Absence or presence of a leak around tracheal tube may not affect postoperative croup in children

While multiple studies have investigated the association between serum cholesterol level and breast cancer, the results have generally been conflicting. No prior study has investigated its association with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) of the breast. In this hospital-based case-control study, 152 DCIS cases were compared to 242 controls (patients with benign surgical conditions). Unconditional logistic regression was used to compare the serum cholesterol levels, adjusting for relevant covariates. No statistically significant difference was observed for different quartiles of the serum cholesterol level as compared to the lowest quartile. Incidentally observed was an elevated risk for DCIS in postmenopausal versus premenopausal women, and in peri-menopausal versus premenopausal women. There is no apparent association between the serum cholesterol level and breast DCIS.     

CT appearance of direct leukemic invasion of bowel

Although leukemic invasion of bowel is frequently seen on pathologic examination, it has rarely been described in the imaging literature. Previous radiographic reports have relied mostly on non-cross-sectional imaging techniques such as barium enema and have detected abnormalities only in the most advanced stages of disease when prognosis is uniformly poor. We describe a case of direct leukemic invasion seen on computed tomography which may offer the advantage of earlier detection and more favorable prognosis.     

Histone deacetylase. A key enzyme for the binding of regulatory proteins to chromatin

Stone and urine composition were analysed in 75 men and 40 women with recurrent calcium oxalate stone disease (group R) and in 48 men and 19 women who had formed only one calcium-oxalate-containing stone (group S). Patients who had developed stones with a large fraction of calcium phosphate were significantly more frequent in group R than in group S. There was furthermore a higher excretion of calcium and higher calcium oxalate supersaturation levels in patients with stones containing more than 25% calcium phosphate. It was concluded from these observations that the calcium phosphate content of renal stones might be a useful factor in predicting the future course of the disease.     

The Pediatric Oncology Group experience with the international staging system criteria for neuroblastoma. Member Institutions of the Pediatric Oncology Group

PURPOSE: An international consensus on the criteria for surgicopathologic staging (INSS) of patients with neuroblastoma has been published, but has not been validated. A retrospective study was conducted to assess if the INSS definitions identified prognostic subsets of patients with neuroblastoma. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The initial operative and pathology reports were reviewed from 675 patients on Pediatric Oncology Group (POG) #8104, a stage- and age-related treatment study that used the POG surgicopathologic staging system. RESULTS: Of 596 eligible cases, there was concordance between the POG and INSS stages for the 193 patients with localized, resected disease (POG stage A), the 202 with distant metastases, the 51 with POG stage Ds (IVs) tumors, and 40 of the cases with grossly unresected, localized tumor without lymph node involvement (POG stage B). Of the remaining 19 patients with POG stage B tumors, five were INSS stage 2B and 14 INSS stage 3. All of the 91 cases with nonadherent, regional lymph node metastases (POG stage C) conformed to the definitions for INSS stage 2B (n = 42) or 3 (n = 49). In infants, there was no difference in event-free survival (EFS) among INSS stages 2A, 2B, or 3. In contrast, older children with INSS stage 3 disease had inferior EFS compared with INSS stage 2A or 2B tumors. CONCLUSION: We conclude the following: (1) the INSS identifies distinct patient subsets, particularly in children; (2) infants remain a favorable group, regardless of INSS/POG stage; and (3) the INSS deserves further prospective study especially in the light of recent biologic prognostic variables.     

Infrared study of the interaction of acrylic bone cement with bone marrow

Infrared spectroscopy was used for the characterization of some commercial bone cements and investigation of their interaction with bone marrow. The infrared spectra of the cements and their mixtures with bone marrow were recorded after various periods ranging from 1 day to 8 weeks. The quantitative analysis of infrared spectra of the mixtures provided strong evidence that a certain reaction takes place between the acrylic resins and the bone marrow. It was found that the rate of reaction depends on the concentration of the bone marrow and the ageing time. The rate of reaction showed a maximum at 22 and 31 days according to the concentration of the bone marrow and then decreased with ageing up to 8 weeks.     

Asymmetric excitation of symmetric single-mode Y-junctions: theradiation mode effects

The asymmetric excitation of a symmetric single-mode Y-junction is studied using two techniques: the standard BPM and a modal analysis based on the radiation spectrum. The authors found that the power splitting between the two outputs of the junction is strongly dependent on the coherent coupling of the odd radiation modes excited at the input of the junction. A GaAs-GaAlAs single-mode junction excited by a single-mode fiber is experimentally tested and a splitting ratio as high as 12 dB is obtained. Such a result, which could not be explained if the radiation field is neglected, proposes new applications of the Y-junction like an optical displacement sensor with a high sensitivity on the order to 5 dB/μm     

Identification of the genetic locus for keratosis palmaris et plantaris on chromosome 17 near the RARA and keratin type I genes

Although the letter of recommendation is the most commonly requested information relating to the personal qualities of applicants to dietetics internship programs, little research has focused on its value in selection decisions. The purpose of this study was to review how 318 letters of recommendation submitted on a standardized form related to the source of the reference and to the admission status of the applicants. The form contained 40 attributes that raters assigned to one of six categories. Nine of the 40 attributes were not rated by more than 75% of the raters, and 3 of the attributes were rated as outstanding by more than 60% of the raters. We concluded that these attributes did little to distinguish among applicants. The attribute maturity correlated 0.70 with 5 attributes and 0.99 with 2 attributes, so duplication of information existed. Raters were categorized as follows: adviser, major professor, other professor, employer, and other. The highest mean ratings were given by advisers; major professors rated students lowest. Analysis of variance supported a significant difference in rating by type of rater. Our findings suggest that fewer items should be used on a standardized form and that the type of rater should be specified if references are to distinguish among applicants.     

Improved design of stable and fast-folding model proteins

Influence of heart rate and respiration on beat-to-beat variability of left ventricular indexes measured by acoustic quantification was examined. These indexes were correlated with their counterparts measured by M-mode echocardiography. Parameters of left ventricular performance were recorded for 1 full minute in 43 children with a mean age of 5.9 +/- 3.9 years. Beat-to-beat variability was documented. The effect of respiration on such variability was examined in another 10 subjects. A wide range of heart rates and respiration did not show significant influence on the degree of variance among these parameters. The indexes measured correlated well with their counterparts measured by M-mode echocardiography. Acoustic quantification separated those with normal from those with abnormal left ventricular function with the same statistical significance as did M-mode echocardiography. A moderate degree of beat-to-beat variability occurs in acoustic quantification-derived left ventricular indexes. Heart rate variability and respiration do not influence the beat-to-beat variance of parameters of left ventricular performance measured with the acoustic quantification. Excellent correlation was documented between this technique and M-mode echocardiography.     

Mixed convection within a porous heat generating horizontal annulus

A numerical investigation of mixed convection in a horizontal annulus filled with a uniform fluid-saturated porous medium in the presence of internal heat generation is carried out. The inner cylinder is heated while the outer cylinder is cooled. The forced flow is induced by the cold outer cylinder rotating at a constant angular velocity. The flow field is modeled using a generalized form of the momentum equation that accounts for the presence of porous medium viscous, Darcian and inertial effects. Discretization of the governing equations is achieved using a finite element scheme based on the Galerkin method of weighted residuals. Comparisons with previous works are performed and the results show excellent agreement. The effects of pertinent parameters such as the internal Rayleigh number, the Darcy number, the annulus gap, and the Richardson number on the flow and heat transfer characteristics are considered in the present study. The obtained results depict that the Richardson number plays a significant role on the heat transfer characterization within the annulus. The present results show that an increase in Reynolds number has a significant effect on the flow patterns within the annulus with respect to two-eddy, one-eddy and no-eddy flows. Categorization of the flow regimes according to the number of eddies is established on the Ra-Re plane for various Rayleigh numbers.