Patient-reported outcome after rheumatoid arthritis-related surgery in the lower extremities: A report from the Swedish National Register of Rheuma Surgery (RAKIR)

Background and purpose Although decreasing with the development of effective pharmacological regimes, joint surgery has improved the function and quality of life of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Few studies have assessed patient-reported outcomes after RA surgery to the lower extremities. Here we report patient-relevant outcome after RA-related surgery based on the first data from the Swedish National Register of Rheuma Surgery (RAKIR). Patients and methods 258 RA patients (212 women) who had joint surgery performed at the Department of Orthopaedics, Spenshult Hospital between September 2007 and June 2009 were included. Mean age at surgery was 64 (20-86) years. The patients completed the SF-36 and HAQ questionnaires preoperatively and 6 months postoperatively, and 165 patients completed them after 12 months. Results Improvement was seen as early as at 6 months. At 12 months, 165 patients (141 women)-including hip (n = 15), knee (n = 27), foot (n = 102), and ankle (n = 21) patients-reported statistically significant improvements from preoperatively to 12 months postoperatively in HAQ (mean change: -0.11) and SF-36 subscales physical function (11), role physical (12), bodily pain (13), social functioning (6.4), and role emotional (9.4). Hip and knee patients reported the greatest improvements. Interpretation Orthopedic RA-related surgery of the lower extremities has a strong effect on pain and physical function. Improvement is evident as early as 6 months postoperatively and remains after 12 months

Analysis of innovation brokering systems related to grasslands across Europe

Innovation brokering system is an organisational structure of persons or institutions that, from a relatively impartial third-party position, purposefully catalyse innovation through bringing together actors and facilitating their interaction on international, national or regional levels. The aim of this paper is to analyse innovation brokering systems (IBS) across Europe that are, or have the potential to be, used in grassland farming. Eight European countries within the Horizon2020 project Inno4Grass were involved in the analysis: Belgium (BE), France (FR), Germany (DE), Ireland (IE), Italy (IT), Poland (PL), Sweden (SE) and the Netherlands (NL). To collect information about IBS related to grasslands in these countries, a questionnaire was developed on characteristics of the different brokering systems and their barriers and benefits. The collected data allowed for an inventory and evaluation of existing structures fostering IBS using descriptive analysis of quantitative data. We concluded that IBS should be an important part of building a European innovation space for grassland-based farmin

Analysis of innovation brokering systems related to grasslands across Europe

Innovation brokering system is an organisational structure of persons or institutions that, from a relatively impartial third-party position, purposefully catalyse innovation through bringing together actors and facilitating their interaction on international, national or regional levels. The aim of this paper is to analyse innovation brokering systems (IBS) across Europe that are, or have the potential to be, used in grassland farming. Eight European countries within the Horizon2020 project Inno4Grass were involved in the analysis: Belgium (BE), France (FR), Germany (DE), Ireland (IE), Italy (IT), Poland (PL), Sweden (SE) and the Netherlands (NL). To collect information about IBS related to grasslands in these countries, a questionnaire was developed on characteristics of the different brokering systems and their barriers and benefits. The collected data allowed for an inventory and evaluation of existing structures fostering IBS using descriptive analysis of quantitative data. We concluded that IBS should be an important part of building a European innovation space for grassland-based farmin

Grassland term definitions and classifications adapted to the diversity of European grassland-based systems

Grassland term definitions and classifications adapted to the diversity of European grassland-based systems. 25. General Meeting of the European Grassland Federatio

Effect of training and methodology development on the effectiveness of discussion groups on grassland innovation

Within the framework of the Horizon 2020 thematic network Inno4Grass (www.inno4grass.eu), 55 ‘practice & science meetings’ have been carried out using a multi-stakeholder, participatory approach, in order to bridge the gap between science and practice and deliver a comprehensive analysis of grassland innovations across eight European countries. Three project phases can be distinguished: (1) common guidelines under discussion, (2) introduction and preliminary test of the guidelines, (3) additional training on the discussion process. A structured feedback on the meetings held was provided by the organisers by means of a questionnaire, including information about duration, preparatory material, participants, discussion methods and evaluation of the meetings by the organisers. This information allows computing of mean values and distribution of the most relevant variables. Only a few of them were affected by the project phase. In particular, there was an increase in the use of farm portraits and of scientific literature over the project phases. All aspects describing the success of meetings were positively assessed. This suggests that the methodology for the conduction of the practice & science meetings within Inno4Grass was already relatively well established at the beginning of the project