Expert opinions on informational and supportive needs and sources of obtaining information in patients with inflammatory bowel disease: a Delphi consensus study

BackgroundThe present study introduces informational and supportive needs and sources of obtaining information in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) through a three-round Expert Delphi Consensus Opinions method.MethodsAccording to our previous scoping review, important items in the area of informational and supportive needs and sources of obtaining information were elucidated. After omitting duplicates, 56 items in informational needs, 36 items in supportive needs, and 36 items in sources of obtaining information were retrieved. Both open- and close-ended questions were designed for each category in the form of three questionnaires. The questionnaires were sent to selected experts from different specialties. Experts responded to the questions in the first round. Based on the feedback, questions were modified and sent back to the experts in the second round. This procedure was repeated up to the third round.ResultsIn the first round, five items from informational needs, one item from supportive needs, and seven items from sources of obtaining information were identified as unimportant and omitted. Moreover, two extra items were proposed by the experts, which were added to the informational needs category. In the second round, seven, three, and seven items from informational needs, supportive needs, and sources of obtaining information were omitted due to the items being unimportant. In the third round, all the included items gained scores equal to or greater than the average and were identified as important. Kendall coordination coefficient W was calculated to be 0.344 for information needs, 0.330 for supportive needs, and 0.325 for sources of obtaining information, indicating a fair level of agreement between experts.ConclusionsOut of 128 items in the first round, the omission of 30 items and the addition of two items generated a 100-item questionnaire for three sections of informational needs, supportive needs, and sources of obtaining information with a high level of convergence between experts' viewpoints

A gain-of-function mutation of STAT1: A novel genetic factor contributing to chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis

Heterozygous gain-of-function (GOF) mutations in the signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (STAT1) have increasingly been identified as a genetic cause of autosomal-dominant (AD) chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis (CMC). In this article, we describe a 33-year-old man who experienced chronic refractory candidiasis, recurrent otitis media, and pneumonia resulting in bronchiectasis, severe oral and esophageal candidiases with strictures associated with hypothyroidism and immune hemolytic anemia. His son also suffered from persistent candidiasis, chronic diarrhea, poor weight gain, and pneumonia that resulted in his demise because of sepsis. The immunological workup showed that an inverse CD4/CD8 ratio and serum immunoglobulins were all within normal ranges. The laboratory data revealed failure in response to Candida lymphocyte transformation test. In addition, by Sanger sequencing method, we found a heterozygous mutation, Thr385Met (T385M), located in the DNA-binding domain of STAT1, which was previously shown to be GOF. These findings illustrate the broad and variable clinical phenotype of heterozygous STAT1 GOF mutations. However, more clinical information and phenotype–genotype studies are required to define the clinical phenotype caused by AD STAT1 GOF

Inverse bremsstrahlung absorption in magnetized plasmas

The Magneto-Inertial Fusion (MIF) approach has the benefits of both approaches of Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF) and Magnetic Confinement Fusion (MCF). MIF is a complete approach, as compared to others. It has the advancement of the common ICF and some advantages over MCF. It also includes high-density plasma in the presence of strong magnetic fields. In this study, we investigate the inverse bremsstrahlung absorption (IBA) in magnetized plasma and the kinetic theory. Many researchers have calculated the inverse bremsstrahlung absorption coefficient through the ICF approach. In this investigation, however, the average of IBA is obtained that can be used in the MIF approach, the kinetic theory and the Krook collision frequency. In addition, the influences of some parameters such as laser wavelength, electron temperature, and static magnetic field are shown on the mean collisional absorption. A numerical solution is also used to calculate the dispersion function and the laser electric field. IBA is one of the basic heating processes in laser fusion plasma. The results of the study show that, in critical layers, the increase of absorption is proportional to short laser wavelength, low electron temperature, but IBA varies slowly with the static magnetic field

Cognitive Factors Association with Medication Adherence Among Hypertension Patients

Poor medication adherence in people with hypertension can lead to the development of cardiovascular complications, quality of life and reduce health care costs will increase. This study was conducted to investigate the factors related to medication adherence using social cognitive theory in hypertensive patients in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad provinces (Iran). This cross-sectional study was conducted among 1836 patients (male and female) with hypertension under the urban and rural health centers in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad provinces who met the inclusion criteria. Data collection tools were an adherence to medication questionnaire based on a modified questionnaire on the measured using the H-hypertension self-care activity level effects and the Bandura social cognitive theoretical constructs questionnaire (including self-efficacy structures, social support, outcome expectation, Outcome Expectancy and self-regulation). Data was analyzed using SPSS-21 at 95% significant level. The rate of medication treatment among participants was 74.8% (75.5% women and 73.7% men). 31.2% of participants had control over their blood pressure. Adherence to medication was weak in patients. So that 35.7% of men and 36.1% of women have medication adherence. Linear regression analysis revealed that outcome expectation, family social support, self-regulation, and outcome Expectancy accounted for a total of 59% of the variance in medication adherence. Findings indicated that the status of medication adherence in the studied patients was poor, which indicates the lack of necessary training on the importance of adherence to drug use to patients. Considering the correlation between the constructs of social cognitive theory and medication adherence, the constructs of this theory can be used in adherence to medication training in hypertensive patients

Identification of the informational and supportive needs of patients diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease: a scoping review

BackgroundInflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) affects the quality of life. Patient education and support needs are crucial components of comprehensive chronic illness care. The main purposes of this review were to (i) explore the informational and supportive needs of these patients to improve the quality of life in the existing literature and (ii) identify the gaps related to the needs of the patients in articles.MethodsThe scoping review is based on the Daudt methodological framework, a modified version of Arksey and O'Malley. Electronic databases were extensively searched from January 01, 2000 to April 30, 2022. Four electronic databases (PubMed/Medline, CINAHL, APA PsycInfo, Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection, APA PsycArticles, and ProQuest) were searched using controlled vocabulary, and specific keywords. The searched terms were matched to each database. We manually searched two key journals, namely the Journal of Inflammatory Bowel Disease and the Journal of Crohn's and Colitis.ResultsIn the review, 75 studies on the assessment of the information and support needs of patients with IBD were reviewed. In this regard, 62 and 53 studies were regarding information needs and support needs, respectively. Most of the information needs of patients with IBD reported in the studies were related to diet needs, and educational needs were the most essential support needs.ConclusionsHealth policymakers and managers can develop care and educational programs related to this disease in health centers according to the needs of the patients. Health professionals, especially gastroenterologists, are the primary referral sources for information on patients. Therefore, gastroenterologists can take the lead in planning and educating the patients and sharing their decisions.Systematic review registrationOSF, https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/3MWGJ

Occult Hepatitis B Infection among Hemodialysis Patients in Tabriz, Northwest of Iran: Prevalence and Mutations within the S Region

Regardless of the extensive screening for the detection of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), hemodialysis (HD) patients are still severely at the risk of occult hepatitis B virus infection (OBI), especially in developing countries. OBI is defined as the presence of HBV DNA with undetectable HBsAg in the liver and/or Serum. This study aims to determine the prevalence of OBI in HD patients in East Azerbaijan Province, northwest of Iran, and inquire about the mutations in the detected HBsAg. In this cross-sectional descriptive study, ELISA method assessed serum and plasma samples of 118 HBsAg-negative patients undergoing HD treatment for HBV serological markers (HBsAg and Anti-HBc). Specific primers by nested polymerase chain reaction have been utilized to examine HBV DNA; also, direct sequencing of surface genes was carried out to characterize the viral genotypes and S gene mutations. Finally, followed by real-time PCR, the quantity of viral load in OBI-positive patients was determined. A total of 118 HD patients were included (63.6% were male and 36.4% female), with an overall mean age of 60.8 ± 12.8 years old. The prevalence of antihepatitis B core antibody (Anti-HBc) in the study population was 26.3% (31/118). Five patients (4.2%) were positive for HBV DNA and labeled OBI-positive; their plasma HBV-DNA load was less than 100 IU/ml. Following the phylogenetic analysis, the samples with OBI roughly belonged to genotype D, subtype ayw2 and only two had mutations within the S ’gene’s major hydrophilic region (MHR), including T123I, C124F, and P127T. This study reports the prevalence of OBI in the HBsAg-negative HD patients being at a rate of 4.2%, which can be a clinically vital consideration in this region. HBV serologic screening approaches need to be renewed to cover nucleic acid testing in the setting of hemodialysis and all the other high-risk groups associated with it (i.e., blood and organ donors)

The impact of immediate versus delayed mini-screw placement on alveolar bone preservation and bone density following tooth extraction: evidence from a canine model

Abstract The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of mini-screw placement on the alveolar ridge using a split-mouth design. Twelve beagles underwent bilateral extraction of their lateral teeth. In the immediate group, a mini-screw was unilaterally placed approximately 3–4 mm below the alveolar crest of the extraction site on the experimental side. The delayed group received mini-screws six weeks after tooth extraction. On average, the dogs were sacrificed after 11 weeks, and the maxillary bones were excised and scanned using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT). Histopathological examinations were conducted to assess inflammation and bone formation scores. The results showed that in the immediate group, bone height was significantly greater on the intervention side compared to the control side (p < 0.05), whereas there was no significant difference in the delayed group. In both groups, there was a significant increase in bone density around the mini-screws compared to the control sides (p < 0.05). Mini-screw insertion led to a significant enhancement of bone growth in both groups (p < 0.05), with no notable differences between the two groups. The mini-screws did not have any impact on bone inflammation or width. Overall, both immediate and delayed mini-screw placement in the extraction socket positively influenced bone dimensions, density, and histological properties. However, immediate insertion was more effective than delayed placement in preserving vertical bone height, despite delayed insertion resulting in higher bone density

Exosomes in Cancer Liquid Biopsy: A Focus on Breast Cancer

The important challenge about cancer is diagnosis in primary stages and proper treatment. Although classical clinico-pathological features of the tumor have major prognostic value, the advances in diagnosis and treatment are indebted to discovery of molecular biomarkers and control of cancer in the pre-invasive state. Moreover, the efficiency of available therapeutic options is highly diminished, and chemotherapy is still the main treatment due to lack of enough specific targets. Accordingly, finding the new noninvasive biomarkers for cancer is still an important clinical challenge that is not achieved yet. There are current technologies to screen, diagnose, prognose, and treat cancer, but the limitations of these implements and procedures are undeniable. Liquid biopsy as a noninvasive method has a promising future in the field of cancer, and exosomes as one of the recent areas have drawn much attention. In this review, the potential capability of exosomes is summarized in cancer with the special focus on breast cancer as the second cause of cancer mortality in women all around the world. It discusses reasons to choose exosomes for liquid biopsy and the studies related to different potential biomarkers found in the exosomes. Moreover, exosome studies on milk as a specific biofluid are also discussed. At last, because choosing the method for exosome studies is very challenging, a summary of different techniques is provided