223 research outputs found
Serum protein electrophoresis may be used as a screening tool for antibody deficiency in children and adolescents
Background: Patients with antibody deficiency may experience exceptionally long diagnostic delays, increasing the risk of life-threatening infections, end-organ damage, mortality, and health costs.
Objective: This study aimed to analyze serum protein electrophoresis and verify the correlation between calculated globulin (CG, total protein minus albumin levels) or electrophoretically determined serum gamma globulin fraction (Gamma) with IgG levels in children and adolescents under 18 years old (yo).
Methods: We analyzed serum protein electrophoresis (GC or Gamma) and IgG levels from 1215 children and adolescents under 18 yo, classified into 5 age groups. We verified the correlation between CG or Gamma with serum IgG levels.
Results: Serum IgG levels varied according to age groups (from 4.3 ± 2.3 g/l in children under 6 months old to 11.4 ± 3.2 g/l in adolescents in the 10-<18 yo group). CG sensitivity and specificity to detect IgG below the reference range for all patients were 93.1% and 81.8%, respectively, and varied according to age group. Gamma sensitivity and specificity for all patients were 100% and 87.8%, respectively, and varied according to age group as well. We found serum IgG levels below the age reference level in 29 patients (2.4% of the cases) using CG or Gamma levels.
Conclusion: Both CG and Gamma levels may be of utility as a screening tool for earlier diagnosis of antibody deficiency in children and adolescents under 18 yo
Medical awareness concerning primary immunodeficiency diseases in the city of SĂŁo Paulo, Brazil
OBJETIVO: Avaliar o conhecimento mĂ©dico sobre as imunodeficiĂȘncias primĂĄrias na cidade de SĂŁo Paulo (SP). MĂTODOS: Um questionĂĄrio de 14 questĂ”es sobre as imunodeficiĂȘncias primĂĄrias foi aplicado a mĂ©dicos que trabalhavam em hospitais gerais. Uma das questĂ”es apresentava 25 situaçÔes clĂnicas que poderiam ou nĂŁo estar associadas Ă s imunodeficiĂȘncias primĂĄrias, e a porcentagem de respostas apropriadas gerou um indicador de conhecimento. RESULTADOS: Participaram do estudo 746 mĂ©dicos, dentre os quais 215 pediatras (28,8%), 244 cirurgiĂ”es (32,7%) e 287 clĂnicos (38,5%). Cerca de 70% dos mĂ©dicos responderam ter aprendido sobre as imunodeficiĂȘncias primĂĄrias na graduação ou na residĂȘncia mĂ©dica. O atendimento a pacientes que usam antibiĂłticos com frequĂȘncia foi relatado por 75% dos mĂ©dicos, mas apenas 34,1% jĂĄ haviam investigado algum paciente e 77,8% nĂŁo conheciam os dez sinais de alerta para as imunodeficiĂȘncias primĂĄrias. O indicador de conhecimento obtido apresentou uma mĂ©dia de 45,72% (±17,87). Apenas 26,6% dos pediatras e 6,6% tanto dos clĂnicos quanto dos cirurgiĂ”es apresentaram indicador de conhecimento de pelo menos 67% (equivalente Ă resposta apropriada em dois terços das situaçÔes clĂnicas). CONCLUSĂO: HĂĄ uma deficiĂȘncia no conhecimento mĂ©dico das imunodeficiĂȘncias primĂĄrias na cidade de SĂŁo Paulo, mesmo entre os pediatras, a despeito do maior contato com o tema nos Ășltimos anos. A melhora da informação sobre as imunodeficiĂȘncias primĂĄrias entre a comunidade mĂ©dica Ă© um importante passo para o diagnĂłstico e o tratamento precoces dessas doenças.OBJECTIVE: To evaluate medical knowledge of primary immunodeficiency in the city of SĂŁo Paulo (SP). METHODS: A 14-item questionnaire about primary immunodeficiency was applied to physicians who worked at general hospitals. One of the questions presented 25 clinical situations that could be associated or not with primary immunodeficiency, and the percentage of appropriate answers generated a knowledge indicator. RESULTS: Seven hundred and forty-six participated in the study, among them 215 pediatricians (28.8%), 244 surgeons (32.7%), and 287 clinicians (38.5%). About 70% of the physicians responded that they had learned about primary immunodeficiency in graduate school or in residency training. Treatment of patients that use antibiotics frequently was reported by 75% dos physicians, but only 34.1% had already investigated a patient and 77.8% said they did not know the ten warning signs for primary immunodeficiency. The knowledge indicator obtained showed a mean of 45.72% (±17.87). Only 26.6% if the pediatricians and 6.6% of clinicians and surgeons showed a knowledge indicator of at least 67% (equivalent to an appropriate answer in two thirds of the clinical situations). CONCLUSION: There is a deficit in medical knowledge of primary immunodeficiency in the city of SĂŁo Paulo, even among pediatricians, despite having greater contact with the theme over the last few years. The improvement of information on primary immunodeficiency in the medical community is an important step towards the diagnosis and treatment process of these diseases
Siliceous raw material consumption during the late Upper Palaeolithic in âEl Pirulejoâ, South of Iberia (Priego, CĂłrdoba)
This work presents the first results about the use of siliceous raw materials by the hunter-gatherer societies during the Late Glacial in the level 5 of El Pirulejo. El Pirulejo is located within the municipality of Priego de CĂłrdoba (CĂłrdoba, Spain).The archaeological level P/5 is classified as a Solutrean, according to the technological analysis of the lithic assemblage. The methodology used about the raw material is divided into four phases. During this first phase, we carried out a sampling analysis of local primary and secondary outcrops in the proximity of the site, over an area of 20 km from the site. We also performed a macroscopic and petrographic analysis of selected samples. In these phase, we describe the Veleta Formation, wich represents the main siliceous outcrop closest to the site. Once the local flint was characterized, it was compared to the lithic industry assemblage of level P/5, with the intention of observing the management and exploitation of local flint associated to knapping activities. As a result of the assemblage analysed so far, we have ruled out local operations on these chert samples and propose an area of exploitation of lithic resources that will exceed 20 kilometres around the site. We ruled out that the Veleta Formation provided a source of lithic supply for the hunter-gatherer societies.
Relation between hyponatraemia and falls by acute hospitalised patients: A case-control study
Aims and objectives
To investigate the possible association between hyponatremia and falls, in a sample of hospitalised adult patients.
Background
In-hospital falls are a problem of major importance, provoking a significant decline in the quality of life of many patients. Recent studies have identified a relationship between such falls and the presence of hyponatremia.
Design
Analytical retrospective observational case-control study.
Methods
The study population consisted of hospitalised patients who had suffered an in-hospital fall during the period 2014â2016. For each case, two controls who had not suffered any such fall were recruited. These cases and controls were matched according to gender, age, hospitalisation unit and date of admission. Study data were obtained from the hospitalâs record of falls, regarding the patientsâ socio-demographic factors, physical and psychological conditions and blood levels of sodium, potassium, urea and creatinine. The study is reported in accordance with STrengthening the Reporting of OBservational studies in Epidemiology guidelines.
Results
The study sample consisted of 555 patients (185 cases and 370 controls). Hyponatraemia was detected in 57 cases (30.8%). A statistically significant relationship was found between the presence of hyponatraemia and the occurrence of falls: OR = 2.04. Other risk factors for falls were hypercreatinaemia OR 2.49, hyperuraemia OR 1.82, disorientation, need for ambulatory assistance and longer hospital stay.
Conclusions
From the study findings, we conclude that hyponatraemia is a predictor of falls by acute hospitalised patients. Further research is needed on the relationship between hypercreatinaemia, hyperuraemia and falls. (...)Funding for open access charge: Universidad de MĂĄlaga / CBUA. This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for- profit sectors
Measurement of the cosmic ray spectrum above eV using inclined events detected with the Pierre Auger Observatory
A measurement of the cosmic-ray spectrum for energies exceeding
eV is presented, which is based on the analysis of showers
with zenith angles greater than detected with the Pierre Auger
Observatory between 1 January 2004 and 31 December 2013. The measured spectrum
confirms a flux suppression at the highest energies. Above
eV, the "ankle", the flux can be described by a power law with
index followed by
a smooth suppression region. For the energy () at which the
spectral flux has fallen to one-half of its extrapolated value in the absence
of suppression, we find
eV.Comment: Replaced with published version. Added journal reference and DO
Measurement of the top quark-pair production cross section with ATLAS in pp collisions at \sqrt{s}=7\TeV
A measurement of the production cross-section for top quark pairs(\ttbar)
in collisions at \sqrt{s}=7 \TeV is presented using data recorded with
the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. Events are selected in two
different topologies: single lepton (electron or muon ) with large
missing transverse energy and at least four jets, and dilepton (,
or ) with large missing transverse energy and at least two jets. In a
data sample of 2.9 pb-1, 37 candidate events are observed in the single-lepton
topology and 9 events in the dilepton topology. The corresponding expected
backgrounds from non-\ttbar Standard Model processes are estimated using
data-driven methods and determined to be events and events, respectively. The kinematic properties of the selected events are
consistent with SM \ttbar production. The inclusive top quark pair production
cross-section is measured to be \sigmattbar=145 \pm 31 ^{+42}_{-27} pb where
the first uncertainty is statistical and the second systematic. The measurement
agrees with perturbative QCD calculations.Comment: 30 pages plus author list (50 pages total), 9 figures, 11 tables,
CERN-PH number and final journal adde
Measurements of Higgs boson production and couplings in diboson final states with the ATLAS detector at the LHC
Measurements are presented of production properties and couplings of the recently discovered Higgs boson using the decays into boson pairs, H âÎł Îł, H â Z Zâ â4l and H âW Wâ âlÎœlÎœ. The results are based on the complete pp collision data sample recorded by the ATLAS experiment at the CERN Large Hadron Collider at centre-of-mass energies of âs = 7 TeV and âs = 8 TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of about 25 fbâ1. Evidence for Higgs boson production through vector-boson fusion is reported. Results of combined ïŹts probing Higgs boson couplings to fermions and bosons, as well as anomalous contributions to loop-induced production and decay modes, are presented. All measurements are consistent with expectations for the Standard Model Higgs boson
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