3103 research outputs found
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COVID-19 wash your hands but don’t erase them from our profession–considerations on manual therapy past and present
No full textUpdated clinical practice guidelines for community-acquired pneumonia
No full textIn 2019, guidelines for the management of immunocompetent adults with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) were published jointly by the American Thoracic Society and the Infectious Diseases Society of America. Different treatment regimens are recommended depending on whether the patient is receiving treatment in the inpatient or outpatient setting, the severity of the pneumonia, and whether the patient has comorbidities or any risk factors for drug-resistant pathogens. The recommended duration of antimicrobial treatment for patients with CAP is a minimum of 5 days. Pharmacists should work actively with physicians to recommend appropriate antimicrobial therapy for the treatment of patients with CAP and are in a key position to ensure that patients receive the appropriate duration of therapy
Investigation of the thermodynamic drivers of the interaction between the high mobility group box domain of Sox2 and bacterial lipopolysaccharide
No full textGastric cancer is associated with high mortality and is preceded by an infection with Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori). H. pylori stimulates inflammation which involves the activation of Toll-like receptor 4 by lipopolysaccharide molecules from the H. pylori. This leads to chronic inflammation that can eventually lead to gastric cancer. Sox2 is a member of the high mobility group (HMG) box family of proteins, and recent studies have shown that HMG box proteins can modulate immune response by altering signaling to Toll-like receptors. Sox2 is overexpressed in most types of cancer with the exception of gastric cancer where expression of Sox2 is decreased. Here, we demonstrate that Sox2 can bind LPS and we investigated the thermodynamic drivers of the Sox2/LPS interaction
Sex differences in heart rate responses to occupational stress
No full textCardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the leading cause of disease burden globally and chronic stress is associated with increased risk of CVD. Recognition of chronic occupational stressors as a potential contributor to CVD highlights the need to recognize and prevent stress during work. The ubiquity of wearable technology devices to monitor health provides a new opportunity to noninvasively examine the cardiovascular system throughout a work shift. In the current study, we examined changes in heart rate (HR) during a work shift in a retail store setting using 23 healthy female and male subjects that differed in their physical fitness status. Subjects had their HR tracked via an Apple Watch during three typical work shifts. The results demonstrated an increase in HR during a work shift to a level observed during a moderate stressor (resting HR = 83.2 BPM ± 7.8; highest HR mean = 109.1 BPM ± 11.7; p \u3c.0001). Female subjects demonstrated a significantly elevated maximum HR, a larger change in HR, and a larger percent change in HR compared with males (all p \u3c.05). Physical activity status did not influence the observed changes in HR for females or males. Neither the time of day the work shift occurred nor the length of the shift modulated the observed pattern of HR changes. Collectively, our findings demonstrate the potential for wearables in biomedical research and personalized health
Conformality of PVD shell layers on GLAD-nanorods investigated by Monte Carlo simulations
No full textThe quality of the shell coating around nanorods is critical in device applications. Conventional physical vapor deposition (PVD) techniques can be utilized for highly conformal shell coating formation in core-shell structure devices. To identify scalable fabrication techniques for conformal shell coatings, Monte Carlo (MC) simulations of PVD growth were performed under different atomic flux distributions and angles on arrays of glancing angle deposition (GLAD) nanorods, which were also generated by MC simulations. We investigated the conformality of PVD films (shell) around GLAD rod arrays (core) and analyzed the thickness uniformity of the shell layer across the sidewalls of rods. Our results show that Angular Flux-Normal Angle (A-NAD), which might correspond to high-pressure sputter deposition at normal incidence (HIPS at θ = 0o) can generate better conformal shell coating compared to others. In Uniform Flux-Normal Angle technique (U-NAD), which corresponds to a thermal evaporation deposition, the growth suffers from poor sidewall coverage. In addition, introducing a small angle to the flux also improves the shell conformality. Therefore, high-pressure sputter deposition technique is expected to provide superior conformality for a catalyst or semiconductor coating around base nanorods, for example for fuel cell and solar cell applications, with the help of obliquely incident atoms of the HIPS flux
The Ethicality of Point-of-Sale Marketing Campaigns: Normative Ethics Applied to Cause-Related Checkout Charities
No full text“Would you like to contribute to XYZ charity by adding a dollar to your bill today?” Point-of-sale campaigns for fundraising are common to grocery stores, pharmacies, restaurants and warehouse clubs. Commonly referred to as ‘checkout charity,’ these fundraisers have generated over $4.1 billion in contributions for nonprofits over the past three decades. Yet little research has focused on the ethicality of this type of campaign. To address this need, we analyze the issue using behavioral ethics (moral identity and emotional triggers of behavior) and normative theory (consequentialism, deontology, and virtue ethics). We consider three stakeholder perspectives, including the nonprofit initiating the campaign, the business hosting the campaign, and the donor. Often ethical theories are seen as competing for primacy rather than being complementary perspectives in choosing the best action. We demonstrate that ethical discernment results in a richer analysis when consulting multiple frameworks. The purpose of this paper is to provide a set of ethical considerations for individuals to draw upon when devising and donating to checkout charity campaigns. This analysis will serve as a conceptual resource for scholars, practitioners, and students of nonprofit and for-profit management
Engineering self and civil society: the promise of charity in Turkey
No full textIn this article, I will show that charitable giving, along with charitable associations’ institutional practices, fashion moral, productive, and religious citizens through both intent and practice of giving. Thereby the individual donors and associations not only legitimize their aim of social transformation with reference to religious norms of giving, but at the same time also introduce new, professionalized (rationalized) forms to further develop, track, institutionalize and regulate these norms. If we define religious engineering as ‘active and conscious ways of working on the future shape of a given society’(cf. Spies and Schrode, Introduction), this article argues that the work of charitable associations and the processes of charitable giving in Turkey are practices of ‘religious engineering’ and should be analysed as such. I do this analysis through a direct focus on activities, ideas, and implementations of charitable associations and individuals
Reality and Legality: Disentangling What Is Actual from What Is Tolerated in Comparisons of Hemp Extracts with Pure CBD
No full textManufacturers of hemp-based cannabidiol products have argued that their products should be federally regulated as dietary supplements in the U.S. The justifications offered for this suggestion often focus on a variety of assumptions that either are commonly invoked in marketing strategies of the cannabis/hemp industry or are codified in the 1994 Dietary Supplement Health Education Act. Three such assumptions are addressed herein and are characterized as: 1) the false dichotomy of herbs vs drugs, 2) the entourage fallacy, and 3) the false equivalence of incomparable evidence. An argument is presented which is intended to persuade that the legality or mere composition of phytochemical products do not speak to the reality of their pharmacological effects. It is further argued that non-prescription cannabidiol and hemp extracts should not be afforded regulatory protection by designation as dietary supplements
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation as Treatment for Mal de Debarquement Syndrome: Case Report and Literature Review
No full textThis manuscript presents the case of an adult, male patient with mal de debarquement syndrome (MdDS); results from his experimental treatment with repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) are also provided. Additionally, we included a review of literature related to the neurophysiology of MdDS and its treatment with rTMS. A 41-year-old man had been experiencing symptoms of MdDS, which initially emerged following a car ride, for 11 to 12 years. Pharmacologic approaches had failed to provide symptom relief; thus, we investigated an intervention using low-frequency (1 Hz) rTMS unilaterally for 2 consecutive weeks. The outcome measures included a standardized, computerized dynamic posturography test to quantify the patient\u27s balance and identify abnormalities in his use of the sensory systems contributing to postural control, as well as the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) to measure his anxiety and depression. An rTMS treatment log was created to document any adverse events. Following rTMS, the patient\u27s balance scores improved significantly; these improvements were mostly related to the patient\u27s increased reliance on the visual and vestibular systems. Our patient\u27s HADS Anxiety and Depression subscores also showed improvement post-rTMS. The presented case study provides preliminary evidence that rTMS may be a noninvasive treatment option for improving balance, specifically in individuals with MdDS. This evidence can be used to further therapeutic research on, and provide strategies for treating, MdDS
Does foot mobility affect the outcome in the management of patellofemoral pain with foot orthoses versus hip exercises? A randomised clinical trial
No full textObjectives: To test (i) if greater foot pronation (measured as midfoot width mobility) is associated with better outcomes with foot orthoses treatment, compared with hip exercises and (ii) if hip exercises are superior to foot orthoses, irrespective of midfoot width mobility. Methods: A two-arm parallel, randomised superiority clinical trial was conducted in Australia and Denmark. Participants (18-40 years) were included who reported an insidious onset of knee pain (≥6 weeks duration); ≥3/10 numerical pain rating, that was aggravated by activities (eg, stairs, squatting, running). Participants were stratified by midfoot width mobility (high ≥11 mm change in midfoot width) and site, randomised to foot orthoses or hip exercises and blinded to objectives and stratification. Success was defined a priori as much better or better on a patient-perceived 7-point scale at 12 weeks. Results: Of 218 stratified and randomised participants, 192 completed 12-week follow-up. This study found no difference in success rates between foot orthoses versus hip exercises in those with high (6/21 vs 9/20; 29% vs 45%, respectively) or low (42/79 vs 37/72; 53% vs 51%) midfoot width mobility. There was no association between midfoot width mobility and treatment outcome (Interaction effect p=0.19). This study found no difference in success rate between foot orthoses versus hip exercises (48/100 vs 46/92; 48% vs 50%). Conclusion: Midfoot width mobility should not be used to help clinicians decide which patient with patellofemoral pain might benefit most from foot orthoses. Clinicians and patients may consider either foot orthoses or hip exercises in managing patellofemoral pain. Trial registration number: ACTRN12614000260628