Decision-making process in the selection of home hemodialysis treatment by adult patients with end-stage renal disease in the United Kingdom: a systematic literature review

Introduction: In the UK, the number of people diagnosed with renal disease is on the increase. As a result, there will be more people in need of renal replacement therapy (RRT). Despite the mounting evidence showing that home hemodialysis (HHD) treatment is clinical and cost-effective as well as amendable to suit patients' lifestyle, the number of patients choosing this dialysis modality is low. The aim of this study is to explore factors influencing decision-making process in the selection of HHD treatment for adult patients with end-stage renal disease in the UK. Methods: A systematic literature review methodology was utilized to review, critique, and synthesize the literature on the low uptake of HHD among adult patients. Systematic searches involving the databases Google Scholar, EMBASE, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and CINAHL were carried out for articles published from 2008 to 2021. A search was conducted from June 1 through December 23, 2020. Eight articles met the study inclusion criteria. We followed preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses in designing the research and reporting. Results: This systematic review revealed that patient information needs, dialysis education, training and support, and patient decision-making preference were the major factors influencing decision-making of adult patients. Conclusion: Deciding over which dialysis modality to choose can be challenging for many adult patients. Dialysis education, training, and support should not stop at the predialysis stage but should continue during treatment

Finishing the euchromatic sequence of the human genome

The sequence of the human genome encodes the genetic instructions for human physiology, as well as rich information about human evolution. In 2001, the International Human Genome Sequencing Consortium reported a draft sequence of the euchromatic portion of the human genome. Since then, the international collaboration has worked to convert this draft into a genome sequence with high accuracy and nearly complete coverage. Here, we report the result of this finishing process. The current genome sequence (Build 35) contains 2.85 billion nucleotides interrupted by only 341 gaps. It covers ∼99% of the euchromatic genome and is accurate to an error rate of ∼1 event per 100,000 bases. Many of the remaining euchromatic gaps are associated with segmental duplications and will require focused work with new methods. The near-complete sequence, the first for a vertebrate, greatly improves the precision of biological analyses of the human genome including studies of gene number, birth and death. Notably, the human enome seems to encode only 20,000-25,000 protein-coding genes. The genome sequence reported here should serve as a firm foundation for biomedical research in the decades ahead

Problem-oriented policing in violent crime places: A randomized controlled experiment

Over the past decade, problem-oriented policing has become a central strategy for policing. In a number of studies, problem-oriented policing has been found to be effective in reducing crime and disorder. However, very little is known about the value of problem-oriented interventions in controlling violent street crime. The National Academy of Sciences' Panel on the Understanding and Control of Violent Behavior suggests that sustained research on problem-oriented policing initiatives that modify places, routine activities, and situations that promote violence could contribute much to the understanding and control of violence. This study evaluates the effects of problem-oriented policing interventions on urban violent crime problems in Jersey City, New Jersey. Twenty-four high-activity, violent crime places were matched into 12 pairs and one member of each pair was allocated to treatment conditions in a randomized block field experiment. The results of the impact evaluation support the growing body of research that asserts focused police efforts can reduce crime and disorder at problem places without causing crime problems to displace to surrounding areas