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At least 919 records · Page 51Linked to original sources
PubMed1994

The prothoracicotropic hormone (PTTH) of the commercial silkmoth, Bombyx mori, in the CNS of the tobacco hornworm, Manduca sexta.

Immunocytochemistry revealed that a Bombyx mori prothoracicotropic hormone (PTTH)-like peptide is expressed by the Manduca sexta big PTTH-producing neurons, the lateral neurosecretory cell group III (L-NSC III). Independent PCR of genomic DNA and a L-NSC III cDNA library yielded products with 99% sequence similarity to the cDNA encoding Bombyx PTTH. This similarity necessitated evaluation of the relationship between Manduca big PTTH and Bombyx PTTH by 1) bioassay of IEF separated Manduca PTTH and 2) direct assessment of Bombyx PTTH biological activity with Manduca prothoracic glands. Together, these studies indicate that Bombyx PTTH and Manduca PTTH are different peptides expressed by the L-NSC III. The possible physiological significance of a Bombyx PTTH-like peptide in Manduca and its coexpression with Manduca big PTTH by the L-NSC III are discussed.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

Pharmacodynamic profiling of cefepime in plasma and cerebrospinal fluid of hospitalized patients with external ventriculostomies.

Population pharmacokinetic (PK) modeling and Monte Carlo simulation (MCS) were used to describe the pharmacodynamic profile of cefepime in the both plasma and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Plasma and CSF cefepime data were obtained from a PK study of 7 hospitalized patients with external ventricular drains. Concentration-time profiles in plasma and CSF were modeled using a 3-compartment model with zero-order infusion and first-order elimination and transfer. Estimates of the PK parameters were identified in the Big Non Parametric Adaptive Grid with adaptive gamma (BigNPAG) program of Leary, Jelliffe, Schumitzky, and Van Guilder. MCS (10,000 subjects) was performed to estimate the probability of attaining the targets of free plasma concentration (20% protein binding) and total drug CSF concentration of 50-100% T>minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) for MICs 0.06-8 mg/L for cefepime 2 g, iv, every 8 h (0.5-h infusion); cefepime 2 g, iv, every 12 h (0.5-h infusion); and cefepime 2 g (0.5-h infusion) once and 250 mg/h continuous infusion. After the Bayesian step, the observed-predicted regression and r(2) for plasma and CNS were as follows: plasma, observed=0.984 x predicted+2.570, r(2)=0.944; CSF, observed=0.785 x predicted+0.868, r(2)=0.821. The median penetration of cefepime as measured by AUC(CSF)/AUC(plasma) was 7.8%. In the MCS, the target attainment rates in plasma for 60-70% fT>MIC were high at each MIC value between 0.03 and 8 microg/mL for each regimen examined. In CSF, none of the regimens achieved 50-100% T>MIC for>80% of patients for MICs>0.5 mg/L.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

Personal medical documents management--how patients perceive, keep and manage their medical documents: a qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Absence of medical documents damages the quality of treatment and service. Despite the computerized medical folder, its use is still limited, and not all countries have a national health communications systems. That is why the patients are asked to bring with them the documents they hold. However, some patients lose the documents and others are uncooperative due to forgetfulness, and a lack of knowledge. OBJECTIVES: To examine how patients perceive, keep and manage medical documents. DESIGN: The research was conducted in the qualitative method. SETTINGS: A cardiology clinic, in a big medical center in Israel. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 28 patients suffering from ischemic heart disease and/or rhythm disorders. The sample was a convenience one, and were taken from the population visiting the Cardiology Clinic from May to October 2003. METHODS: Semi-structured interviews were held with the participants. The data were processed by means of content analysis. RESULTS: The findings indicate that, even though the participants expressed that it is the health system's responsibility to manage medical documents, most of them kept, and some even managed, their medical documents via a personal folder. By keeping documents and deciding to whom and when to show them the patient functions as a self-care manager. This made them more involved in their treatment and, they felt in control and empowered. CONCLUSION: Patient's attention to documents, as keeper and router, results in demonstrations of responsibility and involvement in treatment, consequently empowering the patient.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Assessing the relative severity of stressors at a watershed scale.

Water quality monitoring data are usually used independently to report on the condition of streams and watersheds. For example, watersheds are often rated as good, fair, or poor with regard to a single stressor or with regard to an index of biotic integrity. The utility of monitoring data may be enhanced by integrating stressor-response information with the observed stressor data, and reporting stressor levels in terms of their relative effects upon valued ecological resources. We estimated stressor-response relationships at the regional scale using data collected in the Eastern Cornbelt Plains Ecoregion of Ohio. Generalized additive models were used to visualize stressor-response relationships. Piecewise linear functions and simple linear functions were then used to parameterize the observed responses. Parameters derived from the regional models were used to scale observations of stressors in the Big Darby Creek watershed, OH. After scaling, stressors were compared in terms of their spatial distribution and in terms of the severity with which they influenced the biological endpoint of interest. Stressors most strongly associated with the current ecological condition of the watershed were identified. In the Big Darby Creek watershed, decreases in substrate quality were associated with the most severe decrements in biological condition. At smaller decrements in biological condition, three stressors were important: substrate quality, riparian quality, and increased concentrations of NOx.

Biodiversity↗
PubMed1995

Holter functions of the implantable cardioverter defibrillator: what is still missing?

The technology of the implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) offers the opportunity to overcome the present limits of the invasive and noninvasive approaches of clinical electrophysiology. The invasive approach enables us to reproduce severe arrhythmias if they are inducible, but does not give information concerning the way they spontaneously arise. The noninvasive approach (Holter) gives this information, but it usually concerns only trivial arrhythmias with different therapeutic targets. One hopes in the future, by means of an important extension to ICD technology, which is not technically possible for the time being, to have access to pertinent information and to a better understanding of the circumstances leading to severe spontaneous arrhythmias, potentially lethal. For the moment, we only have the diagnostic certainty leading to the therapeutic intervention. It is based on an ECG and on the sequence of cardiac cycles preceding the rhythmic controlled accident. These data allow verification of but not explanation of the events. To have a chance to be understood and explained, these "events" must be replaced in the context of the "nonevents." Ideally, one should have all the gross information concerning the last 24 hours and subsequently analyze them. It is already a big step, thanks to the defibrillators the right to therapeutic error has been gained, a unique and fatal accident has been transformed into a repeatable event, and therefore, access is gained to the evolution of the responsible disease.

Defibrillators, Implantable↗
PubMed2006

The thematic apperception test: toward a standard measure of the big three motives.

The application of the Thematic Apperception Test to the assessment of motives has been heralded as an important milestone in personality psychology. However, although this approach is well established, there is at present no standard battery of cues for measuring the Big Three motives (achievement, affiliation, power). Furthermore, the extent to which scoring subcategories contribute to overall motive scores has been neglected. Our research with students and managers examined the effectiveness of picture cues in eliciting motive imagery and the prevalence of scoring subcategories within each motive scoring system. Results from 2 data sets comprising 547 men and women suggested that there were 3 cues that should be retained for future research and that motive scoring systems could be refined through removal of redundant subcategories. Further research is needed to systematically investigate the effectiveness of a standard battery of cues and the validity of revised motive scoring systems.

Achievement↗
PubMed2004

Capital access.

To maintain their viability, hospitals are being compelled to invest in big capital projects such as information technology and renovation and construction. This gatefold examines the trends in credit and capital, and how they affect hospitals' access to money.

Capital Expenditures↗
PubMed1986

[Problems of working under local muscle loading].

The present labour motor activity is characterized by local loading with constant increase of the static muscular tension. The static work is the cause of reduction of capacity for work, of early advancing fatigue and various occupational diseases of the locomotory system in case of long-lasting activity. With the purpose if studying the connection between the occupational diseases of the locomotory apparatus (LMA) and the characteristics of the labour motor activity--a study on the diseases of the LMA was carried out at the Neurological Department of the Clinic of Occupational Diseases, looking for the correlation between them and the labour physiological data about the severity and tension of the motor activity and some parameters of working movements. The following main characteristics of the motor activity are indicated as risk factors of the occupational diseases--number of movements per a working shift, their velocity and duration, movements needing strength and movements with a big volume, pronounced motor monotony. The correlation between the occupational diseases of LMA, age, sex, length of service, etc. are stressed on. The problem of the optimization pf motor labour activity is discussed as a basic element of prophylaxis of overstrain and occupational diseases of the locomotory system.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

From functional genomics to functional immunomics: new challenges, old problems, big rewards.

The development of DNA microarray technology a decade ago led to the establishment of functional genomics as one of the most active and successful scientific disciplines today. With the ongoing development of immunomic microarray technology-a spatially addressable, large-scale technology for measurement of specific immunological response-the new challenge of functional immunomics is emerging, which bears similarities to but is also significantly different from functional genomics. Immunonic data has been successfully used to identify biological markers involved in autoimmune diseases, allergies, viral infections such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), influenza, diabetes, and responses to cancer vaccines. This review intends to provide a coherent vision of this nascent scientific field, and speculate on future research directions. We discuss at some length issues such as epitope prediction, immunomic microarray technology and its applications, and computation and statistical challenges related to functional immunomics. Based on the recent discovery of regulation mechanisms in T cell responses, we envision the use of immunomic microarrays as a tool for advances in systems biology of cellular immune responses, by means of immunomic regulatory network models.

Biotechnology↗
PubMed1975

Deafness in middle age--how big is the problem?

Screening for hearing defect by questionnaire and audiogram was undertaken in two group practices in the South-east of England in a total of 2,278 people aged 40-64 years.The prevalence of deafness in the combined populations of these two practices as measured by audiogram was found to be 5.8 per cent (+/- 0.5 per cent; one standard error). This figure is much more than estimates derived from American data for use in Britain. The prevalence of deafness was shown to increase with lower social class and age. The questionnaire was found to be unreliable for prevalence studies, but was thought to have some use as a screening instrument.There was an incidental finding of increased hearing defects in the left ears of men. The firing of rifles was felt to be a possible explanation of this.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Equity and the big city.

The author attempts to answer two questions: "how does the spatial distribution of population change during the process of development, and how do these changes relate to changes in the size distribution and regional distribution of income. The causal connection between population and income distribution is examined through a simulation model. The theoretical implications of the model's results are empirically examined at several spatial levels: at the national level, with longitudinal data from ten Asian and Latin American nations, and at the regional and subregional levels, with data from Japan, Brazil, and the Philippines. Finally, a multistage model of polarization reversal (with interconnected regional inequality changes) is proposed."

Asia↗
PubMed2005

The use of aromatase inhibitors in adjuvant therapy for early breast cancer.

Clinical evidence supporting the use of aromatase inhibitors (AIs) in adjuvant therapy for hormone-sensitive early breast cancer (EBC) has grown rapidly over the past few years and is reviewed in this article. The results of two studies-the Arimidex, Tamoxifen, Alone or in Combination (ATAC) trial and the Breast International Group (BIG) 1-98 trial-support the use of AIs as primary adjuvant therapy for EBC, with significantly prolonged disease-free survival, time to recurrence, and time to distant recurrence for both anastrozole and letrozole over tamoxifen. Furthermore, anastrozole has an established beneficial risk:benefit ratio compared with tamoxifen with mature data over the full 5-year recommended treatment period. For women who have already received 2-3 years of tamoxifen, switching studies with anastrozole [the Italian Tamoxifen Anastrozole (ITA) trial and the Austrian Breast and Colorectal Cancer Study Group (ABCSG) 8/Arimidex-Nolvadex (ARNO 95) trial] and exemestane [the Intergroup Exemestane Study (IES)] have also shown that 5 years of primary adjuvant tamoxifen therapy is not optimal and that switching to an AI should be considered. Finally, for those women who have completed 5 years of tamoxifen, based on the results of the MA 17 trial, extended adjuvant treatment with letrozole should be considered. Although no sequencing data are available yet, current evidence suggests that an AI should be the adjuvant treatment of choice over tamoxifen, and anastrozole is the only AI with mature adjuvant data to date.

Aromatase Inhibitors↗
PubMed1997

Permeation through an open channel: Poisson-Nernst-Planck theory of a synthetic ionic channel.

The synthetic channel [acetyl-(LeuSerSerLeuLeuSerLeu)3-CONH2]6 (pore diameter approximately 8 A, length approximately 30 A) is a bundle of six alpha-helices with blocked termini. This simple channel has complex properties, which are difficult to explain, even qualitatively, by traditional theories: its single-channel currents rectify in symmetrical solutions and its selectivity (defined by reversal potential) is a sensitive function of bathing solution. These complex properties can be fit quantitatively if the channel has fixed charge at its ends, forming a kind of macrodipole, bracketing a central charged region, and the shielding of the fixed charges is described by the Poisson-Nernst-Planck (PNP) equations. PNP fits current voltage relations measured in 15 solutions with an r.m.s. error of 3.6% using four adjustable parameters: the diffusion coefficients in the channel's pore DK = 2.1 x 10(-6) and DCl = 2.6 x 10(-7) cm2/s; and the fixed charge at the ends of the channel of +/- 0.12e (with unequal densities 0.71 M = 0.021e/A on the N-side and -1.9 M = -0.058e/A on the C-side). The fixed charge in the central region is 0.31e (with density P2 = 0.47 M = 0.014e/A). In contrast to traditional theories, PNP computes the electric field in the open channel from all of the charges in the system, by a rapid and accurate numerical procedure. In essence, PNP is a theory of the shielding of fixed (i.e., permanent) charge of the channel by mobile charge and by the ionic atmosphere in and near the channel's pore. The theory fits a wide range of data because the ionic contents and potential profile in the channel change significantly with experimental conditions, as they must, if the channel simultaneously satisfies the Poisson and Nernst-Planck equations and boundary conditions. Qualitatively speaking, the theory shows that small changes in the ionic atmosphere of the channel (i.e., shielding) make big changes in the potential profile and even bigger changes in flux, because potential is a sensitive function of charge and shielding, and flux is an exponential function of potential.

Computer Simulation↗
PubMed2003

Spontaneous representations of small numbers of objects by rhesus macaques: examinations of content and format.

The project of comparative cognition benefits from common measures across species. We report here on five experiments using the violation of expectancy looking time measure with free-ranging rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta), each designed to build on current knowledge concerning spontaneous representations of number. Each subject, tested in only one experimental condition, watched as eggplants were placed behind a screen one at a time, after which the screen was removed revealing an outcome that either matched or did not match the number placed there. Subjects looked longer at impossible than possible outcomes in 1+1=2 or 3, 1 small+1 small=1 big or 2 small, 2+1=2 or 3, and 2+1=3 or 4 conditions. They failed in 2+1+1=4 or 3 or 5 and in 1+1+1=2 or 3 conditions. This pattern of results closely matches that observed across several previous studies of human infants. The data allow us to test among four different proposals concerning the format and content of the mental representations underlying looking in these experiments. Object file representations are favored over: (i) low-level perceptual representations, (ii) representations of continuous variables such as volume or surface area, and (iii) analog magnitude representations of number. We conclude by considering exactly how the object tracking system revealed in these and other related experiments does and does not represent number, and how it might be one evolutionary precursor of the human specific system of number representations.

Animals↗
PubMed2002

Neuronal changes during forebrain evolution in amniotes: an evolutionary developmental perspective.

Embryology is the interface of genetic inheritance and phenotypic expression in adult forms, and as such is uniquely positioned to illuminate both. Embryonic cell migration pattern, transient connectivity, axonal growth kinetics and fasciculation patterns can clearly be substantially impacted at the striatocortical junction, which appears to be critical for telencephalic development. Similarly, the big questions concerning pallial evolution in amniotes all involve the pivotal region at the pallial-subpallial boundary, an area where complex developmental cross-currents may be involved in the specification of multiple structures that are thus related to each other. We review some of the positions based on recent genetic data and/or hodology, then suggest that comparative studies of intervening, embryological events may resolve some of the apparent conflicts and illuminate the evolutionary scenario. We propose a new hypothesis, the collopallial field hypothesis, which specifies that the anterior dorsal ventricular ridge of sauropsids and a set of structures in mammals--the lateral neocortex, basolateral amygdalar complex, and claustrum-endopiriform nucleus formation--are homologous to each other as derivatives of a common embryonic field. We propose that in mammals the laterally lying collopallium splits, or differentiates, into deep (claustroamygdalar) and superficial (neocortical) components, whereas in sauropsids, this split does not occur.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Destruction and arthroplasties of the metatarsophalangeal joints in seropositive rheumatoid arthritis. A 20-year follow-up study.

Destruction and arthroplasties of the metatarsophalangeal (MTP)joints and interphalangeal (IP) joint of the big toe were evaluated in 103 seropositive rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients in a prospective follow-up study at onset and at 1, 3, 8, 15, and 20 years from entry. A total of 83 patients attended the 15-year follow-up and 68 attended the 20-year follow-up. Data on the forefoot synovectomies and reconstructions performed were obtained from patient documents and radiographs. The radiographs were assigned by the Larsen method; in the end point analysis the last or preoperative radiograph was used. Erosions of Larsen grade > or =2 were present in 6%/ of the investigated 1236 joints at onset and after 20 years in 62%, respectively. At the end point, 24% of the joints were severely damaged (Larsen grade 4-5). The MTP I and IP joints showed the lowest grade of destruction during follow-up, and MTP V the worst destruction. Synovectomies were performed in 24 MTP joints; a total of 75% of these joints were later resected. MTP II-V head resections were performed in 21% and the Keller procedure in 12% of the MTP I joints. Erosive changes occur early in the MTP joints, and their grade of destruction is high; therefore they should be included in radiographic criteria and scores. MTP synovectomies are insufficient treatments for RA without concomitant immunosuppression of the disease.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

How robust are hospital ranks based on composite performance measures?

BACKGROUND: Composite indices of healthcare performance are an aggregation of underlying individual performance measures. They are increasingly being used to rank healthcare organizations. Although composite indicators present the "big picture" in a way that is easy to interpret, misleading conclusions may be drawn if attention is not paid to key methodological issues in their construction. OBJECTIVES: We examine variability in performance measures in the context of the construction and use of composite measures. We illustrate how variability in the underlying data and the resulting composite may undermine the robustness of performance measures in health care. We also illustrate how variation in the methodological rules applied to aggregate the individual indicators can have an important impact on composite scores. METHODS: We use data for 117 English acute hospitals to illustrate the generic methodological issues. The variance in performance measures is partitioned into "controllable" and "uncontrollable" elements. We create a composite index from the underlying performance indicators and use Monte Carlo simulations to examine the robustness of the composite. RESULTS: Random variation beyond the control of organizations gives rise to considerable uncertainty in hospital scores. Composites are also sensitive to changes made to the weighting system and to the aggregation rules. Some hospitals can jump almost half of the league table as a result of subtle changes. CONCLUSIONS: Great care is warranted in interpreting the results of composite performance measures. Suggestions for their future development are made.

Benchmarking↗
PubMed1993

Road traffic and adverse effects on respiratory health in children.

OBJECTIVES: To examine whether road traffic in a big city has a direct effect on pulmonary function and respiratory symptoms in children. DESIGN: Cross sectional study. SETTING: Of all 7445 fourth grade children (aged 9-11 years) in Munich, 6537 were examined. Of the children with German nationality and the same residence during the past five years and known exposure data, 4678 questionnaires and 4320 pulmonary function tests could be analysed. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Variables of pulmonary function by forced expiration and respiratory symptoms reported in a questionnaire; census data on car traffic collected in the school district. RESULTS: Density of car traffic ranged from 7000 to 125,000 cars per 24 hours. Multiple regression analysis of peak expiratory flow showed a significant decrease of 0.71% (95% confidence interval 1.08% to 0.33%) per increase of 25,000 cars daily passing through the school district on the main road. Maximum expiratory flow when 25% vital capacity had been expired was decreased by 0.68% (1.11% to 0.25%). In contrast, response to cold air challenge was not increased. The adjusted odds ratio for the cumulative prevalence of recurrent wheezing with the same exposure was 1.08 (1.01 to 1.16). Cumulative prevalence of recurrent dyspnoea was increased, with an odds ratio of 1.10 (1.00 to 1.20). Lifetime prevalence of asthma (odds ratio 1.04; 0.89 to 1.21) and recurrent bronchitis (1.05; 0.98 to 1.12) were not significantly increased. CONCLUSIONS: High rates of road traffic diminish forced expiratory flow and increase respiratory symptoms in children.

Automobiles↗