Comparative outcomes of vascular access in patients older than 70 years with end-stage renal disease

Objective

The advantage of arteriovenous fistulas (AVFs) in older patients requiring dialysis is controversial. We reviewed our vascular access experience in patients ≥70 years of age (older group) compared with younger patients.

Non alcoholic fatty liver disease and risk of incident diabetes in subjects who are not obese

Background and aims

It is not known whether non alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a risk factor for diabetes in non obese, non centrally-obese subjects. Our aim was to investigate relationships between fatty liver, insulin resistance and a biomarker score for liver fibrosis with incident diabetes at follow up, in subjects who were neither obese nor centrally-obese.

An electronic travel guide for visually impaired – vehicle board recognition system through computer vision techniques

Abstract

Purpose: In the context of assistive technology, mobility takes the meaning of “moving safely, gracefully, and comfortably”.The aim of this article is to provide a system which will be a convenient means of navigation for the Visually Impaired people, in the public transport system.

Method: A blind regular commuter who travels by public transport facility finds difficulty in identifying the vehicle that is nearing the stop. Hence, a real-time system that dynamically identifies the nearing vehicle and informs the commuters is necessary. This paper proposes such a system namely the “Vehicle Board Recognition System” (VBRS). Computer Vision techniques such as segmentation, object recognition, text detection and optical character recognition are utilized to build the system, which will detect, analyze, derive and communicate the information to the passengers.

Results: Thanks to the rapid development in technology, there are several navigation systems both hand held and wearable, available to help visually impaired (VI) people move comfortably both indoor and outdoor. Many blind people are not comfortable in using these devices or they are not affordable for them. Thus the proposed system gives them the comfort of navigation.

Conclusion: This system can be installed in the bus stop to assist the Visually Impaired, from externally rather than their hand held or wearable assistive devices.

• Implications for rehabilitation

• This proposed system will help the visually impaired to

• ensure secure navigation

• be independent of the others

• develop self confidence.

• overcome the training, affordability of wearable/ handheld devices.

     

尼罗罗非鱼肉营养成分分析

<正> 尼罗罗非鱼(Tilapia nilotica)是我国从非洲引进的热带鱼类,具有刺少肉味鲜嫩、食性广、生长快、繁殖力强、养殖周期短等特点。已快速地养殖到全国各地。作者对利用地热资源人工喂养条件下的尼罗罗非鱼肉的氨基酸和肉内的粗蛋白、脂肪、维生素等成分进行分析,评估尼罗罗非鱼肉的营养价值,从营养学的角度为人们提供科学依据。     

手工凝聚胺试验影响因素分析

目的分析各种因素对手工凝聚胺试验的影响；方法应用手工凝聚胺（manual polgbrene test，MPT）做交叉配血及抗体筛选试验；结果血液标本、操作手法、凝聚胺试剂、药物（肝素、止血敏、高浓度KCl等）等对试验均有影响；其中以药物、操作手法影响较大，可致假阴性和假阳性结果；结论手工凝聚胺试验做交叉配血及抗体筛选时应注意排除药物和操作手法对试验结果的影响。     

两种比色板在前牙修复中效果分析

目的旨在探讨Vitapan Classical比色板和Vitapan3D-Master比色板在口腔修复科临床中的比色效果,以指导临床工作。方法采用修复前比色、修复体制作完成后口腔外比色以及口腔内核对颜色的方法,对比两种比色板的比色效果。结果修复体制作完成后,在口腔内、外核对颜色时,使用Vitapan3D-Master比色板的满意度高于Vitapan Classical比色板(P<0.05)。结论Vitapan3D-Master比色板颜色范围较宽,临床比色可以取得较好的效果。     

Workplace status and risk of hypertension among hourly and salaried aluminum manufacturing employees

An inverse relationship between workplace status and morbidity is well established; higher job status has been associated with reduced risks of heart disease, hypertension, and injury. Most research on job status, however, has focused on salaried populations, and it remains unclear whether job status operates similarly among hourly workers. Our objectives were to examine whether hourly status itself influences risk of hypertension after adjustment for socioeconomic confounders, and to explore the role of fine-scale job grade on hypertension incidence within hourly and salaried groups. We examined data for 14,999 aluminum manufacturing employees in 11 plants across the U.S., using logistic regression with adjustment for age, sex, race/ethnicity and other individual characteristics. Propensity score restriction was used to identify comparable groups of hourly and salaried employees, reducing confounding by sociodemographic characteristics. Job grade (coded 1 through 30, within hourly and salaried groups) was examined as a more refined measure of job status. Hourly status was associated with an increased risk of hypertension, after propensity restriction and adjustment for confounders. The observed effect of hourly status was stronger among women, although the propensity-restricted cohort was disproportionately male (96%). Among salaried workers, higher job grade was not consistently associated with decreased risk; among hourly employees, however, there was a significant trend, with higher job grades more protective against hypertension. Increasing the stringency of hypertension case criteria also increased the risk of severe or persistent hypertension for hourly employees.     

Pediatric intracranial aneurysms—clinical characteristics and outcome of surgical treatment

Object Intracranial aneurysms are rare in children and have different epidemiological, clinical, and morphological characteristics and outcome from those in adults. Materials and methods We analyzed demographic, clinical, radiologic features, treatment, and outcome in 55 patients <18 years of age, treated from Jan 1995 through December 2005. Results Intracranial aneurysms in children below 18 years constituted 4% of all intracranial aneurysms. Internal Carotid artery (ICA) bifurcation was the commonest location. About half of the aneurysms were complex. Three-fourth of the patients required surgical treatment. Two patients died, constituting 5% mortality. Two patients (5%) had poor outcome, whereas the majority (90%) had a favorable outcome. Conclusions Pediatric aneurysms have male predominance, higher incidence of clinical features of mass effect or seizures, high incidence of large, traumatic/mycotic aneurysms, associated illnesses and ICH/IVH and hydrocephalus, better Hunt and Hess grades at presentation, ICA bifurcation as the commonest site, and better outcome than their adult counterparts.