RESUMO
Regional populations of rhesus and long-tailed macaques exhibit fundamental differences in mitochondrial DNA, short tandem repeat and single nucleotide polymorphism variation between mainland and insular Southeast Asian populations. Some studies have revealed genetic admixture between these species due to natural hybridization and human-assisted intercrosses. A quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) assay was developed to efficiently determine the species of origin of a macaque biological sample, and to quantify the species-specific template DNA. Prior knowledge of species identity and DNA concentrations are crucial for maintaining cost-effective methods and accurate DNA analysis. DNA from 109 regionally representative rhesus and long-tailed macaques was qPCR amplified to determine the species and template quantities. Of the 19 Vietnamese long-tailed macaques, 3 samples were discovered to be hybrids.
Assuntos
Macaca fascicularis/genética , Macaca mulatta/genética , Reação em Cadeia da Polimerase em Tempo Real/métodos , Fator de Transcrição STAT6/genética , Animais , Sudeste Asiático , China , Hibridização Genética , Índia , Macaca fascicularis/sangue , Macaca mulatta/sangue , Repetições de Microssatélites , Dados de Sequência Molecular , Polimorfismo de Nucleotídeo Único , Reação em Cadeia da Polimerase em Tempo Real/economia , Reação em Cadeia da Polimerase em Tempo Real/instrumentação , Fator de Transcrição STAT6/sangue , Análise de Sequência de DNA , Homologia de Sequência do Ácido Nucleico , Especificidade da EspécieRESUMO
In EUROHARP, an EC Framework V project, which started in 2002 with 21 partners in 17 countries across Europe, a detailed intercomparison of contemporary catchment-scale modelling approaches was undertaken to characterise the relative importance of point and diffuse pollution of nutrients in surface freshwater systems. The study focused on the scientific evaluation of different modelling approaches, which were validated on three core catchments (the Ouse, UK; the Vansjo-Hobøl, Norway; and the Enza, Italy), and the application of each tool to three additional, randomly chosen catchments across Europe. The tools involved differ profoundly in their complexity, level of process representation and data requirements. The tools include simple loading models, statistical, conceptual and empirical model approaches, and physics-based (mechanistic) models. The results of a scientific intercomparison of the characteristics of these different model approaches are described. This includes an analysis of potential strengths and weaknesses of the nutrient models.
Assuntos
Monitoramento Ambiental/métodos , Modelos Teóricos , Poluição Química da Água/prevenção & controle , Agricultura , Simulação por Computador , Conservação dos Recursos Naturais/economia , Conservação dos Recursos Naturais/métodos , Monitoramento Ambiental/economia , Europa (Continente) , Rios , Movimentos da Água , Poluentes Químicos da Água , Poluição Química da Água/economia , Abastecimento de ÁguaRESUMO
Myocardial metaiodobenzylguanidine uptake predicts autonomic function in patients with diabetes mellitus and is significantly related to indexes reflecting sympathetic neural modulation of heart rate variability.
Assuntos
Sistema Nervoso Autônomo/fisiopatologia , Meios de Contraste , Diabetes Mellitus Tipo 2/fisiopatologia , Frequência Cardíaca , Iodobenzenos , 3-Iodobenzilguanidina , Adulto , Coração/inervação , Humanos , Radioisótopos do IodoRESUMO
BACKGROUND: A weighted logistic regression analysis was developed to allow pooling of patient data for the study of the stability of defibrillation energy requirements with a new nonthoracotomy lead defibrillation system. METHODS AND RESULTS: One hundred twenty patients were prospectively studied with a single-model nonthoracotomy implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) system at the time of implant and at 3 months. The pooled data of all shocks delivered to all patients were fitted to a logistic function to construct a defibrillation voltage/energy dose-response relationship. The crude logit curve was weighted in quartiles according to the average shock energy delivered per patient. Shocks at implant (n = 802; 6.6 +/- 2.5 shocks/patient) and follow-up (n = 292; 2.4 +/- 1.2 shocks/patient) were analyzed. The modeled voltage/energy required for 50% successful defibrillation (95% CI) in the pooled data was 367 V (273, 461) and 9.8 J (6.7, 12.9) at implant and 338 V (264, 412) and 10.5 J (8, 13.0) at follow-up. The conventional measure of lowest successful voltage/energy (95% CI) was 430 V (411, 449) and 12.1 J (11, 13.2) at implant and 415 V (391, 439) and 11.3 J (10, 12.6) at follow-up. There were no statistically significant differences between implant and follow-up energy requirements with either method. CONCLUSIONS: The nonthoracotomy lead system used in this study demonstrated stability of defibrillation energy requirements at implant and 3-month follow-up. A new technique for the estimation of the defibrillation energy dose-response relationship was derived by using a weighted logistic regression analysis.
Assuntos
Cardioversão Elétrica/instrumentação , Idoso , Cardioversão Elétrica/métodos , Impedância Elétrica , Eletricidade , Desenho de Equipamento , Feminino , Seguimentos , Humanos , Modelos Logísticos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Estudos Prospectivos , Fatores de TempoRESUMO
Samples from 1828 donations were screened for anti-HBc at seven sites in the UK using kits supplied by 10 manufacturers. Only 10 (0.55%) donations were considered to have true anti-HBc reactivity and these were detected by all 10 kits. Additional markers of HBV infection were found in nine of these 10 donations. Additional reactives were found by all kits, the number ranging from 1 to 43. In the four more specific kits, the 10 true reactives were clearly distinguished from the 'false reactives' by the strength of the reaction. It is concluded that the reliance on a single ELISA test for anti-HBc diagnosis is unwise. The use of a second test known to be more specific than the screening ELISA is recommended.
Assuntos
Doadores de Sangue , Anticorpos Anti-Hepatite B/sangue , Antígenos do Núcleo do Vírus da Hepatite B/imunologia , Kit de Reagentes para Diagnóstico/estatística & dados numéricos , Ensaio de Imunoadsorção Enzimática/estatística & dados numéricos , Humanos , Sensibilidade e Especificidade , Reino UnidoRESUMO
Cyanogen bromide was used to solubilise and specifically fragment purified equine Type I and II collagen and equine articular surface repair tissue. The resultant peptides were separated by sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and quantified by densitometric scanning. Measurement of the relative amounts of the peptides alpha 2(I) CB3, 5 and alpha 1(II)CB10 provided an accurate method of establishing the ratio of Type I to Type II collagen in mixtures of purified equine collagens. The method was sensitive to 6% Type II collagen when the band areas were corrected for peptide molecular weight and the number of chains in the parent tropocollagen molecule which contain that particular peptide. Use of this technique showed that repair tissue in full thickness osteochondral defects in the dorso-distal margins of the intermediate carpal bones of ponies did not contain detectable amounts of Type II collagen 11 weeks after defect induction.
Assuntos
Carpo Animal/química , Cartilagem Articular/química , Colágeno/análise , Cavalos/fisiologia , Cicatrização , Animais , Carpo Animal/lesões , Cartilagem Articular/lesões , Colágeno/química , Colágeno/isolamento & purificação , Brometo de Cianogênio/metabolismo , Eletroforese em Gel de Poliacrilamida , Cavalos/lesões , Peso Molecular , Fragmentos de Peptídeos/análise , Fragmentos de Peptídeos/química , Fragmentos de Peptídeos/isolamento & purificaçãoRESUMO
Back injuries devour one-third of health care benefits and workers' compensation, yet corporate strategies vary widely in their approach to back pain prevention, treatment and rehabilitation. These recommendations provide a benchmark for evaluation policies on low back pain. They emphasize a sports medicine approach, focused on returning workers to activity as soon as possible.
Assuntos
Dor nas Costas/economia , Planos de Assistência de Saúde para Empregados/organização & administração , Indenização aos Trabalhadores/organização & administração , Dor nas Costas/prevenção & controle , Dor nas Costas/reabilitação , Controle de Custos/métodos , Custos de Saúde para o Empregador/normas , Emprego/organização & administração , Promoção da Saúde/normas , Humanos , Formulação de Políticas , Estados UnidosRESUMO
Polystyrene beads coated with pasteurised polyethylene glycol-precipitated HBsAg were used to detect anti-HBs by a solid phase inhibition assay employing unreacted 125I-anti-HBs which had previously been "processed" by polyethylene glycol precipitation and used to test for the HBsAg. A weak anti-HBs (approximately 0.1 IU/ml) positive control was used to establish a target level of reactivity. 16,035 freshly donated units of blood, a 90-sample coded anti-HBs panel and a selection of hyperimmune globulins were investigated. All positive results were confirmed by a standard commercial assay. Antibody content of selected samples was quantitated in international units. A target level of anti-HBs activity is suggested for donor plasma to be fractionated for the production of hepatitis B immune globulin.
Assuntos
Anticorpos Antivirais , Anticorpos Anti-Hepatite B , Imunoglobulinas , Plasma , Adsorção , Hepatite B/imunologia , Antígenos de Superfície da Hepatite B , Humanos , Radioimunoensaio/economiaRESUMO
A study was performed to determine the extent to which patients of all types were receiving inappropriate levels of care. The needs of patients in acute and supporting hospitals, people in residential homes, and patients cared for at home were assessed. A sixth of the hospital inpatients did not need hospital care, while 5% of those in residential homes and 5% of those at home did need hospital services. These findings indicate that a realistic provision of hospital beds would be 4 per 1000 population for all specialties except regional specialties, psychiatry, mental subnormality, obstetrics, and paediatrics. About a third of these beds need to be acute, while the rest may be in supporting or community hospitals. Thus the current provision of acute beds (2-0 to 2-5 per 1000 population) exceeds actual need.
Assuntos
Planejamento em Saúde , Necessidades e Demandas de Serviços de Saúde , Hospitais/estatística & dados numéricos , Planejamento de Assistência ao Paciente , Feminino , Inquéritos Epidemiológicos , Humanos , Masculino , Irlanda do Norte , Inquéritos e QuestionáriosAssuntos
Economia Médica , Gastos em Saúde , Medicina Estatal , Adolescente , Adulto , Fatores Etários , Idoso , Criança , Pré-Escolar , Economia Hospitalar , Inglaterra , Humanos , Lactente , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Mortalidade , Análise e Desempenho de Tarefas , Reino Unido , Revisão da Utilização de Recursos de SaúdeRESUMO
A technique of 'crash induction' using thiopentone and suxamethonium with cricoid pressure was studied in 100 unselected patients at risk from vomiting or regurgitation. No episode of regurgitation occurred. There was difficulty with intubation due to poor relaxation in 7 patients and, in 61 cases, it was believed that there was some evidence of a potential hazard from raised intra-abdominal pressure other than due to fasciculation. Systolic blood pressure rose more than 20% in 19 patients, and fell more than 20% in 9 patients.