System that subgroups patients based on the extent of their radiating pain and neurological signs has been demonstrated to have prognostic implications for patients with low back pain but has not been tested on patients with neck...... models. RESULTS: A total of 1,852 people were classified into subgroups (64 % females, mean age 49 years). Follow ups after 3, 6 and 12 months were available for 45 %, 32 % and 40 % of those invited to participate at each time point. A small improvement in pain was observed over time in all subgroups...

Subgroups based on thermal and pressure pain thresholds in women with chronic whiplash display differences in clinical presentation – an explorative study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Börsbo B

2012-11-01

Full Text Available Björn Börsbo,1,2 Gunilla M Liedberg,3 Mia Wallin,1,3 Björn Gerdle1,41Department of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Linköping, Linköping, Sweden; 2Clinical Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, County Hospital Ryhov, Jönköping, Sweden; 3Department of Social and Welfare Studies, University of Linköping, Norrköping, Sweden; 4Pain and Rehabilitation Centre, UHL, Östergötland County Council, Linköping, SwedenPurpose: To investigate the presence of subgroups in chronic whiplash-associated disorders (WAD based on pain thresholds for pressure (PPT, cold (CPT, and heat (HPT and to compare these subgroups with respect to symptomatology, disability, and health aspects. Methods: Two groups of female subjects – patients with chronic WAD (n = 28 and healthy controls (CON; n = 29 – were investigated. Quantitative sensory testing (QST for thermal thresholds and algometry for PPT at four sites in the body (over the trapezius and tibialis anterior bilaterally were determined. Habitual pain intensities, psychological strain, disability, and health aspects were registered using a questionnaire.Results: A cluster analysis based on PPT, CPT, and HPT identified two subgroups of chronic WAD: one sensitive subgroup (s-WAD; n = 21, and one less sensitive subgroup (ls-WAD; n = 6. S-WAD displayed widespread hyperalgesia, whereas ls-WAD had localized hyperalgesia in the neck area, with tendencies to supernormal values in remote areas of the body. Generally, s-WAD had a significantly worse situation than the CON with respect to symptomatology, disability, and health aspects. The ls-WAD group was intermediary between s-WAD and CON in these aspects.Conclusion: Different explanations, eg, severity of the pain condition per se, etiological factors, and pre-trauma differences in pain sensitivity, may exist for the differences in pain thresholds between the two subgroups. Future research should investigate the role of pain thresholds in the chronic

Does Classification of Persons with Fibromyalgia into Multidimensional Pain Inventory Subgroups Detect Differences in Outcome after a Standard Chronic Pain Management Program?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Martin L Verra

2009-01-01

Full Text Available INTRODUCTION: The present study aimed to replicate and validate the empirically derived subgroup classification based on the Multidimensional Pain Inventory (MPI in a sample of highly disabled fibromyalgia (FM patients. Second, it examined how the identified subgroups differed in their response to an intensive, interdisciplinary inpatient pain management program.

Premorbid IQ subgroups in first episode non affective psychosis patients: Long-term sex differences in function and neurocognition.

Science.gov (United States)

Ayesa-Arriola, Rosa; Setién-Suero, Esther; Neergaard, Karl David; Belzunces, Àuria Albacete; Contreras, Fernando; van Haren, Neeltje E M; Crespo-Facorro, Benedicto

2017-12-21

Low IQ has been associated with schizophrenia, even to the point of being posited as a possible causal factor for psychosis. However, individuals with normal and high IQ also develop psychotic illnesses. The aim of this study was to characterize premorbid IQ subgroups at first episode of psychosis (FEP). The study sample comes from a large epidemiological, 3-year longitudinal, intervention program on psychosis containing individuals living in a catchment area in Spain. Estimated premorbid IQ (epIQ) scores were used to build low (110) epIQ subgroups in samples of FEP patients (N=292) and healthy controls (N=199). The epIQ subgroups were compared in sociodemographic, neuropsychological, clinical and premorbid characteristics. Long-term functional and cognitive outcome, with a focus on sex differences, were also explored. Low-epIQ was more frequently found in FEP patients (28.8%) than in healthy controls (14.6%). Low-epIQ patients were more likely to have worse premorbid adjustment, belong to low socioeconomic status families, have less years of education, and to be single, unemployed, and younger. They presented more severe impairments in processing speed, executive and global cognitive function. Female patients with low-epIQ showed better baseline function and more stable outcome than males. Our results indicate that low premorbid IQ is a morbid manifestation, easily detected in a subgroup of FEP patients that predicts poorer outcome particularly in males. This perspective provides important information for the tailoring of subgroup-specific early intervention programs for psychosis. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Urinary infection caused by Micrococcus subgroup 3

Science.gov (United States)

Kerr, Helen

1973-01-01

The laboratory findings and clinical presentations in urinary infections in 23 nurses, 10 caused by Micrococcus subgroup 3 and 13 by Escherichia coli, were studied, and the symptoms and possible predisposing factors compared. There were no important differences between the two groups. The infections caused by Micrococcus subgroup 3 were symptomatically severe, as were those caused by Escherichia coli. PMID:4593863

Molecular subgroups of medulloblastoma identification using noninvasive magnetic resonance spectroscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Blüml, Stefan; Margol, Ashley S; Sposto, Richard; Kennedy, Rebekah J; Robison, Nathan J; Vali, Marzieh; Hung, Long T; Muthugounder, Sakunthala; Finlay, Jonathan L; Erdreich-Epstein, Anat; Gilles, Floyd H; Judkins, Alexander R; Krieger, Mark D; Dhall, Girish; Nelson, Marvin D; Asgharzadeh, Shahab

2016-01-01

Medulloblastomas in children can be categorized into 4 molecular subgroups with differing clinical characteristics, such that subgroup determination aids in prognostication and risk-adaptive treatment strategies. Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) is a widely available, noninvasive tool that is used to determine the metabolic characteristics of tumors and provide diagnostic information without the need for tumor tissue. In this study, we investigated the hypothesis that metabolite concentrations measured by MRS would differ between molecular subgroups of medulloblastoma and allow accurate subgroup determination. MRS was used to measure metabolites in medulloblastomas across molecular subgroups (SHH = 12, Groups 3/4 = 17, WNT = 1). Levels of 14 metabolites were analyzed to determine those that were the most discriminant for medulloblastoma subgroups in order to construct a multivariable classifier for distinguishing between combined Group 3/4 and SHH tumors. Medulloblastomas across molecular subgroups revealed distinct spectral features. Group 3 and Group 4 tumors demonstrated metabolic profiles with readily detectable taurine, lower levels of lipids, and high levels of creatine. SHH tumors showed prominent choline and lipid with low levels of creatine and little or no evidence of taurine. A 5-metabolite subgroup classifier inclusive of creatine, myo-inositol, taurine, aspartate, and lipid 13a was developed that could discriminate between Group 3/4 and SHH medulloblastomas with excellent accuracy (cross-validated area under the curve [AUC] = 0.88). The data show that medulloblastomas of Group 3/4 differ metabolically as measured using MRS when compared with SHH molecular subgroups. MRS is a useful and accurate tool to determine medulloblastoma molecular subgroups. © The Author(s) 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Neuro-Oncology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Do offenders and victims drink for different reasons? Testing mediation of drinking motives in the link between bullying subgroups and alcohol use in adolescence

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Archimi, A.; Kuntsche, E.N.

2014-01-01

Objectives: Previous studies have reported inconsistent evidence on associations between adolescents involved in different bullying subgroups (victims, offenders and offender-victims) and alcohol use. In addition, little is known about the underlying mechanisms between these bullying subgroups and

Etiological Subgroups of Small-for-Gestational-Age: Differential Neurodevelopmental Outcomes

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Xiuhong; Eiden, Rina D.; Epstein, Leonard H.; Shenassa, Edmond D.; Xie, Chuanbo; Wen, Xiaozhong

2016-01-01

Objectives It remains unclear why substantial variations in neurodevelopmental outcomes exist within small-for-gestational-age (SGA) children. We prospectively compared 5-y neurodevelopmental outcomes across SGA etiological subgroups. Methods Children born SGA (N = 1050) from U.S. Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Birth Cohort (2001–2007) was divided into etiological subgroups by each of 7 well-established prenatal risk factors. We fit linear regression models to compare 5-y reading, math, gross motor and fine motor scores across SGA subgroups, adjusting for socio-demographic confounders. Results Compared to singleton SGA subgroup, multiple-birth SGA subgroup had lower mean reading (adjusted mean difference, -4.08 [95% confidence interval, -6.10, -2.06]) and math (-2.22 [-3.61, -0.84]) scores. These disadvantages in reading and math existed only among multiple-birth SGA subgroup without ovulation stimulation (reading, -4.50 [-6.64, -2.36]; math, -2.91 [-4.37, -1.44]), but not among those with ovulation stimulation (reading, -2.33 [-6.24, 1.57]; math 0.63 [-1.86, 3.12]). Compared to singleton SGA subgroup without maternal smoking and inadequate gestational weight gain, singleton SGA subgroup with co-occurrence of maternal smoking and inadequate gestational weight gain (GWG) had lower mean reading (-4.81 [-8.50, -1.12]) and math (-2.95 [-5.51, -0.38]) scores. These differences were not mediated by Apgar score. Conclusions Multiple-birth SGA subgroups (vs. singleton SGA) or singleton SGA subgroup with co-occurrence of smoking and inadequate GWG (vs. singleton SGA subgroup without maternal smoking and inadequate gestational weight gain) have poorer cognitive development up to 5 y. PMID:27501456

Etiological Subgroups of Small-for-Gestational-Age: Differential Neurodevelopmental Outcomes.

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Xiuhong Li

Full Text Available It remains unclear why substantial variations in neurodevelopmental outcomes exist within small-for-gestational-age (SGA children. We prospectively compared 5-y neurodevelopmental outcomes across SGA etiological subgroups.Children born SGA (N = 1050 from U.S. Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Birth Cohort (2001-2007 was divided into etiological subgroups by each of 7 well-established prenatal risk factors. We fit linear regression models to compare 5-y reading, math, gross motor and fine motor scores across SGA subgroups, adjusting for socio-demographic confounders.Compared to singleton SGA subgroup, multiple-birth SGA subgroup had lower mean reading (adjusted mean difference, -4.08 [95% confidence interval, -6.10, -2.06] and math (-2.22 [-3.61, -0.84] scores. These disadvantages in reading and math existed only among multiple-birth SGA subgroup without ovulation stimulation (reading, -4.50 [-6.64, -2.36]; math, -2.91 [-4.37, -1.44], but not among those with ovulation stimulation (reading, -2.33 [-6.24, 1.57]; math 0.63 [-1.86, 3.12]. Compared to singleton SGA subgroup without maternal smoking and inadequate gestational weight gain, singleton SGA subgroup with co-occurrence of maternal smoking and inadequate gestational weight gain (GWG had lower mean reading (-4.81 [-8.50, -1.12] and math (-2.95 [-5.51, -0.38] scores. These differences were not mediated by Apgar score.Multiple-birth SGA subgroups (vs. singleton SGA or singleton SGA subgroup with co-occurrence of smoking and inadequate GWG (vs. singleton SGA subgroup without maternal smoking and inadequate gestational weight gain have poorer cognitive development up to 5 y.

SUBGR: A Program to Generate Subgroup Data for the Subgroup Resonance Self-Shielding Calculation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Kang Seog [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

2016-06-06

The Subgroup Data Generation (SUBGR) program generates subgroup data, including levels and weights from the resonance self-shielded cross section table as a function of background cross section. Depending on the nuclide and the energy range, these subgroup data can be generated by (a) narrow resonance approximation, (b) pointwise flux calculations for homogeneous media; and (c) pointwise flux calculations for heterogeneous lattice cells. The latter two options are performed by the AMPX module IRFFACTOR. These subgroup data are to be used in the Consortium for Advanced Simulation of Light Water Reactors (CASL) neutronic simulator MPACT, for which the primary resonance self-shielding method is the subgroup method.

Driver style and driver skill – Clustering sub-groups of drivers differing in their potential danger in traffic

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Martinussen, Laila Marianne; Møller, Mette; Prato, Carlo Giacomo

The Driver Behavior Questionnaire (DBQ) and the Driver Skill Inventory (DSI) are two of the most frequently used measures of self-reported driving style and driving skill. The motivation behind the present study was to test drivers’ consistency or judgment of their own self-reported driving ability...... based on a combined use of the DBQ and the DSI. Moreover, the joint use of the two instruments was applied to identify sub-groups of drivers that differ in their potential danger in traffic (as measured by frequency of aberrant driving behaviors and level of driving skills), as well as to test whether...... the sub-groups of drivers differed in characteristics such as age, gender, annual mileage and accident involvement. 3908 drivers aged 18–84 participated in the survey. The results suggested that the drivers are consistent in their reporting of driving ability, as the self-reported driving skill level...

Medulloblastoma in China: clinicopathologic analyses of SHH, WNT, and non-SHH/WNT molecular subgroups reveal different therapeutic responses to adjuvant chemotherapy.

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Zhen-Yu Zhang

Full Text Available Medulloblastoma (MB is one of the most common primary central nervous system tumors in children. Data is lacking of a large cohort of medulloblastoma patients in China. Also, our knowledge on the sensitivity of different molecular subgroups of MB to adjuvant radiation therapy (RT or chemotherapy (CHT is still limited. The authors performed a retrospective study of 173 medulloblastoma patients treated at two institutions from 2002 to 2011. Formalin-fixed paraffin embedded (FFPE tissues were available in all the cases and sections were stained to classify histological and molecular subgroups. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to investigate prognostic factors. Of 173 patients, there were 118 children and 55 adults, 112 males and 61 females. Estimated 5-year overall survival (OS rates for all patients, children and adults were 52%, 48% and 63%, respectively. After multivariate analysis, postoperative primary radiation therapy (RT and chemotherapy (CHT were revealed as favorable prognostic factors influencing OS and EFS. Postoperative primary chemotherapy (CHT was found significantly improving the survival of children (p<0.001 while it was not a significant prognostic factor for adult patients. Moreover, patients in WNT subtype had better OS (p = 0.028 than others (SHH and Non-SHH/WNT subtypes given postoperative adjuvant therapies. Postoperative primary RT was found to be a strong prognostic factor influencing the survival in all histological and molecular subgroups (p<0.001. Postoperative primary CHT was found significantly to influence the survival of classic medulloblastoma (CMB (OS p<0.001, EFS p<0.001, SHH subgroup (OS p = 0.020, EFS p = 0.049 and WNT subgroup (OS p = 0.003, EFS p = 0.016 but not in desmoplastic/nodular medulloblastoma (DMB (OS p = 0.361, EFS p = 0.834 and Non-SHH/WNT subgroup (OS p = 0.127, EFS p = 0.055. Our study showed postoperative primary CHT significantly influence the

Generation of recombinant avian metapneumovirus subgroup C (aMPV-C) viruses containing different length of the G gene.

Science.gov (United States)

Genetic variation in length of the G gene among different avian metapneumovirus subgroup C isolates has been reported. However, its biological significance in virus replication, pathogenicity and immunity is unknown. In this study, we developed a reverse genetics system for avian metapneumovirus C a...

Subgroup complexes

CERN Document Server

Smith, Stephen D

2011-01-01

This book is intended as an overview of a research area that combines geometries for groups (such as Tits buildings and generalizations), topological aspects of simplicial complexes from p-subgroups of a group (in the spirit of Brown, Quillen, and Webb), and combinatorics of partially ordered sets. The material is intended to serve as an advanced graduate-level text and partly as a general reference on the research area. The treatment offers optional tracks for the reader interested in buildings, geometries for sporadic simple groups, and G-equivariant equivalences and homology for subgroup complexes.

The relationship between post traumatic stress disorder and post traumatic growth: gender differences in PTG and PTSD subgroups.

Science.gov (United States)

Jin, Yuchang; Xu, Jiuping; Liu, Dongyue

2014-12-01

This study investigated the post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and post traumatic growth (PTG) in 2,300 earthquake survivors 1 year after the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between PTSD and PTG and also tested for the gender differences in PTSD and PTG subgroups. A stratification random sampling strategy and questionnaires were used to collect the data. The PTSD was assessed using the PTSD Check list-Civilian and the PTG was assessed using the Post traumatic growth inventory. 2,300 individuals were involved in the initial survey with 2,080 completing the final questionnaire, a response rate of 90.4%. One-way ANOVA analyses were performed to investigate the gender differences in the PTSD and PTG subgroups. One year following the earthquake, 40.1 and 51.1% of survivors reported PTSD and PTG, respectively. A bivariate correlation analysis indicated that there was a positive association between PTG and PTSD. The PTG and PTSD variance analysis conducted on female and male subgroups suggested that women were more affected than men. Given the relatively high PTG prevalence, it was concluded that researchers need to pay more attention to the positive outcomes of an earthquake rather than just focusing on the negative effects. The surveys and analyses indicated that psychological intervention and care for the earthquake disaster survivors should focus more on females and older people, who tend to be more adversely affected.

Does the impact of case management vary in different subgroups of multimorbidity? Secondary analysis of a quasi-experiment.

Science.gov (United States)

Stokes, Jonathan; Kristensen, Søren Rud; Checkland, Kath; Cheraghi-Sohi, Sudeh; Bower, Peter

2017-08-03

Health systems must transition from catering primarily to acute conditions, to meet the increasing burden of chronic disease and multimorbidity. Case management is a popular method of integrating care, seeking to accomplish this goal. However, the intervention has shown limited effectiveness. We explore whether the effects of case management vary in patients with different types of multimorbidity. We extended a previously published quasi-experiment (difference-in-differences analysis) with 2049 propensity matched case management intervention patients, adding an additional interaction term to determine subgroup effects (difference-in-difference-in-differences) by different conceptualisations of multimorbidity: 1) Mental-physical comorbidity versus others; 2) 3+ chronic conditions versus 5 versus others. Outcome measures included a variety of secondary care utilisation and cost measures. The majority of conceptualisations suggested little to no difference in effect between subgroups. Where results were significant, the vast majority of effect sizes identified in either direction were very small. The trend across the majority of the results appeared to show very slight increases of admissions with treatment for the most complex patients (highest risk). The exceptions to this, patients with a Charlson index >5 may benefit slightly more from case management with decreased ACSC admissions (effect size (ES): −0.06) and inpatient re-admissions (30 days, ES: −0.05), and patients with only cardiovascular/metabolic cluster conditions may benefit slightly more with decreased inpatient non-elective admissions (ES: −0.12). Only the three significant estimates for the musculoskeletal disorder cluster met the minimum requirement for at least a ‘small’ effect. Two of these estimates in particular were very large. This cluster represented only 0.5% of the total patients analysed, however, so is hugely vulnerable to the effects of outliers, and makes us very cautious of

Subgroup differences in the lexical tone mismatch negativity (MMN) among Mandarin speakers with congenital amusia.

Science.gov (United States)

Nan, Yun; Huang, Wan-ting; Wang, Wen-jing; Liu, Chang; Dong, Qi

2016-01-01

The association/dissociation of pitch processing between music and language is a long lasting debate. We examined this music-language relationship by investigating to what extent pitch deficits in these two domains were dissociable. We focused on a special neurodevelopmental pitch disorder - congenital amusia, which primarily affects musical pitch processing. Recent research has also revealed lexical tone deficits in speech among amusics. Approximately one-third of Mandarin amusics exhibits behavioural difficulties in lexical tone perception, which is known as tone agnosia. Using mismatch negativities (MMNs), our current work probed lexical tone encoding at the pre-attentive level among the Mandarin amusics with (tone agnosics) and without (pure amusics) behavioural lexical tone deficits compared with age- and IQ-matched controls. Relative to the controls and the pure amusics, the tone agnosics exhibited reduced MMNs specifically in response to lexical tone changes. Their tone-consonant MMNs were intact and similar to those of the other two groups. Moreover, the tone MMN reduction over the left hemisphere was tightly linked to behavioural insensitivity to lexical tone changes. The current study thus provides the first psychophysiological evidence of subgroup differences in lexical tone processing among Mandarin amusics and links amusics' behavioural tone deficits to impaired pre-attentive tone processing. Despite the overall music pitch deficits, the subgroup differences in lexical tone processing in Mandarin-speaking amusics suggest dissociation of pitch deficits between music and speech. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Intertumoral Heterogeneity within Medulloblastoma Subgroups.

Science.gov (United States)

Cavalli, Florence M G; Remke, Marc; Rampasek, Ladislav; Peacock, John; Shih, David J H; Luu, Betty; Garzia, Livia; Torchia, Jonathon; Nor, Carolina; Morrissy, A Sorana; Agnihotri, Sameer; Thompson, Yuan Yao; Kuzan-Fischer, Claudia M; Farooq, Hamza; Isaev, Keren; Daniels, Craig; Cho, Byung-Kyu; Kim, Seung-Ki; Wang, Kyu-Chang; Lee, Ji Yeoun; Grajkowska, Wieslawa A; Perek-Polnik, Marta; Vasiljevic, Alexandre; Faure-Conter, Cecile; Jouvet, Anne; Giannini, Caterina; Nageswara Rao, Amulya A; Li, Kay Ka Wai; Ng, Ho-Keung; Eberhart, Charles G; Pollack, Ian F; Hamilton, Ronald L; Gillespie, G Yancey; Olson, James M; Leary, Sarah; Weiss, William A; Lach, Boleslaw; Chambless, Lola B; Thompson, Reid C; Cooper, Michael K; Vibhakar, Rajeev; Hauser, Peter; van Veelen, Marie-Lise C; Kros, Johan M; French, Pim J; Ra, Young Shin; Kumabe, Toshihiro; López-Aguilar, Enrique; Zitterbart, Karel; Sterba, Jaroslav; Finocchiaro, Gaetano; Massimino, Maura; Van Meir, Erwin G; Osuka, Satoru; Shofuda, Tomoko; Klekner, Almos; Zollo, Massimo; Leonard, Jeffrey R; Rubin, Joshua B; Jabado, Nada; Albrecht, Steffen; Mora, Jaume; Van Meter, Timothy E; Jung, Shin; Moore, Andrew S; Hallahan, Andrew R; Chan, Jennifer A; Tirapelli, Daniela P C; Carlotti, Carlos G; Fouladi, Maryam; Pimentel, José; Faria, Claudia C; Saad, Ali G; Massimi, Luca; Liau, Linda M; Wheeler, Helen; Nakamura, Hideo; Elbabaa, Samer K; Perezpeña-Diazconti, Mario; Chico Ponce de León, Fernando; Robinson, Shenandoah; Zapotocky, Michal; Lassaletta, Alvaro; Huang, Annie; Hawkins, Cynthia E; Tabori, Uri; Bouffet, Eric; Bartels, Ute; Dirks, Peter B; Rutka, James T; Bader, Gary D; Reimand, Jüri; Goldenberg, Anna; Ramaswamy, Vijay; Taylor, Michael D

2017-06-12

While molecular subgrouping has revolutionized medulloblastoma classification, the extent of heterogeneity within subgroups is unknown. Similarity network fusion (SNF) applied to genome-wide DNA methylation and gene expression data across 763 primary samples identifies very homogeneous clusters of patients, supporting the presence of medulloblastoma subtypes. After integration of somatic copy-number alterations, and clinical features specific to each cluster, we identify 12 different subtypes of medulloblastoma. Integrative analysis using SNF further delineates group 3 from group 4 medulloblastoma, which is not as readily apparent through analyses of individual data types. Two clear subtypes of infants with Sonic Hedgehog medulloblastoma with disparate outcomes and biology are identified. Medulloblastoma subtypes identified through integrative clustering have important implications for stratification of future clinical trials. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Cluster Analysis of Clinical Data Identifies Fibromyalgia Subgroups

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Docampo, Elisa; Collado, Antonio; Escaramís, Geòrgia; Carbonell, Jordi; Rivera, Javier; Vidal, Javier; Alegre, José

2013-01-01

Introduction Fibromyalgia (FM) is mainly characterized by widespread pain and multiple accompanying symptoms, which hinder FM assessment and management. In order to reduce FM heterogeneity we classified clinical data into simplified dimensions that were used to define FM subgroups. Material and Methods 48 variables were evaluated in 1,446 Spanish FM cases fulfilling 1990 ACR FM criteria. A partitioning analysis was performed to find groups of variables similar to each other. Similarities between variables were identified and the variables were grouped into dimensions. This was performed in a subset of 559 patients, and cross-validated in the remaining 887 patients. For each sample and dimension, a composite index was obtained based on the weights of the variables included in the dimension. Finally, a clustering procedure was applied to the indexes, resulting in FM subgroups. Results Variables clustered into three independent dimensions: “symptomatology”, “comorbidities” and “clinical scales”. Only the two first dimensions were considered for the construction of FM subgroups. Resulting scores classified FM samples into three subgroups: low symptomatology and comorbidities (Cluster 1), high symptomatology and comorbidities (Cluster 2), and high symptomatology but low comorbidities (Cluster 3), showing differences in measures of disease severity. Conclusions We have identified three subgroups of FM samples in a large cohort of FM by clustering clinical data. Our analysis stresses the importance of family and personal history of FM comorbidities. Also, the resulting patient clusters could indicate different forms of the disease, relevant to future research, and might have an impact on clinical assessment. PMID:24098674

Cluster analysis of clinical data identifies fibromyalgia subgroups.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elisa Docampo

Full Text Available INTRODUCTION: Fibromyalgia (FM is mainly characterized by widespread pain and multiple accompanying symptoms, which hinder FM assessment and management. In order to reduce FM heterogeneity we classified clinical data into simplified dimensions that were used to define FM subgroups. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 48 variables were evaluated in 1,446 Spanish FM cases fulfilling 1990 ACR FM criteria. A partitioning analysis was performed to find groups of variables similar to each other. Similarities between variables were identified and the variables were grouped into dimensions. This was performed in a subset of 559 patients, and cross-validated in the remaining 887 patients. For each sample and dimension, a composite index was obtained based on the weights of the variables included in the dimension. Finally, a clustering procedure was applied to the indexes, resulting in FM subgroups. RESULTS: VARIABLES CLUSTERED INTO THREE INDEPENDENT DIMENSIONS: "symptomatology", "comorbidities" and "clinical scales". Only the two first dimensions were considered for the construction of FM subgroups. Resulting scores classified FM samples into three subgroups: low symptomatology and comorbidities (Cluster 1, high symptomatology and comorbidities (Cluster 2, and high symptomatology but low comorbidities (Cluster 3, showing differences in measures of disease severity. CONCLUSIONS: We have identified three subgroups of FM samples in a large cohort of FM by clustering clinical data. Our analysis stresses the importance of family and personal history of FM comorbidities. Also, the resulting patient clusters could indicate different forms of the disease, relevant to future research, and might have an impact on clinical assessment.

PTSD's factor structure and measurement invariance across subgroups with differing count of trauma types.

Science.gov (United States)

Contractor, Ateka A; Caldas, Stephanie V; Dolan, Megan; Lagdon, Susan; Armour, Chérie

2018-06-01

To investigate the effect of the count of traumatizing event (TE) types on post-trauma mental health, several studies have compared posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) severity between individuals experiencing one versus multiple TE types. However, the validity of these studies depends on the establishment of measurement invariance of the construct(s) of interest. The current study examined the stability of the most optimal PTSD Model symptom cluster constructs (assessed by the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 [PCL-5]) across subgroups experiencing one versus multiple TE types. The sample included university students (n = 556) endorsing at least one TE (Stressful Life Events Screening Questionnaire). Using data from the entire sample, results suggest that the PCL-5-assessed Hybrid Model provided a significantly better fit compared to other models. Results also indicated invariance of factor loadings (metric), and intercepts (scalar) for the PCL-5-assessed Hybrid Model factors across subgroups endorsing one (n = 191) versus multiple TE types (n = 365). Our findings thus support the stability, applicability, and meaningful comparison of the PCL-assessed Hybrid Model factor structure (including subscale severity scores) across subgroups experiencing one versus multiple TE types. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Identification of subgroups among fibromyalgia patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Auvinet, B; Chaleil, D

2012-09-28

This paper presents some hypotheses concerning the identification of homogeneous subgroups among fibromyalgia (FM) patients in order to improve the management of the disease. It also reviews the available literature about this subject. Three methods for subgrouping are discussed according to clinical features, biomarkers, and gait analysis. Clinical subgrouping based on cluster analysis has been used for the identification of homogeneous subgroups of patients and, more recently, homogeneous clinical features. So far, longitudinal studies using clinical subgroups to direct treatment and predict outcome are still required. Biomarkers in FM, which is a neurobiological disease, are of promising interest, nevertheless currently, none of them can be used to subgroup FM patients. Due to the fact that cortical and subcortical mechanisms of gait control share some cognitive functions which are involved in FM, gait markers have been proposed to evaluate and to subgroup FM patients, in clinical settings. Three out of 4 core FM symptoms are linked to gait markers. Kinesia measured by means of cranio-caudal power is correlated to pain, and could be proposed to assess pain behavior (kinesiophobia). Stride frequency, which is linked to physical component, allows the identification of a hyperkinetic subgroup. Moreover, SF has been correlated to fatigue during the 6 minute walking test. Stride regularity, which expresses the unsteadiness of gait, is correlated to cognitive dysfunction in FM. Decreased stride regularity allows the recognition of a homogeneous subgroup characterized by an increased anxiety and depression, and decreased cognitive functions. These results need further studies to be validated and so used in the daily clinical practice.

Identification of subgroups among fibromyalgia patients

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

D. Chaleil

2012-09-01

Full Text Available This paper presents some hypotheses concerning the identification of homogeneous subgroups among fibromyalgia (FM patients in order to improve the management of the disease. It also reviews the available literature about this subject. Three methods for subgrouping are discussed according to clinical features, biomarkers, and gait analysis. Clinical subgrouping based on cluster analysis has been used for the identification of homogeneous subgroups of patients and, more recently, homogeneous clinical features. So far, longitudinal studies using clinical subgroups to direct treatment and predict outcome are still required. Biomarkers in FM, which is a neurobiological disease, are of promising interest, nevertheless currently, none of them can be used to subgroup FM patients. Due to the fact that cortical and subcortical mechanisms of gait control share some cognitive functions which are involved in FM, gait markers have been proposed to evaluate and to subgroup FM patients, in clinical settings. Three out of 4 core FM symptoms are linked to gait markers. Kinesia measured by means of cranio-caudal power is correlated to pain, and could be proposed to assess pain behavior (kinesiophobia. Stride frequency, which is linked to physical component, allows the identification of a hyperkinetic subgroup. Moreover, SF has been correlated to fatigue during the 6 minute walking test. Stride regularity, which expresses the unsteadiness of gait, is correlated to cognitive dysfunction in FM. Decreased stride regularity allows the recognition of a homogeneous subgroup characterized by an increased anxiety and depression, and decreased cognitive functions. These results need further studies to be validated and so used in the daily clinical practice.

The interest of gait markers in the identification of subgroups among fibromyalgia patients

OpenAIRE

Auvinet, Bernard; Chaleil, Denis; Cabane, Jean; Dumolard, Anne; Hatron, Pierre; Juvin, Robert; Lanteri-Minet, Michel; Mainguy, Yves; Negre-Pages, Laurence; Pillard, Fabien; Riviere, Daniel; Maugars, Yves-Michel

2011-01-01

Abstract Background Fibromyalgia (FM) is a heterogeneous syndrome and its classification into subgroups calls for broad-based discussion. FM subgrouping, which aims to adapt treatment according to different subgroups, relies in part, on psychological and cognitive dysfunctions. Since motor control of gait is closely related to cognitive function, we hypothesized that gait markers could be of interest in the identification of FM patients' subgroups. This controlled study aimed at characterizin...

Childhood maltreatment among Hispanic women in the United States: an examination of subgroup differences and impact on psychiatric disorder.

Science.gov (United States)

Warner, Lynn A; Alegría, Margarita; Canino, Glorisa

2012-05-01

Prevalence rates of childhood maltreatment among Hispanic women in the United States are presented separately for nativity status and ethnic origin subgroups, and the associations between different types of maltreatment and the development of anxiety and depressive disorders are examined. Analyses used self-report data from 1,427 Hispanic women who participated in the National Latino and Asian American Survey. Foreign-born Hispanic women compared to U.S.-born Hispanic women reported significantly lower rates of sexual assault and witnessing interpersonal violence, and a significantly higher rate of being beaten. Ethnic subgroups reported similar rates of maltreatment, with the exception of rape. Bivariate analyses were remarkably consistent in that regardless of nativity status or ethnic subgroup, each type of maltreatment experience increased the risk of psychiatric disorder. In multivariate models controlling for all types of victimization and proxies of acculturation, having been beaten and witnessing interpersonal violence remained significant predictors of both disorders, but sexual abuse increased risk of anxiety only. A significant interaction effect of family cultural conflict and witnessing violence on anxiety provided very limited support for the hypothesis that acculturation moderates the influence of maltreatment on mental health outcomes. Implications for culturally relevant prevention and intervention approaches are presented.

Identifying differences in early literacy skills across subgroups of language-minority children: A latent profile analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Lonigan, Christopher J; Goodrich, J Marc; Farver, JoAnn M

2018-04-01

Despite acknowledgment that language-minority children come from a wide variety of home language backgrounds and have a wide range of proficiency in their first (L1) and second (L2) languages, it is unknown whether differences across language-minority children in relative and absolute levels of proficiency in L1 and L2 predict subsequent development of literacy-related skills. The purpose of this study was to identify subgroups of language-minority children and evaluate whether differences in level and rate of growth of early literacy skills differed across subgroups. Five-hundred and twenty-six children completed measures of Spanish and English language and early literacy skills at the beginning, middle, and end of the preschool year. Latent growth models indicated that children's early literacy skills were increasing over the course of the preschool year. Latent profile analysis indicated that language-minority children could be classified into nine distinct groups, each with unique patterns of absolute and relative levels of proficiency in L1 and L2. Results of three-step mixture models indicated that profiles were closely associated with level of early literacy skills at the beginning of the preschool year. Initial level of early literacy skills was positively associated with growth in code-related skills (i.e., print knowledge, phonological awareness) and inversely associated with growth in language skills. These findings suggest that language-minority children are a diverse group with regard to their L1 and L2 proficiencies and that growth in early literacy skills is most associated with level of proficiency in the same language. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Integrative genome-wide expression profiling identifies three distinct molecular subgroups of renal cell carcinoma with different patient outcome

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Beleut Manfred

2012-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Renal cell carcinoma (RCC is characterized by a number of diverse molecular aberrations that differ among individuals. Recent approaches to molecularly classify RCC were based on clinical, pathological as well as on single molecular parameters. As a consequence, gene expression patterns reflecting the sum of genetic aberrations in individual tumors may not have been recognized. In an attempt to uncover such molecular features in RCC, we used a novel, unbiased and integrative approach. Methods We integrated gene expression data from 97 primary RCC of different pathologic parameters, 15 RCC metastases as well as 34 cancer cell lines for two-way nonsupervised hierarchical clustering using gene groups suggested by the PANTHER Classification System. We depicted the genomic landscape of the resulted tumor groups by means of Single Nuclear Polymorphism (SNP technology. Finally, the achieved results were immunohistochemically analyzed using a tissue microarray (TMA composed of 254 RCC. Results We found robust, genome wide expression signatures, which split RCC into three distinct molecular subgroups. These groups remained stable even if randomly selected gene sets were clustered. Notably, the pattern obtained from RCC cell lines was clearly distinguishable from that of primary tumors. SNP array analysis demonstrated differing frequencies of chromosomal copy number alterations among RCC subgroups. TMA analysis with group-specific markers showed a prognostic significance of the different groups. Conclusion We propose the existence of characteristic and histologically independent genome-wide expression outputs in RCC with potential biological and clinical relevance.

A method for generating subgroup parameters from resonance tables

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Devan, K.; Mohanakrishnan, P.

1993-01-01

A method for generating subgroup or band parameters from resonance tables is described. A computer code SPART was written using this method. This code generates the subgroup parameters for any number of bands within the specified broad groups at different temperatures by reading the required input data from the binary cross section library in the Cadarache format. The results obtained with SPART code for two bands were compared with that obtained from GROUPIE code and a good agreement was obtained. Results of the generation of subgroup parameters in four bands for sample case of 239 Pu from resonance tables of Cadarache Ver.2 library is also presented. (author). 8 refs., 2 tabs

How do levonorgestrel-only emergency contraceptive pills prevent pregnancy? Some considerations.

Science.gov (United States)

Mozzanega, Bruno; Cosmi, Erich

2011-06-01

Controversial opinions exist about the possible mechanisms throughout emergency contraception prevents pregnancy. Recently, the International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics and the International Consortium for Emergency Contraception released a Joint Statement declaring that 'inhibition or delay of ovulation should be their primary and possibly only mechanism of action'. They still added that 'Review of the evidence suggests that LNG-ECPs cannot prevent implantation'. Concerning levonorgestrel-only emergency contraceptive pills effects on ovulation, the Statement based on seven reference papers which considered a total of only 142 patients, divided into still different subgroups. Basing on their same references we got quite different conclusions.

On the same side of the faultline: Inclusion in the leader’s subgroup and employee performance

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Meyer, B.; Shemla, M.; Li, J.; Wegge, J.

Extending theory on faultlines and subgroups, we argue that faultlines splitting a team into homogeneous subgroups can have different effects on team members' individual performance, depending on different intra-subgroup processes. Specifically, we propose that the effect of faultline strength on

Geographic Variations in Cardiovascular Disease Mortality Among Asian American Subgroups, 2003-2011.

Science.gov (United States)

Pu, Jia; Hastings, Katherine G; Boothroyd, Derek; Jose, Powell O; Chung, Sukyung; Shah, Janki B; Cullen, Mark R; Palaniappan, Latha P; Rehkopf, David H

2017-07-12

There are well-documented geographical differences in cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality for non-Hispanic whites. However, it remains unknown whether similar geographical variation in CVD mortality exists for Asian American subgroups. This study aims to examine geographical differences in CVD mortality among Asian American subgroups living in the United States and whether they are consistent with geographical differences observed among non-Hispanic whites. Using US death records from 2003 to 2011 (n=3 897 040 CVD deaths), age-adjusted CVD mortality rates per 100 000 population and age-adjusted mortality rate ratios were calculated for the 6 largest Asian American subgroups (Asian Indian, Chinese, Filipino, Japanese, Korean, and Vietnamese) and compared with non-Hispanic whites. There were consistently lower mortality rates for all Asian American subgroups compared with non-Hispanic whites across divisions for CVD mortality and ischemic heart disease mortality. However, cerebrovascular disease mortality demonstrated substantial geographical differences by Asian American subgroup. There were a number of regional divisions where certain Asian American subgroups (Filipino and Japanese men, Korean and Vietnamese men and women) possessed no mortality advantage compared with non-Hispanic whites. The most striking geographical variation was with Filipino men (age-adjusted mortality rate ratio=1.18; 95% CI, 1.14-1.24) and Japanese men (age-adjusted mortality rate ratio=1.05; 95% CI: 1.00-1.11) in the Pacific division who had significantly higher cerebrovascular mortality than non-Hispanic whites. There was substantial geographical variation in Asian American subgroup mortality for cerebrovascular disease when compared with non-Hispanic whites. It deserves increased attention to prioritize prevention and treatment in the Pacific division where approximately 80% of Filipinos CVD deaths and 90% of Japanese CVD deaths occur in the United States. © 2017 The Authors

Clinimetrics corner: choosing appropriate study designs for particular questions about treatment subgroups

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kent, Peter; Hancock, Mark; Petersen, Ditte H.D

2010-01-01

that are inappropriate given the randomized controlled trial design used. The research design to choose, when developing a study protocol that investigates the effect of treatment subgroups, depends on the particular research question. Similarly, the inferences that can be drawn from an existing study will vary...... receive the same treatment?'; and (4) 'Are outcomes for a number of treatments better if those treatments are matched to patients in specific subgroups, than if the SAME treatments are randomly given to patients?'. Illustrative examples of these studies are provided. Conclusion: If the clinical usefulness......Background: Many clinicians and researchers believe that there are subgroups of people with spinal pain who respond differently to treatment and have different prognoses. There has been considerable interest in this topic recently. However, problems occur when conclusions about subgroups are made...

Background-cross-section-dependent subgroup parameters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamamoto, Toshihisa

2003-01-01

A new set of subgroup parameters was derived that can reproduce the self-shielded cross section against a wide range of background cross sections. The subgroup parameters are expressed with a rational equation which numerator and denominator are expressed as the expansion series of background cross section, so that the background cross section dependence is exactly taken into account in the parameters. The advantage of the new subgroup parameters is that they can reproduce the self-shielded effect not only by group basis but also by subgroup basis. Then an adaptive method is also proposed which uses fitting procedure to evaluate the background-cross-section-dependence of the parameters. One of the simple fitting formula was able to reproduce the self-shielded subgroup cross section by less than 1% error from the precise evaluation. (author)

Subgroup Analysis of Trials Is Rarely Easy (SATIRE: a study protocol for a systematic review to characterize the analysis, reporting, and claim of subgroup effects in randomized trials

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Malaga German

2009-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Subgroup analyses in randomized trials examine whether effects of interventions differ between subgroups of study populations according to characteristics of patients or interventions. However, findings from subgroup analyses may be misleading, potentially resulting in suboptimal clinical and health decision making. Few studies have investigated the reporting and conduct of subgroup analyses and a number of important questions remain unanswered. The objectives of this study are: 1 to describe the reporting of subgroup analyses and claims of subgroup effects in randomized controlled trials, 2 to assess study characteristics associated with reporting of subgroup analyses and with claims of subgroup effects, and 3 to examine the analysis, and interpretation of subgroup effects for each study's primary outcome. Methods We will conduct a systematic review of 464 randomized controlled human trials published in 2007 in the 118 Core Clinical Journals defined by the National Library of Medicine. We will randomly select journal articles, stratified in a 1:1 ratio by higher impact versus lower impact journals. According to 2007 ISI total citations, we consider the New England Journal of Medicine, JAMA, Lancet, Annals of Internal Medicine, and BMJ as higher impact journals. Teams of two reviewers will independently screen full texts of reports for eligibility, and abstract data, using standardized, pilot-tested extraction forms. We will conduct univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses to examine the association of pre-specified study characteristics with reporting of subgroup analyses and with claims of subgroup effects for the primary and any other outcomes. Discussion A clear understanding of subgroup analyses, as currently conducted and reported in published randomized controlled trials, will reveal both strengths and weaknesses of this practice. Our findings will contribute to a set of recommendations to optimize

Subgroup analysis in burnout: relations between fatigue, anxiety and depression

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Arno eVan Dam

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Several authors have suggested that burned out patients do not form a homogeneous group and that subgroups should be considered. The identification of these subgroups may contribute to a better understanding of the burnout construct and lead to more specific therapeutic interventions. Subgroup analysis may also help clarify whether burnout is a distinct entity and whether subgroups of burnout overlap with other disorders such as depression and chronic fatigue syndrome. In a group of 113 clinically-diagnosed burned out patients, levels of fatigue, depression and anxiety were assessed. In order to identify possible subgroups, we performed a two-step cluster analysis. The analysis revealed two clusters that differed from one another in terms of symptom severity on the three aforementioned measures. Depression appeared to be the strongest predictor of group membership. These results are considered in the light of the scientific debate on whether burnout can be distinguished from depression and whether burnout subtyping is useful. Finally, implications for clinical practice and future research are discussed.

Subgroup Analysis in Burnout: Relations Between Fatigue, Anxiety, and Depression

Science.gov (United States)

van Dam, Arno

2016-01-01

Several authors have suggested that burned out patients do not form a homogeneous group and that subgroups should be considered. The identification of these subgroups may contribute to a better understanding of the burnout construct and lead to more specific therapeutic interventions. Subgroup analysis may also help clarify whether burnout is a distinct entity and whether subgroups of burnout overlap with other disorders such as depression and chronic fatigue syndrome. In a group of 113 clinically diagnosed burned out patients, levels of fatigue, depression, and anxiety were assessed. In order to identify possible subgroups, we performed a two-step cluster analysis. The analysis revealed two clusters that differed from one another in terms of symptom severity on the three aforementioned measures. Depression appeared to be the strongest predictor of group membership. These results are considered in the light of the scientific debate on whether burnout can be distinguished from depression and whether burnout subtyping is useful. Finally, implications for clinical practice and future research are discussed. PMID:26869983

Subgroups of Paediatric Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia Might Differ Significantly in Genetic Predisposition to Asparaginase Hypersensitivity.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nóra Kutszegi

Full Text Available L-asparaginase (ASP is a key element in the treatment of paediatric acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL. However, hypersensitivity reactions (HSRs to ASP are major challenges in paediatric patients. Our aim was to investigate genetic variants that may influence the risk to Escherichia coli-derived ASP hypersensitivity. Sample and clinical data collection was carried out from 576 paediatric ALL patients who were treated according to protocols from the Berlin-Frankfurt-Münster Study Group. A total of 20 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs in GRIA1 and GALNT10 genes were genotyped. Patients with GRIA1 rs4958351 AA/AG genotype showed significantly reduced risk to ASP hypersensitivity compared to patients with GG genotype in the T-cell ALL subgroup (OR = 0.05 (0.01-0.26; p = 4.70E-04, while no such association was found in pre-B-cell ALL. In the medium risk group two SNPs of GRIA1 (rs2055083 and rs707176 were associated significantly with the occurrence of ASP hypersensitivity (OR = 0.21 (0.09-0.53; p = 8.48E-04 and OR = 3.02 (1.36-6.73; p = 6.76E-03, respectively. Evaluating the genders separately, however, the association of rs707176 with ASP HSRs was confined only to females. Our results suggest that genetic variants of GRIA1 might influence the risk to ASP hypersensitivity, but subgroups of patients can differ significantly in this respect.

Subgroup analyses in confirmatory clinical trials: time to be specific about their purposes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Julien Tanniou

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background It is well recognized that treatment effects may not be homogeneous across the study population. Subgroup analyses constitute a fundamental step in the assessment of evidence from confirmatory (Phase III clinical trials, where conclusions for the overall study population might not hold. Subgroup analyses can have different and distinct purposes, requiring specific design and analysis solutions. It is relevant to evaluate methodological developments in subgroup analyses against these purposes to guide health care professionals and regulators as well as to identify gaps in current methodology. Methods We defined four purposes for subgroup analyses: (1 Investigate the consistency of treatment effects across subgroups of clinical importance, (2 Explore the treatment effect across different subgroups within an overall non-significant trial, (3 Evaluate safety profiles limited to one or a few subgroup(s, (4 Establish efficacy in the targeted subgroup when included in a confirmatory testing strategy of a single trial. We reviewed the methodology in line with this “purpose-based” framework. The review covered papers published between January 2005 and April 2015 and aimed to classify them in none, one or more of the aforementioned purposes. Results In total 1857 potentially eligible papers were identified. Forty-eight papers were selected and 20 additional relevant papers were identified from their references, leading to 68 papers in total. Nineteen were dedicated to purpose 1, 16 to purpose 4, one to purpose 2 and none to purpose 3. Seven papers were dedicated to more than one purpose, the 25 remaining could not be classified unambiguously. Purposes of the methods were often not specifically indicated, methods for subgroup analysis for safety purposes were almost absent and a multitude of diverse methods were developed for purpose (1. Conclusions It is important that researchers developing methodology for subgroup analysis

Model-based Recursive Partitioning for Subgroup Analyses

OpenAIRE

Seibold, Heidi; Zeileis, Achim; Hothorn, Torsten

2016-01-01

The identification of patient subgroups with differential treatment effects is the first step towards individualised treatments. A current draft guideline by the EMA discusses potentials and problems in subgroup analyses and formulated challenges to the development of appropriate statistical procedures for the data-driven identification of patient subgroups. We introduce model-based recursive partitioning as a procedure for the automated detection of patient subgroups that are identifiable by...

Research methods for subgrouping low back pain

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kent, Peter; Keating, Jennifer L; Leboeuf-Yde, Charlotte

2010-01-01

important distinctions in their treatment needs or prognoses. Due to a proliferation of research methods and variability in how subgrouping results are interpreted, it is timely to open discussion regarding a conceptual framework for the research designs and statistical methods available for subgrouping...... studies (a method framework). The aims of this debate article are: (1) to present a method framework to inform the design and evaluation of subgrouping research in low back pain, (2) to describe method options when investigating prognostic effects or subgroup treatment effects, and (3) to discuss...... the strengths and limitations of research methods suitable for the hypothesis-setting phase of subgroup studies....

On the subgroups of PR groups

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lebedenko, V.M.

1979-01-01

The subgroups of PR-groups are being studied, i.e., the subgroups of connected and simply connected nonabelian Lie groups, their Lie algebras being defined by the commuting relations of the type [Hsub(i), Hsub(j)] = rsub(ij)Hsub(i) (i 1 of PR-group G there exists such complementary subgroup G 2 and that group G is expanded in semidirect product G = G 1 xG 2 [ru

Finite subgroups of SU(3)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bovier, A.; Lueling, M.; Wyler, D.

1980-12-01

We present a new class of finite subgroups of SU(3) of the form Zsub(m) s zsub(n) (semidirect product). We also apply the methods used to investigate semidirect products to the known SU(3) subgroups Δ(3n 2 ) and Δ(6n 2 ) and give analytic formulae for representations (characters) and Clebsch-Gordan coefficients. (orig.)

The Flynn Effect within Subgroups in the U.S.: Gender, Race, Income, Education, and Urbanization Differences in the NLSY-Children Data

Science.gov (United States)

Ang, SiewChing; Rodgers, Joseph Lee; Wanstrom, Linda

2010-01-01

Although the Flynn Effect has been studied widely across cultural, geographic, and intellectual domains, and many explanatory theories have been proposed, little past research attention has been paid to subgroup differences. Rodgers and Wanstrom (2007) identified an aggregate-level Flynn Effect (FE) at each age between 5 and 13 in the Children of…

A Note on TI-Subgroups of Finite Groups

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

A subgroup of a finite group is called a TI-subgroup if H ∩ H x = 1 or for any x ∈ G . In this short note, the finite groups all of whose nonabelian subgroups are TI-subgroups are classified. Author Affiliations. Jiakuan Lu1 Linna Pang1. Department of Mathematics, Guangxi Normal University, Guangxi, Guilin 541004, ...

Measuring the Speed of Aging across Population Subgroups

Science.gov (United States)

2014-01-01

People in different subgroups age at different rates. Surveys containing biomarkers can be used to assess these subgroup differences. We illustrate this using hand-grip strength to produce an easily interpretable, physical-based measure that allows us to compare characteristic-based ages across educational subgroups in the United States. Hand-grip strength has been shown to be a good predictor of future mortality and morbidity, and therefore a useful indicator of population aging. Data from the Health and Retirement Survey (HRS) were used. Two education subgroups were distinguished, those with less than a high school diploma and those with more education. Regressions on hand-grip strength were run for each sex and race using age and education, their interactions and other covariates as independent variables. Ages of identical mean hand-grip strength across education groups were compared for people in the age range 60 to 80. The hand-grip strength of 65 year old white males with less education was the equivalent to that of 69.6 (68.2, 70.9) year old white men with more education, indicating that the more educated men had aged more slowly. This is a constant characteristic age, as defined in the Sanderson and Scherbov article “The characteristics approach to the measurement of population aging” published 2013 in Population and Development Review. Sixty-five year old white females with less education had the same average hand-grip strength as 69.4 (68.2, 70.7) year old white women with more education. African-American women at ages 60 and 65 with more education also aged more slowly than their less educated counterparts. African American men with more education aged at about the same rate as those with less education. This paper expands the toolkit of those interested in population aging by showing how survey data can be used to measure the differential extent of aging across subpopulations. PMID:24806337

Subgroup effects of occupational therapy-based intervention for people with advanced cancer

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pilegaard, Marc Sampedro; Østergaard, Lisa Gregersen; la Cour, Karen

2018-01-01

cancer (N = 242) and found no overall effects on ADL ability. However, heterogeneity of treatment effect may disguise subgroup differences. Objective: To investigate whether subgroups of people with advanced cancer gain positive effects from the ‘Cancer Home-Life Intervention’ on ADL ability. Material....... Results: The ‘Cancer Home-Life Intervention’ had no statistically significant effect in the six subgroups. Modifying effects of age (0.30 [95% CI: −0.05 to 0.64]) and gender (0.23 [95% CI: −0.11 to 0.57]) were not found. Conclusion: There were no subgroup effects of the ‘Cancer Home-Life Intervention......’on ADL motor ability. Some indications suggest greater effects for those aged below 69 years; however, this result should be interpreted with caution....

The interest of gait markers in the identification of subgroups among fibromyalgia patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Auvinet, Bernard; Chaleil, Denis; Cabane, Jean; Dumolard, Anne; Hatron, Pierre; Juvin, Robert; Lanteri-Minet, Michel; Mainguy, Yves; Negre-Pages, Laurence; Pillard, Fabien; Riviere, Daniel; Maugars, Yves-Michel

2011-11-11

Fibromyalgia (FM) is a heterogeneous syndrome and its classification into subgroups calls for broad-based discussion. FM subgrouping, which aims to adapt treatment according to different subgroups, relies in part, on psychological and cognitive dysfunctions. Since motor control of gait is closely related to cognitive function, we hypothesized that gait markers could be of interest in the identification of FM patients' subgroups. This controlled study aimed at characterizing gait disorders in FM, and subgrouping FM patients according to gait markers such as stride frequency (SF), stride regularity (SR), and cranio-caudal power (CCP) which measures kinesia. A multicentre, observational open trial enrolled patients with primary FM (44.1 ± 8.1 y), and matched controls (44.1 ± 7.3 y). Outcome measurements and gait analyses were available for 52 pairs. A 3-step statistical analysis was carried out. A preliminary single blind analysis using k-means cluster was performed as an initial validation of gait markers. Then in order to quantify FM patients according to psychometric and gait variables an open descriptive analysis comparing patients and controls were made, and correlations between gait variables and main outcomes were calculated. Finally using cluster analysis, we described subgroups for each gait variable and looked for significant differences in self-reported assessments. SF was the most discriminating gait variable (73% of patients and controls). SF, SR, and CCP were different between patients and controls. There was a non-significant association between SF, FIQ and physical components from Short-Form 36 (p = 0.06). SR was correlated to FIQ (p = 0.01) and catastrophizing (p = 0.05) while CCP was correlated to pain (p = 0.01). The SF cluster identified 3 subgroups with a particular one characterized by normal SF, low pain, high activity and hyperkinesia. The SR cluster identified 2 distinct subgroups: the one with a reduced SR was distinguished by high FIQ

The interest of gait markers in the identification of subgroups among fibromyalgia patients

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Auvinet Bernard

2011-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Fibromyalgia (FM is a heterogeneous syndrome and its classification into subgroups calls for broad-based discussion. FM subgrouping, which aims to adapt treatment according to different subgroups, relies in part, on psychological and cognitive dysfunctions. Since motor control of gait is closely related to cognitive function, we hypothesized that gait markers could be of interest in the identification of FM patients' subgroups. This controlled study aimed at characterizing gait disorders in FM, and subgrouping FM patients according to gait markers such as stride frequency (SF, stride regularity (SR, and cranio-caudal power (CCP which measures kinesia. Methods A multicentre, observational open trial enrolled patients with primary FM (44.1 ± 8.1 y, and matched controls (44.1 ± 7.3 y. Outcome measurements and gait analyses were available for 52 pairs. A 3-step statistical analysis was carried out. A preliminary single blind analysis using k-means cluster was performed as an initial validation of gait markers. Then in order to quantify FM patients according to psychometric and gait variables an open descriptive analysis comparing patients and controls were made, and correlations between gait variables and main outcomes were calculated. Finally using cluster analysis, we described subgroups for each gait variable and looked for significant differences in self-reported assessments. Results SF was the most discriminating gait variable (73% of patients and controls. SF, SR, and CCP were different between patients and controls. There was a non-significant association between SF, FIQ and physical components from Short-Form 36 (p = 0.06. SR was correlated to FIQ (p = 0.01 and catastrophizing (p = 0.05 while CCP was correlated to pain (p = 0.01. The SF cluster identified 3 subgroups with a particular one characterized by normal SF, low pain, high activity and hyperkinesia. The SR cluster identified 2 distinct subgroups: the one with a

The interest of gait markers in the identification of subgroups among fibromyalgia patients

Science.gov (United States)

2011-01-01

Background Fibromyalgia (FM) is a heterogeneous syndrome and its classification into subgroups calls for broad-based discussion. FM subgrouping, which aims to adapt treatment according to different subgroups, relies in part, on psychological and cognitive dysfunctions. Since motor control of gait is closely related to cognitive function, we hypothesized that gait markers could be of interest in the identification of FM patients' subgroups. This controlled study aimed at characterizing gait disorders in FM, and subgrouping FM patients according to gait markers such as stride frequency (SF), stride regularity (SR), and cranio-caudal power (CCP) which measures kinesia. Methods A multicentre, observational open trial enrolled patients with primary FM (44.1 ± 8.1 y), and matched controls (44.1 ± 7.3 y). Outcome measurements and gait analyses were available for 52 pairs. A 3-step statistical analysis was carried out. A preliminary single blind analysis using k-means cluster was performed as an initial validation of gait markers. Then in order to quantify FM patients according to psychometric and gait variables an open descriptive analysis comparing patients and controls were made, and correlations between gait variables and main outcomes were calculated. Finally using cluster analysis, we described subgroups for each gait variable and looked for significant differences in self-reported assessments. Results SF was the most discriminating gait variable (73% of patients and controls). SF, SR, and CCP were different between patients and controls. There was a non-significant association between SF, FIQ and physical components from Short-Form 36 (p = 0.06). SR was correlated to FIQ (p = 0.01) and catastrophizing (p = 0.05) while CCP was correlated to pain (p = 0.01). The SF cluster identified 3 subgroups with a particular one characterized by normal SF, low pain, high activity and hyperkinesia. The SR cluster identified 2 distinct subgroups: the one with a reduced SR was

Tallying Differences between Demographic Subgroups from Multiple Institutions: The Practical Utility of Nonparametric Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Yorke, Mantz

2017-01-01

When analysing course-level data by subgroups based upon some demographic characteristics, the numbers in analytical cells are often too small to allow inferences to be drawn that might help in the enhancement of practices. However, relatively simple analyses can provide useful pointers. This article draws upon a study involving a partnership with…

Heterogeneity in chronic fatigue syndrome - empirically defined subgroups from the PACE trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Williams, T E; Chalder, T; Sharpe, M; White, P D

2017-06-01

Chronic fatigue syndrome is likely to be a heterogeneous condition. Previous studies have empirically defined subgroups using combinations of clinical and biological variables. We aimed to explore the heterogeneity of chronic fatigue syndrome. We used baseline data from the PACE trial, which included 640 participants with chronic fatigue syndrome. Variable reduction, using a combination of clinical knowledge and principal component analyses, produced a final dataset of 26 variables for 541 patients. Latent class analysis was then used to empirically define subgroups. The most statistically significant and clinically recognizable model comprised five subgroups. The largest, 'core' subgroup (33% of participants), had relatively low scores across all domains and good self-efficacy. A further three subgroups were defined by: the presence of mood disorders (21%); the presence of features of other functional somatic syndromes (such as fibromyalgia or irritable bowel syndrome) (21%); or by many symptoms - a group which combined features of both of the above (14%). The smallest 'avoidant-inactive' subgroup was characterized by physical inactivity, belief that symptoms were entirely physical in nature, and fear that they indicated harm (11%). Differences in the severity of fatigue and disability provided some discriminative validation of the subgroups. In addition to providing further evidence for the heterogeneity of chronic fatigue syndrome, the subgroups identified may aid future research into the important aetiological factors of specific subtypes of chronic fatigue syndrome and the development of more personalized treatment approaches.

Outcome of 24 years national surveillance in different hereditary colorectal cancer subgroups leading to more individualised surveillance

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lindberg, Lars Joachim; Ladelund, Steen; Frederiksen, Birgitte Lidegaard

2017-01-01

BACKGROUND: Individuals with hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC) have a high risk of colorectal cancer (CRC). The benefits of colonic surveillance in Lynch syndrome and Amsterdam-positive (familial CRC type X familial colorectal cancer type X (FCCTX)) families are clear; only...... in the Lynch subgroup (2.0%) than in any other subgroup (0.0-0.4%, pLynch (3.6%) and non-Lynch (2.3-3.9%, p=0.28) subgroups. Non-Lynch Amsterdam-positive and Amsterdam-negative families were similar in their CRC (0.1-0.4%, p=0.......072), advanced adenoma (2.3-3.3%, p=0.32) and simple adenoma (8.4-9.9%, p=0.43) incidence. In moderate-risk families, no CRC and only one advanced adenoma was found. CONCLUSIONS: The risk of CRC in Lynch families is considerable, despite biannual surveillance. We suggest less frequent and more individualised...

∗-supplemented subgroups of finite groups

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

A subgroup H of a group G is said to be M∗-supplemented in G if ... normal subgroups and determined the structure of finite groups by using some ...... [12] Monakhov V S and Shnyparkov A V, On the p-supersolubility of a finite group with a.

Some topics on permutable subgroups in infinite groups

OpenAIRE

Ialenti, Roberto

2017-01-01

The aim of this thesis is to study permutability in different aspects of the theory of infinite groups. In particular, it will be studied the structure of groups in which all the members of a relevant system of subgroups satisfy a suitable generalized condition of permutability.

Subgroups of GLn(R) for local rings R

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kuku, A.O.; Mahdavi-Hezavehi, M.

2002-07-01

Let R be a local ring, with maximal ideal m, and residue class division ring R/m=D. Put A=M n (R)-n≥1, and denote by A*=GL n (R) the group of units of A. Here we investigate some algebraic structure of subnormal and maximal subgroups of A * . For instance, when D is of finite dimension over its center, it is shown that finitely generated subnormal subgroups of A* are central. It is also proved that maximal subgroups of A* are not finitely generated. Furthermore, assume that P is a nonabelian maximal subgroup of GL 1 (R) such that P contains a noncentral soluble normal subgroup of finite index, it is shown that D is a crossed product division algebra. (author)

Subgroup effects of occupational therapy-based intervention for people with advanced cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Sampedro Pilegaard, Marc; Oestergaard, Lisa Gregersen; la Cour, Karen; Thit Johnsen, Anna; Brandt, Åse

2018-03-23

Many people with advanced cancer have decreased ability to perform activities of daily living (ADL). We recently performed a randomized, controlled trial (RCT) assessing the efficacy of an occupational therapy-based program, the 'Cancer Home-Life Intervention' in people with advanced cancer (N = 242) and found no overall effects on ADL ability. However, heterogeneity of treatment effect may disguise subgroup differences. To investigate whether subgroups of people with advanced cancer gain positive effects from the 'Cancer Home-Life Intervention' on ADL ability. An exploratory subgroup analysis including 191 participants from a RCT. The outcome was ADL motor ability measured by the Assessment of Motor and Process Skills (AMPS). Subgroups were defined by age, gender, years of education, type of primary tumor, functional level, and activity problems. The 'Cancer Home-Life Intervention' had no statistically significant effect in the six subgroups. Modifying effects of age (0.30 [95% CI: -0.05 to 0.64]) and gender (0.23 [95% CI: -0.11 to 0.57]) were not found. There were no subgroup effects of the 'Cancer Home-Life Intervention'on ADL motor ability. Some indications suggest greater effects for those aged below 69 years; however, this result should be interpreted with caution.

Subgroup analysis of telehealthcare for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Witt Udsen, Flemming; Lilholt, Pernille H.; Hejlesen, Ole K.

2017-01-01

-to-pay threshold values. The purpose of this article was to assess potential sources of variation across subgroups, which could explain overall cost-effectiveness results or be utilized in future economic studies in telehealthcare research. METHODS: First, the cost-structures and cost-effectiveness across COPD......PURPOSE: Results from the Danish cluster-randomized trial of telehealthcare to 1,225 patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), the Danish Telecare North Trial, concluded that the telehealthcare solution was unlikely to be cost-effective, by applying international willingness...... severities were analyzed. Second, five additional subgroup analyses were conducted, focusing on differences in cost-effectiveness across a set of comorbidities, age-groups, genders, resource patterns (resource use in the social care sector prior to randomization), and delivery sites. All subgroups were...

A single test for rejecting the null hypothesis in subgroups and in the overall sample.

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Yunzhi; Zhou, Kefei; Ganju, Jitendra

2017-01-01

In clinical trials, some patient subgroups are likely to demonstrate larger effect sizes than other subgroups. For example, the effect size, or informally the benefit with treatment, is often greater in patients with a moderate condition of a disease than in those with a mild condition. A limitation of the usual method of analysis is that it does not incorporate this ordering of effect size by patient subgroup. We propose a test statistic which supplements the conventional test by including this information and simultaneously tests the null hypothesis in pre-specified subgroups and in the overall sample. It results in more power than the conventional test when the differences in effect sizes across subgroups are at least moderately large; otherwise it loses power. The method involves combining p-values from models fit to pre-specified subgroups and the overall sample in a manner that assigns greater weight to subgroups in which a larger effect size is expected. Results are presented for randomized trials with two and three subgroups.

Fecal metagenomic profiles in subgroups of patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome.

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Nagy-Szakal, Dorottya; Williams, Brent L; Mishra, Nischay; Che, Xiaoyu; Lee, Bohyun; Bateman, Lucinda; Klimas, Nancy G; Komaroff, Anthony L; Levine, Susan; Montoya, Jose G; Peterson, Daniel L; Ramanan, Devi; Jain, Komal; Eddy, Meredith L; Hornig, Mady; Lipkin, W Ian

2017-04-26

Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) is characterized by unexplained persistent fatigue, commonly accompanied by cognitive dysfunction, sleeping disturbances, orthostatic intolerance, fever, lymphadenopathy, and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). The extent to which the gastrointestinal microbiome and peripheral inflammation are associated with ME/CFS remains unclear. We pursued rigorous clinical characterization, fecal bacterial metagenomics, and plasma immune molecule analyses in 50 ME/CFS patients and 50 healthy controls frequency-matched for age, sex, race/ethnicity, geographic site, and season of sampling. Topological analysis revealed associations between IBS co-morbidity, body mass index, fecal bacterial composition, and bacterial metabolic pathways but not plasma immune molecules. IBS co-morbidity was the strongest driving factor in the separation of topological networks based on bacterial profiles and metabolic pathways. Predictive selection models based on bacterial profiles supported findings from topological analyses indicating that ME/CFS subgroups, defined by IBS status, could be distinguished from control subjects with high predictive accuracy. Bacterial taxa predictive of ME/CFS patients with IBS were distinct from taxa associated with ME/CFS patients without IBS. Increased abundance of unclassified Alistipes and decreased Faecalibacterium emerged as the top biomarkers of ME/CFS with IBS; while increased unclassified Bacteroides abundance and decreased Bacteroides vulgatus were the top biomarkers of ME/CFS without IBS. Despite findings of differences in bacterial taxa and metabolic pathways defining ME/CFS subgroups, decreased metabolic pathways associated with unsaturated fatty acid biosynthesis and increased atrazine degradation pathways were independent of IBS co-morbidity. Increased vitamin B6 biosynthesis/salvage and pyrimidine ribonucleoside degradation were the top metabolic pathways in ME/CFS without IBS as well as in the

Discrimination of multilocus sequence typing-based Campylobacter jejuni subgroups by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry.

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Zautner, Andreas Erich; Masanta, Wycliffe Omurwa; Tareen, Abdul Malik; Weig, Michael; Lugert, Raimond; Groß, Uwe; Bader, Oliver

2013-11-07

Campylobacter jejuni, the most common bacterial pathogen causing gastroenteritis, shows a wide genetic diversity. Previously, we demonstrated by the combination of multi locus sequence typing (MLST)-based UPGMA-clustering and analysis of 16 genetic markers that twelve different C. jejuni subgroups can be distinguished. Among these are two prominent subgroups. The first subgroup contains the majority of hyperinvasive strains and is characterized by a dimeric form of the chemotaxis-receptor Tlp7(m+c). The second has an extended amino acid metabolism and is characterized by the presence of a periplasmic asparaginase (ansB) and gamma-glutamyl-transpeptidase (ggt). Phyloproteomic principal component analysis (PCA) hierarchical clustering of MALDI-TOF based intact cell mass spectrometry (ICMS) spectra was able to group particular C. jejuni subgroups of phylogenetic related isolates in distinct clusters. Especially the aforementioned Tlp7(m+c)(+) and ansB+/ ggt+ subgroups could be discriminated by PCA. Overlay of ICMS spectra of all isolates led to the identification of characteristic biomarker ions for these specific C. jejuni subgroups. Thus, mass peak shifts can be used to identify the C. jejuni subgroup with an extended amino acid metabolism. Although the PCA hierarchical clustering of ICMS-spectra groups the tested isolates into a different order as compared to MLST-based UPGMA-clustering, the isolates of the indicator-groups form predominantly coherent clusters. These clusters reflect phenotypic aspects better than phylogenetic clustering, indicating that the genes corresponding to the biomarker ions are phylogenetically coupled to the tested marker genes. Thus, PCA clustering could be an additional tool for analyzing the relatedness of bacterial isolates.

Antibody Prevalence and Factors Associated with Exposure to Orientia tsutsugamushi in Different Aboriginal Subgroups in West Malaysia

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Tay, Sun Tee; Mohamed Zan, Hafizatul Anis; Lim, Yvonne A. L.; Ngui, Romano

2013-01-01

Background Limited data is available on the current status of scrub typhus infection in the aboriginal population in Malaysia. This study was aimed to provide recent data on the degree of exposure of 280 individuals from seven aboriginal subgroups to Orientia tsutsugamushi (causative agent of scrub typhus) in West Malaysia. The environment, socioeconomic and behavioural risk factors associated with the disease were also investigated. Methods/Findings The antibody prevalence to O. tsutsugamushi ranged from 0 to 36.4% in seven subgroups, with high prevalence rates noted in subgroups involved in agricultural activity and the lowest prevalence rates noted in subgroups whose main occupations were associated to fishing. Univariate analysis indicated populations with age above 18 years (OR = 1.15, 95% CI = 1.02–1.30, P = 0.015), working (OR = 1.99, 95% CI = 1.01–3.92, P = 0.044), working at agriculture area (OR = 1.18, 95% CI = 0.98–1.42, P = 0.031), receiving household income less than US$ 166.7 (RM500) per month (OR = 2.43, 95% CI = 1.16–5.11, P = 0.016) and having close contact with animal pets (OR = 4.06, 95% CI = 1.20–13.76, P = 0.016) are significantly associated with exposure to O. tsutsugamushi. Multivariate analysis confirms that participants who are above 18 years old, receiving household income less than US$ 166.7 (RM500) per month and having close contact with animal pets are 3.6 times (95% CI = 1.81–7.03, Ppopulation in Malaysia. Awareness about the disease and education on the preventive measures are important in reducing the risk of acquiring scrub typhus in the population studied. PMID:23936576

Clinico-Epidemiological Comparison of Delusion-Prominent and Hallucination-Prominent Clinical Subgroups of Paranoid Schizophrenia.

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Kreinin, Anatoly; Krishtul, Vladimir; Kirsh, Zvi; Menuchin, Michael

2015-01-01

Though hallucinations and delusions are prominent basic impairments in schizophrenia, reports of the relationship between hallucinatory and delusional symptoms among schizophrenia patients are scant. To examine the epidemiological and clinical differences between mainly hallucinatory and mainly delusional subgroups of paranoid schizophrenia patients. One hundred schizophrenia patients, paranoid type, were recruited. In a cross-sectional study, participants were divided into Mainly Hallucinatory (H) and Mainly Delusional (D) subgroups. Demographic variables were compared and clinical characteristics were evaluated using the Scale for the Assessment of Positive Symptoms, the Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms, and the Clinical Global Impression Scale. The Quality-of-Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnaire-18 was used to assess quality of life. Clinically, the H group was more heterogeneous as expressed by the broader range of scores that described the clinical picture of patients in that subgroup (in 43 of 78 variables, 55.13%) and similar ranges of scores (31 of 78 variables, 39.74%) for patients in the D group. Duration of hospitalization was significantly longer in group H than in group D (p=0.047). There was no statistically significant difference between the H and D subgroups in demographic characteristics. There are distinct epidemiological and clinical differences between the H and D subgroups, with more severe positive and negative symptoms and greater functional impairment in the H group. Paranoid schizophrenia patients with prominent hallucinations have poorer prognosis and need intensive therapeutic rehabilitation beginning with onset-of-illness. Further genetic studies and comparisons of fMRI and/or PET findings are warranted to investigate additional distinctive characteristics of these subgroups.

Identification and Characterization of Unique Subgroups of Chronic Pain Individuals with Dispositional Personality Traits

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S. Mehta

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Objective. The current study attempted to identify and characterize distinct CP subgroups based on their level of dispositional personality traits. The secondary objective was to compare the difference among the subgroups in mood, coping, and disability. Methods. Individuals with chronic pain were assessed for demographic, psychosocial, and personality measures. A two-step cluster analysis was conducted in order to identify distinct subgroups of patients based on their level of personality traits. Differences in clinical outcomes were compared using the multivariate analysis of variance based on cluster membership. Results. In 229 participants, three clusters were formed. No significant difference was seen among the clusters on patient demographic factors including age, sex, relationship status, duration of pain, and pain intensity. Those with high levels of dispositional personality traits had greater levels of mood impairment compared to the other two groups (p<0.05. Significant difference in disability was seen between the subgroups. Conclusions. The study identified a high risk group of CP individuals whose level of personality traits significantly correlated with impaired mood and coping. Use of pharmacological treatment alone may not be successful in improving clinical outcomes among these individuals. Instead, a more comprehensive treatment involving psychological treatments may be important in managing the personality traits that interfere with recovery.

Multinational comparative cross-sectional survey of views of medical students about acceptable terminology and subgroups in schizophrenia.

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Rathod, Shanaya; Irfan, Muhammad; Bhargava, Rachna; Pinninti, Narsimha; Scott, Joseph; Mohammad Algahtani, Haifa; Guo, Zhihua; Gupta, Rishab; Nadkarni, Pallavi; Naeem, Farooq; Howells, Fleur; Sorsdahi, Katherine; Thorne, Kerensa; Osman-Hicks, Victoria; Pallikadavath, Sasee; Phiri, Peter; Carr, Hannah; Graves, Lizi; Kingdon, David

2018-06-07

The aim of this study was to inform thinking around the terminology for 'schizophrenia' in different countries. The objective of this study was to investigate: (1) whether medical students view alternative terminology (psychosis subgroups), derived from vulnerability-stress models of schizophrenia, as acceptable and less stigmatising than the term schizophrenia; (2) if there are differences in attitudes to the different terminology across countries with different cultures and (3) whether clinical training has an impact in reducing stigma. This is a cross-sectional survey that examined the attitudes of medical students towards schizophrenia and the alternative subgroups. The study was conducted across eight sites: (1) University of Southampton, UK; (2) All India Institute of Medical Science, India; (3) Rowan University, USA; (4) Peshawar Medical College, Pakistan; (5) Capital Medical University, China; (6) College of Medicine and Medical sciences, Bahrain; (7) Queens University, Kingston, Canada and (8) University of Cape Town, South Africa. This study extended an initial pilot conducted by the Royal College of Psychiatrists on the term schizophrenia and psychosis subgroups to assess whether the subgroup terminology might have an effect on the attitudes of a convenience sample of medical students from eight different countries and potentially play a role in reducing stigmatisation. 1873 medical students completed a questionnaire recording their attitudes to schizophrenia and the psychosis subgroups. A reduction in negative perceptions were found for the psychosis subgroups, especially for the stress sensitivity psychosis and anxiety psychosis subgroups. Negative perceptions were found for drug-related psychosis. Participants who had undergone clinical training had overall positive attitudes. Differences across different countries were found. The attitudes towards psychosis subgroups used in this study have shown mixed results and variation across countries. Further

Atorvastatin in stroke: a review of SPARCL and subgroup analysis

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Branko N Huisa

2010-03-01

Full Text Available Branko N Huisa, Andrew B Stemer, Justin A ZivinDepartment of Neuroscience University of California, San Diego, CA, USAAbstract: Statin therapy in patients with cardiovascular disease is associated with reduced incidence of stroke. The Stroke Prevention by Aggressive Reduction of Cholesterol Levels (SPARCL trial showed daily treatment with 80 mg of atorvastatin in patients with a recent stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA reduced the incidence of fatal or nonfatal stroke by 16%. Several post hoc analyses of different subgroups followed the SPARCL study. They have not revealed any significant differences when patients were sorted by age, sex, presence of carotid disease or type of stroke, with the exception of intracranial hemorrhage as the entry event. Lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels in addition to possible neuroprotective mechanisms due to atorvastatin treatment correlate with improved risk reduction. Although not predefined subgroups and subject to an insufficient power, these post hoc studies have generated new clinical questions. However, clinicians should avoid denying therapy based on such subgroup analysis. At this point, the best evidence powerfully demonstrates stroke and TIA patients should be prescribed high dose statin therapy for secondary stroke prevention.Keywords: statins, intracranial hemorrhage, neuroprotection, outcome, prevention, carotid stenosis, transient ischemic attack

Suicide Risk across Latent Class Subgroups: A Test of the Generalizability of the Interpersonal Psychological Theory of Suicide.

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Ma, Jennifer S; Batterham, Philip J; Calear, Alison L; Han, Jin

2018-01-06

It remains unclear whether the Interpersonal Psychological Theory of Suicide (IPTS; Joiner, ) is generalizable to the population or holds more explanatory power for certain subgroups compared to others. The aim of this study was to (1) identify subgroups of individuals who endorsed suicide ideation in the past month based on a range of mental health and demographic variables, (2) compare levels of the IPTS constructs within these subgroups, and (3) test the IPTS predictions for suicide ideation and suicide attempt for each group. Latent class, negative binomial, linear, and logistic regression analyses were conducted on population-based data obtained from 1,321 adults recruited from Facebook. Among participants reporting suicide ideation, four distinct patterns of risk factors emerged based on age and severity of mental health symptoms. Groups with highly elevated mental health symptoms reported the highest levels of thwarted belongingness and perceived burdensomeness. Tests of the IPTS interactions provided partial support for the theory, primarily in young adults with elevated mental health symptoms. Lack of support found for the IPTS predictions across the subgroups and full sample in this study raise some questions around the broad applicability of the theory. © 2018 The American Association of Suicidology.

Two subgroups of antipsychotic-naive, first-episode schizophrenia patients identified with a Gaussian mixture model on cognition and electrophysiology

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bak, N.; Ebdrup, B.H.; Oranje, B

2017-01-01

Deficits in information processing and cognition are among the most robust findings in schizophrenia patients. Previous efforts to translate group-level deficits into clinically relevant and individualized information have, however, been non-successful, which is possibly explained by biologically...... different disease subgroups. We applied machine learning algorithms on measures of electrophysiology and cognition to identify potential subgroups of schizophrenia. Next, we explored subgroup differences regarding treatment response. Sixty-six antipsychotic-naive first-episode schizophrenia patients...... be used to classify subgroups of schizophrenia patients. The two distinct subgroups, which we identified, were psychopathologically inseparable before treatment, yet their response to dopaminergic blockade was predicted with significant accuracy. This proof of principle encourages further endeavors...

Score distribution of the scoliosis research society health-related quality of life in different subgroups of adolescent subjects unaffected by scoliosis in China.

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Wu, Weifei; Du, Yuanli; Liang, Jie; Chen, Ying; Tan, Xiaoyi; Xiang, Xuanping; Wang, Wanhong; Ru, Neng

2014-02-01

A comparative study. The aims of this study were to: (1) evaluate Scoliosis Research Society (SRS)-22 questionnaire performance in normal adolescents without scoliosis to establish a normative baseline useful for evaluating the discriminate validity of the SRS-22 in primary adolescent scoliosis; and (2) investigate impact of age and sex on SRS-22 in an adolescent population unaffected by scoliosis. The SRS-22 questionnaire is widely used to measure health-related quality of life of patients with spinal disease including scoliosis and lumbar spondylolisthesis. However, normal data, which are very important, when comparing patients and nonpatients, are few, little, and there are few studies about factors that may affect SRS questionnaire performance. The adolescent population was from 14 schools located in 7 provinces. A total of 2008 adolescents (961 females, 1026 males, 21 unknown; mean age, 14.3 yr; range, 11-20) completed the simplified Chinese version of SRS-22 questionnaire and demographic questions. Surveys were stratified into 8 age-sex groups for analysis: male/female; 12 to 13.4, 13.5 to 14.9, 15 to 15.9, and more than 16 years of age. Post hoc testing and the Tukey least significant difference were used to compare differences between any 2 of the 4 age groups. Self-image scores in males were higher than those in females (P < 0.01). Pain domain scores were significantly higher in males than those in females in the 13.5- to 14.9-year-old subgroup, whereas other subgroups showed no obvious differences. The function domain scores in males who were aged 15 to 15.9 years and those older than 16 years were significantly higher than those in females (P < 0.001). There were no statistically significant differences in mental health domain scores among age-sex subgroups, with the exception of the 13.5- to 14.9-year-old group. This is the first study to characterize the sex and age influence on the SRS-22 scores in normal population. Age and sex have an important

Identification of subgroups of inflammatory and degenerative MRI findings in the spine and sacroiliac joints

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Arnbak, Bodil Al-Mashhadi; Jensen, Rikke Krüger; Manniche, Claus

and the clinical presentation of back pain. The objectives of this explorative study were: 1) Investigate subgroups of MRI findings of the spine and sacroiliac joints (SIJs) using Latent Class Analysis (LCA) and 2) Investigate whether these subgroups differ in their demographic and clinical characteristics...

A method for generating subgroup parameters from resonance tables and the SPART code

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Devan, K.; Mohanakrishnan, P.

1995-01-01

A method for generating subgroup or band parameters from resonance tables is described. A computer code SPART was written using this method. This code generates the subgroup parameters for any number of bands within the specified broad groups at different temperatures by reading the required input data from the binary cross section library in the Cadarache format. The results obtained with SPART code for two bands were compared with that obtained from GROUPIE code and a good agreement was obtained. Results of the generation of subgroup parameters in four bands for sample case of 239 Pu from resonance tables of Cadarache Ver.2 library is also presented. 6 refs, 2 tabs

Type 2 diabetes: identifying high risk Asian American subgroups in a clinical population.

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Wang, Elsie J; Wong, Eric C; Dixit, Anjali A; Fortmann, Stephen P; Linde, Randolph B; Palaniappan, Latha P

2011-08-01

We compared the prevalence and treatment of type 2 diabetes across Asian American subgroups (Asian Indian, Chinese, Filipino, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese) and Non-Hispanic Whites (NHWs) in a Northern California healthcare system. A three-year, cross-sectional sample of patient electronic health records was accessed to compare diabetes prevalence in 21,816 Asian and 73,728 NHWs aged 35+ years. Diabetes was classified through ICD-9 codes, abnormal laboratory values, or use of oral anti-diabetic medication. Multivariate adjusted prevalence rates for each Asian subgroup, and adjusted odds ratios (OR) relative to NHWs, were compared. Age-adjusted prevalence ranged from 5.8% to 18.2% (women) and 8.1 to 25.3% (men). Age-adjusted ORs of Asian subgroups ranged 1.11-3.94 (women) and 1.14-4.56 (men). The odds of diabetes were significantly higher in Asian Indians (women OR 3.44, men OR 3.54) and Filipinos (women OR 3.94, men OR 4.56), compared to NHWs. Results for Asian Indians and Filipinos were similar with age-and-BMI adjustment. Treatment rates across subgroups were 59.7-82.0% (women) and 62.9-79.4% (men). Heterogeneity exists in the prevalence of diabetes across Asian subgroups, independent of obesity prevalence. Asian Indian and Filipino subgroups had particularly high prevalence of diabetes when compared to NHWs. Future studies should explore these clinically important differences among Asian subgroups. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Biological assessment of recombinant avian metapneumovirus subgroup C (aMPV-C) viruses containing different length of the G gene in cultured cells and SPF turkeys.

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Genetic variation in length of the glycoprotein (G) gene among different avian metapneumovirus subgroup C (aMPV-C) isolates has been reported. However, its biological significance in virus replication and pathogenicity is unknown. In this study, we generated two Colorado (CO) strain-based recombinan...

Subgroup-specific intrinsic disorder profiles of arabidopsis NAC transcription factors

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Stender, Emil G.; O'Shea, Charlotte; Skriver, Karen

2015-01-01

disordered but contain short, functionally important regions with structure propensities known as molecular recognition features. Here, we analyze for NAC subgroup-specific ID patterns. Some subgroups, such as the VND subgroup implicated in secondary cell wall biosynthesis, and the NAP/SHYG subgroup have...... highly conserved ID profiles. For the stress-associated ATAF1 subgroup and the CUC/ORE1 subgroup involved in development, only sub clades have similar ID patterns. For similar ID profiles, conserved molecular recognition features and sequence motifs represent likely functional determinants of e.......g. transcriptional activation and interactions. Based on our analysis, we suggest that ID profiling of regulatory proteins in general can be used to guide identification of interaction partners of network proteins....

The Flynn Effect within Subgroups in the U.S.: Gender, Race, Income, Education, and Urbanization Differences in the NLSY-Children Data

OpenAIRE

Ang, SiewChing; Rodgers, Joseph Lee; Wänström, Linda

2010-01-01

Although the Flynn Effect has been studied widely across cultural, geographic, and intellectual domains, and many explanatory theories have been proposed, little past research attention has been paid to subgroup differences. Rodgers and Wänström (2007) identified an aggregate-level Flynn Effect (FE) at each age between 5 and 13 in the Children of the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (NLSYC) PIAT-Math data. FE patterns were not obtained for Reading Recognition, Reading Comprehension, or D...

Evidence for a Priori Existence of Attentional Bias Subgroups in Emotional Processing of Aversive Stimuli

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Casper H. van Heck

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Little is known regarding inter-individual differences in attentional biases for pain-related information; more knowledge is crucial, since these biases have been associated with differences in pain processing as well as in predicting the risk of postoperative pain. The present study investigated EEG correlates of attentional bias patterns for pain-related information, with specific focus on avoidance- and vigilance-like behavior. Forty-one participants performed a dot-probe task, where neutral and pain-related words were used to create neutral, congruent, incongruent, and double (two pain-related words trials. EEG was recorded, which was used to generate ERP's of the word-processing phase and the post-dot phase. Participants were placed in two subgroups based on the direction of their attentional bias (either positive; toward the pain-related words, or negative; away from pain-related words. Using t-profiles, four latency windows were identified on which the two subgroups differed significantly. These latency windows yield areas which correspond with the P1-N1 domain and the P3b for the word-processing phase, while the post-dot phase latency windows cover the areas of the P200 and the P3b. The two subgroups show differences on congruent, incongruent, and the double trials, but interestingly also on the neutral trials. Most notably, the area in the word-phase associated with the P3b is diminished in the subgroup showing a negative bias. The deflections associated with both early and late attentional components, including the P3B, as well as a positive deflection in the timeframe of proposed response evaluation processes differ significantly between subgroups. In this study we demonstrated that different attentional biases exist in the healthy population, by showing differences in ERP's. We also show differences in processing neutral trials, which suggests there are fundamental differences between these groups in processing words in general.

The Importance of Risk and Subgroup Analysis of Nonparticipants in a Geriatric Intervention Study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rosted, Elizabeth; Poulsen, Ingrid; Hendriksen, Carsten

2016-01-01

Background: A major concern in intervention studies is the generalizability of the findings due to refusal of intended participants to actually take part. In studies including ill older people the number of those declining to participate may be large and the concern is therefore relevant.  Object...... recommend that intervention studies among older people or other fragile patient groups include analysis of relevant risk and subgroup analyses of refusers........  Objectives: To compare patients characteristics, rates of acute readmission, and mortality after one and six months among older persons who agreed and those who declined to participate in a randomized controlled trial and to describe subgroups of nonparticipants.  Design: Comparative study based...... on a randomized controlled trial.  Setting: University hospital in the Capital Region of Denmark.  Participants: Patients ≥70 years discharged home after a short Emergency Department stay. 399 were requested to participate; 271 consented, whereas 128 refused.  Results: Refusers were more likely to be readmitted...

Pediatric emergency department census during major sporting events.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Tommy Y; Barcega, Besh B; Denmark, T Kent

2012-11-01

Our study attempted to evaluate the effects of major sporting events on the census of a pediatric emergency department (ED) in the United States specifically related to the National Football League Super Bowl, National Basketball Association (NBA) Finals, and Major League Baseball World Series. We performed a retrospective data analysis of our pediatric ED census on the number of visits during major sporting events over a 5-year period. Data during the same period 1 week after the major sporting event were collected for comparison as the control. We evaluated the medians of 2-hour increments around the event start time. Subgroup analysis was performed for games involving the local sporting teams. Our results showed no significant difference in ED census during the sporting events, except in the post 6 to 8 hours of the NBA finals. Subgroup analysis of the Los Angeles Lakers showed the same significant findings in the post 6 to 8 hours of the NBA finals. No major difference in pediatric ED census is observed during the most major sporting events in the United States.

Efficacy of long-term milnacipran treatment in patients meeting different thresholds of clinically relevant pain relief: subgroup analysis of a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled withdrawal study

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Mease PJ

2014-11-01

Full Text Available Philip J Mease,1 Daniel J Clauw,2 Joel M Trugman,3 Robert H Palmer,3 Yong Wang3 1Swedish Medical Center and University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA; 2Chronic Pain and Fatigue Research Center, University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; 3Forest Research Institute, Jersey City, NJ, USA Background: Fibromyalgia patients from a long-term, open-label study of milnacipran (50–200 mg/day were eligible to participate in a 12-week, randomized, placebo-controlled withdrawal study. The withdrawal study evaluated loss of therapeutic response in patients who achieved ≥50% pain improvements after receiving up to 3.25 years of milnacipran. This post-hoc analysis investigated whether patients who met lower thresholds of pain improvement also experienced worsening of fibromyalgia symptoms upon treatment withdrawal. Method: Among patients who received milnacipran ≥100 mg/day during the long-term study, three subgroups were identified based on percentage of pain reduction at randomization: ≥50% (protocol-defined "responders"; n=150; ≥30% to <50% (patients with clinically meaningful pain improvement; n=61; and <30% (n=110. Efficacy assessments included the visual analog scale (VAS for pain, Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire-Revised (FIQR, 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey Physical Component Summary (SF-36 PCS, and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI. Results: In the ≥30 to <50% subgroup, significant worsening in pain was detected after treatment withdrawal. The difference between placebo and milnacipran in mean VAS score changes for this subgroup (+9.0, P<0.05 was similar to the difference in protocol-defined responders (+9.4, P<0.05. In the <30% subgroup, no worsening in pain was observed in either treatment arm. However, patients in this subgroup experienced significant worsening in FIQR scores after treatment withdrawal (placebo, +6.9; milnacipran, -2.8; P<0.001, as well as worsening in SF-36 PCS and BDI scores. Conclusion: Patients who

Electroencephalographic characterization of subgroups of children with learning disorders.

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Milene Roca-Stappung

Full Text Available Electroencephalographic alterations have been reported in subjects with learning disorders, but there is no consensus on what characterizes their electroencephalogram findings. Our objective was to determine if there were subgroups within a group of scholars with not otherwise specified learning disorders and if they had specific electroencephalographic patterns. Eighty-five subjects (31 female, 8-11 years who scored low in at least two subscales -reading, writing and arithmetic- of the Infant Neuropsychological Evaluation were included. Electroencephalograms were recorded in 19 leads during rest with eyes closed; absolute power was obtained every 0.39 Hz. Three subgroups were formed according to children's performance: Group 1 (G1, higher scores than Group 2 in reading speed and reading and writing accuracy, Group 2 (G2, better performance than G1 in composition and Group 3 (G3, lower scores than Groups 1 and 2 in the three subscales. G3 had higher absolute power in frequencies in the delta and theta range at left frontotemporal sites than G1 and G2. G2 had higher absolute power within alpha frequencies than G3 and G1 at the left occipital site. G3 had higher absolute power in frequencies in the beta range than G1 in parietotemporal areas and than G2 in left frontopolar and temporal sites. G1 had higher absolute power within beta frequencies than G2 in the left frontopolar site. G3 had lower gamma absolute power values than the other groups in the left hemisphere, and gamma activity was higher in G1 than in G2 in frontopolar and temporal areas. This group of children with learning disorders is very heterogeneous. Three subgroups were found with different cognitive profiles, as well as a different electroencephalographic pattern. It is important to consider these differences when planning interventions for children with learning disorders.

Latent class analysis derived subgroups of low back pain patients - do they have prognostic capacity?

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Molgaard Nielsen, Anne; Hestbaek, Lise; Vach, Werner; Kent, Peter; Kongsted, Alice

2017-08-09

Heterogeneity in patients with low back pain is well recognised and different approaches to subgrouping have been proposed. One statistical technique that is increasingly being used is Latent Class Analysis as it performs subgrouping based on pattern recognition with high accuracy. Previously, we developed two novel suggestions for subgrouping patients with low back pain based on Latent Class Analysis of patient baseline characteristics (patient history and physical examination), which resulted in 7 subgroups when using a single-stage analysis, and 9 subgroups when using a two-stage approach. However, their prognostic capacity was unexplored. This study (i) determined whether the subgrouping approaches were associated with the future outcomes of pain intensity, pain frequency and disability, (ii) assessed whether one of these two approaches was more strongly or more consistently associated with these outcomes, and (iii) assessed the performance of the novel subgroupings as compared to the following variables: two existing subgrouping tools (STarT Back Tool and Quebec Task Force classification), four baseline characteristics and a group of previously identified domain-specific patient categorisations (collectively, the 'comparator variables'). This was a longitudinal cohort study of 928 patients consulting for low back pain in primary care. The associations between each subgroup approach and outcomes at 2 weeks, 3 and 12 months, and with weekly SMS responses were tested in linear regression models, and their prognostic capacity (variance explained) was compared to that of the comparator variables listed above. The two previously identified subgroupings were similarly associated with all outcomes. The prognostic capacity of both subgroupings was better than that of the comparator variables, except for participants' recovery beliefs and the domain-specific categorisations, but was still limited. The explained variance ranged from 4.3%-6.9% for pain intensity and

Leading Causes of Death among Asian American Subgroups (2003-2011.

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Katherine G Hastings

Full Text Available Our current understanding of Asian American mortality patterns has been distorted by the historical aggregation of diverse Asian subgroups on death certificates, masking important differences in the leading causes of death across subgroups. In this analysis, we aim to fill an important knowledge gap in Asian American health by reporting leading causes of mortality by disaggregated Asian American subgroups.We examined national mortality records for the six largest Asian subgroups (Asian Indian, Chinese, Filipino, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese and non-Hispanic Whites (NHWs from 2003-2011, and ranked the leading causes of death. We calculated all-cause and cause-specific age-adjusted rates, temporal trends with annual percent changes, and rate ratios by race/ethnicity and sex. Rankings revealed that as an aggregated group, cancer was the leading cause of death for Asian Americans. When disaggregated, there was notable heterogeneity. Among women, cancer was the leading cause of death for every group except Asian Indians. In men, cancer was the leading cause of death among Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese men, while heart disease was the leading cause of death among Asian Indians, Filipino and Japanese men. The proportion of death due to heart disease for Asian Indian males was nearly double that of cancer (31% vs. 18%. Temporal trends showed increased mortality of cancer and diabetes in Asian Indians and Vietnamese; increased stroke mortality in Asian Indians; increased suicide mortality in Koreans; and increased mortality from Alzheimer's disease for all racial/ethnic groups from 2003-2011. All-cause rate ratios revealed that overall mortality is lower in Asian Americans compared to NHWs.Our findings show heterogeneity in the leading causes of death among Asian American subgroups. Additional research should focus on culturally competent and cost-effective approaches to prevent and treat specific diseases among these growing diverse populations.

Leading Causes of Death among Asian American Subgroups (2003-2011).

Science.gov (United States)

Hastings, Katherine G; Jose, Powell O; Kapphahn, Kristopher I; Frank, Ariel T H; Goldstein, Benjamin A; Thompson, Caroline A; Eggleston, Karen; Cullen, Mark R; Palaniappan, Latha P

2015-01-01

Our current understanding of Asian American mortality patterns has been distorted by the historical aggregation of diverse Asian subgroups on death certificates, masking important differences in the leading causes of death across subgroups. In this analysis, we aim to fill an important knowledge gap in Asian American health by reporting leading causes of mortality by disaggregated Asian American subgroups. We examined national mortality records for the six largest Asian subgroups (Asian Indian, Chinese, Filipino, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese) and non-Hispanic Whites (NHWs) from 2003-2011, and ranked the leading causes of death. We calculated all-cause and cause-specific age-adjusted rates, temporal trends with annual percent changes, and rate ratios by race/ethnicity and sex. Rankings revealed that as an aggregated group, cancer was the leading cause of death for Asian Americans. When disaggregated, there was notable heterogeneity. Among women, cancer was the leading cause of death for every group except Asian Indians. In men, cancer was the leading cause of death among Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese men, while heart disease was the leading cause of death among Asian Indians, Filipino and Japanese men. The proportion of death due to heart disease for Asian Indian males was nearly double that of cancer (31% vs. 18%). Temporal trends showed increased mortality of cancer and diabetes in Asian Indians and Vietnamese; increased stroke mortality in Asian Indians; increased suicide mortality in Koreans; and increased mortality from Alzheimer's disease for all racial/ethnic groups from 2003-2011. All-cause rate ratios revealed that overall mortality is lower in Asian Americans compared to NHWs. Our findings show heterogeneity in the leading causes of death among Asian American subgroups. Additional research should focus on culturally competent and cost-effective approaches to prevent and treat specific diseases among these growing diverse populations.

Risk perception of different emergencies in a sample of European firefighters.

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Prati, Gabriele; Pietrantoni, Luca; Saccinto, Elisa; Kehl, Doris; Knuth, Daniela; Schmidt, Silke

2013-01-01

Firefighters frequently incur injuries while providing emergency services. Risk perception has been found to be associated with injury and safety behavior. This study examined risk perception of different emergency situations among firefighters. Along with risk perceptions, we investigated the role of practical experience, perceived training, tenure, and acute stress related to different emergency situations. Participants were a sample of 1324 firefighters from Germany and Italy. A questionnaire was administered to participants on risk perceptions, practical experience, perceived training, tenure, and acute stress. The results showed that different levels of risk perception are related to different practical experience, acute stress reactions, and training. Higher risk perception was associated with higher perceived training, practical experience, and acute stress reactions. A significant difference was found between the German and the Italian sample in risk perceptions. More specifically the Italian sample perceived disasters (e.g., earthquakes) as more risky. Moreover, there were some differences in perceived training and practical experience about the different emergency situations, in the two samples. The results underline the importance of considering organizational factors in the prediction of risk perception among firefighters.

Subgroup analysis in burnout : Relations between fatigue, anxiety, and depression.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Dam, A.

2016-01-01

Several authors have suggested that burned out patients do not form a homogeneous group and that subgroups should be considered. The identification of these subgroups may contribute to a better understanding of the burnout construct and lead to more specific therapeutic interventions. Subgroup

Physiotherapy movement based classification approaches to low back pain: comparison of subgroups through review and developer/expert survey

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Karayannis Nicholas V

2012-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Several classification schemes, each with its own philosophy and categorizing method, subgroup low back pain (LBP patients with the intent to guide treatment. Physiotherapy derived schemes usually have a movement impairment focus, but the extent to which other biological, psychological, and social factors of pain are encompassed requires exploration. Furthermore, within the prevailing 'biological' domain, the overlap of subgrouping strategies within the orthopaedic examination remains unexplored. The aim of this study was "to review and clarify through developer/expert survey, the theoretical basis and content of physical movement classification schemes, determine their relative reliability and similarities/differences, and to consider the extent of incorporation of the bio-psycho-social framework within the schemes". Methods A database search for relevant articles related to LBP and subgrouping or classification was conducted. Five dominant movement-based schemes were identified: Mechanical Diagnosis and Treatment (MDT, Treatment Based Classification (TBC, Pathoanatomic Based Classification (PBC, Movement System Impairment Classification (MSI, and O'Sullivan Classification System (OCS schemes. Data were extracted and a survey sent to the classification scheme developers/experts to clarify operational criteria, reliability, decision-making, and converging/diverging elements between schemes. Survey results were integrated into the review and approval obtained for accuracy. Results Considerable diversity exists between schemes in how movement informs subgrouping and in the consideration of broader neurosensory, cognitive, emotional, and behavioural dimensions of LBP. Despite differences in assessment philosophy, a common element lies in their objective to identify a movement pattern related to a pain reduction strategy. Two dominant movement paradigms emerge: (i loading strategies (MDT, TBC, PBC aimed at eliciting a phenomenon

The Direct Assignment Option as a Modular Design Component: An Example for the Setting of Two Predefined Subgroups

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Ming-Wen An

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Background. A phase II design with an option for direct assignment (stop randomization and assign all patients to experimental treatment based on interim analysis, IA for a predefined subgroup was previously proposed. Here, we illustrate the modularity of the direct assignment option by applying it to the setting of two predefined subgroups and testing for separate subgroup main effects. Methods. We power the 2-subgroup direct assignment option design with 1 IA (DAD-1 to test for separate subgroup main effects, with assessment of power to detect an interaction in a post-hoc test. Simulations assessed the statistical properties of this design compared to the 2-subgroup balanced randomized design with 1 IA, BRD-1. Different response rates for treatment/control in subgroup 1 (0.4/0.2 and in subgroup 2 (0.1/0.2, 0.4/0.2 were considered. Results. The 2-subgroup DAD-1 preserves power and type I error rate compared to the 2-subgroup BRD-1, while exhibiting reasonable power in a post-hoc test for interaction. Conclusion. The direct assignment option is a flexible design component that can be incorporated into broader design frameworks, while maintaining desirable statistical properties, clinical appeal, and logistical simplicity.

Symptom dimensions and subgroups in childhood-onset schizophrenia.

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Craddock, Kirsten E S; Zhou, Xueping; Liu, Siyuan; Gochman, Peter; Dickinson, Dwight; Rapoport, Judith L

2017-11-13

This study investigated symptom dimensions and subgroups in the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) childhood-onset schizophrenia (COS) cohort and their similarities to adult-onset schizophrenia (AOS) literature. Scores from the Scales for the Assessment of Positive and Negative Symptoms (SAPS & SANS) from 125 COS patients were assessed for fit with previously established symptom dimensions from AOS literature using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). K-means cluster analysis of each individual's scores on the best fitting set of dimensions was used to form patient clusters, which were then compared using demographic and clinical data. CFA showed the SAPS & SANS data was well suited to a 2-dimension solution, including positive and negative dimensions, out of five well established models. Cluster analysis identified three patient groups characterized by different dimension scores: (1) low scores on both dimensions, (2) high negative, low positive scores, and (3) high scores on both dimensions. These groups had different Full scale IQ, Children's Global Assessment Scale (CGAS) scores, ages of onset, and prevalence of some co-morbid behavior disorders (all psymptom-based subgroups within the NIMH COS cohort using an established AOS symptom structure. These findings confirm the heterogeneity of COS and were generally consistent with AOS literature. Published by Elsevier B.V.

The Rivermead Mobility Index Allows Valid Comparisons Between Subgroups of Patients Undergoing Rehabilitation After Stroke Who Differ With Respect to Age, Sex, or Side of Lesion

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Roorda, Leo D.; Green, John R.; Houwink, Annemieke; Bagley, Pam J.; Smith, Jane; Molenaar, Ivo W.; Geurts, Alexander C.

Roorda LD, Green JR, Houwink A, Bagley PJ, Smith J, Molenaar IW, Geurts AC. The Rivermead Mobility index allows valid comparisons between subgroups of patients undergoing rehabilitation after stroke who differ with respect to age, sex, or side of lesion. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 2012;93:1086-90.

Stability and change in alcohol habits of different socio-demographic subgroups--a cohort study.

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Sydén, Lovisa; Wennberg, Peter; Forsell, Yvonne; Romelsjö, Anders

2014-05-29

Stability in alcohol habits varies over time and in subgroups, but there are few longitudinal studies assessing stability in alcohol habits by socio-demographic subgroups and potential predictors of stability and change. The aim was to study stability and change in alcohol habits by sex, age, and socio-economic position (SEP). Data derived from two longitudinal population based studies in Sweden; the PART study comprising 19 457 individuals aged 20-64 years in 1998-2000, and the Stockholm Public Health Cohort (SPHC) with 50 067 individuals aged 18-84 years in 2002. Both cohorts were followed-up twice; PART 2000-2003 and 2010, and SPHC 2007 and 2010. Alcohol habits were measured with the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT), and with normal weekly alcohol consumption (NWAC). Stability in alcohol habits was measured with intraclass correlation. Odds ratios were estimated in multinomial logistic regression analysis to predict stability in alcohol habits. For the two drinking measures there were no consistent patterns of stability in alcohol habits by sex or educational level. The stability was higher for older age groups and self-employed women. To be a man aged 30-39 at baseline predicted both increase and decrease in alcohol habits. The findings illustrate higher stability in alcohol habits with increasing age and among self-employed women with risky alcohol habits. To be a man and the age 30-39 predicted change in alcohol habits. No conclusive pattern of socio-economic position as predictor of change in alcohol habits was found and other studies of potential predictors seem warranted.

The influence of working memory on reading growth in subgroups of children with reading disabilities.

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Swanson, H Lee; Jerman, Olga

2007-04-01

This 3-year longitudinal study determined whether (a) subgroups of children with reading disabilities (RD) (children with RD only, children with both reading and arithmetic deficits, and low verbal IQ readers) and skilled readers varied in working memory (WM) and short-term memory (STM) growth and (b) whether growth in an executive system and/or a phonological storage system mediated growth in reading performance. A battery of memory and reading measures was administered to 84 children (11-17 years of age) across three testing waves spaced 1 year apart. The results showed that skilled readers yielded higher WM growth estimates than did the RD groups. No significant differentiation among subgroups of children with RD on growth measures emerged. Hierarchical linear modeling showed that WM (controlled attention), rather than STM (phonological loop), was related to growth in reading comprehension and reading fluency. The results support the notion that deficient growth in the executive component of WM underlies RD.

Pain modulatory phenotypes differentiate subgroups with different clinical and experimental pain sensitivity

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vaegter, Henrik B.; Graven-Nielsen, Thomas

2016-01-01

between subgroups. Cuff algometry was performed on lower legs in 400 chronic pain patients to assess pressure pain threshold (cPPT), pressure pain tolerance (cPTT), temporal summation of pain (TSP: increase in pain scores to ten repeated stimulations), and conditioned pain modulation (CPM: increase in c......PPT during cuff pain conditioning on the contralateral leg). Heat detection (HDT) and heat pain thresholds (HPT) at clinical painful and non-painful body areas were assessed. Based on TSP and CPM four distinct groups were formed: Group 1 (n=85) had impaired CPM and facilitated TSP. Group 2 (n=148) had...... impaired CPM and normal TSP. Group 3 (n=45) had normal CPM and facilitated TSP. Group 4 (n=122) had normal CPM and normal TSP. Group 1 showed more pain regions compared with the other three groups (PCPM and facilitated TSP plays an important role in widespread pain. Group 1...

A comparison of three clustering methods for finding subgroups in MRI, SMS or clinical data

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kent, Peter; Jensen, Rikke K; Kongsted, Alice

2014-01-01

). There is a scarcity of head-to-head comparisons that can inform the choice of which clustering method might be suitable for particular clinical datasets and research questions. Therefore, the aim of this study was to perform a head-to-head comparison of three commonly available methods (SPSS TwoStep CA, Latent Gold...... LCA and SNOB LCA). METHODS: The performance of these three methods was compared: (i) quantitatively using the number of subgroups detected, the classification probability of individuals into subgroups, the reproducibility of results, and (ii) qualitatively using subjective judgments about each program...... classify individuals into those subgroups. CONCLUSIONS: Our subjective judgement was that Latent Gold offered the best balance of sensitivity to subgroups, ease of use and presentation of results with these datasets but we recognise that different clustering methods may suit other types of data...

Subgroup conflicts? Try the psychodramatic "double triad method".

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Verhofstadt-Denève, Leni M F

2012-04-01

The present article suggests the application of a psychodramatic action method for tackling subgroup conflicts in which the direct dialogue between representatives of two opposing subgroups is prepared step by step through an indirect dialogue strategy within two triads, a strategy known as the Double Triad Method (DTM). In order to achieve integration in the group as a whole, it is important that all the members of both subgroups participate actively during the entire process. The first part of the article briefly explores the theoretical background, with a special emphasis on the Phenomenological-Dialectical Personality Model (Phe-Di PModel). In the second part, the DTM procedure is systematically described through its five action stages, each accompanied with 1) a spatial representation of the consecutive actions, 2) some illustrative statements for each stage, and 3) a theoretical interpretation of the dialectically involved personality dimensions in both protagonists. The article concludes with a discussion and suggestions for more extensive applications of the DTM method, including the question of its relationships to Agazarian's functional subgrouping, psychodrama, and sociodrama.

Identification and Characterization of Unique Subgroups of Chronic Pain Individuals with Dispositional Personality Traits.

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Mehta, S; Rice, D; McIntyre, A; Getty, H; Speechley, M; Sequeira, K; Shapiro, A P; Morley-Forster, P; Teasell, R W

2016-01-01

Objective. The current study attempted to identify and characterize distinct CP subgroups based on their level of dispositional personality traits. The secondary objective was to compare the difference among the subgroups in mood, coping, and disability. Methods. Individuals with chronic pain were assessed for demographic, psychosocial, and personality measures. A two-step cluster analysis was conducted in order to identify distinct subgroups of patients based on their level of personality traits. Differences in clinical outcomes were compared using the multivariate analysis of variance based on cluster membership. Results. In 229 participants, three clusters were formed. No significant difference was seen among the clusters on patient demographic factors including age, sex, relationship status, duration of pain, and pain intensity. Those with high levels of dispositional personality traits had greater levels of mood impairment compared to the other two groups (p personality traits significantly correlated with impaired mood and coping. Use of pharmacological treatment alone may not be successful in improving clinical outcomes among these individuals. Instead, a more comprehensive treatment involving psychological treatments may be important in managing the personality traits that interfere with recovery.

Gestational weight gain and perinatal outcomes of subgroups of Asian-American women, Texas, 2009.

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Cheng, Hsiu-Rong; Walker, Lorraine O; Brown, Adama; Lee, Ju-Young

2015-01-01

Asian-American subgroups are heterogeneous, but few studies had addressed differences on gestational weight gain (GWG) and perinatal outcomes related to GWG among this growing and diverse population. The purposes of this study were to examine whether Asian-American women are at higher risk of inadequate or excessive GWG and adverse perinatal outcomes than non-Hispanic White (NH-White) women, and to compare those risks among Asian-American subgroups. This retrospective study included all singleton births to NH-Asian Indian, Chinese, Filipino, Japanese, Korean, Vietnam, and NH-White women documented in 2009 Texas birth certificate data (N = 150,674). Data were analyzed using the χ(2) test, t test, multinomial logistic regression, and binary logistic regression. Chinese women were the reference group in the comparisons among Asian subgroups. Asian women had a higher risk of inadequate GWG and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) than NH-White women. No difference in the odds of excessive GWG was found among Asian subgroups, although Japanese women had the highest risk of inadequate GWG. After adjusting for confounders, Korean women had the lowest risk of GDM (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 0.49), whereas Filipino women and Asian Indian had the highest risks of gestational hypertension (AOR, 2.01 and 1.61), cesarean birth (AOR, 1.44 and 1.39), and low birth weight (AOR, 1.94 and 2.51) compared with Chinese women. These results support the heterogeneity of GWG and perinatal outcomes among Asian-American subgroups. The risks of adverse perinatal outcomes should be carefully evaluated separately among Asian-American subpopulations. Copyright © 2015 Jacobs Institute of Women's Health. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Molecular subgroups of medulloblastoma

OpenAIRE

Northcott, Paul A; Dubuc, Adrian M; Pfister, Stefan; Taylor, Michael D

2012-01-01

Recent efforts at stratifying medulloblastomas based on their molecular features have revolutionized our understanding of this morbidity. Collective efforts by multiple independent groups have subdivided medulloblastoma from a single disease into four distinct molecular subgroups characterized by disparate transcriptional signatures, mutational spectra, copy number profiles and, most importantly, clinical features. We present a summary of recent studies that have contributed to our understand...

Empirically derived pain-patient MMPI subgroups: prediction of treatment outcome.

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Moore, J E; Armentrout, D P; Parker, J C; Kivlahan, D R

1986-02-01

Fifty-seven male chronic pain patients admitted to an inpatient multimodal pain treatment program at a Midwestern Veterans Administration hospital completed the MMPI, Profile of Mood States (POMS), Tennessee Self-Concept Scale (TSCS), Rathus Assertiveness Schedule (RAS), activity diaries, and an extensive pain questionnaire. All patients were assessed both before and after treatment, and most also were assessed 2-5 months prior to treatment. No significant changes occurred during the baseline period, but significant improvements were evident at posttreatment on most variables: MMPI, POMS, TSCS, RAS, pain severity, sexual functioning, and activity diaries. MMPI subgroup membership, based on a hierarchical cluster analysis in a larger sample, was not predictive of differential treatment outcome. Possible reasons for comparable treatment gains among these subgroups, which previously have been shown to differ on many psychological and behavioral factors, are discussed.

Identities on maximal subgroups of GLn(D)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kiani, D.; Mahdavi-Hezavehi, M.

2002-04-01

Let D be a division ring with centre F. Assume that M is a maximal subgroup of GL n (D), n≥1 such that Z(M) is algebraic over F. Group identities on M and polynomial identities on the F-linear hull F[M] are investigated. It is shown that if F[M] is a PI-algebra, then [D:F] n (D) and M is a maximal subgroup of N. If M satisfies a group identity, it is shown that M is abelian-by-finite. (author)

Health promoting attitudes and behaviors of emergency physicians: exploring gender differences.

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Rondeau, Kent V; Francescutti, Louis H; Cummings, Garnet E

2006-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to report on gender differences in emergency physicians with respect to their attitudes, knowledge, and practices concerning health promotion and disease prevention. A mail survey of 325 male and 97 female Canadian emergency physicians. Results suggest female emergency physicians report having greater knowledge of health promotion topics, spend more time with each of their patients in the emergency setting, and engage in more health promotion counseling in the emergency setting than do their male counterparts. The paper argues that in the future, educating and socializing emergency physicians, both male and female, in the practice of health promotion will enhance the potential of the emergency department to be a more effective resource for their community.

Qualitative interaction trees: A tool to identify qualitative treatment-subgroup interactions

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dusseldorp, E.; Mechelen, I. van

2014-01-01

When two alternative treatments (A and B) are available, some subgroup of patients may display a better outcome with treatment A than with B, whereas for another subgroup, the reverse may be true. If this is the case, a qualitative (i.e., disordinal) treatment-subgroup interaction is present. Such

On the growth of rank for subgroups of finitely generated groups

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Osin, D V

1999-01-01

In [1] and [2] the functions of rank growth were independently introduced and investigated for subgroups of a finitely generated free group. In the present paper the concept of growth of rank is extended to subgroups of an arbitrary finitely generated group G, and the dependence of the asymptotic behaviour of the above functions on the choice of a finite generating set in G is studied. For a broad class of groups (which includes, in particular, the free polynilpotent groups) estimates for the growth of rank for subgroups are obtained that generalize the wellknown Baumslag-Eidel'kind result on finitely generated normal subgroups. Some problems related to the realization of arbitrary functions as functions of rank growth for subgroups of soluble groups are treated

Anatomic and Physiologic Heterogeneity of Subgroup-A Auditory Sensory Neurons in Fruit Flies.

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Ishikawa, Yuki; Okamoto, Natsuki; Nakamura, Mizuki; Kim, Hyunsoo; Kamikouchi, Azusa

2017-01-01

The antennal ear of the fruit fly detects acoustic signals in intraspecific communication, such as the courtship song and agonistic sounds. Among the five subgroups of mechanosensory neurons in the fly ear, subgroup-A neurons respond maximally to vibrations over a wide frequency range between 100 and 1,200 Hz. The functional organization of the neural circuit comprised of subgroup-A neurons, however, remains largely unknown. In the present study, we used 11 GAL4 strains that selectively label subgroup-A neurons and explored the diversity of subgroup-A neurons by combining single-cell anatomic analysis and Ca 2+ imaging. Our findings indicate that the subgroup-A neurons that project into various combinations of subareas in the brain are more anatomically diverse than previously described. Subgroup-A neurons were also physiologically diverse, and some types were tuned to a narrow frequency range, suggesting that the response of subgroup-A neurons to sounds of a wide frequency range is due to the existence of several types of subgroup-A neurons. Further, we found that an auditory behavioral response to the courtship song of flies was attenuated when most subgroup-A neurons were silenced. Together, these findings characterize the heterogeneous functional organization of subgroup-A neurons, which might facilitate species-specific acoustic signal detection.

Irreducible geometric subgroups of classical algebraic groups

CERN Document Server

Burness, Timothy C; Testerman, Donna M

2016-01-01

Let G be a simple classical algebraic group over an algebraically closed field K of characteristic p \\ge 0 with natural module W. Let H be a closed subgroup of G and let V be a non-trivial irreducible tensor-indecomposable p-restricted rational KG-module such that the restriction of V to H is irreducible. In this paper the authors classify the triples (G,H,V) of this form, where H is a disconnected maximal positive-dimensional closed subgroup of G preserving a natural geometric structure on W.

Predicting disease Risk by Transformation Models in the Presence of Unspecified Subgroup Membership.

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Wang, Qianqian; Ma, Yanyuan; Wang, Yuanjia

2017-10-01

Some biomedical studies lead to mixture data. When a discrete covariate defining subgroup membership is missing for some of the subjects in a study, the distribution of the outcome follows a mixture distribution of the subgroup-specific distributions. Taking into account the uncertain distribution of the group membership and the covariates, we model the relation between the disease onset time and the covariates through transformation models in each sub-population, and develop a nonparametric maximum likelihood based estimation implemented through EM algorithm along with its inference procedure. We further propose methods to identify the covariates that have different effects or common effects in distinct populations, which enables parsimonious modeling and better understanding of the difference across populations. The methods are illustrated through extensive simulation studies and a real data example.

Neuropsychological functioning in early-onset first-episode psychosis: comparison of diagnostic subgroups.

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Zabala, Arantzazu; Rapado, Marta; Arango, Celso; Robles, Olalla; de la Serna, Elena; González, Cristina; Rodríguez-Sánchez, José Manuel; Andrés, Patricia; Mayoral, María; Bombín, Igor

2010-04-01

The aims of this study were to examine the nature and extent of cognitive impairment in first-episode early-onset psychosis (FE-EOP) soon after their stabilisation and to search for potential differences according to specific diagnostic sub-groups of patients. As part of a Spanish multicentre longitudinal study, 107 FE-EOP patients and 98 healthy controls were assessed on the following cognitive domains: attention, working memory, executive functioning, and verbal learning and memory. Three diagnostic categories were established in the patient sample: schizophrenia (n = 36), bipolar disorder (n = 19), and other psychosis (n = 52). Patients performed significantly worse than controls in all cognitive domains. The three diagnostic sub-groups did not differ in terms of impaired/preserved cognitive functions or degree of impairment. FE-EOP patients show significant cognitive impairment that, during this early phase, seems to be non-specific to differential diagnosis.

Identifying and predicting subgroups of information needs among cancer patients: an initial study using latent class analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Neumann, Melanie; Wirtz, Markus; Ernstmann, Nicole; Ommen, Oliver; Längler, Alfred; Edelhäuser, Friedrich; Scheffer, Christian; Tauschel, Diethard; Pfaff, Holger

2011-08-01

Understanding how the information needs of cancer patients (CaPts) vary is important because met information needs affect health outcomes and CaPts' satisfaction. The goals of the study were to identify subgroups of CaPts based on self-reported cancer- and treatment-related information needs and to determine whether subgroups could be predicted on the basis of selected sociodemographic, clinical and clinician-patient relationship variables. Three hundred twenty-three CaPts participated in a survey using the "Cancer Patients Information Needs" scale, which is a new tool for measuring cancer-related information needs. The number of information need subgroups and need profiles within each subgroup was identified using latent class analysis (LCA). Multinomial logistic regression was applied to predict class membership. LCA identified a model of five subgroups exhibiting differences in type and extent of CaPts' unmet information needs: a subgroup with "no unmet needs" (31.4% of the sample), two subgroups with "high level of psychosocial unmet information needs" (27.0% and 12.0%), a subgroup with "high level of purely medical unmet information needs" (16.0%) and a subgroup with "high level of medical and psychosocial unmet information needs" (13.6%). An assessment of sociodemographic and clinical characteristics revealed that younger CaPts and CaPts' requiring psychological support seem to belong to subgroups with a higher level of unmet information needs. However, the most significant predictor for the subgroups with unmet information needs is a good clinician-patient relationship, i.e. subjective perception of high level of trust in and caring attention from nurses together with high degree of physician empathy seems to be predictive for inclusion in the subgroup with no unmet information needs. The results of our study can be used by oncology nurses and physicians to increase their awareness of the complexity and heterogeneity of information needs among CaPts and of

How FDG-PET helps making decision for surgery in various difficult subgroups of temporal lobe epilepsy?

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Tepmongkol, S [Division of Nuclear Medicine, Department of Radiology and Division of Neurology, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok (Thailand); Locharernkul, C [Division of Neurology, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University and Chulalongkorn Comprehensive Epilepsy Program under the patronage of Professor Doctor HRH Princess Chulabhorn, Bangkok (Thailand); Chaiwatanarat, T; Kingpetch, K; Sirisalipoch, S [Division of Nuclear Medicine, Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok (Thailand); Limotai, C; Loplumlert, J [Chulalongkorn Comprehensive Epilepsy Program under the patronage of Professor Doctor HRH Princess Chulabhorn, Bangkok (Thailand)

2007-07-01

Concordant pre-surgical data are the important predictors of good surgical outcome in patients with localization-related epilepsy. Medically intractable temporal lobe epilepsy with hippocampal sclerosis (HS) and concordant pre-surgical data is straightforward and may not need functional imaging. However, in other instances for example, HS with discordant data (HSD), bilateral HS with discordant data (BHSD), temporal lobe epilepsy with dual pathology (DP), non-lesional temporal lobe epilepsy (NL) are the difficult subgroups. In these groups, functional imaging eg. brain perfusion SPECT or brain PET may play a major role for surgical decision making. To our knowledge, there was no previous data in using FDG-PET in different subgroups as mentioned. Only some previous studies in single subgroup without analyzing impact of PET findings on decision-making have been reported. We thus aim to evaluate the usefulness of FDG-PET in these 4 subgroups.

Gambaran Populasi Golongan Darah Subgroup A (A1, A2 di PMI Kulon Progo

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hieronymus Rayi Prasetya

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Subgroup A1 and A2 are the most important in the blood group A. Subgroup A1 has the A antigen more than A2 subgroup, the A2 subgroup can cause misidentification of blood group due to poor A antigen and genetic variation possessed. Misidentification of the blood group will increase the risk of transfusion reactions. This research aims to describe the A1 and A2 subgroup population in Kulon Progo district. This study was conducted with a cross sectional sampling technique. The sample in this study were taken from donors of blood group A in Kulon Progo Red Cross. Identification of A1 and A2 subgroup is done by using lectin (Dolichos biflorus extract. The result of the examination of 53 samples showed that 96,2% was A1 subgroup and 3,8% was A2 subgroup. Key words : Subgroup A1, Subgroup A2, Population, Kulon Progo

A regional mineralogical study of the manganese-bearing Voelwater subgroup in the northern Cape Province

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kleyenstueber, A.S.E.

1985-11-01

The Voelwater Subgroup, of the Proterozoic Transvaal Sequence, in the Hotazel area, is preserved in five structurally controlled basins, on the eastern side of the Dimoten syncline. The Subgroup represents a relatively undisturbed unit of mixed volcanogenic - chemical sedimentary rocks. The Hotazel Formation within the Voelwater Subgroup, consists of a finely banded carbonate - silicate - hematite - manganese lutite sequence of banded iron-formation and must be unique in that it contains the world's largest land-based repository of manganese. Twenty-one drill cores, sampled lithologically at intervals of approximately one metre through the total sedimentary sequence, were studied by microscopic, X-ray diffraction and electron microprobe methods. The mineralogy of the Voelwater Subgroup was studied on a regional scale, with the emphasis on the minerals within the manganese beds of the Hotazel Formation. The objective of the study was: a. To study the variation and distrubution of minerals in the various manganese ores on a regional scale. b. To compare the mineralogical differences of the different ores mined, in order to gain a better understanding of their metallurgical behaviour. c. To try to locate high-grade manganese ore target areas for future exploration, with the aid of mineralogical information. d. To try to establish the origin of the manganese in the Voelwater Formation. e. To study the relationship of the manganese units with the adjacent chemical sediments of the Hotazel Formation

Considerations for subgroups and phenocopies in complex disease genetics.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ryan Ramanujam

Full Text Available The number of identified genetic variants associated to complex disease cannot fully explain heritability. This may be partially due to more complicated patterns of predisposition than previously suspected. Diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS may consist of multiple disease causing mechanisms, each comprised of several elements. We describe how the effect of subgroups can be calculated using the standard association measurement odds ratio, which is then manipulated to provide a formula for the true underlying association present within the subgroup. This is sensitive to the initial minor allele frequencies present in both cases and the subgroup of patients. The methodology is then extended to the χ(2 statistic, for two related scenarios. First, to determine the true χ(2 when phenocopies or disease subtypes reduce association and are reclassified as controls when calculating statistics. Here, the χ(2 is given by (1 + σ * (a + b/(c + d/(1 - σ, or (1 + σ/(1 - σ for equal numbers of cases and controls. Second, when subgroups corresponding to heterogeneity mask the true effect size, but no reclassification is made. Here, the proportion increase in total sample size required to attain the same χ(2 statistic as the subgroup is given as γ = (1 - σ/2/((1 - σ(1 - σc/(a + c(1 - σd/(b + d, and a python script to calculate and plot this value is provided at kirc.se. Practical examples show how in a study of modest size (1000 cases and 1000 controls, a non-significant SNP may exceed genome-wide significance when corresponding to a subgroup of 20% of cases, and may occur in heterozygous form in all cases. This methodology may explain the modest association found in diseases such as MS wherein heterogeneity confounds straightforward measurement of association.

The asymmetry of the entrainment range induced by the difference in intrinsic frequencies between two subgroups within the suprachiasmatic nucleus

Science.gov (United States)

Gu, Changgui; Yang, Huijie

2017-06-01

The rhythms of physiological and behavioral activities in mammals, which are regulated by the main clock suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) in the brain, can not be only synchronized to the natural 24 h light-dark cycle, but also to cycles with artificial periods. The range of the artificial periods that the animal can be synchronized to is called entrainment range. In the absence of the light-dark cycle, the animal can also maintain the circadian rhythm with an endogenous period close to 24 h. Experiments found that the entrainment range is not symmetrical with respect to the endogenous period. In the present study, an explanation is given for the asymmetry based on a Kuramoto model which describes the neuronal network of the SCN. Our numerical simulations and theoretical analysis show that the asymmetry results from the difference in the intrinsic frequencies between two subgroups of the SCN, as well as the entrainment range is affected by the difference.

Finite Groups with Given Quantitative Non-Nilpotent Subgroups II

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Shi, Jiangtao; Zhang, Cui

2014-01-01

As an extension of Shi and Zhang's 2011 article [4], we prove that any finite group having at most 23 non-normal non-nilpotent proper subgroups is solvable except for G ≅ A 5 or SL(2, 5), and any finite group having at most three conjugacy classes of non-normal non-nilpotent proper subgroups is s...

Associations between Extending Access to Primary Care and Emergency Department Visits: A Difference-In-Differences Analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Whittaker, William; Anselmi, Laura; Kristensen, Søren Rud; Lau, Yiu-Shing; Bailey, Simon; Bower, Peter; Checkland, Katherine; Elvey, Rebecca; Rothwell, Katy; Stokes, Jonathan; Hodgson, Damian

2016-09-01

Health services across the world increasingly face pressures on the use of expensive hospital services. Better organisation and delivery of primary care has the potential to manage demand and reduce costs for hospital services, but routine primary care services are not open during evenings and weekends. Extended access (evening and weekend opening) is hypothesized to reduce pressure on hospital services from emergency department visits. However, the existing evidence-base is weak, largely focused on emergency out-of-hours services, and analysed using a before-and after-methodology without effective comparators. Throughout 2014, 56 primary care practices (346,024 patients) in Greater Manchester, England, offered 7-day extended access, compared with 469 primary care practices (2,596,330 patients) providing routine access. Extended access included evening and weekend opening and served both urgent and routine appointments. To assess the effects of extended primary care access on hospital services, we apply a difference-in-differences analysis using hospital administrative data from 2011 to 2014. Propensity score matching techniques were used to match practices without extended access to practices with extended access. Differences in the change in "minor" patient-initiated emergency department visits per 1,000 population were compared between practices with and without extended access. Populations registered to primary care practices with extended access demonstrated a 26.4% relative reduction (compared to practices without extended access) in patient-initiated emergency department visits for "minor" problems (95% CI -38.6% to -14.2%, absolute difference: -10,933 per year, 95% CI -15,995 to -5,866), and a 26.6% (95% CI -39.2% to -14.1%) relative reduction in costs of patient-initiated visits to emergency departments for minor problems (absolute difference: -£767,976, -£1,130,767 to -£405,184). There was an insignificant relative reduction of 3.1% in total emergency

Associations between Extending Access to Primary Care and Emergency Department Visits: A Difference-In-Differences Analysis.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

William Whittaker

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Health services across the world increasingly face pressures on the use of expensive hospital services. Better organisation and delivery of primary care has the potential to manage demand and reduce costs for hospital services, but routine primary care services are not open during evenings and weekends. Extended access (evening and weekend opening is hypothesized to reduce pressure on hospital services from emergency department visits. However, the existing evidence-base is weak, largely focused on emergency out-of-hours services, and analysed using a before-and after-methodology without effective comparators.Throughout 2014, 56 primary care practices (346,024 patients in Greater Manchester, England, offered 7-day extended access, compared with 469 primary care practices (2,596,330 patients providing routine access. Extended access included evening and weekend opening and served both urgent and routine appointments. To assess the effects of extended primary care access on hospital services, we apply a difference-in-differences analysis using hospital administrative data from 2011 to 2014. Propensity score matching techniques were used to match practices without extended access to practices with extended access. Differences in the change in "minor" patient-initiated emergency department visits per 1,000 population were compared between practices with and without extended access. Populations registered to primary care practices with extended access demonstrated a 26.4% relative reduction (compared to practices without extended access in patient-initiated emergency department visits for "minor" problems (95% CI -38.6% to -14.2%, absolute difference: -10,933 per year, 95% CI -15,995 to -5,866, and a 26.6% (95% CI -39.2% to -14.1% relative reduction in costs of patient-initiated visits to emergency departments for minor problems (absolute difference: -£767,976, -£1,130,767 to -£405,184. There was an insignificant relative reduction of 3.1% in

Anaesthesiologists in prehospital care make a difference to certain groups of patients

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christensen, Erika Frischknecht; Melchiorsen, Hanne; Kilsmark, J.

2003-01-01

pattern among emergency ambulance users included all main groups of diseases. After the MECU fewer were brought to hospital. The overall mortality for all ambulance users was not influenced by the MECU. For the subgroups, especially AMI, mortality was lower after the introduction of the MECU.......ACKGROUND: Knowledge of the population using prehospital emergency services is scarce except for selected subgroups. Interventions are often made without evaluation. The aim of this study was (1) to describe mortality, hospitalization and the diagnostic pattern among emergency ambulance users...... and (2) to evaluate the impact of one mobile emergency care unit (MECU) staffed by an anesthesiologist. DESIGN AND METHODS: A descriptive and quasi-experimental study of consecutive emergency ambulance users during two 3-month periods: before the MECU (Period 1) and after (Period 2). Hospitalization...

Are there subgroups within the autistic spectrum? A cluster analysis of a group of children with autistic spectrum disorders.

Science.gov (United States)

Prior, M; Eisenmajer, R; Leekam, S; Wing, L; Gould, J; Ong, B; Dowe, D

1998-09-01

Comprehensive data on the developmental history and current behaviours of a large sample of high-functioning individuals with diagnoses of autism, Asperger's syndrome, or other related disorder were collected via parent interviews. This provided the basis for a taxonomic analysis to search for subgroups. Most participants also completed theory of mind tasks. Three clusters or subgroups were obtained; these differed on theory of mind performance and on verbal abilities. Although subgroups were identified which bore some relationship to clinical differentiation of autistic, Asperger syndrome, and Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS) cases, the nature of the differences between them appeared strongly related to ability variables. Examination of the kinds of behaviours that differentiated the groups suggested that a spectrum of autistic disorders on which children differ primarily in term of degrees of social and cognitive impairments could explain the findings.

Personalized dementia care: proven effectiveness of psychosocial interventions in subgroups

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Mierlo, L.D.; van der Roest, H.G.; Meiland, F.J.M.; Dröes, R.M.

2010-01-01

Many psychosocial intervention studies report effects in subgroups of people with dementia. Insight into the characteristics of these subgroups is important for care practice. This study reviews personal characteristics of people with dementia (living in the community or in an institution) that are

Subgroup analyses in randomised controlled trials: cohort study on trial protocols and journal publications.

Science.gov (United States)

Kasenda, Benjamin; Schandelmaier, Stefan; Sun, Xin; von Elm, Erik; You, John; Blümle, Anette; Tomonaga, Yuki; Saccilotto, Ramon; Amstutz, Alain; Bengough, Theresa; Meerpohl, Joerg J; Stegert, Mihaela; Olu, Kelechi K; Tikkinen, Kari A O; Neumann, Ignacio; Carrasco-Labra, Alonso; Faulhaber, Markus; Mulla, Sohail M; Mertz, Dominik; Akl, Elie A; Bassler, Dirk; Busse, Jason W; Ferreira-González, Ignacio; Lamontagne, Francois; Nordmann, Alain; Gloy, Viktoria; Raatz, Heike; Moja, Lorenzo; Rosenthal, Rachel; Ebrahim, Shanil; Vandvik, Per O; Johnston, Bradley C; Walter, Martin A; Burnand, Bernard; Schwenkglenks, Matthias; Hemkens, Lars G; Bucher, Heiner C; Guyatt, Gordon H; Briel, Matthias

2014-07-16

To investigate the planning of subgroup analyses in protocols of randomised controlled trials and the agreement with corresponding full journal publications. Cohort of protocols of randomised controlled trial and subsequent full journal publications. Six research ethics committees in Switzerland, Germany, and Canada. 894 protocols of randomised controlled trial involving patients approved by participating research ethics committees between 2000 and 2003 and 515 subsequent full journal publications. Of 894 protocols of randomised controlled trials, 252 (28.2%) included one or more planned subgroup analyses. Of those, 17 (6.7%) provided a clear hypothesis for at least one subgroup analysis, 10 (4.0%) anticipated the direction of a subgroup effect, and 87 (34.5%) planned a statistical test for interaction. Industry sponsored trials more often planned subgroup analyses compared with investigator sponsored trials (195/551 (35.4%) v 57/343 (16.6%), P<0.001). Of 515 identified journal publications, 246 (47.8%) reported at least one subgroup analysis. In 81 (32.9%) of the 246 publications reporting subgroup analyses, authors stated that subgroup analyses were prespecified, but this was not supported by 28 (34.6%) corresponding protocols. In 86 publications, authors claimed a subgroup effect, but only 36 (41.9%) corresponding protocols reported a planned subgroup analysis. Subgroup analyses are insufficiently described in the protocols of randomised controlled trials submitted to research ethics committees, and investigators rarely specify the anticipated direction of subgroup effects. More than one third of statements in publications of randomised controlled trials about subgroup prespecification had no documentation in the corresponding protocols. Definitive judgments regarding credibility of claimed subgroup effects are not possible without access to protocols and analysis plans of randomised controlled trials. © The DISCO study group 2014.

High School Graduation Rates across English Learner Student Subgroups in Arizona. REL 2017-205

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Min; Haas, Eric; Zhu, Niufeng; Tran, Loan

2016-01-01

Recent studies have documented differences in academic achievement between current and former English learner students. These differences validate calls for more focused analyses of achievement across English learner student subgroups. Specifically, there is interest in examining variation in academic success based on the amount of time a student…

Genetically meaningful phenotypic subgroups in autism spectrum disorders.

Science.gov (United States)

Veatch, O J; Veenstra-Vanderweele, J; Potter, M; Pericak-Vance, M A; Haines, J L

2014-03-01

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder with strong evidence for genetic susceptibility. However, the effect sizes for implicated chromosomal loci are small, hard to replicate and current evidence does not explain the majority of the estimated heritability. Phenotypic heterogeneity could be one phenomenon complicating identification of genetic factors. We used data from the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised, Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales, head circumferences, and ages at exams as classifying variables to identify more clinically similar subgroups of individuals with ASD. We identified two distinct subgroups of cases within the Autism Genetic Resource Exchange dataset, primarily defined by the overall severity of evaluated traits. In addition, there was significant familial clustering within subgroups (odds ratio, OR ≈ 1.38-1.42, P definition that should increase power to detect genetic factors influencing risk for ASD. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd and International Behavioural and Neural Genetics Society.

Effectiveness of lifestyle intervention in subgroups of obese infertile women : a subgroup analysis of a RCT

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Oers, A M; Groen, H; Mutsaerts, M A Q; Burggraaff, J M; Kuchenbecker, W K H; Perquin, D A M; Koks, C A M; van Golde, R; Kaaijk, E M; Schierbeek, J M; Oosterhuis, G J E; Broekmans, F J; Vogel, N E A; Land, J A; Mol, B W J; Hoek, A

2016-01-01

STUDY QUESTION: Do age, ovulatory status, severity of obesity and body fat distribution affect the effectiveness of lifestyle intervention in obese infertile women? SUMMARY ANSWER: We did not identify a subgroup in which lifestyle intervention increased the healthy live birth rate however it did

Latino Male Ethnic Subgroups: Patterns in College Enrollment and Degree Completion

Science.gov (United States)

Ponjuan, Luis; Palomin, Leticia; Calise, Angela

2015-01-01

This chapter examines Latino male ethnic subgroups and their college enrollment and degree completion patterns. The chapter also offers recommendations to improve Latino male ethnic subgroups' educational achievement.

Evaluating outcomes of the emergency nurse practitioner role in a major urban emergency department, Melbourne, Australia.

Science.gov (United States)

Jennings, Natasha; O'Reilly, Gerard; Lee, Geraldine; Cameron, Peter; Free, Belinda; Bailey, Michael

2008-04-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of the introduction of Emergency Nurse Practitioner Candidates (ENPC) on waiting times and length of stay of patients presenting to a major urban Emergency Department (ED) in Melbourne, Australia. As part of a Victorian state funded initiative to improve patient outcomes, the role of the Emergency Nurse Practitioner has been developed. The integration and implementation of this role, is not only new to the Alfred Emergency and Trauma Centre but to EDs in Melbourne, Australia, with aims of providing holistic and comprehensive care for patients. A retrospective case series of all patients with common ED diagnostic subgroups were included. The ENPC group (n = 572) included all patients managed by the ENPC and the Traditional Model (TM) group (n = 2584) included all patients managed by the traditional medical ED model of care. Outcome measures included waiting times and length of stay. Statistically significant differences were evident between the two groups in waiting times and length of stay in the ED. The overall median waiting time for emergency patients to be seen by the ENPC was less than for the TM group [median (IQR): ENPC 12 (5.5-28) minutes; TM 31 (11.5-76) minutes (Wilcoxon p times for ENPC shifts vs. non-ENPC shifts revealed significant differences [median (IQR): ENPC rostered 24 (9-52) minutes; ENPC not rostered 33 (13-80.5) minutes (Wilcoxon p Melbourne, Australia were associated with significantly reduced waiting times and length of stay for emergency patients. Emergency Nurse Practitioners should be considered as a potential long term strategy to manage increased service demands on EDs. Relevance to clinical practice. This study is the first in Australia with a significant sample size to vigorously compare ENPC waiting times and length of stay outcomes with the TM model of care in the ED. The study suggests that ENPCs can have a favourable impact on patient outcomes with regard to waiting times and length

Development of degenerate and species-specific primers for the differential and simultaneous RT-PCR detection of grapevine-infecting nepoviruses of subgroups A, B and C.

Science.gov (United States)

Digiaro, Michele; Elbeaino, Toufic; Martelli, Giovanni Paolo

2007-04-01

Based on the nucleotide sequence homology of RNA-1 and RNA-2 of nepoviruses isolated from grapevines, three sets of degenerate primers, one for each of the three subgroups of the genus (A, B and C), were designed and proved effective for RT-PCR detection of subgroups in infected grapevines and herbaceous hosts. Primers designed specifically for detecting subgroup A species amplified a fragment of 255 bp from samples infected by Grapevine fanleaf virus (GFLV), Arabis mosaic virus (ArMV), Tobacco ringspot virus (TRSV) and Grapevine deformation virus (GDefV), but not from samples infected by other nepovirus species. Similarly, primers for detection of subgroup B nepoviruses amplified a 390 bp product from samples infected by Grapevine chrome mosaic virus (GCMV), Tomato black ring virus (TBRV), Grapevine Anatolian ringspot virus (GARSV) and Artichoke Italian latent virus (AILV). The third set of primers amplified a 640 bp fragment, only from samples infected by subgroup C nepoviruses, i.e Tomato ringspot virus (ToRSV) Grapevine Bulgarian latent virus (GBLV), and Grapevine Tunisian ringspot virus (GTRSV). These primers were able to detect simultaneously all viral species belonging to the same subgroup and to discriminate species of different subgroups. Multiplex-PCR detection of subgroup A and B nepoviruses was obtained using a specific primer (sense for subgroup A and antisense for subgroup B) for each of the species of the same subgroup in combination with the degenerate subgroup-specific primers. In this way it was possible to detect four different viral species in single samples containing mixtures of viruses of the same subgroup. In particular, for viruses of subgroup A (TRSV, GFLV, ArMV and GDefV) amplicons of 190, 259, 301 and 371 bp were obtained, whereas amplicons of 190, 278, 425 and 485 bp, respectively, were obtained from samples infected with viruses of subgroup B (GCMV, AILV, GARSV and TBRV).

Emergency contraception: different bioethical perspectives

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marco Bo

2007-10-01

Full Text Available Emergency contraceptives, in this case post-morning pills, are contraceptive methods used to avoid an unwanted pregnancy after an unprotected sexual intercourse. Their use is feeding a strong ethical debate between subjects for and against their prescription and leading some health professionals to conscientious objection. Among people contrary to prescription some oppose to it because of a general refuse of all contraceptive methods, others considering post-morning pills as abortive. Among people supporting prescription, some consider emergency contraception necessary to assure fundamental women’s rights, in particular the right to sexual auto-determination, while others prescribe emergency contraception only to avoid a greater demand for abortion. It is up to the Italian National Health Service warranting a correct balance between the two opposite positions, that can protect women’s right of access to health services.

Identification of subgroups of patients with low back pain using Latent Class Analysis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Anne Mølgaard

questionnaire and the clinicians’ findings on a standardised examination of the low back. By using pattern recognition, subgroups of patients were identified within which their responses and scores are similar, and therefore the patients are more alike within the subgroups than across the subgroups. Latent......, the optimal application of the LCA method in this context is unknown and therefore, two methodological considerations were addressed during the process. Firstly, when using existing questionnaire data, whether using each single item or the summary scores would provide better subgroup information. Secondly...... the questionnaires was preferred, due to the more nuanced description available within the resulting subgroups. Therefore, the single‐item strategy was used in the subsequent single‐stage and two‐stage LCA, which identified seven and nine patient subgroups, respectively, with similar face validity and adequate...

Germ cell tumours in neonates and infants: a distinct subgroup?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Veltman, I.M.; Schepens, M.T.M.; Looijenga, L.H.J.; Strong, L.C.; Geurts van Kessel, A.H.M.

2003-01-01

Human germ cell tumours (GCTs) constitute a heterogeneous group of tumours that can be classified into four major subgroups. One of these subgroups encompasses (immature) teratomas and yolk sac tumours of patients under the age of 5 years. In this paper we review the various clinical, histological

Emerging pharmaceutical therapies for COPD

Science.gov (United States)

Lakshmi, Sowmya P; Reddy, Aravind T; Reddy, Raju C

2017-01-01

COPD, for which cigarette smoking is the major risk factor, remains a worldwide burden. Current therapies provide only limited short-term benefit and fail to halt progression. A variety of potential therapeutic targets are currently being investigated, including COPD-related proinflammatory mediators and signaling pathways. Other investigational compounds target specific aspects or complications of COPD such as mucus hypersecretion and pulmonary hypertension. Although many candidate therapies have shown no significant effects, other emerging therapies have improved lung function, pulmonary hypertension, glucocorticoid sensitivity, and/or the frequency of exacerbations. Among these are compounds that inhibit the CXCR2 receptor, mitogen-activated protein kinase/Src kinase, myristoylated alanine-rich C kinase substrate, selectins, and the endothelin receptor. Activation of certain transcription factors may also be relevant, as a large retrospective cohort study of COPD patients with diabetes found that the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) agonists rosiglitazone and pioglitazone were associated with reduced COPD exacerbation rate. Notably, several therapies have shown efficacy only in identifiable subgroups of COPD patients, suggesting that subgroup identification may become more important in future treatment strategies. This review summarizes the status of emerging therapeutic pharmaceuticals for COPD and highlights those that appear most promising. PMID:28790817

Assessing the relationship between the Driver Behavior Questionnaire and the Driver Skill Inventory: Revealing sub-groups of drivers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Martinussen, Laila Marianne; Møller, Mette; Prato, Carlo Giacomo

2014-01-01

The Driver Behavior Questionnaire and the Driver Skill Inventory are two of the most frequently used measures of self-reported driving style and driving skill. The motivation behind the present study was to identify sub-groups of drivers that potentially act dangerously in traffic (as measured...... self-reported driving skills and whether the reported skill level was reflected in the reported aberrant driving behaviors. 3908 drivers aged 18–84 participated in the survey. K-means cluster analysis revealed four distinct sub-groups that differed in driving skills and frequency of aberrant driving...... by frequency of aberrant driving behaviors and level of driving skills), as well as to test whether the sub-groups differ in characteristics such as age, gender, annual mileage and accident involvement. Furthermore, the joint analysis of the two instruments was used to test drivers’ assessment of their own...

Clebsch-Gordan coefficients of discrete groups in subgroup bases

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Gaoli

2018-04-01

We express each Clebsch-Gordan (CG) coefficient of a discrete group as a product of a CG coefficient of its subgroup and a factor, which we call an embedding factor. With an appropriate definition, such factors are fixed up to phase ambiguities. Particularly, they are invariant under basis transformations of irreducible representations of both the group and its subgroup. We then impose on the embedding factors constraints, which relate them to their counterparts under complex conjugate and therefore restrict the phases of embedding factors. In some cases, the phase ambiguities are reduced to sign ambiguities. We describe the procedure of obtaining embedding factors and then calculate CG coefficients of the group 𝒫𝒮ℒ2(7) in terms of embedding factors of its subgroups S4 and 𝒯7.

National Differences in Regional Emergency Department Boarding Times: Are US Emergency Departments Prepared for a Public Health Emergency?

Science.gov (United States)

Love, Jennifer S; Karp, David; Delgado, M Kit; Margolis, Gregg; Wiebe, Douglas J; Carr, Brendan G

2016-08-01

Boarding admitted patients decreases emergency department (ED) capacity to accommodate daily patient surge. Boarding in regional hospitals may decrease the ability to meet community needs during a public health emergency. This study examined differences in regional patient boarding times across the United States and in regions at risk for public health emergencies. A retrospective cross-sectional analysis was performed by using 2012 ED visit data from the American Hospital Association (AHA) database and 2012 hospital ED boarding data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Hospital Compare database. Hospitals were grouped into hospital referral regions (HRRs). The primary outcome was mean ED boarding time per HRR. Spatial hot spot analysis examined boarding time spatial clustering. A total of 3317 of 4671 (71%) hospitals were included in the study cohort. A total of 45 high-boarding-time HRRs clustered along the East/West coasts and 67 low-boarding-time HRRs clustered in the Midwest/Northern Plains regions. A total of 86% of HRRs at risk for a terrorist event had high boarding times and 36% of HRRs with frequent natural disasters had high boarding times. Urban, coastal areas have the longest boarding times and are clustered with other high-boarding-time HRRs. Longer boarding times suggest a heightened level of vulnerability and a need to enhance surge capacity because these regions have difficulty meeting daily emergency care demands and are at increased risk for disasters. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2016;10:576-582).

Characterization of courtship sounds of species of the subgroup fasciola (Diptera, Drosophilidae, Drosophila repleta group: interspecific and interpopulational analyses

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

C. T. A. COSTA

Full Text Available The aim of this work was to characterize the male courtship song pattern of various species of the fasciola subgroup and to determine the level of variation both within and among species. The parameters analyzed were intrapulse interval (PI, interpulse interval (IPI, and intrapulse frequency (IF. Six different species were analyzed: D. coroica (three populations, D. ellisoni, D. fascioloides, D. moju, D. onca, and D. rosinae (one population each. There were significant differences among the six species for these three courtship song parameters. The IPI was the most variable parameter among these species, suggesting that this parameter is important for female discrimination. Four different hypotheses could explain this variation: 1. different selection pressures with absence of flow gene; 2. intraspecific sexual selection; 3. sympatric effects on song evolution; and 4. genetic drift. The PI was the only parameter that was significantly different among the three population of D. coroica. Low variability among populations within the same species was already observed for other subgroups and could be explained by the following hypotheses: strong selection acting on the song parameters, gene flow, or recent colonization from a common source. Additional studies of the courtship song of other species of the fasciola subgroup, as well as for other subgroups of the repleta group, and studies, using molecular makers, that focus on the genetic basis of the differences among these species in courtship song would allow us to evaluate the association of courtship song and sexual isolation in these species, and would also help us to understand the evolution of these behavioural differences.

Demonstration of Microbial Subgroups among Normal Vaginal Microbiota Data

OpenAIRE

Lee, M.-L. T.

2011-01-01

In this study we identified subgroups of observations relating to the healthy vaginal microbiota. This microbiota resides in a dynamic environment that undergoes cyclic change during the menstrual cycle. Cluster analysis procedures were applied to divide a set of 226 normal microbiota observations into groups. Three subgroups containing 100, 65, and 61 observations were identified. Plots of principal components determined by canonical analysis were obtained to demonstrate graphically the clus...

Frequency of ABO, subgroup ABO and Rh(D) blood groups in major sudanese ethnic groups

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hassan, F.M.

2010-01-01

Background: There are differences in the distribution of ABO, sub group A BO and Rh(D) blood groups in different populations of the world. Relatively little information is available about blood group distributions in Sudanese population. To see the frequency of ABO, subgroup ABO and Rh(D) blood groups in major Sudanese ethnic groups(Danagla Shaygia and Gaaleen). Blood testing for ABO, subgroup ABO and Rh(D) typing was done over six months, in 300 unrelated individuals, from both genders. Blood samples were collected from students of the college of medical laboratory science - Sudan University of Science and Technology using finger prick method and following routine slide method. Blood group 'O' was the most predominant ( 52.7%) in both Rh positive and negative subjects followed by blood group A, B and AB. Majority (98.0%)o f the subjects were Rh(D) positive and only 2% were Rh negative. The predominant subgroup of ABO was A2 (14.1% ). The frequency of ABO blood groups in both Rh positive and negative subjects among the major Sudanese ethnic group was similar to that reported from neighbouring regions. (author)

MPACT Subgroup Self-Shielding Efficiency Improvements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stimpson, Shane; Liu, Yuxuan; Collins, Benjamin S.; Clarno, Kevin T.

2016-01-01

Recent developments to improve the efficiency of the MOC solvers in MPACT have yielded effective kernels that loop over several energy groups at once, rather that looping over one group at a time. These kernels have produced roughly a 2x speedup on the MOC sweeping time during eigenvalue calculation. However, the self-shielding subgroup calculation had not been reevaluated to take advantage of these new kernels, which typically requires substantial solve time. The improvements covered in this report start by integrating the multigroup kernel concepts into the subgroup calculation, which are then used as the basis for further extensions. The next improvement that is covered is what is currently being termed as ''Lumped Parameter MOC''. Because the subgroup calculation is a purely fixed source problem and multiple sweeps are performed only to update the boundary angular fluxes, the sweep procedure can be condensed to allow for the instantaneous propagation of the flux across a spatial domain, without the need to sweep along all segments in a ray. Once the boundary angular fluxes are considered to be converged, an additional sweep that will tally the scalar flux is completed. The last improvement that is investigated is the possible reduction of the number of azimuthal angles per octant in the shielding sweep. Typically 16 azimuthal angles per octant are used for self-shielding and eigenvalue calculations, but it is possible that the self-shielding sweeps are less sensitive to the number of angles than the full eigenvalue calculation.

Somatosensory nociceptive characteristics differentiate subgroups in people with chronic low back pain: a cluster analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Rabey, Martin; Slater, Helen; OʼSullivan, Peter; Beales, Darren; Smith, Anne

2015-10-01

The objectives of this study were to explore the existence of subgroups in a cohort with chronic low back pain (n = 294) based on the results of multimodal sensory testing and profile subgroups on demographic, psychological, lifestyle, and general health factors. Bedside (2-point discrimination, brush, vibration and pinprick perception, temporal summation on repeated monofilament stimulation) and laboratory (mechanical detection threshold, pressure, heat and cold pain thresholds, conditioned pain modulation) sensory testing were examined at wrist and lumbar sites. Data were entered into principal component analysis, and 5 component scores were entered into latent class analysis. Three clusters, with different sensory characteristics, were derived. Cluster 1 (31.9%) was characterised by average to high temperature and pressure pain sensitivity. Cluster 2 (52.0%) was characterised by average to high pressure pain sensitivity. Cluster 3 (16.0%) was characterised by low temperature and pressure pain sensitivity. Temporal summation occurred significantly more frequently in cluster 1. Subgroups were profiled on pain intensity, disability, depression, anxiety, stress, life events, fear avoidance, catastrophizing, perception of the low back region, comorbidities, body mass index, multiple pain sites, sleep, and activity levels. Clusters 1 and 2 had a significantly greater proportion of female participants and higher depression and sleep disturbance scores than cluster 3. The proportion of participants undertaking Low back pain, therefore, does not appear to be homogeneous. Pain mechanisms relating to presentations of each subgroup were postulated. Future research may investigate prognoses and interventions tailored towards these subgroups.

Identification of Subgroups of Women with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome with Central Sensitization.

Science.gov (United States)

Fernández-de-Las-Peñas, César; Fernández-Muñoz, Juan J; Navarro-Pardo, Esperanza; da-Silva-Pocinho, Ricardo F; Ambite-Quesada, Silvia; Pareja, Juan A

2016-09-01

Identification of subjects with different sensitization mechanisms can help to identify better therapeutic strategies for carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). The aim of the current study was to identify subgroups of women with CTS with different levels of sensitization. A total of 223 women with CTS were recruited. Self-reported variables included pain intensity, function, disability, and depression. Pressure pain thresholds (PPT) were assessed bilaterally over median, ulnar, and radial nerves, C5-C6 joint, carpal tunnel, and tibialis anterior to assess widespread pressure pain hyperalgesia. Heat (HPT) and cold (CPT) pain thresholds were also bilaterally assessed over the carpal tunnel and the thenar eminence to determine thermal pain hyperalgesia. Pinch grip force between the thumb and the remaining fingers was calculated to determine motor assessment. Subgroups were determined according to the status on a previous clinical prediction rule: PPT over the affected C5-C6 joint 66 points. The ANOVA showed that women within group 1 (positive rule, n = 60) exhibited bilateral widespread pressure hyperalgesia (P < 0.001) and bilateral thermal thresholds (P < 0.001) than those within group 2 (negative rule, n = 162). Women in group 1 also exhibited higher depression than those in group 2 (P = 0.023). No differences in self-reported variables were observed. This study showed that a clinical prediction rule originally developed for identifying women with CTS who are likely to respond favorably to manual physical therapy was able to identify women exhibiting higher widespread pressure hyper-sensitivity and thermal hyperalgesia. This subgroup of women with CTS exhibiting higher sensitization may need specific therapeutic programs. © 2016 American Academy of Pain Medicine. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Classification of attempted suicide by cluster analysis: A study of 888 suicide attempters presenting to the emergency department.

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Kim, Hyeyoung; Kim, Bora; Kim, Se Hyun; Park, C Hyung Keun; Kim, Eun Young; Ahn, Yong Min

2018-08-01

It is essential to understand the latent structure of the population of suicide attempters for effective suicide prevention. The aim of this study was to identify subgroups among Korean suicide attempters in terms of the details of the suicide attempt. A total of 888 people who attempted suicide and were subsequently treated in the emergency rooms of 17 medical centers between May and November of 2013 were included in the analysis. The variables assessed included demographic characteristics, clinical information, and details of the suicide attempt assessed by the Suicide Intent Scale (SIS) and Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS). Cluster analysis was performed using the Ward method. Of the participants, 85.4% (n = 758) fell into a cluster characterized by less planning, low lethality methods, and ambivalence towards death ("impulsive"). The other cluster (n = 130) involved a more severe and well-planned attempt, used highly lethal methods, and took more precautions to avoid being interrupted ("planned"). The first cluster was dominated by women, while the second cluster was associated more with men, older age, and physical illness. We only included participants who visited the emergency department after their suicide attempt and had no missing values for SIS or C-SSRS. Cluster analysis extracted two distinct subgroups of Korean suicide attempters showing different patterns of suicidal behaviors. Understanding that a significant portion of suicide attempts occur impulsively calls for new prevention strategies tailored to differing subgroup profiles. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

QUINT : A tool to detect qualitative treatment-subgroup interactions in randomized controlled trials

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Doove, L.L.; Van Deun, K.; Dusseldorp, E.; van Mechelen, I.

2016-01-01

Objective: The detection of subgroups involved in qualitative treatment–subgroup interactions (i.e., for one subgroup of clients treatment A outperforms treatment B, whereas for another the reverse holds true) is crucial for personalized health. In typical Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs), the

The structure of EAP-groups and self-autopermutable subgroups.

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Housieni, Shima; Moghaddam, Mohammad Reza Rajabzadeh

2014-01-01

A subgroup H of a given group G is said to be autopermutable, if HH(α) = H(α)H for all α ∈ Aut(G). We also call H a self-autopermutable subgroup of G, when HH(α) = H(α)H implies that H(α) = H. Moreover, G is said to be EAP-group, if every subgroup of G is autopermutable. One notes that if α runs over the inner automorphisms of the group, one obtains the notions of conjugate-permutability, self-conjugate-permutability, and ECP-groups, which were studied by Foguel in 1997, Li and Meng in 2007, and Xu and Zhang in 2005, respectively. In the present paper, we determine the structure of a finite EAP-group when its centre is of index 4 in G. We also show that self-autopermutability and characteristic properties are equivalent for nilpotent groups.

Patients in prehospital transport to the emergency department

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bech, Camilla Louise Nørgaard; Brabrand, Mikkel; Mikkelsen, Søren

2018-01-01

in the prehospital setting and 7-day mortality. RESULTS: A total of 32 076 ambulance transfers were recorded. Of these, 20 328 were first-time transfers, including 2692 that received assistance from a physician-staffed mobile emergency care unit (MECU). The 7-day mortality was 5.3% [95% confidence interval (CI): 5...... the strongest association (OR: 17, 95% CI: 14.7-19.7). MECU assistance showed an adjusted OR of 5.3 (95% CI: 4.6-6.1). CONCLUSION: The overall 7-day mortality was 5.3%, but differed in the two subgroups, with 15.4% in the MECU-assisted ambulance transfers and 3.8% in non-MECU-assisted transfers. Older age...

The Emergence Of Groups In The Evolution Of Friendship Networks

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zeggelink, Evelien P.H.; Stokman, Frans N.; Bunt, Gerhard G. van der

1997-01-01

Friendship networks usually show a certain degree of segmentation: subgroups of friends. The explanation of the emergence of such groups from initially dyadic pair friendships is a diflicult but important problem. In this paper we attempt to provide a first contribution to the explanation of

The emergence of groups in the evolution of friendship networks

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zeggelink, Evelien P.H.; Stokman, Frans N.; Bunt, Gerhard G. van der

1996-01-01

Friendship networks usually show a certain degree of segmentation: subgroups of friends. The explanation of the emergence of such groups from initially dyadic pair friendships is a difficult but important problem. In this paper we attempt to provide a first contribution to the explanation of

Extended phenotype and clinical subgroups in unilateral Meniere disease: A cross-sectional study with cluster analysis.

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Frejo, L; Martin-Sanz, E; Teggi, R; Trinidad, G; Soto-Varela, A; Santos-Perez, S; Manrique, R; Perez, N; Aran, I; Almeida-Branco, M S; Batuecas-Caletrio, A; Fraile, J; Espinosa-Sanchez, J M; Perez-Guillen, V; Perez-Garrigues, H; Oliva-Dominguez, M; Aleman, O; Benitez, J; Perez, P; Lopez-Escamez, J A

2017-12-01

To define clinical subgroups by cluster analysis in patients with unilateral Meniere disease (MD) and to compare them with the clinical subgroups found in bilateral MD. A cross-sectional study with a two-step cluster analysis. A tertiary referral multicenter study. Nine hundred and eighty-eight adult patients with unilateral MD. best predictors to define clinical subgroups with potential different aetiologies. We established five clusters in unilateral MD. Group 1 is the most frequently found, includes 53% of patients, and it is defined as the sporadic, classic MD without migraine and without autoimmune disorder (AD). Group 2 is found in 8% of patients, and it is defined by hearing loss, which antedates the vertigo episodes by months or years (delayed MD), without migraine or AD in most of cases. Group 3 involves 13% of patients, and it is considered familial MD, while group 4, which includes 15% of patients, is linked to the presence of migraine in all cases. Group 5 is found in 11% of patients and is defined by a comorbid AD. We found significant differences in the distribution of AD in clusters 3, 4 and 5 between patients with uni- and bilateral MD. Cluster analysis defines clinical subgroups in MD, and it extends the phenotype beyond audiovestibular symptoms. This classification will help to improve the phenotyping in MD and facilitate the selection of patients for randomised clinical trials. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Does the emergency surgery score accurately predict outcomes in emergent laparotomies?

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Peponis, Thomas; Bohnen, Jordan D; Sangji, Naveen F; Nandan, Anirudh R; Han, Kelsey; Lee, Jarone; Yeh, D Dante; de Moya, Marc A; Velmahos, George C; Chang, David C; Kaafarani, Haytham M A

2017-08-01

The emergency surgery score is a mortality-risk calculator for emergency general operation patients. We sought to examine whether the emergency surgery score predicts 30-day morbidity and mortality in a high-risk group of patients undergoing emergent laparotomy. Using the 2011-2012 American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database, we identified all patients who underwent emergent laparotomy using (1) the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program definition of "emergent," and (2) all Current Procedural Terminology codes denoting a laparotomy, excluding aortic aneurysm rupture. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to measure the correlation (c-statistic) between the emergency surgery score and (1) 30-day mortality, and (2) 30-day morbidity after emergent laparotomy. As sensitivity analyses, the correlation between the emergency surgery score and 30-day mortality was also evaluated in prespecified subgroups based on Current Procedural Terminology codes. A total of 26,410 emergent laparotomy patients were included. Thirty-day mortality and morbidity were 10.2% and 43.8%, respectively. The emergency surgery score correlated well with mortality (c-statistic = 0.84); scores of 1, 11, and 22 correlated with mortalities of 0.4%, 39%, and 100%, respectively. Similarly, the emergency surgery score correlated well with morbidity (c-statistic = 0.74); scores of 0, 7, and 11 correlated with complication rates of 13%, 58%, and 79%, respectively. The morbidity rates plateaued for scores higher than 11. Sensitivity analyses demonstrated that the emergency surgery score effectively predicts mortality in patients undergoing emergent (1) splenic, (2) gastroduodenal, (3) intestinal, (4) hepatobiliary, or (5) incarcerated ventral hernia operation. The emergency surgery score accurately predicts outcomes in all types of emergent laparotomy patients and may prove valuable as a bedside decision

Television viewing in low-income latino children: variation by ethnic subgroup and English proficiency.

Science.gov (United States)

Thompson, Darcy A; Matson, Pamela A; Ellen, Jonathan M

2013-02-01

Television viewing is associated with an increased risk for obesity in children. Latino children are at high risk for obesity and yet little is known about differences in television viewing habits within this population. The purpose of this study is to determine if hours of television viewed by young children with low-income Latina mothers differs by maternal ethnic subgroup and English language proficiency. This was a cross-sectional analysis of data from the Welfare, Children, & Families: A Three City Study. Participants were 422 low-income Latina mothers of Mexican and Puerto Rican descent with children ages 0-4 years old. The dependent variable was hours of daily television viewed by the child. The independent variable was maternal ethnic subgroup and English language proficiency. Analyses involved the use of multiple negative binomial regression models, which were adjusted for demographic variables. Multivariable regression analyses showed that compared to children with mothers of Mexican descent, children of mothers of Puerto Rican descent watch more daily television (child television viewing (IRR=1.29, 95% CI 1.04, 1.61). No relationship was found for children of Puerto Rican descent. Child television viewing varies in low-income Latino children by maternal ethnic subgroup and English language proficiency. Interventionists must consider the varying sociocultural contexts of Latino children and their influence on television viewing.

Television Viewing in Low-Income Latino Children: Variation by Ethnic Subgroup and English Proficiency

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Matson, Pamela A.; Ellen, Jonathan M.

2013-01-01

Abstract Background Television viewing is associated with an increased risk for obesity in children. Latino children are at high risk for obesity and yet little is known about differences in television viewing habits within this population. The purpose of this study is to determine if hours of television viewed by young children with low-income Latina mothers differs by maternal ethnic subgroup and English language proficiency. Methods This was a cross-sectional analysis of data from the Welfare, Children, & Families: A Three City Study. Participants were 422 low-income Latina mothers of Mexican and Puerto Rican descent with children ages 0–4 years old. The dependent variable was hours of daily television viewed by the child. The independent variable was maternal ethnic subgroup and English language proficiency. Analyses involved the use of multiple negative binomial regression models, which were adjusted for demographic variables. Results Multivariable regression analyses showed that compared to children with mothers of Mexican descent, children of mothers of Puerto Rican descent watch more daily television (television viewing (IRR=1.29, 95% CI 1.04, 1.61). No relationship was found for children of Puerto Rican descent. Conclusions Child television viewing varies in low-income Latino children by maternal ethnic subgroup and English language proficiency. Interventionists must consider the varying sociocultural contexts of Latino children and their influence on television viewing. PMID:23301653

The central subgroup of the nonabelian tensor square of Bieberbach ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

A Bieberbach group with point group C2 xC2 is a free torsion crystallographic group. A central subgroup of a nonabelian tensor square of a group G, denoted by ∇(G) is a normal subgroup generated by generator g⊗g for all g∈G and essentially depends on the abelianization of the group. In this paper, the formula of the ...

Discovering subgroups using descriptive models of adverse outcomes in medical care.

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Stiglic, Gregor; Kokol, P

2012-01-01

Hospital discharge databases store hundreds of thousands of patients. These datasets are usually used by health insurance companies to process claims from hospitals, but they also represent a rich source of information about the patterns of medical care. The proposed subgroup discovery method aims to improve the efficiency of detecting interpretable subgroups in data. Supervised descriptive rule discovery techniques can prove inefficient in cases when target class samples represent only an extremely small amount of all available samples. Our approach aims to balance the number of samples in target and control groups prior to subgroup discovery process. Additionally, we introduce some improvements to an existing subgroup discovery algorithm enhancing the user experience and making the descriptive data mining process and visualization of rules more user friendly. Instance-based subspace subgroup discovery introduced in this paper is demonstrated on hospital discharge data with focus on medical errors. In general, the number of patients with a recorded diagnosis related to a medical error is relatively small in comparison to patients where medical errors did not occur. The ability to produce comprehensible and simple models with high degree of confidence, support, and predictive power using the proposed method is demonstrated. This paper introduces a subspace subgroup discovery process that can be applied in all settings where a large number of samples with relatively small number of target class samples are present. The proposed method is implemented in Weka machine learning environment and is available at http://ri.fzv.uni-mb.si/ssd.

1H MR spectroscopy in histopathological subgroups of mesial temporal lobe epilepsy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hajek, Milan; Dezortova, Monika; Krsek, Pavel; Komarek, Vladimir; Marusic, Petr; Tomasek, Martin; Krijtova, Hana; Zamecnik, Josef; Kyncl, Martin

2009-01-01

The aim of the study was to analyze the lateralizing value of proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy ( 1 H MRS) in histopathologically different subgroups of mesial temporal lobe epilepsies (MTLE) and to correlate results with clinical, MRI and seizure outcome data. A group of 35 patients who underwent resective epilepsy surgery was retrospectively studied. Hippocampal 1 H MR spectra were evaluated. Metabolite concentrations were obtained using LCModel and NAA/Cr, NAA/Cho, NAA/(Cr+Cho), Cho/Cr ratios and coefficients of asymmetry were calculated. MRI correctly lateralized 89% of subjects and 1 H MRS 83%. MRI together with 1 H MRS correctly lateralized 100% of patients. Nineteen subjects had ''classical'' hippocampal sclerosis (HS), whereas the remaining 16 patients had ''mild'' HS. Nineteen patients had histopathologically proven malformation of cortical development (MCD) in the temporal pole; 16 subjects had only HS. No difference in 1 H MRS findings was found between patients in different histopathological subgroups of MTLE. Our results support the hypothesis that 1 H MRS abnormalities do not directly reflect histopathological changes in MTLE patients. Subjects with non-lateralized 1 H MRS abnormalities did not have a worse postoperative seizure outcome. We found no significant impact of contralateral 1 H MRS abnormality on post-surgical seizure outcome. (orig.)

Injection and Non-Injection Drug Use and Infectious Disease in Baltimore City: Differences by Race

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Keen, Larry; Khan, Maria; Clifford, Lisa; Harrell, Paul T.; Latimer, William W.

2014-01-01

Purpose The current study examines differences in the prevalence of biologically-confirmed hepatitis C virus (HCV), HIV, and coinfection between Black and White adult cocaine/heroin users across three drug use subgroups identified in previous research (Harrell et al, 2012): non-injection smoking crack/nasal heroin users, heroin injectors, and polydrug injectors. Results 59% of the 482 participants in the study were male. Significant race differences emerged between drug use subgroup memberships. Non-injection smoking crack/nasal heroin users were predominantly Black (75%), while heroin injectors and polydrug injectors were predominantly White (69% and 72%, respectively). Polydrug injectors accounted for nearly three quarters of the HCV positive diagnoses in Whites. Though HIV disease status, stratified by race, did not differ significantly between drug use subgroups, the non-injection smoking crack/nasal heroin subgroup contained over half of the HIV positive diagnoses in the sample and was predominantly Black. Despite much lower rates of injection, Blacks (8%) had a higher prevalence of coinfection than Whites (3%; X2 (2) = 6.18, p = .015). Conclusions The current findings are consistent with trends in recent HIV transmission statistics where sexual activity has overtaken injection drug use as a HIV risk factor. The current findings also provide further support to the notion of injection drug use as an exceedingly high-risk behavior for HCV and coinfection, specifically those who are polysubstance injectors. PMID:24837755

Differential response of Acidobacteria subgroups to forest-to-pasture conversion and their biogeographic patterns in the western Brazilian Amazon

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Acacio Aparecido Navarrete

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Members of the phylum Acidobacteria are among the most abundant soil bacteria on Earth, but little is known about their response to environmental changes. We asked how the relative abundance and biogeographic patterning of this phylum and its subgroups responded to forest-to-pasture conversion in soils of the western Brazilian Amazon. Pyrosequencing of 16S rRNA genes was employed to assess the abundance and composition of the Acidobacteria community across 54 soil samples taken using a spatially nested sampling scheme at the landscape level. Numerically, Acidobacteria represented 20% of the total bacterial community in forest soils and 11% in pasture soils. Overall, 15 different Acidobacteria subgroups of the current 26 subgroups were detected, with Acidobacteria subgroups 1, 3, 5, and 6 accounting together for 87% of the total Acidobacteria community in forest soils and 75% in pasture soils. Concomitant with changes in soil chemistry after forest-to-pasture conversion - particularly an increase in properties linked to soil acidity and nutrient availability - we observed an increase in the relative abundances of Acidobacteria subgroups 4, 10, 17, and 18, and a decrease in the relative abundances of other Acidobacteria subgroups in pasture relative to forest soils. The composition of the total Acidobacteria community as well as the most abundant Acidobacteria subgroups (1, 3, 5, and 6 was significantly more similar in composition across space in pasture soils than in forest soils. These results suggest that preponderant responses of Acidobacteria subgroups, especially subgroups 1, 3, 4, 5, and 6, to forest-to-pasture conversion effects in soils could be used to define management-indicators of agricultural practices in the Amazon Basin. These acidobacterial responses are at least in part through alterations on acidity- and nutrient-related properties of the Amazon soils.

Differential Response of Acidobacteria Subgroups to Forest-to-Pasture Conversion and Their Biogeographic Patterns in the Western Brazilian Amazon

Science.gov (United States)

Navarrete, Acacio A.; Venturini, Andressa M.; Meyer, Kyle M.; Klein, Ann M.; Tiedje, James M.; Bohannan, Brendan J. M.; Nüsslein, Klaus; Tsai, Siu M.; Rodrigues, Jorge L. M.

2015-01-01

Members of the phylum Acidobacteria are among the most abundant soil bacteria on Earth, but little is known about their response to environmental changes. We asked how the relative abundance and biogeographic patterning of this phylum and its subgroups responded to forest-to-pasture conversion in soils of the western Brazilian Amazon. Pyrosequencing of 16S rRNA genes was employed to assess the abundance and composition of the Acidobacteria community across 54 soil samples taken using a spatially nested sampling scheme at the landscape level. Numerically, Acidobacteria represented 20% of the total bacterial community in forest soils and 11% in pasture soils. Overall, 15 different Acidobacteria subgroups of the current 26 subgroups were detected, with Acidobacteria subgroups 1, 3, 5, and 6 accounting together for 87% of the total Acidobacteria community in forest soils and 75% in pasture soils. Concomitant with changes in soil chemistry after forest-to-pasture conversion—particularly an increase in properties linked to soil acidity and nutrient availability—we observed an increase in the relative abundances of Acidobacteria subgroups 4, 10, 17, and 18, and a decrease in the relative abundances of other Acidobacteria subgroups in pasture relative to forest soils. The composition of the total Acidobacteria community as well as the most abundant Acidobacteria subgroups (1, 3, 5, and 6) was significantly more similar in composition across space in pasture soils than in forest soils. These results suggest that preponderant responses of Acidobacteria subgroups, especially subgroups 1, 3, 4, 5, and 6, to forest-to-pasture conversion effects in soils could be used to define management-indicators of agricultural practices in the Amazon Basin. These acidobacterial responses are at least in part through alterations on acidity- and nutrient-related properties of the Amazon soils. PMID:26733981

Identification of subgroups of patients with tension type headache with higher widespread pressure pain hyperalgesia.

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Fernández-de-Las-Peñas, César; Benito-González, Elena; Palacios-Ceña, María; Wang, Kelun; Castaldo, Matteo; Arendt-Nielsen, Lars

2017-12-01

Identification of subgroups of patients with different levels of sensitization and clinical features can help to identify groups at risk and the development of better therapeutic strategies. The aim of this study was to identify subgroups of patients with tension type headache (TTH) with different levels of sensitization, clinical pain features, and psychological outcomes. A total of 197 individuals with TTH participated. Headache intensity, frequency, and duration and medication intake were collected with a 4-weeks diary. Pressure pain thresholds were assessed bilaterally over the temporalis muscle, C5-C6 joint, second metacarpal and tibialis anterior muscle to determine widespread pressure pain hyperalgesia. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale assessed anxiety and depression. The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory evaluated the state and trait levels of anxiety. The Headache Disability Inventory evaluated the burden of headache. Health-related quality of life was determined with the SF-36 questionnaire. Groups were considered as positive (three or more criteria) or negative (less than three criteria) on a clinical prediction rule: headache duration patients with TTH with higher sensitization, higher chronicity of headaches and worse quality of life but lower frequency and duration of headache episodes. This subgroup of individuals with TTH may need particular attention and specific therapeutic programs for avoiding potential chronification.

Using a psychosocial subgroup assignment to predict sickness absence in a working population with neck and back pain

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jensen Irene

2011-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The overall objective was to evaluate the predictive validity of a subgroup classification based on the Swedish version of the MPI, the MPI-S, among gainfully employed workers with neck pain (NP and/or low back pain (LBP during a follow-up period of 18 and 36 months. Methods This is a prospective cohort study that is part of a larger longitudinal multi-centre study entitled Work and Health in the Process and Engineering Industries (AHA. The attempt was to classify individuals at risk for developing chronic disabling NP and LBP. This is the first study using the MPI-questionnaire in a working population with NP and LBP. Results Dysfunctional individuals (DYS demonstrated more statistically significant sickness absence compared to adaptive copers (AC after 36 months. DYS also had a threefold increase in the risk ratio of long-term sickness absence at 18 months. Interpersonally distressed (ID subgroup showed overall more sickness absence compared to the AC subgroup at the 36-month follow-up and had a twofold increase in the risk ratio of long-term sickness absence at 18 months. There was a significant difference in bodily pain, mental and physical health for ID and DYS subgroups compared to the AC group at both follow-ups. Conclusions The present study shows that this multidimensional approach to the classification of individuals based on psychological and psychosocial characteristics can distinguish different groups in gainfully employed working population with NP/LBP. The results in this study confirm the predictive validity of the MPI-S subgroup classification system.

Subgroups of musculoskeletal pain patients and their psychobiological patterns - the LOGIN study protocol.

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Gerhardt, Andreas; Hartmann, Mechthild; Tesarz, Jonas; Janke, Susanne; Leisner, Sabine; Seidler, Günter; Eich, Wolfgang

2012-08-03

Pain conditions of the musculoskeletal system are very common and have tremendous socioeconomic impact. Despite its high prevalence, musculoskeletal pain remains poorly understood and predominantly non-specifically and insufficiently treated.The group of chronic musculoskeletal pain patients is supposed to be heterogeneous, due to a multitude of mechanisms involved in chronic pain. Psychological variables, psychophysiological processes, and neuroendocrine alterations are expected to be involved. Thus far, studies on musculoskeletal pain have predominantly focused on the general aspects of pain processing, thus neglecting the heterogeneity of patients with musculoskeletal pain. Consequently, there is a need for studies that comprise a multitude of mechanisms that are potentially involved in the chronicity and spread of pain. This need might foster research and facilitate a better pathophysiological understanding of the condition, thereby promoting the development of specific mechanism-based treatments for chronic pain. Therefore, the objectives of this study are as follows: 1) identify and describe subgroups of patients with musculoskeletal pain with regard to clinical manifestations (including mental co-morbidity) and 2) investigate whether distinct sensory profiles or 3) distinct plasma levels of pain-related parameters due to different underlying mechanisms can be distinguished in various subgroups of pain patients. We will examine a population-based chronic pain sample (n = 100), a clinical tertiary care sample (n = 100) and pain-free patients with depression or post-traumatic stress disorder and pain-free healthy controls (each n = 30, respectively). The samples will be pain localisation matched by sex and age to the population-based sample. Patients will undergo physical examination and thorough assessments of mental co-morbidity (including psychological trauma), perceptual and central sensitisation (quantitative sensory testing), descending

Gender differences in acute and chronic pain in the emergency department: results of the 2014 Academic Emergency Medicine consensus conference pain section.

Science.gov (United States)

Musey, Paul I; Linnstaedt, Sarah D; Platts-Mills, Timothy F; Miner, James R; Bortsov, Andrey V; Safdar, Basmah; Bijur, Polly; Rosenau, Alex; Tsze, Daniel S; Chang, Andrew K; Dorai, Suprina; Engel, Kirsten G; Feldman, James A; Fusaro, Angela M; Lee, David C; Rosenberg, Mark; Keefe, Francis J; Peak, David A; Nam, Catherine S; Patel, Roma G; Fillingim, Roger B; McLean, Samuel A

2014-12-01

Pain is a leading public health problem in the United States, with an annual economic burden of more than $630 billion, and is one of the most common reasons that individuals seek emergency department (ED) care. There is a paucity of data regarding sex differences in the assessment and treatment of acute and chronic pain conditions in the ED. The Academic Emergency Medicine consensus conference convened in Dallas, Texas, in May 2014 to develop a research agenda to address this issue among others related to sex differences in the ED. Prior to the conference, experts and stakeholders from emergency medicine and the pain research field reviewed the current literature and identified eight candidate priority areas. At the conference, these eight areas were reviewed and all eight were ratified using a nominal group technique to build consensus. These priority areas were: 1) gender differences in the pharmacological and nonpharmacological interventions for pain, including differences in opioid tolerance, side effects, or misuse; 2) gender differences in pain severity perceptions, clinically meaningful differences in acute pain, and pain treatment preferences; 3) gender differences in pain outcomes of ED patients across the life span; 4) gender differences in the relationship between acute pain and acute psychological responses; 5) the influence of physician-patient gender differences and characteristics on the assessment and treatment of pain; 6) gender differences in the influence of acute stress and chronic stress on acute pain responses; 7) gender differences in biological mechanisms and molecular pathways mediating acute pain in ED populations; and 8) gender differences in biological mechanisms and molecular pathways mediating chronic pain development after trauma, stress, or acute illness exposure. These areas represent priority areas for future scientific inquiry, and gaining understanding in these will be essential to improving our understanding of sex and gender

No improvement in the reporting of clinical trial subgroup effects in high-impact general medical journals.

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Gabler, Nicole B; Duan, Naihua; Raneses, Eli; Suttner, Leah; Ciarametaro, Michael; Cooney, Elizabeth; Dubois, Robert W; Halpern, Scott D; Kravitz, Richard L

2016-07-16

When subgroup analyses are not correctly analyzed and reported, incorrect conclusions may be drawn, and inappropriate treatments provided. Despite the increased recognition of the importance of subgroup analysis, little information exists regarding the prevalence, appropriateness, and study characteristics that influence subgroup analysis. The objective of this study is to determine (1) if the use of subgroup analyses and multivariable risk indices has increased, (2) whether statistical methodology has improved over time, and (3) which study characteristics predict subgroup analysis. We randomly selected randomized controlled trials (RCTs) from five high-impact general medical journals during three time periods. Data from these articles were abstracted in duplicate using standard forms and a standard protocol. Subgroup analysis was defined as reporting any subgroup effect. Appropriate methods for subgroup analysis included a formal test for heterogeneity or interaction across treatment-by-covariate groups. We used logistic regression to determine the variables significantly associated with any subgroup analysis or, among RCTs reporting subgroup analyses, using appropriate methodology. The final sample of 416 articles reported 437 RCTs, of which 270 (62 %) reported subgroup analysis. Among these, 185 (69 %) used appropriate methods to conduct such analyses. Subgroup analysis was reported in 62, 55, and 67 % of the articles from 2007, 2010, and 2013, respectively. The percentage using appropriate methods decreased over the three time points from 77 % in 2007 to 63 % in 2013 (p < 0.05). Significant predictors of reporting subgroup analysis included industry funding (OR 1.94 (95 % CI 1.17, 3.21)), sample size (OR 1.98 per quintile (1.64, 2.40), and a significant primary outcome (OR 0.55 (0.33, 0.92)). The use of appropriate methods to conduct subgroup analysis decreased by year (OR 0.88 (0.76, 1.00)) and was less common with industry funding (OR 0.35 (0.18, 0

Conditions for Effective Application of Analysis of Symmetrically-Predicted Endogenous Subgroups

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Peck, Laura R.

2015-01-01

Several analytic strategies exist for opening up the "black box" to reveal more about what drives policy and program impacts. This article focuses on one of these strategies: the Analysis of Symmetrically-Predicted Endogenous Subgroups (ASPES). ASPES uses exogenous baseline data to identify endogenously-defined subgroups, keeping the…

Post hoc subgroups in clinical trials: Anathema or analytics?

Science.gov (United States)

Weisberg, Herbert I; Pontes, Victor P

2015-08-01

There is currently much interest in generating more individualized estimates of treatment effects. However, traditional statistical methods are not well suited to this task. Post hoc subgroup analyses of clinical trials are fraught with methodological problems. We suggest that the alternative research paradigm of predictive analytics, widely used in many business contexts, can be adapted to help. We compare the statistical and analytics perspectives and suggest that predictive modeling should often replace subgroup analysis. We then introduce a new approach, cadit modeling, that can be useful to identify and test individualized causal effects. The cadit technique is particularly useful in the context of selecting from among a large number of potential predictors. We describe a new variable-selection algorithm that has been applied in conjunction with cadit. The cadit approach is illustrated through a reanalysis of data from the Randomized Aldactone Evaluation Study trial, which studied the efficacy of spironolactone in heart-failure patients. The trial was successful, but a serious adverse effect (hyperkalemia) was subsequently discovered. Our reanalysis suggests that it may be possible to predict the degree of hyperkalemia based on a logistic model and to identify a subgroup in which the effect is negligible. Cadit modeling is a promising alternative to subgroup analyses. Cadit regression is relatively straightforward to implement, generates results that are easy to present and explain, and can mesh straightforwardly with many variable-selection algorithms. © The Author(s) 2015.

Extraction-differential-photometric method to determine rare earths of cerium subgroup

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Askerov, D.N.; Gusejnov, I.K.; Melikov, A.A.

1985-01-01

The extraction - photometric method to determine great quantities of rare earths of the cerium subgroup as a complex with antipyrine A and diphenylguanidine is developed. Isobutyl and n-butyl alcohols are used as extractants. It is established that proportional dependence between relative optical density and concentration of rare earths of the cerium subgroup in the solution takes place in the concentration interval of 10.3-14.7 μg of rare earths in 1 ml of the solution. Determination error is+-1.12%. The technique is used to determine rare earths of the cerium subgroup in rare earth oxides of a mixed composition, as well as in monozite and loparite

Cost-Effectiveness of Endovascular Stroke Therapy: A Patient Subgroup Analysis From a US Healthcare Perspective.

Science.gov (United States)

Kunz, Wolfgang G; Hunink, M G Myriam; Sommer, Wieland H; Beyer, Sebastian E; Meinel, Felix G; Dorn, Franziska; Wirth, Stefan; Reiser, Maximilian F; Ertl-Wagner, Birgit; Thierfelder, Kolja M

2016-11-01

Endovascular therapy in addition to standard care (EVT+SC) has been demonstrated to be more effective than SC in acute ischemic large vessel occlusion stroke. Our aim was to determine the cost-effectiveness of EVT+SC depending on patients' initial National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score, time from symptom onset, Alberta Stroke Program Early CT Score (ASPECTS), and occlusion location. A decision model based on Markov simulations estimated lifetime costs and quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) associated with both strategies applied in a US setting. Model input parameters were obtained from the literature, including recently pooled outcome data of 5 randomized controlled trials (ESCAPE [Endovascular Treatment for Small Core and Proximal Occlusion Ischemic Stroke], EXTEND-IA [Extending the Time for Thrombolysis in Emergency Neurological Deficits-Intra-Arterial], MR CLEAN [Multicenter Randomized Clinical Trial of Endovascular Treatment for Acute Ischemic Stroke in the Netherlands], REVASCAT [Randomized Trial of Revascularization With Solitaire FR Device Versus Best Medical Therapy in the Treatment of Acute Stroke Due to Anterior Circulation Large Vessel Occlusion Presenting Within 8 Hours of Symptom Onset], and SWIFT PRIME [Solitaire With the Intention for Thrombectomy as Primary Endovascular Treatment]). Probabilistic sensitivity analysis was performed to estimate uncertainty of the model results. Net monetary benefits, incremental costs, incremental effectiveness, and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios were derived from the probabilistic sensitivity analysis. The willingness-to-pay was set to $50 000/QALY. Overall, EVT+SC was cost-effective compared with SC (incremental cost: $4938, incremental effectiveness: 1.59 QALYs, and incremental cost-effectiveness ratio: $3110/QALY) in 100% of simulations. In all patient subgroups, EVT+SC led to gained QALYs (range: 0.47-2.12), and mean incremental cost-effectiveness ratios were considered cost

On distinguishing different models of a class of emergent Universe ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Souvik Ghose

2018-02-20

Feb 20, 2018 ... the same class of EU in light of union compilation data (SNIa) which consists of over a hundred data points, thus ... Dark energy; emergent Universe; observational data. .... μ vs. z curve for different EU models along with the.

Metabolic syndrome: Differences for Asian Americans is in their percentage of body fat

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Patricia Alpert

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Asian Americans are not frequently thought of as being obese or overweight yet some of the Asian American subgroups have a disproportionate risk for cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Although the standardized body mass index (BMI assessment is an adequate tool for reporting secular prevalence trends for overweight/obesity across populations, it falls short in accuracy when assessing Asian Americans. In recent years more has been written about the re-evaluation of BMI cut points for normal weight, overweight, or obese Asian Americans. Additionally, the waist circumference norm was modified to indicate a smaller waist size is a risk for metabolic syndrome. The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of the research literature on BMI and percentage of body fat as it relates to health risk for metabolic syndrome for Asian American subgroups. Three databases were used to identify articles for this review: Google Scholar, CINHAL, and PubMed. Seven hundred twenty-six articles were initially identified as meeting the criteria; 690 articles were eliminated after a review of the article titles revealed the content did not meet the focus of this review. Of the remaining articles, 19 were eliminated after a review of the abstracts indicated they were meta-analyses, review articles, or case studies. The remaining 18 articles were included in this review. Three common themes emerged. (1 The differences in BMI and body fat percentage are evident between Asian Americans and other ethnic groups. (2 Differences in the percentage of body fat exist between Asian American subgroups, and between Asian Americans and Asian immigrants. (3 There are differences in disease development end points when comparing Asian American subgroups and Asian immigrant subgroups. There are differences in body fat distribution and body fat percentages as well as BMI compared to other ethnic groups for metabolic syndrome. There are also differences between Asian

Seedling emergence of an array of Campomanesia adamantium (Cambess. O. Berg, under different conditions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kaila Ressel

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Seedling emergence of an array of Campomanesia adamantium (Cambess. O. Berg, under different conditions. Campomanesia adamantium are shrubs with berries that are yellow when ripe, with sweet, aromatic and juicy pulp. The fruits are very appreciated by the Midwestern Brazilian population because, beyond the economic potential, gabirobeiras have important ecological and medicinal applications. The few reports concerning methods of C. adamantium propagation demonstrate varied responses of the germination process, and variation sometimes occurs for seeds planted under similar conditions. The objective of this study was to evaluate the inluence of different substrates and seed pulp extraction methods on seedling emergence of C. adamantium. Seeds were collected from a single individual. The experiment tested four methods of seed pulp extraction: a Control: seeds sown with pulp, b seeds whose pulp was mechanically removed by friction using fine sawdust, c seeds whose pulp was removed by washing in running water; d seeds with pulp soaked for 24 h. Four different substrates per pulp extraction type were then used for planting: 1 Vermiculite; 2 Plantmax ®; 3 Tri-Mix ®, 4 washed medium-grain sand. Sand was the substrate that produced the best result for seedling emergence, however there were no significant differences in seedling emergence between seed processing methods. The presence of seed pulp did not impact percent seedling emergence, nor did it affect average time or speed of seedling emergence.

Outsourcing Strategies of Emerging Country Firms : Are they Different from Developed Country Multinationals?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Fleury, A.; Arkader, R.; Größler, A.; Timenes Laugen, B.

2010-01-01

The purpose of the paper is to analyze differences in the sourcing strategies of manufacturing firms from emerging and from developed markets. More specifically, we test whether manufacturers from emerging markets have other objectives when sourcing from within their countries or from international

Progressive Amalgamation of Building Clusters for Map Generalization Based on Scaling Subgroups

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xianjin He

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Map generalization utilizes transformation operations to derive smaller-scale maps from larger-scale maps, and is a key procedure for the modelling and understanding of geographic space. Studies to date have largely applied a fixed tolerance to aggregate clustered buildings into a single object, resulting in the loss of details that meet cartographic constraints and may be of importance for users. This study aims to develop a method that amalgamates clustered buildings gradually without significant modification of geometry, while preserving the map details as much as possible under cartographic constraints. The amalgamation process consists of three key steps. First, individual buildings are grouped into distinct clusters by using the graph-based spatial clustering application with random forest (GSCARF method. Second, building clusters are decomposed into scaling subgroups according to homogeneity with regard to the mean distance of subgroups. Thus, hierarchies of building clusters can be derived based on scaling subgroups. Finally, an amalgamation operation is progressively performed from the bottom-level subgroups to the top-level subgroups using the maximum distance of each subgroup as the amalgamating tolerance instead of using a fixed tolerance. As a consequence of this step, generalized intermediate scaling results are available, which can form the multi-scale representation of buildings. The experimental results show that the proposed method can generate amalgams with correct details, statistical area balance and orthogonal shape while satisfying cartographic constraints (e.g., minimum distance and minimum area.

Differential diagnosis of feline leukemia virus subgroups using pseudotype viruses expressing green fluorescent protein.

Science.gov (United States)

Nakamura, Megumi; Sato, Eiji; Miura, Tomoyuki; Baba, Kenji; Shimoda, Tetsuya; Miyazawa, Takayuki

2010-06-01

Feline leukemia virus (FeLV) is classified into three receptor interference subgroups, A, B and C. In this study, to differentiate FeLV subgroups, we developed a simple assay system using pseudotype viruses expressing green fluorescent protein (GFP). We prepared gfp pseudotype viruses, named gfp(FeLV-A), gfp(FeLV-B) and gfp(FeLV-C) harboring envelopes of FeLV-A, B and C, respectively. The gfp pseudotype viruses completely interfered with the same subgroups of FeLV reference strains on FEA cells (a feline embryonic fibroblast cell line). We also confirmed that the pseudotype viruses could differentiate FeLV subgroups in field isolates. The assay will be useful for differential diagnosis of FeLV subgroups in veterinary diagnostic laboratories in the future.

Interpretation of Subgroup Effects in Published Trials

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hancock, Mark J; Kjær, Per; Korsholm, Lars

2013-01-01

With the rapidly expanding number of studies reporting on treatment subgroups come new challenges in analyzing and interpreting this sometimes complex area of the literature. This article discusses 3 important issues regarding the analysis and interpretation of existing trials or systematic revie...

Comparative study on cases of vertigo and dizziness in the emergency room and otorhinolaryngological clinic

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsujimoto, Toshiya; Kawashima, Kayoko; Hashimoto, Seiko; Imai, Takao

2011-01-01

We recently studied the characteristics of vertigo and dizziness in 197 patients who first visited the emergency room (ER group) and in 288 patients who first visited the otorhinolaryngological clinic of Minoh City Hospital (ENT group) between January 1 and December 31 of 2009. The ER group can be regarded as representing the hyperacute phase and the ENT group as representing the acute to chronic phase. These two groups were completely distinct. We also subdivided these groups into the high risk subgroup (H subgroup) for cases with the underlying diseases of diabetes mellitus, hypertension, cerebrovascular disease and hyperlipidemia, and the normal subgroup (N subgroup).Comparison of the two groups showed that, in the ER group, a significantly larger numbers of patients had symptoms of peripheral vestibular origin except for benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) and Meniere's disease, and a significantly larger number of patients had symptoms of unknown origin in the ENT group. Half of this group may be accounted for by patients with symptoms of peripheral vestibular origin except for BPPV and Meniere's disease in the ER group. In 8 out of 158 patients of the ER group and 1 out of 122 patients of the ENT group, cerebral lesions were not found on CT images but were found with MRI. Careful investigation is necessary in the patients with normal CT findings. Central vestibular lesions were found in 7 out of 197 patients (3.5%) of the ER group and 5 out of 288 patients (1.7%) of the ENT group. The incidence of central lesions tended to be higher in the ER group than in the ENT group. There was no significant difference in the incidence of central lesion among the H and N subgroups of both groups. Careful investigation of the central vestibular lesion is also necessary in the N subgroup. (author)

Medical specialty selection criteria of Israeli medical students early in their clinical experience: subgroups.

Science.gov (United States)

Avidan, Alexander; Weissman, Charles; Elchalal, Uriel; Tandeter, Howard; Zisk-Rony, Rachel Yaffa

2018-04-18

Israeli medical school classes include a number of student subgroups. Therefore, interventions aimed at recruiting medical students to the various specialties should to be tailored to each subgroup. Questionnaires, distributed to 6 consecutive 5th-year classes of the Hebrew University - Hadassah School of Medicine, elicited information on criteria for choosing a career specialty, criteria for choosing a residency program and the importance of finding a specialty interesting and challenging when choosing a residency. Completed questionnaires were returned by 540 of 769 (70%) students. The decision processes for choosing a medical specialty and choosing a residency program were different. Family and colleagues had minimal influence on choosing a specialty, while family and their residential locality had much influence on choosing a residency, especially among women. Older age, marriage, and spousal influence were positively associated with choice of a specialty. Two-thirds of the students had completed military service, 20% were attending medical school prior to military service, 5% had completed national service and 9% had entered medical school without serving. Despite the pre-military subgroup being younger and having another 7 years of medical school, internship and military service before residency, they had begun thinking about which specialty to choose, just like the post-military students. When choosing a residency program, post-military women were more influenced by their families and family residential locality than their pre-military counterparts; differences ascribed to the older and often married post-military women having or wanting to begin families. This difference was reinforced by fewer post- than pre-military women willing to wait 2-3 years for a residency in the specialty that interested them most and were willing to begin residency immediately after internship in a specialty that interested them less. Medical school classes are composed of

Intergroup Leadership Across Distinct Subgroups and Identities.

Science.gov (United States)

Rast, David E; Hogg, Michael A; van Knippenberg, Daan

2018-03-01

Resolving intergroup conflict is a significant and often arduous leadership challenge, yet existing theory and research rarely, if ever, discuss or examine this situation. Leaders confront a significant challenge when they provide leadership across deep divisions between distinct subgroups defined by self-contained identities-The challenge is to avoid provoking subgroup identity distinctiveness threat. Drawing on intergroup leadership theory, three studies were conducted to test the core hypothesis that, where identity threat exists, leaders promoting an intergroup relational identity will be better evaluated and are more effective than leaders promoting a collective identity; in the absence of threat, leaders promoting a collective identity will prevail. Studies 1 and 2 ( N = 170; N = 120) supported this general proposition. Study 3 ( N = 136) extended these findings, showing that leaders promoting an intergroup relational identity, but not a collective identity, improved intergroup attitudes when participants experienced an identity distinctiveness threat.

Discriminative and predictive validity of the scoliosis research society-22 questionnaire in management and curve-severity subgroups of adolescents with idiopathic scoliosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Parent, Eric C; Hill, Doug; Mahood, Jim; Moreau, Marc; Raso, Jim; Lou, Edmond

2009-10-15

Prospective cross-sectional measurement study. To determine the ability of the Scoliosis Research Society (SRS)-22 questionnaire to discriminate among management and scoliosis severity subgroups and to correlate with internal and external measures of curve severity. In earlier studies of the SRS-22 discriminative ability, age was not a controlled factor. The ability of the SRS-22 to predict curve severity has not been thoroughly examined. The SRS-22 was completed by 227 females with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. Using Analysis of covariance analyses controlling for age, the SRS-22 scores were compared among management subgroups (observation, brace, presurgery, and postsurgery) and curve-severity subgroups (in nonoperated subjects: Cobb angles of 50 degrees). A stepwise discriminant analysis was used to identify the SRS-22 domains most discriminative for curve-severity categories. Correlation between SRS-22 scores and radiographic or surface topography measurements was used to determine the predictive ability of the questionnaire. Pain was better for subjects treated with braces than for those planning surgery. Self-image was better for subjects under observation or postsurgery than for those planning surgery. Satisfaction was better for the brace and postsurgery subgroups than for the observation or presurgery subgroups. Statistically significant mean differences between subgroups were all larger than 0.5, which is within the range of minimal clinically important differences recommended for each of the 5-point SRS-22 domain scoring scales. Pain and mental health were worse for those with Cobb angles of >50 degrees than with Cobb angles of 30 degrees to 50 degrees. Self-image and total scores were worse for those with Cobb angles of >50 degrees than both other subgroups. Using discriminant analysis, self-image was the only SRS-22 domain score selected to classify subjects within curve severity subgroups. The percentage of patients accurately classified was 54

Differences between girls and boys in emerging language skills

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Eriksson, Mårten; Marschik, Peter B; Tulviste, Tiia

2012-01-01

The present study explored gender differences in emerging language skills in 13,783 European children from 10 non-English language communities. It was based on a synthesis of published data assessed with adapted versions of the MacArthur-Bates Communicative Development Inventories (CDIs) from age 0.......08 to 2.06. The results showed that girls are slightly ahead of boys in early communicative gestures, in productive vocabulary, and in combining words. The difference increased with age. Boys were not found to be more variable than girls. Despite extensive variation in language skills between language...

Life of Pizza Pie: The Implications of Sub-Group Comparisons in Education

Science.gov (United States)

Thomas, Tara N.

2013-01-01

Current educational statistics have pitted subgroups against one another without consideration of the actual population sizes of each group. This paper is intended to provided a clearer understanding of the current usage of sub-group comparisons in American education. (Contains 4 figures.)

Emergency room nurses' pathway to turnover intention: a moderated serial mediation analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Bruyneel, Luk; Thoelen, Tom; Adriaenssens, Jef; Sermeus, Walter

2017-04-01

The aim of this study was to explore the association between the quality of the work environment, job characteristics, demographic characteristics and a pathway of job satisfaction, emotional exhaustion and turnover intention among nurses in emergency departments and perform subgroup analyses. Turnover intention among nurses is high. Multiple causes have been described, mostly in large studies of nurses working on general wards, often without considering complementarity of conceptual models and showing scant interest in the consistency of associations across subgroups of nurses. Cross-sectional multicentre survey. Convenience sample of 294 nurses in 11 Belgian emergency departments during 2014-2015. Indirect effects in the form of mediation and serial mediation were estimated to assess the association between work environment (Magnet model), job characteristics (Job Demand Control Support model) and turnover intention via job satisfaction and emotional exhaustion. Consistency of these indirect effects across subgroups of nurses was examined using moderated mediation analysis (conditional indirect effects). Several Magnet and Job Demand Control Support dimensions were related to turnover intention, either via job dissatisfaction (mediation) or via job satisfaction and emotional exhaustion (serial mediation). In the case of social support from supervisor, these indirect effects were only significant for female nurses, among whom turnover intention was higher. Last, nurses with more years of experience were less likely to indicate turnover intention. To maximize prevention of turnover intention at emergency departments, interventions could target early career nurses, work environment and job characteristics. Female nurses in particular may also benefit from improved social support from their supervisor. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Subgroup differences and determinants of patient-reported mental and physical health at hospital discharge among patients with ischemic heart disease

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rasmussen, T. B.; Herning, M.; Johansen, P. P.

2017-01-01

Purpose: (i) To describe patient-reported outcomes (PROs) at hospital-discharge across three diagnostic IHD sub-groups; chronic ischemic heart disease/stable angina (IHD/AP), non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction/unstable angina (NSTEMI/UAP) and ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), and (i......) to examine determinants among demographic-, clinical- and self-report health behavior characteristics for PROs at hospital discharge in patients with IHD....

A bovine respiratory syncytial virus strain with mutations in subgroup-specific antigenic domains of the G protein induces partial heterologous protection in cattle

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schrijver, R.S.; Langedijk, J.P.M.; Middel, W.G.J.; Kramps, J.A.; Rijsewijk, F.A.M.; Oirschot, van J.T.

1998-01-01

Bovine respiratory syncytial virus (BRSV) strains are tentatively divided in subgroups A, AB and B, based on antigenic differences of the G protein. A Dutch BRSV strain (Waiboerhoeve: WBH), could not be assigned to one of the subgroups, because the strain did not react with any monoclonal antibody

Treatment implications of posterior fossa ependymoma subgroups.

Science.gov (United States)

Ramaswamy, Vijay; Taylor, Michael D

2016-11-15

Posterior fossa ependymoma comprises two distinct molecular entities, ependymoma_posterior fossa A (EPN_PFA) and ependymoma_posterior fossa B (EPN_PFB), with differentiable gene expression profiles. As yet, the response of the two entities to treatment is unclear. To determine the relationship between the two molecular subgroups of posterior fossa ependymoma and treatment, we studied a cohort of 820 patients with molecularly profiled, clinically annotated posterior fossa ependymomas. We found that the strongest predictor of poor outcome in patients with posterior fossa ependymoma across the entire age spectrum was molecular subgroup EPN_PFA, which was recently reported in the paper entitled "Therapeutic impact of cytoreductive surgery and irradiation of posterior fossa ependymoma in the molecular era: a retrospective multicohort analysis" in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. Patients with incompletely resected EPN_PFA tumors had a very poor outcome despite receiving adjuvant radiation therapy, whereas a substantial proportion of patients with EPN_PFB tumors can be cured with surgery alone.

The effect of active video games by ethnicity, sex and fitness: subgroup analysis from a randomised controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Foley, Louise; Jiang, Yannan; Ni Mhurchu, Cliona; Jull, Andrew; Prapavessis, Harry; Rodgers, Anthony; Maddison, Ralph

2014-04-03

The prevention and treatment of childhood obesity is a key public health challenge. However, certain groups within populations have markedly different risk profiles for obesity and related health behaviours. Well-designed subgroup analysis can identify potential differential effects of obesity interventions, which may be important for reducing health inequalities. The study aim was to evaluate the consistency of the effects of active video games across important subgroups in a randomised controlled trial (RCT). A two-arm, parallel RCT was conducted in overweight or obese children (n=322; aged 10-14 years) to determine the effect of active video games on body composition. Statistically significant overall treatment effects favouring the intervention group were found for body mass index, body mass index z-score and percentage body fat at 24 weeks. For these outcomes, pre-specified subgroup analyses were conducted among important baseline demographic (ethnicity, sex) and prognostic (cardiovascular fitness) groups. No statistically significant interaction effects were found between the treatment and subgroup terms in the main regression model (p=0.36 to 0.93), indicating a consistent treatment effect across these groups. Preliminary evidence suggests an active video games intervention had a consistent positive effect on body composition among important subgroups. This may support the use of these games as a pragmatic public health intervention to displace sedentary behaviour with physical activity in young people.

A Newborn Case of “c” Subgroup Mismatch Presenting with Severe Hemolysis and Anemia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ezgi Yangın Ergon

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Hemolysis and jaundice related to Rh incompatibility in the neonatal period has decreased substantially due to the widespread use of anti-D gammaglobulin in recent years. Nevertheless, the rate of subgroup mismatch in the etiology of hemolytic diseases of the newborn has increased significantly. In this article an 8-day-old newborn infant with “c” subgroup incompatibility and presenting with severe anemia, in whom hemolysis could be controlled with intravenous immunoglobulin infusion and subgroup appropriate blood transfusion, has been presented. Scientific studies have demonstrated that the hemolytic disease of patients who don’t have major blood group incompatibility but carry anti-C antibodies can be rather serious. Therefore, subgroup mismatch should always be kept in mind for newborns presenting with severe hemolytic anemia, and transfusion or if necessary exchange transfusion should be provided with subgroup matched blood products.

Meta-analysis of vaccine effectiveness of mumps-containing vaccine under different immunization strategies in China.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Huaqing; Hu, Yongmei; Zhang, Guomin; Zheng, Jingshan; Li, Li; An, Zhijie

2014-08-20

To evaluate vaccine effectiveness (VE) of mumps-containing vaccine (MuV) under different immunization strategies. We conducted Medline, Embase, China National Knowledge Internet (CNKI), and Wan Fang Database (WF) searches for Chinese and English language articles describing studies of mumps VE in a Chinese population. Evaluated articles were scored on quality using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Meta-analysis was conducted using random effects models. Sensitivity analysis, subgroup analysis and meta-regression were conducted to explore heterogeneity. A total of 32 studies in 19 papers were included; 14 were case-control studies, and 18 were cohort studies. Half of the studies were of high quality; 41% were of moderate quality. The overall VE for mumps containing vaccine (either one dose or two doses) was 85% (95% CI 76-90%) for cohort studies and 88% (95% CI 82-92%) for case-control studies. Using random effects meta-regression we found significant differences in some study covariates; for instance, VE varied by population (VE=88% in day care versus 69% in pupil, p=0.008) and emergency versus routine immunization (VE=80% for routine immunization versus 95% for emergency immunization, p=0.041). However, these results must be interpreted with caution due to the low number of studies in subgroups, with the permutation test giving non-significant results that indicated that the results may be due to chance. MuV provides good protection from mumps infection. Further studies of mumps VE with larger sample sizes enabling subgroup analyses will be needed to confirm our findings. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Copepod (Crustacea) emergence from soils from everglades marshes with different hydroperiods

Science.gov (United States)

Loftus, W.F.; Reid, J.W.

2000-01-01

During a severe drought period in the winter and spring of 1989, we made three collections of dried marsh soils from freshwater sloughs in Everglades National Park, Florida, at sites characterized by either long or intermediate annual periods of flooding (hydroperiod). After rehydrating the soils in aquaria, we documented the temporal patterns of copepod emergence over two-week periods. The species richness of copepods in the rehydrated soils was lower than in pre-drought samples from the same slough sites. Only six of the 16 species recorded from the Everglades emerged in the aquarium tests. The long hydroperiod site had a slightly different assemblage and higher numbers of most species than the intermediate-hydroperiod sites. More individuals and species emerged from the early dry-season samples compared with samples taken later in the dry season. The harpacticoid, Cletocamptus deitersi, and the cyclopoid, Microcyclops rubellus, were abundant at most sites. The cyclopoids - Ectocyclops phaleratus, Homocyclops ater, and Paracyclops chiltoni - are new records for the Everglades. We infer that 1) only a subset of Everglades copepod species can survive drought by resting in soils; and that 2) survival ability over time differs by species.

The value of heterogeneity for cost-effectiveness subgroup analysis: conceptual framework and application.

Science.gov (United States)

Espinoza, Manuel A; Manca, Andrea; Claxton, Karl; Sculpher, Mark J

2014-11-01

This article develops a general framework to guide the use of subgroup cost-effectiveness analysis for decision making in a collectively funded health system. In doing so, it addresses 2 key policy questions, namely, the identification and selection of subgroups, while distinguishing 2 sources of potential value associated with heterogeneity. These are 1) the value of revealing the factors associated with heterogeneity in costs and outcomes using existing evidence (static value) and 2) the value of acquiring further subgroup-related evidence to resolve the uncertainty given the current understanding of heterogeneity (dynamic value). Consideration of these 2 sources of value can guide subgroup-specific treatment decisions and inform whether further research should be conducted to resolve uncertainty to explain variability in costs and outcomes. We apply the proposed methods to a cost-effectiveness analysis for the management of patients with acute coronary syndrome. This study presents the expected net benefits under current and perfect information when subgroups are defined based on the use and combination of 6 binary covariates. The results of the case study confirm the theoretical expectations. As more subgroups are considered, the marginal net benefit gains obtained under the current information show diminishing marginal returns, and the expected value of perfect information shows a decreasing trend. We present a suggested algorithm that synthesizes the results to guide policy. © The Author(s) 2014.

Use of a fragment of the tuf gene for phytoplasma 16Sr group/subgroup differentiation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Contaldo, Nicoletta; Canel, Alessandro; Makarova, Olga

2011-01-01

The usefulness of RFLP analyses on a 435 bp fragment of the tuf gene for preliminary identification of phytoplasmas from a number of phytoplasma ribosomal groups and/or 'Candidatus. Phytoplasma' was verified. The strains employed belong to thirteen 16Sr DNA groups and 22 different subgroups...

Hand-held cell phone use while driving legislation and observed driver behavior among population sub-groups in the United States.

Science.gov (United States)

Rudisill, Toni M; Zhu, Motao

2017-05-12

Cell phone use behaviors are known to vary across demographic sub-groups and geographic locations. This study examined whether universal hand-held calling while driving bans were associated with lower road-side observed hand-held cell phone conversations across drivers of different ages (16-24, 25-59, ≥60 years), sexes, races (White, African American, or other), ruralities (suburban, rural, or urban), and regions (Northeast, Midwest, South, and West). Data from the 2008-2013 National Occupant Protection Use Survey were merged with states' cell phone use while driving legislation. The exposure was presence of a universal hand-held cell phone ban at time of observation. Logistic regression was used to assess the odds of drivers having a hand-held cell phone conversation. Sub-groups differences were assessed using models with interaction terms. When universal hand-held cell phone bans were effective, hand-held cell phone conversations were lower across all driver demographic sub-groups and regions. Sub-group differences existed among the sexes (p-value, phone bans, the adjusted odds ratio (aOR) of a driver hand-held phone conversation was 0.34 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.28, 0.41] for females versus 0.47 (CI 0.40, 0.55) for males and 0.31 (CI 0.25, 0.38) for drivers in Western states compared to 0.47 (CI 0.30, 0.72) in the Northeast and 0.50 (CI 0.38, 0.66) in the South. The presence of universal hand-held cell phone bans were associated lower hand-held cell phone conversations across all driver sub-groups and regions. Hand-held phone conversations were particularly lower among female drivers and those from Western states when these bans were in effect. Public health interventions concerning hand-held cell phone use while driving could reasonably target all drivers.

Differences and similarities of motivating and demotivating factors of emergency nursing care in rural and urban emergency units – A study of selected rural and urban emergency units in the Volta Region of Ghana

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Confidence Alorse Atakro

Full Text Available Objective: The objective of this study was to explore differences and similarities of motivating and demotivating factors of emergency nursing care in selected rural and urban emergency units in the Volta Region of Ghana. Materials and methods: This study was conducted at selected rural and urban emergency units in the Volta Region of Ghana. The study utilised qualitative exploratory descriptive design. Purposive sampling technique was employed in selecting emergency units and nurses. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews of 30 nurses. Data saturation was determined after interviewing 30 participants. Data analysis was done through qualitative content analysis. Results: Twenty-six (26 out of a total of thirty (30 participants were between the ages of twenty-five (25 and twenty-nine (29. Nurses working in the emergency units studied general nursing at the Nurses Training Colleges (NTCs. None of the respondents studied emergency nursing as a degree programme. Twenty four (24 out of thirty (30 participants had worked for about two years in emergency units. Four thematic categories that represented differences and similarities of motivating and demotivating factors for nurses in rural and urban emergency units were extracted from data. The thematic categories are: a Support from hospital management for provision of material resources; b Task shifting to nurses; c Stimulant for learning; d Interpersonal relations. Discussions: Evidence available in this study suggests that there are differences as well as similarities of motivating and demotivating factors within emergency units of rural and urban settings in the Volta Region of Ghana. Differences in resource allocation and task shifting was identified. Stimulating environments of emergency unit for learning and excellent interpersonal relations were found to be common motivations for both rural and urban emergency unit nurses. Keywords: Motivating, Demotivating, Emergency

Latent class analysis derived subgroups of low back pain patients - do they have prognostic capacity?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mølgaard Nielsen, Anne; Hestbaek, Lise; Vach, Werner

2017-01-01

. Previously, we developed two novel suggestions for subgrouping patients with low back pain based on Latent Class Analysis of patient baseline characteristics (patient history and physical examination), which resulted in 7 subgroups when using a single-stage analysis, and 9 subgroups when using a two...

Effects of hydroxyethyl starch in subgroups of patients with severe sepsis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Müller, Rasmus G; Haase, Nicolai; Wetterslev, Jørn

2013-01-01

It has been speculated that certain subgroups of sepsis patients may benefit from treatment with hydroxyethyl starch (HES) 130/0.42, specifically in the earlier resuscitation of patients with more severely impaired circulation.......It has been speculated that certain subgroups of sepsis patients may benefit from treatment with hydroxyethyl starch (HES) 130/0.42, specifically in the earlier resuscitation of patients with more severely impaired circulation....

Combined group ECC protection and subgroup parity protection

Science.gov (United States)

Gara, Alan G.; Chen, Dong; Heidelberger, Philip; Ohmacht, Martin

2013-06-18

A method and system are disclosed for providing combined error code protection and subgroup parity protection for a given group of n bits. The method comprises the steps of identifying a number, m, of redundant bits for said error protection; and constructing a matrix P, wherein multiplying said given group of n bits with P produces m redundant error correction code (ECC) protection bits, and two columns of P provide parity protection for subgroups of said given group of n bits. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the matrix P is constructed by generating permutations of m bit wide vectors with three or more, but an odd number of, elements with value one and the other elements with value zero; and assigning said vectors to rows of the matrix P.

Subgroups of class groups of algebraic quadratic function fields

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Kunpeng; Zhang Xianke

2001-09-01

Ideal class groups H(K) of algebraic quadratic function fields K are studied, by using mainly the theory of continued fractions of algebraic functions. Properties of such continued fractions are discussed first. Then a necessary and sufficient condition is given for the class group H(K) to contain a cyclic subgroup of any order n, this criterion condition holds true for both real and imaginary fields K. Furthermore, several series of function fields K, including real, inertia imaginary, as well as ramified imaginary quadratic function fields, are given, and their class groups H(K) are proved to contain cyclic subgroups of order n. (author)

Promoter DNA methylation pattern identifies prognostic subgroups in childhood T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

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Magnus Borssén

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Treatment of pediatric T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL has improved, but there is a considerable fraction of patients experiencing a poor outcome. There is a need for better prognostic markers and aberrant DNA methylation is a candidate in other malignancies, but its potential prognostic significance in T-ALL is hitherto undecided. DESIGN AND METHODS: Genome wide promoter DNA methylation analysis was performed in pediatric T-ALL samples (n = 43 using arrays covering >27000 CpG sites. Clinical outcome was evaluated in relation to methylation status and compared with a contemporary T-ALL group not tested for methylation (n = 32. RESULTS: Based on CpG island methylator phenotype (CIMP, T-ALL samples were subgrouped as CIMP+ (high methylation and CIMP- (low methylation. CIMP- T-ALL patients had significantly worse overall and event free survival (p = 0.02 and p = 0.001, respectively compared to CIMP+ cases. CIMP status was an independent factor for survival in multivariate analysis including age, gender and white blood cell count. Analysis of differently methylated genes in the CIMP subgroups showed an overrepresentation of transcription factors, ligands and polycomb target genes. CONCLUSIONS: We identified global promoter methylation profiling as being of relevance for subgrouping and prognostication of pediatric T-ALL.

Gp85 genetic diversity of avian leukosis virus subgroup J among different individual chickens from a native flock.

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Li, Yang; Fu, Jiayuan; Cui, Shuai; Meng, Fanfeng; Cui, Zhizhong; Fan, Jianhua; Chang, Shuang; Zhao, Peng

2017-05-01

To compare the genetic diversity and quasispecies evolution of avian leukosis virus (ALV) among different individuals, 5 chickens, raised in Shandong Provice of China, were randomly selected from a local chicken flock associated with serious tumor cases. Blood samples were collected and inoculated into chicken embryo fibroblast and DF-1 cell lines for virus isolation and identification, respectively, of Marek's disease virus (MDV), reticuloendotheliosis virus (REV), and ALV. Five strains of ALV subgroup J (ALV-J) were identified, and the gp85 gene from each strain was amplified and cloned. For each strain, about 20 positive clones of gp85 gene were selected for sequence analyses and the variability of the quasispecies of the 5 strains was compared. The results showed that the nuclear acid length of gp85 gene of 5 ALV-J isolates is 921 bp, 921 bp, 924 bp, 918 bp, and 912 bp respectively, and amino acid homologies of different gp85 clones from the 5 ALV-J strains were 99.3 to 100%, 99.3 to 100%, 99.4 to 100%, 98.4 to 100%, 99.0 to 100%, respectively. The proportions of dominant quasispecies were 65.0%, 85.0%, 85.0%, 50.0%, 84.2%, respectively, and homology of the gp85 among these dominant quasispecies was 89.2 to 92.5%. These data demonstrated the composition of the ALV-J quasispecies varied among infected individuals even within the same flock, and the dominant quasispecies continued to evolve both for their proportion and gene mutation. © 2016 Poultry Science Association Inc.

Subgroup-Elimination Transcriptomics Identifies Signaling Proteins that Define Subclasses of TRPV1-Positive Neurons and a Novel Paracrine Circuit

Science.gov (United States)

Isensee, Jörg; Wenzel, Carsten; Buschow, Rene; Weissmann, Robert; Kuss, Andreas W.; Hucho, Tim

2014-01-01

Normal and painful stimuli are detected by specialized subgroups of peripheral sensory neurons. The understanding of the functional differences of each neuronal subgroup would be strongly enhanced by knowledge of the respective subgroup transcriptome. The separation of the subgroup of interest, however, has proven challenging as they can hardly be enriched. Instead of enriching, we now rapidly eliminated the subgroup of neurons expressing the heat-gated cation channel TRPV1 from dissociated rat sensory ganglia. Elimination was accomplished by brief treatment with TRPV1 agonists followed by the removal of compromised TRPV1(+) neurons using density centrifugation. By differential microarray and sequencing (RNA-Seq) based expression profiling we compared the transcriptome of all cells within sensory ganglia versus the same cells lacking TRPV1 expressing neurons, which revealed 240 differentially expressed genes (adj. p1.5). Corroborating the specificity of the approach, many of these genes have been reported to be involved in noxious heat or pain sensitization. Beyond the expected enrichment of ion channels, we found the TRPV1 transcriptome to be enriched for GPCRs and other signaling proteins involved in adenosine, calcium, and phosphatidylinositol signaling. Quantitative population analysis using a recent High Content Screening (HCS) microscopy approach identified substantial heterogeneity of expressed target proteins even within TRPV1-positive neurons. Signaling components defined distinct further subgroups within the population of TRPV1-positive neurons. Analysis of one such signaling system showed that the pain sensitizing prostaglandin PGD2 activates DP1 receptors expressed predominantly on TRPV1(+) neurons. In contrast, we found the PGD2 producing prostaglandin D synthase to be expressed exclusively in myelinated large-diameter neurons lacking TRPV1, which suggests a novel paracrine neuron-neuron communication. Thus, subgroup analysis based on the elimination

Dietary patterns derived using exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis are stable and generalizable across race, region, and gender subgroups in the REGARDS study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Suzanne E Judd

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Examining diet as a whole using dietary patterns as exposures is a complementary method to using single food or nutrients in studies of diet and disease, but the generalizability of patterns across race, region, and gender in the United States has not been established. Objective: To employ rigorous statistical analysis to empirically derive dietary patterns in a large bi-racial, geographically diverse population and examine whether results are stable across population subgroups.Design: The present analysis utilized data from 21,636 participants in the Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS study who completed the Block98 food frequency questionnaire. We employed exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analyses on 56 different food groups iteratively and examined differences by race, region, sex to determine the optimal factor solution in our sample. Results: Five dietary patterns emerged: the Convenience pattern was characterized by mixed dishes; the Plant-based pattern by fruits, vegetables, and fish; the Sweets/Fats pattern by sweet snacks, desserts, and fats and oils; the Southern pattern by fried foods, organ meat, and sweetened beverages; and the Alcohol/Salads pattern by beer, wine, liquor, and salads. Differences were most pronounced in the Southern pattern with black participants, those residing in the Southeast, and participants not completing high school having the highest scores. Conclusions: Five meaningful dietary patterns emerged in the REGARDS study and showed strong congruence across race, sex and region. Future research will examine associations between these patterns and health outcomes to better understand racial disparities in disease and inform prevention efforts.

Clinical implications of medulloblastoma subgroups: incidence of CSF diversion surgery.

Science.gov (United States)

Schneider, Christian; Ramaswamy, Vijay; Kulkarni, Abhaya V; Rutka, James T; Remke, Marc; Tabori, Uri; Hawkins, Cynthia; Bouffet, Eric; Taylor, Michael D

2015-03-01

While medulloblastoma was initially thought to comprise a single homogeneous entity, it is now accepted that it in fact comprises 4 discrete subgroups, each with its own distinct demographics, clinical presentation, transcriptomics, genetics, and outcome. Hydrocephalus is a common complication of medulloblastoma and not infrequently requires CSF diversion. The authors report the incidence of CSF diversion surgery in each of the subgroups of medulloblastoma (Wnt, Shh, Group 3, and Group 4). The medical and imaging records for patients who underwent surgery for medulloblastoma at The Hospital for Sick Children were retrospectively reviewed. The primary outcome was the requirement for CSF diversion surgery either before or within 60 days of tumor resection. The modified Canadian Preoperative Prediction Rule for Hydrocephalus (mCPPRH) was compared among subgroups. Of 143 medulloblastoma patients, treated from 1991 to 2013, sufficient data were available for 130 patients (15 with Wnt, 30 with Shh, 30 with Group 3, and 55 with Group 4 medulloblastomas). Of these, 28 patients (22%) ultimately underwent CSF diversion surgery: 0% with Wnt, 29% with Shh, 29% with Group 3, and 43% with Group 4 tumors. Patients in the Wnt subgroup had a lower incidence of CSF diversion than all other patients combined (p = 0.04). Wnt patients had a lower mCPPRH score (lower risk of CSF diversion, p = 0.045), were older, had smaller ventricles at diagnosis, and had no leptomeningeal metastases. The overall rate of CSF diversion surgery for Shh, Group 3, and Group 4 medulloblastomas is around 30%, but no patients in the present series with a Wnt medulloblastoma required shunting. The low incidence of hydrocephalus in patients with Wnt medulloblastoma likely reflects both host factors (age) and disease factors (lack of metastases). The absence of hydrocephalus in patients with Wnt medulloblastomas likely contributes to their excellent rate of survival and may also contribute to a higher quality

Workload differences across command levels and emergency response organizations during a major joint training exercise.

Science.gov (United States)

Prytz, Erik G; Rybing, Jonas; Jonson, Carl-Oscar

2016-01-01

This study reports on an initial test using a validated workload measurement method, the NASA Task Load Index (TLX), as an indicator of joint emergency exercise effectiveness. Prior research on emergency exercises indicates that exercises must be challenging, ie, result in high workload, to be effective. However, this is often problematic with some participants being underloaded and some overloaded. The NASA TLX was used to test for differences in workload between commanders and subordinates and among three different emergency response organizations during a joint emergency exercise. Questionnaire-based evaluation with professional emergency responders. The study was performed in conjunction with a large-scale interorganizational joint emergency exercise in Sweden. A total of 20 participants from the rescue services, 12 from the emergency medical services, and 12 from the police participated in the study (N=44). Ten participants had a command-level role during the exercise and the remaining 34 were subordinates. The main outcome measures were the workload subscales of the NASA TLX: mental demands, physical demands, temporal demands, performance, effort, and frustration. The results showed that the organizations experienced different levels of workload, that the commanders experienced a higher workload than the subordinates, and that two out of three organizations fell below the twenty-fifth percentile of average workload scores compiled from 237 prior studies. The results support the notion that the NASA TLX could be a useful complementary tool to evaluate exercise designs and outcomes. This should be further explored and verified in additional studies.

{sup 1}H MR spectroscopy in histopathological subgroups of mesial temporal lobe epilepsy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hajek, Milan; Dezortova, Monika [Institute for Clinical and Experimental Medicine, MR Unit, Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Prague (Czech Republic); Krsek, Pavel; Komarek, Vladimir [Charles University, Department of Pediatric Neurology, Prague 5 (Czech Republic); Marusic, Petr; Tomasek, Martin; Krijtova, Hana [Charles University, Department of Neurology, Prague (Czech Republic); Zamecnik, Josef [Charles University, Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine, Prague (Czech Republic); Kyncl, Martin [Charles University, Department of Radiology, Prague (Czech Republic)

2009-02-15

The aim of the study was to analyze the lateralizing value of proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy ({sup 1}H MRS) in histopathologically different subgroups of mesial temporal lobe epilepsies (MTLE) and to correlate results with clinical, MRI and seizure outcome data. A group of 35 patients who underwent resective epilepsy surgery was retrospectively studied. Hippocampal {sup 1}H MR spectra were evaluated. Metabolite concentrations were obtained using LCModel and NAA/Cr, NAA/Cho, NAA/(Cr+Cho), Cho/Cr ratios and coefficients of asymmetry were calculated. MRI correctly lateralized 89% of subjects and {sup 1}H MRS 83%. MRI together with {sup 1}H MRS correctly lateralized 100% of patients. Nineteen subjects had 'classical' hippocampal sclerosis (HS), whereas the remaining 16 patients had 'mild' HS. Nineteen patients had histopathologically proven malformation of cortical development (MCD) in the temporal pole; 16 subjects had only HS. No difference in {sup 1}H MRS findings was found between patients in different histopathological subgroups of MTLE. Our results support the hypothesis that {sup 1}H MRS abnormalities do not directly reflect histopathological changes in MTLE patients. Subjects with non-lateralized {sup 1}H MRS abnormalities did not have a worse postoperative seizure outcome. We found no significant impact of contralateral {sup 1}H MRS abnormality on post-surgical seizure outcome. (orig.)

Eating habits of obese patients in the Netherlands: a comparison between various subgroups and the general Dutch population.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Drent, M.L.; Koppeschaar, H.P.F.

1995-01-01

It is still uncertain whether subgroups of obese subjects demonstrate different eating patterns. The aim of this report is to compare data on dietary intake obtained by different methods (dietary history and dietary diary) in several groups of obese patients in which the effects of weight-reducing

Planar algebra of the subgroup-subfactor

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

We think of R α G as the II1-factor (R ∪{ug: g ∈ G}) ⊂ L(L2(R)), where ug(ˆx) ..... define a global trace on P, where for 0± the trace for P0± ∼= C is the obvious identity .... function for strings is either a local maximum or a local minimum. ..... In order to understand how the inclusion tangles act on the subgroup-subfactor planar.

Finite groups with the set of the number of subgroups of possible ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Finite group; the number of subgroups of possible order. 1. Introduction. Throughout this paper, groups mentioned are finite and p is a prime. An important topic in the group theory is to investigate the number of subgroups of possible order, and con- versely it is also an important subject to determine the structure of a finite ...

Different diagnostic values of imaging parameters to predict pseudoprogression in glioblastoma subgroups stratified by MGMT promoter methylation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yoon, Ra Gyoung [Catholic Kwandong University International St. Mary' s Hospital, Department of Radiology, Catholic Kwandong University College of Medicine, Incheon (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Ho Sung; Shim, Woo Hyun; Kim, Sang Joon [University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Department of Radiology and Research Institute of Radiology, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Paik, Wooyul [Dankook Unversity Hospital, Department of Radiology, Cheonan-si, Chungcheongnam-do (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Jeong Hoon [University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Department of Neurosurgery, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2017-01-15

The aim of this study was to determine whether diffusion and perfusion imaging parameters demonstrate different diagnostic values for predicting pseudoprogression between glioblastoma subgroups stratified by O{sup 6}-mythylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) promoter methylation status. We enrolled seventy-five glioblastoma patients that had presented with enlarged contrast-enhanced lesions on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) one month after completing concurrent chemoradiotherapy and undergoing MGMT promoter methylation testing. The imaging parameters included 10 or 90 % histogram cutoffs of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC10), normalized cerebral blood volume (nCBV90), and initial area under the time signal-intensity curve (IAUC90). The results of the areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUCs) with cross-validation were compared between MGMT methylation and unmethylation groups. MR imaging parameters demonstrated a trend toward higher accuracy in the MGMT promoter methylation group than in the unmethylation group (cross-validated AUCs = 0.70-0.95 and 0.56-0.87, respectively). The combination of MGMT methylation status with imaging parameters improved the AUCs from 0.70 to 0.75-0.90 for both readers in comparison with MGMT methylation status alone. The probability of pseudoprogression was highest (95.7 %) when nCBV90 was below 4.02 in the MGMT promoter methylation group. MR imaging parameters could be stronger predictors of pseudoprogression in glioblastoma patients with the methylated MGMT promoter than in patients with the unmethylated MGMT promoter. (orig.)

Evaluation of a compliance device in a subgroup of adult patients receiving specific immunotherapy with grass allergen tablets (GRAZAX) in a randomized, open-label, controlled study: an a priori subgroup analysis.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jansen, A.P.H.; Andersen, K.F.; Bruning, H.

2009-01-01

OBJECTIVES: This a priori subgroup analysis was conducted to assess patients' experience with a compliance device for the administration of sublingual specific immunotherapy for grass pollen-induced rhinoconjunctivitis. METHODS: The present paper reports the results of a subgroup analysis of a

[Satisfaction according to health care insurance systems in an emergency department].

Science.gov (United States)

Dávila, F A; Herrera, J S; Yasnó, D A; Forero, L C; Alvarado, M V

Health satisfaction is a fundamental measure of the quality of health services. This study aims to validate and analyse the results of a quality of care questionnaire to assess the level of satisfaction of patients attended in the emergency department of a high complexity hospital. Observational, cross-sectional study, with a questionnaire designed to assess the quality of service and satisfaction at the end of care in the emergency department. Descriptive statistics of scale were established and presented, as well as determining the construct validity, overall reliability, internal and concurrent validity of an overall against a uni-dimensional scale. A total of 5,961 records were reviewed, most of them (77.3%) reported by patients in the Mandatory Health Plan. High levels of satisfaction overall and by subgroups were found. There were no significant differences between subgroups, with 86.8 for those with Pre-paid Medical Care Plan and 84.4 for mandatory health plan. Cronbach's alpha for the questionnaire was 0.90. The questionnaire proved to be reliable and valid in determining the quality and satisfaction with care. The results showed high levels of satisfaction overall and in the domains. A low consistency between the results of the multidimensional and unidimensional satisfaction scales suggests that there were aspects of satisfaction not investigated on the multidimensional scale. Ecologically-designed before and after studies are required to evaluate the effectiveness of interventions in satisfaction. Copyright © 2016 SECA. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Emergence of multiple clade 2.3.2.1 influenza A (H5N1) virus subgroups in Vietnam and detection of novel reassortants.

Science.gov (United States)

Creanga, Adrian; Thi Nguyen, Diep; Gerloff, Nancy; Thi Do, Hoa; Balish, Amanda; Dang Nguyen, Hoang; Jang, Yunho; Thi Dam, Vui; Thor, Sharmi; Jones, Joyce; Simpson, Natosha; Shu, Bo; Emery, Shannon; Berman, LaShondra; Nguyen, Ha T; Bryant, Juliet E; Lindstrom, Steve; Klimov, Alexander; Donis, Ruben O; Davis, C Todd; Nguyen, Tung

2013-09-01

Phylogenetic analyses of 169 influenza A(H5N1) virus genomes were conducted for samples collected through active surveillance and outbreak responses in Vietnam between September 2010 and September 2012. While clade 1.1 viruses persisted in southern regions, three genetically distinct subgroups of clade 2.3.2.1 were found in northern and central Vietnam. The identification of each subgroup corresponded with detection of novel reassortants, likely due to their overlapping circulation throughout the country. While the previously identified clade 1.1 and A/Hubei/1/2010-like 2.3.2.1 genotypes remained the predominant viruses detected, four viruses were found to be reassortants between A/Hubei/1/2010-like (HA, NA, PB2, PB1, PA, NP) and A/duck/Vietnam/NCVD-885/2010-like (M, NS) viruses and one virus was identified as having A/duck/Vietnam/NCVD-885/2010-like HA, NA, PB1, and NP with A/Hubei/1/2010-like PB2 and PA genes. Additionally, clade 2.3.2.1 A/Hong Kong/6841/2010-like viruses, first detected in mid-2012, were identified as reassortants comprised of A/Hubei/1/2010-like PB2 and PA and A/duck/Vietnam/NCVD-885/2010-like PB1, NP, NA, M, NS genes. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Time-resolved magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) at 3.0 Tesla for evaluation of hemodynamic characteristics of vascular malformations: description of distinct subgroups.

Science.gov (United States)

Hammer, Simone; Uller, Wibke; Manger, Florentine; Fellner, Claudia; Zeman, Florian; Wohlgemuth, Walter A

2017-01-01

Quantitative evaluation of hemodynamic characteristics of arteriovenous and venous malformations using time-resolved magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) at 3.0 Tesla. Time-resolved MRA with interleaved stochastic trajectories (TWIST) at 3.0 Tesla was studied in 83 consecutive patients with venous malformations (VM) and arteriovenous malformations (AVM). Enhancement characteristics were calculated as percentage increase of signal intensity above baseline over time. Maximum percentage signal intensity increase (signal max ), time intervals between onset of arterial enhancement and lesion enhancement (t onset ), and time intervals between beginning of lesion enhancement and maximum percentage of lesion enhancement (t max ) were analyzed. All AVMs showed a high-flow hemodynamic pattern. Two significantly different (p 3.0 Tesla provides hemodynamic characterization of vascular malformations. VMs can be subclassified into two hemodynamic subgroups due to presence or absence of AVFs. • Time-resolved MRA at 3.0 Tesla provides quantitative hemodynamic characterization of vascular malformations. • Malformations significantly differ in time courses of enhancement and signal intensity increase. • AVMs show a distinctive high-flow hemodynamic pattern. • Two significantly different types of VMs emerged: VMs with and without AVFs.

Contribution of Dietary Supplements to Nutritional Adequacy by Socioeconomic Subgroups in Adults of the United States

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Jeffrey B. Blumberg

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Many Americans have inadequate intakes of several nutrients, and the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2015–2020 identified vitamins A, C, D, and E, in addition to calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, choline, and fiber as “underconsumed nutrients”. Based on nationally representative data on 10,698 adults from National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES, 2009–2012, assessments were made of socioeconomic differences, based on the Poverty Income Ratio (PIR, in terms of the association of dietary supplement use on nutrient intake and nutrient inadequacies. Compared to food alone, the use of any dietary supplement plus food was associated with significantly (p < 0.01 higher intakes of 15–16 of 19 nutrients examined in all socioeconomic groups; and significantly reduced rates of inadequacy for 10/17 nutrients in the subgroup PIR > 1.85 (not poor, but only 4–5/17 nutrients (calcium and vitamins A, C, D, E for the poor and nearly poor subgroups (PIR < 1.35 and PIR 1.35 to ≤1.85, respectively. An increased prevalence of intakes above the Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL was seen for 3–9/13 nutrients, but all were less than 5% in the PIR subgroups. In conclusion, dietary supplement use was associated with an increased micronutrient intake, decreased inadequacies, and a slight increase in the prevalence of intakes above the UL, with greater benefits seen in the PIR > 1.85 subgroup.

Low birthweight among US Hispanic/Latino subgroups: the effect of maternal foreign-born status and education.

Science.gov (United States)

Acevedo-Garcia, Dolores; Soobader, Mah-J; Berkman, Lisa F

2007-12-01

We investigated whether maternal foreign-born status confers a protective effect against low birthweight (LBW) across US Hispanic/Latino subgroups (i.e., Mexicans, Puerto Ricans, Cubans and Central/South Americans) in the USA, and whether the association between maternal education and LBW varies by Hispanic/Latino subgroup and by foreign-born status. We conducted logistic regression analyses of the 2002 US Natality Detail Data (n=634,797). Overall, foreign-born Latino women are less likely to have LBW infants than US-born Latino women. The protective effect of foreign-born status is stronger among Latino women with less than high school education. The maternal education gradient is significantly flatter among foreign-born Latino women than among their US-born counterparts (peducation (i.e., 0-11 and 12 years) than among women with more education (i.e., 13-15 and 16+ years). The educational gradient in LBW is less pronounced among foreign-born Mexicans and Central/South Americans than among their US-born counterparts. As such, maternal foreign-born status and education are associated with LBW, though the direction and strength of these associations vary across Latino subgroups. A "health paradox" is apparent for foreign-born Mexican and Central/South American women among whom there is a weak maternal educational gradient in LBW. Future research may test hypotheses regarding the mechanisms underlying these variations in LBW among Latino subgroups, i.e., different gradients in sending countries, health selection of immigrants, cultural factors, and social support.

Emerging pharmaceutical therapies for COPD

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lakshmi SP

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Sowmya P Lakshmi,1,2 Aravind T Reddy,1,2 Raju C Reddy1,2 1Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, 2Veterans Affairs Pittsburgh Healthcare System, Pittsburgh, PA, USA Abstract: COPD, for which cigarette smoking is the major risk factor, remains a worldwide burden. Current therapies provide only limited short-term benefit and fail to halt progression. A variety of potential therapeutic targets are currently being investigated, including COPD-related proinflammatory mediators and signaling pathways. Other investigational compounds target specific aspects or complications of COPD such as mucus hypersecretion and pulmonary hypertension. Although many candidate therapies have shown no significant effects, other emerging therapies have improved lung function, pulmonary hypertension, glucocorticoid sensitivity, and/or the frequency of exacerbations. Among these are compounds that inhibit the CXCR2 receptor, mitogen-activated protein kinase/Src kinase, myristoylated alanine-rich C kinase substrate, selectins, and the endothelin receptor. Activation of certain transcription factors may also be relevant, as a large retrospective cohort study of COPD patients with diabetes found that the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ agonists rosiglitazone and pioglitazone were associated with reduced COPD exacerbation rate. Notably, several therapies have shown efficacy only in identifiable subgroups of COPD patients, suggesting that subgroup identification may become more important in future treatment strategies. This review summarizes the status of emerging therapeutic pharmaceuticals for COPD and highlights those that appear most promising. Keywords: pulmonary, PPAR, phosphodiesterase, emphysema, cigarette, mucus 

Comparison between Different Power Sources for Emergency Power Supply at Nuclear Power Plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lenasson, Magnus

2015-01-01

Currently the Swedish nuclear power plants are using diesel generator sets and to some extent gas turbines as their emergency AC power sources and batteries as their emergency DC power sources. In the laws governing Swedish nuclear activity, no specific power sources are prescribed. On the other hand, diversification of safety functions should be considered, as well as simplicity and reliability in the safety systems. So far the choices of emergency power sources have been similar between different power plants, and therefore this project investigated a number of alternative power sources and if they are suitable for use as emergency power on nuclear power plants. The goals of the project were to: - Define the parameters that are essential for rending a power source suitable for use at a nuclear power plant. - Present the characteristics of a number of power sources regarding the defined parameters. - Compile the suitability of the different power sources. - Make implementation suggestions for the less conventional of the investigated power sources. (unconventional in the investigated application) 10 different power sources in total have been investigated and to various degrees deemed suitable Out of the 10 power sources, diesel generators, batteries and to some extent gas turbines are seen as conventional technology at the nuclear power plants. In relation to them the other power sources have been assessed regarding diversification gains, foremost with regards to external events. The power sources with the largest diversification gains are: Internal steam turbine, Hydro power, Thermoelectric generators. The work should first and foremost put focus on the fact that under the right circumstances there are power sources that can complement conventional power sources and yield substantial diversification gains. This paper is a shortened version of the report 'Comparison between different power sources for emergency power supply at nuclear power plants'. The

Subgroups of musculoskeletal pain patients and their psychobiological patterns – The LOGIN study protocol

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gerhardt Andreas

2012-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Pain conditions of the musculoskeletal system are very common and have tremendous socioeconomic impact. Despite its high prevalence, musculoskeletal pain remains poorly understood and predominantly non-specifically and insufficiently treated. The group of chronic musculoskeletal pain patients is supposed to be heterogeneous, due to a multitude of mechanisms involved in chronic pain. Psychological variables, psychophysiological processes, and neuroendocrine alterations are expected to be involved. Thus far, studies on musculoskeletal pain have predominantly focused on the general aspects of pain processing, thus neglecting the heterogeneity of patients with musculoskeletal pain. Consequently, there is a need for studies that comprise a multitude of mechanisms that are potentially involved in the chronicity and spread of pain. This need might foster research and facilitate a better pathophysiological understanding of the condition, thereby promoting the development of specific mechanism-based treatments for chronic pain. Therefore, the objectives of this study are as follows: 1 identify and describe subgroups of patients with musculoskeletal pain with regard to clinical manifestations (including mental co-morbidity and 2 investigate whether distinct sensory profiles or 3 distinct plasma levels of pain-related parameters due to different underlying mechanisms can be distinguished in various subgroups of pain patients. Methods/Design We will examine a population-based chronic pain sample (n = 100, a clinical tertiary care sample (n = 100 and pain-free patients with depression or post-traumatic stress disorder and pain-free healthy controls (each n = 30, respectively. The samples will be pain localisation matched by sex and age to the population-based sample. Patients will undergo physical examination and thorough assessments of mental co-morbidity (including psychological trauma, perceptual and central sensitisation

On approximation of Lie groups by discrete subgroups

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

1Department of Mathematics, Faculty of Sciences at Sfax, University of Sfax,. Route Soukra ... Let S (G) denote the space of discrete co-compact subgroup of a Lie group G. We ..... For example, it suffices to apply the following fact: The mapping.

Emerging trends in diabetes care practice and policy in The Netherlands: a key informants study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wensing, M.; Koetsenruijter, J.; Rogers, A.; Portillo, M.C.; Lieshout, J. van

2014-01-01

BACKGROUND: Effective self-management is viewed as the cornerstone of diabetes care. Many interventions and policies are available to support self-management, but challenges remain regarding reaching specific subgroups and effectively changing lifestyles. Here, our aim was to identify emerging

Patient characteristics in low back pain subgroups based on an existing classification system. A descriptive cohort study in chiropractic practice

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Eirikstoft, Heidi; Kongsted, Alice

2014-01-01

reducible disc syndromes followed by facet joint pain, dysfunction and sacroiliac (SI)-joint pain. Classification was inconclusive in 5% of the patients. Differences in pain, activity limitation, and psychological factors were small across subgroups. Within 10 days, 82% were reported to belong to the same......Sub-grouping of low back pain (LBP) is believed to improve prediction of prognosis and treatment effects. The objectives of this study were: (1) to examine whether chiropractic patients could be sub-grouped according to an existing pathoanatomically-based classification system, (2) to describe...... patient characteristics within each subgroup, and (3) to determine the proportion of patients in whom clinicians considered the classification to be unchanged after approximately 10 days. A cohort of 923 LBP patients was included during their first consultation. Patients completed an extensive...

Able but unintelligent: including positively stereotyped black subgroups in the stereotype content model.

Science.gov (United States)

Walzer, Amy S; Czopp, Alexander M

2011-01-01

The stereotype content model (SCM) posits that warmth and competence are the key components underlying judgments about social groups. Because competence can encompass different components (e.g., intelligence, talent) different group members may be perceived to be competent for different reasons. Therefore, we believe it may be important to specify the type of competence being assessed when examining perceptions of groups that are positively stereotyped (i.e., Black athletes and musical Blacks). Consistent with the SCM, these subgroups were perceived as high in competence-talent but not in competence-intelligence and low in warmth. Both the intelligence and talent frame of competence fit in the SCM's social structural hypothesis.

An observation on inappropriate probiotic subgroup classifications in the meta-analysis by Lau and Chamberlain

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

McFarl

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Lynne V McFarland Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA I read with great interest the systematic review of meta-analysis assessing probiotics for the prevention of Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea (CDAD published in the International Journal of General Medicine. These authors pooled 26 randomized controlled trials (RCTs and concluded that Lactobacilli, mixtures, and Saccharomyces probiotics were effective in preventing CDAD. However, the meta-analysis by Lau and Chamberlain is flawed due to improper classification by the types of probiotics. It is important to recognize that the efficacy of probiotics for various diseases has been shown to be strain specific for each probiotic product, and thus the data should only be pooled for probiotics that are of the identical type. In their analysis of probiotic subgroups by various species, the authors have inappropriately merged different types of Lactobacilli into one subgroup “Lactobacilli” and different types of mixtures into one group classified as “Mix”.View the original paper by Lau and Chamberlain. 

Hand-held cell phone use while driving legislation and observed driver behavior among population sub-groups in the United States

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Toni M. Rudisill

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Cell phone use behaviors are known to vary across demographic sub-groups and geographic locations. This study examined whether universal hand-held calling while driving bans were associated with lower road-side observed hand-held cell phone conversations across drivers of different ages (16–24, 25–59, ≥60 years, sexes, races (White, African American, or other, ruralities (suburban, rural, or urban, and regions (Northeast, Midwest, South, and West. Methods Data from the 2008–2013 National Occupant Protection Use Survey were merged with states’ cell phone use while driving legislation. The exposure was presence of a universal hand-held cell phone ban at time of observation. Logistic regression was used to assess the odds of drivers having a hand-held cell phone conversation. Sub-groups differences were assessed using models with interaction terms. Results When universal hand-held cell phone bans were effective, hand-held cell phone conversations were lower across all driver demographic sub-groups and regions. Sub-group differences existed among the sexes (p-value, <0.0001 and regions (p-value, 0.0003. Compared to states without universal hand-held cell phone bans, the adjusted odds ratio (aOR of a driver hand-held phone conversation was 0.34 [95% confidence interval (CI: 0.28, 0.41] for females versus 0.47 (CI 0.40, 0.55 for males and 0.31 (CI 0.25, 0.38 for drivers in Western states compared to 0.47 (CI 0.30, 0.72 in the Northeast and 0.50 (CI 0.38, 0.66 in the South. Conclusions The presence of universal hand-held cell phone bans were associated lower hand-held cell phone conversations across all driver sub-groups and regions. Hand-held phone conversations were particularly lower among female drivers and those from Western states when these bans were in effect. Public health interventions concerning hand-held cell phone use while driving could reasonably target all drivers.

[Differences in practice among physicians staffing an emergency department in relation to years of experience].

Science.gov (United States)

Busca, Pablo; Inchaurza, Estibaliz; Illarramendi, Aiora; Urbina, Ohiana; González, Laura; Miró, Òscar

2015-06-01

To determine differences in certain variables reflecting clinical practice in a group of emergency physicians with varying levels of experience and to explore whether differences are associated with experience. Retrospective observational study of differences in variables reflecting emergency physicians' practice between 2005 and 2012. We studied work variables (months worked, patients treated, caseload distribution according to triage levels), patient management variables (consultation with other specialists, admissions, ambulance requests), diagnostic procedures ordered (simple radiographs, laboratory tests, ultrasound or computed tomography imaging), and time patients discharged home spent in the department (arrival to discharge). We explored relationships between these variables and the emergency physician's experience using linear regression analysis, followed by the construction of multivariable models to adjust for physician characteristics. Data for 50 emergency medicine physicians, in 291 years of work, were analyzed. The specialists' experience ranged from 1 to 22 years (mean [SD], 9.5 [5.8] years). They attended between 47 and 158 patients monthly (mean, 86 [19] patients). The physicians' experience was inversely and independently related to the mean number of patients attended monthly and the percentage of patients assigned a triage level of 1 or 2. Experience was directly and independently related to discharged patients' time spent in the emergency department and number of simple radiographs ordered. All associations were small (R2<0.010), however. Those variables continued to show statistically significant associations after increasingly complex modeling to adjust for the following physician variables: physician, age, sex, specialty, residency training in the same hospital). The practice of emergency physicians with more accumulated experience shows slight but significant differences from the practice of less experienced physicians.

Performance of the international physical activity questionnaire (short form) in subgroups of the Hong Kong chinese population

Science.gov (United States)

2011-01-01

Background The International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ-SF) has been validated and recommended as an efficient method to assess physical activity, but its validity has not been investigated in different population subgroups. We examined variations in IPAQ validity in the Hong Kong Chinese population by six factors: sex, age, job status, educational level, body mass index (BMI), and visceral fat level (VFL). Methods A total of 1,270 adults (aged 42.9 ± SD 14.4 years, 46.1% male) completed the Chinese version of IPAQ (IPAQ-C) and wore an accelerometer (ActiGraph) for four days afterwards. The IPAQ-C and the ActiGraph were compared in terms of estimated Metabolic Equivalent Task minutes per week (MET-min/wk), minutes spent in activity of moderate or vigorous intensity (MVPA), and agreement in the classification of physical activity. Results The overall Spearman correlation (ρ) of between the IPAQ-C and ActiGraph was low (0.11 ± 0.03; range in subgroups 0.06-0.24) and was the highest among high VFL participants (0.24 ± 0.05). Difference between self-reported and ActiGraph-derived MET-min/wk (overall 2966 ± 140) was the smallest among participants with tertiary education (1804 ± 208). When physical activity was categorized into over or under 150 min/wk, overall agreement between self-report and accelerometer was 81.3% (± 1.1%; subgroup range: 77.2%-91.4%); agreement was the highest among those who were employed full-time in physically demanding jobs (91.4% ± 2.7%). Conclusions Sex, age, job status, educational level, and obesity were found to influence the criterion validity of IPAQ-C, yet none of the subgroups showed good validity (ρ = 0.06 to 0.24). IPAQ-SF validity is questionable in our Chinese population. PMID:21801461

Laboratory evaluation of a quantitative real-time reverse transcription PCR assay for the detection and identification of the four subgroups of avian metapneumovirus.

Science.gov (United States)

Guionie, O; Toquin, D; Sellal, E; Bouley, S; Zwingelstein, F; Allée, C; Bougeard, S; Lemière, S; Eterradossi, N

2007-02-01

Avian metapneumovirus (AMPV) is an important pathogen causing respiratory diseases and egg drops in several avian species. Four AMPV subgroups have been identified. The laboratory diagnosis of AMPV infections relies on serological methods, on labour-intensive virus isolation procedures, and on recently developed subgroup specific reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR) protocols. In the present study, both the specificity and sensitivity of a commercial real-time reverse transcription PCR (RRT-PCR) for the detection and identification of the four AMPV subgroups were evaluated. Fifteen non-AMPV avian viruses belonging to 7 genera and 32 AMPV belonging to the 4 subgroups were tested. No non-AMPV virus was detected, whereas all AMPV viruses were identified in agreement with their previous molecular and antigenic subgroup assignment. The sensitivity and quantitating ability of the RRT-PCR assay were determined using serial dilutions of RNA derived either from AMPV virus stocks or from runoff transcripts. In all cases, linear dose/responses were observed. The detection limits of the different subgroups ranged from 500 to 5000 RNA copies and from 0.03 to 3.16TCID50/ml. The results were reproducible under laboratory conditions, thus showing that quantitative RRT-PCR is a new and powerful tool for the rapid and sensitive detection, identification and quantitation of AMPVs.

Subgroups of some Fuchsian groups defined by two linear congruences

Science.gov (United States)

Yayenie, Omer

In this article we define a new family of subgroups of Fuchsian groups H(√{m}) , for a squarefree positive integer m , and calculate their index in H(√{m}) and their parabolic class number. Moreover, we will show that the index of these subgroups is closely related to the solvability of a quadratic congruence x2≡ m(mod n) and the number of inequivalent solutions of a quadratic congruence x2≡ 1(mod n) . Finally, we will show that the results obtained by Yilmaz and Keskin [Acta Math. Sin 25 (2005), 215-222] are immediate corollaries of one of the main theorems of this article.

Identification of subgroups of inflammatory and degenerative MRI findings in the spine and sacroiliac joints: a latent class analysis of 1037 patients with persistent low back pain

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Arnbak, Bodil; Jensen, Rikke Krüger; Manniche, Claus

2016-01-01

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to investigate subgroups of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings for the spine and sacroiliac joints (SIJs) using latent class analysis (LCA), and to investigate whether these subgroups differ in their demographic and clinical characteristics. METHODS...

Medulloblastoma subgroup-specific outcomes in irradiated children: who are the true high-risk patients?

Science.gov (United States)

Ramaswamy, Vijay; Remke, Marc; Adamski, Jennifer; Bartels, Ute; Tabori, Uri; Wang, Xin; Huang, Annie; Hawkins, Cynthia; Mabbott, Donald; Laperriere, Normand; Taylor, Michael D; Bouffet, Eric

2016-02-01

The advent of integrated genomics has fundamentally changed our understanding of medulloblastoma. Although survival differences exist among the 4 principal subgroups, this has yet to be elucidated in a North American cohort of irradiated patients. Ninety-two consecutive patients between the ages of 3 and 17 treated with surgery, craniospinal irradiation, and chemotherapy were identified at the Hospital for Sick Children. Molecular subgrouping was performed using nanoString. Two treatment periods were identified: prior to 2006 as per the protocols of the Children's Oncology Group, and after 2006 per the St Jude Medulloblastoma 03 protocol. Five-year progression-free survival (PFS) over the entire cohort was 0.801 (95% CI: 0.692-0.875) with no significant difference between treatment protocols. Strikingly, we found that Group 4 patients had excellent 5-year PFS of 0.959 (95% CI: 0.744-0.994) for average risk and 0.887 (95% CI: 0.727-0.956) across all Group 4 patients. Group 3 patients had 5-year PFS of 0.733 (95% CI: 0.436-0.891). Sonic hedgehog patients did poorly across both treatment protocols, with 5-year PFS of 0.613 (95% CI: 0.333-0.804), likely owing to a high proportion of TP53 mutated patients in this age group. In a cohort of irradiated patients over 3 years of age, PFS for Group 4 patients was significantly improved compared with initial reports. The impact of subgroup affiliation in these children needs to be assessed in large prospectively treated cooperative protocols to determine if more than just WNT patients can be safely selected for de-escalation of therapy. © The Author(s) 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Neuro-Oncology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Avian metapneumovirus subgroup C infection in chickens, China.

Science.gov (United States)

Wei, Li; Zhu, Shanshan; Yan, Xv; Wang, Jing; Zhang, Chunyan; Liu, Shuhang; She, Ruiping; Hu, Fengjiao; Quan, Rong; Liu, Jue

2013-07-01

Avian metapneumovirus causes acute respiratory tract infection and reductions in egg production in various avian species. We isolated and characterized an increasingly prevalent avian metapneumovirus subgroup C strain from meat-type commercial chickens with severe respiratory signs in China. Culling of infected flocks could lead to economic consequences.

Avian Metapneumovirus Subgroup C Infection in Chickens, China

OpenAIRE

Wei, Li; Zhu, Shanshan; Yan, Xv; Wang, Jing; Zhang, Chunyan; Liu, Shuhang; She, Ruiping; Hu, Fengjiao; Quan, Rong; Liu, Jue

2013-01-01

Avian metapneumovirus causes acute respiratory tract infection and reductions in egg production in various avian species. We isolated and characterized an increasingly prevalent avian metapneumovirus subgroup C strain from meat-type commercial chickens with severe respiratory signs in China. Culling of infected flocks could lead to economic consequences.

Sex Differences in Emergent Literacy and Reading Behaviour in Junior Kindergarten

Science.gov (United States)

Deasley, Shanna; Evans, Mary Ann; Nowak, Sarah; Willoughby, David

2018-01-01

In a sample of 128 Canadian junior kindergarten children (66 boys), we examined sex differences in emergent literacy and behaviour when listening to and interacting with books of four types: alphabet books with simple text and illustrations, traditional alphabet books with complex text and illustrations, alphabet eBooks, and illustrated…

The 1998 flood in Bangladesh: is different targeting needed during emergencies and recovery to tackle malnutrition?

Science.gov (United States)

Hossain, S M; Kolsteren, Patrick

2003-06-01

Bangladesh suffered the century's worst flood during July-October 1998 and appealed for assistance. To provide information for appropriate interventions to tackle nutritional problems, a rapid assessment survey was conducted to look at the nutritional situation, problems encountered by the community, their coping mechanisms and rehabilitation priorities in six rural areas. The survey was repeated after four months to measure the outcome of activities during the flood and the necessity for future assistance. There were 3,048 children measured in both surveys (1,597 and 1,451). The sample of most interest was a sub-group of 180 children present in two previous independent surveys. The analysis found that while moving from the crisis period to post-flood phase there was evidence of a 'crossover phenomenon' in the recovery pattern of nutritional status. Sixty-eight per cent of the children who were malnourished (WHZ loan burden had also influenced the recovery pattern of the children's nutritional status as evident from the statistically significant associations. These findings raise questions about targeting acute malnutrition during emergencies, and using the same criteria during both the crisis and rehabilitation phases.

Dietary Patterns Derived Using Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analysis are Stable and Generalizable Across Race, Region, and Gender Subgroups in the REGARDS Study

Science.gov (United States)

Judd, Suzanne E.; Letter, Abraham J.; Shikany, James M.; Roth, David L.; Newby, P. K.

2015-01-01

Background: Examining diet as a whole using dietary patterns as exposures is a complementary method to using single food or nutrients in studies of diet and disease, but the generalizability of intake patterns across race, region, and gender in the United States has not been established. Objective: To employ rigorous statistical analysis to empirically derive dietary patterns in a large bi-racial, geographically diverse population and examine whether results are stable across population subgroups. Design: The present analysis utilized data from 21,636 participants in the Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) study who completed the Block 98 food frequency questionnaire. We employed exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analyses on 56 different food groups iteratively and examined differences by race, region, and sex to determine the optimal factor solution in our sample. Results: Five dietary patterns emerged: the “Convenience” pattern was characterized by mixed dishes; the “Plant-based” pattern by fruits, vegetables, and fish; the “Sweets/Fats” pattern by sweet snacks, desserts, and fats and oils; the “Southern” pattern by fried foods, organ meat, and sweetened beverages; and the “Alcohol/Salads” pattern by beer, wine, liquor, and salads. Differences were most pronounced in the Southern pattern with black participants, those residing in the Southeast, and participants not completing high school having the highest scores. Conclusion: Five meaningful dietary patterns emerged in the REGARDS study and showed strong congruence across race, sex, and region. Future research will examine associations between these patterns and health outcomes to better understand racial disparities in disease and inform prevention efforts. PMID:25988129

Patterns of alcohol use and consequences among empirically derived sexual minority subgroups.

Science.gov (United States)

Talley, Amelia E; Sher, Kenneth J; Steinley, Douglas; Wood, Phillip K; Littlefield, Andrew K

2012-03-01

The current study develops an empirically determined classification of sexual orientation developmental patterns based on participants' annual reports of self-identifications, sexual attractions, and sexual behaviors during the first 4 years of college. A secondary aim of the current work was to examine trajectories of alcohol involvement among identified subgroups. Data were drawn from a subsample of a longitudinal study of incoming first-time college students at a large, public university (n = 2,068). Longitudinal latent class analysis was used to classify sexual minority participants into empirically derived subgroups based on three self-reported facets of sexual orientation. Multivariate repeated-measures analyses were conducted to examine how trajectories of alcohol involvement varied by sexual orientation class membership. Four unique subclasses of sexual orientation developmental patterns were identified for males and females: one consistently exclusively heterosexual group and three sexual minority groups. Despite generally similar alcohol use patterns among subclasses, certain sexual minority subgroups reported elevated levels of alcohol-related negative consequences and maladaptive motivations for use throughout college compared with their exclusively heterosexual counterparts. Elevations in coping and conformity motivations for alcohol use were seen among those subgroups that also evidenced heightened negative alcohol-related consequences. Implications and limitations of the current work are discussed.

Objectives and tasks for sub-group B: Plutonium management and recycle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1978-01-01

The paper restates the prime objectives of Working Group 4 and explains that in order to accomplish their objectives two sub-groups (A and B) have been established. The Co-Chairmen suggested that sub group B take as their terms of reference those tasks remitted to them by Working Group 4 as a whole. The paper identifies and comments on 11 tasks into which the work of the sub-group is divided. The paper also includes a number of annexes giving the guidelines for data input to each task

Study of microflora status of radiation-induced peripheral blood T cell and its subgroup changes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ding Hao; Wang Shengzi; Wang Shuyi; Lu Shenbin; Guo Ming; Tian Jie

2009-01-01

Objective: To observe the differences of the radiation-induced peripheral blood T cell and its subgroup changes between SPF and CV rats after nasopharyngeal radiation with gradient doses and explore the microflora factors in the pathogenesis of abnormal radiation-induced immunity status. Methods: 8 from each SPF and CV rats were chosen for oropharyngeal bacteria cultivation and determination and the spleen organ coefficients. The rest were irradiated with 6MX linear accelerator in the nasopharyngeal fields at dose of 0, 10, 20, 30 Gy, 5 in each group. 24 ∼ 36 h later, blood T lymphocytes and their subgroups were detected by FCM. Results: The bacteria of CV rats were pathogen mostly and the one from SPF rats was Proteus mirabilis uniquely. Spleen organ coefficients between two groups showed no statistical difference. CD + 3 , CD + 4 lymphocytes and the ratio of CD + 4 / CD + 8 of CV rats decreased dramatically after radiation is in close relation with radiation doses while The CD + 8 lymphocyte increased a bit. The CD + 3 , CD + 4 , CD + 8 lymphocytes and the ratio of CD + 4 / CD + 8 of SPF rats remained in a stable level. Conclusions: There exists the difference of radiation-induced injuries of immune system in relation with different microflora status. Micro-flora plays an important role in the radiation-induced immune system abnormity. (authors)

Examining gender differences for gambling engagement and gambling problems among emerging adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Wong, Gloria; Zane, Nolan; Saw, Anne; Chan, Alan Ka Ki

2013-06-01

Gambling is fast becoming a public health problem in the United States, especially among emerging adults (18-25 year olds). Since 1995, rates have recently doubled with around 7-11 % of the emerging adult population having problems with gambling (Shaffer et al. in Am J Public Health 89(9):1369-1376, 1999; Cyders and Smith in Pers Individ Diff 45(6):503-508, 2008). Some states have lowered their gambling age to 18 years old; in turn, the gambling industry has recently oriented their market to target this younger population. However, little is known about the gender variation and the factors placing emerging adults at risk for getting engaged and developing problems with gambling. The purpose of the study was to determine the risk factors accounting for gender differences at the two levels of gambling involvement: engagement and problems. Mediation analyses revealed that impulsive coping and risk-taking were significant partial mediators for gender differences on engagement in gambling. Men took more risks and had lower levels of impulsive coping than women, and those who took more risks and had lower levels of impulsive coping were more likely to engage in gambling. Risk-taking and social anxiety were the significant mediators for gender differences in problems with gambling. Men took more risks and were more socially anxious than women, and greater risk-taking and more socially anxious individuals tended to have more problems with gambling. Implications for counseling preventions and intervention strategies are discussed.

Report on the α subgroup forward collider experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kwan, S.; Luk, K.B.

1993-01-01

The subgroup studied the potential of forward collider experiments for measuring the angle α using the B 0 →π + π - decay. In particular, they tried to answer the questions of what sensitivities the two different proposals (COBEX and forward BCD) could probe CP violation in the above decay mode in units of 10 7 seconds. A detailed comparison of the capabilities of the experiments would require extensive Monte Carlo estimates of the total number of reconstructed and tagged exclusive B meson decays as well as realistic estimates of the background. Both experiments have performed most of these calculations and their numbers have been used as the basis of discussion. Given the short time available in the workshop, the authors took the approach of examining the numbers presented by the proponents of the two experiments at the workshop and estimated what would be achievable

Molecular Subgroup of Primary Prostate Cancer Presenting with Metastatic Biology.

Science.gov (United States)

Walker, Steven M; Knight, Laura A; McCavigan, Andrena M; Logan, Gemma E; Berge, Viktor; Sherif, Amir; Pandha, Hardev; Warren, Anne Y; Davidson, Catherine; Uprichard, Adam; Blayney, Jaine K; Price, Bethanie; Jellema, Gera L; Steele, Christopher J; Svindland, Aud; McDade, Simon S; Eden, Christopher G; Foster, Chris; Mills, Ian G; Neal, David E; Mason, Malcolm D; Kay, Elaine W; Waugh, David J; Harkin, D Paul; Watson, R William; Clarke, Noel W; Kennedy, Richard D

2017-10-01

Approximately 4-25% of patients with early prostate cancer develop disease recurrence following radical prostatectomy. To identify a molecular subgroup of prostate cancers with metastatic potential at presentation resulting in a high risk of recurrence following radical prostatectomy. Unsupervised hierarchical clustering was performed using gene expression data from 70 primary resections, 31 metastatic lymph nodes, and 25 normal prostate samples. Independent assay validation was performed using 322 radical prostatectomy samples from four sites with a mean follow-up of 50.3 months. Molecular subgroups were identified using unsupervised hierarchical clustering. A partial least squares approach was used to generate a gene expression assay. Relationships with outcome (time to biochemical and metastatic recurrence) were analysed using multivariable Cox regression and log-rank analysis. A molecular subgroup of primary prostate cancer with biology similar to metastatic disease was identified. A 70-transcript signature (metastatic assay) was developed and independently validated in the radical prostatectomy samples. Metastatic assay positive patients had increased risk of biochemical recurrence (multivariable hazard ratio [HR] 1.62 [1.13-2.33]; p=0.0092) and metastatic recurrence (multivariable HR=3.20 [1.76-5.80]; p=0.0001). A combined model with Cancer of the Prostate Risk Assessment post surgical (CAPRA-S) identified patients at an increased risk of biochemical and metastatic recurrence superior to either model alone (HR=2.67 [1.90-3.75]; pmolecular subgroup of primary prostate cancers with metastatic potential. The metastatic assay may improve the ability to detect patients at risk of metastatic recurrence following radical prostatectomy. The impact of adjuvant therapies should be assessed in this higher-risk population. Copyright © 2017 European Association of Urology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Differences between two subgroups of low back pain patients in lumbopelvic rotation and symmetry in the erector spinae and hamstring muscles during trunk flexion when standing.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Min-hee; Yoo, Won-gyu; Choi, Bo-ram

2013-04-01

The present study was performed to examine lumbopelvic rotation and to identify asymmetry of the erector spinae and hamstring muscles in people with and without low back pain (LBP). The control group included 16 healthy subjects, the lumbar-flexion-rotation syndrome LBP group included 17 subjects, and the lumbar-extension-rotation syndrome LBP group included 14 subjects. Kinematic parameters were recorded using a 3D motion-capture system, and electromyography parameters were measured using a Noraxon TeleMyo 2400T. The two LBP subgroups showed significantly more lumbopelvic rotation during trunk flexion in standing than did the control group. The muscle activity and flexion-relaxation ratio asymmetries of the erector spinae muscles in the lumbar-flexion-rotation syndrome LBP group were significantly greater than those in the control group, and the muscle activity and flexion-relaxation ratio asymmetry of the hamstring muscles in the lumbar-extension-rotation syndrome LBP group were significantly greater than those in the control group. Imbalance or asymmetry of passive tissue could lead to asymmetry of muscular activation. Muscle imbalance can cause asymmetrical alignment or movements such as unexpected rotation. The results showed a greater increase in lumbopelvic rotation during trunk flexion in standing among the lumbar-flexion-rotation syndrome and lumbar-extension-rotation syndrome LBP groups compared with the control group. The differences between the two LBP subgroups may be a result of imbalance and asymmetry in erector spinae and hamstring muscle properties. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Discriminative validity of the Scoliosis Research Society 22 questionnaire among five curve-severity subgroups of adolescents with idiopathic scoliosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Berliner, Jonathan L; Verma, Kushagra; Lonner, Baron S; Penn, Phedra U; Bharucha, Neil J

2013-02-01

Previous studies of the Scoliosis Research Society (SRS) 22 discriminative validity have lacked sufficiently matched study groups and were limited to a comparison with three or fewer subgroups of disease severity. To evaluate the discriminative validity of SRS-22 by assessing the questionnaire's ability to discriminate among five groups of pretreatment adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) patients with increasing curve severity. Retrospective review of prospectively administered surveys. Two hundred eighty-six SRS-22 questionnaires were issued to two AIS pretreatment patient populations: 67 nonoperative and 219 preoperative. Study subjects were separated into five subgroups depending on the major Cobb angle (nonoperative 0°-19° and 20°-40° and preoperative 41°-50°, 51°-60°, and >60°). Each group (n=31) was matched for age (within 1 year) and sex (23 females and 8 males), resulting in a total of 155 study subjects. Analysis of variance was used to determine statistically significant differences (pself-image than all three preoperative groups. Both nonoperative groups' total scores were significantly higher than all three preoperative groups' scores, with the exception of the 20° to 40° subgroup versus the >60° subgroup. No significant differences were found between groups within the same planned treatment category. The SRS-22 questionnaire demonstrated good discriminative validity between small nonoperative curves and larger surgical curves within the pain, image, and total domains. However, SRS-22 lacked the ability to differentiate between small intervals of curve magnitude, suggesting a limitation to the questionnaire's discriminative capacity. The discriminative validity of the Scoliosis Research Society (SRS) 22 has not been clearly defined. Our analysis of 155 adolescent idiopathic scoliosis patients evaluates the instrument's discriminative validity among five age- and sex-matched curve-severity subgroups. The SRS-22 questionnaire lacked the

Subgrouping of risky behaviors among Iranian college students: a latent class analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Safiri, Saeid; Rahimi-Movaghar, Afarin; Yunesian, Masud; Sadeghi-Bazargani, Homayoun; Shamsipour, Mansour; Mansournia, Mohammad Ali; Fotouhi, Akbar

2016-01-01

Background Risky behaviors may interrupt development or cause considerable morbidity or mortality. This study’s purpose was to determine subgroups of students based on risky behaviors and assess the prevalence of risky behaviors in each of the subgroups. Participants and methods This anonymous cross-sectional study was carried out in October 2015 and November 2015, with 1,777 students from Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, through multistage random sampling method. The data were analyzed by latent class analysis. Results The prevalence rates of cigarette smoking (more than or equal to ten cigarettes), hookah use (≥1 time/month), and alcohol consumption (≥1 time/month) during the last year were 12.4% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 10.9–14.0), 11.6% (95% CI: 10.0–13.1), and 4.9% (95% CI: 3.8–5.9), respectively. The prevalence rates of illicit opioids (1.8%, 95% CI: 1.2–2.5), cannabis (1.2%, 95% CI: 0.7–1.7), methamphetamine (1.1%, 95% CI: 0.6–1.6), methylphenidate (2.5%, 95% CI: 1.7–3.2), and extramarital sex (5.5%, 95% CI: 4.5–6.6) over the last year were also estimated. Three latent classes were determined: 1) low risk; 2) cigarette and hookah smoker; and 3) high risk. It is worth mentioning that 3.7% of males and 0.4% of females were in the high risk group. Conclusion Subgrouping of college students showed that a considerable percentage of them, especially males, were classified into the high risk and cigarette and hookah smoker groups. Appropriate preventive measures that consider multiple different risky behaviors simultaneously are needed for this part of the population. PMID:27524898

Accounting for subgroup structure in line-transect abundance estimates of false killer whales (Pseudorca crassidens in Hawaiian waters.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Amanda L Bradford

Full Text Available For biological populations that form aggregations (or clusters of individuals, cluster size is an important parameter in line-transect abundance estimation and should be accurately measured. Cluster size in cetaceans has traditionally been represented as the total number of individuals in a group, but group size may be underestimated if group members are spatially diffuse. Groups of false killer whales (Pseudorca crassidens can comprise numerous subgroups that are dispersed over tens of kilometers, leading to a spatial mismatch between a detected group and the theoretical framework of line-transect analysis. Three stocks of false killer whales are found within the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone of the Hawaiian Islands (Hawaiian EEZ: an insular main Hawaiian Islands stock, a pelagic stock, and a Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (NWHI stock. A ship-based line-transect survey of the Hawaiian EEZ was conducted in the summer and fall of 2010, resulting in six systematic-effort visual sightings of pelagic (n = 5 and NWHI (n = 1 false killer whale groups. The maximum number and spatial extent of subgroups per sighting was 18 subgroups and 35 km, respectively. These sightings were combined with data from similar previous surveys and analyzed within the conventional line-transect estimation framework. The detection function, mean cluster size, and encounter rate were estimated separately to appropriately incorporate data collected using different methods. Unlike previous line-transect analyses of cetaceans, subgroups were treated as the analytical cluster instead of groups because subgroups better conform to the specifications of line-transect theory. Bootstrap values (n = 5,000 of the line-transect parameters were randomly combined to estimate the variance of stock-specific abundance estimates. Hawai'i pelagic and NWHI false killer whales were estimated to number 1,552 (CV = 0.66; 95% CI = 479-5,030 and 552 (CV = 1.09; 95% CI = 97

Reports of MC and A system design workshop subgroups

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hatcher, C.R.

1984-01-01

A summary of subgroup reports from the workshop on design of a materials control and accounting system for a low-enrichment fuel fabrication facility is presented. Responses to a MC and A design system questionnaire are also summarized

Human rotavirus subgroups and severity of associated diarrhoea in Ghana.

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Armah, George E.; Hori, Hiroki; Anyanful, Akwasi; Addo, Julius A.; Commey, Joseph O.; Kamiya, Hitoshi; Nkrumah, Francis K.

1995-11-01

In a 12 month study of children with acute diarrhoea seeking medical care in 2 hospitals in Accra, Ghana, 16.3% were found to be infected with human rotaviruses (HRV). Vomiting and diarrhoea were the main symptoms observed. HRV infection was frequently associated with severe diarrhoea. Vomiting was however less frequent in HRV associated diarrhoea than in non HRV diarrhoea. No significant association was observed between the severity of dehydration and HRV infection. Subgroup II HRV was the predominant subgroup identified with the dominant serotypes being HRV serotypes 1 and 4. Poly-acrylamide gel electrophoresis of HRV RNAs isolated from 40 positive stool samples revealed the existence of 7 distinct electrophoretic migration patterns in the study population.

Detecting treatment-subgroup interactions in clustered data with generalized linear mixed-effects model trees.

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Fokkema, M; Smits, N; Zeileis, A; Hothorn, T; Kelderman, H

2017-10-25

Identification of subgroups of patients for whom treatment A is more effective than treatment B, and vice versa, is of key importance to the development of personalized medicine. Tree-based algorithms are helpful tools for the detection of such interactions, but none of the available algorithms allow for taking into account clustered or nested dataset structures, which are particularly common in psychological research. Therefore, we propose the generalized linear mixed-effects model tree (GLMM tree) algorithm, which allows for the detection of treatment-subgroup interactions, while accounting for the clustered structure of a dataset. The algorithm uses model-based recursive partitioning to detect treatment-subgroup interactions, and a GLMM to estimate the random-effects parameters. In a simulation study, GLMM trees show higher accuracy in recovering treatment-subgroup interactions, higher predictive accuracy, and lower type II error rates than linear-model-based recursive partitioning and mixed-effects regression trees. Also, GLMM trees show somewhat higher predictive accuracy than linear mixed-effects models with pre-specified interaction effects, on average. We illustrate the application of GLMM trees on an individual patient-level data meta-analysis on treatments for depression. We conclude that GLMM trees are a promising exploratory tool for the detection of treatment-subgroup interactions in clustered datasets.

Cluster analysis reveals subclinical subgroups with shared autistic and schizotypal traits.

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Ford, Talitha C; Apputhurai, Pragalathan; Meyer, Denny; Crewther, David P

2018-07-01

Autism and schizophrenia spectrum research is typically based on coarse diagnostic classification, which overlooks individual variation within clinical groups. This method limits the identification of underlying cognitive, genetic and neural correlates of specific symptom dimensions. This study, therefore, aimed to identify homogenous subclinical subgroups of specific autistic and schizotypal traits dimensions, that may be utilised to establish more effective diagnostic and treatment practices. Latent profile analysis of subscale scores derived from an autism-schizotypy questionnaire, completed by 1678 subclinical adults aged 18-40 years (1250 females), identified a local optimum of eight population clusters: High, Moderate and Low Psychosocial Difficulties; High, Moderate and Low Autism-Schizotypy; High Psychosis-Proneness; and Moderate Schizotypy. These subgroups represent the convergent and discriminant dimensions of autism and schizotypy in the subclinical population, and highlight the importance of examining subgroups of specific symptom characteristics across these spectra in order to identify the underlying genetic and neural correlates that can be utilised to advance diagnostic and treatment practices. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Birth and fertility rates for states by Hispanic origin subgroups: United States, 1990 and 2000.

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Sutton, Paul D; Mathews, T J

2006-05-01

This report presents U.S. and State-level data on births, birth rates, and fertility rates for Hispanic origin subgroups for 1990 and 2000. Data for non-Hispanic whites and non-Hispanic blacks are provided for comparison. Data are presented in detailed tables, graphs, and maps. Between 1990 and 2000, the total U.S. Hispanic population increased 58 percent, from 22,353,999 to 35,305,818. Over the same period of time, births to Hispanic mothers increased 37 percent, from 595,073 to 815,868. The smaller increases in births compared with the population resulted in a falling birth rate among Hispanic mothers (26.7 in 1990 to 23.1 births per 1,000 total population in 2000). Birth and fertility rates for Mexican, Puerto Rican, and Cuban mothers all fell between 1990 and 2000. Among the Hispanic subgroups, fertility rates in 2000 ranged from 105.1 births per 1,000 women aged 15-44 years for Mexican women to 49.3 for Cuban women. Differences in fertility exist not only between Hispanic subgroups but also within groups among States. For example, total fertility rates for Puerto Rican mothers, which estimates the number of children a group of 1,000 women will have in their lifetime, ranged in 2000 from 1,616.5 in New York to 2,403.0 in Pennsylvania.

Verification of a Subgroup Generation Method for Thorium Fuel Assemblies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sim, Ohsung; Kim, Myunghyun

2013-01-01

Resonance parameter consists of subgroup level and weight. The subgroup weight is obtained by solving the ultrafine slowing down equation and fixed source problem. That means this cross section library procedure considers conservation of the shielded cross section for pin-cell in order to obtain subgroup parameters. There are some isotopes to be concerned for research such as actinides and thorium. Minor actinides(MA) are existing with very small amount in a spent fuel, but effect is not negligible in a high burnup fuel assemblies. Some MAs have high fission cross sections under thermal neutron spectrum. Thorium isotopes was not investigated as much as uranium, but it has high potential for future application. In this study, a new cross section library to be replaced with HELIOS library was generated and compared for the assembly calculation, specially for assembly with thorium. An average capture cross section value at a certain fuel pin and multiplication factor of assembly were compared with nTRACER calculation with HELIOS library and Monte Carlo calculation of MCNP with ENDF-B/II. The accuracy of library data generated for thorium isotope in nTRACER calculation was tested for WASB model. There was a great improvement in K-eff and capture cross section for this assembly compared with old library, HELIOS library

Emergency Department Intubation Success With Succinylcholine Versus Rocuronium: A National Emergency Airway Registry Study.

Science.gov (United States)

April, Michael D; Arana, Allyson; Pallin, Daniel J; Schauer, Steven G; Fantegrossi, Andrea; Fernandez, Jessie; Maddry, Joseph K; Summers, Shane M; Antonacci, Mark A; Brown, Calvin A

2018-05-07

Although both succinylcholine and rocuronium are used to facilitate emergency department (ED) rapid sequence intubation, the difference in intubation success rate between them is unknown. We compare first-pass intubation success between ED rapid sequence intubation facilitated by succinylcholine versus rocuronium. We analyzed prospectively collected data from the National Emergency Airway Registry, a multicenter registry collecting data on all intubations performed in 22 EDs. We included intubations of patients older than 14 years who received succinylcholine or rocuronium during 2016. We compared the first-pass intubation success between patients receiving succinylcholine and those receiving rocuronium. We also compared the incidence of adverse events (cardiac arrest, dental trauma, direct airway injury, dysrhythmias, epistaxis, esophageal intubation, hypotension, hypoxia, iatrogenic bleeding, laryngoscope failure, laryngospasm, lip laceration, main-stem bronchus intubation, malignant hyperthermia, medication error, pharyngeal laceration, pneumothorax, endotracheal tube cuff failure, and vomiting). We conducted subgroup analyses stratified by paralytic weight-based dose. There were 2,275 rapid sequence intubations facilitated by succinylcholine and 1,800 by rocuronium. Patients receiving succinylcholine were younger and more likely to undergo intubation with video laryngoscopy and by more experienced providers. First-pass intubation success rate was 87.0% with succinylcholine versus 87.5% with rocuronium (adjusted odds ratio 0.9; 95% confidence interval 0.6 to 1.3). The incidence of any adverse event was also comparable between these agents: 14.7% for succinylcholine versus 14.8% for rocuronium (adjusted odds ratio 1.1; 95% confidence interval 0.9 to 1.3). We observed similar results when they were stratified by paralytic weight-based dose. In this large observational series, we did not detect an association between paralytic choice and first-pass rapid sequence

Remuneration differences in the emerging economies of China and India.

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Zhou, Erhua Iris; Lu, Zhao; Li, Xiaoyan; Li, Tian; Papola, T S; Pais, Jesim; Sahu, Partha Pratim

2010-10-01

Emerging economies by definition tend to be less dependent on expatriate skills and labour than lower-income countries, yet remuneration (pay plus benefits) differences between expatriate and local workers persist in them to some degree. According to relative deprivation theory, economic development paradoxically elevates the salience of relatively small gaps in remuneration. We therefore expected workers to report injustice and demotivation regarding relative remuneration, despite the closing of remuneration gaps between expatriate and local workers due to the economic development of recent years. To explore that possibility, 482 skilled professionals from a variety of sectors and organizations in two emerging economies, India (n = 233, response rate = 54%) and China (n = 249, response rate = 58%), participated in the research. International salaries were greater than local salaries by a factor of 2.73:1 in India and 1.90:1 in China; these mean ratios bordered on intolerable in the India sample and were largely tolerable among the sample from China. In both countries, differently remunerated workers differed in their justice cognitions and their demotivation, with lowered motivation and fewer justice cognitions in the locally salaried, local workers. These differences were however more statistically significant between people working in India than in China. Insofar as the motivational and justice gaps persisted, the findings support relative deprivation theory. Insofar as the same gaps appear to be sharper in the country with the higher-not lower-mean remuneration differential, they do not. An in-country workshop with local experts who interpreted the findings (in India), and content analysis of the participants' recommendations (in China) jointly recommended linking remuneration to (i) workplace performance instead of (ii) economy-of-origin, to help promote (iii) fairness.

Active Learning Increases Children's Physical Activity across Demographic Subgroups.

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Bartholomew, John B; Jowers, Esbelle M; Roberts, Gregory; Fall, Anna-Mária; Errisuriz, Vanessa L; Vaughn, Sharon

2018-01-01

Given the need to find more opportunities for physical activity within the elementary school day, this study was designed to asses the impact of I-CAN!, active lessons on: 1) student physical activity (PA) outcomes via accelerometry; and 2) socioeconomic status (SES), race, sex, body mass index (BMI), or fitness as moderators of this impact. Participants were 2,493 fourth grade students (45.9% male, 45.8% white, 21.7% low SES) from 28 central Texas elementary schools randomly assigned to intervention (n=19) or control (n=9). Multilevel regression models evaluated the effect of I-CAN! on PA and effect sizes were calculated. The moderating effects of SES, race, sex, BMI, and fitness were examined in separate models. Students in treatment schools took significantly more steps than those in control schools (β = 125.267, SE = 41.327, p = .002, d = .44). I-CAN! had a significant effect on MVPA with treatment schools realizing 80% (β = 0.796, SE =0.251, p = .001; d = .38) more MVPA than the control schools. There were no significant school-level differences on sedentary behavior (β = -0.177, SE = 0.824, p = .83). SES, race, sex, BMI, and fitness level did not moderate the impact of active learning on step count and MVPA. Active learning increases PA within elementary students, and does so consistently across demographic sub-groups. This is important as these sub-groups represent harder to reach populations for PA interventions. While these lessons may not be enough to help children reach daily recommendations of PA, they can supplement other opportunities for PA. This speaks to the potential of schools to adopt policy change to require active learning.

The subgroups in the special linear group over a skew field that contain the group of diagonal matrices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bui Xuan Hai.

1990-05-01

For an arbitrary skew field T we study the lattice of subgroups of the special linear group Γ=SL(n,T) that contain the subgroup Δ-SD(n,T) of diagonal matrices with Dieudonne's determinant equal to 1. We show that the description of these subgroups is standard in the following sense: For any subgroup H,Δ≤H≤Γ there exists a unique unital net such that Γ(σ) ≤H≤N(σ), where Γ(σ) is the net subgroup that corresponds to the net σ and N(σ) is the normalizer of Γ(σ) in Γ. (author). 11 refs

Acculturation dimensions and 12-month mood and anxiety disorders across US Latino subgroups in the National Epidemiologic Survey of Alcohol and Related Conditions.

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Fernández, R Lewis; Morcillo, C; Wang, S; Duarte, C S; Aggarwal, N K; Sánchez-Lacay, J A; Blanco, C

2016-07-01

Individual-level measures of acculturation (e.g. age of immigration) have a complex relationship with psychiatric disorders. Fine-grained analyses that tap various acculturation dimensions and population subgroups are needed to generate hypotheses regarding the mechanisms of action for the association between acculturation and mental health. Study participants were US Latinos (N = 6359) from Wave 2 of the 2004-2005 National Epidemiologic Survey of Alcohol and Related Conditions (N = 34 653). We used linear χ2 tests and logistic regression models to analyze the association between five acculturation dimensions and presence of 12-month DSM-IV mood/anxiety disorders across Latino subgroups (Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, 'Other Latinos'). Acculturation dimensions associated linearly with past-year presence of mood/anxiety disorders among Mexicans were: (1) younger age of immigration (linear χ2 1 = 11.04, p acculturation were found among Puerto Ricans. The relationship between different acculturation dimensions and 12-month mood/anxiety disorder varies across ethnic subgroups characterized by cultural and historical differences. The association between acculturation measures and disorder may depend on the extent to which they index protective or pathogenic adaptation pathways (e.g. loss of family support) across population subgroups preceding and/or following immigration. Future research should incorporate direct measures of maladaptive pathways and their relationship to various acculturation dimensions.

Divide and Conquer: Sub-Grouping of ASD Improves ASD Detection Based on Brain Morphometry

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Baum, Stefi A.; Cahill, Nathan D.; Michael, Andrew M.

2016-01-01

Low success (ASD) classification using brain morphometry from the large multi-site ABIDE dataset and inconsistent findings on brain morphometric abnormalities in ASD can be attributed to the ASD heterogeneity. In this study, we show that ASD brain morphometry is highly heterogeneous, and demonstrate that the heterogeneity can be mitigated and classification improved if autism severity (AS), verbal IQ (VIQ) and age are used with morphometric features. Morphometric features from structural MRIs (sMRIs) of 734 males (ASD: 361, controls: 373) of ABIDE were derived using FreeSurfer. Applying the Random Forest classifier, an AUC of 0.61 was achieved. Adding VIQ and age to morphometric features, AUC improved to 0.68. Sub-grouping the subjects by AS, VIQ and age improved the classification with the highest AUC of 0.8 in the moderate-AS sub-group (AS = 7–8). Matching subjects on age and/or VIQ in each sub-group further improved the classification with the highest AUC of 0.92 in the low AS sub-group (AS = 4–5). AUC decreased with AS and VIQ, and was the lowest in the mid-age sub-group (13–18 years). The important features were mainly from the frontal, temporal, ventricular, right hippocampal and left amygdala regions. However, they highly varied with AS, VIQ and age. The curvature and folding index features from frontal, temporal, lingual and insular regions were dominant in younger subjects suggesting their importance for early detection. When the experiments were repeated using the Gradient Boosting classifier similar results were obtained. Our findings suggest that identifying brain biomarkers in sub-groups of ASD can yield more robust and insightful results than searching across the whole spectrum. Further, it may allow identification of sub-group specific brain biomarkers that are optimized for early detection and monitoring, increasing the utility of sMRI as an important tool for early detection of ASD. PMID:27065101

Interparental Conflict, Parenting Behavior, and Children's Friendship Quality as Correlates of Peer Aggression and Peer Victimization Among Aggressor/Victim Subgroups in South Korea.

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Shin, Jung-Hee; Hong, Jun Sung; Yoon, Jina; Espelage, Dorothy L

2014-07-01

The focus of this study was to examine whether interparental conflict, maternal parenting behaviors, and children's friendship quality varied as a function of peer aggression/victim subgroups among a sample of 227 elementary school children and their mothers in South Korea. Both self-report and peer-report data indicated that the majority of the students were uninvolved in peer aggression situations, and the number of participants in the subgroups (aggressors, victims, and aggressor-victims) varied depending on the source of report. According to the self-report data, victims and aggressor-victims reported a higher level of maternal rejection than uninvolved youth. Aggressors, victims, and aggressor-victims reported higher maternal neglect than uninvolved youth. The highest level of interparental conflict was reported by victims, followed by aggressors. Interestingly, no significant differences were found in positive functioning of friendship quality among the subgroups, although results indicated a significant difference among groups in negative friendship quality. © The Author(s) 2013.

Image and Imaging an Emergency Department: Expense and Benefit of Different Quality Assessment Methods

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carmen Andrea Pfortmueller

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction. In this era of high-tech medicine, it is becoming increasingly important to assess patient satisfaction. There are several methods to do so, but these differ greatly in terms of cost, time, and labour and external validity. The aim of this study is to describe and compare the structure and implementation of different methods to assess the satisfaction of patients in an emergency department. Methods. The structure and implementation of the different methods to assess patient satisfaction were evaluated on the basis of a 90-minute standardised interview. Results. We identified a total of six different methods in six different hospitals. The average number of patients assessed was 5012, with a range from 230 (M5 to 20 000 patients (M2. In four methods (M1, M3, M5, and M6, the questionnaire was composed by a specialised external institute. In two methods, the questionnaire was created by the hospital itself (M2, M4.The median response rate was 58.4% (range 9–97.8%. With a reminder, the response rate increased by 60% (M3. Conclusion. The ideal method to assess patient satisfaction in the emergency department setting is to use a patient-based, in-emergency department-based assessment of patient satisfaction, planned and guided by expert personnel.

What is a health emergency? The difference in definition and understanding between patients and health professionals.

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Morgans, Amee; Burgess, Stephen J

2011-08-01

Investigations into 'inappropriate' use of emergency health services are limited by the lack of definition of what constitutes a health emergency. Position papers from Australian and international sources emphasise the patient's right to access emergency healthcare, and the responsibility of emergency health care workers to provide treatment to all patients. However, discordance between the two perspectives remain, with literature labelling patient use of emergency health services as 'inappropriate'. To define a 'health emergency' and compare patient and health professionals perspectives. A sample of 600 emergency department (ED) patients were surveyed about a recent health experience and asked to rate their perceived urgency. This rating was compared to their triage score allocated at the hospital ED. No significant relationship was found between the two ratings of urgency (P=0.51). CONCLUSIONS; Differing definitions of a 'health emergency' may explain patient help-seeking behaviour when accessing emergency health resources including hospital ED and ambulance services. A new definition of health emergency that encapsulates the health professional and patient perspectives is proposed. An agreed definition of when emergency health resources should be used has the potential to improve emergency health services demand and patient flow issues, and optimise emergency health resource allocation.

Ethnic Identity and Major Depression in Asian American Subgroups Nationwide: Differential Findings in Relation to Subcultural Contexts.

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Ai, Amy L; Nicdao, Ethel G; Appel, Hoa B; Lee, Daniel Hyung Jik

2015-12-01

Asian Americans (AA) are the fastest growing minority population in the United States. Leading AA scholars have highlighted the unmet service needs and the necessity to investigate subgroup variations in the mental health of AAs. This study addressed a research gap of whether racial and ethnic identity (REI) in three AA subgroups (Chinese, Filipino, and Vietnamese) consistently protects against major depressive disorder (MDD), counteracting the deleterious role of discrimination. Using the National Latino and Asian American Study (NLAAS), we explored the varying and incremental predictive values of REI, above and beyond the effects of known demographic and acculturation predictors, alongside other potentially protective factors. In three sets of two-step logistic regressions, REI had an inverse relationship with MDD in the Filipino subgroup only but a positive association in the Chinese subgroup. The damaging role of negative REI moderated the effect of discrimination. The longest stay in the United States and discrimination predicted a higher likelihood of a MDD diagnosis in the Filipino subgroup. Social support contributed to the lower odds of MDD in Chinese and Vietnamese subgroups, had lower odds of having MDD, and religious attendance may act as a protective factor in the Vietnamese subgroup. Our findings do not reinforce uniform protection of REI but lend partial support for two underlying rationales. Based on cultural psychologists' framework, inconsistent findings are interpreted within the sociocultural contexts of the 3 subgroups. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Medical error identification, disclosure, and reporting: do emergency medicine provider groups differ?

Science.gov (United States)

Hobgood, Cherri; Weiner, Bryan; Tamayo-Sarver, Joshua H

2006-04-01

To determine if the three types of emergency medicine providers--physicians, nurses, and out-of-hospital providers (emergency medical technicians [EMTs])--differ in their identification, disclosure, and reporting of medical error. A convenience sample of providers in an academic emergency department evaluated ten case vignettes that represented two error types (medication and cognitive) and three severity levels. For each vignette, providers were asked the following: 1) Is this an error? 2) Would you tell the patient? 3) Would you report this to a hospital committee? To assess differences in identification, disclosure, and reporting by provider type, error type, and error severity, the authors constructed three-way tables with the nonparametric Somers' D clustered on participant. To assess the contribution of disclosure instruction and environmental variables, fixed-effects regression stratified by provider type was used. Of the 116 providers who were eligible, 103 (40 physicians, 26 nurses, and 35 EMTs) had complete data. Physicians were more likely to classify an event as an error (78%) than nurses (71%; p = 0.04) or EMTs (68%; p error to the patient (59%) than physicians (71%; p = 0.04). Physicians were the least likely to report the error (54%) compared with nurses (68%; p = 0.02) or EMTs (78%; p error types, identification, disclosure, and reporting increased with increasing severity. Improving patient safety hinges on the ability of health care providers to accurately identify, disclose, and report medical errors. Interventions must account for differences in error identification, disclosure, and reporting by provider type.

Cross-cultural differences and sexual risk behavior of emerging adults.

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Thomas, Tami L; Yarandi, Hossein N; Dalmida, Safiya George; Frados, Andrew; Klienert, Kathleen

2015-01-01

The authors examined population-specific risk factors that increase emerging adults' risk of acquiring sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including the human papillomavirus (HPV). A cross-sectional sample of 335 diverse, emerging adults ages 18 to 24 years was recruited from a health center at a large university in the Southeastern United States. The mean age was 20.6 ± 1.9 years, majority were females (74.0%), and 61.0% were Hispanic. Findings revealed inconsistent condom use, reasons for not using condoms, and a need for more culturally specific intervention strategies. Healthcare providers should identify culturally specific reasons for inconsistent condom use, examine cultural and geographic differences in sexual risk behaviors among groups and communities, and modify communication, educational programs, and interventions accordingly. By adopting a multicultural approach to the control of STIs, nurses can address specific cultural attitudes and behaviors that may influence exposure to STIs, including HPV. © The Author(s) 2014.

electropherotypes and subgroups of group a rotaviruses circulating ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Emmanuel Ameh

diarrhea caused by rotaviruses. The virus is a double stranded RNA (dsRNA) virus with 11 segments. Group A rotaviruses show a characteristic 4-2-3-2 pattern following electrophoresis. The VP6 subgroups, I and II exist. This work was carried out to study the prevalence of rotavirus infection among children 0-5 years with ...

Discrete neurocognitive subgroups in fully or partially remitted bipolar disorder

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Johan Høy; Knorr, Ulla; Vinberg, Maj

2016-01-01

BACKGROUND: Neurocognitive impairment in remitted patients with bipolar disorder contributes to functional disabilities. However, the pattern and impact of these deficits are unclear. METHODS: We pooled data from 193 fully or partially remitted patients with bipolar disorder and 110 healthy...... controls. Hierarchical cluster analysis was conducted to determine whether there are discrete neurocognitive subgroups in bipolar disorder. The pattern of the cognitive deficits and the characteristics of patients in these neurocognitive subgroups were examined with analyses of covariance and least...... was cross-sectional which limits inferences regarding the causality of the findings. CONCLUSION: Globally and selectively impaired bipolar disorder patients displayed more functional disabilities than those who were cognitively intact. The present findings highlight a clinical need to systematically screen...

A Low-Complexity Subgroup Formation with QoS-Aware for Enhancing Multicast Services in LTE Networks

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Algharem, M.; Omar, M. H.; Rahmat, R. F.; Budiarto, R.

2018-03-01

The high demand of Multimedia services on in Long Term Evolution (LTE) and beyond networks forces the networks operators to find a solution that can handle the huge traffic. Along with this, subgroup formation techniques are introduced to overcome the limitations of the Conventional Multicast Scheme (CMS) by splitting the multicast users into several subgroups based on the users’ channels quality signal. However, finding the best subgroup configuration with low complexity is need more investigations. In this paper, an efficient and simple subgroup formation mechanisms are proposed. The proposed mechanisms take the transmitter MAC queue in account. The effectiveness of the proposed mechanisms is evaluated and compared with CMS in terms of throughput, fairness, delay, Block Error Rate (BLER).

A comparison of three clustering methods for finding subgroups in MRI, SMS or clinical data: SPSS TwoStep Cluster analysis, Latent Gold and SNOB.

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Kent, Peter; Jensen, Rikke K; Kongsted, Alice

2014-10-02

indicated that all three clustering methods showed a near-perfect ability to detect known subgroups and correctly classify individuals into those subgroups. Our subjective judgement was that Latent Gold offered the best balance of sensitivity to subgroups, ease of use and presentation of results with these datasets but we recognise that different clustering methods may suit other types of data and clinical research questions.

A 6-gene signature identifies four molecular subgroups of neuroblastoma

Science.gov (United States)

2011-01-01

Background There are currently three postulated genomic subtypes of the childhood tumour neuroblastoma (NB); Type 1, Type 2A, and Type 2B. The most aggressive forms of NB are characterized by amplification of the oncogene MYCN (MNA) and low expression of the favourable marker NTRK1. Recently, mutations or high expression of the familial predisposition gene Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase (ALK) was associated to unfavourable biology of sporadic NB. Also, various other genes have been linked to NB pathogenesis. Results The present study explores subgroup discrimination by gene expression profiling using three published microarray studies on NB (47 samples). Four distinct clusters were identified by Principal Components Analysis (PCA) in two separate data sets, which could be verified by an unsupervised hierarchical clustering in a third independent data set (101 NB samples) using a set of 74 discriminative genes. The expression signature of six NB-associated genes ALK, BIRC5, CCND1, MYCN, NTRK1, and PHOX2B, significantly discriminated the four clusters (p INSS stage 4 and/or dead of disease, p < 0.05, Fisher's exact test). Conclusions Based on expression profiling we have identified four molecular subgroups of neuroblastoma, which can be distinguished by a 6-gene signature. The fourth subgroup has not been described elsewhere, and efforts are currently made to further investigate this group's specific characteristics. PMID:21492432

On approximation of Lie groups by discrete subgroups

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

2016-08-26

Aug 26, 2016 ... The notion of approximation of Lie groups by discrete subgroups was introduced by Tôyama in Kodai Math. Sem. Rep. 1 (1949) 36–37 and investigated in detail by Kuranishi in Nagoya Math. J. 2 (1951) 63–71. It is known as a theorem of Tôyama that any connected Lie group approximated by discrete ...

Notes on discrete subgroups of Möbius transformations

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Abstract. Jørgensen's inequality gives a necessary condition for a nonelementary two generator subgroup of SL(2, C) to be discrete. By embedding SL(2, C) into. ˆU(1, 1; H), we obtain a new type of Jørgensen's inequality, which is in terms of the coefficients of involved isometries. We provide an example to show that this ...

Non-meagre subgroups of reals disjoint with meagre sets

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Kostana, Ziemowit

2018-01-01

Roč. 241, June (2018), s. 11-19 ISSN 0166-8641 Institutional support: RVO:67985840 Keywords : algebraic sum * Baire property * non-meaurable subgroup Subject RIV: BA - General Mathematics OBOR OECD: Pure mathematics Impact factor: 0.377, year: 2016 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/ article /pii/S0166864118300567

Conclusions from the engineering subgroup of the SSC liquid argon calorimeter working group

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bederede, D.; Cooper, W.; Mulholland, G.; Kroon, P.; Guryn, W.; Lobkowicz, F.; Mason, I.; Pohlen, J.; Schindler, R.H.; Scholle, E.A.; Watanabe, Y.; Watt, R.

1990-01-01

The SSC Calorimeter Workshop was organized to explore the feasibility of each calorimeter technology for use in a 4π detector at the SSC. The Liquid Argon Calorimeter group further subdivided into four subgroups; Hermeticity, Engineering, Module Details, and Electronics. This is the report of the Engineering Subgroup whose charge was to evaluate the cost, schedule, manpower, safety, and facilities requirements for the construction of a large liquid argon calorimeter for the SSC

Is the performance of MRI in preoperative staging of breast cancer independent of clinical and histological factors? A subgroup analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Carreira Gómez, C; Zamora Romero, J; Gil de Miguel, A; Chiva de Agustín, M; Plana Farrás, M N; Martínez González, J

2015-01-01

To determine whether preoperative breast MRI is more useful in patients according to their breast density, age, menopausal status, and biopsy findings of carcinoma in situ. We retrospectively studied 264 patients treated for breast cancer who had undergone mammography, ultrasonography, and MRI. We compared the size of the tumor on the three techniques and the sensitivity of the techniques for detecting additional lesions both in the overall group and in subgroups of patients classified according to their breast density, age, menopausal status, and histological findings of intraductal carcinoma. The definitive histological diagnosis was used as the gold standard. MRI was the technique that was most concordant with the histological findings for the size of the lesion, and it was also the technique that detected the most additional lesions. With MRI, we observed no differences in lesion size between the overall group and the subgroups in which MRI provided added value. Likewise, we observed no differences in the number of additional lesions detected in the overall group except for multicentric lesions, which was larger in older patients (P=.02). In the subgroup of patients in which MRI provided added value, the sensitivity for bilateral lesions was higher in patients with fatty breasts (P=.04). Multifocal lesions were detected significantly better in premenopausal patients (P=.03). MRI is better than mammography and better than ultrasonography for establishing the size of the tumor and for detecting additional lesions. Our results did not identify any subgroups in which the technique was more useful. Copyright © 2013 SERAM. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Non-meagre subgroups of reals disjoint with meagre sets

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Kostana, Ziemowit

2018-01-01

Roč. 241, June (2018), s. 11-19 ISSN 0166-8641 Institutional support: RVO:67985840 Keywords : algebraic sum * Baire property * non-meaurable subgroup Subject RIV: BA - General Mathematics OBOR OECD: Pure mathematics Impact factor: 0.377, year: 2016 https://www. science direct.com/ science /article/pii/S0166864118300567

EFFECTS OF LIRAGLUTIDE 3.0 MG ON WEIGHT AND RISK FACTORS IN HISPANIC VERSUS NON-HIPANIC POPULATIONS: SUBGROUP ANALYSIS FROM SCALE RANDOMIZED TRIALS.

Science.gov (United States)

O'Neil, Patrick M; Garvey, W Timothy; Gonzalez-Campoy, J Michael; Mora, Pablo; Ortiz, Rafael Violante; Guerrero, German; Claudius, Birgitte; Pi-Sunyer, Xavier

2016-11-01

Scarce data exist on pharmacotherapy for obesity in Hispanic individuals. This post hoc analysis of pooled data from 4 phase 3a trials compared the efficacy and safety of liraglutide 3.0 mg versus placebo, as adjunct to a reduced-calorie diet and physical activity, in Hispanic versus non-Hispanic subgroups. We conducted the double-blind randomized, placebo-controlled trials in adults with a minimum body mass index (BMI) of 27 kg/m 2 with at least 1 comorbidity, or a minimum BMI of 30 kg/m 2 , at clinical research sites worldwide. In this analysis, we investigated possible differences in treatment effects between 534 Hispanics (10.4% of the population) and 4,597 non-Hispanics (89.6%) through statistical tests of interaction between subgroups and treatment. Variables examined included mean and categorical weight change, cardiovascular risk markers, and safety data. Both subgroups achieved clinically significant mean weight loss at end-of-treatment with liraglutide 3.0 mg versus placebo: Hispanics 7.0% versus 1.5%, treatment difference -5.1% (95% CI, -6.2 to -4.0); non-Hispanics 7.5% versus 2.3%, -5.2% (95% CI, -5.5 to -4.8). More individuals in both subgroups lost ≥5%, >10%, and >15% of their baseline weight with liraglutide 3.0 mg than with placebo. Efficacy endpoints generally did not vary with ethnicity (P>.05). Adverse events were comparable between ethnic subgroups, with more gastrointestinal disorders reported with liraglutide 3.0 mg than placebo. Efficacy and safety were largely similar between Hispanic and non-Hispanic subgroups. Results support that liraglutide 3.0 mg, used with a reduced-calorie diet and physical activity, can facilitate weight loss in Hispanic individuals. A1c = glycated hemoglobin BMI = body mass index CI = confidence interval FPG = fasting plasma glucose GLP-1 = glucagon-like peptide-1 hsCRP = high-sensitivity C-reactive protein SCALE = Satiety and Clinical Adiposity - Liraglutide Evidence in individuals with and without diabetes T2DM

Tephrostratigraphy and geochemical fingerprinting of the Mangaone Subgroup tephra beds, Okataina Volcanic Centre, New Zealand

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smith, V.C.; Shane, P.; Smith, I.E.M.

2002-01-01

The Mangaone Subgroup is a sequence of 14 plinian tephra beds erupted from the Okataina Volcanic Centre in North Island, New Zealand, that are bracketed between the regional marker beds of Rotoehu Tephra (50-60 ka) and Oruanui Tephra (26 ka). The Mangaone Subgroup tephra beds are separated by thin paleosols in ascending stratigraphic order: unit A, unit B, unit C, Pupuwharau Tephra (new), Pongakawa Tephra (new), Maketu, Te Mahoe, Hauparu, unit G, unit H, Mangaone, Awakeri, Omataroa, and unit L. Geochemical fingerprinting of the glass and phenocryst phases allows clear subdivision of the Mangaone Subgroup into two stratigraphic intervals. Units A-G are rhyodacites and low-SiO 2 rhyolites (71-75.5 wt% SiO 2 glass; 68-71 wt% SiO 2 whole rock), clinopyroxene bearing, with calcic plagioclase (An 40-60 ) and magnesian orthopyroxene (En 60-70 ), and they display high eruption temperatures (870-940 degrees C) and oxygen fugacities (-log f O 2 11.66-10.40). Some of these units are compositionally heterogeneous in the glass phase (SiO 2 range up to 8 wt%), especially unit A, Ngamotu, Te Mahoe, and Hauparu tephra beds. Units A-G can easily be distinguished from other Taupo Volcanic Zone tephra erupted in the last c. 60 000 yr. Units H-L are high SiO 2 rhyolites (76-78 wt% SiO 2 glass; 71.5-75 wt% SiO 2 whole rock), which contain sodic plagioclase (An 30-40 ), low-Mg orthopyroxene (En 50-60 ), and display lower eruption temperatures (755-830 degrees C) and oxygen fugacities (-log f O 2 = 14.7-12.93). Compositional differences in titanomagnetite and ilmenite can also be used to distinguish them from older units. The two compositional groups also form distinct T-f O 2 trends. The shift in chemical affinity follows the large volume Hauparu eruption, and coincides with the likely geographic shift in vent location to the eastern margin of the caldera complex. Tephra beds that both predate and postdate the Mangaone Subgroup also reflect changes in magma type and vent location. The

Cohesive subgroup formation : enabling and constraining effects of social capital in strategic technology alliance networks

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Duysters, G.M.; Lemmens, C.E.A.V.

2002-01-01

In this paper we will examine the role of embeddedness and social capital in the process of cohesive subgroup formation in strategic technology alliance networks. More in particular, we will investigate the social mechanisms that enable and enforce cohesive subgroup formation. We will argue that the

The association between subgroups of MRI findings identified with latent class analysis and low back pain in 40-year-old Danes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Rikke K; Kent, Peter; Jensen, Tue S

2018-01-01

for identifying latent classes (subgroups) of MRI findings within multivariable datasets. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between subgroups of MRI findings and the presence of LBP in people from the general population. METHODS: To identify subgroups of lumbar MRI findings...... regression. RESULTS: Six subgroups were identified in the clinical dataset and the data from the general population cohort fitted the subgroups well, with a median posterior probability of 93%-100%. These six subgroups described two pathways of increasing degeneration on upper (L1-L3) and lower (L4-L5......) lumbar levels. An association with LBP was found for the subgroups describing severe and multiple degenerative MRI findings at the lower lumbar levels but none of the other subgroups were associated with LBP. CONCLUSION: Although MRI findings are common in asymptomatic people and the association between...

A fast resonance interference treatment scheme with subgroup method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cao, L.; He, Q.; Wu, H.; Zu, T.; Shen, W.

2015-01-01

A fast Resonance Interference Factor (RIF) scheme is proposed to treat the resonance interference effects between different resonance nuclides. This scheme utilizes the conventional subgroup method to evaluate the self-shielded cross sections of the dominant resonance nuclide in the heterogeneous system and the hyper-fine energy group method to represent the resonance interference effects in a simplified homogeneous model. In this paper, the newly implemented scheme is compared to the background iteration scheme, the Resonance Nuclide Group (RNG) scheme and the conventional RIF scheme. The numerical results show that the errors of the effective self-shielded cross sections are significantly reduced by the fast RIF scheme compared with the background iteration scheme and the RNG scheme. Besides, the fast RIF scheme consumes less computation time than the conventional RIF schemes. The speed-up ratio is ~4.5 for MOX pin cell problems. (author)

Critical differences between elective and emergency surgery: identifying domains for quality improvement in emergency general surgery.

Science.gov (United States)

Columbus, Alexandra B; Morris, Megan A; Lilley, Elizabeth J; Harlow, Alyssa F; Haider, Adil H; Salim, Ali; Havens, Joaquim M

2018-04-01

The objective of our study was to characterize providers' impressions of factors contributing to disproportionate rates of morbidity and mortality in emergency general surgery to identify targets for care quality improvement. Emergency general surgery is characterized by a high-cost burden and disproportionate morbidity and mortality. Factors contributing to these observed disparities are not comprehensively understood and targets for quality improvement have not been formally developed. Using a grounded theory approach, emergency general surgery providers were recruited through purposive-criterion-based sampling to participate in semi-structured interviews and focus groups. Participants were asked to identify contributors to emergency general surgery outcomes, to define effective care for EGS patients, and to describe operating room team structure. Interviews were performed to thematic saturation. Transcripts were iteratively coded and analyzed within and across cases to identify emergent themes. Member checking was performed to establish credibility of the findings. A total of 40 participants from 5 academic hospitals participated in either individual interviews (n = 25 [9 anesthesia, 12 surgery, 4 nursing]) or focus groups (n = 2 [15 nursing]). Emergency general surgery was characterized by an exceptionally high level of variability, which can be subcategorized as patient-variability (acute physiology and comorbidities) and system-variability (operating room resources and workforce). Multidisciplinary communication is identified as a modifier to variability in emergency general surgery; however, nursing is often left out of early communication exchanges. Critical variability in emergency general surgery may impact outcomes. Patient-variability and system-variability, with focus on multidisciplinary communication, represent potential domains for quality improvement in this field. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Single-Phase Mail Survey Design for Rare Population Subgroups

Science.gov (United States)

Brick, J. Michael; Andrews, William R.; Mathiowetz, Nancy A.

2016-01-01

Although using random digit dialing (RDD) telephone samples was the preferred method for conducting surveys of households for many years, declining response and coverage rates have led researchers to explore alternative approaches. The use of address-based sampling (ABS) has been examined for sampling the general population and subgroups, most…

The ergodic theory of lattice subgroups

CERN Document Server

Gorodnik, Alexander

2010-01-01

The results established in this book constitute a new departure in ergodic theory and a significant expansion of its scope. Traditional ergodic theorems focused on amenable groups, and relied on the existence of an asymptotically invariant sequence in the group, the resulting maximal inequalities based on covering arguments, and the transference principle. Here, Alexander Gorodnik and Amos Nevo develop a systematic general approach to the proof of ergodic theorems for a large class of non-amenable locally compact groups and their lattice subgroups. Simple general conditions on the spectral theory of the group and the regularity of the averaging sets are formulated, which suffice to guarantee convergence to the ergodic mean

Mineralogy and Petrography of MIL 090001, a Highly Altered CV Chondrite from the Reduced Sub-Group

Science.gov (United States)

Keller, Lindsay P.

2011-01-01

MIL 090001 is a large (greater than 6 kg) CV chondrite from the reduced subgroup (CV(sub red)) that was recovered during the 2009-2010 ANSMET field season [1]. The CV(sub red) subgroup meteorites retain primitive characteristics and have escaped the Na and Fe meta-somatism that affected the oxidized (CV(sub ox)) subgroups. MIL 090001 is, however, reported to be altered [1], and thus a major objective of this study is to characterize its mineralogy and petrography and the extent of the alteration.

Petrography and geochemistry of iron formations of the Paleoproterozoic Koegas Subgroup, Transvaal Supergroup, Griqualand West, South Africa

OpenAIRE

2013-01-01

M.Sc. (Geology) Nel, B.P. (2013). Petrography and geochemistry of iron formations of the Paleoproterozoic Koegas Subgroup, Transvaal Supergroup, Griqualand West, South Africa. MSc thesis (unpublished), University of Johannesburg, Aucklandpark, pp. 133. The Early Paleoproterozoic Koegas Subgroup comprises a succession of siltstone, mudstone, iron-­‐formation, chert and carbonate rocks that overlies the iron-­‐formations of the Asbestos Hills Subgroup with sharp contact. It is overlain with ...

Different causes of referral to ophthalmology emergency room

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alireza Keshtkar Jafari

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Eye-related complaints compose approximately 1-6% of complaints of patients referring to general emergency ward around the world. Eye injuries are the most common cause of referral to eye emergency ward. To understand the impact of eye injuries in Iran and to plan preventive strategies, it is important to understand the complete magnitude of the problem with regard to true population-based data and standard reproducible definitions. Aim: The main goal of this study was to identify the major causes of referrals to eye emergency ward in patients with eye-related complaints in an eye referral Hospital in Iran. Settings and Design: In a cross-sectional study, 3150 patients who referred to Farabi Hospital emergency ward, Tehran, Iran, from January to December 2007 were included in the study and their detailed information were recorded. Materials and Methods: The patients′ demographic data, medical history and final diagnosis were recorded in a questionnaire. Results: The mean age of patients was 33.2±16.8 years and 2380 patients (75.6% were males. While 299 patients (9.5% were referred for non-urgent reasons, work-related injuries were the most common cause of referral (955 patients; 30.3%. In patients referred due to trauma (1950 patients, work-related injuries occurred in 955 patients (49% and occurred accidentally (by chance in 819 patients (42%. The majority of patients referred with traumatic injuries were males (1708 patients; 87.6% versus 242 patients; 12.4%. The most common etiologies of eye trauma (1950 patients were metal filings (814 patients; 41.8%, blunt trauma (338 patients; 17.3%, fireworks (236 patients; 12.1% and sharp objects (222 patients; 11.4%. Globe injury was diagnosed in 1865 patients (95.7% of trauma cases. In patients referred due to non-traumatic reason (1200 patients, eye infection occurred in 482 patients (40.2% and 299 patients (24.9% were referred for non-urgent reasons. There was little difference

Comparative efficacy of different post-emergence herbicides in wheat (triticum aestivum L.)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shehzad, M.A.; Nadeem, M.A.; Sarwar, M.A.; Naseer-ud-Din, G.M.; Ilahi, F.

2012-01-01

A field experiment was carried out to study the efficacy of different post-emergence herbicides for controlling weeds in wheat during a Rabi season 2008-09. Experiment comprised of six treatments, i.e. weed-infested control, pyroxasulfone at 50 g a.i ha/sup -1/, metribuzin at 250 g a.i ha/sup -1/, isoproturon at 1080 g a.i ha/sup -1/, clodinafop propargyl at 240 g a.i ha/sup -1/ and as post-emergence herbicides. Results revealed that Post-emergence application of bromoxynil + MCPA at 247+247 g a.i ha/sup -1/ isoproturon (1080 g a.i ha) proved to be best for obtaining maximum grain plus straw yield up to the level of weed-free -1 -1 control. Bromoxynil + MCPA (247+247 g a.i ha) and clodinafop propargyl (240 g a.i ha/sup -1/) also gave maximum spike bearing tillers, number of grains spike and 1000-grain weight. Isoproturon (1080 g a.i ha/sup -1/) strictly reduced the weeds population as well as biomass as compared to weed-infested control. Poor weed control was achieved by using pyroxasulfone and metribuzin treatments. Hence, post-emergence Isoproturon (1080 g a.i ha/sup -1/) followed by bromoxynil + MCPA (247+247 g a.i ha/sup -1/ ) was provide to be the most effective herbicide against weeds and resulted in maximum wheat yield. (author)

Comparative efficacy of different post-emergence herbicides in wheat (triticum aestivum l.)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shehzad, M.A.; Nadeem, M.A.; Sarwar, M.A.

2012-01-01

A field experiment was carried out to study the efficacy of different post-emergence herbicides for controlling weeds in wheat during a Rabi season 2008-09. Experiment comprised of six treatments, i.e. weed-infested control, pyroxasulfone at 50 g a.i ha/sup -1/, metribuzin at 250 g a.i ha/sup -1/, isoproturon at 1080 g a.i ha/sup -1/, clodinafop propargyl at 240 g a.i ha/sup -1/ and bromoxynil+MCPA at 247+247 g a.i ha/sup -1/ as post-emergence herbicides. Results revealed that Post-emergence application of isoproturon (1080 g a.i ha-1) proved to be best for obtaining maximum grain plus straw yield up to the level of weed-free control. Bromoxynil+MCPA (247+247 g a.i ha/sup -1/) and clodinafop propargyl (240 g a.i ha-1) also gave maximum spike bearing tillers, number of grains spike-1 and 1000-grain weight. Isoproturon (1080 g a.i ha/sup -1/) strictly reduced the weeds population as well as biomass as compared to weed-infested control. Poor weed control was achieved by using pyroxasulfone and metribuzin treatments. Hence, post-emergence Isoproturon (1080 g a.i ha/sup -1/) followed by bromoxynil + MCPA (247+247 g a.i ha/sup -1/) was provide to be the most effective herbicide against weeds and resulted in maximum wheat yield. (author)

Density character of subgroups of topological groups

OpenAIRE

Leiderman, Arkady; Morris, Sidney A.; Tkachenko, Mikhail G.

2015-01-01

A subspace Y of a separable metrizable space X is separable, but without X metrizable this is not true even If Y is a closed linear subspace of a topological vector space X. K.H. Hofmann and S.A. Morris introduced the class of pro-Lie groups which consists of projective limits of finite-dimensional Lie groups and proved that it contains all compact groups, locally compact abelian groups and connected locally compact groups and is closed under products and closed subgroups. A topological group...

Debate: Subgroup analyses in clinical trials: fun to look at - but don't believe them!

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sleight Peter

2000-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Analysis of subgroup results in a clinical trial is surprisingly unreliable, even in a large trial. This is the result of a combination of reduced statistical power, increased variance and the play of chance. Reliance on such analyses is likely to be more erroneous, and hence harmful, than application of the overall proportional (or relative result in the whole trial to the estimate of absolute risk in that subgroup. Plausible explanations can usually be found for effects that are, in reality, simply due to the play of chance. When clinicians believe such subgroup analyses, there is a real danger of harm to the individual patient.

A Case Study of Different Types of Arguments Emerging from Explorations in an Interactive Computerized Environment

Science.gov (United States)

Lavy, Ilana

2006-01-01

This paper presents a description of the different types of arguments that emerged as two students, working in a computerized environment, engaged in an investigation of several number theory concepts. The emerging arguments are seen as a result of the influence of the computerized environment together with collaborative learning. Using…

Differences Awareness Model to Fundament Long Term Strategy Extension in a New Emerging Market

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elena Mădălina ŞERBAN

2011-12-01

Full Text Available The globalization opened the opportunity for multinational companies to increase their businesses in emerging markets and also to local giants from developing countries to step in the western markets. The objective of this paper is to propose a model for analyzing the differences between operating businesses in emerging markets and developed markets. The model purpose is to be applied in the strategic process by mainly the multinationals or local giants intending to develop long term businesses outside their traditional geographies. The studies on emerging markets identified two main axes to be considered when appreciating the attractiveness of the markets: the business dynamics both inside and outside the company and the institutional environment, as facilitator of efficient encounter between sellers and buyers.

A note on TI-subgroups of finite groups

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

A kernel and a complement of a quasi-Frobenius group G are the preimages of a kernel and a complement of the Frobenius group G/Z(G), respectively. Lemma 1.2 [1]. A group G is quasi-Frobenius if and only if G possesses a noncentral subgroup H such that H ∩ Hg ≤ Z(G) for all g ∈ G − H. In this case, H is a comple-.

Irreducible almost simple subgroups of classical algebraic groups

CERN Document Server

Burness, Timothy C; Marion, Claude; Testerman, Donna M

2015-01-01

Let G be a simple classical algebraic group over an algebraically closed field K of characteristic p\\geq 0 with natural module W. Let H be a closed subgroup of G and let V be a nontrivial p-restricted irreducible tensor indecomposable rational KG-module such that the restriction of V to H is irreducible. In this paper the authors classify the triples (G,H,V) of this form, where V \

Are estimates of meaningful decline in mobility performance consistent among clinically important subgroups? (Health ABC Study).

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Perera, S.; Studenski, S.; Newman, A.; Simonsick, E.; Harris, T.; Schwartz, A.; Visser, M.

2014-01-01

Background: Meaningful change criteria help determine if function has improved or declined, but their magnitudes may vary across clinically relevant subgroups. We estimate meaningful decline in four common measures of physical performance in subgroups of older adults based on initial performance,

Burnside structures of finite subgroups

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lysenok, I G

2007-01-01

We establish conditions guaranteeing that a group B possesses the following property: there is a number l such that if elements w, x -1 wx,...,x -l+1 wx l-1 of B generate a finite subgroup G then x lies in the normalizer of G. These conditions are of a quite special form. They hold for groups with relations of the form x n =1 which appear as approximating groups for the free Burnside groups B(m,n) of sufficiently large even exponent n. We extract an algebraic assertion which plays an important role in all known approaches to substantial results on the groups B(m,n) of large even exponent, in particular, to proving their infiniteness. The main theorem asserts that when n is divisible by 16, B has the above property with l=6

The genetic structure of Turnip mosaic virus population reveals the rapid expansion of a new emergent lineage in China.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Xiangdong; Zhu, Tiansheng; Yin, Xiao; Zhang, Chengling; Chen, Jia; Tian, Yanping; Liu, Jinliang

2017-08-29

Turnip mosaic virus (TuMV) is one of the most widespread and economically important virus infecting both crop and ornamental species of the family Brassicaceae. TuMV isolates can be classified to five phylogenetic lineages, basal-B, basal-BR, Asian-BR, world-B and Orchis. To understand the genetic structure of TuMV from radish in China, the 3'-terminal genome of 90 TuMV isolates were determined and analyzed with other available Chinese isolates. The results showed that the Chinese TuMV isolates from radish formed three groups: Asian-BR, basal-BR and world-B. More than half of these isolates (52.54%) were clustered to basal-BR group, and could be further divided into three sub-groups. The TuMV basal-BR isolates in the sub-groups I and II were genetically homologous with Japanese ones, while those in sub-group III formed a distinct lineage. Sub-populations of TuMV basal-BR II and III were new emergent and in a state of expansion. The Chinese TuMV radish populations were under negative selection. Gene flow between TuMV populations from Tai'an, Weifang and Changchun was frequent. The genetic structure of Turnip mosaic virus population reveals the rapid expansion of a new emergent lineage in China.

Use of emergency care services by immigrants—a survey of walk-in patients who attended the Oslo Accident and Emergency Outpatient Clinic.

Science.gov (United States)

Ruud, Sven Eirik; Aga, Ruth; Natvig, Bård; Hjortdahl, Per

2015-10-07

Norwegians, immigrants from Sweden, Pakistan and Somalia reported using the OAEOC significantly more often. Immigrants from Sweden, Poland and Somalia were over-represented at both clinics. The least frequent RGP affiliation was among immigrants from Sweden (32%) and Poland (65%). In Norway, immigrant subgroups use emergency health care services in different ways. Understanding these patterns of health-seeking behaviour may be important when designing emergency health services.

Gene expression analyses of the spatio-temporal relationships of human medulloblastoma subgroups during early human neurogenesis.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cornelia M Hooper

Full Text Available Medulloblastoma is the most common form of malignant paediatric brain tumour and is the leading cause of childhood cancer related mortality. The four molecular subgroups of medulloblastoma that have been identified - WNT, SHH, Group 3 and Group 4 - have molecular and topographical characteristics suggestive of different cells of origin. Definitive identification of the cell(s of origin of the medulloblastoma subgroups, particularly the poorer prognosis Group 3 and Group 4 medulloblastoma, is critical to understand the pathogenesis of the disease, and ultimately for the development of more effective treatment options. To address this issue, the gene expression profiles of normal human neural tissues and cell types representing a broad neuro-developmental continuum, were compared to those of two independent cohorts of primary human medulloblastoma specimens. Clustering, co-expression network, and gene expression analyses revealed that WNT and SHH medulloblastoma may be derived from distinct neural stem cell populations during early embryonic development, while the transcriptional profiles of Group 3 and Group 4 medulloblastoma resemble cerebellar granule neuron precursors at weeks 10-15 and 20-30 of embryogenesis, respectively. Our data indicate that Group 3 medulloblastoma may arise through abnormal neuronal differentiation, whereas deregulation of synaptic pruning-associated apoptosis may be driving Group 4 tumorigenesis. Overall, these data provide significant new insight into the spatio-temporal relationships and molecular pathogenesis of the human medulloblastoma subgroups, and provide an important framework for the development of more refined model systems, and ultimately improved therapeutic strategies.

A 6-gene signature identifies four molecular subgroups of neuroblastoma

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kogner Per

2011-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background There are currently three postulated genomic subtypes of the childhood tumour neuroblastoma (NB; Type 1, Type 2A, and Type 2B. The most aggressive forms of NB are characterized by amplification of the oncogene MYCN (MNA and low expression of the favourable marker NTRK1. Recently, mutations or high expression of the familial predisposition gene Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase (ALK was associated to unfavourable biology of sporadic NB. Also, various other genes have been linked to NB pathogenesis. Results The present study explores subgroup discrimination by gene expression profiling using three published microarray studies on NB (47 samples. Four distinct clusters were identified by Principal Components Analysis (PCA in two separate data sets, which could be verified by an unsupervised hierarchical clustering in a third independent data set (101 NB samples using a set of 74 discriminative genes. The expression signature of six NB-associated genes ALK, BIRC5, CCND1, MYCN, NTRK1, and PHOX2B, significantly discriminated the four clusters (p ALK, BIRC5, and PHOX2B, and was significantly associated with higher tumour stage, poor outcome and poor survival compared to the Type 1-corresponding favourable group (INSS stage 4 and/or dead of disease, p Conclusions Based on expression profiling we have identified four molecular subgroups of neuroblastoma, which can be distinguished by a 6-gene signature. The fourth subgroup has not been described elsewhere, and efforts are currently made to further investigate this group's specific characteristics.

Decision making process and emergency management in different phases of a nuclear accident

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Duranova, T.

2005-01-01

EVATECH, Information Requirements and Countermeasure Evaluation Techniques in Nuclear Emergency Management, was a research project in the key action 'Nuclear Fission' of the fifth EURATOM Framework Programme (FP5). The overall objective of the project was to enhance the quality and coherence of response to nuclear emergencies in Europe by improving the decision support methods, models and processes in ways that take into account the expectations and concern of the many different parties involved - stake holders both in managing the emergency response and those who are affected by the consequences of nuclear emergencies. The project had ten partners from seven European countries. The development of the real-time online decision support system RODOS has been one of the major items in the area of radiation protection within the European Commission's Framework Programmes. The main objectives of the RODOS project have been to develop a comprehensive and integrated decision support system that is generally applicable across Europe and to provide a common framework for incorporating the best features of existing decision support systems and future developments. Furthermore the objective has been to provide greater transparency in the decision process to: improve public understanding and acceptance of off-site emergency measures, to facilitate improved communication between countries of monitoring data, predictions of consequences, etc., in the event of any future accident, and to promote, through the development and use of the system, a more coherent, consistent and harmonised response to any future accident that may affect Europe. (authors)

Effects of Different Sowing Depths and Soil Compactions on Emergence and Initial Growth of Pepper Varieties (Capsicum annum L.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R Shahriari

2013-10-01

Full Text Available One of the main problems in the mass production of pepper transplant is the stickiness of seed coat to the cotyledony leaves that can lead to no emergence or having poor emergence of pepper seedlings. Therefore, in order to evaluate the effects of different sowing depths and soil compactions on emergence and early seedlings growth of pepper, a greenhouse experiment was conducted in the Faculty of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Iran, in 2010, using a completely randomized design with factorial arrangement and four replications. The experimental factors included different levels of soil compactions (0 (no compaction, 150.5, 681.340 and 1201.7 Pa, different sowing depths (0 (surface, 1 and 2 cm and different pepper varieties (Olter, California Wonder, EM Bell, Anahiem and Iranian Falei. The results indicated that except the seed coat adherence to cotyledon leaves and the emergence percentage traits, the compaction treatments had a significant effect on (dry matter of seedlings, height, leaf area, number of abnormal seedling and mean emergence time were significant. In addition, sowing depth treatments had positive and significant effects on increasing the number of seedling with releasing seed coats from the cotyledony leaves.

Identity as a moderator of gender differences in the emotional closeness of emerging adults' same- and cross-sex friendships.

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, H Durell; Brady, Evelyn; McNair, Renae; Congdon, Darcy; Niznik, Jamie; Anderson, Samantha

2007-01-01

Closeness is an integral aspect of friendships, and males and females differ in their closeness experiences within these relationships. However, identity development and friendship type (e.g., same-sex versus cross-sex friendships) may moderate these gender differences. In an attempt to clarify the relationships among gender, identity, and friendship closeness, the current study examined gender and identity associations with reported emotional closeness in emerging adults' same- and cross-sex friendships. Responses from 181 college undergraduates (89 males and 92 females) indicated similar levels of emotional closeness reported for same- and cross-sex friendships. Results also indicated overall identity commitment and friendship identity commitment associations with same-sex friendship closeness. Examination of closeness reports for cross-sex friends revealed a significant association with overall identity commitment for emerging adult males. A significant association was not indicated for emerging adult females. The associations between identity and emotional closeness in same-sex friendships and male cross-sex friendships support previous studies that report differences in the role of these relationships for emerging adult males and females. Findings are discussed in terms of understanding the gender and identity differences in emerging adults' reports of friendship closeness.

Hand Washing Practices Among Emergency Medical Services Providers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Joshua Bucher

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Hand hygiene is an important component of infection control efforts. Our primary and secondary goals were to determine the reported rates of hand washing and stethoscope cleaning in emergency medical services (EMS workers, respectively. Methods: We designed a survey about hand hygiene practices. The survey was distributed to various national EMS organizations through e-mail. Descriptive statistics were calculated for survey items (responses on a Likert scale and subpopulations of survey respondents to identify relationships between variables. We used analysis of variance to test differences in means between the subgroups. Results: There were 1,494 responses. Overall, reported hand hygiene practices were poor among pre-hospital providers in all clinical situations. Women reported that they washed their hands more frequently than men overall, although the differences were unlikely to be clinically significant. Hygiene after invasive procedures was reported to be poor. The presence of available hand sanitizer in the ambulance did not improve reported hygiene rates but improved reported rates of cleaning the stethoscope (absolute difference 0.4, p=0.0003. Providers who brought their own sanitizer were more likely to clean their hands. Conclusion: Reported hand hygiene is poor amongst pre-hospital providers. There is a need for future intervention to improve reported performance in pre-hospital provider hand washing.

Hand Washing Practices Among Emergency Medical Services Providers.

Science.gov (United States)

Bucher, Joshua; Donovan, Colleen; Ohman-Strickland, Pamela; McCoy, Jonathan

2015-09-01

Hand hygiene is an important component of infection control efforts. Our primary and secondary goals were to determine the reported rates of hand washing and stethoscope cleaning in emergency medical services (EMS) workers, respectively. We designed a survey about hand hygiene practices. The survey was distributed to various national EMS organizations through e-mail. Descriptive statistics were calculated for survey items (responses on a Likert scale) and subpopulations of survey respondents to identify relationships between variables. We used analysis of variance to test differences in means between the subgroups. There were 1,494 responses. Overall, reported hand hygiene practices were poor among pre-hospital providers in all clinical situations. Women reported that they washed their hands more frequently than men overall, although the differences were unlikely to be clinically significant. Hygiene after invasive procedures was reported to be poor. The presence of available hand sanitizer in the ambulance did not improve reported hygiene rates but improved reported rates of cleaning the stethoscope (absolute difference 0.4, p=0.0003). Providers who brought their own sanitizer were more likely to clean their hands. Reported hand hygiene is poor amongst pre-hospital providers. There is a need for future intervention to improve reported performance in pre-hospital provider hand washing.

A Newborn Case of “c” Subgroup Mismatch Presenting with Severe Hemolysis and Anemia

OpenAIRE

Ezgi Yangın Ergon; Senem Alkan Özdemir; Rüya Çolak; Kıymet Çelik; Özgür Olukman; Şebnem Çalkavur

2017-01-01

Hemolysis and jaundice related to Rh incompatibility in the neonatal period has decreased substantially due to the widespread use of anti-D gammaglobulin in recent years. Nevertheless, the rate of subgroup mismatch in the etiology of hemolytic diseases of the newborn has increased significantly. In this article an 8-day-old newborn infant with “c” subgroup incompatibility and presenting with severe anemia, in whom hemolysis could be controlled with intravenous immunoglobulin infusion and subg...

The Different Inhibition of Return (IOR Effects of Emergency Managerial Experts and Novices: An Event-Related Potentials Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rong Cao

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Inhibition of return (IOR is an important effect of attention. However, the IOR of emergency managerial experts is unknown. By employing emergency and natural scene pictures in expert-novice paradigm, the present study explored the neural activity underlying the IOR effects for emergency managerial experts and novices. In behavioral results, there were no differences of IOR effects between novices and emergency managerial experts, while the event-related potentials (ERPs results were different between novices and experts. In Experiment 1 (novice group, ERPs results showed no any IOR was robust at both stimulus-onset asynchrony (SOA of 200 ms and 400 ms. In Experiment 2 (expert group, ERPs results showed an enhanced N2 at SOA of 200 ms and attenuated P3 at cued location in the right parietal lobe and adjacent brain regions than uncued location at SOA of 200 ms. The findings of the two experiments showed that, relative to the novices, IOR for the emergency managerial experts was robust, and dominated in the right parietal lobe and adjacent brain regions, suggesting more flexible attentional processing and higher visual search efficiency of the emergency managerial experts. The findings indicate that the P3, possible N2, over the right parietal lobe and adjacent brain regions are the biological indicators for IOR elicited by post-cued emergency pictures for emergency managerial experts.

Discrete subgroups of adolescents diagnosed with borderline personality disorder: a latent class analysis of personality features.

Science.gov (United States)

Ramos, Vera; Canta, Guilherme; de Castro, Filipa; Leal, Isabel

2014-08-01

Research suggests that borderline personality disorder (BPD) can be diagnosed in adolescents and is marked by considerable heterogeneity. This study aimed to identify personality features characterizing adolescents with BPD and possible meaningful patterns of heterogeneity that could lead to personality subgroups. The authors analyzed data on 60 adolescents, ages 15 to 18 years, who met DSM criteria for a BPD diagnosis. The authors used latent class analysis (LCA) to identify subgroups based on the personality pattern scales from the Millon Adolescent Clinical Inventory (MACI). LCA indicated that the best-fitting solution was a two-class model, identifying two discrete subgroups of BPD adolescents that were described as internalizing and externalizing. The subgroups were then compared on clinical and sociodemographic variables, measures of personality dimensions, DSM BPD criteria, and perception of attachment styles. Adolescents with a BPD diagnosis constitute a heterogeneous group and vary meaningfully on personality features that can have clinical implications for treatment.

Transfer factors for nuclear emergency preparedness

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kostiainen, E.; Haenninen, R. [Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority (STUK) (Finland); Rosen, K.; Haak, E.; Eriksson, Aa. [Swedish Univ. of Agricultural Science (Sweden); Nielsen, S.P.; Keith-Roach, M. [Risoe National Lab. (Denmark); Salbu, B. [Agricultural Univ. of Norway (Norway)

2002-12-01

This report by the NKS/BOK-1.4 project subgroup describes transfer factors for radiocaesium and radiostrontium for the fallout year and the years after the fallout. The intention has been to collect information on tools to assess the order of magnitude of radioactive contamination of agricultural products in an emergency situation in Nordic environment. The report describes transfer paths from fallout to plant, from soil to plant and to animal products. The transfer factors of radionuclides (Sr, Cs, I) given in the report are intended to be used for making rough estimates of the contamination of agricultural products soon after the heaviness and composition of the deposition (Bq m{sup -2}) is known. (au)

Transfer factors for nuclear emergency preparedness

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kostiainen, E.; Haenninen, R.; Rosen, K.; Haak, E.; Eriksson, Aa.; Nielsen, S.P.; Keith-Roach, M.; Salbu, B.

2002-12-01

This report by the NKS/BOK-1.4 project subgroup describes transfer factors for radiocaesium and radiostrontium for the fallout year and the years after the fallout. The intention has been to collect information on tools to assess the order of magnitude of radioactive contamination of agricultural products in an emergency situation in Nordic environment. The report describes transfer paths from fallout to plant, from soil to plant and to animal products. The transfer factors of radionuclides (Sr, Cs, I) given in the report are intended to be used for making rough estimates of the contamination of agricultural products soon after the heaviness and composition of the deposition (Bq m -2 ) is known. (au)

A generalized Frattini subgroup of a finite group

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Prabir Bhattacharya

1989-01-01

Full Text Available For a finite group G and an arbitrary prime p, let SP(G denote the intersection of all maximal subgroups M of G such that [G:M] is both composite and not divisible by p; if no such M exists we set SP(G = G. Some properties of G are considered involving SP(G. In particular, we obtain a characterization of G when each M in the definition of SP(G is nilpotent.

K-theory for discrete subgroups of the Lorentz groups

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schwalbe, D.A.

1986-01-01

In the thesis, a conjecture on the structure of the topological K theory groups associated to an action of a discrete group on a manifold is verified in the special case when the group is a closed discrete subgroup of a Lorentz group. The K theory is the topological K theory of the reduced crossed product C algebra arising from the action of a countable discrete group acting by diffeomorphisms on a smooth, Hausdorf, and second and countable manifold. The proof uses the geometric K theory of Baum and Connes. In this situation, they have developed a geometrically realized K theory which they conjecture to be isomorphic to the analytic K theory. Work of Kasparov is used to show the geometric K groups and the analytic K groups are isomorphic for actions of the Lorentz groups on a manifold. Work of Marc Rieffel on Morita equivalence of C/sup */ algebras, shows the analytic K theory for a closed discrete subgroup of a Lie group acting on a manifold is isomorphic to the K theory of the Lie group itself, acting on an induced manifold

Account for Clinical Heterogeneity in Assessment of Catheter-based Renal Denervation among Resistant Hypertension Patients: Subgroup Meta-analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Xiao-Han; Kim, Sehee; Zeng, Xiao-Xi; Chen, Zhi-Bing; Cui, Tian-Lei; Hu, Zhang-Xue; Li, Yi; Fu, Ping

2017-07-05

Catheter-based renal denervation (RDN) is a novel treatment for resistant hypertension (RH). A recent meta-analysis reported that RDN did not significantly reduce blood pressure (BP) based on the pooled effects with mild to severe heterogeneity. The aim of the present study was to identify and reduce clinical sources of heterogeneity and reassess the safety and efficacy of RDN within the identified homogeneous subpopulations. This was a meta-analysis of 9 randomized clinical trials (RCTs) among patients with RH up to June 2016. Sensitivity analyses and subgroup analyses were extensively conducted by baseline systolic blood pressure (SBP) level, antihypertensive medication change rates, and coronary heart disease (CHD). In all patients with RH, no statistical differences were found in mortality, severe cardiovascular events rate, and changes in 24-h SBP and office SBP at 6 and 12 months. However, subgroup analyses showed significant differences between the RDN and control groups. In the subpopulations with baseline 24-h SBP ≥155 mmHg (1 mmHg = 0.133 kPa) and the infrequently changed medication, the use of RDN resulted in a significant reduction in 24-h SBP level at 6 months (P = 0.100 and P= 0.009, respectively). Subgrouping RCTs with a higher prevalent CHD in control showed that the control treatment was significantly better than RDN in office SBP reduction at 6 months (P < 0.001). In all patients with RH, the catheter-based RDN is not more effective in lowering ambulatory or office BP than an optimized antihypertensive drug treatment at 6 and 12 months. However, among RH patients with higher baseline SBP, RDN might be more effective in reducing SBP.

Be careful with triage in emergency departments: interobserver agreement on 1,578 patients in France

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Olivier Philippe

2011-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background For several decades, emergency departments (EDs utilization has increased, inducing ED overcrowding in many countries. This phenomenon is related partly to an excessive number of nonurgent patients. To resolve ED overcrowding and to decrease nonurgent visits, the most common solution has been to triage the ED patients to identify potentially nonurgent patients, i.e. which could have been dealt with by general practitioner. The objective of this study was to measure agreement among ED health professionals on the urgency of an ED visit, and to determine if the level of agreement is consistent among different sub-groups based on following explicit criteria: age, medical status, type of referral to the ED, investigations performed in the ED, and the discharge from the ED. Methods We conducted a multicentric cross-sectional study to compare agreement between nurses and physicians on categorization of ED visits into urgent or nonurgent. Subgroups stratified by criteria characterizing the ED visit were analyzed in relation to the outcome of the visit. Results Of 1,928 ED patients, 350 were excluded because data were lacking. The overall nurse-physician agreement on categorization was moderate (kappa = 0.43. The levels of agreement within all subgroups were variable and low. The highest agreement concerned three subgroups of complaints: cranial injury (kappa = 0.61, gynaecological (kappa = 0.66 and toxicology complaints (kappa = 1.00. The lowest agreement concerned two subgroups: urinary-nephrology (kappa = 0.09 and hospitalization (kappa = 0.20. When categorization of ED visits into urgent or nonurgent cases was compared to hospitalization, ED physicians had higher sensitivity and specificity than nurses (respectively 94.9% versus 89.5%, and 43.1% versus 30.9%. Conclusions The lack of physician-nurse agreement and the inability to predict hospitalization have important implications for patient safety. When urgency screening is used

The Emergency Framing of Solar Geoengineering: Time for a Different Approach

OpenAIRE

Horton, Joshua

2015-01-01

Solar geoengineering has been proposed as a possible response measure in the event of a "climate emergency." Scientific evidence for climate emergencies in the form of tipping points, however, is contested and unsettled. Furthermore, declarations of emergency entail authoritarian political tendencies that historically have given rise to repression and abuse. By definition, an emergency must exhibit a combination of high risk, urgency and necessity; no plausible climatic tipping point display...

Four Distinct Subgroups of Self-Injurious Behavior among Chinese Adolescents: Findings from a Latent Class Analysis.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiuhong Xin

Full Text Available Self-injurious behavior (SIB among adolescents is an important public health issue worldwide. It is still uncertain whether homogeneous subgroups of SIB can be identified and whether constellations of SIBs can co-occur due to the high heterogeneity of these behaviors. In this study, a cross-sectional study was conducted on a large school-based sample and latent class analysis was performed (n = 10,069, mean age = 15 years to identify SIB classes based on 11 indicators falling under direct SIB (DSIB, indirect SIB (ISIB, and suicide attempts (SAs. Social and psychological characteristics of each subgroup were examined after controlling for age and gender. Results showed that a four-class model best fit the data and each class had a distinct pattern of co-occurrence of SIBs and external measures. Class 4 (the baseline/normative group, 65.3% had a low probability of SIB. Class 3 (severe SIB group, 3.9% had a high probability of SIB and the poorest social and psychological status. Class 1 (DSIB+SA group, 14.2% had similar scores for external variables compared to class 3, and included a majority of girls [odds ratio (OR = 1.94]. Class 2 (ISIB group, 16.6% displayed moderate endorsement of ISIB items, and had a majority of boys and older adolescents (OR = 1.51. These findings suggest that SIB is a heterogeneous entity, but it may be best explained by four homogenous subgroups that display quantitative and qualitative differences. Findings in this study will improve our understanding on SIB and may facilitate the prevention and treatment of SIB.

Requirements for a new nuclear data structure. Part 2: Implementation Plan Prepared by WPEC Subgroup No.38 (subgroup title: 'A modern nuclear database structure beyond the ENDF format')

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2014-01-01

This document summarizes the implementation plan developed during the second meeting of the WPEC Subgroup 38 (SG38), which was organized to develop a new evaluated nuclear data structure 1 and then oversee the transition from the current standard (ENDF-6) to the new structure. Part 1 of this document, adopted by WPEC in May 2013, lays out the vision and goals for the new structure. In this second step, SG38 develops a community plan to address these needs and requirements. The plan laid out here represents a consensus on how to execute the project, what work will be done, and to some degree how it will be done and the people involved. During the development of the vision and goals for the new format it was recognized that the application of modern programming and database practices will have significant benefits for nuclear reaction databases, both for those of us engaged in producing this data and those who utilize the data for applications. It was also appreciated that additional benefits would be realized if the low-level data containers used for storing reaction data were general enough to be shared with other nuclear data products, such as EXFOR, RIPL, and ENSDF, so that codes interfacing with these different databases could share the same set of routines for reading and writing data structures. However, it was also acknowledged that adoption of these new tools and capabilities will be difficult without some supporting infrastructure in place to use the new data structure, specifically open source codes to manipulate, search, plot, and process the data, as well as tools to translate data to other formats in current use and to check the data for quality. In order to address this broad set of goals, the SG38 project decided to organize the work around seven different products: 1. Low-level data structures; 2. Top-level reaction hierarchy; 3. Particle properties hierarchy; 4. Visualization, manipulation, and processing tools; 5. API for reading and writing data

Health smart cards: differing perceptions of emergency department patients and staff.

Science.gov (United States)

Mohd Rosli, Reizal; Taylor, David McD; Knott, Jonathan C; Das, Atandrila; Dent, Andrew W

2009-02-01

An analytical, cross-sectional survey of 270 emergency department patients and 92 staff undertaken in three tertiary referral hospital emergency departments was completed to compare the perceptions of patients and staff regarding the use of health smart cards containing patient medical records. The study recorded data on a range of health smart card issues including awareness, privacy, confidentiality, security, advantages and disadvantages, and willingness to use. A significantly higher proportion of staff had heard of the card. The perceived disadvantages reported by patients and staff were, overall, significantly different, with the staff reporting more disadvantages. A significantly higher proportion of patients believed that they should choose what information is on the card and who should have access to the information. Patients were more conservative regarding what information should be included, but staff were more conservative regarding who should have access to the information. Significantly fewer staff believed that patients could reliably handle the cards. Overall, however, the cards were considered acceptable and useful, and their introduction would be supported.

Characterization of toxin complex gene clusters and insect toxicity of bacteria representing four subgroups of Pseudomonas fluorescens

Science.gov (United States)

Ten strains representing four lineages of Pseudomonas (P. chlororaphis, P. corrugata, P. koreensis, and P. fluorescens subgroups) were evaluated for toxicity to the tobacco hornworm Manduca sexta and the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster. The three strains within the P. chlororaphis subgroup exhibi...

Prudent layperson definition of an emergent pediatric medical condition.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Craig J; Poirier, Michael P; Cantwell, John R; Ermis, Peter R; Isaacman, Daniel J

2006-03-01

This study was designed to assess how well parents rated pediatric medical conditions based on their perceived degree of urgency so as to determine if the "Prudent Layperson Standard'' is reasonable. A self-administered, supervised survey was given to a convenience sample of 340 caregivers in the emergency department of an urban children's hospital. Respondents were asked to rank the urgency of 15 scenarios. A caregiver response within 1 point of the physician score was considered concordant with medical opinion. A 2-week-old infant with a rectal temperature of 103.7 degrees F was the only emergent scenario underestimated by caregivers. A 1 1/2-yr-old child with an upper respiratory tract infection, a 7-year-old child with ringworm, an 8-month-old infant with a simple forehead contusion, and a 4-year-old child with conjunctivitis were the non-urgent scenarios overestimated by caregivers. Laypeople are able to identify cases constructed to represent obvious pediatric medical emergencies. Several patient subgroups frequently overestimate medical urgency.

Rescue of avian leukosis subgroup-J-associated acutely transforming viruses carrying different lengths of the v-fps oncogene and analysis of their tumorigenicity.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Yixin; Fang, Lichun; Li, Jianliang; Li, Yang; Cui, Shuai; Sun, Xiaolong; Chang, Shuang; Zhao, Peng; Cui, Zhizhong

2016-12-01

In our previous study, six subgroup J strains of avian leukosis virus (ALV-J)-associated acutely transforming viruses carrying different lengths of the v-fps oncogene, designated as Fu-J and Fu-J1-5, were isolated and characterized from fibrosarcomas in ALV-J-infected chickens. In the present study, the oncogenic potential of Fu-J and Fu-J1-5 was investigated using a reverse genetics technique. Six replication-defective viruses, named rFu-J and rFu-J1-5, were rescued with the replication-competent rescued ALV-J strain rSDAU1005 as a helper virus by co-transfection of chicken embryo fibroblast monolayers with infectious clone plasmids. Experimental bird studies were performed, demonstrating that only the rescued rFu-J virus carrying the complete v-fps oncogene with rSDAU1005 as the helper virus could induce acute fibrosarcoma after inoculation in specific-pathogen-free (SPF) chickens. These results provide direct evidence that the replication-defective acutely transforming Fu-J virus, with the complete v-fps oncogene, was associated with acute fibrosarcoma in chickens infected with ALV-J in the field, as reported previously.

Incidence and follow-up of Braunwald subgroups in unstable angina pectoris

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Miltenburg-van Zijl, A. J.; Simoons, M. L.; Veerhoek, R. J.; Bossuyt, P. M.

1995-01-01

OBJECTIVES. This study was performed to establish the prognosis of patients with unstable angina within the subgroups of the Braunwald classification. BACKGROUND. Among many classifications of unstable angina, the Braunwald classification is frequently used. However, the incidence and risk for each

General considerations for SSC scintillator calorimeters (For the scintillator general subgroup)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nodulman, L.

1989-01-01

The Scintillator Calorimetry group divided into three subgroups: a conventional uranium and plate design ala ZEUS, fiber design, and a group on general considerations. The considerations of the third group are reported here on geometrical and technical issues. 1 fig

77 FR 67282 - Dinotefuran; Pesticide Tolerances for Emergency Exemptions

Science.gov (United States)

2012-11-09

... them. Potentially affected entities may include: Crop production (NAICS code 111). Animal production... kiwifruit, subgroup 13-07F; onion, bulb, subgroup 3-07A; onion, green, subgroup 3-07B; peach; tea, dried..., Onion Subgroup 3-07A, Onion Subgroup 3-07B, Small Fruit Subgroup 13- 07F, Berry Subgroup 13-07H, Peach...

Comprehensive profiling of DNA methylation in colorectal cancer reveals subgroups with distinct clinicopathological and molecular features

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ang, Pei Woon; Soong, Richie; Loh, Marie; Liem, Natalia; Lim, Pei Li; Grieu, Fabienne; Vaithilingam, Aparna; Platell, Cameron; Yong, Wei Peng; Iacopetta, Barry

2010-01-01

Most previous studies of the CpG island methylator phenotype (CIMP) in colorectal cancer (CRC) have been conducted on a relatively small numbers of CpG sites. In the present study we performed comprehensive DNA methylation profiling of CRC with the aim of characterizing CIMP subgroups. DNA methylation at 1,505 CpG sites in 807 cancer-related genes was evaluated using the Illumina GoldenGate ® methylation array in 28 normal colonic mucosa and 91 consecutive CRC samples. Methylation data was analyzed using unsupervised hierarchical clustering. CIMP subgroups were compared for various clinicopathological and molecular features including patient age, tumor site, microsatellite instability (MSI), methylation at a consensus panel of CpG islands and mutations in BRAF and KRAS. A total of 202 CpG sites were differentially methylated between tumor and normal tissue. Unsupervised hierarchical clustering of methylation data from these sites revealed the existence of three CRC subgroups referred to as CIMP-low (CIMP-L, 21% of cases), CIMP-mid (CIMP-M, 14%) and CIMP-high (CIMP-H, 65%). In comparison to CIMP-L tumors, CIMP-H tumors were more often located in the proximal colon and showed more frequent mutation of KRAS and BRAF (P < 0.001). Comprehensive DNA methylation profiling identified three CRC subgroups with distinctive clinicopathological and molecular features. This study suggests that both KRAS and BRAF mutations are involved with the CIMP-H pathway of CRC rather than with distinct CIMP subgroups

Comprehensive profiling of DNA methylation in colorectal cancer reveals subgroups with distinct clinicopathological and molecular features

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vaithilingam Aparna

2010-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Most previous studies of the CpG island methylator phenotype (CIMP in colorectal cancer (CRC have been conducted on a relatively small numbers of CpG sites. In the present study we performed comprehensive DNA methylation profiling of CRC with the aim of characterizing CIMP subgroups. Methods DNA methylation at 1,505 CpG sites in 807 cancer-related genes was evaluated using the Illumina GoldenGate® methylation array in 28 normal colonic mucosa and 91 consecutive CRC samples. Methylation data was analyzed using unsupervised hierarchical clustering. CIMP subgroups were compared for various clinicopathological and molecular features including patient age, tumor site, microsatellite instability (MSI, methylation at a consensus panel of CpG islands and mutations in BRAF and KRAS. Results A total of 202 CpG sites were differentially methylated between tumor and normal tissue. Unsupervised hierarchical clustering of methylation data from these sites revealed the existence of three CRC subgroups referred to as CIMP-low (CIMP-L, 21% of cases, CIMP-mid (CIMP-M, 14% and CIMP-high (CIMP-H, 65%. In comparison to CIMP-L tumors, CIMP-H tumors were more often located in the proximal colon and showed more frequent mutation of KRAS and BRAF (P Conclusions Comprehensive DNA methylation profiling identified three CRC subgroups with distinctive clinicopathological and molecular features. This study suggests that both KRAS and BRAF mutations are involved with the CIMP-H pathway of CRC rather than with distinct CIMP subgroups.

Differences in rates and odds for emergency caesarean section in six Palestinian hospitals: a population-based birth cohort study

Science.gov (United States)

Laine, Katariina; Hassan, Sahar; Fosse, Erik; Lieng, Marit; Zimmo, Kaled; Anti, Marit; Sørum Falk, Ragnhild; Vikanes, Åse

2018-01-01

Objective To assess the differences in rates and odds for emergency caesarean section among singleton pregnancies in six governmental Palestinian hospitals. Design A prospective population-based birth cohort study. Setting Obstetric departments in six governmental Palestinian hospitals. Participants 32 321 women scheduled to deliver vaginally from 1 March 2015 until 29 February 2016. Methods To assess differences in sociodemographic and antenatal obstetric characteristics by hospital, χ2 test, analysis of variance and Kruskal-Wallis test were applied. Logistic regression was used to estimate differences in odds for emergency caesarean section, and ORs with 95% CIs were assessed. Main outcome measures The primary outcome was the adjusted ORs of emergency caesarean section among singleton pregnancies for five Palestinian hospitals as compared with the reference (Hospital 1). Results The prevalence of emergency caesarean section varied across hospitals, ranging from 5.8% to 22.6% among primiparous women and between 4.8% and 13.1% among parous women. Compared with the reference hospital, the ORs for emergency caesarean section were increased in all other hospitals, crude ORs ranging from 1.95 (95% CI 1.42 to 2.67) to 4.75 (95% CI 3.49 to 6.46) among primiparous women. For parous women, these differences were less pronounced, crude ORs ranging from 1.37 (95% CI 1.13 to 1.67) to 2.99 (95% CI 2.44 to 3.65). After adjustment for potential confounders, the ORs were reduced but still statistically significant, except for one hospital among parous women. Conclusion Substantial differences in odds for emergency caesarean section between the six Palestinian governmental hospitals were observed. These could not be explained by the studied sociodemographic or antenatal obstetric characteristics. PMID:29500211

Characteristic properties of large subgroups in primary abelian groups

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

R. Narasimhan (Krishtel eMaging) 1461 1996 Oct 15 13:05:22

1. Introduction. The main purpose of this article is to study the relations between the structures of primary abelian groups and their ..... Case 2. γ − 2 exists. Let Gγ −1 be a direct summand of Gγ . We remark, in connection with Case 1, that any pγ −1. -high subgroup of Gγ is isomorphic to Gγ −1. As far as Case 2 is concerned, ...

A 6-gene signature identifies four molecular subgroups of neuroblastoma

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Abel, Frida

2011-04-14

Abstract Background There are currently three postulated genomic subtypes of the childhood tumour neuroblastoma (NB); Type 1, Type 2A, and Type 2B. The most aggressive forms of NB are characterized by amplification of the oncogene MYCN (MNA) and low expression of the favourable marker NTRK1. Recently, mutations or high expression of the familial predisposition gene Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase (ALK) was associated to unfavourable biology of sporadic NB. Also, various other genes have been linked to NB pathogenesis. Results The present study explores subgroup discrimination by gene expression profiling using three published microarray studies on NB (47 samples). Four distinct clusters were identified by Principal Components Analysis (PCA) in two separate data sets, which could be verified by an unsupervised hierarchical clustering in a third independent data set (101 NB samples) using a set of 74 discriminative genes. The expression signature of six NB-associated genes ALK, BIRC5, CCND1, MYCN, NTRK1, and PHOX2B, significantly discriminated the four clusters (p < 0.05, one-way ANOVA test). PCA clusters p1, p2, and p3 were found to correspond well to the postulated subtypes 1, 2A, and 2B, respectively. Remarkably, a fourth novel cluster was detected in all three independent data sets. This cluster comprised mainly 11q-deleted MNA-negative tumours with low expression of ALK, BIRC5, and PHOX2B, and was significantly associated with higher tumour stage, poor outcome and poor survival compared to the Type 1-corresponding favourable group (INSS stage 4 and\\/or dead of disease, p < 0.05, Fisher\\'s exact test). Conclusions Based on expression profiling we have identified four molecular subgroups of neuroblastoma, which can be distinguished by a 6-gene signature. The fourth subgroup has not been described elsewhere, and efforts are currently made to further investigate this group\\'s specific characteristics.

Socially Driven Consistent Behavioural Differences during Development in Common Ravens and Carrion Crows.

Science.gov (United States)

Miller, Rachael; Laskowski, Kate L; Schiestl, Martina; Bugnyar, Thomas; Schwab, Christine

2016-01-01

Consistent individual differences in behaviour, or 'personality', are likely to be influenced by development, social context, and species ecology, though few comparative, longitudinal studies exist. Here, we investigated the role of development and social context on personality variation in two identically reared, social corvids: common ravens and carrion crows. We repeatedly presented subjects with a variety of novel food and objects, while alone and in a primarily sibling subgroup, from fledging to sub-adulthood. We predicted that consistent individual differences would emerge later in development, and that conspecific presence would facilitate behavioural similarities. In contrast to our predictions, we found that individuals of both species were highly inconsistent in their behavioural responses throughout the development period. In line with our predictions, though in the ravens only, conspecific presence promoted behavioural similarities as individuals were strongly shaped by their subgroup, and it is likely that these effects were driven by social context rather than relatedness. We discuss these findings in relation to developmental steps and the role of social relations in these species. Overall, our findings highlight that these two species are highly adaptable in their behaviour, and the ravens in particular are strongly influenced by their social environment, which may facilitate cooperation and social learning.

Stress and disease resilience differences related to emergence time for first feeding in farmed rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gesto, Manuel; Madsen, Lone; Andersen, Nikolaj Reducha

2018-01-01

Salmonid individuals show a relatively high variability in the time required to abandon the gravel nest where they hatch, the so-called "emergence time". Different behavioral and physiological traits have been shown to be associated to that emergence time in wild salmonids. In general, early- and...

Efficacy and safety of liraglutide 3.0 mg for weight management are similar across races: subgroup analysis across the SCALE and phase II randomized trials.

Science.gov (United States)

Ard, J; Cannon, A; Lewis, C E; Lofton, H; Vang Skjøth, T; Stevenin, B; Pi-Sunyer, X

2016-04-01

The efficacy and safety of liraglutide 3.0 mg versus placebo, as adjunct to diet and exercise, was evaluated in racial subgroups. This post hoc analysis of pooled data from five double-blind randomized, placebo-controlled trials was conducted in 5325 adults with either a body mass index (BMI) ≥27 kg/m(2) plus ≥1 comorbidity or a BMI ≥30 kg/m(2). Statistical interaction tests evaluated possible treatment effect differences between racial subgroups: white (4496, 84.4%), black/African-American (550, 10.3%), Asian (168, 3.2%) and other (111, 2.1%). Effects of liraglutide 3.0 mg on weight loss, associated metabolic effects and safety profile were generally consistent across racial subgroups. All achieved statistically significant mean weight loss at end-of-treatment with liraglutide 3.0 mg versus placebo: white 7.7% versus 2.3%, black/African-American 6.3% versus 1.4%, Asian 6.3% versus 2.5%, other 7.3% versus 0.49%. Treatment effects on weight and cardiovascular risk markers generally showed no dependence on race (interaction test p > 0.05). Adverse events were similar across racial subgroups. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Summary of the activities of the subgroup on data acquisition and processing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Connolly, P.L.; Doughty, D.C.; Elias, J.E.

1981-01-01

A data acquisition and handling subgroup consisting of approximately 20 members met during the 1981 ISABELLE summer study. Discussions were led by members of the BNL ISABELLE Data Acquisition Group (DAG) with lively participation from outside users. Particularly large contributions were made by representatives of BNL experiments 734, 735, and the MPS, as well as the Fermilab Colliding Detector Facility and the SLAC LASS Facility. In contrast to the 1978 study, the subgroup did not divide its activities into investigations of various individual detectors, but instead attempted to review the current state-of-the-art in the data acquisition, trigger processing, and data handling fields. A series of meetings first reviewed individual pieces of the problem, including status of the Fastbus Project, the Nevis trigger processor, the SLAC 168/E and 3081/E emulators, and efforts within DAG. Additional meetings dealt with the question involving specifying and building complete data acquisition systems. For any given problem, a series of possible solutions was proposed by the members of the subgroup. In general, any given solution had both advantages and disadvantages, and there was never any consensus on which approach was best. However, there was agreement that certain problems could only be handled by systems of a given power or greater. what will be given here is a review of various solutions with associated powers, costs, advantages, and disadvantages

Going flat: examining heterogeneity in the soda-obesity relationship by subgroup and place of birth among Asian Americans.

Science.gov (United States)

Alcalá, Héctor E; Sharif, Mienah Z

2017-06-01

To determine if the association between soda consumption and obesity is uniform among Asian-American population subgroups. We conducted multivariate logistic regression analyses on odds of being obese among seven Asian subgroups and by place of birth using data from the 2009 California Health Interview Survey. An omnibus population-based health survey. Non-institutionalized adults, aged 18 years or over, residing in California (n 36 271). Despite low levels of soda consumption in several Asian-American ethnic groups, soda consumption increased the odds of being obese among Chinese, Koreans and Other Asians but not for Whites. Obesity risk varied across Asian subgroups and by place of birth within these subgroups. More public health efforts addressing soda consumption in Asian-American communities are needed as a strategy for not only preventing chronic diseases but also disparities, considering the varying levels of soda intake across subgroups. Results support the growing body of literature critiquing acculturation theory in immigrant health research by documenting inconsistent findings by place of birth. Future research should take into account the heterogeneity among Asian Americans to advance our understanding of health outcomes and disparities.

Seedling Emergence and Phenotypic Response of Common Bean Germplasm to Different Temperatures under Controlled Conditions and in Open Field.

Science.gov (United States)

De Ron, Antonio M; Rodiño, Ana P; Santalla, Marta; González, Ana M; Lema, María J; Martín, Isaura; Kigel, Jaime

2016-01-01

Rapid and uniform seed germination and seedling emergence under diverse environmental conditions is a desirable characteristic for crops. Common bean genotypes (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) differ in their low temperature tolerance regarding growth and yield. Cultivars tolerant to low temperature during the germination and emergence stages and carriers of the grain quality standards demanded by consumers are needed for the success of the bean crop. The objectives of this study were (i) to screen the seedling emergence and the phenotypic response of bean germplasm under a range of temperatures in controlled chamber and field conditions to display stress-tolerant genotypes with good agronomic performances and yield potential, and (ii) to compare the emergence of bean seedlings under controlled environment and in open field conditions to assess the efficiency of genebanks standard germination tests for predicting the performance of the seeds in the field. Three trials were conducted with 28 dry bean genotypes in open field and in growth chamber under low, moderate, and warm temperature. Morpho-agronomic data were used to evaluate the phenotypic performance of the different genotypes. Cool temperatures resulted in a reduction of the rate of emergence in the bean genotypes, however, emergence and early growth of bean could be under different genetic control and these processes need further research to be suitably modeled. Nine groups arose from the Principal Component Analysis (PCA) representing variation in emergence time and proportion of emergence in the controlled chamber and in the open field indicating a trend to lower emergence in large and extra-large seeded genotypes. Screening of seedling emergence and phenotypic response of the bean germplasm under a range of temperatures in controlled growth chambers and under field conditions showed several genotypes, as landraces 272, 501, 593, and the cultivar Borlotto, with stress-tolerance at emergence, and high yield

Seedling Emergence and Phenotypic Response of Common Bean Germplasm to Different Temperatures under Controlled Conditions and in Open Field

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Antonio M. DE RON

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Rapid and uniform seed germination and seedling emergence under diverse environmental conditions is a desirable characteristic for crops. Common bean genotypes (Phaseolus vulgaris L. differ in their low temperature tolerance regarding growth and yield. Cultivars tolerant to low temperature during the germination and emergence stages and carriers of the grain quality standards demanded by consumers are needed for the success of the bean crop. The objectives of this study were i to screen the seedling emergence and the phenotypic response of bean germplasm under a range of temperatures in controlled chamber and field conditions to display stress-tolerant genotypes with good agronomic performances and yield potential, and ii to compare the emergence of bean seedlings under controlled environment and in open field conditions to assess the efficiency of genebanks standard germination tests for predicting the performance of the seeds in the field. Three trials were conducted with 28 dry bean genotypes in open field and in growth chamber under low, moderate and warm temperature. Morpho-agronomic data were used to evaluate the phenotypic performance of the different genotypes. Cool temperatures resulted in a reduction of the rate of emergence in the bean genotypes, however, emergence and early growth of bean could be under different genetic control and these processes need further research to be suitably modeled. Nine groups arose from the Principal Component Analysis (PCA representing variation in emergence time and proportion of emergence in the controlled chamber and in the open field indicating a trend to lower emergence in large and extra-large seeded genotypes. Screening of seedling emergence and phenotypic response of the bean germplasm under a range of temperatures in controlled growth chambers and under field conditions showed several genotypes, as landraces 272, 501, 593 and the cultivar Borlotto, with stress-tolerance at emergence and high

Recombination in the evolution of enterovirus C species sub-group that contains types CVA-21, CVA-24, EV-C95, EV-C96 and EV-C99.

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Teemu Smura

Full Text Available Genetic recombination is considered to be a very frequent phenomenon among enteroviruses (Family Picornaviridae, Genus Enterovirus. However, the recombination patterns may differ between enterovirus species and between types within species. Enterovirus C (EV-C species contains 21 types. In the capsid coding P1 region, the types of EV-C species cluster further into three sub-groups (designated here as A-C. In this study, the recombination pattern of EV-C species sub-group B that contains types CVA-21, CVA-24, EV-C95, EV-C96 and EV-C99 was determined using partial 5'UTR and VP1 sequences of enterovirus strains isolated during poliovirus surveillance and previously published complete genome sequences. Several inter-typic recombination events were detected. Furthermore, the analyses suggested that inter-typic recombination events have occurred mainly within the distinct sub-groups of EV-C species. Only sporadic recombination events between EV-C species sub-group B and other EV-C sub-groups were detected. In addition, strict recombination barriers were inferred for CVA-21 genotype C and CVA-24 variant strains. These results suggest that the frequency of inter-typic recombinations, even within species, may depend on the phylogenetic position of the given viruses.

Sun protection and exposure behaviors among Hispanic adults in the United States: differences according to acculturation and among Hispanic subgroups

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Coups Elliot J

2012-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Skin cancer prevention interventions that target the growing number of U.S. Hispanics are lacking. The current study examined the prevalence and correlates of sun protection and exposure behaviors (i.e., sunscreen use, shade seeking, use of sun protective clothing, and sunburns among U.S. Hispanics with sun sensitive skin, with a focus on potential differences according to acculturation and Hispanic origin. Methods The sample consisted of 1676 Hispanic adults who reported having sun sensitive skin (i.e., they would experience a sunburn if they went out in the sun for one hour without protection after several months of not being in the sun. Participants completed survey questions as part of the nationally representative 2010 National Health Interview Survey. Analyses were conducted in August 2012. Results Greater acculturation was linked with both risky (i.e., not wearing sun protective clothing and protective (i.e., using sunscreen sun-related practices and with an increased risk of sunburns. Sun protection and exposure behaviors also varied according to individuals’ Hispanic origin, with for example individuals of Mexican heritage having a higher rate of using sun protective clothing and experiencing sunburns than several other subgroups. Conclusions Several Hispanic subpopulations (e.g., those who are more acculturated or from certain origins represent important groups to target in skin cancer prevention interventions. Future research is needed to test culturally relevant, tailored interventions to promote sun protection behaviors among U.S. Hispanics. Such initiatives should focus on public health education and increasing healthcare provider awareness of the importance of skin cancer prevention among Hispanics.

Identifying and Assessing Interesting Subgroups in a Heterogeneous Population.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Woojoo; Alexeyenko, Andrey; Pernemalm, Maria; Guegan, Justine; Dessen, Philippe; Lazar, Vladimir; Lehtiö, Janne; Pawitan, Yudi

2015-01-01

Biological heterogeneity is common in many diseases and it is often the reason for therapeutic failures. Thus, there is great interest in classifying a disease into subtypes that have clinical significance in terms of prognosis or therapy response. One of the most popular methods to uncover unrecognized subtypes is cluster analysis. However, classical clustering methods such as k-means clustering or hierarchical clustering are not guaranteed to produce clinically interesting subtypes. This could be because the main statistical variability--the basis of cluster generation--is dominated by genes not associated with the clinical phenotype of interest. Furthermore, a strong prognostic factor might be relevant for a certain subgroup but not for the whole population; thus an analysis of the whole sample may not reveal this prognostic factor. To address these problems we investigate methods to identify and assess clinically interesting subgroups in a heterogeneous population. The identification step uses a clustering algorithm and to assess significance we use a false discovery rate- (FDR-) based measure. Under the heterogeneity condition the standard FDR estimate is shown to overestimate the true FDR value, but this is remedied by an improved FDR estimation procedure. As illustrations, two real data examples from gene expression studies of lung cancer are provided.

Generation and biological assessment of recombinant avian metapneumovirus subgroup C (aMPV-C) viruses containing different length of the G gene.

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Qingzhong; Estevez, Carlos; Song, Minxun; Kapczynski, Darrell; Zsak, Laszlo

2010-02-01

Genetic variation in length of the G gene among different avian metapneumovirus subgroup C (aMPV-C) isolates has been reported. However, its biological significance in virus replication, pathogenicity and immunity is unknown. In this study, we developed a reverse genetics system for aMPV-C and generated two Colorado (CO) strain-based recombinant viruses containing either the full-length G gene derived from a Canadian goose isolate or a C-terminally truncated G gene of the CO strain. The truncated short G (sG) gene encoded 252 amino acids (aa), which is 333 aa shorter than the full-length G (585 aa). The biological properties of these two recombinant G variants were assessed in Vero cells and in specific-pathogen-free (SPF) turkeys. In Vero cells, the short G variant displayed a similar level of growth dynamics and virus titers as the parental aMPV-CO strain, whereas the full-length G variant replicated less efficiently than the sG variant during the first 72 h post-infection. Both of the G variants induced typical cytopathic effects (CPE) that were indistinguishable from those seen with the parental aMPV-CO infection. In SPF turkeys, both of the G variants were attenuated and caused little or no disease signs, but the full-length G variant appeared to grow more readily in tracheal tissue than the sG variant during the first 5 days post-infection. Both G variants were immunogenic and induced a slightly different level of antibody response. These results demonstrated that the large portion (333 aa) of the extracellular domain of the viral attachment protein is not essential for virus viability in vitro and in vivo, but may play a role in enhancing virus attachment specificity and immunity in a natural host. (c) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Prevalence and Profile of Phonological and Surface Subgroups in College Students with a History of Reading Disability

Science.gov (United States)

Birch, Stacy L.

2016-01-01

The purpose of the present study was to identify and characterize surface and phonological subgroups of readers among college students with a prior diagnosis of developmental reading disability (RD). Using a speeded naming task derived from Castles and Coltheart's subtyping study, we identified subgroups of readers from among college students with…

Practical Algorithms for Subgroup Detection in Covert Networks

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Memon, Nasrullah; Wiil, Uffe Kock; Qureshi, Pir Abdul Rasool

2010-01-01

In this paper, we present algorithms for subgroup detection and demonstrated them with a real-time case study of USS Cole bombing terrorist network. The algorithms are demonstrated in an application by a prototype system. The system finds associations between terrorist and terrorist organisations...... and is capable of determining links between terrorism plots occurred in the past, their affiliation with terrorist camps, travel record, funds transfer, etc. The findings are represented by a network in the form of an Attributed Relational Graph (ARG). Paths from a node to any other node in the network indicate...

Emergency CT head and neck imaging: effects of swimmer's position on dose and image quality

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mueck, Fabian G.; Roesch, Sebastian; Geyer, Lucas; Scherr, Michael; Seidenbusch, Michael; Stahl, Robert; Deak, Zsuzsanna; Wirth, Stefan [LMU Klinikum Universitaet Muenchen (Germany). Inst. fuer Klinische Radiologie

2014-05-15

To compare the effects of different arm positions on dose exposure and image quality (IQ) in cervical spine CT after trauma in different patient groups. Patients in standard (STD = 126) and in swimmer's position (SWIM = 254) were included. Body mass index (BMI subgroup 1 = underweight to subgroup 4 = obese), anterior-posterior diameter (AP), left-right diameter (LR), area of an ellipse (AoE) and angle between the humeral heads (optimal STD < 3 , optimal SWIM > 10 ) were used as grouping criteria. Computed tomography dose index (CTDI) was documented. Two radiologists rated the IQ at three levels (CV1/2, CV4/5, CV7/T1) using a semi-quantitative scale (0 = not diagnostic, 1 = diagnostic with limitations, 2 = diagnostic without limitations). The Mann-Whitney U test correlations of grouping criteria with dose effects and intra-class correlation (ICC) were calculated. ICC was 0.87. BMI grouping showed the strongest correlation with dose effects: CTDI of optimal STD versus optimal SWIM positioning was 3.17 mGy versus 2.46 mGy (subgroup 1), 5.47 mGy versus 3.97 mGy (subgroup 2), 7.35 mGy versus 5.96 mGy (subgroup 3) and 8.71 mGy versus 8.18 mGy (subgroup 4). Mean IQ at CV7/T1 was 1.65 versus 1.23 (subgroup 1), 1.27 versus 1.46 (subgroup 2), 1.06 versus 1.46 (subgroup 3), 0.79 versus 1.5 (subgroup 4). Patients with a BMI > 20 kg/m{sup 2} benefited from both potential dose reduction and improved image quality at the critical cervicothoracic junction when swimmer's position was used. (orig.)

GENDER DIFFERENCES IN INTIMATE PARTNER HOMICIDES AMONG ETHNIC SUBGROUPS OF ASIANS

Science.gov (United States)

SABRI, BUSHRA; CAMPBELL, JACQUELYN C.; DABBY, FIROZA CHIC

2013-01-01

This study explored differences in intimate partner homicides (IPHs) among Asian Americans. Data from newspapers and femicide reports by different state coalitions on 125 intimate partner killings occurring between 2000 and 2005 was analyzed. Men were the perpetrators in nearly nine out of ten cases of Asian IPHs. Gender differences were found in ages of victims and perpetrators, types of relationship between partners, and methods of killing. Most homicides occurred among South-east Asians, and East Asians had the highest within group proportion of suicides. The findings call for culturally competent risk assessment and intervention strategies to prevent IPHs among at-risk Asian Americans. PMID:26391620

Do mood symptoms subdivide the schizophrenia phenotype? : Association of the GMP6A gene with a depression subgroup

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Boks, Marco P M; Hoogendoorn, Mechteld; Jungerius, Bart J; Bakker, Steven C; Sommer, Iris E; Sinke, Richard J; Ophoff, Roel A; Kahn, René S

2008-01-01

Genetic studies of clinically defined subgroups of schizophrenia patients may reduce the phenotypic heterogeneity of schizophrenia and thus facilitate the identification of genes that confer risk to this disorder. Several latent class analyses have provided subgroups of psychotic disorders that show

Temporal variation and cross-sectional differences of accounting conservatism in emerging countries

OpenAIRE

Khalifa, Maha; Othman, Hakim Ben; Hussainey, Khaled

2016-01-01

Prior research reported that accounting conservatism has increased over time in developed countries. In this paper, we try to examine the time-series extent and shift of accounting conservatism in emerging countries over the period 2000-2012. We also analyze differences in conservatism level across countries, regions, legal regimes and industries and the effect of size, Market-to-Book and leverage on the degree of conservatism. We use a set of measures to assess the degree of conservatism. Th...

Effect of duloxetine in patients with fibromyalgia: tiredness subgroups

OpenAIRE

Bradley, Laurence A; Bennett, Robert; Russell, Irwin J; Wohlreich, Madelaine M; Chappell, Amy S; Wang, Fujun; D'Souza, Deborah N; Moldofsky, Harvey

2010-01-01

Introduction This study tested the hypothesis that baseline ratings of fatigue/tiredness would be negatively associated with the efficacy of duloxetine on measures of pain and functional ability in patients with fibromyalgia. Methods A post hoc analysis of pooled data from 4 double-blind, placebo-controlled studies of duloxetine in fibromyalgia was performed. The fibromyalgia impact questionnaire (FIQ) tiredness item score (0 to 10 scale) was used to define tiredness subgroups. Patients were ...

Are de novo acute heart failure and acutely worsened chronic heart failure two subgroups of the same syndrome?

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Banović Marko

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction. Acute heart failure (AHF is one of the most common diseases in emergency medicine, associated with poor prognosis and high in-hospital and long-term mortality. Objective. To investigate clinical presentation of patients with de novo AHF and acute worsening of chronic heart failure (CHF and to identify differences in blood levels of biomarkers and echocardiography findings. Methods. This prospective study comprised 64 consecutive patients being grouped according to the onset of the disease into patients with the de novo AHF (45.3%, and patients with acute worsening of CHF (54.7%. Results. Acute congestion (60% was the most common manifestation of de novo AHF, whereas pulmonary oedema (43.1% was the most common manifestation of acutely decompensated CHF. Patients with acutely decompensated CHF had significantly higher blood values of creatinine (147.10 vs 113.16 μmol/l; p<0.05, urea (12.63 vs 7.82 mmol/l; p<0.05, BNP (1440.11 vs 712.24 pg/ml; p<001 and NTproBNP (9097.00 vs 2827.70 pg/ml; p<0.01 on admission, and lower values of M-mode left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF during hospitalization (49.44% vs 42.94%; p<0.05. The follow-up after one year revealed still significantly higher BNP (365.49 vs 164.02 pg/ ml; p<0.05 and lower average values of both LVEF in patients with acutely worsened CHF (46.62% vs 54.41% and 39.52% vs 47.88%; p<0.05. Conclusion. Considering differences in clinical severity on admission, echocardiography and natriuretic peptide values during hospitalization and after one year follow-up, de novo AHF and acutely worsened CHF are two different subgroups of the same syndrome.

Minimal unitary realizations of exceptional U-duality groups and their subgroups as quasiconformal groups

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gunaydin, Murat; Pavlyk, Oleksandr

2005-01-01

We study the minimal unitary representations of noncompact exceptional groups that arise as U-duality groups in extended supergravity theories. First we give the unitary realizations of the exceptional group E 8(-24) in SU*(8) as well as SU(6,2) covariant bases. E 8(-24) has E 7 x SU(2) as its maximal compact subgroup and is the U-duality group of the exceptional supergravity theory in d=3. For the corresponding U-duality group E 8(8) of the maximal supergravity theory the minimal realization was given. The minimal unitary realizations of all the lower rank noncompact exceptional groups can be obtained by truncation of those of E 8(-24) and E 8(8) . By further truncation one can obtain the minimal unitary realizations of all the groups of the 'Magic Triangle'. We give explicitly the minimal unitary realizations of the exceptional subgroups of E 8(-24) as well as other physically interesting subgroups. These minimal unitary realizations correspond, in general, to the quantization of their geometric actions as quasi-conformal groups. (author)

CKM and PMNS Mixing Matrices from Discrete Subgroups of SU(2

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Potter F.

2014-07-01

Full Text Available One of the greatest challenges in particle physics is to determine the first principles origin of the quark and lepton mixing matrices CKM and PMNS that relate the flavor states to the mass states. This first principles derivation of both the PMNS and CKM matrices utilizes quaternion generators of the three discrete (i.e., finite binary rotational subgroups of SU(2 called [3,3,2], [4,3,2], and [5,3,2] for three lepton families in R 3 and four related discrete binary rotational subgroups [3,3,3], [4,3,3], [3,4,3], and [5,3,3] represented by four quark families in R 4 . The traditional 3 3 CKM matrix is extracted as a submatrix of the 4 4 CKM4 matrix. The predicted fourth family of quarks has not been discovered yet. If these two additional quarks exist, there is the possibility that the Standard Model lagrangian may apply all the way down to the Planck scale.

Advances in the development of a subgroup method for the self-shielding of resonant isotopes in arbitrary geometries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hebert, A.

1997-01-01

The subgroup method is used to compute self-shielded cross sections defined over coarse energy groups in the resolved energy domain. The validity of the subgroup approach was extended beyond the unresolved energy domain by partially taking into account correlation effects between the slowing-down source with the collision probability terms of the transport equation. This approach enables one to obtain a pure subgroup solution of the self-shielding problem without relying on any form of equivalence in dilution. Specific improvements are presented on existing subgroup methods: an N-term rational approximation for the fuel-to-fuel collision probability, a new Pade deflation technique for computing probability tables, and the introduction of a superhomogenization correction. The absorption rates obtained after self-shielding are compared with exact values obtained using an elastic slowing-down calculation where each resonance is modeled individually in the resolved energy domain

Identification of Three Distinct Eggplant Subgroups within the Solanum aethiopicum Gilo Group from Côte d’Ivoire by Morpho-Agronomic Characterization

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Auguste Kouassi

2014-10-01

Full Text Available The Solanum aethiopicum Gilo group, described as homogeneous, shows a high diversity, at least at the morphological level. In Côte d’Ivoire, farmers distinguish three subgroups, named “N’Drowa”, “Klogbo” and “Gnangnan”, within this group. Data were obtained from 10 quantitative and 14 qualitative morpho-agronomic traits measured in 326 accessions of Gilo eggplants, at flowering and fruiting stages. Univariate and multivariate analyses allowed clearly clustering the studied accessions into the three subgroups. Fruit taste, leaf blade width, fruit diameter, leaf blade length, fruit weight, fruit color at commercial ripeness, petiole length, germination time, plant breadth, fruit position on the plant, fruit length and flowering time were, in decreasing order, the twelve most discriminating traits. Compared to the “Gnangnan” subgroup, the “N’Drowa” subgroup has smaller plant breadth and larger leaves. The fruits of this subgroup were mainly white at commercial ripeness, larger and sweeter. Most of the traits of the “Klogbo” subgroup were intermediate between those of the “N’Drowa” and “Gnangnan” subgroups. Our results could contribute to a better understanding of S. aethiopicum diversity and to the development of a core collection for African eggplant breeding.

A post-hoc subgroup analysis of outcomes in the first phase III clinical study of edaravone (MCI-186) in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Science.gov (United States)

2017-10-01

Our first phase III study failed to demonstrate efficacy of edaravone for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) compared to placebo. Here, we performed post-hoc subgroup analysis to identify a subgroup in which edaravone might be expected to show efficacy. We focussed on two newly defined subgroups, EESP and dpEESP2y. The EESP was defined as the efficacy-expected subpopulation with % forced vital capacity of ≥80%, and ≥2 points for all item scores in the revised ALS functional rating scale (ALSFRS-R) score before treatment. The dpEESP2y was defined as the greater-efficacy-expected subpopulation within EESP having a diagnosis of 'definite' or 'probable' ALS according to the El Escorial revised Airlie House diagnostic criteria and onset of disease within two years. The primary endpoint of the post-hoc analysis was the change in the ALSFRS-R score during the 24-week treatment period. The intergroup differences of the least-squares mean change in the ALSFRS-R score ± standard error during treatment were 0.65 ± 0.78 (p = 0.4108) in the full analysis set, 2.20 ± 1.03 (p = 0.0360) in the EESP, and 3.01 ± 1.33 (p = 0.0270) in the dpEESP2y. Edaravone exhibited efficacy in the dpEESP2y subgroup. A further clinical study in patients meeting dpEESP2y criteria is warranted.

Summary of the Very Large Hadron Collider Physics and Detector subgroup

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Denisov, D.; Keller, S.

1996-01-01

We summarize the activity of the Very Large Hadron Collider Physics and Detector subgroup during Snowmass 96. Members of the group: M. Albrow, R. Diebold, S. Feher, L. Jones, R. Harris, D. Hedin, W. Kilgore, J. Lykken, F. Olness, T. Rizzo, V. Sirotenko, and J. Womersley. 9 refs

Patterns and Risk Factors of Soil-Transmitted Helminthiasis among Orang Asli Subgroups in Peninsular Malaysia

Science.gov (United States)

Ngui, Romano; Aziz, Shafie; Chua, Kek Heng; Aidil, Roslan Muhammad; Lee, Soo Ching; Tan, Tiong Kai; Sani, Mistam Mohd; Arine, Ahmad Fadzlun; Rohela, Mahmud; Lim, Yvonne A. L.

2015-01-01

A cross-sectional study was conducted to provide comprehensive data on the patterns and associated risk factors of soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections among five Orang Asli subgroups in Peninsular Malaysia. The overall prevalence of STH infections was 59.9% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 56.1–63.7%). Trichuris trichiura (54.3%; 95% CI = 50.4–58.2%) was the predominant species followed by Ascaris lumbricoides (26.7%; 95% CI = 23.3–30.1%) and hookworm (9.1%; 95% CI = 6.9–11.3%). This study showed diversity for STH infections by subgroup with poverty and personal sanitary behavior as important risk factors for infection. Risk profile analyses indicating that Orang Kuala subgroup who has a generally well-developed infrastructure and better quality of life had a low rate of infection. There is a need for poverty reduction and promotion of deworming programs along with mass scale campaigns to create awareness about health and hygiene to reduce STH infections. PMID:26055746

Subgroup analysis of large trials can guide further research: a case study of vitamin E and pneumonia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Harri Hemilä

2011-02-01

Full Text Available Harri Hemilä, Jaakko KaprioDepartment of Public Health, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, FinlandBackground: Biology is complex and the effects of many interventions may vary between population groups. Subgroup analysis can give estimates for specific populations, but trials are usually too small for such analyses.Purpose: To test whether the effect of vitamin E on pneumonia risk is uniform over subgroups defined by smoking and exercise.Methods: The Alpha-Tocopherol Beta-Carotene Cancer Prevention Study examined the effects of vitamin E (50 mg per day and β-carotene (20 mg per day on lung cancer in 29,133 male smokers aged 50–69 years using a 2 × 2 factorial design. The trial was conducted among the general community in Finland during 1985–1993; the intervention lasted for 6.0 years (median. In the present study, we tested the uniformity of vitamin E effect on the risk of hospital-treated pneumonia (898 cases by adding a dummy variable to allow each subgroup its own vitamin E effect in a Cox model covering all participants.Results: Vitamin E effect was not uniform over eight subgroups defined by baseline smoking (5–19 vs ≥20 cigarettes per day, age of smoking initiation (≤20 vs ≥21 years, and exercise during leisure time (yes vs no. Vitamin E decreased pneumonia risk by 69% (95% CI: 43% to 83% among participants who had the least exposure to smoking and exercised during leisure time. Vitamin E increased pneumonia risk by 79% (95% CI: 27% to 150% among those who had the highest exposure to smoking and did not exercise.Limitations: Although the evidence of heterogeneity is strong, it is not evident to what extent the estimates of effect or the limits between the subgroups can be extrapolated to other populations.Conclusion: Subgroup analysis of large trials should be encouraged, though caution is needed in the interpretation of findings. The role of vitamin E in susceptibility to pneumonia in physically active nonsmokers warrants

Upper bounds for reversible circuits based on Young subgroups

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Abdessaied, Nabila; Soeken, Mathias; Thomsen, Michael Kirkedal

2014-01-01

We present tighter upper bounds on the number of Toffoli gates needed in reversible circuits. Both multiple controlled Toffoli gates and mixed polarity Toffoli gates have been considered for this purpose. The calculation of the bounds is based on a synthesis approach based on Young subgroups...... that results in circuits using a more generalized gate library. Starting from an upper bound for this library we derive new bounds which improve the existing bound by around 77%....

Viral replication and lung lesions in BALB/c mice experimentally inoculated with avian metapneumovirus subgroup C isolated from chickens.

Science.gov (United States)

Wei, Li; Zhu, Shanshan; She, Ruiping; Hu, Fengjiao; Wang, Jing; Yan, Xu; Zhang, Chunyan; Liu, Shuhang; Quan, Rong; Li, Zixuan; Du, Fang; Wei, Ting; Liu, Jue

2014-01-01

Avian metapneumovirus (aMPV) emerged as an important respiratory pathogen causing acute respiratory tract infection in avian species. Here we used a chicken aMPV subgroup C (aMPV/C) isolate to inoculate experimentally BALB/c mice and found that the aMPV/C can efficiently replicate and persist in the lungs of mice for at least 21 days with a peak viral load at day 6 postinoculation. Lung pathological changes were characterized by increased inflammatory cells. Immunochemical assay showed the presence of viral antigens in the lungs and significant upregulation of pulmonary inflammatory cytokines and chemokines including MCP-1, MIP-1α, RANTES, IL-1β, IFN-γ, and TNF-α were detected following inoculation. These results indicate for the first time that chicken aMPV/C may replicate in the lung of mice. Whether aMPV/C has potential as zoonotic pathogen, further investigation will be required.

The Impact of Low-Level Lead Toxicity on School Performance among Hispanic Subgroups in the Chicago Public Schools.

Science.gov (United States)

Blackowicz, Michael J; Hryhorczuk, Daniel O; Rankin, Kristin M; Lewis, Dan A; Haider, Danish; Lanphear, Bruce P; Evens, Anne

2016-08-01

Environmental lead exposure detrimentally affects children's educational performance, even at very low blood lead levels (BLLs). Among children in Chicago Public Schools (CPS), the severity of the effects of BLL on reading and math vary by racial subgroup (White vs. Hispanic vs. non-Hispanic Black). We investigated the impact of BLL on standardized test performance by Hispanic subgroup (Mexican, Puerto Rican, and Other Hispanic). We examined 12,319 Hispanic children born in Chicago between 1994 and 1998 who were tested for BLL between birth and 2006 and enrolled in the 3rd grade at a CPS school between 2003 and 2006. We linked the Chicago birth registry, the Chicago Blood Lead Registry, and 3rd grade Illinois Standard Achievement Test (ISAT) scores to examine associations between BLL and school performance. Primary analyses were restricted to children with BLL below 10 µg/dL (0.483 µmol/L). BLLs below 10 µg/dL (0.483 µmol/L) were inversely associated with reading and math scores in all Hispanic subgroups. Adjusted Relative Risks (RRadj) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for reading and math failure were 1.34 (95% CI = 1.25, 1.63) and 1.53 (95% CI = 1.32, 1.78), respectively, per each additional 5 µg/dL of lead exposure for Hispanic children; RRadj did not differ across subgroups. We estimate that 7.0% (95% CI = 1.8, 11.9) of reading and 13.6% (95% CI = 7.7, 19.2) of math failure among Hispanic children can be attributed to exposure to BLLs of 5-9 µg/dL (0.242 to 0.435 µmol/L) vs. 0-4 µg/dL (0-0.193 µmol/L). The RRadj of math failure for each 5 µg/dL (0.242 µmol/L) increase in BLL was notably (p = 0.074) stronger among black Puerto Rican children (RRadj = 5.14; 95% CI = 1.65-15.94) compared to white Puerto Rican children (RRadj = 1.50; 95% CI = 1.12-2.02). Early childhood lead exposure is associated with poorer achievement on standardized reading and math tests in the 3rd grade for Mexican, Puerto Rican, and Other Hispanic children enrolled in Chicago

Cost-effectiveness of aspirin treatment in the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease events in subgroups based on age, gender, and varying cardiovascular risk

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Greving, Jacoba P.; Buskens, Erik; Koffijberg, Hendrik; Algra, Ale

2008-01-01

BACKGROUND - Aspirin is effective for the primary prevention of cardiovascular events, but it remains unclear for which subgroups of individuals aspirin is beneficial. We assessed the cost-effectiveness of aspirin separately for men and women of different ages with various levels of cardiovascular

Cost-effectiveness of aspirin treatment in the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease events in subgroups based on age, gender, and varying cardiovascular risk

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Greving, J.P.; Buskens, E.; Koffijberg, H.; Algra, A.

2008-01-01

Background-Aspirin is effective for the primary prevention of cardiovascular events, but it remains unclear for which subgroups of individuals aspirin is beneficial. We assessed the cost-effectiveness of aspirin separately for men and women of different ages with various levels of cardiovascular

The efficacy of natalizumab in patients with relapsing multiple sclerosis: subgroup analyses of AFFIRM and SENTINEL.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Hutchinson, Michael

2012-02-01

The AFFIRM and SENTINEL studies showed that natalizumab was effective both as monotherapy and in combination with interferon beta (IFNbeta)-1a in patients with relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS). Further analyses of AFFIRM and SENTINEL data were conducted to determine the efficacy of natalizumab in prespecified patient subgroups according to baseline characteristics: relapse history 1 year before randomization (1, 2, > or = 3), Expanded Disability Status Scale score (< or = 3.5, > 3.5), number of T2 lesions (< 9, > or = 9), presence of gadolinium-enhancing (Gd+) lesions (0, > or = 1), age (< 40, > or = 40) and gender (male, female). A post hoc analysis was conducted to determine the efficacy of natalizumab in patients with highly active disease (i. e., > or = 2 relapses in the year before study entry and > or = 1 Gd+ lesion at study entry). In both AFFIRM and SENTINEL studies natalizumab reduced the annualized relapse rates across all subgroups (except the small subgroups with < 9 baseline T2 lesions) over 2 years. In AFFIRM, natalizumab significantly reduced the risk of sustained disability progression in most subgroups. In SENTINEL, natalizumab significantly reduced the risk of sustained disability progression in the following subgroups: > or = 9 T2 lesions at baseline, > or = 1 Gd+ lesions at baseline, female patients and patients < 40 years of age. Natalizumab reduced the risk of disability progression by 64 % and relapse rate by 81 % in treatment- naive patients with highly active disease and by 58 % and 76 %, respectively, in patients with highly active disease despite IFNbeta-1a treatment. These results indicate that natalizumab is effective in reducing disability progression and relapses in patients with relapsing MS, particularly in patients with highly active disease.

Evaluation of serologic and antigenic relationships between middle eastern respiratory syndrome coronavirus and other coronaviruses to develop vaccine platforms for the rapid response to emerging coronaviruses.

Science.gov (United States)

Agnihothram, Sudhakar; Gopal, Robin; Yount, Boyd L; Donaldson, Eric F; Menachery, Vineet D; Graham, Rachel L; Scobey, Trevor D; Gralinski, Lisa E; Denison, Mark R; Zambon, Maria; Baric, Ralph S

2014-04-01

Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) emerged in 2012, causing severe acute respiratory disease and pneumonia, with 44% mortality among 136 cases to date. Design of vaccines to limit the virus spread or diagnostic tests to track newly emerging strains requires knowledge of antigenic and serologic relationships between MERS-CoV and other CoVs.  Using synthetic genomics and Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus replicons (VRPs) expressing spike and nucleocapsid proteins from MERS-CoV and other human and bat CoVs, we characterize the antigenic responses (using Western blot and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) and serologic responses (using neutralization assays) against 2 MERS-CoV isolates in comparison with those of other human and bat CoVs.  Serologic and neutralization responses against the spike glycoprotein were primarily strain specific, with a very low level of cross-reactivity within or across subgroups. CoV N proteins within but not across subgroups share cross-reactive epitopes with MERS-CoV isolates. Our findings were validated using a convalescent-phase serum specimen from a patient infected with MERS-CoV (NA 01) and human antiserum against SARS-CoV, human CoV NL63, and human CoV OC43.  Vaccine design for emerging CoVs should involve chimeric spike protein containing neutralizing epitopes from multiple virus strains across subgroups to reduce immune pathology, and a diagnostic platform should include a panel of nucleocapsid and spike proteins from phylogenetically distinct CoVs.

Baicalin is an inhibitor of subgroup J avian leukosis virus infection.

Science.gov (United States)

Qian, Kun; Kong, Zheng-Ru; Zhang, Jie; Cheng, Xiao-Wei; Wu, Zong-Yi; Gu, Cheng-Xi; Shao, Hong-Xia; Qin, Ai-Jian

2018-03-15

Avian leukosis virus subgroup J (ALV-J) can cause great economic losses to the poultry industry worldwide. Baicalin, one of the flavonoids present in S.baicalensis Georgi, has been shown to have antiviral activities. To investigate whether baicalin has antiviral effects on the infection of ALV-J in DF-1 cells, the cells were treated with baicalin at different time points. We found that baicalin could inhibit viral mRNA, protein levels and overall virus infection in a dose- and time-dependent manner using a variety of assays. Baicalin specifically targeted virus internalization and reduced the infectivity of ALV-J particles, but had no effect on the levels of major ALV-J receptor and virus binding to DF-1 cells. Collectively, these results suggest that baicalin might have potential to be developed as a novel antiviral agent for ALV-J infection. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A qualitative systematic review of the reasons for parental attendance at the emergency department with children presenting with minor illness.

Science.gov (United States)

Butun, Ahmet; Hemingway, Pippa

2018-01-01

Over 5 million children attend the Emergency Department (ED) annually in England with an ever-increasing paediatric emergency caseload echoed globally. Approximately 60% of children present with illness and the majority have non-urgent illness creating burgeoning pressures on children's ED and this crisis resonates globally. To date no qualitative systematic review exists that focuses on the parental reasons for childhood attendance at the ED in this sub-group. To identify parental reasons for attending ED for their children presenting with minor illness. A qualitative systematic review was conducted against inclusion/exclusion criteria. Five electronic databases and key journals were searched in June 2015. 471 studies were identified and following study selection, 4 qualitative studies were included. Nine themes were identified e.g. dissatisfaction with family medical services, perceived advantages of ED and 'child suffering' with novel and insightful sub-themes of 'hereditary anxiety', 'taking it off our hands', ED as a 'magical place'. This novel qualitative systematic review examined parental attendance presenting with childhood minor illness of interest to emergency care reformers and clinicians. ED attendance is complex and multifactorial but parents provide vital insight to ED reformers on parental reasons for ED attendance in this sub-group. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Additive subgroups of topological vector spaces

CERN Document Server

Banaszczyk, Wojciech

1991-01-01

The Pontryagin-van Kampen duality theorem and the Bochner theorem on positive-definite functions are known to be true for certain abelian topological groups that are not locally compact. The book sets out to present in a systematic way the existing material. It is based on the original notion of a nuclear group, which includes LCA groups and nuclear locally convex spaces together with their additive subgroups, quotient groups and products. For (metrizable, complete) nuclear groups one obtains analogues of the Pontryagin duality theorem, of the Bochner theorem and of the Lévy-Steinitz theorem on rearrangement of series (an answer to an old question of S. Ulam). The book is written in the language of functional analysis. The methods used are taken mainly from geometry of numbers, geometry of Banach spaces and topological algebra. The reader is expected only to know the basics of functional analysis and abstract harmonic analysis.

Sub-grouping and sub-functionalization of the RIFIN multi-copy protein family

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sonnhammer Erik L

2008-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Parasitic protozoans possess many multicopy gene families which have central roles in parasite survival and virulence. The number and variability of members of these gene families often make it difficult to predict possible functions of the encoded proteins. The families of extra-cellular proteins that are exposed to a host immune response have been driven via immune selection to become antigenically variant, and thereby avoid immune recognition while maintaining protein function to establish a chronic infection. Results We have combined phylogenetic and function shift analyses to study the evolution of the RIFIN proteins, which are antigenically variant and are encoded by the largest multicopy gene family in Plasmodium falciparum. We show that this family can be subdivided into two major groups that we named A- and B-RIFIN proteins. This suggested sub-grouping is supported by a recently published study that showed that, despite the presence of the Plasmodium export (PEXEL motif in all RIFIN variants, proteins from each group have different cellular localizations during the intraerythrocytic life cycle of the parasite. In the present study we show that function shift analysis, a novel technique to predict functional divergence between sub-groups of a protein family, indicates that RIFINs have undergone neo- or sub-functionalization. Conclusion These results question the general trend of clustering large antigenically variant protein groups into homogenous families. Assigning functions to protein families requires their subdivision into meaningful groups such as we have shown for the RIFIN protein family. Using phylogenetic and function shift analysis methods, we identify new directions for the investigation of this broad and complex group of proteins.

Contents of Stereotypes toward Woman Subgroups: An Investigation in the Framework of Stereotype Content Model

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Timucin Aktan

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The aim of the study was to investigate the stereotype contents toward woman subgroups and relate these contents to social-structural predictors and sexism. In this respect, 119 university students were recruited for the first study and they were asked to rate 10 woman subgroups in terms of their competence and warmth, and their status and competitiveness. Participants' level of sexism was also measured using ambivalent sexism scale. The findings of the first study revealed that competence and warmth were the two fundamental dimensions of the stereotype contents, these stereotypes could be depicted in three clusters, the content of many women stereotypes were mixed, and status was linked to competence and competition was related to lack of warmth. Besides replicating the main hypotheses of stereotype content model, the findings supported its two basic assumptions, i.e. negative stereotypes are not necessary to reveal stereotype clusters and personal stereotypes are more open to motivational concerns. Finally, sexism was related only with competition, but not with stereotype contents. Since, high competent / high warm cluster was not observed in the first study, the number of woman subgroups was increased in the second study. Thus, 86 university students were asked to rate 18 women subgroups on the scales used in the first study. Results replicated the findings of the first study, supporting the main hypothesis of stereotype content model. The findings of the studies were discussed in the light of relevant literature.

Does mortality vary between Asian subgroups in New Zealand: an application of hierarchical Bayesian modelling.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Santosh Jatrana

Full Text Available The aim of this paper was to see whether all-cause and cause-specific mortality rates vary between Asian ethnic subgroups, and whether overseas born Asian subgroup mortality rate ratios varied by nativity and duration of residence. We used hierarchical Bayesian methods to allow for sparse data in the analysis of linked census-mortality data for 25-75 year old New Zealanders. We found directly standardised posterior all-cause and cardiovascular mortality rates were highest for the Indian ethnic group, significantly so when compared with those of Chinese ethnicity. In contrast, cancer mortality rates were lowest for ethnic Indians. Asian overseas born subgroups have about 70% of the mortality rate of their New Zealand born Asian counterparts, a result that showed little variation by Asian subgroup or cause of death. Within the overseas born population, all-cause mortality rates for migrants living 0-9 years in New Zealand were about 60% of the mortality rate of those living more than 25 years in New Zealand regardless of ethnicity. The corresponding figure for cardiovascular mortality rates was 50%. However, while Chinese cancer mortality rates increased with duration of residence, Indian and Other Asian cancer mortality rates did not. Future research on the mechanisms of worsening of health with increased time spent in the host country is required to improve the understanding of the process, and would assist the policy-makers and health planners.

Mining geriatric assessment data for in-patient fall prediction models and high-risk subgroups.

Science.gov (United States)

Marschollek, Michael; Gövercin, Mehmet; Rust, Stefan; Gietzelt, Matthias; Schulze, Mareike; Wolf, Klaus-Hendrik; Steinhagen-Thiessen, Elisabeth

2012-03-14

Hospital in-patient falls constitute a prominent problem in terms of costs and consequences. Geriatric institutions are most often affected, and common screening tools cannot predict in-patient falls consistently. Our objectives are to derive comprehensible fall risk classification models from a large data set of geriatric in-patients' assessment data and to evaluate their predictive performance (aim#1), and to identify high-risk subgroups from the data (aim#2). A data set of n = 5,176 single in-patient episodes covering 1.5 years of admissions to a geriatric hospital were extracted from the hospital's data base and matched with fall incident reports (n = 493). A classification tree model was induced using the C4.5 algorithm as well as a logistic regression model, and their predictive performance was evaluated. Furthermore, high-risk subgroups were identified from extracted classification rules with a support of more than 100 instances. The classification tree model showed an overall classification accuracy of 66%, with a sensitivity of 55.4%, a specificity of 67.1%, positive and negative predictive values of 15% resp. 93.5%. Five high-risk groups were identified, defined by high age, low Barthel index, cognitive impairment, multi-medication and co-morbidity. Our results show that a little more than half of the fallers may be identified correctly by our model, but the positive predictive value is too low to be applicable. Non-fallers, on the other hand, may be sorted out with the model quite well. The high-risk subgroups and the risk factors identified (age, low ADL score, cognitive impairment, institutionalization, polypharmacy and co-morbidity) reflect domain knowledge and may be used to screen certain subgroups of patients with a high risk of falling. Classification models derived from a large data set using data mining methods can compete with current dedicated fall risk screening tools, yet lack diagnostic precision. High-risk subgroups may be identified

Mining geriatric assessment data for in-patient fall prediction models and high-risk subgroups

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marschollek Michael

2012-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Hospital in-patient falls constitute a prominent problem in terms of costs and consequences. Geriatric institutions are most often affected, and common screening tools cannot predict in-patient falls consistently. Our objectives are to derive comprehensible fall risk classification models from a large data set of geriatric in-patients' assessment data and to evaluate their predictive performance (aim#1, and to identify high-risk subgroups from the data (aim#2. Methods A data set of n = 5,176 single in-patient episodes covering 1.5 years of admissions to a geriatric hospital were extracted from the hospital's data base and matched with fall incident reports (n = 493. A classification tree model was induced using the C4.5 algorithm as well as a logistic regression model, and their predictive performance was evaluated. Furthermore, high-risk subgroups were identified from extracted classification rules with a support of more than 100 instances. Results The classification tree model showed an overall classification accuracy of 66%, with a sensitivity of 55.4%, a specificity of 67.1%, positive and negative predictive values of 15% resp. 93.5%. Five high-risk groups were identified, defined by high age, low Barthel index, cognitive impairment, multi-medication and co-morbidity. Conclusions Our results show that a little more than half of the fallers may be identified correctly by our model, but the positive predictive value is too low to be applicable. Non-fallers, on the other hand, may be sorted out with the model quite well. The high-risk subgroups and the risk factors identified (age, low ADL score, cognitive impairment, institutionalization, polypharmacy and co-morbidity reflect domain knowledge and may be used to screen certain subgroups of patients with a high risk of falling. Classification models derived from a large data set using data mining methods can compete with current dedicated fall risk screening tools, yet lack

Differences between Girls and Boys in Emerging Language Skills: Evidence from 10 Language Communities

Science.gov (United States)

Eriksson, Marten; Marschik, Peter B.; Tulviste, Tiia; Almgren, Margareta; Perez Pereira, Miguel; Wehberg, Sonja; Marjanovic-Umek, Ljubica; Gayraud, Frederique; Kovacevic, Melita; Gallego, Carlos

2012-01-01

The present study explored gender differences in emerging language skills in 13,783 European children from 10 non-English language communities. It was based on a synthesis of published data assessed with adapted versions of the MacArthur-Bates Communicative Development Inventories (CDIs) from age 0.08 to 2.06. The results showed that girls are…

Demographic, Seasonal, and Geographic Differences in Emergency Department Visits for Epistaxis.

Science.gov (United States)

Chaaban, Mohamad R; Zhang, Dong; Resto, Vicente; Goodwin, James S

2017-01-01

Objective To determine the demographics and seasonal and geographic variation of epistaxis in the United States. Study Design Retrospective cohort analysis based on data from Medicare claims. Setting Emergency department visits. Subjects and Methods We used a 5% sample of Medicare data from January 2012 to December 2012. Our cohort included patients with an incident diagnosis of epistaxis during a visit to the emergency department, excluding those with a diagnosis in the prior 12 months. Demographics included age, sex, race, and ethnicity. We compared the rate of emergency department visits for epistaxis by geographic division and individual states. Results In the 5% sample of Medicare data, 4120 emergency department visits for incident epistaxis were identified in 2012. Our results showed an increase in the emergency department visits for epistaxis with age. Compared with patients 85 years old were 1.36 (95% confidence interval [95% CI], 1.23-1.50), 2.37 (95% CI, 2.14-2.62), and 3.24 (95% CI, 2.91-3.62) more likely to present with epistaxis, respectively. Men were 1.24 (95% CI, 1.17-1.32) times more likely to present with epistaxis than women. Blacks were 1.23 (95% CI, 1.10-1.36) times more likely to present with epistaxis when compared with non-Hispanic whites. Epistaxis emergency department visits were 40% lower in the summer months versus winter. The seasonal variation was more pronounced in the northern versus southern United States. Conclusion Emergency department visits for epistaxis increase with age and appear to be seasonal, with a more pronounced variation in the northern versus southern United States.

The one-parameter subgroup of rotations generated by spin transformations in three-dimensional real space

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gazoya, E.D.K.; Prempeh, E.; Banini, G.K.

2015-01-01

The relationship between the spin transformations of the special linear group of order 2, SL (2, C) and the aggregate SO(3) of the three-dimensional pure rotations when considered as a group in itself (and not as a subgroup of the Lorentz group), is investigated. It is shown, by the spinor map X - → AXA ct which is all action of SL(2. C) on the space of Hermitian matrices, that the one- parameter subgroup of rotations generated are precisely those of angles which are multiples 2π. (au)

Expression of endogenous ALV antigens and susceptibility to subgroup E ALV in three strains of chickens (Endogenous avian C. type virus)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Robinson, H.L.; Lamoreux, W.F.

1976-01-01

Cells from three strains of Kimber Farms chickens, K16, K18, and K28, have been characterized for the expression of endogenous avian C-type virus (ALV) antigens and for susceptibility to subgroup E ALV. In K16 the coordinate dominant expression of chick helper factor (chf ), the type specific antigen of endogenous subgroup E ALV, and the group specific (gs) antigen of ALV was observed. The expression of chf and gs antigen in K16 chf + gs + cells was similar to that observed in SPAFAS and H and N gs + cells. In K18 chf but not gs antigen was expressed. The expression of chf in K18 chf + gs + cells was distinct from that observed for the chf + gs + pedigrees but similar to that found in SPAFAS chf + gs - helper extremely high (h/sub E/) cells. Cells from K16 and K18 chickens were uniformly resistant to subgroup E ALV. In cells from K28 chickens, susceptibility to subgroup B virus correlated with susceptibility to subgroup E virus. The efficiency of plating of subgroup E virus on susceptible K28 cells with 10 3 --10 4 -fold lower on chf + cells than on chf - cells

Subgroup analyses of maraviroc in previously treated R5 HIV-1 infection

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Fätkenheuer, Gerd; Nelson, Mark; Lazzarin, Adriano; Konourina, Irina; Hoepelman, Andy I. M.; Lampiris, Harry; Hirschel, Bernard; Tebas, Pablo; Raffi, François; Trottier, Benoit; Bellos, Nicholaos; Saag, Michael; Cooper, David A.; Westby, Mike; Tawadrous, Margaret; Sullivan, John F.; Ridgway, Caroline; Dunne, Michael W.; Felstead, Steve; Mayer, Howard; van der Ryst, Elna; Angel, Jonathan; Conway, Brian; Gough, Kevin A.; Lalonde, Richard G.; Laplante, Francois; Leblanc, Roger P.; Montaner, Julio S. G.; Rachlis, Anita R.; Romanowski, Barbara; Rosser, Stuart J.; Rubinstein, Ethan; Shafran, Stephen David; Smaill, Fiona; Tremblay, Cecile; Trottier, Sylvie; Tsoukas, Christos; Walmsley, Sharon Lynn; Voskanian, Alen; Akil, Bisher; Arduino, Roberto Claudio; Asmuth, David; Beatty, George William; Becker, Stephen Lawrence; Bellos, Nicholaos C.; Blue, Sky Robert; Bolan, Robert Key; Brand, John D.; Burnazian, George Ghazaros; Prins, J. M.

2008-01-01

BACKGROUND: We conducted subanalyses of the combined results of the Maraviroc versus Optimized Therapy in Viremic Antiretroviral Treatment-Experienced Patients (MOTIVATE) 1 and MOTIVATE 2 studies to better characterize the efficacy and safety of maraviroc in key subgroups of patients. METHODS: We

Three-dimensional Cervical Movement Characteristics in Healthy Subjects and Subgroups of Chronic Neck Pain Patients Based on Their Pain Location.

Science.gov (United States)

Waeyaert, Patirck; Jansen, Daniel; Bastiaansen, Marco; Scafoglieri, Aldo; Buyl, Ronald; Schmitt, Maarten; Cattrysse, Erik

2016-08-01

A cross-sectional observational study of three-dimensional (3D) cervical kinematics in 41 chronic neck pain (CNPs) patients and 156 asymptomatic controls. The objective was to investigate 3D cervical kinematics by analyzing and comparing quantitative and qualitative parameters in healthy subjects and CNPs. Furthermore, subgroups were formed to explore the influence of pain-location on cervical kinematics. The possible correlation of kinematic parameters with the degree of functional disability was examined as well. In patients with chronic neck pain, a clear pathological cause is frequently not identifiable. Therefore, the need to assess neck pain with a broader view than structure or anatomical-based divergences is desirable. Movements of the cervical spine were registered using an electromagnetic tracking system. Quantitative and qualitative kinematics were analyzed for active axial rotation, lateral bending, and flexion-extension motion components. During lateral bending, the range of the main motion demonstrated significant higher values (P = 0.001) in the controls (mean: 68.67° ± 15.17°) than patients (mean: 59.28° ± 15.41°). Significant differences were demonstrated between subgroups for several kinematic parameters (P pain group, some parameters also distinguished subgroups from controls. On average, the symmetrical group showed significant less harmonic movement patterns, expressed by qualitative parameters, in comparison with the "asymmetrical" group and controls. Furthermore, the "asymmetrical" group showed significant lower scores on quantitative parameters than the "symmetrical" group and controls. The degree of functional disability correlated moderately with changes in qualitative parameters. In this study, chronic neck pain patients with a symmetrical pain pattern showed significant poorer quality of movement, while those with asymmetrical pain showed a significant reduction in quantitative measures. Subgrouping of neck patients

Eye disease, the fertility decline, and the emergence of global income differences

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Thomas B.; Dalgaard, Carl-Johan Lars; Selaya, Pablo

2014-01-01

This research advances and empirically establishes the hypothesis that regional variation in the historical incidence of eye disease has influenced the current global distribution of per capita income. By reducing work life expectancy, high historical eye disease incidence has served to diminish...... the incentive to accumulate skills, thereby delaying the fertility transition and the take-off to sustained economic growth. As a consequence of a differential timing of the take-off to growth, prompted by differences in the inherent return to skill formation, global income disparities have emerged....

Disparate rates of acute rejection and donor-specific antibodies among high-immunologic risk renal transplant subgroups receiving antithymocyte globulin induction.

Science.gov (United States)

Patel, Samir J; Suki, Wadi N; Loucks-DeVos, Jennifer; Graviss, Edward A; Nguyen, Duc T; Knight, Richard J; Kuten, Samantha A; Moore, Linda W; Teeter, Larry D; Gaber, Lillian W; Gaber, A Osama

2016-08-01

Lymphocyte-depleting induction lowers acute rejection (AR) rates among high-immunologic risk (HIR) renal transplant recipients, including African Americans (AAs), retransplants, and the sensitized. It is unclear whether different HIR subgroups experience similarly low rates of AR. We aimed to describe the incidence of AR and de novo donor-specific antibody (dnDSA) among HIR recipients categorized by age, race, or donor type. All received antithymocyte globulin (ATG) induction and triple maintenance immunosuppression. A total of 464 HIR recipients from 2007 to 2014 were reviewed. AR and dnDSA rates at 1 year for the entire population were 14% and 27%, respectively. AR ranged from 6.7% among living donor (LD) recipients to 30% in younger AA deceased donor (DD) recipients. De novo donor-specific antibody at 1 year ranged from 7% in older non-AA LD recipients to 32% in AAs. AA race remained as an independent risk factor for AR among DD recipients and for dnDSA among all HIR recipients. Development of both AR and dnDSA within the first year was associated with a 54% graft survival at 5 years and was an independent risk factor for graft loss. Despite utilization of recommended immunosuppression for HIR recipients, substantial disparities exist among subgroups, warranting further consideration of individualized immunosuppression in certain HIR subgroups. © 2016 Steunstichting ESOT.

Patterns and Risk Factors of Soil-Transmitted Helminthiasis Among Orang Asli Subgroups in Peninsular Malaysia.

Science.gov (United States)

Ngui, Romano; Aziz, Shafie; Chua, Kek Heng; Aidil, Roslan Muhammad; Lee, Soo Ching; Tan, Tiong Kai; Sani, Mistam Mohd; Arine, Ahmad Fadzlun; Rohela, Mahmud; Lim, Yvonne A L

2015-08-01

A cross-sectional study was conducted to provide comprehensive data on the patterns and associated risk factors of soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections among five Orang Asli subgroups in Peninsular Malaysia. The overall prevalence of STH infections was 59.9% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 56.1-63.7%). Trichuris trichiura (54.3%; 95% CI = 50.4-58.2%) was the predominant species followed by Ascaris lumbricoides (26.7%; 95% CI = 23.3-30.1%) and hookworm (9.1%; 95% CI = 6.9-11.3%). This study showed diversity for STH infections by subgroup with poverty and personal sanitary behavior as important risk factors for infection. Risk profile analyses indicating that Orang Kuala subgroup who has a generally well-developed infrastructure and better quality of life had a low rate of infection. There is a need for poverty reduction and promotion of deworming programs along with mass scale campaigns to create awareness about health and hygiene to reduce STH infections. © The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.

Infinite families of superintegrable systems separable in subgroup coordinates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lévesque, Daniel; Post, Sarah; Winternitz, Pavel

2012-01-01

A method is presented that makes it possible to embed a subgroup separable superintegrable system into an infinite family of systems that are integrable and exactly-solvable. It is shown that in two dimensional Euclidean or pseudo-Euclidean spaces the method also preserves superintegrability. Two infinite families of classical and quantum superintegrable systems are obtained in two-dimensional pseudo-Euclidean space whose classical trajectories and quantum eigenfunctions are investigated. In particular, the wave-functions are expressed in terms of Laguerre and generalized Bessel polynomials. (paper)

Substitutions between dairy product subgroups and risk of type 2 diabetes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ibsen, Daniel B; Laursen, Anne Sofie D; Lauritzen, Lotte

2017-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the associations for specified substitutions between different subgroups of dairy products and the risk of type 2 diabetes. We used data from the Danish Diet, Cancer and Health cohort including 54 277 men and women aged 50-64 years at baseline. Information...... regarding intake of dairy products was obtained from a validated FFQ, and cases of type 2 diabetes were identified through the Danish National Diabetes Register. Cox proportional hazards regressions were used to estimate associations. During a median follow-up of 15·3 years, 7137 cases were identified. Low......-fat yogurt products in place of whole-fat yogurt products were associated with a higher rate of type 2 diabetes (hazard ratio (HR) 1·17; 95 % CI 1·06, 1·29) per serving/d substituted. Whole-fat yogurt products in place of low-fat milk, whole-fat milk or buttermilk were associated with a lower rate of type 2...

Viral replication and lung lesions in BALB/c mice experimentally inoculated with avian metapneumovirus subgroup C isolated from chickens.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Li Wei

Full Text Available Avian metapneumovirus (aMPV emerged as an important respiratory pathogen causing acute respiratory tract infection in avian species. Here we used a chicken aMPV subgroup C (aMPV/C isolate to inoculate experimentally BALB/c mice and found that the aMPV/C can efficiently replicate and persist in the lungs of mice for at least 21 days with a peak viral load at day 6 postinoculation. Lung pathological changes were characterized by increased inflammatory cells. Immunochemical assay showed the presence of viral antigens in the lungs and significant upregulation of pulmonary inflammatory cytokines and chemokines including MCP-1, MIP-1α, RANTES, IL-1β, IFN-γ, and TNF-α were detected following inoculation. These results indicate for the first time that chicken aMPV/C may replicate in the lung of mice. Whether aMPV/C has potential as zoonotic pathogen, further investigation will be required.

Autoimmune-autoinflammatory rheumatoid arthritis overlaps: a rare but potentially important subgroup of diseases.

Science.gov (United States)

Savic, Sinisa; Mistry, Anoop; Wilson, Anthony G; Barcenas-Morales, Gabriela; Doffinger, Rainer; Emery, Paul; McGonagle, Dennis

2017-01-01

At the population level, rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is generally viewed as autoimmune in nature with a small subgroup of cases having a palindromic form or systemic autoinflammatory disorder (SAID) phenotype. Herein, we describe resistant cases of classical autoantibody associated RA that had clinical, genetic and therapeutic responses indicative of coexistent autoinflammatory disease. Five patients with clinically overlapping features between RA and SAID including polysynovitis and autoantibody/shared epitope positivity, and who had abrupt severe self-limiting attacks including fevers and serositis, are described. Mutations or single nucleotide polymorphisms in recognised autoinflammatory pathways were evident. Generally, these cases responded poorly to conventional Disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARD) treatment with some excellent responses to colchicine or interleukin 1 pathway blockade. A subgroup of RA cases have a mixed autoimmune-autoinflammatory phenotype and genotype with therapeutic implications.

Phylogeny and molecular signatures for the phylum Thermotogae and its subgroups.

Science.gov (United States)

Gupta, Radhey S; Bhandari, Vaibhav

2011-06-01

Thermotogae species are currently identified mainly on the basis of their unique toga and distinct branching in the rRNA and other phylogenetic trees. No biochemical or molecular markers are known that clearly distinguish the species from this phylum from all other bacteria. The taxonomic/evolutionary relationships within this phylum, which consists of a single family, are also unclear. We report detailed phylogenetic analyses on Thermotogae species based on concatenated sequences for many ribosomal as well as other conserved proteins that identify a number of distinct clades within this phylum. Additionally, comprehensive analyses of protein sequences from Thermotogae genomes have identified >60 Conserved Signature Indels (CSI) that are specific for the Thermotogae phylum or its different subgroups. Eighteen CSIs in important proteins such as PolI, RecA, TrpRS and ribosomal proteins L4, L7/L12, S8, S9, etc. are uniquely present in various Thermotogae species and provide molecular markers for the phylum. Many CSIs were specific for a number of Thermotogae subgroups. Twelve of these CSIs were specific for a clade consisting of various Thermotoga species except Tt. lettingae, which was separated from other Thermotoga species by a long branch in phylogenetic trees; Fourteen CSIs were specific for a clade consisting of the Fervidobacterium and Thermosipho genera and eight additional CSIs were specific for the genus Thermosipho. In addition, the existence of a clade consisting of the deep branching species Petrotoga mobilis, Kosmotoga olearia and Thermotogales bacterium mesG1 was supported by seven CSIs. The deep branching of this clade was also supported by a number of CSIs that were present in various Thermotogae species, but absent in this clade and all other bacteria. Most of these clades were strongly supported by phylogenetic analyses based on two datasets of protein sequences and they identify potential higher taxonomic grouping (viz. families) within this phylum

Functional Status, Quality of Life, and Costs Associated With Fibromyalgia Subgroups: A Latent Profile Analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Luciano, Juan V; Forero, Carlos G; Cerdà-Lafont, Marta; Peñarrubia-María, María Teresa; Fernández-Vergel, Rita; Cuesta-Vargas, Antonio I; Ruíz, José M; Rozadilla-Sacanell, Antoni; Sirvent-Alierta, Elena; Santo-Panero, Pilar; García-Campayo, Javier; Serrano-Blanco, Antoni; Pérez-Aranda, Adrián; Rubio-Valera, María

2016-10-01

Although fibromyalgia syndrome (FM) is considered a heterogeneous condition, there is no generally accepted subgroup typology. We used hierarchical cluster analysis and latent profile analysis to replicate Giesecke's classification in Spanish FM patients. The second aim was to examine whether the subgroups differed in sociodemographic characteristics, functional status, quality of life, and in direct and indirect costs. A total of 160 FM patients completed the following measures for cluster derivation: the Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale, the Trait Anxiety Inventory, the Pain Catastrophizing Scale, and the Control over Pain subscale. Pain threshold was measured with a sphygmomanometer. In addition, the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire-Revised, the EuroQoL-5D-3L, and the Client Service Receipt Inventory were administered for cluster validation. Two distinct clusters were identified using hierarchical cluster analysis ("hypersensitive" group, 69.8% and "functional" group, 30.2%). In contrast, the latent profile analysis goodness-of-fit indices supported the existence of 3 FM patient profiles: (1) a "functional" profile (28.1%) defined as moderate tenderness, distress, and pain catastrophizing; (2) a "dysfunctional" profile (45.6%) defined by elevated tenderness, distress, and pain catastrophizing; and (3) a "highly dysfunctional and distressed" profile (26.3%) characterized by elevated tenderness and extremely high distress and catastrophizing. We did not find significant differences in sociodemographic characteristics between the 2 clusters or among the 3 profiles. The functional profile was associated with less impairment, greater quality of life, and lower health care costs. We identified 3 distinct profiles which accounted for the heterogeneity of FM patients. Our findings might help to design tailored interventions for FM patients.

The Multilevel Mixed Intact Group Analysis: A Mixed Method to Seek, Detect, Describe, and Explain Differences Among Intact Groups

Science.gov (United States)

Schoonenboom, Judith

2016-01-01

Educational innovations often involve intact subgroups, such as school classes or university departments. In small-scale educational evaluation research, typically involving 1 to 20 subgroups, differences among these subgroups are often neglected. This article presents a mixed method from a qualitative perspective, in which differences among…

Thiocarbomide coordination compounds of yttrium subgroup rare earth chlorides

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sakharova, Yu.G.; Perov, V.N.; Loginov, V.I.

1978-01-01

Thiocarbamide coordination compounds of chlorides of elements of the yttrium subgroup 4MeCl 3 x5Cs(NH 2 ) 2 x2OH 2 O (where Me stands for Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu, Y) were produced for the first time. The compounds obtained are stable in air, have definite melting points, are highly soluble in methyl and ethyl alcohols, and are unstable in water. They recrystallize from ethyl alcohol without changing their chemical composition. The identity of these compounds was confirmed by X-ray analysis

Subgrouping of risky behaviors among Iranian college students: a latent class analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Safiri S

2016-07-01

also estimated. Three latent classes were determined: 1 low risk; 2 cigarette and hookah smoker; and 3 high risk. It is worth mentioning that 3.7% of males and 0.4% of females were in the high risk group.Conclusion: Subgrouping of college students showed that a considerable percentage of them, especially males, were classified into the high risk and cigarette and hookah smoker groups. Appropriate preventive measures that consider multiple different risky behaviors simultaneously are needed for this part of the population. Keywords: alcohol drinking, sexual behavior, latent class analysis, risk behaviors, drug abuse, substance abuse

Beyond demographics: differences in patient activation across new immigrant, diverse language subgroups.

Science.gov (United States)

Lubetkin, Erica I; Zabor, Emily C; Brennessel, Debra; Kemeny, M Margaret; Hay, Jennifer L

2014-02-01

The federal government promotes "patient-centered medical homes" to plan care with respect to patients' cultures and values and support patients' self-care efforts. To promote self-care, the medical home would be best utilized by activated, engaged patients. The objective of this study was to measure and compare patient activation scores in English-, Spanish-, and Haitian Creole-speaking patients seen at an inner-city hospital ambulatory care practice. Patient activation was measured using the patient activation measure (PAM). Mean PAM scores and activation levels differed according to survey language (p differ between Haitian Creole and Spanish speakers, PAM stages differed according to language of survey completion (p differ between Hispanics and non-Hispanics or according to race, illustrating the need to examine the role of language and culture on patient activation.

Quantum algorithms for the hidden subgroup problem on some semi-direct product groups by reduction to Abelian cases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chi, Dong Pyo; Kim, Jeong San; Lee, Soojoon

2006-01-01

We consider the hidden subgroup problem on the semi-direct product of cyclic groups Z N -bar Z p , where p is a prime that does not divide p j -1 for any of the prime factors p j of N, and show that the hidden subgroup problem can be reduced to other ones for which solutions are already known

Fasciola hepatica: effect of the natural light level on cercarial emergence from temperature-challenged Galba truncatula

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Vignoles Philippe

2014-01-01

Full Text Available As abrupt changes in water temperature (thermal shock triggered a significantly greater cercarial emergence of Fasciola hepatica from experimentally infected Galba truncatula, laboratory investigations were carried out to study the influence of light on cercarial emergence in snails subjected to a thermal shock every week (a mean of 12 °C for 3 h during the patent period. Thermal shock for these temperature-challenged (TC snails was carried out outdoors under artificial or natural light, or indoors under constant artificial light. Compared with the infected control snails always reared indoors at 20 °C, the number of cercariae in TC snails subjected to a thermal shock and natural light outdoors was significantly greater. The repetition of this experiment by subjecting TC snails to the same thermal shock indoors under an artificial light level ranging from 600 to 3000 lux did not show any significant difference among the numbers of cercariae in the different subgroups. A detailed analysis of the results noted in the TC snails subjected to natural light during the thermal shock demonstrated that the number of cercariae-releasing snails was significantly higher between 601 and 1200 lux and for the highest nebulosity values (7–8 octas, which corresponds to a sufficiently or completely overcast sky. Contrary to the intensity of artificial light, which did not influence cercarial emergence, the natural light level had a significant effect on this process when F. hepatica-infected snails were subjected to a regular thermal shock during the patent period.

Identification of Patient Benefit From Proton Therapy for Advanced Head and Neck Cancer Patients Based on Individual and Subgroup Normal Tissue Complication Probability Analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jakobi, Annika; Bandurska-Luque, Anna; Stützer, Kristin; Haase, Robert; Löck, Steffen; Wack, Linda-Jacqueline; Mönnich, David; Thorwarth, Daniela

2015-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine, by treatment plan comparison along with normal tissue complication probability (NTCP) modeling, whether a subpopulation of patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) could be identified that would gain substantial benefit from proton therapy in terms of NTCP. Methods and Materials: For 45 HNSCC patients, intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) was compared to intensity modulated proton therapy (IMPT). Physical dose distributions were evaluated as well as the resulting NTCP values, using modern models for acute mucositis, xerostomia, aspiration, dysphagia, laryngeal edema, and trismus. Patient subgroups were defined based on primary tumor location. Results: Generally, IMPT reduced the NTCP values while keeping similar target coverage for all patients. Subgroup analyses revealed a higher individual reduction of swallowing-related side effects by IMPT for patients with tumors in the upper head and neck area, whereas the risk reduction of acute mucositis was more pronounced in patients with tumors in the larynx region. More patients with tumors in the upper head and neck area had a reduction in NTCP of more than 10%. Conclusions: Subgrouping can help to identify patients who may benefit more than others from the use of IMPT and, thus, can be a useful tool for a preselection of patients in the clinic where there are limited PT resources. Because the individual benefit differs within a subgroup, the relative merits should additionally be evaluated by individual treatment plan comparisons

Identification of Patient Benefit From Proton Therapy for Advanced Head and Neck Cancer Patients Based on Individual and Subgroup Normal Tissue Complication Probability Analysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jakobi, Annika, E-mail: Annika.Jakobi@OncoRay.de [OncoRay-National Center for Radiation Research in Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Dresden (Germany); Bandurska-Luque, Anna [OncoRay-National Center for Radiation Research in Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Dresden (Germany); Department of Radiation Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden (Germany); Stützer, Kristin; Haase, Robert; Löck, Steffen [OncoRay-National Center for Radiation Research in Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Dresden (Germany); Wack, Linda-Jacqueline [Section for Biomedical Physics, University Hospital for Radiation Oncology, Eberhard Karls Universät Tübingen (Germany); Mönnich, David [Section for Biomedical Physics, University Hospital for Radiation Oncology, Eberhard Karls Universät Tübingen (Germany); German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg (Germany); German Cancer Consortium, Tübingen (Germany); Thorwarth, Daniela [Section for Biomedical Physics, University Hospital for Radiation Oncology, Eberhard Karls Universät Tübingen (Germany); and others

2015-08-01

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine, by treatment plan comparison along with normal tissue complication probability (NTCP) modeling, whether a subpopulation of patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) could be identified that would gain substantial benefit from proton therapy in terms of NTCP. Methods and Materials: For 45 HNSCC patients, intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) was compared to intensity modulated proton therapy (IMPT). Physical dose distributions were evaluated as well as the resulting NTCP values, using modern models for acute mucositis, xerostomia, aspiration, dysphagia, laryngeal edema, and trismus. Patient subgroups were defined based on primary tumor location. Results: Generally, IMPT reduced the NTCP values while keeping similar target coverage for all patients. Subgroup analyses revealed a higher individual reduction of swallowing-related side effects by IMPT for patients with tumors in the upper head and neck area, whereas the risk reduction of acute mucositis was more pronounced in patients with tumors in the larynx region. More patients with tumors in the upper head and neck area had a reduction in NTCP of more than 10%. Conclusions: Subgrouping can help to identify patients who may benefit more than others from the use of IMPT and, thus, can be a useful tool for a preselection of patients in the clinic where there are limited PT resources. Because the individual benefit differs within a subgroup, the relative merits should additionally be evaluated by individual treatment plan comparisons.

Light wavelength dependency of mating activity in the drosophila melanogaster species subgroup

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sakai, Takaomi; Tomaru, Masatoshi; Oguma, Yuzuru; Isono, Kunio; Fukatami, Akishi

2002-01-01

The action spectra of mating activity among the six species of the Drosophila melanogaster species subgroup were compared to understand how light wavelength affects mating activity. The species fell into three groups with respect to the action spectrum of mating activity. We chose one representative species from each of the three types for detailed study: D. melanogaster, D. sechellia and D. yakuba. The mating activities were investigated under three different light intensities of three monochromatic lights stimulus. Each species showed a unique spectral and intensity response. To know the evolutionary meaning of the light wavelength dependency of mating activity, we superimposed the type of action spectrum of mating activity in these six species on a cladogram. Mating inhibition under UV was conserved in evolution among these species. Furthermore we clarified that D. melanogaster showed low mating activity under UV because males courted less under UV. (author)

Subgrouping siblings of people with autism: Identifying the broader autism phenotype

Science.gov (United States)

Allison, Carrie; Smith, Paula; Watson, Peter; Auyeung, Bonnie; Ring, Howard; Baron‐Cohen, Simon

2015-01-01

We investigate the broader autism phenotype (BAP) in siblings of individuals with autism spectrum conditions (ASC). Autistic traits were measured in typical controls (n = 2,000), siblings (n = 496), and volunteers with ASC (n = 2,322) using the Autism‐Spectrum Quotient (AQ), both self‐report and parent‐report versions. Using cluster analysis of AQ subscale scores, two sibling subgroups were identified for both males and females: a cluster of low‐scorers and a cluster of high‐scorers. Results show that while siblings as a group have intermediate levels of autistic traits compared to control individuals and participants with ASC, when examined on a cluster level, the low‐scoring sibling group is more similar to typical controls while the high‐scoring group is more similar to the ASC clinical group. Further investigation into the underlying genetic and epigenetic characteristics of these two subgroups will be informative in understanding autistic traits, both within the general population and in relation to those with a clinical diagnosis. Autism Res 2016, 9: 658–665. © 2015 The Authors Autism Research published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of International Society for Autism Research PMID:26332889

Gender Differences in Intimate Partner Homicides Among Ethnic Sub-Groups of Asians.

Science.gov (United States)

Sabri, Bushra; Campbell, Jacquelyn C; Dabby, Firoza Chic

2016-03-01

This study explored differences in intimate partner homicides (IPHs) among Asian Americans. Data from newspapers and femicide reports by different state coalitions on 125 intimate partner killings occurring between 2000 and 2005 were analyzed. Men were the perpetrators in nearly 9 out of 10 cases of Asian IPHs. Gender differences were found in ages of victims and perpetrators, types of relationship between partners, and methods of killing. Most homicides occurred among South-east Asians, and East Asians had the highest within-group proportion of suicides. The findings call for culturally competent risk assessment and intervention strategies to prevent IPHs among at-risk Asian Americans. © The Author(s) 2015.

High utilizers of medical care: a crucial subgroup among somatizing patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Hiller, Wolfgang; Fichter, Manfred M

2004-04-01

Patients with somatoform disorders (SFD) are likely to overutilize healthcare services. This study investigates (a) whether extraordinarily high medical costs can be predicted from patient characteristics or psychopathology, and (b) whether high-utilizing patients respond differently to cognitive-behavioral treatment. We compared 42 SFD high utilizers with 53 SFD average utilizers and 29 patients suffering from other than SFD mental disorders. High utilization was defined by healthcare expenditures of > or = 2500 euros during the past 2 years. Costs were computed from medical and billing records of health insurance companies. Somatization distress, hypochondriasis, depression, dysfunctional cognitions related to bodily symptoms, general psychopathology, personality profiles, and psychosocial disabilities were assessed before treatment. High utilizers had higher levels of self- and observer-rated illness behavior, self-perceived bodily weakness, and psychosocial disabilities. Although they did not report more somatization symptoms, their subjective symptom distress was higher. There were no differences between high and average utilizers concerning general psychopathology, DSM-IV comorbidity, and personality profiles. Treatment improvements were similar. High- and average-utilizing somatizers represent distinguishable subgroups. The results emphasize the importance of mechanisms specifically related to SFD and may enhance the early detection of patients who are likely to develop overutilization. Copyright 2004 Elsevier Inc.

Analysis of Species, Subgroups, and Endosymbionts of Bemisia tabaci (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) From Southwestern Cotton Fields in Turkey.

Science.gov (United States)

Karut, Kamil; Mete Karaca, M; Döker, Ismail; Kazak, Cengiz

2017-08-01

Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) is one of the most important insect pests worldwide including Turkey. Although there are substantial data regarding species composition of Turkish B. tabaci populations, the situation is still not clear and further investigations are needed. Therefore, in this study, species and subgroups of B. tabaci collected from cotton fields in southwestern part of Turkey (Antalya, Aydın, Denizli, and Muğla) were determined using microsatellite analysis, AluI-based mtCOI polymerase chain reaction-random length polymorphism, and sequencing. Secondary endosymbionts were also determined using diagnostic species-specific PCR. Middle East Asia Minor 1 (MEAM1), Mediterranean (MED) Q1, and MED Q2 were the species and subgroups found in this study. The MED species (85.3%) were found to be more dominant than MEAM1. Species status of B. tabaci varied depending on the location. Although all samples collected from Aydın were found to be Q1, three species and subgroups were found in Muğla. Secondary endosymbionts varied according to species and subgroups. Arsenophonus was found only from Q2, while Hamiltonella was detected in MEAM1 and Q1. In addition, high Rickettsia and low Wolbachia infections were detected in MEAM1 and Q1 populations, respectively. In conclusion, for the first time, we report the presence and symbiotic communities of Q1 from Turkey. We also found that the symbiont complement of the Q1 is more congruent with Q1 from Greece than other regions of the world, which may have some interesting implications for movement of this invasive subgroup. © The Authors 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Data on subgroup specific baseline characteristics and serum sphingosine-1-phosphate concentrations in the Study of Health in Pomerania

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eileen Moritz

2017-06-01

Full Text Available In this data article, we provide subgroup specific baseline characteristics and serum sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P concentrations for healthy individuals within the Study of Health in Pomerania (SHIP-TREND cohort. After exclusion of subjects with cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, metabolic syndrome, elevated liver enzymes and/or chronic kidney disease stadium III or IV, four subgroups were defined according to different limits for body mass index (BMI, alterations in blood lipid levels and smoking status. Tables show respective clinical and laboratory parameters stratified by gender. Serum S1P concentrations are also stratified by age groups. The data presented herein is related to the research article entitled “Reference intervals for serum sphingosine-1-phosphate in the population-based Study of Health in Pomerania” (E. Moritz, D. Wegner, S. Groß, M. Bahls, M. Dörr, S.B. Felix, T. Ittermann, S. Oswald, M. Nauck, N. Friedrich, R.H. Böger, G. Daum, E. Schwedhelm, B.H. Rauch, Clin Chim Acta. 468 (2017 25–31 [1].

Prediction of an excessive response in in vitro fertilization from patient characteristics and ovarian reserve tests and comparison in subgroups: an individual patient data meta-analysis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Broer, Simone L.; Dólleman, Madeleine; van Disseldorp, Jeroen; Broeze, Kimiko A.; Opmeer, Brent C.; Bossuyt, Patrick M. M.; Eijkemans, Martinus J. C.; Mol, Ben Willem; Broekmans, Frank J. M.; Broer, S. L.; Dólleman, M.; van Disseldorp, J.; Eijkemans, M. J. C.; Broekmans, F. J. M.; Aflatoonian, A.; Anderson, R. A.; Ashrafi, M.; Bancsi, L.; Caroppo, E.; Copperman, A. B.; Ebner, T.; Eldar-Geva, T.; Erdem, M.; Freour, T.; Gnoth, C.; Greenblatt, E. M.; Jayaprakasan, K.; Raine-Fenning, N.; Klinkert, E.; Kwee, J.; La Marca, A.; Lambalk, C. B.; McIlveen, M.; Mohiyiddeen, L.; Merce, L. T.; Muttukrishna, S.; Nardo, L. G.; Nelson, S. M.; Ng, H. Y.; Popovic-Todorovic, B.; Smeenk, J. M. J.; Tomás, C.; van der Linden, P. J. Q.; van Rooij, I. A.; Vladimirov, I. K.

2013-01-01

To evaluate whether ovarian reserve tests (ORTs) add prognostic value to patient characteristics, such as female age, in the prediction of excessive response to ovarian hyperstimulation in patients undergoing IVF, and whether their performance differs across clinical subgroups. Authors of studies

Pregnancy, contraception and emergency contraception: the language of urban adolescent young women.

Science.gov (United States)

Mollen, C J; Fernando, M; Hayes, K L; Barg, F K

2012-08-01

We sought to characterize how a group of urban adolescent females understands the domains of pregnancy, contraception, and emergency contraception (EC). We used the research strategy of freelisting as part of an in-depth interview study. Urban adolescent females presenting to a Pediatric Emergency Department. Participants were enrolled using a purposive sampling strategy if they were black, English-speaking females, 15-19 years old, who resided in 1 of 11 zip codes surrounding the hospital. Smith's saliency score. Freelists were analyzed for the entire sample, as well as for subgroups. Thirty adolescents completed the interview. We found that this group of adolescents uses different words to characterize the domains of pregnancy, contraception, and EC. The only overlapping salient term was "abortion," which appeared in the overall lists for pregnancy and EC and in the younger group's list for contraception. In addition, lack of knowledge was cited as an important factor related to contraception. Adolescent patients may not fully understand the concepts of contraception and EC. Providers should consider the potential need to provide an explanation for terms used, and they should consider explicitly differentiating between routine forms of contraception and EC, as well as between EC and abortion. Copyright © 2012 North American Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Principal Stratification: A Tool for Understanding Variation in Program Effects across Endogenous Subgroups

Science.gov (United States)

Page, Lindsay C.; Feller, Avi; Grindal, Todd; Miratrix, Luke; Somers, Marie-Andree

2015-01-01

Increasingly, researchers are interested in questions regarding treatment-effect variation across partially or fully latent subgroups defined not by pretreatment characteristics but by postrandomization actions. One promising approach to address such questions is principal stratification. Under this framework, a researcher defines endogenous…

Subgroup analyses in confirmatory clinical trials: time to be specific about their purposes

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Tanniou, J.; Tweel, I. van der; Teerenstra, S.; Roes, K.C.

2016-01-01

BACKGROUND: It is well recognized that treatment effects may not be homogeneous across the study population. Subgroup analyses constitute a fundamental step in the assessment of evidence from confirmatory (Phase III) clinical trials, where conclusions for the overall study population might not hold.

Prevention of falls in nursing homes: subgroup analyses of a randomized fall prevention trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Rapp, Kilian; Lamb, Sarah E; Büchele, Gisela; Lall, Ranjit; Lindemann, Ulrich; Becker, Clemens

2008-06-01

To evaluate the effectiveness of a multifactorial fall prevention program in prespecified subgroups of nursing home residents. Secondary analysis of a cluster-randomized, controlled trial. Six nursing homes in Germany. Seven hundred twenty-five long-stay residents; median age 86; 80% female. Staff and resident education on fall prevention, advice on environmental adaptations, recommendation to wear hip protectors, and progressive balance and resistance training. Time to first fall and the number of falls. Falls were assessed during the 12-month intervention period. Univariate regression analyses were performed, including a confirmatory test of interaction. The intervention was more effective in people with cognitive impairment (hazard ratio (HR)=0.49, 95% confidence interval (CI)=0.35-0.69) than in those who were cognitively intact (HR=0.91, 95% CI=0.68-1.22), in people with a prior history of falls (HR=0.47, 95% CI=0.33-0.67) than in those with no prior fall history (HR=0.77, 95% CI=0.58-1.01), in people with urinary incontinence (HR=0.59, 95% CI=0.45-0.77) than in those with no urinary incontinence (HR=0.98, 95% CI=0.68-1.42), and in people with no mood problems (incidence rate ratio (IRR)=0.41, 95% CI=0.27-0.61) than in those with mood problems (IRR=0.74, 95% CI=0.51-1.09). The effectiveness of a multifactorial fall prevention program differed between subgroups of nursing home residents. Cognitive impairment, a history of falls, urinary incontinence, and depressed mood were important in determining response.

The central subgroup of the nonabelian tensor square of Bieberbach group of dimension three with point group C2 × C2

Science.gov (United States)

Ladi, Nor Fadzilah Abdul; Masri, Rohaidah; Idrus, Nor'ashiqin Mohd; Ting, Tan Yee

2017-05-01

Bieberbach groups are crystallographic groups. By computing the central subgroup of the nonabelian tensor square of a group, the properties of the group can be determined. In this paper, the central subgroup of the nonabelian tensor square of one Bieberbach group of dimension three with point group C2 × C2 is computed. In order to compute the ∇ (S3 (3)), the derived subgroup and the abelianization of the group are first constructed.

Identifying rural-urban differences in the predictors of emergency ambulance service demand and misuse.

Science.gov (United States)

Wong, Ho Ting; Lin, Teng-Kang; Lin, Jen-Jia

2018-06-13

This study aims to assess rural-urban differences in the predictors of emergency ambulance service (EAS) demand and misuse in New Taipei City. Identifying the predictors of EAS demand will help the EAS service managing authority in formulating focused policies to maintain service quality. Over 160,000 electronic EAS usage records were used with a negative binomial regression model to assess rural-urban differences in the predictors of EAS demand and misuse. The factors of 1) ln-transformed population density, 2) percentage of residents who completed up to junior high school education, 3) accessibility of hospitals without an emergency room, and 4) accessibility of EAS were found to be predictors of EAS demand in rural areas, whereas only the factor of percentage of people aged above 65 was found to predict EAS demand in urban areas. For EAS misuse, only the factor of percentage of low-income households was found to be a predictor in rural areas, whereas no predictor was found in the urban areas. Results showed that the factors predicting EAS demand and misuse in rural areas were more complicated compared to urban areas and, therefore, formulating EAS policies for rural areas based on the results of urban studies may not be appropriate. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

The Emergence of Sex Differences in Personality Traits in Early Adolescence: A Cross-Sectional, Cross-Cultural Study

Science.gov (United States)

De Bolle, Marleen; De Fruyt, Filip; McCrae, Robert R.; Löckenhoff, Corinna E.; Costa, Paul T.; Aguilar-Vafaie, Maria E.; Ahn, Chang-kyu; Ahn, Hyun-nie; Alcalay, Lidia; Allik, Jüri; Avdeyeva, Tatyana V.; Bratko, Denis; Brunner-Sciarra, Marina; Cain, Thomas R.; Chan, Wayne; Chittcharat, Niyada; Crawford, Jarret T.; Fehr, Ryan; Ficková, Emília; Gelfand, Michele J.; Graf, Sylvie; Gülgöz, Sami; Hřebíčková, Martina; Jussim, Lee; Klinkosz, Waldemar; Knežević, Goran; de Figueroa, Nora Leibovich; Lima, Margarida P.; Martin, Thomas A.; Marušić, Iris; Mastor, Khairul Anwar; Nakazato, Katsuharu; Nansubuga, Florence; Porrata, Jose; Purić, Danka; Realo, Anu; Reátegui, Norma; Rolland, Jean-Pierre; Schmidt, Vanina; Sekowski, Andrzej; Shakespeare-Finch, Jane; Shimonaka, Yoshiko; Simonetti, Franco; Siuta, Jerzy; Szmigielska, Barbara; Vanno, Vitanya; Wang, Lei; Yik, Michelle; Terracciano, Antonio

2015-01-01

Although large international studies have found consistent patterns of sex differences in personality traits among adults (i.e., women scoring higher on most facets), less is known about cross-cultural sex differences in adolescent personality and the role of culture and age in shaping them. The present study examines NEO Personality Inventory-3 (NEO-PI-3, McCrae, Costa, & Martin, 2005) informant ratings of adolescents from 23 cultures (N = 4,850) and investigates culture and age as sources of variability in sex differences of adolescents’ personality. The effect for Neuroticism (with females scoring higher than males) begins to take on its adult form around age 14. Girls score higher on Openness to Experience and Conscientiousness at all ages between 12 and 17 years. A more complex pattern emerges for Extraversion and Agreeableness, although by age 17, sex differences for these traits are highly similar to those observed in adulthood. Cross-sectional data suggest that (1) with advancing age, sex differences found in adolescents increasingly converge towards adult patterns with respect to both direction and magnitude; (2) girls display sex-typed personality traits at an earlier age than boys; and (3) the emergence of sex differences was similar across culture. Practical implications of the present findings are discussed. PMID:25603371

Subgroup analyses on return to work in sick-listed employees with low back pain in a randomised trial comparing brief and multidisciplinary intervention

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Petersen Karin D

2011-05-01

study group. Results The multidisciplinary intervention group ensured a quicker RTW than the brief intervention group in a subgroup with low job satisfaction, notably when claimants were excluded. The opposite effect was seen in the subgroup with high job satisfaction. When claimants were excluded, the effect was also in favour of the multidisciplinary intervention in subgroups characterised by no influence on work planning and groups at risk of losing their job. Inversely, the effect was in favour of the brief intervention in the subgroups who were able to influence the planning of their work and who had no risk of losing their job due to current sick leave. Interaction analysis of the data in the new study displayed similar or even more pronounced differences between subgroups in relation to intervention type. Conclusions Multidisciplinary intervention seemed more effective than brief intervention in subgroups of patients with low job satisfaction, no influence on work planning and feeling at risk of losing their jobs due to their sick leave as compared with subgroups not fulfilling these criteria.

Responding to emergencies: How organization and management make a difference

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Metlay, D.S.; Haber, S.B.; Luckas, W.J.

1989-01-01

There is an observable and definable process that occurs during the course of responding to an abnormal event at a nuclear power plant (NPP). Each of the elements that comprise that process involves collective action and, consequently, is influenced by the character and effectiveness of organizational and managerial arrangements. Factors which affect each element include overt ones like the allocation of authority and responsibility and the skill of the personnel, as well as covert factors like the methods used to resolve uncertainty. The purpose of this research project is to examine the process of response that occurs to an abnormal event at a NPP and where possible, to identify the organizational and managerial factors that influence that process. The first task in this project involved the review and analysis of an extensive volume of documentation, primarily Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) documents. Based on the documentation reviewed during the first task of this project, it is possible to specify an observable and definable process for response to accident and emergency situations in a NPP. The process can be described by eight major elements; the initiating transient, information about plant behavior, diagnosing the problem, availability of emergency procedures, adequacy of emergency procedures, implementing emergency procedures, developing an ad hoc response evaluating an ad hoc response and implementing an ad hoc response. Importantly, the process to be described is an iterative one. Procedures and improvised responses are executed sequentially and the results of action are assessed and additional steps are taken if necessary

Are there distinct cognitive and motivational sub-groups of children with ADHD?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lambek, Rikke; Sonuga-Barke, Edmund; Tannock, Rosemary

2017-01-01

of scores on EF and DA tests were contrasted using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). LPA was carried out based on factor scores from the CFA and sub-groups were compared in terms of odor identification and behavior. A model with one DA and two EF factors best fit the data. LPA resulted in four sub...

Subgroup A: nuclear model codes report to the Sixteenth Meeting of the WPEC

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Talou, P.; Chadwick, M.B.; Dietrich, F.S.; Herman, M.; Kawano, T.; Konig, A.; Oblozinsky, P.

2004-01-01

The Subgroup A activities focus on the development of nuclear reaction models and codes, used in evaluation work for nuclear reactions from the unresolved energy region up to the pion threshold production limit, and for target nuclides from the low teens and heavier. Much of the efforts are devoted by each participant to the continuing development of their own Institution codes. Progresses in this arena are reported in detail for each code in the present document. EMPIRE-II is of public access. The release of the TALYS code has been announced for the ND2004 Conference in Santa Fe, NM, October 2004. McGNASH is still under development and is not expected to be released in the very near future. In addition, Subgroup A members have demonstrated a growing interest in working on common modeling and codes capabilities, which would significantly reduce the amount of duplicate work, help manage efficiently the growing lines of existing codes, and render codes inter-comparison much easier. A recent and important activity of the Subgroup A has therefore been to develop the framework and the first bricks of the ModLib library, which is constituted of mostly independent pieces of codes written in Fortran 90 (and above) to be used in existing and future nuclear reaction codes. Significant progresses in the development of ModLib have been made during the past year. Several physics modules have been added to the library, and a few more have been planned in detail for the coming year.

Commognitive analysis of undergraduate mathematics students' first encounter with the subgroup test

Science.gov (United States)

Ioannou, Marios

2018-06-01

This study analyses learning aspects of undergraduate mathematics students' first encounter with the subgroup test, using the commognitive theoretical framework. It focuses on students' difficulties as these are related to the object-level and metalevel mathematical learning in group theory, and, when possible, highlights any commognitive conflicts. In the data analysis, one can identify three types of difficulties, relevant to object-level learning: namely regarding the frequently observed confusion between groups and sets, the object-level rules of visual mediators, and the object-level rules of contextual notions, such as permutations, exponentials, sets and matrices. In addition, data analysis suggests two types of difficulties, relevant to metalevel learning. The first refers to the actual proof that the three conditions of subgroup test hold, and the second is related to syntactic inaccuracies, incomplete argumentation and problematic use of visual mediators. Finally, this study suggests that there are clear links between object-level and metalevel learning, mainly due to the fact that objectification of the various relevant mathematical notions influences the endorsement of the governing metarules.

Time-resolved magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) at 3.0 Tesla for evaluation of hemodynamic characteristics of vascular malformations: description of distinct subgroups

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hammer, Simone; Fellner, Claudia; Wohlgemuth, Walter A. [University Hospital Regensburg, Department of Radiology, Regensburg (Germany); Uller, Wibke [Boston Children' s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Division of Vascular and Interventional Radiology, Boston, MA (United States); University Hospital Regensburg, Department of Radiology, Regensburg (Germany); Manger, Florentine [University Hospital Wuerzburg, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Wuerzburg (Germany); Zeman, Florian [University Hospital Regensburg, Center for Clinical Trials, Regensburg (Germany)

2017-01-15

Quantitative evaluation of hemodynamic characteristics of arteriovenous and venous malformations using time-resolved magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) at 3.0 Tesla. Time-resolved MRA with interleaved stochastic trajectories (TWIST) at 3.0 Tesla was studied in 83 consecutive patients with venous malformations (VM) and arteriovenous malformations (AVM). Enhancement characteristics were calculated as percentage increase of signal intensity above baseline over time. Maximum percentage signal intensity increase (signal{sub max}), time intervals between onset of arterial enhancement and lesion enhancement (t{sub onset}), and time intervals between beginning of lesion enhancement and maximum percentage of lesion enhancement (t{sub max}) were analyzed. All AVMs showed a high-flow hemodynamic pattern. Two significantly different (p < 0.001) types of venous malformations emerged: VMs with arteriovenous fistulas (AVF) (median signal{sub max} 737 %, IQR [interquartile range] = 511 - 1182 %; median t{sub onset} 5 s, IQR = 5 - 10 s; median t{sub max} 35 s, IQR = 26 - 40 s) and without AVFs (median signal{sub max} 284 %, IQR = 177-432 %; median t{sub onset} 23 s, IQR = 15 - 30 s; median t{sub max} 60 s, IQR = 55 - 75 s). Quantitative evaluation of time-resolved MRA at 3.0 Tesla provides hemodynamic characterization of vascular malformations. VMs can be subclassified into two hemodynamic subgroups due to presence or absence of AVFs. (orig.)

Report of the subgroup on experimental area upgrades

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aronson, S.; Gollon, P.; Kantardjian, G.; Lanou, R.; Miller, D.; Pope, B.; Theriot, D.; Walker, W.

1981-01-01

This subgroup has been charged with the task of reconsidering these areas from the point of view of useability in the ISABELLE experimental program. As a result we have developed an ordered list of suggested improvements to each of the areas. The list is presented area-by-area, after some introductory remarks on the design considerations behind the present areas. The purpose of the list is to indicate the eventual scope of ISABELLE experimental areas, not to suggest that these upgrades should be put in place now. Indeed, although most of these additions will be needed regardless of which experiments are carried out, we think it prudent to wait for experiment approvals before the final design and installation of the suggested improvements

Changing patterns among the subgroups of strains of Staphylococcus aureus of phage group II in Danish hospitals from 1961-91

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Eriksen, N H; Hartzen, S H; Bangsborg, Jette Marie

1994-01-01

of group II have, during the observation period, become more frequently resistant to penicillin and/or tetracycline. Strains typed at 100 x RTD of subgroup 71+ and the 'rest of group II' are more frequently antibiotic resistant than the rest of the group II strains. Strains of the increasing subgroups...

Weinberg Angle Derivation from Discrete Subgroups of SU(2 and All That

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Potter F.

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The Weinberg angle W of the Standard Model of leptons and quarks is derived from specific discrete (i.e., finite subgroups of the electroweak local gauge group SU(2 L U(1 Y . In addition, the cancellation of the triangle anomaly is achieved even when there are four quark families and three lepton families!

Gender wage gap : Discrimination or Human Capital? A subgroup approach

OpenAIRE

Etoundi Atenga, Eric Martial; Chameni Nembua, Célestin; Meva Avoulou, Henri Joel

2013-01-01

The working population is becoming more and more feminized from 2000 to 2008 in Cameroon. Women receive on average a salary lower than that of the men and the sex remains a significant determiner of the professional position in Cameroon. From Oaxaca-Blinder(1973)decomposition, this work suggests studying gender wage gap composition in private and para public sectors by using subgroup approach. Results show that wage gap is estimated to 8.8% in favor of men. This gap is higher for employees ag...

Manual therapy in osteoarthritis of the hip: outcome in specific subgroups of patients.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hoeksma, H.L.; Dekker, J.; Ronday, H.K.; Breedveld, F.C.; Ende, C.H.M. van den

2005-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether manual therapy has particular benefit in subgroups of patients defined on the basis of hip function, range of joint motion, pain and radiological deterioration. METHODS: The study was performed in the out-patient clinic of physical therapy of a large hospital. Data

Commognitive Analysis of Undergraduate Mathematics Students' First Encounter with the Subgroup Test

Science.gov (United States)

Ioannou, Marios

2018-01-01

This study analyses learning aspects of undergraduate mathematics students' first encounter with the subgroup test, using the commognitive theoretical framework. It focuses on students' difficulties as these are related to the object-level and metalevel mathematical learning in group theory, and, when possible, highlights any commognitive…

Effect of different polishing systems on the surface roughness of nano-hybrid composites.

Science.gov (United States)

Patel, Brijesh; Chhabra, Naveen; Jain, Disha

2016-01-01

The study aimed to investigate the influence of different polishing systems on the surface roughness of nano-hybrid composite resins. Different shapes of polishing systems are available according to the site of work. To minimize variability, a new system with single shape is developed that can be utilized in both anterior as well as posterior teeth. Seventy composite discs were fabricated using Teflon well (10 mm × 3 mm). Two main group of nano-hybrid composite Group I - Filtek Z350 and Group II - Tetric N-Ceram were used (n = 35 for each group). Both groups were further divided into four subgroups. Subgroup a - OneGloss (n = 10), Subgroup b - PoGo (n = 10), Subgroup c - Sof-Lex spiral (n = 10), Subgroup d - Mylar strip (control, n = 5). Samples were polished according to the manufacturer's recommendations. Surface roughness test was performed using contact profilometer. The obtained data were analyzed using the one-way analysis of variance test. Tetric N-Ceram produced smoother surfaces than Filtek Z350 (P OneGloss" (P OneGloss" and "Sof-Lex Spiral."

Emerging energy-efficient industrial technologies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Martin, N.; Worrell, E.; Ruth, M.; Price, L.; Elliott, R.N.; Shipley, A.M.; Thorne, J.

2000-10-01

U.S. industry consumes approximately 37 percent of the nation's energy to produce 24 percent of the nation's GDP. Increasingly, industry is confronted with the challenge of moving toward a cleaner, more sustainable path of production and consumption, while increasing global competitiveness. Technology will be essential for meeting these challenges. At some point, businesses are faced with investment in new capital stock. At this decision point, new and emerging technologies compete for capital investment alongside more established or mature technologies. Understanding the dynamics of the decision-making process is important to perceive what drives technology change and the overall effect on industrial energy use. The assessment of emerging energy-efficient industrial technologies can be useful for: (1) identifying R&D projects; (2) identifying potential technologies for market transformation activities; (3) providing common information on technologies to a broad audience of policy-makers; and (4) offering new insights into technology development and energy efficiency potentials. With the support of PG&E Co., NYSERDA, DOE, EPA, NEEA, and the Iowa Energy Center, staff from LBNL and ACEEE produced this assessment of emerging energy-efficient industrial technologies. The goal was to collect information on a broad array of potentially significant emerging energy-efficient industrial technologies and carefully characterize a sub-group of approximately 50 key technologies. Our use of the term ''emerging'' denotes technologies that are both pre-commercial but near commercialization, and technologies that have already entered the market but have less than 5 percent of current market share. We also have chosen technologies that are energy-efficient (i.e., use less energy than existing technologies and practices to produce the same product), and may have additional ''non-energy benefits.'' These benefits are as important (if

Decomposing Cross-Country Differences in Skills:

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Albæk, Karsten; Rosdahl, Anders

2017-01-01

This paper performs multivariate analysis of skill differences in the Nordic countries as assessed by OECD’s PIACC survey of adults aged 16-65. We decompose the differences in average skills between Finland and each of the three Scandinavian countries into a component that is due to different skill...... levels in subgroups of the population and a component that is due to differences in the composition of subgroups. The decompositions show that the high Finnish average skill level compared to the three Scandinavian countries can be attributed the low share of immigrants in Finland and to high scores...... among Finns with high school and less than high school education. The Finnish average score is pulled substantially downwards as a consequence of the low numeracy skill level among older Finns, which is consistent with an increase in the quantity or quality of Finnish education over time, relative...

Importance of sports during youth and exercise barriers in 20- to 29-year-old male nonathletes differently motivated for regular physical activities

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Leyk, Dieter; Witzki, Alexander; Sievert, Alexander

2012-01-01

The number of sedentary young adults has dramatically increased in past decades, and sedentary lifestyles are adopted at an increasingly earlier age. Little is known about barriers or predictors to (re)initiate regular physical activity in this group. The purpose of the study is to (a) identify...... subgroups in nonathletes differing in their amenability to physical exercise, (b) to analyze them for differences in barriers and intention to exercise, and (c) compare importance of sports during youth in nonathletes to trained peers. Using a health and fitness questionnaire 589 nonathletes were queried.......5%), the other groups showed significantly more barriers and a broader distribution. Similar characteristics but minor differences were observed for perceived importance of sports during youth. The most significant differences between athletes and nonathletes emerged enquiring the attitude and activity...

Coagulase-negative Staphylococcus species in bulk milk: Prevalence, distribution, and associated subgroup- and species-specific risk factors.

Science.gov (United States)

De Visscher, A; Piepers, S; Haesebrouck, F; Supré, K; De Vliegher, S

2017-01-01

Coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS) have become the main pathogens causing bovine mastitis in recent years. A huge variation in species distribution among herds has been observed in several studies, emphasizing the need to identify subgroup- and species-specific herd-level factors to improve our understanding of the differences in ecological and epidemiological nature between species. The use of bulk milk samples enables the inclusion of a large(r) number of herds needed to identify herd-level risk factors and increases the likelihood of recovering enough isolates per species needed for conducting subgroup- and, eventually, species-specific analyses at the same time. This study aimed to describe the prevalence and distribution of CNS species in bulk milk samples and to identify associated subgroup- and species-specific herd-level factors. Ninety percent of all bulk milk samples yielded CNS. Staphylococcus equorum was the predominant species, followed by Staphylococcus haemolyticus and Staphylococcus epidermidis. A seasonal effect was observed for several CNS species. Bulk milk samples from herds with a loose-pack or a tiestall housing system were more likely to yield CNS species compared with herds with a freestall barn, except for S. epidermidis, Staphylococcus simulans, and Staphylococcus cohnii. In September, herds in which udders were clipped had lower odds of yielding Staphylococcus chromogenes, S. simulans, and Staphylococcus xylosus, the CNS species assumed to be most relevant for udder health, in their bulk milk than herds in which udder clipping was not practiced. Bulk milk of herds participating in a monthly veterinary udder health-monitoring program was more likely to yield these 3 CNS species. Herds always receiving their milk quality premium or predisinfecting teats before attachment of the milking cluster had lower odds of having S. equorum in their bulk milk. Herds not using a single dry cotton or paper towel for each cow during premilking udder

The emergence of sex differences in personality traits in early adolescence: A cross-sectional, cross-cultural study.

Science.gov (United States)

De Bolle, Marleen; De Fruyt, Filip; McCrae, Robert R; Löckenhoff, Corinna E; Costa, Paul T; Aguilar-Vafaie, Maria E; Ahn, Chang-Kyu; Ahn, Hyun-Nie; Alcalay, Lidia; Allik, Jüri; Avdeyeva, Tatyana V; Bratko, Denis; Brunner-Sciarra, Marina; Cain, Thomas R; Chan, Wayne; Chittcharat, Niyada; Crawford, Jarret T; Fehr, Ryan; Ficková, Emília; Gelfand, Michele J; Graf, Sylvie; Gülgöz, Sami; Hřebíčková, Martina; Jussim, Lee; Klinkosz, Waldemar; Knežević, Goran; Leibovich de Figueroa, Nora; Lima, Margarida P; Martin, Thomas A; Marušić, Iris; Mastor, Khairul Anwar; Nakazato, Katsuharu; Nansubuga, Florence; Porrata, Jose; Purić, Danka; Realo, Anu; Reátegui, Norma; Rolland, Jean-Pierre; Schmidt, Vanina; Sekowski, Andrzej; Shakespeare-Finch, Jane; Shimonaka, Yoshiko; Simonetti, Franco; Siuta, Jerzy; Szmigielska, Barbara; Vanno, Vitanya; Wang, Lei; Yik, Michelle; Terracciano, Antonio

2015-01-01

Although large international studies have found consistent patterns of sex differences in personality traits among adults (i.e., women scoring higher on most facets), less is known about cross-cultural sex differences in adolescent personality and the role of culture and age in shaping them. The present study examines the NEO Personality Inventory-3 (McCrae, Costa, & Martin, 2005) informant ratings of adolescents from 23 cultures (N = 4,850), and investigates culture and age as sources of variability in sex differences of adolescents' personality. The effect for Neuroticism (with females scoring higher than males) begins to take on its adult form around age 14. Girls score higher on Openness to Experience and Conscientiousness at all ages between 12 and 17 years. A more complex pattern emerges for Extraversion and Agreeableness, although by age 17, sex differences for these traits are highly similar to those observed in adulthood. Cross-sectional data suggest that (a) with advancing age, sex differences found in adolescents increasingly converge toward adult patterns with respect to both direction and magnitude; (b) girls display sex-typed personality traits at an earlier age than boys; and (c) the emergence of sex differences was similar across cultures. Practical implications of the present findings are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved). (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

Psychosocial and Friendship Characteristics of Bully/Victim Subgroups in Korean Primary School Children

Science.gov (United States)

Shin, Yoolim

2010-01-01

This study investigated psychosocial and friendship characteristics of Korean children who engaged in bully/victim subgroups among their peer groups. The participants were 605 elementary school students in Bucheon City, Korea. The participants completed a peer nomination inventory as well as loneliness and social anxiety scales. Friendship quality…

Phase structure of lattice gauge theories for non-abelian subgroups of SU(3)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grosse, H.; Kuehnelt, H.

1981-01-01

The authors study the phase structure of Euclidean lattice gauge theories in four dimensions for certain non-abelian subgroups of SU(3) by using Monte-Carlo simulations and strong coupling expansions. As the order of the group increases a splitting of one phase transition into two is observed. (Auth.)

Testing Measurement Invariance of the Students' Affective Characteristics Model across Gender Sub-Groups

Science.gov (United States)

Demir, Ergül

2017-01-01

In this study, the aim was to construct a significant structural measurement model comparing students' affective characteristics with their mathematic achievement. According to this model, the aim was to test the measurement invariances between gender sub-groups hierarchically. This study was conducted as basic and descriptive research. Secondary…

Hand-held cell phone use while driving legislation and observed driver behavior among population sub-groups in the United States

OpenAIRE

Rudisill, Toni M.; Zhu, Motao

2017-01-01

Abstract Background Cell phone use behaviors are known to vary across demographic sub-groups and geographic locations. This study examined whether universal hand-held calling while driving bans were associated with lower road-side observed hand-held cell phone conversations across drivers of different ages (16–24, 25–59, ≥60 years), sexes, races (White, African American, or other), ruralities (suburban, rural, or urban), and regions (Northeast, Midwest, South, and West). Methods Data from the...

OMERACT-based fibromyalgia symptom subgroups: an exploratory cluster analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Vincent, Ann; Hoskin, Tanya L; Whipple, Mary O; Clauw, Daniel J; Barton, Debra L; Benzo, Roberto P; Williams, David A

2014-10-16

The aim of this study was to identify subsets of patients with fibromyalgia with similar symptom profiles using the Outcome Measures in Rheumatology (OMERACT) core symptom domains. Female patients with a diagnosis of fibromyalgia and currently meeting fibromyalgia research survey criteria completed the Brief Pain Inventory, the 30-item Profile of Mood States, the Medical Outcomes Sleep Scale, the Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory, the Multiple Ability Self-Report Questionnaire, the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire-Revised (FIQ-R) and the Short Form-36 between 1 June 2011 and 31 October 2011. Hierarchical agglomerative clustering was used to identify subgroups of patients with similar symptom profiles. To validate the results from this sample, hierarchical agglomerative clustering was repeated in an external sample of female patients with fibromyalgia with similar inclusion criteria. A total of 581 females with a mean age of 55.1 (range, 20.1 to 90.2) years were included. A four-cluster solution best fit the data, and each clustering variable differed significantly (P FIQ-R total scores (P = 0.0004)). In our study, we incorporated core OMERACT symptom domains, which allowed for clustering based on a comprehensive symptom profile. Although our exploratory cluster solution needs confirmation in a longitudinal study, this approach could provide a rationale to support the study of individualized clinical evaluation and intervention.

Aspirin for Evidence-Based Preeclampsia Prevention trial: effect of aspirin in prevention of preterm preeclampsia in subgroups of women according to their characteristics and medical and obstetrical history.

Science.gov (United States)

Poon, Liona C; Wright, David; Rolnik, Daniel L; Syngelaki, Argyro; Delgado, Juan Luis; Tsokaki, Theodora; Leipold, Gergo; Akolekar, Ranjit; Shearing, Siobhan; De Stefani, Luciana; Jani, Jacques C; Plasencia, Walter; Evangelinakis, Nikolaos; Gonzalez-Vanegas, Otilia; Persico, Nicola; Nicolaides, Kypros H

2017-11-01

The Combined Multimarker Screening and Randomized Patient Treatment with Aspirin for Evidence-Based Preeclampsia Prevention trial demonstrated that in women who were at high risk for preterm preeclampsia with delivery at aspirin administration from 11 to 14 until 36 weeks' gestation was associated with a significant reduction in the incidence of preterm preeclampsia (odds ratio 0.38; 95% confidence interval, 0.20 to 0.74; P=0.004). We sought to examine whether there are differences in the effect of aspirin on the incidence of preterm preeclampsia in the Aspirin for Evidence-Based Preeclampsia Prevention trial in subgroups defined according to maternal characteristics and medical and obstetrical history. This was a secondary analysis of data from the Aspirin for Evidence-Based Preeclampsia Prevention trial. Subgroup analysis was performed to assess evidence of differences in the effect of aspirin on incidence of preterm preeclampsia in subgroups defined by maternal age (aspirin effect in subgroups defined according to maternal characteristics and obstetrical history. In participants with chronic hypertension preterm preeclampsia occurred in 10.2% (5/49) in the aspirin group and 8.2% (5/61) in the placebo group (adjusted odds ratio, 1.29; 95% confidence interval, 0.33-5.12). The respective values in those without chronic hypertension were 1.1% (8/749) in the aspirin group and 3.9% (30/761) in the placebo group (adjusted odds ratio, 0.27; 95% confidence interval, 0.12-0.60). In all participants with adherence of ≥90% the adjusted odds ratio in the aspirin group was 0.24 (95% confidence interval, 0.09-0.65); in the subgroup with chronic hypertension it was 2.06 (95% confidence interval, 0.40-10.71); and in those without chronic hypertension it was 0.05 (95% confidence interval, 0.01-0.41). For the complete data set the test of interaction was not significant at the 5% level (P = .055), but in those with adherence ≥90%, after adjustment for multiple comparisons

The Multilevel Mixed Intact Group Analysis: A Mixed Method to Seek, Detect, Describe and Explain Differences Between Intact Groups

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schoonenboom, J.I.

2014-01-01

Educational innovations often involve intact subgroups, such as school classes or university departments. In small-scale educational evaluation research, typically involving 1 to 20 subgroups, differences among these subgroups are often neglected. This article presents a mixed method from a

State of emergency and emergency: Comparative terminological and semantic aspects

OpenAIRE