Louisiana State University

About: Louisiana State University is a education organization based out in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Poison control. The organization has 40206 authors who have published 76587 publications receiving 2566076 citations. The organization is also known as: LSU & Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College.

The NANETS Consensus Guideline for the Diagnosis and Management of Neuroendocrine Tumors Well-Differentiated Neuroendocrine Tumors of the Jejunum, Ileum, Appendix, and Cecum

Abstract: Well-differentiated neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) of the jejunum, ileum, and appendix are also collectively known as midgut carcinoids. Similar to NETs in general, the diagnosed incidence of the midgut NETs is on the rise. Their presenting symptoms vary depending on stage and primary site. Local-regional NETs often present with vague and nonspecific symptoms. Classic carcinoid syndrome is more likely to appear in patients with advanced disease. Local-regional NETs of the small bowel should be resected whenever possible. With the exception of small well-differentiated NETs of the appendix, NETs of the midgut have substantial risk of relapse after resection and need to be followed for at least 7 years.Metastatic/advanced NETs of the midgut are incurable. Optimal management requires a multidisciplinary approach. Somatostatin analogs are effective in the management of carcinoid syndrome. Octreotide long-acting release has also recently been shown to delay disease progression. Liver-directed therapy and surgical debulking can improve quality of life in selected patients. Pivotal phase 3 studies with bevacizumab targeting vascular endothelial growth factor and everolimus targeting mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin) are ongoing and may lead to improved outcome. Further studies of novel approaches such as peptide receptor radiotherapy are also warranted.

Mid-trimester endovaginal sonography in women at high risk for spontaneous preterm birth.

Abstract: ContextAlthough shortened cervical length has been consistently associated with spontaneous preterm birth, it is not known when in gestation this risk factor becomes apparent.ObjectiveTo determine whether sonographic cervical findings between 16 weeks' and 18 weeks 6 days' gestation predict spontaneous preterm birth and whether serial evaluations up to 23 weeks 6 days' gestation improve prediction in high-risk women.Design, Setting, and ParticipantsBlinded observational study performed between March 1997 and November 1999 at 9 university-affiliated medical centers in the United States in 183 women with singleton gestations who previously had experienced a spontaneous birth before 32 weeks' gestation.ObservationCertified sonologists performed 590 endovaginal sonographic examinations at 2-week intervals. Cervical length was measured from the external os to the functional internal os along a closed endocervical canal. Funneling and dynamic cervical shortening were also recorded.Main Outcome MeasureSpontaneous preterm birth before 35 weeks' gestation, analyzed by selected cutoff values of cervical length.ResultsForty-eight women (26%) experienced spontaneous preterm birth before 35 weeks' gestation. A cervical length of less than 25 mm at the initial sonographic examination was associated with a relative risk (RR) for spontaneous preterm birth of 3.3 (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.1-5.0; sensitivity = 19%; specificity = 98%; positive predictive value = 75%). After controlling for cervical length, neither funneling (P = .24) nor dynamic shortening (P = .054) were significant independent predictors of spontaneous preterm birth. However, using the shortest ever observed cervical length on serial evaluations, after any dynamic shortening, the RR of a cervical length of less than 25 mm for spontaneous preterm birth increased to 4.5 (95% CI, 2.7-7.6; sensitivity = 69%; specificity = 80%; positive predictive value = 55%). Compared with a single cervical measurement at 16 weeks' to 18 weeks 6 days' gestation, serial measurements at up to 23 weeks 6 days significantly improved the prediction of spontaneous preterm birth in a receiver operating characteristic curve analysis (P = .03).ConclusionsCervical length assessed by endovaginal sonography between 16 weeks' and 18 weeks 6 days' gestation, augmented by serial evaluations, predicts spontaneous preterm birth before 35 weeks' gestation in high-risk women.

A Critical Evaluation of the Parenting Stress Index-Short Form (PSI-SF) in a Head Start Population

Abstract: Examines psychometric characteristics of the 36-item Parenting Stress Index-Short Form (PSI-SF) in a low-income, predominantly minority population. Relations between the PSI-SF, demographic, and psychosocial factors associated with parenting stress were examined. Internal consistencies for the PSI-SF were very good to excellent. However, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) indicated that a 3-factor model comprised of Parental Distress, Difficult Child, and Parent-Child Dysfunctional Interaction subscales was only marginally superior to a single-factor model. A series of multiple regression analyses examining the relation of psychosocial and demographic measures to PSI-SF subscales were more supportive of the 3-factor model proposed by Abidin (1995). As anticipated, the PSI-SF Difficult Child subscale was most strongly associated with a measure of child oppositionality, and the Parental Distress subscale was most highly associated with self-reported psychological symptoms and low income. Parent-Child Dysfun...

Accelerated degradation tests: modeling and analysis

Abstract: High reliability systems generally require individual system components having extremely high reliability over long periods of time. Short product development times require reliability tests to be conducted with severe time constraints. Frequently few or no failures occur during such tests, even with acceleration. Thus, it is difficult to assess reliability with traditional life tests that record only failure times. For some components, degradation measures can be taken over time. A relationship between component failure and amount of degradation makes it possible to use degradation models and data to make inferences and predictions about a failure-time distribution. This article describes degradation reliability models that correspond to physical-failure mechanisms. We explain the connection between degradation reliability models and failure-time reliability models. Acceleration is modeled by having an acceleration model that describes the effect that temperature (or another accelerating variable) has on...

The falling stage systems tract: recognition and importance in sequence stratigraphic analysis

Abstract: Until recently, sequence stratigraphic models have attributed systems tracts to periods of relative sea-level rise, highstand and lowstand. Recognition of a discrete phase of deposition during relative sea-level fall has been limited to a few studies, both in clastic and carbonate systems. Our work in siliciclastic ramp settings suggests that deposition during relative sea-level fall produces a distinctive falling stage systems tract (FSST), and that this is the logical counterpart to the transgressive systems tract. The FSST lies above and basinward of the highstand systems tract, and is overlain by the lowstand systems tract. The FSST is characterized by stratal offlap, although this is likely to be difficult or imposs- ible to recognize because of subsequent subaerial or transgressive ravinement erosion. The most practical diagnostic criteria of the FSST is the presence of erosive-based shoreface sandbodies in nearshore areas. The erosion results from wave scouring during relative sea- level fall, and the stratigraphically lowest surface defines the base of the FSST. Further off- shore, shoaling-upward successions may be abruptly capped by gutter casts filled with HCS sandstone, reflecting increased wave scour on the shelf during both FSST and LST time. The top of the FSST is defined by a subaerial surface of erosion which corresponds to the sequence boundary. This surface becomes a correlative submarine conformity seaward of the shoreline, where it forms the base of the lowstand systems tract. Differentiation of the FSST and LST may be difficult, but the LST is expected to contain gradationally-based shoreface successions because it was deposited when relative sea level was rising. Intern- ally, the FSST may be an undifferentiated body of sediment or it may be punctuated by internal regressive surfaces of marine erosion and ravinement surfaces which record higher- frequency sea-level falls and rises superimposed on a lower-frequency sea-level fall. The corresponding higher-order sequences are the building blocks of lower-order sequences. The addition of a falling stage systems tract results in a significant reduction in the pro- portion of strata within a sequence that are assigned to the classical highstand and lowstand systems tracts. Many outcrop and subsurface cross-sections use an overlying ravinement, or maximum flooding surface as datum. Those surfaces might be flat, but they are not horizontal. Both dip seaward at slopes that generally are steeper than the fluvial system responsible for cre- ating the sequence boundary. When a section is restored to such a datum, the falling stage systems tract will appear to record stratigraphic climb, whereas in fact it does not.