Controlling Inputter Variability in Vignette Studies Assessing Web-Based Symptom Checkers: Evaluation of Current Practice and Recommendations for Isolated Accuracy Metrics.

Background: The rapid growth of web-based symptom checkers (SCs) is not matched by advances in quality assurance. Currently, there are no widely accepted criteria assessing SCs' performance. Vignette studies are widely used to evaluate SCs, measuring the accuracy of outcome.

Risk factors associated with poor pain outcomes following primary knee replacement surgery: Analysis of data from the clinical practice research datalink, hospital episode statistics and patient reported outcomes as part of the STAR research programme.

Objective: Identify risk factors for poor pain outcomes six months after primary knee replacement surgery.

Methods: Observational cohort study on patients receiving primary knee replacement from the UK Clinical Practice Research Datalink, Hospital Episode Statistics and Patient Reported Outcomes. A wide range of variables routinely collected in primary and secondary care were identified as potential predictors of worsening or only minor improvement in pain, based on the Oxford Knee Score pain subscale.

The Relationship Between Polyethylene Wear and Periprosthetic Osteolysis in Total Hip Arthroplasty at 12 Years in a Randomized Controlled Trial Cohort.

Background: Polyethylene acetabular components are common in hip arthroplasty. Highly cross-linked polyethylene (HXLPE) has lower wear than ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE). Evidence suggests that wear particles induce inflammation causing periprosthetic osteolysis contributing to implant loosening with wear rates of 0.

The Avon Patellofemoral Joint Replacement: Mid-Term Prospective Results from an Independent Centre.

Background: Approximately 10% of patients with osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee have unicompartmental OA confined to the patellofemoral joint (PFJ). The main surgical options are total knee replacement (TKR) and PFJ replacement (PFJR). PFJR has a number of advantages over TKR, including being less invasive, preserving the unaffected parts of the knee, allowing faster recovery and better range of motion and function.

Expression, localisation and functional activation of NFAT-2 in normal human skin, psoriasis, and cultured keratocytes.

Ciclosporin A (CsA) is widely utilized for the treatment of inflammatory skin diseases such as psoriasis. The therapeutic effects of CsA are thought to be mediated via its immunosuppressive action on infiltrating lymphocytes in skin lesions. CsA and tacrolimus block T cell activation by inhibiting the phosphatase calcineurin and preventing translocation from the cytoplasm to the nucleus of the transcription factor Nuclear Factor of Activated T cells (NFAT).