Home  About us  Contact
 

Relevant Situation (relevant + situation)

Distribution by Scientific Domains
Life Sciences50%

Selected Abstracts

In vivo effects of modification of hydroxyapatite/collagen composites with and without chondroitin sulphate on bone remodeling in the sheep tibia

JOURNAL OF ORTHOPAEDIC RESEARCH, Issue 1 2009
Wolfgang Schneiders
Abstract The addition of chondroitin sulphate (CS) to bone cements with calcium phosphate has lead to an enhancement of bone remodeling and an increase in new bone formation in small animals. The goal of this study was to verify the effect of CS in bone cements in a large animal model simulating a clinically relevant situation of a segmental cortical defect of a critical size on bone,implant interaction and bone remodeling. The influence of adding CS to hydroxyapatite/collagen (HA/Col) composites on host response was assessed in a standard sheep tibia model. A midshaft defect of 3 cm was created in the tibiae of 14 adult female sheep. The defect was filled with a HA/Col cement cylinder in seven animals and with a CS-modified hydroxyapatite/collagen (HA/Col/CS) cement cylinder in seven animals. In all cases the tibia was stabilized with an interlocked universal tibial nail. The animals in each group were analyzed with X-rays, CT scans, histology, immunohistochemistry, and enzymehistochemistry, as well as histomorphometric measurements. The X-ray investigation showed a significantly earlier callus reaction around the HA/Col/CS implants compared to HA/Col alone. The amount of newly formed bone at the end point of the experiment was significantly larger around HA/Col/CS cylinders both in the CT scan and in the histomorphometric analysis. There were still TRAP-positive osteoclasts around the HA/Col implants after 3 months. The number of osteopontin-positive osteoblasts and the direct bone contact were significantly higher around HA/Col/CS implants. We conclude that addition of CS enhances bone remodeling and new bone formation around HA/Col composites. © 2008 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 27:15,21, 2009 [source]

Distinguishing "or" from "and" and the case for historical identification

CLADISTICS, Issue 6 2002
Arnold G Kluge
The adequacy of a probabilistic interpretation must be judged according to the nature of the event, or thing, being inferred. For example, conditional (frequency) probability is not admissible in the inference of phylogeny, because basic statements of common ancestry do not fulfill the requirements of the relations specified by the probability calculus. The probabilities of the situation peculiar to the time and place of origin of species are unique. Moreover, according to evolutionary theory, an event of species diversification is necessarily unique, because species are parts of a replicator continuum,species arise from ancestral species. Also, these probabilities cannot be ascertained, because the relevant situation cannot be repeated,it is unique. Finally, the applicability of conditional (frequency) probability is denied, because events of common ancestry have already occurred,there is nothing to predict. However, hypotheses of species relationships can be identified objectively according to the degree to which they have survived simultaneous testing with critical evidence, not with generally confirming evidence. The most parsimonious hypothesis of species relationships represents the least disconfirmed, best supported, proposition among the alternatives being compared. That hypothesis does not, however, deserve any special epistemological status beyond serving as the focus of the next round of testing. [source]

Review article: anorexia and cachexia in gastrointestinal cancer

ALIMENTARY PHARMACOLOGY & THERAPEUTICS, Issue 7 2005
J. OCKENGA
Summary In patients with gastrointestinal malignancies, i.e. cancers of the stomach, colon, liver, biliary tract or pancreas, progressive undernutrition can be regularly observed during the course of illness. Undernutrition significantly affects the patients' quality of life, morbidity and survival. Pathogenetically, two different causes are relevant in the development of undernutrition in patients with gastrointestinal cancer. One cause is reduced nutritional intake. This condition is referred to as anorexia and can be worsened by the side effects of cancer therapy. The other cause is the release of endogenous transmitters and/or other products of the tumour leading to the cachexia syndrome, which is characterized by loss of body weight, negative nitrogen balance and fatigue. Cancer anorexia and cancer cachexia may have synergistic negative effects in affecting the patients' status. In this review, current nutritional support strategies with respect to different clinically relevant situations are described. An algorithm of the treatment strategies, including dietetic counselling, oral supplements, enteral and parenteral nutritional support is given. One focus is the approach of nutrition-focused patient care, which shows promising results. In addition, the possibilities of pharmacological intervention are discussed. [source]

Do not adjust coefficients in Shapley value regression

APPLIED STOCHASTIC MODELS IN BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY, Issue 2 2010
Ulrike Grömping
Abstract Shapley value regression consists of assessing relative importance and accordingly adjusting regression coefficients. It is argued that adjustment of coefficients is unnecessary and even misleading for practically relevant situations. Examples are given, and an alternative procedure is proposed for situations for which the coefficients are requested to have a certain sign. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]