Examining Health Mentors’ Perceptions of Student Teamwork

Statement of Issue: With the increasing emphasis on interprofessional teamwork in healthcare, the need to train future health care professionals to work together as a functional team to provide patient-centered care is clear. Limited information exists regarding education of health care students and teamwork training.1,2 This research evaluates student team performance. Background: Thomas Jefferson University (TJU) offers a unique, two-year program emphasizing delivery of patient-centered care and providing valuable skill development by pairing interprofessional student teams with a Health Mentor (HM). The HM is an adult community volunteer with one or more chronic health condition(s). Student teams include representatives from couple and family therapy, medicine, nursing, occupational therapy, pharmacy, physical therapy, and physician assistant. The purpose of this study is to evaluate how the HMs perceive their student teams over time by using the Jefferson Teamwork Observation Guide (JTOG), a survey tool based upon the Interprofessional Education (IPE) Core Competencies.

Joint effect of glutathione S-transferase genotypes and cigarette smoking on idiopathic male infertility

Inconsistent results of association studies investigated the role of glutathione S-transferase genes in idiopathic male infertility may be explained by ethnical differences in gene-gene and gene-environment interactions. In this study, we investigated a joint contribution of GSTM1, GSTT1 and GSTP1 gene polymorphisms and cigarette smoking to the risk of idiopathic infertility in Russian menyesBelgorod State National Research Universit

Application of technologies of atomic force microscope investigation for evaluation of structure and properties of blood cells’ surfaces

With application of techniques of atomic force microscope investigation, we studied properties and topography of blood cells’ surfaces in patients with acute lymphoblastic and myeloblastic leucosis. It was stated that development of acute forms of lymphoblastic and myeloblastic types of proliferation is accompanied with reduction of stiffness of cell surface and increase of surface potentia

Pharmacological correction of immune disorders in patients with chronic heart failure and ischemic heart disease

Currently, there are few data on the effect of cardiovascular drugs on the immune status of patients with heart failure (HF). This paper provides information on the impact of ß-adrenergic blocking agent (BAB), angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEI) on the maintenance of markers of immune inflammation in the blood, as well as on inhibition of synthesis of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and on blocking of interaction between TNF-α and membrane receptor

Organization of logopedic work on the formation of motor sphere in the system of correction of phonetic-phonematical disabilities in children with the easy pediobulbar dizartry

The article reveals the organization of speech therapy work to eliminate speech disorders in children with a clinical diagnosis of mild pseudobulbar dysarthria, as well as offers a recital of the experiment. The urgency of the research problem is due to the fact that the number of children with speech disorders increases every year, as a result of which it is necessary to increase the effectiveness of corrective speech therapy work to eliminate speech disorders using non-traditional methods of motor development.В статье раскрывается организация логопедической работы по устранению нарушений речи у детей с клиническим диагнозом «легкая степень псевдобульбарной дизартрии», а также предлагаются материалы констатирующего эксперимента. Актуальность проблемы исследования обусловлена тем, что количество детей с речевыми нарушениями увеличивается с каждым годом, в результате чего необходимо повышение эффективности коррекционной логопедической работы по устранению нарушений речи с помощью нетрадиционных методик развития моторной сферы

Sequential administration of temozolomide and fotemustine: Depletion of O6-alkyl guanine-DNA transferase in blood lymphocytes and in tumours

Background: The DNA repair protein O6-alkylguanine-DNA alkyl transferase (AT) mediates resistance to chloroethylnitro-soureas. Agents depleting AT such as DTIC and its new analogue temozolomide (TMZ) can reverse resistance to chloro-ethylnitrosoureas. We report the results of a dose finding study of TMZ in association with fotemustine. Patients and methods: Twenty-four patients with metastatic melanoma or recurrent glioma were treated with escalating dose of oral or intravenous TMZ ranging from 300 to 700 mg/m2, divided over two days. Fotemustine 100 mg/m2 was given intravenously on day 2, 4 hours after TMZ. AT depletion was measured in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and in selected cases in melanoma metastases and was compared to TMZ pharmacokinetics. Results: The maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of TMZ was 400 mg/m2 (200 mg/m2/d) when associated with fotemustine the 2nd day with myelosuppression as dose limiting toxicity. The decrease of AT level in PBMCs was progressive and reached 34% of pretreatment values on day 2. There was however wide interindividual variability. AT reduction was neither dose nor route dependent and did not appear to be related to TMZ systemic exposure (AUC). In the same patients, AT depletion in tumour did not correlate with the decrease of AT observed in PBMCs. Conclusions: PBMCs may not be used as a surrogate of tumour for AT depletion. Further study should concentrate on the pharmacokinetic pharmacodynamic relationship in tumour to provide the basis for individually tailored therap

Conducting Research with Stigmatized Populations: Practices, Challenges, and Lessons Learned

Conducting research with communities who are at risk of being stigmatized can be a challenging endeavor. It is often difficult to reach and recruit individuals for research purposes regarding a stigmatized condition or situation. Yet, researchers in our field have recognized the importance of work in this area and have individually developed a range of strategies to reach, recruit, and work with these populations. This workshop will invite researchers and practitioners to present, discuss, and compare strategies and experiences when working with stigmatized communities in the context of the ever-evolving nature of technology. The outcomes of the workshop will include an outline for an article that will summarize the strategies and practices discussed as well as identify the approaches that have led to the best outcomes across different populations

Sunscreens - Which and what for?

It is well established that sun exposure is the main cause for the development of skin cancer. Chronic continuous UV radiation is believed to induce malignant melanoma, whereas intermittent high-dose UV exposure contributes to the occurrence of actinic keratosis as precursor lesions of squamous cell carcinoma as well as basal cell carcinoma. Not only photocarcinogenesis but also the mechanisms of photoaging have recently become apparent. In this respect the use of sunscreens seemed to prove to be more and more important and popular within the last decades. However, there is still inconsistency about the usefulness of sunscreens. Several studies show that inadequate use and incomplete UV spectrum efficacy may compromise protection more than previously expected. The sunscreen market is crowded by numerous products. Inorganic sunscreens such as zinc oxide and titanium oxide have a wide spectral range of activity compared to most of the organic sunscreen products. It is not uncommon for organic sunscreens to cause photocontact allergy, but their cosmetic acceptability is still superior to the one given by inorganic sunscreens. Recently, modern galenic approaches such as micronization and encapsulation allow the development of high-quality inorganic sunscreens. The potential systemic toxicity of organic sunscreens has lately primarily been discussed controversially in public, and several studies show contradictory results. Although a matter of debate, at present the sun protection factor (SPF) is the most reliable information for the consumer as a measure of sunscreen filter efficacy. In this context additional tests have been introduced for the evaluation of not only the protective effect against erythema but also protection against UV-induced immunological and mutational effects. Recently, combinations of UV filters with agents active in DNA repair have been introduced in order to improve photoprotection. This article reviews the efficacy of sunscreens in the prevention of epithelial and nonepithelial skin cancer, the effect on immunosuppression and the value of the SPF as well as new developments on the sunscreen market. Copyright (C) 2005 S. Karger AG, Basel