Impact of multiple substance use on circulating ST2, a biomarker of adverse cardiac remodelling, in women.

Context: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) and heart failure (HF) are major causes of mortality in low-income populations and differ by sex. Risk assessment that incorporates cardiac biomarkers is common. However, research evaluating the utility of biomarkers rarely includes controlled substances, which may influence biomarker levels and thus influence CVD risk assessment.

Outdoor Activities Associated with Lower Odds of SARS-CoV-2 Acquisition: A Case-Control Study.

Access to recreational physical activities, particularly in outdoor spaces, has been a crucial outlet for physical and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. There is a need to understand how conducting these activities modulates the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection. In this case-control study of unvaccinated individuals conducted in San Francisco, California, the odds of testing positive to SARS-CoV-2 were lower for those who conducted physical activity in outdoor locations (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 0.

Outdoor Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 and Other Respiratory Viruses: A Systematic Review.

Background: While risk of outdoor transmission of respiratory viral infections is hypothesized to be low, there are limited data on SARS-CoV-2 transmission in outdoor compared to indoor settings.

Methods: We conducted a systematic review of peer-reviewed papers indexed in PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science and preprints in Europe PMC through 12 August 2020 that described cases of human transmission of SARS-CoV-2. Reports of other respiratory virus transmission were included for reference.

The 'Snake song': a pilot study of musical intervention in Eswatini.

Introduction: In Eswatini in Southern Africa, rural populations experience unnecessary snakebite-inflicted injuries and deaths. Children are at the highest risk because of their small size and curious nature. This qualitative study explores the current knowledge and attitudes about snakebite, and the perceptions of a musical intervention, titled Iculo ngenyoka ('Snake song' in Zulu), as an educational tool aimed to raise awareness about snakes in the Lubombo region, Eswatini.

The experience of dysgeusia in allogeneic haematopoietic cell transplantation survivors: a qualitative study.

Background: Taste disorders are one of the most common side effects of treatment in oncology patients and often occur after allogeneic haematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT). Dysgeusia does not receive close medical attention, and information about this disorder is largely based on the clinician's own experience. However, taste disorders can have an impact on the quality of life and nutritional status of survivors of allo-HCT.

Delayed LY333013 (Oral) and LY315920 (Intravenous) Reverse Severe Neurotoxicity and Rescue Juvenile Pigs from Lethal Doses of (Eastern Coral Snake) Venom.

Objective: There is a clear, unmet need for effective, lightweight, shelf-stable and economical snakebite envenoming therapies that can be given rapidly after the time of a snake's bite and as adjuncts to antivenom therapies in the hospital setting. The sPLA2 inhibitor, LY315920, and its orally bioavailable prodrug, LY333013, demonstrate surprising efficacy and have the characteristics of an antidote with potential for both field and hospital use.

Methods: The efficacy of the active pharmaceutical ingredient (LY315920) and its prodrug (LY333013) to treat experimental, lethal envenoming by (Eastern coral snake) venom was tested using a porcine model.

Delayed Oral LY333013 Rescues Mice from Highly Neurotoxic, Lethal Doses of Papuan Taipan (Oxyuranus scutellatus) Venom.

There is an unmet need for economical snakebite therapies with long shelf lives that are effective even with delays in treatment. The orally bioavailable, heat-stable, secretory phospholipase A₂ (sPLA₂) inhibitor, LY333013, demonstrates antidotal characteristics for severe snakebite envenoming in both field and hospital use. A murine model of lethal envenoming by a Papuan taipan () demonstrates that LY333013, even with delayed oral administration, improves the chances of survival.

Developing Small Molecule Therapeutics for the Initial and Adjunctive Treatment of Snakebite.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recently added snakebite envenoming to the priority list of Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD). It is thought that ~75% of mortality following snakebite occurs outside the hospital setting, making the temporal gap between a bite and antivenom administration a major therapeutic challenge. Small molecule therapeutics (SMTs) have been proposed as potential prereferral treatments for snakebite to help address this gap.

Snakebite: An Exploratory Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of Adjunct Treatment Strategies.

The cost-effectiveness of the standard of care for snakebite treatment, antivenom, and supportive care has been established in various settings. In this study, based on data from South Indian private health-care providers, we address an additional question: "For what cost and effectiveness values would adding adjunct-based treatment strategies to the standard of care for venomous snakebites be cost-effective?" We modeled the cost and performance of potential interventions (e.g.

Parotid swelling after Russell's viper envenomation: an unusual and poor prognostic sign.

Parotid swelling, an unusual and poorly understood sign, is associated with poor prognosis in the setting of Russell's viper envenomation. The large, aggressive Russell's viper is one of the most deadly snakes causing severe hematological and neurological manifestations. Research into this sign should be initiated and understanding could lead to improved outcomes.

Enhancing self-directed learning among Italian nursing students: A pre- and post-intervention study.

Background: In accordance with Knowles's theory, self-directed learning (SDL) may be improved with tutorial strategies focused on guided reflection and critical analysis of the learning process. No evidence on effects on SDL abilities of different tutorial strategies offered to nursing students during the 1st clinical experience is available.

Objectives: To evaluate the effect of different tutorial strategies offered to nursing students on their SDL abilities.

Factors influencing the choice of a nursing or a non-nursing degree: a multicenter, cross-sectional study.

Current literature has paid increasing attention to the factors influencing career decisions; nevertheless, few studies have compared candidates that have chosen a nursing versus a non-nursing degree. A multicenter, cross-sectional study design was performed to explore whether or not certain individual variables and having inaccurate data about nursing as a profession influenced the choice of a non-nursing degree. Six non-nursing and three nursing degree programs offered by two public Italian universities were involved.

Becoming a nurse in Italy: a multi-method study on expenditures by families and students.

Potential nursing students and their families are faced with difficult decisions regarding the amount of time and money required to complete the nursing programme and the availability of funds to cover the costs and this seems to have received little no attention to date. With the aim of describing the costs incurred by Italian nursing students and/or their families per academic year and compare cost trends incurred from 2004-05 to 2010-11, a multi-centre qualitative/quantitative study design was adopted. Italian Nursing students attending the first, second and third academic years in 2004-05 and those attending the first, second and third academic years in 2010-11 were eligible.

The cost of the objective structured clinical examination on an Italian nursing bachelor's degree course.

The OSCE (Objective Structured Clinical Examination) is considered the most valid and reliable method for assessing the clinical skills of students training for health professions, but its use is limited by the related high costs. We analyzed the cost retrospectively of using an OSCE designed for second-year students (2009) in our degree course, adopting the Reznick et al. guidelines (1993), which recommend assessing both high-end costs and low-end costs.

Effectiveness of music therapy for anxiety reduction in women with breast cancer in chemotherapy treatment.

In the last decade, the public use of complementary and alternative therapies for the solution of various health problems has increased dramatically. Listening to music can be considered a support to the traditional medical practice for the reduction of anxiety and stress related to chemotherapy.