The New Extended Family: The Experience of Parents and Children after Remarriage

During the past 2 decades, the nuclear family, the predominant family form in the United States, has appeared to be more ephemeral than was once imagined by social scientists. Historians and demographers have shown that this family form was not nearly so common in earlier times as was once thought (Cherlin, 1981; Hareven, 1978). Paradoxically the nuclear family (ironically, now referred to as the traditional family) was more common in 1950 than in 1850 because of high rates of mortality, illness, and economic uncertainty (Uhlenberg, 1974). Large numbers of people never married or never had children, and among those who did, the prospect of living a settled and secure life was much lower than is nostalgically recalled

Safety and Efficacy of Biodegradable Drug-Eluting vs. Bare Metal Stents: A Meta-Analysis from Randomized Trials

<div><p>Background</p><p>Biodegradable polymeric coatings have been proposed as a promising strategy to enhance biocompatibility and improve the delayed healing in the vessel. However, the efficacy and safety of biodegradable polymer drug-eluting stents (BP-DES) vs. bare metal stents (BMS) are unknown. The aim of this study was to perform a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing the outcomes of BP-DES vs. BMS.</p><p>Methods and Results</p><p>PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) were searched for randomized clinical trials, until December 2013, that compared any of approved BP-DES and BMS. Efficacy endpoints were target-vessel revascularization (TVR), target-lesion revascularization (TLR) and in-stent late loss (ISLL). Safety endpoints were death, myocardial infarction (MI), definite stent thrombosis (DST). The meta-analysis included 7 RCTs with 2,409 patients. As compared with BMS, there was a significantly reduced TVR (OR [95% CI] = 0.37 [0.28–0.50]), ISLL (OR [95% CI] = −0.41 [−0.48–0.34]) and TLR (OR [95% CI] = 0.38 [0.27–0.52]) in BP-DES patients. However, there were no difference for safety outcomes between BP-DES and BMS.</p><p>Conclusions</p><p>BP-DES is more effective in reducing ISLL, TVR and TLR, as safe as standard BMS with regard to death, ST and MI. Further large RCTs with long-term follow-up are warranted to better define the relative merits of BP-DES.</p></div

Main characteristics of the included studies.

<p>Main characteristics of the included studies.</p

Adsorption and thermodynamic properties of dissymmetric gemini imidazolium surfactants with different spacer length

<p>A series of dissymmetric gemini imidazolium surfactants with different spacer length ([C_<i>m</i>C_<i>s</i>C_<i>n</i>im]Br₂, <i>m</i> + <i>n</i> = 24, <i>m</i> = 12, 14, 16, 18; <i>s</i> = 2, 4, 6) were synthesized and characterized by ¹H NMR and ESI-MS spectroscopy. Their adsorption and thermodynamic properties were investigated by the surface tension and electrical conductivity methods. Consequently, the surface activity parameters (cmc, γ_cmc, <i>π</i>_cmc, p<i>C</i>₂₀, cmc/<i>C</i>₂₀, <i>Γ</i>_max, <i>A</i>_min) and thermodynamic parameters (Δ<i>G</i>_m^θ, Δ<i>H</i>_m^θ, Δ<i>S</i>_m^θ) were obtained. The effects of the dissymmetry (<i>m</i>/<i>n</i>) and the spacer length (<i>s</i>) on the surface activity and micellization process of surfactants have been discussed in detail.</p

Target Vessel, Stent Length and Stent Diameter of the included studies.

<p>Target Vessel, Stent Length and Stent Diameter of the included studies.</p

Individual and summary odds ratios for definite stent thrombosis (DST) in patients treated with BP-DES vs. BMS.

<p>Individual and summary odds ratios for definite stent thrombosis (DST) in patients treated with BP-DES vs. BMS.</p

Vessel Size and Lesion Length of the included studies.

<p>Vessel Size and Lesion Length of the included studies.</p

Flow diagram of the review process.

<p>Flow diagram of the review process.</p

Individual and summary odds ratios for myocardial infarction in patients treated with BP-DES vs. BMS.

<p>Individual and summary odds ratios for myocardial infarction in patients treated with BP-DES vs. BMS.</p

Standardized mean difference (SMD) for ISLL in patients treated with BP-DES vs. BMS.

<p>Standardized mean difference (SMD) for ISLL in patients treated with BP-DES vs. BMS.</p