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1.
Plasmid ; 126: 102681, 2023 05.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36990191

RESUMO

Replication control of many plasmids is mediated by the balance between the positive and negative effects of Rep protein binding repeated sequences (iterons) associated with the replication origin, oriV. Negative control is thought to be mediated by dimeric Rep protein linking iterons in a process termed "handcuffing". The well-studied oriV region of RK2 contains 9 iterons arranged as a singleton (iteron 1), a group of 3 (iterons 2-4) and a group of 5 (iterons 5-9), but only iterons 5 to 9 are essential for replication. An additional iteron (iteron 10), oriented in the opposite direction, is also involved and reduces copy-number nearly two-fold. Since iterons 1 and 10 share an identical upstream hexamer (5' TTTCAT 3') it has been hypothesised that they form a TrfA-mediated loop facilitated by their inverted orientation. Here we report that contrary to the hypothesis, flipping one or other so they are in direct orientation results in marginally lower rather than higher copy-number. In addition, following mutagenesis of the hexamer upstream of iteron 10, we report that the Logo for the hexamer "upstream" of the regulatory iterons (1 to 4 and 10) differs from that of the essential iterons, suggesting functional differences in their interaction with TrfA.


Assuntos
Proteínas de Escherichia coli , Plasmídeos/genética , Replicação do DNA , Proteínas de Bactérias/genética , Proteínas de Bactérias/metabolismo , Sequências Repetitivas de Ácido Nucleico , Origem de Replicação
2.
J Am Anim Hosp Assoc ; 59(4): 177-183, 2023 Jul 01.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37432789

RESUMO

Limited data are available regarding the use of the antifibrinolytic drugs tranexamic acid (TXA) and epsilon aminocaproic acid (EACA) in cats. This study aimed to evaluate the indications for the use of TXA and EACA in cats and to describe dosing regimens used, occurrence of adverse events, and patient outcomes. This was a retrospective multicenter study. Medical databases were searched for feline patients billed for TXA or EACA between 2015 and 2021. Thirty-five cats met the inclusion criteria; 86% received TXA and 14% received EACA. The most common indication was nontraumatic hemorrhage (54%), followed by traumatic hemorrhage (17%) and elective surgery (11%). The median dose was 10 mg/kg for TXA and 50 mg/kg for EACA. Overall, 52% of cats survived to discharge. Potential adverse events were noted in 7/35 (20%) patients. Of these, 29% survived to discharge. No standardized dosing regimen was identified; rather, dose, dosing interval, and duration of administration varied markedly between patients. Administration was potentially associated with severe adverse events, although the retrospective design makes it difficult to establish a causal association with antifibrinolytic use. This study provides a base for future prospective studies by giving an insight into the use of antifibrinolytic drugs in cats.


Assuntos
Antifibrinolíticos , Ácido Tranexâmico , Gatos , Animais , Antifibrinolíticos/uso terapêutico , Estudos Prospectivos , Estudos Retrospectivos , Ácido Aminocaproico/uso terapêutico , Ácido Tranexâmico/uso terapêutico
3.
BMC Psychiatry ; 22(1): 82, 2022 02 03.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35114980

RESUMO

BACKGROUND: There is good evidence that psychological interventions improve patient well-being and independent living, but patients on acute mental health wards often do not have access to evidence-based psychological therapies which are strongly advised by NICE guidance for severe mental health problems. The overall aim of this programme of work is to increase patient access to psychological therapies on acute mental health inpatient wards. Stage one of the programme (which is complete) aimed to identify barriers and facilitators to delivering therapy in these settings through a large qualitative study. The key output of stage one was an intervention protocol that is designed to be delivered on acute wards to increase patient access to psychologically-informed care and therapy. Stage two of the programme aims to test the effects of the intervention on patient wellbeing and serious incidents on the ward (primary outcomes), patient social functioning and symptoms, staff burnout, ward atmosphere from staff and patient perspectives and cost effectiveness of the intervention (secondary outcomes). METHODS: The study is a single blind, pragmatic, cluster randomised controlled trial and will recruit thirty-four wards across England that will be randomised to receive the new intervention plus treatment as usual, or treatment as usual only. Primary and secondary outcomes will be assessed at baseline and 6-month and 9-month follow-ups, with serious incidents on the ward collected at an additional 3-month follow-up. DISCUSSION: The key output will be a potentially effective and cost-effective ward-based psychological intervention that increases patient access to psychological therapy in inpatient settings, is feasible to deliver in inpatient settings and is acceptable to patients. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03950388. Registered 15th May 2019. https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03950388.


Assuntos
Esgotamento Profissional , Pessoas Mentalmente Doentes , Análise Custo-Benefício , Humanos , Saúde Mental , Método Simples-Cego
4.
Vet Anaesth Analg ; 49(6): 589-596, 2022 Nov.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36175294

RESUMO

OBJECTIVES: To record the success rate of veterinary professionals and students at identifying the pulse in conscious and anaesthetized dogs. To explore the influence of clinical experience, pulse location, anaesthesia and likely confounding variables on the success of pulse palpation. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective, observational, randomized study. ANIMALS: A total of 54 client-owned dogs scheduled for general anaesthesia. METHODS: For each dog, three participants (senior anaesthetist, anaesthesia resident/nurse, veterinary student/animal care assistant) attempted pulse palpation at three locations (femoral, radial and dorsal pedal pulse) in conscious and anaesthetized dogs. The time to pulse palpation was measured with a stopwatch for each attempt and data were modelled using a multivariate Cox regression survival analysis (significance p < 0.05). RESULTS: The overall success rate of pulse palpation was 77%, with a median time of 10.91 seconds (interquartile range 9.09 seconds). Success rate was lower in conscious dogs (67%) than in anaesthetized dogs (87%). There was a 77% lower likelihood of success at the radial than at the femoral pulse [hazard ratio (HR) 0.23, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.38-0.69, p < 0.001]. Veterinary students/animal care assistants had a 71% lower likelihood of success than senior anaesthetists (HR 0.29, 95% CI 0.22-0.39, p < 0.001). Age, weight and American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status had no significant influence. Premedication/anaesthetic drugs, heart rate or mean arterial pressure had no significant influence on the time to pulse palpation in anaesthetized dogs. The median time to palpation was less than 10 seconds for all experience groups at the femoral location. CONCLUSIONS: Palpation of the femoral location had the greatest likelihood of success with the least amount of time. Monitoring the femoral pulse during induction of anaesthesia is suggested as a method for confirming spontaneous circulation. Pulse palpation improves with clinical experience.


Assuntos
Anestésicos , Palpação , Cães , Animais , Frequência Cardíaca , Estudos Prospectivos , Palpação/métodos , Palpação/veterinária , Anestesia Geral/veterinária , Anestésicos/farmacologia
5.
Psychooncology ; 27(12): 2709-2716, 2018 12.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-30109738

RESUMO

OBJECTIVE: Identity formation is a key developmental milestone for adolescents and young adults (AYAs). Autobiographical memory and future-thinking are crucial cognitive processes underpinning this, which may be impacted by cancer experiences. We know little about how these processes might be related to AYAs' adjustment to cancer, quality of life (QoL), and mental health outcomes. METHODS: We examined autobiographical memory and future-thinking processes, and their relationship with mental health outcomes, among 77 AYA cancer survivors (Mage  = 22.3 years, 59.7% female), compared with 62 community-based controls (Mage  = 23.3 years, 50% female). Participants completed the Life Narratives Interview, Future Imaginings Task, measures assessing depression, anxiety, QoL, and cancer-related identity. We coded two facets of autobiographical thinking: thematic content and specificity. RESULTS: Relative to controls, survivors recounted more negative life narratives (P = .000). Survivors' memories and future lives were more health/illness-focused (P = .000) and they remembered past events with greater specificity (P = .007) than controls. In contrast, survivors imagined their future lives with less specificity than controls (P = .000). Regression analyses highlighted that being female, greater identification as a "cancer survivor," worse depression, and recent cancer treatment-completion significantly predicted maladaptive autobiographical thinking processes. CONCLUSIONS: These findings point to key modifiable cognitive processes relevant to AYAs' cancer-related adjustment and future mental health. To bolster resilience into longer-term survivorship, clinicians could adapt existing evidence-based, cognitive-behavioural interventions to assist AYAs to imagine future events in greater detail.


Assuntos
Sobreviventes de Câncer/psicologia , Memória Episódica , Saúde Mental , Neoplasias/psicologia , Qualidade de Vida/psicologia , Adolescente , Ansiedade/psicologia , Depressão/psicologia , Feminino , Humanos , Masculino , Rememoração Mental , Narração , Adulto Jovem
6.
Age Ageing ; 47(5): 741-745, 2018 09 01.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-29796590

RESUMO

Objective: to describe differences in care and 30-day mortality of patients admitted with hip fracture on weekends (Saturday-Sunday) compared to weekdays (Monday-Friday), and their relationship to the organisation of care. Methods: data came from the National Hip Fracture Database (NHFD) linked to ONS mortality data on 52,599 patients presenting to 162 units in England between 1 January and 31 December 2014. This was combined with information on geriatrician staffing and major trauma centre (MTC) status. 30-day mortality and care were compared for patients admitted at weekends and weekdays; separately for patients treated in units grouped by the mean level of input by geriatricians, weekend geriatrician clinical cover and MTC status. Differences were adjusted for variation in patients' characteristics. Results: there was no evidence of differences in 30-day mortality between patients admitted at weekends compared to weekdays (7.2 vs 7.5%, P = 0.3) before or after adjusting for patient characteristics in either MTCs or general hospitals. The proportion receiving a preoperative geriatrician assessment was lower at weekends (42.8 vs 60.7%, P < 0.001). 30-day mortality was lower in units with higher levels of geriatrician input, but there was no weekend mortality effect associated with lower levels of input or absence of weekend cover. Conclusion: there was no evidence of a weekend mortality effect among patients treated for hip fracture in the English NHS. It appears that clinical teams provide comparably safe and effective care throughout the week. However, greater geriatrician involvement in teams was associated with overall lower mortality.


Assuntos
Plantão Médico/organização & administração , Prestação Integrada de Cuidados de Saúde/organização & administração , Fixação de Fratura , Fraturas do Quadril/cirurgia , Avaliação de Processos e Resultados em Cuidados de Saúde/organização & administração , Admissão e Escalonamento de Pessoal/organização & administração , Medicina Estatal/organização & administração , Bases de Dados Factuais , Inglaterra/epidemiologia , Fixação de Fratura/efeitos adversos , Fixação de Fratura/mortalidade , Geriatras/organização & administração , Fraturas do Quadril/diagnóstico , Fraturas do Quadril/mortalidade , Humanos , Modelos Organizacionais , Equipe de Assistência ao Paciente/organização & administração , Segurança do Paciente , Medição de Risco , Fatores de Risco , Fatores de Tempo , Tempo para o Tratamento/organização & administração , Resultado do Tratamento
7.
Age Ageing ; 46(2): 187-192, 2017 03 01.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-27915229

RESUMO

Objectives: to describe the increase in orthogeriatrician involvement in hip fracture care in England and its association with improvements in time to surgery and mortality. Study design: analysis of Hospital Episode Statistics for 196,401 patients presenting with hip fracture to 150 hospitals in England between 1 April 2010 and 28 February 2014, combined with data on orthogeriatrician hours from a national organisational survey. Methods: we examined changes in the average number of hours worked by orthogeriatricians in orthopaedic departments per patient with hip fracture, and their potential effect on mortality within 30 days of presentation. The role of prompt surgery (on day of or day after presentation) was explored as a potential confounding factor. Associations were assessed using conditional Poisson regression models with adjustment for patients' sex, age and comorbidity and year, with hospitals treated as fixed effects. Results: between 2010 and 2013, there was an increase of 2.5 hours per patient in the median number of hours worked by orthogeriatricians-from 1.5 to 4.0 hours. An increase of 2.5 hours per patient was associated with a relative reduction in mortality of 3.4% (95% confidence interval 0.9% to 5.9%, P = 0.01). This corresponds to an absolute reduction of approximately 0.3%. Higher numbers of orthogeriatrician hours were associated with higher rates of prompt surgery, but were independently associated with lower mortality. Conclusion: in the context of initiatives to improve hip fracture care, we identified statistically significant and robust associations between increased orthogeriatrician hours per patient and reduced 30-day mortality.


Assuntos
Fixação de Fratura/mortalidade , Fixação de Fratura/tendências , Geriatras/tendências , Fraturas do Quadril/mortalidade , Fraturas do Quadril/cirurgia , Cirurgiões Ortopédicos/tendências , Padrões de Prática Médica/tendências , Fatores Etários , Idoso , Idoso de 80 Anos ou mais , Inglaterra/epidemiologia , Feminino , Fixação de Fratura/efeitos adversos , Fraturas do Quadril/diagnóstico , Humanos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Equipe de Assistência ao Paciente/tendências , Admissão e Escalonamento de Pessoal/tendências , Melhoria de Qualidade/tendências , Indicadores de Qualidade em Assistência à Saúde/tendências , Medição de Risco , Fatores de Risco , Fatores de Tempo , Tempo para o Tratamento/tendências , Resultado do Tratamento
8.
Child Psychiatry Hum Dev ; 46(2): 270-80, 2015 Apr.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-24801477

RESUMO

This longitudinal study examined psychopathology as an explanatory mechanism linking childhood violence exposure (CVE) to sexual risk in 177 African American girls recruited from mental health clinics serving low-income communities in Chicago. Beginning at average age 14, girls completed five interviews over 2 years and a sixth assessment including trauma history. CVE reflected sexual, physical, or witnessed violence before age 12. Latent growth modeling accounted for developmental change across the six time points. Externalizing, but not internalizing, symptoms mediated the pathway from CVE to number of partners (indirect effect = .16, 95 % CIBCBS = .04-.29) and inconsistent condom use (indirect effect = .11, CIBCBS = .004-.21). Externalizing problems associated with CVE may help to explain its relationship with sexual risk in low-income, treatment-seeking African American girls. Behavioral interventions addressing aggression, impulsivity, and general risk-taking may be most effective in reducing sexual risk in this population.


Assuntos
Exposição à Violência/psicologia , Transtornos Mentais/psicologia , Pobreza/psicologia , Assunção de Riscos , Comportamento Sexual/psicologia , Adolescente , Negro ou Afro-Americano , Chicago , Feminino , Humanos , Estudos Longitudinais , População Urbana
9.
J Youth Adolesc ; 44(4): 952-63, 2015 Apr.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-25698655

RESUMO

Adolescents' interpersonal skills are associated with fewer teen depressive symptoms and more positive parenting, but little is known about how teens' externalizing problems moderate these relationships. This study examines links among teens' interpersonal skills, parenting, and withdrawn-depressed symptoms in adolescents seeking outpatient psychiatric treatment with elevated or non-elevated externalizing problems. Adolescents (N = 346; 42 % female; 61 % African-American) ages 12-19 years old (M = 14.9; SD = 1.8) and parents completed assessments at baseline and 6 months. At baseline parents and teens reported on teen withdrawn-depressed and externalizing symptoms, and were observed interacting to assess teen interpersonal skills. At 6 months adolescents reported on parenting, and parents and teens reported on teen withdrawn-depressed symptoms. Structural equation modeling tested two models (one with teen reported symptoms and one with parent reported symptoms). Model fit was better for youth with elevated externalizing problems regardless of reporter. For youth with elevated externalizing problems, baseline teen positive interpersonal skills were not directly associated with 6-month withdrawn-depressed symptoms, but more positive parenting was associated with fewer withdrawn-depressed symptoms. In the teen report model, more positive teen interpersonal skills were associated with more positive parenting, and there was a trend for parenting to indirectly account for the relationship between interpersonal skills and withdrawn-depressed symptoms. The findings extend research on the role of externalizing problems in teens' depression risk. Interventions for depression that target interpersonal skills may be particularly effective in youth with elevated externalizing problems.


Assuntos
Comportamento do Adolescente/psicologia , Transtorno Depressivo/psicologia , Relações Pais-Filho , Pais/psicologia , Habilidades Sociais , Adolescente , Criança , Feminino , Humanos , Masculino , Serviços de Saúde Mental/estatística & dados numéricos , Adulto Jovem
10.
Arch Sex Behav ; 43(2): 335-44, 2014 Feb.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-23842784

RESUMO

Peers have a powerful effect on adolescents' beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors. Here, we examine the role of social networks in the spread of attitudes towards sexuality using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health). Although we found evidence that both sexual activity (OR = 1.79) and desire to have a romantic relationship (OR = 2.69) may spread from person to person, attraction to same sex partners did not spread (OR = 0.96). Analyses of comparable power to those that suggest positive and significant peer-to-peer influence in sexual behavior fail to demonstrate a significant relationship on sexual attraction between friends or siblings. These results suggest that peer influence has little or no effect on the tendency toward heterosexual or homosexual attraction in teens, and that sexual orientation is not transmitted via social networks.


Assuntos
Comportamento do Adolescente/psicologia , Grupo Associado , Parceiros Sexuais , Sexualidade , Adolescente , Feminino , Amigos , Humanos , Estudos Longitudinais , Masculino , National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health , Atrativos Sexuais , Comportamento Sexual , Rede Social , Apoio Social
11.
J Behav Med ; 37(6): 1091-101, 2014 Dec.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-24557448

RESUMO

Low-income, urban African American (AA) girls are at heightened risk for sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and violence exposure may be an important risk factor. AA girls (N = 177) from low-income communities in Chicago completed a 2-year longitudinal study of HIV-risk behavior involving five waves of data collection (ages 12-16 at baseline) and a sixth wave (ages 14-22) assessing lifetime trauma and victimization history. Childhood exposure to violence (CEV) represented reports of physical, sexual, or witnessed violence before age 12. Latent growth curve analysis examined CEV as a covariate of sexual experience, number of sexual partners, and inconsistent condom use trajectories. CEV was associated with greater sexual risk, although the pattern differed across the three outcomes. Overall, findings emphasize the need for early interventions to reduce sexual risk among low-income urban girls who have experienced violence. Efforts to address or prevent violence exposure may also reduce rates of STIs in this population.


Assuntos
Sobreviventes Adultos de Maus-Tratos Infantis/psicologia , Negro ou Afro-Americano/psicologia , Negro ou Afro-Americano/estatística & dados numéricos , Vítimas de Crime/psicologia , Pobreza/psicologia , Sexo sem Proteção/psicologia , Sexo sem Proteção/estatística & dados numéricos , Adolescente , Sobreviventes Adultos de Maus-Tratos Infantis/estatística & dados numéricos , Chicago/epidemiologia , Criança , Preservativos/tendências , Vítimas de Crime/estatística & dados numéricos , Feminino , Humanos , Pobreza/tendências , Medição de Risco , Infecções Sexualmente Transmissíveis/prevenção & controle , População Urbana/tendências , Adulto Jovem
12.
J Adolesc ; 37(7): 1133-42, 2014 Oct.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-25151645

RESUMO

OBJECTIVE: This study examined associations among family environment, coping, and emotional and conduct problems in adolescents attending therapeutic day schools due to mental health problems. METHODS: Adolescents (N = 417; 30.2% female) ages 13-20 (M = 15.25) reported on their family environment (affective involvement and functioning), coping (emotion-focused support-seeking, cognitive restructuring, avoidant actions), and emotional and conduct problems. RESULTS: Poorer family environment was associated with less emotion-focused support-seeking and cognitive restructuring, and more emotional and conduct problems. Emotional problems were negatively associated with cognitive restructuring, and conduct problems were negatively associated with all coping strategies. Cognitive restructuring accounted for the relationship between family environment and emotional problems. Cognitive restructuring and emotion-focused support-seeking each partially accounted for the relationship between family functioning and conduct problems, but not the relationship between family affective involvement and conduct problems. CONCLUSIONS: Findings implicate the role of coping in the relationship between family environment and adolescent mental health.


Assuntos
Adaptação Psicológica , Educação Inclusiva , Família/psicologia , Transtornos Mentais/psicologia , Adolescente , Feminino , Humanos , Masculino , Saúde Mental , Socialização , Adulto Jovem
13.
J Vet Intern Med ; 2024 May 23.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38779941

RESUMO

Management of immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) in dogs and cats is evolving, but there are no evidence-based guidelines to assist clinicians with treatment decisions. Likewise, the overall goals for treatment of ITP have not been established. Immunosuppressive doses of glucocorticoids are the first line treatment, but optimal treatment regimens beyond glucocorticoids remain uncertain. Additional options include secondary immunosuppressive drugs such as azathioprine, modified cyclosporine, and mycophenolate mofetil, usually selected based on clinician preference. Vincristine, human IV immunoglobulin (hIVIg), and transfusion of platelet or red blood cell-containing products are often used in more severe cases. Splenectomy and thrombopoietin receptor agonists are usually reserved for refractory cases, but when and in which patient these modalities should be employed is under debate. To develop evidence-based guidelines for individualized treatment of ITP patients, we asked 20 Population Intervention Comparison Outcome (PICO) format questions. These were addressed by 17 evidence evaluators using a literature pool of 288 articles identified by a structured search strategy. Evidence evaluators, using panel-designed templates and data extraction tools, summarized evidence and created guideline recommendations. These were integrated by treatment domain chairs and then refined by iterative Delphi survey review to reach consensus on the final guidelines. In addition, 19 non-PICO questions covering scenarios in which evidence was lacking or of low quality were answered by expert opinion using iterative Delphi surveys with panelist integration and refinement. Commentary was solicited from multiple relevant professional organizations before finalizing the consensus. The rigorous consensus process identified few comparative treatment studies, highlighting many areas of ITP treatment requiring additional studies. This statement is a companion manuscript to the ACVIM Consensus Statement on the Diagnosis of Immune Thrombocytopenia in Dogs and Cats.

14.
J Pediatr Psychol ; 38(8): 871-82, 2013 Sep.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-23667243

RESUMO

OBJECTIVES: Evaluate the factor structure of youth and maternal involvement ratings on the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Family Responsibility Questionnaire, a measure of family allocation of condition management responsibilities in pediatric inflammatory bowel disease. METHODS: Participants included 251 youth aged 11-18 years with inflammatory bowel disease and their mothers. Item-level descriptive analyses, subscale internal consistency estimates, and confirmatory factor analyses of youth and maternal involvement were conducted using a dyadic data-analytic approach. RESULTS: Results supported the validity of 4 conceptually derived subscales including general health maintenance, social aspects, condition management tasks, and nutrition domains. Additionally, results indicated adequate support for the factor structure of a 21-item youth involvement measure and strong support for a 16-item maternal involvement measure. CONCLUSIONS: Additional empirical support for the validity of the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Family Responsibility Questionnaire was provided. Future research to replicate current findings and to examine the measure's clinical utility is warranted.


Assuntos
Doenças Inflamatórias Intestinais/psicologia , Relações Mãe-Filho/psicologia , Mães/psicologia , Inquéritos e Questionários/normas , Adolescente , Adulto , Criança , Análise Fatorial , Feminino , Humanos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Psicometria/instrumentação
15.
BMC Public Health ; 13: 176, 2013 Feb 26.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-23442368

RESUMO

BACKGROUND: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is of increasing importance with about one in four people estimated to be diagnosed with COPD during their lifetime. None of the existing medications for COPD has been shown to have much effect on the long-term decline in lung function and there have been few recent pharmacotherapeutic advances. Identifying preventive interventions that can reduce the frequency and severity of exacerbations could have important public health benefits. The Warm Homes for Elder New Zealanders study is a community-based trial, designed to test whether a NZ$500 electricity voucher paid into the electricity account of older people with COPD, with the expressed aim of enabling them to keep their homes warm, results in reduced exacerbations and hospitalisation rates. It will also examine whether these subsidies are cost-beneficial. METHODS: Participants had a clinician diagnosis of COPD and had either been hospitalised or taken steroids or antibiotics for COPD in the previous three years; their median age was 71 years. Participants were recruited from three communities between 2009 to early 2011. Where possible, participants' houses were retrofitted with insulation. After baseline data were received, participants were randomised to either 'early' or 'late' intervention groups. The intervention was a voucher of $500 directly credited to the participants' electricity company account. Early group participants received the voucher the first winter they were enrolled in the study, late participants during the second winter. Objective measures included spirometry and indoor temperatures and subjective measures included questions about participant health and wellbeing, heating, medication and visits to health professionals. Objective health care usage data included hospitalisation and primary care visits. Assessments of electricity use were obtained through electricity companies using unique customer numbers. DISCUSSION: This community trial has successfully enrolled 522 older people with COPD. Baseline data showed that, despite having a chronic respiratory illness, participants are frequently cold in their houses and economise on heating. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The clinical trial registration is http://NCT01627418.


Assuntos
Serviços de Saúde Comunitária/métodos , Calefação , Habitação , Doença Pulmonar Obstrutiva Crônica/prevenção & controle , Idoso , Idoso de 80 Anos ou mais , Serviços de Saúde Comunitária/economia , Análise Custo-Benefício , Eletricidade , Feminino , Calefação/economia , Hospitalização/estatística & dados numéricos , Humanos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Nova Zelândia , Avaliação de Programas e Projetos de Saúde , Projetos de Pesquisa
16.
Women Health ; 53(4): 384-404, 2013.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-23751092

RESUMO

OBJECTIVE: This study examined relationships between sexual abuse and patterns of sexual risk-taking among low-income, urban African American adolescent girls seeking mental health treatment. METHOD: Participants (N = 158) were 12- to 16-year-old African American girls recruited from outpatient mental health clinics serving urban, mostly low-socioeconomic status communities in Chicago, Illinois and followed for two years between 2003 and 2010. This study included self-reports of sexual abuse and four waves (T2-T5) of self-reported data on sexual experience and sexual risk-taking (number of partners, inconsistent condom use, and sex with a risky partner). Latent curve modeling was used to examine patterns of sexual behavior over the four time points with sexual abuse and mental health symptoms as covariates. RESULTS: Sexual abuse was significantly associated with T2 sexual experience, T2-T4 number of partners, T3 inconsistent condom use, and T2-T3 having a risky partner. These relationships decreased when mental health symptoms were controlled. CONCLUSIONS: This longitudinal study revealed a complex relationship between sexual abuse and sexual risk that would be missed if sexual risk were assessed at a single time point. Findings supported early intervention to delay onset of sexual risk behavior among low-income African American girls with mental health concerns and histories of sexual abuse.


Assuntos
Negro ou Afro-Americano/psicologia , Preservativos/estatística & dados numéricos , Transtornos Mentais/psicologia , Saúde Mental/etnologia , Assunção de Riscos , Delitos Sexuais/etnologia , Comportamento Sexual/etnologia , Adolescente , Chicago/epidemiologia , Criança , Feminino , Seguimentos , Humanos , Transtornos Mentais/terapia , Pobreza , Autorrelato , Delitos Sexuais/psicologia , Parceiros Sexuais , Fatores Socioeconômicos , População Urbana , Populações Vulneráveis
18.
Int J Drug Policy ; 122: 104220, 2023 Dec.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37806073

RESUMO

BACKGROUND: This paper reports on the first qualitative study to interview people prescribed cannabis in the UK. Cannabis is a class B controlled substance under the 1971 Misuse of Drugs (MoD) Act, but a 2018 change to UK regulations provided for the prescription of cannabis for medical purposes. Relatively few people have been able to access a prescription, despite this policy change. This paper examines their experiences. METHODS: Qualitative, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 24 people with a prescription for cannabis, or their carers. Data was analysed using a reflextive thematic analysis approach. The findings are discussed using a zemiology (social harms) perspective which provides a language for critical reflection on the current cannabis policy context. RESULTS: All participants reported that cannabis had significantly improved their mental and/or physical health, across a broad range of conditions. Many had been able to reduce their use of conventional medicines and reported that cannabis had relatively few side effects. Despite the potentially life-enhancing benefits of cannabis medicine, patients in the UK face multiple barriers to access. These include a lack of funding streams, bureaucratic supply problems, and a lack of training for doctors and police. Even for the few people able to obtain a prescription, the ongoing criminalisation of cannabis in the UK contributed to their experiences of stigmatisation. This often made it difficult and anxiety-inducing to take their medicine in public spaces. CONCLUSION: The UK government's lack of implementation of medical cannabis legalisation, combined with their ongoing prohibition position, is producing multiple harms to people who need cannabis medicine. The policy context is perpetuating stigmatising attitudes to cannabis which, as we demonstrate, contribute to social harms. We make recommendations on equality of patient access, and highlight the importance of education and policy change as means of combatting stigma.


Assuntos
Cannabis , Usuários de Drogas , Alucinógenos , Maconha Medicinal , Humanos , Maconha Medicinal/uso terapêutico , Agonistas de Receptores de Canabinoides , Reino Unido
19.
Methods Mol Biol ; 2614: 187-235, 2023.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36587127

RESUMO

With recent advances in cancer therapeutics, there is a great need for improved imaging methods for characterizing cancer onset and progression in a quantitative and actionable way. Collagen, the most abundant extracellular matrix protein in the tumor microenvironment (and the body in general), plays a multifaceted role, both hindering and promoting cancer invasion and progression. Collagen deposition can defend the tumor with immunosuppressive effects, while aligned collagen fiber structures can enable tumor cell migration, aiding invasion and metastasis. Given the complex role of collagen fiber organization and topology, imaging has been a tool of choice to characterize these changes on multiple spatial scales, from the organ and tumor scale to cellular and subcellular level. Macroscale density already aids in the detection and diagnosis of solid cancers, but progress is being made to integrate finer microscale features into the process. Here we review imaging modalities ranging from optical methods of second harmonic generation (SHG), polarized light microscopy (PLM), and optical coherence tomography (OCT) to the medical imaging approaches of ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). These methods have enabled scientists and clinicians to better understand the impact collagen structure has on the tumor environment, at both the bulk scale (density) and microscale (fibrillar structure) levels. We focus on imaging methods with the potential to both examine the collagen structure in as natural a state as possible and still be clinically amenable, with an emphasis on label-free strategies, exploiting intrinsic optical properties of collagen fibers.


Assuntos
Neoplasias , Microambiente Tumoral , Humanos , Colágenos Fibrilares/química , Diagnóstico por Imagem , Colágeno/metabolismo , Matriz Extracelular/metabolismo , Neoplasias/diagnóstico por imagem , Neoplasias/metabolismo
20.
Perspect Med Educ ; 12(1): 76-85, 2023.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36937801

RESUMO

Background: Deep reflective practice is important in healthcare education to allow students to explore emotions associated with the learning experience, access deeper learning and develop their personal and professional identity. Previous research demonstrated that the current methods of reflective practice using logbooks at the end of a clinical session to facilitate reflection within this setting were viewed as suboptimal by staff and student users. To address this problem co-creation, or a 'students as partners' approach, was used to develop and implement a comprehensive intervention to facilitate deep reflection for undergraduate dental students. This included the production of educational resources, and development of an online safe space to reflect. Approach: In this paper we discuss the process of using co-creation with undergraduate dental students as a research methodology to successfully produce curricular change with respect to reflective practice by involving the voice and experience of student partners. These student partners were part of a team that included researchers and teaching staff and worked with other stakeholders within the institution within a wider team. Evaluation: This paper demonstrates the positive benefits of using co-creation with undergraduate dental students for students such as increased confidence, developing professional and personal skills and impacting meaningful change. Reflection: For researchers and educators, the process gave motivation and enjoyment in curricular development to address pedagogical problems and ensured that the developed intervention was sustainable and appropriate. The paper discusses benefits and challenges of co-creation to develop curricular change. This co-creation approach is recommended for solving similar problems in healthcare education.


Assuntos
Aprendizagem , Estudantes de Odontologia , Humanos , Estudantes de Odontologia/psicologia , Motivação , Atenção à Saúde , Emoções
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