Characteristics and Risk Factors of Cancer Associated Venous Thromboembolism

The objective of this study was to examine the differences in commonly associated characteristics and risk factors of venous thromboembolism (VTE) between patients with and without cancer in a VTE population

Characteristics of abdominal vein thrombosis in children and adults

The demographic and clinical characteristics of adults and children with lower extremity deep-vein thrombosis and/or pulmonary embolism (LE DVT/PE) may differ from those with abdominal vein thrombosis (abdominal VT). Abdominal VT can be a presenting sign of an underlying prothrombotic state, and its presence in the setting of known disease might have prognostic implications different from LE DVT/PE. This study describes clinical presentations of abdominal VT compared to LE DVT/PE in adults and children. We analysed prospec-tively-collected data from consecutive consenting patients enrolled in one of seven Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) funded Thrombosis and Hemostasis Network Centers from August 2003 to April 2011 to compare the demographic and clinical characteristics of adults and children with abdominal VT. Both adults and children with abdominal VT tended to be younger and have a lower body mass index (BMI) than those with LE DVT/PE. Of patients with abdominal V T, children were more likely to have inferior vena cava (IVC) thrombosis than adults. For adults with venous thromboembolism (VTE), relatively more women had abdominal VT than LE DVT/PE, while the proportions with LE DVT/PE and abdominal VT by sex were similar in children. Children with abdominal VT were more likely to have diagnosed inherited thrombophilia, while trauma was more common in children with LE DVT/PE. In conclusion, both children and adults with abdominal VT were younger with a lower BMI than those with LE DVT/ PE. Significant differences exist between children and adults in respect to abdominal VT compared to LE DVT/PE

Whole blood gene expression profiles distinguish clinical phenotypes of venous thromboembolism

Recurrent venous thromboembolism (VTE) occurs infrequently following a provoked event but occurs in up to 30% of individuals following an initial unprovoked event. There is limited understanding of the biological mechanisms that predispose patients to recurrent VTE

Silicon and Germanium Nanostructures for Photovoltaic Applications: Ab-Initio Results

Actually, most of the electric energy is being produced by fossil fuels and great is the search for viable alternatives. The most appealing and promising technology is photovoltaics. It will become truly mainstream when its cost will be comparable to other energy sources. One way is to significantly enhance device efficiencies, for example by increasing the number of band gaps in multijunction solar cells or by favoring charge separation in the devices. This can be done by using cells based on nanostructured semiconductors. In this paper, we will present ab-initio results of the structural, electronic and optical properties of (1) silicon and germanium nanoparticles embedded in wide band gap materials and (2) mixed silicon-germanium nanowires. We show that theory can help in understanding the microscopic processes important for devices performances. In particular, we calculated for embedded Si and Ge nanoparticles the dependence of the absorption threshold on size and oxidation, the role of crystallinity and, in some cases, the recombination rates, and we demonstrated that in the case of mixed nanowires, those with a clear interface between Si and Ge show not only a reduced quantum confinement effect but display also a natural geometrical separation between electron and hole

Distinct colonization patterns and cDNA-AFLP transcriptome profiles in compatible and incompatible interactions between melon and different races of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. melonis

Background: Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. melonis Snyd. & Hans. (FOM) causes Fusarium wilt, the most important infectious disease of melon (Cucumis melo L.). The four known races of this pathogen can be distinguished only by infection on appropriate cultivars. No molecular tools are available that can discriminate among the races, and the molecular basis of compatibility and disease progression are poorly understood. Resistance to races 1 and 2 is controlled by a single dominant gene, whereas only partial polygenic resistance to race 1,2 has been described. We carried out a large-scale cDNA-AFLP analysis to identify host genes potentially related to resistance and susceptibility as well as fungal genes associated with the infection process. At the same time, a systematic reisolation procedure on infected stems allowed us to monitor fungal colonization in compatible and incompatible host-pathogen combinations. Results: Melon plants (cv. Charentais Fom-2), which are susceptible to race 1,2 and resistant to race 1, were artificially infected with a race 1 strain of FOM or one of two race 1,2 w strains. Host colonization of stems was assessed at 1, 2, 4, 8, 14, 16, 18 and 21 days post inoculation (dpi), and the fungus was reisolated from infected plants. Markedly different colonization patterns were observed in compatible and incompatible host-pathogen combinations. Five time points from the symptomless early stage (2 dpi) to obvious wilting symptoms (21 dpi) were considered for cDNA-AFLP analysis. After successful sequencing of 627 transcript-derived fragments (TDFs) differentially expressed in infected plants, homology searching retrieved 305 melon transcripts, 195 FOM transcripts expressed in planta and 127 orphan TDFs. RNA samples from FOM colonies of the three strains grown in vitro were also included in the analysis to facilitate the detection of in planta-specific transcripts and to identify TDFs differentially expressed among races/strains. Conclusion: Our data suggest that resistance against FOM in melon involves only limited transcriptional changes, and that wilting symptoms could derive, at least partially, from an active plant response. We discuss the pathogen-derived transcripts expressed in planta during the infection process and potentially related to virulence functions, as well as transcripts that are differentially expressed between the two FOM races grown in vitro. These transcripts provide candidate sequences that can be further tested for their ability to distinguish between races. Sequence data from this article have been deposited in GenBank, Accession Numbers: HO867279-HO867981

Estimated percentage distribution of in-hospital deaths with a diagnosis of VTE and among those with DVT or PE by number of comorbidity, NIS, 2010.

<p>Estimated percentage distribution of in-hospital deaths with a diagnosis of VTE and among those with DVT or PE by number of comorbidity, NIS, 2010.</p

Case-fatality rates for in-hospital death among adult hospitalizations with a diagnosis of VTE and among those with DVT or PE by demographic and clinical characteristics, NIS, 2010.

a<p>With a diagnosis of DVT only (without a diagnosis of PE).</p>b<p>With a diagnosis PE regardless of DVT status.</p>c<p>n = maximum unweighted subgroup size; N = Weighted population estimate.</p>d<p>95% confidence interval.</p>e<p><i>P</i>-value for Pearson Chi-Square test.</p>f<p>May not be nationally representative because not all participating states collect race/ethnicity information.</p>g<p>Includes categories of “other race/ethnicity,” “Native American,” and “Asian or Pacific Islander.”</p>h<p>Had at least one minor diagnostic or minor therapeutic procedure (without any major diagnostic or major therapeutic procedure) during hospitalization.</p>i<p>Had at least one major diagnostic or major therapeutic procedure during hospitalization.</p>j<p>AHRQ 29-comorbidity index.</p

Predictive accuracy of AHRQ 29-comorbidity index for in-hospital death among adult hospitalizations with a diagnosis of VTE and among those with DVT or PE, NIS, 2010.

a<p>Comorbidity retained in logistic regression model that also adjusted for age (continuous), sex, race/ethnicity, total days of hospital stay (continuous), primary expected payer, major operating room procedure.</p>b<p>From logistic regression and ROC models with bootstrap replication estimation.</p>c<p>95% confidence interval.</p>d<p>Selected comorbidities (unsuppressed) shown in <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0070061#pone-0070061-t002" target="_blank">Table 2</a>.</p