The effect of common dietary polyphenols on growth of human gut bacteria and their adhesion to enterocytes was investigated. The influence on the growth of a probiotic (
Lactobacillus rhamnosus), a ...commensal (
Escherichia coli) and two pathogenic bacteria (
Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella typhimurium) was determined, together with effects on adhesion of pathogenic and probiotic bacteria to cultured Caco-2 cells. All polyphenols, except rutin, were found to affect the viability of representative gut flora
in vitro, at doses likely to be present in the gastrointestinal tract, but to differing degrees. Naringenin and quercetin were the most active with the lowest minimum inhibitory concentrations for all the four bacteria tested. The remaining polyphenols had the most marked effect on the Gram positive enteropathogen
S. aureus. Naringenin and phloridzin were the most effective inhibitors of
S. typhimurium adherence to Caco-2 enterocytes while phloridzin and rutin enhanced the adherence of the probiotic
L. rhamnosus. Polyphenols appear to have potential to alter gut microecology and, by affecting the total number of beneficial microflora in the gut, may confer positive gut health benefits.
Problem Like most low- and middle-income countries, Viet Nam has a scarcity of rehabilitation professionals and lacks training programmes that meet international standards. Approach In 2018, four ...Vietnamese medical universities, the üniversite Catholique de Louvain, the üniversite Libre de Bruxelles, the Humanity & Inclusion charity and World Physiotherapy agreed to collaborate on strengthening pre-service education for physiotherapists in the country. Local setting Viet Nam has a favourable environment for nurturing rehabilitation services and education: development funds have been available; government investment is increasing; and rehabilitation education has existed for many decades. Relevant changes The collaboration resulted in the establishment of: (i) a 4-year, competency-based, entry-level curriculum for physiotherapists (bachelor's degree); (ii) opportunities for continuing professional development; (iii) a 2-year master's programme for physiotherapy lecturers and clinical supervisors; and (iv) a national physiotherapy association. In addition, four students were supported in studying for PhD degrees. Strong collaboration and comprehensive and complementary interventions have laid the foundations for sustainable, high-quality, educational programmes for physiotherapists, which will improve access to, and the standard of, rehabilitation services in Viet Nam, thereby leading to better patient outcomes. Lessons learnt Curricula for entry-level physiotherapy programmes should be competency-based, be actively managed by national educators and meet international standards while being responsive to local priorities. To strengthen the rehabilitation workforce, educators involved in teaching and supervising training programmes should have the skills and knowledge required. A national professional physiotherapy association should be established to provide continuing professional development for physiotherapists and to take part in international collaborations.
Introduction Patients with obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) commonly present in primary care. Increasing physical activity reduces symptoms and severity of OSA. Low motivation is a barrier to physical ...activity in adults with OSA. Aim To investigate the feasibility and acceptability of an exercise and personalised text messaging programme to enhance motivation and support physical activity behaviour change in adults with OSA. Methods Participants were recruited from the local Sleep Clinic. Exclusion criteria were unstable angina, and/or poorly controlled hypertension. The intervention comprised three groups, who received either individual exercise prescription, personalised text messages or both over a 24-week period. Participants were allocated to one of the three groups. The primary outcome was feasibility of study design including participant recruitment and retention. Secondary outcomes were a change in 6-min walk distance and exercise self-efficacy over time. Results Thirty participants were recruited, 17 male and 13 female, with a mean age of 54.6 years. The study design appears feasible and the outcome measures used were acceptable to participants. Recruitment and retention rates were lower than anticipated. A trend towards increased functional exercise capacity was identified in all three groups, along with a corresponding increase in exercise self-efficacy over time. Discussion Exercise and personalised text messaging both appear to offer an acceptable and feasible means to increase physical activity in adults with OSA. A larger scale trial may provide justification for physiotherapist input to support patients with OSA to address physical inactivity.
Exposure to clinical practice experiences ensures undergraduate physiotherapy students meet the clinical competencies required to graduate as autonomous practitioners. Much of the research literature ...has investigated the clinical experiences of medical students. While recent studies have explored physiotherapy students' experiences with simulation, few have explored their perspectives of a clinical placement in a hospital setting at the early learning stage of a four-year programme.
To explore the perspectives of novice undergraduate physiotherapy students on a clinical placement in a real hospital setting.
Fifteen Year 3 undergraduate physiotherapy students participated in semi-structured interviews midway through a three-week tertiary care clinical placement. Interviews were transcribed, coded and analyzed using thematic analysis.
Three main themes emerged: 1) student attributes affecting placement experience; 2) impact of the educator on student experience; and 3) effects of the clinical environment on student experiences.
The real clinical environment promotes a rich learning experience for students, while the clinical educator is pivotal to guiding student learning through provision of resources and feedback. Provision of early orientation and timely clarification of expectations is important to alleviate anxiety and allow students to prepare themselves.
Objective:
To evaluate the feasibility of a randomized controlled trial investigating the optimal number of treatment sessions of acupuncture, used as an adjunct to usual care, for managing chronic ...low back pain.
Methods:
In total, 45 participants with chronic low back pain were recruited and randomly allocated to receive usual care plus 4, 7, or 10 sessions of acupuncture (15/group). Primary outcomes were recruitment rate, randomization rate, treatment compliance, completion of the outcome measures, and retention rates. Secondary outcomes included back function, pain intensity and bothersomeness, generic health status, activity disability, and participant satisfaction. Data were collected at baseline and discharge, and at 6 and 12 weeks post randomization.
Results:
The recruitment method was demonstrated to be successful: recruitment rate was 43.7%, and randomization rate was 100%. Compliance with treatment was high among participants (86.7%, 86.7%, and 100% for the 4-, 7-, and 10-session group, respectively). Outcome questionnaires used in this study were found to be appropriate for a future randomized controlled trial. Participant retention rates were 88.9% at discharge and at 6 weeks post randomization and 84.4% at 12 weeks post randomization. Secondary outcomes (except for pain intensity) favored the 10-session acupuncture group at 12 weeks post randomization. Over 90% of participants indicated that they were “very satisfied” and/or “extremely satisfied” with the acupuncture treatment.
Conclusion:
This study demonstrated that a full-scale randomized controlled trial using the methodology described above is feasible, and such a trial is essential to test the dose dependence of acupuncture.
Kiwifruit are nutrient-dense fruit with a reputation for promoting good health. Although this could be attributed to the high vitamin C content of kiwifruit, other phytochemicals could also provide ...health benefits. Kiwifruit are commonly reported to be a good source of vitamin E and in addition contain phenolics and carotenoids. The antioxidant properties of kiwifruit have received attention as possible mechanisms for their health-promoting effects. In this review, the antioxidant capacity of kiwifruit is discussed in the context of biologically relevant in vitro assays for predicting antioxidant activity in a biological setting compared with chemical antioxidant assays, and the ability of kiwifruit to protect cells from dying after exposure to an oxidative insult by hydrogen peroxide (cytoprotection). Some recent data are included, where extracts from twenty kiwifruit genotypes, derived from germplasm held at The New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research Ltd, were compared for their cellular antioxidant activity and cytoprotection, using human gut-derived epithelial cell lines. Our knowledge of how this type of result is currently reflected in vivo is summarised, together with the 'naturally protective' properties of kiwifruit that involve modulating immune responses in a positive way. Finally, the ways in which these antioxidant and natural protective properties of kiwifruit may influence human health and wellness are discussed.
Aims to determine physical activity levels in patients at risk of obstructive sleep apnoea, and explores their perceptions about barriers to participation in physical activity. Source: National ...Library of New Zealand Te Puna Matauranga o Aotearoa, licensed by the Department of Internal Affairs for re-use under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 New Zealand Licence.
Explores the experiences of physiotherapists in New Zealand during the initial Covid-19 outbreak in early 2020, using an online survey of workers from both the public and private sectors. Discusses ...mental distress, and exclusion from collaborations due to misconceptions about the role of physiotherapy by other health professionals. Argues that more work is needed to understand and support the contribution physiotherapists to the interprofessional teams. Source: National Library of New Zealand Te Puna Matauranga o Aotearoa, licensed by the Department of Internal Affairs for re-use under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 New Zealand Licence.
Physiotherapy's place in the world Skinner, Margot A
New Zealand journal of physiotherapy,
20/Nov , Letnik:
43, Številka:
3
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
Addresses the voice that the physiotherapy profession has in making progress towards the right of all the world's people to enjoy the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health, and ...the role of The World Confederation for Physical Therapy (WCPT) in that regard. Acknowledges a mismatch between current health professional education and current health practice needs. Stresses the need for more interprofessional education to ensure the global physiotherapy profession is prepared for the future. Source: National Library of New Zealand Te Puna Matauranga o Aotearoa, licensed by the Department of Internal Affairs for re-use under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 New Zealand Licence.
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