Assessing Pain and Unmet Need in Patients with Advanced Dementia: The Role of the Serial Trial Intervention (STI)

Author(s):  
Christine R. Kovach
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Muhammad Farhan Asif ◽  
Zahid Pervaiz ◽  
Jawad Rahim Afridi ◽  
Ghulam Abid ◽  
Zohra S. Lassi

Abstract Background Family planning services deliver a wide range of benefits to the well-being of females and the community. It can curtail the risk of maternal and neonatal mortality through the reduction in abortions and pregnancies. The government of Pakistan has been struggling to convince people about the usefulness of family planning programs. However, different factors related to social norms, values, and culture are important to determine the success of these programs. One such factor is the patriarchal structure of Pakistani society where most of the household decisions are made by men. The objective of this research is to examine the role of the husband’s attitude towards the usage of contraceptives for the unmet need of family planning (UMNFP) among married women of reproductive age (MWRA) in Pakistan. Method The dataset of Pakistan Demographic and Health Survey 2017–18 is utilized to examine the role of the husband’s attitude towards the usage of contraceptives in UMNFP among MWRA in Pakistan. Results The UMNFP was considerably lower among MWRA between 40 years and above compared to women 15–19 years. The odds of UMNFP were higher among women and men who were educated up to the primary level compared to those with no education. Odds of UMNFP were higher among women from the poor wealth quintile compared to the poorest wealth quintile; similarly, it was significantly lower among women who were from the richer and the richest wealth quintile compared to the poorest wealth quintile. The odds of UMNFP were lower among women who were employed compared to those who were not employed. Lastly, the odds of UMNFP were higher among women whose husbands opposed to using contraceptives, who perceived that there was a religious prohibition for such use and when a decision on the contraception use was solely made by the husband. Conclusions Husband’s attitude towards the usage of contraceptives is an important predictor of UMNFP. Liaising with the community and religious leaders to persuade people particularly men about the usefulness of family planning programs and encouraging men to understand their women’s say in using contraceptives should be encouraged.


Author(s):  
Maarten Houben ◽  
Rens Brankaert ◽  
Saskia Bakker ◽  
Gail Kenning ◽  
Inge Bongers ◽  
...  

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (16) ◽  
pp. 5834
Author(s):  
Anna Maria Grimaldi ◽  
Silvia Nuzzo ◽  
Gerolama Condorelli ◽  
Marco Salvatore ◽  
Mariarosaria Incoronato

There is an unmet need for novel non-invasive prognostic molecular tumour markers for breast cancer (BC). Accumulating evidence shows that miR-155 plays a pivotal role in tumorigenesis. Generally, miR-155 is considered an oncogenic miRNA promoting tumour growth, angiogenesis and aggressiveness of BC. Therefore, many researchers have focused on its use as a prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target. However, its prognostic value for BC patients remains controversial. To address this issue, the present systematic review aims to summarize the available evidence and give a picture of a prognostic significance of miR-155 in BC pathology. All eligible studies were searched on PubMed and EMBASE databases through various search strategies. Starting from 289 potential eligible records, data were examined from 28 studies, comparing tissue and circulating miR-155 expression levels with clinicopathological features and survival rates in BC patients. We discuss the pitfalls and challenges that need to be assessed to understand the power of miR-155 to respond to real clinical needs, highlighting the consistency, robustness or lack of results obtained to sate in translating this molecule to clinical practice. Our paper suggests that the prognostic role of miR-155 in the management of BC needs to be further verified.


2018 ◽  
Vol 315 (2) ◽  
pp. F291-F299 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaoyan Wen ◽  
Liyan Cui ◽  
Seth Morrisroe ◽  
Donald Maberry ◽  
David Emlet ◽  
...  

Sepsis-associated acute kidney injury (S-AKI) independently predicts mortality among critically ill patients. The role of innate immunity in this process is unclear, and there is an unmet need for S-AKI models to delineate the pathophysiological response. Mammals and zebrafish ( Danio rerio) share a conserved nephron structure and homologous innate immune systems, making the latter suitable for S-AKI research. We introduced Edwardsiella tarda to the zebrafish. Systemic E. tarda bacteremia resulted in sustained bacterial infection and dose-dependent mortality. A systemic immune reaction was characterized by increased mRNA expressions of il1b, tnfa, tgfb1a, and cxcl8-l1 ( P < 0.0001, P < 0.001, P < 0.001, and P < 0.01, respectively). Increase of host stress response genes ccnd1 and tp53 was observed at 24 h postinjection ( P < 0.0001 and P < 0.05, respectively). Moderate E. tarda infection induced zebrafish mortality of over 50% in larvae and 20% in adults, accompanied by pericardial edema in larvae and renal dysfunction in both larval and adult zebrafish. Expression of AKI markers insulin-like growth factor-binding protein-7 (IGFBP7), tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases 2 (TIMP-2), and kidney injury molecule-1 (KIM-1) was found to be significantly increased in the septic animals at the transcription level ( P < 0.01, P < 0.05, and P < 0.05) and in nephric tubules compared with noninfected animals. In conclusion, we established a zebrafish model of S-AKI induced by E. tarda injection, with both larval and adult zebrafish showing nephron injury in the setting of infection.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Catarina Bessa-Pereira ◽  
Ricardo Dias ◽  
Elsa Brandão ◽  
Nuno Mateus ◽  
Victor de Freitas ◽  
...  

Adverse reactions to food such as allergies and celiac disease are increasingly recognized as a growing public health burden. There is currently no cure for these diseases so that there is an unmet need to evaluate different nutritional approaches aiming at improving the quality of life of affected patients and their families. In this context, healthy promising nature-derived compounds, most of which contained in fruits and vegetables, have been studied as an alternative to attenuate the epidemic. Indeed, phenolic compounds have become an emerging field of interest in nutrition in the last decades. A growing build of research suggests that phenolic compounds inhibit pro-inflammatory transcription factors by interacting with proteins involved in gene expression and cell signaling, leading to protective effects against many inflammation-mediated chronic diseases. However, the use of phenolic compounds as attenuating agents of immune reactions to food has to be aligned to the organoleptic characteristics of food, since many compounds present unpleasant taste properties, namely bitter taste and astringency. In this framework, tasty but healthy phenolic compounds arise as attractive ingredients in the design and formulation of functional foods. This book chapter is focused on revisiting the organoleptic properties of phenolic compounds while evaluating the role of these compounds in health promoting actions, namely the management of immune reactions to food such as Food Allergies and Celiac Disease.


Author(s):  
A. Carrato ◽  
L. Cerezo ◽  
J. Feliu ◽  
T. Macarulla ◽  
E. Martín-Pérez ◽  
...  

Abstract Purpose Malnutrition is a common problem among pancreatic cancer (PC) patients that negatively impacts on their quality of life (QoL) and clinical outcomes. The main objective of this consensus is to address the role of Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT) into the comprehensive therapeutic management of PC patients. Methods A Spanish multidisciplinary group of specialists from the areas of Medical Oncology; Radiation Oncology; Endocrinology and Nutrition; and General Surgery agreed to assess the role of MNT as part of the best therapeutic management of PC patients. Results The panel established different recommendations focused on nutritional screening and nutritional screening tools, MNT strategies according to PC status, and MNT in palliative treatment. Conclusions There is an unmet need to integrate nutritional therapy as a crucial part of the multimodal care process in PC patients. Health authorities, health care professionals, cancer patients, and their families should be aware of the relevance of nutritional status and MNT on clinical outcomes and QoL of PC patients.


2019 ◽  
Vol 35 (5) ◽  
pp. 219-224 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sunil Shrestha ◽  
Krisha Danekhu ◽  
Santosh Thapa ◽  
Saval Khanal ◽  
P. Ravi Shankar

Background: The role of pharmacists in many developed countries has evolved from the traditional practice of dispensing medicines to contributing directly or indirectly to improve patient health outcomes. They are providing hospital services and patient care including services in the emergency department (ED). However, there is limited evidence for pharmacist involvement in the ED from resource-limited countries such as Nepal. Objective: The aim of this study is to discuss the role of pharmacists and highlight the unmet need of pharmacists in ED in Nepal. Methods: A narrative review of existing literature was conducted. Results: The status of ED services in Nepalese hospitals is not yet at a desirable level, and there is limited information about the role of pharmacists in EDs. Evidence obtained from developed nations on the role of pharmacists in EDs suggests that they help in improving patient outcomes by minimizing medication errors, adverse drug reactions, and enhance patient care. Conclusion: The study highlights the need for pharmacists in EDs in resource-limited settings. There is limited evidence of pharmacists’ role in EDs from Nepal. Therefore, this study suggests a need for further studies on the possible contribution of pharmacists to ED services in Nepal.


Cancers ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (8) ◽  
pp. 2105
Author(s):  
Giulia Accordino ◽  
Sara Lettieri ◽  
Chandra Bortolotto ◽  
Silvia Benvenuti ◽  
Anna Gallotti ◽  
...  

Despite the progress during the last decade, patients with advanced gastric and esophageal cancers still have poor prognosis. Finding optimal therapeutic strategies represents an unmet need in this field. Several prognostic and predictive factors have been evaluated and may guide clinicians in choosing a tailored treatment. Data from large studies investigating the role of immunotherapy in gastrointestinal cancers are promising but further investigations are necessary to better select those patients who can mostly benefit from these novel therapies. This review will focus on the treatment of metastatic esophageal and gastric cancer. We will review the standard of care and the role of novel therapies such as immunotherapies and CAR-T. Moreover, we will focus on the analysis of potential predictive biomarkers such as Modify as: Microsatellite Instability (MSI) and PD-L1, which may lead to treatment personalization and improved treatment outcomes. A multidisciplinary point of view is mandatory to generate an integrated approach to properly exploit these novel antiproliferative agents.


2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (4) ◽  
pp. 415-428 ◽  
Author(s):  
Meenakshi Gupta ◽  
Kumari Chandan ◽  
Maryam Sarwat

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) accounts for about 80-90% of all liver cancers and is found to be the third most common cause of cancer mortality in the Asia-Pacific region. Risk factors include hepatitis B and C virus, cirrhosis, aflatoxin-contaminated food, alcohol, and diabetes. Surgically removing the tumor tissue seems effective but a high chance of recurrence has led to an urgent need to develop novel molecules for the treatment of HCC. Clinical management with sorafenib is found to be effective but it is only able to prolong survival for a few months. Various side effects like gastrointestinal and abdominal pain, hypertension, and hemorrhage are also associated with sorafenib, which calls for the unmet need of effective therapies against HCC. Similarly, the genetic mechanisms behind the occurrence of HCC are still unknown and need to be expounded further for developing newer candidates. Since unearthing the concept of these variants, transcriptomics has revealed the role of noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) in many cellular, physiological and pathobiological processes. They are also found to be widely associated and abundantly expressed in a variety of cancer. Aberrant expression and mutations are closely related to tumorigenesis and metastasis and hence are classified as novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets for the treatment of cancer, including HCC. Herein, this review summarises the relationship between ncRNAs and hepatocellular carcinoma.


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