Placental Circulation

One of the most important developments of recent years in the field of uterine physiology has been the recognition that the endometrial changes occurring during the menstrual cycle and those associated with pregnancy are interlocking, sequential events in an ordered progressions from the first day of the cycle to parturition--and not separate phenomena as was formerly believed. No component of the endometrium illustrates this progression more strikingly than does the vasculature

The financial burden of juvenile idiopathic arthritis: A Nova Scotia experience

Background: Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is the most common childhood rheumatic illness. There is little published data on the financial burden of this illness. The primary objective of this study was to determine the annual costs borne by families of a child with JIA living in Nova Scotia (NS).Methods: All families in NS with a child followed in the Pediatric Rheumatology Clinic at the Izaak Walton Killam Health Centre (IWK) in 2009 were mailed a self-report questionnaire. The questionnaire evaluated disease related costs, gross household income and perceived financial burden. Dillman\u27s method was used to optimize return rates. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize results. Spearman\u27s correlation coefficient was used to assess the relationship of distance from the IWK and cost. The Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare median costs between groups.Results: Of 172 possible respondents, we received 54 completed questionnaires and 11 blank questionnaires (overall response rate 31.4%). Approximately one third (35.9%) of parents rated the financial burden as moderate or large and 36% rated financial resources available as poor. The median annual total cost per patient was $619.50 CAD (range 0,$5535) which was a median 0.7% (range 0, 37%) of gross household incomes. The largest expense for families was visit related costs. There was not a significant relationship between total annual costs and distance from the IWK (rs = 0.18, P = 0.2). Families of a child with oligoarthritis had significantly lower costs than the families of a child with another subtype of JIA ($359.00 CAD vs.$877.00 CAD, P = 0.02).Conclusions: The costs associated with having a child with JIA in NS are on average modest, but may be considerable for some families. Oligoarticular JIA is associated with smaller costs. Many families perceive the burden to be at least moderate and the availability of financial resources to be poor. Supports should be targeted to those families most in need. © 2013 Ens et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd

The financial burden of juvenile idiopathic arthritis: A Nova Scotia experience

Background: Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is the most common childhood rheumatic illness. There is little published data on the financial burden of this illness. The primary objective of this study was to determine the annual costs borne by families of a child with JIA living in Nova Scotia (NS).Methods: All families in NS with a child followed in the Pediatric Rheumatology Clinic at the Izaak Walton Killam Health Centre (IWK) in 2009 were mailed a self-report questionnaire. The questionnaire evaluated disease related costs, gross household income and perceived financial burden. Dillman\u27s method was used to optimize return rates. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize results. Spearman\u27s correlation coefficient was used to assess the relationship of distance from the IWK and cost. The Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare median costs between groups.Results: Of 172 possible respondents, we received 54 completed questionnaires and 11 blank questionnaires (overall response rate 31.4%). Approximately one third (35.9%) of parents rated the financial burden as moderate or large and 36% rated financial resources available as poor. The median annual total cost per patient was $619.50 CAD (range 0,$5535) which was a median 0.7% (range 0, 37%) of gross household incomes. The largest expense for families was visit related costs. There was not a significant relationship between total annual costs and distance from the IWK (rs = 0.18, P = 0.2). Families of a child with oligoarthritis had significantly lower costs than the families of a child with another subtype of JIA ($359.00 CAD vs.$877.00 CAD, P = 0.02).Conclusions: The costs associated with having a child with JIA in NS are on average modest, but may be considerable for some families. Oligoarticular JIA is associated with smaller costs. Many families perceive the burden to be at least moderate and the availability of financial resources to be poor. Supports should be targeted to those families most in need. © 2013 Ens et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd

Can the strong get stronger? A laboratory investigation of natural selection for antimicrobial resistance

The students, Sarah Grace Keaveany and Elizabeth Ramsey, completed original research with to investigate 1) standing variation among common bacterial species (Escherichia coli and Stapholococcus epidermidis) in the amount of resistance to triclosan, a common anti-microbial used in hand washes; and 2) the capacity for these bacteria to develop increased resistance to triclosan through selection. The students have developed lab modules based on this research. One module includes a wet lab, where students will culture their own bacteria. The other module allows students to obtain data from photographs of bacterial plates in lieu of a wet lab component

The effect of lighting conditions and use of headlights on drivers’ perception and appraisal of approaching vehicles at junctions

Use of Daytime Running Lights (DRL) is mandatory in many countries for motorcycles, and in some for cars. However, in developing countries DRLs may be optional or compliance low. The effect of car or motorcycle headlights and lighting conditions on Malaysian drivers’ ability to perceive and judge the safety of pulling out was investigated. Stimuli were photographs depicting either daytime or nighttime taken at a T-junction with approaching vehicles with headlights on or off. Headlights improved drivers’ ability to perceive cars and motorcycles in the nighttime photographs but not the daytime photographs, although this could be due to the bright weather in the photographs. Drivers judged it less safe to pull out when approaching motorcycles had headlights on than off, regardless of the lighting conditions, supporting the utility of DRL for motorcycles. Headlights did not affect judgments for cars, questionning the utility of DRL for cars

Atom--Molecule Coherence in a Bose-Einstein Condensate

Coherent coupling between atoms and molecules in a Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC) has been observed. Oscillations between atomic and molecular states were excited by sudden changes in the magnetic field near a Feshbach resonance and persisted for many periods of the oscillation. The oscillation frequency was measured over a large range of magnetic fields and is in excellent quantitative agreement with the energy difference between the colliding atom threshold energy and the energy of the bound molecular state. This agreement indicates that we have created a quantum superposition of atoms and diatomic molecules, which are chemically different species.Comment: 7 pages, 6 figure

Consolidated health economic evaluation reporting standards (CHEERS) statement

<p>Economic evaluations of health interventions pose a particular challenge for reporting. There is also a need to consolidate and update existing guidelines and promote their use in a user friendly manner. The Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards (CHEERS) statement is an attempt to consolidate and update previous health economic evaluation guidelines efforts into one current, useful reporting guidance. The primary audiences for the CHEERS statement are researchers reporting economic evaluations and the editors and peer reviewers assessing them for publication.</p> <p>The need for new reporting guidance was identified by a survey of medical editors. A list of possible items based on a systematic review was created. A two round, modified Delphi panel consisting of representatives from academia, clinical practice, industry, government, and the editorial community was conducted. Out of 44 candidate items, 24 items and accompanying recommendations were developed. The recommendations are contained in a user friendly, 24 item checklist. A copy of the statement, accompanying checklist, and this report can be found on the ISPOR Health Economic Evaluations Publication Guidelines Task Force website (www.ispor.org/TaskForces/EconomicPubGuidelines.asp).</p> <p>We hope CHEERS will lead to better reporting, and ultimately, better health decisions. To facilitate dissemination and uptake, the CHEERS statement is being co-published across 10 health economics and medical journals. We encourage other journals and groups, to endorse CHEERS. The author team plans to review the checklist for an update in five years.</p&gt

Cancer risk in childhood-onset systemic lupus

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to assess cancer incidence in childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). METHODS: We ascertained cancers within SLE registries at 10 pediatric centers. Subjects were linked to cancer registries for the observational interval, spanning 1974 to 2009. The ratio of observed to expected cancers represents the standardized incidence ratio (SIR) or relative cancer risk in childhood-onset SLE, versus the general population. RESULTS: There were 1020 patients aged <18 at cohort entry. Most (82%) were female and Caucasian; mean age at cohort entry was 12.6 years (standard deviation (SD) = 3.6). Subjects were observed for a total of 7,986 (average 7.8) patient-years. Within this interval, only three invasive cancers were expected. However, 14 invasive cancers occurred with an SIR of 4.7, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.6 to 7.8. Three hematologic cancers were found (two non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, one leukemia), for an SIR of 5.2 (95% CI 1.1 to 15.2). The SIRs stratified by age group and sex, were similar across these strata. There was a trend for highest cancer occurrence 10 to 19 years after SLE diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest an increased cancer risk in pediatric onset SLE versus the general population. In absolute terms, this represents relatively few events. Of note, risk may be highest only after patients have transferred to adult care