Search results for " Function"
showing 10 items of 9395 documents
Conditional predictive inference for online surveillance of spatial disease incidence
2011
This paper deals with the development of statistical methodology for timely detection of incident disease clusters in space and time. The increasing availability of data on both the time and the location of events enables the construction of multivariate surveillance techniques, which may enhance the ability to detect localized clusters of disease relative to the surveillance of the overall count of disease cases across the entire study region. We introduce the surveillance conditional predictive ordinate as a general Bayesian model-based surveillance technique that allows us to detect small areas of increased disease incidence when spatial data are available. To address the problem of mult…
Misalignment of Spectral Data: Constrained Optimization in a Functional Data Analysis Framework
2022
Across several branches of sciences, a large number of applications involves data represented as functions and curves, for which functional data analysis can play a central role in solving a variety of problem formulations. With some thecnologies, the obtained data are spectra containing a vast amount of information concerning the composition of a sample: in order to infer the chemical composition of the materials from spectra, functional data analysis offers a valuable mean for characterizing the spectral response through identification of peaks position and intensity. The collection of data from different measurement may exhibit similar peak pattern but display misalignment in their peaks…
Progestogens and risk of breast cancer: a link between bone and breast?
2015
This article reviews the data supporting the role of receptor activator of the nuclear factor kappa (RANK) and its ligand, RANKL, in progestogen-induced breast cancer. Both experimental and clinical studies have been included. The expression of both RANK and RANKL has been described in epithelial cells of both mice and humans. Experiments of gain and loss of function in mice have shown that RANK/RANKL mediate alveologenesis during pregnancy or the estrous cycle. Moreover, the participation of the RANK/RANKL has been detected in models of breast carcinogenesis associated with progestogens-like medroxyprogesterone acetate. Recent clinical studies have found that the expression of RANK is asso…
RNA-mediated therapies in myotonic dystrophy
2018
Myotonic dystrophy 1 (DM1) is a multisystemic neuromuscular disease caused by a dominantly inherited 'CTG' repeat expansion in the gene encoding DM Protein Kinase (DMPK). The repeats are transcribed into mRNA, which forms hairpins and binds with high affinity to the Muscleblind-like (MBNL) family of proteins, sequestering them from their normal function. The loss of function of MBNL proteins causes numerous downstream effects, primarily the appearance of nuclear foci, mis-splicing, and ultimately myotonia and other clinical symptoms. Antisense and other RNA-mediated technologies have been applied to target toxic-repeat mRNA transcripts to restore MBNL protein function in DM1 models, such as…
The early changes in trunk muscle strength and disability following lumbar spine fusion
2012
To analyze trunk muscle function pre- and postoperatively in patients undergoing lumbar spine fusion. Associations between changes in trunk muscle strength and disability were also studied.A total of 114 patients undergoing lumbar spine fusion participated in the study. The flexion and extension strength of the trunk was measured preoperatively and 3 months after surgery using a strain-gauge dynamometer. Disability and pain during the past week was evaluated with the Oswestry disability index (ODI) and visual analog scale (VAS), respectively.Preoperative trunk extension and flexion strength levels were 319 N and 436 N in males, respectively, and 160 N and 214 N in females, respectively. In …
Surgical repair of acute Achilles tendon rupture with an end-to-end tendon suture and tendon flap.
2015
Abstract Background Achilles tendon ruptures are becoming more common. Complications after open or minimally invasive surgery are: recurrent rupture (2–8%), wound breakdown, deep infections, granuloma, and fistulas. The authors expose their experience with a personal technique. Materials In 8 patients with acute rupture of Achilles tendon the surgery was performed at least 25 days after trauma. Clinical exam and MR demonstrated in all case a total lesion of tendon. After a posterolateral skin incision the tendon stumps were debrided and suture in end-to-end fashion. A tendon flap was harvested from the proximal part of the tendon, in order to protect and reinforce the suture itself. A plast…
Manometric assessment of oesophageal involvement in progressive systemic sclerosis, morphoea and Raynaud's disease.
1982
SUMMARY Oesophageal function was studied by radiography and manometry in fifty-one patients with progressive systemic sclerosis (PSS), fourteen patients with morphoea, twelve patients with Raynaud's disease and twenty-one normal subjects. Upper oesophageal sphincter pressure was not affected. Peristaltic contractions of the upper third of the oesophagus were significantly decreased in PSS and morphoea, but the lower two-thirds were affected only in PSS. Lower oesophageal sphincter pressure was significantly decreased in PSS but was normal in morphoea and Raynaud's disease. There was a significant correlation between oesophageal dysfunction and the duration of PSS. Manometry was better than …
Analysis of HLA-DRB1,DQA1,DQB1 haplotypes in Sardinian centenarians
2008
Some genetic determinants of longevity might reside in those polymorphisms for the immune system genes that regulate immune responses. Many longevity association studies focused their attention on HLA (the human MHC) polymorphisms, but discordant results have been obtained. Sardinians are a relatively isolate population and represent a suitable population for association studies. Some HLA-DR and DQ alleles form very stable haplotypes with a strong linkage disequilibrium. In a previous study on Sardinian centenarians we have suggested that HLA-DRB1 *15 allele might be marginally associated to longevity. HLA-DR,DQ haplotypes are in strong linkage disequilibrium and well conserved playing a ro…
Speed-Related Energy Flow and Joint Function Change During Human Walking.
2021
During human walking, mechanical energy transfers between segments via joints. Joint mechanics of the human body are coordinated with each other to adapt to speed change. The aim of this study is to analyze the functional behaviors of major joints during walking, and how joints and segments alter walking speed during different periods (collision, rebound, preload, and push-off) of stance phase. In this study, gait experiment was performed with three different self-selected speeds. Mechanical works of joints and segments were determined with collected data. Joint function indices were calculated based on net joint work. The results show that the primary functional behaviors of joints would n…
Association between Serum Osteoprotegerin Levels and Severity of Coronary Artery Disease in Patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction
2021
International audience; Background. Osteoprotegerin (OPG), a glycoprotein of the tumour necrosis factor (TNF) superfamily, is one of the main biomarkers for vascular calcification. Aim. We aimed to evaluate the association between serum OPG levels and extent of coronary lesions in patients with acute myocardial infarction (MI). Methods. Consecutive patients hospitalized for an acute MI who underwent coronary angiography were included. SYNTAX score was calculated to assess the severity of coronary artery disease. The population was analysed in low (5 (3–6)), medium (11 (9–13)) and high (20 (18–23)) tertiles of SYNTAX score. Results. Among the 378 patients included, there was a gradual increa…