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Objective. This study was undertaken to investigate the previously reported association of the STAT4 polymorphism rs7574865 with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in 3 different European populations from Spain, Sweden, and The Netherlands, comprising a total of 2,072 patients and 2,474 controls. Methods. Three different cohorts were included in the study: 923 RA patients and 1,296 healthy controls from Sp
Introduction: Identification of suitable candidates for cardioversion currently is not based on individual electrical and mechanical atrial remodeling. Therefore, this study analyzed the meaning of atrial fibrillatory rate obtained from the surface ECG (as a measure of electrical remodeling) and left atrial size (as measure of mechanical remodeling) for prediction of early atrial fibrillation (AF)
Objective. To assess the efficacy of low-dose prednisolone on joint damage and disease activity in patients with early rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods. At the start of their initial treatment with a disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD), patients with early (duration <= 1 year) active RA were randomly assigned to receive either 7.5 mg/day prednisolone or no prednisolone for 2 years. Radi
Phosphatidylethanol (PEth) is a direct ethanol metabolite, and has recently attracted attention as biomarker of ethanol intake. The aims of the current study are: (1) to characterize the normalization time of PEth in larger samples than previously conducted; (2) to elucidate potential gender differences; and (3) to report the correlation of PEth with other biomarkers and self-reported alcohol cons
The perfusion-/diffusion-weighted imaging (PWI/DWI) mismatch and the diffusion/fluid attenuated inversion recovery (DWI/FLAIR) mismatch are magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) markers of evolving brain ischemia. We examined whether the DWI/FLAIR mismatch was independently associated with the PWI/DWI mismatch. Furthermore, we determined whether the presence of the DWI/FLAIR mismatch in patients with t
The International Collaboration of Epidemiological Studies of Cervical Cancer has combined individual data on 11,161 women with invasive carcinoma, 5,402 women with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN)3/carcinoma in situ and 33,542 women without cervical carcinoma from 25 epidemiological studies. Relative risks (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of cervical carcinoma in relation to numbe
The aim of this study was to assess whether the TP53 Arg72Pro polymorphism is associated with an increased risk of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Additionally, in NSCLC patients, we investigated a potential association between this polymorphism and somatic TP53 gene mutations in tumour cells. The study group included 240 NSCLC patients who underwent curative pulmonary resection. The control g
Background Balloon kyphoplasty is a minimally invasive procedure for the treatment of painful vertebral fractures, which is intended to reduce pain and improve quality of life. We assessed the efficacy and safety of the procedure. Methods Adults with one to three acute vertebral fractures were eligible for enrolment in this randomised controlled trial at 21 sites in eight countries. We randomly as
Site-directed mutagenesis of a thermostable alkaline phytase from Bacillus sp. MD2 was performed with an aim to increase its specific activity and activity and stability in an acidic environment. The mutation sites are distributed on the catalytic surface of the enzyme (P257R, E180N, E229V and S283R) and in the active site (K77R, K179R and E227S). Selection of the residues was based on the idea th
In-situ, quasi-continuous measurements of atmospheric hydrogen (H-2) have been performed since October 2007 at the Cabauw tall tower station in the Netherlands. Mole fractions of H-2, CO and several greenhouse gases are determined simultaneously in air sampled successively at four heights, between 20 and 200 m above ground level. Rn-222 measurements are performed in air sampled at 20 and 200 m. Th
Lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in men with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) are associated with erectile dysfunction. Alpha-1-adrenoceptor antagonists are effective drugs for treating symptomatic BPH. Clinical data show improvements in LUTS by phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitors. This study aimed to evaluate effects of silodosin, a highly selective α1A-adrenoceptor antagonist, alone or in combin
Paleomagnetic results are presented for two Paleoproterozoic mafic dykes in the Taivalkoski area in northern Karelia Province of the Fennoscandian shield where, based on K-Ar data, the crust has seen minimal effects of the otherwise pervasive 1.8-1.9 Ga Svecofennian orogeny. Within this study a new U-Pb baddeleyite age of 2339 +/- 18 Ma has been determined for one of the E-W trending dykes (dyke A
Epidemiological studies suggest health-protective effects of flavan-3-ols and their derived compounds on chronic diseases. The present study aimed to estimate dietary flavan-3-ol, proanthocyanidin (PA) and theaflavin intakes, their food sources and potential determinants in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) calibration cohort. Dietary data were collected using
Background: A worse outcome has been reported for cutaneous malignant melanoma (CMM) patients with low socioeconomic status. We have investigated the association between level of education, clinical stage at diagnosis (stage at diagnosis) and CMM-specific survival in Sweden. Methods: We identified 27,235 patients from the Swedish Melanoma Register diagnosed with a primary invasive CMM between 1990
PURPOSE: Systemic peripheral T-cell lymphomas (PTCLs) respond poorly to conventional therapy. To evaluate the efficacy of a dose-dense approach consolidated by upfront high-dose chemotherapy (HDT) and autologous stem-cell transplantation (ASCT) in PTCL, the Nordic Lymphoma Group (NLG) conducted a large prospective phase II study in untreated systemic PTCL. This is the final report, with a 5-year m
This study aimed to determine the impact of tyrosine-kinase inhibitors given pre- and post-allogeneic stem cell transplantation on long term outcome of patients allografted for Philadelphia chromosome-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia. This retrospective analysis from the Acute Leukemia Working Party of EBMT included 473 de novo Philadelphia chromosome-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia pat
BACKGROUND: Established risk factors for pancreatic cancer include smoking, long-standing diabetes, high body fatness, and chronic pancreatitis, all of which can be characterised by aspects of inflammatory processes. However, prospective studies investigating the relation between inflammatory markers and pancreatic cancer risk are scarce. METHODS: We conducted a nested case-control study within th
Background Patients with severe hemophilia A and factor VIII inhibitors are at increased risk for serious bleeding complications and progression to end-stage joint disease. Effective strategies to prevent bleeding in such patients have not yet been established. Methods We enrolled patients with hemophilia A who were older than 2 years of age, had high-titer inhibitors, and used concentrates known
BACKGROUND: Concern regarding recurrence of pre-transplant (Tx) malignancy has disqualified patients from Tx. Because this has been poorly studied in lung and heart Tx recipients our aim was to investigate the influence of pre-Tx malignancy on post-Tx recurrence and long-term survival, focusing on pre-operative cancer-free intervals. METHODS: From our lung and heart Tx programs (1983 to 2011) we r
