Estimating poisoning substance amounts: Comparative study of the accuracy of health care professionals and non-practitioners

Objective. Intentional or unintentional substance intoxications are common in patients presenting to the Emergency Department (ED). When we treat intoxicated patients, it is important to know the amount of drug ingestion. We invested the actual amount of semi-quantitative term expressed by patients, and investigated the accuracy of amount estimates by the public and healthcare professionals. Participants and interventions. 200 volunteers (86 health care providers and 114 non-practitioners) participated. Participants grabbed the 3 types of tablets (5mm, 10mm, and 15mm) in handfuls and fistfuls and estimated the tablet amounts. Actual amounts were measured. 100 volunteers (58 health care providers and 41 non-practitioners) participated in the investigation of accuracy of liquid amount estimation. Participant ingested water in 2.6 cm diameter bottle in response to request to take 1 sip, 1 mouthful, and 3 sips. Results. The estimated tablet counts became more accurate in terms of both fistfuls and handfuls as the size increased within the same shape classification. Participants tended to underestimate the counts of oval-shaped tablets to a greater extent than round tablets of the same size. The estimated liquids both groups of participants tended to underestimate the amounts but both groups overestimated the volumes when drinking 3 continuous sips. In tablets and liquids, there were no statistically significant differences in accuracy between the groups. Conclusions. When approaching intoxicated patients who have visited emergency department (ED), treatment should be implemented based on the assumption that the actual ingested amounts are higher than the amounts estimated by patients

Experimental and theoretical analysis of organic dyes having a double D-π-A configurations for dye-sensitized solar cells

Two spiro-like organic dyes linked at the thiophene bridge (KS-11 and KS-12) together with the original rod-shaped D-π-A configuration (C1) were designed, synthesized, and characterized based on their electronic structure, and determine the photophysical and photovoltaic properties for its application in dye-sensitized solar cells. Compared to C1, the double D-π-A spiro-like configuration, which consists of two separated light-harvesting moieties, was found to be beneficial to photocurrent generation provided that they are separated properly to prevent intramolecular exciton annihilation. This was observed when KS-11, which is linked at the β-position of the thiophene moiety of D-π-A, was compared with KS-12, where the two D-π-A are linked with an additional thiophene using a α-β linkage. The results show that KS-12 produced a 20% and 17% increase in photovoltaic efficiency under simulated AM 1.5G solar irradiation compared to KS-11 and C1, respectively. This increase in photovoltaic performance is credited mostly to the reduction of recombination effects and the increase in the density of states at the semiconductor surface due to high dye loading and better charge-transfer properties

Effects and treatment methods of acupuncture and herbal medicine for premenstrual syndrome/premenstrual dysphoric disorder: systematic review

BACKGROUND: During their reproductive years about 10% of women experience some kind of symptoms before menstruation (PMS) in a degree that affects their quality of life (QOL). Acupuncture and herbal medicine has been a recent favorable therapeutic approach. Thus we aimed to review the effects of acupuncture and herbal medicine in the past decade as a preceding research in order to further investigate the most effective Korean Medicine treatment for PMS/PMDD. METHODS: A systematic literature search was conducted using electronic databases on studies published between 2002 and 2012. Our review included randomized controlled clinical trials (RCTs) of acupuncture and herbal medicine for PMS/PMDD. Interventions include acupuncture or herbal medicine. Clinical information including statistical tests was extracted from the articles and summarized in tabular form or in the text. Study outcomes were presented as the rate of improvement (%) and/or end-of-treatment scores. RESULTS: The search yielded 19 studies. In screening the RCTs, 8 studies in acupuncture and 11 studies in herbal medicine that matched the criteria were identified. Different acupuncture techniques including traditional acupuncture, hand acupuncture and moxibustion, and traditional acupuncture technique with auricular points, have been selected for analysis. In herbal medicine, studies on Vitex Agnus castus, Hypericum perforatum, Xiao yao san, Elsholtzia splendens, Cirsium japonicum, and Gingko biloba L. were identified. Experimental groups with Acupuncture and herbal medicine treatment (all herbal medicine except Cirsium japonicum) had significantly improved results regarding PMS/PMDD. CONCLUSIONS: Limited evidence supports the efficacy of alternative medicinal interventions such as acupuncture and herbal medicine in controlling premenstrual syndrome and premenstrual dysphoric disorder. Acupuncture and herbal medicine treatments for premenstrual syndrome and premenstrual dysphoric disorder showed a 50% or better reduction of symptoms compared to the initial state. In both acupuncture and herbal medical interventions, there have been no serious adverse events reported, proving the safety of the interventions while most of the interventions provided over 50% relief of symptoms associated with PMS/PMDD. Stricter diagnostic criteria may have excluded many participants from some studies. Also, depending on the severity of symptoms, the rate of improvement in the outcomes of the studies may have greatly differed

Efekat uključivanja u hranljive smeše aditiva različitog porekla na rast, telesni sastav i otpornost mlađi crnog morskog grgeča (sebastes schlegeli)

U radu je tvrđen efekat uključivanja u hranljive smeše aditiva različitog porekla [đumbir (CG), fermentisana sojina pasta (CJ), borovnica (BB), japanska jabuka (PM), paradajz (TT), brokoli (BC) i jakon (YC)] na rast, telesni sastav i otpornost mlađi crnog morskog grgeča. Hiljadu šesto osamdeset riba je nasumično raspoređeno u 24 protočna tanka zapremine 200 L. Pripremljeno je osam oglednih smeša za ishranu: kontrolna bez dodataka (Con) i smeše sa dodatkom GG, CJ, BB, PM, TT, BC i YC. Svaka od smeša korišćena je u tri tanka, a ribe su 7 nedelja ručno hranjene do sitosti. Posle isteka ovog perioda, dvadeset riba iz svakog tanka inficirano je sa Streptococcus parauberis i praćeno narednih 10 dana. Prirast i specifična stopa rasta (SGR) bili su veći kod riba koje su u hrani dobijale jakon (YC) nego kod onih koje su hranjene drugim smešama. Kumulativni mortalitet do 5. dana posle infekcije bio je niži kod riba koje su hranjene smešama sa dodatkom GG, BB i YC nego kod ostalih jedinki. U zaključku, smeša sa dodatkom YC pokazala se kao najbolja u smislu poboljšanja prirasta i SGR kod crnog morskog grgeča. Osim toga, dodatak GG, BB i YC u smeše bio je najefikasniji u smanjivanju mortaliteta crnog morskog grgeča usled infekcije sa S. parauberi

Role of Neuronal NADPH Oxidase 1 in the Peri-Infarct Regions after Stroke

The molecular mechanism underlying the selective vulnerability of neurons to oxidative damage caused by ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury remains unknown. We sought to determine the role of NADPH oxidase 1 (Nox1) in cerebral I/R-induced brain injury and survival of newborn cells in the ischemic injured region. Male Wistar rats were subjected to 90 min middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) followed by reperfusion. After reperfusion, infarction size, level of superoxide and 8-hydroxy-20-deoxyguanosine (8-oxo-2dG), and Nox1 immunoreactivity were determined. RNAi-mediated knockdown of Nox1 was used to investigate the role of Nox1 in I/R-induced oxidative damage, neuronal death, motor function recovery, and ischemic neurogenesis. After I/R, Nox1 expression and 8-oxo-2dG immunoreactivity was increased in cortical neurons of the peri-infarct regions. Both infarction size and neuronal death in I/R injury were significantly reduced by adeno-associated virus (AAV)-mediated transduction of Nox1 short hairpin RNA (shRNA). AAV-mediated Nox1 knockdown enhanced functional recovery after MCAO. The level of survival and differentiation of newborn cells in the peri-infarct regions were increased by Nox1 inhibition. Our data suggest that Nox-1 may be responsible for oxidative damage to DNA, subsequent cortical neuronal degeneration, functional recovery, and regulation of ischemic neurogenesis in the peri-infarct regions after stroke

Correlations between clinical features and MRI findings in early adhesive capsulitis of the shoulder: a retrospective observational study

Abstract Background This retrospective study investigated the association between clinical features and MRI findings in patients with early adhesive capsulitis of the shoulder. Methods The study included 29 patients with early adhesive capsulitis of the shoulder. The clinical diagnostic criteria were significantly restricted passive range of motion (ROM) and a symptom duration of up to 9 months. Various measurements related to adhesive capsulitis, including humeral and glenoid capsular thickness in the axillary recess, maximal axillary capsular thickness, coracohumeral ligament thickness, and anterior capsular thickness were measured on MRI. Abnormal humeral and glenoid capsular hyperintensity in the axillary recess, abnormal hyperintensity in the rotator interval, and obliteration of the subcoracoid fat triangle were also evaluated. Correlations between MRI findings and clinical features, including limited ROM, pain, and symptom duration were sought. Results Maximal axillary and humeralcapsular thickness measured on MRI were negatively correlated with ROM for internal rotation. Also, hyperintensity in axillary recess and glenoidcapule were correlated with ROM for abduction. Humeralcapsular hyperintensity was correlated with ROM for forward flexion. There were no MRI findings that showed correlations with ROM for external rotation and severity of pain. The hyperintensity in the humeral capsule among MRI findings was only correlated with duration of symptoms. Conclusions MRI can be useful for assessment of several measures of clinical impairment in patients with adhesive capsulitis. Thickening and hyperintensity of the joint capsule in the axillary recess on MRI is associated with limited ROM and duration of symptoms

3D Cell Printed Tissue Analogues: A New Platform for Theranostics

Stem cell theranostics has received much attention for noninvasively monitoring and tracing transplanted therapeutic stem cells through imaging agents and imaging modalities. Despite the excellent regenerative capability of stem cells, their efficacy has been limited due to low cellular retention, low survival rate, and low engraftment after implantation. Three-dimensional (3D) cell printing provides stem cells with the similar architecture and microenvironment of the native tissue and facilitates the generation of a 3D tissue-like construct that exhibits remarkable regenerative capacity and functionality as well as enhanced cell viability. Thus, 3D cell printing can overcome the current concerns of stem cell therapy by delivering the 3D construct to the damaged site. Despite the advantages of 3D cell printing, the in vivo and in vitro tracking and monitoring of the performance of 3D cell printed tissue in a noninvasive and real-time manner have not been thoroughly studied. In this review, we explore the recent progress in 3D cell technology and its applications. Finally, we investigate their potential limitations and suggest future perspectives on 3D cell printing and stem cell theranostics.116Nsciescopu

Influence of mixed alkali oxides on some melt properties of TV screen glass

The influence of K2O/R2O (R2O = Na2O+K2O) on some melt properties was studied in alkali-alkaline earth-silicate TV screen glasses. Viscosity, surface tension, electrical resistivity, volatilization and devitrification of glass melts were determined. No mixed alkali effect was observed in viscosity, surface tension and liquidus temperature. They showed a linear behavior with increase of K2O/R2O. On the other hand, electrical resistivity and weight loss by volatilization showed a strong mixed alkali effect against relative alkali concentration. According to the dependence of viscosity, electrical resistivity and volatilization on K2O/R2O, the slope change of those properties took place at K2O/R2O = 0.4 to ≈ 0.5. The compositional dependence of viscosity, surface tension and liquidus temperature was discussed in terms of field strength, polarizability and material diffusion, respectively. Α correlation was also discussed between the dependence of properties on K2O/R2O and the production process of TV screen glass. In conclusion, from the viewpoint of both production and application of TV glasses it was suggested that the mole fraction of K2O/R2O should lie between 0.2 and 0.5

Optimalne potrebe juvenilnih morskih grgeča sebastes schlegeli u proteinima i lipidima

U ovom istraživanju su analizirane optimalne potrebe juvenilnih morskih grgeča Sebastes schlegeli u proteinima i lipidima. 810 juvenilnih riba je izabrano po principu slučajnosti i distribuirano u 27 tankova od po 50 L sa protočnih sistemom. Pripremljeno je 9 eksperimentalnih smeša u vidu 3x3 faktorijalne eksperimentalne postavke: tri nivoa proteina (45, 50 i 55%) x tri nivoa lipida (11, 15 i 19%). Nivo proteina je imao uticaj na prirast riba, dok nivo lipida nije. Prirast riba hranjenih smešom u odnosu 50P-15L (50% proteina i 15% lipida) je bio veći nego prirast riba hranjenih smešama sa 45% proteina, bez obzira na nivo lipida, ali je bio isti kao kod riba hranjenih sa smešama 50P-11L, 50P-19L, 55P-11L, 55P-15L i 55P-19L. Stopa efikasnosti hrane (FER) riba je bila pod uticajem proteina u hrani ali ne i nivoa lipida. Stopa efikasnosti proteina (PER) riba je takođe bila pod uticajem proteina u hrani ali ne i nivoa lipida. Može se zaključiti da je za juvenilne Sebastes schlegeli optimalan nivo proteina i lipida za dobar prirast i iskoristljivost hrane (PER and NRE) 50% i 15% odnosno 45% i 19%, dok je optimalan odnos proteina i energije 27.4 i 23.9 mg protein/kJ