OSTEOPROTECTIVE MEDICINAL PLANTS - PART 1 (A HUMAN CLINICAL EVIDENCE-BASED REVIEW)

Background. Osteoporosis is a bone metabolic disease affecting a large percentage of aging population, which leads to an increased risk of fractures and has a negative impact on life quality. The available treatments for osteoporosis are effective, but are associated with several severe adverse reactions, hence the interest for alternative treatments devoid of such redoubtable side effects. Medicinal plants represent a viable resource for new therapeutic agents. The purpose of this review is to provide an overview about the medicinal plants that have been reported to have anti-osteoporotic effects in human clinical studies. Materials and Methods. Relevant studies found in PubMed database, pertaining to efficacy in humans, mechanism of action, osteoactive phytochemicals and safety, were selected. For the inquiry, keywords such as “medicinal plant”, “osteoporosis”, “bone”, “fracture”, “osteoclast” and “osteoblast” were used in various combinations. The information extracted was integrated with the traditional knowledge on the correspondent medicinal plants. Results. Eight medicinal plants (Cimicifuga racemosa, Cissus quadrangularis, Eleutherococcus senticosus, Epimedium spp., Glycine max, Pueraria spp., Panax notoginseng, Salvia milthiorriza) were selected. Mechanisms involved include the activation of osteoblasts, inhibition of osteoclastogenesis, estrogen-like activity, anti-inflammatory activity, inhibition of collagen degradation by cathepsin K. Conclusion. Several medicinal plants have been included in clinical studies successfully targeting osteoporosis, thus showing the potential to modulate bone resorption and bone formation

Open Fractures – Time from Trauma to Efficient Surgical Debridement Is the Key Factor for Post-Traumatic Infection

Open fractures represent a challenging aspect of modern traumatology with high individual and social impact especially due to septic complications which require prolonged hospitalization, repeated surgery and considerable costs. That is why medical research is directed to establishing the most effi cient diagnostic and therapeutic algorithms able to decrease the incidence of septic complications and promote optimal fracture healing. The purpose of this paper is to underline the importance of early proper surgical debridement for the outcome of these fractures as reflected by the experience of a Level 1 Trauma Centre in order to include this aspect into future therapeutical guidelines

Phytomedicine in Joint Disorders

Chronic joint inflammatory disorders such as osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis have in common an upsurge of inflammation, and oxidative stress, resulting in progressive histological alterations and disabling symptoms. Currently used conventional medication (ranging from pain-killers to biological agents) is potent, but frequently associated with serious, even life-threatening side effects. Used for millennia in traditional herbalism, medicinal plants are a promising alternative, with lower rate of adverse events and efficiency frequently comparable with that of conventional drugs. Nevertheless, their mechanism of action is in many cases elusive and/or uncertain. Even though many of them have been proven effective in studies done in vitro or on animal models, there is a scarcity of human clinical evidence. The purpose of this review is to summarize the available scientific information on the following joint-friendly medicinal plants, which have been tested in human studies: Arnica montana, Boswellia spp., Curcuma spp., Equisetum arvense, Harpagophytum procumbens, Salix spp., Sesamum indicum, Symphytum officinalis, Zingiber officinalis, Panax notoginseng, and Whitania somnifera

Research and Science Today Supplement No. 1/2016

RESEARCH AND SCIENCE TODAY is a biannual science journal established in 2011. The journal is an informational platform that publishes assessment articles and the results of various scientific research carried out by academics. We provide the authors with the opportunity to create and/or perfect their science writing skills. Thus, each issue of the journal (two per year and at least two supplements) will contain professional articles from any academic field, authored by domestic and international academics. The goal of this journal is to pass on relevant information to undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate students as well as to fellow academics and researchers; the topics covered are unlimited, considering its multi-disciplinary profile. Regarding the national and international visibility of Research and Science Today, it is indexed in over 30 international databases (IDB) and is present in over 200 online libraries and catalogues; therefore, anybody can easily consult the articles featured in each issue by accessing the databases or simply the website

Core Competencies in Disaster Management and Humanitarian Assistance: A Systematic Review

Disaster response demands a large workforce covering diverse professional sectors. Throughout this article, we illustrate the results of a systematic review of peer-reviewed studies to identify existing competency sets for disaster management and humanitarian assistance that would serve as guidance for the development of a common disaster curriculum. A systematic review of English-language articles was performed on PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus, ERIC, and Cochrane Library. Studies were included if reporting competency domains, abilities, knowledge, skills, or attitudes for professionals involved disaster relief or humanitarian assistance. Exclusion criteria included abstracts, citations, case studies, and studies not dealing with disasters or humanitarian assistance. Thirty-eight papers were analyzed. Target audience was defined in all articles. Five references (13%) reported cross-sectorial competencies. Most of the articles (81.6%) were specific to health care. Eighteen (47%) papers included competencies for at least 2 different disciplines and 18 (47%) for different professional groups. Nursing was the most widely represented cadre. Eighteen papers (47%) defined competency domains and 36 (94%) reported list of competencies. Nineteen articles (50%) adopted consensus-building to define competencies, and 12 (31%) included competencies adapted to different professional responsibility levels. This systematic review revealed that the largest number of papers were mainly focused on the health care sector and presented a lack of agreement on the terminology used for competency-based definition. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2015;9:430-439

Identifying Deficiencies in National and Foreign Medical Team Responses Through Expert Opinion Surveys: Implications for Education and Training\u2014ERRATUM

AbstractIntroductionUnacceptable practices in the delivery of international medical assistance are reported after every major international disaster; this raises concerns about the clinical competence and practice of some foreign medical teams (FMTs). The aim of this study is to explore and analyze the opinions of disaster management experts about potential deficiencies in the art and science of national and FMTs during disasters and the impact these opinions might have on competency-based education and training.MethodThis qualitative study was performed in 2013. A questionnaire-based evaluation of experts’ opinions and experiences in responding to disasters was conducted. The selection of the experts was done using the purposeful sampling method, and the sample size was considered by data saturation. Content analysis was used to explore the implications of the data.ResultsThis study shows that there is a lack of competency-based training for disaster responders. Developing and performing standardized training courses is influenced by shortcomings in budget, expertise, and standards. There is a lack of both coordination and integration among teams and their activities during disasters. The participants of this study emphasized problems concerning access to relevant resources during disasters.ConclusionThe major findings of this study suggest that teams often are not competent during the response phase because of education and training deficiencies. Foreign medical teams and medically related nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) do not always provide expected capabilities and services. Failures in leadership and in coordination among teams are also a problem. All deficiencies need to be applied to competency-based curricula.DjalaliA, IngrassiaPL, Della CorteF, FolettiM, Ripoll GallardoA, RagazzoniL, KaptanK, LupescuO, ArculeoC, von ArnimG, FriedlT, AshkenaziM, HeselmannD, HreckovskiB, Khorrram-ManeshA, KomadinaR, LechnerK, PatruC, BurkleFMJr., FisherP. Identifying deficiencies in national and foreign medical team responses through expert opinion surveys: implications for education and training. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2014;29(4):1-5.</jats:sec