Heart Rate and Heart Rate Variability in Healthy Preterm-Born Young Adults and Association with Vitamin D: A Wearable Device Assessment.

Prematurity has been associated with impaired parasympathetic cardiac regulation later in life. Changes in heart rate (HR) and heart rate variability (HRV) may indicate a risk for future cardiac dysfunction. The putative role of Vitamin D on cardiac autonomic function in individuals born preterm (PT) remains unknown.

Preterm-Born Young Women Have Weaker Hand Grip Strength Compared to Their Full-Term-Born Peers.

Prematurity has been linked to lower muscular fitness and increased morbidity across the human lifespan. Hand grip strength is widely used as a measure of muscle strength. Previous studies have shown inconsistent results regarding the role of vitamin D in hand grip strength.

Apicobasal transferrin receptor localization and trafficking in brain capillary endothelial cells.

The detailed mechanisms by which the transferrin receptor (TfR) and associated ligands traffic across brain capillary endothelial cells (BECs) of the CNS-protective blood-brain barrier constitute an important knowledge gap within maintenance and regulation of brain iron homeostasis. This knowledge gap also presents a major obstacle in research aiming to develop strategies for efficient receptor-mediated drug delivery to the brain. While TfR-mediated trafficking from blood to brain have been widely studied, investigation of TfR-mediated trafficking from brain to blood has been limited.

Co-morbidity and clinically significant interactions between antiepileptic drugs and other drugs in elderly patients with newly diagnosed epilepsy.

Purpose: A study was conducted to investigate the frequency of potential pharmacokinetic drug-to-drug interactions in elderly patients with newly diagnosed epilepsy. We also investigated co-morbid conditions associated with epilepsy.

Method: From the register of Kuopio University Hospital (KUH) we identified community-dwelling patients aged 65 or above with newly diagnosed epilepsy and in whom use of the first individual antiepileptic drug (AED) began in 2000-2013 (n=529).

Outcome of initial antiepileptic drug treatment in elderly patients with newly diagnosed epilepsy.

Purpose: A study was carried out to assess the outcome of initial antiepileptic drug (AED) monotherapy in elderly patients with newly diagnosed epilepsy and to investigate the cumulative probabilities of ≥2- and ≥5-year complete seizure remission and the factors that may have an effect on the outcome of AED treatment and the response to successive AED regimens.

Methods: From the medical records of Kuopio University Hospital, Finland, the researchers identified a community-dwelling cohort of elderly subjects (aged 65 or above at the time of diagnosis; n=529) with newly diagnosed epilepsy. The seizure outcome and the effect of initial prescription of AEDs were retrospectively studied.

Choice of the first anti-epileptic drug in elderly patients with newly diagnosed epilepsy: A Finnish retrospective study.

Purpose: The choice of initial anti-epileptic drug (AED) for elderly and younger adult patients with newly diagnosed epilepsy was assessed.

Methods: The pattern of initial prescription of AEDs between 2000 and 2013 was retrospectively studied in two community-dwelling cohorts, identified from the case records of Kuopio University Hospital (KUH): elderly subjects (aged 65 or above at the time of diagnosis; n = 529) and a random sample of younger adults (16-64 years old at the time of diagnosis; n = 201). Furthermore, nationwide register data from the Social Insurance Institution of Finland were included in the analysis, from the years 2004 and 2012.

Sludge quality after 10-20 years of treatment in reed bed systems.

The effect on the environment of the operation of sludge treatment in reed beds (STRB) system is seen as quite limited compared to traditional sludge treatment systems such as mechanical dewatering, drying and incineration with their accompanying use of chemicals and energy consumption. There are several STRB systems in Denmark receiving sludge from urban wastewater treatment plants. Stabilization and mineralization of the sludge in the STRB systems occur during a period between 10 and 20 years, where after the basins are emptied and the sludge residue typically is spread on agricultural land.

A 1.2-V 165-μW 0.29-mm2 multibit Sigma-Delta ADC for hearing aids using nonlinear DACs and with over 91 dB dynamic-range.

This paper describes the design and experimental evaluation of a multibit Sigma-Delta (ΣΔ) modulator (ΣΔM) with enhanced dynamic range (DR) through the use of nonlinear digital-to-analog converters (DACs) in the feedback paths. This nonlinearity imposes a trade-off between DR and distortion, which is well suited to the intended hearing aid application. The modulator proposed here uses a fully-differential self-biased amplifier and a 4-bit quantizer based on fully dynamic comparators employing MOS parametric pre-amplification to improve both energy and area efficiencies.

Fetal sheep left ventricle is more sensitive than right ventricle to progressively worsening hypoxemia and acidemia.

Objective: In a sheep model we tested the hypothesis that the fetal left ventricle is less tolerant to worsening acidemia than the right ventricle.

Study Design: At 106-124/145 days of gestation, 12 fetuses were instrumented. After a 4-day recovery, placental vascular resistance was increased by fetal angiotensin (AT) II infusion.

Ramiprilate inhibits functional matrix metalloproteinase activity in Crohn's disease fistulas.

Increased expression of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2, -3 and -9 has been demonstrated in Crohn's disease fistulas, but it is unknown whether these enzymes are biologically active and represent a therapeutic target. Therefore, we investigated the proteolytic activity of MMPs in fistula tissue and examined the effect of inhibitors, including clinically available drugs that beside their main action also suppress MMPs. Fistula specimens were obtained by surgical excision from 22 patients with Crohn's disease and from 10 patients with fistulas resulting from other causes.

Expression and localisation of matrix metalloproteinases and their natural inhibitors in fistulae of patients with Crohn's disease.

Background: Fistulae are a troublesome complication of Crohn's disease but little is known of the final effector molecules responsible for matrix degradation. Although matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) have been strongly implicated in tissue injury in Crohn's disease, their role in fistula formation is unknown.

Aim: To determine the expression pattern of MMPs and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs) in fistulae of patients with Crohn's disease.

Screening for dysplasia and TP53 mutations in closed rectal stumps of patients with ulcerative colitis or Crohn disease.

Background: Patients who undergo colectomy due to intractable chronic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) may keep a closed rectal stump for several years, which may be at increased risk of malignant transformation owing to residual inflammatory activity. We examined a hospital series of patients with ulcerative colitis or Crohn colitis to describe the clinical, endoscopical and histological features of the closed rectal stump and to screen for dysplasia and mutations in the TP53 tumour suppressor gene.

Methods: During rigid proctoscopy, rectal mucosal biopsy specimens and rectal lavage fluid were collected from 42 patients.

[Chronic idiopathic anal pain syndrome].

Introduction: The study was undertaken to analyse whether intra-anal ultrasound examination, anorectal physiological evaluation, and histopathological examination of patients suffering from chronic idiopathic anal pain presented any common features and to analyse the results of various treatments.

Material And Methods: Eighteen patients who met the criteria for chronic idiopathic anal pain were studied. Treatment included 0.

Chronic idiopathic anal pain: analysis of ultrasonography, pathology, and treatment.

Purpose: This study was undertaken to analyze whether intra-anal ultrasound examination, anorectal physiologic evaluation, and histopathologic examination in patients with chronic idiopathic anal pain presented any common features and whether the results of different treatment modalities correlated with these findings.

Methods: Eighteen patients who met the criteria for chronic idiopathic anal pain were studied. All had an intra-anal ultrasound examination and a complete anorectal physiologic evaluation.

[Positron-emission tomography with gamma camera in patients with colorectal and anal cancer. Preliminary results].

Metastasectomy after the primary surgical treatment of colorectal cancer may prolong survival in patients with resectable recurrences. Dedicated 18F-FDG-PET is of growing interest as a diagnostic tool in the staging and diagnosis of recurrent disease. We wanted in our departments to investigate whether a dual-head gamma camera with coincidence detection could serve as a substitute for the dedicated PET scanner.

The effect of Buserelin versus conventional antiandrogenic treatment in patients with T2-4NXM1 prostatic cancer. A prospective, randomized multicentre phase III trial. The "Danish Buserelin Study Group".

A prospective, randomized multicentre phase III trial was undertaken to compare the effectiveness and safety of Buserelin, a gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogue (GnRHa), with conventional antiandrogenic treatment in patients with painful metastases from T2-4NXM1 prostatic cancer. Seventy-two patients received Buserelin, 22 received estrogens and 46 were subjected to orchiectomy. The trial was completed one year after allocation of the patients.

Carcinoid tumour of the breast.

A case of primary carcinoid in the female breast is reported. The patient was treated by segmental mastectomy and is without local recurrence and signs of carcinoid tumour at any other site after 3 years of observation.

Breath hydrogen analysis in patients with ileoanal pouch anastomosis.

The possible influence on functional outcomes of hydrogen production in the ileoanal pouch after restorative proctocolectomy was investigated by means of lactulose H2 breath tests. Eight of 15 patients had significant increases in breath hydrogen after 10 g lactulose. One patient declined to participate in further investigations, the remaining seven responders had no evidence of small bowel bacterial overgrowth after glucose H2 breath tests.

The value of quantitative DNA flow cytometry of testicular fine-needle aspirates in assessment of spermatogenesis: a study of 137 previously maldescended human testes.

In order to assess the suitability of DNA flow cytometry of fine-needle aspirates for quantifying spermatogenesis, the results from DNA flow cytometry were compared to histological evaluation of testicular biopsies taken concomitantly from 171 previously maldescended testes. In 137 of 171 cases, sufficient material for flow cytometric as well as histological evaluation was obtained. Histological analysis of surgical biopsy specimens revealed spermatogenesis including the spermatid stage in 117 of the 137 gonads.

Histological grade, DNA ploidy and mean nuclear volume as prognostic factors in prostatic cancer.

Seventy-nine consecutive patients with prostatic cancer diagnosed between 1979 and 1983 were classified with respect to histological grade according to Shelley et al. (23), DNA ploidy (diploid, tetraploid and aneuploid), and mean nuclear volume (mnv) of the cancer cells. Nine patients were still alive at the time of analysis (minimum observation time 7.

[Sucralfate versus placebo in the treatment of abdominal wound abscesses].

Twenty-seven patients were divided at random into two groups following abscess formation and complete reopening of the abdominal wound in a prospective double blind investigation to study the effect of topical sucralfate on the wound healing rate in secondary abdominal wounds. Fifteen patients were treated with sucralfate powder and 11 patients with placebo while one patient was excluded. The two groups were comparable as regards age, sex and factors predisposing to abscess formation.