bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Associations between ADRB1 and CYP2D6 gene polymorphisms and the response to β-blocker therapy in hypertension
Authors: Wu Dingchang , Li Ganyang , Deng Maoqing , Song Wei , Huang Xiaohua , Guo Xiaoru , Wu Zhengzheng , Wu Shiyang , Xu Jiasen 
Published: April 2015

Objective To investigate the associations between β1-adrenergic receptor ( ADRB1) and cytochrome P450 2D6 ( CYP2D6) gene polymorphisms and β-blocker treatment outcomes in patients with hypertension. Methods Chinese patients with essential hypertension were treated with the β-blocker metoprolol and followed up for 12 weeks. xTAG® liquid-chip technology was used for CYP2D6 100 C > T and ADRB1 1165G > C genotyping. Associations between gene polymorphisms and antihypertensive therapy outcomes were assessed by generalized linear model fitting. A decrease of ≥ 10 mmHg in systolic blood pressure indicated an effective treatment outcome. Results A total of 93 patients were included in the study. Mutant allele frequencies of 61.29% and 58.60% were obtained for ADRB1 and CYP2D6, respectively. There was no significant interaction between the effects of ADRB1 and CYP2D6 gene polymorphisms on treatment outcome. Patients homozygous for the mutant ADRB1 genotype (CC) had better treatment outcomes than those heterozygous for the mutation (GC). Interestingly, β-blocker treatment duration was an independent factor associated with treatment outcome. Conclusions The ADRB1 1165G > C gene polymorphism and β-blocker treatment duration are independent factors associated with β-blocker treatment outcome. These findings suggest that the selection of antihypertensive therapy should take into consideration the patient’s genotype.
Tension Band Plating for Chronic Anterior Tibial Stress Fractures in High-Performance Athletes
Authors: Zbeda Robert M. , Sculco Peter K. , Urch Ekaterina Y. , Lazaro Lionel E. , Borens Olivier , Williams Riley J. , Lorich Dean G. , Wellman David S. , Helfet David L. 
Published: April 2015

Background: Anterior tibial stress fractures are associated with high rates of delayed union and nonunion, which can be particularly devastating to a professional athlete who requires rapid return to competition. Current surgical treatment strategies include intramedullary nailing, which has satisfactory rates of fracture union but an associated risk of anterior knee pain. Anterior tension band plating is a biomechanically sound alternative treatment for these fractures. Hypothesis: Tension band plating of chronic anterior tibial stress fractures leads to rapid healing and return to physical activity and avoids the anterior knee pain associated with intramedullary nailing. Study Design: Case series; Level of evidence, 4. Methods: Between 2001 and 2013, there were 13 chronic anterior tibial stress fractures in 12 professional or collegiate athletes who underwent tension band plating after failing nonoperative management. Patient charts were retrospectively reviewed for demographics, injury history, and surgical details. Radiographs were used to assess time to osseous union. Follow-up notes and phone interviews were used to determine follow-up time, return to training time, and whether the patient was able to return to competition. Results: Cases included 13 stress fractures in 12 patients (9 females, 3 males). Five patients were track-and-field athletes, 4 patients played basketball, 2 patients played volleyball, and 1 was a ballet dancer. Five patients were Division I collegiate athletes and 7 were professional or Olympic athletes. Average age at time of surgery was 23.6 years (range, 20-32 years). Osseous union occurred on average at 9.6 weeks (range, 5.3-16.9 weeks) after surgery. Patients returned to training on average at 11.1 weeks (range, 5.7-20 weeks). Ninety-two percent (12/13) eventually returned to preinjury competition levels. Thirty-eight percent (5/13) underwent removal of hardware for plate prominence. There was no incidence of infection or nonunion. Conclusion: Anterior tension band plating for chronic tibial stress fractures provides a reliable alternative to intramedullary nailing with excellent results. Compression plating avoids the anterior knee pain associated with intramedullary nailing but may result in symptomatic hardware requiring subsequent removal.
99mTc-HDP SPECT-CT Aids Localization of Joint Injections in Degenerative Joint Disease of the Foot and Ankle
Authors: Parthipun Arum , Moser Joanna , Mok Wing , Paramithas Anton , Hamilton Paul , Sott Andrea Helene 
Published: April 2015

Background: Pain relating to degenerative joint disease within the foot and ankle can be difficult to localize with clinical examination alone due to the complex anatomy of the joints. The aim of this study was to determine whether single-photon emission computed tomography combined with conventional computed tomography (SPECT-CT) could be used to localize the site of degenerative joint disease for intra-articular injection and thereby improve the clinical success of the procedure. Methods: A prospective study was performed involving 203 patients who had undergone triple-phase 99mTc-hydroxymethylene diphosphonate bone scans with SPECT-CT of the foot and ankle for degenerative joint disease. Fifty-two patients went on to have joint injections for degenerative joint disease, with clinical follow-up. Correlation with the clinical diagnosis and the outcome of intra-articular injections with 0.5% bupivacaine and 80 mg of Depo-Medrone was performed. A successful outcome was determined by an improvement in the visual analog pain score of at least 50%. Results: In 19 (37%) patients, the site of degenerative joint disease determined by SPECT-CT differed from the initial clinical assessment and resulted in a change in management. Overall, 46 (88%) patients showed an improvement in symptoms. Conclusion: The study demonstrated a high clinical success rate for SPECT-CT-guided joint injections. The technique was useful in localizing degenerative joint disease of the ankle, hindfoot, and midfoot as an adjunct to clinical examination. Level of Evidence: Level IV, case series.
Serological evidence of increased susceptibility to varicella-zoster virus reactivation or reinfection in natalizumab-treated patients with multiple sclerosis
Authors: Kohlmann Rebekka , Salmen Anke , Chan Andrew , Knabbe Cornelius , Diekmann Jürgen , Brockmeyer Norbert , Skaletz-Rorowski Adriane , Michalik Claudia , Gold Ralf , Überla Klaus 
Published: April 2015

Background: Serious adverse drug reactions of disease-modifying drugs in multiple sclerosis (MS) therapy may include enhanced susceptibility to reactivation of neurotropic herpes viruses like varicella-zoster virus (VZV) and the John Cunningham (JC) polyomavirus. Objective: Because symptomatic reactivation of these viruses are rare events, we determined the incidence of rises in anti-VZV IgG antibody levels as a potential marker for enhanced susceptibility to subclinical and symptomatic reactivation of neurotropic viruses. Methods: Anti-VZV IgG levels were measured in paired serum samples taken 6–8 months apart from natalizumab-treated MS patients, healthy blood donors and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infected patients. Results: The incidence of significant rises in anti-VZV IgG levels in natalizumab-treated MS patients was 4.26 per 100 person-years, which was significantly higher than in healthy blood donors. Retrospective evaluation of the available medical records of patients with rises of anti-VZV IgG levels did not reveal herpes zoster (i.e. shingles) manifestations. Conclusions: The increased incidence of significant rises of anti-VZV IgG levels in natalizumab-treated MS patients might indicate an association of natalizumab treatment of MS with an elevated risk of a subclinical VZV reactivation and/or reinfection events. Whether this is predictive of an increased risk of herpes zoster or even symptomatic reactivation of other neurotropic viruses remains to be determined in larger prospective studies.
A comparative optical coherence tomography study in neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder and multiple sclerosis
Authors: Outteryck Olivier , Majed Bilal , Defoort-Dhellemmes Sabine , Vermersch Patrick , Zéphir Hélène 
Published: April 2015

Objectives: The aim of this study was to find, using spectral domain-optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT), retinal imaging biomarkers differentiating neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD), multiple sclerosis (MS) and healthy controls (HCs). Materials and methods: The population was composed of patients with NMOSD ( n=23) or MS ( n=110) and of HCs ( n=75). Evaluation criteria were retinal thickness/volume, visual acuity, low contrast vision acuity and Expanded Disability Status Scale score. Results: Considering all eyes and after statistical adjustments including the number of optic neuritis (ON) episodes, we found that NMOSD patients did not have significantly more retinal atrophy than MS patients; whereas MS non-optic neuritis (NON) eyes had thinner temporal ( p=0.032) and temporo-superior peripapillary retinal nerve fibre layer (pRNFL; p=0.011) thicknesses than NMOSD NON eyes; in addition, NMOSD NON eyes presented significant naso-inferior pRNFL ( p=0.024), temporal pRNFL ( p=0.039), macular ganglion cell complex ( p=0.004) and ganglion cell layer ( p=0.002) atrophy vs HC eyes. We identified significant correlations between visual and clinical disability and retinal thicknesses in both diseases. Conclusion: OCT may help to differentiate NMOSD and MS by focusing on the NON eyes (temporal pRNFL atrophy more severe in MS). Moreover, we discuss the possibility of a retinal degenerative process independent of ON in NMOSD.
Variations in the persistence of health expenditures and the implications for the design of capitation payments in Taiwan
Authors: Ku Li-Jung Elizabeth , Chiou Meng-Jiun , Liu Li-Fan 
Published: April 2015

Objectives The National Health Insurance (NHI) system in Taiwan launched a trial capitation provider payment programme in 2011, with the capitation formula based on patients' average NHI expenditure in the previous year. This study seeks to examine the concentration and persistence of health care expenditure among the elderly, and to assess the performance of the current capitation formula in predicting future high-cost users. Methods This study analysed NHI expenditures for a nationally representative sample of people aged 65 years and over who took part in Taiwan's National Health Interview Survey, 2005. Expenditure concentration was assessed by the proportion of NHI expenditures attributable to four groups by expenditure percentile. Four transition probability matrixes examined changes in a person's position in the expenditure percentiles and generalized estimation equation models were estimated to identify significant predictors of a patient being in the top 10% of users. Results Between 2005 and 2009, the top 10% of users on average accounted for 55% of total NHI expenditures. Of the top 10% in 2005, 39% retained this position in 2006. However, expenditure persistence was the highest (77%) among the bottom 50% of users. NHI expenditure percentiles in both the baseline year and the prior year, and chronic conditions all significantly predicted future high expenditures. The model including chronic conditions performed better in predicting the top 10% of users (c-statistics increased from 0.772 to 0.904) than the model without. Conclusions Given the increase in predictive ability, adding chronic conditions and baseline health care use data to Taiwan's capitation payment formula would correctly identify more high users.
Personal home care workers’ role in hospital: a qualitative study
Authors: Ayalon Liat , Halevy-Levin Sara , Ben-Yizhak Zvi , Friedman Gideon 
Published: April 2015

Objectives Unlike in most high-income countries, in Israel personal (social) care of elderly patients in hospitals is provided either by relatives or friends, or, for those patients with live-in assistance at home, by their home care workers. Our aim was to understand the explicit and implicit roles of live-in carers and whether any difficulties occurred. Methods Interviews in the internal medicine unit of Hadassah Hospital with 17 patients, 16 relatives, 20 home care workers and 20 nurses. Data were subjected to categorical content analysis. Results Three major themes emerged: the development of teamwork with relatives and nurses; the varied roles of home care workers including nursing care, emotional care, and monitoring and supervision of the patient; and the conflicts and challenges associated with having a care worker related to their physical presence and the care worker’s own social needs. Conclusions Israel partially addresses its nursing shortage by allowing paid home care workers to take an active role in the care of hospitalized older adults. This can have both a positive and a negative impact on the role and perception of nursing.
Acquisition of English number agreement: L1 Cantonese–L2 English–L3 French speakers versus L1 Cantonese–L2 English speakers
Authors: Tsang Wai Lan 
Published: April 2015

Purpose: Drawing on the notions of ‘interface’ and ‘cross-linguistic influence’ in second language acquisition (L2A), the present study addresses the possible role of French as a third language (L3) in the L2A of English number agreement with two major concerns: (1) the degree to which third language acquisition (L3A) will bring about any positive or negative influence on L2A, and (2) the way in which an L3 interacts with L2 and/or even L1 on narrow syntax or an internal interface as identified in L2A. Design: To address the research concerns, a comparison was made between 48 L1 Cantonese–L2 English–L3 French (CEF) participants and 46 L1 Cantonese–L2 English (CE) participants. Twenty English native controls were also recruited. All participants completed two timed tasks: a grammaticality judgement-correction task and a free writing task. After the experiment proper, the grammatical component of the Oxford placement test, consisting of 60 items, was administered to the two groups of L1 Cantonese speakers. Data and analysis: The following tests were run: the Wilcoxon signed ranks test, the Mann–Whitney U test, the Kruskal–Wallis one-way analysis of variance, the non-parametric x2-test and the two-sample Kolmogorov–Smirnov test. Findings/conclusions: While the placement test indicated comparable English levels between the two L1 Cantonese groups, the free writing task revealed certain distinctive patterns, suggesting possible influence from L3 French to L2 English among the CEF participants. In particular, the advanced L3 French participants were different from their L3 French peers and the CE participants in their free production of grammatical nominal plurals. Originality: The study highlights the potential of reverse cross-linguistic influence from L3 to L2 among L1 Cantonese speakers. Significance/implications: Possible traces of L3 French–L2 English effect were noted in affecting the CEF learners’ use of English plural morphology by ‘neutralising’ their production of missing or redundant plural ‘-s’. Typological similarities between French and English and L3 proficiency were found to play a role in such transfers.
‘She says, he says’: Does the sex of an instructor interact with the grammatical gender of targets in a perspective-taking task?
Authors: Samuel Steven , Roehr-Brackin Karen , Roberson Debi 
Published: April 2015

Aims and objectives: It has been claimed that grammatical gender can influence the perception of objects as being potentially more ‘masculine’ or ‘feminine’. The present study investigated effects of facilitation or interference on object selection by speakers whose L1 marks grammatical gender even when selecting objects in an L2 (English) which does not mark grammatical gender. Additionally, and in order to establish whether bilingualism itself influenced performance owing to a proposed bilingual advantage in inhibitory control, we investigated whether bilinguals would be more efficient than monolinguals at taking the allocentric perspective and switching between perspectives. Methodology: Participants were asked to select objects by an instructor whose biological sex (and voice) was either congruent or incongruent with the grammatical gender of the object to be selected. Two groups of 16 bilinguals each were recruited on the basis of whether their L1s marked for grammatical gender or not, and a further group of 16 monolingual English speakers were tested as a control. Data and analysis: Groups were compared by means of mixed-design repeated measures ANOVAs with response times for target selections as the dependent variables. Findings: When tested in English, bilinguals whose L1 marked grammatical gender showed no effect of gender congruency in this task, nor did bilinguals outperform monolinguals in taking the allocentric perspective or in perspective switching. Originality: For the first time, potential grammatical gender effects were investigated on a task where the fast and accurate processing of real male and female voices is fundamental to the efficiency of object selection performance. Implications: The present findings are interpreted as evidence that the effects of L1 grammatical gender on tasks performed in an L2 do not extend to tasks where the link between biological sex and grammatical gender is not made explicit.
“And now for the good news…” the impact of negative and positive messages in self-management education for people with Type 2 diabetes: A qualitative study in an ethnically diverse population
Authors: Eborall Helen C , Virdee Satnam K , Patel Naina , Redwood Sabi , Greenfield Sheila M , Stone Margaret A 
Published: April 2015

Objectives To explore the impact of Diabetes Education and Self Management for Ongoing and Newly Diagnosed (DESMOND) Foundation education, particularly from interviewees' narratives regarding recall of good and bad news messages and behaviour changes. Methods In-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with a purposive sample (n=19) of people who had attended education sessions as part of a randomised controlled trial in two UK sites with ethnically diverse populations. Data collection and analysis were informed by the constant comparative approach and facilitated through charting. Results Findings were similar in people from different ethnic backgrounds. Exploration of levels of recall of the sessions suggested that this was variable and sometimes very limited, but that interviewees had all assimilated some relevant learning. Key themes emerged relating to the way in which interviewees recalled and had been influenced by positive (good news) and negative (bad news) messages within the education sessions, including biomedical explanations. Both types of message appeared to have an important role in terms of motivation to change behaviour, but a notable observation was that none of the interviewees recalled receiving bad news messages when diagnosed. Discussion Our findings have highlighted the importance of providing and combining both negative and positive messages within education designed to promote self-management behaviour change.
Long-term clinical outcome after epineural coaptation of digital nerves
Authors: Fakin R. M. , Calcagni M. , Klein H. J. , Giovanoli P. 
Published: April 2015

This study evaluates the long-term clinical outcome and complication rate after digital nerve repair in adults and aims to identify possible prognostic factors of sensory recovery. End-to-end epineural coaptation was performed under magnification. A total of 93 coapted digital nerves were clinically evaluated with a mean follow-up of 3.5 years (range 1–6 years). The mean two-point discrimination was 10.6 mm (versus 4.4 mm for the contralateral side). Cutaneous pressure threshold tested with Semmes–Weinstein monofilaments showed a mean value of 2.7 (versus 2.2 for the contralateral side). Only 2% of our patients developed painful neuromas. None of our patients recovered normal functional sensibility, however, recovery of protective sensation contributed to a high reported level of satisfaction. No correlation was observed between the sensory outcome and age, smoking, mechanism of injury, lesion to or anastomosis of a digital artery, or time of immobilization. The only identified predictor of the result was the surgeon’s level of experience. This highlights the importance of adequate training and practice in the surgical repair of smaller peripheral nerves. Level of evidence: IV
One-stage rotational osteotomy for congenital radioulnar synostosis
Authors: Hwang J. H. , Kim H. W. , Lee D. H. , Chung J. H. , Park H. 
Published: April 2015

We report the results of a one-stage rotational osteotomy of the proximal third of the ulna and distal third of the radius with segmental bone resection for treating congenital radioulnar synostosis. We retrospectively reviewed 25 patients (28 forearms) treated by operation. Patients were divided into two groups according to the method of internal fixation at the osteotomy sites. In Group 1 the ulnar osteotomy was stabilized with an intramedullary pin and in Group 2 no fixation was used. The average forearm position improved from 47° pronation before surgery, to 27° supination after surgery. There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups in surgical outcomes. One-stage rotational osteotomy of the proximal third of the ulna and distal third of the radius with segmental bone resection is a simple and safe treatment for patients with congenital radioulnar synostosis. Internal fixation at the osteotomy site seems to be unnecessary. Level of Evidence: Level 4
Perceptions of barriers and facilitators in physical activity participation among women in Thiruvananthapuram City, India
Authors: Mathews Elezebeth , Lakshmi J. K. , Ravindran T. K. Sundari , Pratt Michael , Thankappan K. R. 
Published: April 2015

Background: Despite the known benefits of physical activity, very few people, especially women, are found to engage in regular physical activity. This study explored the perceptions, barriers and facilitators related to physical activity among women in Thiruvananthapuram City, India. Methods: Four focus group discussions were conducted among individuals between 25 and 60 years of age, in a few areas of Thiruvananthapuram City Corporation limits in Kerala, preparatory to the design of a physical activity intervention trial. An open-ended approach was used and emergent findings were analyzed and interpreted. Results: Women associated physical activity mostly with household activities. The majority of the women considered their activity level adequate, although they engaged in what the researchers concluded were quite low levels of activity. Commonly reported barriers were lack of time, motivation, and interest; stray dogs; narrow roads; and not being used to the culture of walking. Facilitators of activity were seeing others walking, walking in pairs, and pleasant walking routes. Walking was reported as the most feasible physical activity by women. Conclusion: Physical activity promotion strategies among women should address the prevailing cultural norms in the community, and involve social norming and overcoming cultural barriers. They should also target the modifiable determinants of physical activity, such as improving self-efficacy, improving knowledge on the adequacy of physical activity and its recommendations, facilitating goal-setting, and enhancing social support through peer support and group-based activities.