Comparing Effectiveness of Colonoscopy versus Fecal Immunochemical Testing in Screening for Colorectal Cancer

Introduction: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is deadly neoplasm that takes many lives in the United States and is a leading cause of cancer worldwide. If CRC is detected early through screening, there is a higher chance of remission which makes screening an important tool in CRC prevention. Currently, colonoscopy is the gold standard, but due to the undesirable preparation needed for a colonoscopy, patient compliance is low. Giving patients a screening option that requires less preparation may help to increase the compliance for CRC screening. Fecal Immunological testing has been shown to have higher compliance rates among patients as compared to colonoscopy. Objective: The purpose of this paper is to evaluate three research studies to compare the effectiveness of FIT to the gold standard colonoscopy. Methods: Utilized PubMed database with several MeSH terms: colorectal neoplasms, diagnosis, and colonoscopy to find the three articles outlined in this paper. Results: All three studies demonstrated that FIT had comparable effectiveness in detecting colorectal cancer but was insufficient in detecting advanced adenomas in comparison to colonoscopy. A high compliance rate was noted among the FIT group versus colonoscopy, as well. Conclusions: We recommend that colonoscopy remain the gold standard to be conducted every 10 years with a yearly FIT to attempt to detect rapidly growing neoplasms. Further research should be conducted in which all participants complete a FIT and undergo a colonoscopy

Type and Timing of Rehabilitation Following Acute and Subacute Spinal Cord Injury: A Systematic Review

Objectives: The objective of this study was to conduct a systematic review of the literature to address the following clinical questions: In adult patients with acute and subacute complete or incomplete traumatic SCI, (1) does the time interval between injury and commencing rehabilitation affect outcome?; (2) what is the comparative effectiveness of different rehabilitation strategies, including different intensities and durations of treatment?; (3) are there patient or injury characteristics that affect the efficacy of rehabilitation?; and (4) what is the cost-effectiveness of various rehabilitation strategies? Methods: A systematic search was conducted for literature published through March 31, 2015 that evaluated rehabilitation strategies in adults with acute or subacute traumatic SCI at any level. Studies were critically appraised individually and the overall strength of evidence was evaluated using methods proposed by the GRADE (Grades of Recommendation Assessment, Development and Evaluation) working group. Results: The search strategy yielded 384 articles, 19 of which met our inclusion criteria. Based on our results, there was no difference between body weight–supported treadmill training and conventional rehabilitation with respect to improvements in Functional Independence Measure (FIM) Locomotor score, Lower Extremity Motor Scores, the distance walked in 6 minutes or gait velocity over 15.2 m. Functional electrical therapy resulted in slightly better FIM Motor, FIM Self-Care, and Spinal Cord Independence Measure Self-Care subscores compared with conventional occupational therapy. Comparisons using the Toronto Rehabilitation Institute Hand Function Test demonstrated no differences between groups in 7 of 9 domains. There were no clinically important differences in Maximal Lean Test, Maximal Sidewards Reach Test, T-shirt Test, or the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure between unsupported sitting training and standard in-patient rehabilitation. Conclusion: The current evidence base for rehabilitation following acute and subacute spinal cord injury is limited. Methodological challenges have contributed to this and further research is still needed. © 2017, © The Author(s) 2017

2010 Ruby Yearbook

A digitized copy of the 2010 Ruby, the Ursinus College yearbook.https://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/ruby/1113/thumbnail.jp

Identification of microplastics in a large water volume by integrated holography and Raman spectroscopy

Funding Japan Science and Technology Agency SICORP (JPMJSC1705); Natural Environment Research Council (NE/R01227X/1); Kajima Foundation (Overseas research grant); Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (18H03810, 18K13934); Kurita Water and Environment Foundation (17B030).Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Street-level practice, personalisation and co-production in employability: Insights from local services with lone parents

Policymakers in the UK have promised to deliver personalised employability services for vulnerable jobseekers. However, unemployed people often describe their engagement with state-funded services as defined by: the offer of low cost, standardised job search services; and pressure to accept any job, irrespective of quality or appropriateness. This article argues that more progressive, co-produced alternatives are possible. We draw on an evaluation of local, third sector-led services targeting lone parents (LPs) in five local government areas in Scotland. Our research involved more than 100 in-depth interviews with both service providers and LPs. We find that partnership-oriented co-governance mechanisms facilitated collaborative approaches to the management of services and processes of co-production. LPs expressed positive views of the personalised services that were co-produced. We conclude that a commitment to collaboration and co-production may be more effective in promoting personalised services that are responsive to the needs of vulnerable groups

Gendered nationalism : the gender gap in support for the Scottish National Party

Recent major surveys of the Scottish electorate and of Scottish National Party (SNP) members have revealed a distinct gender gap in support for the party. Men are markedly more likely than women to vote for the SNP and they comprise more than two-thirds of its membership. In this article, we use data from those surveys to test various possible explanations for the disproportionately male support for the SNP. While popular accounts have focused on the gendered appeal of recent leaders and on the party’s fluctuating efforts at achieving gender equality in its parliamentary representation, we find much stronger support for a different explanation. Women are less inclined to support and to join the SNP because they are markedly less supportive of its central objective of independence for Scotland. Since men and women barely differ in their reported national identities, the origins of this gender gap in support for independence presents a puzzle for further research

Systematic Review of Multidisciplinary Chronic Pain Treatment Facilities

This study reviewed the published literature evaluating multidisciplinary chronic pain treatment facilities to provide an overview of their availability, caseload, wait times, and facility characteristics. A systematic literature review was conducted using PRISMA guidelines following a search of MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and CINAHL databases. Inclusion criteria stipulated that studies be original research, survey more than one pain treatment facility directly, and describe a range of available treatments. Fourteen articles satisfied inclusion criteria. Results showed little consistency in the research design used to describe pain treatment facilities. Availability of pain treatment facilities was scarce and the reported caseloads and wait times were generally high. A wide range of medical, physical, and psychological pain treatments were available. Most studies reported findings on the percentage of practitioners in different health care professions employed. Future studies should consider using more comprehensive search strategies to survey facilities, improving clarity on what is considered to be a pain treatment facility, and reporting on a consistent set of variables to provide a clear summary of the status of pain treatment facilities. This review highlights important information for policymakers on the scope, demand, and accessibility of pain treatment facilities.Samantha Fashler is supported by an Ontario Graduate Scholarship and a Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship. Lindsay Burns is supported by a Frederick Banting and Charles Best CIHR Doctoral Scholarship. Joel Katz is supported by a CIHR Canada Research Chair in Health Psychology. This project was conducted in collaboration with the Canadian Pain Coalition (CPC) as a part of the Report Card on Pain

How space design and technology can support the Pharmacy Practice Model Initiative through interprofessional collaboration

Purpose: The Pharmacy Practice Model Initiative (PPMI) calls pharmacists to more direct patient care and increased responsibility for medication-related outcomes, as a means of achieving greater safety, improving outcomes and reducing costs. This article acknowledges the value of interprofessional collaboration to the PPMI and identifies the implications of the Initiative for space design and technology, both of which stand to help the Initiative gather additional support. Summary: The profession of pharmacy has for some time now become increasingly vocal about its desire to take on greater responsibility for patient outcomes. With drug costs representing the largest portion of a hospital’s pharmacy budget and reimbursements becoming more contingent on readmission avoidance, the pharmacy’s influence on a hospital’s bottom line is significant. More importantly, study after study is showing that with greater pharmacist intervention, patient outcomes improve. This article addresses the ways in which developments in the fields of technology and facility design can assist in the deployment of the PPMI. Conclusion: As the PPMI achieves a critical level of support from inside and outside the pharmacy, and more empirical research emerges regarding the improved outcomes and cost savings of increasing the roles of both clinical pharmacists and pharmacy technicians, the industry sectors of healthcare technology and healthcare design stand ready to assist in the execution of this new model. By encouraging pharmacists, doctors and nurses to work together – and all caregivers to work with facility designers, biomedical engineers and IT specialists, there is the increased likelihood of these fields turning to each other to problem-solve together, all for the ultimate benefit to patients and their families

Digital In-Line Holography for Large-Volume Analysis of Vertical Motion of Microscale Marine Plankton and Other Particles

Acknowledgements This work is funded by a joint UK-Japan research program (NERC-JST SICORP Marine Sensor Proof of Concept under project code NE/R01227X/1). The authors would like to thank the captain, crew, science party and technical support staff of the R/V Yokosuka cruise YK20-E02. We also thank Dr. Y. Nagai for providing us the foraminifera samples.Peer reviewedPostprin