This report describes the clinical characteristics of influenza A(H1N1)v virus infection in Osaka. By the end of May, 171 cases had been reported in Osaka. Most patients were from one school. No ...patient had a serious underlying medical condition.Clinical symptoms were mild and resembled those of seasonal influenza. The sensitivity of the rapid antigen test was 77%. Antivirals were given to the majority of the cases. Early antiviral treatment may have shortened the duration of fever.
By using the GRACE-Loop system, we calculate the full O(α) electroweak radiative corrections to the process e+e−→e+e−γ, which is important for future investigations at the International Linear ...Collider (ILC). With the GRACE-Loop system, the calculations are checked numerically by three consistency tests: ultraviolet finiteness, infrared finiteness, and gauge-parameter independence. The results show good numerical stability when quadruple precision is used. In the phenomenological results, we find that the electroweak corrections to the total cross section range from ∼−4% to ∼−21% when s varies from 250 GeV to 1 TeV. The corrections also significantly affect the differential cross sections, which are a function of energies and angles of the final state particles. Such corrections will play an important role in the high-precision program at the ILC.
Summary Objective To assess household transmission of pandemic influenza A (H1N1) and effectiveness of postexposure prophylaxis (PEP) of antiviral drugs among household contacts of patients during ...the first pandemic influenza A (H1N1) outbreak in Osaka, Japan in May 2009. Methods Active surveillance of patients and their families was conducted. Public Health Center staff visited each home with an infected patient and advised every household member with regard to precautionary measures, and PEP was provided to household contacts to prevent secondary infection. We analyzed the effectiveness of PEP and characteristics of secondary infection. Results The secondary attack rate (SAR) among household contacts was 3.7%. The SAR among household contacts without PEP was 26.1%. However, the SAR among those with PEP was 0.6%. Only two of 331 household contacts with PEP became infected. One of the two was infected with an oseltamivir-resistant strain. Analysis of SAR by age group showed that those under 20 years of age were at higher risk than those over 20 (relative risk RR = 7.9; 95% confidence interval CI = 2.24–27.8). Significant differences with respect to sex, number of household contacts, and use of antiviral medications in the index cases were not observed. Conclusions Our present results indicate that PEP is effective for preventing secondary H1N1 infection among household contacts.
Abstract Aims Evidence suggests that pre- and/or postoperative treatment benefits patients with stage II/III rectal cancer. This study aimed to quantify treatment patterns and adherence to treatment ...guidelines, and to identify barriers to having a consultation with an oncologist and barriers to receiving treatment in stage II/III rectal cancer, in a publicly funded medical care system. Materials and methods Patients with surgically treated stage II/III rectal adenocarcinoma, diagnosed from 2002 to 2005 in Alberta, a Canadian province with a population of 3 million, were included. Demographic and treatment information from the Alberta Cancer Registry were linked to data from electronic medical records, hospital discharge data and the 2001 Canadian Census. The study outcomes were ‘not having an oncologist consultation’ and ‘not receiving guideline-based treatment’. The relative risks of the two outcomes in association with patient characteristics were estimated using multivariable log-binomial regression. Results Of a total of 910 surgically treated stage II/III rectal adenocarcinoma patients, 748 (82%) had a consultation with an oncologist and 414 (45.5%) received treatment. Pre-/post-surgical treatment modalities and timing varied; 96 (10.5%) received neoadjuvant treatment only, 389 (42.7%) received adjuvant treatment only, 119 (13.1%) received both, and 306 (33.6%) had surgery alone. Factors related to not having a consultation with an oncologist included older age, co-morbidities, cancer stage II and region of residence. Older age was the most significantly associated factor with not receiving treatment (relative risk = 2.23; 95% confidence interval: 1.89, 2.64). Conclusions Disparities exist in the receipt of treatment in stage II/III rectal cancer. Factors such as age, region of residence and stage should not be barriers to consulting an oncologist to discuss or receive treatment. The reasons for these disparities need to be identified and addressed.
PDF
