Oropharyngeal mucositis-specific quality-of-life measure in patients with cancer therapy.

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Estimation of potential gains from bank mergers:a novel two-stage cost efficiency DEA model

This paper develops a novel two-stage cost efficiency model to estimate and decompose the potential gains from Mergers and Acquisitions (M&As). In this model, a merged DMU is defined as a combination of two or more candidate DMUs. The merged DMU would surpass the traditional Production Possibility Set (PPS). In order to solve the problem, a Merger Production Possibility Set (PPSM) is constructed. The model minimizes the total cost of the merged DMU while maintaining its outputs at the current level, estimates the overall merger efficiency by comparing its minimal total cost with its actual cost. Moreover, the overall merger efficiency could be decomposed into technical efficiency, harmony efficiency and scale efficiency. We show that the model can be extended to a two-stage structure and these efficiencies can be decomposed to both sub-systems. To show the usefulness of the proposed approach, we applied it to a real dataset of top 20 most competitive Chinese City Commercial Banks (CCBs). We concluded that (1) There exist considerably potential gains for the proposed merged banks. (2) It is also shown that the main impact on potential merger gains are from technical and harmony efficiency. (3) As an interesting result we found that the scale effect works against the merger, indicating that it is not favorable for a full-scale merger

The intra-nucleus integration of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA)in cervical mucosa cells and its relation with c-myc expression

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Objective</p> <p>To explore the relationship between the integration of mitochondrial DNA(mtDNA) in the nuclei of cervical epithelium cells and the expression of c-myc.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The expression of c-myc protein was measured by immunohistochemical test in 40 cases of the uterine cervix cancer, 30 cases of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) and 30 cases of normal cervical epithelium; the sequence of mtDNA in the nuclei was detected by in situ hybridization technique.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The detection rates of mtDNA in the nuclei of cervical epithelium cells were 27.5%, 13.3% and 0% in cervical carcinoma, CIN, and normal cervical epithelium respectively. The expression rate of c-myc in cervical mucoma cells was 67% in the mtDNA sequence positive group and was significantly higher than that in the negative group (36%).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The integration of mtDNA into the nuclei of cervical epithelium cells may be involved in the carcinogenesis of cervical epithelium cells and the expression of c-myc might be related to the integration of mtDNA sequence into nuclei of cervical epithelium cells.</p

Health-related quality of life as measured with EQ-5D among populations with and without specific chronic conditions: A population-based survey in Shaanxi province, China

© 2013 Tan et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.Introduction: The aim of this study was to examine health-related quality of life (HRQoL) as measured by EQ-5D and to investigate the influence of chronic conditions and other risk factors on HRQoL based on a distributed sample located in Shaanxi Province, China. Methods: A multi-stage stratified cluster sampling method was performed to select subjects. EQ-5D was employed to measure the HRQoL. The likelihood that individuals with selected chronic diseases would report any problem in the EQ-5D dimensions was calculated and tested relative to that of each of the two reference groups. Multivariable linear regression models were used to investigate factors associated with EQ VAS. Results: The most frequently reported problems involved pain/discomfort (8.8%) and anxiety/depression (7.6%). Nearly half of the respondents who reported problems in any of the five dimensions were chronic patients. Higher EQ VAS scores were associated with the male gender, higher level of education, employment, younger age, an urban area of residence, access to free medical service and higher levels of physical activity. Except for anemia, all the selected chronic diseases were indicative of a negative EQ VAS score. The three leading risk factors were cerebrovascular disease, cancer and mental disease. Increases in age, number of chronic conditions and frequency of physical activity were found to have a gradient effect. Conclusion: The results of the present work add to the volume of knowledge regarding population health status in this area, apart from the known health status using mortality and morbidity data. Medical, policy, social and individual attention should be given to the management of chronic diseases and improvement of HRQoL. Longitudinal studies must be performed to monitor changes in HRQoL and to permit evaluation of the outcomes of chronic disease intervention programs. © 2013 Tan et al.National Nature Science Foundation (No. 8107239

Airflow Dynamics of Coughing in Healthy Human Volunteers by Shadowgraph Imaging: An Aid to Aerosol Infection Control

Cough airflow dynamics have been previously studied using a variety of experimental methods. In this study, real-time, non-invasive shadowgraph imaging was applied to obtain additional analyses of cough airflows produced by healthy volunteers. Twenty healthy volunteers (10 women, mean age 32.2±12.9 years; 10 men, mean age 25.3±2.5 years) were asked to cough freely, then into their sleeves (as per current US CDC recommendations) in this study to analyze cough airflow dynamics. For the 10 females (cases 1–10), their maximum detectable cough propagation distances ranged from 0.16–0.55 m, with maximum derived velocities of 2.2–5.0 m/s, and their maximum detectable 2-D projected areas ranged from 0.010–0.11 m2, with maximum derived expansion rates of 0.15–0.55 m2/s. For the 10 males (cases 11–20), their maximum detectable cough propagation distances ranged from 0.31–0.64 m, with maximum derived velocities of 3.2–14 m/s, and their maximum detectable 2-D projected areas ranged from 0.04–0.14 m2, with maximum derived expansion rates of 0.25–1.4 m2/s

Sources of and Solutions to Toxic Metal and Metalloid Contamination in Small Rural Drinking Water Systems: A Rapid Review

Exposure to toxic metals and metalloids (TMs) such as arsenic and lead at levels of concern is associated with lifelong adverse health consequences. As exposure to TMs from paint, leaded gasoline, canned foods, and other consumer products has decreased in recent decades, the relative contribution of drinking water to environmental TM exposure and associated disease burdens has increased. We conducted a rapid review from June to September 2019 to synthesize information on the sources of TM contamination in small rural drinking water systems and solutions to TM contamination from these sources, with an emphasis on actionable evidence applicable to small rural drinking water systems worldwide. We reviewed publications from five databases (ProQuest, PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and Global Health Library) as well as grey literature from expert groups including WHO, IWA, and others; findings from 61 eligible review publications were synthesized. Identified sources of TMs in included studies were natural occurrence (geogenic), catchment pollution, and corrosion of water distribution system materials. The review found general support for preventive over corrective actions. This review informs a useful planning and management framework for preventing and mitigating TM exposure from drinking water based on water supply characteristics, identified contamination sources, and other context-specific variables

Antimony-doped graphene nanoplatelets

Heteroatom doping into the graphitic frameworks have been intensively studied for the development of metal-free electrocatalysts. However, the choice of heteroatoms is limited to non-metallic elements and heteroatom-doped graphitic materials do not satisfy commercial demands in terms of cost and stability. Here we realize doping semimetal antimony (Sb) at the edges of graphene nanoplatelets (GnPs) via a simple mechanochemical reaction between pristine graphite and solid Sb. The covalent bonding of the metalloid Sb with the graphitic carbon is visualized using atomic-resolution transmission electron microscopy. The Sb-doped GnPs display zero loss of electrocatalytic activity for oxygen reduction reaction even after 100,000 cycles. Density functional theory calculations indicate that the multiple oxidation states (Sb3+ and Sb5+) of Sb are responsible for the unusual electrochemical stability. Sb-doped GnPs may provide new insights and practical methods for designing stable carbon-based electrocatalystsclose0

Phenotypic and genotypic monitoring of Schistosoma mansoni in Tanzanian schoolchildren five years into a preventative chemotherapy national control programme

We conducted combined in vitro PZQ efficacy testing with population genetic analyses of S. mansoni collected from children from two schools in 2010, five years after the introduction of a National Control Programme. Children at one school had received four annual PZQ treatments and the other school had received two mass treatments in total. We compared genetic differentiation, indices of genetic diversity, and estimated adult worm burden from parasites collected in 2010 with samples collected in 2005 (before the control programme began) and in 2006 (six months after the first PZQ treatment). Using 2010 larval samples, we also compared the genetic similarity of those with high and low in vitro sensitivity to PZQ

Sub-Sets of Cancer Stem Cells Differ Intrinsically in Their Patterns of Oxygen Metabolism

PMCID: PMC3640080This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited