Feasibility of contour mapping epidemiological data with missing values

Data of epidemiologic interest often occur as spatial information during each of several time periods. In most cases data are available from a set of regions or localities which can be viewed as points in a plane. Although contour mapping is useful for displaying these data, the lack of data for all data points in a region may lead to erroneous interpretation. In this paper we use stimulation to investigate the impact of missing data points for contour mapping using two distinct simulated spatial-time distributions for epidemiologic variables. A model for the occurrence of malaria in localities randomly distributed in one region is chosen as the prototype for data generation.     

The need for more efficacy and relevance in medical education

To study quantitatively the effect of breathing exercises on the prevention of progression in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), 324 patients with stable COPD were randomly assigned to either breathing exercises (BE) or placebo medicine as control. The maximum respiratory pressure (320 cases) and transdiaphragmatic pressure (129 cases) were monitored with RMS-1 and Type-2 gastrointestinal pressure measuring instrument. BE were taught and checked by experienced specialists periodically. Patients in BE group were compared with those in the control group by measuring MIP, MEP, Pdi, and Pdimax after one to 20 months. In BE group MIP increased by 30.42%, MEP 32.10%, Pdi 30.94%, and Pdimax 65.59% (P < 0.001). No significant change was observed in the control group. MIP, MEP, Pdi, and Pdimax increased by 6.95%, 2.92%, 14.63% and 9.05% respectively (P < 0.05) in the control group. It is shown preliminarily that BE had potent and lasting effect on respiratory muscle contraction after studying large number of cases. The methods mentioned above can be used as quantitative indices for the contractile properties of respiratory muscle.     

A method providing bidirectional control of coil delivery in occlusions of patent ductus arteriosus with shallow ampulla and Pott's shunts

A novel method using a snare and bioptome to provide bidirectional control of a Gianturco coil for occlusion of a patent ductus arteriosus with a shallow ampulla and Pott's shunts is presented. This method greatly reduces the risk of coil embolization and optimizes coil position in difficult cases.     

Steatorrhea and weight loss in a 72-year-old man: primary biliary cirrhosis? Celiac disease? Bacterial overgrowth? What else?

Unintentional weight loss is an ominous sign, particularly when it occurs in the elderly; concern for malignancy is especially worrisome. In this report, we describe a 72-yr-old man who presented with weight loss and was found to have massive steatorrhea. An extensive evaluation revealed evidence of primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC), celiac disease, and small intestinal bacterial overgrowth. No malignancy was identified. The weight loss was attributed to severe steatorrhea due, in part, to intraluminal bile salt deficiency, small bowel mucosal disease, and bacterial overgrowth. Several points are discussed regarding gastrointestinal function in elderly patients with chronic liver disease secondary to PBC. The rare association between PBC and celiac disease in adults is also discussed. Finally, we suggest that bacterial overgrowth plays a significant role in the development of steatorrhea in some persons with PBC and that an assessment for bacterial overgrowth should be performed on persons with steatorrhea and PBC.     

Dosimetry fundamentals of endovascular therapy using Re-188 for the prevention of restenosis after angioplasty]

This study investigated whether self-esteem precedes various academic behaviors and beliefs among 593 high school students (63.7% female, 60.9% African American). Measures of home and school self-esteem, grade point average, perceived academic standing and progress, and educational plans were collected by survey and archival review of grade and attendance records at the beginning (pre-test) and end of the school year (post-test). Self-esteem and academic variables differed by gender, race, and guardianship. Self-esteem related significantly to academics and absenteeism. Results suggest selected academic variables predict self-esteem even when the effects of gender, race, and guardianship are removed and pretest self-esteem scores are controlled. In conclusion, student academic performance influences subsequent academic and home self-esteem. Creation of positive academic experiences for youth may be a critical activity, since experts contend that low self-esteem is associated with subsequent behavioral problems. The markedly lower self-esteem of Native American and Hispanic youth warrants further investigation.     

Anticarcinogenic effect of palustran on development of tumors induced by 3-(1-alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl)-1-methyl-1-nitrosourea (AMNU) in rats

Clinical manifestations of superior sagittal sinus (SSS) thrombosis are nonspecific but characterized by headache, papilledema, seizures, focal deficits, progressive coma and death. Recurrent transient focal neurologic deficit is an extremely rare manifestation in superior sagittal sinus thrombosis and the mechanism is unknown. A 45-year-old man presented with headache for two weeks and four episodes of transient (5-10 minutes) right or left hemiparesis for two days. Magnetic resonance image and transfemoral cerebral angiography revealed superior sagittal sinus thrombosis with numerous prominent collateral venous channels. There was no parenchymal lesion. After four days of heparinization, no further transient focal neurologic deficits developed. Follow-up angiography showed partial recanalization of the SSS. Possible mechanism of transient ischemic attacks in this patient is thought to be a transient functional disturbance due to a temporal reduction of tissue perfusion in the process of operating fully-enough collateral channels.     

Comparison of the in vitro and in vivo effects of meropenem and ciprofloxacin on the morphology of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus

Second-semester ultrasonography of a female fetus documented short femora and humeri and dislocation of the radii. Based on the clinical and postmortem radiological findings, autosomal-recessive omodysplasia was diagnosed. The physeal plates of the long tubular bones were assessed by computer-assisted image analysis. The dimensions and orientation of the chondrocytic lacunae in the physeal plates of the omodysplastic fetus were compared with those in the physeal plates of fetuses without gross limb abnormalities (oligohydramnios, n = 2; hydrocephalus, n = 2; Down syndrome, n = 1). The pathological characteristics of the omodysplastic physeal plates were an expanded zone of proliferating cartilage and an increased number of closely packed, small chondrocytes. We propose that a genetic, functional deficiency of the physeal cells, underlying the short-limbed dwarfism of autosomal-recessive omodysplasia, is partially compensated, albeit ineffectively, by an increased number of small chondrocytes in the proliferating zone of the physeal plate.     

Experience-dependent plasticity in adult rat barrel cortex

This study tested the hypothesis that the receptive fields (RFs) of neurons in the adult sensory cortex are shaped by the recent history of sensory experience. Sensory experience was altered by a brief period of "whisker pairing": whiskers D2 and either D1 or D3 were left intact, while all other whiskers on the right side of the face were trimmed close to the fur. The animals were anesthetized 64-66 h later and the responses of single neurons in contralateral cortical barrel D2 to stimulation of whisker D2 (the center RF) and the four neighboring whiskers (D1, D3, C2, and E2; the excitatory surround RF) were measured. Data from 79 cells in four rats with whiskers paired were compared to data from 52 cells in four rats with untrimmed whiskers (control cases). During the period of whisker pairing, the RFs of cells in barrel D2 changed in three ways: (i) the response to the center RF, whisker D2, increased by 39%, (ii) the response to the paired surround RF whisker increased by 85-100%, and (iii) the response to all clipped (unpaired) surround RF whiskers decreased by 9-42%. In the control condition, the response of barrel D2 cells to the two neighboring whiskers, D1 and D3, was equal. After whisker pairing, the response to the paired neighbor of D2 was more than twice as large as the response to the cut neighbor of D2. These findings indicate that a brief change in the pattern of sensory activity can alter the configuration of cortical RFs, even in adult animals.     

Quantitative determination of thebaine in Papaver bracteatum by high-pressure liquid chromatography

A method is described for the quantitative analysis of thebaine from Papaver bracteatum, using a single high-pressure liquid chromatographic column. The procedure gives base-line separation of thebaine without the need for gradient elution equipment, and can be completed within 12 min. Thebaine isolated by this technique was shown to be pure, regardless of the age of plant or plant part from which it was obtained.     

BT之后是电驴——网际快车3．0电驴功能实测

我们知道,BT下载的优点是下载速度快、资源分布广、对服务器造成的负担较小,但缺点是每一个BT资源都有时效性.例如:两个月前的BT资源,现在多半是无效的,也就是通常说的"没种子了".而电驴(eMule)则不然,它的特点就是可使用多个途径搜索下载的资料源.由ED2K、来源交换、Kad共同组成一个可靠的网络结构.虽然速度上可能不及BT,但可以搜索得到更多的资源(包括一些N年前的东东).快车在其3.0版中加入对电驴的支持,无疑又将其可用性提高了一大截.至此,快车下载软件可以支持BT、eMule、FTP、HTTP等绝大部分下载方式.