Purpose: Macular development is a complex process that starts by mid-gestation and continues several years after birth. A preterm birth could affect this development, causing increased thickness in the central macula, but the effect of the macular function remains uncertain. The aim of this study was to investigate the macular function measured with multifocal electroretinography (mfERG), in forme

Background: Secondary hyperparathyroidism in elderly fragile patients presents clinical difficulties due to severity of symptoms and related comorbidity. The optimal surgical approach for this group of patients is still debated. Aim: The aim of the study was to define the optimal technique of parathyroidectomy in elderly patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism. Methods: Retrospective analysis

The theoretical understanding of inline rotor-stator mixer (RSM) efficiency, described in terms of the dissipation rate of turbulent kinetic energy as a function of mixer design and operation, is still poor. As opposed to the correlations for shaft power draw, where a substantial amount of experimental support for the suggested correlations exists, the previously suggested correlations for the dis

Since the 1990s, the low number of students choosing to study science and technology in higher education has been on the societal agenda and many initiatives have been launched to promote awareness regarding career options. The initiatives particularly focus on increasing enrolment in the engineering programmes. This article describes and compares eight European initiatives that have been establis

Background Polyhexamethylene biguanide (PHMB)-based antiseptic solutions can reduce bacterial loads in different clinical settings and are believed to lower risk of infections. Objective We sought to assess the efficacy of a PHMB-based solution in lowering bacterial loads of full-thickness skin grafting wounds and the risk of surgical site infections (SSIs). Methods In this double-blinded clinical

Purpose: Most knowledge regarding outcome after adrenal surgery stems from retrospective studies reported by highly specialized centres. The aim of this study was to report a national experience of adrenalectomy with particular attention to predictive factors for postoperative complications, conversion from endoscopic to open surgery and length of hospital stay. Methods: Adrenalectomies reported i

‘The Future of U.S. Public Diplomacy’ is a welcome addition to critical studies within the field of public diplomacy (PD) by public relations (PR) scholar Kathy Fitzpatrick. The monograph aims to untangle many of PD’s historical misconceptions and contribute to the development of its conceptual foundations through an examination of the U.S. experience. In truth, the interaction between the discuss

Monitoring vegetation gross primary production (GPP) is required for both carbon balance studies and early warning systems aiming to detect unfavorable crop and pasture conditions. This manuscript describes the assimilation of MODIS observations by a simple process model, fed by meteorological data (temperature, incident radiation and rainfall) and linked with a canopy reflectance model, to estima

We aimed to establish whether recall of elements of the neurological examination can be improved by use of a simple patient assessment score. In a previous study we demonstrated that in-patients referred to neurology at two United Kingdom (UK) hospitals were not fully examined prior to referral; we therefore designed a larger quality improvement report with 80% power to detect a 10% increase in te

Sparse, non-negative signals occur in many applications. To recover such signals, estimation posed as non-negative least squares problems have proven to be fruitful. Efficient algorithms with high accuracy have been proposed, but many of them assume either perfect knowledge of the dictionary generating the signal, or attempts to explain deviations from this dictionary by attributing them to compon

This paper describes the involvement of end users in a project aimed to create a navigation aid for older persons who have memory decline, which affects navigation skills, and thus their independence. Interviews, focus groups with “stick man scenarios” and shorter usability tests seemed to work well. An extended test where the users themselves were expected to use the system independently was not

Platelets are megakaryocyte-derived cellular fragments, which lack a nucleus and are the smallest circulating cells and are classically known to have a major role in supporting hemostasis. Apart from this well-established role, it is now becoming evident that platelets are also capable of conveying other important functions, such as during infection and inflammation. This paper will outline these

Extracellular vesicles, specifically microparticles (MPs), are rapidly gaining attention for their capacity to act as biomarkers for diagnosis, prognosis, or responsiveness to therapy in lung disease, in keeping with the concept of precision medicine. However, MP analysis by high-sensitivity flow cytometry (FCM) is complicated by a lack of accurate means for MP enumeration. To address this gap, we

In this issue of Blood, Laffont et al have identified a type of delivery system by platelets in the form of platelet microparticles delivering functional microRNA to endothelial cells. The delivery, it appears, may be a relatively novel process of regulation of gene expression in endothelial cells and potentially other nucleated cells of the body.

Objective To study the characteristics (except congenital malformations) of offspring born to women with a history of malignancy. Methods Data were obtained by linkage between four different Swedish national health registers. We compared the offspring born between 1994 and 2011 of women with a history of malignancy with all other infants. Survival of the infants was followed up through 2013. Adjus

Objectives: Atrial fibrillation has been associated with increased mortality in the general population and mixed populations of critical ill. Atrial fibrillation can also affect patients during post-cardiac arrest care. We sought to assess the prognostic implications of atrial fibrillation following out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, including relation to the level of targeted temperature management.

Purpose: The objectives of this study were to investigate perceptions of client-centred practice among Danish patients with hand-related disorders engaged in rehabilitation at outpatient clinics, and to decide on domains to serve as a conceptual foundation for item generation in the development of a new, standardized questionnaire to evaluate the experience of client-centredness among patients wit