Rostered Routine Testing – A Necessary Evil?

Open Forum Infectious Diseases ◽

10.1093/ofid/ofab549 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Seow Yen Tan ◽

Choon How How ◽

Beng Hoong Poon ◽

Thean Yen Tan ◽

Chuin Siau

Keyword(s):

Routine Testing ◽

Testing Program ◽

Necessary Evil ◽

The Impact

Abstract We report our institution’s experience of detecting a staff who was infected with SARS-CoV-2 while he was asymptomatic as part of a rostered routine testing program, and how the institution was able to undertake measures to curb the spread hence reducing the impact on the daily operations of our institution.

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Controversies Surrounding Medical Clearance in Psychiatry Patients: evidence, recommendations, and potential approach

Current Psychiatry Research and Reviews ◽

10.2174/2666082217666210810093431 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 17 ◽

Author(s):

Walid Alam

Keyword(s):

Laboratory Testing ◽

Medical Illness ◽

Routine Laboratory ◽

Suggested Approach ◽

Routine Testing ◽

Diagnostic Uncertainty ◽

Medical Clearance ◽

The Impact ◽

Adequate Communication ◽

Rule Out

Background: Despite the evidence and guidelines recommending otherwise, routine testing remains pervasive in the management of patients presenting to the Emergency Department (ED) for behavioral complaints, under the guise of medical clearance (MC). The aim of this review is to highlight the evidence available concerning routine laboratory testing in psychiatry patients presenting to the ED, underline available guidelines, list possible reasons for over-testing, and propose a possible approach based on all the evidence and recommendations. Methods: Electronic database searches were carried out in Medline/PubMed and Google Scholar with the period set from January 1, 1990 to March 1, 2021. The search process was focused on studies where MC was evaluated in the management of patients presenting for psychiatric complaints to the ED. The references listed in each identified article were also screened and manually searched. Results: 14 relevant studies were found with the majority evaluating the impact of routine laboratory testing on the management and disposition of adults in the ED presenting for an acute psychiatric condition. Two studies investigated the use of a screening tool to rule out the presence of acute medical illness. Conclusion: While ED physicians are faced with many challenges such as litigation and fear of diagnostic uncertainty, few solutions have been proposed. A suggested approach relies on history taking, physical examination, and assessment of mentation to evaluate for the presence of an organic etiology requiring further testing. Adequate communication between the ED physician and psychiatrist, along with shared decision-making are also key to optimizing care.

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A Necessary Evil: Conceptualizing the Socialist Commodity under Mao

Comparative Studies in Society and History ◽

10.1017/s0010417518000488 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 61 (1) ◽

pp. 23-49 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Laurence Coderre

Keyword(s):

Political Economy ◽

Cultural Revolution ◽

Chinese History ◽

Republic Of China ◽

Great Leap ◽

The Face ◽

Great Leap Forward ◽

The Great Leap Forward ◽

Necessary Evil ◽

The Impact

AbstractThis article traces the conceptual lineage of a statement, made by Mao Zedong and published in 1975, describing the contemporary economic system in the People's Republic of China as a commodity economy. Any surprise we might feel in the face of this verdict says more about our own narrow understanding of the (capitalist) commodity than it does about the political economy of the Cultural Revolution (1966–1976). As I detail in this study, the continued existence and necessity of commodities under socialism had long been an important topic of conversation in Communist circles, with important ramifications for economic planning and political movements. This article focuses on the impact of Stalin's theory of the socialist commodity, as articulated in 1952, on Chinese political economy in the 1950s; Mao's particular engagement with Stalin's work in the context of the Great Leap Forward (1958–1960); and the emergence of a new, less benign view of the socialist commodity in the 1970s. I argue that political economic theory and its study were in fact critical to the Great Leap Forward and Cultural Revolution as mass mobilization campaigns, calling into question much of what we think we know about modern Chinese history and Chinese socialism. The essay is intended to unsettle enduring and uncritical associations between the commodity-form and capitalism. How might we, following on the heels of the theorists I discuss, imagine the commodity otherwise?

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The impact of positive acquired thrombophilia serology on ultrasound, obstetric outcome and the placenta in a low-risk primigravid population

Obstetric Medicine ◽

10.1258/om.2010.100057 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 4 (1) ◽

pp. 15-19 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Sharon M Cooley ◽

Jennifer C Donnelly ◽

Thomas Walsh ◽

Claire Collins ◽

Corrina McMahon ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Fetal Loss ◽

Anticardiolipin Antibody ◽

Low Risk ◽

Obstetric Outcome ◽

Routine Testing ◽

Delivery Outcome ◽

Blinded Study ◽

Maternal Disease ◽

The Impact ◽

Acquired Thrombophilia

Our aim was to determine the prevalence and sequelae of positive acquired thrombophilia serology in the asymptomatic low-risk primigravid population. We undertook a prospective blinded study of 1011 primigravid patients screening for lupus anticoagulant, anticardiolipin antibody, anti- β2 glycoprotein-1 and antinuclear antibody assessment at booking and 36 weeks gestation. Serial ultrasounds of the fetus with uterine and umbilical Dopplers and placental evaluation were performed at 24 and 36 weeks gestation. Antenatal course, labour and delivery outcome and placental histology were reviewed. The incidence of positive acquired thrombophilia serology was 27.4%. Overall, there was no difference in rates of fetal loss or maternal disease between women with positive acquired thrombophilia serology and the control population. Routine testing for acquired thrombophilic traits is therefore not warranted.

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Emergency Room “Opt-Out” HIV Testing Pre- and During COVID-19 Pandemic in a Large Community Health System

Journal of the International Association of Providers of AIDS Care (JIAPAC) ◽

10.1177/23259582211041260 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 20 ◽

pp. 232595822110412

Author(s):

Paula Eckardt ◽

Jianli Niu ◽

Sheila Montalvo

Keyword(s):

Hiv Infection ◽

Hiv Testing ◽

Healthcare System ◽

South Florida ◽

Hiv Care ◽

People Living With Hiv ◽

Testing Program ◽

Large Community ◽

Opt Out ◽

The Impact

Background: South Florida has the highest HIV rates across the country. Emergency Rooms (ERs) are optimal clinical sites for the identification of people living with HIV. We aimed to evaluate the feasibility and yield of opt-out HIV testing among ER patients in a large community healthcare system in South Florida, and determine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on HIV testing. Methods: This was a retrospective study conducted in the Memorial Healthcare System, Hollywood, Florida. HIV test was offered on an “opt-out” basis to patients aged 16 years or older presenting to the ER of the Memorial Regional Hospital between July 2018 and August 2020. Number of ER visits, HIV testing offered, acceptance of HIV testing, tested positive for HIV infection and linkage to care were reviewed and analyzed. Results: A total of 105,264 (53.7%) patients of 196,110 ER visits were eligible for HIV testing and 39,261 (37.3%) completed HIV testing. Of those tested, 206 (0.5%) patients tested positive, with 54 (26.2%) new infected patients and 152 (73.8%) known infected patients who had not disclosed their status. 45 (60%) of 75 patients with known HIV infections who were not engaged in HIV care were successfully relinked into care after testing, and engagement in care increased from 50.7% pre-testing to 80.3% post-testing (p = 0.001). 45 (83.3%) of 54 newly diagnosed patients were successfully linked into care. During the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a significant reduction in both the ER visits and HIV tests as compared with the pre-pandemic period (p = 0.007 and p < 0.001, respectively). Conclusion: An “Opt-out” HIV testing program was successfully implemented in a community hospital ERs. The use of this strategy successfully identified patients with undiagnosed HIV infection and improved their engagement in HIV care. Given the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the testing program, new strategies should develop to reduce service disruption and maintain the progress of “Opt-out” HIV testing.

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The Spectrum of Genetic Variants Associated with the Development of Monogenic Obesity in Qatar

Obesity Facts ◽

10.1159/000521851 ◽

2022 ◽

Author(s):

Nadien AbouHashem ◽

Roan E. Zaied ◽

Kholoud Al-Shafai ◽

Mariam Nofal ◽

Najeeb Syed ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Genetic Variants ◽

Rare Variants ◽

Normal Weight ◽

Routine Testing ◽

Monogenic Obesity ◽

Syndromic Obesity ◽

The Impact

Introduction: Monogenic obesity (MO) is a rare genetic disease characterized by severe early-onset obesity in affected individuals. Previous genetic studies revealed 8 definitive genes for monogenic non-syndromic obesity; many were discovered in consanguineous populations. Here, we examined MO in the Qatari population, whose population is largely consanguineous (54%) and characterized by extensive obesity (45%). Methods: Whole genome sequences of Qatar Biobank samples from 250 subjects with obesity and 250 subjects with normal weight, obtained in association with the Qatar Genome Programme, were searched for genetic variants in the genes known to be associated with MO (i.e., LEP, LEPR, POMC, PCSK1, MC3R, MC4R, MRAP2 and ADCY3). The impact of the variants identified was investigated utilizing in silico tools for prediction in combination with protein visualization by PyMOL. Results: We identified potential MO variants in more than 5% of the cases in our cohort. We revealed 11 rare variants in 6 of the genes targeted, including two disease-causing variants in MC4R and MRAP2, all of which were heterozygous. Moreover, enrichment of a heterozygous ADCY3 variant (c.1658C>T; p.A553V) appeared to cause severe obesity in an autosomal dominant manner. Conclusion: These findings highlight the importance of implementing routine testing for genetic variants that predispose for MO in Qatar. Clearly, additional studies of this nature on populations not yet examined are required. At the same time, functional investigations, both in vitro and in vivo, are necessary in order to better understand the role of the variants identified in the pathogenesis of obesity.

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THE IMPACT OF PHTHALATE ESTERS IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL AND HUMAN HEALTH – ARE THESE COMPOUNDS, A NECESSARY EVIL?

Periódico Tchê Química ◽

10.52571/ptq.v8.n16.2011.52_periodico16_pgs_52_59.pdf ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 08 (16) ◽

pp. 52-59

Author(s):

Marcel Silveira DOS SANTOS

Keyword(s):

Human Health ◽

Human Body ◽

Phthalic Acid ◽

Plastic Material ◽

Phthalate Esters ◽

Alkyl Aryl ◽

Soil Air ◽

Benzenedicarboxylic Acid ◽

Necessary Evil ◽

The Impact

Phthalates are a group of diesters of phthalic acid (dialkyl or alkyl aryl esters of 1,2-benzenedicarboxylic acid) and they are primarily used as plasticizers (substances added to plastics to increase their flexibility). As the phthalates are not chemically bonded to the polymer, these compounds can migrate from the plastic material to the environment and, consequently, they are found in food, water, soil, air and in the human body. This article discusses the problem of using those compounds, their toxicity and impact on humans and environment. Comments about the four phthalates currently most discussed, measured values and current legislations are presented.

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Representing time-dependent freezing behaviour in immersion mode ice nucleation

Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics Discussions ◽

10.5194/acpd-14-1399-2014 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 14 (2) ◽

pp. 1399-1442 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

R. J. Herbert ◽

B. J. Murray ◽

T. F. Whale ◽

S. J. Dobbie ◽

J. D. Atkinson

Keyword(s):

Experimental Studies ◽

Ice Nucleation ◽

Time Dependent ◽

Computationally Efficient ◽

Routine Testing ◽

Experimental Systems ◽

Quantitative Understanding ◽

Efficient Representation ◽

The Impact ◽

Stochastic Time

Abstract. In order to understand the impact of ice formation in clouds, a quantitative understanding of ice nucleation is required, along with an accurate and efficient representation for use in cloud resolving models. Ice nucleation by atmospherically relevant particle types is complicated by inter-particle variability in nucleating ability, as well as a stochastic, time-dependent, nature inherent to nucleation. Here we present a new and computationally efficient Framework for Reconciling Observable Stochastic Time-dependence (FROST) in immersion mode ice nucleation. This framework is underpinned by the finding that the temperature dependence of the nucleation rate coefficient controls the residence-time and cooling-rate dependence of freezing. It is shown that this framework can be used to reconcile experimental data obtained on different time scales with different experimental systems, and it also provides a simple way of representing the complexities of ice nucleation in cloud resolving models. The routine testing and reporting of time-dependent behaviour in future experimental studies is recommended, along with the practice of presenting normalised datasets following the methods outlined here.

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ANALYSIS OF THE EFFECT OF FIXED ASSETS ON THE STOCK PRICE OF THE COMPANY INDEXED LQ45 ON THE INDONESIA STOCK EXCHANGE

AKSELERASI: Jurnal Ilmiah Nasional ◽

10.54783/jin.v3i3.459 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 3 (3) ◽

pp. 48-51

Author(s):

Dwi Urip Wardoyo ◽

Liana Suci Karnila Manurung ◽

Novia Egita Br. Tarigan

Keyword(s):

Stock Prices ◽

Stock Price ◽

Sampling Method ◽

Stock Exchange ◽

Science Program ◽

Testing Program ◽

Program Testing ◽

Fixed Assets ◽

The Impact ◽

Positive Effect

The purpose of this research is to examine the effect of fixed assets and the impact of these variables on stock prices. The population used are companies that are included in the LQ45 index contained in the IDX with a period of 3 years (2018-2020). The number of samples used were 15 companies and used a purposive sampling method using the SSPS (Statistical Package for Social Science) program testing program. The results of this study are fixed assets in the company have a positive effect on shares.

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