Sporotrichosis among children of a hyperendemic area in Peru: an 8-year retrospective study.

PubMed

Ramírez Soto, Max C

2017-08-01

The clinical and epidemiologic characteristics of pediatric sporotrichosis are poorly understood. To describe the incidence and clinical characteristics of cases of sporotrichosis in children 14 years of age and younger reported in Abancay from 2004 to 2011, stratified according to age. We performed a retrospective review of pediatric patients 14 years of age and younger who were diagnosed with sporotrichosis in a referral center at Abancay, a poor area located in the south central highlands of Peru, to estimate the incidence rates (per 100,000 person-years) according to age and sporotrichosis type (lymphocutaneous and fixed), and clinical characteristics of these patients. Of the 240 pediatric cases identified, 131 (54.6%) were male. The median age at baseline was 6 years. The mean incidence rate was 81.4 cases per 100,000 person-years for the period from 2004 to 2011, and was highest among children ranging in age from 5-9 years. The incidence of lymphocutaneous sporotrichosis and fixed sporotrichosis was 55 and 27 cases per 100,000 person-years, respectively, and the face was the most commonly affected anatomic site. Ninety-six of the 240 patients (40%) reported previous contact with cats, and 46 (19.2%) had a clear history of traumatic inoculation with plant material. The therapeutic response to treatment with potassium iodide was satisfactory. In this retrospective study, we described a high incidence of sporotrichosis in children in the south central highlands of Peru, which increased with age. Lymphocutaneous sporotrichosis was the more common type with an incidence rate twice that of the fixed type. The face was the most commonly affected anatomic site, and infection appeared to be acquired predominantly through contact with cats. © 2017 The International Society of Dermatology.

Trends in one-year mortality for stroke in a tertiary academic center in Saudi Arabia: a 5-year retrospective analysis.

PubMed

Almekhlafi, Mohammed A

2016-01-01

Numerous studies have reported a decline in stroke-related mortality in developed countries. To assess trends in one-year mortality following a stroke diagnosis in Saudi Arabia. Retrospective longitudinal cohort study. Single tertiary care center from 2010 through 2014. All patients admitted with a primary admitting diagnosis of stroke. Demographic data (age, gender, nationality), risk factor profile, stroke subtypes, in-hospital complications and mortality data as well as cause of death were collected for all patients. A multivariable logistic regression model was used to assess factors associated with one-year mortality following a stroke admission. One-year mortality. In 548 patients with a mean age of 62.9 years (SD 16.9), the most frequent vascular risk factors were hypertension (90.6%), diabetes (65.5%), and hyperlipidemia (27.2%). Hemorrhagic stroke was diagnosed in 9.9%. The overall mortality risk was 26.9%. Non-Saudis had a significantly higher one-year mortality risk compared with Saudis (25% vs. 16.8%, respectively; P=.025). The most frequently reported causes of mortality were neurological and related to the underlying stroke (32%), sepsis (30%), and cardiac or other organ dysfunction-related (each 9%) in addition to other etiologies (collectively 9.5%) such as pulmonary embolism or an underlying malignancy. Significant predictors in the multivariate model were age (P < .0001), non-Saudi nationality (OR 1.8, CI 95 1.1 to 2.9; P=.019), and hospital length of stay (OR 1.01, CI 95 1 to 1.004; P=.001). We observed no decline in stroke mortality in our center over the 5-year span. The establishment of stroke systems of care, use of thrombolytic agents, and opening of a stroke unit should play an important role in a decline in stroke mortality. Retrospective single center study. Mortality data were available only for patients who died in our hospital.

The Bimetric cementless total hip replacement: 7-18 year follow-up assessing the influence of acetabular design on survivorship.

PubMed

Russell, R C; Ghassemi, A; Dorrell, J H; Powles, D P

2009-08-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the mid- to long-term survivorship of Bimetric cementless total hip replacement and assess how it is affected by the acetabular design. This was a retrospective analysis of 127 Bimetric cementless total hip replacements in 110 patients with a follow-up of 7-18 years. A single design stem and three different cementless metal-backed acetabular designs were used. Patients were assessed clinically using the Harris hip score and radiologically by independent review of current hip radiographs. There was only one case of aseptic loosening of the femoral stem. The earliest acetabular design showed a high failure rate whilst the latter two designs showed a 96% survivorship at a mean of 9.5 years. We conclude that a combination of the bimetric stem with either of the latter acetabular cup designs has a good mid- to long-term performance.

Transition in Dental Treatment Utilization in Jammu And Kashmir, India - A 10 Year Retrospective Study

PubMed Central

Batra, Manu; Ishrat, A.

2016-01-01

Background: Utilization of health services is the actual attendance by the members of the public at health care facilities to receive care. Utilization, serves as an important tool for oral health policy decision-making. The aim of the present study was to retrospectively gauge and assess the utilization pattern of the dental treatments which was given in hospital for last 10 years. Materials and Methods: This retrospective infirmary based study was carried out at Sheri Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India. The yearly outpatient department (OPD) records for the utilization of specific dental treatment of a total of 103963 patients were assessed retrospectively from 2014 to 2003. Trend analysis was used to assess the trend of utilization of each speciality with best fitted linear trend lines. Results: The pattern of new patients has also shown a constant rise during the study period except for 2008 and 2009. The utilization of oral surgery speciality has shown a tremendous fall from 2003 to 2014 whereas the number of patients coming to periodontics and conservative dentistry has shown an increasing pattern. Conclusion: Utilization of oral health care has long been used as an indicator of oral health related behaviour of a population. In the present study it can be conclude that the outlook of the population under study has changed from blood and vulcanite dentistry outlook and is moving towards restorative dentistry. . PMID:28804675

Tinea capitis in Campania, Italy: a 9-year retrospective study.

PubMed

Calabrò, G; Patalano, A; Fiammenghi, E; Chianese, C

2015-08-01

The present work was carried out to study the prevalence of Tinea capitis (TC) in Campania over a 9-year period and also to delineate the prevalence of the causative fungus responsible and the clinical forms of tinea capitis. This retrospective study included all the cases of TC occurring between January 2004 and December 2012 to the Mycology Laboratory at the University of Naples "Federico II" and mycologically confirmed. Samples for potassium hydroxide 20% mounts and fungal cultures were collected. Sabouraud dextrose agar were inoculated with the samples. TC was diagnosed by direct microscopy and culture in 143 patients. TC was found to be most common in the group including patients aged between 1-18 years; 13% of patients were over 18 years old. Non-inflammatory clinical forms were the most common type (80.4%). M. canis was the dermatophyte most frequently isolated (64.1%). Microscopic examination revealed an ectothrix pattern of hair invasion to be more common (72% cases). TC was clinical and mycologically diagnosed in 143 patients. It was prevalent in patients aged 1-18 years old; 73.2% of adults affected by TC had possible risk factors and in these patients TC often presented in atypical forms; atypical forms were also observed in children. M. canis was the most common dermatophyte species isolated in children, T. rubrum in adults. We noticed a significant increase of anthropophilic dermatophytes possibly linked to the immigration from African countries. For the diagnosis of TC, mycological examinations are essential.

A diagnosis of bipolar spectrum disorder predicts diagnostic conversion from unipolar depression to bipolar disorder: a 5-year retrospective study.

PubMed

Woo, Young Sup; Shim, In Hee; Wang, Hee-Ryung; Song, Hoo Rim; Jun, Tae-Youn; Bahk, Won-Myong

2015-03-15

The major aims of this study were to identify factors that may predict the diagnostic conversion from major depressive disorder (MDD) to bipolar disorder (BP) and to evaluate the predictive performance of the bipolar spectrum disorder (BPSD) diagnostic criteria. The medical records of 250 patients with a diagnosis of MDD for at least 5 years were retrospectively reviewed for this study. The diagnostic conversion from MDD to BP was observed in 18.4% of 250 MDD patients, and the diagnostic criteria for BPSD predicted this conversion with high sensitivity (0.870) and specificity (0.917). A family history of BP, antidepressant-induced mania/hypomania, brief major depressive episodes, early age of onset, antidepressant wear-off, and antidepressant resistance were also independent predictors of this conversion. This study was conducted using a retrospective design and did not include structured diagnostic interviews. The diagnostic criteria for BPSD were highly predictive of the conversion from MDD to BP, and conversion was associated with several clinical features of BPSD. Thus, the BPSD diagnostic criteria may be useful for the prediction of bipolar diathesis in MDD patients. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Is Endoscopy Really Necessary in My Case? A Four Year Retrospective Study.

PubMed

Dinesh, H N; Kumar, Cd Jagadish; Sanjay, H M; Sachin, V; Basavaraju

2015-07-01

About 40% of the general population report dyspepsia at some time in their life making it a fairly common disease. Uncomplicated dyspepsia refers to patients whose dyspepsia is not accompanied by alarm features or associated with NSAIDS usage. To assess the need for UGI Endoscopy and find out the patterns of different endoscopic presentations in patients presenting with uncomplicated dyspepsia. Our study conducted in KR Hospital, Mysore, Department of General Surgery is a retrospective endoscopic study of 1450 patients with uncomplicated dysepsia. A significant 64% of the patients presenting with uncomplicated dyspepsia were found to have findings on endoscopy. The most common age range for positive endoscopic findings was 40-50 years in our hospital. Malignancy was diagnosed in 2.5% patients. We recommend upper GI endoscopy in patients presenting with uncomplicated dyspepsia for patients above 40 years of age in our hospital.

The American Board of Radiology Holman Research Pathway: 10-year retrospective review of the program and participant performance.

PubMed

Wallner, Paul E; Ang, K Kian; Zietman, Anthony L; Harris, Jay R; Ibbott, Geoffrey S; Mahoney, Mary C; Mezwa, Duane G; Wilson, Lynn D; Becker, Gary J

2013-01-01

In 1999, the American Board of Radiology (ABR) implemented an innovative training program track in diagnostic radiology (DR) and radiation oncology (RO) designed to stimulate development of a cadre of future academic researchers and educators in the 2 disciplines. The program was designated the Holman Research Pathway (HRP). An in-depth retrospective review of initial certification examination performance, post-training career choices, and academic productivity has not been written. This report represents a 10-year retrospective review of post-training performance of a cohort of trainees who have had sufficient time to complete their training and initial certification process and to enter practice. All pertinent proceedings of the ABR and Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) Residency Review Committees for DR and RO between 1997 and May 2011 were reviewed. Thirty-four HRP candidates who fulfilled the established evaluation criteria were identified, and their ABR data files were analyzed regarding performance on the qualifying and certifying examinations. All candidates were contacted directly to obtain a current curriculum vitae. Twenty candidates in RO and 14 candidates in DR were identifiable for review. All candidates attained initial certification. At the time of analysis, 23 of 33 (66.6%) candidates were employed in full-time academic practice (1 DR candidate remained in a fellowship and was not evaluated regarding employment status). Fifteen of 20 (75%) RO candidates were in faculty positions compared with 7 of 13 (53.8%) DR trainees. Additional academic productivity metrics are reported. A high percentage of HRP trainees remained in academic practice and demonstrated significant academic productivity as measured by manuscript authorship and research support. Additional time and observation will be needed to determine whether these findings will be sustained by past, current, and future HRP trainees. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All

The American Board of Radiology Holman Research Pathway: 10-Year Retrospective Review of the Program and Participant Performance

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wallner, Paul E., E-mail: pwallner@theabr.org; Ang, K. Kian; Zietman, Anthony L.

2013-01-01

Introduction: In 1999, the American Board of Radiology (ABR) implemented an innovative training program track in diagnostic radiology (DR) and radiation oncology (RO) designed to stimulate development of a cadre of future academic researchers and educators in the 2 disciplines. The program was designated the Holman Research Pathway (HRP). An in-depth retrospective review of initial certification examination performance, post-training career choices, and academic productivity has not been written. This report represents a 10-year retrospective review of post-training performance of a cohort of trainees who have had sufficient time to complete their training and initial certification process and to enter practice.more » Methods and Materials: All pertinent proceedings of the ABR and Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) Residency Review Committees for DR and RO between 1997 and May 2011 were reviewed. Thirty-four HRP candidates who fulfilled the established evaluation criteria were identified, and their ABR data files were analyzed regarding performance on the qualifying and certifying examinations. All candidates were contacted directly to obtain a current curriculum vitae. Results: Twenty candidates in RO and 14 candidates in DR were identifiable for review. All candidates attained initial certification. At the time of analysis, 23 of 33 (66.6%) candidates were employed in full-time academic practice (1 DR candidate remained in a fellowship and was not evaluated regarding employment status). Fifteen of 20 (75%) RO candidates were in faculty positions compared with 7 of 13 (53.8%) DR trainees. Additional academic productivity metrics are reported. Conclusions: A high percentage of HRP trainees remained in academic practice and demonstrated significant academic productivity as measured by manuscript authorship and research support. Additional time and observation will be needed to determine whether these findings will be sustained by past

Predictive factors for a one-year improvement in nontuberculous mycobacterial pulmonary disease: An 11-year retrospective and multicenter study.

PubMed

Cadelis, Gilbert; Ducrot, Rodolphe; Bourdin, Arnaud; Rastogi, Nalin

2017-08-01

Nontuberculous mycobacterial pulmonary disease (NTM-PD) has become an emerging infectious disease and is responsible for more deaths than tuberculosis in industrialized countries. NTM-PD mortality remains high in some series reportedly ranging from 25% to 40% at five years and often due to unfavorable evolution of NTM-PD despite established treatment. The purpose of our study was to search for early factors that could predict the favorable or unfavorable evolution of NTM-PD at the first year of treatment. In this retrospective and multicenter study, we selected 119 patients based on clinical, radiological and microbiological data from 2002 to 2012 from three French university hospitals (Guadeloupe, Martinique, Montpellier) with definite (meeting the criteria of the American Thoracic Society and the Infectious Disease Society of America in 2007; ATS/IDSA) or probable (one positive sputum culture) NTM-PD. We compared two patient groups: those who improved at one year (clinical symptoms, radiological lesions and microbiology data) and those who did not improve at one year. The data were analyzed for all patients as well as for subgroups by gender, HIV-positive patients, and Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) infection. The average patient age was 50 years ± 19.4; 58% had respiratory comorbidities, 24% were HIV positive and 19% had cystic fibrosis. Coughing concerned 66% of patients and bronchiectasis concerned 45%. The most frequently isolated NTM were MAC (46%). 57% (n = 68) of patients met the ATS criteria and improved status concerned 38.6% (n = 46). The improvement factors at one year of NTM-PD were associated with the duration of ethambutol treatment: (Odds ratio adjusted [ORa]: 2.24, 95% Confidence interval [CI]; 2.11-3.41), HIV-positive status: (ORa: 3.23, 95% CI; 1.27-8.45), and male gender: (ORa: 2.34, 95% CI; 1.26-8.16). For the group with NTM-PD due to MAC, improvement was associated with the duration of macrolide treatment (ORa: 3.27, 95% CI; 1

Predictive factors for a one-year improvement in nontuberculous mycobacterial pulmonary disease: An 11-year retrospective and multicenter study

PubMed Central

Ducrot, Rodolphe; Bourdin, Arnaud; Rastogi, Nalin

2017-01-01

Background Nontuberculous mycobacterial pulmonary disease (NTM-PD) has become an emerging infectious disease and is responsible for more deaths than tuberculosis in industrialized countries. NTM-PD mortality remains high in some series reportedly ranging from 25% to 40% at five years and often due to unfavorable evolution of NTM-PD despite established treatment. The purpose of our study was to search for early factors that could predict the favorable or unfavorable evolution of NTM-PD at the first year of treatment. Methods In this retrospective and multicenter study, we selected 119 patients based on clinical, radiological and microbiological data from 2002 to 2012 from three French university hospitals (Guadeloupe, Martinique, Montpellier) with definite (meeting the criteria of the American Thoracic Society and the Infectious Disease Society of America in 2007; ATS/IDSA) or probable (one positive sputum culture) NTM-PD. We compared two patient groups: those who improved at one year (clinical symptoms, radiological lesions and microbiology data) and those who did not improve at one year. The data were analyzed for all patients as well as for subgroups by gender, HIV-positive patients, and Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) infection. Results The average patient age was 50 years ± 19.4; 58% had respiratory comorbidities, 24% were HIV positive and 19% had cystic fibrosis. Coughing concerned 66% of patients and bronchiectasis concerned 45%. The most frequently isolated NTM were MAC (46%). 57% (n = 68) of patients met the ATS criteria and improved status concerned 38.6% (n = 46). The improvement factors at one year of NTM-PD were associated with the duration of ethambutol treatment: (Odds ratio adjusted [ORa]: 2.24, 95% Confidence interval [CI]; 2.11–3.41), HIV-positive status: (ORa: 3.23, 95% CI; 1.27–8.45), and male gender: (ORa: 2.34, 95% CI; 1.26–8.16). For the group with NTM-PD due to MAC, improvement was associated with the duration of macrolide treatment

Incidence of autoimmune bullous diseases in Serbia: a 20-year retrospective study.

PubMed

Milinković, Mirjana V; Janković, Slavenka; Medenica, Ljiljana; Nikolić, Miloš; Reljić, Vesna; Popadić, Svetlana; Janković, Janko

2016-10-01

While most previous surveys on the clinico-epidemiological features of autoimmune bullous diseases (AIBDs) have predominantly focused on a single disease entity or just one disease group, there have been only few studies examining the incidence of various AIBDs. In the present study, we set out to determine the spectrum of AIBDs, to estimate the incidence of the most common AIBDs, and to examine their temporal trends in Central Serbia over a period of 20 years. We retrospectively recruited 1,161 new AIBD cases diagnosed in Central Serbia during the period from January 1991 to December 2010. The diagnosis was based on strict clinical, histological, and immunohistological evaluation. The incidence rates were: 4.35 per million population/year (pmp/year) for pemphigus, 4.47 pmp/year for pemphigoid, 1.42 pmp/year for dermatitis herpetiformis (DH), 0.25 pmp/year for linear IgA disease, and 0.08 pmp/year for epidermolysis bullosa acquisita. In the period observed, age-adjusted incidence rates significantly increased for pemphigus and particularly for pemphigoid, whereas they decreased, albeit not significantly, for DH. For the first time, our study evaluates the incidence rates of the entire spectrum of AIBDs in Serbia, and examines their temporal trends over a 20-year period. To the best of our knowledge, our finding of similar incidence rates for pemphigus and pemphigoid has previously not been reported. © 2016 Deutsche Dermatologische Gesellschaft (DDG). Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Is Endoscopy Really Necessary in My Case? A Four Year Retrospective Study

PubMed Central

Dinesh, HN; Kumar, CD Jagadish; Sachin, V; Basavaraju

2015-01-01

Introduction: About 40% of the general population report dyspepsia at some time in their life making it a fairly common disease. Uncomplicated dyspepsia refers to patients whose dyspepsia is not accompanied by alarm features or associated with NSAIDS usage. Aim: To assess the need for UGI Endoscopy and find out the patterns of different endoscopic presentations in patients presenting with uncomplicated dyspepsia. Materials and Methods: Our study conducted in KR Hospital, Mysore, Department of General Surgery is a retrospective endoscopic study of 1450 patients with uncomplicated dysepsia. Results: A significant 64% of the patients presenting with uncomplicated dyspepsia were found to have findings on endoscopy. The most common age range for positive endoscopic findings was 40-50 years in our hospital. Malignancy was diagnosed in 2.5% patients. Conclusion: We recommend upper GI endoscopy in patients presenting with uncomplicated dyspepsia for patients above 40 years of age in our hospital. PMID:26417553

Remote Measurement of Pollution-A 40-Year Langley Retrospective. Part 2; Aerosols and Clouds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Remsberg, Ellis E.

2012-01-01

A workshop was convened in 1971 by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) on the Remote Measurement of Pollution (RMOP), and the findings and recommendations of its participants are in a NASA Special Publication (NASA SP-285). The three primary workshop panels and their chairmen were focused on trace gas species (Will Kellogg), atmospheric particulates or aerosols (Verner Suomi), and water pollution (Gifford Ewing). Many of the workshop participants were specialists in the techniques that might be employed for regional to global-scale, remote measurements of the atmospheric parameters from Earth-orbiting satellites. In 2011 the author published a 40-year retrospective (or Part I) of the instrumental developments that were an outgrowth of the RMOP panel headed by Will Kellogg, i.e., on atmospheric temperature and gaseous species. The current report (or Part II) is an analogous retrospective of the vision of the panel led by Verner Suomi for the measurement of particulates (or aerosols) and clouds and for their effects on Earth s radiation budget. The class of measurement techniques includes laser radar or lidar, solar occultation, limb emission and scattering, nadir-viewing photometry or radiometry, and aerosol polarimetry. In addition, the retrospective refers to the scientific imperatives that led to those instrument developments of 1971-2010. Contributions of the atmospheric technologists at the Langley Research Center are emphasized, and their progress is placed in the context of the parallel and complementary work from within the larger atmospheric science community.

Pharmacoeconomics of volatile inhalational anaesthetic agents: an 11-year retrospective analysis.

PubMed

Weinberg, L; Story, D; Nam, J; McNicol, L

2010-09-01

With continuously increasing expenditure on health care resources, various cost containment strategies have been suggested in regard to controlling the cost of inhalational anaesthetic agents. We performed a cost identification analysis assessing inhalational anaesthetic agent expenditure at a tertiary level hospital, along with an evaluation of strategies to contain the cost of these agents. The number of bottles of isoflurane, sevoflurane and desflurane used during the financial years 1997 to 2007 was retrospectively determined and the acquisition costs and cumulative drug expenditure calculated. Pharmacoeconomic modelling using low fresh gas flow anaesthesia was performed to evaluate practical methods of cost reduction. The use of isoflurane decreased from 384 bottles during 1997 to 204 in 2007. In contrast, use of sevoflurane increased from 226 bottles during 1998 to 875 during 2007. Desflurane use increased from 34 bottles per year during 2002 (its year of introduction) to 163 bottles per year in 2007. While the inflation-adjusted cumulative expenditure for these inhalational agents (Australian dollars) increased from $132,000 in 1997 to over $326,000 in 2007, an increase of 168%, patient workload over the same period increased by only 11%. Pharmacoeconomic modelling demonstrated that sevoflurane at 2 l/minute costs 19 times more than isoflurane at 0.5 l/minute. For the financial years 1997 to 2007, we found a progressive shift from the cheaper isoflurane to the more expensive agents, sevoflurane and desflurane, a shift associated with marked increases in costs. Low flow anaesthesia with isoflurane is one strategy to reduce costs.

Hyperinsulin therapy for calcium channel antagonist poisoning: a seven-year retrospective study.

PubMed

Espinoza, Tamara R; Bryant, Sean M; Aks, Steve E

2013-01-01

The use of hyperinsulin therapy (HIT) in severe calcium channel antagonist (CCA) poisoning has become a more common therapy within the last decade. The objective of this study is to report 7 years of experience recommending HIT. This was a retrospective chart review utilizing our regional poison center (RPC) data from January 1, 2002, through December 31, 2008. All cases of CCA poisoning receiving HIT were searched. Endpoints included the number of CCA cases utilizing HIT, insulin dose, time of initiation of HIT, patient outcome, adverse events, age, glucose concentration, and lowest systolic blood pressure recorded. Forty-six cases of CCA poisoning were managed with HIT over 7 years. All the patients received standard antidotal therapy (= intravenous fluids, calcium salts, glucagon, and pressors). HIT administration followed our RPC recommendation 23 times (50%), and no hypoglycemic events occurred. Means (age, highest glucose measured, and lowest systolic blood pressure measured) were 51 years, 282 mg/dL, and 74 mm Hg, respectively. Our RPC recommendations for HIT were followed 50% of the time over the last 7 years. In light of the lack of hypoglycemia associated with HIT in our study population, we recommend HIT as an early and safe antidote in significant CCA poisoning.

Animal and human bite injuries: a 5-year retrospective study in a large urban public hospital in Venezuela.

PubMed

Gelvez, Muñoz; Enrique, Ruben; Gajos, Golaszewski; Bladimir, Jose; Carvajal, Diaz; Luis, Alvaro

2017-12-01

Animal bite injuries to the head and neck regions are an important public health problem. Most of these bites are from dogs. A 10-year retrospective study was undertaken to determine the prevalence of animal and human bites. This retrospective study was done from January 2011 to December 2016 and included 387 patients with a mean age of 21.51 years. Data collection included age, sex, days of hospitalization, lesion type, and clinical management. Majority of patients were in age group of 21-29 years, followed by 31-55 years. Out of the total 281 patients, 42 patients (51.60%) were males and 34 patients (48.40%) were females. Mean hospital stay was 7.2 days with a minimum of 5 days and a maximum of 12 days. Surgical management included cleansing and primary closure of the wound. We concluded that the use of empiric antibiotic prophylaxis is essential for management of facial animal bite, and the antibiotic of first choice is amoxicillin-clavulanic acid. The aim of immediate surgical repair (< 6 h) is to avoid infections. The persistence of dog bite is public health problem in Venezuela.

Epidemiological study of acute poisoning in children: a 5-year retrospective study in the Paediatric University Hospital in Białystok, Poland.

PubMed

Pawłowicz, Urszula; Wasilewska, Anna; Olański, Witold; Stefanowicz, Marta

2013-09-01

Poisoning among children and youths in the northeastern part of Poland accounted for 25% of the total number of patients admitted to the Hospital Emergency Department of the Paediatric University Hospital of Białystok. We hypothesise that the epidemiology of poisoned paediatric patients admitted is related to increase in 'designer drugs' (mainly amphetamine- and ecstasy-like psychostimulants, hallucinogens and synthetic cannabinoids ('spice') intake, which became popular 5 years ago in our country. A retrospective chart review of medical records of 489 patients admitted due to poisoning in the 5-year period (2006-2010). The data included: age, sex, place of residence, nature of the substance, causes of poisoning, former use of psychoactive stimulants, accompanying self-mutilation and injuries and length of hospitalisation. Categorical variables were expressed as percentages, and continuous variables as mean and SD. The data were collected in a Microsoft Excel database. Statistical analysis was performed using the Statistical Programme for Social Sciences. Out of 2176 hospitalised children, 489 were admitted because of poisoning. Out of these, 244 (49.9%) were hospitalised due to intoxication by alcohol. Only eight children used designer drugs. The mean age of all patients in our group was 12.86±5.04 years, of which 52.4% were male. Poisoning was intentional in 75.5%, and accidental in 24.5% of cases. Appearance of 'designer drugs' had no significant impact on the number and epidemiology of poisonings in our group.

Linking Concurrent Self-Reports and Retrospective Proxy Reports About the Last Year of Life: A Prevailing Picture of Life Satisfaction Decline

PubMed Central

Gerstorf, Denis; Ram, Nilam; Schupp, Jürgen; Sprangers, Mirjam A. G.; Wagner, Gert G.

2014-01-01

Objective. We examined the extent to which retrospective proxy reports of well-being mirror participant self-reports at 12–24 months before death and how proxy reports of well-being change over the last year of life. We also explored the role of sociodemographic, cognitive, and health factors of both participants and proxies in moderating such associations. Method. We used retrospective proxy ratings obtained in the German Socio-Economic Panel Study (N = 164; age at death = 19–99 years). Results. Results revealed moderate agreement between self- and proxy reports (r = .42), but proxies, on average, overestimated participants’ life satisfaction by two thirds of a scale point on a 0–10 scale (or 0.4 SD). Discrepancies were particularly pronounced when proxies themselves reported low life satisfaction. Over the last year of life, participants were viewed to have experienced declines in life satisfaction (−0.54 SD). Declines were stronger for ill participants and proxies who reported low life satisfaction. Discussion. Results qualify theoretical expectations and empirical results based on self-report data that are typically available 1 or 2 years before death. We discuss that retrospective proxy reports in panel surveys can be used as a hypothesis-generating tool to gather insights into late life. PMID:23766436

The Bimetric cementless total hip replacement: 7–18 year follow-up assessing the influence of acetabular design on survivorship

PubMed Central

Ghassemi, A.; Dorrell, J. H.; Powles, D. P.

2008-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the mid- to long-term survivorship of Bimetric cementless total hip replacement and assess how it is affected by the acetabular design. This was a retrospective analysis of 127 Bimetric cementless total hip replacements in 110 patients with a follow-up of 7–18 years. A single design stem and three different cementless metal-backed acetabular designs were used. Patients were assessed clinically using the Harris hip score and radiologically by independent review of current hip radiographs. There was only one case of aseptic loosening of the femoral stem. The earliest acetabular design showed a high failure rate whilst the latter two designs showed a 96% survivorship at a mean of 9.5 years. We conclude that a combination of the bimetric stem with either of the latter acetabular cup designs has a good mid- to long-term performance. PMID:18551293

Iatrogenic trigeminal post-traumatic neuropathy: a retrospective two-year cohort study.

PubMed

Klazen, Y; Van der Cruyssen, F; Vranckx, M; Van Vlierberghe, M; Politis, C; Renton, T; Jacobs, R

2018-06-01

With the growing demand for dental work, trigeminal nerve injuries are increasingly common. This retrospective cohort study examined 53 cases of iatrogenic trigeminal nerve injury seen at the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University Hospitals of Leuven between 2013 and 2014 (0.6% among 8845 new patient visits). Patient records were screened for post-traumatic trigeminal nerve neuropathy caused by nerve injury incurred during implant surgery, endodontic treatment, local anaesthesia, tooth extraction, or specifically third molar removal. The patients ranged in age from 15 to 80years (mean age 42.1years) and 68% were female. The referral delay ranged from 1day to 6.5years (average 10months). The inferior alveolar nerve (IAN) was most frequently injured (28 cases), followed by the lingual nerve (LN) (21 cases). Most nerve injuries were caused during third molar removal (24 cases), followed by implant placement (nine cases) and local anaesthesia injuries (nine cases). Pain symptoms were experienced by 54% of patients suffering IAN injury, compared to 10% of patients with LN injury. Persistent neurosensory disturbances were identified in 60% of patients. While prevention remains the key issue, timely referral seems to be a critical factor for the successful treatment of post-traumatic neuropathy. Copyright © 2018 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

One-year mortality after recovery from critical illness: A retrospective cohort study.

PubMed

Lokhandwala, Sharukh; McCague, Ned; Chahin, Abdullah; Escobar, Braiam; Feng, Mengling; Ghassemi, Mohammad M; Stone, David J; Celi, Leo Anthony

2018-01-01

Factors associated with one-year mortality after recovery from critical illness are not well understood. Clinicians generally lack information regarding post-hospital discharge outcomes of patients from the intensive care unit, which may be important when counseling patients and families. We sought to determine which factors among patients who survived for at least 30 days post-ICU admission are associated with one-year mortality. Single-center, longitudinal retrospective cohort study of all ICU patients admitted to a tertiary-care academic medical center from 2001-2012 who survived ≥30 days from ICU admission. Cox's proportional hazards model was used to identify the variables that are associated with one-year mortality. The primary outcome was one-year mortality. 32,420 patients met the inclusion criteria and were included in the study. Among patients who survived to ≥30 days, 28,583 (88.2%) survived for greater than one year, whereas 3,837 (11.8%) did not. Variables associated with decreased one-year survival include: increased age, malignancy, number of hospital admissions within the prior year, duration of mechanical ventilation and vasoactive agent use, sepsis, history of congestive heart failure, end-stage renal disease, cirrhosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and the need for renal replacement therapy. Numerous effect modifications between these factors were found. Among survivors of critical illness, a significant number survive less than one year. More research is needed to help clinicians accurately identify those patients who, despite surviving their acute illness, are likely to suffer one-year mortality, and thereby to improve the quality of the decisions and care that impact this outcome.

Tobacco use among designated air pollution victims and its association with lung function and respiratory symptoms: a retrospective cross-sectional study

PubMed Central

Kotaki, Kenji; Senjyu, Hideaki; Tanaka, Takako; Yano, Yudai; Miyamoto, Naomi; Nishinakagawa, Tsuyoshi; Yanagita, Yorihide; Asai, Masaharu; Kozu, Ryo; Tabusadani, Mitsuru; Sawai, Terumitsu; Honda, Sumihisa

2014-01-01

Objectives We sought to elucidate the long-term association of tobacco use and respiratory health in designated pollution victims with and without obstructive pulmonary defects. Design A retrospective cross-sectional study. Setting The register of pollution victims in Kurashiki, Japan. Participants 730 individuals over 65 years of age previously diagnosed with pollution-related respiratory disease. Patients were classified into four groups according to their smoking status and whether they had obstructive pulmonary disease. We then compared the prevalence of respiratory symptoms and lung function over time between groups. Primary outcome measures Spirometry was performed and a respiratory health questionnaire completed in the same season each year for up to 30 years. Results Rates of smoking and respiratory disease were high in our sample. Although respiratory function in non-smoking patients did not completely recover, the annual rate of change in lung function was within the normal range (p<0.01). However, smokers had worse lung function and were more likely to report more severe pulmonary symptoms (p<0.01). Conclusions Patients’ respiratory function did not fully recover despite improved air quality. Our results suggest that, in the context of exposure to air pollution, tobacco use causes additional loss of lung function and exacerbates respiratory symptoms. PMID:25082419

Parental Retrospective Assessment of Development and Behavior in Asperger Syndrome during the First 2 Years of Life

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dewrang, Petra; Sandberg, Annika Dahlgren

2010-01-01

Development and behavior during the first 2 years of life was assessed retrospectively by the parents to 23 adolescents and young adults with Asperger syndrome and 13 typically developing adolescents and young adults. The groups were matched on chronological age and the participants were within the normal range of intelligence. The questionnaire,…

Freshman year mental health symptoms and level of adaptation as predictors of Internet addiction: a retrospective nested case-control study of male Chinese college students.

PubMed

Yao, Bin; Han, Wei; Zeng, Lingxia; Guo, Xiong

2013-12-15

A retrospective nested case-control study was designed to explore whether freshman year mental health status and level of adaptation are predictors of Internet addiction. The study cohort was 977 college students at a university in northwest China. In the first college year, the students' mental health status and adaptation level were assessed using the Chinese College Student Mental Health Scale (CCSMHS) and the Chinese College Student Adjustment Scale (CCSAS). In the following 1-3 years, 62 Internet-addicted subjects were identified using Young's 8-item diagnostic questionnaire. Controls were matched for demographic characteristics. Using logistic regression analysis, freshman year mental health status, including factors such as somatization, anxiety, depression and self-contempt, and freshman year adaptive problems were found to be causal factors and predictors of Internet addiction. Freshman with features of depression, learning maladaptation and dissatisfaction could be an important target-intervention population for reducing Internet addiction. © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Injuries in Collegiate Women’s Volleyball: A Four-Year Retrospective Analysis

PubMed Central

Sole, Christopher J.; Kavanaugh, Ashley A.; Stone, Michael H.

2017-01-01

A four-year retrospective analysis of injury data was conducted on a collegiate (NCAA Division I) women’s volleyball team. Twenty athletes (Year 1: age = 19.4 ± 0.9 y, height = 175.2 ± 5.1 cm, body mass = 70.5 ± 10.2 kg; Year 2: age = 20.1 ± 1.0 y, height = 175.7 ± 4.7 cm, body mass = 69.5 ± 10.1 kg; Year 3: age = 20.1 ± 1.4 y, height = 173.8 ± 6.3 cm, body mass = 69.9 ± 10.8 kg; Year 4: age = 19.5 ± 1.4 y, height = 174.4 ± 8.6 cm, body mass = 72.7 ± 10.8 kg) participated in this study, accounting for 1483 total training exposures. Injury was defined as any damage to a body part, incurred during volleyball or strength and conditioning-related activities, which interfered with training and/or competition. Injury rate was normalized to the number of athletes and exposure and expressed as injuries per 1000 exposures. A total of 133 injuries were recorded. The most common injury was to the knee (left = 7.5%, right = 12.0%). Injuries occurred most often in volleyball practice (75.2%), followed by competition (20.3%), and strength and conditioning-related activities (4.5%). Non-contact injuries (upper body = 26.3%, lower body = 53.4%) were more common than contact injuries (upper-body = 13.5%, lower-body = 6.8%). An examination of injury rates relative to the training year revealed patterns in injury occurrence. Specifically, spikes in injury rate were consistently observed during periods of increased training volume that were preceded by breaks in organized training, such as the early pre-season and off-season training periods.

Patterns and predictions of resident misbehavior--a 10-year retrospective look.

PubMed

Resnick, Andrew S; Mullen, James L; Kaiser, Larry R; Morris, Jon B

2006-01-01

Surgical educators are charged with ensuring that their trainees conduct themselves in a professional manner. The authors retrospectively reviewed a 10-year experience of incident reports on surgical housestaff to determine patterns and predictors of behavior. A retrospective review of all letters, e-mails, and incident reports was conducted for general surgery residents from 1995 to 2005. Descriptive variables were selected for binary categorization (not mutually exclusive): poor professional conduct, protocol violation, administrative deficiency, verbal mistreatment, physical boundary issues, mistreatment of superiors, and deficient medical student interaction. Resident status was defined as current, graduate, and attrition. Of 110 residents [90 [82%] categorical, 23 [21%] undesignated preliminary (3 overlapped both groups); 87 [79%] male, 23 [21%] female] who trained at the University of Pennsylvania during this period, 66 complaints were generated about 29 individuals. Overall, 50 of the 66 complaints (76%) were directed toward men and the remaining 16 (24%) toward women; 24% of all men and 35% of all women received 1 or more complaints. A total of 76% of complaints concerned categorical residents and 24% undesignated preliminary residents. And 26% of all categorical residents and 26% of all preliminary residents received at least 1 complaint. The most common complaints concerned professional conduct (83%), protocol violation (33%), verbal mistreatment (23%), deficiencies of administrative duties (8%), violations of physical boundaries (5%), deficient medical student interaction (5%), and mistreatment of attendings by residents (3%). Recipients of verbal mistreatment included staff nurses (27%), radiology technicians (13%), medical students (13%), environmental services employees (7%), security guards (7%), patients (7%), surgery attendings (7%), anesthesia attendings (7%), internal medicine chief residents (7%), and pharmacists (7%). A total of 31% of the

Posterior Mandibular Ridge Resorption Associated with Different Retentive Systems for Overdentures: A 7-Year Retrospective Preliminary Study.

PubMed

Elsyad, Moustafa Abdou; Mohamed, Shahinaz Sayed; Shawky, Ahmad Fathalla

This retrospective study compared posterior mandibular residual ridge resorption with two different retentive mechanisms for overdentures after 7 years. A convenience sample of 18 edentulous men was assigned to one of two equal groups. Two implants were placed in the mandibular canine areas for each patient using the conventional two-stage surgical protocol, and the implants were splinted with a round bar 3 months later. New mandibular overdentures were then connected to the bars with clips (clip-retained overdentures, CR group) or resilient liners (resilient liner-retained overdentures, RR group). Posterior mandibular ridge resorption (PMRR) was recorded using proportional measurements and posterior area index (PAI) on panoramic radiographs taken immediately after overdenture insertion (T 0 ) and 7 years later (T 7 ). A linear regression model was used to verify the relationship between PAI and the following considerations: attachment type, age, initial mandibular ridge height, period of mandibular edentulism, number of previously worn dentures, and relining events. After 7 years, the RR group demonstrated a significantly (P = .014) higher change in PAI (0.11 ± 0.02) than the CR group (0.06 ± 0.04). The average PMRR for each mm of posterior mandibular ridge was 0.79 mm (0.11 mm/year) in the CR group and 1.4 mm (0.2 mm/year) in the RR group. Attachment type, initial mandibular ridge height, and relining times were significantly correlated with change in the PAI (P = .004, P = .035, and P = .045, respectively). Within the limitations of this preliminary study's design, it was observed that following a 7-year period of use, resilient liner attachments for bar/implant-retained overdentures appear to be associated with greater posterior mandibular ridge resorption when compared to clip attachments.

Cervical spine injuries from diving accident: a 10-year retrospective descriptive study on 64 patients.

PubMed

Chan-Seng, E; Perrin, F E; Segnarbieux, F; Lonjon, N

2013-09-01

Ninety percent of the lesions resulting from diving injuries affect the cervical spine and are potentially associated with spinal cord injuries. The objective is to determine the most frequent lesion mechanisms. Evaluate the therapeutic alternatives and the biomechanical evolution (kyphotic deformation) of diving-induced cervical spine injuries. Define epidemiological characteristics of diving injuries. A retrospective analysis over a period of 10 years was undertaken for patients admitted to the Department of Neurosurgery of Montpellier, France, with cervical spinal injuries due to a diving accident. Patients were re-evaluated and clinical and radiological evaluation follow-ups were done. This study included 64 patients. Cervical spine injuries resulting from diving predominantly affect young male subjects. They represent 9.5% of all the cervical spine injuries. In 22% of cases, patients presented severe neurological troubles (ASIA A, B, C) at the time of admission. A surgical treatment was done in 85% of cases, mostly using an anterior cervical approach. This is a retrospective study (type IV) with some limitations. The incidence of diving injuries in our region is one of the highest as compared to reports in the literature. Despite an increase of our surgical indications, 55% of these cases end up with a residual kyphotic deformation but there is no relationship between the severity of late vertebral deformity and high Neck Pain and Disability Scale (NPDS) scores. Level IV, retrospective study. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Fragrance contact allergy: a 4-year retrospective study.

PubMed

Cuesta, Laura; Silvestre, Juan Francisco; Toledo, Fernando; Lucas, Ana; Pérez-Crespo, María; Ballester, Irene

2010-08-01

Fragrance chemicals are the second most frequent cause of contact allergy. The mandatory labelling of 26 fragrance chemicals when present in cosmetics has facilitated management of patients allergic to fragrances. The study was aimed to define the characteristics of the population allergic to perfumes detected in our hospital district, to determine the usefulness of markers of fragrance allergy in the baseline GEIDAC series, and to describe the contribution made by the fragrance series to the data obtained with the baseline series. We performed a 4-year retrospective study of patients tested with the Spanish baseline series and/or fragrance series. There are four fragrance markers in the baseline series: fragrance mix I (FM I), Myroxylon pereirae, fragrance mix II (FM II), and hydroxyisohexyl 3-cyclohexene carboxaldehyde. A total of 1253 patients were patch tested, 117 (9.3%) of whom were positive to a fragrance marker. FM I and M. pereirae detected 92.5% of the cases of fragrance contact allergy. FM II and hydroxyisohexyl 3-cyclohexene carboxaldehyde detected 6 additional cases and provided further information in 8, enabling improved management. A fragrance series was tested in a selected group of 86 patients and positive results were obtained in 45.3%. Geraniol was the allergen most frequently found in the group of patients tested with the fragrance series. Classic markers detect the majority of cases of fragrance contact allergy. We recommend incorporating FM II in the Spanish baseline series, as in the European baseline series, and using a specific fragrance series to study patients allergic to a fragrance marker.

A 30-Year Retrospective: Degrees of Difficulty in Decreasing LOS.

PubMed

Zander, Karen

2016-01-01

In an attempt to avoid future revisionist history, the author offers a 30-year retrospective (1986-2016) on the evolution of strategies to reduce length of stay (LOS). She and her colleagues have been involved from the onset by developing tools such as critical paths, roles such as clinical case management, and operational systems for managing measureable outcome-driven care from the bedside to the boardroom. Acute care hospitals. The LOS for all inpatients has changed dramatically from 1970 (average LOS = 7.8 days) through solidly between 2005 and 2012 (average LOS = 4.5 days in 2012) despite a significant increase in the average age of hospital inpatients (; ). For patients 65 years and older, who comprised 38% of all inpatients, the decrease has been more drastic: from 12.6 days in 1970 to 5.5 days in 2005-2010 ().With the exception of hospitalists and case management staff, acute care hospitals have essentially doubled productivity without adding additional direct care full-time equivalents! Described in terms of "low-hanging" to "high-hanging" fruit, this article outlines the classic methods used to reduce LOS and concludes with some implications of LOS for health care reform. The U.S. health system could not have accomplished this feat without case managers and social workers. Acute care services should be very proud of their achievements and use their reputation to empower their work for the next frontier, which will be reducing cost per case, especially in risk contracts. Everything old seems new again.

Visual outcome and refractive status in first 3 years of age in preterm infants suffered from laser-treated Type 1 retinopathy of prematurity (ROP): a 6-year retrospective review in a tertiary centre in Hong Kong.

PubMed

Lok, Julie Y C; Yip, Wilson W K; Luk, Abbie S W; Chin, Joyce K Y; Lau, Henry H W; Young, Alvin L

2018-02-01

To report the visual outcome and refractive status in first 3 years of age in preterm infants suffered from laser-treated Type 1 retinopathy of prematurity (ROP): a 6-year review in Hong Kong DESIGN: Retrospective case series METHODOLOGY: Clinical records of all infants suffered from Type 1 ROP who had undergone laser therapy between 2007 and 2012 were retrospectively reviewed. Basic demographic data, serial changes of refractive error, visual acuity, severity of ROP and laser were analyzed. Correlation with myopia and astigmatism progression, body weight, height, growth and gestational age were also analyzed. Among 494 babies screened, 14 Chinese babies (26 eyes) recruited with 1:1 male-to-female ratio in this study. All eyes showed gradual progression of myopia in first 3 years of age but no significant change of astigmatism. Further correlation analysis showed no correlation with laser energy consumed, birth weight (p = 0.14), head circumference growth (p = 0.57) and body weight growth (p = 0.71). However, severity of myopia was related to the post-conceptual age when receiving laser therapy (p < 0.005), gestation age (p = 0.02) and possibly body height growth with age (p = 0.05). Myopia in early life is one of the most common ocular sequelae in Type 1 ROP survivors. Early detection of refractive error is important for prompt correction and visual rehabilitation to prevent amblyopia.

Recent change in congenital syphilis in Korea: Retrospective 10 year study.

PubMed

Kang, Sung-Han; Lee, Ji-Hyun; Choi, Sun-Hee; Lee, Jin; Yoon, Hoi Soo; Cha, Sung-Ho; Choi, Yong-Sung

2015-12-01

This study was conducted to evaluate recent clinical and anthropologic features of neonates with reactive serology for syphilis and their mothers from three institutions in Korea over an 11-year-period. The medical records of 20 neonates with reactive serology for syphilis and their mothers at three centers (Kyung Hee University Hospital, Kyung Hee University Hospital at Gangdong, and Korea Electric Power Corporation Hospital) seen between January 2000 and December 2010 were reviewed retrospectively. Among 20 mothers, 16 (80%) were native Korean and four (20%) were foreign-born immigrants. Two mothers (10%) were unmarried. The annual distribution of cases was three (15%) in 2000, one each (5%) in 2005 and 2006, respectively, two each (10%) in 2007 and 2008, respectively, six (30%) in 2009, and five (25%) in 2010. Just over half (55%) occurred across 2009 and 2010. All neonates, by definition, were diagnosed with presumptive congenital syphilis (CS). Among the neonates, four had positive cerebrospinal fluid venereal disease research laboratory test, and three exhibited symptoms and signs. In three centers in Seoul, Korea, the observed number of CS cases was higher in 2009 and 2010 than in previous years. This finding is consistent with a trend toward increasing prevalence of international marriage and suggests that more meticulous screening of CS is needed. © 2015 Japan Pediatric Society.

Injuries in a Professional Ballet Dance Company: A 10-year Retrospective Study.

PubMed

Ramkumar, Prem N; Farber, Joseph; Arnouk, Johnny; Varner, Kevin E; Mcculloch, Patrick C

2016-03-01

Ballet dancers are high-performance athletes who are particularly susceptible to a wide variety of musculoskeletal injuries. However, they are relatively understudied, and data on their injury rates are lacking. This retrospective study features the largest aggregate data on professional ballet dancers to date and aims to identify the most common diagnoses and areas of injury in this unique population to better direct preventative and clinical practices. The study encompassed a 10-year period from January 2000 to December 2010 of dancers from a single company. Data regarding the dancers' age, gender, location of injury, and diagnosis were collected from workers' compensation claims, company records, and medical records maintained by the treating doctors. These were analyzed to determine metrics on injury incidence, frequency, and diagnosis. Over the 10-year span, 574 injuries occurred. There were approximately 52 dancers per year for a total of 153 who danced at least one complete season during the study period. The average age was 27, and 53% were female. Given turnover with retirement and replacements, the total number of dancer-years was 520, indicating an injury incidence per annum of 1.10 (574 injuries per 520 dancer-years). The most common locations of injury were foot and ankle and the lumbar spine, with the three most common diagnoses making up greater than a third (37%) of the total. As the current largest study in professional ballet, the findings set the benchmark metrics for musculoskeletal injury to the foot, ankle, and lumbar spine sites. Future studies should aim to identify injury risk factors and modalities for prevention of these injuries.

Retrospective Review of Pediatric Blunt Renal Trauma: A Single Institution's Five Year Experience

PubMed Central

Clark, Margaret E; Sutherland, Ronald S; Woo, Russell K

2017-01-01

Children are at higher risk of renal injury from blunt trauma than adults due to a variety of anatomic factors such as decreased perirenal fat, weaker abdominal muscles, and a less ossified thoracic cage. Non-operative management is gaining in popularity for even major injuries, although there are no universally accepted guidelines. We present a retrospective review of pediatric major blunt renal injuries (grade 3 or higher) at a children's hospital in Hawai‘i over a 5-year period. Medical records were examined between January 2009 and September 2014 from Kapi‘olani Medical Center for Women and Children in Honolulu, Hawai‘i. Inclusion criteria were a diagnosis of renal trauma, or the diagnosis of blunt abdominal trauma with hematuria. Exclusion criteria were grade I or II renal injury or death due to an additional traumatic injury. Mechanism of injury, clinical characteristics on admission, blood product requirements, surgical interventions performed, and hospital length of stay were retrospectively analyzed. Eleven total patient records were examined, nine of which fit inclusion criteria. Uniquely, 33% of patients sustained their renal injury while surfing. No patients required laparotomy or nephrectomy, though 22% of patients received a blood transfusion and 44% of patients underwent ureteral stent placement. Non-operative management of major renal injuries in children is feasible and allows for preservation of renal tissue. A novel mechanism of surfing as a cause of major renal trauma is seen in the state of Hawai‘i. PMID:28484665

Retrospective Review of Pediatric Blunt Renal Trauma: A Single Institution's Five Year Experience.

PubMed

Richards, Carly R; Clark, Margaret E; Sutherland, Ronald S; Woo, Russell K

2017-05-01

Children are at higher risk of renal injury from blunt trauma than adults due to a variety of anatomic factors such as decreased perirenal fat, weaker abdominal muscles, and a less ossified thoracic cage. Non-operative management is gaining in popularity for even major injuries, although there are no universally accepted guidelines. We present a retrospective review of pediatric major blunt renal injuries (grade 3 or higher) at a children's hospital in Hawai'i over a 5-year period. Medical records were examined between January 2009 and September 2014 from Kapi'olani Medical Center for Women and Children in Honolulu, Hawai'i. Inclusion criteria were a diagnosis of renal trauma, or the diagnosis of blunt abdominal trauma with hematuria. Exclusion criteria were grade I or II renal injury or death due to an additional traumatic injury. Mechanism of injury, clinical characteristics on admission, blood product requirements, surgical interventions performed, and hospital length of stay were retrospectively analyzed. Eleven total patient records were examined, nine of which fit inclusion criteria. Uniquely, 33% of patients sustained their renal injury while surfing. No patients required laparotomy or nephrectomy, though 22% of patients received a blood transfusion and 44% of patients underwent ureteral stent placement. Non-operative management of major renal injuries in children is feasible and allows for preservation of renal tissue. A novel mechanism of surfing as a cause of major renal trauma is seen in the state of Hawai'i.

The China Patient-Centered Evaluative Assessment of Cardiac Events (China PEACE) retrospective study of acute myocardial infarction: study design.

PubMed

Dharmarajan, Kumar; Li, Jing; Li, Xi; Lin, Zhenqiu; Krumholz, Harlan M; Jiang, Lixin

2013-11-01

Cardiovascular diseases are rising as a cause of death and disability in China. To improve outcomes for patients with these conditions, the Chinese government, academic researchers, clinicians, and >200 hospitals have created China Patient-Centered Evaluative Assessment of Cardiac Events (China PEACE), a national network for research and performance improvement. The first study from China PEACE, the Retrospective Study of Acute Myocardial Infarction (China PEACE-Retrospective AMI Study), is designed to promote improvements in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) quality of care by generating knowledge about the characteristics, treatments, and outcomes of patients hospitalized with AMI across a representative sample of Chinese hospitals during the past decade. The China PEACE-Retrospective AMI Study will examine >18 000 patient records from 162 hospitals identified using a 2-stage cluster sampling design within economic-geographic regions. Records were chosen from 2001, 2006, and 2011 to identify temporal trends. Data quality will be monitored by a central coordinating center and will, in particular, address case ascertainment, data abstraction, and data management. Analyses will examine patient characteristics, diagnostic testing patterns, in-hospital treatments, in-hospital outcomes, and variation in results by time and site of care. In addition to publications, data will be shared with participating hospitals and the Chinese government to develop strategies to promote quality improvement. The China PEACE-Retrospective AMI Study is the first to leverage the China PEACE platform to better understand AMI across representative sites of care and during the past decade in China. The China PEACE collaboration among government, academicians, clinicians, and hospitals is poised to translate research about trends and patterns of AMI practices and outcomes into improved care for patients. URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT01624883.

Lawn mower injuries to the lower extremity: a 10-year retrospective review.

PubMed

Greenhagen, Robert M; Raspovic, Katherine M; Crim, Brandon E; Ryan, Michael T; Gruen, Gary G

2013-04-01

Lawn mower injuries occur frequently in the United States and oftentimes result in extensive trauma to the lower extremities. These injuries can be quite devastating and cause there to be loss of function and amputation. The purpose of this study was to determine if there are specific factors that would help determine the best treatment protocol, patient outcomes, and prognosis after lawn mower injury to the foot and ankle. A retrospective review of medical records was performed on all patients treated at a university level 1 trauma center from 2000 to 2010. Only subjects 18 years or older who sustained an injury below the level of the knee were included for review. Seventy-three patients were included in this review. The results revealed that patients who developed a complication were significantly older than the group of patients without complications (P = .03). Digits were found to be injured most often but the odds of developing a complication were much higher if these injuries involved the plantar foot, dorsal foot, or ankle. Interestingly, patients on prolonged antibiotic therapy had a significantly higher risk of developing complications. The presence of comorbidities significantly increased the risk of complication (P = .008); the greatest risk factors were cardiovascular disease (P = .001) and diabetes (P = .06). The authors present the largest cohort of lawn mower injuries in the medical literature, which demonstrates that factors such as age, location of injury, and the presence of comorbidities influence the outcome and increase the risk of injury to the foot and ankle. These results may be useful in determining the best treatment plan possible for patients with these severe injuries. Therapeutic, Level IV, Retrospective case series.

Chemotherapy Treatment of Elderly Patients (≥70 Years) with Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: A Seven-Year Retrospective Study of Real-Life Clinical Practice at Karolinska University Hospital, Sweden.

PubMed

Koyi, Hirsh; Hillerdal, Gunnar; Andersson, Olov; Kölbeck, Karl-Gustav; Liv, Per; Brandén, Eva

2015-01-01

An increasing proportion of cancer patients are aged >65 years and many are aged >70 years. Treatment of the elderly with lung cancer has, therefore, become an important issue; so we performed a retrospective study of our patients to demonstrate how elderly patients with NSCLC are treated in real-life, clinical practice. All patients aged ≥70 years with NSCLC at our department were reviewed retrospectively. In total, 1059 patients (50.8% of all NSCLC patients). Of these patients, 243 (22.9%) received chemotherapy, 164 (70.4%) of whom were treated with a platinum doublet using carboplatin. Second- and third-line chemotherapy were given to 31.4% and 13.9% of patients, respectively. Median overall survival was 289 and 320 days for male and female patients, respectively. Patients with performance status (PS) 0 experienced significantly better survival than patients with PS1 or PS 2: 410, 314, and 204 days, respectively. Age was of less importance, with patients aged 70-79 years versus those aged ≥80 years. Treatment of elderly NSCLC patients with chemotherapy is feasible if they have a good PS and appears to prolong survival. In this study, we found no significant differences in survival either between age groups or genders.

Podiatry impact on high-low amputation ratio characteristics: A 16-year retrospective study.

PubMed

Schmidt, Brian M; Wrobel, James S; Munson, Michael; Rothenberg, Gary; Holmes, Crystal M

2017-04-01

Complications from diabetes mellitus including major lower extremity amputation may have significant impact on a patient's mortality. This study determined what impact the addition of a limb salvage and diabetic foot program involving podiatry had at an academic institution over 16years by analyzing high-low amputation ratio data. The high-low amputation ratio in the diabetic population who underwent non-traumatic amputation of the lower extremity was retrospectively evaluated at an academic institution via cohort discovery of the electronic medical record and analysis of billing over 16years. We directly compared two eras, one without podiatry and one with a podiatry presence. It was found that with the addition of a podiatry program, limb salvage rates significantly increased (R 2 (without podiatry)=0.45, R 2 (with podiatry)=0.26), with a significant change in both the rate of limb salvage per year (-0.11% per year versus -0.36% per year; p<0.01) and an overall decrease in high-low amputation ratio (0.89 without podiatry to 0.60 with podiatry). Of note, approximately 40 major lower extremity amputations were avoided per year with the addition of a podiatry program (p<0.05). Our findings signify the importance of podiatric care in the diabetic population. With an established podiatry program present at an academic institution, major lower extremity amputations can be avoided and more limbs can be salvaged, thus preventing some of the moribund complications from this condition. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Analysis of injuries from the Army Ten Miler: A 6-year retrospective review.

PubMed

Pasquina, Paul F; Griffin, Sarah C; Anderson-Barnes, Victoria C; Tsao, Jack W; O'Connor, Francis G

2013-01-01

A number of long-distance running events are held each year in the United States; the Army Ten Miler (ATM) is one such race held annually in Washington, DC. The purpose of the present study was to retrospectively analyze medical encounters for runners participating in the ATM from 1998 to 2004. Of the estimated 91,750 runners over the 6-year period, 73,100 participants finished the race and were included in the data analysis. Demographic and injury data were collected from medical records of participants who received medical care while participating in the ATM, and injury-related factors were assessed. The most common category of injury was musculoskeletal (44%), followed by medical-related problems (27%) and dermatological injuries (27%). Similar to marathon and ironman races, ATM injury rates correlate with race-day temperature and dew point. Overall, however, the injury rates observed at the ATM were relatively low compared to those reported for longer distance events. Finally, we detail the medical coverage provided at the ATM, as this coverage could be used as a guide for similarly distanced races.

Safety of ranibizumab in routine clinical practice: 1-year retrospective pooled analysis of four European neovascular AMD registries within the LUMINOUS programme.

PubMed

Holz, Frank G; Bandello, Francesco; Gillies, Mark; Mitchell, Paul; Osborne, Aaron; Sheidow, Tom; Souied, Eric; Figueroa, Marta S

2013-09-01

Evaluation of 1-year safety profile of intravitreal ranibizumab 0.5 mg in neovascular age-related macular degeneration (NV-AMD) within routine clinical practice. The LUMINOUS programme comprises a prospective observational study assessing ranibizumab 'real-world' safety and clinical effectiveness across licensed indications worldwide and an annual retrospective pooled safety analysis from completed NV-AMD ranibizumab registries. 1-year data from four European registries are available. This retrospective pooled safety analysis assessed 1-year incidence rates for safety events of particular interest (key ocular or systemic events possibly related to the injection procedure or vascular endothelial growth factor inhibition) together with treatment exposure. Patients were treated according to local protocols within the ranibizumab licence. Data of 4444 patients from registries in Germany (n=3470), the Netherlands (n=243), Belgium (n=260) and Sweden (n=471) were retrospectively pooled. Between 70.4% and 84.4% of enrolled patients completed 1 year of follow-up. Most frequent overall ocular events of particular interest were retinal pigment epithelial tears (27 patients; <1%) and intraocular pressure-related events (12 patients; <0.3%). Most frequent non-ocular event of particular interest was stroke (19 patients; 0.4%); annual incidence of stroke was low across all registries (0.0-0.5%). Ranibizumab demonstrated favourable 1-year safety profile for NV-AMD in this routine clinical practice sample, consistent with previous reported trial data. Additional data from a larger patient population are needed to better describe the long-term safety profile of ranibizumab in routine clinical practice and further evaluate risk for infrequent but serious events in 'real-life' settings. The 5-year LUMINOUS prospective observational study will address this need.

Prevalence of oral lichen planus in Iranian children and adolescents: a 12-year retrospective study.

PubMed

Bakhtiari, S; Taheri, J B; Toossi, P; Azimi, S; Kawosi Nezhad, Sh

2017-12-01

To investigate the prevalence of oral lichen planus in patients younger than 18 years, referred to a dermatology centre in Iran during 2002-2014. Lichen planus is a chronic inflammatory, immune-mediated disease that could affect the oral mucosa and is a pre-cancerous condition. The disease usually develops in middle age with female predominance and is rare in children. In this retrospective study, cases with definitive histopathologic diagnosis of lichen planus, over a 12-year period from 2002 to 2014 from a dermatologic hospital archive were evaluated. The prevalence of both cutaneous and oral lichen planus, the male:female ratio and site of involvement were calculated using SPSS version 21. Thirty-six of 564 patients younger than 18 years old diagnosed with lichen planus. Two females (0.4%) had oral lichen planus. One patient had erosive, and one had bullous, oral lichen planus. Oral lichen planus had a very low frequency in Iranian population younger than 18 years old, identifying these patients is recommended for long-term follow-up.

Etiology and patterns of pediatric mandibular fractures in Portugal: a retrospective study of 10 years.

PubMed

Ferreira, Pedro Costa; Amarante, José Manuel; Silva, Alvaro Catarino; Pereira, José Miguel; Cardoso, Maria Augusta; Rodrigues, Jorge Manuel

2004-05-01

To determine the pattern of occurrence of mandibular fractures in the pediatric population in Portugal. This retrospective study reviews the records of patients 18 years of age or younger from the 10-year period 1993 to 2002. Age, gender, anatomic site, cause of the accident, weekly and monthly variation, location and type of fractures, presence and location of associated injuries, treatment methods, and complications were reviewed. During this 10-year period, 521 patients with 681 mandibular fractures were treated. Motor-vehicle accident (MVA) was the most common (53.9% patients) cause of fracture. Almost half of the patients (48.8%) were in the oldest age group (16 to 18 years old). The condyle of the mandible was involved in 31.0% of the fractures. Maxillomandibular (MMF) fixation was used in 534 (78.4%) fractures. Overall mortality in this series was 0.6% (3 patients); mortality was caused by multiple traumas, mainly head trauma. There is a need to reinforce legislation aimed to prevent MVA and the total enforcement of existing laws to reduce maxillofacial injuries among children and adolescents.

Esophageal foreign bodies in pediatric patients: a thirteen-year retrospective study.

PubMed

Rybojad, Beata; Niedzielska, Grazyna; Niedzielski, Artur; Rudnicka-Drozak, Ewa; Rybojad, Pawel

2012-01-01

We discuss clinical symptoms and radiological findings of variable esophageal foreign bodies as well as therapeutic procedures in Caucasian pediatric patients. A retrospective study of 192 cases of suspected esophageal foreign bodies between 1998 and 2010 was conducted. Data were statistically analyzed by chi-square test. A foreign body was removed from a digestive tract of 163 children aged 6 months to 15 years (mean age 4.9). Most objects were located within cricopharyngeal sphincter. Dysphagia occurred in 43%, followed by vomiting (29%) and drooling (28%). The most common objects were coins. Plain chest X-rays demonstrated aberrations in 132 cases, and in doubtful situations an esophagram test was ordered. In the group of thirty-seven patients whose radiograms were normal, esophagoscopy revealed fifteen more objects, which were eventually successfully removed. No major complications occurred. Esophagram should be a second X-ray examination if an object is not detected in plain chest X-ray. We recommend a rigid esophagoscopy under general anesthesia in doubtful cases as a safe treatment for pediatric patients.

The origins and consequences of patient autonomy: a 25-year retrospective.

PubMed

Rothman, D J

2001-01-01

This essay explores the evolution of the tension between the principles of autonomy and beneficence in American health care over the past several decades. In retrospect it is clear that the social movements of the 1960s and 70s set the tone and the goals for the emergence of a new emphasis on patient autonomy. Indeed, the impact of civil liberties-minded lawyers on the promotion of a commitment to autonomy is far more vital than the term "bioethics" commonly suggests. Tracing the impact of this principle on clinical encounters over the past 25 years makes apparent that consumers have extended their influence over a wide range of treatment decisions. This influence is now being reinforced by an extraordinary information revolution, which includes the computer, the web, the dot.coms, the search engines, and such novel practices as Direct-to-Consumer advertising by pharmaceutical companies. The impact of these developments may be seen in such diverse issues as physician-assisted suicide and the failure of national health insurance initiatives.

Trends of CT utilisation in an emergency department in Taiwan: a 5-year retrospective study

PubMed Central

Hu, Sung-Yuan; Hsieh, Ming-Shun; Lin, Meng-Yu; Hsu, Chiann-Yi; Lin, Tzu-Chieh; How, Chorng-Kuang; Wang, Chen-Yu; Tsai, Jeffrey Che-Hung; Wu, Yu-Hui; Chang, Yan-Zin

2016-01-01

Objectives To investigate the association between the trends of CT utilisation in an emergency department (ED) and changes in clinical imaging practice and patients' disposition. Setting A hospital-based retrospective observational study of a public 1520-bed referral medical centre in Taiwan. Participants Adult ED visits (aged ≥18 years) during 2009–2013, with or without receiving CT, were enrolled as the study participants. Main outcome measures For all enrolled ED visits, we retrospectively analysed: (1) demographic characteristics, (2) triage categories, (3) whether CT was performed and the type of CT scan, (4) further ED disposition, (5) ED cost and (6) ED length of stay. Results In all, 269 239 adult ED visits (148 613 male patients and 120 626 female patients) were collected during the 5-year study period, comprising 38 609 CT scans. CT utilisation increased from 11.10% in 2009 to 17.70% in 2013 (trend test, p<0.001). Four in 5 types of CT scan (head, chest, abdomen and miscellaneous) were increasingly utilised during the study period. Also, CT was increasingly ordered annually in all age groups. Although ED CT utilisation rates increased markedly, the annual ED visits did not actually increase. Moreover, the subsequent admission rate, after receiving ED CT, declined (59.9% in 2009 to 48.2% in 2013). Conclusions ED CT utilisation rates increased significantly during 2009–2013. Emergency physicians may be using CT for non-emergent studies in the ED. Further investigation is needed to determine whether increasing CT utilisation is efficient and cost-effective. PMID:27279477

Outcome of radioiodine-131 therapy in hyperfunctioning thyroid nodules: a 20 years' retrospective study.

PubMed

Ceccarelli, Claudia; Bencivelli, Walter; Vitti, Paolo; Grasso, Lucia; Pinchera, Aldo

2005-03-01

To investigate the risk of hypothyroidism after radioiodine (131I) treatment for hyperfunctioning thyroid nodules. Retrospective analysis of patients treated with 131I for hyperfunctioning thyroid nodules and followed up for a maximum of 20 years. A total of 346 patients treated with 131I in the years 1975-95, for a single hyperfunctioning nodule. Hypothyroidism was defined as TSH levels > 3.7 mU/l. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was used to analyse permanence of euthyroidism after 131I. A stepwise Cox proportional hazard model was used to identify factors influencing the progression to hypothyroidism. The cumulative incidence of hypothyroidism was 7.6% at 1 year, 28% at 5 years, 46% at 10 years and 60% at 20 years. Age (P < 0.01), 24-th 131I uptake (P < 0.05) and previous treatment with methimazole (MMI, P < 0.1) were associated with a faster progression towards hypothyroidism, while thyroid and nodule size, thyroid status at diagnosis and degree of extranodular thyroid parenchymal suppression had no influence. In hyperthyroid patients with partial parenchymal suppression, however, previous MMI treatment was the most important prognostic factor (P < 0.01). After 20 years of follow-up, 60% of patients treated with 131I for a single hyperfunctioning nodule are hypothyroid. Factors increasing the risk of hypothyroidism are age, 131I uptake and MMI pretreatment. The prognostic value of this last factor, however, depends on the degree of suppression of the extranodular thyroid parenchyma at the scan.

Program Design for Retrospective Searches on Large Data Bases

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thiel, L. H.; Heaps, H. S.

1972-01-01

Retrospective search of large data bases requires development of special techniques for automatic compression of data and minimization of the number of input-output operations to the computer files. The computer program should require a relatively small amount of internal memory. This paper describes the structure of such a program. (9 references)…

Safety of ranibizumab in routine clinical practice: 1-year retrospective pooled analysis of four European neovascular AMD registries within the LUMINOUS programme

PubMed Central

Holz, Frank G; Bandello, Francesco; Gillies, Mark; Mitchell, Paul; Osborne, Aaron; Sheidow, Tom; Souied, Eric; Figueroa, Marta S

2013-01-01

Purpose Evaluation of 1-year safety profile of intravitreal ranibizumab 0.5 mg in neovascular age-related macular degeneration (NV-AMD) within routine clinical practice. Methods The LUMINOUS programme comprises a prospective observational study assessing ranibizumab ‘real-world’ safety and clinical effectiveness across licensed indications worldwide and an annual retrospective pooled safety analysis from completed NV-AMD ranibizumab registries. 1-year data from four European registries are available. This retrospective pooled safety analysis assessed 1-year incidence rates for safety events of particular interest (key ocular or systemic events possibly related to the injection procedure or vascular endothelial growth factor inhibition) together with treatment exposure. Patients were treated according to local protocols within the ranibizumab licence. Results Data of 4444 patients from registries in Germany (n=3470), the Netherlands (n=243), Belgium (n=260) and Sweden (n=471) were retrospectively pooled. Between 70.4% and 84.4% of enrolled patients completed 1 year of follow-up. Most frequent overall ocular events of particular interest were retinal pigment epithelial tears (27 patients; <1%) and intraocular pressure-related events (12 patients; <0.3%). Most frequent non-ocular event of particular interest was stroke (19 patients; 0.4%); annual incidence of stroke was low across all registries (0.0–0.5%). Conclusions Ranibizumab demonstrated favourable 1-year safety profile for NV-AMD in this routine clinical practice sample, consistent with previous reported trial data. Additional data from a larger patient population are needed to better describe the long-term safety profile of ranibizumab in routine clinical practice and further evaluate risk for infrequent but serious events in ‘real-life’ settings. The 5-year LUMINOUS prospective observational study will address this need. PMID:23850682

Folliculitis decalvans--a retrospective study in a tertiary referred centre, over five years.

PubMed

Chandrawansa, P H; Giam, Y C

2003-02-01

Folliculitis decalvans is a rare condition affecting mainly the scalp leading to scarring alopecia. Aetiology of the condition is still unknown, abnormal host response to Staphylococcus aureus has been postulated. We present a retrospective analysis of six cases of folliculitis decalvans presented to National Skin Centre (NSC), Singapore for the past five years, 1995-2000. The mean age of presentation was 39 years and ages ranged from 17 to 62 years. There were five male patients and one female patient. Duration of symptoms at presentation varied from six months to seven years. Occipital and vertex areas of the scalp were the only regions involved. Staphylococcus aureus was isolated in three patients; in one patient culture yielded negative results and no culture was done in the other two patients. All our patients were treated with several separate courses of systemic antibiotics which include doxycycline, erythromycin, minocycline, co-trimoxazole, cloxacillin, erythromycin, rifampicin and clindamycin. In addition one patient was treated with fucidic acid and zinc sulphate. The disease ran a protracted course with temporary improvement while on antibiotic and flare up of disease when antibiotics were stopped. The effectiveness of early treatment with rifampicin has been highlighted in some case reports in the past. We did use rifampicin in one of our patients. Our concern over emergence of antibiotic resistance, if used widely, may not permit us to use rifampicin on a wide scale.

Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding in Chinese Children: A Multicenter 10-Year Retrospective Study.

PubMed

Yu, Yi; Wang, Baoxiang; Yuan, Lan; Yang, Hui; Wang, Xinqiong; Xiao, Yuan; Mei, Hong; Xu, Chundi

2016-08-01

Objective This study aims to analyze the clinical and endoscopic presentations of upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB) in the Chinese children. Methods A 10-year retrospective study was made on children with UGIB and undertaken esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) from 4 tertiary referral centers in China. Results Of the 1218 children studied, the bleeding source was found in 76.4%. Erosive gastritis was the most common endoscopic finding (33.5%), followed by duodenal ulcer (23.2%). The proportion of erosive gastritis decreased with age (correlation coefficient = -0.787), and duodenal ulcer increased with age (correlation coefficient = 0.958). The bleeding source was more likely to be determined in children having EGDs within 48 hours (80.6% vs 67.9%). Conclusions In Chinese children with UGIB, erosive gastritis and duodenal ulcer were the leading causes, and their proportions varied with age. EGDs performed within 48 hours may improve the possibility of finding the source of bleeding. © The Author(s) 2015.

Stability and change in retrospective reports of childhood experiences over a 5-year period: findings from the Davis Longitudinal Study.

PubMed

Yancura, Loriena A; Aldwin, Carolyn M

2009-09-01

The paths via which childhood experiences influence well-being in adulthood are not well defined because most research relies on retrospective reports. This study examined the influence of demographic characteristics and current mood states on the reliability of reports of childhood experiences. The Child Experiences Scale (CES) was administered in 1996 and 2001 to participants in the Davis Longitudinal Study (N = 571; age range 22-61 years). Responses showed moderate to high cross-time reliability. Males were slightly more likely to change their responses. The influence of mood states was weak and more evident for global ratings of childhood than for specific experiences. These findings support the use of retrospective reports of childhood. (c) 2009 APA, all rights reserved.

A retrospective survey of research design and statistical analyses in selected Chinese medical journals in 1998 and 2008.

PubMed

Jin, Zhichao; Yu, Danghui; Zhang, Luoman; Meng, Hong; Lu, Jian; Gao, Qingbin; Cao, Yang; Ma, Xiuqiang; Wu, Cheng; He, Qian; Wang, Rui; He, Jia

2010-05-25

High quality clinical research not only requires advanced professional knowledge, but also needs sound study design and correct statistical analyses. The number of clinical research articles published in Chinese medical journals has increased immensely in the past decade, but study design quality and statistical analyses have remained suboptimal. The aim of this investigation was to gather evidence on the quality of study design and statistical analyses in clinical researches conducted in China for the first decade of the new millennium. Ten (10) leading Chinese medical journals were selected and all original articles published in 1998 (N = 1,335) and 2008 (N = 1,578) were thoroughly categorized and reviewed. A well-defined and validated checklist on study design, statistical analyses, results presentation, and interpretation was used for review and evaluation. Main outcomes were the frequencies of different types of study design, error/defect proportion in design and statistical analyses, and implementation of CONSORT in randomized clinical trials. From 1998 to 2008: The error/defect proportion in statistical analyses decreased significantly ( = 12.03, p<0.001), 59.8% (545/1,335) in 1998 compared to 52.2% (664/1,578) in 2008. The overall error/defect proportion of study design also decreased ( = 21.22, p<0.001), 50.9% (680/1,335) compared to 42.40% (669/1,578). In 2008, design with randomized clinical trials remained low in single digit (3.8%, 60/1,578) with two-third showed poor results reporting (defects in 44 papers, 73.3%). Nearly half of the published studies were retrospective in nature, 49.3% (658/1,335) in 1998 compared to 48.2% (761/1,578) in 2008. Decreases in defect proportions were observed in both results presentation ( = 93.26, p<0.001), 92.7% (945/1,019) compared to 78.2% (1023/1,309) and interpretation ( = 27.26, p<0.001), 9.7% (99/1,019) compared to 4.3% (56/1,309), some serious ones persisted. Chinese medical research seems to have made

Is Routine Pathologic Evaluation of Sebaceous Cysts Necessary?: A 15-Year Retrospective Review of a Single Institution.

PubMed

Gargya, Vipul; Lucas, Heather D; Wendel Spiczka, Amy J; Mahabir, Raman Chaos

2017-02-01

A question arose in our practice of whether all cysts considered sebaceous should be sent for pathologic evaluation. To address this controversial topic, we performed a retrospective study of our single institution's histopathology database. A natural language search of the CoPath database across the institution was undertaken using the diagnosis of sebaceous cyst, epidermal cyst, epidermoid cyst, epithelial cyst, infundibular cyst, pilar cyst, trichilemmal cyst, and steatocystoma. A surgical pathologic review of all specimens with one of these preexcision diagnoses was included in the 15-year retrospective study of 1998 to 2013. All slides were confirmed to have undergone histopathologic review, and the preexcision diagnoses were compared with the postexcision diagnoses. Chart review was undertaken in instances of a diagnosis of malignancy. A total of 13,746 samples were identified. Forty-eight specimens had histopathologic diagnosis of malignancy, for an incidence of 0.3% and with the most common malignancy being squamous cell carcinoma. Chart review showed that for all cases, the surgeons reported uncertainty with regard to the diagnosis because of history or physical characteristics, or both. In addition, a comprehensive literature review showed results consistent with our data and illustrated 19 cases during the past 10 years in which most of the findings were squamous cell carcinoma. We propose the recommendation that routine pathologic evaluation of sebaceous cysts is necessary only when clinical suspicion exists.

Prevalence of Impacted Molar Teeth among Saudi Population in Asir Region, Saudi Arabia - A Retrospective Study of 3 Years.

PubMed

Syed, Kamran Bokhari; Zaheer, Kamran Bokhari; Ibrahim, Mohammed; Bagi, Mustafa Abdel; Assiri, Mohammed Abdullah

2013-02-01

To report the prevalence of impacted third molars according to the age, gender and type among Saudi population. This retrospective study involved 3800 panoramic radiographs of subjects aged 18 to 45 years who presented to the College of Dentistry, King Khalid University, Abha, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for oral care during the period from February 2009 to February 2011. Data collected was entered into a spreadsheet (Excel 2000; Microsoft, US) and analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 16.0. A total of 713 impacted teeth were identified (18.76%) (p=0.003). The male to female ratio with impacted third molars was 604:109 (5.54:1) and the ratio of patients with impacted teeth was (5:1). Age group 1 (i.e., 20 to 25 years)had the highest prevalence of third molar tooth impaction (64.5%) and this decreased with increasing age. Incidence of tooth impaction is higher in the mandible than in maxilla. Males had a higher incidence of third molar impaction as compared to the females. Highest incidence is found in the age group of 20-25 years. Mesio-angular impaction was the most predominant type. How to cite this article: Syed KB, Kota Z, Ibrahim M, Bagi MA, Assiri MA. "Prevalence of Impacted Molar Teeth among Saudi Population in Asir Region, Saudi Arabia - A Retrospective Study of 3 Years". J Int Oral Health 2013; 5(1):43-47.

Clinical performance of bonded ceramic inlays/onlays: A 5- to 18-year retrospective longitudinal study.

PubMed

Borgia Botto, Ernesto; Baró, Rosario; Borgia Botto, José Luis

2016-08-01

This retrospective longitudinal study evaluated the clinical performance of bonded ceramic inlays/onlays, placed by the first author in his private practice, in a 5 to 18-year period. The patients evaluated had been treated in the office for at least 7 years and were still in the practice up to year 2013. 130 randomly selected patients agreed to participate in the study. 93 bonded ceramic inlays/onlays (BCRs), were placed on posterior teeth in 47 subjects. Gender, age, tooth preparation, number, type, extent, location, quality and survival of the restorations, ceramic materials, luting resins cements, parafunctional habits, secondary caries and maintenance therapy were the variables evaluated. Cohen 's Kappa coefficient, on the quality analysis of the restorations, ranged from 0.78 to 1. Fisher 's exact test, Chi Square test, Kruskal-Wallis test and Mann-Whitney non-parametric test were indicated to analyze significant differences. At the initial examination, 87 (93.5%) restorations were in function and six failed (6.5%). 81 (93%) were rated as clinical successes. The observed mean survival time of those that remained functional was 11 years. The standard deviation was 4 years, with a 95% CI for the overall observed mean survival time (10 years-11 years, 9 months). 87 of 93 BCRs had a functional success of 93.5%, with an observed mean survival of 11 years. The clinical performance of bonded ceramic onlays was very acceptable. Bonded ceramic onlays showed a predictable, esthetic, and functional treatment, with acceptable longevity.

Necrotizing fasciitis: 11-year retrospective case review in South Auckland.

PubMed

Kulasegaran, Suheelan; Cribb, Benjamin; Vandal, Alain C; McBride, Stephen; Holland, David; MacCormick, Andrew D

2016-10-01

The aims of this paper were to review our experience with necrotizing fasciitis at Middlemore Hospital and to define the trends in incidence, inpatient mortality and microbiological profile. A computerized search of the electronic medical records was undertaken to identify adult patients with a diagnosis of necrotizing fasciitis between January 2000 and December 2010. A retrospective review of the clinical records was performed. Of the 138 patients with necrotizing fasciitis identified, 129 had their diagnosis confirmed at operation. The mortality at 30 days was 20.3% (95% confidence interval (CI) 13.9%-28.0%). There was a significant reduction in hospital mortality in each successive year of the study period with an odds ratio of 0.84 (95% CI 0.71-0.98, P = 0.03). A pattern of increasing incidence was noted until February 2004 (95% CI September 2002-July 2005). This was followed by a significant decrease in incidence. The empirical antibiotic regime of clindamycin, gentamicin and penicillin provides satisfactory cover against 95% of the causative pathogens. This represents the largest single-centre published case series in New Zealand. Despite concerns of increasing incidence and mortality associated with necrotizing fasciitis in New Zealand, the experience in South Auckland shows a decrease in incidence of necrotizing fasciitis since 2004 and a statistically significant decreasing trend in hospital mortality. © 2015 Royal Australasian College of Surgeons.

Home Mechanical Ventilation: A 12-Year Population-Based Retrospective Cohort Study.

PubMed

Povitz, Marcus; Rose, Louise; Shariff, Salimah Z; Leonard, Sean; Welk, Blayne; Jenkyn, Krista Bray; Leasa, David J; Gershon, Andrea S

2018-04-01

Increasing numbers of individuals are being initiated on home mechanical ventilation, including noninvasive (bi-level) and invasive mechanical ventilation delivered via tracheostomy due to chronic respiratory failure to enable symptom management and promote quality of life. Given the high care needs of these individuals, a better understanding of the indications for home mechanical ventilation, and health-care utilization is needed. We performed a retrospective cohort study using provincial health administrative data from Ontario, Canada (population ∼13,000,000). Home mechanical ventilation users were characterized using health administrative data to determine the indications for home mechanical ventilation, the need for acute care at the time of ventilation approval, and their health service use and mortality rates following approval. The annual incidence of home mechanical ventilation approval rose from 1.8/100,000 in 2000 to 5.0/100,000 in 2012, or an annual increase of approximately 0.3/100,000 persons/y. The leading indications were neuromuscular disease, thoracic restriction, and COPD. The indication for the remainder could not be determined due to limitations of the administrative databases. Of the 4,670 individuals, 23.0% commenced home mechanical ventilation following an acute care hospitalization. Among individuals who survived at least 1 y, fewer required hospitalization in the year that followed home mechanical ventilation approval (29.9% vs 39.8%) as compared with the year prior. Utilization of home mechanical ventilation is increasing in Ontario, Canada, and further study is needed to clarify the factors contributing to this and to further optimize utilization of health-care resources. Copyright © 2018 by Daedalus Enterprises.

Medical leave granted to psychiatric inpatients--a one-year retrospective review.

PubMed

Koh, K G; Ang, A W

2000-09-01

Of the 676 patients warded in 1998 at the National University Hospital (NUH) Department of Psychological Medicine, over a third (n = 268) required certification of absence from work. Duration of inpatient stay and immediate post-discharge medical leave were examined for this group. These durations were correlated against the patients' diagnoses and their demographic variables. The mental health morbidity of teachers was specifically studied. In this retrospective study, we used medical certificate counterfoils to determine the lengths of admission and post-discharge medical leave duration. ANOVA and Kruskal-Wallis tests of the SPSS computer package were used for statistical analysis. The sex and marital status of these patients did not affect either duration significantly. However, those 45 years and older were granted longer outpatient medical leave. Patients diagnosed with mood and psychotic disorders required longer inpatient stay and were granted longer outpatient medical leave, as compared with other diagnostic groups. It was found that the teachers admitted were largely 45 years and older, had a diagnosis of depression and required extended periods of outpatient medical leave compared to other occupational groups. The mean number of days of inpatient stay and outpatient medical leave may serve as a helpful guideline of current practice. As introduced in this paper, the use of medical certificate counterfoils is a simple yet effective way of measuring days off-work. With the inclusion of those psychiatric patients not working and the medical leave granted long after discharge, calculations of the economic costs of specific mental disorders to Singapore can then be attempted.

Healthcare-associated Pneumonia: Clinical Features and Retrospective Analysis Over 10 Years.

PubMed

Qi, Fei; Zhang, Guo-Xin; She, Dan-Yang; Liang, Zhi-Xin; Wang, Ren-Tao; Yang, Zhen; Chen, Liang-An; Cui, Jun-Chang

2015-10-20

Healthcare-associated pneumonia (HCAP) is associated with drug-resistant pathogens and high mortality, and there is no clear evidence that this is due to inappropriate antibiotic therapy. This study was to elucidate the clinical features, pathogens, therapy, and outcomes of HCAP, and to clarify the risk factors for drug-resistant pathogens and prognosis. Retrospective observational study among hospitalized patients with HCAP over 10 years. The primary outcome was 30-day all-cause hospital mortality after admission. Demographics (age, gender, clinical features, and comorbidities), dates of admission, discharge and/or death, hospitalization costs, microbiological results, chest imaging studies, and CURB-65 were analyzed. Antibiotics, admission to Intensive Care Unit (ICU), mechanical ventilation, and pneumonia prognosis were recorded. Patients were dichotomized based on CURB-65 (low- vs. high-risk). Among 612 patients (mean age of 70.7 years), 88.4% had at least one comorbidity. Commonly detected pathogens were Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and coagulase-negative staphylococci. Initial monotherapy with β-lactam antibiotics was the most common initial therapy (50%). Mean age, length of stay, hospitalization expenses, ICU admission, mechanical ventilation use, malignancies, and detection rate for P. aeruginosa, and Staphylococcus aureus were higher in the high-risk group compared with the low-risk group. CURB-65 ≥3, malignancies, and mechanical ventilation were associated with an increased mortality. Logistic regression analysis showed that cerebrovascular diseases and being bedridden were independent risk factors for HCAP. Initial treatment of HCAP with broad-spectrum antibiotics could be an appropriate approach. CURB-65 ≥3, malignancies, and mechanical ventilation may result in an increased mortality.

Epidemiology of infective endocarditis in Tunisia: a 10-year multicenter retrospective study.

PubMed

Letaief, Amel; Boughzala, Essia; Kaabia, Naoufel; Ernez, Samia; Abid, Fekria; Ben Chaabane, Taoufik; Ben Jemaa, Mounir; Boujnah, Rachid; Chakroun, Mohamed; Daoud, Moncef; Gaha, Rafika; Kafsi, Naceur; Khalfallah, Ali; Slimane, Lotfi; Zaouali, Mohamed

2007-09-01

Since the first description of infective endocarditis, the profile of the disease has evolved continuously with stable incidence. However, epidemiological features are different in developing countries compared with western countries. To describe epidemiological, microbiological and outcome characteristics of infective endocarditis in Tunisia. This was a descriptive multicenter retrospective study of inpatients treated for infective endocarditis from 1991 to 2000. Charts of patients with possible or definite infective endocarditis according to the Duke criteria were included in the study. Four hundred and forty episodes of infective endocarditis among 435 patients (242 males, 193 females; mean (SD) age=32.4 (16.8) years, range 1-78 years) were reviewed. The most common predisposing heart disease was rheumatic valvular disease (45.2%). Infective endocarditis occurred on prosthetic valves in 17.3% of cases. Causative microorganisms were identified in 50.2% of cases: streptococci (17.3%), enterococci (3.9%), staphylococci (17.9%), and other pathogens (11.1%). Blood cultures were negative in 53.6% and no microorganism was identified in 49.8%. Early valve surgery was performed in 51.2% of patients. The in-hospital mortality was 20.6%. Infective endocarditis is still frequently associated with rheumatic disease among young adults in Tunisia, with a high frequency of negative blood cultures and high in-hospital mortality, given that the population affected is relatively young.

Second Class Resolver: a retrospective analysis.

PubMed

D'Attilio, M; Rodolfino, D; Filippakos, A; Saccucci, M; Festa, F; Tripodi, D

2014-03-01

To evaluate the use of Second Class Resolver (SCR), a new fixed orthopaedic appliance, for the treatment of skeletal Class II malocclusion in growing subjects. Design Retrospective analysis. Forty subjects were treated with Second Class Resolver (SCR). The mean age was 8 years at the beginning of treatment and 10 years at the end of treatment. Digital cephalometric superimpositions on lateral radiographs taken at start and end of treatment were assessed. The cephalometric values were statistically analysed. Cephalometric analysis of changes during treatment shows reduction of ANB angle (mean 2°); reduction of Witts Index (mean 3 mm); reduction of Maxillo-Mandibular angle (MM) (mean 1°); reduction of SNA (angle mean 3°); reduction of gonial angle (mean 1.8°); increase of the mandibular branch length (mean 5 mm); increase of mandibular body (mean 2.9°). The Second Class Resolver can be beneficially used for the treatment of Class II malocclusion.

Childhood interstitial lung diseases: an 18-year retrospective analysis.

PubMed

Soares, Jennifer J; Deutsch, Gail H; Moore, Paul E; Fazili, Mohammad F; Austin, Eric D; Brown, Rebekah F; Sokolow, Andrew G; Hilmes, Melissa A; Young, Lisa R

2013-10-01

Childhood interstitial lung diseases (ILD) occur in a variety of clinical contexts. Advances in the understanding of disease pathogenesis and use of standardized terminology have facilitated increased case ascertainment. However, as all studies have been performed at specialized referral centers, the applicability of these findings to general pulmonary practice has been uncertain. The objective of this study was to determine the historical occurrence of childhood ILD to provide information reflecting general pediatric pulmonary practice patterns. Childhood ILD cases seen at Vanderbilt Children's Hospital from 1994 to 2011 were retrospectively reviewed and classified according to the current pediatric diffuse lung disease histopathologic classification system. A total of 93 cases were identified, of which 91.4% were classifiable. A total of 68.8% (64/93) of subjects underwent lung biopsy in their evaluations. The largest classification categories were disorders related to systemic disease processes (24.7%), disorders of the immunocompromised host (24.7%), and disorders more prevalent in infancy (22.6%). Eight cases of neuroendocrine cell hyperplasia of infancy (NEHI) were identified, including 5 that were previously unrecognized before this review. Our findings demonstrate the general scope of childhood ILD and that these cases present within a variety of pediatric subspecialties. Retrospective review was valuable in recognizing more recently described forms of childhood ILD. As a significant portion of cases were classifiable based on clinical, genetic, and/or radiographic criteria, we urge greater consideration to noninvasive diagnostic approaches and suggest modification to the current childhood ILD classification scheme to accommodate the increasing number of cases diagnosed without lung biopsy.

The Delphi Predictions of Pathology Chairmen: A Six-Year Retrospective View.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hill, Rolla B.; Goodale, Fairfield

1981-01-01

A retrospective review is reported of progress in academic pathology since 1974, when the Association of Pathology Chairmen undertook a Delphi study of pathology chairmen's expectations and desires for the future. The Delphi study was useful in alerting academic pathologists to opportunities and in coalescing activities toward achievement of…

Trends of CT utilisation in an emergency department in Taiwan: a 5-year retrospective study.

PubMed

Hu, Sung-Yuan; Hsieh, Ming-Shun; Lin, Meng-Yu; Hsu, Chiann-Yi; Lin, Tzu-Chieh; How, Chorng-Kuang; Wang, Chen-Yu; Tsai, Jeffrey Che-Hung; Wu, Yu-Hui; Chang, Yan-Zin

2016-06-08

To investigate the association between the trends of CT utilisation in an emergency department (ED) and changes in clinical imaging practice and patients' disposition. A hospital-based retrospective observational study of a public 1520-bed referral medical centre in Taiwan. Adult ED visits (aged ≥18 years) during 2009-2013, with or without receiving CT, were enrolled as the study participants. For all enrolled ED visits, we retrospectively analysed: (1) demographic characteristics, (2) triage categories, (3) whether CT was performed and the type of CT scan, (4) further ED disposition, (5) ED cost and (6) ED length of stay. In all, 269 239 adult ED visits (148 613 male patients and 120 626 female patients) were collected during the 5-year study period, comprising 38 609 CT scans. CT utilisation increased from 11.10% in 2009 to 17.70% in 2013 (trend test, p<0.001). Four in 5 types of CT scan (head, chest, abdomen and miscellaneous) were increasingly utilised during the study period. Also, CT was increasingly ordered annually in all age groups. Although ED CT utilisation rates increased markedly, the annual ED visits did not actually increase. Moreover, the subsequent admission rate, after receiving ED CT, declined (59.9% in 2009 to 48.2% in 2013). ED CT utilisation rates increased significantly during 2009-2013. Emergency physicians may be using CT for non-emergent studies in the ED. Further investigation is needed to determine whether increasing CT utilisation is efficient and cost-effective. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

A 10-Year Retrospective Review of Nephrolithiasis in the Navy and Navy Pilots.

PubMed

Masterson, James H; Phillips, Christopher J; Crum-Cianflone, Nancy F; Krause, Robert J; Sur, Roger L; L'Esperance, James O

2017-08-01

Little is known about the incidence of nephrolithiasis in the United States Navy. Navy pilots must be kidney stone-free and are often referred for treatment of small asymptomatic stones. The primary objectives of this study were to determine the incidence of nephrolithiasis and computerized tomography, proportion undergoing treatment and incidence of stone related mishaps in Navy pilots compared with other Navy personnel. We retrospectively studied the records of all Navy service members from 2002 to 2011 for nephrolithiasis based on ICD-9 stone codes to determine the mentioned rates. We also reviewed NSC (Naval Safety Center) data for a history of accidents associated with nephrolithiasis. Rates of disease were calculated using person-years of followup and inferential statistics were done using univariable and multivariable analyses. We evaluated 667,840 Navy personnel with a total of 3,238,331 person-years of followup. The annual incidence of nephrolithiasis was 240/100,000 person-years with a 5-year recurrence rate of 35.3%. On multivariable analysis pilots had nephrolithiasis incidence and treatment rates similar to those of the overall Navy population. Women had a higher incidence of nephrolithiasis compared with men (OR 1.17, p <0.0001). The rate of computerized tomography was lower in pilots than in the rest of the Navy (39 vs 66/10,000 person-years, p <0.0001). No recorded accidents were associated with kidney stones. Navy pilots had a similar incidence of nephrolithiasis and were no more likely to undergo a surgical procedure. Given that no accidents were associated with nephrolithiasis, this study suggests reconsidering current military policies necessitating pilots to be completely stone-free. Copyright © 2017 American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A Retrospective Survey of Research Design and Statistical Analyses in Selected Chinese Medical Journals in 1998 and 2008

PubMed Central

Jin, Zhichao; Yu, Danghui; Zhang, Luoman; Meng, Hong; Lu, Jian; Gao, Qingbin; Cao, Yang; Ma, Xiuqiang; Wu, Cheng; He, Qian; Wang, Rui; He, Jia

2010-01-01

Background High quality clinical research not only requires advanced professional knowledge, but also needs sound study design and correct statistical analyses. The number of clinical research articles published in Chinese medical journals has increased immensely in the past decade, but study design quality and statistical analyses have remained suboptimal. The aim of this investigation was to gather evidence on the quality of study design and statistical analyses in clinical researches conducted in China for the first decade of the new millennium. Methodology/Principal Findings Ten (10) leading Chinese medical journals were selected and all original articles published in 1998 (N = 1,335) and 2008 (N = 1,578) were thoroughly categorized and reviewed. A well-defined and validated checklist on study design, statistical analyses, results presentation, and interpretation was used for review and evaluation. Main outcomes were the frequencies of different types of study design, error/defect proportion in design and statistical analyses, and implementation of CONSORT in randomized clinical trials. From 1998 to 2008: The error/defect proportion in statistical analyses decreased significantly ( = 12.03, p<0.001), 59.8% (545/1,335) in 1998 compared to 52.2% (664/1,578) in 2008. The overall error/defect proportion of study design also decreased ( = 21.22, p<0.001), 50.9% (680/1,335) compared to 42.40% (669/1,578). In 2008, design with randomized clinical trials remained low in single digit (3.8%, 60/1,578) with two-third showed poor results reporting (defects in 44 papers, 73.3%). Nearly half of the published studies were retrospective in nature, 49.3% (658/1,335) in 1998 compared to 48.2% (761/1,578) in 2008. Decreases in defect proportions were observed in both results presentation ( = 93.26, p<0.001), 92.7% (945/1,019) compared to 78.2% (1023/1,309) and interpretation ( = 27.26, p<0.001), 9.7% (99/1,019) compared to 4.3% (56/1,309), some serious

[Epidemiological profile of Tinea capitis in Dakar (Senegal). A 6-year retrospective study (2008-2013)].

PubMed

Ndiaye, M; Diongue, K; Seck, M C; Badiane, A S; Diallo, M A; Deme, A B; Ndiaye, Y D; Dieye, B; Diallo, S; Ndoye, N W; Ndir, O; Ndiaye, D

2015-06-01

Tinea capitis is considered as a public health problem in Senegal. The aim of this study was to investigate trends in the incidence, the mycological and epidemiological aspects of tinea capitis diagnosed at Le Dantec Hospital in Dakar. Our work is a retrospective study concerning all scalp samples taken by the parasitology laboratory, over a 6-year period (2008-2013). A total of 1640 specimens were examined. Of these, 566 were positive with direct examination and after culture. We noted the reduction of patients and of the incidence of tineas during 6 years with variations of 147 (46.82%) to 37 (22.02%). The average incidence of the tineas during six years was 34.51%. Patients' age varied between 1 to 83 years with a mean of 27.33 years. Prevalence varied between age groups, with 10.61 % in adults between 20 to 29 years, 7.19% in children between 0 to 9 years, 6.04% between 10 to 19 years, and 5.91% in adults between 30 to 39 years. Women were more infected 469 (82.9%) than men 97 (17.1%). The main dermatophytes isolated were: T. soudanense in 318 cases (56.18%), T. rubrum in 104 cases (18.37%), M. langeronii in 72 cases (12.72%), M. canis in 36 cases (6.36%), and T. mentagrophytes in 26 cases (4.60%). Our study showed a decrease in the annual incidence of tinea capitis over the study period with an evident increase in trichophytic tinea. This study showed that tinea is endemic in Senegal mainly among women between 20 and 29 years. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Healthcare-associated Pneumonia: Clinical Features and Retrospective Analysis Over 10 Years

PubMed Central

Qi, Fei; Zhang, Guo-Xin; She, Dan-Yang; Liang, Zhi-Xin; Wang, Ren-Tao; Yang, Zhen; Chen, Liang-An; Cui, Jun-Chang

2015-01-01

Background: Healthcare-associated pneumonia (HCAP) is associated with drug-resistant pathogens and high mortality, and there is no clear evidence that this is due to inappropriate antibiotic therapy. This study was to elucidate the clinical features, pathogens, therapy, and outcomes of HCAP, and to clarify the risk factors for drug-resistant pathogens and prognosis. Methods: Retrospective observational study among hospitalized patients with HCAP over 10 years. The primary outcome was 30-day all-cause hospital mortality after admission. Demographics (age, gender, clinical features, and comorbidities), dates of admission, discharge and/or death, hospitalization costs, microbiological results, chest imaging studies, and CURB-65 were analyzed. Antibiotics, admission to Intensive Care Unit (ICU), mechanical ventilation, and pneumonia prognosis were recorded. Patients were dichotomized based on CURB-65 (low- vs. high-risk). Results: Among 612 patients (mean age of 70.7 years), 88.4% had at least one comorbidity. Commonly detected pathogens were Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and coagulase-negative staphylococci. Initial monotherapy with β-lactam antibiotics was the most common initial therapy (50%). Mean age, length of stay, hospitalization expenses, ICU admission, mechanical ventilation use, malignancies, and detection rate for P. aeruginosa, and Staphylococcus aureus were higher in the high-risk group compared with the low-risk group. CURB-65 ≥3, malignancies, and mechanical ventilation were associated with an increased mortality. Logistic regression analysis showed that cerebrovascular diseases and being bedridden were independent risk factors for HCAP. Conclusion: Initial treatment of HCAP with broad-spectrum antibiotics could be an appropriate approach. CURB-65 ≥3, malignancies, and mechanical ventilation may result in an increased mortality. PMID:26481734

One-year visual outcome of small incision lenticule extraction (SMILE) surgery in high myopic eyes: retrospective cohort study

PubMed Central

Wu, Wenjing; Wang, Yan; Zhang, Hui; Zhang, Jiamei; Li, Hua; Dou, Rui

2016-01-01

Objective To determine whether the long-term visual outcome of small incision lenticule extraction (SMILE) surgery is consistent with the short-term results in high myopic eyes. Design Retrospective cohort study; data collected from 8 August 2011 to 31 August 2015. Setting Single refractive surgery centre. Participants A total of 156 eyes were studied: 65 eyes of 39 subjects (22 female/17 male) in the high myopic group (manifest refraction spherical equivalent (MRSE) ≥−6.0 D), and 91 eyes of 54 subjects (29 female/25 male) in the control group (MRSE <−6.0 D). The inclusion criteria were subjects who had follow-ups after 1 day, 1 week, 1 month, 3, 6 months and 1 year with the manifest refraction, uncorrected and corrected distance visual acuity (UDVA/CDVA). There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups in the subjects' gender, age, or cylindrical dioptre, preoperatively (p=0.835, p=0.055, p=0.341, respectively). Primary and secondary outcome measures UDVA, refractive stability, safety index (postoperative CDVA/preoperative CDVA), and predictability (the percentage of eyes within ±0.50 D). Results In both groups, the 1-year UDVA and safety index were significantly better than results at 1 day (high myopic group: p=0.035, p<0.001; control group: p<0.016, p<0.001); the 1-year predictability showed no significant difference with the short-term results (p=1.00 in both groups). In the high myopic eyes, the 1-year MRSE was significantly worse than the short-term result (p=0.048). To correct it, the added magnitude (D) for the high myopic eyes may equal 0.13×Attempted SE (D)−0.66 D. However, the postoperative MRSE showed no differences from 1 day to 1 year (p=0.612) in the control group. Conclusions The 1-year visual outcomes were better than the short-term results after the SMILE surgery on the visual acuity and safety. However, the high myopic eyes suffered a significant regression at 1 year, which may be

The impact of socio-economic deprivation on burn injury: A nine-year retrospective study of 6441 patients.

PubMed

Marsden, N J; Battle, C E; Combellack, E J; Sabra, A; Morris, K; Dickson, W A; Whitaker, I S; Evans, P A

2016-03-01

Low socio-economic status is thought to be associated with increased burn risk, however the significance and generalisability across different populations and cultures has been questioned. A nine-year retrospective study of burn presentations to a large teaching hospital (2005-2014) was performed to investigate the association between socio-economic status and burns. Demographic and injury data was collected via the trust 'Information portal'. The Welsh Index of Multiple: Deprivation 2011 was used to score for socio-economic status. Chi-squared test and Odds Ratios were calculated and statistical significance defined as p<0.05 throughout. 6441 burns were identified, with 755 (11.7%) admitted. Overall incidence rates were the highest published in the UK (0.35/1000/year) with sub group analysis showing the highest rates in under fives and males. Significant relationships between both age and burn mechanism and gender and burn mechanism (p=0.0005) were identified. Scald (67.1%) was the most common mechanism with the upper limb (48%) most commonly burned. Chi square analysis demonstrated a significant relationship between socio-economic deprivation, age and burn incidence (p≤0.0005), with a disproportionately high number of burns in patients under the age of 16 in the most deprived quintile (OR 1.23; 95% CI 1.06-1.44). This study specifically highlights patients under the age of 16 living in poorer socio-economic areas as the most at risk of suffering burns receiving hospital attention. This study demonstrates burns as a significant public health issue, and the results should aid in designing specific burn prevention strategies to target high-risk groups. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.

A 15-year retrospective analysis of prognostic factors in childhood bacterial meningitis.

PubMed

Wee, Liang Yi Justin; Tanugroho, Raymond Reinaldo; Thoon, Koh Cheng; Chong, Chia Yin; Choong, Chew Thye; Krishnamoorthy, Subramania; Maiwald, Matthias; Tee, Nancy Wen Sim; Tan, Natalie Woon Hui

2016-01-01

This retrospective chart review aimed to identify factors in childhood bacterial meningitis that predicted disease severity and long-term outcome. The study included 112 episodes of microbiologically confirmed bacterial meningitis in children aged three days to 15 years who were admitted to a Singapore hospital from 1998 to 2013. The mortality rate was 6%, and 44% required intensive care unit (ICU) admission. Predictive factors associated with ICU admission included pneumococcal meningitis, with an odds ratio (OR) of 5.2 and 95% confidence interval (CI) of 1.5-18.2, leukopenia (OR 5.6, 95% CI 1.7-17.9) and a cerebrospinal fluid (CSF):serum glucose ratio <0.25 (OR 4.5, 95% CI 1.4-14.4). An initial CSF white blood cell count >1000/mm(3) (OR 0.26, 95% CI 0.086-0.76) was negatively associated with ICU admission. Five years after meningitis, 32% had residual sequelae, and the associated prognostic factors were Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) meningitis (OR 29.5, 95% CI 2-429), seizures during their inpatient stay (OR 10.6, 95% CI 1.9-60.2) and septic shock (OR 8.4, 95% CI 1.1-62.1). As mortality was low in this bacterial meningitis study, ICU admission was used as a marker of disease severity. These findings underscore the importance of the pneumococcal and Hib meningitis vaccines. ©2015 Foundation Acta Paediatrica. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Love Death-A Retrospective and Prospective Follow-Up Mortality Study Over 45 Years.

PubMed

Lange, Lena; Zedler, Barbara; Verhoff, Marcel A; Parzeller, Markus

2017-10-01

Although sexual activity can cause moderate stress, it can cause natural death in individuals with pre-existing illness. The aim of this study was to identify additional pre-existing health problems, sexual practices, and potential circumstances that may trigger fatal events. This medicolegal postmortem, retrospective, and prospective study is based on data of autopsies performed at the Institute of Legal Medicine of the University hospital, Goethe-University, Frankfurt/Main, Germany. Identification of pre-existing health problems, sexual practices, and potential circumstances than could trigger fatal events. From 1972 to 2016 (45 years) approximately 38,000 medicolegal autopsies were performed, of which 99 cases of natural death were connected to sexual activities (0.26%). Except for eight women, men represented most cases. The women's mean age was 45 years (median = 45) and the men's mean age was 57.2 years (median = 57). Causes of death were coronary heart disease (n = 28), myocardial infarction (n = 21) and reinfarction (n = 17), cerebral hemorrhage (n = 12), rupture of aortic aneurysms (n = 8), cardiomyopathy (n = 8), acute heart failure (n = 2), sudden cardiac arrest (n = 1), myocarditis (n = 1), and a combination of post myocardial infarction and cocaine intoxication (n = 1). Most cases showed increased heart weights and body mass indices. Death occurred mainly during the summer and spring and in the home of the deceased. If sexual partners were identified, 34 men died during or after sexual contact with a female prostitute, two cases at least two female prostitutes. Nine men died during or after sexual intercourse with their wife, in seven cases the sexual partner was a mistress, and in four cases the life partner. Five men died during homosexual contacts. Based on the situation 30 men were found in, death occurred during masturbation. Of the women, five died during intercourse with the life partner, two died during intercourse with a lover or

Research Design and Statistical Methods in Indian Medical Journals: A Retrospective Survey

PubMed Central

Hassan, Shabbeer; Yellur, Rajashree; Subramani, Pooventhan; Adiga, Poornima; Gokhale, Manoj; Iyer, Manasa S.; Mayya, Shreemathi S.

2015-01-01

Good quality medical research generally requires not only an expertise in the chosen medical field of interest but also a sound knowledge of statistical methodology. The number of medical research articles which have been published in Indian medical journals has increased quite substantially in the past decade. The aim of this study was to collate all evidence on study design quality and statistical analyses used in selected leading Indian medical journals. Ten (10) leading Indian medical journals were selected based on impact factors and all original research articles published in 2003 (N = 588) and 2013 (N = 774) were categorized and reviewed. A validated checklist on study design, statistical analyses, results presentation, and interpretation was used for review and evaluation of the articles. Main outcomes considered in the present study were – study design types and their frequencies, error/defects proportion in study design, statistical analyses, and implementation of CONSORT checklist in RCT (randomized clinical trials). From 2003 to 2013: The proportion of erroneous statistical analyses did not decrease (χ2=0.592, Φ=0.027, p=0.4418), 25% (80/320) in 2003 compared to 22.6% (111/490) in 2013. Compared with 2003, significant improvement was seen in 2013; the proportion of papers using statistical tests increased significantly (χ2=26.96, Φ=0.16, p<0.0001) from 42.5% (250/588) to 56.7 % (439/774). The overall proportion of errors in study design decreased significantly (χ2=16.783, Φ=0.12 p<0.0001), 41.3% (243/588) compared to 30.6% (237/774). In 2013, randomized clinical trials designs has remained very low (7.3%, 43/588) with majority showing some errors (41 papers, 95.3%). Majority of the published studies were retrospective in nature both in 2003 [79.1% (465/588)] and in 2013 [78.2% (605/774)]. Major decreases in error proportions were observed in both results presentation (χ2=24.477, Φ=0.17, p<0.0001), 82.2% (263/320) compared to 66.3% (325

Research design and statistical methods in Indian medical journals: a retrospective survey.

PubMed

Hassan, Shabbeer; Yellur, Rajashree; Subramani, Pooventhan; Adiga, Poornima; Gokhale, Manoj; Iyer, Manasa S; Mayya, Shreemathi S

2015-01-01

Good quality medical research generally requires not only an expertise in the chosen medical field of interest but also a sound knowledge of statistical methodology. The number of medical research articles which have been published in Indian medical journals has increased quite substantially in the past decade. The aim of this study was to collate all evidence on study design quality and statistical analyses used in selected leading Indian medical journals. Ten (10) leading Indian medical journals were selected based on impact factors and all original research articles published in 2003 (N = 588) and 2013 (N = 774) were categorized and reviewed. A validated checklist on study design, statistical analyses, results presentation, and interpretation was used for review and evaluation of the articles. Main outcomes considered in the present study were - study design types and their frequencies, error/defects proportion in study design, statistical analyses, and implementation of CONSORT checklist in RCT (randomized clinical trials). From 2003 to 2013: The proportion of erroneous statistical analyses did not decrease (χ2=0.592, Φ=0.027, p=0.4418), 25% (80/320) in 2003 compared to 22.6% (111/490) in 2013. Compared with 2003, significant improvement was seen in 2013; the proportion of papers using statistical tests increased significantly (χ2=26.96, Φ=0.16, p<0.0001) from 42.5% (250/588) to 56.7 % (439/774). The overall proportion of errors in study design decreased significantly (χ2=16.783, Φ=0.12 p<0.0001), 41.3% (243/588) compared to 30.6% (237/774). In 2013, randomized clinical trials designs has remained very low (7.3%, 43/588) with majority showing some errors (41 papers, 95.3%). Majority of the published studies were retrospective in nature both in 2003 [79.1% (465/588)] and in 2013 [78.2% (605/774)]. Major decreases in error proportions were observed in both results presentation (χ2=24.477, Φ=0.17, p<0.0001), 82.2% (263/320) compared to 66.3% (325/490) and

Retrospective evaluation of paediatric oral biopsies over a 10-year period in Western India.

PubMed

Patil, S S; Kontham, U R; Kontham, R K; Chowdhery, A

2017-06-01

This retrospective study reviewed the paediatric oral biopsies received over 10 years at a teaching hospital and dental college in India. It is important that paediatric dentists know the diagnostic tendencies of oral pathological conditions in children, and possess updated information for their diagnosis and treatment. Biopsies of patients 17 years of age or younger were selected. Computerised data regarding age, gender, anatomic location, and histopathological diagnosis was retrieved and classified into nine categories. Of a total 2959 oral biopsies, 359 cases (12.1%) were in the paediatric population with a slight male predominance. Salivary gland pathology (21.4%) was most frequently observed followed by dental pathology, maxillofacial tumours and maxillofacial cysts. More than a third of cases (35.9%) were found to occur in the mandible. Five cases of malignancies were found, two of which were salivary gland tumours. The majority of lesions identified were of a benign nature necessitating minimal intervention; however, it is important to recognise that malignant lesions can occur in children. Any swelling, especially related to the salivary glands, must be investigated immediately, so as to prevent mortality and reduce morbidity. Diverse classifications used by previous authors make comparison of data challenging.

A Retrospective Appraisal of Teacher Induction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nasser-Abu Alhija, Fadia M.; Fresko, Barbara

2016-01-01

Examination of an induction program for new teachers was undertaken from the viewpoint of induction graduates three years after participation. Their retrospective perspectives were investigated as to their satisfaction with assimilation in school in the induction year, their attitudes towards organizational aspects of the program, and the…

Prediction of citation counts for clinical articles at two years using data available within three weeks of publication: retrospective cohort study

PubMed Central

2008-01-01

Objective To determine if citation counts at two years could be predicted for clinical articles that pass basic criteria for critical appraisal using data within three weeks of publication from external sources and an online article rating service. Design Retrospective cohort study. Setting Online rating service, Canada. Participants 1274 articles from 105 journals published from January to June 2005, randomly divided into a 60:40 split to provide derivation and validation datasets. Main outcome measures 20 article and journal features, including ratings of clinical relevance and newsworthiness, routinely collected by the McMaster online rating of evidence system, compared with citation counts at two years. Results The derivation analysis showed that the regression equation accounted for 60% of the variation (R2=0.60, 95% confidence interval 0.538 to 0.629). This model applied to the validation dataset gave a similar prediction (R2=0.56, 0.476 to 0.596, shrinkage 0.04; shrinkage measures how well the derived equation matches data from the validation dataset). Cited articles in the top half and top third were predicted with 83% and 61% sensitivity and 72% and 82% specificity. Higher citations were predicted by indexing in numerous databases; number of authors; abstraction in synoptic journals; clinical relevance scores; number of cited references; and original, multicentred, and therapy articles from journals with a greater proportion of articles abstracted. Conclusion Citation counts can be reliably predicted at two years using data within three weeks of publication. PMID:18292132

The practical application of adaptive study design in early phase clinical trials: a retrospective analysis of time savings.

PubMed

Lorch, U; Berelowitz, K; Ozen, C; Naseem, A; Akuffo, E; Taubel, J

2012-05-01

The interest in adaptive study design is evident from the growing amount of clinical research employing this model in the mid to later stages of medicines development. Little has been published on the practical application and merits of adaptive study design in early phase clinical research. This paper describes a retrospective analysis performed on a sample of 29 industry lead adaptive early phase studies commencing between 1 January 2006 and 31 December 2010 in a clinical trials unit in London, England. All studies containing at least one adaptive feature in the original protocol were included in the analysis. The scope of the analysis was to assess whether the use of adaptive study designs provided tangible benefits over the use of conventional study designs using time savings as the main measure. We conclude that the use of adaptive study design saves time in early phase research programs. This is achieved by abolishing the need for substantial amendments or by mitigating their impact on timelines and by using adaptive scheduling efficiencies.

Clinical characteristics and presentation of ameloblastomas: an 8-year retrospective study of 240 cases in Eastern Nigeria.

PubMed

Chukwuneke, F N; Anyanechi, C E; Akpeh, J O; Chukwuka, A; Ekwueme, O C

2016-05-01

Our aim was to summarise the clinical characteristics and presentation of ameloblastomas in eastern Nigeria. We organised a retrospective study of 240 patients who presented with ameloblastomas to the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery units of five specialist hospitals in the eastern states of Nigeria over an eight-year period (2004-2011). We analysed the casenotes, and categorised the cases by site of tumour, age, sex, and time of presentation. There were 117 men (49%) (mean (SD) age 43 (6.2) years) and 123 women (51%) (mean (SD) age 32 (4.7) years), a male:female ratio of 1:1.1. The largest age group was 20-39 years (n=102, 43%), and the most common site was the anterior mandible (n=140, 58%). Most of the patients presented late. Our results show that the most common site of ameloblastomas in Eastern Nigeria is the anterior mandible and that women are affected more than men, which is at variance with the results of most other studies. Copyright © 2015 The British Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Decline in new drug launches: myth or reality? Retrospective observational study using 30 years of data from the UK

PubMed Central

Ward, Derek J; Martino, Orsolina I; Simpson, Sue; Stevens, Andrew J

2013-01-01

Objective To describe trends in new drugs launched in the UK from 1982 to 2011 and test the hypothesis that the rate of new drug introductions has declined over the study period. There is wide concern that pharmaceutical innovation is declining. Reported trends suggest that fewer new drugs have been launched over recent decades, despite increasing investment into research and development. Design Retrospective observational study. Setting and data source Database of new preparations added annually to the British National Formulary (BNF). Main outcome measures The number of new drugs entered each year, including new chemical entities(NCEs) and new biological drugs, based on first appearance in the BNF. Results There was no significant linear trend in the number of new drugs introduced into the UK from 1982 to 2011. Following a dip in the mid-1980s (11–12 NCEs/new biologics introduced annually from 1985 to 1987), there was a variable increase in the numbers of new drugs introduced annually to a peak of 34 in 1997. This peak was followed by a decline to approximately 20 new drugs/year between 2003 and 2006, and another peak in 2010. Extending the timeline further back with existing published data shows an overall slight increase in new drug introductions of 0.16/year over the entire 1971 to 2011 period. Conclusions The purported ‘innovation dip’ is an artefact of the time periods previously studied. Reports of declining innovation need to be considered in the context of their timescale and perspective. PMID:23427198

Pesticide poisoning cases in Ankara and nearby cities in Turkey: an 11-year retrospective analysis.

PubMed

Kır, M Ziya; Öztürk, Gülfer; Gürler, Mukaddes; Karaarslan, Bekir; Erden, Gönül; Karapirli, Mustafa; Akyol, Ömer

2013-05-01

Since they are available in open markets and pharmacies, pesticides have been widely used all over the country. (Un)intentional poisoning with these compounds is one of the most common causes of chemical poisoning, especially in rural agricultural areas. Pesticide poisonings reported by various countries showed that it is a worldwide health problem with 250,000-370,000 associated deaths each year. In this study, medico-legal deaths between the years 2001 and 2011 in Ankara and nearby cities in Turkey were investigated retrospectively. The autopsies were partly carried out by Ankara Branch of Council of Forensic Medicine. Data were collected from reports of the Morgue Department whose toxicological analyses were performed in the Chemistry Department. The data revealed that 70 cases out of 10,720 autopsied ones had been attributed to fatal pesticide poisoning. The age range was 1-80 years (mean ± SD, 41.33 ± 17.42 years). Most of the cases (60%) were reported from Ankara. Insecticides were the most common (94%) cause of fatal pesticide poisonings, most of them (63%) being organophosphate insecticides. The percentages of pesticide-induced deaths are quite high in our society and should therefore not be underestimated. Accordingly, intensive efforts to reduce occupational and intentional pesticide poisonings are urgently needed in Ankara and nearby cities. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.

Pediatric Lower Extremity Lawn Mower Injuries and Reconstruction: Retrospective 10-Year Review at a Level 1 Trauma Center.

PubMed

Branch, Leslie G; Crantford, John C; Thompson, James T; Tannan, Shruti C

2017-11-01

From 2004 to 2013, there were 9341 lawn mower injuries in children under 20 years old. The incidence of lawn mower injuries in children has not decreased since 1990 despite implementation of various different prevention strategies. In this report, the authors review the results of pediatric lawn mower-related lower-extremity injuries treated at a tertiary care referral center as well as review the overall literature. A retrospective review was performed at a level 1 trauma center over a 10-year period (2005-2015). Patients younger than 18 years who presented to the emergency room with lower extremity lawn mower injuries were included. Of the 27 patients with lower-extremity lawn mower injuries during this period, the mean age at injury was 5.5 years and Injury Severity Score was 7.2. Most (85%) patients were boys and the predominant type of mower causing injury was a riding lawn mower (96%). Injury occurred in patients who were bystanders in 78%, passengers in 11%, and operators in 11%. Mean length of stay was 12.2 days, and mean time to reconstruction was 7.9 days. Mean number of surgical procedures per patient was 4.1. Amputations occurred in 15 (56%) cases with the most common level of amputation being distal to the metatarsophalangeal joint (67%). Reconstructive procedures ranged from direct closure (41%) to free tissue transfer (7%). Major complications included infection (7%), wound dehiscence (11%), and delayed wound healing (15%). Mean follow up was 23.6 months and 100% of the patients were ambulatory after injury. The subgroup of patients with the most severe injuries, highest number of amputations, and need for overall surgical procedures were patients aged 2 to 5 years. A review of the literature also showed consistent findings. This study demonstrates the danger and morbidity that lawn mowers present to the pediatric population, particularly children aged 2 to 5 years. Every rung of the so-called reconstructive ladder is used in caring for these

Prevalence of malaria from blood smears examination: a seven-year retrospective study from metema hospital, northwest ethiopia.

PubMed

Ferede, Getachew; Worku, Abiyu; Getaneh, Alemtegna; Ahmed, Ali; Haile, Tarekegn; Abdu, Yenus; Tessema, Belay; Wondimeneh, Yitayih; Alemu, Abebe

2013-01-01

Background. Malaria is a major public health problem in Ethiopia where an estimated 68% of the population lives in malarious areas. Studying its prevalence is necessary to implement effective control measures. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine seven-year slide positive rate of malaria. Methods. A retrospective study was conducted at Metema Hospital from September 2006 to August 2012. Seven-year malaria cases data had been collected from laboratory registration book. Results. A total of 55,833 patients were examined for malaria; of these, 9486 (17%) study subjects were positive for malaria. The predominant Plasmodium species detected was P. falciparum (8602) (90.7%) followed by P. vivax (852) (9%). A slide positive rate of malaria within the last seven years (2006-2012) was almost constant with slight fluctuation. The age groups of 5-14 years old were highly affected by malariainfection (1375) (20.1%), followed by 15-29 years old (3986) (18.5%). High slide positive rate of malaria occurred during spring (September-November), followed by summer (June-August). Conclusion. Slide positive rate of malaria was high in study area. Therefore, health planners and administrators should give intensive health education for the community.

Suicide in Scottish military veterans: a 30-year retrospective cohort study.

PubMed

Bergman, B P; Mackay, D F; Smith, D J; Pell, J P

2017-07-01

Although reassuring data on suicide risk in UK veterans of the 1982 Falklands conflict and 1991 Gulf conflict have been published, there have been few studies on long-term overall suicide risk in UK veterans. To examine the risk of suicide in a broad population-based cohort of veterans in Scotland, irrespect ive of length of service or exposure to conflict, in comparison with people having no record of military service. A retrospective 30-year cohort study of 56205 veterans born 1945-85 and 172741 matched non-veterans, using Cox proportional hazard models to compare the risk of suicide and fatal self-harm overall, by sex, birth cohort, length of service and year of recruitment. There were 267 (0.48%) suicides in the veterans compared with 918 (0.53%) in non-veterans. The difference was not statistically significant overall [adjusted hazard ratio (HR) 0.99; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.86-1.13]. The incidence was lower in younger veterans and higher in veterans aged over 40. Early service leavers were at non-significantly increased risk (adjusted HR 1.13; 95% CI 0.91-1.40) but only in the older age groups. Women veterans had a significantly higher risk of suicide than non-veteran women (adjusted HR 2.44; 95% CI 1.32-4.51, P < 0.01) and comparable risk to veteran men. Methods of suicide did not differ significantly between veterans and non-veterans, for either sex. The Scottish Veterans Health Study adds to the emerging body of evidence that there is no overall difference in long-term risk of suicide between veterans and non-veterans in the UK. However, female veterans merit further study. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Occupational Medicine. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com

The T 380A intrauterine device: a retrospective 5-year evaluation.

PubMed

de Araujo, Fabio Fernando; Barbieri, Márcia; Guazzelli, Cristina Aparecida Falho; Lindsey, Prescilla Chow

2008-12-01

The undue resistance to intrauterine device (IUD) use seen in several settings does not seem to occur in the Family Planning Unit of UNIFESP-EPM (São Paulo Federal University, Brazil). In fact, the Copper T 380A IUD in this clinic has reached an outstanding importance and this motivated us to present our differing experience. The prevalence of this method in this clinic is as high as 40%. This contrasts to the low use in the rest of the country, where tubal ligation is by far the most used contraceptive method (40%) and where IUD is inexpressive (1.1%). This is a retrospective study of the records of 118 users of Copper T 380A IUD inserted at the clinic and who were followed during 5 years. The cumulative pregnancy rate was 0.8%. The main cause for discontinuation of the study was loss to follow-up (21.3%). Other reasons for the withdrawal of the device were personal option (13.6%), dislocation (11.7%) and pregnancy wish (3.4%). There was no withdrawal by pelvic inflammatory disease. Bleeding (0.8%) was not an important cause for withdrawal, and there were no withdrawals due to pain. The continuation rate at 5 years was 46.7%. The structured service and an adequate educative program perhaps could explain at least partially the good performance of IUD use in this clinic. There was an amazing prevalence of the components of the metabolic syndrome. This could represent contraindications for hormonal contraception, and, in consequence, it could influence the increased option for and continuation of the IUD. These data show a good performance of the IUD for long duration, in relation to other studies, and this should be considered as a reliable alternative to the high prevalence of female sterilization in this country.

Tobacco use among designated air pollution victims and its association with lung function and respiratory symptoms: a retrospective cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Kotaki, Kenji; Senjyu, Hideaki; Tanaka, Takako; Yano, Yudai; Miyamoto, Naomi; Nishinakagawa, Tsuyoshi; Yanagita, Yorihide; Asai, Masaharu; Kozu, Ryo; Tabusadani, Mitsuru; Sawai, Terumitsu; Honda, Sumihisa

2014-07-31

We sought to elucidate the long-term association of tobacco use and respiratory health in designated pollution victims with and without obstructive pulmonary defects. A retrospective cross-sectional study. The register of pollution victims in Kurashiki, Japan. 730 individuals over 65 years of age previously diagnosed with pollution-related respiratory disease. Patients were classified into four groups according to their smoking status and whether they had obstructive pulmonary disease. We then compared the prevalence of respiratory symptoms and lung function over time between groups. Spirometry was performed and a respiratory health questionnaire completed in the same season each year for up to 30 years. Rates of smoking and respiratory disease were high in our sample. Although respiratory function in non-smoking patients did not completely recover, the annual rate of change in lung function was within the normal range (p<0.01). However, smokers had worse lung function and were more likely to report more severe pulmonary symptoms (p<0.01). Patients' respiratory function did not fully recover despite improved air quality. Our results suggest that, in the context of exposure to air pollution, tobacco use causes additional loss of lung function and exacerbates respiratory symptoms. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Innovations for Evaluation Research: Multiform Protocols, Visual Analog Scaling, and the Retrospective Pretest-Posttest Design.

PubMed

Chang, Rong; Little, Todd D

2018-06-01

In this article, we review three innovative methods: multiform protocols, visual analog scaling, and the retrospective pretest-posttest design that can be used in evaluation research. These three techniques have been proposed for decades, but unfortunately, they are still not utilized readily in evaluation research. Our goal is to familiarize researchers with these underutilized research techniques that could reduce personnel effort and costs for data collection while producing better inferences for a study. We begin by discussing their applications and special unique features. We then discuss each technique's strengths and limitations and offer practical tips on how to better implement these methods in evaluation research. We then showcase two recent empirical studies that implement these methods in real-world evaluation research applications.

[A retrospective study of expert opinions of a psychosomatic-psychotherapeutic university hospital for public and private customers over a period of 12 years].

PubMed

Uhlenbrock, Judith; Hinrichs, Jens; Heuft, Gereon

2017-09-01

A retrospective study of expert opinions of a psychosomatic-psychotherapeutic university hospital for public and private customers over a period of 12 years Objectives: Both the public and the legislative have developed an increasingly critical awareness for the fact that expert witnesses need to be independent. In contrast, to date there have been few studies concerning the quantity and the results of psychosomatic-psychotherapeutic expert opinions for public and private clients. In a retrospective study design, 285 expert opinions of a psychosomatic-psychotherapeutic university hospital stemming from consecutive, unselected random sampling over a 12-year time period (1990-2011) were analyzed using a predefined list of criteria. Besides client data, the study also noted the type and the objectives of the expertise, the sociodemographic data of the subjects, the biographic data of the subjects, the size of records, the particular psychopathological findings including conflict and structural diagnostics via the Operationalized Psychodynamic Diagnostics (OPD-2, Research Group 2006), syndromic diagnostics according to ICD-10 (WHO) including the related Impairment Scale Score (ISS, Schepank 1995), and the Global Assessment of Functioning-Scale (GAF, Heuft 2016). 54% of the subjects were men. All subjects were 46 years old at the time of examination; on average symptomatology had existed for 7 years, which made assessment of causality difficult. Most assignments referred to the effects of diseases or accidents in private contexts, followed by pension reports. Among the expert opinions related to possible implications of acts of violence, 95% were women. In 43.2% (n = 123) of the cases, the assessment had occurred in the context of legal action. In 65 cases at least one party had requested a supplemental written report during further procedure. In 17.8% (n = 22) of the cases sought by the courts, the expert witness was requested by at least one party to present the

Trends of Blood and Plasma Donations in Kazakhstan: 12-Years Retrospective Analysis.

PubMed

Igissinov, Nurbek; Kulmirzayeva, Dariyana; Magzumova, Raushan; Sibinga, Cees Th Smit; Alpeissova, Sholpan

2014-05-01

Each country faces a continuing challenge to collect enough blood to meet the national needs. According to WHO, there should be at least 20 blood donations per 1,000 population for developing countries, in Kazakhstan this indicator was only 16.8 in 2011. Thus, we conducted an epidemiological assessment and drew a map of the regional distribution of blood and plasma donations in Kazakhstan during the years 2000-2011. The retrospective study was conducted from 2000 to 2011. Data on blood and its components donations were acquired from the Ministry of Health (annual statistical reporting form N° 39). During 2000-2011, number of blood donors decreased to 17.4% and blood donations to 6.3%. The proportion of non-remunerated blood donations and donors decreased from 97.6% to 77.9% and 97.9% to 87.7%, respectively. The paid donations had the opposite trend. Number of plasma donors increased in 2.1 times, plasma donations in 2.4 times, nevertheless the proportion of non-remunerated plasma donations decreased from 60.1% to 29.8%. The average number of blood donations per 1,000 population decreased from 19.8 (2000) to 16.8 (2011), plasma donations increased from 1.4 to 3.1. Regionally, annual average rates of blood and plasma donations per 1,000 population over 12 years varied greatly. This is the first study conducted in Kazakhstan to provide detailed information, including the regional characteristics of blood and plasma donations over an extended period of time, which can be used in blood transfusion services work.

Safety of preoperative erythropoietin in surgical calvarial remodeling: an 8-year retrospective review and analysis.

PubMed

Naran, Sanjay; Cladis, Franklyn; Fearon, Jeffrey; Bradley, James; Michelotti, Brett; Cooper, Gregory; Cray, James; Katchikian, Hurig; Grunwaldt, Lorelei; Pollack, Ian F; Losee, Joseph

2012-08-01

Calvarial remodeling is typically associated with significant blood loss. Although preoperative erythropoiesis-stimulating agents have proven to significantly decrease the need for blood transfusions, recent data in adults have raised concerns that elevating hemoglobin levels greater than 12.5 g/dl may increase the risk of thrombotic events. This study was designed to assess the risks of erythropoietin in the pediatric population. Records were retrospectively reviewed from 2000 to 2008 at three major metropolitan children's hospitals of all children undergoing calvarial remodeling after receiving preoperative erythropoietin. Demographic and perioperative outcome data were reviewed, including transfusion reactions, pressure ulcer secondary to prolonged positioning, pneumonia, infection, deep vein thrombosis, cerebrovascular accident, pulmonary embolism, sagittal sinus thrombosis, pure red cell aplasia, and myocardial infarction. A total of 369 patients met the inclusion criteria (mean age, 0.86±1.1 years). On average, three preoperative doses of erythropoietin were administered (600 U/kg). Iron was also supplemented. No complications associated with dosing were noted, there were no thrombotic events identified, and no other major complications were seen (i.e., death or blindness). Thirty-one patients (8.40 percent) experienced one or more postoperative complications. There was no significant correlation between hemoglobin levels greater than 12.5 g/dl and the occurrence of any noted complication. With zero thrombotic postoperative complications, the authors estimate the risk of a thrombotic event in the pediatric population to be less than 0.81 percent (95 percent confidence). These data suggest that preoperative administration of erythropoietin in children undergoing calvarial remodeling does not appear to increase the incidence of thrombotic events or other significant complications. Therapeutic, IV.

Cinacalcet for hypercalcaemic secondary hyperparathyroidism after renal transplantation: a multicentre, retrospective, 3-year study.

PubMed

Torregrosa, Jose-Vicente; Morales, Enrique; Díaz, Juan Manuel; Crespo, Josep; Bravo, Juan; Gómez, Gonzalo; Gentil, Miguel Ángel; Rodríguez Benot, Alberto; García, Minerva Rodríguez; Jiménez, Verónica López; Gutiérrez Dalmau, Alex; Jimeno, Luisa; Sáez, María José Pérez; Romero, Rafael; Gómez Alamillo, Carlos

2014-02-01

Our aim was to evaluate the long-term effect of cinacalcet in patients with hypercalcaemic secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPT) after renal transplantation (RT) in order to expand real-world data in this population. We performed a multicentre, observational, retrospective study in 17 renal transplant units from Spain. We collected data from renal recipients with hypercalcaemic (calcium >10.2 mg/dL) SHPT (intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH) > 120 pg/mL) who initiated cinacalcet in the clinical practice. We included 193 patients with a mean (standard deviation (SD)) age of 52 (12) years, 58% men. Cinacalcet treatment was initiated at a median of 20 months after RT (median dose 30 mg/day). Mean calcium levels decreased from a mean (SD) of 11.1 (0.6) at baseline to 10.1 (0.8) at 6 months (9.0% reduction, P < 0.0001). Median iPTH was reduced by 23.0% at 6 months (P = 0.0005) and mean phosphorus levels increased by 11.1% (P < 0.0001). The effects were maintained up to 3-years. No changes were observed in renal function or anticalcineurin drug levels. Only 4.1% of patients discontinued cinacalcet due to intolerance and 1.0% due to lack of efficacy. In renal transplant patients with hypercalcaemic SHPT, cinacalcet controlled serum calcium, iPTH and phosphorus levels up to 3 years. Tolerability was good. © 2013 Asian Pacific Society of Nephrology.

A 10-year retrospective study of teaching nursing diagnosis to baccalaureate students in Italy.

PubMed

Palese, Alvisa; De Silvestre, Daniele; Valoppi, Graziella; Tomietto, Marco

2009-01-01

The aim of this 10-year retrospective study was to evaluate the impact of teaching nursing process to students at different levels of baccalaureate education, using the North American Nursing Diagnosis Association International (NANDA-I) Taxonomy. Nursing care plans written between 1996 and 2006 by 3,784 students who had completed a baccalaureate course in nursing process at a university in northern Italy were evaluated. At least three of the four steps of the nursing process were included in the evaluation: assessing, planning, intervening, and evaluating. An average of 6.3 (range 0-31; +/-3.9; median 6) problems were identified in each care plan. Of these, 5.1 (range 0-29; +/-3.06; median 5) were related to nursing diagnoses concerning either an actual problem or the risk of developing a problem; the remaining 1.2 (range 0-20; +/-1.9; median 0) diagnoses were concerned either with collaborative problems or with potential complications. The students demonstrated significant improvement in accurately identifying 75 diagnostic titles from the NANDA-I Taxonomy as they progressed through their first, second, and third years of baccalaureate study. These findings suggest that the ability to use the NANDA-I Taxonomy accurately is acquired over time. Thus, the theory and practice of using nursing process should be introduced in a formal course during the first year of baccalaureate nursing education and should be reinforced throughout the remaining courses. Students can then progressively improve their knowledge, critical thinking abilities, and use of the NANDA-I Taxonomy during their second and third years of study. Teaching strategies to reinforce students' learning are recommended.

Trends of Blood and Plasma Donations in Kazakhstan: 12-Years Retrospective Analysis

PubMed Central

IGISSINOV, Nurbek; KULMIRZAYEVA, Dariyana; MAGZUMOVA, Raushan; SIBINGA, Cees Th. Smit; ALPEISSOVA, Sholpan

2014-01-01

Abstract Background Each country faces a continuing challenge to collect enough blood to meet the national needs. According to WHO, there should be at least 20 blood donations per 1,000 population for developing countries, in Kazakhstan this indicator was only 16.8 in 2011. Thus, we conducted an epidemiological assessment and drew a map of the regional distribution of blood and plasma donations in Kazakhstan during the years 2000-2011. Methods The retrospective study was conducted from 2000 to 2011. Data on blood and its components donations were acquired from the Ministry of Health (annual statistical reporting form N° 39). Results During 2000-2011, number of blood donors decreased to 17.4% and blood donations to 6.3%. The proportion of non-remunerated blood donations and donors decreased from 97.6% to 77.9% and 97.9% to 87.7%, respectively. The paid donations had the opposite trend. Number of plasma donors increased in 2.1 times, plasma donations in 2.4 times, nevertheless the proportion of non-remunerated plasma donations decreased from 60.1% to 29.8%. The average number of blood donations per 1,000 population decreased from 19.8 (2000) to 16.8 (2011), plasma donations increased from 1.4 to 3.1. Regionally, annual average rates of blood and plasma donations per 1,000 population over 12 years varied greatly. Conclusion This is the first study conducted in Kazakhstan to provide detailed information, including the regional characteristics of blood and plasma donations over an extended period of time, which can be used in blood transfusion services work. PMID:26060761

Reported vocal habits of first-year undergraduate musical theater majors in a preprofessional training program: a 10-year retrospective study.

PubMed

Donahue, Erin N; Leborgne, Wendy D; Brehm, Susan Baker; Weinrich, Barbara D

2014-05-01

Collegiate-level musical theater performance students are a specialized group of vocal performers, who rely on frequent and optimal voice use for their academic advancement and ultimate livelihood. The purpose of this study was to gather information to develop a greater understanding of vocal health and practice patterns of incoming collegiate-level musical theater performers. Data obtained from questionnaires completed by freshman musical theater majors were retrospectively analyzed to gather information about baseline vocal habits of the participants. Results of a questionnaire were obtained from incoming freshman musical theater students at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music over a period of 10 years (2002-2011). One hundred eighty-eight participants (female = 90) (male = 98) with an average age of 18.28 years (standard deviation = 0.726) were included. Results specifying participants' self-reported vocal training and practice habits, vocal health and hygiene practices, and current vocal symptoms or contributing factors to potential voice problems are provided. Data obtained from the participants revealed that the potential for vocal problems exists in this group of performers, as over half of the subjects reported at least one current negative vocal symptom. The findings from this study provide information that may be useful for individuals who are involved in the training of vocal performers. Copyright © 2014 The Voice Foundation. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Effect of Orthokeratology on myopia progression: twelve-year results of a retrospective cohort study.

PubMed

Lee, Yueh-Chang; Wang, Jen-Hung; Chiu, Cheng-Jen

2017-12-08

Several studies reported the efficacy of orthokeratology for myopia control. Somehow, there is limited publication with follow-up longer than 3 years. This study aims to research whether overnight orthokeratology influences the progression rate of the manifest refractive error of myopic children in a longer follow-up period (up to 12 years). And if changes in progression rate are found, to investigate the relationship between refractive changes and different baseline factors, including refraction error, wearing age and lens replacement frequency. In addition, this study collects long-term safety profile of overnight orthokeratology. This is a retrospective study of sixty-six school-age children who received overnight orthokeratology correction between January 1998 and December 2013. Thirty-six subjects whose baseline age and refractive error matched with those in the orthokeratology group were selected to form control group. These subjects were followed up at least for 12 months. Manifest refractions, cycloplegic refractions, uncorrected and best-corrected visual acuities, power vector of astigmatism, corneal curvature, and lens replacement frequency were obtained for analysis. Data of 203 eyes were derived from 66 orthokeratology subjects (31 males and 35 females) and 36 control subjects (22 males and 14 females) enrolled in this study. Their wearing ages ranged from 7 years to 16 years (mean ± SE, 11.72 ± 0.18 years). The follow-up time ranged from 1 year to 13 years (mean ± SE, 6.32 ± 0.15 years). At baseline, their myopia ranged from -0.5 D to -8.0 D (mean ± SE, -3.70 ± 0.12 D), and astigmatism ranged from 0 D to -3.0 D (mean ± SE, -0.55 ± 0.05 D). Comparing with control group, orthokeratology group had a significantly (p < 0.001) lower trend of refractive error change during the follow-up periods. According to the analysis results of GEE model, greater power of astigmatism was found to be associated with

Epidemiology of open fractures in sport: One centre’s 15-year retrospective study

PubMed Central

Wood, Alexander M; Robertson, Greg A J; MacLeod, Kirsty; Porter, Anna; Court-Brown, Charles M

2017-01-01

AIM To describe the epidemiology of sport-related open fractures from one centre’s adult patient population over a 15-year period. METHODS A retrospective review of a prospectively-collected database was performed: The database contained information all sport-related open fractures, sustained from 1995 to 2009 in the Edinburgh, Mid and East Lothian Populations. RESULTS Over the 15-year period, there were 85 fractures recorded in 84 patients. The annual incidence of open sport-related fractures was 0.01 per 1000 population. The mean age at injury was 29.2 years (range 15-67). There were 70 (83%) males and 14 females (17%). The 6 most common sports were soccer (n = 19, 22%), rugby (n = 9, 11%), cycling (n = 8, 9%), hockey (n = 8, 9%); horse riding (n = 6, 7%) and skiing (n = 6, 7%). The five most common anatomical locations were finger phalanges (n = 30, 35%); tibial diaphysis (n = 19, 23%); forearm (n = 12, 14%); ankle (n = 7, 8%) and metacarpals (n = 5, 6%). The mean injury severity score was 7.02. According to the Gustilo-Anderson classification system, 45 (53%) fractures were grade 1; 28 (33%) fractures were grade 2; 8 (9%) fractures were grade 3a; and 4 (5%) fractures were grade 3b. Out of the total number of fractures, 7 (8%) required plastic surgical intervention as part of management. The types of flaps used were split skin graft (n = 4), fasciocutaneous flaps (n = 2); and adipofascial flap (n = 1). CONCLUSION We analysed the epidemiology of open fractures secondary to sport in one centre over a 15-year period. Soccer and rugby were the most common causative sports while fractures of the finger phalanx and of the tibial diaphysis were the most common sites. Open fractures are uncommon in sport; however, when they are sustained they usually occur on muddy sport fields or forest tracks and therefore must be treated appropriately. It is important that clinicians and sports therapists have knowledge of these injuries, in order to ensure they are managed

Immediate loading of tapered implants placed in postextraction sockets: retrospective analysis of the 5-year clinical outcome.

PubMed

Mura, Priamo

2012-08-01

The use of immediate implant loading protocols delivers obvious benefits to the patient. When applied in healed sites, this has not only been well documented in the totally edentolous mandible but has also been documented and reported to be predictable in the upper jaw, and in cases of partial edentoulism, as well. A further application of immediate loading protocol, although still controversial, especially when replacing single maxillary teeth in the anterior zone, is the immediate implant placement and provisionalization in postextractive sockets. In consideration of the oxidized surface promoting bone healing and the tapered shape of the implant body, the Replace Select Tapered TiUnite implants have been used for many years in our clinic when facing these clinical situations. This article will report about our long-term clinical experience with such implants and the relevant role of a correct surgical and prosthetic treatment planning. The aim of this retrospective study was to report on the 5-year clinical and radiologic outcome of patients treated with Replace Select Tapered TiUnite implants when used according to an immediate loading protocol in postextraction sites. In routine practice, 56 consecutive patients were treated with 79 implants. The patients, 23 males and 33 females, had a mean age of 50.9 years, range 21-76 years, at implant placement. Forty-seven implants were placed in the maxilla and 32 implants were placed in the mandible. All implants were placed in postextraction sites and were immediately loaded. Provisional restorations were delivered within 2 hours from surgery and all were in occlusion. Forty-three patients received a single implant while in the remaining 13 patients the implants were splinted. Definitive prosthetic restoration was delivered within 1 to 4 months following implant placement. Evaluations of soft tissue health and marginal bone remodeling were conducted. An independent radiologist performed the radiographic evaluation

Protein-energy malnutrition during early childhood and periodontal disease in the permanent dentition of Haitian adolescents aged 12–19 years: a retrospective cohort study

PubMed Central

RUSSELL, STEFANIE L.; PSOTER, WALTER J.; JEAN-CHARLES, GERMAIN; PROPHTE, SAMUEL; GEBRIAN, BETTE

2010-01-01

Objectives The aim of this retrospective cohort study was to examine whether exposure to early childhood protein-energy malnutrition (ECPEM) is related to worsened periodontal status in the permanent dentition during adolescence. Design A trained clinician/researcher examined the periodontal status of 96 persons aged 12–19 living in rural Haiti using WHO diagnostic criteria (Community Periodontal Index, WHO 1997). Malnutrition data of the study participants had been collected during the years 1988–1993 by a nongovernmental organization. We compared those who had been malnourished in early childhood, based on z-scores for anthropomorphic data collected during the first 5 years of life, with those who had not been malnourished, regarding mean Community Periodontal Index (CPI) score, controlling for age, sex, socioeconomic status, and smoking. Results Overall, 57.3% of the participants demonstrated a CPI score of 3 or greater in at least one sextant. ECPEM was independently and positively related to mean CPI score, when controlling for sex and smoking. Conclusions More than half of these young Haitians demonstrated CPI scores of 3 or greater, and ECPEM was related to poorer periodontal status, as measured by CPI, in the permanent dentition. PMID:20409204

Annual Energy Outlook Retrospective Review

EIA Publications

2015-01-01

The Annual Energy Outlook Retrospective Review provides a yearly comparison between realized energy outcomes and the Reference case projections included in previous Annual Energy Outlooks (AEO) beginning with 1982. This edition of the report adds the AEO 2012 projections and updates the historical data to incorporate the latest data revisions.

[Reduction mammaplasty with a superior pedicle - a retrospective 10-year follow-up analysis of 33 patients].

PubMed

Schratt, J; Binter, A; Rab, M

2014-12-01

Long-term results after reduction mammaplasty with a superior pedicle evaluating the postoperative sensibility, degree of breast ptosis and the patients' satisfaction are rarely found in the literature. This retrospective analysis answers the question whether the resection weight has an influence on the postoperative sensibility of the nipple-areola complex after reduction mammaplasty with a superior pedicle. 33 patients were enrolled in this retrospective study. Depending on the resection weight, the patients were divided into 3 groups: Group A (<500 g), Group B (500-1,000 g), Group C (>1,000 g). The following parameters were evaluated: age, comorbidities, sensibility of the breast (Semmes-Weinstein monofilament test), jugular notch-to-nipple distance, histological results, degree of ptosis, BMI (body mass index), preoperative physical complaints (visual analogue scale 1-10), postoperative patients' satisfaction based on a questionnaire created by the authors. Furthermore, the complications, corrective revisions and pregnancies were evaluated. The median age of the patients at the moment of examination was 51 years (range: 29-71). None of the patients had any relevant comorbidities. 97% of the patients complained about preoperative physical problems (visual analogue scale 3-10). Postoperative complications arose in 21% of the patients. Corrective revisions were necessary in 18% of the cases. 97% of the patients were very satisfied or satisfied with the result. With regard to the sensibility we found a reduction of sensibility especially in the inferior and lateral part of the areola. In the group B we recorded a ptosis of degree I in 3 patients. A pseudoptosis was found in 6 patients in particular in group B. Reduction mammaplasty with a superior pedicle turns out to be a reliable method with a high satisfaction of the patients after a follow-up of 10 years. These findings were independent from the resection weight. A reduced sensibility occurred especially

Fall incidence in Germany: results of two population-based studies, and comparison of retrospective and prospective falls data collection methods.

PubMed

Rapp, Kilian; Freiberger, Ellen; Todd, Chris; Klenk, Jochen; Becker, Clemens; Denkinger, Michael; Scheidt-Nave, Christa; Fuchs, Judith

2014-09-20

Fall incidence differs considerably between studies and countries. Reasons may be differences between study samples or different assessment methods. The aim was to derive estimates of fall incidence from two population-based studies among older community-living people in Germany and compare retrospective and prospective falls data collection methods. Data were derived from the 2008-11 wave of the German health interview and examination survey for adults (DEGS1), and the Activity and Function of the Elderly in Ulm study (ActiFE-Ulm). Data collection took place in community facilities (DEGS1) or participants' homes (ActiFE-Ulm). Participation rates were 42% (newly recruited) and 64% (panel component) in DEGS1 and 19.8% in ActiFE-Ulm. Self-report retrospective fall data covering the previous 12 month period in DEGS1 and ActiFE-Ulm were collected, but only ActiFE-Ulm used prospective 12 month fall calendars. The incidence of 'any fall' and 'recurrent falls' were calculated for both methods. Fall rates increased with age in men but not women. The ActiFE-Ulm prospectively assessed incidence (95% confidence interval) in women and men aged 65- < 90 years were 38.7 (36.9-40.5) and 29.7 (28.1-31.3) fallers/year and 13.7 (12.5-14.9) and 10.9 (9.9-12.0) recurrent fallers/year, respectively. Retrospective and prospective fall incidence in ActiFE-Ulm did not differ.The retrospectively assessed incidence of 'any fall' among persons 65- < 80 years were significantly lower in DEGS1 than ActiFE-Ulm (women: 25.7% (22.4-29.2) versus 37.4% (34.8-39.9); men: 16.3% (13.6-19.3) versus 28.9% (26.6-31.1). Retrospective incidence estimates of recurrent falls were similar in both studies for women (10.4% (8.3-12.9) versus 10.2% (8.5-11.8)) and men (6.1% (4.3-8.5) versus 8.4% (7.1-9.8)). Both studies were population-based, but retrospective self-reported fall incidence differed between studies. Study design influences retrospective reported fall incidence considerably. Costly

Maternal death from stroke: a thirty year national retrospective review.

PubMed

Foo, Lin; Bewley, Susan; Rudd, Anthony

2013-12-01

In the United Kingdom (UK), the maternal mortality rate from stroke is reported at 0.3/100,000 deliveries, but only antenatal data have previously been reviewed. We hypothesise that the true rate is much higher due to a propensity for stroke occurring in the post-partum period, and that the rate will rise in parallel with trends of increasing maternal age and medical co-morbidities. Our objectives are to investigate the UK stroke mortality rate in pregnancy and the puerperium, and to examine temporal changes in fatal maternal strokes over a 30 year period. Retrospective review of stroke-related maternal deaths reported to the UK confidential enquiries into maternal death between 1979 and 2008, encompassing 21,514,457 maternities. In accordance with the ICD.10 classification, cases were divided into direct or indirect deaths. Late and coincidental deaths were not included in analyses. Lessons from sub-standard care associated with maternal death from stroke were collated. In 1979-2008 there were 347 maternal deaths from stroke: 139 cases were direct deaths, i.e. the fatal stroke was a direct result of pregnancy. The incidence of fatal stroke is relatively constant at 1.61/100,000 maternities, with a 13.9% (95% CI 12.6-15.3) proportional mortality rate. Intracranial haemorrhage was the single greatest cause of maternal death from stroke. This is the largest UK study examining the incidence of fatal maternal stroke in pregnancy and the puerperium. Our results highlight the high proportion of women who die from stroke in the puerperium. Sub-standard care featured especially in regard to management of dangerously high systolic blood pressure levels. These deaths highlight the importance of education in managing rapid-onset hypertension and superimposed coagulopathies. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Incidence of Peri-implant Diseases on Implants With and Without Laser-Microgrooved Collar: A 5-Year Retrospective Study Carried Out in Private Practice Patients.

PubMed

Guarnieri, Renzo; Grande, Maurizio; Zuffetti, Francesco; Testori, Tiziano

To retrospectively evaluate the incidence of peri-implant mucositis and peri-implantitis around dental implants with the same body design and surface but different collar surface (laser-microgrooved vs not laser-microgrooved) after 5 years of loading in private practice patients. The study was carried out on patients at a private dental clinic enrolled in a periodontal maintenance program, who received at least one implant with a laser-microgrooved collar surface and one implant without a laser-microgrooved collar surface. Clinical variables such as plaque, pocket depth, bleeding on probing, suppuration, and radiographic marginal bone loss at > 5 years around implants were investigated. The correlation between the prevalence of peri-implant mucositis/peri-implantitis and biotype, keratinized tissue width, prosthetic connection type, and prosthetic design type was also analyzed. A total of 166 implants in 74 patients were investigated. At the end of the 5-year follow-up period, 38 implants presented peri-implant mucositis, accounting for 22.8% of the total, affecting a total of 24 patients (32.4%), while 13 implants (7.8%) in 10 patients (13.5%) were diagnosed with peri-implantitis. Sixteen of 82 laser-microgrooved implants (19.5%) and 24 of 84 implants (28.5%) without a laser-microgrooved collar presented peri-implant mucositis, while 3 of 82 (3.6%) of laser-microgrooved implants and 10 of 84 (11.9%) implants without a laser-microgrooved collar demonstrated peri-implantitis. Differences in implant-based incidence of peri-implant diseases between implants with and without a laser-microgrooved collar were statistically significant (P < .05). In private practice patients enrolled in a professional, controlled oral hygiene regimen, implants with a laser-microgrooved collar, compared with implants without a laser-microgrooved collar, presented a statistically significantly lower incidence of peri-implant diseases.

8-year retrospective analysis of intravenous arginine therapy for acute metabolic strokes in pediatric mitochondrial disease.

PubMed

Ganetzky, Rebecca D; Falk, Marni J

2018-03-01

Intravenous (IV) arginine has been reported to ameliorate acute metabolic stroke symptoms in adult patients with Mitochondrial Encephalopathy with Lactic Acidosis and Stroke-like Episodes (MELAS) syndrome, where its therapeutic benefit is postulated to result from arginine acting as a nitric oxide donor to reverse vasospasm. Further, reduced plasma arginine may occur in mitochondrial disease since the biosynthesis of arginine's precursor, citrulline, requires ATP. Metabolic strokes occur across a wide array of primary mitochondrial diseases having diverse molecular etiologies that are likely to share similar pathophysiologic mechanisms. Therefore, IV arginine has been increasingly used for the acute clinical treatment of metabolic stroke across a broad mitochondrial disease population. We performed retrospective analysis of a large cohort of subjects who were under 18 years of age at IRB #08-6177 study enrollment and had molecularly-confirmed primary mitochondrial disease (n = 71, excluding the common MELAS m.3243A>G mutation). 9 unrelated subjects in this cohort received acute arginine IV treatment for one or more stroke-like episodes (n = 17 total episodes) between 2009 and 2016 at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Retrospectively reviewed data included subject genotype, clinical symptoms, age, arginine dosing, neuroimaging (if performed), prophylactic therapies, and adverse events. Genetic etiologies of subjects who presented with acute metabolic strokes included 4 mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) pathogenic point mutations, 1 mtDNA deletion, and 4 nuclear gene disorders. Subject age ranged from 19 months to 23 years at the time of any metabolic stroke episode (median, 8 years). 3 subjects had recurrent stroke episodes. 70% of subjects were on prophylactic arginine or citrulline therapy at the time of a stroke-like episode. IV arginine was initiated on initial presentation in 65% of cases. IV arginine was given for 1-7 days (median, 1 day). A

Prognostic Factors in Peptic Ulcer Perforations: A Retrospective 14-Year Study

PubMed Central

Unver, Mutlu; Fırat, Özgür; Ünalp, Ömer Vedat; Uğuz, Alper; Gümüş, Tufan; Sezer, Taylan Özgür; Öztürk, Şafak; Yoldaş, Tayfun; Ersin, Sinan; Güler, Adem

2015-01-01

Regarding the complications of peptic ulcer, a perforation remains the most important fatal complication. The aim of our retrospective study was to determine relations between postoperative morbidity and comorbid disease or perioperative risk factors in perforated peptic ulcer. In total, 239 patients who underwent emergency surgery for perforated peptic ulcer in Ege University General Surgery Department, between June 1999 and May 2013 were included in this study. The clinical data concerning the patient characteristics, operative methods, and complications were collected retrospectively. One hundred seventy-five of the 239 patients were male (73.2%) and 64 were female (26.8%). Mean American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score was 1 in the patients without morbidity, but mean ASA score was 3 in the morbidity and mortality groups. Primary suture and omentoplasty was the selected procedure in 228 of the patients. Eleven patients underwent resection. In total, 105 patients (43.9%) had comorbidities. Thirty-seven patients (67.3%) in the morbidity group had comorbid diseases. Thirteen (92.9%) patients in the mortality group had comorbid diseases. Perforation as a complication of peptic ulcer disease still remains among the frequent indications of urgent abdominal surgery. Among the analyzed parameters, age, ASA score, and having comorbid disease were found to have an effect on both mortality and morbidity. The controversial subject in the present study is regarding the duration of symptoms. The duration of symptoms had no effect on mortality nor morbidity in our study. PMID:26011220

Prognostic factors in peptic ulcer perforations: a retrospective 14-year study.

PubMed

Unver, Mutlu; Fırat, Özgür; Ünalp, Ömer Vedat; Uğuz, Alper; Gümüş, Tufan; Sezer, Taylan Özgür; Öztürk, Şafak; Yoldaş, Tayfun; Ersin, Sinan; Güler, Adem

2015-05-01

Regarding the complications of peptic ulcer, a perforation remains the most important fatal complication. The aim of our retrospective study was to determine relations between postoperative morbidity and comorbid disease or perioperative risk factors in perforated peptic ulcer. In total, 239 patients who underwent emergency surgery for perforated peptic ulcer in Ege University General Surgery Department, between June 1999 and May 2013 were included in this study. The clinical data concerning the patient characteristics, operative methods, and complications were collected retrospectively. One hundred seventy-five of the 239 patients were male (73.2%) and 64 were female (26.8%). Mean American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score was 1 in the patients without morbidity, but mean ASA score was 3 in the morbidity and mortality groups. Primary suture and omentoplasty was the selected procedure in 228 of the patients. Eleven patients underwent resection. In total, 105 patients (43.9%) had comorbidities. Thirty-seven patients (67.3%) in the morbidity group had comorbid diseases. Thirteen (92.9%) patients in the mortality group had comorbid diseases. Perforation as a complication of peptic ulcer disease still remains among the frequent indications of urgent abdominal surgery. Among the analyzed parameters, age, ASA score, and having comorbid disease were found to have an effect on both mortality and morbidity. The controversial subject in the present study is regarding the duration of symptoms. The duration of symptoms had no effect on mortality nor morbidity in our study.

Cultured allogenic keratinocytes for extensive burns: a retrospective study over 15 years.

PubMed

Auxenfans, Celine; Shipkov, Hristo; Bach, Christine; Catherine, Zulma; Lacroix, Pierre; Bertin-Maghit, Marc; Damour, Odile; Braye, Fabienne

2014-02-01

The aim was to review the use and indications of cultured allogenic keratinocytes (CAlloK) in extensive burns and their efficiency. This retrospective study comprised 15 years (1997-2012). all patients who received CAlloK. patients who died before complete healing. Evaluation criteria were clinical. Time and success of wound healing after CAlloK use were evaluated. The CAlloK were used for 2 indications - STSG donor sites and deep 2nd degree burns in extensively burned patients. A total of 70 patients were included with severity Baux score of 99.2 (from 51 to 144) and mean percentage of TBSA of 63.49% (from 21 to 96%). Fifty nine patients received CAlloK for STSG donor sites with a mean number of applications of 4 and mean surface of 3800 cm(2) per patient. Treated donor sites were re-harvested 2.5 times. The mean time of complete epithelialization was 7 days. In 11 patients, CAlloK were used for deep 2nd degree burns. The mean percentage of burned surface was 73.7%. The mean surface of CAlloK per patient was 2545 cm(2). Complete healing was achieved in 6.4 days. The CAlloK allow rapid healing of STSG donor-sites and deep 2nd second degree burns in extensively burned patients. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.

High Incidence of Human Rabies Exposure in Northwestern Tigray, Ethiopia: A Four-Year Retrospective Study

PubMed Central

Teklu, Gebreyohans Gebru; Hailu, Teweldemedhn Gebretinsae; Eshetu, Gebremedhin Romha

2017-01-01

Background Rabies is a fatal zoonotic disease that has been known in Ethiopia for centuries in society as “Mad Dog Disease”. It is an important disease with veterinary and public health significance in the North western zone of Tigray where previous studies have not been conducted. Frequent occurrence of outbreaks in the area led the researchers to carry out a four year retrospective study to estimate the incidence of human rabies exposure in Northwestern Tigray, Ethiopia. Methodology A referent study was conducted on human rabies exposure cases recorded from 2012 to 2015 at Suhul hospital, Shire Endaselase, Northwestern Tigray, Ethiopia. Exposure cases included in this research constituted victims bitten by unprovoked dogs and who received post exposure prophylaxis (PEP) at the hospital. Two thousand one hundred eighty human rabies exposure cases retrieved from the rabies case database were included in this study. Principal findings The majority of the exposed cases were males (1363/2180, 63%). Age wise, the most exposed age group was ≥15 years in all the study years: 166 (58%), 335 (65%), 492 (66%) and 394 (63%) in 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015, respectively. Similarly, exposure cases for human rabies increased with age in both males and females across the study years. The incidence of human rabies exposure cases calculated per 100,000 populations was 35.8, 63.0, 89.8 and 73.1 in 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015, respectively. Binary logistic regression analysis revealed that being male was a risk for human rabies exposure in all the study years. Conclusion The study discovered the highest annual human rabies exposure incidence in Ethiopia. This suggests an urgent need for synergistic efforts of human and animal health sectors to implement prevention and control strategies in this area. PMID:28060935

Clinical Outcomes after Keraring Implantation for Keratoconus Management in Patients Older Than 40 Years: A Retrospective, Interventional, Cohort Study.

PubMed

Gatzioufas, Zisis; Khine, Aye; Elalfy, Mohamed; Guber, Ivo; McLintock, Cameron; Sabatino, Francesco; Hamada, Samer; Lake, Damian

2018-06-01

Intracorneal ring segment implantation is an effective and safe method of visual improvement in patients with keratoconus. The aim of our study was to evaluate the long-term clinical outcomes after Keraring implantation for keratoconus in patients older than 40 years. Eleven eyes from 11 patients with keratoconus who underwent femtosecond laser-assisted Keraring implantation for keratoconus were included in this retrospective study. The uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA), corrected visual acuity, keratometric readings, central corneal thickness and thinnest corneal pachymetry were evaluated preoperatively and 6 months after the Keraring implantation. UCVA, BCVA and keratometric readings improved at 6 months postoperatively. Our data showed significant keratometric amelioration and visual improvement after Keraring implantation for keratoconus in patients older than 40 years at 6 months postoperatively.

Identifying patterns in signs and symptoms preceding the clinical diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease: Retrospective medical record review study and a nested case -control design.

PubMed

Bature, Fidelia; Pang, Dong; Robinson, Anthea; Polson, Norma; Pappas, Yannis; Guinn, Barbara

2018-04-04

Evidence suggests that individuals with Alzheimer's disease (AD) are often diagnosed in the later stages of their disease with a poor prognosis. This study aimed to identify patterns in signs and symptoms preceding the clinical diagnosis of AD to suggest a predictive model for earlier diagnosis of the disease in the primary care. A retrospective medical record review; nested case control design. Participants included one hundred and nine patients from three general practice (GP) surgeries in Milton Keynes and Luton Clinical Commissioning groups (CCG) (37 cases with AD and 72 controls without AD). A retrospective analysis using the logistic regression of the presence of signs and symptoms before the diagnosis of AD was attained. Identification of the timing and sequence of appearance of these presentations as first reported before the clinical diagnosis was measured. Episodic memory with an odds ratio of 1.85 was the most frequent presentation, documented in 1.38% of the controls and 75.6% in cases. Auditory disturbance with an odds ratio of 3.03, which has not previously been noted except in the form of auditory hallucination, could have a diagnostic value. Auditory disturbance, which occurred mostly in the Caucasian females, could discriminate individuals with AD from those without. The symptom, which presented up to 14.5 (mean time) years prior to clinical diagnosis, was identified in Caucasians and mixed race individuals only. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

Snoring surgery: a retrospective review.

PubMed

Jones, T M; Earis, J E; Calverley, P M A; De, S; Swift, A C

2005-11-01

To undertake a retrospective, questionnaire review of surgery for heavy snoring, to ascertain patients' perception of the procedure and its effect on their snoring. A specifically designed postal questionnaire was sent to 261 patients who underwent snoring surgery at University Hospital Aintree, Liverpool, UK, between April 1993 and March 2000. One hundred ninety-three patients responded (73.9%), including 151 men and 42 women. Mean age was 49.0 years (range, 24-74 yrs). Twenty-two patients had a uvulopalatopharyngoplasty, 53 a traditional laser palatoplasty and uvulectomy, and 118 an uvulopalatal elevation palatoplasty. There was a 26% patient-reported postoperative infection rate. Morbidity regarding postoperative swallowing, pharyngeal sensation or voice change appeared minimal. Seventy-six percent scored postoperative pain as "moderate" or "severe," irrespective of the operation performed (P = 0.989). Thirty-seven percent of patients perceived an improvement in postoperative sleep quality. Twenty-four percent of patients reported no improvement in snoring after surgery. Forty-three percent reported an initial improvement that was not sustained for 2 years, whereas 34% of patients benefited from an improvement sustained for longer than 2 years, irrespective of the operation performed (P = 0.143). Only 47%, with hindsight, would have undergone surgery. These data highlight that snoring surgery has a high postoperative morbidity rate and a high failure rate. Research endeavors should be directed to the development of a strategy which enables reliable preoperative identification of patients' who enjoy sustained benefit postoperatively.

Medico-legal analysis of legal complaints in bariatric surgery: a 15-year retrospective study.

PubMed

Tuchtan, Lucile; Kassir, Radwan; Sastre, Bernard; Gouillat, Christian; Piercecchi-Marti, Marie-Dominique; Bartoli, Christophe

2016-05-01

Bariatric surgery for severe obesity has become an effective and accepted treatment for sustained weight loss. The aim of our study was to analyze the complications and issues raised by the experts on which jury or judges' decisions were made for the different types of bariatric surgery. University Hospital, France. We have carried out a retrospective study of 59 expert review dossiers over a period of 15 years (1999-2014) on the different types of bariatric surgery (laparoscopic adjustable gastric band [LAGB], sleeve gastrectomy [SG], Roux-en-Y gastric bypass [RYGB], vertical banded gastroplasty [VBG], and gastric plication [GP]). Of the cases, 81% were women and the average age was 39 years old (range 19 to 68 years). Among the procedures giving rise to the complaints, 40% were for LAGB, 28% for RYGB, and 23% for SG. The most common initial complications were perforations (30%), fistulae (27%), bowel obstruction (14%), vascular injuries (9.5%), and infections (peritonitis, pleurisy, abscesses, and so forth) (8%). Revision surgery was required in 78% of patients, and perioperative complications accounted for 28.5% of dossiers. The experts concluded that fault had occurred in 40% of case. Negligence arising from an error deemed to be an act of negligence was found in 30% of cases, 67% of which were because of delayed diagnosis. Major long-term complications accounted for 8% of dossiers and minor long-term complications for 22%. Forty-seven percent of patients completely recovered. Delayed diagnosis was the main error established by the experts. Surgeons should remain vigilant postoperatively after every bariatric surgical procedure. Copyright © 2016 American Society for Bariatric Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

An empirical analysis of suicidal death trends in India: a 5 year retrospective study.

PubMed

Badiye, Ashish; Kapoor, Neeti; Ahmed, Shagufa

2014-10-01

Suicide, a major problem worldwide, continues to be a criminal offence in most of the developing countries of the world, including India. This paper retrospectively examines the latest trends and the relevant determinants of the suicidal deaths in one of the most important city of central India- Nagpur of Maharashtra state, carried out for a period of 5 years i.e. 2009-2013. Total 2036 cases were analyzed. An alarmingly increasing trend in the rate of suicides has been observed in the region, which increased from 16% to 22.68% during the study period. The male to female suicide ratio was found to be 2.50:1. The rate of suicidal deaths ranged from 15.34 to 21.74 per 100,000 populations. Hanging was found to be the most preferred mean adopted for suicide by males (54.77%) and females (47.65%), while, Family problems was the most common cause of suicide among both male (38.25%) and female (52.65%). The Suicides were concentrated in the age group of 30-44 years for males (35.76%), while in the age group of 15-29 years for females (51.75%). The prevalence was higher among the people who were married, being as high as 1099 (66.73%) males and 372 (56.45%) females. Highest trend has been found among the people with matriculate/secondary education level. The males with job in private sector accounted for 1007 suicides (61.14%) and 434 (65.86%) females in the category of housewives (non-working, homemakers) committed the same. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.

A 20 year retrospective analysis of medicolegal deaths in a tertiary hospital setting in Nigeria.

PubMed

Akhiwu, W O; Nwafor, C C; Igbe, A P

2013-01-01

To determine and classify the various types of medicolegal deaths as seen at University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), Benin City, Nigeria. This is a retrospective study of all the medicolegal deaths seen in the Department of Histopathology, (UBTH, Benin City over a 20 year period (January 1990-December 2009) as recorded in the autopsy registers of the department. A total of 5035 autopsies were done during the period, 89% of which were coroner cases. Four thousand, four hundred and eighty-one coroner cases representing 12.5% of all bodies received by the mortuary during the period were studied. The male to female ratio was 1.9:1, with an overall mean age of 38.3 years. The ages ranged from 1 day to 101 years with a peak incidence in the 25-44 years age group. A total of 553 children and 3928 adults were involved. The commonest indication for coroner's autopsy was sudden unexpected natural deaths (SUNDs) which accounted for 65.5% of the cases. Other causes of death were accidents, homicide, suicide, and undetermined causes representing 28.6, 5.0, 0.5, and 0.4%, respectively. Commonest cause of SUND was cardiovascular diseases with complications of hypertension being the most common CVS disease (26.9%). Road traffic accident was the commonest form of accident causing death (88.7%). Public enlightenment and health education about routine medical screening will help to reduce causes of natural deaths. This study shows the pattern of medicolegal autopsies in UBTH and this preliminary data will provide a baseline for future research and help in formulating policies to help in reduction of preventable causes of death.

Effect of season and age on Indian red jungle fowl (Gallus gallus murghi) semen characteristics: A 4-year retrospective study.

PubMed

Rakha, B A; Ansari, M S; Akhter, S; Blesbois, E

2017-09-01

The reproductive potential of the adult males is expected to vary with age/season and largely differ not only in closely related avian species but even in subspecies, breeds and/or strains of the same species. Thus, it is pre-requisite to have knowledge of seminal parameters to achieve maximum production potential of at-risk species for ex situ in vitro conservation programs. A 4-year study was designed to evaluate the effect of age and season (spring, summer, autumn and winter) on semen characteristics of Indian red jungle fowl (Gallus gallus murghi) in a retrospective manner. Semen ejaculates (n = 1148) were regularly collected from eight adult cocks 6 to 54 months of age. Quantitative and qualitative semen parameters viz; volume (μL), concentration (1 × 10 9  mL -1 ), total sperm number per ejaculate (1 × 10 9  mL -1 ), motility (%), viability (%), plasma membrane integrity (%), acrosome integrity (%) and semen quality factor were recorded. A chronological increasing trend with age of most sperm quantitative and qualitative traits (semen volume, sperm concentration, total sperm number per ejaculate, plasma membrane integrity, viability, acrosomal integrity and semen quality factor) was observed. The highest values were observed at four years of age (P < 0.05) with the exception of sperm motility that was not affected by the age. Spring was the best season for sperm parameters viz; volume, motility, plasma membrane integrity, viability and acrosomal integrity (P < 0.05), however a remarkable sperm production was noticed all over the year. It is concluded that Indian red jungle fowl exhibits an evolution of sperm production that greatly differs in many points from other fowl sub-species. It is suggested that semen ejaculates of highest quality achieved for semen banking at the age of four year in the spring season. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Assessing recall in mothers' retrospective reports: concerns over children's speech and language development.

PubMed

Russell, Ginny; Miller, Laura L; Ford, Tamsin; Golding, Jean

2014-01-01

Retrospective recall about children's symptoms is used to establish early developmental patterns in clinical practice and is also utilised in child psychopathology research. Some studies have indicated that the accuracy of retrospective recall is influenced by life events. Our hypothesis was that an intervention: speech and language therapy, would adversely affect the accuracy of parent recall of early concerns about their child's speech and language development. Mothers (n = 5,390) reported on their child's speech development (child male to female ratio = 50:50) when their children were aged 18 or 30 months, and also reported on these early concerns retrospectively, 10 years later, when their children were 13 years old. Overall reliability of retrospective recall was good, 86 % of respondents accurately recalling their earlier concerns. As hypothesised, however, the speech and language intervention was strongly associated with inaccurate retrospective recall about concerns in the early years (Relative Risk Ratio = 19.03; 95 % CI:14.78-24.48). Attendance at speech therapy was associated with increased recall of concerns that were not reported at the time. The study suggests caution is required when interpreting retrospective reports of abnormal child development as recall may be influenced by intervening events.

Prolotherapy for Refractory Rotator Cuff Disease: Retrospective Case-Control Study of 1-Year Follow-Up.

PubMed

Lee, Doo-Hyung; Kwack, Kyu-Sung; Rah, Ueon Woo; Yoon, Seung-Hyun

2015-11-01

To determine the efficacy of prolotherapy for refractory rotator cuff disease. Retrospective case-control study. University-affiliated tertiary care hospital. Patients with nontraumatic refractory rotator cuff disease (N=151) who were unresponsive to 3 months of aggressive conservative treatment. Of the patients, 63 received prolotherapies with 16.5% dextrose 10-ml solution (treatment group), and 63 continued conservative treatment (control group). Not applicable. Visual analog scale (VAS) score of the average shoulder pain level for the past 1 week, Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI) score, isometric strength of the shoulder abductor, active range of motion (AROM) of the shoulder, maximal tear size on ultrasonography, and number of analgesic ingestions per day. Over 1-year follow-up, 57 patients in the treatment group and 53 in the control group were analyzed. There was no significant difference between the 2 groups in age, sex, shoulder dominance, duration of symptoms, and ultrasonographic findings at pretreatment. The average number of injections in the treatment group is 4.8±1.3. Compared with the control group, VAS score, SPADI score, isometric strength of shoulder abductor, and shoulder AROM of flexion, abduction, and external rotation showed significant improvement in the treatment group. There were no adverse events. To our knowledge, this is the first study to assess the efficacy of prolotherapy in rotator cuff disease. Prolotherapy showed improvement in pain, disability, isometric strength, and shoulder AROM in patients with refractory chronic rotator cuff disease. The results suggest positive outcomes, but one should still take caution in directly interpreting it as an effective treatment option, considering the limitations of this nonrandomized retrospective study. To show the efficacy of prolotherapy, further studies on prospective randomized controlled trials will be required. Copyright © 2015 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine

Predictors of metabolic control at one year in a population of pediatric patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a retrospective study.

PubMed

Alemzadeh, Ramin; Ellis, James; Calhoun, Mariaelena; Kichler, Jessica

2006-09-01

The rising prevalence of pediatric type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2) and non-adherence to diabetes regimens pose challenges to obtaining optimal control. This study evaluated factors that may impact glycemic control (HbA1c): age, Tanner stage, body mass index (BMI), total daily insulin (TDD), metformin dose (MET), activity level, frequency of clinic visits and adherence. One-year data from 72 patients (ages 8.6-17.8 years) were collected retrospectively. From that sample, 57 patients who continued to attend clinic for the entire year were assessed and divided into optimal and suboptimal HbA1c control groups. All factors measured were similar in the two groups, except for lower initial and 1.0-year HbA1c, TDD, and rates of missing MET and insulin in the optimal HbA1c control group. Initial glycemic status and adherence rate predicted metabolic control at one year. Early identification of DM2 may improve metabolic outcome, which may improve medical regimen adherence.

Water facilities in retrospect and prospect: An illuminating tool for vehicle design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Erickson, G. E.; Peak, D. J.; Delfrate, J.; Skow, A. M.; Malcolm, G. N.

1986-01-01

Water facilities play a fundamental role in the design of air, ground, and marine vehicles by providing a qualitative, and sometimes quantitative, description of complex flow phenomena. Water tunnels, channels, and tow tanks used as flow-diagnostic tools have experienced a renaissance in recent years in response to the increased complexity of designs suitable for advanced technology vehicles. These vehicles are frequently characterized by large regions of steady and unsteady three-dimensional flow separation and ensuing vortical flows. The visualization and interpretation of the complicated fluid motions about isolated vehicle components and complete configurations in a time and cost effective manner in hydrodynamic test facilities is a key element in the development of flow control concepts, and, hence, improved vehicle designs. A historical perspective of the role of water facilities in the vehicle design process is presented. The application of water facilities to specific aerodynamic and hydrodynamic flow problems is discussed, and the strengths and limitations of these important experimental tools are emphasized.

Short-term Outcomes following Concussion in the NFL: An 11-year Retrospective Study of Player Release Rate and Financial Loss

PubMed Central

Ramkumar, Prem; Navarro, Sergio Michael

2017-01-01

Objectives: The primary goal of this study was to assess the short-term outcomes among National Football League (NFL) players following concussion in terms of: (1) DNP protocol activation, (2) release rate at one and three years, and (3) mean salary reduction. A secondary goal of the study was to stratify the post-concussive release rate by franchise and player position. Methods: NFL player transaction records and publicly available weekly injury reports from August 2005 to January 2016 for NFL players were analyzed. All players immediately sustaining recorded concussions were evaluated for a change to inactive or do-not-play (DNP) status. The one-year and three-year release rate following concussion was defined as any player transitioning to inactivation, retirement, free agency, or any failure to return for a successive season on the same team’s active roster after one or three years from the initial concussion. Student’s t-test was used to compare release rates between non-concussed and concussed players at one and three years. Mean salary reduction per year following concussion was calculated using publicly available player contracts. Additionally, franchise-level and position-based analyses of the release rate were performed. Results: Of the total 5,451 NFL players retrospectively analyzed over the 11-year period, 373 sustained publicly reported concussions resulting in DNP protocol activation. The release rate of the post-concussive versus non-concussive player was 26% vs. 20% at 1 year (p<0.01) and 31% vs. 19% at 3 years (p<0.01). After analyzing individual player contracts, the mean year-over-year change in contract value for concussed players after DNP protocol activation was an overall salary reduction of $760,000/year ± $2,380,000. Figure 1 depicts the tendency of each NFL franchise to release an athlete following concussion within one and three years. Table 1 reports a position-based analysis in terms of concussion rate, mean salary reduction, and

A retrospective analysis of the added value of 1-year dog studies in pesticide human health risk assessments.

PubMed

Linke, Brenda; Mohr, Sara; Ramsingh, Deborah; Bhuller, Yadvinder

2017-08-01

The 1-year dog toxicity study is no longer required by certain pesticide regulatory jurisdictions, including the United States and the European Union. Health Canada's Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) examined its current requirement for this study to determine if it could be refined or eliminated. A retrospective analysis was conducted to examine the impact of the 1-year dog study on human health risk assessment. The Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI), a measure of the amount of a pesticide in food that can be ingested on a daily basis over a lifetime without an appreciable health risk, was the metric for this analysis. For 143 pesticides evaluated by the PMRA between 2008 and 2015, the supporting toxicology databases were examined to determine if other toxicology studies were protective of the findings in the 1-year dog study. When this criterion was not met, further investigation was undertaken to determine the potential impact of not having the 1-year dog study. For most of the pesticides, effect levels in the 1-year dog study were not substantially different from those in other toxicology studies, when considering factors such as dose-spacing and known experimental variability. The results of this analysis suggest that absence of the 1-year dog study would have minimal impact on the assessment of human health risk. Therefore, Health Canada's PMRA has removed the routine requirement for the 1-year dog study from its pesticide data requirements.

Rapid prototyping modelling in oral and maxillofacial surgery: A two year retrospective study.

PubMed

Suomalainen, Anni; Stoor, Patricia; Mesimäki, Karri; Kontio, Risto K

2015-12-01

The use of rapid prototyping (RP) models in medicine to construct bony models is increasing. The aim of the study was to evaluate retrospectively the indication for the use of RP models in oral and maxillofacial surgery at Helsinki University Central Hospital during 2009-2010. Also, the used computed tomography (CT) examination - multislice CT (MSCT) or cone beam CT (CBCT) - method was evaluated. In total 114 RP models were fabricated for 102 patients. The mean age of the patients at the time of the production of the model was 50.4 years. The indications for the modelling included malignant lesions (29%), secondary reconstruction (25%), prosthodontic treatment (22%), orthognathic surgery or asymmetry (13%), benign lesions (8%), and TMJ disorders (4%). MSCT examination was used in 92 and CBCT examination in 22 cases. Most of the models (75%) were conventional hard tissue models. Models with colored tumour or other structure(s) of interest were ordered in 24%. Two out of the 114 models were soft tissue models. The main benefit of the models was in treatment planning and in connection with the production of pre-bent plates or custom made implants. The RP models both facilitate and improve treatment planning and intraoperative efficiency. Rapid prototyping, radiology, computed tomography, cone beam computed tomography.

A Haptics Symposium Retrospective: 20 Years

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Colgate, J. Edward; Adelstein, Bernard

2012-01-01

The very first "Haptics Symposium" actually went by the name "Issues in the Development of Kinesthetic Displays of Teleoperation and Virtual environments." The word "Haptic" didn't make it into the name until the next year. Not only was the most important word absent but so were RFPs, journals and commercial markets. And yet, as we prepare for the 2012 symposium, haptics is a thriving and amazingly diverse field of endeavor. In this talk we'll reflect on the origins of this field and on its evolution over the past twenty years, as well as the evolution of the Haptics Symposium itself. We hope to share with you some of the excitement we've felt along the way, and that we continue to feel as we look toward the future of our field.

A clinicopathologic study of glomerular disease: A single-center, five-year retrospective study from Northwest India.

PubMed

Beniwal, Pankaj; Pursnani, Lalit; Sharma, Sanjeev; Garsa, R K; Mathur, Mohit; Dharmendra, Prasad; Malhotra, Vinay; Agarwal, Dhanajai

2016-01-01

Studies published from centers across India have reported different and contradicting patterns of glomerular disease. In this retrospective study, we report our experience from a Tertiary Care Center in Northwest India. A total of 702 renal biopsies performed between 2008 and 2013 were reviewed of which 80 were excluded from the study because of having insufficient records or if the biopsies were taken from an allograft. The study included 411 males (66.1 %) and 211 females (33.9%) with an age range of 12-70 years (mean 30.34 ± 7.04 years). Majority of the biopsies (93.9%) showed some form of glomerulonephritis (GN), either primary (79.4%) or secondary glomerular disease (SGD) (14.5%). Minimal change disease (MCD) was the most common type of primary GN (26.5% of primary GN), followed by membranous nephropathy (MN; 18.8%) and focal and segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS; 13.2%). Lupus nephritis (LN) was the most frequent SGD (52.2% of secondary GN). Amyloidosis was found in 41.1% and diabetic glomerulosclerosis in 4.4%. LN was also the second most common diagnosis in females after MCD, seen in 19.4% of females. MCD followed by membranoproliferative GN and diffuse proliferative GN were the most common entities in individuals <20 years of age. In the 20-39 years age group, MN was the most common pathology seen. MN was again the most common pathology seen in patients aged above 40 years followed by amyloidosis and FSGS. In this study, MCD was the most common primary GN observed overall from this part of India. MN was the most common GN in individuals above 20 years of age presenting with the nephrotic syndrome. The geographical and regional differences in the pattern of GNs point to the necessity of having a central biopsy registry.

Factors associated with dental implant survival: a 4-year retrospective analysis.

PubMed

Zupnik, Jamie; Kim, Soo-woo; Ravens, Daniel; Karimbux, Nadeem; Guze, Kevin

2011-10-01

Dental implants are a predictable treatment option for replacing missing teeth and have strong survival and success outcomes. However, previous research showed a wide array of potential risk factors that may have contributed to dental implant failures. The objectives of this study are to study if implant survival rates were affected by known risk factors and risk indicators that may have contributed to implant failures. The secondary outcome measures were whether the level of expertise of the periodontal residents affected success rates and how the rate of implant success at the Harvard School of Dental Medicine (HSDM) compared to published standards. A retrospective chart review of patients at the HSDM who had one of two types of rough-surface implants (group A or B) placed by periodontology residents from 2003 to 2006 was performed. Demographic, health, and implant data were collected and analyzed by multimodel analyses to determine failure rates and any factors that may have increased the likelihood of an implant failure. The study cohort included 341 dental implants. The odds ratio for an implant failure was most clearly elevated for diabetes (2.59 implant surface group B (7.84), and male groups (4.01). There was no significant difference regarding the resident experience. The success rate for HSDM periodontology residents was 96.48% during the 4-year study period. This study demonstrates that implant success rates at HSDM fell within accepted published standards, confirmed previously identified risk factors for a failure, and potentially suggested that other acknowledged risk factors could be controlled for. Furthermore, the level of experience of the periodontology resident did not have an impact on survival outcomes.

Rectal shaving for deep endometriosis infiltrating the rectum: a 5-year continuous retrospective series.

PubMed

Roman, Horace; Moatassim-Drissa, Salwa; Marty, Noemie; Milles, Mathilde; Vallée, Aurélie; Desnyder, Eulalie; Stochino Loi, Emanuela; Abo, Carole

2016-11-01

To report postoperative outcomes after rectal shaving for deep endometriosis infiltrating the rectum. Retrospective study using data prospectively recorded in the CIRENDO database. University tertiary referral center. One hundred and twenty-two consecutive patients whose follow-up observation ranged from 1 to 6 years. Rectal shaving performed using ultrasound scalpel or scissors and plasma energy in 68 and 54 women, respectively. Postoperative digestive function assessed using standardized gastrointestinal questionnaires: the Gastrointestinal Quality of Life Index (GIQLI) and the Knowles-Eccersley-Scott-Symptom Questionnaire (KESS). Nodules were between 1 and 3 cm, <1 cm, and >3 cm in diameter, in 73.7%, 11.5%, and 14.8% of cases, respectively. They were located on the middle (49.2%) and upper rectum (50.8%). Clavien-Dindo 3a, 3b, 4a, and 4b complications occurred in 0.8%, 5.7%, 1.6%, and 0.8% of cases, respectively. Excepting two rectal fistulas (1.6%), the majority of complications were not related to rectal shaving itself. Gastrointestinal scores revealed statistically significant improvement in digestive function and pelvic pain at 1 and 3 years after rectal shaving, but not constipation. Rectal recurrences occurred in 4% of patients, 2.4% of whom had segmental resection, 0.8% shaving, and 0.8% disc excision. Three years postoperatively, the pregnancy rate was 65.4% among patients with pregnancy intention, 59% of whom conceived spontaneously. Our data suggest that rectal shaving is a valuable treatment for deep endometriosis infiltrating the rectum, providing a low rate of postoperative complications, good improvement in digestive function, and satisfactory fertility outcomes. Copyright © 2016 American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Candida vertebral osteomyelitis (CVO) 28 cases from a 10-year retrospective study in France

PubMed Central

Richaud, Clémence; De Lastours, Victoire; Panhard, Xavière; Petrover, David; Bruno, Fantin; Lefort, Agnès

2017-01-01

Abstract Although increasingly frequent, little is known about the clinical presentation, radiological signs, and outcome of Candida vertebral osteomyelitis (CVO). We performed a nationwide retrospective study of laboratory-confirmed cases of CVO over a 10 year-period in France with a prolonged follow-up. We describe demographic, clinical, biological, and radiological characteristics of patients with CVO, patients’ management, and long-term outcome and determine factors associated with a poor outcome. In total, 28 patients with laboratory-confirmed CVO were included. A prior systemic Candida infection was evidenced in 13/28 (46%), occurring a median of 6 weeks before CVO was diagnosed. Twenty-six of 28 (93%) had at least 1 underlying condition at risk of invasive fungal disease, and in 19/28 (68%) CVO was health-care related. C albicans was most frequently identified (21/28; 75%) Lumbo-sacral involvement was the most prevalent (20/28—71%). Nearly half patients had no fever at presentation, but all had pain. Initial antifungal therapy consisted in fluconazole in 15/28 (53%); surgery was needed in 5 (18%) cases. One-year mortality was 21% (6/28), directly related to fungal infection in 2 patients. Risk-factors associated with 1-year mortality were age (P=.02), a high Charlson comorbidity index (P = .001), and a shorter treatment duration (median, 3 months vs 6 months; P = .02). Among 22 patients who survived, the median follow up duration was 15.5 months (8–93.5); 10 had sequelae, consisting in pain in all and neurological deficit in one. A longer treatment duration was significantly associated with healing without sequelae (P = .04). CVO concerns patients with serious underlying conditions and risk-factors for invasive candidiasis. Prolonged antifungal treatment appears to improve survival without sequelae. PMID:28767571

Survival of teeth treated with cast post and cores: A retrospective analysis over an observation period of up to 19.5 years.

PubMed

Raedel, Michael; Fiedler, Cliff; Jacoby, Stephan; Boening, Klaus W

2015-07-01

Scientific data about the long-term survival of teeth treated with cast post and cores are scarce. Retrospective studies often use different target events for their analyses. A comparison is therefore complicated. For associated tooth-, jaw-, and patient-related factors little evidence exists as to their effect on survival. The purpose of this study was to extend the knowledge on the survival of teeth treated with cast post and cores for observation periods of more than 10 years. A decrease or increase in survival times according to the presence or absence of associated parameters needs to be evaluated. A retrospective evaluation was conducted of all cast post and cores inserted in 1 university clinic between January 1992 and June 2011. A Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was carried out by using extraction as the target event. The survival curves for different tooth types, the presence or absence of adjacent teeth, and the prosthetic restoration of the respective jaws were compared by using the log-rank test (α=.05). A Cox regression model was calculated for multivariate analyses. A total of 717 cast post and cores for 343 patients were recorded. The mean survival time was 13.5 years. A statistically significant decrease in survival times was found for canines (11.9 years) and premolars (13.4 years) versus molars (14.1 years), no adjacent teeth (10.6 years) versus at least 1 adjacent tooth (13.8 years), and the restoration with removable dental prostheses (12.5 years) versus fixed dental prostheses and single crowns (13.9 years). The largest reduction in survival time was found for teeth being used as an abutment for a double crown-retained removable partial dental prosthesis (telescopic denture) (9.8 years). Tooth type and adjacent tooth status remained as significant variables within the multivariate Cox regression model. Cast post and cores have an acceptable long-term survival time. Because different factors may influence survival, considering these factors in

Study of Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase Deficiency: 5 Years Retrospective Egyptian Study.

PubMed

Hagag, Adel A; Badraia, Ibrahim M; Elfarargy, Mohamed S; Abd Elmageed, Mohamed M; Abo-Ali, Ehab A

2018-02-13

Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency is the most common enzyme deficiency worldwide that causes a spectrum of diseases including neonatal hyperbilirubinemia, acute and chronic hemolysis after exposure to oxidative stress. This five years retrospective study was carried out to study the demographic, clinical and laboratory data of 1000 patients with G6PD deficiency anemia registered in Hematology Unit, Pediatric Department, Tanta University Hospital. Data were collected from patient's files, from November 2011 to November 2016, using the pre-designed questionnaires to obtain the complete history, clinical presentation and laboratory investigations including the complete blood count, red blood cells morphology, liver and renal functions and quantitative assay of G6PD enzyme activity by spectrophotometric method. Males were more commonly affected than females (932 males versus 68 females). The highest prevalence of hemolytic crisis in G6PD deficiency patients was found within the age group of 1-3 years (920 patients; 92%) with mean age of the first presentation of 22.8±15.54 months. Patients presented mainly with pallor (1000 patients; 100%), dark red urine (896 patients; 89.6%) and jaundice (878 patients; 87.8%) after 24-72 hours of exposure to the precipitating factors (mean: 36±17.73 hours). Diets were the most common precipitating factor of hemolysis in patients with G6PD deficiency (834 patients; 83.4% of studied cases) especially fava beans (326 patients; 32.6%) and falafel (194 patients; 19.4%) which were the most common precipitating food products causing hemolysis followed by chick pea (108 patients; 10.8%), broad bean (76 patients; 7.6%), green pea (44 patients; 4.4%), pea nuts (38 patients; 3.8%), lentil (28 patients; 2.8%), and lastly black eyed peas (20 patients; 2 %). Infections were the 2nd most common cause of hemolysis (124 patients; 12.4%) including pneumonia (34 patients; 3.4%), tonsillitis (32 patients; 3.2%), typhoid fever (28

76 FR 39343 - Reducing Regulatory Burden; Retrospective Review Under E.O. 13563

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-07-06

... on ED regulations. c. How, if at all, will the agency incorporate experimental designs into retrospective analyses? Although ED will not be incorporating experimental designs into its analyses, its... evaluations, including those that use experimental designs, reveal about the efficacy of the regulations and...

Retrospective on 30 years of nonimaging optics development for solar energy at the University of Chicago

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

O'Gallagher, Joseph J.

2016-09-01

As the field of nonimaging optics has developed over the last 50 years, among its many applications, the best known and recognized is probably in solar energy. In particular, the approach provides the formalism that allows the design of devices that approach the maximum physically attainable geometric concentration for a given set of optical tolerances. This means that it has the potential to revolutionize the design of solar concentrators. Much of the experimental development and early testing of these concepts was carried out at the University of Chicago by Roland Winston and his colleagues and students. In this presentation, some of many embodiments and variations of the basic Compound Parabolic Concentrator that were developed and tested over a thirty-year period at Chicago are reviewed. Practical and economic aspects of concentrator design for both thermal and photovoltaic applications are discussed. Examples covering the whole range of concentrator applications from simple low-concentration non-tracking designs to ultrahigh-concentration multistage configurations are covered.

Epidemiology and patterns of facial fractures due to road traffic accidents in Taiwan: A 15-year retrospective study.

PubMed

Yang, Cheng-San; Chen, Solomon Chih-Cheng; Yang, Yung-Cheng; Huang, Li-Chung; Guo, How-Ran; Yang, Hsin-Yi

2017-10-03

The facial region is a commonly fractured site, but the etiology varies widely by country and geographic region. To date, there are no population-based studies of facial fractures in Taiwan. We conducted a retrospective study of patients diagnosed with facial fracture and registered in the National Health Insurance Research Database of Taiwan between 1997 and 2011. The epidemiological characteristics of this cohort were analyzed, including the etiology, fracture site, associated injuries, and sex and age distributions. A total of 6,013 cases were identified that involved facial fractures. Most patients were male (69.8%), aged 18-29 years (35.8%), and had fractures caused by road traffic accidents (RTAs; 55.2%), particularly motorcycle accidents (31.5%). Falls increased in frequency with advancing age, reaching 23.9% among the elderly (age > 65 years). The most common sites of involvement were the malar and maxillary bones (54.0%), but nasal bone fractures were more common among those younger than 18 years. Most facial injuries in Taiwan occur in young males and typically result from RTAs, particularly involving motorcycles. However, with increasing age, there is an increase in the proportion of facial injuries due to falls.

Student failures on first-year medical basic science courses and the USMLE step 1: a retrospective study over a 20-year period.

PubMed

Burns, E Robert; Garrett, Judy

2015-01-01

Correlates of achievement in the basic science years in medical school and on the Step 1 of the United States Medical Licensing Examination® (USMLE®), (Step 1) in relation to preadmission variables have been the subject of considerable study. Preadmissions variables such as the undergraduate grade point average (uGPA) and Medical College Admission Test® (MCAT®) scores, solely or in combination, have previously been found to be predictors of achievement in the basic science years and/or on the Step 1. The purposes of this retrospective study were to: (1) determine if our statistical analysis confirmed previously published relationships between preadmission variables (MCAT, uGPA, and applicant pool size), and (2) study correlates of the number of failures in five M1 courses with those preadmission variables and failures on Step 1. Statistical analysis confirmed previously published relationships between all preadmission variables. Only one course, Microscopic Anatomy, demonstrated significant correlations with all variables studied including the Step 1 failures. Physiology correlated with three of the four variables studied, but not with the Step 1 failures. Analyses such as these provide a tool by which administrators will be able to identify what courses are or are not responding in appropriate ways to changes in the preadmissions variables that signal student performance on the Step 1. © 2014 American Association of Anatomists.

Three-Year Retention Rates of Levetiracetam, Topiramate, and Oxcarbazepine: A Retrospective Hospital-Based Study.

PubMed

Sunwoo, Jun-Sang; Park, Byeong-Su; Ahn, Seon Jae; Hwang, Sungeun; Park, Chan-Young; Jun, Jin-Sun; Kim, Dong Wook; Lee, Soon-Tae; Jung, Keun-Hwa; Park, Kyung-Il; Chu, Kon; Jung, Ki-Young; Lee, Sang Kun

We evaluated and compared the 3-year retention rates of levetiracetam (LEV), topiramate (TPM), and oxcarbazepine (OXC) in patients with epilepsy in routine clinical practice. We retrospectively reviewed medical records of patients with epilepsy who were newly prescribed LEV, TPM, or OXC from 2006 to 2010. The retention rates were estimated by the Kaplan-Meier analysis, and independent risk factors for drug discontinuation were analyzed by the Cox regression method. A total of 588 patients were included: LEV (n = 345), TPM (n = 190), and OXC (n = 53). Among them, 82% had focal epilepsy, whereas 14.8% had generalized epilepsy. The 3-year retention rates for LEV, TPM, and OXC, were 81.2%, 78.3%, and 54.7%, respectively. Levetiracetam and TPM had equivalent retention rates, whereas patients remained on OXC for a significantly shorter amount of time (P < 0.001). A lower retention rate for OXC was also evident in the subgroup analysis of focal epilepsy (P < 0.001). In generalized epilepsy, LEV and TPM revealed comparable retention rates (P = 0.255). The seizure-freedom rate did not differ among groups, whereas the rate of adverse effects leading to drug withdrawal of OXC (87.5%) was higher than that of LEV (34.4%, P < 0.001) and TPM (52.5%, P = 0.012). The current study suggested that LEV and TPM had comparable retention profiles in the long-term treatment for both focal and generalized epilepsy. Meanwhile, OXC therapy seemed to be relatively less useful because of its poor tolerability.

A 5-year retrospective audit of prescribing by a critical care outreach team.

PubMed

Wilson, Mark

2018-05-01

UK prescribing legislation changes made in 2006 and 2012 enabled appropriately qualified nurses to prescribe any licensed medication, and all controlled drugs in schedule 2-5 of the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001, for any medical condition within their clinical competence. Critical Care Outreach nurses who are independent nurse prescribers are ideally placed to ensure that acutely ill patients receive treatment without delay. The perceived challenge was how Critical Care Outreach nurses would be able to safely prescribe for a diverse patient group. This study informs this developing area of nurse prescribing in critical care practice. The aims of the audit were to: identify which medications were prescribed; develop a critical care outreach formulary; identify the frequency, timing and number of prescribing decisions being made; identify if prescribing practice changed over the years and provide information for our continuing professional development. This article reports on data collected from a 5-year retrospective audit; of prescribing activity undertaken by nine independent nurse prescribers working in a 24/7 Critical Care Outreach team of a 600-bedded district general hospital in the UK. In total, 8216 medication items were prescribed, with an average of 2·6 prescribed per shift. The most commonly prescribed items were intravenous fluids and analgesia, which were mostly prescribed at night and weekends. The audit has shown that Critical Care Outreach nurse prescribing is feasible in a whole hospital patient population. The majority of prescribing occurred after 16:00 and at night. Further research would be beneficial, particularly looking at patient outcomes following reviews from prescribing critical care outreach nurses. The audit is one of the only long-term studies that describes prescribing practice in Critical Care Outreach teams in the UK. © 2017 British Association of Critical Care Nurses.

Symptoms of PTSD in Frontline Journalists: A Retrospective Examination of 18 Years of War and Conflict.

PubMed

Feinstein, Anthony; Osmann, Jonas; Patel, Viral

2018-01-01

The objective of the current study was to determine the frequency and severity of symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in journalists covering conflict. PTSD data (Impact of Event Scale-Revised) collected over an 18-year period from 684 conflict journalists were analyzed retrospectively for frequency and severity of reexperiencing, avoidance, and arousal symptoms. Conflicts covered were civil wars in the Balkans ( n = 140 journalists), 9/11 attack in New York City ( n = 46), Iraq war ( n = 84), Mexico drug wars ( n = 104), civil war in Syria ( n = 59), Kenya election violence/Al-Shabab terror ( n = 57), state-sanctioned media intimidation in Iran ( n = 114), and the current migration crisis in Europe ( n = 80). The mean age of the sample was 38.59 (SD = 8.35) years, 461 (67%) journalists were men, and the mean duration of conflict work was 13.42 (SD = 7.74) years. The 5 most frequently endorsed symptoms were in the reexperiencing/intrusion category. Mean intrusion (1.31, SD = 0.97), avoidance (1.08, SD = 0.89), and arousal (1.07, SD = 0.96) scores for the entire sample were in the mild range. Being female and less educated independently predicted PTSD symptoms. PTSD phenomenology in a group of conflict journalists with well over a decade of frontline experience is dominated by reexperiencing symptoms. While symptom severity is for the most part mild, group means can obscure those individuals with significantly more severe difficulties.

Thirteen year retrospective review of the spectrum of inborn errors of metabolism presenting in a tertiary center in Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Alfadhel, Majid; Benmeakel, Mohammed; Hossain, Mohammad Arif; Al Mutairi, Fuad; Al Othaim, Ali; Alfares, Ahmed A; Al Balwi, Mohammed; Alzaben, Abdullah; Eyaid, Wafaa

2016-09-15

Inborn errors of metabolism (IEMs) are individually rare; however, they are collectively common. More than 600 human diseases caused by inborn errors of metabolism are now recognized, and this number is constantly increasing as new concepts and techniques become available for identifying biochemical phenotypes. The aim of this study was to determine the type and distribution of IEMs in patients presenting to a tertiary care center in Saudi Arabia. We conducted a retrospective review of children diagnosed with IEMs presenting to the Pediatric Department of King Abdulaziz Medical City in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia over a 13-year period. Over the 13- year period of this retrospective cohort, the total number of live births reached 110,601. A total of 187 patients were diagnosed with IEMs, representing a incidence of 169 in 100,000 births (1:591). Of these, 121 patients (64.7 %) were identified to have small molecule diseases and 66 (35.3 %) to have large molecule diseases. Organic acidemias were the most common small molecule IEMs, while lysosomal storage disorders (LSD) were the most common large molecule diseases. Sphingolipidosis were the most common LSD. Our study confirms the previous results of the high rate of IEMs in Saudi Arabia and urges the health care strategists in the country to devise a long-term strategic plan, including an IEM national registry and a high school carrier screening program, for the prevention of such disorders. In addition, we identified 43 novel mutations that were not described previously, which will help in the molecular diagnosis of these disorders.

Fracture patterns in the maxillofacial region: a four-year retrospective study

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

Objectives The facial bones are the most noticeable area in the human body, and facial injuries can cause significant functional, aesthetic, and psychological complications. Continuous study of the patterns of facial bone fractures and changes in trends is helpful in the prevention and treatment of maxillofacial fractures. The purpose of the current clinico-statistical study is to investigate the pattern of facial fractures over a 4-year period. Materials and Methods A retrospective analysis of 1,824 fracture sites was carried out in 1,284 patients admitted to SMG-SNU Boramae Medical Center for facial bone fracture from January 2010 to December 2013. We evaluated the distributions of age/gender/season, fracture site, cause of injury, duration from injury to treatment, hospitalization period, and postoperative complications. Results The ratio of men to women was 3.2:1. Most fractures occurred in individuals aged between teens to 40s and were most prevalent at the middle and end of the month. Fractures occurred in the nasal bone (65.0%), orbital wall (29.2%), maxillary wall (15.3%), zygomatic arch (13.2%), zygomaticomaxillary complex (9.8%), mandibular symphysis (6.5%), mandibular angle (5.9%), mandibular condyle (4.9%), and mandibular body (1.9%). The most common etiologies were fall (32.5%) and assault (26.0%). The average duration of injury to treatment was 6 days, and the average hospitalization period was 5 days. Eighteen postoperative complications were observed in 17 patients, mainly infection and malocclusion in the mandible. Conclusion This study reflects the tendency for trauma in the Seoul metropolitan region because it analyzes all facial fracture patients who visited our hospital regardless of the specific department. Distinctively, in this study, midfacial fractures had a much higher incidence than mandible fractures. PMID:26734557

Nail gun-induced open-globe injuries: a 10-year retrospective review.

PubMed

Kolomeyer, Anton M; Shah, Avni; Bauza, Alain M; Langer, Paul D; Zarbin, Marco A; Bhagat, Neelakshi

2014-02-01

To describe the characteristics of nail gun-related open-globe injuries. Retrospective series of all patients presenting with open globes secondary to nail gun injury from 2000 to 2010. Data were collected on demographics, setting of accident, presenting clinical examination findings, visual acuity, management, surgical procedures needed, and long-term outcomes. Forty-two patients (43 eyes; mean age, 31.6 years; 100% male; 79% Hispanic) suffered open-globe injury from nail gun accidents. Thirty-seven eyes (86%) sustained injury at work. One of 15 (6.7%) patients, on whom data were available, wore protective eyewear during the incident. Entrance wounds were classified into Zone I (n = 24 [56%]), Zone II (n = 12 [28%]), and Zone III (n = 7 [16%]). Six eyes (14%) had retained intraocular foreign bodies. Mean presenting logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution visual acuity was 1.64 ± 0.83, whereas mean final logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution visual acuity was 1.01 ± 0.96 (P = 0.004). Two eyes (4.7%) had no light perception vision at final examination. Seventeen (40%) patients developed a traumatic cataract, and 2 (4.7%) had dislocated lens fragments. Most common findings on presentation included vitreous hemorrhage (n = 30 [70%]) and hyphema (n = 28 [64%]). Two eyes (4.7%) had a retinal detachment at presentation, and 10 (23%) developed a retinal detachment during follow-up visits. Anatomical success was observed in 11 eyes (92%) with a retinal detachment. Three eyes (7.0%) became phthisical or prephthisical, and 1 was enucleated for severe pain. No eyes developed endophthalmitis or sympathetic ophthalmia. This is the largest compilation of nail gun-related open-globe injury reported to date. Posterior segment complications, noted in the majority of cases, likely contributed to the overall guarded visual outcomes. Preventative measures for eye protection should be strictly followed while using nail guns.

Poisoning deaths in Central China (Hubei): A 10-year retrospective study of forensic autopsy cases.

PubMed

Zhou, Lan; Liu, Liang; Chang, Lin; Li, Ling

2011-01-01

A retrospective study of autopsy cases was conducted at the Department of Forensic Medicine, Tongji Medical College (DFM-TMC), in Hubei, China to describe the characteristics of poisoning deaths from 1999 to 2008. A total of 212 poisoning deaths were investigated by DFM-TMC during the 10-year period. The poisoning deaths ranged from 17 cases in 1999 to 27 cases in 2008. Of the 212 cases, 82 deaths (38.7%) were from pesticides, 36 deaths (17.0%) from carbon monoxide, 34 deaths (16.0%) from drugs, 22 deaths (10.4%) from alcohol, 17 deaths (8.0%) from other chemicals, 15 deaths (7.1%) from poisonous plants and animals, and six deaths (2.8%) from heavy metals. Of the 82 pesticide poisoning deaths, 43 (52.4%) cases were caused by rodenticides, mainly tetramine (N = 39). The majority of poisoning deaths were accidents (63.7%), followed by suicides (25.9%) and homicides (3.8%). The manner of death could not be determined in 14 cases (6.6%). © 2010 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Mucormycosis in Iran: A six-year retrospective experience.

PubMed

Dolatabadi, S; Ahmadi, B; Rezaei-Matehkolaei, A; Zarrinfar, H; Skiada, A; Mirhendi, H; Nashibi, R; Niknejad, F; Nazeri, M; Rafiei, A; Gharaghani, M; Erami, M; Taghipour, S; Piri, F; Makimura, K

2018-06-01

Mucormycosis is a devastating infection caused by Mucoralean fungi (Mucormycotina, Mucorales). Data concerning the global epidemiology of mucormycosis are scarce and little is known about the characteristics of mucormycosis in Iran. In this study, we aimed to understand the distribution of this infection in Iran retrospectively and to ascertain whether the patterns of infection are associated with specific host factors or not. A total of 208 cases were included in this study occurring during 2008-2014 and were validated according to (EORTC/MSG) criteria. A rising trend as significant increase from 9.7% in 2008 to 23.7% in 2014 was observed. The majority of patients were female (51.4%) with median age of 50 and the infections were seen mostly in autumn season (39.4%). Diabetes mellitus (75.4%) was the most common underlying condition and sinus involvement (86%) was the mostly affected site of infection. Amphotericin B (AmB) was the drug of choice for the majority of cases. Sixty four isolates did not show any growth in the lab and only 21 cases were evaluated by ITS sequencing, among them; Rhizopus arrhizus var. arrhizus was the dominant species. Considering the high mortality rate of mucormycosis, early and accurate diagnosis, with the aid of molecular methods may provide accurate treatments and improve the survival rate. Therefore, increased monitoring and awareness of this life-threatening disease is critical. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Is Statin Use Associated With Tendon Rupture? A Population-Based Retrospective Cohort Analysis.

PubMed

Contractor, Tahmeed; Beri, Abhimanyu; Gardiner, Joseph C; Tang, Xiaoqin; Dwamena, Francesca C

2015-01-01

Previous case reports and small studies have suggested that 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase inhibitors (HMG-CoA-Is) may increase the risk of tendon rupture. We conducted a population-based retrospective cohort evaluation to better assess this relationship. From approximately 800,000 enrollees of a private insurance database, those who were aged ≤64 years with at least 1 year of continuous enrollment were selected. Exposure was defined as initiation of HMG-CoA-I after the beginning of the study period. Each exposed person was matched with 2 controls of similar age and gender. Baseline characteristics, including known risk factors for tendon rupture, were compared between exposed and control cohorts with fidelity to the study's matched design. After adjusting for differences in follow-up and baseline characteristics, incidence rate ratios for tendon rupture was assessed in HMG-CoA-I users and nonusers. A total of 34,749 exposed patients were matched with 69,498 controls. There was no difference in the occurrence of tendon ruptures in HMG-CoA-I users versus nonusers. The results remained unchanged after adjustment for age and gender. In conclusion, this population-based retrospective cohort evaluation suggests that use of HMG-CoA-Is as a group are not associated with tendon rupture.

Rapid prototyping modelling in oral and maxillofacial surgery: A two year retrospective study

PubMed Central

Stoor, Patricia; Mesimäki, Karri; Kontio, Risto K.

2015-01-01

Background The use of rapid prototyping (RP) models in medicine to construct bony models is increasing. Material and Methods The aim of the study was to evaluate retrospectively the indication for the use of RP models in oral and maxillofacial surgery at Helsinki University Central Hospital during 2009-2010. Also, the used computed tomography (CT) examination – multislice CT (MSCT) or cone beam CT (CBCT) - method was evaluated. Results In total 114 RP models were fabricated for 102 patients. The mean age of the patients at the time of the production of the model was 50.4 years. The indications for the modelling included malignant lesions (29%), secondary reconstruction (25%), prosthodontic treatment (22%), orthognathic surgery or asymmetry (13%), benign lesions (8%), and TMJ disorders (4%). MSCT examination was used in 92 and CBCT examination in 22 cases. Most of the models (75%) were conventional hard tissue models. Models with colored tumour or other structure(s) of interest were ordered in 24%. Two out of the 114 models were soft tissue models. Conclusions The main benefit of the models was in treatment planning and in connection with the production of pre-bent plates or custom made implants. The RP models both facilitate and improve treatment planning and intraoperative efficiency. Key words:Rapid prototyping, radiology, computed tomography, cone beam computed tomography. PMID:26644837

DIAGNOSTIC IMAGING IN A DIRECT-ACCESS SPORTS PHYSICAL THERAPY CLINIC: A 2-YEAR RETROSPECTIVE PRACTICE ANALYSIS.

PubMed

Crowell, Michael S; Dedekam, Erik A; Johnson, Michael R; Dembowski, Scott C; Westrick, Richard B; Goss, Donald L

2016-10-01

While advanced diagnostic imaging is a large contributor to the growth in health care costs, direct-access to physical therapy is associated with decreased rates of diagnostic imaging. No study has systematically evaluated with evidence-based criteria the appropriateness of advanced diagnostic imaging, including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), when ordered by physical therapists. The primary purpose of this study was to describe the appropriateness of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or magnetic resonance arthrogram (MRA) exams ordered by physical therapists in a direct-access sports physical therapy clinic. Retrospective observational study of practice. Greater than 80% of advanced diagnostic imaging orders would have an American College of Radiology (ACR) Appropriateness Criteria rating of greater than 6, indicating an imaging order that is usually appropriate. A 2-year retrospective analysis identified 108 MRI/MRA examination orders from four physical therapists. A board-certified radiologist determined the appropriateness of each order based on ACR appropriateness criteria. The principal investigator and co-investigator radiologist assessed agreement between the clinical diagnosis and MRI/surgical findings. Knee (31%) and shoulder (25%) injuries were the most common. Overall, 55% of injuries were acute. The mean ACR rating was 7.7; scores from six to nine have been considered appropriate orders and higher ratings are better. The percentage of orders complying with ACR appropriateness criteria was 83.2%. Physical therapist's clinical diagnosis was confirmed by MRI/MRA findings in 64.8% of cases and was confirmed by surgical findings in 90% of cases. Physical therapists providing musculoskeletal primary care in a direct-access sports physical therapy clinic appropriately ordered advanced diagnostic imaging in over 80% of cases. Future research should prospectively compare physical therapist appropriateness and utilization to other groups of providers and

Experiential Learning in Retrospect: A Future Organizational Challenge?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Olsson, Annika; Bjoorn, Urban; Jonson, Gunilla

2008-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to describe a retrospective reflection over unconscious, emergent learning among employees of an organization and to suggest how to capture these moments of experiential learning for future organizational learning. Design/methodology/approach: Action research in organizations is undertaken in interaction with…

Child homicide victims in forensic autopsy in Taiwan: A 10-year retrospective study.

PubMed

Hwa, Hsiao-Lin; Pan, Chih-Hsin; Shu, Guang-Ming; Chang, Chin-Hao; Lee, Tsui-Ting; Lee, James Chun-I

2015-12-01

Child homicides are critical medico-legal issues worldwide. Data on the characteristics of these cases in Asia are limited. This study aimed to describe the characteristics of child homicides in Taiwan. A retrospective analysis of forensic autopsy records of child homicide victims (aged 0-17 years) in Taiwan, during a 10-year period between 2001 and 2010, was carried out. The age, sex, relationship with the perpetrator(s), injury patterns of the victims, and causes of death were analyzed. In all, 193 child homicide autopsies were identified. There were 38 (19.7%), 82 (42.5%), 25 (13.0%), and 48 (24.9%) homicide victims aged under 1, 1-5, 6-12, and 13-17 years, respectively. One-hundred boys (mean age: 8.4±7.0) and 93 girls (mean age: 3.7±4.3) were included. A female predominance was noted among the victims aged 0-5. Blunt force (53.4%) was the most frequent method of injury, followed by suffocation/strangulation (20.2%) and sharp force (13.0%). Bruise (64.8%) and brain injury (45.1%) were the most common types of injuries. The cranium (62.2%) and face (60.6%) were the most frequently injured body regions. The distribution of fatal injuries varied among victims in different age groups. Neurogenic shock, asphyxia, and hemorrhagic shocks were most common in victims aged 0-5, 6-12, and 13-17, respectively. The most frequent causes of death included blunt force head injury (40.4%), suffocation/strangulation (20.2%), and sharp force lung trauma (7.3%). The type of offenders, injury methods, types of injuries, distribution of injuries, mechanism of death, and causes of death were significantly different among victims of different age groups. Eighteen (9.33%) victims displayed no external evidence of trauma. The patterns of injuries, mechanism of death, and causes of death were different among victims of different age groups. A female predominance was noted among the victims aged 0-5. Complete forensic autopsy is necessary to identify child homicide. This report will

Is routine pathological evaluation of tissue from gynecomastia necessary? A 15-year retrospective pathological and literature review

PubMed Central

Senger, Jenna-Lynn; Chandran, Geethan; Kanthan, Rani

2014-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To reconsider the routine plastic surgical practice of requesting histopathological evaluation of tissue from gynecomastia. METHOD: The present study was a retrospective histopathological review (15-year period [1996 to 2012]) involving gynecomastia tissue samples received at the pathology laboratory in the Saskatoon Health Region (Saskatchewan). The Laboratory Information System (LIS) identified all specimens using the key search words “gynecomastia”, “gynaecomastia”, “gynecomazia” and “gynaecomazia”. A literature review to identify all cases of incidentally discovered malignancies in gynecomastia tissue specimens over a 15-year period (1996 to present) was undertaken. RESULTS: The 15-year LIS search detected a total of 452 patients that included two cases of pseudogynecomastia (0.4%). Patients’ age ranged from five to 92 years and 43% of the cases were bilateral (28% left sided, 29% right sided). The weight of the specimens received ranged from 0.2 g to 1147.2 g. All cases showed no significant histopathological concerns. The number of tissue blocks sampled ranged from one to 42, averaging four blocks/case (approximately $105/case), resulting in a cost of approximately $3,200/year, with a 15-year expenditure of approximately $48,000. The literature review identified a total of 15 incidental findings: ductal carcinoma in situ (12 cases), atypical ductal hyperplasia (two cases) and infiltrating ductal carcinoma (one case). CONCLUSIONS: In the context of evidence-based literature, and because no significant pathological findings were detected in this particular cohort of 452 cases with 2178 slides, the authors believe it is time to re-evaluate whether routine histopathological examination of tissue from gynecomastia remains necessary. The current climate of health care budget fiscal restraints warrants reassessment of the current policies and practices of sending tissue samples of gynecomastia incurring negative productivity costs on

Is routine pathological evaluation of tissue from gynecomastia necessary? A 15-year retrospective pathological and literature review.

PubMed

Senger, Jenna-Lynn; Chandran, Geethan; Kanthan, Rani

2014-01-01

To reconsider the routine plastic surgical practice of requesting histopathological evaluation of tissue from gynecomastia. The present study was a retrospective histopathological review (15-year period [1996 to 2012]) involving gynecomastia tissue samples received at the pathology laboratory in the Saskatoon Health Region (Saskatchewan). The Laboratory Information System (LIS) identified all specimens using the key search words "gynecomastia", "gynaecomastia", "gynecomazia" and "gynaecomazia". A literature review to identify all cases of incidentally discovered malignancies in gynecomastia tissue specimens over a 15-year period (1996 to present) was undertaken. The 15-year LIS search detected a total of 452 patients that included two cases of pseudogynecomastia (0.4%). Patients' age ranged from five to 92 years and 43% of the cases were bilateral (28% left sided, 29% right sided). The weight of the specimens received ranged from 0.2 g to 1147.2 g. All cases showed no significant histopathological concerns. The number of tissue blocks sampled ranged from one to 42, averaging four blocks/case (approximately $105/case), resulting in a cost of approximately $3,200/year, with a 15-year expenditure of approximately $48,000. The literature review identified a total of 15 incidental findings: ductal carcinoma in situ (12 cases), atypical ductal hyperplasia (two cases) and infiltrating ductal carcinoma (one case). In the context of evidence-based literature, and because no significant pathological findings were detected in this particular cohort of 452 cases with 2178 slides, the authors believe it is time to re-evaluate whether routine histopathological examination of tissue from gynecomastia remains necessary. The current climate of health care budget fiscal restraints warrants reassessment of the current policies and practices of sending tissue samples of gynecomastia incurring negative productivity costs on routine histopathological examination.

Improving tablet coating robustness by selecting critical process parameters from retrospective data.

PubMed

Galí, A; García-Montoya, E; Ascaso, M; Pérez-Lozano, P; Ticó, J R; Miñarro, M; Suñé-Negre, J M

2016-09-01

Although tablet coating processes are widely used in the pharmaceutical industry, they often lack adequate robustness. Up-scaling can be challenging as minor changes in parameters can lead to varying quality results. To select critical process parameters (CPP) using retrospective data of a commercial product and to establish a design of experiments (DoE) that would improve the robustness of the coating process. A retrospective analysis of data from 36 commercial batches. Batches were selected based on the quality results generated during batch release, some of which revealed quality deviations concerning the appearance of the coated tablets. The product is already marketed and belongs to the portfolio of a multinational pharmaceutical company. The Statgraphics 5.1 software was used for data processing to determine critical process parameters in order to propose new working ranges. This study confirms that it is possible to determine the critical process parameters and create design spaces based on retrospective data of commercial batches. This type of analysis is thus converted into a tool to optimize the robustness of existing processes. Our results show that a design space can be established with minimum investment in experiments, since current commercial batch data are processed statistically.

Insertion of Balloon Retained Gastrostomy Buttons: A 5-Year Retrospective Review of 260 Patients

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Power, Sarah, E-mail: sarahpower28@yahoo.co.uk; Kavanagh, Liam N.; Shields, Mary C.

Radiologically inserted gastrostomy (RIG) is an established way of maintaining enteral nutrition in patients who cannot maintain nutrition orally. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of primary placement of a wide bore button gastrostomy in a large, varied patient population through retrospective review. All patients who underwent gastrostomy placement from January 1, 2004 to January 1, 2009 were identified. 18-Fr gastrostomy buttons (MIC-Key G) were inserted in the majority. Follow-up ranged from 6 months to 4.5 years. A total of 260 patients (M:F 140:120, average age 59.2 years) underwent gastrostomy during the study period.more » Overall success rate for RIG placement was 99.6 %, with success rate of 95.3 % for primary button insertion. Indications included neurological disorders (70 %), esophageal/head and neck malignancy (21 %), and other indications (9 %). Major and minor complication rates were 1.2 and 12.8 %, respectively. Thirty-day mortality rate was 6.8 %. One third of patients underwent gastrostomy reinsertion during the study period, the main indication for which was inadvertent catheter removal. Patency rate was high at 99.5 %. The maximum number of procedures in any patient was 8 (n = 2), and the average tube dwell time was 125 days. Primary radiological insertion of a wide bore button gastrostomy is a safe technique, with high success rate, high patency rate, and low major complication rate. We believe that it is feasible to attempt button gastrostomy placement in all patients, once tract length is within limits of tube length. If difficulty is encountered, then a standard tube may simply be placed instead.« less

Two Year Community: Design and Components of a Two-Year College Interdisciplinary Field-Study Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wolfe, Benjamin A.; Martin, Todd C.

2013-01-01

Interdisciplinary field study courses at 2-year colleges can provide an opportunity to enhance student learning. The authors present here an 11-day interdisciplinary field-study course designed for nonscience majors at a 2-year college. Using a theoretical learning framework that emphasizes cognitive and metacognitive gains, the field study…

Tuberculosis treatment outcome and predictors in northern Ethiopian prisons: a five-year retrospective analysis.

PubMed

Adane, Kelemework; Spigt, Mark; Dinant, Geert-Jan

2018-02-20

The prison situations are notorious for causing interruptions of tuberculosis (TB) treatment and occurrence of unfavorable outcomes. In Ethiopian prisons, though TB treatment programs exist, treatment outcome results and factors contributing to unsuccessful outcome are not well documented. In this study, we assessed the treatment outcome of TB cases and identified risk factors for unsuccessful outcome in northern Ethiopian prisons. A retrospective record review was conducted for all prisoners diagnosed with TB between September 2011 and August 2015. Outcome variables were defined following WHO guidelines. Out of the 496 patients, 11.5% were cured, 68% completed treatment, 2.5% were lost to follow-up, 1.6% were with a treatment failure, 1.4% died, and 15% were transferred out. All transferred out or released prisoners were not appropriately linked to health facilities and might be lost to treatment follow-up. The overall treatment success rate (TSR) of the 5 years was 94% among the patients who were not transferred out. The odds of unsuccessful outcome were 4.68 times greater among re-treatment cases compared to the newly treated cases. The year of treatment was also associated with variations in TSR; those treated during the earlier year were more likely to have unsuccessful outcome. Sputum non-conversion at the second-month check-up was strongly associated with unsuccessful outcome among the smear-positive cases. The mean TSR of the prisoners in the study prisons was quite satisfactory when gauged against the target level set by the End TB Strategy. However, the lack of appropriate linkage and tracking systems for those prisoners transferred or released before their treatment completion would have a negative implication for the national TB control program as such patients might interrupt their treatment and develop drug-resistant TB. Being in a re-treatment regimen and sputum non-conversion at the second-month check-up were significantly associated with

Childhood Maltreatment in South Korea: Retrospective Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Yanghee; Kim, Sangwon

2011-01-01

Objective: This study explored the prevalence of childhood maltreatment in South Korea using the retrospective version of ICAST and the associations between perceptions of abuse experienced during childhood and recent interpersonal problems and depression. Methods: 539 young persons, aged 18-24 years, from various universities, work places, and…

Imported dengue fever in East London: a 6-year retrospective observational study.

PubMed

Riddell, Anna; Babiker, Zahir Osman Eltahir

2017-05-01

Dengue fever (DF) is a frequently imported arthropod-borne infection in the United Kingdom but its broad range of clinical presentations makes it potentially unrecognized by clinicians. We conducted a 6-year retrospective case note review of laboratory confirmed DF patients in East London in the period from 1 January 2010 through 31 December 2015. Epidemiological, clinical and laboratory features of imported DF were described. Risk factors associated with viraemic DF presentations were assessed. Forty-four patients (4 from primary care clinics and 40 from three acute hospitals) were confirmed to have DF through RNA and/or IgM detection. In total, 86.4% (38/44) had primary infection compared to 13.6% (6/44) with secondary infection. Viraemic DF presentations accounted for 59.1% (26/44) of cases. The median age was 34 years (IQR 25-43). Most patients were males (68.2%, 30/44) and of non-white ethnicity (81.8%, 36/44). South Asia was the most frequent travel destination (52.3%, 23/44) followed by Southeast Asia (20.5%, 9/44). July-September was the peak season of presentation (43.2%, 19/44). The median interval between arrival in the UK and laboratory testing was 7 days (IQR 4-13). Arriving from abroad ≤ 7 days before molecular testing (age-adjusted odds ratios [OR] 16.98, 95% CI 2.43-118.75, P  =   0.004) and travel to South or Southeast Asia regions (age-adjusted OR 4.41, 95% CI 1.07-18.21, P  =   0.040) were associated with detectable viraemia at presentation. Only one DF patient met the WHO severity criteria. HIV serostatus was determined in 61.4% (27/44) of cases. Clinicians need to improve DF recognition as well as rates of HIV testing in tropical travellers. Region of travel and time since arrival from DF endemic settings may help clinicians optimize requests for molecular testing. Further research on the clinical and public health aspects of imported DF is needed. © International Society of Travel Medicine, 2017. Published by Oxford University

CRREL, 30 Years Retrospective 1986-1991

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-01-01

development. During World War n, organizations were created which, in 1961, were brought together to form the Cold Re- gions Research and Engineering...and the Cold War has thawed. In early 1991, the United States and a coalition of 33 nations fought one of the most successful military campaigns in...the history of warfare in the desert of the Middle East-a war that may reshape military doctrine for years to come. The United States is committed

Measuring childhood maltreatment to predict early-adult psychopathology: Comparison of prospective informant-reports and retrospective self-reports.

PubMed

Newbury, Joanne B; Arseneault, Louise; Moffitt, Terrie E; Caspi, Avshalom; Danese, Andrea; Baldwin, Jessie R; Fisher, Helen L

2018-01-01

Both prospective informant-reports and retrospective self-reports may be used to measure childhood maltreatment, though both methods entail potential limitations such as underestimation and memory biases. The validity and utility of standard measures of childhood maltreatment requires clarification in order to inform the design of future studies investigating the mental health consequences of maltreatment. The present study assessed agreement between prospective informant-reports and retrospective self-reports of childhood maltreatment, as well as the comparative utility of both reports for predicting a range of psychiatric problems at age 18. Data were obtained from the Environmental Risk (E-Risk) Longitudinal Twin Study, a nationally-representative birth cohort of 2232 children followed to 18 years of age (with 93% retention). Childhood maltreatment was assessed in two ways: (i) prospective informant-reports from caregivers, researchers, and clinicians when children were aged 5, 7, 10 and 12; and (ii) retrospective self-reports of maltreatment experiences occurring up to age 12, obtained at age 18 using the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire. Participants were privately interviewed at age 18 concerning several psychiatric problems including depression, anxiety, self-injury, alcohol/cannabis dependence, and conduct disorder. There was only slight to fair agreement between prospective and retrospective reports of childhood maltreatment (all Kappa's ≤ 0.31). Both prospective and retrospective reports of maltreatment were associated with age-18 psychiatric problems, though the strongest associations were found when maltreatment was retrospectively self-reported. These findings indicate that prospective and retrospective reports of childhood maltreatment capture largely non-overlapping groups of individuals. Young adults who recall being maltreated have a particularly elevated risk for psychopathology. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All

Adult femicide victims in forensic autopsy in Taiwan: A 10-year retrospective study.

PubMed

Fong, Wen-Li; Pan, Chih-Hsin; Lee, James Chun-I; Lee, Tsui-Ting; Hwa, Hsiao-Lin

2016-09-01

Violence against women and adult femicides are critical medico-legal issues worldwide. Intimate partner violence is one of the leading contributory risk factors. This study aimed to describe the characteristics of femicides in Taiwan. A retrospective analysis of forensic autopsy records of adult femicide victims in Taiwan during a 10-year period was carried out. The age, victim-offender relationship, injury patterns and causes of death were analyzed. Among the 220 adult femicide victims recruited, 114 were killed by intimate partners and 106 were killed by non-intimate partner offenders. The average age of victims killed by intimate partners (40.0 y/o) were younger than those killed by non-intimate partner perpetrators (48.6 y/o). The most common site of injuries in the intimate partner group and the non-intimate partner group was the neck and the upper limbs, respectively. The rates of bruise and intracranial injury of non-intimate partner group were significantly higher than that of the intimate partner group. The most common causes of death in both groups were strangulation and sharp force injury. The heart injury was significantly more frequent in victims offended by intimate partners than by other assailants. The characteristics of adult femicides, and the patterns of injury in victims killed by intimate partners and non-intimate partner offenders were different. This data is helpful for corpus inspection in forensic casework and for strategic planning of femicides prevention. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

A 5-Year Retrospective Review of Fungal Keratitis at Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia

PubMed Central

Mohd-Tahir, Fadzillah; Norhayati, A.; Siti-Raihan, Ishak; Ibrahim, M.

2012-01-01

Background. Corneal blindness from healed infected keratitis is one of the most preventable causes of monocular blindness in developing countries, including Malaysia. Our objectives were to identify the causative fungi, predisposing risk factors, the proportion of correct clinical diagnosis, and visual outcome of patients treated in our hospital. Methods. A retrospective review of medical and microbiology records was conducted for all patients who were treated for fungal keratitis at Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia from January 2007 until December 2011. Results. Forty-seven patients (47/186, 25.27%) were treated for fungal keratitis during the study period. This demonstrated that the incidence of fungal keratitis has increased each year from 2007 to 2011 by 12.50%, 17.65%, 21.21%, 26.83%, and 28.57%, respectively. The most common predisposing factors were injury to the eye followed by use of topical steroid, and preexisting ocular surface disease. Fusarium species were the most common fungal isolated, followed by Candida species. Clinical diagnosis of fungal keratitis was made in 26 of the 41 (63.41%) cases of positive isolates. Of these, in eleven cases (23.40%) patients required surgical intervention. Clinical outcome of healed scar was achieved in 34 (72.34%) cases. Conclusions. The percentage of positive fungal isolated has steadily increased and the trend of common fungal isolated has changed. The latest review regarding fungal keratitis is important for us to improve patients' outcome in the future. PMID:23304138

A 10-year retrospective review of pediatric lung abscesses from a single center

PubMed Central

Madhani, Kavi; McGrath, Eric; Guglani, Lokesh

2016-01-01

INTRODUCTION: Pediatric lung abscesses can be primary or secondary, and there is limited data regarding response to treatments and patient outcomes. OBJECTIVES: To assess the clinical and microbiologic profile of pediatric patients with lung abscess and assess the differences in outcomes for patients treated with medical therapy or medical plus surgical therapy. METHODS: A retrospective review of all pediatric patients ≤ 18 years of age that were treated as an inpatient for lung abscess between the dates of August 2004 and August 2014 was conducted. Patients were divided into two subgroups based on the need for surgical intervention. RESULTS: A total of 39 patients with lung abscess (30 treated with medical therapy alone, 9 also required surgical interventions) were included. Fever, cough, and emesis were the most common presenting symptoms, and most of the patients had underlying respiratory (31%) or neurologic disorders (15%). Staphylococcus aureus was the most common organism in those that had culture results available, and ceftriaxone with clindamycin was the most common combination of antibiotics used for treatment. Comparison of medical and surgical subgroups identified the duration of fever and abscess size as risk factors for surgical intervention. CONCLUSIONS: Pediatric lung abscesses can be managed with medical therapy alone in most cases. Presence of prolonged duration of fever and larger abscess size may be predictive of the need for surgical intervention. Good clinical response to prolonged therapy with ceftriaxone and clindamycin was noted. PMID:27512508

The China Patient-centered Evaluative Assessment of Cardiac Events (China PEACE) retrospective heart failure study design

PubMed Central

Yu, Yuan; Zhang, Hongzhao; Li, Xi; Lu, Yuan; Masoudi, Frederick A; Li, Jing

2018-01-01

Introduction Heart failure (HF) is a leading cause of hospitalisation in China, which is experiencing a rapid increase in cardiovascular disease prevalence. Yet, little is known about current burden of disease, quality of care and treatment outcomes of HF in China. The objective of this paper is to describe the study methodology, data collection and abstraction, and progress to date of the China Patient-centered Evaluative Assessment of Cardiac Events 5 Retrospective Heart Failure Study (China PEACE 5r-HF). Methods and analysis The China PEACE 5r-HF Study will examine a nationally representative sample of more than 10 000 patient records hospitalised for HF in 2015 in China. The study is a retrospective cohort study. Patients have been selected using a two-stage sampling design stratified by economic–geographical regions. We will collect patient characteristics, diagnostic testing, treatments and in-hospital outcomes, including death and complications, and charges of hospitalisation. Data quality will be monitored by a central coordinating centre and will address case ascertainment, data abstraction and data management. As of October 2017, we have sampled 15 538 medical records from 189 hospitals, and have received 15 057 (96.9%) of these for data collection, and completed data abstraction and quality control on 7971. Ethics and dissemination The Central Ethics Committee at the Chinese National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases approved the study. All collaborating hospitals accepted central ethics committee approval with the exception of 15 hospitals, which obtained local approval by internal ethics committees. Findings will be disseminated in future peer-reviewed papers and will serve as a foundation for improving the care for HF in China. Trial registration number NCT02877914. PMID:29748344

The China Patient-centered Evaluative Assessment of Cardiac Events (China PEACE) retrospective heart failure study design.

PubMed

Yu, Yuan; Zhang, Hongzhao; Li, Xi; Lu, Yuan; Masoudi, Frederick A; Krumholz, Harlan M; Li, Jing

2018-05-10

Heart failure (HF) is a leading cause of hospitalisation in China, which is experiencing a rapid increase in cardiovascular disease prevalence. Yet, little is known about current burden of disease, quality of care and treatment outcomes of HF in China. The objective of this paper is to describe the study methodology, data collection and abstraction, and progress to date of the China Patient-centered Evaluative Assessment of Cardiac Events 5 Retrospective Heart Failure Study (China PEACE 5r-HF). The China PEACE 5r-HF Study will examine a nationally representative sample of more than 10 000 patient records hospitalised for HF in 2015 in China. The study is a retrospective cohort study. Patients have been selected using a two-stage sampling design stratified by economic-geographical regions. We will collect patient characteristics, diagnostic testing, treatments and in-hospital outcomes, including death and complications, and charges of hospitalisation. Data quality will be monitored by a central coordinating centre and will address case ascertainment, data abstraction and data management. As of October 2017, we have sampled 15 538 medical records from 189 hospitals, and have received 15 057 (96.9%) of these for data collection, and completed data abstraction and quality control on 7971. The Central Ethics Committee at the Chinese National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases approved the study. All collaborating hospitals accepted central ethics committee approval with the exception of 15 hospitals, which obtained local approval by internal ethics committees. Findings will be disseminated in future peer-reviewed papers and will serve as a foundation for improving the care for HF in China. NCT02877914. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

A Retrospective of Four Decades of Community College Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Floyd, Deborah L.; Felsher, Rivka A.; Ramdin, Gianna

2016-01-01

In the 40th publication year of the "Community College Journal of Research and Practice" ("CCJRP"), the authors present a 39-year retrospective on research on the community college through the lens of the journal. It is not known exactly what the body of community college research wholly consists of. Without access to the…

Retrospective Analysis of Ossifying Fibroma of Jaw Bones Over a Period of 10 Years with Literature Review.

PubMed

Mohanty, Sujata; Gupta, Sunita; Kumar, Priya; Sriram, K; Gulati, Ujjwal

2014-12-01

The purpose of this retrospective analysis is to document and discuss the features, treatment rendered and result of 25 histologically proven cases of ossifying fibromas of jaw bones operated by a single surgeon over a period of 10 years. The records of ossifying fibroma were obtained from the archives of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at Maulana Azad Institute of Dental Sciences (MAIDS) from 2001 to 2011. Only those cases were included in the study where definitive surgery was performed based on clinical, radiological & histopathological features. Twenty-five patients were analyzed with a final diagnosis of ossifying fibroma comprising of 14 males (56 %) and 11 females (44 %). The age range was 11-45 years with a mean of 24.12 years. Mandible was involved in 72 % and maxilla in 28 % cases with a predominance of mandibular posterior [19 (76 %)] cases. The study showed similar findings in regard to clinical, radiographic & histological features of ossifying fibroma as compared to other studies. It also showed that the treatment rendered in the form of eneucleation, curettage or resection of the lesion depending on its stage and extent were adequate, as no recurrence has been reported till date. Enucleation is preferred in small and well demarcated lesions. Curettage should be done in relatively large lesions with ill defined borders, not involving basal bone of mandible or cortical perforation. Resection should be reserved for aggressive and extensive cases with involvement of basal bone or perforation of cortices.

Gender and psychiatric diagnosis: a 5-year retrospective study in a Nigerian Federal Medical Centre.

PubMed

Agbir, T M; Oyigeya, M; Audu, M; Dapap, D D; Goar, S G

2010-01-01

The role of gender in psychiatry disorders is becoming increasingly important. This study is therefore, aimed at identifying gender pattern of admissions to a public mental health centre with regards to demographic characteristic, psychiatry diagnosis and length of stay on admission. In this retrospective study Hospital records of 388 patients admitted at the psychiatric section of the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) Makurdi, between January, 2004 and December, 2008 were studied for gender differences regarding demographic attributes, length of stay and psychiatry diagnoses. Findings revealed that more men than women were admitted overall. Most men (56%) were less than 30 years old whereas 60.6% of women were within 30-59 years aged bracket. For men the main diagnosis was schizophrenia (30.5%), followed by substance related disorders (16.5%) then depression (14.0%); for women the main diagnosis was also schizophrenia (30.3%), this was followed by depression (24.5%), only one woman was diagnosed with substance related disorder. A statistically significant association was also found between having a personality disorder and being a male (p = 0.009). Most female were single and belong to the lowest occupational group. There was no significant difference in the gender distribution of patients with respect to length of stay on admission (p = 0.161). The results revealed how psychiatry diagnosis is significantly influence by gender issues. We therefore recommend that; for a more effective psychiatry formulation, it is imperative to pay attention to gender issues that may affect the development of psychopathology.

Evaluation of Patients with Facial Palsy and Ophthalmic Sequelae: A 23-Year Retrospective Review.

PubMed

Joseph, Shannon S; Joseph, Andrew W; Smith, Jane I; Niziol, Leslie M; Musch, David C; Nelson, Christine C

2017-10-01

Facial palsy (FP) can result in serious ophthalmic sequelae including loss of vision. We describe the clinical characteristics of FP patients presenting for ophthalmologic evaluation and the timing for initiating ophthalmologic care. We performed a retrospective review of 96 consecutive FP patients presenting between 1992 and 2015 at a tertiary eye center. The main outcome measures were time interval from the diagnosis of FP and onset of ocular symptoms to the initial ophthalmologic evaluation (IOE), and the severity of exposure keratopathy and eyelid malposition on IOE. The median time interval from the diagnosis of FP to the IOE was 1.6 years (interquartile range; IQR = 0.5-9.2), and from the onset of ocular symptoms to IOE was 0.8 years (IQR = 0.3-2.3). The most common ocular symptoms were dryness (47.9%; n = 46), irritation (39.6%; n = 38), and tearing (30.2%; n = 29). A total of 26.0% (n = 25) of patients were bothered by the appearance of their eyes. Only 13.5% (n = 13) noted change in vision. On IOE, 81.6% (n = 75) of patients had punctate epithelial erosions (PEE), of which 52.3% (n = 35) had moderate to severe PEE, 3.3% (n = 3) had corneal ulcers and 2.2% (n = 2) had corneal abrasions. The average margin-reflex distance 2 was 6.4 mm (SD = 2.4) with average lagophthalmos of 3.5 mm (SD = 3.1). Among FP patients presenting for ophthalmologic evaluation, exposure keratopathy (as evidenced by PEE and corneal ulcers/abrasions) is highly prevalent and moderately severe on IOE, despite only 13.5% of patients noting decreased vision. These findings underscore the importance of timely and thorough ophthalmologic evaluation of FP patients.

A Design-Based Engineering Graphics Course for First-Year Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Shana Shiang-Fong

2003-01-01

Describes the first-year Introduction to Design course at Iowa State University which incorporates design for manufacturing and concurrent engineering principles into the curriculum. Autodesk Inventor was used as the primary CAD tool for parametric solid modeling. Test results show that student spatial visualization skills were dramatically…

Surveillance of Clostridium difficile Infections: Results from a Six-Year Retrospective Study in Nine Hospitals of a North Italian Local Health Authority

PubMed Central

Roncarati, Greta; Dallolio, Laura; Leoni, Erica; Panico, Manuela; Zanni, Angela; Farruggia, Patrizia

2017-01-01

Clostridium difficile is an emerging cause of healthcare associated infections. In nine hospitals of an Italian Local Health Authority the episodes of C. difficile infection (CDI) were identified using the data registered by the centralized Laboratory Information System, from 2010 to 2015. CDI incidence (positive patients for A and/or B toxins per patients-days) was analysed per year, hospital, and ward. A number of cases approximately equivalent to the mean of identified cases per year were studied retrospectively to highlight the risk factors associated to CDI and their severity. Nine hundred and forty-two patients affected by CDI were identified. The overall incidence was 3.7/10,000 patients-days, with a stable trend across the six years and the highest rates observed in smaller and outlying hospitals (up to 17.8/10,000), where the admitted patients were older and the wards with the highest incidences (long-term-care: 7.6/10,000, general medicine: 5.7/10,000) were more represented. The mean age of patients in each hospital was correlated with CDI rates. Of the 101 cases selected for the retrospective study, 86.1% were healthcare associated, 10.9% community acquired; 9.1% met the criteria for recurrent case and 23.8% for severe case of CDI. The overall mortality rate was 28.7%. Comorbidity conditions occurred in 91.1%, previous exposure to antibiotics in 76.2%, and proton pump inhibitors in 77.2%. Recurrent and severe cases were significantly associated with renal insufficiency and creatinine levels ≥2 mg/dL. The survey based on the centralized laboratory data was useful to study CDI epidemiology in the different centres in order to identify possible weaknesses and plan control strategies, in particular the reinforcement of staff training, mainly targeted at compliance with contact precautions and hand hygiene. PMID:28075419

National General Aviation Design Competition Guidelines 1999-2000 Academic Year

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1999-01-01

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Air Force Research Laboratory are sponsoring a National General Aviation Design Competition for students at U.S. aeronautical and engineering universities for the 1999-2000 academic year. The competition challenges individuals and teams of undergraduates and/ or graduate students, working with faculty advisors, to address design challenges for general aviation aircraft. Now in its sixth year, the competition seeks to increase the involvement of the academic community in the revitalization of the U.S. general aviation industry while providing real-world design and development experiences for students. It allows university students to participate in a major national effort to rebuild the U.S. general aviation sector while raising student awareness of the value of general aviation for business and personal use , and its economic relevance. Faculty and student participants have indicated that the open-ended design challenges offered by the competition have provided the basis for quality educational experiences.

Visual impairment from uveitis in a reference hospital of Southeast Brazil: a retrospective review over a twenty years period.

PubMed

Silva, Luci Meire Pereira da; Muccioli, Cristina; Oliveira, Filipe de; Arantes, Tiago Eugênio; Gonzaga, Lucas Renó; Nakanami, Célia Regina

2013-01-01

To identify the frequency and causes of uveitis leading to visual impairment in patients referred to the Low Vision Service - Department of Ophthalmology - UNIFESP, over a twenty years period. In a retrospective study, medical records of 5,461 patients were reviewed. Data from the first clinical evaluation at the Low Vision Service were collected, patient's age, gender and cause of visual impairment were analyzed. Patients with uveitis had their chart reviewed for anatomical classification and clinical diagnosis. The mean age of the patients referred to the Low Vision Service was 42.86 years and the mean age of patients with uveitis diagnosis was 25.51 years. Retinal disorders were the most common cause of visual impairment (N=2,835 patients; 51.9%) followed by uveitis (862 patients, 15.7%). Uveitis was posterior in 792 patients (91.9% of uveitis) and toxoplasmosis was the most common diagnosis (765 patients, 88.7%). In our study, uveitis represents the second cause of visual impairment in patients referred for visual rehabilitation and toxoplasmic retinochoroiditis was the most common clinical diagnosis. It affects a young working age population with a relevant social and economic impact, but the early diagnosis and treatment can improve the quality of life of these patients.

Open access to MRI for general practitioners: 12 years' experience at one institution -- a retrospective analysis.

PubMed

Gough-Palmer, A L; Burnett, C; Gedroyc, W M

2009-08-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate 12 years of general practitioner (GP) use of open access MRI services at a single London teaching hospital. A retrospective analysis of reports from all GP requests for MRI scans between 1994 and 2005 was performed. The date, scanned body part, and requester details from 1798 scans requested by 209 individual GPs over a continuous 12-year period were recorded. All scans were then graded into four categories based on the severity of reported findings from normal to gross abnormality. Over the study period, GP requests as a percentage of the total (MRI) department workload remained low at approximately 2.6%. Spine, knee and brain requests constituted 86% (n = 1546) of requested scans. 48% (n = 868) of scans were reported as normal or minor degenerative changes only. 26% (n = 466) of scans demonstrated serious pathology that was likely to warrant hospital consultant referral. There was a wide range of scans requested per requester, from 1 to 240 over the period, with an average of 8.5 scans per GP. In conclusion, any department wishing to set up open access to MRI services for GPs could cover the majority of requests by offering spine, knee and brain imaging. The percentage of normal report rates for GP requests is comparable with previous studies of outpatient referrals. A large variation in requesting patterns between GPs suggests the need for increased communication between GPs and imaging departments to optimise use of the service.

Risk factors associated with early implant failure: A 5-year retrospective clinical study.

PubMed

Olmedo-Gaya, Maris Victoria; Manzano-Moreno, Francisco J; Cañaveral-Cavero, Esther; de Dios Luna-del Castillo, Juan; Vallecillo-Capilla, Manuel

2016-02-01

The replacement of lost teeth with dental implants is a widespread treatment whose associated problems are also frequently encountered. Nevertheless, the factors associated with early implant failure have not been well documented. Further analyses of the factors influencing osseointegration establishment are required to maximize the predictability of the procedure and minimize implant failures. The purpose of this retrospective clinical study was to explore the association between possible risk factors and early implant failure. This retrospective clinical study evaluated 142 participants who received 276 external connection BTI implants between 2007 and 2011. Participant variables (age, sex, systemic disease, tobacco use, alcohol consumption, bruxism, and degree of periodontal disease), implant variables (type of edentulism, localization, area, diameter, length, and bone quality), intervention variables (expansion mechanisms, sinus augmentation techniques, bone regeneration, and implant insertion), and postoperative variables (presence of pain/inflammation at 1 week postsurgery) were studied. A multilevel logistic regression model (mixed effects-type model) was used to determine the influence of variables on early implant failure. Early implant failure was significantly associated with the male sex (P=.001), severe periodontal disease (P=.005), short implants (P=.001), expansion technique (P=.002), and postoperative pain/inflammation at 1 week postsurgery (P<.001). Early dental implant failure is more frequent in men and in individuals with severe periodontal disease, short implants, pain/inflammation at 1 week postsurgery, or bone expansion treatment. Copyright © 2016 Editorial Council for the Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Accounting for misclassification error in retrospective smoking data.

PubMed

Kenkel, Donald S; Lillard, Dean R; Mathios, Alan D

2004-10-01

Recent waves of major longitudinal surveys in the US and other countries include retrospective questions about the timing of smoking initiation and cessation, creating a potentially important but under-utilized source of information on smoking behavior over the life course. In this paper, we explore the extent of, consequences of, and possible solutions to misclassification errors in models of smoking participation that use data generated from retrospective reports. In our empirical work, we exploit the fact that the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979 provides both contemporaneous and retrospective information about smoking status in certain years. We compare the results from four sets of models of smoking participation. The first set of results are from baseline probit models of smoking participation from contemporaneously reported information. The second set of results are from models that are identical except that the dependent variable is based on retrospective information. The last two sets of results are from models that take a parametric approach to account for a simple form of misclassification error. Our preliminary results suggest that accounting for misclassification error is important. However, the adjusted maximum likelihood estimation approach to account for misclassification does not always perform as expected. Copyright 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Engaging and Empowering First-Year Students through Curriculum Design: Perspectives from the Literature

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bovill, Catherine; Bulley, Cathy J.; Morss, Kate

2011-01-01

There is an increasing value being placed on engaging and empowering first-year students and first-year curriculum design is a key driver and opportunity to ensure early enculturation into successful learning at university. This paper summarises the literature on first-year curriculum design linked to student engagement and empowerment. We present…

Retrospective 25-year follow-up of treatment outcomes in angle Class III patients : Early versus late treatment.

PubMed

Wendl, B; Muchitsch, A P; Winsauer, H; Walter, A; Droschl, H; Jakse, N; Wendl, M; Wendl, T

2017-05-01

To assess early versus late treatment of Class III syndrome for skeletal and dental differences. Thirty-eight Class III patients treated with a chincup were retrospectively analyzed. Baseline data were obtained by reviewing pretreatment (T0) anamnestic records, cephalograms, and casts. The cases were assigned to an early or a late treatment group based on age at T0 (up to 9 years or older than 9 years but before the pubertal growth spurt). Both groups were further compared based on posttreatment data (T1) and long-term follow-up data collected approximately 25 years after treatment (T2). Early treatment was successful in 74% and late treatment in 67% of cases. More failures were noted among male patients. The late treatment group was characterized post therapeutically by significantly more pronounced skeletal parameters of jaw size relative to normal Class I values; in addition, a greater skeletal discrepancy between maxilla and mandible, higher values for mandibular length, Cond-Pog, ramus height, overjet, anterior posterior dysplasia indicator (APDI), lower anterior face height, and gonial angle were measured at T1. The angle between the AB line and mandibular plane was found to be larger at T0, T1, and T2, as well as more pronounced camouflage positions of the lower anterior teeth at T0. The early treatment group was found to exhibit greater amounts of negative overjet at T0 but more effective correction at T1. Early treatment of Class III syndrome resulted in greater skeletal changes with less dental compensation.

Earned-Secure Attachment Status in Retrospect and Prospect.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roisman, Glenn I.; Padron, Elena; Sroufe, L. Alan; Egeland, Byron

2002-01-01

This 23-year longitudinal study examined the attachment history of earned-secure young adults who coherently describe negative childhood experiences. Findings indicated that retrospective earned-secures were not more likely than continuous-secures to have been anxiously attached in infancy, and were observed in childhood and adolescence to have…

Neuroticism and Extraversion Magnify Discrepancies Between Retrospective and Concurrent Affect Reports.

PubMed

Lay, Jennifer C; Gerstorf, Denis; Scott, Stacey B; Pauly, Theresa; Hoppmann, Christiane A

2017-12-01

Although research often relies on retrospective affect self-reports, little is known about personality's role in retrospective reports and how these converge or deviate from affect reported in the moment. This micro-longitudinal study examines personality (Neuroticism, Extraversion) and emotional salience (peak and recent affect) associations with retrospective-momentary affect report discrepancies over different time frames. Participants were 179 adults aged 20-78 (M = 48.7 years; 73.7% Caucasian/White) who each provided up to 60 concurrent affect reports over 10 days, then retrospectively reported overall intensity of each affective state after 1 day and again after 1-2 months. Multilevel models revealed that individuals retrospectively overreported or underreported various affective states, exhibiting peak associations for high arousal positive and negative affect, recency associations for low arousal positive affect, and distinct personality profiles that strengthened over time. Individuals high in both Extraversion and Neuroticism exaggerated high arousal positive and negative affect and underreported low arousal positive affect, high Extraversion/low Neuroticism individuals exaggerated high arousal positive affect and underreported low arousal positive affect, and low Extraversion/high Neuroticism individuals exaggerated high and low arousal negative affect. This study is the first to identify arousal-specific retrospective affect report discrepancies over time and suggests retrospective reports also reflect personality differences in affective self-knowledge. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The Psychiatry OSCE: a 20-year retrospective.

PubMed

Hodges, Brian D; Hollenberg, Elisa; McNaughton, Nancy; Hanson, Mark D; Regehr, Glenn

2014-02-01

Twenty years ago researchers at the University of Toronto launched the Psychiatry Skills Assessment Project (PSAP), a research program exploring Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs) in psychiatry. Between 1994 and 2005 PSAP produced publications on the feasibility, reliability, validity, ethics, and practical concerns of OSCEs in psychiatry. The current review has two parts: a review of the state of the art of OSCEs in psychiatry 20 years after they were introduced and documentation of the impact of the PSAP research program. A literature search identified all publications on OSCEs and psychiatry. Articles were coded thematically, and locations of agreement and controversies were identified. Bibliometric analysis identified citations of PSAP research papers, which were analyzed thematically. As of May 2013, there were 250 publications related to OSCEs in psychiatry (not including 10 PSAP papers), published in 29 different countries and ten languages. Prominent topics were the validity and acceptability of OSCEs and SPs, systems issues in adopting OSCEs in psychiatry, and the effects on learning. Eighty-eight percent of all publications cited PSAP work (300 citations). Citations were employed for four purposes: as evidence/justification (54 %); to frame replication research (14 %); to support adaptation of OSCEs in other countries and professions (15 %); and for debate (18 %). Over the past 20 years, use of OSCEs has grown steadily in psychiatry, and several national certification organizations have adopted OSCEs. PSAP work, introduced two decades ago, continues to provide a scholarly foundation for psychometric, practical, and ethical issues of interest to this field.

A 10-Year Retrospective Review of a Nonrandomized Cohort of 458 Patients Undergoing Radical Radiotherapy or Cystectomy in Yorkshire, UK

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Munro, Nicholas P., E-mail: nic@munron.plus.co; Sundaram, Subramnian K.; Weston, Philip

2010-05-01

Purpose: We have previously reported on the mortality, morbidity, and 5-year survival of 458 patients who underwent radical radiotherapy or surgery for invasive bladder cancer in Yorkshire from 1993 to 1996. We aim to present the 10-year outcomes of these patients and to reassess factors predicting survival. Methods and Materials: The Northern and Yorkshire Cancer Registry identified 458 patients whose cases were subjected to Kaplan-Meier all-cause survival analyses, and a retrospective casenote analysis was undertaken on 398 (87%) for univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards modeling. Additional proportional hazards regression modeling was used to assess the statistical significance of variablesmore » on overall survival. Results: The ratio of radiotherapy to cystectomy was 3:1. There was no significant difference in overall 10-year survival between those who underwent radiotherapy (22%) and radical cystectomy (24%). Univariate analyses suggested that female sex, performance status, hydronephrosis and clinical T stage, were associated with an inferior outcome at 10 years. Patient age, tumor grade, treatment delay, and caseload factors were not significant. Multivariate analysis models were created for 0-2 and 2-10 years after treatment. There were no significant differences in treatment for 0-2 years; however, after 2 years follow-up there was some evidence of increased survival for patients receiving surgery compared with radiotherapy (hazard ratio 0.66, 95% confidence interval: 0.44-1.01, p = 0.06). Conclusions: a 10-year minimum follow-up has rarely been reported after radical treatment for invasive bladder cancer. At 10 years, there was no statistical difference in all-cause survival between surgery and radiotherapy treatment modalities.« less

The First-Year Seminar: Designing, Implementing, and Assessing Courses to Support Student Learning and Success: Volume Three: Teaching in the First-Year Seminar

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Garner, Brad

2012-01-01

"The First-Year Seminar: Designing, Implementing, and Assessing Courses to Support Student Learning and Success," a five-volume series, is designed to assist educators who are interested in launching a first-year seminar or revamping an existing program. Each volume examines a different aspect of first-year seminar design or…

Six years genotype distribution of Human Papillomavirus in Calabria Region, Southern Italy: a retrospective study.

PubMed

Galati, Luisa; Peronace, Cinzia; Fiorillo, Maria Teresa; Masciari, Rosanna; Giraldi, Cristina; Nisticò, Salvatore; Minchella, Pasquale; Maiolo, Vincenzo; Barreca, Giorgio Settimo; Marascio, Nadia; Lamberti, Angelo Giuseppe; Giancotti, Aida; Lepore, Maria Gabriella; Greco, Francesca; Mauro, Maria Vittoria; Borelli, Annelisa; Bocchiaro, Giuseppa Lo; Surace, Giovanni; Liberto, Maria Carla; Focà, Alfredo

2017-01-01

Although analysis of the Human papillomavirus (HPV) genotype spread in a particular area has a crucial impact on public health and prevention programmes, there is a lack of epidemiological data regarding HPV in the Calabria region of Italy. We therefore update information on HPV age/genotype distribution by retrospectively analysing a cohort of women, with and without cervical lesions, living in Calabria, who underwent HPV DNA testing; moreover, we also evaluated HPV age/genotype distribution in a subset of patients with cervical lesions. Cervical scrape specimens obtained from 9590 women (age range 20-75 years) from January 2010 to December 2015 were tested for HPV DNA. Viral types were genotyped by Linear Array HPV Genotyping® test (Roche, USA) at the Clinical Microbiology Operative Unit of six hospitals located in four provinces of the Calabria region. Cervical scrape specimens were also used to perform Pap smears for cytological analysis in a subset of 405 women; cytological classification of the samples was performed according to the Bethesda classification system. A total of 2974 women (31%) (C.I. 95% 30.09-31.94) were found to be HPV DNA positive for at least one (57.3%) or several (42.7%) HPV genotypes. Of single genotype HPV infections, 46.5% and 36.4 % were classed as high-risk (HR, Group 1) and low-risk (LR, Group 3) respectively, while 16.9% were classed as probably/possibly carcinogenic and 0.2% undetermined risk. Stratified by age, total HPV distribution, showed the highest prevalence within the range 30-39 years (37.2%), while single genotype infection distribution displayed a peak in women from the age range 20-29 years (37.5%). The most common high-risk HPV type was HPV 16 (19.1%), followed by HPV 31 (9.1%). We provide epidemiological data on HPV age/genotype distribution in women living in the Calabria region with or without cytological abnormalities, further to the enhancement of HPV screening/prevention programmes for the local population.

Mortality in perforated duodenal ulcer depends upon pre-operative risk: a retrospective 10-year study.

PubMed

Larkin, J O; Bourke, M G; Muhammed, A; Waldron, R; Barry, K; Eustace, P W

2010-12-01

Most patients presenting with acutely perforated duodenal ulcer undergo operation, but conservative treatment may be indicated when an ulcer has spontaneously sealed with minimal/localised peritoneal irritation or when the patient's premorbid performance status is poor. We retrospectively reviewed our experience with operative and conservative management of perforated duodenal ulcers over a 10-year period and analysed outcome according to American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score. The records of all patients presenting with perforated duodenal ulcer to the Department of Surgery, Mayo General Hospital, between January 1998 and December 2007 were reviewed. Age, gender, co-morbidity, ASA-score, clinical presentation, mode of management, operative procedures, morbidity and mortality were considered. Of 76 patients included, 48 (44 operative, 4 conservative) were ASA I-III, with no mortality irrespective of treatment. Amongst 28 patients with ASA-score IV/V, mortality was 54.5% (6/11) following operative management and 52.9% (9/17) with conservative management. In patients with a perforated duodenal ulcer and ASA-score I-III, postoperative outcome is uniformly favourable. We recommend these patients have repair with peritoneal lavage performed, routinely followed postoperatively by empirical triple therapy. Given that mortality is equivalent between ASA IV/V patients whether managed operatively or conservatively, we suggest that both management options are equally justifiable.

The First-Year Seminar: Designing, Implementing, and Assessing Courses to Support Student Learning and Success. Volume One: Designing and Administering the Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keup, Jennifer R.; Petschauer, Joni Webb

2011-01-01

"The First-Year Seminar: Designing, Implementing, and Assessing Courses to Support Student Learning and Success," a five-volume series, is designed to assist educators who are interested in launching a first-year seminar or revamping an existing program. Each volume examines a different aspect of first-year seminar design or administration and…

Policy Design of Multi-Year Crop Insurance Contracts with Partial Payments

PubMed Central

Chen, Ying-Erh; Goodwin, Barry K.

2015-01-01

Current crop insurance is designed to mitigate monetary fluctuations resulting from yield losses for a specific year. However, yield realization tendency can vary from year to year and may depend on the correlation of yield realizations across years. When the current single-year Yield Protection (YP) and Area Risk Protection Insurance (ARPI) contracts are extended to multiple periods, actuarially fair premium rate is expected to decrease as poor yield realizations in a year can be offset by another year’s better yield realizations. In this study, we first use simulations to demonstrate how significant premium savings are possible when coverage is based on the sum of yields across years rather than on a year-by-year basis. We then describe the design of a multi-year framework of crop insurance and model the insurance using a copula approach. Insurance terms are extended to more than a year and the premium, liability, and indemnity are determined by a multi-year term. Moreover, partial payment is provided at the end of each term to offset the possibility of significant loss in a single term. County-level data obtained from the U.S. Department of Agriculture are used to demonstrate the implementations of the proposed multi-year crop insurance. The proposed multi-year plan would benefit farmers by offering insurance guarantees across years for significantly lower costs. PMID:26695074

76 FR 14840 - Extension of Comment Period: EPA's Plan for Retrospective Review Under Executive Order 13563

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-03-18

... published in the Federal Register a document seeking public input on the design of a plan to use for periodic retrospective review of its regulations (76 FR 9988). This input is being solicited in response to...] Extension of Comment Period: EPA's Plan for Retrospective Review Under Executive Order 13563 AGENCY...

Efficacy of rasagiline and selegiline in Parkinson's disease: a head-to-head 3-year retrospective case-control study.

PubMed

Cereda, Emanuele; Cilia, Roberto; Canesi, Margherita; Tesei, Silvana; Mariani, Claudio Bruno; Zecchinelli, Anna Lena; Pezzoli, Gianni

2017-06-01

Monoamine oxidase type B (MAO-B) inhibitors, such as selegiline and rasagiline, can be used as monotherapy or adjuvant therapy to levodopa in Parkinson's disease (PD). Data on long-term efficacy of MAO-B inhibitors are limited with no head-to-head comparison available to date. The aim of this case-control retrospective study was to analyze data from patients with PD attending the Parkinson Institute (Milan, Italy) over a 6-year period (2009-2015) and compare the effects of selegiline and rasagiline on levodopa treatment outcomes. Patients with PD treated with either selegiline (n = 85) or rasagiline (n = 85) for 3 years as well as a control group of patients (N = 170) who have never received MAO-B inhibitors, were matched for gender, disease duration (±1 year) and age (±1 year) at baseline assessment (ratio 1:1:2). The Unified PD Rating Scale and the Hoehn-Yahr staging system were used for clinical comparisons. At baseline, mean PD duration was 6.5 years and clinical features were comparable across all three groups. After a mean follow-up of approximately 37 months, no differences in clinical progression of motor and non-motor symptoms were observed between the three groups. However, MAO-B inhibitor use was associated with ~2-fold lower change in daily dose of levodopa (p < 0.001) and lower dyskinesia scores (p = 0.028) than non-users. No intra-class differences were observed between selegiline and rasagiline. Long-term use of MAO-B inhibitors resulted in a significant reduction in levodopa requirements and a lower frequency of dyskinesias in patients with PD. Selegiline and rasagiline had equal efficacy in controlling motor symptoms in PD patients on optimized therapy.

Marginal bone level changes in association with different vertical implant positions: a 3-year retrospective study

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Purpose To retrospectively evaluate the relationship between the vertical position of the implant-abutment interface and marginal bone loss over 3 years using radiological analysis. Methods In total, 286 implant surfaces of 143 implants from 61 patients were analyzed. Panoramic radiographic images were taken immediately after implant installation and at 6, 12, and 36 months after loading. The implants were classified into 3 groups based on the vertical position of the implant-abutment interface: group A (above bone level), group B (at bone level), and group C (below bone level). The radiographs were analyzed by a single examiner. Results Changes in marginal bone levels of 0.99±1.45, 1.13±0.91, and 1.76±0.78 mm were observed at 36 months after loading in groups A, B, and C, respectively, and bone loss was significantly greater in group C than in groups A and B. Conclusions The vertical position of the implant-abutment interface may affect marginal bone level change. Marginal bone loss was significantly greater in cases where the implant-abutment interface was positioned below the marginal bone. Further long-term study is required to validate our results. PMID:28861287

Clinical Decision Support: a 25 Year Retrospective and a 25 Year Vision.

PubMed

Middleton, B; Sittig, D F; Wright, A

2016-08-02

The objective of this review is to summarize the state of the art of clinical decision support (CDS) circa 1990, review progress in the 25 year interval from that time, and provide a vision of what CDS might look like 25 years hence, or circa 2040. Informal review of the medical literature with iterative review and discussion among the authors to arrive at six axes (data, knowledge, inference, architecture and technology, implementation and integration, and users) to frame the review and discussion of selected barriers and facilitators to the effective use of CDS. In each of the six axes, significant progress has been made. Key advances in structuring and encoding standardized data with an increased availability of data, development of knowledge bases for CDS, and improvement of capabilities to share knowledge artifacts, explosion of methods analyzing and inferring from clinical data, evolution of information technologies and architectures to facilitate the broad application of CDS, improvement of methods to implement CDS and integrate CDS into the clinical workflow, and increasing sophistication of the end-user, all have played a role in improving the effective use of CDS in healthcare delivery. CDS has evolved dramatically over the past 25 years and will likely evolve just as dramatically or more so over the next 25 years. Increasingly, the clinical encounter between a clinician and a patient will be supported by a wide variety of cognitive aides to support diagnosis, treatment, care-coordination, surveillance and prevention, and health maintenance or wellness.

Propensity Score Matching: Retrospective Randomization?

PubMed

Jupiter, Daniel C

Randomized controlled trials are viewed as the optimal study design. In this commentary, we explore the strength of this design and its complexity. We also discuss some situations in which these trials are not possible, or not ethical, or not economical. In such situations, specifically, in retrospective studies, we should make every effort to recapitulate the rigor and strength of the randomized trial. However, we could be faced with an inherent indication bias in such a setting. Thus, we consider the tools available to address that bias. Specifically, we examine matching and introduce and explore a new tool: propensity score matching. This tool allows us to group subjects according to their propensity to be in a particular treatment group and, in so doing, to account for the indication bias. Copyright © 2017 American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Success and Survival Rates of Dental Implants Restored at an Undergraduate Dental Clinic: A 13-Year Retrospective Study with a Mean Follow-up of 5.8 Years.

PubMed

Daneshvar, Shahrzad S; Matthews, Debora C; Michuad, Pierre-Luc; Ghiabi, Edmond

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical, radiographic, and patient-based outcomes of dental implants placed at an undergraduate student dental clinic. A retrospective study was performed to determine the success and survival rates of dental implants placed at the undergraduate dental clinic at Dalhousie University between January 1999 and January 2012. Only patients with a minimum of 1-year follow-up were included. Clinical and radiographic assessments determined implant success and survival rates. Questionnaires recorded patients' satisfaction with esthetics, comfort, and ease of hygiene. Of the 352 patients (n = 591 implants) who received implants over 13 years, 165 patients completed the clinical and radiographic examinations. By the end of the study period, demographic information and implant characteristics were collected for 111 (n = 217 implants; 47.5% in the maxilla, 52.6% in the mandible) of these patients. Of those assessed clinically, 36.4% were males and 63.6% females, with a mean age of 56.1 ± 14.15 years (range, 17 to 86 years) at the time of implant placement. The mean follow-up period was 5.8 years (range, 1 to 13 years). The overall implant success and survival rates were 88.0% and 97.2%, respectively. No observable bone loss was evident in 88.0% of the surviving implants. There were no implant fractures. Most patients (91.2%) were very satisfied with the implant restoration appearance, 88.0% were very comfortable with the implant, 92.6% were very satisfied with their ability to chew, and 84.8% reported easy hygiene maintenance at the implant sites. Implant success and survival in an undergraduate student clinic were comparable to those reported in the literature. It seems that inexperienced students were able to provide restorations that were very satisfying to the patients.

A retrospective study on the management of patients with rituximab refractory follicular lymphoma.

PubMed

Solal-Céligny, Philippe; Leconte, Pierre; Bardet, Aurélie; Hernandez, Juana; Troussard, Xavier

2018-01-01

Given that there are currently no clear recommendations regarding therapeutic options for rituximab refractory/relapsed follicular lymphoma patients, this study aimed to describe the real-life management of patients with refractory follicular lymphoma after systemic rituximab-containing regimens (rFL), and rFL patient characteristics. In this retrospective, national, multicentre study, descriptive analyses were mainly performed according to rituximab-containing regimen at rFL diagnosis [rituximab monotherapy (R-MONO), rituximab + chemotherapy (R-COMBO), and ongoing rituximab maintenance (R-MAINTAIN)]. The 459 analysed patients experienced rituximab-refractoriness between October 2013 and September 2015: R-MONO: 58 (13%), R-COMBO: 197 (43%), R-MAINTAIN: 204 (44%). Post-refractoriness strategies were heterogeneous: idelalisib ± rituximab (22%), without anti-lymphoma treatment (21%), rituximab-chemotherapy (21%) and stem cell transplantation (18%). Rituximab was continued in combination in 41% of cases. Chosen strategies varied according to patient age (without anti-lymphoma treatment: 28% of patients if ≥65 years vs. 12% if <65 years old; stem-cell transplantation: 4% vs. 38%), treatment line at rFL, FL International Prognostic Index score and prior treatment. This French retrospective study, the first one conducted in a large cohort of rFL patients, showed that further strategies were highly heterogeneous, depending notably on patient characteristics and previous treatment. These data are the basis for a better understanding of rFL management and for the design of clinical trials in these patients. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Validity of retrospective disease activity assessment in systemic lupus erythematosus.

PubMed

Arce-Salinas, A; Cardiel, M H; Guzmán, J; Alcocer-Varela, J

1996-05-01

To evaluate the validity of retrospective disease activity assessment derived from clinical charts. We prospectively evaluated 37 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in 90 visits using the SLE Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI), the Mexican SLEDAI (Mex-SLEDAI), and the Lupus Activity Criteria Count (LACC) indices. Routine clinical observations were written by rheumatologists blind to index scores. These notes were reviewed 2 years later to obtain retrospective index scores and their validity was assessed using prospective scores as the standard. Statistical analysis was by Spearman's rank correlation coefficient (rs), Wilcoxon matched pairs test, kappa statistic, and intraclass correlation coefficient (ri). We calculated the sensitivity and specificity of retrospective indices to detect active disease. Median retrospective scores were lower in all indices: SLEDAI (4 VS 2, p =0.004, RS = 0.68, ri = 0.30); Mex-SLEDAI (2 vs 1, p < 0.0003, rs = 0.79, ri = 0.31); and LACC (1 vs 1, p = 0.007, rs = 0.65, ri = 0.21). Used to detect active SLE, the retrospective SLEDAI had a sensitivity of 0.68 and a specificity of 0.86; corresponding values for the Mex-SLEDAI were 0.72 and 0.91, and for the LACC, 0.77 and 0.76. Retrospective disease activity indices tended to provide lower scores than prospective evaluations. They often missed patients with mildly active disease, but when positive they were good predictors of disease activity.

Predictors of success of treatment of distal two thirds common bile duct strictures: A retrospective Cohort study over two years.

PubMed

El-Haddad, Hany M; Kassem, Mohamed I; Shehata, Gihan M; Afifi, Ahmad H

2016-04-01

Distal biliary stricture is a challenging clinical condition that requires a co-ordinated multidisciplinary approach. was to evaluate the predictors of success of different treatment modalities of distal two thirds CBD strictures. Data were retrieved retrospectively from the medical records of the patients with distal biliary strictures treated in the Main Alexandria University Hospital from June 2013 to June 2015. Patients were classified into three groups according to the intervention performed: (endoscopic, open surgical, and percutaneous). In addition to the forth group that was followed up without intervention. The study included 282 patients. The mean age was 61.1 ± 10.8 years (25-78) years. The most frequent presenting symptom was jaundice. Pancreatic adenocarcinoma was the most common cause followed by fibrotic stricture secondary to stones. In univariate analysis, the success of treatment was significantly associated with the pathology of the stricture of the distal two thirds CBD. In the multivariate analysis, only two factors were affecting the success of the treatment; the stricture length and site. Copyright © 2016 IJS Publishing Group Limited. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

De novo status epilepticus is associated with adverse outcome: An 11-year retrospective study in Hong Kong.

PubMed

Lui, Hoi Ki Kate; Hui, Kwok Fai; Fong, Wing Chi; Ip, Chun Tak; Lui, Hiu Tung Colin

2016-08-01

To identify predictors of poor clinical outcome in patients presenting to the intensive care units with status epilepticus (SE), in particular for patients presenting with de novo status epileptics. A retrospective review was performed on patients admitted to the intensive care units with status epilepticus in two hospitals in Hong Kong over an 11-year period from 2003 to 2013. A total of 87 SE cases were analyzed. The mean age of patients was 49.3 years (SD 14.9 years). Eighteen subjects (20.7%) had breakthrough seizure, which was the most common etiology for the status epilepticus episodes. Seventy-eight subjects (89.7%) had convulsive status epilepticus (CSE) and 9 subjects (10.3%) had non-convulsive status epilepticus (NCSE) on presentation. The 30-day mortality rate of all subjects was 18.4%. Non-convulsive status epilepticus was more common in patients with de novo status epilepticus when compared to those with existing history of epilepsy (15.5% Vs. 0%, p=0.03). Patients with de novo status epilepticus were older (52 Vs 43, p=0.009). De novo status epilepticus was associated with longer status duration (median 2.5 days, IQR 5 days), longer ICU stay (median 7.5 days, IQR 9 days) and poorer outcome (OR 4.15, 95% CI 1.53-11.2). For patients presenting to intensive care units with status epilepticus, those with de novo status epileptics were older and were more likely to develop non-convulsive status epilepticus. De novo status epilepticus was associated with poorer outcome. Continuous EEG monitoring would help identifying NCSE and potentially help improving clinical outcomes. Copyright © 2016 British Epilepsy Association. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Designing End-of-Year Exams: Trials and Tribulations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stanford, Matt

2017-01-01

Since the decline of the National Curriculum Level Descriptions, schools in England have been asked to design their own forms of assessment at Key Stage 3. This had led to a great deal of creativity, but also a number of challenges. In this article Matt Stanford reflects on his department's attempts to develop a rigorous end-of year assessment. In…

Clinical Decision Support: a 25 Year Retrospective and a 25 Year Vision

PubMed Central

Sittig, D. F.; Wright, A.

2016-01-01

Summary Objective The objective of this review is to summarize the state of the art of clinical decision support (CDS) circa 1990, review progress in the 25 year interval from that time, and provide a vision of what CDS might look like 25 years hence, or circa 2040. Method Informal review of the medical literature with iterative review and discussion among the authors to arrive at six axes (data, knowledge, inference, architecture and technology, implementation and integration, and users) to frame the review and discussion of selected barriers and facilitators to the effective use of CDS. Result In each of the six axes, significant progress has been made. Key advances in structuring and encoding standardized data with an increased availability of data, development of knowledge bases for CDS, and improvement of capabilities to share knowledge artifacts, explosion of methods analyzing and inferring from clinical data, evolution of information technologies and architectures to facilitate the broad application of CDS, improvement of methods to implement CDS and integrate CDS into the clinical workflow, and increasing sophistication of the end-user, all have played a role in improving the effective use of CDS in healthcare delivery. Conclusion CDS has evolved dramatically over the past 25 years and will likely evolve just as dramatically or more so over the next 25 years. Increasingly, the clinical encounter between a clinician and a patient will be supported by a wide variety of cognitive aides to support diagnosis, treatment, care-coordination, surveillance and prevention, and health maintenance or wellness. PMID:27488402

Ocular involvement in melioidosis: a 23-year retrospective review.

PubMed

Yaisawang, Sasi; Asawaphureekorn, Somkiat; Chetchotisakd, Ploenchan; Wongratanacheewin, Surasakdi; Pakdee, Peerapat

2018-03-27

Ocular involvement in melioidosis is rare and has devastating outcomes. Although there have been few reports on the condition, Khon Kaen, a city in northeast Thailand, has been called the "capital of melioidosis" due to the high prevalence of the condition in the region. We retrospectively reviewed all admitted cases of melioidosis with ocular involvement from the two largest hospitals in Khon Kaen. We reviewed cases from Srinagarind Hospital (a university hospital) of patients admitted between 1993 and 2016 and from Khon Kaen Hospital (a provincial hospital) of patients who presented from 2012 to 2016. We identified 16 cases of ocular involvement. Eight of these cases were proven from positive culture, and the remaining eight were implied from high melioidosis titer. The prevalence was estimated as being from 0.49 to 1.02%. Most patients had underlying diseases (14, 88%), of which diabetes mellitus was the most prevalent (12, 75%). Nine cases (56%) were part of disseminated septicemia. Patients suffered from blindness in 11 (73%) of the 15 cases in which visual acuity was recorded. Orbital cellulitis was the most common manifestation (7, 44%) followed by endophthalmitis (4, 25%). Interestingly, all patients with necrotizing fasciitis (100%) developed septic shock as a consequence. In most of the cases, patients underwent surgery (13, 81%) including incision and drainage, debridement, and pars plana vitrectomy. Despite appropriate management, the visual outcomes were disappointing (9, 64%). To summarize, ocular melioidosis is a highly destructive disease. Early detection and prompt surgical management may reduce morbidity and mortality from septic shock.

Epidemiological aspects of child abuse and neglect in Sousse, Tunisia: A 10-year retrospective study.

PubMed

Braham, Mohamed Yassine; Jedidi, Maher; Hmila, Imene; Masmoudi, Tasnim; Souguir, Mohamed Kamel; Ben Dhiab, Mohamed

2018-02-01

The aim of our study was to examine epidemiological aspects of child abuse and neglect in Tunisia. We conducted a retrospective and descriptive study over a period of 10 years (January 2006-December 2015), based on the files handled by the Child Protective Services (CPS) agency in the city of Sousse, Tunisia. During the study period, 3736 referrals were received by the CPS agency of Sousse. Of the total, 2212 (59.2%) were screened in and investigated. Of the investigated cases, 317 (14,3%) were substantiated as abuse or neglect. The reports of maltreatment came mostly from parents (37.8%). Neglect was the major type of maltreatment (51.4%) and an association of 2 types of maltreatment was found in 76 cases (24%). Parents were the perpetrators in 221 cases (69.7%). The average age of the victims was 10 years and boys accounted for 56%. In the 257 cases where the marital status of the parents was noted in the files, the parents were divorced in 62 cases (24.1%) and the child lived with a single mother in 35 cases (13.6%). Alcohol addiction was found in 21 parents (6.6%) and one of the parents was incarcerated in 39 cases (12.3%). As for the socio-economic status, it was evaluated in 188 families and was low in 123 cases (65.4%). In the absence of studies related to this scourge in Tunisia, we hope to raise awareness of the abuse and alert those who come into contact with the child on the importance of detecting and reporting early maltreatment and thus to introduce more appropriate care. A comprehensive prevention strategy needs to be established by addressing risk factors, cultural norms conducive to abuse and unwanted pregnancies. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.

Increasing Body Mass Index Predicts Rapid Decline in Renal Function: A 5 Year Retrospective Study.

PubMed

Ma, Xiaojing; Zhang, Chengyin; Su, Hong; Gong, Xiaojie; Kong, Xianglei

2018-05-02

While obesity is a recognized risk factor for chronic kidney disease, it remains unclear whether change in body mass index (ΔBMI ) is independently associated with decline in renal function (evaluated by the change in estimated glomerular filtration rate, ΔeGFR) over time. Accordingly, to help clarify this we conducted a retrospective study to measure the association of ΔBMI with decline in renal function in Chinese adult population. A total of 4007 adults (aged 45.3±13.7 years, 68.6% male) without chronic kidney disease at baseline were enrolled between 2008 and 2013. Logistic regression models were applied to explore the relationships between baseline BMI and ΔBMI, and rapid decline in renal function (defined as the lowest quartile of ΔeGFR ). During 5 years of follow-up, the ΔBMI and ΔeGFR were 0.47±1.6 (kg/m 2 ) and -3.0±8.8 (ml/min/1.73 m 2 ), respectively. After adjusted for potential confounders, ΔBMI (per 1 kg/m 2 increase) was independently associated with the rapid decline in renal function [with a fully adjusted OR of 1.12 (95% CI, 1.05 to 1.20). By contrast, the baseline BMI was not associated with rapid decline in renal function [OR=1.05 (95% CI, 0.98 to 1.13)]. The results were robust among 2948 hypertension-free and diabetes-free participants, the adjusted ORs of ΔBMI and baseline BMI were 1.14 (95% CI, 1.05 to 1.23) and 1.0 (95% CI, 0.96 to 1.04) for rapid decline in renal function, respectively. The study revealed that increasing ΔBMI predicts rapid decline in renal function. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Retrospective Revaluation Effects Following Serial Compound Training and Target Extinction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Effting, Marieke; Vervliet, Bram; Kindt, Merel

2010-01-01

Using a conditioned suppression task, two experiments examined retrospective revaluation effects after serial compound training in a release from overshadowing design. In Experiment 1, serial X [right arrow] A+ training produced suppression to target A, which was enhanced when preceded by feature X, whereas X by itself elicited no suppression.…

Does Study Design Affect Redislocation Rates After Primary Shoulder Dislocations? A Systematic Review Comparing Prospective and Retrospective Studies.

PubMed

Gohal, Chetan; Rofaiel, James; Abouali, Jihad; Ayeni, Olufemi R; Pinsker, Ellie; Whelan, Daniel

2017-10-01

To compare recurrence rates between prospectively collected and retrospectively collected data on primary anterior shoulder dislocations, as this could influence the timing of surgical decision making. A comprehensive literature search of Medline, Embase, CINAHL, and hand searches was performed. Recurrence rates of anterior shoulder dislocations were collected from relevant articles, along with follow-up length, age, and gender. An independent sample t test was conducted to evaluate our hypothesis. A multiple linear regression model was used to examine the variance in recurrence rates while controlling for covariates. A total of 1,379 articles were identified, of which 25 were relevant to our study-16 prospective and 9 retrospective. The average rate of recurrence of anterior shoulder dislocations in retrospective studies (mean [M] = 45.2, standard deviation [SD] = 31.67) was not significantly different from that in prospective studies (M = 56.7, SD = 22.55). The 95% confidence interval for the difference of the means ranged from -34.05 to 10.91. After controlling for covariates with the multiple linear regression, only 1.9% of the variance in recurrence rates was due to study type and was not significant (P = .42). The t test performed to evaluate our hypothesis was also not significant t(23) = -1.07, P = .298. When comparing prospective and retrospective studies, there was no significant difference in recurrence rates of primary anterior shoulder dislocations treated nonoperatively. The average redislocation rate was 56.7% in prospective studies and 45.2% in retrospective studies. Furthermore, the majority of this difference was accounted for by varying rates between age groups. Further research is needed to determine the risk of redislocation in specific age groups, to guide treatment decisions based on varying risk. Systematic review of Level II and III studies. Copyright © 2017 Arthroscopy Association of North America. Published by Elsevier Inc. All

Women's Reported Health Behaviours before and during Pregnancy: A Retrospective Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smedley, Jenna; Jancey, Jonine M.; Dhaliwal, Satvinder; Zhao, Yun; Monteiro, Sarojini M. D. R.; Howat, Peter

2014-01-01

Objective: This study aimed to determine women's reported health behaviours (physical activity, diet, weight management) before and during pregnancy, and to identify sources of health information. Design: Retrospective study incorporating quantitative (a self-completed survey) and qualitative (one-on-one interviews) methods. Methodology:…

Retrospective review of clinical practice in chronic pelvic pain syndrome i.e. category III chronic prostatitis at two hospital sites over five years 2000-2005 (an audit).

PubMed

Evans, D T P; Jaleel, H; Keefe, A

2007-04-01

All category III chronic prostatitis cases in two hospital sites were retrospectively reviewed from the year 2000 until 2005. The mean age of the patients was 38.7 years. Of these, 56.6% were St Bartholomew's Genitourinary Medicine Department patients and 43.5% were Southend Genitourinary Medicine Clinic patients. We observed that 33.1% of these had at least one transrectal ultrasound of the prostate. The commonest abnormal findings in transrectal ultrasounds of the prostate of the series were focal calcification (16.2%), calculi (9.3%) and inflammatory changes (5.4%). Of this series, 35% were lost to follow-up. The vast majority of the remainder got better over periods ranging from approximately two weeks to approximately three years.

Dengue fever in Czech travellers: A 10-year retrospective study in a tertiary care centre.

PubMed

Trojánek, Milan; Maixner, Jan; Sojková, Naděžda; Kynčl, Jan; Roháčová, Hana; Marešová, Vilma; Stejskal, František

2016-01-01

Dengue fever is a frequent cause of morbidity in travellers. The objective was to describe the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of dengue fever in Czech travellers. This descriptive study includes patients with acute dengue fever diagnosed at Hospital Na Bulovce during 2004-2013. Data were collected and analysed retrospectively. A total of 132 patients (83 males and 49 females) of median age 33 years (IQR 29-40) were included. Diagnosis was established by NS1 antigen detection in 87/107 cases (81.3%) and/or RT-PCR in 50/72 (69.4%) and by serology in 25 cases (18.9%). Dengue was acquired in South-East Asia in 69 cases (52.3%), followed by South Asia (48 cases; 36.3%), Latin America (14; 10.6%) and Sub-Saharan Africa (1; 0.8%). The most frequent symptoms included fever, rash and headache. Initial leukocyte and lymphocyte counts were lower in patients who presented in the early phase (0-4 days), however, platelet count was lower and AST, ALT and LDH activity higher in patients with a longer symptoms duration (≥5 days). The clinical course was mostly uncomplicated. Dengue fever is becoming a frequent cause of fever in Czech travellers. Clinicians should be familiar with the typical clinical findings and novel diagnostic methods. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Design and performance evaluation of a 1000-year evapotranspiration-capillary surface barrier

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhang, Zhuanfang Fred; Strickland, Christopher E.; Link, Steven O.

Surface barrier technology is used to isolate radioactive waste and to reduce or eliminate recharge water to the waste zone for 1000 years or longer. However, the design and evaluation of such a barrier is challenging because of the extremely long design life. The Prototype Hanford Barrier (PHB) was designed as a 1000-year barrier with pre-determined design and performance objectives and demonstrated in field from 1994 to present. The barrier was tested to evaluate surface-barrier design and performance at the field scale under conditions of enhanced and natural precipitation and of no vegetation. The monitoring data demonstrate that the barriermore » satisfied nearly all key objectives. The PHB far exceeded the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act criteria, functioned in Hanford’s semiarid climate, limited drainage to well below the 0.5 mm yr-1 performance criterion, limited runoff, and minimized erosion. Given the two-decade record of successful performance and consideration of all the processes and mechanisms that could degrade the stability and hydrology in the future, the results suggest the PHB is very likely to perform for its 1000-year design life. This conclusion is based on two assumptions: (1) the exposed subgrade receives protection against erosion and (2) institutional controls prevent inadvertent human activity at the barrier. The PHB design can serve as the base for site-specific barriers over waste sites containing underground nuclear waste, uranium mine tailings, and hazardous mine waste.« less

Retrospective Consent to Hemicraniectomy after Malignant Stroke among the Elderly, Despite Impaired Functional Outcome.

PubMed

Ragoschke-Schumm, Andreas; Junk, Christina; Lesmeister, Martin; Walter, Silke; Behnke, Stefanie; Schumm, Julia; Fassbender, Klaus

2015-01-01

Decompressive hemicraniectomy (DHC) after space-occupying strokes among patients older than 60 years has been shown to reduce mortality rates but at the cost of severe disability. There is an ongoing debate about what could be considered an acceptable outcome for these patients. Data about retrospective consent to the procedure after lengthy time periods are lacking. This study included 79 consecutive patients who underwent DHC during a 7.75-year period. Surviving patients were assessed for functional and psychological outcome, quality of life (QoL) and retrospective consent for the procedure. Patients younger than 60 years were compared with older patients. Of our 79 patients, 44 were younger than 60 years (median 50 years, interquartile range (IQR) 19-59 years) and 35 were older (median 68 years, interquartile range 60-87 years). The 30-day mortality rate was higher for the older group, but the difference was not statistically significant. Functional outcome was significantly better in the younger group: 31% of the patients in this group vs. 10% in the older group had a modified Rankin Scale score of 0-3 (p = 0.046). The mean National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score was 17 ± 14 for the younger group and 29 ± 15 for the older group (p = 0.002). On the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey, with the exception of the item 'General health', the older group reported higher values for all items, with statistically significant differences between the 2 groups on the items 'Role limitation emotional' (p = 0.0007) and 'Vitality' (p = 0.02). In the younger group, 29% of patients retrospectively declined consent for DHC opposed to 0% of patients in the older group (p = 0.07). Despite impaired functional outcome after DHC, indicators of QoL and retrospective consent are higher for patients older than 60 years over the long term. This finding should be taken into account by those who counsel patients and caregivers with regard to this serious procedure. © 2015 S. Karger

Impact of hypothyroidism on the development of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: A 4-year retrospective cohort study.

PubMed

Lee, Kil Woo; Bang, Ki Bae; Rhee, Eun Jung; Kwon, Heon Ju; Lee, Mi Yeon; Cho, Yong Kyun

2015-12-01

Hypothyroidism is reported to contribute to the development of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). We compared the risk of the development of NAFLD among three groups with different thyroid hormonal statuses (control, subclinical hypothyroidism, and overt hypothyroidism) in a 4-year retrospective cohort of Korean subjects. Apparently healthy Korean subjects without NAFLD and aged 20-65 years were recruited (n=18,544) at health checkups performed in 2008. Annual health checkups were applied to the cohort for 4 consecutive years until December 2012. Based on their initial serum-free thyroxine (fT4) and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels, they were classified into control, subclinical hypothyroidism (TSH >4.2 mIU/L, normal fT4), and overt hypothyroidism (TSH >4.2 mIU/L, fT4 <0.97 ng/dL) groups. NAFLD was diagnosed on the basis of ultrasonography findings. NAFLD developed in 2,348 of the 18,544 subjects, representing an overall incidence of 12.7%: 12.8%, 11.0%, 12.7% in the control, subclinical hypothyroidism, and overt hypothyroidism groups, respectively. The incidence of NAFLD did not differ significantly with the baseline thyroid hormonal status, even after multivariate adjustment (subclinical hypothyroidism group: hazard ratio [HR]=0.965, 95% confidence interval [CI]=0.814-1.143, P=0.67; overt hypothyroidism group: HR=1.255, 95% CI=0.830-1.899, P=0.28). Our results suggest that the subclinical and overt types of hypothyroidism are not related to an increased incidence of NAFLD.

Survival of Endodontically Treated Roots/Teeth Based on Periapical Health and Retention: A 10-year Retrospective Cohort Study.

PubMed

Fernández, Rafael; Cardona, Jaime A; Cadavid, Diego; Álvarez, Luis G; Restrepo, Felipe A

2017-12-01

The purpose of this retrospective longitudinal cohort study was to evaluate the outcome of nonsurgical root canal treatment (NSRCT), expressed as survival for both periapical health and retention of roots/teeth, as determined by clinical evaluation, periapical film/digital radiography (PFR/DPR), and cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) over 10 years, to determine the prognostic factors that influenced successful treatment outcomes. A total of 132 teeth (208 roots) with vital pulp received NSRCT at a university clinic. Eighteen factors (preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative) were documented from the dental records and radiographs. Periapical indices with scores ≥2 (PFR/DPR) and ≥1 (CBCT) indicated the presence of a periapical lesion. Data were analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier test and the Cox proportional hazards regression model (P < .05). The estimated 10-year overall survival rates for periapical health of roots/teeth were 89.4%/88.6% with PFR, 89.4%/89.3% with DPR, and 72.6%/69.7% with CBCT; the survival rate for root/tooth retention was 90.4%/91.6%. The long-term outcome of NSRCT expressed as survival for periapical health was different with each radiographic method. Approximately more than 90% of the roots/teeth were retained for up to 10 years. The prognostic factors for periapical health were the disinfection of gutta-percha, missed canals, age, treatment sessions, and density of root filling (voids); the age and presence of a post were for root/tooth retention. Copyright © 2017 American Association of Endodontists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Student Support through Personal Development Planning: Retrospection and Time

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clegg, Sue; Bufton, Serena

2008-01-01

This article presents an analysis of higher education students' retrospective meaning making of their experiences of personal development planning (PDP). An earlier study of first year students had indicated that students rarely reflected on their own meta-cognitive processes and were preoccupied with practical study skill matters, particularly…

Retrospective robustness of the continual reassessment method.

PubMed

O'Quigley, John; Zohar, Sarah

2010-09-01

We study model sensitivity of the continual reassessment method (CRM). The context is that of dose-finding designs where certain design parameters are fixed by the investigator. Although our focus is on the CRM (O'Quigley et al., 1990), the essential ideas can be applied to any sequential dose-finding method. It is expected that different choices of a model family and particular parameterizations will have an impact on performance. Assuming that the constraints outlined in Shen and O'Quigley (1996) are respected, large sample performance is unaffected. However small sample performance will be affected by these choices, which are to some degree arbitrary. This work focuses on the retrospective robustness of the CRM in practice. The question is not of a general theoretical nature where, in the background, we would want to consider large numbers of true potential situations. Instead, the question is raised in the specific context of any actual completed study and is the following: Would we have come to the same conclusion concerning the MTD had we worked with a design specified differently? The sequential nature of the CRM means that this question cannot be answered in any definitive way. We can, though, by appealing to the retrospective CRM (O'Quigley, 2005), provide consistent estimates of the relationships between the MTD and the chosen model. If these estimates suggest that changes in different family model parameters will be accompanied by changes in final recommendation, then we would not be confident in the reliability of the estimated MTD and more work would be needed. Also, of course, at the planning stage, prospective robustness could be studied by simulating trials using particular models and parameterizations.

Transplant-related mortality following allogeneic hematopoeitic stem cell transplantation for pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia: 25-year retrospective review.

PubMed

Mateos, Marion K; O'Brien, Tracey A; Oswald, Cecilia; Gabriel, Melissa; Ziegler, David S; Cohn, Richard J; Russell, Susan J; Barbaric, Draga; Marshall, Glenn M; Trahair, Toby N

2013-09-01

Over the last 25 years, donor source, conditioning, graft-versus-host disease prevention and supportive care for children undergoing hematopoeitic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) have changed dramatically. HSCT indications for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) now include high-risk patients in first and subsequent remission. There is a large burden of infectious and pre-HSCT morbidities, due to myelosuppressive therapy required for remission induction. We hypothesized that, despite these trends, overall survival (OS) had increased. A retrospective audit of allogeneic pediatric HSCT for ALL was performed in our institution over 25 years. Outcomes for 136 HSCTs were analyzed in three consecutive 8-year periods (Period 1: 1/1/1984-31/8/1992, Period 2: 1/9/1992-30/4/2001, Period 3: 1/5/2001-31/12/2009). Despite a significant increase in unrelated donor HSCT, event-free and OS over 25 years improved significantly. (EFS 31.6-64.8%, P = 0.0027; OS 41.8-78.9%, P < 0.0001) Concurrently, TRM dropped from 33% to 5% (P = 0.0004) whilst relapse rate was static (P = 0.07). TRM reduced significantly for matched sibling and unrelated cord blood transplantation (UCT) in Period 3 compared with earlier periods (P = 0.036, P = 0.0098, respectively). Factors leading to improved survival in patients undergoing UCT include better matching, higher total nucleated cell doses, and significantly faster neutrophil engraftment. Length of initial HSCT admission was similar over time. EFS and OS have increased significantly despite heightened HSCT complexity. This survival gain was due to TRM reduction. Contemporary patients have benefited from refined donor selection and improved supportive care. Overall rates of leukemic relapse post-HSCT are unchanged, and remain the focus for improvement. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Molecular diagnosis of toxoplasmosis in immunocompromised patients: a 3-year multicenter retrospective study.

PubMed

Robert-Gangneux, Florence; Sterkers, Yvon; Yera, Hélène; Accoceberry, Isabelle; Menotti, Jean; Cassaing, Sophie; Brenier-Pinchart, Marie-Pierre; Hennequin, Christophe; Delhaes, Laurence; Bonhomme, Julie; Villena, Isabelle; Scherer, Emeline; Dalle, Frédéric; Touafek, Feriel; Filisetti, Denis; Varlet-Marie, Emmanuelle; Pelloux, Hervé; Bastien, Patrick

2015-05-01

Toxoplasmosis is a life-threatening infection in immunocompromised patients (ICPs). The definitive diagnosis relies on parasite DNA detection, but little is known about the incidence and burden of disease in HIV-negative patients. A 3-year retrospective study was conducted in 15 reference laboratories from the network of the French National Reference Center for Toxoplasmosis, in order to record the frequency of Toxoplasma gondii DNA detection in ICPs and to review the molecular methods used for diagnosis and the prevention measures implemented in transplant patients. During the study period, of 31,640 PCRs performed on samples from ICPs, 610 were positive (323 patients). Blood (n = 337 samples), cerebrospinal fluid (n = 101 samples), and aqueous humor (n = 100 samples) were more frequently positive. Chemoprophylaxis schemes in transplant patients differed between centers. PCR follow-up of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant (allo-HSCT) patients was implemented in 8/15 centers. Data from 180 patients (13 centers) were further analyzed regarding clinical setting and outcome. Only 68/180 (38%) patients were HIV(+); the remaining 62% consisted of 72 HSCT, 14 solid organ transplant, and 26 miscellaneous immunodeficiency patients. Cerebral toxoplasmosis and disseminated toxoplasmosis were most frequently observed in HIV and transplant patients, respectively. Of 72 allo-HSCT patients with a positive PCR result, 23 were asymptomatic; all were diagnosed in centers performing systematic blood PCR follow-up, and they received specific treatment. Overall survival of allo-HSCT patients at 2 months was better in centers with PCR follow-up than in other centers (P < 0.01). This study provides updated data on the frequency of toxoplasmosis in HIV-negative ICPs and suggests that regular PCR follow-up of allo-HSCT patients could guide preemptive treatment and improve outcome. Copyright © 2015, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Molecular Diagnosis of Toxoplasmosis in Immunocompromised Patients: a 3-Year Multicenter Retrospective Study

PubMed Central

Sterkers, Yvon; Yera, Hélène; Accoceberry, Isabelle; Menotti, Jean; Cassaing, Sophie; Brenier-Pinchart, Marie-Pierre; Hennequin, Christophe; Delhaes, Laurence; Bonhomme, Julie; Villena, Isabelle; Scherer, Emeline; Dalle, Frédéric; Touafek, Feriel; Filisetti, Denis; Varlet-Marie, Emmanuelle; Pelloux, Hervé; Bastien, Patrick

2015-01-01

Toxoplasmosis is a life-threatening infection in immunocompromised patients (ICPs). The definitive diagnosis relies on parasite DNA detection, but little is known about the incidence and burden of disease in HIV-negative patients. A 3-year retrospective study was conducted in 15 reference laboratories from the network of the French National Reference Center for Toxoplasmosis, in order to record the frequency of Toxoplasma gondii DNA detection in ICPs and to review the molecular methods used for diagnosis and the prevention measures implemented in transplant patients. During the study period, of 31,640 PCRs performed on samples from ICPs, 610 were positive (323 patients). Blood (n = 337 samples), cerebrospinal fluid (n = 101 samples), and aqueous humor (n = 100 samples) were more frequently positive. Chemoprophylaxis schemes in transplant patients differed between centers. PCR follow-up of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant (allo-HSCT) patients was implemented in 8/15 centers. Data from 180 patients (13 centers) were further analyzed regarding clinical setting and outcome. Only 68/180 (38%) patients were HIV+; the remaining 62% consisted of 72 HSCT, 14 solid organ transplant, and 26 miscellaneous immunodeficiency patients. Cerebral toxoplasmosis and disseminated toxoplasmosis were most frequently observed in HIV and transplant patients, respectively. Of 72 allo-HSCT patients with a positive PCR result, 23 were asymptomatic; all were diagnosed in centers performing systematic blood PCR follow-up, and they received specific treatment. Overall survival of allo-HSCT patients at 2 months was better in centers with PCR follow-up than in other centers (P < 0.01). This study provides updated data on the frequency of toxoplasmosis in HIV-negative ICPs and suggests that regular PCR follow-up of allo-HSCT patients could guide preemptive treatment and improve outcome. PMID:25762774

A 5- to 8-year retrospective study comparing the clinical results of implant-supported telescopic crown versus bar overdentures in patients with edentulous maxillae.

PubMed

Zou, Duohong; Wu, Yiqun; Huang, Wei; Zhang, Zhiyong; Zhang, Zhiyuan

2013-01-01

The objective of this study was to compare implant survival and success rates, peri-implant parameters, and prosthodontic maintenance efforts for implant-supported telescopic crown overdentures and bar overdentures to restore maxillary edentulism. This retrospective clinical study involved patients with maxillary edentulism who were fitted with implant-supported overdentures from January 2004 to June 2007. During a 5- to 8-year follow-up period, the implant survival and success rates, biologic and mechanical complications, prosthodontic maintenance, and patient satisfaction were retrospectively analyzed. The data were evaluated statistically and P < .05 was considered to be statistically significant. Forty-four patients with maxillary edentulism received implant-supported removable overdentures. Twenty-one patients chose telescopic crown overdentures and 23 patients chose bar overdentures. A total of 41 patients and 201 implants were available for follow-up. The implant survival and success rates, average bone resorption, and subjective patient satisfaction scores showed no difference between the telescopic crown and the bar overdenture group at follow-up. However, there were higher values for Plaque and Calculus Indexes in the bar group compared with the telescopic crown group, and these values showed a statistically significant difference annually from the 3-year follow-up (P < .05). Each year, the number of prosthodontics maintenance procedures per patient did not significantly differ between the telescopic crown (approximately 0.36 to 0.58) and bar groups (approximately 0.30 to 0.49) (P = .16). Although there were higher plaque and calculus levels in the bar group and more maintenance was required for the telescopic crown group, overdentures provided a healthy peri-implant structure for implants in both groups. Implant-supported telescopic crown or bar overdentures can provide a good treatment option for patients with edentulous maxillae.

Retrospective studies of operating problems in air transport

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Billings, C. E.; Lauber, J. K.; Cooper, G. E.; Ruffell-Smith, H. P.

1976-01-01

An epidemiological model for the study of human errors in aviation is presented. In this approach, retrospective data are used as the basis for formulation of hypotheses as to system factors which may have contributed to such errors. Prospective experimental studies of aviation operations are also required in order to prove or disprove the hypotheses, and to evaluate the effectiveness of intervention techniques designed to solve operational problems in the aviation system.

Medical expenditure for liver cancer in urban China: A 10-year multicenter retrospective survey (2002-2011).

PubMed

Qiu, Wu-Qi; Shi, Ju-Fang; Guo, Lan-Wei; Mao, A-Yan; Huang, Hui-Yao; Hu, Guang-Yu; Dong, Pei; Bai, Fang-Zhou; Yan, Xiao-Ling; Liao, Xian-Zhen; Liu, Guo-Xiang; Bai, Ya-Na; Ren, Jian-Song; Sun, Xiao-Jie; Zhu, Xin-Yu; Zhou, Jin-Yi; Gong, Ji-Yong; Zhu, Lin; Mai, Ling; Du, Ling-Bing; Zhou, Qi; Xing, Xiao-Jing; Song, Bing-Bing; Liu, Yu-Qin; Lou, Pei-An; Sun, Xiao-Hua; Wu, Shou-Ling; Cao, Rong; Qi, Xiao; Lan, Li; Ren, Ying; Zhang, Kai; He, Jie; Qu, Chunfeng; Dai, Min

2018-01-01

This study aims to understand the medical expenditure for liver cancer during 2002-2011 in urban areas of China. This is a retrospective study. Based on a stratified cluster sampling method, a medical expenditure survey collected basic personal information from related medical records. Two-tailed independent sample t-test, variance analysis, and Student-Newman-Keuls Tests were used in cost analysis for the corresponding data types. A total of 12,342 liver cancer patients were included in the analysis. Overall average medical expenditure per case for liver cancer diagnosis and treatment in China has increased from ¥21, 950 to ¥40, 386 over the study period. For each liver cancer patient diagnosed between 2009 and 2011, the average expenditures were 29,332 CNY for stage I, 35,754 CNY for stage II, 34,288 CNY for stage III, and 30,275 CNY for stage IV diseases (P < 0.001). Pharmaceuticals accounted for the biggest part of the medical expenditure and it rose from 48.01% to 52.96% during these ten years, and the share of nursing fee expenses was the lowest (around 1%). Over the entire 10-year data period, the per capita expenditure of the east region (32,983 CNY) was higher than that of the west region (26,219 CNY) and slightly higher than the central region (31,018 CNY, P < 0.001). As a major cancer in China, liver cancer accounts for a large portion of health economic burden and its medical expenditure is heavy for families. Early diagnosis and treatment for liver cancer will save medical expenditure. The economic burden of liver cancer is high in China and related medical expenditure has increased.

Forty Years at ESO - Bernard Delabre and Optical Designs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Zeeuw, T.; Lévêque, S.; Pasquini, L.; Péron, M.; Spyromilio, J.

2017-09-01

The optical designer Bernard Delabre has retired from ESO after 40 years at the forefront of telescope and instrument optics. A short overview of his achievements and his legacy of astronomical telescopes and instrumenta-tion is presented. Bernard Delabre was awarded the 2017 Tycho Brahe Prize by the European Astronomical Society.

Antibiotic resistance in severe odontogenic infections of the South Australian population: a 9-year retrospective audit.

PubMed

Liau, I; Han, J; Bayetto, K; May, B; Goss, A; Sambrook, P; Cheng, A

2018-06-01

The aims of this study were to evaluate the microbiological trends in severe odontogenic infections requiring hospital admission in the South Australian Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Unit. Rates of antibiotic resistance to empirical antibiotic regimens were determined to quantify the clinical implications of antibiotic-resistant odontogenic infections. A retrospective case audit was performed on all odontogenic infections admitted to the Royal Adelaide Hospital over a 9-year period. Data was collected regarding demographics, microbiological culture and sensitivity results, and clinical outcome variables. Of a total of 672 patients, microbiology data was available for 447 cases. Penicillin-resistant organisms were identified in 10.8% of patients, who required a significantly longer length of hospital admission (mean, 9.93 days) and higher rates of non-response to initial surgical therapy (40%). There were moderate rates of antibiotic-resistant odontogenic infections within the South Australian population. Patients within this subgroup demonstrate markedly poorer clinical outcomes. Effective treatment of odontogenic infections involves early operative intervention, with adjunctive use of appropriate antibiotic therapy that involves close monitoring of response to removal of the cause and use of first-line antibiotic agents. Cases that fail to respond require urgent specialist review in order to reduce morbidity and mortality outcomes. © 2018 Australian Dental Association.

Disease Burden Due to Herpes Zoster among Population Aged ≥50 Years Old in China: A Community Based Retrospective Survey.

PubMed

Li, Yan; An, Zhijie; Yin, Dapeng; Liu, Yanmin; Huang, Zhuoying; Xu, Jianfang; Ma, Yujie; Tu, Qiufeng; Li, Qi; Wang, Huaqing

2016-01-01

To understand the disease burden due to Herpes Zoster (HZ) among people aged ≥50 years old in China and provide baseline data for future similar studies, and provide evidence for development of herpes zoster vaccination strategy. Retrospective cohort study was conducted in 4 townships and one community. A questionnaire was used to collect information on incidence and cost of HZ among people aged ≥ 50 years old. The cumulative incidence rate was 22.6/1,000 among people aged ≥ 50 years old. The average annual incidence rate of HZ was 3.43/1,000 among people aged ≥ 50 years old in 2010-2012. Cumulative incidence and average annual incidence rate increased with age: the cumulative incidence of HZ among people aged ≥ 80 years old was 3.34 times of that among 50-years old (52.3/1000 vs 15.7/1,000); average annual incidence rate rises from 2.66/1,000 among 50-years old to 8.55/1,000 among 80-year old. Cumulative incidence and average annual incidence rate for females were higher than that for males (cumulative incidence, 26.5/1000 vs 18.7/1,000; annual incidence rate, 3.95/1000 vs 2.89/1,000). Cumulative incidence and average annual incidence rate in urban were higher than in rural (cumulative incidence, 39.5/1000 vs 17.2/1,000; annual incidence rate, 7.65/1000 vs 2.06/1,000). The hospitalization rate of HZ was 4.53%. And with the increase of age, the rate has an increasing trend. HZ costs 945,709.5 RMB in total, corresponding to 840.6 RMB per patient with a median cost of 385 RMB (interquartile range 171.7-795.6). Factors associated with cost included the first onset year, area, whether hospitalized and whether sequelae left. Incidence rate, complications, hospitalization rate and average cost of HZ increase with age. We recommend that the HZ vaccinations should target people aged ≥50 years old if Zoster vaccine is licensed in China.

Revisiting the Retrospective Pretest

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hill, Laura Griner; Betz, Drew L.

2005-01-01

The purpose of the present study was to examine a common practice in some areas of program evaluation, the retrospective pretest, and to present recommendations regarding its use. The authors review literature to emphasize first, that bias is likely in both prospective and retrospective ratings, and second, that under some circumstances,…

The retrospective analysis of patients with uterine sarcomas: A single-center experience.

PubMed

Terek, Mustafa Cosan; Akman, Levent; Hursitoglu, Behiye Seda; Sanli, Ulus Ali; Ozsaran, Zeynep; Tekindal, Mustafa Agah; Dikmen, Yilmaz; Zekioglu, Osman; Ozsaran, Ahmet Aydin

2016-01-01

Uterine sarcomas are rare, malignant, gynecological tumors and show diverse histopathological features. Therefore, there is no consensus on risk factors for poor outcome and optimal treatment. The aim of this retrospective analysis is to report the clinical outcome of patients with uterine sarcoma treated at a single center. The data was obtained regarding the patient's demographic characteristics, pathological results, treatments given, survival, and complications of all uterine sarcoma patients treated in a single center between the years 2000 and 2012. The 80.month overall survival. (OS) was determined with respect to prognostic factors including age, stage of disease, histopathological type, and adjuvant treatment. A total of 57 case records are retrieved for this retrospective analysis. The mean age of the patients is 62.5 ± 11.2 years. International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage distribution is stage I: 29; stage II: 13; stage III: 9; stage IV: 6. Fifty-seven patients underwent surgery, 33 received postoperative radiotherapy (PORT), and 32 received chemotherapy. Median follow-up period was 25 months (range 2-85 months). The 80-month OS for the entire group of patients was 36.7%. The significant prognostic factors for survival are age under 50 years, stage of disease, and adjuvant chemotherapy. Although limited by small sample size and retrospective nature, age under 50 years, stage of disease, and adjuvant chemotherapy are significant prognostic factors for survival for uterine sarcomas.

A Retrospective Evaluation of Echocardiograms to Establish Normative Inferior Vena Cava and Aortic Measurements for Children Younger Than 6 Years.

PubMed

Stenson, Erin K; Punn, Rajesh; Ramsi, Musaab; Kache, Saraswati

2018-02-26

The ability to plot the inferior vena cava (IVC) size on a normal curve for pediatric patients may prove beneficial. First, in patients with normal cardiac anatomy who present in shock, assessing IVC size may be valuable for evaluating the degree of dehydration. Second, in children with heart disease, understanding how a child's IVC size compares to normal could be particularly beneficial for patients with right heart disease. We sought to create normal curves for the IVC and aorta in children younger than 6 years. Data were gathered from 347 echocardiograms of healthy children younger than 6 years in a retrospective study at a quaternary care children's hospital. From the subcostal long- and short-axis images, maximum diameters in the transverse and longitudinal views were obtained for both the IVC and the aorta. Both IVC and aortic dimensions increased in a linear fashion and had excellent correlations with the body surface area, body mass, and height (IVC, r = 0.78-0.81; P < .0001; aorta, r = 0.82-0.86; P < .0001). In children younger than 6 years, the IVC and aorta increase linearly as the children grow. Such normal curves will be beneficial for assessing a pediatric patient's hydration status or right heart function in patients with congenital heart disease. © 2018 by the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine.

Activities of daily living in nursing home and home care settings: a retrospective 1-year cohort study.

PubMed

Lee, Tae Wha; Cho, Eunhee; Yim, Eun Shil; Lee, Hye Sun; Ko, Yu Kyung; Kim, Bok Nam; Kim, Sinhye

2015-02-01

Korea introduced universal long-term care insurance (LTCI) for physically dependent older adults in 2008. Older adults, their family members, and policy makers in Korea want to know patient outcomes in different care modalities because older adults who have a similar functional status and LTC needs can choose either nursing home care or home care. The aim of this study was to compare activities of daily living (ADLs) in nursing home care and home care settings for physically dependent older adults in Korea. A retrospective 1-year cohort study using national LTCI data. This study used the LTCI dataset from the National Health Insurance Service in Korea. Participants were identified from among those in the LTCI dataset who enrolled from July 2008 to June 2010. We extracted a sample consisting of 22,557 older adults who consistently received either nursing home care (n = 11,678) or home care (n = 10,879) for 1 year. The outcome variable was change in ADLs after 1 year. Covariates were an older adult's home geographical region, LTC level, age, sex, primary caregiver, Medicaid beneficiary status, bedridden status, medical diagnosis, baseline ADLs, cognitive function, behavioral problems, nursing and special treatment, and rehabilitation needs. Multiple regression analysis of all participants unmatched and a paired t-test with a propensity-score-matched cohort were performed to explain the association of changes in ADLs with the types of LTC. Multiple regression analysis with all participants (n = 22,557) unmatched showed that compared with older adults who received home care, those who received nursing home care had deteriorated further in terms of ADLs after 1 year (β = 0.44108, P < .0001). After propensity-score matching, paired t-test analysis also found that the ADLs of older adults had deteriorated less in the home care group compared with the nursing home group after 1 year (P < .0001). The ADLs of older adults who received home care showed significantly less

A 2-year retrospective study of pediatric dental emergency visits at a hospital emergency center in Taiwan.

PubMed

Jung, Chia-Pei; Tsai, Aileen I; Chen, Ching-Ming

2016-06-01

There is a paucity of information regarding pediatric dental emergencies in Taiwan. This study investigates the prevalence and characteristics of the pediatric dental emergency services provided at a medical center. This study included a retrospective chart review of patients under 18 years of age with dental complaints who visited the Emergency Department (ED) of Linkou Medical Center of Chang Gung Memorial Hospital from January 2012 to December 2013. Information regarding age, gender, time/day/month of presentation, diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up was collected and analyzed. Statistical analysis included descriptive statistics and Pearson's Chi-square test with the significance level set as p < 0.05. This study revealed that dental emergencies in the medical center ED were predominantly related to orodental trauma (47.1%) and pulpal pain (29.9%). Most patients were male (p < 0.001) and <5 years of age (p < 0.001). The most frequent orodental trauma was luxation, both in primary and permanent dentition. The major management for dental emergencies was prescribing medication for pulp-related problems and orodental trauma. The follow-up rate of orodental trauma was the highest (p < 0.001). For children, trauma and toothache constituted the most common reasons for dental emergency visits at a hospital emergency center in Taiwan. While dental emergencies are sometimes unforeseeable or unavoidable, developing community awareness about proper at-home care as well as regular dental preventive measures can potentially reduce the number of emergency visits. Copyright © 2016 Chang Gung University. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Ultrasound-guided steroid tendon sheath injections in juvenile idiopathic arthritis: a 10-year single-center retrospective study.

PubMed

Peters, Shannon E; Laxer, Ronald M; Connolly, Bairbre L; Parra, Dimitri A

2017-04-11

The aims of this study were to: (a) Identify tendon sheaths most commonly treated with steroid injections in a pediatric patient population with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA); (b) Describe technical aspects of the procedure; (c) Characterize sonographic appearance of tenosynovitis in JIA; (d) Assess agreement between clinical request and sites injected. This was a 10 year single-center retrospective study (May 2006-April 2016) of patients with JIA referred by Rheumatology for ultrasound-guided tendon sheath injections. Patient demographics, clinical referral information, sonographic appearance of the tendon sheaths and technical aspects of the procedure were analyzed. There were 308 procedures of 244 patients (75% female, mean age 9.6 years) who underwent a total of 926 tendon sheath injections. Ankle tendons were most commonly injected (84.9%), specifically the tendon sheaths of tibialis posterior (22.3%), peroneus longus (20%) and brevis (19.7%). The majority of treated sites (91.9%) showed peritendinous fluid and sheath thickening on ultrasound. There were 2 minor intra-procedure complications without sequelae. A good agreement between clinical request and sites injected was observed. Ultrasound-guided tendon sheath injections with steroids are used frequently to treat patients with JIA. It is a safe intervention with a high technical success rate. The ankle region, specifically the medial compartment, is the site most commonly injected in this group of patients. The most common sonographic finding is peritendinous fluid and sheath thickening. These findings might assist clinicians and radiologists to characterize and more effectively manage tenosynovitis in patients with JIA.

Contextual Shaping of Student Design Practices: The Role of Constraint in First-Year Engineering Design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goncher, Andrea M.

thResearch on engineering design is a core area of concern within engineering education, and a fundamental understanding of how engineering students approach and undertake design is necessary in order to develop effective design models and pedagogies. This dissertation contributes to scholarship on engineering design by addressing a critical, but as yet underexplored, problem: how does the context in which students design shape their design practices? Using a qualitative study comprising of video data of design sessions, focus group interviews with students, and archives of their design work, this research explored how design decisions and actions are shaped by context, specifically the context of higher education. To develop a theoretical explanation for observed behavior, this study used the nested structuration. framework proposed by Perlow, Gittell, & Katz (2004). This framework explicated how teamwork is shaped by mutually reinforcing relationships at the individual, organizational, and institutional levels. I appropriated this framework to look specifically at how engineering students working on a course-related design project identify constraints that guide their design and how these constraints emerge as students interact while working on the project. I first identified and characterized the parameters associated with the design project from the student perspective and then, through multi-case studies of four design teams, I looked at the role these parameters play in student design practices. This qualitative investigation of first-year engineering student design teams revealed mutual and interconnected relationships between students and the organizations and institutions that they are a part of. In addition to contributing to research on engineering design, this work provides guidelines and practices to help design educators develop more effective design projects by incorporating constraints that enable effective design and learning. Moreover, I found

Gestational diabetes and risk of cardiovascular disease up to 25 years after pregnancy: a retrospective cohort study.

PubMed

McKenzie-Sampson, Safyer; Paradis, Gilles; Healy-Profitós, Jessica; St-Pierre, Frédérique; Auger, Nathalie

2018-04-01

The risk of cardiovascular disease in women with gestational diabetes is poorly understood. We sought to determine whether gestational diabetes increases the risk of cardiovascular disease more than two decades after pregnancy. We carried out a retrospective cohort study of 1,070,667 women who delivered infants in hospitals within Quebec, Canada, between 1989 and 2013. We followed 67,356 women with gestational diabetes and 1,003,311 without gestational diabetes for a maximum of 25.2 years after the index delivery. The main outcome measures were hospitalization for ischemic heart disease, myocardial infarction, coronary angioplasty, coronary artery bypass graft, and other cardiovascular disorders. We used Cox regression to estimate hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) comparing women with gestational diabetes to no gestational diabetes, adjusted for age, parity, socioeconomic deprivation, time period, and preeclampsia. Women with gestational diabetes had a higher cumulative incidence of hospitalization for cardiovascular disease 25 years after delivery (190.8 per 1000 women) compared with no gestational diabetes (117.8 per 1000 women). Gestational diabetes was associated with a higher risk of ischemic heart disease (HR 1.23, 95% CI 1.12-1.36), myocardial infarction (HR 2.14, 95% CI 1.15-2.47), coronary angioplasty (HR 2.23, 95% CI 1.87-2.65), and coronary artery bypass graft (HR 3.16, 95% CI 2.24-4.47). In this population of pregnant women, gestational diabetes was associated with an increased risk of heart disease 25 years after delivery. Women with gestational diabetes may merit closer monitoring for cardiovascular disease prevention after pregnancy.

Retrospective Evaluation of a Collaborative LearningScience Module: The Users' Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DeWitt, Dorothy; Siraj, Saedah; Alias, Norlidah; Leng, Chin Hai

2013-01-01

This study focuses on the retrospective evaluation of collaborative mLearning (CmL) Science module for teaching secondary school science which was designed based on social constructivist learning theories and Merrill's First Principle of Instruction. This study is part of a developmental research in which computer-mediated communication (CMC)…

Design and performance evaluation of a 1000-year evapotranspiration-capillary surface barrier.

PubMed

Zhang, Zhuanfang Fred; Strickland, Christopher E; Link, Steven O

2017-02-01

Surface barrier technology is used to isolate radioactive waste and to reduce or eliminate recharge water to the waste zone for 1000 years or longer. However, the design and evaluation of such a barrier is challenging because of the extremely long design life. After establishing a set of design and performance objectives, a package of design solutions was developed for 1000-year surface barriers over nuclear waste sites. The Prototype Hanford Barrier (PHB) was then constructed in 1994 in the field over an existing waste site as a demonstration. The barrier was tested to evaluate surface-barrier design and performance at the field scale under conditions of enhanced and natural precipitation and of no vegetation. The monitoring data demonstrate that the barrier satisfied nearly all objectives in the past two decades. The PHB far exceeded the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act criteria, functioned in Hanford's semiarid climate, limited drainage to well below the 0.5 mm yr -1 performance criterion, limited runoff, and minimized erosion and bio-intrusion. Given the two-decade record of successful performance and consideration of the processes and mechanisms that could affect barrier stability and hydrology in the future, the results suggest the PHB is very likely to perform for its 1000-year design life. This conclusion is based on two assumptions: (1) the exposed subgrade receives protection against erosion and (2) institutional controls prevent inadvertent human activity at the barrier. The PHB design can serve as the basis for site-specific barriers over waste sites containing underground nuclear waste, uranium mine tailings, and hazardous mine waste. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Breakthrough candidemia after the introduction of broad spectrum antifungal agents: A 5-year retrospective study.

PubMed

Breda, Giovanni L; Tuon, Felipe F; Meis, Jacques F; Herkert, Patricia F; Hagen, Ferry; de Oliveira, Letícia Z; Dias, Viviane de Carvalho; da Cunha, Clóvis Arns; Queiroz-Telles, Flávio

2018-06-01

Candidemia is the main invasive fungal disease among hospitalized patients. Several breakthrough candidemia (BrC) cases have been reported, but few studies evaluate the epidemiology, risk factors, molecular characterization, antifungal susceptibility profile and outcome of those patients, especially in developing countries and including patients using broad spectrum antifungals. We conducted a retrospective study from 2011 to 2016, including patients aged 12 years or older with candidemia. Epidemiological characteristics and risk factors for candidemia were evaluated and compared with patients with BrC using univariate and multivariate analysis. Sequential Candida isolates from BrC were identified by internal transcribed spacer sequencing, genotyped with amplified fragment length polymorphism fingerprinting (AFLP), and tested for antifungal susceptibility. From 148 candidemia episodes, 27 breakthrough episodes (18%) were identified, with neutropenia and mucositis being independent risk factors for BrC. Candida non-albicans was more frequent in the BrC group (P < .001). AFLP showed high correlation with conventional methods of identification among breakthrough isolates and a high genetic similarity among isolates from the same patient was observed. C. albicans was the most susceptible species with low MIC values for all antifungal agents tested. In contrast, we found isolates of C. glabrata, C. parapsilosis and C. tropicalis resistant to triazoles and echinocandins. In conclusion, BrC occurred mainly in severely immunosuppressed patients, with neutropenia and mucositis. Mortality did not differ between the groups. Candida non-albicans species were more recovered from BrC, with C. albicans being the most susceptible to antifungals.

A 12-Year Retrospective Study of Avulsion Cases in a Public Brazilian Dental Trauma Service.

PubMed

Mesquita, Gabriela Campos; Soares, Priscilla Barbosa Ferreira; Moura, Camilla Christian Gomes; Roscoe, Marina Guimarães; Paiva, Saul Martins; Soares, Carlos José

2017-01-01

This study assessed the epidemiological characteristics and management of the permanent teeth avulsion cases attended in a Brazilian dental trauma service from December 2005 to August 2016. A retrospective study was conducted of case records of 93 patients involving 139 avulsed teeth. Data included sex, age, trauma etiology, location of the accident, number and position of avulsed teeth, and presence and type of associated traumatic lesions. Management of the avulsed teeth was addressed as: time elapsed until teeth were retrieved from the accident's location; teeth's cleaning method and storage media; time elapsed until seeking treatment and replantation. The majority of the patients were children from 6-10 (31.2%) and 11-15 years old (26.9%). Male patients were more affected than female. Bicycle accident was the main etiological factor (31.2%). In 56 (60.2%) cases, traumatic lesions to neighboring teeth were present. In 55 (59.1%) cases, lesions to adjacent soft tissues were reported. In 82 (88.2%) cases, patients requested treatment at the same day of the accident. Sixty-four teeth (46.0%) were immediately retrieved and 28 (20.1%) were not found. Forty-two teeth (30.2%) were kept dry. Only one tooth (0.7%) was immediately replanted at the accident's site, while 51 teeth (36.7%) were not replanted. Numerous avulsed teeth were inappropriately managed and immediate replantation was not frequent. Public policies must be created to raise awareness towards the particularities of avulsion cases.

Metamemory prediction accuracy for simple prospective and retrospective memory tasks in 5-year-old children.

PubMed

Kvavilashvili, Lia; Ford, Ruth M

2014-11-01

It is well documented that young children greatly overestimate their performance on tests of retrospective memory (RM), but the current investigation is the first to examine children's prediction accuracy for prospective memory (PM). Three studies were conducted, each testing a different group of 5-year-olds. In Study 1 (N=46), participants were asked to predict their success in a simple event-based PM task (remembering to convey a message to a toy mole if they encountered a particular picture during a picture-naming activity). Before naming the pictures, children listened to either a reminder story or a neutral story. Results showed that children were highly accurate in their PM predictions (78% accuracy) and that the reminder story appeared to benefit PM only in children who predicted they would remember the PM response. In Study 2 (N=80), children showed high PM prediction accuracy (69%) regardless of whether the cue was specific or general and despite typical overoptimism regarding their performance on a 10-item RM task using item-by-item prediction. Study 3 (N=35) showed that children were prone to overestimate RM even when asked about their ability to recall a single item-the mole's unusual name. In light of these findings, we consider possible reasons for children's impressive PM prediction accuracy, including the potential involvement of future thinking in performance predictions and PM. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Remote Measurement of Pollution - A 40-Year Langley Retrospective. Part 1; Temperature and Gaseous Species

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Remsberg, Ellis E.

2011-01-01

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) phased down its Apollo Moon Program after 1970 in favor of a partly reusable Space Shuttle vehicle that could be used to construct and supply a manned, Earth-orbiting Space Station. Applications programs were emphasized in response to the growing public concern about Earth's finite natural resources and the degradation of its environment. Shortly thereafter, a workshop was convened in Norfolk, Virginia, on Remote Measurement of Pollution (or RMOP), and its findings are in a NASA Special Publication (NASA SP-285). The three primary workshop panels and their chairmen were focused on trace gas species (Will Kellogg), atmospheric particulates or aerosols (Verner Suomi), and water pollution (Gifford Ewing). Many of the workshop participants were specialists in the techniques that might be employed for the regional to global-scale, remote measurements from an Earth-orbiting satellite. The findings and recommendations of the RMOP Report represent the genesis of and a blueprint for the satellite, atmospheric sensing programs within NASA for nearly two decades. This paper is a brief, 40-year retrospective of those instrument developments that were an outgrowth of the RMOP activity. Its focus is on satellite measurement capabilities for temperature and gaseous species that were demonstrated by atmospheric technologists at the Langley Research Center. Limb absorption by solar occultation, limb infrared radiometry, and gas filter correlation radiometry techniques provided significant science data, so they are emphasized in this review.

Reliability of a retrospective decade-based life-course alcohol consumption questionnaire administered in later life.

PubMed

Bell, Steven; Britton, Annie

2015-10-01

Retrospective measures of alcohol intake are becoming increasingly popular; however, the reliability of such measures remains uncertain. This study assessed the reliability of a retrospective decade-based life-course alcohol consumption questionnaire, based on the standardized Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test-Consumption (AUDIT-C) administered in older age in a well-characterized cohort study. A retrospective alcohol life-grid was administered to 5980 participants (72% male, mean age 70 years) in the Whitehall II study covering frequency of drinking, number of drinks in a typical drinking day and frequency of consuming six or more drinks in a single drinking occasion in the teens (16-19 years) through to the 80s. A subsample of 385 individuals completed a repeat survey to determine test-retest reliability. Retrospective measures were also compared with prospectively ascertained information and used to predict objectively measured systolic blood pressure to test their predictive validity. Across all decades of life, test-retest reliability was generally good (κ range = 0.62-0.78 for frequency, 0.55-0.62 for usual number of drinks and 0.57-0.65 for frequency of consuming six or more drinks in a single occasion). The concordance between prospective and retrospective measures was consistently moderate to high. The life-grid method performed better than a single question in identifying life-time abstainers. Retrospective measures were also related to systolic blood pressure in the manner anticipated. A retrospective decade-based AUDIT-C grid administered in older age provides a relatively reliable measure of alcohol consumption across the life-course. © 2015 The Authors. Addiction published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society for the Study of Addiction.

[Fungal keratitis: A 5-year monocentric retrospective study on Reunion Island].

PubMed

Hoarau, G; Albrieux, M; Martin-Phipps, T; Zitte-Zehler, K; Borry, L; Peytral, J; Garcia-Hermoso, D; Picot, S

2018-04-19

Fungal keratitis is rare in France, but could be a severe sight-threatening condition. Here, we aimed to describe the epidemiology of fungal keratitis in Réunion Island. In a retrospective study, we analyzed 13 culture-proven keratitis episodes, occurred between January 2013 and July 2017 in the ophthalmology ward of a University Hospital, Saint-Pierre. Twelve isolates were genotyped and antifungal susceptibility testing was performed. Corneal abrasion caused by vegetable matter was the main predisposing factor. Stromal infiltration was observed in 12 patients. Six patients did not response to medical treatment, requiring surgical care, including two enucleations surgery. Fusarium solani (n = 6) and Fusarium dimerum (n = 4) were the main fungal species involved in fungal keratitis. Clinical failures were more prevalent with F. solani infections. The lowest minimal inhibitory concentrations for Fusarium sp. were observed with voriconazole and amphotericin B. In Reunion Island, the epidemiology of fungal keratitis is characterized by the predominance of Fusarium species, potentially involved in visual loss. This pattern is consistent with the epidemiology usually observed in tropical areas. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Cruise design for a 5-year period of the 50-year timber sales in Alaska.

Treesearch

John W. Hazard

1985-01-01

Sampling rules and estimation procedures are described for a new cruise design that was developed for 50-year timber sales in Alaska. An example is given of the rate redetermination cruise and analysis for the 1984-1989 period of the Ketchikan Pulp Company sale. In addition, methodology is presented for an alternative sampling technique of sampling with probability...

Improvements in bimanual hand function after baby-CIMT in two-year old children with unilateral cerebral palsy: A retrospective study.

PubMed

Nordstrand, Linda; Holmefur, Marie; Kits, Annika; Eliasson, Ann-Christin

2015-01-01

The common assumption that early-onset intensive intervention positively affects motor development has rarely been investigated for hand function in children with unilateral cerebral palsy (CP). This retrospective study explored the possible impact of baby constraint-induced movement therapy (baby-CIMT) on hand function at two years of age. We hypothesized that baby-CIMT in the first year of life would lead to better bimanual hand use at two years of age than would not receiving baby-CIMT. The Assisting Hand Assessment (AHA) was administered at age 21 months (SD 2.4 months) in 72 children with unilateral CP, 31 of who received baby-CIMT. When dividing the children into four functional levels based on AHA, the proportional distribution differed between the groups in favour of baby-CIMT. Logistic regression analysis indicated that children in the baby-CIMT group were more likely than were children in the no baby-CIMT group to have a high functional level, even when controlling for the effect of brain lesion type (OR 5.83, 95% CI 1.44-23.56, p = 0.001). However, no difference was found between groups in the odds of having a very low functional level (OR 0.31, 95% CI 0.08-1.17, p = 0.084). The result shows that baby-CIMT at early age can have a positive effect. Children who received baby-CIMT were six times more likely to have a high functional level at two years of age than were children in the no baby-CIMT group. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Medical expenditure for esophageal cancer in China: a 10-year multicenter retrospective survey (2002-2011).

PubMed

Guo, Lan-Wei; Huang, Hui-Yao; Shi, Ju-Fang; Lv, Li-Hong; Bai, Ya-Na; Mao, A-Yan; Liao, Xian-Zhen; Liu, Guo-Xiang; Ren, Jian-Song; Sun, Xiao-Jie; Zhu, Xin-Yu; Zhou, Jin-Yi; Gong, Ji-Yong; Zhou, Qi; Zhu, Lin; Liu, Yu-Qin; Song, Bing-Bing; Du, Ling-Bin; Xing, Xiao-Jing; Lou, Pei-An; Sun, Xiao-Hua; Qi, Xiao; Wu, Shou-Ling; Cao, Rong; Lan, Li; Ren, Ying; Zhang, Kai; He, Jie; Zhang, Jian-Gong; Dai, Min

2017-09-07

Esophageal cancer is associated with substantial disease burden in China, and data on the economic burden are fundamental for setting priorities in cancer interventions. The medical expenditure for the diagnosis and treatment of esophageal cancer in China has not been fully quantified. This study aimed to examine the medical expenditure of Chinese patients with esophageal cancer and the associated trends. From 2012 to 2014, a hospital-based multicenter retrospective survey was conducted in 37 hospitals in 13 provinces/municipalities across China as a part of the Cancer Screening Program of Urban China. For each esophageal cancer patient diagnosed between 2002 and 2011, clinical information and expense data were extracted by using structured questionnaires. All expense data were reported in Chinese Yuan (CNY; 1 CNY = 0.155 USD) based on the 2011 value and inflated using the year-specific health care consumer price index for China. A total of 14,967 esophageal cancer patients were included in the analysis. It was estimated that the overall average expenditure per patient was 38,666 CNY, and an average annual increase of 6.27% was observed from 2002 (25,111 CNY) to 2011 (46,124 CNY). The average expenditures were 34,460 CNY for stage I, 39,302 CNY for stage II, 40,353 CNY for stage III, and 37,432 CNY for stage IV diseases (P < 0.01). The expenditure also differed by the therapy type, which was 38,492 CNY for surgery, 27,933 CNY for radiotherapy, and 27,805 CNY for chemotherapy (P < 0.05). Drugs contributed to 45.02% of the overall expenditure. These conservative estimates suggested that medical expenditures for esophageal cancer in China substantially increased in the last 10 years, treatment for early-stage esophageal cancer costs less than that for advanced cases, and spending on drugs continued to account for a considerable proportion of the overall expenditure.

The association between shallow vestibular depth and peri-implant parameters: a retrospective 6 years longitudinal study.

PubMed

Halperin-Sternfeld, Michal; Zigdon-Giladi, Hadar; Machtei, Eli E

2016-03-01

The aim of this study was to retrospectively evaluate the association between shallow vestibular depth (VD) and peri-implant parameters. Peri-implant parameters were evaluated in 61 periodontal patients under regular supportive periodontal therapy. Clinical parameters included gingival index (GI), plaque index (PI), bleeding on probing (BOP), peri-implant pocket depths (PPD), mucosal recession (MR), relative attachment level (RAL), width and thickness of keratinized mucosa (KMW, KMT) and VD. Radiographic bone level (RBL) was measured on peri-apical radiographs. Sites with shallow VD (≤ 4 mm) were associated with higher MR (0.91 mm versus 0.47 mm, p ≤ 0.009), higher RAL (4.23 mm versus 3.59 mm, p ≤ 0.0001) and higher RBL (2.18 mm versus 1.7 mm, p = 0.05) when compared with adequate vestibular depth sites (VD > 4 mm). Moreover, sites with shallow VD presented lower KMW compared with sites with adequate VD (1.24 mm versus 2.38 mm, respectively, p ≤ 0.0001). Slightly greater BOP, and GI were recorded for the shallow VD compared with adequate sites. According to multivariate analysis, factors that could predict RAL included: VD, GI, age, supporting periodontal therapy, implant type and design. Based on this study, inadequate vestibular depth around dental implants may be associated with increased peri-implant bone loss and mucosal recession. Further prospective and intervention studies will be required to fully understand this phenomenon. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Retrospective evaluation of all recorded horse race starts in Switzerland during a four year period focusing on discipline-specific risk factors for clinical events.

PubMed

Schweizer, C; Ramseyer, A; Gerber, V; Christen, G; Burger, D; Wohlfender, F D

2016-11-01

Racetrack injuries are of welfare concern and the prevention of injuries is an important goal in many racing jurisdictions. Over the years this has led to more detailed recording of clinical events on racecourses. However, risk factor analyses of clinical events at race meetings have not been previously reported for Switzerland. To identify discipline-specific factors that influence the occurrence of clinical events during race meetings with the ultimate aim of improving the monitoring and safety of racetracks in Switzerland and optimising racehorse welfare. Retrospective study of horse race data collected by the Swiss horse racing association. All race starts (n = 17,670, including 6198 flat, 1257 obstacle and 10,215 trot race starts) recorded over a period of 4 years (2009-2012) were analysed in multivariable mixed effect logistic regression models including horse and racecourse related data. The models were designed to identify discipline-specific factors influencing the occurrence of clinical events on racecourses in Switzerland. Factors influencing the risk of clinical events during races were different for each discipline. The risk of a clinical event in trot racing was lower for racing on a Porphyre sand track than on grass tracks. Horses whose driver was also their trainer had an approximately 2-fold higher risk for clinical events. In obstacle races, longer distances (2401-3300 m and 3301-5400 m, respectively) had a protective effect compared with racing over shorter distances. In flat racing, 5 racecourses reported significantly fewer clinical events. In all 3 disciplines, finishing 8th place or later was associated with clinical events. Changes in management that aim to improve the safety and welfare of racehorses, such as racetrack adaptations, need to be individualised for each discipline. © 2015 EVJ Ltd.

Forty-five years of keratoprosthesis study and application at the Filatov Institute: a retrospective analysis of 1 060 cases

PubMed Central

Iakymenko, Stanislav

2013-01-01

AIM To present results of the keratoprosthesis method used at The Filatov Institute of Eye Diseases and Tissue Therapy. METHODS A retrospective case series analysis was used to describe the development of new types of keratoprostheses and methods of implantation as well as different ways of leukoma strengthening. RESULTS Keratoprosthesis was performed in 1 060 eyes of 1 040 patients with leukomas of different etiology: burns, 725 eyes (68.4%); trauma, 120 eyes (11.3%); keratitis and ocular pemphigoid, 108 eyes (10.2%); and bullous keratopathy, 107 eyes (10.1%). Visual acuity before keratoprosthesis consisted of light perception in 962 eyes (92%), and 98 eyes (8%) had minimal visual acuity (1/200-1/50). Both eyes were blind (visual acuity less than 1/200) in 955 patients (91.8%). The period of blindness varied from 1 to 52 years. As a result of keratoprosthesis, visual acuity of ≥1/200 was restored in 1 023 of 1 060 eyes (96.5%). Visual acuity of 20/200-20/20 was achieved in 716 eyes (67.5%). At the last follow-up visit visual acuity of ≥1/200 was preserved in 806 eyes (76%), visual acuity of 20/200-20/20 was measured in 583 of 1 060 eyes (55%) and good keratoprosthesis fixation in the cornea was achieved in 986 of 1 060 eyes (93%). The minimal follow-up was 12 months (range, 12 months to 37 years, median 5 years). CONCLUSION Our techniques of keratoprosthesis effectively restore vision in patients with leukomas that cannot be treated by optical corneal grafting. PMID:23826536

Visit-to-visit SBP variability and cardiovascular disease in a multiethnic primary care setting: 10-year retrospective cohort study.

PubMed

Chia, Yook Chin; Ching, Siew Mooi; Lim, Hooi Min

2017-05-01

The current study aims to determine the relationship of long-term visit-to-visit variability of SBP to cardiovascular disease (CVD) in a multiethnic primary care setting. This is a retrospective study of a cohort of 807 hypertensive patients over a period of 10 years. Three-monthly clinic blood pressure readings were used to derive blood pressure variability (BPV), and CVD events were captured from patient records. Mean age at baseline was 57.2 ± 9.8 years with 63.3% being women. The BPV and mean SBP over 10 years were 14.7 ± 3.5 and 142 ± 8 mmHg, respectively. Prevalence of cardiovascular event was 13%. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, BPV was the predictor of CVD events, whereas the mean SBP was not independently associated with cardiovascular events in this population. Those with lower SBP and lower BPV had fewer cardiovascular events than those with the same low mean SBP but higher BPV (10.5 versus 12.8%). Similarly those with higher mean SBP but lower BPV also had fewer cardiovascular events than those with the same high mean and higher BPV (11.6 versus 16.7%). Other variables like being men, diabetes and Indian compared with Chinese are more likely to be associated with cardiovascular events. BPV is associated with an increase in CVD events even in those who have achieved lower mean SBP. Thus, we should prioritize not only control of SBP levels but also BPV to reduce CVD events further.

Trends in the volume of operative treatment of midshaft clavicle fractures in children and adolescents: a retrospective, 12-year, single-institution analysis.

PubMed

Suppan, Catherine A; Bae, Donald S; Donohue, Kyna S; Miller, Patricia E; Kocher, Mininder S; Heyworth, Benton E

2016-07-01

The purpose of this study was to examine institutional trends in the volume of clavicle fractures in children and adolescents. Medical records were retrospectively reviewed to identify patients aged 10-18 years treated for a clavicle fracture between 1999 and 2011 at a single tertiary-care pediatric hospital. There were significant increases in the number of clavicle fractures seen annually, of midshaft clavicle fractures, and of midshaft clavicle fractures treated operatively. The percentage of midshaft clavicle fractures treated with fixation also increased significantly. The volumes of clavicle fractures and midshaft clavicle fractures treated operatively appear to be increasing. Despite a lack of evidence-based support, the frequency of fixation of midshaft clavicle fractures appear to be increasing in the pediatric population.

Features and treatment of gas-forming synergistic necrotizing cellulitis: a nine-year retrospective study.

PubMed

Ling, Xiangwei; Ye, Yuanyuan; Guo, Hailei; Liu, Zhengjun; Xia, Weidong; Lin, Cai

2018-03-01

As many doctors know little about gas-forming synergistic necrotizing cellulitis, we retrospectively explored it in our study. Totally, 30 patients diagnosed with gas-forming synergistic necrotizing cellulitis between November 2006 and September 2015 were included. They were divided into two groups: open drainage group (19 patients) and aggressive debridement group (11 patients). Retrospectively analyzed data comprised demographic characteristics, APACHE II scores, pathogen culture results, bleeding amount during the operation, white blood cell count, length of hospital stay and recovery. The mortality rate was 26% in the open drainage group and 73% in the aggressive debridement group (p=0.023). There was no statistical difference in the APACHE II score before treatment between the open drainageand aggressive debridement groups (16.6±4.5 vs 18.1±7.5, p=0.511). The APACHE II score was significantly higher after treatment in the aggressive debridement group (14.2±5.8 score vs 20.1±9.1, p=0.038). There were no statistical differences in the white blood count cell before and after treatment (13.49 × 109±5.05×109 cells/L vs 17.46×109±6.94×109 cells/L, p=0.082; 10.37×109±3.54×109 cells/L vs 15.47×109 ±7.51×109 cells/L, p=0.055; respectively). The bleeding amount during the operation was significantly more in the aggressive debridement group (315±112 ml vs 105±45 ml, p<0.001. For treating gas-forming synergistic necrotizing cellulitis, performing open drainage as early as possible isthe most important procedure after admission.

Implementing and Assessing a Flipped Classroom Model for First-Year Engineering Design

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saterbak, Ann; Volz, Tracy; Wettergreen, Matthew

2016-01-01

Faculty at Rice University are creating instructional resources to support teaching first-year engineering design using a flipped classroom model. This implementation of flipped pedagogy is unusual because content-driven, lecture courses are usually targeted for flipping, not project-based design courses that already incorporate an abundance of…

Graduates' Orientations to Higher Education and Their Retrospective Experiences of Teaching and Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spronken-Smith, Rachel; Buissink-Smith, Nell; Bond, Carol; Grigg, Gabrielle

2015-01-01

In this article, we sought a relation between orientation to higher education and curricular experiences, and elucidated the nature of transformative curricular experiences. Twenty-four graduates from humanities and science degrees in the year 2000 were interviewed approximately five years later to obtain their retrospective views on the purpose…

Retrospective and prospective analysis of policy incentives for wind power in Portugal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pena Cabra, Ivonne A.

been decommissioned despite being in operation for more than 20 years, favoring from new, detailed and hard-to-follow agreements in the legislation. All wind parks that are currently in operation have received feed-in tariffs since they connected to the grid, and are expected to keep receiving them at least until December 2019, and up to December 2036 - depending on year of connection and agreement under the most recent legislation (Diario da Republica 2013). The 2020 renewable energy goals in Portugal include having 6.8 GW of installed wind capacity, which implies the connection of 2 GW in the next years. If no further grid investments are made and wind capacity increases up to 100 MW to the connection point that we analyze, total annual electricity spill is likely to range the 20% to 40%. If the connection grid policy is designed to allow for wind spill, already 'occupied' connection points will be available to new entrants, lowering the total investment costs for new wind parks and increasing their profitability. This thesis is divided in three main parts: a first introductory section, a retrospective study of wind power in Portugal and a prospective analysis of the Portuguese wind power sector. The introductory section is a brief overview of the global renewable status, described in Chapter 1. Chapter 2 and Chapter 3 compile a retrospective study of wind power and the policies that have incentivized wind diffusion. We include in the discussion some references to the future wind power goals, but the results and policy recommendations are directed towards the existing connected wind power capacity. (Abstract shortened by UMI.).

Evaluation of the peri-implant bone around parallel-walled dental implants with a condensing thread macrodesign and a self-tapping apex: a 10-year retrospective histological analysis.

PubMed

Degidi, Marco; Perrotti, Vittoria; Shibli, Jamil A; Mortellaro, Carmen; Piattelli, Adriano; Iezzi, Giovanna

2014-05-01

The long-term high percentages of survival and success of dental implants reported in the literature are related mainly to new, innovative implant and thread designs, and new implant surfaces that allow to obtain very good primary and secondary stability in most anatomical and clinical situations, even in low quality and quantity of bone, promoting a more rapid osseointegration. The aim of this retrospective study was a histological and histomorphometrical evaluation of the bone response around implants with a parallel-wall configuration, condensing thread macrodesign, and self-tapping apex, retrieved from man for different causes. A total of 10 implants were reported in the present study, and these implants had been retrieved after a loading period comprised between a few weeks to about 8 years. Mineralized newly formed bone was found at the interface of all the implants, in direct contact with the implant surface, with no gaps or connective fibrous tissue. This bone adapted very well to the microirregularities of the implant surface. Areas of bone remodeling were present in some regions of the interface, with many reversal lines. High bone-implant contact percentages were found. In conclusion, both the macrostructure and the microstructure of this specific type of implant could be very helpful in the long-term high survival and success implant percentages.

The Improvement of Laparoscopic Surgical Skills Obtained by Gynecologists after Ten Years of Clinical Training Can Reduce Peritoneal Adhesion Formation during Laparoscopic Myomectomy: A Retrospective Cohort Study

PubMed Central

Peiretti, Michele; Minerba, Luigi

2017-01-01

Objective To evaluate if improvement of laparoscopic skills can reduce postoperative peritoneal adhesion formation in a clinical setting. Study Design We retrospectively evaluated 25 women who underwent laparoscopic myomectomy from January 1993 to June 1994 and 22 women who underwent laparoscopic myomectomy from March 2002 to November 2004. Women had one to four subserous/intramural myomas and received surgery without antiadhesive agents or barriers. Women underwent second-look laparoscopy for assessment of peritoneal adhesion formation 12 to 14 weeks after myomectomy. Adhesions were graded according to the Operative Laparoscopy Study Group scoring system. The main variable to be compared between the two cohorts was the proportion that showed no adhesions at second-look laparoscopy. Results Demographic and surgical characteristics were similar between the two cohorts. No complications were observed during surgery. No adverse events were recorded during postoperative course. At second-look laparoscopy, a higher proportion of adhesion-free patients was observed in women who underwent laparoscopic myomectomy from March 2002 to November 2004 (9 out of 22) compared with women who underwent the same surgery from January 1993 to June 1994 (3 out of 25). Conclusion The improvement of surgeons' skills obtained after ten years of surgery can reduce postoperative adhesion formation. PMID:29410967

Effect of the National Stress Check Program on mental health among workers in Japan: A 1-year retrospective cohort study.

PubMed

Imamura, Kotaro; Asai, Yumi; Watanabe, Kazuhiro; Tsutsumi, Akizumi; Shimazu, Akihito; Inoue, Akiomi; Hiro, Hisanori; Odagiri, Yuko; Yoshikawa, Toru; Yoshikawa, Etsuko; Kawakami, Norito

2018-04-18

This retrospective cohort study evaluated the impact of the Stress Check Program, a recently introduced national policy and program aimed at reducing psychological distress among Japanese workers. A baseline survey was conducted from November 2015 to February 2016, the period when Japan began enforcing the Stress Check Program. A one-year follow-up survey was conducted in December 2016. In the follow-up survey, two exposure variables were collected: having taken the annual stress survey, and experiencing an improvement in the psychosocial work environment. Psychological distress was assessed using the Brief Job Stress Questionnaire (BJSQ) at baseline and 1-year follow-up. The two exposure variables were used to define four groups: "Neither", "Stress survey (SS) only", "Psychosocial work environment improvement (WI) only", and "Both". BJSQ results were analyzed using repeated measures general linear modeling (GLM). The study included 2,492 participants: 1,342 in the "Neither" group, 1,009 in the "SS only" group, 76 in the "WI only" group, and 65 in the "Both" group. Overall time-group interaction effects were not significant. The "Both" group showed significantly greater improvements in psychological distress than the "Neither" group (p = 0.02) at the 1-year follow-up, although the effect size was small (d = -0.14). Combination of the annual stress survey and improvement in psychosocial work environment may have been effective in reducing psychological distress in workers, although the effect size was small.

Parenting Environment and Scholastic Achievement during Adolescence: A Retrospective Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taris, Toon W.; Bok, Inge A.

1996-01-01

This study examined the effects of perceived parenting style (overly protective versus a warm and loving environment) on the scholastic achievement of 986 Dutch adults age 18-30 years. Retrospective and longitudinal data suggested that respondents with overprotective parents drop out more frequently and have a lower level of educational attainment…

Outcome of oral dysplasia: a retrospective hospital-based study of 207 patients with a long follow-up.

PubMed

Arduino, Paolo G; Surace, Antonio; Carbone, Mario; Elia, Alessandra; Massolini, Gianluca; Gandolfo, Sergio; Broccoletti, Roberto

2009-07-01

The aim of this retrospective hospital-based study was to review and evaluate the long-term outcome of patients with oral epithelial dysplasia (OED), with or without surgical intervention, to identify factors affecting clinical course and malignant evolution. Patients with a follow-up of at least 12 months were included. Data collected were statistically analyzed. The mean age was 63.58 years for women (n = 100) and 64.17 years for men (n = 107). One hundred and thirty-five of the patients had lesions with histopathological features of mild OED, 50 had moderate OED and 22 had severe OED. Gender and risk factors seemed not to be related with the development of OED. One hundred and thirty-three patients underwent active treatment. During the period considered, 39.4% of the 207 lesions disappeared; 19.66% remained stable and 33.7% of the total cases showed a new dysplastic event after treatment. Fifteen (7.24%) out of 207 developed a squamous cell carcinoma during follow-up. Our data showed that speckled lesions are more often associated with high histological grade. The risk of malignant development does not seem to be predictable. Surrounded by the limitations of the retrospective designs, we have showed that there is no eminent benefit of surgical intervention of OED in preventing recurrences and malignant development.

Prognostic factors for survival after salvage total laryngectomy following radiotherapy or chemoradiation failure: a 10-year retrospective longitudinal study in eastern Denmark.

PubMed

Wulff, N B; Andersen, E; Kristensen, C A; Sørensen, C H; Charabi, B; Homøe, P

2017-04-01

The primary aims were to determine the rates of and prognostic factors for overall survival, disease-specific survival and disease-free survival following salvage total laryngectomy. Retrospective longitudinal study. Tertiary medical centres. A total of 142 patients in eastern Denmark undergoing salvage total laryngectomy for squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx or hypopharynx. 5-year overall survival, 5-year disease-specific survival, 5-year disease-free survival and prognostic factors for these outcomes. 5-year overall survival, disease-specific survival and disease-free survival were 37.7%, 54.9% and 55.3%, respectively. N classification at primary diagnosis, lymph node excision and postoperative complications within 1 year after salvage total laryngectomy were prognostic factors for shorter overall survival, disease-specific survival and disease-free survival. Residual tumour/recurrence was negatively associated with overall survival, close or involved resection margins with disease-specific survival, and second primary cancer was associated with longer disease-specific survival and disease-free survival. Nine per cent of all patients had residual tumour and 33.8% developed a recurrence. Our overall survival, disease-specific survival and disease-free survival findings are in accordance with previous studies. With the purpose of identifying recurrent tumour, we suggest extra attention being given to patients with higher N classification and need for lymph node excision during salvage total laryngectomy along with use of frozen sections. The high number of patients with recurrence within 1 year after salvage total laryngectomy occurred although thorough and regular follow-up visits were performed. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The prognosis of root canal therapy: a 10-year retrospective cohort study on 411 patients with 1175 endodontically treated teeth.

PubMed

Fonzar, Federica; Fonzar, Alberto; Buttolo, Piercarlo; Worthington, Helen V; Esposito, Marco

2009-01-01

To evaluate the 10-year prognosis of consecutively endodontically treated or retreated teeth and to investigate some of the prognostic factors which could predict the long-term outcome of endodontic therapy. This retrospective cohort study included any patient who had endodontically treated or retreated teeth from 1986 to 1998 by a single operator in a private practice. Outcome measures were clinical and radiographic success assessed by the operator, radiographic success assessed by an independent outcome assessor and complications evaluated 10 years after treatment. Descriptive statistics, life table, Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analyses for success were fitted. A total of 411 patients with 1175 endodontically treated teeth were identified. Ten years after treatment 102 patients (24.8%) with 223 (19.0%) teeth were lost at the follow-up. The number of teeth that were originally treated and retreated were 704 and 471, respectively. Thirty-two teeth (2.7%) had one complication, which was successfully treated. A total of 988 (84.1%) teeth were considered a complete success, 46 (3.9%) a partial success, 52 (4.4%) a partial failure and 68 (5.8%) had to be extracted according to the treating clinician. For 21 teeth (1.8%) there was no follow-up information. The radiographic healing of 1086 teeth was evaluated by an independent assessor: 980 (90.2%) showed complete healing, 52 (4.8%) improvement, and 54 (5.0%) no change or worsening. The life-table analysis showed 93% of teeth surviving at 10 years after endodontic treatment. There were no differences for survival rates between teeth treated for the first time and those that were retreated (Kaplan-Meier). Teeth retreated because of symptoms or for a periapical/lateral radiolucency were more likely to fail. Approximately 7% of endodontically treated teeth were extracted 10 years after treatment. Symptoms and radiolucency of teeth needing retreatment may be important predictors for failure.

Initial evidence for the validity of the California Bullying Victimization Scale (CBVS-R) as a retrospective measure for adults.

PubMed

Green, Jennifer Greif; Oblath, Rachel; Felix, Erika D; Furlong, Michael J; Holt, Melissa K; Sharkey, Jill D

2018-06-07

Childhood bullying is an important predictor of psychological and health outcomes in adulthood; however, validated retrospective measures of childhood bullying are lacking. This study investigates the psychometric properties of an adult retrospective version of the California Bullying Victimization Scale (CBVS). The CBVS self-report measure was developed for use with children and adolescents to assess the three definitional characteristics of bullying (aggression that is chronic, intentional, and involves an imbalance of power), without using the term "bullying." In the current study, we evaluate patterns of retrospective reports of bullying victimization, and compare results to a common definition-first measure of bullying. Concurrent validity and 4-year stability are addressed. In the fall of 2012, entering first-year students at 4 universities in the United States (N = 1,209; 65.2% female) completed the California Bullying Victimization Scale-Retrospective (CBVS-R) as part of an online survey. In spring of 2016, participants at 2 universities who provided contact information (N = 175) completed a 4-year follow-up survey. Results support the validity of the CBVS-R as a retrospective self-report measure of bullying victimization experienced in childhood. In particular, the percent of respondents classified as being bullied (27.9%) and age- and gender-related patterns of victimization were consistent with known patterns of childhood bullying. In addition, respondents reporting childhood victimization indicated increased psychological distress in adulthood. However, stability of reports across a 4-year follow-up period were lower than expected (κ = .38). Implications for the use of retrospective reports of childhood bullying victimization are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Clinical diagnosis of syphilis: a ten-year retrospective analysis in a South Australian urban sexual health clinic.

PubMed

Forrest, C E; Ward, A

2016-12-01

National notifications for infectious syphilis in Australia have increased in recent years. Outside of sexual health clinics, junior clinicians seldom encounter this disease in its infectious stage (primary, secondary and early latent). With such a variable clinical presentation, textbook teaching is no substitute for real-life experience. The importance of accurate classification and staging of disease is relevant to the risk of transmission and determines treatment duration. In this article, the authors review the clinical presentation of syphilis over ten years in an urban sexual health clinic with a focus on the clinical presentation and diagnosis of infectious syphilis, in particular secondary syphilis, compared with that outlined in the Australian National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System guidelines. This retrospective review of all patients diagnosed with syphilis at an urban sexual health clinic showed that between 2005 and 2015, 226 cases of syphilis were diagnosed. Documentation of impression of clinical staging of disease was present in 46% of the cases. Seventeen of these cases were recorded as secondary syphilis. The criteria used by clinicians to diagnose the secondary syphilis cases were consistent with criteria defined by the Australian National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System. All cases of secondary syphilis had at least one cutaneous manifestation of disease. The demographic of the cohort of syphilis cases was consistent with that recorded in the literature. This review showed that the clinician's diagnosis of secondary syphilis in this service is consistent with the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System guidelines. Continuing education of junior medical staff is important to facilitate diagnosis and improve documentation of clinical staging, minimise disease transmission and ensure appropriate treatment. © The Author(s) 2016.

Neurological injury and death in all-terrain vehicle crashes in West Virginia: a 10-year retrospective review.

PubMed

Carr, Ann M; Bailes, Julian E; Helmkamp, James C; Rosen, Charles L; Miele, Vincent J

2004-04-01

The purpose of this study was to profile all-terrain vehicle crash victims with neurological injuries who were treated at a Level I trauma center. We retrospectively reviewed trauma registry data for 238 patients who were admitted to the Jon Michael Moore Trauma Center at the West Virginia University School of Medicine after all-terrain vehicle crashes, between January 1991 and December 2000. Age, helmet status, alcohol and drug use, head injuries, length of stay, disposition, and hospital costs were studied. Death rates, head injuries, age, helmet use, and safety legislation in all 50 states were compared. Eighty percent of victims were male, with an average age of 27.3 years. Only 22% of all patients were wearing helmets. Alcohol and/or drugs were involved in almost one-half of all incidents. Fifty-five of 238 patients sustained spinal axis injuries; only 5 were wearing helmets. One-third of victims (75 of 238 victims) were in the pediatric population, and only 21% were wearing helmets. Only 15% of victims less than 16 years of age were wearing helmets. There were a total of eight deaths; only one patient was wearing a helmet. In the United States, all-terrain vehicles caused an estimated 240 deaths/yr between 1990 and 1994, which increased to 357 deaths/yr between 1995 and 2000. Brain and spine injuries occurred in 80% of fatal crashes. West Virginia has a fatality rate approximately eight times the national rate. Helmets reduce the risk of head injury by 64%, but only 21 states have helmet laws. Juvenile passengers on adult-driven vehicles are infrequently helmeted (<20%) and frequently injured (>65%). We conclude that safety legislation would save lives.

Thirteen years of invasive and noninvasive home ventilation for children in a developing country: A retrospective study.

PubMed

Nathan, Anna Marie; Loo, Hui Yan; de Bruyne, Jessie Anne; Eg, Kah Peng; Kee, Sze Ying; Thavagnanam, Surendran; Bouniu, Marilyn; Wong, Jiat Earn; Gan, Chin Seng; Lum, Lucy Chai See

2017-04-01

Home ventilation (HV) for children is growing rapidly worldwide. The aim was to describe (1) the sociodemographic characteristics of children on HV and (2) the indications for, means and outcome of initiating HV in children from a developing country. This retrospective study included patients sent home on noninvasive or invasive ventilation, over 13 years, by the pediatric respiratory unit in a single center. Children who declined treatment were excluded. Seventy children were initiated on HV: 85.7% on noninvasive ventilation, 14.3% on invasive ventilation. There was about a threefold increase from 2001-2008 (n = 18) to 2009-2014 (n = 52). Median (range) age of initiating HV was 11 (1-169) months and 73% of children were <2 years old. Common indications for HV were respiratory (57.2%), chest/spine anomalies (11.4%), and neuromuscular (10.0%). Fifty-two percent came off their devices with a median (interquartile range) usage duration of 12 (4.8, 21.6) months. Ten children (14.3%) died with one avoidable death. Children with neuromuscular disease were less likely to come off their ventilator (0.0%) compared to children with respiratory disease (62.1%). Forty-one percent of parents bought their equipment, whereas 58.6% borrowed their equipment from the medical social work department and other sources. HV in a resource-limited country is possible. Children with respiratory disease made up a significant proportion of those requiring HV and were more likely to be weaned off. The mortality rate was low. The social work department played an important role in facilitating early discharge. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2017;52:500-507. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

RETROspective: A Parent's Guide to Youth Culture. Building Bridges between Generations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (DHHS/PHS), Rockville, MD. Center for Substance Abuse Prevention.

Recognizing expressions of youth culture is a major step toward understanding teens. This understanding can help parents keep lines of communication open between them and their teens. Making it clear that you do not want your child to use alcohol, tobacco, or illicit drugs is a proven factor in reducing youth drug use. RETROspective is designed to…

Epidemiological and Clinical Characteristics of Children and Adolescents with Leprosy Admitted Over 16 Years at a Rural Hospital in Ethiopia: A Retrospective Analysis.

PubMed

Ramos, José M; Ortiz-Martínez, Sonia; Lemma, Deriba; Petros, Matheus M; Ortiz-Martínez, Carmen; Tesfamariam, Abraham; Reyes, Francisco; Belinchón, Isabel

2018-06-01

To analyse differences in children and adolescents aged ≤18 years admitted to the leprosy ward in a rural Ethiopian hospital >16 years. We retrospectively collected data from leprosy admission registry books on patients with leprosy who were admitted to a referral hospital from September 2000 to September 2016. There were 2129 admissions for leprosy during the study period: 180 (8.4%) patients were s ≤ 18 years old. Of these, 98 (54.4%) were male and 82 (45.6%) were female. The proportion of new diagnoses in children and adolescents was 31.7%, significantly higher than in adults (11.7%; p < 0.001). There were also significant differences in the prevalence of lepromatous ulcers (46.9 vs. 61.7%), leprosy reaction (29.4 vs. 13.0%) and neuritis (16.9 vs.5.3%) between these age groups. There were more new diagnoses, leprosy reactions and neuritis, and fewer lepromatous ulcers, in children and adolescents compared with adults, with younger patients being referred more frequently to reference centres.

Frequency of Cushing's syndrome due to ACTH-secreting adrenal medullary lesions: a retrospective study over 10 years from a single center.

PubMed

Falhammar, Henrik; Calissendorff, Jan; Höybye, Charlotte

2017-01-01

Cushing's syndrome due to ectopic adrenocorticotropic hormone production from adrenal medullary lesions has occasionally been described. We retrospectively reviewed all 164 cases of Cushing's syndrome and 77 cases of pheochromocytomas during 10 years. Of all cases with Cushing's syndrome, only two cases (1.2 %) were due to ectopic adrenocorticotropic hormone production from adrenal medullary lesions (one case of pheochromocytoma and one case of adrenal medullary hyperplasia). Of all pheochromocytomas only the above-mentioned case (1.3 %) also gave rise to an ectopic adrenocorticotropic hormone syndrome. The clinical presentation of adrenocorticotropic hormone-secreting pheochromocytoma and adrenal medullary hyperplasia can be anything from mild to dramatic. These are rare conditions important to bear in mind in the workup of a patient with Cushing's syndrome or with pheochromocytoma. The identification of ectopic adrenocorticotropic hormone secretion from adrenal medullary lesions can be life-saving.

Outcomes of preterm neonates with frontal horn cysts: a retrospective study.

PubMed

Trawber, Rory; Rao, Shripada; Srinivasjois, Ravisha; Thonell, Sven; Nagarajan, Lakshmi; French, Noel; Jacoby, Peter; McMichael, Judy

2010-11-01

Isolated paraventricular frontal horn cysts are sometimes encountered on cranial ultrasound examinations of preterm neonates. The etiology and clinical significance of these lesions are unclear. The authors aimed to identify antenatal/intrapartum risk factors associated with the occurrence of these cysts and to assess developmental outcomes of preterm neonates with isolated frontal horn cysts. A retrospective cohort study with matched control design was used. A total of 28 cases were matched for gestation with 56 controls. No antenatal/intrapartum factors were associated with these cysts. At corrected age of 1 year, there was no difference in the mean general quotient between cases and controls (97.75 ± 17.28 vs 94.94 ± 9.86; P = .410). In all, 1 case and no controls had a diagnosis of cerebral palsy and 1 case and 3 controls had general quotients less than 80. The authors conclude that isolated paraventricular frontal horn cysts are benign, with no effect on neurodevelopment.

Ceftriaxone treatment of complicated urinary tract infections as a risk factor for enterococcal re-infection and prolonged hospitalization: A 6-year retrospective study.

PubMed

Karlović, Kristian; Nikolić, Jadranka; Arapović, Jurica

2018-05-05

A frequent complication during hospital stay of patients with urinary tract infections (UTIs) is a re-infection of the urinary tract after the initial improvement. In this study, we investigated the impact of two empirical antibiotic therapies on the outcomes of complicated bacterial UTIs. We retrospectively evaluated 325 adult patients hospitalized during 6 years period with a diagnosis of complicated bacterial UTIs. The patients were classified into two groups according to the antibiotic therapy: ceftriaxone- and co-amoxiclav+gentamicin-treated group. Clinical data were collected from the patient records into a designed form. Output data included information on the treatment outcome, length of stay (LOS), development of complications, and cause of re-infections. The patients treated with ceftriaxone had significantly longer LOS (p = 0.012), as well as higher occurrence of complications (p = 0.023) and urinary tract re-infections (p < 0.001), compared to co-amoxiclav+gentamicin-treated group. No significant difference was observed in the treatment outcome between the two groups (p = 0.137). The most common complication in both investigated groups were re-infections of the urinary tract, and Enterococcus spp. was detected as the cause of re-infections only in patients from ceftriaxone-treated group (40/69 patients). Out of the 40 ceftriaxone-treated patients with enterococcal urinary tract re-infections, 35 patients had one or more chronic diseases and 29 patients had urinary catheter inserted. Ceftriaxone therapy should be considered carefully in patients with complicated UTIs due to the possibility of enterococcal re-infection and consequent prolonged hospital stay.

Studies Using Single-Subject Designs in Sport Psychology: 30 Years of Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martin, G. L.; Thompson, K.; Regehr, K.

2004-01-01

A prominent feature of behavior-analytic research has been the use of single-subject designs. We examined sport psychology journals and behavioral journals published during the past 30 years, and located 40 studies using single-subject designs to assess interventions for enhancing the performance of athletes and coaches. In this paper, we…

Safety and usefulness of cryopreservation of ovarian tissue to preserve fertility: a 12-year retrospective analysis.

PubMed

Imbert, R; Moffa, F; Tsepelidis, S; Simon, P; Delbaere, A; Devreker, F; Dechene, J; Ferster, A; Veys, I; Fastrez, M; Englert, Y; Demeestere, I

2014-09-01

Do the benefits of ovarian tissue cryopreservation outweigh the risks for patients seeking to preserve fertility before gonadotoxic treatment in various indications? In >90% of the patients undergoing cryopreservation of ovarian tissue, oncological treatment was associated with a reduced ovarian reserve and in 30% of patients, premature ovarian failure (POF) occurred within 5 years. Ovarian tissue cryopreservation is an effective fertility preservation option, especially for pre-pubertal patients and patients who have a short time between diagnosis of a disease and gonadotoxic treatment. This study retrospectively analysed ovarian function and fertility recovery rates, as well as ovarian tissue characteristics, of patients who underwent ovarian tissue cryopreservation at Erasme Hospital between 1999 and 2011. A total of 225 patients referred from 15 Belgian oncological units underwent cryopreservation of ovarian tissue before gonadotoxic therapy for malignant or benign diseases. There were 28 patients (12.4%) who died during follow-up due to recurrence of disease. One severe adverse event occurred during anaesthesia for ovarian tissue collection, leading to the death of the patient. Ovarian function and fertility outcomes were available for 114 patients including 13 girls who were pre-pubertal at the time of the procedure. Eight patients had undergone ovarian tissue transplantation in order to restore their fertility after remission of the disease. Breast cancer and haematological disease were the most frequent indications for ovarian tissue cryopreservation. Overall, 90% of post-pubertal patients were diagnosed with poor ovarian reserve (AMH < 0.5 ng/ml) after a mean of 50 months of follow-up (11-125 months), including 30% with POF (FSH > 40 IU/ml). Breast cancer patients had a lower rate of POF than did post-pubertal patients with haematological diseases (11 versus 34.5%, respectively), despite the older age (mean 31 versus 23.5 years old, respectively) of the

[Pediatric medulloblastoma: Retrospective series of 52 patients].

PubMed

Vigneron, C; Antoni, D; Coca, A; Entz-Werlé, N; Lutz, P; Spiegel, A; Jannier, S; Niederst, C; Jarnet, D; Meyer, P; Kehrli, P; Noël, G

2016-04-01

Retrospective analysis of the results of 52 children irradiated for a medulloblastoma. Between 1974 and 2012, 52 children with an average age of 6 years and a half (11 months-17 years and a half) were treated with surgery then with radiotherapy at the Comprehensive Cancer Centre of Strasbourg (France). For 44 children, the treatment consisted of a chemotherapy. After a mean follow-up of 106.6 months (7-446 months), 13 relapses and 24 deaths were observed. Overall survival at 5 years and 10 years were 62% and 57%, respectively. Disease-free survival at 5 years and 10 years were 80% and 63%, respectively. Univariate analysis found the following adverse prognostic factors: the existence of a postoperative residue, the positivity of the cerebrospinal fluid, the metastatic status and medulloblastoma of high-risk. Positivity of the cerebrospinal fluid remains a negative factor in multivariate analysis. These results confirm the survival rate obtained by a conventional approach (surgery then irradiation). Insufficiency of results and rarity of medulloblastoma require the establishment of international protocols. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier SAS.

Diagnostic workup for fever of unknown origin: a multicenter collaborative retrospective study

PubMed Central

Naito, Toshio; Mizooka, Masafumi; Mitsumoto, Fujiko; Kanazawa, Kenji; Torikai, Keito; Ohno, Shiro; Morita, Hiroyuki; Ukimura, Akira; Mishima, Nobuhiko; Otsuka, Fumio; Ohyama, Yoshio; Nara, Noriko; Murakami, Kazunari; Mashiba, Kouichi; Akazawa, Kenichiro; Yamamoto, Koji; Senda, Shoichi; Yamanouchi, Masashi; Tazuma, Susumu; Hayashi, Jun

2013-01-01

Objective Fever of unknown origin (FUO) can be caused by many diseases, and varies depending on region and time period. Research on FUO in Japan has been limited to single medical institution or region, and no nationwide study has been conducted. We identified diseases that should be considered and useful diagnostic testing in patients with FUO. Design A nationwide retrospective study. Setting 17 hospitals affiliated with the Japanese Society of Hospital General Medicine. Participants This study included patients ≥18 years diagnosed with ‘classical fever of unknown origin’ (axillary temperature ≥38°C at least twice over a ≥3-week period without elucidation of a cause at three outpatient visits or during 3 days of hospitalisation) between January and December 2011. Results A total of 121 patients with FUO were enrolled. The median age was 59 years (range 19–94 years). Causative diseases were infectious disease in 28 patients (23.1%), non-infectious inflammatory disease in 37 (30.6%), malignancy in 13 (10.7%), other in 15 (12.4%) and unknown in 28 (23.1%). The median interval from fever onset to evaluation at each hospital was 28 days. The longest time required for diagnosis involved a case of familial Mediterranean fever. Tests performed included blood cultures in 86.8%, serum procalcitonin in 43.8% and positron emission tomography in 29.8% of patients. Conclusions With the widespread use of CT, FUO due to deep-seated abscess or solid tumour is decreasing markedly. Owing to the influence of the ageing population, polymyalgia rheumatica was the most frequent cause (9 patients). Four patients had FUO associated with HIV/AIDS, an important cause of FUO in Japan. In a relatively small number of cases, cause remained unclear. This may have been due to bias inherent in a retrospective study. This study identified diseases that should be considered in the differential diagnosis of FUO. PMID:24362014

Adult Education in Retrospective: 60 Years of CONFINTEA

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ireland, Timothy Denis, Comp.; Spezia, Carlos Humberto, Comp.

2014-01-01

The present document on the Sixty Years of CONFINTEA was inspired by the desire to register the long fecund history of a global movement which has spanned six decades. Official records and documents produced by and for the conferences, in particular the final reports, elaborated by UNESCO were used as an important source. This process of…

A retrospective review of required projects in systems-based practice in a single anesthesiology residency: a 10-year experience.

PubMed

Sakai, Tetsuro; Emerick, Trent D; Patel, Rita M

2015-09-01

The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education has emphasized in its core competencies and more recently, in its Milestones Project, that residents understand the importance of systems-based practice (SBP). The objectives of the study are to evaluate the quality of residents' SBP projects and to determine the degrees that were subsequently implemented. A retrospective educational observational study. A university-based anesthesiology training institution. One hundred forty-nine anesthesiology residents in their final (postgraduate year 4) year of training who completed SBP projects for the last 10 years (2004-2013). A structured SBP course was provided for postgraduate year 4 anesthesiology residents with deadlines set such as project identification, data collection, and proposal draft. Each resident's written SBP proposal received inputs by 2 members of the department executive steering committee. The SBP projects concluded with oral presentations by each resident to the department executive steering committee, who provided overall scores. All SBP projects were categorized into 7 categories: safety initiatives, economic analysis, process analysis, policy change recommendations, education initiatives, teamwork/communication, and operating room efficiency. Evaluation scores using a Likert scale (1-9, where 9 is the best) were analyzed. The rate of implementation of project ideas within the department based on the presentations to the executive committee was examined. Of 149 projects, policy change recommendations was the most frequently chosen category (46 projects; 30.9%), followed by process analysis (36 projects; 24.2%). The overall evaluation score was 7.6 ± 0.6 (mean ± SD). A total of 53 projects (35.6%) were implemented in the department. There was no statistical difference between SBPs with implementation vs SBPs without implementation in terms of evaluation scores, year of the presentation, or categories. This SBP project has given residents the

Primary localized stages I and II non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of the nasopharynx: a retrospective 17-year single institutional experience.

PubMed

Mohammadianpanah, Mohammad; Ahmadloo, Niloofar; Mozaffari, Mohammad Amin Nazer; Mosleh-Shirazi, Mohammad Amin; Omidvari, Shapour; Mosalaei, Ahmad

2009-05-01

The aim of this retrospective study was to define the natural history, clinicopathological findings, prognostic factors, and treatment outcome of 43 patients with localized stages I and II primary non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) of the nasopharynx, followed up in a single institution over a 17-year period. Forty-three (13 women and 30 men) consecutive patients with localized stages I (N = 12) and II (N = 31) primary nasopharyngeal NHL were treated in our institution between 1990 and 2007. The pathologic reports were classified according to the International Working Formulation (N = 22) or Revised European-American Lymphoma classification (N = 21). The vast majority of patients (88%) were managed with a sequential combination of chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Chemotherapy mainly consisted of 4-8 (median 6) cycles of CHOP regimen (cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine and prednisolone). Involved-field radiation therapy with a median dose of 44 Gy was delivered to the primary site and entire cervical lymph nodes. The median age of the patients was 53 years (range, 6 to 86 years). The majority of the patients (70%) had high-grade histology. B-cell types represented 67% of the cases, among which diffuse large B cell was the most common histological subtype. After a median follow-up of 70 months, the 5-year disease-free survival and overall survival were 58.8% and 70.6%, respectively. In multivariate analysis, age less than or equal to 30 years (hazard ratio (HR) = 5.32, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.69-16.76), elevated serum lactate dehydrogenase level (HR = 3.69, 95% CI = 1.43-9.51), and modified International Prognostic Index with more than or equal to two risk factors (HR = 17.99, 95% CI = 2.32-139.30) retained statistical significance. Our limited data suggest that primary nasopharyngeal NHL tends to have aggressive histology and unfavorable clinical course with poor outcome, despite a considerably localized disease at the time of presentation and high

A retrospective study of oral cysts in Nigerian children.

PubMed

Salako, N O; Taiwo, E O

1995-01-01

A retrospective analysis of oral cysts that were seen over an 11-year period in children at a dental institution in Nigeria was carried out. In general, oral cysts accounted for only 2.6% of the total biopsied lesions during the period under review. The most common oral cysts were the mucous retention cysts, the gingival cysts of infants and the dentigerous cyst. The commonest sites were the maxilla, the mandible and the floor of the mouth respectively and there was no significant difference in sex preference. Most of the cases were seen in the age group 11-16 years while the least was in the group aged 6-10 years.

Epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitors for non-small-cell lung cancer patients aged 80 years or older: A retrospective analysis

PubMed Central

NAKAO, MAKOTO; MURAMATSU, HIDEKI; SONE, KAZUKI; AOKI, SACHIKO; AKIKO, HARATA; KAGAWA, YUSUKE; SATO, HIDEFUMI; KUNIEDA, TAKEFUMI

2015-01-01

The efficacy of epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs) in elderly patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains uncertain. This retrospective study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and feasibility of EGFR-TKIs for NSCLC patients aged ≥ 80 years. We analyzed data from 21 NSCLC patients aged ≥ 80 years who were administered gefitinib and/or erlotinib between January, 2009 and December, 2014. The clinical characteristics, smoking status, type of EFGR mutation and the efficacy and toxicity of EGFR-TKIs were evaluated in these patients. In total, 14 (66.7%), 5 (23.8%) and 2 patients (9.5%) displayed partial response, stable disease and progressive disease, respectively. The median progression-free survival was 182 days, whereas the median overall survival was 371 days. Adverse events ≥ grade 2 were as follows: skin toxicities, 12 patients; liver function test abnormalities, 7 patients; anorexia, 3 patients; and diarrhea, 2 patients. Dose reduction of EGFR-TKIs due to adverse events was required in 15 patients (71.4%). Although gefitinib and erlotinib therapy may be beneficial in patients aged ≥ 80 years, EGFR-TKI dose modification may be necessary according to the overall medical condition of elderly patients. Further studies are required to evaluate our findings. PMID:25798276

Relationship between reflection ability and clinical performance: a cross-sectional and retrospective-longitudinal correlational cohort study in midwifery.

PubMed

Embo, M; Driessen, E; Valcke, M; van der Vleuten, C P M

2015-01-01

increasingly, reflection is highlighted as integral to core practice competencies but empirical research into the relationship between reflection and performance in the clinical workplace is scarce. this study investigated the relationship between reflection ability and clinical performance. we designed a cross-sectional and a retrospective-longitudinal cohort study. Data from first, second and third year midwifery students were collected to study the variables 'clinical performance' and 'reflection ability'. Data were analysed with SPSS for Windows, Release 20.0. Descriptive statistics, Pearson׳s Product Moment Correlation Coefficients (r) and r² values were computed to investigate associations between the research variables. the results showed a moderate observed correlation between reflection ability and clinical performance scores. When adopting a cross-sectional perspective, all correlation values were significant (p<0.01) and above 0.4, with the exception of the third year correlations. Assuming perfect reliability in the measurement, the adjusted correlations, for year 2 and year 3 indicated a high association between reflection ability and clinical performance (>0.6). The results based on the retrospective-longitudinal data set explained a moderate proportion of the variance after correction for attenuation. Finally, the results indicate that 'reflection ability' scores of earlier years are significant related with 'clinical performance' scores of subsequent years. These results suggest that (1) reflection ability is linked to clinical performance; (2) that written reflections are an important, but not the sole way to assess professional competence and that (3) reflection is a contributor to clinical performance improvement. the data showed a moderate but significant relationship between 'reflection ability' and 'clinical performance' scores in clinical practice of midwifery students. Reflection therefore seems an important component of professional

Retrospective Analog Year Analyses Using NASA Satellite Precipitation and Soil Moisture Data to Improve USDA's World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Teng, W. L.; Shannon, H.

2010-12-01

The USDA World Agricultural Outlook Board (WAOB) coordinates the development of the monthly World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) for the U.S. and major foreign producing countries. Given the significant effect of weather on crop progress, conditions, and production, WAOB prepares frequent agricultural weather assessments in the Global Agricultural Decision Support Environment (GLADSE). Because the timing of the precipitation is often as important as the amount, in their effects on crop production, WAOB frequently examines precipitation time series to estimate crop productivity. An effective method for such assessment is the use of analog year comparisons, where precipitation time series, based on surface weather stations, from several historical years are compared with the time series from the current year. Once analog years are identified, crop yields can be estimated for the current season based on observed yields from the analog years, because of the similarities in the precipitation patterns. In this study, NASA satellite precipitation and soil moisture time series are used to identify analog years. Given that soil moisture often has a more direct effect than does precipitation on crop water availability, the time series of soil moisture could be more effective than that of precipitation, in identifying those years with similar crop yields. Retrospective analyses of analogs will be conducted to determine any reduction in the level of uncertainty in identifying analog years, and any reduction in false negatives or false positives. The comparison of analog years could potentially be improved by quantifying the selection of analogs, instead of the current visual inspection method. Various approaches to quantifying are currently being evaluated. This study is part of a larger effort to improve WAOB estimates by integrating NASA remote sensing soil moisture observations and research results into GLADSE, including (1) the integration of the Land

Two-year continuation of intrauterine devices and contraceptive implants in a mixed-payer setting: a retrospective review.

PubMed

Sanders, Jessica N; Turok, David K; Gawron, Lori M; Law, Amy; Wen, Lonnie; Lynen, Richard

2017-06-01

As the popularity of long-acting reversible contraception increases, so does the need for accurate data on method continuation in diverse clinical settings. We determined 2-year continuation rates for the levonorgestrel 52-mg intrauterine device, the copper T380A intrauterine device, and the 68-mg etonogestrel contraceptive implant in an academic healthcare system with mixed-payer reimbursement. The purpose of this study was to examine the proportion and characteristics of women who continue intrauterine device and implant use to 2 years and to relate continuation to device type when controlling for patient characteristics. This retrospective chart review assessed University of Utah Healthcare System patients who had an intrauterine device or contraceptive implant inserted between January 1, 2004, and December 31, 2012. We identified users and dates of insertions and removals by querying billing, medication, and procedural data in the Electronic Data Warehouse. Multivariable Poisson regression was conducted to estimate incidence risk ratios and to relate the probability of 2-year continuous use to device type. Data on 8603 device insertions were obtained with the following distribution: levonorgestrel 52-mg intrauterine devices (6459; 75.1%), copper T380A intrauterine devices (1136; 13.2%), and 68-mg etonogestrel implant (1008; 11.7%). Two-year continuation rates were 77.8%, 73.1%, and 75.9%, respectively. There was no statistical difference in 2-year continuation between levonorgestrel 52-mg intrauterine device users (adjusted risk ratio, 1.1; 95% confidence interval, 1.0-1.1) and 68-mg etonogestrel implant users (adjusted risk ratio, 1.1; 95% confidence interval, 1.0-1.1) compared with copper device users, after we controlled for age, Hispanic ethnicity, payer type, and year of insertion. Older-age, self-pay, or public payer insurance (reference commercial payer) and Hispanic ethnicity were associated with 2-year continuation. Three-quarters of women with an

Causal Inference in Retrospective Studies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holland, Paul W.; Rubin, Donald B.

1988-01-01

The problem of drawing causal inferences from retrospective case-controlled studies is considered. A model for causal inference in prospective studies is applied to retrospective studies. Limitations of case-controlled studies are formulated concerning relevant parameters that can be estimated in such studies. A coffee-drinking/myocardial…

[Anthropometric data, fetal and neonatal complications in infants of diabetic mothers. Results of a 10-year retrospective study].

PubMed

H Nagy, Katalin; Pomucz, János; Varga, Richárd; Szabó, Edit; Soltész, Gyula

2013-02-03

Disturbances in carbohydrate metabolism during pregnancy may result in harmful fetal and neonatal consequences. To assess the fetal and neonatal complications of pregnancy in mothers with gestational and pregestational diabetes during a 10-year period in a county hospital in Hungary. Retrospective analysis of infants of diabetic mothers admitted to the neonatal unit between 2001 and 2010. 32% of the infants were transferred to the neonatal unit. Neonatal macrosomia (birth weight >90 centile) was observed in one quarter of the infants. 39% of the infants developed hypoglycemia (blood glucose <2.6 mmol/l), in the majority of the cases within the first 8 hours. Hypoglycaemia was symptomatic in 55% of the infants. Hypocalcemia was observed in 17%, hyperviscosity in 23%, hyperbilirubinaemia in 32%, respiratory distress syndrome and/or transient tachypnoe in 22% and cardiac complications in 13% of the infants. 10% of the inafnts were affected with birth injuries. Congenital anomalies were seen in 17% of the cases, and severe malformations were present in 4% of the infants. Despite modern diabetes management, there is still a higher incidence of fetal macrosomia, adverse neonatal outcomes and a higher rate of severe congenital malformations in neonates of diabetic mothers.

Design Experiments in Educational Research.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cobb, Paul; Confrey, Jere; diSessa, Andrea; Lehrer, Richard; Schauble, Leona

2003-01-01

Indicates the range of purposes and variety of settings in which design experiments have been conducted, delineating five crosscutting features that collectively differentiate design experiments from other methodologies. Clarifies what is involved in preparing for and carrying out a design experiment and in conducting a retrospective analysis of…

High adherence to the ‘Wise List’ treatment recommendations in Stockholm: a 15-year retrospective review of a multifaceted approach promoting rational use of medicines

PubMed Central

Gustafsson, Lars L; Ateva, Kristina; Bastholm-Rahmner, Pia; Ovesjö, Marie-Louise; Jirlow, Malena; Juhasz-Haverinen, Maria; Lärfars, Gerd; Malmström, Rickard E; Wettermark, Björn; Andersén-Karlsson, Eva

2017-01-01

Objectives To present the ‘Wise List’ (a formulary of essential medicines for primary and specialised care in Stockholm Healthcare Region) and assess adherence to the recommendations over a 15-year period. Design Retrospective analysis of all prescription data in the Stockholm Healthcare Region between 2000 and 2015 in relation to the Wise List recommendations during the same time period. Setting All outpatient care in the Stockholm Healthcare Region. Participants All prescribers in the Stockholm Healthcare Region. Main outcome measures The number of core and complementary substances included in the Wise List, the adherence to recommendations by Anatomic Therapeutic Chemical (ATC) 1st level using defined daily doses (DDDs) adjusted to the DDD for 2015, adherence to recommendations over time measured by dispensed prescriptions yearly between 2002 and 2015. Results The number of recommended core substances was stable (175–212). Overall adherence to the recommendations for core medicines for all prescribers increased from 75% to 84% (2000 to 2015). The adherence to recommendations in primary care for core medicines increased from 80% to 90% (2005 to 2015) with decreasing range in practice variation (32% to 13%). Hospital prescriber adherence to core medicine recommendations was stable but increased for the combination core and complementary medicines from 77% to 88% (2007 to 2015). Adherence varied between the 4 therapeutic areas studied. Conclusions High and increasing adherence to the Wise List recommendations was seen for all prescriber categories. The transparent process for developing recommendations involving respected experts and clinicians using strict criteria for handling potential conflicts of interests, feedback to prescribers, continuous medical education and financial incentives are possible contributing factors. High-quality evidence-based recommendations to prescribers, such as the Wise List, disseminated through a multifaceted approach, will

Efficiency Study of NLS Base-Year Design. RTI-22U-884-3.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moore, R. P.; And Others

An efficiency study was conducted of the base year design used for the National Longitudinal Study of the High School Class of 1972 (NLS). Finding the optimal design involved a search for the numbers of sample schools and students that would maximize the variance at a given cost. Twenty-one variables describing students' plans, attitudes,…

A half century retrospective study of homicide-suicide in Geneva--Switzerland: 1956-2005.

PubMed

Shiferaw, Kebede; Burkhardt, Sandra; Lardi, Christelle; Mangin, Patrice; La Harpe, Romano

2010-02-01

This study provides a retrospective review from the forensic files of the University Centre of Legal Medicine in Western Switzerland in Geneva, from January 1956 to December 2005. The studied homicide-suicide cases cover a period of half a century (50 years). As a rule, all police-ordered forensic examinations of violent death cases in the Canton of Geneva are conducted by the University Centre of Legal Medicine. All of the data necessary for an exhaustive retrospective study are thus readily available. During the period covered in this work, 228 homicides were perpetrated in Geneva. In 23 cases, the homicide was followed by the suicide of the aggressor. The 34 victims of these homicides (18 women, 1 man and 15 children) had either an intimate or filial relationship with the perpetrator. Most of the suicidal perpetrators were men that killed their spouses or intimate partners, with children as additional victims in some cases. Shooting was the most common means to kill, followed by stabbing. The majority of the victims and perpetrators were Swiss nationals. This retrospective study shows that in the last 50 years, homicide-suicide cases in the Canton of Geneva have been a rare and an episodic phenomena with a very variable frequency from 1 year to another. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.

Ultrasound-guided therapeutic injections for neural pathology about the foot and ankle: a 4 year retrospective review.

PubMed

Walter, William R; Burke, Christopher J; Adler, Ronald S

2017-06-01

To describe a 4-year clinical experience with ultrasound-guided therapeutic perineural injections of peripheral nerves about the foot and ankle. Retrospective analysis of foot and ankle perineural injections performed between January 2012 and August 2016. Demographics, clinical indications, presence of structural pathology, immediate and interval pain relief, as well as complications were recorded. Fifty-nine therapeutic injections were performed among 46 patients, accounting for multiple injections in a single visit or multiple visits [mean age = 43 years (range 18-75), 31 female (67%) and 15 male (33%)]. Most commonly, perineural injections involved the hallux branch of the medial plantar nerve (n = 17, 22%). Least commonly, perineural injections involved the saphenous nerve (n = 3, 4%). Other injections in our series include sural (10), superficial (11) and deep (7) peroneal, medial (5) and lateral (3) plantar nerves, and the posterior tibial nerve (3). Ultrasound evaluation revealed structural abnormality associated with the nerve in 30 cases (51%)-most commonly thickening with perineural scarring (n = 14). Of 45 injections with complete documentation, immediate relief of symptoms was reported in 43 (96%) cases. Interval symptom relief was achieved in 23 injections [short term (n = 12), intermediate (n = 6), and long term (n = 5)] out of 38 for which follow-up was available (61%). Complications are rare, occurring in only one case. Ultrasound-guided perineural injections about the foot and ankle are safe and provide lasting symptomatic relief for many indications. Concomitant sonographic evaluation identifies structural abnormalities that may contribute to neuropathic symptoms, allowing targeting of injection or clinical therapy.

Mortality rates at 10 years after metal-on-metal hip resurfacing compared with total hip replacement in England: retrospective cohort analysis of hospital episode statistics

PubMed Central

Kendal, Adrian R; Prieto-Alhambra, Daniel; Arden, Nigel K; Judge, Andrew

2013-01-01

Objectives To compare 10 year mortality rates among patients undergoing metal-on-metal hip resurfacing and total hip replacement in England. Design Retrospective cohort study. Setting English hospital episode statistics database linked to mortality records from the Office for National Statistics. Population All adults who underwent primary elective hip replacement for osteoarthritis from April 1999 to March 2012. The exposure of interest was prosthesis type: cemented total hip replacement, uncemented total hip replacement, and metal-on-metal hip resurfacing. Confounding variables included age, sex, Charlson comorbidity index, rurality, area deprivation, surgical volume, and year of operation. Main outcome measures All cause mortality. Propensity score matching was used to minimise confounding by indication. Kaplan-Meier plots estimated the probability of survival up to 10 years after surgery. Multilevel Cox regression modelling, stratified on matched sets, described the association between prosthesis type and time to death, accounting for variation across hospital trusts. Results 7437 patients undergoing metal-on-metal hip resurfacing were matched to 22 311 undergoing cemented total hip replacement; 8101 patients undergoing metal-on-metal hip resurfacing were matched to 24 303 undergoing uncemented total hip replacement. 10 year rates of cumulative mortality were 271 (3.6%) for metal-on-metal hip resurfacing versus 1363 (6.1%) for cemented total hip replacement, and 239 (3.0%) for metal-on-metal hip resurfacing versus 999 (4.1%) for uncemented total hip replacement. Patients undergoing metal-on-metal hip resurfacing had an increased survival probability (hazard ratio 0.51 (95% confidence interval 0.45 to 0.59) for cemented hip replacement; 0.55 (0.47 to 0.65) for uncemented hip replacement). There was no evidence for an interaction with age or sex. Conclusions Patients with hip osteoarthritis undergoing metal-on-metal hip resurfacing have reduced mortality in

Earned-secure attachment status in retrospect and prospect.

PubMed

Roisman, Glenn L; Padrón, Elena; Sroufe, L Alan; Egeland, Byron

2002-01-01

Past research with the Berkeley Adult Attachment Interview demonstrates that retrospectively defined earned-secures (who coherently describe negative childhood experiences) parent as effectively as do continuous-secures (who coherently describe positive childhood experiences), but manifest liabilities in the form of depressive symptomatology. This article presents data from a 23-year longitudinal study that replicate and extend prior research, testing a key premise that earned-secures so defined actually have a history of insecure attachments that change over time and/or endure consistently harsh or ineffective parenting in their youth. Discrepant with assumptions, retrospective earned-secures were not more likely than continuous-secures to have been anxiously attached in infancy and were observed in childhood and adolescence to have encountered among the most supportive and structured maternal parenting in a high-risk sample. Prospectively defined earned-secures (operationalized using participants' infant attachment classifications) did indeed go on to have success in their close relationships, many without reporting relatively high levels of internalizing distress in adulthood.

Progress in Biomedical Knowledge Discovery: A 25-year Retrospective

PubMed Central

Sacchi, L.

2016-01-01

Summary Objectives We sought to explore, via a systematic review of the literature, the state of the art of knowledge discovery in biomedical databases as it existed in 1992, and then now, 25 years later, mainly focused on supervised learning. Methods We performed a rigorous systematic search of PubMed and latent Dirichlet allocation to identify themes in the literature and trends in the science of knowledge discovery in and between time periods and compare these trends. We restricted the result set using a bracket of five years previous, such that the 1992 result set was restricted to articles published between 1987 and 1992, and the 2015 set between 2011 and 2015. This was to reflect the current literature available at the time to researchers and others at the target dates of 1992 and 2015. The search term was framed as: Knowledge Discovery OR Data Mining OR Pattern Discovery OR Pattern Recognition, Automated. Results A total 538 and 18,172 documents were retrieved for 1992 and 2015, respectively. The number and type of data sources increased dramatically over the observation period, primarily due to the advent of electronic clinical systems. The period 1992-2015 saw the emergence of new areas of research in knowledge discovery, and the refinement and application of machine learning approaches that were nascent or unknown in 1992. Conclusions Over the 25 years of the observation period, we identified numerous developments that impacted the science of knowledge discovery, including the availability of new forms of data, new machine learning algorithms, and new application domains. Through a bibliometric analysis we examine the striking changes in the availability of highly heterogeneous data resources, the evolution of new algorithmic approaches to knowledge discovery, and we consider from legal, social, and political perspectives possible explanations of the growth of the field. Finally, we reflect on the achievements of the past 25 years to consider what the

Progress in Biomedical Knowledge Discovery: A 25-year Retrospective.

PubMed

Sacchi, L; Holmes, J H

2016-08-02

We sought to explore, via a systematic review of the literature, the state of the art of knowledge discovery in biomedical databases as it existed in 1992, and then now, 25 years later, mainly focused on supervised learning. We performed a rigorous systematic search of PubMed and latent Dirichlet allocation to identify themes in the literature and trends in the science of knowledge discovery in and between time periods and compare these trends. We restricted the result set using a bracket of five years previous, such that the 1992 result set was restricted to articles published between 1987 and 1992, and the 2015 set between 2011 and 2015. This was to reflect the current literature available at the time to researchers and others at the target dates of 1992 and 2015. The search term was framed as: Knowledge Discovery OR Data Mining OR Pattern Discovery OR Pattern Recognition, Automated. A total 538 and 18,172 documents were retrieved for 1992 and 2015, respectively. The number and type of data sources increased dramatically over the observation period, primarily due to the advent of electronic clinical systems. The period 1992- 2015 saw the emergence of new areas of research in knowledge discovery, and the refinement and application of machine learning approaches that were nascent or unknown in 1992. Over the 25 years of the observation period, we identified numerous developments that impacted the science of knowledge discovery, including the availability of new forms of data, new machine learning algorithms, and new application domains. Through a bibliometric analysis we examine the striking changes in the availability of highly heterogeneous data resources, the evolution of new algorithmic approaches to knowledge discovery, and we consider from legal, social, and political perspectives possible explanations of the growth of the field. Finally, we reflect on the achievements of the past 25 years to consider what the next 25 years will bring with regard to the

Retrospective serological survey of Porcine circovirus-2 infection in Mexico

PubMed Central

Ramírez-Mendoza, Humberto; Castillo-Juárez, Héctor; Hernández, Jesús; Correa, Pablo; Segalés, Joaquim

2009-01-01

Postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS) is considered a multifactorial emerging disease of which Porcine circovirus-2 (PCV-2) is the necessary infectious cause. However, retrospective studies have shown that PMWS is not a new disease and that PCV-2 has been circulating in pig farms for years. Most of these studies were performed in Europe and Asia; only a few were performed in North or South America. A PCV-2 retrospective serological survey was carried out with 659 serum samples collected from pigs in Mexico between 1972 and 2000. Serological analyses were performed with an immunoperoxidase monolayer assay (IPMA). The overall prevalence of PCV-2 antibodies was 59% (387/659); the prevalence was 27% (24/90) for the period from 1972–1979; 44% (74/169) from 1980–1989, and 72% (289/400) from 1990–2000. Antibodies to PCV-2 were detected in at least 1 pig from all tested years since 1973. This study shows evidence of enzootic PCV-2 infection in Mexico for many years before the first description of PMWS in the country (in 2001), further supporting results obtained in other parts of the world. To date, this study provides the earliest evidence of PCV-2 infection in the North and South American continents. PMID:19337391

Antibiotic resistance of Helicobacter pylori in Chinese children: A multicenter retrospective study over 7 years.

PubMed

Li, Lan; Ke, Yini; Yu, Chaohui; Li, Guogang; Yang, Ningmin; Zhang, Jianzhong; Li, Youming

2017-06-01

To determine the prevalence of resistance to metronidazole, clarithromycin, levofloxacin, amoxicillin, and furazolidone in Helicobacter pylori isolated from Chinese children. This multicenter retrospective study was conducted from January 2009 to December 2015. A total of 1746 isolates of H. pylori were collected from nine areas of Zhejiang province in the southeast coastal region of China. H. pylori strains were examined for antibiotics susceptibility by agar dilution method. The resistance rates were 75.20% for metronidazole, 16.38% for clarithromycin, 6.70% for levofloxacin, 0.06% for amoxicillin, and 0.06% for furazolidone. The pattern of H. pylori antibiotic resistance demonstrated no significant changes in the rates of resistance to clarithromycin, amoxicillin, furazolidone, and metronidazole over 7 years. A significant trend of increasing resistance to metronidazole was observed as children aged, but a downward trend in clarithromycin resistance was observed as children aged. No difference in the resistance to other antibiotics was observed among different age groups. Also, there was no significant difference between male and female subjects in rates of resistance to these five types of antibiotics. The predominant dual resistance to metronidazole and clarithromycin was presented in 10.65% of the isolates. The resistance rates of H. pylori in children from southeast coastal region of China were very high to metronidazole, moderate to clarithromycin and levofloxacin, and low to amoxicillin and furazolidone. It is important to continue monitoring the resistance profiles of H. pylori isolated in this region. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Clinical presentation and epidemiology of brain tumors firstly diagnosed in adults in the Emergency Department: a 10-year, single center retrospective study.

PubMed

Comelli, Ivan; Lippi, Giuseppe; Campana, Valentina; Servadei, Franco; Cervellin, Gianfranco

2017-07-01

Several patients with new onset brain tumors present to the Emergency Department (ED) complaining for new symptoms. Although information exists on symptom prevalence in the entire population of patients with brain tumors, little is known about the clinical presentation in ED. This retrospective study was planned to investigate clinical presentation and epidemiology of brain tumors firstly diagnosed in a large urban ED throughout a 10-year period. All medical records of patients aged ≥18 years, discharged from our ED with a diagnosis of brain tumor were retrieved from the electronic hospital database during a 10-year period (2006 to 2015). The records were reassessed for selecting only brain tumors firstly diagnosed in the ED. The symptoms at presentation were divided in six categories: (I) headache; (II) seizures; (III) focal signs; (IV) altered mental status; (V) nausea/vomiting/dizziness; (VI) trauma. For all cases, the hospital record was retrieved, to obtain histologic classification of tumors. Patients with inflammatory neoformations were excluded from the study. Overall, 205 patients with firstly diagnosed brain tumor were identified among 870,135 ED visits (i.e., <1%). Glial tumors were the most frequent (50% of the entire sample). No significant differences were found between mean age of patients in the different histologically based groups (meningiomas 66±14; glioblastomas 65±16 years; metastases 66±13 years; other miscellaneous 66±19 years). Focal signs accounted for more than 50% of all presentation signs/symptoms. First presentation of brain tumor in the ED is not a rare occurrence, so that the emergency physicians should be aware of this possibility.

Lunokhod 2 - A retrospective Glance after 30 Years

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gromov, V.; Kemurdjian, A.; Bogatchev, A.; Koutcherenko, V.; Malenkov, M.; Matrossov, S.; Vladykin, S.; Petriga, V.; Khakhanov, Y.

2003-04-01

30 years have passed since the second Soviet research Lunokhod-2 rover landed on the Moon on January 16, 1973 within the framework of the Luna-21 mission. Scientific explorations of the lunar surface and space, begun with the Lunokhod-1 rover (1970-1971), were continued with Lunokhod-2. Creation of Lunokhod-1 and Lunokhod-2 marked realization of direction on study of planets using mobile self-propelled robots. Other direction connected with using planetary rovers to transport astronauts, scientific equipment and weights was realized as a result of creation of the American LRV lunar rover. Astronauts during Apollo-15 (1971), Apollo-15 (1972) and Apollo-15 (1972) missions used it. Programs of operation for Lunokhod-1,-2 on the Moon envisaged investigations of topographic and morphological peculiarities of the terrain, determination of the chemical composition and physical and mechanical properties of soil, experiments on the laser detection and ranging of the Moon and, etc. Successful fulfilment of programs was ensured, to a considerable extent, with the self-propelled chassis developed at VNIITRANSMASH to order of the Lavochkin Scientific and Production Association (NPOL). The chassis, on the one hand, ensured necessary cross-country ability for Lunokhod-1,-2, on the other hand, it was as the independent scientific instrument, which provided investigation as temperature measurement of the lunar surface, surface topography and craters distribution, physical and mechanical properties of soil with the special PROP instrument equipped with the penetrometer, chassis traction-cohesive characteristics, upper surface layer by a character its deformation by the mover, etc. A number of improvements of Lunokhod-2 improving its operating characteristics were performed on the basis of results of Lunokhod-1 operation. Lunokhod-1,-2 operation confirmed that automatic mobile robots can be used as effective means for studying planets and their satellites. At the same time, an

Changes in the edentulous maxilla with ball and telescopic attachments of implant-retained mandibular overdentures: a 4-year retrospective study.

PubMed

Elsyad, Moustafa Abdou; Khairallah, Ahmed Samir; Shawky, Ahmad Fathalla

2013-07-01

This retrospective study investigated the clinical and radiographic changes in the edentulous maxilla in patients with either ball or telescopic attachments of implantretained mandibular overdentures. Thirty-two completely edentulous patients (21 males and 11 females) received two implants in the canine region of the mandible. New maxillary complete dentures and mandibular overdentures were fabricated. Overdentures were connected to the implants either with ball (group 1, n = 16) or telescopic (group 2, n = 16) attachments. Retention and stability of the maxillary denture as well as mucosal changes of the maxillary ridge were recorded after 4 years of denturewearing. Traced rotational tomograms were used for measurements of maxillary alveolar bone loss. The proportional value between bone areas and areas of reference not subject to resorption was expressed as a ratio (R). Change in R immediately before (T0) and after 4 years (T4) of overdenture insertion was calculated for the anterior and posterior regions of the maxilla. After 4 years of denture-wearing, maxillary denture retention was significantly higher in group 1 than in group 2, while occurrence of flabby ridges was significantly higher in group 2 than in group 1. The change in R of the anterior region of the maxilla was significantly higher than the change in the posterior region in both groups. Group 2 showed significant anterior residual ridge resorption compared to group 1. Telescopic attachments for implant-retained mandibular overdentures are associated with increased maxillary ridge resorption and flabbiness, and decreased maxillary denture retention when compared to ball attachments.

Proposed Curriculum Design for a 2-Year College of Technology.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Yen-Zen

This paper presents a curriculum-oriented model focusing on curriculum revision of the design and structures of two-year academic institutes of technology. This research uses the Department of Business and Technology Management, which is being set up in the Far East Institute of Technology (Taiwan), as an example and works out the new models…

Spectrum of ocular firework injuries in children: A 5-year retrospective study during a festive season in Southern India.

PubMed

John, Deepa; Philip, Swetha Sara; Mittal, Rashmi; John, Sheeja Susan; Paul, Padma

2015-11-01

Ocular trauma is a major cause of acquired monocular blindness in children. Firework injuries account for 20% of ocular trauma. The purpose of our study was to document the profile of ocular firework injuries in children during the festive season of Diwali and to determine the prevalence of unilateral blindness in them. A retrospective chart analysis of ocular firework injury in children during the festival of Diwali from 2009 to 2013, conducted in a tertiary care eye center in Tamil Nadu, Southern India. Children below 18 years of age with ocular firework injuries who presented to the emergency department for 3 consecutive days - the day of Diwali, 1 day before, and 1 day after Diwali - were included in this study. Eighty-four children presented with firework-related ocular injuries during the study period. Male to female ratio was 4:1 with mean age 9.48 ± 4 years. Forty-four percentage required hospitalization. The prevalence of unilateral blindness in children due to fireworks was found to be 8% (95% confidence interval - 2-13%). Vision 2020 gives high priority to avoidable blindness, especially in children. In our study, for every 12 children who presented with firecracker injury, one resulted in unilateral blindness. This is an avoidable cause of blindness. Awareness needs to be created, and changes in policy regarding sales and handling of firecrackers including mandatory use of protective eyewear should be considered.

Spectrum of ocular firework injuries in children: A 5-year retrospective study during a festive season in Southern India

PubMed Central

John, Deepa; Philip, Swetha Sara; Mittal, Rashmi; John, Sheeja Susan; Paul, Padma

2015-01-01

Purpose: Ocular trauma is a major cause of acquired monocular blindness in children. Firework injuries account for 20% of ocular trauma. The purpose of our study was to document the profile of ocular firework injuries in children during the festive season of Diwali and to determine the prevalence of unilateral blindness in them. Materials and Methods: A retrospective chart analysis of ocular firework injury in children during the festival of Diwali from 2009 to 2013, conducted in a tertiary care eye center in Tamil Nadu, Southern India. Children below 18 years of age with ocular firework injuries who presented to the emergency department for 3 consecutive days - the day of Diwali, 1 day before, and 1 day after Diwali - were included in this study. Results: Eighty-four children presented with firework-related ocular injuries during the study period. Male to female ratio was 4:1 with mean age 9.48 ± 4 years. Forty-four percentage required hospitalization. The prevalence of unilateral blindness in children due to fireworks was found to be 8% (95% confidence interval - 2–13%). Conclusion: Vision 2020 gives high priority to avoidable blindness, especially in children. In our study, for every 12 children who presented with firecracker injury, one resulted in unilateral blindness. This is an avoidable cause of blindness. Awareness needs to be created, and changes in policy regarding sales and handling of firecrackers including mandatory use of protective eyewear should be considered. PMID:26669336

Accuracy of Recalled Body Weight – A Study with 20-years of Follow-up

PubMed Central

Dahl, Anna K; Reynolds, Chandra A

2013-01-01

Objective Weight changes may be an important indicator of an ongoing pathological process. Retrospective self-report might be the only possibility to capture prior weight. The objective of the study was to evaluate the accuracy of retrospective recall of body weight in old age and factors that might predict accuracy. Design and Methods In 2007, 646 participants (mean age, 71.6 years) of the Swedish Adoption/Twin Study of Aging (SATSA) answered questions about their present weight and how much they weighed 20-years ago. Of these, 436 had self-reported their weight twenty years earlier and among these 134 had also had their weight assessed at this time point. Results Twenty year retrospectively recalled weight underestimated the prior assessed weight by −1.89 ± 5.9 kg and underestimated prior self-reported weight by −0.55 ± 5.2 kg. Moreover, 82.4% of the sample were accurate within 10%, and 45.8% were accurate within 5% of their prior assessed weights; similarly, 84.2% and 58.0 % were accurate within 10% and 5% respectively, for prior self-reported weight. Current higher body mass index and preferences of reporting weights ending with zero or five was associated with an underestimation of prior weight, while greater weight change over 20 year, and low Mini-Mental State Scores (MMSE) (<25) led to an overestimation of prior weight. Conclusions Recalled weight comes close to the assessed population mean, but at the individual level there is a large variation. The accuracy is affected by current BMI, changes in weight, end-digit preferences, and current cognitive ability. Recalled weight should be used with caution. PMID:23913738

A 16-year retrospective study of dacryocystitis in adult patients in the Moldavia Region, Romania.

PubMed

Costea, Claudia Florida; Dumitrescu, Gabriela FlorenŢa; Turliuc, Mihaela Dana; Dimitriu, Gabriela; Chihaia, Mădălina Adriana; Indrei, Lucia; Dumitrescu, Nicoleta; Cucu, Andrei; Cărăuleanu, Alexandru; Gavrilescu, Cristina Maria; Costache, Irina Iuliana

2017-01-01

Chronic dacryocystitis (CD) is an inflammation of the lacrimal sac and nasolacrimal duct with a long-standing evolution. The aims of this study were to analyze the epidemiology and to evaluate the histopathological features and the chronic inflammation score (CIS) system of chronic dacryocystitis in the region of Moldavia, Romania, over a period of 16 years. We conducted a retrospective descriptive analysis of all pathological reports of chronic dacryocystitis from the Department of Pathology, "Prof. Dr. Nicolae Oblu" Emergency Clinical Hospital, Iasi, Romania, between January 1, 1999 and December 31, 2015, with the final application of CIS. We also recorded the demographic information of patients and lesion localizations. Eighteen cases of CD were identified, with a female:male ratio of 8:1. Patient median age was 66.27 years (range 33-83 years), 55.55% being in their eighth and ninth decade of life. A non-systemized growth trend starting with 2002 could be identified. Microscopically, several histopathological features were identified, some of them being associated: epithelial lining hyperplasia with pseudopapillary folds (77.77% of the cases), epithelial invaginations in the submucosa (11.11%), squamous metaplasia (16.66%) or partial denudation (33.33%). The sac wall revealed chronic diffusion (88.88%) or nodular lymphocytic inflammation (11.11%). 5.55% of cases presented fibrosis in the lacrimal sac wall with few lymphocytes. Applying CIS system, the majority of cases (13 patients, 72.22%) were identified with moderate chronic inflammation, only one case (5.55%) pointed out a mild degree of inflammation with a CIS<3, but four (22.22%) cases showed severe inflammatory changes with a CIS>6. In our region, CD is more frequent in senior women, probably due to their deficient immune system. Histological specimens of CD are not commonly found in practice of pathologists, but when the histological sections are analyzed they reflect a multitude of aspects that need to

Retrospective Correlates for Bulimia Nervosa: A Matched Case-Control Study.

PubMed

Gonçalves, Sónia; Machado, Barbara C; Martins, Carla; Hoek, Hans W; Machado, Paulo P P

2016-05-01

There have been few studies investigating the risk factors for bulimia nervosa (BN), and most have been in Anglo-Saxon countries. This study aimed to (i) replicate the uncontested retrospective correlates for BN and clarify the role of factors with inconsistent findings and (ii) evaluate the strength of these factors in a different culture. A case-control design was used to compare 60 women who met the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition criteria for BN to 60 healthy controls and 60 participants with other psychiatric disorders. Retrospective correlates were assessed by interviewing each person with the Oxford Risk Factor Interview. The primary retrospective correlates identified from the comparison of BN participants to healthy controls were general high maternal expectations, negative attitudes about parental weight and obesity in childhood and adolescence. Compared with participants with other psychiatric disorders, those with BN also reported higher rates of childhood obesity, deliberate self-harm, family conflicts, general high maternal expectations and feeling fat in childhood. The common findings across cultures suggest that, at least, individuals subjectively experience a number of similar factors that increase risk for developing BN. In addition, the difference regarding self-harm is notable. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association.

Linking First-Year and Senior Engineering Design Teams: Engaging Early Academic Career Students in Engineering Design

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fox, Garey A.; Weckler, Paul; Thomas, Dan

2015-01-01

In Biosystems Engineering at Oklahoma State University, senior design is a two semester course in which students work on real-world projects provided by clients. First-year (freshmen and trans­fer) students enroll in an introductory engineering course. Historically, these students worked on a team-based analysis project, and the engineering design…

Factors associated with physicians’ choice of a career in research: A retrospective report 15 years after medical school graduation

PubMed Central

Krupat, Edward; Camargo, Carlos A.; Strewler, Gordon J.; Espinola, Janice A.; Fleenor, Thomas J.; Dienstag, Jules L.

2016-01-01

Relatively little is known regarding factors associated with the choice of a research career among practicing physicians, and most investigations of this issue have been conducted in the absence of a theoretical/conceptual model. Therefore we designed a survey to identify the determinants of decisions to pursue a biomedical research career based upon the Theory of Planned Behavior and the concept of stereotype threat. From October 2012 through January 2014 electronic surveys were sent to four consecutive Harvard Medical School graduating classes, 1996-1999. Respondents provided demographic information, indicated their current research involvement, and provided retrospective reports of their experiences and attitudes when they were making career choices as they completed medical school. Multivariable ordinal regression was used to identify factors independently associated with current research involvement. Completed questionnaires were received from 358 respondents (response rate 65%). In unadjusted analyses, variables associated with more extensive research involvement included non-minority status, male gender, lower debt at graduation, strong attitudes toward research at time of graduation, and greater social pressures to pursue research (all P<.001). These associations remained significant in multivariable regression analysis (all P<0.01). However, an interaction between sex and prior research publications was also detected, indicating that more extensive research involvement during medical school doubled the likelihood of a research career for women (OR 2.53, 95%CI 1.00-6.40; P=0.05). Most of the factors predicting research career choice involve factors that are potentially modifiable, suggesting that appropriately designed behavioral interventions may help to expand the size and diversity of the biomedical research community. PMID:27112959

A retrospective 3- to 5-year study of the reconstruction of oral function using implant-supported prostheses in patients with hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia.

PubMed

Zou, Duohong; Wu, Yiqun; Wang, Xu Dong; Huang, Wei; Zhang, Zhiyong; Zhang, Zhiyuan

2014-10-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate oral function rehabilitation in patients with hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia (HED) using implant-supported prostheses based on bone augmentation. From September 2005 and March 2009, 25 HED patients were chosen for clinical data analysis in this study. The criteria for patient selection included the following: the display of clinical features of HED, the number of congenitally missing teeth (>5), the patient age (>16 years), the patient's willingness, and the patient's tolerance for bone graft surgery and implant placement. Follow-up evaluations were initiated from the time of implant prosthetic placement and scheduled annually for 3-5 years. The effects of oral function reconstruction were assessed based on the cumulative survival and success rates of implants, the health of the peri-implant area, and the degree of patient satisfaction. Twenty-five HED patients received 169 conventional implants and 10 zygomatic implants (179 total implants). During 3-5 years of post-loading evaluations, 5 of the 179 implants failed and 3 implants were removed. The 3-year success and cumulative survival rates were 97.2% and 98.3%, respectively. Furthermore, periodontal probing and radiographic assessments showed that the 3-year incidence of peri-implantitis was 4.5%. Finally, HED patients expressed high degrees of satisfaction with their facial contours, masticatory function, pronunciation ability, and comfort with the implant-supported prostheses. The results of this 3- to 5-year retrospective study indicate that the oral function of HED patients can be effectively reconstructed using bone augmentation and implant-supported prostheses; however, longer term results are warranted in the future.

Retrospective Validation of a Surveillance System for Unexplained Illness and Death: New Haven County, Connecticut

PubMed Central

Kluger, Michael D.; Sofair, Andre N.; Heye, Constance J.; Meek, James I.; Sodhi, Rajesh K.; Hadler, James L.

2001-01-01

Objectives. This study investigated retrospective validation of a prospective surveillance system for unexplained illness and death due to possibly infectious causes. Methods. A computerized search of hospital discharge data identified patients with potential unexplained illness and death due to possibly infectious causes. Medical records for such patients were reviewed for satisfaction of study criteria. Cases identified retrospectively were combined with prospectively identified cases to form a reference population against which sensitivity could be measured. Results. Retrospective validation was 41% sensitive, whereas prospective surveillance was 73% sensitive. The annual incidence of unexplained illness and death due to possibly infectious causes during 1995 and 1996 in the study county was conservatively estimated to range from 2.7 to 6.2 per 100 000 residents aged 1 to 49 years. Conclusions. Active prospective surveillance for unexplained illness and death due to possibly infectious causes is more sensitive than retrospective surveillance conducted through a published list of indicator codes. However, retrospective surveillance can be a feasible and much less labor-intensive alternative to active prospective surveillance when the latter is not possible or desired. PMID:11499106

Intercomparison of retrospective radon detectors.

PubMed Central

Field, R W; Steck, D J; Parkhurst, M A; Mahaffey, J A; Alavanja, M C

1999-01-01

We performed both a laboratory and a field intercomparison of two novel glass-based retrospective radon detectors previously used in major radon case-control studies performed in Missouri and Iowa. The new detectors estimate retrospective residential radon exposure from the accumulation of a long-lived radon decay product, (210)Pb, in glass. The detectors use track registration material in direct contact with glass surfaces to measure the alpha-emission of a (210)Pb-decay product, (210)Po. The detector's track density generation rate (tracks per square centimeter per hour) is proportional to the surface alpha-activity. In the absence of other strong sources of alpha-emission in the glass, the implanted surface alpha-activity should be proportional to the accumulated (210)Po, and hence to the cumulative radon gas exposure. The goals of the intercomparison were to a) perform collocated measurements using two different glass-based retrospective radon detectors in a controlled laboratory environment to compare their relative response to implanted polonium in the absence of environmental variation, b) perform collocated measurements using two different retrospective radon progeny detectors in a variety of residential settings to compare their detection of glass-implanted polonium activities, and c) examine the correlation between track density rates and contemporary radon gas concentrations. The laboratory results suggested that the materials and methods used by the studies produced similar track densities in detectors exposed to the same implanted (210)Po activity. The field phase of the intercomparison found excellent agreement between the track density rates for the two types of retrospective detectors. The correlation between the track density rates and direct contemporary radon concentration measurements was relatively high, considering that no adjustments were performed to account for either the residential depositional environment or glass surface type

Intercomparison of retrospective radon detectors.

PubMed

Field, R W; Steck, D J; Parkhurst, M A; Mahaffey, J A; Alavanja, M C

1999-11-01

We performed both a laboratory and a field intercomparison of two novel glass-based retrospective radon detectors previously used in major radon case-control studies performed in Missouri and Iowa. The new detectors estimate retrospective residential radon exposure from the accumulation of a long-lived radon decay product, (210)Pb, in glass. The detectors use track registration material in direct contact with glass surfaces to measure the alpha-emission of a (210)Pb-decay product, (210)Po. The detector's track density generation rate (tracks per square centimeter per hour) is proportional to the surface alpha-activity. In the absence of other strong sources of alpha-emission in the glass, the implanted surface alpha-activity should be proportional to the accumulated (210)Po, and hence to the cumulative radon gas exposure. The goals of the intercomparison were to a) perform collocated measurements using two different glass-based retrospective radon detectors in a controlled laboratory environment to compare their relative response to implanted polonium in the absence of environmental variation, b) perform collocated measurements using two different retrospective radon progeny detectors in a variety of residential settings to compare their detection of glass-implanted polonium activities, and c) examine the correlation between track density rates and contemporary radon gas concentrations. The laboratory results suggested that the materials and methods used by the studies produced similar track densities in detectors exposed to the same implanted (210)Po activity. The field phase of the intercomparison found excellent agreement between the track density rates for the two types of retrospective detectors. The correlation between the track density rates and direct contemporary radon concentration measurements was relatively high, considering that no adjustments were performed to account for either the residential depositional environment or glass surface type

A Three-Year Retrospective Study on Survival of Ceramic-Veneered Zirconia (Y-TZP) Fixed Dental Prostheses Performed in Private Practices

PubMed Central

Norström Saarva, Veronika; Bjerkstig, Göran; Örtorp, Anders

2017-01-01

Objectives The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the three-year clinical outcome for ceramic-veneered zirconia fixed dental prostheses (FDPs). Methods All patients who were treated with ceramic-veneered zirconia FDPs, in three private practices in Sweden, during the period June 2003 to April 2007 were included. Case records from 151 patients, treated with a total of 184 zirconia FDPs (692 units), were analysed for clinical data. All complications noted in the charts were registered and compared to definitions for success and survival and statistical analysis was performed using the Kaplan-Meier method and a Cox regression model. Results In total, 32 FDPs in 31 patients experienced some type of complication (17.4% of FDPs, 20.5% of patients). Core fractures occurred in two (1.1%) FDPs. Two (1.1%) FDPs or 0.6% of units showed adhesive veneer fractures. Cohesive veneer fractures occurred in 10 (5.4%) FDPs (1.6% of units). The three-year cumulative success and survival rates (CSR) were 82.3% and 95.2%, respectively. Conclusions Ceramic-veneered zirconia is a promising alternative to metal-ceramic FDPs, even in the posterior area. However, the higher survival rate of metal-ceramic FDPs should be noted and both dentists and patients must be aware of the risks of complications. PMID:28713427

Suicide in India: a four year retrospective study.

PubMed

Mohanty, Sachidananda; Sahu, Geeta; Mohanty, Manoj Kumar; Patnaik, Manju

2007-05-01

Suicide is one of the ten leading causes of death in the world, accounting for more than a million deaths annually. The purpose of the study was to identify the risk groups. In the four-year period from January 2000 to December 2003, 588 suicide victims were autopsied. Information was obtained by interviewing the acquaintances of the victim, perusal of hospital records and the autopsy findings. All the cases were analyzed as to sex, age, and methods of suicide, seasonal variation, diurnal variation and other sociological aspects. The present study depicts a suicidal rate of 11.76 per 100,000 population. Males and females were almost equally the sufferers. The largest number of victims were found in the age group of 21-30 years. Hanging and poisoning constituted the two major modes of suicides (63%). Majority of the victims were mentally sound, married and were from rural background. Victims were mostly drawn from low socioeconomic status (48%). Less educated or illiterates were usually the victims. Suicidal note was detected in 5% of cases. Suicidal tendency and alcohol intake could not be encountered in most of the cases. Indoor incidence was almost double of the outdoor incidence, mostly seen in rainy season (43%) and occurred almost equally during day and night. Financial burden (37%) and marital disharmony (35%) were the principal reasons for the suicide.

Is there an ethnic variation in the epidemiology of gonorrhoea? A retrospective population-based study from northern Israel over 15 years between 2001 and 2015

PubMed Central

Kridin, Khalaf; Grifat, Rami; Khamaisi, Mogher

2017-01-01

Objective To investigate the trends in the incidence of gonorrhoea through an extended period of time and to compare the epidemiology of gonorrhoea infection between 2 distinct ethnic groups (Jews and Arabs). Design A retrospective population-based cohort study was conducted on all consecutive patients diagnosed with gonorrhoea through the years 2001–2015. Setting National Department of Epidemiology of the Ministry of Health, Haifa District, Israel. Participants A total of 837 reports on gonorrhoea were received, derived from 779 (93.1%) male and 58 (6.9%) female patients. Approximately 1 million people reside in the Haifa region. Primary and secondary outcome measures We examined the incidence rate of gonorrhoea among residents of Haifa District, northern Israel from 2001 to 2015, by reviewing archives of the Department of Epidemiology, Israeli Ministry of Health. Notified cases were stratified by age, gender and ethnicity. Results The overall gonorrhoea incidence was 6.4 cases per 100 000 population per year. The annual incidence rate dropped from 20.5 per 100 000 population in 2001 to a period of 2.2 cases per 100 000 population in 2005, showing a >9-fold decline. This was followed by a relatively steady increase of incidence of 2.5–4.5 per 100 000 population from 2006 to 2015. Men were predominantly more affected than women, with a 13.4-fold higher incidence rate. The most affected age group was residents between 25 and 34 years old. The estimated rate among Jews was 2.5-fold higher relative to Arabs. Only 1.3% recurrent episodes of gonorrhoea were reported. The prevalence of HIV positivity among patients with gonorrhoea is significantly higher than that of the general population (500.0 vs 88.1 cases per 100 000 population, respectively, p<0.001). Conclusions Gonorrhoea incidence rate decreased dramatically until 2005, with no substantial subsequent fluctuations. The infection is much more prevalent among patients of Jewish ethnicity, possibly

Bat Rabies in France: A 24-Year Retrospective Epidemiological Study

PubMed Central

Picard-Meyer, Evelyne; Robardet, Emmanuelle; Arthur, Laurent; Larcher, Gérald; Harbusch, Christine; Servat, Alexandre; Cliquet, Florence

2014-01-01

Since bat rabies surveillance was first implemented in France in 1989, 48 autochthonous rabies cases without human contamination have been reported using routine diagnosis methods. In this retrospective study, data on bats submitted for rabies testing were analysed in order to better understand the epidemiology of EBLV-1 in bats in France and to investigate some epidemiological trends. Of the 3176 bats submitted for rabies diagnosis from 1989 to 2013, 1.96% (48/2447 analysed) were diagnosed positive. Among the twelve recognised virus species within the Lyssavirus genus, two species were isolated in France. 47 positive bats were morphologically identified as Eptesicus serotinus and were shown to be infected by both the EBLV-1a and the EBLV-1b lineages. Isolation of BBLV in Myotis nattereri was reported once in the north-east of France in 2012. The phylogenetic characterisation of all 47 French EBLV-1 isolates sampled between 1989 and 2013 and the French BBLV sample against 21 referenced partial nucleoprotein sequences confirmed the low genetic diversity of EBLV-1 despite its extensive geographical range. Statistical analysis performed on the serotine bat data collected from 1989 to 2013 showed seasonal variation of rabies occurrence with a significantly higher proportion of positive samples detected during the autumn compared to the spring and the summer period (34% of positive bats detected in autumn, 15% in summer, 13% in spring and 12% in winter). In this study, we have provided the details of the geographical distribution of EBLV-1a in the south-west of France and the north-south division of EBLV-1b with its subdivisions into three phylogenetic groups: group B1 in the north-west, group B2 in the centre and group B3 in the north-east of France. PMID:24892287

Retrospective measles outbreak investigation: Sudan, 2004.

PubMed

Coronado, Fátima; Musa, Nisreen; El Tayeb, El Sayed Ahmed; Haithami, Salah; Dabbagh, Alya; Mahoney, Frank; Nandy, Robin; Cairns, Lisa

2006-10-01

Recent population-based studies of measles incidence and deaths in Sudan are not available. To determine the epidemiology and case-fatality rate (CFR) of measles, we conducted a retrospective outbreak investigation in two states in northern Sudan. Of 1144 case-patients identified, 92% were <15 years; 48.6% were vaccinated; and 62% received vitamin A before illness. Ten measles-associated deaths were identified (CFR 0.9%; 95% confidence interval 0.16-1.91). CFR determined by this investigation is lower than expected for the region but remains 10 times higher than that in developed countries. Measles control should be strengthened by improving vaccine coverage, measles surveillance and case-management.

Princeton Retrospectives. Twenty-Fifth-Year Reflections on a College Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heath, Roy

Princeton University graduates of the class of 1954 were interviewed to determine what aspects of their undergraduate education they value and how their undergraduate years may have enriched their lives. The author, a professor of psychology at Princeton from 1950-1954, interviewed 32 of his former advisees 25 years after their graduation. The…

Clinical and Radiographic Mid-Term Outcomes After Total Shoulder Replacement: A Retrospective Study Protocol Including 400 Anatomical and Reverse Prosthetic Implants

PubMed Central

Merolla, Giovanni; Tartarone, Antonio; Porcellini, Giuseppe

2016-01-01

Objectives: To obtain outcomes data on anatomical and reverse total shoulder arthroplasty by analysis of clinical scores and standard radiographs. Subject selection and enrollment: 400 consecutive series of patients replaced with anatomical and reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (minimum 3 years follow-up). Study Design: retrospective monocenter. Preoperative assessment: Demographics, clinical scores (Constant-Murley) as available, shoulder X-ray (AP, outlet and axillary views) . Last follow-up: Postoperative radiographhs and clinical scores. Adverse events and complications to be reported as occurred since implantation. Statistical analysis: Data collected will be summarized and analyzed for statistical significance. PMID:27326389

Events in Science and Technology, 1776, 1876, and 1976: A Bicentennial Retrospect

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kauffman, George B.

1976-01-01

In a brief Bicentennial retrospect author attempts to make a modest recreation of the years 1776 and 1876 and to summarize the last century's events in science and technology, with emphasis on chemistry, not only in the U.S., but also abroad. (Author/RK)

Organic geochemistry - A retrospective of its first 70 years

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kvenvolden, K.A.

2006-01-01

Organic geochemistry had its origin in the early part of the 20th century when organic chemists and geologists realized that detailed information on the organic materials in sediments and rocks was scientifically interesting and of practical importance. The generally acknowledged "father" of organic geochemistry is Alfred E. Treibs (1899-1983), who discovered and described, in 1936, porphyrin pigments in shale, coal, and crude oil, and traced the source of these molecules to their biological precursors. Thus, the year 1936 marks the beginning of organic geochemistry. However, formal organization of organic geochemistry dates from 1959 when the Organic Geochemistry Division (OGD) of The Geochemical Society was founded in the United States, followed 22 years later (1981) by the establishment of the European Association of Organic Geochemists (EAOG). Organic geochemistry (1) has its own journal, Organic Geochemistry (beginning in 1979) which, since 1988, is the official journal of the EAOG, (2) convenes two major conferences [International Meeting on Organic Geochemistry (IMOG), since 1962, and Gordon Research Conferences on Organic Geochemistry (GRC), since 1968] in alternate years, and (3) is the subject matter of several textbooks. Organic geochemistry is now a widely recognized geoscience in which organic chemistry has contributed significantly not only to geology (i.e., petroleum geochemistry, molecular stratigraphy) and biology (i.e., biogeochemistry), but also to other disciplines, such as chemical oceanography, environmental science, hydrology, biochemical ecology, archaeology, and cosmochemistry.

Subperiosteal and intraosseous connective tissue grafts for pocket reduction: a 9- to 13-year retrospective case series report.

PubMed

Nelson, S W

2001-10-01

Recent histological evidence has documented that grafted palatal connective tissue is capable of forming a new attachment to previously exposed roots in the treatment of gingival recession. No clinical studies have tested the ability of connective tissue that has been implanted beneath the periosteum into periodontal osseous defects to reduce probing depth and increase clinical attachment levels. This study reports the long-term clinical effect of subperiosteal and intraosseous connective tissue grafts on deep periodontal pockets. Connective tissue (CT) grafts were placed in 32 periodontal pockets on 27 patients. Grafts were classified into 3 groups. Type I grafts had 50% or more vascular surface contact and were < or = 2.5 mm thick. Type II grafts had 50% or more contact but were > 2.5 mm thick, and Type III grafts had less than 50% vascular contact regardless of thickness. Twelve of 14 Type I sites, 9 of 15 Type II sites, and 3 of 3 Type III sites were analyzed 9 to 13 years following treatment. Clinical attachment level change differed significantly between the graft types on survivor teeth (P < 0.05): Type III had 2 mm loss (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.4 to 3.6), while Type II and Type I grafts had a 2.7 mm gain (95% CI: 2.0 to 3.4) and 4.3 mm gain (95% CI: 3.3 to 5.2), respectively. Similar substantial differences were presented for changes in probing depth and recession. This long-term (9 to 13 years) retrospective case-series analysis suggests substantial improvements in periodontal clinical measures for Type I CT grafts in deep periodontal pockets. Randomized trials are required to evaluate this promising procedure.

Dental implants with fixed prosthodontics in oligodontia: A retrospective cohort study with a follow-up of up to 25 years.

PubMed

Filius, Marieke A P; Cune, Marco S; Koopmans, Petra C; Vissink, Arjan; Raghoebar, Gerry M; Visser, Anita

2018-04-24

Long-term assessments of implant survival and treatment outcome in patients with oligodontia are lacking. The purpose of this retrospective clinical study was to assess which factors determine a long-term implant survival and treatment outcome of up to 25 years in a cohort of patients with oligodontia. The medical records of all patients with oligodontia treated with fixed implant prosthodontics between January 1991 and December 2015 in the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at the University Medical Center Groningen, the Netherlands, were assessed. Specifically, this involved the retrieval of records on the need for and mode of bone augmentation, implant survival, and survival of and adverse events associated with the prosthodontics. The Kaplan-Meier estimator was used to analyze implant and superstructure survival. Log-rank tests were used to compare the survival of subgroups. A total of 126 patients with oligodontia were treated with dental implants. Of the 777 implants in total, 56 were lost, resulting in a 5-year cumulative survival of 95.7% (95% confidence interval [CI], 94.2% to 97.2%) and a 10-year cumulative survival of 89.2% (95% CI, 86.2% to 92.2%). The survival of implants placed in regions where bone augmentation surgery had been performed was significantly lower. The 5-year cumulative superstructure survival was 90.5% (95% CI, 87.6% to 93.5%), and the 10-year cumulative superstructure survival was 80.3% (95% CI, 75.3% to 85.3%). The performance of the screw-retained and cemented superstructures was comparable, but the survival of single crowns was significantly higher than the survival of fixed partial dentures (P<.001). Implant treatment is a predictable treatment option for patients with oligodontia with a favorable long-term outcome. Survival of implants in augmented areas is lower. Copyright © 2018 Editorial Council for the Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Longevity of anterior resin-bonded bridges: survival rates of two tooth preparation designs.

PubMed

Abuzar, M; Locke, J; Burt, G; Clausen, G; Escobar, K

2018-04-16

Significant developments have occurred in the design of resin-bonded bridges (RBB) over the past two decades. They are commonly used as an alternative treatment option for a single missing tooth. The longevity of these bridges needs to be further investigated to evaluate long-term outcomes for this option to remain relevant. A cohort of patients who received anterior resin-bonded bridges (ARBB) over two decades was studied retrospectively. Longevity of 206 ARBB was assessed using Kaplan-Meier probability estimates. The two modified tooth preparation designs investigated were: (A) mesial and distal vertical grooves only; and (B) one proximal groove adjacent to the pontic and two palatal grooves. Age and gender of the patient cohort were also recorded. Overall survival rate of ARBB was 98% at 5 years, 97.2% at 10 years, and 95.1% from 12 years till 21 years. Survival curves showed minor differences when compared for the two designs, age groups and gender of ARBB recipients. Differences in the proportion of surviving bridges for design A (95.96%) and design B (98.13%) were not statistically significant (Fisher's exact test). Anterior RBB with described tooth preparation designs demonstrate a high survival rate. © 2018 Australian Dental Association.

A Retrospective Study of Amitriptyline in Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bhatti, Irfan; Thome, Andrew; Smith, Patricia Oxler; Cook-Wiens, Galen; Yeh, Hung Wen; Gaffney, Gary R.; Hellings, Jessica A.

2013-01-01

We performed a retrospective chart review of 50 youths with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), prescribed amitriptyline (AMI) for hyperactivity and impulsivity. Data was systematically extracted from 50 outpatient clinic charts, including AMI treatment duration, dose, trough levels and adverse events. Mean age was 9.4 years (4.6-17.9); 40 were males…

The FIM instrument to identify patients at risk of falling in geriatric wards: a 10-year retrospective study.

PubMed

Petitpierre, Nicolas Julien; Trombetti, Andrea; Carroll, Iain; Michel, Jean-Pierre; Herrmann, François Richard

2010-05-01

the main objective was to evaluate if the admission functional independence measure (FIM) score could be used to predict the risk of falls in geriatric inpatients. a 10-year retrospective study was performed. the study was conducted in a 298-bed geriatric teaching hospital in Geneva, Switzerland. all patients discharged from the hospital from 1 January 1997 to 31 December 2006 were selected. measures used were FIM scores at admission using the FIM instrument and number of falls extracted from the institution's fall report forms. during the study period, there were 23,966 hospital stays. A total of 8,254 falls occurred. Of these, 7,995 falls were linked to 4,651 stays. Falls were recorded in 19.4% of hospital stays, with a mean incidence of 7.84 falls per 1,000 patients-days. Although there was a statistically significant relationship between total FIM score, its subscales, and the risk of falling, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value obtained with receiver operating characteristic curves were insufficient to permit fall prediction. This might be due in part to a non-linear relationship between FIM score and fall risk. in this study, the FIM instrument was found to be unable to predict risk of falls in general geriatric wards.

Studies using single-subject designs in sport psychology: 30 years of research

PubMed Central

Martin, Garry L.; Thompson, Kendra; Regehr, Kaleigh

2004-01-01

A prominent feature of behavior-analytic research has been the use of single-subject designs. We examined sport psychology journals and behavioral journals published during the past 30 years, and located 40 studies using single-subject designs to assess interventions for enhancing the performance of athletes and coaches. In this paper, we summarize that body of research, discuss its strengths and limitations, and identify areas for future research. PMID:22478434

A comparison of the results of prospective and retrospective cohort studies in the field of digestive surgery.

PubMed

Ukai, Tomohiko; Shikata, Satoru; Nakayama, Takeo; Takemura, Yousuke C

2017-07-01

We compared the results of prospective and retrospective cohort studies in the field of digestive surgery to clarify whether the results of prospective cohort studies were more similar to those of randomized controlled trials (RCTs). We conducted a secondary analysis of the results to compare the results of RCTs with those of cohort studies in meta-analyses of 18 digestive surgical topics. The data from the prospective and retrospective cohort studies were combined. The summary estimates of each design were compared with those of RCTs. We used the Z score to investigate discrepancies. Twenty-nine outcomes of 11 topics were investigated in 289 cohort studies (prospective, n = 69; retrospective, n = 220). These were compared with the outcomes of 123 RCTs. In comparison to retrospective studies, the summary estimates of the prospective cohort studies were more similar to those of the RCTs [19/29 (prospective) vs. 10/29 (retrospective), P = 0.035). Five of the 29 outcomes of prospective studies and 6 of 29 outcomes of retrospective studies (P = 0.99) showed significant discrepancies in comparison to RCTs. In the digestive surgical field, the results of prospective cohort studies tended to be more similar to those of RCTs than retrospective studies; however, there were no significant discrepancies between the two types of cohort study.

The work-family interface: A retrospective look at 20 years of research in JOHP.

PubMed

Allen, Tammy D; Martin, Angela

2017-07-01

As part of the 20th anniversary celebration for the Journal of Occupational Health Psychology (JOHP), this article reviews the literature on work-family with a special emphasis on research published in JOHP and that with health-related implications. We provide a retrospective overview of work-family research, tracing key papers and major theoretical constructs and themes. We examine the research needs identified by Westman and Piotrkowski (1999) and offer an assessment of the extent that work-family research has addressed those needs. Then we move on to discuss contemporary issues in the field today that constitute directions for future research. Specifically we discuss intervention studies, multilevel approaches, temporality and dynamic change, managerial perspectives, and diverse work settings. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Retrospective clinical evaluation of ceramic onlays placed by dental students.

PubMed

Archibald, Jennifer J; Santos, Gildo Coelho; Moraes Coelho Santos, Maria Jacinta

2017-09-16

Indirect restorations with partial or complete occlusal surface coverage have been recommended to restore teeth with weakened walls in order to prevent cusp fracture. The success of these restorations when performed by dental students is unknown. The purpose of this retrospective study was to evaluate the clinical performance of adhesively bonded ceramic onlay restorations placed by third- and fourth-year dental students. Sixty-five ceramic onlays were placed in patients between 2009 and 2015. The onlays were laboratory or chairside fabricated with a computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing (CAD-CAM) system, using either IPS e.max Press or IPS e.max CAD. An adhesive technique and luting composite resin agent were used to cement the restorations. Thirty-seven onlays were evaluated clinically using the modified United States Public Health Service (USPHS) criteria. Data were statistically analyzed using the Cox proportional hazards model to compare tooth type and failures and the Fisher exact and McNemar tests to compare the USPHS criteria for significant differences (α=.05). Survival probability was calculated using the Kaplan-Meier algorithm. Five onlays were considered to be failures and needed replacement. According to the Kaplan-Meier analysis, the estimated survival rate was 96.3% after 2 years and 91.5% at 4 years. All 5 of the failures occurred on molars (13.5%) and none on premolars (P=.025). A statistically significant difference was found for marginal discoloration between onlays placed within 0 to 3 years and 3 to 6 years (P<.05) but no differences between any other criteria. Ceramic onlays placed by dental students demonstrated acceptable long-term clinical performance. Copyright © 2017 Editorial Council for the Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Understanding Design Vulnerabilities in the Physical Environment Relating to Patient Fall Patterns in a Psychiatric Hospital: Seven Years of Sentinel Events.

PubMed

Bayramzadeh, Sara; Portillo, Margaret; Carmel-Gilfilen, Candy

2018-05-01

The influence of the physical environment on patient falls has not been fully explored in psychiatric units, despite this patient population's vulnerability and the critical role of the physical environment in patient safety. The research objective is to describe the spatial and temporal pattern of falls occurrences and their location in relation to the levels of safety continuum model. This article presents an exploratory case study design. Seven years of retrospective data on patient falls, yielding 818 sentinel events, in an 81-bed psychiatric hospital in the United States were collected and analyzed. Data focused on extrinsic factors for falls, emphasizing the physical environment. Through a content analysis of the sentinel event narratives, recorded by the hospital staff, this study explored patient falls related to location and elements of the physical environment. The analysis revealed that 15% of recorded falls were attributed to some aspect of or element within the physical environment. The most typical locations of falls were patient rooms (39%), patient bathrooms (22%), and dayrooms (20%). Also, the results identified patterns of environmental factors that appeared linked to increasing patients' susceptibility to falls. Risk factors included poor nighttime lighting, flooring surfaces that were uneven, and spaces that inadvertently limited visual access and supervision. The physical environment plays an often-unexamined role in fall events and specific locations. These results are deserving of further research on design strategies and applications to reduce patient falls in psychiatric hospital settings.

Retrospective indexing (RI) - A computer-aided indexing technique

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Buchan, Ronald L.

1990-01-01

An account is given of a method for data base-updating designated 'computer-aided indexing' (CAI) which has been very efficiently implemented at NASA's Scientific and Technical Information Facility by means of retrospective indexing. Novel terms added to the NASA Thesaurus will therefore proceed directly into both the NASA-RECON aerospace information system and its portion of the ESA-Information Retrieval Service, giving users full access to material thus indexed. If a given term appears in the title of a record, it is given special weight. An illustrative graphic representation of the CAI search strategy is presented.

Methadone for the treatment of Prescription Opioids Dependence. A retrospective chart review.

PubMed

Barrio, Pablo; Ezzeldin, Mohamed; Bruguera, Pol; Pérez, Ana; Mansilla, Sara; Fàbrega, Marina; Lligoña, Anna; Mondón, Sílvia; Balcells, Mercè

2016-06-14

Prescription opioids (PO) addiction is increasing to an epidemic level. Few studies exist regarding its treatment. Although buprenorphine has been the mainstay so far, other treatment options might be considered, such as methadone. We conducted a retrospective assessment of all patients admitted to a psychiatry ward for PO detoxification using methadone between 2010 and 2013. The assessment and description was carried out during a 3-month follow-up period after their discharge. Although this is a retrospective chart review, our exploration included sociodemographic and treatment variables in addition to the abstinence rates for the whole sample. Eleven patients were included, mostly women (81.8%), with a median age of 50 years. The median duration of dependence was 8 years. Dependence on other substances and psychiatric comorbidities were high. Eight patients were monitored during three months. Of these, 7 (87.5%) were abstinent after that period. The results suggest that methadone deserves further exploration as a potentially efficacious treatment option for PO dependence.

ASBO at 100: A Supreme Court Retrospective on Equal Educational Opportunities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Russo, Charles J.

2009-01-01

The Supreme Court has played a crucial role in shaping education over ASBO International's first century of existence. Accordingly, this column, the first of two on the Supreme Court and education, inaugurates ASBO's centennial year with a retrospective look at key cases that were litigated in K-12 school settings around the issue of equal…

[Incidence of lower extremity amputations in Area 3 of Madrid. Retrospective study during the period 2001-2006].

PubMed

Rubio, J A; Salido, C; Albarracín, A; Jiménez, S; Alvarez, J

2010-02-01

To quantify the Lower Extremity Amputations (LEA) incidence in population with and without diabetes mellitus (DM). Retrospective cohort study of all the LEA carried out during 2001-2006 in area 3 of Madrid, from the codification of the reports of discharge reports. 310 LEA were carried out. The age-ajusted LEA incidence for any reason was 19,2/10(5) inhabitants per year (27,2 y 11,2 for men and women respectively). 261 were not-traumatic and non-tumoural (NTT) LEA, 76% were associated with DM and the incidence was 191/10(5) people with DM per year (95% confidence interval [CI(95)] 122-299) and 4,4/10(5) for people without DM per year (CI(95) 7-23), with a risk ratio of 44 (CI(95) 23-73). The LEA rates in population with o without diabetes are higher than the previously communicated in Madrid. It would appear convenient to design strategies to reduce the LEA rates. Copyright 2009 Elsevier España, S.L. All rights reserved.

Ten-Year Retrospective Longitudinal-Study of Student Perspectives on Value of REU

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Slater, T. F.; Slater, S. J.

2013-12-01

For more than two decades, federal agencies have been enthusiastically supporting summer research experiences for undergraduates. These REU programs are tacitly intended to increase retention and provide "an important educational experience" for undergraduates, particularly women, minorities and underrepresented groups. Numerous authors (viz., Laursen, Lopatto, Dolan, among many others) have enthusiastically described positive impacts of summer REU programs from exit interview data. These results include enhanced persistence to pursue STEM careers and confirmed desire to attend graduate school in the field targeted by a particular REU. Perhaps surprisingly, negative student experiences are rarely described in the scholarly literature, but do appear in more informal publications (viz., Gueterma, 2007). One wonders how REU alumni, looking back over their entire collective portfolio of experiences, now perceive the educational value of their REU experience relative to their other educational experiences. To obtain a backwards-looking, reflective description from REU alumni on the value of their REU experiences, we conducted a 10-year, two-stage study was designed to explore the ways in which the REU acted as an educational experience for 51 women from a single geoscience sub-discipline. The first phase was an ex post facto longitudinal analysis of data, including multiple interviews with each participant during their REU, annual open-ended alumni surveys, faculty interviews, and extensive field notes, over a 10-year period. This analysis informed the second phase, a clinical interview. Over 10 hours of interviews with 8 participants were conducted and analyzed. These 8 participants were selected to represent a variety of career stages, and for their potential to reflect on a wide variety of educational experiences. Results from the interviews, done many years after their REU experience, indicate that the interviewees' REU did not provide a substantive educational

Pattern of glomerular disease in the Saudi population: a single-center, five-year retrospective study.

PubMed

Nawaz, Z; Mushtaq, F; Mousa, D; Rehman, E; Sulaiman, M; Aslam, N; Khawaja, N

2013-11-01

Glomerular diseases continue to be the leading cause of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) globally. Hence, it is important to recognize the pattern of glomerular diseases in different geographical areas in order to understand the patho-biology, incidence and progression of the disorder. Published studies from different centers in Saudi Arabia have reported contradicting results. In this retrospective study, we report our experience at the Armed Forces Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. A total of 348 native renal biopsies performed at our center on patients with proteinuria >1 g, hematuria and/or renal impairment during a period of 5 years (between January 2005 and December 2009) were studied by a histopathologist using light microscopy, immunofluorescence and electron microscopy, and were categorized. Results showed that primary glomerular disease accounted for 55.1% of all renal biopsies. The most common histological lesion was focal and segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) (27.6%), followed by minimal change disease (MCD) (17.7%) and membrano-proliferative glomerulonephritis (MPGN) (13.0%). Secondary glomerular disease accounted for 37.9% of the glomerular diseases, with lupus nephritis (LN) being the most common lesion (54.5%), followed by hypertensive nephrosclerosis (22%), post-infectious glomerulonephritis (7.5%), diabetic nephropathy (DN) (6.8%) and vasculitides (4.5%). Four percent of all biopsies turned out to be ESRD while biopsy was inadequate in 2.8% of the cases. In conclusion, our study showed that FSGS was the most common primary GN encountered, while LN was the most common secondary GN. We encountered 14 cases of crescentic glomerulonephritis. Also, the prevalence of MPGN, MCD, IgA nephropathy and membranous GN was many folds higher in males when compared with the Western data. We believe that it is mandatory to maintain a Saudi Arabian Renal Biopsy Registry to understand better the pattern of glomerular disease in the Saudi population and to follow any

77 FR 47572 - Retrospective Analysis of Existing Rules

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-08-09

... INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION 19 CFR Chapter II Retrospective Analysis of Existing Rules AGENCY... Order 13579 of July 11, 2011, the Commission recently adopted its Plan for Retrospective Analysis of... submitted in connection with the Commission's Preliminary Plan for Retrospective Analysis of Existing Rules...

Citicoline for acute ischemic stroke in Mexican hospitals: a retrospective postmarketing analysis.

PubMed

Leon-Jimenez, C; Chiquete, E; Cantu, C; Miramontes-Saldana, M J; Andrade-Ramos, M A; Ruiz-Sandoval, J L

2010-06-01

Some neuroprotective agents have shown benefits in animal models, but disappointing results in humans. Citicoline is used in several countries as coadjuvant treatment in acute ischemic stroke (AIS) patients; however, there are no retrospective postmarketing surveillances on the experience of citicoline in Mexico. The aim of this study was to evaluate the correlation between citicoline exposure and functional outcome at discharge and at 30 and 90 days post-stroke, in a retrospective case-control design on systematic descriptive databases from three referral hospitals. Clinical records of 173 consecutively registered patients were analyzed, 86 of whom were treated with citicoline within the first 48 h after AIS and the remaining 87 were untreated, randomly selected controls matched for age (+/- 5 years), gender and NIHSS (+/- 1 point) at hospital admission. Pretreatment conditions were similar between groups. Compared with controls, exposure to citicoline was associated with a significantly lower 30-day mean and median modified Rankin score (in both, P < 0.05). After paired multivariate analyses (controlled for NIHSS, age, gender, hospital arrival in < 24 h, thrombolysis and comorbidities) citicoline was independently associated with a lower 90-day mortality risk (P = 0.047) and with fewer in-hospital complications (mainly infections and sepsis, P = 0.001). In this observational study, citicoline use was associated with a better functional status and lower rates of short-term mortality, possibly due to fewer in-hospital systemic complications. The putative benefits should be interpreted as clinical associations, since this is not a randomized, controlled clinical trial. Copyright 2010 Prous Science, S.A.U. or its licensors. All rights reserved.

Investigating the effect of tumor vascularization on magnetic targeting in vivo using retrospective design of experiment.

PubMed

Mei, Kuo-Ching; Bai, Jie; Lorrio, Silvia; Wang, Julie Tzu-Wen; Al-Jamal, Khuloud T

2016-11-01

Nanocarriers take advantages of the enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) to accumulate passively in solid tumors. Magnetic targeting has shown to further enhance tumor accumulation in response to a magnetic field gradient. It is widely known that passive accumulation of nanocarriers varies hugely in tumor tissues of different tumor vascularization. It is hypothesized that magnetic targeting is likely to be influenced by such factors. In this work, magnetic targeting is assessed in a range of subcutaneously implanted murine tumors, namely, colon (CT26), breast (4T1), lung (Lewis lung carcinoma) cancer and melanoma (B16F10). Passively- and magnetically-driven tumor accumulation of the radiolabeled polymeric magnetic nanocapsules are assessed with gamma counting. The influence of tumor vasculature, namely, the tumor microvessel density, permeability and diameter on passive and magnetic tumor targeting is assessed with the aid of the retrospective design of experiment (DoE) approach. It is clear that the three tumor vascular parameters contribute greatly to both passive and magnetically targeted tumor accumulation but play different roles when nanocarriers are targeted to the tumor with different strategies. It is concluded that tumor permeability is a rate-limiting factor in both targeting modes. Diameter and microvessel density influence passive and magnetic tumor targeting, respectively. Copyright © 2016 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

[Gluteoplasty with intramuscular silicone cohesive gel implants: a retrospective study of 50 cases].

PubMed

Horn, G

2009-10-01

For a few years, surgery of the gluteus has become more and more popular. In this retrospective study of 50 cases over a period of five years, the author presents his results, using a personal technique of gluteoplasty with intramuscular implants. After a review of the different current surgical techniques and of the different types of gluteus, the author describes his own surgical strategy.

Bias in retrospective assessment of perceived dental treatment effects when using the Oral Health Impact Profile.

PubMed

Reissmann, Daniel R; Erler, Antje; Hirsch, Christian; Sierwald, Ira; Machuca, Carolina; Schierz, Oliver

2018-03-01

Aim of this exploratory study was to investigate whether a retrospective assessment of oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) using the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP) is susceptible to bias such as implicit theory of change and cognitive dissonance. In this prospective clinical study, a sample of 126 adult patients (age 17-83 years, 49% women) requiring prosthodontic treatment was consecutively recruited. The OHRQoL was assessed using the 49-item OHIP at baseline and at follow-up. Additionally, patients were asked at follow-up to retrospectively rate their oral health status at baseline (retrospective pretest or then-test) and the change in oral health status using a global transition question. Furthermore, patients' ratings of overall oral health and general health were used as validity criteria for the OHRQoL assessments. Response shift was calculated as the difference between the initial and retrospective baseline assessments. Baseline and retrospective pretest did not differ substantially in terms of internal consistency and convergent validity. Response shift was more pronounced when patients perceived a large change in OHRQoL during treatment. Retrospective pretests were more highly correlated with the baseline than with the follow-up assessment. Findings suggest that retrospective assessments of OHRQoL using the OHIP-49 are susceptible to bias. Cognitive dissonance is more likely to appear as a source of bias than implicit theory of change.

30 Years Retrospective Review of Tuberculosis Cases in a Tuberculosis Dispensary in Bursa/Nilufer, Turkey (1985–2014): Changes of Epidemics*

PubMed Central

Pala, Kayıhan; Gerçek, Harika; Taş, Tuncay Aydin; Çakir, Rukiye; Özgüç, Sedef; Yildiz, Timur

2016-01-01

Objective The aim of this study is to describe the epidemiological and clinical aspects of patients who applied to the Bursa Nilufer Tuberculosis Dispensary by investigating the trends in epidemics over three decades. Method In this retrospective observational study, the records of all tuberculosis cases (1630 patients) treated in the last 30 years (1985–2014) at the Bursa Nilufer Tuberculosis Dispensary were examined and statistically analyzed. Results Males comprised 65.2% of the patients. The ages of the patients ranged from 1 to 87 years, and the mean age was 37.4 (95% CI: 36.6–38.2). Among the cases, 86.7% were new infections and 74.1% were pulmonary tuberculosis. In the last decade, the education level, the percentage of patients who had received a BCG vaccination, the proportion of women and active employees among them increased (p<0.05), while it decreased among men (p<0.05). Clinical symptoms accompanying TB such as weakness, anorexia, weight loss, and cough, decreased to a statistically significant degree (p<0.05). In the last decade, the mortality rate was 3.6% and increased compared with previous decades (p<0.05). Mortality was higher among patients who were elderly, male, did not have a BCG scar or had a chronic disease (p<0.05). Conclusion This study adds information about the change of TB epidemics in Turkey in the last 30 years. Further studies are needed to determine the risk factors associated with tuberculosis mortality and to evaluate the effectiveness control programs of this disease. PMID:27872739

The Retrospective Experiences of a Mother of a Child with Autism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Krausz, Mariann; Meszaros, Judit

2005-01-01

This unique study used qualitative research methodology to investigate the first 18 years of parenting experiences of a mother of a child with autism. The purpose of this single case study was to record and understand the effect of autism on a mother's life retrospectively, to identify and analyse issues and themes that have shaped her life, to…

Autologous stem cell transplantation for patients aged 60 years or older with refractory or relapsed classical Hodgkin's lymphoma: a retrospective analysis from the French Society of Bone Marrow Transplantation and Cell Therapies (SFGM-TC).

PubMed

Stamatoullas, A; Brice, P; Gueye, M S; Mareschal, S; Chevallier, P; Bouabdallah, R; Nguyenquoc, S; Francois, S; Turlure, P; Ceballos, P; Monjanel, H; Bourhis, J-H; Guillerm, G; Mohty, M; Biron, P; Cornillon, J; Belhadj, K; Bonmati, C; Dilhuydy, M-S; Huynh, A; Bernard, M; Chrétien, M-L; Peffault de Latour, R; Tilly, H

2016-07-01

This report retrospectively analyzed the outcome of 91 patients aged 60 years or older with refractory/relapsed (R/R) classical Hodgkin's lymphoma (cHL) who underwent autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) between 1992 and 2013 and were reported to the French Society of Bone Marrow Transplantation and Cell Therapies registry. The median age at transplant was 63 years. The majority of patients exhibited disease chemosensitivity to salvage treatment (57 complete responses, 30 partial responses, 1 progressive disease and 3 unknown). The most frequent conditioning regimen consisted of BCNU, cytarabine, etoposide, melphalan (BEAM) chemotherapy (93%). With a median follow-up of 54 months, 5-year estimates of overall survival (OS) and progression free survival (PFS) for the entire group were 67 and 54%, respectively. Despite the missing data, in univariate analysis, the number of salvage chemotherapy lines (1-2 versus ⩾3) significantly influenced the OS, unlike the other prognostic factors (stage III-IV at relapse, disease status before ASCT and negative positron emission tomography (PET) scan) encountered in younger patients. In spite of its limitations, this retrospective study with a long-term follow-up suggests that ASCT is a valid treatment option for chemosensitive R/R cHL in selected elderly patients, with an acceptable rate of toxicity.

Predictors of emergency department attendance by people with dementia in their last year of life: Retrospective cohort study using linked clinical and administrative data.

PubMed

Sleeman, Katherine E; Perera, Gayan; Stewart, Robert; Higginson, Irene J

2018-01-01

A fall in hospital deaths in dementia has been interpreted as indicating an improvement in end-of-life care. Whether other indicators of quality of end-of-life care, such as emergency department (ED) attendance, show a similar trend is unclear. Retrospective cohort study using electronic medical records from a large mental health care provider, linked to national mortality and hospital use data (2008-2013). Of 4867 patients, 78.6% (3824) had at least one ED attendance during their last year of life (mean 2.13, standard deviation 2.34, range 0-54). ED attendance increased over the time period (incidence rate ratio 1.62, 95% confidence interval 1.46-1.80 for 2012-2013 compared with 2008-2009). ED attendance in the last year of life for people with dementia is common and is increasing. Policy makers must pay attention to a broader range of indicators of poor end-of-life care alongside the place of death. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Microbiological Surveillance of Operation Theatres: Five Year Retrospective Analysis from a Tertiary Care Hospital in North India

PubMed Central

Najotra, Dipender Kaur; Malhotra, Aneeta Singh; Slathia, Poonam; Raina, Shivani; Dhar, Ashok

2017-01-01

Introduction: Microbiological contamination of air and environment in the operation theaters (OTs) are major risk factor for surgical site and other hospital-associated infections. Objectives: The aim was to identify bacterial colonization of surfaces and equipment and to determine the microbial contamination of air in the OTs of a tertiary care hospital. Materials and Methods: Five years (January 2010–December 2014) retrospective analysis of the data obtained from routine microbiological surveillance of the five OTs of the hospital was done. Surface samples were taken with wet swabs from different sites and equipment. Bacterial species were isolated and identified by conventional methods. Air quality surveillance of OTs was done by settle plate method. Results: A total of 4387 samples were collected from surfaces and articles of various OTs. Out of these only 195 (4.4%), samples showed bacterial growth and yielded 210 isolates. The predominant species isolated was Bacillus with 184 (87.6%) isolates followed by coagulase-negative Staphylococcus 17 (8.1%), Staphylococcus aureus 6 (2.9%), and Enteroccoccus spp. 3 (1.4%). Analysis of the OT air samples showed least colony forming unit (cfu) rate of air (27 cfu/m3) in ophthalmology OT and highest rate of 133 cfu/m3 in general surgery OT. Conclusion: The study shows that OTs of our hospital showed a very low bacterial contamination rate on surface swabbing and a cfu count per m3 of air well within permissible limits. PMID:28904915

Outcome and cervical metastatic spread of squamous cell cancer of the buccal mucosa, a retrospective analysis of the past 25 years.

PubMed

Sagheb, Keyvan; Blatt, Sebastian; Kraft, Ina Sophie; Zimmer, Stefanie; Rahimi-Nedjat, Roman-Kia; Al-Nawas, Bilal; Walter, Christian

2017-07-01

Because of the low proportion of squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) of the buccal mucosa within the carcinomas of the oral cavity in the Western population, data concerning metastatic pattern are sparse. Therefore, this retrospective study is focusing on the occurrence of cervical metastases (CM) and the overall outcome of this tumor entity. From January 1988 to October 2013, 113 patients were treated in the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Mainz, for an oral SCC of the cheek. Metastatic pattern and clinical parameters that are possibly associated with an increased risk for CM as well as overall outcome were analyzed. The average follow-up was 48 months (range: 1-248 months). A total of 55 (49%) patients were female and 58 (51%) male, with an average age of 65 ± 13 years (♀68 ± 14 years; ♂63 ± 11 years). In total, 55% of the patients either smoked and/or consumed alcohol. In total, 34% of the patients had a stage III or IV tumor, with overall 23% having CM at the time of diagnosis. During the follow-up, 50% (n = 56) of the patients developed a relapse after 12 months (median). Tumor size (P = 0.002*) and grading (P < 0.001*) are significantly associated with the occurrence of CM. Metastases (P = 0.008*) and advanced tumor size (P = 0.018) had an influence on the survival, whereas the relapse had no significant influence (P = 0.928). Five-year survival rate was 80%. SCC of the buccal mucosa shows aggressive behavior with a considerably high proportion of relapse. Since overall outcome is significantly decreased by the cervical metastatic pattern, a selective, ipsilateral neck dissection for this patient group is recommended as the primary management. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Factors associated with physicians' choice of a career in research: a retrospective report 15 years after medical school graduation.

PubMed

Krupat, Edward; Camargo, Carlos A; Strewler, Gordon J; Espinola, Janice A; Fleenor, Thomas J; Dienstag, Jules L

2017-03-01

Relatively little is known regarding factors associated with the choice of a research career among practicing physicians, and most investigations of this issue have been conducted in the absence of a theoretical/conceptual model. Therefore we designed a survey to identify the determinants of decisions to pursue a biomedical research career based upon the Theory of Planned Behavior and the concept of stereotype threat. From October 2012 through January 2014 electronic surveys were sent to four consecutive Harvard Medical School graduating classes, 1996-1999. Respondents provided demographic information, indicated their current research involvement, and provided retrospective reports of their experiences and attitudes when they were making career choices as they completed medical school. Multivariable ordinal regression was used to identify factors independently associated with current research involvement. Completed questionnaires were received from 358 respondents (response rate 65 %). In unadjusted analyses, variables associated with more extensive research involvement included non-minority status, male gender, lower debt at graduation, strong attitudes toward research at time of graduation, and greater social pressures to pursue research (all P < .001). These associations remained significant in multivariable regression analysis (all P < 0.01). However, an interaction between sex and prior research publications was also detected, indicating that more extensive research involvement during medical school doubled the likelihood of a research career for women (OR 2.53, 95 % CI 1.00-6.40; P = 0.05). Most of the factors predicting research career choice involve factors that are potentially modifiable, suggesting that appropriately designed behavioral interventions may help to expand the size and diversity of the biomedical research community.

CELBAN™: A 10-Year Retrospective Catherine Lewis & Blanche Kingdon

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lewis, Catherine; Kingdom, Blanche

2016-01-01

This article provides a 10-year review by the test developers of the Canadian English Language Benchmark Assessment for Nurses (CELBAN™). From 2004 to 2014, the development, implementation, national administration, and operations of CELBAN and CELBAN-related products and services were the responsibility of the test developers and team at the…

Retrospective exposure assessment to airborne asbestos among power industry workers

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background A method of individually assessing former exposure to asbestos fibres is a precondition of risk-differentiated health surveillance. The main aims of our study were to assess former levels of airborne asbestos exposure in the power industry in Germany and to propose a basic strategy for health surveillance and the early detection of asbestos related diseases. Methods Between March 2002 and the end of 2006, we conducted a retrospective questionnaire based survey of occupational tasks and exposures with airborne asbestos fibres in a cohort of 8632 formerly asbestos exposed power industry workers. The data on exposure and occupation were entered into a specially designed computer programme, based on ambient monitoring of airborne asbestos fibre concentrations. The cumulative asbestos exposure was expressed as the product of the eight-hour time weighted average and the total duration of exposure in fibre years (fibres/cubic centimetre-years). Results Data of 7775 (90% of the total) participants working in installations for power generation, power distribution or gas supply could be evaluated. The power generation group (n = 5284) had a mean age of 56 years, were exposed for 20 years and had an average cumulative asbestos exposure of 42 fibre years. The occupational group of "metalworkers" (n = 1600) had the highest mean value of 79 fibre years. The corresponding results for the power distribution group (n = 2491) were a mean age of 45 years, a mean exposure duration of 12 years and an average cumulative asbestos exposure of only 2.5 fibre years. The gas supply workers (n = 512) had a mean age of 54 years and a mean duration of exposure of 15 years. Conclusions While the surveyed cohort as a whole was heavily exposed to asbestos dust, the power distribution group had a mean cumulative exposure of only 6% of that found in the power generation group. Based on the presented data, risk-differentiated disease surveillance focusing on metalworkers and electricians

Risk of Retinal Vein Occlusion in Patients With End-Stage Renal Disease: A 12-Year, Retrospective, Nationwide Cohort Study in South Korea.

PubMed

Lee, Kyung Sik; Nam, Ki Heon; Kim, Dong Wook; Kang, Eui Chun; Koh, Hyoung Jun

2018-01-01

The present study aimed to evaluate the risk of retinal vein occlusion (RVO) in Korean patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). In this retrospective, nationwide, propensity score-matched cohort study, subjects were randomly enrolled from the 12-year longitudinal Korean National Health Insurance Service-National Sample Cohort 2002-2013 database comprising 1 million subjects. The ESRD group comprised 988 patients newly diagnosed with ESRD from 2003 onward by washing out data from 2002. The comparison group comprised 4940 (5 for each patient with ESRD) randomly selected propensity score-matched individuals not diagnosed with ESRD. Each sampled patient was tracked until 2013 for RVO development. Multiple conditional Cox regression analysis was performed to compare the risk of RVO between the two groups. The mean follow-up period was 7.37 years. The incidence of RVO was 3.95% in the ESRD group and 2.17% in the comparison group (P = 0.001). ESRD was associated with greater risk of RVO development after adjustment for possible confounders (adjusted hazard ratio [HR], 2.122; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.396-3.226; P = 0.0004). The 50- to 60-year (adjusted HR, 2.635; 95% CI, 1.100-6.313; P = 0.0297) and 60- to 70-year (adjusted HR, 2.544; 95% CI, 1.059-6.110; P = 0.0368) age groups exhibited higher risk of RVO compared with the <40-year age group. Hyperlipidemia (adjusted HR, 1.670; 95% CI, 1.176-2.371; P = 0.0042) and hypertension (adjusted HR, 1.896; 95% CI, 1.165-3.086; P = 0.01) were also associated with RVO. An association between ESRD and subsequent RVO development was found after adjustment for possible confounding factors.

Regional methamphetamine use among U.S. Army personnel stationed in the continental United States and Hawaii: a six-year retrospective study (2000-2005).

PubMed

Lacy, Benjamin W; Ditzler, Thomas F; Wilson, Raymond S; Martin, Thomas M; Ochikubo, Jon T; Roussel, Robert R; Pizarro-Matos, Jose M; Vazquez, Raymond

2008-04-01

Substance use disorders constitute a serious and persistent threat to military readiness and to the health and safety of military personnel and their families. Methamphetamine is among the most addictive and damaging of commonly abused drugs; this is of great concern for military health providers in Hawaii due to the unusually high prevalence in the local community. The effect of regional drug use on active duty subpopulations has not been previously studied. This study includes a 6-year retrospective sample of laboratory-confirmed methamphetamine-, cocaine-, and marijuana-positive drug tests among Army soldiers stationed in Hawaii and western and eastern continental U.S. installations. The findings suggest that active duty members are significantly affected by the local drug climate. However, current military drug policies also deter use as evidenced by low absolute drug-positive rates even in regions of high civilian prevalence.

On the design of learning outcomes for the undergraduate engineer's final year project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thambyah, Ashvin

2011-03-01

The course for the final year project for engineering students, because of its strongly research-based, open-ended format, tends to not have well defined learning outcomes, which are also not aligned with any accepted pedagogical philosophy or learning technology. To address this problem, the revised Bloom's taxonomy table of Anderson and Krathwohl (2001) is utilised, as suggested previously by Lee and Lai (2007), to design new learning outcomes for the final year project course in engineering education. Based on the expectations of the engineering graduate, and integrating these graduate expectations into the six cognitive processes and four knowledge dimensions of the taxonomy table, 24 learning outcomes have been designed. It is proposed that these 24 learning outcomes be utilised as a suitable working template to inspire more critical evaluation of what is expected to be learnt by engineering students undertaking final year research or capstone projects.

Predictors of Loss to Follow-up Among HIV-infected Patients in a Rural South-Eastern Nigeria Hospital: A 5-year Retrospective Cohort Study

PubMed Central

Eguzo, KN; Lawal, AK; Umezurike, CC; Eseigbe, CE

2015-01-01

Background: Patient attrition has been a challenge in managing HIV programs in resource-limited settings. Aim: This study reviews the predictors of loss to follow-up (LTFU) in our hospital and suggests the best practices for dealing with the issue. Subjects and Methods: A 5-year retrospective cohort study of 1256 HIV-infected patients. Baseline CD4 counts, age, gender, year of enrolment, and antiretroviral therapy combination regimen were considered in this study. Kaplan–Meier models were used to estimate the univariate time-to-LTFU and Cox proportional hazards models to identify the multivariate predictors of LTFU. Results: Twenty-four percent (23.9% [301/1256]) of patients were lost to follow-up. Baseline CD4 count, year of enrolment, and drug combination were significant predictors of LTFU. Patients enrolled earlier (2008/2009) were twice as likely to be LTFU compared with those enrolled later (2010–2013). Gender and age did not significantly predict LTFU nor confound other predictors. Conclusion: The program showed higher LTFU rates than most studies in Nigeria and Africa, maybe due to difficulties with the access to the hospital and possible treatment fatigue. This study recommends the provision of transportation subsidies and proactive patient follow-up with “peer-tracking” to reduce LTFU among HIV infected patients, especially in resource-limited settings. PMID:27057373

Retrospective analysis of snake victims in Northern India admitted in a tertiary level institute

PubMed Central

Ahmed, Syed Moied; Nadeem, Abu; Islam, Mohd. Sabihul; Agarwal, Shiwani; Singh, Lalit

2012-01-01

Context: Snake bites are the common cause of morbidity and mortality in tropical countries. Aims: To analyze the outcome of snake bite victims Settings and Design: Retrospective analysis of data from Intensive care unit, Department of Anesthesiology. Materials and Methods: All the patients admitted in the intensive care unit for snake bite management during the year May 2004 - April 2009 were retrospectively reviewed. The data included age, sex, month and time of incident, site of bite, dose of anti--snake venom, time of anti--snake venom, administration, duration of mechanical ventilation, complications and death of a victim. Statistical analysis used: Pearson's correlation test, paired samples t-test. Results and Conclusions: 113 patients reported to the Accident and Emergency with history of snake bite. 26 patients were referred to other hospital, 17 patients were brought dead, and 70 patients were admitted to the intensive care unit. In 59 snake-bite victims, maximum data could be recovered. Krait was the most common type of snake bite reported. There was a male preponderance (69.4%) with age ranging between 20 and 40 years (52.5%). The mean lag time (time elapsed between bite and first dose of anti--snake venom) was 5.3 ± 1.4 h and the mean anti-snake venom dose was 12.3 ± 2.4 vials. There was a positive and significant correlation between lag time and total dose of anti--snake venom (correlation coefficient =0.956, P<0.0001). Overall 72.9% patients required mechanical ventilation with a mean duration of 56.2 ± 16.1 h. 10.2% patients sustained cardiac arrest, 8.7% patients developed ventilator associated pneumonia, 6.7% suffered mild anti-snake venom reaction, 6.7% had hypotension and 5.1% patients developed renal failure. The overall mortality was 5.1%. PMID:22345945

Distribution and features of hematological malignancies in Eastern Morocco: a retrospective multicenter study over 5 years.

PubMed

Elidrissi Errahhali, Mounia; Elidrissi Errahhali, Manal; Boulouiz, Redouane; Ouarzane, Meryem; Bellaoui, Mohammed

2016-02-25

Hematological malignancies (HM) are a public health problem. The pattern and distribution of diagnosed hematological cancers vary depending on age, sex, geography, and ethnicity suggesting the involvement of genetic and environmental factors for the development of these diseases. To our knowledge, there is no published report on HM in the case of Eastern Morocco. In this report we present for the first time the overall pattern of HM for this region. Retrospective descriptive study of patients diagnosed with HM between January 2008 and December 2012 in three centres in Eastern Morocco providing cancer diagnosis, treatment or palliative care services. The FAB (French-American-British) classification system has been taken into account in the analysis of myeloid and lymphoid neoplasms. In this study, a total of 660 cases of HM were registered between January 2008 and December 2012. Overall, 6075 cases of cancers all sites combined were registered during this study period, indicating that HM account for around 10.9 % (660/6075) of all cancers recorded. Among the 660 registered cases of HM, 53 % were males and 47 % were females, with a male to female ratio of 1.1. Thus, overall, men are slightly more affected with HM than women. By contrast, a female predominance was observed in the case of Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL), myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN), acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and the myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). HM occur at a relatively young age, with an overall median age at diagnosis of 54 years. Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) was the most common HM accounting for 29.7 % of all HM, followed by HL, MPN, multiple myelomas (MM), chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), AML, MDS, acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), and Waldenström macroglobulinemia (WM). The majority of HM cases have been observed among patients aged 60 years and over (40.4 % of HM). Among this age group, NHL was the most common HM. In adolescents, HL was the most frequent HM. This study provided for the

Retrospective 25-year follow-up of treatment outcomes in Angle Class III patients : Success versus failure.

PubMed

Wendl, Brigitte; Kamenica, A; Droschl, H; Jakse, N; Weiland, F; Wendl, T; Wendl, M

2017-03-01

Despite recommendations for early treatment of hereditary Angle Class III syndrome, late pubertal growth may cause a relapse requiring surgical intervention. This study was performed to identify predictors of successful Class III treatment. Thirty-eight Class III patients treated with a chincup were retrospectively analyzed. Data were collected from the data archive, cephalograms, and casts, including pretreatment (T0) and posttreatment (T1) data, as well as long-term follow-up data collected approximately 25 years after treatment (T2). Each patient was assigned to a success or a failure group. Data were analyzed based on time (T0, T1, T2), deviations from normal (Class I), and prognathism types (true mandibular prognathism, maxillary retrognathism, combined pro- and retrognathism). Compared to Class I normal values, the data obtained in both groups yielded 11 significant parameters. The success group showed values closer to normal at all times (T0, T1, T2) and vertical parameters decreased from T0 to T2. The failure group showed higher values for vertical and horizontal mandibular growth, as well as dentally more protrusion of the lower anterior teeth and more negative overjet at all times. In adittion, total gonial and upper gonial angle were higher at T0 and T1. A prognostic score-yet to be evaluated in clinical practice-was developed from the results. The failure group showed greater amounts of horizontal development during the years between T1 and T2. Treatment of true mandibular prognathism achieved better outcomes in female patients. Cases of maxillary retrognathism were treated very successfully without gender difference. Failure was clearly more prevalent, again without gender difference, among the patients with combined mandibular prognathism and maxillary retrognathism. Crossbite situations were observed in 44% of cases at T0. Even though this finding had been resolved by T1, it relapsed in 16% of the cases by T2. The failure rate increased in cases of

Design of carbon therapy facility based on 10 years experience at HIMAC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Noda, K.; Furukawa, T.; Iwata, Y.; Kanai, T.; Kanazawa, M.; Kanematsu, N.; Kitagawa, A.; Komori, M.; Minohara, S.; Murakami, T.; Muramatsu, M.; Sato, S.; Sato, Y.; Shibuya, S.; Torikoshi, M.; Yamada, S.

2006-06-01

Since 1994, the clinical trial for cancer therapy with HIMAC has successfully progressed, and more than 2100 cancer patients have been treated with a carbon beam. Based on the development of the accelerator and irradiation technologies for 10 years, we have designed a new carbon-therapy facility for widespread use in Japan, and key technologies for the new facility have been developed. We describe the conceptual design of the new facility and the status of development for the key technologies.

Anorexia nervosa versus bulimia nervosa: differences based on retrospective correlates in a case-control study.

PubMed

Machado, Bárbara C; Gonçalves, Sónia F; Martins, Carla; Brandão, Isabel; Roma-Torres, António; Hoek, Hans W; Machado, Paulo P

2016-06-01

This study is the result of two Portuguese case-control studies that examined the replication of retrospective correlates and preceding life events in anorexia nervosa (AN) and bulimia nervosa (BN) development. This study aims to identify retrospective correlates that distinguish AN and BN METHOD: A case-control design was used to compare a group of women who met Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition criteria for AN (N = 98) and BN (N = 79) with healthy controls (N = 86) and with other psychiatric disorders (N = 68). Each control group was matched with AN patients regarding age and parental social categories. Risk factors were assessed by interviewing each person with the Oxford Risk Factor Interview. Compared to AN, women with BN reported significantly higher rates of paternal high expectations, excessive family importance placed on fitness/keeping in shape, and negative consequences due to adolescent overweight and adolescent objective overweight. Overweight during adolescence emerged as the most relevant retrospective correlate in the distinction between BN and AN participants. Family expectations and the importance placed on keeping in shape were also significant retrospective correlates in the BN group.

Surgical management of breast cancer in China: A 15-year single-center retrospective study of 18,502 patients.

PubMed

Huang, Nai-Si; Liu, Meng-Ying; Chen, Jia-Jian; Yang, Ben-Long; Xue, Jing-Yan; Quan, Chen-Lian; Mo, Miao; Liu, Guang-Yu; Shen, Zhen-Zhou; Shao, Zhi-Min; Wu, Jiong

2016-11-01

The aim of the study was to review the surgical trends in breast cancer treatment in China over the past 15 years and to explore the possible factors related to the choice of surgical modality.The medical records of 18,502 patients with unilateral early stage breast cancer who underwent surgery from January 1999 to December 2013 at our institute were retrospectively reviewed. The utilization of different surgical modalities and the associated clinicopathological factors were analyzed. Furthermore, the prognostic role of surgical modality was also evaluated.The median patient age was 50.0 years. According to the pTNM staging system, 12.5% of the patients were classified as stage 0; 30.2% as stage I; 40.0% as stage II; and 17.3% as stage III. In total, 9.3% of the patients could not be staged. Overall, 67.1% of the breast cancer cases were estrogen receptor (ER) positive. The pattern of breast cancer surgery has changed tremendously over the past 15 years (P < 0.001). The pattern of mastectomy has shifted from radical mastectomy to modified radical mastectomy and simple mastectomy + sentinel lymph node biopsy. A total of 81.7% of the patients underwent mastectomy without immediate reconstruction, 15.2% underwent breast-conserving surgery (BCS), and 3.7% received immediate breast reconstruction after mastectomy. Age, TNM staging, and pathological characteristics greatly affected the choice of surgical modality. The 5-year recurrence-free survival (RFS) rates for the mastectomy, BCS, and reconstruction groups were 87.6%, 93.2%, and 91.7%, respectively (P < 0.001); the RFS rate was likely affected by distant recurrence instead of loco-regional recurrence. We also identified improved RFS over time, stratified by surgical modality and tumor stage. Multivariate Cox-regression analysis revealed that time of treatment, tumor stage, tumor grade, LVI status, and ER status were independent prognostic factors for RFS in our cohort, whereas surgical modality was not

Burden of severe RSV disease among immunocompromised children and adults: a 10 year retrospective study.

PubMed

Chatzis, Olga; Darbre, Stephanie; Pasquier, Jérôme; Meylan, Pascal; Manuel, Oriol; Aubert, John David; Beck-Popovic, Maja; Masouridi-Levrat, Stavroula; Ansari, Marc; Kaiser, Laurent; Posfay-Barbe, Klara M; Asner, Sandra A

2018-03-06

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is associated with significant mortality rates amongst hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) recipients, with less known about other immunocompromised patients. Ten-year retrospective cohort study of immunocompromised patients presenting with RSV disease documented at University Hospitals of Lausanne and Geneva. Severe RSV-related outcomes referred to RSV documented respiratory conditions requiring hospital admission, presenting as lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) or pneumonia. We used multivariable logistic regression to assess clinical and laboratory correlates of severe RSV disease. From 239 RSV-positive immunocompromised in and out-patients 175 were adults and 64 children of whom 111 (47.8%) presented with LRTI, which resulted in a 38% (89/239) admission rate to hospital. While immunocompromised children were more likely to be admitted to hospital compared to adults (75% vs 62.9%, p = 0.090), inpatients admitted to the intensive care unit (17/19) or those who died (11/11) were mainly adults. From multivariable analyses, adults with solid tumors (OR 5.2; 95% CI: 1.4-20.9 P = 0.015) or those requiring chronic immunosuppressive treatments mainly for rheumatologic conditions (OR 4.1; 95% CI: 1.1-16.0; P = 0.034) were significantly more likely to be admitted to hospital compared to hematopoietic stem cell (HSCT) recipients. Bacterial co-infection was significantly and consistently associated with viral LRTI and pneumonia. From our findings, RSV-related disease results in a significant burden among adults requiring chronic immunosuppressive treatments for rheumatological conditions and those with solid tumors. As such, systematic screening for respiratory viruses, should be extended to other immunocompromised populations than HSCT recipients.

Cryoanalgesia in the management of intractable pain in the temporomandibular joint: a five-year retrospective review.

PubMed

Sidebottom, A J; Carey, E C; Madahar, A K

2011-12-01

Cryoanalgesia is a controversial adjunct to the management of chronic pain, but we know of no studies that have investigated its effect in the management of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) pain. In this five-year retrospective study we treated 17 patients who had severe pain that had failed to respond to all forms of conventional conservative treatment and were not appropriate for simple open operation. None had a clear indication for open operation on the joint or had too severe disease to warrant a simple procedure. Preliminary diagnostic injections of bupivacaine to the TMJ relieved the pain. We applied the cryoprobe in the region of the auriculotemporal nerve and TMJ capsule. There was a small but insignificant improvement in mean mouth opening together with a significant (p=0.000) improvement in visual analogue pain scores (VAS) from 6.8 (range 4-10) to 2.0 (range 0-7). Two patients had no change in their pain scores, and 2 had complete resolution of their pain. The mean number of pain-free months after treatment was 7 (IQR 3-15). Three patients had long-term pain relief, and 12 temporary relief; 6 of these subsequently had successful relief after total replacement of the TMJ. One patient had further cryoanalgesia, one was referred for specialist pain management, and one controlled the pain with nortriptyline. Of the 17 cases studied, 2 had temporary complications after cryoanalgesia. Cryoanalgesia is a useful adjunct to the management of intractable pain in the TMJ. Short-term pain relief can be achieved, and long-term relief is possible in some, deferring more complex and costly treatments. Crown Copyright © 2010. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Retrospective North American CFL Experience Curve Analysis and Correlation to Deployment Programs

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Smith, Sarah J.; Wei, Max; Sohn, Michael D.

Retrospective experience curves are a useful tool for understanding historic technology development, and can contribute to investment program analysis and future cost estimation efforts. This work documents our development of an analysis approach for deriving retrospective experience curves with a variable learning rate, and its application to develop an experience curve for compact fluorescent lamps for the global and North American markets over the years 1990-2007. Uncertainties and assumptions involved in interpreting data for our experience curve development are discussed, including the processing and transformation of empirical data, the selection of system boundaries, and the identification of historical changes inmore » the learning rate over the course of 15 years. In the results that follow, we find that that the learning rate has changed at least once from 1990-2007. We also explore if, and to what degree, public deployment programs may have contributed to an increased technology learning rate in North America. We observe correlations between the changes in the learning rate and the initiation of new policies, abrupt technological advances, including improvements to ballast technology, and economic and political events such as trade tariffs and electricity prices. Finally, we discuss how the findings of this work (1) support the use of segmented experience curves for retrospective and prospective analysis and (2) may imply that investments in technological research and development have contributed to a change in market adoption and penetration.« less

Clinical characteristics and outcomes of obstetric patients admitted to the Intensive Care Unit: a 10-year retrospective review.

PubMed

Leung, N Y W; Lau, A C W; Chan, K K C; Yan, W W

2010-02-01

To review the characteristics and health-related quality-of-life outcomes of obstetric patients admitted to the Intensive Care Unit. Retrospective cohort study. A regional hospital in Hong Kong. Consecutive obstetric patients admitted to the Intensive Care Unit of Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital from January 1998 to December 2007. Fifty obstetric patients (mean [standard deviation] age, 31 [6] years; mean gestational age, 34 [9] weeks) were analysed. The most common obstetric cause of admission was postpartum haemorrhage (n=19, 38%), followed by pregnancy-associated hypertension (n=7, 14%). The commonest non-obstetric cause of admission was sepsis (n=7, 14%). The commonest intervention was arterial line insertion (n=33, 66%) and mechanical ventilation (n=29, 58%). Maternal mortality was 6% (n=3), while the perinatal mortality rate was 8% (n=4). The average Short Form-36 Health Survey scores of our patients were lower than the norm for the Hong Kong population of the same age and gender. Postpartum haemorrhage and pregnancy-associated hypertension were the most common causes of admission to our Intensive Care Unit. Overall mortality was low. Long-term health-related quality of life in discharged patients was lower than the norm of the Hong Kong population. Appropriate antenatal care is important in preventing obstetric complications. Continued psychosocial follow-up of discharged patients has to be implemented.

Prevalence of hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus and human immunodeficiency virus among blood donors of Mekelle blood bank, Northern Ethiopia: A three year retrospective study.

PubMed

Degefa, Berhanu; Gebreeyesus, Teklehaymanot; Gebremedhin, Zufan; Melkamu, Getachew; Gebrekidan, Atsebaha; Hailekiros, Haftamu; Tsegay, Ephrem; Niguse, Selam; Abdulkader, Mahmud

2018-06-15

Blood transfusion services are a vital and integral part of modern healthcare services. However, the risk of transfusion transmittable infections (TTI) has been a major handicap. Therefore this study was aimed at determining the prevalence of hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and human immunodeficiency virus among blood donors. A retrospective study was conducted to collect data about the blood donors that consecutively donated blood from October 2011 to 2014. A three-year retrospective study was conducted in Mekelle Blood Bank. A data abstraction format was used to collect the socio-demographic and clinical data and the prevalence of HBV, HCV and HIV was determined. Data were analyzed using STATA version 10 analytical software. P value less than 0.05 were considered significant in all the analysis. A total of 10,728 blood donors, median (IQR) of age 30 (23-45) years and 3,750 (34.9%) males were enrolled in this study. Of the participants 407(3.79%), 143(1.33%) and 111(1.03%) blood donors were positive for HBV, HCV and HIV respectively. HBV-HIV co infections were found 10 (1.93%), followed by HBV-HCV and HIV-HCV. A significant association between sex and marital status with HBV and HIV infection was found. However, significant association of HCV were observed among sex (X 2 =33.18, P < 0.001) and occupational (X 2 = 84.33, P <0.001). Significant percentage of HBV, HCV and HIV among blood donors was observed. In order to select donor and collect safe blood risk factors exposing blood donor should be studied and community based prevalence studies on the TTI are also required. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

One-Stage versus Two-Stage Repair of Asymmetric Bilateral Cleft Lip: A 20-Year Retrospective Study of Clinical Outcome.

PubMed

Chung, Kyung Hoon; Lo, Lun-Jou

2018-05-01

Both one- and two-stage approaches have been widely used for patients with asymmetric bilateral cleft lip. There are insufficient long-term outcome data for comparison of these two methods. The purpose of this retrospective study was to compare the clinical outcome over the past 20 years. The senior author's (L.J.L.) database was searched for patients with asymmetric bilateral cleft lip from 1995 to 2015. Qualified patients were divided into two groups: one-stage and two-stage. The postoperative photographs of patients were evaluated subjectively by surgical professionals and laypersons. Ratios of the nasolabial region were calculated for objective analysis. Finally, the revision procedures in the nasolabial area were reviewed. Statistical analyses were performed. A total of 95 consecutive patients were qualified for evaluation. Average follow-up was 13.1 years. A two-stage method was used in 35 percent of the patients, and a one-stage approach was used in 65 percent. All underwent primary nasal reconstruction. Among the satisfaction rating scores, the one-stage repair was rated significantly higher than two-stage reconstruction (p = 0.0001). Long-term outcomes of the two-stage patients and the unrepaired mini-microform deformities were unsatisfactory according to both professional and nonprofessional evaluators. The revision rate was higher in patients with a greater-side complete cleft lip and palate as compared with those without palatal involvement. The results suggested that one-stage repair provided better results with regard to achieving a more symmetric and smooth lip and nose after primary reconstruction. The revision rate was slightly higher in the two-stage patient group. Therapeutic, III.

Usefulness of multiplex PCR methods and respiratory viruses’ distribution in children below 15 years old according to age, seasons and clinical units in France: A 3 years retrospective study

PubMed Central

Collin, Gilles; Ichou, Houria; Charpentier, Charlotte; Bendhafer, Samia; Dumitrescu, Madalina; Allal, Lahcene; Cojocaru, Bogdan; Desfrère, Luc; Descamps, Diane; Mandelbrot, Laurent; Houhou-Fidouh, Nadhira

2017-01-01

Background To date, only influenza and RSV testing are recommended for respiratory viruses’ detection in paediatric units. In this study, we described, according to seasons, ages and clinical units, the results obtained in children (<15 years old) by multiplex-PCR (mPCR) tests allowing a quick and wide range detection of all respiratory viruses. These results were also compared with RSV specific detection. Methods All nasopharyngeal mPCR and RSV tests requested by clinicians in our French teaching hospitals group between 2011 and 2014 were retrospectively included. All repeated samples for the same children in the same month were discarded. Results Of the 381 mPCR tests (344 children) performed, 51.4% were positive. Positivity and viral co-infection rates were higher in the 6–36 months old strata (81% and 25%, p<0.0001 and p = 0.04, respectively). Viral distribution showed strong variations across ages. During specific influenza epidemic periods, only 1/39 (2.5%) mPCR tests were positive for influenza and 19/39 (48.7%) for other viruses. During specific RSV epidemic periods, only 8/46 (17.4%) mPCR tests were positive for RSV and 14/46 (30.4%) for other viruses. 477/1529 (31.2%) of RSV immunochromatography-tests were positive. Among the negatives immunochromatography-test also explored by mPCR, 28/62 (31%) were positive for other respiratory viruses. Conclusion This study provides a wide description of respiratory viruses’ distribution among children in hospital settings using mPCR over 3 years. It emphasizes the number of undiagnosed respiratory viruses according to the current diagnosis practice in France and gives a better picture of respiratory viruses identified in hospital settings by mPCR all over the year in France. PMID:28235002

Outcomes of office-based temporomandibular joint arthroscopy: a 5-year retrospective study.

PubMed

Hossameldin, R H; McCain, J P

2018-01-01

Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) arthroscopy is a minimally invasive surgical approach for intra-articular TMJ diseases. Office-based arthroscopy using the smallest TMJ scope allows for good visualization, as well as the ability to lavage the joint in an office setting. This study aimed to assess the efficacy of an office-based TMJ arthroscopic technique. A retrospective evaluation of 363 patients with a TMJ disorder was performed. These patients underwent office-based arthroscopy using the OnPoint 1.2mm Scope System (Biomet Microfixation, Jacksonville, FL, USA) in Florida, USA, from July 2007. The following outcomes of the procedure were assessed: improvement in painless range of mandibular motion, pain on loading, and functional jaw pain; these were evaluated using a visual analog scale (VAS) over an average follow-up period of 263.81±142.1 days. The statistical analysis was performed using IBM SPSS Statistics version 20. Statistically significant improvements in TMJ pain and function, and other variables (P=0.001) were shown following TMJ arthroscopic lysis and lavage. Office-based arthroscopy using the OnPoint System was demonstrated to be a safe and efficient procedure for the treatment of patients with TMJ disorders as the first level of the algorithm of care. Copyright © 2017 International Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy with and without silicone intubation: 4 years retrospective study.

PubMed

Longari, F; Dehgani Mobaraki, P; Ricci, A L; Lapenna, R; Cagini, C; Ricci, G

2016-08-01

The objective of this study is to assess different outcomes between endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy (En-DCR) with and without silicone intubation. We retrospectively analyzed 84 patients (89 procedures), suffering from chronic epiphora for primary acquired nasolacrimal duct obstruction, treated with En-DCR and divided into two groups depending on silicone stent intubation. The surgical outcomes were evaluated at 7 post-operative controls using Munk's score criteria. Functional success was defined as absence of epiphora, no further episodes of dacryocystitis, and a patent ostium after fluorescein irrigation. 45 En-DCR with stent and 44 En-DCR without stent were performed. Success rate after 18 months follow-up were, respectively, 82.2 % in the stent group and 88.6 % in the non-stent group (OR 0.59) with no statistical differences. The ostial size reduction has been reported in higher percentage in the stent group, mainly due to peristomal granuloma (OR 3.64), scar tissue formation (OR 2.25), and turbinoseptal synaechia (OR 1.76). The benefits of non-intubation are less patient discomfort, reduced surgical time and costs, simpler follow-up regimen and less intubation-associated complications. En-DCR without silicone stent intubation should be the first choice of procedure, stent intubation should be reserved in selected cases with poor local conditions pre and intra-operatively assessed.

Rated casemix of general practitioner referrals to practice counsellors and clinical psychologists: A retrospective survey of a year's caseload.

PubMed

Cape, John; Parham, Alan

2001-06-01

Although evidence-based guidelines are beginning to be produced as to which psychological therapies might be appropriate for which patients, little is known about how general medical practitioners (GPs) in practice distribute referrals between different psychological therapy services. In a retrospective survey, 19 practice counsellors and 10 clinical psychologists from the same geographical area rated a year's caseload of GP referrals using identical data collection methods. Rated casemix was found to be broadly similar, although practice counsellors rated relationship and bereavement problems as more common in their caseloads (totalling 986 patients), and clinical psychologists rated panic disorder, phobias, and obsessive-compulsive problems as more common in their caseloads (totalling 320 patients). Depression and anxiety reactions were the most common problems rated in both groups, but the clinical psychologist cases of depression were rated as more severe and complex. Where differences were found, they may have reflected the different ways that counsellors and clinical psychologists conceptualize cases rather than actual differences in casemix. The results are discussed in relation to evidence-based guideline recommendations about cases appropriate to be seen by practice counsellors and by clinical psychologists in primary and secondary care, and the need to adapt such guidance to local services and skills of practitioners.

Rated casemix of general practitioner referrals to practice counsellors and clinical psychologists: a retrospective survey of a year's caseload.

PubMed

Cape, J; Parham, A

2001-06-01

Although evidence-based guidelines are beginning to be produced as to which psychological therapies might be appropriate for which patients, little is known about how general medical practitioners (GPs) in practice distribute referrals between different psychological therapy services. In a retrospective survey, 19 practice counsellors and 10 clinical psychologists from the same geographical area rated a year's caseload of GP referrals using identical data collection methods. Rated casemix was found to be broadly similar, although practice counsellors rated relationship and bereavement problems as more common in their caseloads (totalling 986 patients), and clinical psychologists rated panic disorder, phobias, and obsessive-compulsive problems as more common in their caseloads (totalling 320 patients). Depression and anxiety reactions were the most common problems rated in both groups, but the clinical psychologist cases of depression were rated as more severe and complex. Where differences were found, they may have reflected the different ways that counsellors and clinical psychologists conceptualize cases rather than actual differences in casemix. The results are discussed in relation to evidence-based guideline recommendations about cases appropriate to be seen by practice counsellors and by clinical psychologists in primary and secondary care, and the need to adapt such guidance to local services and skills of practitioners.

Penta-therapy for severe acute hyperlipidemic pancreatitis: A retrospective chart review over a 10-year period.

PubMed

Lu, Jian; Xie, Yun; Du, Jiang; Kang, Mei; Jin, Wei; Li, Yan; Xie, Hui; Cheng, Ruijie; Tian, Rui; Wang, Ruilan

2018-02-03

The purpose of our study is to evaluate the efficacy of penta-therapy for HL-SAP in a retrospective study. Retrospective study between January 2007 and December 2016 in a hospital intensive care unit. HL-SAP patients were assigned to conventional treatment alone (the control group) or conventional treatment with the experimental protocol (the penta-therapy group) consists of blood purification, antihyperlipidemic agents, low-molecular weight heparin, insulin, covering the whole abdomen with Pixiao (a traditional Chinese medicine). Serum triglyceride, serum calcium, APACHE II score, SOFA score, Ranson score, and other serum biomarkers were evaluated. The hospital length of stay, local complications, systematic complications, rate of recurrence, overall mortality, and operation rate were considered clinical outcomes. 63 HL-SAP patients received conventional treatment alone (the control group) and 25 patients underwent penta- therapy combined with conventional treatment (the penta-therapy group). Serum amylase, serum triglyceride, white blood cell count, C-reactive protein, and blood sugar were significantly reduced, while serum calcium was significantly increased with penta-therapy. The changes in serum amylase, serum calcium were significantly different between the penta-therapy and control group on 7th day after the initiation of treatment. The reduction in serum triglyceride in the penta-therapy group on the second day and 7th day were greater than the control group. Patients in the penta-therapy group had a significantly shorter length of hospital stay. This study suggests that the addition of penta-therapy to conventional treatment for HL-SAP may be superior to conventional treatment alone for improvement of serum biomarkers and clinical outcomes. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

An analysis of firearms-related deaths between 1993-2010: a retrospective study.

PubMed

Toygar, Mehmet; Türker, Türker; Eroğlu, Murat; Kaldırım, Umit; Poyrazoğlu, Yavuz; Eyi, Yusuf Emrah; Durusu, Murat; Eryılmaz, Mehmet

2013-11-01

Firearm injuries (FI) are the most common cause of death among military personnel. In this study, postmortem examination and autopsy records of deaths resulting from firearm injuries recorded in the Department of Forensic Medicine of Gulhane Military Medical Academy between 1993-2010 were examined retrospectively. We evaluated the characteristics of 153 firearm deaths accounting for 36.6% of all medical-legal autopsies. The cases included 152 men (99.3%) and 1 woman (0.7%). The mean age of the cases was 23.1 years (±4.7; range, 20-43 years). The manner of death was determined in all cases with 41.8% of cases identified as suicide and 39.9% as homicide. The most common sites of firearm entrance wounds were the head and neck region (n=109, 71.2%), the chest (n=26, 17%), or the abdomen (n=14, 9.2%). The type of firearm was not clear in most cases. In conclusion, complete forensic and medical records will facilitate the rapid and accurate conclusion of the legal process and will enhance future retrospective studies.

The lasting memory enhancements of retrospective attention

PubMed Central

Reaves, Sarah; Strunk, Jonathan; Phillips, Shekinah; Verhaeghen, Paul; Duarte, Audrey

2016-01-01

Behavioral research has shown that spatial cues that orient attention toward task relevant items being maintained in visual short-term memory (VSTM) enhance item memory accuracy. However, it is unknown if these retrospective attentional cues (“retro-cues”) enhance memory beyond typical short-term memory delays. It is also unknown whether retro-cues affect the spatial information associated with VSTM representations. Emerging evidence suggests that processes that affect short-term memory maintenance may also affect long-term memory (LTM) but little work has investigated the role of attention in LTM. In the current event-related potential (ERP) study, we investigated the duration of retrospective attention effects and the impact of retrospective attention manipulations on VSTM representations. Results revealed that retro-cueing improved both VSTM and LTM memory accuracy and that posterior maximal ERPs observed during VSTM maintenance predicted subsequent LTM performance. N2pc ERPs associated with attentional selection were attenuated by retro-cueing suggesting that retrospective attention may disrupt maintenance of spatial configural information in VSTM. Collectively, these findings suggest that retrospective attention can alter the structure of memory representations, which impacts memory performance beyond short-term memory delays. PMID:27038756

The lasting memory enhancements of retrospective attention.

PubMed

Reaves, Sarah; Strunk, Jonathan; Phillips, Shekinah; Verhaeghen, Paul; Duarte, Audrey

2016-07-01

Behavioral research has shown that spatial cues that orient attention toward task relevant items being maintained in visual short-term memory (VSTM) enhance item memory accuracy. However, it is unknown if these retrospective attentional cues ("retro-cues") enhance memory beyond typical short-term memory delays. It is also unknown whether retro-cues affect the spatial information associated with VSTM representations. Emerging evidence suggests that processes that affect short-term memory maintenance may also affect long-term memory (LTM) but little work has investigated the role of attention in LTM. In the current event-related potential (ERP) study, we investigated the duration of retrospective attention effects and the impact of retrospective attention manipulations on VSTM representations. Results revealed that retro-cueing improved both VSTM and LTM memory accuracy and that posterior maximal ERPs observed during VSTM maintenance predicted subsequent LTM performance. N2pc ERPs associated with attentional selection were attenuated by retro-cueing suggesting that retrospective attention may disrupt maintenance of spatial configural information in VSTM. Collectively, these findings suggest that retrospective attention can alter the structure of memory representations, which impacts memory performance beyond short-term memory delays. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Stress Hyperglycaemia in Hospitalised Patients and Their 3-Year Risk of Diabetes: A Scottish Retrospective Cohort Study

PubMed Central

McAllister, David A.; Hughes, Katherine A.; Lone, Nazir; Mills, Nicholas L.; Sattar, Naveed; McKnight, John; Wild, Sarah H.

2014-01-01

Background Hyperglycaemia during hospital admission is common in patients who are not known to have diabetes and is associated with adverse outcomes. The risk of subsequently developing type 2 diabetes, however, is not known. We linked a national database of hospital admissions with a national register of diabetes to describe the association between admission glucose and the risk of subsequently developing type 2 diabetes. Methods and Findings In a retrospective cohort study, patients aged 30 years or older with an emergency admission to hospital between 2004 and 2008 were included. Prevalent and incident diabetes were identified through the Scottish Care Information (SCI)-Diabetes Collaboration national registry. Patients diagnosed prior to or up to 30 days after hospitalisation were defined as prevalent diabetes and were excluded. The predicted risk of developing incident type 2 diabetes during the 3 years following hospital discharge by admission glucose, age, and sex was obtained from logistic regression models. We performed separate analyses for patients aged 40 and older, and patients aged 30 to 39 years. Glucose was measured in 86,634 (71.0%) patients aged 40 and older on admission to hospital. The 3-year risk of developing type 2 diabetes was 2.3% (1,952/86,512) overall, was <1% for a glucose ≤5 mmol/l, and increased to approximately 15% at 15 mmol/l. The risks at 7 mmol/l and 11.1 mmol/l were 2.6% (95% CI 2.5–2.7) and 9.9% (95% CI 9.2–10.6), respectively, with one in four (21,828/86,512) and one in 40 (1,798/86,512) patients having glucose levels above each of these cut-points. For patients aged 30–39, the risks at 7 mmol/l and 11.1 mmol/l were 1.0% (95% CI 0.8–1.3) and 7.8% (95% CI 5.7–10.7), respectively, with one in eight (1,588/11,875) and one in 100 (120/11,875) having glucose levels above each of these cut-points. The risk of diabetes was also associated with age, sex, and socio-economic deprivation, but not with specialty (medical versus

Analysis of 41 suicide attempts by wrist cutting: a retrospective analysis.

PubMed

Ersen, B; Kahveci, R; Saki, M C; Tunali, O; Aksu, I

2017-02-01

Self-cutting injuries have a low mortality rate, but this type of injuries has special clinical significance because they have the potential of leading to devastating disability and repeated suicide attempts. The purpose of this study is to analyze the nature and outcomes of wrist-cutting injuries. A retrospective study was designed in order to investigate 41 suicide attempts by wrist cutting attended to Uludag University Faculty of Medicine Emergency Department between June 2008 and December 2014. The patients were analyzed for age, gender, alcohol intake, psychological state, prior suicide attempts, and clinical features such as injury side, injury pattern, and used tool. It was seen that the severity of wrist-cutting injury variates between gender and age. Alcohol or drug consumption and having a diagnosed psychiatric disorder create a higher risk for extensive wrist lacerations. It was seen that skin only lacerations were most likely to repeat the act and therefore are most in need of psychiatric intervention. Level III, retrospective study.

Retrospective Study of Lithium Use for Institutionalized Mentally Retarded Individuals with Behavior Disorders.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Langee, Harvey R.

1990-01-01

Severely and profoundly mentally retarded institutionalized residents (N=74) who received lithium carbonate for behavior disorders were followed in a 10-year retrospective study. Thirty-one subjects demonstrated a sustained major reduction or elimination of behavioral symptoms. Lithium responders were likely to be older and to present symptoms of…

Estimating retrospective indoor radon concentrations with a new device.

PubMed

Martín Sánchez, A; dela Torre Pérez, J

2012-12-01

From the (222)Rn mixed with air, the short-lived daughters (218)Po, (214)Pb, (214)Bi, and (214)Po attach to dust particles and are deposited on surfaces where finally (210)Pb and (210)Po are formed. The alpha particles from (210)Po can be measured on surfaces such as window glass or mirrors. The design and construction are presented of a new device using a silicon detector to measure this (210)Po. Some preliminary results are reported and estimates of retrospective radon concentrations are made from them. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

'Designer babies' almost thirty years on.

PubMed

Handyside, Alan H

2018-06-13

The first pregnancies and live births following IVF and preimplantation genetic testing (PGT), formerly known as preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD), were reported in 1990, almost 30 years ago, in several couples at risk of X-linked inherited conditions, which typically only affect boys inheriting the X chromosome with the affected gene from their carrier mothers. At that time, it was only possible to identify the sex of the embryo by amplifying a Y-linked repeat sequence in single cells biopsied at cleavage stages and avoid the transfer of males, half of which would be affected. The extensive publicity surrounding these cases and the perceived risk of using IVF and PGT for desirable characteristics not related to health, such as sex selection, led to the epithet of 'designer babies' which continues to resonate to this day. Here I briefly reflect on how the technology of PGT has evolved over the decades and whether it deserves this reputation. With efficient methods for whole genome amplification and the genomic revolution, we now have highly accurate universal tests which combine marker-based diagnosis of almost any monogenic disorder with the detection of aneuploidy. PGT is now clinically well established and is likely to remain a valuable alternative for couples at risk of having affected children.

Diagnosis and treatment of branchial cleft anomalies in UKMMC: a 10-year retrospective study.

PubMed

Zaifullah, Syed; Yunus, Mohd Razif Mohamad; See, Goh Bee

2013-03-01

Branchial cleft anomalies result from abnormal persistence of branchial apparatus, which is located at the lateral part of the neck. These occur due to failure of obliteration of the branchial apparatus during embryonic development. Differential diagnoses of lateral neck mass are salivary gland or neurogenic neoplasms, paragangliomas, adenopathies, cystic hygroma or cystic metastasis from squamous cell carcinoma or thyroid papillary carcinoma. Clinically, a branchial cyst is smooth, round, fluctuant and non-tender, and usually occurs over the upper part of the neck, anterior to the sternocleidomastoid muscle. Sometimes, it may present as infected cyst (or abscess), a sinus or fistula. Surgical excision is the definitive treatment for branchial anomalies. The objective of the work was to study the demographic data, clinical presentation, definite diagnostic workup and treatment of patients diagnosed with branchial anomalies. This is a retrospective study of 26 patients who were diagnosed with branchial anomalies (branchial cyst and fistula), of which only 12 patients had data available between July 1999 and June 2009 at the Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre. Twelve cases of branchial anomalies were seen, in which 10 patients had second branchial cyst anomalies, 1 had third branchial fistula and 1 had bilateral branchial lesion. There were seven females and five males. The age of the patients varied over a wide range (4-44 years), but the majority of the patients were in their second and third decade of life. All branchial anomalies occurred at the classical site; eight patients had left-sided neck lesion. Correct clinical diagnosis was made only in five patients (41.6 %). All patients underwent surgical excision with no reported recurrence. Branchial anomalies are frequently forgotten in the differential diagnosis of lateral neck swelling. Diagnosis is usually delayed, leading to improper treatment. The

Long-Term Survival of Dental Implants with Different Prosthetic Loading Times in Healthy Patients: A 5-Year Retrospective Clinical Study.

PubMed

Muelas-Jiménez, M Isabel; Olmedo-Gaya, Maria Victoria; Manzano-Moreno, Francisco J; Reyes-Botella, Candela; Vallecillo-Capilla, Manuel

2017-02-01

To compare survival rates among dental implants restored with immediate, early, and conventional loading protocols, also comparing between maxillary and mandibular implants, and to evaluate the influence of implant length and diameter and the type of prosthesis on treatment outcomes. This retrospective cohort study initially included all 52 patients receiving dental implants between July 2006 and February 2008 at a private oral surgery clinic in Granada (Southern Spain). Clinical and radiographic examinations were performed, including periapical or panoramic radiographs, and incidences during completion of the restoration were recorded at 1 week, 3 months, 6 months, and at 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 years. After a 5-year follow-up, 1 patient had died, 3 were lost to follow-up, and 6 required grafting before implant placement; therefore, the final study sample comprised 42 patients with 164 implants. Variables associated with the survival/failure of the restoration were: number of implants (higher failure rate with fewer implants), bone type (higher failure rate in type III or IV bone), and type of prosthesis (higher failure rate with single crowns). No significant association was found in univariate or multivariate analyses between survival rate and the loading protocol, implant length or diameter, or maxillary/mandibular location. Immediate occlusal loading, immediate provisionalization without occlusal loading, and early loading are viable treatment options with similar survival rates to those obtained with conventional loading. Bone quality and number of implants per patient were the most influential factors. © 2015 by the American College of Prosthodontists.

Mitigating driver distraction with retrospective and concurrent feedback.

PubMed

Donmez, Birsen; Boyle, Linda Ng; Lee, John D

2008-03-01

An experiment was conducted to assess the effects of retrospective and combined retrospective and concurrent feedback on driver performance and engagement in distracting activities. A previous study conducted by the authors showed that concurrent (or real time) feedback can help drivers better modulate their distracting activities. However, research also shows that concurrent feedback can pose additional distractions due to the limited time and resources available during driving. Retrospective feedback, which is presented at the end of a trip (i.e., post-drive), can include additional information on safety critical situations during a trip and help the driver learn safe driving habits. A driving simulator study was conducted with 48 participants and 3 conditions: retrospective feedback, combined feedback (both retrospective and concurrent), and no feedback (baseline case). The feedback conditions (retrospective and combined) resulted in faster response to lead vehicle braking events as depicted by shorter accelerator release times. Moreover, combined feedback also resulted in longer glances to the road. The results suggest that both feedback types have potential to improve immediate driving performance and driver engagement in distractions. Combined feedback holds the most promise for mitigating the effects of distraction from in-vehicle information systems.

A retrospective study of 370 patients with oral lichen planus in Turkey

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Objectives: Although several detailed studies concerning the patient profile and clinical features of oral lichen planus have been undertaken all over the world in different populations, a similar study has not yet been conducted in a Turkish population. The purpose of this retrospective study was to describe the demographic and clinical characteristics of a group of patients with oral lichen planus in Turkey. Study Design: Charts of 370 patients, from the archive of Oral Diagnosis and Radiology Department of Marmara University Faculty of Dentistry (Istanbul, Turkey), with histologically confirmed clinical diagnosis of oral lichen planus in the period 1990-2010 were retrospectively reviewed. Results: Of the 370 patients, 260 (70.3%) were women and 110 (29.7%) were men. The mean age was 49.84±13.41 years (range of 16-83). The lesions were asymptomatic in 63 patients (17%). Nearly half of the patients (47.6%) had multiple sites of involvement. Predominantly red forms were the most frequent, affecting 60.5% of patients. Approximately 17% of the patients had symptoms of possible extraoral involvement. No evidence suggesting a connection between oral lichen planus and tobacco or alcohol use was found. Only one out of the 370 cases had histologically proven malignant transformation. Conclusions: The patient profile and clinical features of oral lichen planus in Turkey were generally similar to those described in other populations. The preponderance of the red forms and also the fact that majority of patients referred themselves to our clinic highlighted the lack of awareness among Turkish health care providers about lichen planus. Key words:Oral lichen planus, clinical features, patient profile. PMID:23524413

Management of intra-abdominal abscesses in children with Crohn's disease: a 12-year, retrospective single-center review.

PubMed

Dotson, Jennifer L; Bashaw, Hillary; Nwomeh, Benedict; Crandall, Wallace V

2015-05-01

Intra-abdominal abscesses (IAA) are complications of Crohn's disease, which often result in hospitalization, surgery, and increased cost. Initial management may include medical therapy, percutaneous drainage (PD), or surgery, although the optimal management of IAA in children is unclear. Retrospective review of all pediatric patients with Crohn's disease who developed an IAA from January 1, 2000 to April 30, 2012. Three groups, based on initial IAA treatment modality (medical, PD, and surgery), were compared. Thirty cases of IAA were identified (mean age at IAA diagnosis, 15.4 ± 2.6 yr, 67% female, median Crohn's disease duration, 2.6 mo). Computed tomography was the most common initial (93%) and follow-up (47%) imaging. The average time to follow-up imaging was 8.5 days. For initial management, 18 received medical therapy, 10 PD, and 2 had surgery. The medical therapy group received more computed tomography scans for follow-up imaging than the PD group (12 [67%] versus 2 [20%], P = 0.046). There were no significant differences in abscess characteristics or management of posttreatment course between these 2 groups. Surgical resection occurred in 3 patients (17%) in the medical group and 2 (20%) in the PD group during index hospitalization. No significant differences were identified among treatment groups for readmissions, complications, or abscess recurrence. By 1 year, 12 of the 18 medically managed patients (67%) had surgery, and 6 of the 10 patients (60%) treated with initial PD ultimately had surgery. The majority of patients with IAA require definitive surgical treatment, and there were no clear predictors of those who did not.

Evisceration surgery in a highly specialized center in Mexico: A retrospective study of 7 years of experience.

PubMed

Arellano-Ganem, M G; Zuazo, F; González, M; Abdala, A; Olvera-Morales, O; Tovilla-Canales, J L; Nava-Castañeda, Á

2017-02-01

Evisceration is currently becoming the technique of choice in the treatment of certain eye diseases, including, among others, painful blind eye and endophthalmitis. The most widely used implants are currently the hydroxyapatite and porous polyethylene for the rehabilitation of the anophthalmic socket. To describe the indications, type of implant material used, and complications in evisceration surgery. A retrospective, observational, descriptive study based on clinical records of patients that underwent evisceration between 2008 and 2015 in the Instituto Fundación Conde de Valenciana, Mexico. A total of 186 evisceration surgeries were performed, of which 52.7% of the patients were men. The mean age was 54 years. The right eye was eviscerated in 53% of cases, and 79.2% had a vision of no light perception. Most patients had preoperative pain. The most common diagnosis for which evisceration was performed was endophthalmitis. Phthisis bulbi was reported in 20 eyes. A primary implant was inserted in 86.81% of the cases, with 34.81% of the implants being made of porous polyethylene. Four cases showed extrusion of the implant, with 2 cases of porous polyethylene. The ocular prosthesis was tolerated in 91% of cases. There were no cases of sympathetic ophthalmia. Evisceration is shown to be a good alternative to enucleation in cases where the sclera can be preserved, showing a low incidence of sympathetic ophthalmia. Copyright © 2016 Sociedad Española de Oftalmología. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Prediction of five-year all-cause mortality in Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus - A population-based retrospective cohort study.

PubMed

Wan, Eric Yuk Fai; Fong, Daniel Yee Tak; Fung, Colman Siu Cheung; Yu, Esther Yee Tak; Chin, Weng Yee; Chan, Anca Ka Chun; Lam, Cindy Lo Kuen

2017-06-01

This study aimed to develop and validate an all-cause mortality risk prediction model for Chinese primary care patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM) in Hong Kong. A population-based retrospective cohort study was conducted on 132,462 Chinese patients who had received public primary care services during 2010. Each gender sample was randomly split on a 2:1 basis into derivation and validation cohorts and was followed-up for a median period of 5years. Gender-specific mortality risk prediction models showing the interaction effect between predictors and age were derived using Cox proportional hazards regression with forward stepwise approach. Developed models were compared with pre-existing models by Harrell's C-statistic and calibration plot using validation cohort. Common predictors of increased mortality risk in both genders included: age; smoking habit; diabetes duration; use of anti-hypertensive agents, insulin and lipid-lowering drugs; body mass index; hemoglobin A1c; systolic blood pressure(BP); total cholesterol to high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol ratio; urine albumin to creatinine ratio(urine ACR); and estimated glomerular filtration rate(eGFR). Prediction models showed better discrimination with Harrell"'s C-statistics of 0.768(males) and 0.782(females) and calibration power from the plots than previously established models. Our newly developed gender-specific models provide a more accurate predicted 5-year mortality risk for Chinese diabetic patients than other established models. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

One-year outcomes of women started on antiretroviral therapy during pregnancy before and after the implementation of Option B+ in Malawi: A retrospective chart review.

PubMed

Kamuyango, Alfred A; Hirschhorn, Lisa R; Wang, Wenjia; Jansen, Perry; Hoffman, Risa M

2014-09-01

To compare one-year outcomes of women started on antiretroviral therapy (ART) during pregnancy in the pre-Option B+ era to those in the Option B+ era. A retrospective chart review was performed at three sites in Malawi. Women were included in the 'pre-Option B+' cohort if they started ART during pregnancy for a CD4 count < 350 cells/mm 3 or WHO 3/4 condition and in the 'Option B+' cohort if they started ART during pregnancy regardless of CD4 count or clinical stage. One-year outcomes were compared using Fisher's exact and ANOVA F-tests. A higher proportion of women in the pre-Option B+ cohort started ART at WHO stage 3/4 (11.9% versus 1.1%, P < 0.001), switched ART regimens (5.9% versus 0%, P = 0.002), or died in the first year after starting treatment (3.9% versus .5%, P = 0.05). While more women in the Option B+ cohort had poor adherence or defaulted, these differences were not significant. At our study sites, the transition to Option B+ has been associated with ART initiation in women with less advanced HIV infection, improved medication tolerability, and lower mortality. Further research is needed to better understand outcomes of Option B+.

Experiences of Individuals with Visual Impairments in Integrated Physical Education: A Retrospective Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haegele, Justin A.; Zhu, Xihe

2017-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this retrospective study was to examine the experiences of adults with visual impairments during school-based integrated physical education (PE). Method: An interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) research approach was used and 16 adults (ages 21-48 years; 10 women, 6 men) with visual impairments acted as…

The comparison of grey-scale ultrasonic and clinical features of hepatoblastoma and hepatocellular carcinoma in children: a retrospective study for ten years

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Hepatoblastoma (HBL) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are respectively the first and the second most common pediatric malignant liver tumors. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the combined use of the ultrasound examination and the assessment of the patients' clinical features for differentiating HBL from HCC in children. Methods Thirty cases of the confirmed HBL and 12 cases of the confirmed HCC in children under the age of 15 years were enrolled into our study. They were divided into the HBL group and the HCC group according to the histological types of the tumors. The ultrasonic features and the clinical manifestations of the two groups were retrospectively analyzed, with an emphasis on the following parameters: onset age, gender (male/female) ratio, positive epatitis-B-surface-antigen (HBV), alpha-fetoprotein increase, and echo features including septa, calcification and liquefaction within the tumors. Results Compared with the children with HCC, the children with HBL had a significantly younger onset age (8.2 years vs. 3.9 years, P < 0.001) and a significantly smaller frequency of positive HBV (66.7% vs. 13.3%, P < 0.001). The septa and liquefaction were more frequently found in HBL than in HCC (25/30, 83.3% vs. 2/12, 16.7%, P < 0.001; 17/30, 56.7% vs. 3/12, 25%, P = 0.02). When a combination of the liquefaction, septa, negative HBV and onset age smaller than 5 years was used in the evaluation, the sensitivity was raised to 90%, the accuracy was raised to 88%, and the negative predictive value was raised to 73%. Conclusion Ultrasonic features combined with clinical manifestations are valuable for differentiating HBL from HCC in children. PMID:21702993

Impact of decreasing energy intakes in major burn patients: A 15-year retrospective cohort study.

PubMed

Pantet, Olivier; Stoecklin, Patricia; Vernay, Arnaud; Berger, Mette M

2017-06-01

Nutritional therapy is particularly important after major burn injury and specific nutritional guidelines have been developed. The study aimed at evaluating the impact of the changes in our nutritional practice, general compliance with the guidelines and potential consequences. Retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data in burn patients requiring intensive care (ICU) between 1999 and 2014. admission on day 1, full treatment and length of ICU stay >7 days. Four periods (P) were defined by protocol changes (P1: 1999-2001, P2: 2002-2005, P3: 2006-2010, P4: 2011-2014). Collected data: demographic and nutritional data, infectious complications, weights, CRP and prealbumin concentrations during the first 21 days. 240 patients were included (median age 43 years, burned area 25%). Measured energy expenditure (MEE) was stable through all periods but the prescribed caloric target decreased significantly, and below MEE (P1: 33 kcal/kg, IQR 7, P4: 28 kcal/kg, IQR 8, p < 0.001). Energy delivery ended decreasing below 30 kcal/kg/day (P1: 30 kcal/kg, IQR 23, P4: 25 kcal/kg, IQR 12, p < 0.001). Protein intakes increased due the use of high protein solutions and glutamine (P1: 1.04 g/kg, IQR 0.90, P4: 1.26, IQR 0.99, p < 0.001). Weight loss by day 21 increased significantly according to area under the curve (P1: 701, IQR 38, P2: 722, IQR 51, P4: 689 IQR 63, p = 0.02). Prealbumin levels decreased with energy decrease (P1: 150 mg/L, IQR 110, P4: 80 mg/L, IQR 70, p = 0.003). The observed reduction of the energy delivery <30 kcal/kg was associated with a supplemental weight loss and lower prealbumin concentrations. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd and European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism. All rights reserved.

Extracardiac findings at cardiac MR imaging: a single-centre retrospective study over 14 years.

PubMed

Sokolowski, Felix C; Karius, Philipp; Rodríguez, Alejandra; Lembcke, Alexander; Wagner, Moritz; Hamm, Bernd; Dewey, Marc

2018-04-30

To determine the prevalence and significance of extracardiac findings (ECF) in a large set of cardiac magnetic resonance (MR) imaging examinations. The institutional review board (IRB) of the Charité approved this retrospective, single-centre study. A total of 4376 cardiac MR imaging reports of 3553 patients (age 37.4 ± 20 years, 60.8 % male) examined from 2000 to 2014 were included. Findings with a recommendation for follow-up were considered "major ECF". To analyse the association of indication, age and gender with ECF, Poisson regression and computed incidence rate ratios (IRR) were evaluated. The overall prevalence of ECF was 34% (95% confidence interval [CI] 32.5-35.6%). Major ECF were present in 3.4% (95% CI 2.9-4.1%) while findings that changed patient management were found in 0.9% (95% CI 0.7-1.3%). In the cases of congenital heart disease, ECF prevalence was higher compared to myocarditis (IRR, 6.0; 95% CI 5.1-7.1%; p < 0.001), while the prevalence of major ECF was lower (IRR, 0.2; 95% CI 0.02-0.51%; p < 0.05). Older patient age was associated with more nonvascular ECF (p < 0.001). Female patients had the same probability of having an ECF as male patients (IRR, 1.04; 95% CI 0.95-1.1%; p = 0.43). ECF in cardiac MR imaging are present in about every third patient while relevant ECF that change patient management can be found in about one out of 100 patients. Our data suggest that it is important to involve well-trained radiologists in reading cardiac MR images, which often reveal ECF if congenital heart disease is the clinical indication. • Extracardiac findings are present in about every third patient. • Relevant ECF changing patient management are found in one out of 100 findings. • Chance of ECF is high in patients with CHD and vascular indications.

Protein-energy malnutrition during early childhood and periodontal disease in the permanent dentition of Haitian adolescents aged 12-19 years: a retrospective cohort study.

PubMed

Russell, Stefanie L; Psoter, Walter J; Jean-Charles, Germain; Prophte, Samuel; Gebrian, Bette

2010-05-01

The aim of this retrospective cohort study was to examine whether exposure to early childhood protein-energy malnutrition (ECPEM) is related to worsened periodontal status in the permanent dentition during adolescence. A trained clinician/researcher examined the periodontal status of 96 persons aged 12-19 living in rural Haiti using WHO diagnostic criteria (Community Periodontal Index, WHO 1997). Malnutrition data of the study participants had been collected during the years 1988-1993 by a nongovernmental organization. We compared those who had been malnourished in early childhood, based on z-scores for anthropomorphic data collected during the first 5 years of life, with those who had not been malnourished, regarding mean Community Periodontal Index (CPI) score, controlling for age, sex, socioeconomic status, and smoking. Overall, 57.3% of the participants demonstrated a CPI score of 3 or greater in at least one sextant. ECPEM was independently and positively related to mean CPI score, when controlling for sex and smoking. More than half of these young Haitians demonstrated CPI scores of 3 or greater, and ECPEM was related to poorer periodontal status, as measured by CPI, in the permanent dentition.

Retrospective Cohort Study of 4,591 Straumann Implants Placed in 2,060 Patients in Private Practice with up to 10-Year Follow-up: The Relationship Between Crestal Bone Level and Soft Tissue Condition.

PubMed

French, David; Cochran, David L; Ofec, Ronen

The purpose of this report is to describe the crestal bone level (CBL) around implants of various designs, describe the peri-implant soft tissue condition, and evaluate the relationship between the two over time. This retrospective cohort study reports on 2,060 patients with 4,591 implants evaluated after 3 months; 1, 3, 5, and 7 years; and up to 10 years. Periapical radiographs were used to evaluate changes in CBL. The peri-implant soft tissue was evaluated using a modified Bleeding Index termed the Implant Mucosal Index (IMI) where: 0 = no bleeding; 1 = minimal, single-point bleeding; 2 = moderate, multipoint bleeding; 3 = profuse, multipoint bleeding; and 4 = suppuration. At 3 months, the mean CBL was 0.06 ± 0.22 mm; by 8 to 10 years, it had increased to 0.44 ± 0.81 mm. The median CBL remained stable throughout the study at < 0.1 mm. At 8 to 10 years, 15% of implants exhibited a CBL > 1.02 mm, and 5% exhibited a CBL > 2.28 mm. More than 50% of patients experienced some bleeding, as seen by an IMI ≥ 1 during follow-up. A positive correlation was found between IMI and CBL, as shown by a mean CBL after 4 years of 0.33 mm, 0.71 mm, and 1.52 mm for IMI = 2, 3, and 4, respectively. One exception was between IMI = 0 and IMI = 1, where no significant difference was found and bone loss was minimal. Bone loss, as measured by changes in CBL during the first 10 years of implant life spans, was minimal for most implants. Nevertheless, it is not unusual to observe implants with advanced bone loss. The soft tissue condition is a good indicator of bone loss. Time alone and minimal bleeding did not correlate with bone loss, but care should be taken for implants with profuse bleeding or suppuration.

Bathtub drowning: An 11-year retrospective study in the state of Maryland.

PubMed

Okuda, Takahisa; Wang, Zhuo; Lapan, Sheldon; Fowler, David R

2015-08-01

A bathtub drowning is one of the leading causes of death in a bathtub. The purpose of this study was to evaluate how reliable the drowning-related signs could be for identifying a bathtub drowning in the cases of death in the bathtub. Performing a retrospective review of 92 deaths in the bathtub in Maryland, 71.7 percent were the presence of bathtub drowning and 28.3 percent were the absence of bathtub drowning. Three leading contributory causes of death were cardiovascular disease, drug/alcohol-related death, and seizure disorder in both groups. There was a statistically significant difference between the groups in relation to a history of recovery from the water (95.5% and 38.4%, p<0.001), foam in the air way (33.3% and 15.4%, p<0.05), watery fluid in the sphenoid sinuses (81.8% and 11.5%, p<0.05), hyperinflated lungs (36.4% and 3.8%, p<0.01), and watery fluid in the stomach contents (40.9% and 3.8%, p<0.01). More than triple overlapped drowning-related signs could be beneficial for the diagnosis of a bathtub drowning. A comprehensive investigation incorporating a thorough scene investigation, gathering of the victim's medical and psychosocial history, and a meticulous full autopsy is necessary to elucidate both the cause and manner of death in these cases of death in the bathtub. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Management of stinging insect hypersensitivity: a 5-year retrospective medical record review.

PubMed

Johnson, Thomas; Dietrich, Jeffrey; Hagan, Larry

2006-08-01

The Joint Task Force on Practice Parameters for Allergy and Immunology recommends that patients with a history of a systemic reaction to an insect sting be educated on ways to avoid insect stings, carry injectable epinephrine for emergency self-treatment, undergo specific IgE testing for stinging insect sensitivity, and be considered for immunotherapy. To review frontline providers' documented care and recommendations for imported fire ant and flying insect hypersensitivity reactions. A retrospective medical record review was performed of emergency department and primary care clinic visits between November 1, 1999, and November 30, 2004. Using International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, codes, medical records were selected for review to identify patients with potential insect hypersensitivity. A total of 769 medical records from patients who experienced an insect sting were reviewed. Of 120 patients with a systemic reaction, 66 (55.0%) received a prescription for injectable epinephrine, and 14 (11.7%) were given information regarding avoidance of the offending insect. Forty-seven patients with systemic reactions (39.2%) were referred to an allergist. Of 28 patients who kept their appointments and underwent skin testing, 3 had negative results and 25 (89%) had positive results and were advised to start immunotherapy. Adherence to the stinging insect hypersensitivity practice parameter recommendations is poor. Many patients who have experienced a systemic reaction after an insect sting and have sought medical care are not afforded an opportunity for potentially lifesaving therapy.

Advanced engineering design program at the University of Illinois for the 1987-1988 academic year

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sivier, Kenneth R.; Lembeck, Michael F.

1988-01-01

The participation of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in the NASA/USRA Universities Advanced Engineering Design Program (Space) is reviewed for the 1987 to 88 academic year. The University's design project was the Manned Marsplane and Delivery System. In the spring of 1988 semester, 107 students were enrolled in the Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering Departments' undergraduate Aerospace Vehicle Design course. These students were divided into an aircraft section (responsible for the Marsplane design), and a spacecraft section (responsible for the Delivery System Design). The design results are presented in Final Design Reports, copies of which are attached. In addition, five students presented a summary of the design results at the Program's Summer Conference.

The Role of Attitudes in the Development of Russian as a Foreign Language: A Retrospective Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bátyi, Szilvia

2017-01-01

The article reports the findings of a retrospective study which looked at Hungarian learners' attitudes towards Russian people, the Russian language and teachers of Russian. Mixed-methods sequential explanatory design (Ivankova, Creswell, & Stick, 2006) was applied which combines the collection and analysis of quantitative and qualitative data…

Falls from height: A retrospective analysis.

PubMed

Turgut, Kasim; Sarihan, Mehmet Ediz; Colak, Cemil; Güven, Taner; Gür, Ali; Gürbüz, Sükrü

2018-01-01

Emergency services manage trauma patients frequently and falls from height comprise the main cause of emergency service admissions. In this study, we aimed to analyse the demographic characteristics of falls from height and their relationship to the mortality. A total of 460 patients, who admitted to the Emergency Department of Inonu University between November 2011 and November 2014 with a history of fall from height, were examined retrospectively. Demographic parameters, fall characteristics and their effect to mortality were evaluated statistically. The study comprised of 292 (63.5%) men and 168 (36.5%) women patients. The mean age of all patients was 27±24.99 years. Twenty-six (5.6%) patients died and the majority of them were in ≥62 years old group. The highest percentage of falls was at 0-5 years age group (28.3%). People fell mainly from 1.1-4 metres(m) level (46.1%). The causes of falls were ordered as unintentional (92.2%), workplace (8.1%) and suicidal (1.7%). Skin and soft tissue injuries (37.4%) were the main traumatic lesions. Age, fall height, fall place, lineer skull fracture, subarachnoidal hemorrhage, cervical fracture, thoracic vertebra fracture and trauma scores had statistically significant effect on mortality. The casualties died because of subarachnoid hemorrhage mostly.

[Odontoid process fracture in elderly patients over 70 years: morbidity, handicap, and role of surgical treatment in a retrospective series of 27 cases].

PubMed

Lefranc, M; Peltier, J; Fichten, A; Desenclos, C; Toussaint, P; Le Gars, D

2009-12-01

Odontoid process fractures of the axis are frequent in elderly patients. However, the impact in terms of handicap and morbidity in this particular population are unknown. The role of surgical treatment remains controversial. We present a retrospective series of patients aged 70 years or older with odontoid fractures treated in our department between 1998 and 2006. Two cohorts were defined (surgery versus conservative) and compared. Morbidity, handicap, and radiographic fusion were analyzed. Twenty-seven patients were treated. The mean age was 80.67 years. Five patients died early during hospitalization. Fractures were type II in 66.7% of the cases and type III in 33.3%. Orthopedic treatment was chosen in 44.4% of the cases. A non-union at the fracture site was found in 33% of the cases and morbidity in 41.7% of the cases was found after a 1-year follow-up. Surgery was performed in 40.7% of the cases. There was 18% non-union and no morbidity after 1-year of follow-up. Morbidity was statistically lower in the surgery group (p=0.037), particularly in cases of type II fracture (p=0.0063); no statistically significant difference was found for non-union at the fracture site (p=0.64) except for type II fractures (p=0.028). Odontoid fractures in the elderly are a very frequent problem. Immediate mortality is still high but appears correlated to associated lesions. Today's treatments must preserve autonomy for these patients. For elderly patients, the treatment must be chosen in relation to the fracture analysis. In our opinion, surgical management is the treatment of choice for unstable fractures (type II). Conservative management is indicated for stable fractures.

The changing face of heroin use in the United States: a retrospective analysis of the past 50 years.

PubMed

Cicero, Theodore J; Ellis, Matthew S; Surratt, Hilary L; Kurtz, Steven P

2014-07-01

Over the past several years, there have been a number of mainstream media reports that the abuse of heroin has migrated from low-income urban areas with large minority populations to more affluent suburban and rural areas with primarily white populations. To examine the veracity of these anecdotal reports and define the relationship between the abuse of prescription opioids and the abuse of heroin. Using a mixed-methods approach, we analyzed (1) data from an ongoing study that uses structured, self-administered surveys to gather retrospective data on past drug use patterns among patients entering substance abuse treatment programs across the country who received a primary (DSM-IV) diagnosis of heroin use/dependence (n = 2797) and (2) data from unstructured qualitative interviews with a subset of patients (n = 54) who completed the structured interview. In addition to data on population demographics and current residential location, we used cross-tabulations to assess prevalence rates as a function of the decade of the initiation of abuse for (1) first opioid used (prescription opioid or heroin), (2) sex, (3) race/ethnicity, and (4) age at first use. Respondents indicated in an open-ended format why they chose heroin as their primary drug and the interrelationship between their use of heroin and their use of prescription opioids. Approximately 85% of treatment-seeking patients approached to complete the Survey of Key Informants' Patients Program did so. Respondents who began using heroin in the 1960s were predominantly young men (82.8%; mean age, 16.5 years) whose first opioid of abuse was heroin (80%). However, more recent users were older (mean age, 22.9 years) men and women living in less urban areas (75.2%) who were introduced to opioids through prescription drugs (75.0%). Whites and nonwhites were equally represented in those initiating use prior to the 1980s, but nearly 90% of respondents who began use in the last decade were white. Although the "high

A 3-year retrospective review of mortality in women of reproductive age in a tertiary health facility in Port Harcourt, Nigeria.

PubMed

Orazulike, Ngozi C; Alegbeleye, Justina O; Obiorah, Christopher C; Nyengidiki, Tamunomie K; Uzoigwe, Samuel A

2017-01-01

To determine the causes of death and associated risk factors among women of reproductive age (WRA) in a tertiary institution in Port Harcourt, Nigeria. This was a retrospective survey of all deaths in women aged 15-49 years at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital that occurred from January 1, 2013 to December 31, 2015. Data retrieved from ward registers, death registers, and death certificates were analyzed with Epi Info version 7. Comparison of socioeconomic and demographic risk factors for maternal and nonmaternal deaths was done using a multivariate logistic regression model. There were 340 deaths in the WRA group over the 3-year period. The majority (155 [45.6%]) of the women were aged 30-39 years. There were 265 (77.9%) nonmaternal deaths and 75 (22.1%) maternal deaths. Among the nonmaternal deaths, 124 (46.8%) had infectious diseases, with human immunodeficiency virus being the most common cause of infection in this group. Breast cancer (13 [4.9%]), cervical cancer (12 [4.5%]), and ovarian cancer (11 [4.2%]) were the most common malignant neoplasms observed. Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (31 [41.3%]) and puerperal sepsis (20 [26.7%]) were the most common causes of maternal deaths. Age and occupation were significantly associated with deaths in WRA ( p <0.05). Older women aged >30 years (odd ratio =1.86, 95% CI =1.07-3.23) and employed women (odds ratio =2.55, 95% CI =1.46-4.45) were more likely to die from nonmaternal than maternal causes. Most of the deaths were nonmaternal. Infectious diseases, diseases of the circulatory system, and malignant neoplasms were the major causes of death among WRA, with maternal deaths accounting for approximately a quarter. Public health programs educating women on safer sex practices, early screening for cancers, benefits of antenatal care, and skilled attendants at delivery will go a long way to reducing preventable causes of deaths among these women.

Long-term safety and efficacy of eslicarbazepine acetate in patients with focal seizures: results of the 1-year ESLIBASE retrospective study.

PubMed

Villanueva, V; Serratosa, J M; Guillamón, E; Garcés, M; Giráldez, B G; Toledo, M; Salas-Puig, J; López González, F J; Flores, J; Rodríguez-Uranga, J; Castillo, A; Mauri, J A; Camacho, J L; López-Gomáriz, E; Giner, P; Torres, N; Palau, J; Molins, A

2014-09-01

Eslicarbazepine acetate (ESL) is a new antiepileptic drug (AED) licensed as adjunctive therapy in adults with partial-onset or focal seizures. To evaluate in a clinical practice setting the long-term efficacy and safety of ESL in patients with focal seizures. ESLIBASE was a retrospective study that included all patients with focal seizures who started ESL between January 2010 and July 2012 at 12 hospitals. ESL was prescribed individually according to real-life practice. Efficacy and safety were evaluated over 1 year. Switching from carbamazepine (CBZ) and oxcarbazepine (OXC) was assessed. Three hundred and twenty-seven patients were included; 78% of patients were taking ≥2 other AEDs at baseline. Most (87%) began ESL because of poor seizure control and 13% because of adverse events (AEs) with CBZ or OXC. After 1 year, 237 patients (72.4%) remained on ESL. At 3, 6 and 12 months, the responder rate was 46.3%, 57.9%, and 52.5%, and 21.0%, 28.0%, and 25.3% of patients were seizure free. The responder rate significantly increased when ESL was combined with a non-sodium channel-targeting drug (non-SC drug) (66.7%) versus an SC drug (47.7%; p<0.001). At 12 months, 40.7% of patients had ≥1 AE; AEs led to treatment discontinuation in 16.2%. Dizziness, nausea, and somnolence were the most common AEs. The tolerability profile improved in >50% of the patients who switched from CBZ or OXC to ESL because of AEs. ESL was well tolerated and effective in a real-world setting over 1 year. Side-effect profile improved when OXC and CBZ recipients were switched to ESL. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Principles of Experimental Design for Big Data Analysis.

PubMed

Drovandi, Christopher C; Holmes, Christopher; McGree, James M; Mengersen, Kerrie; Richardson, Sylvia; Ryan, Elizabeth G

2017-08-01

Big Datasets are endemic, but are often notoriously difficult to analyse because of their size, heterogeneity and quality. The purpose of this paper is to open a discourse on the potential for modern decision theoretic optimal experimental design methods, which by their very nature have traditionally been applied prospectively, to improve the analysis of Big Data through retrospective designed sampling in order to answer particular questions of interest. By appealing to a range of examples, it is suggested that this perspective on Big Data modelling and analysis has the potential for wide generality and advantageous inferential and computational properties. We highlight current hurdles and open research questions surrounding efficient computational optimisation in using retrospective designs, and in part this paper is a call to the optimisation and experimental design communities to work together in the field of Big Data analysis.

Principles of Experimental Design for Big Data Analysis

PubMed Central

Drovandi, Christopher C; Holmes, Christopher; McGree, James M; Mengersen, Kerrie; Richardson, Sylvia; Ryan, Elizabeth G

2016-01-01

Big Datasets are endemic, but are often notoriously difficult to analyse because of their size, heterogeneity and quality. The purpose of this paper is to open a discourse on the potential for modern decision theoretic optimal experimental design methods, which by their very nature have traditionally been applied prospectively, to improve the analysis of Big Data through retrospective designed sampling in order to answer particular questions of interest. By appealing to a range of examples, it is suggested that this perspective on Big Data modelling and analysis has the potential for wide generality and advantageous inferential and computational properties. We highlight current hurdles and open research questions surrounding efficient computational optimisation in using retrospective designs, and in part this paper is a call to the optimisation and experimental design communities to work together in the field of Big Data analysis. PMID:28883686

Mortality in former Olympic athletes: retrospective cohort analysis

PubMed Central

Zwiers, R; Zantvoord, F W A; van Bodegom, D; van der Ouderaa, F J G; Westendorp, R G J

2012-01-01

Objective To assess the mortality risk in subsequent years (adjusted for year of birth, nationality, and sex) of former Olympic athletes from disciplines with different levels of exercise intensity. Design Retrospective cohort study. Setting Former Olympic athletes. Participants 9889 athletes (with a known age at death) who participated in the Olympic Games between 1896 and 1936, representing 43 types of disciplines with different levels of cardiovascular, static, and dynamic intensity exercise; high or low risk of bodily collision; and different levels of physical contact. Main outcome measure All cause mortality. Results Hazard ratios for mortality among athletes from disciplines with moderate cardiovascular intensity (1.01, 95% confidence interval 0.96 to 1.07) or high cardiovascular intensity (0.98, 0.92 to 1.04) were similar to those in athletes from disciplines with low cardiovascular intensity. The underlying static and dynamic components in exercise intensity showed similar non-significant results. Increased mortality was seen among athletes from disciplines with a high risk of bodily collision (hazard ratio 1.11, 1.06 to 1.15) and with high levels of physical contact (1.16, 1.11 to 1.22). In a multivariate analysis, the effect of high cardiovascular intensity remained similar (hazard ratio 1.05, 0.89 to 1.25); the increased mortality associated with high physical contact persisted (hazard ratio 1.13, 1.06 to 1.21), but that for bodily collision became non-significant (1.03, 0.98 to 1.09) as a consequence of its close relation with physical contact. Conclusions Among former Olympic athletes, engagement in disciplines with high intensity exercise did not bring a survival benefit compared with disciplines with low intensity exercise. Those who engaged in disciplines with high levels of physical contact had higher mortality than other Olympians later in life. PMID:23241269

Design of agricultural product quality safety retrospective supervision system of Jiangsu province

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Kun

2017-08-01

In store and supermarkets to consumers can trace back agricultural products through the electronic province card to query their origin, planting, processing, packaging, testing and other important information and found that the problems. Quality and safety issues can identify the responsibility of the problem. This paper designs a retroactive supervision system for the quality and safety of agricultural products in Jiangsu Province. Based on the analysis of agricultural production and business process, the goal of Jiangsu agricultural product quality safety traceability system construction is established, and the specific functional requirements and non-functioning requirements of the retroactive system are analyzed, and the target is specified for the specific construction of the retroactive system. The design of the quality and safety traceability system in Jiangsu province contains the design of the overall design, the trace code design and the system function module.

A retrospective analysis of mathieu and tip urethroplasty techniques for distal hypospadias repair; A 20 year experience.

PubMed

Oztorun, Kenan; Bagbanci, Sahin; Dadali, Mumtaz; Emir, Levent; Karabulut, Ayhan

2017-09-01

We aimed to identify the changes in the application rate of two surgical techniques in distal hypospadias repair in years and compare the most popular two surgical repair techniques for distal hypospadias in terms of surgical outcomes, the factors that affect the outcomes, which were performed over a 20 year period. In this study, the records of 492 consecutive patients that had undergone an operation for distal hypospadias in the urology clinic of Ankara between May 1990 and December 2010 using either Mathieu or TIPU surgical techniques were reviewed retrospectively. The patients who had glanular, coronal, and subcoronal meatus, were accepted as distal hypospadias cases. Among the 492 examined medical records, it was revealed that 331 and 161 surgical interventions were performed by using the Mathieu urethroplasty technique (Group-1) and TIP urethroplasty technique (Group-2), respectively. Group-1 was divided into two subgroups; namely Group-1a (patients with primary hypospadias) and Group-1b (patients with previous hypospadias operation). Likewise, Group-2 was divided into two subgroups; namely group-2a and group-2b. The patients' ages, number of previously urethroplasty operations, localization of the external urethral meatus prior to the operation, chordee state, length of the newly formed urethra, whether urinary diversion was done or not, post-operative complications and data regarding the follow-up period were evaluated, and the effects of these variables on the surgical outcome were investigated via statistical analyses. The primary objective of this study is to identify the changes in the application rate of two surgical techniques in distal hypospadias repair over the a 20 year period, and the secondary objectives are to compare the most popular two surgical repair techniques for distal hypospadias in terms of surgical outcomes, and the factors affecting the outcomes. Independent samples t test and Pearson's Chisquare test was used for statistical

All-on-4® Treatment Concept for the Rehabilitation of the Completely Edentulous Mandible: A 7-Year Clinical and 5-Year Radiographic Retrospective Case Series with Risk Assessment for Implant Failure and Marginal Bone Level.

PubMed

Maló, Paulo; de Araújo Nobre, Miguel; Lopes, Armando; Ferro, Ana; Gravito, Inês

2015-10-01

Studies are needed to evaluate long-term outcomes of the All-on-4® treatment concept (Nobel Biocare AB) for rehabilitation of edentulous mandibles by assessing marginal bone levels and risk indicators for implant failure. To evaluate 7-year clinical outcomes and 5-year radiographic outcomes of the All-on-4 treatment concept. This retrospective case series included patients admitted for implant rehabilitations in the mandible, who were followed for 7 years clinically and 5 years radiographically. Primary outcome measures were cumulative prosthetic and implant survival using patient as the unit of analysis (Kaplan-Meier product limit estimator). Secondary outcome measure was marginal bone level (MBL) at 5 years. Variables associated with implant failure were analyzed using the Cox proportional hazards regression model to calculate hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Binary logistic regression was used to compute odds ratio (OR) with 95% CIs for variables associated with MBL ≥2.8 mm at 5 years. A total of 324 patients (194 women, 130 men, average age = 58.9 years) were rehabilitated with 1,296 implants supporting 324 full-arch fixed immediately loaded mandibular prostheses. Sixty-four patients (19.8%) were lost to follow-up. Prosthetic survival was 323/324 (99.7%), and 14 patients lost 18 implants, with an estimated cumulative survival rate of 95.4% at 7 years. Variables associated with implant failure were smoking (HR = 5.28; 95% CI: 1.33, 20.91]) and the learning curve effect (0.69 < HR < 0.33 for more experienced levels). Mean MBL at 5 years was 1.81 mm (95% CI: 1.70, 1.92), and smoking was associated with MBL ≥2.8 mm (OR = 2.4; 95% CI: 1.02, 5.62). The high implant and prosthetic survival rates and excellent MBL outcome confirm the predictability and safety of the All-on-4 treatment concept over a longer term than previously reported. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Bowenoid transformation in seborrheic keratosis: A retrospective analysis of 429 patients

PubMed Central

Rajabi, Parvin; Adibi, Neda; Nematollahi, Pardis; Heidarpour, Mitra; Eftekhari, Mehdi; Siadat, Amir Hossein

2012-01-01

Background: Seborrheic keratosis is a common, benign skin tumor. Numerous reports have shown its possibility of malignant transformation. This study was designed to demonstrate the occurrence of concomitant seborrheic keratosis and skin cancers. Materials and Methods: Data was retrospectively reviewed from all patients with a diagnosis of seborrheic keratosis in pathology department of Alzahra Hospital and a private pathology laboratory in Isfahan, Iran over a 4-year period. We classified all demographic data and associated dysplasia or Bowen's disease and analyzed them by student-t or chi-square tests. Results: From all 429 specimens, 5 (1.2%) were found to be associated with Bowen's disease and one (0.2%) with mild dysplasia in squamous epithelium. All cases arose within the clinically, atypical seborrheic keratosis. More men were affected with lesions alone and with malignancy (230/423 (54.4%) and 5/6 (83.3%), respectively) compared to women. The average age of patients suffering from lesions with and without associated malignancy was 57 and 54 years, respectively. The common site of lesion alone was head and neck but lesions with malignancy involved lower extremities. The two lesions were significantly different in site of occurrence (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Generally, although the association between seborrheic keratosis and skin malignancy appears to be accidental, it must always be in mind. Therefore, histopathologic examination of all seborrheic keratosis should be considered, especially when seborrheic keratosis has atypical clinical manifestations. PMID:23267371

Anesthetic management of prophylactic cervical cerclage: a retrospective multicenter cohort study.

PubMed

Ioscovich, Alexander; Popov, Alla; Gimelfarb, Yuri; Gozal, Yaacov; Orbach-Zinger, Sharon; Shapiro, Joel; Ginosar, Yehuda

2015-03-01

Cervical incompetence complicates approximately 1 in 500 pregnancies and is the most common cause of second-trimester spontaneous abortion and preterm labor. No prospective or large retrospective studies have compared regional and general anesthesia for cervical cerclage. Following IRB approval, we performed a retrospective study in the two main medical centers over an 8-year period to assess the association of anesthesia choice with anesthetic and obstetric outcomes. Anesthetic and perioperative details were retrospectively collected from fails of all patients undergoing cervical cerclage from 01/01/2005 until 31/12/2012. Details included demographic data, anesthetic technique, PACU data and perioperative complications. We identified 487 cases of cervical cerclage in 327 women during the study period. The most commonly used anesthetic technique was general anesthesia (GA) (402/487; 82.5%) compared with regional anesthesia (RA) (85/487; 17.5%). When GA was performed, facemask was the most commonly used technique (275/402; 68.4%), followed by intravenous deep sedation (61/402; 15.2%); LMA (51/402; 12.7%) and tracheal intubation (13/402; 3.2%). There were no significant differences in demographic characteristics between women receiving general and regional anesthesia. Average duration of suturing the cervix among the GA group was 9.8 ± 1.6 and 10.6 ± 2.1 min in the RA group (p < 0.001). Average length of stay in the operating room in the GA group was 20.5 ± 3.9 and 23 ± 4.6 min in the RA group (p < 0.001). Patients receiving GA received in the PACU more opioids (6.2 versus 1.2%; p < 0.05) and more non-opioids analgesics (36.8 versus 9.4%; p < 0.001). Duration of PACU stay was shorter after GA (49.5 ± 18 min) than after RA (62.4 ± 28 min; p < 0.001). There were no other differences in anesthetic or perioperative outcome between groups. This study was not designed to provide evidence that RA reduces the risk of pulmonary aspiration, airway complications or

New graduate separations from New Zealand's nursing workforce in the first 5 years after registration: a retrospective cohort analysis of a national administrative data set 2005-2010.

PubMed

North, Nicola; Leung, William; Lee, Rochelle

2014-08-01

To describe workforce separation rates and its relationship with demographic and work characteristics in the 2005 new graduate cohort's first 5 years as practising RNs in NZ. Retaining new graduate RNs is critical to nursing workforce sustainability; one study showed that if an RN is still employed in a hospital setting 5 years after graduation, he/she tends to remain active in the health industry. Retrospective analysis using the Nursing Council of New Zealand's registration data set for years 2005-2010. All newly registered NZ graduates practising in NZ in 2005 (n = 1236) were tracked for 5 years. Within 5 years of graduation, 26% of the cohort had separated from the NZ nursing workforce, 18% in the first year. The under-25s (n = 517), 42% of the cohort, had the highest loss, 32%, in 5 years. Separations were significantly lower for graduates in their 30s vs. their 20s and for those who gained postgraduate tertiary qualifications post-registration (10%) vs. those who did not (29%). Hospitals were the most frequent employment setting over 5 years, the largest increase being community settings. Five-year retention rates in the four largest practice areas were surgical 26%, medical 16%, mental health 60% and continuing care 10%. After 5 years, 24% of those still practising (n = 920) worked in a different health board region. New graduate RN losses were higher than in previous research, with younger RNs at most risk, threatening future sustainability of the nursing workforce and highlighting the need for evidence-based targeted strategies to retain them. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Cultured autologous keratinocytes in the treatment of large and deep burns: a retrospective study over 15 years.

PubMed

Auxenfans, Celine; Menet, Veronique; Catherine, Zulma; Shipkov, Hristo; Lacroix, Pierre; Bertin-Maghit, Marc; Damour, Odile; Braye, Fabienne

2015-02-01

The aim was to review the use and indications of cultured autologous epidermis (CAE) in extensive burns and to evaluate the efficiency of our strategy of burn treatment. This retrospective study comprised 15 years (1997-2012). all patients who received CAE. patients who died before complete healing and patients who received exclusively cultured allogeneic keratinocytes. Evaluation criteria were clinical. Time and success of wound healing after CAE graft were evaluated. A total of 63 patients were included with severity Baux score of 107 (from 70 to 140) and mean percentage of TBSA of 71% (from 40% to 97%). The CAE were used as Cuono method, in STSG donor sites and deep 2nd degree burns and in combination with large-meshed STSG (1:6-1:12) in extensively burned patients. Cuono method was used in 6 patients. The final take was 16% (0-30) because of the great fragility of the obtained epidermis. Nine patients with deep 2nd degree burns (mean TBSA 81%, from 60 to 97%) were successfully treated with only CAE without skin grafting. Combined technique (STSG meshed at 1:6-1:12 covered with CAE) was used in 27 patients (mean TBSA 69%, from 49% to 96%) with 85% success rate. Finally, donor sites treated with CAE in 49 patients could be harvested several times thanks to rapid epithelialization (time of wound healing was 7 days (from 5 to 10 days)). The CAE allow rapid healing of STSG donor sites and deep 2nd second degree burns in extensively burned patients. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.

Hydroxyurea Effectiveness in Children and Adolescents with Sickle Cell Anemia: A Large Retrospective, Population-Based Cohort

PubMed Central

Quarmyne, Maa-Ohui; Dong, Wei; Theodore, Rodney; Anand, Sonia; Barry, Vaughn; Adisa, Olufolake; Buchanan, Iris D.; Bost, James; Brown, Robert C.; Joiner, Clinton H.; Lane, Peter A.

2016-01-01

The clinical efficacy of hydroxyurea in patients with sickle cell anemia (SCA) has been well established. However, data about its clinical effectiveness in practice is limited. We evaluated the clinical effectiveness of hydroxyurea in a large pediatric population using a retrospective cohort, pre-post treatment study design to control for disease severity selection bias. The cohort included children with SCA (SS, S β 0thalassemia) who received care at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta (CHOA) and who initiated hydroxyurea in 2009-2011. Children on chronic transfusions, or children with inadequate follow up data and/or children who had taken hydroxyurea in the 3 years prior were excluded. For each patient, healthcare utilization, laboratory values and clinical outcomes for the 2-year period prior to hydroxyurea initiation were compared to those 2 years after initiation. Of 211 children with SCA who initiated hydroxyurea in 2009-2011, 134 met eligibility criteria. After initiation of hydroxyurea, rates of hospitalizations, pain encounters, and emergency department visits were reduced by 47% (<0.0001), 36% (p=0.0001) and 43% (p<0.0001), respectively. Average hemoglobin levels increased by 0.7g/dl (p<0.0001). Hydroxyurea effectiveness was similar across gender, insurance types and age, although there was a slightly greater reduction in hospitalizations in younger children. PMID:27761932

Intellectual disability in cerebral palsy: a population-based retrospective study.

PubMed

Reid, Susan M; Meehan, Elaine M; Arnup, Sarah J; Reddihough, Dinah S

2018-07-01

A population-based observational study design was used to describe the epidemiology of intellectual disability in cerebral palsy (CP) in terms of clinical and neuroimaging associations, and to report the impact of intellectual disability on utilization of health services and length of survival. Population CP registry data were used to retrospectively assess the frequency of intellectual disability and strength of associations between intellectual disability and mobility, epilepsy, vision, hearing, communication, and neuroimaging patterns (n=1141). Data linkage was undertaken to assess usage of hospital inpatient and emergency department services. Survival analysis was performed in a 30-year birth cohort (n=3248). Intellectual disability, present in 45% of the cohort, was associated with non-ambulation (47% vs 8%), later walking (mean 2y 7mo vs 1y 9mo), hypotonic (8% vs 1%) or dyskinetic (9% vs 5%) CP, a quadriplegic pattern of motor impairment (42% vs 5%), epilepsy (52% vs 12%), more emergency and multi-day hospital admissions, and reduced 35-year survival (96% vs 71%). Grey matter injuries (13% vs 6%), malformations (18% vs 6%), and miscellaneous neuroimaging patterns (12% vs 4%) were more common in people with intellectual disability. Intellectual disability adds substantially to the overall medical complexity in CP and may increase health and mortality disparities. Cerebral maldevelopments and grey matter injuries are associated with higher intellectual disability rates. Health care is more 'crisis-driven' and 'reactive' in children with co-occurring intellectual disability. Length of survival is reduced in individuals with CP and co-occurring intellectual disability. © 2018 Mac Keith Press.

A Retrospective Analysis of Complications Associated With Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2 in Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion

PubMed Central

Hindoyan, Kevork; Tilan, Justin; Cohen, Jeremiah R.; Brodke, Darrel S.; Youssef, Jim A.; Park, Jong-Beom; Yoon, S. Tim; Meisel, Hans-Joerg; Wang, Jeffrey C.

2017-01-01

Study Design: Retrospective review. Objective: The aim of our study was to quantify the frequency of complications associated with recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein 2 (rhBMP-2) use in anterior lumbar interbody fusion (ALIF). Methods: The orthopedic subset of the Medicare database (PearlDiver) was queried for this retrospective cohort study using International Statistical Classification of Diseases 9 (ICD-9) and Current Procedure Terminology (CPT) codes for ALIF procedures with and without rhBMP-2 between 2005 and 2010. Frequencies of complications and reoperations were then identified within 1 year from the index procedure. Complications included reoperations, pulmonary embolus, deep vein thrombosis, myocardial infarction, nerve-related complications, incision and drainage procedures, wound, sepsis, pneumonia, urinary tract infections, respiratory, heterotopic ossification, retrograde ejaculation, radiculopathy, and other medical complications. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to assess the statistical significance. Results: We identified a total of 41 865 patients who had an ALIF procedure. A total of 14 384 patients received rhBMP-2 while 27 481 did not. Overall, 6016 (41.8%) complications within 1 year from surgery were noted within the group who received rhBMP-2 and 12 950 (47.1%) complications within 1 year from surgery were recorded in those who did not receive rhBMP-2 (OR = 0.81, CI = 0.77-0.84). Overall, exposure to rhBMP-2 was associated with significantly decreased odds of complications with exception to reoperation rates (0.9% rhBMP-2 vs 1.0% no rhBMP-2; OR = 0.88, CI = 0.71-1.09) and radiculopathy (4.4% rhBMP-2 vs 4.3% no rhBMP-2; OR = 1.02, CI = 0.93-1.13). Conclusions: The use of rhBMP-2 in patients undergoing ALIF procedure was associated with a significantly decreased rate of complications. Further studies are needed to elucidate a true incidence of complication. PMID:28507884

Enteric Fever in a Tertiary Paediatric Hospital: A Retrospective Six-Year Review.

PubMed

Ahmad Hatib, Nur Adila; Chong, Chia Yin; Thoon, Koh Cheng; Tee, Nancy Ws; Krishnamoorthy, Subramania S; Tan, Natalie Wh

2016-07-01

Enteric fever is a multisystemic infection which largely affects children. This study aimed to analyse the epidemiology, clinical presentation, treatment and outcome of paediatric enteric fever in Singapore. A retrospective review of children diagnosed with enteric fever in a tertiary paediatric hospital in Singapore was conducted from January 2006 to January 2012. Patients with positive blood cultures for Salmonella typhi or paratyphi were identified from the microbiology laboratory information system. Data was extracted from their case records. Of 50 enteric fever cases, 86% were due to Salmonella typhi, with 16.3% being multidrug resistant (MDR) strains. Sixty-two percent of S. typhi isolates were of decreased ciprofloxacin susceptibility (DCS). Five cases were both MDR and DCS. The remaining 14% were Salmonella paratyphi A. There were only 3 indigenous cases. Ninety-four percent had travelled to typhoid-endemic countries, 70.2% to the Indian subcontinent and the rest to Indonesia and Malaysia. All patients infected with MDR strains had travelled to the Indian subcontinent. Anaemia was a significant finding in children with typhoid, as compared to paratyphoid fever (P = 0.04). Although all children were previously well, 14% suffered severe complications including shock, pericardial effusion and enterocolitis. None had typhoid vaccination prior to their travel to developing countries. Enteric fever is largely an imported disease in Singapore and has contributed to significant morbidity in children. The use of typhoid vaccine, as well as education on food and water hygiene to children travelling to developing countries, needs to be emphasised.

Designing a household survey to address seasonality in child care arrangements.

PubMed

Schmidt, Stefanie R; Wang, Kevin H; Sonenstein, Freya L

2008-04-01

In household telephone surveys, a long field period may be required to maximize the response rate and achieve adequate sample sizes. However, long field periods can be problematic when measures of seasonally affected behavior are sought. Surveys of child care use are one example because child care arrangements vary by season. Options include varying the questions posed about school-year and summer arrangements or posing retrospective questions about child care use for the school year only. This article evaluates the bias associated with the use of retrospective questions about school-year child care arrangements in the 1999 National Survey of America's Families. The authors find little evidence of bias and hence recommend that future surveys use the retrospective approach.

Tibiotalocalcaneal arthrodesis with a compressive retrograde nail: A retrospective study of 59 nails.

PubMed

Thomas, A E; Guyver, P M; Taylor, J M; Czipri, M; Talbot, N J; Sharpe, I T

2015-09-01

Tibiotalocalcaneal arthrodesis is an important salvage method for patients with complex hindfoot problems. This study reports the elective results of combined subtalar and ankle arthrodesis using one design of retrograde intramedullary compression nail. Retrospective review identified 58 patients undergoing 59 tibiotalocalcaneal arthrodesis procedures. Mean follow up was 9.15 (3-36) months with average age 60.7 (22-89) years. A function and subjective patient satisfaction questionnaire was achieved in 89%. 53 patients (93%) achieved union at a mean time of 4.17 months. Four patients (8%) subjectively thought the procedure was of no benefit while 42 (84%) had an excellent or good result. The mean visual analogue scale (VAS) score for preoperative functional pain was 7.46 compared to 1.98 post-operatively (p<0.001). This device and technique offers an effective treatment of hindfoot pathology giving reliable compression and subsequent fusion with excellent patient satisfaction and pain relief. IV case series. Copyright © 2015 European Foot and Ankle Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Seroprevalence of transfusion transmitted infection among blood donors at Jijiga blood bank, Eastern Ethiopia: retrospective 4 years study.

PubMed

Mohammed, Yusuf; Bekele, Alemayehu

2016-02-27

A transfusion transmissible infection (TTI) is any infection that is transmissible from person to- person through parenteral administration of blood or blood products. The magnitude of transfusion-transmitted infections (TTI) varies from country to country depending on TTI's load in that particular population. Measuring their severity, WHO (World Health Organization) has recommended pre-transfusion blood test for Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), Hepatitis B virus (HBV), Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) and Syphilis as mandatory. The aim of the current study was to assess the trend and prevalence of TTI among blood donors in Jijiga Blood Bank between 2010 and 2013. A Retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted by reviewing the records from 2010 to 2013 at Jijiga Blood Bank. All blood donors who presented to the blood bank and screened for TTI during the study period were included. The data was collected, entered and analyzed using Epi Info 3.5.1 & Microsoft Excel 2007. The descriptive statistics were determined in means of percentages. Chi-square was used for trend analysis and p-value was used to declare the statistical significance between the variable. There were a total of 4224 people donated blood during study period. Males formed the majority of the donor population accounting for 4171 (98.7%). Majority 4139 (98%) of donors were Replacement donors. The overall prevalence of transfusion-transmitted infection was 487/4224 (11.5%). The prevalence for HBsAg, HCV, HIV, & Syphilis antibodies was 460 (10. 9%), 17 (0.4%), 6 (0.1%) and 4 (0.1%) respectively. Majority 460/487 (94.5%) of infection was HBsAg. Statistically significant difference was observed in number of donation as well as sero-positivity from year 2010 to 2013 (Chi-square 9.24, p value = 0.02), in Trends of HBsAg from year to year (Chi-square 11.14, p value = 0.01), HIV virus was seen as the age of donors increases (Chi-square 8.37, p value = 0.01) and There was also statistically significance

Continuation of copper and levonorgestrel intrauterine devices: a retrospective cohort study

PubMed Central

Phillips, Sharon J.; Hofler, Lisa G.; Modest, Anna M.; Harvey, Lara F. B.; Wu, Lily H.; Hacker, Michele R.

2018-01-01

Background Studies conflict on whether the duration of use of the copper intrauterine device is longer than that of the levonorgestrel intra-uterine device, and whether women who continue using intrauterine devices differ from those who discontinue. Objective We sought to assess continuation rates and performance of levonorgestrel intrauterine devices compared with copper intrauterine devices over a 5-year period. Study Design We performed a retrospective cohort study of 1164 individuals who underwent intrauterine device placement at an urban academic medical center. The analysis focused on a comparison of continuation rates between those using levonorgestrel intrauterine device and copper intrauterine device, factors associated with discontinuation, and intrauterine device performance. We assessed the differences in continuation at discrete time points, pregnancy, and expulsion rates using χ2 tests and calculated hazard ratios using a multivariable Cox model. Results Of 1164 women who underwent contraceptive intrauterine device insertion, 956 had follow-up data available. At 2 years, 64.9% of levonorgestrel intrauterine device users continued their device, compared with 57.7% of copper intrauterine device users (P = .11). At 4 years, continuation rates were 45.1% for levonorgestrel intrauterine device and 32.6% for copper intrauterine device (P < .01), and at 5 years continuation rates were 28.1% for levonorgestrel intrauterine device and 23.8% for copper intrauterine device (P = .33). Black race, primiparity, and age were positively associated with discontinuation; education was not. The hazard ratio for discontinuation of levonorgestrel intrauterine device compared with copper intrauterine device >4 years was 0.71 (95% confidence interval, 0.55–0.93) and >5 years was 0.82 (95% confidence interval, 0.64–1.05) after adjusting for race, age, parity, and education. Copper intrauterine device users were more likely to experience expulsion (10.2% copper

The deep, hot biosphere: Twenty-five years of retrospection.

PubMed

Colman, Daniel R; Poudel, Saroj; Stamps, Blake W; Boyd, Eric S; Spear, John R

2017-07-03

Twenty-five years ago this month, Thomas Gold published a seminal manuscript suggesting the presence of a "deep, hot biosphere" in the Earth's crust. Since this publication, a considerable amount of attention has been given to the study of deep biospheres, their role in geochemical cycles, and their potential to inform on the origin of life and its potential outside of Earth. Overwhelming evidence now supports the presence of a deep biosphere ubiquitously distributed on Earth in both terrestrial and marine settings. Furthermore, it has become apparent that much of this life is dependent on lithogenically sourced high-energy compounds to sustain productivity. A vast diversity of uncultivated microorganisms has been detected in subsurface environments, and we show that H 2 , CH 4 , and CO feature prominently in many of their predicted metabolisms. Despite 25 years of intense study, key questions remain on life in the deep subsurface, including whether it is endemic and the extent of its involvement in the anaerobic formation and degradation of hydrocarbons. Emergent data from cultivation and next-generation sequencing approaches continue to provide promising new hints to answer these questions. As Gold suggested, and as has become increasingly evident, to better understand the subsurface is critical to further understanding the Earth, life, the evolution of life, and the potential for life elsewhere. To this end, we suggest the need to develop a robust network of interdisciplinary scientists and accessible field sites for long-term monitoring of the Earth's subsurface in the form of a deep subsurface microbiome initiative.

The deep, hot biosphere: Twenty-five years of retrospection

PubMed Central

Colman, Daniel R.; Poudel, Saroj; Stamps, Blake W.; Boyd, Eric S.; Spear, John R.

2017-01-01

Twenty-five years ago this month, Thomas Gold published a seminal manuscript suggesting the presence of a “deep, hot biosphere” in the Earth’s crust. Since this publication, a considerable amount of attention has been given to the study of deep biospheres, their role in geochemical cycles, and their potential to inform on the origin of life and its potential outside of Earth. Overwhelming evidence now supports the presence of a deep biosphere ubiquitously distributed on Earth in both terrestrial and marine settings. Furthermore, it has become apparent that much of this life is dependent on lithogenically sourced high-energy compounds to sustain productivity. A vast diversity of uncultivated microorganisms has been detected in subsurface environments, and we show that H2, CH4, and CO feature prominently in many of their predicted metabolisms. Despite 25 years of intense study, key questions remain on life in the deep subsurface, including whether it is endemic and the extent of its involvement in the anaerobic formation and degradation of hydrocarbons. Emergent data from cultivation and next-generation sequencing approaches continue to provide promising new hints to answer these questions. As Gold suggested, and as has become increasingly evident, to better understand the subsurface is critical to further understanding the Earth, life, the evolution of life, and the potential for life elsewhere. To this end, we suggest the need to develop a robust network of interdisciplinary scientists and accessible field sites for long-term monitoring of the Earth’s subsurface in the form of a deep subsurface microbiome initiative. PMID:28674200

Class, type and position of 9148 surgically removed third molars in 3206 patients: A retrospective study

PubMed Central

Rocha-Navarro, Miriam L.; Acosta-Veloz, Anselmo L.; Juárez-Hernández, Angélica

2012-01-01

Objective: To investigate the class, type, position, diagnosis and most common procedures used in the surgical removal of third molars, and evaluate the sex and age distribution in a representative sample of Mexican patients. Study Design: A retrospective descriptive study was made covering the period 1993-2008 in relation to 9148 extracted third molars in 3206 patients treated in the Dental School of Salle Bajío University, A.C. (Mexico). Patients of either sex and aged 11-59 years, with at least one third molar programmed for surgical removal, were included in the study. A descriptive statistical study was made. Results: The mean patient age was 27.6 ± 10.6 years. There were 2093 females (65.3%) and 1111 males (34.6%). In relation to the 4025 upper molars, extraction was decided for prophylactic reasons in 3827 cases (95.08%). Type A presentations were recorded in 1929 cases (47.9%), with a vertical position in 1931 teeth (48%). In relation to the 5123 lower third molars, extraction was likewise most often indicated for prophylactic reasons (4424 cases, 86.36%). A total of 2353 teeth corresponded to type A (45.9%), 2545 were class I cases (49.7%), and a mesioangular position was observed in 1850 cases (36.1%). Conclusions: The present study shows that in Mexican patients, upper third molars most often correspond to type A and class I, with a vertical position, while lower third molars predominantly correspond to type A and class I, with a mesioangular position. This information can help dental surgeons take better decisions before and after surgery, to the benefit of their patients. Key words:Third molars, retrospective review, surgical removal. PMID:22143723

Fifty years of longitudinal continuity in general practice: a retrospective observational study.

PubMed

White, Eleanor S; Pereira Gray, Denis; Langley, Peter; Evans, Philip H

2016-04-01

Continuity of care has been defined as relational continuity between patient and doctor and longitudinal continuity describing the duration of the relationship. Measurement of longitudinal continuity alone is associated with outcomes including patient satisfaction, medical costs, hospital admissions and mortality. In one UK general practice, records were searched for patients with continuous registration for 50 or more years. Characteristics of these patients were analysed for age, gender, social deprivation, partner registration and length of registration. Trends in numbers and proportions of this group over the previous 14 years were determined. A comparison group of patients, aged 50 or more, and registered in the same practice within the last 2-4 years, was identified. Patients registered for 50 years or more with a median registration of 56.2 years numbered 190 out of a population of 8420 (2.3%). These patients increased in number by 35.3% (1.7-2.3%) over 14 consecutive years. There were no differences between groups for GP consultation rate, number of repeat medications and hospital use, despite the significantly higher prevalence of multi-morbidity, depression and diabetes in patients with high continuity. This is the first report of 50-year continuity in general practice. Numbers of such patients and proportions are increasing. Longitudinal continuity is easily measured in general practice and associated with important clinical outcomes. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

The ASHS outstanding fruit cultivar award: a 25 year retrospective

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The Outstanding Fruit Cultivar Award is a medal presented annually by the Fruit Breeding Working Group of the American Society Horticultural Science (ASHS) for noteworthy new fruits released over the previous 35 years. Since 1987, 31 cultivars have been recognized with medals presented at the Annual...

The Natural History of the Progression of Atrophy Secondary to Stargardt Disease (ProgStar) Studies: Design and Baseline Characteristics: ProgStar Report No. 1.

PubMed

Strauss, Rupert W; Ho, Alex; Muñoz, Beatriz; Cideciyan, Artur V; Sahel, José-Alain; Sunness, Janet S; Birch, David G; Bernstein, Paul S; Michaelides, Michel; Traboulsi, Elias I; Zrenner, Eberhart; Sadda, SriniVas; Ervin, Ann-Margret; West, Sheila; Scholl, Hendrik P N

2016-04-01

To describe the design and baseline characteristics of patients enrolled into 2 natural history studies of Stargardt disease (STGD1). Multicenter retrospective and prospective cohort studies. Three hundred sixty-five unique patients aged 6 years and older at baseline harboring disease-causing variants in the ABCA4 gene and with specified ocular lesions were enrolled from 9 centers in the United States and Europe. In the retrospective study, patients contributed medical record data from at least 2 and up to 4 visits for at least 1 examination modality: fundus autofluorescence (FAF), spectral-domain (SD) optical coherence tomography (SD OCT), and/or microperimetry (MP). The total observational period was at least 2 years and up to 5 years between single visits. Demographic and visual acuity (VA) data also were obtained. In the prospective study, eligible patients were examined at baseline using a standard protocol, with 6-month follow-up visits planned for a 2-year period for serial Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) best-corrected VA, SD OCT, FAF, and MP. Design and rationale of a multicenter study to determine the progression of STGD1 in 2 large retrospective and prospective international cohorts. Detailed baseline characteristics of both cohorts are presented, including demographics, and structural and functional retinal metrics. Into the retrospective study, 251 patients (458 eyes) were enrolled; mean follow-up ± standard deviation was 3.9±1.6 years. At baseline, 36% had no or mild VA loss, and 47% of the study eyes had areas of definitely decreased autofluorescence (DDAF) with an average lesion area of 2.5±2.9 mm(2) (range, 0.02-16.03 mm(2)). Two hundred fifty-nine patients (489 eyes) were enrolled in the prospective study. At baseline, 20% had no or mild VA loss, and 64% had areas of DDAF with an average lesion area of 4.0±4.4 mm(2) (range, 0.03-24.24 mm(2)). The mean retinal sensitivity with MP was 10.8±5.0 dB. The ProgStar cohorts have

One-year outcomes of women started on antiretroviral therapy during pregnancy before and after the implementation of Option B+ in Malawi: A retrospective chart review

PubMed Central

Kamuyango, Alfred A.; Hirschhorn, Lisa R; Wang, Wenjia; Jansen, Perry; Hoffman, Risa M.

2015-01-01

Objective To compare one-year outcomes of women started on antiretroviral therapy (ART) during pregnancy in the pre-Option B+ era to those in the Option B+ era. Methods A retrospective chart review was performed at three sites in Malawi. Women were included in the ‘pre-Option B+’ cohort if they started ART during pregnancy for a CD4 count < 350 cells/mm3 or WHO 3/4 condition and in the ‘Option B+’ cohort if they started ART during pregnancy regardless of CD4 count or clinical stage. One-year outcomes were compared using Fisher's exact and ANOVA F-tests. Results A higher proportion of women in the pre-Option B+ cohort started ART at WHO stage 3/4 (11.9% versus 1.1%, P < 0.001), switched ART regimens (5.9% versus 0%, P = 0.002), or died in the first year after starting treatment (3.9% versus .5%, P = 0.05). While more women in the Option B+ cohort had poor adherence or defaulted, these differences were not significant. Conclusions At our study sites, the transition to Option B+ has been associated with ART initiation in women with less advanced HIV infection, improved medication tolerability, and lower mortality. Further research is needed to better understand outcomes of Option B+. PMID:25774326

Benign Orofacial Lesions in Libyan Population: A 17 Years Retrospective Study

PubMed Central

Hatem, Marwa; Abdulmajid, Ziad S.; Taher, Elsanousi M.; El Kabir, Mohamed A.; Benrajab, Mohamed A.; Kwafi, Rafik

2015-01-01

Objectives: To analyze the frequency and type of benign orofacial lesions submitted for diagnosis at Tripoli Medical Centre over 17 years period (1997-2013). Materials and Methods: Entries for specimens from patients were retrieved and compiled into 9 diagnostic categories and 82 diagnoses. Results: During the 17 years period, a total of 975 specimens were evaluated, it comprised a male-female ratio of 0.76:1. The mean age of biopsied patients was 36.3±18.32 years. The diagnostic category with the highest number of specimens was skin and mucosal pathology (22.87%); and the most frequent diagnosis was pyogenic granuloma (14.05%). Conclusion: Pyogenic granuloma, lichen planus, radicular cyst and fibroepithelial polyp were found to be the most predominant diagnoses. Frequencies of most benign orofacial diseases were comparable to similar studies in the literature and to those reported from the eastern region of Libya. Further surveys are needed to define the epidemiology of orofacial diseases in Libyan population. PMID:26962370

Benign Orofacial Lesions in Libyan Population: A 17 Years Retrospective Study.

PubMed

Hatem, Marwa; Abdulmajid, Ziad S; Taher, Elsanousi M; El Kabir, Mohamed A; Benrajab, Mohamed A; Kwafi, Rafik

2015-01-01

To analyze the frequency and type of benign orofacial lesions submitted for diagnosis at Tripoli Medical Centre over 17 years period (1997-2013). Entries for specimens from patients were retrieved and compiled into 9 diagnostic categories and 82 diagnoses. During the 17 years period, a total of 975 specimens were evaluated, it comprised a male-female ratio of 0.76:1. The mean age of biopsied patients was 36.3±18.32 years. The diagnostic category with the highest number of specimens was skin and mucosal pathology (22.87%); and the most frequent diagnosis was pyogenic granuloma (14.05%). Pyogenic granuloma, lichen planus, radicular cyst and fibroepithelial polyp were found to be the most predominant diagnoses. Frequencies of most benign orofacial diseases were comparable to similar studies in the literature and to those reported from the eastern region of Libya. Further surveys are needed to define the epidemiology of orofacial diseases in Libyan population.

Incidence and characteristics of low-speed vehicle run over events in rural and remote children aged 0-14 years in Queensland: an 11 year (1999-2009) retrospective analysis.

PubMed

Griffin, Bronwyn R; Kimble, Roy M; Watt, Kerrianne; Shields, Linda

2018-04-01

The main objective of this study is to describe incidence rates of low-speed vehicle run-over (LSVRO) events among children aged 0-14 years residing in Queensland from 1999 to 2009. A second objective was to describe the associated patterns of injury, with respect to gender, age group, severity, characteristics (host, vehicle and environment), and trends over time in relation to geographical remoteness. Final results are hoped to inform prevention policies. In this statewide, retrospective, population-based study, data were collected on LSVRO events that occurred among children aged 0-14 years in Queensland from 1999 to 2009 from all relevant data sources across the continuum of care, and manually linked to obtain the most comprehensive estimate possible of the magnitude and nature of LSVRO events to date. Crude incidence rates were calculated separately for males and females, for fatal events, non-fatal events (hospital admissions and non-admissions, respectively), and for all LSVRO events, for each area of geographical remoteness (major cities, inner regional, outer regional, remote/very remote). Relative risks and 95% confidence interval were calculated, and trends over time were examined. Data on host, injury and event characteristics were also obtained to investigate whether these characteristics varied between areas of remoteness. Incidence rates were lowest among children (0-14 years) living in major cities (13.8/100 000/annum, with the highest recorded incidence in outer regional areas (incidence rate =42.5/100 000/annum). Incidence rates were higher for children residing outside major cities for both males and females, for every age group, for each of the 11 years of the study, and consequences of LSVRO events were worse. Young children aged 0-4 years were identified as those most at risk for these events, regardless of geographical location. Differences were observed as a function of remoteness category in relation to injury characteristics (eg injury

Educational Psychology--Theory, Research, and Teaching: A 25-Year Retrospective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McInerney, Dennis M.

2005-01-01

This article presents a brief overview of developments in educational psychology over the last twenty-five years. It firstly presents an historical context by reviewing four basic emphases in educational psychology; cognitive psychology, behavioural psychology, social cognitive theory and humanism. The article then reviews the growth in cognitive…

Publication efficiency among the higher impact factor nursing journals in 2009: a retrospective analysis.

PubMed

Palese, Alvisa; Coletti, Sonia; Dante, Angelo

2013-04-01

Knowledge translation is attracting different professional, educational and institutional strategies mainly focused on how new knowledge should be tailored and transferred at bedside. Less attention is dedicated to the antecedent of knowledge translation, which is the availability of the knowledge itself. Knowledge diffusion is a process by which an innovation is communicated through certain channels among members of a social system over time. Publishing in peer review journals is recognised as the main method for knowledge diffusion: nevertheless publication efficiency has received little attention to date. Describing publication efficiency via nursing journals as the time occurring between data collection and manuscript publication was the main aim of the study. The secondary aim was to discover the differences, if any, in publication efficiency within manuscripts reporting results from different study designs. A retrospective study design was adopted in 2010. The 2009 Impact Factor List of Nursing Journals published by the ISI web of Knowledge in 2010 was obtained. The first top ten IF Nursing Journals available as a full text and for which the overall ISI 5-Year Impact Factor was also available, was eligible. The articles published on paper by the selected journals, from 1st January to 31st December 2009, were then included. Commentaries, editorials and book reviews were excluded. For each article included, the following were evaluated: (a) the time occurring between each step of publication, from data collection to article submission, acceptance and publication online and on paper; and (b) the differences in the publication efficiency within articles reporting different study designs. 1152 articles were included. From the end of data collection to manuscript publication online/on paper it takes an average of 981 days [CI95% 929-1032] (2.5-3 years). Meta-analysis and systematic reviews have demonstrated the fastest process, requiring an average 1.3 years and 1

Anthropometric measurements of newborns of women who smoke waterpipe during pregnancy: a comparative retrospective design.

PubMed

Al-Sheyab, Nihaya A; Al-Fuqha, Rawa A; Kheirallah, Khalid A; Khabour, Omar F; Alzoubi, Karem H

2016-11-01

Waterpipe tobacco smoking carries adverse health consequences due to high level of chemical toxicants. This study investigated the anthropometric measurements of singleton newborns of Jordanian women with no known chronic diseases who smoked waterpipe during pregnancy, and the difference in these measurements in newborns of pregnant women who smoked waterpipe, cigarettes, both types, and none during pregnancy. The study also investigated the pattern of different types of tobacco smoking as a function of pregnancy trimester. A descriptive, comparative, retrospective, cross-sectional design was used. Two hundred and eight-five women (74 waterpipe, 84 cigarettes, 26 dual, 101 none) and their newborns were recruited from three hospitals. A questionnaire was used while interviewing mothers to assess tobacco smoking pattern. The results showed that compared with non-smokers, mean birth weight was 0.47 kg (95%CI = -0.70 to -0.35) lower for waterpipe-only smokers, 0.23 kg (95%CI = -0.41 to -0.8) lower for cigarette-only users, and 0.59 kg (95%CI = -0.81 to -0.31) lower for dual users. Compared to non-smokers, mean newborn length was 2.7 cm (95%CI = -3.80 to -1.42) lower for dual smokers, 2.2 cm (95%CI = -3.28 to -1.58) lower for waterpipe smokers, and 1.2 cm (95%CI = -2.01 to -0.45) lower for cigarette smokers. Compared with non-smokers, mean newborn head circumference was 1.9 cm (95%CI = -2.72 to -1.65) lower for waterpipe smokers, 1.7 cm (95%CI = -2.65 to -1.16) lower for dual smokers, and 0.8 cm (95%CI= -1.34 to -0.36) lower for cigarette smokers. From these results, we may conclude that waterpipe tobacco smoking during pregnancy can contribute to a reduction in newborn's anthropometric measurements. Increasing awareness of waterpipe tobacco smoking adverse effects and developing cessation interventions in pregnancy is needed.

Effects of a Statewide Protocol for the Management of Peritoneal Dialysis-Related Peritonitis on Microbial Profiles and Antimicrobial Susceptibilities: A Retrospective Five-Year Review.

PubMed

McGuire, Amanda L; Carson, Christine F; Inglis, Timothy J J; Chakera, Aron

2015-12-01

♦ Peritonitis is a major complication of peritoneal dialysis (PD) and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Early empirical antibiotic therapy is recommended, with the choice of agents guided by local resistance patterns. As routine use of specific antimicrobial agents can drive resistance, regular assessment of causative organisms and their susceptibility to empirical therapy is essential. ♦ We conducted a retrospective review of all PD peritonitis cases and positive PD fluid cultures obtained over a 5-year period in Western Australia following the introduction of a statewide protocol for the initial management of PD peritonitis with intraperitoneal vancomycin and gentamicin. ♦ The incidence of PD peritonitis decreased from 1 in 16 patient months (0.75/year at risk) to 1 in 29 patient months (0.41/year at risk) over the 5 years. There were 1,319 culture-positive samples and 1,069 unique isolates identified. Gram-positive bacteria accounted for 69.9% of positive cultures, with vancomycin resistance averaging 2% over the study period. Gram-negative bacteria accounted for 25.4% of positive cultures, with gentamicin resistance identified in an average of 8% of organisms. No increase in antimicrobial resistance to vancomycin or gentamicin occurred over the 5 years and there was no change in the proportion of gram-positive (69.9%), gram-negative (25.4%) or fungal (4.4%) organisms causing PD peritonitis. ♦ Over time, the peritonitis rates have dramatically improved although the profile of causative organisms remains similar. Empirical treatment of PD peritonitis with intraperitoneal vancomycin and gentamicin remains efficacious, with high levels of susceptibility and no evidence that the introduction of this statewide empirical PD peritonitis treatment protocol is driving resistance to these agents. Copyright © 2015 International Society for Peritoneal Dialysis.

Comparing the Medicaid Retrospective Drug Utilization Review Program Cost-Savings Methods Used by State Agencies.

PubMed

Prada, Sergio I

2017-12-01

The Medicaid Drug Utilization Review (DUR) program is a 2-phase process conducted by Medicaid state agencies. The first phase is a prospective DUR and involves electronically monitoring prescription drug claims to identify prescription-related problems, such as therapeutic duplication, contraindications, incorrect dosage, or duration of treatment. The second phase is a retrospective DUR and involves ongoing and periodic examinations of claims data to identify patterns of fraud, abuse, underutilization, drug-drug interaction, or medically unnecessary care, implementing corrective actions when needed. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services requires each state to measure prescription drug cost-savings generated from its DUR programs on an annual basis, but it provides no guidance or unified methodology for doing so. To describe and synthesize the methodologies used by states to measure cost-savings using their Medicaid retrospective DUR program in federal fiscal years 2014 and 2015. For each state, the cost-savings methodologies included in the Medicaid DUR 2014 and 2015 reports were downloaded from Medicaid's website. The reports were then reviewed and synthesized. Methods described by the states were classified according to research designs often described in evaluation textbooks. In 2014, the most often used prescription drugs cost-savings estimation methodology for the Medicaid retrospective DUR program was a simple pre-post intervention method, without a comparison group (ie, 12 states). In 2015, the most common methodology used was a pre-post intervention method, with a comparison group (ie, 14 states). Comparisons of savings attributed to the program among states are still unreliable, because of a lack of a common methodology available for measuring cost-savings. There is great variation among states in the methods used to measure prescription drug utilization cost-savings. This analysis suggests that there is still room for improvement in terms of

Comparing the Medicaid Retrospective Drug Utilization Review Program Cost-Savings Methods Used by State Agencies

PubMed Central

Prada, Sergio I.

2017-01-01

Background The Medicaid Drug Utilization Review (DUR) program is a 2-phase process conducted by Medicaid state agencies. The first phase is a prospective DUR and involves electronically monitoring prescription drug claims to identify prescription-related problems, such as therapeutic duplication, contraindications, incorrect dosage, or duration of treatment. The second phase is a retrospective DUR and involves ongoing and periodic examinations of claims data to identify patterns of fraud, abuse, underutilization, drug–drug interaction, or medically unnecessary care, implementing corrective actions when needed. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services requires each state to measure prescription drug cost-savings generated from its DUR programs on an annual basis, but it provides no guidance or unified methodology for doing so. Objectives To describe and synthesize the methodologies used by states to measure cost-savings using their Medicaid retrospective DUR program in federal fiscal years 2014 and 2015. Method For each state, the cost-savings methodologies included in the Medicaid DUR 2014 and 2015 reports were downloaded from Medicaid's website. The reports were then reviewed and synthesized. Methods described by the states were classified according to research designs often described in evaluation textbooks. Discussion In 2014, the most often used prescription drugs cost-savings estimation methodology for the Medicaid retrospective DUR program was a simple pre-post intervention method, without a comparison group (ie, 12 states). In 2015, the most common methodology used was a pre-post intervention method, with a comparison group (ie, 14 states). Comparisons of savings attributed to the program among states are still unreliable, because of a lack of a common methodology available for measuring cost-savings. Conclusion There is great variation among states in the methods used to measure prescription drug utilization cost-savings. This analysis suggests that

Gestational diabetes mellitus and risk of type 2 diabetes 10 years after the index pregnancy in Sri Lankan women-A community based retrospective cohort study.

PubMed

Herath, Himali; Herath, Rasika; Wickremasinghe, Rajitha

2017-01-01

Women with a history of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) have an increased risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) later in life compared to women with no GDM. This study was aimed to determine the risk of developing T2DM 10 years after GDM in Sri Lankan women. A retrospective cohort study was conducted in the Colombo district, Sri Lanka. 7205 women who delivered a child in 2005 were identified through Public Health Midwives in the field. Women with antenatal records were interviewed and relevant data were extracted from medical records to identify potential participants. One hundred and nineteen women who had GDM and 240 women who did not have GDM were recruited. Current diagnosis of diabetes was based on history, relevant medical records and blood reports within the past 1 year. The mean duration of follow up was 10.9 (SD = 0.35) years in the GDM group and 10.8 (SD = 0.31) years in the non-GDM group. The incidence density of diabetes in the GDM group was 56.3 per 1000 person years compared to 5.4 per 1000 person years in non GDM group giving a rate ratio of 10.42 (95% CI: 6.01-19.12). A woman having GDM in the index pregnancy was 10.6 times more likely to develop diabetes within 10 years compared to women with no GDM after controlling for other confounding variables. Delivering a child after 30 years, being treated with insulin during the pregnancy and delivering a baby weighing more than 3.5 Kg were significant predictors of development of T2DM after controlling for family history of diabetes mellitus (DM), GDM in previous pregnancies, parity and gestational age at delivery. Women with GDM had a 10-fold higher risk of developing T2DM during a 10-year follow up period as compared to women with no GDM after controlling for other confounding variables.

Reduction in Hospital-Wide Clinical Laboratory Specimen Identification Errors following Process Interventions: A 10-Year Retrospective Observational Study

PubMed Central

Ning, Hsiao-Chen; Lin, Chia-Ni; Chiu, Daniel Tsun-Yee; Chang, Yung-Ta; Wen, Chiao-Ni; Peng, Shu-Yu; Chu, Tsung-Lan; Yu, Hsin-Ming; Wu, Tsu-Lan

2016-01-01

Background Accurate patient identification and specimen labeling at the time of collection are crucial steps in the prevention of medical errors, thereby improving patient safety. Methods All patient specimen identification errors that occurred in the outpatient department (OPD), emergency department (ED), and inpatient department (IPD) of a 3,800-bed academic medical center in Taiwan were documented and analyzed retrospectively from 2005 to 2014. To reduce such errors, the following series of strategies were implemented: a restrictive specimen acceptance policy for the ED and IPD in 2006; a computer-assisted barcode positive patient identification system for the ED and IPD in 2007 and 2010, and automated sample labeling combined with electronic identification systems introduced to the OPD in 2009. Results Of the 2000345 specimens collected in 2005, 1023 (0.0511%) were identified as having patient identification errors, compared with 58 errors (0.0015%) among 3761238 specimens collected in 2014, after serial interventions; this represents a 97% relative reduction. The total number (rate) of institutional identification errors contributed from the ED, IPD, and OPD over a 10-year period were 423 (0.1058%), 556 (0.0587%), and 44 (0.0067%) errors before the interventions, and 3 (0.0007%), 52 (0.0045%) and 3 (0.0001%) after interventions, representing relative 99%, 92% and 98% reductions, respectively. Conclusions Accurate patient identification is a challenge of patient safety in different health settings. The data collected in our study indicate that a restrictive specimen acceptance policy, computer-generated positive identification systems, and interdisciplinary cooperation can significantly reduce patient identification errors. PMID:27494020

Multicystic dysplastic kidney: a retrospective study.

PubMed

Sharada, Sathish; Vijayakumar, Mahalingam; Nageswaran, Prahlad; Ekambaram, Sudha; Udani, Amish

2014-08-01

To report the renal structural and functional anomalies in children with multicystic dysplastic kidneys. Retrospective descriptive analysis of 47 children with multicystic dysplastic kidney seen in a pediatric nephrology unit over a period of 6 years. Antenatal diagnosis of multicystic dysplastic kidney was made in 34 (72.3%) patients. On follow up of 31 children for more than 12 months, 21 (68%) had involution, 4 [13%] had non-regression, and 4 (13%) were nephrectomized. Vesico-ureteric reflux (n=13; 28%) was the commonest renal abnormality. The serum creatinine values were higher (P=0.006) in children with contralateral reflux. Sub-nephrotic proteinuria was noted in 9 (29%) and was significantly associated with complete involution (P=<0.023). None of the patients developed hypertension and 2 (6.4%) had renal failure. Close nephrological follow-up is needed in children with multicystic dysplasia of kidneys.

A retrospective 30-year follow-up study of former Swedish-elite male athletes in power sports with a past anabolic androgenic steroids use: a focus on mental health.

PubMed

Lindqvist, A S; Moberg, T; Eriksson, B O; Ehrnborg, C; Rosén, T; Fahlke, C

2013-10-01

The knowledge concerning the long-term effect of former anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS)-use on mental health is sparse. This study aims to investigate whether previous AAS-use affects mental health, present sociodemographic data, sport activity and substance abuse in a retrospective 30-year follow-up study of former elite athletes. Swedish male-elite power sport athletes (n=683) on the top 10 national ranking lists during any of the years 1960-1979 in wrestling, Olympic lifting, powerlifting and the throwing events in track and field answered a questionnaire. At least 20% of the former athletes admitted previous AAS-use. They had more often sought professional expertise for mental problems and had used illicit drugs compared to those not having used AAS. The AAS-users also differed in former sport activity pattern compared to non AAS-users. It is clear that a relationship exists between use of AAS and mental-health problems. Further studies need to be done in order to clarify this relationship.

Age trends in 30 day hospital readmissions: US national retrospective analysis

PubMed Central

Berry, Jay G; Gay, James C; Joynt Maddox, Karen; Coleman, Eric A; Bucholz, Emily M; O’Neill, Margaret R; Blaine, Kevin; Hall, Matthew

2018-01-01

Abstract Objective To assess trends in and risk factors for readmission to hospital across the age continuum. Design Retrospective analysis. Setting and participants 31 729 762 index hospital admissions for all conditions in 2013 from the US Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Nationwide Readmissions Database. Main outcome measure 30 day, all cause, unplanned hospital readmissions. Odds of readmission were compared by patients’ age in one year epochs with logistic regression, accounting for sex, payer, length of stay, discharge disposition, number of chronic conditions, reason for and severity of admission, and data clustering by hospital. The middle (45 years) of the age range (0-90+ years) was selected as the age reference group. Results The 30 day unplanned readmission rate following all US index admissions was 11.6% (n=3 678 018). Referenced by patients aged 45 years, the adjusted odds ratio for readmission increased between ages 16 and 20 years (from 0.70 (95% confidence interval 0.68 to 0.71) to 1.04 (1.02 to 1.06)), remained elevated between ages 21 and 44 years (range 1.02 (1.00 to 1.03) to 1.12 (1.10 to 1.14)), steadily decreased between ages 46 and 64 years (range 1.02 (1.00 to 1.04) to 0.91 (0.90 to 0.93)), and decreased abruptly at age 65 years (0.78 (0.77 to 0.79)), after which the odds remained relatively constant with advancing age. Across all ages, multiple chronic conditions were associated with the highest adjusted odds of readmission (for example, 3.67 (3.64 to 3.69) for six or more versus no chronic conditions). Among children, young adults, and middle aged adults, mental health was one of the most common reasons for index admissions that had high adjusted readmission rates (≥75th centile). Conclusions The likelihood of readmission was elevated for children transitioning to adulthood, children and younger adults with mental health disorders, and patients of all ages with multiple chronic conditions. Further attention to the

Space & Materials: A Second Year Design Curriculum.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ziff, Matthew

Design students provide a constant source of energy that moves into the mainstream of society. Their energy needs to be directed toward improving the characteristics of the built environment at every physical and economic scale of activity. Teaching design involves a broad range of decisions on how to present relevant design education content to…

A 10-year retrospective of research in health mass media campaigns: where do we go from here?

PubMed

Noar, Seth M

2006-01-01

Mass media campaigns have long been a tool for promoting public health. How effective are such campaigns in changing health-related attitudes and behaviors, however, and how has the literature in this area progressed over the past decade? The purpose of the current article is threefold. First, I discuss the importance of health mass media campaigns and raise the question of whether they are capable of effectively impacting public health. Second, I review the literature and discuss what we have learned about the effectiveness of campaigns over the past 10 years. Finally, I conclude with a discussion of possible avenues for the health campaign literature over the next 10 years. The overriding conclusion is the following: The literature is beginning to amass evidence that targeted, well-executed health mass media campaigns can have small-to-moderate effects not only on health knowledge, beliefs, and attitudes, but on behaviors as well, which can translate into major public health impact given the wide reach of mass media. Such impact can only be achieved, however, if principles of effective campaign design are carefully followed.

Effect of incident nocturnal home hemodialysis versus incident continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis on employment rate, clinical, and laboratory outcomes: A 1-year retrospective observation study.

PubMed

Li, John Wing; Wong, Joseph Ho Sing; Chak, Wai Leung; Chau, Ka Foon

2017-10-18

While studies demonstrated favorable outcomes of nocturnal home hemodialysis (NHHD), direct comparison on employment rate, clinical and laboratory outcomes between the NHHD and continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) had not been previously performed. A 1-year retrospective observation study was performed in 20 incidents alternate night NHHD and 81 incident CAPD patients of Chinese ethnicity, who were sex, diabetic status, and Charlson comorbidity index matched, but not age due to our center's age limit for NHHD enrollment. The primary outcome was the difference in employment rate at 1 year. Secondary outcomes included differences in clinical parameters (weight, blood pressure, number of antihypertensive medication, dosage of phosphate binders, and erythropoietin stimulating agent) and laboratory parameters (residual renal function, mineral metabolic markers, hemoglobin). NHHD subjects were 5 years younger than CAPD patients, and they had higher employment rate (80% vs. 33.3%, P < 0.01) at 1 year, with age-adjusted odds ratio for employment was 6.10 (95% confidence interval 1.77-20.99, P = 0.04). They consumed less aluminum-based phosphate binder (0 vs. 1800 mg, P < 0.01), but showed no significant disparities in other clinical parameters. Residual renal function in both groups declined comparably, nonetheless NHHD group had lower serum phosphate (1.37 vs. 1.71 mmol/L, P = 0.01) and calcium phosphate product (3.13 vs. 4.12 mmol 2 /L 2 , P < 0.01), with similar hemoglobin levels. NHHD appeared to offer higher employment rate, lower dosage of aluminum-based phosphate binder and mineral metabolic markers at 1 year compared with CAPD in Hong Kong. © 2017 International Society for Hemodialysis.

Candidemia in the intensive care unit: A 12-year retrospective cohort study in Reunion Island.

PubMed

Hoarau, G; Picot, S; Lemant, J; Peytral, J; Poubeau, P; Zunic, P; Mohr, C; Coueffe, X; Gerardin, P; Antok, E

2018-05-09

We aimed to describe the epidemiology of Candida bloodstream infection in an intensive care unit (ICU) in Reunion Island. We performed a retrospective cohort study and evaluated 63 candidemia episodes, which occurred between January 2004 and December 2015 in the ICU of a University Hospital in St-Pierre. The incidence rate of candidemia in the ICU was estimated at 7.6%. Candida albicans was the most common yeast pathogen species recovered (54%), followed by Candida glabrata (17%), Candida tropicalis (12%) and Candida parapsilosis (10%). Between 2012 and 2015, we also observed a modification of antifungal use. The epidemiology of candidemia in Reunion Island is characterized by the predominance of Candida albicans and by the relative importance of Candida tropicalis. This pattern corresponds to a model of epidemiological transition between the one usually observed in tropical areas and the one observed in temperate countries. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Epidemiological profile of snake-bite cases from Haryana: A five year (2011-2015) retrospective study.

PubMed

Bhargava, Saurabh; Kaur, Ramanjeet; Singh, Rajvinder

2018-02-01

Varieties of venomous snakes inhabit in the world which accidentally take thousands of human lives every year. This severe medical emergency constantly persuades national and international health agencies to look at efficient epidemiological profiling of snake-bite cases for the proper management of this sympathetic problem. Establishing the accurate database of snake-bite in humans from different localities of India may perhaps lack certainty due to few inevitable reasons such as consideration of this problem as less emergent problem in disparity to pesticide poisoning, difficulty in the accessibility to rural and tribal areas where chances of snake-bite remain ceiling, lack of inspiring models of snake-bite management training, reduced reporting system, and pitiable maintenance of hospital data in India. Therefore, the present modest study was carried out to explore valuable information regarding snake-bite problem in Haryana. Factual data on snake-bite incidences happened from 2011 to 2015 were collected from government hospitals and medical institutes of Haryana. This retrospective study disclosed a few characteristic points related to the frequency of snake-bite cases, gender involved, anti-snake venom (ASV) treatment, and numbers of deaths with snake-bite. Records revealed a total of 6555 cases of snake-bite including 130 deaths reported in Haryana during the study period. A significant variation in the occurrence of snake-bite cases was also recorded in different areas of Haryana. There was a huge database of recorded snake-bite cases from government medical institute but district wise survey disclosed the maximum number of snake-bite incidences, especially amongst males from Panchkula. The present study has provided a more updated and comprehensive record of snake-bite from Haryana during 2011-2015. A huge burden of snake-bite amongst human was found in Haryana; hence, the findings of this study purposely enlighten people about the size of this problem in

Acetabular revisions using porous tantalum components: A retrospective study with 5-10 years follow-up

PubMed Central

Evola, Francesco Roberto; Costarella, Luciano; Evola, Giuseppe; Barchitta, Martina; Agodi, Antonella; Sessa, Giuseppe

2017-01-01

AIM To evaluate the clinical and X-ray results of acetabular components and tantalum augments in prosthetic hip revisions. METHODS Fifty-eight hip prostheses with primary failure of the acetabular component were reviewed with tantalum implants. The clinical records and X-rays of these cases were retrospectively reviewed. Bone defect evaluations were based on preoperative CT scans and classified according to Paprosky criteria of Radiolucent lines and periprosthetic gaps; implant mobilization and osteolysis were evaluated by X-ray. An ad hoc database was created and statistical analyses were performed with SPSS software (IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, version 23.0). Statistical analyses were carried out using the Student’s t test for independent and paired samples. A P value of < 0.05 was considered statistically significant and cumulative survival was calculated by the Kaplan-Meier method. RESULTS The mean follow-up was 87.6 ± 25.6 mo (range 3-120 mo). 25 cases (43.1%) were classified as minor defects, and 33 cases (56.9%) as major defects. The preoperative HHS rating improved significantly from a mean of 40.7 ± 6.1 (range: 29-53) before revision, to a mean of 85.8 ± 6.1 (range: 70-94) at the end of the follow-up (Student’s t test for paired samples: P < 0.001). Considering HHS only at the end of follow-up, no statistically significant difference was observed between patients with a major or minor defect (Student’s t test for independent samples: P > 0.05). Radiolucent lines were found in 4 implants (6.9%). Postoperative acetabular gaps were observed in 5 hips (8.6%). No signs of implant mobilization or areas of periprosthetic osteolysis were found in the x-rays at the final follow-up. Only 3 implants failed: 1 case of infection and 2 cases of instability. Defined as the end-point, cumulative survival at 10 years was 95% (for all reasons) and 100% for aseptic loosening of the acetabular component. CONCLUSION The medium-term use of prosthetic tantalum

Acetabular revisions using porous tantalum components: A retrospective study with 5-10 years follow-up.

PubMed

Evola, Francesco Roberto; Costarella, Luciano; Evola, Giuseppe; Barchitta, Martina; Agodi, Antonella; Sessa, Giuseppe

2017-07-18

To evaluate the clinical and X-ray results of acetabular components and tantalum augments in prosthetic hip revisions. Fifty-eight hip prostheses with primary failure of the acetabular component were reviewed with tantalum implants. The clinical records and X-rays of these cases were retrospectively reviewed. Bone defect evaluations were based on preoperative CT scans and classified according to Paprosky criteria of Radiolucent lines and periprosthetic gaps; implant mobilization and osteolysis were evaluated by X-ray. An ad hoc database was created and statistical analyses were performed with SPSS software (IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, version 23.0). Statistical analyses were carried out using the Student's t test for independent and paired samples. A P value of < 0.05 was considered statistically significant and cumulative survival was calculated by the Kaplan-Meier method. The mean follow-up was 87.6 ± 25.6 mo (range 3-120 mo). 25 cases (43.1%) were classified as minor defects, and 33 cases (56.9%) as major defects. The preoperative HHS rating improved significantly from a mean of 40.7 ± 6.1 (range: 29-53) before revision, to a mean of 85.8 ± 6.1 (range: 70-94) at the end of the follow-up (Student's t test for paired samples: P < 0.001). Considering HHS only at the end of follow-up, no statistically significant difference was observed between patients with a major or minor defect (Student's t test for independent samples: P > 0.05). Radiolucent lines were found in 4 implants (6.9%). Postoperative acetabular gaps were observed in 5 hips (8.6%). No signs of implant mobilization or areas of periprosthetic osteolysis were found in the x-rays at the final follow-up. Only 3 implants failed: 1 case of infection and 2 cases of instability. Defined as the end-point, cumulative survival at 10 years was 95% (for all reasons) and 100% for aseptic loosening of the acetabular component. The medium-term use of prosthetic tantalum components in prosthetic hip revisions is

Linam Ranch cryogenic gas plant: A design and operating retrospective

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Harwell, L.J.; Kuscinski, J.

1999-07-01

GPM Gas Corporation's Linam Ranch Gas Plant is the processing hub of their southeastern New Mexico gathering system, producing a y-grade NGL product which is pipelined primarily to the Phillips petrochemical complex at Sweeney, Texas, GPM acquired the facility near Hobbs, N.M. late in 1994 when it was still operating as a refrigerated lean oil plant, renamed it, and commenced an upgrade project culminating in its conversion to a high recovery cryogenic facility in early 1996 with a processing capacity of 150 MMscfd. Facilities that were upgraded included inlet liquids receiving and handling, the amine system, mol sieve dehydration, themore » sulfur recovery unit, inlet compression, and the propane refrigeration system. A Foxboro I/A DCS was also placed into operation. The lean oil system was replaced with a high recovery turboexpander unit supplied by KTI Fish based on their Flash Vapor Reflux (FVR) process. Resulting ethane recovery was greater than 95% for the new facilities. New residue compression units were installed including steam generators on the turbine exhausts, which complemented the existing plant steam system. During the three years since conversion to cryogenic operation, GPM has steadily improved plant operations. Expansion of the mol sieve dehydration system and retrofit of evaporation combustion air cooling on gas turbines have expanded nameplate capacity to 170 MMscfd while maintaining ethane recovery at 95%. Future expansion to 200 MMscfd with high recovery is achievable. In addition, creative use of the Foxboro DCS has been employed to implement advanced control schemes for handling inlet liquid slugs, gas and amine balancing for parallel amine contactors, improved sulfur recovery unit (SRU) trim air control, and constraint-based process optimization to maximize horsepower utilization and ethane recovery. Some challenges remain, leaving room for additional improvements. However, GPM's progress so far has resulted in a current ethane recovery

Do lunar phases influence menstruation? A year-long retrospective study.

PubMed

Ilias, I; Spanoudi, F; Koukkou, E; Adamopoulos, D A; Nikopoulou, S C

2013-07-01

We assessed with cross-approximate entropy menstruation onset versus moon phases in 74 women with 980 menstrual cycles over a calendar year. In defiance of traditional beliefs and contrary to what some researchers have argued with short-term research work, in this long-term study we did not find any synchrony of lunar phases with the menstrual cycle.

A retrospective analysis of compact fluorescent lamp experience curves and their correlations to deployment programs

DOE PAGES

Smith, Sarah Josephine; Wei, Max; Sohn, Michael D.

2016-09-17

Experience curves are useful for understanding technology development and can aid in the design and analysis of market transformation programs. Here, we employ a novel approach to create experience curves, to examine both global and North American compact fluorescent lamp (CFL) data for the years 1990–2007. We move away from the prevailing method of fitting a single, constant, exponential curve to data and instead search for break points where changes in the learning rate may have occurred. Our analysis suggests a learning rate of approximately 21% for the period of 1990–1997, and 51% and 79% in global and North Americanmore » datasets, respectively, after 1998. We use price data for this analysis; therefore our learning rates encompass developments beyond typical “learning by doing”, including supply chain impacts such as market competition. We examine correlations between North American learning rates and the initiation of new programs, abrupt technological advances, and economic and political events, and find an increased learning rate associated with design advancements and federal standards programs. Our findings support the use of segmented experience curves for retrospective and prospective technology analysis, and may imply that investments in technology programs have contributed to an increase of the CFL learning rate.« less

A retrospective analysis of compact fluorescent lamp experience curves and their correlations to deployment programs

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Smith, Sarah Josephine; Wei, Max; Sohn, Michael D.

Experience curves are useful for understanding technology development and can aid in the design and analysis of market transformation programs. Here, we employ a novel approach to create experience curves, to examine both global and North American compact fluorescent lamp (CFL) data for the years 1990–2007. We move away from the prevailing method of fitting a single, constant, exponential curve to data and instead search for break points where changes in the learning rate may have occurred. Our analysis suggests a learning rate of approximately 21% for the period of 1990–1997, and 51% and 79% in global and North Americanmore » datasets, respectively, after 1998. We use price data for this analysis; therefore our learning rates encompass developments beyond typical “learning by doing”, including supply chain impacts such as market competition. We examine correlations between North American learning rates and the initiation of new programs, abrupt technological advances, and economic and political events, and find an increased learning rate associated with design advancements and federal standards programs. Our findings support the use of segmented experience curves for retrospective and prospective technology analysis, and may imply that investments in technology programs have contributed to an increase of the CFL learning rate.« less

A Case Series of Marijuana Exposures in Pediatric Patients Less than 5 Years of Age

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, George Sam; Narang, Sandeep K.; Wells, Kathryn; Chuang, Ryan

2011-01-01

Objective: In Colorado, there has been a large increase in medical marijuana dispensaries and licenses for the use of medical marijuana over the past year. This is a retrospective case series of marijuana exposures that have presented to the emergency department (ED) in children less than 5 years of age. Methods: We performed a retrospective chart…