The Effects of Reflex Math as a Response to Intervention Strategy to Improve Math Automaticity among Male and Female At-Risk Middle School Students

The search for evidence-based math interventions that are easy to use and impact academic achievement are in demand, and the impact that these interventions can have on students who struggle with math achievement is of concern. In this study, the effects of Reflex math computerized intervention to improve the automaticity of basic math facts among male and female middle school students identified as at-risk for academic failure in mathematics was examined according to differences in mean scores and based on gender. A quasi-experimental pretest-posttest nonequivalent control group design was used for the purposes of the study. Convenience sampling among students receiving or qualifying for response to intervention services for math was used to determine the study participants. The Basic Math Operations Task (BMOT) served as the pretest and posttest against which differences in mean scores were determined with analysis of covariance used to examine the differences. Results as well as assumptions, limitations, and recommendations for the future are included

Improvement in symptoms and pulmonary function of asthmatic patients due to their treatment according to the Global Strategy for Asthma Management (GINA)

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Global Initiative Strategy for Asthma Management (GINA) is poorly applied in undeveloped and developing countries. The current study examined the effects of applying GINA guidelines on treatment efficacy in asthmatic patients in Iran.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Twenty four asthmatic patients (usual care group) were treated as usual and 26 patients (intervention group) according to the GINA for 2 months. Asthma symptom score, asthma severity, frequency of symptoms/week and wheezing were recorded at the beginning (first visit), one month after treatment (second visit), and at the end of the study (third visit). Pulmonary function tests (PFTs) were performed by spirometry, and the patients' use of asthma drugs and their symptoms were evaluated, at each visit.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Asthma symptoms, frequency of symptoms/week, chest wheezing, and PFT values were significantly improved in the intervention group at the second and third visits compared to first visit (p < 0.001 for all measures). In addition, exercise induced cough and wheeze were significant improved in the third visit compared to the second visit in this group (p < 0.01 for both measures). In the second and third visits all symptoms were significantly lower, and PFT values higher, in the intervention group compared to the usual care group (p < 0.005 to p < 0.001). In the usual care group, there were only small improvements in some parameters in just the second visit (p < 0.01 for all measures). The use of asthma drugs was unchanged in the usual care group and significantly reduced in the intervention group (p < 0.01) by the end of the study.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Adoption of GINA guidelines improves asthma symptoms and pulmonary function in asthmatic patients in Iran.</p

Managing childhood fever and pain – the comfort loop

Parents can transmit their anxiety to their child, and just as children can pick up on parental anxiety, they can also respond to a parent's ability to stay calm in stressful situations. Therefore, when treating children, it is important to address parental anxiety and to improve their understanding of their child's ailment. Parental understanding and management of both pain and fever – common occurrences in childhood – is of utmost importance, not just in terms of children's health and welfare, but also in terms of reducing the economic burden of unnecessary visits to paediatric emergency departments. Allaying parental anxiety reduces the child's anxiety and creates a positive feedback loop, which ultimately affects both the child and parent

How much do health care providers value a community-based asthma care program? – a survey to collect their opinions on the utilities of and barriers to its uptake

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>A comprehensive asthma care program (ACP) based on Canadian Asthma Consensus Guidelines was implemented in 8 primary care sites in Ontario, Canada. A survey was distributed to health care providers' (HCPs) to collect their opinions on the utilities of and barriers to the uptake of the ACP.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A 39-item self-administered survey was mailed to 184 HCPs and support staff involved in delivering the ACP at the end of implementation. The items were presented in mixed formats with most items requiring responses on a five-point Likert scale. Distributions of responses were analyzed and compared across types of HCPs and sites.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Of the 184 surveys distributed, 108 (59%) were returned, and of that, 83 were completed by HCPs who had clinical contact with the patients. Overall, 95% of the HCPs considered the ACP useful for improving asthma care management. Most HCPs favored using the asthma care map (72%), believed it decreased uncertainties and variations in patient management (91%), and considered it a convenient and reliable source of information (86%). The most commonly reported barrier was time required to complete the asthma care map. Over half of the HCPs reported challenges to using spirometry, while almost 40% identified barriers to using the asthma action plan.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Contrary to the notion that physicians believe that guidelines foster cookbook medicine, our study showed that HCPs believed that the ACP offered an effective and reliable approach for enhancing asthma care and management in primary care.</p

Educational and decision-support tools for asthma-management guideline implementation

Many international and national asthma guidelines are now available in large parts of the world, but they are not yet implemented appropriately. There is a gap between scientific evidence-based medicine and real clinical practice. Implementation of guidelines is highly complex. Special strategies are needed to encourage guideline-based, high-quality care. It is important to understand the contents, the format, and the learning strategies which physicians prefer for the dissemination of guidelines. Physicians prefer more concise and immediately available guidelines that are practical to use. Thus, asthma guidelines should be disseminated as convenient and easily accessible tools. Various education programs and decision-support tools have been designed and applied to the clinical management of asthma to solve these challenging problems. Many of them have been shown to be effective at increasing physicians' knowledge and adherence to asthma guidelines and improving patients' clinical outcomes. These educational and decision-support tools are expected to contribute to a narrowing of the gap between asthma guidelines and practice/implementation of the guidelines

Phytotherapeutic and naturopathic adjuvant therapies in otorhinolaryngology

Phytotherapeutic pharmaceuticals and herbal medicinal products with its roots in classical phytotherapeutic medicine have a well-established role in otolaryngological therapy, especially for diseases of the upper airways and acute and chronic infections. A thorough selection and application could mean huge benefit for the patient, in particular in cases with contraindications, chemo- and antibiotic resistance or patient request. Besides, it might spare other medications. Phytotherapeutic pharmaceuticals must fulfil the same criteria of quality, effectiveness and harmlessness of evidence-based medicine like chemical pharmaceuticals, although they are often prescribed due to its well established or traditional based use. This review focuses on phytotherapeutic therapies well established within the European Community for otolaryngologic disease patterns by referring to clinical studies or meta-analysis

Immunohistologic detection of estrogen receptors in paraffin-embedded breast cancers: correlation with cytosol measurements

Paraffin-embedded sections of 76 human breast tissue specimens were analyzed for estrogen receptors (ER) and endogenous bound estrogen (ER-E). Preincubation of sections with polyestradiol phosphate was followed by stabilization of the complex with glutaraldehyde. The bound hormone was then visualized by the peroxidase-antiperoxidase (PAP) technique with antiestradiol as the primary antiserum. Normal breast tissue and benign proliferations were consistently positive for ER and ER-E. All specimens were examined for free and bound receptors in cytoplasm and nuclei. Among the carcinomas examined, a high correlation was found between the presence of ER by the PAP method and by the biochemical analysis of cytosol preparations. The PAP method, requiring no special preparation of surgical specimens, overcomes many of the disadvantages of the cytosol method and adds the advantage of independent evaluation of nuclear and cytoplasmic estrogen binding sites