Ethnobotany of medicinal plants in Ada'a District, East Shewa Zone of Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia.

Science.gov (United States)

Kefalew, Alemayehu; Asfaw, Zemede; Kelbessa, Ensermu

2015-04-02

An ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants was conducted in Ada'a District, Eastern Shewa Zone of Oromia Regional State of Ethiopia. The objective of the study was to identify and document medicinal plants and the associated ethnobotanical/ethnomedicinal knowledge of the local people. Relevant ethnobotanical data focused on medicinal plants and traditional herbal medicines were collected using guided field walk, semi-structured interview and direct field observation. Informant consensus method and group discussion were conducted for crosschecking and verification of the information. Both descriptive statistics and quantitative ethnobotanical methods were used for data analysis. We documented 131 species distributed in 109 genera and 54 families based on local claims of medicinal values. Patients who are using traditional drugs and herbalists collect most of these plants from the wild. The leading plant families that encompass large medicinal species were the Lamiaceae (14 species) followed by Asteraceae (13) and Solanaceae (7). The study reported the existence of a number of medicinal plants, an indication for the presence of plant-based traditional medicinal knowledge transfer that survived through generations. Informants asserted that wild growing medicinal plants are under threat due to increased use pressure coupled with unsuitable harvesting that frequently targets roots and barks for remedy preparations. This calls for urgent and collaborative actions to keep the balance between medicinal plants availability in the wild state and their utilization by the community. Furthermore, the study attempted to prioritize the most efficacious medicinal plants as perceived by the local people for possible pharmacological testing.

Variation in Emergency Department vs Internal Medicine Excess Charges in the United States.

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Tim; Park, Angela; Bai, Ge; Joo, Sarah; Hutfless, Susan M; Mehta, Ambar; Anderson, Gerard F; Makary, Martin A

2017-08-01

Uninsured and insured but out-of-network emergency department (ED) patients are often billed hospital chargemaster prices, which exceed amounts typically paid by insurers. To examine the variation in excess charges for services provided by emergency medicine and internal medicine physicians. Retrospective analysis was conducted of professional fee payment claims made by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services for all services provided to Medicare Part B fee-for-service beneficiaries in calendar year 2013. Data analysis was conducted from January 1 to July 31, 2016. Markup ratios for ED and internal medicine professional services, defined as the charges submitted by the hospital divided by the Medicare allowable amount. Our analysis included 12 337 emergency medicine physicians from 2707 hospitals and 57 607 internal medicine physicians from 3669 hospitals in all 50 states. Services provided by emergency medicine physicians had an overall markup ratio of 4.4 (340% excess charges), which was greater than the markup ratio of 2.1 (110% excess charges) for all services performed by internal medicine physicians. Markup ratios for all ED services ranged by hospital from 1.0 to 12.6 (median, 4.2; interquartile range [IQR], 3.3-5.8); markup ratios for all internal medicine services ranged by hospital from 1.0 to 14.1 (median, 2.0; IQR, 1.7-2.5). The median markup ratio by hospital for ED evaluation and management procedure codes varied between 4.0 and 5.0. Among the most common ED services, laceration repair had the highest median markup ratio (7.0); emergency medicine physician review of a head computed tomographic scan had the greatest interhospital variation (range, 1.6-27.7). Across hospitals, markups in the ED were often substantially higher than those in the internal medicine department for the same services. Higher ED markup ratios were associated with hospital for-profit ownership (median, 5.7; IQR, 4.0-7.1), a greater percentage of uninsured patients seen

Ethics education in family medicine training in the United States: a national survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Manson, Helen M; Satin, David; Nelson, Valerie; Vadiveloo, Thenmalar

2014-01-01

Although professional organizations endorse ethics education in family medicine training, there is little published evidence that ethics teaching occurs. This survey collated data on the aims, content, pedagogical methods, assessment, and barriers relating to formal ethics education in family medicine residency programs in the United States. A questionnaire surveyed all 445 family medicine residency programs in the United States. Forty percent of programs responded (178/445). Of these, 95% formally teach at least one ethics topic, 68.2% teach six or more topics, and 7.1% teach all 13 core topics specified in the questionnaire. Programs show variation, providing between zero to 100 hours' ethics education over the 3 years of residency training. Of the responding programs, 3.5% specify well-defined aims for ethics teaching, 25.9% designate overall responsibility for the ethics curriculum to one individual, and 33.5% formally assess ethics competencies. The most frequent barriers to ethics education are finding time in residents' schedules (59.4%) and educator expertise (21.8%). Considerable variation in ethics education is apparent in both curricular content and delivery among family medicine residency programs in the United States. Additional findings included a lack of specification of explicit curricular aims for ethics teaching allied to ACGME or AAFP competencies, a tendency not to designate one faculty member with lead responsibility for ethics teaching in the residency program, and a lack of formal assessment of ethics competencies. This has occurred in the context of an absence of robust assessment of ethics competencies at board certification level.

[The federal state educational standard and teaching of history of medicine].

Science.gov (United States)

Sorokina, T S

2016-01-01

The article considers actual issues of teaching of history of medicine in Russia in connection with transition of higher medical school of Russia to the new Federal state educational standard of high education if the third generation meaning placement of discipline in education process, programs of training, personnel support.

The current acceptance, accessibility and recognition of Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine in the United States in the public, governmental, and industrial sectors.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Jongbae J; Beckman-Harned, Selena; Cho, Gayoung; Kim, Duckhee; Kim, Hangon

2012-06-01

To assess the current level of acceptance in the United States of complementary and alternative medicine, recent research into the prevalence, acceptance, accessibility, and recognition of complementary and alternative therapies were reviewed. Several signs point to an increasing acceptance of complementary and alternative medicine in the United States; the use of complementary and alternative medicine is significantly increasing, many aspects of Chinese medicine and Ayurveda are becoming mainstream, practitioners in the United States are beginning to be licensed, and insurance companies are beginning to cover some complementary and alternative therapies. Remaining challenges to true acceptance include the restrictive Western mindset, the absence of published studies, a lack of consistent manufacturing processes and quality standards, and a fear of adulteration. Although the field still faces many challenges, alternative and complementary medicine, including Chinese medicine and Ayurvedic medicine, is becoming more accepted and accessible in the United States.

Social class, political power, and the state: their implications in medicine--part III.

Science.gov (United States)

Navarro, V

1977-01-01

This is the third part of an article on the distribution of power and the nature of the state in Western industrialized societies and their implications in medicine. Parts I and II were published in the preceding issue of this Journal. Part I presented a critique of contemporary theories of the Western system of power; discussed the countervailing pluralist and power of elite theories, as well as those of bureaucratic and professional control; and concluded with an examination of the Marxist theories of economic determinism, structural determinism, and corporate statism. Part II presented a Marxist theory of the role, nature, and characteristics of state intervention. Part III focuses on the mode of that intervention and the reasons for its growth, with an added analysis of the attributes of state intervention in the health sector, and of the dialectical relationship between its growth and the current fiscal crisis of the state. In all three parts, the focus is on Western European countries and on North America, with many examples and categories from the area of medicine.

The Brazilian medicinal chemistry from 1998 to 2008 in the Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry, Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry Letters and European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry [A química medicinal brasileira de 1998 a 2008 nos periódicos Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry, Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry Letters e European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry

OpenAIRE

Bárbara Vasconcellos da Silva; Renato Saldanha Bastos; Angelo da Cunha Pinto

2009-01-01

In this article we present the Brazilian publications, the research groups involved, the contributions per states and the main diseases studied from 1998 to 2008 in the following periodicals: Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry, Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry Letters and European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry.

The Cost of Family Medicine Residency Training: Impacts of Federal and State Funding.

Science.gov (United States)

Pauwels, Judith; Weidner, Amanda

2018-02-01

Numerous organizations are calling for the expansion of graduate medical education (GME) positions nationally. Developing new residency programs and expanding existing programs can only happen if financial resources are available to pay for the expenses of training beyond what can be generated in direct clinical income by the residents and faculty in the program. The goal of this study was to evaluate trended data regarding the finances of family medicine residency programs to identify what financial resources are needed to sustain graduate medical education programs. A group of family medicine residency programs have shared their financial data since 2002 through a biennial survey of program revenues, expenses, and staffing. Data sets over 12 years were collected and analyzed, and results compared to analyze trends. Overall expenses increased 70.4% during this period. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) GME revenue per resident increased by 15.7% for those programs receiving these monies. Overall, total revenue per resident, including clinical revenues, state funding, and any other revenue stream, increased 44.5% from 2006 to 2016. The median cost per resident among these programs, excluding federal GME funds, is currently $179,353; this amount has increased over the 12 years by 93.7%. For this study group of family medicine programs, data suggests a cost per resident per year, excluding federal and state GME funding streams, of about $180,000. This excess expense compared to revenue must be met by other agencies, whether from CMS, the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), state expenditures or other sources, through stable long-term commitments to these funding mechanisms to ensure program viability for these essential family medicine programs in the future.

Medicinal Cannabis: A Survey Among Health Care Providers in Washington State

Science.gov (United States)

Carlini, Beatriz H; Garrett, Sharon B; Carter, Gregory T

2017-02-01

Washington State allows marijuana use for medical (since 1998) and recreational (since 2012) purposes. The benefits of medicinal cannabis (MC) can be maximized if clinicians educate patients about dosing, routes of administration, side effects, and plant composition. However, little is known about clinicians' knowledge and practices in Washington State. An anonymous online survey assessed providers' MC knowledge, beliefs, clinical practices, and training needs. The survey was disseminated through health care providers' professional organizations in Washington State. Descriptive analysis compared providers who had and had not authorized MC for patients. Survey results informed the approach and content of an online training on best clinical practices of MC. Four hundred ninety-four health care providers responded to the survey. Approximately two-third were women, aged 30 to 60 years, and working in family or internal medicine. More than half of the respondents were legally allowed to write MC authorizations per Washington State law, and 27% of those had issued written MC authorizations. Overall, respondents reported low knowledge and comfort level related to recommending MC. Respondents rated MC knowledge as important and supported inclusion of MC training in medical/health provider curriculum. Most Washington State providers have not received education on scientific basis of MC or training on best clinical practices of MC. Clinicians who had issued MC authorizations were more likely to have received MC training than those who had not issued MC authorization. The potential of MCs to benefit some patients is hindered by the lack of comfort of clinicians to recommend it. Training opportunities are badly needed to address these issues.

Researches on regenerative medicine-current state and prospect.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Zheng-Guo; Xiao, Kai

2012-01-01

Since 1980s, the rapid development of tissue engineering and stem cell research has pushed regenerative medicine to a new fastigium, and regenerative medicine has become a noticeable research field in the international biology and medicine. In China, about 100 million patients need repair and regeneration treatment every year, while the number is much larger in the world. Regenerative medicine could provide effective salvation for these patients. Both Chinese Academy of Sciences and Chinese Academy of Engineering have made roadmaps of 2010-2050 and 2011-2030 for regenerative medicine. The final goal of the two roadmaps is to make China go up to leading position in most research aspects of regenerative medicine. In accord with this strategy, the government and some enterprises have invested 3-5 billion RMB (0.5-0.8 billion USD) for the research on regenerative medicine. In order to push the translation of regenerative medicine forward-from bench to bedside, a strategic alliance has been established, and it includes 27 top-level research institutes, medical institutes, colleges, universities and enterprises in the field of stem cell and regeneration medicine. Recently the journal, Science, has published a special issue-Regenerative Medicine in China, consisting of 35 papers dealing with stem cell and regeneration, tissue engineering and regeneration, trauma and regeneration and bases for tissue repair and regenerative medicine. It is predicated that a greater breakthrough in theory and practice of regenerative medicine will be achieved in the near future (20 to 30 years).

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.

The State of Communication Education in Family Medicine Residencies.

Science.gov (United States)

Jansen, Kate L; Rosenbaum, Marcy E

2016-06-01

Communication skills are essential to medical training and have lasting effects on patient satisfaction and adherence rates. However, relatively little is reported in the literature identifying how communication is taught in the context of residency education. Our goal was to determine current practices in communication curricula across family medicine residency programs. Behavioral scientists and program directors in US family medicine residencies were surveyed via email and professional organization listservs. Questions included whether programs use a standardized communication model, methods used for teaching communication, hours devoted to teaching communication, as well as strengths and areas for improvement in their program. Analysis identified response frequencies and ranges complemented by analysis of narrative comments. A total of 204 programs out of 458 family medicine residency training sites responded (45%), with 48 out of 50 US states represented. The majority of respondents were behavioral scientists. Seventy-five percent of programs identified using a standard communication model; Mauksch's patient-centered observation model (34%) was most often used. Training programs generally dedicated more time to experiential teaching methods (video review, work with simulated patients, role plays, small groups, and direct observation of patient encounters) than to lectures (62% of time and 24% of time, respectively). The amount of time dedicated to communication education varied across programs (average of 25 hours per year). Respondent comments suggest that time dedicated to communication education and having a formal curriculum in place are most valued by educators. This study provides a picture of how communication skills teaching is conducted in US family medicine residency programs. These findings can provide a comparative reference and rationale for residency programs seeking to evaluate their current approaches to communication skills teaching and

Emergency medicine and internal medicine trainees’ smartphone use in clinical settings in the United States

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sonja E. Raaum

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Purpose: Smartphone technology offers a multitude of applications (apps that provide a wide range of functions for healthcare professionals. Medical trainees are early adopters of this technology, but how they use smartphones in clinical care remains unclear. Our objective was to further characterize smartphone use by medical trainees at two United States academic institutions, as well as their prior training in the clinical use of smartphones. Methods: In 2014, we surveyed 347 internal medicine and emergency medicine resident physicians at the University of Utah and Brigham and Women’s Hospital about their smartphone use and prior training experiences. Scores (0%–100% were calculated to assess the frequency of their use of general features (email, text and patient-specific apps, and the results were compared according to resident level and program using the Mann-Whitney U-test. Results: A total of 184 residents responded (response rate, 53.0%. The average score for using general features, 14.4/20 (72.2% was significantly higher than the average score for using patient-specific features and apps, 14.1/44 (33.0%, P<0.001. The average scores for the use of general features, were significantly higher for year 3–4 residents, 15.0/20 (75.1% than year 1–2 residents, 14.1/20 (70.5%, P=0.035, and for internal medicine residents, 14.9/20 (74.6% in comparison to emergency medicine residents, 12.9/20 (64.3%, P= 0.001. The average score reflecting the use of patient-specific apps was significantly higher for year 3–4 residents, 16.1/44 (36.5% than for year 1–2 residents, 13.7/44 (31.1%; P=0.044. Only 21.7% of respondents had received prior training in clinical smartphone use. Conclusion: Residents used smartphones for general features more frequently than for patient-specific features, but patient-specific use increased with training. Few residents have received prior training in the clinical use of smartphones.

Availability of herbal medicines and medicinal plants in the primary health facilities of the state of São Paulo, Southeast Brazil: results from the National Program for Access and Quality Improvement in Primary Care.

Science.gov (United States)

Caccia-Bava, Maria do Carmo Gullaci Guimarães; Bertoni, Bianca Waléria; Pereira, Ana Maria Soares; Martinez, Edson Zangiacomi

2017-05-01

This study aims to describe the availability of herbal medicines and medicinal plants in the primary care facilities in the state of São Paulo, Southeast Brazil, from the results of the first cycle of the National Program for Access and Quality Improvement in Primary Care (PMAQ). The PMAQ uses a national cross-sectional multicenter design, with data from 4,249 health facilities distributed among 645 municipalities of the state of São Paulo. Of these facilities, 467 (11%) had herbal medicines and/or medicinal plants. Among the 645 municipalities, 104 (16.1%) had at least one health facility that provided these drugs. We observed that the availability of herbal medicines is greater in larger cities with better social and economic conditions. Furthermore, we found that use of industrialized herbal medicines prevailed over that of vegetal drugs or compounded herbal medicines.

Assessment of general public perceptions toward traditional medicines used for aphrodisiac purpose in state of Penang, Malaysia.

Science.gov (United States)

Hassali, Mohamed Azmi; Saleem, Fahad; Shafie, Asrul Akmal; Al-Qazaz, Harith Khalid; Farooqui, Maryam; Aljadhey, Hisham; Atif, Muhammad; Masood, Imran

2012-11-01

The study aims to evaluate general public perceptions regarding the use of Traditional and Complementary Medicines (TCM) for aphrodisiac purposes. A questionnaire based, cross-sectional study was undertaken. Respondents were selected in the state of Penang, Malaysia. A total of 392 respondents were included in the study. Descriptive statistics were used for data analysis. Chi Square/Fischer Exact tests were used where appropriate. Out of 392 respondents, 150 (38.26%) reported using specific Traditional medicines for aphrodisiac purposes. Most respondents (46.94%) agreed that aphrodisiac medicines were easily available t. Moreover, 40.31% of the respondents reported that traditional aphrodisiac medicines were cheaper than modern (prescription) medicines. This study highlights limited public knowledge regarding the use of traditional aphrodisiac medicine. Healthcare professionals should be aware of informal TCM usage when prescribing allopathic medicines. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Joint CDRH (Center for Devices and Radiological Health) and state quality-assurance surveys in nuclear medicine: Phase 2 - radiopharmaceuticals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hamilton, D.R.; Evans, C.D.

1986-08-01

The report discusses survey results on aspects of the quality assurance of radio-pharmaceuticals from 180 nuclear-medicine facilities in the United States. Data were collected from facilities in 8 states. Demographic information about nuclear-medicine operations and quality-assurance programs was gathered by state radiation-control-program personnel. The data collected from the survey show an incomplete acceptance of quality-assurance practices for radiopharmaceuticals. Most of the facilities in the survey indicated that, because an inferior radiopharmaceutical was prepared so infrequently, they did not believe it was cost-effective to perform extensive quality-assurance testing. The Center for Devices and Radiological Health hopes that the information from the survey will stimulate nuclear-medicine professionals and their organizations to encourage appropriate testing of all radiopharmaceuticals

Investigation of Elemental Concentrations of Some Medicinal Herbs Collected from Kachin State

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tint Lwin; Soe Myint; Tun Khin

2006-06-01

Five medicinal herbs, which are traditionally used in the Kachin State for the treatment of tuberculosis, different types of cancers, malaria and indigestion problem, were analyzed by the EDXRF techinque to determine the relative concentrations of elements contained in them. The major elements and the trace elements were thoroughly investigated for a comparison purpose

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

Social class, political power, and the state: their implications in medicine--parts I and II.

Science.gov (United States)

Navarro, V

1976-01-01

This three part article presents an anlysis of the distribution of power and of the nature of the state in Western industrialized societies and details their implications in medicine. Part I presents a critique of contemporary theories of the Western system of power; discusses the countervailing pluralist and power elite theories, as well as those of bureaucratic and professional control; and concludes with an examination of the Marxist theories of economic determinism, structural determinism, and corporate statism. Part II presents a Marxist theory of the role, nature, and characteristics of state intervention. Part III (which will appear in the next issue of this journal) focuses on the mode of that intervention and the reasons for its growth, with an added analysis of the attributes of state intervention in the health sector, and of the dialectical relationship between its growth and the current fiscal crisis of the state. In all three parts, the focus is on Western European countries and on North America, with many examples and categories from the area of medicine.

Whither the Pulmonary Ward Attending? Preserving Subspecialty Exposure in United States Internal Medicine Residency Training.

Science.gov (United States)

Santhosh, Lekshmi; Babik, Jennifer; Looney, Mark R; Hollander, Harry

2017-04-01

Twenty years ago, the term "hospitalist" was coined at the University of California-San Francisco (San Francisco, CA), heralding a new specialty focused on the care of inpatients. There are now more than 50,000 hospitalists practicing in the United States. At many academic medical centers, hospitalists are largely replacing subspecialists as attendings on the inpatient medicine wards. At University of California-San Francisco, this has been accompanied by declining percentages of residency graduates who enter subspecialty training in internal medicine. The decline in subspecialty medicine interest can be attributed to many factors, including differences in compensation, decreased subspecialist exposure, and a changing research funding landscape. Although there has not been systematic documentation of this trend in pulmonary and critical care medicine, we have noted previously pulmonary and critical care-bound trainees switching to hospital medicine instead. With our broad, multiorgan system perspective, pulmonary and critical care faculty should embrace teaching general medicine. Residency programs have instituted creative solutions to encourage more internal medicine residents to pursue careers in subspecialty medicine. Some solutions include creating rotations that promote more contact with subspecialists and physician-scientists, creating clinician-educator tracks within fellowship programs, and appointing subspecialists to internal medicine residency leadership positions. We need more rigorous research to track the trends and implications of the generalist-specialist balance of inpatient ward teams on resident career choices, and learn what interventions affect those choices.

Ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants used in the treatment of animal diarrhoea in Plateau State, Nigeria.

Science.gov (United States)

Offiah, Nkechi V; Makama, Sunday; Elisha, Ishaku L; Makoshi, Micah S; Gotep, Jurbe G; Dawurung, Christiana J; Oladipo, Olusola O; Lohlum, Ann S; Shamaki, David

2011-07-11

The use of medicinal plants in the treatment of diseases has generated renewed interest in recent times, as herbal preparations are increasingly being used in both human and animal healthcare systems. Diarrhoea is one of the common clinical signs of gastrointestinal disorders caused by both infectious and non-infectious agents and an important livestock debilitating condition. Plateau State is rich in savannah and forest vegetations and home to a vast collection of plants upheld in folklore as having useful medicinal applications. There is however scarcity of documented information on the medicinal plants used in the treatment of animal diarrhoea in the state, thus the need for this survey. Ten (10) out of 17 Local Government Areas (LGAs), spread across the three senatorial zones were selected. Farmers were interviewed using well structured, open-ended questionnaire and guided dialogue techniques between October and December 2010. Medicinal plants reported to be effective in diarrhoea management were collected using the guided field-walk method for identification and authentication. A total of 248 questionnaires were completed, out of which 207 respondents (83.47%) acknowledged the use of herbs in diarrhoea management, while 41 (16.53%) do not use herbs or apply other traditional methods in the treatment of diarrhoea in their animals. Medicinal plants cited as beneficial in the treatment of animal diarrhoea numbered 132, from which 57(43.18%) were scientifically identified and classified into 25 plant families with the families Fabaceae (21%) and Combretaceae (14.04%) having the highest occurrence. The plant parts mostly used in antidiarrhoeal herbal preparations are the leaves (43.86%) followed by the stem bark (29.82%). The herbal preparations are usually administered orally. Rural communities in Plateau State are a rich source of information on medicinal plants as revealed in this survey. There is need to scientifically ascertain the authenticity of the claimed

Metrology positronic issuers for nuclear medicine in Cuba: current state and development prospects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oropesa Verdecia, Pilar; Serra Águila, Rolando A.; García Rodríguez, Lourdes; Moreno León, Yecenia; Bell Hechavarría, Ailec; Jénez Magaña, Yoel

2016-01-01

At work the current state of metrology positronic issuers for nuclear medicine in Cuba is presented. the main achievements in the implementation of measurement standards and issues affecting the uncertainty of measurements at different levels of hierarchy of the existing chain of traceability for determinations of the activity of F-18 and Ga-68 is described, the main radionuclides expected to be used in the short term in PET and PET / CT applications in the country. Immediate prospects development of measurement standards positronic emitters for use in nuclear medicine in Cuba, in particular the possibilities of establishing equivalence between Cuban standards and national and international standards are also set. (author)

WEST AFRICAN JOURNAL OF MEDICINE

African Journals Online (AJOL)

user1

Departments of *Medicine, University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin City, Edo State, †Medicine, College of Health Sciences,. Benue State University, Makurdi, Benue State, Nigeria. *Correspondence: Dr Andrew Edo, PO BOX 10458, Ugbowo, Benin City, Edo State. E-mail: osayumen@yahoo.com. Tel No.

The state of the art in nuclear medicine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Scott, A.M.

1999-01-01

Recent improvements in the understanding of the physiologic and biologic mechanisms of health and disease have led to an expansion of nuclear medicine applications both in clinical studies and research. Advances in radiopharmaceutical development, instrumentation and computer processing have resulted in the implementation of Positron Emission Tomography for clinical studies, and improved treatments with radiopharmaceuticals particularly in cancer patients. There has also been a dramatic increase in the techniques available with nuclear medicine to detect and measure cellular biologic events in-vivo, which have important implications in clinical and basic science research. Nuclear medicine studies provide unique information on human physiology and remain an integral part of clinical medicine practice

Czechoslovak nuclear medicine, development and present state

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hupka, S [Ustav Klinickej Onkologie, Bratislava (Czechoslovakia)

1981-01-01

The growth is described of nuclear medicine departments and units in Czechoslovakia in the past 25 years of the existence of the Czechoslovak Society for Nuclear Medicine and Radiation Hygiene, the numbers of personnel and their qualifications. While only three nuclear medicine units were involved in the use of radioisotopes for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes in the 1950's, 29 specialized departments and 15 laboratories are now in existence with a staff of 299 medical doctors and other university graduates and 365 technicians and nurses. They operate all possible instruments, from simple detector devices via gamma cameras to computer tomographs. Briefly, the involvement of the Society is described in coordinated research programs, both with institutions in the country and with the other CMEA countries and IAEA.

Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products for Rare Diseases: State of Play of Incentives Supporting Development in Europe

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andreas M. Farkas

2017-05-01

Full Text Available In 2008, the European Union introduced the Advanced Medicines Regulation aiming to improve regulation of advanced therapy medicinal products (ATMPs. We applied the ATMPs classification definitions in this Regulation to understand the link of this emerging group of medicinal products and the use of the Orphan Regulation. A total of 185 products that can be classified as ATMPs based on this Regulation have been submitted for orphan designation. Prior to its introduction in 2008, 4.5% of the products submitted for orphan designation met these criteria. This percentage went up to 15% after 2008. We analyzed several parameters associated with active ATMP ODDs focusing on sponsor type and EU-Member State origin, therapeutic area targeted, and ATMP classification [i.e., somatic cell therapy medicinal product, tissue-engineered product (TEP, or gene therapy medicinal product (GTMP] and the use of regulatory services linked to incentives such as the use of protocol assistance (PA and other Committees [Committee for Advanced Therapies (CAT and the Pediatric Committee]. The aim here was to gain insight on the use of different services. The UK submits the largest number of ATMPs for ODD representing ~30% of the total to date. Few submissions have been received from central and Eastern European Member States as well as some of the larger Member States such as Germany (3.6%. ATMPs ODDs were primarily GTMPs (48.7% and SCTMPs (43.3%. TEPs only represented 8% of all submissions for this medicinal class. This is different from non-ODDs ATMPs where GTMPs make only 20% of ATMPs. A total of 11.7% of ATMP ODDs had received formal CAT classification. A total of 29.8% of all orphan drug (OD ATMPs requested PA. A total of 71.8% did not have an agreed pediatric investigation plan (PIP. Four products (Glybera one PA; Zalmoxis two; Holoclar one; Strimvelis three have received a marketing authorization (MAA and a 10-year market exclusivity. Strimvelis also completed their

Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products for Rare Diseases: State of Play of Incentives Supporting Development in Europe.

Science.gov (United States)

Farkas, Andreas M; Mariz, Segundo; Stoyanova-Beninska, Violeta; Celis, Patrick; Vamvakas, Spiros; Larsson, Kristina; Sepodes, Bruno

2017-01-01

In 2008, the European Union introduced the Advanced Medicines Regulation aiming to improve regulation of advanced therapy medicinal products (ATMPs). We applied the ATMPs classification definitions in this Regulation to understand the link of this emerging group of medicinal products and the use of the Orphan Regulation. A total of 185 products that can be classified as ATMPs based on this Regulation have been submitted for orphan designation. Prior to its introduction in 2008, 4.5% of the products submitted for orphan designation met these criteria. This percentage went up to 15% after 2008. We analyzed several parameters associated with active ATMP ODDs focusing on sponsor type and EU-Member State origin, therapeutic area targeted, and ATMP classification [i.e., somatic cell therapy medicinal product, tissue-engineered product (TEP), or gene therapy medicinal product (GTMP)] and the use of regulatory services linked to incentives such as the use of protocol assistance (PA) and other Committees [Committee for Advanced Therapies (CAT) and the Pediatric Committee]. The aim here was to gain insight on the use of different services. The UK submits the largest number of ATMPs for ODD representing ~30% of the total to date. Few submissions have been received from central and Eastern European Member States as well as some of the larger Member States such as Germany (3.6%). ATMPs ODDs were primarily GTMPs (48.7%) and SCTMPs (43.3%). TEPs only represented 8% of all submissions for this medicinal class. This is different from non-ODDs ATMPs where GTMPs make only 20% of ATMPs. A total of 11.7% of ATMP ODDs had received formal CAT classification. A total of 29.8% of all orphan drug (OD) ATMPs requested PA. A total of 71.8% did not have an agreed pediatric investigation plan (PIP). Four products (Glybera one PA; Zalmoxis two; Holoclar one; Strimvelis three) have received a marketing authorization (MAA) and a 10-year market exclusivity. Strimvelis also completed their PIP

The state of the art of nuclear medicine in 1980

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tamat, S.R.

1982-01-01

The second congress of World Federation of Nuclear Medicine and Biology proved that nuclear medicine is returning to physiology. Around 1951, when motorized detector was introduced and when GM tube was replaced by scintillation crystal detector, physiologic nuclear medicine moved to anatomic nuclear medicine. Since 1970, when research on cardiology developed, nuclear medicine has been returning to physiology. Since 1963 Kuhl has been doing research on quantitative tomography which develops to emission computerized tomography emphasizing the physiological aspects of medicine. The recent contribution of nuclear medicine to medical science is the concept that human body is a unity of dynamic structure consisting of millions of cubes moving physio-chemically. (RUW)

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

Nuclear medicine physics

CERN Document Server

De Lima, Joao Jose

2011-01-01

Edited by a renowned international expert in the field, Nuclear Medicine Physics offers an up-to-date, state-of-the-art account of the physics behind the theoretical foundation and applications of nuclear medicine. It covers important physical aspects of the methods and instruments involved in modern nuclear medicine, along with related biological topics. The book first discusses the physics of and machines for producing radioisotopes suitable for use in conventional nuclear medicine and PET. After focusing on positron physics and the applications of positrons in medicine and biology, it descr

Knowledge discovery in traditional Chinese medicine: state of the art and perspectives.

Science.gov (United States)

Feng, Yi; Wu, Zhaohui; Zhou, Xuezhong; Zhou, Zhongmei; Fan, Weiyu

2006-11-01

As a complementary medical system to Western medicine, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) provides a unique theoretical and practical approach to the treatment of diseases over thousands of years. Confronted with the increasing popularity of TCM and the huge volume of TCM data, historically accumulated and recently obtained, there is an urgent need to explore these resources effectively by the techniques of knowledge discovery in database (KDD). This paper aims at providing an overview of recent KDD studies in TCM field. A literature search was conducted in both English and Chinese publications, and major studies of knowledge discovery in TCM (KDTCM) reported in these materials were identified. Based on an introduction to the state of the art of TCM data resources, a review of four subfields of KDTCM research was presented, including KDD for the research of Chinese medical formula, KDD for the research of Chinese herbal medicine, KDD for TCM syndrome research, and KDD for TCM clinical diagnosis. Furthermore, the current state and main problems in each subfield were summarized based on a discussion of existing studies, and future directions for each subfield were also proposed accordingly. A series of KDD methods are used in existing KDTCM researches, ranging from conventional frequent itemset mining to state of the art latent structure model. Considerable interesting discoveries are obtained by these methods, such as novel TCM paired drugs discovered by frequent itemset analysis, functional community of related genes discovered under syndrome perspective by text mining, the high proportion of toxic plants in the botanical family Ranunculaceae disclosed by statistical analysis, the association between M-cholinoceptor blocking drug and Solanaceae revealed by association rule mining, etc. It is particularly inspiring to see some studies connecting TCM with biomedicine, which provide a novel top-down view for functional genomics research. However, further developments

Rational use of medicines - Indian perspective!

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Mohanta, G P; Manna, P K

2015-01-01

India, the largest democracy in the world, is with a federal structure of 29 states and 7 union territories. With a population of more than 1.2 billion, resource is always a constraint and so is in the health system too. In the federal structure, providing healthcare is largely the responsibility of state governments. Medicines are important component of health care delivery system and quality care is dependent on the availability and proper use of quality medicines. In spite of being known as pharmacy of the third world, poor access to medicines in the country is always a serious concern. Realizing the need of quality use of medicines, several initiatives have been initiated. As early as 1994, seeds of rational use of medicines were sown in the country with two initiatives: establishment of a civil society, Delhi Society for Promoting Rational Use of Drugs (DSPURD) and establishment of government agency in Tamil Nadu, a southern state, called Tamil Medical Services Corporation Limited (TNMSCL). DSPUD was in official association with World Health Organization Country Office for implementing essential medicine programme in the country for two biennia. In addition to organizing sensitising and training programme for healthcare professionals throughout the country, it looked after the procurement and appropriate use of medicines in Delhi government health facilities. TNMSCL has made innovations in medicine management including procurement directly from manufacturers as a part of pooled procurement, establishing warehouses with modern storage facilities and Information Technology enabled management of whole process. TNMSCL Model is now replicated in almost the entire country and even in some small other countries as it is successful in improving access to medicines.The National Government and the State Governments have developed strategies to promote rational use of medicines as a part of improving access and quality care in public health facilities. National

Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Attitudes and Use among Health Educators in the United States

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, Ping; Priestley, Jennifer; Porter, Kandice Johnson; Petrillo, Jane

2010-01-01

Background: Interest in and use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in the United States is increasing. However, CAM remains an area of nascency for researchers and western practitioners. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine U.S. health educators' attitudes toward CAM and their use of common CAM therapies. Methods: A…

The state of the art in diagnostic nuclear medicine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Scott, A.M.; University of Melbourne, VIC

2001-01-01

Recent improvements in the understanding of the physiologic and biologic mechanisms of health and disease have led to an expansion of nuclear medicine applications both in clinical studies and research. Advances in radiopharmaceutical development, instrumentation and computer processing have resulted in the implementation of Positron Emission Tomography for clinical studies, and improved treatments with radiopharmaceuticals particularly in cancer patients. There has also been an dramatic increase in the techniques available with nuclear medicine to detect and measure cellular biologic events in-vivo, which have important implications in clinical and basic science research. Nuclear medicine studies provide unique information on human physiology and remain an integral part of clinical medicine practice

Personalized laboratory medicine

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pazzagli, M.; Malentacchi, F.; Mancini, I.

2015-01-01

diagnostic tools and expertise and commands proper state-of-the-art knowledge about Personalized Medicine and Laboratory Medicine in Europe, the joint Working Group "Personalized Laboratory Medicine" of the EFLM and ESPT societies compiled and conducted the Questionnaire "Is Laboratory Medicine ready...... in "omics"; 2. Additional training for the current personnel focused on the new methodologies; 3. Incorporation in the Laboratory of new competencies in data interpretation and counselling; 4. Improving cooperation and collaboration between professionals of different disciplines to integrate information...

[Hyperbaric oxygen treatment of musculoskeletal disorders on the sports medicine. State of the art].

Science.gov (United States)

Drobnic, Franchek; Turmo, Antonio

2010-03-13

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (OHB) is a therapeutic modality based on the properties of partial pressure of oxygen, when breathing pure oxygen under hyperbaric conditions in a chamber designed for that purpose. Its indications in medicine are considered as primary, complementary or experimental depending on the evidence based effects. From different sectors of medicine, OHB has been recently proposed as a new tool for other pathologies, primarily in musculoskeletal disorders. In this paper, the state of the art of the influence from experimental studies is reviewed. Some considerations based on these studies are hypothesized as the minimum required to obtain good results when this therapy is decided to be used as co adjuvant to standard treatment. Copyright 2009 Elsevier España, S.L. All rights reserved.

Precision Medicine in Gastrointestinal Pathology.

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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.

Medicinal knowledge and plant utilization in an Amazonian coastal community of Marudá, Pará State (Brazil).

Science.gov (United States)

Coelho-Ferreira, Márlia

2009-10-29

It shows the local medicinal uses of biodiversity in Brazil's Amazonian littoral, promoting the value of folk knowledge, and its applicability in future studies. To demonstrate the importance of the knowledge of medicinal plants in the Amazonian coastal community of Marudá, located in Pará State, Brazil. Fieldwork was conducted between 1996 and 1998, using the methods of participant observation, semi-structured interviews and informal discussions to elicit information from community residents and plant specialists, in addition to collecting plant material. Community residents possess knowledge of 229 medicinal plants distributed in 81 botanical families and know how to manipulate them in a variety of ways, with special care taken to ensure that they are used in the safest and most efficient manner. Therapeutic indications for these plants include illness and disease recognized in the repertoire of Western medicine as well as ailments perceived from a local cultural perspective. Results from this study attest to informants' knowledge of medicinal flora and their ability and openness to integrate new species from diverse origins into their gamut of medicinal knowledge, including industrial therapeutic preparations and animal products. Local uses of biodiversity in Brazil's Amazonian littoral are also evinced, promoting the value of folk medicinal knowledge. Similarly, it mentions the potential of implementing local knowledge in Brazil's Unitary Health System.

[Medicine in sports or sport medicine?] ].

Science.gov (United States)

Heimer, S; Tonković-Lojović, M

2001-01-01

Sports medicine is a profession pertaining to primary health care of sport population (competitors, coaches, referees, participants in sports recreation). It embraces the physical and mental health protection and promotion of participants in relation to a particular sport activity and sport environment, directing athletes to a sport and adapting them to sport and the sport to them. Sports medicine takes part in selection procedure, training process planning and programming, and cares for epidemiological, hygienic, nutritional and other problems in sport. The Republic of Croatia belongs to those world states in which the field of sports medicine is regulated neither by a law or by profession. A consequence is that wide circle of physicians and paramedics work in clubs and various medical units without any legal or/and professional control not being adequately educated nor having licence for it. This review is an appeal to the Croatian Medical Chamber and the Ministry of Health to make efforts to promote the education and medical profession in sports medicine.

Knowledge and utilization of Indian system of Medicine in the state of Assam

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ram Janak Yadav

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Background: As no study was available about the usage of Indian system of Medicine and homoeopathy in North eastern states accordingly Indian Council of Medical Research entrusted this study to this Institute. Aims & Objective: To know the knowledge, attitude and practices of Indian system of Medicine and homoeopathy in Assam state. Material & Methods: To achieve these objectives, Fifty villages were selected from each selected district for Assam states. Twenty households with at least one member ill during the last three months and availed medical care services for treatment have been selected from each village. About 3,000 households were covered to know their perception about the ISM&H. From these households in all, 4800 sick persons (who fell sick in  last  three months  and  taken   any  treatment  were interviewed. Results:  More than three fourth of the household are being headed by male members.  About 40 percent of households reported to have visited traditional healers at the time of their illness. Bone setting (37%, Dog bite (23%, Jaundice (20%, Measles (16%, Sciatica (9% and Snake bite (5%. Jaundic, Sciatica, Measles and Migraine were the illnesses for which the patients also visited traditional healers. As a whole, ISM&H was preferred in Government setup by 65% in case of normal ailments but in case of serious ailments, assistance preferred for Government was about 25%. Allopathy system was more preferred in case of serious ailments as compared to Ayurveda in normal ailments which were about 45%.

Veterinary Preventive Medicine Curriculum Development at Louisiana State University

Science.gov (United States)

Hubbert, William T.

1976-01-01

The program aims at training veterinarians, with interdepartmental faculty participation the rule rather than the exception. Included in the curriculum are: avian medicine, herd health management, veterinary public health, veterinary food hygiene, and regulatory veterinary medicine. (LBH)

[Legal medicine specialists within the framework of acute care : Analysis of legal medicine consultations in relation to the victims' statistics of the state office of criminal investigation in Saxony-Anhalt].

Science.gov (United States)

Pliske, G; Heide, S; Lucas, B; Brandstädter, K; Walcher, F; Kropf, S; Lessig, R; Piatek, S

2018-05-01

In acute medical care, there are patients who have been injured by the influence of others. The aim of this study was to analyze all cases which were presented to the Institute for Legal Medicine of the University Halle (Saale). The cases where analyzed in relation to the victims' statistics of the state office of criminal investigation in Saxony-Anhalt. The consultations of the Institute for Legal Medicine Halle-Wittenberg for 2012-2015 were evaluated with regard to the age and gender distribution, the reasons for the consultation and time until the request for consultations. These cases were statistically compared to the victims' statistics of the state office of criminal investigation in Saxony-Anhalt 2014-2015. A total of 536 cases (55.6% male and 44.4% female patients) were evaluated. In all, 62.1% of patients were under 18 years of age; 43.5% of all consultations were requested by pediatric (surgery) clinics. The most common reasons for consultation were sexual child abuse or violence against children (50.7%). Compared to the victims' statistics, significantly more children were examined by legal medicine specialists than could have been expected (p legal medicine specialists in relation to the victims' statistics. Most of them were children and women. The temporal latency between the act of violence and the consultations was one day and more. The latency and the renunciation of the consultation of the legal medicine specialists can lead to loss of evidence.

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

Essential Medicines in National Constitutions: Progress Since 2008.

Science.gov (United States)

Katrina Perehudoff, S; Toebes, Brigit; Hogerzeil, Hans

2016-06-01

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.

Approach to a State of the Art of Traditional and Popular Medicinal Practices in Hispano-American

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Omar Alberto Garzón Chirivi

2015-04-01

Full Text Available DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.17227/01234870.41folios157.168 This article presents a state of the art of academic production concerning traditional and popular medicine in Latin America. It analyzes the relation between studies on chamanismo (the art of medicine men in indigenous communities in some Spanish-speaking countries (Colombia, Peru, Bolivia, Mexico, Spain and studies on curanderismo (the art of healers in urban contexts and evidences recurring elements of a magical, religious and medical kind in their therapeutic practices. Likewise, it shows the changes in the understanding of these systems of treatment and assistance to health and sickness, their permanence and incidence on collective practices associated to spirituality, as well as the construction of alternatives of individual and social health and the interdisciplinary character of the existing research studies. This article, too, proposes the existence of an analytical vacuum regarding gender, class and ethnic group in the studies on traditional and popular medicine.

Radioisotopes in nuclear medicine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Samuel, A.M.

2002-01-01

Full text: A number of advances in diverse fields of science and technology and the fruitful synchronization of many a new development to address the issues related to health care in terms of prognosis and diagnosis resulted in the availability of host of modern diagnostic tools in medicine. Nuclear medicine, a unique discipline in medicine is one such development, which during the last four decades has seen exponential growth. The unique contribution of this specialty is the ability to examine the dynamic state of every organ of the body with the help of radioactive tracers. This tracer application in nuclear medicine to monitor the biological molecules that participate in the dynamic state of body constituents has led to a whole new approach to biology and medicine. No other technique has the same level of sensitivity and specificity as obtained in radiotracer technique in the study of in-situ chemistry of body organs. As modem medicine becomes oriented towards molecules rather than organs, nuclear medicine will be in the forefront and will become an integral part of a curative process for regular and routine application. Advances in nuclear medicine will proceed along two principal lines: (i) the development of improved sensitive detectors of radiation, powerful and interpretable data processing, image analysis and display techniques, and (ii) the production of exotic and new but useful radiopharmaceuticals. All these aspects are dealt with in detail in this talk

Evaluation of diagnostic procedures in nuclear medicine services of Pernambuco and Alagoas states - Brazil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Silva, Ricardo Braz F. da; Hazin, Clovis A.

2011-01-01

The medical use of ionizing radiation contributes significantly to population exposure to radiation. This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic procedures carried out in nuclear medicine (SMN) in Pernambuco and Alagoas in order to gather data to subsidize the proposal of reference levels for nuclear medicine in Brazil. Data were collected of the SMN in Pernambuco and Alagoas in the period of 2005 to 2009, according by UNSCEAR. The study used data from IBGE. The results showed that the total number of examinations in the period 2005 to 2009 was 34.828 in Pernambuco and 27.700 in Alagoas, corresponding to 6.966 and 5.540 average annual examinations in Pernambuco and Alagoas, respectively. The total number of examinations performed in both states in 2009 was twice the number carried out in 2005. Scintigraphy is the cardiovascular examination most performed in both states, followed by bone scintigraphy. Tc-99m is the radionuclide used most often, followed by I-131. The number of tests using Tc-99m in 2009 doubled when compared with the examinations performed in 2005. The results indicate that there has been a significant increase in the number of examinations in MN, and that females outnumber males, as far as the use of this diagnostic resource is concerned. The study of the activities of the radionuclides administered to patients in the states of Pernambuco and Alagoas showed that they are high when compared to the values recommended by the IAEA in its Safety Report Series Document No. 40. (author)

Excited-state dynamics of the medicinal pigment curcumin in a hydrogel.

Science.gov (United States)

Harada, Takaaki; Lincoln, Stephen F; Kee, Tak W

2016-10-12

Curcumin is a yellow polyphenol with multiple medicinal effects. These effects, however, are limited due to its poor aqueous stability and solubility. A hydrogel of 3% octadecyl randomly substituted polyacrylate (PAAC18) has been shown to provide high aqueous stability for curcumin under physiological conditions, offering a route for photodynamic therapy. In this study, the excited-state photophysics of curcumin in the PAAC18 hydrogel is investigated using a combination of femtosecond transient absorption and fluorescence upconversion spectroscopy. The transient absorption results reveal a multiexponential decay in the excited-state kinetics with fast (1 ps & 15 ps) and slow (110 ps & ≈5 ns) components. The fast decay component exhibits a deuterium isotope effect with D 2 O in the hydrogel, indicating that the 15 ps decay component is attributable to excited-state intramolecular hydrogen atom transfer of curcumin in the PAAC18 hydrogel. In addition, solvent reorganisation of excited-state curcumin is investigated using multiwavelength femtosecond fluorescence upconversion spectroscopy. The results show that the dominant solvation response (τ = 0.08 ps) is a fast inertial motion owing to the presence of bulk-like water in the vicinity of the hydrophobic octadecyl substituents of the PAAC18 hydrogel. The results also show an additional response with longer time constants of 1 and 6 ps, which is attributable to translational diffusion of confined water molecules in the three-dimensional, cross-linking network of the octadecyl substituents of PAAC18. Overall, we show that excited-state intramolecular hydrogen atom transfer and solvent reorganisation are major photophysical events for curcumin in the PAAC18 hydrogel.

Spanish adaptation of The Penn State College of Medicine Scale to assess professionalism in medical students.

Science.gov (United States)

Bustamante, Eliseo; Sanabria, Álvaro

2014-01-01

Professionalism is a subject of interest in medical schools around the world. The use of a questionnaire could be useful to assess professionalism in Colombia. To adapt The Penn State University College of Medicine Professionalism Questionnaire as a culturally valid instrument in the Spanish language. We followed recommendations from the IQOLA project and used forward and back translation with four independent translations, as well as a pilot evaluation and an evaluation of psychometric features with 250 students. We evaluated item-scale correlations and internal consistency with Chronbach's alpha test and conducted a principal components factor analysis. Global Cronbach's alpha was 0.86, the Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin measure of sampling adequacy was 0.83, and Bartlett's test of sphericity had a p >0.00001. We found six factors that explained 93% of the total variance and four new factors emerged in the factor analysis, while eight items had high uniqueness. The Penn State University College of Medicine Scale measures professionalism attitudes in medical students with good reliability. However, the structure of the scale demonstrated differences when used in the Latin American medical student population.

The American Board of Internal Medicine Maintenance of Certification Examination and State Medical Board Disciplinary Actions: a Population Cohort Study.

Science.gov (United States)

McDonald, Furman S; Duhigg, Lauren M; Arnold, Gerald K; Hafer, Ruth M; Lipner, Rebecca S

2018-03-07

Some have questioned whether successful performance in the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program is meaningful. The association of the ABIM Internal Medicine (IM) MOC examination with state medical board disciplinary actions is unknown. To assess risk of disciplinary actions among general internists who did and did not pass the MOC examination within 10 years of initial certification. Historical population cohort study. The population of internists certified in internal medicine, but not a subspecialty, from 1990 through 2003 (n = 47,971). ABIM IM MOC examination. General internal medicine in the USA. The primary outcome measure was time to disciplinary action assessed in association with whether the physician passed the ABIM IM MOC examination within 10 years of initial certification, adjusted for training, certification, demographic, and regulatory variables including state medical board Continuing Medical Education (CME) requirements. The risk for discipline among physicians who did not pass the IM MOC examination within the 10 year requirement window was more than double than that of those who did pass the examination (adjusted HR 2.09; 95% CI, 1.83 to 2.39). Disciplinary actions did not vary by state CME requirements (adjusted HR 1.02; 95% CI, 0.94 to 1.16), but declined with increasing MOC examination scores (Kendall's tau-b coefficient = - 0.98 for trend, p actions were less severe among those passing the IM MOC examination within the 10-year requirement window than among those who did not pass the examination. Passing a periodic assessment of medical knowledge is associated with decreased state medical board disciplinary actions, an important quality outcome of relevance to patients and the profession.

An ethnobotanical survey of medicinal and edible plants of Yalo Woreda in Afar regional state, Ethiopia.

Science.gov (United States)

Teklehaymanot, Tilahun

2017-07-05

The Afar people inhabit the sub-arid and arid part of Ethiopia. Recurrent drought and invasive encroaching plants are taking out plants that have cultural importance, and threaten the biodiversity and the associated traditional knowledge. Thus, the aim of the current study is to conduct an ethnobotanical survey and document medicinal and edible plants in Yalo Woreda in Afar regional state. A cross-sectional ethnobotanical study was carried out in eight kebeles of Yalo Woreda from October 2015 to December 2016. One hundred sixty informants were selected using purposive sampling. The data on diseases, medicinal and edible plants were collected using semi-structure interview and group discussion. The statistical methods, informant consensus factor, fidelity level, and preference ranking were conducted to analyze the data. One hundred and six plants were reported; gender and age differences had implication on the number of plants reported by informants. The knowledge of medicinal plants among informants of each kebele was not different (p medicinal and edible plants affects the traditional use of plants in the Yalo Woreda. The conservation of the plants in the home garden and natural habitat and integration of edible plants into agroforestry development programs in sub-arid and arid regions has to be encouraged to conserve plants of medical and economic importance.

Japan's advanced medicine.

Science.gov (United States)

Sho, Ri; Narimatsu, Hiroto; Murakami, Masayasu

2013-10-01

Like health care systems in other developed countries, Japan's health care system faces significant challenges due to aging of the population and economic stagnation. Advanced medicine (Senshin Iryou) is a unique system of medical care in Japan offering highly technology-driven medical care that is not covered by public health insurance. Advanced medicine has recently developed and expanded as part of health care reform. Will it work? To answer this question, we briefly trace the historical development of advanced medicine and describe the characteristics and current state of advanced medical care in Japan. We then offer our opinions on the future of advanced medicine with careful consideration of its pros and cons. We believe that developing advanced medicine is an attempt to bring health care reform in line rather than the goal of health care reform.

Prevalence and Predictors of Herbal Medicine Use Among Adults in the United States.

Science.gov (United States)

Rashrash, Mohamed; Schommer, Jon C; Brown, Lawrence M

2017-09-01

To describe the prevalence of herbal medicine use among US adults and to assess factors associated with and predictors of herbal use. The data for herbal products use were collected from the 2015 National Consumer Survey on the Medication Experience and Pharmacists' Roles. Chi-square test was used to analyz factors associated with herbal use, and predictors of herbal use were assessed with logistic regression analysis. Factors associated with herbal supplement use include age older than 70, having a higher than high school education, using prescription medications or over-the-counter (OTC) medications, and using a mail-order pharmacy." All Disease state associated significantly with herbal use. Approximately thirty-eight percent of those who used herbals used prescription medications and 42% of those who used herbals also used an OTC medication. The most frequent conditions associated with herbal supplement use were a stroke (48.7%), cancer (43.1%), and arthritis (43.0%). Among herbal product users, factors that predicted use included having higher than school education, using OTC medications, using mail-order pharmacy, stroke, obesity, arthritis, and breathing problems. More than one-third of respondents reported using herbal supplements. Older age and higher education were associated with a higher use of herbal supplements. People with chronic diseases are more likely to use herbal medicines than others. OTC drug users and patients with stroke are more likely to use herbal medicines than others.

Prevalence and Predictors of Herbal Medicine Use Among Adults in the United States

Science.gov (United States)

Schommer, Jon C; Brown, Lawrence M

2017-01-01

Objective: To describe the prevalence of herbal medicine use among US adults and to assess factors associated with and predictors of herbal use. Design: The data for herbal products use were collected from the 2015 National Consumer Survey on the Medication Experience and Pharmacists’ Roles. Chi-square test was used to analyz factors associated with herbal use, and predictors of herbal use were assessed with logistic regression analysis. Results: Factors associated with herbal supplement use include age older than 70, having a higher than high school education, using prescription medications or over-the-counter (OTC) medications, and using a mail-order pharmacy.” All Disease state associated significantly with herbal use. Approximately thirty-eight percent of those who used herbals used prescription medications and 42% of those who used herbals also used an OTC medication. The most frequent conditions associated with herbal supplement use were a stroke (48.7%), cancer (43.1%), and arthritis (43.0%). Among herbal product users, factors that predicted use included having higher than school education, using OTC medications, using mail-order pharmacy, stroke, obesity, arthritis, and breathing problems. Conclusions: More than one-third of respondents reported using herbal supplements. Older age and higher education were associated with a higher use of herbal supplements. People with chronic diseases are more likely to use herbal medicines than others. OTC drug users and patients with stroke are more likely to use herbal medicines than others. PMID:28959715

Monographs for medicines on WHO's Model List of Essential Medicines.

Science.gov (United States)

Roth, Lukas; Adler, Melissa; Jain, Tanvi; Bempong, Daniel

2018-06-01

To raise awareness about the importance of public pharmaceutical standards, identify if and, if so, where current pharmacopeias are falling short in the development of new and complete monographs and foster collaboration among the various pharmacopeias, to prioritize, develop and make available standards for those key medicines for which no complete monographs exist. In August 2017, we mined eight pharmacopeias to identify which of the 669 medicines in the 20th edition of the World Health Organization's Model List of Essential Medicines were covered by complete or incomplete monographs. The pharmacopeias we included were the Brazilian Pharmacopoeia, the British Pharmacopoeia, the Indian Pharmacopeia Commission, the International Pharmacopoeia, the Japanese Pharmacopoeia, the Mexican Pharmacopoeia, the Pharmacopeia of the People's Republic of China and the United States Pharmacopeia. For 99 (15%) of the medicines on the Model List, no monographs were available in any of the eight pharmacopeias investigated. Only 3% (1/30) of the cardiovascular medicines listed, but 28% (9/32) of the antiretroviral medicines and 23% (6/26) of the antimalarial medicines lacked monographs. There appear to be no public standards for many so-called essential medicines. To address this shortfall, a greater collaboration in the global health community is needed.

Quality assessment of radiopharmaceuticals in nuclear medicine services at Northeast states, Brazil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Andrade, Wellington Gomes de

2012-01-01

The radiopharmaceuticals are used in the field nuclear medicine services (NMS) as tracer in the diagnoses and treatment of many diseases. Radiopharmaceuticals used in nuclear medicine and usually have a minimum of pharmacological effect. The procedures for labelling Radiopharmaceuticals should be observed in order to minimize risks to patients, employees and individuals from the public, and to be administered in humans, must be sterile and free of pyrogens and possess elements all measures of quality controls required a conventional drug. The 'Agencia Nacional de Vigilancia Sanitaria (ANVISA)' in its 'Resolucao de Diretoria Colegiada' (RDC) No. 38 of June 4 th 2008, decided that the NMS must perform quality control in the generators eluate and radiopharmaceuticals according to recommendations of manufacturers and scientific evidence accepted by ANVISA. Thus, this study proposes to evaluate the quality of the generator 99M o- 99m Tc eluate and radiopharmaceuticals labeled with 99m Tc used in most NMS of some states in the Northeast, in relation to radionuclide, chemical, radiochemical purity and pH and promote the inclusion of procedure for quality control of radiopharmaceuticals in routine NMS. The results show that 90% radionuclidic purity, 98.2% purity chemical and radiochemical purity of 46% and 100% of the eluates are in agreement with international pharmacopoeias; already radiopharmaceuticals showed 82.6% purity and all radiochemical pH values are also in accordance with international pharmacopoeias. Even with so many positive results, staff the majority of MNS was not able to perform the quality control of the eluates and radiopharmaceuticals. Showing the importance of implementing of quality control programs of the eluates and radiopharmaceuticals in nuclear medicine. (author)

Medicinal plants in the southern region of the State of Nuevo León, México

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Estrada-Castillón Eduardo

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Although the flora of the State of Nuevo León is well known, there are few records of ethnobotancial information. An ethnobotanical study was undertaken in order to know the medicinal plants used by people living at the scrublands and oak-pine forest areas in the southern Nuevo León. Collection of plants specimens and interviews were carried out among the people of the municipalities of Aramberri, Galeana, and Zaragoza. Since former studies in the region are scarce, the aim of this work was to record the medicinal species and their uses in the scrublands and oak-pine forest areas, of southern Nuevo León, Mexico, and also to know if there are differences in the number of species and number of uses knowledge by people. Methods Field work was carried out over a 2 years period; useful plants were collected and a total of 105 people from 46 different villages were interviewed. A database was compiled using data collected by means of semi structured interviews. The data were analyzed by means of non-parametric statistics, using goodness-of-fit test (Chi-squared (number of species known by people of each municipality, number of uses known by people of each municipality, Chi-squared modified to incorporate the Yates Correction (number of species known by people living at scrublands and oak-pine forest; the Kruskall-Wallis test (number of species known by women and men of the three municipalities, and the Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient (age and number of species known, and age and number of uses. Results A total of 163 medicinal plant species were recorded in the study area, comprising 108 wild and 55 cultivated plants. A total of 117 species were recorded in the oak-pine forest, and 111 in the scrublands area, a total of 68 were recorded in both areas; 68 medicinal species are used in all three municipalities, 40 wild and 28 cultivated. We documented 235 different medicinal uses. The most common plant parts used for

[Falsified medicines in parallel trade].

Science.gov (United States)

Muckenfuß, Heide

2017-11-01

The number of falsified medicines on the German market has distinctly increased over the past few years. In particular, stolen pharmaceutical products, a form of falsified medicines, have increasingly been introduced into the legal supply chain via parallel trading. The reasons why parallel trading serves as a gateway for falsified medicines are most likely the complex supply chains and routes of transport. It is hardly possible for national authorities to trace the history of a medicinal product that was bought and sold by several intermediaries in different EU member states. In addition, the heterogeneous outward appearance of imported and relabelled pharmaceutical products facilitates the introduction of illegal products onto the market. Official batch release at the Paul-Ehrlich-Institut offers the possibility of checking some aspects that might provide an indication of a falsified medicine. In some circumstances, this may allow the identification of falsified medicines before they come onto the German market. However, this control is only possible for biomedicinal products that have not received a waiver regarding official batch release. For improved control of parallel trade, better networking among the EU member states would be beneficial. European-wide regulations, e. g., for disclosure of the complete supply chain, would help to minimise the risks of parallel trading and hinder the marketing of falsified medicines.

The landscape of precision cancer medicine clinical trials in the United States.

Science.gov (United States)

Roper, Nitin; Stensland, Kristian D; Hendricks, Ryan; Galsky, Matthew D

2015-05-01

Advances in tumor biology and multiplex genomic analysis have ushered in the era of precision cancer medicine. Little is currently known, however, about the landscape of prospective "precision cancer medicine" clinical trials in the U.S. We identified all adult interventional cancer trials registered on ClinicalTrials.gov between September 2005 and May 2013. Trials were classified as "precision cancer medicine" if a genomic alteration in a predefined set of 88 genes was required for enrollment. Baseline characteristics were ascertained for each trial. Of the initial 18,797 trials identified, 9094 (48%) were eligible for inclusion: 684 (8%) were classified as precision cancer medicine trials and 8410 (92%) were non-precision cancer medicine trials. Compared with non-precision cancer medicine trials, precision cancer medicine trials were significantly more likely to be phase II [RR 1.19 (1.10-1.29), pPrecision medicine trials required 38 unique genomic alterations for enrollment. The proportion of precision cancer medicine trials compared to the total number of trials increased from 3% in 2006 to 16% in 2013. The proportion of adult cancer clinical trials in the U.S. requiring a genomic alteration for enrollment has increased substantially over the past several years. However, such trials still represent a small minority of studies performed within the cancer clinical trials enterprise and include a small subset of putatively "actionable" alterations. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Monographs for medicines on WHO’s Model List of Essential Medicines

Science.gov (United States)

Adler, Melissa; Jain, Tanvi; Bempong, Daniel

2018-01-01

Abstract Objective To raise awareness about the importance of public pharmaceutical standards, identify if and, if so, where current pharmacopeias are falling short in the development of new and complete monographs and foster collaboration among the various pharmacopeias, to prioritize, develop and make available standards for those key medicines for which no complete monographs exist. Methods In August 2017, we mined eight pharmacopeias to identify which of the 669 medicines in the 20th edition of the World Health Organization’s Model List of Essential Medicines were covered by complete or incomplete monographs. The pharmacopeias we included were the Brazilian Pharmacopoeia, the British Pharmacopoeia, the Indian Pharmacopeia Commission, the International Pharmacopoeia, the Japanese Pharmacopoeia, the Mexican Pharmacopoeia, the Pharmacopeia of the People’s Republic of China and the United States Pharmacopeia. Findings For 99 (15%) of the medicines on the Model List, no monographs were available in any of the eight pharmacopeias investigated. Only 3% (1/30) of the cardiovascular medicines listed, but 28% (9/32) of the antiretroviral medicines and 23% (6/26) of the antimalarial medicines lacked monographs. Conclusion There appear to be no public standards for many so-called essential medicines. To address this shortfall, a greater collaboration in the global health community is needed.

[Verruca planae Chinese medicine treatment].

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Hai-Ming

2008-08-01

Flat wart on the effectiveness of TCM treatment. Outpatients will be by the "People's Republic of China Chinese medicine industry standards, TCM diagnosis of dermatological diseases efficacy standards, Chen Hou State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine 1994-06-28 approved, 1995-01-01 implementation". Randomly divided into two groups. Treatment and control groups. Treatment groups treated with Chinese herbs. The control group were treated with WM. Since the preparation of the unification formula ointment, cuboiling method. Chinese herbal medicine preparation by my hospital room Producer. 5 g pre pack, after treatment for 30 days, clinical observation. The group of Chinese medicine is better than western medicine (86.7% vs 71.7% , P < 0.05). Chinese medicine has some effect flat wart.

Family medicine residents’ perceived level of comfort in treating common sports injuries across residency programs in the United States

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Amoako AO

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Adae O Amoako,1 Agyenim B Amoako,2 George GA Pujalte3 1Department of Family and Community Medicine, Penn State Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, PA, USA; 2Department of Family Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Northwest, Fayetteville, AR, USA; 3Sports Medicine, Divisions of Primary Care, and Orthopedics, Mayo Clinic Health System, Waycross, GA, USA Background and objective: Family physicians are expected to be comfortable in treating common sports injuries. Evidence shows a limited level of comfort in treating these injuries in pediatric and internal medicine residents. Studies are lacking, however, in family medicine residents. The purpose of this study is to assess the comfort level of family medicine residents in treating common sports injuries in adults and children based on their perceived level of knowledge and attitudes. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study of family medicine residents in the United Sates. A written survey of 25 questions related to sports injury knowledge and factors affecting comfort level were collected. A chi-square test was implemented in calculating P-values. Results: Five hundred and fifty-seven residents responded to the survey. A higher percentage of doctors of osteopathy (86.6%, 82.5%, 69.6%, and 68.7% compared to doctors of medicine (78.5%, 71.6%, 53.4%, and 52.8% respectively identified ankle sprain, concussion, plantar fasciitis, and lateral epicondylitis as common injuries, and felt comfortable in treating them (P-values =0.015, 0.004, 0.0001, and 0.0002, respectively. Residents with high interest in sports medicine correctly identified the injuries as common and felt comfortable treating them as well (knowledge, P=0.027, 0.0029, <0.0001, and 0.0001, respectively; comfort level, P=0.0016, <0.0001, 0.0897, and 0.0010, respectively. Conclusion: Medical education background, factors that affect training, and an interest in sports medicine contribute to residents' knowledge and comfort

2015 proceedings of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute's State of the Science in Transfusion Medicine symposium

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Spitalnik, Steven L.; Triulzi, Darrell; Devine, Dana V.; Dzik, Walter H.; Eder, Anne F.; Gernsheimer, Terry; Josephson, Cassandra D.; Kor, Daryl J.; Luban, Naomi L. C.; Roubinian, Nareg H.; Mondoro, Traci; Welniak, Lisbeth A.; Zou, Shimian; Glynn, Simone; Hendrickson, Jeanne; Zimring, James C.; Yazdanbakhsh, Karina; Delaney, Megan; Ware, Russell E.; Tinmouth, Alan; Doctor, Allan; Migliaccio, Anna Rita; Fergusson, Dean A.; Widness, John A.; Carson, Jeffrey L.; Hess, John; Roback, John D.; Waters, Jonathan H.; Cancelas, Jose A.; Gladwin, Mark T.; Rogers, Mary A. M.; Ness, Paul M.; Rao, Sunil; Watkins, Timothy R.; Spinella, Philip C.; Kaufman, Richard M.; Slichter, Sherrill J.; McCullough, Jeffrey; Blumberg, Neil; Webert, Kathryn E.; Fitzpatrick, Michael; Shander, Aryeh; Corash, Laurence M.; Murphy, Michael; Silberstein, Leslie E.; Dumont, Larry J.; Mitchell, W. Beau; Juffermans, Nicole P.; Vlaar, Alexander P. J.; de Kort, Wim

2015-01-01

On March 25 and 26, 2015, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute sponsored a meeting on the State of the Science in Transfusion Medicine on the National Institutes of Health (NIH) campus in Bethesda, Maryland, which was attended by a diverse group of 330 registrants. The meeting's goal was to

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

Natural language processing: state of the art and prospects for significant progress, a workshop sponsored by the National Library of Medicine.

Science.gov (United States)

Friedman, Carol; Rindflesch, Thomas C; Corn, Milton

2013-10-01

Natural language processing (NLP) is crucial for advancing healthcare because it is needed to transform relevant information locked in text into structured data that can be used by computer processes aimed at improving patient care and advancing medicine. In light of the importance of NLP to health, the National Library of Medicine (NLM) recently sponsored a workshop to review the state of the art in NLP focusing on text in English, both in biomedicine and in the general language domain. Specific goals of the NLM-sponsored workshop were to identify the current state of the art, grand challenges and specific roadblocks, and to identify effective use and best practices. This paper reports on the main outcomes of the workshop, including an overview of the state of the art, strategies for advancing the field, and obstacles that need to be addressed, resulting in recommendations for a research agenda intended to advance the field. Copyright © 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Judicialization of Health and the Quest for State Accountability: Evidence from 1,262 Lawsuits for Access to Medicines in Southern Brazil

Science.gov (United States)

Socal, Mariana P.; Amon, Joseph J.

2016-01-01

Abstract The impact of increasing numbers of lawsuits for access to medicines in Brazil is hotly debated. Government officials and scholars assert that the “judicialization of health” is driven by urban elites and private interests, and is used primarily to access high-cost drugs. Using a systematic sample of 1,262 lawsuits for access to medicines filed against the southern Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul, we assess these claims, offering empirical evidence that counters prevailing myths and affirms the heterogeneity of the judicialization phenomenon. Our findings show that the majority of patient-litigants are in fact poor and older individuals who do not live in major metropolitan areas and who depend on the state to provide their legal representation, and that the majority of medicines requested were already on governmental formularies. Our data challenge arguments that judicialization expands inequities and weakens the universal health care system. Our data also suggest that judicialization may serve as a grassroots instrument for the poor to hold the state accountable. Failing to acknowledge regional differences and attempting to fit all data into one singular narrative may be contributing to a biased interpretation of the nature of judicialization, and limiting the understanding of its drivers, consequences, and implications at local levels. PMID:27781011

The State of Evaluation in Internal Medicine Residency

Science.gov (United States)

Holmboe, Eric; Beasley, Brent W.

2008-01-01

Background There are no nationwide data on the methods residency programs are using to assess trainee competence. The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) has recommended tools that programs can use to evaluate their trainees. It is unknown if programs are adhering to these recommendations. Objective To describe evaluation methods used by our nation’s internal medicine residency programs and assess adherence to ACGME methodological recommendations for evaluation. Design Nationwide survey. Participants All internal medicine programs registered with the Association of Program Directors of Internal Medicine (APDIM). Measurements Descriptive statistics of programs and tools used to evaluate competence; compliance with ACGME recommended evaluative methods. Results The response rate was 70%. Programs were using an average of 4.2–6.0 tools to evaluate their trainees with heavy reliance on rating forms. Direct observation and practice and data-based tools were used much less frequently. Most programs were using at least 1 of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME)’s “most desirable” methods of evaluation for all 6 measures of trainee competence. These programs had higher support staff to resident ratios than programs using less desirable evaluative methods. Conclusions Residency programs are using a large number and variety of tools for evaluating the competence of their trainees. Most are complying with ACGME recommended methods of evaluation especially if the support staff to resident ratio is high. PMID:18612734

Medicinal plants used by Itamaraty community nearby Anápolis, Goiás State, Brazil - doi: 10.4025/actascihealthsci.v32i2.8155 Medicinal plants used by Itamaraty community nearby Anápolis, Goiás State, Brazil - doi: 10.4025/actascihealthsci.v32i2.8155

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nayane Peixoto Soares

2010-09-01

Full Text Available The use of plants for therapeutic purposes has been reported from ancient in Iran, India and China, especially. Recently, the use of in-natura plants as herbal medicines has grown in a systematic and increasing way, especially when combined with conventional therapy. In Brazil, the knowledge on the use of medicinal plants has been and is primarily derived from the indigenous, with African and European influences, and several studies have been done in order to verify which plants have been used for medicinal purposes by the Brazilian population in several communities from the “cerrado” region. This work performed a survey with the population of Itamaraty nearby Anápolis, Goiás State, Brazil with ethnobotanical focus in order to recover and preserve the ethnobotanical knowledge of this region. In general terms, the use of medicinal plants in this neighborhood follows the cultural aspects reported by other authors on the need for use of alternative therapies for poor communities, beyond the general and common use of leaves and infusions as the main form of preparation, since Asteraceae and Lamiaceae families are the most cited to use as medicinal plants.The use of plants for therapeutic purposes has been reported from ancient in Iran, India and China, especially. Recently, the use of in-natura plants as herbal medicines has grown in a systematic and increasing way, especially when combined with conventional therapy. In Brazil, the knowledge on the use of medicinal plants has been and is primarily derived from the indigenous, with African and European influences, and several studies have been done in order to verify which plants have been used for medicinal purposes by the Brazilian population in several communities from the “cerrado” region. This work performed a survey with the population of Itamaraty nearby Anápolis, Goiás State, Brazil with ethnobotanical focus in order to recover and preserve the ethnobotanical knowledge of this

Integrative holistic medicine in Minnesota.

Science.gov (United States)

Torkelson, Carolyn J; Manahan, Bill

2009-05-01

Minnesota has played a leading role in the integrative holistic medicine movement in the United States for more than 2 decades. This article defines integrative holistic medicine and describes how it is practiced. It also discusses the reasons why institutions and providers here and elsewhere in the country have embraced this approach to patient care.

Indigenous Knowledge of Herbal Medicines among Adolescents in Amassoma, Bayelsa State, Nigeria

Science.gov (United States)

Alade, Gideon O.; Okpako, Ese; Ajibesin, Kola’ K.; Omobuwajo, Olanrewaju R.

2016-01-01

Background: The use of herbal medicines in Nigeria is on the increase. Documented Population based data on the use of herbal medicinal products and indigenous knowledge among the younger generations are lacking in Nigeria and Africa at large. Aim: The aim of this study is to investigate the extent of use and general knowledge of herbal medicines among adolescents in the Niger Delta Region of Nigeria. Methods: The study covered a total of Two hundred and twenty-eight adolescents randomly selected in Senior Secondary Schools (SSS 1-3) in Amassoma using a semi structured questionnaire/Interview and informal conversation on the respondents. Findings: Nearly all (97%) the respondents have had contact with herbs. Less than 1% had contact with herbs through formal education (teachers/literatures). Stimulation of interest was majorly through parents (53%). Grandparents were the highest (46%) of custodian of indigenous knowledge. Parents were the next (39.7%). Only 39% of the respondents would prefer the use of herbal medicine to modern medicine. Fever was the main ailment mentioned followed by eye ailment and stomach ache. Vernonia amygdalina was the main plant for the treatment of fever. Conclusion: The study revealed that parents are the major custodians of knowledge being transferred to the younger generation and little or none is learnt from Schools. There is therefore the need to include the study of herbal medicines in School’s curricula especially at SS 2 and SS 3 since they are matured enough to appreciate the importance of Herbal medicine so as to prepare them for the promotion of herbal medicine in future and to preserve our indigenous knowledge. PMID:26234964

Precision Medicine in Cardiovascular Diseases

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yan Liu

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Since President Obama announced the Precision Medicine Initiative in the United States, more and more attention has been paid to precision medicine. However, clinicians have already used it to treat conditions such as cancer. Many cardiovascular diseases have a familial presentation, and genetic variants are associated with the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of cardiovascular diseases, which are the basis for providing precise care to patients with cardiovascular diseases. Large-scale cohorts and multiomics are critical components of precision medicine. Here we summarize the application of precision medicine to cardiovascular diseases based on cohort and omic studies, and hope to elicit discussion about future health care.

FROM PERSONALIZED TO PRECISION MEDICINE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

K. V. Raskina

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The need to maintain a high quality of life against a backdrop of its inevitably increasing duration is one of the main problems of modern health care. The concept of "right drug to the right patient at the right time", which at first was bearing the name "personalized", is currently unanimously approved by international scientific community as "precision medicine". Precision medicine takes all the individual characteristics into account: genes diversity, environment, lifestyles, and even bacterial microflora and also involves the use of the latest technological developments, which serves to ensure that each patient gets assistance fitting his state best. In the United States, Canada and France national precision medicine programs have already been submitted and implemented. The aim of this review is to describe the dynamic integration of precision medicine methods into routine medical practice and life of modern society. The new paradigm prospects description are complemented by figures, proving the already achieved success in the application of precise methods for example, the targeted therapy of cancer. All in all, the presence of real-life examples, proving the regularity of transition to a new paradigm, and a wide range  of technical and diagnostic capabilities available and constantly evolving make the all-round transition to precision medicine almost inevitable.

[Glass transition of Chinese medicine extract powder and its application].

Science.gov (United States)

Luo, Xiao-Jian; Liu, Hui; Liang, Hong-Bo; Xiong, Lei; Rao, Xiao-Yong; Xie, Yin; He, Yan

2017-01-01

Glass transition theory is an important theory in polymer science, which is used to characterize the physical properties. It refers to the transition of amorphous polymer from the glassy state to the rubber state due to heating or the transition from rubber state to glassy state due to cooling. In this paper, the glassy state and glass transition of food and the similar relationship between the composition of Chinese medicine extract powder and food ingredients were described; the determination method for glass transition temperature (Tg) of Chinese medicine extract powder was established and its main influencing factors were analyzed. Meanwhile, the problems in drying process, granulation process and Chinese medicine extract powder and solid preparation storage were analyzed and investigated based on Tg, and then the control strategy was put forward to provide guidance for the research and production of Chinese medicine solid preparation. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

Differences in the origin of philosophy between Chinese medicine and Western medicine: Exploration of the holistic advantages of Chinese medicine.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Da-zhi; Li, Shao-dan; Liu, Yi; Zhang, Yin; Mei, Rong; Yang, Ming-hui

2013-09-01

To explore advantages of Chinese medicine (CM) by analyzing differences in the origin of philosophy for human health between CM and Western medicine (WM). Methodologically, a distinctive feature of CM is its systems theory, which is also the difference between CM and WM. Since the birth of CM, it has taken the human body as a whole from the key concepts of "qi, blood, yin-yang, viscera (Zang-Fu), and meridian and channel", rather than a single cell or a particular organ. WM evolves from the Western philosophic way of thinking and merely uses natural sciences as the foundation. The development of WM is based on human structures, or anatomy, and therefore, research of WM is also based on the way of thinking of decomposing the whole human body into several independent parts, which is the impetus of promoting the development of WM. The core of CM includes the holistic view and the dialectical view. Chinese herbal medicines contain various components and treat a disease from multiple targets and links. Therefore, Chinese herbal medicines treat a diseased state by regulating and mobilizing the whole body rather than just regulating a single factor, since the diseased state is not only a problem in a local part of the body but a local reflection of imbalance of the whole body.

Attitude and opinion towards essential medicine formulary.

Science.gov (United States)

Sharma, Sangeeta; Kh, Reeta; Chaudhury, R Roy

2010-06-01

The Delhi State Drug Policy was adopted in 1994 following which the first Essential Medicines List (EML) was developed in 1996. The Delhi State Essential Medicines Formulary was brought out in 1997. A need was felt to revise the formulary to match with the EML as the EML is renewed every 2 years. A survey was undertaken to elicit the opinions of the doctors practicing in the state on the usefulness of the formulary before revising and printing the updated version. The survey covered dispensaries, 10-20 bedded hospitals, 100-bedded hospitals and two tertiary care hospitals. Discussions were focused on questionnaires on attitudes toward adopting Essential Medicines Formulary using a 10-point scale. Of the 200 doctors approached, only 90 doctors completed the questionnaire. Sixty-nine respondents (76.6%) had received the copy of the formulary. Most practitioners welcomed the formulary and were satisfied with the coverage and selection of the medicines. Most respondents (76.9%) agreed that a well-developed formulary would improve the quality of the public health care system, although they had reservations about the authority, relevance and effect on professional autonomy. About 74% of the respondents used the formulary in clinical practice as a source of medicine information, which makes its regular revision necessary.

General medicine vs subspecialty career plans among internal medicine residents.

Science.gov (United States)

West, Colin P; Dupras, Denise M

2012-12-05

Current medical training models in the United States are unlikely to produce sufficient numbers of general internists and primary care physicians. Differences in general internal medicine (GIM) career plans between internal medicine residency program types and across resident demographics are not well understood. To evaluate the general medicine career plans of internal medicine residents and how career plans evolve during training. A study of US internal medicine residents using an annual survey linked to the Internal Medicine In-Training Examination taken in October of 2009-2011 to evaluate career plans by training program, sex, and medical school location. Of 67,207 US eligible categorical and primary care internal medicine residents, 57,087 (84.9%) completed and returned the survey. Demographic data provided by the National Board of Medical Examiners were available for 52,035 (77.4%) of these residents, of whom 51,390 (76.5%) responded to all survey items and an additional 645 (1.0%) responded to at least 1 survey item. Data were analyzed from the 16,781 third-year residents (32.2%) in this sample. Self-reported ultimate career plans of internal medicine residents. A GIM career plan was reported by 3605 graduating residents (21.5%). A total of 562 primary care program (39.6%) and 3043 categorical (19.9%) residents reported GIM as their ultimate career plan (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 2.76; 99% CI, 2.35-3.23; P international medical graduates (22.0% vs 21.1%, respectively; AOR, 1.76; 99% CI, 1.50-2.06; P international medical graduates (57.3% vs 27.3%, respectively; AOR, 3.48; 99% CI, 2.58-4.70; P internal medicine residents, including those in primary care training programs, and differed according to resident sex, medical school location, and program type.

Nuclear medicine - the state of the art of nuclear medicine in Europe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schmidt, H.A.E.; Schoot, J.B. van der

1991-01-01

The present proceedings of the European Nuclear Medicine Congress 1990 contain the opening addresses and the oral presentations of the meeting. The topics were as follows: Methods and basics (52 papers), cardiology (12 papers), neurology (13 papers), pulmonology (2 papers), gastroenterology (9 papers), nephrology (7 papers), osteology (8 papers), endocrinology (7 papers), pediatrics (5 papers), and oncology (12 papers). An author index and a subject index is found as a supplement to these proceedings. (MG) With 182 figs., 92 tabs

United States National Library of Medicine Drug Information Portal.

Science.gov (United States)

Hochstein, Colette; Goshorn, Jeanne; Chang, Florence

2009-01-01

The Drug Information Portal is a free Web resource from the National Library of Medicine (NLM) that provides a user-friendly gateway to current information for more than 15,000 drugs. The site guides users to related resources of NLM, the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and other government agencies. Current drug-related information regarding consumer health, clinical trials, AIDS, MeSH pharmacological actions, MEDLINE/PubMed biomedical literature, and physical properties and structure is easily retrieved by searching on a drug name. A varied selection of focused topics in medicine and drugs is also available from displayed subject headings. This column provides background information about the Drug Information Portal, as well as search basics.

Overdependence on For-Profit Pharmacies: A Descriptive Survey of User Evaluation of Medicines Availability in Public Hospitals in Selected Nigerian States.

Science.gov (United States)

Ushie, Boniface Ayanbekongshie; Ugal, David Betelwhobel; Ingwu, Justin Agorye

2016-01-01

Lower availability of medicines in Nigerian public health facilities-the most affordable option for the masses-undermines global health reforms to improve access to health for all, especially the chronically ill and poor. Thus, a sizeable proportion of healthcare users, irrespective of purchasing power, buy medicines at higher costs from for-profit pharmacies. We examined user evaluation of medicine availability in public facilities and how this influences their choice of where to buy medicines in selected states-Cross River, Enugu and Oyo-in Nigeria. We approached and interviewed 1711 healthcare users using a semi-structured, interviewer-administered questionnaire as they exited for-profit pharmacies after purchasing medicines. This ensured that both clients who had presented at health facilities (private/public) and those who did not were included. Information was collected on why respondents could not buy medicines at the hospitals they attended, their views of medicine availability and whether their choice of where to buy medicines is influenced by non-availability. Respondents' mean age was 37.7±14.4 years; 52% were males, 59% were married, 82% earned ≥NGN18, 000 (US$57.19) per month, and 72% were not insured. Majority (66%) had prescriptions; of this, 70% were from public facilities. Eighteen percent of all respondents indicated that all their medicines were usually available at the public facilities, most (29%), some (44%) and not always available (10%). Reasons for using for-profit pharmacies included: health workers attitudes (43%), referral by providers (43%); inadequate money to purchase all prescribed drugs (42%) and cumbersome processes for obtaining medicines. Lower availability of medicines has serious implications for healthcare behavior, especially because of poverty. It is crucial for government to fulfill its mandate of equitable access to care for all by making medicines available and cheap through reviving and sustaining the drug revolving

Women in Medicine

Science.gov (United States)

Mandelbaum, Dorothy Rosenthal

1978-01-01

Literature written since 1973 about the individual woman physician and the situation of United States women in medicine is examined and reviewed. Discrimination problems, identity conflicts, and a "typical" personality profile are some of the issues addressed. (Author/ KR)

India mainstreams medicinal plants | CRDI - Centre de recherches ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

The program is partly sponsored by IDRC's Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Program in Asia (MAPPA). IDRC has supported medicinal plant research in the region since 1992. Improving quality control. R.B.S. Rawat, CEO of India's National Medicinal Plants Board, said people in Chhattisgarh and other states stand to benefit ...

Traditional medicine used in childbirth and for childhood diarrhoea in Nigeria's Cross River State: interviews with traditional practitioners and a statewide cross-sectional study

Science.gov (United States)

Sarmiento, Iván; Zuluaga, Germán; Andersson, Neil

2016-01-01

Objectives Examine factors associated with use of traditional medicine during childbirth and in management of childhood diarrhoea. Design Cross-sectional cluster survey, household interviews in a stratified last stage random sample of 90 census enumeration areas; unstructured interviews with traditional doctors. Setting Oil-rich Cross River State in south-eastern Nigeria has 3.5 million residents, most of whom depend on a subsistence agriculture economy. Participants 8089 women aged 15–49 years in 7685 households reported on the health of 11 305 children aged 0–36 months in July–August 2011. Primary and secondary outcome measures Traditional medicine used at childbirth and for management of childhood diarrhoea; covariates included access to Western medicine and education, economic conditions, engagement with the modern state and family relations. Cluster-adjusted analysis relied on the Mantel-Haenszel procedure and Mantel extension. Results 24.1% (1371/5686) of women reported using traditional medicine at childbirth; these women had less education, accessed antenatal care less, experienced more family violence and were less likely to have birth certificates for their children. 11.3% (615/5425) of young children with diarrhoea were taken to traditional medical practitioners; these children were less likely to receive BCG, to have birth certificates, to live in households with a more educated head, or to use fuel other than charcoal for cooking. Education showed a gradient with decreasing use of traditional medicine for childbirth (χ2 135.2) and for childhood diarrhoea (χ2 77.2). Conclusions Use of traditional medicine is associated with several factors related to cultural transition and to health status, with formal education playing a prominent role. Any assessment of the effectiveness of traditional medicine should anticipate confounding by these factors, which are widely recognised to affect health in their own right. PMID:27094939

Engineering in translational medicine

CERN Document Server

2014-01-01

This book covers a broad area of engineering research in translational medicine. Leaders in academic institutions around the world contributed focused chapters on a broad array of topics such as: cell and tissue engineering (6 chapters), genetic and protein engineering (10 chapters), nanoengineering (10 chapters), biomedical instrumentation (4 chapters), and theranostics and other novel approaches (4 chapters). Each chapter is a stand-alone review that summarizes the state-of-the-art of the specific research area. Engineering in Translational Medicine gives readers a comprehensive and in-depth overview of a broad array of related research areas, making this an excellent reference book for scientists and students both new to engineering/translational medicine and currently working in this area.

Assessment of the State of Herbal Medicines Research and ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

were incremental or modification of products/process (58 %), continuous improvement of ... Strategies to enhance herbal medicine R&D were increased funding (36.3 %) ... the production of these new and improved .... brands, among others.

Attitude and opinion towards essential medicine formulary

Science.gov (United States)

Sharma, Sangeeta; Kh, Reeta; Chaudhury, R. Roy

2010-01-01

Objective: The Delhi State Drug Policy was adopted in 1994 following which the first Essential Medicines List (EML) was developed in 1996. The Delhi State Essential Medicines Formulary was brought out in 1997. A need was felt to revise the formulary to match with the EML as the EML is renewed every 2 years. Materials and Methods: A survey was undertaken to elicit the opinions of the doctors practicing in the state on the usefulness of the formulary before revising and printing the updated version. The survey covered dispensaries, 10–20 bedded hospitals, 100-bedded hospitals and two tertiary care hospitals. Discussions were focused on questionnaires on attitudes toward adopting Essential Medicines Formulary using a 10-point scale. Results: Of the 200 doctors approached, only 90 doctors completed the questionnaire. Sixty-nine respondents (76.6%) had received the copy of the formulary. Most practitioners welcomed the formulary and were satisfied with the coverage and selection of the medicines. Most respondents (76.9%) agreed that a well-developed formulary would improve the quality of the public health care system, although they had reservations about the authority, relevance and effect on professional autonomy. Conclusion: About 74% of the respondents used the formulary in clinical practice as a source of medicine information, which makes its regular revision necessary. PMID:20871765

Mesopotamian medicine.

Science.gov (United States)

Retief, F P; Cilliers, L

2007-01-01

Although the Mesopotamian civilisation is as old as that of Egypt and might even have predated it, we know much less about Mesopotamian medicine, mainly because the cuneiform source material is less well researched. Medical healers existed from the middle of the 3rd millennium. In line with the strong theocratic state culture, healers were closely integrated with the powerful priestly fraternity, and were essentially of three main kinds: barû (seers) who were experts in divination, âshipu (exorcists), and asû (healing priests) who tended directly to the sick. All illness was accepted as sent by gods, demons and other evil spirits, either as retribution for sins or as malevolent visitations. Treatment revolved around identification of the offending supernatural power, appeasement of the angry gods, for example by offering amulets or incantations, exorcism of evil spirits, as well as a measure of empirical therapy aimed against certain recognised symptom complexes. Medical practice was rigidly codified, starting with Hammurabi's Code in the 18th century BC and persisting to the late 1st millennium BC. Works like the so-called Diagnostic Handbook, the Assyrian Herbal and Prescription Texts describe the rationale of Mesopotamian medicine, based predominantly on supernatural concepts, although rudimentary traces of empirical medicine are discernible. There is evidence that Egyptian medicine might have been influenced by Mesopotamian practices, but Greek rational medicine as it evolved in the 5th/4th centuries BC almost certainly had no significant Mesopotamian roots.

A survey exploring knowledge and perceptions of general practitioners towards the use of generic medicines in the northern state of Malaysia.

Science.gov (United States)

Chua, Gin Nie; Hassali, Mohamed Azmi; Shafie, Asrul Akmal; Awaisu, Ahmed

2010-05-01

The objective of this study was to evaluate the general practitioners' (GPs') knowledge and perceptions towards generic medicines in a northern state of Malaysia. A postal cross-sectional survey involving registered GPs in Penang, Malaysia was undertaken. A 23-item questionnaire was developed, validated and administered on the GPs. Eighty-seven GPs responded to the survey (response rate 26.8%). The majority of the respondents (85.1%) claimed that they actively prescribed generic medicines in their practice. On the other hand, only 4.6% of the respondents correctly identified the Malaysia's National Pharmaceutical Control Bureau's bioequivalence standard for generic products. There were misconceptions among the respondents about the concepts of "bioequivalence", "efficacy", "safety", and "manufacturing standards" of generic medicines. GPs in this survey believed that a standard guideline on brand substitution process, collaboration with pharmacists, patient education and information on safety and efficacy of generic medicines were necessary to ensure quality use of generics. Furthermore, advertisements and product bonuses offered by pharmaceutical companies, patient's socio-economic factors as well as credibility of manufacturers were factors reported to influence their choice of medicine. Although it appeared that GPs have largely accepted the use of generic medicines, they still have concerns regarding the reliability and quality of such products. GPs need to be educated and reassured about generic products approval system in Malaysia concerning bioequivalence, quality, and safety. The current findings have important implications in establishing generic medicines policy in Malaysia. Copyright (c) 2009 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Access to essential medicines: a Hobbesian social contract approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Ashcroft, Richard E

2005-05-01

Medicines that are vital for the saving and preserving of life in conditions of public health emergency or endemic serious disease are known as essential medicines. In many developing world settings such medicines may be unavailable, or unaffordably expensive for the majority of those in need of them. Furthermore, for many serious diseases (such as HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis) these essential medicines are protected by patents that permit the patent-holder to operate a monopoly on their manufacture and supply, and to price these medicines well above marginal cost. Recent international legal doctrine has placed great stress on the need to globalise intellectual property rights protections, and on the rights of intellectual property rights holders to have their property rights enforced. Although international intellectual property rights law does permit compulsory licensing of protected inventions in the interests of public health, the use of this right by sovereign states has proved highly controversial. In this paper I give an argument in support of states' sovereign right to expropriate private intellectual property in conditions of public health emergency. This argument turns on a social contract argument for the legitimacy of states. The argument shows, further, that under some circumstances states are not merely permitted compulsory to license inventions, but are actually obliged to do so, on pain of failure of their legitimacy as sovereign states. The argument draws freely on a loose interpretation of Thomas Hobbes's arguments in his Leviathan, and on an analogy between his state of War and the situation of public health disasters.

Medicinal plants used by Ponta Porã community, Mato Grosso do Sul State - DOI: 10.4025/actascibiolsci.v31i3.3206 Medicinal plants used by Ponta Porã community, Mato Grosso do Sul State - DOI: 10.4025/actascibiolsci.v31i3.3206

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andréia Sangalli

2009-07-01

Full Text Available The academic interest regarding the knowledge that people in general have about plants and their uses has increased significantly. Therefore, aiming to understand it better, this present work studied parts of the plant used by residents from Jardim Aeroporto, in Ponta Porã, Mato Grosso do Sul State, to prepare and use these medicinal plants. This city shares borders with Pedro Juan Caballero (Paraguay, a place where many people use these herbs. The residents use different kinds of plants which are planted around their houses. The leaf was the most used part to prepare the medicines. The plants used by this community belong to 17 families, 28 genera and 30 species, and the women from 30-40 age group with junior high school degree who know the plants, their usage and the preparation of the medicines. These women are responsible to cultivate the plants in the backyards and around their houses. The botanical families which presented higher number of species were Lamiaceae, Asteraceae and Leguminosae. Baccharis trimera (Less. DC., Mentha piperita L. and Aloe vera (L. Burm. f. were the most used plants by the interviewees, which were prepared in form of tea or plasters.The academic interest regarding the knowledge that people in general have about plants and their uses has increased significantly. Therefore, aiming to understand it better, this present work studied parts of the plant used by residents from Jardim Aeroporto, in Ponta Porã, Mato Grosso do Sul State, to prepare and use these medicinal plants. This city shares borders with Pedro Juan Caballero (Paraguay, a place where many people use these herbs. The residents use different kinds of plants which are planted around their houses. The leaf was the most used part to prepare the medicines. The plants used by this community belong to 17 families, 28 genera and 30 species, and the women from 30-40 age group with junior high school degree who know the plants, their usage and the preparation of

Nuclear Medicine week in Colombia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Padhy, A.K.

2003-01-01

During the week of 6-12 October 2003 the IAEA organized a Research Coordination Meeting on 'Relationship between lower Respiratory Tract Infection, Gastroesophageal reflux and bronchial Asthma in children' at Hospital San Ignacio in Bogota. Besides there were four workshops in Bogota; workshops on Bone infection and Bone scan in Pediatric ortopaedics at Hospital Militar and Fundacion CardioInfantil, a workshop for Nuclear Medicine Technologists and a workshop on Sentinel Lymph Node mapping and Surgical Gamma Probe Application at Institute of Oncology. A nuclear cardiology workshop was organized in Medellin, and finally crowning them all was the 9th Congress of the Colombian Association of Nuclear Medicine at Cali from 10-12 October, 2003; probably the largest and best Colombian nuclear medicine congress every held in the country. A workshop was also organized in Cali for nuclear medicine technologists in conjunction with the Annual Convention. It was a mix of IAEA's Technical Cooperation and Regular Budget activities along with the activities of Colombian Association of Nuclear Medicine, bringing in absolute synergy to galvanize the entire nuclear medicine community of the country. The week saw nuclear medicine scientists from more than 20 IAEA Member States converging on Colombia to spread the message of nuclear medicine, share knowledge and to foster International understanding and friendship among the nuclear medicine people of the world

Taking Systems Medicine to Heart.

Science.gov (United States)

Trachana, Kalliopi; Bargaje, Rhishikesh; Glusman, Gustavo; Price, Nathan D; Huang, Sui; Hood, Leroy E

2018-04-27

Systems medicine is a holistic approach to deciphering the complexity of human physiology in health and disease. In essence, a living body is constituted of networks of dynamically interacting units (molecules, cells, organs, etc) that underlie its collective functions. Declining resilience because of aging and other chronic environmental exposures drives the system to transition from a health state to a disease state; these transitions, triggered by acute perturbations or chronic disturbance, manifest as qualitative shifts in the interactions and dynamics of the disease-perturbed networks. Understanding health-to-disease transitions poses a high-dimensional nonlinear reconstruction problem that requires deep understanding of biology and innovation in study design, technology, and data analysis. With a focus on the principles of systems medicine, this Review discusses approaches for deciphering this biological complexity from a novel perspective, namely, understanding how disease-perturbed networks function; their study provides insights into fundamental disease mechanisms. The immediate goals for systems medicine are to identify early transitions to cardiovascular (and other chronic) diseases and to accelerate the translation of new preventive, diagnostic, or therapeutic targets into clinical practice, a critical step in the development of personalized, predictive, preventive, and participatory (P4) medicine. © 2018 American Heart Association, Inc.

Medicine Bow wind project

Science.gov (United States)

Nelson, L. L.

1982-05-01

The Bureau of Reclamation (Bureau) conducted studies for a wind turbine field of 100 MW at a site near Medicine Bow, WY, one of the windiest areas in the United States. The wind turbine system would be electrically interconnected to the existing Federal power grid through the substation at Medicine Bow. Power output from the wind turbines would thus be integrated with the existing hydroelectric system, which serves as the energy storage system. An analysis based on 'willingness to pay' was developed. Based on information from the Department of Energy's Western Area Power Administration (Western), it was assumed that 90 mills per kWh would represent the 'willingness to pay' for onpeak power, and 45 mills per kWh for offpeak power. The report concludes that a 100-MW wind field at Medicine Bow has economic and financial feasibility. The Bureau's construction of the Medicine Bow wind field could demonstrate to the industry the feasibility of wind energy.

Support for and aspects of use of educational games in family medicine and internal medicine residency programs in the US: a survey

OpenAIRE

Wilson Mark C; Mustafa Reem; Gunukula Sameer; Akl Elie A; Symons Andrew; Moheet Amir; Schünemann Holger J

2010-01-01

Abstract Background The evidence supporting the effectiveness of educational games in graduate medical education is limited. Anecdotal reports suggest their popularity in that setting. The objective of this study was to explore the support for and the different aspects of use of educational games in family medicine and internal medicine residency programs in the United States. Methods We conducted a survey of family medicine and internal medicine residency program directors in the United Stat...

Mind-Body Practices in Integrative Medicine

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Niko Kohls

2012-02-01

Full Text Available Mind-Body practices have become increasingly popular as components of psychotherapeutic and behavior medicine interventions. They comprise an array of different methods and techniques that use some sort of mental-behavioral training and involve the modulation of states of consciousness in order to influence bodily processes towards greater health, well-being and better functioning. Mind-body practices may thus be interpreted as the salutogenetic mirror image of psychosomatic medicine, where psychophysiological and health consequences of specific psychological states are studied, such as stress arousal, psychological trauma or depression. This contribution examines the empirical evidence of the most common mind-body techniques with regard to their salutogenetic potential. We concisely discuss some aspects of the mind-body problem, before we consider some historical aspects and achievements of psychosomatic medicine. We then turn to some prominent mind-body practices and their application, as well as the empirical database for them.

Traditional medicine used in childbirth and for childhood diarrhoea in Nigeria's Cross River State: interviews with traditional practitioners and a statewide cross-sectional study.

Science.gov (United States)

Sarmiento, Iván; Zuluaga, Germán; Andersson, Neil

2016-04-19

Examine factors associated with use of traditional medicine during childbirth and in management of childhood diarrhoea. Cross-sectional cluster survey, household interviews in a stratified last stage random sample of 90 census enumeration areas; unstructured interviews with traditional doctors. Oil-rich Cross River State in south-eastern Nigeria has 3.5 million residents, most of whom depend on a subsistence agriculture economy. 8089 women aged 15-49 years in 7685 households reported on the health of 11,305 children aged 0-36 months in July-August 2011. Traditional medicine used at childbirth and for management of childhood diarrhoea; covariates included access to Western medicine and education, economic conditions, engagement with the modern state and family relations. Cluster-adjusted analysis relied on the Mantel-Haenszel procedure and Mantel extension. 24.1% (1371/5686) of women reported using traditional medicine at childbirth; these women had less education, accessed antenatal care less, experienced more family violence and were less likely to have birth certificates for their children. 11.3% (615/5425) of young children with diarrhoea were taken to traditional medical practitioners; these children were less likely to receive BCG, to have birth certificates, to live in households with a more educated head, or to use fuel other than charcoal for cooking. Education showed a gradient with decreasing use of traditional medicine for childbirth (χ(2) 135.2) and for childhood diarrhoea (χ(2) 77.2). Use of traditional medicine is associated with several factors related to cultural transition and to health status, with formal education playing a prominent role. Any assessment of the effectiveness of traditional medicine should anticipate confounding by these factors, which are widely recognised to affect health in their own right. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

19 CFR 11.1 - Cigars, cigarettes, medicinal preparations, and perfumery.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 19 Customs Duties 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Cigars, cigarettes, medicinal preparations, and..., cigarettes, medicinal preparations, and perfumery. (a) All cigars and cigarettes imported into the United... domestic cigars, cigarettes, medicinal preparations, and perfumery, which are returned to the United States...

Toward precision medicine in Alzheimer's disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Reitz, Christiane

2016-03-01

In Western societies, Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia and the sixth leading cause of death. In recent years, the concept of precision medicine, an approach for disease prevention and treatment that is personalized to an individual's specific pattern of genetic variability, environment and lifestyle factors, has emerged. While for some diseases, in particular select cancers and a few monogenetic disorders such as cystic fibrosis, significant advances in precision medicine have been made over the past years, for most other diseases precision medicine is only in its beginning. To advance the application of precision medicine to a wider spectrum of disorders, governments around the world are starting to launch Precision Medicine Initiatives, major efforts to generate the extensive scientific knowledge needed to integrate the model of precision medicine into every day clinical practice. In this article we summarize the state of precision medicine in AD, review major obstacles in its development, and discuss its benefits in this highly prevalent, clinically and pathologically complex disease.

Hospital Medicine Resident Training Tracks: Developing the Hospital Medicine Pipeline.

Science.gov (United States)

Sweigart, Joseph R; Tad-Y, Darlene; Kneeland, Patrick; Williams, Mark V; Glasheen, Jeffrey J

2017-03-01

Hospital medicine (HM) is rapidly evolving into new clinical and nonclinical roles. Traditional internal medicine (IM) residency training likely does not optimally prepare residents for success in HM. Hospital medicine residency training tracks may offer a preferred method for specialized HM education. Internet searches and professional networks were used to identify HM training tracks. Information was gathered from program websites and discussions with track directors. The 11 HM tracks at academic medical centers across the United States focus mostly on senior residents. Track structure and curricular content are determined largely by the structure and curricula of the IM residency programs in which they exist. Almost all tracks feature experiential quality improvement projects. Content on healthcare economics and value is common, and numerous track leaders report this content is expanding from HM tracks into entire residency programs. Tracks also provide opportunities for scholarship and professional development, such as workshops on abstract creation and job procurement skills. Almost all tracks include HM preceptorships as well as rotations within various disciplines of HM. HM residency training tracks focus largely on quality improvement, health care economics, and professional development. The structures and curricula of these tracks are tightly linked to opportunities within IM residency programs. As HM continues to evolve, these tracks likely will expand to bridge clinical and extra-clinical gaps between traditional IM training and contemporary HM practice. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2017;12:173-176. © 2017 Society of Hospital Medicine

[Use of medicinal plants as home remedies in Primary Health Care in Blumenau - State of Santa Catarina, Brazil].

Science.gov (United States)

Zeni, Ana Lúcia Bertarello; Parisotto, Amanda Varnier; Mattos, Gerson; Helena, Ernani Tiaraju de Santa

2017-08-01

An increase in the use of alternative therapeutic practices has been observed in the past decade, especially in medicinal plants, herbal and home remedies, which has been supported by policies within the scope of the Unified Health System (SUS). This study investigated the use of home remedies by users of Primary Health Care in Blumenau, State of Santa Catarina. It is a cross-sectional, observational and epidemiological study, the data for which were obtained via a questionnaire applied to 701 individuals. An unconditional logistic regression model was used to estimate the association between the use of home remedies and socio-demographic and medical care variables. It was observed that 21.9% of the sample use home remedies and medicinal plants grown in the back yard are the remedies of choice. Lemon balm, chamomile, peppermint and lime were the remedies most frequently mentioned. The use of home remedies was associated with the female gender, older age and the Family Health Strategy care model. The results supported that medicinal plants are used by the population as a therapeutic alternative option. However, it is necessary that primary care services ensure both access to natural products and supply qualified professionals to give instructions regarding the correct usage of home remedies.

Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine in the United States

Science.gov (United States)

... Espiritista Hierbero or Yerbera Native American healer/Medicine man Shaman Sobador Yoga An asterisk (*) indicates a practitioner-based therapy. For definitions of any of these therapies, see the full ...

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.

Assessing the impact of the Australia-United States Free Trade Agreement on Australian and global medicines policy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Searles Andrew

2005-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract On 1 January 2005, a controversial trade agreement entered into force between Australia and the United States. Though heralded by the parties as facilitating the removal of barriers to free trade (in ways not achievable in multilateral fora, it also contained many trade-restricting intellectual property provisions and others uniquely related to altering pharmaceutical regulation and public health policy in Australia. The latter appear to have particularly focused on the world-respected process of federal government reimbursement after expert cost-effectiveness evaluation, popularly known as the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme ('PBS'. It remains uncertain what sort of impacts – if any – the Australia-United States Free Trade Agreement ('AUSFTA' will have on PBS processes such as reference pricing and their important role in facilitating equitable and affordable access to essential medicines. This is now the field of inquiry for a major three year Australian Research Council ('ARC'-funded study bringing together a team of senior researchers in regulatory theory from the Australian National University and pharmacoeconomics from the University of Newcastle. The project proposes to monitor, assess and analyse the real and potential impacts of the AUSFTA in this area, providing Australian policy-makers with continuing expertise and options. To the extent that the AUSFTA medicines provisions may represent animportant precedent in a global strategy by industry oncost-effectiveness evaluation of pharmaceuticals, the study will also beof great interest to policy makers in other jurisdictions.

Medicinal and aromatic crops: Production, Phytochemistry, and Utilization

Science.gov (United States)

In the later part of the 20th century the United States experienced a remarkable surge in public interest towards medicinal and aromatic crops and this trend continues. This consumer interest helped create a significant demand for plants with culinary and medicinal applications as the public discove...

COMMUNITY MEDICINE & PRIMARY HEALTH CARE

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Journal of Community Medicine and Primary Health Care. ... Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, PMB 4400, Osogbo, Osun State. ... weak management and poor adherence to the basic infrastructure e.g. primary, secondary and tertiary.

Nuclear medicine in the countries of Latin America

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Touya, Eh.

1987-01-01

The role of nuclear medicine in protection of health in Latin America states is shown. Nuclear medicine methods are applied in Latin America countries for diagnosis of coronary disease, cancer, malfunctioning of separate organs and transplants, kidney transplants in particular. The present situation in protection of health in the region is evaluated. It is emphasized that nuclear medicine should play its role in the course of public health improvement in those countries

The use of zootherapeutics in folk veterinary medicine in the district of Cubati, Paraíba State, Brazil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

da S Mourão José

2007-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The present work addresses the use of zootherapy in folk veterinary medicine (ethnoveterinary by the residents of the municipal district of Cubati, microregion of Seridó, Paraíba State, Brazil. It sought to identify the principal animals used as medicinal sources for zootherapeutics and to contribute to the preservation and sustainability of this traditional knowledge. Methods Field research was undertaken on a weekly or biweekly basis during the period November, 2006, to January, 2007. Free, semi-structured, and open interviews were made with local residents of the municipal district of Cubati (in both urban and rural settings as well as with venders in public markets. A total of 25 individuals of both sexes were interviewed (with ages varying from 26 to 78 years although only 16 were finally chosen as informants as these people demonstrated the greatest degree of knowledge concerning zootherapeutics. Graphs and percentages were generated using Microsoft© Excel 2007 software, and the species were identified by photographic registration and subsequent bibliographical surveys. Results Mammals constitute the main medicinal zootherapeutic source for folk veterinary medicines in the studied area, both in terms of the total number of species used and the frequency of their citation. Sheep (Ovis aries, pigs (Sus scrofa, cattle (Bos taurus, and foxes (Cerdocyon thous were mentioned by 62.5, 43.75, 37.5, and 31.25% of the informants, respectively, as being used in folk veterinary medicine. Additionally, chameleons (Iguana iguana, chickens (Gallus domesticus, and rattlesnakes (Crotalus durissus were mentioned by 75, 43.75, and 31.25% of the informants, respectively. Relatively simple animal illnesses, such as furuncles, or injuries resulting from embedded thorns or skin eruptions are responsible for the largest number of zootherapeutic treatment, while, diseases of greater complexity, such as rabies and brucellosis, were not even

Use of medicinal plants by health professionals in Mexico.

Science.gov (United States)

Alonso-Castro, Angel Josabad; Domínguez, Fabiola; Maldonado-Miranda, Juan José; Castillo-Pérez, Luis Jesús; Carranza-Álvarez, Candy; Solano, Eloy; Isiordia-Espinoza, Mario Alberto; Del Carmen Juárez-Vázquez, María; Zapata-Morales, Juan Ramón; Argueta-Fuertes, Marco Antonio; Ruiz-Padilla, Alan Joel; Solorio-Alvarado, César Rogelio; Rangel-Velázquez, Joceline Estefanía; Ortiz-Andrade, Rolffy; González-Sánchez, Ignacio; Cruz-Jiménez, Gustavo; Orozco-Castellanos, Luis Manuel

2017-02-23

The use of medicinal plants in Mexico has been documented since pre-Hispanic times. Nevertheless, the level of use of medicinal plants by health professionals in Mexico remains to be explored. To evaluate the use, acceptance and prescription of medicinal plants by health professionals in 9 of the states of Mexico. Direct and indirect interviews, regarding the use and acceptance of medicinal plants, with health professionals (n=1614), including nurses, physicians, pharmacists, and odontologists from nine states in Mexico were performed from January 2015 to July 2016. The interviews were analyzed with the factor the informant consensus (FIC). The information obtained indicated that 46% of those interviewed feel patients should not use medicinal plants as an alternative therapy. Moreover, 54% of health professionals, and 49% of the physicians have used medicinal plants as an alternative therapy for several diseases. Twenty eight percent of health professionals, and 26% of the physicians, have recommended or prescribed medicinal plants to their patients, whereas 73% of health professionals were in agreement with receiving academic information regarding the use and prescription of medicinal plants. A total of 77 plant species used for medicinal purposes, belonging to 40 botanical families were reported by the interviewed. The results of the FIC showed that the categories of diseases of the digestive system (FIC=0.901) and diseases of the respiratory system (FIC=0.898) had the greatest agreement. This study shows that medicinal plants are used for primary health care in Mexico by health professionals. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Precision medicine for psychopharmacology: a general introduction.

Science.gov (United States)

Shin, Cheolmin; Han, Changsu; Pae, Chi-Un; Patkar, Ashwin A

2016-07-01

Precision medicine is an emerging medical model that can provide accurate diagnoses and tailored therapeutic strategies for patients based on data pertaining to genes, microbiomes, environment, family history and lifestyle. Here, we provide basic information about precision medicine and newly introduced concepts, such as the precision medicine ecosystem and big data processing, and omics technologies including pharmacogenomics, pharamacometabolomics, pharmacoproteomics, pharmacoepigenomics, connectomics and exposomics. The authors review the current state of omics in psychiatry and the future direction of psychopharmacology as it moves towards precision medicine. Expert commentary: Advances in precision medicine have been facilitated by achievements in multiple fields, including large-scale biological databases, powerful methods for characterizing patients (such as genomics, proteomics, metabolomics, diverse cellular assays, and even social networks and mobile health technologies), and computer-based tools for analyzing large amounts of data.

Course on internal dosimetry in nuclear medicine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2004-01-01

This documentation was distributed to the participants in the Course of Internal Dosimetry in Nuclear Medicine organised by the Nuclear Regulatory Authority (ARN) of Argentina and held in Buenos Aires, Argentina, August 9-13, 2004. The course was intended for people from IAEA Member States in the Latin American and Caribbean region, and for professionals and workers in medicine, related with the radiation protection. Spanish and English were the languages of the course. The following subjects were covered: radioprotection of the patient in nuclear medicine; injuries by ionizing radiations; MIRD methodology; radiation dose assessment in nuclear medicine; small scale and microdosimetry; bone and marrow dose modelling; medical internal dose calculations; SPECT and image reconstruction; principles of the gamma camera; scattering and attenuation correction in SPECT; tomography in nuclear medicine

Nigerian Journal of Medicine

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The Nigerian Journal of Medicine publishes articles on socio-economic, political and legal matters related to medical practice; conference and workshop reports and ... Perception of research and predictors of research career: a study among clinical medical students of Ebonyi State University Abakaliki, southeast Nigeria ...

State of Digital Education Options in the areas of Medical Terminology and the History, Theory and Ethics of Medicine.

Science.gov (United States)

Schochow, Maximilian; Steger, Florian

2015-01-01

Institutes of the history of medicine, the theory of medicine, and medical ethics at German institutions of higher learning have created various e-learning options that are based on different learning platforms and tailored to the specific curricular needs of individual teaching. Up to now no valid data has been available about the types of such e-learning options as well as possibilities of future developments thanks to coordinated cooperation among the different institutes. Of 31 German institutes of the history and theory of medicine and medical ethics that were asked to fill out a questionnaire, 30 answered, which equals a return rate of 97 per cent. The questionnaire was completed between July and August 2012 using a telephone survey. Available to students online, digitally interactive teaching tools have boomed in the course of the last few years at German institutes of the history of medicine, the theory of medicine, and medical ethics. This trend is also reflected in a willingness of more than half of the respective departments (67 per cent) to expand their e-learning options on the basis of previous experience. The offered e-learning systems are accepted very well by the students. 57 per cent of the institutes stated, that 90-100 per cent of the students use the offered systems regularly. E-learning courses for terminology are offered particularly often, this is also reflected in the intended extension of these courses by the majority of institutes which plan to expand their e-learning systems. This article discusses the results of a comprehensive empirical survey about e-learning. It illustrates ways in which individual German institutes plan to expand their e-learning options in the future. Finally, specific proposals for cooperation among institutions (not just online) are introduced, the purpose of which is to produce synergy in e-learning.

State of Digital Education Options in the areas of Medical Terminology and the History, Theory and Ethics of Medicine

Science.gov (United States)

Schochow, Maximilian; Steger, Florian

2015-01-01

Background: Institutes of the history of medicine, the theory of medicine, and medical ethics at German institutions of higher learning have created various e-learning options that are based on different learning platforms and tailored to the specific curricular needs of individual teaching. Up to now no valid data has been available about the types of such e-learning options as well as possibilities of future developments thanks to coordinated cooperation among the different institutes. Methods: Of 31 German institutes of the history and theory of medicine and medical ethics that were asked to fill out a questionnaire, 30 answered, which equals a return rate of 97 per cent. The questionnaire was completed between July and August 2012 using a telephone survey. Results: Available to students online, digitally interactive teaching tools have boomed in the course of the last few years at German institutes of the history of medicine, the theory of medicine, and medical ethics. This trend is also reflected in a willingness of more than half of the respective departments (67 per cent) to expand their e-learning options on the basis of previous experience. The offered e-learning systems are accepted very well by the students. 57 per cent of the institutes stated, that 90-100 per cent of the students use the offered systems regularly. E-learning courses for terminology are offered particularly often, this is also reflected in the intended extension of these courses by the majority of institutes which plan to expand their e-learning systems. Conclusions: This article discusses the results of a comprehensive empirical survey about e-learning. It illustrates ways in which individual German institutes plan to expand their e-learning options in the future. Finally, specific proposals for cooperation among institutions (not just online) are introduced, the purpose of which is to produce synergy in e-learning. PMID:26038682

Associations between United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) and Internal Medicine In-Training Examination (IM-ITE) scores.

Science.gov (United States)

McDonald, Furman S; Zeger, Scott L; Kolars, Joseph C

2008-07-01

Little is known about the associations of previous standardized examination scores with scores on subsequent standardized examinations used to assess medical knowledge in internal medicine residencies. To examine associations of previous standardized test scores on subsequent standardized test scores. Retrospective cohort study. One hundred ninety-five internal medicine residents. Bivariate associations of United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Steps and Internal Medicine In-Training Examination (IM-ITE) scores were determined. Random effects analysis adjusting for repeated administrations of the IM-ITE and other variables known or hypothesized to affect IM-ITE score allowed for discrimination of associations of individual USMLE Step scores on IM-ITE scores. In bivariate associations, USMLE scores explained 17% to 27% of the variance in IME-ITE scores, and previous IM-ITE scores explained 66% of the variance in subsequent IM-ITE scores. Regression coefficients (95% CI) for adjusted associations of each USMLE Step with IM-ITE scores were USMLE-1 0.19 (0.12, 0.27), USMLE-2 0.23 (0.17, 0.30), and USMLE-3 0.19 (0.09, 0.29). No single USMLE Step is more strongly associated with IM-ITE scores than the others. Because previous IM-ITE scores are strongly associated with subsequent IM-ITE scores, appropriate modeling, such as random effects methods, should be used to account for previous IM-ITE administrations in studies for which IM-ITE score is an outcome.

Can NGOs regulate medicines markets? Social enterprise in wholesaling, and access to essential medicines

Science.gov (United States)

2011-01-01

Background Citizens of high income countries rely on highly regulated medicines markets. However low income countries' impoverished populations generally struggle for access to essential medicines through out-of-pocket purchase on poorly regulated markets; results include ill health, drug resistance and further impoverishment. While the role of health facilities owned by non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in low income countries is well documented, national and international wholesaling of essential medicines by NGOs is largely unstudied. This article describes and assesses the activity of NGOs and social enterprise in essential medicines wholesaling. Methods The article is based on a set of interviews conducted in 2006-8 with trading NGOs and social enterprises operating in Europe, India and Tanzania. The analysis applies socio-legal and economic perspectives on social enterprise and market regulation. Results Trading NGOs can resist the perverse incentives inherent in medicines wholesaling and improve access to essential medicines; they can also, in definable circumstances, exercise a broader regulatory influence over their markets by influencing the behaviour of competitors. We explore reasons for success and failure of social enterprise in essential medicines wholesaling, including commercial manufacturers' market response; social enterprise traders' own market strategies; and patterns of market advantage, market segmentation and subsidy generated by donors. Conclusions We conclude that, in the absence of effective governmental activity and regulation, social enterprise wholesaling can improve access to good quality essential medicines. This role should be valued and where appropriate supported in international health policy design. NGO regulatory impact can complement but should not replace state action. PMID:21356076

Can NGOs regulate medicines markets? Social enterprise in wholesaling, and access to essential medicines.

Science.gov (United States)

Mackintosh, Maureen; Chaudhuri, Sudip; Mujinja, Phares Gm

2011-02-28

Citizens of high income countries rely on highly regulated medicines markets. However low income countries' impoverished populations generally struggle for access to essential medicines through out-of-pocket purchase on poorly regulated markets; results include ill health, drug resistance and further impoverishment. While the role of health facilities owned by non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in low income countries is well documented, national and international wholesaling of essential medicines by NGOs is largely unstudied. This article describes and assesses the activity of NGOs and social enterprise in essential medicines wholesaling. The article is based on a set of interviews conducted in 2006-8 with trading NGOs and social enterprises operating in Europe, India and Tanzania. The analysis applies socio-legal and economic perspectives on social enterprise and market regulation. Trading NGOs can resist the perverse incentives inherent in medicines wholesaling and improve access to essential medicines; they can also, in definable circumstances, exercise a broader regulatory influence over their markets by influencing the behaviour of competitors. We explore reasons for success and failure of social enterprise in essential medicines wholesaling, including commercial manufacturers' market response; social enterprise traders' own market strategies; and patterns of market advantage, market segmentation and subsidy generated by donors. We conclude that, in the absence of effective governmental activity and regulation, social enterprise wholesaling can improve access to good quality essential medicines. This role should be valued and where appropriate supported in international health policy design. NGO regulatory impact can complement but should not replace state action.

Can NGOs regulate medicines markets? Social enterprise in wholesaling, and access to essential medicines

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chaudhuri Sudip

2011-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Citizens of high income countries rely on highly regulated medicines markets. However low income countries' impoverished populations generally struggle for access to essential medicines through out-of-pocket purchase on poorly regulated markets; results include ill health, drug resistance and further impoverishment. While the role of health facilities owned by non-governmental organisations (NGOs in low income countries is well documented, national and international wholesaling of essential medicines by NGOs is largely unstudied. This article describes and assesses the activity of NGOs and social enterprise in essential medicines wholesaling. Methods The article is based on a set of interviews conducted in 2006-8 with trading NGOs and social enterprises operating in Europe, India and Tanzania. The analysis applies socio-legal and economic perspectives on social enterprise and market regulation. Results Trading NGOs can resist the perverse incentives inherent in medicines wholesaling and improve access to essential medicines; they can also, in definable circumstances, exercise a broader regulatory influence over their markets by influencing the behaviour of competitors. We explore reasons for success and failure of social enterprise in essential medicines wholesaling, including commercial manufacturers' market response; social enterprise traders' own market strategies; and patterns of market advantage, market segmentation and subsidy generated by donors. Conclusions We conclude that, in the absence of effective governmental activity and regulation, social enterprise wholesaling can improve access to good quality essential medicines. This role should be valued and where appropriate supported in international health policy design. NGO regulatory impact can complement but should not replace state action.

Behaviors of providers of traditional korean medicine therapy and complementary and alternative medicine therapy for the treatment of cancer patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Jun-Sang; Kim, Chun-Bae; Kim, Ki-Kyong; Lee, Ji-Eun; Kim, Min-Young

2015-03-01

In Korea, cancer is one of the most important causes of death. Cancer patients have sought alternative methods, like complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) together with Western medicine, to treat cancer. Also, there are many kinds of providers of CAM therapy, including providers of Korean oriental medicine therapy. The purpose of this study is to identify the behaviors of Korean oriental medicine therapy and CAM therapy providers who treat cancer patients and to provide background knowledge for establishing a new policy with the management and quality control of CAM. Structured and well organized questionnaires were made, and 350 persons were surveyed concerning the providers of CAM or Korean oriental medicine. The questionnaires were collected and analyzed. The questionnaires (182) were collected. The questionnaires identified a total of 73 known providers, such as medicinal professionals or other providers of CAM suppliers, 35.6% of whom had had experience with treating cancer patients (52.6% vs. 29.6%). The treatment methods were a little different: alternative therapy and nutritional therapy being preferred by medicinal professionals and mind body modulation therapy and alternative therapy being preferred by other CAM providers. Four patients (7.4%) experienced side effects, and 6 patients (12.5%) experienced legal problems. As the method for managing the therapy, CAM providers, medicinal professionals, and other CAM providers had different viewpoints. For example, some CAM providers stated that both legislation and an official education on CAM or a national examination were needed as a first step to establish the provider's qualifications and that as a second step, a license test was needed for quality control. To the contrary, medicinal professionals stated that a license test was needed before legislation. Adequate management and quality control of CAM providers is thought to involve both education and legislation.

SHELTER MEDICINE: A NEW ESPECIALTY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

V. M. S. Moretto

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Shelter Medicine is a new branch in Veterinary Medicine which aims to improve the health and welfare of animals that do not have a home and live at risk. The specialty was created in the United States of America (USA with this denomination, and intended the population control of dogs and cats through sterilization, reintegration and socialization of abandoned animals, handling feral cats and control of common diseases in shelters. In this sense, Shelter Medicine proposes a solution to the rampant increase in the non domiciled animals population and, hence, the spread of zoonotic diseases. In addition, to improve the quality of life of those animals, by reducing the euthanasia procedures, damage to property and assault cases

Regulation and quality in nuclear medicine 2 october 1998

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kouchner, B.; Huriet, C.; Le Deaut, J.Y.

1999-01-01

The aim of this meeting is to examine how the regulations are liable to decrease the patient taking charge. The problem of the public information and opinion in the nuclear medicine domain is also presented. The nineteen presentations are proposed in 2 sessions. The first one deals with the state of the art of the nuclear medicine in France (techniques and regulations). The second one deals with the environment of the nuclear medicine (irradiation limits, public opinion, doctors and medicine quality). (A.L.B.)

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

Nuclear medicine. Clinical value of the medicine methods. Nuklearmedizin. Klinische Bedeutung nuklearmedizinischer Diagnostik und Therapie

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schmidt, H A.E. [Evangelisches Krankenhaus Bethesda Gemeinnuetzige G.m.b.H., Duisburg (Germany, F.R.). Nuklearmedizinische Klinik und Poliklinik; Ortiz Berrocal, J [Universidad Autonoma de Madrid (Spain). Dept. of Nuclear Medicine; eds.

1979-01-01

This proceedings volume of the 16th International Annual Meeting of the Gesellschaft fuer Nuklearmedizin, which took place in Madrid on October 24-27, 1978, contains 183 compacts on the following subjects: Metrology and data processing, cyclotron products and radiopharmaceuticals, nuclear medicine as compared with computerized tomography and sonography, radioimmunoassay, haematology, thyreology, osteology, pulmonology, cardiology, angiology, nephrology, gastroenterology and hepatology, oncology, nuclear therapy methods and some free lectures and thus give a good picture of the state of the art in nuclear medicine at the time.

Alternative medicine, worker health, and absenteeism in the United States.

Science.gov (United States)

Rybczynski, Kate

2017-06-01

Health related absenteeism costs an estimated $153 billion annually in the United States (Witters and Agrawal, 2011). 1 Chronic conditions (major contributors to absenteeism) are often successfully managed by Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM). As CAM becomes an increasingly visible component of healthcare, firms may wish to consider whether CAM therapies can help reduce illness-related absenteeism. This paper aims to extend the literature on healthcare utilization and absenteeism by exploring whether CAM treatment is associated with fewer workdays missed due to illness. Using the 2007 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) and propensity score matching (PSM), this study estimates the relationship between visits to CAM practitioners, health, and illness-related absenteeism. In a sample of 8820 workers, the average annual number of workdays lost due to illness is 3.69. Visiting an acupuncturist correlates with lower absenteeism among men (1.182 fewer workdays missed, pabsenteeism, and many correlate with improved health. Two limitations of this study are worth noting. First, a small proportion of the sample uses CAM, limiting the generalizability of results. Second, if health conscious individuals are more likely to use CAM, then health attitudes may be contributing to lower absenteeism among the treated. Further research is needed to identify a causal relationship between CAM treatment, health, and absenteeism. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Use of social media in graduate-level medical humanities education: two pilot studies from Penn State College of Medicine.

Science.gov (United States)

George, Daniel R; Dellasega, Cheryl

2011-01-01

Social media strategies in education have gained attention for undergraduate students, but there has been relatively little application with graduate populations in medicine. To use and evaluate the integration of new social media tools into the curricula of two graduate-level medical humanities electives offered to 4th-year students at Penn State College of Medicine. Instructors selected five social media tools--Twitter, YouTube, Flickr, blogging and Skype--to promote student learning. At the conclusion of each course, students provided quantitative and qualitative course evaluation. Students gave high favourability ratings to both courses, and expressed that the integration of social media into coursework augmented learning and collaboration. Others identified challenges including: demands on time, concerns about privacy and lack of facility with technology. Integrating social media tools into class activities appeared to offer manifold benefits over traditional classroom methods, including real-time communication outside of the classroom, connecting with medical experts, collaborative opportunities and enhanced creativity. Social media can augment learning opportunities within humanities curriculum in medical schools, and help students acquire tools and skill-sets for problem solving, networking, and collaboration. Command of technologies will be increasingly important to the practice of medicine in the twenty-first century.

Making medicine; producing pleasure: A critical examination of medicinal cannabis policy and law in Victoria, Australia.

Science.gov (United States)

Lancaster, Kari; Seear, Kate; Ritter, Alison

2017-11-01

Several jurisdictions around the world have introduced policies and laws allowing for the legal use of cannabis for therapeutic purposes. However, there has been little critical discussion of how the object of 'medicinal cannabis' is enacted in policy and practice. Informed by Carol Bacchi's poststructuralist approach to policy analysis and the work of science and technology studies scholars, this paper seeks to problematise the object of 'medicinal cannabis' and examine how it is constituted through governing practices. In particular, we consider how the making of the object of 'medicinal cannabis' might constrain or enact discourses of pleasure. As a case example, we take the Victorian Law Reform Commission's review of law reform options to allow people in the Australian state of Victoria to be treated with medicinal cannabis. Through analysis of this case example, we find that although 'medicinal cannabis' is constituted as a thoroughly medical object, it is also constituted as unique. We argue that medicinal cannabis is enacted in part through the production of another object (so-called 'recreational cannabis') and the social and political meanings attached to both. Although both 'substances' are constituted as distinct, 'medicinal cannabis' relies on the 'absent presence' of 'recreational cannabis' to define and shape what it is. However, we find that contained within this rendering of 'medicinal cannabis' are complex enactments of health and wellbeing, which open up discourses of pleasure. 'Medicinal cannabis' appears to challenge the idea that the effects of 'medicine' cannot be understood in terms of pleasure. As such, the making of 'medicinal cannabis' as a medical object, and its invocation of broad notions of health and wellbeing, expand the ways in which drug effects can be acknowledged, including pleasurable and desirable effects, helping us to think differently about both medicine and other forms of drug use. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights

Public practice regarding disposal of unused medicines in Ireland.

Science.gov (United States)

Vellinga, Akke; Cormican, Sarah; Driscoll, Jacqueline; Furey, Michelle; O'Sullivan, Mai; Cormican, Martin

2014-04-15

Over recent years, a global increase in the use of pharmaceutical products has been observed. EU directives state that "Member states shall ensure that appropriate collection systems are in place for medicinal products that are unused or have expired" (Directive 2001/83/EC and Directive 2004/27/EC). There is no published data on how people in Ireland dispose of unused medicines; therefore the purpose of this study is to establish baseline information on storage and disposal of medicines. Data was collected over two 2-week periods a year apart. People in the streets of Galway and Cork were approached randomly and invited to participate by filling out a questionnaire. The questionnaire was completed by 398 individuals (207 in Galway and 191 in Cork). Unused medicines were kept in the home by 88% of the respondents. The most cited reason for keeping unused medicines was "in case they are needed later" (68%). Of the respondents who had disposed of medicine in the past, 72% had done so inappropriately. Environmentally inappropriate disposal methods were through general waste disposal and via the sewage system. Interestingly, of the people who had received advice on disposal practices from a healthcare professional, 75% disposed of their medicine appropriately. There is little awareness among members of the public regarding appropriate ways to dispose of unused medicines. Our findings suggest that effective communication and established protocols will promote appropriate disposal practices. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

[EU law on marketing authorization of medicines. History, current state of development and perspectives].

Science.gov (United States)

Nettesheim, Martin

2008-07-01

The article describes the development of EU policies and regulations on the marketing authorization of medicines. First, it describes the changing perspective of the EU towards the regulation of such authorizations. While its original focus was on the liberalization of national markets, it has today assumed overarching political responsibility for the development and marketing of medicines. Second, the article describes the current, rather fragmented regulatory system. Finally, political perspectives on the integration of markets for medicines are developed.

Legal Medicine in Medical Schools: A Survey of the State of the Art.

Science.gov (United States)

Grumet, Barbara Ruhe

1979-01-01

Results of a survey of American medical schools indicate that there is considerable interest in legal medicine and that while 40 percent of the schools require students to complete some course work in legal medicine, the curricula vary considerably among the schools. Topics most frequently covered are informed consent and malpractice. (Author/JMD)

New veterinary medicinal products authorised by centralised procedure

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Simona Sturzu

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Veterinary medicinal products that are subject to authorization via the centralized procedure according to Regulation (EC no. 726/2004 are included in the Community register of veterinary medicines, that is published on the European Commission website and product information of them are published on the website of the European Medicines Agency. Each competent authority involved in the linguistic review process of product information annexed to the Marketing Authorization for medicinal products authorized centrally (SPC, leaflet, information about the marketing authorization holder, product labeling conditions, approve the version in the language mother of each Member State. In the second half of 2011 have received marketing authorization via the centralized procedure a total of four veterinary medicinal products, presented above.

Environmental medicine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Steneberg, A.

1996-01-01

'Environmental medicine' deals with the manifold health problems from environmental factors of chemical, physical and psychosocial origin that are possible or have been observed. The book gives insight into the current state of knowledge of environmental medicine institutions, possibilities of diagnosis and therapeutic methods. It offers a systematic overview of pollutant sources and pollutant effects and points out, inter alia, syndromes that are discussed in connection with environmental factors: not only allergies and carcinogenous diseases but also symptom complexes that are hard to diagnose by ordinary methods such as the sick-building syndrome, multiple sensitivity to chemicals, electrosensitivity, amalgam intoxications, disorders due to wood preservatives and fungal diseases. The lingering course of a disease and a set of symptoms varying from one patient to another are the rule, not the exception, because environmental diseases are due above all to the chronic uptake of low pollutant doses (orig./MG) [de

Forest medicine research in Japan.

Science.gov (United States)

Miyazaki, Yoshifumi; Ikei, Harumi; Song, Chorong

2014-01-01

There has been growing attention on the effects of forest on physiological relaxation and immune recovery, particularly in forest medicine research, from a perspective of preventive medicine. Japan is a world leader in the accumulation of scientific data on forest medicine research. In this review, we summarize the research that has been conducted in this area since 1992. We conducted field experiment, involving 420 subjects at 35 different forests throughout Japan. After sitting in natural surroundings, these subjects showed decrease in the following physiological parameters compared with those in an urban control group: 12.4% decrease in the cortisol level, 7.0% decrease in sympathetic nervous activity, 1.4% decrease in systolic blood pressure, and 5.8% decrease in heart rate. This demonstrates that stressful states can be relieved by forest therapy. In addition, it should be noted that parasympathetic nervous activity was enhanced by 55.0%, indicating a relaxed state. The results of walking experiments provided similar results. Li et al. demonstrated that immune function was enhanced by forest therapy in middle-aged employees who volunteered to participate in these experiments. Natural killer cell activity, an indicator of immune function, was enhanced by 56% on the second day and returned to normal levels. A significant increase of 23% was maintained for 1 month even after returning to urban life, clearly illustrating the preventive benefits of forest therapy. In an indoor room experiment, we conducted tests with the following: 1) olfactory stimulation using wood smell, 2) tactile stimulation using wood, and 3) auditory stimulation using forest sounds. These indoor stimulations also decreased the blood pressure and pulse rate, and induced a physiological relaxation effect. We anticipate that forest medicine will play an increasingly important role in preventive medicine in the future.

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

Female authorship in emergency medicine parallels women practicing academic emergency medicine.

Science.gov (United States)

Tinjum, Banu E; Getto, Leila; Tiedemann, Juliah; Marri, Maaya; Brodowy, Michelle; Bollinger, Melissa; O'Connor, Robert E; Breyer, Michael J

2011-12-01

Studies have shown that women in emergency medicine (EM) lag behind their male counterparts in academic productivity. We compared the proportion of female attending physicians from EM academic programs to the proportion of female first or second authors of original scientific manuscripts and case reports from four major EM journals in a single year. We used a retrospective cross-sectional design. Original scientific manuscripts and case reports from four major EM journals published in 2005: Academic Emergency Medicine, Annals of Emergency Medicine, American Journal of Emergency Medicine, and Journal of Emergency Medicine were reviewed to determine genders of first and second authors. The proportion of female first or second authorship was then compared to the proportion of female EM attending physicians from 134 academic EM programs in the United States. Data were analyzed using Pearson's chi-squared and Clopper-Pearson binomial confidence intervals as appropriate. A p-value of ≤ 0.05 was considered significant. The percentage of female faculty; 940/3571 (26.32%, 95% confidence interval [CI] 24.9-27.8%) vs. the percentage of female first or second authorship 289/1123 (25.73%, 95% CI 23.3-28.4%) was not statistically significant (p = 0.562). There was no difference in the proportion of male and female authors with multiple manuscripts (p = 0.889). As measured by first and second authorship, there was no discrepancy between the proportion of female EM faculty and the proportion of female authorship in EM literature from 2005. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Impact of the Purdue University School of Veterinary Medicine's Boiler Vet Camp on participants' knowledge of veterinary medicine.

Science.gov (United States)

Weisman, James L; Amass, Sandra F; Warren, Joshua D

2011-04-01

To assess whether Boiler Vet Camp, a 7-day residential summer camp for students entering eighth or ninth grade in the fall, would increase participants' understanding of career options in the veterinary profession, increase understanding of the science of veterinary medicine, or increase the number of students stating that they intended to apply to the Purdue University School of Veterinary Medicine. Survey. 48 individuals attending the 2009 Boiler Vet Camp. Information on participant demographics was obtained from camp applications. A questionnaire was administered on the first and sixth days of camp, and results were analyzed to identify changes in responses over time. More campers correctly answered questions designed to evaluate knowledge of the veterinary profession and 10 of 12 questions designed to evaluate specific knowledge of the science of veterinary medicine on day 6, compared with day 1. Remarkable differences were not observed among gender or race-ethnicity groups for these questions. There was no significant difference between percentages of campers who stated that they would apply to Purdue before and after camp. Significantly more Caucasian campers stated they would apply to Purdue on both day 1 and day 6, compared with campers from under-represented minority groups. Results indicated that the Boiler Vet Camp accomplished 2 of its 3 planned objectives, suggesting that such camps can be successfully used to increase knowledge of the veterinary profession among middle school students. Reasons for the low percentage of participants from underrepresented minorities who indicated they would apply to the Purdue University School of Veterinary Medicine require further exploration.

Some aspects of the development of nuclear medicine in the USSR

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kasatkin, Yu.N.

1989-01-01

Principle directions of the development of nuclear medicine in the USSR are presented.Some problems, which solution affects the state of nuclear medicine in the country are discussed. Problems of technical equipment of nuclear-diagnostic investigations are considered. Measures, directed to improvement of proffesional traing of specialists dealing with nuclear medicine are planned

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

Cultivation Techniques and Medicinal Properties of Pleurotus spp.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrej Gregori

2007-01-01

Full Text Available The genus Pleurotus (oyster mushroom comprises some most popular edible mushrooms due to their favourable organoleptic and medicinal properties, vigorous growth and undemanding cultivation conditions. It can be cultivated on log and a wide variety of agroforestry (by-products, weeds and wastes for the production of food, feed, enzymes and medicinal compounds, or for waste degradation and detoxification. Many different techniques and substrates have been successfully utilized for mushroom cultivation and biomass production by means of solid-state and submerged liquid fermentation. However, in contrast to submerged liquid fermentation, solid-state fermentation is not often used in large scale due to severe engineering problems. Various Pleurotus species have been shown to possess a number of medicinal properties, such as antitumour, immunomodulatory, antigenotoxic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, hypocholesterolaemic, antihypertensive, antiplatelet-aggregating, antihyperglycaemic, antimicrobial and antiviral activities. These therapeutic activities are exhibited by extracts or isolated compounds from Pleurotus spp. fermentation broth, mycelia and fruiting bodies. In particular, polysaccharides appear to be potent antitumour and immuno-enhancing substances, besides possessing other beneficial activities. However, the biochemical mechanisms of these therapeutic activities still remain largely unknown. This review focuses on recent advances in the biotechnology of Pleurotus spp., with emphasis on the production of fruiting bodies, the production of mycelium and bioactive compounds by solid-state and submerged liquid fermentation. The medicinal properties of this mushroom are also outlined.

Veterinary Medicine and Animal Health Technology Handbook.

Science.gov (United States)

New York State Education Dept., Albany. Office of the Professions.

The laws, rules, and regulations of the New York State Education Department that govern professional veterinary medicine and animal health technology practice in the state are presented. Licensure requirements are described, and complete application forms and instructions for obtaining license and first registration as a licensed veterinarian and…

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...

Utilisation of Pangolin (Manis sps in traditional Yorubic medicine in Ijebu province, Ogun State, Nigeria

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Ayodele Ibukun A

2009-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Concern about the use of endangered and threatened species in traditional medicine escalated as populations of many species plummeted because of poaching for the medicinal trade. Nigeria is known for a long and valued tradition of using wild animals and plants for medicinal purposes. Despite this, studies on medicinal animals are still scarce when compared to those focusing on medicinal plants. Utilisation of wild animals in traditional Yorubic medical practices was indiscriminate as it involved threatened species. By touting the medicinal properties of these species, traditional medicine fuel continuing demand, thereby subjecting such species to further threats. This paper examined the use and commercialisation of pangolins for traditional medicinal purposes amongst the Ijebus, South-western Nigeria, and the implications of this utilisation for the conservation of this species. Methods Traditional Yorubic medical practitioners (tymps (16 and dealers in traditional medicinal ingredients (56 in public markets in Ijebu province, Nigeria, were interviewed using open-ended questionnaires. The dynamic stock movement of pangolins in the stalls of dealers was also monitored to determine quantity of pangolins sold into the traditional Yorubic medicinal practices. Specific conditions treated and the parts required were also documented. Results A total of 178 whole pangolin carcasses were sold into traditional medical practices. Above 55% of respondents had just primary education, over 90% of respondents were not aware of either the conservation status of this species or the existence of any legal machinery regulating its trade and utilisation, while 14% admitted to giving contracts to hunters for deliberate search for this animal when needed. More than 98% of respondents have no other means of livelihood. The trade was female dominated while the healing practice had more males. Pangolins were used in various preparations to treat a

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...

Naturopathic physicians: holistic primary care and integrative medicine specialists.

Science.gov (United States)

Litchy, Andrew P

2011-12-01

The use of Complimentary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) is increasing in the United States; there is a need for physician level practitioners who possess extensive training in both CAM and conventional medicine. Naturopathic physicians possess training that allows integration of modern scientific knowledge and the age-old wisdom of natural healing techniques. Naturopathic philosophy provides a framework to implement CAM in concert with conventional therapies. The naturopathic physician's expertise in both conventional medicine and CAM allows a practice style that provides excellent care through employing conventional and CAM modalities while utilizing modern research and evidence-based medicine.

Use of medicinal plants by people with hypertension

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Marília Gabrielle Santos Nunes

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Objective: to describe the use of medicinal plants in the treatment of high blood pressure for people with hypertension enrolled in the Family Health Program in a city in Pernambuco State. Methods: a descriptive study, whose data were obtained through semi-structured interview script applied to 172 patients. Results: the use of medicinal plants for hypertension control was reported by 39.5%, of which 57.4% used only one medicinal plant. Among the species cited, there was predominant use of chayote [Sechium edule (Jacq. Sw.-34.8%]. Conclusion: medicinal plants constitute an adjunctive therapy in the treatment of hypertension. However, there is need for monitoring of handling and listed species.

Medicinal and Socio-Cultural Importance of Costus Afer (Ker Grawl ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

User

Medicinal plants play a great role in human life and have substances that are used for ... deforestation, many medicinal forest resources such as C. afer are gradually .... In Ogoniland of Rivers State, the leaf sap is used as eye drops to treat eye.

Update on value-based medicine.

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, Melissa M; Brown, Gary C

2013-05-01

To update concepts in Value-Based Medicine, especially in view of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act assures that some variant of Value-Based Medicine cost-utility analysis will play a key role in the healthcare system. It identifies the highest quality care, thereby maximizing the most efficacious use of healthcare resources and empowering patients and physicians.Standardization is critical for the creation and acceptance of a Value-Based Medicine, cost-utility analysis, information system, since 27 million different input variants can go into a cost-utility analysis. Key among such standards is the use of patient preferences (utilities), as patients best understand the quality of life associated with their health states. The inclusion of societal costs, versus direct medical costs alone, demonstrates that medical interventions are more cost effective and, in many instances, provide a net financial return-on-investment to society referent to the direct medical costs expended. Value-Based Medicine provides a standardized methodology, integrating critical, patient, quality-of-life preferences, and societal costs, to allow the highest quality, most cost-effective care. Central to Value-Based Medicine is the concept that all patients deserve the interventions that provide the greatest patient value (improvement in quality of life and/or length of life).

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.

Medicinal Plants Useful For Malaria Therapy In Okeigbo, Ondo State ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

There is increasing resistance of malaria parasites to chloroquine, the cheapest and commonly used drug for malaria in Nigeria. Artemisin, a product from medicinal plant indigenous to China, based on active principle of Artemisia annua, has been introduced into the Nigerian market. However not much has been done to ...

Value measurement of nuclear medicine procedures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Potchen, E.J.; Harris, G.I.; Schonbein, W.R.; Rashford, N.J.

1977-01-01

The difficulty in measuring the benefit component for cost/benefit analysis of diagnostic procedures in medicine is portrayed as a complex issue relating the objective of intent to a classification of types of decisions a physician must make in evaluating a patient's problem. Ultimately, it seems desirable to develop measuring instruments such as attitude measurement tools by which the relative value of alternative diagnostic procedures could be measured in terms of what they contribute to diminishing the patient's personal perception of disease. Even without this idealized objective, it is reasonable to assume that diagnostic tests which do not contain information, defined as a change in the randomness of a state of knowledge, could not be expected to ultimately benefit the patient. Thus diagnostic information should provide a rational direction for the physician to modify the course of the patient's illness. Since information can be measured as a change in randomness of a knowledge state, we can determine the information content of a specific nuclear medicine procedure when faced with an array of diagnostic problems. These measurements remain to be made for clinical nuclear medicine procedures and are currently under study

Antibacterial activity of traditional medicinal plants used by Haudenosaunee peoples of New York State

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Meyers Ryan

2010-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The evolution and spread of antibiotic resistance, as well as the evolution of new strains of disease causing agents, is of great concern to the global health community. Our ability to effectively treat disease is dependent on the development of new pharmaceuticals, and one potential source of novel drugs is traditional medicine. This study explores the antibacterial properties of plants used in Haudenosaunee traditional medicine. We tested the hypothesis that extracts from Haudenosaunee medicinal plants used to treat symptoms often caused by bacterial infection would show antibacterial properties in laboratory assays, and that these extracts would be more effective against moderately virulent bacteria than less virulent bacteria. Methods After identification and harvesting, a total of 57 different aqueous extractions were made from 15 plant species. Nine plant species were used in Haudenosaunee medicines and six plant species, of which three are native to the region and three are introduced, were not used in traditional medicine. Antibacterial activity against mostly avirulent (Escherichia coli, Streptococcus lactis and moderately virulent (Salmonella typhimurium, Staphylococcus aureus microbes was inferred through replicate disc diffusion assays; and observed and statistically predicted MIC values were determined through replicate serial dilution assays. Results Although there was not complete concordance between the traditional use of Haudenosaunee medicinal plants and antibacterial activity, our data support the hypothesis that the selection and use of these plants to treat disease was not random. In particular, four plant species exhibited antimicrobial properties as expected (Achillea millefolium, Ipomoea pandurata, Hieracium pilosella, and Solidago canadensis, with particularly strong effectiveness against S. typhimurium. In addition, extractions from two of the introduced species (Hesperis matronalis and Rosa

Antibacterial activity of traditional medicinal plants used by Haudenosaunee peoples of New York State.

Science.gov (United States)

Frey, Frank M; Meyers, Ryan

2010-11-06

The evolution and spread of antibiotic resistance, as well as the evolution of new strains of disease causing agents, is of great concern to the global health community. Our ability to effectively treat disease is dependent on the development of new pharmaceuticals, and one potential source of novel drugs is traditional medicine. This study explores the antibacterial properties of plants used in Haudenosaunee traditional medicine. We tested the hypothesis that extracts from Haudenosaunee medicinal plants used to treat symptoms often caused by bacterial infection would show antibacterial properties in laboratory assays, and that these extracts would be more effective against moderately virulent bacteria than less virulent bacteria. After identification and harvesting, a total of 57 different aqueous extractions were made from 15 plant species. Nine plant species were used in Haudenosaunee medicines and six plant species, of which three are native to the region and three are introduced, were not used in traditional medicine. Antibacterial activity against mostly avirulent (Escherichia coli, Streptococcus lactis) and moderately virulent (Salmonella typhimurium, Staphylococcus aureus) microbes was inferred through replicate disc diffusion assays; and observed and statistically predicted MIC values were determined through replicate serial dilution assays. Although there was not complete concordance between the traditional use of Haudenosaunee medicinal plants and antibacterial activity, our data support the hypothesis that the selection and use of these plants to treat disease was not random. In particular, four plant species exhibited antimicrobial properties as expected (Achillea millefolium, Ipomoea pandurata, Hieracium pilosella, and Solidago canadensis), with particularly strong effectiveness against S. typhimurium. In addition, extractions from two of the introduced species (Hesperis matronalis and Rosa multiflora) were effective against this pathogen. Our data

75 FR 32210 - United States v. Idaho Orthopaedic Society, Timothy Doerr, Jeffrey Hessing, Idaho Sports Medicine...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-06-07

..., Jeffrey Hessing, Idaho Sports Medicine Institute, John Kloss, David Lamey, and Troy Watkins; Proposed... Sports Medicine Institute, John Kloss, David Lamey, and Troy Watkins, Civil Case No. 10-268. On May 28..., Jeffrey Hessing, Idaho Sports Medicine Institute, John Kloss, David Lamey, and Troy Watkins, Defendants...

[Fibromyalgia: behavioral medicine interventions].

Science.gov (United States)

Petermann, F; Holtz, M C; van der Meer, B; Krohn-Grimberghe, B

2007-10-01

The etiology of fibromyalgia as a chronic disease is still unexplained. This article gives an overview of the newest treatment methods of behavioral medicine of the fibromyalgia syndrome with regard to the state of research of etiology and diagnosis of this disease. Methods such as operant conditioning, cognitive-behavioral approaches, patient education and relaxation methods are discussed.

Complementary and Alternative Medicine Use by Children With Pain in the United States.

Science.gov (United States)

Groenewald, Cornelius B; Beals-Erickson, Sarah E; Ralston-Wilson, Jaime; Rabbitts, Jennifer A; Palermo, Tonya M

Chronic pain is reported by 15% to 25% of children. Growing evidence from clinical samples suggests that complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies are desired by families and may benefit some children with pain conditions. The objective of this study was to provide estimates of CAM use by children with pain in the United States. We analyzed data from the 2012 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) to estimate patterns, predictors, and perceived benefits of CAM use among children 4 to 17 years of age with and without painful conditions in the United States. We used chi-square tests to compare the prevalence rates of CAM use among children with pain to CAM use among children without pain. Multivariable logistic regression was used to examine factors associated with CAM use within the group of children with pain conditions. Parents reported that 26.6% of children had pain conditions (eg, headache, abdominal, musculoskeletal pain) in the past year; of these children, 21.3% used CAM. In contrast, only 8.1% of children without pain conditions used CAM (χ 2 , P CAM use among children with pain was associated with female sex (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.49, P = .005), higher income (aOR = 1.61, P = .027), and presence of 4+ comorbidities (aOR = 2.01, P = .013). Among children with pain who used CAM, the 2 most commonly used CAM modalities were biology-based therapies (47.3%) (eg, special diets and herbal supplements) and manipulative or body-based therapies (46.3%) (eg, chiropractic and massage). CAM is frequently used by children with pain in the United States, and many parents report benefits for their child's symptoms. Copyright © 2017 Academic Pediatric Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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

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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.

Anorexia: Highlights in Traditional Persian medicine and conventional medicine

Science.gov (United States)

Nimrouzi, Majid; Zarshenas, Mohammad Mehdi

2018-01-01

Objective: Anorexia and impaired appetite (Dysorexia) are common symptoms with varying causes, and often need no serious medical intervention. Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a chronic psychiatric disease with a high mortality rate. In Traditional Persian Medicine (TPM), anorexia is a condition in which anorexic patients lose appetite due to dystemperament. This review aims to discuss the common points of traditional and conventional approaches rather than introducing Persian medical recommendations suitable for nowadays use. Materials and Methods: For this purpose, Avicenna's Canon of Medicine, main TPM resources and important databases were reviewed using the related keywords. Results: Despite complex hormonal explanation, etiology of AN in conventional approach is not completely understood. In TPM approach, the etiology and recommended interventions are thoroughly defined based on humoral pathophysiology. In TPM approach, disease states are regarded as the result of imbalances in organs’ temperament and humors. In anorexia with simple dystemperament, the physician should attempt to balance the temperament using foods and medicaments which have opposite quality of temperament. Lifestyle, spiritual diseases (neuro – psychological) and gastrointestinal worms are the other causes for reducing appetite. Also, medicines and foods with warm temperaments (such as Pea soup and Mustard) are useful for these patients (cold temperament). Conclusion: Although the pathophysiology of AN in TPM is different in comparison with conventional views, TPM criteria for treatment this disorder is similar to those of current medicine. Recommending to have spiritual support and a healthy lifestyle are common in both views. Simple safe interventions recommended by TPM may be considered as alternative medical modalities after being confirmed by well-designed clinical trials. PMID:29387569

Nigerian Journal of Clinical Medicine

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The Nigerian Journal of Medicine (NJCM) is a biannual journal of the Association of Resident Doctors of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, which hopes to provide a platform for medical researchers to make contributions that advances/illuminates medical science or practice in all its spheres.

State-of-the-art or the art of medicine? Transnational mobility and perceptions of multiple biomedicines among Nigerian physicians in the U.S.

Science.gov (United States)

Schühle, Judith

2018-03-01

Over the last 40 years, several thousand Nigerian-trained doctors have migrated to the U.S. to practice in what they regard as the state-of-the-art of global biomedicine. Based on interviews with Nigerian physicians, this article shows how their professional mobility, and their transition to the new professional environment of U.S. biomedicine, makes them aware of local differences in practicing medicine. Adapting to local ways of practicing in the U.S. creates a new sense of belonging and professional identity. Yet they also juxtapose highly technologised U.S. biomedicine with what they were trained to excel in within the medical profession in Nigeria - namely the 'art of medicine' - that is, possessing profound clinical skills to diagnose with few investigative technologies. By stressing their competence in the art of medicine, which they see as lacking among their U.S.-trained colleagues, they negotiate their position in a global biomedical landscape and reconnect to a distinctly Nigerian way of practicing medicine. Their narratives thus shed light on perceptions of multiple biomedicines from the point of view of physicians moving from the global South to the global North, and how within a global biomedical landscape both ruptures and connectivities of competence are imagined.

Identification and assay of the flavonoids in medicinal plants with hepatoprotective action

OpenAIRE

Cojocaru-Toma M.

2015-01-01

The article describes the identification and assay of the flavonoids in medicinal plants with hepatoprotective action, harvested as a culture at the Cultivation Center of the Medicinal Plants within State University of Medicine and Pharmacy „Nicolae Testemițanu” from the Republic of Moldova, using Pharmacopoeia methods. The flavonoids, found in the examined medicinal product, are responsible for hepatoprotective activity due to antioxidant activity, exhibited by neutralizing free radicals. Th...

Medical physics. The application of physics to medicine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ka Weibo

2002-01-01

Physics has been applied to medicine for several hundred years, and has greatly spurred the development of medical science. Two important examples are medical imaging and radiation oncology. A review of the state-of-the-art of these two fields is presented for physicists. The combination of physics and medicine has not only provided advanced techniques for clinical diagnosis and treatment but has also advanced physics itself

Support for and aspects of use of educational games in family medicine and internal medicine residency programs in the US: a survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Akl, Elie A; Gunukula, Sameer; Mustafa, Reem; Wilson, Mark C; Symons, Andrew; Moheet, Amir; Schünemann, Holger J

2010-03-25

The evidence supporting the effectiveness of educational games in graduate medical education is limited. Anecdotal reports suggest their popularity in that setting. The objective of this study was to explore the support for and the different aspects of use of educational games in family medicine and internal medicine residency programs in the United States. We conducted a survey of family medicine and internal medicine residency program directors in the United States. The questionnaire asked the program directors whether they supported the use of educational games, their actual use of games, and the type of games being used and the purpose of that use. Of 434 responding program directors (52% response rate), 92% were in support of the use of games as an educational strategy, and 80% reported already using them in their programs. Jeopardy like games were the most frequently used games (78%). The use of games was equally popular in family medicine and internal medicine residency programs and popularity was inversely associated with more than 75% of residents in the program being International Medical Graduates. The percentage of program directors who reported using educational games as teaching tools, review tools, and evaluation tools were 62%, 47%, and 4% respectively. Given a widespread use of educational games in the training of medical residents, in spite of limited evidence for efficacy, further evaluation of the best approaches to education games should be explored.

Support for and aspects of use of educational games in family medicine and internal medicine residency programs in the US: a survey

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wilson Mark C

2010-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The evidence supporting the effectiveness of educational games in graduate medical education is limited. Anecdotal reports suggest their popularity in that setting. The objective of this study was to explore the support for and the different aspects of use of educational games in family medicine and internal medicine residency programs in the United States. Methods We conducted a survey of family medicine and internal medicine residency program directors in the United States. The questionnaire asked the program directors whether they supported the use of educational games, their actual use of games, and the type of games being used and the purpose of that use. Results Of 434 responding program directors (52% response rate, 92% were in support of the use of games as an educational strategy, and 80% reported already using them in their programs. Jeopardy like games were the most frequently used games (78%. The use of games was equally popular in family medicine and internal medicine residency programs and popularity was inversely associated with more than 75% of residents in the program being International Medical Graduates. The percentage of program directors who reported using educational games as teaching tools, review tools, and evaluation tools were 62%, 47%, and 4% respectively. Conclusions Given a widespread use of educational games in the training of medical residents, in spite of limited evidence for efficacy, further evaluation of the best approaches to education games should be explored.

['Judicialization' of public health policy for distribution of medicines].

Science.gov (United States)

Chieffi, Ana Luiza; Barata, Rita Barradas

2009-08-01

The supply of medicines in response to court orders or injunctions has become a common practice in the State of São Paulo, Brazil. This 'judicialization' of the health system clashes with basic principles of the Brazilian Unified National Health System (SUS), such as equal opportunity to access health services. The aim of this paper is to analyze the legal action used to obtain medicines through the São Paulo State Health Department, from two main angles: judicialization of public policies and breach of the equity principle. This is a descriptive study of legal action taken to obtain medicines through the São State Health Department, as listed in the Electronic Court Docket System for the year 2006. Most cases were filed through private attorneys; 47% of the patients had obtained their prescriptions through private care; and 73% of the cases involved patients from the three wealthiest areas in the city of São Paulo. The data demonstrate that such legal action violates key principles of the SUS such as equity, thereby privileging individuals with higher purchasing power and more access to information.

The Rise of the Professional Field of Medicine in Sweden

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carina Carlhed

2013-12-01

Full Text Available This article is an analysis of conditions enabling the rise of the professional field of medicine in Sweden. The analysis is based mainly on second- ary data, while the use of primary data is restricted to official statistics. Primarily, it aims to study the conditions promoting professionalization in medicine. Important exogenous conditions were derived from early emerging nation state administration structures concerning policy and governance of public health, as well as a delegated supervision of professional health activities to the medical profession and the organization of a public national health care system. Professionalization strategies such as social organization of the medical profession and their use of a variety of legitimizing resources as tools for jurisdictional claims are considered as endogenous conditions. Broadly, the analysis shows a close relationship between the growth of professionalization in the field of medicine and the development of state prosperity in the Swedish welfare state. 

[Key points of poverty alleviation of Chinese herbal medicine industry and classification of recommended Chinese herbal medicines].

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Lu-Qi; Su, Gang-Qiang; Zhang, Xiao-Bo; Sun, Xiao-Ming; Wu, Xiao-Jun; Guo, Lan-Ping; Li, Meng; Wang, Hui; Jing, Zhi-Xian

2017-11-01

To build a well-off society in an all-round way, eliminate poverty, improve people's livelihood and improve the level of social and economic development in poverty-stricken areas is the frontier issues of the government and science and technology workers at all levels. Chinese herbal medicine is the strategic resource of the people's livelihood, Chinese herbal medicine cultivation is an important part of China's rural poor population income. As most of the production of Chinese herbal medicine by the biological characteristics of their own and the interaction of natural ecological environment factors, showing a strong regional character.the Ministry of Traditional Chinese Medicine and the State Council Poverty Alleviation Office and other five departments jointly issued the "China Herbal Industry Poverty Alleviation Action Plan (2017-2020)", according to local conditions of guidance and planning of Chinese herbal medicine production practice, promote Chinese herbal medicine industry poverty alleviation related work In this paper, based on the relevant data of poverty-stricken areas, this paper divides the areas with priority to the poverty alleviation conditions of Chinese herbal medicine industry, and analyzes and catalogs the list of Chinese herbal medicines grown in poverty-stricken areas at the macro level. The results show that there are at least 10% of the poor counties in the counties where the poverty-stricken counties and the concentrated areas are concentrated in the poverty-stricken areas. There is already a good base of Chinese herbal medicine industry, which is the key priority area for poverty alleviation of Chinese herbal medicine industry. Poverty-stricken counties, with a certain degree of development of Chinese medicine industry poverty alleviation conditions, the need to strengthen the relevant work to expand the foundation and capacity of Chinese herbal medicine industry poverty alleviation; 37% of poor counties to develop Chinese medicine

Quality management audits in nuclear medicine practices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2008-12-01

An effective management system that integrates quality management (QM) is essential in modern nuclear medicine departments in Member States. The IAEA, in its Safety Standards Series, has published a Safety Requirement (GS-R-3) and a Safety Guide (GS-G-3.1) on management systems for all facilities. These publications address the application of an integrated management system approach that is applicable to nuclear medicine organizations as well. Quality management systems are maintained with the intent to continuously improve effectiveness and efficiency, enabling nuclear medicine to achieve the expectations of its quality policy, and to satisfy its customers. The IAEA has a long history of providing assistance in the field of nuclear medicine to its Member States. Regular quality audits and assessments are essential for modern nuclear medicine departments. More importantly, the entire QM and audit process has to be systematic, patient oriented and outcome based. The management of services should also take into account the diversity of nuclear medicine services around the world and multidisciplinary contributions. The latter include clinical, technical, radiopharmaceutical and medical physics procedures. Aspects of radiation safety and patient protection should also be integral to the process. Such an approach ensures consistency in providing safe, quality and superior services to patients. Increasingly standardized clinical protocol and evidence based medicine is used in nuclear medicine services, and some of these are recommended in numerous IAEA publications, for example, the Nuclear Medicine Resources Manual. Reference should also be made to other IAEA publications such as the IAEA Safety Standards Series, which include the regulations for the safe transport of nuclear material and on waste management as all of these have an impact on the provision of nuclear medicine services. The main objective of this publication is to introduce a routine of conducting an

Research traditions and evolutionary explanations in medicine.

Science.gov (United States)

Méthot, Pierre-Olivier

2011-02-01

In this article, I argue that distinguishing 'evolutionary' from 'Darwinian' medicine will help us assess the variety of roles that evolutionary explanations can play in a number of medical contexts. Because the boundaries of evolutionary and Darwinian medicine overlap to some extent, however, they are best described as distinct 'research traditions' rather than as competing paradigms. But while evolutionary medicine does not stand out as a new scientific field of its own, Darwinian medicine is united by a number of distinctive theoretical and methodological claims. For example, evolutionary medicine and Darwinian medicine can be distinguished with respect to the styles of evolutionary explanations they employ. While the former primarily involves 'forward looking' explanations, the latter depends mostly on 'backward looking' explanations. A forward looking explanation tries to predict the effects of ongoing evolutionary processes on human health and disease in contemporary environments (e.g., hospitals). In contrast, a backward looking explanation typically applies evolutionary principles from the vantage point of humans' distant biological past in order to assess present states of health and disease. Both approaches, however, are concerned with the prevention and control of human diseases. In conclusion, I raise some concerns about the claim that 'nothing in medicine makes sense except in the light of evolution'.

State of the field survey: spinal cord stimulator use by academic pain medicine practices.

Science.gov (United States)

Gharibo, Christopher; Laux, Gary; Forzani, Brian R; Sellars, Christopher; Kim, Eric; Zou, Shengping

2014-02-01

The concept of neuromodulation via the use of spinal cord stimulators (SCS) was first established over forty years ago. Since then, its popularity has grown as numerous studies have demonstrated its utility to reduce chronic pain, improve patient function, and reduce long-term health care costs. The aim of this study was to update the pain medicine community on the evolution of SCS practice trends in academic centers. Ninety-three pain medicine fellowship programs in the United States were identified from the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education Website and were contacted to participate in an internet survey. A 37-item questionnaire was inspired by a previous study performed by Fanciullo et al. Questions focused on three main themes regarding SCS clinical application, namely demographics, education, and technical matters. Completed surveys were received from 50 institutions, all of which reported performing SCS interventions. Annual implants ranged from 0 to 150. Fellowship training was cited as the most valuable modality for learning implantation. Nearly all programs reported manufacturer representative participation during SCS procedures, with a minority of program directors discouraging their involvement in fellow education. SCS trials were performed exclusively on an outpatient basis. The average length for trials was 4-7 days. The most common indication for SCS implantation was failed back surgery syndrome, which also had the highest 2-year success rate. Post procedure, patients generally were followed up every 2-4 weeks for device reprogramming, which was performed by company representatives 92% of the time. Standardized SCS training is imperative as the implementation of neuromodulation therapy continues to increase. Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Analysis of a slow-dissolving medicine by EPMA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sasayama, Tetsuaki; Kohara, Kiyohiro; Araki, Takeshi

1995-01-01

Along with a dissolution test of a slow-dissolving medicine, the change in distribution of the drug in solution can be observed by using EPMA, and the structual factors and dissolution mechanism which determine the bioavailability of medicine can be clarified. In the evaluation of physical, chemical and pharmaceutical qualities, it is concluded that EPMA is very effective in elemental and state analyses with observation of microscopic areas on the micrometer order. Especially, the color mapping method clarifies the distribution of a drug in the total image field and enables us to analyze the mechanism of a dissolution medicine. (author)

Draft report on the national seminar in nuclear medicine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1977-01-01

The proceedings of the seminar on nuclear medicine have been conducted in four main sessions. In the first session a review of the current status of clinical nuclear medicine in India is reviewed. The use of radioisotopes in thyroid function studies, central nervous systems, liver disorders, lung and bone imaging, renal function studies, dynamic function studies, gastroenterology haematology etc. are described. The existing facilities and the future needs for radioimmunoassay and radiotherapy are discussed. In Session 2, the existing facilities in nuclear medicine in different states in India are reviewed. In Session 3, the available resources in nuclear medicine are reviewed. Radiation protection procedures are outlined. Various nuclear instruments developed at the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, (BARC), Bombay, for use in nuclear medicine are briefly described. A list of radiopharmaceuticals developed by BARC and in current use, is given. The roles of the physicist, pharmacist and the nuclear medicine technologist in the hospitals having nuclear medicine units, are stressed. The importance of training and education for personnel in nuclear medicine and medical physics is pointed out. (A.K.)

Local wisdom of Cikondang village community in the utilization of medicinal plants

Science.gov (United States)

Mulyani, Y.; Munandar, A.; Nuraeni, E.

2018-05-01

This study aims to analyze local wisdom Cikondang community in the use of medicinal plants. This research used qualitative method with emic and ethical approach to explain the relationship of public knowledge about the type and utilization of medicinal plants in the view of science. Determination of respondents conducted by purposive sampling, taken 30% of the total respondent. The data of the knowledge of the use of medicinal plants obtained through interview techniques as many as 39 respondents. Cikondang people know 27 known medicinal plants and commonly used. Zingiberaceae family has a type that is more widely used as a medicinal plant. The most widely used plant part is leaf and medicinal plant processing which mostly done by boiling. The species with the highest value of use is owned by Curcuma longa L. with a value of 4.28, which states important species / priorities, while the species with the lowest SUV value is Aracchis hypogaea L. of 0.15, which states species are less important and can be replaced by other plants.

Traditional medicine trade in vulture parts in northern Nigeria | Saidu ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

We report findings on the vulture trade in northern Nigeria, where it is commonly practised especially to supply the traditional medicine industry. We administered an open-ended questionnaire to 113 traditional, predominantly Hausa medicinal traders in 39 markets within eight states in northern Nigeria. Of the interviewed ...

Regulation of Clinical Trials with Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products in Germany.

Science.gov (United States)

Renner, Matthias; Anliker, Brigitte; Sanzenbacher, Ralf; Schuele, Silke

2015-01-01

In the European Union, clinical trials for Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products are regulated at the national level, in contrast to the situation for a Marketing Authorisation Application, in which a centralised procedure is foreseen for these medicinal products. Although based on a common understanding regarding the regulatory requirement to be fulfilled before conduct of a clinical trial with an Advanced Therapy Investigational Medicinal Product, the procedures and partly the scientific requirements for approval of a clinical trial application differ between the European Union Member States. This chapter will thus give an overview about the path to be followed for a clinical trial application and the subsequent approval process for an Advanced Therapy Investigational Medicinal Product in Germany and will describe the role of the stakeholders that are involved. In addition, important aspects of manufacturing, quality control and non-clinical testing of Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products in the clinical development phase are discussed. Finally, current and future approaches for harmonisation of clinical trial authorisation between European Union Member States are summarised.

Situation and future outlook of nuclear medicine technologists

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kanao, Keisuke

1981-01-01

About the situation of nuclear medicine technologists in Japan, survey was made in August, 1979, by sending questionnaire to 219 facilities, and 341 technologists responded, the recovery rate being 70%. About the situation in the United States, the data were taken from the similar survey results in 1975 and 1976. The results in Japan, as compared with those in the United States, are described as follows: years of experience, contents of work, participation in society meetings and others, and occupation prior to the employment as nuclear medicine technologists. The findings are interesting in such items as the sexes of the technologists, the participation in meetings, and the types of works. In Japan, the technologists are dominantly male, while in the United States, more than 80% are female. In Japan, 97% of the technologists participated in society meetings and others. (J.P.N.)

Radiation and Radionuclides in Medicine: A Brief Overview of Nuclear Medicine and Radiotherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jawerth, Nicole

2014-01-01

In the past two centuries, the field of medicine has seen unprecedented advances. Alongside discoveries like the smallpox vaccine and antibiotics, the discovery of radiation and radionuclides for use in medicine has led to more diverse and effective prevention, diagnostic and treatment options for many health conditions. Diseases like cancer that were once considered unmanageable and fatal can now be diagnosed earlier and treated more effectively using nuclear techniques, giving patients a fighting chance and, for many, a significant chance for a cure. These methods are more important than ever as high-mortality diseases like cancer or cardiovascular diseases are on the rise and are among the leading health threats globally. The IAEA has worked for over 50 years to promote the use of nuclear techniques in medicine by collaborating with its Member States and other organizations through projects, programmes and agreements. The Agency’s aim is to help build Member States’ capacities in this field in order to support the provision of high-quality health care worldwide, particularly in developing countries

SOME MEDICINAL PLANTS USED IN

African Journals Online (AJOL)

VHADA

Oromia Regional State, Southwestern Ethiopia to document commonly used medicinal plants used for treatment of common diseases. The study .... surrounding forests of study areas to know its in-situ aimed to use in further research. ..... Publications Office of Jimma University for the financial support. I would like to thank Dr ...

NCRP report 160 and what it means for medical imaging and nuclear medicine.

Science.gov (United States)

Bolus, Norman E

2013-12-01

The purpose of this paper is to briefly explain report 160 of the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurement and the significance of the report to medical imaging as a whole and nuclear medicine specifically. The implications of the findings of report 160 have had repercussions and will continue to affect all of ionizing radiation medical imaging. The nuclear medicine community should have an understanding of why and how report 160 is important. After reading this article, the nuclear medicine technologist will be familiar with the main focus of report 160, the significant change that has occurred since the 1980s in the ionizing radiation exposure of people in the United States, the primary background source of ionizing radiation in the United States, the primary medical exposure to ionizing radiation in the United States, trends in nuclear medicine procedures and patient exposure, and a comparison of population doses between 2006 and the early 1980s as outlined in report 160.

Residents' views about family medicine specialty education in Turkey

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Uzuner Arzu

2010-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Residents are one of the key stakeholders of specialty training. The Turkish Board of Family Medicine wanted to pursue a realistic and structured approach in the design of the specialty training programme. This approach required the development of a needs-based core curriculum built on evidence obtained from residents about their needs for specialty training and their needs in the current infrastructure. The aim of this study was to obtain evidence on residents' opinions and views about Family Medicine specialty training. Methods This is a descriptive, cross-sectional study. The board prepared a questionnaire to investigate residents' views about some aspects of the education programme such as duration and content, to assess the residents' learning needs as well as their need for a training infrastructure. The questionnaire was distributed to the Family Medicine Departments (n = 27 and to the coordinators of Family Medicine residency programmes in state hospitals (n = 11 by e-mail and by personal contact. Results A total of 191 questionnaires were returned. The female/male ratio was 58.6%/41.4%. Nine state hospitals and 10 university departments participated in the study. The response rate was 29%. Forty-five percent of the participants proposed over three years for the residency duration with either extensions of the standard rotation periods in pediatrics and internal medicine or reductions in general surgery. Residents expressed the need for extra rotations (dermatology 61.8%; otolaryngology 58.6%; radiology 52.4%. Fifty-nine percent of the residents deemed a rotation in a private primary care centre necessary, 62.8% in a state primary care centre with a proposed median duration of three months. Forty-seven percent of the participants advocated subspecialties for Family Medicine, especially geriatrics. The residents were open to new educational methods such as debates, training with models, workshops and e

NON-MUSCULOSKELETAL SPORTS MEDICINE LEARNING IN FAMILY MEDICINE RESIDENCY PROGRAMS

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Pasqualino Caputo

2008-06-01

Full Text Available Despite the increasing popularity of primary care sports medicine fellowships, as evidenced by the more than two-fold increase in family medicine sports medicine fellowships from a total of 31 accredited programs during the 1998/1999 academic year (ACGME, 1998 to 63 during the 2003/2004 academic year (ACGME, 2006, there are few empirical studies to support the efficacy of such programs. To the best of our knowledge, no studies have been conducted to assess the impact of primary care sports medicine fellowships on family medicine residents' learning of non-musculoskeletal sports medicine topics. Rigorous evaluations of the outcomes of such programs are helpful to document the value of such programs to both the lay public and interested medical residents. In order to evaluate such programs, it is helpful to apply the same objective standards to residents trained across multiple programs. Hence, we would like to know if there is a learning effect with respect to non-musculoskeletal sports medicine topics identified on yearly administered American Board of Family Medicine (ABFM in-training exams (ITE to family medicine residents in family medicine residency programs in the United States with and without primary care sports medicine fellowship programs. Review and approval for the research proposal was granted by the ABFM, who also allowed access to the required data. Permission to study and report only non-musculoskeletal sports medicine topics excluding musculoskeletal topics was granted at the time due to other ongoing projects at the ABFM involving musculoskeletal topics. ABFM allowed us access to examinations from 1998 to 2003. We were given copies of each exam and records of responses to each item (correct or incorrect by each examinee (examinees were anonymous for each year.For each year, each examinee was classified by the ABFM as either (a belonging to a program that contained a sports medicine fellowship, or (b not belonging to a program

The state of emergency medicine in the United Republic of Tanzania

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B.A. Nicks

2012-09-01

Currently at most hospitals, emergency patients are cared for in Emergency Centres (ECs staffed with rotating personnel who are neither trained nor equipped to provide complete resuscitative care, but dedicated emergency care training projects are emerging. The first Emergency Medicine residency in the country was initiated in 2010 and will produce its first graduates in 2013. In 2011, a dedicated Emergency Nursing curriculum was introduced, and the Emergency Medical Association of Tanzania (EMAT, the first Emergency Medicine professional society in the country, was formed and ratified by the Ministry of Health. EMAT has been given a mandate to develop feasible initiatives for the dissemination of emergency care training to district and sub-district facilities. However, significant gaps exist in the capacity for emergency medical care including deficits in human resources, essential equipment and infrastructure – concurrent issues that EMAT must address within its development strategy.

Non-scientific classification of Chinese herbal medicine as dietary supplement.

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Bao, Kexin

2017-03-01

This article focuses the category status of Chinese herbal medicine in the United States where it has been mistakenly classifified as a dietary supplement. According to Yellow Emperor Canon of Internal Medicine (Huang Di Nei Jing), clinical treatment in broad sense is to apply certain poisonous medicines to fight against pathogeneses, by which all medicines have certain toxicity and side effect. From ancient times to modern society, all, or at least most, practitioners have used herbal medicine to treat patients' medical conditions. The educational curriculums in Chinese medicine (CM) comprise the courses of herbal medicine (herbology) and herbal formulae. The objective of these courses is to teach students to use herbal medicine or formulae to treat disease as materia medica. In contrast, dietary supplements are preparations intended to provide nutrients that are missing or are not consumed in suffificient quantity in a person's diet. In contrast, Chinese herbs can be toxic, which have been proven through laboratory research. Both clinical practice and research have demonstrated that Chinese herbal medicine is a special type of natural materia medica, not a dietary supplement.

Nuclear Medicine

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... 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 ...

Medicinal plants used for the management of diabetes mellitus in Zaria, Kaduna state, Nigeria

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Umar S. Abubakar

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Context: The knowledge of traditional uses of medicinal plants in the management of diabetes mellitus in Zaria is still intact with the traditional medicine practitioners. Aims: To collect, identify and document medicinal plants used traditionally for the management of diabetes mellitus in Zaria city. Methods: Open-ended informal interviews and general conversation were administered to twenty-two (22 traditional medicine practitioners (TMPs and herb sellers. The data collected included the local names of plants, parts used, method of preparations and mode of administration. Results: Twenty-six (26 species of plants belonging to eighteen (18 families were identified. Herbal remedies were mostly prepared from freshly collected plants, while decoction was the main method of preparation. Leaves and stem bark formed the major parts of plants for herbal preparations. Conclusions: The study has documented different traditional practices used for the management of diabetes mellitus in the study area. Further studies should be conducted to evaluate the antidiabetic activity of plant species that have not yet been studied and to identify the bioactive compounds responsible for the antidiabetic activity as claimed by the traditional healers.

Contribution to the study of radio toxicity of aromatic and medicinal plants using solid state nuclear track detectors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mortassim, A.; Misdaq, M.A.; Naaman, A

2009-01-01

The concentrations of uranium (238 U), thorium (232 Th), radon (222 Rn) and thoron (220 Rn) were measured in twenty aromatic and medicinal plants in f ind a new method based on using solid state nuclear track detectors type Cr-39 and Rs-115. He emerges from this study that the verbena and salvia have higher levels of uranium (radon) higher than that of other plants while the leaves of olive and saturja have concentrations of thorium (thoron) higher than other plants therefore radio toxicity of these plants is higher than that of others and may pose a radiological hazard if the masses are incorporated by consumers high. [fr

State-of-the-art of the installations, equipments and human resources of nuclear medicine in Argentina

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chiliutti, Claudia A.

2004-01-01

The current situation of nuclear medicine in Argentina, taking into account the facilities, their equipment and human resources available is presented in this paper. A review and analysis of the equipment, including technical characteristics and a survey of the professionals and technicians of the area, was carried out . In Argentina, there are 292 centers of nuclear medicine distributed all over the country. The operating licenses are granted by the Nuclear Regulatory Authority. Forty percent of the installed equipment are SPECT of 1 or 2 heads and 40 % are gamma camera. Besides, there are two PET operating in Argentina. There are 402 nuclear medicine physicians with individual permit for diagnostic purposes and 50% of them has also individual permit for treatment purposes. With the purpose of analyzing the regional distribution of the available resources in nuclear medicine, the country was divided into 7 geographical regions: City of Buenos Aires, Province of Buenos Aires, Pampeana, Cuyo, Northeast, Northwest and Patagonia. From the analysis of the gathered information it is possible to conclude that the nuclear medicine equipment as well as the personnel presents an irregular distribution, with a major concentration in the City of Buenos Aires and Province of Buenos Aires. The Northeast region presents the lowest number of Nuclear Medicine centers and the Patagonia region has the lowest number of nuclear medicine physicians with individual permits. The number of SPECT and gamma cameras is 8,65 per million of inhabitants. The information about the available resources in nuclear medicine presented in this paper and its comparison with the international available information provide elements for a better planning of the future activities in the area not only for the operators but also from the regulatory point of view. (author)

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.

Understanding the Perception of Islamic Medicine Among the Malaysian Muslim Community.

Science.gov (United States)

Ahmad, Khadher; Ariffin, Mohd Farhan Md; Deraman, Fauzi; Ariffin, Sedek; Abdullah, Mustaffa; Razzak, Monika Munirah Abd; Yusoff, M Y Zulkifli Mohd; Achour, Meguellati

2017-10-26

This study was conducted to identify and describe the patients' perceptions of Islamic medicine based on gender, age, marital, educational level and working status among the Malaysian Muslim population. A nationwide interviewer-administered questionnaire survey was conducted in 2013. An open-ended questionnaire pertaining to Islamic medicine was used to increase the probability of capturing maximum data. This survey implemented a multistage design, stratified by state, proportionate to the size of the state population and was representative of the Malaysian population. Post-survey classification of results was performed accordingly. Complex data analysis was carried out using SPSS 16.0. The discussion was identified and categorised into various sections. The paper concludes that Islamic medicine has a major influence in the Malaysian Muslim community compared to other alternatives. Further, its potential for growth and importance especially for treating spiritual ailments cannot be denied. The respondents indicated that two factors motivate Islamic medicine in Malaysia: (1) the Muslim community opts for alternative healing because of their dissatisfaction with conventional methods; (2) Islamic medicine focuses only on healing spiritual-related problems. The average perception of respondents is that the function of Islamic medicine in healing physical diseases is undervalued and that it is not suitable to replace the functions of modern health institutions.

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.

Fallacies in astronomy and medicine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Salpeter, Edwin E

2005-01-01

Both in astronomy and in medicine research, fallacies occur occasionally. Sometimes these fallacies are due to 'subconscious cheating' or the 'file drawer effect' (filing away unfavourable results instead of publishing), but it is difficult to know whether a fallacy has occurred and, if so, why. I give two examples from the past where, in my opinion, fallacies have occurred: a quadratic distance-redshift law and a periodicity in galaxy pair redshift differences. I then discuss the current quasi steady state cosmology, which is very unorthodox but it is not yet clear if fallacies have occurred. I finish with examples from medicine research, where fallacies are particularly troublesome and some countermeasures are attempted

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.

Diagnosis of Child Maltreatment: A Family Medicine Physician's Dilemma.

Science.gov (United States)

Eniola, Kehinde; Evarts, Lori

2017-05-01

Cases of child maltreatment (CM) in the United States remain high, and primary care providers lack the confidence and training to diagnose these cases. This study provides recommendations to improve family medicine physicians' confidence in diagnosing CM. We e-mailed an electronic survey to family medicine residents and physicians practicing in the United States. Responses were collected during August and September 2015. Respondents were asked about their familiarity and competence level regarding the diagnosis of CM. They also were asked about the frequency of their correctly diagnosing CM, timeliness of diagnosis, barriers to a diagnosis or early diagnosis of CM, and receipt of adequate CM training. Of the 420 surveys emailed, 258 (61%) were completed. The majority of respondents stated their self-reported level of competence in diagnosing CM as average or below average, with few (8%) indicating a competence level of above average. A timely diagnosis of child maltreatment was reported by 46% of respondents, whereas 54% were either late (19.2%) in diagnosing or could not recall (34.6%). The barriers to diagnosis cited by responders were inexperience (58%), lack of confidence and certainty (50%), lack of diagnosis protocol (43.3%), lack of confidence in communicating with parents (38.3%), and inadequate training (34.9%). The introduction of CM training into the family medicine residency training curriculum, coupled with the development of a standardized CM diagnosis protocol, may improve self-reported family medicine physicians' confidence and competence levels in diagnosing CM.

An Emergency Medicine Research Priority Setting Partnership to establish the top 10 research priorities in emergency medicine.

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Jason; Keating, Liza; Flowerdew, Lynsey; O'Brien, Rachel; McIntyre, Sam; Morley, Richard; Carley, Simon

2017-07-01

Defining research priorities in a specialty as broad as emergency medicine is a significant challenge. In order to fund and complete the most important research projects, it is imperative that we identify topics that are important to all clinicians, society and to our patients. We have undertaken a priority setting partnership to establish the most important questions facing emergency medicine. The top 10 questions reached through a consensus process are discussed. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

On the history of medicine in the United States, theory, health insurance, and psychiatry: an interview with Charles Rosenberg.

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Rosenberg, Charles; Mantovani, Rafael

2016-01-01

An interview with Charles Rosenberg conducted by Rafael Mantovani in November 2013 that addressed four topics. It first focused on the way in which Rosenberg perceived trends and directions in historical research on medicine in the United States during the second half of the twentieth century. The second focus was on his experience with other important historians who wrote about public health. Thirdly, he discussed his impressions about the current debate on health policy in his country. Finally, the last part explores some themes related to psychiatry and behavior control that have appeared in a number of his articles.

Knowledge, attitudes and barriers regarding vaccination against hepatitis A and B in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection: a survey of family medicine and internal medicine physicians in the United States.

Science.gov (United States)

Tenner, C T; Herzog, K; Chaudhari, S; Bini, E J; Weinshel, E H

2012-10-01

Although vaccination against hepatitis A virus (HAV) and hepatitis B virus (HBV) is recommended for all patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, physician vaccination practices are suboptimal. Since training for family medicine (FM) and internal medicine (IM) physicians differ, we hypothesised that there are differences in knowledge, attitudes and barriers regarding vaccination against HAV and HBV in patients with chronic HCV between these two groups. A two-page questionnaire was mailed to 3000 primary care (FM and IM) physicians randomly selected from the AMA Physician Masterfile in 2005. The survey included questions about physician demographics, knowledge and attitudes regarding vaccination. Among the 3000 physicians surveyed, 1209 (42.2%) returned completed surveys. There were no differences between respondents and non-respondents with regard to age, gender, geographic location or specialty. More FM than IM physicians stated that HCV+ patients should not be vaccinated against HAV (23.7% vs. 11.8%, p infection, physicians often do not test or vaccinate susceptible individuals. Interventions are needed to overcome the barriers identified and improve vaccination rates. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Thinking and practice of accelerating transformation of traditional Chinese medicine from experience medicine to evidence-based medicine.

Science.gov (United States)

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.

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 ...

THE STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION OF DEPARTMENTS OF MEDICINE.

Science.gov (United States)

Landefeld, C Seth

2016-01-01

The structure and function of departments of medicine are important for several reasons. First, departments of medicine are the biggest departments in virtually every medical school and in most universities with a medical school, and they are the largest professional units in most academic medical centers. In fact, Petersdorf described them as "the linchpins of medical schools" (1). Departments of medicine account for one-fourth or more of the academic medical enterprise: they include about one-fourth of the faculty of medical school, account for roughly one-fourth of the patient care and clinical revenue of academic medical centers, and their faculty perform a disproportionate share of teaching and research, accounting for up to 45% of National Institutes of Health (NIH) - funded research in some medical schools. Second, the department's ability to fulfill its role and advance its mission depends on its structure and function. Finally, lessons learned from examining the structure and function of departments of medicine may guide other departments and schools of medicine themselves in improving their structure and function. This paper describes the issues that face departments of medicine in 2016. I begin by providing the context for these issues with a definition of a department of medicine, describing briefly the history of departments, and stating their mission.

Epilogue: meditations on psychosomatic medicine.

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Cobb, S

1975-01-01

Presented are some personal views on the state of psychosomatic medicine as a science. It is suggested that the field needs more precision in language including exorcism of value judgments from certain dimensions, less circularity in stress-strain reasoning, more complex hypotheses, more emphasis on social support as a central variable and more acceptance of divergent research styles.

Integrative medicine and patient-centered care.

Science.gov (United States)

Maizes, Victoria; Rakel, David; Niemiec, Catherine

2009-01-01

Integrative medicine has emerged as a potential solution to the American healthcare crisis. It provides care that is patient centered, healing oriented, emphasizes the therapeutic relationship, and uses therapeutic approaches originating from conventional and alternative medicine. Initially driven by consumer demand, the attention integrative medicine places on understanding whole persons and assisting with lifestyle change is now being recognized as a strategy to address the epidemic of chronic diseases bankrupting our economy. This paper defines integrative medicine and its principles, describes the history of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in American healthcare, and discusses the current state and desired future of integrative medical practice. The importance of patient-centered care, patient empowerment, behavior change, continuity of care, outcomes research, and the challenges to successful integration are discussed. The authors suggest a model for an integrative healthcare system grounded in team-based care. A primary health partner who knows the patient well, is able to addresses mind, body, and spiritual needs, and coordinates care with the help of a team of practitioners is at the centerpiece. Collectively, the team can meet all the health needs of the particular patient and forms the patient-centered medical home. The paper culminates with 10 recommendations directed to key actors to facilitate the systemic changes needed for a functional healthcare delivery system. Recommendations include creating financial incentives aligned with health promotion and prevention. Insurers are requested to consider the total costs of care, the potential cost effectiveness of lifestyle approaches and CAM modalities, and the value of longer office visits to develop a therapeutic relationship and stimulate behavioral change. Outcomes research to track the effectiveness of integrative models must be funded, as well as feedback and dissemination strategies

[Italy's Slow Medicine: a new paradigm in medicine].

Science.gov (United States)

Bonaldi, Antonio; Vernero, Sandra

2015-02-01

, anthropology, psychology, ethics, art, etc. Operationally, Slow Medicine has launched the "Doing more does not mean doing better" campaign similar to "Choosing Wisely" in the United States, which aims to improve clinical appropriateness through the reduction of unnecessary tests and treatments: as first step, the specialty societies involved (30 by now) should indicate five tests or treatments commonly used in Italy's clinical practice that do not provide any benefit to most patients but may cause harm.

The current state of funded NIH grants in implementation science in genomic medicine: a portfolio analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Roberts, Megan C; Clyne, Mindy; Kennedy, Amy E; Chambers, David A; Khoury, Muin J

2017-10-26

PurposeImplementation science offers methods to evaluate the translation of genomic medicine research into practice. The extent to which the National Institutes of Health (NIH) human genomics grant portfolio includes implementation science is unknown. This brief report's objective is to describe recently funded implementation science studies in genomic medicine in the NIH grant portfolio, and identify remaining gaps.MethodsWe identified investigator-initiated NIH research grants on implementation science in genomic medicine (funding initiated 2012-2016). A codebook was adapted from the literature, three authors coded grants, and descriptive statistics were calculated for each code.ResultsForty-two grants fit the inclusion criteria (~1.75% of investigator-initiated genomics grants). The majority of included grants proposed qualitative and/or quantitative methods with cross-sectional study designs, and described clinical settings and primarily white, non-Hispanic study populations. Most grants were in oncology and examined genetic testing for risk assessment. Finally, grants lacked the use of implementation science frameworks, and most examined uptake of genomic medicine and/or assessed patient-centeredness.ConclusionWe identified large gaps in implementation science studies in genomic medicine in the funded NIH portfolio over the past 5 years. To move the genomics field forward, investigator-initiated research grants should employ rigorous implementation science methods within diverse settings and populations.Genetics in Medicine advance online publication, 26 October 2017; doi:10.1038/gim.2017.180.

Lecture capture: enhancing learning through technology at the Kent State University College of Podiatric Medicine.

Science.gov (United States)

DiBacco, Priscilla M; Hetherington, Vincent J; Putman, David

2012-01-01

The intent of this research was to evaluate the Mediasite lecture capture system at the Kent State University College of Podiatric Medicine (formerly the Ohio College of Podiatric Medicine) to determine the acceptance, use and benefits to both students and faculty and to identify any concerns, limitations, and suggestions for expansion. There is extreme debate on the effect of lecture capture on student attendance included in the research. Two surveys were compiled, one each for students and faculty. These were distributed by email to the entire student body and all full-time and part-time faculty. Responses were voluntary. The questions sought to identify the priorities of the participant, reasons for viewing lectures compiled by course, to assess any effect on class attendance and to evaluate the ease and use of the technical function. There was also a section for subjective responses and suggestions. The tabulations proved a very high use of the program with the most important reason being to prepare for exams. The question of class attendance is still open to interpretation. Technically, the Mediasite system was ranked easy to use by both groups. The results of this survey confirm the concept of lecture capture as an integral segment of advanced education. Though this system should not replace class attendance, it is a vital supplement to course work and study. By reviewing all of the components of the survey those who may have concerns on its effectiveness are also aware of the advantages. The results of this study met all the objectives to evaluate use and obtain viewpoints to improve and expand the program.

Use Medicines Safely

Science.gov (United States)

... Prescription Medicines 1 of 7 sections The Basics: Prescription Medicines There are different types of medicine. The 2 ... medicine are prescription and over-the-counter (OTC). Prescription medicines Prescription medicines are medicines you can get only ...

Computers in nuclear medicine - current trends and future directions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1994-01-01

Previously, a decision to purchase computing equipment for nuclear medicine usually required evaluation of the 'local' needs. With the advent of Pacs and state of the art computer techniques for image acquisition and manipulation, purchase and subsequent application is to become much more complex. Some of the current trends and future possibilities which may influence the choice and operation of computers within and outside the nuclear medicine environment is discussed. (author)

Evidence-Based Advances in Ferret Medicine.

Science.gov (United States)

Huynh, Minh; Chassang, Lucile; Zoller, Graham

2017-09-01

This literature review covers approximately 35 years of veterinary medicine. This article develops the current state of knowledge in pet ferret medicine regarding the most common diseases according to evidence-based data and gives insight into further axis of research. Literature review was conducted through identification of keywords (title + ferret) with Web-based database searching. To appreciate the methodological quality and the level of evidence of each article included in the review, full-text versions were reviewed and questions addressed in the articles were formulated. Analysis of the articles' content was performed by the authors, and relevant clinical information was extracted. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Heart failure - medicines

Science.gov (United States)

CHF - medicines; Congestive heart failure - medicines; Cardiomyopathy - medicines; HF - medicines ... You will need to take most of your heart failure medicines every day. Some medicines are taken ...

Mind-Body Medicine Practices in Complementary and Alternative Medicine

Science.gov (United States)

... Visitor Information RePORT NIH Fact Sheets Home > Mind-Body Medicine Practices in Complementary and Alternative Medicine Small Text Medium Text Large Text Mind-Body Medicine Practices in Complementary and Alternative Medicine YESTERDAY ...

Interprofessional student education: exchange program between Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Pacific College of Oriental Medicine.

Science.gov (United States)

Anderson, Belinda J; Herron, Patrick D; Downie, Sherry A; Myers, Daniel C; Milan, Felise B; Olson, Todd R; Kligler, Ben E; Sierpina, Victor S; Kreitzer, Mary Jo

2012-01-01

The growing popularity of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), of which estimated 38% of adults in the United States used in 2007, has engendered changes in medical school curricula to increase students' awareness of it. Exchange programs between conventional medical schools and CAM institutions are recognized as an effective method of interprofessional education. The exchange program between Albert Einstein College of Medicine (Einstein, Yeshiva University) and Pacific College of Oriental Medicine, New York campus (PCOM-NY) is in its fifth year and is part of a broader relationship between the schools encompassing research, clinical training, interinstitutional faculty and board appointments, and several educational activities. The Einstein/PCOM-NY student education exchange program is part of the Einstein Introduction to Clinical Medicine Program and involves students from Einstein learning about Chinese medicine through a lecture, the experience of having acupuncture, and a four-hour preceptorship at the PCOM outpatient clinic. The students from PCOM learn about allopathic medicine training through an orientation lecture, a two-and-a-half-hour dissection laboratory session along side Einstein student hosts, and a tour of the clinical skills center at the Einstein campus. In the 2011/2012 offering of the exchange program, the participating Einstein and PCOM students were surveyed to assess the educational outcomes. The data indicate that the exchange program was highly valued by all students and provided a unique learning experience. Survey responses from the Einstein students indicated the need for greater emphasis on referral information, which has been highlighted in the literature as an important medical curriculum integrative medicine competency. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Perception of illegal practice of medicine by Brazilian medical students.

Science.gov (United States)

Lins, Liliane; Herbas, Suzana; Lisboa, Larissa; Damasceno, Hannah; Menezes, Marta

2014-06-01

Illegal practice of medicine by medical students is a worldwide problem. In Brazil, information about this issue is scarce. To describe the perception of illegal practice of medicine by medical students. A cross-sectional study in a stratified random sample of 130 medical students in the 6th to 12th semesters from a private faculty of medicine in Salvador, State of Bahia, Brazil, from September to October 2011. Students responded to a standardised questionnaire about the illegal practice of medicine by medical students. Knowing medical students who practised medical activities without supervision was reported by 86% of the respondents, and 93.8% had heard about someone who performed such practices. Medical specialties most often associated with illegal practice were general medicine (78.8%) and occupational health (55.9%). Illegal practice of medicine was more common in peripheral cities/towns (83.9%) than in the State capital, Salvador City (52.4%). Only 10.5% of illegal activities were reported to the authorities. Unsupervised medical practice was more often reported in the 8th-9th semester (56.8%) and 10th-11th semester (54.4%) of medical school. Illegal practice of medicine was commonly reported by the medical students questioned. The high frequency of reported illegal practice for financial reasons highlights the need for greater availability of paid internships for medical students. Educational institutions represent the social control responsible for supervising the activities of academics. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Medicinal plants in the diet of woolly spider monkeys (Brachyteles arachnoides, E. Geoffroy, 1806 – a bio-rational for the search of new medicines for human use?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Liége M. Petroni

Full Text Available ABSTRACT The present study aimed to compare the plant food diet of woolly spider monkeys (Brachyteles arachnoides inhabiting Intervales State Park in São Paulo, Brazil, with medicinal plant species used by humans in the surrounding areas of the park. The diet of a group of woolly spider monkeys living in an Atlantic forest area was recorded during 43 months of fieldwork. Fifty-three species (87 food items were recorded. Plant specimens were collected and identified at the University of São Paulo and the Botanical Institute of São Paulo State. Using semi-structured interviews, ethnomedicinal data were also collected from four preselected respondents regarding the human therapeutic value of these plants. The study showed that 24.5% (13/53 of these species are used by residents around the park for medicinal purposes. Of these thirteen, seven species also have validated pharmacological properties, and three are utilized by local residents for similar medicinal purposes. Overlap in the plant food/medicinal diet of woolly spider monkey populations elsewhere were also noted, suggesting potential overlap in their medicinal value for humans and primates. The similarities between the ingestion of plants by primates and their medicinal use by humans provide a bio-rational for the search of bioactive plants in the primate diet. Further detailed investigation of their pharmacological and phytochemical value is warranted.

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.

The Regulation of Energy Medicine

Science.gov (United States)

Kosovich, Judy; Esq

This paper describes the laws and regulations that affect the practice of energy medicine. State law often has more impact on a health care practice than federal law, but federal law provides a common denominator among states. Device law is emphasized here because practitioners of energy medicine are more likely to use devices than drugs. For purposes of this paper, energy medicine is defined as practices that measure or benefit energy flow and overall energy in the body. This broad definition encompasses things as diverse as certain forms of exercise, measurement of meridian resistance, the use of electrical current or magnetic pulses to relieve pain, and the use of light, sound, scent, touch, position, or movement to stimulate the body's own electrical systems. What is of greatest importance in determining legal implications of a practice is whether there are any health-related claims. Two federal entities are pivotal. The Food and Drug Administration ("FDA") is authorized to protect health and safety and the Federal Trade Commission ("FTC") is authorized to protect consumers from false or misleading advertising. There are 5 things that FDA looks at: 1) intended use, 2) claims made in advertising and in labeling, 3) substantial equivalence to a predicate, 4) safety, and 5) effectiveness. A concern regarding any one of these can be the basis for denying clearance to market a device. The FTC looks at whether statements are true and substantiated and whether they might be misleading. The FTC often consults with the FDA on the interpretation of technical information.

Medicinal Product Regulation: Portugal׳s Framework.

Science.gov (United States)

Herdeiro, Maria Teresa; Bastos, Paulo D; Teixeira-Rodrigues, António; Roque, Fátima

2016-09-01

The pharmaceutical industry is one of the most tightly regulated sectors, and it is essential to know each country׳s legal framework to understand the regulation, approval, and marketing of medicinal products for human use. This article describes the main statutes and procedures governing medicinal products for human use in Portugal and the role of the country׳s National Medicines and Health Products Authority (Autoridade Nacional do Medicamento e Produtos de Saúde, I.P.; INFARMED). From the most recently available data, an update of requests and approvals concerning marketing authorizations, variations, pricing, and reimbursements is provided. Data were sourced from the INFARMED website, Infomed (database of medicinal products for human use), and periodic reports issued by national authorities. Organic laws, acts, and law decrees published in the government gazette (Diário da República) are cited and reproduced as required. In 2015 Portugal ranked fifth in the European System of Medicines Evaluation in terms of the number of completed procedures as a reference member state. Approximately 80% of all approved drug applications in Portugal in 2015 were for generic drugs, mostly pertaining to the nervous system. In Portugal, INFARMED monitors drug quality, safety profile, and efficacy in all stages of the drug life cycle, ensuring patients' safety. The Portuguese market for medicinal products for human use has been appreciably changed by the advent of generic drugs. There is an increased trend for new request applications for biological and biotechnological substances. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier HS Journals, Inc. All rights reserved.

Endangered, rare and endemic medicinal plants of the Kopetdag

OpenAIRE

AKMURADOV ALLAMURAD; SHAIYMOV BABAGULY; HALMEDOV BAZAR; YAKUBOV ATABEG; HALLIYEVA GULYAIYM

2016-01-01

The article presents some information of the place of growing of the endangered, rare and endemic medicinal plants of the Kopetdag. A monitoring has been carried out and the bioecological peculiarities, resource characteristics and modern state of the natural population of the most important species have been studied. Some scientifically based ways of protection and introduction into culture have been worked out to preserve the endangered, rare and endemic medicinal plants of the region.

Comprehensive Review of Medicinal Marijuana, Cannabinoids, and Therapeutic Implications in Medicine and Headache: What a Long Strange Trip It's Been ….

Science.gov (United States)

Baron, Eric P

2015-06-01

The use of cannabis, or marijuana, for medicinal purposes is deeply rooted though history, dating back to ancient times. It once held a prominent position in the history of medicine, recommended by many eminent physicians for numerous diseases, particularly headache and migraine. Through the decades, this plant has taken a fascinating journey from a legal and frequently prescribed status to illegal, driven by political and social factors rather than by science. However, with an abundance of growing support for its multitude of medicinal uses, the misguided stigma of cannabis is fading, and there has been a dramatic push for legalizing medicinal cannabis and research. Almost half of the United States has now legalized medicinal cannabis, several states have legalized recreational use, and others have legalized cannabidiol-only use, which is one of many therapeutic cannabinoids extracted from cannabis. Physicians need to be educated on the history, pharmacology, clinical indications, and proper clinical use of cannabis, as patients will inevitably inquire about it for many diseases, including chronic pain and headache disorders for which there is some intriguing supportive evidence. To review the history of medicinal cannabis use, discuss the pharmacology and physiology of the endocannabinoid system and cannabis-derived cannabinoids, perform a comprehensive literature review of the clinical uses of medicinal cannabis and cannabinoids with a focus on migraine and other headache disorders, and outline general clinical practice guidelines. The literature suggests that the medicinal use of cannabis may have a therapeutic role for a multitude of diseases, particularly chronic pain disorders including headache. Supporting literature suggests a role for medicinal cannabis and cannabinoids in several types of headache disorders including migraine and cluster headache, although it is primarily limited to case based, anecdotal, or laboratory-based scientific research. Cannabis

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.

An ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants in Wayu Tuka District, East Welega Zone of Oromia Regional State, West Ethiopia

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-01

Background This paper reports an ethnobotanical study that focused on the traditional medicinal plants used by local communities to treat human and livestock ailments. A cross-sectional study was undertaken from September 2009 to June 2010 in Wayu Tuka District of Oromia Region, Ethiopia. The aim of the study is to document medicinal plants used by local people of the study area and the threats currently affecting medicinal plants. Methods Ethnobotanical data were collected using semi-structured interviews, field observations and group discussion in which 63 (41 men & 22 women) randomly selected informants participated. Of which, 11 (10 male and 1 female) were local healers. Paired comparison method, direct matrix ranking and Informant consensus factors (ICF) were used to analyze the importance of some plant species. Results A total of 126 medicinal plant species, distributed in 108 genera and 56 families, were collected together with their medicinal uses. Of the 126 species of medicinal plants collected from the study area, eighty six (68%) were obtained from the wild whereas thirty three (26%) were from homegardens. The Fabaceae came out as a leading family with 15 medicinal species while the Solanaceae followed with eight species. Seventy eight (62%) of the medicinal plants were reported as being used for treating human ailments, 23 (18.2%) for the treatment of livestock ailments and 25 (20%) for both. The most frequently used plant parts were leaves (43%), followed by roots (18.5%) while crushing, which accounted for (29%) and powdering (28%) were the widely used methods of preparation of traditional herbal medicines. Conclusion The number of reported medicinal plants and their uses by the local people of the District indicate the depth of the local indigenous knowledge on medicinal plants and their application. The documented medicinal plants can serve as a basis for future investigation of modern drug. PMID:24295044

Ethical conflict in the practice of occupational medicine.

Science.gov (United States)

Brandt-Rauf, P W

1989-01-01

The practice of occupational medicine has been portrayed as being fraught with ethical conflict and yet this problem has received little systematic study. A question and case study survey of a randomly selected cohort of members of the American Occupational Medical Association has been performed to examine the extent and nature of this problem in occupational medicine practice in the United States. The results indicate a strong reliance on traditional medical role models in responding to ethical conflict but with significant underlying tension between more deontological physician-patient approaches and more teleological public health approaches. These results have significant implications for the synthesis of bioethical theories based on a perceived complementarity of ethical reality, as well as suggesting important improvements in future occupational medicine training.

Nuclear medicine environmental discharge measurement. Final report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gesell, T.F.; Prichard, H.M.; Davis, E.M.; Pirtle, O.L.; DiPietro, W.

1975-06-01

The discharge of most man-made radioactive materials to the environment is controlled by Federal, State or local regulatory agencies. Exceptions to this control include the radioactive wastes eliminated by individuals who have undergone diagnostic or therapeutic nuclear medicine procedures. The purpose of this study is to estimate the amount of radioactivity released to the environment via the nuclear medicine pathway for a single sewage drainage basin and to measure the amounts discharged to the environment. The report is organized into a review of previous studies, scope of work, facility data, environmental measurements and estimates of population exposure

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

Personalized medicine: a confluence of traditional and contemporary medicine.

Science.gov (United States)

Jafari, Samineh; Abdollahi, Mohammad; Saeidnia, Soodabeh

2014-01-01

Traditional systems of medicine have attained great popularity among patients in recent years. Success of this system in the treatment of disease warrants consideration, particularly in cases for which conventional medicine has been insufficient. This study investigates the similarities in principles and approaches of 3 traditional systems and explores whether conventional medicine is able to exploit the advantages of traditional systems. This study first identifies and explores the advantages of 3 well-known systems-traditional Iranian medicine (TIM), ayurveda, and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM)-that are similar in their basic principles and methods. Second, it clarifies whether and how conventional medicine could exploit the advantages of traditional systems as it modernizes, to become more personalized. Finally, this study investigates the possibility that conventional medicine could benefit from traditional typology to improve its personalization. The acknowledgment of the unity of humans and nature, applying rational methods, and personalized approaches is fundamentally similar in the 3 systems. Additionally, they all promote the holistic view that health is harmony and disease is disharmony of the body. Other similarities include their recognition of the unique nature of every person and their categorization of people into different body types. Although conventional medicine has mostly failed to incorporate the advantages of traditional medicine, its integration with traditional medicine is achievable. For instance, exploiting traditional typologies in genomic and other studies may facilitate personalization of conventional medicine. From its review, the research team concludes that prospects are bright for the integration of traditional and conventional medicines and, consequently, for a dramatic improvement in health systems.

Ethnoveterinary Medicine: The prospects of integrating medicinal ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Medicinal plants products are part of the natural products that have been in use in traditional medicine and also a source of novel drugs. Therefore, the use of medicinal plant products would be a rational alternative to synthetic drugs. Ethnobotanical surveys carried out in many parts of Kenya have revealed a lot of plants ...

Nuclear medicine. State of the art and future. Nuklearmedizin. Stand und Zukunft

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schmidt, H A.E.; Woldring, M [eds.

1978-01-01

This proceedings volume contains the compacts of about 200 papers on problems in nuclear medicine. The following subjects are treated in detail: computed tomography, data processing, radiopharmaceuticals, cyclotron products and technical equipment, osteology, oncology, nephrology, neurology, radiology, haematology, gastroenterology, pulmanology, thyroid, and radioimmunoassay.

Human rights, public health and medicinal cannabis use.

Science.gov (United States)

Bone, Melissa; Seddon, Toby

2016-01-01

This paper explores the interplay between the human rights and drug control frameworks and critiques case law on medicinal cannabis use to demonstrate that a bona fide human rights perspective allows for a broader conception of 'health'. This broad conception, encompassing both medicalised and social constructionist definitions, can inform public health policies relating to medicinal cannabis use. The paper also demonstrates how a human rights lens can alleviate a core tension between the State and the individual within the drug policy field. The leading medicinal cannabis case in the UK highlights the judiciary's failure to engage with an individual's human right to health as they adopt an arbitrary, externalist view, focussing on the legality of cannabis to the exclusion of other concerns. Drawing on some international comparisons, the paper considers how a human rights perspective can lead to an approach to medicinal cannabis use which facilitates a holistic understanding of public health.

Striving for quality use of medicines: how effective is Australia's ban on direct-to-consumer prescription medicine advertising?

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, Sonja

2009-02-01

The potential for both positive and negative effects arising from direct-to-consumer advertising of prescription medicines challenges health policymakers to develop regulatory schemes which selectively capture the positive aspects of the practice. Australia has dealt with this quandary by banning the practice, while New Zealand and the United States permit it. However, in recent times pharmaceutical companies have been increasingly successful in introducing promotional materials into the Australian market. This article demonstrates that the Australian ban is consistent with striving for the major policy goal of quality use of medicines, thus providing the basis for arguing that solutions to strengthen the ban against the identified threats ought to be implemented. Quality use of medicines can be most effectively achieved via the combined effect of the strengthened ban and the mimicking of the limited positive aspects of direct-to-consumer advertising by government provision of non-promotional information to consumers.

Herbal Medicines: from Traditional Medicine to Modern Experimental Approaches

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bahram Rasoulian

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Academic writings indicate that the medicinal use of plants dates back to 4000 - 5000 B.C. (1. Utilization of medicinal herbs has indeed a long history not only in human's life, but also in animals and there are some interesting evidences about the animals' self-medication, in both the prevention and treatment of diseases (2-5. The World Health Organization (WHO has recognized the importance of traditional medicines and created strategies, guidelines and standards for botanical medicines (6, 7. A significant part of those traditional text dealing with medicine, which were appreciated by ancient scientific communities worldwide, such as The Canon of Medicine by Persian physician–philosopher Ibn Sina (or Avicenna, 980 to 1032 AD, is allocated to herbal medicines. The Canon explores nearly 500 medicinal plants and herbal drugs. It should be noted that this book was used as a medical textbook in Europe until the 17th century AD (8, 9. Although there are important evidences about using some kinds of experimental approaches in traditional medicine (8, the efficacy of such approaches is in doubt because it is generally agreed that they might have been part of physicians' personal experiences. Not only the demand for herbal drugs is growing in developing countries, but also there are some evidences that consumers in developed countries are becoming disillusioned with modern healthcare; hence, the demand for traditional alternatives including herbal medicines is increasing in developing countries (10. On the one hand, the increased interest in herbal medicines throughout the world (10, 11, on the other hand, the need for direct empirical evidence about the effectiveness of herbal medicines in the proper statistical society with the appropriate number and method, denote the significance of new studies about medicinal plants and publishing their results. Herbal Medicines Journal (eISSN: 2538-2144 reports valuable research results for researchers all

Network pharmacology of medicinal attributes and functions of Chinese herbal medicines: (IV Classification and network analysis of medicinal functions of Chinese herbal medicines

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

WenJun Zhang

2017-09-01

Full Text Available In present study I used the data from CHM-DATA, the interactive database of 1127 Chinese herbal medicines with 78 medicinal functions (attributes. The relational network for medicinal functions of Chinese herbal medicines was constructed using my earlier data and methods. Results of network analysis showed that the network is a scale-free complex network at the significance level of alpha=0.01. It was demonstrated that Clear away heat, Detoxification, Remove lung-heat or nourish lung, Promote secretion of saliva or body, Relieve pain, Regulate or enhance energy flow (Qi, Nourish or warm spleen / stomach / Qi, and Dispel endogenous wind, are the most influential medicinal functions. Seven main modules, corresponding links and module functions were identified and three of them were (Clear away heat, Detoxification, Relieve pain, Regulate or enhance energy flow (Qi, (Loosen the bowels, Moisten dryness, Tonify blood, Nourish essential fluid (Yin, Inhibit or break energy flow (Qi, and (Relieve external syndrome, Induce perspiration, Relieve muscular spasm, Expose exthanthema or promote eruption. PCA of 78 medicinal functions demonstrated that the medicinal functions 1-50 accounted for 79% of the total variance. There were not absolutely significant components and medicinal functions. The 78 components from PCA were substantially 78 independent and comprehensive medicinal functions. Major medicinal functions for every component can be simply determined by their importance and contribution coefficients in the component. New medicinal definition for some the most important principal components were given. Category characteristics of medicinal functions were described. At a certain level, for example, the medicinal functions -Consolidate or warm kidney, -Whet the appetite or reinforce stomach, Cool blood, -Regulate or enhance energy flow (Qi, -Nourish or warm spleen / stomach / Qi, Clear away heat, Detoxification, and Dispel endogenous cold, are the

Quality evaluation of radiopharmaceuticals in nuclear medicine services in the states of Alagoas and Sergipe - Brazil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Santos, Poliane Angelo de Lucena; Andrade, Wellington Gomes de; Lima, Fernando Roberto de Andrade; Lima, Fabiana Farias de

2011-01-01

Radiopharmaceuticals are compounds associated with a radionuclide. They can be considered as vectors that have some specificity for an organ or a physiological or pathophysiological function. Assessing the radiopharmaceutical's quality is essential to obtain adequate images, avoiding repetition of examinations and unnecessary absorbed dose to the patient. Resolution no. 8 (RCD 38) of 06/04/2008 by Agencia Nacional de Vigilancia Sanitaria (ANVISA) states the obligation of performing a minimum of tests in the routines of nuclear medicine services (NMS). The aim of this work was to evaluate the radiochemical purity and pH of radiopharmaceuticals used in NMS in states of Alagoas and Sergipe - Brazil. Radiochemical purity was determined by thin layer chromatography where a paper Whatman and TLC were used as steady state and the solvents were used related to the appropriate radiopharmaceutical, both as recommended by the manufacturer's directions. The chromatographic strips were placed in closed containers to avoid contact with the walls. After, the strips were cut in 1cm pieces and the activity was determined in each NMS's activity calibrators. The radiopharmaceuticals pH was evaluated by using universal pH paper (Merck) and the obtained color was compared with its range of colors. It was observed that 33.34% and 2.3% of the tested radiopharmaceuticals showed PRQ (radiochemical purity) and pH values, respectively, are outside of the limits described by the manufacturers. The results show that the radiochemical purity assessment in the NMS's routine can indicate problems with a radioisotope tagging, allowing their exclusion before administration. (author)

Off-label prescription of genetically modified organism medicines in europe: emerging conflicts of interest?

Science.gov (United States)

Schagen, Frederik H E; Hoeben, Rob C; Hospers, Geke A P

2014-10-01

Recently, the first human medicine containing a genetically modified organism (GMO medicine) was authorized for use in the European market. Just as any medicinal product, the market authorization for a GMO medicine contains a precise description of the therapeutic use for which the medicinal product is intended. Within this use, the application of the GMO medicine is permitted, without the need for the institution to obtain a specific permit. In practice, however, medicinal products are also frequently prescribed for treatment outside the registered therapeutic use, a practice that is referred to as "off-label use." While off-label use of conventional medicines is permitted and has been very useful, the off-label use of GMO medicines is not covered in the European Union (EU) legislation or guidelines and falls under each member state's national environmental legislation. This implies that in the Netherlands and most other EU member states, an environmental permit will be required for any institution that uses the GMO medicine outside the registered application(s). In the Netherlands, this permit is identical to the permits required for the execution of clinical trials involving nonregistered GMOs. The application procedure for such permit is time-consuming. This process can therefore limit the therapeutic options for medical professionals. As a consequence, desired treatment regimens could be withheld for certain patient (groups). To make future off-label use of GMO medicines permissible in a way that is acceptable for all stakeholders, regulators should adopt a proactive attitude and formulate transparent legislative procedures for this. Only then the field can maintain the public acceptance of GMO medicines, while maintaining the freedom to operate of medical professionals.

The Legal Landscape of Concussion: Implications for Sports Medicine Providers.

Science.gov (United States)

Albano, Andrew W; Senter, Carlin; Adler, Richard H; Herring, Stanley A; Asif, Irfan M

2016-09-01

Concussion legislation has been enacted in all 50 of the United States, aiming to prevent mild traumatic brain injuries and the potential long-term sequelae of these injuries in youth athletics. Sports medicine providers, in addressing this major public health concern, are tasked with adhering to the established standards of medical care while also considering the legal implications. The PubMed (2011-2016) database was searched using the following search terms: concussion, sports concussion, legislation, and concussion legislation. References from consensus statements, review articles, and book chapters were also utilized. Clinical review. Level 4. The Lystedt law and its progeny have increased awareness of the signs and symptoms of sports concussion, but adherence to state legislation can pose some challenges. The presence of concussion legislation places a responsibility on the sports medicine provider to have a firm understanding of the legality of concussion management in the state(s) in which they practice. © 2016 The Author(s).

[Medicinal plants in cancer patients: current practices and evaluation data].

Science.gov (United States)

Huet, Matthieu

2013-05-01

Many complementary and alternatives medicines are offered to patients with cancer. Among them, herbal medicines have a substantial place. These plants are mainly used to reduce adverse effects of anticancer treatments and for specific anticancer properties. Our review shows that only few clinical data support medicinal plants effectiveness in cancer patients. Arguments rely mainly on usual indications and pharmacological data for minimization of treatments toxicity while for the anticancer properties, on epidemiological and preclinical data. To inform and counsel patients and people around, healthcare professionals need to evaluate benefit-risk balance on evidence-based information. Because the medical decision should be shared with the patient, his beliefs and preferences have to be considered. When no adverse effect or drug interaction is associated with herbal medicine, we state that their use is acceptable. This paper discuss of potential risk and benefit of the most used medicinal plants by cancer patients.

A Very General Overview of the Development Pediatric Emergency Medicine as a Specialty in the United States and Advocacy for Pediatric Healthcare; the Charge to Other Countries

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Ron D. Waldrop

2017-12-01

Full Text Available One of the first noted instances regarding awareness of pediatric specific illnesses in the United States came from the writings of Dr. Benjamin Rush during the late 1700’s where he titled a section in his medical text “Diseases Specific to Children”. Throughout the 1700’s and 1800’s and even early 1900’s medicine was primarily a generalist profession where all ages were cared for by a personal family physician and there were virtually no subspecialties for adults or children.  At that time in American history children were the great neglected segment of society in families, labor, and healthcare and were often treated more as property than valued life. There were a few pediatric advocates of note. Abraham Jacobi is considered the father of modern pediatrics and advocated for pediatrics being separated from the field of obstetrics.  His actions were fundamental in the formation of the Section on Diseases of Children within the American Medical Association (AMA. In the 1930s there was a recognized need for separate pediatric specialty care advocacy organization and hence the development of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP occurred. This was primarily born out of the lack of and need for federal funding to support pregnant women and children as well as the need for a foundational organization for the development of pediatrics as a specialty in the United States in the future. In the 1950’s pediatric poisonings became commonplace due to chemicals available after the end of World War II. As a result, the first poison control center was formed in Chicago and a manual was published by the AAP on pediatric poisonings. Similarly, the first cardiac surgeries for congenital heart disease were occurring and the specialty of pediatric cardiology was arising. The rising nuclear threat in the 1950’s and 1960’s also raised concern for disaster planning meeting specific pediatric needs and led to further committees, interest groups

Bionomics and medicine. Intercommunication

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R. A. Gundorova

2014-07-01

Full Text Available In article the problems of a common and medical bionomics are presented. the modern problems of a state of an environment and health of the population stipulated by a sharp amplification of relative (mutual negative influence of the man and the environment lighted. the place of diseases of an eye in a plane of ecological medicine surveyed. the number of the unfavorable ecological factors influential in health of the medical workers is parsed.

Are patients who use alternative medicine dissatisfied with orthodox medicine?

Science.gov (United States)

Donnelly, W J; Spykerboer, J E; Thong, Y H

1985-05-13

Approximately 45% of asthmatic families and 47% of non-asthmatic families had consulted an alternative-medicine practitioner at some time. The most popular form of alternative medicine was chiropractic (21.1% and 26.4%, respectively), followed by homoeopathy/naturopathy (18.8% and 12.7%, respectively), acupuncture (9.4% and 10.9%, respectively), and herbal medicine (4.7% and 6.4%, respectively), while the remainder (20.3% and 11.8% respectively) was distributed among iridology, osteopathy, hypnosis, faith healing and megavitamin therapy. More families were satisfied with orthodox medicine (87.1% and 93.6%, respectively) than with alternative medicine (84.2% and 75.1%, respectively). Crosstabulation analysis of pooled data both from asthma and from non-asthma groups showed that 76.4% were satisfied both with orthodox and with alternative medicine, and 16.4% were satisfied with orthodox, but not with alternative, medicine. In contrast, only 2.7% were dissatisfied with orthodox medicine and satisfied with alternative medicine (chi2 = 9.33; P less than 0.01). These findings do not support the view that patients who use alternative medicine are those who are disgruntled with orthodox medicine.

Medicines by Design

Science.gov (United States)

... Home > Science Education > Medicines By Design Medicines By Design Spotlight Nature's Medicine Cabinet A Medicine's Life Inside ... hunt for drugs of the future. Medicines By Design in PDF | E-PUB Tell Us What You ...

General Nuclear Medicine

Science.gov (United States)

... Resources Professions Site Index A-Z General Nuclear Medicine Nuclear medicine imaging uses small amounts of radioactive ... of General Nuclear Medicine? What is General Nuclear Medicine? Nuclear medicine is a branch of medical imaging ...

Developing and implementing core competencies for integrative medicine fellowships.

Science.gov (United States)

Ring, Melinda; Brodsky, Marc; Low Dog, Tieraona; Sierpina, Victor; Bailey, Michelle; Locke, Amy; Kogan, Mikhail; Rindfleisch, James A; Saper, Robert

2014-03-01

The Consortium of Academic Health Centers for Integrative Medicine defines integrative medicine as "the practice of medicine that reaffirms the importance of the relationship between practitioner and patient, focuses on the whole person, is informed by evidence, and makes use of all appropriate therapeutic approaches, health care professionals, and disciplines to achieve optimal health and healing." Over the past three decades, the U.S. public increasingly has sought integrative medicine approaches. In an effort to train medical professionals to adequately counsel patients on the safe and appropriate use of these approaches, medical schools and residencies have developed curricula on integrative medicine for their trainees. In addition, integrative medicine clinical fellowships for postresidency physicians have emerged to provide training for practitioners interested in gaining greater expertise in this emerging field. Currently, 13 clinical fellowships in integrative medicine exist in the United States, and they are predominantly connected to academic medical centers or teaching affiliate hospitals. In 2010, the Consortium of Academic Health Centers for Integrative Medicine, represented by 56 member academic health care institutions with a shared commitment to advance the principles and practices of integrative medicine, convened a two-year task force to draft integrative medicine fellowship core competencies. These competencies would guide fellowship curriculum development and ensure that graduates possessed a common body of knowledge, skills, and attitudes. In this article, the authors discuss the competencies and the task force's process to develop them, as well as associated teaching and assessment methods, faculty development, potential barriers, and future directions.

Fostering Competence in Medicines Development: The IFAPP Perspective

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Dominique J Dubois

2016-10-01

Full Text Available IFAPP is a nonprofit organization with the mission to promote Pharmaceutical Medicine & Medicines Development (PM&MD by enhancing the competencies and maintaining high ethical standards of Pharmaceutical Physicians and other professionals involved in medicines development worldwide, leading to the availability and appropriate use of medicines for the benefit of patients and society.1 www.ifapp.org About 30 national professional associations related to PM&MD, involving 7000 professionals, are affiliated to IFAPP.Medicines development has traditionally been a challenging enterprise, with high risk, high investment and potentially high returns in the lengthy and complex process of identifying a new chemical entity as a candidate for development and possibly succeeding in bringing it as a pharmaceutical product to the market. However, the emergence of genomics, translational research, biomarkers and precision medicine pose challenges going forward involving allocation of resources, price, market access and cost-effectiveness as opposed to the traditional concepts of efficacy and safety.Education and Continuing Professional Development (CPD are a major focus of IFAPP. The International Conference on Pharmaceutical Medicine (ICPM is the largest event for our organization; ICPM is aimed to provide the state of the art in key areas for our discipline and profession. The paper is a reflection on the role of competency-based education and training for Pharmaceutical Physicians and medicines development scientists, as was discussed during the recent ICPM 2016 held in Sao Paulo, with the support of the Brazilian Association of Pharmaceutical Medicine and gathered around 200 representatives from the pharmaceutical, clinical research and regulatory arenas worldwide. http://www.icpm2016.com/en/programacao/programa;

Access to Medicines : Common problems, common solutions?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Stephens, P.N.

2015-01-01

This thesis investigates four cross-cutting controversies in access to medicines – aspects of pharmaceutical R&D, equity, generics policy and scale up. Chapter 2 describes the state of pharmaceutical research and development (R&D). It finds that failure rates remain high with the probability of

Programmatic activities of IAEA in nuclear medicine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Padhy, A.K.

2004-01-01

Nuclear medicine is high-tech medicine. Nevertheless, it is essential for addressing important health problems of people living in developing countries also. Not only is it sometimes expensive to start with, it also involves a lot of technical know-how, requiring transfer of technology from developed to the developing countries. The rapid development of nuclear medicine, of sophisticated instrumentation and radiopharmaceuticals has resulted in an enormous increase in costs and in the need for maintaining quality. These constitute a challenge and a venture when promoting nuclear medicine globally and particularly in developing countries. No other international organization except IAEA has any specific mandate for application of nuclear energy in the area of human health. WHO has no specific programin nuclear medicine, hence the importance of IAEA's involvement. The IAEA has, ever since its inception, given high priority to enhancing the awareness and capabilities of developing member states to employ nuclear technology for health care and medical research. Much of the Agency promoted research in nuclear medicine is delivered through the so called co-ordinated research projects (CRPs). The CRPs are normally organised as multi-center, prospective studies so that large volume of scientific data could be generated in a short period of 18-24 months. The research is normally done within an operational frame work, established and co-ordinated by the IAEA. The reason for this is that the results can be compared despite site or country specific differences. The methods and materials used for such studies usually conform to a predetermined standard. The protocols for various investigations, criteria for patient selection, mode of arriving at a final diagnosis and analysis of data from these multi-center studies are normally agreed upon by the Chief Scientific Investigators from each participating institution and the IAEA prior to the start of the actual work programme. The

Nuclear medicine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lentle, B.C.

1986-01-01

Several growth areas for nuclear medicine were defined. Among them were: cardiac nuclear medicine, neuro-psychiatric nuclear medicine, and cancer diagnosis through direct tumor imaging. A powerful new tool, Positron Emission Tomography (PET) was lauded as the impetus for new developments in nuclear medicine. The political environment (funding, degree of autonomy) was discussed, as were the economic and scientific environments

Evaluation of the Nuclear Medicine facilities in Minas Gerais state: quality control program of equipment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kubo, Tadeu Takao Almodovar; Biancardi, Rodrigo; Rocha, Adriana Marcia Guimaraes; Ferreira, Denia Romao; Silva, Franciele Aquiles Anjos; Assuncao, Jonathan Buenos Aires; Alves, Ederson Henrique; Almeida, Ana Flavia Batista; Alves, Nathalia Fernandes; Xavier, Faber Henrique Zacarias; Gontijo, Rodrigo Modesto Gadelha; Mamede, Marcelo; Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais

2017-01-01

With the reformulation of the CNEN-NN-3.05 standard in December 2013, Brazil's Nuclear Medicine (NMS) services have to perform a greater number of quality controls for SPECT and PET equipment. However, little is known about the reality of the quality control programs of these services regarding the application of the new standard. Thus, in this context, the objective of the present study was to evaluate the quality control program of MNSs in the state of Minas Gerais. All NMSs in the state of Minas Gerais were invited to participate in the project. Of these, 34.48% (20 facilities) agreed to participate in the project, 50.00% (29 facilities) did not respond to the invitation and 15.52%(9 facilities) declined their participation. Thus, as of November 2015, 20 SPECT and 2 PET/CT equipment were evaluated for the performance of the quality control tests recommended by the new CNEN standard. The phantoms required for the evaluation came from the Laboratory of Dosimetry and Quality Control of UFMG. Even with the deadlines set by CNEN for the implementation of the quality control program in the NMSs, more than 50% of the evaluated services did not implement the quality controls, and the absence of specific phantoms is the main reason for the failure. Among the problems found in the installations, the most critical were: collimators with no conditions of use in the clinical routine, linearity problems of the evaluated image and values of image uniformity superior to the limits of acceptance. Problems in the uniformity and linearity of the image found directly impacted the performance of other tests, such as spatial resolution, SPECT performance, among others. In a general way, the NMSs in the state of Minas Gerais evaluated with the present study are in clinical feasible conditions. (author)

Physician training in aerospace medicine--an historical review in the United States.

Science.gov (United States)

Doarn, Charles R; Mohler, Stanley R

2013-02-01

The training of U.S. physicians in aviation medicine closely followed the development of reliable airplanes. This training has matured as aviation and space travel have become more routine over the past several decades. In the U.S., this training began in support of military pilots who were flying increasingly complex aircraft in the early part of the 20th century. As individuals reached into the stratosphere, low Earth orbit, and eventually to the Moon, physicians were trained not only through military efforts but in academic settings as well. This paper provides an historical summary of how physician training in aerospace medicine developed in the U.S., citing both the development of the military activities and, more importantly, the perspectives of the academic programs. This history is important as we move forward in the development of commercial space travel and the needs that such a business model will be required to meet.

Medicinal plants used by the population of Goianápolis, Goiás State, Brazil - doi: 10.4025/actascibiolsci.v35i2.13077

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tales Alexandre Aversi-Ferreira

2013-05-01

Full Text Available In Brazil, the knowledge on the use of medicine plants comes mainly from natives with African and European influences. With descriptive purposes and valuation of traditional knowledge, a study with induced questioning was conducted in the municipality of Goianápolis, Goiás State, to verify the plants considered to be medicinal by the local population. The data collection through structured interviews in the form of questionnaires from sixty inhabitants randomly selected. The study followed the ethical aspects and was approved by the Unievangélica Research and Ethics Committee. Most of the interviewed subjects was of female gender, older than 30 years and had already lived in the rural area for at least one phase of their lives, the use of leaves and the method of tea making and infusion were most mentioned, the plants most used were Lemon Balm, Mint, Chilean evergreen tree, elderberry, wormseed, Pennyroyal, and the most mentioned families are Asteraceae and Laminaceae. The knowledge about plants use was obtained, according most of interviewed, from family. In conclusion, the data observed in Goianápolis, Goiás State, corroborates of those observed by other researchers about the use of plants, the most used botanical families, the plant parts to be used and the form of preparation.

Islamic medicine and evolutionary medicine: a comparative analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Saniotis, Arthur

2012-01-01

The advent of evolutionary medicine in the last two decades has provided new insights into the causes of human disease and possible preventative strategies. One of the strengths of evolutionary medicine is that it follows a multi-disciplinary approach. Such an approach is vital to future biomedicine as it enables for the infiltration of new ideas. Although evolutionary medicine uses Darwinian evolution as a heuristic for understanding human beings' susceptibility to disease, this is not necessarily in conflict with Islamic medicine. It should be noted that current evolutionary theory was first expounded by various Muslim scientists such as al-Jāḥiẓ, al-Ṭūsī, Ibn Khaldūn and Ibn Maskawayh centuries before Darwin and Wallace. In this way, evolution should not be viewed as being totally antithetical to Islam. This article provides a comparative overview of Islamic medicine and Evolutionary medicine as well as drawing points of comparison between the two approaches which enables their possible future integration.

Radiation protection in medicine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vano, E.; Holmberg, O.; Perez, M. R.; Ortiz, P.

2016-01-01

Diagnostic, interventional and therapeutic used of ionizing radiation are beneficial for hundreds of millions of people each year by improving health care and saving lives. In March 2001, the first International Conference on the Radiological Protection of Patients was held in Malaga, Spain, which led to an international action plan for the radiation protection of patients. Ten years after establishing the international action plan, the International Conference on Radiation Protection in Medicine: Setting the Scene for the Next Decade was held in Bonn, Germany, in December 2012. the main outcome of this conference was the so called Bonn Call for Action that identifies then priority actions to enhance radiation protection in medicine for the next decade. The IAEA and WHO are currently working in close cooperation to foster and support the implementation of these ten priority actions in Member States, but their implementation requires collaboration of national governments, international agencies, researchers, educators, institutions and professional associations. (Author)

Radiation protection in medicine

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vano, E.; Holmberg, O.; Perez, M. R.; Ortiz, P.

2016-08-01

Diagnostic, interventional and therapeutic used of ionizing radiation are beneficial for hundreds of millions of people each year by improving health care and saving lives. In March 2001, the first International Conference on the Radiological Protection of Patients was held in Malaga, Spain, which led to an international action plan for the radiation protection of patients. Ten years after establishing the international action plan, the International Conference on Radiation Protection in Medicine: Setting the Scene for the Next Decade was held in Bonn, Germany, in December 2012. the main outcome of this conference was the so called Bonn Call for Action that identifies then priority actions to enhance radiation protection in medicine for the next decade. The IAEA and WHO are currently working in close cooperation to foster and support the implementation of these ten priority actions in Member States, but their implementation requires collaboration of national governments, international agencies, researchers, educators, institutions and professional associations. (Author)

Medicinal plants from open-air markets in the State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil as a potential source of new antimycobacterial agents.

Science.gov (United States)

Leitão, Fernanda; Leitão, Suzana G; de Almeida, Mara Zélia; Cantos, Jéssica; Coelho, Tatiane; da Silva, Pedro Eduardo A

2013-09-16

Several medicinal plants are traditionally traded in open-air markets in Rio de Janeiro State (Brazil) to treat tuberculosis (TB) and related symptoms. Conduct a survey in the open-air markets of 20 cities of Rio de Janeiro State to find medicinal plants that are popularly used to treat tuberculosis and other related diseases and assess their in vitro antimycobacterial activity. We used direct observation and semi-structured interviews and asked herbalists to list species (free listing) in order to gather data about the plant species most commonly used for lung problems. We calculated a Salience Index and acquired two species of "erva-de-passarinho" (mistletoe), Struthanthus marginatus and Struthanthus concinnus (Loranthaceae), commonly used to treat tuberculosis for a bioassay-guided isolation of the antimycobacterial active principles. Extracts, fractions and isolated compounds of both species were assayed in vitro against susceptible (H37Rv) and rifampicin-resistant (ATCC 35338) Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains. From the interviews, we generated a list of 36 plant species belonging to 12 families. The mistletoes Struthanthus marginatus and Struthanthus concinnus showed high Salience Index values among plants used to treat tuberculosis. Bioassay-guided fractionation of hexane extracts from both species led to the isolation and/or identification of steroids and terpenoids. The Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) of the extracts and isolated compounds ranged from 25 to 200 μg/mL. Some of the isolated compounds have been previously assayed against Mycobacterium tuberculosis, others are reported here for the first time (obtusifoliol: MIC H37Rv 50 μg/mL, MIC ATCC 35338 12.5 μg/mL; 3-O-n-acil-lup-20(29)-en-3β,7β,15α-triol: MIC H37Rv 200 μg/mL, MIC ATCC 35338 100 μg/mL). This study demonstrated the importance of ethnobotanical surveys in markets as a source for new drugs and also for scientific validation of folk medicine. © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All

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.

Fighting trafficking of falsified and substandard medicinal products in Russia.

Science.gov (United States)

Fayzrakhmanov, N F

2015-01-01

, including 72 customs, 30 regulators, 26 police and representatives of Interpol from 37 countries. Closed 13 495 illegal websites, seized about 8,000 packages of fake medicines, containing about 2.5 million doses. In 2015, the special operation Pangea VIII was held on the territory of 115 member States of Interpol. In the Russian Federation this operation was carried out jointly by the Ministry of internal Affairs, Federal customs service, the Federal Service on Surveillance in Healthcare of Russian Federation, the Federal Drug Control Service of the Russian Federation and their regional subdivisions. As a result of this operation 34 criminal cases were initiated in our country in connection with hard drugs, falsified and substandard medicinal products and biologically active additives under the guise of high-performance drugs. Special attention during the operation was given to uncontrolled Internet sale of medicinal products and biologically active additives at a price, which was significantly higher than the actual costs, under the guise of highly effective means of treatment for various diseases. In General, in the Russian Federation 448 administrative offences were identified, which resulted in withdrawal of more than 268 thousand units of medicines from illegal circulation, worth over 9 million rubles; 40 thousand falsified and substandard preparations Contex and Durex for personal contraception were withdrawn. The mobile laboratory has conducted screening program of quality in respect of 294 samples of medicines. It identified 20 parties of dubious authenticity. A message about 264 Internet sites which sell medicines in violation of applicable Russian legislation was sent to the coordinating headquarters of the General Secretariat of Interpol. An official statement with Internet service providers on cessation of activities at these sites was issued [1].On 26-28 October 2011, Moscow hosted an international high-level conference on counterfeiting of medicinal products

Traditional and Complementary Medicine Use Among Indigenous Cancer Patients in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United States: A Systematic Review.

Science.gov (United States)

Gall, Alana; Leske, Stuart; Adams, Jon; Matthews, Veronica; Anderson, Kate; Lawler, Sheleigh; Garvey, Gail

2018-05-01

Cancer 'patients' are increasingly using traditional indigenous and complementary medicines (T&CM) alongside conventional medical treatments to both cure and cope with their cancer diagnoses. To date T&CM use among Indigenous cancer patients from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United States has not been systematically reviewed. We systematically searched bibliographic databases to identify original research published between January 2000 and October 2017 regarding T&CM use by Indigenous cancer patients in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United States. Data from records meeting eligibility criteria were extracted and appraised for quality by 2 independent reviewers. Twenty-one journal articles from 18 studies across all 4 countries met our inclusion criteria. T&CM use ranged from 19% to 57.7% (differing across countries). T&CM was mostly used concurrently with conventional cancer treatments to meet their spiritual, emotional, social, and cultural needs; however, bush, traditional, and herbal medicines were used in a minority of cases as an alternative. Our findings highlight the importance of T&CM use to Indigenous cancer patients across these 4 countries; we identified multiple perceived spiritual, emotional and cultural benefits to its use. The patient's perception of their health professional's attitudes toward T&CM in some cases hindered or encouraged the patient's disclosure. Additional research is required to further explore the use and disclosure of T&CM among Indigenous cancer patients to help inform and ensure effective, safe, coordinated care for Indigenous cancer patients that relies on shared open decision making and communication across patients, communities, and providers.

Perceptions of Medicinal Plant Use Amongst the Hispanic Population in the St. Louis Metropolitan Area

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kim M. Grafford

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Medicinal plant use in the United States has increased as reported by the National Center of Complementary and Integrative Health and U.S. Census Bureau.However, little is known about how many minority groups in the United States use medicinal plants.There is a rise in the Hispanic population; a community with a steep tradition of medicinal plant use, in the U.S., so understanding the perceptions of medicinal plant use is useful to healthcare providers. Methods: A survey was designed to gauge a better understanding of the perceptions of medicinal plant use amongst Latino patients with varying education levels who reside in the St. Louis Metropolitan Area. Survey questions highlighted the perceptions of medicinal plants use, patient communication regarding medicinal plant use with healthcare providers (pharmacists and doctors, and the impact the education level has on medicinal plant use. Results: Surveys were distributed to six different investigational sites around the St. Louis Metropolitan Area from August 2015 to December 2015. Survey respondents identified 45 different plants/herbs that they currently use or had used at some point in their life. Those with higher levels of education had varying opinions on medicinal plant use with their current practices. Conclusion: The participants’ high interest in the use of medicinal plants exemplifies the need for enhanced communication between patients and healthcare professionals about medicinal plant use. However, it was hard to determine whether the participants’ level of education had any direct relationship to this use. Conflict of Interest None   Type: Original Research

[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.

Spiritual care of cancer patients by integrated medicine in urban green space: a pilot study.

Science.gov (United States)

Nakau, Maiko; Imanishi, Jiro; Imanishi, Junichi; Watanabe, Satoko; Imanishi, Ayumi; Baba, Takeshi; Hirai, Kei; Ito, Toshinori; Chiba, Wataru; Morimoto, Yukihiro

2013-01-01

Psycho-oncological care, including spiritual care, is essential for cancer patients. Integrated medicine, a therapy combining modern western medicine with various kinds of complementary and alternative medicine, can be appropriate for the spiritual care of cancer because of the multidimensional characteristics of the spirituality. In particular, therapies that enable patients to establish a deeper contact with nature, inspire feelings of life and growth of plants, and involve meditation may be useful for spiritual care as well as related aspects such as emotion. The purpose of the present study was to examine the effect of spiritual care of cancer patients by integrated medicine in a green environment. The present study involved 22 cancer patients. Integrated medicine consisted of forest therapy, horticultural therapy, yoga meditation, and support group therapy, and sessions were conducted once a week for 12 weeks. The spirituality (the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Spiritual well-being), quality of life (Short Form-36 Health Survey Questionnaire), fatigue (Cancer Fatigue Scale), psychological state (Profile of Mood States, short form, and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory) and natural killer cell activity were assessed before and after intervention. In Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Spiritual well-being, there were significant differences in functional well-being and spiritual well-being pre- and postintervention. This program improved quality of life and reduced cancer-associated fatigue. Furthermore, some aspects of psychological state were improved and natural killer cell activity was increased. It is indicated that integrated medicine performed in a green environment is potentially useful for the emotional and spiritual well-being of cancer patients. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Federalism and managed care: introductory comments to the American Association of Law Schools' Section on Law, Medicine and Health Care on the role of the states in managed care regulation.

Science.gov (United States)

Blum, J D

1999-01-01

This section of the Annals of Health Law represents a compilation of materials concerning the state regulation of managed care. The following materials were first presented at the annual meeting of the American Association of Law Schools ("AALS"), Section on Law, Medicine and Health Care in January 1999. Chairman John Blum introduces the subject and questions the dual role assumed by state and federal authorities in regulating managed care.

[Exploration of microcosmic Chinese medicine used by western medicine].

Science.gov (United States)

Zheng, Zhi-jing

2015-02-01

"Microcosmic syndrome", "treatment based on syndrome differentiation", and "combination of disease identification and syndrome differentiation" generally refer to a mode: following the syndrome if with no disease identified, following the disease if with no syndrome type differentiated. For example, Chinese medical treatment of hypertension, high blood lipids, increased transaminase, and so on candirectly use Chinese recipes, but no longer with syndrome differentiation. Clinical application of Chinese patent medicine can also obtain favorable clinical. Western doctors need not follow syndrome differentiation. The invention of artemisinin was screened from more than 40 000 kinds of compounds and herbs, but with no reference of any traditional Chinese medical theory. A lot of folk remedy and empirical recipes have obtained effective efficacy but unnecessarily with profound Chinese medical theories. Various evidences showed that disease can also be cured without syndrome differentiation. I held that it might be associated with the same mechanism of Chinese medicine and Western medicine. Any disease can be cured or alleviated by Chinese medicine is a result from its modern pharmacological effect, which is achieved by improving etiologies, and pathogeneses. I was inspired by whether we can directly use traditional Chinese medicine with modern pharmacological effects to treat symptomatic disease. So I raised an idea of microcosmic Chinese medicine used by Western medicine, i.e., we find and use Chinese herbs with relatively effective modern pharmacological effect to treat diseases targeting at patients' clinical symptoms and signs, as well as various positive laboratory results (collectively called as microscopic dialectical indicators). More Western doctors would use it to treat disease due to omission of complicated and mysterious syndrome differentiation. This will promote extensive application and expansion of Chi- nese medicine and pharmacy, enlarge the team of

From genomic variation to personalized medicine

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wesolowska, Agata; Schmiegelow, Kjeld

Genomic variation is the basis of interindividual differences in observable traits and disease susceptibility. Genetic studies are the driving force of personalized medicine, as many of the differences in treatment efficacy can be attributed to our genomic background. The rapid development...... a considerable amount of the phenotype variability, hence the major difficulty of interpretation lies in the complexity of molecular interactions. This PhD thesis describes the state-of-art of the functional human variation research (Chapter 1) and introduces childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL...... the thesis and includes some final remarks on the perspectives of genomic variation research and personalized medicine. In summary, this thesis demonstrates the feasibility of integrative analyses of genomic variations and introduces large-scale hypothesis-driven SNP exploration studies as an emerging...

New applications of particle accelerators in medicine, materials science, and industry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Knapp, E.A.

1981-01-01

Recently, the application of particle accelerators to medicine, materials science, and other industrial uses has increased dramatically. A random sampling of some of these new programs is discussed, primarily to give the scope of these new applications. The three areas, medicine, materials science or solid-state physics, and industrial applications, are chosen for their diversity and are representative of new accelerator applications for the future

Is the Brazilian pharmaceutical policy ensuring population access to essential medicines?

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Bertoldi Andréa

2012-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background To evaluate medicine prices, availability and affordability in Brazil, considering the differences across three types of medicines (originator brands, generics and similar medicines and different types of facilities (private pharmacies, public sector pharmacies and “popular pharmacies”. Methods Data on prices and availability of 50 medicines were collected in 56 pharmacies across six cities in Southern Brazil using the World Health Organization / Health Action International methodology. Median prices obtained were divided by international reference prices to derive the median price ratio (MPR. Results In the private sector, prices were 8.6 MPR for similar medicines, 11.3 MRP for generics and 18.7 MRP for originator brands, respectively. Mean availability was 65%, 74% and 48% for originator brands, generics and similar medicines, respectively. In the public sector, mean availability of similar medicines was 2–7 times higher than that of generics. Mean overall availability in the public sector ranged from 68.8% to 81.7%. In “popular pharmacies”, mean availability was greater than 90% in all cities. Conclusions Availability of medicines in the public sector does not meet the challenge of supplying essential medicines to the entire population, as stated in the Brazilian constitution. This has unavoidable repercussions for affordability, particularly amongst the lower socio-economic strata.

Critical Care Medicine and Infectious Diseases: An Emerging Combined Subspecialty in the United States.

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Kadri, Sameer S; Rhee, Chanu; Fortna, Gregory S; O'Grady, Naomi P

2015-08-15

The recent rise in unfilled training positions among infectious diseases (ID) fellowship programs nationwide indicates that ID is declining as a career choice among internal medicine residency graduates. Supplementing ID training with training in critical care medicine (CCM) might be a way to regenerate interest in the specialty. Hands-on patient care and higher salaries are obvious attractions. High infection prevalence and antibiotic resistance in intensive care units, expanding immunosuppressed host populations, and public health crises such as the recent Ebola outbreak underscore the potential synergy of CCM-ID training. Most intensivists receive training in pulmonary medicine and only 1% of current board-certified intensivists are trained in ID. While still small, this cohort of CCM-ID certified physicians has continued to rise over the last 2 decades. ID and CCM program leadership nationwide must recognize these trends and the merits of the CCM-ID combination to facilitate creation of formal dual-training opportunities. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Infectious Diseases Society of America 2015. This work is written by (a) US Government employee(s) and is in the public domain in the US.

Clinical Holistic Medicine: Chronic Pain in Internal Organs

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Søren Ventegodt

2005-01-01

Full Text Available Holistic medicine seems to be efficient in the treatment of chronic pain in internal organs, especially when the pain has no known cause. It is quite surprising that while chronic pain can be one of the toughest challenges in the biomedical clinic, it is often one of the simplest things to alleviate in the holistic clinic. These pains are regarded as being caused by repressed emotions and are explained as psychosomatic reactions. Using holistic medicine, the patients can often be cured of their suffering when they assume responsibility for the repressed feelings. The holistic process theory of healing states that the return to the natural (pain free state of being is possible whenever the person obtains the resources needed for existential healing. This shift is explained by the related quality of life and life mission theories. The resources needed are “holding” or genuine care in the dimensions of awareness, respect, care, acknowledgment, and acceptance with support and processing in the dimensions of feeling, understanding, and letting go of negative attitudes and beliefs. The preconditions for the holistic healing to take place are “love” and trust. Obtaining the full trust of the patient, therefore, seems to be the biggest challenge of holistic medicine, especially when dealing with a patient in pain.

Training in childhood obesity management in the United States: a survey of pediatric, internal medicine-pediatrics and family medicine residency program directors

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Rhodes Erinn T

2010-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Information about the availability and effectiveness of childhood obesity training during residency is limited. Methods We surveyed residency program directors from pediatric, internal medicine-pediatrics (IM-Peds, and family medicine residency programs between September 2007 and January 2008 about childhood obesity training offered in their programs. Results The response rate was 42.2% (299/709 and ranged by specialty from 40.1% to 45.4%. Overall, 52.5% of respondents felt that childhood obesity training in residency was extremely important, and the majority of programs offered training in aspects of childhood obesity management including prevention (N = 240, 80.3%, diagnosis (N = 282, 94.3%, diagnosis of complications (N = 249, 83.3%, and treatment (N = 242, 80.9%. However, only 18.1% (N = 54 of programs had a formal childhood obesity curriculum with variability across specialties. Specifically, 35.5% of IM-Peds programs had a formal curriculum compared to only 22.6% of pediatric and 13.9% of family medicine programs (p Conclusions While most residents receive training in aspects of childhood obesity management, deficits may exist in training quality with a minority of programs offering a formal childhood obesity curriculum. Given the high prevalence of childhood obesity, a greater emphasis should be placed on development and use of effective training strategies suitable for all specialties training physicians to care for children.

Training in childhood obesity management in the United States: a survey of pediatric, internal medicine-pediatrics and family medicine residency program directors.

Science.gov (United States)

Wolff, Margaret S; Rhodes, Erinn T; Ludwig, David S

2010-02-17

Information about the availability and effectiveness of childhood obesity training during residency is limited. We surveyed residency program directors from pediatric, internal medicine-pediatrics (IM-Peds), and family medicine residency programs between September 2007 and January 2008 about childhood obesity training offered in their programs. The response rate was 42.2% (299/709) and ranged by specialty from 40.1% to 45.4%. Overall, 52.5% of respondents felt that childhood obesity training in residency was extremely important, and the majority of programs offered training in aspects of childhood obesity management including prevention (N = 240, 80.3%), diagnosis (N = 282, 94.3%), diagnosis of complications (N = 249, 83.3%), and treatment (N = 242, 80.9%). However, only 18.1% (N = 54) of programs had a formal childhood obesity curriculum with variability across specialties. Specifically, 35.5% of IM-Peds programs had a formal curriculum compared to only 22.6% of pediatric and 13.9% of family medicine programs (p obesity training was competing curricular demands (58.5%). While most residents receive training in aspects of childhood obesity management, deficits may exist in training quality with a minority of programs offering a formal childhood obesity curriculum. Given the high prevalence of childhood obesity, a greater emphasis should be placed on development and use of effective training strategies suitable for all specialties training physicians to care for children.

Population characteristics and absorbed dose to the population from nuclear medicine: United States--1982

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mettler, F.A. Jr.; Christie, J.H.; Williams, A.G. Jr.; Moseley, R.D. Jr.; Kelsey, C.A.

1986-01-01

Those in the U.S. population who receive nuclear medicine examinations have been characterized by age and sex. Males received 42% of examinations while females received 58%. More than one-third of the examinations were done on persons older than 64 y of age and more than two-thirds on patients older than 45 y of age. The per caput effective dose equivalent from nuclear medicine procedures in 1982 was 140 muSv (14 mrem); whereas, the per caput age-specific effective dose equivalent to the U.S. population was 50 muSv (5.9 mrem). These can be compared with 2 mSv (200 mrem) from natural background

Public health and precision medicine share a goal.

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Vaithinathan, Asokan G; Asokan, Vanitha

2017-05-01

The advances made in genomics and molecular tools aid public health programs in the investigation of outbreaks and control of diseases by taking advantage of the precision medicine. Precision medicine means "segregating the individuals into subpopulations who vary in their disease susceptibility and response to a precise treatment" and not merely designing of drugs or creation of medical devices. By 2017, the United Kingdom 100,000 Genomes Project is expected to sequence 100,000 genomes from 70,000 patients. Similarly, the Precision Medicine Initiative of the United States plans to increase population-based genome sequencing and link it with clinical data. A national cohort of around 1 million people is to be established in the long term, to investigate the genetic and environmental determinants of health and disease, and further integrated to their electronic health records that are optional. Precision public health can be seen as administering the right intervention to the needy population at an appropriate time. Precision medicine originates from a wet-lab while evidence-based medicine is nurtured in a clinic. Linking the quintessential basic science research and clinical practice is necessary. In addition, new technologies to employ and analyze data in an integrated and dynamic way are essential for public health and precision medicine. The transition from evidence-based approach in public health to genomic approach to individuals with a paradigm shift of a "reactive" medicine to a more "proactive" and personalized health care may sound exceptional. However, a population perspective is needed for the precision medicine to succeed. © 2016 Chinese Cochrane Center, West China Hospital of Sichuan University and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

Traditional Japanese Kampo Medicine: Clinical Research between Modernity and Traditional Medicine—The State of Research and Methodological Suggestions for the Future

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Kenji Watanabe

2011-01-01

Full Text Available The Japanese traditional herbal medicine, Kampo, has gradually reemerged and 148 different formulations (mainly herbal extracts can be prescribed within the national health insurance system. The objective of this article is to introduce Kampo and to present information from previous clinical studies that tested Kampo formulae. In addition, suggestions on the design of future research will be stated. The literature search was based on a summary, up until January 2009, by the Japanese Society of Oriental Medicine and included only those trials which were also available in either Pubmed or ICHUSHI (Japan Medical Abstracts Society. We included 135 studies, half of these studies (n=68 used a standard control and 28 a placebo control. Thirty-seven trials were published in English [all randomized controlled trials (RCTs] and the remaining articles were in Japanese only. The sample size for most studies was small (two-third of the studies included less than 100 patients and the overall methodological quality appeared to be low. None of the studies used Kampo diagnosis as the basis for the treatment. In order to evaluate Kampo as a whole treatment system, certain aspects should be taken into account while designing studies. RCTs are the appropriate study design to test efficacy or effectiveness; however, within the trial the treatment could be individualized according to the Kampo diagnosis. Kampo is a complex and individualized treatment with a long tradition, and it would be appropriate for further research on Kampo medicine to take this into account.

The current 'state of play' of regenerative medicine in horses: what the horse can tell the human.

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Smith, Roger Kw; Garvican, Elaine R; Fortier, Lisa A

2014-01-01

The horse is an attractive model for many human age-related degenerative diseases of the musculoskeletal system because it is a large animal species that both ages and exercises, and develops naturally occurring injuries with many similarities to the human counterpart. It therefore represents an ideal species to use as a 'proving ground' for new therapies, most notably regenerative medicine. Regenerative techniques using cell-based therapies for the treatment of equine musculoskeletal disease have been in use for over a decade. This review article provides a summary overview of the sources, current challenges and problems surrounding the use of stem cell and non-cell-based therapy in regenerative medicine in horses and is based on presentations from a recent Havemeyer symposium on equine regenerative medicine where speakers are selected from leading authorities in both equine and human regenerative medicine fields from 10 different countries.

Are essential medicines in Malaysia accessible, affordable and available?

Science.gov (United States)

Saleh, Kamaruzaman; Ibrahim, Mohamed I M

2005-12-01

To assess the pharmaceutical sector to know whether people have access to essential medicines. The study was conducted in 20 public health clinics, five public district drug stores and 20 private retail pharmacies selected randomly in five different areas randomly selected (four states and a federal territory). The methodology used was adopted from the World Health Organization study protocol. The degree of attainment of the strategic pharmaceutical objectives of improved access is measured by a list of tested indicators. Access is measured in terms of the availability and affordability of essential medicines, especially to the poor and in the public sector. The first survey in the public health clinics and public district drug stores gathered information about current availability of essential medicines, prevalence of stock-outs and affordability of treatment (except drug stores). The second survey assessed affordability of treatment in public health clinics and private retail pharmacies. Availability, stock-out duration, percent of medicines dispensed, accessibility and affordability of key medicines. The average availability of key medicines in the public health clinics for the country was 95.4%. The average stock-out duration of key medicines was 6.5 days. However, average availability of key medicines in the public district drug stores was 89.2%; with an average stock-out duration of 32.4 days. Medicines prescribed were 100% dispensed to the patients. Average affordability for public health clinics was 1.5 weeks salary and for the private pharmacies, 3.7 weeks salary. The present pharmaceutical situation in the context of essential medicines list implementation reflected that the majority of the population in Malaysia had access to affordable essential medicines. If medicines need to be obtained from the private sector, they are hardly affordable. Although the average availability of essential medicines in Malaysia was high being more than 95.0%, in certain

Medicinal plants with hepatoprotective activity in Iranian folk medicine

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Majid Asadi-Samani

2015-02-01

Full Text Available There are a number of medicinal combinations in the Iranian traditional medicine which are commonly used as tonic for liver. In this review, we have introduced some medicinal plants that are used mainly for the treatment of liver disorders in Iranian folk medicine, with focus on their hepatoprotective effects particularly against CC14 agent. In this study, online databases including Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, and Science Direct were searched for papers published from January 1970 to December 2013. Search terms consisted of medicinal plants, traditional medicine, folk medicine, hepatoprotective, Iran, liver, therapeutic uses, compounds, antioxidant, CC14, anti-inflammatory, and antihepatotoxic, hepatitis, alone or in combination. Allium hirtifolium Boiss., Apium graveolens L., Cynara scolymus, Berberis vulgaris L., Calendula officinalis, Nigella sativa L., Taraxacum officinale, Tragopogon porrifolius, Prangos ferulacea L., Allium sativum, Marrubium vulgare, Ammi majus L., Citrullus lanatus Thunb, Agrimonia eupatoria L. and Prunus armeniaca L. are some of the medicinal plants that have been used for the treatment of liver disorders in Iranian folk medicine. Out of several leads obtained from plants containing potential hepatoprotective agents, silymarin, β-sitosterol, betalain, neoandrographolide, phyllanthin, andrographolide, curcumin, picroside, hypophyllanthin, kutkoside, and glycyrrhizin have been demonstrated to have potent hepatoprotective properties. Despite encouraging data on possibility of new discoveries in the near future, the evidence on treating viral hepatitis or other chronic liver diseases by herbal medications is not adequate.

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

Recommended integrative medicine competencies for family medicine residents.

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Locke, Amy B; Gordon, Andrea; Guerrera, Mary P; Gardiner, Paula; Lebensohn, Patricia

2013-01-01

The use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) and Integrative Medicine (IM) has grown steadily over the past decade. Patients seek physician guidance, yet physicians typically have limited knowledge and training. There is some coverage of IM/CAM topics in medical schools and residencies but with little coordination or consistency. In 2008, the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine (STFM) group on Integrative Medicine began the process of designing a set of competencies to educate Family Medicine residents in core concepts of IM. The goal was creation of a set of nationally recognized competencies tied to the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) domains. These competencies were to be achievable by diverse programs, including those without significant internal resources. The group compiled existing curricula from programs around the country and distilled these competencies through multiple reviews and discussions. Simultaneously, the Integrative Medicine in Residency program run by the University of Arizona underwent a similar process. In 2009, these competencies were combined and further developed at the STFM annual meeting by a group of experts. In 2010, the STFM Board approved 19 measurable competencies, each categorized by ACGME domain, as recommended for Family Medicine residencies. Programs have implemented these competencies in various ways given individual needs and resources. This paper reviews the development of IM competencies for residency education in Family Medicine and presents those endorsed by STFM. By educating physicians in training about IM/CAM via competency-based curricula, we aim to promote comprehensive patient-centered care. © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Lessons of history in veterinary medicine.

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Smith, Donald F

2013-01-01

The future of veterinary medicine is best understood in the context of history. What began as a profession rooted in urban centers in proximity to horses, physicians, and medical schools, was transformed into a land grant-based agricultural profession with the arrival of the internal combustion engine in the early twentieth century. Most of the United States' current veterinary colleges are still located in towns or small cities in the middle section of the country, outside the largest metropolitan areas where most veterinarians practice companion-animal medicine. Throughout veterinarian history, substantial numbers of US students have been educated in foreign colleges and this continues today, creating an even greater geographic imbalance between the veterinary educational process and US population centers and major medical schools. Three themes deserve special attention as we celebrate the profession's 150th anniversary. We must first move beyond the land-grant culture and develop a more geographically balanced approach to establishing new veterinary colleges that are also in closer association with schools of medicine and public health. We must also facilitate more opportunities for women leadership in organized veterinary medicine, in practice ownership, in academia, and in the corporate structures that educate, hire, and interface with veterinarians. Finally, we need to expand our understanding of One Health to include the concept of zooeyia (the role of animals in promoting human health), as well as continue to emphasize veterinarians' special roles in the control and management of zoonotic diseases and in advancing comparative medicine in the age of the genome.

US and Russian Cooperation in Space Biology and Medicine

Science.gov (United States)

Sawin, C.F.; Hanson, S.I.; House, N.G.; Pestov, I.D.

2009-01-01

This slide presentation concerns the 5th volume of a joint publication that describes the cooperation between the United States and Russia in research into space biology and medicine. Each of the chapters is briefly summarized.

What has traditional Chinese medicine delivered for modern medicine?

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Jigang; Wong, Yin-Kwan; Liao, Fulong

2018-05-11

The field of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) represents a vast and largely untapped resource for modern medicine. Exemplified by the success of the antimalarial artemisinin, the recent years have seen a rapid increase in the understanding and application of TCM-derived herbs and formulations for evidence-based therapy. In this review, we summarise and discuss the developmental history, clinical background and molecular basis of an action for several representative TCM-derived medicines, including artemisinin, arsenic trioxide, berberine and Salvia miltiorrhiza or Danshen. Through this, we highlight important examples of how TCM-derived medicines have already contributed to modern medicine, and discuss potential avenues for further research.

Nuclear Medicine and Application of Nuclear Techniques in Medicine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wiharto, Kunto

1996-01-01

The use of nuclear techniques medicine covers not only nuclear medicine and radiology in strict sense but also determination of body mineral content by neutron activation analysis and x-ray fluorescence technique either in vitro or in vivo, application of radioisotopes as tracers in pharmacology and biochemistry, etc. This paper describes the ideal tracer in nuclear medicine, functional and morphological imaging, clinical aspect and radiation protection in nuclear medicine. Nuclear technique offers facilities and chances related to research activities and services in medicine. The development of diagnostic as well as therapeutic methods using monoclonal antibodies labeled with radioisotope will undoubtedly play an important role in the disease control

Evidence-based medicine: the fourth revolution in American medicine?

Science.gov (United States)

Chung, Kevin C; Ram, Ashwin N

2009-01-01

The use of evidence has become a force in American medicine to improve the quality of health care. Funding decisions from payers will demand studies with high-level evidence to support many of the costly interventions in medicine. Plastic surgery is certainly not immune to this national tidal wave to revamp the health care system by embracing evidence-based medicine in our practices. In scientific contributions of plastic surgery research, application of evidence-based principles should enhance the care of all patients by relying on science rather than opinions. In this article, the genesis of evidence-based medicine is discussed to guide plastic surgery in this new revolution in American medicine.

An Education Strategy to Respond to Medicine Inequality in Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Byrn, Stephen R; Ekeocha, Zita; Clase, Kari L

2017-07-01

People living in Africa face a heavy and wide-ranging burden of disease that takes an incalculable toll on social and economic development as well as shortening life expectancy (life expectancy in Tanzania is about 60 vs. about 80 in the United States and Europe. Further, the pharmaceutical market in developing countries is immature and may not support quality medicines. In many cases, a tender system is used, and medicines are bought by the government at the lowest price. In addition to access to medicines, a number of pharmaceutical sciences problems are apparent. The availability of infrastructure and especially standard instruments such as HPLC and X-ray diffraction is minimal. Additionally, there is an important need to increase access to advanced education for men and women in Africa, especially access to state-of-the-art scientific education. Utilizing the mandate of Nelson Mandela, Purdue's conceptual approach has been to utilize education to combat these problems. Copyright © 2017 American Pharmacists Association®. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Use of provider-based complementary and alternative medicine by adult smokers in the United States: Comparison from the 2002 and 2007 NHIS survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Hamm, Eric; Muramoto, Myra L; Howerter, Amy; Floden, Lysbeth; Govindarajan, Lubna

2014-01-01

To provide a snapshot of provider-based complementary and alternative medicine (pbCAM) use among adult smokers and assess the opportunity for these providers to deliver tobacco cessation interventions. Cross-sectional analysis of data from the 2002 and 2007 National Health Interview Surveys. Nationally representative sample. A total of 54,437 (31,044 from 2002; 23,393 from 2007) adults 18 years and older. The analysis focuses on 10 types of pbCAM, including acupuncture, Ayurveda, biofeedback, chelation therapy, chiropractic care, energy therapy, folk medicine, hypnosis, massage, and naturopathy. The proportions of current smokers using any pbCAM as well as specific types of pbCAM in 2002 and 2007 are compared using SAS SURVEYLOGISTIC. Between 2002 and 2007, the percentage of recent users of any pbCAM therapy increased from 12.5% to 15.4% (p = .001). The largest increases occurred in massage, chiropractic, and acupuncture. Despite a decrease in the national average of current smokers (22.0% to 19.4%; p = .001), proportions of smokers within specific pbCAM disciplines remained consistent. Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) practitioners, particularly those in chiropractic, acupuncture, and massage, represent new cohorts in the health care community to promote tobacco cessation. There is an opportunity to provide brief tobacco intervention training to CAM practitioners and engage them in public health efforts to reduce the burden of tobacco use in the United States.

[Evolutionary medicine].

Science.gov (United States)

Wjst, M

2013-12-01

Evolutionary medicine allows new insights into long standing medical problems. Are we "really stoneagers on the fast lane"? This insight might have enormous consequences and will allow new answers that could never been provided by traditional anthropology. Only now this is made possible using data from molecular medicine and systems biology. Thereby evolutionary medicine takes a leap from a merely theoretical discipline to practical fields - reproductive, nutritional and preventive medicine, as well as microbiology, immunology and psychiatry. Evolutionary medicine is not another "just so story" but a serious candidate for the medical curriculum providing a universal understanding of health and disease based on our biological origin. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

[Advances in the application of smart phones in modern medicine].

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Lin; Hu, Jie; Li, Fei; Wei, Huilin; Li, Ying; Lu, Tianjian; Wang, Shuqi; Xu, Feng

2014-02-01

Since smart phones have been developed, significant advances in the function of mobile phone due to the development of software, hardware and accessories have been reached. Till now, smart phones have been engaged in daily life with an increasing impact. As a new medical model, mobile phone medicine is emerging and has found wide spread applications in medicine, especially in diagnosing, monitoring and screening various diseases. In addition, mo bile phone medical application shows great potential trend to improve healthcare in resource-limited regions due to its advantageous features of portability and information communication capability. Nowadays, the scientific and technological issues related to mobile phone medicine have attracted worldwide attention. In this review, we summarize state-of-the-art advances of mobile phone medicine with focus on its diagnostics applications in order to expand the fields of their applications and promote healthcare informatization.

Sasang constitutional medicine as a holistic tailored medicine.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Jong Yeol; Pham, Duong Duc

2009-09-01

Sasang constitutional medicine (SCM) is a unique traditional Korean therapeutic alternative form of medicine. Based on the Yin and Yang theory and on Confucianism, humans are classified into four constitutions. These differ in terms of (i) sensitivity to certain groups of herbs and medicines, (ii) equilibrium among internal organic functions, (iii) physical features and (iv) psychological characteristics. We propose that two main axes in the physiopathology of SCM (food intake/waste discharge and consuming/storing Qi and body fluids) are equivalent to the process of internal-external exchange and catabolism/anabolism in modern physiology, respectively. We then used this hypothesis to discuss the physiological and pathological principles of SCM. Constitution-based medicine is based on the theory that some medicinal herbs and remedies are only appropriate for certain constitutions and can cause adverse effects in others. The constitutional approach of SCM share the same vision as tailored medicine; an individualized therapy that can minimize the risk of adverse reaction while increasing the efficacy and an individualized self-regulation that can help prevent specific susceptible chronic disease and live healthily. There is still a long way to this goal for both SCM and tailored medicine, but we may benefit from systems approaches such as systems biology. We suggest that constitutional perspective of SCM and our hypothesis of two main processes may provide a novel insight for further studies.

Sasang Constitutional Medicine as a Holistic Tailored Medicine

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jong Yeol Kim

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Sasang constitutional medicine (SCM is a unique traditional Korean therapeutic alternative form of medicine. Based on the Yin and Yang theory and on Confucianism, humans are classified into four constitutions. These differ in terms of (i sensitivity to certain groups of herbs and medicines, (ii equilibrium among internal organic functions, (iii physical features and (iv psychological characteristics. We propose that two main axes in the physiopathology of SCM (food intake/waste discharge and consuming/storing Qi and body fluids are equivalent to the process of internal–external exchange and catabolism/anabolism in modern physiology, respectively. We then used this hypothesis to discuss the physiological and pathological principles of SCM. Constitution-based medicine is based on the theory that some medicinal herbs and remedies are only appropriate for certain constitutions and can cause adverse effects in others. The constitutional approach of SCM share the same vision as tailored medicine; an individualized therapy that can minimize the risk of adverse reaction while increasing the efficacy and an individualized self-regulation that can help prevent specific susceptible chronic disease and live healthily. There is still a long way to this goal for both SCM and tailored medicine, but we may benefit from systems approaches such as systems biology. We suggest that constitutional perspective of SCM and our hypothesis of two main processes may provide a novel insight for further studies.

Defensive Medicine in U.S. Spine Neurosurgery.

Science.gov (United States)

Din, Ryan S; Yan, Sandra C; Cote, David J; Acosta, Michael A; Smith, Timothy R

2017-02-01

Observational cross-sectional survey. To compare defensive practices of U.S. spine and nonspine neurosurgeons in the context of state medical liability risk. Defensive medicine is a commonly reported and costly phenomenon in neurosurgery. Although state liability risk is thought to contribute greatly to defensive practice, variation within neurosurgical specialties has not been well explored. A validated, online survey was sent via email to 3344 members of the American Board of Neurological Surgeons. The instrument contained eight question domains: surgeon characteristics, patient characteristics, practice type, insurance type, surgeon liability profile, basic surgeon reimbursement, surgeon perceptions of medical legal environment, and the practice of defensive medicine. The overall response rate was 30.6% (n = 1026), including 499 neurosurgeons performing mainly spine procedures (48.6%). Spine neurosurgeons had a similar average practice duration as nonspine neurosurgeons (16.6 vs 16.9 years, P = 0.64) and comparable lifetime case volume (4767 vs 4,703, P = 0.71). The average annual malpractice premium for spine neurosurgeons was similar to nonspine neurosurgeons ($104,480.52 vs $101,721.76, P = 0.60). On average, spine neurosurgeons had a significantly higher rate of ordering labs, medications, referrals, procedures, and imaging solely for liability concerns compared with nonspine neurosurgeons (89.2% vs 84.6%, P = 0.031). Multivariate analysis revealed that spine neurosurgeons were roughly 3 times more likely to practice defensively compared with nonspine neurosurgeons (odds ratio, OR = 2.9, P = 0.001) when controlling for high-risk procedures (OR = 7.8, P < 0.001), annual malpractice premium (OR = 3.3, P = 0.01), percentage of patients publicly insured (OR = 1.1, P = 0.80), malpractice claims in the last 3 years (OR = 1.13, P = 0.71), and state medical-legal environment (OR = 1.3, P = 0

Opinion: redefining the role of the physician in laboratory medicine in the context of emerging technologies, personalised medicine and patient autonomy ('4P medicine').

Science.gov (United States)

Orth, Matthias; Averina, Maria; Chatzipanagiotou, Stylianos; Faure, Gilbert; Haushofer, Alexander; Kusec, Vesna; Machado, Augusto; Misbah, Siraj A; Oosterhuis, Wytze; Pulkki, Kari; Twomey, Patrick J; Wieland, Eberhard

2017-12-22

The role of clinical pathologists or laboratory-based physicians is being challenged on several fronts-exponential advances in technology, increasing patient autonomy exercised in the right to directly request tests and the use of non-medical specialists as substitutes. In response, clinical pathologists have focused their energies on the pre-analytical and postanalytical phases of Laboratory Medicine thus emphasising their essential role in individualised medical interpretation of complex laboratory results. Across the European Union, the role of medical doctors is enshrined in the Medical Act. This paper highlights the relevance of this act to patient welfare and the need to strengthen training programmes to prevent an erosion in the quality of Laboratory Medicine provided to patients and their physicians. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Injuries caused by venomous animals and folk medicine in farmers from Cuité, State of Paraiba, Northeast of Brazil

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Hellyson Fidel Araújo de Oliveira

2013-09-01

Full Text Available Injuries caused by venomous animals reported by the agricultural workers from the municipality of Cuité, Curimataú region of Paraiba State, Northeast of Brazil, and the practices of folk medicine which they use to treat these cases were studied in this work from June to August 2010. The farmers studied aged from 11 to 90 years. The number of people who reported cases of injury by these animals in their families was high (89.3%. Scorpions, wasps, bees and snakes were the most cited and the extremities of the body (hands, feet, legs and head were the most affected. The practice of folk medicine to treat these injuries includes various procedures ranging from ritualistic treatments, use of animals or parts of them, and some herbal preparations. The folk treatment was reported as effective by most of the workers injured (63.9%. Body parts of dead snakes are used in various zootherapic treatments. In the imaginary of the agricultural workers the venomous animals are considered hazardous (48.7% or disgusting (11.3%, and several parts of such animals as the rattle, bee sting or snake leather are used as amulet. Several legends have also been reported about snakes, scorpions and bees. The need for educational activities that aim to clarify these workers about the dangers of such practices is urgent.

Physician perspectives on education, training, and implementation of complementary and alternative medicine

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Patel SJ

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Sejal J Patel,1 Kathi J Kemper,2 Joseph P Kitzmiller3 1College of Public Health, The Ohio State University, 2Center for Integrative Health and Wellness, The Ohio State Wexner University Medical Center, 3Department of Biological Chemistry and Pharmacology, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA Abstract: Over recent decades, the demand for complementary and alternative medicine (CAM has continued to rise in the US. Like the practice of traditional Western medicine, CAM is associated with not only significant health benefits but also significant risks. Unlike traditional Western medicine, however, much of CAM use is less regulated and often occurs unbeknownst to a patient’s medical doctor. The use of herbals, dietary supplements, and over-the-counter (OTC medications can result in adverse effects, and many significant interactions can occur when their use is combined with allopathic medications. Even the more peripheral CAM practices (eg, acupuncture, massage, yoga, and Reiki have associated risk (eg, adverse effects or worsening of physical injury and conditions. There is, however, impetus for change: both patients and physicians favor increasing physician knowledge of CAM and the synergistic implementation of CAM into routine clinical practice. Although improvement has been achieved from contemporary physician educational efforts, recently published results from patient and physician surveys strongly indicate that additional effort to increase physician knowledge of CAM is needed. Utilizing a 37-item survey and convenience-sampling methodology, we collected detailed information from 114 physicians, fellows, and residents from the Ohio State University Medical Center regarding impediments to increasing physician knowledge of CAM and its implementation in routine clinical practice. The aggregate results of our survey data showed that most physicians 1 desired to increase their knowledge of CAM, 2 believed that less

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

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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.

Brigadier General James Stevens Simmons (1890-1954), Medical Corps, United States Army: a career in preventive medicine.

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Marble, Sanders

2012-02-01

James Simmons began his career in the US Army as a laboratory officer and his assignments progressed into tropical medicine research. His interests and work evolved into preventive medicine (PM, as the Army termed public health), and he took both a PhD and a Doctorate in Public Health. As the Army's leading PM officer he was appointed head of PM in 1940 and guided the Army's PM effort through World War II. His responsibility ran from gas masks through healthy nutrition and occupational health to an enormous variety of diseases; by the war's end, the breadth and importance of PM was reflected in the Preventive Medicine Division, having fully one-sixth of all military personnel at the Surgeon General's Office. Simmons used his strong professional credentials to tap into civilian medicine for expertise the Army lacked and he established organizations that survive to this day. After retirement, he sought to expand the field of public health and raise another generation of public health physicians.

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

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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.

A cross-cultural analysis of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh (India) medicinal plant use.

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Gairola, Sumeet; Sharma, Jyotsana; Bedi, Yashbir Singh

2014-09-11

Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) is a predominantly Himalayan state in the north-western part of India. It has three geographically distinct divisions viz., Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh, which are immensely rich in their biological and cultural diversity. Medicinal plants are an important element of indigenous medical system of the region. The main goal of the present article is to examine the use of ethnomedicinal plants in three divisions of J&K and to discuss cross-cultural consensus on the use of medicinal plants in these divisions. The article also discusses the gaps in the current state of knowledge on ethnomedicinal plants of the region and gives recommendations for the future studies. Scientific literature on ethnomedicinal field studies conducted in J&K state of India available in the journals, edited books and other scientific databases viz., CAB international, DOAJ, Google Scholar, PubMed, Science direct, SciFinder, Scopus and Web of Science were searched. Only field based ethnomedicinal surveys from last four decades up to December 2013 reporting first hand information on the medicinal plants used to treat human health related ailments by indigenous communities of J&K were included in this study. Venn diagram was used to analyze the cross-cultural consensus on the use of ethnomedicinal plants in the three divisions of J&K. A total of 948 plant taxa (923 angiosperms, 12 gymnosperms and 13 pteridophytes) belonging to 129 families, 509 genera, 937 species and 11 varieties have so far been reported to have a traditional medicinal use by indigenous communities of J&K. Asteraceae (60 genera, 132 spp.) was the most frequently used family followed by Fabaceae (32 genera, 50 spp.) and Lamiaceae (27 genera, 55 spp.). 514, 415 and 397 medicinal plants were used in Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh divisions, respectively. Sixty eight plant taxa were used in all the three divisions, whereas 95 plants were common between Ladakh and Jammu, 127 plants between Ladakh and Kashmir, and 216

YU Ren-cun(郁仁存)——A Famous Oncologist in Integrative Medicine

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

2008-01-01

@@ YU Ren-cun was born on August 1,1934.After graduating from Jiangxi Medical College in 1955,he took part in the very first Western Doctors' Class for Learning Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) held in Beijing from March 1959 to December 1961.Prof.YU systematically learned TCM while taking this class.Since 1962,he has been working in the Beijing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine,eventually being promoted to a Chief Physician by the Beijing Municipal Government in May of 1981.In 1997,Prof.YU was selected as a well-known veteran for the National TCM Doctor Inheritance Work by the State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine (SATCM).The State Council of China has awarded him a special subsidy every month for his excellent work.

Interview with Future Medicinal Chemistry's US Senior Editor, Iwao Ojima. Interview by Issac Bruce.

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Ojima, Iwao

2012-10-01

Professor Iwao Ojima studied at the University of Tokyo (Japan) before being appointed as a Senior Research Fellow and Group Leader at the Sagami Institute of Chemical Research. He is now Director of the Institute of Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery at State University of New York (USA) and has been a visiting professor in European, North American and Asian academic institutions. Professor Ojima agreed to serve as the US Senior Editor of Future Medicinal Chemistry when it launched in 2009 and continues to provide his expertise to the journal. Professor Ojima spoke to Future Medicinal Chemistry about why medicinal chemistry is such an exciting field to work in, the state of the pharmaceutical industry, and what features and issues make this journal unique.

Nuclear medicine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1993-01-01

The area of nuclear medicine, the development of artificially produced radioactive isotopes for medical applications, is relatively recent. Among the subjects covered in a lengthy discussion are the following: history of development; impact of nuclear medicine; understanding the most effective use of radioisotopes; most significant uses of nuclear medicine radioimmunoassays; description of equipment designed for use in the field of nuclear medicine (counters, scanning system, display systems, gamma camera); description of radioisotopes used and their purposes; quality control. Numerous historical photographs are included. 52 refs

How four different political systems have shaped the modernization of traditional Korean medicine between 1900 and 1960.

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Dongwon, Shin

2008-03-01

In this paper, I examine the modern formation of traditional Korean medicine and discuss the characteristics of the modernization, or modernity, of the medicine. I probe for answers to three questions: first, prior to the twentieth century, what were the main factors that traditional Korean medicine needed to be transformed into a new one? Second, how did four states, the Taehan Empire, colonial Korea, North Korea, and South Korea, treat traditional medicine differently, and why? Third, what are the main characteristics of the modernization of traditional Korean medicine? In examining these questions, I found the following four factors to be important in shaping the modern formation of traditional Korean medicine during the twentieth century: first, the influences of Western science and institutions; second, the rise of nationalism; third, the economics of the state; and fourth, the effectiveness of traditional medicine. Among them, the introduction of Western science and institutions was the most important factor. All the different states in modern Korea realized that Western science and institutions were indispensable for the country to be a powerful nation and to enhance people's welfare. The degree of confidentiality in scientific Western medicine determined the number of traditional medical practitioners and their professional status. The modernization also was greatly affected by modern nationalism, which clashed with Westernization. Many Koreans and the Korean governments regarded the traditional medicine as something culturally valuable to protect from Western culture. Especially, the majority of Koreans who had experienced the cruelty of the Japanese rule under colonization tended to believe that Japan, a foreign ruler, had suppressed traditional Korean medicine as a liquidation policy of Korean culture during the colonial period. This belief contributed greatly to the recovery of the traditional doctors' prestige in South Korea and North Korea after

38 CFR 51.42 - Drugs and medicines for certain veterans.

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2010-07-01

... AFFAIRS (CONTINUED) PER DIEM FOR NURSING HOME CARE OF VETERANS IN STATE HOMES Per Diem Payments § 51.42... illness or injury for a veteran receiving care in a State home, if: (1) The veteran: (i) Has a singular or... of such drugs and medicines for a service-connected disability; and (ii) Is in need of nursing home...

Comparison of Leiomyoma of Modern Medicine and Traditional Persian Medicine.

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Tansaz, Mojgan; Tajadini, Haleh

2016-04-01

Leiomyoma is the most common benign tumor of the pelvic that is associated with reproductive problems such as infertility, frequent abortions, and undesirable prenatal outcomes. High prevalence of leiomyoma and its relation with important gynecological complications, especially during reproductive ages, on the one hand, and high medical expenses and significant complications of common treatments, on the other, made us search traditional Persian medicine texts for a similar disease. In traditional Persian medicine, a condition has been introduced similar to leiomyoma (Oram-e-rahem). In this article, by collecting materials from traditional medicine texts on leiomyoma, we aim to provide theories for further studies on this topic, as there is an obvious difference between traditional Persian medicine and modern medicine with regard to leiomyoma. When modern medicine has not found a suitable response to treatment, reviewing of traditional Persian medicine for finding better treatment strategies is wise. © The Author(s) 2015.

Evaluation of radiation protection in nuclear medicine diagnostic procedures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mohammed, Ezzeldien Mohammed Nour

2013-05-01

This study conducted to evaluate the radiation protection in nuclear medicine diagnostic procedures in four nuclear medicine departments in Sudan. The evaluated procedures followed in these departments were in accordance with the standards, International Recommendations and code of practice for radiation protection in nuclear medicine. The evolution included the optimum design for diagnostic nuclear medicine departments, dealing with radioactive sources, quality assurance and quality control, training and responsibilities for radiation worker taking into account economic factors in Sudan. Evaluation of radiation protection procedures in diagnostic investigations was carried out by taken direct measurements of dose rate and the contamination level in some areas where radiation sources, radiation workers and public are involved. Designated questionnaires covered thirteen areas of radiation protection based on inspection check list for nuclear medicine prepared by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and American Association of Physicist in Medicine (AAPM) were used in the evaluation. This questionnaire has been Filled by Radiation Protection Officer (RPO), nuclear medicine technologist, nuclear medicine specialist in the nuclear medicine departments. Four hospitals, two governmental hospital and two private hospitals, have been assisted, the assessment shows that although the diagnostic nuclear medicine department in Sudan are not applying a fully safety and radiation protection procedures, but the level of radiation dose and the contamination level were found within acceptable limits. The private hospital D scored the higher level of protection (85.25%) while the governmental hospital C scored the lower level of protection (59.02%). Finally, this study stated some recommendations that if implemented could improve the level of radiation protection in nuclear medicine department. One of the most important recommendations is that a proper radiation protection

Core Content for Wilderness Medicine Training: Development of a Wilderness Medicine Track Within an Emergency Medicine Residency.

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Schrading, Walter A; Battaglioli, Nicole; Drew, Jonathan; McClure, Sarah Frances

2018-03-01

Wilderness medicine training has become increasingly popular among medical professionals with numerous educational opportunities nationwide. Curricula for fellowship programs and for medical student education have previously been developed and published, but a specific curriculum for wilderness medicine education during emergency medicine (EM) residency has not. The objective of this study is to create a longitudinal wilderness medicine curriculum that can be incorporated into an EM residency program. Interest-specific tracks are becoming increasingly common in EM training. We chose this model to develop our curriculum specific to wilderness medicine. Outlined in the article is a 3-year longitudinal course of study that includes a core didactic curriculum and a plan for graduated level of responsibility. The core content is specifically related to the required EM core content for residency training with additions specific to wilderness medicine for the residents who pursue the track. The wilderness medicine curriculum would give residencies a framework that can be used to foster learning for residents interested in wilderness medicine. It would enhance the coverage of wilderness and environmental core content education for all EM residents in the program. It would provide wilderness-specific education and experience for interested residents, allowing them to align their residency program requirements through a focused area of study and enhancing their curriculum vitae at graduation. Finally, given the popularity of wilderness medicine, the presence of a wilderness medicine track may improve recruitment for the residency program. Copyright © 2017 Wilderness Medical Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Antibacterial activities of medicinal plants used in Mexican traditional medicine.

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Sharma, Ashutosh; Flores-Vallejo, Rosario Del Carmen; Cardoso-Taketa, Alexandre; Villarreal, María Luisa

2017-08-17

We provide an extensive summary of the in vitro antibacterial properties of medicinal plants popularly used in Mexico to treat infections, and we discuss the ethnomedical information that has been published for these species. We carried out a bibliographic investigation by analyzing local and international peer-reviewed papers selected by consulting internationally accepted scientific databases from 1995 to 2014. We provide specific information about the evaluated plant parts, the type of extracts, the tested bacterial strains, and the inhibitory concentrations for each one of the species. We recorded the ethnomedical information for the active species, as well as their popular names and local distribution. Information about the plant compounds that has been identified is included in the manuscript. This review also incorporates an extensive summary of the available toxicological reports on the recorded species, as well as the worldwide registries of plant patents used for treating bacterial infections. In addition, we provide a list with the top plant species with antibacterial activities in this review RESULTS: We documented the in vitro antibacterial activities of 343 plant species pertaining to 92 botanical families against 72 bacterial species, focusing particularly on Staphylococcus aureus, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The plant families Asteraceae, Fabaceae, Lamiaceae and Euphorbiaceae included the largest number of active species. Information related to popular uses reveals that the majority of the plants, in addition to treating infections, are used to treat other conditions. The distribution of Mexican plants extended from those that were reported to grow in just one state to those that grow in all 32 Mexican states. From 75 plant species, 225 compounds were identified. Out of the total plant species, only 140 (40.57%) had at least one report about their toxic effects. From 1994 to July 2014 a total of 11

BEST-TEST2: assessment of hematology trainee knowledge of transfusion medicine.

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Lin, Yulia; Tinmouth, Alan; Mallick, Ranjeeta; Haspel, Richard L

2016-02-01

As transfusion is a common therapy and key component in every hematologist's practice, hematology training programs should dedicate significant time and effort to delivering high-quality transfusion medicine education to their trainees. The current state of hematology trainee knowledge of transfusion medicine is not known. A validated assessment tool developed by the Biomedical Excellence for Safer Transfusion (BEST) Collaborative was used to assess prior transfusion medicine education, attitudes, perceived ability, and transfusion medicine knowledge of hematology trainees. A total of 149 hematology trainees at 17 international sites were assessed. The overall mean exam score was 61.6% (standard deviation, 13.4%; range, 30%-100%) with no correlation in exam scores with postgraduate year or previous transfusion medicine education in medical school or internal medicine residency. However, better scores correlated with 3 or more hours of transfusion medicine education (p = 0.0003) and perceived higher-quality education during hematology training (p = 0.03). Hematology trainees at US sites, where hematology is often combined with oncology training, had statistically lower scores than trainees at non-US sites (56.2% vs. 67.4%; p hematology training programs to reevaluate the quality and quantity of transfusion medicine training and can assist in the development of targeted curricula. © 2015 AABB.

The Regulation of Medicines in Croatia - a Contribution to Public Health

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Ilić Martinac, A

2010-07-01

Full Text Available The regulatory system for medicinal products includes the existence of a legislative framework and a medicines agency as the regulatory body. The legislative framework for medicinal products has been amended several times so as to align it with the EU acquis communautaire, where medicinal products represent one of the best regulated and aligned areas. For the purpose of regulating the Croatian medicines market, the Agency for Medicinal Products and Medical Devices was established in 2003 to implement the procedure of granting marketing authorisation for medicinal products, to supervise the adverse reactions of medicinal products, to conduct laboratory tests of the quality of medicines and vaccines sampled from the market, to issue licences for the manufacture and distribution of medicinal products, to monitor medicine consumption, and to inform about medicines and promote their rational use. Medical devices are regulated under a special act, and the Agency conducts entries into the register in that field and carries out vigilance over medical devices. In this way, products intended for health care on the Croatian market are of the appropriate quality, safety and efficacy, and are under the constant supervision of the competent body that assesses their risk-to-benefit ratio. Upon accession of the Republic of Croatia to full membership in the European Union, the Agency will be included in the European authorisation procedures for medicines, such as the centralised procedure in the European Medicines Agency (EMA, and above all, the mutual recognition procedure and decentralised procedure in which the role of the agencies of EU Member States is greater. This article gives an overview of the most important regulatory activities in the field of medicinal products, and the readiness of the Agency to function in the future integrated European regulatory area.

Medical dominance in Canada in historical perspective: the rise and fall of medicine?

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Coburn, D; Torrance, G M; Kaufert, J M

1983-01-01

Freidson's concept of medical dominance is compared to the alternative conceptions of neo-Marxist writers. Dominance is then examined in historical perspective, using medicine in Canada (mainly Ontario) as a case study. Medicine emerged as the dominant health occupation in Canada in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, consolidating its power between World War I and the Saskatchewan doctors' strike of 1962. The authors argue that medical dominance has declined since that time due to such factors as the involvement of the state in health insurance, the rise of other health occupations, increasing public or at least elite skepticism, and possible internal fragmentation. The underlying social explanation for this historical process is sought in changes in the Canadian class structure, specifically the spread of the capitalist mode of production, the decline of the petite bourgeoisie, and the rise of the state. It is suggested that Freidson's specific accounts of the history of medicine must be incorporated for explanatory purposes within the broader neo-Marxist view of medicine as an intermediary rather than an ultimately determining institution.

A cross-sectional survey of the models in Bihar and Tamil Nadu, India for pooled procurement of medicines.

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Chokshi, Maulik; Farooqui, Habib Hasan; Selvaraj, Sakthivel; Kumar, Preeti

2015-01-01

In India, access to medicine in the public sector is significantly affected by the efficiency of the drug procurement system and allied processes and policies. This study was conducted in two socioeconomically different states: Bihar and Tamil Nadu. Both have a pooled procurement system for drugs but follow different models. In Bihar, the volumes of medicines required are pooled at the state level and rate contracted (an open tender process invites bidders to quote for the lowest rate for the list of medicines), while actual invoicing and payment are done at district level. In Tamil Nadu, medicine quantities are also pooled at state level but payments are also processed at state level upon receipt of laboratory quality-assurance reports on the medicines. In this cross-sectional survey, a range of financial and non-financial data related to procurement and distribution of medicine, such as budget documents, annual reports, tender documents, details of orders issued, passbook details and policy and guidelines for procurement were analysed. In addition, a so-called ABC analysis of the procurement data was done to to identify high-value medicines. It was observed that Tamil Nadu had suppliers for 100% of the drugs on their procurement list at the end of the procurement processes in 2006, 2007 and 2008, whereas Bihar's procurement agency was only able to get suppliers for 56%, 59% and 38% of drugs during the same period. Further, it was observed that Bihar's system was fuelling irrational procurement; for example, fluconazole (antifungal) alone was consuming 23.4% of the state's drug budget and was being procured by around 34% of the districts during 2008-2009. Also, the ratios of procurement prices for Bihar compared with Tamil Nadu were in the range of 1.01 to 22.50. For 50% of the analysed drugs, the price ratio was more than 2, that is, Bihar's procurement system was procuring the same medicines at more than twice the prices paid by Tamil Nadu. Centralized

Family Medicine in Egypt From Medical Students' Perspective: A Nationwide Survey.

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AlKot, Mohammad Mahmoud; Gouda, Mohamed Alaa; KhalafAllah, Mahmoud Tawfik; Zahran, Mohamed Salah; Kallaf, Mostafa Mohamed; Zayed, Ahmed Medhat

2015-01-01

PHENOMENON: Attitudes of medical students toward family medicine as a specialty choice can provide information on the future supply of family physicians. Due to the current worldwide shortage of family physicians, these attitudes, with their subsequent effects on the state and dynamics of the healthcare system, are important to investigate. A web-based questionnaire was sent to 600 medical students, selected by a systematic random sampling technique, in 7 Egyptian medical schools. Participants were surveyed to assess their perception of the family medicine specialty as a future career and explore the impact of different factors, including undergraduate family medicine clerkships, on their attitudes toward family medicine. We had a response rate of 75.2% (n = 451). Although 90.7% of students believed in the vital role that family medicine can play in Egypt's healthcare system, only 4.7% showed an intention to choose it as a future career. Students choosing family medicine as a first-career choice were more likely to have a prior contact with family physicians as consumers. Exposure to an undergraduate family medicine curriculum was associated with increased knowledge about family medicine but not the intentions to pursue it as a career. INSIGHTS: Medical students in Egypt have a positive perception of family medicine as an important specialty but low interest in its choice as a future career.

The crisis of the western system of medicine in contemporary capitalism.

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Navarro, V

1978-01-01

This article makes a critique of current interpretations of the crises of the western system of medicine and presents alternative explanations for those crises. It indicates that the crises of medicine--reflected in its ubiquitous problems of costs and ineffectiveness--are due to and reflect the crises of legitimation and capital accumulation of contemporary capitalism. The article is divided into six parts: the first two define the characteristics of the crises of western contemporary capitalism and of its system of medicine, with a critique of current theories which try to explain them. Parts three and four contrapose to these theories a Marxist interpretation of the crises, tracing their causes to the needs created by the process of capital accumulation and to the demands expressed by the working population. The needs and demands generated by Capital and Labor are intrinsically in conflict, and are realized in the daily practice of class struggle. The characteristics and consequences of that struggle for health and for the organization, content, and ideology of medicine are analyzed in the fifth part. This class struggle takes place within a political context in which Capital and its social expression, the bouregeoisie or corporate class, have the dominant influence on the organs of the State. The sixth part of the article shows how that dominance determines the nature of the State responses to the crises of medicine. A primary thesis of this paper is that social class, class struggle, capitalism, and imperialism are not passé categories, as most ideologists of capitalism postulate, but rather they are the most important paradigms for understanding the crises of the western system of power and its medicine.

The Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement: challenges for Australian health and medicine policies.

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Faunce, Thomas A; Townsend, Ruth

2011-01-17

Four formal rounds of Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) negotiations took place in 2010. They involved over 200 officials from Australia, the United States, New Zealand, Chile, Singapore, Brunei, Peru, Vietnam and Malaysia. Future negotiations officially are set to include three issues with public health and medicines policy implications for Australia and our region: ways to approach regulatory coherence and transparency; how to benefit multinational and small-medium enterprises; and multilateral investor-state dispute settlement. US-based multinational pharmaceutical companies are lobbying for TPPA provisions like those in the Australia-US Free Trade Agreement, which reduce government cost-effectiveness regulatory control of pharmaceuticals, threatening equitable access to medicines. They also advocate increased TPPA intellectual monopoly privilege protection, which will further limit the development of Australian generic medicine enterprises and restrict patient access to cheap, bioequivalent prescription drugs. Of particular concern is that proposed TPPA multilateral investor-state dispute settlement procedures would allow US corporations (as well as those of other TPPA nations) to obtain damages against Australian governments through international arbitral proceedings if their investments are impeded by Australian public health and environment protection legislation.

Integrative medicine is a future medicine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Samosyuk, I.Z.; Chukhraev, N.V.

2001-01-01

An analysis is given of the modern integrative medicine basis which is the synthesis of: 1. Theology, philosophy and sociology; 2. Physico-mathematical sciences, cybernetics, chemistry and astrology; 3. Medico-biological and clinical experience; 4. Traditional and scientific medicine; 5. Use of traditional and new medical technologies. Problems of 'holistic' medicine which considers Man as a unity of biological, emotional, psychological and social phenomena are exposed. Advantages in combining the drug therapy with modern physiotherapy and physioacupuncture methods seem to be obvious. All visible effects of a disease can de represented in the following forms of changes: information-energy - biochemical - ultrastructure - tissue - clinical diseases. Self-regulation of functional systems has a multilevel structure and needs application of different methods for body recovery. Short-wave irradiation (lasers, magnetotherapy) can be used for energy restoration in functional systems or meridians, and acupuncture plays the role of a 'trigger' which activises the body recovery. Integration of Western and Oriental medicines is the way for achieving the qualitative new level of health protection

Herbal medicine use in pregnancy: results of a multinational study

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-01

Background The use of complementary and alternative medicines (CAM) is growing in the general population. Herbal medicines are used in all countries of the world and are included in the top CAM therapies used. Methods A multinational study on how women treat disease and pregnancy-related health ailments was conducted between October 2011 and February 2012 in Europe, North and South America and Australia. In this study, the primary aim was to determine the prevalence of herbal medicine use in pregnancy and factors related to such use across participating countries and regions. The secondary aim was to investigate who recommended the use of herbal medication in pregnancy. Results There were 9,459 women from 23 countries participating in the study. Of these, 28.9% reported the use of herbal medicines in pregnancy. Most herbal medicines were used for pregnancy-related health ailments such as cold and nausea. Ginger, cranberry, valerian and raspberry were the most commonly used herbs in pregnancy. The highest reported rate of herbal use medicines was in Russia (69%). Women from Eastern Europe (51.8%) and Australia (43.8%) were twice as likely to use an herbal medicine versus other regions. Women using herbal medicines were characteristically having their first child, non-smokers, using folic acid and consuming some alcohol in pregnancy. Also, women who were currently students and women with an education other than a high school degree were more likely to use herbal medicines than other women. Although 1 out of 5 women stated that a physician had recommended the herbal use, most women used herbal medicine in pregnancy on their own initiative. Conclusions In this multinational study herbal medicine use in pregnancy was high although there were distinct differences in the herbs and users of herbal medicines across regions. Most commonly the women self-medicated with herbal medicine to treat pregnancy-related health ailments. More knowledge regarding the efficacy and safety

US spending on complementary and alternative medicine during 2002-08 plateaued, suggesting role in reformed health system.

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Davis, Matthew A; Martin, Brook I; Coulter, Ian D; Weeks, William B

2013-01-01

Complementary and alternative medicine services in the United States are an approximately $9 billion market each year, equal to 3 percent of national ambulatory health care expenditures. Unlike conventional allopathic health care, complementary and alternative medicine is primarily paid for out of pocket, although some services are covered by most health insurance. Examining trends in demand for complementary and alternative medicine services in the United States reported in the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey during 2002-08, we found that use of and spending on these services, previously on the rise, have largely plateaued. The higher proportion of out-of-pocket responsibility for payment for services may explain the lack of growth. Our findings suggest that any attempt to reduce national health care spending by eliminating coverage for complementary and alternative medicine would have little impact at best. Should some forms of complementary and alternative medicine-for example, chiropractic care for back pain-be proven more efficient than allopathic and specialty medicine, the inclusion of complementary and alternative medicine providers in new delivery systems such as accountable care organizations could help slow growth in national health care spending.

Folk Medicine

Science.gov (United States)

... lead’s effects on health. How to tell if herbal medicines or folk medicines contain lead You only can ... as high as 90%. Ghasard, an Indian folk medicine, has also been found to contain lead. It is a brown powder used as a tonic. Ba-baw-san is a Chinese herbal remedy that contains lead. It is used to ...

[Holistic integrative medicine: the road to the future of the development of burn medicine].

Science.gov (United States)

Fan, D M

2017-01-20

Holistic integrative medicine is the road to the future of the development of burn medicine. Not only burn medicine, but also human medicine gradually enters the era of holistic integrative medicine. Holistic integrative medicine is different from translational medicine, evidence-based medicine or precision medicine, which integrates the most advanced knowledge and theories in medicine fields with the most effective practices and experiences in clinical specialties to form a new medical system.

Different perceptions of narrative medicine between Western and Chinese medicine students.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Chien-Da; Liao, Kuo-Chen; Chung, Fu-Tsai; Tseng, Hsu-Min; Fang, Ji-Tseng; Lii, Shu-Chung; Kuo, Han-Pin; Yeh, San-Jou; Lee, Shih-Tseng

2017-05-10

Western medicine is an evidence-based science, whereas Chinese medicine is more of a healing art. To date, there has been no research that has examined whether students of Western and Chinese medicine differentially engage in, or benefit from, educational activities for narrative medicine. This study fills a gap in current literature with the aim of evaluating and comparing Western and Chinese Medicine students' perceptions of narrative medicine as an approach to learning empathy and professionalism. An initial 10-item questionnaire with a 5-point Likert scale was developed to assess fifth-year Western medical (MS) and traditional Chinese medical (TCMS) students' perceptions of a 4-activity narrative medicine program during a 13-week internal medicine clerkship. Exploratory factor analysis was undertaken. The response rate was 88.6% (412/465), including 270 (65.5%) MSs and 142 (34.5%) TCMSs, with a large reliability (Cronbach alpha = 0.934). Three factors were extracted from 9 items: personal attitude, self-development/reflection, and emotional benefit, more favorable in terms of enhancement of self-development/reflection. The perceptions of narrative medicine by scores between the two groups were significantly higher in TCMSs than MSs in all 9-item questionnaire and 3 extracted factors. Given the different learning cultures of medical education in which these student groups engage, this suggests that undertaking a course in Chinese medicine might enhance one's acceptance to, and benefit from, a medical humanities course. Alternatively, Chinese medicine programmes might attract more humanities-focused students.

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

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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

How medical schools can encourage students' interest in family medicine.

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Rohan-Minjares, Felisha; Alfero, Charles; Kaufman, Arthur

2015-05-01

The discipline of family medicine is essential to improving quality and reducing the cost of care in an effective health care system. Yet the slow growth of this field has not kept pace with national demand. In their study, Rodríguez and colleagues report on the influence of the social environment and academic discourses on medical students' identification with family medicine in four countries-the United Kingdom, Canada, France, and Spain. They conclude that these factors-the social environment and discursive activity within the medical school-influence students' specialty choices. While the discourses in Canada, France, and Spain were mostly negative, in the United Kingdom, family medicine was considered a prestigious academic discipline, well paying, and with a wide range of practice opportunities. Medical students in the United Kingdom also were exposed early and often to positive family medicine role models.In the United States, academic discourses about family medicine are more akin to those in Canada, France, and Spain. The hidden curriculum includes negative messages about family medicine, and "badmouthing" primary care occurs at many medical schools. National education initiatives highlight the importance of social determinants in medical education and the integration of public health and medicine in practice. Other initiatives expose students to family medicine role models and practice during their undergraduate training and promote primary care practice through new graduate medical education funding models. Together, these initiatives can reduce the negative effects of the social environment and create a more positive discourse about family medicine.

Transition to international classification of disease version 10, clinical modification: the impact on internal medicine and internal medicine subspecialties.

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Caskey, Rachel N; Abutahoun, Angelos; Polick, Anne; Barnes, Michelle; Srivastava, Pavan; Boyd, Andrew D

2018-05-04

The US health care system uses diagnostic codes for billing and reimbursement as well as quality assessment and measuring clinical outcomes. The US transitioned to the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-10-CM) on October, 2015. Little is known about the impact of ICD-10-CM on internal medicine and medicine subspecialists. We used a state-wide data set from Illinois Medicaid specified for Internal Medicine providers and subspecialists. A total of 3191 ICD-9-CM codes were used for 51,078 patient encounters, for a total cost of US $26,022,022 for all internal medicine. We categorized all of the ICD-9-CM codes based on the complexity of mapping to ICD-10-CM as codes with complex mapping could result in billing or administrative errors during the transition. Codes found to have complex mapping and frequently used codes (n = 295) were analyzed for clinical accuracy of mapping to ICD-10-CM. Each subspecialty was analyzed for complexity of codes used and proportion of reimbursement associated with complex codes. Twenty-five percent of internal medicine codes have convoluted mapping to ICD-10-CM, which represent 22% of Illinois Medicaid patients, and 30% of reimbursements. Rheumatology and Endocrinology had the greatest proportion of visits and reimbursement associated with complex codes. We found 14.5% of ICD-9-CM codes used by internists, when mapped to ICD-10-CM, resulted in potential clinical inaccuracies. We identified that 43% of diagnostic codes evaluated and used by internists and that account for 14% of internal medicine reimbursements are associated with codes which could result in administrative errors.

Setting the agenda in emergency medicine in the southern African region: Conference assumptions and recommendations, Emergency Medicine Conference 2014: Gaborone, Botswana

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Lloyd D. Christopher

2014-09-01

Full Text Available The first international emergency medicine (EM conference in Botswana was held on 15th and 16th May 2014 at the Gaborone International Convention Centre. The support from key stakeholders positioned the conference, from its conception, to deliver expert guidance on emergency medicine relevance, education and systems implementation. The conference theme was aptly: “Setting the Agenda in Emergency Medicine in the Southern African Region.” Over 300 local, regional and international delegates convened to participate in this landmark event. Country representation included Botswana, South Africa, Zambia, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Swaziland, Lesotho, Nigeria and the United States of America. Conference assumptions intersected emergency care, African burden of injury and illness and the role of the state; the public protection ethic of emergency care, and the developmental, economic and health interest in promoting EM. The recommendations addressed emergency care relevance; health systems research as an imperative for emergency systems development in southern Africa; community agency as a requisite for emergency care resilience; emergency care workers as pivotal to the emergency medical system, and support of EM system implementation. The conference recommendations – by way of setting an agenda, augur well for emergency care development and implementation in the southern African region and are likely to prove useful to the southern African countries seeking to address health service quality, EM advocacy support and implementation guidance. Emergency medicine is the only discipline with ‘universality’ and ‘responsivity’ at the point of need. This implies the widespread potential for facilitation of access to health care: a public health goal nuanced by the African development agenda.

Cancer 2015: a longitudinal whole-of-system study of genomic cancer medicine.

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Thomas, David M; Fox, Stephen; Lorgelly, Paula K; Ashley, David; Richardson, Gary; Lipton, Lara; Parisot, John P; Lucas, Mark; McNeil, John; Wright, Michael

2015-12-01

Genomic cancer medicine promises revolutionary change in oncology. The impacts of 'personalized medicine', based upon a molecular classification of cancer and linked to targeted therapies, will extend from individual patient outcomes to the health economy at large. To address the 'whole-of-system' impact of genomic cancer medicine, we have established a prospective cohort of patients with newly diagnosed cancer in the state of Victoria, Australia, about whom we have collected a broad range of clinical, demographic, molecular, and patient-reported data, as well as data on health resource utilization. Our goal is to create a model for investigating public investment in genomic medicine that maximizes the cost:benefit ratio for the Australian community at large. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Traditional and Complementary Medicine in Brazil: inclusion in the Brazilian Unified National Health System and integration with primary care].

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Sousa, Islandia Maria Carvalho de; Tesser, Charles Dalcanale

2017-01-23

This study aimed to analyze the inclusion of Traditional and Complementary Medicine in Brazilian Unified National Health System (SUS) and its integration with primary healthcare (PHC). A qualitative study drew on institutional data, indexed articles, and case studies in selected Brazilian cities: Campinas (São Paulo State), Florianópolis (Santa Catarina State), Recife (Pernambuco State), Rio de Janeiro, and São Paulo. The analysis adopted the perspective of inclusion of Traditional and Complementary Medicine in the healthcare network and its integration with primary healthcare, based on the following dimensions: presence of Traditional and Complementary Medicine on the municipal agenda; position in the services; mode of access to Traditional and Complementary Medicine; Traditional and Complementary Medicine practitioners; types of practices; demand profile; and potential for expansion in the SUS. The authors identified and characterized four types of inclusion and integration of Traditional and Complementary Medicine, whether in association or not: Type 1 - in primary healthcare via professionals from the family health teams - Integrated; Type 2 - in primary healthcare via professionals with full-time employment - Juxtaposed; Type 3 - in primary healthcare via matrix-organized teams - Matrix Organization; Type 4 - in specialized services - Without Integration. The combination of types 1 and 3 was considered a potential guideline for the expansion of Traditional and Complementary Medicine in the SUS and can orient the growth and integration of Traditional and Complementary Medicine with primary healthcare. The growing presence of Traditional and Complementary Medicine in the SUS requires conceiving its strategic expansion, while existing experiences should not be wasted.

Text messaging versus email for emergency medicine residents’ knowledge retention: a pilot comparison in the United States

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Wirachin Hoonpongsimanont

2016-10-01

Full Text Available We evaluated the effectiveness of text messaging versus email, as a delivery method to enhance knowledge retention of emergency medicine (EM content in EM residents. We performed a multi-centered, prospective, randomized study consisting of postgraduate year (PGY 1 to PGY 3 & 4 residents in three United States EM residency programs in 2014. Fifty eight residents were randomized into one delivery group: text message or email. Participants completed a 40 question pre- and post-intervention exam. Primary outcomes were the means of pre- and post-intervention exam score differences. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, paired t-test, and multiple linear regressions. No significant difference was found between the primary outcomes of the two groups (P=0.51. PGY 2 status had a significant negative effect (P=0.01 on predicted exam score difference. Neither delivery method enhanced resident knowledge retention. Further research on implementation of mobile technology in residency education is required.

Text messaging versus email for emergency medicine residents' knowledge retention: a pilot comparison in the United States.

Science.gov (United States)

Hoonpongsimanont, Wirachin; Kulkarni, Miriam; Tomas-Domingo, Pedro; Anderson, Craig; McCormack, Denise; Tu, Khoa; Chakravarthy, Bharath; Lotfipour, Shahram

2016-01-01

We evaluated the effectiveness of text messaging versus email, as a delivery method to enhance knowledge retention of emergency medicine (EM) content in EM residents. We performed a multi-centered, prospective, randomized study consisting of postgraduate year (PGY) 1 to PGY 3 & 4 residents in three United States EM residency programs in 2014. Fifty eight residents were randomized into one delivery group: text message or email. Participants completed a 40 question pre- and post-intervention exam. Primary outcomes were the means of pre- and post-intervention exam score differences. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, paired t-test, and multiple linear regressions. No significant difference was found between the primary outcomes of the two groups (P=0.51). PGY 2 status had a significant negative effect (P=0.01) on predicted exam score difference. Neither delivery method enhanced resident knowledge retention. Further research on implementation of mobile technology in residency education is required.

Children's (Pediatric) Nuclear Medicine

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... Professions Site Index A-Z Children's (Pediatric) Nuclear Medicine Children’s (pediatric) nuclear medicine imaging uses small amounts ... Children's Nuclear Medicine? What is Children's (Pediatric) Nuclear Medicine? Nuclear medicine is a branch of medical imaging ...

Traditional, complementary, and alternative medicine: Focusing on research into traditional Tibetan medicine in China.

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Peipei; Xia, Jufeng; Rezeng, Caidan; Tong, Li; Tang, Wei

2016-07-19

As a form of traditional, complementary, and alternative medicine (TCAM), traditional Tibetan medicine has developed into a mainstay of medical care in Tibet and has spread from there to China and then to the rest of the world. Thus far, research on traditional Tibetan medicine has focused on the study of the plant and animal sources of traditional medicines, study of the histology of those plants and animals, chemical analysis of traditional medicines, pharmacological study of those medicines, and evaluation of the clinical efficacy of those medicines. A number of papers on traditional Tibetan medicines have been published, providing some evidence of the efficacy of traditional Tibetan medicine. However, many traditional Tibetan medicines have unknown active ingredients, hampering the establishment of drug quality standards, the development of new medicines, commercial production of medicines, and market availability of those medicines. Traditional Tibetan medicine must take several steps to modernize and spread to the rest of the world: the pharmacodynamics of traditional Tibetan medicines need to be determined, the clinical efficacy of those medicines needs to be verified, criteria to evaluate the efficacy of those medicines need to be established in order to guide their clinical use, and efficacious medicines need to be acknowledged by the pharmaceutical market. The components of traditional Tibetan medicine should be studied, traditional Tibetan medicines should be screened for their active ingredients, and techniques should be devised to prepare and manufacture those medicines.

Teaching evidence based medicine in family medicine

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Davorka Vrdoljak

2012-05-01

Full Text Available The concept of evidence based medicine (EBM as the integrationof clinical expertise, patient values and the best evidence was introduced by David Sackett in the 1980’s. Scientific literature in medicine is often marked by expansion, acummulation and quick expiration. Reading all important articles to keep in touch with relevant information is impossible. Finding the best evidence that answers a clinical question in general practice (GP in a short time is not easy. Five useful steps are described –represented by the acronym “5A+E”: assess, ask, acquire, appraise, apply and evaluate.The habit of conducting an evidence search “on the spot’’ is proposed. Although students of medicine at University of Split School of Medicine are taught EBM from the first day of their study and in all courses, their experience of evidence-searching and critical appraisal of the evidence, in real time with real patient is inadequate. Teaching the final-year students the practical use of EBM in a GP’s office is different and can have an important role in their professional development. It can positively impact on quality of their future work in family practice (or some other medical specialty by acquiring this habit of constant evidence-checking to ensure that best practice becomes a mechanism for life-long learning. Conclusion. EBM is a foundation stone of every branch of medicine and important part of Family Medicine as scientific and professional discipline. To have an EB answer resulting from GP’s everyday work is becoming a part of everyday practice.

Discrepancies in the female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgeon workforce.

Science.gov (United States)

Muffly, Tyler M; Weterings, Robbie; Barber, Mathew D; Steinberg, Adam C

2015-01-01

It is unclear whether the current distribution of surgeons practicing female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery in the United States is adequate to meet the needs of a growing and aging population. We assessed the geographic distribution of female pelvic surgeons as represented by members of the American Urogynecologic Society (AUGS) throughout the United States at the county, state, and American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists district levels. County-level data from the AUGS, American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and the United States Census were analyzed in this observational study. State and national patterns of female pelvic surgeon density were mapped graphically using ArcGIS software and 2010 US Census demographic data. In 2013, the 1058 AUGS practicing physicians represented 0.13% of the total physician workforce. There were 6.7 AUGS members available for every 1 million women and 20 AUGS members for every 1 million postreproductive-aged women in the United States. The density of female pelvic surgeons was highest in metropolitan areas. Overall, 88% of the counties in the United States lacked female pelvic surgeons. Nationwide, there was a mean of 1 AUGS member for every 31 practicing general obstetrician-gynecologists. These findings have implications for training, recruiting, and retaining female pelvic surgeons. The uneven distribution of female pelvic surgeons throughout the United States is likely to worsen as graduating female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery fellows continue to cluster in urban areas.

Patent Medicine VendorsAND#8217; Clients: Medicine Use Behaviour

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Asa Auta

2012-12-01

Full Text Available AIM: To investigate some medicine use behaviour of Patent Medicine Vendors’ (PMVs clients including self medication practice and medication sharing behaviour. METHOD: A descriptive, cross-sectional survey was conducted in July 2011, on 361 undergraduate students of the University of Jos, Nigeria who visited PMVs within a month preceding the study. A pretested questionnaire was administered to participating students. Participants responded to questions on demography, and medicine use behaviour. Data were entered into the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS version 16 to generate descriptive statistics which were represented in percentages. RESULTS: The results showed that majority of the respondents (91.7% visited the PMVs for self-medication with the common classes of medicines procured by PMVs clients including analgesics (38.4%, antimalarials (22.2% and nutrition/blood preparations (14.1%. About 78.5% of the medicines sold to PMVs clients were in their original package and only 45.9% of clients reported checking the expiry date of their procured medicine prior to use. Medication sharing behaviour was common (60.2% among respondents. Although most respondents (70.2% said they had read a medicine information leaflet in the past, majority of them depended on unreliable sources such as friends/relatives (23.2%, media (10.8% and the internet (9.9% for medicine information. CONCLUSION: The study therefore demonstrated that PMV clients are those on self-medication practices and medication sharing behaviour is high among them. [TAF Prev Med Bull 2012; 11(6.000: 681-686

Children's (Pediatric) Nuclear Medicine

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Full Text Available ... Professions Site Index A-Z Children's (Pediatric) Nuclear Medicine Children’s (pediatric) nuclear medicine imaging uses small amounts ... Children's Nuclear Medicine? What is Children's (Pediatric) Nuclear Medicine? Nuclear medicine is a branch of medical imaging ...

Children's (Pediatric) Nuclear Medicine

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Full Text Available ... Physician Resources Professions Site Index A-Z Children's (Pediatric) Nuclear Medicine Children’s (pediatric) nuclear medicine imaging uses ... limitations of Children's Nuclear Medicine? What is Children's (Pediatric) Nuclear Medicine? Nuclear medicine is a branch of ...

Children's (Pediatric) Nuclear Medicine

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Full Text Available ... News Physician Resources Professions Site Index A-Z Children's (Pediatric) Nuclear Medicine Children’s (pediatric) nuclear medicine imaging ... the limitations of Children's Nuclear Medicine? What is Children's (Pediatric) Nuclear Medicine? Nuclear medicine is a branch ...

Children's (Pediatric) Nuclear Medicine

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Full Text Available ... Resources Professions Site Index A-Z Children's (Pediatric) Nuclear Medicine Children’s (pediatric) nuclear medicine imaging uses small ... of Children's Nuclear Medicine? What is Children's (Pediatric) Nuclear Medicine? Nuclear medicine is a branch of medical ...

[The role of German official medicines control laboratories in combating counterfeit medicines].

Science.gov (United States)

Wiegard, Andrea; Heuermann, Matthias

2017-11-01

An official medicines control laboratory (OMCL) provides an important contribution to combat counterfeit and illegal medicines. The OMCL supports the competent authorities in controlling the quality of authorised medicinal products in the legal supply chain. For detecting counterfeit medicines in the legal supply chain, a risk-based approach in choice of products is conducted. Furthermore, the OMCL analyses suspicious medicines from the illegal supply chain for any other authority. The chemical analysis of a suspicious sample is needed to identify such a sample as a counterfeit medicine. The analytical results are fundamental for the evaluation of the legal status of the product and for the assessment of it's inherent hazard to public health. The global market of illegal medicines is rapidly changing. Therefore a good national and international working liaison and co-operation between laboratories and authorities is obligatory to protect public health. The OMCL provides important knowledge of new trends in counterfeit and illegal medicines. Hence, it is an essential part in surveillance of medicinal products. The efficient networking enables prompt official interventions. Thus, risks for the public health by substandard medicines were reduced. Beside the chemical analysis, the OMCL can help to raise public awareness about counterfeit and illegal medicines. In Germany, the risk of counterfeit medicines reaching patients through the legal supply chain is still low, but the possibility cannot be ignored.

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...

What rheumatologists in the United States think of complementary and alternative medicine: results of a national survey

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Curlin Farr A

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background We aimed to describe prevailing attitudes and practices of rheumatologists in the United States toward complementary and alternative medicine (CAM treatments. We wanted to determine whether rheumatologists' perceptions of the efficacy of CAM therapies and their willingness to recommend them relate to their demographic characteristics, geographic location, or clinical practices. Methods A National Institutes of Health-sponsored cross-sectional survey of internists and rheumatologists was conducted regarding CAM for treatment of chronic back pain or joint pain. In this study we analyzed responses only from rheumatologists. Response items included participant characteristics and experience with 6 common CAM categories, as defined by the National Institutes of Health. Descriptive statistics were used to describe attitudes to CAM overall and to each CAM category. Composite responses were devised for respondents designating 4 or more of the 6 CAM therapies as "very" or "moderately" beneficial or "very likely" or "somewhat likely" to recommend. Results Of 600 rheumatologists who were sent the questionnaire, 345 responded (58%; 80 (23% were women. Body work had the highest perceived benefit, with 70% of respondents indicating benefit. Acupuncture was perceived as beneficial by 54%. Most were willing to recommend most forms of CAM. Women had significantly higher composite benefit and recommend responses than men. Rheumatologists not born in North America were more likely to perceive benefit of select CAM therapies. Conclusions In this national survey of rheumatologists practicing in the United States, we found widespread favorable opinion toward many, but not all, types of CAM. Further research is required to determine to what extent CAM can or should be integrated into the practice of rheumatology in the United States.

First principles for financial modeling in medicine.

Science.gov (United States)

Lexa, Frank James; Berlin, Jonathan W

2005-03-01

This article provides an overview of some of the core issues in business for physicians and is intended as an introduction. No prior understanding of business processes, finance, or accounting will be assumed or expected. The impetus for this work is the changing nature of medical practice in the United States in the past 20 years. Organizational changes and financial pressures challenge those of us in medicine as never before. For the vast majority of physicians, these realms are outside the scope of our traditional training and expertise. This article will provide an introduction to understanding these issues, starting with misconceptions about the overlap between medicine and finance. We will then introduce core concepts of cash vs. revenue, risk and uncertainty, and basic financial modeling.

Biotechnology Computing: Information Science for the Era of Molecular Medicine.

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Masys, Daniel R.

1989-01-01

The evolution from classical genetics to biotechnology, an area of research involving key macromolecules in living cells, is chronicled and the current state of biotechnology is described, noting related advances in computing and clinical medicine. (MSE)

Is laboratory medicine ready for the era of personalized medicine?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Malentacchi, Francesca; Mancini, Irene; Brandslund, Ivan

2015-01-01

Society of Pharmacogenomics and Personalised Therapy (ESPT). The answers of the participating laboratory medicine professionals indicate that they are aware that personalized medicine can represent a new and promising health model, and that laboratory medicine should play a key role in supporting...

Comparison of Patient Health History Questionnaires Used in General Internal and Family Medicine, Integrative Medicine, and Complementary and Alternative Medicine Clinics.

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Laube, Justin G R; Shapiro, Martin F

2017-05-01

Health history questionnaires (HHQs) are a set of self-administered questions completed by patients prior to a clinical encounter. Despite widespread use, minimal research has evaluated the content of HHQs used in general internal medicine and family medicine (GIM/FM), integrative medicine, and complementary and alternative medicine (CAM; chiropractic, naturopathic, and Traditional Chinese Medicine [TCM]) clinics. Integrative medicine and CAM claim greater emphasis on well-being than does GIM/FM. This study investigated whether integrative medicine and CAM clinics' HHQs include more well-being content and otherwise differ from GIM/FM HHQs. HHQs were obtained from GIM/FM (n = 9), integrative medicine (n = 11), naturopathic medicine (n = 5), chiropractic (n = 4), and TCM (n = 7) clinics in California. HHQs were coded for presence of medical history (chief complaint, past medical history, social history, family history, surgeries, hospitalizations, medications, allergies, review of systems), health maintenance procedures (immunization, screenings), and well-being components (nutrition, exercise, stress, sleep, spirituality). In HHQs of GIM/FM clinics, the average number of well-being components was 1.4 (standard deviation [SD], 1.4) compared with 4.0 (SD, 1.1) for integrative medicine (p medicine (p = 0.04), 2.0 (SD, 1.4) for chiropractic (p = 0.54), and 2.0 (SD, 1.5) for TCM (p = 0.47). In HHQs of GIM/FM clinics, the average number of medical history components was 6.4 (SD, 1.9) compared with 8.3 (SD, 1.2) for integrative medicine (p = 0.01), 9.0 (SD, 0) for naturopathic medicine (p = 0.01), 7.1 (SD, 2.8) for chiropractic (p = 0.58), and 7.1 (SD, 1.7) for TCM (p = 0.41). Integrative and naturopathic medicine HHQs included significantly more well-being and medical history components than did GIM/FM HHQs. Further investigation is warranted to determine the optimal HHQ content to support the clinical and preventive

[Internet in medicine--development and perspectives].

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Dezelić, Gjuro

2002-01-01

Internet is one of information technologies marking the transition from the second to the third millennium. The present role and expansion of Internet in medicine and healthcare is reviewed together with the perspective of further development. The beginning and initial expansion of the use of Internet in medicine are described. The World Wide Web (WWW or Web) is recognized as a major reason for this expansion, reaching a state described as a Web-pandemic. The rapid increase of the number of papers dealing with Internet in medical literature is presented as well as the appearance of several journals dedicated to Internet in medicine. First specialized symposia, among them MEDNET world conferences, are noted. First uses of Internet in medicine comprised databases, discussion groups, electronic newsletters, software archives and online public access catalogues. The appearance of the Web has led to a significant improvement of the Internet use in medicine, which is reflected in an exponential increase in the number of publications. It is noted that Internet allows "to do old things in new ways", but also "to do new things". It has become clear that the information revolution evoked by the internet shall leave a deep trace in medicine, as health information has become accessible to the public and ceased to be in exclusive control of health professionals. New medical fields--telemedicine and cybermedicine--appeared as the result of the development and global expansion of information and communication technologies, with cybermedicine dealing more specifically with the use of Internet. The advantages and disadvantages of cybermedicine are discussed, and major problems related to the quality of health information are highlighted. Several systems for quality criteria of health related Web-sites are described, indicating that Websites have to conform with the quality criteria such as transparency and honesty, accountability, privacy and data protection, currency

Medicinal animals: knowledge and use among riverine populations from the Negro River, Amazonas, Brazil

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Andréa Leme da Silva

2008-12-01

Full Text Available The article documents the use of animals in the home medicine among riverine populations from the Negro River, State of Amazonas, Brazil. Data were collected through interviews and observations concerning to the knowledge and everyday practices of the use of medicinal animals. About 60 animal species are known with medicinal purposes. The knowledge is well distributed between sexes (men and women and localities (urban and rural. The use of medicinal animals is embedded in etiological concepts and involves a complex cosmological vision of the cure process. The rural exodus and the facilitated access to the western medicine may be promoting the loss of the traditional knowledge, which can be mitigated through the valorization and transmission of this knowledge to the future generations.

Medicine safety and children

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... it is candy. What to Do If Your Child Takes Medicine If you think your child has taken medicine, call the poison control center ... blood pressure monitored. Preventing Medicine Mistakes When giving medicine to your young child, follow these safety tips: Use medicine made only ...

History of geriatric medicine: from Hippocrates to Marjory Warren.

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Ritch, A

2012-01-01

It is widely assumed that geriatric medicine was an invention of the twentieth century. However, from the time of Hippocrates, there has been interest in the prolongation of the lifespan, the maintenance of health in old age and agerelated disease patterns. The debate about whether old age was a natural phenomenon or a disease state was not resolved until the nineteenth century. Calls for medicine relating to old age to be recognised as a discrete entity at the time when medical specialisation was developing were disregarded until the second half of the twentieth century. This review discusses the history of the theories of ageing and of disease and the practice of medicine for older people from the classical period up to Marjory Warren's initiative in London in 1935 and the development of geriatrics as a medical specialty.

The Medicine and GERD of Immanuel Kant (1724-1804).

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Figueiredo Filho, Gilberto Vilela

2009-01-01

We can place Kant as one of the pillars of contemporary medicine. Firstly, as an Illuminist, his work subordinates the collection of empirical data, which in medical science is constitutional to reason. This was the basis of a rational medical science. Secondly, he is the father of medical regulation, having set the philosophical control ground stone for physicians by the State. His work "Critique of Practical Reason" drafts all the future codes of ethics and bioethics. We will hereby study his relationship with medicine based on the text "The Conflict with the Faculty of Medicine" and other auxiliary texts.We can find in Kant's works the description of a series of symptoms that were related to a nonspecific dyspeptic syndrome that nowadays would be diagnosed as a strong indication that he suffered from gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

Essential travel medicine

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Zuckerman, Jane N; Leggat, Peter

2015-01-01

This 1st edition of Essential Travel Medicine provides an excellent concise introduction to the specialty of Travel Medicine. This core text will enable health care practitioners particularly those new to the clinical practice of Travel Medicine, to gain a fundamental understanding of the diverse and complex issues which can potentially affect the health of the many millions of people who undertake international travel. Jane N Zuckerman is joined by Gary W Brunette from CDC and Peter A Leggat from Australia as Editors. Leading international specialists in their fields have contributed authoritative chapters reflecting current knowledge to facilitate best clinical practice in the different aspects of travel medicine. The aim of Essential Travel Medicine is to provide a comprehensive guide to Travel Medicine as well as a fundamental knowledge base to support international undergraduate and postgraduate specialty training programmes in the discipline of Travel Medicine. The 1st edition of Essential Travel ...

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...

Assessing interpersonal and communication skills in emergency medicine.

Science.gov (United States)

Chan, Teresa M; Wallner, Clare; Swoboda, Thomas K; Leone, Katrina A; Kessler, Chad

2012-12-01

Interpersonal and communication skills (ICS) are a key component of several competency-based schemata and key competency in the set of six Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) core competencies. With the shift toward a competency-based educational framework, the importance of robust learner assessment becomes paramount. The journal Academic Emergency Medicine (AEM) hosted a consensus conference to discuss education research in emergency medicine (EM). This article summarizes the initial preparatory research that was conducted to brief consensus conference attendees and reports the results of the consensus conference breakout session as it pertains to ICS assessment of learners. The goals of this consensus conference session were to twofold: 1) to determine the state of assessment of observable learner performance and 2) to determine a research agenda within the ICS field for medical educators. The working group identified six key recommendations for medical educators and researchers. © 2012 by the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine.

Redispensing of medicines unused by patients: a qualitative study among stakeholders.

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Bekker, Charlotte L; Gardarsdottir, Helga; Egberts, Toine C G; Bouvy, Marcel L; van den Bemt, Bart J F

2017-02-01

Background Medication waste has undesirable economic and environmental consequences. This waste is partly unavoidable, but might be reduced by redispensing medicines unused by patients. However, there is little knowledge of stakeholders' views on the redispensing. Objective To identify the stakeholders' views on the redispensing of medicines unused by patients. Setting Dutch healthcare system. Method Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 19 Dutch stakeholders from September 2014 until April 2015. The interview guide included two themes: medication waste and redispensing of unused medicines. The latter included qualitative-, legal- and financial aspects and stakeholder involvement, with specific attention to the patient. Interview transcripts were subjected to thematic content analysis. Main outcome measure Requirements related to the redispensing of unused medicines. Results All stakeholders considered the redispensing of medicines desirable if the implementation is feasible and the requirements for the safe redispensing are met. All of them pointed out that the product quality of redispensed medicines should be guaranteed and that it should be clear who is responsible for the quality of redispensed medicines. The stakeholders stated that transparent communication to patients is essential to guarantee trust in the redispensing system and that patients should be willing to use redispensed medicines. Moreover, the redispensing system's benefits should outweigh the costs and a minimal economic value of medicines suitable for redispensing should be determined. Conclusion Redispensing unused medicines could decrease medication waste if several requirements are met. For successful implementation of a redispensing system, all relevant stakeholders should be involved and cooperate as a joint-force.

Development of a novel sports medicine rotation for emergency medicine residents

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Waterbrook AL

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Anna L Waterbrook,1 T Gail Pritchard,2 Allison D Lane,1 Lisa R Stoneking,1 Bryna Koch,2 Robert McAtee,1 Kristi H Grall,1 Alice A Min,1 Jessica Prior,1 Isaac Farrell,1 Holly G McNulty,1 Uwe Stolz1 1Department of Emergency Medicine, 2Office of Medical Student Education, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA Abstract: 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

[Personalized medicine, privatized medicine? legal and public health stakes].

Science.gov (United States)

Rial-Sebbag, Emmanuelle

2014-11-01

Personalized medicine is booming. It tends to provide a medical management "tailored" for groups of patients, or for one unique patient, but also to identify risk groups to develop public health strategies. In this context, some radicalization phenomenon can emerge, leading to not only personalized medicine but also privatized medicine, which can lead to a capture of the medical public resource. If the "privatization" of medicine is not limited to producing adverse effects, several potentially destabilizing phenomena for patients still remain. First, some objective factors, like the adjustment of scientific prerequisites, are emerging from personalized medicine practices (clinical trial, public health policy) and are interfering with the medical doctor/patient relationship. Another risk emerges for patients concomitantly to their demand for controlling their own health, in terms of patients' security although these risks are not clearly identified and not effectively communicated. These practices, related to a privatized medicine, develop within the healthcare system but also outside, and the government and legislators will have to take into account these new dimensions in drafting their future regulations and policies. © 2014 médecine/sciences – Inserm.

Systems biology technologies enable personalized traditional Chinese medicine: a systematic review.

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Wang, Xijun; Zhang, Aihua; Sun, Hui; Wang, Ping

2012-01-01

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), an alternative medicine, focuses on the treatment of human disease via the integrity of the close relationship between body and syndrome analysis. It remains a form of primary care in most Asian countries and its characteristics showcase the great advantages of personalized medicine. Although this approach to disease diagnosis, prognosis and treatment has served the medical establishment well for thousands of years, it has serious shortcomings in the era of modern medicine that stem from its reliance on reductionist principles of experimentation and analysis. In this way, systems biology offers the potential to personalize medicine, facilitating the provision of the right care to the right patient at the right time. We expect that systems biology will have a major impact on future personalized therapeutic approaches which herald the future of medicine. Here we summarize current trends and critically review the potential limitations and future prospects of such treatments. Some characteristic examples are presented to highlight the application of this groundbreaking platform to personalized TCM as well as some of the necessary milestones for moving systems biology of a state-of-the-art nature into mainstream health care.

Prescriptions of traditional Chinese medicine, western medicine, and integrated Chinese-Western medicine for allergic rhinitis under the National Health Insurance in Taiwan.

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Huang, Sheng-Kang; Ho, Yu-Ling; Chang, Yuan-Shiun

2015-09-15

Allergic rhinitis has long been a worldwide health problem with a global growth trend. The use of traditional Chinese medicines alone or integrated Chinese-Western medicines for its treatment is quite common in Taiwan. Respiratory diseases account for the majority of outpatient traditional Chinese medicine treatment, while allergic rhinitis accounts for the majority of respiratory diseases. We hereby conduct a comparative analysis between traditional Chinese medicine treatments and western medicine treatments for allergic rhinitis in Taiwan. The results of the analysis on the prescription difference of traditional Chinese medicine and western medicine treatments would be helpful to clinical guide and health policy decision making of ethnopharmacological therapy. Patients diagnosed as allergic rhinitis with diagnostic code 470-478 (ICD-9-CM) were selected as subjects from 2009-2010 National Health Insurance Research Database based on the claim data from the nationwide National Health Insurance in Taiwan. This retrospective study used Chi-Square test to test the effects of gender and age on visit of traditional Chinese medicine, western medicine, and integrated Chinese-Western medicine treatments. A total of 45,804 patients diagnosed as allergic rhinitis with ICD-9-CM 470-478 were identified from 2009-2010 NHIRD. There were 36,874 subjects for western medicine treatment alone, 5829 subjects for traditional Chinese medicine treatment alone, and 3101 subjects for integrated Chinese-Western medicine treatment. Female patients were more than male in three treatments. 0-9 years children had the highest visit frequency in western medicine and integrated Chinese-Western medicine groups, while 10-19 years young-age rank the highest in traditional Chinese medicine group. The Chi-square test of independence showed that the effects of gender and age on visit of three treatments were significant. The prescription drugs of western medicine treatment alone were almost for

Buddhism, science, and market: The globalisation of Tibetan medicine.

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Janes, Craig R

2002-01-01

In this paper I discuss the processes by which Tibetan medicine has become globalised, and the ways in which these have come to determine, constrain, and, ultimately, transform local practices of healing in both Tibet and the West. I examine the degree to which globalisation, in particular international market capitalism, operating in this case through the Chinese state, structures the content of primary medical resources, confers legitimacy to certain technologies, and sets the ground rules by which the healers in charge of deploying such technologies are set into conversation with one another. I also argue that the cultural dimensions of globalisation enter the local context through the multiple-stranded flows of people, images, and ideas, and contribute to redefinitions of identity, suffering, and body praxis among patients/consumers in diverse local contexts. I proceed within two registers of analysis. In the first, I analyse these movements in the context of Tibetan medicine as it has been transformed, practised, and used, in the Tibet Autonomous Region of China. In the second, the analytic lens shifts to a focus on Tibetan medicine as a 'global' alternative medicine in North America and Europe. The focus throughout is on the global-local dialectic: how Tibetan medicine is both produced as global commodity and consumed as 'local' tradition.

Interview with David Tauben: University of Washington, Chief of the Division of Pain Medicine.

Science.gov (United States)

Tauben, David

2017-07-01

Dr Tauben is Clinical Professor jointly appointed in the Departments of Medicine and Anesthesia & Pain Medicine, and is the Hughes M & Katherine G Blake Endowed Professor, board certified in both Internal Medicine and Pain Medicine. He is also University of Washington (UW) Director of Medical Student and Resident Education in Pain Medicine, and Medical Director of UW TelePain, a tele-video-conferencing program intended to provide innovative pain education and consultative support to a five-state northwest regional primary care providers. He served as a member of the NIH National Pain Strategy task force on pain education and is principal investigator for the UW's prestigious NIH Pain Consortium Center of Excellence for Pain Education, leading curriculum development to extend the pain proficiency qualifications of interprofessional primary care providers. Dr Tauben is a member of the American Pain Society and the International Association for the Study of Pain special interest study groups on Pain Education. He is a founding member of the State of Washington Agency Medical Directors panel of medical experts developing opioid prescription guidelines for the state, and a regular clinical and content expert for regulatory and legislative bodies involved in public policy regarding pain medicine practice and standards. He speaks as a clinical expert in medical management of chronic pain, especially as it applies to primary care practices. Dr Tauben served as an expert for several US Centers for Disease Control clinical outreach programs and policy reviews advising primary care providers on how to prescribe opioids for chronic noncancer pain. He is annually recognized by his peers as recipient of regional awards in care of pain patients, and brings decades of clinical experience of best practice medication management of acute and chronic pain. Dr Tauben received his bachelors degree in philosophy from Yale University, medical degree from Tufts University School of

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.

Comparison of Sasang Constitutional Medicine, Traditional Chinese Medicine and Ayurveda

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Jong Yeol; Pham, Duong Duc; Koh, Byung Hee

2011-01-01

Sasang constitutional medicine (SCM), traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and Ayurveda are three different forms of Asian traditional medicine. Although these traditions share a lot in common as holistic medicines, the different philosophical foundations found in each confer distinguishing attributes and unique qualities. SCM is based on a constitution-based approach, and is in this way relatively more similar to the Ayurvedic tradition than to the TCM, although many of the basic SCM theories were originally derived from TCM, a syndrome-based medicine. SCM and TCM use the same botanical materials that are distributed mainly in the East Asian region, but the basic principles of usage and the underlying rationale are completely different from each other. Meanwhile, the principles of the Ayurvedic use of botanical resources are very similar to those seen in SCM, but the medicinal herbs used in Ayurveda generally originate from the West Asian region which displays a different spectrum of flora. PMID:21949669

Comparison of Sasang Constitutional Medicine, Traditional Chinese Medicine and Ayurveda

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jong Yeol Kim

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Sasang constitutional medicine (SCM, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM and Ayurveda are three different forms of Asian traditional medicine. Although these traditions share a lot in common as holistic medicines, the different philosophical foundations found in each confer distinguishing attributes and unique qualities. SCM is based on a constitution-based approach, and is in this way relatively more similar to the Ayurvedic tradition than to the TCM, although many of the basic SCM theories were originally derived from TCM, a syndrome-based medicine. SCM and TCM use the same botanical materials that are distributed mainly in the East Asian region, but the basic principles of usage and the underlying rationale are completely different from each other. Meanwhile, the principles of the Ayurvedic use of botanical resources are very similar to those seen in SCM, but the medicinal herbs used in Ayurveda generally originate from the West Asian region which displays a different spectrum of flora.

Patient assessment of effectiveness and satisfaction with traditional medicine, globalized complementary and alternative medicines, and allopathic medicines for cancer in Pakistan.

Science.gov (United States)

Tovey, Philip; Broom, Alex; Chatwin, John; Hafeez, Muhammad; Ahmad, Salma

2005-09-01

Virtually no research has been conducted on patient assessments of traditional medicines and allopathic medicines for cancer care in poorer countries marked by pluralistic medical environments. Pakistan represents an excellent case for such a study because of the coexistence of culturally and historically specific indigenous traditional medicine, the strong presence of allopathic medicine, and, to a lesser extent, the availability of some globalized complementary and alternative medicines. To gain a preliminary understanding of cancer patients' perceptions of effectiveness and satisfaction with traditional medicine, globalized complementary and alternative medicine, and allopathy in the context of a pluralistic medical environment. Structured survey of 362 cancer patients, from diverse regions in the Punjab province and Northwest Frontier province, who were being treated in 4 different hospitals in Lahore, Pakistan. Use of traditional medicine remains high among cancer patients, with traditional healers used by the majority of those surveyed. Although patients' perceptions of the overall effectiveness of traditional medicines for treating cancer are low, those patients who do use traditional medicines still have high levels of satisfaction with these modalities. This is distinct from levels of satisfaction with, and perceptions of effectiveness of, Western cancer treatments, which were synonymous in this group of patients. Important differences in patient perceptions were found within groups (eg, between different forms of traditional healers) as well as between them. This study showed considerable support for complementary and alternative medicine/traditional medicine but also significant variation in usage of and perceptions of local traditional medicines. More research needs to be done to explore the social processes underlying this variation in cancer patients' preferences for particular traditional medicines.

Integration of Chinese medicine with Western medicine could lead to future medicine: molecular module medicine.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Chi; Zhang, Ge; Chen, Ke-ji; Lu, Ai-ping

2016-04-01

The development of an effective classification method for human health conditions is essential for precise diagnosis and delivery of tailored therapy to individuals. Contemporary classification of disease systems has properties that limit its information content and usability. Chinese medicine pattern classification has been incorporated with disease classification, and this integrated classification method became more precise because of the increased understanding of the molecular mechanisms. However, we are still facing the complexity of diseases and patterns in the classification of health conditions. With continuing advances in omics methodologies and instrumentation, we are proposing a new classification approach: molecular module classification, which is applying molecular modules to classifying human health status. The initiative would be precisely defining the health status, providing accurate diagnoses, optimizing the therapeutics and improving new drug discovery strategy. Therefore, there would be no current disease diagnosis, no disease pattern classification, and in the future, a new medicine based on this classification, molecular module medicine, could redefine health statuses and reshape the clinical practice.

Development of an in vitro laboratory manual for nuclear medicine technology students

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meyers, A.

1989-01-01

This study evaluated existing in vitro education materials in qualitative and quantitative parameters that currently exist to educate potential clinicians of nationally accredited nuclear medicine programs. A review of over 300 articles, texts, and manuals pertaining to in vitro nuclear medicine procedures clearly demonstrated that no in vitro laboratory manual for undergraduate students presently exited. Every nuclear medicine program director in the United States was surveyed. They were asked for their overall philosophy in terms of developing an in vitro manual and requested to evaluate the significant of 22 general principles/concepts and 34 specific laboratory testing procedures. From the response to the survey, an in vitro nuclear medicine manual was created and appended to the study. The manual consists of lecture and study material, chapter reviews, and laboratory assignments and exercises

Porosity and Health: Perspective of Traditional Persian Medicine

Science.gov (United States)

Tafazoli, Vahid; Nimrouzi, Majid; Daneshfard, Babak

2016-01-01

Background: The authors of this manuscript aimed to show the importance of porosity and condensation in health according to traditional Persian medicine (TPM) with consideration of new evidence in conventional medicine. Methods: Cardinal traditional medical and pharmacological texts were searched for the traditional terms of takhalkhol (porosity) and takassof (condensity) focused on preventive methods. The findings were classified and compared with new medical findings. Results: According to traditional Persian medicine, porosity and condensity are the two crucial items that contribute to human health. Somatotype is a taxonomy based on embryonic development, which may be considered in parallel with porosity and condensation. However, these terms are not completely the same. There are many causes for acquired porosity comprising hot weather, too much intercourse, rage, starvation, and heavy exercises. In general, porosity increases the risk of diseases as it makes the body organs vulnerable to external hot and cold weather. On the other hand, the porose organs are more susceptible to accumulation of morbid matters because the cellular wastes cannot be evacuated in the normal way. There are some common points between traditional and conventional medicine in the context of porosity and condensity. The relation between diet and somatotype is an example. Conclusion: Condensity and porosity are the two basic items cited in the TPM resources and contribute to health maintenance and disease prevention of body organs. Creating a balance between these two states in different body organs, strongly contributes to disease prevention, treatment and diminishing chronic diseases period. Choosing proper modality including diet, drug therapy, and manual therapy depends on the amount porosity and stiffness of the considered organ and the preferred porosity of the affected organ keeping in a normal healthy state. PMID:27840513

Medicine in the 21st century: recommended essential geriatrics competencies for internal medicine and family medicine residents.

Science.gov (United States)

Williams, Brent C; Warshaw, Gregg; Fabiny, Anne Rebecca; Lundebjerg Mpa, Nancy; Medina-Walpole, Annette; Sauvigne, Karen; Schwartzberg, Joanne G; Leipzig, Rosanne M

2010-09-01

Physician workforce projections by the Institute of Medicine require enhanced training in geriatrics for all primary care and subspecialty physicians. Defining essential geriatrics competencies for internal medicine and family medicine residents would improve training for primary care and subspecialty physicians. The objectives of this study were to (1) define essential geriatrics competencies common to internal medicine and family medicine residents that build on established national geriatrics competencies for medical students, are feasible within current residency programs, are assessable, and address the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education competencies; and (2) involve key stakeholder organizations in their development and implementation. Initial candidate competencies were defined through small group meetings and a survey of more than 100 experts, followed by detailed item review by 26 program directors and residency clinical educators from key professional organizations. Throughout, an 8-member working group made revisions to maintain consistency and compatibility among the competencies. Support and participation by key stakeholder organizations were secured throughout the project. The process identified 26 competencies in 7 domains: Medication Management; Cognitive, Affective, and Behavioral Health; Complex or Chronic Illness(es) in Older Adults; Palliative and End-of-Life Care; Hospital Patient Safety; Transitions of Care; and Ambulatory Care. The competencies map directly onto the medical student geriatric competencies and the 6 Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education Competencies. Through a consensus-building process that included leadership and members of key stakeholder organizations, a concise set of essential geriatrics competencies for internal medicine and family medicine residencies has been developed. These competencies are well aligned with concerns for residency training raised in a recent Medicare Payment Advisory

[German medicine of the age of romanticism (1797-1848) as research problem].

Science.gov (United States)

Płonka-Syroka, B

1997-01-01

In the period between 1797 and 1848, German medicine was considerably influenced by philosophy. It absorbed ideas deriving from neo-Platonism and vitalism, as well as the modern philosophy of nature (Naturphilosophie), especially the ideas of Schelling. The article presents the main tendencies in the German medicine of that period: the distinct character of German medical thought as compared to the rest of Europe, the deductive character of medical theories, the grounding of medical thought in non-materialist philosophy and its close ties with the Protestant religion. The author's aim is investigate how German medicine of the period evolved away from European standards set by the model of medicine as an empirical science, based on the inductive method of research. The article presents the state of German medicine of the first half of the nineteenth century against the background of socio-cultural factors and relates German medical theory of the period to the social awareness of that time.

Herbal medicinal products versus botanical-food supplements in the European market: state of art and perspectives.

Science.gov (United States)

Bilia, Anna Rita

2015-01-01

Botanical products marketed in Europe are diverse, classified as herbal medicinal products, dietary supplements, cosmetics, foods and beverages depending on the relevant applicable legislation. Many factors are taken into account in the classification of a botanical product (e.g. intended use, labeling, preparations and dosages) according to how it is placed on the market. Herbal medicinal products (HMPs) can only be sold in pharmacies, under the supervision of a pharmacist, and are marketed after full or simplified registration procedures according to their classification, i.e. as over-the-counter drugs (OTC) available without special restrictions and prescription only medicine (POM), which must be prescribed by a licensed medical practitioner. The dietary supplement segment is also sold in the market in dose form (such as capsules, tablets, ampoules of liquids, drops etc) and represents 15-20% of the botanical market at the European level with high variability among each country (i.e. in Italy it reaches up to 80%). In many cases the distinction between medicinal products and food supplements has generated borderline botanical-sourced products, which generally produce confusion and mislead the consumers. As a consequence, there is an urgent need of consumer education and in addition to collect comprehensive data and make this database systematically available to herbalists, nutritionists and medical specialists for a proper classification and harmonization of the use of botanical ingredients, and, as consequence, a correct use of these products.

FEATURES OF E-MEDICINE INTRODUCTION IN THE PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

N. O. Sinyenko

2017-03-01

Full Text Available It was discussed the possibilities and the reality of the e-medicine challenges through technology of public-private partnership (PPP. It is shown that the use of e-medicine is one of the most important levers of improving the quality of medical care in Ukraine. Taking into account that the computerization of health care is extremely expensive project its rapid implementation is possible for the widest possible PPP. It is believed that mobile medicine is the best example of modern PPP. It is postulated that for the effective control of the quality of medical care it should be created specialized expertise and advisory mechanisms in a specialized system of state control of the new system of electronic health systems with strictly defined principles such as objectivity, complimentarily, law and so on.

A Supramolecular Approach to Medicinal Chemistry: Medicine Beyond the Molecule

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, David K.

2005-03-01

This article focuses on the essential roles played by intermolecular forces in mediating the interactions between chemical molecules and biological systems. Intermolecular forces constitute a key topic in chemistry programs, yet can sometimes seem disconnected from real-life applications. However, by taking a "supramolecular" view of medicinal chemistry and focusing on interactions between molecules, it is possible to come to a deeper understanding of recent developments in medicine. This allows us to gain a real insight into the interface between biology and chemistry—an interdisciplinary area that is crucial for the development of modern medicinal products. This article emphasizes a conceptual view of medicinal chemistry, which has important implications for the future, as the supramolecular approach to medicinal-chemistry products outlined here is rapidly allowing nanotechnology to converge with medicine. In particular, this article discusses recent developments including the rational design of drugs such as Relenza and Tamiflu, the mode of action of vancomycin, and the mechanism by which bacteria develop resistance, drug delivery using cyclodextrins, and the importance of supramolecular chemistry in understanding protein aggregation diseases such as Alzheimer's and Creutzfield Jacob. The article also indicates how taking a supramolecular approach will enable the development of new nanoscale medicines.

Dose rate received by Pernambuco population due to nuclear medicine exams between 2000-2004

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Araujo, A.R.; Khoury, H.J.

2008-01-01

This study aims to evaluate the diagnostic procedures using in Nuclear medicine of the State of Pernambuco, a state located in northeastern Brazil, from 2000 to 2004 in order to provide subsidies to establish the reference levels in Brazil

Conformity of package inserts information to regulatory requirements among selected branded and generic medicinal products circulating on the East African market.

Science.gov (United States)

Sillo, Hiiti B; Masota, Nelson E; Kisoma, Sunday; Rago, Lembit; Mgoyela, Veronica; Kaale, Eliangiringa A

2018-01-01

Availability of correct and adequate information about medicines is an important aspect in ensuring rational use of medicines and hence facilitating safety and expected efficacy of medicines during therapy. Package inserts have proven to be a good source of information to the prescribers and patients whereby they have been useful in highlighting important information pertaining proper use and handling of the medicines. The present study was aimed at establishing the extent to which package inserts of medicines circulating on the markets of the East African Community (EAC) Partner States conform to medicines information requirements as established in the harmonized guidelines as well as national guidelines. A total of 99 package inserts from six (6) types of medicines namely Albendazole, Artemether/Lumefantrine (ALu), Ciprofloxacin, Paracetamol, Amoxicillin and Metronidazole were purposefully collected from three EAC Partner States: Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. The medicines were selected based on their indications as first line treatments, high rates of utilization within the medicines supply system and their positions in treatment of diseases of public importance across EAC Partner States. The inserts were evaluated on the availability of information regarding fifteen (15) parameters as extracted from the EAC harmonized guidelines for registration of medicines. Moreover, comparisons were made between the percentage conformity of the branded versus generic products, markets from which the samples were collected, origin of the manufacturer and type of medicine. Majority (93.9-100%) of the medicines' package inserts highly conformed to the inclusion of the information regarding the description and composition of the medications, indications, dosage and methods of administration, warnings and precautions, contraindications and storage conditions. However, the information on handling and disposal, container package description, excipients used, clinical pharmacology of

Course on internal dosimetry in nuclear medicine; Curso de dosimetria interna en medicina nuclear

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2004-07-01

This documentation was distributed to the participants in the Course of Internal Dosimetry in Nuclear Medicine organised by the Nuclear Regulatory Authority (ARN) of Argentina and held in Buenos Aires, Argentina, August 9-13, 2004. The course was intended for people from IAEA Member States in the Latin American and Caribbean region, and for professionals and workers in medicine, related with the radiation protection. Spanish and English were the languages of the course. The following subjects were covered: radioprotection of the patient in nuclear medicine; injuries by ionizing radiations; MIRD methodology; radiation dose assessment in nuclear medicine; small scale and microdosimetry; bone and marrow dose modelling; medical internal dose calculations; SPECT and image reconstruction; principles of the gamma camera; scattering and attenuation correction in SPECT; tomography in nuclear medicine.

Nuclear medicine

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sharma, S M [Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Bombay (India). Radiation Medicine Centre

1967-01-01

The article deals with the growth of nuclear medicine in India. Radiopharmaceuticals both in elemental form and radiolabelled compounds became commercially available in India in 1961. Objectives and educational efforts of the Radiation Medicine Centre setup in Bombay are mentioned. In vivo tests of nuclear medicine such as imaging procedures, dynamic studies, dilution studies, thyroid function studies, renal function studies, linear function studies, blood flow, and absorption studies are reported. Techniques of radioimmunoassay are also mentioned.

The model of Western integrative medicine: the role of Chinese medicine.

Science.gov (United States)

Dobos, Gustav; Tao, Iven

2011-01-01

The basic concept of integrative medicine (IM) is that by combining mainstream (biomedicine) with complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), synergistic therapeutic effects can be attained. When the methods of mind/body medicine (MBM) are added to this combination, as in Western countries, a new concept emerges that drastically changes the approach toward illness.It is interesting to note that the joining of traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine in the early days of the Peoples' Republic of China preceded the Western model of IM by almost 50 years. Several elements that make up the key components of IM as practiced today in the West were already present in the Chinese version of IM, and Chinese medicine has played and continues to play an important role in advancing IM. However, one of the major differences between the Chinese and the Western models of IM today, besides MBM and some other treatment options, is that Western integrative medicine (WIM) strictly requires its CAM methods to be supported by scientific evidence.The therapeutic methods of IM and their applications are many and varied. However, they are most frequently employed to treat chronic medical conditions, e.g., bronchial asthma, rheumatic disease, chronic inflammatory bowel disorder and chronic pain. Other fields in which IM may be applied are internal medicine (inflammatory bowel diseases and cardiovascular diseases), musculoskeletal disorders, oncology (chemotherapy-induced side effects), obstetrics and gynecology (dysmenorrhea, endometriosis, infertility and menopausal complaints), pediatrics, geriatrics, neurology (migraine and chronic headache), and psychiatry (anxiety and depression).The concept of WIM is discussed here in detail by reviewing its scope and implications for the practice of medicine and focusing on the role of Chinese medicine in WIM.

A Química Medicinal Brasileira de 1998 a 2008 nos Periódicos Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry, Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry Letters e European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry

OpenAIRE

Renato S. Bastos; Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro; Bárbara V. da Silva; Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro; Angelo C. Pinto; Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro

2009-01-01

Neste artigo apresentamos as publicações brasileiras, os pesquisadores envolvidos, a contribuição por estado da federação e as principais doenças estudadas no período de 1998 a 2008 nas revistas Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry, Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry Letters e European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry.  DOI: 10.5935/1984-6835.20090009  In this article we present the Brazilian publications, the research groups involved, the contributions per st...

Necessary conditions for the globalization of traditional Chinese medicine.

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Bei-Bei; Gong, Xiu-Lin

2011-03-01

With the current trend of globalization, unprecedented opportunities and enormous changes have emerged for the global development of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). However, many old and new challenges and problems still remain, including partial or limited comprehension of acupuncture, oriental medicine and TCM, the existence of non-standardized institutes of TCM and acupuncture training schools, unqualified TCM practitioners, and problems concerning Chinese herbal medicine and inexperience in conducting TCM business. These problems will doubtlessly impede the further development of TCM worldwide in the foreseeable future. It is also clear that the globalization of TCM will require a large scale systematic project and constitute an arduous historical task. This paper aims to consolidate 6 strategic development modes to reinforce and facilitate the process of TCM globalization through a detailed analysis of both the present status and existing problems concerning the development of TCM in the United States.

[Study of changes in Chinese herbal medicine distribution channel].

Science.gov (United States)

Lv, Hua; Yang, Guang; Huang, Lu-Qi

2014-07-01

Distribution channel of Chinese herbal medicines has been changing. From Han to Ming Dynasty, Chinese herbal medicine were mainly trafficked to urban by dealers or farmers; From the Ming Dynasty to the foundation of new China, distribution channels are primarily intermediated with township "bazaar" and national distribution center with fixed place and regularly trading hours. In the planned economy period, the state-owned herbal medicine company was the sole medium with monopoly nature. From the mid1980s to the end of last century, planned economy and market economy have been co-existing. Stepping into 21st century, producing area highlighted in the distribution channels. Presence or absence and rise or fall of different types of distribution market went throughout the changing process of distribution channels, which became an important clue. Changes were motivated by economical consideration of channel subject, which originated from commodity characteristic and social environment changes.

Analysis of Medicine Prices in New Zealand and 16 European Countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Vogler, Sabine; Kilpatrick, Kate; Babar, Zaheer-Ud-Din

2015-06-01

To compare prices of medicines, both originators and generics, in New Zealand and 16 European countries. Ex-factory price data as of December 2012 from New Zealand and 16 European countries were compared for a basket of 14 medicines, most of which were at least partially funded by the state in the 17 countries. Five medicines had, at least in some countries, generic versions on the market whose prices were also analyzed. Medicine price data for the 16 European countries were provided by the Pharma Price Information service. New Zealand medicine prices were retrieved from the New Zealand Pharmaceutical Schedule. Unit prices converted into euro were compared at the ex-factory price level. For the 14 medicines surveyed, considerable price differences at the ex-factory price level were identified. Within the European countries, prices in Greece, Portugal, the United Kingdom, and Spain ranked at the lower end, whereas prices in Switzerland, Germany, Denmark, and Sweden were at the upper end. The results for New Zealand compared with Europe were variable. New Zealand prices were found in the lowest quartile for five medicines and in the highest quartile for seven other products. Price differences between the originator products and generic versions ranged from 0% to 90% depending on the medicine and the country. Medicine prices varied considerably between European countries and New Zealand as well as among the European countries. These differences are likely to result from national pricing and reimbursement policies. Copyright © 2015 International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Complementary and Alternative Medicine

Science.gov (United States)

... for Educators Search English Español Complementary and Alternative Medicine KidsHealth / For Teens / Complementary and Alternative Medicine What's ... a replacement. How Is CAM Different From Conventional Medicine? Conventional medicine is based on scientific knowledge of ...

Medicinal plants at the Sítio do Gois, Apodi, Rio Grande do Norte State, Brazil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Renan da C. Paulino

2012-02-01

Full Text Available Rural communities have accumulated knowledge about survival techniques in the midst of difficulties, such as ecological, economic or social, and one of the transformation spaces and extraction of resources to these communities is the natural vegetation and homegarden. The aim of this study was to list medicinal plants and characterize the use of these plants at the Sítio do Gois, Apodi-RN, Brazil. Open-interview, semi-structured and guided tours by local experts (field guide person, foresters, herb doctors, healers, farmers, housewives were realized. Medicinal plants are distributed in 34 families, 46 genera and 52 species. The family with the greatest number of individuals was Lamiaceae (seven species. The species most mentioned were Amburana cearensis (77% followed by 69% de citation of Myracrodruon urundeuva, Sideroxylon obtusifolium, Ximenia americana. Informants are aware of specific uses of native medicinal plants of the caatinga and homegardens. The most common preparations are teas and syrups, used part is the leaf and stem bark and great number of citations for disorders of the digestive and respiratory systems. The most important species with greater use agreement were A. cearensis M. urundeuva, S. obtusifolium and X. americana they deserve pharmacological studies and validation.

Collaboration Spotting for oral medicine.

Science.gov (United States)

Leonardi, E; Agocs, A; Fragkiskos, S; Kasfikis, N; Le Goff, J M; Cristalli, M P; Luzzi, V; Polimeni, A

2014-09-01

The goal of the Collaboration Spotting project is to create an automatic system to collect information about publications and patents related to a given technology, to identify the key players involved, and to highlight collaborations and related technologies. The collected information can be visualized in a web browser as interactive graphical maps showing in an intuitive way the players and their collaborations (Sociogram) and the relations among the technologies (Technogram). We propose to use the system to study technologies related to oral medicine. In order to create a sociogram, we create a logical filter based on a set of keywords related to the technology under study. This filter is used to extract a list of publications from the Web of Science™ database. The list is validated by an expert in the technology and sent to CERN where it is inserted in the Collaboration Spotting database. Here, an automatic software system uses the data to generate the final maps. We studied a set of recent technologies related to bone regeneration procedures of oro-maxillo-facial critical size defects, namely the use of porous hydroxyapatite (HA) as a bone substitute alone (bone graft) or as a tridimensional support (scaffold) for insemination and differentiation ex vivo of mesenchymal stem cells. We produced the sociograms for these technologies and the resulting maps are now accessible on-line. The Collaboration Spotting system allows the automatic creation of interactive maps to show the current and historical state of research on a specific technology. These maps are an ideal tool both for researchers who want to assess the state-of-the-art in a given technology, and for research organizations who want to evaluate their contribution to the technological development in a given field. We demonstrated that the system can be used in oral medicine as is produced the maps for an initial set of technologies in this field. We now plan to enlarge the set of mapped technologies in

[Herbal textual research of common Mongolian medicine "Du Ge Mo Nong"].

Science.gov (United States)

Xi, Jie; Zhong, Hua-Rong; Wucharila-Tu; Buhe Bater; Li, Hui-Hu; Zhong, Guo-Yue

2016-11-01

This study is aimed to provide the source for clinical medication by clarifing the common base of Mongolia medicinal materials "Du Ge Mo Nong". In this paper literature research and plant taxonomy method were adopted combined with investigation of the markets and clinical use status to clarify the origin of common traditional Mongolian medicine "Du Ge Mo Nong". The results showed that the Mongolian medicine "Du Ge Mo Nong" and Tibetan medicine "Du Mu Niu" were the same crude drug and originated from the seeds of Holarrhena antidysenteriaca of family Apocynaceae in earliest time. In Mongolian medicine clinic, the seed of Cynanchum thesioides of family Asclepiadaceae and the fruit of Forsythia suspense of family Oleaceae was used respectively about 18 century and recent time, as the substitutes of H. antidysenteriaca. In present standards on Mongolian material medicine, C. thesioides is including only, and H. antidysenterica is not used almost. In Tibetan medicine clinic, H. antidysenterica is being used so far. But there are various substitutes including the seeds, fruits or grass of many species classified to family Apocynaceae, Asclepiadaceae and Onagraceae from ancient time to the present, and C. forrestii and C. komarovii may be used at present. It's necessary to strengthen the arrangement on Mongolian medicine's varieties by the multidisciplinary methods including literature research, investigation of resources and the use state, and comparison of active substances and biological activities between the different substitutes,and so on. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

Clinical nuclear medicine in radiation therapy - state and perspectives; Klinische Nuklearmedizin in der Strahlentherapie - Stand und Perspektiven

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schultze, J. [Kiel Univ. (Germany). Klinik fuer Strahlentherapie (Radioonkologie)

1995-08-01

Clinical nuclear medicine has severely changed due to the technical and pharmacological developments within the last 15 years. An evaluation of the importance of nuclear medicine for treatment planning purposes in radiation therapy revealed in 20.6% of the cases relevant new information due to the scans. That nevertheless the demand for nuclearmedical examinations is decreasing might be a result of an increasing alienation between nuclear medicine and referring physicians of other specialities. Therefore a reapproach of nuclear medicine with her main clinical partners is desireable which could be achieved e.g. by exchange of rotating house officers, participation in tumor conferences and consiliary statements to scan indications. (orig.) [Deutsch] Die klinische Nuklearmedizin hat sich durch die technischen und pharmakologischen Entwicklungen der letzten 15 Jahre erheblich veraendert. Eine Evaluation der Bedeutung nuklearmedizinischer Verfahren fuer die Bestrahlungsplanung in der Strahlentherapie hat in 20,6% der Faelle eine untersuchungsbedingte, planungsrelevante Information erbracht, auf die nicht verzichtet werden konnte. Dass die Nachfrage nach nuklearmedizinischen Untersuchungen in diesem Bereich trotzdem ruecklaeufig ist, duerfte Ergebnis einer zunehmenden Entfremdung der Zuweiser aus den verwandten Faechern von der Nuklearmedizin sein. Es ist deshalb eine Wiederannaeherung der Nuklearmedizin an ihre klinischen Hauptpartner wuenschenswert, die durch Austausch von Rotationsassistenten, die Beteiligung an Tumorkonferenzen und die konsiliarische Stellungnahme zu Untersuchungsindikationen erreicht werden koennte. (orig.)

Over-the-Counter Medicines

Science.gov (United States)

Over-the-counter (OTC) medicines are drugs you can buy without a prescription. Some OTC medicines relieve aches, pains and itches. ... medicine is safe enough to sell over-the-counter. Taking OTC medicines still has risks. Some interact ...

Education in sexual medicine: proceedings from the international consultation in sexual medicine, 2009.

Science.gov (United States)

Parish, Sharon J; Rubio-Aurioles, Eusebio

2010-10-01

Sexual problems in men and women are common; and physicians endorse many barriers to addressing these issues, including lack of knowledge about the diagnosis and management of sexual problems and inadequate training in sexual health communication and counseling. To update the recommendations published in 2004, from the International Consultation on Sexual Medicine (ICSM) relevant to the educational aspects of sexual health in undergraduate, graduate, and postgraducate medical education. A third international consultation in collaboration with the major sexual health organizations assembled over 186 multidisciplinary experts from 33 countries into 25 committees. Three experts from three countries contributed to this committee's review of Education in Sexual Medicine. Expert opinion was based on a comprehensive review of the medical literature, committee discussion, public presentation, and debate. A comprehensive review about the current state of undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate sexual health education worldwide is provided. Recommendations about ideal sexual health curricula across training levels are provided. Best methods for achieving optimal training approaches to sexual health communication and interviewing, clinical skills and management, and counseling are described. Current sexual health education for undergraduate and practicing physicians is inadequate to meet the advancing science and technology and increasing patient demand for high-quality sexual health care. There is a need for enhanced training in medical institutions responsible for physician sexual health training worldwide. Future training programs at all levels of medical education should incorporate standardized measures of sexual health clinical skills acquisition and assessments of the impact on patient outcomes into the design of educational initiatives. © 2010 International Society for Sexual 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.

Stem cell applications in military medicine.

Science.gov (United States)

Christopherson, Gregory T; Nesti, Leon J

2011-10-19

There are many similarities between health issues affecting military and civilian patient populations, with the exception of the relatively small but vital segment of active soldiers who experience high-energy blast injuries during combat. A rising incidence of major injuries from explosive devices in recent campaigns has further complicated treatment and recovery, highlighting the need for tissue regenerative options and intensifying interest in the possible role of stem cells for military medicine. In this review we outline the array of tissue-specific injuries typically seen in modern combat - as well as address a few complications unique to soldiers--and discuss the state of current stem cell research in addressing each area. Embryonic, induced-pluripotent and adult stem cell sources are defined, along with advantages and disadvantages unique to each cell type. More detailed stem cell sources are described in the context of each tissue of interest, including neural, cardiopulmonary, musculoskeletal and sensory tissues, with brief discussion of their potential role in regenerative medicine moving forward. Additional commentary is given to military stem cell applications aside from regenerative medicine, such as blood pharming, immunomodulation and drug screening, with an overview of stem cell banking and the unique opportunity provided by the military and civilian overlap of stem cell research.

Culture Competence in the Training of Geriatric Medicine Fellows

Science.gov (United States)

Tanabe, Marianne K. G.

2007-01-01

With the aging and diversifying of the elder population in the United States, there is a pressing need for an organized and effective curriculum in cultural competence. The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) requires that the curriculum for Geriatric Medicine Fellowship training include cultural competency training.…

Between the court and the clinic: lawsuits for medicines and the right to health in Brazil.

Science.gov (United States)

Biehl, João; Amon, Joseph J; Socal, Mariana P; Petryna, Adriana

2012-06-15

The Brazilian Constitution states: "Health is the right of all persons and the duty of the State." Yet individuals in Brazil frequently face barriers to health prevention and treatment. One response to these barriers has been a "judicialization" of the right to health, with an increasing number of patients suing the government for access to medicines. This study uses a mixed methods approach to identify trends in lawsuits for medicines in the southern state of Rio Grande do Sul (RS) and to characterize patient-plaintiffs. Electronic registries were used to determine the number of health lawsuits filed between 2002 and 2009. In-depth interviews were conducted with thirty patient-plaintiffs, and 1,080 lawsuits for medicines under review between September 1, 2008 and July 31, 2009 were analyzed to assess socio demographic, medical, and legal characteristics of patient-plaintiffs. Between 2002 and 2009, the annual number of health-related lawsuits against the state of RS increased from 1,126 to 17,025. In 2009, 72% of lawsuits sought access to medicines. In-depth interviews revealed that patients are desperate to access medicines for chronic and advanced diseases, and often turn to the courts as a last resort. Among the 1,080 lawsuits examined, patient-plaintiffs were more likely to be older than 45 years (68%), retired or unemployed (71%), and low-income (among those who reported income, 53% (n=350) earned less than the national minimum wage). Fifty-nine percent of all cases were represented by public defenders. Plaintiffs reported 1,615 diseases and requested 2.8 drugs on average (range 1-16). Sixty-five percent of the requested drugs were on government pharmaceutical distribution lists; 78% of the 254 drugs on these lists were requested. In 95% of the cases analyzed, district courts ruled in favor of plaintiffs. Among the 917 cases with a final state high court ruling, 89% were in favor of the plaintiff. In justifying their rulings, judges most frequently cited the

[The methods of Western medicine in on ancient medicine].

Science.gov (United States)

Ban, Deokjin

2010-06-30

The treatise On Ancient Medicine attests that questions of method were being debated both in medicine and in philosophy and is important evidence of cross-discipline methodological controversy. The treatise On Ancient Medicine is the first attempt in the history of Greek thought to provide a detailed account of the development of a science from a starting point in observation and experience. The author of it criticizes philosophical physicians who attempt to systematized medicine by reducing it to the interaction of one or more of the opposites hot, cold, wet, and dry, factors. He regards the theory of his opponents as hypothesis(hypothesis). Medicine has long been in possession of both an archē and a hodos, a principle and a method, which have enabled it to make discoveries over a long period of time. As far as method is concerned, the traditional science of medicine attained the knowledge of the visible by starting from observation and experience, but it recommended the use of reasoning and analogies with familiar objects as a means of learning about the invisible. It also utilized inference from the visible to the visible(epilogismos) and inference from the visible to the invisible(analogismos). The use of analogy as a means of learning about the obscure was also part of the common heritage of early philosophy and medicine. But the author's use of the analogical method distinguishes it from Empedocles' well-known analogy comparisons of the eye to a lantern and the process of respiration to the operations of a clepsydra. According to the author, traditional science of medicine used functional analogy like wine example and cheese example to know the function of humors within the body and utilized structured analogy like a tube example and a cupping instrument example to acknowledge an organ or structure within the body. But the author didn't distinguish between the claim that medicine has a systematic method of making discoveries and very different claim that it

TRADITIONAL CHINESE HERBAL MEDICINE

NARCIS (Netherlands)

ZHU, YP; WOERDENBAG, HJ

1995-01-01

Herbal medicine, acupuncture and moxibustion, and massage and the three major constituent parts of traditional Chinese medicine. Although acupuncture is well known in many Western countries, Chinese herbal medicine, the mos important part of traditional Chinese medicine, is less well known in the

Inpatients' Preferences, Beliefs, and Stated Willingness to Pay for Complementary and Alternative Medicine Treatments.

Science.gov (United States)

Montross-Thomas, Lori P; Meier, Emily A; Reynolds-Norolahi, Kimberly; Raskin, Erin E; Slater, Daniel; Mills, Paul J; MacElhern, Lauray; Kallenberg, Gene

2017-04-01

Research demonstrates the benefits of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in myriad environments. Yet, the majority of CAM services are offered in outpatient settings. Incorporating CAM into hospital settings may lead to increased patient comfort, well-being, and overall satisfaction with hospital admissions. Few studies have examined CAM services among inpatients. Therefore, this study assessed inpatients' preferences and beliefs regarding CAM, as well as their stated willingness to pay for these services. Adult patients (n = 100), ranging in age from 19-95 years (M = 53 years; SD = 19.2 years), were recruited during their hospitalization in the University of California, San Diego, Healthcare System. The inpatients completed a brief individual interview to gather their perspectives on common CAM services, including acupuncture, aromatherapy, art therapy, guided imagery, healthy food, humor therapy, massage therapy, music therapy, pet therapy, Reiki, and stress management. Inpatients were asked which CAM therapies they perceived as being potentially the most helpful, their willingness to pay for those therapies, and their perceived beliefs regarding the use of those therapies. Inpatients most commonly perceived healthy food (85%), massage therapy (82%), and humor therapy (70%) to be the most helpful, and were most willing to pay for healthy food (71%), massage therapy (70%), and stress management (48%). Inpatients most commonly believed CAM treatments would provide relaxation (88%), increase well-being (86%), and increase their overall satisfaction with the hospitalization (85%). This study suggests that CAM services may be a beneficial addition to hospitals, as demonstrated by inpatients' interest and stated willingness to pay for these services. These findings may help organizational leaders when making choices regarding the development of CAM services within hospitals, particularly since a significant percentage of inpatients reported that

Gender and first authorship of papers in family medicine journals 2006--2008.

Science.gov (United States)

Schrager, Sarina; Bouwkamp, Carla; Mundt, Marlon

2011-03-01

Despite increasing numbers of women attending medical school and completing residencies, women continue to lag behind men in academic achievement. Other specialties have found that women publish fewer journal articles than men. While family medicine is becoming increasingly gender balanced, the aim of this study was to evaluate the gender balance of published material within family medicine journals. All original articles were reviewed in five family medicine journals published in the United States (Family Medicine, Journal of Family Practice, Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine, Annals of Family Medicine, and American Family Physician) between 2006-2008. The articles were categorized based on type of publication and gender of first author. The editorial boards of each of the journals were examined to determine gender breakdown. A total of 2,126 articles were included in the study. Females were first author on 712 (33.5%) of the articles, and males authored 1,414 (66.5%). There was no significant difference between years. More female authors wrote original research, and fewer wrote letters to the editor. Only Family Medicine had gender parity on its editorial board. Female authors wrote about a third of all original publications in family medicine journals between 2006-2009 even though they comprise 44% of the faculty. Further research can evaluate reasons for this gender disparity.

Pharmaceutical counseling: Between evidence-based medicine and profits.

Science.gov (United States)

Egorova, S N; Akhmetova, T

2015-01-01

pharmaceutical counseling standards: Article 1.1 "Code of Ethics of the pharmaceutical worker of Russia" states: "The main task of the professional activity of the pharmaceutical worker - protection of human health", Article 1.3 states that a pharmaceutical worker must take professional decisions solely in the interests of a patient [1]. However, the pharmacy is a trade organization, thus as a retailer the pharmacy is directly interested in making profits and increasing sales of pharmaceutical products, including non-prescription medicines. Moreover, while the clinical medicine is monitored for unjustified prescribing and measures are being taken to prevent polypharmacy, for a pharmacist the growing sales of over-the-counter drugs, active promotion of dietary supplements, homeopathic medicines, medical devices, and, consequently, an increase of financial indicators (particularly "average purchase size") - all are characteristics of success [2].Rational use of over-the-counter medicines requires introduction of pharmaceutical counseling standards (pharmaceutical care) according to symptoms - major reasons to visit a pharmacy as part of responsible self-medication (cold, sore throat, headache, diarrhea, etc.). Standards of pharmaceutical counseling should be objective, reliable and up-to-date and contain recommendations for the rational use of over-the-counter drugs as well as indications requiring treatment to the doctor. Standardization of pharmaceutical counseling in terms of Evidence-based Pharmacy would enhance the efficiency, safety and cost-effectiveness of over-the-counter medicines.Currently, the lack of clinical component in the higher pharmaceutical education and the lack of approved standards of pharmaceutical counseling lead to the introduction of cross-selling technologies (which are broadly applied in other areas of trade, for example, the offer of a boot-polish during the sale of shoes) to the pharmaceutical practice [2, 3]. However, drugs belong to a special group

Energies, health, medicine. Low radiation doses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2004-01-01

This file concerns the biological radiation effects with a special mention for low radiation doses. The situation of knowledge in this area and the mechanisms of carcinogenesis are detailed, the different directions of researches are given. The radiation doses coming from medical examinations are given and compared with natural radioactivity. It constitutes a state of the situation on ionizing radiations, known effects, levels, natural radioactivity and the case of radon, medicine with diagnosis and radiotherapy. (N.C.)

Proceedings of the forty third annual conference of Society of Nuclear Medicine India: empowering modern medicine with molecular nuclear medicine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2011-01-01

Theme of the 43rd Annual Conference of the Society of Nuclear Medicine India is 'empowering modem medicine with molecular nuclear medicine'. Keeping the theme in mind, the scientific committee has arranged an attractive and comprehensive program for both physicians and scientists reflecting the multimodality background of Nuclear Medicine and Metabolic Imaging. During this meeting the present status and future prospects of Nuclear medicine are discussed at length by esteemed faculty in dedicated symposia and interesting featured sessions which are immensely facilitate in educating the participants. Nuclear Medicine has come a long way since the first applications of radioiodine in the diagnosis of thyroid disease. The specialty of nuclear medicine in India is growing very rapidly. Technology continues to push the field in new directions and open new pathways for providing optimal care to patients. It is indeed an exciting time in the world of imaging and in the field of nuclear medicine. Innovative techniques in hardware and software offer advantages for enhanced accuracy. New imaging agents, equipment, and software will provide us with new opportunities to improve current practices and to introduce new technology into the clinical protocols. Papers relevant to INIS are indexed separately

Ethnopharmacological survey of medicinal plants used for the management of pediatric ailments in Kano State, Nigeria

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

U.S. Abubakar

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Background and objectives: The knowledge of traditional uses of plant species used in the management of pediatric diseases in Kano State is still intact with the traditional healers; thus, the present study was aimed to collect, identify and document plant species used traditionally for the management of pediatric diseases in the study area. Methods: The ethnobotanical data was collected through informal interviews with the traditional medicine practitioners, traditional birth attendants, herb sellers and some health workers. Results: A total number of sixty eight plant species belonging to thirty five families were reported to be used in the disease management among children in the study area. Most of the plants species belonged to the Fabaceae, Poaceae, Anarcadiaceae, Asteraceae, Combretaceae and Solanaceae families, while Anogeissus leiocarpus, Boswellia dalzielii and Citrus sinensis were the most frequently mentioned plant species. Leaves and stem bark were the most used plant parts in this study. Conclusions: Further studies should be conducted to evaluate the pharmacological activities of the plant species that have not yet been investigated and also to identify the phytochemical constituents responsible for their activities.

Code of practice for radiation protection in nuclear medicine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hamed, M. I.

2010-05-01

In aim of this study was to develop a draft for a new code practice for radiation protection in nuclear medicine that meets the current relevant international recommendation. The draft includes the following main fields: methods of radiation protection for workers, patients and public. Also, the principles of safe design of nuclear medicine departments, quality assurance program, proper manipulation of radiation sources including radioactive waste and emergency preparedness and response. The practical part of this study includes inspections of three nuclear medicine departments available in Sudan so as to assess the degree of compliance of those departments with what is stated in this code. The inspection missions have been conducted using a checklist that addresses all items that may affect radiation raincoat issues in addition to per formin area radiation monitoring around the installation of the radioactive sources. The results of this revealed that most of the departments do not have effective radiation protection program which in turn could lead to unnecessary exposure to patients, public and workers. Finally, some recommendations are given that - if implemented - could improve the status of radiation protection in nuclear medicine department. (Author)

Recent trends in internal medicine education: a brief update.

Science.gov (United States)

Flannery, Michael T

2014-03-01

This perspective attempts to bring graduate medical offices, residency programs and medical students interested in categorical internal medicine (CIM) a brief update on the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM), Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) and the National Registry for Medical Programs (NRMP) changes for the past 3-5 years in the United States (US). The US model for certification and recertification may serve as a homogenous example for other countries. This model will be described so that there is an understanding of the importance of such changes in the American system and its effect on resident education. This is critical knowledge for both teachers and learners in internal medicine in preparation for a lifetime career and requirements for certification/credentialing for both programs and their residents/fellows. Data from the review indicate a small increase in the number of applicants but a concordant decrease in ABIM initial certification exams. Programs should well be aware of the new focus on outcomes via the Next Accreditation System (NAS) being put forth by the ACGME. Copyright © 2014 European Federation of Internal Medicine. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Herbal Medicine

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... used for its scent, flavor, or therapeutic properties. Herbal medicines are one type of dietary supplement. They are ... extracts, and fresh or dried plants. People use herbal medicines to try to maintain or improve their health. ...

Substandard and counterfeit medicines: a systematic review of the literature

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Almuzaini, Tariq; Choonara, Imti; Sammons, Helen

2013-01-01

Objective To explore the evidence available of poor-quality (counterfeit and substandard) medicines in the literature. Design Systematic review. Data sources Databases used were EMBASE, MEDLINE, PubMed and the International Pharmaceutical Abstracts, including articles published till January 2013. Eligibility criteria Prevalence studies containing original data. WHO definitions (1992) used for counterfeit and substandard medicines. Study appraisal and synthesis Two reviewers independently scored study methodology against recommendations from the MEDQUARG Checklist. Studies were classified according to the World Bank classification of countries by income. Data extraction Data extracted: place of study; type of drugs sampled; sample size; percentage of substandard/counterfeit medicines; formulations included; origin of the drugs; chemical analysis and stated issues of counterfeit/substandard medicines. Results 44 prevalence studies were identified, 15 had good methodological quality. They were conducted in 25 different countries; the majority were in low-income countries (11) and/or lower middle-income countries (10). The median prevalence of substandard/counterfeit medicines was 28.5% (range 11–48%). Only two studies differentiated between substandard and counterfeit medicines. Prevalence data were limited to antimicrobial drugs (all 15 studies). 13 studies involved antimalarials, 6 antibiotics and 2 other medications. The majority of studies (93%) contained samples with inadequate amounts of active ingredients. The prevalence of substandard/counterfeit antimicrobials was significantly higher when purchased from unlicensed outlets (pcounterfeit medicines. Most studies assessed only a single therapeutic class of antimicrobials. Conclusions The prevalence of poor-quality antimicrobial medicines is widespread throughout Africa and Asia in lower income countries and lower middle-income countries . The main problem identified was inadequate amounts of the active

Analysis - what is legal medicine?

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Beran, Roy G

2008-04-01

Legal medicine addresses the interface between medicine and law in health care. The Australian College of Legal Medicine (ACLM) established itself as the peak body in legal and forensic medicine in Australia. It helped establish the Expert Witness Institute of Australia (EWIA), the legal medicine programme at Griffith University and contributes to government enquiries. Public health, disability assessment, competing priorities of privacy verses notification and determination of fitness for a host of pursuits are aspects of legal medicine. Complementing the EWIA, the ACLM runs training programmes emphasising legal medicine skills additional to clinical practice, advocating clinical relevance. Assessment of athletes' fitness and ensuring that prohibited substances are not inadvertently prescribed represent a growing area of legal medicine. Ethical consideration of health care should respect legal medicine principles rather than armchair commentary. International conventions must be respected by legal medicine and dictate physicians' obligations. The NSW courts imposed a duty to provide emergency medical care. Migration and communicable diseases are aspects of legal medicine. Police surgeons provide a face to legal medicine (which incorporates forensic medicine) underpinning its public perception of specialty recognition. Legal medicine deserves its place as a medical specialty in its own right.

Reflections on preventive medicine.

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Miettinen, Olli S

2014-10-01

Having thought much about medicine in my career-long effort to understand it and the research for its advancement, I have come to views rather different form the now-prevailing ones in respect to what preventive medicine is about; what epidemiology is in relation to preventive medicine; what distinguishes preventive medicine in preventive healthcare at large; the relation of preventive medicine to public health; the concept of health promotion; and also the core principles of preventive medicine. All of these views I set forth in this article, for the readers' critical reflection. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Evolutionary molecular medicine.

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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.

[Design of traditional Chinese medicines with antihypertensive components based on medicinal property combination modes].

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