Oscillator Strengths and Damping Constants for Atomic Lines in the J and H Bands

We have built a line list in the near-infrared J and H bands (1.00-1.34, 1.49-1.80 um) by gathering a series of laboratory and computed line lists. Oscillator strengths and damping constants were computed or obtained by fitting the solar spectrum. The line list presented in this paper is, to our knowledge, the most complete one now available, and supersedes previous lists.Comment: Accepted, Astrophysical Journal Supplement, tentatively scheduled for the Sep. 1999 Vol. 124 #1 issue. Text and tables also available at http://www.iagusp.usp.br/~jorge

Near-Infrared Classification Spectroscopy: H-band Spectra of Fundamental MK Standards

We present a catalogue of H-band spectra for 85 stars of approximately solar abundance observed at a resolving power of 3000 with the KPNO Mayall 4m FTS. The atlas covers spectral types O7-M5 and luminosity classes I-V as defined on the MK system. We identify both atomic and molecular indices and line-ratios which are temperature and luminosity sensitive allowing spectral classification to be carried out in the H-band. The line ratios permit spectral classification in the presence of continuum excess emission, which is commonly found in pre-main sequence and evolved stars. We demonstrate that with spectra of R = 1000 obtained at SNR > 50 it is possible to derive spectral types within +- 2 subclasses for late-type stars. These data are available electronically through the Astronomical Data Center in addition to being served on the World-Wide-Web.Comment: To appear in the November 20, 1998 issue of ApJ (Volume 508, #1

Cause of Death and Predictors of All-Cause Mortality in Anticoagulated Patients With Nonvalvular Atrial Fibrillation : Data From ROCKET AF

M. Kaste on työryhmän ROCKET AF Steering Comm jäsen.Background-Atrial fibrillation is associated with higher mortality. Identification of causes of death and contemporary risk factors for all-cause mortality may guide interventions. Methods and Results-In the Rivaroxaban Once Daily Oral Direct Factor Xa Inhibition Compared with Vitamin K Antagonism for Prevention of Stroke and Embolism Trial in Atrial Fibrillation (ROCKET AF) study, patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation were randomized to rivaroxaban or dose-adjusted warfarin. Cox proportional hazards regression with backward elimination identified factors at randomization that were independently associated with all-cause mortality in the 14 171 participants in the intention-to-treat population. The median age was 73 years, and the mean CHADS(2) score was 3.5. Over 1.9 years of median follow-up, 1214 (8.6%) patients died. Kaplan-Meier mortality rates were 4.2% at 1 year and 8.9% at 2 years. The majority of classified deaths (1081) were cardiovascular (72%), whereas only 6% were nonhemorrhagic stroke or systemic embolism. No significant difference in all-cause mortality was observed between the rivaroxaban and warfarin arms (P=0.15). Heart failure (hazard ratio 1.51, 95% CI 1.33-1.70, P= 75 years (hazard ratio 1.69, 95% CI 1.51-1.90, P Conclusions-In a large population of patients anticoagulated for nonvalvular atrial fibrillation, approximate to 7 in 10 deaths were cardiovascular, whereasPeer reviewe

Effects of total laryngectomy on olfactory function, health-related quality of life, and communication: a 3-year follow-up study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>As total laryngectomy results in loss of airflow through the nose, one of the adverse effects for a majority of patients is the reduced or complete loss of olfactory function. However, with the introduction of a new method, the Nasal Airflow-Inducing Maneuver (NAIM), an important technique is available for laryngectomized patients to regain the ability to smell. The purpose of the present study was to assess changes in olfaction, health-related quality of life (HRQL) and communication 3 years after NAIM rehabilitation.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>18 patients (15 men and 3 women; mean age, 71 years) who had undergone laryngectomy and NAIM rehabilitation were followed longitudinally for 3 years. For comparison an age and gender matched control group with laryngeal cancer treated with radical radiotherapy was included. Olfactory function was assessed using the Questionnaire on Odor, Taste and Appetite and the Scandinavian Odor Identification Test. HRQL was assessed by: 1) the European Organization for Research and Treatment for cancer quality of life questionnaires; and 2) the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Communication was assessed by the Swedish Self-Evaluation of Communication Experiences after Laryngeal Cancer. Descriptive statistics with 95% confidence interval were calculated according to standard procedure. Changes over time as well as tests between pairs of study patients and control patients were analyzed with the Fisher nonparametric permutation test for matched pairs.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Thirty-six months after rehabilitation 14 of 18 laryngectomized patients (78%) were smellers. There were, with one exception (sleep disturbances), no clinically or statistically significant differences between the study and the control group considering HRQL and mental distress. However, statistical differences (p < 0.001) were found between the study and the control group concerning changes in communication.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Olfactory training with NAIM should be integrated into the multidisciplinary rehabilitation program after total laryngectomy. Our study shows that patients who were successfully rehabilitated concerning olfaction and communication had an overall good HRQL and no mental distress. Moreover, the EORTC questionnaires should be complemented with more specific questionnaires when evaluating olfaction and communication in laryngectomized patients.</p

Antiinflammatory Therapy with Canakinumab for Atherosclerotic Disease

Background: Experimental and clinical data suggest that reducing inflammation without affecting lipid levels may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Yet, the inflammatory hypothesis of atherothrombosis has remained unproved. Methods: We conducted a randomized, double-blind trial of canakinumab, a therapeutic monoclonal antibody targeting interleukin-1β, involving 10,061 patients with previous myocardial infarction and a high-sensitivity C-reactive protein level of 2 mg or more per liter. The trial compared three doses of canakinumab (50 mg, 150 mg, and 300 mg, administered subcutaneously every 3 months) with placebo. The primary efficacy end point was nonfatal myocardial infarction, nonfatal stroke, or cardiovascular death. RESULTS: At 48 months, the median reduction from baseline in the high-sensitivity C-reactive protein level was 26 percentage points greater in the group that received the 50-mg dose of canakinumab, 37 percentage points greater in the 150-mg group, and 41 percentage points greater in the 300-mg group than in the placebo group. Canakinumab did not reduce lipid levels from baseline. At a median follow-up of 3.7 years, the incidence rate for the primary end point was 4.50 events per 100 person-years in the placebo group, 4.11 events per 100 person-years in the 50-mg group, 3.86 events per 100 person-years in the 150-mg group, and 3.90 events per 100 person-years in the 300-mg group. The hazard ratios as compared with placebo were as follows: in the 50-mg group, 0.93 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.80 to 1.07; P = 0.30); in the 150-mg group, 0.85 (95% CI, 0.74 to 0.98; P = 0.021); and in the 300-mg group, 0.86 (95% CI, 0.75 to 0.99; P = 0.031). The 150-mg dose, but not the other doses, met the prespecified multiplicity-adjusted threshold for statistical significance for the primary end point and the secondary end point that additionally included hospitalization for unstable angina that led to urgent revascularization (hazard ratio vs. placebo, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.73 to 0.95; P = 0.005). Canakinumab was associated with a higher incidence of fatal infection than was placebo. There was no significant difference in all-cause mortality (hazard ratio for all canakinumab doses vs. placebo, 0.94; 95% CI, 0.83 to 1.06; P = 0.31). Conclusions: Antiinflammatory therapy targeting the interleukin-1β innate immunity pathway with canakinumab at a dose of 150 mg every 3 months led to a significantly lower rate of recurrent cardiovascular events than placebo, independent of lipid-level lowering. (Funded by Novartis; CANTOS ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01327846.

Attitudes toward and experiences of gender issues among physician teachers: A survey study conducted at a university teaching hospital in Sweden

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Gender issues are important to address during medical education, however research about the implementation of gender in medical curricula reports that there are obstacles. The aim of this study was to explore physician teachers' attitudes to gender issues.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>As part of a questionnaire, physician teachers at Umeå University in Sweden were given open-ended questions about explanations for and asked to write examples why they found gender important or not. The 1 469 comments from the 243 respondents (78 women, 165 men) were analyzed by way of content analysis. The proportion of comments made by men and women in each category was compared.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We found three themes in our analysis: Understandings of gender, problems connected with gender and approaches to gender. Gender was associated with differences between women and men regarding behaviour and disease, as well as with inequality of life conditions. Problems connected with gender included: delicate situations involving investigations of intimate body parts or sexual attraction, different expectations on male and female physicians and students, and difficulty fully understanding the experience of people of the opposite sex. The three approaches to gender that appeared in the comments were: 1) avoidance, implying that the importance of gender in professional relationships was recognized but minimized by comparing gender with aspects, such as personality and neutrality; 2) simplification, implying that gender related problems were easy to address, or already solved; and 3) awareness, implying that the respondent was interested in gender issues or had some insights in research about gender. Only a few individuals described gender as an area of competence and knowledge. There were comments from men and women in all categories, but there were differences in the relative weight for some categories. For example, recognizing gender inequities was more pronounced in the comments from women and avoidance more common in comments from men.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The surveyed physician teachers gave many examples of gender-related problems in medical work and education, but comments describing gender as an area of competence and knowledge were few. Approaches to gender characterized by avoidance and simplification suggest that faculty development programs on gender need to address and reflect on attitudes as well as knowledge.</p

Variation in gene expression patterns in effusions and primary tumors from serous ovarian cancer patients

BACKGROUND: While numerous studies have characterized primary ovarian tumors, little information is available regarding expression patterns of metastatic sites of this cancer. To define sets of genes that distinguish primary and metastatic ovarian tumors, we used cDNA microarrays to characterize global gene expression patterns in 38 effusions (28 peritoneal, 10 pleural) and 8 corresponding primary ovarian tumors, and searched for associations between expression patterns and clinical parameters. RESULTS: We observed multidimensional variation in expression patterns among the cancers. Coordinate variation in expression of genes from two chromosomal regions, 8q and 19q, was seen in subsets of the cancers indicating possible amplifications in these regions. A set of 112 unique genes of known function was differentially expressed between primary tumors and effusions using supervised analysis. Relatively few differences were seen between effusions isolated from the pleural and peritoneal cavities or between effusions from patients diagnosed with stage III and stage IV cancers. A set of 84 unique genes was identified that distinguished high from lower grade ovarian cancers. The results were corroborated using immunocytochemistry, mRNA in situ hybridization, and immunoblotting. CONCLUSION: The extensive variation in expression patterns observed underscores the molecular heterogeneity of ovarian cancer, but suggests a similar molecular profile for ovarian carcinoma cells in serosal cavities