Home About us Contact
|
Home About us Contact | ||
|
|
||
Marked Heterogeneity (marked + heterogeneity)
Selected AbstractsA systematic review of studies validating the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale in antepartum and postpartum womenACTA PSYCHIATRICA SCANDINAVICA, Issue 5 2009J. Gibson Objective:, The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) is the most widely used screening tool for postpartum depression (PPD). We systematically reviewed the published evidence on its validity in detecting PPD and antepartum depression (APD) up to July 2008. Method:, Systematic review of validation studies of the EPDS included 1987,2008. Cut-off points of 9/10 for possible PPD, 12/13 for probable PPD and 14/15 for APD were used. Results:, Thirty-seven studies met the inclusion criteria. Sensitivity and specificity of cut-off points showed marked heterogeneity between different studies. Sensitivity results ranged from 34 to 100% and specificity from 44 to 100%. Positive likelihood ratios ranged from 1.61 to 78. Conclusion:, Heterogeneity among study findings may be due to differences in study methodology, language and diagnostic interview/criteria used. Therefore, the results of different studies may not be directly comparable and the EPDS may not be an equally valid screening tool across all settings and contexts. [source] Heterogeneous Regional Endocardial Repolarization is Associated with Increased Risk for Ischemia-Dependent Ventricular Fibrillation after Myocardial InfarctionJOURNAL OF CARDIOVASCULAR ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY, Issue 8 2003Michael H. Swann M.SC. Introduction: The aim of this study was to investigate whether the characteristics of endocardial ventricular repolarization are associated with differential risk for sudden death. Prolonged surface QT interval is associated with increased arrhythmic risk after myocardial infarction (MI), but the underlying mechanism of QT prolongation and its relation to lethal arrhythmias are unclear. Methods and Results: Ventricular fibrillation (VF) risk was assessed in 12 dogs 1 month after anterior MI during an exercise test coupled with brief circumflex coronary occlusion. Susceptible dogs (n = 5) developed VF during the brief ischemic episode, whereas resistant dogs did not (n = 7). Surface QT interval was measured at rest. Endocardial electroanatomic catheter maps of left ventricular repolarization were obtained in four unique regions identified by echocardiography and compared between groups. Compared to resistant dogs, susceptible dogs were characterized by prolonged surface QT intervals (240 ± 10 msec vs 222 ± 7 msec, P = 0.04). In addition, they had lower baroreflex sensitivity (9.7 ± 1.5 msec/mmHg vs 28 ± 9.8 msec/mmHg, P < 0.01) and a tachycardic response to acute ischemia suggesting higher propensity for stronger sympathetic reflexes. Surface QT interval prolongation in susceptible dogs was due to a marked heterogeneity of endocardial left ventricular repolarization (239 ± 42 msec, basal anterior wall vs 197 ± 35, lateral wall; P < 0.001). Resistant animals had no regional differences in endocardial repolarization. Conclusion: Sympathetic activation following MI not only produces adverse structural remodeling but also contributes to adverse electrophysiologic remodeling resulting in heterogeneous ventricular repolarization and in a myocardial substrate conducive to lethal reentrant arrhythmias. (J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol, Vol. 14, pp. 873-879, August 2003) [source] Identification of genotype 4 hepatitis E virus strains from a patient with acute hepatitis E and farm pigs in Bali, Indonesia,JOURNAL OF MEDICAL VIROLOGY, Issue 8 2007I. Dewa Nyoman Wibawa Abstract A previous study revealed that antibodies to hepatitis E virus (HEV) (anti-HEV) are highly prevalent among healthy individuals and farm pigs in Bali, Indonesia, and suggested that HEV infection may occur via zoonosis among Balinese people. However, there were no reports of acute hepatitis E in Bali. To elucidate whether Balinese HEV strains recovered from infected humans and pigs have significant sequence similarity, serum samples obtained from 57 patients (age, mean,±,standard deviation, 31.1,±,11.9 years) with sporadic acute hepatitis and from one hundred and one 2- or 3-month-old farm pigs in Bali were tested for anti-HEV and HEV RNA. Among the 57 patients, 2 (3.5%) had high-titer IgM/IgA class anti-HEV antibodies and one of them had detectable HEV RNA (BaliE03-46). Overall, 58 pigs (57.4%) tested positive for anti-HEV, while 5 pigs (5.0%) had detectable HEV RNA. Based on the 412-nucleotide sequence within open reading frame 2, the BaliE03-46 isolate and the 5 swine HEV isolates recovered from the viremic pigs were phylogenetically classified in genotype 4, but were only 77.3,90.8% identical to the genotype 4 HEV isolates reported thus far in China, India, Japan, Taiwan, and Vietnam. The BaliE03-46 isolate of human origin shared high identities of 97.3,98.3% with 4 of the 5 Balinese swine isolates, but differed by 16.1% from the remaining swine isolate. These results suggest that indigenous HEV strains of genotype 4 with marked heterogeneity are circulating in Bali, Indonesia, and that pigs are reservoirs of HEV for Balinese people who have a habit of ingesting uncooked pigs. J. Med. Virol. 79: 1138,1146, 2007. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Home range and movements of male feral cats (Felis catus) in a semiarid woodland environment in central AustraliaAUSTRAL ECOLOGY, Issue 1 2001G. P. EDWARDS Abstract There is a paucity of data on the movement patterns of feral cats in Australia. Such data can be used to refine control strategies and improve track-based methods of monitoring populations of feral cats. In this study the home ranges and movements of male feral cats were examined over 3.5 years in a semiarid woodland environment in central Australia. Two home range estimators were used in the examination: (i) minimum convex polygon (MCP); and (ii) fixed kernel. The most widely used method of estimating home range in feral cats is MCP, while the fixed kernel method can be used to identify core areas within a home range. On the basis of the MCP method, the long-term home ranges of feral cats in central Australia were much larger than those recorded elsewhere (mean, 2210.5 ha). Twenty-four hour home ranges were much smaller (mean, 249.7 ha) and feral cats periodically shifted their 24 h ranges within the bounds of their long-term home ranges. Core area analysis indicated marked heterogeneity of space use by male feral cats. Several instances where feral cats moved large distances (up to 34 km) were recorded. These long distance movements may have been caused by nutritional stress. Using data from the literature, it is shown that prey availability is a primary determinant of long-term home range size in feral cats. The relevance of the results to the design of management strategies for feral cats in central Australia is also discussed. [source] Home range and movements of male feral cats (Felis catus) in a semiarid woodland environment in central AustraliaAUSTRAL ECOLOGY, Issue 1 2001G. P. Edwards Abstract There is a paucity of data on the movement patterns of feral cats in Australia. Such data can be used to refine control strategies and improve track-based methods of monitoring populations of feral cats. In this study the home ranges and movements of male feral cats were examined over 3.5 years in a semiarid woodland environment in central Australia. Two home range estimators were used in the examination: (i) minimum convex polygon (MCP); and (ii) fixed kernel. The most widely used method of estimating home range in feral cats is MCP, while the fixed kernel method can be used to identify core areas within a home range. On the basis of the MCP method, the long-term home ranges of feral cats in central Australia were much larger than those recorded elsewhere (mean, 2210.5 ha). Twenty-four hour home ranges were much smaller (mean, 249.7 ha) and feral cats periodically shifted their 24 h ranges within the bounds of their long-term home ranges. Core area analysis indicated marked heterogeneity of space use by male feral cats. Several instances where feral cats moved large distances (up to 34 km) were recorded. These long distance movements may have been caused by nutritional stress. Using data from the literature, it is shown that prey availability is a primary determinant of long-term home range size in feral cats. The relevance of the results to the design of management strategies for feral cats in central Australia is also discussed. [source] | |||||||||||||