This retrospective cohort study investigated whether metformin may reduce gastric cancer risk by using the reimbursement databases of the Taiwan's National Health Insurance. Patients with type 2 diabetes diagnosed during 1999-2005 and newly treated with metformin (n=287971, "ever users of metformin") or other antidiabetic drugs (n=16217, "never users of metformin") were followed until December ...

background : toxoplasma gondii is a worldwide obligate intercellular parasite. felids are its definitive host and warm-blooded animals including humans are its intermediate host. the aim of this seroepidemiological study was to investigate the frequency of human infection using elisa method and related risk factors in tabriz city, northwestern iran. methods : in this cross sectional study, 171 ...

We study three contractual arrangements – co-development, licensing, and co-development with opt-out options – for the joint development of new products between a small and financially constrained innovator firm and a large technology company, as in the case of a biotech innovator and a major pharma company. We formulate our arguments in the context of a two-stage model, characterized by techni...

This paper gives a never completely account of approaches that have been used for the research community for representing knowledge. After underlining the importance of a layered approach and the use of standards, it starts with early eVorts used for artiWcial intelligence researchers. Then recent approaches, aimed mainly at the semantic web, are described. Coding examples from the literature a...

The problem of information “getting into the wrong hands” has existed since the first stored data computer systems. Numerous companies and government departments have been embarrassed by data left on un-erased media such as magnetic tape and discovered by inquiring minds. The advent of data communications brought the problem to a whole new level, since information could be transmitted over long...

Background: Intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) is one of the most usable methods in prostate radiotherapy that is used with different techniques. The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the dosimetric and radiobiological effects of prostate IMRT techniques regarding to joint volume between the target tissue and organs at risk as a patients anatomical parameter. Methods: This res...

We study optimal testing to inform quarantine decisions for a population exhibiting heterogeneous probability of carrying pathogen. Because test supply is limited, the planner may choose pooled sample, which contains specimens multiple individuals ( Dorfman, 1943 ). characterize unique allocation tests. This features assortative batching , whereby agents differing infection risk are never joint...