Unhealthy days and quality of life in Irish patients with diabetes

Objectives: To study the determinants of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in Irish patients with diabetes using the Centres for Disease Controls' (CDC's) 'Unhealthy Days' summary measure and to assesses the agreement between this generic HRQoL measure and the disease-specific Audit of Diabetes Dependant Quality of Life (ADDQoL) measure. Research Design and Methods: Data were analysed from the Diabetes Quality of Life Study, a cross-sectional study of 1,456 people with diabetes in Ireland (71% response rate). Unhealthy days were assessed using the CDC's 'Unhealthy days' summary measure. Quality of life (QoL) was also assessed using the ADDQoL measure. Analyses were conducted primarily using logistic regression. The agreement between the two QoL instruments was measured using the kappa co-efficient. Results: Participants reported a median of 2 unhealthy days per month. In multivariate analyses, female gender (P = 0.001), insulin use (P = 0.030), diabetes complications (P =<0.001) were significantly associated with more unhealthy days. Older patients had fewer unhealthy days per month (P = 0.003). Agreement between the two measures of QoL (unhealthy days measure and ADDQoL) was poor, Kappa = 0.234 Conclusions: The findings highlight the determinants of HRQoL in patients with diabetes using a generic HRQoL summary measure. The 'Unhealthy Days' and the ADDQoL have poor agreement, therefore the 'Unhealthy Days' summary measure may be assessing a different construct. Nonetheless, this study demonstrates that the generic 'Unhealthy Days' summary measure can be used to detect determinants of HRQoL in patients with diabetes

Intravascular ultrasound scanning improves long-term patency of iliac lesions treated with balloon angioplasty and primary stenting

AbstractPurpose: Underdeployment of an intravascular stent has been identified as a cause of restenosis or occlusion of a treated arterial lesion. Intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) has been shown to initially improve the anatomic and clinical stenting. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the use of IVUS increased long-term patency of this intervention. Methods: Between March 1992 and October 1995, 71 limbs (52 patients) with symptomatic aortoiliac occlusive disease underwent balloon angioplasty with primary stenting. IVUS and arteriography were used in 49 limbs (36 patients) to evaluate stent deployment. Arteriography alone was used in 22 limbs (16 patients) to evaluate stent deployment. Patients were captured prospectively in a vascular registry and retrospectively reviewed. Results: Mean age of patients treated with IVUS was 61.1 ± 9.0 years (range, 38-85) versus 70.0 ± 10.1 years (range, 57-87) in patients treated without IVUS (P <.01). There was no difference between the groups with respect to preoperative comorbidities, ankle-brachial indices, or number of stents per limb. Mean follow-up for IVUS patients was 62.1 ± 7.3 months (range, 15-81) and 57.9 ± 8.7 months (range, 8-80) for patients treated without IVUS (P = not significant). In 40% (20/49) of limbs, IVUS demonstrated inadequate stent deployment at the time of the original procedure. Kaplan-Meier 3- and 6-year primary patency estimates were 100% and 100% in the IVUS group and 82% and 69%, respectively, in limbs treated without IVUS (P <.001). There have been no secondary procedures performed in limbs treated with IVUS and a 23% (5/22) secondary intervention rate in the non-IVUS group (P <.05). Overall Kaplan-Meier survival estimates at 3 and 6 years for all patients were 84% and 67%, respectively. Conclusion: Balloon angioplasty and primary stenting of symptomatic aortoiliac occlusive lesions is a durable treatment option. Long-term follow-up of treated patients shows outcomes that are comparable with direct surgical intervention. IVUS significantly improved the long-term patency of iliac arterial lesions treated with balloon angioplasty and stenting by defining the appropriate angioplasty diameter endpoint and adequacy of stent deployment. (J Vasc Surg 2002;35:316-23.

Vibrational spectra and normal coordinate analysis of CF 3 OF and CF 3 OCl

The IR spectra (1400 cm −1 to 160 cm −1 ) of the gases at ambient temperature and the Raman spectra (below 1400 cm −1 ) of the liquids near −196°C are reported for CF 3 OF and CF 3 OCl. All fundamentals are assigned under C s symmetry and the results of a normal coordinate analysis are presented. The assignments of Smardzewski and Fox are adopted with one exception for both CF 3 OF and CF 3 OCl: the CF 3 rock of A ″ symmetry is assigned near 430 cm −1 and the two bands between 200 cm −1 and 300 cm −1 are assigned to an A ′ fundamental, involving CF 3 rocking and COX bending and a Δ ν =2 transition in the CF 3 torsion. An extra band at 548 cm −1 in the Raman spectrum of liquid CF 3 COl near −196°C is assigned to a CF 3 OCl ⃛Cl 2 complex. The values of the force constants d (OX) for CF 3 OX molecules are suggested to be near those for X 2 O molecules. More than half the normal modes of A ′ symmetry show extensive mixing of symmetry coordinates. In some of these cases the symmetry coordinate for which the normal mode is named is the largest but not the dominant contributor to the potential energy distribution, while in others this symmetry coordinate is not even the largest contributor to the potential energy distribution. No normal modes of A ′ symmetry are present in which ν(CO), δ s (CF 3 ), δ(COX), or δ(CF 3 ) symmetry coordinates are dominant, and the mode conventionally labeled as v (CO) should be labeled as ν s (CF 3 ). For the remaining A ′ normal modes and all the A ″ normal modes, the symmetry coordinate for which the normal mode is named is dominant in the potential energy distribution.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/91176/1/1250090406_ftp.pd

The impact of transcranial direct current stimulation on inhibitory control in young adults

In recent years, many important discoveries have been made to challenge current policy, guidelines, and practice regarding how best to prevent stroke associated with atherosclerotic stenosis of the origin of the internal carotid artery. TheUnited States Center forMedicare andMedicaid Services (CMS), for instance, is calling for expert advice as to whether its current policies should be modified. Using a thorough review of literature, 41 leading academic stroke-prevention clinicians from the United States and other countries, have united to advise CMS not to extend current reimbursement indications for carotid angioplasty/stenting (CAS) to patients with asymptomatic carotid stenosis or to patients with symptomatic carotid stenosis considered to be at low or standard risk from carotid endarterectomy (CEA). It was concluded that such expansion of reimbursement indications would have disastrous health and economic consequences for the United States and any other country that may follow such inappropriate action. This was an international effort because the experts to best advise CMS are relatively few and scattered around the world. In addition, US health policy, practice, and research have tended to have strong influences on other countries. © 2012 The Authors. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc

Simplified Models for LHC New Physics Searches

This document proposes a collection of simplified models relevant to the design of new-physics searches at the LHC and the characterization of their results. Both ATLAS and CMS have already presented some results in terms of simplified models, and we encourage them to continue and expand this effort, which supplements both signature-based results and benchmark model interpretations. A simplified model is defined by an effective Lagrangian describing the interactions of a small number of new particles. Simplified models can equally well be described by a small number of masses and cross-sections. These parameters are directly related to collider physics observables, making simplified models a particularly effective framework for evaluating searches and a useful starting point for characterizing positive signals of new physics. This document serves as an official summary of the results from the "Topologies for Early LHC Searches" workshop, held at SLAC in September of 2010, the purpose of which was to develop a set of representative models that can be used to cover all relevant phase space in experimental searches. Particular emphasis is placed on searches relevant for the first ~50-500 pb-1 of data and those motivated by supersymmetric models. This note largely summarizes material posted at http://lhcnewphysics.org/, which includes simplified model definitions, Monte Carlo material, and supporting contacts within the theory community. We also comment on future developments that may be useful as more data is gathered and analyzed by the experiments.Comment: 40 pages, 2 figures. This document is the official summary of results from "Topologies for Early LHC Searches" workshop (SLAC, September 2010). Supplementary material can be found at http://lhcnewphysics.or

Visualisation in imaging mass spectrometry using the minimum noise fraction transform

Extent: 6p.Background: Imaging Mass Spectrometry (IMS) provides a means to measure the spatial distribution of biochemical features on the surface of a sectioned tissue sample. IMS datasets are typically huge and visualisation and subsequent analysis can be challenging. Principal component analysis (PCA) is one popular data reduction technique that has been used and we propose another; the minimum noise fraction (MNF) transform which is popular in remote sensing. Findings: The MNF transform is able to extract spatially coherent information from IMS data. The MNF transform is implemented through an R-package which is available together with example data from http://staff.scm.uws.edu.au/∼glenn/#Software. Conclusions: In our example, the MNF transform was able to find additional images of interest. The extracted information forms a useful basis for subsequent analyses.Glenn Stone, David Clifford, Johan OR Gustafsson, Shaun R McColl and Peter Hoffman

Regenerative agriculture in Aotearoa New Zealand - research pathways to build science-based evidence and national narratives.

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Using trained dogs and organic semi-conducting sensors to identify asymptomatic and mild SARS-CoV-2 infections: an observational study

BACKGROUND: A rapid, accurate, non-invasive diagnostic screen is needed to identify people with SARS-CoV-2 infection. We investigated whether organic semi-conducting (OSC) sensors and trained dogs could distinguish between people infected with asymptomatic or mild symptoms, and uninfected individuals, and the impact of screening at ports-of-entry. METHODS: Odour samples were collected from adults, and SARS-CoV-2 infection status confirmed using RT-PCR. OSC sensors captured the volatile organic compound (VOC) profile of odour samples. Trained dogs were tested in a double-blind trial to determine their ability to detect differences in VOCs between infected and uninfected individuals, with sensitivity and specificity as the primary outcome. Mathematical modelling was used to investigate the impact of bio-detection dogs for screening. RESULTS: About, 3921 adults were enrolled in the study and odour samples collected from 1097 SARS-CoV-2 infected and 2031 uninfected individuals. OSC sensors were able to distinguish between SARS-CoV-2 infected individuals and uninfected, with sensitivity from 98% (95% CI 95–100) to 100% and specificity from 99% (95% CI 97–100) to 100%. Six dogs were able to distinguish between samples with sensitivity ranging from 82% (95% CI 76–87) to 94% (95% CI 89–98) and specificity ranging from 76% (95% CI 70–82) to 92% (95% CI 88–96). Mathematical modelling suggests that dog screening plus a confirmatory PCR test could detect up to 89% of SARS-CoV-2 infections, averting up to 2.2 times as much transmission compared to isolation of symptomatic individuals only. CONCLUSIONS: People infected with SARS-CoV-2, with asymptomatic or mild symptoms, have a distinct odour that can be identified by sensors and trained dogs with a high degree of accuracy. Odour-based diagnostics using sensors and/or dogs may prove a rapid and effective tool for screening large numbers of people. Trial Registration NCT04509713 (clinicaltrials.gov)