A Systematic Review of Potentially Effective Nonpharmacological Interventions for Reducing Fatigue among Iranian Patients Who Receive Hemodialysis

<b><i>Background and Purpose:</i></b> Fatigue control in hemodialysis (HD) patients requires a multidisciplinary approach. This study aimed to comprehensively review the available research literature regarding the nonpharmacological interventions used for reducing fatigue among Iranian HD patients. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> In this systematic review, an extensive search of the literature was conducted on PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus databases, using the keywords related to the purpose. Also, the Persian equivalent of these keywords was searched in Iranian databases, such as Iranmedex and Scientific Information Database (SID) from the inception to June 16, 2020.<b><i> Results:</i></b> Of 2,761 articles, 25 studies were included in the review. Among a total of 1,748 Iranian HD patients with a mean age of 54.17 (SD = 12.27) years, 61.38% were male. Interventions such as educational-based programs (<i>n</i> = 5), nutrition-based programs (<i>n</i> = 2), massage therapy (<i>n</i> = 3), exercise-based programs (<i>n</i> = 4), relaxation technique (n = 3), combination of relaxation technique and inhalation aromatherapy (<i>n</i> = 1), energy therapy (reflexology and acupressure) (<i>n</i> = 3), and mind-guided imagery (<i>n</i> = 1) were effective in reducing fatigue in Iranian HD patients. <b><i>Discussion/Conclusion:</i></b> These simple, low-cost, and practical interventions can be used for the reduction of fatigue among HD patients by nurses. However, future well-designed studies are recommended to confirm the efficacy of these and other potentially effective interventions for reducing fatigue in HD patients.

The Effect of Hypnotherapy on the Reduction of Blood Glucose Levels in Diabetes Mellitus Type-2

Diabetes mellitus is a group of metabolic diseases characterized by hyperglycemia, which occurs due to abnormalities in insulin secretion, insulin action, or both. Most cases of diabetes mellitus are diabetes mellitus type-2. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of hypnotherapy on reducing blood glucose levels in patients with diabetes mellitus type-2. The research used a quasi-experimental design with a non-equivalent control group design. Purposive sampling was used, and 30 respondents selected. The instrument in this study was a single stick tool. The intervention group was given standard therapy treatment in the form of bio-energy therapy and hypnotherapy, while the control group was only given standard therapy treatment in the form of bio-energy therapy. Univariate analysis of the results indicates that the average blood glucose level before treatment was 234.67 mg/dl and after treatment was 194.67 mg / dl. Bivariate analysis based on the results of the Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test obtained a p-value of 0.002 (p-value <0.05). This means that hypnotherapy reduced blood glucose levels in diabetes mellitus type-2 sufferers. This study recommends the nursing profession apply hypnotherapy as an alternative or non-pharmacological complementary therapy that can be used to reduce blood glucose levels in people with diabetes mellitus type 2. Keywords: Hypnotherapy, diabetes mellitus type 2, blood glucose levels

The Effectiveness of Fluorescent Light Energy as Adjunct Therapy in Canine Deep Pyoderma: A Randomized Clinical Trial

A single centre, single-blinded, prospective, randomized, controlled clinical study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of twice weekly fluorescent light energy therapy (Phovia™) as adjunct to systemic antibiotics in the management of deep pyoderma in dogs. Dogs with clinical lesions consistent with deep pyoderma, positive bacterial culture, and showing neutrophil engulfing bacteria at cytology were included in the study. Assessments were undertaken weekly for 8 weeks and every 2 weeks thereafter until 12 weeks after enrolment. At each visit, lesions were scored and cytology was conducted to determine a neutrophil engulfing bacteria score. All dogs (Groups A and B) were treated with systemic antibiotic twice daily, and Group B received additionally Phovia twice weekly. Median treatment duration was 11.7 weeks for Group A and 5.7 weeks for Group B. After 8 weeks of treatment, the percentage of dogs that achieved clinical resolution was 35.0% and 88.0% for Groups A and B, respectively. Lesion scores showed highly statistically significant difference in favour of Group B from week 3 to 8, and neutrophil engulfing bacteria scores showed statistical difference from week 2 onwards in favour of Group B. These results indicate that Phovia, when used as an adjunct to systemic antibiotics, can accelerate time to clinical resolution in cases of canine deep pyoderma.

Robust Effects of Graphene Oxide on Polyurethane/Tourmaline Nanocomposite Fiber

The use of energy therapy including tourmaline/negative ions has gained huge popularity due to their long-standing historical evidence in improving human health and the technology development. However, the limitations of tourmaline based polyurethane fibers including the unsatisfied mechanical properties and negative ions releasing performances hind their further applications for wearable energy therapy. In this study, graphene oxide was modified within the polyurethane/tourmaline nanocomposite and then the wet-spinning method was used to prepare the fibers. As expected, the results proved that polyurethane/tourmaline/graphene oxide fiber had enhanced Young’s modulus (8.4 MPa) and tensile stain at break (335%). In addition, the number of released negative ions from polyurethane/tourmaline/graphene oxide fiber was significantly improved 17 times and 1.6 times more than that of neat polyurethane fiber and polyurethane/tourmaline fiber, respectively. Moreover, the releasing number of negative ions was significantly decreased after being applying voltage. We envision that the proposed polyurethane/tourmaline/graphene oxide fiber will provide valuable insights into the development of the wearable energy products.

Can Outpatient Plastic Surgery Be Done Safely During a COVID-19 Surge? Results of a July 2020 Los Angeles Survey and Literature Review

Background A moratorium was placed on nonurgent surgery throughout much of the United States in mid-March 2020 due to surging numbers of COVID-19 cases. Several months later, and with new safety precautions in place, elective surgery gradually resumed. However, no data exist on the safety of plastic surgery during the pandemic. Objectives This aim of this survey was to assess the safety of plastic surgery during the pandemic by quantifying: (1) the preoperative prevalence of SARS-CoV-2; (2) the risk of postoperative COVID-19; (3) outcomes and precious resource utilization for such cases; and (4) the risks to office staff. Methods Los Angeles plastic surgeons certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery (ABPS) were sent an online survey in July 2020, during a local COVID-19 surge, querying about the number of procedures performed in the 8- to 10-week period since reopening, testing policies, surgical complications, and cases among staff. Results In total, 112 surgeons reported 5633 surgeries since resuming elective surgery. Of these, 103 (91.96%) surgeons obtained a preoperative SARS-CoV-2 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test for every patient. The preoperative PCR test was positive in 41/5881 (0.69%). Positive tests within 2 weeks postoperation occurred in 7/5380 (0.13%) of surgical patients, 3/8506 (0.04%) of injection patients, and 6/2519 (0.24%) of energy therapy patients. Nine offices reported at least 1 staff member who developed COVID-19. All cases were mild, with no hospitalizations or deaths. Conclusions These data demonstrate that plastic surgery can be performed safely during a COVID-19 surge by ABPS diplomates. This has profound impact for patients, plastic surgeons, and health policy regulators.