Postural balance in low back pain patients: criterion-related validity of centre of pressure assessed on a portable force platform

Introduction  

Altered postural control has been observed in low back pain (LBP) patients. They seem to be more dependent on vision when standing. The objective of the study was to determine concurrent and predictive validity of measures of postural stability in LBP patients.     

Clinical Examination of Balance and Stability in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients

This study aimed to describe how physiotherapists in clinical practice understand and examine balance and stability problems in rheumatoid arthritis patients. Fourteen experienced physiotherapists met weekly in order to develop a consensus about these issues.Balance was defined as the ability to avoid falling when keeping an upright position or during motion. Stability was defined as the ability to hold joint position throughout its range and to avoid movement about non-physiological axes when keeping a position and during motion.The physiotherapy examination included identification and classification of balance and stability problems, examination of the impact from factors that may be related to these problems, and determination of consequences for patients' activities of daily living.Balance and stability are emphasised by physiotherapists in their clinical practice, but these aspects are rarely discussed within the scientific literature of rheumatology.     

Zur Lokalisation forensisch genutzter Marker im menschlichen Genom Ergebnisse einer world-wide-web-Datenbankrecherche

The combined application of genetic markers in forensic stain analysis and kinship testing requires a profound knowledge of their localisation. This overview localises forensic markers cytogenetically and genetically in the ideograms of the 22 autosomes. Information related to this was obtained and collected from data bases and is freely accessible in the world-wide-web. Subjects of consideration were those markers that could be obtained from Int J Legal Med, J Forensic Sci and Forensic Sci Int via Medline for the period 1990–June 2001. Also integrated were those markers cited in the proceedings of the ISFG (formerly ISFH) in the same period.     

Lack of association between the chemokine receptor 5 polymorphism CCR5delta32 in rheumatoid arthritis and juvenile idiopathic arthritis

Background  

The chemokine receptor CCR5 has been detected at elevated levels on synovial T cells, and a 32 bp deletion in the CCR5 gene leads to a non-functional receptor. A negative association between the CCR5Δ32 and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has been reported, although with conflicting results. In juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), an association with CCR5 was recently reported. The purpose of this study was to investigate if the CCR5Δ32 polymorphism is associated with RA or JIA in Norwegian cohorts.     

Parents' Involvement in Life-and-Death Decisions in Neonatal Intensive Care: Norwegian Attitudes

This article discusses the general view of parents' role in life-and-death decision-making concerning very premature infants in Norway. The article is based on one qualitative study with parents and a survey among Norwegian health personnel. Our findings show that both parents and health-care professionals are ambivalent with regard to the question of who should decide. Parents who have experienced life-and-death discussions concerning their premature infants emphasize that the physician's ability to communicate and to include them as decision-making partners are more important than the parents' right to an autonomous choice. These findings seem to be in line with the official Norwegian recommendations of the subject matter.     

Nosocomial outbreak of CTX-M-15-producing E. coli in Norway

Seven E. coli isolates expressing resistance to 3rd generation cephalosporins were recovered from blood (n=2), kidney and lung tissue (n=1), and urinary tract (n=4) samples from seven patients hospitalised or recently discharged from the Divisions of Geriatrics and Pulmonary Medicine, Central Hospital of Rogaland, between July and September 2004. All isolates expressed a typical ESBL-cefotaximase profile (cefotaxime MIC>ceftazidime MIC) with clavulanic acid synergy. A bla(CTX-M-15) genotype was confirmed in six strains that were coresistant to gentamicin, nitrofurantoin, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole and ciprofloxacin. A bla(CTX-M-3) genotype was detected in the last strain. XbaI-PFGE patterns of the six bla(CTX-M-15) isolates revealed a clonal relationship. Bla(CTX-M-15) strains were also positive for the ISEcp1-like insertion sequences that have been shown to be involved in the mobilization of bla(CTX-M.) Further analyses revealed two bla(CTX-M-15)-positive E. coli urinary isolates clonally related to the outbreak strain from two different patients at the same divisions in January and February 2004. These patients were later re-hospitalised and one had E. coli with an ESBL-cefotaximase profile in sputum and nasopharyngeal specimen during the outbreak period. Clinical evaluation suggests that the CTX-M-producing E. coli strains contributed to death in three patients due to delayed efficient antimicrobial therapy. The outbreak emphasises the epidemic potential of multiple-antibiotic-resistant CTX-M-15-producing E. coli also in a country with low antibiotic usage and low prevalence of antimicrobial resistance.     

A randomized controlled trial of two weight-reducing short-term group treatment programs for obesity with an 18—month follow—up

We found in an earlier study that participants in a short-term streatment program for obesity showed a good weight reduction (10.4 kg) 18 months after treatment terminated. The program included elements from cognitive therapy (CT) and psychoeducation. In the present study the efficacy of as light modification of the same treatment program (cognitive treatment group) was compared with a behavioral program that included moderate-intensity physical activity and behavioral techniques (the control treatment group) in a randomized controlled trial. The primary effect variable was weight change 18 months after the end of therapy. Both treatment programs lasted for 10 weeks (2 hr/week), and thereafter the participants were weighed periodically over an 18-month period. The participants were obese women employed outside the home. Twelve of the participants did not receive treatment after randomization. Eleven of these participants had been randomized to the cognitive program, whereas the remaining participant was randomized to the control program.The mean age for those that began the 2 programs was 48.5 years, and the mean body mass index (BMI) was 36.6. For those who completed the treatment programs and participated in the 18-month follow-up, the baseline BMI was 34.7. One participant in the cognitive treatment group (n = 16) and 6 in the control program (n = 26) dropped out during treatment. Both per-protocol and intention-to-treat analyses were performed on the data. Fifteen participants (94%) completed the cognitive program. Of these, 13 (87%) participated at the18-monthfollow-up.Their mean weight loss attreatment completion was 8.6kg(SD = 2.9) and 18 months later 5.9 kg (SD =5.4). Twenty participants (77%) completed the control program. Of these, 16 (80%) participated in the 18-month follow-up. Their mean weight lossatthe end of treatment was 0.7kg(SD=1.2), and 18 months later they showed an increase in weight of 0.3 kg (SD = 4.3) as compared with baseline weight. The weight differences between the 2 program groups were highly significant (p< .01-.001) at all posttreatment weighings. In the intention-to-treat analysis, all participants who started the cognitive treatment (n=16) or control program(n=26) were included. The last observation carried forward was used for those who dropped out from therapy or from follow-up. Eighteen months after the end of therapy, the mean weight loss was 5.5 kg (SD = 5.5) in the cognitive group, whereas the control group evidenced a weight loss of 0.6 kg (SD = 5.5). The weight change differences between the 2 groups were highly significant at all follow-up weighings (p < .001). The low drop-out rate during the treatment period demonstrates that the participants found the 2 programs acceptable. The long-term efficacy of the cognitive treatment program seems to be satisfactory. With its group format and short treatment duration, the cognitive program is attractive from a cost-effective standpoint.     

Automated screening versus manual screening: a comparison of the ThinPrep imaging system and manual screening in a time study

The ThinPrep Imaging System (TIS) is an automated system that assists cytotechnologists in the primary screening of ThinPrep liquid based cervical samples. Between June 1, 2004, and April 1, 2005, four experienced cytotechnologists participated in the study in which the duration of the screening procedure was timed for each of the 11,354 slides included. In every slide 22 fields of view were reviewed, and the samples that contained potentially abnormal cells were fully screened. The screening time was reduced by 42% (mean) (p < 0.001). By manual rescreening of the negative TIS samples, abnormal cells were found in 10 samples (false negative rate 0.14%). In every case the abnormal cells had been identified by the scanner, but misinterpreted by the cytotechnologist. These findings stressed the importance of carefulness in the interpretation of the marked fields and beyond that helped the cytotechnologists and pathologists to have more confidence in the automated system.