Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel use of calcitonin in osteoarthritis, and to methods of treating and/or preventing osteoarthritis in mammals, particularly humans.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel use of calcitonin in rheumatoid arthritis, and to methods of treating and/or preventing rheumatoid arthritis and conditions associated therewith in mammals, particularly humans. In particular, a method is provided of preventing or/and treating rheumatoid arthritis in a patient in need thereof comprising administering to said patient a therapeutically effective amount of calcitonin, e.g. salmon calcitonin in free form or salt form, in a pharmaceutically acceptable oral delivery form, wherein the therapeutically effective amount of a calcitonin is delivered orally in a composition comprising the calcitonin and a delivery agent for calcitonin.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel use of calcitonin in osteoarthritis, and to methods of treating and/or preventing osteoarthritis in mammals, particularly humans.

Abstract: A method for the analysis of three dimensional scan data representing an articular cartilage is provided to extract a quantitative parameter indicative of joint pathology. A measure representative of cartilage homogeneity is derived from this three dimensional image data. The measured value is compared with similar measured values previously established in respect of healthy joints and/or joints characterised by a pathology.

Abstract: A method for the analysis of three dimensional scan data representing an articular cartilage is provided to extract a quantitative parameter indicative of joint pathology. A measure of local curvature of the cartilage is determined within a region of interest. The value of the quantitative parameter of this joint derived from this measure is compared with the value of a similar quantitative parameter previously established in respect of healthy joints and/or joints characterized by a pathology.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel use of calcitonin in rheumatoid arthritis, and to methods of treating and/or preventing rheumatoid arthritis and conditions associated therewith in mammals, particularly humans. In particular, a method is provided of preventing or/and treating rheumatoid arthritis in a patient in need thereof comprising administering to said patient a therapeutically effective amount of calcitonin, e.g. salmon calcitonin in free form or salt form, in a pharmaceutically acceptable oral delivery form, wherein the therapeutically effective amount of a calcitonin is delivered orally in a composition comprising the calcitonin and a delivery agent for calcitonin.

Abstract: Enterally administered calcitonin family members other than amylin, particularly calcitonin itself, are effective to treat Type I diabetes, Type II diabetes or metabolic syndrome, for mitigating insulin resistance, and for reducing serum glucose levels.

Abstract: The risk of future fracture or deformity of vertebrae of a spine may be estimated by processing an image of at least one vertebra of a spine to compare data representing the appearance of the at least one vertebra with a statistical model of a corresponding part of a spine, the statistical model being formed from data representing images of spines for which information about the degree of fracture or deformity of each spine at a subsequent time is known, and deriving a measure of the similarity between the at least one vertebra of the spine and the model, which measure is representative of the likelihood that the spine will subsequently sustain a fracture or become deformed.

Abstract: A method of deriving a quantitative measure of a degree of calcification of a blood vessel such as an aorta by processing an image such as an X-ray image of at least a part of the blood vessel containing said calcification comprises: taking a starting set of digital data representative of an image of at least part of a blood vessel containing a calcification set against a background; estimating the boundary of the calcification; using inpainting to replace digital data in said starting set representing the calcification with data extrapolating the boundary of the background to extend over the area of calcification, and so generating an inpainted set of digital data; and computing the difference between the starting set of digital data and the inpainted set of digital data to obtain a quantitative measure of the degree of calcification of the blood vessel.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel use of calcitonin in osteoarthritis, and to methods of treating and/or preventing osteoarthritis in mammals, particularly humans.

Abstract: A method for the analysis of three dimensional scan data representing an articular cartilage is provided to extract a quantitative parameter indicative of joint pathology. A measure representative of cartilage homogeneity is derived from this three dimensional image data. The measured value is compared with similar measured values previously established in respect of healthy joints and/or joints characterised by a pathology.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel use of calcitonin in osteoarthritis, and to methods of treating and/or preventing osteoarthritis in mammals, particularly humans.

Abstract: A method of processing data derived from an image of at least part of a spine is provided for estimating the risk of a future fracture in vertebrae of the spine. Position data relating to at least four neighbouring vertebrae of the spine is processed. The curvature of the spine at least two of the neighbouring vertebrae is calculated. The different curvature values are computed to obtain a value representative of the degree of irregularity in curvature of the spine and using the degree of irregularity, an estimate of the risk of a future fracture in vertebrae of the spine is provided. A higher degree of irregularity indicates a higher risk of future fracture.

Abstract: A computer based calculation of a prognostic index I of osteoarthritis based on biochemical and imaging based biomarkers a mathematical combination of said values, wherein a first imaging based biomarker is a measure of the quantity of a cartilage in a joint compartment, a second imaging based biomarker relating to the quality of said cartilage in said joint compartment, and wherein a value of said first biomarker indicative of a larger quantity of cartilage affects the index to make it predictive of more disease progression, and a value of said second biochemical marker indicative of a greater departure from the quality of disease free cartilage affects the index to make it predictive of more risk of disease progression, exemplified by I = yHom + zVol + ? n = 1 N ? a n ? Other n where y and z are numerical coefficients, Hom is the measured homogeneity, Vol is the measured cartilage volume, and where Othern represents N further biomarkers each having a respective numerical coefficient an

Abstract: A method of deriving a quantitative measure of a degree of calcification of a blood vessel such as an aorta by processing an image such as an X-ray image of at least a part of the blood vessel containing said calcification comprises: taking a starting set of digital data representative of an image of at least part of a blood vessel containing a calcification set against a background; estimating the boundary of the calcification; using inpainting to replace digital data in said starting set representing the calcification with data extrapolating the boundary of the background to extend over the area of calcification, and so generating an inpainted set of digital data; and computing the difference between the starting set of digital data and the inpainted set of digital data to obtain a quantitative measure of the degree of calcification of the blood vessel.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method of processing an image of at least part of a blood vessel to derive a measure indicative of the instability of calcific deposits in the blood vessel, said blood vessel containing at least one calcific deposit, comprises locating and annotating one or more calcific deposits. Using information derived from the annotation of said calcific deposits, the method further comprises calculating a measure reflecting either one or both of a) the aggregate of the deviations from roundness of individual calcific deposits, and b) up to at least a threshold value, the extent to which the separate calcific deposits are spaced from one another.

Abstract: A method for the analysis of three dimensional scan data representing an articular cartilage is provided to extract a quantitative parameter indicative of joint pathology. A measure of local curvature of the cartilage is determined within a region of interest. The value of the quantitative parameter of this joint derived from this measure is compared with the value of a similar quantitative parameter previously established in respect of healthy joints and/or joints characterised by a pathology.

Abstract: A method of deriving a quantitative measure of a degree of calcification of a blood vessel such as an aorta by processing an image such as an X-ray image of at least a part of the blood vessel containing said calcification comprises: taking a starting set of digital data representative of an image of at least part of a blood vessel containing a calcification set against a background; estimating the boundary of the calcification; using inpainting to replace digital data in said starting set representing the calcification with data extrapolating the boundary of the background to extend over the area of calcification, and so generating an inpainted set of digital data; and computing the difference between the starting set of digital data and the inpainted set of digital data to obtain a quantitative measure of the degree of calcification of the blood vessel.

Abstract: This invention relates generally to calcitonin and their use in bone growth. Specifically, the invention relates to the use of calcitonin, e.g. salmon calictonin, to stimulate new bone formation in patients in need thereof.

Abstract: A method of deriving a quantitative measure of a degree of calcification of a blood vessel such as an aorta by processing an image such as an X-ray image of at least a part of the blood vessel containing said calcification comprises: taking a starting set of digital data representative of an image of at least part of a blood vessel containing a calcification set against a background; estimating the boundary of the calcification; using inpainting to replace digital data in said starting set representing the calcification with data extrapolating the boundary of the background to extend over the area of calcification, and so generating an inpainted set of digital data; and computing the difference between the starting set of digital data and the inpainted set of digital data to obtain a quantitative measure of the degree of calcification of the blood vessel.