1,454 research outputs found
Metatarsophalangeal joint pain in psoriatic arthritis: a cross-sectional study
Methods. Thirty-four consecutive patients with PsA (mean age 45.3 years, 65% female, mean disease duration 9.9 years) and 22 control participants (mean age 37.9 years, 64% female) underwent clinical and US examination to determine the presence of pain, swelling, synovitis, erosions, effusions and submetatarsal bursae at the MTP joints. Mean barefoot peak plantar pressures were determined at each MTP joint. Levels of pain, US-determined pathology and peak pressures were compared between groups. Binary logistic regression was used to identify demographic, clinical examination-derived, US-derived and plantar pressure predictors of pain at the MTP joints in the PsA group.
Results. The presence of pain, deformity, synovitis, erosions (P < 0.001) and submetatarsal bursae and peak plantar pressure at MTP 3 (P < 0.05) were significantly higher in the PsA group. MTP joint pain in PsA was independently predicted by high BMI, female gender and the presence of joint subluxation, synovitis and erosion.
Conclusion. These results suggest local inflammatory and structural factors, together with systemic factors (gender, BMI), are predominantly responsible for painful MTP joints in PsA, with no clear role for plantar pressure characteristics
Statistical interaction modeling of bovine herd behaviors
While there has been interest in modeling the group behavior of herds or flocks, much of this work has focused on simulating their collective spatial motion patterns which have not accounted for individuality in the herd and instead assume a homogenized role for all members or sub-groups of the herd. Animal behavior experts have noted that domestic animals exhibit behaviors that are indicative of social hierarchy: leader/follower type behaviors are present as well as dominance and subordination, aggression and rank order, and specific social affiliations may also exist. Both wild and domestic cattle are social species, and group behaviors are likely to be influenced by the expression of specific social interactions. In this paper, Global Positioning System coordinate fixes gathered from a herd of beef cows tracked in open fields over several days at a time are utilized to learn a model that focuses on the interactions within the herd as well as its overall movement. Using these data in this way explores the validity of existing group behavior models against actual herding behaviors. Domain knowledge, location geography and human observations, are utilized to explain the causes of these deviations from this idealized behavior
Magnetization of small lead particles
The magnetization of an ensemble of isolated lead grains of sizes ranging
from below 6 nm to 1000 nm is measured. A sharp disappearance of Meissner
effect with lowering of the grain size is observed for the smaller grains. This
is a direct observation by magnetization measurement of the occurrence of a
critical particle size for superconductivity, which is consistent with
Anderson's criterion.Comment: 7 pages, 5 figures, Submitted to PR
Rooted Plantlet Production in a Vegetatively Reproductive Red Clover (\u3ci\u3eTrifolium pratense\u3c/i\u3e L.) cv. Astred
Vegetatively reproductive cultivars of red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) can produce clonal daughter plantlets under certain management and environmental conditions, which may improve sward persistency. Six trials involving spaced plants, pure swards or grazed mixed swards were conducted near Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand, from 1995 to 1998. Rooted plantlets counted in autumn of each year ranged from 5.8±1.6 to 43±5.1 rooted plantlets/parent plant for ungrazed spaced plants, and 0 to 1.8 rooted plantlets/parent plant for pure and mixed swards under grazing management. It is concluded that clonal, rooted plantlet production is highly variable in Astred depending on grazing management, environmental conditions and companion species, but offers a feasible replacement mechanism for maintaining red clover persistence in mixed and pure swards
Prognostic significance of high-grade dysplasia in colorectal adenomas.
Aimâ Colonoscopy to detect and remove polyps has contributed to a reduction in colorectal carcinoma. Three-year follow up is recommended for patients considered to be at high risk (at least three adenomas, adenoma â„â1âcm, villous or high-grade features). Our study focused on patients diagnosed with high-grade dysplasia with regard to initial management and follow up. Methodâ A search of patients who had had endoscopic removal of a high-grade adenoma was carried out. Patients with the following were excluded: follow up of \u3câ1âyear, polyposis syndromes, prior colon cancer and a diagnosis of adenocarcinoma within 6âmonths following initial diagnosis. Resultsâ Eighty-three patients treated between 1999 and 2007 for high-grade dysplasia (HGD) in a colorectal adenoma were identified. Over a median follow-up period of 4âyears, 53 (64%) developed further adenomatous polyps. Among these, 7% had an adenoma with HGD or an adenocarcinoma. In all these patients, the initial high-grade adenoma was \u3eâ1âcm in diameter. Initial follow-up colonoscopy was performed on average 7âmonths following the initial diagnosis. Ten per cent of patients underwent prophylactic segmental resection, and 6% received argon laser therapy. Conclusionâ The study demonstrates that patients who have a colorectal adenoma \u3eâ1âcm with HGD may be at high risk of developing further adenomas with HGD or carcinoma. Close follow up is warranted
Constraints on narrow exotic states from K+p and K0_Lp scattering data
We consider the effect of exotic S=+1 resonances Theta+ and Theta++ on K+p
elastic scattering data (total cross section) and the process K0_Lp-->K0_Sp.
Data near the observed Theta+(1540) are examined for evidence of additional
states. The width limit for a Theta++ state is reconsidered and shown to be
much less than 1 MeV.Comment: 4 pages, 3 eps figures; minor corrections, one fig adde
Die Netzwerkebenen von Genossenschaften als Innovationsraum â am Beispiel der BĂKO Ăsterreich
Die Diskussion rund um open innovation versus closed innovation legt nahe, das InnovationsphĂ€nomen in Genossenschaften zu untersuchen, da in ihnen auf verschiedenen Netzwerkebenen interagiert wird und man so zu einer differenzierteren Betrachtung kommen kann. Als Untersuchungsobjekt wurde die BĂKO Ăsterreich â die Einkaufsgenossenschaft der BĂ€cker und Konditoren â als seit Langem bestehende und daher offensichtlich anpassungsfĂ€hige Genossenschaft gewĂ€hlt. Die fĂŒnf qualitativen Interviews werden mittels der Gioia-Methode analysiert, um zur Weiterentwicklung der theoretischen Ăberlegungen zum Innovationsprozess beizutragen. Unsere Untersuchung zeigt, dass die BĂKO Informationen von allen Akteuren aufnimmt und nach ihrer Innovationsrelevanz prĂŒft, sodass Innovationsimpulse von auĂen und/oder von innen kommen können und so unterschiedlichste Akteursebenen einbezogen werden. Verallgemeinernd zeigen die Ergebnisse, dass in jedem Akteur eine mögliche Quelle fĂŒr Innovationsimpulse gesehen werden sollte und Genossenschaften an Markterfolg und Legitimation gegenĂŒber ihren Mitgliedern verlieren, wenn sie ihre grundsĂ€tzlich vorhandene InnovativitĂ€t im Interesse der Mitglieder nicht einzusetzen wissen.
The discussion about open innovation versus closed innovation suggests examining the innovation phenomenon in cooperatives, since they interact on different network levels and so one can come to a more differentiated view. BĂKO Austria - the purchasing cooperative of bakers and confectioners - as a long-standing and therefore obviously adaptable cooperative was chosen as the object of investigation. The five qualitative interviews are analyzed using the Gioia method in order to contribute to the further development of the theoretical considerations for the innovation process. Our investigation shows that the BĂKO takes in information from all actors and checks it for its innovation relevance, so that innovation impulses can come from outside and / or from inside and so different levels of actors are involved. In general, the results show that every actor should be seen as a possible source of innovation impulses and that cooperatives lose their market success and legitimacy vis-Ă -vis their members if they do not know how to use their fundamentally existing innovation in the interests of the members
Antiphospholipid autoantibodies as blood biomarkers for detection of early stage Alzheimer's disease
A robust blood biomarker is urgently needed to facilitate early prognosis for those at risk for Alzheimer's disease (AD). Redox reactive autoantibodies (R-RAAs) represent a novel family of antibodies detectable only after exposure of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), serum, plasma or immunoglobulin fractions to oxidizing agents. We have previously reported that R-RAA antiphospholipid antibodies (aPLs) are significantly decreased in the CSF and serum of AD patients compared to healthy controls (HCs). These studies were extended to measure R-RAA aPL in serum samples obtained from Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI). Serum samples from the ADNI-1 diagnostic groups from participants with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), AD and HCs were blinded for diagnosis and analyzed for R-RAA aPL by ELISA. Demographics, cognitive data at baseline and yearly follow-up were subsequently provided by ADNI after posting assay data. As observed in CSF, R-RAA aPL in sera from the AD diagnostic group were significantly reduced compared to HC. However, the sera from the MCI population contained significantly elevated R-RAA aPL activity relative to AD patient and/or HC sera. The data presented in this study indicate that R-RAA aPL show promise as a blood biomarker for detection of early AD, and warrant replication in a larger sample. Longitudinal testing of an individual for increases in R-RAA aPL over a previously established baseline may serve as a useful early sero-epidemiologic blood biomarker for individuals at risk for developing dementia of the Alzheimer's type
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