Examining the Impact of Social Support on Psychological Well-Being Among Canadian Individuals With COPD: Implications for Government Policies.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a significant respiratory disease and is globally ranked as the third leading cause of death. In Canada, the direct healthcare costs associated with COPD are estimated to be $1.5 billion annually.

Healthy eating blog readership: A cross-sectional survey in Australian adults.

Aims: To investigate whether members of the public read blogs for the purpose of accessing healthy eating information; examine demographic predictors of healthy eating blog readership, specifically education, gender, age, body mass index, and residential location; and explore the reasons for reading, and not reading, healthy eating blogs.

Methods: This study used a cross-sectional online self-reported survey design collected over three time points (round 1: December 2017-March 2018, round 2: August 2018-December 2018, round 3: December 2021-March 2022). The total sample of participants comprised of 238 respondents with a mean age of 46 years old, who mostly reported gender as female (82%), being educated with a university degree (69%), and predominantly resided in urban and city areas (84%).

Effect of Direct-acting Oral Anticoagulants and Warfarin on Hospital Outcomes in Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding.

Objective: To evaluate the comparison of direct-acting oral anticoagulants (DOACs) and warfarin for their effects on major bleeding and hospital outcomes in patients with acute nonvariceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding (NVUGIB).

Study Design: An observational study.

Place And Duration Of Study: Tekirdag Namik Kemal University Hospital, Hitit University Erol Olçok Education and Research Hospital, between January and December 2021.

Protective effects of Acetobacter ghanensis against gliadin toxicity in intestinal epithelial cells with immunoregulatory and gluten-digestive properties.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to establish whether Acetobacter ghanensis, the probiotic characteristics of which were evaluated previously, attenuates gliadin-induced toxicity in intestinal epithelial cells with gluten-digestive and immunoregulatory properties.

Methods: A co-culture model of human intestinal epithelial cell (Caco-2) monolayers on top of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) obtained from patients with celiac disease (CD) was established. The gluten-digestive properties of A.

Impact of hospital mergers: a systematic review focusing on healthcare quality measures.

Background: Despite mergers have increasingly affected hospitals in the recent decades, literature on the impact of hospitals mergers on healthcare quality measures (HQM) is still lacking. Our research aimed to systematically review evidence regarding the impact of hospital mergers on HQM focusing especially on process indicators and clinical outcomes.

Methods: The search was carried out until January 2020 using the Population, Intervention, Comparison and Outcome model, querying electronic databases (MEDLINE, Scopus, Web Of Science) and refining the search with hand search.

Job Satisfaction Among Employees After a Merger: A Cross-Sectional Survey in the Local Health Unit of Sardinia Region, Italy.

Job satisfaction plays an important role in healthcare organization and management; it is critical for maintaining and improving staff efficiency and consequently the quality of care provided. Organizational restructuring processes, including mergers, are likely to affect job satisfaction levels, but evidence of the impact they have is surprisingly scarce. The aim of the study was to describe a methodology used to measure job satisfaction of the employees at a Local Health Unit (LHU) in Italy immediately after a merger and to assess the determinants associated with any reduction in worker satisfaction.

The Diagnostic Utility of Flow Cytometry in Celiac Disease Presented Isolated Iron Deficiency Anemia.

Background: Flow cytometric analysis of intestinal intraepithelial lymphocytes contributes to the diagnosis of celiac disease. Celiac disease may present with iron deficiency anemia alone which is considered as one of the forms of atypical celiac disease. In this study, we have aimed to investigate the diagnostic utility of flow cytometric analysis of intraepithelial lymphocytes in this atypical form.

The P.O.S.T Guidelines for Nutrition Blogs: A Modified e-Delphi Study.

Background: Blogs are being used increasingly to disseminate nutrition information to consumers, including by registered dietitians (RDs). Guidelines in authoring blogs are important for dietetics professionals so that they effectively communicate evidence-based nutrition information in this format.

Objective: The aim of this study was to obtain consensus from experts comprising RDs with active blog-writing experience on a set of guidelines for use by RDs when authoring a healthy eating or nutrition information blog.

The bigger, the better? A systematic review on the impact of mergers on primary care organizations.

Background: Primary care services are the first point of contact in a healthcare system; in the last years, many mergers and reconfigurations have taken place in this setting. The aim of this study is to summarize the literature evidence on the relationship between the increase in the size of these organizations and their performance.

Methods: A systematic review of the literature was carried out querying EMBASE, MEDLINE and Web of Science databases, from their inception to January 2020.

Vagus nerve assessment via ultrasonography in irritable bowel syndrome. Are there any changes of dimension in the vagus nerve?

Background/aim: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is the functional gastrointestinal disorder which has closely relationship with Central Nervous System (CNS). VN is the major connector between CNS and Enteric Nervous System (ENS). The aim of this study was to investigate the possible changes of dimension of Vagus Nerve (VN) with Vagus ultrasonography (VU) in IBS.

Reframing healthy food choices: a content analysis of Australian healthy eating blogs.

Background: Blogs are widely being used by health professionals and consumers to communicate and access nutrition information. There are numerous benefits for dietitians to establish and contribute to healthy eating blogs. In particular, to disseminate evidence-based nutrition information to promote healthier dietary practices.

What is healthy eating? A qualitative exploration.

Objective: The present study aimed to explore how healthy food choices are translated into everyday life by exploring definitions of healthy food choices, perceptions of own food choice, and healthy food choice drivers (facilitators) and barriers.

Design: An exploratory qualitative study design was employed using semi-structured face-to-face interviews. Convenience sampling was used to recruit participants.

The nutrition-related information seeking behaviours and attitudes of pregnant women with a high BMI: A qualitative study.

Background: The prevalence of high body mass index is increasing amongst women of child bearing age. High maternal body mass index has ramifications for both mother and baby including increased health risks from gestational diabetes mellitus, caesarean section and stillbirth. Despite the increasing prevalence of high maternal body mass index little is known of the experiences of these women regarding nutrition information access and use during the antenatal period.

[Impact of merging healthcare organizations: a review of the literature].

Over the last two decades, the healthcare sector of different Countries has been involved in a wave of mergers. This wave first started in the US and in the UK and, later, has involved Italy. Despite these activities are still pursued, little attention is paid to the assessment of their impact.

A Consensus Model: Shifting assessment practices in dietetics tertiary education.

Aim: The aim of this research was to evaluate a Consensus Model for competency-based assessment.

Methods: An evaluative case study was used to allow a holistic examination of a constructivist-interpretivist programmatic model of assessment. Using a modified Delphi process, the competence of all 29 students enrolled in their final year of a Master of Nutrition and Dietetics course was assessed by a panel (with expertise in competency-based assessment; industry and academic representation) from a course e-portfolio (that included the judgements of student performance made by worksite educators) and a panel interview.

The influence of vitamin D deficiency on eradication rates of Helicobacter pylori.

Background: Helicobacter pylori eradication therapy improves the healing of various gastro-duodenal diseases such as chronic gastritis and peptic ulcer, and also reduces gastric cancer incidence. Several studies have reported on risk factors other than antibiotic resistance related to Helicobacter pylori eradication failure.

Objectives: In this study, we aimed to investigate whether or not the serum levels of 25-hydroxy-vitamin D (25(OH)D) influence eradication rates of H.

Choroidal Thickness of Helicobacter-Positive Patients without Central Serous Chorioretinopathy.

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection on subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFCT) in patients without clinical central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC).

Materials And Methods: This prospective study included 50 patients with pathologically proven H.

Protocol for the evaluation of a chronic care model experience in Rome.

Introduction: Chronic diseases are the leading cause of death and disability in almost all over the world; in Europe causing over 9 million deaths per year according to WHO estimates. A promising health organization model for chronic disease management is represented by the Chronic Care Model (CCM). In the 12th district of the ASL Roma 2 since 4 years was implemented a CCM for the management of patients affected by diabetes and/or at high cardiovascular risk.

[A proposed organizational model for health districts of the Lazio Region (Italy)].

In the Lazio Region (Italy), health districts were established with Regional Law n. 18 of 1994. In the absence of specific regional recommendations, this was done by taking into account local situations and the needs of individual local health authorities, resulting in a network of markedly heterogeneous health districts.

[Survey to assess educational needs of personnel working at Departments of Prevention, Health Districts and Hospital Directions in Italy: questionnaire validation and preliminary results].

Aim: The aim was of this pilot study was to validate a questionnaire to collect information on the number of health professionals, doctors and veterinarians working in the Departments of Prevention, Health Districts and Hospital Directions, their sociodemographic characteristics and cultural-background, define their educational needs, and subsequently extending the study to the maximum number of professionals in the classified services under study.

Methods: The survey was conducted through the use of a questionnaire, designed and prepared by the working group and subsequently reported on-line. Internal consistency of the questionnaire was measured by Cronbach's alpha.

Relationship among MIF, MCP-1, viral loads, and HBs Ag levels in chronic hepatitis B patients.

Background/aim: To determine whether macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) levels in patients with hepatitis B (HB) are different than in normal individuals and whether the HB surface antigen (HBs Ag) level and viral load are correlated with each other and with the two aforementioned parameters.

Materials And Methods: Sera were obtained from 52 chronic active HB (CAHB) patients and 33 healthy controls, and their MIF and MCP-1 levels were measured. Statistical analyses were performed.

Investigation of serum macrophage migration inhibitor factor and monocyte chemotactic protein-1 levels in irritable bowel syndrome.

Aim: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), a functional disorder of the bowel, has been thought to result from immune activation. The aim of this study was to evaluate macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MMIF) and monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1) levels in IBS patients.

Materials And Methods: We enrolled 30 IBS patients and 30 healthy controls.

Evaluation of paraoxonase and arylesterase activities in patients with irritable bowel syndrome.

The aims of the present study were to evaluate oxidative status, by investigating the serum Paraoxonase/Arylesterase (PON/ARE) activities along with conjugated dienes in patients with IBS and controls and to confirm the link between oxidative stress and IBS. Thirty IBS patient and 30 healthy subjects were recruited. Total serum cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), triglycerides (TG), PON and ARE activities and conjugated dienes levels were measured.

Analysis of cases with tuberculous peritonitis: a single-center experience.

Background/aims: Tuberculous peritonitis (TP) is a rare form of tuberculosis and is caused by peritoneal involvement with Mycobacterium tuberculosis. A distinctive correlation exists between socioeconomic state and disease prevalence. We aimed to evaluate the clinical, laboratory, and radiological findings of patients with TP.

Association of colon adenomas and skin tags: coincidence or coexistence?

Objectives: Skin tag (STs) are benign connective tissue tumors of the dermis. Some researchers have argued that there is a relationship between skin tag and colon polyps, although the physiopathological mechanisms underlying this relation were not well elucidated. In this study we aimed to investigate the co-existence of colonic adenomatous polyps and ST, additionally to shed light on the physiopathological mechanisms underlying this coincidence.