5,312 research outputs found
Use of Chinese medicine by cancer patients: a review of surveys
Chinese medicine has been used to treat a variety of cancer-related conditions. This study aims to examine the prevalence and patterns of Chinese medicine usage by cancer patients. We reviewed articles written in English and found only the Chinese medicine usage from the studies on complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). Seventy four (74) out of 81 articles reported rates of CAM usage ranging from 2.6 to 100%. Acupuncture was reported in 71 out of 81 studies. Other less commonly reported modalities included Qigong (n = 17), Chinese herbal medicine (n = 11), Taichi (n = 10), acupressure (n = 6), moxibustion (n = 2), Chinese dietary therapy (n = 1), Chinese massage (n = 1), cupping (n = 1) and other Chinese medicine modalities (n = 19). This review also found important limitations of the English language articles on CAM usage in cancer patients. Our results show that Chinese medicine, in particular Chinese herbal medicine, is commonly used by cancer patients. Further research is warranted to include studies not written in English
A Systematic Review of the Effect of Expectancy on Treatment Responses to Acupuncture
Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of acupuncture often find equivalent responses to real and placebo acupuncture despite both appearing superior to no treatment. This raises questions regarding the mechanisms of acupuncture, especially the contribution of patient expectancies. We systematically reviewed previous research assessing the relationship between expectancy and treatment responses following acupuncture, whether real or placebo. To be included, studies needed to assess and/or manipulate expectancies about acupuncture and relate these to at least one health-relevant outcome. Nine such independent studies were identified through systematic searches of Medline, PsycInfo, PubMed, and Cochrane Clinical Trials Register. The methodology and reporting of these studies were quite heterogeneous, meaning that meta-analysis was not possible. A descriptive review revealed that five studies found statistically significant effects of expectancy on a least one outcome, with three also finding evidence suggestive of an interaction between expectancy and type of acupuncture (real or placebo). While there were some trends in significant effects in terms of study characteristics, their generality is limited by the heterogeneity of study designs. The differences in design across studies highlight some important methodological considerations for future research in this area, particularly regarding whether to assess or manipulate expectancies and how best to assess expectancies
Acupuncture to Treat Primary Dysmenorrhea in Women: A Randomized Controlled Trial
We examined the effectiveness of acupuncture to reduce the severity and intensity of primary dysmenorrhea. A randomized controlled trial compared acupuncture with control acupuncture using a placebo needle. Eligible women were aged 14–25 years with a diagnosis of primary dysmenorrhea. Women received nine sessions of the study treatment over 3 months. The primary outcomes were menstrual pain intensity and duration, overall improvement in dysmenorrhea symptoms and reduced need for additional analgesia, measured at 3, 6 and 12 months from trial entry. A total of 92 women were randomly assigned to the intervention (acupuncture n = 46 and control n = 46). At 3 months although pain outcomes were lower for women in the acupuncture group compared with the control group, there was no significant difference between groups. Women receiving acupuncture reported a small reduction in mood changes compared with the control group, relative risk (RR) 0.72, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.53–1.00, P = .05. Follow-up at 6 months found a significant reduction in the duration of menstrual pain in the acupuncture group compared with the control group, mean difference –9.6, 95% CI –18.9 to –0.3, P = .04, and the need for additional analgesia was significantly lower in the acupuncture group compared with the control group, RR 0.69, 95% CI 0.49–0.96, P = .03, but the follow-up at 12 months found lack of treatment effect. To conclude, although acupuncture improved menstrual mood symptoms in women with primary dysmenorrhea during the treatment phase, the trend in the improvement of symptoms during the active phase of treatment, and at 6 and 12 months was non-significant, indicating that a small treatment effect from acupuncture on dysmenorrhea may exist. In the study, acupuncture was acceptable and safe, but further appropriately powered trials are needed before recommendations for clinical practice can be made
Self-Regulation Efforts and Cognitive Load Concerns within a Developmental Learning Environment
People new to the higher education learning environment, and without posessing the abilities sometimes described as ”learning how to learn”, delve into either gateway courses or developmental courses. In this case study, a developmental course instructor integrates self-regulation tools and cognitive load sensitivity into her developmental course, with positive outcomes.https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/archivedposters/1070/thumbnail.jp
Cost analysis of the CTLB Study, a multitherapy antenatal education programme to reduce routine interventions in labour
Objective: To assess whether the multitherapy antenatal education ‘CTLB’ (Complementary Therapies for Labour and Birth) Study programme leads to net cost savings.
Design: Cost analysis of the CTLB Study, using analysis of outcomes and hospital funding data.
Methods: We take a payer perspective and use Australian Refined Diagnosis-Related Group (AR-DRG) cost data to estimate the potential savings per woman to the payer (government or private insurer). We consider scenarios in which the intervention cost is either borne by the woman or by the payer. Savings are computed as the difference in total cost between the control group and the study group.
Results: If the cost of the intervention is not borne by the payer, the average saving to the payer was calculated to be A659 since the average cost of delivering the programme was A659 to $A808 per woman. Compared with the average cost of birth in the control group, we conclude that the programme could lead to a reduction in birth-related healthcare costs of approximately 9%.
Trial registration number: ACTRN12611001126909
Complementary medicine use and health literacy in older Australians
Objectives: To investigate whether complementary medicine (CAM) use is associated with health literacy levels and decision self-efficacy.
Design: A cross-sectional survey was distributed to men and women aged 65 years and older who participated in a randomised control trial (N = 153) in Sydney, Australia.
Results: One hundred and fifty-three people completed the survey of those 66% were females and the mean age was 76 years. Most participants used or were currently using CAM in the past 12 months (75%). The most common source of CAM information were GPs. Participants with higher levels of social support were found more likely to use CAM accessed over the counter (OTC). Participants reporting lower health literacy skills with appraising health information were more likely to use CAM delivered by CAM practitioners. Participants with higher levels of health literacy relating to the domain - “ability to actively engage with health care providers” - were found to use OTC CAM. No relationship was found between participants’ decision-making self-efficacy and use of CAM accessed from a CAM practitioner or OTC.
Conclusions: CAM is used by older Australians to maintain their health. Use of CAM was not associated with decision self-efficacy and health literacy. However, CAM users who have less skills with appraising information are possibly more likely to access their CAM from trusted sources such as a CAM practitioners
Priming Presidential Votes by Direct Democracy
We demonstrate that direct democracy can affect the issues voters consider when evaluating presidential candidates. Priming theory assumes that some voters have latent attitudes or predispositions that can be primed to affect evaluations of political candidates. We demonstrate that: (1) state ballot measures on same sex marriage increased the salience of marriage as an issue that voters used when evaluating presidential candidates in 2004, particularly those voters less interested in the campaign and those likely to be less attentive to the issue prior to the election; and (2) that the printed issue (gay marriage) was a more important factor affecting candidate choice in states where marriage was on the ballot
Maternal thyroid function and child educational attainment: prospective cohort study
Objective: To determine if first trimester maternal thyroid dysfunction is a critical determinant of child scholastic performance and overall educational attainment.
Design: Prospective cohort study.
Setting: Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children cohort in the UK.
Participants: 4615 mother-child pairs with an available first trimester sample (median 10 weeks gestation, interquartile range 8-12).
Exposures: Free thyroxine, thyroid stimulating hormone, and thyroid peroxidase antibodies assessed as continuous measures and the seven clinical categories of maternal thyroid function.
Main outcome measures: Five age-specific national curriculum assessments in 3580 children at entry stage assessment at 54 months, increasing up to 4461 children at their final school assessment at age 15.
Results: No strong evidence of clinically meaningful associations of first trimester free thyroxine and thyroid stimulating hormone levels with entry stage assessment score or Standard Assessment Test scores at any of the key stages was found. Associations of maternal free thyroxine or thyroid stimulating hormone with the total number of General Certificates of Secondary Education (GCSEs) passed (range 0-16) were all close to the null: free thyroxine, rate ratio per pmol/L 1.00 (95% confidence interval 1.00 to 1.01); and thyroid stimulating hormone, rate ratio 0.98 (0.94 to 1.02). No important relationship was observed when more detailed capped scores of GCSEs allowing for both the number and grade of pass or when language, mathematics, and science performance were examined individually or when all educational assessments undertaken by an individual from school entry to leaving were considered. 200 (4.3%) mothers were newly identified as having hypothyroidism or subclinical hypothyroidism and 97 (2.1%) subclinical hyperthyroidism or hyperthyroidism. Children of mothers with thyroid dysfunction attained an equivalent number of GCSEs and equivalent grades as children of mothers with euthyroidism.
Conclusions: Maternal thyroid dysfunction in early pregnancy does not have a clinically important association with impaired child performance at school or educational achievement
Decision tree-early warning scores based on common laboratory test results discriminate patients at risk of hospital mortality
Proximity Effects and Nonequilibrium Superconductivity in Transition-Edge Sensors
We have recently shown that normal-metal/superconductor (N/S) bilayer TESs
(superconducting Transition-Edge Sensors) exhibit weak-link behavior.1 Here we
extend our understanding to include TESs with added noise-mitigating
normal-metal structures (N structures). We find TESs with added Au structures
also exhibit weak-link behavior as evidenced by exponential temperature
dependence of the critical current and Josephson-like oscillations of the
critical current with applied magnetic field. We explain our results in terms
of an effect converse to the longitudinal proximity effect (LoPE)1, the lateral
inverse proximity effect (LaiPE), for which the order parameter in the N/S
bilayer is reduced due to the neighboring N structures. Resistance and critical
current measurements are presented as a function of temperature and magnetic
field taken on square Mo/Au bilayer TESs with lengths ranging from 8 to 130
{\mu}m with and without added N structures. We observe the inverse proximity
effect on the bilayer over in-plane distances many tens of microns and find the
transition shifts to lower temperatures scale approximately as the inverse
square of the in- plane N-structure separation distance, without appreciable
broadening of the transition width. We also present evidence for nonequilbrium
superconductivity and estimate a quasiparticle lifetime of 1.8 \times 10-10 s
for the bilayer. The LoPE model is also used to explain the increased
conductivity at temperatures above the bilayer's steep resistive transition.Comment: 10 pages, 8 figure
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