2,100 research outputs found
The mathematics teacher's specialised knowledge (MTSK) model
No full textThe Spanish Government (EDU2013-44047-P and EDU2016-81994-REDT), the Mexican Sub-secretary of Higher Education (PRODEP), and the Research Centre COIDESO (University of Huelva, Spain) supported this research; Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness; Ministry of Economy Industry and Competitiveness.Carrillo-Yanez, J., Climent, N., Montes, M., Contreras, LC., Flores-Medrano, E., Escudero-Avila, D., Vasco, D., Rojas, N., Flores, P., Aguilar-Gonzalez, A., Ribeiro, M., Munoz-Catalan, MC
The importance of identifying risk factors for the persistence of COVID-19 related olfactory disorders
No full textImpact of Personal Protective Equipment on Surgical Performance During the COVID-19 Pandemic
No full textBackground: The Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 pandemic has exposed surgeons to hazardous working conditions, imposing the need for personal protective equipment (PPE) use during surgery. The use of such equipment may affect their non-technical skills, augment fatigue, and affect performance. This study aimed to assess the surgeons’ perceptions of the impact of wearing PPE during emergency surgery throughout the pandemic. Methods: An international cooperation group conducted an anonymous online survey among surgeons from over 30 countries, to assess perceptions about the impact of PPE use on non-technical skills, overall comfort, decision making, and surgical performance during emergency surgery on COVID-19 patients. Results: Responses to the survey (134) were received from surgeons based on 26 countries. The vast majority (72%) were males. More than half of the respondents (54%) felt that their surgical performance was hampered with PPE. Visual impairment was reported by 63%, whereas 54% had communication impediments. Less than half (48%) felt protected with the use of PPE, and the same proportion perceived that the use of such equipment influenced their decision making. Decreased overall comfort was cited by 66%, and 82% experienced increased surgical fatigue. Conclusions: Surgeons perceived impediment for both visibility and communication, and other non-technical skills while using PPE on emergency surgery in COVID-19 patients. Their perceived lack of protection and comfort and increased fatigue may have inhibited their optimal surgical performance. More attention should be placed in the design of more user-friendly equipment, given the possibility of a second wave of the pandemic
Addition of reduced glutathione (GSH) to freezing medium reduces intracellular ROS levels in donkey sperm
No full textIn donkeys, the use of frozen-thawed sperm for artificial insemination (AI) leads to low fertility rates. Furthermore, donkey sperm produce a large amount of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and post-AI inflammation induces the formation of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETosis), which further generates many more ROS. These high ROS levels may induce lipid peroxidation in the sperm plasma membrane, thus affecting its integrity. Enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants, mainly found in the seminal plasma (SP), are responsible for maintaining the redox balance. However, this fluid is removed prior to cryopreservation, thereby exposing sperm cells to further oxidative stress. The exogenous addition of antioxidants to the freezing medium can reduce the detrimental effects caused by ROS generation. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate how the addition of different reduced glutathione (GSH) concentrations (control, 2 mM, 4 mM, 6 mM, 8 mM, and 10 mM) to fresh sperm affect their cryotolerance. Total and progressive motility, kinematic parameters and motile sperm subpopulations were significantly (p < 0.05) different from the control in treatments containing 8 mM and 10 mM GSH, but not at lower concentrations. Plasma and acrosome membrane integrity, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and intracellular superoxide levels (O2−) were not affected (p > 0.05) by any GSH concentration. Interestingly, however, the addition of 8 mM or 10 mM GSH reduced (p < 0.05) the percentages of viable sperm with high overall ROS levels compared to the control. In conclusion, frozen-thawed donkey sperm are able to tolerate high GSH concentrations, which differs from what has been observed in other species. This antioxidant capacity suggests that ROS could be important during post-AI and that the impact of using exogenous antioxidants like GSH to improve the sperm resilience to freeze-thawing is limited in this species
sj-docx-3-opp-10.1177_10781552231168071 - Supplemental material for Health-related quality of life of women with breast cancer being treated with hormone therapy: A scoping review
No full textSupplemental material, sj-docx-3-opp-10.1177_10781552231168071 for Health-related quality of life of women with breast cancer being treated with hormone therapy: A scoping review by Erilaine de F Corpes, Romel J V Yanez, Denise M da Silva, Kauane M Leite, Milena C T Martins, Milena M Vieira, Cristina P R S dos Santos, Ana F C Fernandes and Régia C M B Castro in Journal of Oncology Pharmacy Practice</p
sj-docx-2-opp-10.1177_10781552231168071 - Supplemental material for Health-related quality of life of women with breast cancer being treated with hormone therapy: A scoping review
No full textSupplemental material, sj-docx-2-opp-10.1177_10781552231168071 for Health-related quality of life of women with breast cancer being treated with hormone therapy: A scoping review by Erilaine de F Corpes, Romel J V Yanez, Denise M da Silva, Kauane M Leite, Milena C T Martins, Milena M Vieira, Cristina P R S dos Santos, Ana F C Fernandes and Régia C M B Castro in Journal of Oncology Pharmacy Practice</p
Criteria for the Optimal Design of a Social Security Retirement System
No full textThis paper discusses a series of selection points in the design and financing of social security retirement systems. For each criterion, the paper lists and discusses advantages and disadvantages of the options available. The selection points include (1) Funded versus PAYGO; (2) Minimum benefits, Demogrant or Welfare; (3) Progressive versus Regressive; (4) Voluntary versus Mandatory; (5) Individual Accounts versus Commingling of Risk (6) Public versus Private sourcing; (7) Automatic Balancing Mechanisms; (8) System Risk Diversification. It is the sincere hope of the author that this discussion will create even more debate of the issues surrounding these important selection criteria which, in turn, will result in better social security retirement systems for all.Social Security design and financing, Funded pay-as-you-go, Individual Accounts, Automatic Balancing Mechanisms
Olfactory recovery following Omicron variant infection: A psychophysical prospective case-control study with 6 month follow-up
No full textObjective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the recovery of olfactory function at 6 months in individuals infected with the omicron variant, using psychophysical tests. Methods: prospective case-control study including SARS-CoV-2 patients infected in February and March 2022. Patients underwent Sniffin'Sticks test (SST) within 10 days of infection and at least 6 months. The olfactory scores were compared with those of a control group. Results: 102 patients and 120 controls were enrolled in the study. At baseline, 26 patients (25.5%) self-reported smell loss. The median TDI score was 33.6 [IQR 12.5] for the cases and 36.5 [IQR 4.38] for the controls (p<0.001). Based on the TDI scores, 12 controls and 34 patients reported olfactory dysfunction (OD) (p<0.001). Eighty cases underwent re-evaluation at 6 months, the median TDI score was 37.1 [IQR 4.75] without significant differences with the controls. Conclusion: six months after infection, the prevalence of OD in patients did not differ significantly from the control population
Cost-Effectiveness Study of Double-Flange Voice Prostheses in the Treatment of Periprosthetic Leakage in Laryngectomized Patients
No full textBackground: Tracheoesophageal speech with a voice prosthesis is considered the rehabilitation treatment of choice in laryngectomized patients. The main reasons for prosthesis failure are endoprosthetic leakage and periprosthetic leakage. The Provox XtraSeal® stent incorporates an additional double flange on the esophageal side to prevent periprosthetic leakage. The objective of this study is to compare the duration and costs of the Provox Vega® and Provox XtraSeal® prostheses used in these patients in a tertiary university hospital. Materials and methods: A prospective crossover case study of laryngectomees with Provox Vega® who underwent Provox XtraSeal® placement due to recurrent periprosthetic leaks and decreased theoretical prosthesis life. The duration and possible factors affecting voice prostheses were studied using Kaplan–Meier curves and Cox regression. A cost-effectiveness analysis was carried out from the perspective of the Spanish National Health System with an incremental cost-effectiveness calculation. Results: A total of 38 patients were recruited, 35 men and 3 women, with a mean age of 66.26 ± 9.36 years old. Information was collected from 551 voice prostheses, 484 Provox Vega® and 68 Provox XtraSeal®. The mean duration of Provox Vega® was 119.75 ± 148.8 days and that of Provox XtraSeal® was 181.99 ± 166.07 days (p = 0.002). The most frequent reason for replacement was endoprosthetic leakage in both groups: 283 (60.86%) in the case of Provox Vega® and 29 (48.33%) in that of XtraSeal® (p < 0.000). To obtain no cost differences (ICE ~ 0) between Provox Vega and Provox XtraSeal, the latter should cost EUR 551.63. Conclusions: The Provox XtraSeal® is a cost-effective option in patients with increased prosthesis replacements due to periprosthetic leakage, reducing the number of replacements, increasing the duration of the prosthesis, and providing savings compared to Provox Vega®
Gastroprotective effect of the Mapuche crude drug Araucaria araucana resin and its main constituents
No full textSchmeda-Hirschmann, G.; Astudillo, L. Laboratorio de Química de Productos Naturales, Instituto de Química de Recursos Naturales, Universidad de Talca, Casilla 747, Talca, Chile
Rodriguez, J.; Theoduloz, C.; Yanez, T. Departamento de Ciencias Básicas Biomédicas, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de Talca, Casilla 747, Talca, Chile.The resin from the tree Araucaria araucana (Araucariaceae) has been used since pre-columbian times by the Mapuche amerindians to treat ulcers. The gastroprotective effect of the resin was assessed in the ethanol–HCl-induced gastric ulcer in mice showing a dose-dependent gastroprotective activity at 100, 200 and 300 mg/kg per os. The main three diterpene constituents of the resin, namely imbricatolic acid, 15-hydroxyimbricatolal and 15-acetoxyimbricatolic acid were isolated and evaluated for gastroprotective effect at doses of 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg. A dose-related gastroprotective effect with highly significant activity (P < 0.01) was observed at doses up to 200 mg/kg. At 100 mg/kg, the highest gastroprotective activity was provided by 15-hydroxyimbricatolal and 15-acetoxyimbricatolic acid, all of them being as active as the reference drug lansoprazole at 20 mg/kg. The cytotoxicity of the main diterpenes as well as lansoprazole was studied towards human lung fibroblasts (MRC-5) and determined by the MTT reduction assay. A concentration-dependent cell viability inhibition was found with IC50 values ranging from 125 up to 290 μM. Our results support the traditional use of the Araucaria araucana resin by the Mapuche culture
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