A survey of health professions students for knowledge, attitudes, and confidence about tuberculosis, 2005

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>In 2003 the NIH perceived a need to strengthen teaching about tuberculosis (TB) to health professions students. The National Tuberculosis Curriculum Consortium (NTCC) was funded to meet this need. The purpose of this study was to survey students enrolled in NTCC schools prior to NTCC-developed educational materials being made available to faculty.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A self-administered survey for students in NTCC schools to establish a baseline level of knowledge, attitudes, and confidence about tuberculosis.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>1480/2965 (50%) students in 28 programs in 20 NTCC schools completed the survey. If public health students are eliminated from totals (only 61 respondents of 765 public health students), the overall response proportion for the seven clinically-related disciplines was 64.5%. The majority (74%) were in schools of medicine (MD/DO), undergraduate nursing (BSN), and pharmacy (PharmD); others were in programs for physician assistants (PA), advanced practice nursing (NP/APN), respiratory therapy (RT), clinical laboratory sciences (MT/CLS), and public health (MPH). Almost 90% had attended at least one lecture about TB. Although 91.4% knew TB was transmitted via aerosols, about one-third did not know the method for administering tuberculin, or that Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccine was not a contraindication to TB skin testing. Fewer than two-thirds knew that about 10% of people in the U.S.A. who have latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) and a normal immune system will develop TB disease, or that BCG is not part of the routine vaccination program in the U.S.A. because it complicates surveillance for new TB infection.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>There is room for improvement in knowledge, attitudes, and confidence about TB by health professions students surveyed. The NTCC-developed educational products may be used by faculty to improve student performance to be assessed with future surveys.</p

PVP-stabilized nickel(0) nanoparticles as catalyst in hydrogen generation from the methanolysis of hydrazine borane or ammonia borane

Herein we report the results of a detailed study on the in-situ generation of poly(N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone) (PVP) stabilized nickel(0) nanoparticles and their catalytic activity in methanolysis of hydrazine borane and ammonia borane. PVP-stabilized nickel(0) nanoparticles with an average particle size of 3.0 +/- 0.7 nm were in-situ generated from the reduction of nickel(II) 2-ethylhexanoate during the methanolysis of hydrazine borane in the presence of PVP at room temperature. Polymer stabilized nickel(0) nanoparticles could be isolated from the solution by centrifugation and characterized by UV-vis spectroscopy, XPS, TEM, and SAED. PVP-stabilized nickel(0) nanoparticles are highly active and long lived catalyst in hydrogen generation from the methanolysis of hydrazine borane and ammonia borane at ambient temperature. The results of kinetic study reveal that the methanolysis is first order with respect to catalyst concentration and zero order regarding to substrate concentration in both cases. PVP-stabilized nickel(0) nanoparticles provide 14,500 turnovers in hydrogen generation from the methanolysis of hydrazine borane and 5300 turnovers from the methanolysis of ammonia borane. They also provide an initial turnover frequency of 35.6 and 12.1 min(-1) for the catalytic methanolysis of hydrazine borane and ammonia borane, respectively

An investigation into the relationship between region specific quality of life and adverse tuberculosis treatment outcomes in Istanbul, Turkey

Background and objective: Istanbul has the highest incidence of tuberculosis (TB) in Turkey. It is also the largest city, with considerable differences in quality of life across its urban regions. The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between (i) the diverse quality of life across specific urban regions, (ii) TB incidence rates, inclusive of demographic and clinical characteristics of TB patients, and (iii) adverse treatment outcomes. Methods: This retrospective study included 23,845 new TB patients (recorded in the National TB Registry between 2006 and 2010) in Istanbul. Thirty-nine urban districts of Istanbul were ranked into five groups on the basis of an urban quality of life index. Patient data were matched with these groups, and further categorized according to âageâ, âsexâ, âcountry of birthâ and âantibiotics resistanceâ. Adverse treatment outcomes and TB incidence rates were extracted from official records. Logistic regression, clustered analyses, 95% CI and p values (STATA) were reported to describe the association between variables. Results: Six per cent of total cases had âat least one adverse treatment outcomeâ (default 3.8%, failure 0.5%, death 1.7% in total cases). âAn adverse treatment outcomeâ was found to be associated with age OR (CI 95%) (1.02 (1.01â1.03)); âmale sexâ 1.65 (1.28â2.12); âother country of birthâ 4.82 (3.05â7.62); 100,000 per âover 60â insidence goups 1.61 (1.32-1.97), the lowest quality of life index 0.65 (0.47-0.83). Conclusions: Patients with high tuberculosis risk factors living in high incidence regions need to be closely monitored. Patients living in lower ranking regions are more likely to have âpoor treatment outcomesâ. Resumo: Contexto e objetivo: Istambul tem a mais elevada incidência de tuberculose (TB) na Turquia. à igualmente a sua maior cidade, com diferenças consideráveis na qualidade de vida ao longo das suas regiões urbanas. O objetivo deste estudo é investigar a relação entre i) as diversas qualidades de vida ao longo de regiões urbanas específicas, ii) taxas de incidência de TB, incluindo as características demográficas e clínicas dos doentes, e iii) resultados adversos do tratamento. Métodos: Este estudo retrospetivo incluiu 23.845 novos doentes com TB (registados no Registo Nacional de TB, entre 2006-2010) em Istambul. Os trinta e nove distritos urbanos de Istambul foram classificados em 5 grupos com base no índice de qualidade de vida urbano. Os dados dos doentes foram correspondidos com estes grupos e subsequentemente divididos por categorias de acordo com a «idade», «sexo», «país de nascimento» e «resistência a antibióticos». Os resultados adversos ao tratamento e as taxas de incidência de TB foram retiradas dos registos oficiais. Regressão logística, análises agregadas, valores de CI e p de 95% (STATA) foram usados para descrever a associação entre variáveis. Resultados: Seis por cento do total de casos tiveram pelo menos um resultado adverso do tratamento (padrão 3,8%; insuficiência 0,5%; morte 1,7% do total de casos). «Um resultado adverso do tratamento» foi considerado como estando associado à idade (CI 95%) (1,02 [1,01-1,03]); «sexo masculino» 1,65 (1,28-2,12); «outro país de nascimento» 4,82 (3,05-7,62); 100.000 por grupos de incidência com «idade superior a 60 anos» 1,61 (1,32-1,97), o índice de qualidade de vida mais baixo 0,65 (0,47-0,83). Conclusões: Os doentes com altos fatores de risco de tuberculose em regiões de elevada incidência precisam de ser monitorizados de forma mais assídua. Os doentes que vivam em regiões de classificação inferior têm maior probabilidade de ter «maus resultados do tratamento». Keywords: Adverse outcome, Tuberculosis, Tuberculosis incidence, Tuberculosis risk factors, Urban quality of life, Palavras-chave: Resultado adverso, Tuberculose, Incidência da tuberculose, Fatores de risco da tuberculose, Qualidade de vida urban

Cases

Aim. This study aimed to assess the long-term respiratory effects of tear gases among the subjects with history of frequent exposure. Materials and Methods. A questionnaire by NIOSH and pulmonary function tests was performed in 93 males exposed to the tear gases frequently and 55 nonexposed subjects. Results. The mean numbers of total exposure and last 2 years exposure were 8.4 +/- 6.4 times, 5.6 +/- 5.8 times, respectively. Tear gas exposed subjects were presented with a higher rate for cough and phlegm more than 3 months (24.7% versus 11.3%,P > 0.05). Mean FEV1/FVC and % predicted MMFR in smoker exposed subjects are significantly lower than those in smoker controls (81.7% versus 84.1%,P = 0.046 and 89.9% versus 109.6%,P = 0.0004, resp.). % predicted MMFR in nonsmoker exposed subjects is significantly lower than that in nonsmoker controls (99.4% versus 113.1%,P = 0.05). Odds ratios for chest tightness, exercise dyspnea, dyspnea on level ground, winter morning cough, phlegm, and daily phlegm were increased almost 2 to 2.5 folds among tear gas exposed subjects. Conclusion. The rates for respiratory complaints were high in the case of the exposure to the tear gases previously. Tears gas exposed subjects were found to be under the risk for chronic bronchitis