Comparison Between Carotid Intima-Media Thickness and Coronary Artery Calcification in the Prediction of Atherosclerosis in Diabetic Patients

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular disease is one of the atherosclerosis etiologies that can lead to death. Diabetes mellitus increases the risk of atherosclerosis. Screening tool is very beneficial for detecting atherosclerotic plaque, especially in subclinical atherosclerotic cases. Carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) and coronary artery calcification score (CACS) are two kinds of tools that are widely used, and each of these tools has its own superiority. This study was aimed to investigate the sensitivity and specificity of both of these tools as screening tools.METHODS: The study was conducted with a cross sectional design involving 43 diabetic and 68 non-diabetic male subjects aged above 45 years old. All subjects fulfilled inclusion criteria. Carotid artery ultrasonography and CACS measurement were performed.RESULTS: Fischer exact test was used to show a significant correlation between CIMT and CACS (p<0.05). Diagnostic test was used to assess the sensitivity of CIMT toward CACS in above 75 percentile. The left common carotid artery (LCCA) showed the highest sensitivity either in diabetic (76.4%) or non-diabetic male subjects (90%).CONCLUSION: CIMT has the same sensitivity with CACS. CIMT can be used as the preferred screening tool for high risk patients and as a substitution tool to CACS for low risk patients in subclinical atherosclerosis detection

Cemented Endoprosthetic Reconstruction of the Proximal Tibia: How Long Do They Last?

The few available studies documenting the long-term survival of cemented proximal tibial endoprostheses for musculoskeletal tumors do not differentiate between stem designs or patient diagnosis. There is wide variation in survival rates reported, possibly a result of this heterogeneity in patient population and implant design. We therefore asked: (1) How long do proximal tibial endoprostheses last? (2) What is the typical long-term functional result after proximal tibial replacement? And (3) what are the short- and long-term complications associated with endoprosthetic reconstruction of the proximal tibia, particularly with respect to the soft tissue reconstruction? We retrospectively reviewed 52 patients with 52 proximal tibial endoprosthetic reconstructions for a tumor-related diagnosis. Kaplan-Meier survivorship analysis was performed using revision of the stemmed components for any reason as an endpoint for implants, and death due to disease progression for patients. Function was assessed using the MSTS scoring system. The minimum followup was 1 month (mean, 96 months: range, 1–284 months; median, 69 months). Using revision of the stemmed components for any reason as an end point, overall prosthesis survival at 5, 10, 15, and 20 years was 94%, 86%, 66%, and 37%, respectively. The 29 modular implants demonstrated a trend toward improved survival compared to the 23 custom-designed components, with a 15-year survivorship of 88% versus 63%. The mean postoperative Musculoskeletal Tumor Society score at most recent followup was 82% of normal function (mean raw score, 24.6; range, 4–29). Cemented endoprosthetic reconstruction of the proximal tibia provides a reliable method of reconstruction following tumor resection. Level IV, therapeutic study. See the Guidelines for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence

High purity mesoporous gamma-al(2)o(3) from kano kaolin in the presence of polyethylene glycol 6000 (peg-6000) surfactant

Mesoporous gamma-Al2O3 with large surface area and narrow pore size was synthesized from acid-leachates of calcined kaolin in the presence of polyethylene glycol 6000 (PEG-6000) surfactant at room temperature. The synthesized alumina was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Nitrogen adsorption-desorption, Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy (FTIR), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) with energy-dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX), and thermogravimetric-Derivative thermal analysis (TG-DTA). High-purity mesoporous gamma-Al2O3 with large surface area of 365.1 m(2)/g, narrow pore size distribution centred at 5.3 nm and pore volume of 0.46 cm(3)/g was obtained at 500 degrees C. When the calcination temperature has increased to 700 degrees C, the surface area decreased to 272.9 m(2)/g. Crystallite size calculated using Scherer's equation revealed the average size of 4.33 and 4.12 nm for alumina calcined at 500 and 700 degrees C, respectively. The excellent pore structural properties (high surface area and large pore volume) of the synthesized mesoporous gamma-alumina in the present study will allow for higher loading of active catalytic phases, as such it can be used as catalyst support

Editorial: Oceanobs'19: An ocean of opportunity

The OceanObs conferences are held once every 10 years for the scientific, technical, and operational communities involved in the planning, implementation, and use of ocean observing systems. They serve to communicate progress, promote plans, and to define advances in ocean observing in response to societies' needs. Each conference provides a forum for the community to review the state of the ocean observing science and operations, and to define goals and plans to achieve over the next decade

A simplified index for evaluating subsurface initiated rolling contact fatigue from field measurements

A previous simplification of the Dang Van equivalent stress measure for assessment of subsurface initiated rolling contact fatigue (RCF) related to wheel-rail contact is modified. The new criterion is intended for real-time assessment of subsurface RCF from measured wheel-rail contact forces. The only needed parameters in the new expression for the equivalent stress are the vertical force and the wheel and rail radii. Comparisons between the new and the original criterion are carried out and show good agreement for the studied cases of tangent track operations. By employing principles of vehicle dynamics the criterion is further extended to the case of operations in curves. Reasonable consistency was found for curve radii down to approximately 2000 m

Knowledge, attitudes and clinical practice of blood products prescribers in Niamey.

AIM OF THE STUDY: The lack of traceability and monitoring of blood donors and transfused patients constitute a barrier to the most basic rules of haemovigilance and overall good transfusion practices. This study draws up an inventory of knowledge, attitudes and clinical practice of blood prescribers in Niamey. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A questionnaire was administered to 180 prescribers of blood products in Niamey in 2011. Questions were related to basic informations on blood transfusion and clinical use of blood. Analyses were performed using SAS 9.3 version. RESULTS: The sample consisted of 180 respondents from several professional categories: 51 physicians (28.33%), 10 medical students (5.56%), 84 nurses (46.67%), 15 anaesthesiologist assistant (8.33%) and 20 midwives (11.11%). Among these, 22.2% received training in blood transfusion safety. Half of the respondents (50.8%) got between 50 and 75% of correct answers, 45.8% got less than 50% correct while 3.35% scored more than 75% correct answers. The overall quality of responses was higher among physicians compared to other prescribers (P<0.0001); among respondents who received training in transfusion safety (P<0.0001); and among males (P=0.0306). For some items, subjects with more experience scored the best. CONCLUSION: The level of knowledge is still inadequate. More training in transfusion practices is necessary for prescribers of blood products. Accompanying measures to improve transfusion practice must be considered or strengthened through assessments, knowledge update/upgrade (regular, ongoing training) and establishment of active and motivated hospital transfusion committees

Étude de la structure sociale traditionnelle dans l'anthropologie soviétique, hier et aujourd'hui

Vladimir R. Kabo, The study of social structure of traditional societies in Soviet ethnography: past and present. The Soviet social science always coasiders the traditional societies as basis of subsequent social and cultural development. The concepts and fields of investigation of Soviet theoretical ethnography were not stable. We can mark some new trends in theoretical study of traditional societies in the late 1 950's that continue till present: 1 . more intensive study of socio-economic relations side by side with traditional interest to gentile organization, systems of kinship, etc.; 2. the differentiation of gentile and communal structures; the investigation of primeval community in its main parameters; 3. the detailed study of versatile connections of traditional societies with a defined ecosystem; 4. new aspects of investigation of primitive collectivism as a contradictory phenomenon that includes elements of social differentiation; 5. discussion of the problem of traditional societies as ethnic units; 6. new level of study of traditional consciousness; 7. the investigation of process of class and state formation.Vladimir R. Кabo, Étude de la structure sociale traditionnelle dans l'anthropologie soviétique, hier et aujourd'hui. Les sociétés traditionnelles ont toujours été considérées par la science sociale soviétique comme la base de tout le développement social et culturel postérieur. Les conceptions et les champs d'investigation de l'ethnographie théorique soviétique n'ont pas été stables. Nous pouvons observer de nouvelles tendances dans l'étude théorique des sociétés traditionnelles depuis la fin des années 1950 : 1. une étude intensive des relations socio-économiques parallèlement à l'intérêt traditionnel pour l'étude des structures claniques, des systèmes de parenté, etc. ; 2. la différenciation des structures claniques et communautaires, l'étude de la communauté primitive avec ses principaux paramètres ; 3. l'étude détaillée des liens variés entre les sociétés traditionnelles et le milieu écologique ; 4. une approche nouvelle du collectivisme primitif en tant que phénomène contradictoire qui comprend des éléments de différenciation sociale ; 5. la discussion du problème des sociétés traditionnelles en tant qu'unités ethniques ; 6. un nouveau niveau d'étude de la conscience sociale des sociétés traditionnelles ; 7. l'étude du problème de la formation des classes, et de la formation de l'État.Kabo Vladimir R., Le Galcher-Baron Valérie. Étude de la structure sociale traditionnelle dans l'anthropologie soviétique, hier et aujourd'hui. In: Cahiers du monde russe et soviétique, vol. 31, n°2-3, Avril-Septembre 1990. Regards sur l'anthropologie soviétique. pp. 163-169

Cemented Distal Femoral Endoprostheses for Musculoskeletal Tumor: Improved Survival of Modular versus Custom Implants

Advocates of newer implant designs cite high rates of aseptic loosening and failure as reasons to abandon traditional cemented endoprosthetic reconstruction of the distal femur. We asked whether newer, modular distal femoral components had improved survivorship compared with older, custom-casted designs. We retrospectively reviewed 254 patients who underwent distal femoral endoprosthetic reconstruction. We excluded two patients with cementless implants, 27 with expandable prostheses, and 39 who had a nontumor diagnosis. This left 186 patients: 101 with older custom implants and 85 with contemporary modular implants. The minimum followup was 1 month (mean, 96.0 months; range, 1–336 months). The tumor was classified as Stage IIA/IIB in 122 patients, Stage IA/IB or benign in 43, and Stage III or metastatic in 21. Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed overall 10-, 20-, and 25-year implant survival rates of 77%, 58%, and 50%, respectively, using revision of the stemmed components as an end point. The 85 modular components had a greater 15-year survivorship than the 101 custom-designed implants: 93.7% versus 51.7%, respectively. Thirty-five stemmed components (18.8%) were revised for aseptic loosening in 22 patients, implant fatigue fracture in 10, infection in two, and local recurrence in one. Cemented modular rotating-hinge distal femoral endoprostheses demonstrated improved survivorship compared with custom-casted implants during this three-decade experience. Patients with low-grade disease and long-term survivors of high-grade localized disease should expect at least one or more revision procedures in their lifetime. Level IV, therapeutic study. See the Guidelines for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence

Ab initio vs molecular mechanics thermochemistry: Homocubanes

10.1021/ci0300285Journal of Chemical Information and Computer Sciences443903-906JCIS