Identification of the botanical origin of commercial pine nuts responsible for dysgeusia by gas-liquid chromatography analysis of Fatty Acid profile.

Over the last 10 years, complaints were increasingly reported from consumers that experienced dysgeusia following the consumption of pine nuts. In the present study, pine nuts samples (N = 16) from consumers that reported dysgeusia have been analyzed to identify the botanical origin of critical pine nuts samples. The fatty acid composition of the samples was performed, and diagnostic index values were used to identify the botanical origin of the samples.

Detection and identification of antinuclear antibodies (ANA) in a large community hospital.

Objective: Antinuclear antibodies (ANA) and their identification are important diagnostic tools in rheumatic diseases. We aimed to determine their prevalence in samples referred for ANA testing and to identify factors predicting more specific reactivities.

Methods: We analyzed the first sample of 6422 consecutive patients for ANA.

Plumbism or lead intoxication mimicking an abdominal tumor.

The clinical presentation of lead intoxication may vary widely and in the absence of a high clinical index of suspicion, the diagnosis may be missed. The effects of lead on mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation and its interaction with calcium-mediated processes explain the heterogenous presentation. In this case report, the diagnosis was finally made when bilateral wrist drop developed on top of abdominal cramps and anemia.

A randomized clinical trial of manual therapy and physiotherapy for persistent back and neck complaints: subgroup analysis and relationship between outcome measures.

Objective: To study the efficacy of manual therapy and physiotherapy in subgroups of patients with persistent back and neck complaints. The second objective was to determine the correlation between three important outcome measures used in this trial.

Design: Randomized clinical trial (subgroup analysis).

Randomised clinical trial of manipulative therapy and physiotherapy for persistent back and neck complaints: results of one year follow up.

Objective: To compare the effectiveness of manipulative therapy, physiotherapy, treatment by the general practitioner, and placebo therapy in patients with persistent non-specific back and neck complaints.

Design: Randomised clinical trial.

Setting: Primary health care in the Netherlands.

The effectiveness of manual therapy, physiotherapy, and treatment by the general practitioner for nonspecific back and neck complaints. A randomized clinical trial.

In a randomized trial, the effectiveness of manual therapy, physiotherapy, continued treatment by the general practitioner, and placebo therapy (detuned ultrasound and detuned short-wave diathermy) were compared for patients (n = 256) with nonspecific back and neck complaints lasting for at least 6 weeks. The principle outcome measures were severity of the main complaint, global perceived effect, pain, and functional status. These are presented for 3, 6, and 12 weeks follow-up.

A blinded randomized clinical trial of manual therapy and physiotherapy for chronic back and neck complaints: physical outcome measures.

In a blinded randomized clinical trial, we compared the effectiveness of manual therapy, physiotherapy, (continued) treatment by the general practitioner (GP), and a placebo therapy (detuned ultrasound and detuned short wave diathermy) for patients (n = 256) with chronic nonspecific back and neck complaints. The physical outcome measures (spinal mobility and physical functioning) are presented for 3, 6 and 12 wk follow-up. Manual therapy showed a faster and larger improvement in physical functioning compared to the other three therapies.

The effectiveness of manual therapy, physiotherapy and continued treatment by the general practitioner for chronic nonspecific back and neck complaints: design of a randomized clinical trial.

There are strong arguments for publishing research protocols before the results are available. First, it permits a critical judgment of the design unbiased by knowledge of the results, and second it may prevent publication bias. We present the design of a randomized trial on the effectiveness of manual therapy, physiotherapy, (continued) treatment by the general practitioner and a placebo treatment for patients (n = 300) with chronic (more than 6 wk) nonspecific back and neck complaints.