Trabecular bone score (TBS) is a grey-level textural index of bone microarchitecture derived from lumbar spine dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) images. TBS is a BMD-independent predictor of fracture risk. The objective of this meta-analysis was to determine whether TBS predicted fracture risk independently of FRAX probability and to examine their combined performance by adjusting the FRAX pr

INTRODUCTION: Study aim was to find out if patients with Lenke type 1 curve exhibit smaller pedicles and specific pedicle width pattern compared with individuals with no scoliosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 4,828 pedicle width measurements (T1-L5) in 61 consecutive patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis of Lenke type 1 curve, 61 control subjects, and 20 patients with Lenke type 5 curve, were

The role of cannabinoids in fatty liver disease has been increasingly acknowledged in recent years, and it has been suggested that drugs targeting peripheral cannabinoid receptors could have therapeutic use. Development of such drugs would require a good understanding of the mechanisms of fat accumulation caused by cannabinoid receptor activation. This review describes in detail the enzymatic step

Abstract Objective. Several studies indicate that ethnicity may be a strong predictor of poor self-rated health (SRH). The aims of the present study were to investigate whether there was an association between ethnicity and poor SRH in subjects with type 2 diabetes and to determine if the association remained after adjusting for possible confounders such as age, gender employment, marital status,

The capability of retrieving spectral information from line shapes recorded by two-tone frequency-modulation spectroscopy (TTFMS) is investigated. A TTFMS theory accounting for dispersion and nonlinear distortion of diode laser frequency modulation response is presented. The adequacy of the theory for a detailed modeling of line shapes recorded with high resolution is examined. An extensive error

Background: Short-term exposure to high levels of air pollution can increase stroke risk. In this study we investigated the short-term effects of air pollution on hospital admissions for stroke in a setting where pollutant levels are rather low. We also addressed methodological issues in evaluating the short-term effects of air pollution. Methods: Daily admissions of ischemic (n = 11,267) and hemo

CD1d-restricted natural killer T (NKT) cells belong to the innate-like lymphocytes which respond rapidly to stress and infectious challenge. We have studied murine CD1d-restricted NKT cells in the early immune response to virulent Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium after oral infection. In the liver and spleen, neutrophil and macrophage numbers had increased several-fold by day 5 post-infecti

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is reviewed using the treatment of skin tumors as an example of superficial lesions and prostate cancer as an example of deep-lying lesions requiring interstitial intervention. These two applications are among the most commonly studied in oncological PDT, and illustrate well the different challenges facing the two modalities of PDT-superficial and interstitial. They thus

Segmentation of human brain using structural MRI is a key step of processing in imaging neuroscience. The methods have undergone a rapid development in the past two decades and are now widely available. This non-technical review aims at providing an overview and basic understanding of the most common software. Starting with the basis of structural MRI contrast in brain and imaging protocols, the

PURPOSE: To present a modification of the Zenith TX2 thoracic stent-graft that allows staged proximal deployment to improve apposition to the aortic wall. TECHNIQUE: Three standard Zenith TX2 thoracic stent-grafts and 3 modified versions were deployed in a glass model of the aortic arch. Deployment sequences were analyzed. In a patient with a 6-cm thoracic aortic aneurysm after a type B dissection

All patients older than 65 years (184 men; mean age, 78+/-0.8 years/181 women; mean age, 82+/-0.6 years) seeking medical attention at the Lund University Hospital Emergency Clinic during a 2-year period who had an N-terminal prohormone brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) value >2000 pg/mL were followed up for survival. Mortality in the entire population was 21% after 3 months, 35% after 1 year,

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: This study aims to investigate the process of monitor unit verification using control charts. Control charts is a key tool within statistical process control (SPC), through which process characteristics can be visualized, usually chronologically with statistically determined limits. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Our group has developed a monitor unit verification software that has

The RWAAI (Repository and Workspace for Austroasiatic Intangible heritage) project aims at building a digital archive out of existing legacy data from the austroasiatic language family. One aspect of the project is the preservation of analogue legacy data. In this context, we have at our hands a large number of mostly-phonemic transcriptions of narrative monologues, often with accompanying sound r

ABSTRACT: The pathogenesis of systemic sclerosis (SSc) is characterized by autoimmunity, vasculopathy and fibrosis. IL-15 is a pleiotropic cytokine that has impact on immune, vascular and connective tissue cells. We therefore investigated IL-15 in the circulation of patients with early SSc and explored possible associations of serum IL-15 with vasculopathy and fibrosis. Serum levels of IL-15 were

The var-gene encoding Plasmodium falciparum erythrocyte membrane protein 1 (PfEMP1) is known to play a major role in the pathogenicity of the P. falciparum parasite. The protein enables the parasite to adhere to the endothelial linings of small blood vessels (cytoadherence) as well as to non-infected erythrocytes (rosetting), thus preventing clearance from the bloodstream. The development and spre