Methods of Detecting Differential Item Functioning: A Comparison of Confirmatory Factor Analysis Methods

The present Monte Carlo study compared four confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) methods for detecting differential item functioning (DIF). The four methods were the noniterative and iterative mean and covariance structure analysis (MACS) methods, the modification index (MI) method, and the modification index-divided sample (MI-divided) method. Reference and focal groups responded to 12 items with 3 of the 12 items designed to exhibit DIF. Sample sizes of 250 and 500 were examined. In addition, three types of DIF were examined: DIF on loadings, DIF on thresholds, and DIF on both loadings and thresholds. Results indicated that for sample size 250, all methods had good DIF detection rates for DIF on thresholds and for DIF on loadings and thresholds; all methods were not sensitive to DIF on loadings. For sample size 500, all methods had good DIF detection rates for DIF on thresholds and for DIF on loadings and thresholds. With the greater sample size, the noniterative and iterative MACS methods were more sensitive to DIF on loadings. The MI-divided method improved to a lesser degree, but the MI method did not improve at all. For DIF on thresholds for sample size 500, the noniterative MACS, MI, and MI-divided methods had false positive rates that were greater than expected by chance. Only the iterative MACS method maintained the false positive rates at or below that expected by chance

Nearly 6.4 Million Californians Lacked Health Insurance in 2007 -- Recession Likely to Reverse Small Gains in Coverage

Summarizes findings from the California Health Interview Survey (CHIS) on trends in the state's uninsured rate, the underlying factors, and projected trends. Points to flaws in the eligibility rules for public coverage and outlines policy implications

2005 California Health Interview Survey

Presents survey results on the health conditions and needs, health behaviors, and sources of medical care of adults, adolescents, and children in California. Analyzes data by demographics, income, and insurance status and highlights changes from 2003

Nearly Four Million California Adults Are Victims of Intimate Partner Violence

Based on 2007 California Health Interview Survey data, analyzes the incidence and nature of physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence by gender, race/ethnicity, nativity, marital status, and sexual orientation

Many Uninsured Children Qualify for Medi-Cal or Healthy Families

Examines the public health insurance eligibility of children in California who did not have health insurance coverage for some or all of the year in 2002, to highlight the geographic variations in children's uninsured eligibility rates

Receptor-Mediated Hypertrophic Signaling Via Protein Kinase D and Histone Deacetylase 5 in Adult Myocytes

Hemodynamic stress and neurohumoral signaling are common causes of cardiac hypertrophy. These extrinsic stress stimuli typically act on GPCR and induce a cascade of signal transduction to re-program terminally differentiated myocytes to grow in length or width. The compensatory hypertrophic response can enhance cardiac output briefly due to increased work load. However, prolonged stress results in maladaptive changes in the heart and gradually deteriorates ventricular function to supply blood throughout the body. Sustained hypertrophic signaling can also progress toward heart failure. My dissertation research focuses on the hypertrophic signaling in adult cardiac myocytes in response to neurohumoral stimuli, ET-1 and PE. In particular, I am interested in the spatiotemporal activation of PKD and its functional role in regulation of HDAC5 translocation. HDAC5 is a transcriptional repressor whose dynamic shuttling between the nucleus and the cytosol determines the outcome of transcriptional control for MEF2-dependent genes. I use a combination of biochemical approach with fluorescence imaging techniques to study the regulation of epigenetic re-programming mediated by PKD and HDAC5 in adult cardiac myocytes during hypertrophy and heart failure

The efficacy of stereotactic body radiation therapy on huge hepatocellular carcinoma unsuitable for other local modalities

BACKGROUND AND AIM: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of Cyberknife stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) and its effect on survival in patients with unresectable huge hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) unsuitable of other standard treatment option. METHODS: Between 2009 and 2011, 22 patients with unresectable huge HCC (≧10 cm) were treated with SBRT. dose ranged from 26 Gy to 40 Gy in five fractions. Overall survival (OS) and disease-progression free survival (DPFS) were determined by Kaplan-Meier analysis. Tumor response and toxicities were also assessed. RESULTS: After a median follow-up of 11.5 month (range 2–46 months). The objective response rate was achieved in 86.3% (complete response (CR): 22.7% and partial response (PR): 63.6%). The 1-yr. local control rate was 55.56%. The 1-year OS was 50% and median survival was 11 months (range 2–46 months). In univariate analysis, Child-Pugh stage (p = 0.0056) and SBRT dose (p = 0.0017) were significant factors for survival. However, in multivariate analysis, SBRT dose (p = 0.0072) was the most significant factor, while Child-Pugh stage of borderline significance. (p = 0.0514). Acute toxicities were mild and well tolerated. CONCLUSION: This study showed that SBRT can be delivered safely to huge HCC and achieved a substantial tumor regression and survival. The results suggest this technique should be considered a salvage treatment. However, local and regional recurrence remain the major cause of failure. Further studies of combination of SBRT and other treatment modalities may be reasonable

Síndrome de Frasier, primer caso reportado en Perú

 El síndrome de Frasier es una enfermedad rara producida por la mutación del gen WT1, caracterizado por pseudohermafroditismo masculino, disgenesia gonadal 46XY y enfermedad glomerular. Reportamos el caso de una mujer de 18 años, diagnosticada a los 12 años de síndrome nefrótico con desarrollo precoz de enfermedad renal crónica terminal y requerimiento de diálisis. A los 17 años se le detectó una tumoración abdominal. La laparotomía exploratoria reveló tumoración anexada a la trompa derecha que se extendía hasta la pared posterior del útero. Se le realizó histerectomía abdominal total con salpingo-ooforectomía bilateral. El diagnóstico anátomo-patológico fue disgerminoma. La paciente tenía amenorrea primaria y ausencia de caracteres sexuales secundarios. El estudio de corpúsculo de Barr de células de mucosa bucal fue negativo para cromatina sexual y el cariotipo fue 46, XY (Disgenesia Gonadal). El estudio genético reportó mutación heterocigótica en el intrón 9 del gen WT1. El cuadro es compatible con síndrome de Frasier, primer caso reportado en Perú