A Decline in Renal Function is Associated With Loss of Bone Mass in Korean Postmenopausal Women With Mild Renal Dysfunction

This study was conducted to assess the relationship between estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and bone mineral density (BMD) in Korean postmenopausal women with mild renal dysfunction. A total of 328 postmenopausal women who underwent BMD measurement during health check-up was investigated. BMD was measured in lumbar spine (L1-L4), femoral neck, total proximal femur and femoral trochanteric areas by dual energy radiography absorptiometry and renal function was estimated by eGFR using Cockcroft-Gault equation. Of the 328 subjects, 317 (96.6%) had an eGFR ≥60 mL/min/1.73 m2. By using simple linear regression analysis, age, height, weight and eGFR were significantly associated with BMD for the 4 aforementioned anatomic sites, while serum levels of creatinine and blood urea nitrogen did not influence BMD. When multiple regression analyses were applied, age and body weight still had significant associations with BMD at 4 different anatomic sites (P < 0.001). A significant association of eGFR with BMD remained in the lumbar spine, femoral neck and proximal total femur (P < 0.05) but not in the trochanteric area (P = 0.300). Our study suggests that a decline of renal function is associated with lower BMD in the lumbar spine, femoral neck and total proximal femur areas in Korean menopausal women with mild renal dysfunction

Brand activism and their impact on marketing

Diplomová práce se zabývá aktivismem značek a jejich dopadem na marketing ve dvou zemích, konkrétně v České republice a v Brazílii. Jejím cílem bylo porovnat aktivity značek v rámci jejich aktivismu v jiných zemích, jejich marketing, finanční profity i poslání a vizi značek. Následně se zjišťovalo jak se odlišuje spotřebitelské chování mezi studenty z České republiky a studenty z Brazílie. V teoretické části je literární rešerše, ve které jsou přiblíženy definice ohledně tématu. Na základě literatury, byly stanoveny tři výzkumné otázky, které se soustředily na důvod praktikování různého marketingu značek v jiných zemích, jaké konkrétní aktivity značky provádějí a jaký je rozdíl mezi spotřebiteli v ČR a Brazílii. Na první dvě otázky byla využita detailní analýza značek a na spotřebitelské chování byl použit dotazník, kterého se zúčastnilo 200 studentů, z nichž bylo 100 studentů z České republiky a 100 z Brazílie. Na základě výzkumu se ukázaly značné nesrovnalosti mezi marketingovými aktivitami značek v jiných zemích, výsledky analýzy naznačily určitý neautentismus značek. Z dotazníku bylo zjištěno, že studenti v České republice rozumějí pod aktivismem něco jiného než studenti z Brazílie, také studenti z ČR propagují názor, že chce-li být značka úspěšná nemusí propagovat aktivismus, kdežto brazilská strana se odbáčí od názoru.Diplomová práca sa zaoberá aktivizmom značiek a ich dopadom na marketing v dvoch krajinách, konkrétne v Českej republike a v Brazílii. Jej cieľom bolo porovnať aktivity značiek v rámci ich aktivizmu v iných krajinách, ich marketing, finančné profity ako aj poslanie a víziu značiek. Následne sa zisťovalo ako sa odlišuje spotrebiteľské správanie medzi študentmi z Českej republiky a študentmi z Brazílie. V teoretickej časti je literárna rešerš, v ktorej sú priblížené definície ohľadom témy. Na základe literatúry, boli stanovené tri výskumné otázky, ktoré sa sústredili na dôvod praktizovania rôzneho marketingu značiek v iných krajinách, aké konkrétne aktivity značky uskutočňujú a aký je rozdiel medzi spotrebiteľmi v ČR a v Brazílii. Na prvé dve otázky bola využitá detailná analýza značiek a na spotrebiteľské chovanie bol použitý dotazník, ktorého sa zúčastnilo 200 študentov, z ktorých bolo 100 študentov z Českej republiky a 100 z Brazílie. Na základe výskumu sa ukázali značné nezrovnalosti medzi marketingovými aktivitami značiek v iných krajinách, výsledky analýzy naznačili určitý neautentizmus značiek. Z dotazníka bolo zistené, že študenti v Českej republike rozumejú pod aktivizmom niečo iné ako študenti z Brazílie, taktiež študenti z ČR propagujú názor, že ak chce byť značka úspešná nemusí propagovať aktivizmus, kdežto brazílska strana sa odbáča od názoru.The diploma thesis deals with brand activism and their impact on marketing in two countries, specifically in Czech Republic and Brazil. Goal of the thesis was to compare the activities of brands within their activism in other countries, their marketing, financial profits as well as the mission and vision of brands. Subsequently, it was investigated how consumer behavior differs between students from the Czech Republic and students from Brazil. In the theoretical part there is a literature review, in which definitions regarding the topic are approached. Based on the literature, three research questions were identified, which focused on the reason for practicing various brand marketing in other countries, what specific brand activities they perform and what is the difference between consumers in the Czech Republic and Brazil. A detailed analysis was used for the first two questions and a questionnaire was used for consumer behavior, which was attended by 200 students, 100 students from the Czech Republic and 100 from Brazil. The research showed significant discrepancies between the brand's marketing activities in other countries, and the results of the analysis indicated some brand inauthenticity. The questionnaire showed that students in the Czech Republic understand activism as something other than students from Brazil, students from the Czech Republic also promote the view that if the brand wants to be successful, it does not have to promote activism, while the Brazilian side think differently

Effects of Health Maintenance Organization Coverage of Self-monitoring Devices on Diabetes Self-care and Glycemic Control

Background Increasingly, government mandates require insurance coverage of blood glucose monitors and test strips for patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes. No data exist on the effects of such coverage on self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG), medication compliance, or blood glucose control. We evaluated whether a policy providing free blood glucose monitors increased SMBG and whether initiating SMBG was associated with increased regularity of medication use and improved glucose control (hemoglobin A1c [HbA1c] level). Methods Using interrupted time-series analysis and controlling for preintervention trends, we determined changes in rates of SMBG 2 years before and after the policy among 3219 continuously enrolled patients with diabetes receiving drug therapy within a multispecialty medical group (part of a health maintenance organization) serving approximately 300 000 patients. We also compared changes over time in regularity of medication use (mean days between dispensings) and mean HbA1c level among initiators and noninitiators of SMBG. Results The policy resulted in a small, significant increase in SMBG among insulin-treated patients (n = 1428). Among sulfonylurea-treated patients (n = 1791), the monthly initiation rate of SMBG increased by 14 new patients per 1000 (95% confidence interval [CI], 10 to 17), a doubling of the expected initiation rate. Test strip consumption increased during the first 6 months after the policy by 17.9 strips per cohort member (75% relative increase by 6 months; 95% CI, 50% to 101%). Compared with noninitiators of SMBG, initiators (n = 593) showed sudden, significant improvements in regularity of medication use by 6 months after initiation (−19.5 days between dispensings among those with low refill regularity [95% CI, −27.7 to −11.3]; −9.7 days among those with moderate regularity [95% CI, −12.3 to −7.1]), and in glucose control (−0.63% mean HbA1c level [as percentage of total hemoglobin] among those with poor baseline glycemic control [HbA1c >10%; 95% CI, −1.14% to −0.12%]). Conclusions Providing free glucose monitors improved rates of self-monitoring in this health maintenance organization population, possibly by offering an initial incentive for patients to engage in more desirable patterns of care. Initiating SMBG was associated with increased regularity of medication use and a reduction in high blood glucose levels

Women's Sex Life After Spinal Cord Injury

Introduction: After spinal cord injury (SCI), individuals are typically considered by the general public to be asexual. Handicapped women have more problems with socio-sexual adaptation, stemming from low self-confidence, low self-esteem, and the absence of spontaneity. Aims: To determine changes in the sexual lives of women after SCI. Methods: A self-constructed questionnaire was used to map sexual function after SCI. We retrospectively compared sexual function in 30 women with SCI with that in 30 without SCI who led an active sexual life. Descriptive and inductive statistics were applied using the Student paired and non-paired t-tests and the Levene test. Main Outcome Measures: The main variables were presence vs absence of sexual dysfunction in a group of women after SCI and a comparison of the incidence of sexual dysfunctions in women after SCI with that of a control group. Results: A significant difference was ascertained in women with SCI in sexual desire (P < .001), lubrication (P < .001), and reaching orgasm before and after injury (P = .030). A comparison of the two groups showed a significant difference in the realization of coital sexual activity (P < .001), erotogenous zones of the mouth (P = .016), nipples (P = .022), and genitals (P < .001), and in the ability to reach orgasm (P = .033). The negative impact of incontinence on the sexual life of women with SCI proved significant (P < .001). Negative factors for sexual activity in women with SCI were lower sensitivity in 16 (53%), spasms and mobility problems in 12 (40%), lower desire in 11 (36%), pain in 4 (13%), and a less accommodating partner in 3 (10%). Conclusion: Intercourse was the preferred sexual activity in women with SCI. Compared with the period before injury, there was significant lowering of sexual desire, impaired lubrication, and orgasmic ability after SCI. A comparison of the two groups showed a difference in erotogenous zones and in reaching orgasm. Sramkova T, Skrivanova K, Dolan I, et al. Women's Sex Life After Spinal Cord Injury. Sex Med 2017;5:e255–e259