2,079 research outputs found
Screening for health risks: A social science perspective
Health screening promises to reduce risks to individuals via probabilistic sifting of populations for medical conditions. The categorisation and selection of 'conditions' such as cardiovascular events, dementia and depression for screening itself requires prior interpretive labour which usually remains unexamined. Screening systems can take diverse organisational forms and varying relationships to health status, as when purported disease precursors, for example 'pre-cancerous' polyps, or supposed risk factors, such as high cholesterol themselves, become targets for screening. Screening at best yields small, although not necessarily unworthwhile, net population health gains. It also creates new risks, leaving some individuals worse-off than if they had been left alone. The difficulties associated with attempting to measure small net gains through randomised controlled trials are sometimes underestimated. Despite endemic doubts about its clinical utility, bibliometric analysis of published papers shows that responses to health risks are coming to be increasingly thought about in terms of screening. This shift is superimposed on a strengthening tendency to view health through the lens of risk. It merits further scrutiny as a societal phenomenon
Dominant g(9/2)^2 neutron configuration in the 4+1 state of 68Zn based on new g factor measurements
The factor of the state in Zn has been remeasured with
improved energy resolution of the detectors used. The value obtained is
consistent with the previous result of a negative factor thus confirming
the dominant neutron nature of the state. In addition, the
accuracy of the factors of the , and states has been
improved an d their lifetimes were well reproduced. New large-scale shell model
calculations based on a Ni core and an model space
yield a theoretical value, . Although the calculated value
is small, it cannot fully explain the experimental value, . The magnitude of the deduced B(E2) of the and
transition is, however, rather well described. These results demonstrate again
the importance of factor measurements for nuclear structure determination s
due to their specific sensitivity to detailed proton and neutron components in
the nuclear wave functions.Comment: 7 pages, 3 figs, submitted to PL
Estimación de las relaciones genéticas entre razas caprinas españolas y criollas utilizando microsatélites
We have analyzed three Creole goat populations from Peru, Mexico and Chile using microsatellite markers. We have also analyzed the genetic relationship between them and Murciano-Granadina and Malagueña Spanish goat breeds. The average number of alleles per locus was similar in all populations (7.3) except the Chilean Creole (5.1). This Creole goat population has presented the lowest value of observed (Ho) (0.53) and expected (He) heterozygosis (0.59). The Peruvian Creole has presented the highest values of Ho (0.70) and He (0.71). We have found a scarce level of genetic differentiation between goat populations (FST= 0.069) being more important the individual genetic differences due to crossbreed with several breeds. The Peruvian Creole was closed to analyzed Spanish breeds, followed by Mexican Creole. Finally the Chilean Creole was the most distant to the others populations
Parasitémies à Plasmodium falciparum ou P. malariae chez les porteurs du trait drépanocytaire dans différents biotopes du Bénin
La prévalence du paludisme en fonction du phénotype de l'hémoglobine et la fréquence du gène S ont été recherchées dans deux différents biotopes du Bénin. Dans aucun d'eux, la prévalence du paludisme n'est significativement différente entre les porteurs du trait drépanocytaire et les autres. De même, la prévalence du trait drépanocytaire n'est pas modifiée par l'âge. En revanche, en région holoendémique, la densité parasitaire moyenne à #P. falciparum$ est significativement plus faible chez les sujets AS que chez les sujets AA. La présence du trait drépanocytaire ne réduit pas le risque d'infection palustre mais semble diminuer l'importance de la parasitémie. (Résumé d'auteur
A Micromegas-based low-background x-ray detector coupled to a slumped-glass telescope for axion research
We report on the design, construction and operation of a low background x-ray
detection line composed of a shielded Micromegas (micromesh gaseous structure)
detector of the microbulk technique. The detector is made from radiopure
materials and is placed at the focal point of a ~5 cm diameter, 1.3 m
focal-length, cone-approximation Wolter I x-ray telescope (XRT) comprised of
thermally-formed (or "slumped") glass substrates deposited with multilayer
coatings. The system has been conceived as a technological pathfinder for the
future International Axion Observatory (IAXO), as it combines two of the
techniques (optic and detector) proposed in the conceptual design of the
project. It is innovative for two reasons: it is the first time an x-ray optic
has been designed and fabricated specifically for axion research, and the first
time a Micromegas detector has been operated with an x-ray optic. The line has
been installed at one end of the CERN Axion Solar Telescope (CAST) magnet and
is currently looking for solar axions. The combination of the XRT and
Micromegas detector provides the best signal-to-noise ratio obtained so far by
any detection system of the CAST experiment with a background rate of
5.410counts per hour in the energy region-of-interest and
signal spot area.Comment: 21 pages, 16 figure
Topotecan-vincristine-doxorubicin in stage 4 high risk neuroblastoma patients failing to achieve a complete metastatic response to rapid COJEC : a SIOPEN study
Purpose : Metastatic response to induction therapy for high-risk neuroblastoma is a prognostic factor. In the International Society of Paediatric Oncology Europe Neuroblastoma (SIOPEN) HR-NBL-1 protocol, only patients with metastatic complete response (CR) or partial response (PR) with <= three abnormal skeletal areas on iodine 123-metaiodobenzylguanidine ([I-123] mIBG) scintigraphy and no bone marrow disease proceed to high dose therapy (HDT). In this study, topotecan-vincristine-doxorubicin (TVD) was evaluated in patients failing to achieve these criteria, with the aim of improving the metastatic response rate.
Materials and Methods : Patients with metastatic high-risk neuroblastoma who had not achieved the SIOPEN criteria for HDT after induction received two courses of topotecan 1.5 mg/m(2)/day for 5 days, followed by a 48-hour infusion of vincristine, 2 mg/m(2), and doxorubicin, 45 mg/m(2).
Results : Sixty-three patients were eligible and evaluable. Following two courses of TVD, four (6.4%) patients had an overall CR, while 28 (44.4%) had a PR with a combined response rate of 50.8% (95% confidence interval [CI], 37.9 to 63.6). Of these, 23 patients achieved a metastatic CR or a PR with <= 3 mIBG skeletal areas and no bone marrow disease (36.5%; 95% CI, 24.7 to 49.6) and were eligible to receive HDT. Toxicity was mostly haematological, affecting 106 of the 126 courses (84.1%; 95% CI, 76.5 to 90.0), and dose reduction was necessary in six patients. Stomatitis was the second most common nonhematological toxicity, occurring in 20 patients (31.7%).
Conclusion : TVD was effective in improving the response rate of high-risk neuroblastoma patients after induction with COJEC enabling them to proceed to HDT. However, the long-term benefits of TVD needs to be determined in randomized clinical trials
Ecological study of aquatic midges and some related insects with special reference to feeding habits
Die Schweiz ist ein reiches Land. Sie verfügt über viele Millionäre. Der große Reichtum konzentriert sich auf wenige Familien und Personen. In der Schweiz leben aber auch eine halbe Million der Bevölkerung (7,5 Mio.) in Haushalten von Erwerbstätigen, die weniger als das Existenzminimum verdienen. Über 200‘000 Personen sind auf Sozialhilfe angewiesen. Bei den Vermögen und den verfügbaren Einkommen hat sich in den letzten Jahren die Kluft zwischen den obersten und untersten zehn Prozent verschärft. Die Zunahme der sozialen Ungleichheit erhöht die soziale Brisanz, was mehr zu ergründen ist. Die soziale Differenzierung dokumentiert Prozesse der Globalisierung. Sie reproduziert und spezifiziert alte soziale Ungleichheiten. Wichtig ist, dass die Soziale Arbeit das thematisiert und weiter theoretisiert
Organic and conventional dairy goat production systems in Andalusian mountainous areas
Organic goat production is poorly developed in Spain. Conventional dairy goat production
systems located in Andalusian mountainous areas greatly depend on pasturing which implies that its
transformation to organic model is not difficult. The objective of this paper is to evaluate the viability of
organic dairy goat farms –as compared to conventional–, and to study the possibilities of transitioning from
conventional to organic goat production. This study was carried out in 2006 in Sierra de Cádiz (Andalusia)
with the autochthonous breed Payoya. To monitor technico-economic aspects of goat farms, FAO-CIHEAM
method was implemented. Results indicate that organic farms are economically viable, due mainly to low
costs of external feeds and income from European Union subsidies. For transitioning from conventional to
organic dairy goat production a reduction of consumption of concentrates per animal and per year and/or
cultivate grain on the farm are necessary.La production caprine biologique est encore peu développée en Espagne. Les systèmes caprins
laitiers dans les zones de montagne de l’Andalousie disposent de grandes surfaces pour le pâturage, et,
par conséquent, il est assez facile de transformer ces systèmes en systèmes biologiques. L’objectif de ce
travail est d’évaluer la viabilité des systèmes caprins biologiques par rapport aux systèmes caprins
conventionnels et d’étudier les possibilités de conversion des systèmes conventionnels en systèmes
biologiques. L’étude a été réalisée en 2006 dans la Sierra de Cádiz (Andalousie) avec une race autochtone
(Payoya). On a utilisé la méthodologie FAO-CIHEAM pour le suivi technico-économique des exploitations
caprines. Les résultats montrent que les systèmes biologiques sont économiquement viables compte tenu
surtout des moindres coûts alimentaires par rapport aux systèmes conventionnels et des aides de l’Union
Européenne. Pour réussir la transformation des systèmes laitiers caprins conventionnels en systèmes
biologiques, il faut réduire l’apport de concentrés et essayer de les produire dans l’exploitation.Junta AndalucÃ
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