• Title/Summary/Keyword: Laboratory factors

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Prognostic Factors on Overall Survival of Newly Diagnosed Metastatic Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma

  • Li, Jia-Xin;Huang, Shao-Min;Wen, Bi-Xiu;Lu, Tai-Xiang
    • Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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    • v.15 no.7
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    • pp.3169-3173
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    • 2014
  • Background: To investigate factors associated with overall survival in patients with newly diagnosed metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Materials and Methods: Two hundred and two consecutive patients with pathologically confirmed nasopharyngeal carcinoma with distant metastasis at diagnosis seen between December 2007 and May 2011 were reviewed. Patient, tumor and treatment factors were analyzed for their significance regarding overall survival. Results: The median follow-up time was 22 months. At the time of this report, 116 patients had died. For 112 patients, cause of death was nasopharyngeal carcinoma. The 1, 2, 3, and 4-year overall survival rates were 75.6%, 50.2%, 39.2%, and 28.2%, respectively. Cox regression multivariate analysis showed that T-stage (p=0.045), N-stage (p=0.014), metastasis number (p<0.001) and radiotherapy for nasopharynx and neck (p<0.001) were significant factors for overall survival. Conclusions: Early T-stage and N-stage, solitary metastasis in a single organ were good prognostic factors for patients with newly diagnosed metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Radiotherapy should be strongly recommended in systemic treatment.

Understanding the Biomechanical Factors Related to Successful Balance Recovery and Falls: A Literature Review

  • Junwoo Park;Jongwon Choi; Woochol Joseph Choi
    • Physical Therapy Korea
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    • v.30 no.1
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    • pp.78-85
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    • 2023
  • Background: Despite fall prevention strategies suggested by researchers, falls are still a major health concern in older adults. Understanding factors that differentiate successful versus unsuccessful balance recovery may help improve the prevention strategies. Objects: The purpose of this review was to identify biomechanical factors that differentiate successful versus unsuccessful balance recovery in the event of a fall. Methods: The literature was searched through Google Scholar and PubMed. The following keywords were used: 'falls,' 'protective response,' 'protective strategy,' 'automated postural response,' 'slips,' 'trips,' 'stepping strategy,' 'muscle activity,' 'balance recovery,' 'successful balance recovery,' and 'failed balance recovery.' Results: A total of 64 articles were found and reviewed. Most of studies included in this review suggested that kinematics during a fall was important to recover balance successfully. To be successful, appropriate movements were required, which governed by several things depending on the direction and characteristics of the fall. Studies also suggested that lower limb muscle activity and joint moments were important for successful balance recovery. Other factors associated with successful balance recovery included fall direction, age, appropriate protective strategy, overall health, comorbidity, gait speed, sex and anticipation of the fall. Conclusion: This review discusses biomechanical factors related to successful versus unsuccessful balance recovery to help understand falls. Our review should help guide future research, or improve prevention strategies in the area of fall and injuries in older adults.

IDENTIFICATION AND EVALUATION OF HUMAN FACTORS ISSUES ASSOCIATED WITH EMERGING NUCLEAR PLANT TECHNOLOGY

  • O'Hara, John M.;Higgins, James C.;Brown, William S.
    • Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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    • v.41 no.3
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    • pp.225-236
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    • 2009
  • This study has identified human performance research issues associated with the implementation of new technology in nuclear power plants (NPPs). To identify the research issues, current industry developments and trends were evaluated in the areas of reactor technology, instrumentation and control technology, human-system integration technology, and human factors engineering (HFE) methods and tools. The issues were prioritized into four categories based on evaluations provided by 14 independent subject matter experts representing vendors, utilities, research organizations and regulators. Twenty issues were categorized into the top priority category. The study also identifies the priority of each issue and the rationale for those in the top priority category. The top priority issues were then organized into research program areas of: New Concepts of Operation using Multi-agent Teams, Human-system Interface Design, Complexity Issues in Advanced Systems, Operating Experience of New and Modernized Plants, and HFE Methods and Tools. The results can serve as input to the development of a long-term strategy and plan for addressing human performance in these areas to support the safe operation of new NPPs.

Mixed Display Platform to Expand Comfortable Zone of Stereoscopic 3D Viewing

  • Yang, Ungyeon;Kim, Namkyu;Seo, Jinseok;Kim, Ki-Hong;Lee, Gil-Haeng
    • ETRI Journal
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    • v.35 no.2
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    • pp.352-355
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    • 2013
  • Common stereoscopic three-dimensional (3D) display has a convergence and accommodation conflict that violates the natural human cognitive process of viewing. This weakness exposes the challenge in supporting fun factors while eliminating safety problems in the 3D viewing experience. Thus, human factors have become a major research topic. In this letter, we propose a 3D stereoscopic visualization platform that can expand the sense of a 3D space by fusing organically mixed stereoscopic displays to provide a continuous feeling of 3D depth. In addition, we present pilot test results to show the possibility of the technical implementation of the proposed platform and note ongoing research issues to be addressed.

Harmonic Winding Factors and MMF Analysis for Five-phase Fractional-slot Concentrated Winding PMSM

  • Kang, Huilin;Zhou, Libing;Wang, Jin
    • Journal of international Conference on Electrical Machines and Systems
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    • v.3 no.1
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    • pp.20-26
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    • 2014
  • To enhance torque density by harmonic current injection, optimal slot/pole combinations for five-phase permanent magnet synchronous motors (PMSM) with fractional-slot concentrated windings (FSCW) are chosen. The synchronous and the third harmonic winding factors are calculated for a series of slot/pole combinations. Two five-phase PMSM, with general FSCW (GFSCW) and modular stator FSCW (MFSCW), are analyzed and compared in detail, including the stator structures, star of slots diagrams, and MMF harmonic analysis based on the winding function theory. The analytical results are verified by finite element method, the torque characteristics and phase back-EMF are also taken into considerations. Results show that the MFSCW PMSM can produce higher average torque, while characterized by more MMF harmonic contents and larger ripple torque.

Analysis of Factors Affecting Stress in the Elderly Women

  • Kang, Yun-Jung;Lee, Gil-Hyun
    • Biomedical Science Letters
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    • v.24 no.4
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    • pp.319-328
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    • 2018
  • The purpose of this study is to identify the factors influencing the stress of the elderly women by various tools and to provide basic data for adaptation to the aging women. For this purpose, stress was measured by stress measuring equipment (HRV) and stress measurement questionnaire (SRI) in 31 elderly women over 60 years old. In summary, the results of this study suggest that the worse the subjective health, and when there is a spouse, it predicts a stress. In order to reduce the stress of elderly women based on these results, physical health management and environmental factors that can enhance the intimacy between husband and wife are also necessary.

A Study on the Improvement of Risk Assessment Method in Laboratory (연구실 위험성평가방법 개선에 관한 연구)

  • Kim, Soo-Tae
    • Journal of the Society of Disaster Information
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    • v.18 no.3
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    • pp.444-456
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    • 2022
  • Purpose: Laboratories require Preliminary Risk Analysis of Hazard Factors, but there are many laboratories that do not. For the purpose of securing the safety of the laboratory, it is intended to find improvements so that the Risk Assessment can be easily applied. Method: Research papers and data from the Laboratory Safety Management Survey Report by the Ministry of Science and ICT were used. The study was conducted by comparing Preliminary Risk Analysis of Hazard Factors and Risk Assessment under the Occopational Safety and Health Act. Result: A technique for Risk Assessment of a laboratory was proposed. When Risk Assessment of the laboratory, a method was proposed to estimate the size of the possibility(frequency) and severity(intensity). Conclusion: For easy application in the laboratory, a checklist-type Risk Assessment technique was presented and actual evaluation was conducted. It is expected that the laboratory will improve through Risk Assessment to help prevent safety accidents.

Factors Potentially Associated with Chemotherapy-induced Anemia in Patients with Solid Cancers

  • Cheng, Ke;Zhao, Feng;Gao, Feng;Dong, Hang;Men, Hai-Tao;Chen, Ye;Li, Long-Hao;Ge, Jun;Tang, Jie;Ding, Jing;Chen, Xin;Du, Yang;Luo, Wu-Xia;Liu, Ji-Yan
    • Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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    • v.13 no.10
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    • pp.5057-5061
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    • 2012
  • Purpose: Chemotherapy-induced anemia (CIA) is one of the most important causes of anemia in cancer patients. This study was conducted to describe the prevalence and characteristics of CIA in solid cancer patients in the Chinese population, and to explore the relationship of white blood cell (WBC) or platelet decrease with CIA. Methods: Data on age, gender, tumor diagnosis, anti-cancer treatment and blood cell analyses were available from 220 untreated non-anemic cancer patients who received at least 2 cycles of chemotherapy, and the data were analyzed to assess their relationship with CIA or its severity. Results: 139 patients (63.2%) presented anemia, most being Grade 1 or 2. Esophageal and lung cancers were associated with a high prevalence. G3/4 leucopenia and decrease of platelets were identified as independent risk factors for the occurrence of CIA. Moreover, G3/4 leucopenia, decrease of platelet and G3/4 thrombocytopenia were found to be also associated with the severity of CIA. Cisplatin-containing regimens were a main potential factor in causing CIA, although significant association was only found on univariate analysis. Conclusion: Anemia or decrease in hematoglobin are common in Chinese cancer patients receiving chemotherapy. Cisplatin-containing regimens might be an important factor influencing the occurrence of CIA. Our analysis firstly described some risk factors, such as decrease of platelets or WBCs, severity of leucopenia or thrombocytopenia, associated with the occurrence and severity of CIA.

Significance of Thrombocytosis in Clinicopathologic Characteristics and Prognosis of Gastric Cancer

  • Li, Fang-Xuan;Wei, Li-Juan;Zhang, Huan;Li, Shi-Xia;Liu, Jun-Tian
    • Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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    • v.15 no.16
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    • pp.6511-6517
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    • 2014
  • Purpose: We aimed to study the relationship between thrombocytosis and clinical features of gastric cancerfocussing on platelet counts and gastric cancer progression through different TNM stages. Methods: According to the normal range of platelet count in our institution, 1,596 patients were divided to two groups: a thrombocytosis group (120 patients, > $400{\times}1000/{\mu}L$) and a control group (1,476 patients, ${\leq}400{\times}1000/{\mu}L$). Results: The incidence of thrombocytosis was 7.5%. Higher platelet counts were observed in patients with older age, larger tumor size, deeper invasion, lymph node metastasis, distant metastasis and advanced TNM stage. In multivariate logistic regression, tumor size, depth of tumor invasion, lymph node metastasis and TNM stage were independent risk factors for thrombocytosis of gastric cancer patients. On prognostic analysis, age, tumor size, tumor location, histologic type, depth of tumor invasion, lymph node metastasis, distant metastasis and TNM stage and platelet count were important factors. Tumor size, invasion depth, lymph node metastasis, TNM stage and the platelet count were independent prognostic factors. Conclusion: Thrombocytosis is associated with clinical features of gastric cancer patients and correlates with a poor prognosis.

Insights into the Gut Microbiota of Freshwater Shrimp and Its Associations with the Surrounding Microbiota and Environmental Factors

  • Zhao, Yanting;Duan, Cuilan;Zhang, Xu-xiang;Chen, Huangen;Ren, Hongqiang;Yin, Ying;Ye, Lin
    • Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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    • v.28 no.6
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    • pp.946-956
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    • 2018
  • The gut microbiota of aquatic animals plays a crucial role in host health through nutrient acquisition and outcompetition of pathogens. In this study, on the basis of the high-throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA gene amplicons, we examined the bacterial communities in the gut of freshwater shrimp (Macrobrachium nipponense) and in their living environments (sediment and pond water) and analyzed the effects of abiotic and biotic factors on the shrimp gut bacterial communities. High bacterial heterogeneity was observed in the freshwater shrimp gut samples, and the result indicated that both the surrounding bacterial community and water quality factors (particularly dissolved oxygen and temperature) could affect the shrimp gut bacterial community. Despite the observed heterogeneity, 57 genera, constituting 38-99% of the total genera in each of the 40 shrimp gut samples, were identified as the main bacterial population in the gut of M. nipponense. In addition, a high diversity and abundance of lactic acid bacteria (26 genera), which could play significant roles in the digestion process in shrimp, were observed in the shrimp gut samples. Overall, this study provides insights into the gut bacterial communities of freshwater shrimp and basic information for shrimp farming regarding the application of probiotics and disease prevention.