218 research outputs found
The role of demoralization and hopelessness in suicide risk in schizophrenia: a review of the literature
Background and Objectives: Demoralization has been defined by hopelessness and helplessness attributable to a loss of purpose and meaning in life. Demoralization is a meaningful mental health concern, frequently associated with suicide risk in medical and psychiatric patients. The aim of this systematic review was to synthesize the recent empirical evidence on demoralization in patients with schizophrenia and to better understand the relationship between demoralization and suicide risk in patients with schizophrenia. Methods: A comprehensive literature search using key words and subject headings was performed following PRISMA guidelines with several bibliographic databases, resulting in the identification of 27 studies. Results: The findings suggested that demoralization is prevalent in patients with schizophrenia and supported the hypothesis that the association between depression and suicide is moderated by hopelessness. In clinical practice, it is important to recognize symptoms of demoralization using appropriate psychological tools to better understand the suffering of patients with schizophrenia and to implement suicide prevention programs
Validation of a quantitative lateral flow immunoassay (LFIA)-based point-of-care (POC) rapid test for SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies
With the widespread use of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines, a rapid and reliable method to detect SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies (NAbs) is extremely important for monitoring vaccine effectiveness and immunity in the population. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the performance of the RapiRead (TM) reader and the TestNOW (TM) COVID-19 NAb rapid point-of-care (POC) test for quantitative measurement of antibodies against the spike protein receptor-binding domain of severe respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in different biological matrices compared to chemiluminescence immunoassay (CLIA) methods. Ninety-four samples were collected and analyzed using a RapiRead (TM) reader and TestNOW (TM) COVID-19 NAb kits for detecting neutralizing antibodies, and then using two CLIAs. The data were compared statistically using the Kruskal-Wallis test for more than two groups or the Mann-Whitney test for two groups. Specificity and sensitivity were evaluated using a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Good correlation was observed between the rapid lateral flow immunoassay (LFIA) test system and both CLIA methods. RapiRead (TM) reader/TestNOW (TM) COVID-19 NAb vs. Maglumi: correlation coefficient (r) = 0.728 for all patients; r = 0.841 for vaccinated patients. RapiRead (TM) reader/TestNOW (TM) COVID-19 NAb vs. Mindray: r = 0.6394 in all patients; r = 0.8724 in vaccinated patients. The time stability of the POC serological test was also assessed considering two times of reading, 12 and 14 minutes. The data revealed no significant differences. The use of a RapiRead (TM) reader and TestNOW (TM) COVID-19 NAb assay is a quantitative, rapid, and valid method for detecting SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies and could be a useful tool for screening studies of SARS-CoV-2 infection and assessing the efficacy of vaccines in a non-laboratory context
Environmental study of a methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus epidemic in a burn unit.
During an outbreak of infections caused by methicillin-resistant (MR) Staphylococcus aureus in our burn unit, we conducted an extensive 10-week study to define the environmental epidemiology of the organism. The inanimate environment in patient rooms and adjacent areas was examined by using volumetric air samplers and Rodac plates. Airborne and surface level contamination with MR S. aureus was quantitated, and overall, MR S. aureus comprised 16, 31, and 40% of all bacterial growth from air, elevated surfaces, and floor surfaces, respectively. Mean air, elevated surface, and floor surface MR S. aureus contamination in rooms of MR S. aureus-infected burn patients were 1.9 MR S. aureus per ft3 (ca. 0.028 m3), 20 MR S. aureus per Rodac plate and 48 MR S. aureus per Rodac plate, respectively. Peak patient room environmental contamination levels were 6.9 MR S. aureus per ft3 of air, 70 MR S. aureus per Rodac plate per elevated surface and 138 MR S. aureus per Rodac plate per floor surface. Environmental contamination levels in the adjacent work areas were considerably lower than in infected patient rooms. There was ample opportunity for contamination of personnel through the inanimate environment in this unit
Job satisfaction mediates the association between perceived disability and work productivity in migraine headache patients
Migraine headache is the cause of an estimated 250,000,000 lost days from work or school every year and is often associated with decreased work productivity. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to assess the relationship between perceived disability, job satisfaction and work productivity in patients affected by chronic migraineurs. Participants were 98 consecutive adult outpatients admitted to the Regional Referral Headache Centre of the SantâAndrea Hospital in Rome, Italy. Patients were administered the Italian Perceived Disability Scale, The Quality of Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnaire-Work Subscale and The EndicottWork Productivity Scale. Perceived disability is significantly associated with job satisfaction and work productivity. Job satisfaction is significantly related to work productivity and mediates the association between perceived disability and work productivity in patients affected by chronic migraineurs. Our results confirm that patients suffering from migraine headaches who have negative perceptions © 2019 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland
Nivel sérico de la Beta 2- microglobulina en pacientes con tuberculosis pulmonar activa
IntroducciĂłn: La tuberculosis pulmonar es una enfermedad inflamatoria crĂłnica del pulmĂłn y esendĂ©mica en Paraguay. Niveles elevados de beta-2 microglobulina (b2-m) son utilizados comomarcadores de pronĂłstico en patologĂas como la leucemia linfocĂtica crĂłnica, linfomas, mieloma mĂșltiple,osteoartritis, artritis, enfermedades renales y SIDA, pero su utilidad en la tuberculosis aĂșn necesita deevaluaciones. Objetivo: Evaluar si el nivel de b2-m permitirĂa determinar el grado de actividad de lainfecciĂłn sirviendo como marcador de evoluciĂłn y seguimiento terapĂ©utico de la tuberculosis pulmonar.MetodologĂa: La primera parte fue un estudio descriptivo, de muestreo consecutivo y la segunda unestudio de cohorte, prospectivo. Se determinĂł el nivel sĂ©rico de b2-m por el mĂ©todo de ELISA en 22pacientes con TBC pulmonar activa antes de iniciar el tratamiento y despuĂ©s de 6 meses. AdemĂĄs sedeterminĂł el nivel sĂ©rico de b2-m en 22 individuos aparentemente sanos como controles. Resultados: SeobservĂł una disminuciĂłn estadĂsticamente significativa de los niveles sĂ©ricos de Ă2-m en los 22 pacientesdespuĂ©s de los 6 meses de tratamiento con respecto a los niveles anteriores al tratamiento (2,2 ± 1,0 vs 4,3± 2,7 ÎŒg/mL, p<0,0001). Sin embargo, la disminuciĂłn de los valores de Ă2-m en los 22 pacientes tratadosno descendieron a los niveles de los 22 controles normales (0,98 ± 0,22 ÎŒg/mL, p<0,0000001). En el 23% (n=5) de los pacientes con TBC los niveles disminuyeron hasta llegar por debajo del punto de corte alos 6 meses despuĂ©s del tratamiento. Conclusiones: Todos los pacientes con TBC presentaron nivelesaumentados de Ă2-m antes del tratamiento y en todos ellos se observĂł una disminuciĂłn despuĂ©s deltratamiento, aĂșn sin llegar al valor de los controles. Un seguimiento posterior de por lo menos un añopostratamiento nos permitirĂa determinar si el nivel de Ă2-m podrĂa ser utilizado como un marcador de laactividad de la infecciĂłn e indirectamente un marcador de eficacia del tratamiento
Inventario de localidades con evidencias de paleosuperficies en Paraguay
El geopatrimonio de Paraguay es muy variado, tiene un gran valor cientĂfico y en muchos casos estĂ©tico, constituyĂ©ndose asĂ en un recurso susceptible de ser aprovechado mediante el uso turĂstico/recreativo. Una parte importante de este capital geolĂłgico estĂĄ compuesto por afloramientos rocosos que se corresponden con superficies antiguas, labradas por la erosiĂłn en distintos lapsos pre-terciarios (King, 1956). El presente trabajo incluye un inventario, simplificado en cuanto a lo descriptivo, de los sitios dentro del territorio paraguayo, en donde se ha constatado con mayor o menor certeza, la exposiciĂłn superficial de estas paleosuperficies.Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Muse
Uso de controlador PID como tecnologia eficiente em sistema de aquecimento de creche suĂna
A Multicenter, Long-Term Study on Arrhythmias in Children with Ebstein Anomaly
To assess the prevalence, history, and treatment of arrhythmias, in particular preexcitation and WolffâParkinsonâWhite (WPW) syndrome, in patients with Ebstein anomaly (EA) during childhood and adolescence, we performed a multicenter retrospective study of all consecutive live-born patients with EA, diagnosed, and followed by pediatric cardiologists between 1980 and 2005 in The Netherlands. During a follow-up after EA diagnosis of 13Â years 3Â months (range: 6Â days to 28Â years 2Â months), 16 (17%) of the 93 pediatric EA patients exhibited rhythm disturbances. Nine patients showed arrhythmic events starting as of the neonatal period. Supraventricular tachycardia was noted in 11 patients. One patient died in the neonatal period due to intractable supraventricular tachycardia resulting in heart failure and one patient died at 5Â weeks of age most probably due to an arrhythmic event. The 14 surviving patients all show preexcitation, albeit 4 of them intermittently, and all have a right-sided accessory pathway location. Nine patients underwent catheter ablation of an accessory pathway. Only four patients are currently on antiarrhythmic drugs. The 17% prevalence of rhythm disturbances in pediatric EA patients, most commonly supraventricular arrhythmias, is significantly lower than in adult EA patients. Life-threatening rhythm disturbances are not frequent early in life. Symptomatic patients are well treated with radiofrequency catheter ablation
Genetic regulation of glycogen biosynthesis in Escherichia coli : In vivo effects of the catabolite repression and stringent response systems in glg gene expression
The synthesis of two of the Escherichia coli glycogen biosynthetic enzymes, ADPglucose pyrophosphorylase ( glg C) and glycogen synthase ( glg A) was activated by the addition of 5 m M cyclic AMP (cAMP) to maxicells; synthesis of glycogen branching enzyme ( glg B) was unaffected. ÎČ -Galactosidase activity expressed from a gene fusion, Ï(glg C- lac Z), was approximately five-fold higher in a cya + versus an isogenic cya â strain of E. coli . Addition of cAMP restored ÎČ -galactosidase in the cya â strain. The expression of Ï(glg Câââ lac Z) encoded ÎČ -galactosidase activity in a series of spo T mutants exhibited an apparent exponential relationship to intracellular guanosine 5âČ-diphosphate 3âČ-diphosphate (ppGpp) levels. These results provide evidence for the control of glycogen biosynthesis in vivo by cAMP and ppGpp at the level of gene expression, and identify a region of DNA required for the control. The Ï(glg Câââ lac Z) encoded ÎČ -galactosidase activity was also elevated three-to five-fold in strain AC70R1, which contains a transacting mutation ( glg Q) that affects the levels of the glycogen biosynthetic enzymes and glg C transcripts.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/41337/1/284_2005_Article_BF02091831.pd
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