232 research outputs found
Dietary and psychosocial determinants of obesity among women in urban and rural areas in Lebanon - by Rania Abdallah Mekary
No full textThesis (M.S.) -- Dept. of Food Technology and Nutrition, AUB, 1998;"Advisor: Dr. Nahla Hwalla Baba, Professor, Food Technology and Nutrition--Member of Committee: Dr. Raja Tannous, Professor, Food Technology and Nutrition--Member of Committee: Dr. KhuzamaReferences: leaves 161-186Neither the prevalence nor the determinants ot ohesit\ are well documented in Lebanon. This cross-sectional study reports on the prevalence of obesity as well as its correlation with the socioeconomic and dietary factors, among Lebanese women, randomly
Studying Migration from Different Perspectives and with Different Techniques
No full textMigration can be considered a human strategy to improve life and can be defined as a natural behavior of human beings that has developed over time. The issue of migration is a particularly salient theme in this historical period and presents a new challenge for researchers in Europe and worldwide, particularly those researchers attempting to understand the patterns and processes of migration. Researchers of various disciplines have responded to the challenges related to migration using a variety of methodological tools to examine the phenomenon. In this chapter, the author presents qualitative techniques used in the social sciences and discusses their strengths and weaknesses when they are employed to study immigrant populations. Given the complexity of the migration phenomenon, the challenges that researchers must address include collaboration between disciplines and methodologies and the integration of methods. A multimethod, multilevel and multidisciplinary approach is used in an attempt to understand this multifaceted issue
Supplemental material for Surgical Outcomes of Endoscopic Versus Open Resection for Primary Sinonasal Malignancy: A Meta-analysis
No full textSupplemental Material for Surgical Outcomes of Endoscopic Versus Open Resection for Primary Sinonasal Malignancy: A Meta-analysis by Victor M. Lu MD Krishnan Ravindran BS Kevin Phan MD Jamie J. Van Gompel MD Timothy R. Smith MD Angela M. Donaldson MD Alfredo Quinones-Hinojosa MD Rania A. Mekary PhD Kaisorn L. Chaichana MD in American Journal of Rhinology & Allergy</p
Letter by Ding and Mekary Regarding Article, “Television Viewing Time and Mortality: The Australian Diabetes, Obesity and Lifestyle Study (AusDiab)”
No full textMulti-person tracking using dynamic programming
No full textThesis (M.Eng.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, 2001.Includes bibliographical references (p. 75-77).This electronic version was submitted by the student author. The certified thesis is available in the Institute Archives and Special Collections.by Rania Y. Khalaf.M.Eng
Mobile health and neurocognitive domains evaluation through smartphones: A meta-analysis
No full textA B S T R A C T Background: Mobile health (mHealth) have significantly advanced evaluating neurocognitive functions; but, few reports have documented whether they validate neurocognitive impairments as well as paper and-pencil neuropsychological tests. Objective: To meta-analyze the correlation between mobile applications for neuropsychological tests and validated paper-and-pencil neuropsychological tests for evaluating neurocognitive impairments. Method: We used PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, Web of Science, and IEEE Explorer through January 2020 to identify studies that compared mobile applications for neuropsychological tests vs. paper-and-pencil neurophysiological tests. We used random-effects models via the DerSimonian and Laird method to extract pooled Pearson's correlation coefficients and we stratified by study design. Result: Nine out of 4639 screened articles (one RCT and eight prospective longitudinal case series) were included. For the observational studies, there was a statistically significant strong and direct correlation between mobile applications for neuropsychological test scores and validated paper-and-pencil neuropsychological assessment scores (r = 0.70; 95% CI 0.59, 0.79; I 2 = 74.5%; p-heterogeneity < 0.001). Stronger results were seen for the RCT (r = 0.92; 95% CI 0.77, 0.97). Conclusion: This meta-analysis showed a statistically significant correlation between mobile applications and the validated paper-and-pencil neuropsychological assessments analyzed for the evaluation of neurocognitive impairments. (c) 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved
Smartphone GPS signatures of patients undergoing spine surgery correlate with mobility and current gold standard outcome measures
No full textObjective: Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) are currently the gold standard to evaluate patient physical performance and ability to recover after spine surgery. However, PROMs have significant limitations due to the qualitative and subjective nature of the information reported as well as the impossibility of using this method in a continuous manner. The smartphone global positioning system (GPS) can be used to provide continuous, quantitative, and objective information on patient mobility. The aim of this study was to use daily mobility features derived from the smartphone GPS to characterize the perioperative period of patients undergoing spine surgery and to compare these objective measurements to PROMs, the current gold standard. Methods: Eight daily mobility features were derived from smartphone GPS data in a population of 39 patients undergoing spine surgery for a period of 2 months starting 3weeks before surgery. In parallel, three different PROMs for pain (visual analog scale [VAS]), disability (Oswestry Disability Index [ODI]) and functional status (Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System [PROMIS]) were serially measured. Segmented linear regression analysis was used to assess trends before and after surgery. The Student paired t-test was used to compare pre- and postoperative PROM scores. Pearson's correlation was calculated between the daily average of each GPS-based mobility feature and the daily average of each PROM score during the recovery period. Results: Smartphone GPS features provided data documenting a reduction in mobility during the immediate postoperative period, followed by a progressive and steady increase with a return to baseline mobility values 1 month after surgery. PROMs measuring pain, physical performance, and disability were significantly different 1 month after surgery compared to the 2 immediate preoperative weeks. The GPS-based features presented moderate to strong linear correlation with pain VAS and PROMIS physical score during the recovery period (Pearson r > 0.7), whereas the ODI and PROMIS mental scores presented a weak correlation (Pearson r approximately 0.4). Conclusions: Smartphone-derived GPS features were shown to accurately characterize perioperative mobility trends in patients undergoing surgery for spine-related diseases. Features related to time (rather than distance) were better at describing patient physical and performance status. Smartphone GPS has the potential to be used for the development of accurate, noninvasive and personalized tools for patient mobility monitoring after surgery
Psicologia sociale delle relazioni familiari .Identità, progetti e traiettorie
No full textFamily, in a psycho-social perspective, can be considered challenged in epistemic sense: by its nature it is compared with the contexts of change, with the ability to adapt to life events that are varied and numerous. The family may be regarded as a "project" that turns to unify different situations, sometimes contradictory, going to define family "paths" increasingly differentiated and difficult to predict. These pathways may be dependent on life events not selected that people suffer all the consequences, or from events strongly desired that bring people to possible happiness or unhappiness.
The author outlines a scenario that includes the varied strategies of coexistence in which family meanings can be very different; along with a “liquid” love and society, the family no longer seems able to hold its form. The construction of its boundaries and relevant meanings, through the current multiplicity of family forms which each of us can experience simultaneously, is the main challenge relates to the ability of each to build and maintain links
Surgery vs. biopsy in the treatment of butterfly glioblastoma: a systematic review and meta-analysis
No full text: Butterfly glioblastomas (bGBM) are grade IV gliomas that spread to bilateral hemispheres by infiltrating the corpus callosum. Data on the effect of surgery are limited to small case series. The aim of this meta-analysis was to compare resection vs. biopsy in terms of survival outcomes and postoperative complications. A systematic review of the literature was conducted using PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane databases through March 2021 in accordance with the PRISMA checklist. Pooled hazard ratios were calculated and meta-analyzed in a random-effects model including assessment of heterogeneity. Out of 3367 articles, seven studies were included with 293 patients. Surgical resection was significantly associated with longer overall survival (HR 0.39, 95%CI 0.2-0.55) than biopsy. Low heterogeneity was observed (I2: 0%). In further analysis, the effect persisted in extent of resection subgroups of both ≥80% and <80%. No statistically significant difference between surgery and biopsy was detected in terms of postoperative complications, although these were numerically larger for surgery. In patients with bGBM, surgical resection was associated with longer survival prospects compared with biopsy
Osteoporosis and osteopenia management in women: survey, case-referent study, and interventional exercise trial
No full textThree studies are presented; the first epidemiological study was a survey of Baton Rouge/New Orleans physicians who manage osteoporosis. When the respondents’ answers were compared to selected guidelines, they displayed poor knowledge regarding osteoporosis prevention, diagnosis, and treatment (X2=39.88; P\u3c0.0001). Rheumatologists and endocrinologists scored globally better on osteoporosis management when compared to ObGyn (OR= 6.98) (CI=2.4; 22.8). Physicians with more years of experience were more knowledgeable of osteoporosis care (OR=1.04) (CI=1.014; 1.071). The second epidemiological study was a case referent study looking at osteoporosis treatment and patient adherence of selected women in Baton Rouge. Results showed that osteoporosis management depended partly on patient adherence. Barriers to patient’s adherence varied from physiological to psychological reasons. Physicians need to provide more explanation and motivation to the patients. Spine was the area most affected and showed more improvement with treatment than the femur (P\u3c0.01). Bisphosphonates were the most effective treatment for the spine (P\u3c0.05). In patients with osteoporosis, being on just calcium and exercise is not enough to counteract bone resorption. They also need to be on an anti-resorptive therapy. Low body mass index, genetics, and history of fractures were negatively correlated to bone mineral density (BMD) increase (P\u3c0.05). The third interventional pilot study was a non-randomized controlled study done on osteopenic postmenopausal women to examine the effect of calcium supplements and core/lower back strengthening exercises on lumbar density and muscle strength. Repeated measures analysis showed that both groups increased in isometric lumbar strength with time (P=0.02). When fosamax and exercise were taken as treatments, with baseline BMD as a covariable, the one-tailed P value of the two-way ANOVA showed a numerically positive but not significant increase in the exercise group (yearly change=2.373 ± 2.625; T value=0.9; P=0.21). Also, the exercise group showed increased feelings of well-being as opposed to the control group who showed no change or worsening. One woman in the control group fractured a bone. Ultimately, osteoporosis management relies on physicians’ knowledge, involvement, and patient adherence. Calcium, exercise and anti-resorptive treatments are needed in case of osteoporosis. Calcium supplements and site-specific strengthening exercises may be enough in case of osteopenia
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