bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Painful physical symptoms and treatment outcome in major depressive disorder: a STAR*D (Sequenced Treatment Alternatives to Relieve Depression) report
Authors: Leuchter A. F. , Husain M. M. , Cook I. A. , Trivedi M. H. , Wisniewski S. R. , Gilmer W. S. , Luther J. F. , Fava M. , Rush A. J. 
Published: June 2009

BackgroundPainful physical symptoms (PPS) are both common and reduce the likelihood of remission in major depressive disorder (MDD), based upon results of clinical trials in selected populations. Whether PPS significantly contribute to poorer treatment outcome overall in primary or specialty psychiatric care settings remains unclear.MethodOut-patients (n=2876) with MDD were treated in the first step of the Sequenced Treatment Alternatives to Relieve Depression (STAR*D) trial with citalopram up to 60 mg/day for up to 14 weeks. Presence of painful symptoms, as well as severity of depression, physical illness, and demographic and treatment factors were examined. Time to and overall rates of remission were analysed in relation to the presence of PPS.ResultsOf the participants, 80% complained of PPS. These patients, both in primary and specialty psychiatric settings, had significantly lower remission rates and took longer to remit. Increasing severity of PPS was associated with greater physical illness burden, lower socio-economic status, absence of private insurance and being female, African-American or Hispanic. After adjustment for these factors, patients with PPS no longer had significantly poorer treatment outcomes.ConclusionsPresence and severity of PPS is an indicator of MDD that may have poorer treatment outcome with an initial selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor. These poorer treatment outcomes are multifactorial, however, and are not explained by the presence and severity of pain per se.
The effects of psychotherapy for adult depression are overestimated: a meta-analysis of study quality and effect size
Authors: Cuijpers P. , van Straten A. , Bohlmeijer E. , Hollon S. D. , Andersson G. 
Published: June 2009

BackgroundNo meta-analytical study has examined whether the quality of the studies examining psychotherapy for adult depression is associated with the effect sizes found. This study assesses this association.MethodWe used a database of 115 randomized controlled trials in which 178 psychotherapies for adult depression were compared to a control condition. Eight quality criteria were assessed by two independent coders: participants met diagnostic criteria for a depressive disorder, a treatment manual was used, the therapists were trained, treatment integrity was checked, intention-to-treat analyses were used, N⩾50, randomization was conducted by an independent party, and assessors of outcome were blinded.ResultsOnly 11 studies (16 comparisons) met the eight quality criteria. The standardized mean effect size found for the high-quality studies (d=0.22) was significantly smaller than in the other studies (d=0.74, p<0.001), even after restricting the sample to the subset of other studies that used the kind of care-as-usual or non-specific controls that tended to be used in the high-quality studies. Heterogeneity was zero in the group of high-quality studies. The numbers needed to be treated in the high-quality studies was 8, while it was 2 in the lower-quality studies.ConclusionsWe found strong evidence that the effects of psychotherapy for adult depression have been overestimated in meta-analytical studies. Although the effects of psychotherapy are significant, they are much smaller than was assumed until now, even after controlling for the type of control condition used.
The orthographic consistency effect in the recognition of French spoken words: An early developmental shift from sublexical to lexical orthographic activation
Authors: PATTAMADILOK CHOTIGA , MORAIS JOSÉ , DE VYLDER OLIVIA , VENTURA PAULO , KOLINSKY RÉGINE 
Published: June 2009

ABSTRACTThe generality of the orthographic consistency effect in speech recognition tasks previously reported for Portuguese beginning readers was assessed in French-speaking children, as the French orthographic code presents a higher degree of inconsistency than the Portuguese one. Although the findings obtained with the French second graders replicated the generalized consistency effect (both for words and pseudowords, in both lexical decision and shadowing) displayed by the Portuguese second to fourth graders, the data obtained with the French third and fourth graders resembled the adult pattern, with the orthographic effect restricted to lexical decision. This suggests that, in the course of literacy acquisition, the overall orthographic inconsistency of the language's orthographic code influences the rate at which orthographic representations will impact on spoken word recognition.
Common variance in amplitude envelope perception tasks and their impact on phoneme duration perception and reading and spelling in Finnish children with reading disabilities
Authors: HÄMÄLÄINEN J. A. , LEPPÄNEN P. H. T. , EKLUND K. , THOMSON J. , RICHARDSON U. , GUTTORM T. K. , WITTON C. , POIKKEUS A.-M. , GOSWAMI U. , LYYTINEN H. 
Published: June 2009

ABSTRACTOur goal was to investigate auditory and speech perception abilities of children with and without reading disability (RD) and associations between auditory, speech perception, reading, and spelling skills. Participants were 9-year-old, Finnish-speaking children with RD (N = 30) and typically reading children (N = 30). Results showed significant group differences between the groups in phoneme duration discrimination but not in perception of amplitude modulation and rise time. Correlations among rise time discrimination, phoneme duration, and spelling accuracy were found for children with RD. Those children with poor rise time discrimination were also poor in phoneme duration discrimination and in spelling. Results suggest that auditory processing abilities could, at least in some children, affect speech perception skills, which in turn would lead to phonological processing deficits and dyslexia.
Apoptosis in human reproductive tissues: emerging concepts
Authors: Izawa Masao , Yeh John 
Published: June 2009

In summary, apoptosis is an important concept in understanding many facets of human reproduction. Recent advances in the understanding of molecular mechanisms of apoptosis will allow us to understand this physiologically important process. How can the modulation of this process be applied to human reproduction? Studies to further understand the abnormalities of apoptosis, either too much or too little, may lead to a better understanding of the clinical problems in human reproduction.We summarize future directions towards further understanding the roles of apoptotic processes in human reproduction in Table 3. The diseases listed in Table 3 are problems which could be approached from the apoptosis point of view. With further study using this concept as the lens, new diagnostic tools or therapies may be developed for these problems.
Eclipsing binary stars as tests of stellar evolutionary models and stellar ages
Authors: Stassun Keivan G. , Hebb Leslie , López-Morales Mercedes , Prša Andrej 
Published: June 2009

AbstractEclipsing binary stars provide highly accurate measurements of the fundamental physical properties of stars. They therefore serve as stringent tests of the predictions of evolutionary models upon which most stellar age determinations are based. Models generally perform very well in predicting coeval ages for eclipsing binaries with main-sequence components more massive than ≈1.2 M⊙; relative ages are good to ~5% or better in this mass regime. Low-mass main-sequence stars (M < 0.8 M⊙) reveal large discrepancies in the model predicted ages, primarily due to magnetic activity in the observed stars that appears to inhibit convection and likely causes the radii to be 10–20% larger than predicted. In mass-radius diagrams these stars thus appear 50–90% older or younger than they really are. Aside from these activity-related effects, low-mass pre–main-sequence stars at ages ~1 Myr can also show non-coevality of ~30% due to star formation effects, however these effects are largely erased after ~10 Myr.
A new method to estimate the ages of globular clusters: the case of NGC 3201
Authors: Calamida A. , Bono G. , Stetson P. B. , Dall'Ora M. , Monelli M. , Corsi C. E. , Moroni P. G. Prada , Degl'Innocenti S. , Dotter A. , Brasseur C. , Amico P. , Marchetti E. , Buonanno R. , Di Cecco A. , D'Odorico S. , Ferraro I. , Iannicola G. , Nonino M. , Romaniello M. , Sanna N. , Vandenberg D. A. , Zoccali M. , Walker A. 
Published: June 2009

AbstractWe devised a new method to estimate globular cluster absolute ages by adopting the knee of the bending of the lower main-sequence (MS) in the Near-Infrared (NIR)J,J-Kscolor-magnitude diagram. The color difference between this feature and the Turn-Off point is strongly correlated to the cluster age. This method is marginally affected by distance and reddening uncertainties, and by the possible occurrence of differential reddening. Furthermore, the knee location does not depend on the cluster age and it is a robust theoretical prediction. We adopted accurateJ,Ks-band photometry collected with both MAD/VLT and SOFI/NTT for the Galactic globular cluster NGC 3201 to identify the location of the knee atJ~19.90 ±0.03 andJ-Ks~0.76±0.02 mag. The comparison with different sets of cluster isochrones, transformed adopting different Color–Temperature–Relations (CTRs), shows that the models are slightly redder than the observations forJ> 19 mag. This difference could be due to the presence of a calibration drift or to a problem of the CTRs in this magnitude range.
The ages of Galactic globular clusters in the context of self-enrichment
Authors: Decressin T. , Baumgardt H. , Kroupa P. , Meynet G. , Charbonnel C. 
Published: June 2009

AbstractA significant fraction of stars in globular clusters (about 70%-85%) exhibit peculiar chemical patterns, with strong abundance variations in light elements along with constant abundances in heavy elements. These abundance anomalies can be created in the H-burning core of a first generation of fast-rotating massive stars, and the corresponding elements are conveyed to the stellar surface thanks to rotational induced mixing. If the rotation of the stars is fast enough, this material is ejected at low velocity through a mechanical wind at the equator. It then pollutes the interstellar medium (ISM) from which a second generation of chemically anomalous stars can be formed. The proportion of anomalous stars to normal stars observed today depends on at least two quantities: (1) the number of polluter stars; (2) the dynamical history of the cluster, which may lose different proportions of first- and second-generation stars during its lifetime. Here we estimate these proportions, based on dynamical models for globular clusters. When internal dynamical evolution and dissolution due to tidal forces are accounted for, starting from an initial fraction of anomalous stars of 10% produces a present-day fraction of about 25%, still too small with respect to the observed 70-85%. In the case of gas expulsion by supernovae, a much higher fraction is expected to be produced. In this paper we also address the question of the evolution of the second-generation stars that are He-rich, and deduce consequences for the age determination of globular clusters.
White dwarfs as astrophysical probes
Authors: Kalirai Jasonjot S. 
Published: June 2009

AbstractMuch of our knowledge regarding the ages of stars derives from our understanding of the Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram. The diagram is typically dominated by hydrogen burning main-sequence stars, which historically, have been used to establish our most fundamental knowledge of stellar ages and evolution. In this brief article, I highlight how deep ground and space based imaging can uncover the stellar remnants of these hydrogen burning stars, white dwarfs. We have followed up our initial discovery of several large white dwarf populations in nearby star clusters with multiobject spectrographs. The spectroscopy allows us to characterize the properties of the remnant stars (e.g., mass, temperature, and age), which are in turn used to shed new light on fundamental astrophysical problems. Specifically, we estimate the ages of the Milky Way disk and halo, provide the inputs needed to calculate the chemical evolution of galaxies, and re-iterate the important role of HB stars in producing the UV-upturn seen in elliptical galaxies.
The Sun as a fundamental calibrator of stellar evolution
Authors: Christensen-Dalsgaard Jørgen 
Published: June 2009

AbstractThe Sun is unique amongst stars in having a precisely determined age which does not depend on the modelling of stellar evolution. Furthermore, other global properties of the Sun are known to much higher accuracy than for any other star. Also, helioseismology has provided detailed determination of the solar internal structure and rotation. As a result, the Sun plays a central role in the development and test of stellar modelling. Here I discuss solar modelling and its application to tests of asteroseismic techniques for stellar age determination.
Die Belastungen pflegender Eltern von Kindern und Jugendlichen mit schweren Behinderungen in Südtirol
Authors: Ausserhofer Dietmar , Mantovan Franco , Pirhofer Robert , Huber Markus , Them Christa 
Published: June 2009

Im Rahmen des Magisterstudiums «Pflegewissenschaft» an der Privaten Universität für Gesundheitswissenschaften, Medizinische Informatik und Technik (UMIT) wurde von den Autoren eine quantitative (schriftliche Befragung) und qualitative (halbstrukturierte Interviews) Untersuchung bei pflegenden Eltern von Kindern und Jugendlichen mit schweren Behinderungen in Südtirol durchgeführt. Das Ziel der Arbeit bestand darin, Ausmaß und Ursachen der Belastungen pflegender Eltern zu erheben. Das Ausmaß wurde mittels Familien-Belastungsfragebogen ( FaBel-Fragebogen) erhoben. Zur Untersuchung des Phänomens der Belastungen pflegender Eltern wurden halbstrukturierte Interviews durchgeführt. Durch die Triangulation der aktuellen wissenschaftlichen Literatur mit den quantitativen und qualitativen Daten sollte die Komplexität der Thematik vollständig erfasst werden.Dieser Beitrag berichtet zum qualitativen Studienteil und stellt dessen Ergebnisse dar. Wie das Kategoriensystem dieser Untersuchung zeigt, sind Familien mit schwer behinderten Kindern und Jugendlichen vielfältigen Belastungen in sozialen (alltägliches Leben und öffentliche Institutionen), körperlichen, seelischen (Beeinträchtigung der Gesundheit) sowie finanziellen und emotionalen (Zukunftsperspektiven) Bereichen ausgesetzt. Entlastung erfahren die Eltern von der eigenen Familie (Partner und Kinder) und öffentlichen Einrichtungen (Schule, Kindergarten, Betreuungseinrichtungen). Pflegeinterventionen wie beispielsweise Schulungen, Trainings- und Empowerment-Programme müssen von professionellen Pflegepersonen (Family Health Nurse) an die speziellen Bedürfnisse der pflegenden Eltern angepasst werden. Staat, Land und soziale Einrichtungen sind hier gefordert, entsprechende Unterstützungsmöglichkeiten und Angebote zu realisieren bzw. zu optimieren.
Newborn Hearing Screening Follow-Up: Factors Affecting Hearing Aid Fitting by 6 Months of Age
Authors: Spivak Lynn , Sokol Heidi , Auerbach Charles , Gershkovich Stella 
Published: June 2009

PurposeTo determine the extent to which the goal of hearing aid fitting by 6 months of age is being achieved and to identify barriers to achieving that goal.MethodScreening and follow-up records from 114,121 infants born at 6 hospitals were collected over a 6-year period. Infants diagnosed with permanent hearing loss requiring amplification were categorized as fit on time, fit late, or lost to follow-up. Seven factors were empirically identified as potential barriers to timely intervention.ResultsNinety-one percent of referred infants returned for follow-up evaluation. Hearing aids were fit on 107 of the 192 infants requiring amplification. Thirty-nine percent were fit on time, and 61% were fit late or lost to follow-up. Unilateral hearing loss and late diagnosis were statistically significant (p< .0001) predictors for late fitting and loss to follow-up. Conductive hearing loss and coverage by Medicaid were also statistically significant (p< .0001) predictors for loss to follow-up.ConclusionHigh return rate for follow-up does not ensure hearing aid fitting by 6 months of age. Infants with unilateral hearing loss are at particular risk of being lost to follow-up.
Test Order Effects of Computerized Dynamic Posturography and Calorics
Authors: Bernstein Jill , Burkard Robert 
Published: June 2009

PurposeTo determine whether there is a test order effect of the caloric subtest of videonystagmography on the Sensory Organization Test (SOT) of computerized dynamic posturography, and to assess the learning effect of multiple posturography test sessions on the SOT score.MethodScores on the 6 SOT conditions before and after caloric testing were compared for 10 participants age 18–36 years. Four SOT sessions were completed prior to caloric testing to assess the presence of a learning effect and establish precaloric baseline SOT scores. All participants had normal vestibular systems with no history of dizziness or imbalance.ResultsCaloric testing had a significant effect on the equilibrium score for only 1 of 6 test conditions. While meeting statistical significance, the actual change in score for this condition was very small. Equilibrium scores improved for the more difficult test conditions between the 1st and 2nd SOT sessions.ConclusionResults indicate that there are minimal test order effects of calorics on the SOT. Results confirm that a significant improvement in score for more challenging test conditions occurs between SOT Sessions 1 and 2 as a result of learning. Therefore, clinicians must be cautious when using posturography to monitor patient improvement.
Patient-Centered Tinnitus Management Tool: A Clinical Audit
Authors: Aazh Hashir , Moore Brian C. J. , Roberts Pete 
Published: June 2009

Purpose
To evaluate the impact of an educational poster describing treatment options available to patients experiencing tinnitus.

Method
A patient-centered tinnitus management tool (PCTMT) was developed in the form of an educational poster that encouraged patients to decide how they wanted to deal with their tinnitus from the following options: (a) ignore the tinnitus and forget about it, (b) use a sound generator, (c) undertake tinnitus counseling with an expert, or (d) deal with the tinnitus using hearing aids (in the case of tinnitus and hearing loss). Fifty-five patients who were referred to the audiology department of a London hospital from the ENT department for tinnitus counseling were asked to read the PCTMT and to choose the option(s) that suited them the best.

Results
Forty-two percent of the patients wished to undertake counseling, 9% decided to try to ignore their tinnitus without help, 26% wanted to deal with their tinnitus with the help of a sound generator, and 24% decided to use hearing aids.

Conclusions
The PCTMT reduced the number of patients who would otherwise have been referred for tinnitus counseling by 58%. This reduced the length of the waiting list and increased the time available for counseling of those patients who wanted it.
Are tests for predicting pre‐eclampsia good enough to make screening viable? A review of reviews and critical appraisal
Authors: CNOSSEN JELTSJE S. , RIET GERBEN TER , MOL BEN WILLEM , VAN DER POST JORIS A. , LEEFLANG MARISKA M. , MEADS CATHERINE A. , HYDE CHRIS , KHAN KHALID S. 
Published: June 2009

AbstractThe aim of this article is to review the accuracy of tests purported to be predictive of pre‐eclampsia, a major cause of maternal and perinatal mortality and morbidity worldwide. A review of systematic reviews was done. A total of 219 studies were evaluated for the accuracy of 27 tests for predicting pre‐eclampsia. Study quality assessment and data abstraction were performed using piloted proformas. Bivariate meta‐analyses were used to synthesize data. Levels of sensitivity and specificity were measured. There were deficiencies in many areas of methodology including blinding, test description, and reference standard adequacy. No test had a high level of both sensitivity and specificity of greater than 90%. Where multiple studies were available, only BMI > 34, alpha‐fetoprotein, fibronectin (cellular and total), and uterine artery Doppler (bilateral notching) measurements reached specificity above 90%. Only Doppler (any/unilateral notching, resistance index, and combinations) measurements were over 60% sensitive. Studies were of variable quality and most tests performed poorly. Further research should focus on tests which offer much higher levels of sensitivity than tests currently available. High sensitivity is a more useful attribute in early detection of pre‐eclampsia than specificity because consideration of benefits, harms and costs indicates a much greater preference for minimizing false negatives than false positives, although the ideal would be to avoid both.
Effectiveness of a multifaceted strategy to improve the appropriateness of cesarean sections
Authors: CALVO ANDRÉS , CAMPILLO CARLOS , JUAN MIGUEL , ROIG CATALINA , HERMOSO JUAN CARLOS , CABEZA PEDRO J. 
Published: June 2009

AbstractThe objective was to assess the effectiveness of a multifaceted strategy for improving the appropriateness of indications for cesarean sections in two public Spanish hospitals. A multifaceted strategy was used including the adoption of a consensus protocol with indications for emergency and prescheduled cesarean sections, continuing education and improvement, and the correction of deficiencies in organization. A pre and post‐intervention design was applied. The overall appropriateness rates for emergency cesarean sections increased from 68.3 to 84.3% in Son Llàtzer Hospital, and from 80.0 to 92.0% in the hospital in Menorca. The overall cesarean section rates at the end of the post‐intervention period decreased (not statistically significant) from 17.5 to 15.8% and from 29.0 to 22.0%, respectively. The multifaceted strategy applied seems to be effective in increasing the appropriateness of cesarean sections and possibly in decreasing the cesarean section rate.
What's in the Literature?
Authors: Simmons Zachary 
Published: June 2009

Abstract

Peripheral neuropathies are among the most common disorders seen by neuromuscular specialists. Several of the articles in this issue's review focus on diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of disorders of peripheral nerve, including some which address important issues relating to chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy. Motor neuron diseases continue to be somewhat disproportionately represented, likely due to the devastating nature of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. The TAR DNA-binding protein-43 (TDP-43) story as outlined in 2 of the articles is fascinating, particularly with regard to etiopathogenesis, whereas other articles focus on epidemiology, diagnosis, treatment, and symptom management, including some insights into Kennedy disease. Myotonic dystrophy and other muscle diseases are presented with some welcome news on treatment and management.