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Relevant Characteristics (relevant + characteristic)
Selected Abstracts4334: Fully automated corneal endothelial morphometry of a large set of images captured by clinical specular microscopyACTA OPHTHALMOLOGICA, Issue 2010C BUCHT Purpose The endothelial cell density is the most important morphological factor of the corneal endothelium. Morphometry of the corneal endothelium is an important part of several clinical applications. Morphometry of the endothelium is presently carried out by semi automated analysis of pictures captured by Clinical Specular Microscopy (CSM). The need of operator involvement makes this process time consuming. This study presents a method for fully automated analysis of a large range of in vivo images of the corneal endothelium, captured by CSM, using Fourier analysis. Methods Software was developed in the mathematical programming language MATLAB. Pictures of the corneal endothelium, captured by CSM, were read into the analysis software. The software performed automated digital enhancement of the images. The enhanced images were Fourier transformed, using the Fast Fourier Transform. Relevant characteristics of the Fourier transformed images were identified and sampled. The data obtained from each transformed image was used to calculate the mean cell density of the original image, which in turn was compared to a semi automated method cell density estimate. The calculation was based on well known diffraction theory. Results Estimated cell densities of the corneal endothelium were obtained, using fully automated analysis software on 292 images captured by CSM. Using linear regression, a relatively large correlation between the estimates of the fully automated method and the semi automated method was found. Conclusion The results using the considerably faster fully automated method are highly encouraging for further development and implementation of the method. [source] Heroin users in Australia: population trendsDRUG AND ALCOHOL REVIEW, Issue 1 2004C. YALÇIN KAYA Senior Lecturer Abstract The aim of this paper is to identify certain important population trends among heroin users in Australia for the period 1971 , 97, such as: population growth, initiation, i.e. the number who were initiated to heroin in a given year, and quitting, i.e. the number that quit using heroin. For this purpose, we summarize and extract relevant characteristics from data from National Drug Strategy Household Survey (NDSHS 1998) conducted in Australia in 1998. We devise a systematic procedure to estimate historical trends from questions concerning past events. It is observed from our findings that the size of the heroin user population in Australia is in a sharp increase, especially from the early 1980s onwards. The general trend obtained for the period 1971 , 97 is strikingly similar to that obtained by Hall et al. (2000) for the dependent heroin user population in Australia, even though their study was based on different datasets and a different methodology. In our reconstruction of the time history we also detect a levelling-off prior to 1990. Initiation is also observed to be on a sharp increase. The latter trend is accompanied by a similar trend of quitting, perhaps indicating a relatively short heroin use career. A sharp decrease in both initiation and quitting is observed after 1990. In conclusion, in the case of the trend in the population of heroin users a high rate of growth has been identified that is consistent with the existing literature. In the process, we demonstrated that even a static survey such as NDSHS 1998 can, sometimes, be used to extract historical (dynamic) trends of certain important variables. [source] Equilibrium Wage-Tenure ContractsECONOMETRICA, Issue 5 2003Ken Burdett In this study we consider a labor market matching model where firms post wage-tenure contracts and workers, both employed and unemployed, search for new job opportunities. Given workers are risk averse, we establish there is a unique equilibrium in the environment considered. Although firms in the market make different offers in equilibrium, all post a wage-tenure contract that implies a worker's wage increases smoothly with tenure at the firm. As firms make different offers, there is job turnover, as employed workers move jobs as the opportunity arises. This implies the increase in a worker's wage can be due to job-to-job movements as well as wage-tenure effects. Further, there is a nondegenerate equilibrium distribution of initial wage offers that is differentiable on its support except for a mass point at the lowest initial wage. We also show that relevant characteristics of the equilibrium can be written as explicit functions of preferences and the other market parameters. [source] Integrated condition indices as a measure of whole effluent toxicity in zebrafish (Danio rerio)ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY & CHEMISTRY, Issue 1 2002Roel Smolders Abstract Toxic exposure of organisms interferes with organismal integrity at the biochemical level and ultimately gives rise to effects at the individual level. These effects may result in reductions in ecologically relevant characteristics such as growth, reproduction, and survival. A chronic toxicity test with zebrafish (Danio rerio) was conducted where fish were exposed to 50, 75, and 100% effluent for 28 d under flow-through conditions. Effects of effluent exposure were determined using endpoints of physiological (respiration during swimming), growth (condition, length, and weight), and reproductive (spawning and hatching) processes within the same population. Results clearly indicate that the condition and growth of zebrafish is depressed by exposure to the effluent. Also, increased oxygen consumption was found after 14, 21, and 28 d of exposure. Reproduction proved to correlate well with the condition of the motherfish in the control, and spawning and hatching were significantly depressed by effluent exposure. These results indicate that the evaluation of endpoints describing different ecologically relevant processes provides a rational assessment of the cause,effect relationships of effluent toxicity. This approach can quantify effects on different biological processes and can determine the interactions that occur between these different processes. [source] Characterization and chemometric study of crude and refined oils from table olive by-productsEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF LIPID SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, Issue 6 2008M. Victoria Ruiz-Méndez Abstract Table olive processing produces defective fruits and the conditioning operations give rise to solid by-products which are processed to obtain oil. In this study, the most relevant characteristics of crude oils extracted from table olive by-products were high average acidity values (4.5%, green olives; 8.1%, ripe olives), ECN42 values of 0.34 (green olives) and 0.10 (ripe olives), while 2-mono-palmitin averaged 0.92%. The overall content of sterols was 2257,mg/kg (green olives) and 1746,mg/kg (ripe olives), while the concentration of cholesterol was 36,mg/kg (green olives) and 19,mg/kg (ripe olives). The effect of refining was mainly reflected by a decrease in acidity and sterols. Although most characteristics were in agreement with the established regulation for olive oil, the overall trans fatty acid content, the low apparent ,-sitosterol content, and the relatively high cholesterol content prevented their inclusion into classes of crude or refined lampante or pomace olive oils, not even into the vegetable oil category. Therefore, the oils analyzed should be considered for non-edible purposes. The physicochemical characteristics used for chemometric discrimination permitted discrimination among types of oils (crude, 100%; physically refined, 90%; chemically refined, 100%), elaboration styles (green and ripe olives, 100%) and cultivars (Gordal, Manzanilla, Hojiblanca and Cacereña, 100%), with the sterol composition being the most useful parameter for discrimination. [source] The impact of depression and anxiety on well being, disability and use of health care services in nursing home patientsINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF GERIATRIC PSYCHIATRY, Issue 4 2006Martin Smalbrugge Abstract Objective To determine the impact of depression and anxiety on well being, disability and use of health care services among nursing patients. Methods The study-population consisted of 350 elderly nursing home patients from 14 nursing homes in the Netherlands. Well being, disability, use of health care services (i.e. assistance in ADL, paramedical care, number of medications) and depression and anxiety and other relevant characteristics (gender, age, education, marital status, urbanization, cognition, morbidity, social support) were measured cross-sectionally. Associations of well being, disability and use of health care services with independent baseline characteristics were assessed with bivariate and with multivariate analyses. Results Presence of depression and/or anxiety was associated with significantly less well being, but not with more disability. Presence of depression and/or anxiety was also significantly associated with four of the seven indicators of health care service use measured in this study: less assistance in ADL, more consultation of medical specialists, a higher mean number of medications and more use of antidepressants. Conclusion Presence of depression and/or anxiety has a statistically and clinically significant negative impact on well being, but not on disability. Future studies should focus on interventions for improving the detection, diagnosis and treatment of depression and/or anxiety in the nursing home. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Ineffective Peripheral Tissue Perfusion: Clinical Validation in Patients With Hypertensive CardiomiopathyINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF NURSING TERMINOLOGIES AND CLASSIFICATION, Issue 2 2006Rita de Cassia Gengo de Silva MS PURPOSE.,To validate defining characteristics of ineffective peripheral tissue perfusion using vasomotor function assessment. METHODS.,Twenty-four patients with hypertensive cardiomiopathy were evaluated for 18 defining characteristics of ineffective peripheral tissue perfusion and underwent vasomotor function assessment with induction of reactive hyperemia, intra-arterial infusion of acetylcholine, and pulse wave velocity measurement. The Student's t test and Kruskall,Wallis test were used to assess the significance of relationships between defining characteristics and vasomotor function data. FINDINGS.,Diminished lower extremity pulses were associated with diminished forearm blood flow during acetylcholine infusion; left ventricular overload, intermittent claudication, and diminished skin moisture were associated with elevated pulse wave velocity values. CONCLUSION.,The defining characteristics of ineffective peripheral tissue perfusion were highly associated with vasomotor function data as "gold standards" for that diagnosis. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS.,Nurses should be able to accurately assess diminished lower extremity pulses, intermittent claudication, and diminished skin moisture as relevant characteristics of ineffective peripheral tissue perfusion in patients with hypertensive cardiomiopathy. Irrigation Tissulaire Périphérique Inefficace: Validation Clinique Chez les Patients Atteints de Cardiomyopathie Hypertensive BUT.,Valider les caractéristiques de Irrigation tissulaire périphérique inefficace en utilisant l'évaluation de la fonction vasomotrice. MÉTHODES.,Vingt-quatre patients souffrant de cardiomyopathie hypertensive furent évalués au regard des 18 caractéristiques du diagnostic Irrigation vasculaire périphérique inefficace et de la fonction vasomotrice par induction d'une hyperémie réactionnelle, la perfusion intra-artérielle d'acétylcholine, et la mesure de la vélocité de l'onde du pouls. Les tests "Student t et Kruskall,Wallis" furent utilisés pour déterminer l'importance des liens entre les caractéristiques et les valeurs de la fonction vasomotrice. RÉSULTATS.,La diminution des pulsations périphériques des membres inférieurs fut associée à une diminution du flot sanguin pendant la perfusion d'acétylcholine; une surcharge ventriculaire gauche, de la claudication intermittente et une diminution de l'hydratation de la peau furent associées à des valeurs élevées de la vélocité de l'onde du pouls. CONCLUSION.,,Les caractéristiques de Irrigation tissulaire périphérique inefficace qui furent associées de manière significative à la fonction vasomotrice peuvent être considérées comme les "étalons or" de ce diagnostic. IMPLICATIONS POUR LA PRATIQUE.,Les infirmières devraient être capables d'évaluer correctement la diminution des pouls périphériques, la claudication intermittente, et la diminution de l'hydratation de la peau, car ce sont des caractéristiques pertinentes de l'irrigation tissulaire périphérique inefficace chez les patients atteints de cardiomyopathie hypertensive. Translation by Cécile Boisvert, MSN, RN Perfusão Tissular Periférica Ineficaz: Validação Clínica em Pacientes com Miocardiopatia Hipertensiva PROPÓSITO.,Validar as caraterísticas definidoras do diagnóstico de perfusão tissular periférica ineficaz usando a avaliação da função vasomotora. MÉTODO.,Vinte e quatro pacientes com miocardiopatia hipertensiva foram avaliados segundo 18 características definidoras de perfusão tissular periférica ineficaz e submetidos a avaliação da função vasomotora por indução de hiperemia reativa, infusão intra-arterial de acetilcolina e por mensuração da velocidade da onda de pulso. Testes T de Student e de Kruskall,Wallis foram aplicados para avaliar a significância das relações entre as características definidoras e os dados da função vasomotora. RESULTADOS.,Diminuição de pulso nas extremidades inferiores foi associada com o menor fluxo de sangue no antebraço durante a infusão de acetilcolina; sobrecarga ventricular esquerda, claudicação intermitente e diminuição da hidratação da pele foram associados com valores elevados de velocidade de onda de pulso. CONCLUSÃO.,Quatro características definidoras de perfusão tissular periférica ineficaz foram altamente associadas com função vasomotora alterada como "padrão ouro" para este diagnóstico. IMPLICAÇÕES PARA A PRÁTICA.,As enfermeiras devem ser capazes de avaliar com precisão a diminuição dos pulsos das extremidades inferiores, claudicação intermitente e diminuição na hidratação da pele como características definidoras relevantes da perfusão tissular periférica ineficaz em pacientes com miocardiopatia hipertensiva. Translation by Alba Leite de Barros, PhD, RN Perfusión Tisular Periférica Inefectiva: Validación Clínica en Pacientes que Presentan Miocardiopatía Hipertensiva PROPÓSITO.,Validar las características definitorias del diagnóstico Perfusión tisular periférica inefectiva utilizando una valoración de la función vasomotora. METODOLOGÍA.,Veinticuatro pacientes diagnosticados de Miocardiopatía Hipertensiva fueron evaluados con respecto a las 18 características definitorias del diagnóstico Perfusión tisular periférica inefectiva y sometidos a una valoración de la función vasomotora con inducción de Hiperemia reactiva, infusión intra-arterial de acetilcolina, y medida de la velocidad de la onda del pulso. Se utilizaron los análisis estadísticos de t-Student y Kruskall,Wallis para valorar el significado de las relaciones entre las características definitorias y los datos obtenidos de la valoración de la función vasomotora. HALLAZGOS.,Durante la infusión de acetilcolina se detectó disminución de los pulsos en la extremidad inferior relacionado con la disminución del volumen de sangre en el antebrazo; la sobrecarga ventricular izquierda, claudicación intermitente y disminución de la hidratación de la piel fueron asociadas con la elevación de los valores de la velocidad de la onda del pulso. CONCLUSIÓN.,Las características definitorias del diagnóstico Perfusión tisular periférica inefectiva estaban fuertemente asociadas a los datos procedentes de la valoración de la función vasomotora identificándose como "estándares fundamentales" para este diagnóstico. IMPLICACIONES PARA LA PRÁCTICA.,Las enfermeras deberían ser capaces de valorar cuidadosamente la presencia de pulsos disminuidos en las extremidades inferiores, y la disminución de la hidratación de la piel ya que son características relevantes del diagnóstico Perfusión tisular periférica inefectiva en pacientes que presentan Miocardiopatía Hipertensiva. Translation by Adolf Guirao, RN [source] Metastatic Crohn's disease: a reviewJOURNAL OF THE EUROPEAN ACADEMY OF DERMATOLOGY & VENEREOLOGY, Issue 9 2008I Palamaras Abstract Metastatic Crohn's disease (MCD) indicates the presence of non-caseating granuloma of the skin at sites separated from the gastrointestinal tract by normal tissue and is the least common dermatologic manifestation of CD. In adults, MCD usually appears after the initial diagnosis of CD in 70% of cases, whereas in children, it appears at the same time as CD in almost half of the cases. The most frequent skin lesions in adults are nodules, plaques with or without ulceration on the extremities and ulcers on the genitals. In children, genital swelling with or without erythema is the most frequent presentation of MCD. Simultaneous presence of perianal CD affects more females (60%) and particularly children. Associated gastrointestinal symptoms are present in one third of the cases in adults and in half of the cases in children. Treatment is often unsatisfactory. Randomised controlled trials are lacking. Various chemotherapeutic agents have been used such as oral metronidazole, topical and/or oral steroids, azathioprine, cyclosporine, sulfasalazine, tetracyclines, topical or systemic tacrolimus, infliximab alone or with methotrexate, and surgical treatment with oral zinc sulphate. MCD represents another ,great imitator'. This reviews the most relevant characteristics of this disease, in order to increase awareness and to avoid delay in diagnosis and improve management of the whole CD complex. [source] Patterns of treatment response in chronic posttraumatic stress disorder: An application of latent growth mixture modelingJOURNAL OF TRAUMATIC STRESS, Issue 4 2005Peter Elliott This study attempts to differentiate groups of individuals who exhibit different patterns of recovery following treatment for chronic posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and describes these groups in terms of relevant characteristics at program intake. A sample of 2,219 Vietnam veterans who had completed a 12-week treatment program was followed up at 6, 12, and 24 months post admission using self-report measures. With change in PTSD symptoms over time as the focus, latent growth mixture modeling was used to assign individual veterans to subgroups. A three-group solution provided the best account of the data. Two groups showed moderate and consistent improvement over time although the larger group (n = 1,380) began treatment with more PTSD symptoms and improved more quickly over time. The smallest group (n = 87) showed a substantially different trajectory, with almost no net change in symptom levels over the 24-month period. The groups also varied significantly in terms of their characteristics, with symptom severity and improvements over time reflecting greater comorbidity and younger age. The results have both research and clinical implications. [source] Evaluation of the Asthma Life Quality test for the screening and severity assessment of asthmaALLERGY, Issue 11 2004J. A. Fonseca Background:, Asthma Life Quality (ALQ) test, a 20-question questionnaire developed by the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, has been shown to be useful for asthma diagnosis. We aimed to determine the relation between ALQ scores and (a) diagnosis of asthma; (b) physician's classification of asthma severity according to National Institutes of Health/Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA). Methods:, Standard translation and cultural adaptation to Portuguese was performed. Patients self-administered the ALQ in the waiting room; the attending allergist classified them, blindly for the test. The scores of nonasthmatics were compared with those of asthma patients. Asthma patients were analyzed in two severity groups: intermittent and mild persistent asthma (IMPA), and moderate and severe persistent asthma (MSPA); sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values were calculated and receiver operating characteristic curve plotted. Logistic regression analysis models were computed. Results:, From 283 patients, 237 tests were analyzed. Non-asthmatic patients ALQ scores (mean ± SD) were 6 ± 4 and, for asthmatics, 10 ± 5 [mean difference 4.6 (95%CI 3.3,5.9)]. The odds of positive diagnosis increased 1.27 times (95%CI 1.17,1.38) for each one-unit increase in the test. For asthma severity ALQ scores were 9 ± 4 for IMPA, 15 ± 3 for MSPA [difference 6.0 (95%CI 4.8,7.1)]; with a sensitivity of 88% and specificity of 74% for a score of 12. The odds of MSPA increased 1.49 times (95%CI 1.28,1.74) per unit increase in ALQ. Conclusions:, ALQ can help both to identify patients with asthma and to differentiate those more likely to have moderate/severe asthma. These are relevant characteristics for the possible use of this simple, self-administered questionnaire in the assessment of asthma patients needing additional medical management. [source] Process and recyclability analyses of innovative bio-composite for trayPACKAGING TECHNOLOGY AND SCIENCE, Issue 4 2010Julien Bras Abstract The originality of the present study is to give complete and pragmatic information associated with the preparation of a totally bio-based composite. It covers the most relevant investigations from analyses of the fibres used as reinforcing elements to the final product acquisition and its recyclability analyses. This study is destined for packaging areas. It demonstrates the three-dimensional formation processes with these new kinds of bio-composites, as well as the recyclable features related to the prepared materials. Thus, several processing parameters were studied and a final tray was prepared. The addition of the fibres gives rise to an increase of the tray stiffness, when a flexible biopolymer is used as a matrix. The prepared bio-composites were recycled several times (10 recycling cycles) and found that they maintain their most relevant characteristics. Thus, such bio-composites can be reused several times. All these data, including a prototype sample prepared as a demonstrator, support the innovative and sustainable character of the packaging materials described. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Using plant traits to compare sward structure and composition of grass species across environmental gradientsAPPLIED VEGETATION SCIENCE, Issue 1 2004M. Duru Abstract. Plant traits which may give an indication of a plant's strategy for nutrient acquisition and regeneration are known for numerous grassland species. This study aimed to establish whether there is any relationship between two plant traits: specific leaf area (SLA) and number of reproductive tillers, and sward structural characteristics which influence herbage intake by grazers (bulk density and digestibility, leaf:stem ratio). Comparison is made for nutrient-rich (Dactylis glomerata) and nutrient-poor (Festuca rubra) grass species. We hypothesized that these traits are responsive to environmental gradients and also act on the processes of the ecosystem. Both grasses were compared with two P-fertilizer rates in two localities (200 and 1300 m a.s.l.) which differed in their temperature:radiation ratios. For the vegetative phase SLA was well correlated with sward characteristics: D. glomerata, which has the higher SLA, has the lower bulk density and higher digestibility. The values of SLA and vegetation bulk density varied according to growing conditions (P-rate and temperature:radiation ratio), but the ranking of the species remained the same because the phenotypic plasticity that exists for plant traits was also observed for sward structure and composition. That suggested the possibility of grouping natural grassland species for their relevant characteristics for grazers according to SLA values. Over the reproductive phase, the proportion of stems was well correlated to the percentage of reproductive tillers. However, the percentage of reproductive tillers was a very plastic trait for both species, depending on the growing conditions, and resulting in a density-dependent effect, particularly for F. rubra. The species studied were too plastic and too similar in their regenerative strategy so that there is no unique relationship between percentage of reproductive tillers and stem proportion, regardless of the species and the growing conditions. The number of reproductive tillers is not a suitable plant trait which could be used to rank species for leaf and stem proportions in the sward. [source] Windows to cell function and dysfunction: Signatures written in the boundary layersBIOESSAYS, Issue 6 2010Peter J. S. Smith Abstract The medium surrounding cells either in culture or in tissues contains a chemical mix varying with cell state. As solutes move in and out of the cytoplasmic compartment they set up characteristic signatures in the cellular boundary layers. These layers are complex physical and chemical environments the profiles of which reflect cell physiology and provide conduits for intercellular messaging. Here we review some of the most relevant characteristics of the extracellular/intercellular space. Our initial focus is primarily on cultured cells but we extend our consideration to the far more complex environment of tissues, and discuss how chemical signatures in the boundary layer can or may affect cell function. Critical to the entire essay are the methods used, or being developed, to monitor chemical profiles in the boundary layers. We review recent developments in ultramicro electrochemical sensors and tailored optical reporters suitable for the task in hand. [source] | ||||||||||||||||