77 research outputs found
Inequalities in the care experiences of patients with cancer: analysis of data from the National Cancer Patient Experience Survey 2011-2012.
Objectives To explore inequalities in the care experiences of care by patients clinical or trust-level factors for patients with cancer.
Design Secondary analysis of data from the National Cancer Patient Experience Survey 2011–2012.
Setting and participants Adult patients with a primary diagnosis of cancer who attended an acute or specialist National Health Service (NHS) trust in England.
Outcome measure OR of a patient rating their overall care positively, adjusting for other patient, clinical and trust-level factors.
Methods Using cross-sectional data from 71 793 patients with cancer who completed the National Cancer Patient Experience Survey 2011–2012, we examined associations between patient, clinical and trust-level factors and a summary measure of patient experience, namely overall rating of care. Multivariate logistic regression was used to investigate variation by sociodemographic characteristics adjusting for other patient, clinical and trust-level factors.
Results Female, non-white and younger patients were less likely to rate their overall care as excellent or very good. Patients with long-standing conditions, particularly those with learning disabilities or mental health conditions, also reported poorer overall care. This variation persisted when other patient, clinical and trust-level factors were controlled for, indicating that there are real differences in experiences among patients with cancer by sociodemographic characteristics.
Conclusions There is evidence of inequalities in the experiences of patients with cancer in the UK by sociodemographic characteristics such as gender, age, ethnicity and disability. Quality cancer care services must strive to meet the needs of a diverse patient population equally; this study identifies patient groups for whom it appears cancer care services are in greatest need of improvement
Summary of results for the SNEAK-9 series of critical experiments and conclusions for the accuracy of predicted physics parameters of the SNR-300
To retain or remove the syndesmotic screw: a review of literature
Introduction: Syndesmotic positioning screws are frequently placed in unstable ankle fractures. Many facets of adequate placement techniques have been the subject of various studies. Whether or not the syndesmosis screw should be removed prior to weight-bearing is still debated. In this study, the recent literature is reviewed concerning the need for removal of the syndesmotic screw. Materials and methods: A comprehensive literature search was conducted in the electronic databases of the Cochrane Library, Pubmed Medline and EMbase from January 2000 to October 2010. Results: A total of seven studies were identified in the literature. Most studies found no difference in outcome between retained or removed screws. Patients with screws that were broken, or showed loosening, had similar or improved outcome compared to patients with removed screws. Removal of the syndesmotic screws, when deemed necessary, is usually not performed before 8-12 weeks. Conclusion: There is paucity in randomized controlled trials on the absolute need for removal of the syndesmotic screw. However, current literature suggests that it might be reserved for intact screws that cause hardware irritation or reduced range of motion after 4-6 months
Correlation between radiological assessment of acute ankle fractures and syndesmotic injury on MRI
Item does not contain fulltextOBJECTIVE: Owing to the shortcomings of clinical examination and radiographs, injury to the syndesmotic ligaments is often misdiagnosed. When there is no indication requiring that the fractured ankle be operated on, the syndesmosis is not tested intra-operatively, and rupture of this ligamentous complex may be missed. Subsequently the patient is not treated properly leading to chronic complaints such as instability, pain, and swelling. We evaluated three fracture classification methods and radiographic measurements with respect to syndesmotic injury. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Prospectively the radiographs of 51 consecutive ankle fractures were classified according to Weber, AO-M�ller, and Lauge-Hansen. Both the fracture type and additional measurements of the tibiofibular clear space (TFCS), tibiofibular overlap (TFO), medial clear space (MCS), and superior clear space (SCS) were used to assess syndesmotic injury. MRI, as standard of reference, was performed to evaluate the integrity of the distal tibiofibular syndesmosis. The sensitivity and specificity for detection of syndesmotic injury with radiography were compared to MRI. RESULTS: The Weber and AO-M�ller fracture classification system, in combination with additional measurements, detected syndesmotic injury with a sensitivity of 47\% and a specificity of 100\%, and Lauge-Hansen with both a sensitivity and a specificity of 92\%. TFCS and TFO did not correlate with syndesmotic injury, and a widened MCS did not correlate with deltoid ligament injury. CONCLUSION: Syndesmotic injury as predicted by the Lauge-Hansen fracture classification correlated well with MRI findings. With MRI the extent of syndesmotic injury and therefore fracture stage can be assessed more accurately compared to radiographs
Top Quark Physics
We review the prospects for studies of the top quark at the LHC.We review the prospects for studies of the top quark at the LHC. Members of the working group who have contributed to this document are: A.Ahmadov, G.Azuelos, U.Baur, A.Belyaev, E.L.Berger, W.Bernreuther, E.E.Boos, M.Bosman, A.Brandenburg, R.Brock, M.Buice, N.Cartiglia, F.Cerutti, A.Cheplakov, L.Chikovani, M.Cobal-Grassmann, G.Corcella, F.del Aguila, T.Djobava, J.Dodd, V.Drollinger, A.Dubak, S.Frixione, D.Froidevaux, B.Gonzalez Pineiro, Y.P.Gouz, D.Green, P.Grenier, S.Heinemeyer, W.Hollik, V.Ilyin, C.Kao, A.Kharchilava, R. Kinnunen, V.V.Kukhtin, S.Kunori, L.La Rotonda, A.Lagatta, M.Lefebvre, K.Maeshima, G.Mahlon, S.Mc Grath, G.Medin, R.Mehdiyev, B.Mele, Z.Metreveli, D.O'Neil, L.H.Orr, D.Pallin, S.Parke, J.Parsons, D.Popovic, L.Reina, E.Richter-Was, T.G.Rizzo, D.Salihagic, M.Sapinski, M.H.Seymour, V.Simak, L.Simic, G.Skoro, S.R.Slabospitsky, J.Smolik, L.Sonnenschein, T.Stelzer, N.Stepanov, Z.Sullivan, T.Tait, I.Vichou, R.Vidal, D.Wackeroth, G.Weiglein, S.Willenbrock, W.W
Transcriptomic and metabolomic shifts in rice roots in response to Cr (VI) stress
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Widespread use of chromium (Cr) contaminated fields due to careless and inappropriate management practices of effluent discharge, mostly from industries related to metallurgy, electroplating, production of paints and pigments, tanning, and wood preservation elevates its concentration in surface soil and eventually into rice plants and grains. In spite of many previous studies having been conducted on the effects of chromium stress, the precise molecular mechanisms related to both the effects of chromium phytotoxicity, the defense reactions of plants against chromium exposure as well as translocation and accumulation in rice remain poorly understood.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Detailed analysis of genome-wide transcriptome profiling in rice root is reported here, following Cr-plant interaction. Such studies are important for the identification of genes responsible for tolerance, accumulation and defense response in plants with respect to Cr stress. Rice root metabolome analysis was also carried out to relate differential transcriptome data to biological processes affected by Cr (VI) stress in rice. To check whether the Cr-specific motifs were indeed significantly over represented in the promoter regions of Cr-responsive genes, occurrence of these motifs in whole genome sequence was carried out. In the background of whole genome, the lift value for these 14 and 13 motifs was significantly high in the test dataset. Though no functional role has been assigned to any of the motifs, but all of these are present as promoter motifs in the Database of orthologus promoters.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>These findings clearly suggest that a complex network of regulatory pathways modulates Cr-response of rice. The integrated matrix of both transcriptome and metabolome data after suitable normalization and initial calculations provided us a visual picture of the correlations between components. Predominance of different motifs in the subsets of genes suggests the involvement of motif-specific transcription modulating proteins in Cr stress response of rice.</p
Effects of Pseudomonas fluorescens Seed Bioinoculation on Heavy Metal Accumulation for Mirabilis jalapa Phytoextraction in Smelter-Contaminated Soil
Association of Variants in the SPTLC1 Gene With Juvenile Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
Importance: Juvenile amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a rare form of ALS characterized by age of symptom onset less than 25 years and a variable presentation.Objective: To identify the genetic variants associated with juvenile ALS.Design, Setting, and Participants: In this multicenter family-based genetic study, trio whole-exome sequencing was performed to identify the disease-associated gene in a case series of unrelated patients diagnosed with juvenile ALS and severe growth retardation. The patients and their family members were enrolled at academic hospitals and a government research facility between March 1, 2016, and March 13, 2020, and were observed until October 1, 2020. Whole-exome sequencing was also performed in a series of patients with juvenile ALS. A total of 66 patients with juvenile ALS and 6258 adult patients with ALS participated in the study. Patients were selected for the study based on their diagnosis, and all eligible participants were enrolled in the study. None of the participants had a family history of neurological disorders, suggesting de novo variants as the underlying genetic mechanism.Main Outcomes and Measures: De novo variants present only in the index case and not in unaffected family members.Results: Trio whole-exome sequencing was performed in 3 patients diagnosed with juvenile ALS and their parents. An additional 63 patients with juvenile ALS and 6258 adult patients with ALS were subsequently screened for variants in the SPTLC1 gene. De novo variants in SPTLC1 (p.Ala20Ser in 2 patients and p.Ser331Tyr in 1 patient) were identified in 3 unrelated patients diagnosed with juvenile ALS and failure to thrive. A fourth variant (p.Leu39del) was identified in a patient with juvenile ALS where parental DNA was unavailable. Variants in this gene have been previously shown to be associated with autosomal-dominant hereditary sensory autonomic neuropathy, type 1A, by disrupting an essential enzyme complex in the sphingolipid synthesis pathway.Conclusions and Relevance: These data broaden the phenotype associated with SPTLC1 and suggest that patients presenting with juvenile ALS should be screened for variants in this gene.</p
A mathematical model of marine bacteriophage evolution
To explore how particularities of a host cell–virus system, and in particular host cell replication, affect viral evolution, in this paper we formulate a mathematical model of marine bacteriophage evolution. The intrinsic simplicity of real-life phage–bacteria systems, and in particular aquatic systems, for which the assumption of homogeneous mixing is well justified, allows for a reasonably simple model. The model constructed in this paper is based upon the Beretta–Kuang model of bacteria–phage interaction in an aquatic environment (Beretta \& Kuang 1998 Math. Biosci. 149, 57–76. (doi:10.1016/S0025-5564(97)10015-3)). Compared to the original Beretta–Kuang model, the model assumes the existence of a multitude of viral variants which correspond to continuously distributed phenotypes. It is noteworthy that the model is mechanistic (at least as far as the Beretta–Kuang model is mechanistic). Moreover, this model does not include any explicit law or mechanism of evolution; instead it is assumed, in agreement with the principles of Darwinian evolution, that evolution in this system can occur as a result of random mutations and natural selection. Simulations with a simplistic linear fitness landscape (which is chosen for the convenience of demonstration only and is not related to any real-life system) show that a pulse-type travelling wave moving towards increasing Darwinian fitness appears in the phenotype space. This implies that the overall fitness of a viral quasi-species steadily increases with time. That is, the simulations demonstrate that for an uneven fitness landscape random mutations combined with a mechanism of natural selection (for this particular system this is given by the conspecific competition for the resource) lead to the Darwinian evolution. It is noteworthy that in this system the speed of propagation of this wave (and hence the rate of evolution) is not constant but varies, depending on the current viral fitness and the abundance of susceptible bacteria. A specific feature of the original Beretta–Kuang model is that this model exhibits a supercritical Hopf bifurcation, leading to the loss of stability and the rise of self-sustained oscillations in the system. This phenomenon corresponds to the paradox of enrichment in the system. It is remarkable that under the conditions that ensure the bifurcation in the Beretta-Kuang model, the viral evolution model formulated in this paper also exhibits a rise in self-sustained oscillations of the abundance of all interacting populations. The propagation of the travelling wave, however, remains stable under these conditions. The only visible impact of the oscillations on viral evolution is a lower speed of the evolution
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