bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Costs of back pain in Germany
Authors: Wenig Christina M. , Schmidt Carsten O. , Kohlmann Thomas , Schweikert Bernd 
Published: June 2008

ABSTRACTWith 12‐month prevalence rates of more than 70%, back pain is currently one of the major health problems for German adults and entails major economic consequences. The aim of this study was to estimate back pain‐related costs from a societal perspective and to determine the impact of sociodemographic variables on costs. Based on back pain‐related survey data of a large German adult sample (9267 respondents, response rate 60%), costs were assessed using a prevalence‐based bottom‐up approach. Direct costs caused by utilisation of healthcare services, as well as indirect costs due to back pain‐related production losses were considered. All prices are expressed in 2005 Euros. Average total back pain costs per patient were estimated to be €1322 (95% CI [1173–1487]) per year. These costs are split between direct (46%) and indirect (54%) costs. Bivariate analysis showed considerable differences in total costs between the Von Korff back pain grades (GCPS Group I: Mean 414.4, 95% CI [333.2–506.3]; II: 783.6 [574.5–1044.4]; III: 3017.2 [2392.9–3708.6]; IV: 7115.7 [5418.5–9006.5]). Male gender, increasing age, single status, low education, unemployment, and increasing back pain grade had a significant positive impact on the cost magnitude in multivariate analysis. Despite several limitations, this study provides important information concerning the relevance of back pain as a health problem and its socioeconomic consequences. The information may be of value for decision‐making and allocation of research fund resources.
Thyrohyoid vocal fold augmentation with calcium hydroxyapatite
Authors: Rees Catherine J. , Mouadeb Debbie A. , Belafsky Peter C. 
Published: June 2008

ObjectivesTo review the clinical results of the thyrohyoid approach for in‐office vocal fold augmentation with calcium hydroxyapatite.Study DesignRetrospective chart review.MethodsThe charts of all persons who underwent in‐office thyrohyoid vocal fold augmentation between June 1, 2005 and June 1, 2007 were reviewed. Information with respect to patient demographics, indications, complications, and clinical outcome was abstracted.ResultsFifty‐one thyrohyoid vocal fold augmentations were performed in 33 patients (26 men; mean age, 66 years). Six (13%) procedures were aborted as a result of an inability to achieve an appropriate injection angle. Two (6%) self‐limited complications included a vasovagal episode and a small ulcer near the petiole of the epiglottis. Pre‐ and postprocedure data were available for 62.5%. The mean 10‐item Voice Handicap Index improved from 27.9 (±8.40) preprocedure to 13.5 (±10.52) postprocedure (P < 0.001).ConclusionIn‐office vocal fold augmentation with the use of the thyrohyoid approach demonstrates excellent clinical results. It has become our technique of choice for vocal fold medialization with the patient under local anesthesia in the office setting. Complications are rare.
Computed tomography imaging of the paranasal sinuses: Direct versus reformatted coronal images
Authors: Pletcher Steven D. , Hoxworth Joseph M. , Goldberg Andrew N. , Murr Andrew H. , Glastonbury Christine M. 
Published: June 2008

ObjectiveTo evaluate the image quality of coronal reformatted CT images compared with direct coronal CT images.Study DesignCross‐sectional.Subjects and MethodsPatients who underwent paranasal sinus CT scans using both direct coronal images (DC) and axially acquired images with coronal reconstructions (CR) were consecutively enrolled. Two reconstruction groups were evaluated: group CR1 with 1‐mm axial collimation and group CR2 with 0.625‐mm axial collimation. Scans were presented in a randomized, blinded fashion to two sinus surgeons and a neuroradiologist.ResultsWhen compared with CR1, DC images had higher image quality for each of five key anatomic landmarks (P <. 0001). DC images were more likely to be adequate preoperative imaging (P <. 0001). When compared with CR2, improved DC image quality was noted in the majority of key anatomic landmarks. No difference was noted in the “adequacy rating” between the DC and CR2 (0.625 mm) protocols.ConclusionThe 0.625‐mm reformatted images were judged to be adequate preoperative imaging. The additional information provided by multiple‐image planes make reformatted 0.625‐mm axial images an acceptable approach.
Accumulation of trauma over time and risk for depression in a twin sample
Authors: McCutcheon V. V. , Heath A. C. , Nelson E. C. , Bucholz K. K. , Madden P. A. F. , Martin N. G. 
Published: June 2008

BackgroundFew genetically informative studies have examined the effects of different types of trauma on risk for depression over time. The aim of the present study was to examine the relative contributions over time of assaultive trauma, non-assaultive trauma, and familial effects to risk for depression.MethodHistories of depression and trauma were obtained during structured diagnostic interviews with 5266 (mean age 29.9 years,s.d.=2.4) members of a volunteer Australian twin panel from the general population. Age at first onset of a DSM-IV major depressive episode was the dependent variable. Associations of depression with traumatic events were examined while accounting for the temporal sequence of trauma and depression and familial effects.ResultsAssaultive traumatic events that occurred during childhood had the strongest association with immediate and long-term risk for depression, and outweighed familial effects on childhood-onset depression for most twins. Although men and women endorsed equal rates of assaultive trauma, women reported a greater accumulation of assaultive events at earlier ages than men, whereas men reported a greater accumulation of non-assaultive events at all ages.ConclusionsEarly exposure to assaultive trauma can influence risk for depression into adulthood. Concordance for early trauma is a significant contributor to the familiality of early-onset depression.
Elicitation of the passé composé in French preschoolers with and without specific language impairment
Authors: ROYLE PHAEDRA , THORDARDOTTIR ELIN T. 
Published: June 2008

ABSTRACTThis study examines inflectional abilities in French-speaking children with specific language impairment (SLI) using a verb elicitation task. Eleven children with SLI and age-matched controls (37–52 months) participated in the experiment. We elicited the passé composé using eight regular and eight irregular high frequency verbs matched for age of acquisition. Children with SLI showed dissimilar productive verb inflection abilities to control children (even when comparing participants with similar verb vocabularies and mean length of utterance in words). Control children showed evidence of overregularization and sensitivity to morphological structure, whereas no such effects were observed in the SLI group. Error patterns observed in the SLI group demonstrate that, at this age, they cannot produce passé composé forms in elicitation tasks, even though some participants used them spontaneously. Either context by itself might therefore be insufficient to fully evaluate productive linguistic abilities in children with SLI.
Early literacy in Arabic: An intervention study among Israeli Palestinian kindergartners
Authors: LEVIN IRIS , SAIEGH-HADDAD ELINOR , HENDE NAREMAN , ZIV MARGALIT 
Published: June 2008

ABSTRACTArabic Literacy acquisition was studied among Israeli Palestinian low socioeconomic status kindergartners within the framework of an intervention study, implemented by teachers. On pretest, letter naming, alphabetic awareness, and phonological awareness were very low. Whereas the comparison group hardly progressed throughout the year, the intervention group progressed substantially on all three skills. The diglossic nature of the Arabic letter name system was manifested in children's transition from a mixture of two systems to preference for standard over colloquial names following the intervention. As in other alphabets, visual similarity and adjacency increased letter confusability. The unique features of Arabic literacy are discussed.
Decentralized robust control of robot manipulators with harmonic drive transmission and application to modular and reconfigurable serial arms
Authors: Li Z. , Melek W. W. , Clark C. 
Published: June 2008

SUMMARYIn this paper, we propose a decentralized robust control algorithm for modular and reconfigurable robots (MRRs) based on Lyapunov's stability analysis and backstepping techniques. In using decentralized control schemes with robot manipulators, each joint is considered as an independent subsystem, and the dynamical effects from the other links and joints are treated as disturbance. However, there exist many uncertainties due to unmodeled dynamics, varying payloads, harmonic drive (HD) compliance, HD complex gear meshing mechanisms, etc. Also, while the reconfigurability of MRRs is advantageous, modifying the configuration will result in changes to the robot dynamics parameters, thereby making it challenging to tune the control system. All of the above mentioned disturbances in addition to reconfigurability present a challenge in controlling MRRs. The proposed controller is well suited for MRR applications because of its simple structure that does not require the exact knowledge of the dynamic parameters of the configurations. Desired tracking performance can be achieved via tuning a limited set of parameters of the robust controller. If the numbers of degrees of freedom are held constant, these parameters are shown to be relatively independent of the configuration, and can be held constant between changes in configuration. This strategy is novel compared to existing MRR control methods. In order to validate the controller performance, experimental setup and results are also presented.
Short stature and hypertension in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Authors: Sichieri Rosely , Siqueira Kamile Santos , Pereira Rosangela Alves , Ascherio Alberto 
Published: June 2008

AbstractObjectiveStature is a powerful indicator of poor nutrition early in life in nations where undernutrition is a public health problem. Hypertension in adults has been associated with factors present early in life such as low birth weight. We tested the hypothesis that short stature is associated with hypertension among adults.Design and settingA household survey of representative adults in Rio de Janeiro city, Brazil was carried out in 1996.SubjectsBlood pressure and anthropometric measures were collected from 2802 adults in their own households. Prevalence estimates and modelling incorporated the sample design and weights.ResultsAge-adjusted prevalence of hypertension for both sexes was lower in the third quartile of stature distribution. In women, but not in men, the odds ratio comparing the first quartile of stature with the fourth quartile was statistically significant with an odds ratio of 1.68 (95% CI 1.02–2.76). Adjusting for known risk factors for hypertension such as age, income, smoking, sodium and alcohol intake and race, the association among women, comparing the first with the fourth quartile for stature, was 1.84 (95% CI 1.03–3.30). With further adjustment for residual of weight on height the ratio reduced to 1.76 (95% CI 0.97–3.19, P value of trend = 0.03). Systolic blood pressure showed a U-shaped association with quartiles of stature, mainly among women, with a β-coefficient significantly lower at the third quartile.ConclusionsThis association of stature with hypertension supports the theory of an important ontogenetic dependence of adult blood pressure, at least among women.
Hepatotoxicity of botanicals
Authors: Stickel Felix , Egerer Gerlinde , Seitz Helmut Karl 
Published: June 2008

AbstractObjectiveHepatic impairment resulting from the use of conventional drugs is widely acknowledged, but there is less awareness of the potential hepatotoxicity of herbal preparations and other botanicals, many of which are believed to be harmless and are commonly used for self-medication without supervision. The aim of this paper is to examine the evidence for hepatotoxicity of botanicals and draw conclusions regarding their pathology, safety and applications.DesignCurrent literature on the hepatotoxicity of herbal drugs and other botanicals is reviewed. The aetiology, clinical picture and treatment of mushroom (Amanita) poisoning are described.ResultsHepatotoxic effects have been reported for some Chinese herbal medicines (such as Jin Bu Huan, Ma-Huang and Sho-saiko-to), pyrrolizidine alkaloid-containing plants, germander (Teucrium chamaedrys), chaparral (Larrea tridentata),Atractylis gummifera,Callilepsis laureola, and others. The frequency with which botanicals cause hepatic damage is unclear. There is a lack of controlled treatment trials and the few studies published to date do not clarify the incidence of adverse effects. Many plant products do not seem to lead to toxic effects in everyone taking them, and they commonly lack a strict dose-dependency. For some products, such as Sho-saiko-to, the picture is confused further by demonstrations of hepatoprotective properties for some components. Mushroom poisoning is mostly due to the accidental consumption ofAmanitaspecies. Treatment with silymarin, thioctic acid, penicillin and liver transplantation have been shown to be effective but require early diagnosis.ConclusionsSevere liver injury, including acute and chronic abnormalities and even cirrhotic transformation and liver failure, has been described after the ingestion of a wide range of herbal products and other botanical ingredients, such as mushrooms. It is concluded that in certain situations herbal products may be just as harmful as conventional drugs.
Use of food labels and beliefs about diet–disease relationships among university students
Authors: Smith Shannon C , Taylor Jeffrey G , Stephen Alison M 
Published: June 2008

AbstractObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to measure the reported use of nutrition information on food labels by a population of university students and to determine if label users differed from non-users in terms of gender and specific beliefs related to label information and diet–disease relationships, specifically fat and heart disease and fibre and cancer.DesignA single-stage cluster sampling technique was used. Data was obtained using a self-administered, validated questionnaire.SettingThe present investigation took place at the University of Saskatchewan, Canada in the autumn of 1997.SubjectsA total of 553 students in randomly selected classes in the College of Arts and Science took part in the survey (92% response rate). The sample consisted of roughly equal numbers of males and females, most between the ages of 18 and 24.ResultsThere were approximately equal numbers of label users and non-users among males, while label users outnumbered non-users by almost four to one among females. The importance of nutrition information on food labels was the only belief that differed significantly between label users and non-users for both sexes. For females, no other beliefs distinguished label users from non-users. However, for males, significant differences were found between label users and non-users on the beliefs that nutrition information is truthful and that a relationship between fibre and cancer exists.ConclusionsFemales appear to use food labels more often than do males. The only consistently observed difference between label users and non-users (male and female) was that users believed in the importance of nutrition information on food labels while non-users did not.
An evaluation of food photographs as a tool for quantifying food and nutrient intakes
Authors: Robson Paula J , Livingstone M Barbara E 
Published: June 2008

AbstractObjectiveTo evaluate the errors incurred by young adults using single portion size colour food photographs to quantify foods and nutrients consumed at six meals on two non-consecutive days.DesignBreakfast menus remained the same for the 2 days; but lunch and dinner menus varied. The amounts of food eaten by individuals were determined by weighing individual serving dishes pre- and post-consumption. The day after eating, all foods consumed were quantified in terms of fractions or multiples of the amounts shown in the food photographs.SubjectsThirty adult volunteers (15 male, 15 female), aged 18–36 years, completed the protocol for day one; 27 (90%) completed day two.ResultsSome foods were more difficult to quantify accurately than others. The largest error range was −38.9% to +284.6% (cheese), whereas the smallest errors were incurred for juice (−21.5% to +34.6%, day one). All subjects who consumed muesli (day one) overestimated (+3.7% to +113.7%). No other foods were consistently over-or underestimated. For foods consumed at breakfast by the same subjects on both days, individual estimation errors were inconsistent in magnitude and/or direction. At the group level, most nutrients were estimated to within ±10% of intake; exceptions were thiamin (+10.5%, day one) and vitamin E (−10.1%, day one; −15.3%, day two). Between 63% and 80% of subjects were correctly classified into tertiles on the basis of estimated intakes.ConclusionsDespite some large food quantification errors, single portion size food photographs were effective when used to estimate nutrient intakes at the group level. It remains to be established whether, under the conditions used in this study, more photographs per food would improve estimates of nutrient intake at the individual level.
Fruit and vegetable consumption in relation to risk factors for cancer: a report from the Malmö Diet and Cancer Study
Authors: Wallström Peter , Wirfält Elisabet , Janzon Lars , Mattisson Irene , Elmståhl Sölve , Johansson Ulla , Berglund Göran 
Published: June 2008

AbstractObjectiveTo examine the associations between the consumption of fruit and vegetables and other markers of cancer risk.DesignA cross-sectional survey within the population-based prospective Malmö Diet and Cancer (MDC) Study. Information on food habits was collected through the modified diet history method designed and validated for the MDC Study. Data on smoking and alcohol habits, leisure time physical activity, birth country, education, socioeconomic status and cohabitation status were collected through a questionnaire.SettingMalmö, the third largest city in Sweden.SubjectsAll subjects who entered the MDC Study during winter 1991 to summer 1994 (men and women living in Malmö, aged between 46 and 68 years), with a total of 15 173.ResultsWomen consumed more fruit and vegetables than men. Low consumption of both fruits and vegetables was associated with unfavourable nutrient profiles: higher percentage of energy from fat and lower intakes of antioxidant nutrients and dietary fibre. Low consumption was also associated with smoking, low leisure time physical activity, low education and being born in Sweden. High age was associated with low vegetable consumption in both genders. Alcohol intake was positively associated with vegetable consumption in both genders, while both zero and high alcohol consumers had low fruit consumption. Men residing without a partner consumed less fruits and vegetables than other men. There were very weak or no independent associations between socioeconomic status and fruit/vegetable consumption.ConclusionThis study indicates that several established risk markers and risk factors of cancer may be independently associated with low fruit and vegetable consumption. The findings suggest that the adverse effects of factors such as smoking, low physical activity and a high-fat diet could partly be explained by low consumption of fruit or vegetables. The implied health benefits of a low or moderate alcohol consumption may be similarly confounded by high consumption of fruit or vegetables.
Vitamin A and causes of maternal mortality: association and biological plausibility
Authors: Faisel Hala , Pittrof Rüdiger 
Published: June 2008

AbstractObjectiveTo review the association between major causes of maternal mortality and vitamin A, trying to determine if these associations are causal in nature, and to highlight possible biological pathways that may explain vitamin A effects.DesignLiterature review, observational studies and clinical trials. The strength of association was determined by applying Bradford Hill criteria of causality.ResultsIn a vitamin A deficient population, vitamin A is essential for adequate treatment of anaemia. While vitamin A does not seem to be capable of preventing uterine atony, obstetric or surgical trauma, which are important causes of haemorrhage, it might be capable of preventing or decreasing coagulopathy. Possible effects on the placenta as regards implantation, site and size are not clear. As regards pregnancy-related infections, vitamin A supplementation can improve wound healing by decreasing fibrosis and increasing transforming growth factor-β (TFG-β). It can increase resistance to infection by increasing mucosal integrity, increasing surface immunoglobulin A (sIgA) and enhancing adequate neutrophil function. If infection occurs, vitamin A can act as an immune enhancer, increasing the adequacy of natural killer (NK) cells and increasing antibody production. β-carotene in its provitamin form can act as an antioxidant by decreasing endothelial cell damage (the pathognomonic feature of pre-eclampsia) and promote the vasodilator effect of nitric oxide that might bring about a better outcome of toxaemia in pregnancy. It is unlikely that vitamin A or β-carotene has an effect on obstructed labour.ConclusionsPlausible biomedical pathways can only be constructed for obstetric haemorrhage, anaemia in pregnancy, hypertension in pregnancy and pregnancy-related infections. A 40% reduction in the maternal mortality ratio, as observed in Nepal, is unlikely to be solely explained through the aforementioned pathways.
Dietary antioxidant intake and cognitive performance in middle-aged adults
Authors: Peacock James M , Folsom Aaron R , Knopman David S , Mosley Thomas H , Goff David C , Szklo Moyses 
Published: June 2008

AbstractObjectiveTo assess the cross-sectional association of dietary and supplemental antioxidant (carotenoids, vitamins C and E) intake with cognitive function in 12 187 individuals, aged 48–67 years, participating in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study.MethodsDietary intake of antioxidant vitamins, as assessed by a food frequency questionnaire, and use of supplements were analysed in relation to the results of three cognitive tests, the delayed word recall test, the Wechsler adult intelligence scale, revised (WAIS-R) digit symbol subtest and the word fluency test.ResultsAfter adjustment for covariates previously found to be associated with cognition in this sample, we found no consistent associations between dietary antioxidant vitamin intake or supplement use and any of the cognitive tests.ConclusionsThis study suggests little, if any, association between antioxidant vitamin intake and better cognitive function in middle-aged adults.