Model-based geometric calibration for medical x-ray systems.

Purpose: Currently applied calibration approaches lead to satisfying 3D roadmapping overlay and 3D reconstruction accuracies; however, the required calibration times are extensive. The aim of this paper is the introduction of a novel model-based approach for geometric system calibrations, leading to a significant reduction of calibration times.

Methods: By using physical insight into the system, a physical model is derived which can be exploited to predict geometric calibrations parameters.

Clinical Factors Associated With Remission of Obesity-Related Comorbidities After Bariatric Surgery.

Importance: Little is known about comorbidity remission after bariatric surgery during typical clinical care across diverse and geographically distributed populations.

Objective: To estimate the improvement in obesity-related comorbidities after bariatric surgery and to identify clinical factors associated with these responses using a large representative population of patients.

Design, Setting, And Participants: This retrospective cohort study included all patients (N = 33,718) with a recorded Current Procedural Terminology code for Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) or adjustable gastric banding (AGB) in the MarketScan Commercial Claims and Encounters Medicare Supplemental Databases from January 1, 2005, to June 30, 2010, and who had continuous enrollment from 6 months or more before to 12 months after surgery.

Optical boundary reconstruction of tokamak plasmas for feedback control of plasma position and shape.

A new diagnostic is developed to reconstruct the plasma boundary using visible wavelength images. Exploiting the plasma's edge localized and toroidally symmetric emission profile, a new coordinate transform is presented to reconstruct the plasma boundary from a poloidal view image. The plasma boundary reconstruction is implemented in MATLAB and applied to camera images of Mega-Ampere Spherical Tokamak discharges.

Risk of upper gastrointestinal tract events in risedronate users switched to alendronate.

Upper gastrointestinal (GI) side effects are a known complication of therapy with oral aminobisphosphonates, but it is currently unclear if bisphosphonate type or formulation influences the risk of developing side effects. Here, we performed a retrospective cohort study to determine if patients who switched from weekly risedronate to weekly alendronate had an increased risk of upper GI side events. The study utilized The Health Improvement Network (THIN) database, which contained anonymous medical records from 390 general practices in the United Kingdom.

The primary care osteoporosis risk of fracture screening (POROS) study: design and baseline characteristics.

Objective: POROS evaluates a 3-step fracture risk screening program in women 50-64 not previously diagnosed with osteoporosis. This report details the research design and baseline characteristics.

Methods: Recruiting from 6 primary care sites, baseline characteristics, including fracture risk factors, were assessed via self-administered questionnaires (SAQs).