Educating Homecare Nurses about Deprescribing of Medications to Manage Polypharmacy for Older Adults.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the acceptability, appropriateness, and effectiveness of educational intervention with homecare nurses about deprescribing of medications among older adults. An evaluation research study was conducted using survey design to evaluate deprescribing education with a total sample of 45 homecare nurses from three homecare organizations. Post-training evaluation data were evaluated using Likert scale and open-ended questions were analyzed using descriptive statistical analyses and qualitative thematic analysis.

Disseminating Tai Chi in the Community: Promoting Home Practice and Improving Balance.

Background And Objectives: Falls among older adults is a pressing public health challenge. Considerable research documents that longer tai chi courses can reduce falls and improve balance. However, longer courses can be challenging to implement.

Tibial artery duplex ultrasound-derived peak systolic velocities may be an objective performance measure after above-knee endovascular therapy for arterial stenosis.

Objective: The ankle-brachial index (ABI) is a well-established measure of distal perfusion in lower extremity ischemia; however, the ABI is of limited value in patients with noncompressible lower extremity arteries. We sought to demonstrate whether duplex ultrasound-determined tibial artery velocities can be used as an alternative to ABI as an objective performance measure after endovascular treatment of above-knee arterial stenosis.

Methods: Thirty-six patients undergoing above-knee endovascular intervention had preprocedure and postprocedure duplex ultrasound examination within 6 months of intervention.

Interhospital vascular surgery transfers to a tertiary care hospital.

Objective: Interhospital transfers (IHTs) to tertiary care centers are linked to lower operative mortality in vascular surgery patients. However, IHT incurs great health care costs, and some transfers may be unnecessary or futile. In this study, we characterize the patterns of IHT at a tertiary care center to examine appropriateness of transfer for vascular surgery care.

Patterns of Care in Hospitalized Vascular Surgery Patients at End of Life.

Importance: There is limited literature reporting circumstances surrounding end-of-life care in vascular surgery patients.

Objective: To identify factors driving end-of-life decisions in vascular surgery patients.

Design, Setting, And Participants: In this cohort study, medical records were reviewed for all vascular surgery patients at a tertiary care university hospital who died during their hospitalization from 2005 to 2014.

Characterization of tibial velocities by duplex ultrasound in severe peripheral arterial disease and controls.

Background: The relationship between tibiopopliteal velocities and peripheral arterial disease (PAD) severity is not well understood. We sought to characterize tibiopopliteal velocities in severe PAD and non-PAD control patients.

Methods: Patients with an arterial duplex ultrasound (DUS) examination with PAD evaluated during a 5-year period were retrospectively compared with non-PAD controls.

Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, clinical study on the effect of Diabetinol(®) on glycemic control of subjects with impaired fasting glucose.

Background: This study investigated the efficacy of Diabetinol(®) in people with diabetes on medication but not meeting the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists and American Diabetes Association glycemic, blood pressure, and lipid targets.

Subjects And Methods: Fifty subjects, aged 18-75 years, with fasting blood glucose ≤15.4 mmol/L, hemoglobin A1c levels ≤12%, and a body mass index between 25 and 40 kg/m(2), were enrolled in a 24-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel study.

Efficacy of a natural mineral complex in North American adults with osteoarthritis of the knee: a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled study.

Purpose: This study evaluated the efficacy of a hydrothermal mineral complex (HMC) supplement in participants with knee osteoarthritis.

Patients And Methods: This was a double-blind, placebo-controlled, 12-week crossover study with 150 participants receiving either placebo or HMC for 4 weeks, with a 4-week washout period. The primary endpoint was WOMAC™ pain, and secondary endpoints were WOMAC™ physical function and stiffness, the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, tumor necrosis factor α, interleukin 6, and safety.

Influence of a probiotic mixture on antibiotic induced microbiota disturbances.

Aim: To study the effect of probiotic consumption on the faecal microbiota during and after antibiotic exposure.

Methods: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel group study with a two species probiotic combination [Lactobacillus acidophilus (L. acidophilus) ATCC 700396 and Bifidobacterium lactis (B.

Improving refill adherence and hypertension control in black patients: Wisconsin TEAM trial.

Objective: To assess the effectiveness and sustainability of a 6-month Team Education and Adherence Monitoring (TEAM) intervention for black patients with hypertension in community chain pharmacies.

Design: Cluster randomized trial.

Setting: 28 chain pharmacies (14 TEAM and 14 control) in five Wisconsin cities from December 2006 to February 2009.

Evaluation of serum-derived bovine immunoglobulin protein isolate in subjects with diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome.

Background: There is increased interest in combining nutritional modalities with pharmacological therapies for managing patients with diarrhea-predominant IBS (IBS-D).

Aim: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study to evaluate the impact of oral serum-derived bovine immunoglobulin/protein isolate (SBI) on gastrointestinal symptom scores and quality of life (QoL) in subjects with IBS-D.

Methods: Study subjects previously diagnosed with IBS-D according to ROME II criteria were recruited from London, Ontario, Canada and assigned to receive 5 g/day SBI, 10 g/day SBI, or placebo for 6 weeks.

Comprehensive review of ultraviolet radiation and the current status on sunscreens.

In the past, manufacturers' labeling of sunscreen varied greatly, confusing the consumers regarding efficacy and the appropriate photoprotection provided by their products. Therefore, in June 2011, the United States Food and Drug Administration issued new guidelines for sunscreen labeling. Sunscreen products are over-the-counter drugs; therefore, they are regulated by the United States Food and Drug Administration to determine safety, efficacy, and labeling.

Protective factors in American Indian communities and adolescent violence.

With their distinct cultural heritage and rural boundaries, American Indian reservation communities offer a unique opportunity to explore protective factors that help buffer adolescents from potential risk behaviors such as violence. Prior published research on Indian communities has not explored three potential protective factors for violence-parental monitoring of adolescents and friends, adolescents' self-efficacy to avoid fighting, and adolescents' interest in learning more about their traditional culture. This paper explores the relationship between these factors and reduced risk of reported violence.

A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled exploratory study to evaluate the potential of pycnogenol for improving allergic rhinitis symptoms.

The potential of Pycnogenol for relieving allergic rhinitis (birch pollen) symptoms was explored in a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. In 2008 19 subjects started treatment 3 weeks prior to the onset of birch pollen season in Ontario, Canada. While there was an improvement of eye and nasal symptoms with Pycnogenol, there was no significance versus placebo.

A dose ranging study of photodynamic therapy with porfimer sodium (Photofrin) for treatment of basal cell carcinoma.

Background And Objectives: While basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is effectively treated by several methods, many patients with numerous or frequently occurring lesions seek alternatives that can treat multiple cancers, with improved cosmetic outcome. PDT for esophageal and lung carcinomas is approved at a porfimer sodium (Photofrin) dose of 2 mg/kg, but lower doses increase selectivity and decrease both cutaneous phototoxicity and cost. We evaluated low doses of porfimer sodium PDT for treatment of multiple BCC.

Development of an advanced hyperspectral imaging (HSI) system with applications for cancer detection.

An advanced hyper-spectral imaging (HSI) system has been developed having obvious applications for cancer detection. This HSI system is based on state-of-the-art liquid crystal tunable filter technology coupled to an endoscope. The goal of this unique HSI technology being developed is to obtain spatially resolved images of the slight differences in luminescent properties of malignant versus non-malignant tissues.

Expression profile analysis of the low-oxygen response in Arabidopsis root cultures.

We used DNA microarray technology to identify genes involved in the low-oxygen response of Arabidopsis root cultures. A microarray containing 3500 cDNA clones was screened with cDNA samples taken at various times (0.5, 2, 4, and 20 h) after transfer to low-oxygen conditions.