1,969 research outputs found
The role of the socio-economic environment on medical outcomes after ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction
Background:
According to the World Health Organization, coronary artery disease (CAD), including ST-segment
elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), is the most common cause of death worldwide as well as in Europe and
Austria. There is valid data on the impact of conventional risk factors on the medical outcomes for STEMI patients.
However, only few studies examine the role of the socio-economic environment for medical outcomes. The main
task of this study is to investigate if the socio-economic environment of patients who underwent percutaneous
coronary intervention (PCI) after STEMI has an impact on the distribution of risk factors and medical outcomes.
Methods:
The study focuses on the population of the City of Vienna, Austria, and includes 870 STEMI patients, who
underwent PCI at the General Hospital of Vienna (AKH Wien) between 2008 and 2012. The following data were
collected: conventional risk factors (hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, overweight, smoking, family history and
vascular disease) and socio-economic indicators of the patient's
residential district (number of residents, income
pre-tax, residents per general practitioner, residents per internal specialist, compulsory education only, academic
degree and rate of unemployment). Cox regressions were performed to evaluate the impact of socio-economic
environment and conventional risk factors on survival.
Results:
Most of the conventional risk factors show a significant difference between deceased and surviving patients.
The study revealed significant differences across districts in relation to the socio-economic background of STEMI
patients. Surprisingly, medical outcomes, as measured by the survival of patients, are significantly related to a patient's
district of residence (
p
-Value = 0.028) but not in a systematic way as far as the socio-economic environment of These
districts is concerned.
Conclusions:
The study provides intuitive evidence for a hitherto understudied Central European context on the link
between socio-economic environment and conventional risk factors at population level and the link between
conventional risk factors and survival both at the population at the individual level. While this is in line with previous
evidence and suggestive of the incorporation of measures of socio-economic status (SES) into policy & guidelines
toward the management of CAD, more data on the SES -
STEMI nexus are needed at individual level
PROGNOSTIC VALUE OF HEART RATE IN PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC HEART FAILURE AND REDUCED EJECTION FRACTION DEPENDS ON BETA-BLOCKER DOSE
Measuring coherence of computer-assisted likelihood ratio methods
This is the author’s version of a work that was accepted for publication in Forensic Science International. Changes resulting from the publishing process, such as peer review, editing, corrections, structural formatting, and other quality control mechanisms may not be reflected in this document. Changes may have been made to this work since it was submitted for publication. A definitive version was subsequently published in Forensic Science International, 249 (2015): 123 – 132 DOI:10.1016/j.forsciint.2015.01.033Measuring the performance of forensic evaluation methods that compute likelihood ratios
(LRs) is relevant for both the development and the validation of such methods. A framework
of performance characteristics categorized as primary and secondary is introduced in this
study to help achieve such development and validation. Ground-truth labelled fingerprint data
is used to assess the performance of an example likelihood ratio method in terms of those
performance characteristics. Discrimination, calibration, and especially the coherence of this
LR method are assessed as a function of the quantity and quality of the trace fingerprint data.
Assessment of the coherence revealed a weakness of the comparison algorithm in the
computer-assisted likelihood ratio method used.This research was conducted in the scope of the BBfor2 – European Commission Marie
Curie Initial Training Network (FP7-PEOPLE-ITN-2008 under Grant Agreement 238803) at
the Netherlands Forensic Institute, and in collaboration with the ATVS Biometric
Recognition Group at the Universidad Autonoma de Madrid and the National Police Services
Agency of the Netherlands
Interaction of human dipeptidyl peptidase IV and human immunodeficiency virus type-1 transcription transactivator in Sf9 cells
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPPIV) also known as the T cell activation marker CD26 is a multifunctional protein which is involved in various biological processes. The association of human-DPPIV with components of the human immunodeficiency virus type-1 (HIV1) is well documented and raised some discussions. Several reports implicated the interaction of human-DPPIV with the HIV1 transcription transactivator protein (HIV1-Tat) and the inhibition of the dipeptidyl peptidase activity of DPPIV by the HIV1-Tat protein. Furthermore, enzyme kinetic data implied another binding site for the HIV1-Tat other than the active centre of DPPIV. However, the biological significance of this interaction of the HIV1-Tat protein and human-DPPIV has not been studied, yet. Therefore, we focused on the interaction of HIV1-Tat protein with DPPIV and investigated the subsequent biological consequences of this interaction in <it>Spodoptera frugiperda </it>cells, using the BAC-TO-BAC baculovirus system.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The HIV1-Tat protein (Tat-<it>BRU</it>) co-localized and co-immunoprecipitated with human-DPPIV protein, following co-expression in the baculovirus-driven <it>Sf9 </it>cell expression system. Furthermore, tyrosine phosphorylation of DPPIV protein was up-regulated in Tat/DPPIV-co-expressing cells after 72 h culturing and also in DPPIV-expressing <it>Sf9 </it>cells after application of purified recombinant Tat protein. As opposed to the expression of Tat alone, serine phosphorylation of the Tat protein was decreased when co-expressed with human-DPPIV protein.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>We show for the first time that human-DPPIV and HIV1-Tat co-immunoprecipitate. Furthermore, our findings indicate that the interaction of HIV1-Tat and human-DPPIV may be involved in signalling platforms that regulate the biological function of both human-DPPIV and HIV1-Tat.</p
High prevalence of anti-HCV antibodies in two metropolitan emergency departments in Germany : a prospective screening analysis of 28,809 patients
Background and Aims: The prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibodies in Germany has been estimated to be in the range of 0.4–0.63%. Screening for HCV is recommended in patients with elevated ALT levels or significant risk factors for HCV transmission only. However, 15–30% of patients report no risk factors and ALT levels can be normal in up to 20–30% of patients with chronic HCV infection. The aim of this study was to assess the HCV seroprevalence in patients visiting two tertiary care emergency departments in Berlin and Frankfurt, respectively.
Methods: Between May 2008 and March 2010, a total of 28,809 consecutive patients were screened for the presence of anti-HCV antibodies. Anti-HCV positive sera were subsequently tested for HCV-RNA.
Results: The overall HCV seroprevalence was 2.6% (95% CI: 2.4–2.8; 2.4% in Berlin and 3.5% in Frankfurt). HCV-RNA was detectable in 68% of anti-HCV positive cases. Thus, the prevalence of chronic HCV infection in the overall study population was 1.6% (95% CI 1.5–1.8). The most commonly reported risk factor was former/current injection drug use (IDU; 31.2%) and those with IDU as the main risk factor were significantly younger than patients without IDU (p<0.001) and the male-to-female ratio was 72% (121 vs. 46 patients; p<0.001). Finally, 18.8% of contacted HCV-RNA positive patients had not been diagnosed previously.
Conclusions: The HCV seroprevalence was more than four times higher compared to current estimates and almost one fifth of contacted HCV-RNA positive patients had not been diagnosed previously
Microstructural Parameters for Modelling of Superconducting Foams
Superconducting YBa2Cu3Oy (YBCO) foams were prepared using commercial open-cell,
polyurethane foams as starting material to form ceramic Y2BaCuO5 foams which are then converted
into superconducting YBCO by using the infiltration growth process. For modelling the superconducting and mechanical properties of the foam samples, a Kelvin-type cell may be employed as a first
approach as reported in the literature for pure polyurethane foams. The results of a first modelling
attempt in this direction are presented concerning an estimation of the possible trapped fields (TFs)
and are compared to experimental results at 77 K. This simple modelling revealed already useful
information concerning the best suited foam structure to realize large TF values, but it also became
obvious that for various other parameters like magnetostriction, mechanical strength, percolative
current flow and the details of the TF distribution, a refined model of a superconducting foam sample
incorporating the real sample structure must be considered. Thus, a proper description of the specific
microstructure of the superconducting YBCO foams is required. To obtain a set of reliable data, YBCO
foam samples were investigated using optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and electron
backscatter diffraction (EBSD). A variety of parameters including the size and shape of the cells
and windows, the length and shape of the foam struts or ligaments and the respective intersection
angles were determined to better describe the real foam structure. The investigation of the foam
microstructures revealed not only the differences to the original polymer foams used as base material,
but also provided further insights to the infiltration growth process via the large amount of internal
surface in a foam sample
Tunable Cooperativity in Coupled Spin--Cavity Systems
We experimentally study the tunability of the cooperativity in coupled
spin--cavity systems by changing the magnetic state of the spin system via an
external control parameter. As model system, we use the skyrmion host material
CuOSeO coupled to a microwave cavity resonator. In the different
magnetic phases we measure a dispersive coupling between the resonator and the
magnon modes and model our results by using the input--output formalism. Our
results show a strong tunability of the normalized coupling rate by magnetic
field, allowing us to change the magnon--photon cooperativity from 1 to 60 at
the phase boundaries of the skyrmion lattice state
AVENUE21. Connected and Automated Driving: Prospects for Urban Europe
This open access publication examines the impact of connected and automated vehicles on the European city and the conditions that can enable this technology to make a positive contribution to urban development. The authors argue for two theses that have thus far received little attention in scientific discourse: as connected and automated vehicles will not be ready for use in all parts of the city for a long time, previously assumed effects – from traffic safety to traffic performance as well as spatial effects – will need to be re-evaluated. To ensure this technology has a positive impact on the mobility of the future, transport and settlement policy regulations must be adapted and further developed. Established territorial, institutional and organizational boundaries must be investigated and challenged quickly. Despite – or, indeed, because of – the many uncertainties, we find ourselves at the beginning of a new design phase, not only in terms of technology development, but also regarding politics, urban planning, administration and civil society
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