Does the meld system provide equal access to liver transplantation for patients with different ABO blood groups?

This study investigates the relationship between blood group and waiting time until transplantation or death on the waiting list. All patients listed for liver transplantation in the Netherlands between 15 December 2006 and 31 December 2012, were included. Study variables were gender, age, year of listing, diagnosis, previous transplantations, blood group, urgency, and MELD score.

Estimating a Logistic Discrimination Functions When One of the Training Samples Is Subject to Misclassification: A Maximum Likelihood Approach.

The problem of discrimination and classification is central to much of epidemiology. Here we consider the estimation of a logistic regression/discrimination function from training samples, when one of the training samples is subject to misclassification or mislabeling, e.g.

Chorea-acanthocytosis presenting as dystonia.

The aim of this article is to present two Slovenian chorea-acanthocytosis (ChAc) siblings with an unusual predominantly dystonic ChAc phenotype. For diagnostic purposes, the genomic DNA was screened for VPS13A mutations. Movement disorder was evaluated and scored according to the Dystonia Movement and Disability Scale (DMDS) in order to evaluate the effects of L-dopa on dystonia.

Causal inference algorithms can be useful in life course epidemiology.

Objectives: Life course epidemiology attempts to unravel causal relationships between variables observed over time. Causal relationships can be represented as directed acyclic graphs. This article explains the theoretical concepts of the search algorithms used for finding such representations, discusses various types of such algorithms, and exemplifies their use in the context of obesity and insulin resistance.

The Mantel-Haenszel procedure revisited: models and generalizations.

Several statistical methods have been developed for adjusting the Odds Ratio of the relation between two dichotomous variables X and Y for some confounders Z. With the exception of the Mantel-Haenszel method, commonly used methods, notably binary logistic regression, are not symmetrical in X and Y. The classical Mantel-Haenszel method however only works for confounders with a limited number of discrete strata, which limits its utility, and appears to have no basis in statistical models.

Increase in impaired motor coordination in six-year-old German children between 1990 and 2007.

Aim: To evaluate changes in prevalence of impaired motor coordination among 6-year-olds of a geographically defined area in Germany between the years 1990 and 2007.

Methods: Data from the obligatory school entrance examinations in the German state of North Rhine Westphalia between the years 1990 and 2007 were used. The number of children assessed per year varied from 81 517 to 124 086.

Effects of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation of infant formula on cognition and behaviour at 9 years of age.

Aim: Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (LCPUFA) supplementation of infant formula may have a beneficial effect on cognitive development. This study aimed to investigate the effect of LCPUFA formula supplementation primarily on cognition and secondarily on behaviour at age 9 years. Special attention was paid to the potentially modifying effect of maternal smoking during pregnancy.

Reactive capture of gold nanoparticles by strongly physisorbed monolayers on graphite.

Anthracene Diels Alder adducts (DAa) bearing two long side chains (H-(CH(2))(22)O(CH(2))(6)OCH(2)-) at the 1- and 5-positions form self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) at the phenyloctane-highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) interface. The long DAa side chains promote strong physisorption of the monolayer to HOPG and maintain the monolayer morphology upon rinsing or incubation in ethanol and air-drying of the substrate. Incorporating a carboxylic acid group on the DAa core enables capture of 1-4 nm diameter gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) provided (i) the monolayer containing DAa-carboxylic acids is treated with Cu(2+) ions and (ii) the organic coating on the AuNP contains carboxylic acids (11-mercaptoundecanoic acid, MUA-AuNP).

Mental, psychomotor, neurologic, and behavioral outcomes of 2-year-old children born after preimplantation genetic screening: follow-up of a randomized controlled trial.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of preimplantation genetic screening (PGS) on neurodevelopmental outcomes in children.

Design: Prospective, assessor-blinded, follow-up study of children born to women randomly assigned to in vitro fertilization or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (IVF/ICSI) with or without PGS.

Setting: University Medical Center, Groningen, and Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

The histopathological spectrum of acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis (AGEP) and its differentiation from generalized pustular psoriasis.

Background: Acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis (AGEP) represents a severe, acute, pustular skin reaction that is most often induced by drugs. AGEP can be difficult to differentiate from generalized pustular psoriasis (GPP) both clinically and histopathologically. We present a systematic description of the histopathological spectrum of AGEP and GPP with a focus on discriminating features.

Reduced ischemia-reoxygenation injury in rat intestine after luminal preservation with a tailored solution.

Background: The intestine is extremely sensitive to ischemic preservation and reoxygenation injury. Current vascular perfusion and cold storage with University of Wisconsin (UW) solution neglect the intestinal lumen and the ongoing mucosal metabolism during hypothermia. This study was designed to test the effects of luminal preservation with an alternative preservation solution in addition to the common vascular flush with UW solution on graft viability after preservation and ex vivo reoxygenation.

Faecal calprotectin for screening of patients with suspected inflammatory bowel disease: diagnostic meta-analysis.

Objective: To evaluate whether including a test for faecal calprotectin, a sensitive marker of intestinal inflammation, in the investigation of suspected inflammatory bowel disease reduces the number of unnecessary endoscopic procedures.

Design: Meta-analysis of diagnostic accuracy studies.

Data Sources: Studies published in Medline and Embase up to October 2009.

Construct validity of the Infant Motor Profile: relation with prenatal, perinatal, and neonatal risk factors.

Aim: The Infant Motor Profile (IMP) is a qualitative assessment of motor behaviour of infants aged 3 to 18 months. The aim of this study was to investigate construct validity of the IMP through the relation of IMP scores with prenatal, perinatal, and neonatal variables, including the presence of brain pathology indicated by neonatal ultrasound imaging of the brain.

Method: A longitudinal prospective study was performed in a group of 30 term infants (12 females, 18 males; median gestational age 40.

The influence of transcutaneous electrical neurostimulation (TENS) on human cerebral blood flow velocities.

Background: It has been shown that transcutaneous electrical neurostimulation (TENS) reduces sympathetic tone. Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) has proven qualities to improve coronary, peripheral, and cerebral blood circulation. Therefore, we postulate that TENS and SCS affect the autonomic nervous system in analogous ways.

Fluorescence anisotropy of branched molecules containing 1-aminopyrene chromophores.

Fluorescence anisotropy measurements were performed on a set of multichromophoric compounds, which contain a different number of aminopyrenyl moieties linked to a triazine ring, in order to reveal the nature of both the electronic excited states and relaxation pathways of the compounds. Our experimental results complement quantum chemical calculations. We propose that the lowest excited state from which fluorescence proceeds is localized on a single individual aminopyrene moiety.

The Groningen LCPUFA study: no effect of postnatal long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids in healthy term infants on neurological condition at 9 years.

Long-chain PUFA (LCPUFA) supplementation of formula can have beneficial effects on neurodevelopmental outcome in early infancy, but uncertainty exists regarding effects after 6 months. The present study is the first to investigate whether consumption by term infants of formula containing LCPUFA for the first 2 months after birth improves neurological condition of these children at 9 years of age. A prospective, double-blind, randomised control study was performed in two groups of healthy term infants: a control group with standard formula (n 169) and a LCPUFA-supplemented group (LF; n 146).

Relation of the weather and the lunar cycle with the incidence of trauma in the Groningen region over a 36-year period.

Background: The time distribution of injuries is not random. To assess the potential impact of weather and the phase of the moon on accidents, adjustment for known periodic and nonperiodic factors may be important. We compared the incidence of injuries with quantitative and qualitative weather variables as well as the lunar cycle, after correction for calendar and holiday-related factors.

Renal function in glycogen storage disease type I, natural course, and renopreservative effects of ACE inhibition.

Background And Objectives: Renal failure is a major complication in glycogen storage disease type I (GSD I). We studied the natural course of renal function in GSD I patients. We studied differences between patients in optimal and nonoptimal metabolic control and possible renoprotective effects of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibition.

The Groningen ART cohort study: ovarian hyperstimulation and the in vitro procedure do not affect neurological outcome in infancy.

Background: Due to the growing number of children born following assisted reproduction technology, even subtle changes in the children's health and development are of importance to society at large. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the specific effects of ovarian hyperstimulation and the in vitro procedure on neurological outcome in 4-18-month-old children.

Methods: In this prospective assessor-blinded cohort study, we included singletons born following controlled ovarian hyperstimulation in vitro fertilization (IVF) or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) (COH-IVF; n = 68) or modified natural cycle-IVF/ICSI (MNC-IVF; n = 57) or naturally conceived singletons of subfertile couples (NC; n = 90).

Ultrafast intramolecular electronic energy transfer in rigidly linked aminopyrenyl-aminobenzanthronyl dyads--a femtosecond study.

Ultrafast electronic excitation transfer (EET) followed by structural and vibrational relaxation (VER) of the acceptor have been characterised using transient absorption and transient lens techniques.

The predictive value of ovarian reserve tests for miscarriage in a population of subfertile ovulatory women.

Background: The increase in miscarriage rate with female age is attributed to a decline in oocyte quality. This age-related decrease of oocyte quality is accompanied by a decrease in oocyte quantity. Assessment of the number of oocytes by ovarian reserve tests (ORTs) may therefore also represent their quality.

Results of pancreaticoduodenectomy in patients with periampullary adenocarcinoma: perineural growth more important prognostic factor than tumor localization.

Objective: To study the impact of perineural growth as a prognostic factor in periampullary adenocarcinoma (pancreatic head, ampulla of Vater, distal bile duct, and duodenal carcinoma).

Summary Background Data: Pancreatic head carcinoma is considered to have the worst prognosis of the periampullary carcinomas. Several other prognostic factors for periampullary tumors have been identified, eg, lymph node status, free resection margins, tumor size and differentiation, and vascular invasion.

The predictive value of ovarian reserve tests for spontaneous pregnancy in subfertile ovulatory women.

Background: The predictive value of ovarian reserve tests (ORTs) for spontaneous pregnancy is unclear. Our study aimed to determine whether ORTs have added value to previously identified prognostic factors for spontaneous pregnancy in subfertile ovulatory couples.

Methods: A prospective cohort study was performed on 474 subfertile ovulatory couples in two hospitals in Groningen, The Netherlands.

Addition of PTK787/ZK 222584 can lower the dosage of amsacrine to achieve equal amounts of acute myeloid leukemia cell death.

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a disease with a poor prognosis. It has been demonstrated that AML cells express the vascular endothelial growth factors, VEGFA and VEGFC, as well as kinase insert domain-containing receptor (VEGFR2), the main receptor for downstream effects, resulting in an autocrine pathway for cell survival. This study investigates the role of the VEGFR inhibitor PTK787/ZK 222584 in leukemic cell death, and the possibility of an additional effect on cell death by a chemotherapeutic drug, amsacrine.