Naresuan University Journal
Not a member yet
39887 research outputs found
Sort by
Organisational factors associated with variation in dispensing and medicine use reveiw (MUR) activity in a sample of English community pharmacies
No full textPrinciples-based Counselling and Psychotherapy:A Method of Levels approach
No full textWe are going to suggest throughout this book that there are a small number of fundamental principles that are important to therapeutic effectiveness. All effective therapists incorporate these principles to some extent even though they may not be fully aware of them. We think therapists will be able to be much more effective and more efficient by increasing their awareness of these principles. Ironically, by shifting the focus from practices to general principles, therapists will have more options about the techniques they use. Rather than being tied to certain protocols, therapists can use their creativity and professional judgement to discover their own means of applying the principles that matter. Most importantly, this flexibility will make it easier to ensure that what you do therapeutically is more likely to fit with the range of needs that different clients have. A more direct focus on fundamental principles of effective counselling and psychotherapy may, therefore, enhance progress for both research and practice. The evidence currently provides fairly clear information about what methods are likely to be most helpful to the greatest number of people but we still cannot say with a great deal of confidence why these methods work when they do, and also why they are sometimes ineffective. Emphasising general principles that are linked congruently by a robust theory, rather than specific practices, could facilitate an unprecedented level of understanding and expertise
Design and Realisation of a pHEMT Diode MMIC Power Limiter using 3D GaAs Multilayer CPW Technology
No full textDesign and Realisation of a pHEMT Diode MMIC Power Limiter using 3D GaAs Multilayer CPW Technolog
Effect of Atorvastatin and Niacin/LRPT on Apolipoprotein E Distribution, Metabolism and Glycation
No full textAim: To investigate the influence of apoE genotype on the response to atorvastatin treatment in patients with Type 2 diabetes with nephropathy and the effect of niacin/laropiprant (LRPT) on apoE and glycated apoE concentration and distribution in hyperlipidaemia.Methods: ApoE genotype and the effect of 10mg/day and 80mg/day atorvastatin treatment on apoE concentration were studied in 85 patients with type 2 diabetes with nephropathy. The effect of niacin/LRPT on apoE and glycated apoE was investigated for 36 patients with hyperlipidaemia. Results: After 12 months treatment with atorvastatin, serum apoE concentration decreased significantly in the 80mg/day, but not the 10mg/day group. This decrease was observed in patients with E3 and E4 but not E2 genotype. Hyperlipidaemia did not affect total apoE, but the apoE distribution in HDL and d>1.21g/ml lipoprotein fractions was significantly lower. Glycated apoE was significantly higher in patients with hyperlipidaemia than healthy volunteers (
The utility of information collected by occupational disease surveillance systems.
No full textBACKGROUND: The Health and Occupation Research (THOR) network in the UK and the Republic of Ireland (ROI) is an integrated system of surveillance schemes collecting work-related ill-health (WRIH) data since 1989. In addition to providing information about disease incidence, trends in incidence and the identification of new hazards, THOR also operates an ad hoc data enquiry service enabling interested parties to request information about cases of WRIH reported to THOR. AIMS: To examine requests for information made to a network of surveillance schemes for WRIH in the UK. METHODS: Analysis via SPSS of data requests received by THOR between 2002 and 2014. RESULTS: A total of 631 requests were received by THOR between 2002 and 2014. Requests were predominantly submitted by participating THOR physicians (34%) and the main THOR funder-the UK Health & Safety Executive (HSE) (31%). The majority (67%) of requests were for information about work-related respiratory or skin disease with relatively few requests for other diagnoses, such as musculoskeletal or mental ill-health. Requests frequently related to a specific industry and/or occupation (42%) and/or a specific causal agent (58%). CONCLUSIONS: Data collected by occupational disease surveillance systems such as THOR are an extremely useful source of information, the use of which extends beyond informing government on disease incidence and trends in incidence. The data collected provide a framework that can assist a wide range of enquirers with clinical diagnoses, identification of suspected causative agents/exposures and to highlight growing risks in particular industrial and occupational sectors
The role of the prostate cancer gene 3 urine test in addition to serum prostate-specific antigen level in prostate cancer screening among breast cancer, early-onset gene mutation carriers.
No full textOBJECTIVE: To evaluate the additive value of the prostate cancer gene 3 (PCA3) urine test to serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in prostate cancer (PC) screening among breast cancer, early-onset gene (BRCA) mutation carriers. This study was performed among the Dutch participants of IMPACT, a large international study on the effectiveness of PSA screening among BRCA mutation carriers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Urinary PCA3 was measured in 191 BRCA1 mutation carriers, 75 BRCA2 mutation carriers, and 308 noncarriers. The physicians and participants were blinded for the results. Serum PSA level ≥ 3.0 ng/ml was used to indicate prostate biopsies. PCA3 was evaluated (1) as an independent indicator for prostate b iopsies and (2) as an indicator for prostate biopsies among men with an elevated PSA level. PC detected up to the 2-year screening was used as gold standard as end-of-study biopsies were not performed. RESULTS: Overall, 23 PCs were diagnosed, 20 of which were in men who had an elevated PSA level in the initial screening round. (1) PCA3, successfully determined in 552 participants, was elevated in 188 (cutoff ≥ 25; 34%) or 134 (cutoff ≥ 35; 24%) participants, including 2 of the 3 PCs missed by PSA. PCA3 would have added 157 (≥ 25; 28%) or 109 (≥ 35; 20%) biopsy sessions to screening with PSA only. (2) Elevated PCA3 as a requirement for biopsies in addition to PSA would have saved 37 (cutoff ≥ 25) or 43 (cutoff ≥ 35) of the 68 biopsy sessions, and 7 or 11 PCs would have been missed, respectively, including multiple high-risk PCs. So far, PCA3 performed best among BRCA2 mutation carriers, but the numbers are still small. Because PCA3 was not used to indicate prostate biopsies, its true diagnostic value cannot be calculated. CONCLUSIONS: The results do not provide evidence for PCA3 as a useful additional indicator of prostate biopsies in BRCA mutation carriers, as many participants had an elevated PCA3 in the absence of PC. This must be interpreted with caution because PCA3 was not used to indicate biopsies. Many participants diagnosed with PC had low PCA3, making it invalid as a restrictive marker for prostate biopsies in men with elevated PSA levels
Maximizing the greenhouse gas reductions from biomass: the role of life cycle assessment
No full textBiomass can deliver significant greenhouse gas reductions in electricity, heat and transport fuel supply. However, our biomass resource is limited and should be used to deliver the most strategic and significant impacts. The relative greenhouse gas reduction merits of different bioenergy systems (for electricity, heat, chemical and biochar production) were examined on a common, scientific basis using consistent life cycle assessment methodology, scope of system and assumptions. The results show that bioenergy delivers substantial and cost-effective greenhouse gas reductions. Large scale electricity systems deliver the largest absolute reductions in greenhouse gases per unit of energy generated, while medium scale wood chip district heating boilers result in the highest level of greenhouse gas reductions per unit of harvested biomass. However, ammonia and biochar systems deliver the most cost effective carbon reductions, while biochar systems potentially deliver the highest greenhouse gas reductions per unit area of land. The system that achieves the largest reduction in greenhouse gases per unit of energy does not also deliver the highest greenhouse gas reduction per unit of biomass. So policy mechanisms that incentivize the reductions in the carbon intensity of energy may not result in the best use of the available resource. Life cycle assessment (LCA) is a flexible tool that can be used to answer a wide variety of different policy-relevant, LCA “questions”, but it is essential that care is taken to formulate the actual question being asked and adapt the LCA methodology to suit the context and objective
Endocrine determinants of incident sarcopenia in middle-aged and elderly European men.
No full textBACKGROUND: In men, the long-term consequences of low serum levels of sex steroids, vitamin D metabolites, and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) on the evolution of muscle mass, muscle strength, or physical performance are unclear. Moreover, there are no data about the relationship between these hormones and incident sarcopenia defined as low muscle mass and function. The aim of this study was to determine whether the baseline levels of sex hormones, vitamin D metabolites, and IGF-1 predict changes in muscle mass, muscle strength, physical performance, and incident sarcopenia. METHODS: In 518 men aged 40-79 years, recruited for participation in the European Male Ageing Study, total, free, and bioavailable testosterone (T), oestradiol (E), sex hormone-binding globulin, IGF-1, 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD), 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (1,25(OH)2D), and parathyroid hormone were assessed at baseline. Appendicular lean mass (aLM), gait speed, and grip strength were measured at baseline and after a mean follow-up of 4.3 years. Sarcopenia was defined by the definition of Baumgartner (relative aLM ≤7.26 kg/m(2)), the International Working Group on Sarcopenia (IWGS), and the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People (EWGSOP). RESULTS: aLM significantly decreased from age 50 years, while gait speed and grip strength significantly decreased from age 70 years. The incidence of sarcopenia by the definitions of Baumgartner, IWGS, and EWGSOP was 8.1%, 3.0%, and 1.6%, respectively. After adjustment for age, centre, body mass index, smoking, and number of comorbidities at baseline, baseline levels of T and vitamin D metabolites were not associated with change in aLM, gait speed, and/or grip strength, while a high baseline level of total E2 was associated with a greater decrease in aLM. In men aged ≥70 years, low IGF-1 was associated with a greater decrease in gait speed. Baseline endocrine variables were not independently associated with an increased risk of incident sarcopenia by any definition. CONCLUSIONS: Low levels of T and 25OHD do not predict loss of muscle mass, gait speed, or grip strength in middle-aged and elderly community-dwelling European men. Low IGF-1 predicts change in gait speed in men aged ≥70 years