A pilot study of problem gambling among student online gamblers: mood states as predictors of problematic behaviour

Within the last decade, interest in online gambling has increased. This pilot study examined online gambling among students to identify the extent to which student Internet gamblers manifest a propensity for problem gambling and to understand if mood states at various times are predictors of problem gambling. A questionnaire was administered to 127 student Internet gamblers. In addition to questions asking for basic demographic data, the questionnaire included the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) and the South Oaks Gambling Screen (SOGS). Results showed that approximately one in five online gamblers (19%) was defined as a probable pathological gambler using the SOGS. Among this sample, results also showed that problem gambling was best predicted by negative mood states after gambling online and negative mood states more generally

Deletion of annexin 2 light chain p11 in nociceptors causes deficits in somatosensory coding and pain behavior

The S100 family protein p11 (S100A10, annexin 2 light chain) is involved in the trafficking of the voltage-gated sodium channel Na(V)1.8, TWIK-related acid-sensitive K+ channel (TASK-1), the ligand-gated ion channels acid-sensing ion channel 1a (ASIC1a) and transient receptor potential vanilloid 5/6 (TRPV5/V6), as well as 5-hydroxytryptamine receptor 1B (5-HT1B), a G-protein-coupled receptor. To evaluate the role of p11 in peripheral pain pathways, we generated a loxP-flanked (floxed) p11 mouse and used the Cre-loxP recombinase system to delete p11 exclusively from nociceptive primary sensory neurons in mice. p11-null neurons showed deficits in the expression of NaV1.8, but not of annexin 2. Damage-sensing primary neurons from these animals show a reduced tetrodotoxin-resistant sodium current density, consistent with a loss of membrane-associated NaV1.8. Noxious coding in wide-dynamic-range neurons in the dorsal horn was markedly compromised. Acute pain behavior was attenuated in certain models, but no deficits in inflammatory pain were observed. A significant deficit in neuropathic pain behavior was also apparent in the conditional-null mice. These results confirm an important role for p11 in nociceptor function

Comparison of Patient Satisfaction between Telehealth and In-Clinic Post-Operative Visits

Introduction: Telehealth has the potential to be an efficient, affordable, and accessible means to give care. In the field of Urology, its use has large potential but has not been well studied. We hypothesize that the use of telehealth for post-op nephrectomy patients will maintain the same level of patient satisfaction. We also hypothesize that telehealth visits will take less time and save patients money by eliminating the need to travel. Methods: From May through July 2019, post-nephrectomy patients who consented to the study were given either a telehealth or in-clinic post-operative visit. Outcome metrics and demographics information were obtained through the Epic® EMR Platform. Results: There were a total of 6 telehealth patients and 15 in-clinic patients in the time frame. Due to issues with the Epic® survey system, the satisfaction data cannot be presented at this time. The telehealth patient saved a mean of 19 miles of travel (range 6.9-32.5 miles). The in-clinic patient traveled a mean of 30.4 miles (range 0.8-60.9). Discussion: Due to insufficient data, it is difficult to make any reliable comparisons. Telehealth visits provide some benefit for patients by eliminating the need to travel. With more data, we expect the telehealth patients to be equally satisfied with their visits compared to in-clinic patients. We also expect telehealth visits to take significantly less time for the patients compared to in-clinic visits. This is an ongoing study, and we hope our data will be more robust in the future

Comparison of Patient Satisfaction with Telehealth and In-Clinic Post-Operative Visits

Introduction: Telehealth has grown rapidly in the healthcare industry as a time efficient, affordable, and accessible means to provide care. Jefferson’s Department of Urology currently employs telehealth for post-operative visits but its efficacy in post-nephrectomy patients has not been well studied. We aim to demonstrate that patient satisfaction is the same for telehealth versus in-clinic post-operative visits in nephrectomy patients. Secondarily we will examine distance saved for telehealth patients. Methods: We will administer an IRB approved questionnaire to all nephrectomy patients via the EPIC® EMR platform after their post-operative visit. Each questionnaire will be specific to telehealth or in-clinic and asks the patients to rate their experiences on a 5-point Likert scale. The study time frame is from May 2019-November 2022. Time and distance data for secondary outcomes was extrapolated from the EPIC® EMR. Results: Thus far there have been 35 in-clinic and 9 telehealth post-operative appointments. Patient satisfaction data will be collected in the future. Each telehealth patient saved a mean of 19 miles (6.9-32.5 miles) while each in-clinic patient traveled a mean of 30 miles (0.8-60.9 miles). Discussion: Delays of the project have left us unable to determine patient satisfaction at present. Future establishment of equal satisfaction may lead to increased provider utilization of telehealth. Our secondary outcomes are positive, reporting that telehealth patients saved both time and travel distance on their appointments. If the questionnaire ultimately reveals satisfaction with telehealth, the combination with travel distance saved leads telehealth in a forward-looking direction

The physiological roles of carnosine and β-alanine in exercising human skeletal muscle

Carnosine (β-alanyl-L-histidine) plays an important role in exercise performance and skeletal muscle homeostasis. Dietary supplementation with the rate-limiting precursor β-alanine leads to an increase in skeletal muscle carnosine content, which further potentiates its effects. There is significant interest in carnosine and β-alanine across athletic and clinical populations. Traditionally, attention has been given to performance outcomes with less focus on the underlying mechanism(s). Putative physiological roles in human skeletal muscle include acting as an intracellular pH buffer, modulating energy metabolism, regulating Ca2+ handling and myofilament sensitivity, and scavenging of reactive species. Emerging evidence shows that carnosine could also act as a cytoplasmic Ca2+–H+ exchanger and form stable conjugates with exercise-induced reactive aldehydes. The enigmatic nature of carnosine means there is still much to learn regarding its actions and applications in exercise, health and disease. In this review, we examine the research relating to each physiological role attributed to carnosine, and its precursor β-alanine, in exercising human skeletal muscle

Beneath the surface of talking about physicians: A statistical model of language for patient experience comments

This study applies natural language processing (NLP) techniques to patient experience comments. Our goal was to examine the language describing care experiences with two groups of physicians: those with scores in the top 100 and those with scores in the bottom 100 among all physicians (n=498) who received scores from patient satisfaction surveys. Our analysis showed a statistically significant difference in the language used to describe care experiences with these two distinct groups of physicians. This analysis illustrates how to apply NLP techniques in categorizing and building a statistical model for language use in order to identify meaningful language and significant phrasing in a dataset of natural language. We provide a review of limited work at the intersection of language analysis and patient experience. We present our analysis and conclude with a discussion on what care providers and patient experience leaders can learn from language used in patient experience comments for the delivery of patient-centered care. Experience Framework This article is associated with the Innovation & Technology lens of The Beryl Institute Experience Framework. (http://bit.ly/ExperienceFramework) Access other PXJ articles related to this lens. Access other resources related to this len

The Partograph for the Prevention of Obstructed Labor

Abstract: Obstructed labor is an important cause of maternal and perinatal mortality and morbidity. The partograph graphically represents key events in labor and provides an early warning system. The World Health Organization partographs are the best known partographs in low resource settings. Experiences with World Health Organization and other types of partographs in low resource settings suggest that when used with defined management protocols, this inexpensive tool can effectively monitor labor and prevent obstructed labor. However, challenges to implementation exist and these should be addressed urgently