Objective To assess how well the LACE index and its constituent elements predict 30-day hospital readmission, and to determine whether other combinations of clinical or sociodemographic variables may enhance prognostic capability. Design Retrospective cohort study with split sample design for model validation. Setting One large hospital Trust in the West Midlands. Participants All alive-dischar...

Polypropylene and PA66 are widely used in our daily life, but they cannot be welded by laser transmission welding (LTW) because of polar differences and poor compatibility. In this paper, grafting modification technology is used to improve the welding performance between polypropylene and PA66. Firstly, the strong reactive and polar maleic-anhydride (MAH) is grafted to polypropylene and infrare...

BACKGROUND The use of external ankle support is widespread throughout sports medicine. However, the application of ankle bracing to a healthy ankle over a long period has been scrutinised because of possible neuromuscular adaptations resulting in diminished dynamic support offered by the peroneus longus. OBJECTIVE To investigate the immediate and chronic effects of ankle brace application on ...

BACKGROUND Hospital readmissions are serious and costly events, and readmission rates are considered to be an indicator of quality in health care management. Several models to identify patients at risk of unplanned readmissions have been developed in Western countries, but little is known about their performance in other countries. This paper reports the possible utility of one such model devel...

PURPOSE To evaluate in a pilot study the safety and efficacy of liposomal doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, and etoposide (LACE) when combined with antiretroviral therapy (ART) in patients with AIDS-related lymphoma (ARL). The impact of HIV viral control on therapy and survival was also assessed. PATIENTS AND METHODS Between 1994 and 2005, 40 patients at Virginia Mason Medical Center were diagno...

objective: the purpose of this study was to evaluate the dental movements of the labial segment and the canines during leveling and alignment using pre-adjusted appliances and light forces with the mbt technique. the effect of lacebacks on the horizontal movement of the first molars was also assessed. materials and methods: fourteen patients with a mean age of 14.08 years were selected for this...

BACKGROUND Polypropylene mesh used as a mid-urethral sling is associated with severe clinical complications in a significant minority of patients. Current in vitro mechanical testing shows that polypropylene responds inadequately to mechanical distension and is also poor at supporting cell proliferation. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES Our objective therefore is to produce materials with more appropriate...

The lace-bug genus Pseudophatnoma was described for P. corniculata from the Riau Archipelago in Indonesia, and because of its morphological characteristics the genus was placed in the subfamily Cantacaderinae of the family Tingidae (Blöte 1945).