Randomized clinical trials have established the role of third-generation aromatase inhibitors (AIs) (letrozole, anastrozole, and exemestane) as standard treatment for patients with hormone-sensitive metastatic breast cancer who have experienced disease progression with antiestrogen therapy. Significant gains in clinical efficacy and improved tolerability over progestins (megestrol acetate) and the

Background/Aims: This study aims at describing the natural history and outcome of small duct primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC). Methods: Thirty-two patients with small duct PSC were studied. The average time taken for diagnosis was 69 (1-168) months. The median follow-up time was 63 (1-194) months. Results: All patients including one who underwent liver transplantation because of end-stage live

The paper treats the problem of ratio control. Previous solutionsbased on simple Ratio stations perform poorly during transientscaused by setpoint changes. A new solution, the Blend station, thatimproves control during transients, is proposed. Both a constant-gainand an adaptive version are presented.

In this article, we evaluate the work out of some artificial neural network models as tools for support in the medical diagnosis of urological dysfunctions. We develop two types of unsupervised and one supervised neural network. This scheme is meant to help the urologists in obtaining a diagnosis for complex multi-variable diseases and to reduce painful and costly medical treatments since neurolog

Insects active in dim light, such as moths and many beetles, normally have superposition compound eyes to increase photon capture. But there are nocturnal and crepuscular insects - such as some species of bees, wasps and butterflies - that have apposition compound eyes. These are likely to have adaptations - including large eye and facet size and coarsened spatial and temporal resolution - that im

The irritation response of the rabbit eye to trigeminal nerve stimulation, which includes a breakdown of the blood-aqueous barrier (BAB), seems to be due to the release of substance P (SP) and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP). In order to assess the relative importance of these two peptides for the barrier effect, and the role of arachidonic acid metabolites (AAM) in the response, we have st

PURPOSE: A previous study has shown age- and sex-related differences in abdominal aortic compliance. In that study blood pressure determined by auscultation in the brachial artery was assumed to be equal to blood pressure in the abdominal aorta. To validate our findings we investigated the pressure-diameter (P-D) relationship of the abdominal aorta. METHODS: Diameter and pulsatile diameter change

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate a modified uterine artery score based on the pulsatility index and presence or absence of notching in the Doppler velocity waveform recorded from both uterine arteries in relation to the perinatal outcome. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed in 741 third-trimester high-risk pregnancies. The uterine artery score was constructed assigning one point to each abnormal

Nuclear quadrupole resonance (NQR) is a radiofrequency technique that can be used to detect the presence of quadrupolar nuclei, such as the N-14 nucleus prevalent in many explosives and narcotics. In a typical application, one observes trains of decaying NQR echoes, in which the decay is governed by the spin echo decay time(s) of the resonant line(s). In most detection algorithms, these echoes are

OBJECTIVES: To investigate prospectively long term patient relevant outcomes after unilateral total hip replacement (THR) for osteoarthritis (OA). To identify non-responders to this intervention and patient related predictors of unsatisfactory outcome.METHODS: A case-control study comparing health related quality of life of 219 patients (mean age 71) after THR with that of a matched reference grou

This report describes experimental studies of the mechanical performance of self-compacting concrete, SCC, under compresseive loading at fire temperatures. The SCC contains different amounts of polypropylene fibre, different types of cement and air content, preconditioned either in the air or in water. The result of the studies was compared with the corresponding properties of normal concrete, wit

A spectroscopic study of Sb-108 has been carried out as a part of a larger experiment where in total twenty-nine different residual nuclei were identified. This study gives the first information on excited levels in this nucleus. A low-lying two-quasi-particle multiplet together with some of the higher lying levels are discussed within the framework of the nuclear shell model. A rotational, strong

This paper describes a radio-tracking study of Osmoderma eremita, a large Scarabaeid beetle, living in hollow trees. The study seems to be the first in which radio telemetry has been used with a flying insect in the field. Some 74 adult beetles were tagged with radio transmitters weighing 0.48-0.52 1, and having a nominal battery life of 12-20 days. Transmissions were detected at ranges of up to 3