Predicting the Fibroid-Migratory Impact of UAE: Role of Pre-embolization MRI Characteristics.

AIM: To investigate potential factors on MR imaging that could be used to predict migration of uterine fibroids post-UAE. METHODS AND MATERIALS: We retrospectively reviewed patients referred for UAE having pre-procedural and 6 months post-procedural MRI, at a tertiary centre, over a 1-year period. Pre- and post-UAE images were reviewed in 64 women by two radiologists to identify the sub-type, dimensions, and infarction rate of each dominant fibroid. The shortest distance between the fibroid and the endometrial wall was measured to determine intramural fibroid movement. Paired sample T tests and two-sample T tests were used to compare between pre- and post-embolization variations and between migrated and non-migrated intramural fibroids, respectively. After preliminary results suggested potential predictors of intramural fibroids migration, we tested our findings against the non-dominant intramural fibroids in the same patients. RESULTS: Review of images revealed 35 dominant intramural fibroids, of which eight migrated to become submucosal fibroids, while five were either partially or completely expelled. These 13 migrated fibroids had a shorter pre-procedural minimum endometrial distance (range 1-2.4 mm) and greater maximum fibroid diameter (range 5.1-18.1 cm), when compared to non-migrating fibroids. On image reassessment, the migrated non-dominant intramural fibroids had a minimum endometrial distance and maximum fibroid diameter within the same range. CONCLUSION: Intramural fibroids with a minimum endometrial distance less than 2.4 mm and a maximum fibroid diameter greater than 5.1 cm have a high likelihood of migrating towards the endometrial cavity after UAE

The ISQoS Grid Broker for Temporal and Budget Guarantees

We introduce our Grid broker that uses SLAs in job submission with the aim of ensuring jobs are computed on time and on budget. We demonstrate our broker's ability to perform negotiation and to select preferentially higher priority jobs, in a tender market and discuss the architecture that makes this possible. We additionally show the effects of rescheduling and how careful consideration is required in order to avoid price instability. We therefore make recommendations upon how to maintain this stability, given rescheduling

Frontline experiences of a practice redesign to improve self-management of obesity in safety net clinics.

Teamlets of physicians and medical assistants may help improve obesity management in primary care settings. We aimed to understand the barriers and facilitators of implementing a teamlet approach to managing obesity in 3 safety net clinics. Key stakeholder interviews (n = 21) were conducted both during early implementation of practice change and 6 months later. Patient surveys (n = 393) examined obese patient activation and health status. Insufficient program resources and limited patient engagement due to external factors were implementation barriers despite fairly high patient activation. Staff members need time and resources to execute new responsibilities to support obesity management in safety net settings. Because of high turnover, multiple supporters may improve sustainability

Patient Activation is Inconsistently Associated with Positive Health Behaviors Among Obese Safety Net Patients.

We examine the association of patient activation and physical activity and fruit and vegetable consumption among obese safety net patients. Adult obese patients (n = 198) of three safety net clinics completed a survey assessing patient activation, physical activity, fruit and vegetable consumption, care experiences, and health status. Multivariate logistic regression models incrementally assessed the adjusted relation of patient activation and physical activity and fruit and vegetable consumption. In adjusted analyses, higher activated patients had higher odds [Odds ratio (OR) 1.58, p < 0.01] of consuming fruits and vegetables daily than less activated patients. There was no significant association between patient activation and regular physical activity. Engaging in regular physical activity appears to be difficult, even for highly activated patients. In contrast, additional fruit and vegetable consumption is a relatively easier change. Patient activation was inconsistently associated with two positive health behaviors among obese safety net patients

Implementation findings from a hybrid III implementation-effectiveness trial of the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA).

BackgroundThe Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) is an effective lifestyle intervention to reduce incidence of type 2 diabetes. However, there are gaps in knowledge about how to implement DPP. The aim of this study was to evaluate implementation of DPP via assessment of a clinical demonstration in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA).MethodsA 12-month pragmatic clinical trial compared weight outcomes between the Veterans Affairs Diabetes Prevention Program (VA-DPP) and the usual care MOVE!® weight management program (MOVE!). Eligible participants had a body mass index (BMI) ≥30 kg/m2 (or BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2 with one obesity-related condition), prediabetes (glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) 5.7-6.5% or fasting plasma glucose (FPG) 100-125 mg/dL), lived within 60 min of their VA site, and had not participated in a weight management program within the last year. Established evaluation and implementation frameworks were used to guide the implementation evaluation. Implementation barriers and facilitators, delivery fidelity, participant satisfaction, and implementation costs were assessed. Using micro-costing methods, costs for assessment of eligibility and scheduling and maintaining adherence per participant, as well as cost of delivery per session, were also assessed.ResultsSeveral barriers and facilitators to Reach, Adoption, Implementation, Effectiveness and Maintenance were identified; barriers related to Reach were the largest challenge encountered by site teams. Fidelity was higher for VA-DPP delivery compared to MOVE! for five of seven domains assessed. Participant satisfaction was high in both programs, but higher in VA-DPP for most items. Based on micro-costing methods, cost of assessment for eligibility was $68/individual assessed, cost of scheduling and maintaining adherence was$328/participant, and cost of delivery was $101/session.ConclusionsMulti-faceted strategies are needed to reach targeted participants and successfully implement DPP. Costs for assessing patients for eligibility need to be carefully considered while still maximizing reach to the targeted population

Implementation findings from a hybrid III implementation-effectiveness trial of the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA).

BackgroundThe Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) is an effective lifestyle intervention to reduce incidence of type 2 diabetes. However, there are gaps in knowledge about how to implement DPP. The aim of this study was to evaluate implementation of DPP via assessment of a clinical demonstration in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA).MethodsA 12-month pragmatic clinical trial compared weight outcomes between the Veterans Affairs Diabetes Prevention Program (VA-DPP) and the usual care MOVE!® weight management program (MOVE!). Eligible participants had a body mass index (BMI) ≥30 kg/m2 (or BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2 with one obesity-related condition), prediabetes (glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) 5.7-6.5% or fasting plasma glucose (FPG) 100-125 mg/dL), lived within 60 min of their VA site, and had not participated in a weight management program within the last year. Established evaluation and implementation frameworks were used to guide the implementation evaluation. Implementation barriers and facilitators, delivery fidelity, participant satisfaction, and implementation costs were assessed. Using micro-costing methods, costs for assessment of eligibility and scheduling and maintaining adherence per participant, as well as cost of delivery per session, were also assessed.ResultsSeveral barriers and facilitators to Reach, Adoption, Implementation, Effectiveness and Maintenance were identified; barriers related to Reach were the largest challenge encountered by site teams. Fidelity was higher for VA-DPP delivery compared to MOVE! for five of seven domains assessed. Participant satisfaction was high in both programs, but higher in VA-DPP for most items. Based on micro-costing methods, cost of assessment for eligibility was $68/individual assessed, cost of scheduling and maintaining adherence was$328/participant, and cost of delivery was $101/session.ConclusionsMulti-faceted strategies are needed to reach targeted participants and successfully implement DPP. Costs for assessing patients for eligibility need to be carefully considered while still maximizing reach to the targeted population