Abstract
Despite established benefits, colorectal cancer (CRC) screening is underutilized among Latinos/Hispanics. We conducted a pilot 2-arm randomized controlled trial evaluating efficacy of two ...intervention conditions on CRC screening uptake among Latinos receiving care in community clinics. Participants (N = 76) were aged 50–75, most were foreign-born, preferred to receive their health information in Spanish, and not up-to-date with CRC screening. Participants were randomized to either a culturally linguistically targeted Spanish-language fotonovela booklet and DVD intervention plus fecal immunochemical test FIT (the LCARES, Latinos Colorectal Cancer Awareness, Research, Education and Screening intervention group); or a non-targeted intervention that included a standard Spanish-language booklet plus FIT (comparison group). Measures assessed socio-demographic variables, health literacy, CRC screening behavior, awareness and beliefs. Overall, FIT uptake was 87%, exceeding the National Colorectal Cancer Roundtable’s goal of 80% by 2018. The LCARES intervention group had higher FIT uptake than did the comparison group (90% versus 83%), albeit not statistically significant (P = 0.379). The LCARES intervention group was associated with greater increases in CRC awareness (P = 0.046) and susceptibility (P = 0.013). In contrast, cancer worry increased more in the comparison group (P = 0.045). Providing educational materials and a FIT kit to Spanish-language preferring Latinos receiving care in community clinics is a promising strategy to bolster CRC screening uptake to meet national targets.
Calcified lesions often lead to difficulty achieving optimal stent expansion. OPN non-compliant (NC) is a twin layer balloon with high rated burst pressure that may modify calcium effectively.
...Retrospective, multicenter registry in patients undergoing optical coherence tomography (OCT) guided intervention with OPN NC. Superficial calcification with > 180o arc and > 0.5 mm thickness, and/or nodular calcification with > 90o arc were included. OCT was performed in all cases before and after OPN NC, and after intervention. Primary efficacy endpoints were frequency of expansion (EXP) ≥80 % of the mean reference lumen area and mean final EXP by OCT, and secondary endpoints were calcium fractures (CF), and EXP ≥90 %.
50 cases were included; 25 (50 %) superficial, and 25 (50 %) nodular. Calcium score of 4 in 42 (84 %) cases and 3 in 8 (16 %). OPN NC was used alone, or after other devices if further modification was needed, NC in 27 (54 %), cutting in 29 (58 %), scoring in 1 (2 %), IVL in 2 (4 %); or if non-crossable lesion, rotablation in 5 (10 %) cases. EXP ≥80 % was achieved in 40 (80 %) cases with mean final EXP post intervention of 85.7 % ± 8.9. CF were documented in 49 (98 %) cases; multiple in 37 (74 %). There were 1 flow limiting dissection requiring stent deployment and 3 non-cardiovascular related deaths in 6 months follow-up. No records of perforation, no-reflow or other major adverse events.
Among patients with heavy calcified lesions undergoing OCT guided intervention with OPN NC, acceptable expansion was achieved in most cases without procedure related complications.
•OPN NC could be considered as a dedicated, efficient, and safe device for calcium modification in severe calcified lesions.•Our registry revealed that acceptable expansion was achieved in most cases without significant procedural complications.•Calcium fractures are the main plaque modification mechanism distributed circumferential and longitudinally.•The OPN NC balloon provided the largest calcified plaque modification among the devices that were used in this registry.
Abstract
Arab countries are doubly burdened with undernutrition as well as overweight and obesity. To provide guidance to those looking to address concerns of obesity and overweight among children in ...this region, the current review bridges an existing knowledge gap and systematically characterizes and evaluates the available scientific evidence pertaining to school-based nutrition interventions completed to date across the Arab world. Using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines and relevant keywords, terms and phrases, a search of the literature across 14 databases for school-based nutrition interventions implemented in this region was conducted. Out of 1568 articles from 14 databases, 38 full-text articles meeting the inclusion criteria were retrieved. Further assessment for eligibility excluded 23 articles and included one article from hand-searching references, leaving 16 articles in the final analysis. Most articles (n = 7) with the implementation of 5 months or longer found strong positive and significant impacts on limiting sweets consumption, increased dietary knowledge, self-efficacy, breakfast and fruit and vegetable consumption, among others. We also found evidence (n = 5) that teachers trained by experts such as dietitians and pediatricians can effectively implement nutrition interventions that achieve the intended outcomes. Training teachers to implement theory-based nutrition and health promotion curricula serves as a potential solution to improving nutrition knowledge, health behaviors and dietary practices among children living in Arab countries. Appropriately designed and implemented nutrition interventions can positively impact nutrition knowledge, health and diet-related behaviors in children and adolescents in this region.
The synthesis of LaCrO3 fine powders and its solid solutions doped with calcium under hydrothermal conditions and the sintering of these powders were investigated. Precursor alkaline coprecipitated ...lanthanum chromite gels with three different compositions: LaCrO3, La0.9Ca0.1CrO3 and La0.8Ca0.2CrO3, were processed under hydrothermal conditions at low temperatures (350-425 C), for a reaction time between 30 and 120 min. Powders of a single phase with orthorhombic structure of LaCrO3, La0.9Ca0.1CrO3 and La0.8Ca0.2CrO3 were obtained at temperatures as low as 350, 400 and 425 C, respectively, for a short reaction interval of 1 h. SEM and TEM showed that particles with an irregular morphology and an average size of 300 nm were mainly obtained under hydrothermal conditions. The powders were pressed by cold isostatic pressing at 200 MPa, and then sintered in air at temperatures of 1200-1500 C for various intervals (1 to 5 h). A maximum apparent density of 97.7% was achieved for specimens with high calcium content, La0.8Ca0.2CrO3, at 1400 C for 5 h. The average grain size of sintered specimens was 6 micron. 24 refs.
Monoclinic (Celsian) and hexagonal (Hexacelsian) Ba
1−
x
Sr
x
Al
2Si
2O
8 solid solutions, where
x
=
0, 0.25, 0.375, 0.5, 0.75 or 1, were synthesized by using Coal Fly Ash (CFA) as main raw material, ...employing a simple one-step solid-state reaction process involving thermal treatment for 5
h at 850–1300
°C. Fully monoclinic Celsian was obtained at 1200
°C/5
h, for SrO contents of 0.25
≤
x
≤
0.75. However, an optimum SrO level of 0.25
≤
x
≤
0.375 was recommended for the stabilization of Celsian. These synthesis conditions represent a significant improvement over the higher temperatures, longer times and/or multi-step processes needed to obtain fully monoclinic Celsian, when other raw materials are used for this purpose, according to previous literature. These results were attributed to the role of the chemical and phase constitution of CFA as well as to a likely mineralizing effect of CaO and TiO
2 present in it, which enhanced the Hexacelsian to Celsian conversion.
Understanding the microbial ecology of drinking water systems is crucial to delivering safe water. Intermittent water supply is a substandard water service that is common around the world; however, ...we do not yet understand how this service influences the communities of microorganisms in distribution systems. We used rRNA gene metabarcoding alongside traditional measurements of water quality to assess bacterial diversity and structure in a neotropical drinking water system with continuous and intermittent supply. We sampled from source and treated water before distribution at three drinking water treatment plants, household taps across the distribution network, and in an intermittent supply zone immediately after supply restarted and 24 hours after. Each treatment plant had a diverse microbiome, dominated by Proteobacteria; treatment and distribution changed the diversity and composition of bacterial communities. Communities differed at the start of IWS supply and 24 hours after, and several taxa were only found in first flush samples, suggesting intrusion of new bacteria into pipes or regrowth of bacteria between supply cycles.
Pseudomonas
was found to be more common in IWS samples than elsewhere in the network. Unique taxa found only at the restart of IWS service have the potential to be used as indicators of intrusion in future research.
Important changes in water bacterial communities were found across different stages of a drinking water system with intermittent water supply (IWS).
Reporting on the International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium study results from 2015 to 2020, conducted in 630 intensive care units across 123 cities in 45 countries spanning Africa, Asia, ...Eastern Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East.
Prospective intensive care unit patient data collected via International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium Surveillance Online System. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/National Health Care Safety Network definitions applied for device-associated health care-associated infections (DA-HAI).
We gathered data from 204,770 patients, 1,480,620 patient days, 936,976 central line (CL)-days, 637,850 mechanical ventilators (MV)-days, and 1,005,589 urinary catheter (UC)-days. Our results showed 4,270 CL-associated bloodstream infections, 7,635 ventilator-associated pneumonia, and 3,005 UC-associated urinary tract infections. The combined rates of DA-HAIs were 7.28%, and 10.07 DA-HAIs per 1,000 patient days. CL-associated bloodstream infections occurred at 4.55 per 1,000 CL-days, ventilator-associated pneumonias at 11.96 per 1,000 MV-days, and UC-associated urinary tract infections at 2.91 per 1,000 UC days. In terms of resistance, Pseudomonas aeruginosa showed 50.73% resistance to imipenem, 44.99% to ceftazidime, 37.95% to ciprofloxacin, and 34.05% to amikacin. Meanwhile, Klebsiella spp had resistance rates of 48.29% to imipenem, 72.03% to ceftazidime, 61.78% to ciprofloxacin, and 40.32% to amikacin. Coagulase-negative Staphylococci and Staphylococcus aureus displayed oxacillin resistance in 81.33% and 53.83% of cases, respectively.
The high rates of DA-HAI and bacterial resistance emphasize the ongoing need for continued efforts to control them.
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