bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Effect of Pulsed Electromagnetic Fields on the Bioactivity of Human Osteoarthritic Chondrocytes
Authors: Sadoghi Patrick , Leithner Andreas , Dorotka Ronald , Vavken Patrick 
Published: March 2013

Low-frequency pulsed electromagnetic fields (PEMFs) are used for the treatment of human osteoarthritic cells in vivo without knowledge of underling principles. The authors evaluated the effect of PEMFs on human chondrocytes of the osteoarthritic knee in vitro. Biopsies of the cut femoral condyles after total knee arthroplasty were kept in a standard cell culture medium consisting of Dulbecco’s modified Eagle’s medium: nutrient mixture F-12, 10% fetal calf serum, PenStrept (Mediatech, Inc, Manassas, Virginia), and ascorbic acid for 4 days and randomly split into an exposed group (PEMF for 4 hours daily for 4 days at 75 Hz and 1.6 mT) and a control group. Both groups were retained for biochemical and polymerase chain reaction analysis (glycosaminoglycan and DNA levels). APvalue less than .05 was considered significant.DNA analysis revealed no differences between groups and no increase in content after exposure (P=.88 and .66, respectively). The increase of glycosaminoglycans was 0.4±1.6 ng (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.4 to 0.5) and −0.5±1.8 ng (95% CI, 0.6 to −1.5) in the exposed and control groups, respectively, with no significant difference (P=.24). A smaller decrease of glycosaminoglycan and DNA levels was observed over 4 days in the exposed group compared with the control group, with no statistical significance. The authors concluded that low-frequency PEMFs do not significantly influence the biosynthetic activity of explantcultures of human osteoarthritic cells in vitro. Nevertheless, they may be suitable as an adjuvant to a larger treatment regimen.
Trends in Orthopedics: An Analysis of Medicare Claims, 2000–2010
Authors: Belatti Daniel A. , Phisitkul Phinit 
Published: March 2013

The complete Medicare Part B claims databases for the years 2000 through 2010 were queried. Musculoskeletal procedures were grouped into 12 anatomical or functional groups for multiyear analysis. Utilization rates per 1000 Medicare beneficiaries and spending per Medicare beneficiary were calculated. Compound annual growth rates were used to compare spending trends with national health care spending data. Medicare payments for orthopedic procedures increased 63.7% in 10 years, from $1.6 billion in 2000 to $2.6 billion in 2010. The number of procedures increased by a similar proportion, from 8.2 to 13.6 million (66.9%); the average reimbursement per procedure decreased slightly. The overall utilization rate increased by 41.4% over the past decade, from 206.73 to 292.41 per 1000 beneficiaries. Considerable variation was found when these procedures were analyzed, with utilization rates per 1000 beneficiaries ranging from large increases (spine, +214.5%; endoscopy, +128%) to modest decreases (hand and fingers, −9.9%). Payment trends, corrected for inflation and growth in the number of Medicare enrollees, showed similar heterogeneity. Payment per beneficiary increased at only 0.65% above inflation for orthopedic procedures, well below the 4.67% compound annual growth rate seen for overall Medicare spending.These data demonstrate that, despite significant increases in its utilization, orthopedics does not appear to be a driver for increases in Medicare spending over the past decade. Only spinal and endoscopic procedures stand out as having experienced exceptional growth; demonstration of clinical success and cost effectiveness in these areas would be helpful to strengthen support for these evolving trends in orthopedic practice.
Arthroscopic Treatment of Symptomatic Paralabral Cysts in the Hip
Authors: Lee Keun-Ho , Park Youn-Soo , Lim Seung-Jae 
Published: March 2013

Acetabular labral tears or paralabral cysts in the hip are frequently detected using magnetic resonance imaging or arthrography. Unlike parameniscal cysts in the knee and paralabral cysts in the shoulder, reports of the outcomes of surgical treatment for paralabral cysts in the hip recalcitrant to conservative management are limited in the literature.
The authors report 2 cases of paralabral cysts in the hip that were treated with arthroscopic surgery. The patients presented with chronic hip pain, and preoperative magnetic resonance imaging showed paralabral cysts at the superior aspect of the acetabulum. After failure of conservative management for more than 6 months, arthroscopic surgery was performed while the patients were under general anesthesia and in a supine position on a fracture table. Arthroscopic examination confirmed the preoperative diagnosis of paralabral cysts with degenerative labral fibrillation or tears in both patients. Arthroscopic cyst decompression and debridement of the degenerative labral tissues were performed using an arthroscopic thermal probe and a shaver.
Clinical outcomes, determined by the Harris Hip Score, Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index score, and University of California, Los Angeles activity score, were satisfactory for the 2 patients at 2 and 3 years postoperatively, respectively. Magnetic resonance imaging obtained for 1 patient at 6 months postoperatively showed complete decompression of the paralabral cyst. The authors believe that arthroscopic treatment for symptomatic hip paralabral cysts is a safe and effective procedure with excellent clinical outcomes.
Axillary Ultrasound for Breast Cancer Staging: an Attempt to Identify Clinical/Histopathological Factors Impacting Diagnostic Performance
Authors: Ertan Kubilay , Linsler Christina , Di Liberto Alexander , Ong Mei Fang , Solomayer Erich , Endrikat Jan 
Published: March 2013

Aim To assess the diagnostic value of pre-surgery axillary ultrasound for nodal staging in patients with primary breast cancer and to identify clinical/histopathological factors impacting diagnostic performance. Study Design Single-center, retrospective chart analysis. We assessed sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive value of clinical examination as well as axillary ultrasound vs. clinical examination alone. The histopathological results were the standard of truth. In addition, we analyzed clinical and histopathological factors regarding their potential to impact sensitivity and specificity. Results We enrolled a total of 172 women in the study. Sensitivity of clinical examination plus ultrasound was significantly higher than for clinical examination alone (58% vs. 31.6%). Specificity and positive predictive value were similar while the negative predictive value increased from 63.4% to 73% when additionally applying ultrasound. Sensitivity and specificity of axillary ultrasound were impacted by tumor size ( P = 0.2/0.04), suspicious axillary palpation ( P < 0.01/<0.01), number of affected lymph nodes ( P < 0.01/-) and distant metastases ( P = 0.04/<0.01). All other factors had no impact. Conclusion Since pre-surgery axillary nodal staging is currently used to determine disease management, axillary ultrasound is a useful add-on tool in the diagnostic armamentarium for breast cancer patients. Tumor size, suspicious axillary palpation, number of affected lymph nodes and distant metastases increase diagnostic performance of this diagnostic modality.
Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis of the Orbit
Authors: Kiratli Hayyam , Tarlan Berçin , Söylemezoğlu Figen 
Published: March 2013

Purpose The management of Langerhans cell histiocytosis is controversial. This study evaluated our clinical experience and therapeutic results in orbital Langerhans cell histiocytosis. Methods This is a retrospective, noncomparative interventional case series involving 17 consecutive patients with biopsy-proven orbital Langerhans cell histiocytosis. Response to surgery and chemotherapy and development of diabetes insipidus were the main outcome measures. Results Thirteen (76.5%) of the patients were male and the mean age at diagnosis was 10.7 years (range 2–39 years). The most frequent presenting sign was proptosis (8 patients) and upper eyelid edema (4 patients). Pain was present in 5 cases and periocular redness in 6. No patient reported a history of trauma. The frontal bone was involved in 16 patients followed by the zygomatic in 9 cases. Five patients also had lesions in the calvarium, femur, facial, temporal, and parietal bones. No patients had systemic disease. Ten patients were managed with vinblastine (0.2 mg/kg, 6–12 months) chemotherapy because of major residual tumor burden (5 cases) and multi-bone involvement (5 cases). Four patients were observed following macroscopically complete tumor removal. Three patients with limited anterior orbital soft tissue tumors and single bone involvement received systemic corticosteroids (40 mg/m2/d, 6–10 weeks). No patients developed diabetes insipidus after a median follow-up of 46 months. Conclusions Macroscopically complete excision of the unifocal tumors may not necessitate any further treatment. Vinblastine chemotherapy following incomplete tumor removal and in patients with multifocal bone disease resulted in recurrence-free survival at 3 years in 90% of patients.
Choroidal Neovascularization in Acquired Partial Lipodystrophy
Authors: Broadhead Geoffrey K. , Chang Andrew 
Published: March 2013

Purpose To report a case of choroidal neovascularization (CNV) associated with acquired partial lipodystrophy (PLD). Methods A 55-year-old woman with a known history of PLD presented with acute onset visual loss affecting her right eye and underwent investigations to diagnose the underlying pathology. Results Fluorescein angiography and time-domain optical coherence tomography demonstrated the presence of intraretinal edema consistent with CNV. The patient was treated with intravitreal ranibizumab with excellent results, and her vision remains unimpaired 4 years posttreatment. Conclusions Choroidal neovascularization is an angiogenic process that can occur following retinal pigment epithelium disruption of any cause. These vessels may then bleed into retinal tissue, with potentially devastating visual consequences. Although rare, PLD has been associated with retinal drusenoid lesions. This is the first case to report CNV in association with PLD, and highlights the importance of considering CNV in the differential diagnosis of acute visual loss in patients with drusenoid diseases such as PLD.
Future Perspectives for Diagnostic Imaging in Urology: From Anatomic and Functional to Molecular Imaging
Authors: Macis Giuseppe , Di Giovanni Silvia , Di Franco Davide , Bonomo Lorenzo 
Published: March 2013

The future approach of diagnostic imaging in urology follows the technological progress, which made the visualization of in vivo molecular processes possible. From anatomo-morphological diagnostic imaging and through functional imaging molecular radiology is reached. Based on molecular probes, imaging is aimed at assessing the in vivo molecular processes, their physiology and function at cellular level. The future imaging will investigate the complex tumor functioning as metabolism, aerobic glycolysis in particular, angiogenesis, cell proliferation, metastatic potential, hypoxia, apoptosis and receptors expressed by neoplastic cells. Methods for performing molecular radiology are CT, MRI, PET-CT, PET-MRI, SPECT and optical imaging. Molecular ultrasound combines technological advancement with targeted contrast media based on microbubbles, this allowing the selective registration of microbubble signal while that of stationary tissues is suppressed. An experimental study was carried out where the ultrasound molecular probe BR55 strictly bound to prostate tumor results in strong enhancement in the early phase after contrast, this contrast being maintained in the late phase. This late enhancement is markedly significant for the detection of prostatic cancer foci and to guide the biopsy sampling. The 124I-cG250 molecular antibody which is strictly linked to cellular carbonic anhydrase IX of clear cell renal carcinoma, allows the acquisition of diagnostic PET images of clear cell renal carcinoma without biopsy. This WG-250 (RENCAREX) antibody was used as a therapy in metastatic clear cell renal carcinoma. Future advancements and applications will result in early cancer diagnosis, personalized therapy that will be specific according to the molecular features of cancer and leading to the development of catheter–based multichannel molecular imaging devices for cystoscopy-based molecular imaging diagnosis and intervention.
Demographic and health indicators in Gulf Cooperation Council nations with an emphasis on Qatar
Authors: Alrouh Hekmat , Ismail Awatef , Cheema Sohaila 
Published: March 2013

Qatar is a rapidly developing wealthy state that is part of the Gulf Cooperation Council, a group of six countries that share relatively similar economic and cultural profiles. We aimed to capture key health indicators and demographic data from Qatar and GCC countries by examining 1980–2010 data from the World Bank Databank and WHO report. The results highlighted a unique demographic profile in Qatar, which has the lowest age dependency ratio, highest male to female ratio, and second highest migrant population in the world. In comparison to other GCC countries, Qatar had the highest life expectancy and the lowest communicable disease and-all cause mortality rates.
The GCC countries generally had a low percentage of their population over age 65, a high percentage of migrants, a very low crude death rate and very high overweight and obesity prevalence. Examination of data trends showed a decline in birth rate and fertility rate with significant improvement in under-five and maternal mortality rates over the last three decades.
Prevention during the epidemiologic shift to chronic illness: a case control study of risk factors associated with cardiovascular disease in Qatar
Authors: Christos Paul J , Chemaitelly Hiam , Abu-Raddad Laith J , Gehani Abdul Razak , Deleu Dirk , Mushlin Alvin I 
Published: March 2013

Background: Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) continue to be the leading cause of death worldwide. Countries in the Arabian Gulf region are prime examples of major shifts in demographic and epidemiologic profiles leading to an increased burden of chronic illness. This study estimated the association between five preventable conditions and risk factors and the development of myocardial infarction (MI) and cerebrovascular accidents (CVA) in the population of Qatar. Methods: We conducted a case control study among patients admitted to Hamad Medical Corporation with acute MI (n = 512) or CVA (n = 262) from June 2006–June 2008. Controls (n = 382) were randomly selected from unrelated inpatient and outpatient departments. Data collected included socio-demographic information, medical/family history, lifestyle characteristics, and depression assessments. Results: Over two thirds of MI and half of CVA cases were younger than 55 years, with 12% and 7%, respectively, being under age 40. Cases were predominantly males, and Qatari nationals constituted 13% of MI and 25% of CVA cases. Approximately 40% of participants were overweight and an additional 30% were obese. Diabetes was the strongest preventable risk factor for MI (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 3.31, 95% CI 1.97–5.57) and CVA (adjusted OR = 3.67, 95% CI 2.00–6.74). Hypertension was the second major preventable risk factor for CVA (adjusted OR = 2.73, 95% CI 1.59–4.68) and an important factor for MI (adjusted OR = 1.69, 95% CI 1.05–2.72). Minimal physical activity (defined as lack of vigorous or moderate activity for at least 10 minutes in the past month) increased the risk of MI and CVA by approximately 80%, while smoking increased the risk of MI two-fold. Exploratory analyses of the determinants of CVD among Qatari nationals identified diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, and smoking as potential preventable risk factors, but with higher odds ratios than other groups. Conclusions: Public health strategies to prevent MI and CVA should be based on alteration of risk factors found elsewhere in the world. However, the magnitude of these factors in Qatar suggests that the effectiveness of altering these risk factors is even more likely to have a significant impact. Designing population-level prevention interventions with awareness campaigns and supporting a culture of preventive health are critical for both Qatari nationals and the expatriate population.
Foreign qualification recognition, labour market barriers and their impact on migrants and their families
Authors: Newson Michael 
Published: March 2013

AbstractThe issue of highly skilled and trained migrants not being able to practice or find
employment in their chosen profession has become an increasingly relevant and public
issue in recent years. In many major immigrant destination countries, unemployment and
underemployment rates for immigrants have continued to creep upwards and immigrant
outcomes have declined in comparison to native-born workers. This is while immigration regimes
have become ever more restrictive, demanding higher levels of educational attainment, work
experience, and language proficiency. What countless academics, practitioners, policy workers,
and immigrants themselves have discovered is that there is often a significant labour market
integration gap between the skills and training migrants bring with them to their new country
and their ability to market and apply their qualifications in the labour market.
Family migration to Europe
Authors: Williams Michael 
Published: March 2013

AbstractUnlike many other parts of the world, it is possible to regard most of Europe as an emerging
zone in relation to the conditions of entry for migrants who look to exercise family life. The
European Union provides a transnational legal framework for the adoption and implementation
of legislation concerning policy areas better addressed at Union level. One such area is family
reunion and the respect for family life. An important legal basis in this field is the European
Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, particularly Article
8 on the right to respect for private and family life1. The Rights of the Child Convention (CRC)2
and the International Convention on Civil and Political rights (ICCPR)3 also engage international
obligations. Thus, the European Union can be seen as an experimental workshop for seeking
common solutions in this field, a field fraught with challenges but also with considerable
possibilities of confirming the primacy of family life in human society. The Directive on Family
Reunification of Third Country Nationals was adopted by the European Council in 2003 and states
in its preamble:“Family reunification is a necessary way of making family life possible. It helps to create
socio-cultural stability facilitating the integration of third country nationals in the Member State,
which also serves to promote economic and social cohesion, a fundamental community objective
stated in the (EU) Treaty.”
How family circumstances may influence women’s experience of migration—be they migrants or those left behind
Authors: Mollard Blandine 
Published: March 2013

AbstractAs is now acknowledged by many, the migration of women is far from being a new
phenomenon. As early as the 1960s’, women have constituted approximately 47% of migrants.
However, those women were often invisible in the eyes of academics and policy-makers, first
because data was not disaggregated by sex and second because most of those migrant women
were not considered as workers but as dependants. Therefore, they were not considered in
migration policies from both origin and destination countries.Despite what is commonly assumed, the concept of feminization of migration does not
imply a dramatic change in numbers but rather a more qualitative change. This notion refers
to the change in the ‘how’ and the ‘why’ of women’s migration: Women now tend to migrate
increasingly as ‘primary migrants’, which is to say as autonomous actors and not only as
dependant family members (wife, daughter or partner) of a male migrant. This accounts for a
variety of socio-economic factors such as education levels, access to information and resources,
cultural acceptance of women’s movement but also an increased decision-making power among
women.
Unaccompanied and on the move: Risks and opportunities for the children
Authors: Shuteriqi Mirela 
Published: March 2013

AbstractThis paper focuses on those persons under 18 years old who, unaccompanied by their
parent(s) or legal guardian, have left their place of habitual residence and are either on the way
towards a new destination or have reached such a destination not long ago. These children move
within the country or across international borders. Their ages differ and, in regions such as Africa
for example, children as young as 10 years old are reported to have moved away, unaccompanied
by their parents.Today, estimations speak about millions of children on the move. These numbers are likely
to increase in the years to come, driven by population dynamics in combination with the lack
of development and employment opportunities—in particular in rural areas—and given the
predicted rising impact of climate change. Most of the population growth will concentrate in the
developing world. The largest urban centers are expected to be in countries where sanitation,
health care, education, policing and employment opportunities remain scarce. Some argue that
this will increase the emigration from these countries; while the decline of developed countries’
labor force will increase the demand for immigrant workers in such countries.
Today, there are mainly three specific situations when children move unaccompanied by
their parent(s) and namely:
• In the context of armed conflict or natural disaster (internally displaced children,
refugees)
• When trafficked
• When migrating out of free will
In all three situations, the fact that the child is not accompanied by the parent(s) does
not necessarily mean that he or she moves entirely on his/her own. Very often these children
move in groups of peers or accompanied by adults other then their own parents. The risks and
opportunities they face differ also from case to case.
It goes beyond the scope of this paper to discuss in details the risks and opportunities for the
children in all the three above-mentioned situations. This paper will thus focus only on the risks
and opportunities children face when migrating out of their free will. The paper will first explore
the reasons behind the unaccompanied migration of children. Then, based on concrete examples,
it will seek to identify some of the most serious protection gaps faced by children. The end of
the paper will provide a number of recommendations on how to address such gaps and better
protect children on the move.
Migrants’ social and labor market outcomes: Paraguayans in Argentina
Authors: Cortes Rosalia 
Published: March 2013

AbstractThis paper addresses some factors influencing migrants’ social and labor market outcomes
in host countries, focusing particularly on the case of Paraguayan migration to Argentina. In
the first decades of the 20th century, Latin America and the Caribbean received 15% of total
migrant flows1. In Argentina, in 1919, migrants represented 30% of the population, although this
proportion diminished in the following decades. The share of migrants has remained around
4.5% to 5% of total Argentine population since 1995—until the 2010 Population Census—while
the decline in European migration since the mid-1940s was replaced by neighboring countries’
migrants.