Central nervous system hemangioblastomas in von Hippel-Lindau disease: Total growth rate and risk of developing new lesions not associated with circulating VEGF levels.

Background: Hemangioblastomas of the central nervous system are a prominent feature of von Hippel-Lindau-disease (vHL). Hemangioblastomas are known to secrete vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), suggesting a potential role of VEGF as a biomarker for tumor growth.

Methods: Plasma VEGF samples from 24 patients with von Hippel-Lindau disease were analyzed by solid-phase proximity ligation assay (PLA).

Effect of inulin-type fructans on appetite in patients with type 2 diabetes: a randomised controlled crossover trial.

The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of prebiotic fibres on appetite-regulating hormones, subjective feeling of appetite and energy intake in subjects with type 2 diabetes. Data presented are secondary outcomes of a study investigating the effect of prebiotics on glucagon-like peptide-1 and glycaemic regulation. We conducted a randomised and placebo-controlled crossover trial to evaluate the effects of 16 g/d of inulin-type fructans or a control supplement (maltodextrin) for 6 weeks in randomised order, with a 4-week washout period in-between, on appetite in thirty-five men and women with type 2 diabetes.

Comparison of reporting radiographers' and medical doctors' performance in reporting radiographs of the appendicular skeleton, referred by the emergency department.

Introduction: There is an increasing trend towards deploying reporting radiographers in Danish hospitals who, among various professional groups, interpret and report skeletal radiographs from the emergency department (ED). This study aimed to compare the quality of the reports issued by reporting radiographers to three different groups of medical doctors (MDs) who interpret or report skeletal radiographs at the ED.

Methods: Four professional groups (i.

CO-score; a new method for quality assessment of radiology reports.

Introduction: Studies on assessing radiology reports commonly calculates sensitivity, specificity and accuracy, which estimates if the observer has tendency to overdiagnose, overlook pathology, or both. This pilot study examines a new method for assessing the quality of radiology reports, based on the patients' clinical outcome.

Methods: Two observers evaluated five hundred reports by four experienced reporting radiographers on X-ray images of the appendicular skeleton.

Innovative treatment trains of bottom ash (BA) from municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI) in Germany.

The industrial sector of bottom ash (BA) treatment from municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI) in Germany is currently changing. In order to increase the recovery rates of metals or to achieve a higher quality of mineral aggregates derived from BA, new procedures have been either implemented to existing plants or completely new treatment plants have been built recently. Three treatment trains, which are designated as entire sequences of selected processing techniques of BA, are introduced and compared.

Repeated treatments of drooling with botulinum toxin B in neurology.

Objectives: To investigate efficacy, saliva flow, and composition in repeated BoNT-B treatments of drooling.

Materials And Methods: Seventeen neurological patients (median 66 years), referred for treatment of drooling participated in this observational study. Median total doses of 4000 units botulinum toxin type B (BoNT-B, Neurobloc(®)) were injected with at least 3 months intervals into parotid and submandibular glands using ultrasound guidance.

Radon and thoron levels, their spatial and seasonal variations in adobe dwellings - a case study at the great Hungarian plain.

Radon and thoron isotopes are responsible for approximately half of the average annual effective dose to humans. Although the half-life of thoron is short, it can potentially enter indoor air from adobe walls. Adobe was a traditional construction material in the Great Hungarian Plain.

Resource recovery from urban stock, the example of cadmium and tellurium from thin film module recycling.

Raw material supply is essential for all industrial activities. The use of secondary raw material gains more importance since ore grade in primary production is decreasing. Meanwhile urban stock contains considerable amounts of various elements.

Radiographers and trainee radiologists reporting accident radiographs: a comparative plain film-reading performance study.

Aim: To compare the diagnostic accuracy and clinical validity of reporting radiographers with that of trainee radiologists whom they have recently joined in reporting emergency room radiographs at Bispebjerg University Hospital.

Materials And Methods: Plain radiographs of the appendicular skeleton from 1000 consecutive emergency room patients were included in the study: 500 primarily reported by radiographers and 500 by trainee radiologists. The final reporting was subsequently undertaken by a consultant radiologist in consensus with an orthopaedic surgeon.

Effect of radial directional dependences and rainwater influence on CVOC concentrations in tree core and birch sap samples taken for phytoscreening using HS-SPME-GC/MS.

Phytoscreening for chlorinated volatile organic compounds (CVOC) in tree core samples is influenced by many factors. For instance, greater fluctuations are observed for CVOC concentrations in samples taken around the trunk at a fixed height compared to samples taken directly next to each other. To avoid false negatives and inaccurate interpretation of the results, we investigated this radial directional dependence as well as the influence of rainwater on measured concentrations.

Colour change in the human histamine wheal made visible by LYYN: a technique to enhance colour differences.

Background: Colour differences in photographs can be enhanced using a digital image-processing technique called LYYN.

Objective: To investigate colour changes in the histamine wheal after skin prick tests (SPTs).

Methods: Histamine SPTs were performed on the forearm of six medical students, and the reactions of the skin were photographed every 2min for 30min.

Two-dimensional fusion imaging of planar bone scintigraphy and radiographs in patients with clinical scaphoid fracture: an imaging study.

Background: Although magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is now considered the gold standard in second-line imaging of patients with suspected scaphoid fracture and negative radiographs, bone scintigraphy can be used in patients with pacemakers, metallic implants, or other contraindications to MRI. Bone scintigraphy is highly sensitive for the detection of fractures, but exact localization of scintigraphic lesions may be difficult and can negatively affect diagnostic accuracy.

Purpose: To investigate the influence of image fusion of planar bone scintigraphy and radiographs on image interpretation in patients with suspected scaphoid fracture.

Ultrasound research scanner for real-time synthetic aperture data acquisition.

Conventional ultrasound systems acquire ultrasound data sequentially one image line at a time. The architecture of these systems is therefore also sequential in nature and processes most of the data in a sequential pipeline. This often makes it difficult to implement radically different imaging strategies on the platforms and makes the scanners less accessible for research purposes.

Experiences of longing in Norwegian and Swedish 4- and 5-year-old children.

Longing can be defined as a blend of the primary emotions of happiness and sadness. These primary emotions are experienced very early by children, and the meanings of the words happiness and sadness are also known by children early in their verbal development. To find out at what age children are able to understand and use the more developed concept of longing, the authors interviewed 74 preschoolers (4- and 5-year-olds) in Norway and Sweden about their experiences of longing.

Mode of action of recombinant Azotobacter vinelandii mannuronan C-5 epimerases AlgE2 and AlgE4.

The enzymes mannuronan C-5 epimerases catalyze conversion of beta-D-mannuronic acid to alpha-L-guluronic acid in alginates at the polymer level and thereby introduce sequences that have functional properties relevant to gelation. The enzymatic conversion by recombinant mannuronan C-5 epimerases AlgE4 and AlgE2 on alginate type substrates with different degree of polymerization and initial low fraction of alpha-L-guluronic acid was investigated. Essentially no enzymatic activity was found for fractionated mannuronan oligomer substrates with an average degree of polymerization, DP(n), less than or equal 6, whereas increasing the DP(n) yielded increased epimerization activity.

Dimensions and aspects of longing: age and gender differences in Swedish 9-, 12-, and 15-year-old children.

Longing can be defined as a secondary emotion, as a blend of the primary emotions of love and sadness. There are several possible dimensions and aspects of longing (O. Holm, 1999).

Spotting of disc haemorrhages on fundus pictures; on Kodachrome slides and on digitally enhanced images.

Purpose: To find out whether digital processing can facilitate interpretation of fundus photographs.

Methods: Digitised fundus pictures were manipulated and enhanced by a process called histogram equalisation. Essentially, the gamma values for red (R), green (G), and blue (B) were separately modified.

[Chronic Monteggia injury in a child].

The case of a Monteggia fracture neglected from two years of age and seen at the age of fourteen, is described. A shortening of the affected ulna by three cm and a relative elongation of the radius was found. The function of the arm and elbow joint was remarkably unaffected with nearly full extension and flexion, supination and pronation.

Photographic detection of retinopathy in insulin-treated diabetes. A population study in the city of Tartu, Estonia.

Purpose: To perform a cross-sectional baseline investigation of diabetic retinopathy prevalence and metabolic control.

Methods: Using a register of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus in Tartu (pop. 104,791), 175 patients were invited to fundus photography; 149 (89%) participated, 99 of them diagnosed with diabetes before the age of thirty.

[Relevance of the 112-emergency calls among the clientele of the emergency department of the Herlev hospital admitting office].

It is a common view, shared by Emergency Department staff and ambulance crews, that a large number of patients unnecessarily use Emergency Service ambulances instead of transporting themselves to the hospital by other, more appropriate means. In this retrospective study, 528 consecutive Emergency Service calls to the Herlev Hospital Casualty/Emergency Department during a six week period were reviewed for relevance. Attention was solely aimed at the relevance of the use of Emergency Service ambulances in each case, but not on patient or health care providers' perception of urgency.

Digitizing 35 mm colour slides for computerized general image handling in ophthalmology.

Standard personal computers with appropriate graphic user interfaces can now be configured for work with near photographic quality colour image handling. Advantages and limitations of digitized colour image work, including cost considerations, are discussed in relation to some common ophthalmic photography situations. Practical methods are briefly described.

Non-traumatic recurrent corneal erosion. A study based on sequential photomacrographic recordings.

A case of non-traumatic recurrent corneal erosion was studied for several days by means of non-contact photomacrography. The development of cysts and fingerprint-like lines was registered. A previous suggestion based on histological evidence regarding the origin of some of the cysts, could be confirmed.

Photography in vivo of epithelial lesions in the human cornea with non-contact high magnification technique.

A technique is described for high magnification in vivo photography of epithelial lesions in the human cornea. Combining use of a high resolution, long working-distance microscope type lens with two-step photographic enlargement techniques results in photomacrographs with effective linear magnification of up to 500 X. The method allows studies of size and shape and crude details of epithelial cells.