Substance-related disorders (SRD) have been consistently associated with alterations both in cognitive and executive functions, which affect to patients' quality of life. The main objective of this ...work was to test the beneficial cognitive effects on patients with SRD after the implementation of "Trisquel," an intervention program in board game format. To check the effectiveness of Trisquel program, a group of people diagnosed with SRD was randomly assigned either to the experimental group or to the control group. The experimental group performed Trisquel structured sessions twice a week during 3 months, while the control group performed routinely conventional therapeutic activities with the same frequency and duration. Neuropsychological tests were done to both groups before and after the intervention. After the 3 months of intervention the experimental group showed the following statistically significant improvements for WAIS-III subtests: number key, symbol search, arithmetic, direct digits, inverse digits, total digits, letters-numbers in the processing speed index and in the working memory index. Regarding STROOP tests, statistically significant progress was observed in the phonetic fluency letter P, phonetic fluency letter M, phonetic fluency letter R subtests, word-reading and word-color subtests. The control group only obtained improvements for WAIS-III subtests of arithmetic, letters-numbers and in the working memory index. The results of this study confirm that "Trisquel" is an effective intervention program for people diagnosed with SRD, getting improvements in processing speed (psychomotor and reading), attentional subprocesses (focused and sustained) and executive functions (updating and inhibition).
Fique is a biodegradable natural fiber derived from the Colombian Agavaceae family, originating in tropical America and traditionally used for the manufacture of packaging and cordages. Today, ...however, new uses are being developed. To meet the need for new good-quality, sustainable, low-cost construction materials for social housing, construction materials have been produced that combine different kinds of natural fibers, including fique, to improve their strength and physical properties. To assess these potential new construction materials made with fique fiber, we have characterized samples of different grammages and thicknesses manufactured using short fique fibers extracted from long fibers. We have measured the sound absorption coefficient at normal incidence in an impedance tube, air flow resistivity, and thermal conductivity as a function of grammage.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Severe asthma has an important impact on patients and healthcare resources. Recently, the new specific treatments have defined a new scenario in which person-focused care and specialist ...multidisciplinary teams are necessary. Our Severe Asthma Unit (SAU) started the ASfarMA project along with an external human-centered design company to understand patients’ vision of their illness, treatment, and healthcare experience, and to define the ideal SAU by performing a core group session, in-depth semistructured interviews and co-creation workshop. Herein, a series of tips classified as either ‘transformative solutions’ or ‘quick wins’, according to a value versus effort matrix are presented. Successful implementation of the proposed solutions will be valuable for patients and healthcare professionals, optimising patient care and resources. These findings can also be helpful to other SAUs or other humanisation projects involving complex, chronic and multidisciplinary pathologies.
Abstract
Introduction
Awareness of the importance of SM among trainees at our IM Training Program (IMTP) has not been documented, despite the high prevalence of Sleep Disordered Breathing (SDB) ...within our clinical population. Recently, the Indiana University Sleep Questionnaire (IUSQ) was administered to quantify the perception of SM in IM residents.
Methods
We administered the IUSQ questionnaire through an anonymous computer survey sample of IM residents at our ACGME accredited IMTP.
Results
A total of 52/61 (85%) residents from the Veterans Administration Caribbean Health Care System (VACHS) IMTP participated. There were 18 PGY-1, 16 PGY-2, 15 PGY-3 and 3 PGY-4 residents whom the majority strongly agreed or agreed that the burden of SDB was large in the general population (63% & 35%), that it is important for their training (48% & 46%) and for their general practice (54% & 38%). They were mostly neutral or disagreed about getting adequate training in SDB during residency (38% & 40%). The majority strongly agreed or agreed that sleep specialist is needed for managing SDB (27% & 48%) and 9.6% disagreed with this. Many do not have interest in pursuing a sleep medicine fellowship answering neutral, disagree and strongly disagree (23%, 38% &23%). The majority strongly agree and agree that a sleep fellowship is important in treating sleep disorders (48% & 33%). The residents are mostly neutral or disagree when it comes to their confidence in treating sleep apnea (40% & 48%) and treating other sleep disorders (46% & 38%).
Conclusion
Despite the high prevalence of SDB in the population they manage, residents do not feel they are getting enough training in the management of sleep disorders. They acknowledge the importance of SM education for the latter purpose, but the majority does not want to pursue formal subspecialty training in SM. In addition, they do not feel comfortable managing SDB and other sleep disorders. Interestingly this mismatch between burden of disease and the need for disease management proficiency is similar to one found previously in a different resident population to which the same IUSQ was administered. An educational approach toward residents may furtherly change these perceptions.
Support (if any)
La interpretación diagnóstica en la práctica del trabajo social requiere del análisis de los distintos componentes que afectan a cada una de las áreas de necesidad, de modo que sea posible una ...definición y conceptualización rigurosa y precisa de las necesidades sociales. El presente estudio, desde una metodología de análisis de contenido, ordenado a partir de la categorización de las necesidades sociales en cuatro grandes áreas, persigue definir, conceptualizar y realizar una clasificación taxonómica del conjunto de componentes que integran dichas áreas (integridad y supervivencia, integración social, autonomía personal y social e identidad personal y social), a fin de ofrecer una herramienta que facilite la elaboración del diagnóstico social. Para cada una de las áreas de necesidades sociales básicas se clasifican sus distintas categorías, estableciéndose una taxonomía conceptual, interpretativa y analítica para el diagnóstico desde la perspectiva del Trabajo Social, contemplando la multicausalidad e interrelación entre las necesidades sociales.
Background:
In the present study, we explored potential protein biomarkers useful to predict the therapeutic response of knee osteoarthritis (KOA) patients treated with pharmaceutical grade ...Chondroitin sulfate/Glucosamine hydrochloride (CS+GH; Droglican, Bioiberica), in order to optimize therapeutic outcomes.
Methods:
A shotgun proteomic analysis by iTRAQ labelling and liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) was performed using sera from 40 patients enrolled in the Multicentre Osteoarthritis interVEntion trial with Sysadoa (MOVES). The panel of proteins potentially useful to predict KOA patient’s response was clinically validated in the whole MOVES cohort at baseline (n = 506) using commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays kits. Logistic regression models and receiver-operating-characteristics (ROC) curves were used to analyze the contribution of these proteins to our prediction models of symptomatic drug response in KOA.
Results:
In the discovery phase of the study, a panel of six putative predictive biomarkers of response to CS+GH (APOA2, APOA4, APOH, ITIH1, C4BPa and ORM2) were identified by shotgun proteomics. Data are available via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD012444. In the verification phase, the panel was verified in a larger set of KOA patients (n = 262). Finally, ITIH1 and ORM2 were qualified by a blind test in the whole MOVES cohort at baseline. The combination of these biomarkers with clinical variables predict the patients’ response to CS+GH with a specificity of 79.5% and a sensitivity of 77.1%.
Conclusions:
Combining clinical and analytical parameters, we identified one biomarker that could accurately predict KOA patients’ response to CS+GH treatment. Its use would allow an increase in response rates and safety for the patients suffering KOA.
This study describes the clinical and molecular characteristics of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) isolates that emerged after an index case in a tertiary-care oncology hospital in ...Mexico City and identifies whether these isolates were related with the index case. All MRSA strains isolated from January 2006 until December 2007 were included. The clinical and demographic characteristics of patients were analyzed; molecular typing by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis was used to characterize the isolates. We included 44 MRSA isolates from 55 patients. Thirty-eight patients (86.4%) were classified with nosocomial infection and the remainder with healthcare-related infection. A single pulsed-field gel electrophoresis pattern (C) was identified with minor variations (two subtypes). The isolates analyzed were staphylococcal chromosome cassette mec type II (related with the New York-Japan strain). This case underscores the need to intensify strategies that identify and limit the spread of multiresistant pathogens imported by infected patients referred from other healthcare centers.
Tropical montane cloud forests (TMCF) are under severe threat from deforestation, fragmentation and degradation. Several tree species are harvested and commercialized by local communities through ...unplanned selective logging. Lack of information regarding the growth rates of the most economically valuable timber species hampers the design of effective sustainable management schemes for TMCF. The objective of this study was to determine the diameter growth rates and evaluate the influence of tree size, crown class and neighbouring tree basal area on the growth of common and valuable TMCF timber species. Annual diameter growth was measured during two years in 60 trees (10 to 45 cm in diameter at breast height; dbh) each of Alnus acuminata, Liquidambar styraciflua and Quercus xalapensis, located in two unmanaged secondary TMCF sites in Veracruz, Mexico. High diameter growth rates (centimeter per year cm yr-1; mean ± SE) were recorded in the three species; the highest was recorded in A. acuminata (1.62 cm yr-1 ± 0.08 cm yr-1), followed by Q. xalapensis (0.91 cm yr-1 ± 0.07 cm yr-1) and L. styraciflua (0.71 cm yr-1 ± 0.08 cm yr-1). Diameter growth rate was inversely related to the basal area of the neighbouring trees, indicating a negative effect of competition in the three species. Dominant trees had higher growth rates than supressed trees in the three species. The high growth rates recorded in forests with no previous management and the negative effect of basal area of neighbouring trees support the potential for silvicultural management in secondary TMCF.