106 research outputs found
Appropriate communication formats between researchers
No full textWe were surprised to see yet another Letter-to-the-Editor from Arumugam and colleagues recently sent to this journal (Arumugam, 2016; Arumugam and Chandrasekaran, 2019; Arumugam et al., 2020). For their Letter in response to our review (Klerx et al., 2019), we believe direct communication to the corresponding author would have sufficed for most elements. The content of Letters-to-the-Editor can then be reserved for pertinent discussions of interest to the broad readership of the journal.No Full Tex
Clinimetric properties of sacroiliac joint mobility tests: A systematic review
No full textBackground: Previous systematic reviews revealed poor reliability and validity for sacroiliac joint (SIJ) mobility tests. However, these reviews were published nearly 20 years ago and recent evidence has not yet been summarised. Objectives: To conduct an up-to-date systematic review to verify whether recommendations regarding the clinical use of SIJ mobility tests should be revised. Study design: Systematic review. Method: The literature was searched for relevant articles via 5 electronic databases. The review was conducted according to the PRISMA guidelines. COSMIN checklists were used to appraise the methodological quality. Studies were included if they had at least fair methodology and reported clinimetric properties of SIJ mobility tests performed in adult patients with non-specific low back pain, pelvic (girdle) pain and/or SIJ pain. Only tests that can be performed in a clinical setting were considered. Results: Twelve relevant articles were identified, of which three were of sufficient methodological quality. These three studies evaluated the reliability of eight SIJ mobility tests and one test cluster. For the majority of individual tests, the intertester reliability showed slight to fair agreement. Although some tests and one test cluster had higher reliability, the confidence intervals around most reliability estimates were large. Furthermore, there were no validity studies of sufficient methodological quality. Conclusion: Considering the low and/or imprecise reliability estimates, the absence of high-quality diagnostic accuracy studies, and the uncertainty regarding the construct these tests aim to measure, this review supports the previous recommendations that the use of SIJ mobility tests in clinical practice is problematic.No Full Tex
Is fatty infiltration in paraspinal muscles reversible with exercise in people with low back pain? A systematic review
No full textPurpose: Increased fatty infiltration in paraspinal muscles has been recognized as a feature of muscle quality loss in people with Low Back Pain (LBP) and is highly associated with the severity of LBP and dysfunction. Reducing fatty infiltration has been recognized as a rehabilitation aim. An earlier systematic review published in 2014 revealed conflicting evidence for the reversibility of paraspinal muscle quality by means of exercise and no updates have been published since. A new systematic literature search is warranted. Method: Pubmed, CINAHL and Embase were searched from inception to July 2022. Randomized, non-randomized controlled trials (RCT and non-RCT) and single-arm trials were included if they reported the effect of exercise on paraspinal fatty infiltration in people with LBP. Effect sizes and statistical power were calculated for (1) exercise versus control, and (2) pre-post exercise changes. Available data from the RCTs were pooled via meta-analysis when appropriate. Otherwise, data were synthesized qualitatively. Results: Two RCTs, one non-RCT and three single-arm trials met the selection criteria. Data were not pooled due to substantial clinical heterogeneity. Effect sizes from the RCTs revealed no significant difference for exercise versus control. One single-arm trial with high risk of bias demonstrated a significant pre-post difference with moderate effect size, but only at one (T12-L1) of the investigated levels. Conclusion: Moderate quality evidence is available that paraspinal fatty infiltration is not reversible with exercise in people with LBP. More larger RCT’s are needed to draw firmer conclusions.</p
Barriers to e-commerce policy in logistics : an exploratory study of the Pearl River Delta, China
No full textAuthor name used in this publication: J. M. J. Ng2008-2009 > Academic research: refereed > Publication in refereed journalAccepted ManuscriptPublishedGreen (AAM
Differences in balance control despite self-reported resolution of pregnancy-related pelvic girdle pain. A cross-sectional study
No full textBackground: Motor control patterns are altered when women with pregnancy-related pelvic girdle pain (PGP) experience pain. In low back pain, these adaptations can persist after recovery. Objectives: This study aimed to assess balance control in postpartum women with and without a history of PGP during pregnancy. Design: Cross-sectional study. Method: Eighteen postpartum women who reported to be recovered from PGP, and twelve postpartum women without a history of PGP during pregnancy performed two clinical tests: the single leg stance and active straight leg raise test. Primary outcomes were ground reaction forces measured with a force platform. Results: Multiple linear regression analyses showed smaller lateral displacement (β = −11cm; 95%CI: 19 to −3; p = 0.008) and lower displacement velocity of the Centre of Pressure (COP) (Ratio of Geometric Means (RGM) 0.76; 95%CI: 0.59 to 0.99; p = 0.043) during single leg stance in the participants with a history of PGP compared to participants without a history of PGP. Push-off force (β = −4.8 N; 95%CI: 22.0 to 12.5; p = 0.57) and asymmetry of push-off force (RGM 1.77; 95%CI: 0.62 to 5.04; p = 0.27) did not differ between groups. During the active straight leg raise test, no differences in lateral displacement (β = 3 cm; 95%CI: 3 to 8; p = 0.30) and COP displacement velocity (RGM 1.03; 95%CI: 0.70 to 1.52; p = 0.87) were observed. Conclusions: Although the women with a history of PGP considered themselves recovered, their balance control during single leg stance was poorer compared to those without a history of PGP. No differences were found during the active straight leg raise test
Maritime education in a transdisciplinary world : the case of Hong Kong
No full textAuthor name used in this publication: Jim Mi NgAuthor name used in this publication: Tsz Leung Yip2008-2009 > Academic research: refereed > Publication in refereed journalVersion of RecordPublishedC
Paradigm shifts in shipping registry policy led to revitalization - Hong Kong case
No full textAuthor name used in this publication: Jim Mi Jimmy NgAuthor name used in this publication: Tsz Leung Yip2009-2010 > Academic research: refereed > Publication in refereed journalVersion of RecordPublishedC
Reduction of the intestinal endotoxin pool by three different SDD regimens in human volunteers
No full textAerobic Gram-negative bacilli (AGNB) carried in the gut by healthy individuals generate 1 mg of 'physiological' endotoxin per g of faeces. Successful eradication of AGNB from the gut would be expected to lead to a lowering of the intestinal endotoxin pool. This prompted us to evaluate the reduction of intestinal endotoxin in 6 healthy volunteers who each received 3 different oral antibiotic regimens. Regimen 1 was polymyxin E (600 mg/day), regimen 2 polymyxin E (400 mg/day) combined with tobramycin (320 mg/day) and regimen 3 pefloxacin (800 mg/day). Each regimen was separated by an antibiotic free period of 3 months. A faecal sample (minimally 2 g) was obtained from each volunteer, before treatment began and afterwards 3 times a week on alternating days (Monday, Wednesday, Friday) for 3 weeks. Each volunteer produced 30 samples, 10 each per oral antibiotic. The samples were serially diluted in nutrient broth for the colony count of AGNB, whilst endotoxin was measured using the classical Limulus amoebocyte lysate micro-assay. The base-line value of faecal AGNB was 10(3-4) colony forming units/g of faeces. All samples obtained on day 3 following antibiotic intake were negative for AGNB, and remained negative during antibiotic intake. The AGNB free carrier state was associated with a reduction in gut endotoxin. The reduction was approximately 10 ng (1 log) for polymyxin E and pefloxacin, whilst the combination of polymyxin/tobramycin significantly reduced the intestinal endotoxin concentrations from 1 mg to 100 ng in the gut; a reduction of 10(4). Although AGNB were killed by the three regimens, the 'free' endotoxin left-in the gut was effectively neutralised by the combination polymyxin/tobramycin only. From a clinical point of view, gut-derived endotoxaemia may play a role in the systemic inflammatory response syndrome and hence the outcome, in critically ill intensive care patients. This study supports other work which indicates that mortality is significantly reduced in only those intensive care patients who received oral polymyxin/tobramycin.</p
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