Screening

Abstract: Foot care prevention programs can reduce the occurrence of foot ulcerations and amputations. This investigation evaluated Effectiveness of Semmes–Weinstein monofilament examination for diabetic peripheral neuropathy screening in Ahvaz, Iran. In this quasi-experimental design 150 patients with diabetes mellitus were recruited by purposive sampling. All patients were tested for sensory neuropathy using Semmes-Weinstein Monofilament Examination. In the next phase nerve conduction velocity was examined. The sensitivity of Semmes-Weinstein Monofilament 10 g was 38.5-61.5 % at sites 1-8, whereas the specificity was 77.5-95.5%. Monofilament was found to be simple, cheap and useful method and suitable for detection of sensory neuropathy in clinical examinations. Hence, we recommend screening of patients for neuropathy as soon as they are diagnosed with diabetes.

Investigation of the genetic functions in complex biological systems is a challenging step in recent year. Hence, several valuable and interesting research projects have been developed with novel ideas to find out the unknown functions of genes or proteins. To validate the applicability of their novel ideas, various approaches are built up. To date, the most promising and commonly used approach for discovering the target proteins from biological system using small molecule is well known a forward chemical genetics which is considered to be more convenient than the classical genetics. Although, the forward chemical genetics consists of the three basic components, the target identification is the most challenging step to chemical biology researchers. Hence, the diverse target identification methods have been developed and adopted to disclose the small molecule bound protein. Herein, in this review, we briefly described the first two parts chemical toolbox and screening, and then the t...

Salicylidene acylhydrazides belong to a class of compounds shown to inhibit bacterial type III secretion (T3S) in pathogenic Gram-negative bacteria. This class of compounds also inhibits growth and replication of Chlamydiae, strict intracellular bacteria that possess a T3S system. In this study a library of 58 salicylidene acylhydrazides was screened to identify inhibitors of Chlamydia growth. Compounds inhibiting growth of both Chlamydia trachomatis and Chlamydophila pneumoniae were tested for cell toxicity and seven compounds were selected for preliminary pharmacokinetic analysis in mice using cassette dosing. Two compounds, ME0177 and ME0192, were further investigated by individual pharmacokinetic analysis. Compound ME0177 had a relatively high peak plasma concentration (C max) and area under curve and therefore may be considered for systemic treatment of Chlamydia infections. The other compound, ME0192, had poor pharmacokinetic properties but the highest anti-chlamydial activity in vitro and therefore was tested for topical treatment in a mouse vaginal infection model. ME0192 administered vaginally significantly reduced the infectious burden of C. trachomatis and the number of infected mice.

In this study, 154 healthy volunteers and 76 patients were tested using the anti-malignin antibody in serum (AMAS) test. Of the 154 volunteers, three were AMAS positive. After further examination, two were positive for cancer and one had a history of ulcerative colitis. Tumor biopsies of 43 suspicious mammography patients revealed that 32 were cancerous and 11 were benign by pathology. For the cancer patients, 31/32 were positive for the AMAS test, while 4/11 of the pathological benign cases were AMAS positive. In comparison to cancer antigen tests, AMAS was more sensitive (97%) in detecting breast cancer than CEA (0%), CA 15-3 (10%), CA 19-5 (5%) or CA 125 (16%) in the same patients. q

We compared PCR to conventional culture for the detection of vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) in 30,835 rectal samples over a 3-year period. The positive and negative predictive values of vanB PCR were 1.42% and 99.9%, respectively. A positive vanB result by PCR is poorly predictive and necessitates culture for differentiation of VRE-positive and -negative individuals.

Abstract: 
Objective: Dysphagia is commonly encountered in Multiple Sclerosis (MS). It can consequently cause severe complications such as the increased risk of dehydration, malnutrition and aspiration pneumonia that associated with an increased risk of death in the late stages of the disease. These complications can be prevented with an effective screening protocol. The Dysphagia in Multiple Sclerosis (DYMUS) is the only questionnaire developed specifically for patients with MS. The aim of the present study was translation and cross-culturally adaptation of DYMUS for the Persian population and estimation of the questionnairechr('39')s reliability and validity. Also, we investigated the frequency and severity of dysphagia in the patients referring to the Tehran MS Society and its association with the course of MS, disease duration, and Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS).
Materials & Methods: This is a methodological and descriptive-analytic study. The statistical populations consist of the patients with MS referring to the Tehran Multiple Sclerosis Society in 2018. The study sample consisted of 108 patients who were selected through a convenient sampling method. The research instruments consisted of 10-items DYMUS questionnaire (in the first part of the study, translated and its psychometric properties examined), Dysphagia Handicap Index and a demographic information questionnaire. In methodological section, translation and cross-cultural adaptation were fulfilled and the Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) was used to assess the construct validity and to test the goodness-of-fit of the presented model. The association between the DYMUS and Dysphagia Handicap Index (DHI) scores investigated to convergent validity. ‏ The inter-item correlation matrix was calculated to assess the homogeneity of the questionnaire items. Kuder - Richardson (KR-20) was measured to assess the internal consistency of the questionnaire. Also, the test-retest procedure was conducted on the 19 subjects understudy to assess the reliability. Finally, the frequency and severity of dysphagia and its association with the course of MS, disease duration, and EDSS was investigated. KR-20 reliability coefficient, Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC), inter-item correlation matrix, Mann-Whitney U test and rank correlation coefficient or Spearmanchr('39')s were used to inferential statistical analysis.
Results: Analysis of the inter-item correlations matrix indicated a positive correlation between all items, exception item 10. Based on the results of the inter-item correlation, item 10 had the lowest correlation coefficient that was deleted from the questionnaire. CFA results confirmed the two-factor model of DYMUS, “dysphagia for solids” and “dysphagia for liquids”, and revealed that the item 10 was minimally contributing to the measurement of "dysphagia of solids" and internal consistency increased after the deletion of this item. Also, the solution of the 9-item Model was the best goodness-of-fit indicator for the sample. The obtained results from the convergent validity indicated a positive significant correlation between the DYMUS and DHI (rs=0.693, P<0.001). A KR-20 reliability coefficient of the DYMUS was 0.856, indicating high internal consistency of the Persian translation of the questionnaire items. Test-retest reliability was excellent with 0.965 value. The results also showed that 65.7% of multiple sclerosis patients had a swallowing disorder. In terms of the dysphagia severity, 25.9% of participants had mild dysphagia, and 39.8% of participants had alarming dysphagia. DYMUS values were significantly correlated with disease duration (rs=0.198, P= 0.040), and EDSS (rs=0.235, P= 0.014) and significantly higher mean scores were observed in the patients with secondary progressive than the other subgroups of multiple sclerosis.
Conclusion: The Persian adjusted 9-item questionnaire was demonstrated to be a simple, consistent, valid and reliable tool for the detection of patients who need more specific instrumental evaluations of swallowing. Also, about the dysphagia is very frequent in these patients, it is important that clinicians monitor these patients carefully even in early stages of the disease‏ for early detection and planning a rehabilitation program to the prevention of serious subsequence complications.

Key words: prostate biopsy, prostate cancer, prostate-specific antigen, screening. ... Correspondence to: Stefano Ciatto, CSPO, Viale A. Volta 171, 50131 Florence, Italy. Tel 055-5012275; fax 055-5001623; e-mail s.ciatto@cspo.it ... PSA use and incidence of prostate biopsy

... and (b) that any corridor that had scored less than two did not involve a missed BRT opportunity. ... Routes with the largest growth (with development plans factored in) were scored highest; the other routes were scored ... Table 3 summarizes potential benefits data for each corridor. ...

Background: Anxiety disorders are the most common mental health problems and often co-exist with substance use. Little evidence exists to support the use of brief screening tools for anxiety disorders in routine addictions treatment. This is the first study to test the validity and reliability of GAD-7 and GAD-2 in an outpatient drugs treatment population. Methods: A sample of 103 patients completed brief screening questionnaires and took part in structured diagnostic assessments using CIS-R. A subgroup of 60 patients completed retests after 4 weeks. The results of brief questionnaires were compared to those of gold-standard diagnostic interviews using Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curves. Psychometric properties were also calculated to evaluate the validity and reliability of self-completed questionnaires. Results: A GAD-7 score ≥9 had a sensitivity of 80% and specificity of 86% for any anxiety disorder, also displaying adequate temporal stability at repeated measurements (intra-class correlation = 0.85) and high internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.91). A GAD-2 score ≥2 had 94% sensitivity and 53% specificity, with adequate internal consistency (0.82). Conclusions: GAD-7 adequately detected the presence of an anxiety disorder in drug and alcohol users; although this study was limited by sample size to determine its reliability for specific diagnoses. Results in this small sample suggest that GAD-7 may be a useful screening tool in addiction services, although replication in a larger sample is warranted.

A new screening method for the detection and identification of GMO, based on the use of multiplex PCR followed by microarray, has been developed and is presented. The technology is based on the identification of quite ubiquitous GMO genetic target elements first amplified by PCR, followed by direct hybridisation of the amplicons on a predefined microarray (DualChip Ò GMO, Eppendorf, Germany). The validation was performed within the framework of a European project (Co-Extra, contract no 007158) and in collaboration with 12 laboratories specialised in GMO detection. The present study reports the strategy and the results of an ISO complying validation of the method carried out through an inter-laboratory study. Sets of blind samples were provided consisting of DNA reference materials covering all the elements detectable by specific probes present on the array. The GMO concentrations varied from 1% down to 0.045%. In addition, a mixture of two GMO events (0.1% study to test the robustness of the assay in extreme conditions. Data were processed according to ISO 5725 standard. The method was evaluated with predefined performance criteria with respect to the EC CRL method acceptance criteria. The overall method performance met the acceptance criteria; in particular, the results showed that the method is suitable for the detection of the different target elements at 0.1% concentration of GMO with a 95% accuracy rate. This collaborative trial showed that the method can be considered as fit for the purpose of screening with respect to its intra-and inter-laboratory accuracy. The results demonstrated the validity of combining multiplex PCR with array detection as provided by the DualChip Ò GMO (Eppendorf, Germany) for the screening of GMO. The results showed that the technology is robust, practical and suitable as a screening tool.

Gametocyte sex-ratio in Plasmodium falciparum malaria is an important determinant of transmission success and basis of disease epidemiology. Information on ratio of male to female gametocytes after an exposure of antimalarial regimens under field conditions is very limited. In this retrospective study we observed high densities of gametocytes along with high sex-ratio in P. falciparum cases, which may be responsible for persistent malaria transmission in this area. Laksar PHC of Hardwar district, Uttarakhand State, India was selected because it contributed 90 per cent of the total malaria cases. A total of 568 uncomplicated P. falciparum malaria patients were assessed to investigate prevalence of gametocytes while 339 P. falciparum thick smears containing 5620 gametocytes were screened for measuring the gametocyte density for microgametocyte (male) and macrogametocyte (female). Homology of variance (&#39;F&#39; test) was checked on days 7 and 14 including the variables and risk fact...

Real-time PCR assays are being increasingly applied to the detection of fish pathogens due to their sensitivity, specificity and potential for high throughput sample processing. Such assays allow for the ready and efficient inclusion of appropriate quality controls which are fundamental to scientific integrity and to satisfying the demands of diagnostic test accreditation. In this article, we report development of a universal positive control strategy for real-time PCR assays, which has been used to support and improve a previously published method for detection of infectious salmon anaemia virus (ISAV). The strategy employed uses an RNA mimic template, which is based on the ISAV segment 8 target sequence but includes an artificial universal positive control sequence. Inclusion of this sequence, which is targeted by a second specific probe carrying a different fluorophore to the primary assay, allows for convenient screening of all real-time PCR reactions for the presence of contaminating positive control material. The development of readily distinguishable artificial positive control material offers distinct advantages to real-time PCR assays over using control material derived from clinical material.

Background: Early detection of smear positive TB cases by smear microscopy requires high level of suspicion of TB among primary care physicians. The objective of this study is to measure TB suspicion and knowledge among private and public sector general practitioners using clinical vignette-based survey and structured questionnaire.

To assess the effect of screening on diagnosing cognitive impairment. DESIGN: Quality improvement initiative. SETTING: Seven Veterans Affairs Medical Centers. PARTICIPANTS: Veterans aged 70 or older without a prior diagnosis of cognitive impairment. MEASUREMENTS: Veterans failing a brief cognitive screen (Mini-Cog score <4/5) at a routine primary care visit were offered a further, comprehensive evaluation with an advance practice registered nurse trained in dementia care and integrated into the primary care clinic. Veterans completing the evaluation were reviewed in a consensus conference and assigned a diagnosis of dementia; cognitive impairment, no dementia; or no cognitive impairment. Total numbers of screens, associated scores (0-5), and the consensus diagnoses were tallied. New cognitive impairment diagnoses were also tracked for veterans who passed the screen but requested further evaluation, failed but declined further evaluation, or were not screened. Primary care provider satisfaction with the program also was assessed. RESULTS: Of 8,342 veterans offered screening, 8,063 (97%) accepted, 2,081 (26%) failed the screen, 580 (28%) agreed to further evaluation, and 540 (93%) were diagnosed with cognitive impairment, including 432 (75%) with dementia. For screen passes requesting further evaluation, 87% (103/118) had cognitive impairment, including 70% (82/118) with dementia. Screen failures declining further evaluation had 17% (259/1,501) incident cognitive impairment diagnosed through standard care, bringing the total newly documented cognitive impairment in all screens to 11% (902/8,063), versus 4% (1,242/28,349) in similar clinics without this program. Eighty-two percent of primary care providers in clinics with this program agreed that it provided a useful service. CONCLUSION: Screening combined with offering further evaluation increased new diagnoses of cognitive impairment in older veterans two to three times. Veterans accepted screening well, and providers found the program useful.

Oral cancer is a potentially preventable disease due to its association with well-known risk factors and easy detectability. There is a significant deficiency in the awareness of oral cancer and its risk factors among the public. Raising public awareness could effectively contribute to achieving a significant reduction in the incidence of oral cancer. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of mouth self-examination (MSE) in improving the awareness of oral cancer and its risk factors as well as test its feasibility as an oral cancer-screening tool. The study was carried out in a high-risk population of 57,704 from India, of which, 34,766 individuals who have met the eligibility criteria formed the study population. MSE brochures and trained health workers were employed for the purpose of health education and cancer screening. The present study compared their efficacy to detect oral lesions. Subjects with suspicious lesions were referred to the trained oral cancer specialist for confirmation. A questionnaire to assess the awareness of oral cancer and its risk factors was developed and validated. SPSS (v.11.0) was used for data analysis. The program identified 216 cases of potentially malignant lesions as well as three cases of oral cancer. The findings of MSE and health workers showed 72% concordance, while that of health workers and oral cancer specialist showed 100% concordance. MSE had a low sensitivity of 18%, while the specificity was 99.9%. Though the technique identified high-risk lesions such as red patches (66.7%) and non-healing ulcers (42.9%), the detection rate of white patches was low (12.7%). Overall awareness of oral cancer and its risk factors after introduction of MSE program was over 80%; but the compliance to seek treatment was poor (32%). Mouth self-examination may be used as an effective tool to improve the awareness of oral cancer and for the early detection of lesions.

The term thrombophilia describes an increased tendency to develop thrombosis and many laboratory markers with different strengths of association with thrombosis have been identified. The main causes of maternal mortality and morbidity in developed countries is venous thromboembolism (VTE) and obstetric complications. During pregnancy and puerperium the risk for VTE increases due to hemostatic imbalance towards a prothrombotic state, and it is further increased in women carriers of thrombophilia; recent studies have also demonstrated an association between thrombophilia and obstetric complications. These complications are, therefore, considered potentially preventable with the prophylactic administration of anticoagulant drugs, although their efficacy is not proven by data from randomized controlled trials. After a systematic comprehensive literature review and using a rigorous methodology, the expert panel formulated recommendations regarding the usefulness of screening for thrombophilia in pregnancy to identify high-risk women and for the management of antithrombotic prophyalxis. When evidence is lacking, consensus-based recommendations are provided.

The aim was to develop a comprehensive screening instrument for evaluation of orofacial dysfunction that was easy to perform for different health professionals without special equipment. The Nordic Orofacial Test--Screening (NOT-S), consisting of a structured interview and clinical examination,was developed with a picture manual illustrating the different tasks in the examination. It was first tested in a Swedish version, and later translated to other Nordic languages, and to English. The interview reflected six domains, (I) Sensory function, (II) Breathing, (III) Habits, (IV) Chewing and swallowing, (V) Drooling, and (VI) Dryness of the mouth, and the examination included six domains representing (1) The face at rest, and tasks regarding (2) Nose breathing, (3) Facial expression, (4) Masticatory muscle and jaw function, (5) Oral motor function, and (6) Speech. One or more &quot;yes&quot; for impairment in a domain resulted in one point (maximum NOT-S score 12 points). The mean NOT-...

We describe the identification of novel rapamycin derivatives present as low-level impurities in active pharmaceutical ingredients using an integrated, multidisciplinary approach. Rapamycin, a fermentation-derived natural product is itself used clinically and provides the starting material for several rapamycin analog drugs, typically used in oncology. LC-MS proved a sensitive means to analyze impurity profiles in batches of rapamycin. MS fragmentation was used to gain structural insight into these impurities, usually fermentation by-products, structurally very similar to rapamycin. In cases where MS fragmentation was unable to provide unambiguous structural identification, the impurities were isolated and purified using orthogonal HPLC methods. Using the higher mass sensitivity of small-volume NMR microprobes, submilligram amounts of isolated impurities were sufficient for further characterization by multidimensional NMR spectroscopy. Full assignment of the 1 H and 13 C NMR signals revealed the structure of these impurities at an atomic level. This systematic workflow enabled the identification of several novel rapamycin congeners from active pharmaceutical ingredient without the need for large-scale isolation of impurities. For illustration, two novel rapamycin derivatives are described in this study: 12-ethyl-rapamycin and 33-ethyl-rapamycin, which exemplify previously unreported modifications on the carbon skeleton of the rapamycin macrocycle. The methodologies described here can be of wide use for identification of closely related structures found; for example as fermentation by-products, metabolites or degradants of natural product-based drugs.

Introduction: Fine motor and graphomotor skills are essential for children's healthy development, as well as for successful participation in everyday activities. The Gilboa functional test (GIFT) is a newly developed norm-referenced screening instrument for use with children 3–6 years old. The aim of this study was to develop and validate the GIFT as a new measure for preschool graphomotor screening. Method: A community-based sample of 611 children aged 3–6 years was screened. Findings: Content validity was established via a panel of experts. The GIFT demonstrated good test–retest (0.95) and inter-rater reliability (0.94), demonstrating good concurrent validity in scores which significantly correlated with the Beery-VMI (r ¼ 0.32, P < 0.05), the Beery-MC (r ¼ 0.33, P < 0.05), the 'manual dexterity' subcategory of the movement assessment battery for children (r ¼ –0.364, P < 0.05) and the total score of the developmental coordination disorder questionnaire '07 (DCDQ'07)/little DCDQ (r ¼ 0.41, P < 0.01). A significant difference in total GIFT scoring was found between children from mainstream versus special education preschools (t ¼ 3.99, P < 0.001). Conclusion: The GIFT is a unique tool that measures performance skills based on preschool children's everyday activities. It can be used by paediatric occupational therapists as a first step for early identification of children potentially at risk for graphomotor/fine motor developmental delay.

Depression in pregnancy can be underdiagnosed as a consequence of the symptoms being misattributed to "normal pregnancy." There are currently no validated clinician-rated scales that assess for depression specifically during pregnancy. We sought to develop a brief, convenient screening tool to identify depression in pregnant women in the community setting. Prospective mood data using the 28item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) were collected monthly in 196 pregnant women with a history of a major depressive disorder. These data were analyzed to delineate those HDRS items associated (elevated) with normal pregnancy vs. those indicative of a pregnant woman meeting diagnostic criteria for a major depressive episode. Endorsement of symptoms on seven items of the HDRS were highly predictive of having a major depressive episode during pregnancy. We present a well-validated, brief scale to screen pregnant women for clinical depression. Whether this study will generalize to women who do not have a history of major depression remains to be studied.

Brazil is blessed with a great biodiversity, which constitutes one of the most important sources of biologically active compounds, even if it has been largely underexplored. As is the case of the Amazon and Atlantic rainforests, the Brazilian marine fauna remains practically unexplored in the search for new biologically active natural products. Considering that marine organisms have been shown to be one of the most promising sources of new bioactive compounds for the treatment of different human diseases, the 8000 km of the Brazilian coastline represents a great potential for finding new pharmacologically active secondary metabolites. This review presents the status of marine natural products chemistry in Brazil, including results reported by different research groups with emphasis on the isolation, structure elucidation, and evaluation of biological activities of natural products isolated from sponges, ascidians, octocorals, and Opistobranch mollusks. A brief overview of the first Brazilian program on the isolation of marine bacteria and fungi, directed toward the production of biologically active compounds, is also discussed. The current multidisciplinary collaborative program under development at the Universidade de Sã o Paulo proposes to establish a new paradigm toward the management of the Brazilian marine biodiversity, integrating research on the species diversity, ecology, taxonomy, and biogeography of marine invertebrates and microorganisms. This program also includes a broad screening program of Brazilian marine bioresources, to search for active compounds that may be of interest for the development of new drug leads.

Efforts to understand cognition will be greatly facilitated by computerized systems that enable the automated analysis of animal behavior. A number of controversies in the invertebrate learning field have resulted from difficulties inherent in manual experiments. Driven by the necessity to overcome these problems during investigation of neural function in planarian flatworms and frog larvae, we designed and developed a prototype for an inexpensive, flexible system that enables automated control and analysis of behavior and learning. Applicable to a variety of small animals such as flatworms and zebrafish, this system allows automated analysis of innate behavior, as well as of learning and memory in a plethora of conditioning paradigms. We present here the schematics of a basic prototype, which overcomes experimenter effects and operator tedium, enabling a large number of animals to be analyzed with transparent on-line access to primary data. A scaled-up version of this technology represents an efficient methodology to screen pharmacological and genetic libraries for novel neuroactive reagents of basic and biomedical relevance. '

Age 21. Women aged <21 years should not be screened regardless of the age of sexual initiation or other risk factors. (Strong recommendation) Age 21. (A recommendation) Recommend against screening women aged <21 years. (D recommendation) Age 21 regardless of the age of onset of sexual activity. Women aged <21 years should not be screened regardless of age at sexual initiation and other behavior-related risk factors. (Level A evidence) Statement about annual screening Women of any age should not be screened annually by any screening method. (Strong recommendation)

Introduction: This report describes the system of neonatal screening for phenylketonuria (PKU) that has been developed in Turkey and the results of screening. Methods: A total of 576 122 newborns born in maternity hospitals in metropolitan districts of the cities were screened using the Guthrie bacterial inhibition test. Classification of PKU or non-PKU hyperphenylalaninemia was determined by the confirmatory serum phenylalanine level and/or subsequent protein loading test. Results: One hundred and forty-two cases with persistent hyperphenylalaninemia were detected (1:4500). In 96 of these cases confirmatory tests were found to be compatible with PKU (15000) and the remaining 46 cases had either mild or moderate hyperphenylalaninemia. In one patient, the hyperphenylalaninemia was secondary to a pterin defect (dihydropteridine reductase deficiency). The ratio of PKU/non-PKU hyperphenylalaninemia was 2.0. Discussion: The major problems encountered in the screening program and in management of the detected cases were unsatisfactory sample collection, early discharge from maternity hospitals, difficulties in reaching some of the detected cases, noncompliance with dietary therapy due to illiterate parents or in families without social insurance. The health system in Turkey seems to require a second blood sampling for PKU screening obtainable in Maternal and Child Health care units in the cities and by midwives in rural areas. In Turkey, with an exceptionally high frequency of PKU, prenatal diagnosis for PKU should be combined with the neonatal screening program. Keywordr: Phenylketonuria; Neonatal screening; Screening problems l Corresponding author. 092%6164/95/$09.50 0 1995 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. AII rights reserved SSDI 0925-6164(95)00125-6

In this study, we evaluated the potential use of entomopathogenic nematodes as a control for the beetle Aethina tumida Murray (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae). In particular, we conducted 1) four screening bioassays to determine nematode (seven species, 10 total strains tested) and application level effects on A. tumida larvae and pupae, 2) a generational persistence bioassay to determine whether single inoculations with nematodes would control multiple generations of A. tumida larvae in treated soil, and 3) a Þeld bioassay to determine whether the nematodes would remain efÞcacious in the Þeld. In the screening bioassays, nematode efÞcacy varied signiÞcantly by tested nematode and the infective juvenile (IJ) level at which they were applied. Although nematode virulence was moderate in screening bioassays 1Ð3 (0 Ð 68% A. tumida mortality), A. tumida mortality approached higher levels in screening bioassay 4 (nearly 100% after 39 d) that suggest suitable applicability of some of the test nematodes as Þeld controls for A. tumida. In the generational persistence bioassay, Steinernema riobrave Cabanillas, Poinar & Raulston 7-12 strain and Heterorhabditis indica Poinar, Karunaka & David provided adequate A. tumida control for 19 wk after a single soil inoculation (76 Ð94% mortality in A. tumida pupae). In the Þeld bioassay, the same two nematode species also showed high virulence toward pupating A. tumida (88 Ð100%) mortality. Our data suggest that nematode use may be an integral component of an integrated pest management scheme aimed at reducing A. tumida populations in bee colonies to tolerable levels.

Fifty-eight cases of CT scan-proven intracranial space occupying lesions (ICSOL) in children were biopsied. Tuberculoma of brain turned out to be a major consideration comprising 10.34 per cent, second only to astrocytomas which comprised 32.75 per cent of ICSOL. There were 13 non-neoplastic lesions, of which tuberculoma constituted 46.1 per cent. The need for awareness of this common entity in developing countries is discussed.

BACKGROUND. Latina women experience higher mortality for cervical cancer and lower 5-year survival for breast cancer than non-Latina White women. Adherence with screening recommendations can increase chances of survival, yet the factors that influence screening behaviors in uninsured women are not well documented.

Reaction of 1-adamantanecarbonyl chloride with certain carboxylic acid hydrazides in pyridine yielded the corresponding N-acyl adamantane-1-carbohydrazide derivatives 3a–j, which were cyclized to the corresponding 2-(1-adamantyl)-5-substituted-1,3,4-oxadiazoles 4a–jvia heating with phosphorus oxychloride. Treatment of 1-adamantylisothiocyanate with some carboxylic acid hydrazides in ethanol yielded the corresponding 1-acyl-4-(1-adamantyl)-3-thiosemicarbazides 7a–g, which were cyclized to the corresponding 2-(1-adamantylamino)-5-substituted-1,3,4-thiadiazole derivatives 8a–g. Compounds 4a–j, 7a–g, and 8a–g were tested for in vitro activities against a panel of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and the yeast-like pathogenic fungus Candida albicans. Several derivatives produced good or moderate activities particularly against the tested Gram-positive bacteria Bacillus subtilis. Meanwhile, compounds 4i and 8g displayed marked antifungal activity against C. albicans. In addition, the in vivo anti-inflammatory activity of the synthesized compounds was determined using the carrageenin-induced paw oedema method in rats. The oxadiazole derivatives 4c, 4g, 4i and 4j produced good dose-dependent anti-inflammatory activity.New compounds with the above structures were synthesized and tested for antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory activity.

A new adsorbent based on the imprinting technique with high retention capacity and pre-concentration factor has been synthesized and tested for retention of inorganic and organotin compounds wtributyltinchloride (TBT), dibutyltindichloride (DBT), monobutylytintrichloride (MBT) and triphenyltinchoride (TPhT)x. The polymerization has been carried out in the presence of TBT, the target organotin compound of this work. These compounds can be quantitatively retained on this adsorbent over a wide pH range and after elution these compounds are determined by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GFAAS). Only organotin compounds are eluted from the adsorbent with 0.1 M hydrochloric acid (HCl) in methanol (MeOH) solution whereas inorganic tin is eluted later on with a suitable complexing agent such as citric acid. Linearity is obtained in the concentration range 0.1-4 ng (5-200 mg l ) for each organotin compound with a correlation coefficient not less than 0.994 and relative y1 standard deviation -5% even for complex samples such as sediments and seawater samples. The detection limit has been found to be 30 ng l . Various parameters related to determination, pre-concentration and GFAAS conditions have been optimized. The y1 screening method proposed has been applied to the determination of organotin in natural sediments and seawater samples. The recovery is between 82 and 90% for TBT, DBT and TPhT and 50-55% for MBT in the case of sediment samples, while it is 97-103% for all the organotin compounds in seawater samples. The method has been conveniently validated using a standard sediment reference material. ᮊ

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy of a phonological awareness (PA) intervention, designed for Tier 2 instruction in a Response to Intervention (RTI) model, delivered to small groups of preschoolers. A multiple baseline design across participants was used to evaluate the efficacy of the intervention on low-income preschool children&#39;s PA skills. A trained interventionist delivered small group sessions three to four days a week and ensured children received frequent opportunities to respond and contingent feedback. Participants received 28 to 36 lessons that lasted about 10 minutes each and focused on PA and alphabet knowledge. Initiation of intervention was staggered across three triads and seven children completed the study. The intervention produced consistent gains on weekly progress monitoring assessments of the primary outcome measure for first sound identification (First Sound Fluency). Most children also demonstrated gains on other measures of PA...

Nurses are increasingly being called upon to be the conveyers of important statistical information to patients. This trend is particularly evident in the domains of genetics and cancer screening. These new roles, however, demand new competencies, such as the ability to solve statistical problems, and the skill to communicate the answers effectively, as effective communication is an important ingredient in shared decision making. Genetic testing, perhaps more than other medical domains, relies heavily on the use of statistics. Being able to convey statistical information effectively is vital. In this paper, we illustrate the problems health care professionals have had in tackling and communicating statistical information. We introduce the natural frequencies method of solving Bayesian inference problems and review empirical evidence that shows the superiority of this format. Being able to transform probabilities into natural frequencies facilitates correct Bayesian inferences. It is argued that the conventional approach to educating nurses in Bayesian problem solving should be reconsidered and their statistical curriculum should be supplemented with instruction in using the natural frequency format.

A "microdose clinical trial" (microdosing) is one kind of early phase exploratory clinical trial, administering the compound at doses estimated to have no pharmacological or toxicological effects, aimed at screening candidates for further clinical development. This article's objective is to clarify the ethical, legal, and social implications (ELSI) of such an exploratory minimum-risk human trial. The definition and non-clinical study requirements for microdosing have been harmonized among the European Union (EU), United States (US), and Japan. Being conducted according to these regulations, microdosing seems to be ethically well justified in terms of respect for persons, beneficence, justice, human dignity, and animal welfare. Three big projects have been demonstrating the predictability of therapeutic dose pharmacokinetics from microdosing. The article offers suggestions as how microdosing can become a more useful and socially accepted strategy.

The European regulation on chemicals, REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals), came into force on 1 June 2007. With pre-registration complete in 2008, data for these substances may provide an overview of the expected chemical space and its characteristics. In this paper, using various in silico computation tools, we evaluate 48 782 neutral organic compounds from the list to identify hazardous and safe compounds. Two different classification schemes (modified Verhaar and ECOSAR) identified between 17% and 25% of the compounds as expressing only baseline toxicity (narcosis). A smaller portion could be identified as reactive (19%) or specifically acting (2.7%), while the majority were non-assigned (61%). Overall environmental persistence, bioaccumulation and long-range transport potential were evaluated using structure-activity relationships and a multimedia fugacity-based model. A surprisingly high proportion of compounds (20%), mainly aromatic and halogenated, had a very high estimated persistence (>195 d). The proportion of compounds with a very high estimated bioconcentration or bioaccumulation factor (>5000) was substantially less (6.9%). Finally, a list was compiled of those compounds within the applicability domain of the models used, meeting both persistence and bioaccumulation criteria, and with a long-range transport potential comparable to PCB. This list of 68 potential persistent organic pollutants contained many well-known compounds (all halogenated), but notably also five fluorinated compounds that were not included in the EINECS inventory. This study demonstrates the usability of in silico tools for identification of potentially environmentally hazardous chemicals.

‫ﻧﺎﺑـﯿﻨﺎﯾﯽ‬ ‫دﻟﯿﻞ‬ ‫دوﻣﯿﻦ‬ ‫و‬ ‫ﭘﯿﺸﮕﯿﺮی«‬ ‫ﻗﺎﺑﻞ‬ ‫»ﻧﺎﺑﯿﻨﺎﯾﯽ‬ ‫ﻋﺎﻣﻞ‬ ‫ﺍوﻟﯿﻦ‬ ‫ﮔﻠﻮﮐﻮم،‬ ‫ﺑـﺮ-‬ ‫ﺍﺳـﺖ.‬ ‫ﺷـﺪه‬ ‫ﺑـﺮآورد‬ ‫درﺻﺪ‬ 2 ‫5/1ﺗﺎ‬ ‫دﻧﯿﺎ‬ ‫در‬ ‫ﮔﻠﻮﮐﻮم‬ ‫ﺷﯿﻮﻉ‬ ‫ﯽﺑﺎﺷﺪ.‬ ‫ﻣ‬ ‫ﺟﻬﺎن‬ ‫ﺳﺮﺍﺳﺮ‬ ‫در‬ ‫ﻣﯽ-‬ ‫ﺯﻧﺪﮔﯽ‬ ‫ﺟﻬﺎن‬ ‫در‬ ‫ﻧﺎﺑـﯿﻨﺎ‬ ‫ﻣﯿﻠﯿﻮن‬ ‫و‬ ‫ﺑـﯿﻨﺎ‬ ‫ﮐﻢ‬ ‫ﻣﯿﻠﯿﻮن‬ 161 ‫ﺣﺪود‬ ‫ﺟﻬﺎﻧﯽ‬ ‫آﻣﺎر‬ ‫ﺍﺳﺎس‬ 37 ‫ﺟﻬﺎﻧﯽ‬ ‫ﺑــﺎر‬ ‫ﯽدﻫﺪ.‬ ‫ﻣ‬ ‫ﺗﺸــﻜﯿﻞ‬ ‫رﺍ‬ ‫ﻧﺎﺑــﯿﻨﺎﯾﯽ‬ ‫ﺟﻬﺎﻧﯽ‬ ‫ﺑـﺎر‬ ‫درﺻﺪ‬ 12/3 ‫ﻋﺎﻣﻞ‬ ‫ﮔﻠﻮﮐﻮم‬ ‫و‬ ‫ﮐﻨﻨﺪ‬ ‫ﺑـﺎرﺯﺗﺮ‬ ‫ﺯﻧﺎن‬ ‫و‬ ‫ﻣﯿﺎﻧﺴـﺎل‬ ‫ﺍﻓﺮﺍد‬ ‫در‬ ‫ﺗﻮﺳﻌﻪ،‬ ‫درﺣﺎل‬ ‫ﮐﺸﻮرﻫﺎی‬ ‫در‬ ‫ﮔﻠﻮﮐﻮم‬ ‫ﺑﻪ‬ ‫ﻣﻨﺘﺴﺐ‬ ‫ﻧﺎﺑﯿﻨﺎﯾﯽ‬ ‫ﺗﺎ‬ ‫ﺳـﺎل‬ ‫ﺗﺎ‬ ‫و‬ ‫ﻧﻔﺮ‬ ‫ﻣﯿﻠﯿﻮن‬ ،2010 ‫ﺳﺎل‬ ‫ﺗﺎ‬ ‫ﮔﻠﻮﮐﻮم‬ ‫ﺟﻬﺎﻧﯽ‬ ‫رﻗﻢ‬ ‫ﺑﺎﺷﺪ.‬ ‫ﻣﯽ‬ 79/6 2020 60/5 8/4 ‫ﮔﻠﻮﮐﻮم‬ ‫ﺍﺯ‬ ‫ﻧﺎﺷـﯽ‬ ‫ﻃﺮﻓﻪ‬ ‫ﯾﻚ‬ ‫ﻧﺎﺑـﯿﻨﺎﯾﯽ‬ ‫ﺷـﯿﻮﻉ‬ ‫ﻫﻤﭽﻨﯿﻦ‬ ‫ﺍﺳـﺖ.‬ ‫ﺷـﺪه‬ ‫آورد‬ ‫ﺑـﺮ‬ ‫ﻣﯿﻠﯿﻮن‬ ‫ﺍﺳﺖ.‬ ‫ﺷﺪه‬ ‫ﺑﯿﻨﯽ‬ ‫ﭘﯿﺶ‬ ‫ﺳﺎل‬ ‫ﺗﺎ‬ ‫ﻧﻔﺮ‬ ‫ﻣﯿﻠﯿﻮن‬ ‫و‬ 2010 ‫ﺳﺎل‬ ‫ﺗﺎ‬ ‫ﻧﻔﺮ‬ ‫ﻣﯿﻠﯿﻮن‬ 2020 11 ‫درﺻﺪ‬ 1/44 ‫ﮔﻠﻮﮐﻮم‬ ‫ﺷـــﯿﻮﻉ‬ ‫ﻣﯿﺰﺍن‬ ‫ﺗﻬﺮﺍن،‬ ‫ﺷــﻬﺮ‬ ‫ﻣﺨﺘﻠﻒ‬ ‫ﻣﻨﺎﻃﻖ‬ ‫ﻪﺍی‬ ‫ﺧﻮﺷــ‬ ‫ﻣﻄﺎﻟﻌﻪ‬ ‫در‬ ‫در‬ ‫و‬ ‫درﺻﺪ‬ ‫ﺳـﺎل،‬ ‫ﺗﺎ‬ ‫ﺳـﻨﯿﻦ‬ ‫در‬ ‫ﮐﺸﻮر‬ ‫در‬ ‫ﺷﯿﻮﻉ‬ ‫ﻣﯿﺰﺍن‬ ‫ﺍﯾﻦ‬ ‫ﺍﺳﺖ.‬ ‫ﺷﺪه‬ ‫ﮔﺰﺍرش‬ 0/5 49 40 ‫ﺍﺳﺖ.‬ ‫ﺷﺪه‬ ‫ﮔﺰﺍرش‬ ‫درﺻﺪ‬ 5 ‫ﺳﺎل،‬ ‫ﺍﺯ‬ ‫ﺑﯿﺶ‬ ‫ﺳﻨﯿﻦ‬ 80 ‫روﺯ-‬ ‫ﭼﺎﻟﺶ‬ ‫و‬ ‫ﯽﺑﺎﺷـﺪ‬ ‫ﻣ‬ ‫ﺍﻓﺰﺍﯾﺶ‬ ‫ﺑـﻪ‬ ‫رو‬ ‫ﮔﻠﻮﮐﻮم‬ ‫ﭘﺰﺷﻜﯽ‬ ‫ﻫﺎی‬ ‫ﻣﺮﺍﻗﺒﺖ‬ ‫ﺍﺯ‬ ‫ﺣﺎﺻﻞ‬ ‫ﺍﻗﺘﺼﺎدی‬ ‫ﺑﺎر‬ ‫ﻧﺘﺎﯾﺞ‬ ‫ﺑﺎﺷـﺪ.‬ ‫ﻣﯽ‬ ‫ﺟﻬﺎن‬ ‫ﺳـﻄﺢ‬ ‫در‬ ‫ﭘﺰﺷـﻜﯽ‬ ‫ﻫﺎی‬ ‫ﻣﺮﺍﻗﺒـﺖ‬ ‫ﺗﻮﺯﯾﻊ‬ ‫ﻧﺤـﻮه‬ ‫ﺑﻪ‬ ‫ﺗﻮﺟﻪ‬ ‫دﯾﮕﺮ‬ ‫ﺍﻓﺰون‬ ‫ﻫﺰﯾﻨﻪ‬ ‫ﮐﻪ‬ ‫ﺍﺳـﺖ‬ ‫آن‬ ‫ﺍﺯ‬ ‫ﺣـﺎﮐﯽ‬ ‫ﺍﻧﮕﻠﯿﺲ‬ ‫و‬ ‫آﻟﻤﺎن‬ ‫ﻓﺮﺍﻧﺴـﻪ،‬ ‫ﺍﯾﺘﺎﻟﯿﺎ،‬ ‫ﺍروﭘﺎﯾﯽ‬ ‫ﮐﺸﻮر‬ 4 ‫در‬ ‫ﻣﻄﺎﻟﻌﻪ‬ ‫ﻫﺰﺍر‬ 3 ‫ﺳـﯿﺎه‬ ‫آب‬ ‫ﺑﻪ‬ ‫ﻣﺒﺘﻼ‬ ‫دﻻر،‬ ‫ﭼﺸﻤﯽ‬ ‫دﺍﺧﻞ‬ ‫ﻓﺸﺎر‬ ‫ﺍﻓﺰﺍﯾﺶ‬ ‫ﺑﻪ‬ ‫ﻣﺒﺘﻼ‬ ‫ﻓﺮد‬ ‫ﯾﻚ‬ ‫درﻣﺎن‬ 300 ‫ﺳﺎﻟﻤﻨﺪ‬ ‫ﺣـﺎل‬ ‫در‬ ‫ﺟﻤﻌﯿﺖ‬ ‫ﮐﻪ‬ ‫آﻧﺠﺎ‬ ‫ﺍﺯ‬ ‫ﺍﺳـﺖ.‬ ‫ﺳـﺎل‬ ‫در‬ ‫دﻻر‬ ‫ﻫﺰﺍر‬ 9 ‫درﻣﺎن‬ ‫ﺗﺤـﺖ‬ ‫ﺍﻓﺮﺍد‬ ‫و‬ ‫دﻻر‬ ‫ﮐﻪ‬ ‫ﺷـﻮد‬ ‫ﻣﯽ‬ ‫ﺶﺑـﯿﻨﯽ‬ ‫ﭘﯿ‬ ‫ﯽﺑﺎﺷـﺪ،‬ ‫ﻣ‬ ‫ﺍﻓﺰﺍﯾﺶ‬ ‫ﺣـﺎل‬ ‫در‬ ‫ﮔﻠﻮﮐﻮم‬ ‫ﻫﺎی‬ ‫ﻣﺮﺍﻗﺒـﺖ‬ ‫ﻧﯿﺎﺯﻣﻨﺪ‬ ‫و‬ ‫ﺷﺪن‬ ‫ﺷﻮد.‬ ‫ﺍﻓﺰوده‬ ‫ﭘﯿﺶ‬ ‫ﺍﺯ‬ ‫ﺑﯿﺶ‬ ‫ﮔﻠﻮﮐﻮم‬ ‫ﺍﺯ‬ ‫ﻧﺎﺷﯽ‬ ‫ﭘﺰﺷﻜﯽ‬ ‫ﻫﺎی‬ ‫ﻫﺰﯾﻨﻪ‬

Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) for fluoroquinolone antibiotics (FQs) have been synthesised in one single preparative step by precipitation polymerisation using ciprofloxacin (CIP) as template. Combinations of methacrylic acid (MAA) or 4-vinylpyridine (VP) as functional monomers, ethylene glycol dimethacrylate as crosslinker and dichloromethane, methanol, acetonitrile or toluene as porogens were tested. The experiments carried out by molecularly imprinted solid-phase extraction (MISPE) in cartridges did not allow to detect any imprint effect in the VP-based polymers whereas it was clearly observed in the MAA-based polymers. Among them, the MIP prepared in methanol using MAA as monomer showed the best performance and was chosen for further experiments. The ability of the selected MIP for the selective recognition of other widely used FQs (enoxacin, norfloxacin, danofloxacin and enrofloxacin) and quinolones (Qs) (cinoxacin, flumequine, nalidixic acid and oxolinic acid) was evaluated. The obtained results revealed the high selectivity of the obtained polymer, which was able to distinguish between FQs, that were recognised and retained onto the MIP cartridge, and Qs, which were washed out during loading and washing steps. The MIP was then packed into a stainless steel column (50 mm × 4.6 mm i.d.) and evaluated as chromatography column for screening of FQs in soil samples. The mobile phase composition, flow rate, and the elution profile were then optimised in order to improve peak shape without sacrifying imprinting factor. Finally, under optimised conditions, soil samples spiked with CIP or with a mixture of fluoroquinolones in concentration of 0.5 g g −1 were successfully analysed by the developed MIP-based procedures.

A nonlinear mathematical model is proposed and analyzed to study the effect of contact tracing on reducing the spread of HIV/AIDS in a homogeneous population with constant immigration of susceptibles. In modeling the dynamics, the population is divided into four subclasses of HIV negatives but susceptibles, HIV positives or infectives that do not know they are infected, HIV positives that know they are infected and that of AIDS patients. Susceptibles are assumed to become infected via sexual contacts with (both types of) infectives and all infectives move with constant rates to develop AIDS. The model is analyzed using the stability theory of differential equations and numerical simulation. The model analysis shows that contact tracing may be of immense help in reducing the spread of AIDS epidemic in a population. It is also found that the endemicity of infection is reduced when infectives after becoming aware of their infection do not take part in sexual interaction. (A. Tripathi).

The abilit y of two depression scales, the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) and the BeckDepression Inventory (BOI), to identify cases of DSM-Il/-R majordepression and dysthymia wasinvestigated in a large, community sample of highschool students. Receiver operating characteristics analyses indicated thatdifferent caseness criteria should be usedfor boys and girls for boththe CES-D and the BDI. Internal consistency-reliability and sensitivity and specificity for detecting current episodes of current depression and dysthymiawereadequate andcomparable to those found with adult samples , but boththeCES-D and the BDIgenerated many false positives. Multiple screening using the " serial" strategy increased positive predictive powersubstantially for both the CES-D and the BDI, whereas using the "parallel" strategy had very little effect on the efficacy of thetwo screeners. The results indicate that neither the BOI nor theCES-D should be usedby themselves as methods for case ascertainment in eitherepidemiological or experimental studies, although the BOIdoes function somewhat better than the CES-D as a screener.