219 research outputs found
Positron excitation of neon
The differential and total cross section for the excitation of the 3s1P10 and 3p1P1 states of neon by positron impact were calculated using a distorted-wave approximation. The results agree well with experimental conclusions
MARKETING OF BIOTECH FUNCTIONAL FOODS IN THE US
To date, most research in Europe and the United States has focused on eliciting consumer WTP for biotech foods without directly addressing strategies for marketing them. We use means-end theory to link consumers' knowledge about functional attributes, to their knowledge about consequences and core values, in order to gain insights into valued attributes for developing potential marketing strategies.Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety, Marketing,
Malignancy within a tail gut cyst:a case of retrorectal carcinoid tumour
Purpose. Tailgut cysts with malignant transformation are rare entities. We discuss the diagnostic strategy and treatment of a malignancy within a tailgut cyst. Methods. In this study we report on the case of a 61-year-old man with a malignant neuroendocrine tumour arising within a tailgut cyst and an overview of the literature emphasising the histopathological characteristics and differential diagnosis. Results. Our patient presented with lower back pain, rectal pain, and increased urgency of defecation. MRI scan and CT-guided biopsy on histological analysis revealed a diagnosis of carcinoid tumour of the presacral space. The patient subsequently underwent an abdominoperineal excision of the rectum. Conclusions. This case highlights the importance of tailgut cysts as a differential diagnosis of presacral masses. It is a rare congenital lesion developing from remnants of the embryonic postanal gut and is predominantly benign in nature. Approximately half of cases remain asymptomatic; therefore, diagnosis is often delayed. Magnetic resonance imaging is the investigation of choice and an awareness of the possibility of malignant potential is critical to avoiding missed diagnosis and subsequent morbidity. Complete surgical excision allows accurate diagnosis, confirmation of oncological clearance, and prevention of mortality
Dialectical Tensions Experienced During Pediatric Chronic Illness: Analyzing Art Therapy Conversations from a Relational Dialectics Perspective
Relational dialectics theory (RDT) provides a framework for understanding the dialectical tensions families experience when talking about pediatric chronic illness. One place where families may express these tensions is during clinical art therapy sessions, where therapists encourage child patients and their family members to use the creative process of art to tell stories while engaged in art making. Subsequently, we studied one clinical art therapy program for families with chronically ill hospitalized children. We examined the naturally occurring conversations during the art making process. Family members’ talk enumerated three primary dialectical tensions describing the pediatric illness experience. Findings and implications are discussed to explain how RDT may inform art therapists’ sensitivity to addressing these specific dualities verbally expressed by families
Environmental Factors in the Relapse and Recurrence of Inflammatory Bowel Disease:A Review of the Literature
The causes of relapse in patients with Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) are largely unknown. This paper reviews the epidemiological and clinical data on how medications (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, estrogens and antibiotics), lifestyle factors (smoking, psychological stress, diet and air pollution) may precipitate clinical relapses and recurrence. Potential biological mechanisms include: increasing thrombotic tendency, imbalances in prostaglandin synthesis, alterations in the composition of gut microbiota, and mucosal damage causing increased permeability
Community antibiotic prescribing in patients with COVID-19 across three pandemic waves:a population-based study in Scotland, UK
Objectives: This study aims to examine community antibiotic prescribing across a complete geographical area for people with a positive COVID-19 test across three pandemic waves, and to examine health and demographic factors associated with antibiotic prescribing.Design: A population-based study using administrative data.Setting: A complete geographical region within Scotland, UK.Participants: Residents of two National Health Service Scotland health boards with SARS-CoV-2 virus test results from 1 February 2020 to 31 March 2022 (n=184 954). Individuals with a positive test result (n=16 025) had data linked to prescription and hospital admission data ±28 days of the test, general practice data for high-risk comorbidities and demographic data.Outcome measures: The associations between patient factors and the odds of antibiotic prescription in COVID-19 episodes across three pandemic waves from multivariate binary logistic regression.Results: Data included 768 206 tests for 184 954 individuals, identifying 16 240 COVID-19 episodes involving 16 025 individuals. There were 3263 antibiotic prescriptions ±28 days for 2395 episodes. 35.6% of episodes had a prescription only before the test date, 52.3% of episodes after and 12.1% before and after. Antibiotic prescribing reduced over time: 20.4% of episodes in wave 1, 17.7% in wave 2 and 12.0% in wave 3. In multivariate logistic regression, being female (OR 1.31, 95% CI 1.19 to 1.45), older (OR 3.02, 95% CI 2.50 to 3.68 75+ vs <25 years), having a high-risk comorbidity (OR 1.45, 95% CI 1.31 to 1.61), a hospital admission ±28 days of an episode (OR 1.58, 95% CI 1.42 to 1.77) and health board region (OR 1.14, 95% CI 1.03 to 1.25, board B vs A) increased the odds of receiving an antibiotic.Conclusion: Community antibiotic prescriptions in COVID-19 episodes were uncommon in this population and likelihood was associated with patient factors. The reduction over pandemic waves may represent increased knowledge regarding COVID-19 treatment and/or evolving symptomatology
Communication Pathways
Description from the publisher\u27s website: From the authors of The Speaker and The Speaker’s Primer comes an innovative new textbook that covers communication curriculum in an approachable way. Communication Pathways introduces a modern approach to the survey course, with concise chapters that emphasize communication theory. The authors organize content around a communication-centric theme: dialogue. A full chapter devoted to dialogic communication unpacks the concept for students; the authors further incorporate and explicate dialogic communication as it applies to subsequent chapter concepts. This theme is unique to the text and is a central element of what the authors aim to accomplish: to create competent communicators who can advocate ideas civilly, explain complicated subjects, and disagree without being disagreeable in a variety of interactive settings. Dialogic communication theme unifies survey communication course content to foster student engagement and concept application Concise presentation offers theory-based learning that leaves room for instructor innovation “Mediated Moments” feature illustrates key concepts from chapters through contemporary, relatable examples “Dialing Diversity” boxes engage age, gender, race, sexual orientation, religion, and ethnicit
Community antibiotic prescribing in patients with COVID-19 across three pandemic waves:a population-based study in Scotland, UK
Objectives: This study aims to examine community antibiotic prescribing across a complete geographical area for people with a positive COVID-19 test across three pandemic waves, and to examine health and demographic factors associated with antibiotic prescribing.Design: A population-based study using administrative data.Setting: A complete geographical region within Scotland, UK.Participants: Residents of two National Health Service Scotland health boards with SARS-CoV-2 virus test results from 1 February 2020 to 31 March 2022 (n=184 954). Individuals with a positive test result (n=16 025) had data linked to prescription and hospital admission data ±28 days of the test, general practice data for high-risk comorbidities and demographic data.Outcome measures: The associations between patient factors and the odds of antibiotic prescription in COVID-19 episodes across three pandemic waves from multivariate binary logistic regression.Results: Data included 768 206 tests for 184 954 individuals, identifying 16 240 COVID-19 episodes involving 16 025 individuals. There were 3263 antibiotic prescriptions ±28 days for 2395 episodes. 35.6% of episodes had a prescription only before the test date, 52.3% of episodes after and 12.1% before and after. Antibiotic prescribing reduced over time: 20.4% of episodes in wave 1, 17.7% in wave 2 and 12.0% in wave 3. In multivariate logistic regression, being female (OR 1.31, 95% CI 1.19 to 1.45), older (OR 3.02, 95% CI 2.50 to 3.68 75+ vs <25 years), having a high-risk comorbidity (OR 1.45, 95% CI 1.31 to 1.61), a hospital admission ±28 days of an episode (OR 1.58, 95% CI 1.42 to 1.77) and health board region (OR 1.14, 95% CI 1.03 to 1.25, board B vs A) increased the odds of receiving an antibiotic.Conclusion: Community antibiotic prescriptions in COVID-19 episodes were uncommon in this population and likelihood was associated with patient factors. The reduction over pandemic waves may represent increased knowledge regarding COVID-19 treatment and/or evolving symptomatology
Clinical Perspectives in Integrating Whole Genome Sequencing into the Investigation of Healthcare and Public Health Outbreaks - Hype or Help?
Bioinformatics and Computational Biology analyses were supported by the University of St Andrews Bioinformatics Unit which is funded by a Wellcome Trust ISSF award [grant 097831/Z/11/Z]. The SHAIPI consortium is funded by the Chief Scientist Office through the Scottish Infection Research Network (SIRN10).Outbreaks pose a significant patient safety risk as well as being costly and time consuming to investigate. The implementation of targeted infection prevention and control (IPC) measures relies on infection prevention and control teams (IPCTs) having access to rapid results that accurately detect resistance, and typing results that give clinically useful information on the relatedness of isolates. At present, determining whether transmission has occurred can be a major challenge. Conventional typing results do not always have sufficient granularity or robustness to unequivocally define strains, and sufficient epidemiological data to establish links between patients and the environment is not always available. Whole genome sequencing (WGS) has emerged as the ultimate genotyping tool, but has not yet fully crossed the divide between research method and routine clinical diagnostic microbiology technique. A clinical WGS service was officially established in 2014 as part of the Scottish Healthcare Associated Infection Prevention Institute (SHAIPI) to confirm or refute outbreaks in hospital settings from across Scotland. In this personal view we describe our experiences that we believe provide new insights into the practical application of the use of WGS to investigate healthcare and public health outbreaks. We also propose solutions to overcome barriers to implementation of this technology in a clinical environment.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe
- …
