The effect of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) on health service utilisation of a Chinese population

This study was designed to find out whether health-related quality of life (HRQOL) was an independent determinant of health service utilisation of a Chinese population and to determine whether the addition of HRQOL data to sociodemographic and morbidity factors could significantly increase the explanatory power of risk-adjustment models. A cross-sectional random telephone survey of the general adult Chinese population in Hong Kong was conducted among 2410 Chinese aged 18-88yr old, 52% were females and 38% had one or more chronic diseases. Health service utilisation was measured by annual consultation, monthly consultation and hospitalisation rates. HRQOL was measured by the SF-36. Multivariate regressions were used to test the dependence of service utilisation rates on sociodemographic factors, chronic morbidity and the SF-36 scores. Structured multiphase regression analyses were used to determine the magnitude of the effect of the SF-36 scores, in addition to those of sociodemographic and chronic morbidity factors, on service utilisation. Five of eight SF-36 scores were independent determinants of consultation rates. They doubled and tripled the percentages of variance explained for annual and monthly consultation rates, respectively. Role limitation by physical problems and bodily pain scores had a significant effect on hospitalisation rates. This was the first study showing a linear relationship between HRQOL and service utilisation on a Chinese population. It confirmed the clinical relevance of the SF-36 to a culture and health care system that is different from that of the United States where the instrument originated. © 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.postprin

Plasmocitoma extramedular cutâneo em cão, obstrução unilateral do conduto auditivo.

Os plasmocitomas são entidades correlacionadas originárias dos plasmócitos, de caráter localizado, e ocorrência em qualquertecido mole. Ocorrem como pápulas ou nódulos em forma de cúpula, são vistos histologicamente como uma proliferaçãobem delimitada de células redondas que se dispõem em lençóis, cordões, trabéculas ou ninhos pouco definidos e separadospor pequena quantidade de tecido conjuntivo. Objetivou-se relatar um caso de plasmocitoma extramedular cutâneo comobstrução unilateral do conduto auditivo. Um cão foi encaminhado para avaliação, onde se pôde constatar desconforto,coceira intensa, sensibilidade ao tocar a orelha direita, mau cheiro, e ainda ferimento no ouvido direito. Para diagnóstico foirealizado exame otoscópico confirmando a presença de formação neoplásica, sendo posteriormente removido através deressecção e submetido à biópsia, confirmando um caso de plasmocitoma. A cirurgia de ressecção lateral do conduto auditivofoi eficaz no tratamento do plasmocitoma no conduto auditivo

Designing teacher professional development @scale for equity in education

This policy brief provides an overview of TPD@Scale and its origins. Drawing on experience from PD@Scale programs in the Global South, it introduces three major insights for sustainable, large-scale TPD that aims for professional growth for all teachers and improved learning outcomes for all students

Technique for resolving low-lying isomers in the experimental storage ring (ESR) and the occurrence of an isomeric state in Re

A recent experiment using projectile fragmentation of a Au beam on a Be target, combined with the fragment recoil separator and experimental storage ring at ring at GSI, has uncovered an isomeric state in Re at 267(10) keV with a half-life of ∼60 s. The data analysis technique used to resolve the isomeric state from the ground state is discussed. © Published under licence by IOP Publishing Ltd

A Simple, Inexpensive Device for Nucleic Acid Amplification without Electricity—Toward Instrument-Free Molecular Diagnostics in Low-Resource Settings

Molecular assays targeted to nucleic acid (NA) markers are becoming increasingly important to medical diagnostics. However, these are typically confined to wealthy, developed countries; or, to the national reference laboratories of developing-world countries. There are many infectious diseases that are endemic in low-resource settings (LRS) where the lack of simple, instrument-free, NA diagnostic tests is a critical barrier to timely treatment. One of the primary barriers to the practicality and availability of NA assays in LRS has been the complexity and power requirements of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) instrumentation (another is sample preparation).In this article, we investigate the hypothesis that an electricity-free heater based on exothermic chemical reactions and engineered phase change materials can successfully incubate isothermal NA amplification assays. We assess the heater's equivalence to commercially available PCR instruments through the characterization of the temperature profiles produced, and a minimal method comparison. Versions of the prototype for several different isothermal techniques are presented.We demonstrate that an electricity-free heater based on exothermic chemical reactions and engineered phase change materials can successfully incubate isothermal NA amplification assays, and that the results of those assays are not significantly different from ones incubated in parallel in commercially available PCR instruments. These results clearly suggest the potential of the non-instrumented nucleic acid amplification (NINA) heater for molecular diagnostics in LRS. When combined with other innovations in development that eliminate power requirements for sample preparation, cold reagent storage, and readout, the NINA heater will comprise part of a kit that should enable electricity-free NA testing for many important analytes

New Isomers in the Full Seniority Scheme of Neutron-Rich Lead Isotopes: The Role of Effective Three-Body Forces

The neutron-rich lead isotopes, up to Pb-216, have been studied for the first time, exploiting the fragmentation of a primary uranium beam at the FRS-RISING setup at GSI. The observed isomeric states exhibit electromagnetic transition strengths which deviate from state-of-the-art shell-model calculations. It is shown that their complete description demands the introduction of effective three-body interactions and two-body transition operators in the conventional neutron valence space beyond Pb-208.INFN, ItalyINFN, ItalyMICINN, Spain [AIC10-D-000568]MICINN, SpainGeneralitat Valenciana, SpainGeneralitat Valenciana, Spain [FPA2008-06419, PROMETEO/2010/101]UK STFCUK STFCAWE plcAWE plcDFGDFG [EXC 153