scholarly journals Deconstructing Pneumococcal Progression from Colonization to Disease

2018 ◽  
Vol 86 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen I. Pelton
Keyword(s):  
Otitis Media ◽  
Severe Pneumonia ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Unique Data ◽  
Treatment And Prevention ◽  
Middle Ear Fluid ◽  
Rate Of Progression ◽  
Pneumococcal Colonization ◽  
Insight Into ◽  
Comparative Rate

ABSTRACT Despite advances in treatment and prevention, the pneumococcus continues to be a dominant cause of severe pneumonia and sepsis and of otitis media, sinusitis, and nonbacteremic pneumonia. Lewnard and colleagues (Infect Immun 86:e00727-17, 2018, https://doi.org/10.1128/IAI.00727-17 ) used a unique data set of nasopharyngeal and middle ear fluid samples to provide further insight into the progression of nasopharyngeal pneumococcal colonization to disease. They report the comparative rate of progression from colonization to otitis media by serotype, providing insight into how conjugate vaccines that do not reduce the overall prevalence of pneumococci in the nasopharynx dramatically impact the incidence of acute and complex otitis media.

Five-year prospective study of paediatric acute otitis media in Rochester, NY: modelling analysis of the risk of pneumococcal colonization in the nasopharynx and infection

2013 ◽  
Vol 142 (10) ◽  
pp. 2186-2194 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. FRIEDEL ◽  
S. ZILORA ◽  
D. BOGAARD ◽  
J. R. CASEY ◽  
M. E. PICHICHERO
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Streptococcus Pneumoniae ◽  
Prospective Study ◽  
Otitis Media ◽  
Moraxella Catarrhalis ◽  
Acute Otitis Media ◽  
Middle Ear Fluid ◽  
Modelling Analysis ◽  
History Of ◽  
Pneumococcal Colonization

SUMMARYDuring a 5-year prospective study of nasopharyngeal (NP) colonization and acute otitis media (AOM) infections in children during the 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) era (July 2006–June 2011) we studied risk factors for NP colonization and AOM. NP samples were collected at ages 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 24, and 30 months during well-child visits. Additionally, NP and middle ear fluid (MEF) samples were collected at onset of every AOM episode. From 1825 visits (n = 464 children), 5301 NP and 570 MEF samples were collected and analysed for potential otopathogens. Daycare attendance, NP colonization by Moraxella catarrhalis, and siblings aged <5 years increased the risk of Streptococcus pneumoniae NP colonization. NP colonization with S. pneumoniae, M. catarrhalis, or Haemophilus influenzae and a family history of OM increased the risk of AOM. Risk factors that increase the risk of pneumococcal AOM will be important to reassess as we move into a new 13-valent PCV era, especially co-colonization with other potential otopathogens.

scholarly journals “We’re like community”: Collective identity and collective efficacy among transgender women in prisons for men

2016 ◽  
Vol 18 (5) ◽  
pp. 544-577 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lori Sexton ◽  
Valerie Jenness
Keyword(s):  
Collective Efficacy ◽  
Collective Identity ◽  
Affective Commitment ◽  
Transgender Women ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Overlapping Communities ◽  
Prison Life ◽  
Unique Data ◽  
Physical Features ◽  
Insight Into

Recognizing that prisons house diverse populations in equally diverse types of environments, we utilize a unique data set and employ two well-known sociological concepts—collective identity and collective efficacy—to examine overlapping communities in which transgender women in prisons for men are situated and experience prison life. Findings from our mixed-methods analysis reveal that despite their considerable diversity, transgender prisoners embrace a collective identity and perceive collective efficacy as transgender prisoners more so than as prisoners per se; their collective identity and perceptions of collective efficacy are predicated on social-interactional factors rather than demographic characteristics and physical features of the carceral environment; and the more time a transgender inmate spends in prison, the more likely she is to identify with a community of transgender prisoners, but the less likely she is to feel an affective commitment to the transgender prisoner community or to expect other transgender prisoners to act on her behalf in prison. This novel application of dynamics generally understood to operate in social movements and residential neighborhoods—collective identity and collective efficacy, respectively—to the transgender community in California’s prisons sheds insight into the ways in which transgender women in prisons for men experience prison life, the loyalties around which prison life is organized, and the complexities around which communities in prison are structured.

INTERNET SPORTS BOOKS OPERATING IN AN INEFFICIENT MARKETPLACE

2013 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-22
Author(s):  
George Diemer
Keyword(s):  
Cluster Analysis ◽  
Data Structure ◽  
Estimation Technique ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Gambling Industry ◽  
Unique Data ◽  
Risk Seeking ◽  
Sports Gambling ◽  
Insight Into ◽  
Do So

This research challenges widely accepted theories regarding sports gambling and the bookmaking industry.  Specifically, the assertions by Strumpf (2003) and Levitt (2004) that risk-seeking bookmakers maximize profit rather than minimize exposure is tested. To do so, this research focuses on an area that few scholars have explored: internet sports books.  A unique data set to analyze the dynamics of competition in NFL gambling industry is used along with a different estimation technique than other scholars have used: cluster analysis. The results of cluster analysis offer insight into the data structure. An alternate hypothesis regarding the workings of the industry are tested to better understand this data structure.

scholarly journals Microfinance and Vulnerability to Seasonal Famine in a Rural Economy: Evidence from Monga in Bangladesh

2020 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Claudia Berg ◽  
M. Shahe Emran
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Rural Economy ◽  
Screening Process ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Estimation Strategy ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Unique Data ◽  
Primary Mechanism ◽  
Poor Households ◽  
Microfinance Institution

AbstractThis paper uses a unique data set on 143,000 poor households from Northern Bangladesh to analyze the effects of microfinance membership on a household’s ability to cope with seasonal famine known as Monga. We develop an identification and estimation strategy that exploits a jump and a kink at the 10-decimal land ownership-threshold driven by the Microfinance Institution screening process to ensure repayment by excluding the ultra-poor. Evidence shows that microfinance membership improves food security during Monga, especially for the poorest households who survive at the margin of one and two meals a day. The positive effects on food security are, however, not driven by higher income, as microcredit does not improve the ability to migrate for work, nor does it reduce dependence on distress sale of labor. The evidence is consistent with consumption smoothing being the primary mechanism behind the gains in food security of MFI households during the season of starvation.

scholarly journals Microfinance and Vulnerability to Seasonal Famine in a Rural Economy: Evidence from Monga in Bangladesh

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Claudia Berg ◽  
M. Shahe Emran
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Rural Economy ◽  
Screening Process ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Estimation Strategy ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Unique Data ◽  
Primary Mechanism ◽  
Poor Households ◽  
Microfinance Institution

AbstractThis paper uses a unique data set on 143,000 poor households from Northern Bangladesh to analyze the effects of microfinance membership on a household's ability to cope with seasonal famine known as Monga. We develop an identification and estimation strategy that exploits a jump and a kink at the 10 decimal land ownership-threshold driven by the Microfinance Institution (MFI) screening process to ensure repayment by excluding the ultra-poor. Evidence shows that microfinance membership improves food security during Monga, especially for the poorest households who survive at the margin of one and two meals a day. The positive effects on food security are, however, not driven by higher income, as microcredit does not improve the ability to migrate for work, nor does it reduce dependence on distress sale of labor. The evidence is consistent with consumption smoothing being the primary mechanism behind the gains in food security of MFI households during the season of starvation.

Air Conduction Thresholds and Secretory Otitis Media: A Conventional and Extra-High Frequency Audiometric Comparison

1989 ◽  
Vol 98 (10) ◽  
pp. 767-771 ◽  
Author(s):  
Iain W. S. Mair ◽  
Oddbjørn Fjermedal ◽  
Einar Laukli
Keyword(s):  
Otitis Media ◽  
Middle Ear ◽  
High Frequency ◽  
Pure Tone ◽  
Low Frequency ◽  
Secretory Otitis Media ◽  
Middle Ear Fluid ◽  
Ventilation Tubes ◽  
Air Conduction

A comparison has been made of air conduction threshold changes up to 1 year after myringotomy, aspiration of middle ear fluid, and insertion of ventilation tubes in ten patients with bilateral and 12 with unilateral secretory otitis media (SOM). Pure tone air conduction thresholds have been analyzed in three frequency groups: Low frequency (LF; 0.25, 0.5, and 1 kHz), high frequency (HF; 2,4, and 8 kHz), and extra-high frequency (EHF; 10, 12, 14, and 16 kHz). In the LF and HF ranges, significant improvement came during the first 24 hours after intubation, while in the EHF range, threshold lowering occurred gradually over the following 2 months. Possible explanations for these findings are discussed.

scholarly journals Combining Multiple Organizational-level Databases: An Empirical Evaluation of Different Matching Methods

2021 ◽  
pp. 004912412098618
Author(s):  
Tim de Leeuw ◽  
Steffen Keijl
Keyword(s):  
Empirical Evaluation ◽  
Organizational Level ◽  
Random Errors ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Future Studies ◽  
Matching Methods ◽  
Matching Process ◽  
Significant Relationships ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Insight Into

Although multiple organizational-level databases are frequently combined into one data set, there is no overview of the matching methods (MMs) that are utilized because the vast majority of studies does not report how this was done. Furthermore, it is unclear what the differences are between the utilized methods, and it is unclear whether research findings might be influenced by the utilized method. This article describes four commonly used methods for matching databases and potential issues. An empirical comparison of those methods used to combine regularly used organizational-level databases reveals large differences in the number of observations obtained. Furthermore, empirical analyses of these different methods reveal that several of them produce both systematic and random errors. These errors can result in erroneous estimations of regression coefficients in terms of direction and/or size as well as an issue where truly significant relationships might be found to be insignificant. This shows that research findings can be influenced by the MM used, which would argue in favor of the establishment of a preferred method as well as more transparency on the utilized method in future studies. This article provides insight into the matching process and methods, suggests a preferred method, and should aid researchers, reviewers, and editors with both combining multiple databases and describing and assessing them.

scholarly journals Were VCF patients at higher risk of mortality following the 2009 publication of the vertebroplasty “sham” trials?

2017 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 375-383 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. L. Ong ◽  
D. P. Beall ◽  
M. Frohbergh ◽  
E. Lau ◽  
J. A. Hirsch
Keyword(s):  
Mortality Risk ◽  
Cox Regression ◽  
Compression Fracture ◽  
Balloon Kyphoplasty ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Mortality Risks ◽  
Medicare Data ◽  
Kaplan Meier ◽  
Risk Of Mortality ◽  
Insight Into

Abstract Summary The 5-year period following 2009 saw a steep reduction in vertebral augmentation volume and was associated with elevated mortality risk in vertebral compression fracture (VCF) patients. The risk of mortality following a VCF diagnosis was 85.1% at 10 years and was found to be lower for balloon kyphoplasty (BKP) and vertebroplasty (VP) patients. Introduction BKP and VP are associated with lower mortality risks than non-surgical management (NSM) of VCF. VP versus sham trials published in 2009 sparked controversy over its effectiveness, leading to diminished referral volumes. We hypothesized that lower BKP/VP utilization would lead to a greater mortality risk for VCF patients. Methods BKP/VP utilization was evaluated for VCF patients in the 100% US Medicare data set (2005–2014). Survival and morbidity were analyzed by the Kaplan-Meier method and compared between NSM, BKP, and VP using Cox regression with adjustment by propensity score and various factors. Results The cohort included 261,756 BKP (12.6%) and 117,232 VP (5.6%) patients, comprising 20% of the VCF patient population in 2005, peaking at 24% in 2007–2008, and declining to 14% in 2014. The propensity-adjusted mortality risk for VCF patients was 4% (95% CI, 3–4%; p < 0.001) greater in 2010–2014 versus 2005–2009. The 10-year risk of mortality for the overall cohort was 85.1%. BKP and VP cohorts had a 19% (95% CI, 19–19%; p < 0.001) and 7% (95% CI, 7–8%; p < 0.001) lower propensity-adjusted 10-year mortality risk than the NSM cohort, respectively. The BKP cohort had a 13% (95% CI, 12–13%; p < 0.001) lower propensity-adjusted 10-year mortality risk than the VP cohort. Conclusions Changes in treatment patterns following the 2009 VP publications led to fewer augmentation procedures. In turn, the 5-year period following 2009 was associated with elevated mortality risk in VCF patients. This provides insight into the implications of treatment pattern changes and associated mortality risks.

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