Patients with ankylosing spondylitis have increased sick leave—a registry-based case–control study over 7 yrs

Objectives. Using prospectively collected registry data to investigate sick leave (sickness benefit and sickness compensation) over a 7-yr period in patients with AS in comparison with population-based controls matched for age, sex and residential area

Genetic fuzzy system predicting contractile reactivity patterns of small arteries

Monitoring of physiological surrogate end points in drug development generates dynamic time-domain data reflecting the state of the biological system. Conventional data analysis often reduces the information in these data by extracting specific data points, thereby discarding potentially useful information. We developed a genetic fuzzy system (GFS) algorithm that is capable of learning all information in time-domain physiological data. Data on isometric force development of isolated small arteries were used as a framework for developing and optimizing a GFS. GFS performance was improved by several strategies. Results show that optimized fuzzy systems (OFSs) predict contractile reactivity of arteries accurately. In addition, OFSs identified significant differences that were undetectable using conventional analysis in the responses of arteries between groups. We concluded that OFSs may be used in clustering or classification tasks as aids in the objective identification or prediction of dynamic physiological behavior

A randomized trial of balloon kyphoplasty and nonsurgical management for treating acute vertebral compression fractures: vertebral body kyphosis correction and surgical parameters.

Objective. To compare the efficacy and safety of balloon kyphoplasty (BKP) with nonsurgical management (NSM) during 24 months in patients with painful vertebral compression fractures (VCFs). Summary of Background Data. Recently, several large randomized controlled trials have been conducted and reported how vertebral augmentation compares with NSM for patients with acute VCFs. Few of these trials report on the surgical aspects and radiographical vertebral deformity results. Methods. Adults with 1 to 3 VCFs were randomized within 3 months of pain to undergo bilateral BKP (n = 149) or NSM (n = 151). Surgical parameters, subjective quality of life assessments and objective functional (timed up and go) and radiographical assessments were collected. Results. Compared with NSM, the BKP group had greater improvements in SF-36 physical component summary (PCS) scores at 1 month (5.35 points; 95% CI, 3.41 - 7.30; P < 0.0001) and when averaged across the 24 months (overall treatment effect 2.71 points; 95% CI, 1.34-4.09; P = 0.0001). The kyphoplasty group also had greater functionality by assessing timed up and go (overall treatment effect - 2.49 s; 95% CI, - 0.82 to - 4.15; P = 0.0036). At 24 months, the change in index fracture kyphotic angulation was statistically significantly improved in the kyphoplasty group (average 3.13° of correction for kyphoplasty compared with 0.82° in the control, P = 0.003). Number of baseline prevalent fractures (P = 0.0003) and treatment assignment (P = 0.004) are the most predictive variables for PCS improvement; however, in patients who underwent BKP, there may also be a link with kyphotic angulation. In BKP, the highest quart for kyphotic angulation correction had higher PCS improvement (13.4 points) than the quart having lowest correction of angulation (7.40 points, P = 0.0146 for difference). The most common adverse events temporally related to surgery (i.e., within 30 d) were back pain (20 BKP, 11 NSM) new VCF (11 BKP, 7 NSM), nausea/vomiting (12 BKP, 4 NSM), and urinary tract infection (10 BKP, 3 NSM). Several other adverse events were possibly related to patient positioning in the operating room. Conclusion. Compared with NSM, BKP improves patient quality of life and pain averaged during 24 months and results in better improvement of index vertebral body kyphotic angulation. Perioperative complications may be reduced with more care in patient positioning

Does tumescent liposuction damage the lymph vessels in lipoedema patients?

Background: Lymphatic insufficiency might play a significant role in the pathophysiology of lipoedema. Liposuction is up to now the best treatment. As liposuction is invasive, the technique could destruct parts of the lymphatic system and by this aggravate the lymphatic component and/or induce lymphoedema. We investigated the function of the lymphatic system in lipoedema patients before and after tumescent liposuction and thus whether tumescent liposuction can be regarded as a safe treatment. Methods: Lymphoscintigraphy was performed to quantify the lymph outflow of 117 lipoedema patients. Mean clearance percentages of radioactive protein loaded after 1 min with respect to the total injected dose and corrected for decay of the radiopharmaceutical in the subcutaneous lymphatics were used as functional quantitative parameters as well as the clearance percentages and inguinal uptake 2 h post injection. The results of lymphatic function in lipoedema patients were compared with values obtained from normal healthy volunteers. We also compared 50 lymphoscintigraphies out of the previous 117 lipoedema patients before and six months after tumescent liposuction. Results: In 117 lipoedema patients clearance 2 h post injection in the right and left foot was disturbed in 79.5 and 87.2% respectively. The inguinal uptake 2 h post injection in the right and left groin was disturbed in 60.3 and 64.7% respectively. In 50 lipoedema patients mean clearance and inguinal uptake after tumescent liposuction were slightly improved, 0.01 (p = 0.37) versus 0.02 (p = 0.02), respectively. This is statistically not relevant in clearance. Conclusion: Lipoedema legs have a delayed lymph transport. Tumescent liposuction does not diminish the lymphatic function in lipoedema patients, thus tumescent liposuction can be regarded as a safe treatment.</p

Model method drawing acts as a double-edged sword for solving inconsistent word problems

Drawing bar diagrams has been shown to improve performance on mathematical word problems wherein the relational keyword is consistent with the required arithmetic operation. This study extends this by testing the effectiveness of bar diagram drawing for word problems with an inconsistent keyword-arithmetic operation mapping. Seventy-five fifth graders solved consistent and inconsistent word problems while encouraged to draw bar diagrams. For each word problem, we assessed problem type (consistent/inconsistent), performance (correct/incorrect), and bar diagrams (accurate/inaccurate/no drawing). Overall, bar diagram drawing was associated with increased performance on both consistent and inconsistent word problems, but the strongest benefits of drawing were found for inconsistent word problems. For inconsistent word problems, bar diagram accuracy was more clearly related to performance (accurate bar diagrams related to correct answers, but inaccurate ones to incorrect answers) than for consistent word problems. We conclude that bar diagram drawing provides an effective graphical support for solving inconsistent word problems

Metabolic profiling of a transgenic Caenorhabditis elegans Alzheimer model

Despite decades of research, no early-onset biomarkers are currently available for Alzheimer’s disease, a cureless neurodegenerative disease afflicting millions worldwide. In this study, transgenic Caenorhabditis elegans were used to investigate changes in the metabolome after induced expression of amyloid-β. GC- and LC–MS-based platforms determined a total of 157 differential features. Some of these were identified using in-house (GC–MS) or public libraries (LC–MS), revealing changes in allantoin, cystathionine and tyrosine levels. Since C. elegans is far better suited to metabolomics studies than most other model systems, the accordance of these findings with vertebrate literature is promising and argues for further use of C. elegans as a model of human pathology in the study of AD

Next frontiers in cleaner synthesis: 3D printed graphene-supported CeZrLa mixed-oxide nanocatalyst for CO2 utilisation and direct propylene carbonate production

A rapidly-growing 3D printing technology is innovatively employed for the manufacture of a new class of heterogenous catalysts for the conversion of CO2 into industrially relevant chemicals such as cyclic carbonates. For the first time, directly printed graphene-based 3D structured nanocatalysts have been developed combining the exceptional properties of graphene and active CeZrLa mixed-oxide nanoparticles. It constitutes a significant advance on previous attempts at 3D printing graphene inks in that it does not merely explore the printability itself, but enhances the efficiency of industrially relevant reactions, such as CO2 utilisation for direct propylene carbonate (PC) production in the absence of organic solvents. In comparison to the starting powder, 3D printed GO-supported CeZeLa catalysts showed improved activity with higher conversion and no noticeable change in selectivity. This can be attributed to the spatially uniform distribution of nanoparticles over the 2D and 3D surfaces, and the larger surface area and pore volume of the printed structures. 3D printed GO-supported CeZeLa catalysts compared to unsupported 3D printed samples exhibited higher selectivity and yield owing to the great number of new weak acid sites appearing in the supported sample, as observed by NH3-TPD analysis. In addition, the catalyst's facile separation from the product has the capacity to massively reduce materials and operating costs resulting in increased sustainability. It convincingly shows the potential of these printing technologies in revolutionising the way catalysts and catalytic reactors are designed in the general quest for clean technologies and greener chemistry