Speed and accuracy of pharmacy students' response to calculation problems with or without formula prompts.

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the amount of time spent per problem and the level of accuracy per problem, based on the presence or absence of a stressor. The impact on accuracy created by stress due to the lack of the formula prompt during an assessment is a major focus of this study.

Methods: Sixty-nine first-year pharmacy students were tested with four calculation questions (Qs) divided between two quizzes.

Standard triple therapy versus sequential therapy for eradication of Helicobacter pylori in treatment naïve and retreat patients.

Background And Study Aims: Untreated Helicobacter pylori infection causes increased risk of gastric cancer, GI morbidity and mortality. Standard treatment for eradication of Helicobacter pylori infection, is the triple therapy which consists of a proton pump inhibitor; together with two antibiotics (amoxicillin 1000mg with clarithromycin 500mg or metronidazole 400mg) given twice daily for 7-14days. Recent evidence revealed, that cure rates of Helicobacter pylori infection with triple therapy had fallen below satisfactory targets.

New combined parameter of liver and splenic stiffness as determined by elastography in healthy volunteers.

Background: The diagnosis of chronic liver disease (CLD) leading to fibrosis, cirrhosis, and portal hypertension had witnessed dramatic changes after the introduction of noninvasive figure accessible tools over the past few years. Imaging techniques that are based on evaluation of the liver stiffness was particularly useful in this respect. Acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) emerged as an interesting figure tool with reliable repute and high precision.

Essential phospholipids as a supportive adjunct in the management of patients with NAFLD.

Background And Study Aims: Treatment of nonalcoholic fatty liver (NAFLD) is important because NAFLD patients have a 1.7-fold increase in standardised age and gender matched mortality. Currently treatment is based on life style modification and managing comorbid associating disease.

Do probiotics improve eradication response to Helicobacter pylori on standard triple or sequential therapy?

Background: The standard triple therapy for the eradication of Helicobacter pylori consists of a combination of a proton pump inhibitor at a standard dose together with two antibiotics (amoxicillin 1000 mg plus either clarithromycin 500 mg or metronidazole 400 mg) all given twice daily for a period of 7-14 days. Recent reports have shown a dramatic decline in the rate of H. pylori eradication utilizing standard triple therapy from 95% down to 70-80%.