BACKGROUND The effect of initiation of levodopa therapy on the memory functions in patients with Parkinson's disease remains poorly understood. AIMS To evaluate the effect of initiation of levodopa therapy on memory, in patients with early Parkinson's disease. SETTINGS AND DESIGN Prospective case control study. MATERIALS AND METHODS Seventeen patients with early Parkinson's disease were e...

Objective: the aim was to study psychometric properties of the Perceived Global Distress Scale (PGD) for people with severe mental illness, mainly with schizophrenia disorders. Methods: PGD is a Visual Analogue Scale included in “The Quality Star”, a minimal platform for clinical follow-up and efficiency documentation of mental health services in eight dimensions used in Sweden. Naturalistic da...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Stroke, a major health issue affecting the elderly, limits their participation in society. The aim of this study was to investigate changes in stroke survivors' handicap levels and to identify their determinants in the subacute phase from 3 months to 1 year. METHODS Data were collected from a prospective cohort of 303 Chinese stroke survivors with the use of questionnai...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Early deterioration can occur after acute stroke for a variety of reasons. We describe a hemodynamic steal and associated neurological deterioration, the reversed Robin Hood syndrome (RRHS). We aimed to investigate the frequency and factors associated with RRHS. METHODS Consecutive patients with acute cerebral ischemia underwent serial National Institutes of Health Stro...

BACKGROUND Quality of life (QoL) has become increasingly important in cancer treatment. It refers to the patient's perception of the effects of the disease and therapy, and their impact on daily functioning and general feeling of well being. MATERIAL AND METHODS In this prospective study, a total of 100 patients treated at our institution, completed the European Organization for Research and ...

The predicted future of the global marine environment, as a combined result of forcing due to climate change (e.g. warming and acidification) and other anthropogenic perturbation (e.g. eutrophication), presents a challenge to the sustainability of ecosystems from tropics to high latitudes. Among the various associated phenomena of ecosystem deterioration, hypoxia can cause serious problems in c...

A high-resolution chemostratigraphic study of a 24-m-thick section at West Blind Fiord on Ellesmere Island (Canadian Arctic) documents stepwise environmental deterioration in the marine Sverdrup Basin during the late Changhsingian (late Late Permian) as a result of volcanic disturbances to surrounding landmasses. A horizon within the upper Lindström Formation (datum A) is characterized by incre...

OBJECTIVES This non-randomised pilot study investigated the effect of eccentric quadriceps training on 17 patients (22 tendons) with painful chronic patellar tendinopathy. METHODS Two different eccentric exercise regimens were used by subjects with a long duration of pain with activity (more than six months). (a) Nine consecutive patients (10 tendons; eight men, one woman; mean age 22 years) ...

Hypertension, highly prevalent and often undiagnosed among older Mexican Americans, is associated with greater limitations in activities of daily living (ADLs) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs) that can lead to greater dependency for older adults. Using data from the Hispanic Established Populations for Epidemiologic Studies of the Elderly study, the rate of increase in ADL/IA...