148 research outputs found
Large-Fiber Dysfunction in Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy Is Predicted by Cardiovascular Risk Factors
OBJECTIVE Diabetic large–nerve fiber dysfunction, as measured by vibration perception threshold (VPT), predicts foot ulceration, amputation, and mortality. Thus, determination of modifiable risk factors is of great clinical importance.
RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS We assessed 1,407 patients with type 1 diabetes and a normal VPT participating in the EURODIAB Prospective Complications Study, at baseline mean ± SD age of 32.7 ± 10.2 years with diabetes duration of 14.7 ± 9.3 years and follow-up of 7.3 ± 0.6 years. VPT was measured using biothesiometry on the right big toe and medial malleolus. An abnormal result was defined as >2 SD from the predicted mean for the patient s age.
RESULTS An abnormal VPT was associated with an increased incidence of gangrene, amputation, foot ulceration, leg bypass or angioplasty, and mortality (P ≤ 0.02). The incidence of abnormal VPT was 24% over the 7.3-year follow-up. Duration of diabetes and A1C significantly influenced the incidence of abnormal VPT (P < 0.0001). After correction for these, established risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD), including male sex (P = 0.0004), hypertension (P < 0.0001), total cholesterol (P = 0.002), LDL cholesterol (P = 0.01), smoking (P < 0.0001), weight (P < 0.0001), and diabetes complications (retinopathy [P = 0.0001], nephropathy [P = 0.01], and autonomic neuropathy [P = 0.001]), were all found to be significant risk factors. A previous history of CVD doubled the incidence of abnormal VPT.
CONCLUSIONS This prospective study indicates that cardiovascular risk factors predict development of large-fiber dysfunction, which may account for the high mortality rate in patients with an abnormal VPT, and emphasizes the importance of early determination of VPT to detect subclinical neuropathy and to address cardiovascular risk factors
The mean circulation of the southwestern Mediterranean Sea: Algerian Gyres
This is a study about the general circulation of the southwestern Mediterranean Sea based on observations of currents carried out in the southwestern Mediterranean Sea in the framework of the Mass Transfer and Ecosystem Response (MATER) program (EEC/MAST3 program). From July 1997 to August 2002, profiling floats (MEDPROF experiment), isobaric floats (LIWEX experiment), and moored current meters (ELISA experiment) give evidence of two large-scale barotropic cyclonic circulations, the here-called Western and Eastern Algerian Gyres, centered around [3730′N, 230′E] and [3830′N, 600′E], respectively. These gyres have typical horizontal scales of 100–300 km and are characterized by orbital velocities of about 5 cm/s corresponding to rotational periods of about 4 months. They are strongly related to the bottom topography of the basin and to the planetary vorticity gradient: closed f/H isocontours (f is the planetary vorticity, H the water depth) correspond to the locations of the gyres and favor such circulations as free geostrophic modes. A linear and barotropic model is used to investigate the possibility of wind driving, but the results suggest that the wind stress is not responsible for establishing such circulations. The boundary currents flowing along the continental slope of Africa, Sardinia, and the Balearic Islands are proposed to be the main drivers of these gyres
Measurement of the Top Quark Mass Using Dilepton Events
The D0 collaboration has performed a measurement of the top quark mass based
on six candidate events for the process t tbar -> b W+ bbar W-, where the W
bosons decay to e nu or mu nu. This sample was collected during an exposure of
the D0 detector to an integrated luminosity of 125 pb^-1 of sqrt(s)=1.8 TeV
p-pbar collisions. We obtain mt = 168.4 +- 12.3 (stat) +- 3.7 (sys) GeV/c^2,
consistent with the measurement obtained using single-lepton events.
Combination of the single-lepton and dilepton results yields mt = 172.0 +- 7.5
GeV/c^2.Comment: 12 pages, 3 figure
Search for Top Squark Pair Production in the Dielectron Channel
This report describes the first search for top squark pair production in the
channel stop_1 stopbar_1 -> b bbar chargino_1 chargino_1 -> ee+jets+MEt using
74.9 +- 8.9 pb^-1 of data collected using the D0 detector. A 95% confidence
level upper limit on sigma*B is presented. The limit is above the theoretical
expectation for sigma*B for this process, but does show the sensitivity of the
current D0 data set to a particular topology for new physics.Comment: Five pages, including three figures, submitted to PRD Brief Report
Search for a Fourth Generation Charge -1/3 Quark via Flavor Changing Neutral Current Decay
We report on a search for pair production of a fourth generation charge -1/3
quark (b') in pbar p collisions at sqrt(s) = 1.8 TeV at the Fermilab Tevatron
using an integrated luminosity of 93 pb^-1. Both quarks are assumed to decay
via flavor changing neutral currents (FCNC). The search uses the signatures
gamma + 3 jets + mu-tag and 2 gamma + 2 jets. We see no significant excess of
events over the expected background. We place an upper limit on the production
cross section times branching fraction that is well below theoretical
expectations for a b' quark decaying exclusively via FCNC for b' quark masses
up to m(Z) + m(b).Comment: Eleven pages, two postscript figures, submitted to Physical Review
Letter
Measurement of the Top Quark Pair Production Cross Section in pbarp Collisions
We present a measurement of the ttbar production cross section in ppbar
collisions at root(s) = 1.8TeV by the D0 experiment at the Fermilab Tevatron.
The measurement is based on data from an integrated luminosity of approximately
125 pb^-1 accumulated during the 1992-1996 collider run. We observe 39 ttbar
candidate events in the dilepton and lepton+jets decay channels with an
expected background of 13.7+-2.2 events. For a top quark mass of 173.3GeV/c^2,
we measure the ttbar production cross section to be 5.5+-1.8 pb.Comment: 11 pages with 3 encapsulated PostScript figures and 2 PostScript
table included in the body of the articl
Measurement of the Boson Mass
A measurement of the mass of the boson is presented based on a sample of
5982 decays observed in collisions at
= 1.8~TeV with the D\O\ detector during the 1992--1993 run. From a
fit to the transverse mass spectrum, combined with measurements of the
boson mass, the boson mass is measured to be .Comment: 12 pages, LaTex, style Revtex, including 3 postscript figures
(submitted to PRL
Search for Production via Trilepton Final States in collisions at TeV
We have searched for associated production of the lightest chargino,
, and next-to-lightest neutralino, , of the
Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model in collisions at
\mbox{ = 1.8 TeV} using the \D0 detector at the Fermilab Tevatron
collider. Data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 12.5 \ipb
were examined for events containing three isolated leptons. No evidence for
pair production was found. Limits on
BrBr are
presented.Comment: 17 pages (13 + 1 page table + 3 pages figures). 3 PostScript figures
will follow in a UUEncoded, gzip'd, tar file. Text in LaTex format. Submitted
to Physical Review Letters. Replace comments - Had to resumbmit version with
EPSF directive
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