Topic Review
Variables Impact Healthcare Outcome Measures and Data Management
The rapid growth of technology, digitalization of health records, and unprecedented data management of healthcare information enable healthcare providers and researchers to assist in healthcare quality improvement and community health outcomes. Data management and potential variables affect the performance of healthcare measures. Data analytics enables healthcare providers and researchers to evaluate, monitor performance, and track healthcare quality across the continuum of patient care. The data type is an attribute of data that tells the aggregator or interpreter how the programmer intends to use the data.
  • 967
  • 05 Jul 2022
Topic Review
Transarterial Chemoembolization
TACE is widely performed for inoperable HCCs; however, its therapeutic effects on HCC is strongly influenced by techniques. Therefore, it is important to properly use the TACE techniques according to the patient and tumor condition. Among them, cTACE is a skill to cure localized HCCs; however, it should be performed as selectively as possible because it also damages the normal liver.
  • 956
  • 12 Nov 2020
Topic Review
Vitamin E and cardiovascular diseases
Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) cause about 1/3 of global deaths. Therefore, new strategies for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular events are highly sought-after. Vitamin E is known for significant antioxidative and anti-inflammatory properties, and has been studied in the prevention of CVD, supported by findings that vitamin E deficiency is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular events. However, randomized controlled trials in humans reveal conflicting and ultimately disappointing results regarding the reduction of cardiovascular events with vitamin E supplementation. As we discuss in detail, this outcome is strongly affected by study design, cohort selection, co-morbidities, genetic variations, age, and gender. For effective chronic primary and secondary prevention by vitamin E, oxidative and inflammatory status might not have been sufficiently antagonized. In contrast, acute administration of vitamin E may be more translatable into positive clinical outcomes. In patients with myocardial infarction (MI), which is associated with severe oxidative and inflammatory reactions, decreased plasma levels of vitamin E have been found. The offsetting of this acute vitamin E deficiency via short-term treatment in MI has shown promising results, and, thus, acute medication, rather than chronic supplementation, with vitamin E might revitalize vitamin E therapy and even provide positive clinical outcomes.
  • 942
  • 13 Oct 2020
Topic Review
Decision Support for Patient-Centered Care
Care management strategies could be effectively used and augmented by shared decision support systems or artificial intelligence.  Evidence-based approaches to the determinants and consequences of chronic care management  are suggested. The proper utilization of care management strategies will not only enhance better patient care outcomes but also reduce the hospitalization or readmission.
  • 920
  • 02 Nov 2020
Topic Review
Future of Work and OSH
Rapid and profound changes anticipated in the future of work will have significant implications for the education and training of occupational safety and health (OSH) professionals and the workforce. As the nature of the workplace, work, and the workforce change, the OSH field must expand its focus to include existing and new hazards (some yet unknown), consider how to protect the health and well-being of a diverse workforce, and understand and mitigate the safety implications of new work arrangements. Preparing for these changes is critical to developing proactive systems that can protect workers, prevent injury and illness, and promote worker well-being. An in-person workshop held on February 3–4, 2020 at The University of Texas Health Science Center (UTHealth) School of Public Health in Houston, Texas, USA, examined some of the challenges and opportunities OSH education will face in both academic and industry settings. The onslaught of the COVID-19 global pandemic reached the United States one month after this workshop and greatly accelerated the pace of change.
  • 916
  • 23 Apr 2021
Topic Review
Insulin Resistance
IRES is associated with obesity, glucose intolerance, dyslipidemia, and hypertension, evolves toward type 2 diabetes, and increases the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases. Several studies designed to explore the mechanisms involved in IRES allowed the identification of a multitude of potential molecular targets. Among the most promising, G Protein Coupled Receptor Kinase type 2 (GRK2) appears to be a suitable one given its functional implications in many cellular processes. In this review, we will discuss the metabolic role of GRK2 in those conditions that are characterized by insulin resistance (diabetes, hypertension, heart failure), and the potentiality of its inhibition as a therapeutic strategy to revert both insulin resistance and its associated phenotypes
  • 910
  • 28 Jan 2021
Topic Review
Immigrant Experiences of Primary Health-Care
Access to primary health care (PHC) services is a right for all individuals and communities. Adequate access to quality care in PHC is crucial to everyone, however, equal and equitable access to healthcare for all individuals in society is still a matter of great concern in many countries across the world. Immigrants in particular face unique challenges in accessibility and usability of basic healthcare services, especially when moving to a more developed nation. These challenges are often driven by factors such as differing culture, language, economy, literacy, social relations, and exposure to a new and unknown healthcare structure. Understanding these social and cultural determinants of health is a necessary foundation for developing an effective and efficient primary healthcare system. This study explores patient experiences in primary care from the perspective of immigrant communities and identifies areas for further research and improvement.
  • 904
  • 12 Dec 2020
Topic Review
Probiotics and Synbiotics on Hirsutism
Probiotics and synbiotics are known to have beneficial effects on human health and disease. Hirsutism, a disorder that is characterised by the presence of coarse terminal hairs in a male-like pattern, is usually caused by elevated androgen levels in blood plasma. This disorder is usually ob-served in PCOS women and it is linked to insulin resistance (IR). Although idiopathic hirsutism (IH) is not shown to have excess androgen production from the ovarian and adrenal glands, in-creased 5α-reductase in peripheral tissues and insulin resistance are common observations.
  • 897
  • 27 Jan 2021
Topic Review
Human Thermoregulation
The international community has recognized global warming as an impending catastrophe that poses significant threat to life on earth. In response, the signatories of the Paris Agreement (2015) have committed to limit the increase in global mean temperature to < 1.5 oC, from pre-industry period, which is defined as 1850 - 1890. Considering that the protection of human life is a central focus in the Paris Agreement, the naturally endowed properties of the human body to protect itself from environmental extremes should form the core of an integrated and multifaceted solution against global warming. Scholars believe that heat and thermoregulation play important roles in the evolution of life and continue to be a central mechanism that allow humans to explore, labor and live in extreme conditions. However, the international effort against global warming has focused primarily on protecting the environment and on the reduction of greenhouse gases by changing human behavior, industrial practices, and government policies, with limited consideration given to the nature and design of the human thermoregulatory system. Global warming is projected to challenge the limits of human thermoregulation, which can be enhanced by complementing innate human thermo-plasticity with the appropriate behavioral changes and technological innovations. Therefore, the fundamental concepts and physiology of human thermoregulation should form the underlying bases for human adaptation to global warming and for designing behavioral adaptations and technological innovations to enhance human capacity to function in a warmer environment. A potential behavioral adaptation to global warming is that sleep-wake cycle would gravitate towards a sub-nocturnal pattern, especially for outdoor activities, to avoid the heat of the day. Technologically, the current concept of cooling the space in the room, would likely steer towards targeted body surface cooling. Solar energy is likely to overtake fossil fuel-based energy as the main source of electrical supply globally and more manual labor tasks would need to be replaced by machines and robots to reduce metabolic heat production. There should be more integrated solutions between biologists, behavioral scientists, and technologists, so that man and machine can enhance each other to bring about better solutions against the threat of global warming. 
  • 890
  • 09 Nov 2020
Topic Review
Anti-Obesity Effects of Microalgae
Microalgae are prokaryotic or eukaryotic microscopic single-cell organisms, producing a great variety of compounds, such as photosynthetic pigments (carotenoids and chlorophylls), sterols, polyunsaturated fatty acids, vitamins, minerals, fiber, polysaccharides, enzymes, peptides, and toxins. In recent years, they have attracted great interest as a major source of bioactive medicinal products and food ingredients with anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer and anti-microbial properties. In most pre-clinical studies performed with Euglena gracilis, Phaeodactylum tricornutum, Spirulina maxima, Spirulina platensis, or Nitzschia laevis microalgae, positive anti-obesity effects have been addressed in animals submitted to an obesogenic feeding pattern. However, more research is warranted to determine which bioactive compound(s) are responsible for their anti-obesity effects, as well as to establish the mechanisms underlying those effects.
  • 884
  • 14 Apr 2021
  • Page
  • of
  • 12