ABSTRACT
Packer et al. reported that fenced lion populations attain densities closer to carrying capacity than unfenced populations. However, fenced populations are often maintained above carrying capacity, and most are small. Many more lions are conserved per dollar invested in unfenced ecosystems, which avoid the ecological and economic costs of fencing.
Subject(s)
Carnivora , Conservation of Natural Resources/methods , Lions , Population Density , Animals , HumansABSTRACT
Three patients with rheumatoid arthritis had bleeding and bruising and were found to have circulating antibodies specifically directed against factor VIII. Review of the literature indicates that this is an unusual but serious complication of rheumatoid arthritis. In two of our three cases, disappearance of the factor VIII antibody coincided with the oral administration of cyclophosphamide; in the third patient, antibody titers declined several weeks after cyclophosphamide therapy was discontinued. Our collected experience involving 11 nonhemophilic patients with factor VIII antibodies indicates that a good response to cyclophosphamide therapy may be expected if the antibody titer is less than 10 Bethesda units at the initiation of treatment. While optimum treatment of these patients is not yet established, we suggest an initial trial of prednisone and, if there is no response, then therapy with cyclophosphamide.
Subject(s)
Antibodies/analysis , Arthritis, Rheumatoid/immunology , Cyclophosphamide/therapeutic use , Factor VIII/immunology , Aged , Female , Hemorrhage/immunology , Humans , Male , Middle AgedABSTRACT
This study examined the extent and nature of bias associated with self-reported versus standardized physician-examination/assessment-based accounts of musculoskeletal disease in a sample of 406 persons chosen to represent an aging and dependency continuum. Prevalence of musculoskeletal disease based on standardized physician examination/assessments was 97%. Using the standardized findings as the criterion, the self-report underestimated prevalence by 16%. Overall, the results indicated that self-reports of musculoskeletal conditions by the elderly capture the vast majority of persons with painful or functionally significant disease and are most valid for persons from ages 65 to 74 but do not reflect the presence of asymptomatic joint pathology. Standardized physician examinations/assessments would more accurately determine the presence of risk factors in epidemiological studies of musculoskeletal disability.
Subject(s)
Geriatric Assessment/statistics & numerical data , Health Surveys , Musculoskeletal Diseases/epidemiology , Aged , Analysis of Variance , Female , Health Services Research/methods , Humans , Illinois/epidemiology , Logistic Models , Male , Middle Aged , Multivariate Analysis , Musculoskeletal Diseases/diagnosis , Physical Examination/statistics & numerical data , Reproducibility of Results , Self-AssessmentSubject(s)
Bronchopneumonia/diagnosis , Colitis, Ulcerative/diagnosis , Pyoderma Gangrenosum/diagnosis , Adult , Biopsy , Bronchopneumonia/drug therapy , Colitis, Ulcerative/drug therapy , Dapsone/administration & dosage , Drug Therapy, Combination , Female , Humans , Lung/pathology , Prednisone/administration & dosage , Pyoderma Gangrenosum/drug therapy , Skin/pathologyABSTRACT
We adapted the Arthritis Impact Measurement Scales (AIMS) for use with frail elderly respondents. The new instrument, called the GERI-AIMS, generates both generic and arthritis-specific impairment scores, to control for comorbid conditions that are commonly found in an older population. An analysis of scores obtained on 438 elderly persons (mean age 76) indicated that more than half of the total disability measured by the generic GERI-AIMS scores is related to arthritis. The GERI-AIMS scales have standardized-item alpha levels greater than 0.70 and correlate well with clinical measures of arthritis severity. Information gained by using the GERI-AIMS has important public policy implications, insofar as information on both generic and disease-specific functional impairment is needed to establish priorities for basic research, epidemiologic, and intervention studies.
Subject(s)
Arthritis , Disability Evaluation , Geriatric Assessment , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Female , Humans , Male , Regression Analysis , Reproducibility of Results , Severity of Illness IndexABSTRACT
Data on musculoskeletal problems were collected among samples of letter carriers who were subject to a recent weight increase and those who were not. In addition, comparable data were collected for two groups of controls: gas meter readers who walk on the job, but do not bear a load as do letter carriers, and postal clerks who neither walk nor carry a load. Letter carriers experience excess shoulder, and perhaps neck and back, disability due to their weight bearing on the job. Increase in weight carried is also related to excess shoulder disability among letter carriers. These differences persist after controlling for age, number of years on the job, quetelete ratio and previous work that involved lifting or carrying.