Virtual histology imaging in acute coronary syndromes: useful or just a research tool?

Acute coronary syndromes (ACS) frequently cause considerable morbidity and mortality with a high risk of further events within the following year, despite the use of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Numerous studies have described the concept of acute, partial or complete thrombotic occlusion of the coronary artery, which occurs at the site of a friable atherosclerotic plaque with a lipidrich necrotic core and a ruptured overlying thin fibrous cap ("culprit lesion"). Moreover, this process appears independent of the severity of the underlying stenosis.

Impact of positive psychological capital on employee well-being over time.

The recently recognized core construct of psychological capital or PsyCap (consisting of the positive psychological resources of efficacy, hope, optimism, and resilience) has been demonstrated to be related to various employee attitudinal, behavioral, and performance outcomes. However, to date, the impact of this positive core construct over time and on important employee well-being outcomes has not been tested. This study meets this need by analyzing the relationship between a broad cross-section of employees' (N = 280) level of PsyCap and two measures of psychological well-being over time.

Evaluation of DLG2 as a positional candidate for disposition index in African-Americans from the IRAS Family Study.

Aims: Evaluate discs large homolog 2 (DLG2) as a positional candidate gene for disposition index (DI) in the Insulin Resistance Atherosclerosis Family Study (IRAS-FS) African-American sample.

Methods: SNPs (n=193) were selected for genotyping in 580 African-American individuals using a modified tagging algorithm. Follow-up genotyping was carried out within regions associated with DI.

Candidate loci for insulin sensitivity and disposition index from a genome-wide association analysis of Hispanic participants in the Insulin Resistance Atherosclerosis (IRAS) Family Study.

Aims/hypothesis: The majority of type 2 diabetes genome-wide association studies (GWAS) to date have been performed in European-derived populations and have identified few variants that mediate their effect through insulin resistance. The aim of this study was to evaluate two quantitative, directly assessed measures of insulin resistance, namely insulin sensitivity index (S(I)) and insulin disposition index (DI), in Hispanic-American participants using an agnostic, high-density single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) scan, and to validate these findings in additional samples.

Methods: A two-stage GWAS was performed in Hispanic-American samples from the Insulin Resistance Atherosclerosis Family Study.

Patients' supportive care needs beyond the end of cancer treatment: a prospective, longitudinal survey.

Purpose: To estimate prevalence and severity of patients' self-perceived supportive care needs in the immediate post-treatment phase and identify predictors of unmet need.

Patients And Methods: A multicenter, prospective, longitudinal survey was conducted. Sixty-six centers recruited patients for 12 weeks.

The impact of conditional cash transfers on health outcomes and use of health services in low and middle income countries.

Background: Conditional cash transfers (CCT) provide monetary transfers to households on the condition that they comply with some pre-defined requirements. CCT programmes have been justified on the grounds that demand-side subsidies are necessary to address inequities in access to health and social services for poor people. In the past decade they have become increasingly popular, particularly in middle income countries in Latin America.

The impact of contracting out on health outcomes and use of health services in low and middle-income countries.

Background: Recent literature on the lack of efficiency and acceptability of publicly provided health services has led to an interest in the use of partnerships with the private sector to deliver public services.

Objectives: To assess the effectiveness of contracting out healthcare services in improving access to care in low and middle-income countries and, where possible, health outcomes.

Search Strategy: We searched a wide range of international databases, including the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE and EMBASE, in addition to development studies and economic databases.

Availability of essential medicines in Ethiopia: an efficiency-equity trade-off?

Objective: To investigate the availability and cost of essential medicines in health centres in rural Ethiopia, and to explore if the fee waiver system protects patients from having to pay for medicines.

Methods: The study took place in five health centres in rural Ethiopia. Availability and price of selected key essential medicines was established in the budget and special pharmacy of the health centre, as well as private outlets.

An investigation of the attitudes and fears of vocational dental practitioners in England and wales in 2007.

Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate whether recent changes in the National Health Service (NHS) dental contract may have caused increased anxiety and concern among vocational dental practitioners (VDPs).

Method: A total of 606 questionnaires, which had previously been piloted, were distributed to VDPs across England and Wales at the end of the vocational training (VT) year in 2007. The questionnaires contained a range of questions about VDPs' attitudes and fears, the influence that they perceived the new dental contract for the General Dental Services of the NHS had on their VT training experience, and their expectations for the future.

An investigation of current endodontic practice and training needs in primary care in the north west of England.

Objective: To investigate current endodontic clinical practice in the north west of England and evaluate practitioner's training needs.

Method: A questionnaire was posted to 702 primary care dentists in the north west of England in January 2006. The questionnaire investigated aspects of dentists' endodontic clinical practice, the provision of endodontics within their practice, their recent postgraduate training in endodontics and their training needs.

The impact of diabetes mellitus on two-year mortality following contemporary percutaneous coronary intervention: implications for revascularization practice.

Objective: To assess the impact of diabetes on 2-year mortality in current PCI practice.

Background: In patients with coronary artery disease undergoing revascularization, diabetes mellitus is associated with higher mortality.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was done of all patients undergoing PCI at our tertiary center between January 2000 and December 2004.

A genome-wide association scan for acute insulin response to glucose in Hispanic-Americans: the Insulin Resistance Atherosclerosis Family Study (IRAS FS).

Aims/hypothesis: This study sought to identify genes and regions in the human genome that are associated with the acute insulin response to glucose (AIRg), an important predictor of type 2 diabetes, in Hispanic-American participants from the Insulin Resistance Atherosclerosis Family Study (IRAS FS).

Methods: A two-stage genome-wide association scan (GWAS) was performed in IRAS FS Hispanic-American samples. In the first stage, 317K single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were assessed in 229 Hispanic-American DNA samples from 34 families from San Antonio, TX, USA.

A practical platform for blood biomarker study by using global gene expression profiling of peripheral whole blood.

Background: Although microarray technology has become the most common method for studying global gene expression, a plethora of technical factors across the experiment contribute to the variable of genome gene expression profiling using peripheral whole blood. A practical platform needs to be established in order to obtain reliable and reproducible data to meet clinical requirements for biomarker study.

Methods And Findings: We applied peripheral whole blood samples with globin reduction and performed genome-wide transcriptome analysis using Illumina BeadChips.

A nonsense mutation in a cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase gene is responsible for the Sorghum brown midrib6 phenotype.

Brown midrib6 (bmr6) affects phenylpropanoid metabolism, resulting in reduced lignin concentrations and altered lignin composition in sorghum (Sorghum bicolor). Recently, bmr6 plants were shown to have limited cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase activity (CAD; EC 1.1.

Association of SSTR2 polymorphisms and glucose homeostasis phenotypes: the Insulin Resistance Atherosclerosis Family Study.

OBJECTIVE This study evaluated the influence of somatostatin receptor type 2 (SSTR2) polymorphisms on measures of glucose homeostasis in the Insulin Resistance Atherosclerosis Family Study (IRASFS). SSTR2 is a G-protein-coupled receptor that, in response to somatostatin, mediates inhibition of insulin, glucagon, and growth hormone release and thus may affect glucose homeostasis. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Ten single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) spanning the gene were chosen using a SNP density selection algorithm and genotyped on 1,425 Hispanic-American individuals from 90 families in the IRASFS.

Performance-based payment: some reflections on the discourse, evidence and unanswered questions.

Performance-based payment (PBP) is increasingly advocated as a way to improve the performance of health systems in low-income countries. This study conducted a systematic review of the current literature on this topic and found that while it is a popular term, there was little consensus about the meaning or the use of the concept of PBP. Significant weaknesses in the current evidence base on the success of PBP initiatives were also found.

Can protein contamination be removed from hand endodontic instruments?

Aim: The aim of this study was to quantify total protein adhering to hand endodontic files and to measure and compare the efficacy of ultrasonic cleaning and washer-disinfectors, with and without presoaking, in protein removal from clinically contaminated endodontic files.

Method: Total protein contamination of the endodontic files was quantified using an assay reagent colorimetric method. Twelve general dental practitioners were recruited to collect clinically contaminated files.

Phenotype-genotype correlations in autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa caused by RHO, D190N.

Purpose: To phenotype a family with RHO (Asp190Asn or D190N) dominantly inherited retinitis pigmentosa (RP) and to describe an approach to surveying affected families.

Methods: Four patients from a family with a history of autosomal dominant RP had complete clinical examinations and underwent full-field electroretinography (ERG), fundus autofluorescence (AF) imaging, and genetic testing. One patient had microperimetry (MP) mapping.

A retrospective investigation of the clinical management of patients attending an out of hours dental clinic in Merseyside under the new NHS dental contract.

Aim: To investigate the clinical management of patients attending for emergency dental treatment.

Design: A retrospective analysis of clinical record cards.

Method: Information was collected from patient record cards concerning the patient's reason for attendance and their management at an emergency dental clinic in South Sefton, Liverpool.

Changing roles and responses of health care workers in HIV treatment and care.

A key limiting factor in the scale up and sustainability of HIV care and treatment programmes is the global shortage of trained health care workers. This paper discusses why it is important to move beyond conceptualising health care workers simply as 'inputs' in the delivery of HIV treatment and care, and to also consider their roles as partners and agents in the process of health care. It suggests a framework for thinking about their roles and responses in HIV care, considers the current evidence base, and concludes by identifying key areas for future research on health care workers' responses in HIV treatment and care in low and middle income settings.

The impact of user fees on health service utilization in low- and middle-income countries: how strong is the evidence?

Objective: To assess the effects of user charges on the uptake of health services in low- and middle-income countries.

Methods: A systematic search of 25 social science, economics and health literature databases and other sources was performed to identify and appraise studies on the effects of introducing, removing, increasing or reducing user charges on the uptake of various health services in low- and middle-income countries. Only experimental or quasi-experimental study designs were considered: cluster randomized controlled trials (C-RCT), controlled " before and after" (CBA) studies and interrupted time series (ITS) studies.