349 research outputs found
Measurement of the Bottom-Strange Meson Mixing Phase in the Full CDF Data Set
We report a measurement of the bottom-strange meson mixing phase \beta_s
using the time evolution of B0_s -> J/\psi (->\mu+\mu-) \phi (-> K+ K-) decays
in which the quark-flavor content of the bottom-strange meson is identified at
production. This measurement uses the full data set of proton-antiproton
collisions at sqrt(s)= 1.96 TeV collected by the Collider Detector experiment
at the Fermilab Tevatron, corresponding to 9.6 fb-1 of integrated luminosity.
We report confidence regions in the two-dimensional space of \beta_s and the
B0_s decay-width difference \Delta\Gamma_s, and measure \beta_s in [-\pi/2,
-1.51] U [-0.06, 0.30] U [1.26, \pi/2] at the 68% confidence level, in
agreement with the standard model expectation. Assuming the standard model
value of \beta_s, we also determine \Delta\Gamma_s = 0.068 +- 0.026 (stat) +-
0.009 (syst) ps-1 and the mean B0_s lifetime, \tau_s = 1.528 +- 0.019 (stat) +-
0.009 (syst) ps, which are consistent and competitive with determinations by
other experiments.Comment: 8 pages, 2 figures, Phys. Rev. Lett 109, 171802 (2012
Abnormal brain iron accumulation in obstructive sleep apnea: A quantitative MRI study in the HypnoLaus cohort
Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSA) may be a risk factor for Alzheimer's disease. One of the hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease is disturbed iron homeostasis leading to abnormal iron deposition in brain tissue. To date, there is no empirical evidence to support the hypothesis of altered brain iron homeostasis in patients with obstructive sleep apnea as well. Data were analysed from 773 participants in the HypnoLaus study (mean age 55.9 ± 10.3 years) who underwent polysomnography and brain MRI. Cross-sectional associations were tested between OSA parameters and the MRI effective transverse relaxation rate (R2*) - indicative of iron content - in 68 grey matter regions, after adjustment for confounders. The group with severe OSA (apnea-hypopnea index ≥30/h) had higher iron levels in the left superior frontal gyrus (F3,760 = 4.79, p = 0.003), left orbital gyri (F3,760 = 5.13, p = 0.002), right and left middle temporal gyrus (F3,760 = 4.41, p = 0.004 and F3,760 = 13.08, p < 0.001, respectively), left angular gyrus (F3,760 = 6.29, p = 0.001), left supramarginal gyrus (F3,760 = 4.98, p = 0.003), and right cuneus (F3,760 = 7.09, p < 0.001). The parameters of nocturnal hypoxaemia were all consistently associated with higher iron levels. Measures of sleep fragmentation had less consistent associations with iron content. This study provides the first evidence of increased brain iron levels in obstructive sleep apnea. The observed iron changes could reflect underlying neuropathological processes that appear to be driven primarily by hypoxaemic mechanisms
Erratum to: 36th International Symposium on Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine
[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1186/s13054-016-1208-6.]
A922 Sequential measurement of 1 hour creatinine clearance (1-CRCL) in critically ill patients at risk of acute kidney injury (AKI)
Meeting abstrac
Bladder cancer index: cross-cultural adaptation into Spanish and psychometric evaluation
BACKGROUND: The Bladder Cancer Index (BCI) is so far the only instrument applicable across all bladder cancer patients, independent of tumor infiltration or treatment applied. We developed a Spanish version of the BCI, and assessed its acceptability and metric properties. METHODS: For the adaptation into Spanish we used the forward and back-translation method, expert panels, and cognitive debriefing patient interviews. For the assessment of metric properties we used data from 197 bladder cancer patients from a multi-center prospective study. The Spanish BCI and the SF-36 Health Survey were self-administered before and 12 months after treatment. Reliability was estimated by Cronbach's alpha. Construct validity was assessed through the multi-trait multi-method matrix. The magnitude of change was quantified by effect sizes to assess responsiveness. RESULTS: Reliability coefficients ranged 0.75-0.97. The validity analysis confirmed moderate associations between the BCI function and bother subscales for urinary (r = 0.61) and bowel (r = 0.53) domains; conceptual independence among all BCI domains (r ≤ 0.3); and low correlation coefficients with the SF-36 scores, ranging 0.14-0.48. Among patients reporting global improvement at follow-up, pre-post treatment changes were statistically significant for the urinary domain and urinary bother subscale, with effect sizes of 0.38 and 0.53. CONCLUSIONS: The Spanish BCI is well accepted, reliable, valid, responsive, and similar in performance compared to the original instrument. These findings support its use, both in Spanish and international studies, as a valuable and comprehensive tool for assessing quality of life across a wide range of bladder cancer patients
Ten Issues to Update in Nosocomial or Hospital-Acquired Pneumonia: An Expert Review
Nosocomial pneumonia, or hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP), and ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) are important health problems worldwide, with both being associated with substantial morbidity and mortality. HAP is currently the main cause of death from nosocomial infection in critically ill patients. Although guidelines for the approach to this infection model are widely implemented in international health systems and clinical teams, information continually emerges that generates debate or requires updating in its management. This scientific manuscript, written by a multidisciplinary team of specialists, reviews the most important issues in the approach to this important infectious respiratory syndrome, and it updates various topics, such as a renewed etiological perspective for updating the use of new molecular platforms or imaging techniques, including the microbiological diagnostic stewardship in different clinical settings and using appropriate rapid techniques on invasive respiratory specimens. It also reviews both Intensive Care Unit admission criteria and those of clinical stability to discharge, as well as those of therapeutic failure and rescue treatment options. An update on antibiotic therapy in the context of bacterial multiresistance, in aerosol inhaled treatment options, oxygen therapy, or ventilatory support, is presented. It also analyzes the out-of-hospital management of nosocomial pneumonia requiring complete antibiotic therapy externally on an outpatient basis, as well as the main factors for readmission and an approach to management in the emergency department. Finally, the main strategies for prevention and prophylactic measures, many of them still controversial, on fragile and vulnerable hosts are reviewed.30 página
Worldwide trends in diabetes since 1980: a pooled analysis of 751 population-based studies with 4.4 million participants
BACKGROUND: One of the global targets for non-communicable diseases is to halt, by 2025, the rise in the age-standardised adult prevalence of diabetes at its 2010 levels. We aimed to estimate worldwide trends in diabetes, how likely it is for countries to achieve the global target, and how changes in prevalence, together with population growth and ageing, are affecting the number of adults with diabetes. METHODS: We pooled data from population-based studies that had collected data on diabetes through measurement of its biomarkers. We used a Bayesian hierarchical model to estimate trends in diabetes prevalence—defined as fasting plasma glucose of 7·0 mmol/L or higher, or history of diagnosis with diabetes, or use of insulin or oral hypoglycaemic drugs—in 200 countries and territories in 21 regions, by sex and from 1980 to 2014. We also calculated the posterior probability of meeting the global diabetes target if post-2000 trends continue. FINDINGS: We used data from 751 studies including 4 372 000 adults from 146 of the 200 countries we make estimates for. Global age-standardised diabetes prevalence increased from 4·3% (95% credible interval 2·4–7·0) in 1980 to 9·0% (7·2–11·1) in 2014 in men, and from 5·0% (2·9–7·9) to 7·9% (6·4–9·7) in women. The number of adults with diabetes in the world increased from 108 million in 1980 to 422 million in 2014 (28·5% due to the rise in prevalence, 39·7% due to population growth and ageing, and 31·8% due to interaction of these two factors). Age-standardised adult diabetes prevalence in 2014 was lowest in northwestern Europe, and highest in Polynesia and Micronesia, at nearly 25%, followed by Melanesia and the Middle East and north Africa. Between 1980 and 2014 there was little change in age-standardised diabetes prevalence in adult women in continental western Europe, although crude prevalence rose because of ageing of the population. By contrast, age-standardised adult prevalence rose by 15 percentage points in men and women in Polynesia and Micronesia. In 2014, American Samoa had the highest national prevalence of diabetes (>30% in both sexes), with age-standardised adult prevalence also higher than 25% in some other islands in Polynesia and Micronesia. If post-2000 trends continue, the probability of meeting the global target of halting the rise in the prevalence of diabetes by 2025 at the 2010 level worldwide is lower than 1% for men and is 1% for women. Only nine countries for men and 29 countries for women, mostly in western Europe, have a 50% or higher probability of meeting the global target. INTERPRETATION: Since 1980, age-standardised diabetes prevalence in adults has increased, or at best remained unchanged, in every country. Together with population growth and ageing, this rise has led to a near quadrupling of the number of adults with diabetes worldwide. The burden of diabetes, both in terms of prevalence and number of adults affected, has increased faster in low-income and middle-income countries than in high-income countries. FUNDING: Wellcome Trust
VALIDACIÓN NUMÉRICA Y EXPERIMENTAL DE UN ARO DE FIJACIÓN EXTERNA ILIZAROV PARA FRACTURAS
La validación numérica de sistemas biomecánicos sigue siendo un tema de interés. Por lo anterior, este trabajo tiene como objetivo determinar y analizar el comportamiento mecánico del sistema de fijación externa circular Ilizarov (F.E.C) y su validación numérica por M.E.F con resultados de pruebas experimentales por extensometria basadas en ASTM F-1541-02 A.3 (Standard Specification and Test Methods for External Skeletal Fixation Device) [1], en donde previamente se fabricaron probetas en base a ASTM-E8M [3]. A través de este trabajo se obtuvieron el diagrama fuerza-deformación de la prueba experimental, por medio de un sistema adquisitor, utilizando extensometria con strain-gages [2], y se compararon los resultados contra un análisis numérico del tipo multi-lineal isotrópico, Los resultados presentan una comparación entre los resultados por simulación numérica y experimental, se muestran la rigidez, curvas de fuerza versus desplazamiento, esfuerzo y fuerza versus deformación unitaria, en donde se obtuvo el diagrama fuerza- desplazamiento, con una fuerza al punto de fluencia de 1800 N, con su respectivo desplazamiento de 3.4 mm, de lo que se calcula la rigidez del fijador y se obtiene el valor de 530 N/mm, con lo cual , se excede el criterio interno T.D.I, el cual define parámetros de rigidez y fuerza para la aceptación de dispositivos médicos, la simulación del aro y su validación son parte de las pruebas requeridas por la COFEPRIS, para la regulación sanitaria correspondiente a pruebas biomecánicas en dispositivos médicos.Este trabajo permitió observar los efectos estructurales del aro de fijación externa de manera experimental y la validación de su modelo numérico. Adicionalmente se lograron simular las no-linealidades por contacto en la región de unión del aro, obteniendo buenos resultados no solo cualitativos, si no también cuantitativos. Finalmente, los resultados obtenidos en este trabajo permitirán simular de manera confiable, el sistema completo de fijación externa circular Ilizarov y con ello tener un modelo numérico completo de este sistema para estudios e investigación posteriores.Palabra(s) Clave(s): F.E.C. Ilizarov, Aro, Strain-gage, Traumatología por osteosíntesis, Prueba de compresión, Elemento finito
Self-reported body silhouette trajectories across the lifespan and excessive daytime sleepiness in adulthood: a retrospective analysis. The Paris Prospective Study III.
Excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) is a common sleep complaint in the population and is increasingly recognised as deleterious for health. Simple and sensitive tools allowing identifying individuals at greater risk of EDS would be of public health importance. Hence, we determined trajectories of body silhouette from early childhood to adulthood and evaluated their association with EDS in adulthood.
A retrospective analysis in a prospective community-based study.
6820 men and women self-reported their silhouette at ages 8, 15, 25, 35 and 45 using the body silhouettes proposed by Stunkard <i>et al</i> . EDS was defined by an Epworth Sleepiness Scale score ≥11.
Presence of EDS in adulthood.
The study population comprised 6820 participants (mean age 59.8 years, 61.1% men). Five distinct body silhouettes trajectories over the lifespan were identified: 31.9% 'lean stable', 11.1% 'lean increase', 16.1% 'lean-marked increase', 32.5% 'moderate stable' and 8.4% 'heavy stable'. Subjects with a 'heavy-stable' trajectory (OR 1.24, 95% CI 0.94 to 1.62) and those with a 'lean-marked increase' trajectory (OR 1.46, 95% CI 1.18 to 1.81) were more likely to have EDS when compared with the 'lean-stable' group after adjusting for confounding. Further adjustment for birth weight strengthened the magnitude of the ORs.
Increasing body silhouette and to a lesser extent constantly high body silhouette trajectory from childhood to adulthood are associated with increased likelihood of EDS, independently of major confounding variables.
NCT00741728; Pre-results
Viral perturbations of host networks reflect disease etiology
Many human diseases, arising from mutations of disease susceptibility genes (genetic diseases), are also associated with viral infections (virally implicated diseases), either in a directly causal manner or by indirect associations. Here we examine whether viral perturbations of host interactome may underlie such virally implicated disease relationships. Using as models two different human viruses, Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and human papillomavirus (HPV), we find that host targets of viral proteins reside in network proximity to products of disease susceptibility genes. Expression changes in virally implicated disease tissues and comorbidity patterns cluster significantly in the network vicinity of viral targets. The topological proximity found between cellular targets of viral proteins and disease genes was exploited to uncover a novel pathway linking HPV to Fanconi anemia
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