17390 research outputs found
Sort by
Early adoption of innovation in HPV prevention strategies: closing the gap in cervical cancer.
Get PDFCervical cancer (CC) is one of the highest prevailing causes of female cancer-related mortality globally. A significant discrepancy in incidence has been noted between high and low-middle-income countries. The origins of CC have been accredited to the human papillomavirus (HPV) with serotypes 16 and 18 being the most prevalent. HPV vaccines, with 90%-97% efficacy, have proven safe and currently function as the primary prevention method. In addition, secondary prevention by timely screening can potentially increase the 5-year survival rate by >90%. High-precision HPV DNA testing has proven to be both highly sensitive and specific for early detection and is advocated by the WHO. Lack of public awareness, poor screening infrastructure and access to vaccines, socio-cultural concerns, along with economic, workforce-associated barriers and the presence of marginalised communities unable to access services have contributed to a continued high incidence. This article comprehensively analyses the efficacy, coverage, benefits and cost-effectiveness of CC vaccines and screening strategies including the transition from cytological screening to HPV self-sampling, while simultaneously exploring the real-world disparities in their feasibility. Furthermore, it calls for the implementation of population-based approaches that address the obstacles faced in approaching the WHO 2030 targets for CC elimination. [Abstract copyright: © the authors; licensee ecancermedicalscience.
Beliefs surrounding the use of inhaled asthma medication in The Gambia: a qualitative study of asthma patients and healthcare workers.
Get PDFAsthma-related mortality is high in low- and middle-income countries. Little is known about public perceptions of inhaled medicines. We conducted semi-structured interviews with asthma patients and healthcare workers at three secondary care facilities in The Gambia, between August and November 2022. Thematic analysis was used to interpret these data. A total of 20 patients and 15 healthcare workers were interviewed. Both groups noted limited access to inhalers was an issue resulting in continued use of oral medications. Some patients recognised the benefits of inhalers, yet beliefs that inhalers were dangerous were common. Reliance on oral short-acting beta agonists meant patients saw asthma as a recurrent acute condition resulting in an emphasis on hospital management with little awareness of inhaled preventative medicines. Increasing access to inhaled medicines has the potential to reduce costly avoidable admissions, but socio-cultural factors, in addition to medication supply, need addressing. [Abstract copyright: © 2024. The Author(s).
“I couldn’t do the job anymore”: A qualitative study exploring clinical psychologists’ experiences of working in and leaving CAMHS to work independently
Get PDFDesign/methodology/approach
A qualitative design with semi-structured interviews of ten participants was used. Interviews were analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis.
Findings
Results are represented within 5 themes and 14 sub-themes. Participants felt that over time there had been undesirable changes in CAMHS, which left them reminiscing about the past. Participants felt unable to do their job in CAMHS, meet the needs of children and young people and use their psychology skills. Participants emphasised the importance of colleagues and being part of an multidisciplinary team, which had been missed since working independently, but they also highlighted difficult relationships with managers. Participants felt that working at CAMHS had negatively impacted their emotional and physical well-being and their family life. In contrast, participants felt that working independently meant they could do the job they had wanted to be doing as a CP and had a better work–life balance.
Originality/value
This study had implications for services, where it would be beneficial for the experiences of CPs to be considered in relation to current practice with the view of improving the experiences of staff. Future research would benefit from exploring the experiences of CAMHS staff further
By the seaside
No full textOur summer Print Sales Gallery exhibition celebrates the British seaside in all its eccentric splendour.
From the glitzy heydays of the '60s and '70s to today’s trend of 'staycations', seven UK-based photographers capture the quintessential spirit of the great British holiday
Exploring bioinformatics-driven approaches for enhanced diagnosis of chlamydia trachomatis infections: Analysis of target proteins
Get PDFChlamydia trachomatis, a major cause of sexually transmitted infection, poses a range of symptoms including genital discharge, pain during urination, and abdominal pains in women, and can lead to serious health complications such as pelvic inflammatory diseases, infertility, and ectopic pregnancy if left untreated. The need for rapid and accurate detection is imperative so prompt treatment and control of the disease can be achieved. This study conducted an immunoinformatic analysis of proteins of Chlamydia trachomatis (incA, hctA, ompA, omcB, rpoB, and HSP60) for the development of a lateral flow assay-based diagnostic test. Detailed in silico evaluation of selected proteins from publicly available genomic databases was conducted to evaluate their suitability as targets for lateral flow assay-based detection. The series of tests included antigenicity, toxicity, solubility, physicochemical characteristics and molecular docking of the derived constructs, and protein sequence. Chimeric construct was derived from the prediction of linear B cell epitopes, helper T cell major histocompatibility complex II binding epitopes, and IL4 and IL10 inducers using bioinformatic tools at standard thresholds. With a Ramachandra’s score of 95.4% and Z-score of -5.1, results indicate that the construct efficacy is high in potential to provide extreme specificity and sensitivity for the detection of Chlamydia trachomatis in clinical samples as compared to traditional culture-based methods using nucleic acid amplification, hereby providing a quicker and more accurate diagnostic tool for Chlamydia trachomatis infection. Findings offer valuable data for the development of a rapid and reliable diagnostic point-of-care test kit for Chlamydia trachomatis that allows for drastic reduction in clinical wait time and treatment
Group therapy for overweight individuals
Get PDFBackground: The impact of obesity is not limited to physiological consequences but extends to psychological ones, intertwined with cultural and social narratives about overweight people. Psychological difficulties may be linked to the development or maintenance of large body weight, suggesting a complex bidirectional relationship.
Aim: This review aimed to assess the effectiveness and acceptability of longer-term group based psychological interventions for overweight people.
Methods: A systematic literature search was carried out. Twelve papers were identified and reviewed. Narrative review format was employed.
Results: Most papers investigated CBT and third wave therapies. Longer-term group therapy was found to be effective for people who are overweight. Acceptability of the interventions was less clear. The CBT approach had the most support.
Implications: Psychological factors interact with the maintenance of larger weight and with intervention effects.
Further research, particularly more mixed methods, large-scale studies with a strong emphasis on subjective participants' experiences of the intervention, and samples representative of men, is crucial to deepen understanding and improve interventions for overweight individuals.
Conclusion: Longer-term group therapy holds promise for overweight people in helping improve their psychological well-being and aiding their physical health
Machine learning in ASL fingerspelling recognition: A literature review
No full textThe recognition of American Sign Language
(ASL) fingerspelling through machine learning has seen significant advancements over the past few years. This literature review explores various machine learning models and their applications in ASL fingerspelling recognition, focusing on the transition from hardware-based approaches to sophisticated deep learning models. Key models discussed include Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs), Recurrent Neural Networks (RNNs), and Transformers, highlighting their
performance, challenges, and advancements. The review emphasises the importance of dataset quality and diversity, and the necessity for models to handle real-time, varied conditions for practical applications. The findings suggest that while significant progress has been made, challenges such as dataset variability, environmental conditions, and real-time processing remain. Future research should aim at developing more adaptive models and fostering collaboration between technology and the ASL community to enhance real-world communication for the deaf and hard of hearing
Unboxing maturity models: A set-theoretic perspective on e-government configurations over time
No full textThis study conceptualizes e-Government maturity from the theoretical lens of strategic change. Drawing on a multiplicity of theories, it undertakes a fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis of the drivers of e-Government maturity over the 2010-2020 decade. It bypasses partially conflicting findings about the contribution of human capital to high levels of e-Government development by showcasing instead two configurations of conditions where human capital investments become a non-trivial necessary condition over time. Theoretical, methodological, and practical implications are discussed by zooming in on the configurational patterns emerging over time and, by extension, refining the notion of ‘turning point’ discussed in the literature
Towards a “Social Justice Ecosystem Framework” for Enhancing Livelihoods and Sustainability in Pastoralist Communities
Get PDFAimed at understanding how pastoralist livelihoods are affected within the Northwest Region of Cameroon, this article explores the nexus of social justice, indigenous know-how, livelihoods, social security, and sustainability through a political ecology lens. Through a qualitative case study based on in-depth interviews with 59 key informants, this study departs from existing literature by exploring the linkages that exacerbate risks and vulnerabilities for pastoralist livelihoods. We situate the contending issues through emerging data and analysis, which highlight indigenous elements that sustain pastoralist livelihoods (coping strategies and sustenance) and identify diversified barriers that impede pastoralists’ sense of social justice and community-mindedness. Other intersecting pointers identified relate to environmental interactions, social security, sustainability, and decision-making within local and national governance mechanisms that either enhance or impede sustainable development. We proposed a social justice ecosystem framework (SJEF) that uncovers the enmeshments of social justice, social security, indigenous know-how, and livelihoods, with implications for sustainable development. The framework makes a compelling case for co-produced policies; implementing symbiotic social justice-based policies is mandatory, encapsulating thriving aspects of pastoralists’ unique traditions, which are often missed by governments and agencies in social community development planning and sustainable development initiatives
Small heterodimer partner-interacting leucine zipper protein suppresses pain and cartilage destruction in an osteoarthritis model by modulating the AMPK/STAT3 signaling pathway.
Get PDFOsteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease caused by the breakdown of joint cartilage and adjacent bone. Joint injury, being overweight, differences in leg length, high levels of joint stress, abnormal joint or limb development, and inherited factors have been implicated in the etiology of OA. In addition to physical damage to the joint, a role for inflammatory processes has been identified as well. Small heterodimer partner-interacting leucine zipper protein (SMILE) regulates transcription and many cellular functions. Among the proteins activated by SMILE is the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) γ, which mediates the activities of CD4 + T helper cells, including Th1, Th2, and Th17, as well as Treg cells. PPAR-γ binds to STAT3 to inhibit its transcription, thereby suppressing the expression of the NF-κB pathway, and in turn, the expression of the inflammatory cytokines interferon (IFN), interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, which are sub-signals of STAT3 and NF-κB. OA was induced in control C57BL/6 mice and in C57BL/6-derived SMILE-overexpressing transgenic (SMILE Tg) mice. The protein expression levels in the joint and spleen tissues were analyzed by immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence images. In addition, flow cytometry was performed for detecting changes of the changes of immune cells. Less cartilage damage and significantly reduced levels of OA biomarkers (MMP13, TIMP3 and MCP-1) were observed in SMILE Tg mice. Immunohistochemistry performed to identify the signaling pathway involved in the link between SMILE expression and OA revealed decreased levels of IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, and phosphorylated AMPK in synovial tissues as well as a significant decrease in phosphorylated STAT3 in both cartilage and synovium. Changes in systemic immune cells were investigated via flow cytometry to analyze splenocytes isolated from control and SMILE Tg mice. SMILE Tg mice had elevated proportions of CD4 + IL-4 + cells (Th2) and CD4 + CD25 + Foxp3 + cells (Treg) and a notable decrease in CD4 + IL-17 + cells (Th17). Our results show that overexpressed SMILE attenuates the symptoms of OA, by increasing AMPK signaling and decreasing STAT3, thus reducing the levels of inflammatory immune cells. [Abstract copyright: © 2024. The Author(s).