BACKGROUND Few studies have prospectively and systematically explored the factors that acutely precipitate exacerbation of congestive heart failure (CHF) in patients with left ventricular dysfunction. Knowledge of such factors is important in designing measures to prevent deterioration of clinical status. The objective of this study was to prospectively describe the precipitants associated with...

Telecommunications providers expect products to perform reliably during operation in the field. Achieving the expected hardware reliability is due to an amalgamation of multiple factors. A significant contribution to reliable performance results from the incorporation of specific materials, which are very corrosion resistant and electrostatic discharge (ESD) safe during the design and manufactu...

Understanding protein phase behavior is important for purification, storage, and stable formulation of protein drugs in the biopharmaceutical industry. Glycoproteins, such as monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) are the most abundant biopharmaceuticals and probably the most difficult to crystallize among water-soluble proteins. This study explores the possibility of correlating osmotic second virial co...

SUMMARY Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is commonly encountered in clinical practice. The current case is a unique and rare presentation of DKA as the initial manifestation of Cushing's disease secondary to ACTH-secreting pituitary adenoma. Appropriate management as elaborated in the article led to total remission of diabetes as well as the Cushing's disease. LEARNING POINTS DKA is a serious and ...

Evidence now suggests that some people can exert some degree of control over seizure initiation and inhibition. In order to explore this further, 79 young people with epilepsy, attending specialist residential schools, were interviewed regarding awareness of seizure precipitants; recognition of seizure warnings; attempts at seizure inhibition, and ways of self-inducing seizures. Questionnaires ...

A prospective design was used to explore the precipitants of relapse in a naturalistic sample of pathological gamblers (N = 101) who had recently quit gambling. Relapse rates were high; only 8% were entirely free of gambling during the 12-month follow-up. Relapses were highly variable but occurred most frequently in the evening, when the person was alone and thinking about finances. Moods prior...

Otitis externa is most commonly caused by infection (usually bacterial, although occasionally fungal), but it may also be associated with a variety of noninfectious systemic or local dermatologic processes. The most characteristic symptom is discomfort that is limited to the external auditory canal, while the most characteristic signs are erythema and swelling of the canal with variable dischar...