The Visual Analog Scale (VAS) can be used to record subjectively experienced pain in different situations (items). By a mathematical method, the Rasch analysis, the original VAS recordings can be ...converted to an interval scale. Forty women with Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome (PFPS) reported their pain on the VAS from 12 different situations (items) before and after 12 weeks of rehabilitation. The items recorded pain during the last 3 months, during provocation tests, and during activities such as walking up stairs, jumping and strength testing. It was concluded that the items used for the patients with PFPS were hierarchically ordered in a statistically equivalent manner before and after rehabilitation. Subjectively reported pain after 12 weeks of rehabilitation was significantly alleviated for 23 (58%) of the 40 patients, compared with before rehabilitation. The patients with PFPS did not use the VAS as a linear scale over the full range. Rasch analysis of recordings made with the VAS gave a more detailed pain assessment.
Genome-wide scans have suggested that a locus on 7q is involved in the etiology of autistic disorder (AD). We have identified an AD family in which three sibs inherited from their mother a ...paracentric inversion in the chromosome 7 candidate region (inv(7)(q22–q31.2)). Clinically, the two male sibs have AD, while the female sib has expressive language disorder. The mother carries the inversion, but does not express AD. Haplotype data on the family suggest that the chromosomal origin of the inversion was from the children's maternal grandfather. Based on these data, we have genotyped 76 multiplex (≥2 AD affecteds/family) families for markers in this region of 7q. Two-point linkage analysis yielded a maximum heterogeneity lod score of 1.47 and maximum lod score (MLS) of 1.03 at D7S495. Multipoint MLS and NPL analyses resulted in peak scores of 1.77 at D7S2527 and 2.01 at D7S640. Examination of affected sibpairs revealed significant paternal (P = 0.007), but not maternal (P = 0.75), identity-by-descent sharing at D7S640. Significant linkage disequilibrium was detected with paternal (P = 0.02), but not maternal (P = 0.15), transmissions at D7S1824 in multiplex and singleton families. There was also evidence for an increase in recombination in the region (D7S1817 to D7S1824) in the AD families versus non-AD families (P = 0.03, sex-averaged; and P = 0.01, sex-specific). These results provide further evidence for the presence of an AD locus on chromosome 7q, as well as provide evidence suggesting that this locus may be paternally expressed.
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IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK
Why is it difficult to restructure sovereign debt in a timely manner? In this paper, we present a theory of the sovereign debt-restructuring process in which delay arises as individual creditors hold ...up a settlement in order to extract greater payments from the sovereign. We then use the theory to analyse recent policy proposals aimed at ensuring equal repayment of creditor claims. Strikingly, we show that such collective action policies may increase delay by encouraging free riding on negotiation costs, even while preventing hold-up and reducing total negotiation costs. A calibrated version of the model can account for observed delays and finds that free riding is quantitatively relevant: whereas in simple low-cost debt-restructuring operations, collective mechanisms will reduce delay by more than 60%, in high-cost complicated restructurings, the adoption of such mechanisms results in a doubling of delay.
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BFBNIB, INZLJ, IZUM, KILJ, NMLJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK, ZRSKP
Summary
We describe the collection of cohorts together with the analysis plan for an update of the fracture risk prediction tool FRAX with respect to current and novel risk factors. The resource ...comprises 2,138,428 participants with a follow-up of approximately 20 million person-years and 116,117 documented incident major osteoporotic fractures.
Introduction
The availability of the fracture risk assessment tool FRAX® has substantially enhanced the targeting of treatment to those at high risk of fracture with FRAX now incorporated into more than 100 clinical osteoporosis guidelines worldwide. The aim of this study is to determine whether the current algorithms can be further optimised with respect to current and novel risk factors.
Methods
A computerised literature search was performed in PubMed from inception until May 17, 2019, to identify eligible cohorts for updating the FRAX coefficients. Additionally, we searched the abstracts of conference proceedings of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research, European Calcified Tissue Society and World Congress of Osteoporosis. Prospective cohort studies with data on baseline clinical risk factors and incident fractures were eligible.
Results
Of the 836 records retrieved, 53 were selected for full-text assessment after screening on title and abstract. Twelve cohorts were deemed eligible and of these, 4 novel cohorts were identified. These cohorts, together with 60 previously identified cohorts, will provide the resource for constructing an updated version of FRAX comprising 2,138,428 participants with a follow-up of approximately 20 million person-years and 116,117 documented incident major osteoporotic fractures. For each known and candidate risk factor, multivariate hazard functions for hip fracture, major osteoporotic fracture and death will be tested using extended Poisson regression. Sex- and/or ethnicity-specific differences in the weights of the risk factors will be investigated. After meta-analyses of the cohort-specific beta coefficients for each risk factor, models comprising 10-year probability of hip and major osteoporotic fracture, with or without femoral neck bone mineral density, will be computed.
Conclusions
These assembled cohorts and described models will provide the framework for an updated FRAX tool enabling enhanced assessment of fracture risk (PROSPERO (CRD42021227266)).
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EMUNI, FIS, FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, ZAGLJ
We have carried out meta-analyses of genome-wide association studies (GWAS) (n = 23 784) of the first two principal components (PCs) that group together cortical regions with shared variance in their ...surface area. PC1 (global) captured variations of most regions, whereas PC2 (visual) was specific to the primary and secondary visual cortices. We identified a total of 18 (PC1) and 17 (PC2) independent loci, which were replicated in another 25 746 individuals. The loci of the global PC1 included those associated previously with intracranial volume and/or general cognitive function, such as MAPT and IGF2BP1. The loci of the visual PC2 included DAAM1, a key player in the planar-cell-polarity pathway. We then tested associations with occupational aptitudes and, as predicted, found that the global PC1 was associated with General Learning Ability, and the visual PC2 was associated with the Form Perception aptitude. These results suggest that interindividual variations in global and regional development of the human cerebral cortex (and its molecular architecture) cascade—albeit in a very limited manner—to behaviors as complex as the choice of one’s occupation.
Foetal and early childhood development contributes to the risk of adult non-communicable diseases such as hypertension and cardiovascular disease. We aimed to investigate whether kidney size at birth ...is associated with markers of kidney function at 7-11 years.
Foetal kidney dimensions were measured using ultrasound scans at 34 weeks gestation and used to derive kidney volume (cm
) in 1802 participants in the Born in Bradford (BiB) birth cohort. Blood and urine samples were taken from those who participated in the BiB follow-up at 7-11 years (n = 630) and analysed for serum creatinine, cystatin C, urea, and urinary albumin to creatinine ratio (ACR), protein to creatinine ratio (PCR) and retinol binding protein (RBP). Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was calculated using Schwartz creatinine only and combined with cystatin C, and cystatin C only Zappitelli and Filler equations. Linear regression was used to examine the association between foetal kidney volume and eGFR, ACR, PCR and blood pressure, unadjusted and adjusted for confounders.
Kidney volume was positively associated in adjusted models with eGFR calculated using Schwartz combined (0.64 ml/min diff per unit increase in volume, 95% CI 0.25 to 1.02), Zappitelli (0.79, 95% CI 0.38 to 1.20) and Filler (2.84, 95% CI 1.40 to 4.28). There was an association with the presence of albuminuria but not with its level, or with other urinary markers or with blood pressure.
Foetal kidney volume was associated with small increases in eGFR in mid-childhood. Longitudinal follow-up to investigate the relationship between kidney volume and markers of kidney function as children go through puberty is required.
A tale of three cities Beccari, G.; Petr-Gotzens, M. G.; Boffin, H. M. J. ...
Astronomy and astrophysics (Berlin),
08/2017, Volume:
604
Journal Article
Peer reviewed
Open access
As part of the accretion discs in Hα with OmegaCAM (ADHOC) survey, we imaged a region of 12 × 8 square degrees around the Orion Nebula Cluster in r, i and Hα. Thanks to the high-quality photometry ...obtained, we discovered three well-separated pre-main sequences in the color-magnitude diagram. The populations are all concentrated towards the cluster’s center. Although several explanations can be invoked to explain these sequences, we are left with two competitive but intriguing scenarios: a population of unresolved binaries with an exotic mass ratio distribution, or three populations with different ages. Independent high-resolution spectroscopy supports the presence of discrete episodes of star formation, each separated by about a million years. The stars from the two putative youngest populations rotate faster than the older ones, in agreement with the evolution of stellar rotation observed in pre-main sequence stars younger than 4 Myr in several star forming regions. Whatever the final explanation, our results prompt a revised look at the formation mode and early evolution of stars in clusters.
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FMFMET, NUK, UL, UM, UPUK
Objective To report trends in event and case fatality rates for acute myocardial infarction and examine the relative contributions of changes in these rates to changes in total mortality from acute ...myocardial infarction by sex, age, and geographical region between 2002 and 2010. Design Population based study using person linked routine hospital and mortality data. Setting England. Participants 840 175 people of all ages who were admitted to hospital for acute myocardial infarction or died suddenly from acute myocardial infarction. Main outcome measures Acute myocardial infarction event, 30 day case fatality, and total mortality rates. Results From 2002 to 2010 in England, the age standardised total mortality rate fell by about half, whereas the age standardised event and case fatality rates both declined by about one third. In men, the acute myocardial infarction event, case fatality, and total mortality rates declined at an average annual rate of, respectively, 4.8% (95% confidence interval 3.0% to 6.5%), 3.6% (3.4% to 3.7%), and 8.6% (5.4% to 11.6%). In women, the corresponding figures were 4.5% (1.7% to 7.1%), 4.2% (4.0% to 4.3%), and 9.1% (4.5% to 13.6%). Overall, the relative contributions of the reductions in event and case fatality rates to the decline in acute myocardial infarction mortality rate were, respectively, 57% and 43% in men and 52% and 48% in women; however, the relative contributions differed by age, sex, and geographical region. Conclusions Just over half of the decline in deaths from acute myocardial infarction during the 2000s in England can be attributed to a decline in event rate and just less than half to improved survival at 30 days. Both prevention of acute myocardial infarction and acute medical treatment have contributed to the decline in deaths from acute myocardial infarction over the past decade.
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BFBNIB, CMK, NMLJ, NUK, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
Pharmacologists have used pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs), such as lipopolysaccharide (LPS) for decades as a stimulus for studying mediators involved in inflammation and for the ...screening of anti-inflammatory compounds. However, in the view of immunologists, LPS was too non-specific for studying the mechanisms of immune signalling in infection and inflammation, as no receptors had been identified. This changed in the late 1990s with the discovery of the Toll-like receptors. These 'pattern recognition receptors' (PRRs) were able to recognise highly conserved sequences, the so called pathogen associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) present in or on pathogens. This specificity of particular PAMPs and their newly defined receptors provided a common ground between pharmacologists and immunologists for the study of inflammation. PRRs also recognise endogenous agonists, the so called danger-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs), which can result in sterile inflammation. The signalling pathways and ligands of many PRRs have now been characterised and there is no doubt that this rich vein of research will aid the discovery of new therapeutics for infectious conditions and chronic inflammatory disease.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK
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