bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Hub‐and‐spoke model for a 5‐day structured patient education programme for people with Type 1 diabetes
Authors: Rogers H. , Turner E. , Thompson G. , Hopkins D. , Amiel S. A. 
Published: July 2009

AbstractAims  Structured education programmes for people with Type 1 diabetes can deliver improved diabetes control (including reduced severe hypoglycaemia) and quality of life. They can be cost‐effective but are resource intensive. We tested the ability to deliver an evidence‐based 5‐day programme in diabetes centres too small to deliver the courses.Methods  Specialist medical and nursing staff from three district general hospital diabetes services (the ‘spokes’) were trained in all aspects of the education programme, except those directly related to course delivery, by a larger centre (the ‘hub’). The hub staff delivered the 5‐day patient education courses, but all other patient education and management was managed locally. Diabetes control and quality of life were assessed at 1 year post‐course.Results  In 63 patients with follow‐up data, glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) fell by 0.42 ± 1.0% (P = 0.001), with a greater fall in those with high HbA1c at baseline, and no mean weight gain. Emergency call‐out for severe hypoglycaemia fell from 10 episodes in seven patients the year before to one episode in one patient (P = 0.03). Quality‐of‐life measures improved, with reduced negative impact of diabetes on diabetes‐related quality of life (P < 0.00004) and ‘present quality of life’ improving (P < 0.001).Conclusions  The benefits of a 5‐day structured education programme can be provided to patients with Type 1 diabetes attending centres without the resources to provide the teaching course itself, by a ‘hub‐and‐spoke’ methodology.
Adherence to a Mediterranean diet and glycaemic control in Type 2 diabetes mellitus
Authors: Esposito K. , Maiorino M. I. , Di Palo C. , Giugliano D. ,   for the Campanian Postprandial Hyperglycemia Study Group
Published: July 2009

AbstractAims  Mediterranean‐type diets reduce the risk of Type 2 diabetes. Whether a Mediterranean‐type diet improves glycaemic control in diabetes remains unknown.Methods  We conducted a cross‐sectional analysis in 901 outpatients with Type 2 diabetes attending diabetes clinics located in Campania County, South Italy. We explored the relation between glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c), measured centrally, self‐measured pre‐ and postprandial glucose levels and consumption of a Mediterranean‐type diet. Adherence to a Mediterranean‐type diet was assessed by a 9‐point scale that incorporated the salient characteristics of this diet (range of scores, 0–9, with higher scores indicating greater adherence). The study was conducted from 2001 to 2007.Results  Diabetic patients with the highest scores (6–9) had lower body mass index and waist circumferences, a lower prevalence of the metabolic syndrome and lower HbA1c and post‐meal glucose levels than diabetic patients with the lowest scores (0–3). In multivariate analysis, mean HbA1c and 2‐h post‐meal glucose concentrations were significantly lower in diabetic patients with high adherence to a Mediterranean‐type diet than those with low adherence [difference: HbA1c 0.9%, 95% confidence intervals (CI) 0.5–1.2%, P < 0.001; 2‐h glucose 2.2 mmol/l, 95% CI 0.8–2.9 mmol/l, P < 0.001].Conclusions  In Type 2 diabetes, greater adherence to a Mediterranean‐type diet is associated with lower HbA1c and postprandial glucose levels.
Randomized trial of custom orthoses and footwear on foot pain and plantar pressure in diabetic peripheral arterial disease
Authors: Burns J. , Wegener C. , Begg L. , Vicaretti M. , Fletcher J. 
Published: July 2009

AbstractAim  Custom‐made foot orthoses reduce plantar pressure, ulceration and amputation in patients with diabetes mellitus. There is limited evidence of their effect on foot pain. In a randomized, single‐blind, sham‐controlled trial, the efficacy of custom orthoses on foot pain and plantar pressure in diabetic patients with peripheral arterial disease was investigated.Methods  Sixty‐one participants were randomly assigned to either custom foot orthoses (n = 30) or sham insoles (n = 31). Both groups also received standardized walking footwear. Outcomes included foot pain and function, mean pressure, toe‐brachial index, average daily steps, disability, comfort, quality of life, adherence and adverse events. A multivariate predictive model was constructed to explore factors contributing to pain relief during the trial.Results  At 8 weeks, 95% of participants provided follow‐up data, adherence was high and there were few adverse events. Foot pain and function scores significantly improved at 8 weeks with both custom orthoses and the sham, but there was no significant difference between groups. Custom orthoses reduced pressure significantly more than the sham. There were no significant differences between groups for toe‐brachial index, daily steps, disability, comfort or quality of life. Regression modelling identified inappropriate pre‐trial footwear as the strongest predictor of foot pain relief during the trial.Conclusions  Custom foot orthoses significantly reduced plantar pressure compared with the sham, but there were no significant differences between groups for pain or function. The high‐quality walking footwear provided to both groups may explain this finding. Footwear should have greater emphasis as the clinical intervention.
Glycaemia‐independent ethnic differences in HbA1c in subjects with impaired glucose tolerance
Authors: Likhari T. , Gama R. 
Published: July 2009

AbstractAim  To study the ethnic differences in HbA1c between Whites and South Asians with impaired glucose tolerance.Methods  We audited 75g oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTT) performed in Clinical Chemistry, New Cross Hospital, Wolverhampton over 1 year. HbA1c and glycaemia were compared between Whites and South Asians with impaired glucose intolerance (IGT).Results  There were 46 South Asians (22 female) and 88 Whites (41 female). South Asian subjects were younger (59.2 ± 14.31 vs. 67.6 ± 12.63 yrs; P < 0.001) and weighed less (78.1 ± 17.2 vs. 87.47 ± 19.1 kgs; P < 0.001) than White subjects. HbA1c levels were higher (6.5 ± 0.7 vs. 6.1 ± 0.6%; P < 0.001) in South Asians compared to Whites. Fasting glucose (5.71 ± 0.5 vs. 5.93 ± 0.7; P = 0.039) was lower in South Asians but 2hour glucose (10.5 ± 1.0 vs. 10.40 ± 0.9; P = 0.404) was similar in both ethnic groups.Conclusion  South Asians have higher HbA1c levels than Whites despite lower fasting glucose value on OGTT, indicating ethnic differences in HbA1c are due to glycaemia‐independent factors
Increasing incidence and prevalence with limited survival gains among rural Albertans with diabetes: a retrospective cohort study, 1995–2006
Authors: Johnson J. A. , Balko S. U. , Hugel G. , Low C. , Svenson L. W. 
Published: July 2009

AbstractObjective  To compare recent trends of diabetes prevalence, incidence and mortality between men and women living in urban and rural Alberta, Canada.Methods  We tracked population trends in diabetes in adults based on diagnostic codes from provincial administrative health records from 1995 to 2006. Location of residence was defined by registered postal codes. Sex‐stratified logistic regression with interactions was used to compare increases in rates over the past decade by location of residence, adjusting for age.Results  Men in rural residences had the greatest increases in prevalence, at 61%, from 3.6 per 100 in 1995 to 5.8 per 100 in 2006, compared with a 55% increase in urban men, from 3.9 per 100 in 1995 to 6.0 per 100 in 2006 (P < 0.001). Diabetes incidence in rural men increased 61% while urban men had a similar increase of 59% (P = 0.177). Incidence was lower in women in both urban and rural locations, at 5.6 and 5.3 per 1000 in 2006. Overall, mortality rates decreased by 34% for urban men and 8% for rural men with diabetes (P = 0.006). Women with diabetes in rural areas had no decline in overall mortality, compared with a 28% reduction in urban women (P < 0.001).Conclusions  Diabetes prevalence remains highest in men, with the greatest increases seen in men living in rural residences. While mortality rates have declined substantially over the past decade for those people with diabetes living in urban settings, declines in mortality in rural areas have been much more modest (for men) or non‐existent (for women).
Amitriptyline vs. pregabalin in painful diabetic neuropathy: a randomized double blind clinical trial
Authors: Bansal D. , Bhansali A. , Hota D. , Chakrabarti A. , Dutta P. 
Published: July 2009

AbstractAims  To compare the efficacy and safety of pregabalin and amitriptyline in alleviating pain associated with diabetic peripheral neuropathy.Methods  A randomized, double‐blind, crossover, active–control, clinical trial with variable dose titration was carried out (n = 51). Amitriptyline orally, at doses of 10, 25 and 50 mg at night‐time and pregabalin orally, at doses of 75, 150 and 300 mg twice daily, by optional titration was used. Each drug treatment was of 5 weeks. There was a placebo washout period for 3 weeks between the two drugs. Assessment for pain relief, overall improvement and adverse events were carried out.Results  Good, moderate and mild pain relief were noted in 21 (48%), 6 (13%) and 7 (15%) patients on pregabalin and 15 (34%), 5 (11%) and 12 (27%) patients on amitriptyline, respectively, by patient’s global assessment of efficacy and safety. Patient and physician’s global assessment, McGill pain questionnaire, Likert pain scale and Patient Global Impression of Change showed no significant difference between the treatments, although improvement with both treatments was seen from the first week. Of the 52 adverse events reported, 34 (65.4%) were with amitriptyline, drowsiness being the commonest [in 19 (43%) patients]. Pregabalin caused adverse events in 18 (25%), of which drowsiness was the most common in nine (20%) patients. The preferred pregabalin dose was 150 mg twice daily.Conclusions  As there are few differences between the two treatments in efficacy, pregabalin 150 mg twice daily might be the alternative choice as it is associated with fewer adverse effects in our population.
Plasma glucose and hypoglycaemia following exercise in people with Type 1 diabetes: a comparison of three basal insulins
Authors: Arutchelvam V. , Heise T. , Dellweg S. , Elbroend B. , Minns I. , Home P. D. 
Published: July 2009

AbstractAim  The aim of this study was to compare the effects of exercise on plasma glucose excursions when using each of three basal insulins in people with Type 1 diabetes.Research design and methods  This was a multinational, open‐label, randomized, three‐period, crossover clinical trial. People with Type 1 diabetes [n = 51, age 39 ± 10 (± sd) years, 67% men] managed with mealtime plus basal insulin regimens, were exercised for 30 min, 5 h after the last mealtime and basal insulin injection when using insulin detemir, insulin glargine or neutral protamine Hagedorn (NPH) insulin.Results  There were no significant differences in the plasma glucose excursions during or for 150 min after exercise. During 30 min exercise, five (11%) participants on insulin detemir developed minor hypoglycaemia, six (12%) for NPH and 18 (38%) for glargine. From the end of exercise to 150 min, five (11%) on insulin detemir developed minor hypoglycaemia, seven (14%) for NPH and nine (19%) for glargine. In total, from start of exercise to 150 min after exercise, 10 (21%) participants on insulin detemir experienced minor hypoglycaemia as compared with 13 (27%) for NPH and 27 (57%) for glargine (P < 0.001 glargine vs. detemir and NPH). Maximum plasma cortisol levels were lower on detemir and NPH than glargine.Conclusions  Insulin detemir was associated with less hypoglycaemia than insulin glargine but not NPH insulin in relatively well‐controlled people with Type 1 diabetes during and after exercise.
Clinical factors associated with gait alterations in diabetic patients
Authors: Allet L. , Armand S. , De Bie R. A. , Golay A. , Pataky Z. , Aminian K. , De Bruin E. D. 
Published: July 2009

AbstractAim  To identify clinical factors associated with gait alterations in patients with Type 2 diabetes.Methods  A sample of 76 diabetic patients underwent clinical examination and an outdoor gait assessment on tarred and cobblestoned terrains. We calculated respective differences in gait speed (performance measure) and gait variability (fall risk index) on changing terrains. Associations with clinical factors were investigated using correlation coefficients and linear regression analysis.Results  The mean walking speed on the tarred pathway was 4.5 ± 0.6 km/h and 3.9 ± 0.8 km/h on the cobblestone pathway (P < 0.001). The CVGCT increased from 2.6 ± 0.9% on the tarred pathway to 5.1 ± 2.8% on the cobblestone pathway (P < 0.001). Regression analysis showed that 36% of the decrease in gait speed was explained proportionally by the mean of maximal isometric lower limb strength (22.2%; P ≤ 0.01), fear of falls (7.4%; P ≤ 0.01) and participants’ perceived vibration threshold (6.4%; P ≤ 0.01). Moreover, mean maximal isometric strength explained 11.8% (P ≤ 0.01) of the increase of the coefficient of variation of the gait cycle time when participants changed from tarred terrain to cobblestones.Conclusion  This study indicated that both physiological (strength and proprioception) and cognitive–behavioural factors (fear of falls) should be considered when treating diabetic patients with gait alterations. Therapists should apply these findings when developing specific fall prevention and treatment programmes.
GROWTH AND CYCLES, IN THE MODE OF MARX AND SCHUMPETER
Authors: Boldrin Michele 
Published: July 2009

ABSTRACTI propose a theory of endogenous growth and cycles under competitive conditions. Firms choose how many workers to hire, how much to invest, and which technologies to use. New capacity, embodying labor‐saving technologies, is costlier than old one but allows for a lower wage bill. The interaction between labor‐saving innovations and changes in the relative price of labor is the source of growth cycles.
SCIENCE‐BASED R&D IN SCHUMPETERIAN GROWTH
Authors: Cozzi Guido , Galli Silvia 
Published: July 2009

ABSTRACTFirm success is often associated with the development of better products. Private firms undertake applied R&D seeking market advantage, by capitalizing on the freely accessible results of basic research. But unpatentable basic research often fails to address applied R&D open problems. What is the role of the incentives in improving the innovative performance of an economy by matching partially motivated public researchers to their mission? Sometimes government‐funded research projects are mission‐directed, and yet in many cases the public sector academics indulge in carrier‐driven research. An innovation system where, as in the United States, basic research is also driven by patents implicitly sets an ex‐post incentive to the researchers guided by invisible hand. For a public innovation system – like the European one – designing an incentive scheme to motivate public researchers is of key importance for fostering the performance of the economic system. This paper extends the Schumpeterian multisector growth model with vertical innovation by highlighting a link between the degree of ‘targetness’ of public research and aggregate innovation. A positive effect of social capital is also proved.
SUSTAINING THE GOOSE THAT LAYS THE GOLDEN EGG: A CONTINUOUS TREATMENT OF TECHNOLOGICAL TRANSFER
Authors: Sá Nelson , Connolly Michelle , Peretto Pietro 
Published: July 2009

ABSTRACTThis paper proposes a simple model of the trade‐offs perceived by innovating firms when investing in countries with limited intellectual property rights (IPR). The model allows for a continuous treatment of technology transfer and production cost gains occurring through FDI. While it does not consider possible changes in rates of innovation caused by changes in IPR in developing countries, it allows one to uncover a potentially non‐monotonic relationship between welfare and IPR in the recipient country.
Unemployment Durations in West Germany Before and After the Reform of the Unemployment Compensation System during the 1980s
Authors: Fitzenberger Bernd , Wilke Ralf A. 
Published: July 2009

AbstractThis paper analyzes empirically the distribution of unemployment durations in West Germany during the 1980s and 1990s. It therefore covers periods before and after the changes during the mid-1980s in the maximum entitlement periods for unemployment benefits for older unemployed. The analysis is based on the IAB employment subsample containing administrative data for about 500,000 individuals. Since these data only partly reveal the unemployment duration in an economic sense, we use a narrow and a wide proxy for unemployment. Our empirical analysis finds significant changes in the distribution of non-employment durations for older unemployed. At the same time, the distribution of unemployment durations between jobs remained unchanged after the reforms. Our findings clearly show that many firms and workers used the more beneficial laws as a part of early retirement packages. Surprisingly, for those workers who found and accepted a new job, we do not observe a prolongation of their search periods to a sizeable extent.
Controllability and Persistence of Money Market Rates along the Yield Curve: Evidence from the Euro Area
Authors: Busch Ulrike , Nautz Dieter 
Published: July 2009

Abstract
Controllability of longer-term interest rates requires that the persistence of their deviations from the central bank’s policy rate (i.e. the policy spreads) remains sufficiently low. This paper applies fractional integration techniques to assess the persistence of policy spreads of euro area money market rates along the yield curve. Independently from anticipated policy rate changes, there is strong evidence for all maturities that policy spreads exhibit long memory. We show that recent changes in the operational framework and the communication strategy of the European Central Bank (ECB) have significantly decreased the persistence of euro area policy spreads and, thus, have enhanced the ECB’s influence on longer-term money market rates.
Influence of applied quantity, water‐immersion and air‐drying on covering and microstructure of physical sunscreen films
Authors: Tarroux R. , Assalit M.‐F. , Hemmerlé J. , Ginestar J. 
Published: July 2009

Synopsis The features of topically applied suncream films depend on the applied quantities and could be modified by water immersion and air drying. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of the aforementioned factors on physical sunscreen films and to establish the correlation between the in vitro determined Sun Protection Factor (SPF) and the microstructure of the mineral coating. The assessments were conducted by using UV spectroscopy and electron microscopy on sunscreen films applied on both synthetic membranes and human skin. The results emphasize the paramount role played by the applied quantity to produce a continuous and protecting sunscreen film. The microscopic findings show that water immersion induces mainly a compactness of the sunscreen films, whereas no significant alterations were noted after air drying. Lastly, the SPF values, measured before and after water immersion, disclose the satisfactory water resistance of the broad‐spectrum physical sunscreen considered. Résumé Les caractéristiques d’applications de films de crème solaire dépendent des quantités appliquées et pourraient être modifiées par immersion dans l’eau ou séchage à l’air. Le but de ce travail était d’étudier les effets des facteurs susmentionnés sur des films d’un anti‐solaire tout minéral et d’établir une corrélation entre le facteur de protection solaire (SPF) in vitro et la microstructure du revêtement minéral. Les investigations ont été conduites par spectroscopie UV et par microscopie électronique à partir de films d’écran solaire appliqués tantôt sur un support de synthèse et tantôt sur de la peau humaine. Les résultats soulignent le rôle majeur joué par la quantité appliquée pour obtenir un film continu et protecteur. Les observations microscopiques montrent que l’immersion dans l’eau induit principalement un compactage de la couche d’anti‐solaire, alors que le séchage ne semble pas entraîner d’altérations significatives. Enfin, les valeurs des SPF, mesurés avant et après immersion dans l’eau, révèlent une résistance à l’eau satisfaisante du produit solaire considéré.
The evolutionary history of a mammal species with a highly fragmented range: the phylogeography of the European snow vole
Authors: Castiglia R. , Annesi F. , Kryštufek B. , Filippucci M. G. , Amori G. 
Published: July 2009

AbstractThe European snow vole Chionomys nivalis has a patchy distribution restricted to rocky habitats across southern Europe and the Near and Middle East. We carried out a phylogeographic study to provide a biogeographic scenario, based on molecular data, outlining the major processes that determined the current distribution of the species. The samples include 26 snow voles from 14 different populations across the entire species range from Spain to Anatolia and Israel. Nearly complete sequences (1037 bp) of the mitochondrial gene for cytochrome b were sequenced. Relationships among haplotypes were inferred with neighbour‐joining, maximum likelihood, maximum parsimony analyses and minimum spanning network. An analysis of mismatch distribution was used to cast light on past demographic expansion. We found 22 different haplotypes that fall into six distinct lineages, all but one is supported by high bootstrap values with all methods. Four lineages are allopatric (Tatra Mts., Iberia, Balkans and Middle East) while divergent haplotypes from two lineages show sympatry in the Alps and the Apennines. The basal relationships of these lineages could not be established by any tree. The mean pairwise genetic distance between lineages ranges from 2.4 to 4.2%. The shape of the mismatch distribution indicated a past expansion event dating back to between 158 000 and 84 000 years ago. These data can be interpreted with the existence of southern glacial refugia (Iberia, Balkans, Middle East and Italy) and one additional northern glacial refugium. The lack of phylogenetic resolution among lineages and the shape of mismatch distribution are indicative of a simultaneous and rapid splitting due to a relatively fast initial expansion of populations. Moreover, the analysis supports the hypothesis of the European origin of C. nivalis and its subsequent eastward dispersion during the Middle Pleistocene.