Case volume per 100 000 population and perioperative mortality rate (POMR) are key indicators to monitor and strengthen surgical services. However, comparisons of POMR have been restricted by absence of standardised approaches to when it is measured, the ideal denominator, need for risk adjustment, and whether data are available. We aimed to address these issues and recommend a minimum dataset by

OBJECTIVES: In previous trials, patients with type 2 diabetes using calcium channel blockers (CCB) have suffered a less favourable outcome when compared with patients on other treatments. The present study was designed to compare mortality in type 2 diabetes patients using either CCB or beta blockers (BB) as antihypertensive agents. DESIGN: Retrospective observational study. Patients were followed

Educational software in the form of games or so called “computer assisted intervention” for young children has become increasingly common receiving a growing interest and support. Currently there are, for instance, more than 1,000 iPad apps tagged for preschool. Thus, it has become increasingly important to empirically investigate whether these kinds of software actually provide educational benefi

Most couples therapy theories are developed and tested in the USA. In this clinical study, we investigated such therapies in a Swedish context. Over 300 couples were enrolled in the study of whom just under half completed the end-of-treatment assessment and just over 40 per cent a two-year follow-up. At the start, the study group displayed severe problems in marital adjustment, dyadic interactions

BACKGROUND: Alteration in respiratory activity and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) transcription seems to be an important feature of cancer cells. Leukotriene D(4) (LTD(4)) is a proinflammatory mediator implicated in the pathology of chronic inflammation and cancer. We have shown earlier that LTD(4) causes translocation of beta-catenin both to the mitochondria, in which it associates with the survival p

Newly available wavelet bases on multi-resolution analysis have exciting implications for detection of change-points. By checking the absolute value of wavelet coefficients one call detect discontinuities in ail otherwise smooth curve even in the presence of additive noise. In this paper, we combine wavelet methods and extreme value theory to test the presence of ail arbitrary number of discontinu

A new concept for the preparation of selective sorbents with high flow path properties is presented by embedding molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) into various macroporous gels (MGs). A MIP was first synthetized with 17β-estradiol (E2) as template for the selective adsorption of this endocrine disrupter. The composite macroporous gel/MIP (MG/MIP) monoliths were then prepared at subzero tempera

This essay is about the indigenous people Urak Lawoi in Andaman Sea, outside the west coast of Thailand. The study shows what happens to them when they are being deprived of their territory and are being forced to abandon their culture, lifestyle and traditional economic subsistence. Urak Lawoi have until recently maintained culture, language and lifestyle apart from the rest of Thai society. Dur

Objective To study the characteristics of the infants born to women who have used anti-asthmatic drugs during pregnancy. Material and methods Various characteristics of infants with mothers who had reported the use of anti-asthmatic drugs in early pregnancy (n=24,750) or had such drugs prescribed later during pregnancy by a maternity health care centre (n=763) were identified from the Swedish Medi

Popular Abstract in Swedish Klumpfot är en medfödd fotfelställning, som drabbar 1 av 1000 barn. Behandlingen består initialt av korrektion av felställningen, genom töjning och eventuellt operation. Det finns flera alternativa metoder att genomföra töjningar, och flera alternativa operationsmetoder. När felställningen korrigerats övergår behandlingen till att bibehålla det uppnådda läget med hjälp Clubfoot is a congenital disorder, affecting about one of 1000 children. Treatment consists of initial correction of the deformity, followed by prolonged orthosis treatment to maintain the correction obtained. There are several different treatment options. Outcome studies, using reliable and valid instruments are rare. In this thesis an assessment instrument, Clubfoot Assessment Protocol (CAP) wa

The aim of this study was to model the effect of short (3 year) treatments for osteoporosis at different times after menopause on the risk of osteoporotic fracture and to assess the impact of strategies to target high-risk individuals. Treatment efficacy for hip, proximal forearm, shoulder, and spine fracture were computed from the relationship between bone mineral density (BMD) and fracture in wo

Five hundred and sixty-one managers in Central and Eastern Europe were asked how much they relied on each of eight sources of quidance in handling eight relatively routine work events. A previous study indicated particularly strong reliance on one's own experience and training in the Czech Republic and Hungary. Managers from Poland and Slovakia relied more on superiors, while in Romania and Bulgar

Gene fusions have been described in approximately one-third of soft tissue tumors (STT); of the 142 different fusions that have been reported, more than half are recurrent in the same histologic subtype. These gene fusions constitute pivotal driver mutations, and detailed studies of their cellular effects have provided important knowledge about pathogenetic mechanisms in STT. Furthermore, most fus

Laparoscopic skills training and evaluation outside the operating room is important for all surgeons learning new skills. To study feasibility, a video box trainer tracking 4-dimensional (4D) metrics was evaluated as a laparoscopic training tool.

OBJECTIVE:: Striatal serotonin projections have been implicated in levodopa-induced dyskinesia by providing an unregulated source of dopamine release. We set out to determine whether these projections are affected by levodopa treatment in a way that would favor the occurrence of dyskinesia. METHODS:: As an index of terminal serotonin innervation density, we measured radioligand binding to the plas

Characterization of a copA(-) mutant in the purple photosynthetic bacterium Rubrivivax gelatinosus under low oxygen or anaerobic conditions, as well as in the human pathogen Neisseria gonorrhoeae identified HemN as a copper toxicity target enzyme in the porphyrin synthesis pathway. Heme synthesis is, however, unaffected by copper under high oxygen tension because of the aerobic coproporphyrinogen

The materials in plastic protective gloves are thought to cause less contact allergy than rubber gloves. Our aim was to estimate the frequency of delayed reactions to different types of reusable protective gloves among dermatitis patients. 2 x 2 cm pieces of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) gloves, nitrile gloves, and natural rubber latex (NRL) gloves were tested as is in consecutive dermatitis patients t

Targeted therapy with trastuzumab has proven to be effective for patients with gastric cancer overexpressing the human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2). Further studies are needed to determine the best method for assessment of HER2 overexpression. Moreover, the prognostic value of HER2 overexpression, including the significance of tumour heterogeneity, remains unclear.