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Confirmation
Kinds of Confirmation Terms modified by Confirmation Selected AbstractsTHURSTONIAN MODELS AND VARIANCE II: EXPERIMENTAL CONFIRMATION OF THE EFFECTS OF VARIANCE ON THURSTONIAN MODELS OF SCALINGJOURNAL OF SENSORY STUDIES, Issue 5 2006HEE-JIN KIM ABSTRACT Subjects rated taste intensities using category scales under a variety of experimental protocols, which induced differences in computed values of d,. These were explained in a Thurstonian/signal detection context, by variation in the effects of adaptation changing perceived intensities (perceptual variance), by the effects of forgetting (memory variance) and by differences in the idiosyncratic ways that subjects use category-rating scales (boundary variance). [source] Noninvasive Imaging, Treatment, and Microscopic Confirmation of Clearance of Basal Cell CarcinomaDERMATOLOGIC SURGERY, Issue 3 2003Mark Goldgeier MD BACKGROUND. The diagnosis of basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is generally established by skin biopsy followed by tissue preparation and microscopic analysis. Treatment of BCC is often accomplished by surgical excision. Objective. To confirm the presence of BCC with a noninvasive imaging technique, to treat the patient with a topical immune response modifier, and to confirm the clearance of BCC noninvasively. METHODS. Confocal microscopy (CM) is a noninvasive technique for real-time imaging of skin in vivo. Imiquimod, an immune response modifier, is applied topically by the patient to the skin lesion. RESULTS. The presence of BCC was confirmed with CM. Posttreatment CM imaging confirmed the clearance of BCC from the entire treatment field. Both the pretreatment and the posttreatment CM findings were confirmed by invasive biopsy. CONCLUSION. The ability to use CM to image in real time without discomfort to the patient makes it a powerful tool to assist in the diagnosis of skin disease. [source] Recent concepts in non-alcoholic fatty liver diseaseDIABETIC MEDICINE, Issue 9 2005L. A. Adams Abstract Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is present in up to one-third of the general population and in the majority of patients with metabolic risk factors such as obesity and diabetes. Insulin resistance is a key pathogenic factor resulting in hepatic fat accumulation. Recent evidence demonstrates NAFLD in turn exacerbates hepatic insulin resistance and often precedes glucose intolerance. Once hepatic steatosis is established, other factors, including oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, gut-derived lipopolysaccharide and adipocytokines, may promote hepatocellular damage, inflammation and progressive liver disease. Confirmation of the diagnosis of NAFLD can usually be achieved by imaging studies, however, staging the disease requires a liver biopsy. NAFLD is associated with an increased risk of all-cause death, probably because of complications of insulin resistance such as vascular disease, as well as cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, which occur in a minority of patients. NAFLD is also now recognized to account for a substantial proportion of patients previously diagnosed with ,cryptogenic cirrhosis'. Diabetes, obesity and the necroinflammatory form of NAFLD known as non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, are risk factors for progressive liver disease. Current treatment relies on weight loss and exercise, although various insulin-sensitizing medications appear promising. Further research is needed to identify which patients will achieve the most benefit from therapy. [source] For a Bayesian Account of Indirect ConfirmationDIALECTICA, Issue 2 2002Luca Moretti Laudan and Leplin have argued that empirically equivalent theories can elude underdetermination by resorting to indirect confirmation. Moreover, they have provided a qualitative account of indirect confirmation that Okasha has shown to be incoherent. In this paper, I develop Kukla's recent contention that indirect confirmation is grounded in the probability calculus. I provide a Bayesian rule to calculate the probability of a hypothesis given indirect evidence. I also suggest that the application of the rule presupposes the methodological relevance of non-empirical virtues of theories. If this is true, Laudan and Leplin's strategy will not work in many cases. Moreover, without an independent way of justifying the role of non-empirical virtues in methodology, the scientific realists cannot use indirect evidence to defeat underdetermination. [source] Confirmation: The Stewardship of BaptismDIALOG, Issue 3 2002Jerry L. Schmalenberger What is confirmation ministry? Confirmation has changed from being understood as a sacrament, marking the time at which a person receives his or her first communion, to a rite, a ritual in which the baptized is reminded of his or her baptismal vows and initiated into the community of discipleship. This articles explores confirmation as the stewardship of baptism among Batak Christians and Asian Lutherans. [source] Long-term landscape evolution: linking tectonics and surface processesEARTH SURFACE PROCESSES AND LANDFORMS, Issue 3 2007Paul Bishop Abstract Research in landscape evolution over millions to tens of millions of years slowed considerably in the mid-20th century, when Davisian and other approaches to geomorphology were replaced by functional, morphometric and ultimately process-based approaches. Hack's scheme of dynamic equilibrium in landscape evolution was perhaps the major theoretical contribution to long-term landscape evolution between the 1950s and about 1990, but it essentially ,looked back' to Davis for its springboard to a viewpoint contrary to that of Davis, as did less widely known schemes, such as Crickmay's hypothesis of unequal activity. Since about 1990, the field of long-term landscape evolution has blossomed again, stimulated by the plate tectonics revolution and its re-forging of the link between tectonics and topography, and by the development of numerical models that explore the links between tectonic processes and surface processes. This numerical modelling of landscape evolution has been built around formulation of bedrock river processes and slope processes, and has mostly focused on high-elevation passive continental margins and convergent zones; these models now routinely include flexural and denudational isostasy. Major breakthroughs in analytical and geochronological techniques have been of profound relevance to all of the above. Low-temperature thermochronology, and in particular apatite fission track analysis and (U,Th)/He analysis in apatite, have enabled rates of rock uplift and denudational exhumation from relatively shallow crustal depths (up to about 4 km) to be determined directly from, in effect, rock hand specimens. In a few situations, (U,Th)/He analysis has been used to determine the antiquity of major, long-wavelength topography. Cosmogenic isotope analysis has enabled the determination of the ,ages' of bedrock and sedimentary surfaces, and/or the rates of denudation of these surfaces. These latter advances represent in some ways a ,holy grail' in geomorphology in that they enable determination of ,dates and rates' of geomorphological processes directly from rock surfaces. The increasing availability of analytical techniques such as cosmogenic isotope analysis should mean that much larger data sets become possible and lead to more sophisticated analyses, such as probability density functions (PDFs) of cosmogenic ages and even of cosmogenic isotope concentrations (CICs). PDFs of isotope concentrations must be a function of catchment area geomorphology (including tectonics) and it is at least theoretically possible to infer aspects of source area geomorphology and geomorphological processes from PDFs of CICs in sediments (,detrital CICs'). Thus it may be possible to use PDFs of detrital CICs in basin sediments as a tool to infer aspects of the sediments' source area geomorphology and tectonics, complementing the standard sedimentological textural and compositional approaches to such issues. One of the most stimulating of recent conceptual advances has followed the considerations of the relationships between tectonics, climate and surface processes and especially the recognition of the importance of denudational isostasy in driving rock uplift (i.e. in driving tectonics and crustal processes). Attention has been focused very directly on surface processes and on the ways in which they may ,drive' rock uplift and thus even influence sub-surface crustal conditions, such as pressure and temperature. Consequently, the broader geoscience communities are looking to geomorphologists to provide more detailed information on rates and processes of bedrock channel incision, as well as on catchment responses to such bedrock channel processes. More sophisticated numerical models of processes in bedrock channels and on their flanking hillslopes are required. In current numerical models of long-term evolution of hillslopes and interfluves, for example, the simple dependency on slope of both the fluvial and hillslope components of these models means that a Davisian-type of landscape evolution characterized by slope lowering is inevitably ,confirmed' by the models. In numerical modelling, the next advances will require better parameterized algorithms for hillslope processes, and more sophisticated formulations of bedrock channel incision processes, incorporating, for example, the effects of sediment shielding of the bed. Such increasing sophistication must be matched by careful assessment and testing of model outputs using pre-established criteria and tests. Confirmation by these more sophisticated Davisian-type numerical models of slope lowering under conditions of tectonic stability (no active rock uplift), and of constant slope angle and steady-state landscape under conditions of ongoing rock uplift, will indicate that the Davis and Hack models are not mutually exclusive. A Hack-type model (or a variant of it, incorporating slope adjustment to rock strength rather than to regolith strength) will apply to active settings where there is sufficient stream power and/or sediment flux for channels to incise at the rate of rock uplift. Post-orogenic settings of decreased (or zero) active rock uplift would be characterized by a Davisian scheme of declining slope angles and non-steady-state (or transient) landscapes. Such post-orogenic landscapes deserve much more attention than they have received of late, not least because the intriguing questions they pose about the preservation of ancient landscapes were hinted at in passing in the 1960s and have recently re-surfaced. As we begin to ask again some of the grand questions that lay at the heart of geomorphology in its earliest days, large-scale geomorphology is on the threshold of another ,golden' era to match that of the first half of the 20th century, when cyclical approaches underpinned virtually all geomorphological work. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Successful Repair of Aortic and Mitral Incompetence Induced by Methylsergide Maleate: Confirmation by Intraoperative Transesophageal EchocardiographyECHOCARDIOGRAPHY, Issue 3 2003D.O., Thomas Joseph Methylsergide maleate, an effective anti-migraine medication, has a well-documented association with left-sided cardiac valve dysfunction. Prior reports have described cardiac valve dysfunction in patients using methylsergide chronically for a minimum of 6 years, with surgical intervention consisting of valve replacement for patients with intractable congestive heart failure. We report a 51-year-old woman who developed severe mitral and aortic valvular dysfunction after taking methylsergide maleate for migraine headaches for a period of 19 months, and who subsequently underwent aortic and mitral valve repair with excellent short-term results. (ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY, Volume 20, April 2003) [source] Monogenic diabetes: information seeking and genetic testing access via e-mailEUROPEAN DIABETES NURSING, Issue 2 2010M Shepherd RGN, PhD Honorary Clinical Senior Lecturer Abstract Background: Confirmation of monogenic diabetes by molecular genetic testing has allowed many patients, often previously assumed to have type 1 diabetes, to transfer from insulin injections to sulphonylurea tablets, with improvements in glycaemic control and quality of life: www.diabetesgenes.org provides information about monogenic diabetes and genetic testing. Aim: To investigate key issues raised by individuals who e-mailed the monogenic diabetes team about genetic testing and monogenic diabetes management. Methods: Sixty e-mail enquiries, received over a six-month period from patients and professionals worldwide, were analysed using a qualitative thematic content approach. Results: Five themes emerged: 1. Accessing genetic technology: patients and professionals both enquired about access to testing; 2. Presentation of evidence: medical facts presented by patients and professionals included characteristics specifically relevant to diagnosing monogenic diabetes; 3. Experiences of healthcare: patients often researched their condition online and some felt dissatisfied with routine consultations; 4. Seeking specialist advice regarding treatment: specific information was sought relating to management of neonatal diabetes or monogenic diabetes and pregnancy; 5. Searching for a cure through genetic technology: patients questioned whether genetic advances would lead to a cure for diabetes. Conclusion: This project offers the first insights into use of e-mail as a means of gaining access to a specialist monogenic team and information about genetic testing. Although providing advice via e-mail can prove complicated, particularly when received from patients under the care of other clinicians, it is an efficient means of communicating specialist knowledge. Study findings will aid development of a ,frequently asked questions' section of www.diabetesgenes.org. Copyright © 2010 FEND [source] Strain persistence of invasive Candida albicans in chronic hyperplastic candidosis that underwent malignant changeGERODONTOLOGY, Issue 2 2001DW Williams Abstract Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess persistence and tissue invasion of Candida albicans strains isolated from a 65 year-old patient with chronic hyperplastic candidosis (CHC), that subsequently developed into squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Materials and Methods: C. albicans (n=7) were recovered from the oral cavity of the patient over seven years. Confirmation of CHC and SCC in this patient was achieved by histopathological examination of incisional biopsy tissue. DNA fingerprinting was performed on the seven isolates from the CHC patient together with a further eight isolates from patients with normal oral mucosa (n=2), chronic atrophic candidosis (n=1), SCC (n=1) and CHC (n=4). Genotyping involved the use of inter-repeat PCR using the eukaryotic repeat primer 1251. Characterisation of the tissue invasive abilities of the isolates was achieved by infecting a commercially available reconstituted human oral epithelium (RHE; SkinEthic, Nice, France). After 24 h. C. albicans tissue invasion was assessed by histopathological examination. Results: DNA fingerprinting demonstrated strain persistence of C. albicans in the CHC patient over a seven year period despite provision of systemic antifungal therapy. The strain of C. albicans isolated from this patient was categorised as a high invader within the RHE compared to other isolates. Conclusions: Candidal strain persistence was evident in a patient with CHC over seven years. This persistence may be due to incomplete eradication from the oral cavity following antifungal therapy or subsequent recolonisation from other body sites or separate exogenous sources. The demonstration of enhanced in vitro tissue invasion by this particular strain may, in part, explain the progression to carcinoma. [source] Prednisolone Priming Enhances Th1 Response and Efficacy of Subsequent Lamivudine Therapy in Patients With Chronic Hepatitis BHEPATOLOGY, Issue 3 2000Yun-Fan Liaw M.D. Asian lamivudine trial has shown that hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) seroconversion rate during 1 year of lamivudine therapy was only 16% but was 64% in the subgroup of patients with a pretherapy serum alanine transaminase (ALT) level over 5 times the upper limit of normal (ULN). To test whether ALT rebound following corticosteroid priming enhances response to lamivudine therapy, a pilot study was conducted in 30 patients with ALT levels less than 5× ULN (43-169; N < 36 U/L). They received 30 mg of prednisolone daily for 3 weeks, 15 mg daily for 1 week, no treatment for 2 weeks, and then 150 mg of lamivudine daily for 9 months. Complete response (CR) was defined as ALT normalization with HBV-DNA seroclearance and HBeAg seroconversion. Peripheral blood mononuclear cell proliferation and cytokine secretion in response to recombinant HBV core antigen were serially assayed in 7 patients during priming and after withdrawal of prednisolone. Clinical rebound with an ALT over 5× ULN was observed in 20 patients (67%). Of these 20, 12 (60%) showed CR as compared with 1 (10%) of the 10 patients without significant ALT rebound (P < .002). The HBeAg seroconversion sustained in 70% of the patients 3 to 6 months after the end of lamivudine therapy. Immunological assays revealed that the responders showed Th1 dominant response and higher stimulation index to prednisolone priming. No serious side effect was encountered. These results suggest that corticosteroid priming induced immune/ALT rebound greatly enhances response to lamivudine therapy in chronic hepatitis B. Confirmation by randomized controlled trial is needed. [source] Confirmation of the role of ATG16l1 as a Crohn's disease susceptibility geneINFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASES, Issue 8 2007J.R. Fraser Cummings MRCP(UK) Abstract Background: A German genome-wide nonsynonymous single nucleotide polymorphism (nsSNP) association study identified ATG16L1 as a Crohn's disease (CD) susceptibility gene. The association appeared to be confined to the nsSNP rs2241880 and was confirmed in 2 German independent case-control collections (combined P = 4.0 × 10,8, odds ratio [OR] 1.45; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.21-1.74), a CD transmission disequilibrium test (TDT) collection, and an independent UK cohort. A weak statistical interaction with CARD15 was demonstrated. No association with ulcerative colitis (UC) was demonstrated. The aims of the study were to replicate the association with CD, examine subphenotype associations and statistical interactions with CARD15, IL23R, and the IBD5 risk haplotype, as well as explore the association with UC. Methods: The study included 645 CD and 676 UC rigorously phenotyped patients recruited from a single UK center. Unaffected controls comprised either spouses of patients (141) or individuals recruited from well-person clinics (1049). The nsSNP rs2241880 was genotyped using MassArray (Sequenom). Results: A strong association with CD was demonstrated (P = 2.33 × 10,7, OR 1.45 [1.25,1.67]), but no significant association was demonstrated with any subphenotype. We failed to replicate the reported interaction between rs2241880 and the CARD15 low-risk haplotypes dd and Dd. No significant statistical interaction with the 3 known CD susceptibility genes was seen. No association with UC susceptibility (P = 0.37, OR 1.06 [0.93-1.22]), or any UC subphenotype was identified. Conclusions: We confirmed the findings that ATG16L1 is a CD susceptibility gene and found no evidence of interaction with CARD15, IL23R, or IBD5. (Inflamm Bowel Dis 2007) [source] Molecular profiling of platinum resistant ovarian cancer,INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CANCER, Issue 8 2006Jozien Helleman Abstract The aim of this study is to discover a gene set that can predict resistance to platinum-based chemotherapy in ovarian cancer. The study was performed on 96 primary ovarian adenocarcinoma specimens from 2 hospitals all treated with platinum-based chemotherapy. In our search for genes, 24 specimens of the discovery set (5 nonresponders and 19 responders) were profiled in duplicate with 18K cDNA microarrays. Confirmation was done using quantitative RT-PCR on 72 independent specimens (9 nonresponders and 63 responders). Sixty-nine genes were differentially expressed between the nonresponders (n = 5) and the responders (n = 19) in the discovery phase. An algorithm was constructed to identify predictive genes in this discovery set. This resulted in 9 genes (FN1, TOP2A, LBR, ASS, COL3A1, STK6, SGPP1, ITGAE, PCNA), which were confirmed with qRT-PCR. This gene set predicted platinum resistance in an independent validation set of 72 tumours with a sensitivity of 89% (95% CI: 0.68,1.09) and a specificity of 59% (95% CI: 0.47,0.71)(OR = 0.09, p = 0.026). Multivariable analysis including patient and tumour characteristics demonstrated that this set of 9 genes is independent for the prediction of resistance (p < 0.01). The findings of this study are the discovery of a gene signature that classifies the tumours, according to their response, and a 9-gene set that determines resistance in an independent validation set that outperforms patient and tumour characteristics. A larger independent multicentre study should further confirm whether this 9-gene set can identify the patients who will not respond to platinum-based chemotherapy and could benefit from other therapies. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Determination of phthalate esters in cosmetics by gas chromatography with flame ionization detection and mass spectrometric detectionINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF COSMETIC SCIENCE, Issue 4 2005Huiming Chen GC-FID; GC-MS; Produits cosmétiques; Esters Phtaliques Synopsis A gas chromatography coupled with flame ionization detection (GC-FID) and mass spectrometric detection (MSD) method was developed to determine the six kinds of phthalate esters [dimethyl phthalate (DMP), diethyl phthalate (DEP), di- n -butyl phthalate (DBP), benzyl butyl phthalate (BBP), di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) and di- n -octyl phthalate (DOP)] in cosmetics (solid, cream and liquid cosmetics). The cosmetics were extracted with methanol by ultrasonic and then separated with high-speed centrifugation. The upper clear layer was dried and filtered through a 0.45 ,m pore diameter filter. The filtrate was injected into GC-FID/GC-MS for detection. GC-FID chromatogram was applied for qualitative analysis, external standard method was used for quantitative analysis. Confirmation of phthalate presence was undertaken by GC-EI-MS. The recovery range of all phthalates were between 92.0 and 110.0% with relative standard deviations between 1.95 and 5.92%. The low detection limits of the method were: 0.1 ng for DMP, DEP, DBP and BBP, 0.5 ng for DEHP and DOP. The method had advantages of high precision and sensitivity, simplicity of pretreatment. The method can be used to test the six kinds of phthalate esters in cosmetics. Resume Une méthode d'analyse par chromatographie gazeuse couplée à une détection par ionization de flamme (GC - FID) et une détection spectrométrique de masse (MSD) a été développée pour analyser 6 sortes d'esters phtaliques (phtalate de diméthyle (DMP), phtalate de diéthyle (DEP), phtalate de di- n -butyle (DBP), phtalate de benzylbutyle (BBP), phtalate de di-2-éthylhexyle (DEHP) et phtalate de di- n -octyle (DOP)) dans des produits cosmétiques (solides, crèmes et liquides). Les produits cosmétiques sont extraits au méthanol sous ultrason, puis séparés par ultracentrifugation. La phase supérieure limpide est déshydratée et filtrée sur un filtre de diamètre de pore moyen égal à 0,45 ,m. Le filtrat est injecté dans le système GC - FID/GC-MS pour analyse. Les chromatogrammes GC-FID sont utilisés pour l'analyse qualitative, des standards externes ont été utilisés pour l'analyse quantitative. La GC-EI-MS permet de confirmer la présence des esters phtaliques. Le taux de récupération de tous les esters est compris entre 92 et 110% avec une déviation standard allant de 1,95%à 5,92%. La limite de détection par cette méthode est de 0,1 ng pour DMP, DEP, DBP et BBP, 0,5 ng pour DEHP et DOP. Les avantages de cette méthode sont sa haute précision, sa sensibilité et la simplicité du prétraitement. Cette méthode peut être utilisée pour doser la présence des six sortes d'esters phtaliques dans des produits cosmétiques. [source] Confirmation of a recombinant allele B*5603 and a hypothetical reciprocal hybridINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF IMMUNOGENETICS, Issue 1 2002J.-Y. Lyou Summary From its DNA sequence, B*5603 is thought to be a product of gene conversion. We present here serological evidence of such an event and further speculate on a possible reciprocal hybrid yet to be identified. In addition, we report the allelic frequency of B*5603 in the Taiwanese population and its association with A*1101, Cw*01 and DRB1*1201. [source] Confirmation of the presence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex-specific DNA in three archaeological specimensINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF OSTEOARCHAEOLOGY, Issue 6 2002Mark Spigelman Abstract This journal published the first reported identification of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTB) DNA in ancient human remains but concerns were raised about the article two years after publication. These were based on methodology which, in the field of ancient DNA, was still developing. Here we present a re-examination of the 1993 research conducted on three specimens which exhibited palaeopathologies indicative of tuberculosis. The specimens were: an ulna from pre-European-contact Borneo, a spine from Byzantine Turkey, and a lumbar-sacral spine from 17th century Scotland. There was insufficient material to permit re-examination of all of the original samples. The earlier results were confirmed in two independent laboratories using different methodologies. MTB DNA complex-specific DNA amplicons were obtained, and sequenced in both laboratories, in a re-analysis of samples which supported the earlier findings. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Implementing a pre-operative checklist to increase patient safety: a 1-year follow-up of personnel attitudesACTA ANAESTHESIOLOGICA SCANDINAVICA, Issue 2 2010L. NILSSON Background: The operating room is a complex work environment with a high potential for adverse events. Protocols for perioperative verification processes have increasingly been recommended by professional organizations during the last few years. We assessed personnel attitudes to a pre-operative checklist (,time out') immediately before start of the operative procedure. Methods: ,Time out' was implemented in December 2007 as an additional safety barrier in two Swedish hospitals. One year later, in order to assess how the checklist was perceived, a questionnaire was sent by e-mail to 704 persons in the operating departments, including surgeons, anesthesiologists, operation and anesthetic nurses and nurse assistants. In order to identify differences in response between professions, each alternative in the questionnaire was assigned a numerical value. Results: The questionnaire was answered by 331 (47%) persons and 93% responded that ,time out' contributes to increased patient safety. Eighty-six percent thought that ,time out' gave an opportunity to identify and solve problems. Confirmation of patient identity, correct procedure, correct side and checking of allergies or contagious diseases were considered ,very important' by 78,84% of the responders. Attitudes to checking of patient positioning, allergies and review of potential critical moments were positive but differed significantly between the professions. Attitudes to a similar checklist at the end of surgery were positive and 72,99% agreed to the different elements. Conclusion: Staff attitudes toward a surgical checklist were mostly positive 1 year after their introduction in two large hospitals in central Sweden. [source] Listeria monocytogenes in spontaneous abortions in humans and its detection by multiplex PCRJOURNAL OF APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 5 2007S. Kaur Abstract Aim: To assess the extent of Listeria monocytogenes in causation of human spontaneous abortions by isolation methods and PCR analysis for the presence of virulence-associated genes. Methods and Results: A total of 305 samples comprising blood, urine, placental bits, faecal and vaginal swabs were collected from 61 patients with spontaneous abortions. Listeria spp. were isolated from 10 samples collected from nine (14·8%) patients. Confirmation of these isolates was based on biochemical tests, haemolysis on blood agar, CAMP test, phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C (PI-PLC) assay followed by in vivo pathogenicity tests and multiplex PCR to detect virulence-associated genes (prfA, plcA, hlyA, actA and iap). Three isolates were confirmed as L. monocytogenes. Of these, two isolates turned out to be pathogenic and found to posses all five genes. However, the remaining two haemolytic L. monocytogenes isolates lacking the plcA gene and activity in the PI-PLC assay were found to be nonpathogenic by in vivo tests. Conclusions: The occurrence of pathogenic L. monocytogenes in cases of spontaneous abortions was 3·3%. It seems that the plcA gene and its expression have an important role as essential virulence determinants in pathogenic Listeria spp. Significance and Impact of the Study: The recovery of pathogenic L. monocytogenes isolates from cases of spontaneous abortion indicates the significance of listeric infection in pregnant women. [source] Validation of A brief sense of community scale: Confirmation of the principal theory of sense of communityJOURNAL OF COMMUNITY PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 1 2008N. Andrew Peterson First-order and second-order models of sense of community (SOC) were tested using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) of data gathered from a random sample of community residents (n=293) located in the midwestern United States. An 8-item Brief Sense of Community Scale (BSCS) was developed to represent the SOC dimensions of needs fulfillment, group membership, influence, and shared emotional connection. The CFA results for the BSCS supported both the scale's hypothesized first-order and second-order factor structure. The overall BSCS scale and its subscales were also found to be correlated as expected with community participation, psychological empowerment, mental health, and depression. Findings provide empirical support for the BSCS and its underlying multidimensional theory of SOC. Implications of the study are described and directions for future research discussed. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source] Consumer knowledge and use of country-of-origin information at the point of purchaseJOURNAL OF CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR, Issue 2 2004John P. Liefeld Abstract This paper reports an investigation of American and Canadian consumer acquisition and/or knowledge of the country of origin of products at the time of purchase. Consumer knowledge of the country of origin of purchased products was tested as purchasers left the cash register. If the purchaser knew the country of origin of the product just purchased, they were further questioned to discover the role such knowledge might have played in their choice between alternatives. More than 93 per cent of 1,248 purchasers intercepted at the cash register had not acquired while shopping, or did not know from prior experience, the country of origin of a product they had just purchased. Of the 91 (6.5 per cent) who had acquired or knew the country of origin of a product they had just purchased, only 27 (2.2 per cent of the total) indicated that their knowledge of the product's country of origin possibly might have played a role in their product choice. These findings reveal that the country of origin of products is not an important attribute in the choice processes of the great majority of North American consumers. Confirmation of these findings by replication with less obtrusive and more externally valid measures of consumer acquisition and use of product information prior to purchase is needed. Copyright © 2004 Henry Stewart Publications. [source] Determination and Confirmation of Chloramphenicol Residues in Swine Muscle and LiverJOURNAL OF FOOD SCIENCE, Issue 1 2002T.L. Li ABSTRACT: Average high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) recoveries of chloramphenicol (CAP) in swine muscle and liver ranged from 91.3 to 94.2% and 93.1 to 103.7%, respectively, with coefficients of variation ranging from 1.4 to 4.3% and 1.1 to 11.2% for each tissue sample. The method described was repeatable and reproducible in swine muscle and liver, with a limit of quantification of 15 ng/mL and a limit of detection estimated at 5 ng/mL. The limit of identification of CAP was 25 ng/mL, 5ng/mL, and 20 ng/mL for HPLC/PDA, GC/MS selected ion monitoring (SIM), and LC/MS analysis, respectively. [source] Detection of Acute Diazepam Exposure in Bone and Marrow: Influence of Tissue Type and the Dose-Death Interval on Sensitivity of Detection by ELISA with Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass Spectrometry Confirmation,JOURNAL OF FORENSIC SCIENCES, Issue 3 2009D.A.B.F.T., James H. Watterson Ph.D. Abstract:, Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) were used to detect diazepam exposure in skeletal tissues of rats (n = 15) given diazepam acutely (20 mg/kg, i.p.), and killed at various times postdose. Marrow, epiphyseal, and diaphyseal bone were isolated from extracted femora. Bone was cleaned, ground, and incubated in methanol. Marrow underwent ultrasonic homogenization. Extracts and homogenates were diluted in phosphate buffer, and then underwent solid-phase extraction and ELISA. Relative sensitivity of detection was examined in terms of relative decrease in absorbance (ELISA) and binary classification sensitivity (ELISA and LC/MS/MS). Overall, the data showed differences in relative sensitivity of detection of diazepam exposure in different tissue types (marrow > epiphyseal bone > diaphyseal bone), which is suggestive of heterogenous distribution in these tissues, and a decreasing sensitivity with increasing dose-death interval. Thus, the tissue type sampled and dose-death interval may contribute to the probability of detection of diazepam exposure in skeletal tissues. [source] Cancer incidence among persons with fragile X syndrome in Finland: a population-based studyJOURNAL OF INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY RESEARCH, Issue 1 2009R. Sund Abstract Background Fragile X syndrome is a common inheritable cause of intellectual disability (ID) and is characterised by a large number of CGG repeats at the gene FMR1 located on the X-chromosome. It has been reported that this genetic mechanism may protect against malignant transformations. Methods We extracted from the Finnish registry on persons with ID a cohort of 302 persons with a fragile X diagnosis during 1982,1986. Follow-up for cancer incidence was performed in the Finnish Cancer Registry until the end of the year 2005. Results There were 11 reported cancers during the mean follow-up of 21.4 years per person. The expected number of cancers based on the average Finnish population was 13.8 and no statistically significant protective effect was detected [standardised incidence ratios (SIR) 0.80, confidence interval (CI) 95% 0.40,1.4]. An increased risk for lip cancer was found (SIR 23, CI 95% 2.8,85). Conclusions Confirmation of hypotheses about the mechanisms linking FXS and cancer needs further research. [source] Comparison of the performance of rapid HIV tests using samples collected for surveillance in Mozambique,JOURNAL OF MEDICAL VIROLOGY, Issue 12 2009Josefa Melo Abstract Mozambique had low HIV prevalence until the mid-1990s, but recent data indicate increasing rates. There is little information on HIV-2. Therefore, HIV seroprevalence was assessed among pregnant women and field-ready HIV diagnostic strategies were evaluated. A total of 6,930 samples collected by three health centers from 2002 to 2005 were tested on site by nurses with two simple/rapid tests, Determine HIV-1/2 (Abbott Laboratories; screening) and Uni-Gold HIV (Trinity Biotech; confirmation), which is the national HIV testing strategy. The prevalence of HIV was 14.0% (2002), 17.8% (2003), 16.5% (2004), and 20.2% (2005). A subset of 888 samples collected 2003 was sent to the Central Microbiology Laboratory, Maputo for evaluation of tests and testing strategies. The assays included for comparison were Capillus HIV-1/HIV-2 (Trinity Biotech), DoubleCheckGold HIV-1&2 (Orgenics) and Enzygnost Anti-HIV-1/2 Plus (Behringwerke, reference ELISA). Confirmation of reactive samples was done by Uni-Gold HIV and ImmunoComb II HIV-1&2 BiSpot (for HIV type differentiation). The Capillus HIV-1/ HIV-2,+,ImmunoComb II HIV-1&2 BiSpot combination was the gold standard. The sensitivity of the rapid/simple screening assays (Determine HIV-1/2, DoubleCheckGold HIV-1&2) was 100% (N,=,160) and their (initial) specificities were 99.6% and 99.7%, respectively. Repeated testing and combinations of assays increased the specificity. Four suspected cases of recent seroconversion were found. Together with the increasing prevalence rates, this may indicate that Mozambique is a high-incidence area, although further studies are needed to confirm this. Testing strategies for on-site screening and confirmation based on the combination of Determine HIV-1/2, Uni-Gold HIV and DoubleCheckGold HIV-1&2 are well suited for local field use. J. Med. Virol. 81:1991,1998, 2009. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] HIV antigen,antibody combination enzyme immunoassay,the experience of a London Teaching HospitalJOURNAL OF MEDICAL VIROLOGY, Issue S1 2007Simon Goldenberg Abstract The introduction of the fourth generation HIV antigen,antibody combination enzyme immunoassay (HIV Ag,Ab EIA) has led to a reduction in the diagnostic "window period" when HIV antibody is negative during primary infection. This facilitates earlier laboratory diagnosis during sero-conversion. An HIV Ag,Ab EIA (AxSYM, Abbott Laboratories, Kent, UK) was introduced to a London Teaching Hospital since 2004 as the primary screening test. Confirmation was performed using another HIV Ag,Ab EIA (Vironostika, BioMérieux, Hampshire, UK) and an HIV Ab only assay (Bispot, Orgenics, Yavne, Israel). Retrospective analysis identified a total of 20 sero-converting patients who would have been missed if the standard antibody-only HIV tests had been used as the primary screening test. This accounted for approximately 3% of the new diagnoses made by the laboratory. The median time from onset of illness to sero-conversion was 18 days. Two patients had multiple samples analyzed between initial presentation and eventual sero-conversion. One had a prolonged sero-conversion illness lasting for over 137 days; the other sero-converted within 17 days. A plotting of the signal to cut-off ratio with time of the two HIV Ag,Ab EIAs showed a V-shaped curve and both tests were below cut-off at some time-points during sero-conversion. These two cases highlighted the difficulties in diagnosing HIV infection during sero-conversion. On the basis of these results, it is recommended that a fourth generation HIV Ag,Ab EIA could be considered for use as the standard of care, particularly in any population with a high rate of HIV infection. J. Med. Virol. 79:S23,S26, 2007. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Confirmation of the anxiolytic-like effect of dihydrohonokiol following behavioural and biochemical assessmentsJOURNAL OF PHARMACY AND PHARMACOLOGY: AN INTERNATI ONAL JOURNAL OF PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCE, Issue 5 2001Yuji Maruyama Previous studies in this laboratory revealed that dihydrohonokiol-B (DHH-B; 3,-(2 propenyl)-5-propyl-(1,1,-biphenyl)-2,4,-diol), a partially reduced derivative of honokiol, was an effective anxiolytic-like agent in mice at an oral dose of 0.04 mg kg,1, and at higher doses, when evaluated by the elevated plus-maze test. The aim of this study was to further confirm the anxiolytic-like effect of DHH-B using an additional behavioural procedure (Vogel's conflict test in mice) and a biochemical assessment (in-vitro determination of muscimol-stimulated 36Cl, uptake into mouse cortical synaptoneurosomes). As in earlier experiments, DHH-B (0.04,1 mg kg,1, p.o.) was shown to prolong the time spent in the open-sided arms of the elevated plus-maze in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, in the Vogel's conflict test, DHH-B (5 mg kg,1, p.o.) significantly increased punished water intake. In tests with mouse cerebral cortical synaptoneurosomes, 10 and 30 ,m of DHH-B significantly increased 36Cl, influx in the absence of muscimol. In the presence of 25 ,m muscimol, the addition of 1 ,m DHH-B led to significant enhancement of 36Cl, uptake, while 30 ,m DHH-B was required to further stimulate the 36Cl, uptake induced by 250 ,m muscimol. The results of these studies confirm that DHH-B is a potent anxiolytic-like agent and that GABAA receptor-gated Cl, -channel complex is involved in the anxiolytic-like efficacy of DHH-B. [source] Confirmation and determination of carboxylic acids in root exudates using LC,ESI-MSJOURNAL OF SEPARATION SCIENCE, JSS, Issue 15 2007Zuliang Chen Abstract Reversed-phase liquid chromatography with UV detection is of limited applicability in the separation and identification of carboxylic acids because of the column's poor separation efficiency and the non-selective nature of the UV detector. To address this issue, RP-LC with electrospray ionization mass spectrometry has been explored for the confirmation and determination of carboxylic acids in plant root exudates, with ESI-MS providing structural information, high selectivity, and high sensitivity. The separation of 10 carboxylic acids (pyruvic, lactic, malonic, maleic, fumaric, succinic, malic, tartaric, trans -aconitic, and citric acid) was performed on a C18 column using an eluent containing 0.1% (v/v) acetic acid within 10 min, where the acidic eluent not only suppressed the ionization of the carboxylic acids to be retained on the column, but was also compatible with ESI-MS detection. In addition, an additional standard was used to overcome the matrix effect. The results showed that peak areas correlated linearly with the concentration of carboxylic acids over the range 0.05,10 mg/L. The detection limits of target acids (signal-to-noise S/N ratio of 3) ranged from 20 to 30 ,g/L. Finally, the proposed method was used for the confirmation and determination of low-molecular-weight carboxylic acids in plant root exudates, and provided a simple analytical procedure, including sample processing, fast separation, and high specificity and sensitivity. [source] Confirmation of Correlations and Common Quantitative Trait Loci Between Neurotensin Receptor Density and Hypnotic Sensitivity to EthanolALCOHOLISM, Issue 12 2001V. Gene Erwin Background: In previous studies, genetic correlations were observed between hypnotic sensitivity to ethanol and high-affinity neurotensin receptor (NTS1) binding. Provisional quantitative trait loci (QTLs) were identified for these traits, and some of these QTLs were found on common chromosomal regions. In continued efforts to examine the relationship between NTS1 binding capacity and hypnotic sensitivity to ethanol, studies were designed to confirm correlations between NTS1 densities in the brain, duration of ethanol-induced loss of righting reflex (LORR), and blood ethanol concentrations at regain of righting reflex (BECRR). Another purpose of the study was to confirm QTLs for these traits. Methods: ILS X ISS F 2 mice and HAS X LAS F 2 rats as well as the progenitors were tested for LORR, BECRR, and NTS1 densities. Phenotypic correlations were calculated between LORR and BECRR and between these measures and NTS1 densities in striatum from both mice and rats. The F 2 mice were genotyped by using polymorphic markers for five previously reported QTLs for LORR to confirm QTLs for BECRR and NTS1 densities in striatum, ventral midbrain, and frontal cortex. Results: Phenotypic correlations were found between LORR and BECRR (r=,0.66 to ,0.74, p < 10,9) and between these measures and NTS1 densities in striatum (r= 0.28,0.38, p < 10,2) from both mice and rats. QTLs for LORR and BECRR (lod score = 2,6) were found in common regions of chromosomes 1, 2, and 15. By using the combined results from a previous LSXSS RI study and the current results, a suggestive QTL (lod score = 3.1) for striatal NTS1 receptor densities was found on chromosome 15 at approximately 60 cM, in the same region as the chromosome 15 LORR/BECRR QTL. Conclusions: The results are in agreement with previously reported correlations and QTLs for NTS1 receptor densities and measures of hypnotic sensitivity to ethanol in mice and extend those correlations to another species, the rat. These findings support a role for NTS1 in genetically mediated differences in hypnotic sensitivity to ethanol. [source] Prevalence of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in industrial minced beefLETTERS IN APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 1 2002C. Vernozy-Rozand Aims: ,The lack of baseline data on the prevalence of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in retail minced beef in France prompted this survey of industrial minced beef production. Methods and Results: ,An automated enzyme-linked fluorescence immunoassay (ELFA), the VIDAS E. coli O157 method, was used to detect E. coli O157 in industrial minced beef samples. Confirmation of samples positive according to the ELFA was performed using an automated immunoconcentration (ICE) system, VIDAS ICE, which allows the selective capture and release of target organisms. The ICE was followed by culture on cefixime tellurite sorbitol MacConkey agar and a chromogenic medium, O157:H7 ID. Of the 3450 minced beef samples tested, 175 samples were positive with the ELFA method and, of these, four were confirmed by the ICE method. They were identified as sorbitol-negative, O157-positive, H7-positive, mobile, verotoxin-producing E. coli . Conclusions: ,The prevalence of E. coli O157:H7 in industrial French minced beef was 0·12%, consistent with many other reports. Significance and Impact of the Study: ,The low infective dose of E. coli O157:H7 presents a major threat. The main means of combating this organism are thermal destruction and good food hygiene covering activities on-farm, in the abattoir and in minced beef industries. [source] The effect of candidate familiarity on examiner OSCE scoresMEDICAL EDUCATION, Issue 9 2007Ann Jefferies Context, Although examiners are a large source of variability in the objective structured clinical examination (OSCE), the exact causes of examiner variance remain understudied. Objective, This study aimed to determine whether examiner familiarity with candidates influences candidate scores. Methods, A total of 24 candidates from 4 neonatal-perinatal training programmes participated in a 10-station OSCE. Sixteen trainees and 7 examiners came from a single centre (site A) and 8 candidates and 5 examiners came from the other 3 centres. Examiners completed station-specific binary checklists and an overall global rating; standardised patients (SPs) and standardised health professionals (SHPs) completed 4 process ratings and the overall rating. A fixed-effect, 2-way analysis of variance was performed to ascertain whether there was interaction between examiner site and candidate site. Results, Interstation Cronbach's , was 0.80 for the examiner checklist, 0.88 for the examiner global rating and 0.88 for the SP or SHP global rating. Although the checklist scores awarded by site A examiners were significantly higher than those awarded by non-site A examiners, there was no significant interaction between examiner and candidate site (P = 0.124). Similarly, the interaction between examiner and candidate site for the global rating was not significant (P = 0.207). Global ratings awarded by SPs and SHPs were also higher in stations where site A faculty examined site A candidates, suggesting the observed differences may have been related to performance. Conclusions, Results from this small dataset suggest that examiner familiarity with candidates does not influence how examiners score candidates, confirming the objective nature of the OSCE. Confirmation with a larger study is required. [source] Mycotic keratitis: an overview of diagnosis and therapyMYCOSES, Issue 3 2008P. K. Shukla Summary The increased incidence of fungal infections in the recent past has been attributed to the increase in the number of human immunodeficiency virus-positive and AIDS patients. Early diagnosis of mycoses in patients is crucial for prompt antifungal therapy. The yield of clinical examination in the diagnosis of keratomycosis is 63,83% and KOH mount is 91%. This still highlights the limitation of routine clinical examination and smear examination, which is not performing 100% efficiently. It is for these 37%, 17% and 9% of cases, every day advanced technologies are called for. Those who deal with patient care are aware of certainties and uncertainties of results of clinical examination. The best reported figures at specialized centres might not translate into clinical practice. Another factor to be kept in mind is that many patients who come after secondary and tertiary referrals are already treated with antibiotics, antivirals, steroids and sometimes even antifungals that distort the clinical picture completely. Further, one has to consider as well the cases caused by yeast-like fungi, which resemble bacterial keratitis. Confirmation of diagnosis, not only in case of mycotic keratitis but also for other diseases, to initiate prompt and accurate therapy would avoid unnecessary and indiscriminate use of steroids/antibacterials/antivirals and antifungals. [source] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||