Overview of conditions seen on a Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College outreach to the Dominican Republic.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to gather information on conditions seen, treatments rendered, and referrals made during a Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College outreach to the Dominican Republic serving those in need. METHODS: Data was extracted from templated patient files retrospectively. RESULTS: Spinal, extremity and other/whole body chief complaints accounted for 71.79%, 24.64% and 3.57% respectively in patients ranging in age from 1.5 to 106 years whose data was collected. Mechanical pain accounted for 95.07% of all cervical, 96.81% of thoracic and 91.27% of lumbar spine diagnoses. Various non-mechanical conditions were also encountered.Manual therapy was performed in 96.10% of cases. Twenty referrals were made to urgent care, six to a World Spine Care clinic and 46 for further investigation, including local medical doctors or surgery. CONCLUSION: This study reports empirical data collected from an 11-day outreach to the Dominican Republic that provided otherwise unattainable chiropractic care for musculoskeletal complaints.

OBJECTIF: Cette étude vise à recueillir des données sur les conditions observées, les traitements administrés et les renvois effectués pendant la mission d'un établissement d'enseignement de la chiropratique en République dominicaine, au service des personnes dans le besoin. MÉTHODOLOGIE: Les données ont été extraites de dossiers de patients. RÉSULTATS: Les principaux symptômes des patients étaient des douleurs à la colonne vertébrale, aux extrémités et à toutes les parties du corps; elles étaient apparues respectivement chez 71,79 %, 24,64 % et 3,57 % des patients âgés de 1,5 à 106 ans. La douleur mécanique comptait pour 95,07 % de tous les symptômes cervicaux, 96,81 % des douleurs thoraciques et 91,27 % des douleurs lombaires. Divers troubles non mécaniques étaient aussi observés.Des thérapies manuelles ont été pratiquées dans 96,1 % des cas. Vingt patients ont été orientés vers des établissements de soins d'urgence; 6 vers une clinique World Spine Care et 46 vers des médecins de la région pour subir d'autres examens, ou une intervention chirurgicale. CONCLUSION: Cette étude rend compte des données empiriques recueillies au cours d'une mission de 11 jours en République dominicaine au cours de laquelle des soins chiropratiques ont été offerts à des patients qui autrement n'auraient pas pu en bénéficier.

Can a Single Trial of a Thoracolumbar Myofascial Release Technique Reduce Pain and Disability in Chronic Low Back Pain? A Randomized Balanced Crossover Study.

Although manual therapy for pain relief has been used as an adjunct in treatments for chronic low back pain (CLBP), there is still the belief that a single session of myofascial release would be effective. This study was a crossover clinical trial aimed to investigate whether a single session of a specific myofascial release technique reduces pain and disability in subjects with CLBP. 41 participants over 18 years old were randomly enrolled into 3 situations in a balanced and crossover manner: experimental, placebo, and control. The subjects underwent a single session of myofascial release on thoracolumbar fascia and the results were compared with the control and placebo groups. The outcomes, pain and functionality, were evaluated using the numerical pain rating scale (NPRS), pressure pain threshold (PPT), and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI). There were no effects between-tests, within-tests, nor for interaction of all the outcomes, i.e., NPRS (η 2 = 0.32, F = 0.48, p = 0.61), PPT (η2 = 0.73, F = 2.80, p = 0.06), ODI (η2 = 0.02, F = 0.02, p = 0.97). A single trial of a thoracolumbar myofascial release technique was not enough to reduce pain intensity and disability in subjects with CLBP.

Distance Management of Spinal Disorders During the COVID-19 Pandemic and Beyond: Evidence-Based Patient and Clinician Guides From the Global Spine Care Initiative.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has greatly limited patients' access to care for spine-related symptoms and disorders. However, physical distancing between clinicians and patients with spine-related symptoms is not solely limited to restrictions imposed by pandemic-related lockdowns. In most low- and middle-income countries, as well as many underserved marginalized communities in high-income countries, there is little to no access to clinicians trained in evidence-based care for people experiencing spinal pain. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to describe the development and present the components of evidence-based patient and clinician guides for the management of spinal disorders where in-person care is not available. METHODS: Ultimately, two sets of guides were developed (one for patients and one for clinicians) by extracting information from the published Global Spine Care Initiative (GSCI) papers. An international, interprofessional team of 29 participants from 10 countries on 4 continents participated. The team included practitioners in family medicine, neurology, physiatry, rheumatology, psychology, chiropractic, physical therapy, and yoga, as well as epidemiologists, research methodologists, and laypeople. The participants were invited to review, edit, and comment on the guides in an open iterative consensus process. RESULTS: The Patient Guide is a simple 2-step process. The first step describes the nature of the symptoms or concerns. The second step provides information that a patient can use when considering self-care, determining whether to contact a clinician, or considering seeking emergency care. The Clinician Guide is a 5-step process: (1) Obtain and document patient demographics, location of primary clinical symptoms, and psychosocial information. (2) Review the symptoms noted in the patient guide. (3) Determine the GSCI classification of the patient's spine-related complaints. (4) Ask additional questions to determine the GSCI subclassification of the symptom pattern. (5) Consider appropriate treatment interventions. CONCLUSIONS: The Patient and Clinician Guides are designed to be sufficiently clear to be useful to all patients and clinicians, irrespective of their location, education, professional qualifications, and experience. However, they are comprehensive enough to provide guidance on the management of all spine-related symptoms or disorders, including triage for serious and specific diseases. They are consistent with widely accepted evidence-based clinical practice guidelines. They also allow for adequate documentation and medical record keeping. These guides should be of value during periods of government-mandated physical or social distancing due to infectious diseases, such as during the COVID-19 pandemic. They should also be of value in underserved communities in high-, middle-, and low-income countries where there is a dearth of accessible trained spine care clinicians. These guides have the potential to reduce the overutilization of unnecessary and expensive interventions while empowering patients to self-manage uncomplicated spinal pain with the assistance of their clinician, either through direct in-person consultation or via telehealth communication.

Evaluación de la espiritualidad en pacientes con duelo utilizando la terapia de aceptación y compromiso en la Clínica de Duelo por Suicidio del Centro Universitario de Ciencias de la Salud de la Universidad de Guadalajara, México / Evaluation of complicated spiritual grief in patients with loss of results in acceptance and commitment therapy at the suicide clinic of the CUCS / Avaliação da espiritualidade em pacientes enlutados em processo terapéutico de aceitação e compromisso na Clínica de luto por suicídio do Centro Universitário de Ciências da Saúde da Universidade de Guadalajara

Introducción. El apego se define como aquel vínculo significativo que se establece entre personas. Cuando este se rompe, ocurre lo que se denomi-na una pérdida significativa seguida de un proceso de duelo, el cual con-siste en una reacción de dolor natural ante el desprendimiento de algo o de alguien. Durante este proceso, la espiritualidad es una estrategia central para sobreponerse a una experiencia dolorosa; sin embargo, esta también puede verse afectada por los significados que se le atribuyen. La terapia de aceptación y compromiso se emplea en distintos desórdenes psicológicos que involucran la evitación experiencial, incluyendo el duelo.Objetivo. Evaluar el duelo complicado espiritual en pacientes tratados con terapia de aceptación y compromiso, antes y después de la intervención.Materiales y métodos. Se aplicó el cuestionario Inventory of Complicated Spiritual Grief a pacientes con duelo antes y después de ser tratados con terapia de aceptación y compromiso en la Clínica del Duelo del Cen-tro Universitario de Ciencias de la Salud de la Universidad de Guadalaja-ra, México.Resultados y conclusiones. La terapia de aceptación y compromiso ha de-mostrado ser útil en el proceso del duelo, así como en el restablecimiento de la espiritualidad, toda vez que esta es resignificada y da sentido a las experiencias dolorosas.Palabras clave: Duelo; Apego; Espiritualidad; Terapia de aceptación y compromiso.

Introduction: Attachment refers to the significant bond we establish with a person, when this is broken, what we call a significant loss occurs, followed by a grieving process: natural pain reaction to the detachment of something or someone who had a It was worth it During this, spirituality appears as a cen-tral strategy to overcome painful experiences, but it can also be affected by the meanings attributed to it. Acceptance and commitment therapy has been used in different psychological disorders that involve experiential avoidance, including grief.Objectives: The central objective of the study is to evaluate the complicated spiritual duel. Material and methods: The Inven-tory of Complicated Spiritual Grief (ICSG) was applied in pa-tients with grief, before and after being treated with Acceptance and Commitment Therapy in the grief clinic of the University Center of Health Sciences.Results and Conclusions: Acceptance Therapy and commitment has proven to be useful in facilitating the elaboration of grief, as well as in restoring spirituality since it is resignified and gives meaning to painful experiences.

Introdução. O apego refere-se ao vínculo significativo estabe-lecido entre pessoas, se vier a quebrar acontece uma perda significativa, seguida de um processo de luto que envolve uma reação natural de dor ao desapego. Durante esse processo, a espiritualidade é uma estratégia central para superar uma expe-riência dolorosa, no entanto, esteja afetada pelos significados atribuídos a ela. A Terapia de aceitação e comprometimento é usada em várias circunsatâncias que envolvem evasão expe-riencial, incluindo luto.Objetivo. O principal objetivo do estudo é avaliar o luto com-plicado espiritual.Materiais e métodos. O questionário Inventory of Complicated Spiritual Grief foi aplicado em pacientes com perdas significa-tivas, antes e depois de serem tratados com a Terapia de acei-tação e compromisso na clínica de luto do Centro Universidade de Ciências da Saúde da Universidade de Guadalajara.Resultados e conclusões. Terapia de aceitação e compromisso mostrou ser útil no processo de luto, bem como na restauração da espiritualidade, uma vez que é ressignificada e dá sentido à experiências dolorosas

Association of Venous Leg Ulcers With Ankle Range of Motion in People Attending Chiropractic Mobile Clinics in the Dominican Republic.

OBJECTIVE: The goal of the study was to determine if there was an association between chronic venous disorders (CVDs), particularly venous leg ulcers, and ankle range of motion (ROM) in the Dominican Republic. METHODS: Chronic venous disorders were classified using the clinical manifestations portion (C) of the CEAP (clinical manifestations, etiology, anatomy, pathophysiology) method. The legs of participants attending mobile chiropractic clinics in rural, low-income areas in the Dominican Republic were assessed for clinical signs of CVD and venous ulcers. Ankle ROM was then measured, and photographs of the legs were taken. The 6 clinical stages of CVD were divided into 3 groups: normal legs (normal), no ulcer CVD, and ulcer CVD (healed and active). Multiple linear regression of ankle ROM against CVD grouping was used to test the association. RESULTS: Eight of the 837 patients for whom CVD classification was obtained had venous ulcers (healed or active) on at least 1 leg. About 30% relative reduction in ROM (ankle dorsiflexion plus plantar flexion) was observed between the ulcer group and the normal group. Regression analysis comparing legs with ulcers to healthy legs (normal), adjusted for age, gender, indicator for obesity, and previous leg trauma, revealed a significant decrease of approximately 14° (P = .0007) in ankle ROM. Age was also found to be strongly significant in the regression analysis, 1 year of aging was associated with a decrease of 0.16° (P < .0001) in ankle ROM (approximately 1.6° in 10 years). CONCLUSION: A significant decrease was observed in ankle ROM for participants with active and healed leg venous ulcers compared with those without ulcers. There appeared to be an association between venous leg ulcers and ankle ROM in this sample.

Identification of a New Class of Antifungals Targeting the Synthesis of Fungal Sphingolipids.

UNLABELLED: Recent estimates suggest that >300 million people are afflicted by serious fungal infections worldwide. Current antifungal drugs are static and toxic and/or have a narrow spectrum of activity. Thus, there is an urgent need for the development of new antifungal drugs. The fungal sphingolipid glucosylceramide (GlcCer) is critical in promoting virulence of a variety of human-pathogenic fungi. In this study, we screened a synthetic drug library for compounds that target the synthesis of fungal, but not mammalian, GlcCer and found two compounds [N'-(3-bromo-4-hydroxybenzylidene)-2-methylbenzohydrazide (BHBM) and its derivative, 3-bromo-N'-(3-bromo-4-hydroxybenzylidene) benzohydrazide (D0)] that were highly effective in vitro and in vivo against several pathogenic fungi. BHBM and D0 were well tolerated in animals and are highly synergistic or additive to current antifungals. BHBM and D0 significantly affected fungal cell morphology and resulted in the accumulation of intracellular vesicles. Deep-sequencing analysis of drug-resistant mutants revealed that four protein products, encoded by genes APL5, COS111, MKK1, and STE2, which are involved in vesicular transport and cell cycle progression, are targeted by BHBM. IMPORTANCE: Fungal infections are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Current antifungal drugs suffer from various drawbacks, including toxicity, drug resistance, and narrow spectrum of activity. In this study, we have demonstrated that pharmaceutical inhibition of fungal glucosylceramide presents a new opportunity to treat cryptococcosis and various other fungal infections. In addition to being effective against pathogenic fungi, the compounds discovered in this study were well tolerated by animals and additive to current antifungals. These findings suggest that these drugs might pave the way for the development of a new class of antifungals.