Smoking-attributable burden of lung cancer in the Philippines.

Background: In the Philippines, smoking is highly prevalent and tobacco control policies fail to fully implement the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control provisions. To aid in policy change, intervention implementation, monitoring and evaluation, this study aimed to provide the first internally consistent and latest Philippine estimates of the following: disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) lost due to lung cancer; population-attributable fractions (PAFs) of smoking; and smoking-attributable lung cancer DALYs.

Methods: This study applied the Global Burden of Disease and Comparative Risk Assessment frameworks to secondary data, supplemented by expert opinion.

Prenatal diagnosis and successful outcome in neonate of aorto-left ventricle tunnel.

Aorto-left ventricular tunnel (ALVT) is an abnormal congenital communication between the ascending aorta and the left ventricle. Prenatal diagnosis is rare and can be misinterpreted as aortic insufficiency on fetal echocardiogram. We present a case of ALVT diagnosed in a fetus who underwent successful early neonatal surgical repair.

Regulation of actin by ion-linked equilibria.

Actin assembly, filament mechanical properties, and interactions with regulatory proteins depend on the types and concentrations of salts in solution. Salts modulate actin through both nonspecific electrostatic effects and specific binding to discrete sites. Multiple cation-binding site classes spanning a broad range of affinities (nanomolar to millimolar) have been identified on actin monomers and filaments.

Molecular basis of purinergic signal metabolism by ectonucleotide pyrophosphatase/phosphodiesterases 4 and 1 and implications in stroke.

NPP4 is a type I extracellular membrane protein on brain vascular endothelium inducing platelet aggregation via the hydrolysis of Ap3A, whereas NPP1 is a type II extracellular membrane protein principally present on the surface of chondrocytes that regulates tissue mineralization. To understand the metabolism of purinergic signals resulting in the physiologic activities of the two enzymes, we report the high resolution crystal structure of human NPP4 and explore the molecular basis of its substrate specificity with NPP1. Both enzymes cleave Ap3A, but only NPP1 can hydrolyze ATP.

A narrative reasoning course to promote patient-centred practice in a physiotherapy undergraduate programme: a qualitative study of final year students.

Background: Narrative reasoning has been presented as a core component of the health professionals' competencies.

Aim Of The Study: This study aimed to explore the students' perspectives about the contribution of a narrative reasoning course to promote patient-centred practice.

Methods: An interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) was undertaken through focus groups.

Effects of highly conserved major histocompatibility complex (MHC) extended haplotypes on iron and low CD8+ T lymphocyte phenotypes in HFE C282Y homozygous hemochromatosis patients from three geographically distant areas.

Hereditary Hemochromatosis (HH) is a recessively inherited disorder of iron overload occurring commonly in subjects homozygous for the C282Y mutation in HFE gene localized on chromosome 6p21.3 in linkage disequilibrium with the human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-A locus. Although its genetic homogeneity, the phenotypic expression is variable suggesting the presence of modifying factors.

Modular control of glutamatergic neuronal identity in C. elegans by distinct homeodomain proteins.

The choice of using one of many possible neurotransmitter systems is a critical step in defining the identity of an individual neuron type. We show here that the key defining feature of glutamatergic neurons, the vesicular glutamate transporter EAT-4/VGLUT, is expressed in 38 of the 118 anatomically defined neuron classes of the C. elegans nervous system.

Tachyarrhythmias after the Norwood procedure: relationship and effect of vasoactive agents.

Tachyarrhythmias are common after the Norwood stage I palliation. The effects of vasoactive medications on the development of post-operative tachyarrhythmias have not been studied. The primary objective was to identify associations between postoperative tachyarrhythmias and vasoactive medication usage after Norwood stage 1 palliation.

The prevalence of swine enteropathogens in Brazilian grower and finish herds.

Diarrhoea among growing and finishing pigs is an important problem in many herds. The prevalence of L. intracellularis, B.

The cost-effectiveness of depression treatment for co-occurring disorders: a clinical trial.

The authors aimed to determine the economic value of providing on-site group cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for depression to clients receiving residential substance use disorder (SUD) treatment. Using a quasi-experimental design and an intention-to-treat analysis, the incremental cost-effectiveness and cost-utility ratio of the intervention were estimated relative to usual care residential treatment. The average cost of a treatment episode was $908, compared to $180 for usual care.

Prospective evaluation of visual outcomes with three presbyopia-correcting intraocular lenses following cataract surgery.

Purpose: To compare the visual acuity and quality of vision achieved with three widely-used intraocular lenses (IOLs) in subjects with bilateral cataracts.

Patients And Methods: This three-arm, parallel, prospective, partially masked, single-surgeon study randomized 78 subjects to receive bilateral Crystalens® Advanced Optics (AO) accommodating IOLs, AcrySof® IQ ReSTOR® +3.0 multifocal IOLs, or TECNIS® Multifocal IOLs.

Efficacy of a checklist as part of a physical medicine and rehabilitation clerkship to teach medical students musculoskeletal physical examination skills: a prospective study.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a checklist as part of a physical medicine clerkship to teach medical students physical examination maneuvers.

Design: This is a prospective study performed on fourth year medical students enrolled in a 2-wk mandatory clerkship of the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. At the start and end of the rotation, the participating students were tested by performing 20 physical examination maneuvers on an investigator who was both the standardized patient and the evaluator.

Tricuspid atresia associated with truncus arteriosus versus aortopulmonary window: combining fetal and postnatal echocardiography to make the diagnosis.

The coincident occurrence of tricuspid atresia and aortopulmonary window (APW) is exceedingly rare, with one previous case reported in the literature. We present a patient with tricuspid atresia, pulmonary atresia, and APW. Postnatal echocardiograms demonstrated no visible pulmonary valve, and additional defects including a bicuspid aortic valve, right aortic arch and anomalous coronary arteries raised suspicion for tricuspid atresia with persistent truncus arteriosus.

Quantitative full time course analysis of nonlinear enzyme cycling kinetics.

Enzyme inhibition due to the reversible binding of reaction products is common and underlies the origins of negative feedback inhibition in many metabolic and signaling pathways. Product inhibition generates non-linearity in steady-state time courses of enzyme activity, which limits the utility of well-established enzymology approaches developed under the assumption of irreversible product release. For more than a century, numerous attempts to find a mathematical solution for analysis of kinetic time courses with product inhibition have been put forth.

[Infrastructure and adherence to hand hygiene: challenges to patient safety].

Considering the importance of hands in the chain of transmission of microorganisms, this observational research investigated the material infrastructure and compliance of hand hygiene in an intensive care unit in the south of Brazil in 2010. The data was collected by direct non-participant observation and through the use of self-administered questionnaires to be completed by the 39 participants, which was analyzed with the assistance of the chi2 Test, descriptive statistics and quantitative discourse analysis. Although health professionals overestimate compliance rates, recognize the practice as relevant to the prevention of infection and refer there are no impeding factors, of the 1,277 opportunities observed, compliance was 26% and significantly lower before patient contact and the use of aseptic procedures than after patient contact: infrastructure was shown to be deficient.

Alteration in the cavity size adjacent to the active site of RB69 DNA polymerase changes its conformational dynamics.

Internal cavities are a common feature of many proteins, often having profound effects on the dynamics of their interactions with substrate and binding partners. RB69 DNA polymerase (pol) has a hydrophobic cavity right below the nucleotide binding pocket at the tip of highly conserved L415 side chain. Replacement of this residue with Gly or Met in other B family pols resulted in higher mutation rates.

Competitive displacement of cofilin can promote actin filament severing.

Cofilin is an essential actin filament severing protein that functions in the dynamic remodeling of the actin cytoskeleton. Filament severing activity is most efficient at sub-stoichiometric cofilin binding densities (i.e.

A handoff protocol from the cardiovascular operating room to cardiac ICU is associated with improvements in care beyond the immediate postoperative period.

Background: Handoff protocols from the cardiovascular operating room (CVOR) to the cardiac intensive care unit (CICU) can improve patient outcomes and delivery of care beyond the immediate postoperative period. In a prospective quality improvement study, a structured CVOR-to-CICU handoff protocol was implemented at a university-affiliated children's hospital. As a parallel project, an initiative to reduce unplanned extubations in the CICU was implemented.

Cross-cultural adaptation and validation of the Quebec Back Pain Disability Scale to European Portuguese language.

Study Design: Cross-cultural adaptation and psychometric testing.

Objective: To conduct the cross-cultural adaptation of the Quebec Back Pain Disability Scale (QBPDS) and investigate its reliability and validity in patients with chronic low back pain (CLBP).

Summary Of Background Data: The QBPDS is one of the most commonly used scales to evaluate functional incapacity resulting from low back pain.

Phantom limb pain from spinal sarcoma: a case report.

Phantom limb pain is a frequent sequela of amputation. A high prevalence of residual limb pain and back pain also exists among amputees. We present a case of a new-onset severe phantom limb pain resulting from a metastatic spinal mass in an 81-year-old patient with a history of malignant sarcoma and an old hip disarticulation amputation.

Kinetics of procalcitonin and C-reactive protein and the relationship to postoperative infection in young infants undergoing cardiovascular surgery.

Background: The utility of procalcitonin (PCT) and C-reactive protein (CRP) as infectious biomarkers following infant cardiothoracic surgery is not well defined.

Methods: We designed a prospective cohort study to evaluate PCT and CRP after infant cardiothoracic surgery. PCT and CRP were drawn preoperatively and 24/72 h postoperation or daily in delayed sternal closure patients.

Antidermatophytic and antileishmanial activities of essential oils from Lippia gracilis Schauer genotypes.

Lippia gracilis, popularly known in Brazil as 'alecrim-de-tabuleiro', is used for many purposes, especially antimicrobial and antiseptic activities. The leaves of three L. gracilis genotypes, including LGRA-106, LGRA-109 and LGRA-110 were collected from the Active Germplasm Bank located in the "Campus Rural da UFS" research farm at the São Cristóvão country, Sergipe State, Brazil.

[Asymptomatic severe aortic stenosis: a reopened debate].

Aortic stenosis is a complex disease. About 2-7% of the population over 65 years of age is affected by its degenerative form. In patients with severe aortic stenosis presenting with symptoms or left ventricle ejection fraction (LVEF)<.

[The role of midwives and nurse-midwives in promoting safe motherhood in Brazil].

Brazil needs to improve maternal and perinatal health care, given the high rates of morbidity, mortality and cesarean sections, the medicalization process of the female body and the violation of the sexual and reproductive rights of women during pregnancy and childbirth. Based on the contribution of international researchers and agencies to address these issues, the scope of this text is to provide theoretical input to support the proposal of the promotion of safe motherhood that requires the active participation of midwives and nurse-midwives. These are professionals who, from the perspective of health promotion, can collaborate in the establishment of an effective network of care, whose basic premise is the humanization of care based on scientific evidence in order to improve the experience of women and the family in the process of pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum.

Fractures of the acetabulum in elderly patients: an update.

The incidence of acetabular fractures in elderly patients is increasing. Poor bone quality and concomitant diseases are the main features of these patients. Fracture patterns are marked by a high degree of variability in terms of patient and fracture characteristics.