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Useful Tool (useful + tool)
Kinds of Useful Tool Selected AbstractsAnimal Model with Detrusor Overactivity Caused by Cerebral Infarction as a Useful Tool for Pharmacological Therapeutic ApproachesLUTS, Issue 2009Osamu YOKOYAMA Supra-pontine lesions resulting from neurological disorders, such as vascular disease or Parkinson's disease, cause a sense of urgency, frequency, and/or urge incontinence, all of which constitute an overactive bladder. This phenomenon is due in part to the elimination of cortical inhibitory control of the micturition center in the pontine and in part to facilitation of excitatory control. These controls consist of several neurotransmitter systems that include acetylcholine, dopamine, and glutamate. The development of detrusor overactivity following cerebral infarction is mediated by upregulation and downregulation of excitatory and inhibitory inputs of these neurotransmitter systems to the micturition center in the brain, respectively. [source] CODES/Neural Network Model: a Useful Tool for in Silico Prediction of Oral Absorption and Blood-Brain Barrier Permeability of Structurally Diverse DrugsMOLECULAR INFORMATICS, Issue 2-3 2004Isabel Dorronsoro Abstract Two different neural network models able to predict both oral absorption (OA) and blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability of structurally diverse drugs in use clinically are presented here. Using the descriptors generated by CODES, a program which codifies molecules from a topological point of view, we avoid the uncertain choice of molecular conformation and physicochemical parameters. In this work, a method called Reduction of Dimensions, designed for compressing data, is applied for the first time in order to minimize the bias factor added to a QSAR study when the selection of descriptors are performed. [source] Developmentalism in Korea: A Useful Tool for Explaining the Role of Social Security in the Reduction of Poverty and InequalityASIAN SOCIAL WORK AND POLICY REVIEW, Issue 2 2008Sang Kyun Kim It is conventional wisdom that universalism is more effective than selectivism in addressing the problems of poverty and inequality. In providing income security for the elderly, retirement pensions calculated on the principle of social insurance represent universalism and social assistance benefits on the basis of means-test selectivism. Korea has both a contributory pension scheme and social assistance program for the elderly. The social assistance began in 1961. The contributory scheme, the National Pension, started belatedly in 1988 and its coverage expanded to the entire population in 1999. We can, therefore, expect that the social security system, especially the universal pension scheme based on social insurance, has some positive impacts on the reduction of poverty and inequality. This paper, however, raises doubt as to the conventional wisdom and thus reviews the developmental process of the Korean social security system for the aged. It was found that the dominant ideological controversy revolved, not around universalism versus selectivism, but around the option between developmentalism and other strategies. Our empirical analysis showed that the public pension had little impact on the reduction of poverty and inequality, particularly in comparison with advanced welfare states. This is not surprising at all, since poverty eradication and redistribution were not major objectives of the Korean social security system. The controversy between universalism and selectivism was relatively unfamiliar in the policy process of the Korean social security system. Even though the redistributive effect is getting larger as the National Pension system becomes mature, the developmentalist model has been proved to be a more useful tool for explaining the limited role of Korean social security. [source] ortho Lithiation of N-Pivaloylfluoroanilines as a Useful Tool for Either Selective Methylation or Benzoxazole Synthesis.CHEMINFORM, Issue 16 2005Yasuo Yoshida Abstract For Abstract see ChemInform Abstract in Full Text. [source] Prepackaged Ramberg,Baecklund Reagents: Useful Tools for Organic Synthesis.CHEMINFORM, Issue 48 2004Eric Block Abstract For Abstract see ChemInform Abstract in Full Text. [source] Premature cessation of breastfeeding in infants: development and evaluation of a predictive model in two Argentinian cohorts: the CLACYD study,, 1993,1999ACTA PAEDIATRICA, Issue 5 2001S Berra The objective of this study was to develop a model to predict premature cessation of breastfeeding of newborns, in order to detect at-risk groups that would benefit from special assistance programmes. The model was constructed using 700 children with a birthweight of 2000 g or more, in 2 representative cohorts in 1993 and 1995 (CLACYD I sample) in Córdoba, Argentina. Data were analysed from 632 of the cases. Mothers were selected during hospital admittance for childbirth and interviewed in their homes at 1 mo and 6 mo. To evaluate the model, an additional sample with similar characteristics was drawn during 1998 (CLACYD II sample). A questionnaire was administered to 347 mothers during the first 24,48 h after birth and a follow-up was completed at 6 mo, with weaning information on 291 cases. Premature cessation of breastfeeding was considered when it occurred prior to 6 mo. A logistic regression model was fitted to predict premature end of breastfeeding, and was applied to the CLACYD II sample. The calibration (Hosmer-Lemeshow C statistic) and the discrimination [area under the receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve] of the model were evaluated. The predictive factors of premature end of breastfeeding were: mother breastfed for less than 6 mo [odds ratio (OR) = 1.84,95% confidence interval (CI) 1.26,2.70], breastfeeding of previous child for less than 6 mo (OR = 4.01, 95% CI 2.58,6.20), the condition of the firstborn child (OR = 2.75, 95% CI 1.79,4.21), the first mother-child contact occurring after 90min of life (OR =1.88; 95% CI 1.22,2.91) and having an unplanned pregnancy (OR = 1.50, 95% CI 1.05,2.15). The calibration of the model was acceptable in the CLACYD I sample (p= 0.54), as well as in the CLACYD II sample (p= 0.18). The areas under the ROC curve were 0.72 and 0.68, respectively. Conclusion: A model has been suggested that provides some insight onto background factors for the premature end of breastfeeding. Although some limitations prevent its general use at a population level, it may be a useful tool in the identification of women with a high probability of early weaning. [source] A probabilistic approach for earthquake potential evaluation based on the load/unload response ratio methodCONCURRENCY AND COMPUTATION: PRACTICE & EXPERIENCE, Issue 12 2010Huai-Zhong Yu Abstract Previous studies indicate that the occurrence of a large earthquake might be predicted by anomalous temporal increase of the load/unload response ratio (LURR), which was often defined as the ratio of Benioff strain of small earthquakes released during loading and unloading time periods, corresponding to earth tide-induced Coulomb failure stress change on optimally oriented faults. The conventional LURR anomalous evaluation usually sets a critical LURR value, above which an earthquake may occur. In this paper a probabilistic approach for the evaluation of earthquake potential based on the LURR method is developed. In the approach, the occurrence probability of a future earthquake is quantitatively evaluated by assessing the confidence level of LURR anomaly associated with its stochastic distribution. As retrospective studies, we apply the approach to investigate the time series of LURR prior to the 50M>6.3 earthquakes that occurred in the Chinese mainland and the 21M>6.0 earthquakes in southern California over the past 30 years, and find high correlation between the confidence level of the LURR anomalies and the occurrence of the large earthquakes. We then depict all the high peaks that appeared in the LURR time series, and evaluate the earthquake occurrence rate as a function of the confidence level. The research results show considerable promise that our probabilistic approach may provide a useful tool to evaluate quantitatively the occurrence possibilities of future earthquakes. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Micro-focus X-ray computed tomography images of the 3D structure of the cranium of a fetus with asymmetric double malformationCONGENITAL ANOMALIES, Issue 1 2006Takashi Shibata ABSTRACT,, Reconstructed micro computed tomography (Micro-CT, µ-CT) images have revealed the detailed three-dimensional structure of the cranium of human fetal congenital anomalies for the first time. The objects were a head and a cervix of female autosite and a parasite consisting of only a head conjoined to the scapular region of the autosite of an asymmetric double malformation (asymmetric conjoined twins, heteropagus twinning) at a gestational age of 8 months. The cranium of the autosite was normal, but that of the parasite was characterized by otocephaly (agnathia, synotia, and monorhina) and almost all the cranial bones were of an abnormal shape. It is suggested that a part of occipital bone (the basioccipital and exoccipital bones), the vomer and cribriform plate were absent and this resulted in the fusion and overlapping of bilateral temporal and craniofacial bones that should have been adjacent to them. This resulted in a reformation and relocation of most of the cranial bones. Micro-CT is a useful tool to visualize the detailed bone structure which has not been clarified by the conventional dissection methods and other imaging technologies and is a powerful instrument for studying congenital anomalies. [source] Applying Network Analysis to the Conservation of Habitat Trees in Urban Environments: a Case Study from Brisbane, AustraliaCONSERVATION BIOLOGY, Issue 3 2006MONIKA RHODES conectividad de perchas; fauna que utiliza oquedades; planificación de la conservación; red sin escala; Tadarida australis Abstract:,In Australia more than 300 vertebrates, including 43 insectivorous bat species, depend on hollows in habitat trees for shelter, with many species using a network of multiple trees as roosts. We used roost-switching data on white-striped freetail bats (Tadarida australis; Microchiroptera: Molossidae) to construct a network representation of day roosts in suburban Brisbane, Australia. Bats were caught from a communal roost tree with a roosting group of several hundred individuals and released with transmitters. Each roost used by the bats represented a node in the network, and the movements of bats between roosts formed the links between nodes. Despite differences in gender and reproductive stages, the bats exhibited the same behavior throughout three radiotelemetry periods and over 500 bat days of radio tracking: each roosted in separate roosts, switched roosts very infrequently, and associated with other bats only at the communal roost. This network resembled a scale-free network in which the distribution of the number of links from each roost followed a power law. Despite being spread over a large geographic area (>200 km2), each roost was connected to others by less than three links. One roost (the hub or communal roost) defined the architecture of the network because it had the most links. That the network showed scale-free properties has profound implications for the management of the habitat trees of this roosting group. Scale-free networks provide high tolerance against stochastic events such as random roost removals but are susceptible to the selective removal of hub nodes. Network analysis is a useful tool for understanding the structural organization of habitat tree usage and allows the informed judgment of the relative importance of individual trees and hence the derivation of appropriate management decisions. Conservation planners and managers should emphasize the differential importance of habitat trees and think of them as being analogous to vital service centers in human societies. Resumen:,En Australia, más de 300 vertebrados, incluyendo 43 especies de murciélagos insectívoros, dependen de oquedades en árboles para refugiarse; muchas de ellas perchan en una red de múltiples árboles. Utilizamos datos de cambio de perchas en Tadarida australis (Microchiroptera: Molossidae) para construir una representación reticular de las perchas diurnas en los suburbios de Brisbane, Australia. Los murciélagos fueron capturados en un árbol con un grupo de varios cientos de individuos y liberados con transmisores. Cada percha utilizada por los murciélagos representó un nodo individual en la red, y los movimientos de murciélagos entre perchas constituyeron los eslabones entre los nodos. A pesar de las diferencias de género y etapas reproductivas, los murciélagos mostraron el mismo comportamiento en tres períodos de radiotelemetría y en más de 500 días de seguimiento de murciélagos: cada uno utilizó perchas separadas, cambiaban de percha poco frecuentemente, y se asociaron con otros murciélagos sólo en las perchas comunales. Esta red fue semejante a una red sin escala en la que la distribución del número de eslabones de cada percha cumplió una ley potencial. A pesar de estar dispersas en un área geográfica extensa (>200 km2), cada percha estaba conectada con otras por menos de tres eslabones. Una percha (el centro o percha comunal) definió la arquitectura de la red porque tenía a la mayoría de los eslabones. El hecho de que la red mostrara propiedades libres de escala tiene implicaciones profundas para la gestión de árboles que funcionan como perchas. Las redes libres de escala proporcionan alta tolerancia a eventos estocásticos como la remoción aleatoria de perchas, pero son susceptibles a la remoción selectiva de nodos centrales. El análisis de redes es una herramienta útil para el entendimiento de la organización estructural del uso de de árboles y permite el juicio informado de la importancia relativa de árboles individuales y por lo tanto la derivación de decisiones administrativas apropiadas Los planificadores y gestores de la conservación deberían enfatizar la importancia diferencial de árboles y considerarlos análogos a los centros de servicio vitales en las sociedades humanas. [source] Grazing Intensity and the Diversity of Grasshoppers, Butterflies, and Trap-Nesting Bees and WaspsCONSERVATION BIOLOGY, Issue 6 2002Andreas Kruess The reduction of management intensity can be a useful tool for the long-term conservation of the biological diversity of grasslands. We analyzed floral and faunal diversity on intensively and extensively (unintensively) grazed pastures and on 5- to 10-year-old ungrazed grasslands in northern Germany. Each of the three grassland habitats differing in grazing intensity was replicated six times. We related diverse taxa such as grasshoppers, butterfly adults and lepidopteran larvae, and trap-nesting solitary bees and wasps to vegetation structure. There was an increase of species richness and abundance from pastures to ungrazed grasslands. The percentage of parasitism of the most abundant trap-nesting species, the digger-wasp ( Trypoxylon figulus), was also higher on ungrazed grasslands. Decreased grazing on pastures enhanced species richness for adult butterflies only, whereas the abundance of adult butterflies, solitary bees and wasps, and their natural enemies increased. Although the differences in insect diversity between pastures and ungrazed grassland could be attributed to a greater vegetation height and heterogeneity ( bottom-up effects) on ungrazed areas, the differences between intensively and extensively grazed pastures could not be explained by changes in vegetation characteristics. Hence, intensive grazing appeared to affect the insect communities through the disruption of plant-insect interactions. A mosaic of extensively grazed grassland and grassland left ungrazed for a few years may be a good means by which to maintain biodiversity and the strength of trophic interactions. Resumen: El mantenimiento de pastizales como hábitats distintos depende del manejo regular, generalmente, por medio de pastoreo o segado, pero se sabe que la diversidad de especies declina con el incremento de intensidad de manejo. La reducción de la intensidad de manejo puede ser una herramienta útil para la conservación a largo plazo de la biodiversidad de pastizales. Analizamos la diversidad florística y faunística en pastizales pastoreados intensiva y extensivamente (no intensivos) y en pastizales de 5 a 10 años no pastoreados en el norte de Alemania. Cada uno de los tres hábitats de pastizal diferentes en el grado de pastoreo fue replicado seis veces. Relacionamos diversos taxones como chapulines, mariposas adultas, larvas de lepidópteros y abejas y avispas solitarias con la estructura de la vegetación. Hubo un incremento en la riqueza y abundancia de especies de pastizales pastoreados a no pastoreados. El porcentaje de parasitismo de la especie de avispa más abundante ( Trypoxylon figulus) también fue mayor en pastizales no pastoreados. La reducción del pastoreo incrementó la riqueza de especies de mariposas adultas solamente, mientras que incrementó la abundancia de mariposas adultas, abejas y avispas solitarias y sus enemigos naturales. Aunque las diferencias en la diversidad de insectos entre pastizales pastoreados y no pastoreados pudiera atribuirse a la mayor altura de la vegetación y a la heterogeneidad (efectos abajo-arriba) en áreas no pastoreadas, las diferencias entre pastizales pastoreados intensiva y extensivamente no podría explicarse por cambios en las características de la vegetación. Por consiguiente, el pastoreo intensivo aparentemente afectó a las comunidades de insectos por la disrupción de las interacciones planta-animal. Un mosaico de pastizales pastoreados extensivamente y pastizales sin pastoreo por varios años puede ser una buena estrategia para mantener la biodiversidad y la vigencia de las interacciones tróficas. [source] A spot test for detection of cobalt release , early experience and findingsCONTACT DERMATITIS, Issue 2 2010Jacob P. Thyssen Background: It is often difficult to establish clinical relevance of metal exposure in cobalt-allergic patients. Dermatologists and patients may incorrectly assume that many metallic items release cobalt at levels that may cause cobalt dermatitis. Cobalt-allergic patients may be unaware that they are exposed to cobalt from handling work items, causing hand dermatitis. Objectives: To present early findings with a newly developed cobalt spot test. Methods and Results: A cobalt spot test based on disodium-1-nitroso-2-naphthol-3,6-disulfonate was able to identify cobalt release at 8.3 ppm. The test may also be used as a gel test if combined with an agar preparation. We found no false-positive reactions when testing metals and alloys known not to contain cobalt. However, one cobalt-containing alloy, which elicited cobalt dermatitis in cobalt-allergic patients, was negative upon cobalt gel testing. Conclusions: The cobalt test detects amounts of cobalt release that approximate the elicitation concentration seen in cobalt-allergic patients. It may serve as a useful tool in dermatology offices and workplaces. [source] Cross-reactivity among p -amino group compounds in sulfonamide fixed drug eruption: diagnostic value of patch testingCONTACT DERMATITIS, Issue 2 2004P. Tornero We studied 28 patients with fixed drug eruption (FDE) caused by sulfonamide antibiotics to investigate cross-reactivity between sulfonamide derivatives and p -amino compounds and to explore the usefulness of patch testing, as an alternative to controlled oral challenge testing (COCT), in diagnosis within this clinical area. COCT with sulfamethoxazole (SMX), sulfadiazine (SDZ), sulfamethizole (SMZ), furosemide (FU), procaine (PRO) and glipizide (GPZ) was performed. Patch testing (PT) with SMX and SDZ was carried out. In all patients, the diagnosis of FDE was confirmed by positive COCT and allergy to trimethoprim ruled out by COCT. 42.8 and 31.8% of the SMX-induced FDE patients reacted to SMZ and SDZ, respectively. All patients (n = 28) tolerated FU, PRO and GPZ. COCT performed with the 3 sulfonamide antibiotics in 12 patients was positive in 2 subjects with the 3 drugs, in 2 patients only with SMX and SMZ and in the remaining 8, SMX was the only causative drug. PT was positive in 5 of 25 patients positive on COCT. The probability of obtaining a positive PT was higher among patients who had a residual lesion than that among those who lacked this. Cross-reactivity between different sulfonamide antibiotics is thus variable, being most likely between SMX and SMZ. We have found no cross-reactivity between sulfonamide antibiotics and other sulfonamide derivatives or p -amino drugs in FDE. PT is a useful tool in the diagnosis of FDE, especially if there are residual lesions, because it avoided the need for COCT in 20% of patients. [source] Exploring the possibility of risk assessment of Japanese sexual offenders using Static-99CRIMINAL BEHAVIOUR AND MENTAL HEALTH, Issue 3 2006Junya Sudo Background,The number of sexual offences reported in Japan doubled between 1992 and 2002. This has prompted attention to assessment of risk of recidivism. Aims,To explore whether an actuarial assessment of risk widely used in the West can be meaningfully applied to Japanese men serving a prison sentence for sexual offences. Method,All sex offenders incarcerated in Kitakyushu Medical Prison in Fukuoka at any time in a period of one year (1 July 2002-30 June 2003) were identified. Demographic data, characteristics of offences and the Static-99 were rated from records. Results,Following a slightly modified application of coding rules, all items of the Static-99 were rateable. Nine offenders of 45 whose Static-99 score was over 6 were thus identified as high-risk offenders. The items distinguishing apparently high-risk men were history of institutionalization as a delinquent and mental retardation. Conclusions and implications for practice,The Static-99 may be a useful tool in assessing sex offenders in Japan. With apparently increasing recognition of sex crimes here, it seems timely to be developing a systematic approach to assessment. Further work is required to test its value in practice as a predictor of recidivism. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] DNA ploidy and cell cycle analyses in the bone marrow cells of patients with megaloblastic anemia using laser scanning cytometry,CYTOMETRY, Issue 2 2008Takayuki Tsujioka Abstract Background: Megaloblastic anemias are characterized by several hematopoietic cells with dysplastic nuclear morphology. The analyses of DNA ploidy and cell cycle of these cells are important to understand the property of such diseases. Methods: As laser scanning cytometry (LSC) is a useful tool to evaluate the morphology of the cells fixed on the slide glass together with the quantitative analysis of the fluorescence information of each cell by rapid scanning of the specimens, the authors examined the DNA ploidy and cell cycle of six cases with megaloblastic anemia using LSC. Results: Giant neutrophilic series such as giant metamyelocytes and giant band cells were found to have extraordinarily higher DNA ploidy, while hypersegmented neutrophils represented the normal diploid pattern like normal neutrophils. As to megaloblasts, cell cycle analysis showed that the proportion of the cells in S phase was increased as compared with the case of normal erythroblasts. Conclusions: The present study clearly demonstrates the abnormal aspects of the hematopoietic cells with megaloblastic anemia from the viewpoint of the DNA ploidy and cell cycle analyzed by the use of LSC. © 2007 Clinical Cytometry Society. [source] Peripheral blood MDS score: A new flow cytometric tool for the diagnosis of myelodysplastic syndromes,CYTOMETRY, Issue 1 2005Sindhu Cherian Abstract Background Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are a heterogeneous group of hematopoietic disorders diagnosed using morphologic and clinical findings supported by cytogenetics. Because abnormalities may be subtle, diagnosis using these approaches can be challenging. Flow cytometric (FCM) approaches have been described; however the value of bone marrow immunophenotyping in MDS remains unclear due to the variability in detected abnormalities. We sought to refine the FCM approach by using peripheral blood (PB) to create a clinically useful tool for the diagnosis of MDS. Methods PB from 15 patients with MDS was analyzed by multiparametric flow cytometry using an extensive panel of monoclonal antibodies. Patterns of neutrophil antigen expression were compared with those of normal controls (n = 16) to establish light scatter and/or immunophenotypic abnormalities that correlated with MDS. A scoring algorithm was developed and validated prospectively on a blinded patient set. Results PB neutrophils from patients with MDS had lower side scatter and higher expression of CD66 and CD11a than did controls. Some MDS PB neutrophils demonstrated abnormal CD116 and CD10 expression. Because none of these abnormalities proved consistently diagnostic, we sought to increase the power of the assay by devising a scoring system to allow the association of multiple abnormalities and account for phenotypic variations. The PB MDS score differentiated patients with MDS from controls (P < 0.0001) in the test set. In a prospective validation, the PB MDS score successfully identified patients with MDS (sensitivity 73%, specificity 90%). Conclusions FCM analysis of side scatter and only four additional immunophenotypic parameters of PB neutrophils using the PB MDS score proved more sensitive than standard laboratory approaches and may provide an additional, more reliable diagnostic tool in the identification of MDS. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Effects of Orlistat on Visceral Fat After LiposuctionDERMATOLOGIC SURGERY, Issue 3 2009TERESA MONTOYA MD BACKGROUND Liposuction can aggravate metabolic complications associated with obesity. It has been shown that the recovery of weight lost through these interventions is associated with body fat redistribution toward the visceral cavity, increasing metabolic risk factors for coronary heart disease such as insulin resistance and high triglyceride levels. OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to evaluate the consequences of liposuction on body mass redistribution and metabolic parameters 6 months after surgery and to evaluate the use of orlistat treatment (tetrahydrolipstatin) in controlling these parameters. METHODS A population of 31 women with a mean body mass index of 26.17±3.9 kg/m2 and undergoing liposuction of more than 1,000 cm3, was studied. Twelve of them were treated postsurgery with 120 mg of orlistat every 8 hours for the following 6 months. Anthropometric, analytical, and radiological (computed tomography) tests were performed to quantify visceral fat area before surgery and 6 months after surgery. RESULTS Despite weight loss after liposuction, visceral fat was not modified. Patients treated with orlistat showed a greater reduction in visceral fat, although not statistically significant. Orlistat use induced a reduction in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol values of 20.0±22.5 mg/dL, compared with an increase of 8.46±20.1 mg/dL in controls (p=.07). CONCLUSIONS Visceral fat does not decrease despite weight loss after liposuction. Orlistat use postliposuction might be a useful tool because it shows a tendency to reduce visceral fat and improve blood lipids profile. [source] Back to Basics: The Subcutaneous Island Pedicle FlapDERMATOLOGIC SURGERY, Issue 12p2 2004Janie M. Leonhardt MD Background. Optimal aesthetic reconstruction of cutaneous defects following excisional surgery is largely dependent on the availability of regional donor tissue that shares a likeness of the original tissue in color, texture, sebaceous quality, and thickness. The island pedicle flap is a useful tool in facial reconstruction because it minimizes regional anatomic distortion and optimizes tissue match. Objective. The objective was to review four locations where the island pedicle flap is a well-suited closure tool. Methods. We review flap planning and specific modifications of the island pedicle flap at four sites of closure, reinforcing its role as an important tool in facial reconstruction. Results. Through careful planning and implementation, the island pedicle flap may be used on the nasal tip, the nasal ala, the upper cheek, and the upper lip for closures with much success. Conclusion. The island pedicle flap remains an important tool in the armamentarium for surgeons in the repair of facial defects. [source] The Construction of the Myth of SurvivalDEVELOPMENT AND CHANGE, Issue 1 2007Mercedes González de la Rocha ABSTRACT A myth has come into being that the poor household/family is able to survive in spite of a lack of resources and the presence of macroeconomic policies that foster unemployment and poverty. It has an accompanying fable that tells of how the poor manage to implement survival strategies that are based on their endless capacity to work, to consume less and to be part of mutual help networks. This myth has become a useful tool for policy makers as they design more aggressive neoliberal economic adjustment policies. This contribution examines anthropological and sociological insights regarding the life of the poor and the organization of their households, in which women's paid and unpaid work is an integral part. Through the lens of a researcher in the field of urban poverty and household organization, the article re-examines the fable of the good survivor. Evidence debunks the myth, showing that the optimistic message of this fable does not match with the realities of the impact of economic change on women's lives. But the myth is sustained, as this more negative story is not one that supra-national policy actors want to hear. [source] Social functioning as an outcome measure in schizophrenia studiesACTA PSYCHIATRICA SCANDINAVICA, Issue 6 2007T. Burns Objective:, Deficits in social functioning are a core feature of schizophrenia. Method:, A literature search of English language articles published between January 1990 and December 2006 was undertaken to identify: i) scales used most frequently to assess social functioning in schizophrenia; and ii) the most frequently used social functioning scales in randomized, controlled trials of antipsychotics. A further search (without time limits) examined their psychometric properties. Results:, A total of 301 articles employed social functioning scales in the assessment of schizophrenia. These contained 87 potentially relevant measures. Only 14 randomized, controlled studies of antipsychotic agents were identified that examined social functioning. Scales varied greatly in terms of measurement approach, number and types of domains covered and scoring systems. A striking lack of data on psychometric properties was observed. Conclusion:, Limited consensus on the definition and measurement of social functioning exists. The Personal and Social Performance Scale is proposed as a useful tool in future research. [source] Using drinking in the dark to model prenatal binge-like exposure to ethanol in C57BL/6J miceDEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOBIOLOGY, Issue 6 2008Stephen L. Boehm II Abstract Animal models of prenatal ethanol exposure are necessary to more fully understand the effects of ethanol on the developing embryo/fetus. However, most models employ procedures that may produce additional maternal stress beyond that produced by ethanol alone. We employed a daily limited-access ethanol intake model called Drinking in the Dark (DID) to assess the effects of voluntary maternal binge-like ethanol intake on the developing mouse. Evidence suggests that binge exposure may be particularly harmful to the embryo/fetus, perhaps due to the relatively higher blood ethanol concentrations achieved. Pregnant females had mean daily ethanol intakes ranging from 4.2 to 6.4 g/kg ethanol over gestation, producing blood ethanol concentrations ranging from 115 to 182 mg/dL. This level of ethanol intake produced behavioral alterations among adolescent offspring that disappeared by adulthood, including altered sensitivity to ethanol's hypnotic actions. The DID model may provide a useful tool for studying the effects of prenatal ethanol exposure in mice. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Dev Psychobiol 50: 566,578, 2008. [source] Mycobacterium avium complex infection in a neck abscess: A diagnostic pitfall in fine-needle aspiration biopsy of head and neck lesionsDIAGNOSTIC CYTOPATHOLOGY, Issue 7 2009Valerie A. Fitzhugh M.D. Abstract Fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) is a useful tool in the diagnosis of mycobacterial disease, especially Mycobacterium tuberculosis. However, nontuberculous mycobacterial infection diagnosed with FNAB material is much rarer, with Mycobacterium avium complex being the most common. In this report, we present the case of a 21-year-old HIV positive man, who presented with a unilateral, tender, enlarging cervical neck mass. FNAB had revealed acute inflammation. Mycobacterium avium complex grew in culture from the material that was aspirated and was confirmed by DNA probe. Because of the paucity of articles on this subject in the cytology literature, it is important to reiterate the value of the material aspirated at the bedside and the clinic in the diagnosis of infectious disease. When faced with antibiotic-resistant cellulitis and abscesses, the FNAB material must be sent for acid fast bacteria smears and culture. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2009. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Immunocytochemical typing of primary tumors on fine-needle aspiration cytologies of lymph nodesDIAGNOSTIC CYTOPATHOLOGY, Issue 4 2008Alexandre Sherlley Casimiro Onofre M.Sc. Abstract The aim of this study was to analyze the role of immunocytochemistry as an ancillary method on routine FNACs of enlarged lymph nodes, using different markers. In a validating cohort study all patients had confirmatory histological and/or clinical follow-up. 10 FNACs were analyzed for the differentiation of Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (NHL) from metastatic carcinoma (MC), 30 cases to identify the sites of metastatic unknown primary tumors and 16 cases were checked to confirm clinical suspicion of a specific MC. Accuracy to differentiate NHL from MC was 100%, 92.3% to identify a primary tumor site of MC, and 100% to confirm a clinical suspicion of a specific MC. In 7 cases, the site of the primary tumor remained clinically unknown. Application of immunocytochemical markers on the same slide used for microscopic diagnosis is a useful tool in the routine assessment of FNACs of lymph nodes. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2008;36:207,215. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Adenoid cystic carcinoma of the breast diagnosed by fine-needle aspirationDIAGNOSTIC CYTOPATHOLOGY, Issue 4 2004Anjali Saqi M.D. Abstract Fine-needle aspiration cytology remains a useful tool for preoperative diagnosis of breast lesions. We describe a case of adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) of the breast detected by ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration (FNA). Subsequent histopathology corroborated the diagnosis. ACC is a rare but distinctive neoplasm of the breast that can be accurately diagnosed by FNA. Its infrequent presentation, favorable prognosis, and relatively conservative management in the breast prompt us to reinforce its features. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2004;30:271,274. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Conflict-induced Displacement and Involuntary Resettlement in Colombia: Putting Cernea's IRLR Model to the TestDISASTERS, Issue 3 2000H.C.R. Muggah This paper tests Cernea's (1997) impoverishment risks and livelihood reconstruction (IRLR) model in cases of conflict-induced displacement (CID). In applying the model to a situation involving internal conflict, the article illustrates the particular problems encountered by internally displaced people (IDPs) and policymakers charged to respond to them. The article searches for local interpretations of CID and resettlement through a comparative profile of two IDP settlements in Colombia: one urban, the other rural. It concludes that the IRLR model, when contextualised, provides a useful tool to identify and categorise risks of impoverishment and resettlement priorities. At the same time, however, the article demonstrates that the model insufficiently captures the root causes or causality of CID. [source] CNS response to a thermal stressor in human volunteers and rats may predict the clinical utility of analgesicsDRUG DEVELOPMENT RESEARCH, Issue 1 2007David Borsook Abstract fMRI was used to test the hypothesis that global brain activation following a stressor (a thermal stimulus) that activates multiple brain circuits in healthy subjects can predict which drugs have higher potential for clinical utility for neuropathic pain. The rationale is that a drug will modulate multiple neural circuits that are activated by the system-specific stressor (e.g., pain). In neuropathic pain, some brain circuits have altered function, but most brain systems are "normal." Thus, the manner in which a drug effect on neural circuits is modulated by the stressor may provide insight into the clinical utility based on the readout of brain activation in response to the stimulus. Six drugs with known clinical efficacy (or lack thereof) in treating neuropathic pain were selected and the CNS response to each drug in the presence or absence of a pain stimulus was examined. The present results suggest that it is possible to identify potentially effective drugs based on patterns of brain activation in healthy human subjects and indicate that CNS activity is a more sensitive measure of drug action than standard psychophysical measures of pain intensity. This approach was repeated in rats and showed that a similar fMRI paradigm segregates these drugs in a similar manner suggesting a potential "translational tool" in evaluating drug efficacy for neuropathic pain. The sensitivity of this paradigm using fMRI allows clinical screening in small groups of healthy subjects, suggesting it could become a useful tool for drug development as well as for elucidating the mechanisms of neuropathic disease and therapy. Drug Dev. Res. 68:23,41, 2007. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] A minimum sample size required from Schmidt hammer measurementsEARTH SURFACE PROCESSES AND LANDFORMS, Issue 13 2009Tomasz Niedzielski Abstract The Schmidt hammer is a useful tool applied by geomorphologists to measure rock strength in field conditions. The essence of field application is to obtain a sufficiently large dataset of individual rebound values, which yields a meaningful numerical value of mean strength. Although there is general agreement that a certain minimum sample size is required to proceed with the statistics, the choice of size (i.e. number of individual impacts) was usually intuitive and arbitrary. In this paper we show a simple statistical method, based on the two-sample Student's t -test, to objectively estimate the minimum number of rebound measurements. We present the results as (1) the ,mean' and ,median' solutions, each providing a single estimate value, and (2) the empirical probability distribution of such estimates based on many field samples. Schmidt hammer data for 14 lithologies, 13,81 samples for each, with each sample consisting of 40 individual readings, have been evaluated, assuming different significance levels. The principal recommendations are: (1) the recommended minimum sample size for weak and moderately strong rock is 25; (2) a sample size of 15 is sufficient for sandstones and shales; (3) strong and coarse rocks require 30 readings at a site; (4) the minimum sample size may be reduced by one-third if the context of research allows for higher significance level for test statistics. Interpretations based on less than 10 readings from a site should definitely be avoided. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Prediction of the behaviour of landslide dams using a geomorphological dimensionless indexEARTH SURFACE PROCESSES AND LANDFORMS, Issue 1 2003L. Ermini Abstract Landslide dams are a common phenomenon. They form when a landslide reaches the bottom of a river valley causing a blockage. The first effect of such a dam is the infilling of a lake that inundates the areas upstream, while the possibility of a sudden dam collapse, with a rapid release of the impounded waters, poses a higher flood risk to the downstream areas. The results of the main inventories carried out to date on landslide dams, have been examined to determine criteria for forecasting landslide dam evolution with particular emphasis on the assessment of dam stability. Not all landslides result in the blockage of a river channel. This only occurs with ones that can move a large amount of material with moderate or high-velocities. In most cases, these landslides are triggered by rainfall events or high magnitude earthquakes. A relationship also exists between the volume of the displaced material and the landslide dam stability. Several authors have proposed that landslide dam behaviour can be forecast by defining various geomorphological indexes, that result from the combination of variables identifying both the dam and the dammed river channel. Further developments of this geomorphological approach are presented in this paper by the definition of a dimensionless blockage index. Starting with an analysis of 84 episodes selected worldwide, it proved to be a useful tool for making accurate predictions concerning the fate of a landslide dam. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] A System for Grouping Presenting Complaints: The Pediatric Emergency Reason for Visit ClustersACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE, Issue 8 2005MSCE, Marc H. Gorelick MD Abstract Objectives: To develop a set of chief complaint groupings for pediatric emergency department (ED) visits that is comprehensive, parsimonious, clinically sensible, and evidence-based. Methods: Investigators derived candidate chief complaint clusters and ranked them a priori into three perceived severity categories. Pediatric visits were extracted from the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NHAMCS); data for years 1998 and 2000 (n= 13,186) were used for derivation and data for year 1999 (n= 5,365) were used for validation. Visits were assigned to clusters based on the recorded complaints; clusters were combined to ensure adequate numbers for analysis (minimum n= 20), and the clusters were reviewed for clinical sensibility. Resource utilization was categorized in three levels: routine (examination only), ED treatment (tests or therapy in the ED but not admitted), and admission. Area under the receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC) was used to demonstrate the discriminative ability of the clusters in predicting resource use. Results: There were 463 unique complaints in the derivation database; 95 (20%) had a single associated visit. Fifty-two clusters were generated; only 2.4% of complaints were classified as other. The eight most common clusters encompassed 52% of the visits. The top five were fever (11%), extremity pain/injury, vomiting, cough, and trauma (unspecified). Complaint clusters were associated with actual resource utilization: for routine care, the AUC was 0.73 (0.74 in the validation set), and for admission, the AUC was 0.77 (0.74 in the validation set). Both resource utilization and triage classification increased with increased expert severity ranking (test for trend, p < 0.001). Conclusions: The proposed Pediatric Emergency Reason for Visit Cluster (PERC) system is a comprehensive yet parsimonious, clinically sensible means of categorizing pediatric ED complaints. The PERC system's association with measures of acuity and resource utilization makes it a potentially useful tool in epidemiologic and health services research. [source] Estimation of Coronary Flow Velocity Reserve Using Transthoracic Doppler Echocardiography and Cold Pressor Test Might Be Useful for Detecting of Patients with Variant AnginaECHOCARDIOGRAPHY, Issue 4 2010Hui-Jeong Hwang M.D. Purpose: The cold pressor test (CPT) has been used to detect variant angina, but its sensitivity in predicting vasospasm is low. The aim of this study was to determine whether estimates of the coronary flow velocity reserve (CFVR) in the distal left anterior descending coronary artery (dLAD) using transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) and CPT are useful tool to predict variant angina. Methods: 65 patients (mean age = 52 ± 10 years; male:female = 41:24) who had normal coronary artery on angiography and underwent acetylcholine provocation test were enrolled and divided into the spasm group (n = 31) and the no spasm group (n = 34). During CPT, the peak (PDV) and mean diastolic flow velocity (MDV) of the dLAD were estimated using TTE with a high-frequency transducer, and electrocardiography, blood pressures, heart rate, and symptoms were monitored every 30 seconds. CPT%PDV and CPT%MDV were defined as the percentage changes in PDV and MDV during CPT, respectively. Results: CPT%PDV was 4.99 ± 23.62% in the spasm group and 52.75 ± 24.78% in the no spasm group (P < 0.001). CPT%MDV was 6.83 ± 23.81% in the spasm group and 50.22 ± 27.83% in the no spasm group (P < 0.001). CPT%PDV<31.1% had a sensitivity of 93.5% and a specificity of 82.4% in predicting variant angina (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.939,0.979, P < 0.001). CPT%MDV<30.55% had a sensitivity of 90% and a specificity of 76.5% in predicting variant angina (95% CI: 0.884,0.950, P < 0.001). Conclusion: The measurement of changes in the coronary flow velocity of the dLAD using TTE and CPT might be useful for the estimation of endothelial dysfunction in patients with variant angina. (ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY 2010;27:435-441) [source] Using the internet to research hidden populations of illicit drug users: a reviewADDICTION, Issue 9 2010Peter G. Miller ABSTRACT Aims To review the current research of hidden populations of illicit drugs users using web-based methods and discuss major advantages and disadvantages. Methods Systematic review of 16 databases, including PubMed, PsycINFO (EBSCOhost), CSA Sociological Abstracts, Expanded Academic ASAP and Google Scholar. Findings Substances researched were most commonly ,party/club drugs' (such as ecstasy) and cannabis. All of the studies reviewed concluded that the internet is a useful tool for reaching hidden populations, but is likely to impose some bias in samples. Advantages include: access to previously under-researched target groups; speed; international applications; increased ease of data entry; and improved confidentiality for respondents. The major disadvantage is a lack of representativeness of samples. Conclusions Internet research is successful at accessing hidden populations of illicit drugs users, when appropriately targeted and provides unprecedented opportunities for research across a wide range of topics within the addictions field. Findings are unlikely to be generalisable to the general public, but appropriate for describing target populations. [source] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||