1. |
|
|
2. |
- Pfaller, M.A., et al.
(author)
-
Twelve years of fluconazole in clinical practice : Global-trends in species distribution and fluconazole susceptibility of bloodstream isolates of Candida
- 2004
-
In: Clinical Microbiology and Infection. - : Elsevier BV. - 1198-743X .- 1469-0691. ; 10:SUPPL. 1, s. 11-23
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We determined the species distribution and in-vitro susceptibility of 6082 bloodstream infection (BSI) isolates of Candida spp. collected from 250 medical centres in 32 nations over a 10-year period from 1992 through 2001. The species included 3401 C. albicans, 984 C. glabrata, 796 C. parapsilosis, 585 C. tropicalis, 153 C. krusei, 67 C. lusitaniae, 48 C. guilliermondii, 10 C. famata, 10 C. kefyr, six C. pelliculosa, five C. rugosa, four C. lipolytica, three C. dubliniensis, three C. inconspicua, two C. sake and one isolate each of C. lambica, C. norvegensis and C. zeylanoides. Minimum inhibitory concentration determinations were made using the National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards reference broth microdilution method. Variation in the rank order and frequency of the different species of Candida was observed over time and by geographic area. The proportion of BSI due to C. albicans and C. glabrata increased and C. parapsilosis decreased over time in Canada, the USA and Europe. C. glabrata was an infrequent cause of BSI in Latin America and the Asia-Pacific region. Very little variation in fluconazole susceptibility was observed among isolates of C. albicans, C. tropicalis and C. parapsilosis. These species accounted for 78% of all BSI and remained highly susceptible (91-100% susceptible) to fluconazole from 1992 to 2001 irrespective of geographic origin. The prevalence of fluconazole resistance among C. glabrata isolates was variable both over time and among the various countries and regions. Resistance to fluconazole among C. glabrata isolates was greatest in the USA and varied by US census region (range 0-23%). These observations are generally encouraging relative to the sustained usefulness of fluconazole as a systemically active antifungal agent for the treatment of candida BSI. © 2004 Copyright by the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases.
|
|
3. |
- Smith, P B, et al.
(author)
-
Cultural values, sources of guidance, and their relevance to managerial behavior - A 47-nation study
- 2002
-
In: Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology. - : Sage Publications. - 0022-0221 .- 1552-5422. ; 33:2, s. 188-208
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Data are presented showing how middle managers in 47 countries report handling eight specific work events. The data are used to test the ability of cultural value dimensions derived from the work of Hofstede. Trompenaars, and Schwartz to predict the specific sources of guidance on which managers rely. Focusing on sources of guidance is expected to provide a more precise basis than do generalized measures of values for understanding the behaviors that prevail within different cultures. Values are strongly predictive of reliance on those sources of guidance that are relevant to vertical relationships within organizations. Hock ever, values are less successful in predicting reliance on peers and on more tacit sources of guidance. Explaining national differences in these neglected aspects of organizational processes will require greater sensitivity to the culture-specific contexts within which they occur.
|
|
4. |
- Beral, V, et al.
(author)
-
Alcohol, tobacco and breast cancer - collaborative reanalysis of individual data from 53 epidemiological studies, including 58515 women with breast cancer and 95067 women without the disease
- 2002
-
In: British Journal of Cancer. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1532-1827 .- 0007-0920. ; 87, s. 1234-45
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Alcohol and tobacco consumption are closely correlated and published results on their association with breast cancer have not always allowed adequately for confounding between these exposures. Over 80% of the relevant information worldwide on alcohol and tobacco consumption and breast cancer were collated, checked and analysed centrally. Analyses included 58515 women with invasive breast cancer and 95067 controls from 53 studies. Relative risks of breast cancer were estimated, after stratifying by study, age, parity and, where appropriate, women's age when their first child was born and consumption of alcohol and tobacco. The average consumption of alcohol reported by controls from developed countries was 6.0 g per day, i.e. about half a unit/drink of alcohol per day, and was greater in ever-smokers than never-smokers, (8.4 g per day and 5.0 g per day, respectively). Compared with women who reported drinking no alcohol, the relative risk of breast cancer was 1.32 (1.19 - 1.45, P < 0.00001) for an intake of 35 - 44 g per day alcohol, and 1.46 (1.33 - 1.61, P < 0.00001) for greater than or equal to 45 g per day alcohol. The relative risk of breast cancer increased by 7.1% (95% CI 5.5-8.7%; P<0.00001) for each additional 10 g per day intake of alcohol, i.e. for each extra unit or drink of alcohol consumed on a daily basis. This increase was the same in ever-smokers and never-smokers (7.1 % per 10 g per day, P < 0.00001, in each group). By contrast, the relationship between smoking and breast cancer was substantially confounded by the effect of alcohol. When analyses were restricted to 22 255 women with breast cancer and 40 832 controls who reported drinking no alcohol, smoking was not associated with breast cancer (compared to never-smokers, relative risk for ever-smokers= 1.03, 95% CI 0.98 - 1.07, and for current smokers=0.99, 0.92 - 1.05). The results for alcohol and for tobacco did not vary substantially across studies, study designs, or according to 15 personal characteristics of the women; nor were the findings materially confounded by any of these factors. If the observed relationship for alcohol is causal, these results suggest that about 4% of the breast cancers in developed countries are attributable to alcohol. In developing countries, where alcohol consumption among controls averaged only 0.4 g per day, alcohol would have a negligible effect on the incidence of breast cancer. In conclusion, smoking has little or no independent effect on the risk of developing breast cancer; the effect of alcohol on breast cancer needs to be interpreted in the context of its beneficial effects, in moderation, on cardiovascular disease and its harmful effects on cirrhosis and cancers of the mouth, larynx, oesophagus and liver. (C) 2002 Cancer Research UK.
|
|
5. |
- Immerstrand, Charlotte, 1974-, et al.
(author)
-
Altered impedance during pigment aggregation in Xenopus laevis melanophores
- 2003
-
In: Medical and Biological Engineering and Computing. - 0140-0118 .- 1741-0444. ; 41:3, s. 357-364
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Melanophores are dark-brown pigment cells located in the skin of amphibia, fish and many invertebrates. The skin colour of these organisms is regulated by the translocation of pigment organelles, and the pigment distribution can be altered by external stimuli. The ability to change colour in response to stimuli makes these cells of interest for biosensing applications. It was investigated whether pigment aggregation in Xenopus laevis melanophores can be detected by impedance measurements performed in transparent microvials. The results show that cell attachment, cell spreading and pigment aggregation all resulted in impedance changes, seen particularly at the highest frequency tested (10 kHz). The mechanisms behind the impedance changes were investigated by the addition of latrunculin or melatonin, both of which cause pigment aggregation. The latrunculin-induced aggregation was associated with cell area decrease and filamentous actin (F-actin) breakdown, processes that can influence the impedance. Lack of F-actin breakdown and an increase in cell area during melatonin-induced aggregation suggest that some other intracellular process also contributes to the impedance decrease seen for melatonin. It was shown that impedance measurements reflect not only cell attachment and cell spreading, but also intracellular events.
|
|
6. |
|
|
7. |
|
|
8. |
|
|
9. |
- Jager, Edwin W.H., et al.
(author)
-
The cell clinic : closable microvials for single cell studies
- 2002
-
In: Biomedical microdevices (Print). - 1387-2176 .- 1572-8781. ; 4:3, s. 177-187
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We present the development of a cell clinic. This is a micromachined cavity, or microvial, that can be closed with a lid. The lid is activated by two polypyrrole/Au microactuators. Inside the microvials two Au electrodes have been placed in order to perform impedance studies on single or a small number of cells. We report on impedance measurements on Xenopus leavis melanophores. We could measure a change in the impedance upon cell spreading and identify intracellular events such as the aggregation of pigment granules. The electrical data is correlated to optical microscopy.
|
|
10. |
- Janhunen, P, et al.
(author)
-
A study of inverted-V auroral acceleration mechanisms using Polar/Fast Auroral Snapshot conjunctions
- 2001
-
In: JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-SPACE PHYSICS. - : AMER GEOPHYSICAL UNION. - 0148-0227. ; 106:A9, s. 18995-19011
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We present observations of electrons and ions that have been affected by an auroral plasma acceleration mechanism. In the nine events studied, nearly simultaneous and magnetically conjugate measurements were made by instruments on the Fast Auroral Snapsho
|
|