Improving Physical Therapy Pain Care, Quality, and Cost Through Effectiveness-Implementation Research.

The variability and delay in utilizing evidence in clinical practice are barriers to improving care, quality, and cost in health care, as charged by the "triple aim" framework. Scientific research provides an avenue not only to further the field of pain research, but also to study and change the patterns and processes that drive systemic and individual clinical practices. Implementation science is an emerging field that can be integrated with more traditional effectiveness research to accomplish a combination of aims within the same study.

Biochar and compost amendments enhance copper immobilisation and support plant growth in contaminated soils.

Contamination of soil with trace elements, such as Cu, is an important risk management issue. A pot experiment was conducted to determine the effects of three biochars and compost on plant growth and the immobilisation of Cu in a contaminated soil from a site formerly used for wood preservation. To assess Cu mobility, amended soils were analysed using leaching tests pre- and post-incubation, and post-growth.

Effect of a 2-tier rapid response system on patient outcome and staff satisfaction.

Background: Rapid response systems (RRS) have been recommended as a strategy to prevent and treat deterioration in acute care patients. Questions regarding the most effective characteristics of RRS and strategies for implementing these systems remain.

Aims: The aims of this study were to (i) describe the structures and processes used to implement a 2-tier RRS, (ii) determine the comparative prevalence of deteriorating patients and incidence of unplanned intensive care unit (ICU) admission and cardiac arrest prior to and after implementation of the RRS, and (iii) determine clinician satisfaction with the RRS.

Genome-wide methylation analyses of primary human leukocyte subsets identifies functionally important cell-type-specific hypomethylated regions.

DNA methylation is an important mechanism by which gene transcription and hence cellular function are regulated. Here, we provide detailed functional genome-wide methylome maps of 5 primary peripheral blood leukocyte subsets including T cells, B cells, monocytes/macrophages, and neutrophils obtained from healthy individuals. A comparison of these methylomes revealed highly specific cell-lineage and cell-subset methylation profiles.

A multicenter randomized trial of atorvastatin therapy in intensive care patients with severe sepsis.

Rationale: Observational studies link statin therapy with improved outcomes in patients with severe sepsis.

Objectives: To test whether atorvastatin therapy affects biologic and clinical outcomes in critically ill patients with severe sepsis.

Methods: Phase II, multicenter, prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial stratified by site and prior statin use.

A combined functional annotation score for non-synonymous variants.

Aims: Next-generation sequencing has opened the possibility of large-scale sequence-based disease association studies. A major challenge in interpreting whole-exome data is predicting which of the discovered variants are deleterious or neutral. To address this question in silico, we have developed a score called Combined Annotation scoRing toOL (CAROL), which combines information from 2 bioinformatics tools: PolyPhen-2 and SIFT, in order to improve the prediction of the effect of non-synonymous coding variants.

Prediction of hospital outcome in septic shock: a prospective comparison of tissue Doppler and cardiac biomarkers.

Introduction: Diastolic dysfunction as demonstrated by tissue Doppler imaging (TDI), particularly E/e' (peak early diastolic transmitral/peak early diastolic mitral annular velocity) is common in critical illness. In septic shock, the prognostic value of TDI is undefined. This study sought to evaluate and compare the prognostic significance of TDI and cardiac biomarkers (B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP); N-terminal proBNP (NTproBNP); troponin T (TnT)) in septic shock.

Field-based evaluation tool for riparian buffer zones in agricultural catchments.

Riparian buffer zones can improve water quality and enhance habitat, but a comprehensive yet rapid method that can assist the resource manager in assessing the effectiveness of buffers is not available. The aim of this paper is to describe and illustrate the use of a newly developed field-based evaluation tool for riparian buffer zones in agricultural catchments. The Buffer Zone Inventory and Evaluation Form (BZIEF) incorporates criteria-based scoring systems developed from literature review, subsequent peer-review, and then a pilot field study.