A synthetic biology approach for the treatment of pollutants with microalgae.

The increase in global population and industrial development has led to a significant release of organic and inorganic pollutants into water streams, threatening human health and ecosystems. Microalgae, encompassing eukaryotic protists and prokaryotic cyanobacteria, have emerged as a sustainable and cost-effective solution for removing these pollutants and mitigating carbon emissions. Various microalgae species, such as and have demonstrated their ability to eliminate heavy metals, salinity, plastics, and pesticides.

A Simple Equation to Estimate Urinary Flow Rate Using Urine Creatinine.

Background: Accurate assessment of urine flow remains challenging in both inpatient and outpatient settings. We hypothesized we could derive an equation that would accurately estimate urine flow rate (eV) through derivation from other existing equations commonly used in nephrology clinical practice.

Methods: The eV equation was derived using the Cockcroft-Gault and the measured creatinine clearance (CrCl = UCrV/PCr) equations.

Clinical impact and value of workstation single sign-on.

Background: CHRISTUS Health began implementation of computer workstation single sign-on (SSO) in 2015. SSO technology utilizes a badge reader placed at each workstation where clinicians swipe or "tap" their identification badges.

Objective: To assess the impact of SSO implementation in reducing clinician time logging in to various clinical software programs, and in financial savings from migrating to a thin client that enabled replacement of traditional hard drive computer workstations.

Hemoperitoneum as a Consequence of Colonoscopy.

Hemoperitoneum without evidence of organ damage is a rare complication of colonoscopy. It is most frequently seen in association with splenic rupture due to traction on the splenocolic ligament. In our case, we present a 48-year-old cirrhotic man who developed peritoneal bleeding during a diagnostic colonoscopy for iron deficiency anemia.

Toward the Elimination of Paper Orders: Managing the Challenge of Low Frequency Physician Users of Computerized Patient Order Entry (CPOE).

With the adoption of Computerized Patient Order Entry (CPOE), many physicians - particularly consultants and those who are affiliated with multiple hospital systems - are faced with the challenge of learning to navigate and commit to memory the details of multiple EHRs and CPOE software modules. These physicians may resist CPOE adoption, and their refusal to use CPOE presents a risk to patient safety when paper and electronic orders co-exist, as paper orders generated in an electronic ordering environment can be missed or acted upon after delay, are frequently illegible, and bypass the Clinical Decision Support (CDS) that is part of the evidence-based value of CPOE. We defined a category of CPOE Low Frequency Users (LFUs) - physicians issuing a total of less than 10 orders per month - and found that 50.

Development of novel smart device based application for serial wound imaging and management.

Burn wound photography has diverse clinical applications; however, inherent technological limitations mitigate its utility. Limitations include lack of quality control, serial imaging, complexity, and expense. With the performance gap between smart devices and digital cameras rapidly narrowing, and computing performance increasing, smart devices are poised to uniquely address these limitations and enhance the field of wound photography.

Stress, social support, and HIV-status disclosure to family and friends among HIV-positive men and women.

Patterns of HIV-status disclosure and social support were examined among 331 HIV-positive men and women. Structured interviews assessed HIV-status disclosure to family and friends, perceived stress of disclosure, social support, and depression. Results showed patterns of selective disclosure, where most participants disclosed to some relationship members and not to others.

Health-related Internet use, coping, social support, and health indicators in people living with HIV/AIDS: preliminary results from a community survey.

Widespread Internet use has revolutionized health information and patient education for persons with chronic illnesses. The authors surveyed 147 HIV-positive persons to examine factors associated with Internet use and associations between Internet use and health. Information, motivation, and behavioral skills associated with using the Internet were related to Internet use.

HIV transmission risk behaviours among HIV-positive persons in serodiscordant relationships.

As many as one in three persons living with HIV-AIDS continue to practise unprotected sexual intercourse and these practices often occur with HIV-negative or unknown HIV serostatus (serodiscordant) partners. The current study examined the rates of HIV transmission risk behaviours in non-regular (e.g.

Emotional adjustment in survivors of sexual assault living with HIV-AIDS.

This study examined history of sexual assault in 357 men and women living with HIV-AIDS. Participants completed measures of demographic characteristics, sexual assault history, emotional distress and psychiatric symptoms, substance use, and sexual behaviors. Results showed that 68% of women and 35% of men living with HIV-AIDS reported a history of sexual assault since age 15.

Sensation seeking and alcohol use as markers of sexual transmission risk behavior in HIV-positive men.

Alcohol use and sensation-seeking personality characteristics are commonly associated with sexual risk behavior in populations at risk for HIV infection. However, these associations are not well understood and have not yet been examined in people living with HIV-AIDS. We used path analyses to test a model of sensation seeking, alcohol use expectancies, and sexual risk behaviors among 197 HIV seropositive men.

Perceptions of health care among persons living with HIV/AIDS who are not receiving antiretroviral medications.

Antiretroviral medications are effective at improving the health and increasing the survival of people living with HIV/AIDS. However, studies have shown that a substantial number of HIV-infected people do not receive antiretroviral treatments. The current study examined the physical and mental health, substance use, and perceptions of medical care of 163 men and 78 women living with HIV/AIDS.

Prospective study of emotional reactions to changes in HIV viral load.

Advances in antiretroviral therapies for HIV infection have given rise to new hope for the long-term survival of people living with HIV/AIDS. The current study examined changes in depression, anxiety, and HIV treatment attitudes that may co-occur with improvements and setbacks in HIV disease progression in a prospective cohort of 166 HIV-positive men and women. Results from a 9-month prospective observation period showed that persons who experienced increases in viral load, as indexed by medical chart abstraction, reported modest increases in depression and decreases in positive attitudes toward HIV treatments.

Internet use among people living with HIV/AIDS: association of health information, health behaviors, and health status.

The telecommunications revolution provides open access to health information that can inform and empower people living with chronic illnesses. However, many people living with HIV may not access the Internet and are not benefiting from available health information. This study investigated Internet access among people living with HIV/AIDS and its relation to health.

Internet access and Internet use for health information among people living with HIV-AIDS.

Widespread access to the Internet has the potential to improve the health care and quality of life of people with chronic illnesses, including people living with HIV-AIDS. However, the Internet is not equally accessible to all persons. We surveyed 96 men and 51 women living with HIV-AIDS regarding their experiences using the Internet.