Database Files Research Articles

Current Research at Arkansas Archeological Survey’s Henderson State University Research Station

During 2017, the Arkansas Archeological Survey celebrated its 50th anniversary with a series of website postings (http://archeology.uark.edu/who-we-are/50moments/), a forum at the annual meeting of the Arkansas Archeological Society, and a symposium at the annual Southeastern Archaeological Conference in Tulsa. In addition, the Survey made strides in documenting and archiving its history and collections. The Survey’s Henderson State University (HSU) Research Station in Arkadelphia continued to inventory curated artifact collections and scan older paper records and color slides. Trubitt and Cinotto, assisted by volunteers during weekly Archeology Lab Days, are updating the station’s curated collections database with artifact counts and weights, and using identified diagnostic artifacts to revise temporal information in the AMASDA state site files database. We are also adding new information on novaculite projectile point distributions to the “Arkansas Novaculite” website (http://archeology.uark.edu/novaculite/index.html) database. Ultimately, the novaculite distribution map will be expanded to create maps for each time period. This attention to the station’s curated collections inventory has sparked several new projects. We inventoried over 10,000 artifacts from 1973 testing at the Spanish Diggings site (3GA48) in Garland County, the largest of the Ouachita Mountains novaculite quarries. Novaculite debris from this quarry can now be compared with excavated samples of chipping debris and in-process pieces from other quarries and habitation sites. Diagnostic dart points (Marshall and Gary, var. Gary) indicate use of the quarry at least during the Middle and Late Archaic and Early Woodland periods (ca. 6000-200 B.C.).

Metal-on-metal total hip arthroplasty is not associated with cardiac disease.

Many case reports and small studies have suggested that cobalt ions are a potential cause of cardiac complications, specifically cardiomyopathy, after metal-on-metal (MoM) total hip arthroplasty (THA). The impact of metal ions on the incidence of cardiac disease after MoM THA has not been evaluated in large studies. The aim of this study was to compare the rate of onset of new cardiac symptoms in patients who have undergone MoM THA with those who have undergone metal-on-polyethylene (MoP) THA. Data were extracted from the Standard Analytics Files database for patients who underwent MoM THA between 2005 and 2012. Bearing surface was selected using International Classification of Diseases ninth revision codes. Patients with a minimum five-year follow-up were selected. An age and gender-matched cohort of patients who underwent MoP THA served as a comparison group. New diagnoses of cardiac disease were collected during the follow-up period. Comorbidities and demographics were identified and routine descriptive statistics were used. We identified 29 483 patients who underwent MoM THA and 24 175 matched patients who underwent MoP THA. Both groups had a mean Charlson comorbidity index score of 4. There were no statistically significant differences in 30 of 31 pre-existing comorbidities. Patients undergoing MoM THA had a slightly lower incidence of cardiac failure compared with those undergoing MoP THA at three years (6.60% versus 7.06%, odds ratio (OR) 0.93, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.87 to 0.99) and four years (8.73% versus 9.49%, OR 0.91, 95% CI 0.86 to 0.97) postoperatively, with no difference in the incidence of new cardiac failure in between the groups at five years. There was no statistically significant difference in the incidence of arrhythmia, myocardial infarction and cardiomyopathy at any time between the two groups. MoM THA is not associated with cardiac complications. Initial reports may have represented individual instances of cardiac disease in patients with a failing MoM articulation rather than an emerging epidemiological trend. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2018;100-B:28-32.

Cervical Spinal Stenosis in the Setting of Recurrent Shoulder Instability: A Nationwide Review of Records from 2007 to 2014.

Recurrent shoulder instability (RSI) and cervical spinal stenosis (CSS) may present with similar clinical symptoms. There is a paucity of data available investigating the incidence of CSS in patients with recurrent shoulder instability. For this reason, we investigated the incidence of CSS in patients with RSI and patient demographics, and compared characteristics of patients with CSS-RSI with those of patients with RSI alone. The Medicare Standard Analytical Files database in the PearlDiver supercomputer (Warsaw, Indiana) was carefully analyzed to identify all patients who had both CSS and RSI from 2007 to 2014. Patients were identified based on the international classification of disease codes (9th ed.). Annual national trends based on age, gender, body mass index (BMI), and geographic location were assessed. We identified 38,073 patients in the database during our study period. There was a significant increase in incidence of CSS in recurrent shoulder instability patients from 6.5% in 2007 to 9.2% in 2014 (p = 0.0027). Patients who were female (p = 0.0018), 65 to 80 years (46.3%; p < 0.0001), and with a BMI of 30-40 kg/m2 (34.1%; p < 0.0001) represented the greatest proportion of concomitant patients. Age less than 80 years was an independent risk factor for coexisting conditions (OR 1.47, 95% CI 1.32 to 1.64). In conclusion, the incidence of cervical spinal stenosis is increasing in patients with recurrent shoulder instability. Physicians should maintain high clinical suspicion for concurrent cervical spinal pathology, particularly in obese, young female patients with recurrent instability. Further investigation into the influence of these concurrent pathologies on patient outcomes is warranted.

Using codes in place of Fingerprints images during image processing for Criminal Information in large Databases and Data warehouses to reduce Storage, enhance efficiency and processing speed

The purpose of this work is to assign codes to the fingerprints images stored in large databases / Data warehouses, the images require large amount of storage as compared to a numeric code. Moreover, when fingerprint images are compared to other fingerprint images, the process is more time consuming as compared to the numeric codes. It is proposed to keep up all fingerprint images in a separate database file along with their codes. This file may be a supplementary file with respect to Master database file. In addition to this, the codes of fingerprint images may be stored in Master Database/ Data warehouse for all records. The search queries can be processed using the numeric codes. In this manner, the Time Complexity and Space Complexity are reduced considerably. Whenever, any fingerprint image is received for searching its record, first its code is obtained by proposed algorithm and then this code is used to search the record from database/Data Warehouse making entire procedure faster and efficient.

Ectopic forms of schistosomiasis mansoni in the second macroregion of Alagoas: case series report and review of the literature.

Ectopic forms of schistosomiasis are those in which the parasitic element is localized outside the portal system, the natural habitat of the helminth. Although the prevalence rates of schistosomiasis are high in Brazil, clinical and epidemiological data on ectopic forms of the disease are still scarce. Cross-sectional, retrospective and descriptive epidemiological study in which cases with a confirmed histopathological diagnosis of an ectopic form of schistosomiasis were analyzed. The cases were selected from a database of the anatomic pathology files of a referral center. Of the 21 cases identified, seven affected the female genital tract and five the male genital tract; four cases were identified in the peritoneum; two cases involved lymph nodes and two involved adipose tissue; and renal involvement was detected in one case. The lack of knowledge of the clinical presentation of ectopic forms of schistosomiasis makes the early identification and treatment of this form difficult, with direct implications in the reduction of morbidity and mortality in endemic areas.

Prediction of bleeding and thrombosis by standard biochemical coagulation variables in haematological intensive care patients.

We assessed the value of standard biochemical coagulation parameters in predicting bleeding, thrombosis and mortality in adult Intensive Care Unit (ICU) patients with haematological malignancies. We screened all patients with acute leukaemia and myelodysplastic syndrome admitted to a university hospital ICU during 2008-2012. Data were obtained from the clinical chemistry laboratory database and patient files. We graded bleeding according to the World Health Organisation (WHO)-system within 24-h, within 5-days and during the whole ICU stay. We analysed the predictive values of laboratory parameters using multiple logistic regression and receiver operator characteristics (ROC) curves. As we previously have established that platelet count at admission was associated with bleeding, we focused on International Normalised Ratio (INR), activated pro-thrombin time (APTT), anti-thrombin, D-dimer and fibrinogen, and markers of infection (C-reactive protein, pro-calcitonin), kidney function (creatinine) and tissue damage (lactate dehydrogenase (LDH)). We included 116 patients; 66 (57%) had at least one bleeding episode and 11 (9%) patients had at least one thrombotic event. The differences in coagulation values when bleeding compared to baseline values were minor. INR was the only variable we found associated with subsequent bleeding within 24 h from admission to ICU (odds ratio 2.91, 95% CI: 1.01-8.43, P = 0.048). ROC analyses did not show predictive value of any of the other variables with regards to bleeding and none of the variables were associated with thrombosis in adjusted analyses. Increased levels of LDH at admission were associated with increased 7-day and 30-day mortality. Increased INR at admission was associated with a higher rate of bleeding in ICU patients with haematological malignancies. No other biochemical coagulation or other parameter had any association with bleeding, thrombosis or mortality except increased LDH, which at ICU admission was associated with increased 30-day mortality.

Bibliometric Analysis of the International Turfgrass Society Research Journal, Proceedings, and Supplements, 1969 to 2013

A bibliometric description of the publications in the International Turfgrass Society Research Journal, Proceedings, and supplements from 1969 to 2013 provides a longitudinal view of authorship and paper trends. To date, there have been few bibliometric analyses of these publications or of turfgrass literature as a whole. Using the Turfgrass Information Center's Turfgrass Information File database, bibliometric metadata were examined for these 1685 unique papers to analyze paper length, number of authors, number of references, host countries, authors’ national affiliations, title words, section headings, content keywords, and rates of institutional collaboration. United States–affiliated authors wrote 67.5% (n = 1137) of all papers, more authors produced jointly written papers over time, and the growth of domestic institutional collaboration outpaced the growth of international collaboration. Overall, most content was focused on areas such as field trials, evaluations, and cultural and chemical maintenance practices rather than on specific industry sectors.

False sense of security

The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) was planning procedural changes that would grab media data for millions of immigrants. From this week, its Alien Files database will collate social media handles, aliases, associated identifiable information, and search results. The DHS insists this is not a policy change, as it has already used publicly-available media to protect the homeland. As with all mass surveillance schemes, the idea that watching many people will allow computers to magically identify the bad guys and prevent a terrorist attack is flawed.

Visual Search Performance in Patients with Vision Impairment: A Systematic Review

ABSTRACTPurpose: Patients with visual impairment are constantly facing challenges to achieve an independent and productive life, which depends upon both a good visual discrimination and search capacities. Given that visual search is a critical skill for several daily tasks and could be used as an index of the overall visual function, we investigated the relationship between vision impairment and visual search performance.Methods: A comprehensive search was undertaken using electronic PubMed, EMBASE, LILACS, and Cochrane databases from January 1980 to December 2016, applying the following terms: “visual search”, “visual search performance”, “visual impairment”, “visual exploration”, “visual field”, “hemianopia”, “search time”, “vision lost”, “visual loss”, and “low vision”. Two hundred seventy six studies from 12,059 electronic database files were selected, and 40 of them were included in this review.Results: Studies included participants of all ages, both sexes, and the sample sizes ranged from 5 to 199 participants. Visual impairment was associated with worse visual search performance in several ophthalmologic conditions, which were either artificially induced, or related to specific eye and neurological diseases.Conclusions: This systematic review details all the described circumstances interfering with visual search tasks, highlights the need for developing technical standards, and outlines patterns for diagnosis and therapy using visual search capabilities.

Does value-based purchasing affect US hospital utilization pattern: A comparative study

ABSTRACTWe evaluated the effect US hospital performance as measured by the Medicare hospital value-based purchasing (HVBP) program has on the volume of hospitals inpatient and outpatient services. We analyzed data from the 2013 to 2014 American Hospital Association database, HVBP total performance scores database through Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the area health resources files database through CMS. This study utilized a multinomial logistic regression and transaction cost economic theory, adjusting for the Herfindahl–Hirschman Index, number of facility beds, beds per thousand, individuals 65+, teaching status, location, ownership, and system affiliation. The prominent study findings indicate a significant relationship between percent utilization of inpatient, outpatient and HVBP score. Furthermore, environmental factors such as the Herfindahl–Hirschman Index, and system participation were found to significantly impact hospitals ratio of inpatient to outpatient. Relative risk ratios show that hospitals with overall lower HVB are more likely to be in the top 25 percentile for outpatient services. With the decline in inpatient volume of services and the rise in outpatient utilization, inpatient metrics will continue to be relevant as key indicators of quality of care. Inpatient services will never become irrelevant to the overall financial profile of hospital performance.

Human Face Identification from Profile Projection

This paper presents face recognition from front face. The idea is to extract the facial profile from a frontal view to provide a measurement for automatic face recognition. The profile is derived from the intensity of horizontal projection of the face image and using profile measure such χ2 distance for face identification. Three profile projections from 4 images or more are taken for each person, average values are calculated and stored in a database file. Profile measurements are compared with other profile in the database file. Results of experiments to the faces with or without spectacles rotate head (lift, right) and different face expression show that the proposed approach is robust and efficient way of face matching.

Outcomes of catheter ablation of ventricular tachycardia with mechanical hemodynamic support: An analysis of the Medicare database.

There is a paucity of data in favor of mechanical support during catheter ablation of ventricular tachycardia (VT). This study investigated the outcomes of VT ablation associated with mechanical support using percutaneous ventricular assist device (PVAD) versus intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP). We retrospectively examined the outcomes of patients who underwent VT ablation associated with PVAD versus IABP from 2010 to 2013, captured by the Medicare Inpatient Standard Analytic File database. Data from 345 patients (PVAD=230, IABP=115) were examined. On admission, the incidence of heart failure was higher in PVAD (84.3% vs. 73.0%; P=0.01) with similar rates of renal failure in PVAD versus IABP (33.0% vs. 37.4%; P=0.42). However, PVAD was associated with reduced in-hospital cardiogenic shock (9.1% vs. 23.5%; P < 0.001), renal failure (11.7% vs. 21.7%; P=0.01), and length of stay (8.4 ± 7.9 vs. 10.6 ± 7.5; P<0.001), but with greater hospital discharges to home/self-care (66.0% vs. 51.6%; P=0.02). Index mortality (6.5% vs. 19.1%; P=0.001) and mortality in patients with cardiogenic shock (18.2% vs. 41.2%; P=0.03) were significantly lower with PVAD versus IABP. Furthermore, PVAD was associated with lower all-cause (27.0% vs. 38.7%; P=0.04) and heart failure-related (21.4% vs. 33.3%; P=0.03) 30-day hospital readmissions, but with similar redo-VT ablation rates at 1 year (10.2% vs. 14.0%; P=0.34). Among the cases captured by the Medicare database, catheter ablation of VT associated with mechanical support using PVAD was associated with reduced in-hospital cardiogenic shock, renal failure, length of stay, hospital readmissions and mortality, but no difference in redo-VT ablation at 1 year.

Treatment Trends in Older Adults With Midshaft Clavicle Fractures

We present a retrospective administrative claims database review examining the effect of recent literature supporting surgical clavicle fixation in a primarily young male population, on the treatment of midshaft clavicle fractures in patients older than 65 years. We tested the null hypothesis that there is no change in trends in surgical fixation of midshaft clavicle fractures in patients older than 65 years. Secondary analysis examined overall trends and trends based on sex. Data from 2007 to 2012 were extracted using the Medicare Standard Analytic File and Humana administrative claim databases contained within the PearlDiver Patient Records Database. Patients with clavicle shaft fractures and their treatments were identified by International Classification of Disease, Ninth Revision, and Current Procedural Terminology codes. The primary response variable was the proportion of surgical to nonsurgical cases per year, and explanatory variables included age and sex. Data were analyzed using a trend in proportions test with significance set at P less than .05. A total of 32,929 patients with clavicle shaft fractures were identified. During the study period, the proportion of clavicle shaft fractures treated surgically in patients older than 65 years (2.4%-4.6%) and younger than 65 years (11.2%-16.4%) showed a significant increasing trend. When analyzed by both sex and age, there was also an increasing trend in the proportion of surgically treated males in the older than 65 years (3.3%-6.2%) and the younger than 65 years groups (10.9%-19.5%). Lastly, there was an increase in the proportion of surgically treated females older than 65 years (1.7%-3.4%) and younger than 65 years (12.1%-14.3%). Our analysis demonstrates an overall increase in the proportion of surgically treated clavicle shaft fractures, including in the male and female population older than 65 years. In the setting of an aging population, future research evaluating possible benefits ofsurgical intervention in this population is needed prior to adopting this practice pattern. II.

Rule-based spreadsheet data transformation from arbitrary to relational tables

The paper discusses issues of rule-based data transformation from arbitrary spreadsheet tables to a canonical (relational) form. We present a novel table object model and rule-based language for table analysis and interpretation. The model is intended to represent a physical (cellular) and logical (semantic) structure of an arbitrary table in the transformation process. The language allows drawing up this process as consecutive steps of table understanding, i. e. recovering implicit semantics. Both are implemented in our tool for spreadsheet data canonicalization. The presented case study demonstrates the use of the tool for developing a task-specific rule-set to convert data from arbitrary tables of the same genre (government statistical websites) to flat file databases. The performance evaluation confirms the applicability of the implemented rule-set in accomplishing the stated objectives of the application.

Emergency department presentations of people who are homeless: The role of occupational therapy

Introduction This project had two aims: to gain an understanding of the profile and expressed needs of people seen by the Homeless Emergency Department Liaison Officer in the emergency department in comparison to general hospital presentations, and to explore the potential role for occupational therapy to respond to this population. Method The Emergency Department Information Systems database and Homeless Emergency Department Liaison Officer files were examined to gather data on all individuals who presented to the hospital emergency department over a 16-month period. The viability of a discipline-specific role to respond to this population was then considered by senior occupational therapists. Results The results revealed that the majority of homeless people seen were male and in the early middle age group, with more than half arriving at the emergency department by way of ambulance services. The most common reasons for presentation were medical, mental health and drug- and alcohol-related issues. Conclusion It was found that a large percentage of people seen in the emergency department were discharged back to the streets. Senior occupational therapists have the potential to provide brief assessments and interventions that could reduce the ongoing demand on emergency department resources by people who are homeless.

Growth plate injury at the base of the coracoid: MRI features.

To assess the MRI features of growth plate injury at the base of the coracoid process. Subjects were identified through retrospective search of our department imaging database and teaching files and the teaching files of two outside academic institutions. The coracoid base growth plate was examined with attention to widening, irregularity, abnormal signal intensity of the growth plate, and the presence of adjacent soft tissue edema. The apposing coracoid and scapular bony surfaces were examined for signal intensity and morphology. Shoulder MRIs in eight patients with coracoid base growth plate disturbances were retrospectively reviewed (7 males, 1 female, mean age 15 years). Growth plate injury manifested as widening, irregularity and increased signal, apposing bony marrow edema and hypertrophy, and surrounding soft tissue edema. Five subjects were athletes (football, archery, basketball, swimming, rugby), two had a history of neuromuscular disorders, and one subject presented after a fall. Clinical indications included: rule out labral tear (n=3), rule out rotator cuff tear or fracture after fall (n=1), nonspecific pain (n=1), shoulder subluxation, rule out glenoid pathology (n=1, patient with underlying neuromuscular disorder), muscular dystrophy with shoulder pain (n=1), and impingement (n=1). Coracoid growth plate injury was not suspected clinically in any of the patients. Awareness of the imaging appearance of coracoid base growth plate injury can aid in a more accurate diagnosis of shoulder MRI studies in young pediatric athletes. While uncommon, coracoid growth plate injury should be considered when assessing children with shoulder symptomatology.

Algorithm for Using Codes In Place Of Facial Images during Image Processing In Large Databases and Data Warehouses to Reduce Storage, Enhance Efficiency and Processing Speed

The main purpose of this work is to assign codes to the facial image stored in large databases / Data warehouses, the images require large amount of storage as compared to a numeric code. Moreover, when images are compared to images, the process is more time consuming as compared to the numeric codes. It is proposed to keep up all images in a separate database file along with their codes. The codes of facial images may be stored in master Database/ Data warehouse for all records. The search queries can be processed using the numeric codes. In this manner the Time Complexity and Space Complexity are reduced considerably. Whenever, any image is received for searching its record, first its code is obtained by proposed algorithm and then this code is used to search the record from database/Data Warehouse making entire procedure faster and efficient.

A Primer to the Structure, Content and Linkage of the FDA's Manufacturer and User Facility Device Experience (MAUDE) Files.

Introduction and Background:The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)’s Manufacturer and User Facility Device Experience (MAUDE) database is a publicly available resource providing over 4 million records relating to medical device safety. Using downloadable MAUDE files avoids limitations of the online MAUDE search interface. However, naive file usage can result in errors, while independent discovery of the nuances required to correctly work with the database can be time-consuming. Practical information is provided to shorten this learning curve and obtain accurate results when using the MAUDE database files.MAUDE File Descriptions:The MAUDE database consists of 135 fields in four primary (Master Event, Device, Patient, Text) and two supplemental (Device Problems and Problem Code Descriptions) file types. When combined, these six files provide a detailed account of an adverse event or product problem report. Website instructions for joining the files are incomplete. Comprehensive details are provided to enable precise file linking.Lessons Learned:MAUDE files have irregularities that must be understood to download and work with the data efficiently. Accurate results depend upon combining the files correctly and understanding the difference between report and event denominators. Appreciating data availability can facilitate successful MAUDE investigations.Conclusion:The MAUDE database can provide key insights about medical device safety. Detailed information is provided about the structure, content and interrelationships of the MAUDE database files to enable investigators to use this valuable resource more quickly and accurately.

Medicare Claims Data Resources: A Primer for Policy-Focused Radiology Health Services Researchers

As societal stakeholders call for increased evidence-based health policy, considerable attention has focused on Medicare, the country’s largest payer. Concurrently, medical imaging has come under considerable scrutiny as a contributor to rising health care expenditures. Accordingly, many recent studies have focused on multiple factors related to the utilization of imaging among Medicare beneficiaries. This article summarizes several national Medicare fee-for-service data sources relevant to supporting ongoing investigations. Aggregated 100% data sets include the Physician/Supplier Procedure Summary Master Files and the Medicare Provider Utilization and Payment Data: Physician and Other Supplier Public Use File. The former focuses on services, specialties, and sites of service; the latter focuses on providers. Both permit high-level national assessments of imaging utilization and spending. Individual 5% random-sample claims-level data sources include the Carrier Standard Analytical File Limited Data Set and the Research Identifiable File, which contain greater beneficiary-level information. Both facilitate more robust patient- and encounter-level analyses and some assessment of downstream outcomes but involve greater costs and require greater privacy oversight. More recently, Medicare data are being merged with registry data (eg, Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results–Medicare Linked Database files), creating opportunities for even more robust analyses given richer clinical information. Understanding these data sets and trade-offs in their use will aid policy-focused imaging health services researchers in most effectively conducting their investigations.

Epidemiological Trends of Head and Neck Cancer in the United States: A SEER Population Study

This study represents the most recent epidemiologic trends of head and neck cancer (HNC) in the United States. It provides an important discussion on oropharyngeal cancer and cancers related to the human papillomavirus. The objective was to identify trends in HNC (2002 to 2012) within the United States. This study is a retrospective analysis of the US National Cancer Institute's Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) submission. Using the November 2014 submission of the SEER database and SEER-18 data files, data from 2002 to 2012 were analyzed to determine the most recent epidemiologic trends. HNCs of all subtypes were analyzed together. Laryngeal cancers were further analyzed separately. Oropharyngeal cancers of the base of tongue and tonsil were analyzed independently to attempt to trend HPV-related cancers. From 2002 to 2012, there were 149,301 cases of HNC recorded in the SEER database. The HNC rate decreased by 0.22% per year (P=.0549) and the rate of laryngeal cancer decreased by 1.9% per year (P<.0001). The rate of oropharyngeal (HPV-related) cancer increased by 2.5% per year (P<.0001). HNC rates increased significantly in Kentucky and Connecticut and decreased in California (P<.05). HPV-related cancers increased significantly in all states except Georgia, Hawaii, and Michigan (P<.05). Laryngeal cancer rates decreased in California, Georgia, New Jersey, and New Mexico (P<.05). The overall incidence of HNC is decreasing in the United States. There is an increasing incidence of HPV-related cancers of the oropharynx. Meaningful differences in cancer incidence and rate of change exist between men and women. Furthermore, younger groups have a greater decrease of overall HNC, with an overall increase in HPV-related cancer in patients older than 50years.