A Faster Algorithm for Computing Straight Skeletons

KAUST Repository

Cheng, Siu-Wing

2014-09-01

We present a new algorithm for computing the straight skeleton of a polygon. For a polygon with n vertices, among which r are reflex vertices, we give a deterministic algorithm that reduces the straight skeleton computation to a motorcycle graph computation in O(n (logn)logr) time. It improves on the previously best known algorithm for this reduction, which is randomized, and runs in expected O(n√h+1log2n) time for a polygon with h holes. Using known motorcycle graph algorithms, our result yields improved time bounds for computing straight skeletons. In particular, we can compute the straight skeleton of a non-degenerate polygon in O(n (logn) logr + r 4/3 + ε ) time for any ε > 0. On degenerate input, our time bound increases to O(n (logn) logr + r 17/11 + ε ).

A Faster Algorithm for Computing Straight Skeletons

KAUST Repository

Mencel, Liam A.

2014-05-06

We present a new algorithm for computing the straight skeleton of a polygon. For a polygon with n vertices, among which r are reflex vertices, we give a deterministic algorithm that reduces the straight skeleton computation to a motorcycle graph computation in O(n (log n) log r) time. It improves on the previously best known algorithm for this reduction, which is randomised, and runs in expected O(n √(h+1) log² n) time for a polygon with h holes. Using known motorcycle graph algorithms, our result yields improved time bounds for computing straight skeletons. In particular, we can compute the straight skeleton of a non-degenerate polygon in O(n (log n) log r + r^(4/3 + ε)) time for any ε > 0. On degenerate input, our time bound increases to O(n (log n) log r + r^(17/11 + ε))

A Faster Algorithm for Computing Straight Skeletons

KAUST Repository

Cheng, Siu-Wing; Mencel, Liam A.; Vigneron, Antoine E.

2014-01-01

We present a new algorithm for computing the straight skeleton of a polygon. For a polygon with n vertices, among which r are reflex vertices, we give a deterministic algorithm that reduces the straight skeleton computation to a motorcycle graph computation in O(n (logn)logr) time. It improves on the previously best known algorithm for this reduction, which is randomized, and runs in expected O(n√h+1log2n) time for a polygon with h holes. Using known motorcycle graph algorithms, our result yields improved time bounds for computing straight skeletons. In particular, we can compute the straight skeleton of a non-degenerate polygon in O(n (logn) logr + r 4/3 + ε ) time for any ε > 0. On degenerate input, our time bound increases to O(n (logn) logr + r 17/11 + ε ).

Skeleton extraction based on the topology and Snakes model

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yuanxue Cai

Full Text Available A new skeleton line extraction method based on topology and flux is proposed by analyzing the distribution characteristics of the gradient vector field in the Snakes model. The distribution characteristics of the skeleton line are accurately obtained by calculating the eigenvalues of the critical points and the flux of the gradient vector field. Then the skeleton lines can be effectively extracted. The results also show that there is no need for the pretreatment or binarization of the target image. The skeleton lines of complex gray images such as optical interference patterns can be effectively extracted by using this method. Compared to traditional methods, this method has many advantages, such as high extraction accuracy and fast processing speed. Keywords: Skeleton, Snakes model, Topology, Photoelasticity image

Loss of calcium from axial and appendicular skeleton in patients with chronic renal failure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cohn, S.H.; Ellis, K.J.; Caselnova, R.C.; Asad, S.N.; Letteri, J.M.

1974-01-01

The widespread prevalence of bone disease in chronic renal failure both prior to and during hemodialysis is an important aspect of uremia. Loss of bone mineral of the skeleton in renal disease can be measured directly by total-body neutron activation analysis (TBNAA). The absorptiometric technique, using monochromatic photons from 125 I, applied to the appendicular skeleton (radius) also reflects the loss of bone mineral content (BMC) in renal disease. The results of these two techniques were compared in 25 patients with renal insufficiency, 53 with end stage renal failure on dialysis, and 24 normal control subjects. (U.S.)

Radiation Analysis for Skeleton of Spent Nuclear Fuel Assembly

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Chang Je; Na, Sang Ho; Yang, Jae Hwan; Kang, Kweon Ho

2010-11-01

ORIGEN-S code was used in order to analyze the radioactive characteristics of skeleton of the spent nuclear fuel assembly. From the results, radioactivity, decay heat for various compositions in skeleton were obtained with a variation of cooling period and axial distribution of radioactivity was calculated, too. These data will be utilized later to process and dispose the skeleton of spent nuclear fuel assembly

Skeletonized wave-equation Qs tomography using surface waves

KAUST Repository

Li, Jing; Dutta, Gaurav; Schuster, Gerard T.

2017-01-01

We present a skeletonized inversion method that inverts surface-wave data for the Qs quality factor. Similar to the inversion of dispersion curves for the S-wave velocity model, the complicated surface-wave arrivals are skeletonized as simpler data

A skeleton for distributed work pools in Eden

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dieterle, Mischa; Berthold, Jost; Loogen, Rita

2010-01-01

We present a flexible skeleton for implementing distributed work pools in our parallel functional language Eden. The skeleton manages a pool of tasks (work pool) in a distributed manner using a demand-driven work stealing approach for load balancing. All coordination is done locally within...

Who Believes in the Giant Skeleton Myth? An Examination of Individual Difference Correlates

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Viren Swami

2016-01-01

Full Text Available This study examined individual difference correlates of belief in a narrative about the discovery of giant skeletal remains that contravenes mainstream scientific explanations. A total of 364 participants from Central Europe completed a survey that asked them to rate their agreement with a short excerpt describing the giant skeleton myth. Participants also completed measures of the Big Five personality factors, New Age orientation, anti-scientific attitudes, superstitious beliefs, and religiosity. Results showed that women, as compared with men, and respondents with lower educational qualifications were significantly more likely to believe in the giant skeleton myth, although effect sizes were small. Correlational analysis showed that stronger belief in the giant skeleton myth was significantly associated with greater anti-scientific attitudes, stronger New Age orientation, greater religiosity, stronger superstitious beliefs, lower Openness to Experience scores, and higher Neuroticism scores. However, a multiple regression showed that the only significant predictors of belief in myth were Openness, New Age orientation, and anti-scientific attitudes. These results are discussed in relation to the potential negative consequences of belief in myths.

Actinide distribution in the human skeleton

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kathren, R.L.; McInroy, J.F.; Swint, M.J.

1985-05-01

Radiochemical analysis of two half skeletons donated to the United States Transuranium Registry, one from an individual with an occupationally incurred deposition of 241 Am and the other with a deposition of 239 Pu, revealed an inverse linear relationship between the concentration of actinide in the bone ash and the fraction of ash. Two distinct relationships were noted, one for the cranium and the other for the remainder of the skeleton. The results suggest that the actinide content of the skeleton as a whole, Q, can be obtained with an uncertainty of +-50% from analysis of a single sample of any bone (except the cranium) by Q = [(830 C/sub sample/)/(0.61 - f/sub sample/)], in which C/sub sample/ refers to the actinide content per g of ash and f/sub sample/ the fraction of ash (i.e., ratio of dry to wet weight) in the sample. 5 figs., 3 tabs

ISTP CDF Skeleton Editor

Science.gov (United States)

Chimiak, Reine; Harris, Bernard; Williams, Phillip

2013-01-01

Basic Common Data Format (CDF) tools (e.g., cdfedit) provide no specific support for creating International Solar-Terrestrial Physics/Space Physics Data Facility (ISTP/SPDF) standard files. While it is possible for someone who is familiar with the ISTP/SPDF metadata guidelines to create compliant files using just the basic tools, the process is error-prone and unreasonable for someone without ISTP/SPDF expertise. The key problem is the lack of a tool with specific support for creating files that comply with the ISTP/SPDF guidelines. There are basic CDF tools such as cdfedit and skeletoncdf for creating CDF files, but these have no specific support for creating ISTP/ SPDF compliant files. The SPDF ISTP CDF skeleton editor is a cross-platform, Java-based GUI editor program that allows someone with only a basic understanding of the ISTP/SPDF guidelines to easily create compliant files. The editor is a simple graphical user interface (GUI) application for creating and editing ISTP/SPDF guideline-compliant skeleton CDF files. The SPDF ISTP CDF skeleton editor consists of the following components: A swing-based Java GUI program, JavaHelp-based manual/ tutorial, Image/Icon files, and HTML Web page for distribution. The editor is available as a traditional Java desktop application as well as a Java Network Launching Protocol (JNLP) application. Once started, it functions like a typical Java GUI file editor application for creating/editing application-unique files.

Qualitative Comparison of Contraction-Based Curve Skeletonization Methods

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Sobiecki, André; Yasan, Haluk C.; Jalba, Andrei C.; Telea, Alexandru C.

2013-01-01

In recent years, many new methods have been proposed for extracting curve skeletons of 3D shapes, using a mesh-contraction principle. However, it is still unclear how these methods perform with respect to each other, and with respect to earlier voxel-based skeletonization methods, from the viewpoint

Mining Key Skeleton Poses with Latent SVM for Action Recognition

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiaoqiang Li

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Human action recognition based on 3D skeleton has become an active research field in recent years with the recently developed commodity depth sensors. Most published methods analyze an entire 3D depth data, construct mid-level part representations, or use trajectory descriptor of spatial-temporal interest point for recognizing human activities. Unlike previous work, a novel and simple action representation is proposed in this paper which models the action as a sequence of inconsecutive and discriminative skeleton poses, named as key skeleton poses. The pairwise relative positions of skeleton joints are used as feature of the skeleton poses which are mined with the aid of the latent support vector machine (latent SVM. The advantage of our method is resisting against intraclass variation such as noise and large nonlinear temporal deformation of human action. We evaluate the proposed approach on three benchmark action datasets captured by Kinect devices: MSR Action 3D dataset, UTKinect Action dataset, and Florence 3D Action dataset. The detailed experimental results demonstrate that the proposed approach achieves superior performance to the state-of-the-art skeleton-based action recognition methods.

A new Python library to analyse skeleton images confirms malaria parasite remodelling of the red blood cell membrane skeleton

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Juan Nunez-Iglesias

2018-02-01

Full Text Available We present Skan (Skeleton analysis, a Python library for the analysis of the skeleton structures of objects. It was inspired by the “analyse skeletons” plugin for the Fiji image analysis software, but its extensive Application Programming Interface (API allows users to examine and manipulate any intermediate data structures produced during the analysis. Further, its use of common Python data structures such as SciPy sparse matrices and pandas data frames opens the results to analysis within the extensive ecosystem of scientific libraries available in Python. We demonstrate the validity of Skan’s measurements by comparing its output to the established Analyze Skeletons Fiji plugin, and, with a new scanning electron microscopy (SEM-based method, we confirm that the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum remodels the host red blood cell cytoskeleton, increasing the average distance between spectrin-actin junctions.

Dissection and Flat-mounting of the Threespine Stickleback Branchial Skeleton.

Science.gov (United States)

Ellis, Nicholas A; Miller, Craig T

2016-05-07

The posterior pharyngeal segments of the vertebrate head give rise to the branchial skeleton, the primary site of food processing in fish. The morphology of the fish branchial skeleton is matched to a species' diet. Threespine stickleback fish (Gasterosteus aculeatus) have emerged as a model system to study the genetic and developmental basis of evolved differences in a variety of traits. Marine populations of sticklebacks have repeatedly colonized countless new freshwater lakes and creeks. Adaptation to the new diet in these freshwater environments likely underlies a series of craniofacial changes that have evolved repeatedly in independently derived freshwater populations. These include three major patterning changes to the branchial skeleton: reductions in the number and length of gill raker bones, increases in pharyngeal tooth number, and increased branchial bone lengths. Here we describe a detailed protocol to dissect and flat-mount the internal branchial skeleton in threespine stickleback fish. Dissection of the entire three-dimensional branchial skeleton and mounting it flat into a largely two-dimensional prep allows for the easy visualization and quantification of branchial skeleton morphology. This dissection method is inexpensive, fast, relatively easy, and applicable to a wide variety of fish species. In sticklebacks, this efficient method allows the quantification of skeletal morphology in genetic crosses to map genomic regions controlling craniofacial patterning.

Amorphous calcium carbonate particles form coral skeletons

Science.gov (United States)

Mass, Tali; Giuffre, Anthony J.; Sun, Chang-Yu; Stifler, Cayla A.; Frazier, Matthew J.; Neder, Maayan; Tamura, Nobumichi; Stan, Camelia V.; Marcus, Matthew A.; Gilbert, Pupa U. P. A.

2017-09-01

Do corals form their skeletons by precipitation from solution or by attachment of amorphous precursor particles as observed in other minerals and biominerals? The classical model assumes precipitation in contrast with observed “vital effects,” that is, deviations from elemental and isotopic compositions at thermodynamic equilibrium. Here, we show direct spectromicroscopy evidence in Stylophora pistillata corals that two amorphous precursors exist, one hydrated and one anhydrous amorphous calcium carbonate (ACC); that these are formed in the tissue as 400-nm particles; and that they attach to the surface of coral skeletons, remain amorphous for hours, and finally, crystallize into aragonite (CaCO3). We show in both coral and synthetic aragonite spherulites that crystal growth by attachment of ACC particles is more than 100 times faster than ion-by-ion growth from solution. Fast growth provides a distinct physiological advantage to corals in the rigors of the reef, a crowded and fiercely competitive ecosystem. Corals are affected by warming-induced bleaching and postmortem dissolution, but the finding here that ACC particles are formed inside tissue may make coral skeleton formation less susceptible to ocean acidification than previously assumed. If this is how other corals form their skeletons, perhaps this is how a few corals survived past CO2 increases, such as the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum that occurred 56 Mya.

Quantitation of the degree of osteoporosis by measure of total-body calcium employing neutron activation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cohn, S.H.; Zanzi, I.; Vaswani, A.; Wallach, S.; Aloia, J.; Ellis, K.J.

1975-01-01

Two techniques for measuring the amount of Ca in the total skeleton were employed: total-body neutron activation analysis (TBNAA) and the determination of the mineral content of a bone of the appendicular skeleton (absorptiometric measurement of the radius, BMC). (U.S.)

Banach spaces with projectional skeletons

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Kubiś, Wieslaw

2009-01-01

Roč. 350, č. 2 (2009), s. 758-776 ISSN 0022-247X Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z10190503 Keywords : projection * projectional skeleton * norming set Subject RIV: BA - General Mathematics Impact factor: 1.225, year: 2009

Parallel FFT using Eden Skeletons

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Berthold, Jost; Dieterle, Mischa; Lobachev, Oleg

2009-01-01

The paper investigates and compares skeleton-based Eden implementations of different FFT-algorithms on workstation clusters with distributed memory. Our experiments show that the basic divide-and-conquer versions suffer from an inherent input distribution and result collection problem. Advanced...

Which Clinical and Patient Factors Influence the National Economic Burden of Hospital Readmissions After Total Joint Arthroplasty?

Science.gov (United States)

Kurtz, Steven M; Lau, Edmund C; Ong, Kevin L; Adler, Edward M; Kolisek, Frank R; Manley, Michael T

2017-12-01

The Affordable Care Act of 2010 advanced the economic model of bundled payments for total joint arthroplasty (TJA), in which hospitals will be financially responsible for readmissions, typically at 90 days after surgery. However, little is known about the financial burden of readmissions and what patient, clinical, and hospital factors drive readmission costs. (1) What is the incidence, payer mix, and demographics of THA and TKA readmissions in the United States? (2) What patient, clinical, and hospital factors are associated with the cost of 30- and 90-day readmissions after primary THA and TKA? (3) Are there any differences in the economic burden of THA and TKA readmissions between payers? (4) What types of THA and TKA readmissions are most costly to the US hospital system? The recently developed Nationwide Readmissions Database from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (2006 hospitals from 21 states) was used to identify 719,394 primary TJAs and 62,493 90-day readmissions in the first 9 months of 2013 based on International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, Clinical Modification codes. We classified the reasons for readmissions as either procedure- or medical-related. Cost-to-charge ratios supplied with the Nationwide Readmissions Database were used to compute the individual per-patient cost of 90-day readmissions as a continuous variable in separate general linear models for THA and TKA. Payer, patient, clinical, and hospital factors were treated as covariates. We estimated the national burden of readmissions by payer and by the reason for readmission. The national rates of 30- and 90-day readmissions after THA were 4% (95% confidence interval [CI], 4.2%-4.5%) and 8% (95% CI, 7.5%-8.1%), respectively. The national rates of 30- and 90-day readmissions after primary TKA were 4% (95% CI, 3.8%-4.0%) and 7% (95% CI, 6.8%-7.2%), respectively. The five most important variables responsible for the cost of 90-day THA readmissions (in rank order, based

The prevalence and burden of mental and substance use disorders in Australia: Findings from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2015.

Science.gov (United States)

Ciobanu, Liliana G; Ferrari, Alize J; Erskine, Holly E; Santomauro, Damian F; Charlson, Fiona J; Leung, Janni; Amare, Azmeraw T; Olagunju, Andrew T; Whiteford, Harvey A; Baune, Bernhard T

2018-05-01

Timely and accurate assessments of disease burden are essential for developing effective national health policies. We used the Global Burden of Disease Study 2015 to examine burden due to mental and substance use disorders in Australia. For each of the 20 mental and substance use disorders included in Global Burden of Disease Study 2015, systematic reviews of epidemiological data were conducted, and data modelled using a Bayesian meta-regression tool to produce prevalence estimates by age, sex, geography and year. Prevalence for each disorder was then combined with a disorder-specific disability weight to give years lived with disability, as a measure of non-fatal burden. Fatal burden was measured as years of life lost due to premature mortality which were calculated by combining the number of deaths due to a disorder with the life expectancy remaining at the time of death. Disability-adjusted life years were calculated by summing years lived with disability and years of life lost to give a measure of total burden. Uncertainty was calculated around all burden estimates. Mental and substance use disorders were the leading cause of non-fatal burden in Australia in 2015, explaining 24.3% of total years lived with disability, and were the second leading cause of total burden, accounting for 14.6% of total disability-adjusted life years. There was no significant change in the age-standardised disability-adjusted life year rates for mental and substance use disorders from 1990 to 2015. Global Burden of Disease Study 2015 found that mental and substance use disorders were leading contributors to disease burden in Australia. Despite several decades of national reform, the burden of mental and substance use disorders remained largely unchanged between 1990 and 2015. To reduce this burden, effective population-level preventions strategies are required in addition to effective interventions of sufficient duration and coverage.

How NASA KSC Controls Interfaces with the use of Motion Skeletons and Product Structure

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, Corey

2013-01-01

This presentation will show how NASA KSC controls interfaces for Modular Product Architecture (MPA) using Locator Skeletons, Interface Skeletons, and Product Structure, to be combined together within a Motion Skeleton. The user will learn how to utilize skeleton models to communicate interface data, as successfully done at NASA KSC in their use of Motion Skeletons to control interfaces for multi-launch systems. There will be discussion of the methodology used to control design requirements through WTParts, and how to utilize product structure for non-CAD documents.

[Progress in Application of Measuring Skeleton by CT in Forensic Anthropology Research].

Science.gov (United States)

Miao, C Y; Xu, L; Wang, N; Zhang, M; Li, Y S; Lü, J X

2017-02-01

Individual identification by measuring the human skeleton is an important research in the field of forensic anthropology. Computed tomography （CT） technology can provide high-resolution image of skeleton. Skeleton image can be reformed by software in the post-processing workstation. Different skeleton measurement indexes of anthropology, such as diameter, angle, area and volume, can be measured on section and reformative images. Measurement process is barely affected by human factors. This paper reviews the literatures at home and abroad about the application of measuring skeleton by CT in forensic anthropology research for individual identification in four aspects, including sex determination, height infer, facial soft tissue thickness measurement and age estimation. The major technology and the application of CT in forensic anthropology research are compared and discussed, respectively. Copyright© by the Editorial Department of Journal of Forensic Medicine.

Quality criteria in diagnostic radiology of the skeleton

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Freyschmidt, J.

1985-01-01

Conventional diagnostic radiology continues to represent the basic technique in skeleton diagnostics and results in decisive diagnoses in more than 80% of all cases. Compared with other examination methods, it is cheap and relatively easy to perform; however, it makes high demands on the physician's clinical and technical expertise. Compared with computerized tomography, conventional radiography has the advantage of decades of experience and of being cheaper by far. The author thinks the following quality criteria to be important in diagnostic radiology of the skeleton: roentgenological examination of one or several skeleton regions in keeping with the clinical issue concerned, accurate visualization of the object in a typical and reproducible projection, radiation quality matched to the dimension of the object, matched mean optical density, visualization of soft tissue near to bones and joints, and radiation dose in keeping with the clinical issue concerned. (orig./MG) [de

A Practical Introduction to Skeletons for the Plant Sciences

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alexander Bucksch

2014-08-01

Full Text Available Before the availability of digital photography resulting from the invention of charged couple devices in 1969, the measurement of plant architecture was a manual process either on the plant itself or on traditional photographs. The introduction of cheap digital imaging devices for the consumer market enabled the wide use of digital images to capture the shape of plant networks such as roots, tree crowns, or leaf venation. Plant networks contain geometric traits that can establish links to genetic or physiological characteristics, support plant breeding efforts, drive evolutionary studies, or serve as input to plant growth simulations. Typically, traits are encoded in shape descriptors that are computed from imaging data. Skeletons are one class of shape descriptors that are used to describe the hierarchies and extent of branching and looping plant networks. While the mathematical understanding of skeletons is well developed, their application within the plant sciences remains challenging because the quality of the measurement depends partly on the interpretation of the skeleton. This article is meant to bridge the skeletonization literature in the plant sciences and related technical fields by discussing best practices for deriving diameters and approximating branching hierarchies in a plant network.

Radiation injuries to the skeleton and their orthopedic treatment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Franz, R.; Rahnfeld, R.

1978-01-01

70 patients subjected to orthopedic treatment and radiotherapy for skeletal tumors have been examined. It was found that serious radiation injuries frequently occurred. Above all there were contractures, disordered healing of wounds, ulcerations, and scolioses and kyphoses of the growing skeleton. Therefore, in the case of diseases of the skeleton, it is recommended to restrain radiotherapy. It has to be rejected in child's age

The effect of locomotion on the mobilization of minerals from the maternal skeleton.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wendy R Hood

Full Text Available Bone is a dynamic tissue from which minerals are deposited or withdrawn according to the body's demand. During late pregnancy and lactation, female mammals mobilize mineral from bone to support the ossification of offspring skeleton(s. Conversely, in response to mechanical loading, minerals are deposited in bone enabling it to develop a stronger architecture. Despite their central importance to reproductive performance and skeletal integrity, the interactions between these potentially opposing forces remains poorly understood. It is possible that inter-individual differences in the loading imposed by different forms of locomotion may alter the amount of mineral mobilized during reproduction. Here, the impact of vertical versus horizontal locomotion on bone mobilization was examined during reproduction in the laboratory mouse. The vertical, or climbing, group had access to a 60-cm tower, increasing strain on their appendicular skeleton. The horizontal, or tunnel, group had access to a 100-cm tunnel, which encouraged movements within the horizontal plane. Form of locomotion did not impact the amount of bone females mobilized during reproduction or the amount of mineral females deposited in the litter, but maternal bone architecture differed between groups. The climbing group displayed more trabeculae than the tunnel group, whereas the tunnel group displayed greater cortical bone mineral density mid-shaft. Interestingly, pups born to mothers in the climbing group had a higher concentration of total body calcium at 16 days than pups of mothers in the tunnel group. As maternal total body calcium composition and the amount of calcium invested in the full litter were not different between groups, the difference in the relative calcium content of pups between groups is not suspected to reflect difference in mineral allocation. Future research should consider the impact of maternal activity on the efficiency of offspring skeletal ossification via

Reducing total health burden from 2001 to 2009: an employer counter-trend success story and its implications for health care reform.

Science.gov (United States)

Allen, Harris; Rogers, William H; Bunn, William B; Pikelny, Dan B; Naim, Ahmad B

2012-08-01

To examine total health burden for an employer whose health-related focus is direct and indirect costs. To explore implications for the Final Rule for Accountable Care Organizations recently issued by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, whose focus includes direct but not indirect costs. Used 42 claims and survey-based measures to track this employer's continental US workforce burden in the aggregate and by healthy and selected disease designations from 2001-2002 to 2008-2009. Starting from equivalent baselines, this employer's aggregate total direct costs decreased 16% (8.5% adjusted) whereas comparable US per capita expenditures rose 22.1%. Even larger decreases were recorded in total indirect costs. The healthy and disease designations replicated this pattern. Minimal employee cost shifting occurred. Attention to direct and indirect costs helped put this employer's health care investment on a markedly more sustainable path than comparable national cost trends. Fully tapping the applicable lessons this and other purchasers have learned will be facilitated by amending the Final Rule to include measures of indirect costs.

Simulation of mould filling process for composite skeleton castings

OpenAIRE

M. Dziuba; M. Cholewa

2008-01-01

In this work authors showed selected results of simulation and experimental studies on temperature distribution during solidification of skeleton casting and mould filling process. The aim of conducted simulations was the choice of thermal and geometrical parameters for the needs of designed calculations of the skeleton castings and the estimation of the guidelines for the technology of manufacturing. The subject of numerical simulation was the analysis of ability of filling the channels of c...

Simulation of mould filling process for composite skeleton castings

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Dziuba

2008-04-01

Full Text Available In this work authors showed selected results of simulation and experimental studies on temperature distribution during solidification of skeleton casting and mould filling process. The aim of conducted simulations was the choice of thermal and geometrical parameters for the needs of designed calculations of the skeleton castings and the estimation of the guidelines for the technology of manufacturing. The subject of numerical simulation was the analysis of ability of filling the channels of core by liquid metal at estability technological parameters.. Below the assumptions and results of the initial simulated calculations are presented. The total number of the nodes in the casting was 1920 and of the connectors was 5280 what gave filling of 100% for the nodes and 99,56% for the connectors in the results of the simulation. Together it resulted as 99,78 % of filling the volume of the casting. The nodes and connectors were filled up to the 30 level of the casting in the simulation. The all connectors were filled up to the 25 level of the casting in the simulation. Starting from the 25 level individual connectors at the side surface of the casting weren’t filled up. The connectors weren’t supplied by multi-level getting system. The differences of filling the levels are little (maximally 5 per cent.

Burden of Sexual Dysfunction.

Science.gov (United States)

Balon, Richard

2017-01-02

Similar to the burden of other diseases, the burden of sexual dysfunction has not been systematically studied. However, there is growing evidence of various burdens (e.g., economic, symptomatic, humanistic) among patients suffering from sexual dysfunctions. The burden of sexual dysfunction has been studied a bit more often in men, namely the burden of erectile dysfunction (ED), premature ejaculation (PE) and testosterone deficiency syndrome (TDS). Erectile dysfunction is frequently associated with chronic conditions such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and depression. These conditions could go undiagnosed, and ED could be a marker of those diseases. The only available report from the United Kingdom estimated the total economic burden of ED at £53 million annually in terms of direct costs and lost productivity. The burden of PE includes significant psychological distress: anxiety, depression, lack of sexual confidence, poor self-esteem, impaired quality of life, and interpersonal difficulties. Some suggest that increase in female sexual dysfunction is associated with partner's PE, in addition to significant interpersonal difficulties. The burden of TDS includes depression, sexual dysfunction, mild cognitive impairment, and osteoporosis. One UK estimate of the economic burden of female sexual dysfunctions demonstrated that the average cost per patient was higher than the per annum cost of ED. There are no data on burden of paraphilic disorders. The burden of sexual dysfunctions is underappreciated and not well studied, yet it is significant for both the patients and the society.

Tutorial for Wave Equation Inversion of Skeletonized Data

KAUST Repository

Lu, Kai

2017-04-25

Full waveform inversion of seismic data is often plagued by cycle skipping problems so that an iterative optimization method often gets stuck in a local minimum. To avoid this problem we simplify the objective function so that the iterative solution can quickly converge to a solution in the vicinity of the global minimum. The objective function is simplified by only using parsimonious and important portions of the data, which are defined as skeletonized data. We now present a mostly non-mathematical tutorial that explains the theory of skeletonized inversion. We also show its effectiveness with examples.

Skeletonization and Partitioning of Digital Images Using Discrete Morse Theory.

Science.gov (United States)

Delgado-Friedrichs, Olaf; Robins, Vanessa; Sheppard, Adrian

2015-03-01

We show how discrete Morse theory provides a rigorous and unifying foundation for defining skeletons and partitions of grayscale digital images. We model a grayscale image as a cubical complex with a real-valued function defined on its vertices (the voxel values). This function is extended to a discrete gradient vector field using the algorithm presented in Robins, Wood, Sheppard TPAMI 33:1646 (2011). In the current paper we define basins (the building blocks of a partition) and segments of the skeleton using the stable and unstable sets associated with critical cells. The natural connection between Morse theory and homology allows us to prove the topological validity of these constructions; for example, that the skeleton is homotopic to the initial object. We simplify the basins and skeletons via Morse-theoretic cancellation of critical cells in the discrete gradient vector field using a strategy informed by persistent homology. Simple working Python code for our algorithms for efficient vector field traversal is included. Example data are taken from micro-CT images of porous materials, an application area where accurate topological models of pore connectivity are vital for fluid-flow modelling.

Skeletonized Least Squares Wave Equation Migration

KAUST Repository

Zhan, Ge; Schuster, Gerard T.

2010-01-01

of the wave equation. Only the early‐arrivals of these Green's functions are saved and skeletonized to form the migration Green's function (MGF) by convolution. Then the migration image is obtained by a dot product between the recorded shot gathers and the MGF

Body mass estimation from the skeleton

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lacoste Jeanson, Alizé; Santos, Frédéric; Villa, Chiara

2017-01-01

Estimating an individual body mass (BM) from the skeleton is a challenge for forensic anthropology. However, identifying someone's BMI (Body Mass Index) category, i.e. underweight, normal, overweight or obese, could contribute to identification. Individual BM is also known to influence the age...

Monitoring of full scale tensegrity skeletons under temperature change

OpenAIRE

KAWAGUCHI, Ken'ichi; OHYA, Shunji

2009-01-01

p. 224-231 Strain change in the members of full-scale tensegrity skeletons has been monitored for eight years. The one-day data of one of the tensegrity frame on the hottest and the coldest day in the record are reported and discussed. Kawaguchi, K.; Ohya, S. (2009). Monitoring of full scale tensegrity skeletons under temperature change. Symposium of the International Association for Shell and Spatial Structures. Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. http://hdl.handle.net/10...

Building Up the Milky Way's Skeleton

Science.gov (United States)

Kohler, Susanna

2016-09-01

designed to identify long filaments that are coherent both in physical and velocity space.Using this method, Wang and collaborators found a total of 54 large-scale filaments that met all of their criteria. The survey covered nearly half of the galactic plane, and the team estimates that there may be a total of ~200 large-scale filaments like these in the Milky Way.Histograms of the mass and length of the newly discovered filaments (N=54). The distributions for the filaments that are bones (N=13) are overplotted in red. [Adapted from Wang et al. 2016]A Catalog of Bones and MoreThe authors generated a catalog of the newly discovered filaments, determining properties like their masses (1,000100,000 solar masses), lengths (30900 light-years), aspect ratios, temperatures, and more. They then used this catalog to make several statistical observations:The filaments are widely distributed across the galactic disk, with roughly 50% located within 65 light-years of the galactic plane (for reference, the Sun is 82 light-years above the galactic plane).Roughly a 1/3 of the filaments are part of the Milky Ways skeleton, lying along the centers of our galaxys spiral arms.Around 1% of the molecular interstellar medium in our galaxy is confined in large filaments like these.The formation of massive stars occurs more favorably in large filaments, compared to elsewhere in our galaxy.This catalog is an important building block in our understanding of the structure of the interstellar medium of our galaxy. The authors next plan to extend this census to the rest of our galaxy, providing us with the best picture yet of the skeleton of the Milky Way.BonusCheck out all 54 of the filaments discovered by Wang and collaborators in the gif below (or follow the link to the article to view the original images)! Submillimeter dust emission is shown in red, and Spitzer/WISE 24/22 m emission is shown in cyan. The connected dots show how the filament was identified by the minimum spanning tree algorithm

An Interactive Exhibition about Animal Skeletons: Did the Visitors Learn Any Zoology?

Science.gov (United States)

Tunnicliffe, Sue Dale; Laterveer-de Beer, Manon

2002-01-01

Explores museum visitors' understanding of skeleton exhibits and whether such exhibits increase their understanding of the zoology displayed. The exhibition under study focused on the diversity of vertebrae skeletons which were arranged according to the mode of locomotion. (DDR)

Can ancestry be consistently determined from the skeleton?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sierp Ingrid

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Although the concept of race has been thoroughly criticised in biological anthropology, forensic anthropology still uses a number of methods to determine the ‘race’ of a skeleton. The methods must be evaluated to see how effective they are given large individual variation. This study used 20 cases of skeletons of varied provenance to test whether the nine published methods of ‘race’ determination, using a range of various approaches, were able to consistently identify the ethnic origin. No one individual was identified as belonging to just one ‘major racial class’, e.g. European, meaning that complete consistency across all nine methods was not observed. In 14 cases (70%, various methods identified the same individual as belonging to all three racial classes. This suggests that the existing methods for the determination of ‘race’ are compromised. The very concept of ‘race’ is inapplicable to variation that occurs between populations only in small ways and the methods are limited by the geographic population from which their discriminant functions or observations of morphological traits were derived. Methods of multivariate linear discriminant analysis, e.g. CRANID, are supposed to allocate an individual skull to a specific population rather than a ‘major race’. In our analysis CRANID did not produce convincing allocations of individual skeletons to specific populations. The findings of this study show that great caution must be taken when attempting to ascertain the ‘race’ of a skeleton, as the outcome is not only dependent on which skeletal sites are available for assessment, but also the degree to which the unknown skeleton’s population of origin has been investigated.

Tuberculous arthritis of the appendicular skeleton: MR imaging appearances

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Parmar, Hemant; Shah, Jeshil; Patkar, Deepak; Singrakhia, Manoj; Patankar, Tufail; Hutchinson, Charles

2004-01-01

Tuberculosis [TB] of the appendicular skeleton is an uncommon infection caused by the tuberculous bacilli and constitutes only 1-3% of all tuberculosis infections. MR imaging features of tuberculous arthritis include bone marrow oedema, cortical erosions, synovitis, joint effusion, tenosynovitis, soft tissue collections, and myositis. These imaging features are at times non-specific, but in the correct clinical context help in diagnosis of tuberculosis. We present the various pathological manifestations of TB arthritis involving the different joints of appendicular skeleton and discuss their MR imaging appearances

Tuberculous arthritis of the appendicular skeleton: MR imaging appearances

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Parmar, Hemant E-mail: parurad@hotmail.com; Shah, Jeshil; Patkar, Deepak; Singrakhia, Manoj; Patankar, Tufail; Hutchinson, Charles

2004-12-01

Tuberculosis [TB] of the appendicular skeleton is an uncommon infection caused by the tuberculous bacilli and constitutes only 1-3% of all tuberculosis infections. MR imaging features of tuberculous arthritis include bone marrow oedema, cortical erosions, synovitis, joint effusion, tenosynovitis, soft tissue collections, and myositis. These imaging features are at times non-specific, but in the correct clinical context help in diagnosis of tuberculosis. We present the various pathological manifestations of TB arthritis involving the different joints of appendicular skeleton and discuss their MR imaging appearances.

Relationship between push phase and final race time in skeleton performance.

Science.gov (United States)

Zanoletti, Costanza; La Torre, Antonio; Merati, Giampiero; Rampinini, Ermanno; Impellizzeri, Franco M

2006-08-01

The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between push-time and final race time in skeleton participants during a series of major international competitions to determine the importance of the push phase in skeleton performance. Correlations were computed from the first and second heat split data measured during 24 men and 24 women skeleton competitions. Body mass, height, age, and years of experience of the first 30 men and women athletes of the skeleton, bobsleigh and luge 2003-2004 World Cup ranking were used for the comparison between sliding sports. Moderate but significant correlations (p push-time and final race time in men (r(mean) = 0.48) and women (r(mean) = 0.63). No correlations were found between changes in the individual push-time between the first and second heat with the corresponding changes in final race time. The bobsleigh sliders are heavier than the athletes of the other sliding disciplines. Luge athletes have more experience and are younger than bobsleigh and skeleton sliders. The results of this study suggest that a fast push phase is a prerequisite to success in competition and confirms that the selection of skeleton athletes based on the ability to accelerate to a maximum speed quickly could be valid. However, a good or improved push-time does not ensure a placement in the top finishing positions. On the basis of these results, we suggest that strength and power training is necessary to maintain a short push-time but additional physical training aimed to enhance the push phase might not reflect performance improvements. The recruitment of younger athletes and an increase of youthful competitive activity may be another effective way to reach international competitive results.

Skeletonized Least Squares Wave Equation Migration

KAUST Repository

Zhan, Ge

2010-10-17

The theory for skeletonized least squares wave equation migration (LSM) is presented. The key idea is, for an assumed velocity model, the source‐side Green\\'s function and the geophone‐side Green\\'s function are computed by a numerical solution of the wave equation. Only the early‐arrivals of these Green\\'s functions are saved and skeletonized to form the migration Green\\'s function (MGF) by convolution. Then the migration image is obtained by a dot product between the recorded shot gathers and the MGF for every trial image point. The key to an efficient implementation of iterative LSM is that at each conjugate gradient iteration, the MGF is reused and no new finitedifference (FD) simulations are needed to get the updated migration image. It is believed that this procedure combined with phase‐encoded multi‐source technology will allow for the efficient computation of wave equation LSM images in less time than that of conventional reverse time migration (RTM).

Apatite mineralization in elasmobranch skeletons via a polyphosphate intermediate

Science.gov (United States)

Omelon, Sidney; Lacroix, Nicolas; Lildhar, Levannia; Variola, Fabio; Dean, Mason

2014-05-01

All vertebrate skeletons are stiffened with apatite, a calcium phosphate mineral. Control of apatite mineralization is essential to the growth and repair of the biology of these skeletons, ensuring that apatite is deposited in the correct tissue location at the desired time. The mechanism of this biochemical control remains debated, but must involve increasing the localized apatite saturation state. It was theorized in 1923 that alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity provides this control mechanism by increasing the inorganic phosphate (Pi) concentration via dephosphorylation of phosphorylated molecules. The ALP substrate for biological apatite is not known. We propose that polyphosphates (polyPs) produced by mitochondria may be the substrate for biological apatite formation by ALP activity. PolyPs (PO3-)n, also known as condensed phosphates, represent a concentrated, bioavailable Pi-storage strategy. Mitochondria import Pi and synthesize phosphate polymers through an unknown biochemical mechanism. When chelated with calcium and/or other cations, the effective P-concentration of these neutrally charged, amorphous, polyP species can be very high (~ 0.5 M), without inducing phosphate mineral crystallization. This P-concentration in the low Pi-concentration biological environment offers a method of concentrating P well above an apatite supersaturation required for nucleation. Bone is the most studied mineralized skeletal tissue. However, locating and analyzing active mineralizing areas is challenging. We studied calcified cartilage skeletons of elasmobranch fishes (sharks, stingrays and relatives) to analyse the phosphate chemistry in this continually mineralizing skeleton. Although the majority of the elasmobranch skeleton is unmineralized cartilage, it is wrapped in an outer layer of mineralized tissue comprised of small tiles called tesserae. These calcified tesserae continually grow through the formation of new mineral on their borders. Co-localization of ALP and

Morphology of the axial skeleton of seven bat genera (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae

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PABLO J. GAUDIOSO

2017-10-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Here we present detailed descriptions and comparisons of the axial skeleton of seven species of bats belonging to five subfamilies of Phyllostomidae of different trophic guilds. The material examined consisted of 34 complete skeletons of seven species. For five of the studied species, previous descriptions have not been conducted, and for the vampires only limited information is available, so that descriptions for these species are here completed. The axial skeleton has characters that allow grouping of the species phylogenetically of the same subfamily and by feeding habits. At the same time, there are characters that associate species from different subfamilies with different types of diet or ways to obtain food.

Molecular genetic analyses of 300-year old skeletons from Auersperg tomb

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Irena Zupanič Pajnič

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Background: In 2009 the archaeologists excavated five skeletons from a 17th-century archaeological site in Ljubljana. They were found in the side chapel of the church in the Franciscans monastery, which was the Auerspergs’ tomb. Beside the skeletons, the finds revealed a bronze bowl with the heart , and the name of Ferdinand II and the years of birth and death (1655–1706 engraved. In 2011, we were asked to identify those five skeletons. The skeletons were poorly preserved and bones degraded to small pieces. Fragments of femurs and teeth were preserved only in two skeletons, therefore for the remaining three the fragments of cranium were used for molecular genetic analyses.Methods: We cleaned the bones and teeth, removed surface contamination, and ground them into powder. Prior to DNA isolation, bone or tooth powder was decalcified. DNA was purified in the Biorobot EZ1 device (Qiagen. Nuclear DNA of the samples was quantified using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR. Short tandem repeat (STR typing of autosomal DNA was performed using Investigator ESSplex Kit (Qiagen, the NGM Kit (Applied Biosystems and the MiniFiler Kit (Applied Biosystems. Typing of the Y-STRs was performed using the YFiler Kit (Applied Biosystems. The two hypervariable regions HVI and HVII of the mtDNA were sequenced.Results: We were able to extract up to 10.7 ng DNA/g of tooth powder from Auersperg chapel archaeological site skeletal remains. We managed to obtain nuclear DNA for successful STR typing from skeletal remains that were over 300 years old. From one skeleton we obtained a complete male genetic profile of autosomal DNA, almost complete Y-STR haplotype, which enabled us to track the paternal line and mtDNA haplotype for HVI and HVII regions, which enabled us to track the maternal line. After comparing the profiles with elimination database, no match was found, and thus the authenticity of genetic profiles was confirmed.Conclusions: Now we are waiting for

Genetic analysis and ethnic affinities from two Scytho-Siberian skeletons.

Science.gov (United States)

Ricaut, François-Xavier; Keyser-Tracqui, Christine; Cammaert, Laurence; Crubézy, Eric; Ludes, Bertrand

2004-04-01

We extracted DNA from two skeletons belonging to the Sytho-Siberian population, which were excavated from the Sebÿstei site (dating back 2,500 years) in the Altai Republic (Central Asia). Ancient DNA was analyzed by autosomal short tandem repeats (STRs) and by the sequencing of the hypervariable region 1 (HV1) of the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control region. The results showed that these two skeletons were not close relatives. Moreover, their haplogroups were characteristic of Asian populations. Comparison with the haplogroup of 3,523 Asian and American individuals linked one skeleton with a putative ancestral paleo-Asiatic population and the other with Chinese populations. It appears that the genetic study of ancient populations of Central Asia brings important elements to the understanding of human population movements in Asia. Copyright 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Diet, Lifestyle and Chronic disease burden

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Struijk, E.A.

2014-01-01

Background Diet, Body Mass Index (BMI), physical activity and smoking are among the most important lifestyle factors that influence global disease burden. In this thesis we investigate the relations of these factors with total disease burden in a large Dutch population, the EPIC-NL cohort. In this

Wave Equation Inversion of Skeletonized SurfaceWaves

KAUST Repository

Zhang, Zhendong; Liu, Yike; Schuster, Gerard T.

2015-01-01

We present a surface-wave inversion method that inverts for the S-wave velocity from the Rayleigh dispersion curve for the fundamental-mode. We call this wave equation inversion of skeletonized surface waves because the dispersion curve

First total synthesis of Boehmenan

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

The first total synthesis of dilignan Boehmenan has been achieved. A biomimetic oxidative coupling of the ferulic acid methyl ester in the presence of silver oxide is the crucial step in the synthesis sequence, generating the dihydrobenzofuran skeleton. Hydroxyl group was protected with DHP and reducted with LiAlH4 to ...

A simple algorithm for computing positively weighted straight skeletons of monotone polygons☆

Science.gov (United States)

Biedl, Therese; Held, Martin; Huber, Stefan; Kaaser, Dominik; Palfrader, Peter

2015-01-01

We study the characteristics of straight skeletons of monotone polygonal chains and use them to devise an algorithm for computing positively weighted straight skeletons of monotone polygons. Our algorithm runs in O(nlog⁡n) time and O(n) space, where n denotes the number of vertices of the polygon. PMID:25648376

A simple algorithm for computing positively weighted straight skeletons of monotone polygons.

Science.gov (United States)

Biedl, Therese; Held, Martin; Huber, Stefan; Kaaser, Dominik; Palfrader, Peter

2015-02-01

We study the characteristics of straight skeletons of monotone polygonal chains and use them to devise an algorithm for computing positively weighted straight skeletons of monotone polygons. Our algorithm runs in [Formula: see text] time and [Formula: see text] space, where n denotes the number of vertices of the polygon.

Validation Studies of Temperature Distribution and Mould Filling Process for Composite Skeleton Castings

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Cholewa

2007-07-01

Full Text Available In this work authors showed selected results of simulation and experimental studies on temperature distribution during solidification of composite skeleton casting and mould filling process (Fig. 4, 5, 6. The basic subject of the computer simulation was the analysis of ability of metal to fill the channels creating the skeleton shape and prepared in form of a core. Analysis of filling for each consecutive levels of the skeleton casting was conducted for simulation results and real casting. The skeleton casting was manufactured according to proposed technology (Fig. 5. Number of fully filled nodes in simulation was higher than obtained in experimental studies. It was observed in the experiment, that metal during pouring did not flow through the whole channel section, what enabled possibilities of reducing the channel section and pointed out the necessity of local pressure increase.

Economic Burden of Human Papillomavirus-Related Diseases in Italy

Science.gov (United States)

Baio, Gianluca; Capone, Alessandro; Marcellusi, Andrea; Mennini, Francesco Saverio; Favato, Giampiero

2012-01-01

Introduction Human papilloma virus (HPV) genotypes 6, 11, 16, and 18 impose a substantial burden of direct costs on the Italian National Health Service that has never been quantified fully. The main objective of the present study was to address this gap: (1) by estimating the total direct medical costs associated with nine major HPV-related diseases, namely invasive cervical cancer, cervical dysplasia, cancer of the vulva, vagina, anus, penis, and head and neck, anogenital warts, and recurrent respiratory papillomatosis, and (2) by providing an aggregate measure of the total economic burden attributable to HPV 6, 11, 16, and 18 infection. Methods For each of the nine conditions, we used available Italian secondary data to estimate the lifetime cost per case, the number of incident cases of each disease, the total economic burden, and the relative prevalence of HPV types 6, 11, 16, and 18, in order to estimate the aggregate fraction of the total economic burden attributable to HPV infection. Results The total direct costs (expressed in 2011 Euro) associated with the annual incident cases of the nine HPV-related conditions included in the analysis were estimated to be €528.6 million, with a plausible range of €480.1–686.2 million. The fraction attributable to HPV 6, 11, 16, and 18 was €291.0 (range €274.5–315.7 million), accounting for approximately 55% of the total annual burden of HPV-related disease in Italy. Conclusions The results provided a plausible estimate of the significant economic burden imposed by the most prevalent HPV-related diseases on the Italian welfare system. The fraction of the total direct lifetime costs attributable to HPV 6, 11, 16, and 18 infections, and the economic burden of noncervical HPV-related diseases carried by men, were found to be cost drivers relevant to the making of informed decisions about future investments in programmes of HPV prevention. PMID:23185412

[WHAT SKELETONS TELL US].

Science.gov (United States)

Catalano, Paola

2015-01-01

The recent excavations carried out by the Superintendence for the Colosseum, the Roman National Museum and the Archaeological Area of Rome allowed to uncover a large number of burial grounds of Imperial Age. In this work we present the data for 11 cemeteries scattered throughout the Suburbiumn, dating between 1st and 3rd centuries AD. A whole sample of 6061 tombs has been investigated and 5280 skeletons were anthropologically analyzed. All the field data have been scored in appropriate standardized charts in order to make easy their storage and processing in a dedicated database.

Dual embryonic origin and patterning of the pharyngeal skeleton in the axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum).

Science.gov (United States)

Sefton, Elizabeth M; Piekarski, Nadine; Hanken, James

2015-01-01

The impressive morphological diversification of vertebrates was achieved in part by innovation and modification of the pharyngeal skeleton. Extensive fate mapping in amniote models has revealed a primarily cranial neural crest derivation of the pharyngeal skeleton. Although comparable fate maps of amphibians produced over several decades have failed to document a neural crest derivation of ventromedial elements in these vertebrates, a recent report provides evidence of a mesodermal origin of one of these elements, basibranchial 2, in the axolotl. We used a transgenic labeling protocol and grafts of labeled cells between GFP+ and white embryos to derive a fate map that describes contributions of both cranial neural crest and mesoderm to the axolotl pharyngeal skeleton, and we conducted additional experiments that probe the mechanisms that underlie mesodermal patterning. Our fate map confirms a dual embryonic origin of the pharyngeal skeleton in urodeles, including derivation of basibranchial 2 from mesoderm closely associated with the second heart field. Additionally, heterotopic transplantation experiments reveal lineage restriction of mesodermal cells that contribute to pharyngeal cartilage. The mesoderm-derived component of the pharyngeal skeleton appears to be particularly sensitive to retinoic acid (RA): administration of exogenous RA leads to loss of the second basibranchial, but not the first. Neural crest was undoubtedly critical in the evolution of the vertebrate pharyngeal skeleton, but mesoderm may have played a central role in forming ventromedial elements, in particular. When and how many times during vertebrate phylogeny a mesodermal contribution to the pharyngeal skeleton evolved remain to be resolved. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Skeleton-Based Abnormal Gait Detection

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Trong-Nguyen Nguyen

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Human gait analysis plays an important role in musculoskeletal disorder diagnosis. Detecting anomalies in human walking, such as shuffling gait, stiff leg or unsteady gait, can be difficult if the prior knowledge of such a gait pattern is not available. We propose an approach for detecting abnormal human gait based on a normal gait model. Instead of employing the color image, silhouette, or spatio-temporal volume, our model is created based on human joint positions (skeleton in time series. We decompose each sequence of normal gait images into gait cycles. Each human instant posture is represented by a feature vector which describes relationships between pairs of bone joints located in the lower body. Such vectors are then converted into codewords using a clustering technique. The normal human gait model is created based on multiple sequences of codewords corresponding to different gait cycles. In the detection stage, a gait cycle with normality likelihood below a threshold, which is determined automatically in the training step, is assumed as an anomaly. The experimental results on both marker-based mocap data and Kinect skeleton show that our method is very promising in distinguishing normal and abnormal gaits with an overall accuracy of 90.12%.

The economic burden of schizophrenia in Malaysia.

Science.gov (United States)

Teoh, Siew Li; Chong, Huey Yi; Abdul Aziz, Salina; Chemi, Norliza; Othman, Abdul Razak; Md Zaki, Nurzuriana; Vanichkulpitak, Possatorn; Chaiyakunapruk, Nathorn

2017-01-01

Schizophrenia (SCZ) is a highly debilitating disease despite its low prevalence. The economic burden associated with SCZ is substantial and mainly attributed to productivity loss. To improve the understanding of economic burden of SCZ in the low- and middle-income country regions, we aimed to determine the economic burden of SCZ in Malaysia. A retrospective study was conducted using a prevalence-based approach from a societal perspective in Malaysia with a 1 year period from 2013. We used micro-costing technique with bottom-up method and included direct medical cost, direct non-medical cost, and indirect cost. The main data source was medical chart review which was conducted in Hospital Kuala Lumpur (HKL). The medical charts were identified electronically by matching the unique patient's identification number registered under the National Mental Health Schizophrenia Registry and the list of patients in HKL in 2013. Other data sources were government documents, literatures, and local websites. To ensure robustness of result, probabilistic sensitivity analysis was conducted. The total estimated number of treated SCZ cases in Malaysia in 2015 was 15,104 with the total economic burden of USD 100 million (M) which was equivalent to 0.04% of the national gross domestic product. On average, the mean cost per patient was USD 6,594. Of the total economic burden of SCZ, 72% was attributed to indirect cost, costing at USD 72M, followed by direct medical cost (26%), costing at USD 26M, and direct non-medical cost (2%), costing at USD 1.7M. This study highlights the magnitude of economic burden of SCZ and informs the policy-makers that there is an inadequate support for SCZ patients. More resources should be allocated to improve the condition of SCZ patients and to reduce the economic burden.

Gastroesophageal reflux disease burden in Iran.

Science.gov (United States)

Delavari, Alireza; Moradi, Ghobad; Elahi, Elham; Moradi-Lakeh, Maziar

2015-02-01

Gastroesophageal reflux disease is one of the most common disorders of the gastrointestinal tract. The prevalence of this disease ranges from 5% to 20% in Asia, Europe, and North America. The aim of this study was to estimate the burden of gastroesophageal reflux disease in Iran. Burden of gastroesophageal reflux disease in Iran was estimated for one year from 21 March 2006 to 20 March 2007. The definition was adjusted with ICD-code of K21. Incident-based disability-adjusted life year (DALY) was used as the unit of analysis to quantify disease burden. A simplified disease model and DisMod II software were used for modeling. The annual incidence for total population of males and females in Iran was estimated 17.72 and 28.06 per 1000, respectively. The average duration of gastroesophageal reflux disease as a chronic condition was estimated around 10 years in both sexes. Total DALYs for an average of 59 symptomatic days per year was estimated 153,554.3 (60,330.8 for males and 93,223.5 for females).   The results of this study showed that reflux imposes high burden and high financial costs on the Iranian population. The burden of this disease in Iran is more similar to that of European countries rather than Asian countries. It is recommended to consider the disease as a public health problem and make decisions and public health plans to reduce the burden and financial costs of the disease in Iran.

Total bone calcium in normal women: effect of age and menopause status

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gallagher, J.C.; Goldgar, D.; Moy, A.

1987-01-01

Bone density in different regions of the skeleton was measured in 392 normal women aged 20-80 years by dual photon absorpiometry. In premenopausal women, aged 25-50 years, multiple regression analysis of regional bone density on age, height, and weight showed a small significant decrease in total bone density (less than 0.01) but no significant change in other regions of the skeleton. In postmenopausal women there were highly significant decreases in all regions of the skeleton (p less than 0.001), and bone density in these areas decreased as a logarithmic function of years since menopause. Based on multiple regression analyses, the decrease in spine density and total bone calcium was 2.5-3.0 times greater in the 25 years after menopause than the 25 years before menopause. The largest change, however, occurred in the first five years after menopause. During this time the estimated annual change in spine density and total bone calcium was about 10 times greater than that in the premenopausal period. These results demonstrate the important effect of the menopause in determining bone mass in later life

Effects of ocean acidification on the dissolution rates of reef-coral skeletons

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Robert van Woesik

2013-11-01

Full Text Available Ocean acidification threatens the foundation of tropical coral reefs. This study investigated three aspects of ocean acidification: (i the rates at which perforate and imperforate coral-colony skeletons passively dissolve when pH is 7.8, which is predicted to occur globally by 2100, (ii the rates of passive dissolution of corals with respect to coral-colony surface areas, and (iii the comparative rates of a vertical reef-growth model, incorporating passive dissolution rates, and predicted sea-level rise. By 2100, when the ocean pH is expected to be 7.8, perforate Montipora coral skeletons will lose on average 15 kg CaCO3 m−2 y−1, which is approximately −10.5 mm of vertical reduction of reef framework per year. This rate of passive dissolution is higher than the average rate of reef growth over the last several millennia and suggests that reefs composed of perforate Montipora coral skeletons will have trouble keeping up with sea-level rise under ocean acidification. Reefs composed of primarily imperforate coral skeletons will not likely dissolve as rapidly, but our model shows they will also have trouble keeping up with sea-level rise by 2050.

Skeleton-Based Human Action Recognition With Global Context-Aware Attention LSTM Networks

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Jun; Wang, Gang; Duan, Ling-Yu; Abdiyeva, Kamila; Kot, Alex C.

2018-04-01

Human action recognition in 3D skeleton sequences has attracted a lot of research attention. Recently, Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) networks have shown promising performance in this task due to their strengths in modeling the dependencies and dynamics in sequential data. As not all skeletal joints are informative for action recognition, and the irrelevant joints often bring noise which can degrade the performance, we need to pay more attention to the informative ones. However, the original LSTM network does not have explicit attention ability. In this paper, we propose a new class of LSTM network, Global Context-Aware Attention LSTM (GCA-LSTM), for skeleton based action recognition. This network is capable of selectively focusing on the informative joints in each frame of each skeleton sequence by using a global context memory cell. To further improve the attention capability of our network, we also introduce a recurrent attention mechanism, with which the attention performance of the network can be enhanced progressively. Moreover, we propose a stepwise training scheme in order to train our network effectively. Our approach achieves state-of-the-art performance on five challenging benchmark datasets for skeleton based action recognition.

Socioeconomic differences in the burden of disease in Sweden

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ljung, Rickard; Peterson, Stefan; Hallqvist, Johan

2005-01-01

OBJECTIVE: We sought to analyse how much of the total burden of disease in Sweden, measured in disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), is a result of inequalities in health between socioeconomic groups. We also sought to determine how this unequal burden is distributed across different disease...... of disease that take both mortality and morbidity into account can help policy-makers understand the magnitude of inequalities in health for different disease groups....... groups and socioeconomic groups. METHODS: Our analysis used data from the Swedish Burden of Disease Study. We studied all Swedish men and women in three age groups (15-44, 45-64, 65-84) and five major socioeconomic groups. The 18 disease and injury groups that contributed to 65% of the total burden...

13C-NMR of diterpenes with pimarane skeleton

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Garcez, W.S.; Pereira, A.L.; Silva Queiroz, P.P. da; Silva, R.S. da; Valente, L.M.M.; Peixoto, E.M.; Cunha Pinto, A. da

1981-01-01

The effect of substituent groups on the chemical shift of carbons using nuclear magnetic resonance spectra of carbon 13 ( 13 C-NMR) is discussed. Diterpenes having pimarane skeleton, isolated from plants of Velloziaceae family are analysed. (ARHC) [pt

The use of radionuclide skeleton visualization method in hygienic studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Likutova, I.V.; Bobkova, T.E.; Belova, E.A.; Bogomazov, M.Ya.

1984-01-01

Inhalation, intragastric and combined effect of two cadmium compounds on rats is studied. Investigations are performed by biochemical methods and the method of radionuclide visualization of the skeleton which was performed delta hours after RPP introduction in gamma-chamber with computer tape recording for the following mathematical treatment of the image. Using the method of radionuclide skeleton visualization pronounced quantitative characteristics of changes in the bone tissue are obtained, it is found that dose dependence of these changes is especially important when estimating the complex effect. Biochemical methods, are used to find alterations, however they have not been assessed quantitatively

Radiological changes in the skeleton due to anticonvulsant therapy in childhood

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fritsch, R.; Heyer, R.; Freyschmidt, J.

1981-01-01

Anticonvulsant therapy can lead to severe rachitic changes in the skeleton which closely resemble renal osteopathy. In addition to apparent widening of the epiphyseal plate, there are changes in the cortex of the long bones. Within four to six weeks of the commencement of vitamin D therapy, recalcification of the poorly mineralised osteoid can be recognised. Since the changes are best seen in the hand, further examinations of the skeleton are only indicated if there are positive findings in the hand.

Value of the joint- and bone-scintigraphy in benign skeleton diseases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pfannenstiel, P.

1976-01-01

Although skeleton scintigraphy is a relatively 'young' method when compared with other scintigraphic techniques, it is of great value in the diagnosis of benign skeleton diseases. For a full exploitation of the diagnostic possibilities of nuclear medicine, however, close cooperation between clinical rheumatologists, orthopaedic surgeons, radiologists and experts in nuclear medicine. If the right method is used at the right time, the number of X-rays and thus the technical and financial expenditure may be reduced to a considerable degree. (GSE) [de

Radiological changes in the skeleton due to anticonvulsant therapy in childhood

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fritsch, R.; Heyer, R.; Freyschmidt, J.

1981-01-01

Anticonvulsant therapy can lead to severe rachitic changes in the skeleton which closely resemble renal osteopathy. In addition to apparent widening of the epiphyseal plate, there are changes in the cortex of the long bones. Within four to six weeks of the commencement of vitamin D therapy, recalcification of the poorly mineralised osteoid can be recognised. Since the changes are best seen in the hand, further examinations of the skeleton are only indicated if there are positive findings in the hand. (orig.) [de

Osteoarthritis. Radiological aspects in the appendicular skeleton

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Restrepo Suarez, Jose Felix; Iglesias Gamarra, Antonio; Pena Cortes, Mario; Rondon Herrera, Federico; Calvo Paramo, Enrique

2001-01-01

The osteoarthritis is a degenerative and inflammatory disease that affects all articular structures, especially cartilage and intervertebral disc, which conduce to progressive impairment of the joint. In this paper it Is showed the most significative cardiology findings of osteoarthritis in the appendicular skeleton that are fundamental for the diagnosis of this frequent pathology

Expression of Dlx-5 and Msx-1 in Craniofacial Skeletons and Ilia of Rats Treated With Zoledronate.

Science.gov (United States)

Xuan, Bin; Yang, Pan; Wu, Shichao; Li, Lin; Zhang, Jian; Zhang, Wenyi

2017-05-01

Because of the different embryologic origins of the craniofacial skeleton and ilium, differences in gene expression patterns have been observed between the jaw bones and ilium. Distal-less homeobox (Dlx) genes and Msh homeobox genes, particularly Dlx-5 and Msx-1, play major roles in cell differentiation and osteogenesis. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of zoledronate (ZOL) on the craniofacial skeleton and ilium by detecting changes in Dlx-5 and Msx-1 expression at both the protein and messenger RNA levels. A total of 24 female Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 2 groups: ZOL group (n = 12), in which the rats were injected intraperitoneally with zoledronic acid for 12 weeks, and control group (n = 12), in which the rats were injected with saline solution for 12 weeks. By use of immunohistochemistry, Western blotting, and real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, the expression levels of Dlx-5 and Msx-1 in the craniofacial skeleton (including the maxilla, mandible, and parietal bone) and ilium were examined. Dlx-5 expression in the maxilla and mandible was increased at the protein and messenger RNA levels in the ZOL group compared with the control group (P Msx-1 expression in the maxilla and mandible was decreased in the ZOL group (P Msx-1 expression in the ilium was decreased in the ZOL group (P Msx-1 expression in the parietal bone was observed between the 2 groups (P > .05). Site-specific differences in the effects of ZOL on the craniofacial skeleton and ilium could be explained by differently altered tendencies in Dlx-5 and Msx-1 expression. The jaw bones were more susceptible to the effects of ZOL than the parietal bone and ilium. Copyright © 2017 American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Tracking a Subset of Skeleton Joints: An Effective Approach towards Complex Human Activity Recognition

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Muhammad Latif Anjum

2017-01-01

Full Text Available We present a robust algorithm for complex human activity recognition for natural human-robot interaction. The algorithm is based on tracking the position of selected joints in human skeleton. For any given activity, only a few skeleton joints are involved in performing the activity, so a subset of joints contributing the most towards the activity is selected. Our approach of tracking a subset of skeleton joints (instead of tracking the whole skeleton is computationally efficient and provides better recognition accuracy. We have developed both manual and automatic approaches for the selection of these joints. The position of the selected joints is tracked for the duration of the activity and is used to construct feature vectors for each activity. Once the feature vectors have been constructed, we use a Support Vector Machines (SVM multiclass classifier for training and testing the algorithm. The algorithm has been tested on a purposely built dataset of depth videos recorded using Kinect camera. The dataset consists of 250 videos of 10 different activities being performed by different users. Experimental results show classification accuracy of 83% when tracking all skeleton joints, 95% when using manual selection of subset joints, and 89% when using automatic selection of subset joints.

Skeletonized Wave Equation Inversion in VTI Media without too much Math

KAUST Repository

Feng, Shihang

2017-05-17

We present a tutorial for skeletonized inversion of pseudo-acoustic anisotropic VTI data. We first invert for the anisotropic models using wave equation traveltime inversion. Here, the skeletonized data are the traveltimes of transmitted and/or reflected arrivals that lead to simpler misfit functions and more robust convergence compared to full waveform inversion. This provides a good starting model for waveform inversion. The effectiveness of this procedure is illustrated with synthetic data examples and a marine data set recorded in the Gulf of Mexico.

Skeletonized Wave Equation Inversion in VTI Media without too much Math

KAUST Repository

Feng, Shihang; Schuster, Gerard T.

2017-01-01

We present a tutorial for skeletonized inversion of pseudo-acoustic anisotropic VTI data. We first invert for the anisotropic models using wave equation traveltime inversion. Here, the skeletonized data are the traveltimes of transmitted and/or reflected arrivals that lead to simpler misfit functions and more robust convergence compared to full waveform inversion. This provides a good starting model for waveform inversion. The effectiveness of this procedure is illustrated with synthetic data examples and a marine data set recorded in the Gulf of Mexico.

Skeletal metastasis: The effect on immature skeleton

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ogden, J.A.; Ogden, D.A.

1982-01-01

The unique opportunity to study the entire appendicular skeleton of a child who died from metastatic angiosarcoma allowed detailed assessment of radiographically evident involvement. Virtually every portion of the appendicular skeleton had evidence of metastatic disease. However, the extent of involvement was extremely variable, especially when contralateral regions were assessed. The most likely region of metastasis, the metaphysis, is normally a fenestrated cortex of woven bone in the young child, rather than a well demarcated cortex formed by osteon (lamellar) bone, as it is in the adult. The pattern of destruction is such that less extensive areas may be involved before becoming radiographically evident, and trabecular bone involvement may be evident even without cortical damage. The metaphyseal metastatic spread supports the concept of arterial hematogeneous dissemination, comparable to osteomyelitis in the child. Pathologic metaphyseal fractures involved both proximal humeri; the fracture also extended along a portion of the methaphyseal-physeal interface in one humerus. In one distal femur the physis readily separated from the metaphysis; this was a nondisplaced type 1 growth mechanism injury. (orig.)

Generalized Distance Transforms and Skeletons in Graphics Hardware

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Strzodka, R.; Telea, A.

2004-01-01

We present a framework for computing generalized distance transforms and skeletons of two-dimensional objects using graphics hardware. Our method is based on the concept of footprint splatting. Combining different splats produces weighted distance transforms for different metrics, as well as the

Improvement of the skeleton tables for calculation of the critical heat load

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gotovskij, M.A.; Kvetnyj, M.A.

2002-01-01

Paper presents analysis of drawbacks of the skeleton tables of the critical heat flows applied in calculated heat and hydraulic codes. Paper demonstrates the necessity to take account of specific nature of mechanisms of dryout crisis, of boiling crisis at slow mass rates and the range of small underheatings up to temperature of saturation. Attention is drawn to necessity of detailed account of the natural limitations of the application field of the skeleton tables [ru

Total Effective Xenoestrogen Burden in Serum Samples and Risk for Breast Cancer in a Population-Based Multicase–Control Study in Spain

Science.gov (United States)

Pastor-Barriuso, Roberto; Fernández, Mariana F.; Castaño-Vinyals, Gemma; Whelan, Denis; Pérez-Gómez, Beatriz; Llorca, Javier; Villanueva, Cristina M.; Guevara, Marcela; Molina-Molina, José-Manuel; Artacho-Cordón, Francisco; Barriuso-Lapresa, Laura; Tusquets, Ignasi; Dierssen-Sotos, Trinidad; Aragonés, Nuria; Olea, Nicolás; Kogevinas, Manolis; Pollán, Marina

2016-01-01

Background: Most studies on endocrine-disrupting chemicals and breast cancer have focused on single compounds and have produced inconclusive findings. Objectives: We assessed the combined estrogenic effects of mixtures of xenoestrogens in serum and their relationship to breast cancer risk. Methods: A total of 186 incident pretreatment breast cancer cases and 196 frequency-matched controls were randomly sampled from a large population-based multicase–control study in Spain. The total effective xenoestrogen burden attributable to organohalogenated xenoestrogens (TEXB-α) and endogenous hormones and more polar xenoestrogens (TEXB-β) was determined in serum samples using high-performance liquid chromatography and E-Screen bioassay. Odds ratios for breast cancer comparing tertiles of serum TEXB-α and TEXB-β were estimated using logistic models, and smooth risk trends were obtained using spline models. Results: Cases had higher geometric mean TEXB-α and TEXB-β levels (8.32 and 9.94 Eeq pM/mL, respectively) than controls (2.99 and 5.96 Eeq pM/mL, respectively). The fully adjusted odds ratios for breast cancer (95% confidence intervals) comparing the second and third tertiles of TEXB-α with the first tertile were 1.77 (0.76, 4.10) and 3.45 (1.50, 7.97), respectively, and those for TEXB-β were 2.35 (1.10, 5.03) and 4.01 (1.88, 8.56), respectively. A steady increase in risk was evident across all detected TEXB-α levels and a sigmoidal trend was observed for TEXB-β. Individual xenoestrogens showed weak and opposing associations with breast cancer risk. Conclusions: This is the first study to show a strong positive association between serum total xenoestrogen burden and breast cancer risk, highlighting the importance of evaluating xenoestrogen mixtures, rather than single compounds, when studying hormone-related cancers. Citation: Pastor-Barriuso R, Fernández MF, Castaño-Vinyals G, Whelan D, Pérez-Gómez B, Llorca J, Villanueva CM, Guevara M, Molina-Molina JM

Quicker yet safe: skeletonization of 1640 internal mammary arteries with harmonic technology in 965 patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Kieser, Teresa M; Rose, M Sarah; Aluthman, Uthman; Narine, Kishan

2014-05-01

Skeletonization of the internal mammary artery (IMA) facilitates arterial grafting and has been shown to reduce deep sternal infection but is more time-consuming and tedious than pedicle harvest. We wished to determine if use of harmonic technology (HT) facilitates skeletonization of the IMA and is as safe as the conventional technique of skeletonization. In a consecutive series of 1057 patients with isolated coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery from 2003 to 2013, adverse events and recorded harvest times were compared between harmonic (965 patients) and non-harmonic patients (86 patients). HT was used to harvest 1640 IMAs in 965 (91%) of 1057 consecutive CABG patients and skeletonization with the traditional technique (use of an electrocautery tip as a dissector) was used to harvest 147 IMAs in 86 patients. Six patients had no IMA harvested with this surgery (4 patients had an IMA used from a previous CABG, 1 had no disease of the left anterior descending coronary artery and 1 patient was in cardiogenic shock precluding IMA use). Excluding patients with single-vessel disease, 730/987 (74%) of patients received bilateral IMAs. Demographics of patients with and without harmonic skeletonization, respectively, were the following: mean age: 64.7 vs 67.7 years; diabetes: 33 vs 34%; women: 21 vs 26% and median European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation: 2.9 vs 3.2. The mean harvest time for 77 non-harmonic skeletonized mammary arteries (49 surgeries) was 32.2 min (95% confidence interval (CI): 30.1, 34.3), for harmonic skeletonized arteries after 450 surgeries was 28.4 min, (95% CI: 27.8, 29.1) and in the last 100 IMAs harvested for the isolated harmonic device use/mammary was 15.4 min (95% CI: 14.0, 16.7). Major adverse events for patients with and without harmonic skeletonization, respectively, were: reoperation for bleeding: 2.7 vs 3.5% (difference = 0.8%, 95% CI: -3.2, 4.8); damaged mammaries: 0.4 vs 0.7% (difference = 0.3%, 95% CI: -1.0, 1.7); deep

Adipose tissue, the skeleton and cardiovascular disease

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wiklund, Peder

2011-07-01

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in the Western World, although the incidence of myocardial infarction (MI) has declined over the last decades. However, obesity, which is one of the most important risk factors for CVD, is increasingly common. Osteoporosis is also on the rise because of an aging population. Based on considerable overlap in the prevalence of CVD and osteoporosis, a shared etiology has been proposed. Furthermore, the possibility of interplay between the skeleton and adipose tissue has received increasing attention the last few years with the discovery that leptin can influence bone metabolism and that osteocalcin can influence adipose tissue. A main aim of this thesis was to investigate the effects of fat mass distribution and bone mineral density on the risk of MI. Using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) we measured 592 men and women for regional fat mass in study I. In study II this was expanded to include 3258 men and women. In study III 6872 men and women had their bone mineral density measured in the total hip and femoral neck using DEXA. We found that a fat mass distribution with a higher proportion of abdominal fat mass was associated with both an adverse risk factor profile and an increased risk of MI. In contrast, a higher gynoid fat mass distribution was associated with a more favorable risk factor profile and a decreased risk of MI, highlighting the different properties of abdominal and gynoid fat depots (study I-II). In study III, we investigated the association of bone mineral density and risk factors shared between CVD and osteoporosis, and risk of MI. We found that lower bone mineral density was associated with hypertension, and also tended to be associated to other CVD risk factors. Low bone mineral density was associated with an increased risk of MI in both men and women, apparently independently of the risk factors studied (study III). In study IV, we investigated 50 healthy, young men to determine if

Adipose tissue, the skeleton and cardiovascular disease

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wiklund, Peder

2011-01-01

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in the Western World, although the incidence of myocardial infarction (MI) has declined over the last decades. However, obesity, which is one of the most important risk factors for CVD, is increasingly common. Osteoporosis is also on the rise because of an aging population. Based on considerable overlap in the prevalence of CVD and osteoporosis, a shared etiology has been proposed. Furthermore, the possibility of interplay between the skeleton and adipose tissue has received increasing attention the last few years with the discovery that leptin can influence bone metabolism and that osteocalcin can influence adipose tissue. A main aim of this thesis was to investigate the effects of fat mass distribution and bone mineral density on the risk of MI. Using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) we measured 592 men and women for regional fat mass in study I. In study II this was expanded to include 3258 men and women. In study III 6872 men and women had their bone mineral density measured in the total hip and femoral neck using DEXA. We found that a fat mass distribution with a higher proportion of abdominal fat mass was associated with both an adverse risk factor profile and an increased risk of MI. In contrast, a higher gynoid fat mass distribution was associated with a more favorable risk factor profile and a decreased risk of MI, highlighting the different properties of abdominal and gynoid fat depots (study I-II). In study III, we investigated the association of bone mineral density and risk factors shared between CVD and osteoporosis, and risk of MI. We found that lower bone mineral density was associated with hypertension, and also tended to be associated to other CVD risk factors. Low bone mineral density was associated with an increased risk of MI in both men and women, apparently independently of the risk factors studied (study III). In study IV, we investigated 50 healthy, young men to determine if

Deposition of 239Pu in the skeleton and soft tissues of beagles: effect of age at time of injection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stevens, W.; Atherton, D.R.; Bates, D.; Bruenger, F.W.

1976-01-01

Previous reports from the laboratory have clearly defined the whole body deposition of 239 Pu in beagles injected as young adults (18 mo.). However, deposition has not been evaluated as a function of skeletal maturity at the time of injection. Juvenile beagles 3 months of age were injected with 0.1 μCi 239 Pu/kg in 0.08 M citrate buffer, pH 3.5. Six of these beagles have been sacrificed at short times after injection for distribution data. Another group receiving 3.0 μCi 239 Pu/kg was allowed to live until osteosarcoma developed and they were autopsied (1228 days average). Finally an aged beagle (81 mo.) was injected with 0.1 μCi/kg plutonium (P 2.0) and sacrificed 2 weeks later. Selected soft tissues, 1/2 of the symmetrical skeleton, and a known fraction of the asymmetrical skeleton were collected and analyzed for Pu content. Independent of the age at injection, a total of approximately 80 percent of the Pu was initially deposited in liver plus skeleton, however the age of the animal at time of injection altered the relative proportion in liver and skeleton in a reciprocal manner. The percent of the injected Pu found in the liver at 14 days P.I. increased with the increase in age at time of injection (13.2 percent at 3 months, 30.9 percent at 18 months and 36.9 percent at 81 months). The lower the age at injection, the larger was the fraction of 239 Pu deposited in the skeleton. The amounts ranged from an average of 69 percent in animals injected at 3 months to 49 percent in dogs injected at 18 months and 40 percent in the dog injected at 81 months of age. The difference in skeletal deposition reflects the different rates of bone growth and remodeling in juveniles, young adults and aged beagles

Diverse mechanisms of plant resistance to cauliflower mosaic virus revealed by leaf skeleton hybridization.

Science.gov (United States)

Melcher, U; Brannan, C M; Gardner, C O; Essenberg, R C

1992-01-01

Plants not hosts for cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV) may prevent systemic CaMV infection by interfering with dissemination of infection through the plant or by preventing viral replication and maturation. Leaf skeleton hybridization allows distinction between these two barriers. The technique assesses the spatial distribution of CaMV in an inoculated leaf by hybridization of a skeleton of the leaf with a CaMV DNA probe. Leaves or leaflets of soybean, cucumber, peanut, tomato, lettuce, spinach, pepper, onion, wheat, maize and barley, inoculated with CaMV DNA or CaMV virions were processed for leaf skeleton hybridization either immediately after inoculation or two weeks thereafter. Autoradiographic images of soybean and cucumber skeletons had many dark spots suggesting that CaMV DNA replication and local spread had occurred. Images of onion leaf skeletons prepared two weeks after inoculation with CaMV DNA had fewer spots. To test whether these spots resulted from CaMV replication, DNA was extracted from inoculated onion leaves and analyzed by electrophoresis, blotting and hybridization. Molecules recovered two weeks after inoculation resembled those inoculated, indicating absence of replication. For the other species, we found no evidence of local spread of CaMV infections. Thus, many plant species resist systemic CaMV infection by preventing replication or local spread of CaMV, while others solely prevent systemic movement of infection.

A skeleton from the Lapita site at Kone, Foue Peninsula, New Caledonia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pietrusewsky, M.; Galipaud, J.-C.; Leach, B.F.

1998-01-01

A relatively complete and reasonably well preserved skeleton, including a partially reconstructed cranium and mandible, of an approximately 35-45 year old female, found at the Lapita site, WKO-013B, near Kone, Foue Peninsula, New Caledonia, is described. Although not without problems, radioacarbon dating of the skeleton and other archaeological considerations place the burial around the middle of the first millenium BC (c.500 BC). Chemical analysis of the bone gives no clear picture about diet, although direct or indirect consumption of C4 plants is hypothesised. Nitrogen isotope values imply average contribution from both land and marine environments. The reconstructed skull is long and resembles crania from eastern island Melanesia. The teeth are small and the incisors exhibit moderate shovelling. A single dental caries, an apical abscess, moderate dental attrition, enamel hypoplasias, and evidence of periodontal disease were observed in the teeth. The stature is estimated to be 161.4 cm, or 5 feet 3.5 inches. There is osteological evidence that this individual experienced childbirth. The cranial vault bones are thickened. There is little or no osteoarthritis in these remains. Limited comparisons of certain crania, dental and skeletal morphological features of this new skeleton suggest affinities with other Lapita-associated skeletons and skeletal series from eastern island Melanesia. (author). 66 refs., 24 tabs., 11 figs

Skeletonization of Left Internal Mammary Artery in Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chaudhri, M.S.; Shah, M.U.A.; Asghar, M.I.; Janjua, A.M.; Iqbal, A.; Siddiqi, R.

2016-01-01

Objective: To compare mean per-operative flow capacity between skeletonized and pedicled left internal mammary artery (LIMA) in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery. Study Design: Randomized control trial. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Cardiac Surgery, Armed Forces Institute of Cardiology and National Institute of Heart Diseases (AFIC-NIHD), Rawalpindi, Pakistan from February to August, 2013. Methodology: Patients undergoing CABG for coronary artery disease, under 80 years, excluded by the exclusion criteria; and fulfilling the inclusion criteria were randomly assigned to two groups of 70 each. One group underwent skeletonized and the other underwent pedicled technique of LIMA harvesting. Free flow was checked just before anastamosis of each LIMA to the LAD, manually in blood flow in ml per minute during cardiopulmonary bypass by allowing it to bleed into a 100 ml container over 20 seconds. A specialized proforma was used to record the age, gender, weight, disease, type of IMA used, and free flow of the IMA. Data was analyzed using SPSS 18. Result: The mean age of the patients was 57.16 years in 40 patients, ranging from 36 to 75 years. Disease pattern analysis showed 5 percent, 10.7 percent and 84.3 percent single, double and triple vessel coronary artery disease, respectively. There was significantly higher free flow in the skeletonized group than the pedicled group (p=0.04). Conclusion: Skeletonized IMA had superior flow to pedicled IMA in addition to its traditional proven advantages, which justifies its further use as a conduit for myocardial revascularization. (author)

Complete primate skeleton from the Middle Eocene of Messel in Germany: morphology and paleobiology.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jens L Franzen

2009-05-01

Full Text Available The best European locality for complete Eocene mammal skeletons is Grube Messel, near Darmstadt, Germany. Although the site was surrounded by a para-tropical rain forest in the Eocene, primates are remarkably rare there, and only eight fragmentary specimens were known until now. Messel has now yielded a full primate skeleton. The specimen has an unusual history: it was privately collected and sold in two parts, with only the lesser part previously known. The second part, which has just come to light, shows the skeleton to be the most complete primate known in the fossil record.We describe the morphology and investigate the paleobiology of the skeleton. The specimen is described as Darwinius masillae n.gen. n.sp. belonging to the Cercamoniinae. Because the skeleton is lightly crushed and bones cannot be handled individually, imaging studies are of particular importance. Skull radiography shows a host of teeth developing within the juvenile face. Investigation of growth and proportion suggest that the individual was a weaned and independent-feeding female that died in her first year of life, and might have attained a body weight of 650-900 g had she lived to adulthood. She was an agile, nail-bearing, generalized arboreal quadruped living above the floor of the Messel rain forest.Darwinius masillae represents the most complete fossil primate ever found, including both skeleton, soft body outline and contents of the digestive tract. Study of all these features allows a fairly complete reconstruction of life history, locomotion, and diet. Any future study of Eocene-Oligocene primates should benefit from information preserved in the Darwinius holotype. Of particular importance to phylogenetic studies, the absence of a toilet claw and a toothcomb demonstrates that Darwinius masillae is not simply a fossil lemur, but part of a larger group of primates, Adapoidea, representative of the early haplorhine diversification.

Complete primate skeleton from the Middle Eocene of Messel in Germany: morphology and paleobiology.

Science.gov (United States)

Franzen, Jens L; Gingerich, Philip D; Habersetzer, Jörg; Hurum, Jørn H; von Koenigswald, Wighart; Smith, B Holly

2009-05-19

The best European locality for complete Eocene mammal skeletons is Grube Messel, near Darmstadt, Germany. Although the site was surrounded by a para-tropical rain forest in the Eocene, primates are remarkably rare there, and only eight fragmentary specimens were known until now. Messel has now yielded a full primate skeleton. The specimen has an unusual history: it was privately collected and sold in two parts, with only the lesser part previously known. The second part, which has just come to light, shows the skeleton to be the most complete primate known in the fossil record. We describe the morphology and investigate the paleobiology of the skeleton. The specimen is described as Darwinius masillae n.gen. n.sp. belonging to the Cercamoniinae. Because the skeleton is lightly crushed and bones cannot be handled individually, imaging studies are of particular importance. Skull radiography shows a host of teeth developing within the juvenile face. Investigation of growth and proportion suggest that the individual was a weaned and independent-feeding female that died in her first year of life, and might have attained a body weight of 650-900 g had she lived to adulthood. She was an agile, nail-bearing, generalized arboreal quadruped living above the floor of the Messel rain forest. Darwinius masillae represents the most complete fossil primate ever found, including both skeleton, soft body outline and contents of the digestive tract. Study of all these features allows a fairly complete reconstruction of life history, locomotion, and diet. Any future study of Eocene-Oligocene primates should benefit from information preserved in the Darwinius holotype. Of particular importance to phylogenetic studies, the absence of a toilet claw and a toothcomb demonstrates that Darwinius masillae is not simply a fossil lemur, but part of a larger group of primates, Adapoidea, representative of the early haplorhine diversification.

Novel skeleton sesquiterpenoids isolated from guava leaves.

Science.gov (United States)

Ouyang, Wen; Zhu, Xiao-ai; Wang, Wei; Chen, Xue-Xiang; Chen, Yun-Jiao; Cao, Yong

2016-01-01

A chemical investigation of the plant Psidium guajava L., collected in Guangdong province, afforded two novel skeleton sesquiterpenoids 1 and 2. Compound 2 also known as isocaryolan-9-one was a new natural product. The structure of the novel compound 1 was determined as guavacid A by various spectroscopic methods. A possible biosynthetic pathway for 1 and 2 was proposed.

The Effect of Locomotion on the Mobilization of Minerals from the Maternal Skeleton

OpenAIRE

Hood, Wendy R.; Hobensack, Michael

2015-01-01

Bone is a dynamic tissue from which minerals are deposited or withdrawn according to the body's demand. During late pregnancy and lactation, female mammals mobilize mineral from bone to support the ossification of offspring skeleton(s). Conversely, in response to mechanical loading, minerals are deposited in bone enabling it to develop a stronger architecture. Despite their central importance to reproductive performance and skeletal integrity, the interactions between these potentially opposi...

Chronology of lead pollution contained in banded coral skeletons

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dodge, R E; Gilbert, T R

1984-08-01

The possibility of the annual skeletal growth bands of reef-building corals containing a record of lead additions to the marine environment was investigated using coral skeletons from St. Croix, Virgin Islands. Concentrations of lead within a coral from a polluted reef averaged 395 ng/g, five fold higher than within a coral from a pristine site, 87 ng/g. The lead chronologies of both corals showed a significant increase in concentration towards the present during the past 26 yr. The increase in lead concentration in the coral from the pristine site is suggested to represent the increase in lead availability from global pollution. Coral skeletons offer the probability of development into tools for long term chemical recorders of levels of lead and possibly other metals or compounds in seawater. 50 references, 3 figures, 1 table.

The personal financial burden of chronic rhinosinusitis: A Canadian perspective.

Science.gov (United States)

Yip, Jonathan; Vescan, Allan D; Witterick, Ian J; Monteiro, Eric

2017-07-01

Previous studies describe the financial burden of chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) from the perspective of third-party payers, but, to our knowledge, none analyze the costs borne by patients (i.e., out-of-pocket expenses [OOPE]). Furthermore, this burden has not been previously investigated in the context of a publicly funded health care system. The purpose of this study was to characterize the financial impact of CRS on patients, specifically by evaluating its associated OOPEs and the perceived financial burden. The secondary aim was to determine the factors predictive of OOPEs and perceived burden. Patients with CRS at a tertiary care sinus center completed a self-administered questionnaire that assessed their socioeconomic characteristics, disease-specific quality of life (22-item Sino-Nasal Outcome Test [SNOT-22]), workdays missed due to CRS, perceived financial burden, and direct medical and nonmedical OOPEs over a 12-month period. Total OOPEs were calculated from the sum of direct medical and nonmedical OOPEs. Regression analyses determined factors predictive of OOPEs and the perceived burden. A total of 84 patients completed the questionnaires. After accounting for health insurance coverage and the median direct medical, direct nonmedical, and total OOPEs per patient over a 12-month period were Canadian dollars (CAD) $336.00 (2011) [U.S. $339.85], CAD $129.87 [U.S. $131.86], and CAD $607.10 [U.S. $614.06], respectively. CRS resulted in an average of 20.6 workdays missed over a 12-month period. Factors predictive of a higher financial burden included younger age, a greater number of previous sinus surgeries, financial burden and consider counseling them on strategies to offset expenses, including obtaining travel grants, using telemedicine for follow-up assessments, providing drug samples, and streamlining diagnostic testing with medical visits.

The economic burden of tuberculosis in Indonesia.

Science.gov (United States)

Collins, D; Hafidz, F; Mustikawati, D

2017-09-01

Indonesia has a high prevalence of tuberculosis (TB) and is one of the 22 countries with the highest TB burdens in the world. To understand the economic burden of TB in Indonesia. TB data for 2015 were combined with cost data using a simple type of cost-benefit analysis in a decision tree model to show the economic burden under different scenarios. In Indonesia, there were an estimated 1 017 378 new active TB cases in 2015, including multidrug-resistant TB. It is estimated that 417 976 of these cases would be treated and cured, 160 830 would be unsuccessfully treated and would die, 131 571 would be untreated and would achieve cure spontaneously, and 307 000 would be untreated and would die. The total economic burden related to treated and untreated cases would be approximately US$6.9 billion. Loss of productivity due to premature death would be by far the largest element, comprising US$6.0 billion (discounted), which represents 86.6% of the total cost. Loss of productivity due to illness would be US$700 million (10.1%), provider medical costs US$156 million (2.2%), and direct non-medical costs incurred by patients and their households US$74 million (1.1%). The economic burden of TB in Indonesia is extremely high. Detecting and treating more cases would result not only in major reductions in suffering but also in economic savings to society.

Global burden of disease--a race against time

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Meyrowitsch, Dan W; Bygbjerg, Ib Christian

2007-01-01

Low-income communities will within the next decades undergo rapid changes. The burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), such as diabetes, cardio-vascular disease and cancer, will comprise an increasing proportion of the total disease burden. The results of projections indicate that the already...... constrained health systems will face a double burden of disease, in which HIV/AIDS and other common infectious diseases will co-exist with the new NCDs. In order for preventive measures directed towards NCD to be cost-effective, these have to be implemented within the next 10-20 years....

Economic burden of disease-associated malnutrition in China.

Science.gov (United States)

Linthicum, Mark T; Thornton Snider, Julia; Vaithianathan, Rhema; Wu, Yanyu; LaVallee, Chris; Lakdawalla, Darius N; Benner, Jennifer E; Philipson, Tomas J

2015-05-01

Disease-associated malnutrition (DAM) is a well-recognized problem in many countries, but the extent of its burden on the Chinese population is unclear. This article reports the results of a burden-of-illness study on DAM in 15 diseases in China. Using data from the World Health Organization (WHO), the China Health and Nutrition Survey, and the published literature, mortality and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) lost because of DAM were calculated; a financial value of this burden was calculated following WHO guidelines. DALYs lost annually to DAM in China varied across diseases, from a low of 2248 in malaria to a high of 1 315 276 in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The total burden was 6.1 million DALYs, for an economic burden of US$66 billion (Chinese ¥ 447 billion) annually. This burden is sufficiently large to warrant immediate attention from public health officials and medical providers, especially given that low-cost and effective interventions are available. © 2014 APJPH.

Geochemical study of coral skeletons from the Puerto Morelos Reef, southeastern Mexico

Science.gov (United States)

Kasper-Zubillaga, Juan J.; Armstrong-Altrin, John S.; Rosales-Hoz, Leticia

2014-12-01

Geochemical analyses in coral skeletons have been used as a proxy of marine environmental conditions and to understand the mechanisms of adsorption of chemical elements into the coral skeletons and growth forms. However, little attention has been given to show the possible differences in the growth rates of corals based upon major, trace, rare earth element and microprobe analyses to examine the physical-chemical conditions influencing those differences. Our goal is to show how branch and fan corals incorporate elements into their skeletons comparing them with their coral growth rates. We determine the development of the skeletons of two branching (Acropora palmata, Acropora cervicornis) and one fan shaped (Gorgonia ventalina) colonies in the Puerto Morelos Reef, southeastern Mexico based upon geochemical data and the influence of terrigenous input into the species. Mg and Sr concentrations were the most statistically significant elements among the species studied suggesting that Mg concentration in Gorgonia ventalina is probably not linked to its growth rate. Mn content in the sea water is adsorbed by the three corals during past growth rates during high rainfall events. Sr concentration may be associated with the growth rate of Acropora palmata. Little differences in the growth rate in Acropora palmata may be associated with low rates of calcitization, negligible changes in the Sr concentration and little influence of temperature and water depth in its growth. Trace elements like Cr, Co, Ni and V adsorbed by the corals are influenced by natural concentration of these elements in the sea-water. Rare earth elements in the corals studied suggests abundant inorganic ions CO32- with variable pH in modern shallow well-oxygenated sea water. Lack of terrigenous input seawards is supported by geochemical, geomorphological and biological evidences. This study is an example of how geochemical data are useful to observe the differences in environmental conditions related to

The ossification principle of the laryngeal skeleton

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Glass, W. von.

1981-01-01

In 94 decreased of both sexes aged 15 to 79 who had not has any affections of the larynx itself, the laryngeal skeleton was X-rayed after removing the soft parts, to demonstrate the ossification processes. Furthermore the deformation of the thyroid cartilage caused at the larynx by the laryngopharyngeal muscle in the act of swallowing was experimentally induced and determined with the aid of strain gauges. (orig.) [de

Wave-equation Qs Inversion of Skeletonized Surface Waves

KAUST Repository

Li, Jing

2017-02-08

We present a skeletonized inversion method that inverts surface-wave data for the Qs quality factor. Similar to the inversion of dispersion curves for the S-wave velocity model, the complicated surface-wave arrivals are skeletonized as simpler data, namely the amplitude spectra of the windowed Rayleigh-wave arrivals. The optimal Qs model is the one that minimizes the difference in the peak frequencies of the predicted and observed Rayleigh wave arrivals using a gradient-based wave-equation optimization method. Solutions to the viscoelastic wave-equation are used to compute the predicted Rayleigh-wave arrivals and the misfit gradient at every iteration. This procedure, denoted as wave-equation Qs inversion (WQs), does not require the assumption of a layered model and tends to have fast and robust convergence compared to full waveform inversion (FWI). Numerical examples with synthetic and field data demonstrate that the WQs method can accurately invert for a smoothed approximation to the subsurface Qs distribution as long as the Vs model is known with sufficient accuracy.

Skeletonized wave-equation Qs tomography using surface waves

KAUST Repository

Li, Jing

2017-08-17

We present a skeletonized inversion method that inverts surface-wave data for the Qs quality factor. Similar to the inversion of dispersion curves for the S-wave velocity model, the complicated surface-wave arrivals are skeletonized as simpler data, namely the amplitude spectra of the windowed Rayleigh-wave arrivals. The optimal Qs model is then found that minimizes the difference in the peak frequencies of the predicted and observed Rayleigh wave arrivals using a gradient-based wave-equation optimization method. Solutions to the viscoelastic wave-equation are used to compute the predicted Rayleigh-wave arrivals and the misfit gradient at every iteration. This procedure, denoted as wave-equation Qs tomography (WQs), does not require the assumption of a layered model and tends to have fast and robust convergence compared to Q full waveform inversion (Q-FWI). Numerical examples with synthetic and field data demonstrate that the WQs method can accurately invert for a smoothed approximation to the subsur-face Qs distribution as long as the Vs model is known with sufficient accuracy.

Wave-equation Qs Inversion of Skeletonized Surface Waves

KAUST Repository

Li, Jing; Dutta, Gaurav; Schuster, Gerard T.

2017-01-01

We present a skeletonized inversion method that inverts surface-wave data for the Qs quality factor. Similar to the inversion of dispersion curves for the S-wave velocity model, the complicated surface-wave arrivals are skeletonized as simpler data, namely the amplitude spectra of the windowed Rayleigh-wave arrivals. The optimal Qs model is the one that minimizes the difference in the peak frequencies of the predicted and observed Rayleigh wave arrivals using a gradient-based wave-equation optimization method. Solutions to the viscoelastic wave-equation are used to compute the predicted Rayleigh-wave arrivals and the misfit gradient at every iteration. This procedure, denoted as wave-equation Qs inversion (WQs), does not require the assumption of a layered model and tends to have fast and robust convergence compared to full waveform inversion (FWI). Numerical examples with synthetic and field data demonstrate that the WQs method can accurately invert for a smoothed approximation to the subsurface Qs distribution as long as the Vs model is known with sufficient accuracy.

Can we omit scintiscanning of the skeleton in follow-up aftercare of carcinoma of the breast?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schuenemann, H.

1989-01-01

630 women patients of the Bad Trissl clinic were admitted in 1987/88 to a prospective study to find out whether scintiscanning, or radionuclide imaging, of the skeleton can be omitted completely or in part in the after care and follow-up of carcinoma of the breast. The initial criterion was a postoperative carcinoma of the breast without metastasizing in the skeleton at the time the study began or the patient was admitted to the study. Careful pain anamnesis was performed by means of prepared questions, and a detailed clinical examination conducted to detect any pain in the skeleton of the patient concerned. This was followed by whole body scintiscanning of the skeleton and complementary X-ray films, if necessary additional examinations. It was found that clinical findings and imaging methods agreed in 545 patients. In 55 cases a finding that was clinically suspicious of metastases or doubtful, could be refuted by both scintiscan and by X-ray, osseous metastasizing would have been overlooked without skeleton scintiscan in 14 patients only (2.2%), 11 of these 14 patients were high-risk patients (negative hormonal receptor status, axillary lymph node metastases). Hence, it will be sufficient to employ scintiscanning in the aftercare and follow-up of carcinoma of the breast on a risk-adapted basis provided this is preceded by careful pain analysis and clinical examination. Failure to detect metastasizing in the skeleton will then occur in only 3 of 630 patients (0.48%). In this manner 40% of scintiscans can be omitted in future. (orig.) [de

Contribution of ankyrin-band 3 complexes to the organization and mechanical properties of the membrane skeleton of human erythrocyte

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shen, B.W. [Argonne National Lab., IL (United States). Biological and Medical Research Div.

1995-02-01

To understand the role of ankyrin-band 3 complexes in the organization of the spectrin-based membrane skeleton and its contribution to the mechanical properties of human erythrocytes, intact skeletons and single-layered skeleton leaflets were prepared from intact and physically sheared membrane ghosts, expanded in low salt buffer, and examined by transmission electron microscopy. While the structures of intact skeletons and single-layered skeleton leaflets shared many common features, including rigid junctional complexes of spectrin, actin, and band 4.1; short stretches ({approximately}50 {angstrom}) of flexible spectrin filaments; and globular masses of ankyrin-band 3 complexes situated close to the middle of the spectrin filaments, the definition of structural units in the intact skeleton is obscured by the superposition of the two layers. However, the spatial disposition of structural elements can be clearly defined in the images of the single-layered skeleton leaflets. Partially expanded skeletal leaflets contain conglomerates of ankyrin-band 3 complexes arranged in a circular or clove-leaf configuration that straddles multiple strands of thick spectrin cables, presumably reflecting the association of ankyrin-band 3 complexes on neighboring spectrin tetramers as well as the lateral association of the spectrin filaments. Hyperexpansion of the skeleton leaflets led to dissociation of the conglomerates of ankyrin-band 3 complexes, full-extension of the spectrin tetramers, and separation of the individual strands of spectrin tetramers. Clearly defined stands of spectrin tetramers in the hyperexpanded single-layered skeletal leaflets often contained two sets of globular protein masses that divided the spectrin tetramers into three segments of approximately equal length.

The economic burden of schizophrenia in Malaysia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Teoh SL

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Siew Li Teoh,1 Huey Yi Chong,1 Salina Abdul Aziz,2 Norliza Chemi,2 Abdul Razak Othman,2 Nurzuriana Md Zaki,2 Possatorn Vanichkulpitak,3 Nathorn Chaiyakunapruk1,4–6 1School of Pharmacy, Monash University Malaysia, Selangor, 2Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Hospital Kuala Lumpur, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; 3Faculty of Pharmacy, Silpakorn University, Nakhon Pathom, 4Center of Pharmaceutical Outcomes Research (CPOR, Department of Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, Thailand; 5School of Pharmacy, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA; 6Health and Well-being Cluster, Global Asia in the 21st Century (GA21 Platform, Monash University Malaysia, Selangor, MalaysiaIntroduction: Schizophrenia (SCZ is a highly debilitating disease despite its low prevalence. The economic burden associated with SCZ is substantial and mainly attributed to productivity loss. To improve the understanding of economic burden of SCZ in the low- and middle-income country regions, we aimed to determine the economic burden of SCZ in Malaysia.Methods: A retrospective study was conducted using a prevalence-based approach from a societal perspective in Malaysia with a 1 year period from 2013. We used micro-costing technique with bottom-up method and included direct medical cost, direct non-medical cost, and indirect cost. The main data source was medical chart review which was conducted in Hospital Kuala Lumpur (HKL. The medical charts were identified electronically by matching the unique patient’s identification number registered under the National Mental Health Schizophrenia Registry and the list of patients in HKL in 2013. Other data sources were government documents, literatures, and local websites. To ensure robustness of result, probabilistic sensitivity analysis was conducted.Results: The total estimated number of treated SCZ cases in Malaysia in 2015 was 15,104 with the total economic burden of USD 100 million

New Insights into the Carbon Isotope Variations in Coral Skeletons (Invited)

Science.gov (United States)

Swart, P. K.

2010-12-01

The origin of the carbon isotopic composition of coral skeletons has been a subject of speculation and controversy since the first stable C and O isotopic measurements were made on corals in the 1960s and the first models of fractionation were proposed by Weber and coworkers. Early models focused on the interactions between the zooxanthellae and the coral organism and the relationship with insolation. Models were proposed that linked higher levels of photosynthesis to both 13C enriched and 13C depleted skeletal material. While the model which showed elevated 13C values related to enhanced photosynthesis generally has found favor and fits the majority of the data from experimental and field studies, more recent work has also shown the importance of the natural variability of the δ13C of the dissolved inorganic carbon on interannual and longer time scales. This variability can overwhelm photosynthetic induced variability. For example, changes over the time period of 100s of years, caused by the addition of fossil fuel CO2 to the atmosphere, has resulted in a general decline in the δ13C of coral skeletons since ~1800. These changes are even larger in instances in which local variations in δ13C are related to land use changes and the openness of the environment. Recently there has been concern regarding the decrease in the pH of the oceans related to increases in oceanic pCO2. This also has potential to changes the δ13C of the coral skeleton. Finally there are seasonal variations in the types of organic compounds being oxidized by the coral. This may be related to the types of materials being translocated between the zooxanthellae and the coral. All these factors make changes in the δ13C of coral skeletons much more than a reflection of the influence of insolation.

Role of the membrane skeleton in preventing the shedding of procoagulant-rich microvesicles from the platelet plasma membrane

OpenAIRE

1990-01-01

The platelet plasma membrane is lined by a membrane skeleton that appears to contain short actin filaments cross-linked by actin-binding protein. Actin-binding protein is in turn associated with specific plasma membrane glycoproteins. The aim of this study was to determine whether the membrane skeleton regulates properties of the plasma membrane. Platelets were incubated with agents that disrupted the association of the membrane skeleton with membrane glycoproteins. The consequences of this c...

Forged HITEMAL: Al-based MMCs strengthened with nanometric thick Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} skeleton

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Balog, Martin, E-mail: ummsbama@savba.sk [Institute of Materials and Machine Mechanics, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Racianska 75, 83102 Bratislava (Slovakia); Krizik, Peter; Nosko, Martin; Hajovska, Zuzana [Institute of Materials and Machine Mechanics, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Racianska 75, 83102 Bratislava (Slovakia); Victoria Castro Riglos, Maria [Centro Atómico Bariloche, Av. Bustillo 9.500, 8400 Bariloche, Río Negro (Argentina); Rajner, Walter [New Materials Development GmbH, Römerstrasse 28, 83410 Laufen, Leobendorf (Germany); Liu, De-Shin [National Chung Cheng University, 168 University Rd., Min-Hsiung, 62102 Chia-Yi, Taiwan (China); Simancik, Frantisek [Institute of Materials and Machine Mechanics, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Racianska 75, 83102 Bratislava (Slovakia)

2014-09-08

Bulk Al–Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} metal matrix composites (MMCs) named HITEMAL (high temperature aluminum) were fabricated in situ by forging compaction of five different types of gas-atomized commercial purity Al powders with a mean particle size in the range of 1–9 µm. As-forged HITEMAL consisted of (sub)micrometric Al grains (matrix) decorated with nanometric thick amorphous Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} (a-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}) skeleton. Low-angle grain boundaries (LAGBs) free of Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} were located in the Al grain interior. The Al grain size and the portion of LAGBs increased with the increase in the relative powder surface area. As-forged HITEMAL shows excellent thermal stability up to 400 °C for 24 h. Annealing at temperatures ≥450 °C led to crystallization and morphological transformation from a-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} skeleton to nanometric γ-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} particles. Owing to the pinning effect of Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} phase, no Al grain growth took place during annealing up to 500 °C. HITEMAL showed attractive mechanical properties especially when tested at 300 °C (yield strength up to 220 MPa, Young's modulus up to 58 GPa). Despite the presence of a nearly continuous a-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} skeleton along adjacent Al grains, forged HITEMAL materials had reasonable room temperature elongation of 7–26%. HITEMAL's elongation decreased as the Al grain size decreased and with increased testing temperature. The loss in elongation (uniform and total) was attributed to the inhomogeneous flow, which occurred due to high densities of high angle grain boundaries (dislocation sinks) and small content of LAGBs. The strength of HITEMAL stemmed from grain boundary mediated strengthening mechanisms. The results showed a positive deviation from the Hall–Petch plot, which is typical behavior of ultrafine-grained metals. Transformation of a-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} skeleton to γ-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} particles led to deterioration of the HITEMAL strength and Young's modulus.

Radioactive labelling of alkaloids with morphine skeleton

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Toth, Geza; Sirokman, Ferenc

1985-01-01

Results achieved by the sup(14)C, sup(125)I and sup(3)H labelling of alkaloids with morphine skeleton for kinetic, receptor, metabolims and pharmacological investigations are summarized and evaluated. The methods for the preparation of sup(3)H labelled dihydromorphine, dihydroethylmorphine, dihydrocodeine, naloxone and naloxazone are described. The compounds have higher specific molar activity than those referred to in literature which makes them suitable for a number of investigations. (author)

Burden of gout in the Nordic region, 1990-2015: findings from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2015.

Science.gov (United States)

Kiadaliri, A A; Uhlig, T; Englund, M

2018-01-29

To explore the burden of gout in the Nordic region, with a population around 27 million in 2015 distributed across six countries. We used the findings of the 2015 Global Burden of Diseases study to report prevalence and disability associated with gout in the Nordic region. From 1990 to 2015, the number of prevalent gout cases rose by 30% to 252 967 [95% uncertainty interval (UI) 223 478‒287 288] in the Nordic region. In 2015, gout contributed to 7982 (95% UI 5431‒10 800) years lived with disability (YLDs) in the region, an increase of 29% (95% UI 24‒35%) from 1990. While the crude YLD rate of gout increased by 12.9% (95% UI 7.8‒18.1%) between 1990 and 2015, the age-standardized YLD rate remained stable. Gout was ranked as the 63rd leading cause of total YLDs in the region in 2015, with the highest rank in men aged 55-59 years (38th leading cause of YLDs). The corresponding rank at the global level was 94. Of 195 countries studied, four Nordic countries [Greenland (2nd), Iceland (12th), Finland (14th), and Sweden (15th)] were among the top 15 countries with the highest age-standardized YLD rate of gout. The burden of gout is rising in the Nordic region. Gout's contribution to the total burden of diseases in the region is more significant than the global average. Expected increases in gout burden owing to population growth and ageing call for stronger preventive and therapeutic strategies for gout management in Nordic countries.

Burden of injury of serious road injuries in six EU countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Weijermars, Wendy; Bos, Niels; Filtness, Ashleigh; Brown, Laurie; Bauer, Robert; Dupont, Emmanuelle; Martin, Jean Louis; Perez, Katherine; Thomas, Pete

2018-02-01

Information about the burden of (non-fatal) road traffic injury is very useful to further improve road safety policy. Previous studies calculated the burden of injury in individual countries. This paper estimates and compares the burden of non-fatal serious road traffic injuries in six EU countries/regions: Austria, Belgium, England, The Netherlands, the Rhône region in France and Spain. It is a cross-sectional study based on hospital discharge databases. of study are patients hospitalized with MAIS3+ due to road traffic injuries. The burden of injury (expressed in years lived with disability (YLD)) is calculated applying a method that is developed within the INTEGRIS study. The method assigns estimated disability information to the casualties using the EUROCOST injury classification. The average burden per MAIS3+ casualty varies between 2.4 YLD and 3.2 YLD per casualty. About 90% of the total burden of injury of MAIS3+ casualties is due to lifelong consequences that are experienced by 19% to 33% of the MAIS3+ casualties. Head injuries, spinal cord injuries and injuries to the lower extremities are responsible for more than 90% of the total burden of MAIS3+ road traffic injuries. Results per transport mode differ between the countries. Differences between countries are mainly due to differences in age distribution and in the distribution over EUROCOST injury groups of the casualties. The analyses presented in this paper can support further improvement of road safety policy. Countermeasures could for example be focused at reducing skull and brain injuries, spinal cord injuries and injuries to the lower extremities, as these injuries are responsible for more than 90% of the total burden of injury of MAIS3+ casualties. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Correlation of results of skeleton gammagraphy with CEA and TPA levels in mammary gland carcinoma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Makaiova, I.; Kausitz, J.; Hupka, S.; Michalikova, B.; Vivodova, M.; Simko, S.; Urbanova, M.; Bohunicky, L.

1986-01-01

A comparison is submitted of the results obtained with whole-body skeleton gammagraphy using 99m Tc-MDP and levels of carcinoembryonic antigen and tissue polypeptide antigen in 147 patients with breast cancer. In 123 cases (83.7%) the results agreed, i.e., in 72 patients the negative results and in 51 patients the positive results of skeleton gammagraphy with at least one of the above tumor markers. In other 15 cases (10.2%) the positivity of the tumor marker was confirmed by extraosseous tumor manifestations. The reasons are discussed of possible disagreement in the results and a preliminary thought is proposed on the use of assessment of tumor antigen levels in combination with skeleton gammagraphy and other imaging methods, in monitoring patients with breast cancer. (author)

The burden of mental disorders in the Eastern Mediterranean region, 1990-2015: findings from the global burden of disease 2015 study.

Science.gov (United States)

2017-08-03

Mental disorders are among the leading causes of nonfatal burden of disease globally. We used the global burden of diseases, injuries, and risk factors study 2015 to examine the burden of mental disorders in the Eastern Mediterranean region (EMR). We defined mental disorders according to criteria proposed in the diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders IV and the 10th International Classification of Diseases. Mental disorders contributed to 4.7% (95% uncertainty interval (UI) 3.7-5.6%) of total disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs), ranking as the ninth leading cause of disease burden. Depressive disorders and anxiety disorders were the third and ninth leading causes of nonfatal burden, respectively. Almost all countries in the EMR had higher age-standardized mental disorder DALYs rates compared to the global level, and in half of the EMR countries, observed mental disorder rates exceeded the expected values. The burden of mental disorders in the EMR is higher than global levels, particularly for women. To properly address this burden, EMR governments should implement nationwide quality epidemiological surveillance of mental disorders and provide adequate prevention and treatment services.

Complex diagnostic approaches in metastases of tumors in skeleton. VII

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bek, V.; Stepan, J.; Hausner, P.; Vosecky, M.; Konopasek, B.; Novy, F.

1987-01-01

In addition to the current methods of imaging the skeleton and of histomorphological and cytomorphological examinations of the bone marrow and the bone tissue, an ever growing attention is devoted to humoral factors affecting the metabolism of the skeleton. Prostaglandins, or in a broader sense, eicosanoids are in the forefront of the attention. Their relations is studied to immune and endocrine mechanisms and to growth factors (TGF (transforming growth factor), EDF (epidermal growth factor), PDGF (platelet derived growth factor)). Specific monoclonal antibodies to the membrane and cytoplasma structures of malignant cells represent an important shift towards improved detection of disseminated tumor cells in the bone marrow. Computerized tomography and nuclear magnetic resonance contribute to improved definition in bone diagnosis. The condition of bone metabolism can be assessed by whole-body retention using technetium-labelled phosphate complexes. The methods offering information on the state of blood supply for the skeleton are also important. Common tests of bone marrow metastasis detection combine with the determination of the presence of tumor markers (CEA (carcinoembryonic antigen), TPA (tissue polypeptide antigen), plasminogen activator, polyamine, etc.). Upon heterogeneity of cell populations in the tumor, an urgent need arises for the clinician to penetrate down to the cellular and the subcellular levels of the malignant growth with the aim of identifying biological potency of the individual cell clones, including their capability of produce and proliferate metastases. We are approaching this desirable target through the flow cytometry method. (author). 30 refs

Anabolic effects of IGF-1 signaling on the skeleton

Science.gov (United States)

Tahimic, Candice G. T.; Wang, Yongmei; Bikle, Daniel D.

2013-01-01

This review focuses on the anabolic effects of IGF-1 signaling on the skeleton, emphasizing the requirement for IGF-1 signaling in normal bone formation and remodeling. We first discuss the genomic context, splicing variants, and species conservation of the IGF-1 locus. The modulation of IGF-1 action by growth hormone (GH) is then reviewed while also discussing the current model which takes into account the GH-independent actions of IGF-1. Next, the skeletal phenotypes of IGF-1-deficient animals are described in both embryonic and postnatal stages of development, which include severe dwarfism and an undermineralized skeleton. We then highlight two mechanisms by which IGF-1 exerts its anabolic action on the skeleton. Firstly, the role of IGF-1 signaling in the modulation of anabolic effects of parathyroid hormone (PTH) on bone will be discussed, presenting in vitro and in vivo studies that establish this concept and the proposed underlying molecular mechanisms involving Indian hedgehog (Ihh) and the ephrins. Secondly, the crosstalk of IGF-1 signaling with mechanosensing pathways will be discussed, beginning with the observation that animals subjected to skeletal unloading by hindlimb elevation are unable to mitigate cessation of bone growth despite infusion with IGF-1 and the failure of IGF-1 to activate its receptor in bone marrow stromal cell cultures from unloaded bone. Disrupted crosstalk between IGF-1 signaling and the integrin mechanotransduction pathways is discussed as one of the potential mechanisms for this IGF-1 resistance. Next, emerging paradigms on bone-muscle crosstalk are examined, focusing on the potential role of IGF-1 signaling in modulating such interactions. Finally, we present a future outlook on IGF research. PMID:23382729

The Spanish Burden of Disease 2010: Neurological, mental and substance use disorders.

Science.gov (United States)

Lara, Elvira; Garin, Noé; Ferrari, Alize J; Tyrovolas, Stefanos; Olaya, Beatriz; Sànchez-Riera, Lidia; Whiteford, Harvey A; Haro, Josep Maria

2015-01-01

We used data from the Global Burden of Disease, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study 2010 to report on the burden of neuropsychiatric disorders in Spain. The summary measure of burden used in the study was the disability-adjusted life-year (DALY), which sums of the years of life lost due to premature mortality (YLLs) and the years lived with disability (YLDs). DALYs were adjusted for comorbidity and estimated with 95% uncertainty intervals. The burden of neuropsychiatric disorders accounted for 18.4% of total all-cause DALYs generated in Spain for 2010. Within this group, the top five leading causes of DALYs were: depressive disorders, Alzheimer's disease, migraine, substance-use disorders, and anxiety disorder, which accounted for 70.9% of all DALYs due to neuropsychiatric disorders. Neurological disorders represented 5.03% of total all cause YLLs, whereas mental and substance-use disorders accounted for 0.8%. Mental and substance-use disorders accounted for 22.4% of total YLDs, with depression being the most disabling disorder. Neurological disorders represented 8.3% of total YLDs. Neuropsychiatric disorders were one of the leading causes of disability in 2010. This finding contributes to our understanding of the burden of neuropsychiatric disorders in the Spanish population and highlights the importance of prioritising neuropsychiatric disorders in the Spanish public health system. Copyright © 2014 SEP y SEPB. Published by Elsevier España. All rights reserved.

Surface-seeking radionuclides in the skeleton: current approach and recent developments in biokinetic modelling for humans and beagles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Luciani, A.; Polig, E.

2007-01-01

In the last decade, the biokinetics of surface-seeking radionuclides in the skeleton has been the object of several studies. Investigations were carried out to determine the kinetics of plutonium and americium in the skeleton of humans and beagles. As a result of these investigations, in recent years the models presented by ICRP in Publication 67 for humans were partially revised, particularly the skeletal part. The aim of the present work is to present recent developments in the biokinetic modelling of surface-seeking radionuclides (plutonium and americium) in beagles and humans. Various assumptions and physiological interpretations of the different approaches to the biokinetic modelling of the skeleton are discussed. Current ICRP concepts and skeleton modelling of plutonium and americium in humans are compared to the latest developments in biokinetic modelling in beagles. (authors)

Socioeconomic burden of influenza in the Republic of Korea, 2007-2010.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mina Suh

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Although the socioeconomic burden of 2009 pandemic influenza A (H1N1 was considerable, no reliable estimates have been reported. Our aim was to compared medical costs and socioeconomic burden resulting from pandemic influenza A (H1N1 2009 with that of previous seasonal influenza. METHODS: We estimated the medical costs and socioeconomic burden of influenza from May 2007 to April 2010. We used representative national data sources(data from the Health Insurance Review Agency, the National Health Insurance Corporation, the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Korean National Statistics Office including medical utilization, prescription of antivirals, and vaccination. Uncertainty of data was explored through sensitivity analysis using Monte Carlo simulation. RESULTS: Compared with the seasonal influenza, total medical costs (US$291.7 million associated with pandemic (H1N1 2009 increased more than 37-fold. Compared with the 2007-2008 season, outpatient diagnostic costs (US$135.3 million were 773 times higher in the 2009-2010 season, and the mean diagnostic cost per outpatient visit was 58.8 times higher. Total socioeconomic burden of pandemic (H1N1 2009 was estimated at US$1581.3 million (10%-90%: US$1436.0-1808.3 million and those of seasonal influenza was estimated at US$44.7 million (10%-90%: US$32.4-57.9 million in 2007-2008 season and US$42.3 million (10%-90%: US$31.5-53.8 million in 2008-2009 season. Indirect costs accounted for 56.0% of total costs in pandemic (H1N1 2009, and 66.48-68.09% in seasonal influenza. The largest contributors to total burden were productivity losses of caregiver in pandemic (H1N1 2009, and productivity losses due to morbidity of outpatient in seasonal influenza. CONCLUSIONS: In the Republic of Korea, socioeconomic burden of pandemic (H1N1 2009 were considerably higher than burden of the previous two influenza seasons, primarily because of high diagnostic costs and longer sick leave.

Psychometrics of the Zarit Burden Interview in Caregivers of Patients With Heart Failure.

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Rawashdeh, Sami Y; Lennie, Terry A; Chung, Misook L

Identification of family caregivers who are burdened by the caregiving experience is vital to prevention of poor outcomes associated with caregiving. The Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI), a well-known measure of caregiving burden in caregivers of patients with dementia, has been used without being validated in caregivers of patients with heart failure (HF). The purpose of this study is to examine the reliability and validity of the ZBI in caregivers of patients with HF. A total of 124 primary caregivers of patients with HF completed survey questionnaires. Caregiving burden was measured by the ZBI. Reliability was examined using Cronbach's α and item-total/item-item correlations. Convergent validity was examined using correlations with the Oberst Caregiving Burden Scale. Construct validity was demonstrated by exploratory factor analysis and known hypothesis testing (ie, the hypothesis of the association between caregiving burden and depressive symptoms). Cronbach's α for the ZBI was .921. The ZBI had good item-total (r = 0.395-0.764) and item-item (mean r = 0.365) correlations. Significant correlations between the ZBI and the Oberst Caregiving Burden Scale (r = 0.466 for the caregiving time subscale and 0.583 for the caregiving task difficulty subscale; P < .001 for both) supported convergent validity. Four factors were identified (ie, consequences of caregiving, patient's dependence, exhaustion with caregiving and uncertainty, and guilt and fear for the patient's future) using factor analysis, which are consistent with previous studies. Caregivers with high burden scores had significantly higher depressive symptoms than did caregivers with lower burden scores (7.0 ± 6.8 vs 3.1 ± 4.3; P < .01). The findings provide evidence that the ZBI is a reliable and valid measure for assessing burden in caregivers of patients with HF.

Diagenesis of echinoderm skeletons: Constraints on paleoseawater Mg/Ca reconstructions

Science.gov (United States)

Gorzelak, Przemysław; Krzykawski, Tomasz; Stolarski, Jarosław

2016-09-01

One of the most profound environmental changes thought to be reflected in chemical composition of numerous geological archives is Mg/Ca ratio of the seawater, which has varied dramatically throughout the Phanerozoic. Echinoderms that today typically form high magnesium calcite skeletons are increasingly being utilized as a proxy for interpreting secular changes in seawater chemistry. However, accurate characterization of the diagenetic changes of their metastable high magnesium calcite skeletons is a prerequisite for assessing their original, major-element geochemical composition. Here we expand the existing models of diagenesis of echinoderm skeleton by integration of various analytical methods that up to now rarely have been used to assess the diagenetic changes of fossil echinoderms. We validated the preservation of a suite of differently preserved echinoderm ossicles, mostly crinoids, ranging in age from the Cambrian through Recent. In 13 of 99 fossil echinoderm ossicles we found well-preserved porous microstructure (stereom), non-luminescent behaviour or blotchy dark color in cathodoluminescence, and distinct nanostructural features (layered and nanocomposite structure). Moreover, in representatives of such preserved samples, distribution of sulphates associated with organic matter is identical to those in Recent echinoderms. Only such ossicles, despite of local micrometer-scale diagenetic changes, were herein considered well-preserved, retaining their original major-element skeletal composition. By contrast, majority of samples show transformation to the stable low magnesium calcite that leads to obliteration of the primary geochemical and micro/nanostructural features and is accompanied with increase in cathodoluminescence emission intensity. Using only well-preserved fossil echinoderm samples, we found purely random variation in Mg/Ca in echinoderm skeletons through the observed time series; any periodicities in echinoderm skeletal Mg/Ca ratio which might

HuAc: Human Activity Recognition Using Crowdsourced WiFi Signals and Skeleton Data

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Linlin Guo

2018-01-01

Full Text Available The joint of WiFi-based and vision-based human activity recognition has attracted increasing attention in the human-computer interaction, smart home, and security monitoring fields. We propose HuAc, the combination of WiFi-based and Kinect-based activity recognition system, to sense human activity in an indoor environment with occlusion, weak light, and different perspectives. We first construct a WiFi-based activity recognition dataset named WiAR to provide a benchmark for WiFi-based activity recognition. Then, we design a mechanism of subcarrier selection according to the sensitivity of subcarriers to human activities. Moreover, we optimize the spatial relationship of adjacent skeleton joints and draw out a corresponding relationship between CSI and skeleton-based activity recognition. Finally, we explore the fusion information of CSI and crowdsourced skeleton joints to achieve the robustness of human activity recognition. We implemented HuAc using commercial WiFi devices and evaluated it in three kinds of scenarios. Our results show that HuAc achieves an average accuracy of greater than 93% using WiAR dataset.

ANALYSIS OF TAX BURDEN PARAMETERS OF UKRAINE'S ECONOMY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

I. Moyseyenko

2017-11-01

Full Text Available The need to solve the problems of macro-economic stabilization of the country's economy on the basis of determining the tax system efficiency led to the actuality and importance of developing methodological issues of macro-economic tax regulation. In terms of macro-financial stability for the purpose of strategic analysis, the macroeconomic category of tax burden and its fiscal efficiency in terms of direct and indirect taxation is considered. Tax burden indicators at a macro-level quantitatively measure the total level of tax payment and pumping up the budget. Based on the analysis of tax burden it is found that in Ukraine the major fiscal function is performed by consumption taxes (indirect taxes. The methodological principles of the diagnostics of tax burden influence on macro-indices of economic stabilization are as follows: selecting parameters of monitoring tax burden state and fiscal burden efficiency; the assessment of an impact on fiscal efficiency on macro-indices. To prognosticate the efficiency of fiscal burden performance in terms of indirect taxes linear and exponential trend equations are calculated. In terms of the analysis of macro-financial stability the usage of tax rates of indirect taxes as indicators of fiscal efficiency provides sufficient reasons for the conclusions regarding long-term trends of pumping the budget.

Semi-Automatic Construction of Skeleton Concept Maps from Case Judgments

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Boer, A.; Sijtsma, B.; Winkels, R.; Lettieri, N.

2014-01-01

This paper proposes an approach to generating Skeleton Conceptual Maps (SCM) semi automatically from legal case documents provided by the United Kingdom’s Supreme Court. SCM are incomplete knowledge representations for the purpose of scaffolding learning. The proposed system intends to provide

Postnatal craniofacial skeleton development following a pushback operation of patients with cleft palate.

Science.gov (United States)

Viteporn, S; Enemark, H; Melsen, B

1991-10-01

A longitudinal growth study of the craniofacial skeleton in 52 (19 males, 33 females) Danish individuals with cleft palates was performed. Thirty (13 males, 17 females) had clefts of the soft palate only or clefts extending into the posterior third of the hard palate. Twenty-two (6 males, 16 females) had more extensive clefts including up to two-thirds of the hard palate. The cleft was closed with a pushback operation at 22 months of age. Orthodontic treatment was included in the early mixed dentition. Lateral cephalometries were obtained at 5, 8, 12, 16, and 21 years of age. Twenty-four variables were digitized and analyzed. The results indicated that patients with more extensive clefts demonstrated significantly smaller anterior cranial base length (N-S), total cranial base length (N-Ba), maxillary dentoalveolar base length (A-PMP), mandibular length (Cd-Pgn), upper anterior and posterior facial heights (N-ANS and P-PMP), and total facial height (N-Gn). Patients with the more extensive clefts reached maximum growth spurt later than patients with less extensive clefts in all dimensions except the A-PMP and the lower and total facial heights.

40 CFR 305.33 - Burden of presentation; burden of persuasion.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... persuasion. 305.33 Section 305.33 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED... Hearing Procedure § 305.33 Burden of presentation; burden of persuasion. The Requestor has the burden of... justified. Accordingly, the Requestor bears the burdens of presentation and persuasion. Following the...

Anatomical investigation on the appendicular skeleton of the cattle ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The pes consists of tibiotarsus, tarsometatarsus and four pedal digits. The tibiotarsus is longer than the femur. The spur is not found in the male bird. Conclusion: The skeleton of the cattle egret has a unique conformation that accommodates its ability to flight as well as being an insectivorous animal. Key words: Anatomy ...

Segmentation and visual analysis of whole-body mouse skeleton microSPECT.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Artem Khmelinskii

Full Text Available Whole-body SPECT small animal imaging is used to study cancer, and plays an important role in the development of new drugs. Comparing and exploring whole-body datasets can be a difficult and time-consuming task due to the inherent heterogeneity of the data (high volume/throughput, multi-modality, postural and positioning variability. The goal of this study was to provide a method to align and compare side-by-side multiple whole-body skeleton SPECT datasets in a common reference, thus eliminating acquisition variability that exists between the subjects in cross-sectional and multi-modal studies. Six whole-body SPECT/CT datasets of BALB/c mice injected with bone targeting tracers (99mTc-methylene diphosphonate ((99mTc-MDP and (99mTc-hydroxymethane diphosphonate ((99mTc-HDP were used to evaluate the proposed method. An articulated version of the MOBY whole-body mouse atlas was used as a common reference. Its individual bones were registered one-by-one to the skeleton extracted from the acquired SPECT data following an anatomical hierarchical tree. Sequential registration was used while constraining the local degrees of freedom (DoFs of each bone in accordance to the type of joint and its range of motion. The Articulated Planar Reformation (APR algorithm was applied to the segmented data for side-by-side change visualization and comparison of data. To quantitatively evaluate the proposed algorithm, bone segmentations of extracted skeletons from the correspondent CT datasets were used. Euclidean point to surface distances between each dataset and the MOBY atlas were calculated. The obtained results indicate that after registration, the mean Euclidean distance decreased from 11.5±12.1 to 2.6±2.1 voxels. The proposed approach yielded satisfactory segmentation results with minimal user intervention. It proved to be robust for "incomplete" data (large chunks of skeleton missing and for an intuitive exploration and comparison of multi-modal SPECT

A skeleton model for the MJO with refined vertical structure

Science.gov (United States)

Thual, Sulian; Majda, Andrew J.

2016-05-01

The Madden-Julian oscillation (MJO) is the dominant mode of variability in the tropical atmosphere on intraseasonal timescales and planetary spatial scales. The skeleton model is a minimal dynamical model that recovers robustly the most fundamental MJO features of (I) a slow eastward speed of roughly 5 {ms}^{-1}, (II) a peculiar dispersion relation with dω /dk ≈ 0, and (III) a horizontal quadrupole vortex structure. This model depicts the MJO as a neutrally-stable atmospheric wave that involves a simple multiscale interaction between planetary dry dynamics, planetary lower-tropospheric moisture and the planetary envelope of synoptic-scale activity. Here we propose and analyse an extended version of the skeleton model with additional variables accounting for the refined vertical structure of the MJO in nature. The present model reproduces qualitatively the front-to-rear vertical structure of the MJO found in nature, with MJO events marked by a planetary envelope of convective activity transitioning from the congestus to the deep to the stratiform type, in addition to a front-to-rear structure of moisture, winds and temperature. Despite its increased complexity the present model retains several interesting features of the original skeleton model such as a conserved energy and similar linear solutions. We further analyze a model version with a simple stochastic parametrization for the unresolved details of synoptic-scale activity. The stochastic model solutions show intermittent initiation, propagation and shut down of MJO wave trains, as in previous studies, in addition to MJO events with a front-to-rear vertical structure of varying intensity and characteristics from one event to another.

45 CFR 672.17 - Burden of presentation; burden of persuasion.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 45 Public Welfare 3 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Burden of presentation; burden of persuasion. 672.17 Section 672.17 Public Welfare Regulations Relating to Public Welfare (Continued) NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION ENFORCEMENT AND HEARING PROCEDURES § 672.17 Burden of presentation; burden of persuasion. The...

Talent identification and deliberate programming in skeleton: ice novice to Winter Olympian in 14 months.

Science.gov (United States)

Bullock, Nicola; Gulbin, Jason P; Martin, David T; Ross, Angus; Holland, Terry; Marino, Frank

2009-02-15

The aims of this study were to talent transfer, rapidly develop, and qualify an Australian female athlete in the skeleton event at the 2006 Torino Winter Olympic Games and quantify the volume of skeleton-specific training and competition that would enable this to be achieved. Initially, 26 athletes were recruited through a talent identification programme based on their 30-m sprint time. After attending a selection camp, 10 athletes were invited to undertake an intensified skeleton training programme. Four of these athletes were then selected to compete for Australia on the World Cup circuit. All completed runs and simulated push starts were documented over a 14-month period. The athlete who eventually represented Australia at the Torino Winter Olympic Games did so following approximately 300 start simulations and about 220 training/competition runs over a period of 14 months. Using a deliberate programming model, these findings provide a guide to the minimum exposure required for a novice skeleton athlete to reach Olympic representative standard following intensified sport-specific training. The findings of this study are discussed in the context of the deliberate practice theory and offer the term "deliberate programming" as an alternative way of incorporating all aspects of expert development.

NMR examinations of the facial skeleton. Pt. 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grodd, W.; Lenz, M.; Baumann, R.; Schroth, G.

1984-01-01

The resolution of NMR and CT was compared using axial sections of the normal anatomic structures of the facial skeleton. Is was shown that NMR was superior in differentiating muscles, tonsils, mucosa, lymph nodes and blood vessels. The demonstration of bone and its differentiation from air-containing spaces is often difficult. Metallic, non-ferromagnetic dental fillings, which cause serious artefacts on CT, do not after NMR. (orig.) [de

Enhancing start performance in the sport of skeleton

OpenAIRE

Colyer, Steffi

2015-01-01

A fast start is considered to be crucial in skeleton with marginal gains in start performance perceived to make meaningful improvements to overall chances of success. Currently, knowledge surrounding the underlying determinants of start performance is sparse and training practices are based on limited scientific evidence. A series of investigations were conducted to advance this understanding.Initial observations revealed similarities between dry-land push-starts and those on ice tracks. Howe...

Morphological analysis of mouse skeleton following AZD4547 treatment

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Dosedělová, Hana; Veselá, Iva; Krejčí, P.; Kunová, M.; Buchtová, Marcela

2015-01-01

Roč. 159, Suppl 1 (2015), s. 58-59 ISSN 1213-8118. [Morphology 2015. International Congress of the Czech Anatomical Society /49./. Lojda Symposium on Histochemistry /52./. 06.09.2015-08.09.2015, Olomouc] R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GA14-31540S Institutional support: RVO:67985904 Keywords : mouse skeleton Subject RIV: EA - Cell Biology

Wave Equation Inversion of Skeletonized SurfaceWaves

KAUST Repository

Zhang, Zhendong

2015-08-19

We present a surface-wave inversion method that inverts for the S-wave velocity from the Rayleigh dispersion curve for the fundamental-mode. We call this wave equation inversion of skeletonized surface waves because the dispersion curve for the fundamental-mode Rayleigh wave is inverted using finite-difference solutions to the wave equation. The best match between the predicted and observed dispersion curves provides the optimal S-wave velocity model. Results with synthetic and field data illustrate the benefits and limitations of this method.

Burden of musculoskeletal disorders in the Eastern Mediterranean Region, 1990–2013: findings from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2013

Science.gov (United States)

Forouzanfar, Mohammad H; Vollset, Stein Emil; El Bcheraoui, Charbel; Daoud, Farah; Afshin, Ashkan; Charara, Raghid; Khalil, Ibrahim; Higashi, Hideki; Abd El Razek, Mohamed Magdy; Kiadaliri, Aliasghar Ahmad; Alam, Khurshid; Akseer, Nadia; Al-Hamad, Nawal; Ali, Raghib; AlMazroa, Mohammad AbdulAziz; Alomari, Mahmoud A; Al-Rabeeah, Abdullah A; Alsharif, Ubai; Altirkawi, Khalid A; Atique, Suleman; Badawi, Alaa; Barrero, Lope H; Basulaiman, Mohammed; Bazargan-Hejazi, Shahrzad; Bedi, Neeraj; Bensenor, Isabela M; Buchbinder, Rachelle; Danawi, Hadi; Dharmaratne, Samath D; Zannad, Faiez; Farvid, Maryam S; Fereshtehnejad, Seyed-Mohammad; Farzadfar, Farshad; Fischer, Florian; Gupta, Rahul; Hamadeh, Randah Ribhi; Hamidi, Samer; Horino, Masako; Hoy, Damian G; Hsairi, Mohamed; Husseini, Abdullatif; Javanbakht, Mehdi; Jonas, Jost B; Kasaeian, Amir; Khan, Ejaz Ahmad; Khubchandani, Jagdish; Knudsen, Ann Kristin; Kopec, Jacek A; Lunevicius, Raimundas; Abd El Razek, Hassan Magdy; Majeed, Azeem; Malekzadeh, Reza; Mate, Kedar; Mehari, Alem; Meltzer, Michele; Memish, Ziad A; Mirarefin, Mojde; Mohammed, Shafiu; Naheed, Aliya; Obermeyer, Carla Makhlouf; Oh, In-Hwan; Park, Eun-Kee; Peprah, Emmanuel Kwame; Pourmalek, Farshad; Qorbani, Mostafa; Rafay, Anwar; Rahimi-Movaghar, Vafa; Shiri, Rahman; Rahman, Sajjad Ur; Rai, Rajesh Kumar; Rana, Saleem M; Sepanlou, Sadaf G; Shaikh, Masood Ali; Shiue, Ivy; Sibai, Abla Mehio; Silva, Diego Augusto Santos; Singh, Jasvinder A; Skogen, Jens Christoffer; Terkawi, Abdullah Sulieman; Ukwaja, Kingsley N; Westerman, Ronny; Yonemoto, Naohiro; Yoon, Seok-Jun; Younis, Mustafa Z; Zaidi, Zoubida; Zaki, Maysaa El Sayed; Lim, Stephen S; Wang, Haidong; Vos, Theo; Naghavi, Mohsen; Lopez, Alan D; Murray, Christopher J L; Mokdad, Ali H

2017-01-01

Objectives We used findings from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2013 to report the burden of musculoskeletal disorders in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR). Methods The burden of musculoskeletal disorders was calculated for the EMR's 22 countries between 1990 and 2013. A systematic analysis was performed on mortality and morbidity data to estimate prevalence, death, years of live lost, years lived with disability and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs). Results For musculoskeletal disorders, the crude DALYs rate per 100 000 increased from 1297.1 (95% uncertainty interval (UI) 924.3–1703.4) in 1990 to 1606.0 (95% UI 1141.2–2130.4) in 2013. During 1990–2013, the total DALYs of musculoskeletal disorders increased by 105.2% in the EMR compared with a 58.0% increase in the rest of the world. The burden of musculoskeletal disorders as a proportion of total DALYs increased from 2.4% (95% UI 1.7–3.0) in 1990 to 4.7% (95% UI 3.6–5.8) in 2013. The range of point prevalence (per 1000) among the EMR countries was 28.2–136.0 for low back pain, 27.3–49.7 for neck pain, 9.7–37.3 for osteoarthritis (OA), 0.6–2.2 for rheumatoid arthritis and 0.1–0.8 for gout. Low back pain and neck pain had the highest burden in EMR countries. Conclusions This study shows a high burden of musculoskeletal disorders, with a faster increase in EMR compared with the rest of the world. The reasons for this faster increase need to be explored. Our findings call for incorporating prevention and control programmes that should include improving health data, addressing risk factors, providing evidence-based care and community programmes to increase awareness. PMID:28209629

An Augmented Fast Marching Method for Computing Skeletons and Centerlines

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Telea, Alexandru; Wijk, Jarke J. van

2002-01-01

We present a simple and robust method for computing skeletons for arbitrary planar objects and centerlines for 3D objects. We augment the Fast Marching Method (FMM) widely used in level set applications by computing the paramterized boundary location every pixel came from during the boundary

Myosin IIA interacts with the spectrin-actin membrane skeleton to control red blood cell membrane curvature and deformability.

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Alyson S; Nowak, Roberta B; Zhou, Sitong; Giannetto, Michael; Gokhin, David S; Papoin, Julien; Ghiran, Ionita C; Blanc, Lionel; Wan, Jiandi; Fowler, Velia M

2018-05-08

The biconcave disk shape and deformability of mammalian RBCs rely on the membrane skeleton, a viscoelastic network of short, membrane-associated actin filaments (F-actin) cross-linked by long, flexible spectrin tetramers. Nonmuscle myosin II (NMII) motors exert force on diverse F-actin networks to control cell shapes, but a function for NMII contractility in the 2D spectrin-F-actin network of RBCs has not been tested. Here, we show that RBCs contain membrane skeleton-associated NMIIA puncta, identified as bipolar filaments by superresolution fluorescence microscopy. MgATP disrupts NMIIA association with the membrane skeleton, consistent with NMIIA motor domains binding to membrane skeleton F-actin and contributing to membrane mechanical properties. In addition, the phosphorylation of the RBC NMIIA heavy and light chains in vivo indicates active regulation of NMIIA motor activity and filament assembly, while reduced heavy chain phosphorylation of membrane skeleton-associated NMIIA indicates assembly of stable filaments at the membrane. Treatment of RBCs with blebbistatin, an inhibitor of NMII motor activity, decreases the number of NMIIA filaments associated with the membrane and enhances local, nanoscale membrane oscillations, suggesting decreased membrane tension. Blebbistatin-treated RBCs also exhibit elongated shapes, loss of membrane curvature, and enhanced deformability, indicating a role for NMIIA contractility in promoting membrane stiffness and maintaining RBC biconcave disk cell shape. As structures similar to the RBC membrane skeleton exist in many metazoan cell types, these data demonstrate a general function for NMII in controlling specialized membrane morphology and mechanical properties through contractile interactions with short F-actin in spectrin-F-actin networks.

Uranium in coral skeletons determined by epithermal neutron activation analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ohde, S.; Hossain, M.M.M.; Ozaki, H.; Masuzawa, T.

2003-01-01

A simple and non-destructive method has been proposed for the routine determination of uranium by epithermal neutron activation analysis in coral skeletons. Using a cadmium capsule, about 0.1-0.2 g samples were irradiated for 6 hours in the Triga Mark II Reactor. Measurements of γ-ray ( 239 Np via 239 U) were performed with each sample and standard after cooling for about three days. Compared with a non-destructive thermal NAA, the present method was found to improve the sensitivity because it reduced the intense Compton background induced by 24 Na. Uranium in coral standards was determined within 2% of analytical precision. The data obtained for the carbonate standards are mostly consistent with reported values. The present method could be usefully applied to determine uranium contents in fossil corals from the Funafuti Atoll in the Pacific. The distribution of uranium between seawater and coral skeletons is also discussed in order to understand the environmental media in which the coral grew. (author)

Skeletonized wave-equation inversion for Q

KAUST Repository

Dutta, Gaurav

2016-09-06

A wave-equation gradient optimization method is presented that inverts for the subsurface Q distribution by minimizing a skeletonized misfit function ε. Here, ε is the sum of the squared differences between the observed and the predicted peak/centroid frequency shifts of the early-arrivals. The gradient is computed by migrating the observed traces weighted by the frequency-shift residuals. The background Q model is perturbed until the predicted and the observed traces have the same peak frequencies or the same centroid frequencies. Numerical tests show that an improved accuracy of the inverted Q model by wave-equation Q tomography (WQ) leads to a noticeable improvement in the migration image quality.

Skeletonized wave-equation inversion for Q

KAUST Repository

Dutta, Gaurav; Schuster, Gerard T.

2016-01-01

A wave-equation gradient optimization method is presented that inverts for the subsurface Q distribution by minimizing a skeletonized misfit function ε. Here, ε is the sum of the squared differences between the observed and the predicted peak/centroid frequency shifts of the early-arrivals. The gradient is computed by migrating the observed traces weighted by the frequency-shift residuals. The background Q model is perturbed until the predicted and the observed traces have the same peak frequencies or the same centroid frequencies. Numerical tests show that an improved accuracy of the inverted Q model by wave-equation Q tomography (WQ) leads to a noticeable improvement in the migration image quality.

CAREGIVER BURDEN AMONG PEOPLE CARING FOR PATIENTS WITH SCHIZOPHRENIA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shivani Bansal

2017-04-01

Full Text Available BACKGROUND Caregivers of patients suffering from mental illness report burden in different areas including effects on family functioning, psychological problems, financial problems and health. The aim of the study is to determine the sociodemographic profile and caregiver burden among caregivers of persons with schizophrenia and to study the effect of patients’ psychopathology on caregiver burden scale. MATERIALS AND METHODS The present study was conducted in the Psychiatry Department, Government Medical College, Amritsar. A sample size of 34 was taken who were primary caregivers (preferably parents or spouse of schizophrenia patients diagnosed using ICD10. Measures included caregiver’s demographic variables and caregiver’s burden using the Zarit burden interview and PANSS scale in patients. Statistical Analysis- Data was analysed using SPSS software version 21. RESULTS The mean age of the caregiver was 42 SD (12.16 years. The majority of the caregivers were parents, married and employed. The mean average score of the responses to Zarit burden interview was (SD=59.52 ± 20.92. Majority of the caregivers experienced severe burden (52.9%, 9 (26.4% caregivers had reported moderate burden and 6 (17.6% had reported mild burden. The mean duration of illness was 6.89 (SD=5.03 years. The level of burden experienced was significantly associated with total PANSS score, negative symptoms, positive symptoms, general psychopathology score and duration of schizophrenia illness (p=0.00. CONCLUSION There is need for psychological assistance and social support for the vulnerable caregivers to help them reduce the burden levels and employ positive coping strategies.

Subjective caregiver burden: validity of the 10-item short version of the Burden Scale for Family Caregivers BSFC-s.

Science.gov (United States)

Graessel, Elmar; Berth, Hendrik; Lichte, Thomas; Grau, Hannes

2014-02-20

Subjective burden is a central variable describing the situation encountered by family caregivers. The 10-item short version of the Burden Scale for Family Caregivers (BSFC-short/BSFC-s) was developed to provide an economical measure of this variable. The present study examined the reliability and validity of the BSFC-s. Comprehensive data from "the IDA project" were the basis of the calculations, which included 351 dyads and examined medical data on people with dementia, interview data from their family caregivers, and health insurance data. A factor analysis was performed to explore the structure of the BSFC-s; Cronbach's alpha was used to evaluate the internal consistency of the scale. The items were analyzed to determine the item difficulty and the discriminatory power. Construct validity was tested with five hypotheses. To establish the predictive validity of the BSFC-s, predictors of institutionalization at a follow-up time of 2.5 years were analyzed (binary logistic regression). The BSFC-s score adhered to a one-factor structure. Cronbach's alpha for the complete scale was .92. A significant increase in the BSFC-s score was observed when dementia progressed, disturbing behavior occurred more frequently, care requirements increased, and when caregivers were diagnosed with depression. Caregiver burden was the second strongest predictor of institutionalization out of a total of four significant predictors. All hypotheses that referred to the construct validity were supported. The BSFC-short with its ten items is a very economical instrument for assessing the caregiver's total subjective burden in a short time frame. The BSFC-s score has predictive validity for the institutionalization of people with dementia. Therefore it is an appropriate outcome measure to evaluate caregiver interventions. The scale is available for free in 20 languages (http://www.caregiver-burden.eu). This availability facilitates the comparison of international research findings.

Continual reassessment method for dose escalation clinical trials in oncology: a comparison of prior skeleton approaches using AZD3514 data.

Science.gov (United States)

James, Gareth D; Symeonides, Stefan N; Marshall, Jayne; Young, Julia; Clack, Glen

2016-08-31

The continual reassessment method (CRM) requires an underlying model of the dose-toxicity relationship ("prior skeleton") and there is limited guidance of what this should be when little is known about this association. In this manuscript the impact of applying the CRM with different prior skeleton approaches and the 3 + 3 method are compared in terms of ability to determine the true maximum tolerated dose (MTD) and number of patients allocated to sub-optimal and toxic doses. Post-hoc dose-escalation analyses on real-life clinical trial data on an early oncology compound (AZD3514), using the 3 + 3 method and CRM using six different prior skeleton approaches. All methods correctly identified the true MTD. The 3 + 3 method allocated six patients to both sub-optimal and toxic doses. All CRM approaches allocated four patients to sub-optimal doses. No patients were allocated to toxic doses from sigmoidal, two from conservative and five from other approaches. Prior skeletons for the CRM for phase 1 clinical trials are proposed in this manuscript and applied to a real clinical trial dataset. Highly accurate initial skeleton estimates may not be essential to determine the true MTD, and, as expected, all CRM methods out-performed the 3 + 3 method. There were differences in performance between skeletons. The choice of skeleton should depend on whether minimizing the number of patients allocated to suboptimal or toxic doses is more important. NCT01162395 , Trial date of first registration: July 13, 2010.

Distribution of 239Pu and 241Am in the human skeleton

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McInroy, J.F.; Swint, M.J.

1984-01-01

The 241 Am and 239 Pu distribution in the skeletons of two former nuclear workers has been measured. The skeletons of both individuals appear to be within normal limits for Caucasian men about 50 y old. Both had lower limb bones that were heavier than the age controls and Case I had upper-body bones that were lighter than the age control group. The distribution of americium in the skeleton of Case I, 25 years post exposure, indicated that a more rapid turnover of initially deposited americium on the bone surfaces of cancellous bone, as compared to that deposited on the bone surfaces of compact bone, had occurred. This resulted in a larger proportion of americium located in the compact bone of the extremities and a lesser quantity in the more cancellous bones of the vertebral column, pelvis and rib cage. A similar shift in the distribution of plutonium occurred in Case II in the 35 y since initial deposition, but at a slower rate than that for americium. The ratio of each actinide in the liver to that in the systemic system (liver content/systemic system content) was 0.065 and 0.436, for americium and plutonium, respectively, suggesting that a much more rapid turnover of americium in the liver, compared to plutonium, provided a much larger fraction of that nuclide for circulatory feedback to the remodeling skeletal system. 8 references, 3 tables

Validity and reliability of Turkish Caregiver Burden Scale among family caregivers of haemodialysis patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Cil Akinci, Ayse; Pinar, Rukiye

2014-02-01

To investigate the validity and reliability of the Caregiver Burden Scale in family members who provide primary care for haemodialysis patients. In Turkey, there is a need for a multi-dimensional instrument to evaluate the caregiver burden in people who provide care for patients with chronic diseases. A methodological study. The study sample consisted of 161 family members who provide primary care for haemodialysis patients. The forward-backward translation method was used to develop the Turkish Caregiver Burden Scale. The reliability was based on internal consistency investigated by Cronbach's alpha and item-total correlation. The factorial construct validity of the scale was tested with confirmatory factor analysis. By means of convergent and divergent validity, correlation between Caregiver Burden Scale and 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) and correlation between Caregiver Burden Scale and the Maslach Burnout Scale were investigated. Cronbach's alpha and item-total correlations results suggested that there was good internal reliability. We found five underlying factors similar to original Scale's five-factor solution. The confirmatory factor analysis five-factor model represented an acceptable fit. Factor loadings were significant, with standardised loadings ranging from 0·43-0·81. By means of divergent validity, all sub-dimension scores and the total score of the Caregiver Burden Scale were negatively correlated with the SF-36, whereas there was a positive correlation with the emotional exhaustion and depersonalisation subscales of the Maslach Burnout Scale as expected. These results suggest that the Caregiver Burden Scale is a reliable and valid instrument which can be used with confidence in Turkish caregivers for haemodialysis patients to screen caregiver burden. The burden experienced by people who provide care for patients with chronic diseases can be evaluated with the Caregiver Burden Scale. Additionally, the Caregiver Burden Scale can be used

Reversibility of Pt-Skin and Pt-Skeleton Nanostructures in Acidic Media.

Science.gov (United States)

Durst, Julien; Lopez-Haro, Miguel; Dubau, Laetitia; Chatenet, Marian; Soldo-Olivier, Yvonne; Guétaz, Laure; Bayle-Guillemaud, Pascale; Maillard, Frédéric

2014-02-06

Following a well-defined series of acid and heat treatments on a benchmark Pt3Co/C sample, three different nanostructures of interest for the electrocatalysis of the oxygen reduction reaction were tailored. These nanostructures could be sorted into the "Pt-skin" structure, made of one pure Pt overlayer, and the "Pt-skeleton" structure, made of 2-3 Pt overlayers surrounding the Pt-Co alloy core. Using a unique combination of high-resolution aberration-corrected STEM-EELS, XRD, EXAFS, and XANES measurements, we provide atomically resolved pictures of these different nanostructures, including measurement of the Pt-shell thickness forming in acidic media and the resulting changes of the bulk and core chemical composition. It is shown that the Pt-skin is reverted toward the Pt-skeleton upon contact with acid electrolyte. This change in structure causes strong variations of the chemical composition.

Historic timber skeleton structures and the local seismic culture

Science.gov (United States)

Bostenaru, M.

2009-04-01

This presentation deals with the employment of timber skeleton structure and the local seismic culture. After the 1755 earthquake in the reconstruction of Lisbon a type of building with timber skeleton and masonry infill called "gaiola pombalina" was promoted, since this was designed to better resists earthquakes. "Gaiola" means cage, and it was also named after the Marques de Pombal who introduced it in the reconstruction following the earthquake. The „gaiola pombalina" presents a timber skeleton with Saint Andrew crosses in the interior walls with masonry infill and thick masonry load bearing walls loosing in thickness to the upper floors in the exterior walls. The masonry can fall out during earthquakes but the building remains staying given the interior timber skeleton. The type of buildings with timber structure and (masonry) infill behaved well in earthquakes in various parts of the earth, like Nepal (the dhaji dewary type), Pakistan, Turkey (the himiş type after the 1999 earthquake) [both latter types were researched by Langenbach, www.conservationtech.com and www.traditional-is-modern.net] and also in Germany after the 1356 earthquake (the Southern German subtype of Fachwerk). Also in Italy a subtype called "casa baraccata" was promoted in a construction code to a similar time (following the 1783 earthquake in Southern Italy, see Tobriner 1983) as that of the "gaiola pombalina", the time of the Baroque, when town planning acquired another status. Unlike at the "gaiola pombalina" the "casa baraccata" the timber skeleton is at the exterior walls. For this reason this type of buildings is considered to be an expression of the local seismic culture. However, this type of buildings is common also for areas where seismic risk is not an issue, like half-timbered in England and the northern subtype of Fachwerk in Northern Germany, and in some high seismic risk regions with mountains and timber resources like Romania is not spread. Given these premises the author

Learning about Skeletons and Other Organ Systems of Vertebrate Animals.

Science.gov (United States)

Tunnicliffe, Sue Dale; Reiss, Michael

1999-01-01

Describes students' (n=175) understandings of the structure of animal (including human) skeletons and the internal organs found in them. Finds that older students have a better knowledge of animals' internal anatomies, although knowledge of human internal structure is significantly better than knowledge of rat, bird, and fish internal structure.…

A Skeleton Based Programming Paradigm for Mobile Multi-Agents on Distributed Systems and Its Realization within the MAGDA Mobile Agents Platform

OpenAIRE

R. Aversa; B. Di Martino; N. Mazzocca; S. Venticinque

2008-01-01

Parallel programming effort can be reduced by using high level constructs such as algorithmic skeletons. Within the MAGDA toolset, supporting programming and execution of mobile agent based distributed applications, we provide a skeleton-based parallel programming environment, based on specialization of Algorithmic Skeleton Java interfaces and classes. Their implementation include mobile agent features for execution on heterogeneous systems, such as clusters of WSs and PCs, and support reliab...

Relationships between family resilience and posttraumatic growth in breast cancer survivors and caregiver burden.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Ye; Li, Yuli; Chen, Lijun; Li, Yurong; Qi, Weiye; Yu, Li

2018-04-01

To examine the relationships between family resilience and posttraumatic growth (PTG) of breast cancer survivors and caregiver burden among principal caregivers in China. Participants in this cross-sectional study comprised 108 women aged 26 to 74 years (M = 49, SD = 9) with early-stage breast cancer and 108 principal caregivers. Participants were recruited from a comprehensive cancer center of a public hospital in Shandong Province, China. The principal caregivers completed the Shortened Chinese Version of the Family Resilience Assessment Scale and the Chinese Version of the Zarit Caregiver Burden Interview; patients completed the Short Form of the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory and questions designed to obtain sociodemographic information. Hierarchical regression analysis was conducted to assess the adjusted association between family resilience and PTG and caregiver burden, while controlling for sociodemographics. Families showed a slightly elevated level of family resilience since the cancer experience, and patients showed a moderate degree of PTG. Principal caregivers reported moderate burden. The Shortened Chinese Version of the Family Resilience Assessment Scale total score was positively related to the Short Form of the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory total score (β = .28, P Caregiver Burden Interview total score (β = -.28, P resilience impacts PTG of breast cancer survivors and caregiver burden. Our findings indicated the necessity of interventions to facilitate family resilience, promote PTG among breast cancer survivors, and decrease family members' caregiver burden. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Stature estimation equations for South Asian skeletons based on DXA scans of contemporary adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Pomeroy, Emma; Mushrif-Tripathy, Veena; Wells, Jonathan C K; Kulkarni, Bharati; Kinra, Sanjay; Stock, Jay T

2018-05-03

Stature estimation from the skeleton is a classic anthropological problem, and recent years have seen the proliferation of population-specific regression equations. Many rely on the anatomical reconstruction of stature from archaeological skeletons to derive regression equations based on long bone lengths, but this requires a collection with very good preservation. In some regions, for example, South Asia, typical environmental conditions preclude the sufficient preservation of skeletal remains. Large-scale epidemiological studies that include medical imaging of the skeleton by techniques such as dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) offer new potential datasets for developing such equations. We derived estimation equations based on known height and bone lengths measured from DXA scans from the Andhra Pradesh Children and Parents Study (Hyderabad, India). Given debates on the most appropriate regression model to use, multiple methods were compared, and the performance of the equations was tested on a published skeletal dataset of individuals with known stature. The equations have standard errors of estimates and prediction errors similar to those derived using anatomical reconstruction or from cadaveric datasets. As measured by the number of significant differences between true and estimated stature, and the prediction errors, the new equations perform as well as, and generally better than, published equations commonly used on South Asian skeletons or based on Indian cadaveric datasets. This study demonstrates the utility of DXA scans as a data source for developing stature estimation equations and offer a new set of equations for use with South Asian datasets. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Entheseal changes and pathological lesions in draught reindeer skeletons - Four case studies from present-day Siberia.

Science.gov (United States)

Salmi, Anna-Kaisa; Niinimäki, Sirpa

2016-09-01

Draught use and being ridden often result in typical pathological patterns in animal skeletons. Moreover, physical activity patterns may be reflected in bone biomechanical properties and entheseal changes at muscle attachment sites. This paper presents the pathologies and entheseal changes observed in four draught and/or racing reindeer skeletons against information on their life histories and discusses the probability of linking the observed changes to their use. The results of this study are a useful point of comparison to researchers working on reindeer and other species of draught animals. However, our results also emphasize that entheseal changes and many pathologies have multifactorial etiologies and that interpretation of skeletal change patterns is not straightforward, even when there is information on the life history of the animal and its complete skeleton can be examined. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Skeleton tables of burnout heat flux

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kirillov, P.L.; Bobkov, V.P.; Boltenko, Eh.A.; Vinogradov, V.N.; Katan, I.B.; Smogalev, I.P.

1991-01-01

New methods of generating and arranging new reference data on critical thermal flux density during steam and water mixture flow in vertical round fubes are discussed. The modern requirements to such data include the assessment of data reliability and error, internal agreement, validation by physical and mathematical models, verification using a large amount of experimental results. The available reference data feature a number of drawbacks: they are not accurate enough and are limited by the parameters; other data feature a significant spread in values at the neighbouring values of parameters, discrepancy with the experimental results, not always substantiated extrapolations. A new version of skeleton tables, which are free from a major part of above disadvantages, is proposed

Global burden of human mycetoma: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wendy W J van de Sande

2013-11-01

Full Text Available Mycetoma is a chronic infectious disease of the subcutaneous tissue with a high morbidity. This disease has been reported from countries between 30°N and 15°S since 1840 but the exact burden of disease is not known. It is currently unknown what the incidence, prevalence and the number of reported cases per year per country is. In order to estimate what the global burden of mycetoma is, a meta-analysis was performed. In total 50 studies were included, which resulted in a total of 8763 mycetoma cases. Most cases were found in men between 11 and 40 years of age. The foot was most commonly affected. Most cases were reported from Mexico, Sudan and India. Madurella mycetomatis was the most prevalent causative agent world-wide, followed by Actinomadura madurae, Streptomyces somaliensis, Actinomadura pelletieri, Nocardia brasiliensis and Nocardia asteroides. Although this study represents a first indication of the global burden on mycetoma, the actual burden is probably much higher. In this study only cases reported to literature could be used and most of these cases were found by searching archives from a single hospital in a single city of that country. By erecting (international surveillance programs a more accurate estimation of the global burden on mycetoma can be obtained.

Hybrid Compounds Strategy in the Synthesis of Oleanolic Acid Skeleton-NSAID Derivatives

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Anna Pawełczyk

2016-04-01

Full Text Available The current study focuses on the synthesis of several hybrid individuals combining a natural oleanolic acid skeleton and synthetic nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug moieties (NSAIDs. It studied structural modifications of the oleanolic acid structure by use of the direct reactivity of hydroxyl or hydroxyimino groups at position C-3 of the triterpenoid skeleton with the carboxylic function of anti-inflammatory drugs leading to new perspective compounds with high potential pharmacological activities. Novel ester- and iminoester-type derivatives of oleanolic unit with the different NSAIDs, such as ibuprofen, aspirin, naproxen, and ketoprofen, were obtained and characterized. Moreover, preliminary research of compounds obtaining structure stability under acidic conditions was examined and the PASS method of prediction of activity spectra for substances was used to estimate the potential biological activity of these compounds.

Oldest skeleton of a plesiadapiform provides additional evidence for an exclusively arboreal radiation of stem primates in the Palaeocene

Science.gov (United States)

Chester, Stephen G. B.; Williamson, Thomas E.; Bloch, Jonathan I.; Silcox, Mary T.; Sargis, Eric J.

2017-05-01

Palaechthonid plesiadapiforms from the Palaeocene of western North America have long been recognized as among the oldest and most primitive euarchontan mammals, a group that includes extant primates, colugos and treeshrews. Despite their relatively sparse fossil record, palaechthonids have played an important role in discussions surrounding adaptive scenarios for primate origins for nearly a half-century. Likewise, palaechthonids have been considered important for understanding relationships among plesiadapiforms, with members of the group proposed as plausible ancestors of Paromomyidae and Microsyopidae. Here, we describe a dentally associated partial skeleton of Torrejonia wilsoni from the early Palaeocene (approx. 62 Ma) of New Mexico, which is the oldest known plesiadapiform skeleton and the first postcranial elements recovered for a palaechthonid. Results from a cladistic analysis that includes new data from this skeleton suggest that palaechthonids are a paraphyletic group of stem primates, and that T. wilsoni is most closely related to paromomyids. New evidence from the appendicular skeleton of T. wilsoni fails to support an influential hypothesis based on inferences from craniodental morphology that palaechthonids were terrestrial. Instead, the postcranium of T. wilsoni indicates that it was similar to that of all other plesiadapiforms for which skeletons have been recovered in having distinct specializations consistent with arboreality.

Burden of Diarrhea in the Eastern Mediterranean Region, 1990–2013: Findings from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2013

Science.gov (United States)

Khalil, Ibrahim; Colombara, Danny V.; Forouzanfar, Mohammad Hossein; Troeger, Christopher; Daoud, Farah; Moradi-Lakeh, Maziar; El Bcheraoui, Charbel; Rao, Puja C.; Afshin, Ashkan; Charara, Raghid; Abate, Kalkidan Hassen; El Razek, Mohammed Magdy Abd; Abd-Allah, Foad; Abu-Elyazeed, Remon; Kiadaliri, Aliasghar Ahmad; Akanda, Ali Shafqat; Akseer, Nadia; Alam, Khurshid; Alasfoor, Deena; Ali, Raghib; AlMazroa, Mohammad A.; Alomari, Mahmoud A.; Al-Raddadi, Rajaa Mohammad Salem; Alsharif, Ubai; Alsowaidi, Shirina; Altirkawi, Khalid A.; Alvis-Guzman, Nelson; Ammar, Walid; Antonio, Carl Abelardo T.; Asayesh, Hamid; Asghar, Rana Jawad; Atique, Suleman; Awasthi, Ashish; Bacha, Umar; Badawi, Alaa; Barac, Aleksandra; Bedi, Neeraj; Bekele, Tolesa; Bensenor, Isabela M.; Betsu, Balem Demtsu; Bhutta, Zulfiqar; Bin Abdulhak, Aref A.; Butt, Zahid A.; Danawi, Hadi; Dubey, Manisha; Endries, Aman Yesuf; Faghmous, Imad D. A.; Farid, Talha; Farvid, Maryam S.; Farzadfar, Farshad; Fereshtehnejad, Seyed-Mohammad; Fischer, Florian; Fitchett, Joseph Robert Anderson; Gibney, Katherine B.; Ginawi, Ibrahim Abdelmageem Mohamed; Gishu, Melkamu Dedefo; Gugnani, Harish Chander; Gupta, Rahul; Hailu, Gessessew Bugssa; Hamadeh, Randah Ribhi; Hamidi, Samer; Harb, Hilda L.; Hedayati, Mohammad T.; Hsairi, Mohamed; Husseini, Abdullatif; Jahanmehr, Nader; Javanbakht, Mehdi; Jibat, Tariku; Jonas, Jost B.; Kasaeian, Amir; Khader, Yousef Saleh; Khan, Abdur Rahman; Khan, Ejaz Ahmad; Khan, Gulfaraz; Khoja, Tawfik Ahmed Muthafer; Kinfu, Yohannes; Kissoon, Niranjan; Koyanagi, Ai; Lal, Aparna; Latif, Asma Abdul Abdul; Lunevicius, Raimundas; El Razek, Hassan Magdy Abd; Majeed, Azeem; Malekzadeh, Reza; Mehari, Alem; Mekonnen, Alemayehu B.; Melaku, Yohannes Adama; Memish, Ziad A.; Mendoza, Walter; Misganaw, Awoke; Mohamed, Layla Abdalla Ibrahim; Nachega, Jean B.; Le Nguyen, Quyen; Nisar, Muhammad Imran; Peprah, Emmanuel Kwame; Platts-Mills, James A.; Pourmalek, Farshad; Qorbani, Mostafa; Rafay, Anwar; Rahimi-Movaghar, Vafa; Ur Rahman, Sajjad; Rai, Rajesh Kumar; Rana, Saleem M.; Ranabhat, Chhabi L.; Rao, Sowmya R.; Refaat, Amany H.; Riddle, Mark; Roshandel, Gholamreza; Ruhago, George Mugambage; Saleh, Muhammad Muhammad; Sanabria, Juan R.; Sawhney, Monika; Sepanlou, Sadaf G.; Setegn, Tesfaye; Sliwa, Karen; Sreeramareddy, Chandrashekhar T.; Sykes, Bryan L.; Tavakkoli, Mohammad; Tedla, Bemnet Amare; Terkawi, Abdullah S.; Ukwaja, Kingsley; Uthman, Olalekan A.; Westerman, Ronny; Wubshet, Mamo; Yenesew, Muluken A.; Yonemoto, Naohiro; Younis, Mustafa Z.; Zaidi, Zoubida; Zaki, Maysaa El Sayed; Al Rabeeah, Abdullah A.; Wang, Haidong; Naghavi, Mohsen; Vos, Theo; Lopez, Alan D.; Murray, Christopher J. L.; Mokdad, Ali H.

2016-01-01

Diarrheal diseases (DD) are leading causes of disease burden, death, and disability, especially in children in low-income settings. DD can also impact a child's potential livelihood through stunted physical growth, cognitive impairment, and other sequelae. As part of the Global Burden of Disease Study, we estimated DD burden, and the burden attributable to specific risk factors and particular etiologies, in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) between 1990 and 2013. For both sexes and all ages, we calculated disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), which are the sum of years of life lost and years lived with disability. We estimate that over 125,000 deaths (3.6% of total deaths) were due to DD in the EMR in 2013, with a greater burden of DD in low- and middle-income countries. Diarrhea deaths per 100,000 children under 5 years of age ranged from one (95% uncertainty interval [UI] = 0–1) in Bahrain and Oman to 471 (95% UI = 245–763) in Somalia. The pattern for diarrhea DALYs among those under 5 years of age closely followed that for diarrheal deaths. DALYs per 100,000 ranged from 739 (95% UI = 520–989) in Syria to 40,869 (95% UI = 21,540–65,823) in Somalia. Our results highlighted a highly inequitable burden of DD in EMR, mainly driven by the lack of access to proper resources such as water and sanitation. Our findings will guide preventive and treatment interventions which are based on evidence and which follow the ultimate goal of reducing the DD burden. PMID:27928080

Global economic burden of schizophrenia: a systematic review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chong HY

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Huey Yi Chong,1 Siew Li Teoh,1 David Bin-Chia Wu,1 Surachai Kotirum,1 Chiun-Fang Chiou,2 Nathorn Chaiyakunapruk1,3–5 1School of Pharmacy, Monash University Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia; 2Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies Asia Pacific, Singapore; 3Center of Pharmaceutical Outcomes Research (CPOR, Department of Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, Thailand; 4School of Pharmacy, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA; 5School of Population Health, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia Background: Schizophrenia is one of the top 25 leading causes of disability worldwide in 2013. Despite its low prevalence, its health, social, and economic burden has been tremendous, not only for patients but also for families, caregivers, and the wider society. The magnitude of disease burden investigated in an economic burden study is an important source to policymakers in decision making. This study aims to systematically identify studies focusing on the economic burden of schizophrenia, describe the methods and data sources used, and summarize the findings of economic burden of schizophrenia. Methods: A systematic review was performed for economic burden studies in schizophrenia using four electronic databases (Medline, EMBASE, PsycINFO, and EconLit from inception to August 31, 2014. Results: A total of 56 articles were included in this review. More than 80% of the studies were conducted in high-income countries. Most studies had undertaken a retrospective- and prevalence-based study design. The bottom-up approach was commonly employed to determine cost, while human capital method was used for indirect cost estimation. Database and literature were the most commonly used data sources in cost estimation in high-income countries, while chart review and interview were the main data sources in low and middle-income countries. Annual costs for the schizophrenia population in the country ranged from US$94

Use of trepanofiopsis for determining 90 Sr and Ca in skeleton of horned cattle during its live time

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sirotkin, A.N.; Sarapul'tsev, I.A.

1977-01-01

A method for in vivo determination of strontium 90 and calcium in the skeleton of cattle from radiometric and chemical analyses of bone tissue obtained on trepanobiopsy of the ilium was developed. Statistical processing of experimental data showed that in cows which had been receiving strontium 90 and calcium in their ration from the birth to the age of 12 the ratio of strontium 90 and calcium concentrations in the bone tissue of the trapanate and skeleton is independent of the animals' age. It was established that the spongy bone tissue of the ilium crest of different age cattle contains 20 wt.% more strontium 90 and 20 wt.% less calcium than their average concentration in the whole skeleton

Knowns and unknowns on burden of disease due to chemicals: a systematic review

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Bertollini Roberto

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Continuous exposure to many chemicals, including through air, water, food, or other media and products results in health impacts which have been well assessed, however little is known about the total disease burden related to chemicals. This is important to know for overall policy actions and priorities. In this article the known burden related to selected chemicals or their mixtures, main data gaps, and the link to public health policy are reviewed. Methods A systematic review of the literature for global burden of disease estimates from chemicals was conducted. Global disease due to chemicals was estimated using standard methodology of the Global Burden of Disease. Results In total, 4.9 million deaths (8.3% of total and 86 million Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALYs (5.7% of total were attributable to environmental exposure and management of selected chemicals in 2004. The largest contributors include indoor smoke from solid fuel use, outdoor air pollution and second-hand smoke, with 2.0, 1.2 and 0.6 million deaths annually. These are followed by occupational particulates, chemicals involved in acute poisonings, and pesticides involved in self-poisonings, with 375,000, 240,000 and 186,000 annual deaths, respectively. Conclusions The known burden due to chemicals is considerable. This information supports decision-making in programmes having a role to play in reducing human exposure to toxic chemicals. These figures present only a number of chemicals for which data are available, therefore, they are more likely an underestimate of the actual burden. Chemicals with known health effects, such as dioxins, cadmium, mercury or chronic exposure to pesticides could not be included in this article due to incomplete data and information. Effective public health interventions are known to manage chemicals and limit their public health impacts and should be implemented at national and international levels.

Knowns and unknowns on burden of disease due to chemicals: a systematic review

Science.gov (United States)

2011-01-01

Background Continuous exposure to many chemicals, including through air, water, food, or other media and products results in health impacts which have been well assessed, however little is known about the total disease burden related to chemicals. This is important to know for overall policy actions and priorities. In this article the known burden related to selected chemicals or their mixtures, main data gaps, and the link to public health policy are reviewed. Methods A systematic review of the literature for global burden of disease estimates from chemicals was conducted. Global disease due to chemicals was estimated using standard methodology of the Global Burden of Disease. Results In total, 4.9 million deaths (8.3% of total) and 86 million Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALYs) (5.7% of total) were attributable to environmental exposure and management of selected chemicals in 2004. The largest contributors include indoor smoke from solid fuel use, outdoor air pollution and second-hand smoke, with 2.0, 1.2 and 0.6 million deaths annually. These are followed by occupational particulates, chemicals involved in acute poisonings, and pesticides involved in self-poisonings, with 375,000, 240,000 and 186,000 annual deaths, respectively. Conclusions The known burden due to chemicals is considerable. This information supports decision-making in programmes having a role to play in reducing human exposure to toxic chemicals. These figures present only a number of chemicals for which data are available, therefore, they are more likely an underestimate of the actual burden. Chemicals with known health effects, such as dioxins, cadmium, mercury or chronic exposure to pesticides could not be included in this article due to incomplete data and information. Effective public health interventions are known to manage chemicals and limit their public health impacts and should be implemented at national and international levels. PMID:21255392

Modified Alizarin Red S-Alcian Blue Staining for Reptilian Skeleton

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Muhammad Ja’far Luthfi

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Skeletal staining is an important method in anatomical study. The aim of the research was to develop staining and clearing method of Reptilian skeleton using Alizarin Red S-Alcian Blue. The specimen were eviscerated, fixed, stained, cleared, and keep in glycerine solution. This modified double-staining has successfully stain bone and cartilage of Reptilian.

Caregiver burden among relatives of patients with schizophrenia in Katsina, Nigeria

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abdulkareem Jika Yusuf

2009-06-01

Full Text Available Objective: Caring for patients’ with schizophrenia leads to an enormous burden on the caregivers. However, the magnitude of this problem remains largely unknown in Sub-Saharan Africa. The objective of this study was to determine the burden of care giving among relatives of patients with schizophrenia. Materials and method: A total of 129 primary care-givers of patients with schizophrenia attending out-patient clinic of Katsina state Psychiatric Hospital were interviewed using a socio-demographic data collection sheet and Zarith Burden Interview (ZBI. Data obtained was analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 13. Results: The mean age of the respondents was 45.07±8.91. Majority of the caregivers are females. High level of burden was found in 47.3% of the respondents. The level of burden experienced was significantly associated with place of residence and family size. Conclusion: Schizophrenia is associated with high level of caregiver burden and effort should be made at alleviating this burden for better out come in both the patients and caregivers.

Response Burden in Official Business Surveys: Measurement and Reduction Practices of National Statistical Institutes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bavdaž Mojca

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Response burden in business surveys has long been a concern for National Statistical Institutes (NSIs for three types of reasons: political reasons, because response burden is part of the total administrative burden governments impose on businesses; methodological reasons, because an excessive response burden may reduce data quality and increase data-collection costs; and strategic reasons, because it affects relations between the NSIs and the business community. This article investigates NSI practices concerning business response burden measurement and reduction actions based on a survey of 41 NSIs from 39 countries. Most NSIs monitor at least some burden aspects and have implemented some actions to reduce burden, but large differences exist between NSIs’ methodologies for burden measurement and actions taken to reduce burden. Future research should find ways to deal with methodological differences in burden conceptualization, operationalization, and measurement, and provide insights into the effectiveness and efficiency of burden-reduction actions.

On the skeleton method and an application to a quantum scissor

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Cornean, Horia; Duclos, P.; Ricaud, B.

2008-01-01

In the spectral analysis of few one dimensional quantum particles interacting through delta potentials it is well known that one can recast the problem into the spectral analysis of an integral operator (the skeleton) living on the submanifold which supports the delta interactions. We shall prese...

Skeletonized inversion of surface wave: Active source versus controlled noise comparison

KAUST Repository

Li, Jing; Hanafy, Sherif

2016-01-01

We have developed a skeletonized inversion method that inverts the S-wave velocity distribution from surface-wave dispersion curves. Instead of attempting to fit every wiggle in the surface waves with predicted data, it only inverts the picked dispersion curve, thereby mitigating the problem of getting stuck in a local minimum. We have applied this method to a synthetic model and seismic field data from Qademah fault, located at the western side of Saudi Arabia. For comparison, we have performed dispersion analysis for an active and controlled noise source seismic data that had some receivers in common with the passive array. The active and passive data show good agreement in the dispersive characteristics. Our results demonstrated that skeletonized inversion can obtain reliable 1D and 2D S-wave velocity models for our geologic setting. A limitation is that we need to build layered initial model to calculate the Jacobian matrix, which is time consuming.

Skeletonized inversion of surface wave: Active source versus controlled noise comparison

KAUST Repository

Li, Jing

2016-07-14

We have developed a skeletonized inversion method that inverts the S-wave velocity distribution from surface-wave dispersion curves. Instead of attempting to fit every wiggle in the surface waves with predicted data, it only inverts the picked dispersion curve, thereby mitigating the problem of getting stuck in a local minimum. We have applied this method to a synthetic model and seismic field data from Qademah fault, located at the western side of Saudi Arabia. For comparison, we have performed dispersion analysis for an active and controlled noise source seismic data that had some receivers in common with the passive array. The active and passive data show good agreement in the dispersive characteristics. Our results demonstrated that skeletonized inversion can obtain reliable 1D and 2D S-wave velocity models for our geologic setting. A limitation is that we need to build layered initial model to calculate the Jacobian matrix, which is time consuming.

Biology of bone and how it orchestrates the form and function of the skeleton

Science.gov (United States)

Sommerfeldt, D. W.; Rubin, C. T.

2001-01-01

The principal role of the skeleton is to provide structural support for the body. While the skeleton also serves as the body's mineral reservoir, the mineralized structure is the very basis of posture, opposes muscular contraction resulting in motion, withstands functional load bearing, and protects internal organs. Although the mass and morphology of the skeleton is defined, to some extent, by genetic determinants, it is the tissue's ability to remodel--the local resorption and formation of bone--which is responsible for achieving this intricate balance between competing responsibilities. The aim of this review is to address bone's form-function relationship, beginning with extensive research in the musculoskeletal disciplines, and focusing on several recent cellular and molecular discoveries which help understand the complex interdependence of bone cells, growth factors, physical stimuli, metabolic demands, and structural responsibilities. With a clinical and spine-oriented audience in mind, the principles of bone cell and molecular biology and physiology are presented, and an attempt has been made to incorporate epidemiologic data and therapeutic implications. Bone research remains interdisciplinary by nature, and a deeper understanding of bone biology will ultimately lead to advances in the treatment of diseases and injuries to bone itself.

Increase in accumulation of strontium-90 in the maternal skeleton during pregnancy and lactation: analysis of the Techa River data

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tolstykh, Evgenia I.; Shagina, Natalia B.; Degteva, Marina O. [Urals Research Center for Radiation Medicine, Chelyabinsk (Russian Federation)

2014-08-15

The unique contamination of the Techa River (Southern Urals, Russia) in the 1950s by long-lived {sup 90}Sr allows investigation of the accumulation of bone-seeking elements in humans. This study is based on information compiled at the Urals Research Center for Radiation Medicine (Chelyabinsk, Russia) over a long period of time. It includes the results of in vivo measurements of {sup 90}Sr-body burden with a whole body counter (WBC), data on personal medical examinations and residence and family histories. Data on 185 women from two Techa riverside villages Muslyumovo and Brodokalmak were selected. The settlements differ in terms of {sup 90}Sr diet intake (higher in Muslyumovo than in Brodokalmak) and ethnicity (residents were mainly Slavs in Brodokalmak and Turkic in Muslyumovo). Results of a total of 555 WBC measurements performed in 1974-1997 were available for the women studied; maximum measured values reached 40 kBq/body. The women from each settlement were subdivided into three groups according to their childbearing history: pregnancy and lactation occurred (1) during the period of maximal {sup 90}Sr intake (1950-1951); (2) after the period of maximal intake and (3) before this period or women who were childless. An increase was found in accumulation of {sup 90}Sr in maternal skeleton during pregnancy and lactation (group 1) by a factor of 1.5-2 in comparison with non-pregnant, non-lactating women. This result was found in both Muslyumovo and Brodokalmak samples. An increase in accumulation of toxic elements in pregnant/lactating women is associated with increased radiation/toxic doses and risk for the women's health. (orig.)

Embryonic skeleton development and neonatal learning and memory ability of rats anesthetized with pentobarbital sodium: Differences of administration occasion and time

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Changling Peng; Yuhua Zhu; Ankang Hu; Xiaorong Zhu

2006-01-01

BACKGROUND : Generally speaking, anesthesia is often used in gravid body and it has been already proved that many kind of medicine can result in malformation.OBJECTIVE: To explore embryonic skeleton development and neonatal learning and memory of rats anesthetized with pentobarbital sodium in gravid rats.DESIGN: A randomized control trial.SETTING: Laboratory Animal Center of Xuzhou Medical College.MATERIALS: A total of 80 adult female SD rats, of clean grade and weighing 220-240 g, were selected in this study. The main reagents were detailed as follows: pentobarbital sodium (Shanghai Xingzhi Chemical Plant,batch number: 921019); MG-2 maze test apparatus (Zhangjiagang Biomedical Instrument Factory);somatotype microscope (Beijing Taike Instrument Co., Ltd.).METHODS: ① A total of 160 SD rats of half males and females were selected in this study. All rats were copulated. The day that the plug was checked out in the vagina next day was looked as the first day of pregnancy. Gravid rats were divided randomly into four groups, including early anesthesia group, second anesthesia group, late anesthesia group and control group with 20 in each group. Rats in the early anesthesia group were injected with 25 mg/kg soluble pentobarbitone on the 7th day of pregnancy for once; rats in the second anesthesia group were anesthetized with 25 mg/kg soluble pentobarbitone on the 7th and the 14th days of pregnancy for once; rats in the late anesthesia group were anesthetized with 25 mg/kg soluble pentobarbitone on the 14th day of pregnancy for once; rats in the control group did not treat with anything. The time of anesthetizing was controlled in 3 to 4 hours and ether was absorbed while the time was not enough. ②Half of each group was sacrificed on day 20th of pregnancy and the fetus was taken out to be stained with alizarin red S. After stained, the fetal skeleton was examined. The learning and memorizing of one-month rats that were given birth by the rest gravid rats were tested

MRI of the marrow in the paediatric skeleton

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Foster, K.; Chapman, S.; Johnson, K.

2004-01-01

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has greatly advanced evaluation of marrow diseases of the paediatric skeleton. As with many other aspects of paediatric radiology it is important to recognize the normal variations in the appearance of the marrow that occur in the growing child. These normal variations need to be differentiated from diseases and conditions that affect the marrow. This review describes the normal changes that occur in children with age, and the appearances of the pathological changes seen in infection, infiltration, haematological disorders, transplantation and radiation therapy

A preliminary study into the economic burden of cerebral palsy in China.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Bin; Chen, Yingyao; Zhang, Jie; Li, Jun; Guo, Yan; Hailey, David

2008-08-01

To measure the economic burden of cerebral palsy (CP) in China is to provide information on CP's societal impacts to policy-makers. The economic burden of CP includes direct healthcare costs, direct non-healthcare costs, developmental costs and indirect costs such as productivity loss. The incidence approach is employed to estimate the lifetime economic burden of a new CP birth and that of all new cases in China in 2003. Caregivers of 319 CP patients were interviewed in specialty hospitals in five cities in 2004. Average expenditure and utilization rates for different services by age groups from this sample were obtained to estimate the economic burden of CP. Chinese CP patients' life expectancy and survival rate were simulated with reference to Australian data with Human Development Index adjustment. From the societal perspective, the average lifetime economic burden of a new CP case in China was US$ 67,044 in 2003, and the life-span total economic loss due to all new CP cases in 2003 amounted to US$ 2-4 billion. Indirect (productivity) costs are responsible for 93% of total economic loss, and direct healthcare and developmental costs make up 3% each. There are several factors which contribute to the extraordinarily high economic burden of CP, including productivity loss, reduced life expectancy, dependency, progressive deterioration of motor physical function, and recurrent use of rehabilitation services. The economic burden of CP in China is substantial for the family of a CP patient, as well as to society. Public provision and financing of necessary preventive and rehabilitative services is urgently needed to mitigate this heavy burden for patients and their families.

Sea urchin skeleton: Structure, composition, and application as a template for biomimetic materials

Science.gov (United States)

Shapkin, Nikolay P.; Khalchenko, Irina G.; Panasenko, Alexander E.; Drozdov, Anatoly L.

2017-07-01

SEM and optical microscopy, chemical and EDX analysis, XRD, and FT-IR spectroscopy of three sea urchins skeletons (tests) show that the test is a spongy stereom, consisting of calcite with high content of magnesium. The tests are composed of mineral-organic composite of calcite-magnesite crystals, coated with organic film, containing silicon in form of polyphenylsiloxane. In the test of sea urchin pore spaces are linked into united system of regular structure with structure motive period about 20 um. This developed three-dimensional structure was used as a template for polymer material based on polyferrofenilsiloxane [OSiC6H5OH]x[OSiC6H5O]y[OFeO]z, which is chemically similar to the native film, coating sea urchins skeleton.

A step forward for understanding the morbidity burden in Guinea: a national descriptive study

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Hu Guoqing

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Little evidence on the burden of disease has been reported about Guinea. This study was conducted to demonstrate the morbidity burden in Guinea and provide basic evidence for setting health priorities. Methods A retrospective descriptive study was designed to present the morbidity burden of Guinea. Morbidity data were extracted from the National Health Statistics Report of Guinea of 2008. The data are collected based on a pyramid of facilities which includes two national hospitals (teaching hospitals, seven regional hospitals, 26 prefectural hospitals, 8 communal medical centers, 390 health centers, and 628 health posts. Morbidity rates were calculated to measure the burden of non-fatal diseases. The contributions of the 10 leading diseases were presented by sex and age group. Results In 2008, a total of 3,936,599 cases occurred. The morbidity rate for males was higher than for females, 461 versus 332 per 1,000 population. Malaria, respiratory infections, diarrheal diseases, helminthiases, and malnutrition ranked in the first 5 places and accounted for 74% of the total burden, respectively having a rate of 148, 64, 33, 32, and 14 per 1,000 population. The elderly aged 65+ had the highest morbidity rate (611 per 1,000 population followed by working-age population (458 per 1,000 population and children (396 per 1,000 population while the working-age population aged 25-64 contributed the largest part (39% to total cases. The sex- and age-specific spectrum of morbidity burden showed a similar profile except for small variations. Conclusion Guinea has its unique morbidity burden. The ten leading causes of morbidity burden, especially for malaria, respiratory infections, diarrheal diseases, helminthiases, and malnutrition, need to be prioritized in Guinea.

Some Physical, Chemical, and Biological Parameters of Samples of Scleractinium Coral Aquaculture Skeleton Used for Reconstruction/Engineering of the Bone Tissue.

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Popov, A A; Sergeeva, N S; Britaev, T A; Komlev, V S; Sviridova, I K; Kirsanova, V A; Akhmedova, S A; Dgebuadze, P Yu; Teterina, A Yu; Kuvshinova, E A; Schanskii, Ya D

2015-08-01

Physical and chemical (phase and chemical composition, dynamics of resorption, and strength properties), and biological (cytological compatibility and scaffold properties of the surface) properties of samples of scleractinium coral skeletons from aquacultures of three types and corresponding samples of natural coral skeletons (Pocillopora verrucosa, Acropora formosa, and Acropora nobilis) were studied. Samples of scleractinium coral aquaculture skeleton of A. nobilis, A. formosa, and P. verrucosa met the requirements (all study parameters) to materials for osteoplasty and 3D-scaffolds for engineering of bone tissue.

Average geodesic distance of skeleton networks of Sierpinski tetrahedron

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Jinjin; Wang, Songjing; Xi, Lifeng; Ye, Yongchao

2018-04-01

The average distance is concerned in the research of complex networks and is related to Wiener sum which is a topological invariant in chemical graph theory. In this paper, we study the skeleton networks of the Sierpinski tetrahedron, an important self-similar fractal, and obtain their asymptotic formula for average distances. To provide the formula, we develop some technique named finite patterns of integral of geodesic distance on self-similar measure for the Sierpinski tetrahedron.

The economic burden of kidney disorders in Korea.

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Kim, Ju Hee; Ho, Seung Hee; Kim, Hyun-Jin; Lee, Sol

2018-03-01

To estimate the economic burden of kidney disorders in Korea. The economic burden of kidney disorders was estimated using a prevalence-based approach. Related kidney diseases in patients with kidney disorders (RPWKD) were defined using codes from the tenth International Classification of Disease (E70-E90, F30-F48, F60-F69, F90-F99, K65-K67, N00-N08, N17-N19, and N30-N39). All diseases in patients with kidney disorders (APWKD) were defined as kidney disorders that involved all disease codes. Economic costs were divided into direct costs (medical costs and non-medical costs) and indirect costs (productivity loss because of morbidity and premature mortality). The prevalence of kidney disorders increased from 0.08% (2008) to 0.11% (2011). The total economic burden of RPWKD also substantially increased from $898.9 million (2008) to $1.43 billion (2011). This ∼59.4% increase in the economic burden was equal to 0.12% of the Korean gross domestic product. The economic burden of APWKD also increased during the study period: $1.06 billion (2008), $1.23 billion (2009), $1.44 billion (2010), and $1.46 billion (2011). The present study provides the first data regarding the economic burden of kidney disorders in Korea. The findings support the need for early intervention services and prevention programs to prevent, identify, and manage kidney disorders.

Modeling of the axon membrane skeleton structure and implications for its mechanical properties.

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Yihao Zhang

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Super-resolution microscopy recently revealed that, unlike the soma and dendrites, the axon membrane skeleton is structured as a series of actin rings connected by spectrin filaments that are held under tension. Currently, the structure-function relationship of the axonal structure is unclear. Here, we used atomic force microscopy (AFM to show that the stiffness of the axon plasma membrane is significantly higher than the stiffnesses of dendrites and somata. To examine whether the structure of the axon plasma membrane determines its overall stiffness, we introduced a coarse-grain molecular dynamics model of the axon membrane skeleton that reproduces the structure identified by super-resolution microscopy. Our proposed computational model accurately simulates the median value of the Young's modulus of the axon plasma membrane determined by atomic force microscopy. It also predicts that because the spectrin filaments are under entropic tension, the thermal random motion of the voltage-gated sodium channels (Nav, which are bound to ankyrin particles, a critical axonal protein, is reduced compared to the thermal motion when spectrin filaments are held at equilibrium. Lastly, our model predicts that because spectrin filaments are under tension, any axonal injuries that lacerate spectrin filaments will likely lead to a permanent disruption of the membrane skeleton due to the inability of spectrin filaments to spontaneously form their initial under-tension configuration.

Modeling of the axon membrane skeleton structure and implications for its mechanical properties.

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Zhang, Yihao; Abiraman, Krithika; Li, He; Pierce, David M; Tzingounis, Anastasios V; Lykotrafitis, George

2017-02-01

Super-resolution microscopy recently revealed that, unlike the soma and dendrites, the axon membrane skeleton is structured as a series of actin rings connected by spectrin filaments that are held under tension. Currently, the structure-function relationship of the axonal structure is unclear. Here, we used atomic force microscopy (AFM) to show that the stiffness of the axon plasma membrane is significantly higher than the stiffnesses of dendrites and somata. To examine whether the structure of the axon plasma membrane determines its overall stiffness, we introduced a coarse-grain molecular dynamics model of the axon membrane skeleton that reproduces the structure identified by super-resolution microscopy. Our proposed computational model accurately simulates the median value of the Young's modulus of the axon plasma membrane determined by atomic force microscopy. It also predicts that because the spectrin filaments are under entropic tension, the thermal random motion of the voltage-gated sodium channels (Nav), which are bound to ankyrin particles, a critical axonal protein, is reduced compared to the thermal motion when spectrin filaments are held at equilibrium. Lastly, our model predicts that because spectrin filaments are under tension, any axonal injuries that lacerate spectrin filaments will likely lead to a permanent disruption of the membrane skeleton due to the inability of spectrin filaments to spontaneously form their initial under-tension configuration.

The origin and diversification of the developmental mechanisms that pattern the vertebrate head skeleton.

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Square, Tyler; Jandzik, David; Romášek, Marek; Cerny, Robert; Medeiros, Daniel Meulemans

2017-07-15

The apparent evolvability of the vertebrate head skeleton has allowed a diverse array of shapes, sizes, and compositions of the head in order to better adapt species to their environments. This encompasses feeding, breathing, sensing, and communicating: the head skeleton somehow participated in the evolution of all these critical processes for the last 500 million years. Through evolution, present head diversity was made possible via developmental modifications to the first head skeletal genetic program. Understanding the development of the vertebrate common ancestor's head skeleton is thus an important step in identifying how different lineages have respectively achieved their many innovations in the head. To this end, cyclostomes (jawless vertebrates) are extremely useful, having diverged from jawed vertebrates approximately 400 million years ago, at the deepest node within living vertebrates. From this ancestral vantage point (that is, the node connecting cyclostomes and gnathostomes) we can best identify the earliest major differences in development between vertebrate classes, and start to address how these might translate onto morphology. In this review we survey what is currently known about the cell biology and gene expression during head development in modern vertebrates, allowing us to better characterize the developmental genetics driving head skeleton formation in the most recent common ancestor of all living vertebrates. By pairing this vertebrate composite with information from fossil chordates, we can also deduce how gene regulatory modules might have been arranged in the ancestral vertebrate head. Together, we can immediately begin to understand which aspects of head skeletal development are the most conserved, and which are divergent, informing us as to when the first differences appear during development, and thus which pathways or cell types might be involved in generating lineage specific shape and structure. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All

Human Activity Recognition in Real-Times Environments using Skeleton Joints

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Ajay Kumar

2016-06-01

Full Text Available In this research work, we proposed a most effective noble approach for Human activity recognition in real-time environments. We recognize several distinct dynamic human activity actions using kinect. A 3D skeleton data is processed from real-time video gesture to sequence of frames and getter skeleton joints (Energy Joints, orientation, rotations of joint angles from selected setof frames. We are using joint angle and orientations, rotations information from Kinect therefore less computation required. However, after extracting the set of frames we implemented several classification techniques Principal Component Analysis (PCA with several distance based classifiers and Artificial Neural Network (ANN respectively with some variants for classify our all different gesture models. However, we conclude that use very less number of frame (10-15% for train our system efficiently from the entire set of gesture frames. Moreover, after successfully completion of our classification methods we clinch an excellent overall accuracy 94%, 96% and 98% respectively. We finally observe that our proposed system is more useful than comparing to other existing system, therefore our model is best suitable for real-time application such as in video games for player action/gesture recognition.

1-Skeletons of the Spanning Tree Problems with Additional Constraints

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V. A. Bondarenko

2015-01-01

Full Text Available In this paper, we study polyhedral properties of two spanning tree problems with additional constraints. In the first problem, it is required to find a tree with a minimum sum of edge weights among all spanning trees with the number of leaves less than or equal to a given value. In the second problem, an additional constraint is the assumption that the degree of all nodes of the spanning tree does not exceed a given value. The recognition versions of both problems are NP-complete. We consider polytopes of these problems and their 1-skeletons. We prove that in both cases it is a NP-complete problem to determine whether the vertices of 1-skeleton are adjacent. Although it is possible to obtain a superpolynomial lower bounds on the clique numbers of these graphs. These values characterize the time complexity in a broad class of algorithms based on linear comparisons. The results indicate a fundamental difference between combinatorial and geometric properties of the considered problems from the classical minimum spanning tree problem.

40 CFR 179.91 - Burden of going forward; burden of persuasion.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... persuasion. 179.91 Section 179.91 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED...; burden of persuasion. (a) The party whose request for an evidentiary hearing was granted has the burden... FFDCA has the burden of persuasion in the hearing on that issue, whether the proceeding concerns the...

Companions for ``Nessie'' in the Milky Way's Skeleton

Science.gov (United States)

Kohler, Susanna

2015-12-01

The recent discovery of a purported bone of the Milky Way, a dark cloud nicknamed Nessie, has provided us with new clues for mapping out the spiral structure of our galaxy. It turns out that Nessie may not be alone: a follow-up study has identified more bones, potentially making up a skeleton of the Milky Way that traces out the densest parts of its spiral arms.Inconvenient Vantage PointHow many spiral arms does the Milky Way have? Where are they located? What does the structure look like between the arms? It may seem surprising that these fundamental questions dont yet have clear answers. But because were stuck in the galaxys disk, were forced to piece together our understanding of the Milky Ways structure based primarily on measurements of position and radial velocity of structures within the galactic plane.The discovery of Nessie presents an intriguing new tool to identify the layout of the galaxy. Nessie is a very long, thin, infrared-dark filament that runs along the modeled position of the Scutum-Centaurus arm and is believed therefore to trace the structure of the arm. In a new study led by Catherine Zucker (University of Virginia, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics), the authors have searched for additional bones like Nessie, hoping to use them to map out the skeleton of the Milky Way.New Bones DiscoveredIn this map of radial velocity vs. galactic longitude, the bone candidates are indicated by the numbered points. The colored lines indicate the positions of two of the galactic spiral arms, according to various models. Click for a closer look! [Zucker et al. 2015]Zucker and collaborators began by using World Wide Telescope, a tool that facilitates visualization of multiple layers of data at a variety of scales, to search through Spitzer infrared data for additional structures like Nessie. Searching specifically along the predicted positions of galactic arms, they found 15 initial bone candidates.Next, the team obtained radial-velocity data for the

Case report: Radiologic changes of the skeleton in a dog with lead poisoning

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rinck, J.; Šehić, M.; Žubčić, D.; Jesovsek, S.

1994-01-01

The skeleton of a young dog displayed radiological signs of chronic lead intoxication. Osteoclastic changes were demonstrable at the metaphyse of the long bones as well as in all areas with growth activity [de

Alterations of a bony skeleton histostructure in amphibians inhabiting the Chernobyl AES zone

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rodionova, N.V.; Mazhuga, P.M.; Domashevskaya, E.I.; Gorskij, B.A.; Nakorenok, G.B.

1994-01-01

By using the methods of histology and radiochemistry was investigated the bone skeleton State of amphibians (pond and cake fogs) which were caught in the ChNPP cooling pond and in the village Kopachy. It were submitted the results of content measurements of 90 Sr, 137 Cs, 134 Cs in the bone skeleton of the amphibians which were captured in the ChNPP 30-km zone and in the non contaminated territories (Sviyatoshin) during the period of 1991-1993 years. It was studied the hystostructure of the tubular bones. Main emphasis was placed to the state of cells and bone matrix state in metaphyses and also compacts in diaphyses. Some particular features of osteoblastic and resorbtion processes in the bones of amphibious in the ChNPP zone have been discovered

Mechanical characterization tests of a candidate skeleton for X-Gen fuel assembly

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Hyung Kyu; Yoon, Kyung Ho; Lee, Kang Hee; Kim, Jae Yong; Lee, Young Ho

2007-09-01

Since the KNFC (KEPCO Nuclear Fuel Co.) requested a mechanical characterization tests of a candidate skeleton for X-Gen fuel assembly (some welding locations of a center guide tube are free of welding compared with the PLUS7 case) were requested, transverse vibration and stiffness tests were carried out by using the FAMeCT. The major results are as follows. - Transverse vibration test There was no distinguishable discrepancy in the free vibration characteristics between the skeleton without welding at some locations of a center guide tube and that of original assembly (PLUS7; welded at every spacer grid locations). The natural frequencies were measured as 6.8 - 6.9 for the 1st mode; 17.7 - 18.3 for the 2nd mode; 30.2 - 31.2 for the 3rd mode; 50.4 - 52.1 Hz for the 4th mode. As a result, the difference in the vibration characteristics was extremely small regardless of the number of welding of a center guide tube. - Transverse bending test. The transverse bending test results of the X-Gen no. 2 were similar to those of the PLUS7 skeleton. The relationship between the force and displacement was found linear. 521 N was observed at the deflection of 30 mm, and the stiffness at the 6th grid location (load exerting location) was 17.4, 16.3 N/mm in the two consecutive tests. The displacements at the grid locations lower than the 6th grid were at bit smaller than those upper than that due to a comparatively higher rigidity

Economic burden made celiac disease an expensive and challenging condition for Iranian patients.

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Pourhoseingholi, Mohamad Amin; Rostami-Nejad, Mohammad; Barzegar, Farnoush; Rostami, Kamran; Volta, Umberto; Sadeghi, Amir; Honarkar, Zahra; Salehi, Niloofar; Asadzadeh-Aghdaei, Hamid; Baghestani, Ahmad Reza; Zali, Mohammad Reza

2017-01-01

The aim of this study was to estimate the economic burden of celiac disease (CD) in Iran. The assessment of burden of CD has become an important primary or secondary outcome measure in clinical and epidemiologic studies. Information regarding medical costs and gluten free diet (GFD) costs were gathered using questionnaire and checklists offered to the selected patients with CD. The data included the direct medical cost (including Doctor Visit, hospitalization, clinical test examinations, endoscopies, etc.), GFD cost and loss productivity cost (as the indirect cost) for CD patient were estimated. The factors used for cost estimation included frequency of health resource utilization and gluten free diet basket. Purchasing Power Parity Dollar (PPP$) was used in order to make inter-country comparisons. Total of 213 celiac patients entered to this study. The mean (standard deviation) of total cost per patient per year was 3377 (1853) PPP$. This total cost including direct medical cost, GFD costs and loss productivity cost per patients per year. Also the mean and standard deviation of medical cost and GFD cost were 195 (128) PPP$ and 932 (734) PPP$ respectively. The total costs of CD were significantly higher for male. Also GFD cost and total cost were higher for unmarried patients. In conclusion, our estimation of CD economic burden is indicating that CD patients face substantial expense that might not be affordable for a good number of these patients. The estimated economic burden may put these patients at high risk for dietary neglect resulting in increasing the risk of long term complications.

The Facial Skeleton in Patients with Osteoporosis: A Field for Disease Signs and Treatment Complications

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Athanassios Kyrgidis

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Osteoporosis affects all bones, including those of the facial skeleton. To date the facial bones have not drawn much attention due to the minimal probability of morbid fractures. Hearing and dentition loss due to osteoporosis has been reported. New research findings suggest that radiologic examination of the facial skeleton can be a cost-effective adjunct to complement the early diagnosis and the follow up of osteoporosis patients. Bone-mass preservation treatments have been associated with osteomyelitis of the jawbones, a condition commonly described as osteonecrosis of the jaws (ONJ. The facial skeleton, where alimentary tract mucosa attaches directly to periosteum and teeth which lie in their sockets of alveolar bone, is an area unique for the early detection of osteoporosis but also for the prevention of treatment-associated complications. We review facial bone involvement in patients with osteoporosis and we present data that make the multidisciplinary approach of these patients more appealing for both practitioners and dentists. With regard to ONJ, a tabular summary with currently available evidence is provided to facilitate multidisciplinary practice coordination for the treatment of patients receiving bisphosphonates.

[Characteristics of local human skeleton reactions to microgravity and drug treatment of osteoporosis in clinic].

Science.gov (United States)

Oganov, V S; Skripnikova, I A; Novikov, V E; Bakulin, A V; Kabitskaia, O E; Murashko, L M

2011-01-01

Analysis of the results of long-term investigations of bones in cosmonauts flown on the orbital station MIR and International space station (n = 80) was performed. Theoretically predicted (evolutionary predefined) change in mass of different skeleton bones was found to correlate (r = 0.904) with position relatively the Earth's gravity vector. Vector dependence of bone loss ensues from local specificity of expression of bone metabolism genes which reflects mechanic prehistory of skeleton structures in the evolution of Homo erectus. Genetic polymorphism is accountable for high individual variability of bone loss attested by the dependence of bone loss rate on polymorphism of certain bone metabolism markers. Parameters of one and the other orbital vehicle did not modulate individual-specific stability of the bone loss ratio in different segments of the skeleton. This fact is considered as a phenotype fingerprint of local metabolism in the form of a locus-unique spatial structure of distribution of noncollagenous proteins responsible for position regulation of endosteal metabolism. Drug treatment of osteoporosis (n = 107) evidences that recovery rate depends on bone location; the most likely reason is different effectiveness of local osteotrophic intervention into areas of bustling resorption.

Esqueleto pré-sacral e sacral dos lagartos teiêdeos (Squamata, Teiidae Pressacral and sacral skeleton of teiids lizards (Squamata, Teiidae

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Lauren Betina Veronese

1997-01-01

Full Text Available The morphology of the axial skeleton -pressacral and sacral regions - of the nine genera of Teiidae Boulenger, 1885 comprising Ameiva Meyer, 1795, Callopistes Gravenhorst, 1838, Cnemidophorus Wagler, 1830, Crocodilurus Spix, 1825, Dicrodon Duméril & Bibron, 1839, Dracaena Daudin, 1802, Kenlropyx Spix, 1825, Teius Merrem, 1820 and Tupinambis Daudin, 1803 is here analysed under a comparative approach. The study is in a generic levei, and the principal conclusions reter to differences on the total number of vertebrae and some aspects of the ribs, especially their insertion and presence.

[The perceived burden of care and its correlates in schizophrenia].

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Gülseren, Leyla; Cam, Birmay; Karakoç, Berna; Yiğit, Tamer; Danacı, Ayşen Esen; Cubukçuoğlu, Zeynep; Taş, Cumhur; Gülseren, Seref; Mete, Levent

2010-01-01

The present study aimed to investigate the perceived level of burden of care and its correlates in family members of schizophrenia patients. The study included 239 schizophrenic patients that were followed-up at the psychiatric outpatient clinics of Izmir Ataturk Education and Research Hospital, and Celal Bayar University Medical School, and 239 of their primary caregivers. Patients were assessed using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANNS), Global Assessment of Functioning Scale (GAF), Social Functioning Scale (SFS), Brief Cognitive State Examination (BCE), and UKU Side Effect Rating Scale. Their primary caregivers were assessed using the Perceived Family Burden Scale (PFBS), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI). Caregiver PFBS scores ere correlated with male patients, female caregivers, inadequate social support, economic difficulty, the presence of chronic physical disorder in the caregivers, patient violence toward the caregivers, total duration of illness, the number of patient hospitalizations, PANNS total and subscale scores, and SFS, BDI, and BAI scores. Perceived burden of care was predicted by the severity of the patients' positive symptoms, SFS independence/competence and interpersonal functioning subscale scores, and caregivers' anxiety and depression levels. In order to decrease the burden of care in schizophrenia we recommend effective management of patient symptoms, enhancement of patient social functioning, interventions that target caregivers with high levels anxiety and depression, and social support provided by healthcare professionals.

A Skeleton Based Programming Paradigm for Mobile Multi-Agents on Distributed Systems and Its Realization within the MAGDA Mobile Agents Platform

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R. Aversa

2008-01-01

Full Text Available Parallel programming effort can be reduced by using high level constructs such as algorithmic skeletons. Within the MAGDA toolset, supporting programming and execution of mobile agent based distributed applications, we provide a skeleton-based parallel programming environment, based on specialization of Algorithmic Skeleton Java interfaces and classes. Their implementation include mobile agent features for execution on heterogeneous systems, such as clusters of WSs and PCs, and support reliability and dynamic workload balancing. The user can thus develop a parallel, mobile agent based application by simply specialising a given set of classes and methods and using a set of added functionalities.

Economic Burden for Lung Cancer Survivors in Urban China.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Xin; Liu, Shuai; Liu, Yang; Du, Jian; Fu, Wenqi; Zhao, Xiaowen; Huang, Weidong; Zhao, Xianming; Liu, Guoxiang; Mao, Zhengzhong; Hu, Teh-Wei

2017-03-15

With the rapid increase in the incidence and mortality of lung cancer, a growing number of lung cancer patients and their families are faced with a tremendous economic burden because of the high cost of treatment in China. This study was conducted to estimate the economic burden and patient responsibility of lung cancer patients and the impact of this burden on family income. This study uses data from a retrospective questionnaire survey conducted in 10 communities in urban China and includes 195 surviving lung cancer patients diagnosed over the previous five years. The calculation of direct economic burden included both direct medical and direct nonmedical costs. Indirect costs were calculated using the human capital approach, which measures the productivity lost for both patients and family caregivers. The price index was applied for the cost calculation. The average economic burden from lung cancer was $43,336 per patient, of which the direct cost per capita was $42,540 (98.16%) and the indirect cost per capita was $795 (1.84%). Of the total direct medical costs, 35.66% was paid by the insurer and 9.84% was not covered by insurance. The economic burden for diagnosed lung cancer patients in the first year following diagnosis was $30,277 per capita, which accounted for 171% of the household annual income, a percentage that fell to 107% after subtracting the compensation from medical insurance. The economic burden for lung cancer patients is substantial in the urban areas of China, and an effective control strategy to lower the cost is urgently needed.

Total syntheses of naturally occurring diacetylenic spiroacetal enol ethers.

Science.gov (United States)

Miyakoshi, Naoki; Aburano, Daisuke; Mukai, Chisato

2005-07-22

A highly stereoselective method for constructing a (2E)-methoxymethylidene-1,6-dioxaspiro[4.5]decane skeleton has been developed on the basis of the palladium(II)-catalyzed ring-closing reaction of the 3,4-dioxygenated-9-hydroxy-1-nonyn-5-one derivatives as a crucial step. The newly developed procedures could be successfully applied to the first total synthesis of five diacetylenic spiroacetal enol ether natural products starting from commercially available (R,R)- or (S,S)-diethyl tartrate.

Disease burden of methylmercury in the German birth cohort 2014.

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Julia Lackner

Full Text Available This study aimed to estimate the disease burden of methylmercury for children born in Germany in the year 2014. Humans are mainly exposed to methylmercury when they eat fish or seafood. Prenatal methylmercury exposure is associated with IQ loss. To quantify this disease burden, we used Monte Carlo simulation to estimate the incidence of mild and severe mental retardation in children born to mothers who consume fish based on empirical data. Subsequently, we calculated the disease burden with the disability-adjusted life years (DALY-method. DALYs combine mortality and morbidity in one measure and quantify the gap between an ideal situation, where the entire population experiences the standard life expectancy without disease and disability, and the actual situation. Thus, one DALY corresponds to the loss of one year of life in good health. The methylmercury-induced burden of disease for the German birth cohort 2014 was an average of 14,186 DALY (95% CI 12,915-15,440 DALY. A large majority of the DALYs was attributed to morbidity as compared to mortality. Of the total disease burden, 98% were attributed to mild mental retardation, which only leads to morbidity. The remaining disease burden was a result of severe mental retardation with equal proportions of premature death and morbidity.

Predictors of caregiver burden in Iranian family caregivers of cancer patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Mirsoleymani, Seyed Reza; Rohani, Camelia; Matbouei, Mahsa; Nasiri, Malihe; Vasli, Parvaneh

2017-01-01

Caregiver burden threatens the psychological, emotional, functional and even physical health of caregivers. The aims of this study were to determine caregiver burden and family distress and the relationship between them, also to explore predictors of caregiver burden in a sample of Iranian family caregivers of cancer patients. This is a cross-sectional study with correlational design. A total of 104 family caregivers of cancer patients were asked to respond to the Caregiver Burden Inventory (CBI) and the Family Distress Index (FDI) together with a sociodemographic questionnaire. For evaluating the relationship between CBI and FDI scores, the Pearson's product-moment correlation was used. In addition, multiple linear regression analysis was applied to explore the predictive factors of caregiver burden. A high burden was experienced by almost half of the caregivers (48.1%). The FDI mean score was 9.76 ± 5.40 ranged from 0 to 24. A strong positive correlation was found between the caregiver burden and family distress ( r = 0.76). Multiple linear regression results showed the predictive role of FDI score (β = 0.71, P = 0.001), patient's gender (β = -0.25, P = 0.001), and early cancer diagnosis (β =0.13, P = 0.027) in caregiver burden. They could explain 65% of variance in the level of burden in family caregivers. Family nurses should consider the caregivers burden and vulnerability of families with cancer patient, especially if the patient is a male or has a new diagnosis. They should also design special programs for the whole family as a system that family can adapt to the new situation.

The origin of the vertebrate skeleton

Science.gov (United States)

Pivar, Stuart

2011-01-01

The anatomy of the human and other vertebrates has been well described since the days of Leonardo da Vinci and Vesalius. The causative origin of the configuration of the bones and of their shapes and forms has been addressed over the ensuing centuries by such outstanding investigators as Goethe, Von Baer, Gegenbauer, Wilhelm His and D'Arcy Thompson, who sought to apply mechanical principles to morphogenesis. However, no coherent causative model of morphogenesis has ever been presented. This paper presents a causative model for the origin of the vertebrate skeleton, based on the premise that the body is a mosaic enlargement of self-organized patterns engrained in the membrane of the egg cell. Drawings illustrate the proposed hypothetical origin of membrane patterning and the changes in the hydrostatic equilibrium of the cytoplasm that cause topographical deformations resulting in the vertebrate body form.

Economic burden of irritable bowel syndrome in China.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Fang; Xiang, Wei; Li, Chun-Yan; Li, Shu-Chuen

2016-12-21

To estimate annual direct and indirect costs for patients diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and subtypes. Patients completed a standardized questionnaire concerning usage of healthcare resources, travel costs, meals, and productivity loss of patients when seeking treatment for IBS. Total annual costs per patient were calculated as the sum of direct (including medical and nonmedical) and indirect costs. Total annual costs per patient among various IBS subtypes were compared. Analysis of variance and bootstrapped independent sample t -tests were performed to determine differences between groups after controlling for IBS subtypes. A total of 105 IBS patients (64.80% female), mean age of 57.12 years ± 10.31 years), mean disease duration of 4.31 years ± 5.40 years, were included. Total annual costs per patient were estimated as CNY18262.84 (USD2933.08). Inpatient and outpatient healthcare use were major cost drivers, accounting for 46.41%and 23.36% of total annual costs, respectively. Productivity loss accounted for 25.32% of total annual costs. The proportions of direct and indirect costs were similar to published studies in other countries. Nationally, the total costs of managing IBS would amount to CNY123.83 billion (USD1.99 billion). Among the IBS subtypes, total annual costs per patient of IBS-M was highest at CNY18891.18 (USD3034). Furthermore, there was significant difference in productivity loss among IBS subtypes ( P = 0.031). IBS imposes a huge economic burden on patients and healthcare systems, which could account for 3.3% of the total healthcare budget for the entire Chinese nation. More than two-thirds of total annual costs of IBS consist of inpatient and outpatient healthcare use. Among the subtypes, IBS-M patients appear to have the greatest economic burden but require further confirmation.

Short notes and reviews On a mounted skeleton of apparently the extinct Cape Lion, Panthera leo melanochaita (Ch. H. Smith, 1842)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bree, van P.J.H.

1998-01-01

Recently, the skeleton of apparently a Cape Lion was discovered in the Zoological Museum of the University of Amsterdam. The history of the specimen as far as known is summarized and its attribution to Panthera leo melanochaita is elucidated with some measurements taken from the skeleton and the

Prognostic factors in Hodgkin's disease stage III with special reference to tumour burden

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Specht, L.; Nissen, N.I.

1988-01-01

of lymphographically involved regions), histologic subtype, B-symptoms, number of involved regions, mediastinal involvement, pretreatment ESR, sex, age, laparotomy, and substage were examined in multivariate analysis. With regard to disease-free survival, total tumour burden (intraabdominal and peripheral...... regarding early stage disease to the effect that tumour burden is the single most important prognostic factor in Hodgkin's disease....

Plasma Total Cysteine and Cardiovascular Risk Burden: Action and Interaction

OpenAIRE

De Chiara, Benedetta; Sedda, Valentina; Parolini, Marina; Campolo, Jonica; De Maria, Renata; Caruso, Raffaele; Pizzi, Gianluigi; Disoteo, Olga; Dellanoce, Cinzia; Corno, Anna Rosa; Cighetti, Giuliana; Parodi, Oberdan

2012-01-01

We hypothesized that redox analysis could provide sensitive markers of the oxidative pathway associated to the presence of an increasing number of cardiovascular risk factors (RFs), independently of type. We classified 304 subjects without cardiovascular disease into 4 groups according to the total number of RFs (smoking, hypertension, hypercholesterolaemia, hyperhomocysteinaemia, diabetes, obesity, and their combination). Oxidative stress was evaluated by measuring plasma total and reduced h...

Semi-Automatic Construction of Skeleton Concept Maps from Case Judgments

OpenAIRE

Boer, A.; Sijtsma, B.; Winkels, R.; Lettieri, N.

2014-01-01

This paper proposes an approach to generating Skeleton Conceptual Maps (SCM) semi automatically from legal case documents provided by the United Kingdom’s Supreme Court. SCM are incomplete knowledge representations for the purpose of scaffolding learning. The proposed system intends to provide students with a tool to pre-process text and to extract knowledge from documents in a time saving manner. A combination of natural language processing methods and proposition extraction algorithms are u...

A new ankylosaurine dinosaur from the Judith River Formation of Montana, USA, based on an exceptional skeleton with soft tissue preservation

Science.gov (United States)

Arbour, Victoria M.; Evans, David C.

2017-05-01

The terrestrial Judith River Formation of northern Montana was deposited over an approximately 4 Myr interval during the Campanian (Late Cretaceous). Despite having been prospected and collected continuously by palaeontologists for over a century, few relatively complete dinosaur skeletons have been recovered from this unit to date. Here we describe a new genus and species of ankylosaurine dinosaur, Zuul crurivastator, from the Coal Ridge Member of the Judith River Formation, based on an exceptionally complete and well-preserved skeleton (ROM 75860). This is the first ankylosaurin skeleton known with a complete skull and tail club, and it is the most complete ankylosaurid ever found in North America. The presence of abundant soft tissue preservation across the skeleton, including in situ osteoderms, skin impressions and dark films that probably represent preserved keratin, make this exceptional skeleton an important reference for understanding the evolution of dermal and epidermal structures in this clade. Phylogenetic analysis recovers Zuul as an ankylosaurin ankylosaurid within a clade of Dyoplosaurus and Scolosaurus, with Euoplocephalus being more distantly related within Ankylosaurini. The occurrence of Z. crurivastator from the upper Judith River Formation fills a gap in the ankylosaurine stratigraphic and geographical record in North America, and further highlights that Campanian ankylosaurines were undergoing rapid evolution and stratigraphic succession of taxa as observed for Laramidian ceratopsids, hadrosaurids, pachycephalosaurids and tyrannosaurids.

Prospective study of the burden of rotavirus gastroenteritis in Danish children and their families

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hoffmann, Thomas; Iturriza, Miren; Faaborg-Andersen, Jens

2011-01-01

This was the first study to characterize the total burden of rotavirus gastroenteritis (RVGE) at both hospital and general physician (GP) clinics in Denmark, and also the first to confirm rotavirus (RV) as the leading cause of acute gastroenteritis (GE) among children......This was the first study to characterize the total burden of rotavirus gastroenteritis (RVGE) at both hospital and general physician (GP) clinics in Denmark, and also the first to confirm rotavirus (RV) as the leading cause of acute gastroenteritis (GE) among children...

Carbon aerogel with 3-D continuous skeleton and mesopore structure for lithium-ion batteries application

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yang, Xiaoqing, E-mail: yxq-886@163.com [School of Materials and Energy, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006 (China); Huang, Hong [Instrumental Analysis and Research Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275 (China); Zhang, Guoqing; Li, Xinxi [School of Materials and Energy, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006 (China); Wu, Dingcai [Materials Science Institute, PCFM Laboratory, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275 (China); Fu, Ruowen, E-mail: cesfrw@mail.sysu.edu.cn [Materials Science Institute, PCFM Laboratory, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275 (China)

2015-01-15

Carbon aerogel (CA) with 3-D continuous skeleton and mesopore structure was prepared via a microemulsion-templated sol–gel polymerization method and then used as the anode materials of lithium-ion batteries. It was found that the reversible specific capacity of the as-prepared CAs could stay at about 470 mA h g{sup −1} for 80 cycles, much higher than the theoretical capacity of commercial graphite (372 mAh g{sup −1}). In addition, CA also showed a better rate capacity compared to commercial graphite. The good electrochemical properties could be ascribed to the following three factors: (1) the large BET surface area of 620 m{sup 2} g{sup −1}, which can provide more lithium ion insertion sites, (2) 3-D continuous skeleton of CAs, which favors the transport of the electrons, (3) 3-D continuous mesopore structure with narrow mesopore size distribution and high mesopore ratio of 87.3%, which facilitates the diffusion and transport of the electrolyte and lithium ions. - Highlights: • Carbon aerogel (CA) was prepared via a microemulsion-templated sol–gel method. • The CA presents high surface area, 3D continuous skeleton and mesopore structure. • The reversible capacity of CA is much higher than that of graphite.

Carbon aerogel with 3-D continuous skeleton and mesopore structure for lithium-ion batteries application

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang, Xiaoqing; Huang, Hong; Zhang, Guoqing; Li, Xinxi; Wu, Dingcai; Fu, Ruowen

2015-01-01

Carbon aerogel (CA) with 3-D continuous skeleton and mesopore structure was prepared via a microemulsion-templated sol–gel polymerization method and then used as the anode materials of lithium-ion batteries. It was found that the reversible specific capacity of the as-prepared CAs could stay at about 470 mA h g −1 for 80 cycles, much higher than the theoretical capacity of commercial graphite (372 mAh g −1 ). In addition, CA also showed a better rate capacity compared to commercial graphite. The good electrochemical properties could be ascribed to the following three factors: (1) the large BET surface area of 620 m 2  g −1 , which can provide more lithium ion insertion sites, (2) 3-D continuous skeleton of CAs, which favors the transport of the electrons, (3) 3-D continuous mesopore structure with narrow mesopore size distribution and high mesopore ratio of 87.3%, which facilitates the diffusion and transport of the electrolyte and lithium ions. - Highlights: • Carbon aerogel (CA) was prepared via a microemulsion-templated sol–gel method. • The CA presents high surface area, 3D continuous skeleton and mesopore structure. • The reversible capacity of CA is much higher than that of graphite

DNA and bone structure preservation in medieval human skeletons.

Science.gov (United States)

Coulson-Thomas, Yvette M; Norton, Andrew L; Coulson-Thomas, Vivien J; Florencio-Silva, Rinaldo; Ali, Nadir; Elmrghni, Samir; Gil, Cristiane D; Sasso, Gisela R S; Dixon, Ronald A; Nader, Helena B

2015-06-01

Morphological and ultrastructural data from archaeological human bones are scarce, particularly data that have been correlated with information on the preservation of molecules such as DNA. Here we examine the bone structure of macroscopically well-preserved medieval human skeletons by transmission electron microscopy and immunohistochemistry, and the quantity and quality of DNA extracted from these skeletons. DNA technology has been increasingly used for analyzing physical evidence in archaeological forensics; however, the isolation of ancient DNA is difficult since it is highly degraded, extraction yields are low and the co-extraction of PCR inhibitors is a problem. We adapted and optimised a method that is frequently used for isolating DNA from modern samples, Chelex(®) 100 (Bio-Rad) extraction, for isolating DNA from archaeological human bones and teeth. The isolated DNA was analysed by real-time PCR using primers targeting the sex determining region on the Y chromosome (SRY) and STR typing using the AmpFlSTR(®) Identifiler PCR Amplification kit. Our results clearly show the preservation of bone matrix in medieval bones and the presence of intact osteocytes with well preserved encapsulated nuclei. In addition, we show how effective Chelex(®) 100 is for isolating ancient DNA from archaeological bones and teeth. This optimised method is suitable for STR typing using kits aimed specifically at degraded and difficult DNA templates since amplicons of up to 250bp were successfully amplified. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Burden control by artificial intelligence

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Saxen, H.; Nikus, M. [Aabo Akademi, Turku (Finland). Heat Engineering Lab.

1998-07-01

The burden distribution plays an important role for the fuel economy of the blast furnace. By an appropriate burden distribution, the operation of the furnace is smooth and the gas is utilized well, the burden descends steadily and the wear of the lining is minimal. Since it is very difficult to obtain reliable information about the burden distribution in operating blast furnaces, this research project developed methods for interpretation of burden and gas distribution in the shaft mainly based on temperature measurements from above-burden probes.

Caregiver burden in atypical dementias: comparing frontotemporal dementia, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, and Alzheimer's disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Uflacker, Alice; Edmondson, Mary C; Onyike, Chiadi U; Appleby, Brian S

2016-02-01

Caregiver burden is a significant issue in the treatment of dementia and a known contributor to institutionalization of patients with dementia. Published data have documented increased caregiver burden in behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD) compared to Alzheimer's disease (AD). Another atypical dementia with high-perceived caregiver burden is sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (sCJD), but no formal studies have assessed this perception. The aim of this study was to compare caregiver burden across atypical dementia etiologies. 76 adults with atypical dementia (young-onset AD [YOAD], bvFTD, language variant FTD [lvFTD], and sCJD) were administered an abbreviated version of the Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI), Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI-Q), and other assessment instruments during a five-year time period at Johns Hopkins Hospital (JHH). A Cox regression model examined differences between disease categories that impact mean ZBI scores. Mean ZBI scores were significantly different between dementia etiologies, with bvFTD and sCJD having the highest caregiver burden (p = 0.026). Mean NPI-Q caregiver distress scores were highest in bvFTD and sCJD (p = 0.002), with sCJD and bvFTD also having the highest number of endorsed symptom domains (p = 0.012). On regression analyses, an interactive variable combining final diagnosis category and NPI-Q total severity score demonstrated statistically significant differences in mean ZBI scores for sCJD and bvFTD. This study demonstrates that bvFTD and sCJD have increased levels of caregiver burden, NPI-Q caregiver distress, total severity scores, and number of endorsed symptom domains. These results suggest that higher caregiver burden in bvFTD and sCJD are disease specific and possibly related to neuropsychiatric symptoms.

The economic burden of prematurity in Canada.

Science.gov (United States)

Johnston, Karissa M; Gooch, Katherine; Korol, Ellen; Vo, Pamela; Eyawo, Oghenowede; Bradt, Pamela; Levy, Adrian

2014-04-05

Preterm birth is a major risk factor for morbidity and mortality among infants worldwide, and imposes considerable burden on health, education and social services, as well as on families and caregivers. Morbidity and mortality resulting from preterm birth is highest among early (prematurity due to the larger number of late preterm infants relative to early and moderate preterm infants. The aim in this study was to characterize the burden of premature birth in Canada for early, moderate, and late premature infants, including resource utilization, direct medical costs, parental out-of-pocket costs, education costs, and mortality, using a validated and published decision model from the UK, and adapting it to a Canadian setting based on analysis of administrative, population-based data from Québec. Two-year survival was estimated at 56.0% for early preterm infants, 92.8% for moderate preterm infants, and 98.4% for late preterm infants. Per infant resource utilization consistently decreased with age. For moderately preterm infants, hospital days ranged from 1.6 at age two to 0.09 at age ten. Cost per infant over the first ten years of life was estimated to be $67,467 for early preterm infants, $52,796 for moderate preterm infants, and $10,010 for late preterm infants. Based on population sizes this corresponds to total national costs of $123.3 million for early preterm infants, $255.6 million for moderate preterm infants, $208.2 million for late preterm infants, and $587.1 million for all infants. Premature birth results in significant infant morbidity, mortality, healthcare utilization and costs in Canada. A comprehensive decision-model based on analysis of a Canadian population-based administrative data source suggested that the greatest national-level burden is associated with moderate preterm infants due to both a large cost per infant and population size while the highest individual-level burden is in early preterm infants and the largest total population size is

Burden of care in the caregivers of patients with anxiety disorders

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Manu Agarwal

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Anxiety disorders are one of the frequently encountered psychiatric disorders in psychiatric clinics which have significant impact on the psychosocial well-being of the patient as well as their caregivers. Study Design and Aims: This study is a non- invasive, cross sectional study of 91 patients with anxiety disorder (except obsessive compulsive disorder aimed to assess the burden of care on their key-relatives and to study various socio demographic and clinical variables of the patient in relation to burden of care on key-relatives. Methodology: Patients diagnosed with anxiety disorders other than obsessive compulsive disorder and their key relatives satisfying the selection criteria were enrolled in the study. Assessment was done on semi-structured proforma, ICD 10 DCR, SCAN (Schedules for Clinical Assessment in Neuropsychiatry, International Personality Disorder Examination (IPDE, Burden assessment schedule, Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A. Result: Total adjusted burden score in our study was 40.41 which is suggestive of mild burden. It was found that the burden of care was higher in male gender, married individuals, in joint families, among spouses, urban background, in the age group 41 to 50 years, low income group particularly on farmers and laborers. Generalized anxiety disorder was associated with more burden of care in comparison to other anxiety disorders. Conclusion: Key relatives of patients with anxiety disorder have significant burden of care in different domains along the socio-demographic strata.

Beyond Attributable Burden: Estimating the Avoidable Burden of Disease Associated with Household Air Pollution.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Randall Kuhn

, though for different reasons. ALRI impacts diminish due to the declining burden of ALRI in the base case forecast, particularly apparent in South Asia and Southeast Asia. Although NCD burdens are rising in regions affected by HAP, the avoidable risk of NCD nonetheless diminishes due to lagged effects. Because the stove transition and the decline of ALRI are proceeding more slowly in Sub-Saharan Africa, avoidable impacts would also be more persistent (3.9% of total DALY due to HAP compared to South Asia (3.6% or Southeast Asia (2.5%.Our results illustrate how a temporal dynamic calculation of avoidable risk may yield different estimates, compared to a static attributable risk estimate, of the global and regional burden of disease. Our results suggest a window of rising and falling opportunity for HAP interventions that may have already closed in Southeast Asia and may be closing quickly in South Asia, but may remain open longer in Sub-Saharan Africa. A proper accounting of global health priorities should apply an avoidable risk framework that considers the role of ongoing social, economic and health transitions in constantly altering the disease and risk factor landscape.

Interactive Shape Modeling using a Skeleton-Mesh Co-Representation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bærentzen, Jacob Andreas; Abdrashitov, Rinat; Singh, Karan

2014-01-01

We introduce the Polar-Annular Mesh representation (PAM). A PAM is a mesh-skeleton co-representation designed for the modeling of 3D organic, articulated shapes. A PAM represents a manifold mesh as a partition of polar (triangle fans) and annular (rings of quads) regions. The skeletal topology of...... a PAM to a quad-only mesh. We further present a PAM-based multi-touch sculpting application in order to demonstrate its utility as a shape representation for the interactive modeling of organic, articulated figures as well as for editing and posing of pre-existing models....

Automated detection of branch dimensions in woody skeletons of leafless fruit tree canopies

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bucksch, A.; Fleck, S.

2009-01-01

Light driven physiological processes of tree canopies need to be modelled based on detailed 3Dcanopy structure – we explore the possibilities offered by terrestrial LIDAR to automatically represent woody skeletons of leafless trees as a basis for adequate models of canopy structure. The automatic

Prevalence of potential nitrogen-fixing, green sulphur bacteria in the skeleton of reef-building coral Isopora palifera

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, S. H.

2016-02-01

Microbial endoliths, which inhabit interior pores of rocks, skeletons and coral, are ubiquitous in terrestrial and marine environments. In the present study, various colored layers stratified the endolithic environment within the skeleton of Isopora palifera; however, there was a distinct green-pigmented layer in the skeleton (beneath the living coral tissue). To characterize diversity of endolithic microorganisms, 16S ribosomal RNA gene amplicon pyrosequencing was used to investigate bacterial communities in the green layer of Isopora palifera coral colonies retrieved fromGreen Island, Taiwan. The dominant bacterial group in the green layer belonged to the bacterial phylum Chlorobi, green sulphur bacteria capable of anoxygenic photosynthesis and nitrogen fixation. Specifically, bacteria of the genus Prosthecochloris were dominant in this green layer. To our knowledge, this is the first study to provide a detailed profile of endolithic bacteria in coral and to determine prevalence of Prosthecochloris in the green layer. Based on our findings, we infer that these bacteria may have an important functional role in the coral holobiont in the nutrient-limited coral reef ecosystem.

The history of biomechanics in total hip arthroplasty

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Jan Van Houcke

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Biomechanics of the hip joint describes how the complex combination of osseous, ligamentous, and muscular structures transfers the weight of the body from the axial skeleton into the appendicular skeleton of the lower limbs. Throughout history, several biomechanical studies based on theoretical mathematics, in vitro, in vivo as well as in silico models have been successfully performed. The insights gained from these studies have improved our understanding of the development of mechanical hip pathologies such as osteoarthritis, hip fractures, and developmental dysplasia of the hip. The main treatment of end-stage degeneration of the hip is total hip arthroplasty (THA. The increasing number of patients undergoing this surgical procedure, as well as their demand for more than just pain relief and leading an active lifestyle, has challenged surgeons and implant manufacturers to deliver higher function as well as longevity with the prosthesis. The science of biomechanics has played and will continue to play a crucial and integral role in achieving these goals. The aim of this article, therefore, is to present to the readers the key concepts in biomechanics of the hip and their application to THA.

A comparative study of the ocular skeleton of fossil and modern chondrichthyans

Science.gov (United States)

Pilgrim, Brettney L; Franz-Odendaal, Tamara A

2009-01-01

Many vertebrates have an ocular skeleton composed of cartilage and/or bone situated within the sclera of the eye. In this study we investigated whether modern and fossil sharks have an ocular skeleton, and whether it is conserved in morphology. We describe the scleral skeletal elements of three species of modern sharks and compare them to those found in fossil sharks from the Cleveland Shale (360 Mya). We also compare the elements to contemporaneous arthrodires from the same deposit. Surprisingly, the morphology of the skeletal support of the eye was found to differ significantly between modern and fossil sharks. All three modern shark species examined (spiny dogfish shark Squalus acanthias, porbeagle shark Lamna nasus and blue shark Prionace glauca) have a continuous skeletal element that encapsulates much of the eyeball; however, the tissue composition is different in each species. Histological and morphological examination revealed scleral cartilage with distinct tesserae in parts of the sclera of the porbeagle and blue shark, and more diffuse calcification in the dogfish. Strengthening of the scleral cartilage by means of tesserae has not been reported previously in the shark eye. In striking contrast, the ocular skeleton of fossil sharks comprises a series of individual elements that are arranged in a ring, similar to the arrangement in modern and fossil reptiles. Fossil arthrodires also have a multi-unit sclerotic ring but these are composed of fewer elements than in fossil sharks. The morphology of these elements has implications for the behaviour and visual capabilities of sharks that lived during the Devonian Period. This is the first time that such a dramatic variation in the morphology of scleral skeletal elements has been observed in a single lineage (Chondrichthyes), making this lineage important for broadening our understanding of the evolution of these elements within jawed vertebrates. PMID:19538630

Cost and disease burden of Dengue in Cambodia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Beauté Julien

2010-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Dengue is endemic in Cambodia (pop. estimates 14.4 million, a country with poor health and economic indicators. Disease burden estimates help decision makers in setting priorities. Using recent estimates of dengue incidence in Cambodia, we estimated the cost of dengue and its burden using disability adjusted life years (DALYs. Methods Recent population-based cohort data were used to calculate direct and productive costs, and DALYs. Health seeking behaviors were taken into account in cost estimates. Specific age group incidence estimates were used in DALYs calculation. Results The mean cost per dengue case varied from US$36 - $75 over 2006-2008 respectively, resulting in an overall annual cost from US$3,327,284 in 2008 to US$14,429,513 during a large epidemic in 2007. Patients sustain the highest share of costs by paying an average of 78% of total costs and 63% of direct medical costs. DALY rates per 100,000 individuals ranged from 24.3 to 100.6 in 2007-2008 with 80% on average due to premature mortality. Conclusion Our analysis confirmed the high societal and individual family burden of dengue. Total costs represented between 0.03 and 0.17% of Gross Domestic Product. Health seeking behavior has a major impact on costs. The more accurate estimate used in this study will better allow decision makers to account for dengue costs particularly among the poor when balancing the benefits of introducing a potentially effective dengue vaccine.

Clinical and Economic Burden of Revision Knee Arthroplasty

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohit Bhandari

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Surgery is indicated for symptomatic knee osteoarthritis (OA when conservative measures are unsuccessful. High tibial osteotomy (HTO, unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA, and total knee arthroplasty (TKA are surgical options intended to relieve knee OA pain and dysfunction. The choice of surgical intervention is dependent on several factors such as disease location, patient age, comorbidities, and activity levels. Regardless of surgical treatment, complications such as infection, loosening or lysis, periprosthetic fracture, and postoperative pain are known risks and are indications for revision surgery. The clinical and economic implications for revision surgery are underappreciated. Over 55,000 revision surgeries were performed in 2010 in the US, with 48% of these revisions in patients under 65 years. Total costs associated with each revision TKA surgery have been estimated to be in excess of $49,000. The current annual economic burden of revision knee OA surgery is $2.7 billion for hospital charges alone. By 2030, assuming a 5-fold increase in the number of revision procedures, this economic burden will exceed $13 billion annually. It is appealing to envision a therapy that could delay or obviate the need for arthroplasty. From an actuarial standpoint, this would have the theoretical downstream effect of substantially reducing the number of revision procedures. Although no known therapies currently meet these criteria, such a breakthrough would have a tremendous impact in lessening the clinical and economic burden of knee OA revision surgery.

Nosocomial infections among acute leukemia patients in China: An economic burden analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Xiaohui; Yan, Tianyuan; Liu, Yunhong; Wang, Jingna; Li, Yingxia; Wang, Shuhui

2016-10-01

The economic burden associated nosocomial infections (NIs) in patients with acute leukemia (AL) in China was unclear. A prospective study was conducted to quantify the medical cost burden of NIs among AL patients. Nine hundred ninety-four patients diagnosed with AL between January 2011 and December 2013 were included. Relevant necessary information was extracted from the hospital information system and hospital infection surveillance system. The primary outcome was incidence of NIs and the secondary was economic burden results, including extra medical costs and prolonged length of stay (LOS). We estimated the total incremental cost of NIs by comparing all-cause health care costs in patients with versus without infections. Prolonged duration of stay was compared in patients with different infections. Of 994 patients with AL, 277 (27.9%) experienced NIs. NI was associated with a total incremental cost of $3,092 per patient ($5,227 vs $2,135; P economic burden on patients with AL. The study highlights the influence of NIs on LOS and health care costs and appeal to the establishment of prophylactic measures for NIs to reduce the unnecessary waste of medical resources in the long run. Copyright © 2016 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Economic burden of underweight and overweight among adults in the Asia-Pacific region: a systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Hoque, Mohammad Enamul; Mannan, Munim; Long, Kurt Z; Al Mamun, Abdullah

2016-04-01

To assess the economic burden of underweight and overweight among adults in the Asia-Pacific region. Systematic review of articles published until March 2015. Seventeen suitable articles were found, of which 13 assess the economic burden of overweight/obesity and estimate that it accounts for 1.5-9.9% of a country's total healthcare expenditure. Four articles on the economic burden of underweight estimate it at 2.5-3.8% of the country's total GDP. Using hospital data, and compared to normal weight individuals, four articles estimated extra healthcare costs for overweight individuals of 7-9.8% and more, and extra healthcare costs for obese individuals of 17-22.3% and higher. Despite methodological diversity across the studies, there is a consensus that both underweight and overweight impose a substantial financial burden on healthcare systems in the Asia-Pacific region. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Estimation of 137Cs body burden in Japanese, 2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Uchiyama, Masashi

1978-01-01

The biological half-life of 137 Cs in the total body of human subjects was determined in 23 individuals of Japanese male adult in their normal works by measuring amount of 137 Cs in both their total body and daily urine in the same period. For the group, the value was determined by averaging the half-lives for individuals, by comparing the mean body burden and the mean daily urinary excretion, or by applying a curve fitting method to the body burden estimate. The biological half-life averaged 86 days, ranging from 50 to 161 days. The averages of the biological half-lives for the group were 83, 87 and 82 days in the different periods of observation. By the curve fitting method, 85 days was found for the group. The biological half-life for the individuals depended on both body weight and age, to a lesser extent, of the subjects. (author)

Multiparameter analysis of fall-out plutonium burdens in human liver

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Griffith, W.C.; Guilmette, R.A.

1991-01-01

The effect of multiple factors on Pu liver burdens is estimated for a group of 310 people who were selected to have relative uniform exposure to fall-out plutonium ( 239 Pu plus 240 Pu), based on age in 1952, the start of atmospheric testing of thermonuclear weapons, and based on residence history in eastern Colorado, where they died between 1975 and 1979. The data were analysed using multiple linear regression of the logarithm of the total liver plutonium burden on other available covariates. The results of the regression indicated that the liver burden was increased by 34% in very heavy smokers (100 pack year history) compared to non-smokers, decreased by 27% in females compared to males, decreased by 24% in people with a neoplasm in the liver compared to those without a neoplasm, and decreased by 64% in people with cirrhosis compared to those without cirrhosis. However, all of those parameters accounted for only 26% of the variability in liver burdens observed among these people, indicating that there remains a large unexplained variation. (author)

Psychometric Properties of the Turkish Version of Caregiver Burden Index (CBI) for Parents of Children with Allergies.

Science.gov (United States)

Ekim, Ayfer; Hecan, Melis; Oren, Serkan

Childhood chronic diseases have a great impact, including physiological, social and financial burdens, on parents. The concept of "caregiver burden" is gaining importance to understand the effects of allergic diseases and plan family-centered strategies. The purpose of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of the Caregiver Burden Index (CBI) in Turkish mothers of children with allergies. The participants of this methodological study were 213 mothers of children with allergies between 6 and 12years. Construct validity was evaluated through factor analysis and reliability was evaluated through internal consistency and item-total correlation. In reliability analysis, the overall Cronbach's alpha value (0.85) demonstrated a high level of reliability. The corrected item-total correlation varied between 0.63 and 0.84. In exploratory factor analysis, it was detected that 3 factors structure explained 73.6% of the total variance. This study indicated that the CBI is a valid and reliable tool to assess the caregiver burden of mothers of Turkish children with allergies. The results of this study contribute to the development and implementation of evidence based models of care that address the caregiver burden needs of parents whose children have allergies. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

High perceived caregiver burden for relatives of patients following hip fracture surgery

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ariza-Vega, Patrocinio; Ortiz-Piña, Mariana; Kristensen, Morten Tange

2018-01-01

treatment strategies such as the support and training of the caregivers in patient handling during hospital stay could be carried out to reduce caregiver burden. Implications for rehabilitation The main caregiver of a hip fracture patient is usually a woman who is the daughter of the patient, and reducing...... her burden of care should be included as one of the objectives of rehabilitation treatment. The caregivers of hip fracture patients must be considered as part of the treatment during the patient's recovery period, and patient handling training should be provided to the caregivers of hip fracture......PURPOSE: To determine the profile of the main informal caregivers, the evolution of the caregiver burden, and the influencing factors of caregiver burden at 1-year after hip fracture surgery. METHODS: In this prospective cohort study, a total of 172 informal caregivers of patients were interviewed...

Atlas of Bone Scintigraphy in the Developing Paediatric Skeleton: The Normal Skeleton, Variants and Pitfalls

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2011-01-01

Since the introduction of 99m technetium polyphosphate in 1972 by Dr. M. Subramanian, bone scintigraphy has become an integral part of the evaluation of paediatric musculoskeletal disorders. Using the current high resolution gamma cameras and 99m technetium-methylene diphosphonate ( 99m Tc-MDP) or 99m Tc 2,3-dicarboxypropane-1,1-diphosphonate ( 99m Tc-DPD), the quality of images available for interpretation is high. From the very earliest days, there has been a certain confusion over normal bone physiology, as depicted by the bone scintigram in paediatric patients. This has resulted in a number of difficulties in detecting subtle abnormalities, especially near the dynamically changing scintigraphic presentation of the physes (growth zones). Examples of abnormalities that might be confused with normal bone activity are osteomyelitis, bucket handle fractures of the long bones, as well as neuroblastoma and leukaemic metastases. The aim of this publication is to provide structured information about the maturation and normal appearance of the skeleton from infancy to adulthood. As such, it reflects the current status of bone scintigraphy. It is hoped that this work will contribute to an enhanced understanding of the dynamic process of naturally occurring metabolic bone changes, which will, in turn, improve the quality of reporting of paediatric bone scans. As the majority of paediatric bone scintigrams are interpreted by non-paediatric nuclear physicians, the availability of this reference atlas should improve the care of children. This atlas is intended to address the needs of nuclear medicine physicians, both residents and specialists. It is intended to serve as an illustrative reference to those not having sufficient exposure to paediatric bone scan investigations, to enable them to maintain adequate competency in this particular application. Experts in paediatric nuclear medicine are often consulted for their opinion on bone scans obtained in their respective

The geochemistry of deep-sea coral skeletons: A review of vital effects and applications for palaeoceanography

Science.gov (United States)

Robinson, Laura F.; Adkins, Jess F.; Frank, Norbert; Gagnon, Alexander C.; Prouty, Nancy G.; Brendan Roark, E.; de Flierdt, Tina van

2014-01-01

Deep-sea corals were discovered over a century ago, but it is only over recent years that focused efforts have been made to explore the history of the oceans using the geochemistry of their skeletal remains. They offer a promising archive of past oceanic environments given their global distribution, layered growth patterns, longevity and preservation as well as our ability to date them using radiometric techniques. This paper provides an overview of the current state-of-the-art in terms of geochemical approaches to using deep-sea coral skeletons to explore the history of the ocean. Deep-sea coral skeletons have a wide array of morphologies (e.g. solitary cup corals, branching colonial corals) and materials (calcite, aragonite and proteins). As such their biomineralization strategies are diverse, leading to complex geochemistry within coral skeletons. Notwithstanding these complications, progress has been made on developing methods for reconstructing the oceanographic environment in the past using trace elements and isotopic methods. Promising approaches within certain coral groups include clumped isotopes and Mg/Li for temperature reconstructions, boron isotopes and radiocarbon for carbon cycling, εNd, and radiocarbon for circulation studies and δ15N, P/Ca and Ba/Ca for nutrient tracer studies. Likewise there is now a range of techniques for dating deep-sea corals skeletons (e.g. U-series, radiocarbon), and determining their growth rates (e.g. radiocarbon and 210Pb). Dating studies on historic coral populations in the Atlantic, Southern Ocean and Pacific point to climate and environmental changes being dominant controls on coral populations over millennial and orbital timescales. This paper provides a review of a range of successes and promising approaches. It also highlights areas in which further research would likely provide new insights into biomineralization, palaeoceanography and distribution of past coral populations.

Design of compliantly actuated exo-skeleton for an impedance controlled gait trainer robot

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van der Kooij, Herman; Veneman, J.F.; Ekkelenkamp, R.; IEEE Engineering in Medicine,

2006-01-01

We have designed and built a lower extremity powered exo-skeleton (LOPES) for the training of post-stroke patients. This paper describes the philosophy behind the design of LOPES (Fig. 1), motivates the choices that have been made and gives some exemplary results of the ranges of mechanical

Electrical injury involving the immature skeleton

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ogden, J.A.; Southwick, W. O.; Yale Univ., New Haven, CT; Yale Univ., New Haven, CT

1981-01-01

Two patients are presented with significant problems of skeletal development and function consequent to electrical impulse propagation through the immature skeleton. Amputation stump revision in the first case allowed an opportunity to assess specific histological and morphologic changes. Electrical damage completeley destroyed portions of trabecular bone in the metaphyses and epiphyseal ossification centers. There were morphologic irregularities in the physis of the distal femur, while in the proximal tibia complete cessation of growth occurred through presumed electrical ablation of the physis. There was virtually no endosteal or periosteal callus, no intertrabecular inflammatory response, and no new bone formation well over a year following the original injury. The knee joint exhibited severe fibrous ankylosis. In the second case localized arrest of the posterolateral portion of the proximal tibial physis caused a valgus/recurvatum deformation, and probably slowed down distal growth sufficiently in the stump end to prevent irregular terminal overgrowth of the tibia, although it did occur in the fibula. (orig.)

Economic burden of stroke in a large county in Sweden

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Persson Josefine

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Stroke remains to be a major burden of disease, often causing death or physical impairment or disability. This paper estimates the economic burden of stroke in a large county of 1.5 million inhabitants in western Sweden. Methods The economic burden of stroke was estimated from a societal perspective with an incidence approach. Data were collected from clinical registries and 3,074 patients were included. In the cost calculations, both direct and indirect costs were estimated and were based on costs for 12 months after a first-ever stroke. Results The total excess costs in the first 12 months after the first-ever stroke for a population of 1.5 million was 629 million SEK (€69 million. Men consumed more acute care in hospitals, whereas women consumed more rehabilitation and long-term care provided by the municipalities. Younger patients brought a significantly higher burden on society compared with older patients due to the loss of productivity and the increased use of resources in health care. Conclusions The results of this cost-of-illness study were based on an improved calculation process in a number of fields and are consistent with previous studies. In essence, 50% of costs for stroke care fall on acute care hospital, 40% on rehabilitation and long-time care and informal care and productivity loss explains 10% of total cost for the stroke disease. The result of this study can be used for further development of the methods for economic analyses as well as for analysis of improvements and investments in health care.

The heterogeneity in financial and time burden of caregiving to children with chronic conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Zan, Hua; Scharff, Robert L

2015-03-01

We examine the financial and time burdens associated with caring for children with chronic conditions, focusing on disparities across types of conditions. Using linked data from the 2003 to 2006 National Health Interview Survey and 2004-2008 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, we created measures of financial burden (out-of-pocket healthcare costs, the ratio of out-of-pocket healthcare costs to family income, healthcare costs paid by insurance, and total healthcare costs) and time burden (missed school time due to illness or injury and the number of doctor visits) associated with 14 groups of children's chronic conditions. We used the two-part model to assess the effect of condition on financial burden and finite mixture/latent class model to analyze the time burden of caregiving. Controlling for the influences of other socio-demographic characteristics on caregiving burden, children with chronic conditions have higher financial and time burdens relative to caregiving burdens for healthy children. Levels of financial burden and burden sharing between families and insurance system also vary by type of condition. For example, children with pervasive developmental disorder or heart disease have a relatively low financial burden for families, while imposing a high cost on the insurance system. In contrast, vision difficulties are associated with a high financial burden for families relative to the costs borne by others. With respect to time burden, conditions such as cerebral palsy and heart disease impose a low time burden, while conditions such as pervasive developmental disorder are associated with a high time burden. This study demonstrates that differences exist in caregiving burden for children by type of chronic condition. Each condition has a unique profile of time and financial cost burden for families and the insurance system. These results have implications for policymakers and for families' savings and employment decisions.

Structure and mechanical implications of the pectoral fin skeleton in the Longnose Skate (Chondrichthyes, Batoidea).

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Wei; Hongjamrassilp, Watcharapong; Jung, Jae-Young; Hastings, Philip A; Lubarda, Vlado A; McKittrick, Joanna

2017-03-15

Animal propulsion systems are believed to show high energy and mechanical efficiency in assisting movement compared to artificial designs. As an example, batoid fishes have very light cartilaginous skeletons that facilitate their elegant swimming via enlarged wing-like pectoral fins. The aim of this work is to illustrate the hierarchical structure of the pectoral fin of a representative batoid, the Longnose Skate (Raja rhina), and explain the mechanical implications of its structural design. At the macro level, the pectoral fins are comprised of radially oriented fin rays, formed by staggered mineralized skeletal elements stacked end-to-end. At the micro level, the midsection of each radial element is composed of three mineralized components, which consist of discrete segments (tesserae) that are mineralized cartilage and embedded in unmineralized cartilage. The radial elements are wrapped with aligned, unmineralized collagen fibers. This is the first report of the detailed structure of the ray elements, including the observation of a 3-chain mineralized tesserae. Structural analyses demonstrate that this configuration enhances stiffness in multiple directions. A two-dimensional numerical model based on the morphological analysis demonstrated that the tessera structure helps distributing shear, tensile and compressive stress more ideally, which can better support both lift and thrust forces when swimming without losing flexibility. Batoid fishes have very light cartilaginous skeletons that facilitate their elegant swimming by applying their enlarged wing-like pectoral fins. Previous studies have shown structural features and mechanical properties of the mineralized cartilage skeleton in various batoid fishes. However, the details of the pectoral fin structure at different length scales, as well as the relationship between the mechanical properties and structural design remains unknown. The present work illustrates the hierarchical structure of the pectoral fin of

Voxel-based models representing the male and female ICRP reference adult - the skeleton

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zankl, M.; Eckerman, K.F.; Bolch, W.E.

2007-01-01

For the forthcoming update of organ dose conversion coefficients, the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) will use voxel-based computational phantoms due to their improved anatomical realism compared with the class of mathematical or stylized phantoms used previously. According to the ICRP philosophy, these phantoms should be representative of the male and female reference adults with respect to their external dimensions, their organ topology and their organ masses. To meet these requirements, reference models of an adult male and adult female have been constructed at the GSF, based on existing voxel models segmented from tomographic images of two individuals whose body height and weight closely resemble the ICRP Publication 89 reference values. The skeleton is a highly complex structure of the body, composed of cortical bone, trabecular bone, red and yellow bone marrow and endosteum ('bone surfaces' in their older terminology). The skeleton of the reference phantoms consists of 19 individually segmented bones and bone groups. Sub-division of these bones into the above-mentioned constituents would be necessary in order to allow a direct calculation of dose to red bone marrow and endosteum. However, the dimensions of the trabeculae, the cavities containing bone marrow and the endosteum layer lining these cavities are clearly smaller than the resolution of a normal CT scan and, thus, these volumes could not be segmented in the tomographic images. As an attempt to represent the gross spatial distribution of these regions as realistically as possible at the given voxel resolution, 48 individual organ identification numbers were assigned to various parts of the skeleton: every segmented bone was subdivided into an outer shell of cortical bone and a spongious core; in the shafts of the long bones, a medullary cavity was additionally segmented. Using the data from ICRP Publication 89 on elemental tissue composition, from ICRU Report 46 on material

Estimation of sex and age of ''virtual skeletons''-a feasibility study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grabherr, Silke; Cooper, Christine; Ulrich-Bochsler, Susi; Uldin, Tanya; Ross, Steffen; Oesterhelweg, Lars; Bolliger, Stephan; Thali, Michael J.; Christe, Andreas; Schnyder, Pierre; Mangin, Patrice

2009-01-01

This article presents a feasibility study with the objective of investigating the potential of multi-detector computed tomography (MDCT) to estimate the bone age and sex of deceased persons. To obtain virtual skeletons, the bodies of 22 deceased persons with known age at death were scanned by MDCT using a special protocol that consisted of high-resolution imaging of the skull, shoulder girdle (including the upper half of the humeri), the symphysis pubis and the upper halves of the femora. Bone and soft-tissue reconstructions were performed in two and three dimensions. The resulting data were investigated by three anthropologists with different professional experience. Sex was determined by investigating three-dimensional models of the skull and pelvis. As a basic orientation for the age estimation, the complex method according to Nemeskeri and co-workers was applied. The final estimation was effected using additional parameters like the state of dentition, degeneration of the spine, etc., which where chosen individually by the three observers according to their experience. The results of the study show that the estimation of sex and age is possible by the use of MDCT. Virtual skeletons present an ideal collection for anthropological studies, because they are obtained in a non-invasive way and can be investigated ad infinitum. (orig.)

Various versions of analytic QCD and skeleton-motivated evaluation of observables

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cvetic, Gorazd; Valenzuela, Cristian

2006-01-01

We present skeleton-motivated evaluation of QCD observables. The approach can be applied in analytic versions of QCD in certain classes of renormalization schemes. We present two versions of analytic QCD which can be regarded as low-energy modifications of the ''minimal'' analytic QCD and which reproduce the measured value of the semihadronic τ decay ratio r τ . Further, we describe an approach of calculating the higher-order analytic couplings A k (k=2,3,...) on the basis of logarithmic derivatives of the analytic coupling A 1 (Q 2 ). This approach can be applied in any version of analytic QCD. We adjust the free parameters of the aforementioned two analytic models in such a way that the skeleton-motivated evaluation reproduces the correct known values of r τ and of the Bjorken polarized sum rule (BjPSR) d b (Q 2 ) at a given point (e.g., at Q 2 =2 GeV 2 ). We then evaluate the low-energy behavior of the Adler function d v (Q 2 ) and the BjPSR d b (Q 2 ) in the aforementioned evaluation approach, in the three analytic versions of QCD. We compare with the results obtained in the minimal analytic QCD and with the evaluation approach of Milton et al. and Shirkov

Measuring the Environmental Burden of Disease in South Korea: A Population-Based Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Seok-Jun Yoon

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Background: This study attempted to measure the environmental burden of disease by examining mortality and disability rates in South Korea, permitting international comparisons. Methods: Disability-adjusted life years (DALY was used to analyze data from public records. Years of life lost (YLL and years lost to disability (YLD were measured in terms of incidence rate and number of deaths. Attributable risks were based on those for WHO Western Pacific Regions. For air pollution, attributable risk was calculated using local PM10 levels and relative risk. Results: The total Korean environmental burden of disease was 17.98 per 1000 persons and the most serious risk factor was air pollution, at 6.89per1000 persons. Occupation was the second highest contributing factor, at 3.29 per 1000 persons, followed by indoor air pollution at 2.91 per 1000 persons. The DALY of air-pollution (indoor and outdoor was 9.80 per 1000 persons, accounting for more than half of the total environmental burden of disease. The burden of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer, and asthma were 4.07, 3.16, and 1.96 per 1000 persons, respectively. Conclusions: Respiratory illnesses comprised most of the disease burden, the majority of which was linked to air pollution. The present results are important as they could be used to make evidence-based decisions regarding the management of diseases and environmental-risk factors.

The global burden of conduct disorder and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in 2010.

Science.gov (United States)

Erskine, Holly E; Ferrari, Alize J; Polanczyk, Guilherme V; Moffitt, Terrie E; Murray, Christopher J L; Vos, Theo; Whiteford, Harvey A; Scott, James G

2014-04-01

The Global Burden of Disease Study 2010 (GBD 2010) is the first to include conduct disorder (CD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) for burden quantification. A previous systematic review pooled the available epidemiological data for CD and ADHD, and predicted prevalence by country, region, age and sex for each disorder. Prevalence was then multiplied by a disability weight to calculate years lived with disability (YLDs). As no evidence of deaths resulting directly from either CD or ADHD was found, no years of life lost (YLLs) were calculated. Therefore, the number of disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) was equal to that of YLDs. Globally, CD was responsible for 5.75 million YLDs/DALYs with ADHD responsible for a further 491,500. Collectively, CD and ADHD accounted for 0.80% of total global YLDs and 0.25% of total global DALYs. In terms of global DALYs, CD was the 72nd leading contributor and among the 15 leading causes in children aged 5-19 years. Between 1990 and 2010, global DALYs attributable to CD and ADHD remained stable after accounting for population growth and ageing. The global burden of CD and ADHD is significant, particularly in male children. Appropriate allocation of resources to address the high morbidity associated with CD and ADHD is necessary to reduce global burden. However, burden estimation was limited by data lacking for all four epidemiological parameters and by methodological challenges in quantifying disability. Future studies need to address these limitations in order to increase the accuracy of burden quantification. © 2014 The Authors. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry © 2014 Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health.

Estimating the disease burden of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in Japan: Retrospective database study of Japanese hospitals.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hironori Uematsu

Full Text Available The nationwide impact of antimicrobial-resistant infections on healthcare facilities throughout Japan has yet to be examined. This study aimed to estimate the disease burden of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA infections in Japanese hospitals.Retrospective analysis of inpatients comparing outcomes between subjects with and without MRSA infection.A nationwide administrative claims database.1133 acute care hospitals throughout Japan.All surgical and non-surgical inpatients who were discharged between April 1, 2014 and March 31, 2015.Disease burden was assessed using hospitalization costs, length of stay, and in-hospital mortality. Using a unique method of infection identification, we categorized patients into an anti-MRSA drug group and a control group based on anti-MRSA drug utilization. To estimate the burden of MRSA infections, we calculated the differences in outcome measures between these two groups. The estimates were extrapolated to all 1584 acute care hospitals in Japan that have adopted a prospective payment system.We categorized 93 838 patients into the anti-MRSA drug group and 2 181 827 patients into the control group. The mean hospitalization costs, length of stay, and in-hospital mortality of the anti-MRSA drug group were US$33 548, 75.7 days, and 22.9%, respectively; these values were 3.43, 2.95, and 3.66 times that of the control group, respectively. When extrapolated to the 1584 hospitals, the total incremental burden of MRSA was estimated to be US$2 billion (3.41% of total hospitalization costs, 4.34 million days (3.02% of total length of stay, and 14.3 thousand deaths (3.62% of total mortality.This study quantified the approximate disease burden of MRSA infections in Japan. These findings can inform policymakers on the burden of antimicrobial-resistant infections and support the application of infection prevention programs.

Accelerator mass spectrometry radiocarbon ages of amino acid extracts from Californian palaeoindian skeletons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bada, J.L.; Gillespie, R.; Gowlett, J.A.J.; Hedges, R.E.M.

1984-01-01

The authors have used accelerator mass spectrometry to determine the radiocarbon ages of the amino acid extracts used in the original racemization studies of skeletal remains found in California. The studies indicate that some of the controversial Californian skeletons, which had been assigned to the Upper Pleistocene, are in fact Holocene. (author)

The importance of scintimetry in the differential diagnosis of roentgenological areas of increased 'translucence' in the skeleton of children

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Georgi, P.; Benz, G.

1979-01-01

A random selection of lesions representing osteolytic bone processes was evaluated with the 'region-of-interest' technique in order to determine whether scintimetry can be helpful in the differential diagnosis of such processes in children. Bone tumours with structural densification, as well as osteomyelitides, were reviewed for comparative purposes. It was found that scintigraphy of the skeleton, while supplying additional and clinically quite interesting information, does not make any substantial contribution to the differential diagnostic clarification of roentgenological translucence in the skeleton of children. (orig.) [de

The burden of rotavirus disease in Denmark 2009-2010

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fischer, Thea Kølsen; Rungø, Christine; Jensen, Claus Sixtus

2011-01-01

BACKGROUND: This study sought to determine the incidence and the burden of severe diarrheal disease in Denmark with emphasis on rotavirus (RV) disease. METHODS: This study was designed as a national prospective disease surveillance of children gastroenteritis...... in Denmark during March 2009 to April 2010, using rapid RV and adenovirus antigen detection. RESULTS: A total of 3100 hospitalizations annually among Danish children gastroenteritis and 1210 (39%) of these to RV disease. The majority of RV...... demonstrated RV-associated hospitalizations throughout the year. Genotyping of a subset of RV-samples demonstrated high frequency of G1 (39%) and G4 (32%). Adenovirus was detected in 350 acute gastroenteritis-associated hospitalizations (11.2%). CONCLUSION: In conclusion, we present national disease burden...

Spray-Drying-Induced Assembly of Skeleton-Structured SnO2/Graphene Composite Spheres as Superior Anode Materials for High-Performance Lithium-Ion Batteries.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Dongdong; Kong, Zhen; Liu, Xuehua; Fu, Aiping; Wang, Yiqian; Guo, Yu-Guo; Guo, Peizhi; Li, Hongliang; Zhao, Xiu Song

2018-01-24

Three-dimensional skeleton-structured assemblies of graphene sheets decorated with SnO 2 nanocrystals are fabricated via a facile and large-scalable spray-drying-induced assembly process with commercial graphene oxide and SnO 2 sol as precursors. The influences of different parameters on the morphology, composition, structure, and electrochemical performances of the skeleton-structured SnO 2 /graphene composite spheres are studied by XRD, TGA, SEM, TEM, Raman spectroscopy, and N 2 adsorption-desorption techniques. Electrochemical properties of the composite spheres as the anode electrode for lithium-ion batteries are evaluated. After 120 cycles under a current density of 100 mA g -1 , the skeleton-structured SnO 2 /graphene spheres still display a specific discharge capacity of 1140 mAh g -1 . It is roughly 9.5 times larger than that of bare SnO 2 clusters. It could still retain a stable specific capacity of 775 mAh g -1 after 50 cycles under a high current density of 2000 mA g -1 , exhibiting extraordinary rate ability. The superconductivity of the graphene skeleton provides the pathway for electron transportation. The large pore volume deduced from the skeleton structure of the SnO 2 /graphene composite spheres increases the penetration of electrolyte and the diffusion of lithium ions and also significantly enhances the structural integrity by acting as a mechanical buffer.

Total Synthesis of (+)-Cytosporolide A via a Biomimetic Hetero-Diels-Alder Reaction.

Science.gov (United States)

Takao, Ken-Ichi; Noguchi, Shuji; Sakamoto, Shu; Kimura, Mizuki; Yoshida, Keisuke; Tadano, Kin-Ichi

2015-12-23

The first total synthesis of (+)-cytosporolide A was achieved by a biomimetic hetero-Diels-Alder reaction of (-)-fuscoatrol A with o-quinone methide generated from (+)-CJ-12,373. The dienophile, highly oxygenated caryophyllene sesquiterpenoid (-)-fuscoatrol A, was synthesized from the synthetic intermediate in our previous total synthesis of (+)-pestalotiopsin A. The o-quinone methide precursor, isochroman carboxylic acid (+)-CJ-12,373, was synthesized through a Kolbe-Schmitt reaction and an oxa-Pictet-Spengler reaction. The hetero-Diels-Alder reaction of these two compounds proceeded with complete chemo-, regio-, and stereoselectivity to produce the complicated pentacyclic ring system of the cytosporolide skeleton. This total synthesis unambiguously demonstrates that natural cytosporolide A has the structure previously suggested.

Reconstructing the Curve-Skeletons of 3D Shapes Using the Visual Hull.

Science.gov (United States)

Livesu, Marco; Guggeri, Fabio; Scateni, Riccardo

2012-11-01

Curve-skeletons are the most important descriptors for shapes, capable of capturing in a synthetic manner the most relevant features. They are useful for many different applications: from shape matching and retrieval, to medical imaging, to animation. This has led, over the years, to the development of several different techniques for extraction, each trying to comply with specific goals. We propose a novel technique which stems from the intuition of reproducing what a human being does to deduce the shape of an object holding it in his or her hand and rotating. To accomplish this, we use the formal definitions of epipolar geometry and visual hull. We show how it is possible to infer the curve-skeleton of a broad class of 3D shapes, along with an estimation of the radii of the maximal inscribed balls, by gathering information about the medial axes of their projections on the image planes of the stereographic vision. It is definitely worth to point out that our method works indifferently on (even unoriented) polygonal meshes, voxel models, and point clouds. Moreover, it is insensitive to noise, pose-invariant, resolution-invariant, and robust when applied to incomplete data sets.

A comparison between skeleton and bounding box models for falling direction recognition

Science.gov (United States)

Narupiyakul, Lalita; Srisrisawang, Nitikorn

2017-12-01

Falling is an injury that can lead to a serious medical condition in every range of the age of people. However, in the case of elderly, the risk of serious injury is much higher. Due to the fact that one way of preventing serious injury is to treat the fallen person as soon as possible, several works attempted to implement different algorithms to recognize the fall. Our work compares the performance of two models based on features extraction: (i) Body joint data (Skeleton Data) which are the joint's positions in 3 axes and (ii) Bounding box (Box-size Data) covering all body joints. Machine learning algorithms that were chosen are Decision Tree (DT), Naïve Bayes (NB), K-nearest neighbors (KNN), Linear discriminant analysis (LDA), Voting Classification (VC), and Gradient boosting (GB). The results illustrate that the models trained with Skeleton data are performed far better than those trained with Box-size data (with an average accuracy of 94-81% and 80-75%, respectively). KNN shows the best performance in both Body joint model and Bounding box model. In conclusion, KNN with Body joint model performs the best among the others.

Adsorption of cadmium ions on nickel surface skeleton catalysts and its effect on reaction of cathodic hydrogen evolution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Korovin, N.V.; Udris, E.Ya.; Savel'eva, O.N.

1986-01-01

Cadmium adsorption from different concentration CdSO 4 solutions on nickel surface skeleton catalysts (Ni ssc ) is studied by recording of polarization and potentiodynamic curves using electron microscopy and X-ray spectrometry. Main regularities of cadmium adsorption on Ni ssc are shown to be similar to those on smooth and skeleton nickel. A conclusion is drawn that increase of catalytic activity in reaction of cathodic hydrogen evolution from alkali solutions of Ni ssc base electrodes after their treatment in solutions containing Cd 2+ ions is due to irreversible desorption of strongly and averagely bound hydrogen from electrode surface at cadmium adsorption on them

Assessment of 210Po exposure for the Italian population

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Clemente, G.F.; Renzetti, A.; Santori, G.; Breuer, F.

1980-01-01

A summary is given of the data required to evaluate the 210 Po internal burden and the relative dose given to the members of the Italian general public and to those groups of subjects who are exposed in non-uranium mines and spas to high radon and daughter product air concentrations. Data on the daily intake, daily excretion, total body burden and skeletal burden of 210 Pb and 210 Po for the general public provide the components of the 210 Pb- 210 Po metabolic balance. A mathematical model has been developed on the basis of this data and can be used to evaluate the 210 Pb- 210 Po body burden of subjects exposed to high levels of radon and daughter products on the basis of their 210 Pb- 210 Po daily excretion. Data is presented for the 210 Pb- 210 Po skeletal and soft tissue burden and the yearly dose rate to the skeleton in non-smokers, smokers, non-uranium miners and spa employees. (UK)

Economic Burden of Pediatric Asthma: Annual Cost of Disease in Iran.

Science.gov (United States)

Sharifi, Laleh; Dashti, Raheleh; Pourpak, Zahra; Fazlollahi, Mohammad Reza; Movahedi, Masoud; Chavoshzadeh, Zahra; Soheili, Habib; Bokaie, Saied; Kazemnejad, Anoushiravan; Moin, Mostafa

2018-02-01

Asthma is the first cause of children hospitalization and need for emergency and impose high economic burden on the families and governments. We aimed to investigate the economic burden of pediatric asthma and its contribution to family health budget in Iran. Overall, 283 pediatric asthmatic patients, who referred to two tertiary pediatric referral centers in Tehran capital of Iran, included from 2010-2012. Direct and indirect asthma-related costs were recorded during one-year period. Data were statistically analyzed for finding association between the costs and factors that affect this cost (demographic variables, tobacco smoke exposure, control status of asthma and asthma concomitant diseases). Ninety-two (32.5%) females and 191(67.5%) males with the age range of 1-16 yr old were included. We found the annual total pediatrics asthma related costs were 367.97±23.06 USD. The highest cost belonged to the medications (69%) and the lowest one to the emergency (2%). We noticed a significant increasing in boys' total costs ( P =0.011), and 7-11 yr old age group ( P =0.018). In addition, we found significant association between total asthma costs and asthma control status ( P =0.011). The presence of an asthmatic child can consume nearly half of the health budget of a family. Our results emphasis on improving asthma management programs, which leads to successful control status of the disease and reduction in economic burden of pediatric asthma.

The economic burden of chronic non-communicable diseases in rural Malawi: an observational study.

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Wang, Qun; Brenner, Stephan; Kalmus, Olivier; Banda, Hastings Thomas; De Allegri, Manuela

2016-09-01

Evidence from population-based studies on the economic burden imposed by chronic non-communicable diseases (CNCDs) is still sparse in Sub-Saharan Africa. Our study aimed to fill this existing gap in knowledge by estimating both the household direct, indirect, and total costs incurred due to CNCDs and the economic burden households bear as a result of these costs in Malawi. The study used data from the first round of a longitudinal household health survey conducted in 2012 in three rural districts in Malawi. A cost-of-illness method was applied to estimate the economic burden of CNCDs. Indicators of catastrophic spending and impoverishment were used to estimate the economic burden imposed by CNCDs on households. A total 475 out of 5643 interviewed individuals reported suffering from CNCDs. Mean total costs of all reported CNCDs were 1,040.82 MWK, of which 56.8 % was contributed by direct costs. Individuals affected by chronic cardiovascular conditions and chronic neuropsychiatric conditions bore the highest levels of direct, indirect, and total costs. Using a threshold of 10 % of household non-food expenditure, 21.3 % of all households with at least one household member reporting a CNCD and seeking care for such a condition incurred catastrophic spending due to CNCDs. The poorest households were more likely to incur catastrophic spending due to CNCDs. An additional 1.7 % of households reporting a CNCD fell under the international poverty line once considering direct costs due to CNCDs. Our study showed that the economic burden of CNCDs is high, causes catastrophic spending, and aggravates poverty in rural Malawi, a country where in principle basic care for CNCDs should be offered free of charge at point of use through the provision of an Essential Health Package (EHP). Our findings further indicated that particularly high direct, indirect, and total costs were linked to specific diagnoses, although costs were high even for conditions targeted by the EHP. Our

Morphometric analysis of early Eocene Corbisema skeletons (Silicoflagellata) in Mors, Denmark

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Tsutsui, Hideto; Jordan, Richard W.; Nishiwaki, Niichi; Nishida, Shiro

2018-02-01

A two-dimensional morphometric programme, recently designed to measure fossil skeletons of the silicoflagellate genus Corbisema, was used to investigate specimens of the C. apiculata-C. triacantha complex found in a sample from the Fur Formation on the island of Mors, Jutland, Denmark. The semi-automated programme measured the lengths of the basal sides and radial spines, the basal side curvature, and the location of the pikes (if present) from a photographic database (N = 469). As a result, two distinct morphological groups were revealed based on their radial spine length : basal side length ratio and the presence or absence of pikes: group A (ratio of 1 : 1.3, no pikes) and group B, with the latter subdivided into B1 (ratio of 1 : 7, with pikes) and B2 (ratio of 1 : 6, no pikes). Group A (C. triacantha sensu lato) possesses a small basal ring with relatively straight basal sides and long radial spines, while group B has a large basal ring with curved basal sides and short radial spines. In B1 specimens (C. apiculata sensu stricto) the pikes are positioned 0 to 1 µm away from the junction point of the strut and basal ring. This would suggest that B1 double skeletons are likely to be in the Star-of-David configuration, while A and B2 double skeletons (which lack pikes) are likely to be in the corner-to-corner configuration. Compared with the previously published biometric studies of extant Stephanocha (Stephanocha speculum complex in the Southern Ocean and S. medianoctisol in the Arctic Ocean), the results are somewhat different: although C. triacantha sensu lato (group A) is similar to the modern species of Stephanocha, the latter have smaller basal ring diameters, whereas specimens of C. apiculata sensu lato (types B1 and B2) have large basal rings. If their cell diameters are calculated, B1 is the largest, with S. speculum being the smallest - about half the size of B1. This could suggest that the relationship between radial spine length and mean basal ring

Paleodysmorphology and paleoteratology: Diagnosing and interpreting congenital conditions of the skeleton in anthropological contexts

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Oostra, Roelof-Jan; Boer, Lucas; van der Merwe, Alie E.

2016-01-01

Most congenital conditions have low prevalence, but collectively they occur in a few percent of all live births. Congenital conditions are rarely encountered in anthropological studies, not least because many of them have no obvious effect on the skeleton. Here, we discuss two groups of congenital

REVISITING THE DEBATE: DOES EXERCISE BUILD STRONG BONES IN THE MATURE AND SENESCENT SKELETON?

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Julie M. Hughes

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Traditional exercise programs seem to be less osteogenic in the mature and post-mature skeleton compared to the young skeleton, likely because of the decline in sensitivity of bone to mechanical loading that occurs with advancing age. Another factor contributing to the apparently diminished benefit of exercise in older adults is failure of widely used measurement techniques (i.e. DXA to account for changes in 3-dimensional bone structure, which are important determinants of bone strength. Moreover, although hormonal contributors to bone loss in the elderly are well-recognized, the influence of age-related increases in sympathetic nervous system activity on bone is rarely considered. In this Perspective, we cite evidence from animal and human studies demonstrating anabolic effects of exercise on bone across the lifespan and we discuss theoretical considerations for designing exercise regimens to optimize bone health. We conclude with suggestions for future research that should help define the osteogenic potential of exercise in older individuals.

Serum Total Tryptase Level Confirms Itself as a More Reliable Marker of Mast Cells Burden in Mast Cell Leukaemia (Aleukaemic Variant

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P. Savini

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Mast cell leukemia (MCL is a very rare form of systemic mastocytosis (SM with a short median survival of 6 months. We describe a case of a 65-year-old woman with aleukaemic variant of MCL with a very high serum total tryptase level of 2255 μg/L at diagnosis, which occurred following an episode of hypotensive shock. She fulfilled the diagnostic criteria of SM, with a bone marrow smear infiltration of 50–60% of atypical mast cells (MCs. She tested negative for the KIT D816V mutation, without any sign of organ damage (no B- or C-findings and only few mediator-related symptoms. She was treated with antihistamine alone and then with imatinib for the appearance of anemia. She maintained stable tryptase level and a very indolent clinical course for twenty-two months; then, she suddenly progressed to acute MCL with a serum tryptase level up to 12960 μg/L. The patient died due to haemorrhagic diathesis twenty-four months after diagnosis. This clinical case maybe represents an example of the chronic form of mast cell leukemia, described as unpredictable disease, in which the serum total tryptase level has confirmed itself as a reliable marker of mast cells burden regardless of the presence of other signs or symptoms.

Explodator: A new skeleton mechanism for the halate driven chemical oscillators

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Noszticzius, Z.; Farkas, H.; Schelly, Z. A.

1984-06-01

In the first part of this work, some shortcomings in the present theories of the Belousov-Zhabotinskii oscillating reaction are discussed. In the second part, a new oscillatory scheme, the limited Explodator, is proposed as an alternative skeleton mechanism. This model contains an always unstable three-variable Lotka-Volterra core (the ``Explodator'') and a stabilizing limiting reaction. The new scheme exhibits Hopf bifurcation and limit cycle oscillations. Finally, some possibilities and problems of a generalization are mentioned.

Measuring Burden of Diseases in a Rapidly Developing Economy: State of Qatar

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Bener, Abdulbari; Zirie, Mahmoud A.; Kim, Eun-Jung; Buz, Rama Al; Zaza, Mouayyad; Al-Nufal, Mohammed; Basha, Basma; Hillhouse, Edward W; Riboli, Elio

2013-01-01

Background: The Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study has provided a conceptual and methodological framework to quantify and compare the health of populations. Aim: The objective of the study was to assess the national burden of disease in the population of Qatar using the disability-adjusted life year (DALYs) as a measure of disability. Methods: We adapted the methodology described by the World Health Organization for conducting burden of disease to calculate years of life lost due to premature mortality (YLL), years lived with disability (YLD) and disability adjusted life years (DALYs). The study was conducted during the period from November 2011 to October 2012. Results:: The study findings revealed that ischemic heart disease (11.8%) and road traffic accidents (10.3%) were the two leading causes of burden of diseases in Qatar in 2010. The burden of diseases among men (222.04) was found three times more than of women's (71.85). Of the total DALYs, 72.7% was due to non fatal health outcomes and 27.3% was due to premature death. For men, chronic diseases like ischemic heart disease (15.7%) and road traffic accidents (13.7%) accounted great burden and an important source of lost years of healthy life. For women, birth asphyxia and birth trauma (12.6%) and abortion (4.6%) were the two leading causes of disease burden. Conclusion:: The results of the study have shown that the national health priority areas should cover cardiovascular diseases, road traffic accidents and mental health. The burden of diseases among men was three times of women's. PMID:23445701

Estimating the burden of paratyphoid a in Asia and Africa.

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Michael B Arndt

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Despite the increasing availability of typhoid vaccine in many regions, global estimates of mortality attributable to enteric fever appear stable. While both Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi (S. Typhi and serovar Paratyphi (S. Paratyphi cause enteric fever, limited data exist estimating the burden of S. Paratyphi, particularly in Asia and Africa. We performed a systematic review of both English and Chinese-language databases to estimate the regional burden of paratyphoid within Africa and Asia. Distinct from previous reviews of the topic, we have presented two separate measures of burden; both incidence and proportion of enteric fever attributable to paratyphoid. Included articles reported laboratory-confirmed Salmonella serovar classification, provided clear methods on sampling strategy, defined the age range of participants, and specified the time period of the study. A total of 64 full-text articles satisfied inclusion criteria and were included in the qualitative synthesis. Paratyphoid A was commonly identified as a cause of enteric fever throughout Asia. The highest incidence estimates in Asia came from China; four studies estimated incidence rates of over 150 cases/100,000 person-years. Paratyphoid A burden estimates from Africa were extremely limited and with the exception of Nigeria, few population or hospital-based studies from Africa reported significant Paratyphoid A burden. While significant gaps exist in the existing population-level estimates of paratyphoid burden in Asia and Africa, available data suggest that paratyphoid A is a significant cause of enteric fever in Asia. The high variability in documented incidence and proportion estimates of paratyphoid suggest considerable geospatial variability in the burden of paratyphoid fever. Additional efforts to monitor enteric fever at the population level will be necessary in order to accurately quantify the public health threat posed by S. Paratyphi A, and to improve the prevention

The burden of occupationally-related cutaneous malignant melanoma in Britain due to solar radiation.

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Rushton, Lesley; J Hutchings, Sally

2017-02-14

Increasing evidence highlights the association of occupational exposure and cutaneous malignant melanoma (CMM). We estimated the burden of CMM and total skin cancer burden in Britain due to occupational solar radiation exposure. Attributable fractions (AF) and numbers were estimated for CMM mortality and incidence using risk estimates from the published literature and national data sources for proportions exposed. We extended existing methods to account for the exposed population age structure. The estimated total AF for CMM is 2.0% (95% CI: 1.4-2.7%), giving 48 (95% CI: 33-64) deaths in (2012) and 241 (95% CI: 168-325) registrations (in 2011) attributable to occupational exposure to solar radiation. Higher exposure and larger numbers exposed led to much higher numbers for men than women. Industries of concern are construction, agriculture, public administration and defence, and land transport. These results emphasise the urgent need to develop appropriate strategies to reduce this burden.

A microanatomical and histological study of the postcranial dermal skeleton of the Devonian actinopterygian Cheirolepis canadensis

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Louise Zylberberg

2016-06-01

Full Text Available The Devonian stem-actinoterygian Cheirolepis canadensis is potentially important to understand the evolution of the dermal skeleton of osteichthyans, but the last detailed histological study on this taxon was published more than forty years ago. Here, we present new data about the morphology and the histological structure of scales, fulcra, and fin-rays in the Devonian actinopterygian Cheirolepis canadensis through SEM and photomicroscopy. The scales have a typical palaeoniscoid organisation, with ganoine layers overlaying dentine and a bony basal plate, but the ganoine surface lacks the characteristic microtubercles that have been described on the ganoine surface of the scales of polypterids and many other actinopterygians. Fin-rays are composed of segmented and ramified lepidotrichia that show a structure reminiscent of scales, with ganoine and dentine components lying on a thick bony base. We describe articular processes between lepidotrichia that are reminiscent of, and plausibly homologous with, the peg-and-socket articulations between the scales. The analysis of the postcranial dermal skeleton of Cheirolepis canadensis shows that structural similarities between scales and lepidotrichia of this basal actinopterygian are greater than in more recent actinopterygians. The new data on histological and microanatomical structure of the dermal skeleton lend additional support to the hypothesis that lepidotichia are derivatives of scales, though they are also compatible with the more general hypothesis that scales, lepidotrichia and fulcra belong to the same morphogenetic system.

The Burden of Tick-Borne Encephalitis in Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALYs) for Slovenia.

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Šmit, Renata; Postma, Maarten J

2015-01-01

Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) presents an increasing burden in many parts of Europe, Asian Russia, Siberia, Asian former USSR and Far East. Incidence can be considered as one way to express the burden. A more comprehensive measure concerns disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), better characterizing the full burden of TBE. TBE burden in DALYs has not yet been estimated, nor has it been specified by the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) studies. The purpose of the present study is to estimate the burden of TBE in Slovenia, expressed in DALYs, both from the population and individual perspectives. We discuss the impact of TBE burden on public health and potential strategies to reduce this burden in Slovenia. The burden of TBE is estimated by using the updated DALYs' methodology first introduced in the GBD project. The DALYs᾽ calculations are based on the health outcomes of the natural course of the disease being modelled. Corrections for under-reporting and under-ascertainment are applied. The impact of uncertainty in parameters in the model was assessed using sensitivity analyses. From the population perspective, total DALYs amount to 3,450 (167.8 per 100,000 population), while from the individual perspective they amount to 3.1 per case in 2011. Notably, the consequences of TBE present a larger burden than TBE itself. TBE presents a relatively high burden expressed in DALYs compared with estimates for other infectious diseases from the GBD 2010 study for Slovenia. Raising awareness and increasing vaccination coverage are needed to reduce TBE and its consequences.

The global burden of dengue: an analysis from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2013

NARCIS (Netherlands)

J.D. Stanaway (Jeffrey D.); D.S. Shepard (Donald); E.A. Undurraga (Eduardo); Halasa, Y.A. (Yara A); L.E. Coffeng (Luc); Brady, O.J. (Oliver J); Hay, S.I. (Simon I); Bedi, N. (Neeraj); I.M. Bensenor (Isabela M.); C.A. Castañeda-Orjuela (Carlos A); T.-W. Chuang (Ting-Wu); K.B. Gibney (Katherine B); Z.A. Memish (Ziad); A. Rafay (Anwar); K.N. Ukwaja (Kingsley N); N. Yonemoto (Naohiro); C.J.L. Murray (Christopher)

2016-01-01

textabstractBackground Dengue is the most common arbovirus infection globally, but its burden is poorly quantified. We estimated dengue mortality, incidence, and burden for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2013. Methods We modelled mortality from vital registration, verbal autopsy, and

Effect of radiographic contrast media on the spectrin/band3-network of the membrane skeleton of erythrocytes.

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Ralf-Peter Franke

Full Text Available The membrane of red blood cells consists of a phospholipid bilayer with embedded membrane proteins and is associated on the cytoplasmatic side with a network of proteins, the membrane skeleton. Band3 has an important role as centre of the functional complexes e.g. gas exchange complex and as element of attachment for the membrane skeleton maintaining membrane stability and flexibility. Up to now it is unclear if band3 is involved in the morphology change of red blood cells after contact with radiographic contrast media. The study revealed for the first time that Iopromide induced markedly more severe alterations of the membrane skeleton compared to Iodixanol whose effects were similar to erythrocytes suspended in autologous plasma. A remarkable clustering of band3 was found associated with an accumulation of band3 in spicules and also a sequestration of band3 to the extracellular space. This was evidently accompanied by a gross reduction of functional band3 complexes combined with a dissociation of spectrin from band3 leading to a loss of homogeneity of the spectrin network. It could be demonstrated for the first time that RCM not only induced echinocyte formation but also exocytosis of particles at least coated with band3.

Effect of Radiographic Contrast Media on the Spectrin/Band3-Network of the Membrane Skeleton of Erythrocytes

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Franke, Ralf-Peter; Scharnweber, Tim; Fuhrmann, Rosemarie; Wenzel, Folker; Krüger, Anne; Mrowietz, Christof; Jung, Friedrich

2014-01-01

The membrane of red blood cells consists of a phospholipid bilayer with embedded membrane proteins and is associated on the cytoplasmatic side with a network of proteins, the membrane skeleton. Band3 has an important role as centre of the functional complexes e.g. gas exchange complex and as element of attachment for the membrane skeleton maintaining membrane stability and flexibility. Up to now it is unclear if band3 is involved in the morphology change of red blood cells after contact with radiographic contrast media. The study revealed for the first time that Iopromide induced markedly more severe alterations of the membrane skeleton compared to Iodixanol whose effects were similar to erythrocytes suspended in autologous plasma. A remarkable clustering of band3 was found associated with an accumulation of band3 in spicules and also a sequestration of band3 to the extracellular space. This was evidently accompanied by a gross reduction of functional band3 complexes combined with a dissociation of spectrin from band3 leading to a loss of homogeneity of the spectrin network. It could be demonstrated for the first time that RCM not only induced echinocyte formation but also exocytosis of particles at least coated with band3. PMID:24586837

Effects of acidified seawater on coral calcification and variations of U/Ca ratio in their skeletons

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Inoue, M.; Ozaki, S.; Iguchi, A.; Sakai, K.; Suzuki, A.; Kawahata, H.

2011-12-01

The rising CO2 concentration in the atmosphere is changing the carbonate chemistry of the ocean. Elevated partial pressure of CO2 (pCO2) has caused significant decrease in surface seawater pH and carbonate ion concentration. Therefore, ocean acidification has a negative effect on calcification of marine calcifying organisms. Especially, hermatypic corals are dominant organisms in coral reef ecosystems, so their calcificication is a key to determine the health of reef ecosystems. On the other hand, recent study has suggested that there is a negative correlation between U/Ca ratio in coral skeleton and seawater pH, based on the culture experiment using primary polyps of Acropora digitifera. In this study, primary polyps and adult colonies of A. digitifera and adult colonies of Porites australiensis, which are the dominant species around the Ryukyu Islands, Japan, were reared in seawater with different pCO2 (300, 400, 600, 800, 1000ppm) and pH (7.4, 7.6, 8.0) settings controlled by CO2 bubbling. Calcification rate of adult coral was estimated by buoyant method, while skeletal growth of polyps was evaluated by measuring the dry weight of each skeleton after the experiments. In order to evaluate the relationship between U/Ca ratios in coral skeletons and seawater pH, U/Ca ratios in reared corals were analyzed by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). The results of A. digitifera showed that the growth rate of adult corals had no significant correlation against pCO2, but dry weight of polyp skeletons decreased with increase in pCO2. Growth rate of P. australiensis typically showed a positive correlation with pH. However, growth rates were different among colonies, suggesting that their responses to acidification may vary among the colonies. Regarding the variations of U/Ca ratios, there were positive correlations between U/Ca ratios in adults of A. digitifera and P. australiensis and seawater pCO2 (pH), while no relation was observed in polyp corals.

Disease burden of infectious diseases in Europe: a pilot study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lier EA van; Havelaar AH; LZO

2007-01-01

Consequences of different infectious diseases cannot be adequately compared with each other on the basis of the number of patients or mortality data only. It is better to combine all health effects and express the total impact as disease burden, which also takes duration and severity of diseases

40 CFR 22.24 - Burden of presentation; burden of persuasion; preponderance of the evidence standard.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... persuasion; preponderance of the evidence standard. 22.24 Section 22.24 Protection of Environment... Burden of presentation; burden of persuasion; preponderance of the evidence standard. (a) The complainant has the burdens of presentation and persuasion that the violation occurred as set forth in the...

Alterations of bone skeleton structure in connection with strontium-90 incorporation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rodionova, N.V.; Mazhuga, P.M.; Domashevskaya, E.I.; Gorskij, B.A.; Nakorenok, G.B.

1994-01-01

By using the methods of histology, electron microscopy and radiochemistry studied the bone skeleton state of animals (mouse like rodents and minks) which live in the 30 km zone of the ChNPP.It was defined contents of 90 Sr, 137 Cs, 134 Cs in the bones during 1989-1993 years. There were described changes in histostructure of the periost endost and bone compact of the tubular bones and also in metaepiphyzal growth plate. The mechanisms of the revealed alterations are discussed

The global burden of viral hepatitis from 1990 to 2013: findings from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2013

Science.gov (United States)

Stanaway, Jeffrey D; Flaxman, Abraham D; Naghavi, Mohsen; Fitzmaurice, Christina; Vos, Theo; Abubakar, Ibrahim; Abu-Raddad, Laith J; Assadi, Reza; Bhala, Neeraj; Cowie, Benjamin; Forouzanfour, Mohammad H; Groeger, Justina; Hanafiah, Khayriyyah Mohd; Jacobsen, Kathryn H; James, Spencer L; MacLachlan, Jennifer; Malekzadeh, Reza; Martin, Natasha K; Mokdad, Ali A; Mokdad, Ali H; Murray, Christopher J L; Plass, Dietrich; Rana, Saleem; Rein, David B; Richardus, Jan Hendrik; Sanabria, Juan; Saylan, Mete; Shahraz, Saeid; So, Samuel; Vlassov, Vasiliy V; Weiderpass, Elisabete; Wiersma, Steven T; Younis, Mustafa; Yu, Chuanhua; Zaki, Maysaa El Sayed; Cooke, Graham S

2016-01-01

Summary Background With recent improvements in vaccines and treatments against viral hepatitis, an improved understanding of the burden of viral hepatitis is needed to inform global intervention strategies. We used data from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) Study to estimate morbidity and mortality for acute viral hepatitis, and for cirrhosis and liver cancer caused by viral hepatitis, by age, sex, and country from 1990 to 2013. Methods We estimated mortality using natural history models for acute hepatitis infections and GBD’s cause-of-death ensemble model for cirrhosis and liver cancer. We used meta-regression to estimate total cirrhosis and total liver cancer prevalence, as well as the proportion of cirrhosis and liver cancer attributable to each cause. We then estimated cause-specific prevalence as the product of the total prevalence and the proportion attributable to a specific cause. Disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) were calculated as the sum of years of life lost (YLLs) and years lived with disability (YLDs). Findings Between 1990 and 2013, global viral hepatitis deaths increased from 0·89 million (95% uncertainty interval [UI] 0·86–0·94) to 1·45 million (1·38–1·54); YLLs from 31·0 million (29·6–32·6) to 41·6 million (39·1–44·7); YLDs from 0·65 million (0·45–0·89) to 0·87 million (0·61–1·18); and DALYs from 31·7 million (30·2–33·3) to 42·5 million (39·9–45·6). In 2013, viral hepatitis was the seventh (95% UI seventh to eighth) leading cause of death worldwide, compared with tenth (tenth to 12th) in 1990. Interpretation Viral hepatitis is a leading cause of death and disability worldwide. Unlike most communicable diseases, the absolute burden and relative rank of viral hepatitis increased between 1990 and 2013. The enormous health loss attributable to viral hepatitis, and the availability of effective vaccines and treatments, suggests an important opportunity to improve public health. Funding Bill & Melinda

Design of a compliantly actuated exo-skeleton for an impedance controlled gait trainer robot.

Science.gov (United States)

van der Kooij, Herman; Veneman, Jan; Ekkelenkamp, Ralf

2006-01-01

We have designed and built a lower extremity powered exo-skeleton (LOPES) for the training of post-stroke patients. This paper describes the philosophy behind the design of LOPES, motivates the choices that have been made and gives some exemplary results of the ranges of mechanical impedances that can be achieved.

Neuropsychiatric Symptoms in Parkinson’s Disease Dementia Are Associated with Increased Caregiver Burden

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Yoon-Sang Oh

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Objective Neuropsychiatric symptoms are common in Parkinson’s disease dementia (PDD. Frequent and severe neuropsychiatric symptoms create high levels of distress for patients and caregivers, decreasing their quality of life. The aim of this study was to investigate neuropsychiatric symptoms that may contribute to increased caregiver burden in PDD patients. Methods Forty-eight PDD patients were assessed using the 12-item Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI to determine the frequency and severity of mental and behavioral problems. The Burden Interview and Caregiver Burden Inventory were used to evaluate caregiver burden. Results All but one patient showed one or more neuropsychiatric symptoms. The three most frequent neuropsychiatric symptoms were apathy (70.8% and anxiety (70.8%, followed by depression (68.7%. More severe neuropsychiatric symptoms were significantly correlated with increased caregiver burden. The domains of delusion, hallucination, agitation and aggression, anxiety, irritability and lability, and aberrant motor behavior were associated with caregiver stress. After controlling for age and other potential confounding variables, total NPI score was significantly associated with caregiver burden. Conclusions The results of this study confirm that neuropsychiatric symptoms are frequent and severe in patients with PDD and are associated with increased caregiver distress. A detailed evaluation and management of neuropsychiatric symptoms in PDD patients appears necessary to improve patient quality of life and reduce caregiver burden.

Emotional Problems, Quality of Life, and Symptom Burden in Patients With Lung Cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Morrison, Eleshia J; Novotny, Paul J; Sloan, Jeff A; Yang, Ping; Patten, Christi A; Ruddy, Kathryn J; Clark, Matthew M

2017-09-01

Lung cancer is associated with a greater symptom burden than other cancers, yet little is known about the prevalence of emotional problems and how emotional problems may be related to the physical symptom burden and quality of life in newly diagnosed patients with lung cancer. This study aimed to identify the patient and disease characteristics of patients with lung cancer experiencing emotional problems and to examine how emotional problems relate to quality of life and symptom burden. A total of 2205 newly diagnosed patients with lung cancer completed questionnaires on emotional problems, quality of life, and symptom burden. Emotional problems at diagnosis were associated with younger age, female gender, current cigarette smoking, current employment, advanced lung cancer disease, surgical or chemotherapy treatment, and a lower Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance score. Additionally, strong associations were found between greater severity of emotional problems, lower quality of life, and greater symptom burden. Certain characteristics place patients with lung cancer at greater risk for emotional problems, which are associated with a reduced quality of life and greater symptom burden. Assessment of the presence of emotional problems at the time of lung cancer diagnosis provides the opportunity to offer tailored strategies for managing negative mood, and for improving the quality of life and symptom burden management of patients with lung cancer. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Family caregiver burden: the burden of caring for lung cancer patients according to the cancer stage and patient quality of life

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Eliana Lourenço Borges

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Objective: Patients with lung cancer experience different feelings and reactions, based on their family, social, cultural, and religious backgrounds, which are a source of great distress, not only for the patients but also for their family caregivers. This study aimed to evaluate the impact that lung cancer stage and quality of life (QoL of lung cancer patients have on caregiver burden. Methods: This was a prospective cross-sectional study. Consecutive patient-caregiver dyads were selected and asked to complete the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and the Medical Outcomes Study 36-item ShortForm Health Survey (SF-36. Family caregivers also completed the Caregiver Burden Scale. Group-based modeling was used in order to identify patients with early- or advanced-stage cancer (IA to IIIA vs. IIIB to IV plus non-impaired or impaired QoL (SF36 total score > 50 vs. ≤ 50. Patient-caregiver dyads were stratified into four groups: early-stage cancer+non-impaired QoL; advanced-stage cancer+non-impaired QoL; early-stage cancer+impaired QoL; and advanced-stage cancer+impaired QoL. Results: We included 91 patient-caregiver dyads. The majority of the patients were male and heavy smokers. Family caregivers were younger and predominantly female. The burden, QoL, level of anxiety, and level of depression of caregivers were more affected by the QoL of the patients than by their lung cancer stage. The family caregivers of the patients with impaired QoL showed a higher median burden than did those of the patients with non-impaired QoL, regardless of disease stage. Conclusions: Caregiver burden is more affected by patient QoL than by lung cancer stage.

The burden of acute respiratory infections in Ecuador 2011-2015.

Science.gov (United States)

Chicaiza-Ayala, Wilson; Henríquez-Trujillo, Aquiles R; Ortiz-Prado, Esteban; Douce, Richard W; Coral-Almeida, Marco

2018-01-01

Burden of disease studies intend to improve public health decision-making and to measure social and economic impact in population. The objective of this study was to describe the burden of acute respiratory infections (ARI) in Ecuador between 2011 and 2015. Five-year period morbidity and mortality data available from national agencies of statistics was analyzed to estimate the burden of disease attributable to acute respiratory infections. Cases and deaths registered were grouped according to their ICD-10 code into three diagnostic groups: Acute upper respiratory infections (J00-J06), Influenza and pneumonia (J09-J18), and Bronchitis and other acute lower respiratory infections (J20-J22, J85, J86). Disability-adjusted life years stratified by diagnostic and age group were calculated using the "DALY" package for R. The productivity loss in monetary terms was estimated using the human capital method. Over the 5-year period studied there were a total of 14.84 million cases of acute respiratory infections, with 17 757 deaths reported (0.12%). The yearly burden of disease ranged between 98 944 to 118 651 disability-adjusted life years, with an estimated average loss of productivity of US$152.16 million (±19.6) per year. Approximately 99% of the burden can be attributed to years life lost due to premature mortality in population under 5 years old and over 60 years-old. The burden of acute respiratory infections remained steady during the analyzed period. Evidence-based prevention and control policies to tackle acute respiratory infections in Ecuador should focus on the population at extreme ages of life.

Kaks luustikku Tartu toomkirikust: arheoloogia ja osteoloogia andmed / Two skeletons from the Tartu Cathedral Cemetery: archaeological and osteological data

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Martin Malve

2011-01-01

Full Text Available This article deals with two case studies based on the osteological obtained in the rescue excavations in the Cathedral of Tartu in 2001 and 2008 (fig. 1. The first case study focuses on the skeleton of the child who suffered from congenital syphilis. The grave has been dated to the end of the 17th or the beginning of the 18th century. The child had been buried in the eighth nave of the northern aisle of the Cathedral (fig. 3. The grave was, according to the Christian burial traditions, west-oriented with the head facing towards the east. A Swedish 1/6 öre, minted during the reign of King Charles XI (1600–1697, was recovered from the grave. The skeleton was relatively complete and well preserved (fig. 2. Based on the dental eruption, the age at death was 9 years ± 24 months. Sexually distinctive characteristics had not developed, and thus it was impossible to determine the sex of the child. Both the microscopical and radiological analyses revealed that the skeleton had indicators of congenital syphilis. Damage from gummatous osteomyelitis and periostitis were visible on the skull and on the axial and appendicular skeleton (fig. 6, while Hutchinson’s incisors and Mulberry molars were present among the teeth. Deformations and damage on the bones suggest that the child had suffered from the disease for quite a long time.The second case study discusses a beheaded man found from the eighth nave in the southern aisle of the Cathedral (fig. 3. The grave pit had a depth of 80 cm from the medieval floor surface of the church, which indicates that the burial dates from the Middle Ages. Also, the head of the deceased pointed to the west.The bones were well preserved (fig. 6. Sex was determined from the characteristics of the skull and the length of the right humerus. Calcification of the cranial sutures and cartilages suggests that the age of the man at death was probably 50+. Macroscopic examination of the skeleton revealed that the man had suffered

Caregiver Burden in Alcohol Dependence Syndrome

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Ramanujam Vaishnavi

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Background. Alcoholism is a major threat to the individual as well as the society and the maximum burden of the illness is borne by the family. Aim. The study is aimed at assessing the pattern of burden on the caregivers of alcohol dependent patients and at assessing the relationship between the severity of dependence and the burden on caregivers. Settings and Design. Cross-sectional descriptive study conducted in the Department of Psychiatry, Sri Ramachandra Medical College and Research Institute. Materials and Methods. A cross-sectional assessment was done in 200 patients with alcohol dependence and their caregivers. The severity of dependence and the pattern of burden on caregivers were assessed. Statistical Analysis. The data thus collected was analyzed using SPSS version 20. Results. The study demonstrates that caregivers of alcohol dependent patients reported significant objective burden and subjective burden. Furthermore, the severity of alcohol dependence and the domains of burden such as financial burden, disruption of family interaction, and disruption of family routine activities were positively correlated with high level of significance. Conclusion. The current study has illustrated that all the caregivers experienced significant amount of burden which has to be addressed for better treatment outcome of the patients.

EAMJ Jan. Burden.indd

African Journals Online (AJOL)

2009-01-01

Jan 1, 2009 ... developed world where the burden of disease is accurately determined. ... Projections indicate an expected yearly incidence of 15 to 20 million new .... of global mortality and burden of diseases from 2002 to 2030. Plos. Med.

Radioanalysis of tissues from occupationally exposed workers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McInroy, J.F.; Boyd, H.A.; Miglio, J.J.; Eutsler, B.C.

1985-01-01

The US Transuranium Registry instituted a program for whole-body donation in 1976 to improve the data on the distribution of transuranics within the entire skeleton and those tissues not available from a routine autopsy. Two whole bodies have been submitted for radiochemical analysis. The first, a 241 Am exposure, has been described in an earlier report. The primary exposure of the second donor (a chemist in the Manhattan Project) was to 239 Pu in 1945. Of the total whole-body deposition of 6.52 nCi in the second case, 56% remained in the lung and tracheobronchial lymph nodes; 44% (2.86 nCi) was distributed through the systemic system with 46% of this burden in the liver and 46% in the skeleton. 5 references, 2 tables

The Hierarchical Clustering of Tax Burden in the EU27

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Simkova Nikola

2015-09-01

Full Text Available The issue of taxation has become more important due to a significant share of the government revenue. There are several ways of expressing the tax burden of countries. This paper describes the traditional approach as a share of tax revenue to GDP which is applied to the total taxation and the capital taxation as a part of tax systems affecting investment decisions. The implicit tax rate on capital created by Eurostat also offers a possible explanation of the tax burden on capital, so its components are analysed in detail. This study uses one of the econometric methods called the hierarchical clustering. The data on which the clustering is based comprises countries in the EU27 for the period of 1995 – 2012. The aim of this paper is to reveal clusters of countries in the EU27 with similar tax burden or tax changes. The findings suggest that mainly newly acceding countries (2004 and 2007 are in a group of countries with a low tax burden which tried to encourage investors by favourable tax rates. On the other hand, there are mostly countries from the original EU15. Some clusters may be explained by similar historical development, geographic and demographic characteristics.

Evaluation of central skeleton, neutron activation analysis for the routine diagnosis of osteopenia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Harrison, J.E.; McNeill, K.G.; Patt, N.; Mueller, C.; Chow, R.

1986-01-01

At Toronto, NAA is used to quantitate the total bone mineral in the central third of the skeleton and results are expressed as fractions of the mean values for normal young adults ( 10% or wedging with anterior/posterior vertebral heights (A/P ratio) < 0.67 for thoracic and < 0.75 for lumbar vertebrae. The 127 patients without fractures had a mean CaBI = 0.81 +/- 0.13 with low CaBI values (< 0.75) in 24% of cases. The 54 patients with fractures had a mean CaBI = 0.67 +/- 0.12 with CaBI < 0.75 in 80%. Thus, the authors CaBI gives useful separation between these two groups. Furthermore, 10 of the 11 fracture patients with normal CaBI values had only one thoracic fracture and this isolated deformity may not necessarily reflect significant osteopenia: 97% of patients with multiple fractures had CaBI < 0.75. Results by dual photon absorptiometry (DPA) correlate significant (r = 0.73) to CaBI values but with a large s Σ Σ (+/- 13.5%) so that the value by one procedure may not predict reliably that of the other

Distribution of major health risks: findings from the Global Burden of Disease study.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anthony Rodgers

2004-10-01

Full Text Available Most analyses of risks to health focus on the total burden of their aggregate effects. The distribution of risk-factor-attributable disease burden, for example by age or exposure level, can inform the selection and targeting of specific interventions and programs, and increase cost-effectiveness.For 26 selected risk factors, expert working groups conducted comprehensive reviews of data on risk-factor exposure and hazard for 14 epidemiological subregions of the world, by age and sex. Age-sex-subregion-population attributable fractions were estimated and applied to the mortality and burden of disease estimates from the World Health Organization Global Burden of Disease database. Where possible, exposure levels were assessed as continuous measures, or as multiple categories. The proportion of risk-factor-attributable burden in different population subgroups, defined by age, sex, and exposure level, was estimated. For major cardiovascular risk factors (blood pressure, cholesterol, tobacco use, fruit and vegetable intake, body mass index, and physical inactivity 43%-61% of attributable disease burden occurred between the ages of 15 and 59 y, and 87% of alcohol-attributable burden occurred in this age group. Most of the disease burden for continuous risks occurred in those with only moderately raised levels, not among those with levels above commonly used cut-points, such as those with hypertension or obesity. Of all disease burden attributable to being underweight during childhood, 55% occurred among children 1-3 standard deviations below the reference population median, and the remainder occurred among severely malnourished children, who were three or more standard deviations below median.Many major global risks are widely spread in a population, rather than restricted to a minority. Population-based strategies that seek to shift the whole distribution of risk factors often have the potential to produce substantial reductions in disease burden.

Caregiving in first-episode psychosis: social characteristics associated with perceived 'burden' and associations with compulsory treatment.

Science.gov (United States)

Boydell, Jane; Onwumere, Juliana; Dutta, Rina; Bhavsar, Vishal; Hill, Nathan; Morgan, Craig; Dazzan, Paola; Morgan, Kevin; Pararajan, Madonna; Kuipers, Elizabeth; Jones, Peter; Murray, Robin; Fearon, Paul

2014-05-01

High incidence of psychosis and compulsory treatment within black and minority ethnic (BME) groups in the UK remain a concern. Psychosis has an impact on families and family involvement is important in predicting compulsory treatment. We therefore aimed to report the levels and predictors of caregiver burden in first-episode psychosis, in white British, and BME groups of carers, and investigate their relevance to compulsory treatment. A total of 124 caregivers were interviewed soon after the onset of psychosis using the General Health Questionnaire, GHQ-28, the Experience of Caregiving Inventory, the Personal and Psychiatric History Schedule, and the MRC Sociodemographic Schedule. The overall level of distress as measured by GHQ-28 was high (mean 50, SD 11.4). Feelings of carer burden were also high (mean total negative score 72.5, SD 34.8), increased in men, and with carer age. Neither ethnicity nor social class nor social support was associated with distress or burden. Compulsory treatment was predicted by carer burden (as indicated by carer reports of 'problems with services' (OR 1.08; 95% CI 1.01, 1.15; P = 0.023)); this was particularly evident in the black Caribbean group of carers (OR 1.28; 95% CI 1.04, 1.57; P = 0.02) CONCLUSION: Carers of adults with first-episode psychosis experience considerable psychological distress and feelings of burden. There was a specific association between carer burden, specifically in terms of experience of services, and compulsory admission of service users, particularly in the black Caribbean group. Better ways of liaising with carers and targeted efforts to reduce carer burden at illness onset are needed. © 2013 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

Harbour dredging in the Townsville region: a cross-evaluation between proxy records in coral skeletons and environmental monitoring records (GBRMPA)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Esslemont, G.

2000-01-01

Full text: The hypothesis tested is whether coral skeletons provide a proxy-record of copper and zinc bio-availability in inner-neritic environments, which corresponds with conventionally obtained records of harbour dredging. Trace metal concentrations in a colony of the massive-branching coral Pocillopora damicornis were measured along two calice walls that grew at a relatively uniform rate of ∼1 mm/year. Each calice wall represented tracking surfaces for the SIMS micro-sampling beam, along which a complete series of measurements were made over two annual cycles, at approximately monthly increments. Measurements were located temporally using annual couplets of high and low density growth-bands, representing 1991-92. Sub-annual resolution was achieved using proxy temperature (Sr/Ca) and salinity records (Ba/Ca) in the coral skeleton, which were related to conventionally obtained GBRMPA records taken nearby. Proxy records of copper and zinc in coral skeletons were related to the 1991 dredging of Townsville Harbour, recorded in detail by GBRMPA. Records include six temporal measurements of labile copper and zinc in fine sediment resuspended by two dredging episodes, resulting in metal-rich sediment plumes (2-3 x background) settling onto reefs fringing Magnetic Island. The P. damicornis colony was obtained from an exposed reef. Both dredging episodes were clearly recorded by the coral skeleton, using copper and zinc tracers measured by the SIMS micro-beam, and sediment-biota accumulation coefficients were derived for these metals. Calibration of the SIMS instrument was achieved from a standard in a pseudo 'coral skeleton' matrix. We attempted to co-precipitate a four point series of multi-metal standards in an aragonite matrix, to provide an external calibration series verified by cross-instrument measurement (AAS). However, metal concentrations were heterogenous at the micron scale, and precise calibration could not be achieved using the SIMS instrument. This

Global Burden of Leptospirosis: Estimated in Terms of Disability Adjusted Life Years.

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Paul R Torgerson

Full Text Available Leptospirosis, a spirochaetal zoonosis, occurs in diverse epidemiological settings and affects vulnerable populations, such as rural subsistence farmers and urban slum dwellers. Although leptospirosis can cause life-threatening disease, there is no global burden of disease estimate in terms of Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALYs available.We utilised the results of a parallel publication that reported global estimates of morbidity and mortality due to leptospirosis. We estimated Years of Life Lost (YLLs from age and gender stratified mortality rates. Years of Life with Disability (YLDs were developed from a simple disease model indicating likely sequelae. DALYs were estimated from the sum of YLLs and YLDs. The study suggested that globally approximately 2.90 million DALYs are lost per annum (UIs 1.25-4.54 million from the approximately annual 1.03 million cases reported previously. Males are predominantly affected with an estimated 2.33 million DALYs (UIs 0.98-3.69 or approximately 80% of the total burden. For comparison, this is over 70% of the global burden of cholera estimated by GBD 2010. Tropical regions of South and South-east Asia, Western Pacific, Central and South America, and Africa had the highest estimated leptospirosis disease burden.Leptospirosis imparts a significant health burden worldwide, which approach or exceed those encountered for a number of other zoonotic and neglected tropical diseases. The study findings indicate that highest burden estimates occur in resource-poor tropical countries, which include regions of Africa where the burden of leptospirosis has been under-appreciated and possibly misallocated to other febrile illnesses such as malaria.

Incidence of tumours of the skeleton in 224Ra-treated ankylosing spondylitis patients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wick, R.R.; Goessner, W.

1983-01-01

We are following 1426 ankylosing spondylitis (a.sp.) patients treated with 224 Ra and 1556 control patients with a.sp. not treated with any form of ionizing radiation. The average follow-up time of the exposure group is 16 years and the average α-dose to the skeleton is 65 rad, resulting from intravenous injection of 4.8μCi/kg 224 Ra on average within a medium injection span of 12 weeks. Injections normally have been performed once a week, and in some cases also half-weekly with a correspondingly shorter injection span. Since 1970 three cases of malignant tumours in the skeleton have been observed in the exposure group in patients with skeletal α-doses below 90 rad compared with 0.6 expected. (No bone tumour has occurred in the control group.) Two of the three cases observed were tumours of the bone marrow. The incidence of leukaemias in both exposure and control groups is discussed with respect to phenylbutazone treatment and α-radiation from 224 Ra. An effect of 224 Ra on the bone marrow not yet detected in the Spiess series of patients treated with higher amounts of 224 Ra cannot be excluded. (author)

Estimating the burden of disease attributable to diabetes in South Africa in 2000.

Science.gov (United States)

Bradshaw, Debbie; Norman, Rosana; Pieterse, Desiréé; Levitt, Naomi S

2007-08-01

To estimate the burden of disease attributable to diabetes by sex and age group in South Africa in 2000. The framework adopted for the most recent World Health Organization comparative risk assessment (CRA) methodology was followed. Small community studies used to derive the prevalence of diabetes by population group were weighted proportionately for a national estimate. Population-attributable fractions were calculated and applied to revised burden of disease estimates. Monte Carlo simulation-modelling techniques were used for uncertainty analysis. South Africa. Adults 30 years and older. Mortality and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) for ischaemic heart disease (IHD), stroke, hypertensive disease and renal failure. Of South Africans aged >or= 30 years, 5.5% had diabetes which increased with age. Overall, about 14% of IHD, 10% of stroke, 12% of hypertensive disease and 12% of renal disease burden in adult males and females (30+ years) were attributable to diabetes. Diabetes was estimated to have caused 22,412 (95% uncertainty interval 20,755 - 24,872) or 4.3% (95% uncertainty interval 4.0 - 4.8%) of all deaths in South Africa in 2000. Since most of these occurred in middle or old age, the loss of healthy life years comprises a smaller proportion of the total 258,028 DALYs (95% uncertainty interval 236,856 - 290,849) in South Africa in 2000, accounting for 1.6% (95% uncertainty interval 1.5 - 1.8%) of the total burden. Diabetes is an important direct and indirect cause of burden in South Africa. Primary prevention of the disease through multi-level interventions and improved management at primary health care level are needed.

Disease Burden from Hepatitis B Virus Infection in Guangdong Province, China

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jianpeng Xiao

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Objective: To estimate the disease burden and financial burden attributed to hepatitis B virus (HBV infection in Guangdong Province. Methods: Based on the data of incidence, mortality and healthcare cost of HBV-related diseases and other socio-economic data in Guangdong Province, we estimated deaths, disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs and economic cost for the three HBV-related diseases—hepatitis B, liver cirrhosis and liver cancer—in Guangdong following the procedures developed for the global burden of disease study. Then disease burden and economic cost attributed to HBV infection was estimated. Results: HBV infection was estimated to have caused 33,600 (95% confidence interval (CI: 29,300–37,800 premature deaths and the loss of 583,200 (95% CI: 495,200–671,100 DALYs in Guangdong in 2005. The greatest loss of deaths and DALYs were from liver cancer. The 45–59 years age group had the greatest burden attributable to HBV infection. The estimated total annual cost of HBV-related diseases in Guangdong was RMB 10.8 (95% CI: 8.7–13.0 billion，the direct and indirect cost were RMB 2.6 (95% CI: 2.1–3.2 and 8.2 (95% CI: 6.6–9.8 billion. Conclusions: HBV infection is a great medical challenge as well as a significant economic burden to Guangdong Province. The results suggest that substantial health benefits could be gained by extending effective public health and clinical interventions to reduce HBV infection in Guangdong Province.

The economic burden of advanced gastric cancer in Taiwan.

Science.gov (United States)

Hong, Jihyung; Tsai, Yiling; Novick, Diego; Hsiao, Frank Chi-Huang; Cheng, Rebecca; Chen, Jen-Shi

2017-09-16

Gastric cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths in both sexes worldwide, especially in Eastern Asia. This study aimed to estimate the economic burden of advanced gastric cancer (AGC) in Taiwan. The costs of AGC in 2013 were estimated using resource use data from a chart review study (n = 122 with AGC) and national statistics. Annual per-patient costs, where patients' follow-up periods were adjusted for, were estimated with 82 patients who had complete resource use data. The costs were composed of direct medical costs, direct non-medical costs (healthcare travel and caregiver costs), morbidity costs, and mortality costs. Relevant unit costs were retrieved mainly from literature and national statistics, and applied to the resource use data. A broad definition of morbidity and mortality costs was employed to value the productivity loss in patients with unpaid employment, economically inactive and unemployed as well as the life years after the age of retirement. Their narrow definitions were also used in sensitivity analyses, using age- and/or sex-specific employment rates. Forgone future earnings/productivity loss were discounted at 3%. Annual per-patient costs were projected to estimate the total costs of AGC at the national level with an estimated number of patients with AGC (N = 2611) in Taiwan in 2013. The mean age of the 82 patients was 59.3 (SD: 11.9) years, and 67.1% were male. Per-patient costs were US$26,431 for direct medical costs, US$4669 for direct non-medical costs, US$5758 for morbidity costs, and US$145,990 for mortality costs (per death). These per-patient costs were projected to incur total AGC costs of US$423 million at the national-level. Mortality costs accounted for 77.3% of the total costs, followed by direct medical costs (16.3%), morbidity costs (3.6%), and direct non-medical costs (2.9%). AGC was found to exert a significant economic burden in Taiwan, incurring US$423 million in 2013. This represents about 0.08% of

Morphological integration in the appendicular skeleton of two domestic taxa: the horse and donkey.

Science.gov (United States)

Hanot, Pauline; Herrel, Anthony; Guintard, Claude; Cornette, Raphaël

2017-10-11

Organisms are organized into suites of anatomical structures that typically covary when developmentally or functionally related, and this morphological integration plays a determinant role in evolutionary processes. Artificial selection on domestic species causes strong morphological changes over short time spans, frequently resulting in a wide and exaggerated phenotypic diversity. This raises the question of whether integration constrains the morphological diversification of domestic species and how natural and artificial selection may impact integration patterns. Here, we study the morphological integration in the appendicular skeleton of domestic horses and donkeys, using three-dimensional geometric morphometrics on 75 skeletons. Our results indicate that a strong integration is inherited from developmental mechanisms which interact with functional factors. This strong integration reveals a specialization in the locomotion of domestic equids, partly for running abilities. We show that the integration is stronger in horses than in donkeys, probably because of a greater degree of specialization and predictability of their locomotion. Thus, the constraints imposed by integration are weak enough to allow important morphological changes and the phenotypic diversification of domestic species. © 2017 The Author(s).

[Paleopathological skeleton findings. Macroscopical and radiographical studies of 364 individuals from a medieval graveyard].

Science.gov (United States)

Ittrich, H; Kleibscheidel, C; Nizze, H

2004-03-01

Paleopathological examinations can give an idea of diseases and living conditions in ancient populations. An archaeological collection of 364 late medieval/early modern skeletons from the thirteenth to eighteenth centuries, excavated from a church cemetery in the Rostock town center, was examined palaeopathologically. The type and frequency of certain diseases within this north German urban population are described. The majority of the skeletons were from adults with a remarkably low percentage of children. Skeletal malformations (e.g. gap formations of the spinal column) were not abnormally represented. With the exception of single individuals, metabolic disorders or unusual infectious diseases could not be diagnosed. Degenerative diseases often found at the joints and the spinal column showed substantially lower prevalences in comparison with reference rural populations. Individual cases of benign and rare malignant neoplasms could be documented. Traumatic injuries as well as dental pathological changes were rare. In summary it can be concluded that the individuals buried here belonged to a better social class within the medieval population of Rostock.

The Global Cancer Burden

Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Podcasts

2012-02-02

This podcast describes the global burden of cancer and efforts by CDC and others to reduce that burden.  Created: 2/2/2012 by National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (NCCDPHP).   Date Released: 2/2/2012.

Metal accumulation in marine bivalves under various tributyltin burdens.

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, Chuan-Ho; Lin, Chan-Shing; Wang, Wei-Hsien

2009-11-01

In the present study, a field survey was conducted to measure the accumulation of butyltin, Cu, Zn, and Cd in green mussels (Perna viridis) and Pacific oysters (Crassostrea gigas) at the regions along a tributyltin pollution gradient. A negative correlation was found between the tributyltin/total butyltin ratio (0.87-0.31) and tributyltin content (114-5,817 ng/g as tin dry wt) in oysters, while the Cu content (44.2-381 mg/kg dry wt) was positively correlated with the logarithm of tributyltin content during the summer and winter. This suggests that as the tributyltin burden increases, the rates of tributyltin metabolism may be elevated, leading to enhanced Cu accumulation. A similar accumulation pattern for Zn was also found in oysters. In mussels, however, the tributyltin/total butyltin ratio and the Cu and Zn contents remained relatively constant (~ 0.7, 12, and 100 mg/kg dry wt, respectively) regardless of the tributyltin burden. Clearly, the butyltin and Cu/Zn accumulation processes in oysters differ from those in mussels under tributyltin pollution. These observations provide valuable information for those who evaluate or compare tributyltin and/or Cu/Zn pollution using oysters and mussels as bioindicators.

[Estimation on the indirect economic burden of disease-related premature deaths in China, 2012].

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Juan; Feng, Luzhao; Zheng, Yaming; Yu, Hongjie

2014-11-01

To estimate the indirect economic burden of disease-related premature deaths in China, 2012. Both human capital approach and friction cost methods were used to compute the indirect economic burden of premature deaths from the following sources: mortality from the national disease surveillance system in 2012, average annual income per capita from the China Statistic Yearbook in 2012, population size from the 2010 China census, and life expectancy in China from the World Health Organization life table. Data from the Human Capital Approach Estimates showed that the indirect economic burden of premature deaths in China was 425.1 billion in 2012, accounting for 8‰ of the GDP. The indirect economic burden of chronic non-communicable diseases associated premature deaths was accounted for the highest proportion(67.1%, 295.4 billion), followed by those of injuries related premature deaths (25.6% , 108.9 billion), infectious diseases, maternal and infants diseases, and malnutrition related deaths (6.4% , 26.9 billion). The top five premature deaths that cause the indirect economic burden were malignancy, cardiovascular diseases, unintentional injuries, intentional injuries, and diseases of the respiratory system. The indirect economic burden of premature deaths mainly occurred in the population of 20-59 year-olds. Under the Friction Cost method, the estimates appeared to be 0.11%-3.49% of the total human capital approach estimates. Premature death caused heavy indirect economic burden in China. Chronic non-communicable diseases and injuries seemed to incur the major disease burden. The indirect economic burden of premature deaths mainly occurred in the working age group.

Patients' self-perceived burden, caregivers' burden and quality of life for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients: a cross-sectional study.

Science.gov (United States)

Geng, Dan; Ou, RuWei; Miao, XiaoHui; Zhao, LiHong; Wei, QianQian; Chen, XuePing; Liang, Yan; Shang, HuiFang; Yang, Rong

2017-10-01

This study surveys the quality of life of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients and the factors associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients' self-perceived burden and their caregivers' burden. Burdens of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and their caregivers in Chinese population are largely unknown. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 81 pairs of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients and their caregivers. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients' self-perceived burden and caregivers' burden were assessed by the Self-Perceived Burden Scale and Zarit-Burden Interview, respectively. Quality of life of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients was measured using the World Health Organization Quality of Life-Bref. The amyotrophic lateral sclerosis Functional Rating Scale-Revised questionnaire was used to estimate patients' physical function. Both patients and caregivers reported a mild to moderate burden. The World Health Organization quality of life-Bref scores were decreased in respondents with lower amyotrophic lateral sclerosis Functional Rating Scale-Revised, higher Self-Perceived Burden Scale and higher Zarit-Burden Interview scores. Self-Perceived Burden Scale scores were associated with patients' knowledge of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, respiratory function and female sex. Zarit-Burden Interview scores were associated with caregivers' age, patients' motor function and out-of-pocket payment. With increase in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients' self-perceived burden and caregivers' burden, quality of life of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients decreased. Female patients, who had known more about the disease, and those with severe respiratory dysfunction were subject to higher self-perceived burden. Older caregivers and caregivers of patients with severe motor dysfunction and more out-of-pocket payment experienced more care burdens. Our study suggests that paying more attention to female amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients

Periodontal disease burden and pathological changes in organs of dogs.

Science.gov (United States)

Pavlica, Zlatko; Petelin, Milan; Juntes, Polona; Erzen, Damjan; Crossley, David A; Skaleric, Uros

2008-06-01

Bacterial plaque associated periodontal disease is the most common chronic infection in man and dogs. In man, there is an association between periodontal disease and myocardial infarction and stroke, while in dogs it has also been associated with changes in internal organs. Inflamed periodontal tissues present a 'periodontal disease burden' to the host and the extent of this inflammatory disease burden is likely to affect the degree of associated pathological change in distant organs. This hypothesis was investigated in dogs with naturally occurring periodontal disease. Post-mortem investigations including periodontal assessment, standard necropsy, and organ histology were performed on 44 mature toy and miniature Poodles (related, periodontitis predisposed breeds) that died naturally or were euthanized based on clinical disease. Animals with gross primary organ pathology were excluded. The periodontal disease burden was estimated from the total surface area of periodontal pocket epithelium using six measurements of probing depth for each tooth and the tooth circumferences. Ordinal logistic regression (OR) analysis established that for each square centimeter of periodontal disease burden there was a 1.4-times higher likelihood of greater changes being present in the left atrio-ventricular valves (OR = 1.43), plus 1.2 and 1.4 times higher likelihoodfor greater liver and kidney pathology (OR = 1.21; OR = 1.42), respectively The results show that there is a link between the estimated 'periodontal disease burden' resulting from plaque-bacteria associated periodontal disease and the level of internal pathology in this population, implying that periodontitis might contribute to the development of systemic pathology in dogs.

Skeletonized wave equation of surface wave dispersion inversion

KAUST Repository

Li, Jing

2016-09-06

We present the theory for wave equation inversion of dispersion curves, where the misfit function is the sum of the squared differences between the wavenumbers along the predicted and observed dispersion curves. Similar to wave-equation travel-time inversion, the complicated surface-wave arrivals in traces are skeletonized as simpler data, namely the picked dispersion curves in the (kx,ω) domain. Solutions to the elastic wave equation and an iterative optimization method are then used to invert these curves for 2D or 3D velocity models. This procedure, denoted as wave equation dispersion inversion (WD), does not require the assumption of a layered model and is less prone to the cycle skipping problems of full waveform inversion (FWI). The synthetic and field data examples demonstrate that WD can accurately reconstruct the S-wave velocity distribution in laterally heterogeneous media.

Burden of Hemoglobinopathies (Thalassemia, Sickle Cell Disorders and G6PD Deficiency) in Iran, 1990-2010: findings from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2010.

Science.gov (United States)

Rezaei, Nazila; Naderimagham, Shohreh; Ghasemian, Anoosheh; Saeedi Moghaddam, Sahar; Gohari, Kimia; Zareiy, Saeid; Sobhani, Sahar; Modirian, Mitra; Kompani, Farzad

2015-08-01

Hemoglobinopathies are known as the most common genetic disorders in Iran. The paper aims to provide global estimates of deaths and disability adjusted life years (DALYs) due to hemoglobinopathies in Iran by sex and age during 1990 to 2010 and describe the challenges due to limitations of the Global Burden of Disease Study 2010 (GBD 2010). GBD 2010 estimates of the numbers of deaths and years of life lost (YLLs) due to premature mortality were calculated using the Cause of Death Ensemble model (CODEm). Years of life lost due to disability (YLDs) were computed by multiplication of prevalence, the disability weight for occurrence of sequelae, and the duration of symptoms. Prevalence was estimated through a systematic search of published and available unpublished data sources, with a Bayesian meta-regression model developed for GBD 2010. Disability weights were produced using collected data from population-based surveys. Uncertainty from all inputs was incorporated into the computations of DALYs using simulation methods. We aim to prepare and criticize the results of GBD 2010 and provide some recommendations for reaching better conclusions about the burden of hemoglobinopathies in Iran. Between 1990 and 2010, the overall deaths attributed to hemoglobinopathies decreased from 0.51% to 0.36% of total deaths, with the corresponding burden declining from 1% to 0.82% of total DALYs. There was a reduction in deaths and DALYs rates for all ages and the rates attributed to all ages followed the same pattern in Iranian men and women. The highest DALYs for hemoglobinopathies, thalassemia, sickle cell disorder, and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency (G6PD-D) were found in those aged less than 5 years. The collective burden of all of these hemoglobin disorder was lower in 2010 than in 1990. Although the screening programs in Iran have been very successful in reducing the number of thalassemia patients between 1990 to 2010, in order to provide a better estimation of the

The burden of gunshot injuries on orthopaedic healthcare resources in South Africa.

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Martin, Case; Thiart, Gerhard; McCollum, Graham; Roche, Stephen; Maqungo, Sithombo

2017-06-30

Injuries inflicted by gunshot wounds (GSWs) are an immense burden on the South African (SA) healthcare system. In 2005, Allard and Burch estimated SA state hospitals treated approximately 127 000 firearm victims annually and concluded that the cost of treating an abdominal GSW was approximately USD1 467 per patient. While the annual number of GSW injuries has decreased over the past decade, an estimated 54 870 firearm-related injuries occurred in SA in 2012. No study has estimated the burden of these GSWs from an orthopaedic perspective. To estimate the burden and average cost of treating GSW victims requiring orthopaedic interventions in an SA tertiary level hospital. This retrospective study surveyed more than 1 500 orthopaedic admissions over a 12-month period (2012) at Groote Schuur Hospital, Cape Town, SA. Chart review subsequently yielded data that allowed analysis of cost, theatre time, number and type of implants, duration of admission, diagnostic imaging studies performed, blood products used, laboratory studies ordered and medications administered. A total of 111 patients with an average age of 28 years (range 13 - 74) were identified. Each patient was hit by an average of 1.69 bullets (range 1 - 7). These patients sustained a total of 147 fractures, the majority in the lower extremities. Ninety-five patients received surgical treatment for a total of 135 procedures, with a cumulative surgical theatre time of >306 hours. Theatre costs, excluding implants, were in excess of USD94 490. Eighty of the patients received a total of 99 implants during surgery, which raised theatre costs an additional USD53 381 cumulatively, or USD667 per patient. Patients remained hospitalised for an average of 9.75 days, and total ward costs exceeded USD130 400. Individual patient costs averaged about USD2 940 (ZAR24 945) per patient. This study assessed the burden of orthopaedic firearm injuries in SA. It was estimated that on average, treating an orthopaedic GSW patient

The Skeleton Is a Storehouse of Mineral That Is Plundered During Lactation and (Fully?) Replenished Afterwards.

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Kovacs, Christopher S

2017-04-01

During lactation, mammals resorb mineral from the maternal skeleton to provide calcium to milk. Rodents lose 25% to 35% of skeletal ash weight, ash calcium content, and bone mineral content as measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), and have compromised material properties of bone as assessed by crushing vertebrae and 3-point bend tests of femora or tibias. The strength, stiffness, and toughness of vertebrae, femora, and tibias are reduced by as much as 60%. The effects of lactation are not uniform throughout the skeleton, but instead resorption is much more marked in the trabecular-rich spine than in the appendicular skeleton or whole body. Women who breastfeed exclusively lose an average of 210 mg calcium in milk each day, whereas nursing of twins or triplets can double and triple the output of calcium. Clinical data are also consistent with skeletal calcium being released during lactation to provide much of the calcium needed for milk production. Lumbar spine bone mineral density (BMD), as assessed by DXA, declines by a mean of 5% to 10% among numerous studies during 3 to 6 months of exclusive lactation, whereas largely cortical sites (hip, forearm, whole body) show half that loss or no significant changes. Micro-CT of rodents and high-resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography (HR-pQCT) imaging of women confirm that lactation causes microarchitectural deterioration of bone. These skeletal losses occur through two pathways: upregulated osteoclast-mediated bone resorption and osteocytic osteolysis, in which osteocytes remove mineral from their lacunae and pericanalicular spaces. After weaning, the skeleton is fully restored to its prior mineral content and strength in both animal models and humans, despite persistent microarchitectural changes observed in high-resolution imaging. Osteoblasts upregulate to lay down new osteoid, while osteocytes remineralize their surroundings. The factors that stimulate this post-weaning skeletal recovery

Burden experience of caregivers of acute lymphoblastic leukemia: Impact of coping and spirituality

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Usha Chivukula

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Background: When a child is diagnosed with cancer the parents as caregivers experience severe anxiety, trauma, ambiguity, and grief. Caregivers of cancer patients thus deal with the management of their own psychological distress along with the child's illness.Aim: Coping plays a crucial role in improving the caregivers' physical and emotional well-being. Spirituality is an important means of consolation, strength, and emotional support during this phase. The present study aims to investigate the impact of coping and spirituality on caregiver burden.Methods: A total of 100 caregivers of children between the age group of 3–11 years, diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia were the participants of the study. The participants were recruited from cancer hospitals in Hyderabad. The study adopted a between-group design to find out if mothers and fathers differed in their coping strategies, spirituality, and caregiver burden. The study also adopted a correlation design to find the relationship between coping, spirituality, and caregiver burden. Descriptive statistics and multiple linear regression analysis were conducted to identify if coping and spirituality predict caregiver burden.Results: The results showed no significant difference in the burden experienced by both mothers and fathers; however, mothers and fathers used different coping strategies and differed on the dimensions of spirituality. The results of multiple linear regression indicated that dimensions of coping and spirituality were significant predictors of caregiver burden.Conclusion: Cancer in the child impacts the parent's burden but providing sufficient support and implementing effective coping strategies, will help in mitigating the intensity of caregiver burden. It is essential that the hospital authorities and policymakers understand that a professional health psychologist could be a liaison between the doctor, patient, and the caregiver in bringing down the levels of burden

X-ray findings in the skeleton of the hand to prove renal osteopathy. Soft ray immersions radiography versus standard procedures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pollack, T.; Friedberg, R.; Heinicke, H.J.

1994-01-01

In examinations of the hand skeleton, findings typical of renal osteopathy are much more readily revealed by soft ray immersions radiography than by images obtained using conventional techniques. In combination with microradioscopy the method is highly suitable for the primary diagnosis and follow-up of renal osteopathy. The information provided eliminates the need for examinations of other skeletal sections and thus justifies the slightly increased dose requirements. The fact that unchanged parathormone can be determined simultaneously adds to the sensitivity of this non-invasive technique. Histological assessments of the skeleton can, however, not always be avoided. (orig.) [de

Rationale, Design, and Methodological Aspects of the BUDAPEST-GLOBAL Study (Burden of Atherosclerotic Plaques Study in Twins-Genetic Loci and the Burden of Atherosclerotic Lesions).

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Maurovich-Horvat, Pál; Tárnoki, Dávid L; Tárnoki, Ádám D; Horváth, Tamás; Jermendy, Ádám L; Kolossváry, Márton; Szilveszter, Bálint; Voros, Viktor; Kovács, Attila; Molnár, Andrea Á; Littvay, Levente; Lamb, Hildo J; Voros, Szilard; Jermendy, György; Merkely, Béla

2015-12-01

The heritability of coronary atherosclerotic plaque burden, coronary geometry, and phenotypes associated with increased cardiometabolic risk are largely unknown. The primary aim of the Burden of Atherosclerotic Plaques Study in Twins-Genetic Loci and the Burden of Atherosclerotic Lesions (BUDAPEST-GLOBAL) study is to evaluate the influence of genetic and environmental factors on the burden of coronary artery disease. By design this is a prospective, single-center, classical twin study. In total, 202 twins (61 monozygotic pairs, 40 dizygotic same-sex pairs) were enrolled from the Hungarian Twin Registry database. All twins underwent non-contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) for the detection and quantification of coronary artery calcium and for the measurement of epicardial fat volumes. In addition, a single non-contrast-enhanced image slice was acquired at the level of L3-L4 to assess abdominal fat distribution. Coronary CT angiography was used for the detection and quantification of plaque, stenosis, and overall coronary artery disease burden. For the primary analysis, we will assess the presence and volume of atherosclerotic plaques. Furthermore, the 3-dimensional coronary geometry will be assessed based on the coronary CT angiography datasets. Additional phenotypic analyses will include per-patient epicardial and abdominal fat quantity measurements. Measurements obtained from monozygotic and dizygotic twin pairs will be compared to evaluate the genetic or environmental effects of the given phenotype. The BUDAPEST-GLOBAL study provides a unique framework to shed some light on the genetic and environmental influences of cardiometabolic disorders. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Aspects of the dosimetry of radionuclides within the skeleton with particular emphasis on the active marrow

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eckerman, K.F.

1985-01-01

Epidemiological surveys on man and results from animal experiments have shown that two tissues associated with the skeleton are of primary concern with respect to cancer induction by ionizing radiation. These are the cells on or near endosteal surfaces of bone, from which osteosarcomas are thought to arise, and hematopoietic bone marrow, which is associated with leukemia. The complex geometry of the soft tissue-bone intermixture makes calculations of absorbed dose to these target regions a difficult problem. In the case of photon or neutron radiations, charged particle equilibrium may not exist in the vicinity of soft tissue-bone mineral interface. In this paper a general study of the dosimetry of radionuclides within the skeleton is presented. Dosimetric data consistent with the MIRD schema and reflecting the physical and anatomical parameters defining the energy deposition are tabulated for the relevant target regions. 27 refs., 5 figs., 5 tabs

Validating a Cantonese short version of the Zarit Burden Interview (CZBI-Short) for dementia caregivers.

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Tang, Jennifer Yee-Man; Ho, Andy Hau-Yan; Luo, Hao; Wong, Gloria Hoi-Yan; Lau, Bobo Hi-Po; Lum, Terry Yat-Sang; Cheung, Karen Siu-Lan

2016-09-01

The present study aimed to develop and validate a Cantonese short version of the Zarit Burden Interview (CZBI-Short) for Hong Kong Chinese dementia caregivers. The 12-item Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI) was translated into spoken Cantonese and back-translated by two bilingual research assistants and face validated by a panel of experts. Five hundred Chinese dementia caregivers showing signs of stress reported their burden using the translated ZBI and rated their depressive symptoms, overall health, and care recipients' physical functioning and behavioral problems. The factor structure of the translated scale was identified using principal component analysis and confirmatory factor analysis; internal consistency and item-total correlations were assessed; and concurrent validity was tested by correlating the ZBI with depressive symptoms, self-rated health, and care recipients' physical functioning and behavioral problems. The principal component analysis resulted in 11 items loading on a three-factor model comprised role strain, self-criticism, and negative emotion, which accounted for 59% of the variance. The confirmatory factor analysis supported the three-factor model (CZBI-Short) that explained 61% of the total variance. Cronbach's alpha (0.84) and item-total correlations (rho = 0.39-0.71) indicated CZBI-Short had good reliability. CZBI-Short showed correlations with depressive symptoms (r = 0.50), self-rated health (r = -0.26) and care recipients' physical functioning (r = 0.18-0.26) and disruptive behaviors (r = 0.36). The 12-item CZBI-Short is a concise, reliable, and valid instrument to assess burden in Chinese dementia caregivers in clinical and social care settings.

Plasma based markers of [11C] PiB-PET brain amyloid burden.

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Steven John Kiddle

Full Text Available Changes in brain amyloid burden have been shown to relate to Alzheimer's disease pathology, and are believed to precede the development of cognitive decline. There is thus a need for inexpensive and non-invasive screening methods that are able to accurately estimate brain amyloid burden as a marker of Alzheimer's disease. One potential method would involve using demographic information and measurements on plasma samples to establish biomarkers of brain amyloid burden; in this study data from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative was used to explore this possibility. Sixteen of the analytes on the Rules Based Medicine Human Discovery Multi-Analyte Profile 1.0 panel were found to associate with [(11C]-PiB PET measurements. Some of these markers of brain amyloid burden were also found to associate with other AD related phenotypes. Thirteen of these markers of brain amyloid burden--c-peptide, fibrinogen, alpha-1-antitrypsin, pancreatic polypeptide, complement C3, vitronectin, cortisol, AXL receptor kinase, interleukin-3, interleukin-13, matrix metalloproteinase-9 total, apolipoprotein E and immunoglobulin E--were used along with co-variates in multiple linear regression, and were shown by cross-validation to explain >30% of the variance of brain amyloid burden. When a threshold was used to classify subjects as PiB positive, the regression model was found to predict actual PiB positive individuals with a sensitivity of 0.918 and a specificity of 0.545. The number of APOE [Symbol: see text] 4 alleles and plasma apolipoprotein E level were found to contribute most to this model, and the relationship between these variables and brain amyloid burden was explored.

Seasonal Variation of Total Mercury Burden in the American Alligator (Alligator Mississippiensis) at Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge (MINWR), Florida

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Nilsen, Frances M.; Dorsey, Jonathan E.; Long, Stephen E.; Schock, Tracey B.; Bowden, John A.; Lowers, Russell H.; Guillette, Louis J., Jr.

2016-01-01

Seasonal variation of mercury (Hg) is not well studied in free-ranging wildlife. Atmospheric deposition patterns of Hg have been studied in detail and have been modeled for both global and specific locations with great accuracy and correlates to environment impact. However, monitoring these trends in wildlife is complicated due to local environmental parameters (e.g., rainfall, humidity, pH, bacterial composition) that can affect the transformation of atmospheric Hg to the biologically available forms. Here, we utilized an abundant and healthy population of American alligators (Alligator mississippiensis) at Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge (MINWR), FL, and assessed Hg burden in whole blood samples over a span of 7 years (2007 2014; n 174) in an effort to assess seasonal variation of total [Hg]. While the majority of this population is assumed healthy, 18 individuals with low body mass indices (BMI, defined in this study) were captured throughout the 7 year sampling period. These individual alligators exhibited [Hg] that were not consistent with the observed overall seasonal [Hg] variation, and were statistically different from the healthy population of alligators. The alligators with low BMI had elevated concentrations of Hg compared to their age/sex/season matched counterparts with normal BMI. Statistically significant differences were found between the winter and spring seasons for animals with normal BMI. The data in this report supports the conclusion that organismal total [Hg] do fluctuate directly with seasonal deposition rates as well as other seasonal environmental parameters, such as average rainfall and prevailing wind direction. This study highlights the unique environment of MINWR to permit annual assessment of apex predators, such as the American alligator, to determine detailed environmental impact of contaminants of concern.

The economic burden of cancer in Korea in 2009.

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Kim, So Young; Park, Jong-Hyock; Kang, Kyoung Hee; Hwang, Inuk; Yang, Hyung Kook; Won, Young-Joo; Seo, Hong-Gwan; Lee, Dukhyoung; Yoon, Seok-Jun

2015-01-01

Cancer imposes a significant economic burden on individuals, families and society. The purpose of this study was to estimate the economic burden of cancer using the healthcare claims and cancer registry data in Korea in 2009. The economic burden of cancer was estimated using the prevalence data where patients were identified in the Korean Central Cancer Registry. We estimated the medical, non-medical, morbidity and mortality cost due to lost productivity. Medical costs were calculated using the healthcare claims data obtained from the Korean National Health Insurance (KNHI) Corporation. Non-medical costs included the cost of transportation to visit health providers, costs associated with caregiving for cancer patients, and costs for complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). Data acquired from the Korean National Statistics Office and Ministry of Labor were used to calculate the life expectancy at the time of death, age- and gender-specific wages on average, adjusted for unemployment and labor force participation rate. Sensitivity analysis was performed to derive the current value of foregone future earnings due to premature death, discounted at 3% and 5%. In 2009, estimated total economic cost of cancer amounted to $17.3 billion at a 3% discount rate. Medical care accounted for 28.3% of total costs, followed by non-medical (17.2%), morbidity (24.2%) and mortality (30.3%) costs. Given that the direct medical cost sharply increased over the last decade, we must strive to construct a sustainable health care system that provides better care while lowering the cost. In addition, a comprehensive cancer survivorship policy aimed at lower caregiving cost and higher rate of return to work has become more important than previously considered.

Exploring caregiver burden experienced by family caregivers of patients with End-Stage Renal Disease in Nigeria

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Yemisi Okikiade Oyegbile

Full Text Available Background: Family caregivers in many African countries bear the burden of caregiving alone, with the paucity of research, especially for caregivers of End-Stage Renal Disease patients, having concealed their needs. Aim: To explore the caregiver burden of family caregivers of End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD patients in South-West Nigeria. Design: Following a complementary mixed method data collection strategy, the quantitative data was collected using the Zarit Burden Interview questionnaire to measure the burden of caregiving. Qualitative data was thereafter obtained through in-depth, individual interviews and was analysed using content analysis. Settings: The three research settings consisted of two state hospitals and one private hospital that provide renal care in South-West Nigeria. Result: The mean burden of caregiving for the sample was 50.18 thus indicating that family caregivers experienced moderate to severe burden, which is high compared to the other studies. The participants’ experiences of caregiving revealed the following categories: total dependence, acceptance of caregiving role, competing responsibilities, financial sacrifice and “not making mistakes”. Conclusion: Understanding the extent of caregiver burden, what constitutes burden to family caregivers in low/middle-income countries, and the difficulties associated with caregiving for care-recipients with ESRD, allows appropriate strategies and interventions to be developed. Keywords: End Stage Renal Disease, Family caregivers, Caregiver burden, Complementary mixed methods, Nigeria

Burden of serious fungal infections in Ukraine.

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Osmanov, Ali; Denning, David W

2015-10-01

Ukraine has high rates of TB, AIDS and cancer. We estimated the burden of fungal disease from epidemiology papers and specific populations at risk and fungal infection frequencies. HIV/AIDS cases and deaths (2012) and tuberculosis statistics were obtained from the State Service of Ukraine, while chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) cases were from M. Miravitlles et al., Thorax 64, 863-868 (2009). Annual estimates are 893,579 Ukrainian women get recurrent vaginal thrush (≥4× per year), 50,847 cases of oral candidiasis and 13,727 cases of oesophageal candidiasis in HIV, and 101 (1%) of 10,085 new AIDS cases develop cryptococcal meningitis, 6152 cases of Pneumocystis pneumonia (13.5 cases per 100,000). Of the 29,265 cases of active respiratory TB in 2012, it is estimated that 2881 new cases of chronic pulmonary aspergillosis (CPA) occurred and that the 5-year period prevalence is 7724 cases with a total CPA burden of 10,054 cases. Assuming adult asthma prevalence is ~2.9%, 28,447 patients with allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) are likely and 37,491 with severe asthma with fungal sensitisation. We estimate 2278 cases and 376 postsurgical intra-abdominal Candida infections. Invasive aspergillosis in immunocompromised patients is estimated at 303 patients annually; 930 cases in COPD patients. Ninety cases of mucormycosis (2 per 1,000,000) are estimated. In total, ~1,000,000 (2.2%) people in Ukraine develop serious fungal infections annually. © 2015 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Abnormalities of the axial and proximal appendicular skeleton in adults with Laron syndrome (growth hormone insensitivity).

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Kornreich, L; Konen, O; Schwarz, M; Siegel, Y; Horev, G; Hershkovitz, I; Laron, Z

2008-02-01

To investigate abnormalities in the skeleton (with the exclusion of the skull, cervical spine, hands and feet) in patients with Laron syndrome, who have an inborn growth hormone resistance and congenital insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) deficiency. The study group was composed of 15 untreated patients with Laron syndrome (seven male and eight female) aged 21-68 years. Plain films of the axial and appendicular skeleton were evaluated retrospectively for abnormalities in structure and shape. The cortical width of the long bones was evaluated qualitatively and quantitatively (in the upper humerus and mid-femur), and the cortical index was calculated and compared with published references. Measurements were taken of the mid-anteroposterior and cranio-caudal diameters of the vertebral body and spinous process at L3, the interpedicular distance at L1 and L5, and the sacral slope. Thoracic and lumbar osteophytes were graded on a 5-point scale. Values were compared with a control group of 20 healthy persons matched for age. The skeleton appeared small in all patients. No signs of osteopenia were visible. The cortex of the long bones appeared thick in the upper limbs in 11 patients and in the lower limbs in four. Compared with the reference values, the cortical width was thicker than average in the humerus and thinner in the femur. The vertebral diameters at L3 and the interpedicular distances at L1 and L5 were significantly smaller in the patients than in the control subjects (PLaron syndrome may be related to a marked retroversion of the humeral head.

The social and economic burden of frontotemporal degeneration.

Science.gov (United States)

Galvin, James E; Howard, David H; Denny, Sharon S; Dickinson, Susan; Tatton, Nadine

2017-11-14

To quantify the socioeconomic burden of frontotemporal degeneration (FTD) compared to previously published data for Alzheimer disease (AD). A 250-item internet survey was administered to primary caregivers of patients with behavioral-variant FTD (bvFTD), primary progressive aphasia, FTD with motor neuron disease, corticobasal syndrome, or progressive supranuclear palsy. The survey included validated scales for disease staging, behavior, activities of daily living, caregiver burden, and health economics, as well as investigator-designed questions to capture patient and caregiver experience with FTD. The entire survey was completed by 674 of 956 respondents (70.5%). Direct costs (2016 US dollars) equaled $47,916 and indirect costs $71,737, for a total annual per-patient cost of $119,654, nearly 2 times higher than reported costs for AD. Patients ≥65 years of age, with later stages of disease, and with bvFTD correlated with higher direct costs, while patients <65 years of age and men were associated with higher indirect costs. An FTD diagnosis produced a mean decrease in household income from $75,000 to $99,000 12 months before diagnosis to $50,000 to $59,999 12 months after diagnosis, resulting from lost days of work and early departure from the workforce. The economic burden of FTD is substantial. Counting productivity-related costs, per-patient costs for FTD appear to be greater than per-patient costs reported for AD. There is a need for biomarkers for accurate and timely diagnosis, effective treatments, and services to reduce this socioeconomic burden. Copyright © 2017 The Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. on behalf of the American Academy of Neurology.

The United States Transuranium and Uranium Registries: overview and recent progress

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kathren, R.L.

1989-01-01

This paper describes the organisation, activities and recent scientific accomplishments of the United States Transuranium and Uranium Registries. Through voluntary donations of tissue obtained at autopsies, the Registries carry out studies of the concentration, distribution and biokinetics of actinides in occupationally exposed persons. Findings from tissue analyses from more than 200 autopsies include the following: a greater proportion of the americium intake, as compared with plutonium, is found in the skeleton; the half-time of americium in liver is significantly shorter than that of plutonium; the concentration of actinide in the skeleton is inversely proportional to the calcium and ash content of the bone; only a small percentage of the total skeletal deposition of plutonium is found in the marrow, implying a smaller risk from irradiation of the marrow relative to the bone surfaces; estimates of plutonium body burden made from urinalysis typically exceed those made from autopsy data; pathologists are unable to discriminate between a group of uranium workers and persons without known occupational exposure on the basis of evaluation of microscopic kidney slides; the skeleton is an important long-term depot for uranium and its fractional uptake by both skeleton and kidney may be greater than indicated by current models. These and other findings and current studies are discussed in depth. (author)

The burden of disease in Zimbabwe in 1997 as measured by disability-adjusted life years lost

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Chapman, Glyn; Hansen, Kristian Schultz; Jelsma, Jennifer

2006-01-01

Objective To rank health problems contributing most to the burden of disease in Zimbabwe using Disability-Adjusted Life Years as the population health measure. Methods Epidemiological information was derived from multiple sources. Population size and total number of deaths by age and sex for the ...... pattern of Zimbabwe differed substantially from regional estimates for sub-Saharan Africa justifying the need for countries to develop their own burden of disease estimates.......Objective To rank health problems contributing most to the burden of disease in Zimbabwe using Disability-Adjusted Life Years as the population health measure. Methods Epidemiological information was derived from multiple sources. Population size and total number of deaths by age and sex...... for the year 1997 were taken from a nationwide census. The cause of death pattern was determined based on data from the Vital Registration System, which was adjusted for underreporting of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and reallocation of ill-defined causes. Non-fatal disease figures were estimated based...

Benign notochordal lesions of the axial skeleton: a review and current appraisal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kyriakos, Michael

2011-01-01

At the 1996 meeting of the International Skeletal Society, an idea was put forth that there existed symptomatic lesions of the axial skeleton, morphologically different from chordoma, that were consistent with benign notochordal remnants (rests). A review of the embryological basis for this concept is made, along with an analysis of these lesions, termed giant notochordal rests or benign notochordal cell tumors, that have been reported in the intervening 15 years, with a commentary on their relationship, if any, to chordoma. (orig.)

Disease Burden of 32 Infectious Diseases in the Netherlands, 2007-2011.

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Alies van Lier

Full Text Available Infectious disease burden estimates provided by a composite health measure give a balanced view of the true impact of a disease on a population, allowing the relative impact of diseases that differ in severity and mortality to be monitored over time. This article presents the first national disease burden estimates for a comprehensive set of 32 infectious diseases in the Netherlands.The average annual disease burden was computed for the period 2007-2011 for selected infectious diseases in the Netherlands using the disability-adjusted life years (DALY measure. The pathogen- and incidence-based approach was adopted to quantify the burden due to both morbidity and premature mortality associated with all short and long-term consequences of infection. Natural history models, disease progression probabilities, disability weights, and other parameters were adapted from previous research. Annual incidence was obtained from statutory notification and other surveillance systems, which was corrected for under-ascertainment and under-reporting. The highest average annual disease burden was estimated for invasive pneumococcal disease (9444 DALYs/year; 95% uncertainty interval [UI]: 8911-9961 and influenza (8670 DALYs/year; 95% UI: 8468-8874, which represents 16% and 15% of the total burden of all 32 diseases, respectively. The remaining 30 diseases ranked by number of DALYs/year from high to low were: HIV infection, legionellosis, toxoplasmosis, chlamydia, campylobacteriosis, pertussis, tuberculosis, hepatitis C infection, Q fever, norovirus infection, salmonellosis, gonorrhoea, invasive meningococcal disease, hepatitis B infection, invasive Haemophilus influenzae infection, shigellosis, listeriosis, giardiasis, hepatitis A infection, infection with STEC O157, measles, cryptosporidiosis, syphilis, rabies, variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, tetanus, mumps, rubella, diphtheria, and poliomyelitis. The very low burden for the latter five diseases can be

Disease Burden of 32 Infectious Diseases in the Netherlands, 2007-2011

Science.gov (United States)

Bouwknegt, Martijn; Kretzschmar, Mirjam E.; Mangen, Marie-Josée J.; Wallinga, Jacco; de Melker, Hester E.

2016-01-01

Background Infectious disease burden estimates provided by a composite health measure give a balanced view of the true impact of a disease on a population, allowing the relative impact of diseases that differ in severity and mortality to be monitored over time. This article presents the first national disease burden estimates for a comprehensive set of 32 infectious diseases in the Netherlands. Methods and Findings The average annual disease burden was computed for the period 2007–2011 for selected infectious diseases in the Netherlands using the disability-adjusted life years (DALY) measure. The pathogen- and incidence-based approach was adopted to quantify the burden due to both morbidity and premature mortality associated with all short and long-term consequences of infection. Natural history models, disease progression probabilities, disability weights, and other parameters were adapted from previous research. Annual incidence was obtained from statutory notification and other surveillance systems, which was corrected for under-ascertainment and under-reporting. The highest average annual disease burden was estimated for invasive pneumococcal disease (9444 DALYs/year; 95% uncertainty interval [UI]: 8911–9961) and influenza (8670 DALYs/year; 95% UI: 8468–8874), which represents 16% and 15% of the total burden of all 32 diseases, respectively. The remaining 30 diseases ranked by number of DALYs/year from high to low were: HIV infection, legionellosis, toxoplasmosis, chlamydia, campylobacteriosis, pertussis, tuberculosis, hepatitis C infection, Q fever, norovirus infection, salmonellosis, gonorrhoea, invasive meningococcal disease, hepatitis B infection, invasive Haemophilus influenzae infection, shigellosis, listeriosis, giardiasis, hepatitis A infection, infection with STEC O157, measles, cryptosporidiosis, syphilis, rabies, variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, tetanus, mumps, rubella, diphtheria, and poliomyelitis. The very low burden for the latter five

Disease Burden of 32 Infectious Diseases in the Netherlands, 2007-2011.

Science.gov (United States)

van Lier, Alies; McDonald, Scott A; Bouwknegt, Martijn; Kretzschmar, Mirjam E; Havelaar, Arie H; Mangen, Marie-Josée J; Wallinga, Jacco; de Melker, Hester E

2016-01-01

Infectious disease burden estimates provided by a composite health measure give a balanced view of the true impact of a disease on a population, allowing the relative impact of diseases that differ in severity and mortality to be monitored over time. This article presents the first national disease burden estimates for a comprehensive set of 32 infectious diseases in the Netherlands. The average annual disease burden was computed for the period 2007-2011 for selected infectious diseases in the Netherlands using the disability-adjusted life years (DALY) measure. The pathogen- and incidence-based approach was adopted to quantify the burden due to both morbidity and premature mortality associated with all short and long-term consequences of infection. Natural history models, disease progression probabilities, disability weights, and other parameters were adapted from previous research. Annual incidence was obtained from statutory notification and other surveillance systems, which was corrected for under-ascertainment and under-reporting. The highest average annual disease burden was estimated for invasive pneumococcal disease (9444 DALYs/year; 95% uncertainty interval [UI]: 8911-9961) and influenza (8670 DALYs/year; 95% UI: 8468-8874), which represents 16% and 15% of the total burden of all 32 diseases, respectively. The remaining 30 diseases ranked by number of DALYs/year from high to low were: HIV infection, legionellosis, toxoplasmosis, chlamydia, campylobacteriosis, pertussis, tuberculosis, hepatitis C infection, Q fever, norovirus infection, salmonellosis, gonorrhoea, invasive meningococcal disease, hepatitis B infection, invasive Haemophilus influenzae infection, shigellosis, listeriosis, giardiasis, hepatitis A infection, infection with STEC O157, measles, cryptosporidiosis, syphilis, rabies, variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, tetanus, mumps, rubella, diphtheria, and poliomyelitis. The very low burden for the latter five diseases can be attributed to the

Study of Burden Among Caregivers of Children with Cleft Lip and Palate

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ana Paula Ribeiro Razera

Full Text Available Abstract: The psychological and physical health of caregivers of children with cleft lip and palate can be strongly influenced by the child’s condition and behavior, and care required by the treatment. This study’s objective was to identify overload levels among these caregivers. A total of 100 caregivers, whose children were in the perioperative period of cheiloplasty and/or palatoplasty, were interviewed using the Scale Burden Interview. The data were analyzed quantitatively. Moderate and moderate severe burden levels were identified in 43% of the sample. The mothers of children aged around 12 months presented significantly higher overload. The results indicate that children in this developmental stage present greater care demand because they seek autonomy in locomotion, explore objects in their surrounding environment, and continually request communicative and affective-social interaction with their reference to greater attachment (the caregiver, which may have contributed to higher burden.

The burden of serious fungal diseases in Russia.

Science.gov (United States)

Klimko, N; Kozlova, Y; Khostelidi, S; Shadrivova, O; Borzova, Y; Burygina, E; Vasilieva, N; Denning, D W

2015-10-01

The incidence and prevalence of fungal infections in Russia is unknown. We estimated the burden of fungal infections in Russia according to the methodology of the LIFE program (www.LIFE-worldwide.org). The total number of patients with serious and chronic mycoses in Russia in 2011 was three million. Most of these patients (2,607,494) had superficial fungal infections (recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis, oral and oesophageal candidiasis with HIV infection and tinea capitis). Invasive and chronic fungal infections (invasive candidiasis, invasive and chronic aspergillosis, cryptococcal meningitis, mucormycosis and Pneumocystis pneumonia) affected 69,331 patients. The total number of adults with allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis and severe asthma with fungal sensitisation was 406,082. © 2015 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Skeleton sled velocity profiles: a novel approach to understand critical aspects of the elite athletes' start phases.

Science.gov (United States)

Colyer, Steffi L; Stokes, Keith A; Bilzon, James L J; Salo, Aki I T

2018-06-01

The development of velocity across the skeleton start is critical to performance, yet poorly understood. We aimed to understand which components of the sled velocity profile determine performance and how physical abilities influence these components. Thirteen well-trained skeleton athletes (>85% of athletes in the country) performed dry-land push-starts alongside countermovement jump and sprint tests at multiple time-points. A magnet encoder attached to the sled wheel provided velocity profiles, which were characterised using novel performance descriptors. Stepwise regression revealed four variables (pre-load velocity, pre-load distance, load effectiveness, velocity drop) to explain 99% variance in performance (β weights: 1.70, -0.81, 0.25, -0.07, respectively). Sprint times and jump ability were associated (r ± 90% CI) with pre-load velocity (-0.70 ± 0.27 and 0.88 ± 0.14, respectively) and distance (-0.48 ± 0.39 and 0.67 ± 0.29, respectively), however, unclear relationships between both physical measures and load effectiveness (0.33 ± 0.44 and -0.35 ± 0.48, respectively) were observed. Athletes should develop accelerative ability to attain higher velocity earlier on the track. Additionally, the loading phase should not be overlooked and may be more influenced by technique than physical factors. Future studies should utilise this novel approach when evaluating skeleton starts or interventions to enhance performance.

Ethnical evaluation of Bangladeshi young adults in terms of morphometrically-analyzed craniofacial skeleton

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hasan Md. Rizvi

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Morphometric study for the craniofacial relations and variations in humans have long been used to differentiate various racial groups in physical anthropology. The objective of this study was to describe the morphological features of craniofacial skeleton in Bangladeshi young adults and to compare it with already reported standards for the Caucasian population as well as cephalometric values of other Indian races using Steiner′s reference norms. The study was conducted for 52 Bangladeshi young adults (27 male and 25 females, aged 21-27 years, having balanced and harmonious facial profiles, clinically acceptable occlusion with permanent dentition and no history of orthodontic treatment. Lateral cephalograms taken of these subjects were used for a series of morphometric analyses. Bangladeshi subjects were more protrusive skeletally and dentally than Caucasians. Furthermore, the mandibular plane angle was smaller in Bangladeshi subjects than in the Caucasians. Present results also suggest that the Astrics, Dravidians, and Armenoid who penetrated into Bengal in the early ages may have contributed substantially to the morphogenesis of craniofacial skeleton in the present Bengalis. The results of this study support the idea that a single standard of facial esthetics should not be applied to all racial and ethnic groups.

Estimation of sex and age of 'virtual skeletons'-a feasibility study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Grabherr, Silke [University Hospital of Lausanne, Institute of Forensic Medicine, Lausanne (Switzerland)]|[University of Bern, Institute of Forensic Medicine, Bern (Switzerland)]|[University Hospital of Lausanne, Service of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Lausanne (Switzerland); Cooper, Christine; Ulrich-Bochsler, Susi [University of Bern, Institute for the History of Medicine, Historical Anthropology, Bern (Switzerland); Uldin, Tanya [Service of Osteo-Archaeology, Aesch (Switzerland); Ross, Steffen; Oesterhelweg, Lars; Bolliger, Stephan; Thali, Michael J. [University of Bern, Institute of Forensic Medicine, Bern (Switzerland); Christe, Andreas [University of Bern, Institute of Forensic Medicine, Bern (Switzerland)]|[University of Bern, Institute of Diagnostic Radiology, Bern (Switzerland); Schnyder, Pierre [University Hospital of Lausanne, Service of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Lausanne (Switzerland); Mangin, Patrice [University Hospital of Lausanne, Institute of Forensic Medicine, Lausanne (Switzerland)

2009-02-15

This article presents a feasibility study with the objective of investigating the potential of multi-detector computed tomography (MDCT) to estimate the bone age and sex of deceased persons. To obtain virtual skeletons, the bodies of 22 deceased persons with known age at death were scanned by MDCT using a special protocol that consisted of high-resolution imaging of the skull, shoulder girdle (including the upper half of the humeri), the symphysis pubis and the upper halves of the femora. Bone and soft-tissue reconstructions were performed in two and three dimensions. The resulting data were investigated by three anthropologists with different professional experience. Sex was determined by investigating three-dimensional models of the skull and pelvis. As a basic orientation for the age estimation, the complex method according to Nemeskeri and co-workers was applied. The final estimation was effected using additional parameters like the state of dentition, degeneration of the spine, etc., which where chosen individually by the three observers according to their experience. The results of the study show that the estimation of sex and age is possible by the use of MDCT. Virtual skeletons present an ideal collection for anthropological studies, because they are obtained in a non-invasive way and can be investigated ad infinitum. (orig.)

The burden of child maltreatment in the East Asia and Pacific region.

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Fang, Xiangming; Fry, Deborah A; Brown, Derek S; Mercy, James A; Dunne, Michael P; Butchart, Alexander R; Corso, Phaedra S; Maynzyuk, Kateryna; Dzhygyr, Yuriy; Chen, Yu; McCoy, Amalee; Swales, Diane M

2015-04-01

This study estimated the health and economic burden of child maltreatment in the East Asia and Pacific region, addressing a significant gap in the current evidence base. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses were conducted to estimate the prevalence of child physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, neglect, and witnessing parental violence. Population Attributable Fractions were calculated and Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALYs) lost from physical and mental health outcomes and health risk behaviors attributable to child maltreatment were estimated using the most recent comparable Global Burden of Disease data. DALY losses were converted into monetary value by assuming that one DALY is equal to the sub-region's per capita GDP. The estimated economic value of DALYs lost to violence against children as a percentage of GDP ranged from 1.24% to 3.46% across sub-regions defined by the World Health Organization. The estimated economic value of DALYs (in constant 2000 US$) lost to child maltreatment in the EAP region totaled US $151 billion, accounting for 1.88% of the region's GDP. Updated to 2012 dollars, the estimated economic burden totaled US $194 billion. In sensitivity analysis, the aggregate costs as a percentage of GDP range from 1.36% to 2.52%. The economic burden of child maltreatment in the East Asia and Pacific region is substantial, indicating the importance of preventing and responding to child maltreatment in this region. More comprehensive research into the impact of multiple types of childhood adversity on a wider range of putative health outcomes is needed to guide policy and programs for child protection in the region, and globally. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The burden of child maltreatment in the East Asia and Pacific region☆

Science.gov (United States)

Fang, Xiangming; Fry, Deborah A.; Brown, Derek S.; Mercy, James A.; Dunne, Michael P.; Butchart, Alexander R.; Corso, Phaedra S.; Maynzyuk, Kateryna; Dzhygyr, Yuriy; Chen, Yu; McCoy, Amalee; Swales, Diane M.

2015-01-01

This study estimated the health and economic burden of child maltreatment in the East Asia and Pacific region, addressing a significant gap in the current evidence base. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses were conducted to estimate the prevalence of child physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, neglect, and witnessing parental violence. Population Attributable Fractions were calculated and Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALYs) lost from physical and mental health outcomes and health risk behaviors attributable to child maltreatment were estimated using the most recent comparable Global Burden of Disease data. DALY losses were converted into monetary value by assuming that one DALY is equal to the sub-region’s per capita GDP. The estimated economic value of DALYs lost to violence against children as a percentage of GDP ranged from 1.24% to 3.46% across sub-regions defined by the World Health Organization. The estimated economic value of DALYs (in constant 2000 US$) lost to child maltreatment in the EAP region totaled US $151 billion, accounting for 1.88% of the region’s GDP. Updated to 2012 dollars, the estimated economic burden totaled US $194 billion. In sensitivity analysis, the aggregate costs as a percentage of GDP range from 1.36% to 2.52%. The economic burden of child maltreatment in the East Asia and Pacific region is substantial, indicating the importance of preventing and responding to child maltreatment in this region. More comprehensive research into the impact of multiple types of childhood adversity on a wider range of putative health outcomes is needed to guide policy and programs for child protection in the region, and globally. PMID:25757367

Tumor segmentation of whole-body magnetic resonance imaging in neurofibromatosis type 1 patients: tumor burden correlates

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Heffler, Michael A.; Xi, Yin; Chhabra, Avneesh [University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Department of Radiology, Dallas, TX (United States); Le, Lu Q. [University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Department of Dermatology, Dallas, TX (United States)

2017-01-15

Segmentation of whole-body MRI (WBMRI) to assess the feasibility, quantitate the total tumor volume (tumor burden) in patients with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) and examine associations with demographic, disease-related and anthropomorphic features. A consecutive series of patients with NF1 underwent WBMRI and were reviewed for tumors. Tumors were segmented using a semiautomated software-based tool. Tumors were classified as superficial or deep and discrete or plexiform. Segmentation times were recorded. Segmentation yielded the quantity and tumor burden of superficial, internal and plexiform tumors. Correlations between segmentation data and demographic, disease-related and anthropomorphic features were examined. Fifteen patients were evaluated (42.3 ± 13.6 years, 10 female, 5 male). Segmentation times were a median of 30 min and yielded 2,328 tumors (1,582 superficial, 746 internal and 23 plexiform). One tumor was malignant. Tumor counts ranged from 14 to 397. Tumor burden ranged from 6.95 cm3 to 571 cm3. Individual tumor volume ranged from 0.0120 cm3 to 298 cm3. Significant correlation was found between the total volume of superficial tumors and height (ρ = 0.5966, p < 0.02). Male patients had higher overall tumor burdens (p < 0.05) and higher superficial tumor burden (p < 0.03). Patients with negative family history had more tumors (p < 0.05). Segmentation of WBMRI in patients with NF1 is feasible and elucidates meaningful relationships among disease phenotype, anthropomorphic and demographic features. (orig.)

Tumor segmentation of whole-body magnetic resonance imaging in neurofibromatosis type 1 patients: tumor burden correlates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heffler, Michael A.; Xi, Yin; Chhabra, Avneesh; Le, Lu Q.

2017-01-01

Segmentation of whole-body MRI (WBMRI) to assess the feasibility, quantitate the total tumor volume (tumor burden) in patients with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) and examine associations with demographic, disease-related and anthropomorphic features. A consecutive series of patients with NF1 underwent WBMRI and were reviewed for tumors. Tumors were segmented using a semiautomated software-based tool. Tumors were classified as superficial or deep and discrete or plexiform. Segmentation times were recorded. Segmentation yielded the quantity and tumor burden of superficial, internal and plexiform tumors. Correlations between segmentation data and demographic, disease-related and anthropomorphic features were examined. Fifteen patients were evaluated (42.3 ± 13.6 years, 10 female, 5 male). Segmentation times were a median of 30 min and yielded 2,328 tumors (1,582 superficial, 746 internal and 23 plexiform). One tumor was malignant. Tumor counts ranged from 14 to 397. Tumor burden ranged from 6.95 cm3 to 571 cm3. Individual tumor volume ranged from 0.0120 cm3 to 298 cm3. Significant correlation was found between the total volume of superficial tumors and height (ρ = 0.5966, p < 0.02). Male patients had higher overall tumor burdens (p < 0.05) and higher superficial tumor burden (p < 0.03). Patients with negative family history had more tumors (p < 0.05). Segmentation of WBMRI in patients with NF1 is feasible and elucidates meaningful relationships among disease phenotype, anthropomorphic and demographic features. (orig.)

Comparative study of internal contamination of different radiators in skeleton on induction of mutagenic effect in bone marrow cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhu Shoupeng; Wang Liuyi; Yang Weidong

1990-10-01

The purpose of the present study was to ascertain comparative retention of 134 Cs or 147 Pm in skeleton on induction of chromosome aberrations and PCE's micronucleus formation in bone marrow cells. Results indicated that after iv signal nuclide 134 Cs, through 7 weeks observation, the retention data in skeleton could be well described by an exponential expression. Experiments indicated that the retention value and the absorption dose of 147 Pm in skeleton were significantly higher in comparison with 134 Cs. Both internal contamination of 134 Cs or 147 Pm could induce chromosome aberrations and PCE's micronucleus formation in bone marrow cells. Among the type of chromosome aberrations of bone marrow cells induced by 134 Cs or 147 Pm included gap, chromatid breakage, chromosome breakage and translocation. Moreover, the chromosome aberration rates were elevated when the intake of radioactivity of 134 Cs or 147 Pm were enlarged. At the same time, chromosome fragment of bone marrow cells also induced by 134 Cs or 147 Pm only through high radioactive contamination. Studies showed that chromosome translocation was appeared only through high radioactivity of 147 Pm contamination. By comparing with 1 '4 7 Pm, however, the induction of chromosome aberrations and PCE's micronucleus formation rates on bone marrow cells induced by 134 Cs was quite low

Morphometric studies on the facial skeleton of humans and pongids based on CT-scans.

Science.gov (United States)

Schumacher, K U; Koppe, T; Fanghänel, J; Schumacher, G H; Nagai, H

1994-10-01

The changes of the skull, which we can observe during the anthropogenesis, are reflected especially in the different skull proportions. We carried out metric measurements at the median level on 10 adult skulls each of humans, chimpanzees and gorillas as well as 11 skulls of orangutans. All skulls were scanned with a CT at the median level. We measured the lines and angles of the scans and the means and the standard deviations were calculated. We carried out a correlation analysis to observe the relation of their characteristics. We showed that there is a relation between the length of the skull base and the facial length in all species. From the results of the correlation analysis, we can also conclude that a relation exists between the degree of prognathism and the different length measurements of the facial skeleton. We also found a bending of the facial skeleton in relation to the cranial base towards the ventral side, also known as klinorhynchy, in all observed species. The highest degree of klinorhynchy was found in humans and the lowest in orangutans. We will discuss the different definition of the term klinorhynchy and its importance in the evolution of the hominoids.

Caregiver burden among primary caregivers of patients undergoing peripheral blood stem cell transplantation: a cross sectional study.

Science.gov (United States)

Akgul, Nur; Ozdemir, Leyla

2014-08-01

This study aimed to identify caregiver burden and influencing factors on the burden in primary caregivers of peripheral blood stem cell transplantation patients within 2-12 months following transplant, indicating early recovery period after discharge. This descriptive cross sectional study was carried out at hematopoietic stem cell transplantation outpatient units of three university hospitals in Turkey. A total of 55 patient and caregiver dyads were recruited and interviewed. The data were collected using questionnaires developed by the researchers and caregiver burden was measured with the Zarit Burden Interview. The mean score of Zarit Burden Interview was 28.41 (SD = 13.90). Patients' symptoms including nausea and self depreciation feeling were related to greater caregiver burden. Self-depreciation was referred to feeling undervalued. The mean score of the tool was significantly higher in caregivers who have not been educated beyond primary school and also caregivers who had lower income. Caregivers who supported their patients to fulfill physical needs and who did not receive help for meeting patients' psychological needs had statistically more elevated levels of burden. Moreover, the extent of care giving activities undertaken was positively correlated with caregiver burden scores. While positive impact of the care giving process on family relations decreased caregiver burden; negative effect increased the burden. This study suggests that caregiver burden of primary caregivers caring for peripheral blood stem cell transplantation patients varies by education, income status, and the extent of care giving activities undertaken. Changes in family ties and relations due to care giving effected caregiver burden. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The financial and health burden of diabetic ambulatory care sensitive hospitalisations in Mexico.

Science.gov (United States)

Lugo-Palacios, David G; Cairns, John

2016-01-01

To estimate the financial and health burden of diabetic ambulatory care sensitive hospitalisations (ACSH) in Mexico during 2001-2011. We identified ACSH due to diabetic complications in general hospitals run by local health ministries and estimated their financial cost using diagnostic related groups. The health burden estimation assumes that patients would not have experienced complications if they had received appropriate primary care and computes the associated Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALYs). The financial cost of diabetic ACSH increased by 125% in real terms and their health burden in 2010 accounted for 4.2% of total DALYs associated with diabetes in Mexico. Avoiding preventable hospitalisations could free resources within the health system for other health purposes. In addition, patients with ACSH suffer preventable losses of health that should be considered when assessing the performance of any primary care intervention.

90Sr in the skeleton of new-born children and infants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Borisov, B.K.

1980-01-01

The correlation between 90 Sr content in the skeleton of new-born children and infants and 90 Sr content in the vertebrae spongy tissue of mother, is studied in different countries from 1965 to 1973. The highest indexes of 90 Sr concentration in the bone tissue of new-born children are found to be characteristic of Canada and Norway. The minimum 90 Sr content is observed in Japan. The dynamics of indexes which characterize 90 Sr content in the bone tissue of infants is presented. The peculiarities are conditioned by particular nutrition of an infant nursing and cow milk used as additional food

The Burden of Schizophrenia on Caregivers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Filiz Adana

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Caregivers’ burden in schizophrenia is a complex concept often with negative connotations. The concept refers to the impact of having a schizophrenia patient in the family including emotional, psychological, physical, economic distress and feelings of shame, embarrassment, guilt, and self-blame expe-rienced by the caregivers. There are objective and subjective aspects of care-givers’ burden. The objective burden refers to observed and verifiable impact of the diseased person in the family such as the patients disturbing behaviors, economic difficulties, and loss of income, restricted social activities, distressed household atmosphere, and undesirable influences on physical and mental health of the family members. The subjective burden refers to the extent of emotional distress caused by the objective burden. The data in the pertinent literature suggest an association between caregivers’ burden and sex, ethnicity, culture, caregivers’ health and quality of life, social support, and the symptomatology as presented by the patient. In order to promote mental health of schizophrenia patients along with their caregivers, the mental health workers should strive to find the means of supporting, informing, and cooperating with the family members. Psychosocial interventions designed for families and psychosocial rehabilitations programs designed for schizophrenia patients are effective means of easing caregivers’ burden.

Organ burdens and elimination rates of inhaled thorium and plutonium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Unnikrishnan, K.; Murthy, K.B.S.; Sunta, C.M.

1986-01-01

For the purpose of interpreting observations from internal monitoring programmes, organ burdens and excretion rates resulting from inhalation of long-lived isotopes of plutonium and thorium have been calculated, on the basis of the ICRP model. Two types of inhalation, instantaneous (acute) and at a steady rate (chronic) are considered. The expected buildups of the burden in lungs, lymph nodes, bone, liver and other tissues, as well as the excretion rates, have been calculated for aerosol classes W and Y, and particle sizes of AMAD 1 μm and 6 μm. Further, in view of their use in selecting the periodicity of routine monitoring, theoretical results are also presented for the case of a total inhalation of 1 ALI in one year, instantaneously or at a constant rate. (author)

A WELL PRESERVED SKELETON OF THE FOSSIL SHARK COSMOPOLITODUS HASTALIS FROM THE LATE MIOCENE OF PERU, FEATURING FISH REMAINS AS FOSSILIZED STOMACH CONTENTS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

ALBERTO COLLARETA

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Both the preservation of the poorly mineralized skeleton of sharks and the preservation of stomach contents are rarely observed in the fossil record. Here we report on a partial skeleton of a lamniform shark, including portions of the visceral arches and the anterior segment of the vertebral column, collected from the late Miocene beds of the Pisco Formation exposed at Cerro Yesera (Ica Desert, South Peru. Based on the morphology of the preserved teeth, this specimen was determined as a juvenile of the extinct lamnid species Cosmopolitodus hastalis. The shark skeleton includes remains of fish (featuring a pilchard determined as Sardinops sp. cf. S. sagax in the abdominal region. These fish remains are interpreted herein as the fossilized stomach contents of the shark. For the first time, piscivory is demonstrated in a juvenile individual of Cosmopolitodus hastalis. This result is consistent with the current knowledge about the feeding habits of immature individuals of extant lamniform shark species (including Carcharodon carcharias and Isurus oxyrinchus. Our report further outlines the fundamental role of schooling pilchards in the late Miocene trophic chains of the highly productive coastal waters off present South Peru. Moreover, the find of this well preserved shark skeleton strengthens the qualification of the Pisco Formation as a Fossil-Lagerstätte, and emphasizes the role of early mineralization processes in cases of exceptional preservation.

Benchmarking high performance computing architectures with CMS’ skeleton framework

Science.gov (United States)

Sexton-Kennedy, E.; Gartung, P.; Jones, C. D.

2017-10-01

In 2012 CMS evaluated which underlying concurrency technology would be the best to use for its multi-threaded framework. The available technologies were evaluated on the high throughput computing systems dominating the resources in use at that time. A skeleton framework benchmarking suite that emulates the tasks performed within a CMSSW application was used to select Intel’s Thread Building Block library, based on the measured overheads in both memory and CPU on the different technologies benchmarked. In 2016 CMS will get access to high performance computing resources that use new many core architectures; machines such as Cori Phase 1&2, Theta, Mira. Because of this we have revived the 2012 benchmark to test it’s performance and conclusions on these new architectures. This talk will discuss the results of this exercise.

A novel triterpenoid carbon skeleton in immature sulphur-rich sediments

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schouten, S.; Sinninghe Damste, J.S.; De Leeuw, J.W. [Netherlands Inst. for Sea Research (NIOZ), Texel (Netherlands)

1995-03-01

A novel S compound, 1,4-bis(2{sup {prime}}, 5{sup {prime}}, 5{sup {prime}}, 8a{sup {prime}}-tetramethylhexahydrothiochroman)-butane has been detected in several immature S-rich sediments, of which the desulphurized counterpart was unambiguously identified by synthesis of an authentic standard and coinjection experiments. This C skeleton of the S compound, 1, 10-bis(2{sup {prime}}, 2{sup {prime}}, 6{sup {prime}}-trimethylcyclohexyl)-3,8-dimethyldodecane(I), has not been reported yet in any sediment or organism. We suggest that it may be biosynthesized through an enzymatic cyclization reaction of squalene (II), which shows similarities with the biosynthesis of {Beta}, {Beta}-carotene (III) from lycopene (IV). 24 refs., 4 figs.

Approaches to Refining Estimates of Global Burden and Economics of Dengue

Science.gov (United States)

Shepard, Donald S.; Undurraga, Eduardo A.; Betancourt-Cravioto, Miguel; Guzmán, María G.; Halstead, Scott B.; Harris, Eva; Mudin, Rose Nani; Murray, Kristy O.; Tapia-Conyer, Roberto; Gubler, Duane J.

2014-01-01

Dengue presents a formidable and growing global economic and disease burden, with around half the world's population estimated to be at risk of infection. There is wide variation and substantial uncertainty in current estimates of dengue disease burden and, consequently, on economic burden estimates. Dengue disease varies across time, geography and persons affected. Variations in the transmission of four different viruses and interactions among vector density and host's immune status, age, pre-existing medical conditions, all contribute to the disease's complexity. This systematic review aims to identify and examine estimates of dengue disease burden and costs, discuss major sources of uncertainty, and suggest next steps to improve estimates. Economic analysis of dengue is mainly concerned with costs of illness, particularly in estimating total episodes of symptomatic dengue. However, national dengue disease reporting systems show a great diversity in design and implementation, hindering accurate global estimates of dengue episodes and country comparisons. A combination of immediate, short-, and long-term strategies could substantially improve estimates of disease and, consequently, of economic burden of dengue. Suggestions for immediate implementation include refining analysis of currently available data to adjust reported episodes and expanding data collection in empirical studies, such as documenting the number of ambulatory visits before and after hospitalization and including breakdowns by age. Short-term recommendations include merging multiple data sources, such as cohort and surveillance data to evaluate the accuracy of reporting rates (by health sector, treatment, severity, etc.), and using covariates to extrapolate dengue incidence to locations with no or limited reporting. Long-term efforts aim at strengthening capacity to document dengue transmission using serological methods to systematically analyze and relate to epidemiologic data. As promising tools

The Milky Way Skeleton

Science.gov (United States)

Zucker, Catherine; Battersby, Cara; Goodman, Alyssa A.

2015-01-01

Recently, Goodman et al. (2014) argued that a very long, very thin infrared dark cloud 'Nessie' lies directly in the Galactic mid-plane and runs along the Scutum-Centaurus arm in position-position-velocity space as traced by low density CO and high density NH3 gas. Nessie was presented as the first 'bone' of the Milky Way, an extraordinarily long, thin, high contrast filament that can be used to map our galaxy's 'skeleton.' We present the first evidence of additional 'bones' in the Milky Way Galaxy, arguing that Nessie is not a curiosity but one of many filaments that could potentially trace galactic structure. Our ten bone candidates are all long, filamentary, mid-infrared extinction features which lie parallel to, and no more than twenty parsecs from, the physical Galactic mid-plane. We use CO, N2H+, and NH3 radial velocity data to establish the location of the candidates in position-velocity space. Of the ten filaments, three candidates have a projected aspect ratio of >50:1 and run along, or extremely close to, the Scutum-Centaurus arm in position-velocity space. Evidence suggests that these three candidates are Nessie-like features which mark the location of the spiral arms in both physical space and position-velocity space. Other candidates could be spurs, feathers, or interarm clouds associated with the Milky Way's galactic structure. As molecular spectral-line and extinction maps cover more of the sky at increasing resolution and sensitivity, we hope to find more bones in future studies, to ultimately create a global-fit to the Galaxy's spiral arms by piecing together individual skeletal features. This work is supported in part by the NSF REU and DOD ASSURE programs under NSF grant no. 1262851 and by the Smithsonian Institution.

Effect of caregivers’ expressed emotion on the care burden and rehospitalization rate of schizophrenia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wang X

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Xia Wang,1 Qiongni Chen,2 Min Yang1 1Xiangya School of Nursing, 2Nursing Department, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, People’s Republic of China Background: This study assessed the effect of expressed emotion (EE among caregivers of schizophrenia patients on their care burden and the illness rehospitalization rate. Subjects and methods: A total of 64 schizophrenia patients hospitalized for the first time and their key caregivers were recruited. The Chinese version of the Camberwell Family Interview (CFI-CV was used to evaluate the EE of the key caregivers. A family burden questionnaire was used to evaluate the care burden. The patients’ rehospitalization rate and medication compliance were evaluated by the self-designated criteria. The data collection was carried out at the first meeting in the hospital, at 6 months and 12 months after hospital discharge by using the same instruments. Results: The subjective stress burden and subjective demand burden scores were higher in caregivers before and after discharge with statistical difference between the various observation time points (P<0.05. Significant differences were observed in the rehospitalization rate between patients with high medication adherence and low medication adherence at 12 months (P<0.01 and between patients with high expressed emotion (HEE and low expressed emotion (LEE; P<0.05. The rehospitalization rate in patients with HEE caregivers was higher than that in those with LEE caregivers. The subjective stress burden scores were statistically significant between HEE and LEE caregivers (P<0.05.Conclusion: HEE is a predictor of rehospitalization rate in schizophrenic patients. The burdens of care scores are high in caregivers of schizophrenic patients. The caregivers with HEE have a high score in burden of care compared with those with LEE. Keywords: expressed emotion, care burden, schizophrenia, rehospitalization rate, caregivers

Health and economic burden of obesity in Brazil.

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Ketevan Rtveladze

Full Text Available INTRODUCTION: Higher and lower-middle income countries are increasingly affected by obesity. Obesity-related diseases are placing a substantial health and economic burden on Brazil. Our aim is to measure the future consequences of these trends on the associated disease burden and health care costs. METHOD: A previously developed micro-simulation model is used to project the extent of obesity, obesity-related diseases and associated healthcare costs to 2050. In total, thirteen diseases were considered: coronary heart disease, stroke, hypertension, diabetes, osteoarthritis, and eight cancers. We simulated three hypothetical intervention scenarios: no intervention, 1% and 5% reduction in body mass index (BMI. RESULTS: In 2010, nearly 57% of the Brazilian male population was overweight or obese (BMI ≥25 kg/m(2, but the model projects rates as high as 95% by 2050. A slightly less pessimistic picture is predicted for females, increasing from 43% in 2010 to 52% in 2050. Coronary heart disease, stroke, hypertension, cancers, osteoarthritis and diabetes prevalence cases are projected to at least double by 2050, reaching nearly 34,000 cases of hypertension by 2050 (per 100,000. 1% and 5% reduction in mean BMI will save over 800 prevalence cases and nearly 3,000 cases of hypertension by 2050 respectively (per 100,000. The health care costs will double from 2010 ($5.8 billion in 2050 alone ($10.1 billion. Over 40 years costs will reach $330 billion. However, with effective interventions the costs can be reduced to $302 billion by 1% and to $273 billion by 5% reduction in mean BMI across the population. CONCLUSION: Obesity rates are rapidly increasing creating a high burden of disease and associated costs. However, an effective intervention to decrease obesity by just 1% will substantially reduce obesity burden and will have a significant effect on health care expenditure.

Simulating the Incorporation of Geochemical Proxies into Scleractinian Coral Skeletons: Effects of Different Environmental and Biological Factors and Implications for Paleo-reconstruction

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Guo, W.

2017-12-01

Chemical and isotopic compositions of scleractinian coral skeletons reflect the physicochemical condition of the seawater in which corals grow. This makes coral skeleton one of the best archives of ocean climate and biogeochemical changes. A number of coral-based geochemical proxies have been developed and applied to reconstruct past seawater conditions, such as temperature, pH, carbonate chemistry and nutrient concentrations. Detailed laboratory and field-based studies of these proxies, however, indicate interpretation of the geochemistry of coral skeletons is not straightforward, due to the presence of `vital effects' and the variations of empirical proxy calibrations among and within different species. This poses challenges for the broad application of many geochemical proxies in corals, and highlights the need to better understand the fundamental processes governing the incorporation of different proxies. Here I present a numerical model that simulates the incorporation of a suite of geochemical proxies into coral skeletons, including δ11B, Mg/Ca, Sr/Ca, U/Ca, B/Ca and Ba/Ca. This model, building on previous theoretical studies of coral calcification, combines our current understanding of coral calcification mechanism with experimental constraints on the isotope and element partition during carbonate precipitation. It enables quantitative evaluation of the effects of different environmental and biological factors on each proxy. Specifically, this model shows that (1) the incorporation of every proxy is affected by multiple seawater parameters (e.g. temperature, pH, DIC) as opposed to one single parameter, and (2) biological factors, particularly the interplay between enzymatic alkalinity pumping and the exchange of coral calcifying fluid with external seawater, also exert significant controls. Based on these findings, I propose an inverse method for simultaneously reconstructing multiple seawater physicochemical parameters, and compare the performance of this

A partial skeleton of a new lamniform mackerel shark from the Miocene of Europe

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Jürgen Kriwet

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Cenozoic lamniform sharks are mostly represented by isolated teeth and vertebrae, whereas articulated skeletal remains are usually very scarce. Here, we describe a partial skeleton of an extinct lamniform shark consisting of 42 slightly disarticulated teeth, 49 vertebrae, and additional unidentifiable cranial and postcranial remains. The specimen originates from the Miocene mica-clay of Groß Pampau (North Germany, which is of late Langenfeldian age (= Serravallian-Tortonian boundary; middle–late Miocene. A total of 13 measurements of each tooth, as well as morphological features, were used to reconstruct the dentition of this specimen and to provide detailed taxonomic information. Additionally, the total body size and age at death were established using methodologies based on vertebral and tooth measurements and vertebral centra growth ring counts, respectively. The specimen undoubtedly represents the most complete individual of “Carcharodon (= Isurus escheri”, previously known only from a few isolated teeth. The dental pattern (e.g., marked dignathic and monognathic heterodonty patterns; only slightly labio-lingually compressed upper teeth; upper teeth slender with distally inclined or curved main cusps; massive, hook-like upper intermediate tooth; main cusps with crenulated cutting edges; lateral cusplets in teeth of all ontogenetic stages clearly separates this shark from all hitherto known Cenozoic and Recent lamnids and a new genus, Carcharomodus, consequently is introduced. Carcharomodus escheri comb. nov. is a characteristic element of late early Miocene to the Pliocene Western and Central European fish faunas. All previously identified Pacific occurrences represent a different taxon. We estimate that the specimen had a total body length of about 4 m and that it was older than 10 years and thus might have reached maturity before death, as indicated by all available evidence.

[Direct economic burden of cerebrovascular disease, during 1993-2008 in China].

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Lu, Jing; Xu, Ling; Zhai, Yi; Zhang, Yaoguang; Lyu, Yuebin; Shi, Xiaoming

2014-11-01

To evaluate the status and trend of direct economic burden on cerebrovascular disease, from 1993 to 2008 in China. Using two-step model to calculate the economic cost with related trend of cerebrovascular disease within the population among the over 30-year-olds, from 1993 to 2008. Data was gathered from the National Health Service Surveys Analysis Reports of 1993, 1998, 2003 and 2008, that including both direct outpatient and inpatient cost. There appeared a significant increase on the burden of cerebrovascular diseases in the period of 15 years, with direct economic cost increasing from 8.473 billion to 103.125 billion RMB. In fact, the actual increase was 5.3 times, without the influence of the price. The average annual growth rate was 13.1%, exceeding the rate of total expenditure on health and GDP during the same time span. In addition, the growth rate in 2003-2008 was the fastest, which appeared to be 19.8%. Burden that caused by cerebrovascular disease on individuals and the whole society was heavy which warrented further theoratical and practical studies on it.

Linear measurements of the neurocranium are better indicators of population differences than those of the facial skeleton: comparative study of 1,961 skulls.

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Holló, Gábor; Szathmáry, László; Marcsik, Antónia; Barta, Zoltán

2010-02-01

The aim of this study is to individualize potential differences between two cranial regions used to differentiate human populations. We compared the neurocranium and the facial skeleton using skulls from the Great Hungarian Plain. The skulls date to the 1st-11th centuries, a long space of time that encompasses seven archaeological periods. We analyzed six neurocranial and seven facial measurements. The reduction of the number of variables was carried out using principal components analysis. Linear mixed-effects models were fitted to the principal components of each archaeological period, and then the models were compared using multiple pairwise tests. The neurocranium showed significant differences in seven cases between nonsubsequent periods and in one case, between two subsequent populations. For the facial skeleton, no significant results were found. Our results, which are also compared to previous craniofacial heritability estimates, suggest that the neurocranium is a more conservative region and that population differences can be pointed out better in the neurocranium than in the facial skeleton.

Psoriasis causes significant economic burden to patients.

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Mustonen, A; Mattila, K; Leino, M; Koulu, L; Tuominen, R

2014-06-01

Psoriasis results in expenses to patients from many cost sources. Psoriasis treatments may result in considerable time and traveling costs, yet many studies fail to account for these costs. The objective of this study was to evaluate the multidimensional economic burden of psoriasis to patients. The study was based on 232 Finnish patients with psoriasis or psoriatic arthritis visiting a tertiary level dermatological clinic during a 1-year study period between October 1, 2009 and September 30, 2010. The data were based on a patient questionnaire, clinical data from the medical records and reimbursement data from the Finnish Social Insurance Institution. Item costs were based on true costs charged from the patients and all time cost estimates were based on the Human Capital Approach method. 199 patients with psoriasis and 33 with psoriatic arthritis were included in the study. Total costs were higher for patients receiving traditional systemic medications or phototherapy than those not receiving such treatment. Travel costs and travel time costs accounted for more than 60% of the costs of phototherapy. Skin care at home was time consuming and thus caused significant burden to patients. The majority of the visit costs arose from hospital visits and only a small proportion were attributed to visiting primary health care providers. Visit charges and other patient co-payments were estimated to play a minor role in the total cost of psoriasis incurred by patients, while travel costs and lost time comprised the majority of the costs, which should not be omitted in future studies regarding costs of treatments.

A Skeleton Tells Its Own Story: Forensic Analyses of Skeletal Elements for the Science Classroom Laboratory

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Naples, Virginia L.; Breed, David; Miller, Jon S.

2010-01-01

The techniques of forensic anthropology and pathology can provide new information to increase student interest in studying the structural details of the human skeleton. We present a simplified methodology for assessing skeletal ethnicity, sex, age, and stature. An inexpensive method has been devised for constructing an osteometric board to allow…

The Burden of Mental Disorders in the Eastern Mediterranean Region, 1990-2013

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Charara, Raghid; Forouzanfar, Mohammad; Naghavi, Mohsen; Moradi-Lakeh, Maziar; Afshin, Ashkan; Vos, Theo; Daoud, Farah; Wang, Haidong; El Bcheraoui, Charbel; Khalil, Ibrahim; Hamadeh, Randah R.; Khosravi, Ardeshir; Rahimi-Movaghar, Vafa; Khader, Yousef; Al-Hamad, Nawal; Makhlouf Obermeyer, Carla; Rafay, Anwar; Asghar, Rana; Rana, Saleem M.; Shaheen, Amira; Abu-Rmeileh, Niveen M. E.; Husseini, Abdullatif; Abu-Raddad, Laith J.; Khoja, Tawfik; Al Rayess, Zulfa A.; AlBuhairan, Fadia S.; Hsairi, Mohamed; Alomari, Mahmoud A.; Ali, Raghib; Roshandel, Gholamreza; Terkawi, Abdullah Sulieman; Hamidi, Samer; Refaat, Amany H.; Westerman, Ronny; Kiadaliri, Aliasghar Ahmad; Akanda, Ali S.; Ali, Syed Danish; Bacha, Umar; Badawi, Alaa; Bazargan-Hejazi, Shahrzad; Faghmous, Imad A. D.; Fereshtehnejad, Seyed-Mohammad; Fischer, Florian; Jonas, Jost B.; Kuate Defo, Barthelemy; Mehari, Alem; Omer, Saad B.; Pourmalek, Farshad; Uthman, Olalekan A.; Mokdad, Ali A.; Maalouf, Fadi T.; Abd-Allah, Foad; Akseer, Nadia; Arya, Dinesh; Borschmann, Rohan; Brazinova, Alexandra; Brugha, Traolach S.; Catalá-López, Ferrán; Degenhardt, Louisa; Ferrari, Alize; Haro, Josep Maria; Horino, Masako; Hornberger, John C.; Huang, Hsiang; Kieling, Christian; Kim, Daniel; Kim, Yunjin; Knudsen, Ann Kristin; Mitchell, Philip B.; Patton, George; Sagar, Rajesh; Satpathy, Maheswar; Savuon, Kim; Seedat, Soraya; Shiue, Ivy; Skogen, Jens Christoffer; Stein, Dan J.; Tabb, Karen M.; Whiteford, Harvey A.; Yip, Paul; Yonemoto, Naohiro; Murray, Christopher J. L.; Mokdad, Ali H.

2017-01-01

The Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) is witnessing an increase in chronic disorders, including mental illness. With ongoing unrest, this is expected to rise. This is the first study to quantify the burden of mental disorders in the EMR. We used data from the Global Burden of Disease study (GBD) 2013. DALYs (disability-adjusted life years) allow assessment of both premature mortality (years of life lost–YLLs) and nonfatal outcomes (years lived with disability–YLDs). DALYs are computed by adding YLLs and YLDs for each age-sex-country group. In 2013, mental disorders contributed to 5.6% of the total disease burden in the EMR (1894 DALYS/100,000 population): 2519 DALYS/100,000 (2590/100,000 males, 2426/100,000 females) in high-income countries, 1884 DALYS/100,000 (1618/100,000 males, 2157/100,000 females) in middle-income countries, 1607 DALYS/100,000 (1500/100,000 males, 1717/100,000 females) in low-income countries. Females had a greater proportion of burden due to mental disorders than did males of equivalent ages, except for those under 15 years of age. The highest proportion of DALYs occurred in the 25–49 age group, with a peak in the 35–39 years age group (5344 DALYs/100,000). The burden of mental disorders in EMR increased from 1726 DALYs/100,000 in 1990 to 1912 DALYs/100,000 in 2013 (10.8% increase). Within the mental disorders group in EMR, depressive disorders accounted for most DALYs, followed by anxiety disorders. Among EMR countries, Palestine had the largest burden of mental disorders. Nearly all EMR countries had a higher mental disorder burden compared to the global level. Our findings call for EMR ministries of health to increase provision of mental health services and to address the stigma of mental illness. Moreover, our results showing the accelerating burden of mental health are alarming as the region is seeing an increased level of instability. Indeed, mental health problems, if not properly addressed, will lead to an increased burden of

The effect of a loss of model structural detail due to network skeletonization on contamination warning system design: case studies

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Davis, Michael J.; Janke, Robert

2018-05-01

The effect of limitations in the structural detail available in a network model on contamination warning system (CWS) design was examined in case studies using the original and skeletonized network models for two water distribution systems (WDSs). The skeletonized models were used as proxies for incomplete network models. CWS designs were developed by optimizing sensor placements for worst-case and mean-case contamination events. Designs developed using the skeletonized network models were transplanted into the original network model for evaluation. CWS performance was defined as the number of people who ingest more than some quantity of a contaminant in tap water before the CWS detects the presence of contamination. Lack of structural detail in a network model can result in CWS designs that (1) provide considerably less protection against worst-case contamination events than that obtained when a more complete network model is available and (2) yield substantial underestimates of the consequences associated with a contamination event. Nevertheless, CWSs developed using skeletonized network models can provide useful reductions in consequences for contaminants whose effects are not localized near the injection location. Mean-case designs can yield worst-case performances similar to those for worst-case designs when there is uncertainty in the network model. Improvements in network models for WDSs have the potential to yield significant improvements in CWS designs as well as more realistic evaluations of those designs. Although such improvements would be expected to yield improved CWS performance, the expected improvements in CWS performance have not been quantified previously. The results presented here should be useful to those responsible for the design or implementation of CWSs, particularly managers and engineers in water utilities, and encourage the development of improved network models.

The economic burden of mental disorders in China, 2005-2013: implications for health policy.

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Xu, Junfang; Wang, Jian; Wimo, Anders; Qiu, Chengxuan

2016-05-11

Mental disorders represent a major contributor to disease burden worldwide. We sought to quantify the national economic burden of mental disorders in China. We used a prevalence-based, bottom-up approach to estimate the economic costs of mental disorders in 2005-2013 in China. Prevalence data were derived from a national survey. Cost data were derived from the electronic health records of two psychiatric hospitals that consisted of 25,289 outpatients (10%) and inpatients (90%) who were diagnosed with a mental disorder. Cost items included direct medical costs, direct non-medical costs, and indirect costs. The total annual costs of mental disorders in China increased from $1,094.8 in 2005 to $3,665.4 in 2013 for individual patients, and from $21.0 billion to $88.8 billion for the whole society. The total costs of mental disorders in 2013 accounted for more than 15% of the total health expenditure in China, and 1.1% of China's gross domestic product. If the needs of the professional care for all patients with mental illnesses were fully met, the potential economic costs would have been almost five times higher than the actual estimated costs. Mental disorders imposed a huge economic burden on individuals and the society in China. A nation-wide strategic action plan for preventing mental disorders and promoting mental health and well-being is in urgent need to reduce the individual and societal costs of mental illnesses.

Direct economic burden and influencing factors in patients with hepatitis B virus related diseases in Jiangsu, China.

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Zhang, Hua; Chao, Jianqian; Zhu, Liguo; Song, Long; Li, Xiyan; Liu, Pei

2015-03-01

The purpose of this study was to explore direct economic burden and its influencing factors in patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV) related diseases. Time phasing continuous sampling was used to select patients from August 1, 2012, to December 31, 2012, in 3 county hospitals of 3 model regions in Jiangsu Province, China. A total of 436 outpatients and 196 inpatients were observed. The average direct economic burden of HBV-associated admission was US$107.11 for outpatients, and drug fees accounted for 74%; the burden was US$3193.47 for inpatients, and the direct medical costs accounted for 96%. Multivariate linear regression analysis showed that drug fee, examination fee, and antiviral therapy were influencing factors for outpatients, while hospitalization stay, drug ratio, and patient's age were influencing factors for inpatients. It can be concluded that the direct economic burden of patients with HBV-related diseases was high compared to their household income. Measures should be taken to reduce the economic burden of patients. © 2014 APJPH.

Burden among Family Caregivers of Dementia in the Oldest-Old: An Exploratory Study

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Khin Khin Win

2017-11-01

Full Text Available BackgroundWith >85 years, the fastest growing age segment in developed countries, dementia in the oldest-old is projected to increase exponentially. Being older, caregivers of dementia in oldest-old (CDOO may experience unique challenges compared with younger-age groups. Thus, we aim to explore demographic characteristics and burden pattern among CDOO.MethodsWe studied 458 family caregiver-patient dyads attending an outpatient memory clinic. We classified patients into three age-groups: <75, 75–84, and ≥85 years. We measured caregiver burden using the Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI 4-factor structure described by Cheah et al. (1. We compared care recipient characteristics, caregiver demographics, and ZBI total/factors scores between the three age-groups, and performed 2-way analysis of variance (ANOVA to ascertain the effect of age-group by disease severity interaction.ResultsOldest-old care recipients were more impaired in cognitive function and instrumental ADL; there was no difference in behavior and basic ADL. Compared with the other two age-groups, CDOO were older (mean age: 50.4 vs 55.5 vs 56.8 years, P < 0.01, and overwhelmingly adult children (85.9% as opposed to spouses (5.3%. CDOO also had higher ZBI total score, role strain, and personal strain (all P < 0.05. However, there was no difference in worry about performance scores. 2-way ANOVA did not reveal significant age-group by disease severity interaction for ZBI total and factor scores, although distinctive differences were seen between role/personal strain with worry about performance in mild cognitive impairment and very mild dementia.ConclusionOur study highlighted that CDOO were mainly older adult children who experienced significant role and personal strain independent of disease severity while caring for their family member with more impaired cognitive and physical function. These results pave the way for targeted interventions to address the unique burden faced

Household financial burden of phenylketonuria and its impact on treatment in China: a cross-sectional study.

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Wang, Lin; Zou, Hui; Ye, Fang; Wang, Kundi; Li, Xiaowen; Chen, Zhihua; Chen, Jie; Han, Bingjuan; Yu, Weimin; He, Chun; Shen, Ming

2017-05-01

Phenylketonuria (PKU) is a rare inborn disease, which, untreated, leading to severe neurobehavioral dysfunction. Considering its complexity, the management of PKU may bring a formidable economic burden to parents and caregivers. It is still unknown what the out-of-pocket expenses are for a patient with PKU in China. This paper explores the household financial burden of classical PKU and its impact on Chinese families in a quantitative manner for the first time. A non-interventional and observational study was conducted at the China-Japan Friendship Hospital, one of the national centers for inherited metabolic disorders in China. The medical and non-medical household financial burdens were consolidated into a questionnaire to evaluate the out-of-pocket costs (OOPCs) of PKU treatment and follow-up. The total OOPCs were USD$3766.1 (0y), USD$3795.2 (1-2 ys), USD$4657.7 (3-4 ys), USD$5979.9 (5-8 ys), and USD$5588.7 (9 ys and older) for PKU patients of different age groups. The median economic burden of classical PKU was 75.0 % of total annual family income (range 1.0-779.1 %), and 94.4 % of the families exceeding the threshold considered as catastrophic expenditure. There was a negative correlation between the financial burden and the proportion of time when Phe concentrations were in the desired target range (120-250 μmol/L) in 0-4-ys group (r = -0.474, p = 0.026). The management of PKU is associated with a severe financial burden on patients' families, which may lead to insufficient treatment or variation of blood Phe concentration. The current reimbursement policies are as yet inadequate. A national reimbursement system targeting treatment practices for PKU patients and other rare diseases across China is imperative.

Modelling the burden of hepatitis C infection among people who inject drugs in Norway, 1973-2030.

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Meijerink, Hinta; White, Richard A; Løvlie, Astrid; de Blasio, Birgitte Freiesleben; Dalgard, Olav; Amundsen, Ellen J; Melum, Espen; Kløvstad, Hilde

2017-08-03

Lack of Hepatitis C virus (HCV) incidence data in (Norwegian) high-risk groups impedes the ability to make informed decisions on prevention measures. Thus we rely on modelling to estimate the incidence and burden of HCV infections. We constructed a compartmental model for HCV infections in Norway among active and former people who inject drugs (PWIDs). We based yearly transition rates on literature. The model was fitted to absolute numbers of hepatitis C associated cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and death from national data sources (2000-2013). We estimated the number (95%CI) of HCV infections, cirrhosis, HCC and death and disability adjusted life years (DALYs) due to HCV infections in Norway, 1973-2030. We assumed treatment rates in the projected period were similar to those in 2013. The estimated proportion of chronic HCV (including those with cirrhosis and HCC) among PWIDs was stable from 2000 (49%; 4441/9108) to 2013 (43%; 3667/8587). We estimated that the incidence of HCV among PWIDs was 381 new infections in 2015. The estimated number of people with cirrhosis, HCC, and liver transplant was predicted to increase until 2022 (1537 people). DALYs among active PWIDs estimated to peak in 2006 (3480 DALYs) and decrease to 1870 DALYs in 2030. Chronic HCV infection contributes most to the total burden of HCV infection, and peaks at 1917 DALYs (52%) in 2007. The burden of HCV related to PWID increased until 2006 with 81/100,000 DALYs inhabitants and decreased to 68/100,000 DALYs in 2015. The burden of HCV associated with injecting drug use is considerable, with chronic HCV infection contributing most to the total burden. This model can be used to estimate the impact of different interventions on the HCV burden in Norway and to perform cost-benefit analyses of various public health measures.

The Australian Burden of Disease Study: impact and causes of illness and death in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, 2011

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Fadwa Al-Yaman

2017-10-01

Full Text Available This study estimates fatal and nonfatal disease burden among Indigenous Australians in 2011 and compares it with non-Indigenous Australians. The study found that there were 284 years lost per 1000 people because of premature death or living with ill health. Most of the disease burden was from chronic diseases (64%, particularly mental and substance-use disorders, injuries, cardiovascular diseases, cancer and respiratory diseases. The burden of disease was higher among males (54% than females (46% and higher for fatal (53% than for nonfatal burden (47%. The disease groups with the highest burden varied by age group, with mental and substance-use disorders and injuries being the largest disease groups among those aged 5–44 years, and cardiovascular disease and cancer becoming more prominent among those aged 45 and older. Large disparities existed between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians, with the total burden being 2.3 times the non-Indigenous rates, fatal burden being 2.7 times and nonfatal burden being 2 times.

The financial and health burden of diabetic ambulatory care sensitive hospitalisations in Mexico

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David G Lugo-Palacios

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Objective.To estimate the financial and health burden of diabetic ambulatory care sensitive hospitalisations (ACSH in Mexico during 2001-2011. Materials and methods. We identified ACSH due to diabetic complications in general hospitals run by local health ministries and estimated their financial cost using diagnostic related groups. The health burden estimation assumes that patients would not have experienced complications if they had received appropriate primary care and computes the associated DisabilityAdjusted Life Years (DALYs. Results. The financial cost of diabetic ACSH increased by 125% in real terms and their health burden in 2010 accounted for 4.2% of total DALYs associated with diabetes in Mexico. Conclusion. Avoiding preventable hospitalisations could free resources within the health system for other health purposes. In addition, patients with ACSH suffer preventable losses of health that should be considered when assessing the performance of any primary care intervention.

Burden of depressive disorders by country, sex, age, and year: findings from the global burden of disease study 2010.

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Alize J Ferrari

2013-11-01

Full Text Available Depressive disorders were a leading cause of burden in the Global Burden of Disease (GBD 1990 and 2000 studies. Here, we analyze the burden of depressive disorders in GBD 2010 and present severity proportions, burden by country, region, age, sex, and year, as well as burden of depressive disorders as a risk factor for suicide and ischemic heart disease.Burden was calculated for major depressive disorder (MDD and dysthymia. A systematic review of epidemiological data was conducted. The data were pooled using a Bayesian meta-regression. Disability weights from population survey data quantified the severity of health loss from depressive disorders. These weights were used to calculate years lived with disability (YLDs and disability adjusted life years (DALYs. Separate DALYs were estimated for suicide and ischemic heart disease attributable to depressive disorders. Depressive disorders were the second leading cause of YLDs in 2010. MDD accounted for 8.2% (5.9%-10.8% of global YLDs and dysthymia for 1.4% (0.9%-2.0%. Depressive disorders were a leading cause of DALYs even though no mortality was attributed to them as the underlying cause. MDD accounted for 2.5% (1.9%-3.2% of global DALYs and dysthymia for 0.5% (0.3%-0.6%. There was more regional variation in burden for MDD than for dysthymia; with higher estimates in females, and adults of working age. Whilst burden increased by 37.5% between 1990 and 2010, this was due to population growth and ageing. MDD explained 16 million suicide DALYs and almost 4 million ischemic heart disease DALYs. This attributable burden would increase the overall burden of depressive disorders from 3.0% (2.2%-3.8% to 3.8% (3.0%-4.7% of global DALYs.GBD 2010 identified depressive disorders as a leading cause of burden. MDD was also a contributor of burden allocated to suicide and ischemic heart disease. These findings emphasize the importance of including depressive disorders as a public-health priority and implementing

The history and composition of the Raymond A. Dart Collection of Human Skeletons at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.

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Dayal, Manisha R; Kegley, Anthony D T; Strkalj, Goran; Bidmos, Mubarak A; Kuykendall, Kevin L

2009-10-01

The Raymond A. Dart Collection of Human Skeletons (Dart Collection) is housed in the School of Anatomical Sciences at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa, and comprises one of the largest documented cadaver-derived human skeletal assemblages in the world. This collection originated in the early 1920s as a result of the efforts of Raymond Dart and continues to grow. The skeletons included represent varied indigenous and immigrant populations from southern Africa, Europe and Asia. This contribution documents the history of the collection and provides an updated inventory and demographic assessment of this valuable research collection. According to a recent inventory the Dart Collection currently comprises 2,605 skeletons representing individuals from regional SA African (76%), White (15%), Coloured (4%) and Indian (0.3%) populations. A large proportion of the skeletons (71%) represent males. The recorded ages at death range from the first year to over 100 years of age, but the majority of individuals died between the ages of 20 and 70. The Dart Collection has been affected by collection procedures based on availability. All of the cadavers collected before 1958, and large proportions subsequently, were derived from unclaimed bodies in regional South African hospitals. Some details of documentation (age at death, population group) are estimates and some aspects of the collection demographics (sex ratios) do not closely reflect any living South African population. Our inventory and analysis of the Dart Collection is aimed to assist researchers planning research on the materials from this collection.

The burden of allergic rhinitis.

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Nathan, Robert A

2007-01-01

Although formerly regarded as a nuisance disease, allergic rhinitis (AR) has a considerable effect on quality of life and can have significant consequences if left untreated. The total burden of this disease lies not only in impaired physical and social functioning but also in a financial burden made greater when considering evidence that AR is a possible causal factor in comorbid diseases such as asthma or sinusitis. Compared with matched controls, patients with AR have an approximate twofold increase in medication costs and 1.8-fold the number of visits to health practitioners. Hidden direct costs include the treatment of comorbid asthma, chronic sinusitis, otitis media, upper respiratory infection, and nasal polyposis. Nasal congestion, the most prominent symptom in AR, is associated with sleep-disordered breathing, a condition that can have a profound effect on mental health, including increased psychiatric disorders, depression, anxiety, and alcohol abuse. Furthermore, sleep-disordered breathing in childhood and adolescence is associated with increased disorders of learning performance, behavior, and attention. In the United States, AR results in 3.5 million lost workdays and 2 million lost schooldays annually. Patients struggle to alleviate their misery, frequently self-adjusting their treatment regimen of over-the-counter and prescription medications because of lack of efficacy, deterioration of efficacy, lack of 24-hour relief, and bothersome side effects. Ironically, health care providers overestimate patient satisfaction with therapy. Therefore, improvement in patient-practitioner communication may enhance patient adherence with prescribed regimens.

Simultaneous drag and flow measurements of Olympic skeleton athletes

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Moon, Yae Eun; Digiulio, David; Peters, Steve; Wei, Timothy

2009-11-01

The Olympic sport of skeleton involves an athlete riding a small sled face first down a bobsled track at speeds up to 130 km/hr. In these races, the difference between gold and missing the medal stand altogether can be hundredths of a second per run. As such, reducing aerodynamic drag through proper body positioning is of first order importance. To better study the flow behavior and to improve the performance of the athletes, we constructed a static force balance system on a mock section of a bobsled track. Athlete and the sled are placed on the force balance system which is positioned at the exit of an open loop wind tunnel. Simultaneous drag force and DPIV velocity field measurements were made along with video recordings of body position to aid the athletes in determining their optimal aerodynamic body position.

Critical Comments on Brian Victoria's "Engaged Buddhism: Skeleton in the Closet?"

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Koichi Miyata

2015-02-01

Full Text Available In "Engaged Buddhism: A Skeleton in the Closet?" (Vol. 2 Brian Daizen Victoria claims, among other things, that Tsunesaburo Makiguchi (1871-1944, founder of the Soka Kyoiku Gakkai (forebear of the Soka Gakkai and Soka Gakkai International, was an active supporter of the Japanese wars of aggression. In this response, Koichi Miyata argues that Victoria's claims rest on the highly selective use of quotes, and ignore key interpretative issues associated with Japanese imperial fascism and its underlying belief structures. Miyata discusses the significance of Makiguchi's arrest and imprisonment under a law specifically aimed at opponents of the war efforts, in his analysis of critical lapses in Victoria's article.

Social networking between cells of the foetal skeleton: the importance of thyroid hormones.

Science.gov (United States)

Farquharson, Colin

2011-08-01

In this issue of Journal of Endocrinology, Lanham et al. investigated the effects of hypothyroidism on the developing skeleton of the ovine foetus in utero. Their analyses indicated that, following thyroidectomy, bone growth, structure and mechanical properties were all altered at late gestation or at term. Adrenalectomy, whilst preventing the prepartum rise in triiodothyronine, did not modify skeletal development. The hypothyroid-mediated skeletal defects of the developing foetus described in this study may have clinical implications for bone health in later life.

In geriatric patients, delirium symptoms are related to the anticholinergic burden.

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Naja, Moustafa; Zmudka, Jadwiga; Hannat, Sanaa; Liabeuf, Sophie; Serot, Jean-Marie; Jouanny, Pierre

2016-04-01

Anticholinergic drugs are widely prescribed for elderly patients and could induce several neuropsychological disorders, especially delirium. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the relationship between anticholinergic burden and delirium symptoms. A total of 102 patients aged over 75 years (86.3 ± 5.8 years, 53 women and 49 men) hospitalized in a geriatric medicine department were included in this prospective study. Anticholinergic burden was assessed by classifying drug use into three levels (low, medium or high). An overall, weighted score was established. Delirium symptoms were measured with the Confusion Assessment Method on days 1, 3, 5, 8, 15 and 21. Covariates studied were comorbidities (Charlson), health status, activities of daily living, nutrition (albumin), cognition, length of stay and mortality. A total of 51.6% of the patients were taking anticholinergic drugs at home (2.13 ± 1.34). Length of stay was 14.5 ± 9.9 days. Prevalence of delirium symptoms ranged on days between 34.8 and 60%. Anticholinergic burden was correlated with the appearance of delirium symptoms. Delirium symptoms were associated with greater mortality (16.1 and 3.7 % in patients with and without delirium symptoms; P = 0.049), a longer hospital stay (18.09 ± 11.34 vs 11.75 ± 7.80 days, P = 0.001), greater dependence on discharge (activities of daily living score: 1.57 ± 1.56 vs 3.41 ± 1.45, P delirium symptoms and mortality. Prevention of delirium symptoms requires its reduction. © 2015 Japan Geriatrics Society.

[Economic burden of stomach cancer in China during 1996-2015: a systematic review].

Science.gov (United States)

Yao, F; Shi, C L; Liu, C C; Wang, L; Song, S M; Ren, J S; Guo, C G; Lou, P A; Dai, M; Zhu, L; Shi, J F

2017-08-06

Objective: To clarify the research status of economic burden of stomach cancer in China from 1996 to 2015. Methods: Based on three electronic literature databases (China Knowledge Resource Integrated Database, Wanfang Database and PubMed), a total of 2 873, 1 244 and 84 articles published during 1996 to 2015 were found, respectively, using keywords of"cancer","neoplasms","malignant tumor","tumor","economic burden","health expenditure","cost","cost of illness", and"China". According to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 30 literatures were included in the final analysis. Then the basic information and study subjects, indicators and main results of economic burden were abstracted and analyzed. All the expenditure data were discounted to the values in 2013 by using China's percapita consumer price index. Results: Totally, 30 articles were included, covering 14 provinces and of which 16 were published during 2011-2015. One article was based on population-level and the remaining studies were all based on individual-level. The number of individual-level articles that reported direct medical, non-medical and indirectly economic burden was 29, 1 and 2, respectively. The main indicators of direct medical expenditure were expenditure per patient (22), per clinical visit (9) and per diem (11), respectively. The median expenditure per patient was 7 387-28 743 RMB (CNY), with average annual growth rate (AAGR) of 1.7% (1996-2013). The median expenditure per clinical visit was 18 504-41 871 RMB (2003-2013), with AAGR of 5.5%. The median expenditure per diem was 313-1 445 RMB (1996-2012), with AAGR of 3.7%. Difference was found among provinces. Conclusions: The evidence for economic burden of stomach cancer was still limited over the past two decades and mainly focused on individual and regional levels. An increase and differences in provinces were observed in direct medical expenditure. Evaluation on direct non-medical and indirect medical expenditure needs to be addressed.

Economic burden to primary informal caregivers of hospitalized older adults in Mexico: a cohort study.

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López-Ortega, Mariana; García-Peña, Carmen; Granados-García, Víctor; García-González, José Juan; Pérez-Zepeda, Mario Ulises

2013-02-08

The burden of out of pocket spending for the Mexican population is high compared to other countries. Even patients insured by social security institutions have to face the cost of health goods, services or nonmedical expenses related to their illness. Primary caregivers, in addition, experience losses in productivity by taking up responsibilities in care giving activities. This situation represents a mayor economic burden in an acute care setting for elderly population. There is evidence that specialized geriatric services could represent lower overall costs in these circumstances and could help reduce these burdens.The aim of this study was to investigate economic burden differences in caregivers of elderly patients comparing two acute care services (Geriatric and Internal Medicine). Specifically, economic costs associated with hospitalization of older adults in these two settings by evaluating health care related out of pocket expenditures (OOPE), non-medical OOPE and indirect costs. A comparative analysis of direct and indirect costs in hospitalised elderly patients (60-year or older) and their primary informal caregivers in two health care settings, using a prospective cohort was performed. Economic burden was measured by out of pocket expenses and indirect costs (productivity lost) due to care giving activities. The analysis included a two-part model, the first one allowing the estimation of the probability of observing any health care related and non-medical OOPE; and the second one, the positive observations or expenditures. A total of 210 subjects were followed during their hospital stay. Of the total number of subjects 95% reported at least one non-medical OOPE, being daily transportation the most common expense. Regarding medical OOPE, medicines were the most common expense, and the mean numbers of days without income were 4.12 days. Both OOPE and indirect costs were significantly different between type of services, with less overall economic burden to

Beyond Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) Symptom Severity: Stress Management Skills are Related to Lower Illness Burden.

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Lattie, Emily G; Antoni, Michael H; Fletcher, Mary Ann; Czaja, Sara; Perdomo, Dolores; Sala, Andreina; Nair, Sankaran; Fu, Shih Hua; Penedo, Frank J; Klimas, Nancy

2013-01-01

The onset of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) typically involves reductions in activities of daily living and social interactions (jointly referred to as "illness burden"). Emotional distress has been linked to increased reported symptoms, and stress management skills have been related to lower fatigue severity in CFS patients. Symptom severity and illness burden are highly correlated. The ability to manage stress may attenuate this relationship, allowing individuals to feel less burdened by the illness independent of the severity of their symptoms. This study aimed to evaluate if perceived stress management skills affect illness burden via emotional distress, independent of ME/CFS symptom severity. A total of 117 adults with ME/CFS completed measures of perceived stress management skills, emotional distress, ME/CFS symptom severity and illness burden. Regression analyses revealed that greater perceived stress management skills related to less social and fatigue-related illness burden, via lower emotional distress. This relationship existed independent of the association of symptom severity on illness burden, and was stronger among those not currently employed. Ability to manage stress is associated with a lower illness burden for individuals with ME/CFS. Future studies should evaluate the efficacy of psychosocial interventions in lowering illness burden by targeting stress management skills.

The skeleton in the closet: should historians of science care about the history of mathematics?

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Alexander, Amir

2011-09-01

Up until the 1950s, the history of mathematics was an integral part of the history of science. To George Sarton and his contemporaries, mathematics was the rational skeleton that organized science and held it together, and its history was a fundamental component of the broader history of science. But when historians began focusing on the cultural roots of science rather than its rational structure, the study of mathematics was marginalized and ultimately excluded from the history of science. The alienation between the two fields is detrimental to both, and in recent years there has been a sustained effort to reestablish meaningful communication between the two. This time, however, mathematics is seen not as the static skeleton of science but, instead, as a dynamic and historically evolving field in its own right-just like science itself. The new approach allows for a culturally sensitive study of mathematics, as well as a new and fruitful relationship between the history of science and the history of mathematics. The essays in this Focus section offer a sampling of the new approaches, opening the way to a rapprochement between fields that have gone their separate ways but should by rights be closely interconnected.

The Burden of Schizophrenia on Caregivers

OpenAIRE

Filiz Adana; Hulya Arslantas

2011-01-01

Caregivers’ burden in schizophrenia is a complex concept often with negative connotations. The concept refers to the impact of having a schizophrenia patient in the family including emotional, psychological, physical, economic distress and feelings of shame, embarrassment, guilt, and self-blame expe-rienced by the caregivers. There are objective and subjective aspects of care-givers’ burden. The objective burden refers to observed and verifiable impact of the diseased person in the family suc...

Estimation of the burden of chronic and allergic pulmonary aspergillosis in India.

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Ritesh Agarwal

Full Text Available It would be of considerable interest to clinicians if the burden of chronic pulmonary aspergillosis (CPA and allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA in India were known. Herein, we estimate the burden of CPA following pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB, and ABPA (and severe asthma with fungal sensitization [SAFS] complicating asthma.We used the population estimates for India from the 2011 census data. The burden of asthma was estimated using three different methods (Global Initiative against Asthma [GINA] report statement, World Health Survey [WHS] estimates, Indian study on the epidemiology of asthma and chronic bronchitis [INSEARCH]. Global and India-specific figures were used for calculating the prevalence of ABPA and SAFS. The World Health Organization estimates were used for calculating PTB rates while the frequency of CPA was assessed from a previously published scoping review. Sensitivity analysis was performed to determine the burden in various scenarios.The total Indian population in 2011 was 1.2 billion. The asthma prevalence in adults was estimated at about 27.6 (range, 17-30 million. The burden of ABPA ranged from 0.12-6.09 million with different assumptions (best estimate, 1.38 [range, 0.86-1.52] million. The prevalence of SAFS was approximated at about 0.52-1.21 million (best estimate, 0.96 [range, 0.6-1.06] million. The incident TB cases were about 2.1 million while the annual incidence of CPA varied 27,000-0.17 million cases, with different estimates. If the mortality of CPA is estimated as 15% annually, the 5-year prevalence of CPA was placed at 290,147 cases with 5-year prevalence rate being 24 per 100,000.There is a significant burden of ABPA, SAFS and CPA in India. Prospective community-based studies are required to accurately determine the prevalence of these disorders.

Self-stigma, insight, and family burden among Israeli mothers of people with serious mental illness: Ethno-national considerations.

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Zisman-Ilani, Yaara; Hasson-Ohayon, Ilanit; Levy-Frank, Itamar; Tuval-Mashiach, Rivka; Roe, David

2017-06-01

The current cross-sectional study investigated and compared the associations between insight, self-stigma, and family burden among Jewish and Arab mothers of an adult son or daughter with serious mental illness (SMI) in Israel. A total of 162 Israeli mothers of a person with SMI participated in the study; 95 were Jewish (58.6%), and 67 were Arab (41.4%). Insight, self-stigma, and family burden scales were administered. Jewish mothers reported higher levels of insight into their son's or daughter's illness and reported greater family burden compared to Arab mothers. No significant differences in self-stigma scores were found between Jewish and Arab mothers. The pattern of associations between insight, self-stigma, and burden differed between Jewish and Arab mothers. Self-stigma was found to mediate the relationship between insight and burden among Jewish mothers but not among Arab mothers. Ethno-national affiliation should be taken into consideration regarding how family members conceptualize and experience mental illness, as this might affect care.

Projections of the current and future disease burden of hepatitis C virus infection in Malaysia.

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McDonald, Scott A; Dahlui, Maznah; Mohamed, Rosmawati; Naning, Herlianna; Shabaruddin, Fatiha Hana; Kamarulzaman, Adeeba

2015-01-01

The prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in Malaysia has been estimated at 2.5% of the adult population. Our objective, satisfying one of the directives of the WHO Framework for Global Action on Viral Hepatitis, was to forecast the HCV disease burden in Malaysia using modelling methods. An age-structured multi-state Markov model was developed to simulate the natural history of HCV infection. We tested three historical incidence scenarios that would give rise to the estimated prevalence in 2009, and calculated the incidence of cirrhosis, end-stage liver disease, and death, and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) under each scenario, to the year 2039. In the baseline scenario, current antiviral treatment levels were extended from 2014 to the end of the simulation period. To estimate the disease burden averted under current sustained virological response rates and treatment levels, the baseline scenario was compared to a counterfactual scenario in which no past or future treatment is assumed. In the baseline scenario, the projected disease burden for the year 2039 is 94,900 DALYs/year (95% credible interval (CrI): 77,100 to 124,500), with 2,002 (95% CrI: 1340 to 3040) and 540 (95% CrI: 251 to 1,030) individuals predicted to develop decompensated cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, respectively, in that year. Although current treatment practice is estimated to avert a cumulative total of 2,200 deaths from DC or HCC, a cumulative total of 63,900 HCV-related deaths is projected by 2039. The HCV-related disease burden is already high and is forecast to rise steeply over the coming decades under current levels of antiviral treatment. Increased governmental resources to improve HCV screening and treatment rates and to reduce transmission are essential to address the high projected HCV disease burden in Malaysia.

Economic burden associated with hospital postadmission dehydration.

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Pash, Elizabeth; Parikh, Niraj; Hashemi, Lobat

2014-11-01

Development of dehydration after hospital admission can be a measure of quality care, but evidence describing the incidence, economic burden, and outcomes of dehydration in hospitalized patients is lacking. The objective of this study was to compare costs and resource utilization of U.S. patients experiencing postadmission dehydration (PAD) with those who do not in a hospital setting. All adult inpatient discharges, excluding those with suspected dehydration present on admission (International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification [ICD-9-CM] codes for dehydration: 276.0, 276.1, 276.5), were identified from the Premier database using ICD-9-CM codes. PAD and no-PAD (NPAD) groups were matched on propensity score adjusting for demographics (age, sex, race, medical, elective patients), patient severity (All Patient Refined Diagnosis-Related Groups severity scores), and hospital characteristics (geographic location, bed size, teaching and urban hospital). Costs, length of stay (LOS), and incidence of mortality and catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) were compared between groups using the t test for continuous variables and the χ(2) test for categorical variables. In total, 86,398 (2.1%) of all the selected patients experienced PAD. Postmatching mean total costs were significantly higher for the PAD group compared with the NPAD group ($33,945 vs $22,380; P < .0001). Departmental costs were also significantly higher for the PAD group (all P < .0001). Compared with the NPAD group, the PAD group had a higher mean LOS (12.9 vs 8.2 days), a higher incidence of CAUTI (0.6% vs 0.5%), and higher in-hospital mortality (8.6% vs 7.8%) (all P < .05). The results for subgroup analysis also showed significantly higher total cost and longer LOS days for patients with PAD (all P < .05). The economic burden associated with hospital PAD in medical and surgical patients was substantial. © 2014 American Society for Parenteral and Enteral

[Psychoneuroimmunological predictors for burden in older caregivers of patients with Alzheimer's disease].

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Corazza, Danilla I; Pedroso, Renata V; Andreatto, Carla A A; Scarpari, Lais; Garuffi, Marcelo; Costa, José L R; Santos-Galduróz, Ruth F

2014-01-01

The responsibility of giving care to patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) may result in health changes in the older caregiver. It is important to explore the factors which influence the presence of care burden and to create strategies to face this condition. In this context, the aims of present study were to investigate the relationships between psychoneuroimmunological parameters and determine the predictors to burden in older caregivers of patients with AD. A total of 30 AD older caregivers participating in the «Cognitive and Functional Kinesiotherapy Program in Elderly with Alzheimer's disease«(PRO-CDA)», de Rio Claro, SP-Brazil, were submitted to an assessment protocol to evaluate the psychoneuroimmunological parameters. A descriptive statistical analysis, Pearson correlation and multiple linear regressions were performed. The mean age of caregivers was 71.3 (±9.3), and predominantly are first-grade relatives. The caregiver burden was associated with depressive symptoms (r=0.60, P<.001), caregiver distress (r=0.68, P<.001), and neuropsychiatric disorders of AD patients (r=0.53, P<.001). The multiple regression analysis confirmed depressive symptoms and neuropsychiatric disturbances as predictors of caregiver burden. Caregiver burden is associated with, and influenced by parameters related to the caregiver psychological suffering and to characteristics inherent to AD. Thus, it is important to find strategies and implement non-pharmacological programs to provide support to older caregivers, and to assist in the treatment of patients with AD, in order to improve the integral health of this population. Copyright © 2013 SEGG. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Economic burden and cost determinants of coronary heart disease in rural southwest China: a multilevel analysis.

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Le, C; Fang, Y; Linxiong, W; Shulan, Z; Golden, A R

2015-01-01

To estimate the economic burden of coronary heart disease (CHD) in a given year (2010), including direct and indirect costs, and examine the impact of contextual and individual socio-economic (SES) predictors on the costs of CHD among adults in rural southwest China. Cross-sectional community survey. In total, 4595 adults (aged ≥18 years) participated in this study. A prevalence-based cost-of-illness approach was used to estimate the economic burden of CHD. Information on demographic characteristics of the study population and the economic consequences of CHD was obtained using a standard questionnaire. Multilevel linear regression was used to model the variation in costs of CHD. In the study population, the overall prevalence of CHD was 2.9% (3.5% for males, 2.3% for females). The total cost of CHD was estimated to be US$17 million. Inpatient hospitalizations represented the main component of direct costs of CHD, and direct costs accounted for the greatest proportion of the economic burden of CHD. Males were more likely to have a higher economic burden of CHD than females. A positive association was found between the individual's level of education and the economic burden of CHD. Residence in a higher-income community was associated with higher costs related to CHD. This study found that both contextual and individual SES were closely associated with the costs of CHD. Future strategies for CHD interventions and improved access to affordable medications to treat and control CHD should focus on less-educated individuals and communities with lower SES. Copyright © 2014 The Royal Society for Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Relationship between disease burden and research funding through the Health Research Foundation in Spain].

Science.gov (United States)

Gómez-García, Teresa; Moreno-Casbas, Teresa; González-María, Esther; Fuentelsaz-Gallego, Carmen

2014-01-01

To analyze the relationship between burden of disease during 2007-2009 and public funding of research in health in Spain during 2008-2010. Descriptive cross-sectional study of burden of disease and funding allocated for research in diseases in the Spanish National Health System. A review was made of a total of 6,573 project titles funded for the years 2008, 2009 and 2010. During this period, a total of 472.7 million Euros were assigned as grants for research projects. Malignant tumors and neuropsychiatric diseases were the illnesses with greatest funding support. During the study period, it was estimated that there was a total of 15,253,331.3 disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) in Spain, with neuropsychiatric diseases being the category representing most DALYs with 4,396,900 (28.8%). The relationship between funding and DALYs was obtained with a Pearson r equal to 0.759 (p<0.001). The study of congenital diseases had higher funding per DALY than any other disease with an investment of 290.4€/DALY. Among these, the study of cleft palate and esophageal atresia, with ratios of 3,432.7€/DALY and 3,387.6€/DALY respectively, obtained the greatest funding. The study shows that the relative distribution of economic resources in the study period is consistent with the burden suffered by the Spanish population. This relationship is altered by the funding of the study of congenital anomalies, because of the low number of projects in this area. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier España, S.L. All rights reserved.

Dual temperature effects on oxygen isotopic ratio of shallow-water coral skeleton: Consequences on seasonal and interannual records

Science.gov (United States)

Juillet-Leclerc, A.; Reynaud, S.

2009-04-01

Oxygen isotopic ratio from coral skeleton is regarded for a long time as promising climate archives at seasonal scale. Although in isotopic disequilibrium relative to seawater, it is supposed to obey to the isotope thermometer. Indeed, coral oxygen isotopic records are strongly temperature dependent, but d18O-temperature calibrations derived from different corals are highly variable. The isotope thermometer assumption does not take into account vital effects due to biogenic origin of the mineral. Corals are animals living in symbiosis with algae (zooxanthellae). Interactions between symbiont photosynthesis and coral skeleton carbonation have been abundantly observed but they remain poorly understood and the effects of photosynthesis on coral growth and skeleton oxygen ratio are ignored. Coral cultured under two light conditions enabled to relate metabolic parameters and oxygen isotopic variability with photosynthetic activity. By examining responses provided by each colony they revealed that photosynthesis significantly affected d18O, by an opposite sense compared with the sole temperature influence. Since temperature and light changes are associated during seasonal variations, this complicates the interpretation of seasonal record. Additionally, this complexity is amplified because photosynthetic activity is also directly impacted by temperature variability. Thus, the annual isotopic amplitude due to the "physical" temperature influence is partly compensated through photosynthesis. Similar opposite effect is also shown by extension rate of the cultured colonies. First, we will examine and quantify consequences of photosynthesis on growth rate and oxygen isotopic signature, from cultured corals. Second, we will consider the consequences of this vital effect on data series, at seasonal and interannual time scales.

Dissepiments, density bands and signatures of thermal stress in Porites skeletons

Science.gov (United States)

DeCarlo, Thomas M.; Cohen, Anne L.

2017-09-01

The skeletons of many reef-building corals are accreted with rhythmic structural patterns that serve as valuable sclerochronometers. Annual high- and low-density band couplets, visible in X-radiographs or computed tomography scans, are used to construct age models for paleoclimate reconstructions and to track variability in coral growth over time. In some corals, discrete, anomalously high-density bands, called "stress bands," preserve information about coral bleaching. However, the mechanisms underlying the formation of coral skeletal density banding remain unclear. Dissepiments—thin, horizontal sheets of calcium carbonate accreted by the coral to support the living polyp—play a key role in the upward growth of the colony. Here, we first conducted a vital staining experiment to test whether dissepiments were accreted with lunar periodicity in Porites coral skeleton, as previously hypothesized. Over 6, 15, and 21 months, dissepiments consistently formed in a 1:1 ratio to the number of full moons elapsed over each study period. We measured dissepiment spacing to reconstruct multiple years of monthly skeletal extension rates in two Porites colonies from Palmyra Atoll and in another from Palau that bleached in 1998 under anomalously high sea temperatures. Spacing between successive dissepiments exhibited strong seasonality in corals containing annual density bands, with narrow (wide) spacing associated with high (low) density, respectively. A high-density "stress band" accreted during the 1998 bleaching event was associated with anomalously low dissepiment spacing and missed dissepiments, implying that thermal stress disrupts skeletal extension. Further, uranium/calcium ratios increased within stress bands, indicating a reduction in the carbonate ion concentration of the coral's calcifying fluid under stress. Our study verifies the lunar periodicity of dissepiments, provides a mechanistic basis for the formation of annual density bands in Porites, and reveals the

TU-F-12A-02: Quantitative Characterization of Normal Bone Marrow Proliferative Activity with FLT PET/CT

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Weisse, N; Jeraj, R [Department of Medical Physics, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (United States)

2014-06-15

Purpose: [F-18]FLT PET is a tool for assessing health of bone marrow by evaluating its proliferative activity. This study establishes a baseline quantitative characterization of healthy marrow proliferation to aid in diagnosis of hematological disease. Methods: 31 patients (20 male, 11 female, 41–76 years) being treated for solid cancers with no history of hematological disease, osseous metastatic disease, or radiation therapy received pre-treatment FLT PET/CT scans. Total bone marrow was isolated from whole body FLT PET images by manually removing organs and applying a standardize uptake value (SUV) threshold of 1.0. Because adult marrow is concentrated in the axial skeleton, quantitative total bone marrow analysis (QTBMA) was used to isolate marrow in the lumbar spine, thoracic spine, sacrum, and pelvis for analysis. SUV_mean, SUV_max, and SUV_CV were used to quantify bone marrow proliferation. Correlations were explored between SUV and patient characteristics including age, weight, height, and BMI using the Spearman coefficient (ρ). Results: The population-averaged whole-skeleton SUV_mean, SUV_max, and SUV_CV were 3.0±0.6, 18.4±5.7, and 0.6±0.1, respectively. Uptake values in the axial skeleton were similar to the whole-skeleton demonstrated by SUV_mean in the thoracic spine (3.6±0.6), lumbar spine (3.3±0.5), sacrum (3.0±0.6), and pelvis regions (2.8±0.5). Whole-skeleton SUV_max correlated with patient weight (ρ=0.47, p<0.01) and BMI (ρ=0.60, p<0.01), suggesting marrow activity is related to the body's burden. SUV measures in the thoracic spine, lumbar spine, sacrum, and pelvis were negatively correlated with age (ρ:−0.41 to −0.46, p≤0.02). These negative correlations reflect the fact that active marrow in the adult skeleton is localized in the axial skeleton and decreases with age. Conclusions: Normal bone marrow characterizations were determined using FLT

The Environmental Burdens of Lead-Acid Batteries in China: Insights from an Integrated Material Flow Analysis and Life Cycle Assessment of Lead

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Sha Chen

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Lead-acid batteries (LABs, a widely used energy storage equipment in cars and electric vehicles, are becoming serious problems due to their high environmental impact. In this study, an integrated method, combining material flow analysis with life cycle assessment, was developed to analyze the environmental emissions and burdens of lead in LABs. The environmental burdens from other materials in LABs were not included. The results indicated that the amount of primary lead used in LABs accounted for 77% of the total lead production in 2014 in China. The amount of discharged lead into the environment was 8.54 × 105 tonnes, which was mainly from raw material extraction (57.2%. The largest environmental burden was from the raw materials extraction and processing, which accounted for 81.7% of the total environmental burdens. The environmental burdens of the environmental toxicity potential, human toxicity potential-cancer, human toxicity potential-non-cancer, water footprint and land use accounted for more than 90% at this stage. Moreover, the environmental burdens from primary lead was much more serious than regenerated lead. On the basis of the results, main practical measures and policies were proposed to reduce the lead emissions and environmental burdens of LABs in China, namely establishing an effective LABs recycling system, enlarging the market share of the legal regenerated lead, regulating the production of regenerated lead, and avoiding the long-distance transportation of the waste LABs.

Correlation of radial bone mineral content with total body calcium in chronic renal failure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cohn, S.H.; Ellis, K.J.; Caselnova, R.C.; Asad, S.N.; Letteri, J.M.

1975-01-01

Loss of bone mineral of the skeleton in renal disease can be measured directly by total body neutron activation analysis (TBNAA), and also by an absorptiometric technique applied to the appendicular skeleton (radius). In the present study the results of these two techniques are compared in 25 patients with renal insufficiency, 53 patients with end-stage renal failure on dialysis, and 24 normal control subjects. It is apparent that there is good correlation between total body calcium (TBCa) and bone mineral content (BMC) in all groups studied. The correlation in the normal contrast group was 0.944 as compared to 0.919 for the renal patients and 0.892 for patients with end-stage renal failure on dialysis. In order to measure the relative deficit in TBCa in individual patients from the absolute Ca measurement, it is necessary to normalize the data for sex, age, and skeletal size. For this purpose, an empirically derived relationship was used to predict the normal skeletal Ca in each subject, based on weight, height, sex, and age. The measured TBCa divided by the predicted TBCa is referred to as the calcium ratio. This ratio is useful in expressing the relative deficit of Ca in individual renal patients. In similar manner, BMC data were normalized, with the same relationship used to obtain BMC ratios. The normalization procedures allow both the TBCa and BMC measurements to be used to quantitate the Ca deficit in individual patients with renal insufficiency

Subcutaneous mycoses in Peru: a systematic review and meta-analysis for the burden of disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Ramírez Soto, Max Carlos; Malaga, German

2017-10-01

There is a worrying lack of epidemiological data on the geographical distribution and burden of subcutaneous mycoses in Peru, hindering the implementation of surveillance and control programs. This study aimed to estimate the disease burden of subcutaneous mycoses in Peru and identify which fungal species were commonly associated with these mycoses. We performed a meta-analysis after a systematic review of the published literature in PubMed, LILACS, and SciELO to estimate the burden of subcutaneous mycoses in 25 regions in Peru. The disease burden was determined in terms of prevalence (number of cases per 100,000 inhabitants) and the number of reported cases per year per region. A total of 26 studies were eligible for inclusion. Results showed that sporotrichosis was the most common subcutaneous mycosis (99.7%), whereas lobomycosis, chromoblastomycosis, and subcutaneous phaeohyphomycosis were rare. Cases of eumycetoma and subcutaneous zygomycosis were not found. Of the 25 regions, the burden of sporotrichosis was estimated for four regions classified as endemic; in nine regions, only isolated cases were reported. The highest burden of sporotrichosis was in Apurimac (15 cases/100,000 inhabitants; 57 cases/year), followed by Cajamarca (3/100,000 inhabitants; 30/year), Cusco (0.5/100,000 inhabitants; 4/year), and La Libertad (0.2/100,000 inhabitants; 2/year). In two regions, the mycoses predominantly affected children. Sporotrichosis is the most common subcutaneous mycosis in Peru, with a high disease burden in Apurimac. Chromoblastomycosis, lobomycosis, and subcutaneous phaeohyphomycosis are rare mycoses in Peru. © 2017 The International Society of Dermatology.

Burden of road traffic accidents in Nepal by calculating disability-adjusted life years

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ling Huang

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Objective: To calculate the burden of road traffic accidents in Kathmandu Valley and then extrapolate this to the national level. Methods: A prospective study was performed to compute the burden of road traffic accidents by quantification of disability-adjusted life years (DALYs using the Global Burden of Disease Study method on the basis of 1-year data from nine hospitals in Nepal and the Department of Forensic Medicine and cross-checked with the Nepal Traffic Directorate. Multiple methods were applied to the extrapolated population metrics of the burden of road traffic accidents in Nepal. Results: The total number of years of life lived in disability, years of life lost, and DALYs in Nepal were 38,848±194, 119,935±1464, and 158,783±1658 (95% confidence interval respectively. The number of years lost because of morbidity and death was similar in Kathmandu Valley. Most (75% of the DALYs resulted from years of life lost in Nepal. Males accounted for 73% of DALYs. Almost half (44% of the DALYs were contributed by the group aged 15–29 years. Conclusion: This study is the first to calculate the burden of road traffic accidents in Nepal using Nepal’s own data. Nepal needs to develop and enhance its own system to identify significant public health issues so as to set national priorities for prevention of road traffic accidents.

Mobile computation offloading architecture for mobile augmented reality, case study: Visualization of cetacean skeleton

OpenAIRE

Belen G. Rodriguez-Santana; Amilcar Meneses Viveros; Blanca Esther Carvajal-Gamez; Diana Carolina Trejo-Osorio

2016-01-01

Augmented Reality applications can serve as teach-ing tools in different contexts of use. Augmented reality appli-cation on mobile devices can help to provide tourist information on cities or to give information on visits to museums. For example, during visits to museums of natural history, applications of augmented reality on mobile devices can be used by some visitors to interact with the skeleton of a whale. However, making rendering heavy models can be computationally infeasible on device...

Cloning Nacre's 3D Interlocking Skeleton in Engineering Composites to Achieve Exceptional Mechanical Properties.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Hewei; Yue, Yonghai; Guo, Lin; Wu, Juntao; Zhang, Youwei; Li, Xiaodong; Mao, Shengcheng; Han, Xiaodong

2016-07-01

Ceramic/polymer composite equipped with 3D interlocking skeleton (3D IL) is developed through a simple freeze-casting method, exhibiting exceptionally light weight, high strength, toughness, and shock resistance. Long-range crack energy dissipation enabled by 3D interlocking structure is considered as the primary reinforcing mechanism for such superior properties. The smart composite design strategy should hold a place in developing future structural engineering materials. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Distribution of 239Pu in the skeleton of the tree shrew (Tupaia belangeri) between 15 and 50 months after injection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sontag, W.; Seidel, A.

1987-01-01

The macroscopic and microscopic distribution of intramuscularly injected, essentially monomeric, 239 Pu was studied in the skeleton of the adult tree shrew (Tupaia belangeri). Data for between 15 and 50 months after injection are presented and compared with data from earlier time points. Between 83 and 500 days after injection nuclide content and wet weight of the skeleton decreased to a constant level at about 55% of maximum. The microscopic distribution was analysed in distal femora, proximal humerus, proximal tibia and lumbar vertebra over the whole time; additionally at some selected time points proximal femur, femur shaft, distal humerus and distal tibia were analysed. The initial endosteal surface activity ranged from 3.8 to 5.3 Bq/cm 2 , decreased to a minimum at about 1000 days after injection and increased thereafter. Similar behaviour was found for dose rate near bone surfaces (initially about 0.075 Gy/day on endosteal surfaces). In deep bone and deep marrow the dose rate was negligible, about 0.008 Gy/day and 0.001 Gy/day, respectively. The average cumulative dose 1500 days after injection was about 67 Gy on the endosteum; six times greater than the cumulative dose calculated from the mean concentration of plutonium in the whole skeleton. Tupaia data are compared to monkeys, dogs and rats. (author)

12 CFR 508.10 - Burden of persuasion.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 12 Banks and Banking 5 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Burden of persuasion. 508.10 Section 508.10 Banks and Banking OFFICE OF THRIFT SUPERVISION, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY REMOVALS, SUSPENSIONS, AND PROHIBITIONS WHERE A CRIME IS CHARGED OR PROVEN § 508.10 Burden of persuasion. The petitioner has the burden of...

Plastic surgery and global health: how plastic surgery impacts the global burden of surgical disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Semer, Nadine B; Sullivan, Stephen R; Meara, John G

2010-08-01

The global burden of surgical disease is estimated as being 11% of the total global burden of disease. In this article we discuss the portion of this burden which could be ameliorated with plastic surgical expertise. Although not necessarily seen as a major player in issues related to global health, plastic surgeons are uniquely qualified to decrease the burden of surgical disease afflicting people in the developing world. Burns, traumatic injuries, and congenital anomalies are some of the areas where the presence of plastic surgical expertise can make a significant difference in patient outcomes and thereby decrease the years of life lost due to disability due to these highly treatable conditions. In light of the severe shortage of plastic surgeons throughout the developing world, it falls to those concentrated in the developed world to harness their skills and address the vast unmet needs of the developing world so as to enhance global health. Copyright 2009 British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Distribution, retention and early cytogenetic damage in Cynomolgus monkeys following inhalation of 239Pu(NO3)4

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brooks, A.L.; Mewhinney, J.A.; Redman, H.C.; Guilmette, R.A.; McClellan, R.O.

1980-01-01

Sixteen Cynomolgus monkeys were exposed by inhalation to an aerosol of 239 Pu(NO 3 ) 4 which resulted in calculated initial lung burdens of 1.0, 0.3 and 0.1 μCi. Four animals were exposed to the carrier aerosol and served as controls. Animals were sacrificed at 4 days and 45 days after exposure to determine the distribution and retention of the aerosol. The amount of plutonium in the liver, skeleton and testes increased as a function of time after exposure. Two monkeys died 155 and 188 days after inhalation exposure from radiation pneumonitis and fibrosis. There was a doubling of the total chromosome aberration frequency in the blood lymphocytes and a significant increase in dicentric chromosomes in the animals exposed for 6 months to initial lung burdens of 1.0 μCi

The burden of disease due to tuberculosis in the state of Santa Catarina, Brazil.

Science.gov (United States)

Ferrer, Glênio César Nunes; da Silva, Rosemeri Maurici; Ferrer, Kelian Tenfen; Traebert, Jefferson

2014-01-01

To estimate the burden of disease due to tuberculosis in the state of Santa Catarina, Brazil, in 2009. This was an epidemiological study with an ecological design. Data on tuberculosis incidence and mortality were collected from specific Brazilian National Ministry of Health databases. The burden of disease due to tuberculosis was based on the calculation of disability-adjusted life years (DALYs). The DALYs were estimated by adding the years of life lost (YLLs) and years lived with disability (YLDs). Absolute values were transformed into rates per 100,000 population. The rates were calculated by gender, age group, and health care macroregion. The burden of disease due to tuberculosis was 5,644.27 DALYs (92.25 DALYs/100,000 population), YLLs and YLDs respectively accounting for 78.77% and 21.23% of that total. The highest rates were found in males in the 30-44 and 45-59 year age brackets, although that was not true in every health care macroregion. Overall, the highest estimated burden was in the Planalto Norte macroregion (179.56 DALYs/100,000 population), followed by the Nordeste macroregion (167.07 DALYs/100,000 population). In the majority of the health care macroregions of Santa Catarina, the burden of disease due to tuberculosis was concentrated in adult males, the level of that concentration varying among the various macroregions.

The burden of disease due to tuberculosis in the state of Santa Catarina, Brazil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Glenio Cesar Nunes Ferrer

2014-01-01

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: To estimate the burden of disease due to tuberculosis in the state of Santa Catarina, Brazil, in 2009. METHODS: This was an epidemiological study with an ecological design. Data on tuberculosis incidence and mortality were collected from specific Brazilian National Ministry of Health databases. The burden of disease due to tuberculosis was based on the calculation of disability-adjusted life years (DALYs. The DALYs were estimated by adding the years of life lost (YLLs and years lived with disability (YLDs. Absolute values were transformed into rates per 100,000 population. The rates were calculated by gender, age group, and health care macroregion. RESULTS: The burden of disease due to tuberculosis was 5,644.27 DALYs (92.25 DALYs/100,000 population, YLLs and YLDs respectively accounting for 78.77% and 21.23% of that total. The highest rates were found in males in the 30-44 and 45-59 year age brackets, although that was not true in every health care macroregion. Overall, the highest estimated burden was in the Planalto Norte macroregion (179.56 DALYs/100,000 population, followed by the Nordeste macroregion (167.07 DALYs/100,000 population. CONCLUSIONS: In the majority of the health care macroregions of Santa Catarina, the burden of disease due to tuberculosis was concentrated in adult males, the level of that concentration varying among the various macroregions.

Burden of childhood-onset arthritis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hassett Afton L

2010-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Juvenile arthritis comprises a variety of chronic inflammatory diseases causing erosive arthritis in children, often progressing to disability. These children experience functional impairment due to joint and back pain, heel pain, swelling of joints and morning stiffness, contractures, pain, and anterior uveitis leading to blindness. As children who have juvenile arthritis reach adulthood, they face possible continuing disease activity, medication-associated morbidity, and life-long disability and risk for emotional and social dysfunction. In this article we will review the burden of juvenile arthritis for the patient and society and focus on the following areas: patient disability; visual outcome; other medical complications; physical activity; impact on HRQOL; emotional impact; pain and coping; ambulatory visits, hospitalizations and mortality; economic impact; burden on caregivers; transition issues; educational occupational outcomes, and sexuality. The extent of impact on the various aspects of the patients', families' and society's functioning is clear from the existing literature. Juvenile arthritis imposes a significant burden on different spheres of the patients', caregivers' and family's life. In addition, it imposes a societal burden of significant health care costs and utilization. Juvenile arthritis affects health-related quality of life, physical function and visual outcome of children and impacts functioning in school and home. Effective, well-designed and appropriately tailored interventions are required to improve transitioning to adult care, encourage future vocation/occupation, enhance school function and minimize burden on costs.

Caregiver burden, productivity loss, and indirect costs associated with caring for patients with poststroke spasticity

Science.gov (United States)

Ganapathy, Vaidyanathan; Graham, Glenn D; DiBonaventura, Marco D; Gillard, Patrick J; Goren, Amir; Zorowitz, Richard D

2015-01-01

Objective Many stroke survivors experience poststroke spasticity and the related inability to perform basic activities, which necessitates patient management and treatment, and exerts a considerable burden on the informal caregiver. The current study aims to estimate burden, productivity loss, and indirect costs for caregivers of stroke survivors with spasticity. Methods Internet survey data were collected from 153 caregivers of stroke survivors with spasticity including caregiving time and difficulty (Oberst Caregiver Burden Scale), Work Productivity and Activity Impairment measures, and caregiver and patient characteristics. Fractional logit models examined predictors of work-related restriction, and work losses were monetized (2012 median US wages). Results Mean Oberst Caregiver Burden Scale time and difficulty scores were 46.1 and 32.4, respectively. Employed caregivers (n=71) had overall work restriction (32%), absenteeism (9%), and presenteeism (27%). Caregiver characteristics, lack of nursing home coverage, and stroke survivors’ disability predicted all work restriction outcomes. The mean total lost-productivity cost per employed caregiver was US$835 per month (>$10,000 per year; 72% attributable to presenteeism). Conclusion These findings demonstrate the substantial burden of caring for stroke survivors with spasticity illustrating the societal and economic impact of stroke that extends beyond the stroke survivor. PMID:26609225

Constraining calcium isotope fractionation (δ44/40Ca) in modern and fossil scleractinian coral skeleton

OpenAIRE

Pretet, Chloé; Samankassou, Elias; Felis, Thomas; Reynaud, Stéphanie; Böhm, Florian; Eisenhauer, Anton; Ferrier-Pagès, Christine; Gattuso, Jean-Pierre; Camoin, Gilbert

2013-01-01

The present study investigates the influence of environmental (temperature, salinity) and biological (growth rate, inter-generic variations) parameters on calcium isotope fractionation (δ44/40Ca) in scleractinian coral skeleton to better constrain this record. Previous studies focused on the δ44/40Ca record in different marine organisms to reconstruct seawater composition or temperature, but only few studies investigated corals. This study presents measurements performed on modern corals f...

Financial burden of healthcare for cancer patients with social medical insurance: a multi-centered study in urban China

OpenAIRE

Mao, Wenhui; Tang, Shenglan; Zhu, Ying; Xie, Zening; Chen, Wen

2017-01-01

Background Cancer accounts for one-fifth of the total deaths in China and brings heavy financial burden to patients and their families. Chinese government has made strong commitment to develop three types of social medical insurance since 1997 and recently, more attempts were invested to provide better financial protection. To analyze health services utilization and financial burden of insured cancer patients, and identify the gaps of financial protection provided by insurance in urban China....

Paleoecologic Implications of Ichnofossils Associated with Slightly Skeletonized Body Fossils, Middle Cambrian of the Barrandian Area, Czech Republic

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Mikuláš, Radek; Fatka, O.; Szabad, M.

2012-01-01

Roč. 19, č. 4 (2012), s. 199-210 ISSN 1042-0940 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA205/09/1521 Institutional support: RVO:67985831 Keywords : Middle Cambrian * ichnofossils * slightly skeletonized fauna * Barrandian area Subject RIV: DB - Geology ; Mineralogy Impact factor: 0.727, year: 2012

The relationship between burden and well-being among caregivers of Italian people diagnosed with severe neuromotor and cognitive disorders.

Science.gov (United States)

Fianco, Andrea; Sartori, Raffaela D G; Negri, Luca; Lorini, Saverio; Valle, Giovanni; Delle Fave, Antonella

2015-04-01

In studies on caregiving, high levels of perceived burden are commonly considered as synonymous with poor well-being. This study aimed at better disentangling the relationship between burden and well-being dimensions through their joint investigation. To this purpose, perceived well-being and social resources were evaluated among caregivers reporting different levels of burden. Participants were 91 caregivers (mean age=50.4; SD=9.6), parents of people diagnosed with severe neuromotor and cognitive disorders. Participants completed a semi-structured interview and a set of scaled questionnaires: Caregiver Burden Inventory (CBI), Satisfaction with Life Scale, Positive and Negative Affect Schedule, Depression Anxiety Stress Scale, Eudaimonic and Hedonic Happiness Investigation, Resilience Scale for Adults, and Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support. Participants were divided into two groups according to their perceived burden level, assessed through CBI. In both groups, the subjective components of burden accounted for the major fraction of the total burden level. Participants perceiving high burden reported higher levels of depression related emotions, lower life satisfaction and lower resilience than participants perceiving low burden. No group difference emerged in perceived meaningfulness and social support. A regression analysis showed that the best predictor of perceived burden was life satisfaction, followed to a lesser extent by resilience, while depression related emotions did not provide significant contribution. Findings suggest that the joint assessment of burden and well-being dimensions, that are co-existing in caregivers' experience, allow for the identification of personal and relational resources that can be usefully included in interventions addressed to caregivers. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Burden of disease from toxic waste sites in India, Indonesia, and the Philippines in 2010.

Science.gov (United States)

Chatham-Stephens, Kevin; Caravanos, Jack; Ericson, Bret; Sunga-Amparo, Jennifer; Susilorini, Budi; Sharma, Promila; Landrigan, Philip J; Fuller, Richard

2013-07-01

Prior calculations of the burden of disease from toxic exposures have not included estimates of the burden from toxic waste sites due to the absence of exposure data. We developed a disability-adjusted life year (DALY)-based estimate of the disease burden attributable to toxic waste sites. We focused on three low- and middle-income countries (LMICs): India, Indonesia, and the Philippines. Sites were identified through the Blacksmith Institute's Toxic Sites Identification Program, a global effort to identify waste sites in LMICs. At least one of eight toxic chemicals was sampled in environmental media at each site, and the population at risk estimated. By combining estimates of disease incidence from these exposures with population data, we calculated the DALYs attributable to exposures at each site. We estimated that in 2010, 8,629,750 persons were at risk of exposure to industrial pollutants at 373 toxic waste sites in the three countries, and that these exposures resulted in 828,722 DALYs, with a range of 814,934-1,557,121 DALYs, depending on the weighting factor used. This disease burden is comparable to estimated burdens for outdoor air pollution (1,448,612 DALYs) and malaria (725,000 DALYs) in these countries. Lead and hexavalent chromium collectively accounted for 99.2% of the total DALYs for the chemicals evaluated. Toxic waste sites are responsible for a significant burden of disease in LMICs. Although some factors, such as unidentified and unscreened sites, may cause our estimate to be an underestimate of the actual burden of disease, other factors, such as extrapolation of environmental sampling to the entire exposed population, may result in an overestimate of the burden of disease attributable to these sites. Toxic waste sites are a major, and heretofore underrecognized, global health problem.

Comparative cost of illness analysis and assessment of health care burden of Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophies in Germany.

Science.gov (United States)

Schreiber-Katz, Olivia; Klug, Constanze; Thiele, Simone; Schorling, Elisabeth; Zowe, Janet; Reilich, Peter; Nagels, Klaus H; Walter, Maggie C

2014-12-18

Our study aimed to determine the burden of illness in dystrophinopathy type Duchenne (DMD) and Becker (BMD), both leading to progressive disability, reduced working capacity and high health care utilization. A micro-costing method was used to examine the direct, indirect and informal care costs measuring the economic burden of DMD in comparison to BMD on patients, relatives, payers and society in Germany and to determine the health care burden of these diseases. Standardized questionnaires were developed based on predefined structured interview guidelines to obtain data directly from patients and caregivers using the German dystrophinopathy patient registry. The health-related quality of life (HRQOL) was analyzed using PedsQL™ Measurement Model. In total, 363 patients with genetically confirmed dystrophinopathies were enrolled. Estimated annual disease burden including direct medical/non-medical, indirect and informal care costs of DMD added up to € 78,913 while total costs in BMD were € 39,060. Informal care costs, indirect costs caused by loss of productivity and absenteeism of patients and caregivers as well as medical costs of rehabilitation services and medical aids were identified as the most important cost drivers. Total costs notably increased with disease progression and were consistent with the clinical severity; however, patients' HRQOL declined with disease progression. In conclusion, early assessments of economic aspects and the disease burden are essential to gain extensive knowledge of a distinct disease and above all play an important role in funding drug development programs for rare diseases. Therefore, our results may help to accelerate payer negotiations such as the pricing and reimbursement of new therapies, and will hopefully contribute to facilitating the efficient translation of innovations from clinical research over marketing authorization to patient access to a causative treatment.

Effects of frequent hemodialysis on perceived caregiver burden in the Frequent Hemodialysis Network trials.

Science.gov (United States)

Suri, Rita S; Larive, Brett; Hall, Yoshio; Kimmel, Paul L; Kliger, Alan S; Levin, Nathan; Tamura, Manjula Kurella; Chertow, Glenn M

2014-05-01

Patients receiving hemodialysis often perceive their caregivers are overburdened. We hypothesize that increasing hemodialysis frequency would result in higher patient perceptions of burden on their unpaid caregivers. In two separate trials, 245 patients were randomized to receive in-center daily hemodialysis (6 days/week) or conventional hemodialysis (3 days/week) while 87 patients were randomized to receive home nocturnal hemodialysis (6 nights/week) or home conventional hemodialysis for 12 months. Changes in overall mean scores over time in the 10-question Cousineau perceived burden scale were compared. In total, 173 of 245 (70%) and 80 of 87 (92%) randomized patients in the Daily and Nocturnal Trials, respectively, reported having an unpaid caregiver at baseline or during follow-up. Relative to in-center conventional dialysis, the 12-month change in mean perceived burden score with in-center daily hemodialysis was -2.1 (95% confidence interval, -9.4 to +5.3; P=0.58). Relative to home conventional dialysis, the 12-month change in mean perceived burden score with home nocturnal dialysis was +6.1 (95% confidence interval, -0.8 to +13.1; P=0.08). After multiple imputation for missing data in the Nocturnal Trial, the relative difference between home nocturnal and home conventional hemodialysis was +9.4 (95% confidence interval, +0.55 to +18.3; P=0.04). In the Nocturnal Trial, changes in perceived burden were inversely correlated with adherence to dialysis treatments (Pearson r=-0.35; P=0.02). Relative to conventional hemodialysis, in-center daily hemodialysis did not result in higher perceptions of caregiver burden. There was a trend to higher perceived caregiver burden among patients randomized to home nocturnal hemodialysis. These findings may have implications for the adoption of and adherence to frequent nocturnal hemodialysis.

The Global Burden of Potential Productivity Loss from Uncorrected Presbyopia.

Science.gov (United States)

Frick, Kevin D; Joy, Susan M; Wilson, David A; Naidoo, Kovin S; Holden, Brien A

2015-08-01

The onset of presbyopia in middle adulthood results in potential losses in productivity among otherwise healthy adults if uncorrected or undercorrected. The economic burden could be significant in lower-income countries, where up to 94% of cases may be uncorrected or undercorrected. This study estimates the global burden of potential productivity lost because of uncorrected functional presbyopia. Population data from the US Census Bureau were combined with the estimated presbyopia prevalence, age of onset, employment rate, gross domestic product (GDP) per capita in current US dollars, and near vision impairment disability weights from the Global Burden of Disease 2010 study to estimate the global loss of productivity from uncorrected and undercorrected presbyopia in each country in 2011. To allow comparison with earlier work, we also calculated the loss with the conservative assumption that the contribution to productivity extends only up to 50 years of age. The economic modeling did not require the use of subjects. We estimated the number of cases of uncorrected or undercorrected presbyopia in each country among the working-age population. The number of working-age cases was multiplied by the labor force participation rate, the employment rate, a disability weight, and the GDP per capita to estimate the potential loss of GDP due to presbyopia. The outcome being measured is the lost productivity in 2011 US dollars resulting from uncorrected or undercorrected presbyopia. There were an estimated 1.272 billion cases of presbyopia worldwide in 2011. A total of 244 million cases, uncorrected or undercorrected among people aged productivity loss of US $11.023 billion (0.016% of global GDP). If all those people aged productive, the potential productivity loss would be US $25.367 billion or 0.037% of global GDP. Correcting presbyopia to the level achieved in Europe would reduce the burden to US $1.390 billion (0.002% of global GDP). Even with conservative assumptions

Incidental Findings in Imaging Research: Evaluating Incidence, Benefit and Burden

Science.gov (United States)

Orme, Nicholas M.; Fletcher, Joel G.; Siddiki, Hassan A.; Harmsen, W. Scott; O’Byrne, Megan M.; Port, John D.; Tremaine, William J.; Pitot, Henry C.; McFarland, Beth; Robinson, Marguerite E.; Koenig, Barabara A.; King, Bernard F.; Wolf, Susan M.

2013-01-01

Context Little information exists concerning the frequency of clinically significant incidental findings (IFs) identified in the course of imaging research across a broad spectrum of imaging modalities and body regions. Objective To estimate the frequency with which research imaging IFs generate further clinical action, and the medical benefit/burden of identifying these IFs. Design, Setting, and Participants Retrospective review of subjects undergoing a research imaging exam that was interpreted by a radiologist for IFs in the first quarter of 2004, with 3-year clinical follow-up. An expert panel reviewed IFs generating clinical action to determine medical benefit/burden based on predefined criteria. Main Outcome Measures Frequency of (1) IFs that generated further clinical action by modality, body part, age, gender, and (2) IFs resulting in clear medical benefit or burden. Results 1376 patients underwent 1426 research imaging studies. 40% (567/1426) of exams had at least one IF (1055 total). Risk of an IF increased significantly by age (OR=1.5; [1.4–1.7=95% C.I.] per decade increase). Abdominopelvic CT generated more IFs than other exams (OR=18.9 compared with ultrasound; 9.2% with subsequent clinical action), with CT Thorax and MR brain next (OR=11.9 and 5.9; 2.8% and 2.2% with action, respectively). Overall 6.2% of exams (35/567) with an IF generated clinical action, resulting in clear medical benefit in 1.1% (6/567) and clear medical burden in 0.5% (3/567). In most instances, medical benefit/burden was unclear (4.6%; 26/567). Conclusions The frequency of IFs in imaging research exams varies significantly by imaging modality, body region and age. Research imaging studies at high risk for generating IFs can be identified. Routine evaluation of research images by radiologists may result in identification of IFs in a substantial number of cases and subsequent clinical action to address them in much smaller number. Such clinical action can result in medical

Three-dimensional segmentation and skeletonization to build an airway tree data structure for small animals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chaturvedi, Ashutosh; Lee, Zhenghong

2005-01-01

Quantitative analysis of intrathoracic airway tree geometry is important for objective evaluation of bronchial tree structure and function. Currently, there is more human data than small animal data on airway morphometry. In this study, we implemented a semi-automatic approach to quantitatively describe airway tree geometry by using high-resolution computed tomography (CT) images to build a tree data structure for small animals such as rats and mice. Silicon lung casts of the excised lungs from a canine and a mouse were used for micro-CT imaging of the airway trees. The programming language IDL was used to implement a 3D region-growing threshold algorithm for segmenting out the airway lung volume from the CT data. Subsequently, a fully-parallel 3D thinning algorithm was implemented in order to complete the skeletonization of the segmented airways. A tree data structure was then created and saved by parsing through the skeletonized volume using the Python programming language. Pertinent information such as the length of all airway segments was stored in the data structure. This approach was shown to be accurate and efficient for up to six generations for the canine lung cast and ten generations for the mouse lung cast

Sensitivity analysis of a validated subject-specific finite element model of the human craniofacial skeleton.

Science.gov (United States)

Szwedowski, T D; Fialkov, J; Whyne, C M

2011-01-01

Developing a more complete understanding of the mechanical response of the craniofacial skeleton (CFS) to physiological loads is fundamental to improving treatment for traumatic injuries, reconstruction due to neoplasia, and deformities. Characterization of the biomechanics of the CFS is challenging due to its highly complex structure and heterogeneity, motivating the utilization of experimentally validated computational models. As such, the objective of this study was to develop, experimentally validate, and parametrically analyse a patient-specific finite element (FE) model of the CFS to elucidate a better understanding of the factors that are of intrinsic importance to the skeletal structural behaviour of the human CFS. An FE model of a cadaveric craniofacial skeleton was created from subject-specific computed tomography data. The model was validated based on bone strain measurements taken under simulated physiological-like loading through the masseter and temporalis muscles (which are responsible for the majority of craniofacial physiologic loading due to mastication). The baseline subject-specific model using locally defined cortical bone thicknesses produced the strongest correlation to the experimental data (r2 = 0.73). Large effects on strain patterns arising from small parametric changes in cortical thickness suggest that the very thin bony structures present in the CFS are crucial to characterizing the local load distribution in the CFS accurately.

Overexpression of BMP3 in the developing skeleton alters endochondral bone formation resulting in spontaneous rib fractures.

Science.gov (United States)

Gamer, Laura W; Cox, Karen; Carlo, Joelle M; Rosen, Vicki

2009-09-01

Bone morphogenetic protein-3 (BMP) has been identified as a negative regulator in the skeleton as mice lacking BMP3 have increased bone mass. To further understand how BMP3 mediates bone formation, we created transgenic mice overexpressing BMP3 using the type I collagen promoter. BMP3 transgenic mice displayed spontaneous rib fractures that were first detected at E17.0. The fractures were due to defects in differentiation of the periosteum and late hypertrophic chondrocytes resulting in thinner cortical bone with decreased mineralization. As BMP3 modulates BMP and activin signaling through ActRIIB, we examined the ribs of ActRIIB receptor knockout mice and found they had defects in late chondrogenesis and mineralization similar to BMP3 transgenic mice. These data suggest that BMP3 exerts its effects in the skeleton by altering signaling through ActRIIB in chondrocytes and the periosteum, and this results in defects in bone collar formation and late hypertrophic chondrocyte maturation leading to decreased mineralization and less bone. 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Giant Cell Tumors of the Axial Skeleton

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maurice Balke

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Background. We report on 19 cases of giant cell tumor of bone (GCT affecting the spine or sacrum and evaluate the outcome of different treatment modalities. Methods. Nineteen patients with GCT of the spine (=6 or sacrum (=13 have been included in this study. The mean followup was 51.6 months. Ten sacral GCT were treated by intralesional procedures of which 4 also received embolization, and 3 with irradiation only. All spinal GCT were surgically treated. Results. Two (15.4% patients with sacral and 4 (66.7% with spinal tumors had a local recurrence, two of the letter developed pulmonary metastases. One local recurrence of the spine was successfully treated by serial arterial embolization, a procedure previously described only for sacral tumors. At last followup, 9 patients had no evidence of disease, 8 had stable disease, 1 had progressive disease, 1 died due to disease. Six patients had neurological deficits. Conclusions. GCT of the axial skeleton have a high local recurrence rate. Neurological deficits are common. En-bloc spondylectomy combined with embolization is the treatment of choice. In case of inoperability, serial arterial embolization seems to be an alternative not only for sacral but also for spinal tumors.

Inpatient Financial Burden of Atopic Dermatitis in the United States

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Narla, Shanthi; Hsu, Derek Y; Thyssen, Jacob P

2017-01-01

Little is known about the inpatient burden of atopic dermatitis (AD). We sought to determine the risk factors and financial burden of hospitalizations for AD in the United States. Data were analyzed from the 2002-2012 National Inpatient Sample, including a 20% representative sample of all...... hospitalizations in the United States. Hospitalization rates for AD or eczema were highest in the northeast during the winter and south during the summer. Geometric mean cost of care (95% confidence interval) was lower for a primary diagnosis of AD or eczema versus no AD or eczema in adults ($3,502 [$3......,360-$3,651] vs. $6,849 [$6,775-$6,925]; P = 0.0004) and children ($2,716 [$2,542-$2,903] vs. $4,488 [$4,302-$4,682]; P = 0.0004). However, the high prevalence of hospitalization resulted in total inpatient costs of $8,288,083 per year for adults and $3,333,868 per year for children. In conclusion...

Psychometric properties of the Zarit Caregiver Burden Interview administered to caregivers to patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy: a Rasch analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Landfeldt, Erik; Mayhew, Anna; Straub, Volker; Bushby, Katharine; Lochmüller, Hanns; Lindgren, Peter

2017-12-18

To explore the psychometric properties of the full 22-item English (UK and US) version of the Zarit Caregiver Burden Interview administered to caregivers to patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Caregivers to patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy from the United Kingdom and the United States, recruited through the TREAT-NMD network, completed the Zarit Caregiver Burden Interview online. The psychometric properties of the Zarit Caregiver Burden Interview were examined using Rasch analysis. A total of 475 caregivers completed the Zarit Caregiver Burden Interview. Model misfit was identified for 9 of 22 items (mean item fit residual 0.061, SD: 2.736) and 13 of 22 items displayed disordered thresholds. The overall item-trait interaction chi-square value was 499 (198 degrees of freedom, p Interview fails to fully operationalize a quantitative conceptualization of caregiver burden among caregivers to patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy from the United Kingdom and the United States. Further research is needed to understand the psychometric properties of the Zarit Caregiver Burden Interview in other populations and settings. Implications for Rehabilitation Duchenne muscular dystrophy is a terminal disease characterized by progressive muscle degeneration resulting in substantial disability and a significant burden on family caregivers. The Zarit Caregiver Burden Interview is one of the most widely applied measures of caregiver burden. Our Rasch analysis suggests that the Zarit Caregiver Burden Interview is not fit for purpose to measure burden in UK and US caregivers to patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Clinicians and decision-makers should interpret Zarit Caregiver Burden Interview data from these populations with caution.

Skeleton inequalities and the asymptotic nature of perturbation theory for PHI4-theories in two and three dimensions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bovier, A.; Felder, G.

1984-01-01

We use the polymer representation of PHI 4 -quantum field theories to prove an infinite family of correlation inequalities, called ''skeleton inequalities'', for the 2n-point Green's functions. As an application, we show that they imply that Feynman perturbation theory is asymptotic in less than four dimensions. (orig.)

Economic burden of malignant blood disorders across Europe: a population-based cost analysis.

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Burns, Richeal; Leal, Jose; Sullivan, Richard; Luengo-Fernandez, Ramon

2016-08-01

Malignant blood disorders are a leading contributor to cancer incidence and mortality across Europe. Despite their burden, no study has assessed the economic effect of blood cancers in Europe. We aimed to assess the economic burden of malignant blood disorders across the 28 countries in the European Union (EU), Iceland, Norway, and Switzerland. Malignant blood disorder-related costs were estimated for 28 EU countries, Iceland, Norway, and Switzerland for 2012. Country-specific costs were estimated with aggregate data on morbidity, mortality, and health-care resource use obtained from international and national sources. Health-care costs were estimated from expenditure on primary, outpatient, emergency, inpatient care, and drugs. Costs of informal care and productivity losses due to morbidity and early death were also included. For countries in the EU, malignant blood disorders were compared with the economic burden of overall cancer. Malignant blood disorders cost the 31 European countries €12 billion in 2012. Health-care cost €7·3 billion (62% of total costs), productivity losses cost €3·6 billion (30%), and informal care cost €1 billion (8%). For the EU countries, malignant blood disorders cost €6·8 billion (12%) of the total health-care expenditure on cancer (€57 billion), with this proportion being second only to breast cancer. In terms of total cancer costs in the EU (€143 billion), malignant blood disorders cost €12 billion (8%). Malignant blood disorders represent a leading cause of death, health-care service use, and costs, not only to European health-care systems, but to society overall. Our results add to essential public health knowledge needed for effective national cancer-control planning and priorities for public research funding. European Hematology Association. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Estimating the Burden of Serious Fungal Infections in Uruguay

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Marina Macedo-Viñas

2018-03-01

Full Text Available We aimed to estimate for the first time the burden of fungal infections in Uruguay. Data on population characteristics and underlying conditions were extracted from the National Statistics Institute, the World Bank, national registries, and published articles. When no data existed, risk populations were used to estimate frequencies extrapolating from the literature. Population structure (inhabitants: total 3,444,006; 73% adults; 35% women younger than 50 years. Size of populations at risk (total cases per year: HIV infected 12,000; acute myeloid leukemia 126; hematopoietic stem cell transplantation 30; solid organ transplants 134; COPD 272,006; asthma in adults 223,431; cystic fibrosis in adults 48; tuberculosis 613; lung cancer 1400. Annual incidence estimations per 100,000: invasive aspergillosis, 22.4; candidemia, 16.4; Candida peritonitis, 3.7; Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia, 1.62; cryptococcosis, 0.75; severe asthma with fungal sensitization, 217; allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis, 165; recurrent Candida vaginitis, 6323; oral candidiasis, 74.5; and esophageal candidiasis, 25.7. Although some under and overestimations could have been made, we expect that at least 127,525 people suffer from serious fungal infections each year. Sporothrichosis, histoplasmosis, paracoccidioidomycosis, and dermatophytosis are known to be frequent but no data are available to make accurate estimations. Given the magnitude of the burden of fungal infections in Uruguay, efforts should be made to improve surveillance, strengthen laboratory diagnosis, and warrant access to first line antifungals.

The Economic Burden Attributable to a Child's Inpatient Admission for Diarrheal Disease in Rwanda.

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Ngabo, Fidele; Mvundura, Mercy; Gazley, Lauren; Gatera, Maurice; Rugambwa, Celse; Kayonga, Eugene; Tuyishime, Yvette; Niyibaho, Jeanne; Mwenda, Jason M; Donnen, Philippe; Lepage, Philippe; Binagwaho, Agnes; Atherly, Deborah

2016-01-01

Diarrhea is one of the leading causes of childhood morbidity and mortality. Hospitalization for diarrhea can pose a significant burden to health systems and households. The objective of this study was to estimate the economic burden attributable to hospitalization for diarrhea among children less than five years old in Rwanda. These data can be used by decision-makers to assess the impact of interventions that reduce diarrhea morbidity, including rotavirus vaccine introduction. This was a prospective costing study where medical records and hospital bills for children admitted with diarrhea at three hospitals were collected to estimate resource use and costs. Hospital length of stay was calculated from medical records. Costs incurred during the hospitalization were abstracted from the hospital bills. Interviews with the child's caregivers provided data to estimate household costs which included transport costs and lost income. The portion of medical costs borne by insurance and household were reported separately. Annual economic burden before and after rotavirus vaccine introduction was estimated by multiplying the reported number of diarrhea hospitalizations in public health centers and district hospitals by the estimated economic burden per hospitalization. All costs are presented in 2014 US$. Costs for 203 children were analyzed. Approximately 93% of the children had health insurance coverage. Average hospital length of stay was 5.3 ± 3.9 days. Average medical costs for each child for the illness resulting in a hospitalization were $44.22 ± $23.74 and the total economic burden was $101, of which 65% was borne by the household. For households in the lowest income quintile, the household costs were 110% of their monthly income. The annual economic burden to Rwanda attributable to diarrhea hospitalizations ranged from $1.3 million to $1.7 million before rotavirus vaccine introduction. Households often bear the largest share of the economic burden attributable to

The Economic Burden Attributable to a Child's Inpatient Admission for Diarrheal Disease in Rwanda.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fidele Ngabo

Full Text Available Diarrhea is one of the leading causes of childhood morbidity and mortality. Hospitalization for diarrhea can pose a significant burden to health systems and households. The objective of this study was to estimate the economic burden attributable to hospitalization for diarrhea among children less than five years old in Rwanda. These data can be used by decision-makers to assess the impact of interventions that reduce diarrhea morbidity, including rotavirus vaccine introduction.This was a prospective costing study where medical records and hospital bills for children admitted with diarrhea at three hospitals were collected to estimate resource use and costs. Hospital length of stay was calculated from medical records. Costs incurred during the hospitalization were abstracted from the hospital bills. Interviews with the child's caregivers provided data to estimate household costs which included transport costs and lost income. The portion of medical costs borne by insurance and household were reported separately. Annual economic burden before and after rotavirus vaccine introduction was estimated by multiplying the reported number of diarrhea hospitalizations in public health centers and district hospitals by the estimated economic burden per hospitalization. All costs are presented in 2014 US$.Costs for 203 children were analyzed. Approximately 93% of the children had health insurance coverage. Average hospital length of stay was 5.3 ± 3.9 days. Average medical costs for each child for the illness resulting in a hospitalization were $44.22 ± $23.74 and the total economic burden was $101, of which 65% was borne by the household. For households in the lowest income quintile, the household costs were 110% of their monthly income. The annual economic burden to Rwanda attributable to diarrhea hospitalizations ranged from $1.3 million to $1.7 million before rotavirus vaccine introduction.Households often bear the largest share of the economic burden

Economic burden of cervical cancer in Malaysia

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Sharifa E.W. Puteh

2008-12-01

Full Text Available Cervical cancers form the second highest number of female cancers in Malaysia, imposing a substantial amount of cost burden on its management. However, an estimation of cost burden of abnormal smears, cervical pre-invasive and invasive diseases needs to be done to show how much spending has been allocated to the problem. An expert panel committee came up with the clinical pathway and management algorithm of  cervical pre invasive and invasive diseases from July-December 2006 Malaysia. An activity based costing for each clinical pathway was done. Results were converted to USD. The cost of managing pre-invasive cervical cancers stage is USD 420,150 (Range: USD 197,158-879,679. Management of invasive cancer (new cases costs USD 51,533,233.44 (Range: USD 32,405,399.69 - USD 129,014,768.40. The cost of managing existing cases is USD 17,005,966.87 (Range: USD 10,693,781.90 - USD  28,901,587.12. The total cost of managing cervical cancers by health care providers in a public setting is around USD 75,888,329.45 (Range: USD 48,083,804.60 - USD 48,083,804.60. The outcome of this study has shown that preventive modalities such as screening have only contributed to 10.3 % of the total management cost of cervical cancer. The major cost contribution (67% came from treatment of invasive cancer especially at more advanced stages of cancer, followed by treatment of existing cases (22% and lastly on pre-invasive disease (0.6%. This study revealed that proportion of preventive modality in this country was still low, and the major cost came from actual treatment cost of cervical cancer. Therefore, heightened public cervical cancer screening in the country is needed. (Med J Indones 2008; 17: 272-80Keywords: cervical cancers, pre invasive disease, HPV vaccination

Methods for estimating the burden of antimicrobial resistance: a systematic literature review protocol

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Nichola R. Naylor

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Estimates of the burden of antimicrobial resistance (AMR are needed to ascertain AMR impact, to evaluate interventions, and to allocate resources efficiently. Recent studies have estimated health, cost, and economic burden relating to AMR, with outcomes of interest ranging from drug-bug resistance impact on mortality in a hospital setting to total economic impact of AMR on the global economy. However, recent collation of this information has been largely informal, with no formal quality assessment of the current evidence base (e.g. with predefined checklists. This review therefore aims to establish what perspectives and resulting methodologies have been used in establishing the burden of AMR, whilst also ascertaining the quality of these studies. Methods The literature review will identify relevant literature using a systematic review methodology. MEDLINE, EMBASE, Scopus and EconLit will be searched utilising a predefined search string. Grey literature will be identified by searching within a predefined list of organisational websites. Independent screening of retrievals will be performed in a two-stage process (abstracts and full texts, utilising a pre-defined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Data will be extracted into a data extraction table and descriptive examination will be performed. Study quality will be assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa scales and the Philips checklists where appropriate. A narrative synthesis of the results will be presented. Discussion This review will provide an overview of previous health, cost and economic definitions of burden and the resultant impact of these different definitions on the burden of AMR estimated. The review will also explore the methods that have been used to calculate this burden and discuss resulting study quality. This review can therefore act as a guide to methods for future research in this area. Systematic review registration PROSPERO CRD42016037510

[Disease burden caused by violence in the Chinese population, in 1990 and 2013].

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Yang, L; Gao, X; Jin, Y; Ye, P P; Er, Y L; Deng, X; Wang, Y; Duan, L L

2017-10-10

Objective: To analyze the disease burden of violence in the Chinese population, in 1990 and 2013. Methods: Indicators including mortality rate, years of life lost due to premature mortality (YLL), years lived with disability (YLD), and disability-adjusted of life years (DALY) related to violence, were extracted from the Global Burden of Disease 2013 and used to describe the burden of disease caused by violence in the Chinese population. Data related to corresponding parameters on disease burden of violence in 1990 and 2013 were described. Results: In 2013, a total of 20 500 people died of violent events, with the death rate as 1.44 per 100 000, in China. DALY caused by violence was 1.08 million person years in 2013. DALY caused by sharp violence was 0.47 million person years, with 0.09 million person years lost due to firearm violence. Disease burden caused by violence appeared higher in males than in females. When comparing with data from the 1990s, reductions were seen by 67.35 % on the standardized death rate of violence, by 68.07 % on the DALY attributable to violence, and by 70.47 % on the standardized DALY rate attributable to violence, respectively, in 2013. Disease burden of violence among young adults and elderly was among the highest. When comparing with data from the 1990, DALY in 2013 decreased among all the age groups except for the 70-year-old showed an increase of 9.36 % . The standardized DALY rate in 2013 showed a declining trend in all the age groups, mostly in the 0-4-year-old group. The standardized DALY rates caused by sharp violence or firearm decreased by75.11 % and 83.20 % in the 0-4-year-old group. Conclusion: In recent years, the disease burden caused by violence showed a decreasing trend but appeared higher in males however with the increase of DALY in the elder population.

Burden of Proof in Bioethics.

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Koplin, Julian J; Selgelid, Michael J

2015-11-01

A common strategy in bioethics is to posit a prima facie case in favour of one policy, and to then claim that the burden of proof (that this policy should be rejected) falls on those with opposing views. If the burden of proof is not met, it is claimed, then the policy in question should be accepted. This article illustrates, and critically evaluates, examples of this strategy in debates about the sale of organs by living donors, human enhancement, and the precautionary principle. We highlight general problems with this style of argument, and particular problems with its use in specific cases. We conclude that the burden ultimately falls on decision-makers (i.e. policy-makers) to choose the policy supported by the best reasons. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

CHESS improves cancer caregivers' burden and mood: results of an eHealth RCT.

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DuBenske, Lori L; Gustafson, David H; Namkoong, Kang; Hawkins, Robert P; Atwood, Amy K; Brown, Roger L; Chih, Ming-Yuan; McTavish, Fiona; Carmack, Cindy L; Buss, Mary K; Govindan, Ramaswamy; Cleary, James F

2014-10-01

Informal caregivers (family and friends) of people with cancer are often unprepared for their caregiving role, leading to increased burden or distress. Comprehensive Health Enhancement Support System (CHESS) is a Web-based lung cancer information, communication, and coaching system for caregivers. This randomized trial reports the impact on caregiver burden, disruptiveness, and mood of providing caregivers access to CHESS versus the Internet with a list of recommended lung cancer websites. A total of 285 informal caregivers of patients with advanced nonsmall cell lung cancer were randomly assigned to a comparison group that received Internet or a treatment group that received Internet and CHESS. Caregivers were provided a computer and Internet service if needed. Written surveys were completed at pretest and during the intervention period bimonthly for up to 24 months. Analyses of covariance (ANCOVAs) compared the intervention's effect on caregivers' disruptiveness and burden (CQOLI-C), and negative mood (combined Anxiety, Depression, and Anger scales of the POMS) at 6 months, controlling for blocking variables (site, caregiver's race, and relationship to patient) and the given outcome at pretest. Caregivers randomized to CHESS reported lower burden, t(84) = 2.36, p = .021, d = .39, and negative mood, t(86) = 2.82, p = .006, d = .44, than those in the Internet group. The effect on disruptiveness was not significant. Although caring for someone with a terminal illness will always exact a toll on caregivers, eHealth interventions like CHESS may improve caregivers' understanding and coping skills and, as a result, ease their burden and mood.

N-butyl Cyanoacrylate Glue Embolization of Arterial Networks to Facilitate Hepatic Arterial Skeletonization before Radioembolization

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Samuelson, Shaun D.; Louie, John D.; Sze, Daniel Y., E-mail: dansze@stanford.edu [Stanford University School of Medicine, Division of Interventional Radiology (United States)

2013-06-15

Purpose. Avoidance of nontarget microsphere deposition via hepatoenteric anastomoses is essential to the safety of yttrium-90 radioembolization (RE). The hepatic hilar arterial network may remain partially patent after coil embolization of major arteries, resulting in persistent risk. We retrospectively reviewed cases where n-butyl cyanoacrylate (n-BCA) glue embolization was used to facilitate endovascular hepatic arterial skeletonization before RE. Methods. A total of 543 RE procedures performed between June 2004 and March 2012 were reviewed, and 10 were identified where n-BCA was used to embolize hepatoenteric anastomoses. Arterial anatomy, prior coil embolization, and technical details were recorded. Outcomes were reviewed to identify subsequent complications of n-BCA embolization or nontarget RE. Results. The rate of complete technical success was 80 % and partial success 20 %, with one nontarget embolization complication resulting in a minor change in treatment plan. No evidence of gastrointestinal or biliary ischemia or infarction was identified, and no microsphere-related gastroduodenal ulcerations or other evidence of nontarget RE were seen. Median volume of n-BCA used was <0.1 ml. Conclusion. n-BCA glue embolization is useful to eliminate hepatoenteric networks that may result in nontarget RE, especially in those that persist after coil embolization of major vessels such as the gastroduodenal and right gastric arteries.

Modeling The Economic Burden Of Adult Vaccine-Preventable Diseases In The United States.

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Ozawa, Sachiko; Portnoy, Allison; Getaneh, Hiwote; Clark, Samantha; Knoll, Maria; Bishai, David; Yang, H Keri; Patwardhan, Pallavi D

2016-11-01

Vaccines save thousands of lives in the United States every year, but many adults remain unvaccinated. Low rates of vaccine uptake lead to costs to individuals and society in terms of deaths and disabilities, which are avoidable, and they create economic losses from doctor visits, hospitalizations, and lost income. To identify the magnitude of this problem, we calculated the current economic burden that is attributable to vaccine-preventable diseases among US adults. We estimated the total remaining economic burden at approximately $9 billion (plausibility range: $4.7-$15.2 billion) in a single year, 2015, from vaccine-preventable diseases related to ten vaccines recommended for adults ages nineteen and older. Unvaccinated individuals are responsible for almost 80 percent, or $7.1 billion, of the financial burden. These results not only indicate the potential economic benefit of increasing adult immunization uptake but also highlight the value of vaccines. Policies should focus on minimizing the negative externalities or spillover effects from the choice not to be vaccinated, while preserving patient autonomy. Project HOPE—The People-to-People Health Foundation, Inc.

Radiological abnormalities of the skeleton in patients with sickle-cell anemia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ben Dridi, M.F.; Oumaya, A.; Gastli, H.; Doggaz, C.; Bousnina, S.; Fattoum, S.; Ben Osman, R.; Gharbi, H.A.

1987-01-01

The way in which bones are affected in cases of sickle-cell anemia is well known. Nevertheless, advances in treatment and in methods of transfusion mean that we are increasingly seeing cases of older patients with this disease. A retrospective analysis of 222 cases of sickle-cell anemia demonstrates the radiological appearance of the skeleton in the disease and reveals the various bone segments which are particularly vulnerable at certain periods of life. Correlation of X-rays permits the discovery of lesions which are not clinically apparent. The frequency and characteristics of epiphyseal osteonecrosis and osteitis are studied. Aggravation of the bone lesions when corticoids are administered poses the problem of differential diagnosis of the disease, especially in comparison with rheumatic fever. (orig.)

Factors Associated With Higher Caregiver Burden Among Family Caregivers of Elderly Cancer Patients: A Systematic Review.

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Ge, Lixia; Mordiffi, Siti Zubaidah

Caring for elderly cancer patients may cause multidimensional burden on family caregivers. Recognition of factors associated with caregiver burden is important for providing proactive support to caregivers at risk. The aim of this study was to identify factors associated with high caregiver burden among family caregivers of elderly cancer patients. A systematic search of 7 electronic databases was conducted from database inception to October 2014. The identified studies were screened, and full text was further assessed. The quality of included studies was assessed using a checklist, and relevant data were extracted using a predeveloped data extraction form. Best-evidence synthesis model was used for data synthesis. The search yielded a total of 3339 studies, and 7 studies involving 1233 family caregivers were included after screening and full assessment of 116 studies. Moderate evidence supported that younger caregivers, solid tumors, and assistance with patient's activities of daily living were significantly associated with high caregiver burden. Eighteen factors were supported by limited evidence, and 1 was a conflicting factor. The scientific literature to date proved that caregiver burden was commonly experienced by family caregivers of elderly cancer patients. The evidence indicated that family caregivers who were at younger age, caring for solid tumor patients, and providing assistance with patient's activities of daily living reported high caregiver burden. The data provide evidence in identifying family caregivers at high risk of high caregiver burden. More high-quality studies are needed to clarify and determine the estimates of the effects of individual factors.

Morphometric Comparison of Clavicle Outlines from 3D Bone Scans and 2D Chest Radiographs: A Short-listing Tool to Assist Radiographic Identification of Human Skeletons

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stephan, Carl N.; Amidan, Brett G.; Trease, Harold E.; Guyomarch, Pierre; Pulsipher, Trenton C.; Byrd, John E.

2014-03-01

This paper describes a computerized clavicle identification system, primarily designed to resolve the identities of unaccounted for US soldiers who fought in the Korean War. Elliptical Fourier analysis is used to quantify the clavicle outline shape from skeletons and postero-anterior antemortem chest radiographs to rank individuals in terms of metric distance. Similar to leading fingerprint identification systems, shortlists of the top matching candidates are extracted for subsequent human visual assessment. Two independent tests of the computerized system using 17 field-recovered skeletons and 409 chest radiographs demonstrate that true positive matches are captured within the top 5% of the sample 75% of the time. These results are outstanding given the eroded state of some field-recovered skeletons and the faintness of the 1950’s photoflurographs. These methods enhance the capability to resolve several hundred cold cases for which little circumstantial information exists and current DNA and dental record technologies cannot be applied.

New higher taxa in the lichen family Graphidaceae (lichenized Ascomycota: Ostropales) based on a three-gene skeleton phylogeny

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H. Thorsten Lumbsch; Ekaphan Kraichak; Sittiporn Parnmen; Eimy Rivas Plata; Andre Aptroot; Marcela E.S. Caceres; Damien Ertz; Shirley Cunha Feuerstein; Joel A. Mercado-Diaz; Bettina Staiger; Dries Van den Broeck; Robert. Lücking

2014-01-01

We provide an updated skeleton phylogeny of the lichenized family Graphidaceae (excluding subfamily Gomphilloideae), based on three loci (mtSSU, nuLSU, RPB2), to elucidate the position of four new genera, Aggregatorygma, Borinquenotrema, Corticorygma, and Paratopeliopsis, as well as the placement of the enigmatic species Diorygma erythrellum, Fissurina monilifera, and...

A systematic analysis of global anemia burden from 1990 to 2010

Science.gov (United States)

Jasrasaria, Rashmi; Naghavi, Mohsen; Wulf, Sarah K.; Johns, Nicole; Lozano, Rafael; Regan, Mathilda; Weatherall, David; Chou, David P.; Eisele, Thomas P.; Flaxman, Seth R.; Pullan, Rachel L.; Brooker, Simon J.; Murray, Christopher J. L.

2014-01-01

Previous studies of anemia epidemiology have been geographically limited with little detail about severity or etiology. Using publicly available data, we estimated mild, moderate, and severe anemia from 1990 to 2010 for 187 countries, both sexes, and 20 age groups. We then performed cause-specific attribution to 17 conditions using data from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries and Risk Factors (GBD) 2010 Study. Global anemia prevalence in 2010 was 32.9%, causing 68.36 (95% uncertainty interval [UI], 40.98 to 107.54) million years lived with disability (8.8% of total for all conditions [95% UI, 6.3% to 11.7%]). Prevalence dropped for both sexes from 1990 to 2010, although more for males. Prevalence in females was higher in most regions and age groups. South Asia and Central, West, and East sub-Saharan Africa had the highest burden, while East, Southeast, and South Asia saw the greatest reductions. Iron-deficiency anemia was the top cause globally, although 10 different conditions were among the top 3 in regional rankings. Malaria, schistosomiasis, and chronic kidney disease–related anemia were the only conditions to increase in prevalence. Hemoglobinopathies made significant contributions in most populations. Burden was highest in children under age 5, the only age groups with negative trends from 1990 to 2010. PMID:24297872

Impact of social support on cognitive symptom burden in HIV/AIDS.

Science.gov (United States)

Atkins, Jana H; Rubenstein, Sarah L; Sota, Teresa L; Rueda, Sergio; Fenta, Haile; Bacon, Jean; Rourke, Sean B

2010-07-01

As many as 50% of people living with HIV/AIDS report cognitive difficulties, which can be associated with objective neuropsychological impairments and depression. A number of studies have demonstrated an association between higher social support and lower rates of depression. Using a cross-sectional design, we examined the role social support may play in attenuating the effects of both neuropsychological status and depression on cognitive difficulties. A total of 357 participants completed a battery of neuropsychological tests, questionnaires about cognitive difficulties and depression, and an interview that included an assessment of perceived level of social support. A multivariate linear regression analysis revealed that higher levels of cognitive symptom burden were significantly associated with depression (Psocial support (Pinteraction between neuropsychological status and depression (Pinteraction between social support and depression (Psocial support was also associated with a lower cognitive symptom burden for non-depressed individuals living with HIV/AIDS. These findings have important clinical implications for promoting psychological well-being in persons living with HIV/AIDS. To improve quality of life, it is important to screen for and identify individuals with HIV/AIDS who may be depressed and to intervene appropriately. Further research should examine the potential role of social support interventions in modifying the effects of both depression and neuropsychological status on cognitive symptom burden.

Relationship between the burden of major periodontal bacteria and serum lipid profile in a cross-sectional Japanese study.

Science.gov (United States)

Choi, Youn-Hee; Kosaka, Takayuki; Ojima, Miki; Sekine, Shinichi; Kokubo, Yoshihiro; Watanabe, Makoto; Miyamoto, Yoshihiro; Ono, Takahiro; Amano, Atsuo

2018-05-04

The association of periodontal bacteria with lipid profile alteration remains largely unknown, although it has been suggested that chronic periodontitis increases the atherosclerotic risk. This cross-sectional study investigated the relationship between the prevalence and total burden of periodontal bacteria and serum lipid profile. Saliva from enrolled participants was collected to detect 4 major periodontal bacteria (Porphyromonas gingivalis, Treponema denticola, Tannerella forsythia, and Prevotella intermedia) using Polymerase Chain Reaction method. High-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, triglycerides (TG), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol were assessed using blood samples. We compared the averages of each lipid in association with the prevalence of each bacterial species, their burden (low, moderate, and high), and the combination of bacterial burden and periodontal status, defined as periodontitis, using the Community Periodontal Index, after adjustment for other potential confounding factors, by employing general linear models with least square means. A total of 385 Japanese individuals (176 men, 209 women; mean age 69.2 years) were enrolled. The number of bacterial species and their co-existence with periodontitis were significantly related to a decrease in HDL (p for trend Periodontal bacterial burden is suggested to be independently involved in lowering serum HDL level. Our findings suggest that bacterial tests in a clinical setting could be a useful approach for predicting the risk of HDL metabolism dysregulation.

Care burden and its predictive factors in parents of newly diagnosed children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in academic hospitals in China.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Jingting; Shen, Nanping; Zhang, Xiaoyan; Shen, Min; Xie, Anwei; Howell, Doris; Yuan, Changrong

2017-12-01

Caring for children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is a distressing experience for parents without medical training. The experience can lead to parents' care burden. This study explored care burden among parents of children with ALL and its related factors. A total of 130 parents were surveyed with the Zarit Burden Inventory (ZBI), Perceived Social Support Scale (PSSS), Zung's Self-rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), Zung's Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS), Medical Outcome Study Short Form 36 (SF-36), and a study specific demographic information questionnaire. Independent-samples T test, one-way ANOVA, Pearson correlation analysis and multivariate linear regression analysis (stepwise method), and binomial logistic regression were used in data analysis. The mean score of parents' care burden overall was 37.74 ± 16.57, 17 (13.08%) had little or no burden, 57 (43.85%) had mild-to-moderate burden, 44 (33.84%) had moderate-to-severe burden, and 12 (9.23%) had severe burden. Regression analyses indicated daily care time, anxiety, general health, average monthly family income, social support, and number of co-caregivers were factors associated with care burden. These variables accounted for 51% of the variance in care burden. Other demographic information of parents and children, depression, and other dimensions of SF-36 were not related to care burden. The severe burden level was associated the increase risk of emotional distress compared with little or no burden group (OR = 37.500, 95% CI = 4.515-311.348, P = 0.001). The results indicated that care burden in parents of children newly diagnosed with ALL is high. Parents with lower levels of care burden tend to have less daily care time, more co-caregivers, higher income, less anxiety, better general health, and social support. Strategies are needed to help reduce parents' care burden.

Natural contents of /sup 226/Ra, /sup 210/Pb, and /sup 210/Po in young human bones and teeth

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Czegledi, P

1987-07-01

/sup 226/Ra, /sup 210/Pb, and /sup 210/Po activity concentrations were determined in tooth and bone samples of children. The children of 0 to 13 years were residents of Budapest and died from various diseases. In respect of both /sup 226/Ra and /sup 210/Pb activity concentrations, calvaria was representative for the whole skeleton. Examining the total sample, the mean activity concentrations were found to be as follows: /sup 226/Ra 1.53 +- 0.66 mBq/g Ca/sub 3/(PO/sub 4/)/sub 2/; /sup 210/Pb 4.34 +- 0.74 mBq/g Ca/sub 3/(PO/sub 4/)/sub 2/, and /sup 210/Po 3.48 +- 0.53 mBq/g Ca/sub 3/(PO/sub 4/)/sub 2/. It is shown that the burden of the skeleton is about one order of magnitude greater in the age group 1 to 13 years for all three radionuclides.

Factor analysis of the Zarit Burden Interview in family caregivers of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Oh, Juyeon; Kim, Jung A

2018-02-01

The Zarit Burden Interview has been used in many studies to assess caregiver burden in family caregivers of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, but the factor structure of the Zarit Burden Interview in the caregivers of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients is unknown. The aim of this study was to explore the factor structure of the Zarit Burden Interview in family caregivers of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients using exploratory factor analysis. The exploratory factor analysis was performed using generalized least squares with oblique rotation in a sample of 202 family caregivers. Three factors had an eigenvalue greater than 1 and accounted for 60.33% of the total variance. The three factors were named as follows: (factor 1) "Social restrictions" (items 2, 3, and 10-15); (factor 2) "Self-criticism" (items 20-21); and (factor 3) "Anger and frustration" (items 1, 4-6, 9, and 16-19). The correlation between factors 1 and 3 was much higher (r = 0.79) than that between factors 1 and 2 (r = 0.14) or factors 2 and 3 (r = 0.15). The findings of this study enriched our understanding of several meaningful dimensions of the caregiving burden in caregivers of an amyotrophic lateral sclerosis population and provided opportunities for future intervention.

Burden of Stroke in Qatar.

Science.gov (United States)

Ibrahim, Faisal; Deleu, Dirk; Akhtar, Naveed; Al-Yazeedi, Wafa; Mesraoua, Boulenouar; Kamran, Sadaat; Shuaib, Ashfaq

2015-12-01

Qatar is located on the northeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula. The total population is over 2.1 million with around 15% being Qatari citizens. Hamad General Hospital (HGH) is the only tertiary referral governmental hospital in Qatar which admits acute (thrombolysis-eligible) stroke patients. To provide an overview of the burden of stroke in Qatar. Data from literature databases, online sources and our stroke registry were collated to identify information on the burden of stroke in Qatar. Overall, over 80% of all stroke patients in Qatar are admitted in HGH. In 2010, the age-standardized incidence for first-ever ischemic stroke was 51.88/100,000 person-years. To date our stroke registry reveals that 79% of all stroke patients are male and almost 50% of stroke patients are 50 years or less. Hypertension, diabetes and dyslipidemia are the main predisposing factors for stroke, with ischemic stroke being more common (87%) than hemorrhagic stroke (13%). Despite the lack of a stroke unit, 9% of ischemic stroke patients are being thrombolyzed. However the presence of a stroke ward allows swift turnover of patients with a length of stay of less than 5 days before discharge or, if required, transfer to the fully-equipped hospital-based rehabilitation service. Several community awareness programs are ongoing, in addition to several research programs funded by the Qatar National Research Fund and Hamad Medical Corporation. In a country where over 15% of the population suffers from diabetes there is continuous need for national community-based awareness campaigns, prevention and educational programs particularly targeting patients and health care workers. Copyright © 2015 National Stroke Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Analysis of the economic burden of diagnosis and treatment of tuberculosis patients in rural China.

Science.gov (United States)

Pan, H-Q; Bele, S; Feng, Y; Qiu, S-S; Lü, J-Q; Tang, S-W; Shen, H-B; Wang, J-M; Zhu, L-M

2013-12-01

A county in Jiangsu Province, China. To estimate the costs of the diagnosis and treatment of tuberculosis (TB) from the patient's perspective and to identify determinants of the patient's financial burden. In a cross-sectional survey, we interviewed 316 patients diagnosed from January 2010 to May 2011 who had already completed their anti-tuberculosis treatment. The financial burden on TB patients included out-of-pocket costs and productivity losses. The average per capita total out-of-pocket cost was 3024.0 Chinese yuan (CNY), with a median cost of 1086 CNY (interquartile range [IQR] 480-2456). Mean out-of-pocket medical and non-medical costs were respectively 2565.7 CNY and 458.3 CNY. Productivity lost by patients and family members was 2615.2 CNY (median 500, IQR 250-2025). Factors associated with out-of-pocket costs and productivity losses included hospitalisation, adverse drug reactions, cost of drugs to 'protect' the liver, cost of second-line anti-tuberculosis drugs and diagnostic delay. Although the government of China has implemented a 'free TB service policy', the economic burden on patients is still heavy. More patient-centred interventions are essential to reduce the financial burden on patients.

Developmental expression of a cell surface protein involved in sea urchin skeleton formation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Farach, M.C.; Valdizan, M.; Park, H.R.; Decker, G.L.; Lennarz, W.J.

1986-01-01

The authors have previously used a monoclonal antibody (1223) to identify a 130 Kd cell surface protein involved in skeleton formation is sea urchin embryos. In the current study the authors have examined the expression of the 1223 antigen over the course of development of embryos of two species, Strongylocentrotus purpuratus and Lytechinus pictus. The 130 Kd protein is detected in S. purp eggs on immunoblots. Labeling with [ 3 H] leucine and immunoaffinity chromatography show that it also is synthesized shortly after fertilization. Immunofluroescence reveals that at this early stage the 1223 antigen is uniformly distributed on all of the cells. Synthesis decreases to a minimum by the time of hatching (18 h), as does the total amount of antigen present in the embryo. A second period of synthesis commences at the mesenchyme blastula stage, when the spicule-forming primary mesenchyme cells (PMCs) have appeared. During this later stage, synthesis and cell surface expression are restricted to the PMCs. In contrast to S. purp., in L. pictus the 130 Kd protein does not appear until the PMCs are formed. Hybrid embryos demonstrate a pattern of expression of the maternal species. These results suggest that early expression of 1223 antigen in S. purp. is due to utilization of maternal transcripts present in the egg. In both species later expression in PMCs appears to be the result of cell-type specific synthesis, perhaps encoded by embryonic transcripts

Burden of Rabies

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... this? Submit Button Past Emails The Burden of Rabies Recommend on Facebook Tweet Share Compartir Learn how ... bitten by an animal that has the disease. Rabies in the U.S. Rabies continues to be a ...

Burden of rheumatoid arthritis in the Nordic region, 1990-2015: a comparative analysis using the Global Burden of Disease Study 2015.

Science.gov (United States)

Kiadaliri, A A; Kristensen, L-E; Englund, M

2018-03-01

To report mortality and disability due to rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in the Nordic region (Denmark, Finland, Greenland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden) using data from the Global Burden of Disease Study (GBD) 2015. Using the results of GBD 2015, we present rates and trends in prevalence, mortality, years of life lost, years lived with disability (YLD), and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) of RA in the Nordic region during 1990-2015. In 2015, the age-standardized prevalence of RA was higher in the Nordic region than the global level (0.44%, 95% uncertainty interval 0.40-0.48%, vs 0.35%, 0.32-0.38%). For women (men), DALYs increased by 2.4% (12.9%), from 29 263 (10 909) in 1990 to 29 966 (12 311) in 2015. The burden of RA as a proportion of total DALYs in women (men) increased from 0.90% (0.29%) in 1990 to 0.94% (0.36%) in 2015. Age-standardized DALY rates declined in all countries except Denmark and Greenland between 1990 and 2015. Of 315 conditions studied, RA was ranked as the 16th (37th) leading cause of YLD in women (men) in the region. Of 195 countries studied, Greenland, Finland, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and Iceland had the 7th, 11th, 28th, 38th, 48th, and 78th highest age-standardized YLD rates for RA, respectively. The prevalence of RA in the Nordic region is higher than the global average. Current trends in population growth and ageing suggest a potential increase in RA burden in the coming decades in the region that should be considered in healthcare resources allocation.

Caregiver burden, productivity loss, and indirect costs associated with caring for patients with poststroke spasticity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ganapathy V

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Vaidyanathan Ganapathy,1 Glenn D Graham,2 Marco D DiBonaventura,3 Patrick J Gillard,1 Amir Goren,3 Richard D Zorowitz41Allergan, Irvine, CA, USA; 2Department of Veterans Affairs, San Francisco, CA, USA; 3Health Outcomes Practice, Kantar Health, New York, NY, USA; 4Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, Baltimore, MD, USAObjective: Many stroke survivors experience poststroke spasticity and the related inability to perform basic activities, which necessitates patient management and treatment, and exerts a considerable burden on the informal caregiver. The current study aims to estimate burden, productivity loss, and indirect costs for caregivers of stroke survivors with spasticity.Methods: Internet survey data were collected from 153 caregivers of stroke survivors with spasticity including caregiving time and difficulty (Oberst Caregiver Burden Scale, Work Productivity and Activity Impairment measures, and caregiver and patient characteristics. Fractional logit models examined predictors of work-related restriction, and work losses were monetized (2012 median US wages.Results: Mean Oberst Caregiver Burden Scale time and difficulty scores were 46.1 and 32.4, respectively. Employed caregivers (n=71 had overall work restriction (32%, absenteeism (9%, and presenteeism (27%. Caregiver characteristics, lack of nursing home coverage, and stroke survivors’ disability predicted all work restriction outcomes. The mean total lost-productivity cost per employed caregiver was US$835 per month (>$10,000 per year; 72% attributable to presenteeism.Conclusion: These findings demonstrate the substantial burden of caring for stroke survivors with spasticity illustrating the societal and economic impact of stroke that extends beyond the stroke survivor.Keywords: burden, caregiver, productivity, spasticity, stroke

Financial Burden Borne by Laparoscopic Living Kidney Donors.

Science.gov (United States)

Wiseman, Jennifer F; Jacobs, Cheryl L; Larson, Dawn B; Berglund, Danielle M; Garvey, Catherine A; Ibrahim, Hassan N; Matas, Arthur J

2017-09-01

Living kidney donors have donation-related out-of-pocket costs (direct costs) and/or ongoing daily expenses while losing income (indirect costs). Yet there is little information about how much of a subjective burden these constitute for the donors. From December 2003 through December 2014, we surveyed donors 6 months postdonation to determine their financial burden related to donation (on a scale of 1 to 10) and what resources were used to cover expenses. Of 1136 surveyed, 796 (70%) responded. Among respondents, mean age at donation was 43.6 ± 10.6 years, 64% were women, 96% were white, and 53% were related by blood to their recipient. Overall, 26% scored their financial burden as 5 or higher; 8% scored it as 8 or higher. Increased expenses were associated with a higher reported burden; however, significant burden was reported by some with no out-of-pocket expenses (presumably due to lost wages and continuing expenses). The burden was scored as 5 or higher by 27% of those employed outside the home (n = 660), 15% homemakers, 13% retirees, 40% students; 28% unemployed; and 26% whose occupation was unknown. Over half (51%) of those receiving a local or (means-tested) national grant still reported moderate to severe burden. Besides grants, donors used a variety of sources to help offset expenses: dipped into savings, borrowed from friends or family, took out a loan, and/or had a fundraiser. Those with the highest burden reported using the most additional sources. Donors should not have to incur costs or a financial burden to donate; the transplant community should strive to make donation financially neutral.

[Disease burden of liver cancer in the Chinese population, in 1990 and 2013].

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, L J; Yin, P; Liu, Y N; Liu, J M; Qi, J L; Zhou, M G

2016-06-01

To analyze the disease burden of liver cancer in the Chinese population in 1990 and 2013. Data from Global Burden of Diseases 2013 (GBD2013) was used to analyze the disease burden of liver cancer in China. The main outcome measurements would include mortality and disability-adjusted life years (DALY). Again, GBD global standard population in 2013 was used as the reference population to calculate the age-standardized rate. Related changes on percentage from 1990 to 2013 were calculated to analyze the changing patterns of disease burden for liver cancer in China. In 2013, a total of 358 100 people died of liver cancer, with the crude death rate as 25.85/100 000, in China. Number of deaths due to liver cancer secondary to hepatitis B was 163 600 (accounting for 45.69%). Number of deaths due to liver cancer secondary to hepatitis C was 134 200 (accounting for 37.48%) with DALY due to liver cancer appeared as 40.80 million person years. In 2013, the leading causes of DALY related to liver cancer was liver cancer secondary to hepatitis B, followed by liver cancer secondary to hepatitis C, liver cancer secondary to alcohol use, other liver cancers, with related DALYs as 4 652.0, 3 394.3, 964.3 and 592.1 thousands person years, respectively. The disease burdens of liver cancer secondary to various kinds of liver cancer were significantly higher in males than in females. Compared with 1990, the standardized mortality of liver cancer reduced by 25.00%, the DALY attributable to liver cancer increased by 16.95% and the standardized DALY rate attributable to liver cancer reduced by 33.47%. The burden of liver cancer secondary to hepatitis C became more serious and the standardized death rate increased by 106.18%, together with the standardized DALY rate increased by 91.68% in the past 23 years. Disease burden of liver cancer among young adults and the elderly were most serious. When comparing with the data in 1990, the standardized DALY rate showed declining trend in all the

The impact of individual-level heterogeneity on estimated infectious disease burden: a simulation study.

Science.gov (United States)

McDonald, Scott A; Devleesschauwer, Brecht; Wallinga, Jacco

2016-12-08

Disease burden is not evenly distributed within a population; this uneven distribution can be due to individual heterogeneity in progression rates between disease stages. Composite measures of disease burden that are based on disease progression models, such as the disability-adjusted life year (DALY), are widely used to quantify the current and future burden of infectious diseases. Our goal was to investigate to what extent ignoring the presence of heterogeneity could bias DALY computation. Simulations using individual-based models for hypothetical infectious diseases with short and long natural histories were run assuming either "population-averaged" progression probabilities between disease stages, or progression probabilities that were influenced by an a priori defined individual-level frailty (i.e., heterogeneity in disease risk) distribution, and DALYs were calculated. Under the assumption of heterogeneity in transition rates and increasing frailty with age, the short natural history disease model predicted 14% fewer DALYs compared with the homogenous population assumption. Simulations of a long natural history disease indicated that assuming homogeneity in transition rates when heterogeneity was present could overestimate total DALYs, in the present case by 4% (95% quantile interval: 1-8%). The consequences of ignoring population heterogeneity should be considered when defining transition parameters for natural history models and when interpreting the resulting disease burden estimates.

A neurodegenerative vascular burden index and the impact on cognition

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sebastian eHeinzel

2014-07-01

Full Text Available A wide range of vascular burden factors have been identified to impact vascular function and structure as indicated by carotid intima-media thickness (IMT. On the basis of their impact on IMT, vascular factors may be selected and clustered in a vascular burden index (VBI. Since many vascular factors increase the risk of Alzheimer's disease (AD, a multifactorial neurodegenerative VBI may be related to early pathological processes in AD and cognitive decline in its preclinical stages.We investigated an elderly cohort at risk for neurodegeneration (TREND study, n = 1102 for the multifactorial influence of vascular burden factors on IMT measured by ultrasound. To create a VBI for this cohort, vascular factors and their definitions (considering medical history, medication and/or blood marker data were selected based on their statistical effects on IMT in multiple regressions including age and sex. The impact of the VBI on cognitive performance was assessed using the Trail-Making Test (TMT and the CERAD neuropsychological battery.IMT was significantly predicted by age (standardized β = .26, sex (.09; males > females and the factors included in the VBI: obesity (.18, hypertension (.14, smoking (.08, diabetes (.07, and atherosclerosis (.05, whereas other cardiovascular diseases or hypercholesterolemia were not significant. Individuals with 2 or more VBI factors compared to individuals without had an odds ratio of 3.17 regarding overly increased IMT (≥1.0 mm. The VBI showed an impact on executive control (log(TMT B-A, p = .047 and a trend towards decreased global cognitive function (CERAD total score, p = .057 independent of age, sex and education.A VBI established on the basis of IMT may help to identify individuals with overly increased vascular burden linked to decreased cognitive function indicating neurodegenerative processes. The longitudinal study of this risk cohort will reveal the value of the VBI as prodromal marker for cognitive decline and

Medicare Part D is associated with reducing the financial burden of health care services in Medicare beneficiaries with diagnosed diabetes.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Rui; Gregg, Edward W; Barker, Lawrence E; Zhang, Ping; Zhang, Fang; Zhuo, Xiaohui; Williams, Desmond E; Soumerai, Steven B

2013-10-01

Medicare Part D, implemented in 2006, provided coverage for prescription drugs to all Medicare beneficiaries. To examine the effect of Part D on the financial burden of persons with diagnosed diabetes. We conducted an interrupted time-series analysis using data from the 1996 to 2008 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (11,178 persons with diabetes who were covered by Medicare, and 8953 persons aged 45-64 y with diabetes who were not eligible for Medicare coverage). We then compared changes in 4 outcomes: (1) annual individual out-of-pocket expenditure (OOPE) for prescription drugs; (2) annual individual total OOPE for all health care services; (3) annual total family OOPE for all health care services; and (4) percentage of persons with high family financial burden (OOPE ≥10% of income). For Medicare beneficiaries with diabetes, Part D was associated with a 28% ($530) decrease in individual annual OOPE for prescription drugs, a 23% ($560) reduction in individual OOPE for all health care, a 23% ($863) reduction in family OOPE for all health care, and a 24% reduction in the percentage of families with high financial burden in 2006. There were similar reductions in 2007 and 2008. By 2008, the percentage of Medicare beneficiaries with diabetes living in high financial burden families was 37% lower than it would have been had Part D not been in place. Introduction of Part D coverage was associated with a substantial reduction in the financial burden of Medicare beneficiaries with diabetes and their families.

Determination of the bone-mineral content of the peripheral skeleton (ulna and calcaneus) in chronic renal failure patients on maintenance dialysis using 125 I-photon absorptiometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hieber, U.

1982-01-01

The bone-mineral content (BMC) of the peripheral skeleton was measured in 53 chronic renal-failure patients on maintenance dialysis using the 125 I photon absorptiometry according to Cameron. 39.6% of the patients were found to have a clearly pathological calcium content in calcaneus and ulna (33%). In total BMC assessments 43.4% of the patients examined showed strongly reduced BMC values at two measurement sites at least. Average bone-mineral content was below the value of the corresponding normal groups in all age groups of the dialysis patients. In addition, a significant correlation was verified to exist between the calcium contents of calcaneus and ulna. A significant correlation was found as well between reduced BMC values and dialysis duration. The correlation between the increased serum level of alkaline phosphatase and the reduced mineral content of the skeleton was significant as well. A minor but not significant correlation existed between the increase of the parathormone (PTH) level in the serum and the decrease of calcium content in calcaneus and ulna. A good correlation was found when contrasting the results of visual roentgenography and the BMC values established by photodensitometry: the median BMC value of patients with clear pathological X-ray findings was significantly below the one of patients without pathological X-ray findings. However, photon absorptiometry is superior to the subjective evaluation of X-ray pictures in the early diagnosis of bone diseases involving bone-mineral loss. (orig.) [de

Macrodistribution of 226Ra in the human skeleton as determined in vitro by gamma-ray spectrometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Essling, M.A.; Huff, D.R.

1976-01-01

A large number of γ-ray measurements of 226 Ra in human bone has been made both at MIT and CHR-ANL. These data are analyzed for correlations of the specific activity ratio of a bone group with other parameters, an interlaboratory comparison of the measurements, and an estimate of the errors expected when a whole-body content is calculated from the 226 Ra determination on a partial skeleton

Subjective burden on spouses of schizophrenia patients

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Surekha Kumari

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Background : There is limited information from India on subjective burden on spouses of schizophrenia patients. The aim of the present study was to assess and compare patterns of subjective burden on spouses of schizophrenia patients. Materials and Methods: The present study was conducted at the OPD level, and follow-up was done at the Ranchi Institute of Neuropsychiatry and Sciences (RINPAS during the period May 2008 to November 2008. Tools utilized were sociodemographic data sheet, Family Burden Interview Schedule developed by Pai and R. L. Kapur (1981. The sample comprised of 50 samples of spouses (25 male and 25 female spouses of schizophrenia patients. Results: The findings suggest that both the groups, viz., male and female spouses of schizophrenia patients, showed moderate level of subjective burden, i.e., 13 (52% and 15 (60% male and female spouses, respectively, which was statistically found to be insignificant. Conclusion : No significant difference was found between male and female spouses of schizophrenia patients with regard to the level of subjective burden.

Double burden of malnutrition: A silent driver of double burden of disease in low– and middle–income countries

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ivana Kolcˇic´

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Double burden of malnutrition, characterised by undernutrition among poor children and obesity among deprived adults, is a serious global problem and an important promoter of ‘double burden of disease’ which is currently affecting low– and middle–income countries. Possible ways to reduce this burden is through education on the importance of equilibrium between energy intake and expenditure; ensuring conditions for optimal fetal and early child development; and reducing poverty as one of the main drivers of both undernutrition and obesity, through empowering local communities.

Burden in family caregivers of the elderly: prevalence and association with characteristics of the elderly and the caregivers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lara de Sa Neves Loureiro

2013-10-01

Full Text Available A cross-sectional, epidemiological study aimed to estimate the prevalence of burden among family caregivers of impaired elderly residents in the city of João Pessoa, and to identify associations between the mean burden and social and demographic characteristics of the elderly and the caregivers. A total number of 240 elderly residents in a previously drawn census tract participated in this research. The sample was composed of 52 elderly and their caregivers. For data collection, a questionnaire was applied with questions on social and demographic characteristics of elderly and caregivers, and the Burden Interview Scale was used. Results showed a high prevalence of burden among caregivers (84.6%, in which a statistically significant association was found with the following characteristics: retired elderly, elderly as head of family, spousal caregivers, and caregivers with less education. The findings of this study may contribute to the development of activities focused on formal and emotional support for the caregivers.

Skeleton series and multivaluedness of the self-energy functional in zero space-time dimensions

Science.gov (United States)

Rossi, Riccardo; Werner, Félix

2015-12-01

Recently, Kozik, Ferrero and Georges discovered numerically that for a family of fundamental models of interacting fermions, the self-energy {{Σ }}[G] is a multi-valued functional of the fully dressed single-particle propagator G, and that the skeleton diagrammatic series {{{Σ }}}{{bold}}[G] converges to the wrong branch above a critical interaction strength. We consider the zero space-time dimensional case, where the same mathematical phenomena appear from elementary algebra. We also find a similar phenomenology for the fully bold formalism built on the fully dressed single-particle propagator and pair propagator.

Cytotoxic Meroterpenoids with Rare Skeletons from Psidium guajava Cultivated in Temperate Zone

Science.gov (United States)

Qin, Xu-Jie; Yan, Huan; Ni, Wei; Yu, Mu-Yuan; Khan, Afsar; Liu, Hui; Zhang, Hong-Xia; He, Li; Hao, Xiao-Jiang; di, Ying-Tong; Liu, Hai-Yang

2016-09-01

Three new meroterpenoids, guajavadials A-C (1-3), were isolated from Psidium guajava cultivated in temperate zone. Their structures were established by extensive spectroscopic evidence and electronic circular dichroism (ECD) calculations. Guajavadial A (1) represents a novel skeleton of the 3,5-diformylbenzyl phloroglucinol-coupled monoterpenoid, while guajavadials B (2) and C (3) are new adducts of the 3,5-diformylbenzyl phloroglucinol and a sesquiterpene with different coupling models. The plausible biosynthetic pathways as well as antimicrobial and cytotoxic activities of these meroterpenoids are also discussed. All these isolates exhibited moderate cytotoxicities against five human cancer cell lines, with 3 being most effective with an IC50 value of 3.54 μM toward SMMC-7721 cell lines.

Archaeological skeletons support a northwest European origin for Paget's disease of bone.

Science.gov (United States)

Mays, Simon

2010-08-01

The strong genetic component in the etiology of Paget's disease of bone (PDB), together with marked geographic variation in its prevalence, with high frequencies in British populations, has led some to suggest that the disease originated in Britain and spread around the world in recent times by the migration and admixture of British populations. This study aims to investigate this hypothesis by studying the world geographic distribution of PDB cases identified in ancient skeletons excavated from archaeological sites. The methodology is a review of PDB cases described in the literature. There were 109 cases that met modern diagnostic criteria. All came from Western Europe, 94% from England. These data support the hypothesis that PDB originated in this geographic region.

Animals, Pictures, and Skeletons: Andreas Vesalius's Reinvention of the Public Anatomy Lesson.

Science.gov (United States)

Shotwell, R Allen

2016-01-01

In this paper, I examine the procedures used by Andreas Vesalius for conducting public dissections in the early sixteenth century. I point out that in order to overcome the limitations of public anatomical demonstration noted by his predecessors, Vesalius employed several innovative strategies, including the use of animals as dissection subjects, the preparation and display of articulated skeletons, and the use of printed and hand-drawn illustrations. I suggest that the examination of these three strategies for resolving the challenges of public anatomical demonstration helps us to reinterpret Vesalius's contributions to sixteenth-century anatomy. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Family caregiver burden: the burden of caring for lung cancer patients according to the cancer stage and patient quality of life.

Science.gov (United States)

Borges, Eliana Lourenço; Franceschini, Juliana; Costa, Luiza Helena Degani; Fernandes, Ana Luisa Godoy; Jamnik, Sérgio; Santoro, Ilka Lopes

2017-01-01

Patients with lung cancer experience different feelings and reactions, based on their family, social, cultural, and religious backgrounds, which are a source of great distress, not only for the patients but also for their family caregivers. This study aimed to evaluate the impact that lung cancer stage and quality of life (QoL) of lung cancer patients have on caregiver burden. This was a prospective cross-sectional study. Consecutive patient-caregiver dyads were selected and asked to complete the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and the Medical Outcomes Study 36-item ShortForm Health Survey (SF-36). Family caregivers also completed the Caregiver Burden Scale. Group-based modeling was used in order to identify patients with early- or advanced-stage cancer (IA to IIIA vs. IIIB to IV) plus non-impaired or impaired QoL (SF36 total score > 50 vs. ≤ 50). Patient-caregiver dyads were stratified into four groups: early-stage cancer+non-impaired QoL; advanced-stage cancer+non-impaired QoL; early-stage cancer+impaired QoL; and advanced-stage cancer+impaired QoL. We included 91 patient-caregiver dyads. The majority of the patients were male and heavy smokers. Family caregivers were younger and predominantly female. The burden, QoL, level of anxiety, and level of depression of caregivers were more affected by the QoL of the patients than by their lung cancer stage. The family caregivers of the patients with impaired QoL showed a higher median burden than did those of the patients with non-impaired QoL, regardless of disease stage. Caregiver burden is more affected by patient QoL than by lung cancer stage. Pacientes com câncer de pulmão vivenciam diferentes sentimentos e reações, dependendo de sua formação familiar, social, cultural e religiosa, que são fonte de grande sofrimento, não só para os pacientes mas também para seus cuidadores familiares. Este estudo objetivou avaliar o impacto do estágio do câncer de pulmão e da qualidade de vida (QV) dos

Skeleton versus fine earth: what information is stored in the mobile extracellular soil DNA fraction?

Science.gov (United States)

Ascher, Judith; Ceccherini, Maria Teresa; Agnelli, Alberto; Corti, Guiseppe; Pietramellara, Giacomo

2010-05-01

The soil genome consists of an intracellular and an extracellular fraction. Recently, soil extracellular DNA (eDNA) has been shown to be quantitatively relevant, with a high survival capacity and mobility, playing a crucial role in the gene transfer by transformation, in the formation of bacterial biofilm and as a source of nutrients for soil microorganisms. The eDNA fraction can be discriminated and classified by its interaction with clay minerals, humic acids and Al/Fe oxihydroxides, resulting in differently mobile components. The eDNA extractable in water, classified as DNA free in the extracellular soil environment or adsorbed on soil colloids (eDNAfree/adsorbed), is hypothesized to be the most mobile DNA in soil. Challenging to assess the information stored in this DNA fraction, eDNAfree/adsorbed was recovered from fine earth (gel electrophoresis), and qualitative analysis in terms of the composition and distribution of fungal and bacterial communities (Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis- fingerprinting). The mobile soil eDNA, extracted from each horizon, was characterised by low molecular weight (result of the movement of eDNA along the soil profile and from fine earth to skeleton. The molecular characterization provided information about the autochthonous microflora inhabiting skeleton and fine earth as well as information about the fate of soil DNA in terms of presence, persistence and movement of eDNA and the stored genetic information.

Atlanto-occipital fusion and spondylolisthesis in an Anasazi skeleton from Bright Angel Ruin, Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona.

Science.gov (United States)

Merbs, C F; Euler, R C

1985-08-01

The skeleton of a middle-aged female showing an unusual pattern of congenital, traumatic, and degenerative pathology was recovered from a small Kayenta Anasazi site located near the confluence of Bright Angel Creek with the Colorado River in the Inner Gorge of Grand Canyon. The atlas is fused with the base of the skull and C2 is fused with C3. The cervical region was subjected to hyperextension, perhaps through use of a tumpline, with resultant reduction of the neural canal to 8 mm, a condition that quite likely led to neurological problems. The skeleton also includes a depression fracture of the lateral condyle of the left tibia. Complete, bilateral spondylolysis of L5 led to an olisthesis of approximately 15 mm. The disc between L5 and S1 then ossified, most likely from staphylococcus bacteremia, making the olisthesis permanent and thereby creating a unique arachaeological specimen. Although spondylolysis is usually viewed as a stress fracture, the general pattern of pathology in this individual makes it necessary to consider an etiology of acute trauma.

Socioeconomic burden of hereditary angioedema

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Aygören-Pürsün, Emel; Bygum, Anette; Beusterien, Kathleen

2014-01-01

who were working or in school (n = 120), 72 provided work/school absenteeism data, resulting in an estimated 20 days missing from work/school on average per year; 51% (n = 84) indicated that HAE has hindered their career/educational advancement. CONCLUSION: HAE poses a considerable burden on patients...... and their families in terms of direct medical costs and indirect costs related to lost productivity. This burden is substantial at the time of attacks and in between attacks....

Analysis of economic burden for patients with cystic echinococcosis in five hospitals in northwest China.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Le; Wen, Hao; Feng, Xiaohui; Jiang, Xiaoming; Duan, Xinyu

2012-12-01

The direct and indirect economic burden of human cystic echinococcosis (CE) was investigated in the five specialist hydatid hospitals in Xinjiang, PR China, to provide information for health policy in the future. A total of 2018 CE patients (age range 2-88 years) attending the hospitals were studied between 2004 and 2008. The per-person direct medical cost was US$1493.12 (95% CI 1438.43-1547.80) and the per-person direct non-medical cost was US$19.67. The indirect economic cost was US$1435.96 per person, and the disability-adjusted life-years (DALY) lost was approximately 1.03 DALY/person. This study is the first to combine the human capital method with DALYs to analyse the indirect CE economic burden in northwest China. Factors such as age, occupation and hospital level should be considered when developing polices to reduce the economic burden of CE. Copyright © 2012 Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Economic Burden Attributable to a Child’s Inpatient Admission for Diarrheal Disease in Rwanda

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Ngabo, Fidele; Mvundura, Mercy; Gazley, Lauren; Gatera, Maurice; Rugambwa, Celse; Kayonga, Eugene; Tuyishime, Yvette; Niyibaho, Jeanne; Mwenda, Jason M.; Donnen, Philippe; Lepage, Philippe; Binagwaho, Agnes; Atherly, Deborah

2016-01-01

Background Diarrhea is one of the leading causes of childhood morbidity and mortality. Hospitalization for diarrhea can pose a significant burden to health systems and households. The objective of this study was to estimate the economic burden attributable to hospitalization for diarrhea among children less than five years old in Rwanda. These data can be used by decision-makers to assess the impact of interventions that reduce diarrhea morbidity, including rotavirus vaccine introduction. Methods This was a prospective costing study where medical records and hospital bills for children admitted with diarrhea at three hospitals were collected to estimate resource use and costs. Hospital length of stay was calculated from medical records. Costs incurred during the hospitalization were abstracted from the hospital bills. Interviews with the child’s caregivers provided data to estimate household costs which included transport costs and lost income. The portion of medical costs borne by insurance and household were reported separately. Annual economic burden before and after rotavirus vaccine introduction was estimated by multiplying the reported number of diarrhea hospitalizations in public health centers and district hospitals by the estimated economic burden per hospitalization. All costs are presented in 2014 US$. Results Costs for 203 children were analyzed. Approximately 93% of the children had health insurance coverage. Average hospital length of stay was 5.3 ± 3.9 days. Average medical costs for each child for the illness resulting in a hospitalization were $44.22 ± $23.74 and the total economic burden was $101, of which 65% was borne by the household. For households in the lowest income quintile, the household costs were 110% of their monthly income. The annual economic burden to Rwanda attributable to diarrhea hospitalizations ranged from $1.3 million to $1.7 million before rotavirus vaccine introduction. Conclusion Households often bear the largest share

Measuring the burden of preventable diabetic hospitalisations in the Mexican Institute of Social Security (IMSS).

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Lugo-Palacios, David G; Cairns, John; Masetto, Cynthia

2016-08-02

The prevalence of diabetes among adults in Mexico has increased markedly from 6.7 % in 1994 to 14.7 % in 2015. Although the main diabetic complications can be prevented or delayed with timely and effective primary care, a high percentage of diabetic patients have developed them imposing an important preventable burden on Mexican society and on the health system. This paper estimates the financial and health burden caused by potentially preventable hospitalisations due to diabetic complications in hospitals operated by the largest social security institution in Latin America, the Mexican Institute of Social Security (IMSS), in the period 2007-2014. Hospitalisations in IMSS hospitals whose main cause was a diabetic complication were identified. The financial burden was estimated using IMSS diagnostic-related groups. To estimate the health burden, DALYs were computed under the assumption that patients would not have experienced complications if they had received timely and effective primary care. A total of 322,977 hospitalisations due to five diabetic complications were identified during the period studied, of which hospitalisations due to kidney failure and diabetic foot represent 78 %. The financial burden increased by 8.4 % in real terms between 2007 and 2014. However, when measured as cost per IMSS affiliate, it decreased by 11.3 %. The health burden had an overall decrease of 13.6 % and the associated DALYs in 2014 reached 103,688. Resources used for the hospital treatment of diabetic complications are then not available for other health care interventions. In order to prevent these hospitalisations more resources might need to be invested in primary care; the first step could be to consider the financial burden of these hospitalisations as a potential target for switching resources from hospital care to primary care services. However, more evidence of the effectiveness of different primary care interventions is needed to know how much of the burden could

The burden of leishmaniasis in Iran, acquired from the global burden of disease during 1990–2010

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Alireza Badirzadeh

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Objective: To report and measure the burden of leishmaniasis in Iran using the global burden of disease (GBD results, conducted by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation for the years 1990 to 2010, and provide some recommendations for reaching better conclusions about the burden of disease. Methods: GBD burden and fatality rates of leishmaniasis were compared with the findings registered by the Ministry of Health and Medical Education (MOHME. Data obtained from the GBD for the years 1990 to 2010 were used to estimate the disability-adjusted life-years and fatality rates of leishmaniasis in Iran. Results: The GBD estimated 229 714 disability-adjusted life-years due to leishmaniasis in Iranian people of all ages and both sexes. The number of deaths caused by visceral leishmaniasis (VL had decreased significantly in recent years. MOHME registered data on fewer than 30 deaths in Iran from 1990 to 2010. Conclusions: The underreporting of VL deaths is always more pronounced. Findings indicate that the GBD estimation of mortality rates was surprisingly higher than MOHME’s data. The burden of leishmaniasis decreased significantly between the years 1990 and 2010 in both data sources. The possible explanation for this decrease has been discovered through the establishment of a VL surveillance system in various parts of Iran, particularly in endemic areas.

The psychosocial burden of psoriatic arthritis.

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Husni, M Elaine; Merola, Joseph F; Davin, Sara

2017-12-01

To assess the psychosocial impact of psoriatic arthritis (PsA), describe how health-related quality of life (QoL) is affected in patients with PsA, discuss measures used to evaluate the psychosocial impact of PsA, and review studies examining the effect of therapy on QoL. A targeted review on the impact of PsA on QoL and the role of tailored psychosocial management in reducing the psychosocial burden of the disease was performed. PubMed literature searches were conducted using the terms PsA, psychosocial burden, QoL, and mood/behavioral changes. Articles were deemed relevant if they presented information regarding the psychosocial impact of PsA, methods used to evaluate these impacts, or ways to manage/improve management of PsA and its resulting comorbidities. The findings of this literature search are descriptively reviewed and the authors׳ expert opinion on their interpretation is provided. The psychosocial burden of PsA negatively affects QoL. Patients suffer from sleep disorders, fatigue, low-level stress, depression and mood/behavioral changes, poor body image, and reduced work productivity. Additionally, each patient responds to pain differently, depending on a variety of psychological factors including personality structure, cognition, and attention to pain. Strategies for evaluating the burdens associated with PsA and the results of properly managing patients with PsA are described. PsA is associated with a considerable psychosocial burden and new assessment tools, specific to PsA, have been developed to help quantify this burden in patients. Future management algorithms of PsA should incorporate appropriate assessment and management of psychological and physical concerns of patients. Furthermore, patients with PsA should be managed by a multidisciplinary team that works in coordination with the patient and their family or caregivers. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Chronic condition combinations and health care expenditures and out-of-pocket spending burden among adults, Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, 2009 and 2011.

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Meraya, Abdulkarim M; Raval, Amit D; Sambamoorthi, Usha

2015-01-29

Little is known about how combinations of chronic conditions in adults affect total health care expenditures. Our objective was to estimate the annual average total expenditures and out-of-pocket spending burden among US adults by combinations of conditions. We conducted a cross-sectional study using 2009 and 2011 data from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey. The sample consisted of 9,296 adults aged 21 years or older with at least 2 of the following 4 highly prevalent chronic conditions: arthritis, diabetes mellitus, heart disease, and hypertension. Unadjusted and adjusted regression techniques were used to examine the association between chronic condition combinations and log-transformed total expenditures. Logistic regressions were used to analyze the relationship between chronic condition combinations and high out-of-pocket spending burden. Among adults with chronic conditions, adults with all 4 conditions had the highest average total expenditures ($20,016), whereas adults with diabetes/hypertension had the lowest annual total expenditures ($7,116). In adjusted models, adults with diabetes/hypertension and hypertension/arthritis had lower health care expenditures than adults with diabetes/heart disease (P expenditures compared with those with diabetes and heart disease. However, the difference was only marginally significant (P = .04). Among adults with arthritis, diabetes, heart disease, and hypertension, total health care expenditures differed by type of chronic condition combinations. For individuals with multiple chronic conditions, such as heart disease and diabetes, new models of care management are needed to reduce the cost burden on the payers.

Rapid determination of fluorine in coral skeletons by non-destructive neutron activation analysis using 20F

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ramos, A.A.; Ohde, S.; Sirirattanachai, S.; Snidvongs, A.

2003-01-01

A rapid non-destructive technique has been proposed for the determination of fluorine in coral skeletons by thermal neutron activation analysis, using the short half-life 20 F nuclide (11.0 s). About 0.2-0.5 g samples were irradiated for 10 seconds in a Triga Mark II Reactor. Soon after the irradiation (25-35 s), measurements of γ-rays were performed with each sample and standard. The method has the drawback of low sensitivity (∼20 ppm of F), and the manual operation employed in the cooling step could lead to less precise measurements. Fluorine in coral standards was determined within ∼8% of analytical precision. The result obtained for the dolomite standard was fairly consistent with literature values, but those for the limestone standard showed to be considerably higher than the reported values. The present method was applied for the determination of fluorine in modern corals from Khang Khao Island, Thailand and Okinawa, Japan. Two core samples of an ancient reef from Funafuti Atoll were measured for fluorine to compare with modern samples. In order to understand the environmental media in which coral grew, the partition of fluorine between seawater and coral skeletons is also discussed. (author)

99mTc-MDP bone scanning of patients with diffuse metastatic carcinoma of the axial skeleton

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morita, Seiichiro; Ishibashi, Masatoshi; Takahashi, Kazuyuki; Funatsu, Kazuhiro; Yoshii, Toshiaki; Shirabe, Ichiju; Nomura, Yasushi; Ohtake, Hisashi

1990-01-01

Fifteen bone scintigrams in patients with diffuse bone metastases were reviewed because of the diffuse radionuclide accumulation in the axial skeleton. Diagnoses were gastric cancer in 6 patients, prostatic cancer in 5, breast cancer in 3, and renal pelvic tumor in one. In 5 patients with gastric cancer, one with prostatic cancer, and one with renal pelvic tumor, initial bone scintigraphy showed diffuse accumulation. In one gastric cancer patient and two breast cancer patients, the multiple bone metastases had altered the diffuse bone metastasis. All patients had no lung or liver metastasis morphologically at the course of diagnosed diffuse bone metastasis. Overall, the diffuse bone metastases were classified into two groups: diffuse symmetrical accumulation in proportion to bone marrow demonstrated in the gastric cancer, and diffuse accumulation centering the axial skeleton with asymmetrical accumulation in the rib and extremities demonstrated in cancer of the prostate. The finding of X ray films were consistent to common bone metastases in proportion to the primary tumor. Diffuse bone metastases did not show the characteristic finding. During the period from the diagnosed time to the death of patients, the patients with gastric cancer died extremely earlier in comparison to the patients with breast cancer and with prostatic cancer. (author)

The Economic and Social Burden of Traumatic Injuries: Evidence from a Trauma Hospital in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.

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Zuraik, Christopher; Sampalis, John; Brierre, Alexa

2018-06-01

The cost of traumatic injury is unknown in Haiti. This study aims to examine the burden of traumatic injury of patients treated and evaluated at a trauma hospital in the capital city of Port-au-Prince. A retrospective cross-sectional chart review study was conducted at the Hospital Bernard Mevs Project Medishare for all patients evaluated for traumatic injury from December 2015 to January 2016, as described elsewhere (Zuraik and Sampalis in World J Surg, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00268-017-4088-2 , 2017). Direct medical costs were obtained from patient hospital bills. Indirect and intangible costs were calculated using the human capital approach. A total of 410 patients were evaluated for traumatic injury during the study period. Total costs for all patients were $501,706 with a mean cost of $1224. Indirect costs represented 63% of all costs, direct medical costs 19%, and intangible costs 18%. Surgical costs accounted for the majority of direct medical costs (29%). Patients involved in road traffic accidents accounted for the largest number of injuries (41%) and the largest percentage of total costs (51%). Patients with gunshot wounds had the highest total mean costs ($1566). Mean costs by injury severity ranged from $62 for minor injuries, $1269 for serious injuries, to $13,675 for critical injuries. Injuries lead to a significant economic burden for individuals treated at a semi-private trauma hospital in the capital city of Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Programs aimed at reducing injuries, particularly road traffic accidents, would likely reduce the economic burden to the nation.

Investing in improved performance of national tuberculosis programs reduces the tuberculosis burden: analysis of 22 high-burden countries, 2002-2009.

Science.gov (United States)

Akachi, Yoko; Zumla, Alimuddin; Atun, Rifat

2012-05-15

To assess the impact of investment in national tuberculosis programs (NTPs) on NTP performance and tuberculosis burden in 22 high-burden countries, as determined by the World Health Organization (WHO). Estimates of annual tuberculosis burden and NTP performance indicators and control variables during 2002-2009 were obtained from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, the WHO, the World Bank, and the Penn World Table for the 22 high-burden countries. Panel data analysis was performed using the outcome variables tuberculosis incidence, prevalence, and mortality and the key explanatory variables Partnership case detection rate and treatment success rate, controlling for gross domestic product per capita, population structure, and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevalence. A $1 per capita (general population) higher NTP budget (including domestic and external sources) was associated with a 1.9% (95% confidence interval, .12%-3.6%) higher estimated case detection rate the following year for the 22 high-burden countries between 2002 and 2009. In the final models, which corrected for autocorrelation and heteroskedasticity, achieving the STOP TB Partnership case detection rate target of >70% was associated with significantly (P < .01) lower tuberculosis incidence, prevalence, and mortality the following year, even when controlling for general economic development and HIV prevalence as potential confounding variables. Increased investment in NTPs was significantly associated with improved performance and with a downward trend in the tuberculosis burden in the 22 high-burden countries during 2002-2009.

Burden and Cognitive Appraisal of Stroke Survivors' Informal Caregivers: An Assessment of Depression Model With Mediating and Moderating Effects.

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Tsai, Yi-Chen; Pai, Hsiang-Chu

2016-04-01

This study proposes and evaluates a model of depression that concerns the role of burden and cognitive appraisal as mediators or moderators of outcomes among stroke survivor caregivers. A total of 105 informal caregivers of stroke survivor completed the self-report measures of Caregiver Burden Inventory, Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, and Cognitive Impact of Appraisal Scale. The Glasgow Coma Scale and Barthel Index were used by the researcher to examine the physical functional status of the survivor. Partial least squares (PLS) path modeling was used to estimate the parameters of a depression model that included mediating or moderating effects. The model shows that burden and impact of cognitive appraisal have a significant direct and indirect impact on depression, while survivor physical functional status does not have a direct impact. The model also demonstrates that burden and impact of cognitive appraisal separately play a mediating role between survivor physical functional status and caregiver depression. In addition, cognitive appraisal has a moderating influence on the relationship between burden and depression. Overall, survivor physical functional status, burden, and cognitive appraisal were the predictors of caregiver depression, explaining 47.1% of the variance. This study has shown that burden and cognitive appraisal are mediators that more fully explain the relationship between patient severity and caregiver depression. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Burden of Six Healthcare-Associated Infections on European Population Health: Estimating Incidence-Based Disability-Adjusted Life Years through a Population Prevalence-Based Modelling Study.

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Alessandro Cassini

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Estimating the burden of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs compared to other communicable diseases is an ongoing challenge given the need for good quality data on the incidence of these infections and the involved comorbidities. Based on the methodology of the Burden of Communicable Diseases in Europe (BCoDE project and 2011-2012 data from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC point prevalence survey (PPS of HAIs and antimicrobial use in European acute care hospitals, we estimated the burden of six common HAIs.The included HAIs were healthcare-associated pneumonia (HAP, healthcare-associated urinary tract infection (HA UTI, surgical site infection (SSI, healthcare-associated Clostridium difficile infection (HA CDI, healthcare-associated neonatal sepsis, and healthcare-associated primary bloodstream infection (HA primary BSI. The burden of these HAIs was measured in disability-adjusted life years (DALYs. Evidence relating to the disease progression pathway of each type of HAI was collected through systematic literature reviews, in order to estimate the risks attributable to HAIs. For each of the six HAIs, gender and age group prevalence from the ECDC PPS was converted into incidence rates by applying the Rhame and Sudderth formula. We adjusted for reduced life expectancy within the hospital population using three severity groups based on McCabe score data from the ECDC PPS. We estimated that 2,609,911 new cases of HAI occur every year in the European Union and European Economic Area (EU/EEA. The cumulative burden of the six HAIs was estimated at 501 DALYs per 100,000 general population each year in EU/EEA. HAP and HA primary BSI were associated with the highest burden and represented more than 60% of the total burden, with 169 and 145 DALYs per 100,000 total population, respectively. HA UTI, SSI, HA CDI, and HA primary BSI ranked as the third to sixth syndromes in terms of burden of disease. HAP and HA primary BSI were

Burden of Six Healthcare-Associated Infections on European Population Health: Estimating Incidence-Based Disability-Adjusted Life Years through a Population Prevalence-Based Modelling Study

Science.gov (United States)

Eckmanns, Tim; Abu Sin, Muna; Ducomble, Tanja; Harder, Thomas; Sixtensson, Madlen; Velasco, Edward; Weiß, Bettina; Kramarz, Piotr; Monnet, Dominique L.; Kretzschmar, Mirjam E.; Suetens, Carl

2016-01-01

Background Estimating the burden of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) compared to other communicable diseases is an ongoing challenge given the need for good quality data on the incidence of these infections and the involved comorbidities. Based on the methodology of the Burden of Communicable Diseases in Europe (BCoDE) project and 2011–2012 data from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) point prevalence survey (PPS) of HAIs and antimicrobial use in European acute care hospitals, we estimated the burden of six common HAIs. Methods and Findings The included HAIs were healthcare-associated pneumonia (HAP), healthcare-associated urinary tract infection (HA UTI), surgical site infection (SSI), healthcare-associated Clostridium difficile infection (HA CDI), healthcare-associated neonatal sepsis, and healthcare-associated primary bloodstream infection (HA primary BSI). The burden of these HAIs was measured in disability-adjusted life years (DALYs). Evidence relating to the disease progression pathway of each type of HAI was collected through systematic literature reviews, in order to estimate the risks attributable to HAIs. For each of the six HAIs, gender and age group prevalence from the ECDC PPS was converted into incidence rates by applying the Rhame and Sudderth formula. We adjusted for reduced life expectancy within the hospital population using three severity groups based on McCabe score data from the ECDC PPS. We estimated that 2,609,911 new cases of HAI occur every year in the European Union and European Economic Area (EU/EEA). The cumulative burden of the six HAIs was estimated at 501 DALYs per 100,000 general population each year in EU/EEA. HAP and HA primary BSI were associated with the highest burden and represented more than 60% of the total burden, with 169 and 145 DALYs per 100,000 total population, respectively. HA UTI, SSI, HA CDI, and HA primary BSI ranked as the third to sixth syndromes in terms of burden of disease