286 research outputs found
Long-term survival after successful out-of-hospital resuscitation
Between 1983 and 1989, 962 patients in Rotterdam were resuscitated outside hospital, of whom 240 (25%) could be discharged alive. A follow-up study was performed to determine prognosis in these patients. Of the 240 survivors of out-of-hospital resuscitation 80% survived after 1 year and 61% after 5 years. During the first year, 9% suffered from myocardial (re)infarction and 13% underwent coronary bypass surgery or angioplasty. Within the first 3 years after resuscitation 60% of the patients were readmitted to hospital. Permanent or temporary neurological deficits were observed in 30 patients (14%). Patients with a primary arrhythmia without myocardial infarction had a worse prognosis than patients with a cardiac arrest in the context of an infarct. Survival was better in patients in whom resuscitation was initiated by physicians or ambulance-nurses, than in patients resuscitated by lay-people. Multivariate analysis revealed that this difference could be explained by a larger proportion of patients with a primary arrhythmia in the latter group. Since long-term prognosis after out-of-hospital resuscitation is satisfactory, programmes for resuscitation courses should be stimulated. Such programmes should aim predominantly at relatives of patients with known heart disease, police officers and children
First report of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum causing stem rot on soybean (Glycine max) in Ethiopia
Open Access ArticleSclerotinia sclerotiorum causes a devastating disease on soybean (Sclerotinia stem rot) and attacks over 500 other hosts (Grau and Hartman 2015). In October 2018, research plots at Jimma Agricultural Research Center, Ethiopia, were evaluated for soybean diseases. A sample of 100 randomly selected plants of soybean line T44-15-T110-16SH1 were evaluated for Sclerotinia stem rot in a research plot that was 4 × 2.4 m with 60 cm between the four rows and 5 cm between plants within a row. All but 16 stems had stem rot symptoms with an average plant severity rating of 3.5 (SE = 0.18) based on an adapted 1 (1 to 10% of the stem affected) to 5 (91 to 100% of the stem affected) rating scale (Little and Hills 1978). Five infected stems were selected and sent to the USDA-ARS Soybean Disease and Pest Research Laboratory, Urbana, IL. Three sclerotia removed from each of three infected stems ranged from 4 to 18 mm long and 1 to 2 mm wide. Sclerotia were placed on potato dextrose agar (PDA) in 9.8-cm-diameter Petri plates and incubated at 24°C with a 16-h photoperiod for 4 days. The white, appressed mycelia grew from the sclerotia and covered the entire plate after 48 h, with sclerotia forming on the edge of the plate by 4 days. To confirm pathogenicity, a mycelial plug was removed from the margin of a 2-day-old colony of one of the isolates, was obtained by pressing the large end of a 200-μl pipette tip into the culture, and was placed on top of a cut stem above the second trifoliolate of four 3-week-old plants of soybean cultivar Williams 82. Plants were then incubated in a moist chamber for 48 h prior to being placed in a greenhouse held at 22°C with a 16-h photoperiod. Necrotic lesions and white mycelia appeared on the stems 4 days postinoculation. The pathogen was reisolated and cultured on PDA. After 4 days, the reisolated cultures with sclerotia appeared morphologically to be S. sclerotiorum
Optimal use of coronary care units: A review
Patients at a low probability of acute cardiac pathology constitute a considerable proportion in many coronary care units (CCUs), such that physicians should consider more effective alternatives than CCU admission “to rule out myocardial infarction.” In this article, strategies to increase the efficiency of managing patients with acute chest pain are reviewed. Algorithms aiming to improve the diagnostic accuracy of the general practitioner have been developed but require an electrocardiogram recorded at the home of the patient. Another method of triage encompasses the identification in the emergency room of the hospital of patients at a low probability of acute cardiac pathology by using predictive models that include laboratory assessments. A third strategy includes alternatives to CCUs for patients at a low risk of acute cardiac pathology, such as the creation of a simple observation unit. Finally, some investigators have sought to identify patients with good prognosis for early transfer from the CCU to lower levels of care. It is concluded that a combination of these approaches will be most efficient, and that the most appropriate choice will be determined by local circumstances
Do the Unidentified EGRET Sources Trace Annihilating Dark Matter in the Local Group?
In a cold dark matter (CDM) framework of structure formation, the dark matter
haloes around galaxies assemble through successive mergers with smaller haloes.
This merging process is not completely efficient, and hundreds of surviving
halo cores, or {\it subhaloes}, are expected to remain in orbit within the halo
of a galaxy like the Milky Way. While the dozen visible satellites of the Milky
Way may trace some of these subhaloes, the majority are currently undetected. A
large number of high-velocity clouds (HVCs) of neutral hydrogen {\it are}
observed around the Milky Way, and it is plausible that some of the HVCs may
trace subhaloes undetected in the optical. Confirming the existence of
concentrations of dark matter associated with even a few of the HVCs would
represent a dramatic step forward in our attempts to understand the nature of
dark matter. Supersymmetric (SUSY) extensions of the Standard Model of particle
physics currently suggest neutralinos as a natural well-motivated candidate for
the non-baryonic dark matter of the universe. If this is indeed the case, then
it may be possible to detect dark matter indirectly as it annihilates into
neutrinos, photons or positrons. In particular, the centres of subhaloes might
show up as point sources in gamma-ray observations. In this work we consider
the possibility that some of the unidentified EGRET -ray sources trace
annihilating neutralino dark matter in the dark substructure of the Local
Group. We compare the observed positions and fluxes of both the unidentified
EGRET sources and the HVCs with the positions and fluxes predicted by a model
of halo substructure, to determine to what extent any of these three
populations could be associated.Comment: 12 Pages, 4 figures, to appear in a special issue of ApSS. Presented
at "The Multiwavelength Approach to Unidentified Gamma-Ray Sources" (Hong
Kong, June 1 - 4, 2004; Conference organizers: K.S. Cheng and G.E. Romero
Ultrasonographic and laparoscopic evaluation of the reproductive tract in older captive female cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus)
The study uniquely described the clinical value of transabdominal ultrasonography for
monitoring features characterizing the estrous cycle in female cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus). The
reproductive tracts of 21 female, nulliparous, and relatively aged (median: 11 and interquartile
range: 9.25–14 years) captive cheetahs resident on two sites in Namibia were assessed by
transabdominal ultrasound. Subsequently, the ovarian findings on ultrasound were compared
with direct visualization while performing laparoscopic sterilization. A combination of these
observations supported by concurrent sampling for vaginal cytology and serum progesterone
concentrations defined the estrous status of individual animals. At one site, six cheetahs had
been implanted with the GnRH agonist, deslorelin as a contraceptive at least once within the
preceding 11 years. On ultrasound, 31 uterine horns and 35 ovaries with discernible structures
on 28 (86%) were visualized in the 21 cheetahs. The uterine body was difficult to visualize
because of its intrapelvic location. Eleven of 19 uteri (58%) visualized showed endometrial
edema suggestive of estrogenization. The uteri of four cheetahs (19%) showed evidence of mild
cystic endometrial hyperplasia. Paraovarian cysts were seen on ultrasound (n ¼ 21) and laparoscopy
(n ¼ 26) in 16 (76.2%) and 18 (85.7%) cheetahs, respectively. Ovarian volumes obtained
from ultrasonographically determined dimensions predicted cyclic activity.
Laparoscopy showed that 19 ovaries had discernible follicular structures. In the study population,
10 (47.6%) cheetahswere in proestrus or estrus; none in the luteal phase; and 11 (52.4%)
in anestrus. Transabdominal ultrasound, in combination with serum progesterone concentrations
and vaginal cytology, was used with acceptable accuracy to assess cyclic ovarian activity
in captive cheetahs. A considerable proportion of this aged population showed ovarian
activity and the prevalence of paraovarian cysts was notable. A history of prior deslorelin
treatment was not associated with either reproductive activity or uterine pathology.AfriCat Foundation and CCF in Namibia.http://www.theriojournal.com2016-12-31hb2015ab201
Laparoscopic sterilization of the African lioness (Panthera leo)
OBJECTIVE : To describe laparoscopic ovariectomy and salpingectomy in the African lioness (Panthera leo).
STUDY DESIGN : Descriptive clinical study.
ANIMALS : Female lions (n = 16).
METHODS : Lionesses were randomly divided into 2 groups: O = ovariectomy (n = 8) and S = salpingectomy (n = 8) for laparoscopic surgery. Two Veress needle placement techniques were used.
RESULTS : Laparoscopic ovariectomy and salpingectomy were performed without complications. The poorly developed mesosalpinx and ovarian bursa rendered the uterine tube more accessible for salpingectomy compared to the dog making the procedure easier in the lioness. Similarly, salpingectomy is a relatively easier procedure compared with ovariectomy especially when the modified Hasson technique for Veress needle placement is used.
CONCLUSIONS : Laparoscopic ovariectomy and salpingectomy can be safely performed in the African lioness.University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa and the Arabella Dean fund of the South African Veterinary Foundation. This study was partly funded by the NRF grant of Prof. Schoeman.http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1111/(ISSN)1532-950Xhb2013mn201
Accuracy and Stability of Computing High-Order Derivatives of Analytic Functions by Cauchy Integrals
High-order derivatives of analytic functions are expressible as Cauchy
integrals over circular contours, which can very effectively be approximated,
e.g., by trapezoidal sums. Whereas analytically each radius r up to the radius
of convergence is equal, numerical stability strongly depends on r. We give a
comprehensive study of this effect; in particular we show that there is a
unique radius that minimizes the loss of accuracy caused by round-off errors.
For large classes of functions, though not for all, this radius actually gives
about full accuracy; a remarkable fact that we explain by the theory of Hardy
spaces, by the Wiman-Valiron and Levin-Pfluger theory of entire functions, and
by the saddle-point method of asymptotic analysis. Many examples and
non-trivial applications are discussed in detail.Comment: Version 4 has some references and a discussion of other quadrature
rules added; 57 pages, 7 figures, 6 tables; to appear in Found. Comput. Mat
Single-incision laparoscopic sterilization of the cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus)
OBJECTIVE : To describe laparoscopic ovariectomy and salpingectomy in the cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) using single-incision
laparoscopic surgery (SILS).
STUDY DESIGN : Prospective cohort.
ANIMALS : Female cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) ( n ¼ 21).
METHODS : Cheetahs were randomly divided to receive either ovariectomy (n ¼ 11) or salpingectomy (n ¼ 10). The use and
complications of a SILS port was evaluated in all of cheetahs. Surgery duration and insufflation volumes of carbon dioxide
(CO2) were recorded and compared across procedures.
RESULTS : Laparoscopic ovariectomy and salpingectomy were performed without complications using a SILS port. The
poorly-developed mesosalpinx and ovarian bursa facilitated access to the uterine tube for salpingectomy in the cheetah. The
median surgery duration for ovariectomy was 24 minutes (interquartile range 3) and for salpingectomy was 19.5 minutes
(interquartile range 3) (P ¼.005). The median volume of CO2 used for ovariectomy was 11.25 L (interquartile range
3.08) and for salpingectomy was 4.90 L (interquartile range 2.52), (P ¼.001)
CONCLUSIONS : Laparoscopic ovariectomy and salpingectomy can be performed in the cheetah using SILS without perioperative
complications. Salpingectomy is faster than ovariectomy and requires less total CO2 for insufflation.NRF grants, AfriCat. Department of Companion Animal Clinical Studies, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa and the Arabella Dean
fund of the South African Veterinary Foundation.http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1111/(ISSN)1532-950X2016-07-30hb2015ab201
Meta-analysis of genome-wide association studies of anxiety disorders.
Anxiety disorders (ADs), namely generalized AD, panic disorder and phobias, are common, etiologically complex conditions with a partially genetic basis. Despite differing on diagnostic definitions based on clinical presentation, ADs likely represent various expressions of an underlying common diathesis of abnormal regulation of basic threat-response systems. We conducted genome-wide association analyses in nine samples of European ancestry from seven large, independent studies. To identify genetic variants contributing to genetic susceptibility shared across interview-generated DSM-based ADs, we applied two phenotypic approaches: (1) comparisons between categorical AD cases and supernormal controls, and (2) quantitative phenotypic factor scores (FS) derived from a multivariate analysis combining information across the clinical phenotypes. We used logistic and linear regression, respectively, to analyze the association between these phenotypes and genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphisms. Meta-analysis for each phenotype combined results across the nine samples for over 18 000 unrelated individuals. Each meta-analysis identified a different genome-wide significant region, with the following markers showing the strongest association: for case-control contrasts, rs1709393 located in an uncharacterized non-coding RNA locus on chromosomal band 3q12.3 (P=1.65 × 10(-8)); for FS, rs1067327 within CAMKMT encoding the calmodulin-lysine N-methyltransferase on chromosomal band 2p21 (P=2.86 × 10(-9)). Independent replication and further exploration of these findings are needed to more fully understand the role of these variants in risk and expression of ADs.Molecular Psychiatry advance online publication, 12 January 2016; doi:10.1038/mp.2015.197
Two Types of Planning in Neighborhoods
Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/68338/2/10.1177_0739456X8400300209.pd
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