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Protocol for the Adolescent Menstrual Experiences and Health Cohort (AMEHC) Study in Khulna, Bangladesh: A Prospective cohort to quantify the influence of menstrual health on adolescent girls health and education outcomes.

Por: Hennegan · J. · Hasan · M. T. · Jabbar · A. · Jalil · T. · Kennedy · E. · Hunter · E. · Kaiser · A. · Akter · S. · Zaman · A. · Rahman · M.-u. · Dunstan · L. · Head · A. · Scott · N. · Weiss · H. A. · Win · T. M. · Melendez-Torres · G. J. · Than · K. K. · Hughes · C. L. · Grover · S. · Hasan
Background

Menstrual health is essential for gender equity and the well-being of women and girls. Qualitative research has described the burden of poor menstrual health on health and education; however, these impacts have not been quantified, curtailing investment. The Adolescent Menstrual Experiences and Health Cohort (AMEHC) Study aims to describe menstrual health and its trajectories across adolescence, and quantify the relationships between menstrual health and girls’ health and education in Khulna, Bangladesh.

Methods and analysis

AMEHC is a prospective longitudinal cohort of 2016 adolescent girls recruited at the commencement of class 6 (secondary school, mean age=12) across 101 schools selected through a proportional random sampling approach. Each year, the cohort will be asked to complete a survey capturing (1) girls’ menstrual health and experiences, (2) support for menstrual health, and (3) health and education outcomes. Survey questions were refined through qualitative research, cognitive interviews and pilot survey in the year preceding the cohort. Girls’ guardians will be surveyed at baseline and wave 2 to capture their perspectives and household demographics. Annual assessments will capture schools’ water, sanitation and hygiene, and support for menstruation and collect data on participants’ education, including school attendance and performance (in maths, literacy). Cohort enrolment and baseline survey commenced in February 2023. Follow-up waves are scheduled for 2024, 2025 and 2026, with plans for extension. A nested subcohort will follow 406 post-menarche girls at 2-month intervals throughout 2023 (May, August, October) to describe changes across menstrual periods. This protocol outlines a priori hypotheses regarding the impacts of menstrual health to be tested through the cohort.

Ethics and dissemination

AMEHC has ethical approval from the Alfred Hospital Ethics Committee (369/22) and BRAC James P Grant School of Public Health Institutional Review Board (IRB-06 July 22-024). Study materials and outputs will be available open access through peer-reviewed publication and study web pages.

Pérdida significativa como factor del alcoholismo

La relación de la pérdida significativa de un ser querido y el alcoholismo ha minimizado las implicaciones sobre mecanismos de afrontamientos para generar conductas saludables. Este artículo se basa en entrevistas semiestructuradas a profundidad en hombres de entre 30 y 70 años, con más de 10 años en Alcohólicos Anónimos del Estado de Tamaulipas, México. El objetivo fue reflexionar sobre los significados de la pérdida significativa de un ser querido y el alcoholismo. En la búsqueda del significado, se explica que un factor que lleva al alcoholismo no es una sola pérdida significativa de personas queridas, sino un cúmulo también de pérdidas materiales y no materiales, se reflejaron recursos limitados para afrontar las pérdidas, la relación entre la pérdida significativa con el alcoholismo fue mediado por dos principales aspectos, las creencias sobre los efectos que produce el consumo de alcohol como formas de escapar de la realidad y las influencia de la familia al inicio del consumo de alcohol. Por otra parte, la presencia de lo espiritual, la conciencia y las emociones que experimentan durante su proceso de duelo y alcoholismo, los llevó a identificar el problema de la adicción, que permitió influir en el proceso de rehabilitación.

Incidence of hypopituitarism in adults undergoing radiotherapy for neck and head cancer: protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis

Introduction

When children with head and neck cancer receive radiation therapy as part of their treatment, a considerable frequency of hypopituitarism has been recognised. However, in adults, it has been little studied and it is possible that patients may be inadvertently affected. The objective is to estimate the incidence of anterior pituitary dysfunction in adults undergoing radiotherapy for head and neck cancer.

Methods and analysis

A total of five databases will be used to perform the document search: PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science (Core Collection), Ovid-MEDLINE and Embase. Cohort studies will be included without restriction by language or date. The main outcome will be the incidence of adenohypophyseal dysfunction for each axis: prolactin, growth hormone, thyroid-stimulating hormone, adrenocorticotropic hormone, luteinising hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone. Incidence meta-analysis will be performed using the Freeman-Tukey double arcsine method. In addition, a random-effects model will be used along with a 95% CI. Subgroup analyses will be performed according to tumour location, radiation dose and endocrine assessment time. Meta-regression will be applied according to patient’s age and time elapsed until diagnosis.

Ethics and disclosure

Since this will be a systematic review of published data, no ethics committee approval is required. The results will be presented at conferences and finally published in a peer-reviewed journal.

PROSPERO registration number

CRD42021235163.

Adherence to PRISMA 2020 reporting guidelines and scope of systematic reviews published in nursing: A cross‐sectional analysis

Abstract

Introduction

Systematic reviews are considered the highest level of evidence that can help guide evidence-informed decisions in nursing practice, education, and even health policy. Systematic review publications have increased from a sporadic few in 1980s to more than 10,000 systematic reviews published every year and around 30,000 registered in prospective registries.

Methods

A cross-sectional design and a variety of data sources were triangulated to identify the journals from which systematic reviews would be evaluated for adherence to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) 2020 reporting guidelines and scope. Specifically, this study used the PRISMA 2020 reporting guidelines to assess the reporting of the introduction, methods, information sources and search strategy, study selection process, quality/bias assessments, and results and discussion aspects of the included systematic reviews.

Results

Upon review of the 215 systematic reviews published in 10 top-tier journals in the field of nursing in 2019 and 2020, this study identified several opportunities to improve the reporting of systematic reviews in the context of the 2020 PRISMA statement. Areas of priority for reporting include the following key areas: (1) information sources, (2) search strategies, (3) study selection process, (4) bias reporting, (5) explicit discussion of the implications to policy, and lastly, the need for (6) prospective protocol registration.

Discussion

The use of the PRISMA 2020 guidelines by authors, peer reviewers, and editors can help to ensure the transparent and detailed reporting of systematic reviews published in the nursing literature.

Clinical Relevance

Systematic reviews are considered strong research evidence that can guide evidence-based practice and even clinical decision-making. This paper addresses some common methodological and process issues among systematic reviews that can guide clinicians and practitioners to be more critical in appraising research evidence that can shape nursing practice.

Retinoid orphan receptor gamma t (rorγt) promotes inflammatory eosinophilia but is dispensable for innate immune-mediated colitis

by Alvaro Torres-Huerta, Katelyn Ruley-Haase, Theodore Reed, Antonia Boger-May, Derek Rubadeux, Lauren Mayer, Arpitha Mysore Rajashekara, Morgan Hiller, Madeleine Frech, Connor Roncagli, Cameron Pedersen, Mary Catherine Camacho, Lauren Hollmer, Lauren English, Grace Kane, David L. Boone

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) result from uncontrolled inflammation in the intestinal mucosa leading to damage and loss of function. Both innate and adaptive immunity contribute to the inflammation of IBD and innate and adaptive immune cells reciprocally activate each other in a forward feedback loop. In order to better understand innate immune contributions to IBD, we developed a model of spontaneous 100% penetrant, early onset colitis that occurs in the absence of adaptive immunity by crossing villin-TNFAIP3 mice to RAG1-/- mice (TRAG mice). This model is driven by microbes and features increased levels of innate lymphoid cells in the intestinal mucosa. To investigate the role of type 3 innate lymphoid cells (ILC3) in the innate colitis of TRAG mice, we crossed them to retinoid orphan receptor gamma t deficient (Rorγt-/-) mice. Rorγt-/- x TRAG mice exhibited markedly reduced eosinophilia in the colonic mucosa, but colitis persisted in these mice. Colitis in Rorγt-/- x TRAG mice was characterized by increased infiltration of the intestinal mucosa by neutrophils, inflammatory monocytes, macrophages and other innate cells. RNA and cellular profiles of Rorγt-/- x TRAG mice were consistent with a lack of ILC3 and ILC3 derived cytokines, reduced antimicrobial factors, increased activation oof epithelial repair processes and reduced activation of epithelial cell STAT3. The colitis in Rorγt-/- x TRAG mice was ameliorated by antibiotic treatment indicating that microbes contribute to the ILC3-independent colitis of these mice. Together, these gene expression and cell signaling signatures reflect the double-edged sword of ILC3 in the intestine, inducing both proinflammatory and antimicrobial protective responses. Thus, Rorγt promotes eosinophilia but Rorγt and Rorγt-dependent ILC3 are dispensable for the innate colitis in TRAG mice.

Evidence-informed and consensus-based statements about SAFEty of Physical Agent Modalities Practice in physiotherapy and rehabilitation medicine (SAFE PAMP): a national Delphi of healthcare scientific societies

Por: Gianola · S. · Bargeri · S. · Pellicciari · L. · Gambazza · S. · Rossettini · G. · Fulvio · A. · Genovese · V. · Benedini · M. · Proverbio · E. · Cecchetto · S. · Castellini · G. · Turolla · A. · SAFE PAMP Collaborators · Torresetti · Masturzo · Berliri · Roselli · Vercelli · Scorcu
Objective

A shared consensus on the safety about physical agent modalities (PAMs) practice in physiotherapy and rehabilitation is lacking. We aimed to develop evidence-informed and consensus-based statements about the safety of PAMs.

Study design and setting

A RAND-modified Delphi Rounds’ survey was used to reach a consensus. We established a steering committee of the Italian Association of Physiotherapy (Associazione Italiana di Fisioterapia) to identify areas and questions for developing statements about the safety of the most commonly used PAMs in physiotherapy and rehabilitation. We invited 28 National Scientific and Technical Societies, including forensics and lay members, as a multidisciplinary and multiprofessional panel of experts to evaluate the nine proposed statements and formulate additional inputs. The level of agreement was measured using a 9-point Likert scale, with consensus in the Delphi Rounds assessed using the rating proportion with a threshold of 75%.

Results

Overall, 17 (61%) out of 28 scientific and technical societies participated, involving their most representative members. The panel of experts mainly consisted of clinicians (88%) with expertise in musculoskeletal (47%), pelvic floor (24%), neurological (18%) and lymphatic (6%) disorders with a median experience of 30 years (IQR=17–36). Two Delphi rounds were necessary to reach a consensus. The final approved criteria list comprised nine statements about the safety of nine PAMs (ie, electrical stimulation neuromodulation, extracorporeal shock wave therapy, laser therapy, electromagnetic therapy, diathermy, hot thermal agents, cryotherapy and therapeutic ultrasound) in adult patients with a general note about populations subgroups.

Conclusions

The resulting consensus-based statements inform patients, healthcare professionals and policy-makers regarding the safe application of PAMs in physiotherapy and rehabilitation practice. Future research is needed to extend this consensus on paediatric and frail populations, such as immunocompromised patients.

Mental health and risk of death and hospitalization in COVID–19 patients. Results from a large-scale population-based study in Spain

by Aida Moreno-Juste, Beatriz Poblador-Plou, Cristina Ortega-Larrodé, Clara Laguna-Berna, Francisca González-Rubio, Mercedes Aza-Pascual-Salcedo, Kevin Bliek-Bueno, María Padilla, Concepción de-la-Cámara, Alexandra Prados-Torres, Luis A. Gimeno-Feliú, Antonio Gimeno-Miguel

The COVID–19 pandemic has created unprecedented challenges for health care systems globally. This study aimed to explore the presence of mental illness in a Spanish cohort of COVID-19-infected population and to evaluate the association between the presence of specific mental health conditions and the risk of death and hospitalization. This is a retrospective cohort study including all individuals with confirmed infection by SARS-CoV-2 from the PRECOVID (Prediction in COVID–19) Study (Aragon, Spain). Mental health illness was defined as the presence of schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders, anxiety, cognitive disorders, depression and mood disorders, substance abuse, and personality and eating disorders. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to examine the likelihood of 30-day all-cause mortality and COVID–19 related hospitalization based on baseline demographic and clinical variables, including the presence of specific mental conditions, by gender. We included 144,957 individuals with confirmed COVID–19 from the PRECOVID Study (Aragon, Spain). The most frequent diagnosis in this cohort was anxiety. However, some differences were observed by sex: substance abuse, personality disorders and schizophrenia were more frequently diagnosed in men, while eating disorders, depression and mood, anxiety and cognitive disorders were more common among women. The presence of mental illness, specifically schizophrenia spectrum and cognitive disorders in men, and depression and mood disorders, substance abuse, anxiety and cognitive and personality disorders in women, increased the risk of mortality or hospitalization after COVID–19, in addition to other well-known risk factors such as age, morbidity and treatment burden. Identifying vulnerable patient profiles at risk of serious outcomes after COVID–19 based on their mental health status will be crucial to improve their access to the healthcare system and the establishment of public health prevention measures for future outbreaks.

Online platform for cardiopulmonary resuscitation and automated external defibrillator training in a rural area: a community clinical trial protocol

Por: Taverna-Llaurado · E. · Martinez-Torres · S. · Granado-Font · E. · Palleja-Millan · M. · del Pozo · A. · Roca-Biosca · A. · Martin-Lujan · F. · Rey-Renones · C.
Introduction

Sudden death resulting from cardiorespiratory arrest carries a high mortality rate and frequently occurs out of hospital. Immediate initiation of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) by witnesses, combined with automated external defibrillator (AED) use, has proven to double survival rates. Recognising the challenges of timely emergency services in rural areas, the implementation of basic CPR training programmes can improve survival outcomes. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of online CPR-AED training among residents in a rural area of Tarragona, Spain.

Methods

Quasi-experimental design, comprising two phases. Phase 1 involves assessing the effectiveness of online CPR-AED training in terms of knowledge acquisition. Phase 2 focuses on evaluating participant proficiency in CPR-AED simulation manoeuvres at 1 and 6 months post training. The main variables include the score difference between pre-training and post-training test (phase 1) and the outcomes of the simulated test (pass/fail; phase 2). Continuous variables will be compared using Student’s t-test or Mann-Whitney U test, depending on normality. Pearson’s 2 test will be applied for categorical variables. A multivariate analysis will be conducted to identify independent factors influencing the main variable.

Ethics and dissemination

This study adheres to the tenets outlined in the Declaration of Helsinki and of Good Clinical Practice. It operated within the Smartwatch project, approved by the Clinical Research Ethics Committee of the Primary Care Research Institute IDIAP Jordi Gol i Gurina Foundation, code 23/081-P. Data confidentiality aligns with Spanish and European Commission laws for the protection of personal data. The study’s findings will be published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at scientific meetings.

Trial registration number

NCT05747495.

Molecular effects of polystyrene nanoplastics on human neural stem cells

by Raquel Martin-Folgar, Mª Carmen González-Caballero, Mónica Torres-Ruiz, Ana I. Cañas-Portilla, Mercedes de Alba González, Isabel Liste, Mónica Morales

Nanoplastics (NPs) have been found in many ecological environments (aquatic, terrestrial, air). Currently, there is great concern about the exposition and impact on animal health, including humans, because of the effects of ingestion and accumulation of these nanomaterials (NMs) in aquatic organisms and their incorporation into the food chain. NPs´ mechanisms of action on humans are currently unknown. In this study, we evaluated the altered molecular mechanisms on human neural stem cell line (hNS1) after 4 days of exposure to 30 nm polystyrene (PS) NPs (0.5, 2.5 and 10 μg/mL). Our results showed that NPs can induce oxidative stress, cellular stress, DNA damage, alterations in inflammatory response, and apoptosis, which could lead to tissue damage and neurodevelopmental diseases.

The immune response of the whitefly <i>Trialeurodes vaporariorum</i> (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) when parasitized by <i>Eretmocerus eremicus</i> (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae)

by Jorge Contreras-Garduño, Pedro Torres-Enciso, Ricardo Ramirez-Romero

In insects, the innate immune system is subdivided into cellular and humoral defenses. When parasitoids attack insects, both reactions can be activated and notably, the phenoloxidase (PO) cascade and lytic activity are part of both cellular and humoral defenses. However, to our knowledge, no study has characterized any immune response of the whitefly Trialeurodes vaporariorum (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) to the attack of Eretmocerus eremicus (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae). Therefore, the first objective of the present study was to determine whether whitefly nymphs recently parasitized by E. eremicus exhibit any immune response. For this, we estimate the level of prophenoloxidase (proPO), phenoloxidase (PO), and lytic activity by colorimetric assays. A second objective was to assess whether the observed whitefly immune response could be related to a previously reported preference of the predator Geocoris punctipes (Hemiptera: Lygaeidae) for non-parasitized nymphs. We therefore offered non-parasitized and recently parasitized nymphs to the predator. Our results show that parasitism of whitefly nymphs by E. eremicus induced a highly estimated level of proPO and PO, and a lower level of lytic activity. In addition, we found that G. punctipes did not show a preference for non-parasitized over recently parasitized nymphs. The nymphs of T. vaporariorum activated the PO pathway against E. eremicus; however, the increase in proPO and PO levels was traded-off with decreased lytic activity. In addition, the previously reported preference for non-parasitized nymphs was not seen in our experiments, indicating that the induced immune response did not affect predator behavior by G. punctipes.

Experiencia vivida durante el climaterio por mujeres de zonas rurales de Asientos, Aguascalientes

Objetivo: Conocer la experiencia que tienen las mujeres que cursan la etapa del climaterio y que viven en zona rural del municipio de Asientos, Aguascalientes. Introducción: El cuidado de enfermería busca la integridad de la persona en todas sus esferas de desarrollo y con ello mejora calidad de vida. Metodología: Estudio cualitativo con enfoque fenomenológico hermenéutico de Heiddeger. Participaron 7 mujeres. Para la recolección de la información se realizaron siete entrevistas fenomenológicas, para garantizar la calidad del estudio. Resultados: Las entrevistas tuvieron una duración aproximada de 40 minutos. Se obtuvo 9 unidades de significado, las cuales se dividieron en dos grupos: óntico y ontológico. En las unidades de significado óntico se incluyó: identificación deficiente del climaterio, angustia en el climaterio y el sorge y el climaterio. El otro grupo abarca las unidades de significado ontológico integrado por: el deseo sexual en tinieblas, ausencia de compañero, el mundo familiar y el climaterio, trascendencia en el climaterio, sufrimiento en el climaterio. Conclusión: Las mujeres climatéricas tienen una influencia sobre el entorno sociocultural, patrones repetitivos y conocimientos escasos del tema.

Cuidados en la Cataluña rural de postguerra. José Quílez, practicante de Almenar

Este trabajo pretende dar a conocer el testimonio del comadrón y practicante José Quílez, que desarrolló su ejercicio profesional en el pueblo de Almenar, con el fin de dar a conocer como se desarrollaba la prestación profesional de cuidados en la Cataluña rural de postguerra. Se desarrolla un estudio cualitativo de investigación histórica que utiliza la entrevista biográfica como recurso enmarcado en el paradigma fenomenológico, utilizando fuentes orales directas que se han triangulado con fuentes escritas propias del entrevistado, bibliográficas, así como documentación del archivo del Colegio Oficial de Enfermeras y Enfermeros de Lleida. Del testimonio destaca un carácter noble forjado por las miserias propias de la España de postguerra, que conllevaron a su emigración por motivos laborales a Cataluña, donde tuvo ocasión de desarrollar un proyecto familiar sólido, así como un fuerte compromiso profesional en la prestación de cuidados, que se manifiesta en el rigor en la aplicación de los protocolos de la época, así como los principios básicos de la ética y privacidad con la que atendía a los pacientes. En este trabajo se refleja el ejercicio profesional sanitario de un funcionario de la administración local en ámbito rural.

Evaluation of a COVID‐19 fundamental nursing care guideline versus usual care: The COVID‐NURSE cluster randomized controlled trial

Abstract

Aim

To evaluate the impact of usual care plus a fundamental nursing care guideline compared to usual care only for patients in hospital with COVID-19 on patient experience, care quality, functional ability, treatment outcomes, nurses' moral distress, patient health-related quality of life and cost-effectiveness.

Design

Parallel two-arm, cluster-level randomized controlled trial.

Methods

Between 18th January and 20th December 2021, we recruited (i) adults aged 18 years and over with COVID-19, excluding those invasively ventilated, admitted for at least three days or nights in UK Hospital Trusts; (ii) nurses caring for them. We randomly assigned hospitals to use a fundamental nursing care guideline and usual care or usual care only. Our patient-reported co-primary outcomes were the Relational Aspects of Care Questionnaire and four scales from the Quality from the Patient Perspective Questionnaire. We undertook intention-to-treat analyses.

Results

We randomized 15 clusters and recruited 581 patient and 418 nurse participants. Primary outcome data were available for 570–572 (98.1%–98.5%) patient participants in 14 clusters. We found no evidence of between-group differences on any patient, nurse or economic outcomes. We found between-group differences over time, in favour of the intervention, for three of our five co-primary outcomes, and a significant interaction on one primary patient outcome for ethnicity (white British vs. other) and allocated group in favour of the intervention for the ‘other’ ethnicity subgroup.

Conclusion

We did not detect an overall difference in patient experience for a fundamental nursing care guideline compared to usual care. We have indications the guideline may have aided sustaining good practice over time and had a more positive impact on non-white British patients' experience of care.

Implications for the Profession and/or Patient Care

We cannot recommend the wholescale implementation of our guideline into routine nursing practice. Further intervention development, feasibility, pilot and evaluation studies are required.

Impact

Fundamental nursing care drives patient experience but is severely impacted in pandemics. Our guideline was not superior to usual care, albeit it may sustain good practice and have a positive impact on non-white British patients' experience of care.

Reporting Method

CONSORT and CONSERVE.

Patient or Public Contribution

Patients with experience of hospitalization with COVID-19 were involved in guideline development and writing, trial management and interpretation of findings.

Consecutive treatments of methamphetamine promote the development of cardiac pathological symptoms in zebrafish

by Jimmy Zhang, Anh H. Nguyen, Daniel Jilani, Ramses Seferino Trigo Torres, Lauren Schmiess-Heine, Tai Le, Xing Xia, Hung Cao

Chronic methamphetamine use, a widespread drug epidemic, has been associated with cardiac morphological and electrical remodeling, leading to the development of numerous cardiovascular diseases. While methamphetamine has been documented to induce arrhythmia, most results originate from clinical trials from users who experienced different durations of methamphetamine abuse, providing no documentation on the use of methamphetamine in standardized settings. Additionally, the underlying molecular mechanism on how methamphetamine affects the cardiovascular system remains elusive. A relationship was sought between cardiotoxicity and arrhythmia with associated methamphetamine abuse in zebrafish to identify and to understand the adverse cardiac symptoms associated with methamphetamine. Zebrafish were first treated with methamphetamine 3 times a week over a 2-week duration. Immediately after treatment, zebrafish underwent electrocardiogram (ECG) measurement using an in-house developed acquisition system for electrophysiological analysis. Subsequent analyses of cAMP expression and Ca2+ regulation in zebrafish cardiomyocytes were conducted. cAMP is vital to development of myocardial fibrosis and arrhythmia, prominent symptoms in the development of cardiovascular diseases. Ca2+ dysregulation is also a factor in inducing arrhythmias. During the first week of treatment, zebrafish that were administered with methamphetamine displayed a decrease in heart rate, which persisted throughout the second week and remained significantly lower than the heart rate of untreated fish. Results also indicate an increased heart rate variability during the early stage of treatment followed by a decrease in the late stage for methamphetamine-treated fish over the duration of the experiment, suggesting a biphasic response to methamphetamine exposure. Methamphetamine-treated fish also exhibited reduced QTc intervals throughout the experiment. Results from the cAMP and Ca2+ assays demonstrate that cAMP was upregulated and Ca2+ was dysregulated in response to methamphetamine treatment. Collagenic assays indicated significant fibrotic response to methamphetamine treatment. These results provide potential insight into the role of methamphetamine in the development of fibrosis and arrhythmia due to downstream effectors of cAMP.

The Canadian Study of Arterial Inflammation in Patients with Diabetes and Recent Vascular Events, Evaluation of Colchicine Effectiveness (CADENCE): protocol for a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial

Por: Boczar · K. E. · Shin · S. · deKemp · R. A. · Dowlatshahi · D. · Tavoosi · A. · Wiefels · C. · Liu · P. · Lochnan · H. · MacPherson · P. A. · Chong · A. Y. · Torres · C. · Leung · E. · Tawakol · A. · Ahmadi · A. · Garrard · L. · Lefebvre · C. · Kelly · C. · MacPhee · P. · Tilokee · E. · Ragg
Background

Inflammation is a key mediator in the development and progression of the atherosclerotic disease process as well as its resultant complications, like myocardial infarction (MI), stroke and cardiovascular (CV) death, and is emerging as a novel treatment target. Trials involving anti-inflammatory medications have demonstrated outcome benefit in patients with known CV disease. In this regard, colchicine appears to hold great promise. However, there are potential drawbacks to colchicine use, as some studies have identified an increased risk of infection, and a non-significant trend for increased all-cause mortality. Thus, a more thorough understanding of the underlying mechanism of action of colchicine is needed to enable a better patient selection for this novel CV therapy.

Objective

The primary objective of the Canadian Study of Arterial Inflammation in Patients with Diabetes and Recent Vascular Events, Evaluation of Colchicine Effectiveness (CADENCE) trial is to assess the effect of colchicine on vascular inflammation in the carotid arteries and ascending aorta measured with 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET)/CT in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) or pre-diabetes who have experienced a recent vascular event (acute coronary syndrome (ACS)/MI, transient ischaemic attack (TIA) or stroke). Secondary objectives include determining colchicine’s effect on inflammatory biomarkers (high-sensitivity C reactive protein (hs-CRP) and interleukin-6 (IL-6)). Additionally, we will assess if baseline inflammation imaging or biomarkers are associated with a treatment response to colchicine determined by imaging. Exploratory objectives will look at: (1) the difference in the inflammatory response to colchicine in patients with coronary events compared with patients with cerebral events; (2) the difference in the inflammatory response to colchicine in different vascular beds; (3) the relationship of FDG-PET imaging markers with serum biomarkers and (4) assessment of quality-of-life changes.

Methods and design

CADENCE is a multicentre, prospective, randomised, double-blinded, placebo-controlled study to determine the effect of colchicine on arterial inflammation as assessed with imaging and circulatory biomarkers, specifically carotid arteries and aortic FDG uptake as well as hs-CRP and IL-6 among others. Patients with T2DM or pre-diabetes who have recently experienced a CV event (within 30–120 days after an ACS (ie, ST-elevation MI (STEMI) or non-STEMI)) or TIA/stroke with documented large vessel atherosclerotic disease will be randomised to treatment with either colchicine 0.6 mg oral daily or placebo. Participants will undergo baseline clinical evaluation including EQ5D assessment, blood work for inflammatory markers and FDG PET/CT scan of the ascending aorta and left and right carotid arteries. Patients will undergo treatment for 6 months and have repeat clinical evaluation including EQ5D assessment, blood work for inflammatory markers and FDG PET/CT scan at the conclusion of the study. The primary outcome will be the change in the maximum target to background ratio (TBRmax) in the ascending aorta (or carotid arteries) from baseline to follow-up on FDG PET/CT imaging.

Discussion

Colchicine is an exciting potential new therapy for CV risk reduction. However, its use is associated with side effects and greater understanding of its underlying mechanism of action is needed. Importantly, the current study will determine whether its anti-inflammatory action is an indirect systemic effect, or a more local plaque action that decreases inflammation. The results will also help identify patients who will benefit most from such therapy.

Trial registration number

NCT04181996.

Robust cardiac segmentation corrected with heuristics

by Alan Cervantes-Guzmán, Kyle McPherson, Jimena Olveres, Carlos Francisco Moreno-García, Fabián Torres Robles, Eyad Elyan, Boris Escalante-Ramírez

Cardiovascular diseases related to the right side of the heart, such as Pulmonary Hypertension, are some of the leading causes of death among the Mexican (and worldwide) population. To avoid invasive techniques such as catheterizing the heart, improving the segmenting performance of medical echocardiographic systems can be an option to early detect diseases related to the right-side of the heart. While current medical imaging systems perform well segmenting automatically the left side of the heart, they typically struggle segmenting the right-side cavities. This paper presents a robust cardiac segmentation algorithm based on the popular U-NET architecture capable of accurately segmenting the four cavities with a reduced training dataset. Moreover, we propose two additional steps to improve the quality of the results in our machine learning model, 1) a segmentation algorithm capable of accurately detecting cone shapes (as it has been trained and refined with multiple data sources) and 2) a post-processing step which refines the shape and contours of the segmentation based on heuristics provided by the clinicians. Our results demonstrate that the proposed techniques achieve segmentation accuracy comparable to state-of-the-art methods in datasets commonly used for this practice, as well as in datasets compiled by our medical team. Furthermore, we tested the validity of the post-processing correction step within the same sequence of images and demonstrated its consistency with manual segmentations performed by clinicians.

Presente y futuro en atención primaria en la atención al paciente mental: visión de un profesional

Se trata de un relato biográfico de un profesional de enfermería con gran experiencia en la atención a pacientes con patologías mentales. Una sólida formación que tal y como relata en un principio fue autodidacta. El profesional manifiesta la necesidad de una formación previa al contacto a nivel sanitario con este tipo de pacientes. En su testimonio muestra su punto de vista respecto a la atención desarrollada a lo largo de los años de su trayectoria profesional, los perjuicios existentes en la sociedad ante estos pacientes y expone las perspectivas de mejora respecto al tema tratado especialmente en el ámbito donde actualmente trabaja una zona rural de Atención primaria de salud. Perteneciente a una asociación de enfermería con gran influencia en la evolución de la profesión enfermera, reflexiona sobre la importancia de la formación continuada y el desarrollo de las especialidades como meta para mejorar la prestación de cuidados.

Stress and burnout in nursing home and égida workers during COVID‐19

Abstract

Aims

Finding out whether there are differences in the levels of stress and burnout between workers providing care to dependent adults and those caring for independent older adults would provide comparative information about two different models of care. During the COVID-19 pandemic, workers caring for older adults were subjected to maladaptive situations that produced stress and burnout.

Design

A cross-sectional survey design using the STROBE checklist.

Methods

A total of 900 nursing home and égidas workers were assessed for stress and burnout. Data were collected online from October 2020 to February 2021, when Puerto Rico was experiencing the peak of the third wave of COVID-19. MANOVAs were performed to study the interactions between the workplace and having had COVID, the workplace and the size of institution and the workplace and position held.

Data Sources

October 2020 to February 2021.

Results

All interactions were significant. Nursing homes showed higher levels of stress and burnout when workers had undergone COVID, when the size of the institution was larger and for technical staff other services; in égidas, having undergone COVID did not influence stress or burnout, which increased when the institution was smaller and for executive staff.

Conclusions

This study showed that the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic affected nursing home workers more significantly than those working in other types of residential models with independent older adults.

Implications for the Profession and/or Patient Care

Applying preventive interventions aimed at reducing stress and burnout would facilitate the adaptation of workers caring for older adults and help to improve the quality of care.

Impact

This study analysed the impact of COVID-19 on the stress and burnout of workers providing services to older adults. Nursing home workers who have had COVID-19 have higher stress and burnout. The size of the institution has a different effect depending on whether older adults are dependent or independent. Workers in institutions dedicated to the care of the older adults.

Reporting Method

This study has adhered to the relevant EQUATOR guidelines: STROBE.

Patient or Public Contribution

During the different waves of the COVID-19 pandemic, it was difficult to establish direct contact with workers providing care to older adults; this reason made it necessary to apply online systems to obtain information. The workers appreciated the fact that the implications for stress and burnout of the situation experienced during this difficult process were investigated.

Nivel de depresión en adolescentes de bachillerato de la Unidad Educativa Chilla

Introducción: La depresión es una alteración del estado de ánimo que puede ocasionar desaliento y poca esperanza sobre su futuro; además, puede presentarse en todas las etapas de la vida y con mayor frecuencia en la adolescencia, debido a la serie de cambios físicos y psicológicos que se presentan lo cual los hace vulnerables a padecerla. Objetivo: Caracterizar el nivel de depresión en los adolescentes de bachillerato de la Unidad Educativa Chilla. Metodología: Estudio cuantitativo, descriptivo de corte transversal, en el cual se contó con la participación de 60 adolescentes; se utilizó como instrumento el test de Beck (BDI-2), que evalúa las dimensiones, somática motivacional y dimensión cognitiva afectiva. Resultados: el análisis de resultados demostró que el 38.3% están en edad de 17 años, el 51.7% son hombres, el 70% pertenecen a la zona urbana, un 100% tienen un estado civil soltero/a, mientras que el 40% cursan el tercero de bachillerato. Además, se logró evidenciar el nivel de depresión en base a la dimensión somática-motivacional donde el 40% tiene un nivel mínimo y el 11,7% un nivel grave; en la dimensión cognitivo-afectiva, el 43,3% presenta un nivel de depresión leve y el 1.7% un nivel grave, en cuanto al nivel general de depresión se muestra que, el 33,3% presentó un nivel mínimo y 16.7% un nivel grave. Conclusión: la depresión es uno de los grandes problemas de salud mental que afecta a la adolescencia, sobre todo genera alteraciones en las dimensiones somática y cognitiva del ser humano.

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