379 research outputs found
SnöförhÄllandena vintern 1901-1902
Ăfvertryck ur Geografiska Föreningens tidskrift 1903.Ăfven finsk titel: Lumisuhteet Lohjalla talvena 1901-1902
What is the added value of the waist-to-hip ratio on top of the BIOSTAT risk prediction model in patients with heart failure? Reply
Acupuncture randomized trials (ART) in patients with chronic low back pain and osteoarthritis of the knee - Design and protocols
Background: We report on the study design and protocols of two randomized controlled trials (Acupuncture Randomized Trials = ART) that investigate the efficacy of acupuncture in the treatment of chronic low back pain and osteoarthritis of the knee, respectively. Objective: To investigate whether acupuncture is more efficacious than (a) no treatment or (b) minimal acupuncture in the treatment of low back pain and osteoarthritis. Design: Two randomized, controlled, multicenter trials with three treatment arms and a total follow-up time of 52 weeks. Setting: 30 practitioners and outpatient units in Germany specialized in acupuncture treatment. Patients: 300 patients will be included in each study. In the low back pain trial, patients will be included according to clinical diagnosis. In the osteoarthritis pain trial, patients will be included according to the American College of Rheumatology criteria. Interventions: Patients are randomly assigned to receive either (1) semi-standardized acupuncture (150 patients), (2) minimal acupuncture at non-acupuncture points (75 patients), or (3) no treatment for two months followed by semi-standardized acupuncture (75 patients, waiting list control). Acupuncture treatment consists of 12 sessions per patient over a period of 8 weeks. Main Outcome Measure: The main outcome measure is the difference between baseline and the end of the 8-week treatment period in the following parameters: pain intensity as measured by a visual analogue scale (VAS; 0-100 mm) in the low back pain trial and by the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Score (WOMAC) in the osteoarthritis trial. Outlook: The results of these two studies (available in 2004) will provide health care providers and policy makers with the information needed to make scientifically sound assessments of acupuncture therapy
Exploring views on satisfaction with life in young children with chronic illness: an innovative approach to the collection of self-report data from children under 11
The objective of this study was to explore young childrenâs views on the impact of chronic illness on their life in order to inform future development of a patient-based self-report health outcome measure. We describe an approach to facilitating self-report views from young children with chronic illness. A board game was designed in order to obtain qualitative data from 39 children with a range of chronic illness conditions and 38 healthy controls ranging in age from 3 to 11 years. The format was effective in engaging young children in a self-report process of determining satisfaction with life and identified nine domains. The board game enabled children aged 5â11 years with chronic illness to describe the effects of living with illness on home, family, friends, school and life in general. It generated direct, non-interpreted material from children who, because of their age, may have been considered unable or limited their ability to discuss and describe how they feel. Obtaining this information for children aged 4 and under continues to be a challenge
Genome-wide analyses of light-regulated genes in Aspergillus nidulans reveal a complex interplay between different photoreceptors and novel photoreceptor functions
Fungi sense light of different wavelengths using blue-, green-, and red-light photoreceptors. Blue light sensing requires the âwhite-collarâ proteins with flavin as chromophore, and red light is sensed through phytochrome. Here we analyzed genome-wide gene expression changes caused by short-term, low-light intensity illumination with blue-, red- or far-red light in Aspergillus nidulans and found that more than 1100 genes were differentially regulated. The largest number of up- and downregulated genes depended on the phytochrome FphA and the attached HOG pathway. FphA and the white-collar orthologue LreA fulfill activating but also repressing functions under all light conditions and both appear to have roles in the dark. Additionally, we found about 100 genes, which are red-light induced in the absence of phytochrome, suggesting alternative red-light sensing systems. We also found blue-light induced genes in the absence of the blue-light receptor LreA. We present evidence that cryptochrome may be part of this regulatory cue, but that phytochrome is essential for the response. In addition to in vivo data showing that FphA is involved in blue-light sensing, we performed spectroscopy of purified phytochrome and show that it responds indeed to blue light
QCD: Quantum Chromodynamic Diffraction
The first measurements of the diffractive structure function at
HERA are discussed. A factorisable interpretation in which a partonic structure
is assigned to the pomeron is investigated through QCD analyses in which both
the quark and gluon densities are permitted to vary freely. A method of
measuring the longitudinal structure function of the pomeron without changing
the centre of mass energy is presented. The possibility that the pomeron
structure may receive a large contribution from gluons, relative to quarks, at
high is highlighted, and the experimental signatures which may support
such a structure are reviewed.Comment: 8 Latex pages, 4 figures, from talks given by the authors at the
Workshop on Proton, Photon and Pomeron Structure, Durham, September 199
Azimuthal correlation in DIS
We introduce the azimuthal correlation for the deep inelastic scattering
process. We present the QCD prediction to the level of next-to-leading log
resummation, matching to the fixed order prediction. We also estimate the
leading non-perturbative power correction. The observable is compared with the
energy-energy correlation in e+e- annihilation, on which it is modelled. The
effects of the resummation and of the leading power correction are both quite
large. It would therefore be particularly instructive to study this observable
experimentally.Comment: 33 pages, 4 figures, JHEP class included. One figure and some
clarifications adde
Photon-Photon and Pomeron-Pomeron Processes in Peripheral Heavy Ion Collisions
We estimate the cross sections for the production of resonances, pion pairs
and a central cluster of hadrons in peripheral heavy-ion collisions through
two-photon and double-pomeron exchange, at energies that will be available at
RHIC and LHC. The effect of the impact parameter in the diffractive reactions
is introduced, and imposing the condition for realistic peripheral collisions
we verify that in the case of very heavy ions the pomeron-pomeron contribution
is indeed smaller than the electromagnetic one. However, they give a
non-negligible background in the collision of light ions. This diffractive
background will be more important at RHIC than at LHC.Comment: 22 pages, 1 Postscript figures, 4 tables, to appear in Phys. Rev.
Measuring Mitochondrial Oxygen Tension during Red Blood Cell Transfusion in Chronic Anemia Patients:A Pilot Study
In light of the associated risks, the question has been raised whether the decision to give a blood transfusion should solely be based on the hemoglobin level. As mitochondria are the final destination of oxygen transport, mitochondrial parameters are suggested to be of added value. The aims of this pilot study were to investigate the effect of a red blood cell transfusion on mitochondrial oxygenation as measured by the COMET device in chronic anemia patients and to explore the clinical usability of the COMET monitor in blood transfusion treatments, especially the feasibility of performing measurements in an outpatient setting. To correct the effect of volume load on mitochondrial oxygenation, a red blood cell transfusion and a saline infusion were given in random order. In total, 21 patients were included, and this resulted in 31 observations. If patients participated twice, the order of infusion was reversed. In both the measurements wherein a blood transfusion was given first and wherein 500 mL of 0.9% saline was given first, the median mitochondrial oxygen tension decreased after red blood cell transfusion. The results of this study have strengthened the need for further research into the effect of blood transfusion tissue oxygenation and the potential role of mitochondrial parameters herein.</p
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