116 research outputs found
Assessing Cut-off Points of Eosinophils, Nasal Polyp, and Lund-Mackay Scores to Predict Surgery in Nasal Polyposis : A Real-World Study
Background: Developing tools to identify chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) patients requiring surgical treatment would help clinicians treat patients more effectively. The aim of this retrospective cross-sectional study was to identify cut-off values for eosinophil percentage, nasal polyps (NP), and Lund-Mackay (LM) scores that may predict the need for surgical treatment in Finnish CRSwNP patients. Methods: Data of CRSwNP patients (N = 378) undergoing consultation for ESS in 2001-19 were used. Data was collected from patient records and Lund-Mackay scores were determined from sinus computed tomography scans. The percentage of eosinophils was microscopically evaluated from the polyp samples available (n = 81). Associations were analyzed by Mann Whitney U test, and cut-off values by the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC). Results: ESS was performed to 293 (77.5%) of patients. Polyp eosinophilia was associated significantly with ESS (p = 0.001), whereas peripheral blood eosinophil count, LM- score and endoscopic NP- score were not (p > 0.05). AUROC values (95% CI) for detecting those needing ESS were for polyp eosinophilia 0.71 (0.60-0.83), p = 0.001, for LM score 0.59 (0.50-0.67), p = 0.054; for NP score 0.56 (0.48-0.64), p = 0.17, and for blood eosinophil count 0.68 (0.46-0.90), p = 0.08. With the threshold value of polyp eosinophilia (>25%), the sensitivity and specificity were optimal for detecting the group needing ESS from the group not undergoing ESS. The cut-off value of blood eosinophil count (>0.26 x 10(9)/L) had relatively good, yet statistically insignificant (underpowered), predictive potential. Moderate cut-off values were found for endoscopic LM score (>= 14/24) and NP score (>= 4/8). Conclusions: Polyp eosinophilia (>25%) predicted ESS among Finnish hospital-level CRSwNP patients. A future challenge would be to find less invasive and cost-effective clinical factors predicting uncontrolled CRSwNP.Peer reviewe
Factors influencing the practice of new graduate nurses : a focused ethnography of acute care settings
Aim: To explore the influence of an acute care setting on competency deployment of new graduate
nurses (NGNs) from a competency
-based undergraduate programme
.
Background: In the last 15 years, nursing education has shifted to competency
-based education
(CBE). Few studies have focused on how NGNs from these reformed programmes use the
competencies they have developed. To be paradigmatically coherent with the nature of a
competence, studies should also examine how context influences nursing practice and competency
deployment.
Design: A focused ethnography of three acute care units from one academic hospital in Canada.
Methods: Purposive and snowball sampling strategies were used to recruit 19 participants: NGNs (n
= 4), nurse preceptors (n = 2), clinical nurse specialists (n = 9)
, and nurse managers (n = 4). Data were
collected through individual interviews, focus groups
, observation and documentation. Data were
analysed according to Roper and Shapiraâs (2000) ethnographic nursing analysis framework.
Results: Organizational and individual factors were identified as influencing NGNs
â competenc
y
deployment. Organizational factors are orientation, stability, workload, and the scientific culture of
the unit. Personal factors have been linked to groups of professionals: for NGNs, personality and
clinical placements during their initial education; for nurses working with NGNs, to be role models,
to promote integration and to denounce bullying; and for other health professionals, to recognize
nursing expertise.
Conclusion: One way to s
mooth the transition from academic to clinical settings for NGNs is by
offering transition or orientation programmes that will provide them with stability and a reduced
workload, allowing them to progressively deploy their competencies.
Relevance to clinical practice: Organizational and individual factors influence how new graduate
nurses deploy their competencies. Clinical educators and nurse managers can help new nurses by
acting on these factors
SelkÀydinvammaisen hyvÀ kuntoutuskÀytÀntö
SelkÀydinvaurion saaneiden akuuttihoito, kuntoutus ja elinikÀinen seuranta on keskitetty 2011 kolmeen yliopistosairaalaan: Helsinkiin, Ouluun ja Tampereelle. NÀiden yliopistosairaaloiden selkÀydinvammayksiköt, Kela, Vakuutuskuntoutus VKK ja Suomalainen LÀÀkÀriseura Duodecim ovat toteuttaneet yhteistyössÀ tÀmÀn suosituksen selkÀydinvammaisten hyvÀstÀ kuntoutuskÀytÀnnöstÀ tukemaan selkÀydinvammojen KÀypÀ hoito -suositusta. Suosituksen tavoitteena on yhdenmukaistaa valtakunnallisia kuntoutuskÀytÀntöjÀ sekÀ helpottaa kuntoutussuunnitelmien laatimista ja kuntoutuspÀÀtösten tekemistÀ. Suositus sisÀltÀÀ yleistÀ perustietoa selkÀydinvammoista ja selkÀydinvammapotilaan kuntoutus- ja seurantajÀrjestelmistÀ, toimintakyvyn arvioinnista ja apuvÀlinepalveluista. Suosituksessa kÀsitellÀÀn kuntoutussuunnitelman laatiminen, lÀÀkinnÀllisen kuntoutuksen tavallisimmat kuntoutustyypit ja terapiamuodot sekÀ ammatillisen kuntoutuksen perusteet. Suositus sisÀltÀÀ esimerkkejÀ tyypillisistÀ selkÀydinvammapotilaiden kuntoutustavoitteista ja -mÀÀristÀ. Kuntoutus tulee kuitenkin suunnitella jokaisen kuntoutujan kanssa yhteistyössÀ huomioiden yksilölliset tarpeet niin yksilön kuin ympÀristönkin tasolla
Newly graduated nursesâ empowerment regarding professional competence and other work-related factors
Human Auditory Cortical Activation during Self-Vocalization
During speaking, auditory feedback is used to adjust vocalizations. The brain systems mediating this integrative ability have been investigated using a wide range of experimental strategies. In this report we examined how vocalization alters speech-sound processing within auditory cortex by directly recording evoked responses to vocalizations and playback stimuli using intracranial electrodes implanted in neurosurgery patients. Several new findings resulted from these high-resolution invasive recordings in human subjects. Suppressive effects of vocalization were found to occur only within circumscribed areas of auditory cortex. In addition, at a smaller number of sites, the opposite pattern was seen; cortical responses were enhanced during vocalization. This increase in activity was reflected in high gamma power changes, but was not evident in the averaged evoked potential waveforms. These new findings support forward models for vocal control in which efference copies of premotor cortex activity modulate sub-regions of auditory cortex
A family based tailored counselling to increase non-exercise physical activity in adults with a sedentary job and physical activity in their young children: design and methods of a year-long randomized controlled trial
Background.
Epidemiological evidence suggests that decrease in sedentary behaviour is beneficial for health. This family based randomized controlled trial examines whether face-to-face delivered counselling is effective in reducing sedentary time and improving health in adults and increasing moderate-to-vigorous activities in children.
Methods.
The families are randomized after balancing socioeconomic and environmental factors in the JyvÀskylÀ region, Finland. Inclusion criteria are: healthy men and women with children 3-8 years old, and having an occupation where they self-reportedly sit more than 50% of their work time and children in all-day day-care in kindergarten or in the first grade in primary school. Exclusion criteria are: body mass index > 35 kg/m2, self-reported chronic, long-term diseases, families with pregnant mother at baseline and children with disorders delaying motor development.
From both adults and children accelerometer data is collected five times a year in one week periods. In addition, fasting blood samples for whole blood count and serum metabonomics, and diurnal heart rate variability for 3 days are assessed at baseline, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months follow-up from adults. Quadriceps and hamstring muscle activities providing detailed information on muscle inactivity will be used to realize the maximum potential effect of the intervention. Fundamental motor skills from children and body composition from adults will be measured at baseline, and at 6 and 12 months follow-up. Questionnaires of family-influence-model, health and physical activity, and dietary records are assessed. After the baseline measurements the intervention group will receive tailored counselling targeted to decrease sitting time by focusing on commute and work time. The counselling regarding leisure time is especially targeted to encourage toward family physical activities such as visiting playgrounds and non-built environments, where children can get diversified stimulation for play and practice fundamental of motor skills. The counselling will be reinforced during the first 6 months followed by a 6-month maintenance period.
Discussion.
If shown to be effective, this unique family based intervention to improve lifestyle behaviours in both adults and children can provide translational model for community use. This study can also provide knowledge whether the lifestyle changes are transformed into relevant biomarkers and self-reported health.
Trial registration number.
ISRCTN: ISRCTN28668090peerReviewe
The role of the cerebellum in adaptation: ALE metaâanalyses on sensory feedback error
It is widely accepted that unexpected sensory consequences of selfâaction engage the cerebellum. However, we currently lack consensus on where in the cerebellum, we find fineâgrained differentiation to unexpected sensory feedback. This may result from methodological diversity in taskâbased human neuroimaging studies that experimentally alter the quality of selfâgenerated sensory feedback. We gathered existing studies that manipulated sensory feedback using a variety of methodological approaches and performed activation likelihood estimation (ALE) metaâanalyses. Only half of these studies reported cerebellar activation with considerable variation in spatial location. Consequently, ALE analyses did not reveal significantly increased likelihood of activation in the cerebellum despite the broad scientific consensus of the cerebellum's involvement. In light of the high degree of methodological variability in published studies, we tested for statistical dependence between methodological factors that varied across the published studies. Experiments that elicited an adaptive response to continuously altered sensory feedback more frequently reported activation in the cerebellum than those experiments that did not induce adaptation. These findings may explain the surprisingly low rate of significant cerebellar activation across brain imaging studies investigating unexpected sensory feedback. Furthermore, limitations of functional magnetic resonance imaging to probe the cerebellum could play a role as climbing fiber activity associated with feedback error processing may not be captured by it. We provide methodological recommendations that may guide future studies
The effects of stimulus complexity on the preattentive processing of self-generated and nonself voices: an ERP study
The ability to differentiate one's own voice from the voice of somebody else plays a critical role in successful verbal self-monitoring processes and in communication. However, most of the existing studies have only focused on the sensory correlates of self-generated voice processing, whereas the effects of attentional demands and stimulus complexity on self-generated voice processing remain largely unknown. In this study, we investigated the effects of stimulus complexity on the preattentive processing of self and nonself voice stimuli. Event-related potentials (ERPs) were recorded from 17 healthy males who watched a silent movie while ignoring prerecorded self-generated (SGV) and nonself (NSV) voice stimuli, consisting of a vocalization (vocalization category condition: VCC) or of a disyllabic word (word category condition: WCC). All voice stimuli were presented as standard and deviant events in four distinct oddball sequences. The mismatch negativity (MMN) ERP component peaked earlier for NSV than for SGV stimuli. Moreover, when compared with SGV stimuli, the P3a amplitude was increased for NSV stimuli in the VCC only, whereas in the WCC no significant differences were found between the two voice types. These findings suggest differences in the time course of automatic detection of a change in voice identity. In addition, they suggest that stimulus complexity modulates the magnitude of the orienting response to SGV and NSV stimuli, extending previous findings on self-voice processing.This work was supported by Grant Numbers IF/00334/2012, PTDC/PSI-PCL/116626/2010, and PTDC/MHN-PCN/3606/2012, funded by the Fundacao para a Ciencia e a Tecnologia (FCT, Portugal) and the Fundo Europeu de Desenvolvimento Regional through the European programs Quadro de Referencia Estrategico Nacional and Programa Operacional Factores de Competitividade, awarded to A.P.P., and by FCT Doctoral Grant Number SFRH/BD/77681/2011, awarded to T.C.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
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