Journals of Rzeszow University - Open Journal System
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Effect of clinic-based and telemonitored home-based intervention on pain intensity, functioning and quality of life in patients with knee osteoarthritis
Get PDFIntroduction and aim. The study assessed and compared the effects of clinic-based and telemonitored home-based interventions on pain intensity, functioning and quality of life in patients with knee osteoarthritis (KOA).
Material and methods. Forty-two patients were recruited purposely and randomly allocated into clinic-based (CBG) and telemonitored home-based group (THG) equally. The CBG and THG received isometric exercises to strengthen the quadriceps and hamstring muscles using theraband. THG received the exercise at home they were monitored on phone thrice in a week, while the CBG did the exercise in the hospital. The subjects performed four sets of eight repetitions three days in a week for eight weeks. Pain intensity, functioning and health related quality of life (HRQoL) were assessed at pretreatment, 6th and 8th week of intervention. Data was analyzed with descriptive and inferential statistics. Alpha level was set at 0.05.
Results. There was a significant reduction (p<0.001) among pre-treatment, 6th and 8th week intervention in pain intensity, functional pain intensity and quality of life of CBG and THG. CBG showed significant reduction (p<0.001) in pain intensity, function and increase in HRQoL than THG at 8th week.
Conclusion. Clinic-based and telemonitored home-based interventions were both effective in the management of KOA but clinic-based intervention was better than telemonitored home-based intervention
PET and SPECT imaging as a solid guide to detect and discriminate atypical phenotypes of neurodegenerative disorders
Get PDFIntroduction and aim. Atypical or mixed presentations of neurodegenerative disorders may postpone or confound the final diagnosis. Molecular imaging with positron emission tomography (PET) and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) radioligands provide target-specific information and may anticipate the diagnosis by “in vivo” detection of the neuro pathological substrate, as Aβ deposition, nigrostriatal dopaminergic depletion or tau inclusions. This concise review will dis cuss the potential of PET and SPECT imaging as a solid guide to better characterize atypical phenotypes of neurodegeneration in the clinical routine, with the potential to drive personalized interventions, improve cohort uniformity for clinical trials, and serve as biomarkers for targeted molecular therapies.
Material and methods. Literature search was performed focusing on the role of PET and SPECT imaging in assessing atypical phenotypes of neurodegeneration, using the electronic source of database PubMed/MEDLINE and the web-based search engines Google, Google Scholar.
Analysis of the literature. New disease-modifying drugs may increase their effect with early initiation, which is especially im portant in working persons and younger subjects presenting atypical symptoms. In older individuals, the coexistence of neu rodegeneration, age-related changes, cerebrovascular lesions, or depression makes challenging a definitive diagnosis. Quantitative tools able to measure tracer distribution increase the accuracy of molecular neuroimaging creating topographic maps that compare subject’s data with healthy controls databases.
Conclusion. Atypical phenotypes may be associated with quantitative key-pattern allowing a more precise and early diagnosis of the neurodegenerative disorder. Finally, quantitative assessment of the pathological substrates allows us to track the disease process and measure treatment response
Prevalence and predictors of job stress among healthcare workers in secondary health centers in a Nigerian City
Get PDFIntroduction and aim. Stress is prevalent in all aspects of our lives and it seems particularly overwhelming in the workplace. This study identified prevalence and factors associated with job stress among healthcare workers in public secondary health facilities in the Ibadan metropolis, Nigeria.
Material and methods. The study was a cross-sectional study. Two hundred and sixty-nine healthcare workers were recruited over three months. The respondents were recruited using the systematic sampling techniques.
Results. The age range of the participants was 20–59 years with a mean age of 39.28(SD 9.39).The prevalence of job stress among physicians was 42.1%, health management staff 31.3%, pharmacists 28.6%, nurses 23.5%, and laboratory personnel 23.1%. Most participants 162(61.1%) had functional families. Participants from polygamous families were about 70% less likely to report job stress compared with those from monogamous setting (OR=0.3, 95%CI 0.07–0.9). Participants from dysfunctional families were about 2 times more likely to report job stress compared to those with functional families. OR=2.0, 95%CI (1.09–3.56).
Conclusion. Compared with nurses, this study demonstrated a higher prevalence of job stress among physicians and other healthcare workers. Family type and family support were predictors of job stress among healthcare workers. The outcome of this study would be used as a source of information for practice and policy making for health facilities in Nigeria, and some places in Africa, with the aim of planning improved conditions for health workers through appropriate job stress management
Surgery experiences of patients with hematologic cancer, individual applications for the symptoms due to chemotherapy and determination of the anxiety levels
Get PDFIntroduction and aim. The aim of the study was to determine the surgical experiences of patients with hematologic cancer, their anxiety levels, and their individual practices regarding the symptoms they experience.
Material and methods. The study was conducted by face-to-face interviews with 74 patients followed up in a hematology clinic. The “Patient information form” and “Beck Anxiety Scale” were administered to the patients before chemotherapy, and the “Questionnaire Form Including Patients Practices for Symptoms” was administered after chemotherapy.
Results. The mean age of the participants was 63.76±15.1 years, 47.3% were female, 47.3% were diagnosed with lymphoma, 67.6% had undergone surgery, and 32% received education. The mean Beck Anxiety Scale score was 11.36±7.99 and was considered mild anxiety. A significant difference was observed between education and employment status and postoperative education status, gender and hair loss, employment status and anorexia, scale score and employment status, and the effect of COVID-19 on chemotherapy (p<0.05).
Conclusion. It was determined that patients with hematological cancer had a low levels of knowledge about surgical procedures and they did not perform any negative practice due to chemotherapy. Their anxiety levels were mild and the pandemic process was effective on anxiety
Growth differentiation factor 15 – a review of current literature on biological roles and clinical significance
Get PDFIntroduction and aim. Growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF15), a member of the TGF-β superfamily, plays crucial roles in various physiological and pathological processes including inflammation, apoptosis, angiogenesis, cell repair, growth, metabolic regulation, and immune response. This review aims to discuss the biological roles and clinical significance of GDF15 and to analyze its impact across different medical fields such as cardiology, oncology, neurology, gynecology, and areas related to aging and metabolic disorders.
Material and methods. A review was constructed through a literature search on PubMed and Google Scholar databases, focusing on studies from 2014 to 2024, using relevant keywords.
Analysis of the literature. Recent research highlights GDF15’s potential as a biomarker in cardiovascular diseases, its role in cancer progression and resistance to therapies, and its significance in metabolic regulation affecting conditions like obesity, diabetes, and cachexia. Emerging research also points to its role in aging, mitochondrial diseases, and systemic conditions such as sepsis, liver, and lung disorders.
Conclusion. GDF15’s involvement in multiple pathological states and its broad impact across various medical disciplines underline its potential for future clinical applications. Understanding GDF15’s complex roles could lead to novel therapeutic strategies and enhance prognostic assessments in diverse medical fields
Composite index of anthropometric failure and conventional anthropometric indices of undernutrition among children in India – a systematic review and meta-analysis
Get PDFIntroduction and aim. The high prevalence of childhood undernutrition continues to be a major public health issue in India. This systematic and meta-analysis study employed both the composite index of anthropometric failures (CIAF) and conventional to determine the magnitude of undernutrition in Indian children.
Material and methods. A comprehensive literature search was conducted from 2005 to June 2023 using electronic databases, including Google Scholar, Web of Science, SCOPUS, PubMed, J-Gate, and ScienceDirect. A random-effects model for pooled prevalence rates was generated and heterogeneity was assessed using the I2 index and Q statistics.
Analysis of the literature. CIAF revealed a higher prevalence of undernutrition than conventional anthropometric indices in children aged 0 to 72 months. The combined prevalence of stunting and underweight was 37% (95%CI: 0.32-0.41), and wasting was 22% (95%CI: 0.18-0.25) (p<0.01). However, according to CIAF categorization, the pooled prevalence of undernourishment was reported to be 55% (95% CI:0.50-0.60; p<0.01). CIAF’s higher prevalence highlights its effectiveness in capturing childhood undernutrition, accounting for children with multiple concurrent nutritional deficiencies in population.
Conclusion. This systematic review and meta-analysis investigated the assessment of undernutrition using conventional anthropometric indices compared with CIAF, which aggregate different aspects of undernutrition, especially when children have multiple undernutrition issues. Appropriate, target-specific interventions are necessary to improve the overall nutritional status of Indian children
Policyjne Archiwum X
No full textThe article presents institutions dealing with statute of limitations of criminality in the Polish legal system, the genesis of the first team of the ,,X – Archives”, their policing staff and technical facilities. The ,,X – Archives” are one of many organizational units of the Polish police. The aim of the ,,X – Archives” is to solve cases committed many years ago, predominantly serious crimes. The officers of the ,,X – Arhives” are people with invaluable abilities and huge experience. They succeed even after a large margin of time between committed crimes and detaining criminals. Their modern working methods affect crime detection rate which is getting higher and higher with every single case solved. The ,,X – Archives” cooperate with forensic scientists, criminalistics laboratories and other security bodies.Artykuł przedstawia wygląd instytucji przedawnienia karalności w polskim systemie prawnym, genezę powstania pierwszego zespołu ,,Archiwum X”, jego zaplecze osobowe oraz techniczne. ,,Archiwum X” jest jedną z wielu komórek organizacyjnych polskiej Policji. Celem istnienia grupy jest rozwiązywanie spraw najcięższych zbrodni, które popełniono wiele lat temu. Policjanci z ,,Archiwum X” to ludzie posiadający nieocenione umiejętności i ogromne doświadczenie. Udaje im się osiągnąć sukces nawet jeśli od chwili popełnienia przestępstwa do momentu wykrycia sprawcy upłynęło sporo czasu. Nowoczesne metody ich pracy wpływają na wskaźnik wykrywalności przestępstw, który osiąga coraz to wyższy poziom z każdą rozwiązaną sprawą. ,,Archiwum X” współpracuje między innymi z technikami kryminalistyki, laboratoriami kryminalistycznymi i innymi podmiotami bezpieczeństwa
Postrzeganie bezpieczeństwa lokalnego przez mieszkańców województwa podkarpackiego – wyniki badań empirycznych w 2023 r.
No full textThe article presents the results of empirical research carried out from May to August 2023 on the perception of local security by the inhabitants of the Podkarpackie Voivodeship. The article presents a theoretical approach to the concept of security and reviews research related to the security of local communities. Then, the methodology of the conducted empirical research and the study population were characterized. The culmination of the article are the results of research conducted on a sample of 1503 respondents.Artykuł przedstawia wyniki badań empirycznych realizowanych od maja do sierpnia 2023 r. na temat postrzegania bezpieczeństwa lokalnego przez mieszkańców województwa podkarpackiego. W artykule przedstawiono teoretyczne ujęcie pojęcia bezpieczeństwo oraz dokonano przeglądu badań odnoszących się do bezpieczeństwa społeczności lokalnych. Następnie, dokonano charakterystyki metodologii prowadzonych badań empirycznych oraz badanej populacji. Zwieńczeniem artykułu są wyniki badań przeprowadzone na próbie 1503 respondentów