Performance and quality control of nuclear medicine instrumentation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Paras, P.

1981-01-01

The status and the recent developments of nuclear medicine instrumentation performance, with an emphasis on gamma-camera performance, are discussed as the basis for quality control. New phantoms and techniques for the measurement of gamma-camera performance parameters are introduced and their usefulness for quality control is discussed. Tests and procedures for dose calibrator quality control are included. Also, the principles of quality control, tests, equipment and procedures for each type of instrument are reviewed, and minimum requirements for an effective quality assurance programme for nuclear medicine instrumentation are suggested. (author)

Renal diagnostic nuclear medicine procedures in progressive systemic scleroderma (PSS)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ammari, B.; Hotze, A.; Gruenwald, F.; Biersack, H.J.; Blitz, H.; Kuester, W.; Kreysel, H.W.

1989-02-01

The involvement of kidneys in progressive systemic scleroderma (PSS) is one of the most frequent causes of death in this disease. Using clinical criteria and laboratory tests only the frequency of kidney involvement would be clearly underestimated. Invasive diagnostic procedures such as biopsy and angiography can not be applied in those patients. Nuclear medicine techniques (hippurate clearance, DMSA-scan), however, offer non invasive and sensitive methods in the diagnosis of renal involvement in PSS patients. In our study 46 of 76 patients (60%) revealed pathologic findings. The mentioned diagnostic techniques show a high sensitivity and are in agreement with pathological findings described in PSS.

Renal diagnostic nuclear medicine procedures in progressive systemic scleroderma (PSS)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ammari, B.; Hotze, A.; Gruenwald, F.; Biersack, H.J.; Blitz, H.; Kuester, W.; Kreysel, H.W.

1989-01-01

The involvement of kidneys in progressive systemic scleroderma (PSS) is one of the most frequent causes of death in this disease. Using clinical criteria and laboratory tests only the frequency of kidney involvement would be clearly underestimated. Invasive diagnostic procedures such as biopsy and angiography can not be applied in those patients. Nuclear medicine techniques (hippurate clearance, DMSA-scan), however, offer non invasive and sensitive methods in the diagnosis of renal involvement in PSS patients. In our study 46 of 76 patients (60%) revealed pathologic findings. The mentioned diagnostic techniques show a high sensitivity and are in agreement with pathological findings described in PSS. (orig.) [de

MCNP Progress & Performance Improvements

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brown, Forrest B. [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Bull, Jeffrey S. [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Rising, Michael Evan [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

2015-04-14

Twenty-eight slides give information about the work of the US DOE/NNSA Nuclear Criticality Safety Program on MCNP6 under the following headings: MCNP6.1.1 Release, with ENDF/B-VII.1; Verification/Validation; User Support & Training; Performance Improvements; and Work in Progress. Whisper methodology will be incorporated into the code, and run speed should be increased.

Nuclear medicine and imaging research (quantitative studies in radiopharmaceutical science). Progress report, January 1, 1984-December 31, 1984

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beck, R.N.; Cooper, M.D.

1984-09-01

This report presents progress in the areas of cardiac nuclear medicine, other imaging studies, investigations with biomolecules, and assessment of risks associated with the clinical use of radiopharmaceuticals

Inadequate progress for women in academic medicine: findings from the National Faculty Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Carr, Phyllis L; Gunn, Christine M; Kaplan, Samantha A; Raj, Anita; Freund, Karen M

2015-03-01

Women have entered academic medicine in significant numbers for 4 decades and now comprise 20% of full-time faculty. Despite this, women have not reached senior positions in parity with men. We sought to explore the gender climate in academic medicine as perceived by representatives to the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) Group on Women in Medicine and Science (GWIMS) and Group on Diversity and Inclusion (GDI). We conducted a qualitative analysis of semistructured telephone interviews with GWIMS and GDI representatives and other senior leaders at 24 randomly selected medical schools of the 1995 National Faculty Study. All were in the continental United States, balanced for public/private status and AAMC geographic region. Interviews were audiotaped, transcribed, and organized into content areas before an inductive thematic analysis was conducted. Themes that were expressed by multiple informants were studied for patterns of association. Five themes were identified: (1) a perceived wide spectrum in gender climate; (2) lack of parity in rank and leadership by gender; (3) lack of retention of women in academic medicine (the "leaky pipeline"); (4) lack of gender equity in compensation; and (5) a disproportionate burden of family responsibilities and work-life balance on women's career progression. Key informants described improvements in the climate of academic medicine for women as modest. Medical schools were noted to vary by department in the gender experience of women, often with no institutional oversight. Our findings speak to the need for systematic review by medical schools and by accrediting organizations to achieve gender equity in academic medicine.

[Progress in precision medicine: a scientific perspective].

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, B; Li, L M

2017-01-10

Precision medicine is a new strategy for disease prevention and treatment by taking into account differences in genetics, environment and lifestyles among individuals and making precise diseases classification and diagnosis, which can provide patients with personalized, targeted prevention and treatment. Large-scale population cohort studies are fundamental for precision medicine research, and could produce best evidence for precision medicine practices. Current criticisms on precision medicine mainly focus on the very small proportion of benefited patients, the neglect of social determinants for health, and the possible waste of limited medical resources. In spite of this, precision medicine is still a most hopeful research area, and would become a health care practice model in the future.

[Research progress in root rot diseases of Chinese herbal medicine and control strategy by antagonistic microorganisms].

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Fen; Ren, Xiao-xia; Wang, Meng-liang; Qin, Xue-mei

2015-11-01

In recent years, root rot diseases of Chinese herbal medicine have been posing grave threat to the development of the traditional Chinese medicine industry. This article presents a review on the occurring situation of the root rot disease, including the occurrence of the disease, the diversity of the pathogens, the regional difference in dominant pathogens,and the complexity of symptoms and a survey of the progress in bio-control of the disease using antagonistic microorganisms. The paper also discusses the existing problems and future prospects in the research.

Progress of research in treatment of hyperlipidemia by monomer or compound recipe of Chinese herbal medicine.

Science.gov (United States)

Dou, Xiao-bing; Wo, Xing-de; Fan, Chun-lei

2008-03-01

Hyperlipidemia (HLP) is the No.1 risk factor for patients with atherosclerosis (AS) and is directly related to the occurrence of coronary artery disease (CAD) and cerebrovascular disease. Therefore, prevention and treatment of AS is of great importance and of practical significance in controlling the incidence and mortality of CAD. With its peculiar syndrome-dependent therapy, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has accumulated abundant practical experiences in this field and good clinical effects have been achieved. Chinese herbal medicine, with its particularly unique advantages and high potentials yet to be tapped, displays its huge strength in HLP prevention and treatment. The progress of studies concerning prevention and treatment of HLP by Chinese herbal medicines, in the form of monomers or compound recipes, is reviewed in this paper.

[Research progress of genetic engineering on medicinal plants].

Science.gov (United States)

Teng, Zhong-qiu; Shen, Ye

2015-02-01

The application of genetic engineering technology in modern agriculture shows its outstanding role in dealing with food shortage. Traditional medicinal plant cultivation and collection have also faced with challenges, such as lack of resources, deterioration of environment, germplasm of recession and a series of problems. Genetic engineering can be used to improve the disease resistance, insect resistance, herbicides resistant ability of medicinal plant, also can improve the medicinal plant yield and increase the content of active substances in medicinal plants. Thus, the potent biotechnology can play an important role in protection and large area planting of medicinal plants. In the development of medicinal plant genetic engineering, the safety of transgenic medicinal plants should also be paid attention to. A set of scientific safety evaluation and judgment standard which is suitable for transgenic medicinal plants should be established based on the recognition of the particularity of medicinal plants.

Inadequate Progress for Women in Academic Medicine: Findings from the National Faculty Study

Science.gov (United States)

Gunn, Christine M.; Kaplan, Samantha A.; Raj, Anita; Freund, Karen M.

2015-01-01

Abstract Background: Women have entered academic medicine in significant numbers for 4 decades and now comprise 20% of full-time faculty. Despite this, women have not reached senior positions in parity with men. We sought to explore the gender climate in academic medicine as perceived by representatives to the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) Group on Women in Medicine and Science (GWIMS) and Group on Diversity and Inclusion (GDI). Methods: We conducted a qualitative analysis of semistructured telephone interviews with GWIMS and GDI representatives and other senior leaders at 24 randomly selected medical schools of the 1995 National Faculty Study. All were in the continental United States, balanced for public/private status and AAMC geographic region. Interviews were audiotaped, transcribed, and organized into content areas before an inductive thematic analysis was conducted. Themes that were expressed by multiple informants were studied for patterns of association. Results: Five themes were identified: (1) a perceived wide spectrum in gender climate; (2) lack of parity in rank and leadership by gender; (3) lack of retention of women in academic medicine (the “leaky pipeline”); (4) lack of gender equity in compensation; and (5) a disproportionate burden of family responsibilities and work-life balance on women's career progression. Conclusions: Key informants described improvements in the climate of academic medicine for women as modest. Medical schools were noted to vary by department in the gender experience of women, often with no institutional oversight. Our findings speak to the need for systematic review by medical schools and by accrediting organizations to achieve gender equity in academic medicine. PMID:25658907

Recent progress of research on medicinal mushrooms, foods, and other herbal products used in traditional Chinese medicine

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kuo-Hsiung Lee

2012-04-01

Full Text Available This article will review selected herbal products used in traditional Chinese medicine, including medicinal mushrooms (巴西蘑菇 bā xī mó gū; Agaricus blazei, 雲芝 yún zhī; Coriolus versicolor, 靈芝 líng zhī; Ganoderma lucidum, 香蕈 xiāng xùn; shiitake, Lentinus edodes, 牛樟芝 niú zhāng zhī; Taiwanofungus camphoratus, Cordyceps (冬蟲夏草 dōng chóng xià cǎo, pomegranate (石榴 shí liú; Granati Fructus, green tea (綠茶 lǜ chá; Theae Folium Non Fermentatum, garlic (大蒜 dà suàn; Allii Sativi Bulbus, turmeric (薑黃 jiāng huáng; Curcumae Longae Rhizoma, and Artemisiae Annuae Herba (青蒿 qīng hāo; sweet wormwood. Many of the discussed herbal products have gained popularity in their uses as dietary supplements for health benefits. The review will focus on the active constituents of the herbs and their bioactivities, with emphasis on the most recent progress in research for the period of 2003 to 2011.

Towards medicines regulatory authorities' quality performance improvement: value for public health.

Science.gov (United States)

Pejović, Gordana; Filipović, Jovan; Tasić, Ljiljana; Marinković, Valentina

2016-01-01

The purpose of this article is to explore the possibility of implementing total quality management (TQM) principles in national medicines regulatory authorities in Europe to achieve all public health objectives. Bearing in mind that medicines regulation is a governmental function that serves societal objectives to protect and promote public health, measuring the effective achievement of quality objectives related to public health is of utmost importance. A generic TQM model for meeting public health objectives was developed and was tested on 10 European national medicines regulatory authorities with different regulatory performances. Participating national medicines regulatory authorities recognised all TQM factors of the proposed model in implemented systems with different degrees of understanding. An analysis of responses was performed within the framework of two established criteria-the regulatory authority's category and size. The value of the paper is twofold. First, the new generic TQM model proposes to integrate four public health objectives with six TQM factors. Second, national medicines regulatory authorities were analysed as public organisations and health authorities to develop a proper tool for assessing their regulatory performance. The paper emphasises the importance of designing an adequate approach to performance measurement of quality management systems in medicines regulatory authorities that will support their public service missions. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Performance of International Medical Students In psychosocial medicine.

Science.gov (United States)

Huhn, D; Lauter, J; Roesch Ely, D; Koch, E; Möltner, A; Herzog, W; Resch, F; Herpertz, S C; Nikendei, C

2017-07-10

Particularly at the beginning of their studies, international medical students face a number of language-related, social and intercultural challenges. Thus, they perform poorer than their local counterparts in written and oral examinations as well as in Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs) in the fields of internal medicine and surgery. It is still unknown how international students perform in an OSCE in the field of psychosocial medicine compared to their local fellow students. All students (N = 1033) taking the OSCE in the field of psychosocial medicine and an accompanying written examination in their eighth or ninth semester between 2012 and 2015 were included in the analysis. The OSCE consisted of four different stations, in which students had to perform and manage a patient encounter with simulated patients suffering from 1) post-traumatic stress disorder, 2) schizophrenia, 3) borderline personality disorder and 4) either suicidal tendency or dementia. Students were evaluated by trained lecturers using global checklists assessing specific professional domains, namely building a relationship with the patient, conversational skills, anamnesis, as well as psychopathological findings and decision-making. International medical students scored significantly poorer than their local peers (p International students showed poorer results in clinical-practical exams in the field of psychosocial medicine, with conversational skills yielding the poorest scores. However, regarding factual and practical knowledge examined via a multiple-choice test, no differences emerged between international and local students. These findings have decisive implications for relationship building in the doctor-patient relationship.

Mindfulness, burnout, and effects on performance evaluations in internal medicine residents

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Braun SE

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Sarah E Braun,1 Stephen M Auerbach,1 Bruce Rybarczyk,1 Bennett Lee,2 Stephanie Call2 1Department of Psychology, School of Humanities and Sciences, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA; 2Department of Internal Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA Purpose: Burnout has been documented at high levels in medical residents with negative effects on performance. Some dispositional qualities, like mindfulness, may protect against burnout. The purpose of the present study was to assess burnout prevalence among internal medicine residents at a single institution, examine the relationship between mindfulness and burnout, and provide preliminary findings on the relation between burnout and performance evaluations in internal medicine residents.Methods: Residents (n = 38 completed validated measures of burnout at three time points separated by 2 months and a validated measure of dispositional mindfulness at baseline. Program director end-of-year performance evaluations were also obtained on 22 milestones used to evaluate internal medicine resident performance; notably, these milestones have not yet been validated for research purposes; therefore, the investigation here is exploratory.Results: Overall, 71.1% (n = 27 of the residents met criteria for burnout during the study. Lower scores on the “acting with awareness” facet of dispositional mindfulness significantly predicted meeting burnout criteria χ2(5 = 11.88, p = 0.04. Lastly, meeting burnout criteria significantly predicted performance on three of the performance milestones, with positive effects on milestones from the “system-based practices” and “professionalism” domains and negative effects on a milestone from the “patient care” domain.Conclusion: Burnout rates were high in this sample of internal medicine residents and rates were consistent with other reports of burnout during medical residency. Dispositional

[Research progress of Chinese herbal medicine and traditional Chinese medicine resulting in liver injury].

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Jingli; Zhou, Chaofan

2011-12-01

The adverse reactions caused by Chinese herbal medicine and traditional Chinese medicine are reported increased in recent years, among which the acute liver injury caused by Chinese herbal medicine accounts for 21.5% of total liver injuries. Despite the misuse of traditional Chinese medicine not in accordance with differentiation of symptoms and signs, the adverse reaction of Chinese herbal medicine itself can't be little to these adverse events. The paper summarizes the most common categories of traditional Chinese medicine resulting in liver injury, the mechanism, pathological characteristics, clinical symptom of liver injury, the reasons of the reaction and how to prevent. The research aims to enhance the clinical physician recognition of liver injury caused by Chinese herbal medicine, in order to ensure the safe and rational usage of traditional Chinese medicine.

Precision medicine, an approach for development of the future medicine technologies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Iraj Nabipour

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Precision medicine is an approach in medicine that takes into account individual differences in people's genes, environments, and lifestyle. This field of medicine redefines our understanding of disease onset and progression, treatment response, and health outcomes through the more precise measurement of molecular, environmental, and behavioral factors that contribute to health and disease. Undoubtedly, the advances in omics technologies including genomics, data collection and storage, computational analysis, and mobile health applications over the last decade produced significant progress for precision medicine. In fact, precision medicine is a platform for the growth of personalized medicine, wearable biosensors, mobile health, computational sciences, genomic singularity, and other omics technologies. In the pathway of precision medicine, mathematics and computational sciences will be revolutionized to overcome the challenges in Big Data. By the birth of precision medicine, novel therapeutic strategies for chronic complex diseases such as cardiovascular disease and cancers would be designed in Systems Medicine.

Progress in organizing national and international comparisons for nuclear medicine measurements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sahagia, Maria; Waetjen, Anamaria C.; Ivan, Constantin

2008-01-01

The paper presents the progress registered by the Radionuclide Metrology Laboratory (RML) from IFIN-HH, in improvement of the quality of radiopharmaceuticals activity measurement, and assurance of the whole traceability chain from international level to the national users. The progress in organization of comparisons for radiopharmaceuticals activity measurement is analyzed. A detailed description of two recent national comparisons, and an international one, regarding 131 I solutions, within the frame of the IAEA's CRP E2.10.05 'Harmonization of quality practices for nuclear medicine radioactivity measurements' is done, with the analysis of the strong and week points in measurements. The most important outcome of the paper is the analysis of the evolution in quality of comparisons since a previously reported one. At the RML level, the improvements are: demonstration of the international equivalence of primary Romanian activity standard, improvement of the secondary standard, relevance of the comparison within the IAEA frame, implementation of a quality system in standardization and in comparisons, and implication of the RML in calibrations and metrological checks. The participants' reported improvements refer to growing of the awareness in quality of measurement and improvement of the measurement equipment. Reasons for future comparisons organization are presented. (author)

Performance during internal medicine residency training and subsequent disciplinary action by state licensing boards.

Science.gov (United States)

Papadakis, Maxine A; Arnold, Gerald K; Blank, Linda L; Holmboe, Eric S; Lipner, Rebecca S

2008-06-03

Physicians who are disciplined by state licensing boards are more likely to have demonstrated unprofessional behavior in medical school. Information is limited on whether similar performance measures taken during residency can predict performance as practicing physicians. To determine whether performance measures during residency predict the likelihood of future disciplinary actions against practicing internists. Retrospective cohort study. State licensing board disciplinary actions against physicians from 1990 to 2006. 66,171 physicians who entered internal medicine residency training in the United States from 1990 to 2000 and became diplomates. Predictor variables included components of the Residents' Annual Evaluation Summary ratings and American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) certification examination scores. 2 performance measures independently predicted disciplinary action. A low professionalism rating on the Residents' Annual Evaluation Summary predicted increased risk for disciplinary action (hazard ratio, 1.7 [95% CI, 1.3 to 2.2]), and high performance on the ABIM certification examination predicted decreased risk for disciplinary action (hazard ratio, 0.7 [CI, 0.60 to 0.70] for American or Canadian medical school graduates and 0.9 [CI, 0.80 to 1.0] for international medical school graduates). Progressively better professionalism ratings and ABIM certification examination scores were associated with less risk for subsequent disciplinary actions; the risk ranged from 4.0% for the lowest professionalism rating to 0.5% for the highest and from 2.5% for the lowest examination scores to 0.0% for the highest. The study was retrospective. Some diplomates may have practiced outside of the United States. Nondiplomates were excluded. Poor performance on behavioral and cognitive measures during residency are associated with greater risk for state licensing board actions against practicing physicians at every point on a performance continuum. These findings support

New imaging systems in nuclear medicine. Technical progress report, July 1, 1975--March 15, 1976

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brownell, G.L.

1976-01-01

This progress report covers four areas: development of positron instrumentation, development of NUMEDICS computer system and software, application of cyclotron-produced isotopes ( 11 C, 68 Ga, 13 N, 15 O, and 82 Rb), and application of the NUMEDICS computer system in nuclear medicine. The development of transverse section positron imaging has had a significant impact and a positron camera was designed specifically for transverse section imaging of heart and lungs. The computer net (NUMEDICS II) is progressing rapidly in design and software development. Clinical studies have demonstrated the feasibility of measuring cerebral blood flow using a variety of positron emitting radiopharmaceuticals and oxygen utilization using 15 O 2 . Rubidium-82 also appears to be a promising agent for measurement of cerebral blood flow

Epistemology, Ethics, and Progress in Precision Medicine.

Science.gov (United States)

Hey, Spencer Phillips; Barsanti-Innes, Brianna

2016-01-01

The emerging paradigm of precision medicine strives to leverage the tools of molecular biology to prospectively tailor treatments to the individual patient. Fundamental to the success of this movement is the discovery and validation of "predictive biomarkers," which are properties of a patient's biological specimens that can be assayed in advance of therapy to inform the treatment decision. Unfortunately, research into biomarkers and diagnostics for precision medicine has fallen well short of expectations. In this essay, we examine the portfolio of research activities into the excision repair cross complement group 1 (ERCC1) gene as a predictive biomarker for precision lung cancer therapy as a case study in elucidating the epistemological and ethical obstacles to developing new precision medicines.

Nuclear Medicine Program progress report for quarter ending June 30, 1993

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Knapp, F.F. Jr.; Ambrose, K.R.; Beets, A.L.; Callahan, A.P.; Hsieh, B.T.; McPherson, D.W.; Mirzadeh, S.; Lambert, C.R.

1993-07-01

The ``IQNP`` agent is an antagonist for the cholinergic-muscarinic receptor. Since the IQNP molecule has two asymmetric centers and either cis or trans isomerism of the vinyl iodide, there are eight possible isomeric combinations. In this report, the systematic synthesis, purification and animal testing of several isomers of radioiodinated ``IQNP`` are reported. A dramatic and unexpected relation between the absolute configuration at the two asymmetric centers and the stereochemistry of the vinyl iodide on receptor specificity was observed. The E-(R)(R) isomer shows specific and significant localization (per cent dose/gram at 6 hours) in receptor-rich cerebral structures (i.e. Cortex = 1.38 + 0.31; Striatum = 1.22 + 0.20) and low uptake in tissues rich in the M{sub 2} subtype (Heart = 0.10; Cerebellum = 0.04). In contrast, the E-(R)(S) isomer shows very low receptor-specific uptake (Cortex = 0.04; Striatum = 0.02), demonstrating the importance of absolute configuration at the acetate center. An unexpected and important observation is that the stereochemistry of the vinyl iodine appears to affect receptor subtype specificity, since the Z-(R,S)(R) isomer shows much higher uptake in the heart (0.56 + 0.12) and cerebellum (0.17 + 0.04). Studies are now in progress to confirm these exciting results in vitro. Progress has also continued during this period with several collaborative programs. The first large-scale clinical tungsten-188/rhenium-188 generator prototype (500 mCi) was fabricated and supplied to the Center for Molecular Medicine and Immunology (CMMI), in Newark, New Jersey, for Phase I clinical trials of rhenium-188-labeled anti CEA antibodies for patient treatment. Collaborative studies are also continuing in conjunction with the Nuclear Medicine Department at the University of Massachusetts where a generator is in use to compare the biological properties of {open_quotes}direct{close_quotes} and {open_quotes}indirect{close_quotes} labeled antibodies.

Nuclear medicine in China

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Shihchen; Liu, Xiujie

1986-01-01

Since China first applied isotopes to medical research in 1956, over 800 hospitals and research institutions with 4000 staff have taken up nuclear technology. So far, over 120 important biologically active materials have been measured by radioimmunoassay in China, and 44 types of RIA kit have been supplied commercially. More than 50,000 cases of hyperthyroidism have been treated satisfactorily with 131 I. Radionuclide imaging of practically all organs and systems of the human body has been performed, and adrenal imaging and nuclear cardiology have become routine clinical practice in several large hospitals. The thyroid iodine uptake test, renogram tracing and cardiac function studies with a cardiac probe are also commonly used in most Chinese hospitals. The active principles of more than 60 medicinal herbs have been labelled with isotopes in order to study the drug metabolism and mechanism of action. Through the use of labelled neurotransmitters or deoxyglucose, RIA, radioreceptor assay and autoradiography, Chinese researchers have made remarkable achievements in the study of the scientific basis of acupuncture analgesia. In 1980 the Chinese Society of Nuclear Medicine was founded, and since 1981 the Chinese Journal of Nuclear Medicine has been published. Although nuclear medicine in China has already made some progress, when compared with advanced countries, much progress is still to be made. It is hoped that international scientific exchange will be strengthened in the future. (author)

Aspects and progresses of the Program for Regulatory Inspection of Nuclear Medicine in Brazil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alves, Carlos Eduardo Gonzalez Ribeiro

2004-01-01

This work aims to show the advances in the Nuclear Medicine auditing field performed by the Nuclear Medicine Group of the Division of Radiotherapy and Nuclear Medicine of the Inst. of Radiation Protection and Dosimetry. The main aspects observed during the auditing are presented as well as the evolution of the non-conformities. It is shown that the occurrence of these non-conformities decreases year by year, primarily as a function of the severity of the auditing and the consciousness of the personal of Nuclear Medicine Services. Results point clearly to the importance of the coercion actions to guarantee a radiation protection level in compliance with the standards established by the Brazilian Nuclear Energy Commission. (author)

Training Family Medicine Residents to Perform Home Visits: A CERA Survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Sairenji, Tomoko; Wilson, Stephen A; D'Amico, Frank; Peterson, Lars E

2017-02-01

Home visits have been shown to improve quality of care, save money, and improve outcomes. Primary care physicians are in an ideal position to provide these visits; of note, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education no longer requires home visits as a component of family medicine residency training. To investigate changes in home visit numbers and expectations, attitudes, and approaches to training among family medicine residency program directors. This research used the Council of Academic Family Medicine Educational Research Alliance (CERA) national survey of family medicine program directors in 2015. Questions addressed home visit practices, teaching and evaluation methods, common types of patient and visit categories, and barriers. There were 252 responses from 455 possible respondents, representing a response rate of 55%. At most programs, residents performed 2 to 5 home visits by graduation in both 2014 (69% of programs, 174 of 252) and 2015 (68%, 172 of 252). The vast majority (68%, 172 of 252) of program directors expect less than one-third of their graduates to provide home visits after graduation. Scheduling difficulties, lack of faculty time, and lack of resident time were the top 3 barriers to residents performing home visits. There appeared to be no decline in resident-performed home visits in family medicine residencies 1 year after they were no longer required. Family medicine program directors may recognize the value of home visits despite a lack of few formal curricula.

Mindfulness, burnout, and effects on performance evaluations in internal medicine residents.

Science.gov (United States)

Braun, Sarah E; Auerbach, Stephen M; Rybarczyk, Bruce; Lee, Bennett; Call, Stephanie

2017-01-01

Burnout has been documented at high levels in medical residents with negative effects on performance. Some dispositional qualities, like mindfulness, may protect against burnout. The purpose of the present study was to assess burnout prevalence among internal medicine residents at a single institution, examine the relationship between mindfulness and burnout, and provide preliminary findings on the relation between burnout and performance evaluations in internal medicine residents. Residents (n = 38) completed validated measures of burnout at three time points separated by 2 months and a validated measure of dispositional mindfulness at baseline. Program director end-of-year performance evaluations were also obtained on 22 milestones used to evaluate internal medicine resident performance; notably, these milestones have not yet been validated for research purposes; therefore, the investigation here is exploratory. Overall, 71.1% (n = 27) of the residents met criteria for burnout during the study. Lower scores on the "acting with awareness" facet of dispositional mindfulness significantly predicted meeting burnout criteria χ 2 (5) = 11.88, p = 0.04. Lastly, meeting burnout criteria significantly predicted performance on three of the performance milestones, with positive effects on milestones from the "system-based practices" and "professionalism" domains and negative effects on a milestone from the "patient care" domain. Burnout rates were high in this sample of internal medicine residents and rates were consistent with other reports of burnout during medical residency. Dispositional mindfulness was supported as a protective factor against burnout. Importantly, results from the exploratory investigation of the relationship between burnout and resident evaluations suggested that burnout may improve performance on some domains of resident evaluations while compromising performance on other domains. Implications and directions for future research are discussed.

Converting energy to medical progress [nuclear medicine

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2001-04-01

For over 50 years the Office of Biological and Environmental Research (BER) of the United States Department of Energy (DOE) has been investing to advance environmental and biomedical knowledge connected to energy. The BER Medical Sciences program fosters research to develop beneficial applications of nuclear technologies for medical diagnosis and treatment of many diseases. Today, nuclear medicine helps millions of patients annually in the United States. Nearly every nuclear medicine scan or test used today was made possible by past BER-funded research on radiotracers, radiation detection devices, gamma cameras, PET and SPECT scanners, and computer science. The heart of biological research within BER has always been the pursuit of improved human health. The nuclear medicine of tomorrow will depend greatly on today's BER-supported research, particularly in the discovery of radiopharmaceuticals that seek specific molecular and genetic targets, the design of advanced scanners needed to create meaningful images with these future radiotracers, and the promise of new radiopharmaceutical treatments for cancers and genetic diseases.

Converting energy to medical progress [nuclear medicine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2001-01-01

For over 50 years the Office of Biological and Environmental Research (BER) of the United States Department of Energy (DOE) has been investing to advance environmental and biomedical knowledge connected to energy. The BER Medical Sciences program fosters research to develop beneficial applications of nuclear technologies for medical diagnosis and treatment of many diseases. Today, nuclear medicine helps millions of patients annually in the United States. Nearly every nuclear medicine scan or test used today was made possible by past BER-funded research on radiotracers, radiation detection devices, gamma cameras, PET and SPECT scanners, and computer science. The heart of biological research within BER has always been the pursuit of improved human health. The nuclear medicine of tomorrow will depend greatly on today's BER-supported research, particularly in the discovery of radiopharmaceuticals that seek specific molecular and genetic targets, the design of advanced scanners needed to create meaningful images with these future radiotracers, and the promise of new radiopharmaceutical treatments for cancers and genetic diseases

The Current Status and Future Perspectives of Nuclear Medicine in Korea

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Myung Chul; Oh, So Won; Chung, June Key; Lee, Dong Soo

2010-01-01

Since the introduction of nuclear medicine in 1959, Korea accomplished a brilliant development in terms of both clinical practice and research activities, which was mainly due to the dedication of nuclear medicine specialists, consisting of physicians, technicians, and scientists, and strong support from the Korean Government. Now, Korea has 150 medical institutes, performing approximately 561,000 nuclear imaging procedures and 11.6 million in vitro studies in 2008, and ranked fourth in the number of presentations at the Annual Meeting of the Society of Nuclear Medicine (SNM) in 2008. The successful progress in this field has allowed Korea to focus on the international promotion of nuclear medicine, especially in the developing and underdeveloped countries. In consequence, the Asian Regional Cooperative Council for Nuclear Medicine (ARCCNM) was established in 2001, and Seoul hosted the 9th Congress of the World Federation of Nuclear Medicine and Biology (WFNMB) in 2006. In the future, Korea will strive to sustain its rate of advancement in the field and make every effort to share its progress and promote the exchange of scientific information at the international level.

[AVIATION MEDICINE: THEORETICAL CONCEPTS AND FOCAL FUNDAMENTAL AND PRACTICAL ISSUES (for the 80th anniversary of the Research Test Center of Aerospace Medicine and Military Ergonomics)].

Science.gov (United States)

Zhdanko, I M; Pisarev, A A; Vorona, A A; Lapa, V V; Khomenko, M N

2015-01-01

The article discloses postulates of theoretical concepts that make the methodological basis for addressing the real-world aviation medicine challenges of humanizing aviator's environment, labor content and means, and health and performance maintenance. Under consideration are focal fundamental and practical issues arising with the technological progress in aviation and dealt with at the AF CRI Research Test Center of Aerospace Medicine and Military Ergonomics.

Lifestyle medicine curriculum for a preventive medicine residency program: implementation and outcomes.

Science.gov (United States)

Nawaz, Haq; Petraro, Paul V; Via, Christina; Ullah, Saif; Lim, Lionel; Wild, Dorothea; Kennedy, Mary; Phillips, Edward M

2016-01-01

The vast majority of the healthcare problems burdening our society today are caused by disease-promoting lifestyles (e.g., physical inactivity and unhealthy eating). Physicians report poor training and lack of confidence in counseling patients on lifestyle changes. To evaluate a new curriculum and rotation in lifestyle medicine for preventive medicine residents. Training included didactics (six sessions/year), distance learning, educational conferences, and newly developed lifestyle medicine rotations at the Institute of Lifestyle Medicine, the Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Center, and the Integrative Medicine Center. We used a number of tools to assess residents' progress including Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs), self-assessments, and logs of personal health habits. A total of 20 residents participated in the lifestyle medicine training between 2010 and 2013. There was a 15% increase in residents' discussions of lifestyle issues with their patients based on their baseline and follow-up surveys. The performance of preventive medicine residents on OSCEs increased each year they were in the program (average OSCE score: PGY1 73%, PGY2 83%, PGY3 87%, and PGY4 91%, p=0.01). Our internal medicine and preliminary residents served as a control, since they did participate in didactics but not in lifestyle medicine rotations. Internal medicine and preliminary residents who completed the same OSCEs had a slightly lower average score (76%) compared with plural for resident, preventive medicine residents (80%). However, this difference did not reach statistical significance (p=0.11). Incorporating the lifestyle medicine curriculum is feasible for preventive medicine training allowing residents to improve their health behavior change discussions with patients as well as their own personal health habits.

Lifestyle medicine curriculum for a preventive medicine residency program: implementation and outcomes

Science.gov (United States)

Nawaz, Haq; Petraro, Paul V.; Via, Christina; Ullah, Saif; Lim, Lionel; Wild, Dorothea; Kennedy, Mary; Phillips, Edward M.

2016-01-01

Background The vast majority of the healthcare problems burdening our society today are caused by disease-promoting lifestyles (e.g., physical inactivity and unhealthy eating). Physicians report poor training and lack of confidence in counseling patients on lifestyle changes. Objective To evaluate a new curriculum and rotation in lifestyle medicine for preventive medicine residents. Methods Training included didactics (six sessions/year), distance learning, educational conferences, and newly developed lifestyle medicine rotations at the Institute of Lifestyle Medicine, the Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Center, and the Integrative Medicine Center. We used a number of tools to assess residents’ progress including Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs), self-assessments, and logs of personal health habits. Results A total of 20 residents participated in the lifestyle medicine training between 2010 and 2013. There was a 15% increase in residents’ discussions of lifestyle issues with their patients based on their baseline and follow-up surveys. The performance of preventive medicine residents on OSCEs increased each year they were in the program (average OSCE score: PGY1 73%, PGY2 83%, PGY3 87%, and PGY4 91%, p=0.01). Our internal medicine and preliminary residents served as a control, since they did participate in didactics but not in lifestyle medicine rotations. Internal medicine and preliminary residents who completed the same OSCEs had a slightly lower average score (76%) compared with plural for resident, preventive medicine residents (80%). However, this difference did not reach statistical significance (p=0.11). Conclusion Incorporating the lifestyle medicine curriculum is feasible for preventive medicine training allowing residents to improve their health behavior change discussions with patients as well as their own personal health habits. PMID:27507540

Lifestyle medicine curriculum for a preventive medicine residency program: implementation and outcomes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Haq Nawaz

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Background: The vast majority of the healthcare problems burdening our society today are caused by disease-promoting lifestyles (e.g., physical inactivity and unhealthy eating. Physicians report poor training and lack of confidence in counseling patients on lifestyle changes. Objective: To evaluate a new curriculum and rotation in lifestyle medicine for preventive medicine residents. Methods: Training included didactics (six sessions/year, distance learning, educational conferences, and newly developed lifestyle medicine rotations at the Institute of Lifestyle Medicine, the Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Center, and the Integrative Medicine Center. We used a number of tools to assess residents’ progress including Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs, self-assessments, and logs of personal health habits. Results: A total of 20 residents participated in the lifestyle medicine training between 2010 and 2013. There was a 15% increase in residents’ discussions of lifestyle issues with their patients based on their baseline and follow-up surveys. The performance of preventive medicine residents on OSCEs increased each year they were in the program (average OSCE score: PGY1 73%, PGY2 83%, PGY3 87%, and PGY4 91%, p=0.01. Our internal medicine and preliminary residents served as a control, since they did participate in didactics but not in lifestyle medicine rotations. Internal medicine and preliminary residents who completed the same OSCEs had a slightly lower average score (76% compared with plural for resident, preventive medicine residents (80%. However, this difference did not reach statistical significance (p=0.11. Conclusion: Incorporating the lifestyle medicine curriculum is feasible for preventive medicine training allowing residents to improve their health behavior change discussions with patients as well as their own personal health habits.

What is legal medicine--are legal and forensic medicine the same?

Science.gov (United States)

Beran, Roy G

2010-04-01

Some consider the terms "forensic" and "legal" medicine to be synonymous but this is counter to the title of the Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine or the dual strands for progression to fellowship of the Australian College of Legal Medicine. The paper examines a very brief historical background to legal medicine and develops a definition of the strands thereof, namely legal and forensic medicine. It demonstrates that the two are different components of the application of medical knowledge upon the legal system. Legal medicine has greater relevance to civil and tort law, impacting upon patient care, whereas forensic medicine relates to criminal law and damage to, or by, patients.

The progress of Chinese burn medicine from the Third Military Medical University-in memory of its pioneer, Professor Li Ao.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Haisheng; Zhou, Junyi; Peng, Yizhi; Zhang, Jiaping; Peng, Xi; Luo, Qizhi; Yuan, Zhiqiang; Yan, Hong; Peng, Daizhi; He, Weifeng; Wang, Fengjun; Liang, Guangping; Huang, Yuesheng; Wu, Jun; Luo, Gaoxing

2017-01-01

Professor Li Ao was one of the founders of Chinese burn medicine and one of the most renowned doctors and researchers of burns in China. He established one of the Chinese earliest special departments for burns at Third Military Medical University (TMMU) in 1958. To memorialize Professor Li Ao on his 100th birthday in 2017 and introduce our extensive experience, it is our honor to briefly review the development and achievement of the Chinese burn medicine from TMMU. The epidemiology and outcomes of admitted burn patients since 1958 were reviewed. Furthermore, main achievements of basic and clinical research for the past roughly 60 years were presented. These achievements mainly included the Chinese Rule of Nine, fluid resuscitation protocol, experience in inhalation injury, wound treatment strategies, prevention and treatment of burn infections, nutrition therapy, organ support therapies, and rehabilitation. The progress shaped and enriched modern Chinese burn medicine and promoted the development of world burn medicine.

INFLUENCE OF AEROSPACE MEDICINE ACHIEVEMENTS ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF SPORT MEDICINE METHODOLOGY.

Science.gov (United States)

R Yashina, E R; Kurashvili, V A; Turzin, P S

Modern technologies of aerospace medicine develop at rapid pace pulling on its orbit all spheres of the human activity, including sport. Innovations play a major role in the progress of sport medicine areas related to the biomedical support of precontest training. Overview of the most important aerospace medicine achievements and their methodical implications for sport medicine is presented. Discussion is devoted to how the aerospace medicine technologies can raise effectiveness of the biomedical support to different sectors of sport and fitness.

Robotics in medicine

Science.gov (United States)

Kuznetsov, D. N.; Syryamkin, V. I.

2015-11-01

Modern technologies play a very important role in our lives. It is hard to imagine how people can get along without personal computers, and companies - without powerful computer centers. Nowadays, many devices make modern medicine more effective. Medicine is developing constantly, so introduction of robots in this sector is a very promising activity. Advances in technology have influenced medicine greatly. Robotic surgery is now actively developing worldwide. Scientists have been carrying out research and practical attempts to create robotic surgeons for more than 20 years, since the mid-80s of the last century. Robotic assistants play an important role in modern medicine. This industry is new enough and is at the early stage of development; despite this, some developments already have worldwide application; they function successfully and bring invaluable help to employees of medical institutions. Today, doctors can perform operations that seemed impossible a few years ago. Such progress in medicine is due to many factors. First, modern operating rooms are equipped with up-to-date equipment, allowing doctors to make operations more accurately and with less risk to the patient. Second, technology has enabled to improve the quality of doctors' training. Various types of robots exist now: assistants, military robots, space, household and medical, of course. Further, we should make a detailed analysis of existing types of robots and their application. The purpose of the article is to illustrate the most popular types of robots used in medicine.

Does Missing Classes Decelerate Student Exam Performance Progress? Empirical Evidence and Policy Implications

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Lin, Tin-Chun

2014-01-01

A total of 389 business students in undergraduate introductory microeconomics classes in spring 2007, 2009, and 2011, and fall 2012 participated in an exam performance progress study. Empirical evidence suggested that missing classes decelerates and hampers high-performing students' exam performance progress. Nevertheless, the evidence does…

Inulin in Medicinal Plants II : Determination of Inulin in Medicinal Plants by High-Performance Gel Chromatography - Seasonal Variations in Inulin Content

OpenAIRE

太田, 長世; 三野, 芳紀; NAGAYO, OTA; YOSHIKI, MINO; 大阪薬科大学; 大阪薬科大学; Osaka College of Pharmacy; Osaka College of Pharmacy

1980-01-01

A high-performance gel chromatographic procedure for the analysis of inulin in medicinal plants (0.001% for 1% absorption) was established by combining gel chromatography(TSK-G3000PW with distilled water as a mobile phase) with colorimetry (HCl-resorcin reaction). Quantitative studies on inulin contents in medicinal plants of the Gampanulaceae and Compositae families in various growth stages was performed according to the present method. In general, inulin contents of the underground parts de...

[Research progress on potential liver toxic components in traditional Chinese medicine].

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Hao; Zhong, Rong-Ling; Xia, Zhi; Huang, Hou-Cai; Zhong, Qing-Xiang; Feng, Liang; Song, Jie; Jia, Xiao-Bin

2016-09-01

In recent years, the proportion of traditional Chinese medicine in scientific research and its clinical use increased gradually. The research result also becomes more and more valuable, but in the process of using traditional Chinese medicine, it also needs to pay more attention. With the gradual deepening of the toxicity of traditional Chinese medicine, some traditional Chinese medicines have also been found to have the potential toxicity, with the exception of some traditional toxicity Chinese medicine. Traditional Chinese medicine in the growth, processing, processing, transportation and other aspects of pollution or deterioration will also cause the side effects to the body. Clinical practice should be based on the theory of traditional Chinese medicine to guide rational drug use and follow the symptomatic medication, the principle of proper compatibility. The constitution of the patients are different, except for a few varieties of traditional Chinese medicines are natural herbs with hepatotoxicity, liver toxicity of most of the traditional Chinese medicine has idiosyncratic features. The liver plays an important role in drug metabolism. It is easy to be damaged by drugs. Therefore, the study of traditional Chinese medicine potential liver toxicity and its toxic components has become one of the basic areas of traditional Chinese medicine research. Based on the review of the literatures, this paper summarizes the clinical classification of liver toxicity, the pathogenesis of target cell injury, and systematically summarizes the mechanism of liver toxicity and toxic mechanism of traditional Chinese medicine. This paper provided ideas for the study of potential liver toxicity of traditional Chinese medicine and protection for clinical safety of traditional Chinese medicine. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

Correlation of United States Medical Licensing Examination and Internal Medicine In-Training Examination Performance

Science.gov (United States)

Perez, Jose A., Jr.; Greer, Sharon

2009-01-01

The Internal Medicine In-Training Examination (ITE) is administered during residency training in the United States as a self-assessment and program assessment tool. Performance on this exam correlates with outcome on the American Board of Internal Medicine Certifying examination. Internal Medicine Program Directors use the United States Medical…

The association of students requiring remediation in the internal medicine clerkship with poor performance during internship.

Science.gov (United States)

Hemann, Brian A; Durning, Steven J; Kelly, William F; Dong, Ting; Pangaro, Louis N; Hemmer, Paul A

2015-04-01

To determine whether the Uniformed Services University (USU) system of workplace performance assessment for students in the internal medicine clerkship at the USU continues to be a sensitive predictor of subsequent poor performance during internship, when compared with assessments in other USU third year clerkships. Utilizing Program Director survey results from 2007 through 2011 and U.S. Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step 3 examination results as the outcomes of interest, we compared performance during internship for students who had less than passing performance in the internal medicine clerkship and required remediation, against students whose performance in the internal medicine clerkship was successful. We further analyzed internship ratings for students who received less than passing grades during the same time period on other third year clerkships such as general surgery, pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, family medicine, and psychiatry to evaluate whether poor performance on other individual clerkships were associated with future poor performance at the internship level. Results for this recent cohort of graduates were compared with previously published findings. The overall survey response rate for this 5 year cohort was 81% (689/853). Students who received a less than passing grade in the internal medicine clerkship and required further remediation were 4.5 times more likely to be given poor ratings in the domain of medical expertise and 18.7 times more likely to demonstrate poor professionalism during internship. Further, students requiring internal medicine remediation were 8.5 times more likely to fail USMLE Step 3. No other individual clerkship showed any statistically significant associations with performance at the intern level. On the other hand, 40% of students who successfully remediated and did graduate were not identified during internship as having poor performance. Unsuccessful clinical performance which requires remediation in

Evaluation of performance of activimeter used in nuclear medicine for radiopharmaceuticals activity measure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Silva, Tais Lins da; Oliveira, Antonio Eduardo de; Iwahara, Akira; Tauhata, Luiz; Ruzzarin, Anelise; Xavier, Ana Maria

2013-01-01

This paper presents the performance evaluation of radionuclide calibrators of Nuclear Medicine Centers located in Rio de Janeiro state and Porto Alegre city at the criterion of accuracy required by the standard NN-3.05 of the National Commission on Nuclear Energy for measuring of activity of radiopharmaceuticals. Of total of 203 results evaluated for 99 mTc, 131 I, 67 Ga and 201 Tl, 88% showed acceptable performance according to this criterion. Ideally, and fully attainable, the performance should be 100%, for the benefit of patients undergoing nuclear medicine procedures. (author)

[Application progress of proteomic in pharmacological study of Chinese medicinal formulae].

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Yu-Qian; Zhan, Shu-Yu; Ruan, Yu-Er; Zuo, Zhi-Yan; Ji, Xiao-Ming; Wang, Shuai-Jie; Ding, Bao-Yue

2017-10-01

Chinese medicinal formulae are the important means of clinical treatment in traditional Chinese medicine. It is urgent to use modern advanced scientific and technological means to reveal the complicated mechanism of Chinese medicinal formulae because they have the function characteristics of multiple components, multiple targets and integrated regulation. The systematic and comprehensive research model of proteomic is in line with the function characteristics of Chinese medicinal formulae, and proteomic has been widely used in the study of pharmacological mechanism of Chinese medicinal formulae. The recent applications of proteomic in pharmacological study of Chinese medicinal formulae in anti-cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, anti-liver disease, antidiabetic, anticancer, anti-rheumatoid arthritis and other diseases were reviewed in this paper, and then the future development direction of proteomic in pharmacological study of Chinese medicinal formulae was put forward. This review is to provide the ideas and method for proteomic research on function mechanism of Chinese medicinal formulae. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

Student performance of the general physical examination in internal medicine: an observational study

Science.gov (United States)

2014-01-01

Background Many practicing physicians lack skills in physical examination. It is not known whether physical examination skills already show deficiencies after an early phase of clinical training. At the end of the internal medicine clerkship students are expected to be able to perform a general physical examination in every new patient encounter. In a previous study, the basic physical examination items that should standardly be performed were set by consensus. The aim of the current observational study was to assess whether medical students were able to correctly perform a general physical examination regarding completeness as well as technique at the end of the clerkship internal medicine. Methods One hundred students who had just finished their clerkship internal medicine were asked to perform a general physical examination on a standardized patient as they had learned during the clerkship. They were recorded on camera. Frequency of performance of each component of the physical examination was counted. Adequacy of performance was determined as either correct or incorrect or not assessable using a checklist of short descriptions of each physical examination component. A reliability analysis was performed by calculation of the intra class correlation coefficient for total scores of five physical examinations rated by three trained physicians and for their agreement on performance of all items. Results Approximately 40% of the agreed standard physical examination items were not performed by the students. Students put the most emphasis on examination of general parameters, heart, lungs and abdomen. Many components of the physical examination were not performed as was taught during precourses. Intra-class correlation was high for total scores of the physical examinations 0.91 (p internal medicine clerkship. Possible causes and suggestions for improvement are discussed. PMID:24712683

Progress on RNAi-based molecular medicines

OpenAIRE

Chen, Jing; Xie, Jianping

2012-01-01

Jing Chen, Jianping XieInstitute of Modern Biopharmaceuticals, State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Ministry of Education Eco-Environment of the Three Gorges Reservoir Region, School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, ChinaAbstract: RNA interference (RNAi) is a promising strategy to suppress the expression of disease-relevant genes and induce post-transcriptional gene silencing. Their simplicity and stability endow RNAi with great advantages in molecular medicine. Several RNA...

Women in medicine and dermatology: history and advances.

Science.gov (United States)

França, Katlein; Ledon, Jennifer; Savas, Jessica; Nouri, Keyvan

2014-01-01

The history of women in medicine has been marked by many challenges and achievements. Although the role of women in the "art of healing" can be traced back many centuries, only males are traditionally highlighted in history. Across antiquity, access to medical education was denied to females. Dermatology is a medical specialty in which women displayed particular skill and proficiency. Gradually, determination and competence allowed women to lay claim in an essentially male-dominated world. This article presents a brief review of the performance, progress and achievements of women in the history of medicine and dermatology.

Women in medicine and dermatology: history and advances*

Science.gov (United States)

França, Katlein; Ledon, Jennifer; Savas, Jessica; Nouri, Keyvan

2014-01-01

The history of women in medicine has been marked by many challenges and achievements. Although the role of women in the "art of healing" can be traced back many centuries, only males are traditionally highlighted in history. Across antiquity, access to medical education was denied to females. Dermatology is a medical specialty in which women displayed particular skill and proficiency. Gradually, determination and competence allowed women to lay claim in an essentially male-dominated world. This article presents a brief review of the performance, progress and achievements of women in the history of medicine and dermatology. PMID:24626675

Initial Progress Rates as Related to Performance in a Personalized System of Instruction

Science.gov (United States)

Henneberry, John K.

1976-01-01

Discusses research which explored the hypothesis that students who are fast starters in a personalized system of instruction psychology course would perform better and maintain faster course progress rates than slow starters. Findings indicate that students' starting pace is predictive of course performance and subsequent progress rates.…

Improved performance of maternal-fetal medicine staff after maternal cardiac arrest simulation-based training.

Science.gov (United States)

Fisher, Nelli; Eisen, Lewis A; Bayya, Jyothshna V; Dulu, Alina; Bernstein, Peter S; Merkatz, Irwin R; Goffman, Dena

2011-09-01

To determine the impact of simulation-based maternal cardiac arrest training on performance, knowledge, and confidence among Maternal-Fetal Medicine staff. Maternal-Fetal Medicine staff (n = 19) participated in a maternal arrest simulation program. Based on evaluation of performance during initial simulations, an intervention was designed including: basic life support course, advanced cardiac life support pregnancy modification lecture, and simulation practice. Postintervention evaluative simulations were performed. All simulations included a knowledge test, confidence survey, and debriefing. A checklist with 9 pregnancy modification (maternal) and 16 critical care (25 total) tasks was used for scoring. Postintervention scores reflected statistically significant improvement. Maternal-Fetal Medicine staff demonstrated statistically significant improvement in timely initiation of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (120 vs 32 seconds, P = .042) and cesarean delivery (240 vs 159 seconds, P = .017). Prompt cardiopulmonary resuscitation initiation and pregnancy modifications application are critical in maternal and fetal survival during cardiac arrest. Simulation is a useful tool for Maternal-Fetal Medicine staff to improve skills, knowledge, and confidence in the management of this catastrophic event. Published by Mosby, Inc.

Precision medicine and traditional chinese medicine of dialogue

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lou Xin

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The precision medicine is more precise individualized medicine, based on the patient’s genes or physiological to formulate the specific treatment plan, for the realization of individualized treatment of various diseases to provide valuable information.But with the progress of modern science and technology, modern medicine dependence on medical instruments are too serious, traditional ways are gradually forgotten.If the machine depends on the instrument test results too serious which don’t combined with the actual diagnosis, the cause of misdiagnosis, so we should pay attention to the overall analysis of diseases and systematic diagnosis and examination, use of the overall treatment concept traced back to find the cause of Traditional Chinese Medicine, finally decide to select a best treatment plan.We should use the dialectical attitude to look at the precise medical. Not blindly requirements according to the road of precision medicine of Traditional Chinese Medicine to go, to shine in himself field, form of self characteristic of Traditional Chinese Medicine.Can learn some of the advantages of accurate concept, the good and rejecting the bad, hope the Traditional Chinese Medicine in the modern environment more walk more far.

Athletes and the arts--the role of sports medicine in the performing arts.

Science.gov (United States)

Dick, Randall W; Berning, Jacqueline R; Dawson, William; Ginsburg, Richard D; Miller, Clay; Shybut, George T

2013-01-01

Performing artists are athletes. Like athletes, performing artists practice and/or perform most days with little off season, play through pain, "compete" in challenging environments, and risk career-threatening injury. Athletes and the Arts is a multiorganizational initiative linking the sport athlete and musician/performing artist communities. Performing artists of all ages and genre are an underserved population related to medical coverage, care, injury prevention, performance enhancement, and wellness. Sports medicine professionals are a valuable resource for filling this gap by applying existing knowledge of treating sport athletes (nutrition, injury prevention) while gaining a better understanding of performers' unique needs (hearing loss, focal dystonia) and environment. These applications can occur in the clinical setting and through developing organizational policies. By better understanding the needs of the performing arts population and applying existing concepts and knowledge, sports medicine professionals can expand their impact to a new patient base that desperately needs support.

A pluralist challenge to "integrative medicine": Feyerabend and Popper on the cognitive value of alternative medicine.

Science.gov (United States)

Kidd, Ian James

2013-09-01

This paper is a critique of 'integrative medicine' as an ideal of medical progress on the grounds that it fails to realise the cognitive value of alternative medicine. After a brief account of the cognitive value of alternative medicine, I outline the form of 'integrative medicine' defended by the late Stephen Straus, former director of the US National Centre for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Straus' account is then considered in the light of Zuzana Parusnikova's recent criticism of 'integrative medicine' and her distinction between 'cognitive' and 'opportunistic' engagement with alternative medicine. Parusnikova warns that the medical establishment is guilty of 'dogmatism' and proposes that one can usefully invoke Karl Popper's 'critical rationalism' as an antidote. Using the example of Straus, I argue that an appeal to Popper is insufficient, on the grounds that 'integrative medicine' can class as a form of cognitively-productive, critical engagement. I suggest that Parusnikova's appeal to Popper should be augmented with Paul Feyerabend's emphasis upon the role of 'radical alternatives' in maximising criticism. 'Integrative medicine' fails to maximise criticism because it 'translates' alternative medicine into the theories and terminology of allopathic medicine and so erodes its capacity to provide cognitively-valuable 'radical alternatives'. These claims are then illustrated with a discussion of 'traditional' and 'medical' acupuncture. I conclude that 'integrative medicine' fails to exploit the cognitive value of alternative medicine and so should be rejected as an ideal of medical progress. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Rise of Mitochondria in Medicine

Science.gov (United States)

Picard, Martin; Wallace, Douglas C; Burelle, Yan

2016-01-01

Once considered exclusively the cell's powerhouse, mitochondria are now recognized to perform multiple essential cellular functions beyond energy production, impacting most areas of cell biology and medicine. Since the emergence of molecular biology and the discovery of pathogenic mitochondrial DNA defects in the 1980's, research advances have revealed a number of common human diseases which share an underlying pathogenesis involving mitochondrial dysfunction. Mitochondria undergo function-defining dynamic shape changes, communicate with each other, regulate gene expression within the nucleus, modulate synaptic transmission within the brain, release molecules that contribute to oncogenic transformation and trigger inflammatory responses systemically, and influence the regulation of complex physiological systems. Novel “mitopathogenic” mechanisms are thus being uncovered across a number of medical disciplines including genetics, oncology, neurology, immunology, and critical care medicine. Increasing knowledge of the bioenergetic aspects of human disease has provided new opportunities for diagnosis, therapy, prevention, and in connecting various domains of medicine. In this article, we overview specific aspects of mitochondrial biology that have contributed to – and likely will continue to enhance the progress of modern medicine. PMID:27423788

Evolutionary molecular medicine.

Science.gov (United States)

Nesse, Randolph M; Ganten, Detlev; Gregory, T Ryan; Omenn, Gilbert S

2012-05-01

Evolution has long provided a foundation for population genetics, but some major advances in evolutionary biology from the twentieth century that provide foundations for evolutionary medicine are only now being applied in molecular medicine. They include the need for both proximate and evolutionary explanations, kin selection, evolutionary models for cooperation, competition between alleles, co-evolution, and new strategies for tracing phylogenies and identifying signals of selection. Recent advances in genomics are transforming evolutionary biology in ways that create even more opportunities for progress at its interfaces with genetics, medicine, and public health. This article reviews 15 evolutionary principles and their applications in molecular medicine in hopes that readers will use them and related principles to speed the development of evolutionary molecular medicine.

Wearable Performance Devices in Sports Medicine.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Ryan T; Kling, Scott R; Salata, Michael J; Cupp, Sean A; Sheehan, Joseph; Voos, James E

2016-01-01

Wearable performance devices and sensors are becoming more readily available to the general population and athletic teams. Advances in technology have allowed individual endurance athletes, sports teams, and physicians to monitor functional movements, workloads, and biometric markers to maximize performance and minimize injury. Movement sensors include pedometers, accelerometers/gyroscopes, and global positioning satellite (GPS) devices. Physiologic sensors include heart rate monitors, sleep monitors, temperature sensors, and integrated sensors. The purpose of this review is to familiarize health care professionals and team physicians with the various available types of wearable sensors, discuss their current utilization, and present future applications in sports medicine. Data were obtained from peer-reviewed literature through a search of the PubMed database. Included studies searched development, outcomes, and validation of wearable performance devices such as GPS, accelerometers, and physiologic monitors in sports. Clinical review. Level 4. Wearable sensors provide a method of monitoring real-time physiologic and movement parameters during training and competitive sports. These parameters can be used to detect position-specific patterns in movement, design more efficient sports-specific training programs for performance optimization, and screen for potential causes of injury. More recent advances in movement sensors have improved accuracy in detecting high-acceleration movements during competitive sports. Wearable devices are valuable instruments for the improvement of sports performance. Evidence for use of these devices in professional sports is still limited. Future developments are needed to establish training protocols using data from wearable devices. © 2015 The Author(s).

Modelling the Progression of Competitive Performance of an Academy's Soccer Teams.

Science.gov (United States)

Malcata, Rita M; Hopkins, Will G; Richardson, Scott

2012-01-01

Progression of a team's performance is a key issue in competitive sport, but there appears to have been no published research on team progression for periods longer than a season. In this study we report the game-score progression of three teams of a youth talent-development academy over five seasons using a novel analytic approach based on generalised mixed modelling. The teams consisted of players born in 1991, 1992 and 1993; they played totals of 115, 107 and 122 games in Asia and Europe between 2005 and 2010 against teams differing in age by up to 3 years. Game scores predicted by the mixed model were assumed to have an over-dispersed Poisson distribution. The fixed effects in the model estimated an annual linear pro-gression for Aspire and for the other teams (grouped as a single opponent) with adjustment for home-ground advantage and for a linear effect of age difference between competing teams. A random effect allowed for different mean scores for Aspire and opposition teams. All effects were estimated as factors via log-transformation and presented as percent differences in scores. Inferences were based on the span of 90% confidence intervals in relation to thresholds for small factor effects of x/÷1.10 (+10%/-9%). Most effects were clear only when data for the three teams were combined. Older teams showed a small 27% increase in goals scored per year of age difference (90% confidence interval 13 to 42%). Aspire experienced a small home-ground advantage of 16% (-5 to 41%), whereas opposition teams experienced 31% (7 to 60%) on their own ground. After adjustment for these effects, the Aspire teams scored on average 1.5 goals per match, with little change in the five years of their existence, whereas their opponents' scores fell from 1.4 in their first year to 1.0 in their last. The difference in progression was trivial over one year (7%, -4 to 20%), small over two years (15%, -8 to 44%), but unclear over >2 years. In conclusion, the generalized mixed model

The Progress of Emergency Medicine in Taiwan, China, and Hong Kong: Perspective from Publications in Emergency Medicine Journals, 1992–2011

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ching-Hsing Lee

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Study Objective. The progress of emergency medicine (EM in Taiwan, China, and Hong Kong was evaluated from the perspective of publications in EM journals. Methods. This was a retrospective study. All articles published from 1992 to 2011 in all journals in the EM category in the 2010 Journal Citation Reports (JCR were included. A computerized literature search was conducted using the SciVerse Scopus database. The slope (β of the linear regression was used to evaluate the trends in the numbers of articles as well as the ratios to the total number of EM journal articles. Results. The trends in the numbers of articles from Taiwan, China, and Hong Kong were 6.170, 1.908, and 2.835 and the trends in the ratios of their publication numbers to the total number of EM journal articles were 15.0 × 10−4, 4.60 × 10−4, and 6.80 × 10−4, respectively. All P-values were <0.01. The mean, median, and 75th percentiles of the number of citations in all EM journals were greater than those of these three areas. Conclusions. The publications from Taiwan, China, and Hong Kong have increased at a higher rate than those of the overall EM field in the past 20 years and indicated the rapid progress in these three areas.

[Research progress in phytoestrogens of traditional Chinese medicine].

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Yuan; Zheng, Hong-Xia; Xu, Ying; Lin, Na

2017-09-01

Phytoestrogens are plant-derived compounds, which have a similarity in structure with human endogenous estrogen 17-β-estradiol. Structural likeness enables phytoestrogens to interact with estrogen receptors, not simply mimicking the effects of human steroidal estrogen but also exhibiting similar and divergent actions. The global literature relating to phytoestrogen in recent years was systematically summarized in this paper. Chemical compositions of phytoestrogens were mainly flavonoids, coumarins, lignans, terpenoids, steroids, etc., with a character of prevention and treatment of perimenopausal syndrome, osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, metabolic diseases, cancer, regulation of brain function and other pharmacological effects. The mechanisms of action mainly included classical estrogen receptor pathway, epigenetic effect, activation of 5'-adenosyl-phospho-activated protein kinase, inhibition of kinase, activation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor, regulation of apoptosis-related proteins, inhibition of nuclear factor κB signaling pathway and so on. According to their efficacy classification, phytoestrogens were mainly distributed in the tonifying medicines, blood-activating and stasis-resolving medicines and heat-clearing medicines. The classical prescriptions with estrogen activity included tonifying formula, Qi-regulating formula and harmonizing formula, etc. This review was aimed at providing a certain reference for the further study of phytoestrogens by researchers and clinicians. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

[Progress of sulfur fumigation and modern processing technology of Chinese traditional medicines].

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Tu-Lin; Shan, Xin; Li, Lin; Mao, Chun-Qin; Ji, De; Yin, Fang-Zhou; Lang, Yong-Ying

2014-08-01

Infestation, moldy and other phenomenon in the processing and storage of Chinese herbal medicines is a problem that faced in the production of Chinese traditional medicine. The low productivity of traditional processing methods can not guarantee the quality of Chinese herbal medicines. Sulfur fumigation is the first choice of grassroots to process the Chinese herbal medicine with its low cost and easy operation. Sulfur fumigation can solve some problems in the processing and storage of Chinese herbal medicines, but modern pharmacological studies show that long-term use of Chinese traditional medicine which is fumigated by sulfur can cause some serious harm to human liver, kidney and other organs. This paper conducts a review about the application history of sulfur fumigation, its influence to the quality of Chinese herbal medicines as well as domestic and foreign limits to sulfur quantity, and a brief introduction of the status of modern processing technologies in the processing of food and some Chinese herbal medicines, the problems ex- isting in the Chinese herbal medicines processing, which can provide a reference basis for the further research, development and application of investigating alternative technologies of sulfur fumigation.

JET: Progress in performance and understanding

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Keilhacker, M.; Adams, J.M.; Altmann, H.

1991-01-01

, a prototype lower hybrid current drive system, and modification of the NI system to enable the injection of He-3 and He-4. Continued investigation of the hot-ion H-mode produced a value of n(D)(0)tau-E(T)(i)(0) = 9 x 10(20)m-3s keV, which is near conditions required for Q(DT) = 1, while a new peaked density...... profile H-mode was developed with only slightly lower performance. Progress towards steady state operation has been made by achieving ELMy H-modes under certain operating conditions, while maintaining good tau-E values. Experimental simulation of He ash transport indicates effective removal of alpha...

Potentials for progress in laser medicine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Parrish, J.A.; Walsh, J.T. Jr.

1985-01-01

Lasers could come to occupy a highly important position in the armament of medicine. They are the brightest known sources of light, man-made or natural, and emit light having such properties as coherence and monochromaticity. Furthermore, lasers have the ability to deliver very brief pulses of light which can cause unique alterations in biological materials. The major obstacle to the increased use of lasers in medicine and surgery is not the availability of laser devices, but the dearth of basic information about laser-tissue interactions. We have recently demonstrated that, even in turbid tissue such as the dermis, it is possible simultaneously to induce microscopically selective thermal damage, localized to millions of selectively absorbing targets, while sparing surrounding tissues. These targets may be as small as organelles or as large as blood vessels. Such localized thermal damage is truly unique to pulsed laser exposures. The scope and medical utility of these lesions has yet to be fully understood. Thus, there is much research to be done in describing and characterizing laser-induced injury. There is, however, ample evidence that several laser therapies could be improved by using selectively absorbed, short pulses that lead to the spatial confinement of thermal injury. Treatment of port wine stains, pigmented lesions, atheromatous arterial plaques, and the fragmentation of kidney and gall stones are examples. It should also be possible to use a variety of systems to deliver exogenous laser targets on or within individual types of cells or organelles. Such chromophores may lead to new forms of cancer therapy, for example

[Nanotechnology future of medicine].

Science.gov (United States)

Terlega, Katarzyna; Latocha, Małgorzata

2012-10-01

Nanotechnology enables to produce products with new, exactly specified, unique properties. Those products are finding application in various branches of electronic, chemical, food and textile industry as well as in medicine, pharmacy, agriculture, architectural engineering, aviation and in defense. In this paper structures used in nanomedicine were characterized. Possibilities and first effort of application of nanotechnology in diagnostics and therapy were also described. Nanotechnology provides tools which allow to identifying changes and taking repair operations on cellular and molecular level and applying therapy oriented for specific structures in cell. Great hope are being associated with entering nanotechnology into the regenerative medicine. It requires astute recognition bases of tissue regeneration biology--initiating signals as well as the intricate control system of the progress of this process. However application of nanotechnology in tissue engineering allows to avoiding problems associated with loss properties of implants what is frequent cause of performing another surgical procedure at present.

[Research progress on current pharmacokinetic evaluation of Chinese herbal medicines].

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Guofu; Zhao, Haoru; Yang, Jin

2011-03-01

In order to prove safety and efficacy, herbal medicines must undergo the rigorous scientific researches such as pharmacokinetic and bioavailability, before they are put on the market in the foreign countries. Botanical Drug Products promulgated by the US FDA could guide industry sponsors to develop herbal drugs, which was also an important reference for investigating Chinese herbal medicines. This paper reviews and discusses novel approaches for how to assess systemic exposure and pharmacokinetic of Chinese herbal medicines, which were in line with FDA guidance. This mainly focus on identifying pharmacokinetic markers of botanical products, integral pharmacokinetic study of multiple components, Biopharmaceutics drug disposition classification system, and population pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic study in herb-drug interaction.

Sport and medicine in ancient Greece.

Science.gov (United States)

Appelboom, T; Rouffin, C; Fierens, E

1988-01-01

Sport and medicine in ancient Greece were the result of a widespread tradition of liberty, which was at the heart of one of the most brilliant civilizations in history. Whereas war encouraged the development of surgical knowledge springing out of medical experience on the battlefield, peace promoted the burgeoning of sport as an integral part of Greek upbringing, allowing the channeling of young people's aggressiveness into physical competition. Medicine was magical and mythological, especially in the time of Homer (9th century BC); Aesculapius, the mythical god of healing, was its reference point. With Hippocrates (5th century BC), the body of medical experience was to be codified and built up, and was to undergo a novel evolution based on the theory of the balance of the four humors. The athlete's mentality, faced with trauma in the sports ground, underwent a change; injury was no longer considered a punishment by the gods. At the same time, temple offerings tendered in the hope of victory gave way to the athlete's personal preparation based on a specifically modified lifestyle, diet, and training. The resulting progress in medicine and public health, especially from the 5th century BC onward, was not only to favor athletic performances of high quality but also surgical techniques that were very advanced for their time. Thus it can be seen that the medical knowledge associated with the practice of sport progressed during antiquity because of its obligation to follow the warrior and then the athlete.

Resting on Laurels: The Effects of Discrete Progress Markers as Subgoals on Task Performance and Preferences

Science.gov (United States)

Amir, On; Ariely, Dan

2008-01-01

This article investigates the influence of progress certainty and discrete progress markers (DPMs) on performance and preferences. The authors suggest that the effects of DPMs depend on whether progress certainty is high or low. When the distance to the goal is uncertain, DPMs can help reduce uncertainty and thus improve performance and increase…

Innovations in travel medicine and the progress of tourism-Selected narratives

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hjalager, Anne Mette

2009-01-01

Health and tourism is an emerging theme in research. Focus of this article is on travel medicine, which is a well-established discipline in the medical sciences, but not yet quite so in the social sciences. There is a limited insight into the relationship between innovations and developments...... in medicines on the one hand, and economics and institutionalisation of tourism on the other hand. The article explores this issue. Three narratives provide examples of the interconnections. The first case describes developments in drugs for malaria and relations with tourism. The second case addresses...... recreational drugs. The third case investigates the concept of wilderness medicine and the pharmaceuticals and medical gears that facilitate this category of tourism. Thus, the paper demonstrates through some examples that innovations in the medical fields and institutionalisation of the use of medicine may...

Progress in scaffold-free bioprinting for cardiovascular medicine.

Science.gov (United States)

Moldovan, Nicanor I

2018-06-01

Biofabrication of tissue analogues is aspiring to become a disruptive technology capable to solve standing biomedical problems, from generation of improved tissue models for drug testing to alleviation of the shortage of organs for transplantation. Arguably, the most powerful tool of this revolution is bioprinting, understood as the assembling of cells with biomaterials in three-dimensional structures. It is less appreciated, however, that bioprinting is not a uniform methodology, but comprises a variety of approaches. These can be broadly classified in two categories, based on the use or not of supporting biomaterials (known as "scaffolds," usually printable hydrogels also called "bioinks"). Importantly, several limitations of scaffold-dependent bioprinting can be avoided by the "scaffold-free" methods. In this overview, we comparatively present these approaches and highlight the rapidly evolving scaffold-free bioprinting, as applied to cardiovascular tissue engineering. © 2018 The Author. Journal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd and Foundation for Cellular and Molecular Medicine.

Recent Advances in Traditional Chinese Medicine for Kidney Disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhong, Yifei; Menon, Madhav C; Deng, Yueyi; Chen, Yiping; He, John Cijiang

2015-09-01

Because current treatment options for chronic kidney disease (CKD) are limited, many patients seek out alternative therapies such as traditional Chinese medicine. However, there is a lack of evidence from large clinical trials to support the use of traditional medicines in patients with CKD. Many active components of traditional medicine formulas are undetermined and their toxicities are unknown. Therefore, there is a need for research to identify active compounds from traditional medicines and understand the mechanisms of action of these compounds, as well as their potential toxicity, and subsequently perform well-designed, randomized, controlled, clinical trials to study the efficacy and safety of their use in patients with CKD. Significant progress has been made in this field within the last several years. Many active compounds have been identified by applying sophisticated techniques such as mass spectrometry, and more mechanistic studies of these compounds have been performed using both in vitro and in vivo models. In addition, several well-designed, large, randomized, clinical trials have recently been published. We summarize these recent advances in the field of traditional medicines as they apply to CKD. In addition, current barriers for further research are also discussed. Due to the ongoing research in this field, we believe that stronger evidence to support the use of traditional medicines for CKD will emerge in the near future. Copyright © 2015 National Kidney Foundation, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Progress report 1981

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chalupka, A.; Dirninger, G.

1982-01-01

The progress report describes the scientific work and research results of the institute for radium research and nuclear physics of the Austrian Academy of Sciences for the period of 1981. The progress report covers the subject areas of nuclear theory, nuclear model calculations, experimental nuclear physics and neutron involved reactions, medium energy physics, instrumentation and detectors, evaluation of nuclear data and numerical data processing, dating, applications in medicine, dosimetry and environmental studies. A list of publications of this institute is given. (A.N.)

Progress report 1982

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chalupka, A.; Wild, E.; Dirninger, G.

1983-01-01

The progress report describes the scientific work and research results of the institute for radium research and nuclear physics of the Austrian Academy of Sciences for the period of 1982. The progress report covers the subject areas of nuclear theory, nuclear model calculations, experimental nuclear physics and neutron involved reactions, medium energy physics, instrumentation and detectors, evaluation of nuclear data and numerical data processing, dating, applications in medicine, dosimetry and environmental studies. A list of publications of this institute is given. (A.N.)

Designing HIGH-COST medicine: hospital surveys, health planning, and the paradox of progressive reform.

Science.gov (United States)

Perkins, Barbara Bridgman

2010-02-01

Inspired by social medicine, some progressive US health reforms have paradoxically reinforced a business model of high-cost medical delivery that does not match social needs. In analyzing the financial status of their areas' hospitals, for example, city-wide hospital surveys of the 1910s through 1930s sought to direct capital investments and, in so doing, control competition and markets. The 2 national health planning programs that ran from the mid-1960s to the mid-1980s continued similar strategies of economic organization and management, as did the so-called market reforms that followed. Consequently, these reforms promoted large, extremely specialized, capital-intensive institutions and systems at the expense of less complex (and less costly) primary and chronic care. The current capital crisis may expose the lack of sustainability of such a model and open up new ideas and new ways to build health care designed to meet people's health needs.

American College of Sports Medicine Joint Position Statement. Nutrition and Athletic Performance.

Science.gov (United States)

Thomas, D Travis; Erdman, Kelly Anne; Burke, Louise M

2016-03-01

It is the position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Dietitians of Canada, and the American College of Sports Medicine that the performance of, and recovery from, sporting activities are enhanced by well-chosen nutrition strategies. These organizations provide guidelines for the appropriate type, amount, and timing of intake of food, fluids, and supplements to promote optimal health and performance across different scenarios of training and competitive sport. This position paper was prepared for members of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Dietitians of Canada (DC), and American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), other professional associations, government agencies, industry, and the public. It outlines the Academy's, DC's and ACSM's stance on nutrition factors that have been determined to influence athletic performance and emerging trends in the field of sports nutrition. Athletes should be referred to a registered dietitian/nutritionist for a personalized nutrition plan. In the United States and in Canada, the Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics (CSSD) is a registered dietitian/nutritionist and a credentialed sports nutrition expert.

Widening consumer access to medicines: a comparison of prescription to non-prescription medicine switch in Australia and New Zealand.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Natalie J Gauld

Full Text Available Despite similarities in health systems and Trans-Tasman Harmonization of medicines scheduling, New Zealand is more active than Australia in 'switching' (reclassifying medicines from prescription to non-prescription.To identify and compare enablers and barriers to switch in New Zealand and Australia.We conducted and analyzed 27 in-depth personal interviews with key participants in NZ and Australia and international participants previously located in Australia, and analyzed records of meetings considering switches (2000-2013. Analysis of both sets of data entailed a heuristic qualitative approach that embraced the lead researcher's knowledge and experience.The key themes identified were conservatism and political influences in Australia, and an open attitude, proactivity and flexibility in NZ. Pharmacist-only medicine schedules and individuals holding a progressive attitude were proposed to facilitate switch in both countries. A pharmacy retail group drove many switches in NZ ('third-party switch', unlike Australia. Barriers to switch in both countries included small market sizes, funding of prescription medicines and cost of doctor visits, and lack of market exclusivity. In Australia, advertising limitations for pharmacist-only medicines reportedly discouraged industry from submitting switch applications. Perceptions of pharmacy performance could help or hinder switches.Committee and regulator openness to switch, and confidence in pharmacy appear to influence consumer access to medicines. The pharmacist-only medicine schedule in Australasia and the rise of third-party switch and flexibility in switch in NZ could be considered elsewhere to enable switch.

Widening consumer access to medicines: a comparison of prescription to non-prescription medicine switch in Australia and New Zealand.

Science.gov (United States)

Gauld, Natalie J; Kelly, Fiona S; Emmerton, Lynne M; Buetow, Stephen A

2015-01-01

Despite similarities in health systems and Trans-Tasman Harmonization of medicines scheduling, New Zealand is more active than Australia in 'switching' (reclassifying) medicines from prescription to non-prescription. To identify and compare enablers and barriers to switch in New Zealand and Australia. We conducted and analyzed 27 in-depth personal interviews with key participants in NZ and Australia and international participants previously located in Australia, and analyzed records of meetings considering switches (2000-2013). Analysis of both sets of data entailed a heuristic qualitative approach that embraced the lead researcher's knowledge and experience. The key themes identified were conservatism and political influences in Australia, and an open attitude, proactivity and flexibility in NZ. Pharmacist-only medicine schedules and individuals holding a progressive attitude were proposed to facilitate switch in both countries. A pharmacy retail group drove many switches in NZ ('third-party switch'), unlike Australia. Barriers to switch in both countries included small market sizes, funding of prescription medicines and cost of doctor visits, and lack of market exclusivity. In Australia, advertising limitations for pharmacist-only medicines reportedly discouraged industry from submitting switch applications. Perceptions of pharmacy performance could help or hinder switches. Committee and regulator openness to switch, and confidence in pharmacy appear to influence consumer access to medicines. The pharmacist-only medicine schedule in Australasia and the rise of third-party switch and flexibility in switch in NZ could be considered elsewhere to enable switch.

The research progress of nuclear medicine on cardiovascular molecular imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yin Xiaohua; Zhang Yongxue

2007-01-01

Cardiovascular molecular imaging is a rapidly evolving discipline and its clinical application is promising. Nuclear medicine is playing a leading role in this field with its special superiority of noninvasive, quantifiability, high sensitivity and specificity. It provides broad opportunities for exploring the pathophysiologic process of cardiovascular diseases and monitoring its gene therapy in the molecular level. In this review, we mainly discuss some basic knowledge on cardiovascular molecular imaging, and then focus on the applied research prospect of nuclear medicine radionuclide imaging. (authors)

A Retrospective Analysis of Precision Medicine Outcomes in Patients With Advanced Cancer Reveals Improved Progression-Free Survival Without Increased Health Care Costs.

Science.gov (United States)

Haslem, Derrick S; Van Norman, S Burke; Fulde, Gail; Knighton, Andrew J; Belnap, Tom; Butler, Allison M; Rhagunath, Sharanya; Newman, David; Gilbert, Heather; Tudor, Brian P; Lin, Karen; Stone, Gary R; Loughmiller, David L; Mishra, Pravin J; Srivastava, Rajendu; Ford, James M; Nadauld, Lincoln D

2017-02-01

The advent of genomic diagnostic technologies such as next-generation sequencing has recently enabled the use of genomic information to guide targeted treatment in patients with cancer, an approach known as precision medicine. However, clinical outcomes, including survival and the cost of health care associated with precision cancer medicine, have been challenging to measure and remain largely unreported. We conducted a matched cohort study of 72 patients with metastatic cancer of diverse subtypes in the setting of a large, integrated health care delivery system. We analyzed the outcomes of 36 patients who received genomic testing and targeted therapy (precision cancer medicine) between July 1, 2013, and January 31, 2015, compared with 36 historical control patients who received standard chemotherapy (n = 29) or best supportive care (n = 7). The average progression-free survival was 22.9 weeks for the precision medicine group and 12.0 weeks for the control group ( P = .002) with a hazard ratio of 0.47 (95% CI, 0.29 to 0.75) when matching on age, sex, histologic diagnosis, and previous lines of treatment. In a subset analysis of patients who received all care within the Intermountain Healthcare system (n = 44), per patient charges per week were $4,665 in the precision treatment group and $5,000 in the control group ( P = .126). These findings suggest that precision cancer medicine may improve survival for patients with refractory cancer without increasing health care costs. Although the results of this study warrant further validation, this precision medicine approach may be a viable option for patients with advanced cancer.

Recent progress in medical imaging technology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Endo, Masahiro

2004-01-01

Medical imaging is name of methods for diagnosis and therapy, which make visible with physical media such as X-ray, structures and functions of man's inside those are usually invisible. These methods are classified by the physical media into ultrasound imaging, magnetic resonance imaging, nuclear medicine imaging and X-ray imaging etc. Having characteristics different from one another, these are used complementarily in medical fields though in some case being competitive. Medical imaging is supported by highly progressed technology, which is called medical imaging technology. This paper describes a survey of recent progress of medical imaging technology in magnetic resonance imaging, nuclear medicine imaging and X-ray imaging. (author)

Personalized medicine in dentistry

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pushpa S Pudakalkatti

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Personalized medicine is a branch of medicine that proposes customization of healthcare in which decisions and treatment are tailored according to individual patient needs. The field of personalized medicine relies on genetic information, proteomic information and clinical patient characteristics to individualize treatment. With advances in genetics, proteomics, pharmacogenetics and knowledgeable patient population, the opportunity exists to deliver never before levels of personalized care. Although general dentists may consider personalized medicine a concept for the future, the reality is that its direct application to everyday dentistry is closer than one might think. Use of personalized medicine in dentistry, especially in periodontology is progressing rapidly, and dentist should consider this approach while treating patients. Google and PubMed search was done to select articles for present review. Total 17 articles were used to compile information.

Progressive learning in endoscopy simulation training improves clinical performance: a blinded randomized trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Grover, Samir C; Scaffidi, Michael A; Khan, Rishad; Garg, Ankit; Al-Mazroui, Ahmed; Alomani, Tareq; Yu, Jeffrey J; Plener, Ian S; Al-Awamy, Mohamed; Yong, Elaine L; Cino, Maria; Ravindran, Nikila C; Zasowski, Mark; Grantcharov, Teodor P; Walsh, Catharine M

2017-11-01

A structured comprehensive curriculum (SCC) that uses simulation-based training (SBT) can improve clinical colonoscopy performance. This curriculum may be enhanced through the application of progressive learning, a training strategy centered on incrementally challenging learners. We aimed to determine whether a progressive learning-based curriculum (PLC) would lead to superior clinical performance compared with an SCC. This was a single-blinded randomized controlled trial conducted at a single academic center. Thirty-seven novice endoscopists were recruited and randomized to either a PLC (n = 18) or to an SCC (n = 19). The PLC comprised 6 hours of SBT, which progressed in complexity and difficulty. The SCC included 6 hours of SBT, with cases of random order of difficulty. Both groups received expert feedback and 4 hours of didactic teaching. Participants were assessed at baseline, immediately after training, and 4 to 6 weeks after training. The primary outcome was participants' performance during their first 2 clinical colonoscopies, as assessed by using the Joint Advisory Group Direct Observation of Procedural Skills assessment tool (JAG DOPS). Secondary outcomes were differences in endoscopic knowledge, technical and communication skills, and global performance in the simulated setting. The PLC group outperformed the SCC group during first and second clinical colonoscopies, measured by JAG DOPS (P PLC group had superior technical and communication skills and global performance in the simulated setting (P  .05). Our findings demonstrate the superiority of a PLC for endoscopic simulation, compared with an SCC. Challenging trainees progressively is a simple, theory-based approach to simulation whereby the performance of clinical colonoscopies can be improved. (Clinical trial registration number: NCT02000180.). Copyright © 2017 American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Aerospace Medicine

Science.gov (United States)

Michaud, Vince

2015-01-01

NASA Aerospace Medicine overview - Aerospace Medicine is that specialty area of medicine concerned with the determination and maintenance of the health, safety, and performance of those who fly in the air or in space.

Precision medicine for nurses: 101.

Science.gov (United States)

Lemoine, Colleen

2014-05-01

To introduce the key concepts and terms associated with precision medicine and support understanding of future developments in the field by providing an overview and history of precision medicine, related ethical considerations, and nursing implications. Current nursing, medical and basic science literature. Rapid progress in understanding the oncogenic drivers associated with cancer is leading to a shift toward precision medicine, where treatment is based on targeting specific genetic and epigenetic alterations associated with a particular cancer. Nurses will need to embrace the paradigm shift to precision medicine, expend the effort necessary to learn the essential terminology, concepts and principles, and work collaboratively with physician colleagues to best position our patients to maximize the potential that precision medicine can offer. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Essentials of nuclear medicine physics and instrumentation

CERN Document Server

Powsner, Rachel A; Powsner, Edward R

2013-01-01

An excellent introduction to the basic concepts of nuclear medicine physics This Third Edition of Essentials of Nuclear Medicine Physics and Instrumentation expands the finely developed illustrated review and introductory guide to nuclear medicine physics and instrumentation. Along with simple, progressive, highly illustrated topics, the authors present nuclear medicine-related physics and engineering concepts clearly and concisely. Included in the text are introductory chapters on relevant atomic structure, methods of radionuclide production, and the interaction of radiation with matter. Fu

Role of medicinal plants on growth performance and immune status in fish.

Science.gov (United States)

Awad, Elham; Awaad, Amani

2017-08-01

Disease outbreaks increase proportionally with increases in intensive aquaculture. Natural products including medicinal plants have been known from thousands of years for treating some human diseases. It is well known that many active compounds are responsible for potential bio-activities. For that reason, there has been considerable interest in the use of medicinal plants in aquaculture with a view to providing safe and eco-friendly compounds for replacing antibiotics and chemical compounds as well as to enhance immune status and control fish diseases. This article describes a wide range of medicinal plants such as herbs, seeds, and spices with different forms such as crude, extracts, mixed and active compounds, used as immunostimulants and resulting in a marked enhancement in the immune system of fish to prevent and control microbial diseases. Moreover, different activity was recorded from plant parts like seeds, roots, flowers and leaves. The mode of action of medicinal plants was stimulation of the cellular and humoral immune response which was monitored through elevation in immune parameters. Various levels of immune stimulation have been shown by medicinal plants at different concentrations through injection or immersion or oral administration. However, it is critically important to determine the optimal dose to enhance the immune system of fish and avoid the risk of immunosuppression. Some medicinal plants have been used to replace the protein in fishmeal as a cheap source of protein and proved to be efficient in this respect. Medicinal plants can act as a growth promoter and immunomodulator at the same time. Further investigations should be carried out to examine the influence of those plants on fish health (including physiological and histological parameters) as a preliminary step for use in large scale in aquaculture. The current review describes the role of medicinal plants and their derivatives on innate and adaptive immune status as well as growth

[Economy in intensive care medicine--a contradiction?].

Science.gov (United States)

Janssens, U

2015-05-01

Medical progress and demographic changes will lead to increasing budgetary constraints in the health care system in the coming years. With respect to economic, medical, and ethical aspects, intensive care medicine has a particular role within the health system. Nonetheless, financial restriction will be inevitable in the near future. A literature review was performed. In an era of economic decline accompanied by widespread recognition that healthcare costs are on a consistent upward spiral, rationalization and rationing are unavoidable. Priorization models will play a pivotal role in allocation of resources. Individual ethics (respect for autonomy, nonmaleficence, beneficence) as well as justice are essential in daily practice. Economic thinking and acting as well as being ethically responsible are not mutually exclusive. On the contrary, acting in an ethically responsible manner will be of considerable significance given the pressure of increasing costs in intensive care medicine.

Stem cells: progressions and applications in clinical medicine

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ali Hosseini Bereshneh

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Stem cells are undifferentiated and multi pluripotent cells which can differentiate into a variety of mature cells and tissues such as nervous tissue, muscle tissue, epithelial tissue, skeletal tissue and etc. Stem cells from all different source have three unique features: 1 Proliferative capability: Stem cells are capable of self dividing and self renewing for long periods or more than six months at least that called immortalization. 2 Undifferentiated nature: It’s considered as one of the essential characteristics of stem cell, so it doesn't have any tissue-specific construction. 3 Differentiation to the different cells from all organs: This ability can Induced by tissue specific transcription factors. Because of that, they are so important in prevention and treatment of human disease. Depending on the sources from which they derive, they have different types which can be used to produce special cells and tissues. The most significant types of stem cells are; embryonic stem cells (ESCs which are derived from embryos, adult stem cells (ASCs which are derived from differentiated cells in a specific tissue, induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSs which are produced from adult differentiated cells that have been genetically reprogrammed to act resemble to an embryonic stem cell and cord blood stem cells which contains haematopoietic stem cells and derived from the umbilical cord after gestation. By providing a medium containing of special growth factor, it is possible to orientated stem cell differentiation pathway and gained certain cells from them. The important uses of stem cells includes damaged heart tissue cells improvements and bone tissue repairing, cancer treatment, damaged neurological and spinal tissue repairing, improving burns and injuries and the treatment of diabetes, infertility and spermatogenesis dysfunction. Furthermore, the application of them in gene therapy is an important issue in the modern medicine science due to the role

Performance Evaluation of Moment Connections of Moment Resisting Frames Against Progressive Collapse

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Mahmoudi

2017-02-01

Full Text Available When a primary structural element fails due to sudden load such as explosion, the building undergoes progressive collapse. The method for design of moment connections during progressive collapse is different to seismic design of moment connections. Because in this case, the axial force on the connections makes it behave differently. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the performance of a variety of moment connections in preventing progressive collapse in steel moment frames. To achieve this goal, three prequalified moment connections (BSEEP, BFP and WUP-W were designed according seismic codes. These moment connections were analyzed numerically using ABAQUS software for progressive collapse. The results show that the BFP connection (bolted flange plate has capacity much more than other connections because of the use of plates at the junction of beam-column.

Progress on high-performance rapid prototype aluminum mirrors

Science.gov (United States)

Woodard, Kenneth S.; Myrick, Bruce H.

2017-05-01

Near net shape parts can be produced using some very old processes (investment casting) and the relatively new direct metal laser sintering (DMLS) process. These processes have significant advantages for complex blank lightweighting and costs but are not inherently suited for producing high performance mirrors. The DMLS process can provide extremely complex lightweight structures but the high residual stresses left in the material results in unstable mirror figure retention. Although not to the extreme intricacy of DMLS, investment casting can also provide complex lightweight structures at considerably lower costs than DMLS and even conventional wrought mirror blanks but the less than 100% density for casting (and also DMLS) limits finishing quality. This paper will cover the progress that has been made to make both the DMLS and investment casting processes into viable near net shape blank options for high performance aluminum mirrors. Finish and figure results will be presented to show performance commensurate with existing conventional processes.

Recent progress in translational cystic fibrosis research using precision medicine strategies.

Science.gov (United States)

Cholon, Deborah M; Gentzsch, Martina

2018-03-01

Significant progress has been achieved in developing precision therapies for cystic fibrosis; however, highly effective treatments that target the ion channel, CFTR, are not yet available for many patients. As numerous CFTR therapeutics are currently in the clinical pipeline, reliable screening tools capable of predicting drug efficacy to support individualized treatment plans and translational research are essential. The utilization of bronchial, nasal, and rectal tissues from individual cystic fibrosis patients for drug testing using in vitro assays such as electrophysiological measurements of CFTR activity and evaluation of fluid movement in spheroid cultures, has advanced the prediction of patient-specific responses. However, for precise prediction of drug effects, in vitro models of CFTR rescue should incorporate the inflamed cystic fibrosis airway environment and mimic the complex tissue structures of airway epithelia. Furthermore, novel assays that monitor other aspects of successful CFTR rescue such as restoration of mucus characteristics, which is important for predicting mucociliary clearance, will allow for better prognoses of successful therapies in vivo. Additional cystic fibrosis treatment strategies are being intensively explored, such as development of drugs that target other ion channels, and novel technologies including pluripotent stem cells, gene therapy, and gene editing. The multiple therapeutic approaches available to treat the basic defect in cystic fibrosis combined with relevant precision medicine models provide a framework for identifying optimal and sustained treatments that will benefit all cystic fibrosis patients. Copyright © 2017 European Cystic Fibrosis Society. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

[Research progress on resources and quality evaluation of Tibetan medicine in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau].

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Xuan-Hao; Zhao, Cai-Yun; Liu, Yue; Wan, Li; Jia, Min-Ru; Xie, Cai-Xiang; Zhang, Yi

2016-02-01

With the development of Tibetan medicine industry, the demands for Tibetan medicine were rising sharply. In addition, with the eco-environment vulnerability of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau region and the phenomenon of synonymies and homonymies in Tibetan medicine, there were a lack of resources and varieties in the clinical application of Tibetan medicine. At present, the shortage of Tibetan medicine and the inadequacy of its quality standard have become the two major problems that seriously restricted the sustainable development of Tibetan medicine industry. Therefore, it is important to develop the resources investigation and quality evaluation for Tibetan medicine, which were contribute to its resources protection and sustainable utilization. In this paper, current status of resources investigation, quality standardization, artificial breeding and germplasm resources of Tibetan medicine were presented by the integrated application of the new technologies, such as DNA barcoding and 1H-NMR, which provided a reference information for resources protection, sustainable utilization, variety identification and quality standardization of Tibetan medicine resources in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

Progressive statistics for studies in sports medicine and exercise science.

Science.gov (United States)

Hopkins, William G; Marshall, Stephen W; Batterham, Alan M; Hanin, Juri

2009-01-01

Statistical guidelines and expert statements are now available to assist in the analysis and reporting of studies in some biomedical disciplines. We present here a more progressive resource for sample-based studies, meta-analyses, and case studies in sports medicine and exercise science. We offer forthright advice on the following controversial or novel issues: using precision of estimation for inferences about population effects in preference to null-hypothesis testing, which is inadequate for assessing clinical or practical importance; justifying sample size via acceptable precision or confidence for clinical decisions rather than via adequate power for statistical significance; showing SD rather than SEM, to better communicate the magnitude of differences in means and nonuniformity of error; avoiding purely nonparametric analyses, which cannot provide inferences about magnitude and are unnecessary; using regression statistics in validity studies, in preference to the impractical and biased limits of agreement; making greater use of qualitative methods to enrich sample-based quantitative projects; and seeking ethics approval for public access to the depersonalized raw data of a study, to address the need for more scrutiny of research and better meta-analyses. Advice on less contentious issues includes the following: using covariates in linear models to adjust for confounders, to account for individual differences, and to identify potential mechanisms of an effect; using log transformation to deal with nonuniformity of effects and error; identifying and deleting outliers; presenting descriptive, effect, and inferential statistics in appropriate formats; and contending with bias arising from problems with sampling, assignment, blinding, measurement error, and researchers' prejudices. This article should advance the field by stimulating debate, promoting innovative approaches, and serving as a useful checklist for authors, reviewers, and editors.

EVOLUTIONARY FOUNDATIONS FOR MOLECULAR MEDICINE

Science.gov (United States)

Nesse, Randolph M.; Ganten, Detlev; Gregory, T. Ryan; Omenn, Gilbert S.

2015-01-01

Evolution has long provided a foundation for population genetics, but many major advances in evolutionary biology from the 20th century are only now being applied in molecular medicine. They include the distinction between proximate and evolutionary explanations, kin selection, evolutionary models for cooperation, and new strategies for tracing phylogenies and identifying signals of selection. Recent advances in genomics are further transforming evolutionary biology and creating yet more opportunities for progress at the interface of evolution with genetics, medicine, and public health. This article reviews 15 evolutionary principles and their applications in molecular medicine in hopes that readers will use them and others to speed the development of evolutionary molecular medicine. PMID:22544168

Nuclear medicine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kand, Purushottam

2012-01-01

Nuclear medicine is a specialized area of radiology that uses very small amounts of radioactive materials to examine organ function and structure. Nuclear medicine is older than CT, ultrasound and MRI. It was first used in patients over 60-70 years ago. Today it is an established medical specialty and offers procedures that are essential in many medical specialities like nephrology, pediatrics, cardiology, psychiatry, endocrinology and oncology. Nuclear medicine refers to medicine (a pharmaceutical) that is attached to a small quantity of radioactive material (a radioisotope). This combination is called a radiopharmaceutical. There are many radiopharmaceuticals like DTPA, DMSA, HIDA, MIBI and MDP available to study different parts of the body like kidneys, heart and bones etc. Nuclear medicine uses radiation coming from inside a patient's body where as conventional radiology exposes patients to radiation from outside the body. Thus nuclear imaging study is a physiological imaging, whereas diagnostic radiology is anatomical imaging. It combines many different disciplines like chemistry, physics mathematics, computer technology, and medicine. It helps in diagnosis and to treat abnormalities very early in the progression of a disease. The information provides a quick and accurate diagnosis of wide range of conditions and diseases in a person of any age. These tests are painless and most scans expose patients to only minimal and safe amounts of radiation. The amount of radiation received from a nuclear medicine procedure is comparable to, or often many times less than, that of a diagnostic X-ray. Nuclear medicine provides an effective means of examining whether some tissues/organs are functioning properly. Therapy using nuclear medicine in an effective, safe and relatively inexpensive way of controlling and in some cases eliminating, conditions such as overactive thyroid, thyroid cancer and arthritis. Nuclear medicine imaging is unique because it provides doctors with

Work performance and tax compliance in flat and progressive tax systems

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Pantya, Jozsef; Kovacs, Judit; Kogler, C.; Kirchler, Erich

2016-01-01

Different tax systems, and their impact on work motivation and tax compliance are significant issues in contemporary political and economic debates. The proportional feature of a flat tax system is assumed to lead to higher performance, while the fairness of the redistributive progressive tax system

US Medical Student Performance on the NBME Subject Examination in Internal Medicine: Do Clerkship Sequence and Clerkship Length Matter?

Science.gov (United States)

Ouyang, Wenli; Cuddy, Monica M; Swanson, David B

2015-09-01

Prior to graduation, US medical students are required to complete clinical clerkship rotations, most commonly in the specialty areas of family medicine, internal medicine, obstetrics and gynecology (ob/gyn), pediatrics, psychiatry, and surgery. Within a school, the sequence in which students complete these clerkships varies. In addition, the length of these rotations varies, both within a school for different clerkships and between schools for the same clerkship. The present study investigated the effects of clerkship sequence and length on performance on the National Board of Medical Examiner's subject examination in internal medicine. The study sample included 16,091 students from 67 US Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME)-accredited medical schools who graduated in 2012 or 2013. Student-level measures included first-attempt internal medicine subject examination scores, first-attempt USMLE Step 1 scores, and five dichotomous variables capturing whether or not students completed rotations in family medicine, ob/gyn, pediatrics, psychiatry, and surgery prior to taking the internal medicine rotation. School-level measures included clerkship length and average Step 1 score. Multilevel models with students nested in schools were estimated with internal medicine subject examination scores as the dependent measure. Step 1 scores and the five dichotomous variables were treated as student-level predictors. Internal medicine clerkship length and average Step 1 score were used to predict school-to-school variation in average internal medicine subject examination scores. Completion of rotations in surgery, pediatrics and family medicine prior to taking the internal medicine examination significantly improved scores, with the largest benefit observed for surgery (coefficient = 1.58 points; p value internal medicine subject examination performance. At the school level, longer internal medicine clerkships were associated with higher scores on the internal medicine

The situation of chinese nuclear medicine technologists and strategy in future

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Yongxue

2001-01-01

Nuclear medicine technologists is an important part of nuclear medicine professionals, and play an important role in the progress of nuclear medicine. The professional quality of nuclear medicine technologists must adapt to the development of nuclear medicine. There is a relatively great gap between China mainland and developed countries in the field of nuclear medicine. In future, it is urgent to improve the professional quality and the educational level of nuclear medicine technologists

Performance Evaluation of Peer-to-Peer Progressive Download in Broadband Access Networks

Science.gov (United States)

Shibuya, Megumi; Ogishi, Tomohiko; Yamamoto, Shu

P2P (Peer-to-Peer) file sharing architectures have scalable and cost-effective features. Hence, the application of P2P architectures to media streaming is attractive and expected to be an alternative to the current video streaming using IP multicast or content delivery systems because the current systems require expensive network infrastructures and large scale centralized cache storage systems. In this paper, we investigate the P2P progressive download enabling Internet video streaming services. We demonstrated the capability of the P2P progressive download in both laboratory test network as well as in the Internet. Through the experiments, we clarified the contribution of the FTTH links to the P2P progressive download in the heterogeneous access networks consisting of FTTH and ADSL links. We analyzed the cause of some download performance degradation occurred in the experiment and discussed about the effective methods to provide the video streaming service using P2P progressive download in the current heterogeneous networks.

RECENT ADVANCES IN ULTRA-HIGH PERFORMANCE LIQUID CHROMATOGRAPHY FOR THE ANALYSIS OF TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Huilian; Liu, Min; Chen, Pei

2014-01-01

Traditional Chinese medicine has been widely used for the prevention and treatment of various diseases for thousands of years in China. Ultra-high performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) is a relatively new technique offering new possibilities. This paper reviews recent developments in UHPLC in the separation and identification, fingerprinting, quantification, and metabolism of traditional Chinese medicine. Recently, the combination of UHPLC with MS has improved the efficiency of the analysis of these materials. PMID:25045170

Essential Medicines in National Constitutions

Science.gov (United States)

Toebes, Brigit; Hogerzeil, Hans

2016-01-01

Abstract A constitutional guarantee of access to essential medicines has been identified as an important indicator of government commitment to the progressive realization of the right to the highest attainable standard of health. The objective of this study was to evaluate provisions on access to essential medicines in national constitutions, to identify comprehensive examples of constitutional text on medicines that can be used as a model for other countries, and to evaluate the evolution of constitutional medicines-related rights since 2008. Relevant articles were selected from an inventory of constitutional texts from WHO member states. References to states’ legal obligations under international human rights law were evaluated. Twenty-two constitutions worldwide now oblige governments to protect and/or to fulfill accessibility of, availability of, and/or quality of medicines. Since 2008, state responsibilities to fulfill access to essential medicines have expanded in five constitutions, been maintained in four constitutions, and have regressed in one constitution. Government commitments to essential medicines are an important foundation of health system equity and are included increasingly in state constitutions. PMID:27781006

A simplified baseline prediction model for joint damage progression in rheumatoid arthritis: a step toward personalized medicine.

Science.gov (United States)

de Punder, Yvonne M R; van Riel, Piet L C M; Fransen, Jaap

2015-03-01

To compare the performance of an extended model and a simplified prognostic model for joint damage in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) based on 3 baseline risk factors: anticyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies (anti-CCP), erosions, and acute-phase reaction. Data were used from the Nijmegen early RA cohort. An extended model and a simplified baseline prediction model were developed to predict joint damage progression between 0 and 3 years. Joint damage progression was assessed using the Ratingen score. In the extended model, prediction factors were positivity for anti-CCP and/or rheumatoid factor, the level of erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and the quantity of erosions. The prediction score was calculated as the sum of the regression coefficients. In the simplified model, the prediction factors were dichotomized and the number of risk factors was counted. Performances of both models were compared using discrimination and calibration. The models were internally validated using bootstrapping. The extended model resulted in a prediction score between 0 and 5.6 with an area under the receiver-operation characteristic (ROC) curve of 0.77 (95% CI 0.72-0.81). The simplified model resulted in a prediction score between 0 and 3. This model had an area under the ROC curve of 0.75 (95% CI 0.70-0.80). In internal validation, the 2 models showed reasonably well the agreement between observed and predicted probabilities for joint damage progression (Hosmer-Lemeshow test p > 0.05 and calibration slope near 1.0). A simple prediction model for joint damage progression in early RA, by only counting the number of risk factors, has adequate performance. This facilitates the translation of the theoretical prognostic models to daily clinical practice.

Experimental nuclear medicine

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dormehl, I C [Nuclear Development Corp. of South Africa (Pty.) Ltd., Pelindaba, Pretoria. Inst. of Life Sciences; Du Plessis, M; Jacobs, D J

1983-07-01

Exciting investigative research, widening the dimensions of conventional nuclear medicine, is being conducted in Pretoria where the development and evaluation of new radiopharmaceuticals in particular is attracting international attention. Additional to this, the development of new diagnostic techniques involving sophisticated data processing, is helping to place South Africa firmly in the front line of nuclear medical progress.

Review of Anti-Inflammatory Herbal Medicines

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mona Ghasemian

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Medicinal plants and their secondary metabolites are progressively used in the treatment of diseases as a complementary medicine. Inflammation is a pathologic condition that includes a wide range of diseases such as rheumatic and immune-mediated conditions, diabetes, cardiovascular accident, and etcetera. We introduce some herbs which their anti-inflammatory effects have been evaluated in clinical and experimental studies. Curcuma longa, Zingiber officinale, Rosmarinus officinalis, Borago officinalis, evening primrose, and Devil’s claw are some of the introduced medicinal herbs in this review. Since the treatment of inflammation is not a one-dimensional remedy, this review tries to reach a multidimensional therapeutic approach to inflammation with the help of herbal medicine and modification in lifestyle.

Performance criteria for emergency medicine residents: a job analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Blouin, Danielle; Dagnone, Jeffrey Damon

2008-11-01

A major role of admission interviews is to assess a candidate's suitability for a residency program. Structured interviews have greater reliability and validity than do unstructured ones. The development of content for a structured interview is typically based on the dimensions of performance that are perceived as important to succeed in a particular line of work. A formal job analysis is normally conducted to determine these dimensions. The dimensions essential to succeed as an emergency medicine (EM) resident have not yet been studied. We aimed to analyze the work of EM residents to determine these essential dimensions. The "critical incident technique" was used to generate scenarios of poor and excellent resident performance. Two reviewers independently read each scenario and labelled the performance dimensions that were reflected in each. All labels assigned to a particular scenario were pooled and reviewed again until a consensus was reached. Five faculty members (25% of our total faculty) comprised the subject experts. Fifty-one incidents were generated and 50 different labels were applied. Eleven dimensions of performance applied to at least 5 incidents. "Professionalism" was the most valued performance dimension, represented in 56% of the incidents, followed by "self-confidence" (22%), "experience" (20%) and "knowledge" (20%). "Professionalism," "self-confidence," "experience" and "knowledge" were identified as the performance dimensions essential to succeed as an EM resident based on our formal job analysis using the critical incident technique. Performing a formal job analysis may assist training program directors with developing admission interviews.

The progress test of medicine: the Dutch experience

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Tio, R.A.; Schutte, B.; Meiboom, A.A.; Greidanus, J.; Dubois, E.A.; Bremers, A.J.

2016-01-01

Progress testing in the Netherlands has a long history. It was first introduced at one medical school which had a problem-based learning (PBL) curriculum from the start. Later, other schools with and without PBL curricula joined. At present, approximately 10,000 students sit a test every three

Infrared thermography in veterinary medicine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hudak, R.; Zivcak, J.; Sevcik, A.; Danko, J.

2008-01-01

The use of infrared thermography in veterinary medicine has been practiced since at least the 1960's, but it is only now, in approximately the last 5 years, that it has been viewed with a reasonably open mind in the veterinary community at large. One of the reasons is progress in sensors technology, which contributed for an outstanding improvement of the thermal imager parameters. Paper deals with veterinary thermography and with description of applications at the University of Veterinary Medicine in Kosice. (authors)

[Research Progress on Forensic Entomotoxicology].

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Zhi-jiang; Zhai, Xian-dun; Guan, Ling; Mo, Yao-nan

2015-06-01

Forensic entomotoxicology is a branch of forensic medicine, which applies entomology, toxicology and other related studies to solve the poisoning cases. It has an obvious advantage in the investigation on poisoning death. Based on the expounding definition and research of entomotoxicology, this paper reviews research progress and application value in some aspects of forensic medicine, such as the effects of drugs/toxins on the growth and development of sarcosaphagous insects and the qualitative and quantitative analysis of the drugs/toxins in the poisoned body tissue.

Evaluating M.D.-Level Competence in Internal Medicine.

Science.gov (United States)

Anderson, Alexander S.; Botticelli, Max G.

1981-01-01

The implementation of a clinical clerkship in internal medicine that was flexible in time required that a new evaluation program be developed to assess the progress of students. The progress of the classes of 1979 and 1980 toward achievement of predetermined levels of mastery is presented. (Author/MLW)

Nephrotoxicity and Chinese Herbal Medicine.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Bo; Xie, Yun; Guo, Maojuan; Rosner, Mitchell H; Yang, Hongtao; Ronco, Claudio

2018-04-03

Chinese herbal medicine has been practiced for the prevention, treatment, and cure of diseases for thousands of years. Herbal medicine involves the use of natural compounds, which have relatively complex active ingredients with varying degrees of side effects. Some of these herbal medicines are known to cause nephrotoxicity, which can be overlooked by physicians and patients due to the belief that herbal medications are innocuous. Some of the nephrotoxic components from herbs are aristolochic acids and other plant alkaloids. In addition, anthraquinones, flavonoids, and glycosides from herbs also are known to cause kidney toxicity. The kidney manifestations of nephrotoxicity associated with herbal medicine include acute kidney injury, CKD, nephrolithiasis, rhabdomyolysis, Fanconi syndrome, and urothelial carcinoma. Several factors contribute to the nephrotoxicity of herbal medicines, including the intrinsic toxicity of herbs, incorrect processing or storage, adulteration, contamination by heavy metals, incorrect dosing, and interactions between herbal medicines and medications. The exact incidence of kidney injury due to nephrotoxic herbal medicine is not known. However, clinicians should consider herbal medicine use in patients with unexplained AKI or progressive CKD. In addition, exposure to herbal medicine containing aristolochic acid may increase risk for future uroepithelial cancers, and patients require appropriate postexposure screening. Copyright © 2018 by the American Society of Nephrology.

Shortening the Miles to the Milestones: Connecting EPA-Based Evaluations to ACGME Milestone Reports for Internal Medicine Residency Programs.

Science.gov (United States)

Choe, John H; Knight, Christopher L; Stiling, Rebekah; Corning, Kelli; Lock, Keli; Steinberg, Kenneth P

2016-07-01

The Next Accreditation System requires internal medicine training programs to provide the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) with semiannual information about each resident's progress in 22 subcompetency domains. Evaluation of resident "trustworthiness" in performing entrustable professional activities (EPAs) may offer a more tangible assessment construct than evaluations based on expectations of usual progression toward competence. However, translating results from EPA-based evaluations into ACGME milestone progress reports has proven to be challenging because the constructs that underlay these two systems differ.The authors describe a process to bridge the gap between rotation-specific EPA-based evaluations and ACGME milestone reporting. Developed at the University of Washington in 2012 and 2013, this method involves mapping EPA-based evaluation responses to "milestone elements," the narrative descriptions within the columns of each of the 22 internal medicine subcompetencies. As faculty members complete EPA-based evaluations, the mapped milestone elements are automatically marked as "confirmed." Programs can maintain a database that tallies the number of times each milestone element is confirmed for a resident; these data can be used to produce graphical displays of resident progress along the internal medicine milestones.Using this count of milestone elements allows programs to bridge the gap between faculty assessments of residents based on rotation-specific observed activities and semiannual ACGME reports based on the internal medicine milestones. Although potentially useful for all programs, this method is especially beneficial to large programs where clinical competency committee members may not have the opportunity for direct observation of all residents.

Current Status and Future Perspective in the Globalization of Traditional Chinese Medicines

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wan-Ying Wu

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Globalization of traditional Chinese medicines started around 1996, which was initiated by the Chinese government. However, substantial progress was only achieved in recent years including the adoption of TCM quality monographs in the western pharmacopoeias (United States Pharmacopoeia and European Pharmacopoeia and registration in main stream drug regulatory agencies such as US Food and Drug Administration (FDA and European Medicines Agency (EMA. So far, several TCM herbal quality monographs were adopted by the United States Pharmacopoeia including Chinese Salvia, Ganoderma lucidum and Panax notoginseng, etc. Over 45 TCM quality monographs were recorded in the European Pharmacopoeia with 20 more in progress. After the successful registration of the first TCM product named Diao Xin Xue Kang as traditional medicine via the Medicines Evaluation Board of the Netherlands, several other TCM herbal products are in the registration process in several European member states. So far, there has been still not any TCM product authorized as a drug by the FDA regardless of a few TCM products in phase III or phase II clinical trials. This review summarizes the progress made in the globalization of traditional Chinese medicines in recent years and future issues in this regard.

Occupational physicians' perceived value of evidence-based medicine intervention in enhancing their professional performance

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hugenholtz, Nathalie I. R.; Schaafsma, Frederieke G.; Schreinemakers, Jos F.; van Dijk, Frank J. H.; Nieuwenhuijsen, Karen

2008-01-01

OBJECTIVES: This study evaluated how physicians in a nonclinical setting perceive the value of an intervention with multifaceted evidence-based medicine with regard to enhancing their professional performance. METHODS: A qualitative study was conducted using focus groups and face-to-face interviews

Effect of ambulatory medicine tutorial on clinical performance of 5th year medical students.

Science.gov (United States)

Phisalprapa, Pochamana; Pandejpong, Denla

2013-02-01

The present study provided a group learning activity called "Ambulatory Medicine Tutorial-AMT" for 5th year medical students in order to facilitate learning experience at ambulatory setting and to improve medical students' clinical performance. This research aimed specifically to study the effect of AMT. Two groups of twenty 5th-year medical students were enrolled during their ambulatory medicine blocks. Each medical student was assigned to have 8 ambulatory sessions. AMT was assigned to one group while the other group only used conventional learning activity. At the end of the present study, total internal medicine scores, patient satisfaction surveys, and data on average time spent on each clinical encounter were collected and compared. The AMT group received a higher total internal medicine score as compared to the conventional group (76.2 +/- 3.6 vs. 72.9 +/- 2.8, p = 0.003). The AMT group could reduce average time spent on each clinical encounter within their first-6 ambulatory sessions while the conventional group could acquire the same skill later in their last 2 ambulatory sessions. There was no significant difference found on comparing patient satisfaction scores between the 2 groups. AMT helped improving medical students' outcomes as shown from higher total internal medicine score as well as quicker improvement during real-life clinical encounters, AMT could be a good alternative learning activity for medical students at ambulatory setting.

Nuclear medicine program progress report for quarter ending December 31, 1996

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Knapp, F.F. Jr.; Beets, A.L.; Boll, R.; Luo, H.; McPherson, D.W.; Mirzadeh, S.

1997-03-20

In this report the authors describe the use of an effective method for concentration of the rhenium-188 bolus and the results of the first Phase 1 clinical studies for bone pain palliation with rhenium-188 obtained from the tungsten-188/rhenium-188 generator. Initial studies with therapeutic levels of Re-188-HEDP at the Clinic for Nuclear Medicine at the University of Bonn, Germany, have demonstrated the expected good metastatic uptake of Re-188-HEDP in four patients who presented with skeletal metastases from disseminated prostatic cancer with good pain palliation and minimal marrow suppression. In addition, skeletal metastatic targeting of tracer doses of Re-188(V)-DMSA has been evaluated in several patients with metastases from prostatic cancer at the Department of Nuclear Medicine at the Canterbury and Kent Hospital in Canterbury, England. In this report the authors also describe further studies with the E-(R,R)-IQNP ligand developed in the ORNL Nuclear Medicine Program as a potential imaging agent for detection of changes which may occur in the cerebral muscarinic-cholinergic receptors (mAChR) in Alzheimer`s and other diseases.

Level of training and experience in physicians performing interhospital transfers of adult patients in the internal medicine department

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hallas, P; Folkestad, L; Brabrand, M

2009-01-01

AIM: To establish the level of training doctors who participate in interhospital transfers in Denmark. METHODS: A questionnaire was sent to every hospital department in Denmark with acute internal medicine admissions. RESULTS: Eighty-nine internal medicine departments were contacted and 84...... responded (response rate 94.4%). Of the 84 hospitals, 75 (89.3%) indicated that they perform interhospital transfers. Most transfers were performed by interns (61.3%) or senior house officers (10.7%) with only a few months' experience in their current speciality. Training in interhospital transfer...

Effects of Canon chord progression on brain activity and motivation are dependent on subjective feelings, not the chord progression per se

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kayashima Y

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Yoshinori Kayashima,1,2,* Kazuhiko Yamamuro,1,* Manabu Makinodan,1 Yoko Nakanishi,1 Akio Wanaka,2 Toshifumi Kishimoto1 1Department of Psychiatry, 2Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, Nara Medical University School of Medicine, Kashihara, Japan *These authors contributed equally to this work Abstract: A number of studies have indicated that relaxing and pleasant melodies are useful for the treatment of patients with psychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia, depression, and dementia. However, few studies have investigated what constitutive elements of the music had an effect on brain activity. As Canon chord progression is one of critical elements for pleasant melodies, we sought to examine the effects of Canon chord progression and pitch-shifted Canon chord progression on brain activity using performance on the auditory oddball task during event-related potentials (ERPs in 30 healthy subjects. Unexpectedly, we found no differences in ERP components between subjects listening to Canon chord progression (n=15 or pitch-shifted Canon chord progression (n=15. Next, we divided participants into two groups: those who found the melody pleasant (n=17 and those who did not (n=13, for both Canon chord progression and pitch-shifted Canon chord progression. The average of P300 amplitude was higher at Fz in subjects found the music pleasant versus those finding it unpleasant. Moreover, subjects who found it pleasant exhibited higher motivation scores than those who felt it was unpleasant, whereas listening to Canon chord progression did not matter. These findings suggest that the effects of Canon chord progression on brain activity and motivation depend on subjective feelings, not the chord progression per se. Keywords: music, Canon chord progression, motivation, event-related potential, subjective feelings 

Nanotechnology in medicine: concepts and concerns

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cancino, Juliana; Marangoni, Valeria S.; Zucolotto, Valtencir

2014-01-01

The recent advances in the development of nanomaterials have opened new and exciting opportunities for their applications in medicine. These applications include molecular imaging, drug-delivery, and photothermal therapy. Despite the progress in medicinal applications of nanomaterials, several key problems remain unaddressed. Recent advances in this area include the enhancement of sensitivity in early diagnosis and therapy, in addition to investigations into the possible toxicity of nanomaterials. However, since little is known about the toxicity of nanomaterials, the regulation of these materials is a slow and complex process. This paper reviews the current scenario in the applications of nanomaterials in medicine as well as the main concerns and regulatory questions. (author)

Progress towards the specification of embodied energy performance criteria for New Zealand buildings

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Baird, G.; Alcorn, A.; Wood, P.; Storey, J. B. [Victoria Univ., Wellington (New Zealand). School of Architecture; Jaques, R. [Building Research Association of New Zealand, Inc. (New Zealand)

1998-11-01

Incorporation of embodied energy performance criteria into New Zealand`s recently adopted performance-based building code is discussed. The paper also describes the concept of the Building Code and its energy related clauses and standards, work done to date to update the building materials` energy coefficients, and the progress made in using an embodied energy database. The purpose, desirability and likely pitfalls of such criteria, ways of specifying minimum performance, and relationships with operating energy criteria are also reviewed.

[Palliativer medicine in surgery].

Science.gov (United States)

Gutiérrez Samperio, César; Ruiz Canizales, Raúl; Arellano Rodríguez, Salvador; Romero Zepeda, Hilda; Hall, Robert T; García Camino, Bernardo

The concepts and background of palliative medicine, the patient-health team relationship and the right of the patients to receive palliative care, its application in surgery, the criterion defining the terminally ill, proportionate and disproportionate measures, where it is applied and what this consists of, drugs and procedures used, who should administrate them and for how long, the requirements for advanc directives and avoidance of therapeutic obstinacy, were reviewed. It describes and reflects their ethical and legal bases. It describes the main changes to the law in México in 2009 and 2012. It concludes that palliative medicine is not against scientific and technological progress, but promotes its appropriate use with respect to the will and dignity of the patient. It should be applied by a multidisciplinary team, who accompany the patient throughout the progression of their condition, strengthening the doctor's and health team's relationship with the patients and their families. Copyright © 2016 Academia Mexicana de Cirugía A.C. Publicado por Masson Doyma México S.A. All rights reserved.

Undergraduate teaching in geriatric medicine using computer-aided learning improves student performance in examinations.

Science.gov (United States)

Daunt, Laura A; Umeonusulu, Patience I; Gladman, John R F; Blundell, Adrian G; Conroy, Simon P; Gordon, Adam L

2013-07-01

computer-aided learning (CAL) is increasingly used to deliver teaching, but few studies have evaluated its impact on learning within geriatric medicine. We developed and implemented CAL packages on falls and continence, and evaluated their effect on student performance in two medical schools. traditional ward based and didactic teaching was replaced by blended learning (CAL package combined with traditional teaching methods). Examination scores were compared for cohorts of medical students receiving traditional learning and those receiving blended learning. Control questions were included to provide data on cohort differences. in both medical schools, there was a trend towards improved scores following blended learning, with a smaller number of students achieving low scores (P learning was associated with improvement in student examination performance, regardless of the setting or the methods adopted, and without increasing teaching time. Our findings support the use of CAL in teaching geriatric medicine, and this method has been adopted for teaching other topics in the undergraduate curriculum.

Correlation of United States Medical Licensing Examination and Internal Medicine In-Training Examination performance.

Science.gov (United States)

Perez, Jose A; Greer, Sharon

2009-12-01

The Internal Medicine In-Training Examination (ITE) is administered during residency training in the United States as a self-assessment and program assessment tool. Performance on this exam correlates with outcome on the American Board of Internal Medicine Certifying examination. Internal Medicine Program Directors use the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) to make decisions in recruitment of potential applicants. This study was done to determine a correlation of USMLE Steps 1, 2 and 3 results with ITE scores in each level of Internal Medicine training. A retrospective review of all residents graduating from an Internal Medicine program from 1999 to 2006 was done. Subjects included had data for all USMLE Steps and ITE during all years of training. Thirty-one subjects were included in the study. Correlations of USMLE Steps 1, 2 and 3 were done with ITE scores (percent correct) in each year of training. Pearson's correlation coefficient (r) was determined for each pairing and a t test to determine statistical significance of the correlation was done. Statistical significance was defined as P value ITE percent correct in PGY I, II and III were 0.46, 0.55 and 0.51 respectively. Corresponding r values for USMLE Step 2 and ITE percent correct were 0.79, 0.70 and 0.72; for USMLE Step 3 these values were 0.51, 0.37 and 0.51 respectively for each training year. USMLE scores are correlated with ITE scores. This correlation was strongest for USMLE Step 2.

Comparison of Individual Performance in Intelligence Tests WAIS III and RPM (Raven's Progressive Matrices)

OpenAIRE

Petrů, Vít

2017-01-01

This thesis deals with replacement of performative scale of Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (3rd revision) through Raven's Standard Progressive Matrices and Advanced Progressive Matrices. In the theoretical part introduces the concepts of intelligence, approaches to its exploration and intelligence tests. The theoretical part is also devoted to the description of the used methods and presents an overview of the research on a similar theme as this work. In the empirical part of the thesis is...

Research progress on high altitude retinopathy and application of Traditional Chinese Medicine

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hai-Xiang Huang

2014-11-01

Full Text Available High altitude retinopathy(HARrefers to the body which can't adapt to the hypobaric hypoxia environment at high altitude leading to retinal diseases, which typically manifested as retinal hemorrhages, optic disc edema and cotton wool spots. With the development of high altitude medicine, HAR become a hot topic of eye research in recent years. New researches show a significantly higher incidence of HAR, and HAR has a close contact with acute mountain sickness, high altitude cerebral edema and high altitude pulmonary edema. A further study in pathogenesis and prevention measures of HAR will promote the prevention of altitude sickness. Traditional Chinese Medicine has achieved good effects in the prevention of altitude sickness, but the effect and mechanism of herbs on HAR has not been reported. Through read and summarize the relevant literatures and reports, the author will give an overview of the research advances on HAR's pathogenesis and application of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Holistic pediatric veterinary medicine.

Science.gov (United States)

Pesch, Lisa

2014-03-01

Holistic veterinary medicine treats the whole patient including all physical and behavioral signs. The root cause of disease is treated at the same time as accompanying clinical signs. Herbal and nutritional supplements can help support tissue healing and proper organ functioning, thereby reducing the tendency of disease progression over time. Proper selection of homeopathic remedies is based on detailed evaluation of clinical signs. Herbal medicines are selected based on organ(s) affected and the physiologic nature of the imbalance. Many herbal and nutraceutical companies provide support for veterinarians, assisting with proper formula selection, dosing, drug interactions, and contraindications. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Are Allopathic and Holistic Medicine Incommensurable?

Science.gov (United States)

Evangelatos, Nikolaos; Eliadi, Irini

2016-01-01

The shift from the Aristotelian to the Newtonian scientific paradigm gave birth to progresses in the natural, hard sciences and contributed to the emergence of modernity. Allopathic medicine gradually implemented those progresses, transforming itself into contemporary biomedicine. In the early 20th century, replacement of Newtonian physics by quantum mechanics and Einstein's theory of relativity resulted in a new paradigm shift in the natural, hard sciences. This shift gave birth to post-modern perceptions, which attempt to put those changes in context. Within this new context, holistic therapeutic approaches are considered more compatible with the new paradigm. Different paradigms in the natural, hard sciences are considered to be incommensurable (in the Kuhnian sense). This incommensurability is also transferred to the different societal contexts, the different «Weltanschauungen» that rely on different scientific paradigms. However, drawing on arguments that range from historical and philosophical to practical and sociological ones, we argue that, although based on different scientific paradigms, allopathic and holistic medicine are not incommensurable, but rather complementary. This may be related to the inherent attributes of medicine, a fact that reinforces the debate on its epistemological status. © 2016 S. Karger GmbH, Freiburg.

Induced pluripotent stem cell technology: a decade of progress.

Science.gov (United States)

Shi, Yanhong; Inoue, Haruhisa; Wu, Joseph C; Yamanaka, Shinya

2017-02-01

Since the advent of induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technology a decade ago, enormous progress has been made in stem cell biology and regenerative medicine. Human iPSCs have been widely used for disease modelling, drug discovery and cell therapy development. Novel pathological mechanisms have been elucidated, new drugs originating from iPSC screens are in the pipeline and the first clinical trial using human iPSC-derived products has been initiated. In particular, the combination of human iPSC technology with recent developments in gene editing and 3D organoids makes iPSC-based platforms even more powerful in each area of their application, including precision medicine. In this Review, we discuss the progress in applications of iPSC technology that are particularly relevant to drug discovery and regenerative medicine, and consider the remaining challenges and the emerging opportunities in the field.

Sleep medicine services in Saudi Arabia: The 2013 national survey

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ahmed S Bahammam

2014-01-01

Conclusion: The sleep medicine services provided in the KSA have improved since the 2005 survey; however, these services are still below the level of service provided in developed countries. Organized efforts are needed to overcome the identified obstacles and challenges to the progress of sleep medicine in the KSA.

Prismatic displacement effect of progressive multifocal glasses on reaction time and accuracy in elderly people

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ellison AC

2014-05-01

Full Text Available Ashton C Ellison, A John Campbell, M Clare Robertson, Gordon F SandersonDunedin School of Medicine, Department of Medicine, Dunedin, New ZealandBackground: Multifocal glasses (bifocals, trifocals, and progressives increase the risk of falling in elderly people, but how they do so is unclear. To explain why glasses with progressive addition lenses increase the risk of falls and whether this can be attributed to false projection, this study aimed to 1 map the prismatic displacement of a progressive lens, and 2 test whether this displacement impaired reaction time and accuracy.Methods: The reaction times of healthy ≥75-year-olds (31 participants were measured when grasping for a bar and touching a black line. Participants performed each test twice, wearing their progressives and new, matched single vision (distance glasses in random order. The line and bar targets were positioned according to the maximum and minimum prismatic displacement effect through the progressive lens, mapped using a focimeter.Results: Progressive spectacle lenses have large areas of prismatic displacement in the central visual axis and edges. Reaction time was faster for progressives compared with single vision glasses with a centrally-placed horizontal grab bar (mean difference 101 ms, P=0.011 [repeated measures analysis] and a horizontal black line placed 300 mm below center (mean difference 80 ms, P=0.007. There was no difference in accuracy between the two types of glasses.Conclusion: Older people appear to adapt to the false projection of progressives in the central visual axis. This adaptation means that swapping to new glasses or a large change in prescription may lead to a fall. Frequently updating glasses may be more beneficial.Keywords: fall prevention, false projection, stored visual spatial information

The pharmacology of regenerative medicine.

Science.gov (United States)

Christ, George J; Saul, Justin M; Furth, Mark E; Andersson, Karl-Erik

2013-07-01

Regenerative medicine is a rapidly evolving multidisciplinary, translational research enterprise whose explicit purpose is to advance technologies for the repair and replacement of damaged cells, tissues, and organs. Scientific progress in the field has been steady and expectations for its robust clinical application continue to rise. The major thesis of this review is that the pharmacological sciences will contribute critically to the accelerated translational progress and clinical utility of regenerative medicine technologies. In 2007, we coined the phrase "regenerative pharmacology" to describe the enormous possibilities that could occur at the interface between pharmacology, regenerative medicine, and tissue engineering. The operational definition of regenerative pharmacology is "the application of pharmacological sciences to accelerate, optimize, and characterize (either in vitro or in vivo) the development, maturation, and function of bioengineered and regenerating tissues." As such, regenerative pharmacology seeks to cure disease through restoration of tissue/organ function. This strategy is distinct from standard pharmacotherapy, which is often limited to the amelioration of symptoms. Our goal here is to get pharmacologists more involved in this field of research by exposing them to the tools, opportunities, challenges, and interdisciplinary expertise that will be required to ensure awareness and galvanize involvement. To this end, we illustrate ways in which the pharmacological sciences can drive future innovations in regenerative medicine and tissue engineering and thus help to revolutionize the discovery of curative therapeutics. Hopefully, the broad foundational knowledge provided herein will spark sustained conversations among experts in diverse fields of scientific research to the benefit of all.

Evaluation of Herbal Medicines: Value Addition to Traditional Medicines Through Metabolism, Pharmacokinetic and Safety Studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Thelingwani, Roslyn; Masimirembwa, Collen

2014-01-01

The safety and efficacy of herbal medicines remain major issues of concern especially in the developing world where the use is high. The World Health Organisation estimates up to 80% of the population in Africa relies on herbal medicines for treatment of many diseases. Minimum safety evaluations need to be done for both the herbal and conventional drugs, in particular when there is a high likelihood of co-administration. This is particularly important in Africa where there is increased access to antiretrovirals in the treatment of HIV/AIDS, which are being used in a population background characterized by rampant use of herbal medicines. Many techniques used in the discovery and evaluation of conventional drugs can be adapted to herbal medicines. Such evaluations will add value to herbal medicines as doctors and patients will be better informed on which drugs and herbal medicines to take or not take together. This can also lead to the adoption of guidelines by regulatory agents such as the European Medicines Agency (EMA), Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and governmental agencies controlling the use of medicines. Of current interest is the evaluation of drug-herb interactions (DHI) involving the absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion (ADME) of medicines where there is a promising possibility to adopt the current FDA and EMA guidelines on the evaluation of herbal medicines for drug-drug interactions (DDI). In this review we demonstrate progress made so far in DHI and point to possible future developments that will contribute to the safe use of herbal medicines.

Recent advances in ultra-high performance liquid chromatography for the analysis of traditional chinese medicine

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Traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) have been widely used for the prevention and treatment of various diseases for thousands of years in China. Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography (UHPLC) is a relatively new technique offering new possibilities in liquid chromatography. This paper reviews recen...

The Medicinal Chemistry of Therapeutic Oligonucleotides.

Science.gov (United States)

Wan, W Brad; Seth, Punit P

2016-11-10

Oligonucleotide-based therapeutics have made rapid progress in the clinic for treatment of a variety of disease indications. Unmodified oligonucleotides are polyanionic macromolecules with poor drug-like properties. Over the past two decades, medicinal chemists have identified a number of chemical modification and conjugation strategies which can improve the nuclease stability, RNA-binding affinity, and pharmacokinetic properties of oligonucleotides for therapeutic applications. In this perspective, we present a summary of the most commonly used nucleobase, sugar and backbone modification, and conjugation strategies used in oligonucleotide medicinal chemistry.

Implantation of a data bank of nuclear medicine patients (DOSIMED)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krempser, Alexandre R.; Oliveira, Silvia M. Velasques de; Silva, Tadeu A.A.

2009-01-01

This paper develops a institutional data bank for internal dosimetry and radiological protection of nuclear medicine patents. The data are originating from projects in progress performed by the Group for Research in Internal Dosimetry in Nuclear Medicine of the IRD, Brazil. The DOSIMED data bank was developed on the Linux computer operation system, under PHP and SQL languages, using the Script Case software. Since the investigation is due to medical applications, the data entry is done by projects, after their approval by a committee of local ethics. Projects are associated with equipment used and with studied patients. Patients are associated to and/or appropriated therapeutic protocols. The patient internal dosimetry data are generated by three types of monitoring: image quantification, bio analysis in vitro and external exposure for the patient injected with radioisotope. For the guarantee of data quality, the collected data are imported fro the original documents for the DOSIMED, and the comparison can be done after the final study for data evaluation. Up to the present, the screens for the data entry were developed and the respective consistence data are in progress. The DOSIMED will be available at the IRD intra net for the director and the investigators involved in each project

Progressive hypoxia decouples activity and aerobic performance of skate embryos.

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Di Santo, Valentina; Tran, Anna H; Svendsen, Jon C

2016-01-01

Although fish population size is strongly affected by survival during embryonic stages, our understanding of physiological responses to environmental stressors is based primarily on studies of post-hatch fishes. Embryonic responses to acute exposure to changes in abiotic conditions, including increase in hypoxia, could be particularly important in species exhibiting long developmental time, as embryos are unable to select a different environment behaviourally. Given that oxygen is key to metabolic processes in fishes and aquatic hypoxia is becoming more severe and frequent worldwide, organisms are expected to reduce their aerobic performance. Here, we examined the metabolic and behavioural responses of embryos of a benthic elasmobranch fish, the little skate (Leucoraja erinacea), to acute progressive hypoxia, by measuring oxygen consumption and movement (tail-beat) rates inside the egg case. Oxygen consumption rates were not significantly affected by ambient oxygen levels until reaching 45% air saturation (critical oxygen saturation, S crit). Below S crit, oxygen consumption rates declined rapidly, revealing an oxygen conformity response. Surprisingly, we observed a decoupling of aerobic performance and activity, as tail-beat rates increased, rather than matching the declining metabolic rates, at air saturation levels of 55% and below. These results suggest a significantly divergent response at the physiological and behavioural levels. While skate embryos depressed their metabolic rates in response to progressive hypoxia, they increased water circulation inside the egg case, presumably to restore normoxic conditions, until activity ceased abruptly around 9.8% air saturation.

Progressive decline of decision-making performances during multiple sclerosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Simioni, Samanta; Ruffieux, Christiane; Kleeberg, Joerg; Bruggimann, Laure; du Pasquier, Renaud A; Annoni, Jean-Marie; Schluep, Myriam

2009-03-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate longitudinally, using the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT), the dynamics of decision-making capacity at a two-year interval (median: 2.1 years) in a group of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) (n = 70) and minor neurological disability [Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) attention), behavior, handicap, and perceived health status were also investigated. Standardized change scores [(score at retest-score at baseline)/standard deviation of baseline score] were computed. Results showed that IGT performances decreased from baseline to retest (from 0.3, SD = 0.4 to 0.1, SD = 0.3, p = .005). MS patients who worsened in the IGT were more likely to show a decreased perceived health status and emotional well-being (SEP-59; p = .05 for both). Relapsing rate, disability progression, cognitive, and behavioral changes were not associated with decreased IGT performances. In conclusion, decline in decision making can appear as an isolated deficit in MS.

Platelet-rich plasma regenerative medicine sports medicine, orthopedic, and recovery of musculoskeletal injuries

CERN Document Server

Santana, Maria; Belangero, William; Luzo, Angela

2014-01-01

Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) has gained tremendous popularity in recent years as a treatment option for specialties including Orthopedics, Dentistry, Sports Medicine, Otorhinolaryngology, Neurosurgery, Ophthalmology, Urology, Vascular, Cardiothoracic and Maxillofacial Surgery, and Veterinarian Medicine. Nowadays, PRP and Stem Cell Science have added an exciting dimension to tissue repair. This book begins by giving the reader a broad overview of current progress as well as a discussion of the technical aspects of preparation and therapeutic use of autologous PRP. It is followed by a review of platelet structure, function and major growth factors in PRP (PDGF and TGFβ).The third chapter outlines the basic principles of biochemical cellular metabolism that increases the efficacy of PRP. Analogous to the preparation of soil for a garden, restoring cellular health should be the first consideration in Regenerative Medicine. Standardization of PRP preparation to clinical use still remains a challenging prospect. In ...

Chinese Herbal Medicine Image Recognition and Retrieval by Convolutional Neural Network.

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Sun, Xin; Qian, Huinan

2016-01-01

Chinese herbal medicine image recognition and retrieval have great potential of practical applications. Several previous studies have focused on the recognition with hand-crafted image features, but there are two limitations in them. Firstly, most of these hand-crafted features are low-level image representation, which is easily affected by noise and background. Secondly, the medicine images are very clean without any backgrounds, which makes it difficult to use in practical applications. Therefore, designing high-level image representation for recognition and retrieval in real world medicine images is facing a great challenge. Inspired by the recent progress of deep learning in computer vision, we realize that deep learning methods may provide robust medicine image representation. In this paper, we propose to use the Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) for Chinese herbal medicine image recognition and retrieval. For the recognition problem, we use the softmax loss to optimize the recognition network; then for the retrieval problem, we fine-tune the recognition network by adding a triplet loss to search for the most similar medicine images. To evaluate our method, we construct a public database of herbal medicine images with cluttered backgrounds, which has in total 5523 images with 95 popular Chinese medicine categories. Experimental results show that our method can achieve the average recognition precision of 71% and the average retrieval precision of 53% over all the 95 medicine categories, which are quite promising given the fact that the real world images have multiple pieces of occluded herbal and cluttered backgrounds. Besides, our proposed method achieves the state-of-the-art performance by improving previous studies with a large margin.

Treating gynaecological disorders with traditional Chinese medicine ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has significant advantages in treating gynaecological disorders. The paper has provided a brief introduction on the current progress of treating some gynaecological disorders including endometriosis, infertility, dysmenorrhea, abnormal uterine bleeding, premenstrual syndrome, ...

Influence of comorbidities on therapeutic progression of diabetes treatment in Australian veterans: a cohort study.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Agnes I Vitry

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: This study assessed whether the number of comorbid conditions unrelated to diabetes was associated with a delay in therapeutic progression of diabetes treatment in Australian veterans. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: A retrospective cohort study was undertaken using data from the Australian Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA claims database between July 2000 and June 2008. The study included new users of metformin or sulfonylurea medicines. The outcome was the time to addition or switch to another antidiabetic treatment. The total number of comorbid conditions unrelated to diabetes was identified using the pharmaceutical-based comorbidity index, Rx-Risk-V. Competing risk regression analyses were conducted, with adjustments for a number of covariates that included age, gender, residential status, use of endocrinology service, number of hospitalisation episodes and adherence to diabetes medicines. Overall, 20,134 veterans were included in the study. At one year, 23.5% of patients with diabetes had a second medicine added or had switched to another medicine, with 41.4% progressing by 4 years. The number of unrelated comorbidities was significantly associated with the time to addition of an antidiabetic medicine or switch to insulin (subhazard ratio [SHR] 0.87 [95% CI 0.84-0.91], P<0.001. Depression, cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, dementia, and Parkinson's disease were individually associated with a decreased likelihood of therapeutic progression. Age, residential status, number of hospitalisations and adherence to anti-diabetic medicines delayed therapeutic progression. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Increasing numbers of unrelated conditions decreased the likelihood of therapeutic progression in veterans with diabetes. These results have implications for the development of quality measures, clinical guidelines and the construction of models of care for management of diabetes in elderly people with comorbidities.

Successful private-public funding of paediatric medicines research: lessons from the EU programme to fund research into off-patent medicines.

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Ruggieri, L; Giannuzzi, V; Baiardi, P; Bonifazi, F; Davies, E H; Giaquinto, C; Bonifazi, D; Felisi, M; Chiron, C; Pressler, R; Rabe, H; Whitaker, M J; Neubert, A; Jacqz-Aigrain, E; Eichler, I; Turner, M A; Ceci, A

2015-04-01

The European Paediatric Regulation mandated the European Commission to fund research on off-patent medicines with demonstrated therapeutic interest for children. Responding to this mandate, five FP7 project calls were launched and 20 projects were granted. This paper aims to detail the funded projects and their preliminary results. Publicly available sources have been consulted and a descriptive analysis has been performed. Twenty Research Consortia including 246 partners in 29 European and non-European countries were created (involving 129 universities or public-funded research organisations, 51 private companies with 40 SMEs, 7 patient associations). The funded projects investigate 24 medicines, covering 10 therapeutic areas in all paediatric age groups. In response to the Paediatric Regulation and to apply for a Paediatric Use Marketing Authorisation, 15 Paediatric Investigation Plans have been granted by the EMA-Paediatric Committee, including 71 studies of whom 29 paediatric clinical trials, leading to a total of 7,300 children to be recruited in more than 380 investigational centres. Notwithstanding the EU contribution for each study is lower than similar publicly funded projects, and also considering the complexity of paediatric research, these projects are performing high-quality research and are progressing towards the increase of new paediatric medicines on the market. Private-public partnerships have been effectively implemented, providing a good example for future collaborative actions. Since these projects cover a limited number of off-patent drugs and many unmet therapeutic needs in paediatrics remain, it is crucial foreseeing new similar initiatives in forthcoming European funding programmes.

Efficacy of clinical diagnostic procedures utilized in nuclear medicine. Nine month progress report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

None

1978-01-01

This study is designed to determine the efficacy of nuclear medicine procedures in clinical practice. Several methods of determining efficacy will be evaluated to determine those most suitable. Nuclear medicine methods will be confined to the study of lung diseases by pulmonary perfusion and ventilation. In addition to evaluating the above methods data will be obtained to determine the sensitivity, specificity, predictive value and efficiency of the test under consideration. These values, corrected for prevalence of the disease processes under consideration will then be compared to the values obtained by the MACRO and MICRO methods and will help to bound the clinical reliability of the diagnostic method depending on the degree to which the several methods trend together. Depending on the practicality of these two methods, in addition to the determination of efficacy, cost effectiveness factors and benefit-risk estimates which are used to apply to radiation effects will be determined for nuclear medicine studies of the brain, bone, heart, liver and thyroid subsequently. The measurement techniques will then be utilized to establish guidelines for the most useful applications of the given procedure so that clinicians will be able to obtain a pretest estimate of the utility of the nuclear medicine test.

Validation of a checklist to assess ward round performance in internal medicine

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nørgaard, Kirsten; Ringsted, Charlotte; Dolmans, Diana

2004-01-01

and construct validity of the task-specific checklist. METHODS: To determine content validity, a questionnaire was mailed to 295 internists. They were requested to give their opinion on the relevance of each item included on the checklist and to indicate the comprehensiveness of the checklist. To determine...... construct validity, an observer assessed 4 groups of doctors during performance of a complete ward round (n = 32). The nurse who accompanied the doctor on rounds made a global assessment of the performance. RESULTS: The response rate to the questionnaire was 80.7%. The respondents found that all 10 items......BACKGROUND: Ward rounds are an essential responsibility for doctors in hospital settings. Tools for guiding and assessing trainees' performance of ward rounds are needed. A checklist was developed for that purpose for use with trainees in internal medicine. OBJECTIVE: To assess the content...

KEY TOPICS IN SPORTS MEDICINE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Amir Ali Narvani

2006-12-01

Full Text Available Key Topics in Sports Medicine is a single quick reference source for sports and exercise medicine. It presents the essential information from across relevant topic areas, and includes both the core and emerging issues in this rapidly developing field. It covers: 1 Sports injuries, rehabilitation and injury prevention, 2 Exercise physiology, fitness testing and training, 3 Drugs in sport, 4 Exercise and health promotion, 5 Sport and exercise for special and clinical populations, 6 The psychology of performance and injury. PURPOSE The Key Topics format provides extensive, concise information in an accessible, easy-to-follow manner. AUDIENCE The book is targeted the students and specialists in sports medicine and rehabilitation, athletic training, physiotherapy and orthopaedic surgery. The editors are authorities in their respective fields and this handbook depends on their extensive experience and knowledge accumulated over the years. FEATURES The book contains the information for clinical guidance, rapid access to concise details and facts. It is composed of 99 topics which present the information in an order that is considered logical and progressive as in most texts. Chapter headings are: 1. Functional Anatomy, 2. Training Principles / Development of Strength and Power, 3. Biomechanical Principles, 4. Biomechanical Analysis, 5. Physiology of Training, 6. Monitoring of Training Progress, 7. Nutrition, 8. Hot and Cold Climates, 9. Altitude, 10. Sport and Travelling, 11. Principles of Sport Injury Diagnosis, 12. Principles of Sport and Soft Tissue Management, 13. Principles of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation, 14. Principles of Sport Injury Prevention, 15. Sports Psychology, 16. Team Sports, 17. Psychological Aspects of Injury in Sport, 18. Injury Repair Process, 19. Basic Biomechanics of Tissue Injury, 20. Plain Film Radiography in Sport, 21. Nuclear Medicine, 22. Diagnostic Ultrasound, 23. MRI Scan, 24. Other Imaging, 5. Head Injury, 26. Eye

Preclinical imaging methods for assessing the safety and efficacy of regenerative medicine therapies

Science.gov (United States)

Scarfe, Lauren; Brillant, Nathalie; Kumar, J. Dinesh; Ali, Noura; Alrumayh, Ahmed; Amali, Mohammed; Barbellion, Stephane; Jones, Vendula; Niemeijer, Marije; Potdevin, Sophie; Roussignol, Gautier; Vaganov, Anatoly; Barbaric, Ivana; Barrow, Michael; Burton, Neal C.; Connell, John; Dazzi, Francesco; Edsbagge, Josefina; French, Neil S.; Holder, Julie; Hutchinson, Claire; Jones, David R.; Kalber, Tammy; Lovatt, Cerys; Lythgoe, Mark F.; Patel, Sara; Patrick, P. Stephen; Piner, Jacqueline; Reinhardt, Jens; Ricci, Emanuelle; Sidaway, James; Stacey, Glyn N.; Starkey Lewis, Philip J.; Sullivan, Gareth; Taylor, Arthur; Wilm, Bettina; Poptani, Harish; Murray, Patricia; Goldring, Chris E. P.; Park, B. Kevin

2017-10-01

Regenerative medicine therapies hold enormous potential for a variety of currently incurable conditions with high unmet clinical need. Most progress in this field to date has been achieved with cell-based regenerative medicine therapies, with over a thousand clinical trials performed up to 2015. However, lack of adequate safety and efficacy data is currently limiting wider uptake of these therapies. To facilitate clinical translation, non-invasive in vivo imaging technologies that enable careful evaluation and characterisation of the administered cells and their effects on host tissues are critically required to evaluate their safety and efficacy in relevant preclinical models. This article reviews the most common imaging technologies available and how they can be applied to regenerative medicine research. We cover details of how each technology works, which cell labels are most appropriate for different applications, and the value of multi-modal imaging approaches to gain a comprehensive understanding of the responses to cell therapy in vivo.

Long-term progressive motor skill training enhances corticospinal excitability for the ipsilateral hemisphere and motor performance of the untrained hand

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christiansen, Lasse; Larsen, Malte Nejst; Grey, Michael James

2017-01-01

It is well-established that unilateral motor practice can lead to increased performance in the opposite non-trained hand. Here, we test the hypothesis that progressively increasing task difficulty during long-term skill training with the dominant right hand increase performance and corticomotor...... and accuracy to individual proficiency promotes motor skill learning and drives the iM1-CSE resulting in enhanced performance of the non-trained hand. The results underline the importance of increasing task difficulty progressively and individually in skill learning and rehabilitation training. This article...... excitability of the left non-trained hand. Subjects practiced a visuomotor tracking task engaging right digit V for 6 weeks with either progressively increasing task difficulty (PT) or no progression (NPT). Corticospinal excitability(CSE) was evaluated from the resting motor threshold(rMT) and recruitment...

Long-term progressive motor skill training enhances corticospinal excitability for the ipsilateral hemisphere and motor performance of the untrained hand

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christiansen, Lasse; Larsen, Malte Nejst; Grey, Michael James

2017-01-01

It is well established that unilateral motor practice can lead to increased performance in the opposite non-trained hand. Here, we test the hypothesis that progressively increasing task difficulty during long-term skill training with the dominant right hand increase performance and corticomotor...... demands for timing and accuracy to individual proficiency promotes motor skill learning and drives the iM1-CSE resulting in enhanced performance of the non-trained hand. The results underline the importance of increasing task difficulty progressively and individually in skill learning and rehabilitation...... excitability of the left non-trained hand. Subjects practiced a visuomotor tracking task engaging right digit V for 6 weeks with either progressively increasing task difficulty (PT) or no progression (NPT). Corticospinal excitability (CSE) was evaluated from the resting motor threshold (rMT) and recruitment...

The role of general nuclear medicine in breast cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Greene, Lacey R; Wilkinson, Deborah

2015-01-01

The rising incidence of breast cancer worldwide has prompted many improvements to current care. Routine nuclear medicine is a major contributor to a full gamut of clinical studies such as early lesion detection and stratification; guiding, monitoring, and predicting response to therapy; and monitoring progression, recurrence or metastases. Developments in instrumentation such as the high-resolution dedicated breast device coupled with the diagnostic versatility of conventional cameras have reinserted nuclear medicine as a valuable tool in the broader clinical setting. This review outlines the role of general nuclear medicine, concluding that targeted radiopharmaceuticals and versatile instrumentation position nuclear medicine as a powerful modality for patients with breast cancer

Analysis and confirmation of synthetic anorexics in adulterated traditional Chinese medicines by high-performance capillary electrophoresis.

Science.gov (United States)

Ku, Y R; Chang, Y S; Wen, K C; Ho, L K

1999-07-02

Six synthetic anorexics, clobenzorex, diethylpropion, fenfluramine, methamphetamine, phenylpropanolamine and phentermine, which can be found as adulterants in traditional Chinese medicines were assayed simultaneously by high-performance capillary electrophoresis. The electrolyte was a buffer solution containing 120 mM phosphate buffer (NaH2PO4/H3PO4, pH 2.0) and 15% acetonitrile. Applied voltage was 16 kV and temperature was 30 degrees C. Fluoren-2,7-diammonium chloride was used as an internal standard and detector set at 200 nm. The recoveries of the synthetic anorexic adulterants in traditional Chinese medicinal formula using C8-SCX mixed solid-phase extraction were studied. Several traditional Chinese medicinal powders obtained from clinics were also studied by the above HPCE method and confirmed by GC-MS. Clobenzorex, diethylpropion and fenfluramine were found and determine in these samples.

Reconciling evidence-based medicine and precision medicine in the era of big data: challenges and opportunities.

Science.gov (United States)

Beckmann, Jacques S; Lew, Daniel

2016-12-19

This era of groundbreaking scientific developments in high-resolution, high-throughput technologies is allowing the cost-effective collection and analysis of huge, disparate datasets on individual health. Proper data mining and translation of the vast datasets into clinically actionable knowledge will require the application of clinical bioinformatics. These developments have triggered multiple national initiatives in precision medicine-a data-driven approach centering on the individual. However, clinical implementation of precision medicine poses numerous challenges. Foremost, precision medicine needs to be contrasted with the powerful and widely used practice of evidence-based medicine, which is informed by meta-analyses or group-centered studies from which mean recommendations are derived. This "one size fits all" approach can provide inadequate solutions for outliers. Such outliers, which are far from an oddity as all of us fall into this category for some traits, can be better managed using precision medicine. Here, we argue that it is necessary and possible to bridge between precision medicine and evidence-based medicine. This will require worldwide and responsible data sharing, as well as regularly updated training programs. We also discuss the challenges and opportunities for achieving clinical utility in precision medicine. We project that, through collection, analyses and sharing of standardized medically relevant data globally, evidence-based precision medicine will shift progressively from therapy to prevention, thus leading eventually to improved, clinician-to-patient communication, citizen-centered healthcare and sustained well-being.

Human genomics projects and precision medicine.

Science.gov (United States)

Carrasco-Ramiro, F; Peiró-Pastor, R; Aguado, B

2017-09-01

The completion of the Human Genome Project (HGP) in 2001 opened the floodgates to a deeper understanding of medicine. There are dozens of HGP-like projects which involve from a few tens to several million genomes currently in progress, which vary from having specialized goals or a more general approach. However, data generation, storage, management and analysis in public and private cloud computing platforms have raised concerns about privacy and security. The knowledge gained from further research has changed the field of genomics and is now slowly permeating into clinical medicine. The new precision (personalized) medicine, where genome sequencing and data analysis are essential components, allows tailored diagnosis and treatment according to the information from the patient's own genome and specific environmental factors. P4 (predictive, preventive, personalized and participatory) medicine is introducing new concepts, challenges and opportunities. This review summarizes current sequencing technologies, concentrates on ongoing human genomics projects, and provides some examples in which precision medicine has already demonstrated clinical impact in diagnosis and/or treatment.

Effect of reinforcer magnitude on performance maintained by progressive-ratio schedules.

Science.gov (United States)

Rickard, J F; Body, S; Zhang, Z; Bradshaw, C M; Szabadi, E

2009-01-01

This experiment examined the relationship between reinforcer magnitude and quantitative measures of performance on progressive-ratio schedules. Fifteen rats were trained under a progressive-ratio schedule in seven phases of the experiment in which the volume of a 0.6-M sucrose solution reinforcer was varied within the range 6-300 microl. Overall response rates in successive ratios conformed to a bitonic equation derived from Killeen's (1994) Mathematical Principles of Reinforcement. The "specific activation" parameter, a, which is presumed to reflect the incentive value of the reinforcer, was a monotonically increasing function of reinforcer volume; the "response time" parameter, delta, which defines the minimum response time, increased as a function of reinforcer volume; the "currency" parameter, beta, which is presumed to reflect the coupling of responses to the reinforcer, declined as a function of volume. Running response rate (response rate calculated after exclusion of the postreinforcement pause) decayed monotonically as a function of ratio size; the index of curvature of this function increased as a function of reinforcer volume. Postreinforcement pause increased as a function of ratio size. Estimates of a derived from overall response rates and postreinforcement pauses showed a modest positive correlation across conditions and between animals. Implications of the results for the quantification of reinforcer value and for the use of progressive-ratio schedules in behavioral neuroscience are discussed.

Is performance in pre-clinical assessment a good predictor of the final Doctor of Medicine grade?

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Wardy, Nadia M; Rizvi, Syed G; Bayoumi, Riad A

2009-12-01

To investigate if any correlation exists between students' grades on their final doctor of Medicine (MD) assessment and their overall preclinical grade point average (GPA) and its component parts. Student data available from the Deanship of Admissions and Registration were analyzed. Pearson correlation coefficient was obtained to assess the degree of linear relationship between performance in the preclinical and the MD assessment of 529 students who graduated from the College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Sultan Qaboos University, Al-Khoud, Oman from June 1998 to June 2005. Simple and multiple regression analyses were performed to evaluate individual and combined impact of the preclinical courses' grades on MD grades. Preclinical GPA correlated highly with MD GPA (r=0.641). The science component taught early in the preclinical phase correlated more strongly (r=0.457) than student electives (r=0.246). This correlation was better in the good English group. Students' performance, however, was best in electives, but worst in English. Most students who had low MD GPA (2.5, and limiting the credit hour requirement of electives by the College seems to be justified.

Developmental Progression of Looking and Reaching Performance on the A-Not-B Task

Science.gov (United States)

Cuevas, Kimberly; Bell, Martha Ann

2010-01-01

From a neuropsychological perspective, the cognitive skills of working memory, inhibition, and attention and the maturation of the frontal lobe are requisites for successful A-not-B performance on both the looking and reaching versions of the task. This study used a longitudinal design to examine the developmental progression of infants'…

Progress in the medicinal chemistry of silicon: C/Si exchange and beyond.

Science.gov (United States)

Fujii, Shinya; Hashimoto, Yuichi

2017-04-01

Application of silyl functionalities is one of the most promising strategies among various 'elements chemistry' approaches for the development of novel and distinctive drug candidates. Replacement of one or more carbon atoms of various biologically active compounds with silicon (so-called sila-substitution) has been intensively studied for decades, and is often effective for alteration of activity profile and improvement of metabolic profile. In addition to simple C/Si exchange, several novel approaches for utilizing silicon in medicinal chemistry have been suggested in recent years, focusing on the intrinsic differences between silicon and carbon. Sila-substitution offers great potential for enlarging the chemical space of medicinal chemistry, and provides many options for structural development of drug candidates.

[Precision medicine: new opportunities and challenges for molecular epidemiology].

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Jing; Hu, Yonghua

2016-04-01

Since the completion of the Human Genome Project in 2003 and the announcement of the Precision Medicine Initiative by U.S. President Barack Obama in January 2015, human beings have initially completed the " three steps" of " genomics to biology, genomics to health as well as genomics to society". As a new inter-discipline, the emergence and development of precision medicine have relied on the support and promotion from biological science, basic medicine, clinical medicine, epidemiology, statistics, sociology and information science, etc. Meanwhile, molecular epidemiology is considered to be the core power to promote precision medical as a cross discipline of epidemiology and molecular biology. This article is based on the characteristics and research progress of medicine and molecular epidemiology respectively, focusing on the contribution and significance of molecular epidemiology to precision medicine, and exploring the possible opportunities and challenges in the future.

Filling the gap between traditional Chinese medicine and modern medicine, are we heading to the right direction?

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Xiuping; Pei, Lixia; Lu, Jinjian

2013-06-01

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), the ancient medicine popular in China and surrounding areas, has been recognized as a typical representative of complementary and alternative medicine. Over long period in clinical practice, especially the progress in basic research, data on the effectiveness and beneficial contribution of TCM herbs to public health and disease control have been accumulated while the quality of the evidence is generally poor. The most common clinical practice of TCM herbs is herb combination called formula which consists of several types of medicinal herbs or minerals, which is quite different from modern medicine. Definitely, tens of hundreds of compounds could be identified in even a small formula. With the regained enthusiasm on natural products based new drug R&D, the proposed multi-target drug discovery strategy, the booming of -omics technologies, and the implementation of ambitious plan of TCM modernization in China, attempts have been made to fill the gap between TCM herbs and modern drugs. However, are we heading to the right direction? Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Strategy in Regulatory Decision-Making for Management of Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Segec, A; Keller-Stanislawski, B; Vermeer, N S

2015-01-01

Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) has been observed after the use of several medicines, including monoclonal antibodies. As these drugs play important roles in the therapeutic armamentarium, it is important to address the challenges that this severe adverse reaction poses to the safe...... use of medicines. Considering the need for consistent outcomes of regulatory decisions, the European Medicines Agency Pharmacovigilance Risk Assessment Committee (PRAC) used PML as an example to develop a systematic approach to labeling and risk minimization....

Monitoring the Durability Performance of Concrete in Nuclear Waste Containment. Technical Progress Report No. 3

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ulm, Franz-Josef

2000-01-01

OAK-B135 Monitoring the Durability Performance of Concrete in Nuclear Waste Containment. Technical Progress Report No. 3(NOTE: Part II A item 1 indicates ''PAPER'', but a report is attached electronically)

High-performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry technology in the analysis of Chinese Medicine Formulas: A bibliometric analysis (1997-2015).

Science.gov (United States)

He, Xi-Ran; Li, Chun-Guang; Zhu, Xiao-Shu; Li, Yuan-Qing; Jarouche, Mariam; Bensoussan, Alan; Li, Ping-Ping

2017-01-01

There is a recognized challenge in analyzing traditional Chinese medicine formulas because of their complex chemical compositions. The application of modern analytical techniques such as high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with a tandem mass spectrometry has improved the characterization of various compounds from traditional Chinese medicine formulas significantly. This study aims to conduct a bibliometric analysis to recognize the overall trend of high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry approaches in the analysis of traditional Chinese medicine formulas, its significance and possible underlying interactions between individual herbs in these formulas. Electronic databases were searched systematically, and the identified studies were collected and analyzed using Microsoft Access 2010, Graph Pad 5.0 software and Ucinet software package. 338 publications between 1997 and 2015 were identified, and analyzed in terms of annual growth and accumulated publications, top journals, forms of traditional Chinese medicine preparations and highly studied formulas and single herbs, as well as social network analysis of single herbs. There is a significant increase trend in using high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry related techniques in analysis of commonly used forms of traditional Chinese medicine formulas in the last 3 years. Stringent quality control is of great significance for the modernization and globalization of traditional Chinese medicine, and this bibliometric analysis provided the first and comprehensive summary within this field. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

MODELLING THE PROGRESSION OF COMPETITIVE PERFORMANCE OF AN ACADEMY'S SOCCER TEAMS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rita M. Malcata

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Progression of a team's performance is a key issue in competitive sport, but there appears to have been no published research on team progression for periods longer than a season. In this study we report the game-score progression of three teams of a youth talent-development academy over five seasons using a novel analytic approach based on generalised mixed modelling. The teams consisted of players born in 1991, 1992 and 1993; they played totals of 115, 107 and 122 games in Asia and Europe between 2005 and 2010 against teams differing in age by up to 3 years. Game scores predicted by the mixed model were assumed to have an over-dispersed Poisson distribution. The fixed effects in the model estimated an annual linear pro-gression for Aspire and for the other teams (grouped as a single opponent with adjustment for home-ground advantage and for a linear effect of age difference between competing teams. A random effect allowed for different mean scores for Aspire and opposition teams. All effects were estimated as factors via log-transformation and presented as percent differences in scores. Inferences were based on the span of 90% confidence intervals in relation to thresholds for small factor effects of x/÷1.10 (+10%/-9%. Most effects were clear only when data for the three teams were combined. Older teams showed a small 27% increase in goals scored per year of age difference (90% confidence interval 13 to 42%. Aspire experienced a small home-ground advantage of 16% (-5 to 41%, whereas opposition teams experienced 31% (7 to 60% on their own ground. After adjustment for these effects, the Aspire teams scored on average 1.5 goals per match, with little change in the five years of their existence, whereas their opponents' scores fell from 1.4 in their first year to 1.0 in their last. The difference in progression was trivial over one year (7%, -4 to 20%, small over two years (15%, -8 to 44%, but unclear over >2 years. In conclusion, the generalized

Basic requirements of nuclear medicine services

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Belcher, E H

1993-12-31

Technological progress in nuclear medicine continues, not always to the immediate advantage of the developing world. The capital expense, operational demands and maintenance requirements of ever more complex equipment, the consequent need for highly trained staff, the necessity to assure regular supplies of costly radioactive materials, all present problems to which compromise or alternative solutions must often be sought. This chapter constitutes an attempt to define the basic requirements for thr practice of nuclear medicine with respect to staff, equipment, accommodation, supplies and supporting services with particular reference to the needs of institutions in developing countries

Basic requirements of nuclear medicine services

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Belcher, E.H.

1992-01-01

Technological progress in nuclear medicine continues, not always to the immediate advantage of the developing world. The capital expense, operational demands and maintenance requirements of ever more complex equipment, the consequent need for highly trained staff, the necessity to assure regular supplies of costly radioactive materials, all present problems to which compromise or alternative solutions must often be sought. This chapter constitutes an attempt to define the basic requirements for thr practice of nuclear medicine with respect to staff, equipment, accommodation, supplies and supporting services with particular reference to the needs of institutions in developing countries

Enhancing clinical skills education: University of Virginia School of Medicine's Clerkship Clinical Skills Workshop Program.

Science.gov (United States)

Corbett, Eugene C; Payne, Nancy J; Bradley, Elizabeth B; Maughan, Karen L; Heald, Evan B; Wang, Xin Qun

2007-07-01

In 1993, the University of Virginia School of Medicine began a clinical skills workshop program in an effort to improve the preparation of all clerkship students to participate in clinical care. This program involved the teaching of selected basic clinical skills by interested faculty to small groups of third-year medical students. Over the past 14 years, the number of workshops has increased from 11 to 31, and they now involve clerkship faculty from family medicine, internal medicine, and pediatrics. Workshops include a variety of common skills from the communication, physical examination, and clinical test and procedure domains such as pediatric phone triage, shoulder examination, ECG interpretation, and suturing. Workshop sessions allow students to practice skills on each other, with standardized patients, or with models, with the goal of improving competence and confidence in the performance of basic clinical skills. Students receive direct feedback from faculty on their skill performance. The style and content of these workshops are guided by an explicit set of educational criteria.A formal evaluation process ensures that faculty receive regular feedback from student evaluation comments so that adherence to workshop criteria is continuously reinforced. Student evaluations confirm that these workshops meet their skill-learning needs. Preliminary outcome measures suggest that workshop teaching can be linked to student assessment data and may improve students' skill performance. This program represents a work-in-progress toward the goal of providing a more comprehensive and developmental clinical skills curriculum in the school of medicine.

New imaging systems in nuclear medicine. Technical progress report, January 1, 1985-November 1, 1985

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brownell, G.L.

1985-01-01

Developments of improved imaging systems in nuclear medicine are reported with emphasis on development of positron emission tomographs that combine high resolution, with high sensitivity and high count rate capability. A second generation cylindrical analog positron camera design has provided excellent light collection with limited light spread, characteristics needed for high spatial and temporal resolution. Other aspects of the camera development include the design of associated electronics, and provision for data storage and processing. Utilizing the above camera basic studies have been performed to evaluate blood flow in the cat brain stem during auditory stimulation, ventilation in the dog using 13 N and blood flow in the canine heart. 2 refs., 2 figs

An Unprecedented Revolution in Medicinal Chemistry Driven by the Progress of Biological Science.

Science.gov (United States)

Chou, Kuo-Chen

2017-01-01

The eternal or ultimate goal of medicinal chemistry is to find most effective ways to treat various diseases and extend human beings' life as long as possible. Human being is a biological entity. To realize such an ultimate goal, the inputs or breakthroughs from the advances in biological science are no doubt most important that may even drive medicinal science into a revolution. In this review article, we are to address this from several different angles. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

A review on primary progressive aphasia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gabriel C Léger

2007-01-01

Full Text Available Gabriel C Léger1,2, Nancy Johnson31Neurology Service, Hôtel-Dieu du Centre Hospitalier de l’Univertité de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada; 2Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada; 3Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer’s Disease Center, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USAAbstract: Primary progressive aphasia (PPA is a neurodegenerative disease of insidious onset presenting with progressive isolated loss of language function, without significant impairment in other cognitive domains. Current diagnostic criteria require the language dysfunction to remain isolated for at least two years, and to remain the salient feature as the disease progresses, usually to involve other domains such as behavior, executive functions, and judgment. Although PPA in its early stages can usually be differentiated from probable Alzheimer’s disease (PRAD and the behavioral variant of frontotemporal lobar degeneration by the absence of significant changes in memory and behavior, and the preservation of activities daily living, progression of the disease often leads to deficits more consistent with the latter. Underlying etiologies remain heterogeneous: the neuropathological characteristics associated with frontotemporal lobar degeneration, cortocobasal degeneration, and motor neuron disease are usually found. There is a strong genetic susceptibility with affliction of first-degree relatives with similar disease in up to 40 to 50% in some series. Pathogenic mutations in genes coding for the proteins tau and progranulin have been isolated. These are leading to a better understanding of the neuropathological mechanisms and hopefully targeted disease-modifying therapy. Current therapy is limited to improving mood symptoms and targeting behavior changes as they develop. Referral to specialized centers where speech therapy, counseling, and education

The hospital educational environment and performance of residents in the General Medicine In-Training Examination: a multicenter study in Japan

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shimizu T

2013-07-01

Full Text Available Taro Shimizu,1 Yusuke Tsugawa,2,3 Yusuke Tanoue,4 Ryota Konishi,5 Yuji Nishizaki,6 Mitsumasa Kishimoto,7 Toshiaki Shiojiri,8 Yasuharu Tokuda9 1Hospitalist Division, Department of Medicine, Nerima Hikarigaoka Hospital, Tokyo, Japan; 2Division of General Medicine and Primary Care, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; 3Center for Clinical Epidemiology, St Luke's Life Science Institute, 4Department of Vascular and Oncological Surgery, Hospital of Tokyo University, 5Department of General Internal Medicine, Kanto Rousai Hospital, 6Department of Cardiology, Juntendo University School of Medicine, 7Division of Rheumatology, St Luke's International Hospital, Tokyo, Japan; 8Asahi Chuo Hospital, Chiba, Japan; 9Department of Medicine, Tsukuba University Mito Kyodo General Hospital, Mito City, Ibaraki, Japan Background: It is believed that the type of educational environment in teaching hospitals may affect the performance of medical knowledge base among residents, but this has not yet been proven. Objective: We aimed to investigate the association between the hospital educational environment and the performance of the medical knowledge base among resident physicians in Japanese teaching hospitals. Methods: To assess the knowledge base of medicine, we conducted the General Medicine In-Training Examination (GM-ITE for second-year residents in the last month of their residency. The items of the exam were developed based on the outcomes designated by the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare. The educational environment was evaluated using the Postgraduate Hospital Educational Environment Measure (PHEEM score, which was assessed by a mailed survey 2 years prior to the exam. A mixed-effects linear regression model was employed for the analysis of variables associated with a higher score. Results: Twenty-one teaching hospitals participated in the study and a total of 206 residents (67 women participated and

Fuel performance improvement program. Quarterly/annual progress report, October 1977--September 1978

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Crouthamel, C.E.

1978-10-01

This quarterly/annual report reviews and summarizes the activities performed in support of the Fuel Performance Improvement Program (FPIP) during Fiscal Year 1978 with emphasis on those activities that transpired during the quarter ending September 30, 1978. Significant progress has been made in achieving the primary objectives of the program, i.e., to demonstrate commercially viable fuel concepts with improved fuel - cladding interaction (FCI) behavior. This includes out-of-reactor experiments to support the fuel concepts being evaluated, initiation of instrumented test rod experiments in the Halden Boiling Water Reactor (HBWR), and fabrication of the first series of demonstration rods for irradiation in the Big Rock Point Reactor

Imaging and visual documentation in medicine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wamsteker, K.; Jonas, U.; Veen, G. van der; Waes, P.F.G.M. van

1987-01-01

DOCUMED EUROPE '87 was organized to provide information to the physician on the constantly progressing developments in medical imaging technology. Leading specialists lectured on the state-of-the-art of imaging technology and visual documentation in medicine. This book presents a collection of the papers presented at the conference. refs.; figs.; tabs

Prismatic displacement effect of progressive multifocal glasses on reaction time and accuracy in elderly people

OpenAIRE

Ellison, Ashton C; Campbell, A John; Robertson, M Clare; Sanderson, Gordon F

2014-01-01

Ashton C Ellison, A John Campbell, M Clare Robertson, Gordon F SandersonDunedin School of Medicine, Department of Medicine, Dunedin, New ZealandBackground: Multifocal glasses (bifocals, trifocals, and progressives) increase the risk of falling in elderly people, but how they do so is unclear. To explain why glasses with progressive addition lenses increase the risk of falls and whether this can be attributed to false projection, this study aimed to 1) map the prismatic displacement of a progr...

The influence of critical thinking skills on performance and progression in a pre-registration nursing program.

Science.gov (United States)

Pitt, Victoria; Powis, David; Levett-Jones, Tracy; Hunter, Sharyn

2015-01-01

The importance of developing critical thinking skills in preregistration nursing students is recognized worldwide. Yet, there has been limited exploration of how students' critical thinking skill scores on entry to pre-registration nursing education influence their academic and clinical performance and progression. The aim of this study was to: i) describe entry and exit critical thinking scores of nursing students enrolled in a three year bachelor of nursing program in Australia in comparison to norm scores; ii) explore entry critical thinking scores in relation to demographic characteristics, students' performance and progression. This longitudinal correlational study used the Health Sciences Reasoning Test (HSRT) to measure critical thinking skills in a sample (n=134) of students, at entry and exit (three years later). A one sample t-test was used to determine if differences existed between matched student critical thinking scores between entry and exit points. Academic performance, clinical performance and progression data were collected and correlations with entry critical thinking scores were examined. There was a significant relationship between critical thinking scores, academic performance and students' risk of failing, especially in the first semester of study. Critical thinking scores were predictive of program completion within three years. The increase in critical thinking scores from entry to exit was significant for the 28 students measured. In comparison to norm scores, entry level critical thinking scores were significantly lower, but exit scores were comparable. Critical thinking scores had no significant relationship to clinical performance. Entry critical thinking scores significantly correlate to academic performance and predict students risk of course failure and ability to complete a nursing degree in three years. Students' critical thinking scores are an important determinant of their success and as such can inform curriculum development and

Inulin in Medicinal Plants (IV) : Reversed-Phase High-Performance Liquid Chromatography of Inulin after Acetylation : Molecular-Weight Distribution of Inulin in Medicinal Plants

OpenAIRE

三野, 芳紀; 筒井, 聡美; 太田, 長世; YOSHIKI, MINO; SATOMI, TSUTSUI; NAGAYO, OTA; 大阪薬科大学; 大阪薬科大学; 大阪薬科大学; Osaka College of Pharmacy; Osaka College of Pharmacy; Osaka College of Pharmacy

1985-01-01

Reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with pre-acetylation enabled acculate molecular-weight assay of inulin in medicinal plants to be conducted. The results clearly showed that the molecular-weight distribution of inulin varied depending on the stage of growth: Small molecular weight inulin polymers were detected in large quantity in the earlier growth stage whereas large molecular weight inulin polymers at the flowering and post flowering period.

Radiological protection in medicine: work of ICRP Committee 3

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vañó, E.; Cosset, J.M.; Rehani, M.M.

2012-01-01

Committee 3 of the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) is concerned with protection in medicine, and develops recommendations and guidance on the protection of patients, staff, and the public against radiation exposure in medicine. This paper presents an overview of the work of Committee 3 over recent years, and the work in progress agreed at the last annual meeting in Bethesda, MD in October 2011. The reports published by ICRP dealing with radiological protection in medicine in the last 10 years cover topics on: education and training in radiological protection; preventing accidental exposures in radiation therapy; dose to patients from radiopharmaceuticals; radiation safety aspects of brachytherapy; release of patients after therapy with unsealed radionuclides; managing patient dose in digital radiology and computed tomography; avoidance of radiation injuries from medical interventional procedures; pregnancy and medical radiation; and diagnostic reference levels in medical imaging. Three new reports will be published in the coming months dealing with aspects of radiological protection in fluoroscopically guided procedures outside imaging departments; cardiology; and paediatric radiology. The work in progress agreed by Committee 3 is also described.

Systems medicine advances in interstitial lung disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Greiffo, Flavia R; Eickelberg, Oliver; Fernandez, Isis E

2017-09-30

Fibrotic lung diseases involve subject-environment interactions, together with dysregulated homeostatic processes, impaired DNA repair and distorted immune functions. Systems medicine-based approaches are used to analyse diseases in a holistic manner, by integrating systems biology platforms along with clinical parameters, for the purpose of understanding disease origin, progression, exacerbation and remission.Interstitial lung diseases (ILDs) refer to a heterogeneous group of complex fibrotic diseases. The increase of systems medicine-based approaches in the understanding of ILDs provides exceptional advantages by improving diagnostics, unravelling phenotypical differences, and stratifying patient populations by predictable outcomes and personalised treatments. This review discusses the state-of-the-art contributions of systems medicine-based approaches in ILDs over the past 5 years. Copyright ©ERS 2017.

[Challenges of Digital Medicine].

Science.gov (United States)

Blaser, Jürg

2018-06-01

Challenges of Digital Medicine Abstract. Digitization is increasingly covering more and more sectors, including medicine. To ensure medical operation 365 × 24 hours, progressively more human and financial resources are necessary. The transformation of patient histories from paper into electronic patient records focused initially on documentation. Today, hospital information systems are increasingly used as a platform for the communication of all professionals involved in the patient process - in Switzerland, however, so far without providing patients direct access to their data. Digititizing processes intend to increase efficiency, but also to enhance clinical and administrative decision support and quality assurance. The introduction of the electronic patient record in Switzerland in 2020 is expected to provide cross-company, more complete documentation of patient care. Multimorbid patients, often treated in different institutions and by different specialists, should benefit from this in particular. Advances in artificial intelligence offer new opportunities in medicine. Challenges include ensuring reliable data protection, and better interoperability of the systems involved. Semantically structured, machine-readable data exchange is a necessity for both networked services and internationally competitive research.

Artificial intelligence in medicine

OpenAIRE

Scerri, Mariella; Grech, Victor E.

2016-01-01

Various types of artificial intelligence programs are already available as consultants to physicians, and these help in medical diagnostics and treatment. At the time of writing, extant programs constitute “weak” AI—lacking in consciousness and intentionality. With AI currently making rapid progress in all domains, including those of healthcare, physicians face possible competitors—or worse, claims that doctors may become obsolete. We will explore the development of AI and robotics in medicin...

Strategy in Regulatory Decision-Making for Management of Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy.

Science.gov (United States)

Segec, A; Keller-Stanislawski, B; Vermeer, N S; Macchiarulo, C; Straus, S M; Hidalgo-Simon, A; De Bruin, M L

2015-11-01

Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) has been observed after the use of several medicines, including monoclonal antibodies. As these drugs play important roles in the therapeutic armamentarium, it is important to address the challenges that this severe adverse reaction poses to the safe use of medicines. Considering the need for consistent outcomes of regulatory decisions, the European Medicines Agency Pharmacovigilance Risk Assessment Committee (PRAC) used PML as an example to develop a systematic approach to labeling and risk minimization. © 2015 American Society for Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics.

TREATMENT OF PSORIASIS WITH HOMEOPATHIC MEDICINES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

V. A. Molochkov

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Psoriasis is a disease with growing incidence predominantly affecting young and middle-aged patients. It is characterized by frequent exacerbations, insufficient efficacy of the routine therapy and common adverse effects. Thus, use of alternative therapies is of great importance. Aim: To assess efficacy and safety of homeopathic medicine Loma Lux Psoriasis in patients with different forms of psoriasis. Materials and methods: 45 patients with progressive (n=17 and stable (n=28 psoriasis and mean PASI (Psoriasis Area and Severity Index value 17.3 (5–30 were treated with homeopathic medicine Loma Lux Psoriasis in combination with topical medicines: salicylic Vaseline 2%, tar and naphthalane preparations, ointments with fluocinolone acetonide and mometasone, betametasone/salicylic acid combinations. Diet was also recommended. Results: After 12 weeks, significant improvement (PASI decrease 75–100% was demonstrated in 40%  of the patients including completely absent skin desquamation, resorption of psoriatic papules and patches with residual hyper- or depigmentation. 57.8% of the patient had moderate improvement (PASI decrease 25–75%. In one patient with only slight improvement (PASI decrease less than 25% treatment was prolonged for 4  weeks and significant improvement was achieved. Therapy was well tolerated in all patients. No side effects or treatment-related complications were reported. Clinical recover was associated with marked tendency to improvement of blood biochemistry and immunology: elevation of immunoregulatory index up to 1.6 and T-helpers content up to 44.3%. Conclusion: Homeopathic medicine Loma Lux Psoriasis is characterized by good efficacy and safety profile and may be recommended as addon to comprehensive treatment of stable and progressing psoriasis.

Effect of progressive resistance exercise with neuromuscular joint facilitation on the dynamic balance performance of junior soccer players.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Hongzhao; Huo, Ming; Guan, Peipei; Onoda, Ko; Chen, Di; Huang, Qiuchen; Maruyama, Hitoshi

2015-11-01

[Purpose] The aim of this study was to investigate the change in dynamic balance performance of junior soccer players after progressive resistance treatment with neuromuscular joint facilitation (NJF). [Subjects] The subjects were 14 healthy males who were divided into two groups, namely the NJF and control groups. The NJF group consisted of 8 subjects, and the control group consisted of 6 subjects. [Methods] The participants in the NJF group received NJF progressive resistance treatment. Dynamic balance performance was measured before and after 3 weeks of exercise. [Results] Significant improvement in dynamic balance performance was observed both in the NJF and control groups. In the NJF group, dynamic balance performance was significantly increased compared with that in the control group. [Conclusion] The NJF intervention shortened movement time, which implies that NJF is effective for dynamic balance performance.

Nuclear medicine and imaging research (instrumentation and quantitative methods of evaluation)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beck, R.N.; Cooper, M.; Chen, C.T.

1992-07-01

This document is the annual progress report for project entitled ''Instrumentation and Quantitative Methods of Evaluation.'' Progress is reported in separate sections individually abstracted and indexed for the database. Subject areas reported include theoretical studies of imaging systems and methods, hardware developments, quantitative methods of evaluation, and knowledge transfer: education in quantitative nuclear medicine imaging

Children's (Pediatric) Nuclear Medicine

Medline Plus

Full Text Available ... What are some common uses of the procedure? Children's (pediatric) nuclear medicine imaging is performed to help diagnose childhood disorders that are congenital (present at birth) or that develop during childhood. Physicians use nuclear medicine imaging to ...

Medical humanities' challenge to medicine.

Science.gov (United States)

Macnaughton, Jane

2011-10-01

Medicine is predicated on a view of human nature that is highly positivist and atomistic. This is apparent in the way in which its students are taught, clinical consultations are structured and medical evidence is generated. The field of medical humanities originally emerged as a challenge to this overly narrow view, but it has rarely progressed beyond tinkering around the edges of medical education. This is partly because its practitioners have largely been working from within a pervasive medical culture from which it is difficult to break free, and partly because the field has been insufficiently armed with scholarly thinking from the humanities. This is beginning to change and there is a sign that research in medical humanities has the potential to mount a persuasive challenge to medicine's ways of teaching, working and finding out. This article problematizes medicine's narrow viewpoint, grounding its critique in philosophical ideas from phenomenology and pragmatism. I will reflect upon the historical context within which medical humanities has emerged and briefly examine specific examples of how its interdisciplinary approach, involving humanities scholars with clinicians and medical scientists, may develop new research directions in medicine. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Emergency medicine resident crisis resource management ability: a simulation-based longitudinal study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Samuel Clarke

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Background: Simulation has been identified as a means of assessing resident physicians’ mastery of technical skills, but there is a lack of evidence for its utility in longitudinal assessments of residents’ non-technical clinical abilities. We evaluated the growth of crisis resource management (CRM skills in the simulation setting using a validated tool, the Ottawa Crisis Resource Management Global Rating Scale (Ottawa GRS. We hypothesized that the Ottawa GRS would reflect progressive growth of CRM ability throughout residency. Methods: Forty-five emergency medicine residents were tracked with annual simulation assessments between 2006 and 2011. We used mixed-methods repeated-measures regression analyses to evaluate elements of the Ottawa GRS by level of training to predict performance growth throughout a 3-year residency. Results: Ottawa GRS scores increased over time, and the domains of leadership, problem solving, and resource utilization, in particular, were predictive of overall performance. There was a significant gain in all Ottawa GRS components between postgraduate years 1 and 2, but no significant difference in GRS performance between years 2 and 3. Conclusions: In summary, CRM skills are progressive abilities, and simulation is a useful modality for tracking their development. Modification of this tool may be needed to assess advanced learners’ gains in performance.

Annual progress report, July 1, 1979-June 30, 1980

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1980-01-01

Research progress is reported for the year 1979-1980. The report is divided into sections dealing individually with the divisions of Biomolecular and Cellular Science, Environmental Biology, and Nuclear Medicine. The sections have been individually entered into EDB

Dementia Etiologies and Remedies in Traditional Persian Medicine; A Review of Medicinal Plants and Phytochemistry.

Science.gov (United States)

Shirbeigi, Laila; Dalfardi, Behnam; Abolhassanzadeh, Zohreh; Nejatbakhsh, Fatemeh

2018-01-01

Dementia is a chronic neurodegenerative disease causing progressive and gradual impairment of different brain's cognitive functions. The prevalence of dementia is about 3 to 7% in different parts of the world. The aim of this study was to determine the etiologies of dementia according to the Traditional Persian Medicine scientists' viewpoint and introduce their recommended herbal remedies for this disease. The authors explored six main Traditional Persian Medicine textbooks for the disease of dementia, its etiologies and related recommended herbal treatments. Two main keywords of "Lisarghes" and" Nesyan" were searched for this purpose. Medical databases, including PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, and Science Direct were searched for related articles published between 1966 and 2016 to review the pharmacological components and active ingredients of suggested herbal medicines. According to the Traditional Persian Medicine, dementia is resulted from brain dystemperament, a condition caused by cold and moist or cold and dry tempers. To treat this disease, Traditional Persian scientists recommended various herbal remedies. Current studies have demonstrated that some of these medicinal plants have beneficial effects for the aforementioned disease, including acetyl cholinesterase inhibitory function, neuroprotective effects, and memory enhancing role. The Traditional Persian Medicine literature suggested different herbal remedies for treating dementia. Modern studies support the usefulness of some of these medicines. However, the effect of a large number of these remedies has remained unexamined, a matter which needs to be investigated in future researches. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

Technological advances in precision medicine and drug development.

Science.gov (United States)

Maggi, Elaine; Patterson, Nicole E; Montagna, Cristina

New technologies are rapidly becoming available to expand the arsenal of tools accessible for precision medicine and to support the development of new therapeutics. Advances in liquid biopsies, which analyze cells, DNA, RNA, proteins, or vesicles isolated from the blood, have gained particular interest for their uses in acquiring information reflecting the biology of tumors and metastatic tissues. Through advancements in DNA sequencing that have merged unprecedented accuracy with affordable cost, personalized treatments based on genetic variations are becoming a real possibility. Extraordinary progress has been achieved in the development of biological therapies aimed to even further advance personalized treatments. We provide a summary of current and future applications of blood based liquid biopsies and how new technologies are utilized for the development of biological therapeutic treatments. We discuss current and future sequencing methods with an emphasis on how technological advances will support the progress in the field of precision medicine.

An overview of space medicine.

Science.gov (United States)

Hodkinson, P D; Anderton, R A; Posselt, B N; Fong, K J

2017-12-01

Space medicine is fundamental to the human exploration of space. It supports survival, function and performance in this challenging and potentially lethal environment. It is international, intercultural and interdisciplinary, operating at the boundaries of exploration, science, technology and medicine. Space medicine is also the latest UK specialty to be recognized by the Royal College of Physicians in the UK and the General Medical Council. This review introduces the field of space medicine and describes the different types of spaceflight, environmental challenges, associated medical and physiological effects, and operational medical considerations. It will describe the varied roles of the space medicine doctor, including the conduct of surgery and anaesthesia, and concludes with a vision of the future for space medicine in the UK.Space medicine doctors have a responsibility to space workers and spaceflight participants. These 'flight surgeons' are key in developing mitigation strategies to ensure the safety, health and performance of space travellers in what is an extreme and hazardous environment. This includes all phases from selection, training and spaceflight itself to post-flight rehabilitation and long-term health. The recent recognition of the speciality provides a pathway to train in this fascinating field of medicine and is a key enabler for the UK Government's commercial spaceflight ambition. © Crown copyright 2017.

Annual progress report, July 1, 1979-June 30, 1980

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1980-01-01

Research progress is reported for the year 1979-1980. The report is divided into sections dealing individually with the divisions of Biomolecular and Cellular Science, Environmental Biology, and Nuclear Medicine. The sections have been individually entered into EDB. (ACR)

History and progress of Japanese acupuncture.

Science.gov (United States)

Kobayashi, Akiko; Uefuji, Miwa; Yasumo, Washiro

2010-09-01

After Chiso brought acupuncture to Japan from Wu (China) in the sixth century, it has progressed in unique ways within the various historical milieus of the past 1500 years. Ishitsu-rei, the first medical law of Japan established in 701, explains the medical system of acupuncture in detail showing that acupuncture was being administered under the authorization of the national government. For the next 1200 years, acupuncture continued to be an important facet of public health in Japan. From the Azuchimomoyama through the Edo period, the knowledge exchange with China became active and people who studied in China developed new styles and techniques of acupuncture treatment and organized their own private schools or ryu-ha in Japan. In 1635, when the Edo government decided to close the country, Japan cut-off exchange with foreign countries for over 200 years. The national isolation caused some development that was unique to Japan. During that time, acupuncture filtered into people's everyday lives. Moxibustion, in particular, became popular as a treatment that ordinary people could practice by themselves. Also in this period of isolation, Western medicine was imported from Holland, the only country allowed to maintain trade with Japan. This novel modern medicine had a strong impact on Japanese medicine, which has its foundation of Chinese traditional medicine. At the same time, Japanese acupuncture was introduced into Europe via Holland. When Japan opened its borders in 1865 period, the new government was eager to accept Western culture to the extent of prohibiting the progress of Japanese acupuncture for a period of time. Even so, Japanese acupuncture has survived and flourished up to the present day due to the strong demand and the great efforts of the practitioners. Scientific studies are now in the process of establishing a firm evidence base for over a millennium of clinical use, respecting the classic ideas of the traditional treatment.

Network Medicine for Alzheimer's Disease and Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Science.gov (United States)

Jarrell, Juliet T; Gao, Li; Cohen, David S; Huang, Xudong

2018-05-11

Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative condition that currently has no known cure. The principles of the expanding field of network medicine (NM) have recently been applied to AD research. The main principle of NM proposes that diseases are much more complicated than one mutation in one gene, and incorporate different genes, connections between genes, and pathways that may include multiple diseases to create full scale disease networks. AD research findings as a result of the application of NM principles have suggested that functional network connectivity, myelination, myeloid cells, and genes and pathways may play an integral role in AD progression, and may be integral to the search for a cure. Different aspects of the AD pathology could be potential targets for drug therapy to slow down or stop the disease from advancing, but more research is needed to reach definitive conclusions. Additionally, the holistic approaches of network pharmacology in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) research may be viable options for the AD treatment, and may lead to an effective cure for AD in the future.

Paradigm shifts in critical care medicine: the progress we have made.

Science.gov (United States)

Vincent, Jean-Louis; Creteur, Jacques

2015-01-01

There have really been no single, major, advances in critical care medicine since the specialty came into existence. There has, however, been a gradual, continuous improvement in the process of care over the years, which has resulted in improved patient outcomes. Here, we will highlight just a few of the paradigm shifts we have seen in processes of critical care, including the move from small, closed units to larger, more open ICUs; from a paternal "dictatorship" to more "democratic" team-work; from intermittent to continuous, invasive to less-invasive monitoring; from "more" interventions to "less" thus reducing iatrogenicity; from consideration of critical illness as a single event to realization that it is just one part of a trajectory; and from "four walls" to "no walls" as we take intensive care outside the physical ICU. These and other paradigm shifts have resulted in improvements in the whole approach to patient management, leading to more holistic, humane care for patients and their families. As critical care medicine continues to develop, further paradigm shifts in processes of care are inevitable and must be embraced if we are to continue to provide the best possible care for all critically ill patients.

Paradigm shifts in critical care medicine: the progress we have made

Science.gov (United States)

2015-01-01

There have really been no single, major, advances in critical care medicine since the specialty came into existence. There has, however, been a gradual, continuous improvement in the process of care over the years, which has resulted in improved patient outcomes. Here, we will highlight just a few of the paradigm shifts we have seen in processes of critical care, including the move from small, closed units to larger, more open ICUs; from a paternal "dictatorship" to more "democratic" team-work; from intermittent to continuous, invasive to less-invasive monitoring; from "more" interventions to "less" thus reducing iatrogenicity; from consideration of critical illness as a single event to realization that it is just one part of a trajectory; and from "four walls" to "no walls" as we take intensive care outside the physical ICU. These and other paradigm shifts have resulted in improvements in the whole approach to patient management, leading to more holistic, humane care for patients and their families. As critical care medicine continues to develop, further paradigm shifts in processes of care are inevitable and must be embraced if we are to continue to provide the best possible care for all critically ill patients. PMID:26728199

Toward precision medicine in primary biliary cholangitis.

Science.gov (United States)

Carbone, Marco; Ronca, Vincenzo; Bruno, Savino; Invernizzi, Pietro; Mells, George F

2016-08-01

Primary biliary cholangitis is a chronic, cholestatic liver disease characterized by a heterogeneous presentation, symptomatology, disease progression and response to therapy. In contrast, clinical management and treatment of PBC is homogeneous with a 'one size fits all' approach. The evolving research landscape, with the emergence of the -omics field and the availability of large patient cohorts are creating a unique opportunity of translational epidemiology. Furthermore, several novel disease and symptom-modifying agents for PBC are currently in development. The time is therefore ripe for precision medicine in PBC. In this manuscript we describe the concept of precision medicine; review current approaches to risk-stratification in PBC, and speculate how precision medicine in PBC might develop in the near future. Copyright © 2016 Editrice Gastroenterologica Italiana S.r.l. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Narrative Based Medicine and Neonatology: an interpretative approach

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Massimiliano Zonza

2012-10-01

Full Text Available The use of Evidence Based Medicine (EBM has progressively lead doctors to focus their practice on the disease and not on the patient anymore. They consider a sick body or a sick part rather than a sick person. Such an attitude results in a progressive process of alienation or “unauthentic experience”. On the contrary the Medical Humanities represents a strong reaction to this state of things, and for Medicine a chance to embrace again its humanistic “vocation”. Narrative Based Medicine (NBM places at the center of the clinical practice the communicative and relational dimension. This study deepen the application of NBM to the scope of neonatal care. As a result of our work, we have identified in the NBM applied to the neonatal area a fundamental characteristic, the Neonatal Triangle (doctors, patient, parents, and a triple functionality (diagnostic, ethical and educational placed in three different ideal chronological moments (before, during and after. We explore the close connection between these functions and the clinical work and how the NBM model, through these same functions, enhance the opportunity of care and relationship. The main assumption is obviously the Doctors ability to build a shared narrative relation with the Parents of the little Patients, that in the technical terms of the Narrative Based Medicine is called co-construction of the illness history. We can remark that with the NBM we understand (the narrative frame, build (the therapeutic alliance and share (decisions.

An Innovative Academic Progression in Nursing Model in New York State.

Science.gov (United States)

Markowitz, Marianne; Bastable, Susan B

2017-05-01

The Dual Degree Partnership in Nursing (DDPN) is a unique articulation model created in 2005 between two nursing programs that provides a seamless pathway for students to earn both an associate's degree and a bachelor's degree in nursing while benefiting from the strengths of each program. Archival data has been systematically collected for a decade on admission, progression, retention, satisfaction, graduation, and NCLEX-RN pass rates to measure the reliability, validity, and integrity of this DDPN model for nursing education. The findings demonstrate consistent performance and positive outcomes on all factors measured, which have been benchmarked against available state and national results. This innovative approach to academic progression in nursing is replicable and serves as a prototype to educate more nurses at the baccalaureate level, which directly contributes to the Institute of Medicine's goal of 80% of RNs having a minimum of a bachelor's degree by 2020. [J Nurs Educ. 2017;56(5):266-273.]. Copyright 2017, SLACK Incorporated.

State of emergency medicine in Rwanda 2015: an innovative trainee and trainer model.

Science.gov (United States)

Mbanjumucyo, Gabin; DeVos, Elizabeth; Pulfrey, Simon; Epino, Henry M

2015-01-01

The 1994 Rwandan war and genocide left more than 1 million people dead; millions displaced; and the country's economic, social, and health infrastructure destroyed. Despite remaining one of the poorest countries in the world, Rwanda has made remarkable gains in health, social, and economic development over the last 20 years, but modern emergency care has been slow to progress. Rwanda has recently established the Human Resources for Health program to rapidly build capacity in multiple sectors of its healthcare delivery system, including emergency medicine. This project involves multiple medical and surgical residencies, nursing programs, allied health professional trainings, and hospital administrative support. A real strength of the program is that trainers work with international faculty at Rwanda's referral hospital, but also as emergency medicine specialty trainers when returning to their respective district hospitals. Rwanda's first emergency medicine trainees are playing a unique and important role in the implementation of emergency care systems and education in the country's district hospitals. While there has been early vital progress in building emergency medicine's foundations in Rwanda, there remains much work to be done. This will be accomplished with careful planning and strong commitment from the country's healthcare and emergency medicine leaders.

Fundamentals of nuclear medicine

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Alazraki, N.P.; Mishkin, F.S.

1984-01-01

This guidebook for clinical nuclear medicine is written as a description of how nuclear medicine procedures should be used by clinicians in evaluating their patients. It is designed to assist medical students and physicians in becoming acquainted with nuclear medicine techniques for detecting and evaluating most common disorders. The material provides an introduction to, not a textbook of, nuclear medicine. Each chapter is devoted to a particular organ system or topic relevant to the risks and benefits involved in nuclear medicine studies. The emphasis is on presenting the rationales for ordering the various clinical imaging procedures performed in most nuclear medicine departments. Where appropriate, alternative imaging modalities including ultrasound, computed tomography imaging, and radiographic special procedures are discussed. Comparative data between nuclear medicine imaging and other modalities are presented to help guide the practicing clinician in the selection of the most appropriate procedure for a given problem.

A modified index for monitoring of radiation protection programmes with special reference to Nuclear Medicine Institute

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gupta, M.M.; Nagaratnam, A.

1988-01-01

In India, the Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Allied Sciences was established with the main objective of developing radioisotopic methodologies for diagnosis, therapy, biomedical research and training. The steady progress in India's atomic energy program gave impetus to rapid growth in the application of nuclear medicine techniques at the Institute and now it is one of the largest users of unsealed radiation sources in the country. Right from the beginning adequate attention has been devoted to the radiation safety of the staff and personnel management techniques have been successfully employed to assess performance of the radiation protection staff. A significant positive correlation (p 0.02) between performance and job satisfaction of radiation protection personnel of the Institute has been demonstrated. Efforts are also directed to evolve a parameter that may throw light on the effectiveness of radiation protection staff and subsequently that may be helpful to monitor the radiation protection program of other establishments

Progress Report Oct to Dec 1975(2)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1976-01-01

Progress report NO. 2 of Tehran Nuclear Research Centre outlines a brief description of the progress made in each section of the centre. A complete list of dissertations for Master's degrees studied at the Nuclear Research Centre and a list of new technical employee are given at the beginning of the report. Research activities in the third section include, isotope separation, laser research, radiation chemistry, reactor management, environmental research, neutron physics, reactor engineering, and nuclear medicine. The fourth section deals with education and training; technical support and health physics are discussed in sections five and six respectively

Progress, Performance, and Prospects of Ultra-High Resolution Microcalorimeter Spectrometers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hoover, Andrew Scott [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Bennett, D. A. [National Inst. of Standards and Technology (NIST), Boulder, CO (United States); Croce, Mark Philip [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Rabin, Michael W. [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Ullom, J. N. [National Inst. of Standards and Technology (NIST), Boulder, CO (United States); Univ. of Colorado, Boulder, CO (United States)

2017-01-23

In 2005 the LANL/NIST team used a single high-resolution microcalorimeter detector to measure the gamma-ray spectrum of a plutonium sample. After more than a decade of research and development on this topic, both the technology and our general understanding of its capabilities have advanced greatly, such that a progress review is now timely. We examine the scenario of a large-scale reprocessing plant and conclude that current non-destructive analysis (NDA) methods are inadequate to safeguard such a facility to the desired levels, leading to undesirable dependence on massspectrometry (MS) destructive analysis (DA). The development of microcalorimeter detectors is intended to close the performance gap between NDA and DA methods to address the needs of nuclear facilities.

Performance of stratified thermal-storage system for Oliver Springs Elementary School. Progress report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Reid, R.L.; Bedinger, A.F.G.

1981-01-01

A progress report is given on the performance of a stratified thermal storage system coupled with a heat recovery refrigeration machine designed to provide space heating, cooling and service water heating. Water storage tanks utilizing a flexible membrane to resist temperature blending will be used as the thermal storage element. The two design goals of the heat recovery and thermal energy storage system are (1) to minimize the need to purchase energy for space heating and cooling and water heating and (2) to minimize electrical demand. An automatic data acquisition system will be used for system performance and data gathering. Data collection is expected to begin in September, 1981.

The evolution of academic performance in emergency medicine journals: viewpoint from 2000 to 2009 journal citation reports.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Ching-Hsing; Shih, Chia-Pang; Chang, Yu-Che; Chaou, Chung-Hsien

2011-08-01

Emergency medicine (EM) is a young but rapidly growing field. An evaluation of academic performance and the growing impact of EM journals would help to elucidate the increase in the number of EM scientific studies. The authors used the Journal Citation Reports (JCR) database to investigate the scientific achievements of EM journals in the past 10 years. This was a literature review study. All data were collected from the JCR database. Journals listed in the EM category from 2000 to 2009 were included. Eleven categories that were considered most closely related to EM by a consensus of the authors were chosen for comparison, including cardiac and cardiovascular systems, clinical neurology, critical care medicine, gastroenterology and hepatology, infectious diseases, general and internal medicine, pediatrics, respiratory system, surgery, toxicology, and urology and nephrology. Data on journals in the EM category were collected, including journal title, language, journal country or territory, impact factor for each year, total number of EM journals for each year, and the EM category aggregate impact factor (available from 2003 to 2009). The variables in the comparison group included the number of journals in each of the 11 clinical medicine categories from 2000 to 2009 and the aggregate impact factors for 2003 to 2009. The category aggregate impact factor and journal impact factor were adopted as representative of category and journal academic performance. Linear regression was used to assess the trend of aggregate impact factor and journal impact factor. The slope (β) of the linear regression was used to represent the evolution of performance. The relationship between the 2000 EM journal impact factor and the impact factor trend of EM journals between 2000 and 2009 was measured by Pearson correlation coefficient to evaluate the evolution difference between journals with different initial impact factors. In 2000, all 12 EM journals were published in the United States

Extracts from IAEA's Resources Manual in Nuclear Medicine. Part-3: Establishing Nuclear Medicine Services

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2003-01-01

In the past, consideration was given to the categories of nuclear medicine ranging from simple imaging or in-vitro laboratories, to more complex departments performing a full range of in-vitro and in-vivo procedures that are also involved in advanced clinical services, training programmes, research and development. In developing countries, nuclear medicine historically has often been an offshoot of pathology, radiology or radiotherapy services. These origins are currently changing as less radioimmunoassay is performed and fully-fledged, independent departments of nuclear medicine are being set up. The trend appears to be that all assays (radioassay or ELISA) are done in a biochemistry laboratory whereas nuclear medicine departments are involved largely in diagnostic procedures, radionuclide therapy and non-imaging in-vitro tests. The level of nuclear medicine services is categorized according to three levels of need: Level 1: Only one gamma camera is needed for imaging purposes. The radiopharmaceutical supply, physics and radiation protection services are contracted outside the centre. Other requirements include a receptionist and general secretarial assistance. A single imaging room connected to a shared reporting room should be sufficient, with a staff of one nuclear medicine physician and one technologist, with back-up. This level is appropriate for a small private practice. Level 2: This is suitable for a general hospital where there are multiple imaging rooms where in-vitro and other non-imaging studies would generally be performed as well as radionuclide therapy. Level 3: his is appropriate for an academic institution where there is a need for a comprehensive clinical nuclear medicine service, human resource development and research programmes. Radionuclide therapy for in-patients and outpatients is provided

Herbal Medicine for Oligomenorrhea and Amenorrhea: A Systematic Review of Ancient and Conventional Medicine.

Science.gov (United States)

Moini Jazani, Arezoo; Hamdi, Kobra; Tansaz, Mojgan; Nazemiyeh, Hossein; Sadeghi Bazargani, Homayoun; Fazljou, Seyed Mohammad Bagher; Nasimi Doost Azgomi, Ramin

2018-01-01

Menstrual bleeding cessation is one of the most frequent gynecologic disorders among women in reproductive age. The treatment is based on hormone therapy. Due to the increasing request for alternative medicine remedies in the field of women's diseases, in present study, it was tried to overview medicinal plants used to treat oligomenorrhea and amenorrhea according to the pharmaceutical textbooks of traditional Persian medicine (TPM) and review the evidence in the conventional medicine. This systematic review was designed and performed in 2017 in order to gather information regarding herbal medications of oligomenorrhea and amenorrhea in TPM and conventional medicine. This study had several steps as searching Iranian traditional medicine literature and extracting the emmenagogue plants, classifying the plants, searching the electronic databases, and finding evidences. To search traditional Persian medicine references, Noor digital library was used, which includes several ancient traditional medical references. The classification of plants was done based on the repetition and potency of the plants in the ancient literatures. The required data was gathered using databases such as PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, Cochrane Library, Science Direct, and web of knowledge. In present study of all 198 emmenagogue medicinal plants found in TPM, 87 cases were specified to be more effective in treating oligomenorrhea and amenorrhea. In second part of present study, where a search of conventional medicine was performed, 12 studies were found, which had 8 plants investigated: Vitex agnus-castus, Trigonella foenum-graecum, Foeniculum vulgare, Cinnamomum verum, Paeonia lactiflora, Sesamum indicum, Mentha longifolia, and Urtica dioica. Conclusion . Traditional Persian medicine has proposed many different medicinal plants for treatment of oligomenorrhea and amenorrhea. Although just few plants have been proven to be effective for treatment of menstrual irregularities, the results and

Herbal Medicine for Oligomenorrhea and Amenorrhea: A Systematic Review of Ancient and Conventional Medicine

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Arezoo Moini Jazani

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction. Menstrual bleeding cessation is one of the most frequent gynecologic disorders among women in reproductive age. The treatment is based on hormone therapy. Due to the increasing request for alternative medicine remedies in the field of women’s diseases, in present study, it was tried to overview medicinal plants used to treat oligomenorrhea and amenorrhea according to the pharmaceutical textbooks of traditional Persian medicine (TPM and review the evidence in the conventional medicine. Methods. This systematic review was designed and performed in 2017 in order to gather information regarding herbal medications of oligomenorrhea and amenorrhea in TPM and conventional medicine. This study had several steps as searching Iranian traditional medicine literature and extracting the emmenagogue plants, classifying the plants, searching the electronic databases, and finding evidences. To search traditional Persian medicine references, Noor digital library was used, which includes several ancient traditional medical references. The classification of plants was done based on the repetition and potency of the plants in the ancient literatures. The required data was gathered using databases such as PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, Cochrane Library, Science Direct, and web of knowledge. Results. In present study of all 198 emmenagogue medicinal plants found in TPM, 87 cases were specified to be more effective in treating oligomenorrhea and amenorrhea. In second part of present study, where a search of conventional medicine was performed, 12 studies were found, which had 8 plants investigated: Vitex agnus-castus, Trigonella foenum-graecum, Foeniculum vulgare, Cinnamomum verum, Paeonia lactiflora, Sesamum indicum, Mentha longifolia, and Urtica dioica. Conclusion. Traditional Persian medicine has proposed many different medicinal plants for treatment of oligomenorrhea and amenorrhea. Although just few plants have been proven to be effective for

Herbal Medicine for Oligomenorrhea and Amenorrhea: A Systematic Review of Ancient and Conventional Medicine

Science.gov (United States)

Tansaz, Mojgan; Nazemiyeh, Hossein; Fazljou, Seyed Mohammad Bagher

2018-01-01

Introduction Menstrual bleeding cessation is one of the most frequent gynecologic disorders among women in reproductive age. The treatment is based on hormone therapy. Due to the increasing request for alternative medicine remedies in the field of women's diseases, in present study, it was tried to overview medicinal plants used to treat oligomenorrhea and amenorrhea according to the pharmaceutical textbooks of traditional Persian medicine (TPM) and review the evidence in the conventional medicine. Methods This systematic review was designed and performed in 2017 in order to gather information regarding herbal medications of oligomenorrhea and amenorrhea in TPM and conventional medicine. This study had several steps as searching Iranian traditional medicine literature and extracting the emmenagogue plants, classifying the plants, searching the electronic databases, and finding evidences. To search traditional Persian medicine references, Noor digital library was used, which includes several ancient traditional medical references. The classification of plants was done based on the repetition and potency of the plants in the ancient literatures. The required data was gathered using databases such as PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, Cochrane Library, Science Direct, and web of knowledge. Results In present study of all 198 emmenagogue medicinal plants found in TPM, 87 cases were specified to be more effective in treating oligomenorrhea and amenorrhea. In second part of present study, where a search of conventional medicine was performed, 12 studies were found, which had 8 plants investigated: Vitex agnus-castus, Trigonella foenum-graecum, Foeniculum vulgare, Cinnamomum verum, Paeonia lactiflora, Sesamum indicum, Mentha longifolia, and Urtica dioica. Conclusion. Traditional Persian medicine has proposed many different medicinal plants for treatment of oligomenorrhea and amenorrhea. Although just few plants have been proven to be effective for treatment of menstrual

[What is beauty? : Manifest for an aesthetic character medicine].

Science.gov (United States)

Harth, W

2017-12-01

Aesthetic medicine has in recent decades attained a growing social significance and firm place in the medical profession image. In a short time, a variety of technical procedures and processes have been developed and applied by specialized physicians. A further leading medical discussion regarding the central question "What is beauty" is missing compared with the technologically innovative progress. Beauty is characterized by an individual and subjective pleasure. Social media and fashion trends exert a central influence on common beauty ideals and aesthetic medicine. In practice, the artificial intervention must accord to the individual personality. Therefore, the professional term Aesthetic Medicine is insufficient and should be replaced by "Aesthetic Character Medicine". The particular purpose is the aim of graceful aging and a sustained adequate result which outlasts the zeitgeist. This requires medical know how and clear aesthetic self-conception of the physician. "Aesthetic Character Medicine" can be realized in a discourse, with the 10-step plan presented in this article.

[Recent advances in internal medicine].

Science.gov (United States)

Von Düring, Stephan; Mavrakanas, Thomas; Muller, Halima; Primmaz, Steve; Grosgurin, Olivier; Louis Simonet, Martine; Marti, Christophe; Nendaz, Mathieu; Serratrice, Jacques; Stirnemann, Jérome; Carballo, Sebastian; Darbellay Farhoumand, Pauline

2018-01-17

In medicine, there are progresses which radically transform practices, change recommendations and win unanimous support in the medical community. There are some which divide, questioning principles that seemed established. There are also small advances, which can answer the questions that internists ask themselves in the daily care of their patients. Here are several articles published in 2017, read and commented for you by hospitalists, selected according to their impact on the medical world.

Stem Cells in Regenerative Medicine

OpenAIRE

Sykova, Eva; Forostyak, Serhiy

2013-01-01

Background: A number of cardiovascular, neurological, musculoskeletal and other diseases have a limited capacity for repair and only a modest progress has been made in treatment of brain diseases. The discovery of stem cells has opened new possibilities for the treatment of these maladies, and cell therapy now stands at the cutting-edge of modern regenerative medicine and tissue engineering. Experimental data and the first clinical trials employing stem cells have shown their broad therapeuti...

Nuclear medicine and imaging research. Instrumentation and quantitative methods of evaluation. Progress report, January 15, 1985-January 14, 1986

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beck, R.N.; Cooper, M.D.

1985-09-01

This program of research addresses problems involving the basic science and technology of radioactive tracer methods as they relate to nuclear medicine and imaging. The broad goal is to develop new instruments and methods for image formation, processing, quantitation, and display, so as to maximize the diagnostic information per unit of absorbed radiation dose to the patient. These developments are designed to meet the needs imposed by new radiopharmaceuticals developed to solve specific biomedical problems, as well as to meet the instrumentation needs associated with radiopharmaceutical production and quantitative clinical feasibility studies of the brain with PET VI. Project I addresses problems associated with the quantitative imaging of single-photon emitters; Project II addresses similar problems associated with the quantitative imaging of positron emitters; Project III addresses methodological problems associated with the quantitative evaluation of the efficacy of diagnostic imaging procedures. The original proposal covered work to be carried out over the three-year contract period. This report covers progress made during Year Three. 36 refs., 1 tab

Effect of Progressive Volume-Based Overload During Plyometric Training on Explosive and Endurance Performance in Young Soccer Players.

Science.gov (United States)

Ramírez-Campillo, Rodrigo; Henríquez-Olguín, Carlos; Burgos, Carlos; Andrade, David C; Zapata, Daniel; Martínez, Cristian; Álvarez, Cristian; Baez, Eduardo I; Castro-Sepúlveda, Mauricio; Peñailillo, Luis; Izquierdo, Mikel

2015-07-01

The purpose of the study was to compare the effects of progressive volume-based overload with constant volume-based overload on muscle explosive and endurance performance adaptations during a biweekly short-term (i.e., 6 weeks) plyometric training intervention in young soccer players. Three groups of young soccer players (age 13.0 ± 2.3 years) were divided into: control (CG; n = 8) and plyometric training with (PPT; n = 8) and without (NPPT; n = 8) a progressive increase in volume (i.e., 16 jumps per leg per week, with an initial volume of 80 jumps per leg each session). Bilateral and unilateral horizontal and vertical countermovement jump with arms (CMJA), 20-cm drop jump reactive strength index (RSI20), maximal kicking velocity (MKV), 10-m sprint, change of direction speed (CODS), and Yo-Yo intermittent recovery level 1 test (Yo-Yo IR1) were measured. Although both experimental groups significantly increased CMJA, RSI20, CODS, and endurance performance, only PPT showed a significant improvement in MKV and 10-m sprint time. In addition, only PPT showed a significantly higher performance improvement in jumping, MKV, and Yo-Yo IR1 compared with CG. Also, PPT showed higher meaningful improvement compared with NPPT in all (except 1) jump performance measures. Furthermore, although PPT involved a higher total volume compared with NPPT, training efficiency (i.e., percentage change in performance/total jump volume) was similar between groups. Our results show that PPT and NPPT ensured significant improvement in muscle explosive and endurance performance measures. However, a progressive increase in plyometric training volume seems more advantageous to induce soccer-specific performance improvements.

The history of aesthetic medicine and surgery.

Science.gov (United States)

Krueger, Nils; Luebberding, Stefanie; Sattler, Gerhard; Hanke, C William; Alexiades-Armenakas, Macrene; Sadick, Neil

2013-07-01

The history of beauty is as old as mankind itself--throughout history people have tried to improve their attractiveness and to enhance their beauty. The technical basis for many of nowadays procedures like lipoplasty, breast augmentation or rhinoplasty was thereby initiated more than a hundred years ago and evolved to the modern standards of today. The aim of this article is to recall the early days of aesthetic medicine and show the swift progress up to the highly specialized medical discipline of our modern time. Combining the past, present and future of aesthetic medicine, allows to incorporate this perspective and ultimately to delivery better patient care.

Opportunities for the Cardiovascular Community in the Precision Medicine Initiative.

Science.gov (United States)

Shah, Svati H; Arnett, Donna; Houser, Steven R; Ginsburg, Geoffrey S; MacRae, Calum; Mital, Seema; Loscalzo, Joseph; Hall, Jennifer L

2016-01-12

The Precision Medicine Initiative recently announced by President Barack Obama seeks to move the field of precision medicine more rapidly into clinical care. Precision medicine revolves around the concept of integrating individual-level data including genomics, biomarkers, lifestyle and other environmental factors, wearable device physiological data, and information from electronic health records to ultimately provide better clinical care to individual patients. The Precision Medicine Initiative as currently structured will primarily fund efforts in cancer genomics with longer-term goals of advancing precision medicine to all areas of health, and will be supported through creation of a 1 million person cohort study across the United States. This focused effort on precision medicine provides scientists, clinicians, and patients within the cardiovascular community an opportunity to work together boldly to advance clinical care; the community needs to be aware and engaged in the process as it progresses. This article provides a framework for potential involvement of the cardiovascular community in the Precision Medicine Initiative, while highlighting significant challenges for its successful implementation. © 2016 American Heart Association, Inc.

EFFECT OF USING SOME MEDICINAL PLANTS (ANISE, CHAMOMILE AND GINGER) ON PRODUCTIVE AND PHYSIOLOGICAL PERFORMANCE OF JAPANESE QUAIL

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

ABU TALEB, A.M.; HAMODI, S.J.; EL AFIFI, SH.F.

2008-01-01

This experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of adding medicinal plants to Japanese quail diet on their performance and some metabolic functions. Four hundred, one day old, unsexed Japanese quails were used in this study. Quails were divided equally into four groups of 100 birds each according to medicinal plant additives. Group one was control (without additives, and the other groups contained 0.3% from anise (group 2), chamomile (group 3) and ginger (group 4). The end of the experiment was terminated when birds were 6 weeks old. Body weight, feed intake, some organs weight and some blood parameters were measured.The results indicated that addition of medicinal plants (anise, chamomile and ginger) improved growth rate, carcass and the relative weights of spleen, ovary and testis. Also, significant increases were observed in RBC, WBC, Hb, PCV, total protein and globulin. There was reduction in cholesterol in treated groups as compared to the control.The present results confirmed the beneficial effects of dietary medicinal plants (anise, chamomile and ginger) to improve the health condition as well as the productive and physiological characteristics of quails

[Research advance in metabolism of effective ingredients from traditional Chinese medicines by probiotics].

Science.gov (United States)

Dai, Cheng-En; Li, Hai-Long; He, Xiao-Ping; Zheng, Fen-Fen; Zhu, Hua-Liu; Liu, Liang-Feng; Du, Wei

2018-01-01

The pharmacological activity of active ingredients from Chinese medicine depends greatly on the microecological environment of probiotics in the human body. After effective ingredients from traditional Chinese medicines are metabolized or biotransformed by probiotics, their metabolites can increase pharmacological activity, and can be absorbed more easily to improve the bioavailability. Therefore, the combination of Chinese medicines with probiotics is the innovation point in R&D of functional food and Chinese medicines, and also a new thinking for the modernization of Chinese medicine.This review summarizes and analyses the research progress on metabolism effects of gut microbiota on Chinese medicines components, the regulating effect of effective ingredients from Chinese medicine on intestinal probiotics, the application status of probiotics in traditional Chinese medicines, and the main problems and prospects in the research and development of Chinese medicines products with probiotic, aiming to provide theoretical guidance and practical value for the fermentation engineering of Chinese herbal medicine. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

Recent progress on the traditional Chinese medicines that regulate the blood

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hsin-Yi Hung

2016-04-01

Full Text Available In traditional Chinese medicine, the herbs that regulate blood play a vital role. Here, nine herbs including Typhae Pollen, Notoginseng Root, Common Bletilla Tuber, India Madder Root and Rhizome, Chinese Arborvitae Twig, Lignum Dalbergiae Oderiferae, Chuanxiong Rhizoma, Corydalis Tuber, and Motherwort Herb were selected and reviewed for their recent studies on anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory and cardiovascular effects. Besides, the analytical methods developed to qualify or quantify the active compounds of the herbs are also summarized.

The historical development of academic journals in occupational medicine, 1901-2009.

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Smith, Derek R

2009-01-01

Academic journals in a specialist field provide an interesting historical record of its development and progression over time. This article describes the evolution of some major international journals of occupational medicine, including some historical background on their editorial board. As North America, the United Kingdom, and Northern Europe are known to have the highest contribution to scientific production, it was considered appropriate to investigate the main occupational medicine periodicals in these regions. Given the remarkable improvements in Japanese occupational health following the Second World War, it was also considered worthwhile to investigate the two English-language journals of occupational medicine from this country.

Biology and medicine division annual report, 1979-1980

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1981-03-01

Progress for 1979-1980 is reported from the following research groups and/or areas: research medicine; Donner Pavilion; Peralta Cancer Research Institute; environmental physiology; radiation biophysics and structural biophysics. Abstracts have been prepared for the 61 separate research programs described in this report for inclusion in the Energy Data Base

[Development and status of intensive care medicine in internal medicine at the Karl Marx University in Leipzig].

Science.gov (United States)

Engelmann, L; Schneider, D

1989-01-15

Issuing from the accomplishments of Köhler for the development of the intensive medicine in internal medicine-in 1964 he performed the first long-term respiration at the then Medical Clinic of the Karl Marx University, in 1969 he institutionalized the young subdiscipline at the clinic, in 1978 he founded the department for intensive medicine and is at work by his decisions concerning the development of young scientists, by the handbook "Intensive Medicine. Internal Medicine and Adjacent Subjects" as well as a member of the presidium of the GDR Society for Internal Medicine for the development of the internal intensive medicine-a description of the development of the department, its achievements and problems is given. The promotion of the intensive medicine by Köhler results, as we think, also from the comprehension that it has the duty to perform a function integrating the subdisciplines, which the modern internal medicine oriented to organs and systems threatens to lose, which, however, makes its self-apprehension, which the patient wishes and the teaching is demanding. From this and from the charge for a highly specialized care of patients who life-threateningly fell ill with internal diseases as well as from the duty to create a scientific forerunning results the stringent necessity of the development of the non-operative, in reality internal intensive medicine in the clinics for internal medicine of the county hospitals and university institutions as well as the greater identification of the internist with the subdiscipline in the district hospitals dealing with multidisciplinary intensive medicine.

Chinese Herbal Medicine Meets Biological Networks of Complex Diseases: A Computational Perspective

OpenAIRE

Shuo Gu; Jianfeng Pei

2017-01-01

With the rapid development of cheminformatics, computational biology, and systems biology, great progress has been made recently in the computational research of Chinese herbal medicine with in-depth understanding towards pharmacognosy. This paper summarized these studies in the aspects of computational methods, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) compound databases, and TCM network pharmacology. Furthermore, we chose arachidonic acid metabolic network as a case study to demonstrate the regula...

Progress, problems and prospects of porcine pluripotent stem cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hanning WANG,Yangli PEI,Ning LI,Jianyong HAN

2014-02-01

Full Text Available Pluripotent stem cells (PSCs, including embryonic stem cells (ESCs and induced PSCs (iPSCs, can differentiate into cells of the three germ layers, suggesting that PSCs have great potential for basic developmental biology research and wide applications for clinical medicine. Genuine ESCs and iPSCs have been derived from mice and rats, but not from livestock such as the pig─an ideal animal model for studying human disease and regenerative medicine due to similarities with human physiologic processes. Efforts to derive porcine ESCs and iPSCs have not yielded high-quality PSCs that can produce chimeras with germline transmission. Thus, exploration of the unique porcine gene regulation network of preimplantation embryonic development may permit optimization of in vitro culture systems for raising porcine PSCs. Here we summarize the recent progress in porcine PSC generation as well as the problems encountered during this progress and we depict prospects for generating porcine naive PSCs.

[Costing nuclear medicine diagnostic procedures].

Science.gov (United States)

Markou, Pavlos

2005-01-01

To the Editor: Referring to a recent special report about the cost analysis of twenty-nine nuclear medicine procedures, I would like to clarify some basic aspects for determining costs of nuclear medicine procedure with various costing methodologies. Activity Based Costing (ABC) method, is a new approach in imaging services costing that can provide the most accurate cost data, but is difficult to perform in nuclear medicine diagnostic procedures. That is because ABC requires determining and analyzing all direct and indirect costs of each procedure, according all its activities. Traditional costing methods, like those for estimating incomes and expenses per procedure or fixed and variable costs per procedure, which are widely used in break-even point analysis and the method of ratio-of-costs-to-charges per procedure may be easily performed in nuclear medicine departments, to evaluate the variability and differences between costs and reimbursement - charges.

[Status of traditional Chinese medicine materials seed and seedling breeding bases].

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Ying; Huang, Lu-Qi; Zhang, Xiao-Bo; Wang, Hui; Cheng, Meng; Zhang, Tian; Yang, Guang

2017-11-01

Seeds and seedlings are the material basis of traditional Chinese medicine materials production, and the construction of traditional Chinese medicine materials seed and seedling breeding bases is beneficial to the production of high-quality traditional Chinese medicine materials. The construction of traditional Chinese medicine materials seed and seedling breeding bases is one of the major topics of Chinese medica resources census pilot. Targets, tasks of traditional Chinese medicine materials seed and seedling breeding bases based on Chinese medica resources census pilot were expounded.Construction progress including hardware construction, germplasm conservation and breeding, procedures and standardsestablishment, social servicesare presented. Development counter measures were proposed for the next step: perfect the standard and system, maintain and strengthen the breeding function, strengthen the cultivation of multi-level talents, explore market development model, joint efforts to deepen services and development. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

Development of a novel sports medicine rotation for emergency medicine residents.

Science.gov (United States)

Waterbrook, Anna L; Pritchard, T Gail; Lane, Allison D; Stoneking, Lisa R; Koch, Bryna; McAtee, Robert; Grall, Kristi H; Min, Alice A; Prior, Jessica; Farrell, Isaac; McNulty, Holly G; Stolz, Uwe

2016-01-01

Musculoskeletal complaints are the most common reason for patients to visit a physician, yet competency in musculoskeletal medicine is invariably reported as a deficiency in medical education in the USA. Sports medicine clinical rotations improve both medical students' and residents' musculoskeletal knowledge. Despite the importance of this knowledge, a standardized sports medicine curriculum in emergency medicine (EM) does not exist. Hence, we developed a novel sports medicine rotation for EM residents to improve their musculoskeletal educational experience and to improve their knowledge in musculoskeletal medicine by teaching the evaluation and management of many common musculoskeletal disorders and injuries that are encountered in the emergency department. The University of Arizona has two distinct EM residency programs, South Campus (SC) and University Campus (UC). The UC curriculum includes a traditional 4-week orthopedic rotation, which consistently rated poorly on evaluations by residents. Therefore, with the initiation of a new EM residency at SC, we replaced the standard orthopedic rotation with a novel sports medicine rotation for EM interns. This rotation includes attendance at sports medicine clinics with primary care and orthopedic sports medicine physicians, involvement in sport event coverage, assigned reading materials, didactic experiences, and an on-call schedule to assist with reductions in the emergency department. We analyzed postrotation surveys completed by residents, postrotation evaluations of the residents completed by primary care sports medicine faculty and orthopedic chief residents, as well as the total number of dislocation reductions performed by each graduating resident at both programs over the last 5 years. While all residents in both programs exceeded the ten dislocation reductions required for graduation, residents on the sports medicine rotation had a statistically significant higher rate of satisfaction of their educational

A multimodal high-value curriculum affects drivers of utilization and performance on the high-value care component of the internal medicine in-training exam.

Science.gov (United States)

Chau, Tom; Loertscher, Laura

2018-01-01

Background : Teaching the practice of high-value care (HVC) is an increasingly important function of graduate medical education but best practices and long-term outcomes remain unknown. Objective : Whether a multimodal curriculum designed to address specific drivers of low-value care would affect resident attitudes, skills, and performance of HVC as tested by the Internal Medicine In-Training Exam (ITE). Methods : In 2012, we performed a baseline needs assessment among internal medicine residents at a community program regarding drivers of healthcare utilization. We then created a multimodal curriculum with online interactive worksheets, lectures, and faculty buy-in to target specific skills, knowledge, and culture deficiencies. Perceived drivers of care and performance on the Internal Medicine ITE were assessed yearly through 2016. Results : Fourteen of 27 (52%) residents completed the initial needs assessment while the curriculum was eventually seen by at least 24 of 27 (89%). The ITE was taken by every resident every year. Long-term, 3-year follow-up demonstrated persistent improvement in many drivers of utilization (patient requests, reliance on subspecialists, defensive medicine, and academic curiosity) and improvement with sustained high performance on the high-value component of the ITE. Conclusion : A multimodal curriculum targeting specific drivers of low-value care can change culture and lead to sustained improvement in the practice of HVC.

Travel medicine

Science.gov (United States)

Aw, Brian; Boraston, Suni; Botten, David; Cherniwchan, Darin; Fazal, Hyder; Kelton, Timothy; Libman, Michael; Saldanha, Colin; Scappatura, Philip; Stowe, Brian

2014-01-01

Abstract Objective To define the practice of travel medicine, provide the basics of a comprehensive pretravel consultation for international travelers, and assist in identifying patients who might require referral to travel medicine professionals. Sources of information Guidelines and recommendations on travel medicine and travel-related illnesses by national and international travel health authorities were reviewed. MEDLINE and EMBASE searches for related literature were also performed. Main message Travel medicine is a highly dynamic specialty that focuses on pretravel preventive care. A comprehensive risk assessment for each individual traveler is essential in order to accurately evaluate traveler-, itinerary-, and destination-specific risks, and to advise on the most appropriate risk management interventions to promote health and prevent adverse health outcomes during travel. Vaccinations might also be required and should be personalized according to the individual traveler’s immunization history, travel itinerary, and the amount of time available before departure. Conclusion A traveler’s health and safety depends on a practitioner’s level of expertise in providing pretravel counseling and vaccinations, if required. Those who advise travelers are encouraged to be aware of the extent of this responsibility and to refer all high-risk travelers to travel medicine professionals whenever possible. PMID:25500599

Evolution of European Union legislation of herbal medicinal products and its transposition to national legislation in 1965-2007: case Finland.

Science.gov (United States)

Koski, Sari M; Laitinen-Parkkonen, Pirjo; Airaksinen, Marja

2015-01-01

The study aim was to explore the progress of legislation relating to herbal medicinal products in the European Union and compare it with the corresponding progress of the legislation in Finland in 1965-2007. The study was carried out using content analysis. Data were searched from publicly available European Union directives and national acts. All definitions and safety-related requirements for herbal medicinal products were identified. The transposition of safety-related requirements into the national legislation was studied. Medicinal products from plant origins have been part of the European Union legislation since 1965. Most plant-based products have not initially been regarded as medicinal products but rather as some kind of medicine-like products. The official definition of herbal medicinal products was introduced in Directive 2004/24/EC and implemented into the Finnish legislation with the terminology to recognise herbal medicinal products as part of medicinal products. The current safety-related requirements of medicinal products concern analogously herbal medicinal products. Herbal medicinal products have had different definitions in pharmaceutical legislation over the study period in the European Union and Finland. The current definition places herbal medicinal products more clearly under the medicinal products' legislation. Safety-related requirements are now practically identical for all medicinal products. Transposition of the European Union legislation into the national legislation in Finland is apparent. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

History and Progress of Japanese Acupuncture

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Akiko Kobayashi

2010-01-01

Full Text Available After Chiso brought acupuncture to Japan from Wu (China in the sixth century, it has progressed in unique ways within the various historical milieus of the past 1500 years. Ishitsu-rei, the first medical law of Japan established in 701, explains the medical system of acupuncture in detail showing that acupuncture was being administered under the authorization of the national government. For the next 1200 years, acupuncture continued to be an important facet of public health in Japan. From the Azuchimomoyama through the Edo period, the knowledge exchange with China became active and people who studied in China developed new styles and techniques of acupuncture treatment and organized their own private schools or ryu-ha in Japan. In 1635, when the Edo government decided to close the country, Japan cut-off exchange with foreign countries for over 200 years. The national isolation caused some development that was unique to Japan. During that time, acupuncture filtered into people's everyday lives. Moxibustion, in particular, became popular as a treatment that ordinary people could practice by themselves. Also in this period of isolation, Western medicine was imported from Holland, the only country allowed to maintain trade with Japan. This novel modern medicine had a strong impact on Japanese medicine, which has its foundation of Chinese traditional medicine. At the same time, Japanese acupuncture was introduced into Europe via Holland. When Japan opened its borders in 1865 period, the new government was eager to accept Western culture to the extent of prohibiting the progress of Japanese acupuncture for a period of time. Even so, Japanese acupuncture has survived and flourished up to the present day due to the strong demand and the great efforts of the practitioners. Scientific studies are now in the process of establishing a firm evidence base for over a millennium of clinical use, respecting the classic ideas of the traditional treatment.

Philanthropic endowments in general internal medicine.

Science.gov (United States)

Murden, R A; Lamb, J F

1999-04-01

We performed two surveys to uncover the status of philanthropic endowments in general internal medicine divisions. The initial survey of U.S. medical school departments of medicine found that only 14.1% of general internal medicine divisions hold endowments versus 21.9% of all other divisions, and that endowment sources for general medicine are atypical. The second survey of successfully endowed divisions found that sympathetic administrators and active pursuit of endowments were associated with endowment success. Aggressive pursuit of endowments, publicizing successes of general medicine, and consideration of endowment sources noted in this study are recommended to improve philanthropic contributions to general internal medicine.

Personalised medicine in 2012: editorial to the special issue of New Biotechnology on "molecular diagnostics & personalised medicine".

Science.gov (United States)

Desiere, Frank; Romano Spica, Vincenzo

2012-09-15

This special issue of New Biotechnology is focused on molecular diagnostics and personalised medicine and appears at an epochal moment in the development of the field. The practice of medicine is taking a significant and irrevocable turn towards personalisation, due to the great progress in areas such as genomics, pharmacogenomics and molecular diagnosis. It becomes increasingly apparent that to deliver the promise of personalised treatments, more and more novel medicines discovered today will be presented together with innovative companion diagnostics. The contributions to this volume touch on many disciplines, ranging from cell biology to genetics, immunology, molecular diagnostics, pharmaceutics and economic issues. The contributions of clinicians and basic scientists are synergistically presented to underline better the wide spectrum of studies that can contribute to the new field of personalised medicine. The promising perspectives of individualised treatments are related not only to higher effectiveness, but also to increased efficiency. This is relevant not only for the individual patient, but even more so for the general public, within a wider economical perspective where resources are limited and it becomes more and more mandatory to close the gap between social costs and benefits. This approach follows the steps of a stratified and individualised medicine and finds its final goal in an individualised healthcare. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Changes in muscle cross-sectional area, muscle force, and jump performance during 6 weeks of progressive whole-body vibration combined with progressive, high intensity resistance training

Science.gov (United States)

Rosenberger, A.; Beijer, Å.; Johannes, B.; Schoenau, E.; Mester, J.; Rittweger, J.; Zange, J.

2017-01-01

Objectives: We hypothesized that progressive whole-body vibration (WBV) superimposed to progressive high intensity resistance training has greater effects on muscle cross-sectional area (CSA), muscle force of leg muscles, and jump performance than progressive high intensity resistance training alone. Methods: Two groups of healthy male subjects performed either 6 weeks of Resistive Vibration Exercise (RVE, squats and heel raises with WBV, n=13) or Resistive Exercise (RE, squats and heel raises without WBV, n=13). Squats under RVE required indispensable weight loading on the forefoot to damp harmful vibrations to the head. Time, intervention, and interaction effects were analyzed. Results: After 6 weeks of training, knee extensor CSA, isometric knee extension force, and counter movement jump height increased equally in both groups (time effect, P<0.001, P≤0.02, and P≤0.03, respectively), whereas only in RVE ankle plantar flexor CSA and isometric ankle plantar flexion force reached significance or a tendency, respectively, (time effect, P=0.015 and P=0.069, respectively; intervention effect also for the latter, P=0.006). Drop jump contact time did significantly more improve in RVE (interaction effect, P=0.042). Conclusions: RVE showed better training effects than RE only in plantar flexor muscles. RVE seems to be suitable in professional sports with a special focus on calf muscles. PMID:28574410

Current Status and Future Perspective in the Globalization of Traditional Chinese Medicines

OpenAIRE

Wan-Ying Wu; Wen-Zhi Yang; Jin-Jun Hou; De-An Guo

2015-01-01

Globalization of traditional Chinese medicines started around 1996, which was initiated by the Chinese government. However, substantial progress was only achieved in recent years including the adoption of TCM quality monographs in the western pharmacopoeias (United States Pharmacopoeia and European Pharmacopoeia) and registration in main stream drug regulatory agencies such as US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and European Medicines Agency (EMA). So far, several TCM herbal quality monogra...

Converging technologies: shaping the future of medicine

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Iraj nabipour

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The miniaturization and virtualization processes drive converging technologies from interactions between the NBIC (Nano, Bio, Info, and Cogno technologies. The converging technologies stimulate innovation, promote research and development in different fields and produce revolutionary progresses in medicine. These technologies enable us to create contacts between brains and machines, the growth in molecular nanotechnology, the construction of respirocytes, chromallocytes, clottocytes, nanorobotic phagocytes, and nanobots. Nanobots would enter the nucleus of a cell and extract all of the genetic material and replace it with a synthetically produced copy of the original that has been manufactured in a laboratory to contain only non-defective base-pairs. It is predicted that “the regenerative medicine”, as a megatrend, will have an enormous effect on medical technologies and clinical sciences. Regenerative medicine is an application field of converging technologies in translational medicine. It attempts to translate the results of tissue engineering to construct 3D tissues and organs. Regenerative medicine is also an exciting field for induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC and promises to bring about a paradigm shift to health care. Accumulating evidence indicates that converging technologies will offer great potentials for regenerative medicine to create innovative treatments for diseases that the traditional therapies have not been effective yet.

Women's health and women's leadership in academic medicine: hitting the same glass ceiling?

Science.gov (United States)

Carnes, Molly; Morrissey, Claudia; Geller, Stacie E

2008-11-01

The term "glass ceiling" refers to women's lack of advancement into leadership positions despite no visible barriers. The term has been applied to academic medicine for over a decade but has not previously been applied to the advancement of women's health. This paper discusses (1) the historical linking of the advances in women's health with women's leadership in academic medicine, (2) the slow progress of women into leadership in academic medicine, and (3) indicators that the advancement of women's health has stalled. We make the case that deeply embedded unconscious gender-based biases and assumptions underpin the stalled advancement of women on both fronts. We conclude with recommendations to promote progress beyond the apparent glass ceiling that is preventing further advancement of women's health and women leaders. We emphasize the need to move beyond "fixing the women" to a systemic, institutional approach that acknowledges and addresses the impact of unconscious, gender-linked biases that devalue and marginalize women and issues associated with women, such as their health.

A Study on the Korean Medicine Education and the Changes in the Traditional Korean Medicine during the Japanese Colonial Era: Focused on the Korean Medicine Training Schools.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Yongyuan

2018-04-01

The modern education institutes play an important role in fostering professional talents, reproducing knowledge and studies, and forming the identities of certain academic fields and vocational communities. It is a matter of common knowledge that the absence of an official Korean medicine medical school during the Japanese colonial era was a severely disadvantageous factor in the aspects of academic progress, fostering follow-up personnel, and establishment of social capability. Therefore, the then Korean medicine circle put emphasis on inadequate official education institutes as the main factor behind oppression. Furthermore, as the measure to promote the continuance of Korean medicine, the circle regarded establishing civilian Korean medicine training schools as their long-cherished wish and strived to accomplish the mission even after liberation. This study looked into how the Korean medicine circle during the Japanese colonial era utilized civilian training schools to conduct the Korean medicine education conforming to modern medical school and examined how the operation of these training schools influenced the changes in the traditional Korean medicine. After the introduction of the Western medical science, the Korean medicine circle aimed to improve the quality of Korean medicine doctors by establishing modern Korean medicine medical schools. However, after the annexation of Korea and Japan, official Korean medicine medical schools were not established since policies were organized centered on the Western medical science. In this light, the Korean medicine circle strived to nurture the younger generation of Korean medicine by establishing and operating the civilian Korean medicine training schools after the annexation between Korea and Japan. The schools were limited in terms of scale and status but possessed the forms conforming to the modern medical schools in terms of education system. In other words, the civilian training schools not only adhered to the

Determination of aflatoxins in medicinal plants by high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

Science.gov (United States)

Siddique, Nadeem A; Mujeeb, Mohd; Ahmad, Sayeed; Panda, Bibhu P; Makhmoor, Mohd

2013-01-01

The intention of the proposed work is to study the presence of the aflatoxins B1, B2, G1 and G2 in medicinal plants, namely Mucuna pruriens, Delphinium denudatum and Portulaca oleraceae. The aflatoxins were extracted, purified by immunoaffinity column chromatography and analysed by high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem quadrupole mass spectrometry with electrospray ionisation (HPLC-MS/MS). Fungal count was carried out in PDA media. A good linear relationship was found for AFB1, AFB2, AFG1 and AFG2 at 1-10 ppb (r>0.9995). The analyte accuracy under three different spiking levels was 86.7-108.1 %, with low per cent relative standard deviations in each case. The aflatoxins can be separated within 5 to7 min using an Agilent XDB C18-column. We found that AFB1 and AFB2 were in trace amounts below the detection limit in M. pruriens whilst they were not detected in D. denudatum. P. oleraceae was found to be contaminated with AFB1 and AFB2. AFG1 and AFG2 were not detected in M. pruriens, P. oleraceae and were below the detection limit in D. denudatum. This was consistent with very low numbers of fungal colonies observed after 6 hr of incubation. The analytical method developed is simple, precise, accurate, economical and can be effectively used to determine the aflatoxins in medicinal plants and therefore to control the quality of products. The aflatoxin levels in the plant extracts examined were related to the minimal fungal load in the medicinal plants examined.

Using Precept-Assist® to predict performance on the American Board of Family Medicine In-Training Examination.

Science.gov (United States)

Post, Robert E; Jamena, Gemma P; Gamble, James D

2014-09-01

Precept-Assist® (PA) is a computer-based program developed by the Virtua Family Medicine Residency where residents receive a score on a Likert-type scale from an attending for each precept based on their knowledge base. The purpose of this study was to attempt to validate this program for precepting family medicine residents. This was a validation study. PA and American Board of Family Medicine (ABFM) In-Training Exam (ITE) scores for all residents from a community-based family medicine residency between the years 2002 and 2011 were included (n=216). Pearson correlation coefficients were calculated between PA scores for the second quarter of the academic year (October 1 to December 31) and scores on the ITE. An ROC curve was also created to determine sensitivity and specificity for various PA scores in predicting residents scoring 500 or above on the ITE. The PA mean (SD) score was 5.18 (0.84) and the ITE mean (SD) score was 425.1 (87.6). The Pearson correlation coefficient between PA and ITE scores was 0.55, which is a moderately positive correlation. The AUC of the ROC curve was 0.783 (95% CI 0.704-0.859). A PA score of 5.5 (between the level of a PGY-2 and PGY-3) was 72% sensitive and 77% specific for scoring 500 or above on the ITE with a positive LR of 3.12. There is a significant correlation between PA scores and ABFM In-Training Exam scores. PA is a valid screening tool that can be used as a predictor for future performance in Family Medicine In-Training exams.

Improving collection and use of interprofessional health workforce data: Progress and peril.

Science.gov (United States)

Spetz, Joanne; Cimiotti, Jeannie P; Brunell, Mary Lou

2016-01-01

Policymakers and other stakeholders need robust data to understand how health care system changes affect the health care workforce and the care it provides, evaluate the effectiveness of health care finance and delivery innovations, and build an adequate supply of nurses and other health professionals to care for an aging and diverse population of patients. In 2011, the Institute of Medicine released a report that called for the creation of an infrastructure to collect and analyze interprofessional health workforce data and issued specific recommendations to reach that overarching goal. This paper examines progress toward each of the main data-related recommendations of the Institute of Medicine Committee on the Future of Nursing, and identifies strategies that can achieve further gains in health workforce data collection. Multiple documents and websites were reviewed to identify the extent to which each of the Institute of Medicine's recommendations have been implemented. There has been little progress toward the Institute of Medicine recommendations regarding data collection, with a few exceptions related to improvements in national data on ambulatory care. This can largely be attributed to a lack of funding. Although there are active and strong collaborative relationships across many key stakeholders, there have not been sufficient resources dedicated to ensuring that new programs advance. More leadership, advocacy, and resources will be needed to build the robust data infrastructure called for by the Institute of Medicine. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The current status and problems confronted in delivering precision medicine in Japan and Europe.

Science.gov (United States)

Bando, Hideaki

Precision medicine has been defined as "a predictive, preventive, personalized, and participatory health care service delivery model." Today, developments in next-generation sequencing and information technology have made precision medicine possible, with massive amounts of genetic, "omics," clinical, environmental, and lifestyle data now available. Unfortunately, differences in governmental support and health care regulations have resulted in heterogeneous progress among countries. In Japan, for example, precision cancer screening and treatments are increasingly being promoted, with collaboration among research, governmental, and pharmaceutical agencies taking place in the nationwide SCRUM-Japan cancer genome screening project. The missions of SCRUM-Japan are to deliver the most appropriate therapeutic agents to the most suitable patients, and to play key roles in the development of multiplex diagnostic products and new indications for targeted therapy. Starting in February 2015 and ending in March 2017, the aim is to enroll 4750 patients with cancer (2350 patients with lung cancer and 2400 patients with gastrointestinal tract cancer). Compared with other developed countries, investments in scientific innovation for biomedical and omics research are matched or even surpassed in Europe, but regulatory differences in each countries are a major hurdle to rapid implementation. Although market approval for pharmaceuticals is centralized through the European Medicines Agency, access to health care is heterogeneously regulated at national levels, which undermines the consistency, comparability, and quality of precision medicine for cancer patients in Europe. In this review, we focus on the current progress of precision medicine in Japan and Europe, and clarify the differences in progress and the hurdles faced moving forward. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Chinese Herbal Medicine Meets Biological Networks of Complex Diseases: A Computational Perspective

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shuo Gu

2017-01-01

Full Text Available With the rapid development of cheminformatics, computational biology, and systems biology, great progress has been made recently in the computational research of Chinese herbal medicine with in-depth understanding towards pharmacognosy. This paper summarized these studies in the aspects of computational methods, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM compound databases, and TCM network pharmacology. Furthermore, we chose arachidonic acid metabolic network as a case study to demonstrate the regulatory function of herbal medicine in the treatment of inflammation at network level. Finally, a computational workflow for the network-based TCM study, derived from our previous successful applications, was proposed.

Chinese Herbal Medicine Meets Biological Networks of Complex Diseases: A Computational Perspective.

Science.gov (United States)

Gu, Shuo; Pei, Jianfeng

2017-01-01

With the rapid development of cheminformatics, computational biology, and systems biology, great progress has been made recently in the computational research of Chinese herbal medicine with in-depth understanding towards pharmacognosy. This paper summarized these studies in the aspects of computational methods, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) compound databases, and TCM network pharmacology. Furthermore, we chose arachidonic acid metabolic network as a case study to demonstrate the regulatory function of herbal medicine in the treatment of inflammation at network level. Finally, a computational workflow for the network-based TCM study, derived from our previous successful applications, was proposed.

Competency Assessment in Family Medicine Residency: Observations, Knowledge-Based Examinations, and Advancement.

Science.gov (United States)

Mainous, Arch G; Fang, Bo; Peterson, Lars E

2017-12-01

The Family Medicine (FM) Milestones are competency-based assessments of residents in key dimensions relevant to practice in the specialty. Residency programs use the milestones in semiannual reviews of resident performance from the time of entry into the program to graduation. Using a national sample, we investigated the relationship of FM competency-based assessments to resident progress and the complementarity of milestones with knowledge-based assessments in FM residencies. We used midyear and end-of-year milestone ratings for all FM residents in Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education-accredited programs during academic years 2014-2015 and 2015-2016. The milestones contain 22 items across 6 competencies. We created a summative index across the milestones. The American Board of Family Medicine database provided resident demographics and in-training examination (ITE) scores. We linked information to the milestone data. The sample encompassed 6630 FM residents. The summative milestone index increased, on average, for each cohort (postgraduate year 1 [PGY-1] to PGY-2 and PGY-2 to PGY-3) at each assessment. The correlation between the milestone index that excluded the medical knowledge milestone and ITE scores was r  = .195 ( P  ITE scores and composite milestone assessments were higher for residents who advanced than for those who did not. Competency-based assessment using the milestones for FM residents seems to be a viable multidimensional tool to assess the successful progression of residents.

Nuclear medicine: the Philippine Heart Center experience

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cancino, E.L.

1994-01-01

The following is a report of a three (3) months on-the-job training in Nuclear Medicine at the Nuclear Medicine Department of the Philippine Heart Center. The hospital has current generation nuclear medicine instruments with data processor and is capable of a full range of in vivo and in vitro procedures. Gamma camera is the principal instrument for imaging in nuclear medicine used in the Philippine Heart Center. Thyroid scanning procedure is being performed with these instruments. Also the cardiovascular procedures, the pulmonary, skeletal, renal and hepatobiliary procedures were being performed with the use of gamma camera. Special emphasis is on nuclear cardiology since the PHC attends primarily to cardiovascular patients. (auth.)

Egyptian imprints on Geto-Dacian magical medicine.

Science.gov (United States)

Baran, Dana

2010-12-01

Several characteristics of Egyptian culture and civilization could be identified in prehistoric and ancient historic Geto-Dacian territories, belonging to modern Romania (Fig. 1). From early times, magic, religion and philosophy have been part of pre-scientific medicine. Therefore these aspects are to be tackled when speaking of medicine in mythological or legendary ages. Progress of ancient Geto-Dacian medicine was principally ascribed to the interface of local civilizations with ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome. Such connections were well documented and understood in historic times and were mainly based on texts of renowned Greek and Roman historians. Egyptian impact upon Dacia, -the ancient name of today's Romania-, was often explained in terms of indirect Greek- or Roman-mediated influences.The Greek and then the Roman colonies on the Black sea shore, together with later Roman colonies in Dacia Felix, founded in the heart of Transylvania, enabled access for Romania to Mediterranean cultures, including that of Egypt.

UK medicines regulation: responding to current challenges.

Science.gov (United States)

Richards, Natalie; Hudson, Ian

2016-12-01

The medicines regulatory environment is evolving rapidly in response to the changing environment. Advances in science and technology have led to a vast field of increasingly complicated pharmaceutical and medical device products; increasing globalization of the pharmaceutical industry, advances in digital technology and the internet, changing patient populations, and shifts in society also affect the regulatory environment. In the UK, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) regulates medicines, medical devices and blood products to protect and improve public health, and supports innovation through scientific research and development. It works closely with other bodies in a single medicines network across Europe and takes forward UK health priorities. This paper discusses the range of initiatives in the UK and across Europe to support innovation in medicines regulation. The MHRA leads a number of initiatives, such as the Innovation Office, which helps innovators to navigate the regulatory processes to progress their products or technologies; and simplification of the Clinical Trials Regulations and the Early Access to Medicines Scheme, to bring innovative medicines to patients faster. The Accelerated Access Review will identify reforms to accelerate access for National Health Service patients to innovative medicines and medical technologies. PRIME and Adaptive Pathways initiatives are joint endeavours within the European regulatory community. The MHRA runs spontaneous reporting schemes and works with INTERPOL to tackle counterfeiting and substandard products sold via the internet. The role of the regulator is changing rapidly, with new risk-proportionate, flexible approaches being introduced. International collaboration is a key element of the work of regulators, and is set to expand. © 2016 The British Pharmacological Society.

Clean uses of fossil fuels. Progress performance report, September 29, 1991--January 25, 1994

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stencel, J.M.

1994-01-25

Science and engineering doctoral students performing energy related research were supported by a USDOE/ESPCoR Traineeship grant awarded to the Kentucky EPSCoR Committee. The grant, administered by the KY DOE/EPSCoR Subcommittee, focused on research having the general description of {open_quotes}Clean Uses of Fossil Fuels{close_quotes}. The value of the grant was $500,000 for three years duration, beginning September 30, 1991 and ending September 29, 1994. Ten PhD students were selected for support during the first year of the Traineeship. Upon reviewing coursework and research progress of the students at the end of the first year, the KY DOE/EPSCoR Subcommittee awarded a second year of support at the same $25,000/year funding level. A total of 12 students will have been supported during the duration of the grant as a consequence of one student completing his degree during the support period and of one student deciding that she wanted to complete only a Masters rather than a PhD degree. The students supported were at either the University of Kentucky or the University of Louisville - the two PhD, science and engineering granting universities within the Commonwealth of Kentucky. The disciplines of these students included Biology, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Geological Sciences, and Physics. The methods used for the initial statewide solicitation for student support, the annual review of the students progress for support renewal, and a summary of progress and impact of the awards after two years are presented. It is shown that the Traineeships presented opportunities to: perform high quality research; initiate interactions between different scientific disciplines and departments; develop collaborations at national DOE laboratories, universities outside of Kentucky and industries; and establish research ideas for submittal to funding agencies.

Integrating personal medicine into service delivery: empowering people in recovery.

Science.gov (United States)

MacDonald-Wilson, Kim L; Deegan, Patricia E; Hutchison, Shari L; Parrotta, Nancy; Schuster, James M

2013-12-01

Illness management and recovery strategies are considered evidence-based practices. The article describes how a web-based application, CommonGround, has been used to support implementation of such strategies in outpatient mental health services and assess its impact. The specific focus of this article is Personal Medicine, self-management strategies that are a salient component of the CommonGround intervention. With support from counties and a not-for-profit managed care organization, CommonGround has been introduced in 10 medication clinics, one Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) team, and one peer support center across Pennsylvania. Methods include analysis of data from the application's database and evaluation of health functioning, symptoms, and progress toward recovery. Health functioning improved over time and use of self-management strategies was associated with fewer concerns about medication side effects, fewer concerns about the impact of mental health medicine on physical health, more reports that mental health medicines were helping, and greater progress in individuals' recovery. Using Personal Medicine empowers individuals to work with their prescribers to find a "right balance" between what they do to be well and what they take to be well. This program helps individuals and their service team focus on individual strengths and resilient self-care strategies. More research is needed to assess factors that may predict changes in outcomes and how a web-based tool focused on self-management strategies may moderate those factors. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved.

Is medicine losing its way? A firm foundation for medicine as a real therapeia.

Science.gov (United States)

Eijk, Willem Jacobus Cardinal

2017-08-01

Is medicine losing its way? This question may seem to imply a serious warning, one needing a further explanation. What I mean to say by the title of this paper is that we can detect an undeniable shift in medicine in the last forty to fifty years. Medicine used to focus on what we call "health care" in a classical sense, that is, the treatment of people suffering from diseases, injuries or handicaps, or the alleviation of pain and other symptoms. In addition to this, in the last half century, it has begun to offer more and more treatments aiming to perfect the qualities of people who are otherwise healthy. Due to the rapid progress of research in the biomedical field, medicine is already and will ever more be able not only to cure diseases, but also to improve the characteristics of healthy human persons. This seems to be justifiable from the point of view of the contemporary view of man. This considers the mind as the actual human person and the body as an object of which he may dispose as he likes. However, serious and convincing objections exist against this view, because it does not do justice to the fact that we experience ourselves as a unity. Aristotelian-Thomist anthropology explains man as a substantial unity of a spiritual and a material dimension, of body and soul, which implies that the body is an essential dimension of man, participates in his intrinsic dignity and is never to be instrumentalized in order to improve the characteristics of healthy people. Medicine should apply all new medical techniques availed, but remain true health care.

A glance at the history of nuclear medicine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carlsson, S.

1995-01-01

The development of nuclear medicine has resulted in several effective routine methods in diagnosis and therapy. There is an ongoing discussion about the future of the activity based on the fast development of ultrasound, CT and MR. In such discussions, it is often forgotten that nuclear medicine is also a dynamic diagnostic tool under continuous progress. As seen from this historical review, nuclear medicine has grown from quite simple in vitro tests to very advanced methods to image organ function. This is the result of the development of radiopharmaceuticals and instrumentation. Today, development is moving towards what is called receptor scintigraphy, i.e., the use of radiopharmaceuticals which are very specific to certain diseases, for instance, tumours. Even at present there is no other method to determine the regional myocardial blood flow both at stress and at rest, than myocardial scintigraphy. Nuclear medicine will remain an important diagnostic tool as long as it employs people with engagement and interest. Such people will also guarantee that the hospital management will supply the activity with funds for the necessary investments. (orig.)

[OMICS AND BIG DATA, MAJOR ADVANCES TOWARDS PERSONALIZED MEDICINE OF THE FUTURE?].

Science.gov (United States)

Scheen, A J

2015-01-01

The increasing interest for personalized medicine evolves together with two major technological advances. First, the new-generation, rapid and less expensive, DNA sequencing method, combined with remarkable progresses in molecular biology leading to the post-genomic era (transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics). Second, the refinement of computing tools (IT), which allows the immediate analysis of a huge amount of data (especially, those resulting from the omics approaches) and, thus, creates a new universe for medical research, that of analyzed by computerized modelling. This article for scientific communication and popularization briefly describes the main advances in these two fields of interest. These technological progresses are combined with those occurring in communication, which makes possible the development of artificial intelligence. These major advances will most probably represent the grounds of the future personalized medicine.

Quo natas, Danio?—Recent Progress in Modeling Cancer in Zebrafish

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stefanie Kirchberger

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Over the last decade, zebrafish has proven to be a powerful model in cancer research. Zebrafish form tumors that histologically and genetically resemble human cancers. The live imaging and cost-effective compound screening possible with zebrafish especially complement classic mouse cancer models. Here, we report recent progress in the field, including genetically engineered zebrafish cancer models, xenotransplantation of human cancer cells into zebrafish, promising approaches toward live investigation of the tumor microenvironment, and identification of therapeutic strategies by performing compound screens on zebrafish cancer models. Given the recent advances in genome editing, personalized zebrafish cancer models are now a realistic possibility. In addition, ongoing automation will soon allow high-throughput compound screening using zebrafish cancer models to be part of preclinical precision medicine approaches.

Relationship Between Academic Performance and Student Self-Assessment of Clinical Performance in the College of Podiatric Medicine and Surgery.

Science.gov (United States)

Yoho, Robert M; Vardaxis, Vassilios; Millonig, Kelsey

2016-05-01

Student self-assessment is viewed as an important tool in medical education. We sought to identify the relationship between student academic performance and third-year clinical performance self-assessment. No such study exists in podiatric medical education. Third-year podiatric medical students from the classes of 2012 through 2014 completed a self-assessment of their performance for each of five broad clinical podiatric medical domains (Professionalism, Medicine, Radiology, Surgery, and Biomechanics/Orthopedics). The assessment was completed after students finished the first 12 weeks of their third-year clinical rotations (PRE) and a second time at the conclusion of the third year (POST). The mean self-assessment score for PRE and POST surveys for all combined domains was determined for each student. This mean was compared with the student's 3-year cumulative grade point average (GPA). Students' clinical experiences for the year were essentially identical. No statistically significant correlation was identified between cumulative GPA and the PRE and POST clinical self-assessments or with the change between PRE and POST assessments based on the Pearson correlation test for each class separately or on the pooled data. Published studies in allopathic medical education have shown that students with lower GPAs tend to rate their clinical performance higher in initial clinical performance self-assessment. Our results show that student academic performance was not correlated with clinical performance self-assessment. These findings may be due to the explicit description of successful clinical competency completion, the orientation students receive before the start of clinical training, and the continuous feedback received from clinical preceptors.

Upper-body progressive resistance training improves strength and household physical activity performance in women attending cardiac rehabilitation.

Science.gov (United States)

Coke, Lola A; Staffileno, Beth A; Braun, Lynne T; Gulanick, Meg

2008-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of moderate-intensity, progressive, upper-body resistance training (RT) on muscle strength and perceived performance of household physical activities (HPA) among women in cardiac rehabilitation. The 10-week, pretest-posttest, experiment randomized women to either usual care (UC) aerobic exercise or RT. Muscle strength for 5 upper-body RT exercises (chest press, shoulder press, biceps curl, lateral row, and triceps extension) was measured using the 1-Repetition Maximum Assessment. The RT group progressively increased weight lifted using 40%, 50%, and 60% of obtained 1-Repetition Maximum Assessment at 3-week intervals. Perceived performance of HPA was measured with the Kimble Household Activities Scale. The RT group (n = 16, mean age 64 +/- 11) significantly increased muscle strength in all 5 exercises in comparison with the UC group (n = 14, mean age 65 +/- 10) (chest press, 18% vs 11%; shoulder press, 24% vs 14%; biceps curl, 21% vs 12%; lateral row, 32% vs 9%; and triceps extension, 28% vs 20%, respectively). By study end, Household Activities Scale scores significantly increased (F = 13.878, P = .001) in the RT group (8.75 +/- 3.19 vs 11.25 +/- 2.14), whereas scores in the UC group decreased (8.60 +/- 3.11 vs 6.86 +/- 4.13). Progressive upper-body RT in women shows promise as an effective tool to increase muscle strength and improve the ability to perform HPA after a cardiac event. Beginning RT early after a cardiac event in a monitored cardiac rehabilitation environment can maximize the strengthening benefit.

Precision medicine and molecular imaging: new targeted approaches toward cancer therapeutic and diagnosis

Science.gov (United States)

Ghasemi, Mojtaba; Nabipour, Iraj; Omrani, Abdolmajid; Alipour, Zeinab; Assadi, Majid

2016-01-01

This paper presents a review of the importance and role of precision medicine and molecular imaging technologies in cancer diagnosis with therapeutics and diagnostics purposes. Precision medicine is progressively becoming a hot topic in all disciplines related to biomedical investigation and has the capacity to become the paradigm for clinical practice. The future of medicine lies in early diagnosis and individually appropriate treatments, a concept that has been named precision medicine, i.e. delivering the right treatment to the right patient at the right time. Molecular imaging is quickly being recognized as a tool with the potential to ameliorate every aspect of cancer treatment. On the other hand, emerging high-throughput technologies such as omics techniques and systems approaches have generated a paradigm shift for biological systems in advanced life science research. In this review, we describe the precision medicine, difference between precision medicine and personalized medicine, precision medicine initiative, systems biology/medicine approaches (such as genomics, radiogenomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics), P4 medicine, relationship between systems biology/medicine approaches and precision medicine, and molecular imaging modalities and their utility in cancer treatment and diagnosis. Accordingly, the precision medicine and molecular imaging will enable us to accelerate and improve cancer management in future medicine. PMID:28078184

Precision medicine and molecular imaging: new targeted approaches toward cancer therapeutic and diagnosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Ghasemi, Mojtaba; Nabipour, Iraj; Omrani, Abdolmajid; Alipour, Zeinab; Assadi, Majid

2016-01-01

This paper presents a review of the importance and role of precision medicine and molecular imaging technologies in cancer diagnosis with therapeutics and diagnostics purposes. Precision medicine is progressively becoming a hot topic in all disciplines related to biomedical investigation and has the capacity to become the paradigm for clinical practice. The future of medicine lies in early diagnosis and individually appropriate treatments, a concept that has been named precision medicine, i.e. delivering the right treatment to the right patient at the right time. Molecular imaging is quickly being recognized as a tool with the potential to ameliorate every aspect of cancer treatment. On the other hand, emerging high-throughput technologies such as omics techniques and systems approaches have generated a paradigm shift for biological systems in advanced life science research. In this review, we describe the precision medicine, difference between precision medicine and personalized medicine, precision medicine initiative, systems biology/medicine approaches (such as genomics, radiogenomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics), P4 medicine, relationship between systems biology/medicine approaches and precision medicine, and molecular imaging modalities and their utility in cancer treatment and diagnosis. Accordingly, the precision medicine and molecular imaging will enable us to accelerate and improve cancer management in future medicine.

Barriers and facilitators to implementing addiction medicine fellowships: a qualitative study with fellows, medical students, residents and preceptors.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Klimas, J

2017-01-01

Although progress in science has driven advances in addiction medicine, this subject has not been adequately taught to medical trainees and physicians. As a result, there has been poor integration of evidence-based practices in addiction medicine into physician training which has impeded addiction treatment and care. Recently, a number of training initiatives have emerged internationally, including the addiction medicine fellowships in Vancouver, Canada. This study was undertaken to examine barriers and facilitators of implementing addiction medicine fellowships.

PRECISION MEDICINE - The Golden Gate for Detection, Treatment and Prevention of Alzheimer's Disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Hampel, H; O'Bryant, S E; Castrillo, J I; Ritchie, C; Rojkova, K; Broich, K; Benda, N; Nisticò, R; Frank, R A; Dubois, B; Escott-Price, V; Lista, S

2016-12-01

During this decade, breakthrough conceptual shifts have commenced to emerge in the field of Alzheimer's disease (AD) recognizing risk factors and the non-linear dynamic continuum of complex pathophysiologies amongst a wide dimensional spectrum of multi-factorial brain proteinopathies/neurodegenerative diseases. As is the case in most fields of medicine, substantial advancements in detecting, treating and preventing AD will likely evolve from the generation and implementation of a systematic precision medicine strategy. This approach will likely be based on the success found from more advanced research fields, such as oncology. Precision medicine will require integration and transfertilization across fragmented specialities of medicine and direct reintegration of Neuroscience, Neurology and Psychiatry into a continuum of medical sciences away from the silo approach. Precision medicine is biomarker-guided medicine on systems-levels that takes into account methodological advancements and discoveries of the comprehensive pathophysiological profiles of complex multi-factorial neurodegenerative diseases, such as late-onset sporadic AD. This will allow identifying and characterizing the disease processes at the asymptomatic preclinical stage, where pathophysiological and topographical abnormalities precede overt clinical symptoms by many years to decades. In this respect, the uncharted territory of the AD preclinical stage has become a major research challenge as the field postulates that early biomarker guided customized interventions may offer the best chance of therapeutic success. Clarification and practical operationalization is needed for comprehensive dissection and classification of interacting and converging disease mechanisms, description of genomic and epigenetic drivers, natural history trajectories through space and time, surrogate biomarkers and indicators of risk and progression, as well as considerations about the regulatory, ethical, political and

Progressive-overload whole-body vibration training as part of periodized, off-season strength training in trained women athletes.

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, Margaret T

2014-09-01

The purpose was to examine the effects of progressive-overload, whole-body vibration (WBV) training on strength and power as part of a 15-week periodized, strength training (ST) program. Eighteen collegiate women athletes with ≥1 year of ST and no prior WBV training participated in the crossover design. Random assignment to 1 of the 2 groups followed pretests of seated medicine ball throw (SMBT), single-leg hop for distance (LSLH, RSLH), countermovement jump (CMJ), 3 repetition maximum (3RM) front squat (FS), pull-up (PU), and 3RM bench press (BP). Whole-body vibration was two 3-week phases of dynamic and static hold body weight exercises administered 2 d·wk in ST sessions throughout the 15-week off-season program. Total WBV exposure was 6 minutes broken into 30-second bouts with 60-second rest (1:2 work-to-relief ratio). Exercises, frequency, and amplitude progressed in intensity from the first 3-week WBV training to the second 3-week phase. Repeated-measures analysis of variances were used to analyze the SMBT, CMJ, LSLH, RSLH, FS, PU, and BP tests. Alpha level was p ≤ 0.05. Front squat, LSLH, and RSLH increased (p = 0.001) from pre- to posttest; FS increased from mid- to posttest. Pull-up increased (p = 0.008) from pre- to posttest. Seated medicine ball throw and BP showed a trend of increased performance from pre- to posttest (p = 0.11). Two 3-week phases of periodized, progressive-overload WBV + ST training elicited gains in strength and power during a 15-week off-season program. Greatest improvements in performance tests occurred in the initial WBV phase. Implementing WBV in conjunction with ST appears to be more effective in the early phases of training.

Human cytochrome P450 and personalized medicine.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Qi; Wei, Dongqing

2015-01-01

Personalized medicine has become a hot topic ascribed to the development of Human Genome Project. And currently, bioinformatics methodology plays an essential role in personal drug design. Here in this review we mainly focused on the basic introduction of the SNPs of human drug metabolic enzymes and their relationships with personalized medicine. Some common bioinformatics analysis methods and latest progresses and applications in personal drug design have also been discussed. Thus bioinformatics studies on SNPs of human CYP450 genes will contribute to indicate the most possible genes that are associated with human diseases and relevant therapeutic targets, identify and predict the drug efficacy and adverse drug response, investigate individual gene specific properties and then provide personalized and optimal clinic therapies.

Harnessing the crowd to accelerate molecular medicine research.

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Robert J; Merchant, Raina M

2015-07-01

Crowdsourcing presents a novel approach to solving complex problems within molecular medicine. By leveraging the expertise of fellow scientists across the globe, broadcasting to and engaging the public for idea generation, harnessing a scalable workforce for quick data management, and fundraising for research endeavors, crowdsourcing creates novel opportunities for accelerating scientific progress. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

An assessment of emergency medicine residents' ability to perform in a multitasking environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Ledrick, David; Fisher, Susan; Thompson, Justin; Sniadanko, Mark

2009-09-01

Multitasking (MT) is a term often applied to emergency medicine (EM), but it is still poorly understood. In an effort to facilitate MT research in EM, the authors conducted this pilot study to describe EM residents' scores on a Multi-Tasking Assessment Tool (MTAT) and compare these scores with the residents' work efficiency in the emergency department. The authors administered a previously developed test of MT ability to EM residents. They performed a multiple regression analysis to determine the effect of MT ability on resident work efficiency, defining efficiency as the number of relative value units billed per hour. They controlled the analysis for year of training and medical knowledge using as a standard the in-service exam administered by the American Board of Emergency Medicine. Complete data for 35 residents were available for analysis. Work efficiency was multivariately correlated with MTAT scores and year of training (P training explained the majority of the variance, a resident's MT ability accounted for a smaller but still significant portion. This pilot study further validates the MTAT and lays the groundwork for further research in MT in EM. Resident year of training and MTAT scores explain the variability in resident work efficiency significantly more than medical knowledge. Understanding MT ability may ultimately help in resident selection, education, and remediation as well as career counseling and improvement of practice systems in EM.

A Lifestyle Medicine Clinic in a Community Pharmacy Setting

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thomas L. Lenz

2010-06-01

Full Text Available Chronic diseases continue to be a significant burden to the health care system. Pharmacists have been able to show that drug therapy for patients with chronic diseases can be improved through medication therapy management (MTM services but have yet to become significantly involved in implementing lifestyle modification programs to further control and prevent chronic conditions. A novel and innovative lifestyle medicine program was started by pharmacists in a community pharmacy in 2008 to more comprehensively prevent and manage chronic conditions. The lifestyle medicine program consists of designing seven personalized programs for patients to address physical activity, nutrition, alcohol consumption, weight control, stress management, sleep success, and tobacco cessation (if needed. The lifestyle medicine program complements existing MTM services for patients with hypertension, dyslipidemia, and/or diabetes. This program is innovative because pharmacists have developed and implemented a method to combine lifestyle medicine with MTM services to not only manage chronic conditions, but prevent the progression of those conditions and others. Several innovative tools have also been developed to enhance the effectiveness of a lifestyle medicine program. This manuscript describes the program's pharmacy setting, pharmacy personnel, participants and program details as well as the tools used to integrate a lifestyle medicine program with MTM services. Type: Clinical Experience

[Are there counterfeit medicines in Croatia?].

Science.gov (United States)

Tomić, Sinisa; Milcić, Neven; Sokolić, Milenko; Sucić, Anita Filipović; Martinac, Adrijana Ilić

2010-01-01

Counterfeit medicines are a growing problem in the world, for their use may endanger patient's health and therefore they pose an enormous public health risk. The manufacture of counterfeit medicines usually involves organised crime groups which place the counterfeit medicines on the market for reasons of profit. Detection and prevention of trade in counterfeit medicines requires close cooperation between medicine regulatory authorities, police, customs, judiciary and pharmaceutical industry. To this day, there have been no recorded cases of counterfeit medicines in the legal supply chain in Croatia. However, medicines without marketing authorisation in Croatia, originating from different countries, could be found on the illegal market. Most frequently, this includes medicines for the treatment of erectile dysfunction such as: sildenafil, tadalafil, vardenafil. In this study, 26 medicines for the treatment of erectile dysfunction, seized in illegal supply chain, were tested. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used for identification and quantification of active substances in the tested samples. It was determined that 13 out of 26 samples did not comply with declared composition of medicine and quality specification. Furthermore, two samples did not contain declared active substance vardenafil and that may indicate that these medicines are counterfeit.

Protecting traditional knowledge of Chinese medicine: concepts and proposals.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Changhua; Gu, Man

2011-06-01

With the development of the knowledge economy, knowledge has become one of the most important resources for social progress and economic development. Some countries have proposed measures for the protection of their own traditional knowledge. Traditional Chinese medicine belongs to the category of intangible cultural heritage because it is an important part of Chinese cultural heritage. Today the value of traditional knowledge of Chinese medicine has been widely recognized by the domestic and international public. This paper discusses the definition of traditional knowledge of Chinese medicine and its protection, and evaluates research on its classification. We review the present status of the protection of traditional knowledge of Chinese medicine and tentatively put forward some possible ideas and methods for the protection of traditional knowledge of Chinese medicine. Our goal is to find a way to strengthen the vitality of traditional Chinese medicine and consolidate its foundation. We believe that if we could establish a suitable sui generis(sui generis is a Latin term meaning "of its own kind" and is often used in discussions about protecting the rights of indigenous peoples. Here we use it to emphasize the fact that protection of traditional knowledge of Chinese medicine cannot be achieved through existing legal means of protection alone due to its unique characteristics) system for traditional knowledge, a more favorable environment for the preservation and development of traditional Chinese medicine will ultimately be created.

Induced pluripotent stem cells and personalized medicine: current progress and future perspectives

OpenAIRE

Chun, Yong Soon; Byun, Kyunghee; Lee, Bonghee

2011-01-01

Generation of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) has revolutionized the field of regenerative medicine by providing researchers with a unique tool to derive disease-specific stem cells for study. iPSCs can self-renew and can differentiate into many cell types, offering a potentially unlimited source of cells for targeted differentiation into somatic effector cells. Hence, iPSCs are likely to be invaluable for therapeutic applications and disease-related research. In this review, we summar...

Research progress of traditional Chinese medicine extract for retinal ischemia-reperfusion injury

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Qian-Yu Jia

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Retinal ischemia-reperfusion injury(RIRIis a common clinical disease, and the producing mechanism is still in research. Experimental and clinical research in recent years have showed that the mechanism of RIRI and oxygen free radicals, gene regulation, calcium overload, inflammatory cytokines and other factors are closely related. In this article, we summarized the current situation that the scholars at home and abroad study traditional Chinese medicine extract of prevention and treatment of RIRI.

Teaching history of medicine in the perspective of "medical humanities".

Science.gov (United States)

von Engelhardt, D

1999-03-01

The current interest in philosophical questions and ethical aspects of medicine turns attention towards the past and obtains suggestions and perspectives from previous descriptions and interpretations of sickness, therapy, and the relation between the patient and physician. Culture as therapy and therapy as culture are fundamental challenges for the present; physician, patient, and society, i.e., humans and humane medicine, need this dialogue, which should also be constitutive for teaching history of medicine. Through the separation of the natural sciences and the humanities, modern progress of medicine has produced many benefits but has, at the same time, raised many problems. Negative consequences of this development exist not only for the patient, but also for his personal environment and for the physician. In the course of modern history, there have been several reactions aimed at overcoming these one-sided tendencies: in the Renaissance, in the epoch of Romanticism and Idealism, and at the beginning and the end of the 19th century. This article outlines, with historical examples and contemporary reflections, the concept of teaching history of medicine in the perspective of "medical humanities".

Alternatives to relational databases in precision medicine: Comparison of NoSQL approaches for big data storage using supercomputers

Science.gov (United States)

Velazquez, Enrique Israel

Improvements in medical and genomic technologies have dramatically increased the production of electronic data over the last decade. As a result, data management is rapidly becoming a major determinant, and urgent challenge, for the development of Precision Medicine. Although successful data management is achievable using Relational Database Management Systems (RDBMS), exponential data growth is a significant contributor to failure scenarios. Growing amounts of data can also be observed in other sectors, such as economics and business, which, together with the previous facts, suggests that alternate database approaches (NoSQL) may soon be required for efficient storage and management of big databases. However, this hypothesis has been difficult to test in the Precision Medicine field since alternate database architectures are complex to assess and means to integrate heterogeneous electronic health records (EHR) with dynamic genomic data are not easily available. In this dissertation, we present a novel set of experiments for identifying NoSQL database approaches that enable effective data storage and management in Precision Medicine using patients' clinical and genomic information from the cancer genome atlas (TCGA). The first experiment draws on performance and scalability from biologically meaningful queries with differing complexity and database sizes. The second experiment measures performance and scalability in database updates without schema changes. The third experiment assesses performance and scalability in database updates with schema modifications due dynamic data. We have identified two NoSQL approach, based on Cassandra and Redis, which seems to be the ideal database management systems for our precision medicine queries in terms of performance and scalability. We present NoSQL approaches and show how they can be used to manage clinical and genomic big data. Our research is relevant to the public health since we are focusing on one of the main

Traditional Chinese medicines and Alzheimer's disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Tzong-Yuan; Chen, Chih-Ping; Chen, Chip-Ping; Jinn, Tzyy-Rong

2011-06-01

Traditional Chinese medicines have been widely investigated for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD) because none of the current therapies-either the cholinesterase inhibitors or antagonist of N-methyl-d-aspartate receptors-has profound effects on halting the progression of AD. In recent years, scientists have isolated many active compounds from herbs, which can alleviate dementia and neurodegenerative syndrome with fewer side effects than conventional drugs and, thus, are regarded as promising drug candidates for AD therapy. In this review, we summarize the latest research progress on six herbs for AD therapy-Huperzia serrata, Amaryllidaceae family, Ginkgo biloba, Uncaria rhynchophylla, Polygala tenuifolia, and Salvia officinalis-and focus on the analysis of their active components and possible mechanisms of pharmacological actions on AD. Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Children's (Pediatric) Nuclear Medicine

Medline Plus

Full Text Available ... measure the amount of the radiotracer in a small area of your child's body. top of page How is the procedure performed? Nuclear medicine imaging is usually performed on an ... Intravenous: a small needle is used to inject the radiotracer. The ...

Women's Health and Women's Leadership in Academic Medicine: Hitting the Same Glass Ceiling?

Science.gov (United States)

Morrissey, Claudia; Geller, Stacie E.

2008-01-01

Abstract The term “glass ceiling” refers to women's lack of advancement into leadership positions despite no visible barriers. The term has been applied to academic medicine for over a decade but has not previously been applied to the advancement of women's health. This paper discusses (1) the historical linking of the advances in women's health with women's leadership in academic medicine, (2) the slow progress of women into leadership in academic medicine, and (3) indicators that the advancement of women's health has stalled. We make the case that deeply embedded unconscious gender-based biases and assumptions underpin the stalled advancement of women on both fronts. We conclude with recommendations to promote progress beyond the apparent glass ceiling that is preventing further advancement of women's health and women leaders. We emphasize the need to move beyond “fixing the women” to a systemic, institutional approach that acknowledges and addresses the impact of unconscious, gender-linked biases that devalue and marginalize women and issues associated with women, such as their health. PMID:18954235

Development of a novel sports medicine rotation for emergency medicine residents

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Waterbrook AL

2016-04-01

total number of dislocation reductions performed by each graduating resident at both programs over the last 5 years. While all residents in both programs exceeded the ten dislocation reductions required for graduation, residents on the sports medicine rotation had a statistically significant higher rate of satisfaction of their educational experience when compared to the traditional orthopedics rotation. All SC residents successfully completed their sports medicine rotation, had completed postrotation evaluations by attending physicians, and had no duty hour violations while on sports medicine. In our experience, a sports medicine rotation is an effective alternative to the traditional orthopedics rotation for EM residents. Keywords: musculoskeletal medicine, musculoskeletal education, medical education, orthopedics

Innovative Perspectives of Integrated Chinese Medicine on H. pylori.

Science.gov (United States)

Ye, Hui; Shi, Zong-Ming; Chen, Yao; Yu, Jing; Zhang, Xue-Zhi

2018-06-08

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) treatment requires the development of more effective therapies, mainly owing to the challenges posed by the bacterial resistance to antibiotics. In China, critically high infection and antibiotic resistance rates have limited the application of classic H. pylori eradication therapies. Consequently, researchers are attempting to find new solutions by drawing from traditional medicine. This article reviews basic scientific and clinical progress in the use of integrated Chinese and Western medicine (IM) to treat H. pylori; describes the conflicting results between in vivo and in vitro studies in this regard; discusses the observed clinical effects of IM, with emphasis on traditional patent medicines; and proposes a role for IM in both the diagnosis and treatment of H. pylori, including the use of tongue manifestation as an early diagnostic method and capitalizing on IM's direct and indirect methods for enhancing antibiotic effect.

Performance Pay Improves Engagement, Progress, and Satisfaction in Computer-Based Job Skills Training of Low-Income Adults

Science.gov (United States)

Koffarnus, Mikhail N.; DeFulio, Anthony; Sigurdsson, Sigurdur O.; Silverman, Kenneth

2013-01-01

Advancing the education of low-income adults could increase employment and income, but adult education programs have not successfully engaged low-income adults. Monetary reinforcement may be effective in promoting progress in adult education. This experiment evaluated the benefits of providing incentives for performance in a job-skills training…

Rational use of medicines - Indian perspective!

Science.gov (United States)

Mohanta, G P; Manna, P K

2015-01-01

Government developed policies and regulations for combating antimicrobial resistance, controlling the prices of medicines, establishing generic medicines stores and advocating for the need for improvement of medicine logistics at state level and prescription auditing system. There is wide variation in medicine procurement and management system among the states. Spending on medicines ranges from as small as 2% of health budget to as high as 17%. The procurement system varies from individual facilities to partial pooled procurement to complete centralised system.There are attempts of developing essential medicine lists, standard treatment guidelines and costing of treatment of common illnesses. Except for the few states, essential medicine list remains an ornamental showpiece. However, with apex court's intervention, the prices are now controlled for all 348 medicines listed in national list. The pharmaceutical companies continue to violate price regulations either through making the medicines at different strengths or new fixed dose combinations (FDCs). Perhaps the largest number of FDCs and many of them with no valid justification are available in the country. Decisions on compulsory licensing have made the new anticancer medicines affordable. Other countries have also benefited from this decision. While some progress has been made for appropriate use of medicines in public health facilities, there are little efforts in private sectors and at community levels. Availability of prescription medicines without much control and free drug advertising are other concerns. Like all other countries irrational use of medicines continues to be of concern in India despite of several attempts of improving use of medicines both in the health system as well as in community. But efforts continue to be made for improving the use of medicines!

Charting the Road to Competence: Developmental Milestones for Internal Medicine Residency Training

Science.gov (United States)

Green, Michael L.; Aagaard, Eva M.; Caverzagie, Kelly J.; Chick, Davoren A.; Holmboe, Eric; Kane, Gregory; Smith, Cynthia D.; Iobst, William

2009-01-01

Background The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) Outcome Project requires that residency program directors objectively document that their residents achieve competence in 6 general dimensions of practice. Intervention In November 2007, the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) and the ACGME initiated the development of milestones for internal medicine residency training. ABIM and ACGME convened a 33-member milestones task force made up of program directors, experts in evaluation and quality, and representatives of internal medicine stakeholder organizations. This article reports on the development process and the resulting list of proposed milestones for each ACGME competency. Outcomes The task force adopted the Dreyfus model of skill acquisition as a framework the internal medicine milestones, and calibrated the milestones with the expectation that residents achieve, at a minimum, the “competency” level in the 5-step progression by the completion of residency. The task force also developed general recommendations for strategies to evaluate the milestones. Discussion The milestones resulting from this effort will promote competency-based resident education in internal medicine, and will allow program directors to track the progress of residents and inform decisions regarding promotion and readiness for independent practice. In addition, the milestones may guide curriculum development, suggest specific assessment strategies, provide benchmarks for resident self-directed assessment-seeking, and assist remediation by facilitating identification of specific deficits. Finally, by making explicit the profession's expectations for graduates and providing a degree of national standardization in evaluation, the milestones may improve public accountability for residency training. PMID:21975701

Measurements of the ionising radiation level at a nuclear medicine facility performing PET/CT examinations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tulik, P.; Kowalska, M.; Golnik, N.; Budzynska, A.; Dziuk, M.

2017-01-01

This paper presents the results of radiation level measurements at workplaces in a nuclear medicine facility performing PET/ CT examinations. This study meticulously determines the staff radiation exposure in a PET/CT facility by tracking the path of patient movement. The measurements of the instantaneous radiation exposure were performed using an electronic radiometer with a proportional counter that was equipped with the option of recording the results on line. The measurements allowed for visualisation of the staff's instantaneous exposure caused by a patient walking through the department after the administration of "1"8F-FDG. An estimation of low doses associated with each working step and the exposure during a routine day in the department was possible. The measurements were completed by determining the average radiation level using highly sensitive thermoluminescent detectors. (authors)

[Christian Ehrenfried Eschenbach (1712-1788)--a pioneer of legal medicine in German universities].

Science.gov (United States)

Wegener, Rudolf

2004-01-01

Christian Ehrenfried Eschenbach (1712-1788) belongs to the forerunners of the embossed natural science scholars of legal medicine in Germany. As a principal re-elected 11 times and dean of the medical faculty at Rostock University he defended academic positions in difficult times. His bibliography comprises numerous text books, e.g. on surgery, anatomy, pathology and obstetrics as well as various fields of mathematics. His Medicina legalis (1746 and 1775) belongs to the first systematic editions of forensic medicine in the German-speaking community. Thanks to his extensive practical experience as a physician and public health officer he took a very progressive position on questions of forensic medicine, issues of professional ethics in medicine and the assessment of injuries. He has wrongly been forgotten.

Encompassing Sexual Medicine within Psychiatry: Pros and Cons

Science.gov (United States)

Segraves, Robert Taylor

2010-01-01

Objective: This article examines the positive and negative aspects of psychiatry encompassing sexual medicine within its purview. Methods: MEDLINE searches for the period between 1980 to the present were performed with the terms "psychiatry," "sexual medicine," and "sexual dysfunction." In addition, sexual medicine texts were reviewed for chapters…

International Comparability of 131I, 201TI and 99mTc Activity Measurements performed in Cuban Nuclear Medicine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oropesa, P; Serra, R; Hernandez, A.T.; Varela, C

2006-01-01

This paper refers about the International Comparability of 131 I, 201 TI and 99m Tc Activity Measurements performed in Cuban Nuclear Medicine. Traceability of activity measurements in nuclear medicine based in two aspects: Comparability of clinic results and the safe and effective use of drugs. A bilateral international comparison for activity measurements CIEMAT CENTIS DMR was done. 2000-2004 National Program for 99m Tc 201 TI, 131 I vial and syringe measurements in radionuclide calibrators including a simulated test for activity administration. It is employed the Cause Effect Diagram for the activity measurement result of a source in the calibrator and the statistical methods for comparing several characteristics of the obtained data. The result of the comparisons demonstrates that the measurement quality has increased from one year to another

Recent progress in EAST towards long-pulse high-performance operations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Liang; Wan Baonian; Li Jiangang; Guo Houyang; Liang Yunfeng; Xu Guosheng; Gong Xianzu; Garofalo, Andrea

2015-01-01

Significant advance has been made in EAST on both physics and technology fronts towards the long-pulse operation of high-confinement plasma regimes since the last IAEA-FEC. The EAST capabilities have been greatly upgraded, including the significantly enhanced CW H and CD system with up to 26 MW heating power, more than 70 diagnostics, ITER-like W monoblock top divertor, two internal cryo-pumps and RMP coils, enabling EAST to investigate long-pulse H-mode operation with dominant electron heating and low input torque, and to address some of critical issues for ITER. Remarkable physics progress has been made on controlling transient ELM and stationary divertor heat fluxes, e.g., ELM mitigation/suppression/pacing with LHCD and SMBI, real-time Li aerosol injection for long pulse ELM-free H-mode, edge coherent mode for continuous pedestal particle and power removal, and the combination of LHCD and SMBI to actively modify the stationary power footprint by regulating the divertor conditions. In the 2014 commissioning campaign, long-pulse high-performance H-mode up to 28 s has been obtained with H_9_8∼1.15, i.e., about ∼ 30% higher than the record 32 s H-mode achieved in the 2012 campaign. Other key new experimental achievements are: (1) high performance H-mode with β_N ∼ 2 and plasma stored energy ∼ 220 kJ, (2) high performance operation with core T_e ∼ 4.5 keV, (3) H-mode plasma enabled by NBI alone or LHW+NBI modulation for the first time in EAST, (4) demonstration of a quasi snowflake divertor configuration, (5) new findings on L-H transition and pedestal physics. (author)

Technical Developments and Clinical Use of Telemedicine in Sleep Medicine

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marie Bruyneel

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The use of assistive technology and telemedicine is likely to continue to shape our medical practice in the future, notably in the field of sleep medicine, especially within developed countries. Currently, the number of people suffering from obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS is increasing. Telemedicine (TM can be used in a variety of ways in sleep medicine: telediagnostics, teleconsultation, teletherapy and telemonitoring of patients being treated with positive pressure devices. In this review, we aim to summarize the recent scientific progresses of these techniques and their potential clinical applications and give consideration to the remaining problems related to TM application.

Impact of night shifts on emergency medicine resident resuscitation performance.

Science.gov (United States)

Edgerley, Sarah; McKaigney, Conor; Boyne, Devon; Ginsberg, Darrell; Dagnone, J Damon; Hall, Andrew K

2018-03-12

Emergency medicine (EM) trainees often work nightshifts. We sought to measure how this circadian disruption affects EM resident performance during simulated resuscitations. This retrospective cohort study enrolled EM residents at a single Canadian academic centre over a six-year period. Residents completed twice-annual simulation-based resuscitation-focused objective structured clinical examinations (OSCEs) with assessment in four domains (primary assessment, diagnostic actions, therapeutic actions and communication), and a global assessment score (GAS). Primary and secondary exposures of interest were the presence of a nightshift (late-evening shifts ending between midnight and 03h00 or overnight shifts ending after 06h00) the day before or within three days before an OSCE. A random effects linear regression model was used to quantify the association between nightshifts and OSCE scores. From 57 residents, 136 OSCE scores were collected. Working a nightshift the day before an OSCE did not affect male trainee scores but was associated with a significant absolute decrease in mean total scores (-6% [95% CI -12% to 0%]), GAS (-7% [-13% to 0%]), and communication (-9% [-16% to -2%]) scores among women. Working any nightshift within three days before an OSCE lowered absolute mean total scores by 4% [-7% to 0%] and communication scores by 5% [-5% to 0%] irrespective of gender. Our results suggest that shift work may impact EM resident resuscitation performance, particularly in the communication domain. This impact may be more significant in women than men, suggesting a need for further investigation. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Traditional Chinese medicines and Alzheimer’s disease

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tzong-Yuan Wu

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Traditional Chinese medicines have been widely investigated for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease (AD because none of the current therapies—either the cholinesterase inhibitors or antagonist of N-methyl-d-aspartate receptors—has profound effects on halting the progression of AD. In recent years, scientists have isolated many active compounds from herbs, which can alleviate dementia and neurodegenerative syndrome with fewer side effects than conventional drugs and, thus, are regarded as promising drug candidates for AD therapy. In this review, we summarize the latest research progress on six herbs for AD therapy—Huperzia serrata, Amaryllidaceae family, Ginkgo biloba, Uncaria rhynchophylla, Polygala tenuifolia, and Salvia officinalis—and focus on the analysis of their active components and possible mechanisms of pharmacological actions on AD.

Artificial intelligence, physiological genomics, and precision medicine.

Science.gov (United States)

Williams, Anna Marie; Liu, Yong; Regner, Kevin R; Jotterand, Fabrice; Liu, Pengyuan; Liang, Mingyu

2018-04-01

Big data are a major driver in the development of precision medicine. Efficient analysis methods are needed to transform big data into clinically-actionable knowledge. To accomplish this, many researchers are turning toward machine learning (ML), an approach of artificial intelligence (AI) that utilizes modern algorithms to give computers the ability to learn. Much of the effort to advance ML for precision medicine has been focused on the development and implementation of algorithms and the generation of ever larger quantities of genomic sequence data and electronic health records. However, relevance and accuracy of the data are as important as quantity of data in the advancement of ML for precision medicine. For common diseases, physiological genomic readouts in disease-applicable tissues may be an effective surrogate to measure the effect of genetic and environmental factors and their interactions that underlie disease development and progression. Disease-applicable tissue may be difficult to obtain, but there are important exceptions such as kidney needle biopsy specimens. As AI continues to advance, new analytical approaches, including those that go beyond data correlation, need to be developed and ethical issues of AI need to be addressed. Physiological genomic readouts in disease-relevant tissues, combined with advanced AI, can be a powerful approach for precision medicine for common diseases.

Liver regenerative medicine: advances and challenges.

Science.gov (United States)

Chistiakov, Dimitry A

2012-01-01

Liver transplantation is the standard care for many end-stage liver diseases. However, donor organs are scarce and some people succumb to liver failure before a donor is found. Liver regenerative medicine is a special interdisciplinary field of medicine focused on the development of new therapies incorporating stem cells, gene therapy and engineered tissues in order to repair or replace the damaged organ. In this review we consider the emerging progress achieved in the hepatic regenerative medicine within the last decade. The review starts with the characterization of liver organogenesis, fetal and adult stem/progenitor cells. Then, applications of primary hepatocytes, embryonic and adult (mesenchymal, hematopoietic and induced pluripotent) stem cells in cell therapy of liver diseases are considered. Current advances and challenges in producing mature hepatocytes from stem/progenitor cells are discussed. A section about hepatic tissue engineering includes consideration of synthetic and natural biomaterials in engineering scaffolds, strategies and achievements in the development of 3D bioactive matrices and 3D hepatocyte cultures, liver microengineering, generating bioartificial liver and prospects for fabrication of the bioengineered liver. Copyright © 2012 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Complementary and Alternative Medicine and Osteoarthritis.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Chenchen

2013-01-01

Patients with osteoarthritis experience high levels of pain, psychological distress and have limited therapeutic options. Emerging evidence from clinical trials suggests that both acupuncture and Tai Chi mind-body therapies are safe and effective treatments for osteoarthritis. Acupuncture has effects over and above those of 'sham acupuncture' and the most robust evidence to date demonstrates that acupuncture does have short-term benefits and is a reasonable referral option for patients with symptomatic osteoarthritis. Tai Chi is a mind-body exercise that enhances cardiovascular fitness, muscular strength, balance, and physical function. It also appears to be associated with reduced stress and anxiety and depression, as well as improved quality of life. Thus, Tai Chi may be safely recommended to patients with osteoarthritis as a complementary and alternative medical approach to affect patient well-being. Integrative approaches combine the best of conventional medicine and complementary and alternative medicine to ultimately improve patient care. These modalities may lead to the development of better disease modifying strategies that could improve symptoms and decrease the progression of osteoarthritis. This overview synthesizes the current body of knowledge about Chinese mind-body medicine to better inform clinical decision-making for our rheumatic patients.

PRECISION MEDICINE - The Golden Gate for Detection, Treatment and Prevention of Alzheimer’s Disease

Science.gov (United States)

Hampel, H.; O’Bryant, S.E.; Castrillo, J.I.; Ritchie, C.; Rojkova, K.; Broich, K.; Benda, N.; Nisticò, R.; Frank, R.A.; Dubois, B.; Escott-Price, V.; Lista, S.

2016-01-01

During this decade, breakthrough conceptual shifts have commenced to emerge in the field of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) recognizing risk factors and the non-linear dynamic continuum of complex pathophysiologies amongst a wide dimensional spectrum of multi-factorial brain proteinopathies/neurodegenerative diseases. As is the case in most fields of medicine, substantial advancements in detecting, treating and preventing AD will likely evolve from the generation and implementation of a systematic precision medicine strategy. This approach will likely be based on the success found from more advanced research fields, such as oncology. Precision medicine will require integration and transfertilization across fragmented specialities of medicine and direct reintegration of Neuroscience, Neurology and Psychiatry into a continuum of medical sciences away from the silo approach. Precision medicine is biomarker-guided medicine on systems-levels that takes into account methodological advancements and discoveries of the comprehensive pathophysiological profiles of complex multi-factorial neurodegenerative diseases, such as late-onset sporadic AD. This will allow identifying and characterizing the disease processes at the asymptomatic preclinical stage, where pathophysiological and topographical abnormalities precede overt clinical symptoms by many years to decades. In this respect, the uncharted territory of the AD preclinical stage has become a major research challenge as the field postulates that early biomarker guided customized interventions may offer the best chance of therapeutic success. Clarification and practical operationalization is needed for comprehensive dissection and classification of interacting and converging disease mechanisms, description of genomic and epigenetic drivers, natural history trajectories through space and time, surrogate biomarkers and indicators of risk and progression, as well as considerations about the regulatory, ethical, political and

Evaluation of medicinal interventions for the management of oral submucous fibrosis: a systematic review of the literature.

Science.gov (United States)

Awan, Kamran Habib; Patil, Shankargouda; Habib, Syed Rashid; Pejcic, Ana; Zain, Rosnah Binti

2014-11-01

Oral submucous fibrosis is a chronic, progressive scarring disease associated with both significant morbidity including pain and limited mouth opening and an increased risk for malignancy. This systematic review evaluated the different medicinal (i.e. nonsurgical) interventions available for the management of oral submucous fibrosis. An automated literature searches of online databases from January 1960 to December 2013 were performed and only studies with high level of evidence based on the guidelines of the Oxford Centre for evidence-based medicine were selected. Thirteen studies (3 randomized controlled trials and 10 clinical trials/controlled clinical trials) were included and drugs like steroids, hyaluronidase, human placenta extracts, chymotrypsin and collagenase, pentoxifylline, nylidrin hydrochloride, iron and multivitamin supplements including lycopene were used. There is a clear lack of evidence on the available drug treatment for oral submucous fibrosis and further high quality randomized controlled trials are needed to evaluate the different therapeutic agents.

Progress and performance of on-line analyzers of coal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Spencer, C.M.; Brown, D.R.; Gozani, T.; Bozorgmanesh, H.; Bernatowicz, H.; Tassicker, O.J.; Karlson, F.

1982-01-01

This paper describes the past year's progress in the laboratory testing of the most comprehensive Nucoalyzer, the CONAC, and the performance of a Nucoalyzer-Sulfurmeter in special field tests. Previous papers and presentations provide more detailed background information. The near real-time analysis provided by a Nucoalyzer can be used in a variety of strategies to optimize efficiency of coal use. Nucoalyzers can be used to monitor coal deliveries and achieve uniformity in coal storage and recovery. In a coal cleaning plant, on-line analysis with a Nucoalyzer can lead to optimum Btu recovery while meeting specifications for the washed coal. A Nucoalyzer can monitor the blending of different coals to maintain a key cosntituent such as sulfur below a specified level, or can predict sulfur dioxide emissions, allowing feed-forward control to gas scrubbers and precipitators. Variability in coal feed to the boiler can lead to gross changes in thermodynamic efficiency in combustion. In addition, fouling and slagging incidents due to poor coal quality cause costly boiler shutdowns and maintenance. Nucoalyzer monitoring of key constituents and Btu in the coal feed allows operators to adjust boiler parameters for increased efficiency. To summarize, the primary advantages of Nucoalyzers relate to their ability to quickly identify changes in coal composition so that adjustments can be made in a timely manner to accommodate these changes in the process being monitored. Nucoalyzers are the only instruments available that can monitor the coal (for ash, Btu, sulfur, etc.) on-line and provide real-time continuous results. One Nucoalyzer is already working in the field, and by the time of the next Symposium we will have had performance reports on two more

How Drug Control Policy and Practice Undermine Access to Controlled Medicines.

Science.gov (United States)

Burke-Shyne, Naomi; Csete, Joanne; Wilson, Duncan; Fox, Edward; Wolfe, Daniel; Rasanathan, Jennifer J K

2017-06-01

Drug conventions serve as the cornerstone for domestic drug laws and impose a dual obligation upon states to prevent the misuse of controlled substances while ensuring their adequate availability for medical and scientific purposes. Despite the mandate that these obligations be enforced equally, the dominant paradigm enshrined in the drug conventions is an enforcement-heavy criminal justice response to controlled substances that prohibits and penalizes their misuse. Prioritizing restrictive control is to the detriment of ensuring adequate availability of and access to controlled medicines, thereby violating the rights of people who need them. This paper argues that the drug conventions' prioritization of criminal justice measures-including efforts to prevent non-medical use of controlled substances-undermines access to medicines and infringes upon the right to health and the right to enjoy the benefits of scientific progress. While the effects of criminalization under drug policy limit the right to health in multiple ways, we draw on research and documented examples to highlight the impact of drug control and criminalization on access to medicines. The prioritization and protection of human rights-specifically the right to health and the right to enjoy the benefits of scientific progress-are critical to rebalancing drug policy.

Country-wide quality control of equipment in Norwegian laboratories performing in vivo nuclear medicine examinations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Skretting, A.; Rootwelt, K.; Berthelsen, T.

1984-01-01

The report presents the methods used and the results obtained in quality control tests performd in all Norwegian hospital laboratories performing in vivo nuclear medicine examinations. The tests included activity meters and scintillation cameras. The activity meters were tested by means of calibrated, long-lived radioactive sources. The quality of these instruments were judged to be satisfactory for moderate and high activities, non of them showing a deviation of more than 10% from the calibration value. Deviations were larger at low activities and were for some laboratories unacceptable. The scintillation cameras test included studies of flood field (homogeneity), geometrical resolution and energy resolution, as well as measurements of count rate characteristics and sensitivity. 40% of the cameras were judged to have flood field responses with satisfactory homogeneity, whereas 32% of the cameras had a satisfactory resolution ability. A liver/abdomen phantom test was carried out by the staff of the actual laboratory. This test proved that only 20% of the laboratories had a satisfactory total performance, managing to detect and describe satisfactorily 4 out of 5 simulated defects in the liver phantom. Lack of information density and insufficient number of projections was the main reason for unsatisfactory results with good cameras. It is recommended that quality control equipment as used in the described tests should be made available to Norwegian hospitals for self assessment. Regular quality assurance tests as recommended by the Norwegian Association for Radiation Physics and Norwegian Society of Nuclear Medicine should be implemented in all hospitals. Moreover, a practical training course in quality assurance should be arranged. (RF)

MEDICINE FOR HEALTHY PEOPLE – ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT REQUIREMENTS FOR CONTEMPORARY MEDICINE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

TEOFIL LUNG

2015-05-01

Full Text Available The present article, signed by one prominent Romanian scholar specialized in oral and maxillo-facial surgery, evaluates the main reference points (benchmarks of the “medicine for healthy people” – as an alternative medicine set in contrast with conventional medicine. The medicine for healthy people is a more recent approach to medicine, which emphasizes health habits that prevent disease, including eating a healthier diet, getting adequate exercise, and insuring a safe environment. In this respect, there is a special connection between medicine and society as far as social life has an impact on morbidity and mortality rate, and vice versa. Medicine is indisputably an extremely complex science, but it is, also, an “art” of healing. The quality of medical performance depends upon the scientific and human quality of the practitioner. Technology is only secondary. The very large quantity of graduates of medical studies is surely at the expense of the quality of the art of healing (a clear sign that we stray from this desiderate. Sociological studies regarding the evolution of the human being prove undoubtedly that we are in obvious regression. What is the cause? Man as a self-destructing being! The solution? The return to nature and to the “medicine for healthy people”. The conditions needed to meet this goal are disclosed throughout the present paper

Value-Based Health Care Delivery, Preventive Medicine and the Medicalization of Public Health

OpenAIRE

Vilhelmsson, Andreas

2017-01-01

The?real paradigm shift for healthcare is often stated to include a transition from accentuating health care production and instead emphasize patient value by moving to a??value-based health care delivery?. In this transition, personalized medicine is sometimes referred to as almost a panacea in solving the current and future health challenges.?In theory, the progress of precision medicine sounds uncontroversial and most welcomed with its promise of?a better healthcare for all, with real bene...

[Intensive medicine in Spain].

Science.gov (United States)

2011-03-01

the future of intensive care medicine in Spain and in Europe, recommendations are made towards specialization in intensive care medicine incorporating in the training program those competences (knowledge, skills and attitudes) that should be present an intensivist in Europe and that are extensively fulfilled by the current Spanish training program. The trajectory followed by intensive care medicine in Europe and recently in China, shows the increasing need of intensive care and the progressive recognition of the specialty in economically growing countries, and emphasizes the need of homogenization in the training of future specialists in intensive care medicine globally. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier España, S.L. y SEMICYUC. All rights reserved.

Self-assembling peptide nanofiber hydrogels in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine: Progress, design guidelines, and applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Koutsopoulos, Sotirios

2016-04-01

Until the mid-1980s, mainly biologists were conducting peptide research. This changed with discoveries that opened new paths of research involving the use of peptides in bioengineering, biotechnology, biomedicine, nanotechnology, and bioelectronics. Peptide engineering and rational design of novel peptide sequences with unique and tailor-made properties further expanded the field. The discovery of short self-assembling peptides, which upon association form well-defined supramolecular architectures, created new and exciting areas of research. Depending on the amino acid sequence, the pH, and the type of the electrolyte in the medium, peptide self-assembly leads to the formation of nanofibers, which are further organized to form a hydrogel. In this review, the application of ionic complementary peptides which self-assemble to form nanofiber hydrogels for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine will be discussed through a selective presentation of the most important work performed during the last 25 years. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Using the Malcolm Baldrige "are we making progress" survey for organizational self-assessment and performance improvement.

Science.gov (United States)

Shields, Judith A; Jennings, Jerry L

2013-01-01

A national healthcare company applied the Malcolm Baldrige Criteria for Performance Excellence and its "Are We Making Progress?" survey as an annual organizational self-assessment to identify areas for improvement. For 6 years, Liberty Healthcare Corporation reviewed the survey results on an annual basis to analyze positive and negative trends, monitor company progress toward targeted goals and develop new initiatives to address emerging areas for improvement. As such, the survey provided a simple and inexpensive methodology to gain useful information from employees at all levels and from multiple service sites and business sectors. In particular, it provided a valuable framework for assessing and improving the employees' commitment to the company's mission and values, high standards and ethics, quality of work, and customer satisfaction. The methodology also helped the company to incorporate the philosophy and principles of continuous quality improvement in a unified fashion. Corporate and local leadership used the same measure to evaluate the performance of individual programs relative to each other, to the company as a whole, and to the "best practices" standard of highly successful companies that received the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award. © 2012 National Association for Healthcare Quality.

Occupational medicine practice in the United States since the industrial revolution.

Science.gov (United States)

Gochfeld, Michael

2005-02-01

Occupational medicine lies at the interface between work and health. Not only do workplace hazards impact health, but our state of health influences our ability to get to work, to perform work, to tolerate work, and to gain a measure of satisfaction from the work we do. Comprehensive occupational medicine requires familiarity with the work that patients do; knowledge of the workplace itself and its hazards; appreciation of the social forces that shape work; and understanding of how chemical, physical, biologic, mechanical, and psychosocial agents influence health. Many practitioners who treat injured workers or provide disability assessments have no more formal training in occupational medicine than primary care physicians in general, which limits the quality, or at least the scope, of the care they give to workers. This history has been compiled from books, journals, letters and recollections. A subset of journal issues from each decade after 1910 has been systematically reviewed, making no attempt to read through every issue. Industrial medicine as we recognize it began in the late-1800s, grew rapidly in the early and mid-1900s, and peaked toward the end of the 20th century, when American corporations began to outsource medical services, supporting the rise of free-standing industrial medicine facilities, chains of which now operate profitably throughout the country. Many of these facilities emphasize injury treatment, work hardening, and physical therapy rather than disease recognition and prevention. Occupational medicine is one of the very few medical specialties to be underserved. Board-certified specialists are relatively few, and when supply falls short of demand, the demand has tended to lower its sights. Occupational medicine has always been influenced by economics, politics, and changing patterns of employment, and today these forces include managed care, weakened unions, outsourcing and contract labor, and a generally growing political and social

[Analysis of difficult problems on European Union laws and regulations of traditional herbal medicinal products].

Science.gov (United States)

Qu, Li-Ping; Zhang, Xiao-Qun; Xiong, Yan; Wang, Yi-Tao; Zou, Wen-Jun

2017-10-01

Registration of Chinese patent medicine in European Union (EU) is of great significance to the internationalization of traditional Chinese medicine as EU market acts as an important position in the global botanical market. In retrospect, the domestic studies on EU regulations of traditional herbal medicinal products have been conducted for more than 10 years, but there is still some cognitive bias and lack of research. In this paper, a review of the relevant research progress and the main misunderstanding problems about Directive 2004/24/EC, like the centralized and decentralized supervision system of traditional herbal medicinal products in the EU, marketing authorization procedures for traditional herbal medicinal products, Community Herbal Monograph and List Entries, would be systematically analyzed, so as to provide reference for the registration of Chinese patent medicine in EU. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

Nuclear medicine in Uzbekistan: Past, present and future

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rasulova, N.; Khodjibekova, M.; Myasnik, B.; Pirnazarov, M.; Atadjanova, M.

2007-01-01

thyroid cancer is about 3,7GBq (100 mCi). The maximum allowable radiation dose for the gen eral public, for both the carer of the patient and a family infant is 1 mSv. The maximum post I-131 therapy hospital discharge dose is 1 mSv at a 1.5 metre distance. An I-131 whole body scan is performed 3 days after I-131 therapy. The patient is followed-up in the nuclear medicine clinic after an additional week. I-131 WBS is performed annually for the first 2 years following radioiodine therapy to monitor the patient's progress. Normally, 185 MBq (5 mCi) scanning dose of I-131 is used. The patient is prepared for scanning by withdrawal of thyroxine suppression therapy 4 weeks prior to the scan. Serum thyroglobulin measurement is available in Uzbekistan at a cost of US$ 6 per sample. It is measured every 3 months routinely during the first 2 years post-radioiodine therapy. A pre-I-131 treatment level is also recorded four weeks after thyroidectomy. Antithyroglobulin antibody assay with appropriate dilutions is also available. Now, we are in negotiations with the IBA Company to introduce cyclotron and PET/CT in Uzbekistan. Thus, we will have the possibility of improving the diagnosis, to assess the response to therapy and monitoring of cancer patients. Nuclear Medicine in Uzbekistan has a bright future. (author)

Healthy children's perceptions of medicines: a review.

Science.gov (United States)

Hämeen-Anttila, Katri; Bush, Patricia J

2008-06-01

Chronically ill children's perceptions of medicines have been widely studied, but healthy children's less often. However, information on healthy children's beliefs and attitudes about medicine use is needed to be able to target health education messages about medicines appropriately. A literature review was performed to determine schoolchildren's attitudes, beliefs, and knowledge about medicines; autonomy in using medicines; expectations of using medicines; and questions about medicines, so as to guide the development of a medicine education curriculum and to inform health care professionals who communicate with children. This study was a review of literature from 17 countries. The review indicated that children of school age tend to view medicines cautiously. Although age is a factor, children have very limited ideas about how medicines work and issues around medicine efficacy are confusing to them. Even young children recognize that medicines may have harmful effects and, children of all ages and cultures studied want to learn more about medicines. Autonomy in medicine use is surprisingly high and disturbing given that knowledge of medicines is poor. Primary conclusions drawn are (1) children of the same age in different cultures appear similar in their attitudes, beliefs, behaviors, and desires to learn about medicines; (2) children lack information about medicines, especially in view of their levels of autonomy; and (3) health educators and health care professionals should educate children about rational medicine use, at appropriate cognitive development levels, before the children become independent medicine users.

Role of nuclear medicine in ischemic heart disease

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hayashida, Kohei; Nishimura, Tsunehiko; Uehara, Toshiisa; Naito, Hiroaki; Omine, Hiromi; Kozuka, Takahiro [National Cardiovascular Center, Suita, Osaka (Japan)

1982-08-01

With the progress in gamma camera and computer system, nuclear medicine has been applied for diagnostic tool in ischemic heart disease. There are two devices for cardiac images; (1) Radionuclide angiocardiography (RNA) by in vivo sup(99m)Tc-RBC labeling (2) Myocardial imaging by /sup 201/Tlcl. RNA can evaluate the kinesis of wall motion of left ventricle with gated pool scan and also detect reserve of cardiac function with exercise study. Myocardial imaging at rest can identify myocardial necrosis and the imaging in exercise can detect myocardial ischemia. The elaborateness and reproducibility of cardiac image in nuclear medicine will play the great role to evaluate clinical stage of ischemic heart disease by not only imaging but also functional diagnosis.

[Trust-based economics with medicine outcome-based pricing].

Science.gov (United States)

Lhoste, F

2013-09-01

In recent decades, the pharmaceutical industry as built a high level of confidence thanks to innovative medicines that improve both duration and quality of life. Some recent scandals have however discredited this industry, now suspected of cheating or bribery. Even the scientific progresses are challenged on the ground of possible conflicts of interests and value uncertainty. This situation is deleterious. Simultaneously the economic crisis exacerbates the payers' expectations in terms of clinical value and value/price ratio. It also stimulates the demand for outcomes in real life. This induces a new economic approach for the market access of highly expensive reimbursable drugs. It consists in paying only for drugs actually proven effective in terms of actual outcomes, with a full or partial refund of the payer in case of failure, according to accurate and simple criteria in so called "performance agreement". Confidence is restored accordingly. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Personalized Medicine and Cancer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mukesh Verma

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Cancer is one of the leading causes of death in the United States, and more than 1.5 million new cases and more than 0.5 million deaths were reported during 2010 in the United States alone. Following completion of the sequencing of the human genome, substantial progress has been made in characterizing the human epigenome, proteome, and metabolome; a better understanding of pharmacogenomics has been developed, and the potential for customizing health care for the individual has grown tremendously. Recently, personalized medicine has mainly involved the systematic use of genetic or other information about an individual patient to select or optimize that patient’s preventative and therapeutic care. Molecular profiling in healthy and cancer patient samples may allow for a greater degree of personalized medicine than is currently available. Information about a patient’s proteinaceous, genetic, and metabolic profile could be used to tailor medical care to that individual’s needs. A key attribute of this medical model is the development of companion diagnostics, whereby molecular assays that measure levels of proteins, genes, or specific mutations are used to provide a specific therapy for an individual’s condition by stratifying disease status, selecting the proper medication, and tailoring dosages to that patient’s specific needs. Additionally, such methods can be used to assess a patient’s risk factors for a number of conditions and to tailor individual preventative treatments. Recent advances, challenges, and future perspectives of personalized medicine in cancer are discussed.

Swimming performance, venous oxygen tension and cardiac performance of coronary-ligated rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss, exposed to progressive hypoxia

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Steffensen, J F; Farrell, A P

1998-01-01

We performed in vivo studies to examine the idea that cardiac work is impaired in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) below a certain venous PO2 threshold. We hypothesized that coronary-ligated fish, swimming continuously at a reasonably high water velocity (1.5 body lengths x s(-1)) and exposed...... to progressive hypoxia, would fatigue at higher venous PO2 and ambient water PO2 compared with sham-operated fish. However, we found that both the lowest venous PO2 that supported hypoxic swimming (9.9 torr for coronary-ligated fish and 11.1 torr for sham-operated fish) and the venous PO2 at fatigue (7.8 torr...... and 8.6 torr, respectively) were the same for coronary-ligated and sham-operated fish. Also, both groups quit swimming at the same water PO2 heart rate and hematocrit. Nevertheless, significant differences in cardiac performance did exist between the two groups. Whereas ventral aortic blood pressure...

Transforming Cancer Prevention through Precision Medicine and Immune-oncology.

Science.gov (United States)

Kensler, Thomas W; Spira, Avrum; Garber, Judy E; Szabo, Eva; Lee, J Jack; Dong, Zigang; Dannenberg, Andrew J; Hait, William N; Blackburn, Elizabeth; Davidson, Nancy E; Foti, Margaret; Lippman, Scott M

2016-01-01

We have entered a transformative period in cancer prevention (including early detection). Remarkable progress in precision medicine and immune-oncology, driven by extraordinary recent advances in genome-wide sequencing, big-data analytics, blood-based technologies, and deep understanding of the tumor immune microenvironment (TME), has provided unprecedented possibilities to study the biology of premalignancy. The pace of research and discovery in precision medicine and immunoprevention has been astonishing and includes the following clinical firsts reported in 2015: driver mutations detected in circulating cell-free DNA in patients with premalignant lesions (lung); clonal hematopoiesis shown to be a premalignant state; molecular selection in chemoprevention randomized controlled trial (RCT; oral); striking efficacy in RCT of combination chemoprevention targeting signaling pathway alterations mechanistically linked to germline mutation (duodenum); molecular markers for early detection validated for lung cancer and showing promise for pancreatic, liver, and ovarian cancer. Identification of HPV as the essential cause of a major global cancer burden, including HPV16 as the single driver of an epidemic of oropharyngeal cancer in men, provides unique opportunities for the dissemination and implementation of public health interventions. Important to immunoprevention beyond viral vaccines, genetic drivers of premalignant progression were associated with increasing immunosuppressive TME; and Kras vaccine efficacy in pancreas genetically engineered mouse (GEM) model required an inhibitory adjuvant (Treg depletion). In addition to developing new (e.g., epigenetic) TME regulators, recent mechanistic studies of repurposed drugs (aspirin, metformin, and tamoxifen) have identified potent immune activity. Just as precision medicine and immune-oncology are revolutionizing cancer therapy, these approaches are transforming cancer prevention. Here, we set out a brief agenda for the

Integrative Medicine in Preventive Medicine Education

Science.gov (United States)

Jani, Asim A.; Trask, Jennifer; Ali, Ather

2016-01-01

During 2012, the USDHHS’s Health Resources and Services Administration funded 12 accredited preventive medicine residencies to incorporate an evidence-based integrative medicine curriculum into their training programs. It also funded a national coordinating center at the American College of Preventive Medicine, known as the Integrative Medicine in Preventive Medicine Education (IMPriME) Center, to provide technical assistance to the 12 grantees. To help with this task, the IMPriME Center established a multidisciplinary steering committee, versed in integrative medicine, whose primary aim was to develop integrative medicine core competencies for incorporation into preventive medicine graduate medical education training. The competency development process was informed by central integrative medicine definitions and principles, preventive medicine’s dual role in clinical and population-based prevention, and the burgeoning evidence base of integrative medicine. The steering committee considered an interdisciplinary integrative medicine contextual framework guided by several themes related to workforce development and population health. A list of nine competencies, mapped to the six general domains of competence approved by the Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education, was operationalized through an iterative exercise with the 12 grantees in a process that included mapping each site’s competency and curriculum products to the core competencies. The competencies, along with central curricular components informed by grantees’ work presented elsewhere in this supplement, are outlined as a roadmap for residency programs aiming to incorporate integrative medicine content into their curricula. This set of competencies adds to the larger efforts of the IMPriME initiative to facilitate and enhance further curriculum development and implementation by not only the current grantees but other stakeholders in graduate medical education around integrative medicine

NON-MUSCULOSKELETAL SPORTS MEDICINE LEARNING IN FAMILY MEDICINE RESIDENCY PROGRAMS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pasqualino Caputo

2008-06-01

that contained a sports medicine fellowship. In order to protect anonymity, we did not receive other identifying information about candidates, such as demographics or whether participants belonged to a specific or common program. Thus, we could not group examinees by such variables as race, sex, or specific residency program.Faculty and graduates of the Halifax Sports Medicine Fellowship program at the Halifax Medical Center in Daytona Beach, Florida were asked to sort each examination question into (a non-musculoskeletal sports medicine questions and (b general family medicine questions on the ABFM ITE. Examples of non-musculoskeletal sports medicine questions included topics such as concussion, female triad, altitude medicine, cardiovascular conditions, etc. All other questions (except musculoskeletal medicine items were categorized as general family medicine questions. A total of seven faculty and graduates of the sports medicine fellowship completed the sorting task. All evaluators held board certification by the ABFM with Certificate of Added Qualifications (CAQ in Sports Medicine at the time of evaluation. Only identified questions with unanimous agreement by all 7 evaluators were used for data analysis. Table 1 shows the number of agreed-upon questions of each type for each year. As can be seen from Table 1, data from five different examinations were available to examine the impact of the fellowship on exam performance. For each examinee, we computed two total correct scores, one for the non-musculoskeletal sports medicine items, and one for general family medicine items. The specific items change each year (1998 to 2003, so that each year had to be considered separately. Although each of the five examinations allowed for the assessment and creation of scales for both non-musculoskeletal sports medicine and general family medicine knowledge, the number and nature of questions differed across years. Different people were examined across years as well. Therefore

A comprehensive review of recent studies on pharmacokinetics of traditional Chinese medicines (2014-2017) and perspectives.

Science.gov (United States)

Shi, Peiying; Lin, Xinhua; Yao, Hong

2018-05-01

Traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) have a long history for safely treating human diseases. Unlike western medicine, TCMs usually contain multiple components synergistically and holistically acting on the diseases. It remains a big challenge to represent rationally the in vivo process of multiple components of TCMs for understanding the relationship between administration and therapeutic effects. For years, efforts were always made to face the challenge, and the achievements were obvious. Here, we give an comprehensive overview of the recent investigation progress (from 2015 to 2017, except the part of 'integrated pharmacokinetics of TCMs' from 2014 to 2017 and the part of 'reverse pharmacokinetics in drug discovery from natural medicines' in 2014) on pharmacokinetics of TCMs, mainly referring to the following six aspects: (1) classical pharmacokinetic studies on TCMs; (2) absorbed components and metabolites identification of TCMs; (3) pharmacokinetic herb-drug interactions and herb-herb interactions with TCMs; (4) integrated pharmacokinetics of TCMs; (5) pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic combination studies to dissect the action mechanisms of TCMs; and (6) reverse pharmacokinetics in drug discovery from natural medicines. Finally, based on the insights from the recent progress and our latest efforts, we propose new perspectives on the integrated pharmacokinetics of TCMs.

Approach of forensic medicine to gossypiboma.

Science.gov (United States)

Karakaya, M Arif; Koç, Okay; Ekiz, Feza; Ağaçhan, A Feran

2015-01-01

The aim of this study was to assess the risk factors and preventive measures for gossypibomas and their medico-legal implications in forensic medicine in the Turkish legal system. This study involved a retrospective analysis of the records of 39 patients with gossypiboma. Records were available from the Istanbul Forensic Medicine Institution and were surveyed for faulty treatment between 2008 and 2012. Parameters such as distribution of the cases according to specializations, elective and emergency procedures, surgical procedures, radio-opaque sponge and fluoroscopy availability, routine sponge and instrument counting, number of nurses for counting, and control of the operative field by a second surgeon were investigated. All cases were evaluated by the Istanbul Forensic Medicine Institute 3rd Expertise Committee. This committee comprised of specialists from the departments of forensic medicine, orthopedics and traumatology, general surgery, neurology, internal medicine, pediatrics, chest disease, and infectious diseases. All cases were considered as poor medical practice (malpractice) and surgeons were found to be responsible. In 16 of these 39 cases (41%) emergency procedures were performed. No unexpected event was reported in any procedure. In 16 cases (41%), sponge count was performed and was reported to be complete. Operation notes were available in 16 (41%) cases. Control of the operative field was performed by 1 surgeon, and sponge and instrument count was performed by 1 scrub nurse. Radio-opaque sponge and fluoroscopy were available in 9 (23%) centers in these cases. Gossypiboma can be prevented not only with surgeons' care but also with adequate support of medical device and material. However, it is considered as a poor medical practice. Presence of only 1 general surgeon in the expertise committee and ignorance of the working conditions by the surgeons should be questioned.

Relationship among Translational Medicine, Evidence-Based Medicine and Precision Medicine

OpenAIRE

Xin-en HUANG

2016-01-01

Translational medicine is a new concept in international medical field. It integrates experimental research results and clinical guidance into the optimal implementation criteria for promoting the prediction, prevention and treatment of diseases. Based on people’s higher demand for medicine and health, appearance of translational medicine changes the mode of medical research.Evidence-based medicine (EBM) refers to cautious and accurate application of the current best research evidence and com...

THE SPECIALTY OF EMERGENCY MEDICINE IN CHILE: 20 YEARS OF HISTORY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

WK Mallon

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Chile is uniquely situated to be a leader in South American development of the specialty of Emergency Medicine. Chilean emergency medicine has successfully transitioned from a novelty training idea to a nationally and internationally recognized entity with serious public health goals. There are more residency training programs in Chile than in any other South American or Latin American country, and the specialty is formally recognized by the Ministry of Health. Chilean emergency medicine thought leaders have networked internationally with multiple groups, intelligently used outside resources, and created durable academic relationships. While focusing on locally important issues and patient care they have successfully advanced their agenda. Despite this, the specialty faces many new challenges and remains fragile but sustainable. Policy makers and the Chilean MOH need to be acutely aware of this fragility to preserve the progress achieved so far, and support ongoing maturation of the specialty of Emergency Medicine.

Integrative Medicine in Preventive Medicine Education

OpenAIRE

Jani, Asim A.; Trask, Jennifer; Ali, Ather

2015-01-01

During 2012, the USDHHS?s Health Resources and Services Administration funded 12 accredited preventive medicine residencies to incorporate an evidence-based integrative medicine curriculum into their training programs. It also funded a national coordinating center at the American College of Preventive Medicine, known as the Integrative Medicine in Preventive Medicine Education (IMPriME) Center, to provide technical assistance to the 12 grantees. To help with this task, the IMPriME Center esta...

75 FR 78718 - National Library of Medicine; Notice of Meeting

Science.gov (United States)

2010-12-16

... OF MEDICINE, including consideration of personnel qualifications and performance, and the competence... qualifications and performance, and competence of individual investigators. Place: National Library of Medicine... for Biomedical Communications. The meeting will be open to the public as indicated below, with...

Herbal Prescriptions and Medicinal Herbs for Parkinson-Related Rigidity in Korean Medicine: Identification of Candidates Using Text Mining.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, So Hyun; Hwang, Min Seob; Park, Hye Jin; Shin, Hwa Kyoung; Baek, Jin Ung; Choi, Byung Tae

2018-03-27

Dongeuibogam (DongYiBaoGian), one of the most important books in Korean medicine, comprises a comprehensive summary of all traditional medicines of North-East Asia before the 17th century. This medicinal literature was mined to establish a list of candidate herbs to treat Parkinson-related rigidity. A systematic search for terms describing Parkinson-related rigidity and candidate prescriptions for the treatment of Parkinson-related rigidity in the Dongeuibogam was performed. A high-frequency medicinal herb combination group and candidates for the treatment of Parkinson-related rigidity were also selected through an analysis of medicinal herb combination frequencies. The existing literature pertaining to the potential effects of candidate herbs for Parkinson-related rigidity was reviewed. Ten medicinal herb candidates for the treatment of Parkinson-related rigidity were selected, and their respective precedent studies were analyzed.

Medicinal chemistry inspired fragment-based drug discovery.

Science.gov (United States)

Lanter, James; Zhang, Xuqing; Sui, Zhihua

2011-01-01

Lead generation can be a very challenging phase of the drug discovery process. The two principal methods for this stage of research are blind screening and rational design. Among the rational or semirational design approaches, fragment-based drug discovery (FBDD) has emerged as a useful tool for the generation of lead structures. It is particularly powerful as a complement to high-throughput screening approaches when the latter failed to yield viable hits for further development. Engagement of medicinal chemists early in the process can accelerate the progression of FBDD efforts by incorporating drug-friendly properties in the earliest stages of the design process. Medium-chain acyl-CoA synthetase 2b and ketohexokinase are chosen as examples to illustrate the importance of close collaboration of medicinal chemists, crystallography, and modeling. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Precision medicine driven by cancer systems biology.

Science.gov (United States)

Filipp, Fabian V

2017-03-01

Molecular insights from genome and systems biology are influencing how cancer is diagnosed and treated. We critically evaluate big data challenges in precision medicine. The melanoma research community has identified distinct subtypes involving chronic sun-induced damage and the mitogen-activated protein kinase driver pathway. In addition, despite low mutation burden, non-genomic mitogen-activated protein kinase melanoma drivers are found in membrane receptors, metabolism, or epigenetic signaling with the ability to bypass central mitogen-activated protein kinase molecules and activating a similar program of mitogenic effectors. Mutation hotspots, structural modeling, UV signature, and genomic as well as non-genomic mechanisms of disease initiation and progression are taken into consideration to identify resistance mutations and novel drug targets. A comprehensive precision medicine profile of a malignant melanoma patient illustrates future rational drug targeting strategies. Network analysis emphasizes an important role of epigenetic and metabolic master regulators in oncogenesis. Co-occurrence of driver mutations in signaling, metabolic, and epigenetic factors highlights how cumulative alterations of our genomes and epigenomes progressively lead to uncontrolled cell proliferation. Precision insights have the ability to identify independent molecular pathways suitable for drug targeting. Synergistic treatment combinations of orthogonal modalities including immunotherapy, mitogen-activated protein kinase inhibitors, epigenetic inhibitors, and metabolic inhibitors have the potential to overcome immune evasion, side effects, and drug resistance.

The effect of chronic progressive-dose sodium bicarbonate ingestion on CrossFit-like performance: A double-blind, randomized cross-over trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Durkalec-Michalski, Krzysztof; Zawieja, Emilia E; Podgórski, Tomasz; Łoniewski, Igor; Zawieja, Bogna E; Warzybok, Marta; Jeszka, Jan

2018-01-01

Sodium bicarbonate (SB) has been proposed as an ergogenic aid, as it improves high-intensity and resistance exercise performance. However, no studies have yet investigated SB application in CrossFit. This study examined the effects of chronic, progressive-dose SB ingestion on CrossFit-like performance and aerobic capacity. In a randomized, double-blind, cross-over trial, 21 CrossFit-trained participants were randomly allocated to 2 groups and underwent 2 trials separated by a 14-day washout period. Participants ingested either up to 150 mg∙kg-1 of SB in a progressive-dose regimen or placebo for 10 days. Before and after each trial, Fight Gone Bad (FGB) and incremental cycling (ICT) tests were performed. In order to examine biochemical responses, blood samples were obtained prior to and 3 min after completing each exercise test. No gastrointestinal (GI) side effects were reported during the entire protocol. The overall FGB performance improved under SB by ~6.1% (pCrossFit-like performance, as well as delayed ventilatory threshold occurrence.

Future possibilities in pulmonary nuclear medicine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Atkins, H.L.

1984-01-01

A number of recent developments in the field of nuclear medicine are of significance for future progress in the diagnosis of lung diseases. These developments have occurred in instrumentation and radiopharmaceuticals and have not necessarily been directed toward pulmonary problems. Nevertheless, they may improve the ability to diagnose pulmonary embolism and to recognize pulmonary dysfunction other than that involving ventilation and perfusion. Along with new instrumentation and tracers, one will almost certainly see continued refinement of present techniques and diagnostic criteria which will lead to improved accuracy in interpretation of standard studies

Evaluation of radionuclide calibrator performance with Tc-99m and I-123 in nuclear medicine centers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ahn, Ji Young; Kim, Gwe Ya; Yang, Hyun Kyu; Lim, Chun Il; Lee, Hyun Koo; Kim, Byung Tae; Jeong, Hee Kyo

2004-01-01

To minimize unnecessary radiation dose to patients, it is important to ensure that the radiopharmaceutical administered is accurately measured. Tc-99m is one of the popular radionuclide used in nuclear medicine and I-123 is also used widely in nuclear medicine. To investigate the level of measurement performance and to provide the participants with a traceable standard to check and review their calibration factors for these particular radionuclides, Korean Food and Drug Administration (KFDA) as a national secondary standard dosimetry laboratory conducted comparison program for Tc-99m and I-123 in nuclear medicine centers. 72 nuclear medicine centers (78 calibrators) participated in the comparison program for Tc-99m in 2003 and 37 centers (41 calibrators) for I-123 in 2004. For a comparison, Tc-99m and I-123 were accurately sub-divided into a series of 4 ml aliquots in 10 ml P6 vial and delivered to participants. Participants were invited to assay their P6 vial in each of their radionuclide calibrators and to report their results directly to KFDA. For the evaluation of raionuclide, KFDA used NPL-CRC radionuclide calibrator that is traceable to NPL (National Physical Laboratory) primany standard. The difference between the value reported by the hospital (A h ospital) and of the KFDA (A k fda) is expressed as a percent deviation (DEV (%) = 100 (A h ospital - A k fda)/A k fda). If there were calibrators over 10 % deviations, those were checked again with the same procedure. In Tc-99m, 65% of the calibrators showed deviations within 5 % and 18 % were in the range of 5 % < | DEV | ≤10 %, and 17 % were over 10 % deviations. In I-123, 41 % of the calibrators were within ±5 % and 29 % were in the range of 5 % < | DEV | ≤10 % and 30 % were over 10 %. The results have shown that such comparisons are necessary to improve the accuracy of the measurement and to identify radionuclide calibrators that are malfunctioning

Value added medicines: what value repurposed medicines might bring to society?

Science.gov (United States)

Toumi, Mondher; Rémuzat, Cécile

2017-01-01

Background & objectives : Despite the wide interest surrounding drug repurposing, no common terminology has been yet agreed for these products and their full potential value is not always recognised and rewarded, creating a disincentive for further development. The objectives of the present study were to assess from a wide perspective which value drug repurposing might bring to society, but also to identify key obstacles for adoption of these medicines and to discuss policy recommendations. Methods : A preliminary comprehensive search was conducted to assess how the concept of drug repurposing was described in the literature. Following completion of the literature review, a primary research was conducted to get perspective of various stakeholders across EU member states on drug repurposing ( healthcare professionals, regulatory authorities and Health Technology Assessment (HTA) bodies/payers, patients, and representatives of the pharmaceutical industry developing medicines in this field). Ad hoc literature review was performed to illustrate, when appropriate, statements of the various stakeholders. Results : Various nomenclatures have been used to describe the concept of drug repurposing in the literature, with more or less broad definitions either based on outcomes, processes, or being a mix of both. In this context, Medicines for Europe (http://www.medicinesforeurope.com/value-added-medicines/) established one single terminology for these medicines, known as value added medicines, defined as 'medicines based on known molecules that address healthcare needs and deliver relevant improvements for patients, healthcare professionals and/or payers'. Stakeholder interviews highlighted three main potential benefits for value added medicines: (1) to address a number of medicine-related healthcare inefficiencies related to irrational use of medicines, non-availability of appropriate treatment options, shortage of mature products, geographical inequity in medicine access

Past, current and future aspects of nuclear medicine in Malaysia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dharmalingam, S.K.

1980-01-01

Nuclear Medicine in Malaysia began initially with the use of radioiodine and radiophosphorous for the investigation and treatment of thyroid and blood disorders around 1960. Following this we went through a phase of organ imaging using radioiodine and radiogold using an early generation Phillips Scanner. In terms of Medical usefulness this proved a big step forward in Malaysian Medicine, basic though the techniques were. The third phase of this speciality came on in the 1970s with the availability of generator scanners. A tremendous spurt in Nuclear Imaging and thyroid function studies took place. We have now together with the University Hospital Gamma Cameras which have considerably widened the scope of Nuclear Medicine especially in the field of cardiovascular studies. Further advances are expected in the future with the availability of medical cyclotrons, positron cameras and emission tomography. However yesterdays problems have not disappeared completely and the training of personnel and provision of up to date Nuclear Medicine laboratories with the latest equipment should be given top priority so as to assure progress in this speciality. (author)

FOAMSearch.net: A custom search engine for emergency medicine and critical care.

Science.gov (United States)

Raine, Todd; Thoma, Brent; Chan, Teresa M; Lin, Michelle

2015-08-01

The number of online resources read by and pertinent to clinicians has increased dramatically. However, most healthcare professionals still use mainstream search engines as their primary port of entry to the resources on the Internet. These search engines use algorithms that do not make it easy to find clinician-oriented resources. FOAMSearch, a custom search engine (CSE), was developed to find relevant, high-quality online resources for emergency medicine and critical care (EMCC) clinicians. Using Google™ algorithms, it searches a vetted list of >300 blogs, podcasts, wikis, knowledge translation tools, clinical decision support tools and medical journals. Utilisation has increased progressively to >3000 users/month since its launch in 2011. Further study of the role of CSEs to find medical resources is needed, and it might be possible to develop similar CSEs for other areas of medicine. © 2015 Australasian College for Emergency Medicine and Australasian Society for Emergency Medicine.

Scientific And Literary Progress During Medieval Period With Special Reference To Medicine (750-945

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ashaq Hussain

2015-12-01

Full Text Available During the Abbasid period, Muslim culture and civilization was at its zenith. It was a period of economic prosperity and of great intellectual awakening. The Abbasid Caliphate provided the most congenial atmosphere for the advancement of learning and education. In fact, the reign of Mamun-ar-Rashid who has deservedly been called the 'Augustus of Arabs' formed the culmination of the intellectual achievements of the Muslims. He was followed by a brilliant succession of Caliphs who continued his work. Muslims gained access to the Greek medical knowledge of Hippocrates, Discords, and Galen through the translations of their works in the seventh and eighth centuries. These initiatives by Muslims could be seen in the different aspects of the healing arts that were developed. The translation movement of the twelfth century in Latin Europe affected every known field of science, none more so than medicine. The present paper is an attempt to give a detailed contribution of Muslims to science with special reference to medicine. It is in this context the present paper has been analyzed.

Emerging Glycolysis Targeting and Drug Discovery from Chinese Medicine in Cancer Therapy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhiyu Wang

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Molecular-targeted therapy has been developed for cancer chemoprevention and treatment. Cancer cells have different metabolic properties from normal cells. Normal cells mostly rely upon the process of mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation to produce energy whereas cancer cells have developed an altered metabolism that allows them to sustain higher proliferation rates. Cancer cells could predominantly produce energy by glycolysis even in the presence of oxygen. This alternative metabolic characteristic is known as the “Warburg Effect.” Although the exact mechanisms underlying the Warburg effect are unclear, recent progress indicates that glycolytic pathway of cancer cells could be a critical target for drug discovery. With a long history in cancer treatment, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM is recognized as a valuable source for seeking bioactive anticancer compounds. A great progress has been made to identify active compounds from herbal medicine targeting on glycolysis for cancer treatment. Herein, we provide an overall picture of the current understanding of the molecular targets in the cancer glycolytic pathway and reviewed active compounds from Chinese herbal medicine with the potentials to inhibit the metabolic targets for cancer treatment. Combination of TCM with conventional therapies will provide an attractive strategy for improving clinical outcome in cancer treatment.

Nanotechnology in medicine: concepts and concerns; Nanotecnologia em medicina: aspectos fundamentais e principais preocupacoes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cancino, Juliana; Marangoni, Valeria S.; Zucolotto, Valtencir [Universidade de Sao Paulo (IFSC/USP), Sao Carlos, SP (Brazil). Instituto de Fisica. Grupo de Nanomedicina e Nanotoxicologia

2014-05-15

The recent advances in the development of nanomaterials have opened new and exciting opportunities for their applications in medicine. These applications include molecular imaging, drug-delivery, and photothermal therapy. Despite the progress in medicinal applications of nanomaterials, several key problems remain unaddressed. Recent advances in this area include the enhancement of sensitivity in early diagnosis and therapy, in addition to investigations into the possible toxicity of nanomaterials. However, since little is known about the toxicity of nanomaterials, the regulation of these materials is a slow and complex process. This paper reviews the current scenario in the applications of nanomaterials in medicine as well as the main concerns and regulatory questions. (author)

A Seminar on Human Cloning: Cloning in Reproductive Medicine

OpenAIRE

Illmensee, Karl

2001-01-01

This review article summarizes the historical development of mammalian cloning, presents current advances and presumed risk factors in the field of reproductive cloning, discusses possible clinical applications of therapeutic and diagnostic cloning and outlines prospective commercial trends in pharmacytical cloning. Predictable progress in biotechnology and stem cell engineering should prove to be advantageous for patients' health and for novel benefits in reproductive and regenerative medicine.

Basic and clinical application progression of invigorating blood and dissolving stasis Chinese medicine in ophthalmology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ying Wang

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Invigorating blood and dissolving stasis method is a kind of unique therapy of Traditional Chinese Medicine(TCMtreatment, which efficacy has become increasingly prominent in the treatment of ophthalmology. With the further studies of blood stasis and invigorating blood and dissolving stasis therapy, it is widely used in clinical ophthalmology, and get good effects beyond thought, especially when western medicine has no curative effects. It improved the cure rate of fundus oculi disease from the eyelids, conjunctiva, lacrimal sac, vitreous body to the choroid and retina, optic nerve and macula lutea, from surface to fundus, or pathological changes related to inflammation, degeneration, necrosis, atrophy, hyperplasia of fibrous tissue hyperplasia. This paper is aim to explain the definition of invigorating blood and dissolving stasis and make a review of basic research and clinical application about it in several diseases.

[Popular medicine: benefits and drawbacks of medicinal plants].

Science.gov (United States)

de França, Inácia Sátiro Xavier; de Souza, Jeová Alves; Baptista, Rosilene Santos; Britto, Virgínia Rossana de Sousa

2008-01-01

Descriptive study which aims to verify if the herbalist offer the information correct for the use of the medicinal plants; if they give for the customers concerning the possible poisonings or interaction with the allopathic guide and also if there is a criteria for the commercialization of the phytotherapics. A questionnaire was used containing open and closed questions involving aspects of the performance of the herbalists with the phytotherapics. The herbalists know the majority of the medicinal plants, however, there are some gaps concerning the correct indication of these products, of the collateral effect and toxicities. The herbalist lack to better know the principles of the grass, the therapeutically indications active, to guide the users concerning the possible pharmacological interactions or medicaments poisonings and regarding the cleanness, storage, time of useful life and contraindications of the product.

Children's (Pediatric) Nuclear Medicine

Medline Plus

Full Text Available ... the procedure? How does the nuclear medicine procedure work? What does the equipment look like? How is the procedure performed? What will my child experience during and after the procedure? How should ...

Synchrotron radiation applications in biophysics and medicine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Burattini, E.

1985-01-01

The peculiar properties of synchrotron radiation are briefly summarized. A short review on the possible applications of synchrotron radiation in two important fields like Biophysics and Medicine is presented. Details are given on experiments both in progress and carried out in many synchrotron radiation facilities, all over the world, using different techniques like X-ray absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy, X-ray fluorescence microanalysis, X-ray microscopy and digital subtraction angiography. Some news about the photon-activation therapy are briefly reported too

Contributing factors to performance of a medicine ball explosive power test: a comparison between jump and nonjump athletes.

Science.gov (United States)

Stockbrugger, Barry A; Haennel, Robert G

2003-11-01

The present study examined the factors contributing to performance of a backward overhead medicine ball throw (B-MBT) across 2 types of athletes. Twenty male volleyball players (jump athletes) and 20 wrestlers (nonjump athletes) were evaluated on 4 measures of power, including B-MBT, chest medicine ball throw (C-MBT), countermovement vertical jump (CMJ), and power index (PI). The athletes also completed 3 measures of strength: a 1-repetition-maximum (1RM) bench press (BP), a 1RM leg press (LP), and combined BP + LP strength. Jump athletes demonstrated greater absolute scores for CMJ, C-MBT, and B-MBT (p < 0.05), whereas nonjump athletes demonstrated greater strength scores for BP and for BP + LP (p < 0.05). When performances were examined on a relative basis, jump athletes achieved superior scores for C-MBT (p < 0.05), whereas nonjump athletes had greater scores for BP, LP, and BP + LP (p < 0.05). For both groups, B-MBT had strong correlations with PI (r = 0.817 [jump] and 0.917 [nonjump]), whereas for C-MBT, only nonjump athletes demonstrated a strong correlation (r = 0.842). When expressed in relative terms, B-MBT was strongly correlated with C-MBT (r = 0.762 [jump] and 0.835 [nonjump]) and CMJ (r = 0.899 [jump] and 0.945 [nonjump]). Only nonjump athletes demonstrated strong correlations with strength for absolute LP (r = 0.801) and BP + LP (r = 0.810) strength. The interaction of upper- and lower-body strength and power in the performance of a B-MBT appears complex, with the contributing factors differing for athletes with divergent skill sets and performance demands.

Regenerative Medicine: Advances from Developmental to Degenerative Diseases.

Science.gov (United States)

Blair, Nicholas F; Frith, Thomas J R; Barbaric, Ivana

2017-01-01

Chronic tissue and organ failure caused by an injury, disease, ageing or congenital defects represents some of the most complex therapeutic challenges and poses a significant financial healthcare burden. Regenerative medicine strategies aim to fulfil the unmet clinical need by restoring the normal tissue function either through stimulating the endogenous tissue repair or by using transplantation strategies to replace the missing or defective cells. Stem cells represent an essential pillar of regenerative medicine efforts as they provide a source of progenitors or differentiated cells for use in cell replacement therapies. Whilst significant leaps have been made in controlling the stem cell fates and differentiating them to cell types of interest, transitioning bespoke cellular products from an academic environment to off-the-shelf clinical treatments brings about a whole new set of challenges which encompass manufacturing, regulatory and funding issues. Notwithstanding the need to resolve such issues before cell replacement therapies can benefit global healthcare, mounting progress in the field has highlighted regenerative medicine as a realistic prospect for treating some of the previously incurable conditions.

Exploration of Disease Markers under Translational Medicine Model

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Rajagopal Krishnamoorthy

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Disease markers are defined as the biomarkers with specific characteristics during the general physical, pathological or therapeutic process, the detection of which can inform the progression of present biological process of organisms. However, the exploration of disease markers is complicated and difficult, and only a few markers can be used in clinical practice and there is no significant difference in the mortality of cancers before and after biomarker exploration. Translational medicine focuses on breaking the blockage between basic medicine and clinical practice. In addition, it also establishes an effective association between researchers engaged on basic scientific discovery and clinical physicians well informed of patients' requirements, and gives particular attentions on how to translate the basic molecular biological research to the most effective and appropriate methods for the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of diseases, hoping to translate basic research into the new therapeutic methods in clinic. Therefore, this study mainly summarized the exploration of disease markers under translational medicine model so as to provide a basis for the translation of basic research results into clinical application.

Metabolomics through the lens of precision cardiovascular medicine.

Science.gov (United States)

Lam, Sin Man; Wang, Yuan; Li, Bowen; Du, Jie; Shui, Guanghou

2017-03-20

Metabolomics, which targets at the extensive characterization and quantitation of global metabolites from both endogenous and exogenous sources, has emerged as a novel technological avenue to advance the field of precision medicine principally driven by genomics-oriented approaches. In particular, metabolomics has revealed the cardinal roles that the environment exerts in driving the progression of major diseases threatening public health. Herein, the existent and potential applications of metabolomics in two key areas of precision cardiovascular medicine will be critically discussed: 1) the use of metabolomics in unveiling novel disease biomarkers and pathological pathways; 2) the contribution of metabolomics in cardiovascular drug development. Major issues concerning the statistical handling of big data generated by metabolomics, as well as its interpretation, will be briefly addressed. Finally, the need for integration of various omics branches and adopting a multi-omics approach to precision medicine will be discussed. Copyright © 2017 Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Genetics Society of China. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

DOE progress in assessing the long term performance of waste package materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Berusch, A.; Gause, E.

1987-01-01

Under the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 (NWPA)[1], the US Dept. of Energy (DOE) is conducting activities to select and characterize candidate sites suitable for the construction and operation of a geologic repository for the disposal of high-level nuclear wastes. DOE is funding three first repository projects: Basalt Waste Isolation Project, BWIP; Nevada Nuclear Waste Isolation Project, NNWSI; and Salt Repository Project Office, SRPO. It is essential in the licensing process that DOE demonstrate to the NRC that the long-term performance of the materials and design will be in compliance with the requirements of 10 CFR 60.113 on substantially complete containment within the waste packages for 300 to 1000 years and a controlled release rate from the engineered barrier system (EBS) for 10,000 years of 1 part in 10 5 per year for radionuclides present in defined quantities 100 years after permanent closure. Obviously, the time spans involved make it impractical to base the assessment of the long term performance of waste package materials on real time, prototypical testing. The assessment of performance will be implemented by the use of models that are supported by real time field and laboratory tests, monitoring, and natural analog studies. Each of the repository projects is developing a plan for demonstrating long-term waste package material performance depending on the particular materials and the package-perturbed, time-dependent environment under which the materials must function. An overview of progress in each of these activities for each of the projects is provided in the following

Essential medicines: an overview of some milestones in the last forty years (1975-2013

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José Antonio Pagés

2013-06-01

Full Text Available Despite progress in the last four decades in terms of access to essential medicines, more than a third of the world population especially from the poorest countries have serious difficulties in accessing the medicines they need at an affordable price and with the right quality. Already in 1975 the 28th World Health Assembly discussed the need to set recommendations regarding selection and acquisition of medicines at reasonable prices and proven quality to meet national health needs. Consequently in 1977, the first WHO Model List of Essential Medicines was prepared by an expert committee. Since then, the list has been subjected to a series of updating and dissemination processes, together with discussion about the cost, patents and quality of medicines, as well as information on safety and effectiveness of each drug that is listed. The article addresses how this process has evolved from the beginning to present day.

Neurotoxicological effects of cinnabar (a Chinese mineral medicine, HgS) in mice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huang, C.-F.; Liu, S.-H.; Lin-Shiau, S.-Y.

2007-01-01

Cinnabar, a naturally occurring mercuric sulfide (HgS), has long been used in combination with traditional Chinese medicine as a sedative for more than 2000 years. Up to date, its pharmacological and toxicological effects are still unclear, especially in clinical low-dose and long-term use. In this study, we attempted to elucidate the effects of cinnabar on the time course of changes in locomotor activities, pentobarbital-induced sleeping time, motor equilibrium performance and neurobiochemical activities in mice during 3- to 11-week administration at a clinical dose of 10 mg/kg/day. The results showed that cinnabar was significantly absorbed by gastrointestinal (G-I) tract and transported to brain tissues. The spontaneous locomotor activities of male mice but not female mice were preferentially suppressed. Moreover, frequencies of jump and stereotype-1 episodes were progressively decreased after 3-week oral administration in male and female mice. Pentobarbital-induced sleeping time was prolonged and the retention time on a rotating rod (60 rpm) was reduced after treatment with cinnabar for 6 weeks and then progressively to a greater extent until the 11-week experiment. In addition, the biochemical changes in blood and brain tissues were studied; the inhibition of Na + /K + -ATPase activities, increased production of lipid peroxidation (LPO) and nitric oxide (NO) were found with a greater extent in male mice than those in female mice, which were apparently correlated with their differences in the neurological responses observed. In conclusion, these findings, for the first time, provide evidence of the pharmacological and toxicological basis for understanding the sedative and neurotoxic effects of cinnabar used as a Chinese mineral medicine for more than 2000 years

What does «integrative medicine» provide to daily scientific clinical care?

Science.gov (United States)

Bataller-Sifre, R; Bataller-Alberola, A

2015-11-01

Integrative medicine is an ambitious and noble-minded attempt to address the shortcomings of the current public health systems in our Western societies, which is restricted by the limited time available, especially in outpatient clinics. Integrative medicine also does not limit the possibilities of useful therapies that have been tested over the centuries (from China, India, etc.) or of certain resources that do not achieve the level of desired scientific credibility but that present certain therapeutic support in specific cases (homeopathy, acupuncture, etc.) but still require a scientific approach. Finally, the resource of botanical products (phytotherapy) constitutes a wide range of possibilities that universities can (and do) make progress on by providing drug brands for these products through the use of the scientific method and evidence-based medical criteria. This approach will help avoid the irrationality of the daily struggle between conventional scientific medicine (which we apply to the immense majority of patients) and the other diagnostic-therapeutic «guidelines» (natural medicine, alternative medicine, complementary medicine, patient-focused medicine and others). Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U.

Position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Dietitians of Canada, and the American College of Sports Medicine: Nutrition and Athletic Performance.

Science.gov (United States)

2016-03-01

It is the position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Dietitians of Canada, and the American College of Sports Medicine that the performance of, and recovery from, sporting activities are enhanced by well-chosen nutrition strategies. These organizations provide guidelines for the appropriate type, amount, and timing of intake of food, fluids, and supplements to promote optimal health and performance across different scenarios of training and competitive sport. This position paper was prepared for members of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Dietitians of Canada (DC), and American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), other professional associations, government agencies, industry, and the public. It outlines the Academy's, DC's and ACSM's stance on nutrition factors that have been determined to influence athletic performance and emerging trends in the field of sports nutrition. Athletes should be referred to a registered dietitian/nutritionist for a personalized nutrition plan. In the United States and in Canada, the Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics (CSSD) is a registered dietitian/nutritionist and a credentialed sports nutrition expert.

Relationship between consecutive deterioration of mean deviation value and progression of visual field defect in open-angle glaucoma

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Naito T

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Tomoko Naito,1 Keiji Yoshikawa,2 Shiro Mizoue,3 Mami Nanno,4 Tairo Kimura,5 Hirotaka Suzumura,6 Ryuji Takeda,7 Fumio Shiraga1 1Department of Ophthalmology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Okayama, 2Yoshikawa Eye Clinic, Tokyo, 3Department of Ophthalmology, Ehime University Graduate School of Medicine, Ehime, 4Kagurazaka Minamino Eye Clinic, 5Ueno Eye Clinic, 6Suzumura Eye Clinic, Tokyo, 7Department of Agriculture, Kinki University, Nara, Japan Purpose: To analyze the relationship between consecutive deterioration of mean deviation (MD value and glaucomatous visual field (VF progression in open-angle glaucoma (OAG, including primary OAG and normal tension glaucoma.Patients and methods: The subjects of the study were patients undergoing treatment for OAG who had performed VF tests at least 10 times with a Humphrey field analyzer (SITA standard, C30-2 program. The VF progression was defined by a significantly negative MD slope (MD slope worsening at the final VF test during the follow-up period. The relationship between the MD slope worsening and the consecutive deterioration of MD value were retrospectively analyzed.Results: A total of 165 eyes of 165 patients were included in the analysis. Significant progression of VF defects was observed in 72 eyes of 72 patients (43.6%, while no significant progression was evident in 93 eyes of 93 patients (56.4%. There was significant relationship between the frequency of consecutive deterioration of MD value and MD slope worsening (P<0.0001, Cochran–Armitage trend test. A significant association was observed for MD slope worsening in the eyes with three (odds ratio: 2.1, P=0.0224 and four (odds ratio: 3.6, P=0.0008 consecutive deterioration of MD value in multiple logistic regression analysis, but no significant association in the eyes with two consecutive deterioration (odds ratio: 1.1, P=0.8282. The eyes with VF progression had significantly lower intraocular pressure reduction rate (P<0

American College of Sports Medicine position stand. Nutrition and athletic performance.

Science.gov (United States)

Rodriguez, Nancy R; Di Marco, Nancy M; Langley, Susie

2009-03-01

It is the position of the American Dietetic Association, Dietitians of Canada, and the American College of Sports Medicine that physical activity, athletic performance, and recovery from exercise are enhanced by optimal nutrition. These organizations recommend appropriate selection of foods and fluids, timing of intake, and supplement choices for optimal health and exercise performance. This updated position paper couples a rigorous, systematic, evidence-based analysis of nutrition and performance-specific literature with current scientific data related to energy needs, assessment of body composition, strategies for weight change, nutrient and fluid needs, special nutrient needs during training and competition, the use of supplements and ergogenic aids, nutrition recommendations for vegetarian athletes, and the roles and responsibilities of the sports dietitian. Energy and macronutrient needs, especially carbohydrate and protein, must be met during times of high physical activity to maintain body weight, replenish glycogen stores, and provide adequate protein to build and repair tissue. Fat intake should be sufficient to provide the essential fatty acids and fat-soluble vitamins and to contribute energy for weight maintenance. Although exercise performance can be affected by body weight and composition, these physical measures should not be a criterion for sports performance and daily weigh-ins are discouraged. Adequate food and fluid should be consumed before, during, and after exercise to help maintain blood glucose concentration during exercise, maximize exercise performance, and improve recovery time. Athletes should be well hydrated before exercise and drink enough fluid during and after exercise to balance fluid losses. Sports beverages containing carbohydrates and electrolytes may be consumed before, during, and after exercise to help maintain blood glucose concentration, provide fuel for muscles, and decrease risk of dehydration and hyponatremia. Vitamin

78 FR 36555 - National Library of Medicine; Notice of Meetings

Science.gov (United States)

2013-06-18

... performance, and competence of individual investigators. Place: National Library of Medicine, Building 38, 2nd... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES National Institutes of Health National Library of Medicine... evaluation of individual intramural programs and projects conducted by the NATIONAL LIBRARY OF MEDICINE...

Applying Evidence-Based Medicine in Telehealth: An Interactive Pattern Recognition Approximation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carlos Fernández-Llatas

2013-10-01

Full Text Available Born in the early nineteen nineties, evidence-based medicine (EBM is a paradigm intended to promote the integration of biomedical evidence into the physicians daily practice. This paradigm requires the continuous study of diseases to provide the best scientific knowledge for supporting physicians in their diagnosis and treatments in a close way. Within this paradigm, usually, health experts create and publish clinical guidelines, which provide holistic guidance for the care for a certain disease. The creation of these clinical guidelines requires hard iterative processes in which each iteration supposes scientific progress in the knowledge of the disease. To perform this guidance through telehealth, the use of formal clinical guidelines will allow the building of care processes that can be interpreted and executed directly by computers. In addition, the formalization of clinical guidelines allows for the possibility to build automatic methods, using pattern recognition techniques, to estimate the proper models, as well as the mathematical models for optimizing the iterative cycle for the continuous improvement of the guidelines. However, to ensure the efficiency of the system, it is necessary to build a probabilistic model of the problem. In this paper, an interactive pattern recognition approach to support professionals in evidence-based medicine is formalized.

Analysis of an Adulterated Herbal Medicinal Product Using Ultra-Performance Liquid Chromatography Coupled with QTOF Mass Spectrometry

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kate Yu

2016-11-01

Full Text Available The reports of severe adverse effects and fatalities associated with herbal medicinal products adulterated with synthetic compounds have raised global concerns. The objective of this study is to analyze one commercial herbal medicinal product suspected to be adulterated with synthetic drugs in order to identify potential adulterants, to verify if the product contained the herbs listed as ingredients in label claim and to determine quality consistency among different batches of the product. Analyses of suspected product obtained from seven different batches were performed using ultra performance liquid chromatography coupled to quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF-MS with multiple data processing tools and multivariate analyses. In addition, 23 individual powdered herbs (12 as per label claim and 11 suspected herbs, 11 marker compounds of the labeled herbs and five suspected synthetic drugs as adulterants were also concurrently analyzed to have clear understanding of product composition. Based on our analysis, the major ingredients of studied product were found to be 5 synthetic compounds: caffeine, chlorphenamine, piroxicam, betamethasone and oxethazaine. Three of them have been found to exceed their recommended doses. From the herbal composition analysis, GanCao (Glycyrrhizae radix et rhizoma was found to be the main ingredient, which is not among the claimed 12 herbs that were supposed to be in the product. Other herbs detected as minor ingredients were MuGua (Chaenomelis fructus, DangGui (Angelicae sinensis radix, and HuangQi (Astragali radix, which are among the 12 herbs that were supposed to be in the product. Based on our results we demonstrated that UPLC-QTOF MS is an effective and versatile tool for the analysis of herbal medicinal products. It is highly desirable to have a streamlined process with automatic workflow and fit-for-purpose database to increase efficiency and productivity of sample analysis. Results of

[Research progress of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of total glucosides of peony in hepatoprotective effects].

Science.gov (United States)

Zuo, Zhi-Yan; Zhan, Shu-Yu; Huang, Xuan; Ding, Bao-Yue; Liu, Yu-Qian; Ruan, Yu-Er; Jiang, Ning-Hua

2017-10-01

Total glucosides of peony (TGP), containing the effective components of paeoniflorin (Pae), albiflorin (Alb) and so on, are effective parts of Radix Paeoniae Alba. And it possesses extensive pharmacological actions, one of which is hepatoprotective effect. In recent years, abundant of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics research of TGP in hepatoprotective effects have been performed. However, the relative medicine of TGP in hepatoprotective effect has not been developed for clinical application. In order to provide reference for the development and rational clinical application of TGP, the research progresses of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of TGP in hepatoprotective effect were summarized in this paper. Pharmacokinetics research has clarified the process of absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion of TGP in vivo, and liver injury disease can significantly influence its metabolic processes. Pharmacodynamics studies suggested that TGP can protect against acute liver injury, non-alcoholic fatty liver diseases (NAFLD), chronic liver fibrosis and liver cancer. However, the action mechanism and in vivo process about hepatoprotective effects of TGP have not been clearly revealed. How liver injury influences the metabolism of TGP and its integrated regulation through multiple targets need to be further studied. The combined pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics studies should be performed in favour of medicine development and clinical application of TGP in hepatoprotective effects. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

Nuclear medicine, a proven partnership

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Henderson, L. A.

2009-01-01

Full text:Ultrasonography is the modality of choice for demonstrating many cystic structures within the body. However nuclear medicine is often able to demonstrate functional disturbance where ultrasound and conventional radiography are unsuccessful. A case is presented in which a 16 day old male child presented to nuclear medicine with a right upper quadrant cyst found in ultrasound with exact location equivocal. Determining the location and nature of the cyst was essential to the treatment team for patient management. A hepatobiliary study was performed and evidence of a choledochal cyst was found. In partnership with ultrasound, nuclear medicine was able to identify a possibly malignant structure and consequently patient management was determined.

Children's (Pediatric) Nuclear Medicine

Medline Plus

Full Text Available ... performed to help diagnose childhood disorders that are congenital (present at birth) or that develop during childhood. ... often unattainable using other imaging procedures. For many diseases, nuclear medicine scans yield the most useful information ...

Mining association rule based on the diseases population for recommendation of medicine need

Science.gov (United States)

Harahap, M.; Husein, A. M.; Aisyah, S.; Lubis, F. R.; Wijaya, B. A.

2018-04-01

Selection of medicines that is inappropriate will lead to an empty result at medicines, this has an impact on medical services and economic value in hospital. The importance of an appropriate medicine selection process requires an automated way to select need based on the development of the patient's illness. In this study, we analyzed patient prescriptions to identify the relationship between the disease and the medicine used by the physician in treating the patient's illness. The analytical framework includes: (1) patient prescription data collection, (2) applying k-means clustering to classify the top 10 diseases, (3) applying Apriori algorithm to find association rules based on support, confidence and lift value. The results of the tests of patient prescription datasets in 2015-2016, the application of the k-means algorithm for the clustering of 10 dominant diseases significantly affects the value of trust and support of all association rules on the Apriori algorithm making it more consistent with finding association rules of disease and related medicine. The value of support, confidence and the lift value of disease and related medicine can be used as recommendations for appropriate medicine selection. Based on the conditions of disease progressions of the hospital, there is so more optimal medicine procurement.

Methods of Increasing the Performance of Radionuclide Generators Used in Nuclear Medicine: Daughter Nuclide Build-Up Optimisation, Elution-Purification-Concentration Integration, and Effective Control of Radionuclidic Purity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Van So Le

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Methods of increasing the performance of radionuclide generators used in nuclear medicine radiotherapy and SPECT/PET imaging were developed and detailed for 99Mo/99mTc and 68Ge/68Ga radionuclide generators as the cases. Optimisation methods of the daughter nuclide build-up versus stand-by time and/or specific activity using mean progress functions were developed for increasing the performance of radionuclide generators. As a result of this optimisation, the separation of the daughter nuclide from its parent one should be performed at a defined optimal time to avoid the deterioration in specific activity of the daughter nuclide and wasting stand-by time of the generator, while the daughter nuclide yield is maintained to a reasonably high extent. A new characteristic parameter of the formation-decay kinetics of parent/daughter nuclide system was found and effectively used in the practice of the generator production and utilisation. A method of “early elution schedule” was also developed for increasing the daughter nuclide production yield and specific radioactivity, thus saving the cost of the generator and improving the quality of the daughter radionuclide solution. These newly developed optimisation methods in combination with an integrated elution-purification-concentration system of radionuclide generators recently developed is the most suitable way to operate the generator effectively on the basis of economic use and improvement of purposely suitable quality and specific activity of the produced daughter radionuclides. All these features benefit the economic use of the generator, the improved quality of labelling/scan, and the lowered cost of nuclear medicine procedure. Besides, a new method of quality control protocol set-up for post-delivery test of radionuclidic purity has been developed based on the relationship between gamma ray spectrometric detection limit, required limit of impure radionuclide activity and its measurement

[Evolutionary medicine: A new look on health and disease].

Science.gov (United States)

Bauduer, F

2017-03-01

Evolutionary medicine represents an innovative approach deriving from evolutionary biology. It includes the initial Darwin's view, its actualization in the light of progresses in genetics and also dissident theories (i.e. non gene-based) particularly epigenetics. This approach enables us to reconsider the pathophysiology of numerous diseases, as for instance, infection, and our so-called diseases of civilization especially obesity, type 2 diabetes, allergy or cancer. Evolutionary medicine may also improve our knowledge regarding inter-individual variation in susceptibility to disease or drugs. Furthermore, it points out the impact of our behaviors and environment on the genesis of a series of diseases. Copyright © 2016 Société Nationale Française de Médecine Interne (SNFMI). Published by Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.

Laboratory hemostasis: milestones in Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine.

Science.gov (United States)

Lippi, Giuseppe; Favaloro, Emmanuel J

2013-01-01

Hemostasis is a delicate, dynamic and intricate system, in which pro- and anti-coagulant forces cooperate for either maintaining blood fluidity under normal conditions, or else will prompt blood clot generation to limit the bleeding when the integrity of blood vessels is jeopardized. Excessive prevalence of anticoagulant forces leads to hemorrhage, whereas excessive activation of procoagulant forces triggers excessive coagulation and thrombosis. The hemostasis laboratory performs a variety of first, second and third line tests, and plays a pivotal role in diagnostic and monitoring of most hemostasis disturbances. Since the leading targets of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine include promotion of progress in fundamental and applied research, along with publication of guidelines and recommendations in laboratory diagnostics, this journal is an ideal source of information on current developments in the laboratory technology of hemostasis, and this article is aimed to celebrate some of the most important and popular articles ever published by the journal in the filed of laboratory hemostasis.

The attractiveness of family medicine among Polish medical students.

Science.gov (United States)

Gowin, Ewelina; Horst-Sikorska, Wanda; Michalak, Michał; Avonts, Dirk; Buczkowski, Krzysztof; Lukas, Witold; Korman, Tomasz; Litwiejko, Alicja; Chlabicz, Sławomir

2014-06-01

In many developed countries tuning supply and demand of medical doctors is a continuous challenge to meet the ever changing needs of community and individual patients. The long study period for medical doctors creates the opportunity to observe the current career preferences of medical students and evolution in time. To investigate the career choices of Polish students in different stages of their medical education. Medical students at five Polish medical universities were questioned about their career aspirations in the first, third and sixth year. A total of 2020 students were recruited for the survey. Among first year students 17% preferred family medicine as final career option, compared to 20% in the third year, and 30% in the sixth year (significant trend, P family medicine: 71% women versus 62% women in the group with a preference for a non-family medicine orientation (P = 0.008). Medical students rejecting a career as a family doctor stated that the impossibility to work in a hospital environment was the determining factor. The opportunity for professional development seems to be an important determining factor in the choice of a medical specialty in Poland. The proportion of Polish students choosing family medicine increases during their progress in medical education, with one third of students interested in a career in family medicine by year six.

Medicinal plants from Mali: Chemistry and biology.

Science.gov (United States)

Wangensteen, Helle; Diallo, Drissa; Paulsen, Berit Smestad

2015-12-24

Mali is one of the countries in West Africa where the health system rely the most on traditional medicine. The healers are mainly using medicinal plants for their treatments. The studies performed being the basis for this review is of importance as they will contribute to sustaining the traditional knowledge. They contribute to evaluate and improve locally produced herbal remedies, and the review gives also an overview of the plant preparations that will have the most potential to be evaluated for new Improved Traditional Medicines. The aim of this review is to give an overview of the studies performed related to medicinal plants from Mali in the period 1995-2015. These studies include ethnopharmacology, chemistry and biological studies of the plants that were chosen based on our interviews with the healers in different regions of Mali, and contribute to sustainable knowledge on the medicinal plants. The Department of Traditional Medicine, Bamako, Mali, is responsible for registering the knowledge of the traditional healers on their use of medicinal plants and also identifying compounds in the plants responsible for the bioactivities claimed. The studies reported aimed at getting information from the healers on the use of medicinal plants, and study the biology and chemistry of selected plants for the purpose of verifying the traditional use of the plants. These studies should form the basis for necessary knowledge for the development of registered Improved Traditional Medicines in Mali. The healers were the ethnopharmacological informants. Questions asked initially were related to wound healing. This was because the immune system is involved when wounds are healed, and additionally the immune system is involved in the majority of the illnesses common in Mali. Based on the results of the interviews the plant material for studies was selected. Studies were performed on the plant parts the healers were using when treating their patients. Conventional chromatographic

Medicine and diseases or fashion and consumerism?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ignacio Jáuregui-Lobera

2017-02-01

Full Text Available The concept of diet in the classical Greece must be understood not only as a style of feeding, but rather as the way of life and the individual’s reality in its global complexity. Since ancient times things have changed radically and the specific concept of diet has left the world of medicine to become a sort of mass entertainment. This phenomenon, along with the idolatry of chasing a perfect body and permanent youth, has lead to many lifestyles focused on the triad food-beauty-youth thus emerging progressive psychophysical alterations, sometimes severe and in other cases almost an argument of comedy. This work aims to create the necessary awareness in order to get that medicine returns to patients and pathologies and fashions and consumption do not become pseudo-disorders for which many "remedies" are also designed. Many times after these lifestyles there are only fashion and consumerism.

[Personalization in the medicine of the future : Opportunities and risks].

Science.gov (United States)

Malek, N P

2017-07-01

Personalized medicine is not a new concept. The renaissance of the term is due to the enormous progress in gene sequencing technology and functional imaging, as well as the development of targeted therapies. Application of these technologies in clinical medicine will necessitate infrastructural as well as organizational and educational changes in the healthcare system. An important change required already in the short-term is the introduction of centralized structures, preferably in university clinics, which adopt these innovations and incorporate them into clinical care. Simultaneously, the collation and use of large quantities of relevant data from highly variable sources must be successfully mastered, in order to pave the way for disruptive technologies such as artificial intelligence.

Will women ever break the glass ceiling in medicine?

Science.gov (United States)

Achkar, Edgar

2008-07-01

Increased attention is being paid to women's working conditions in medicine. Few data are available regarding gender disparity in gastroenterology. It seems, however, that in general women are paid less than men and that their progress in academic practice tends to be slow. The GI community needs to recognize that gender disparity is not an imaginary issue and that action is necessary to attract women to gastroenterology by providing equal opportunities.

Competence in the musculoskeletal system: assessing the progression of knowledge through an undergraduate medical course.

Science.gov (United States)

Basu, Subhashis; Roberts, Chris; Newble, David I; Snaith, Michael

2004-12-01

Professional bodies have expressed concerns that medical students lack appropriate knowledge in musculoskeletal medicine despite its high prevalence of use within the community. Changes in curriculum and teaching strategies may be contributing factors to this. There is little evidence to evaluate the degree to which these concerns are justified. To design and evaluate an assessment procedure that tests the progress of medical students in achieving a core level of knowledge in musculoskeletal medicine during the course. A stratified sample of 136 volunteer students from all 5 years of the medical course at Sheffield University. The progress test concept was adapted to provide a cross-sectional view of student knowledge gain during each year of the course. A test was devised which aimed to provide an assessment of competence set at the standard required of the newly qualified doctor in understanding basic and clinical sciences relevant to musculoskeletal medicine. The test was blueprinted against internal and external guidelines. It comprised 40 multiple-choice and extended matching questions administered by computer. Six musculoskeletal practitioners set the standard using a modified Angoff procedure. Test reliability was 0.6 (Cronbach's alpha). Mean scores of students increased from 41% in Year 1 to 84% by the final year. Data suggest that, from a baseline score in Year 1, there is a disparate experience of learning in Year 2 that evens out in Year 3, with knowledge progression becoming more consistent thereafter. All final year participants scored above the standard predicted by the Angoff procedure. This short computer-based test was a feasible method of estimating student knowledge acquisition in musculoskeletal medicine across the undergraduate curriculum. Tested students appear to have acquired a satisfactory knowledge base by the end of the course. Knowledge gain seemed relatively independent of specialty-specific clinical training. Proposals from specialty

[Overdiagnosis and defensive medicine in occupational medicine].

Science.gov (United States)

Berral, Alessandro; Pira, Enrico; Romano, Canzio

2014-01-01

In clinical medicine since some years overdiagnosis is giving rise to growing attention and concern. Overdiagnosis is the diagnosis of a "disease" that will never cause symptoms or death during a patient's lifetime. It is a side effect of testing for early forms of disease which may turn people into patients unnecessarily and may lead to treatments that do no good and perhaps do harm. Overdiagnosis occurs when a disease is diagnosed correctly, but the diagnosis is irrelevant. A correct diagnosis may be irrelevant because treatment for the disease is not available, not needed, or not wanted. Four drivers engender overdiagnosis: 1) screening in non symptomatic subjects; 2) raised sensitivity of diagnostic tests; 3) incidental overdiagnosis; 4) broadening of diagnostic criteria for diseases. "Defensive medicine" can play a role. It begs the question of whether even in the context of Occupational Medicine overdiagnosis is possible. In relation to the double diagnostic evaluation peculiar to Occupational Medicine, the clinical and the causal, a dual phenomenon is possible: that of overdiagnosis properly said and what we could define the overattribution, in relation to the assessment of a causal relationship with work. Examples of occupational "diseases" that can represent cases of overdiagnosis, with the possible consequences of overtreatment, consisting of unnecessary and socially harmful limitations to fitness for work, are taken into consideration: pleural plaques, alterations of the intervertebral discs, "small airways disease", sub-clinical hearing impairment. In Italy the National Insurance for occupational diseases (INAIL) regularly recognizes less than 50% of the notified diseases; this might suggest overdiagnosis and possibly overattribution in reporting. Physicians dealing with the diagnosis of occupational diseases are obviously requested to perform a careful, up-to-date and active investigation. When applying to the diagnosis of occupational diseases, proper

Classification and Progression Based on CFS-GA and C5.0 Boost Decision Tree of TCM Zheng in Chronic Hepatitis B.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Xiao Yu; Ma, Li Zhuang; Chu, Na; Zhou, Min; Hu, Yiyang

2013-01-01

Chronic hepatitis B (CHB) is a serious public health problem, and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) plays an important role in the control and treatment for CHB. In the treatment of TCM, zheng discrimination is the most important step. In this paper, an approach based on CFS-GA (Correlation based Feature Selection and Genetic Algorithm) and C5.0 boost decision tree is used for zheng classification and progression in the TCM treatment of CHB. The CFS-GA performs better than the typical method of CFS. By CFS-GA, the acquired attribute subset is classified by C5.0 boost decision tree for TCM zheng classification of CHB, and C5.0 decision tree outperforms two typical decision trees of NBTree and REPTree on CFS-GA, CFS, and nonselection in comparison. Based on the critical indicators from C5.0 decision tree, important lab indicators in zheng progression are obtained by the method of stepwise discriminant analysis for expressing TCM zhengs in CHB, and alterations of the important indicators are also analyzed in zheng progression. In conclusion, all the three decision trees perform better on CFS-GA than on CFS and nonselection, and C5.0 decision tree outperforms the two typical decision trees both on attribute selection and nonselection.

Nuclear medicine resources manual

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2006-02-01

Over the past decade many IAEA programmes have significantly enhanced the capabilities of numerous Member States in the field of nuclear medicine. Functional imaging using nuclear medicine procedures has become an indispensable tool for the diagnosis, treatment planning and management of patients. However, due to the heterogeneous growth and development of nuclear medicine in the IAEA's Member States, the operating standards of practice vary considerably from country to country and region to region. This publication is the result of the work of over 30 international professionals who have assisted the IAEA in the process of standardization and harmonization. This manual sets out the prerequisites for the establishment of a nuclear medicine service, including basic infrastructure, suitable premises, reliable supply of electricity, maintenance of a steady temperature, dust exclusion for gamma cameras and radiopharmacy dispensaries. It offers clear guidance on human resources and training needs for medical doctors, technologists, radiopharmaceutical scientists, physicists and specialist nurses in the practice of nuclear medicine. The manual describes the requirements for safe preparation and quality control of radiopharmaceuticals. In addition, it contains essential requirements for maintenance of facilities and instruments, for radiation hygiene and for optimization of nuclear medicine operational performance with the use of working clinical protocols. The result is a comprehensive guide at an international level that contains practical suggestions based on the experience of professionals around the globe. This publication will be of interest to nuclear medicine physicians, radiologists, medical educationalists, diagnostic centre managers, medical physicists, medical technologists, radiopharmacists, specialist nurses, clinical scientists and those engaged in quality assurance and control systems in public health in both developed and developing countries

The relationship between faculty performance assessment and results on the in-training examination for residents in an emergency medicine training program.

Science.gov (United States)

Ryan, James G; Barlas, David; Pollack, Simcha

2013-12-01

Medical knowledge (MK) in residents is commonly assessed by the in-training examination (ITE) and faculty evaluations of resident performance. We assessed the reliability of clinical evaluations of residents by faculty and the relationship between faculty assessments of resident performance and ITE scores. We conducted a cross-sectional, observational study at an academic emergency department with a postgraduate year (PGY)-1 to PGY-3 emergency medicine residency program, comparing summative, quarterly, faculty evaluation data for MK and overall clinical competency (OC) with annual ITE scores, accounting for PGY level. We also assessed the reliability of faculty evaluations using a random effects, intraclass correlation analysis. We analyzed data for 59 emergency medicine residents during a 6-year period. Faculty evaluations of MK and OC were highly reliable (κ  =  0.99) and remained reliable after stratification by year of training (mean κ  =  0.68-0.84). Assessments of resident performance (MK and OC) and the ITE increased with PGY level. The MK and OC results had high correlations with PGY level, and ITE scores correlated moderately with PGY. The OC and MK results had a moderate correlation with ITE score. When residents were grouped by PGY level, there was no significant correlation between MK as assessed by the faculty and the ITE score. Resident clinical performance and ITE scores both increase with resident PGY level, but ITE scores do not predict resident clinical performance compared with peers at their PGY level.

Palaeomicrobiology meets forensic medicine: time as a fourth-dimension for the crime scene.

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Bazaj, A; Turrina, S; De Leo, D; Cornaglia, G

2015-03-01

The unrelenting progress of laboratory techniques is rapidly unleashing the huge potential of palaeomicrobiology. That bodies are often found in poor condition is common to both palaeomicrobiology and forensic medicine, and this might stimulate them towards a joint quest to extract reproducible data for reliable specimens.

In vivo diagnostic nuclear medicine. Pediatric experience

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goetz, W.A.; Hendee, W.R.; Gilday, D.L.

1983-01-01

The use of radiopharmaceuticals for diagnostic tests in children is increasing and interest in these is evidenced by the addition of scientific sessions devoted to pediatric medicine at annual meetings of The Society of Nuclear Medicine and by the increase in the literature on pediatric dosimetry. Data presented in this paper describe the actual pediatric nuclear medicine experience from 26 nationally representative U.S. hospitals and provide an overview of the pediatric procedures being performed the types of radiopharmaceuticals being used, and the activity levels being administered

The Danish Fetal Medicine Database

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ekelund CK

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Charlotte Kvist Ekelund,1 Tine Iskov Kopp,2 Ann Tabor,1 Olav Bjørn Petersen3 1Department of Obstetrics, Center of Fetal Medicine, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark; 2Registry Support Centre (East – Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Research Centre for Prevention and Health, Glostrup, Denmark; 3Fetal Medicine Unit, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus Nord, Denmark Aim: The aim of this study is to set up a database in order to monitor the detection rates and false-positive rates of first-trimester screening for chromosomal abnormalities and prenatal detection rates of fetal malformations in Denmark. Study population: Pregnant women with a first or second trimester ultrasound scan performed at all public hospitals in Denmark are registered in the database. Main variables/descriptive data: Data on maternal characteristics, ultrasonic, and biochemical variables are continuously sent from the fetal medicine units' Astraia databases to the central database via web service. Information about outcome of pregnancy (miscarriage, termination, live birth, or stillbirth is received from the National Patient Register and National Birth Register and linked via the Danish unique personal registration number. Furthermore, results of all pre- and postnatal chromosome analyses are sent to the database. Conclusion: It has been possible to establish a fetal medicine database, which monitors first-trimester screening for chromosomal abnormalities and second-trimester screening for major fetal malformations with the input from already collected data. The database is valuable to assess the performance at a regional level and to compare Danish performance with international results at a national level. Keywords: prenatal screening, nuchal translucency, fetal malformations, chromosomal abnormalities

[Quaternary prevention: An attempt to avoid the excesses of Medicine].

Science.gov (United States)

Noble, María

2015-09-01

Seduced by technology, biometrics, practical guidelines and the use of medication, medicine has been driven away from the subject of its care. Quaternary prevention is, among other voices around the world, trying to denounce the consequent excesses of medical practice given by this situation. There are visible excesses, such as the long list of studies being performed on patients without indication, and others, much more subtle, as excessive prevention and the continuous and progressive medicalization of life itself that are rooted in our culture and demanded by a society that requests certainty at almost any cost. Quaternary prevention proposes a series of actions leaning towards avoiding and diminishing the damage produced by health care activities, in order to protect the subject of overdiagnosis and overtreatment; offering also ethical and viable alternatives in which the balance of risks and benefits (based on the best evidences) respects the autonomy of the subject by properly informing and allowing him to decide among the best options he has; altogether in a process that contemplates a rational and equitable use of resources. In order to achieve this, reliable sources of information and a medical education not dependent on industries related to technology or pharmaceuticals, are vital; in conjuction with a medicine that restablishes the subject as its main and central interest.

Comparative analysis of Ligusticum chuanxiong and related umbelliferous medicinal plants by high performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization mass spectrometry.

Science.gov (United States)

Yi, Tao; Leung, Kelvin Sze-Yin; Lu, Guang-Hua; Zhang, Hao

2007-04-01

A highly precise and accurate method, based on high performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (HPLC-ESI-MS), was developed for the qualitative and quantitative comparison of the main constituents in the rhizome of Ligusticum chuanxiong (LC) and three related umbelliferous medicinal plants. A comprehensive validation of the developed method was conducted, and the method was highly sensitive, reproducible and accurate. The unique properties of the present method were validated by analyzing 20 related herbal samples including 5 LC samples, 5 Cnidium officinale samples (CO), 5 Angelica sinensis samples (AS) and 5 Angelica acutiloba samples (AA). Twelve compounds including phenolic constituents, alkylphthalides and phthalide dimers were identified by online ESI-MS and by comparison with literature data and standard compounds, and six of them were quantified by HPLC-DAD simultaneously. The results demonstrated that identical compound types were identified as the main constituents of LC, CO, AS and AA herbs. The results also support the alternative application of these medicinal plants in Chinese and Japanese folk medicines. In the present study, it was found that the variation in the abundance of senkyunolide A was significant in these related herbs; it is therefore feasible to choose senkyunolide A as a characteristic compound for quality evaluation and chemical authentication of these herbs.

[Determinants of equity in financing medicines in Argentina: an empirical study].

Science.gov (United States)

Dondo, Mariana; Monsalvo, Mauricio; Garibaldi, Lucas A

2016-01-01

Medicines are an important part of household health spending. A progressive system for financing drugs is thus essential for an equitable health system. Some authors have proposed that the determinants of equity in drug financing are socioeconomic, demographic, and associated with public interventions, but little progress has been made in the empirical evaluation and quantification of their relative importance. The current study estimated quantile regressions at the provincial level in Argentina and found that old age (> 65 years), unemployment, the existence of a public pharmaceutical laboratory, treatment transfers, and a health system orientated to primary care were important predictors of progressive payment schemes. Low income, weak institutions, and insufficient infrastructure and services were associated with the most regressive social responses to health needs, thereby aggravating living conditions and limiting development opportunities.

Integrating qualitative and quantitative characterization of traditional Chinese medicine injection by high-performance liquid chromatography with diode array detection and tandem mass spectrometry.

Science.gov (United States)

Xie, Yuan-yuan; Xiao, Xue; Luo, Juan-min; Fu, Chan; Wang, Qiao-wei; Wang, Yi-ming; Liang, Qiong-lin; Luo, Guo-an

2014-06-01

The present study aims to describe and exemplify an integrated strategy of the combination of qualitative and quantitative characterization of a multicomponent mixture for the quality control of traditional Chinese medicine injections with the example of Danhong injection (DHI). The standardized chemical profile of DHI has been established based on liquid chromatography with diode array detection. High-performance liquid chromatography coupled with time-of-flight mass spectrometry and high-performance liquid chromatography with electrospray multistage tandem ion-trap mass spectrometry have been developed to identify the major constituents in DHI. The structures of 26 compounds including nucleotides, phenolic acids, and flavonoid glycosides were identified or tentatively characterized. Meanwhile, the simultaneous determination of seven marker constituents, including uridine, adenosine, danshensu, protocatechuic aldehyde, p-coumaric acid, rosmarinic acid, and salvianolic acid B, in DHI was performed by multiwavelength detection based on high-performance liquid chromatography with diode array detection. The integrated qualitative and quantitative characterization strategy provided an effective and reliable pattern for the comprehensive and systematic characterization of the complex traditional Chinese medicine system. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Progress in nanotechnology for healthcare.

Science.gov (United States)

Raffa, V; Vittorio, O; Riggio, C; Cuschieri, A

2010-06-01

This review based on the Wickham lecture given by AC at the 2009 SMIT meeting in Sinaia outlines the progress made in nano-technology for healthcare. It describes in brief the nature of nano-materials and their unique properties which accounts for the significant research both in scientific institutions and industry for translation into new therapies embodied in the emerging field of nano-medicine. It stresses that the potential of nano-medicine to make significant inroads for more effective therapies both for life-threatening and life-disabling disorders will only be achieved by high-quality life science research. The first generation of passive nano-diagnostics based on nanoparticle contrast agents for magnetic resonance imaging is well established in clinical practice and new such contrast agents are undergoing early clinical evaluation. Likewise active (second generation) nano-therapies, exemplified by targeted control drug release systems are undergoing early clinical evaluation. The situation concerning other nano-materials such as carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) is less advanced although considerable progress has been made on their coating for aqueous dispersion and functionalisation to enable carriage of drugs, genes and fluorescent markers. The main problem related to the clinical use of these nanotubes is that there is no consent among scientists on the fate of such nano-materials following injection or implantation in humans. Provided carbon nanotubes are manufactured to certain medical criteria (length around 1 mum, purity of 97-99% and low Fe content) they exhibit no cytotoxicity on cell cultures and demonstrate full bio-compatibility on in vivo animal studies. The results of recent experimental studies have demonstrated the potential of technologies based on CNTs for low voltage wireless electro-chemotherapy of tumours and for electro-stimulation therapies for cardiac, neurodegenerative and skeletal and visceral muscle

The effect of progressive muscle relaxation techniques on anxiety in Patients with myocardial infarction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mozhgan Jariani

2011-12-01

Conclusion: progressive muscle relaxation can reduce the amount of anxiety, and systolic and diastolic blood pressure of the patients with myocardial infarction hospitalized in CCU ward, therefore it can play an effective role as a supplement non-medicinal, simple and cheap treatment for these patients

[Practice of Internal Medicine in Latin America. Role of the internist].

Science.gov (United States)

Varela, Nacor

2002-01-01

This article explores the causes of the crisis in the role of internists. As in the United States, the progressive specialization of internists lead to a dehumanized, expensive and technical practice of medicine. Aiming to better incomes and prestige, more than 60% of internists practice as specialists. Primary care physicians, with a very low rate of problem solving, cover 75% of consultations. Specialists, with increasing costs, cover the rest of consultations. Patients, medical schools and health organizations are claiming the return of the general internal medicine specialist. To increase the interest for general internal medicine, several strategies are applicable. Medical students interested in general internal medicine could receive a focused training, provided by these specialists. A greater emphasis should be put on primary care. More independent, secondary care diagnostic and treatment centers, should be created. Continuous medical education should be done with periodical re certification of physicians. The public health system should increase its wages and the generalist view should be maintained by physicians when practicing at their private offices.

Postgraduate education in internal medicine in Europe.

Science.gov (United States)

Cranston, Mark; Slee-Valentijn, Monique; Davidson, Christopher; Lindgren, Stefan; Semple, Colin; Palsson, Runolfur

2013-10-01

Limited information exists on the framework and content of postgraduate education in internal medicine in Europe. This report describes the results of a survey of postgraduate training in internal medicine in the European countries. Two online questionnaire-based surveys were carried out by the European Board of Internal Medicine, one on the practice of internists and the other on postgraduate training in internal medicine. The national internal medicine societies of all 30 member countries of the European Federation of Internal Medicine were invited to participate. The responses were reviewed by internal medicine residents from the respective countries and summaries of the data were sent to the national societies for approval. Descriptive analysis of the data on postgraduate training in internal medicine was performed. Twenty-seven countries (90%) completed the questionnaire and approved their datasets. The length of training ranged from four to six years and was commonly five years. The majority of countries offered training in internal medicine and a subspecialty. A common trunk of internal medicine was frequently a component of subspecialty training programmes. Hospital inpatient service was the predominant setting used for training. A final certifying examination was in place in 14 countries. Although some similarities exists, there appear to be significant differences in the organisation, content and governance of postgraduate training in internal medicine between the European countries. Our findings will prove invaluable for harmonisation of training and qualification in internal medicine in Europe. © 2013.

Erasmus exchange in the field of family medicine in Slovenia.

Science.gov (United States)

Rotar-Pavlič, Danica

2012-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the Erasmus exchange of students at the University of Ljubljana, Department of family medicine in the period from 2005 to 2010. The beginnings of an Erasmus exchange in the field of family medicine in Europe are described. Ljubljana Medical School has currently 60 bilateral agreements with universities or medical faculties in the EU and EFTA countries. We collected data of all students who come from the foreign faculties to the Department of family medicine and those from Slovenia who went to study abroad. In addition to basic descriptive statistics, we used the elements of qualitative analysis, where we reviewed the reports of the Slovenian Erasmus students, who went on exchange in the field of family medicine. Department of family medicine cooperated with 14 foreign medical schools since 2005. 42 Slovenian students went on academic exchange in the field of family medicine. 21 foreign students came to Department of family medicine in Ljubljana. Female students were more frequent in exchange compared with male students. The largest proportion of students went abroad in 2009. Most foreign students visited Department of Family medicine in Ljubljana in 2011. Reports of students show that they learned a lot. Students were able to compare the organization of health care in a foreign country and Slovenian health care system. Erasmus exchange has proven to be an important addition to the existing educational system. Students are acquainted with the progress of health care in Europe in this way. They are able to compare the benefits and disadvantages of foreign health care systems with home health care organization. Copyright 2012 by Academy of Sciences and Arts of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Quality assurance in nuclear medicine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Paras, P.

1978-01-01

Quality assurance practices must be followed throughout the entire nuclear medicine process, from the initial decision to perform a particular procedure, through the interpretation and reporting of the results. The various parameters that can be defined and measured in each area must be monitored by quality control tests to assure the excellence of the total nuclear medicine process. The presentation will discuss each of the major areas of nuclear medicine quality control and their interaction as a part of the entire system. Quality control testing results and recommendations for measurements of radioactivity distribution will be described with emphasis on imaging equipment and dose calibrating instrumentation. The role of the health physicist in a quality assurance program will be stressed. (author)

Evidence-Based Advances in Avian Medicine.

Science.gov (United States)

Summa, Noémie M; Guzman, David Sanchez-Migallon

2017-09-01

This article presents relevant advances in avian medicine and surgery over the past 5 years. New information has been published to improve clinical diagnosis in avian diseases. This article also describes new pharmacokinetic studies. Advances in the understanding and treatment of common avian disorders are presented in this article, as well. Although important progress has been made over the past years, there is still much research that needs to be done regarding the etiology, pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment of avian diseases and evidence-based information is still sparse in the literature. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Sleep medicine in Saudi Arabia: Current problems and future challenges

Science.gov (United States)

BaHammam, Ahmed S.

2011-01-01

Sleep medicine is a relatively new specialty in the medical community. The practice of sleep medicine in Saudi Arabia (KSA) began in the mid to late nineties. Since its inception, the specialty has grown, and the number of specialists has increased. Nevertheless, sleep medicine is still underdeveloped in the KSA, particularly in the areas of clinical service, education, training and research. Based on available data, it appears that sleep disorders are prevalent among Saudis, and the demand for sleep medicine service is expected to rise significantly in the near future. A number of obstacles have been defined that hinder the progress of the specialty, including a lack of trained technicians, specialists and funding. Awareness about sleep disorders and their serious consequences is low among health care workers, health care authorities, insurance companies and the general public. A major challenge for the future is penetrating the educational system at all levels to demonstrate the high prevalence and serious consequences of sleep disorders. To attain adequate numbers of staff and facilities, the education and training of health care professionals at the level of sleep medicine specialists and sleep technologists is another important challenge that faces the specialty. This review discusses the current position of sleep medicine as a specialty in the KSA and the expected challenges of the future. In addition, it will guide clinicians interested in setting up new sleep medicine services in the KSA or other developing countries through the potential obstacles that may face them in this endeavor. PMID:21264164

Sleep medicine in Saudi Arabia: Current problems and future challenges

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

BaHammam Ahmed

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Sleep medicine is a relatively new specialty in the medical community. The practice of sleep medicine in Saudi Arabia (KSA began in the mid to late nineties. Since its inception, the specialty has grown, and the number of specialists has increased. Nevertheless, sleep medicine is still underdeveloped in the KSA, particularly in the areas of clinical service, education, training and research. Based on available data, it appears that sleep disorders are prevalent among Saudis, and the demand for sleep medicine service is expected to rise significantly in the near future. A number of obstacles have been defined that hinder the progress of the specialty, including a lack of trained technicians, specialists and funding. Awareness about sleep disorders and their serious consequences is low among health care workers, health care authorities, insurance companies and the general public. A major challenge for the future is penetrating the educational system at all levels to demonstrate the high prevalence and serious consequences of sleep disorders. To attain adequate numbers of staff and facilities, the education and training of health care professionals at the level of sleep medicine specialists and sleep technologists is another important challenge that faces the specialty. This review discusses the current position of sleep medicine as a specialty in the KSA and the expected challenges of the future. In addition, it will guide clinicians interested in setting up new sleep medicine services in the KSA or other developing countries through the potential obstacles that may face them in this endeavor.

Nuclear Medicine

Science.gov (United States)

... Parents/Teachers Resource Links for Students Glossary Nuclear Medicine What is nuclear medicine? What are radioactive tracers? ... funded researchers advancing nuclear medicine? What is nuclear medicine? Nuclear medicine is a medical specialty that uses ...

Checklists for quality assurance and audit in nuclear medicine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Williams, E.D.; Harding, L.K.; McKillop, J.H.

1989-01-01

A series of checklists are given which aim to provide some guidance to staff in determining whether their working procedures in nuclear medicine are likely to produce a good service and avoid mistakes. The checklists relate to the special equipment used in nuclear medicine departments, radiopharmaceuticals, nuclear medicine staff, services to medical and other hospital staff and finally the service to patients. The checklists are relevant to an average nuclear medicine department performing less than 2000 imaging studies per year. (U.K.)

A review of plant-based compounds and medicinal plants effective on atherosclerosis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mehrnoosh Sedighi

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Atherosclerosis is one of the most important cardiovascular diseases that involve vessels through the development of fatty streaks and plaques. Plant-based compounds can help treat or prevent atherosclerosis through affecting the involved factors. The main purpose of this review article is to investigate and introduce medicinal plants and their potential activities regarding antioxidant properties, effective on lipids level and development of plaque, atherosclerosis, and progression of atherosclerosis as well as the development of cardiovascular disease and ischemia. To search for the relevant articles indexed in Information Sciences Institute, PubMed, Scientific Information Database, IranMedex, and Scopus between 1980 and 2013, with further emphasis on those indexed from 2004 to 2015, we used these search terms: atherosclerosis, antioxidant, cholesterol, inflammation, and the medicinal plants below. Then, the articles with inclusion criteria were used in the final analysis of the findings. Plant-based active compounds, including phenols, flavonoids, and antioxidants, can be effective on atherosclerosis predisposing factors and hence in preventing this disease and associated harmful complications, especially through reducing cholesterol, preventing increase in free radicals, and ultimately decreasing vascular plaque and vascular resistance. Hence, medicinal plants can contribute to treating atherosclerosis and preventing its progression through reducing cholesterolemia, free radicals, inflammation, vascular resistance, and certain enzymes. They, alone or in combination with hypocholesterolemic drugs, can therefore be useful for patients with hyperlipidemia and its complications.

Survey on supply and demand of medicinal plants in Lorestan province groceries

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

fatemeh Naderi

2010-03-01

Full Text Available The results of activities related to medicinal plant industry lead to maintenance and progress (improvement of society health. Attention to situation of medicinal plants in groceries, diagnosis different species, Value of consumption and supplier regions as most important factors in medicinal plants forum can be used for programming and politics in medicinal industry in our country. So via proper scientific programming we can achieve to better culture of medicinal plants consumption and we can improve health parameters in lorestan province. Materials and methods The research was accomplished with Cross-Sectional study and questionary technique was used for data collection. The questionnaire consist of 3 parts were included questions related to socioeconomic trait, number of medicinal plant and medicinal properties. All of the groceries in the lorestan province were studied as statistical society. Sampling method was availability sample and samples size was 69 groceries. Results Results showed that the numbers of medicinal plants in groceries were about 336 species, mean of sold weight Was 128.48 kg. 94.5% and 5.5% of medicinal plants were supplied from out of Lorestan and Lorestan province respectively. Conclusion Existence of special plains and mountains plentiful running water, high storage of under round water and different Climate in the lorestan province cause a considerable diversity in this province. Whereas the results of this study showed that the most important suppliers of medicinal plants were located out of this province therefore programming in the case of these valuable sources of medicinal plants will be because higher preoccupation and existence of these crops in the groceries of lorestan province, even can export these to other countries.

Precision Medicine in Gastrointestinal Pathology.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, David H; Park, Jason Y

2016-05-01

-Precision medicine is the promise of individualized therapy and management of patients based on their personal biology. There are now multiple global initiatives to perform whole-genome sequencing on millions of individuals. In the United States, an early program was the Million Veteran Program, and a more recent proposal in 2015 by the president of the United States is the Precision Medicine Initiative. To implement precision medicine in routine oncology care, genetic variants present in tumors need to be matched with effective clinical therapeutics. When we focus on the current state of precision medicine for gastrointestinal malignancies, it becomes apparent that there is a mixed history of success and failure. -To present the current state of precision medicine using gastrointestinal oncology as a model. We will present currently available targeted therapeutics, promising new findings in clinical genomic oncology, remaining quality issues in genomic testing, and emerging oncology clinical trial designs. -Review of the literature including clinical genomic studies on gastrointestinal malignancies, clinical oncology trials on therapeutics targeted to molecular alterations, and emerging clinical oncology study designs. -Translating our ability to sequence thousands of genes into meaningful improvements in patient survival will be the challenge for the next decade.

Children's (Pediatric) Nuclear Medicine

Medline Plus

Full Text Available ... exams at the same time. An emerging imaging technology, but not readily available at this time is PET/MRI. top of page What are some common uses of the procedure? Children's (pediatric) nuclear medicine imaging is performed to help ...

DNA Barcoding for the Identification and Authentication of Animal Species in Traditional Medicine

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fan Yang

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Animal-based traditional medicine not only plays a significant role in therapeutic practices worldwide but also provides a potential compound library for drug discovery. However, persistent hunting and illegal trade markedly threaten numerous medicinal animal species, and increasing demand further provokes the emergence of various adulterants. As the conventional methods are difficult and time-consuming to detect processed products or identify animal species with similar morphology, developing novel authentication methods for animal-based traditional medicine represents an urgent need. During the last decade, DNA barcoding offers an accurate and efficient strategy that can identify existing species and discover unknown species via analysis of sequence variation in a standardized region of DNA. Recent studies have shown that DNA barcoding as well as minibarcoding and metabarcoding is capable of identifying animal species and discriminating the authentics from the adulterants in various types of traditional medicines, including raw materials, processed products, and complex preparations. These techniques can also be used to detect the unlabelled and threatened animal species in traditional medicine. Here, we review the recent progress of DNA barcoding for the identification and authentication of animal species used in traditional medicine, which provides a reference for quality control and trade supervision of animal-based traditional medicine.

DNA Barcoding for the Identification and Authentication of Animal Species in Traditional Medicine.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Fan; Ding, Fei; Chen, Hong; He, Mingqi; Zhu, Shixin; Ma, Xin; Jiang, Li; Li, Haifeng

2018-01-01

Animal-based traditional medicine not only plays a significant role in therapeutic practices worldwide but also provides a potential compound library for drug discovery. However, persistent hunting and illegal trade markedly threaten numerous medicinal animal species, and increasing demand further provokes the emergence of various adulterants. As the conventional methods are difficult and time-consuming to detect processed products or identify animal species with similar morphology, developing novel authentication methods for animal-based traditional medicine represents an urgent need. During the last decade, DNA barcoding offers an accurate and efficient strategy that can identify existing species and discover unknown species via analysis of sequence variation in a standardized region of DNA. Recent studies have shown that DNA barcoding as well as minibarcoding and metabarcoding is capable of identifying animal species and discriminating the authentics from the adulterants in various types of traditional medicines, including raw materials, processed products, and complex preparations. These techniques can also be used to detect the unlabelled and threatened animal species in traditional medicine. Here, we review the recent progress of DNA barcoding for the identification and authentication of animal species used in traditional medicine, which provides a reference for quality control and trade supervision of animal-based traditional medicine.

Inspections in veterinary medicine 2005; Veterinaerinspektioner 2005

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Joensson, Helene

2006-11-15

In Sweden 300 veterinary clinics have a license for x-ray diagnostics. Six of them also have a license for nuclear medicine. During 2005 eight clinics were inspected and the results show that the radiation protection in veterinary medicine can be improved. No clinic fulfilled the regulations of categorization of workplaces and workers (SSI FS 1998:3). Half of the clinics had no Swedish manual to the x-ray equipment and just as many had not performed the annual function check. Obviously, there is a need for more information to staff in veterinary medicine.

Clinical Holistic Medicine: Applied Consciousness-Based Medicine

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Søren Ventegodt

2004-01-01

Full Text Available Consciousness-based medicine is our term for a form of medical treatment that works by direct appeal to the consciousness of the patient, in contrast to modern biomedical treatment where drugs are used to affect body chemistry. With this concept, maybe we are (in a sense turning back to the “old medicine”, where the family physician was the all-concerned “old country doctor” who knew the child, the siblings, the parents, the family, and the village. In a series of papers on clinical holistic medicine, we would like to present the classic art of healing, where the physician works mostly with his hands, then show how the modern biomedical physician performs with biochemistry, and finally introduce consciousness-based medicine. Some of our questions will be: If you improve your quality of life, will you also improve your health? Will learning more about yourself bring more purpose in your life? Will finding someone to live with in a loving and mutually respectful relationship improve your health? Scientists and thinkers like Antonovsky, Frankl, Maslow, and Jung have pointed to love as a unique way to coherence in life, and thus to biological order and a better health. Several scientific studies have also suggested that patients who focus on improving their quality of life usually will not follow the general statistics for survival, since somehow other factors are at play, which sometimes you will find referred to as “exceptional”.

Palaeomicrobiology meets forensic medicine: time as a fourth-dimension for the crime scene

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. Bazaj

2015-03-01

Full Text Available The unrelenting progress of laboratory techniques is rapidly unleashing the huge potential of palaeomicrobiology. That bodies are often found in poor condition is common to both palaeomicrobiology and forensic medicine, and this might stimulate them towards a joint quest to extract reproducible data for reliable specimens.

[The current state and prospect of Chinese medicine gastroenterology].

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Sheng-Sheng; Zhou, Tao

2012-03-01

The progress and existent problems of Chinese medicine (CM) gastroenterology since the National Eleventh Five-Year Plan were discussed in this article in terms of theory innovation, formulation of clinical pathway and diagnosis-treatment consensus, efficacy assessment, formulation of efficacy assessment scale, advantage diseases, and exploration of the syndrome standardization, progress in science research, academic exchange, and the construction of study platform, and so on. Meanwhile, the development of CM gastroenterology was prospected in the following five aspects: to enhance the theory inheritance and innovation, the construction of discipline standardization; to establish scientific clinical efficacy assessment methods and the standard system; to expend treatment technologies and feature therapies; and to clarify the modern scientific connotation of CM theory and treatment.

Position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Dietitians of Canada, and the American College of Sports Medicine: Nutrition and Athletic Performance.

Science.gov (United States)

Thomas, D Travis; Erdman, Kelly Anne; Burke, Louise M

2016-03-01

It is the position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (Academy), Dietitians of Canada (DC), and the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) that the performance of, and recovery from, sporting activities are enhanced by well-chosen nutrition strategies. These organizations provide guidelines for the appropriate type, amount, and timing of intake of food, fluids, and supplements to promote optimal health and performance across different scenarios of training and competitive sport. This position paper was prepared for members of the Academy, DC, and ACSM, other professional associations, government agencies, industry, and the public. It outlines the Academy's, DC's, and ACSM's stance on nutrition factors that have been determined to influence athletic performance and emerging trends in the field of sports nutrition. Athletes should be referred to a registered dietitian nutritionist for a personalized nutrition plan. In the United States and in Canada, the Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics is a registered dietitian nutritionist and a credentialed sports nutrition expert. Copyright © 2016 Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, American College of Sports Medicine, and Dietitians of Canada. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Radiation doses to patients from nuclear medicine examinations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boehm, K.; Boehmova, I.

2014-01-01

Public Health Authority of the Slovak Republic, Bratislava The exposure of the population to ionizing radiation is rising rapidly, nearly exclusively due to increasing medical use of radiation, including diagnostic methods of nuclear medicine. In 2012 Public health authority of the Slovak republic (PHA SR) performed a survey about the population exposure from nuclear medicine procedures. The primary objectives of this survey were to assess the frequency of different nuclear medicine procedures, determine the average activities administered by nuclear medicine procedures and compare them with the national diagnostic reference levels and determine the annual collective effective dose to the Slovak population from nuclear medicine. The effective dose calculation was based on the methodology of the ICRP32, ICRP80 and ICRP106. In Slovak republic are 11 nuclear medicine departments. The collected data of activities administered by different procedures correspond to 100 % of nuclear medicine departments. The total number of procedures included in the study was 36 250. The most commonly performed procedure was bone scintigraphy (35.9%), followed by lung perfusion and ventilation scintigraphy (17.0%), static and dynamic renal scintigraphy (13.0%), whole-body positron emission tomography of tumors with PET radiopharmaceuticals (11.6%), myocardial perfusion (8.8%), thyroid scintigraphy (6.2%), parathyroid scintigraphy (2.1%), scintigraphy of tumors (2.1%), scintigraphy of the liver and spleen (0.8%), brain perfusion (0.7%) and examination of the gastrointestinal system (0.3%). (authors)

Confronting zoonoses through closer collaboration between medicine and veterinary medicine (as 'one medicine').

Science.gov (United States)

Kahn, Laura H; Kaplan, Bruce; Steele, James H

2007-01-01

In the 19th century, the concept of 'one medicine' was embraced by leaders in the medical and veterinary medical communities. In the 20th century, collaborative efforts between medicine and veterinary medicine diminished considerably. While there have been some notable exceptions, such as Calvin W. Schwabe's proposal for unifying human and veterinary medicine and joint efforts by the Food and Agriculture Organization and World Health Organization to control zoonotic diseases, 'one medicine' has languished in the modern milieu of clinical care, public health, and biomedical research. Risks of zoonotic disease transmission are rarely discussed in clinical care which is of particular concern if humans and/or animals are immunosuppressed. Physicians and veterinarians should advise their patients and pet-owning clients that some animals should not be pets. The risk of zoonotic disease acquisition can be considerable in the occupational setting. Collaborative efforts in biomedical research could do much to improve human and animal health. As the threat of zoonotic diseases continues to increase in the 21st century, medicine and veterinary medicine must revive 'one medicine' in order to adequately address these challenges. 'One medicine' revival strategies must involve medical and veterinary medical education, clinical care, public health and biomedical research.

In vivo mutagenicity and clastogenicity of ionizing radiation in nuclear medicine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kelsey, K.T.

1991-01-01

The overall goal of our research was to investigate the mutagenic and clastogenic effects of exposure to low levels of ionizing radiation to human lymphocytes. Principally, we studied hospital patients referred to a nuclear medicine department for diagnostic cardiac imaging and nuclear medicine technologists who administer radionuclides. Emphasis in the first year, as described in the first progress report, was on optimization of the hprt mutation assay, measurement of mutant frequencies in patients imaged with thallium-201, and measurement of mutant frequencies in controls. Emphasis in the second and third years was on measurements of: (1) chromosome aberrations in patients imaged with thallium-201; (2) mutant frequencies in patients imaged with technetium-99; (3) mutant frequencies in nuclear medicine technicians and physical therapists; and (4) mutant frequencies in patients treated for Hodgkins disease with radiotherapy. The completed work has been published and is described below in more detail

The Danish fetal medicine database

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ekelund, Charlotte Kvist; Kopp, Tine Iskov; Tabor, Ann

2016-01-01

trimester ultrasound scan performed at all public hospitals in Denmark are registered in the database. Main variables/descriptive data: Data on maternal characteristics, ultrasonic, and biochemical variables are continuously sent from the fetal medicine units’Astraia databases to the central database via...... analyses are sent to the database. Conclusion: It has been possible to establish a fetal medicine database, which monitors first-trimester screening for chromosomal abnormalities and second-trimester screening for major fetal malformations with the input from already collected data. The database...

Nuclear medicine technology progress report for quarter ending December 31, 1980

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Knapp, F.F. Jr.

1981-05-01

A method was developed for the synthesis of terminal haloalkyl (X-R)-substituted selenium (Se)- and tellurium (Te)-long-chain fatty acids. Several iodinated Se- and Te-fatty acids have now been prepared including the iodinated analog of methyl-9-THDA, methyl-17-iodo-9-telluraheptadecanoic acid [I-(CH 2 ) 8 -Te-(CH 2 ) 7 -COOCH 3 ]. A principal goal is the preparation and biological evaluation of the 123 I-labeled fatty acids. Osmium-191 was produced for the first time in the High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) and supplied to collaborators for patient studies with the /sup 191m/Ir daughter obtained from the 191 Os → /sup 191m/Ir generator system. The /sup 191m/Ir is an excellent isotope for first-pass radionuclide angiographic evaluation of ventricular ejection fraction, intracardiac shunts, and a variety of other clinical applications. The factors affecting 191 Os production are being investigated and improvements in the generator are in progress. In a new cooperative program, /sup 117m/Sn has been produced in the HFIR and supplied to investigators to investigate the mechanism of labeling of red blood cells (rbc) with /sup 117m/SnCl 2 for performing rbc volume measurements, and gated blood pool imaging studies. Labeling is efficient (70%), and the /sup 117m/Sn is strongly bound to the cells. The attractive emission properties and moderate physical half-life of /sup 117m/Sn suggest that /sup 117m/Sn-labeled rbc ejection fraction measurements could be very useful if high specific activity /sup 117m/Sn can be produced. Five production runs of 11 C-labeled amino acids were made in conjunction with the Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU). These agents were evaluated for tumor localization, pancreas imaging, and brain scanning in patients and included 11 C-DL-valine, 11 C-DL-tryptophan, and 11 C-l-aminocyclobutanecarboxylic acid ( 11 C-ACBC)

Pretreatment advanced lung cancer inflammation index (ALI) for predicting early progression in nivolumab-treated patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Shiroyama, Takayuki; Suzuki, Hidekazu; Tamiya, Motohiro; Tamiya, Akihiro; Tanaka, Ayako; Okamoto, Norio; Nakahama, Kenji; Taniguchi, Yoshihiko; Isa, Shun-Ichi; Inoue, Takako; Imamura, Fumio; Atagi, Shinji; Hirashima, Tomonori

2018-01-01

Programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression status is inadequate for indicating nivolumab in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Because the baseline advanced lung cancer inflammation index (ALI) is reportedly associated with patient outcomes, we investigated whether the pretreatment ALI is prognostic in NSCLC patients treated with nivolumab. We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of all patients treated with nivolumab for advanced NSCLC between December 2015 and May 2016 at three Japanese institutes. Multivariate logistic regression and Cox proportional hazards models were used to assess the impact of the pretreatment ALI (and other inflammation-related parameters) on progression-free survival (PFS) and early progression (i.e., within 8 weeks after starting nivolumab). A total of 201 patients were analyzed; their median age was 68 years (range, 27-87 years), 67% were men, and 24% had an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status of 2 or higher. An ECOG performance status ≥2, serum albumin ALI ALI ALI was found to be a significant independent predictor of early progression in patients with advanced NSCLC receiving nivolumab, and may help identify patients likely to benefit from continued nivolumab treatment in routine clinical practice. © 2017 The Authors. Cancer Medicine published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Radioisotopes: problems of responsibility arising from medicine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dupon, Michel.

1978-09-01

Radioisotopes have brought about great progress in the battle against illnesses of mainly tumoral origin, whether in diagnosis (nuclear medicine) or in treatment (medical radiotherapy). They are important enough therefore to warrant investigation. Such a study is attempted here, with special emphasis, at a time when medical responsibility proceedings are being taken more and more often on the medicolegal problems arising from their medical use. It is hoped that this study on medical responsibility in the use of radioisotopes will have shown: that the use of radioisotopes for either diagnosis or therapy constitutes a major banch of medicine; that this importance implies an awareness by the practitioner of a vast responsibility, especially in law where legislation to ensure protection as strict as in the field of ionizing radiations is lacking. The civil responsibility of doctors who use radioisotopes remains to be defined, since for want of adequate jurisprudence we are reduced to hypotheses based on general principles [fr

Clinical Report of Oriental Medicine Treatment with Bee Venom Therapy of Progressive muscle atrophy 1 Patient

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kim Young-Ho

2000-07-01

Full Text Available The authors reports in order to study the effect of Bee Venom therapy of progressive muscle atrophy. The authors investigated 1 patient who is treated at Woosuk University Oriental Medical Hospital. The patient diagnosed by MRI EMG Hematology Muscle biopsy as progressive muscle atrophy is administered by Bee Venom therapy for 4 months. Bee Venom therapy is operated by 2 times per a week(every 3 days, 0.1cc per one operation, 0.05cc per one acupuncture point. The authors checked changes of this patient's chief symptoms by comparing before and after Bee Venom therapy is operated at 30 times. After Bee Venom therapy, the patient increased motor power & ROM, decreased general cooling sense & swallowing disorder. As above, the authors conclude that better results can be obtained Oriental Medical Treatment with Bee Venom therapy in progressive muscle atrophy

Highlights lecture EANM 2016: "Embracing molecular imaging and multi-modal imaging: a smart move for nuclear medicine towards personalized medicine".

Science.gov (United States)

Aboagye, Eric O; Kraeber-Bodéré, Françoise

2017-08-01

The 2016 EANM Congress took place in Barcelona, Spain, from 15 to 19 October under the leadership of Prof. Wim Oyen, chair of the EANM Scientific Committee. With more than 6,000 participants, this congress was the most important European event in nuclear medicine, bringing together a multidisciplinary community involved in the different fields of nuclear medicine. There were over 600 oral and 1,200 poster or e-Poster presentations with an overwhelming focus on development and application of imaging for personalized care, which is timely for the community. Beyond FDG PET, major highlights included progress in the use of PSMA and SSTR receptor-targeted radiopharmaceuticals and associated theranostics in oncology. Innovations in radiopharmaceuticals for imaging pathologies of the brain and cardiovascular system, as well as infection and inflammation, were also highlighted. In the areas of physics and instrumentation, multimodality imaging and radiomics were highlighted as promising areas of research.

The Traditional Medicine and Modern Medicine from Natural Products

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Haidan Yuan

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Natural products and traditional medicines are of great importance. Such forms of medicine as traditional Chinese medicine, Ayurveda, Kampo, traditional Korean medicine, and Unani have been practiced in some areas of the world and have blossomed into orderly-regulated systems of medicine. This study aims to review the literature on the relationship among natural products, traditional medicines, and modern medicine, and to explore the possible concepts and methodologies from natural products and traditional medicines to further develop drug discovery. The unique characteristics of theory, application, current role or status, and modern research of eight kinds of traditional medicine systems are summarized in this study. Although only a tiny fraction of the existing plant species have been scientifically researched for bioactivities since 1805, when the first pharmacologically-active compound morphine was isolated from opium, natural products and traditional medicines have already made fruitful contributions for modern medicine. When used to develop new drugs, natural products and traditional medicines have their incomparable advantages, such as abundant clinical experiences, and their unique diversity of chemical structures and biological activities.

The Traditional Medicine and Modern Medicine from Natural Products.

Science.gov (United States)

Yuan, Haidan; Ma, Qianqian; Ye, Li; Piao, Guangchun

2016-04-29

Natural products and traditional medicines are of great importance. Such forms of medicine as traditional Chinese medicine, Ayurveda, Kampo, traditional Korean medicine, and Unani have been practiced in some areas of the world and have blossomed into orderly-regulated systems of medicine. This study aims to review the literature on the relationship among natural products, traditional medicines, and modern medicine, and to explore the possible concepts and methodologies from natural products and traditional medicines to further develop drug discovery. The unique characteristics of theory, application, current role or status, and modern research of eight kinds of traditional medicine systems are summarized in this study. Although only a tiny fraction of the existing plant species have been scientifically researched for bioactivities since 1805, when the first pharmacologically-active compound morphine was isolated from opium, natural products and traditional medicines have already made fruitful contributions for modern medicine. When used to develop new drugs, natural products and traditional medicines have their incomparable advantages, such as abundant clinical experiences, and their unique diversity of chemical structures and biological activities.

Traditional Chinese medicine treatment of liver diseases

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

WANG Rongbing

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM treatment of liver diseases is derived from the regulation of liver function including storing blood and governing the free flow of qi, in which functional systems such as modern digestion, endocrine, and the gut-liver axis are involved, and is established on modern hepatic physiology, pathology, and etiology. To objectively reveal the characteristics and advantages of modern TCM treatment of liver diseases, we analyzed the clinical and research situation of TCM therapy for liver diseases in the last decade and collected major achievements that have been applied in clinical treatment of diseases, published in core journals, and confirmed by major scientific research programs. The results showed TCM combined with antiviral therapy can improve the clinical outcomes of chronic hepatitis B. TCM can help HBV carriers prevent disease progression. Integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine therapy for acute-on-chronic liver failure can block the deterioration induced by endotoxin. TCM has been widely applied in protecting the liver through nonspecific anti-inflammation, alleviating hepatic fibrosis, and preventing non-alcoholic fatty liver. TCM plays an important role in treating some currently untreatable liver diseases. Therefore, it is our common responsibility to inherit and develop effective principle-method-recipe-medicines and create a better medical care system.

[Biobanking and the further development of precision medicine].

Science.gov (United States)

Dahl, E

2018-06-06

Over the last 15 years, an estimated 3000 large centralized biobanks have been established worldwide, making important contributions to the further development of precision medicine. In many cases, these biobanks are affiliated with pathological institutes or work closely with them. In which translational research projects, and during which phases in the development of new drugs are human bioprobes being used and can their use be easily traced in the literature? PubMed, Internet research, and information from the German Biobank Alliance and the European initiative BBMRI-ERIC. High-quality biosamples from centralized biobanks are increasingly used in clinical research and development projects. Success stories, where bioprobes have contributed to the further development of precision medicine, are shown in this paper using among others the example of RET gene fusion discovery in lung cancer. Interestingly enough, many key publications in the field of precision medicine do not contain exact references to the biobanks involved. The importance of centralized biobanks in translational research and clinical development is constantly increasing. However, in order to ensure the acceptance and visibility of biobanks, their participation in success stories of biomedical progress must be systematically documented and published.

Medical humanities’ challenge to medicine

Science.gov (United States)

Macnaughton, Jane

2015-01-01

Medicine is predicated on a view of human nature that is highly positivist and atomistic. This is apparent in the way in which its students are taught, clinical consultations are structured and medical evidence is generated. The field of medical humanities originally emerged as a challenge to this overly narrow view, but it has rarely progressed beyond tinkering around the edges of medical education. This is partly because its practitioners have largely been working from within a pervasive medical culture from which it is difficult to break free, and partly because the field has been insufficiently armed with scholarly thinking from the humanities. This is beginning to change and there is a sign that research in medical humanities has the potential to mount a persuasive challenge to medicine’s ways of teaching, working and finding out. This article problematizes medicine’s narrow viewpoint, grounding its critique in philosophical ideas from phenomenology and pragmatism. I will reflect upon the historical context within which medical humanities has emerged and briefly examine specific examples of how its interdisciplinary approach, involving humanities scholars with clinicians and medical scientists, may develop new research directions in medicine. PMID:21851510

Gene therapy and reproductive medicine.

Science.gov (United States)

Stribley, John M; Rehman, Khurram S; Niu, Hairong; Christman, Gregory M

2002-04-01

To review the literature on the principles of gene therapy and its potential application in reproductive medicine. Literature review. Gene therapy involves transfer of genetic material to target cells using a delivery system, or vector. Attention has primarily focused on viral vectors. Significant problems remain to be overcome including low efficacy of gene transfer, the transient expression of some vectors, safety issues with modified adenoviruses and retroviruses, and ethical concerns. If these issues can be resolved, gene therapy will be applicable to an increasing spectrum of single and multiple gene disorders, as the Human Genome Project data are analyzed, and the genetic component of human disease becomes better understood. Gynecologic gene therapy has advanced to human clinical trials for ovarian carcinoma, and shows potential for the treatment of uterine leiomyomata. Obstetric applications of gene therapy, including fetal gene therapy, remain more distant goals. Concerns about the safety of human gene therapy research are being actively addressed, and remarkable progress in improving DNA transfer has been made. The first treatment success for a genetic disease (severe combined immunodeficiency disease) has been achieved, and ongoing research efforts will eventually yield clinical applications in many spheres of reproductive medicine.

Diagnostic nuclear medicine. 2. rev. ed.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schiepers, C.

2006-01-01

The field of nuclear medicine is undergoing rapid expansion, and is evolving into diagnostic molecular imaging. During recent years, dual-modality imaging with PET/CT has gained acceptance and this is currently the fastest-growing technique for oncological imaging applications. The glucose analogue FDG has held its place in diagnostic oncology, assessment of myocardial viability and diagnosis of neuro-degenerative disorders. Peptides have become even more important as imaging agents. The accuracy of hepatobiliary scintigraphy has been enhanced by cholecystokinin. The use of ACE inhibitors in the evaluation of renovascular hypertension has become the standard in renography. New instrumentation has led to faster scanners, and computer development to better image processing software. Automatic processing is more common, and standardization of protocols can be accomplished easily. The field of gene imaging has progressed, although routine clinical applications are not yet available. The present text, supplemented with many detailed and informative illustrations, represents an adjunct to the standard knowledge of diagnostic nuclear medicine and provides both the student and the professional with an overview of developments during the past decade. (orig.)

Implantation of a data bank of nuclear medicine patients (DOSIMED); Implantacao de um banco de dados de pacientes de medicina nuclear (DOSIMED)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Krempser, Alexandre R.; Oliveira, Silvia M. Velasques de; Silva, Tadeu A.A., E-mail: krempser@ird.com.b, E-mail: silvia@ird.gov.b, E-mail: tedsilva@ird.gov.b [Instituto de Radioprotecao e Dosimetria (IRD/CNEN-RJ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil)

2009-07-01

This paper develops a institutional data bank for internal dosimetry and radiological protection of nuclear medicine patents. The data are originating from projects in progress performed by the Group for Research in Internal Dosimetry in Nuclear Medicine of the IRD, Brazil. The DOSIMED data bank was developed on the Linux computer operation system, under PHP and SQL languages, using the Script Case software. Since the investigation is due to medical applications, the data entry is done by projects, after their approval by a committee of local ethics. Projects are associated with equipment used and with studied patients. Patients are associated to and/or appropriated therapeutic protocols. The patient internal dosimetry data are generated by three types of monitoring: image quantification, bio analysis in vitro and external exposure for the patient injected with radioisotope. For the guarantee of data quality, the collected data are imported fro the original documents for the DOSIMED, and the comparison can be done after the final study for data evaluation. Up to the present, the screens for the data entry were developed and the respective consistence data are in progress. The DOSIMED will be available at the IRD intra net for the director and the investigators involved in each project

Performance of PRP Associated with Porous Chitosan as a Composite Scaffold for Regenerative Medicine

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andréa Arruda Martins Shimojo

2015-01-01

Full Text Available This study aimed to evaluate the in vitro performance of activated platelet-rich plasma associated with porous sponges of chitosan as a composite scaffold for proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of human adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells. The sponges were prepared by controlled freezing (−20, −80, or −196°C and lyophilization of chitosan solutions (1, 2, or 3% w/v. The platelet-rich plasma was obtained from controlled centrifugation of whole blood and activated with calcium and autologous serum. The composite scaffolds were prepared by embedding the sponges with the activated platelet-rich plasma. The results showed the performance of the scaffolds was superior to that of activated platelet-rich plasma alone, in terms of delaying the release of growth factors and increased proliferation of the stem cells. The best preparation conditions of chitosan composite scaffolds that coordinated the physicochemical and mechanical properties and cell proliferation were 3% (w/v chitosan and a −20°C freezing temperature, while −196°C favored osteogenic differentiation. Although the composite scaffolds are promising for regenerative medicine, the structures require stabilization to prevent the collapse observed after five days.

Re-branding cannabis: the next generation of chronic pain medicine?

Science.gov (United States)

Carter, Gregory T; Javaher, Simone P; Nguyen, Michael Hv; Garret, Sharon; Carlini, Beatriz H

2015-01-01

The field of pain medicine is at a crossroads given the epidemic of addiction and overdose deaths from prescription opioids. Cannabis and its active ingredients, cannabinoids, are a much safer therapeutic option. Despite being slowed by legal restrictions and stigma, research continues to show that when used appropriately, cannabis is safe and effective for many forms of chronic pain and other conditions, and has no overdose levels. Current literature indicates many chronic pain patients could be treated with cannabis alone or with lower doses of opioids. To make progress, cannabis needs to be re-branded as a legitimate medicine and rescheduled to a more pharmacologically justifiable class of compounds. This paper discusses the data supporting re-branding and rescheduling of cannabis.

The role of irrational thought in medicine adherence: people with diabetic kidney disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Williams, Allison F; Manias, Elizabeth; Walker, Rowan

2009-10-01

This paper is a report of a study conducted to examine how irrational thinking affects people's adherence to multiple medicines prescribed to manage their diabetic kidney disease. Approximately 50% of people are non-adherent to their prescribed medicines and the risk of non-adherence escalates as the number of prescribed medicines increases. Adherence to prescribed medicines can slow disease progression in diabetic kidney disease. A descriptive exploratory design was used. In-depth interviews were conducted with 23 participants recruited from a nephrology outpatient clinic in Australia in 2007. Data were analysed using a 'framework' method. Participants' mean age was 59 years, they had approximately six chronic conditions in addition to their diabetic kidney disease and were prescribed a median of ten medicines daily. Two major themes of irrational thinking--heuristics and denial--and subthemes were identified. Heuristics contributed to inaccurate risk assessment and biases affecting rational judgement concerning medicines, whereas denial was used to enhance coping necessary to manage this complex health condition. Participants underestimated their health risks because they had been taking medicines for many years and preferred not to dwell on their ill health. A large amount of irrational thinking was related to maintaining the emotional strength necessary to manage their comorbid conditions as best they could. Regular assessment and support of medicine adherence throughout the disease course is necessary to avert the development of counterproductive heuristics and denial affecting medicine adherence.

Validity and Reliability of a Medicine Ball Explosive Power Test.

Science.gov (United States)

Stockbrugger, Barry A.; Haennel, Robert G.

2001-01-01

Evaluated the validity and reliability of a medicine ball throw test to evaluate explosive power. Data on competitive sand volleyball players who performed a medicine ball throw and a standard countermovement jump indicated that the medicine ball throw test was a valid and reliable way to assess explosive power for an analogous total-body movement…

The impact of social media on the academic performance of second year medical students at College of Medicine, University of Babylon, Iraq

OpenAIRE

Ahmed Tawfeeq Alahmar

2016-01-01

Social media applications and their use among students have witnessed dramatic increase in the last decade and data on their effect on students academic performance are inconsistent. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of social media on the academic performance and grades of second year medical students at the College of Medicine, University of Babylon, Iraq. Second year medical students (n=57) completed online questionnaire about the type of social media they use frequently, time...

Development of a Conceptual Model of Disease Progression for Use in Economic Modeling of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Tabberer, Maggie; Gonzalez-McQuire, Sebastian; Muellerova, Hana; Briggs, Andrew H; Rutten-van Mölken, Maureen P M H; Chambers, Mike; Lomas, David A

2017-05-01

To develop and validate a new conceptual model (CM) of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) for use in disease progression and economic modeling. The CM identifies and describes qualitative associations between disease attributes, progression and outcomes. A literature review was performed to identify any published CMs or literature reporting the impact and association of COPD disease attributes with outcomes. After critical analysis of the literature, a Steering Group of experts from the disciplines of health economics, epidemiology and clinical medicine was convened to develop a draft CM, which was refined using a Delphi process. The refined CM was validated by testing for associations between attributes using data from the Evaluation of COPD Longitudinally to Identify Predictive Surrogate Endpoints (ECLIPSE). Disease progression attributes included in the final CM were history and occurrence of exacerbations, lung function, exercise capacity, signs and symptoms (cough, sputum, dyspnea), cardiovascular disease comorbidities, 'other' comorbidities (including depression), body composition (body mass index), fibrinogen as a biomarker, smoking and demographic characteristics (age, gender). Mortality and health-related quality of life were determined to be the most relevant final outcome measures for this model, intended to be the foundation of an economic model of COPD. The CM is being used as the foundation for developing a new COPD model of disease progression and to provide a framework for the analysis of patient-level data. The CM is available as a reference for the implementation of further disease progression and economic models.

Clinical Trials in Veterinary Medicine: A New Era Brings New Challenges.

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Oyama, M A; Ellenberg, S S; Shaw, P A

2017-07-01

Randomized clinical trials (RCTs) are among the most rigorous ways to determine the causal relationship between an intervention and important clinical outcome. Their use in veterinary medicine has become increasingly common, and as is often the case, with progress comes new challenges. Randomized clinical trials yield important answers, but results from these studies can be unhelpful or even misleading unless the study design and reporting are carried out with care. Herein, we offer some perspective on several emerging challenges associated with RCTs, including use of composite endpoints, the reporting of different forms of risk, analysis in the presence of missing data, and issues of reporting and safety assessment. These topics are explored in the context of previously reported veterinary internal medicine studies as well as through illustrative examples with hypothetical data sets. Moreover, many insights germane to RCTs in veterinary internal medicine can be drawn from the wealth of experience with RCTs in the human medical field. A better understanding of the issues presented here can help improve the design, interpretation, and reporting of veterinary RCTs. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.

Thinking and practice of accelerating transformation of traditional Chinese medicine from experience medicine to evidence-based medicine.

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Liu, Baoyan; Zhang, Yanhong; Hu, Jingqing; He, Liyun; Zhou, Xuezhong

2011-06-01

The gradual development of Chinese medicine is based on constant accumulation and summary of experience in clinical practice, but without the benefit of undergoing the experimental medicine stage. Although Chinese medicine has formed a systematic and unique theory system through thousands of years, with the development of evidence-based medicine, the bondage of the research methods of experience medicine to Chinese medicine is appearing. The rapid transition and transformation from experience medicine to evidence-based medicine have become important content in the development of Chinese medicine. According to the features of Chinese medicine, we propose the research idea of "taking two ways simultaneously," which is the study both in the ideal condition and in the real world. Analyzing and constructing the theoretical basis and methodology of clinical research in the real world, and building the stage for research technique is key to the effective clinical research of Chinese medicine. Only by gradually maturing and completing the clinical research methods of the real world could we realize "taking two ways simultaneously" and complementing each other, continuously produce scientific and reliable evidence of Chinese medicine, as well as transform and develop Chinese medicine from experience medicine to evidence-based medicine.

Alloy development for irradiation performance. Semiannual progress report for period ending September 30, 1985

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1986-02-01

This report is the twenty-second in a series of Technical Progress Reports on ''Alloy Development for Irradiation Performance'' (ADIP), which is one element of the Fusion Reactor Materials Program, conducted in support of the magnetic Fusion Energy Program of the US Department of energy. This report is organized along topical lines with Chapters 3 through 8 devoted to the various alloy classes that are currently under investigation. Thus the work of a given laboratory may appear at several different places in the report. The materials compatibility and environmental effects work on all alloy classes is collected together in Chapter 9. The Table of Contents is annotated for the convenience of the reader

Medicines

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Medicines can treat diseases and improve your health. If you are like most people, you need to take medicine at some point in your life. You may need to take medicine every day, or you may only need to ...

Narrative descriptions should replace grades and numerical ratings for clinical performance in medical education in the United States

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Janice Lynn Hanson

2013-11-01

Full Text Available Background: In medical education, evaluation of clinical performance is based almost universally on rating scales for defined aspects of performance and scores on examinations and checklists. Unfortunately, scores and grades do not capture progress and competence among learners in the complex tasks and roles required to practice medicine. While the literature suggests serious problems with the validity and reliability of ratings of clinical performance based on numerical scores, the critical issue is not that judgments about what is observed vary from rater to rater but that these judgments are lost when translated into numbers on a scale. As the Next Accreditation System of the Accreditation Council on Graduate Medical Education (ACGME takes effect, medical educators have an opportunity to create new processes of evaluation to document and facilitate progress of medical learners in the required areas of competence.Proposal and initial experience: Narrative descriptions of learner performance in the clinical environment, gathered using a framework for observation that builds a shared understanding of competence among the faculty, promise to provide meaningful qualitative data closely linked to the work of physicians. With descriptions grouped in categories and matched to milestones, core faculty can place each learner along the milestones’ continua of progress. This provides the foundation for meaningful feedback to facilitate the progress of each learner as well as documentation of progress toward competence.Implications: This narrative evaluation system addresses educational needs as well as the goals of the Next Accreditation System for explicitly documented progress. Educators at other levels of education and in other professions experience similar needs for authentic assessment and, with meaningful frameworks that describe roles and tasks, may also find useful a system built on descriptions of learner performance in actual work settings

Regenerative Medicine Build-Out

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Pfenning, Michael A.; Gores, Gregory J.; Harper, C. Michel

2015-01-01

Summary Regenerative technologies strive to boost innate repair processes and restitute normative impact. Deployment of regenerative principles into practice is poised to usher in a new era in health care, driving radical innovation in patient management to address the needs of an aging population challenged by escalating chronic diseases. There is urgency to design, execute, and validate viable paradigms for translating and implementing the science of regenerative medicine into tangible health benefits that provide value to stakeholders. A regenerative medicine model of care would entail scalable production and standardized application of clinical grade biotherapies supported by comprehensive supply chain capabilities that integrate sourcing and manufacturing with care delivery. Mayo Clinic has rolled out a blueprint for discovery, translation, and application of regenerative medicine therapies for accelerated adoption into the standard of care. To establish regenerative medical and surgical service lines, the Mayo Clinic model incorporates patient access, enabling platforms and delivery. Access is coordinated through a designated portal, the Regenerative Medicine Consult Service, serving to facilitate patient/provider education, procurement of biomaterials, referral to specialty services, and/or regenerative interventions, often in clinical trials. Platforms include the Regenerative Medicine Biotrust and Good Manufacturing Practice facilities for manufacture of clinical grade products for cell-based, acellular, and/or biomaterial applications. Care delivery leverages dedicated interventional suites for provision of regenerative services. Performance is tracked using a scorecard system to inform decision making. The Mayo Clinic roadmap exemplifies an integrated organization in the discovery, development, and delivery of regenerative medicine within a growing community of practice at the core of modern health care. Significance Regenerative medicine is at the

Regenerative Medicine Build-Out.

Science.gov (United States)

Terzic, Andre; Pfenning, Michael A; Gores, Gregory J; Harper, C Michel

2015-12-01

Regenerative technologies strive to boost innate repair processes and restitute normative impact. Deployment of regenerative principles into practice is poised to usher in a new era in health care, driving radical innovation in patient management to address the needs of an aging population challenged by escalating chronic diseases. There is urgency to design, execute, and validate viable paradigms for translating and implementing the science of regenerative medicine into tangible health benefits that provide value to stakeholders. A regenerative medicine model of care would entail scalable production and standardized application of clinical grade biotherapies supported by comprehensive supply chain capabilities that integrate sourcing and manufacturing with care delivery. Mayo Clinic has rolled out a blueprint for discovery, translation, and application of regenerative medicine therapies for accelerated adoption into the standard of care. To establish regenerative medical and surgical service lines, the Mayo Clinic model incorporates patient access, enabling platforms and delivery. Access is coordinated through a designated portal, the Regenerative Medicine Consult Service, serving to facilitate patient/provider education, procurement of biomaterials, referral to specialty services, and/or regenerative interventions, often in clinical trials. Platforms include the Regenerative Medicine Biotrust and Good Manufacturing Practice facilities for manufacture of clinical grade products for cell-based, acellular, and/or biomaterial applications. Care delivery leverages dedicated interventional suites for provision of regenerative services. Performance is tracked using a scorecard system to inform decision making. The Mayo Clinic roadmap exemplifies an integrated organization in the discovery, development, and delivery of regenerative medicine within a growing community of practice at the core of modern health care. Regenerative medicine is at the vanguard of health care

The endemic medicinal plants of Northern Balochistan, Pakistan and their uses in traditional medicine.

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Bibi, Tahira; Ahmad, Mushtaq; Mohammad Tareen, Niaz; Jabeen, Rukhsana; Sultana, Shazia; Zafar, Muhammad; Zain-ul-Abidin, Sheikh

2015-09-15

The highlands of Northern Balochistan are the hot spots of medicinal and endemic plant in Pakistan. These plants are still commonly used for medicinal purposes by local people in their daily lives. This study first documented the information about the medicinal uses of endemic species of Balochistan-province Pakistan. A survey was performed using open ended questionnaires, free listening and personal observations with 152 informants (54% female, 46% male). In addition, the use value (MUV), use report (UR), fidelity level (FL), frequency citation (FC), relative frequency citation (RFC), family importance value (FIV) of species were determined and the informant consensus factor (ICF) was calculated for the medicinal plants included in the study. A total of 24 endemic plants belonging to 19 genera and 14 families were used by the local inhabitants to treat 12 categories of various diseases. The most common families of endemic plant species as depicted by its number of species (6 species) and FIV (9.9) was Fabaceae as the dominant family. The endemic plant species comprised perennial herbs (30%), annual herbs (25%), shrubs (29%) and under shrubs (16% each), no endemic tree species was reported in the study area. The highest number of species were used in the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases (12 species). The main route of administration is oral injection (62%) while the most frequently used form of external administration of herbal medicine was paste (5.4%) and the most commonly applied methods of preparation are powder (48.2%). Highest use report were calculated for Allium baluchistanicum and Viola makranica, (8 UR each), and least use report were calculated for two species Heliotropium remotiflorum and Tetracme stocksii (1 UR for each). Use values of the recorded plant species have been calculated which showed a highest use value of (0.73) for A. baluchistanicum and (0.56) for Berberis baluchistanica while the lowest UVs were attained for T. stocksii (0