Occurrence of Helicobacter pullorum in turkeys.

In order to investigate the occurrence of Helicobacter pullorum in turkeys, caecum contents collected at the slaughterhouse from 55 animals intensively reared in 11 farms were sampled. Gram-negative curved rod bacteria were isolated by a modified Steele and McDermott filter technique and further identified as H. pullorum by polymerase chain reaction (PCR).

Interrater reliability and validity of the stair ascend/descend test in subjects with total knee arthroplasty.

Objective: (1) To determine the interrater reliability and measurement error of an 11-step stair ascend/descend test (STTotal-11) and stair up (ascend) test (STUp-11); (2) to seek evidence for the STTotal-11 and STUp-11 as valid measures of physical function by determining if they relate to measures of physical function and do not relate to measures not of physical function; and (3) to explore if the STTotal-11 and STUp-11 scores relate to lower-extremity muscle weakness and knee range of motion (ROM) in subjects with total knee arthroplasty (TKA).

Design: Cross-sectional study.

Setting: Academic center.

A balance exercise program appears to improve function for patients with total knee arthroplasty: a randomized clinical trial.

Background: Patients with total knee arthroplasty (TKA) have impaired balance and movement control. Exercise interventions have not targeted these impairments in this population.

Objectives: The purposes of this study were: (1) to determine the feasibility of applying a balance exercise program in patients with TKA, (2) to investigate whether a functional training (FT) program supplemented with a balance exercise program (FT+B program) could improve physical function compared with an FT program alone in a small group of individuals with TKA, and (3) to test the methods and calculate sample size for a future randomized trial with a larger study sample.

Association of physical function and physical activity in women with rheumatoid arthritis.

Objective: To explore the associations between measures of physical activity (PA) and measures of physical function (PF) in women with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). We hypothesized that the strength of the associations between PA and PF would be moderate, and that after controlling for social and biomedical characteristics, the associations would decrease.

Methods: Women with RA (n = 47, mean +/- SD age 56.

Association between ischemia modified albumin, inflammation and hyperglycemia in type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Objectives: The aim of this study was assess serum ischemia modified albumin (IMA) in type 2 diabetes patients and determine its correlation with other risk factors for chronic complications such as inflammation and hyperglycemia.

Design And Methods: Fasting glucose, glycated albumin, total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, creatinine, uric acid, albumin, lactic acid, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and IMA were measured in 80 patients with type 2 diabetes and 26 controls.

Results: Fasting glucose, glycated albumin, triglycerides, creatinine, IMA and hs-CRP were significantly higher in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Walking skill can be assessed in older adults: validity of the Figure-of-8 Walk Test.

Background: The Figure-of-8 Walk Test (F8W) involves straight and curved paths and was designed to represent walking skill in everyday life.

Objective: The purposes of this study were to validate the measure in older adults with walking difficulties and to explore correlates of the curved-path walking measure not represented by a straight-path walking measure.

Design: Fifty-one community-dwelling older adults with mobility disability participated in 2 baseline visits as part of an intervention study.

Relationships of fear, anxiety, and depression with physical function in patients with knee osteoarthritis.

Objectives: To explore whether the psychologic variables anxiety, depression, and fear-avoidance beliefs, and interactions between these variables, are associated with physical function in patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA). We hypothesized lower levels of function would be related to higher anxiety, higher depression, and higher fear-avoidance beliefs, and that high levels of 2 of these factors simultaneously might interact to have a greater adverse effect on physical function.

Design: Cross-sectional, correlational design.

Effect of baseline quadriceps activation on changes in quadriceps strength after exercise therapy in subjects with knee osteoarthritis.

Objective: To examine whether pretreatment magnitude of quadriceps activation (QA) helps predict changes in quadriceps strength after exercise therapy in subjects with knee osteoarthritis (OA). We hypothesized that subjects with lower magnitudes of QA (greater failure of muscle activation) would have smaller gains in strength compared with those with higher magnitudes of QA following exercise therapy.

Methods: One hundred eleven subjects with knee OA (70 women) participated.

Predictors of pain and function outcome after rehabilitation in patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome.

Objective: To identify changes in impairments associated with functional and pain outcome in patients with patello-femoral pain syndrome following a standardized physiotherapy treatment.

Design: One group pre-post design.

Subjects: Seventy-four patients (median age 27 years, 52% female) diagnosed with patellofemoral pain syndrome and referred to physiotherapy treatment.

Patella fracture during rehabilitation after bone-patellar tendon-bone anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: 2 case reports.

Study Design: Case report.

Background: Patellar fracture is a rare but significant complication following anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction when using a bone-patellar tendon-bone (BPTB) autograft. The purpose of these case reports is to describe 2 cases in which patellar fracture occurred during rehabilitation after ACL reconstruction using a BPTB.

Associates of physical function and pain in patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome.

Objectives: To explore whether impairment of muscle strength, soft tissue length, movement control, postural and biomechanic alterations, and psychologic factors are associated with physical function and pain in patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS).

Design: Cross-sectional study.

Setting: Rehabilitation outpatient.

Responsiveness of the activities of daily living scale of the knee outcome survey and numeric pain rating scale in patients with patellofemoral pain.

Objective: To assess internal and external responsiveness of the Activity of Daily Living Scale of the Knee Outcome Survey and Numeric Pain Rating Scale on patients with patellofemoral pain.

Design: One group pre-post design.

Subjects: A total of 60 individuals with patellofemoral pain (33 women; mean age 29.

Antibiotic prophylaxis before dental procedures may reduce the incidence of osteonecrosis of the jaw in patients with multiple myeloma treated with bisphosphonates.

Osteonecrosis of the jaw (ONJ) can be a severe complication of patients with multiple myeloma (MM) treated with bisphosphonates. Dental procedures are a major risk factor for ONJ occurrence. We retrospectively analysed the data of 178 patients with MM to evaluate if antibiotic prophylaxis before dental procedures may prevent ONJ.

Chemokine detection in the cerebral tissue of patients with posttraumatic brain contusions.

Object: The clinical outcome of patients with severe head injuries is still critically dependent on their secondary injuries. Although hypoxia and hypotension appear to mediate a substantial proportion of secondary injuries, many studies associate secondary brain injury with neuroinflammatory responses. Chemokines have been detected in the cerebrospinal fluid but not in the brain tissue of patients with head trauma.

Central nervous system inflammation.

Activation of inflammation is the hallmark of pathological processes that follow acute injury. This process is mediated by inflammatory cytokines and adhesion molecules that reside on the surface of endothelium, leucocyte and inflammatory cells. Attenuation of the adhesion cascade has been the subject of several basic science and clinical trials in the management of neurological injury.

The early phase of critical illness is a progressive acidic state due to unmeasured anions.

Background And Objective: Stewart's and Fencl's methods have recently been proposed to interpret acid-base disorders where traditional theory has proven inadequate. Our objectives were to evaluate: (1) the occurrence of acid-base disturbances in critically ill patients and their trend over the first 3 intensive care unit days, (2) whether Stewart's theory offers advantages over the traditional theory in the diagnosis of acid-base metabolic disturbances and (3) whether variables derived from Stewart's and Fencl's methods offer advantages over the traditional method to predict patient mortality.

Methods: A prospective cohort study in a general intensive care unit.

Neuromuscular electrical stimulation and volitional exercise for individuals with rheumatoid arthritis: a multiple-patient case report.

Background And Purpose: Muscle atrophy is common in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Although neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) is a viable treatment for muscle atrophy, there is no evidence about the use of NMES in patients with RA. The purposes of this multiple-patient case report are: (1) to describe the use of NMES applied to the quadriceps femoris muscles in conjunction with an exercise program in patients with RA; (2) to report on patient tolerance and changes in lean muscle mass, quadriceps femoris muscle strength (force-producing capacity), and physical function; and (3) to explore how changes in muscle mass relate to changes in quadriceps femoris muscle strength, measures of physical function, and patient adherence.

Human erythrocyte delta-aminolevulinate dehydratase activity and oxidative stress in hemodialysis patients.

Background: Oxidative stress is a complicating factor in chronic renal failure, especially in hemodialysis (HD) patients. Also, aluminum intoxication may occur during hemodialysis treatment. Aluminum has been shown to inhibit the sulfhydryl-containing enzyme delta-aminolevulinate dehydratase (ALA-D).

Strength around the hip and flexibility of soft tissues in individuals with and without patellofemoral pain syndrome.

Study Design: Case control design.

Objectives: To investigate whether differences exist in lower extremity muscle strength and soft tissue length between patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS) and age- and gender-matched control subjects.

Background: Based on our clinical experience and emerging data, impairments such as muscular weakness surrounding the hip and limited flexibility of key lower extremity muscles may be important impairments to consider in the conservative management of PFPS.

Inter-tester reliability of passive intervertebral and active movements of the cervical spine.

Measurements of active range of motion (AROM) and passive intervertebral movements (PIM) of the cervical spine are frequently used for patients with neck pain. However, there is a paucity of studies that investigate the psychometric properties of these measurements. Objectives of this study were to: (1) determine the inter-tester reliability of PIM, AROM, and the effects of AROM on symptom provocation; (2) establish the minimal detectable change (MDC) in cervical AROM; and (3) determine the association between AROM and disability.

Reliability of measures of impairments associated with patellofemoral pain syndrome.

Background: The reliability and measurement error of several impairment measures used during the clinical examination of patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS) has not been established. The purpose was to determine the inter-tester reliability and measurement error of measures of impairments associated with PFPS in patients with PFPS.

Methods: A single group repeated measures design was used.