bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Similar Benefits Seen After Radial Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy or Autologous Blood Injection in Patients With Chronic Plantar Fasciitis—A Retrospective Cohort Study
Authors: Wheeler Patrick C. , Dudson Chloe 
Published: July 2021

Objective:
To compare the outcomes for patients with chronic plantar fasciitis after extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) or autologous blood injection (ABI).

Design:
Cohort study—retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data.

Setting:
Hospital-based Sports Medicine Outpatient Clinic.

Patients:
One hundred two consecutive patients with chronic plantar fasciitis, treated with either radial-ESWT (rESWT) (n = 54) or ABI (n = 48), with minimum 3-month follow-up and 96% (98/102) having 6-month follow-up. Mean age 49.5 years and mean duration of symptoms 37.5 months before treatment.

Interventions:
Patients received either 3 sessions of radial ESWT (one session per week for 3 weeks), or a single ultrasound-guided dry needling and ABI (3 mL whole autologous blood). All patients received standardized after-care, including progressive structured home exercise program of flexibility, strengthening, and proprioception exercises.

Main Outcome Measures:
0 to 10 numerical rating scale (NRS) for self-reported “average pain” and “average stiffness” values. Secondary outcome measures included assessments of local foot function [including Manchester-Oxford Foot Questionnaire (MOXFQ), revised-Foot Function Index] as well as markers of mental health functioning (HAD), global health (EQ-5D-5L), and physical activity (International Physical Activity Questionnaire).

Results:
This study demonstrated statistically significant improvements in self-reported measures of pain and local foot function after either procedure at 6 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months, but no statistically significant differences were seen between groups at any time-period studied. At 6 months, the average pain using a 0 to 10 NRS was improved from 6.8 ± 1.8 to 4.0 ± 2.7 (P < 0.001) after ESWT and from 7.1 ± 1.6 to 3.8 ± 2.7 (P < 0.001) after ABI. At 6 months, significant improvements were seen following either group using a number of different validated patient-rated outcome measures assessing local foot pain and function, eg, the total score for MOXFQ improved from 56.1 ± 12.8 to 42.5 ± 16.6 (P < 0.001) after ESWT and from 58.8 ± 13.2 to 44.2 ± 19.2 (P < 0.001) after ABI. However, measures of physical activity or wider aspects of patient functioning did not consistently improve from baseline values to follow-up periods.

Conclusions:
Patients with chronic plantar fasciitis improved to statistically significant extent after either rESWT or ABI procedures, with no significant differences seen between groups. The lack of randomization in this pragmatic study is noted, which may have influenced the outcome seen. Potentially larger and more robust studies are required to investigate this treatment comparison further.
The association of dynamic thiol–disulphide balance with white-coat hypertension
Authors: Genç Ömer , Quisi Alaa , Harbalioğlu Hazar , Alici Gokhan , Allahverdiyev Samir , Yildirim Abdullah , Er Fahri , Topuz Mustafa , Gür Mustafa , Kurt İbrahim Halil , Erel Özcan 
Published: July 2021

Objective
Dynamic thiol–disulphide homeostasis is an indicator of the antioxidant system that interacts early with the oxidative environment. This study aimed to assess the dynamic thiol/disulphide balance in individuals with white-coat hypertension (WCH).

Methods
This cross-sectional study included a total of 117 individuals who presented to our outpatient cardiology clinic. Seventy patients were diagnosed with WCH. All blood samples were obtained from the patients after a minimum of 8 h of fasting, centrifuged immediately, stored in Eppendorf tubes, and protected at −80°C.

Results
The two groups were well-balanced in terms of age, gender, and BMI. Native thiol and total thiol levels were lower in the WCH group than in normotensive individuals. However, disulphide levels were higher in the former. Serum disulphide concentration positively correlated with 24-h SBP, and 24-h DBP. In backward stepwise logistic regression analysis, serum disulphide [odds ratio (OR) = 1.165 (1.089–1.245), 95% confidence interval (CI), P < 0.001] and serum total thiol levels [OR = 0.992 (0.984–1.000), 95% CI, P = 0.050] were independently associated with WCH.

Conclusion
We demonstrated that dynamic thiol/disulphide balance shifted strongly towards disulphide formation due to thiol oxidation in patients with WCH.
Effects of acupuncture at acupoints along lung meridian on cervical spondylosis of cervical type
Authors: Fan Lin , Lu Gang , Yuan Haiguang , Wang Xiangyang , Qiao Haifa 
Published: July 2021

Abstract

Background:
Cervical spondylosis is a disorder of the neck, shoulder, and back due to degenerative changes of the cervical intervertebral disc, muscles, ligament, and bones. Previous trails have shown that acupuncture contributes to relieving patients with cervical spondylosis. We aim to determine the efficacy of acupuncture at acupoints on the lung meridian for cervical spondylosis.

Methods:
A total of 64 patients diagnosed with cervical spondylosis of cervical type using visual analog scale scores and range of motion of the cervical spine as measures of injury, will be recruited. Patients are to be randomly assigned to two groups, those treated with acupoints either on the Lung Meridian or Heart Meridian at a 1:1 allocation ratio. Patients in the group treated with acupoints on Lung Meridian will receive acupuncture at LU 7 (Lieque) and LU 5 (Chize) while the group treated with acupoints on Heart Meridian will receive acupuncture at HT 4 (Lingdao) and HT 3 (Shaohai). Both groups will receive 2-weeks of treatment over 6 sessions. Treatment outcomes, including visual analog scale score, range of motion of the cervical spine, muscle assessment, musculoskeletal ultrasound, MRI, the MOS 36-item short-form health survey scale, neck disability index, self-rating anxiety scale, self-rating depression scale, complete blood count, C-reactive protein, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, functional magnetic resonance imaging, and diffusion tensor imaging are recorded at baseline, after 4 weeks (at the end of 2-weeks of intervention), 8 weeks (after the 4-week follow-up examination) and 16 weeks (after the 12-week follow-up examination).

Discussion:
We aim to demonstrate the efficacy and safety of acupuncture at acupoints along the Lung Meridian and verify that it counters cervical spondylosis of cervical type. The results will not only justify selecting acupoints on this meridian for this form of neck pain but provide optimized guidance for the treatment of other disorders by acupuncture.
Myopericytoma in the knee joint
Authors: Takeda Koji , Nakamura Mitsuhiro , Soda Yoshinori , Adachi Nobuo 
Published: July 2021

Abstract

Introduction:
Myopericytoma is a relatively new disease entity described by Granter and colleagues in 1998. It is a benign tumor classified as a pericytic/perivascular tumor. Myopericytomas are most commonly seen in the dermis and subcutaneous soft tissue of the peripheral extremities of adults, but some rare reports indicate that myopericytoma can occur in the deep soft tissue around the knee joint. We report a case of a woman in her 30s with myopericytoma around the knee joint.

Patient concerns:
A 30-year-old woman presented with popliteal pain that increased during deep knee flexion in the left knee.

Diagnosis:
Magnetic resonance imaging showed a cystic lesion behind the posterior cruciate ligament. An intra-articular lesion was suspected, we performed arthroscopy; however, no lesions were observed. An additional contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging showed a strong contrast effect in the lesion and surrounding soft tissue. We suspected chronic lymphadenitis, hemangiomas, and neoplastic lesions, and an excisional biopsy was performed.

Interventions:
Through the Burks approach, we performed an excisional biopsy. Based on the characteristic spindle-shaped cell array and immunohistochemistry, the diagnosis was myopericytoma.

Outcomes:
Six months after surgery, the patient was doing well with no pain.

Conclusion:
Although myopericytoma is difficult to diagnose preoperatively, it is a disease that should be differentiated from the tumor around the knee joint. The key for diagnosing this disease is histopathological and immunohistochemistry examination.
An unusual case of acute cholecystitis following anterior lumbar interbody fusion
Authors: Kim Ju-Hwi , Kim Sang-Heon , Kim Sang-Kyou , Lee Min-Cheol , Kim In-Hwan , Kim Soo-Han , Lee Jung-Kil 
Published: July 2021

Abstract

Introduction:
Acute acalculous cholecystitis is also likely to occur in critical systemic conditions, such as trauma, burns, and postoperative situations. Here, we report a rare case of acute cholecystitis after anterior lumbar interbody fusion (ALIF).

Patient concerns:
A 75-year-old female experienced low-grade fever (< 38.3°C), following ALIF of L4–5. On postoperative day 3, the patient exhibited acute jaundice without abdominal discomfort.

Diagnosis:
Laboratory investigations revealed elevated values for liver function tests and bilirubin levels (aspartate aminotransferase, 79 IU/L; alanine aminotransferase, 56 IU/L; total bilirubin, 7.6 mg/dL; and direct bilirubin 4.1 mg/dL), with no prominent abnormalities, such as stones or dilatation of the hepatobiliary tract, on abdominal computed tomography. However, endoscopic ultrasound revealed diffuse thickening of the gallbladder (GB) wall and large amounts of echogenic material in the GB lumen, suggesting acute cholecystitis with GB sludge.

Interventions:
Emergency endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography and biliary drainage were performed by inserting a single-tail catheter through the biliary tract.

Outcomes:
Clinical symptoms, including skin jaundice and icteric sclera, gradually improved, and the patient was discharged 13 days after the surgery. Liver function tests and bilirubin levels were normalized in the final laboratory investigations during the hospitalization period (aspartate aminotransferase. 26 IU/L; alanine aminotransferase. 16 IU/L; total bilirubin, 2.1 mg/dL; direct bilirubin, 0.9 mg/dL; and C-reactive protein, 0.21 mg/dL).

Conclusion:
Spinal surgeons should be aware of the possibility of biliary complications after ALIF. In particular, postoperative cholecystitis in elderly patients has a poor prognosis; therefore, early diagnosis and intervention are the only ways to improve the prognosis.
The therapeutic properties of ketogenic diets, slow-wave sleep, and circadian synchrony
Authors: O’Hearn L. Amber 
Published: July 2021

Purpose of review
To summarize emerging connections between sleep, ketogenic diets, and health.

Recent findings
Mechanisms involved in the therapeutic benefits of ketogenic diets continue to be elucidated. Concurrently, the importance of sleep quality and circadian rhythms in their effects on metabolic and cognitive health is increasingly appreciated. Advances in the understanding of the actions of adenosine, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, and slow-wave sleep underscore connections between these areas of research.

Summary
Many molecular pathways activated during ketogenic diets are known to modulate sleep–wake cycles, circadian rhythms, and sleep stages. Ketogenic diets often have beneficial effects on sleep at the same time as having beneficial effects on particular medical conditions. Enhancement of slow-wave sleep and rejuvenation of circadian programming may be synergistic with or causally involved in the benefits of ketogenic diets.
Ketogenic diet as an advanced option for the management of pediatric obesity
Authors: Favret Jenny , Wood Charles T. , Maradiaga Panayotti Gabriela M. 
Published: July 2021

Purpose of review
The Duke Healthy Lifestyles Program (HL), established in 2006, has treated over 15,000 pediatric patients with obesity. A subset of patients with obesity do not respond to dietary and lifestyle changes. Development of the Staged Transitional Eating Plan (STEP) in 2012 provided a ketogenic advanced dietary option for these specific patients.

Recent findings
The goal of STEP is to facilitate weight loss, while assuring adequacy and the promotion of health through the abundant inclusion of vegetables, fatty fish, nuts, olive oil, and other foods consistent with the Mediterranean Diet. STEP is a three-phase eating plan, each with a defined carbohydrate limit. STEP is ideal for patients eager to try a low carbohydrate diet, those with good vegetable acceptance, and those with families who are able to participate in the same eating plan as them.

Summary
STEP, the HL version of low carbohydrate high fat eating, is a safe dietary intervention for a carefully selected subset of pediatric patients with obesity who are trying to lose weight.
International patient group harnesses social media to help inform rare disease research: use of a low carbohydrate ketogenic diet in McArdle disease
Authors: Reason Stacey L. , Løkken Nicoline , Voermans Nicol 
Published: July 2021

Purpose of review
To highlight the benefits of a partnership between patient advocacy organizations (PAO) and clinical researchers in order to clinically study the prior anecdotal patient experience of utilizing a low-carbohydrate ketogenic diet (LCKD) to manage McArdle disease.

Recent findings
The bedside-to-bench and back again method of translational research is well suited to explore anecdotal patient experiences, particularly for rare diseases. In McArdle disease, patients have explored the use of a LCKD to address the ubiquitous occurrence of physical activity intolerance and minimize associated adverse events. The International Association for Muscle Glycogen Storage Disease harnessed the power of social media to better understand this patient-centric finding and has subsequently partnered with clinical researchers to convey patient-centered priorities for research. From this partnership, a series of clinical and survey studies have been initiated.

Summary
Collaboration between PAOs and clinical researchers has the potential to foster patient empowerment, advance anecdotal experiences into scientific hypotheses, and ultimately guide the development of management guidelines that reflect the patient perspective.
Review: The Quiet Eye in Sports Performance—Is the Quiet Eye the Ultimate Explanation or Only the Beginning?
Authors: Dalton Kristine 
Published: July 2021

SIGNIFICANCE
The quiet eye is a gaze behavior that seems to differentiate both expert-novice performance and successful and unsuccessful performance in experts; however, the quiet eye may only represent one aspect of the perceptual-cognitive expertise differences that exist between athletes and nonathletes.
Research suggests that expert-novice differences in vision and visual-motor coordination skills exist between athletes and nonathletes, although the underlying mechanisms driving these differences are not well understood. The quiet eye is the final fixation or tracking gaze made before the initiation of the action of importance in a motor coordination task and is quite possibly the most well-studied vision strategy variable in sport. The quiet eye has been shown to be a key component of both expert ability and successful performance. However, the quiet eye is not without its criticisms, and the perceptual mechanisms underlying this unique gaze behavior are not yet well understood. The question that remains to be answered is whether the differences in vision and visual-motor coordination skills that exist between athletes and nonathletes can be explained by the quiet eye alone or if the explanation is more complicated.
Review: Visual Performance Assessments for Sport
Authors: Erickson Graham B. 
Published: July 2021

SIGNIFICANCE
Eye care professionals seek to provide effective vision care for a variety of patient needs, including performance in sports and recreational pursuits. This review provides an analysis of common visual performance assessments, including summaries of recent clinical research from a diverse array of professional literature.
Vision is recognized as an important element of sports performance. Elite athletes frequently demonstrate exceptional abilities to see and respond effectively in sports competition. Which visual factors are important and how to most effectively assess visual performance are the sources of much debate. This topical review presents an evidence-based review of the common visual performance factors assessed in athletes, beginning with guidance for conducting a visual task analysis for the variety of sports that athlete patients may compete in. An information processing model is used to provide a framework for understanding the contributions of the many visual performance factors used during sports.
Retinal Microvascular Vessel Density Differences between Adult Athletes and Nonathletes
Authors: Ugurlu Adem , Icel Erel 
Published: July 2021

SIGNIFICANCE
Regular physical activity may affect the neurovascular structures. Many studies have shown the positive effects of physical activity on ocular disorders such as glaucoma, retinopathy, and macular degeneration. Athletes were expected to have a better retinal vascular structure compared with the nonathletes.

PURPOSE
This study aimed to evaluate the effects of regular physical activity on the retinal microvascular structure.

METHODS
This observational and cross-sectional study was conducted between January and July 2020 with participants aged 20 to 35 years who had a visual acuity of ≥20/20, axial length of 22 to 24 mm, refractive defect spherical equivalent of ≤±1 D, and IOP of ≤21 mmHg. Updated AngioScan software (Navis version 1.8.0) of Nidek's RS-3000 Advance system was used to analyze the spectral-domain optical coherence tomography and optical coherence tomography angiography images.

RESULTS
A total of 60 right eyes of 60 individuals were included in the study. Thirty subjects were in the athlete group, and 30 patients were in the nonathlete group. Sixteen of the individuals in the athlete group and 15 in the nonathlete group were women (P > .05). Retinal nerve fiber layer and ganglion cell complex thicknesses in all quadrants were thinner in nonathletes (P < .05). All of the Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study regions except central foveal subfield thickness were significantly higher in the athlete group (P < .05). In the nonathlete group, significantly reduced vessel densities of the superficial and deep capillary plexus and radial peripapillary capillary plexus, and the foveal avascular zone circularity index along with an increased foveal avascular zone perimeter and area were also detected (P < .05).

CONCLUSIONS
Our study revealed that optical coherence tomography angiography measurements may be used in the determination of the effects of physical activity on retinal vascular structure changes.
Small Bowel Obstruction in an Adolescent Boy With No Apparent Risk Factors
Authors: Thiessen Brianna , Hickey Christine , Daniel Reethamma 
Published: July 2021

Abstract
Superior mesenteric artery syndrome (SMAS) is an uncommon condition that can lead to upper gastrointestinal obstruction. Although SMAS is a rare diagnosis, our patient, a 13-year-old adolescent boy with no relevant medical or surgical history, had a classical presentation of the disorder. In this article, we discuss the risk factors, common presentation, and treatment options of SMAS, and why it is important to consider in the differential diagnosis of a pediatric patient presenting with bilious emesis and no other risk factors for intestinal obstruction.
The Association of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder With Longitudinal Change in Glomerular Filtration Rate in World Trade Center Responders
Authors: Koraishy Farrukh M. , Coca Steven G. , Cohen Beth E. , Scherrer Jeffery F. , Mann Frank , Kuan Pei-Fen , Luft Benjamin J. , Clouston Sean A.P. 
Published: July 2021

ABSTRACT

Objective
High levels of psychological distress increase the risk of a wide range of medical diseases. In this study, we investigated the association between posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and kidney disease.

Methods
World Trade Center (WTC) responders were included if they had two or more measures of estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). The PTSD Checklist (PCL) was used to define no PTSD (PCL < 40), “mild” PTSD (40 ≤ PCL <50), and “severe” PTSD (PCL ≥50). Subtypes of PTSD by symptom clusters were analyzed. Multinomial logistic regression was used to estimate the association of PTSD with two GFR change outcomes (decline or increase) compared with the stable GFR outcome.

Results
In 2266 participants, the mean age was 53.1 years, 8.2% were female, and 89.1% were White. Individuals with PTSD (n = 373; 16.5%) did not differ in mean baseline GFR from individuals without PTSD (89.73 versus 90.56 mL min−1 1.73 m−2; p = .29). During a 2.01-year mean follow-up, a mean GFR decline of −1.51 mL min−1 1.73 m−2 per year was noted. In multivariable-adjusted models, PTSD was associated with GFR decline (adjusted relative risk [aRR] = 1.74 [1.32–2.30], p < .001) compared with stable GFR, with “hyperarousal” symptoms showing the strongest association (aRR =2.11 [1.40–3.19]; p < .001). Dose-response effects were evident when comparing mild with severe PTSD and comparing PTSD with versus without depression. PTSD was also associated with GFR rise (aRR = 1.47 [1.10–1.97], p < .009). The association between PTSD and GFR change was stronger in participants older than 50 years.

Conclusions
PTSD may be a novel risk factor for exaggerated longitudinal GFR change in young, healthy adults. These findings need to be validated in other cohorts.
Skin Tone, Discrimination, and Allostatic Load in Middle-Aged and Older Puerto Ricans
Authors: Cuevas Adolfo G. , Abuelezam Nadia N. , Chan Sze Wan (Celine) , Carvalho Keri , Flores Cecilia , Wang Kaipeng , Mattei Josiemer , Tucker Katherine L. , Falcon Luis M. 
Published: July 2021

ABSTRACT

Objective
A growing body of research suggests that skin tone may be a health risk indicator for Hispanics. Black and darker-skinned Hispanics have worse mental and physical outcomes than White and lighter-skinned Hispanics. Discrimination exposure has been implicated as a risk factor that may explain the association between skin tone and health. However, there is scant research examining the interrelationship between skin tone, discrimination, and health, particularly among Puerto Ricans. We examine the interrelationships between two measures of skin tone, two measures of discrimination, and allostatic load (AL) among Puerto Rican adults.

Methods
Using cross-sectional data from wave 3 of the Boston Puerto Rican Health Study (n = 882), we examined the indirect association (IA) of skin tone on physiological dysregulated systems, also known as AL, through major discrimination and everyday discrimination. We tested these associations using two distinct measures of skin tone: interviewer-ascribed skin tone and spectrophotometer-measured skin tone.

Results
Interviewer-ascribed skin tone was indirectly associated with AL through major discrimination (IA = 0.03, 95% confidence interval = 0.004 to 0.06). However, there was no evidence of an IA of interviewer-ascribed skin tone on AL through everyday discrimination (IA = −0.01, 95% confidence interval = −0.03 to 0.01). In addition, there was no evidence that spectrophotometer-measured skin tone was indirectly associated with AL through major discrimination or everyday discrimination.

Conclusions
The sociocultural significance of skin tone may affect how Puerto Ricans are perceived and treated by others, which can, in turn, have physiological health consequences. Future research is needed to replicate these findings and examine the interrelationship between skin tone, discrimination, and other health outcomes.