A fuzzy decision support model for the evaluation and selection of healthcare projects in the framework of competition.

Our research aims to support decision-making regarding the financing of healthcare projects by structural funds with policies targeting reduction of the development gap among different regions and countries of the European Union as well as the achievement of economic and social cohesion. A fuzzy decision support model for the evaluation and selection of healthcare projects should rank the project applications for the selected region, accounting for the investor's wishes in the form of a regional coefficient in order to reduce the development gap between regions. On the one hand, our proposed model evaluates project applications based on selected criteria, which may be structured, weakly structured, or unstructured.

External assessment of medical education quality: indicative model development considering paradox of skill.

This study proposes an approach to the external evaluation of medical education programs' quality based on a combination of indicators, including international rankings, external stakeholders' input, and independent agencies' assessments. We modify the success equation with a detailed consideration of the skill component and its decomposition into internal and external quality assurance elements along with authority. We carried out a bibliometric analysis regarding the problem of medical education quality assessment in the context of achieving sustainable development goals.

Time Perception is a Focal Symptom of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in Adults.

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is classically associated with symptoms that include inattentiveness, hyperactivity, and impulsivity together with a variety of other observable externalized symptoms. ADHD has also been associated with specific internalized cognitive symptoms, including restlessness and emotional impulsivity. This disorder has been recognized as a lifelong condition and can be recognized by a variety of unique cognitive phenomena.

Associations of Serum Uric Acid with Endogenous Cholesterol Synthesis Indices in Men with High Cardiometabolic Risk.

Patients with metabolic syndrome (MetS) have increased endogenous synthesis of cholesterol, together with lower level of intestinal cholesterol absorption. However, less is known about how individual metabolic disturbances linked to MetS correlate with dysregulated cholesterol homeostasis. We consecutively examined 178 probands (91 women/87 men) characterized by the presence of one or two components of MetS (group with an increased cardiometabolic risk [CMR]) and 42 healthy controls (24 men/18 women) of similar age, as well.

Long-Term Opioid Agonist Treatment Participation after First Treatment Entry is Similar across 4 European Regions but Lower in Non-Nationals.

Heroin users in opioid agonist treatment (OAT) show markedly reduced heroin consumption, less crime and a lower mortality rate. However, the extent of long-term OAT participation over subsequent treatment episodes remains unclear. We analysed the annual proportion of patients in treatment (at least 1 day) since the start of first OAT in 4 European regions: Barcelona (BA) 1996-2012: 8,602 patients; Czech -Republic (CZ) 2000-2014: 4,377 patients; Netherlands (NL) 1994-2014: 33,235 patients, Zurich (ZU) 1992-2015: 11,795.

Elotuzumab plus lenalidomide/dexamethasone for relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma: ELOQUENT-2 follow-up and post-hoc analyses on progression-free survival and tumour growth.

The randomized phase III ELOQUENT-2 study (NCT01239797) evaluated the efficacy and safety of elotuzumab + lenalidomide/dexamethasone (ELd) versus lenalidomide/dexamethasone (Ld) in relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma. ELd reduced the risk of disease progression/death by 30% versus Ld (hazard ratio [HR] 0·70). Median time from diagnosis was 3·5 years.

Antioxidant tempol suppresses heart cytosolic phospholipase Aα stimulated by chronic intermittent hypoxia.

Adaptation to chronic intermittent hypoxia (CIH) is associated with reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation implicated in the improved cardiac tolerance against acute ischemia-reperfusion injury. Phospholipases A (PLAs) play an important role in cardiomyocyte phospholipid metabolism influencing membrane homeostasis. Here we aimed to determine the effect of CIH (7000 m, 8 h/day, 5 weeks) on the expression of cytosolic PLA (cPLAα), its phosphorylated form (p-cPLAα), calcium-independent (iPLA), and secretory (sPLAIIA) at protein and mRNA levels, as well as fatty acids (FA) profile in left ventricular myocardium of adult male Wistar rats.

Two-year outcome of thymectomy with or without immunosuppressive treatment in nonthymomatous myasthenia gravis and its effect on regulatory T cells.

Background: Myasthenia gravis (MG) is the autoimmune disorder in which the thymus is considered the pathogenic organ. Thymectomy (TE) is a therapeutic option for MG and often ameliorates clinical symptoms.

Methods: We evaluated clinical features and outcomes after TE in patients without thymoma and the influence of TE with or without concomitant immunotherapy on the CD4(+)CD25(+) regulatory T cell subpopulation of lymphocytes in peripheral blood in defined followed groups of nonthymomatous MG patients.

Pudendal neuralgia following transobturator inside-out tape procedure (TVT-O)--case report and anatomical study.

Persistent pain after TVT-O procedure is a rare complication. Nerve injuries have been suspected as a cause of persistent pain. We present one case of atypical postoperative pain--pudendal neuralgia following TVT-O procedure--which persisted 3 years after the primary procedure.

Longitudinal trends with improvement in quality of life after TVT, TVT O and Burch colposuspension procedures.

Background: Comparison of the quality of life (QoL) trends after TVT, TVT O and Burch colposuspension (BCS) procedures and comparison of long-term subjective and objective outcomes.

Material/methods: The study included 215 women who underwent a TVT, TVT O or BCS procedure. We monitored QoL after each procedure and the effect of complications on the QoL as assessed by the IQOL questionnaire over a 3-year period.

The image analysis of colour changes of different human tissues in the relation to the age. Part 2: practical applicability.

The method of image analysis of intervertebral disc, Achilles tendon and rib cartilage was applied for assessment of colour changes of these tissues in the relation to the human age. It was proved that colour of tested tissues changes with age which is most obvious on rib cartilage and intervertebral disc, while Achilles tendon does not display important changes. The parameters MeanBlue, MeanSaturation and MeanBrightness are the best for age estimation based on colour analysis.

Changes in colour of different human tissues as a marker of age.

This study deals with age estimation based on colour changes of human tissue from the intervertebral discs, Achilles tendon and rib cartilage. The investigated colour changes are the result of the accumulation of non-enzymatic browning products in the tissue. Samples of excised tissues were photographed with a digital camera and the pictures were evaluated using the image analysis processor Lucia G 4.