Irradiated disks and planet population synthesis

Recent planet population synthesis models (Alibert et al. 2010, submitted) have emphasized the key role played by the proto-planetary disk properties in determining the overall planet population characteristics. We present a disk model that takes into account viscous heating and irradiation by a central star. We consider the case of an equilibrium flaring angle. We illustrate the consequences of the resulting changes in the disk structure on the planet population by the synthetic populations corresponding to each of the different structures.

Family characteristics as risk factors for childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia: a population-based case-control study

To date, few risk factors for childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) have been confirmed and the scientific literature is full of controversial "evidence." We examined if family characteristics, particularly maternal and paternal age and number of older siblings, were risk factors for childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).

Transient apical ballooning syndrome--clinical characteristics, ballooning pattern, and long-term follow-up in a Swiss population

BACKGROUND: Transient apical ballooning syndrome (TABS) or Takotsubo cardiomyopathy mimics acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction, but is considered to have a good prognosis with only moderate elevation of myocardial enzymes and full recovery of left ventricular function. Although it is increasingly reported, its exact incidence, clinical presentation, and prognosis in non-Asian populations remain largely unknown. OBJECTIVE: To describe the clinical characteristics and long-term follow-up of patients who presented with TABS at our institution over a 3 year-period. METHODS: Patients were retrospectively retrieved from our local database. Patient charts were carefully reviewed and the diagnosis of TABS was based on the Mayo Clinic diagnostic criteria. Moreover, psychosocial stress or gastrointestinal disease was recorded. RESULTS: During the study period, 13,715 coronary angiographies were performed at our institution, including 2459 patients presenting with an acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Forty-one TABS were diagnosed, which represents an incidence of 1.7% of ACS-patients and 0.3% of all coronary angiographies performed, respectively. Mean age was 65 years, with 85% women. Clinical presentations included chest pain, dyspnoea, and cardiogenic shock. A preceding psychological or physical condition perceived as "stress" was reported in 61%. At a mean follow-up of 675+/-288 days, none of the patients died of cardiac causes, but two patients had a recurrence of symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: This is the largest cohort of TABS patients reported out of Europe so far. The good overall prognosis and low likelihood of recurrence were confirmed.

The Prevention of cerebrovascular and cardiovascular Events of ischemic origin with teRutroban in patients with a history oF ischemic strOke or tRansient ischeMic attack (PERFORM) study: baseline characteristics of the population

BACKGROUND: The Prevention of cerebrovascular and cardiovascular Events of ischemic origin with teRutroban in patients with a history oF ischemic strOke or tRansient ischeMic attack (PERFORM) study is an international double-blind, randomized controlled trial designed to investigate the superiority of the specific TP receptor antagonist terutroban (30 mg/day) over aspirin (100 mg/day), in reducing cerebrovascular and cardiovascular events in patients with a recent history of ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack. Here we describe the baseline characteristics of the population. METHODS AND RESULTS: Parameters recorded at baseline included vital signs, risk factors, medical history, and concomitant treatments, as well as stroke subtype, stroke-associated disability on the modified Rankin scale, and scores on scales for cognitive function and dependency. Eight hundred and two centers in 46 countries recruited a total of 19,119 patients between February 2006 and April 2008. The population is evenly distributed and is not dominated by any one country or region. The mean +/- SD age was 67.2 +/- 7.9 years, 63% were male, and 83% Caucasian; 83% had hypertension, and about half the population smoked or had quit smoking. Ninety percent of the qualifying events were ischemic stroke, 67% of which were classified as atherothrombotic or likely atherothrombotic (pure or coexisting with another cause). Modified Rankin scale scores showed slight or no disability in 83% of the population, while the scores on the Mini-Mental State Examination, Isaacs' Set Test, Zazzo's Cancellation Test, and the instrumental activities of daily living scale showed a good level of cognitive function and autonomy. CONCLUSIONS: The PERFORM study population is homogeneous in terms of demographic and disease characteristics. With 19,119 patients, the PERFORM study is powered to test the superiority of terutroban over aspirin in the secondary prevention of cerebrovascular and cardiovascular events in patients with a recent history of ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack.

Phenotypes and echocardiographic characteristics of a European population of domestic shorthair cats with idiopathic hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

111 Domestic Shorthair cats with idiopathic hypertrophic cardiomyopathy were reviewed retrospectively. Two-dimensional echocardiography was used to classify cases in 6 established phenotypes. Hypertrophy was diffuse in 61 % of cats and involved major portions of the ventricular septum and the left ventricular free wall (phenotype D). In the remaining cats, distribution of hypertrophy was more segmental and was identified on the papillary muscles exclusively (phenotype A, 6 %), on the anterior and basal portion of the ventricular septum (phenotype B, 12 %), on the entire septum (phenotype C, 14 %), or on the left ventricular free wall (phenotype E, 7 %). Echocardiographic characteristics and clinical findings were determined for each phenotype to study the correlation between distribution of hypertrophy and clinical implications. 31 cats demonstrated systolic anterior motion of the mitral valve, 75 % of them belonged to phenotype C of hypertrophy. Left ventricular-outflow turbulences were identified more frequently with patterns of hypertrophy involving the ventricular septum (65.5 %), while prevalence of mitral regurgitation was higher when hypertrophy included the papillary muscles (phenotypes A and E, 85 % and 87 %, respectively). Left atrial dilatation occurred more frequently when hypertrophy was diffuse or confined to the left ventricular free wall (61 % of cats with phenotype D or E) rather than to the ventricular septum (31 % of cats with phenotype B or C).

Lateral incisor agenesis, canine impaction and characteristics of supernumerary teeth in a South European male population

Objective: To assess the prevalence of lateral incisor agenesis impacted canines and supernumerary teeth in a young adult male population. Materials and Methods: The panoramic radiographs of 1745 military students (mean age: 18.6 ± 0.52 years) who attended the Center of Aviation Medicine of the Armed Forces of Greece during the period 1997-2011 were initially analyzed for lateral incisor agenesis by two observers. After exclusion of the known orthodontic cases, a subgroup of 1636 examinees (mean age: 18.6 ± 0.44 years) was evaluated for canine impaction and supernumerary teeth. Results: Twenty-eight missing lateral incisors were observed in 22 military students, indicating an incidence of 1.3% in the investigated population. No lateral incisor agenesis was detected in the mandibular arch. A prevalence rate of 0.8% was determined for canine impaction in the sample of young adults. The majority of impacted teeth (86.7%) were diagnosed in the maxillary arch. Thirty-five supernumerary teeth were observed in 24 examinees (prevalence rate: 1.5%). The ratio of supernumerary teeth located in the maxilla versus the mandible was 2.2:1. The most common type of supernumerary tooth was the upper distomolar. Conclusion: The prevalence of lateral incisor agenesis, canine impaction, and supernumerary teeth ranged from 0.8 to 1.5% in the sample of male Greek military students.

Associations of Urinary Uromodulin with Clinical Characteristics and Markers of Tubular Function in the General Population

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Allelic variants in UMOD, the gene coding for uromodulin, are associated with rare tubulointerstitial kidney disorders and risk of CKD and hypertension in the general population. The factors associated with uromodulin excretion in the normal population remain largely unknown, and were therefore explored in this study. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, & MEASUREMENTS Urinary uromodulin excretion was measured using a validated ELISA in two population-based cohorts that included more than 6500 individuals. The Swiss Kidney Project on Genes in Hypertension study (SKIPOGH) included 817 adults (mean age±SD, 45±17 years) who underwent renal ultrasonography and performed a 24-hour urine collection. The Cohorte Lausannoise study included 5706 adults (mean age, 53±11 years) with fresh spot morning urine samples. We calculated eGFRs using the CKD-Epidemiology Collaboration formula and by 24-hour creatinine clearance. RESULTS In both studies, positive associations were found between uromodulin and urinary sodium, chloride, and potassium excretion and osmolality. In SKIPOGH, 24-hour uromodulin excretion (median, 41 [interquartile range, 29-57] mg/24 h) was positively associated with kidney length and volume and with creatinine excretion and urine volume. It was negatively associated with age and diabetes. Both spot uromodulin concentration and 24-hour uromodulin excretion were linearly and positively associated (multivariate analyses) with eGFR<90 ml/min per 1.73 m(2). CONCLUSION Age, creatinine excretion, diabetes, and urinary volume are independent clinical correlates of urinary uromodulin excretion. The associations of uromodulin excretion with markers of tubular functions and kidney dimensions suggest that it may reflect tubule activity in the general population.

Trends over time of virological and immunological characteristics in the Swiss HIV Cohort Study

The long-term outcome of antiretroviral therapy (ART) is not assessed in controlled trials. We aimed to analyse trends in the population effectiveness of ART in the Swiss HIV Cohort Study over the last decade.

Habitat-specific demography and source-sink dynamics in a population of Siberian jays

P>1. There are a number of models describing population structure, many of which have the capacity to incorporate spatial habitat effects. One such model is the source-sink model, that describes a system where some habitats have a natality that is higher than mortality (source) and others have a mortality that exceeds natality (sink). A source can be maintained in the absence of migration, whereas a sink will go extinct. 2. However, the interaction between population dynamics and habitat quality is complex, and concerns have been raised about the validity of published empirical studies addressing source-sink dynamics. In particular, some of these studies fail to provide data on survival, a significant component in disentangling a sink from a low quality source. Moreover, failing to account for a density-dependent increase in mortality, or decrease in fecundity, can result in a territory being falsely assigned as a sink, when in fact, this density-dependent suppression only decreases the population size to a lower level, hence indicating a 'pseudo-sink'. 3. In this study, we investigate a long-term data set for key components of territory-specific demography (mortality and reproduction) and their relationship to habitat characteristics in the territorial, group-living Siberian jay (Perisoreus infaustus). We also assess territory-specific population growth rates (r), to test whether spatial population dynamics are consistent with the ideas of source-sink dynamics. 4. Although average mortality did not differ between sexes, habitat-specific mortality did. Female mortality was higher in older forests, a pattern not observed in males. Male mortality only increased with an increasing amount of open areas. Moreover, reproductive success was higher further away from human settlement, indicating a strong effect of human-associated nest predators. 5. Averaged over all years, 76% of the territories were sources. These territories generally consisted of less open areas, and were located further away from human settlement. 6. The source-sink model provides a tool for modelling demography in distinct habitat patches of different quality, which can aid in identifying key habitats within the landscape, and thus, reduce the risk of implementing unsound management decisions.

Tuberculosis in HIV-Negative and HIV-Infected Patients in a Low-Incidence Country: Clinical Characteristics and Treatment Outcomes

Background In Switzerland and other developed countries, the number of tuberculosis (TB) cases has been decreasing for decades, but HIV-infected patients and migrants remain risk groups. The aim of this study was to compare characteristics of TB in HIV-negative and HIV-infected patients diagnosed in Switzerland, and between coinfected patients enrolled and not enrolled in the national Swiss HIV Cohort Study (SHCS). Methods and Findings All patients diagnosed with culture-confirmed TB in the SHCS and a random sample of culture-confirmed cases reported to the national TB registry 2000–2008 were included. Outcomes were assessed in HIV-infected patients and considered successful in case of cure or treatment completion. Ninety-three SHCS patients and 288 patients selected randomly from 4221 registered patients were analyzed. The registry sample included 10 (3.5%) coinfected patients not enrolled in the SHCS: the estimated number of HIV-infected patients not enrolled in the SHCS but reported to the registry 2000–2008 was 146 (95% CI 122–173). Coinfected patients were more likely to be from sub-Saharan Africa (51.5% versus 15.8%, P<0.0001) and to present disseminated disease (23.9% vs. 3.4%, P<0.0001) than HIV-negative patients. Coinfected patients not enrolled in the SHCS were asylum seekers or migrant workers, with lower CD4 cell counts at TB diagnosis (median CD4 count 79 cells/µL compared to 149 cells/µL among SHCS patients, P = 0.07). There were 6 patients (60.0%) with successful outcomes compared to 82 (88.2%) patients in the SHCS (P = 0.023). Conclusions The clinical presentation of coinfected patients differed from HIV-negative TB patients. The number of HIV-infected patients diagnosed with TB outside the SHCS is similar to the number diagnosed within the cohort but outcomes are poorer in patients not followed up in the national cohort. Special efforts are required to address the needs of this vulnerable population.

Participation, characteristics and retention rates of HIV-positive immigrants in the Swiss HIV Cohort Study

Data from observational cohorts may be influenced by population structure and loss to follow-up (LTFU). Quality of care may be associated with participation in cohort networks. We aimed to study the participation, characteristics and retention rates of immigrants in the Swiss HIV Cohort Study (SHCS).