Managing malignant wounds in patients receiving palliative care.

Malignant wounds are a complication of cancer and usually develop in patients with advanced disease. Physical symptoms associated with these wounds include pain, bleeding, exudate, malodour and pruritus, while patients may also experience various distressing psychosocial effects. The aim for nurses is to manage these physical symptoms and psychosocial effects, thus enhancing quality of life for patients and their families.

Prevention of pressure ulcers in older people with frailty.

The incidence of pressure ulcers is highest among older people with frailty. The development of pressure ulcers is a common and challenging issue in this population, which can reduce people's quality of life and increase mortality risk. Multifactorial processes contribute to the development of pressure ulcers in older people with frailty, including age-related skin changes, comorbidities, polypharmacy, reduced mobility, inadequate nutrition and hydration, and continence issues.

Preventing and managing pressure ulcers in patients receiving palliative care.

Pressure ulcers are more common in patients being cared for in palliative care settings than in the general population. Patients with life-limiting illnesses are living longer than ever before, and many present with multiple co-morbidities. Palliative care involves improving the patient's quality of life by achieving a balance between treatment, comfort and maintaining dignity.

Development of Antibacterial Ti-Cu Alloys for Dental Applications: Effects of Ageing for Alloys with Up to 10 wt% Cu.

Peri-implantitis, a disease caused by bacteria, affects dental implants in patients. It is widely treated with antibiotics, however, with growing antibiotic resistance new strategies are required. Titanium-copper alloys are prospective antibacterial biomaterials, with the potential to be a remedy against peri-implantitis and antibiotic resistance.

Skeleton bones in museum indoor environments offer niches for fungi and are affected by weathering and deposition of secondary minerals.

Large skeleton specimens are often featured as iconic open displays in Natural History Museums, for example, the blue whale 'Hope' at the Natural History Museum, London. A study on Hope's bone surface was performed to assess the biodeterioration potential of fungi. Fungi were isolated, and a fungal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) clone library survey was performed on dust and bone material.

Survey of the erythrocyte EPA+DHA levels in the heart attack/stroke belt.

Background: The Omega-3 Index (O3I; erythrocyte EPA+DHA as a percent of total fatty acids) is inversely related to risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD). The cardioprotective target O3I is 8%-12%. O3I levels in American regions with high CVD risk are poorly characterized.

Holistic management of malignant wounds in palliative patients.

Malignant wounds are a complication of cancer, and usually occur in those individuals with advanced disease. When healing ceases to be the goal, treatment is centred around symptom control and improving quality of life. Caring for individuals with malignant wounds presents challenges for patients, their families and nurses alike.

Comprehensive medication reviews: Optimal delivery setting and recommendations for quality assessment.

Objectives: To propose a metric evaluating the quality of comprehensive medication reviews (CMRs), and to discuss the optimal setting for CMR delivery.

Summary: First, we provide a current assessment of the quality of CMRs performed in community, payer, and health system/clinic settings, with recommended opportunities for improvement. Thereafter, a companion metric for CMR quality is discussed, because this is critical to ensuring that patients are not just receiving CMR services, but that CMRs reflect evidence-based recommendations supporting optimal patient outcomes.

Eye-tracking reveals how observation chart design features affect the detection of patient deterioration: An experimental study.

Particular design features intended to improve usability - including graphically displayed observations and integrated colour-based scoring-systems - have been shown to increase the speed and accuracy with which users of hospital observation charts detect abnormal patient observations. We used eye-tracking to evaluate two potential cognitive mechanisms underlying these effects. Novice chart-users completed a series of experimental trials in which they viewed patient data presented on one of three observation chart designs (varied within-subjects), and indicated which observation was abnormal (or that none were).

The effect of acute or repeated stress on the corticotropin releasing factor system in the CRH-IRES-Cre mouse: A validation study.

Corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) is a key component of stress responsivity, modulating related behaviors including anxiety and reward. Difficulties identifying CRF neurons, using traditional approaches including immunohistochemistry, has led to the development of a number of transgenic CRF reporter mice. The Crh-IRES-Cre::Ai14 (tdTomato) reporter mouse is increasing in popularity as a useful tool to assess the localization, connectivity and function of CRF neurons in various stress-related behaviors.

The use of prophylactic dressings in the prevention of pressure ulcers: a literature review.

Pressure ulcers pose a significant burden to both patients and health care resources. There are an increasing number of studies that have examined the use of prophylactic dressings, and their ability to redistribute pressure and protect the skin from shear and friction damage. This literature review examines six studies conducted on this controversial subject.

Cryptosporidiosis: A Disease of Tropical and Remote Areas in Australia.

Cryptosporidiosis causes gastroenteritis and is transmitted to humans via contaminated water and food, and contact with infected animals and people. We analyse long-term cryptosporidiosis patterns across Australia (2001-2012) and review published Australian studies and jurisdictional health bulletins to identify high risk populations and potential risk factors for disease. Using national data on reported cryptosporidiosis, the average annual rate of reported illness was 12.

Three-dimensional shape variation of talar surface morphology in hominoid primates.

The hominoid foot is of particular interest to biological anthropologists, as changes in its anatomy through time reflect the adoption of terrestrial locomotion, particularly in species of Australopithecus and Homo. Understanding the osteological morphology associated with changes in whole foot function and the development of the plantar medial longitudinal foot arch are key to understanding the transition through habitual bipedalism in australopithecines to obligate bipedalism and long-distance running in Homo. The talus is ideal for studying relationships between morphology and function in this context, as it is a major contributor to the adduction-abduction, plantar-dorsal flexion and inversion-eversion of the foot, and transmits all forces encountered from the foot to the leg.

3-dimensional microscope analysis of bone and tooth surface modifications: comparisons of fossil specimens and replicas.

Cut-marks on fossil bones and teeth are an important source of evidence in the reconstruction of ancient butchery practices. The analysis of butchery marks has allowed archaeologists to interpret aspects of past subsistence strategies and the behavior of early humans. Recent advances in optical scanning microscopy allow detailed measurements of cut-mark morphology to be undertaken.

Compliance and refill pattern behavior with HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors after acute myocardial infarction.

Patients who had an acute myocardial infarction or other atherosclerotic event and had filled a prescription for an HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor were identified for analysis. Compliance was assessed using a multiple-interval refill compliance score. The mean compliance score was 80% and six refill patterns were identified.

Evaluating and improving the delivery of heart care: the University of Michigan experience.

With increasing pressure to curb escalating costs in medical care, there is particular emphasis on the delivery of cardiovascular services, which account for a substantial portion of the current healthcare dollar spent in the United States. A variety of tools were used to improve performance at the University of Michigan Health System, one of the oldest university-affiliated hospitals in the United States. The tools included initiatives to understand outcomes after coronary bypass operations and coronary angioplasty through use of proper risk-adjusted models.

Denitrification Distributions in Four Valley and Ridge RiparianEcosystems.

/ Denitrification in riparian ecosystems can reduce the amount ofnitrogen transported from farm fields to streams. In this study, we examinedenitrification in four riparian ecosystems common to the Valley and Ridgephysiographic province in Pennsylvania, USA. The sites exhibit differentvegetation, are underlain by different rock types, and are downgradient offarm fields.