PROVIDER EDUCATION ON NON-PHARMACOLOGIC TREATMENT OF OSTEOARTHRITIS

Osteoarthritis is an arthritic condition of the joints commonly found in the elderly population. This condition occurs as intra-articular cartilage wears down over time. Most patients present with joint pain. The pain that occurs from joint pain often impedes physical activity, which can ultimately increase pain levels. There are several treatments for osteoarthritis, however, there is no cure. Providers often prescribe non-steroidal anti-inflammatories and other oral analgesics for pain management. Because osteoarthritis typically occurs in the elderly population, adding medications to what often is a long list of medications can cause issues such as drug interactions and medication toxicities. Other non-pharmacologic treatments, such as diet and exercise and physical therapy, should be explored and attempted prior to adding in pharmacologic therapy. The purpose of this project was to educate providers on the need for non-pharmacologic treatment modalities for OA related symptoms and the benefits of non-pharmacologic treatment, as well as increase provider knowledge on non-pharmacologic treatment modalities. Data was collected through means of pre and posttests. Paper tests along with an educational fact sheet were provided to orthopedic and primary care providers within a manila envelope. There were 9 responses with 7 being eligible for participation. A total of 70 points was the highest grade possible on the pre and posttests, with each correct answer being worth 5 points. A nonparametric sample test (related samples test) was used to compare the posttests to the pretests. A statistically significant difference was identified so the null hypothesis was rejected. Results of this study reemphasized the continuing need for education on the nonpharmacologic treatment options for osteoarthritis

Collecting Data from Children Ages 9-13

Provides a summary of literature on common methods used to collect data, such as diaries, interviews, observational methods, and surveys. Analyzes age group-specific considerations, advantages, and drawbacks, with tips for improving data quality

Hazardous Drug Wipe Sampling in Healthcare Facilities

Hazardous drugs are associated with causing acute and chronic side effects to healthcare workers that experience occupational exposures. Antineoplastic drugs are known to cause headaches, nausea, vomiting, hair loss, mutagenic activity, spontaneous abortions, infertility, and congenital malformations. Currently, there are no acceptable thresholds for exposures to this type of hazardous drugs. The use of as low as reasonably acceptable (ALARA) is used for exposures to these types of drugs. Occupational exposure risk should be evaluated within facilities where they are used. Performing hazardous drug wipe sampling in areas that are high risk for contamination can provide information to facilities on how to protect their employees

Hazardous Drug Exposure in Healthcare

Hazardous drug exposure in healthcare is a growing concern for the pharma industry and workers. Significant risks may be present including cancers for those handling and compounding various therapeutic agents. Workplace exposure standards do not exist for those employed in the pharma industry. Recommendations of safety have used the, ‘As Low as Reasonably Achievable’ (ALARA) principle to control exposures for pharmacists and others that handle hazardous substances. Steps should be taken to systematically eliminate and/or minimize exposures to workers through safer handling protocols, approved safety cabinets, negative pressure rooms, local exhaust ventilation, health surveillance, training and appropriate PPE

Driving-dependent damping of Rabi oscillations in two-level semiconductor systems

We propose a mechanism to explain the nature of the damping of Rabi oscillations with increasing driving-pulse area in localized semiconductor systems, and have suggested a general approach which describes a coherently driven two-level system interacting with a dephasing reservoir. Present calculations show that the non-Markovian character of the reservoir leads to the dependence of the dephasing rate on the driving-field intensity, as observed experimentally. Moreover, we have shown that the damping of Rabi oscillations might occur as a result of different dephasing mechanisms for both stationary and non-stationary effects due to coupling to the environment. Present calculated results are found in quite good agreement with available experimental measurements

Effects Of Human Cadaveric Dissections In High School Biology

This study was conducted in a suburban public high school, which had a connection to the local university, to measure the achievement of dual enrollment senior students using traditional hands-on (THO) cadaveric dissections compared to non-traditional (NT) virtual dissections of the human body. The outcomes of this study may assist multicultural science educators and administrators, students and parents, to understand the importance of THO cadaveric dissections compared to NT virtual dissections tools in learning gross anatomy. Also, noted is the importance of public and higher education collaboration to help bridge the science resource gaps between educational settings

The Systems Analysis and Design Course: An Educators’ Assessment of the Importance and Coverage of Topics

This study examines instructors\u27 perceptions regarding the skills and topics that are most important in the teaching of a Systems Analysis and Design (“SAD”) course and the class time devoted to each. A large number of Information Systems (“IS”) educators at AACSB accredited schools across the United States were surveyed. Shannon‟s entropy is used to analyze the opinions and measure the agreement or disagreement among survey respondents. Findings suggest that object-oriented analysis and structured analysis are topics on which instructors spend the most time, and are also the topics for which there is the greatest disagreement regarding importance. Conversely, the greatest agreement among survey respondents occurs with topics that, on the whole, were perceived as less important and to which less class time is devoted. This analysis provides a basis for comparison to practitioner perceptions

The Inhibitory Effect of ddC on Human Immunodeficiency Virus Replication Diminishes in Cells that are Chronically Exposed to the Drug

One possible explanation for the failure of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) antiretroviral inhibitors to block the clinical progression of the infection may be a failure to maintain adequate drug levels at the site of viral replication. We have previously found that exposure of human monoblastoid cells (U937) for several months to a therapeutically relevant concentration (0.1 μM) of 2′,3′-dideoxycytidine (zalcitabine, ddC) allowed the isolation of a drug-resistant cell line characterized by a normal drug transport but a reduced ability to accumulate 2′,3′-dideoxycytidine 5′-triphosphate (the active antiretroviral form of the drug). In this paper we show that the drug-resistant cells were indistinguishable from normal cells in terms of surface CD4 receptors. The susceptibility of parental and ddC-resistant U937 cells to infection by HIV-1 was similar, as measured by proviral DNA formation. However, HIV-1 p24 production and the number of infectious virus particles produced were significantly lower in the drug-resistant compared to control cells. Addition of 0.1 μM ddC inhibited viral production by up to 92% in the control cells but had no effect on ddC-resistant cells. Thus, human cells exposed to therapeutically relevant ddC concentrations for several months show a reduced ddC anabolism and allow ddC-sensitive HIV-1 to replicate in the presence of inhibitory ddC concentrations

Light Ion Accelerating Line (L3IA): Test Experiment at ILIL-PW

The construction of a novel Laser driven Light Ions Acceleration Line(L3IA) is progressing rapidly towards the operation, following the recent upgrade of the ILIL-PW laser facility. The Line was designed following the pilot experimental activity carried out earlier at the same facility to define design parameters and to identify main components including target control and diagnostic equipment, also in combination with the numerical simulations for the optimization of laser and target parameters. A preliminary set of data was acquired following the successful commissioning of the laser system >100 TW upgrade. Data include output from a range of different ion detectors and optical diagnostics installed for qualification of the laser-target interaction. An overview of the results is given along with a description of the relevant upgraded laser facility and features.Comment: 6 pages, 7 figures, 18 references, presented at the EAAC 201