218 research outputs found
Effect of a Pre-Treatment Educational Video in Improving Patient Satisfaction with 5-Fluorouracil Treatment for Actinic Keratoses: A Randomized Controlled Trial.
IntroductionPatient treatment satisfaction and adherence may be affected by the initial understanding of outcomes in the treatment of actinic keratoses with 5-fluorouracil 5% cream (5-FU). Pre-treatment educational videos may optimize this understanding. The objective of this study was to determine whether prospective patient viewing of an educational video delineating treatment effects and expectations improves patient satisfaction and treatment completion rates for the treatment of actinic keratoses with 5-FU.MethodsForty-four participants were recruited to the UC Davis Dermatology outpatient clinic. Each participant was randomized to the video (group A) or control group (group B), and topical 5-FU cream treatment was conducted for 2 weeks in both groups.ResultsA follow-up questionnaire was performed to assess patient satisfaction and adherence to the treatment regimen. The results of these questions were analyzed using the Mann-Whitney test. One item on the questionnaire asked the patient to rate their overall level of satisfaction on a score of 0-100. The results of this question were analyzed using the unpaired t test. The results of the statistical analysis show no significant difference between the patient group that viewed the video and the patient group that did not view the video.ConclusionsWe speculate that this study may establish a foundation for subsequent studies that may affect the broader medical community and promote development of educational videos
Direct, residual and cumulative effects of organic manures and biofertilizers on yields, NPK uptake, grain quality and economics of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) under organic farming of rice-wheat cropping system
Field experiments were conducted at the research farm of the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi during rabi (winter) season of 2007-2008 and 2008-2009 on a sandy clay loam soil (typical Ustochrept, 51.46% sand, 23.02% silt and 25.52% clay)of low in organic C (0.57%), medium in available phosphorus (19.87 kg/ha), high in available potassium (247.12 kg/ha) and low in available nitrogen (163.2 kg/ha) and of pH 8. Results revealed that the cumulative effects of farmyard manure (FYM) and green manure (GM) were more effective than their direct and residual effects and GM was significantly superior to FYM for increasing the productivity, nutrient uptake, grain quality and gross and net income of wheat in the rice-wheat cropping system. Further,inoculation of biofertilizers (B) with GM was better than GM alone in its cumulative effect. The combination of GM + FYM was still better than GM or FYM alone in its direct and cumulative effects for increasing productivity and gross return, but net return was significantly reduced due to the higher cost of GM + FYM compared to FYM or GM alone. However, the residual effect of GM + FYM was similar to the cumulative effects of GM or FYM alone. The highest increase in productivity, grain quality and nutrient uptake was recorded with the application of GM + FYM + B. However, net return was significantly reduced due to the higher cost incurred in the combination of GM + FYM + B. It was concluded that the cumulative effect of GM + FYM + B for higher productivity and the cumulative effect of GM + B for higher net return were suitable for wheat in organic farming of the rice-wheat cropping system
The Incremental Cooperative Design of Preventive Healthcare Networks
This document is the Accepted Manuscript version of the following article: Soheil Davari, 'The incremental cooperative design of preventive healthcare networks', Annals of Operations Research, first published online 27 June 2017. Under embargo. Embargo end date: 27 June 2018. The final publication is available at Springer via http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10479-017-2569-1.In the Preventive Healthcare Network Design Problem (PHNDP), one seeks to locate facilities in a way that the uptake of services is maximised given certain constraints such as congestion considerations. We introduce the incremental and cooperative version of the problem, IC-PHNDP for short, in which facilities are added incrementally to the network (one at a time), contributing to the service levels. We first develop a general non-linear model of this problem and then present a method to make it linear. As the problem is of a combinatorial nature, an efficient Variable Neighbourhood Search (VNS) algorithm is proposed to solve it. In order to gain insight into the problem, the computational studies were performed with randomly generated instances of different settings. Results clearly show that VNS performs well in solving IC-PHNDP with errors not more than 1.54%.Peer reviewe
Cloning of Vibrio cholerae outer membrane protein W in Pichia pastoris
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The outer membrane protein W (ompW) of Vibrio cholerae is involved in stimulating the immune response via induction of protective immunity. It also plays an important role in bacterial pathogenesis by increasing the adaptability of pathogenic strains. In this study we aimed to clone V. cholerae ompW gene in the strain X-33 of Pichia pastoris. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A gene encoding ompW was cloned into the Ppicza vector downstream of alcohol oxidase promoter. Then recombinant vector was transformed into the genome of the strain X-33 of P. pastoris. After growth of zeocin-resistant transformants, clones were selected and subsequently confirmed for cloning by PCR enzymatic digestion and sequencing. RESULTS: PCR, enzymatic digestion and sequencing showed that the ompW gene was correctly cloned into P. pastoris genome. CONCLUSION: Results of our study showed that the methylotrophic yeast P. pastoris can be considered as an appropriate host instead of mammalian and prokaryotic systems for cloning of ompW. As far as data show, this is the first time that ompW of V. cholera is cloned into the methylotrophic P. pastoris
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Engineering robust cellulases for tailored lignocellulosic degradation cocktails
Lignocellulosic biomass is a most promising feedstock in the production of second-generation biofuels. Efficient degradation of lignocellulosic biomass requires a synergistic action of several cellulases and hemicellulases. Cellulases depolymerize cellulose, the main polymer of the lignocellulosic biomass, to its building blocks. The production of cellulase cocktails has been widely explored, however, there are still some main challenges that enzymes need to overcome in order to develop a sustainable production of bioethanol. The main challenges include low activity, product inhibition, and the need to perform fine-tuning of a cellulase cocktail for each type of biomass. Protein engineering and directed evolution are powerful technologies to improve enzyme properties such as increased activity, decreased product inhibition, increased thermal stability, improved performance in non-conventional media, and pH stability, which will lead to a production of more efficient cocktails. In this review, we focus on recent advances in cellulase cocktail production, its current challenges, protein engineering as an efficient strategy to engineer cellulases, and our view on future prospects in the generation of tailored cellulases for biofuel production. © 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland
Management of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in children and adolescents: A national clinical guideline
One of the best approaches for evidence-based care is providing and using the guidelines. Observing these guidelines results in a better quality of health care, decreased unnecessary or harmful interventions, lower health costs, and an increase in patients� satisfaction. Management of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)-1 in children and adolescents is a guideline published after 6 years of research and review of resources in the domain of treatment of ADHD. A research team formed in Iran University of Medical Sciences provided this guideline by addressing reliable references and observing a scientific approach. This guideline is provided with respect to the present resources for the standard treatment of ADHD in our country. To prepare this guideline, this research team considered the most recent and strict version of the writing method in the treatment section of Health, Treatment, and Education Ministry. Although the present guideline has some shortcomings, it is a turning point in the history of the development of health care. It presents a systematic approach in the treatment of such disorder, one of the most prevalent disorders in child psychiatry. The colleagues and treatment centers can help such an issue by applying this guideline. © 2020, Iran University of Medical Sciences. All rights reserved
Occurrence of Fusarium spp. and Fumonisins in Stored Wheat Grains Marketed in Iran
Wheat grains are well known to be invaded by Fusarium spp. under field and storage conditions and contaminated with fumonisins. Therefore, determining Fusarium spp. and fumonisins in wheat grains is of prime importance to develop suitable management strategies and to minimize risk. Eighty-two stored wheat samples produced in Iran were collected from various supermarkets and tested for the presence of Fusarium spp. by agar plate assay and fumonisins by HPLC. A total of 386 Fusarium strains were isolated and identified through morphological characteristics. All these strains belonged to F. culmorum, F. graminearum, F. proliferatum and F. verticillioides. Of the Fusarium species, F. graminearum was the most prevalent species, followed by F. verticillioides, F. proliferatum and then F. culmorum. Natural occurrence of fumonisin B1 (FB1) could be detected in 56 (68.2%) samples ranging from 15–155 μg/kg, fumonisin B2 (FB2) in 35 (42.6%) samples ranging from 12–86 μg/kg and fumonisin B3 (FB3) in 26 (31.7%) samples ranging from 13–64 μg/kg. The highest FB1 levels were detected in samples from Eilam (up to 155 μg/kg) and FB2 and FB3 in samples from Gilan Gharb (up to 86 μg/kg and 64 μg/kg)
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Quantitative Analysis of Immune Infiltrates in Primary Melanoma.
Novel methods to analyze the tumor microenvironment (TME) are urgently needed to stratify melanoma patients for adjuvant immunotherapy. Tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) analysis, by conventional pathologic methods, is predictive but is insufficiently precise for clinical application. Quantitative multiplex immunofluorescence (qmIF) allows for evaluation of the TME using multiparameter phenotyping, tissue segmentation, and quantitative spatial analysis (qSA). Given that CD3+CD8+ cytotoxic lymphocytes (CTLs) promote antitumor immunity, whereas CD68+ macrophages impair immunity, we hypothesized that quantification and spatial analysis of macrophages and CTLs would correlate with clinical outcome. We applied qmIF to 104 primary stage II to III melanoma tumors and found that CTLs were closer in proximity to activated (CD68+HLA-DR+) macrophages than nonactivated (CD68+HLA-DR-) macrophages (P < 0.0001). CTLs were further in proximity from proliferating SOX10+ melanoma cells than nonproliferating ones (P < 0.0001). In 64 patients with known cause of death, we found that high CTL and low macrophage density in the stroma (P = 0.0038 and P = 0.0006, respectively) correlated with disease-specific survival (DSS), but the correlation was less significant for CTL and macrophage density in the tumor (P = 0.0147 and P = 0.0426, respectively). DSS correlation was strongest for stromal HLA-DR+ CTLs (P = 0.0005). CTL distance to HLA-DR- macrophages associated with poor DSS (P = 0.0016), whereas distance to Ki67- tumor cells associated inversely with DSS (P = 0.0006). A low CTL/macrophage ratio in the stroma conferred a hazard ratio (HR) of 3.719 for death from melanoma and correlated with shortened overall survival (OS) in the complete 104 patient cohort by Cox analysis (P = 0.009) and merits further development as a biomarker for clinical application
Evaluation of the efficacy of dentin hypersensitivity treatments - a systematic review and follow-up analysis
OBJECTIVES:
To compare the treatments used to treat dentin hypersensitivity (DH), based on its efficacy and effect duration.
METHODS:
Medline/PubMed, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, and ClinicalTrials were searched for articles published between January 1st , 2008 and November 14th , 2018, in English, Portuguese or Spanish, reporting clinical trials, completed and with results. This systematic review protocol was registered in PROSPERO, number CRD42019121986.
RESULTS:
74 randomized clinical trials were included in the systematic review, reporting patients from 16 to 65 years old, with a clinical diagnosis of DH, that evaluate the efficacy of a desensitizing product, compared to pre-treatment, used the evaporative method stimulation and the visual analogue scale. These studies evaluated 5366 patients and at least 9167 teeth. Seven follow-up periods were considered corresponding to an immediate, medium or long-time effect. 66 studies were included in the quantitative synthesis. Glutaraldehyde with HEMA, glass ionomer cements and Laser present significant immediate (until 7 days) DH reduction. Medium term (until 1 month) reduction was observed in stannous fluoride, glutaraldehyde with HEMA, hydroxyapatite, glass ionomer cements and Laser groups. Finally, long term significant reduction was seen at potassium nitrate, arginine, glutaraldehyde with HEMA, hydroxyapatite, adhesive systems, glass ionomer cements, and LASER.
CONCLUSIONS:
All active ingredients show efficacy in DH reduction in different follow-up times. Only in-office treatments are effective in immediate DH reduction, maintaining its efficacy over time. For long time effects, at home treatments can also be used. More standardized evaluation protocols should be implemented to increase the robustly of the results.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
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