Aloe vera: A Multipurpose Healer and Bacterial Eradicator

The Aloe vera plant is a succulent known for its rich content in vitamins and minerals, thus gaining popularity over the years in healthcare products. With advancements in alternative medicine, it has been recently found useful in dentistry due to properties such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antimicrobial actions that contribute to wound healing. The purpose of this study was to examine and discover how Aloe vera can be used as an alternative therapy in the dental field. The PubMed, Google Scholar and Dentistry & Oral Sciences (DOSS) databases were utilized to find current scientific evidence on the effects of Aloe vera. Relevant articles were summarized to write a review of findings. In this study, 21 articles published from 2015 to present were reviewed. From the studies, there is strong evidence to support that Aloe vera exhibits beneficial effects in prevention of carious lesions, non-surgical scaling and root planing in patients with chronic periodontitis, and oral wounds. Furthermore, it is cost effective and easily accessible. This review’s findings indicate that dental health care providers could recommend Aloe vera as a preventive and an alternative treatment option to improve patients’ oral health status.https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/denh_student/1005/thumbnail.jp

The relationship between native Vietnamese language literacy and English language reading achievement of Vietnamese high school students /

The problem under investigation in this study was to determine whether there was a relationship between native Vietnamese language literacy and English language reading achievement of Vietnamese High School students. This research was needed in order to identify literacy in L1 is transferred and enhances reading achievement in L2. This study was focused on a group of 90 LEP Vietnamese speaking students, who attended 9th and 10th grades level in three high schools in urban public school district with the Native Language Skill Test. The median for the NLST scores was the criterion used to form two categories of cognitive literacy styles - illiterate and literate. The reading scores on the California Achievement Test (CAT) was used as the dependent variable in this study. Analysis using t-tests for two independent samples were performed to provide evidence of statistically significant differences between illiterate and literate subjects in reading scores. The reading comprehension of English story was higher for literate independent than for illiterate independent subjects. Significant differences were also found between 9th and 10th grade students, as well as for the interaction between grade and literacy levels. Results of these analyses confirmed the existence of a significantly positive relationship between the achievement of LEP students in English reading and their degree of literacy in the native language. The will to preserve the Vietnamese language is as strong as the desire to master English to perfection. Once some degree of proficiency is achieved in Vietnamese, the phenomenon of Prior Knowledge and interdependence of Learning come to play and the abilities acquired in Vietnamese can then be transferred to English

Gynecological Care for Transgender Men as Compared to Cisgender Women

Background: A large majority of the transgender male population experiences unequal healthcare especially in gynecological care. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to answer the question: In transgender men, how does gynecological healthcare compared with cisgender women’s gynecological care affect the outcome of the transgender man’s health? This presentation will discuss the differences in gynecological care for transgender men as compared to cisgender women. Methods: Data was collected using scholarly articles and past studies to support the research. Results: In comparison to cisgender women’s gynecological care, transgender men receive unequal care and less care overall. The lack of care in this population can lead to an increase in rates of HIV, HPV, and cervical cancer due to a lack of screenings. Conclusion: Conclusions will include causes for the differences in care and suggestions for solutions. Overall, the research suggests that the most necessary improvement is proper education for gynecological care providers regarding inclusive care for transgender men

Maryland\u27s All-Payer Health Care System: A Light at the End of a Tunnel

The state of Maryland, in collaboration with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, developed the first all-payer system model in the Unites States in 1971 and 35 years later in response to financial pressures undertook to modernize this program. The focus of the modernized program was to improve overall per-capita expenditure, quality of care, and the outcome of Marylanders\u27 health. The financial status of Maryland hospitals was declining because of the rate setting of the Health Services Cost Review Commission while hospital admission rates and spending were increasing. This study showed positive change in moving Maryland health care delivery model in hospitals from volume-driven care to value-driven coordinated care. Maryland hospitals have changed their mind-sets to achieve the Triple Aim of cost reduction, health improvement, and quality-of-care improvement. The modernized model does require hospitals and business individuals to change their approach to be accountable in providing health care to all citizens, as well as trying to solve chronic social problems such as poverty and unequal access to health care

Witness: The Modern Writer as Witness

Editor\u27s Note [Excerpt] Magic can mean many different things, especially for writers. Magic can be an illusion, a sleight of hand designed to trick onlookers into believing the impossible. Or magic can be a supernatural force in a world of harsh reality, a set of beliefs that sits just outside the realms of organized religion and advanced technology. Wizards and demons, Las Vegas entertainers and houngans --they all practice a kind of sorcery. For poets and prose writers, though, magic affords an opportunity for us to stretch the limitations of the physical world in search of new themes, settings, and characters. Magic is a door we eagerly walk through to reach new lands. We at Witness have thoroughly enjoyed the process of selecting the themed works we have collected here, mainly because the idea of enchantment is inspiring. There is the possibility of positive charms; there is a chance for dark witchery. And sometimes the spell cast by a character is nebulous, difficult to categorize. It’s arguable that we cherish these incantations the most, since they leave us in a state of wonderment bordering on disorientation. Yes, magic can also leave us bewildered and thankful for the bewilderment.https://digitalscholarship.unlv.edu/witness/1001/thumbnail.jp

Patient Education Improvement Initiative for Self-Management of Congestive Heart Failure Among Senior Residents of a Long-Term Care Facility

The purpose of this quality improvement project was to use evidence-based practices to determine if personalized education on disease self-management would lead to improved treatment adherence in a residential facility. The target population consisted of four elderly female patients who had been diagnosed with congestive heart failure (CHF) and were struggling with the self-management of their disease. Contributing barriers to effective CHF self-management were determined using a root cause analysis, and included a lack of educational templates, declining cognitive ability of the residents, and no electronic health record (EHR). Using the Self-Determination theory, the interventions were implemented. Phase one was focused on the educational materials. During this phase the team developed individualized teaching handout templates and disease management tri-fold brochures, which were submitted to the director of nursing (DON) for approval. Phase two was the cognitive assessment where the team used the Medi-Cog assessment tool and reported all residents who scored below eight to the DON. The final phase was the educational program. In this phase, the team assessed the residents\u27 learning needs, prepared the individualized teaching handouts, conducted a 1:1 educational session with each resident, and presented each with a post-education oral test. The outcome for phase one was the approval of the educational templates. The outcome for phase two was the completion of all patient assessments. Lastly, the outcome for phase three was the completion of individualized educational sessions for each of the residents. The educational materials were made into blank templates which can be modified to address any future educational need on any disease process, making it a sustainable intervention for the residential facility

Anthracimycin activity against contemporary methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

Anthracimycin is a recently discovered novel marine-derived compound with activity against Bacillus anthracis. We tested anthracimycin against an expanded panel of Staphylococcus aureus strains in vitro and in vivo. All strains of S. aureus tested, including methicillin-susceptible, methicillin-resistant (MRSA) and vancomycin-resistant strains of S. aureus, were susceptible to anthracimycin at MIC values of ⩽0.25 mg l(-1). Although its postantibiotic effects were minimal, anthracimycin exhibited potent and rapid bactericidal activity, with a >4-log kill of USA300 MRSA within 3 h at five times its MIC. At concentrations significantly below the MIC, anthracimycin slowed MRSA growth and potentiated the bactericidal activity of the human cathelicidin, LL-37. The bactericidal activity of anthracimycin was somewhat mitigated in the presence of 20% human serum, and the compound was minimally toxic to human cells, with an IC50 (inhibitory concentration 50)=70 mg l(-1) against human carcinoma cells. At concentrations near the MIC, anthracimycin inhibited S. aureus nucleic acid synthesis as determined by optimized macromolecular synthesis methodology, with inhibition of DNA and RNA synthesis occurring in the absence of DNA intercalation. Anthracimycin at a single dose of 1 or 10 mg kg(-1) was able to protect mice from MRSA-induced mortality in a murine peritonitis model of infection. Anthracimycin provides an interesting new scaffold for future development of a novel MRSA antibiotic