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Background: The role of non-group A streptococci and Fusobacterium necrophorum in pharyngotonsillitis has been disputed and few prospective studies have evaluated the effect of antibiotic treatment. This study uses registry data to investigate the relation between antibiotic prescription for pharyngotonsillitis in primary healthcare and return visits for pharyngotonsillitis, complications, and ton
Background and purpose: Radiation therapy treatment planning is a manual, time-consuming task that might be accelerated using machine learning algorithms. In this study, we aimed to evaluate if a triplet-based deep learning model can predict volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) dose distributions for prostate cancer patients. Materials and methods: A modified U-Net was trained on triplets, a co
This study in the Amhara and Oromia regions of Ethiopia assessed the outcomes of tuberculosis (TB) treatment among children younger than 15 years. Retrospective data were collected on treatment outcomes and their determinants for children with TB for the cohorts of 2012-2014 enrolled in 40 hospitals and 137 health centers. Chi-square tests, t-tests, and logistic regression were used for the analys
Background: Second primary cancers (SPCs) are important clinically as they may negatively influence patient survival and they may tell about therapeutic side effects and general causes of cancer. Population-based literature concerning SPCs after hepatobiliary cancers is limited and here we assess risks of SPCs after hepatocellular cancer (HCC), and cancers of the gallbladder, bile ducts and ampull
To assess (1) global longitudinal strain (GLS) by feature tracking cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) in the sub-acute and chronic phases after ST-elevation infarction (STEMI) and compare to GLS in healthy controls, and (2) the evolution of GLS and regional longitudinal strain (RLS) over time, and their relationship to infarct location and size. Seventy-seven patients from the CHILL-MI-trial (NCT013
Aims: Neurotensin (NT) is a gut hormone that promotes lipids absorption and controls appetite. Elevated circulating pro-NT, the stable precursor of NT, is associated with cardiovascular (CV) disease, metabolic syndrome (MS) and type 2 diabetes (T2D). Features of MS and insulin resistance are reported also in type 1 diabetes (T1D), with detrimental impact on the overall CV risk profile. Aims of the
As mass timber construction gains momentum worldwide, cross-laminated timber (CLT) has emerged as an important material in the built environment. However, the combustible nature of wood presents challenges and fire safety concerns, and a key interest with respect to CLT is the adhesive bond line. CLT is commonly used in ceiling configuration, and current fire stability evaluations rely predominant
Efforts to regulate transnational corporations in the context of human rights are not new. They traced back to the early 1970s, when the United Nations first initiated attempts to study the impact of transnational corporations on the international development process and proposed a United Nations Code of Conduct on Transnational Corporations, an initiative that ultimately stalled. A renewed attemp
This thesis presents a complete digital back-end implementation of a PN-dither least-mean-squares (LMS) background calibration scheme for a 12-bit, 500 MS/s pipeline analog-to-digital converter (ADC). The target converter, designed by a parallel analog project, comprises four 3-bit stages and a 4-bit final flash stage; its actual inter-stage gains depart substantially from their nominal values, re
Background: Polygenic risk scores (PRSs) strongly discriminate for prostate cancer risk at the population level. The role of these genetic scores in determining prostate cancer survival is unclear, potentially due to methodological issues. Methods: We included 19,607 men from the Malmö Diet and Cancer Study (MDCS) and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study (HPFS) and analyzed 20-year incidence a
Aims: To examine the separate associations of glycemic control and chronic kidney disease with hospitalization days over one year in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D). Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study using retrospective data on T2D patients in Region Halland, Sweden, during 2020. Data from the Region Halland database included hospitalizations, emergency visits, primary care encoun
Background There is a lack of contemporary data describing patients with left ventricular (LV) systolic dysfunction post myocardial infarction (MI) in terms of symptom burden and secondary prevention measures. The aim of this study was to describe patients with various degrees of LV systolic dysfunction after a first MI, their symptom burden, quality of life and adherence to recommended secondary
Aims: Drug–gene interactions (DGIs) modify drug response and safety, yet their influence on diabetic microvascular complications remains unclear. This study aimed to elucidate the role of DGIs in these complications. Materials and Methods: Using UK Biobank (UKB) data, we identified medications frequently prescribed to individuals with diabetes and defined DGIs based on the Food and Drug Administra
Introduction: Suturing is a fundamental component of surgical procedures, wherein training emphasises the significance of gentle tissue handling. The suturing process involves the pressure exerted by the forceps onto the tissue, as well as the medial traction force applied to stabilise the tissue during the needle bite. This study examined the forces involved in tissue handling during suturing, co
Background: Alcohol use disorder (AUD) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are frequently comorbid and are individually associated with increased risk of suicidal behavior. However, whether their comorbidity exacerbates this risk has not been adequately investigated. Methods: Using a Swedish birth cohort (born 1970–1990; N = 799,203–858,983), we employed Aalen’s linear hazards models to evalu
Background: Programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) immunocytochemical (ICC) analysis of cell blocks (CBs) has recently emerged in clinical practice. Unlike standardized immunohistochemistry on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues, cytology involves various preparation methods and fixatives. This study investigated how various fixatives influence PD-L1 immunoreactivity in CBs from malignant pleural
Background: We aimed to assess the risk of serious infections in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) exposed to different advanced therapies. Methods: We linked nationwide registers and compared rates of incident serious infections in patients with Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) exposed to medical therapies versus matched general population comparators during 2007-2023
GOALS: To assess the incidence, type, and severity of infections in patients with IBD before and after starting thiopurine therapy.BACKGROUND: Thiopurines have been used for decades in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), yet real-world data regarding the extent and types of infections associated with their use are scarce.STUDY: We included all thiopurine-naive adults with IBD who in
Introduction: Using time-limited trials of low-dose, sustained-release morphine to reduce chronic breathlessness to evaluate net effects may generate opioid withdrawal symptoms if medication is ceased. This sub-study of a larger randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial aimed to evaluate if this occurred. Methods: People with modified Medical Research Council breathlessness scores of 3 or
BackgroundThe Job Demand–Control–Support (JD-C-S) model evaluates how psychosocial work factors affect health and performance. We examined how demographics, job title, and experience influence demand, control, and support among Ghanaian pharmacy staff.MethodsA cross-sectional survey of pharmacy personnel from Tamale and Sagnerigu was conducted using the JD-C-S questionnaire. Demand and control ite
