Signicant Differences Research Articles

Contraceptives, chronic illness, pregnancy and health care costs in one health insurance in Colombia

Objetive Evaluation of the impact of pregnancy on women with a high disease burden, especially with Chronic Non-Communicable Diseases (CNCD) in the costs of a health insurer. Materials and Methods Retrospective costing study conducted at Famisanar EPS between 2016 and 2018. We used multiple linear regression models to evaluate; the overall costs were calculated for each patient. The insurer's perspective was taken into account for the analysis. Results The study universe was made up of 458 249 women of childbearing age affiliated to Famisanar EPS between 15 and 49 years, of which 24 030 (5.2%) women have some relationship with the CNCD, of these, 2 454 (10.2%) went to childbirth and caesarean section. We had determined the costs of pregnancy healthy´s women in U$200.41 and pregnancy CNCD´s women U$519.95 (97.5%) in terms of the costs for the complication’s gestation care. Using multinomial regression, we compared the pregnancy with CNCD with the other groups of women. We did not observe any significant differences in ingress and zone. However, we observe signicant differences in the age. Conclusion Pre-existing CNCD in pregnant women can lead to the use of additional resources in the health system. CNCD in society represent a severe burden for a health system due to high costs and especially when talking about women who have an CNCD and are in pregnant. The study also indicates that female infertility treatments are important for cost containment in health systems.

Mycoplasma pneumoniae Seroprevalence and Total IgE Levels in Patients with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis.

Background Mycoplasma pneumoniae (M. pneumoniae) is implicated in several immune-mediated extrapulmonary manifestations, including reactive arthritis. Recently, increased total serum IgE were reported in children developing M. pneumoniae-related extrapulmonary diseases (MpEPDs). Here, we aimed at analyzing these aspects in children affected with rheumatic disorders and, in detail, Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA). Methods M. pneumoniae serology (IgG and IgM) and total serum IgE were concomitantly analyzed in 139 pediatric patients diagnosed with: JIA (Group 1, n = 85), or any rheumatic disease other than JIA (Group 2, n = 27), or non-inflammatory endocrinological disorders (Group 3, n = 27). Results Overall, 19.4% M. pneumoniae seroprevalence was observed in this hospitalized pediatric population, without signicant differences among the three groups. No significant differences in total serum IgE levels were noted among these groups; however, a second analysis excluding children with very high (and clearly abnormal) IgE levels suggested that JIA patients and, in detail, those with oligopolyarticular forms may have higher serum IgE concentrations. This relative difference among groups in serum IgE level seems to be more pronounced in M. pneumoniae seropositive children. Conclusions M. pneumoniae infection should be actively sought in children developing immune-mediated diseases, including patients affected with JIA and, especially, in oligopolyarticular forms. There is some evidence that total serum IgE levels may tend to be increased in patients with oligopolyarticular JIA subtype and especially in those resulting as M. pneumoniae seropositive. However, further and focused research is needed to confirm these preliminary results and to clarify the relation between M. pneumoniae infection, atopic status, and immune-mediated arthritis.

PS02.104: CLINICAL STUDY OF PROSPECTIVE RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIALS ON ADJUVANT THERAPIES IN TREATMENT OF RESECTABLE PIB-III (PT2–4AN0–1M0) ESOPHAGEAL SQUAMOUS CELL CARCINOMA

Abstract Background Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) patients have relatively poor prognosis after operation. The study was designed to analyse the effect of surgery alone, surgery with adjuvant chemotherapy and surgery with chemoradiotherapy on prognosis in the patients with pathologic stage pIB-III (pT2–4aN0–1M0) who received radical esophagectomy. Methods We carried out the prospective randomized study. In this study, we analyzed 104 patients who had undergone minimally invasive esophagectomy for thoracic ESCC and been assessed as pathological stage pIB-III (pT2–4aN0–1M0) from January 2013 to October 2015 in our institute. 48 patients are treated with surgery alone (S group),33 patients received surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy (CT group), and 23 patients received surgery and adjuvant chemoradiotherapy (CRT group). We do the follow up for all the patients, collect the clilnical, patholigical data of them, and analyze the overal survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) of them. Results The basic clinical characteristics of three groups were comparable. The average age was (52.1 ± 9.7) years old. The median follow‐up period was 39 months. The 3-year OS of the patients in the S group, CT group, and CRT group were 37.5%,18.8%, 65.2%, respectively. According to the follow-up data, both the 3-year OS and the 3-year DFS of the patients in the CRT group were better than those of the patients in the S group and CT group group (P < 0.05). However, the incidence rates of side effects and complications in CRT group were higher than those in S group and CT group, without signicant differences. One patient died in S group in perioperative period, because of postoperaive pulmonary embolism, and no patients died in CT group and CRT group in peri-treatment period. Conclusion Our prospective, randomized controlled trial showed that surgery with adjuvant chemoradiotherapy could improve 3-year OS and DFS compared with treatment of surgery alone or surgery with adjuvant chemotherapy.The side effects and complications of surgery with adjuvant chemoradiotherapy were acceptable. However, because our study enrolled limited patients, and the follow-up time was not long enough, we need to collect more patients and longer follow-up to further comfirm our conclusion. Disclosure All authors have declared no conflicts of interest.

Influence of Nitrogen, Biofertilizer, Compost Addition and Sowing Dates on Wheat Grown in Upper Egypt

Response of wheat yield to nitrogen fertilization is differing according to soil, fertilizer, application method, weather conditions, and sowing dates. Two field experiments were carried out during the two successive winter growing seasons of 2014/2015 and 2015/2016 at Kom Ompo Agriculture Research Station, Aswan Governorate, Egypt (24° 28' 38.604 N and 32° 56' 50.671 E) to evaluate the influence of three sowing dates (November 1st and 20th and December 10th) and five treatments of nitrogen fertilization (75 kg N fed-1, 56.25 kg N+ inoculation with biofertilizer, 56.25 kg N + 10 m3 compost, 37.5 kg N +biofertilizer+ twice N foliar spray and 37.5 kg N+ 10 m3 compost + twice N foliar spray) on wheat yield. Treatments were distributed in a Split Plot Design with three replicates; sowing dates in the main plots and nitrogen fertilization treatments in the sub plots. Results revealed that N-fertilization treatments 56.25 kg N fed-1+ biofertilizer inoculation and 37.5 kg N fed-1+ biofertilizer+ twice foliar spray of 1%N had superior effect on wheat yield, its components, protein content the uptake of NPK in grain and straw without signicant differences between them, and with the treatment of 37.5 kg N+ 10 m3 compost+ twice N foliar spray which recorded the highest yield. Sowing dates of wheat had significant effects on grain and straw yields, its components and the uptake of NPK; since the rank for their superior effects was as follows: 20Nov>1Nov>10Dec. Grain and straw yields increased with sowing wheat at November 20th by 10.68 and 14.70 % as compared with sowing at November 1 and by 40.52 and 29.26 % as compared with sowing at December 10th, respectively. For the economical return, N fertilization at a rate of 37.5 kg N+ biofertilizer inculation+ twice 1% N foliar spray recorded the highest net return (14017 L.E) per feddan as compared with other treatments. So, it could be concluded that and N fertilization at 37.5 kg N+ biofertilizer+ twice N foliar spray is the optimum treatment under these conditions with sowing wheat on November 20th, not only because it could rotaionlize mineral N fertilizer by 45% approximately, but also safeguard environment againist pollution.

Lunar phobia in phyllostomid bats at La Ceiba, Tuxpan, Veracruz

The term lunar phobia is used to explain the behavior that some nocturnal animals have to avoid periods with greater moonlight intensity. The aim was to determine the effect of the brightness of the new moon and the fullmoon on the richness, abundance and diversity of the phyllostomid bat community at the La Ceiba estate, Tuxpan, Veracruz, where the study was conducted from October 2013 to February 2014 using five mist nets for two nights per month. We captured 142 bats belonging to eight species, with Artibeus lituratus being the species with the highest records in both lunar phases (74 individuals). Although no signicant differences were found in diversity between the two lunar phases, greater cumulative species richness and abundance were recorded in the new moon (eight species, 118 individuals) than the full moon (five species, 24 individuals). The signicant decrease in abundance between the new moon and the full moon, mainly of small frugivorous species, indicates that lunar luminosity affects bat activity. It also has an effect on total species richness as three species were exclusively recorded in the new moon phase.

An Estimated DSGE Model to Analyze Housing Market Policies in Hong Kong Sar

The literature on the investment technology of foreign versus domestic investors has inconclusive results. This paper revisits the question, with a focus on decomposing portfolio performance into asset allocation and security selection. We document signicant differences in exposure to systematic asset pricing factors between foreign and domestic investors. A quasi-experimental strategy is introduced, for comparing security selection after controlling for diferences in asset allocation. Our results show that foreign investors in India do remarkably poorly at security selection.

PERBANDINGAN KUALITAS HIDUP PENDERITA KANKER OVARIUM EPITELIAL YANG DIBERIKAN KEMOTERAPI REGIMEN PACLITAXEL DAN CARBOPLATIN DENGAN REGIMEN CYCLOPHOSPAMIDE, ADRIAMICYN DAN CISPLATIN DI RSUP DR. SARDJITO

Background: Epithelial ovarian cancer is the dominant type of ovarian cancer. Platinum and Taxane regiment has been proved to increase the survival rate of ovarian cancer patientsObjective: To compare the quality of life of ovarian cancer patients who got Paclitaxel and Carboplatin regiments with Cyclophosphamide, Adriamycin and Cisplatin regiments and risk factors which influence themMethod: The design of the study was retrospective cohort. The total subjects were 156 ovarian cancer patients who consisted of 79 patients with paclitaxel and carboplatin regiments and dan 77 patients who got cyclophospamide, adriamicyn dan cisplatin regiments in DR. Sardjito hospital, Yogyakarta. The quality of life was measured with EORTC QLQ-C30. The data distribution were tested with KolmogorovSmirnov and analysed with D Chi-Squaretest for categorical data and Mann-Whitney for continuous data. Multivariable Analysis was done with logistic regression.Result and Discussion: The bivariable analysis of ovarian cancer stage and the quality of life showed that early stage of ovarian cancer patients had quality of life 19,068 times higher than advance stage of ovarian cancer patients (RR 19,068; 95% CI 2,590-140,362). There were signicant differences in quality of life in ovarian cancer patients with low body mass index <18,5 compared to normal body mass index as well as the titer of tumor marker Ca125. Multivariable analysis showed that there was no significant difference in quality of life between ovarian cancer patients who got Paclitaxel plus Carboplatin and ovarian cancer patients who got Cyclophospamide, Adriamicyn plus Cisplatin.Conclusion: there was no significant difference in quality of life between ovarian cancer patients who got Paclitaxel plus Carboplatin and ovarian cancer patients who got Cyclophospamide, Adriamicyn plus Cisplatin in DR. Sardjito Hospital, Yogyakarta.Keywords: Quality of life, ovarian cancer, paclitaxel plus carboplatin regiment, cyclophospamide, adriamicyn plus cisplatin regiment.

The Investment Technology of Foreign and Domestic Institutional Investors in an Emerging Market

The literature on the investment technology of foreign versus domestic investors has inconclusive results. This paper revisits the question, with a focus on decomposing portfolio performance into asset allocation and security selection. We document signicant differences in exposure to systematic asset pricing factors between foreign and domestic investors. A quasi-experimental strategy is introduced, for comparing security selection after controlling for diferences in asset allocation. Our results show that foreign investors in India do remarkably poorly at security selection.

Vascular endothelial growth factor-C and -D are involved in lymphangiogenesis in mouse unilateral ureteral obstruction

Lymphatic remodeling in inflammation has been found in tracheal mycoplasma infection, human kidney transplant, skin inflammation, peritonitis, and corneal inflammation. Here we investigated lymphangiogenesis in fibrotic area in unilateral ureteral obstruction, a model of progressive renal fibrosis, and evaluated the roles of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-C and -D in the obstructed kidney. Compared to sham-operated mice, the number of LYVE-1-positive lymphatic vessels, the proliferation of LYVE-1-positive lymphatic endothelial cells, along with VEGF-C and -D mRNA expression were all significantly increased following ureteral obstruction. Depletion of macrophages with clodronate decreased lymphangiogenesis in the obstructed kidney. VEGF-C expression was higher in M2- than in M1-polarized macrophages from bone marrow-derived macrophages, and also increased in Raw 264.7 or renal proximal tubule cells by stimulation with TGF-β1 or TNF-α. VEGF-D reversed the inhibitory effect of TGF-β1 on VEGF-C-induced migration, capillary-like tube formation, and proliferation of human lymphatic endothelial cells. Additionally, the blockade of VEGF-C and VEGF-D signaling decreased obstruction-induced lymphangiogenesis. Thus, VEGF-C and VEGF-D are associated with lymphangiogenesis in the fibrotic kidney in a mouse model of ureteral obstruction.

Clinical effects of comprehensive therapy of early psychological intervention and rehabilitation training on neurological rehabilitation of patients with acute stroke

ObjectiveTo evaluate the clinical effects of comprehensive therapy of psychological intervention and rehabilitation training on the mental health of the patients with acute stroke. MethodsA total of 120 patients with acute stroke were randomly divided into trial group and control group. Both groups were given the corresponding drug therapy, medical basic nursing and convention nursing. Besides, psychological intervention and comprehensive rehabilitation training were added to the trial group. SCL-90, Europ stroke scales (ESS) score were assessed with each patient on day 3 for the first time and on day 21 for the second time; Barthel index was assessed on the day 90. ResultsAfter psychological intervention, SCL-90 declined significantly in the trial group comparing with the control group, there were signicant differences in the somatization, obsession, depression, anxiety, fear, ESS score, Barthel index and other psychological factors between the trial group and control group (P < 0.05). ConclusionsComprehensive therapy of early psychological intervention and rehabilitation training can significantly improve the mental health, limb movement function, stress ability and activity of daily living on the patients with acute stroke.

&lt;b&gt;O tema “ética” na percepção dos alunos de graduação de Ciências Contábeis em universidades da região Sul do Brasil&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;DOI:10.5007/2175-8069.2010v7n14p75

The main objective of this research is to highlight the perception of the subject of ethics for students in their final year of accountancy at universities in southern Brazil. This study has a descriptive characteristic with a quantitative approach. The data was collected by applying a survey; across the board and ex post facto. The interpretation of the data came from the analysis between two clusters, differentiated by level of agreement; general (higher agreement with the ethical principles) and partial (agreement to a lesser degree of ethics), in relation to investigative proposals. From the perspective of ethics being able to be taught; normative, questioned, and dependant on culture, there were no signicant differences in the student’s perception. The importance, which has been acknowledged, of the Code of Ethics of the Accounting Profession to guide professional conduct, was stressed. However, among respondents in the general level, 55.56% said they had not even read the code prior to this investigation.

Does A One-minute Unipedal-standing Balance Exercise with Eyes Open Three Times Daily Increase Bone Mineral Density? A Randomized Controlled Trial

A randomized controlled trial was conducted to ascertain whether bone mineral density (BMD) in the proximal femur and L2-4 could be increased by instructing elderly persons to stand on one leg for 1 min 3 times / day to apply mechanical stress, i.e., body weight applied to the femoral head. Subjects were 47 outpatients 60 years old (3 men, 44 women) . Data were analyzed for 18 women who performed the exercise and 13 women who did not. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry was performed to measure BMD. No signicant differences were seen in the percent change in BMD in L2-4 or proximal femur between groups. Comparing the number of subjects with increased BMD from L2-4 to Wards triangle at month 6 of the study revealed the only signicant difference to be in the neck BMD (7 of 11 women in the exercise group vs. 2 of 10 women in the control group ; P = 0.0436) . One- minute unipedal standing with eyes open seemed effective for improving femoral neck BMD in patients with osteoporosis and preventing hip fractures, particularly in elderly individuals.

Differences between the Intense Precipitation Associated with Subsynoptic-Scale Baiu Frontal Depression Simulated by an AGCM and Described in Observational Studies

We compared features of the precipitation associated with subsynoptic-scale Baiu frontal depression simulated by an atmospheric general circulation model (AGCM; T106L56: a spectral primitive-equation model with 56 σ levels and triangular spectral truncation at zonal wavenumber 106) with the features had been described in observational studies. The 21-year model integration from 1979 to 1999 was constrained by observed sea-surface temperature and sea-ice distribution. As typical examples, this paper examines simulation cases for June 1991.Comparisons with past observational results showed that the AGCM properly simulated the Baiu front and the Baiu frontal precipitation in the averaged elds for a 15-day period in June 1991. However, the area of the largest 1-hour precipitation is simulated at about 500 km northeastward from the area of the largest averaged precipitation. We also found signicant differences between the simulations and the ob servations when we examined the daily precipitation and the maximum 1-hour precipitation for each day simulated by the model. While precipitation associated with subsynoptic-scale Baiu frontal depressions was relatively well simulated, intense precipitation in the trailing portion of these depressions was signi cantly underestimated.The result of the present study indicates that the ability of the AGCM to reproduce such extreme pre cipitation events must be examined in detail by comparing simulated daily and hourly precipitation with observational studies as well as by statistical analyses.

The Feeding Latencies of Two Species of Planaria

The Best & Rubenstein study was replicated with a control for handling with the planarian Cura foremanii. There were no signicant differences between the mean feeding latencies of the Control, Handled, and Familiarized groups. Additional studies revealed that food size affected the frequency of C. foremanii eaitng (but not D. tigrina) but not feeding latency and that prior handling decreased the feeding latency for Dugesia tigrina. It was concluded that failure to replicate may indicate that C. foremanii, particularly in light of its normal habitat, may not be as reliable a laboratory animal as D. tigrina.

断続騒音暴露によるTTSの研究 : (II) TTSとon fractionおよびduty cycleの関係

The temporary threshold shift (TTS) produced by intermittent noise of duty cycle less than 4 minutes was examined on five subjects with normal hearing acuity. The net duration of exposure was fixed as long as thirty minutes and the on fraction (R) and duty cycle (D) of intermittent noise were varied as follows. R: 0.2, 0.4, 0.5, 0.6, 0.8 D: 1, 4, 16, 60, 120, 240 sec. TTS at 2, 3, 4, 6, and 8 kc following each exposure of total thirty combination of R and D were compared with TTS produced by continuous exposure. Results obatained were as follows. 1. TTS at any test frequency (form 2 kc to 8 kc) was approximately proportional to the on fraction (when duty cycle was in the range from 1 second to 4 minutes). 2. Although TTS produced by noise of which duty cycle was 2 minutes or 4 minutes seemed to be smaller than those by shorter duty cycles, no signicant differences were recognized in the analysis of variance among duty cycles.