14 research outputs found
The Effect of Internet-Delivered Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Versus Psychoeducation Only on Psychological Distress in Patients With Noncardiac Chest Pain : Randomized Controlled Trial
Background: Patients with recurrent episodes of noncardiac chest pain (NCCP) experience cardiac anxiety as they misinterpret the pain to be cardiac related and avoid physical activity that they think could threaten their lives. Psychological interventions, such as internet-delivered cognitive behavioral therapy (iCBT), targeting anxiety can be a feasible solution by supporting patients to learn how to perceive and handle their chest pain. Objective: This study aims to evaluate the effects of a nurse-led iCBT program on cardiac anxiety and other patient-reported outcomes in patients with NCCP. Methods: Patients with at least two health care consultations because of NCCP during the past 6 months, and who were experiencing cardiac anxiety (Cardiac Anxiety Questionnaire score &gt;= 24), were randomized into 5 weeks of iCBT (n=54) or psychoeducation (n=55). Patients were aged 54 (SD 17) years versus 57 (SD 16) years and were mainly women (32/54, 59% vs 35/55, 64%). The iCBT program comprised psychoeducation, mindfulness, and exposure to physical activity, with weekly homework assignments. The primary outcome was cardiac anxiety. The secondary outcomes were fear of bodily sensations, depressive symptoms, health-related quality of life, and chest pain frequency. Intention-to-treat analysis was applied, and the patients were followed up for 3 months. Mixed model analysis was used to determine between-group differences in primary and secondary outcomes. Results: No significant differences were found between the iCBT and psychoeducation groups regarding cardiac anxiety or any of the secondary outcomes in terms of the interaction effect of time and group over the 3-month follow-up. iCBT demonstrated a small effect size on cardiac anxiety (Cohen d=0.31). In the iCBT group, 36% (16/44) of patients reported a positive reliable change score (&gt;= 11 points on the Cardiac Anxiety Questionnaire), and thus an improvement in cardiac anxiety, compared with 27% of (13/48) patients in the psychoeducation group. Within-group analysis showed further significant improvement in cardiac anxiety (P=.04) at the 3-month follow-up compared with the 5-week follow-up in the iCBT group but not in the psychoeducation group. Conclusions: iCBT was not superior to psychoeducation in decreasing cardiac anxiety in patients with NCCP. However, iCBT tends to have better long-term effects on psychological distress, including cardiac anxiety, health-related quality of life, and NCCP frequency than psychoeducation. The effects need to be followed up to draw more reliable conclusions.Funding Agencies|Kamprad Family Foundation [ISV-2018-00033]</p
Living with non‐cardiac chest pain – An inductive qualitative interview study of spouses' perspectives
Abstract Aim To explore spouses’ experiences of living with a partner suffering from non‐cardiac chest pain (NCPP). Design An inductive qualitative study. Methods Individual interviews (n = 10) were performed with spouses of partners having NCCP and cardiac anxiety. The analysis was performed according to Patton's guide for content analysis of qualitative data. Results Three categories and seven subcategories were identified. First, ‘a feeling of being neglected’, where spouses felt ignored by healthcare professionals and excluded by their partners. Secondly, ‘a tension between hope and despair’ encompassed feelings of faith, support, unpreparedness for chest pain and situational frustration. Lastly, in ‘a threat to ordinary life’, spouses noted chest pain‐induced changes impacting daily life, finances, leisure and relationships. To conclude, NCCP in partners significantly affects their spouses emotionally and practically. Spouses felt neglected and isolated, oscillating between hope and despair and experiencing faith, powerlessness and frustration. They also faced challenges in daily life and relationships
Living with non-cardiac chest pain - An inductive qualitative interview study of spouses' perspectives
Aim: To explore spouses' experiences of living with a partner suffering from non-cardiac chest pain (NCPP). Design: An inductive qualitative study. Methods: Individual interviews (n = 10) were performed with spouses of partners having NCCP and cardiac anxiety. The analysis was performed according to Patton's guide for content analysis of qualitative data. Results: Three categories and seven subcategories were identified. First, 'a feeling of being neglected', where spouses felt ignored by healthcare professionals and excluded by their partners. Secondly, 'a tension between hope and despair' encompassed feelings of faith, support, unpreparedness for chest pain and situational frustration. Lastly, in 'a threat to ordinary life', spouses noted chest pain-induced changes impacting daily life, finances, leisure and relationships. To conclude, NCCP in partners significantly affects their spouses emotionally and practically. Spouses felt neglected and isolated, oscillating between hope and despair and experiencing faith, powerlessness and frustration. They also faced challenges in daily life and relationships.Funding Agencies|Familjen Kamprads Stiftelse [ISV-2018-00033]; Kamprad Family Foundation</p
Experience of internet-delivered cognitive behavioural therapy among patients with non-cardiac chest pain
Aims and Objective To explore the experiences of patients with non-cardiac chest pain and cardiac anxiety regarding participation in an internet-delivered cognitive behavioural therapy program. Background Non-cardiac chest pain is common and leads to cardiac anxiety. Internet-delivered cognitive behavioural therapy may be a possible option to decrease cardiac anxiety in these patients. We have recently evaluated the effect of an internet-delivered cognitive behavioural therapy program on cardiac anxiety. Design An inductive qualitative study using content analysis and the COREQ checklist. Methods Semi-structured interviews with 16 Swedish patients, who had participated in the internet-delivered cognitive behavioural therapy program. Results Three categories were found. The first, Driving factors for participation in the internet-delivered cognitive behavioural therapy program described the impact of pain on their lives and struggle that led them to participating in the program. The second, The program as a catalyst described that the program was helpful, trustworthy and useful and the last category, Learning to live with chest pain described the program as a tool for gaining the strength and skills to live a normal life despite chest pain. Conclusions The program was experienced as an opportunity to return to a normal life. The program was perceived as helpful, trustworthy and useful, which helped the participants challenge their fear of chest pain and death, and gain strength and new insights into their ability to live a normal life. Relevance to Clinical Practice A tailored internet-delivered cognitive behavioural therapy program delivered by a nurse therapist with clinical experience of the patient group is important to improve cardiac anxiety. Patient or Public Contribution Patients or the general public were not involved in the design, analysis or interpretation of the data of this study, but two patients with experience of non-cardiac chest pain were involved in the development of the pilot study. Trial Registration NCT03336112; .Funding Agencies|Kamprad Family Foundation [ISV-2018-00033]; Region Ostergotland [RO-938360]</p
Genetic profiling of different phenotypic subsets of breast cancer stem cells (BCSCs) in breast cancer patients
Abstract Background Breast cancer stem cells (BCSCs) have a crucial role in breast carcinogenesis, development, and progression. The aim of the current study is to characterize the BCSCs through the genetic profiling of different BCSCs phenotypic subsets to determine their related genetic pathways. Methods Fresh tumor tissue samples were obtained from 31 breast cancer (BC) patients for (1) Mammosphere culture. (2) Magnetic separation of the BCSCs subsets using CD24, CD44, and CD326 Microbeads. (3) Flow cytometry (FCM) assay using CD44, CD24, and EpCAM. (4) RT-PCR profiler Arrays using stem cell (SC) panel of 84 genes for four group of cells (1) CD44+/CD24−/EpCAM− BCSCs, (2) CD44+/CD24− /EpCAM+ BCSCs, (3) mammospheres, and (4) normal breast tissues. Results The BCSCs (CD44+/CD24−/EpCAM−) showed significant downregulation in 13 genes and upregulation in 15, where the CD44, GJB1 and GDF3 showed the maximal expression (P = 0.001, P = 0.003 and P = 0.007); respectively). The CD44+/CD24−/EpCAM+ BCSCs showed significant upregulation in 28 genes, where the CD44, GDF3, and GJB1 showed maximal expression (P < 0.001, P = 0.001 and P = 0.003; respectively). The mammospheres showed significant downregulation in 9 genes and a significant upregulation in 35 genes. The maximal overexpression was observed in GJB1 and FGF2 (P = 0.001, P = 0.001; respectively). The genes which achieved significant overexpression in all SC subsets were CD44, COL9A1, FGF1, FGF2, GDF3, GJA1, GJB1, GJB2, HSPA9, and KRT15. While significant downregulation in BMP2, BMP3, EP300, and KAT8. The genes which were differentially expressed by the mammospheres compared to the other BCSC subsets were CCND2, FGF3, CD4, WNT1, KAT2A, NUMB, ACAN, COL2A1, TUBB3, ASCL2, FOXA2, ISL1, DTX1, and DVL1. Conclusion BCSCs have specific molecular profiles that differ according to their phenotypes which could affect patients’ prognosis and outcome
Muografia e a sua primeira aplicação em Portugal, na Mina do Lousal
A muografia é uma técnica de sondagem não invasiva que usa muões uma radiação natural de fundo com algum poder penetrante, para observar o interior das estruturas atravessadas. Com detetores adequados à observação da subsuperfície terrestre, é possível criar muografias, imagens com informação sobre a distribuição de densidades da região observada.
Internacionalmente, esta técnica já foi aplicada em várias áreas. Em Portugal, está a ser aplicada pela primeira vez na área da geofísica para fazer um reconhecimento geológico da Mina do Lousal
New Pyrazole-Clubbed Pyrimidine or Pyrazoline Hybrids as Anti-Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Agents: Design, Synthesis, <i>In Vitro</i> and <i>In Vivo</i> Evaluation, and Molecular Modeling Simulation
Two hybrid series
of pyrazole-clubbed pyrimidines 5a–c and pyrazole-clubbed pyrazoline compounds 6a,b and 7 were designed as attractive scaffolds
to be investigated in vitro and in vivo for antibacterial activity against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Pseudomonas
aeruginosa. From the results of the in vitro antibacterial screening, compound 5c showed excellent
activity (minimal inhibitory concentration, MIC = 521 μM) when
compared with that of the reference antibiotic levofloxacin (MIC =
346 μM). The inhibition of the target dihydrofolate reductase
(DHFR) enzyme by compounds 4 and 5a–c (IC50 = 5.00 ± 0.23, 4.20 ± 0.20, 4.10
± 0.19, and 4.00 ± 0.18 μM, respectively) was found
to be better than the reference drug trimethoprim (IC50 = 5.54 ± 0.28 μM). Molecular modeling simulation results
have justified the order of activity of all the newly synthesized
compounds as DHFR enzyme inhibitors, and compound 5c exhibited
the best binding profile (−13.6169386 kcal/mol). Hence, the
most potent inhibitor of the DHFR enzyme, 5c, was chosen
to be evaluated in vivo for its activity in treating
MRSA-induced keratitis in rats and that, in turn, significantly (P < 0.0001) reduced infection in rats when compared to
MRSA-treated group results
G-quadruplexes are promoter elements controlling nucleosome exclusion and RNA polymerase II pausing
Despite their central role in transcription, it has been difficult to define universal sequences associated to eukaryotic promoters. Within chromatin context, recruitment of the transcriptional machinery requires opening of the promoter but how DNA elements could contribute to this process has remained elusive. Here, we show that G-quadruplex (G4) secondary structures are highly enriched mammalian core promoter elements. G4s are located at the deepest point of nucleosome exclusion at promoters and correlate with maximum promoter activity. We found that experimental G4s exclude nucleosomes both in vivo and in vitro and display a strong positioning potential. At model promoters, impairing G4s affected both transcriptional activity and chromatin opening. G4 destabilization also resulted in an inactive promoter state and affected transition to effective RNA production in live imaging experiments. Finally, G4 stabilization resulted in global reduction of proximal promoter pausing. Altogether, our data introduce G4s as bona fide promoter elements allowing nucleosome exclusion and facilitating pause release by the RNA Polymerase II
Muon tomography with Resistive Plate Chambers for geological characterization
ABSTRACT: Muon tomography is one of several fields of applied physics that have witnessed the successful use of particle detection based on Resistive Plate Chambers (RPC). In this work, we report on an innovative project concerning transmission muography for geological characterization. For this purpose, a muon telescope built of four RPC planes was mounted on an adjustable structure and the telescope's response to atmospheric muons was studied. Data acquisition campaigns took place at different locations for producing muographic images of the building of the Physics Department of the University of Coimbra, in Portugal. More recently, the detector was moved to an underground gallery of an old mine, where it is taking data that is being assessed in combination with the results from conventional geophysics techniques.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio