Publications by authors named "Parker La"

Despite using the recommended anti-emetic treatments, control of nausea and vomiting is still an unmet need for cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy treatment. Few properly controlled clinical trials have evaluated the potential of exogenously administered cannabinoids or manipulations of the endogenous cannabinoid (eCB) system to treat nausea and vomiting. In this chapter, we explore the pre-clinical and human clinical trial evidence for the potential of exogenous cannabinoids and manipulations of the eCB system to reduce nausea and vomiting.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

International public health agencies recommend policies to improve diets and promote healthy eating, but implementation often falters due to varying contextual factors across regions. This study evaluates the relevance and applicability of these policies in urban areas of Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). Using the Delphi technique, we convened a panel of 21 experts from 13 LAC countries, representing public policy, research, social action, and healthcare.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • - The study investigated how the COVID-19 pandemic and related restrictions affected the emotional well-being of people with type 2 diabetes and/or hypertension in Ecuador and Spain, considering their unique sociopolitical and economic contexts.
  • - Through 36 semi-structured interviews conducted in 2020, researchers found a notable decline in emotional health among participants, driven by pandemic-related stresses and pre-existing concerns about their chronic conditions, leading to feelings like fear and depression.
  • - A conceptual framework was developed to show the interplay between COVID-19 control measures, economic and social factors, and existing inequalities, suggesting that tailored social policies are needed to address emotional well-being during future health crises.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

While many studies focus on urban areas, it's vital to understand health-related behaviours in rural communities. This paper aims to explore the factors that influence dietary habits and physical activity from the perspective of men and women of different ethnic groups living in a hard-to-reach rural area in Ecuador. We conducted 5 focus groups with 37 participants (26 women) from diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds in marginalized communities in Esmeraldas.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

In this study we replicated a typical high-quality post-consumer polypropylene (PP) recycling process to investigate its losses and emissions and study potential improvements. To our knowledge this is the first time that quantitative measurements on all process steps have been performed instead of an accumulated yield and emissions in water. In the process an overall PP yield of 85 wt% based on pure PP input is achieved.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • Traditional medicine (TM) is commonly used by people in Ecuador to manage metabolic risk factors like hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, and hyperglycemia, with notable usage rates of 39.4% in Esmeraldas and 31.1% in Quito.
  • The study analyzed data from 602 individuals across two diverse health districts, revealing that a significant number did not seek any treatment for their metabolic issues, and TM is often used alongside conventional medicine (CM).
  • Education level influences TM usage differently in the two regions; higher education correlates with TM use in urban Quito, while in rural Esmeraldas, those with no formal schooling are more likely to use TM, along with younger individuals and those of Afro ethnicity
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The purpose of this study was to characterize nurses' attitudes toward music and implementation of music into patient care and to characterize barriers and facilitators toward the implementation of music into patient care. A cross-sectional, quantitative, web-based questionnaire with minor qualitative elements. The questionnaire contained both open- and closed-ended questions.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Micro- and nanoplastics have been detected in environmental compartments from the highest mountains to the deepest seas. They have been shown to be present at almost all trophic levels, and within humans they have been detected in numerous organs and human stool. Whilst their ubiquitous nature is indisputable, little is known about the health risks they may present.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Introduction: Patients' decisions on prostate cancer (PCa) opportunistic screening may vary. This study aimed to assess how demographic and health-related characteristics may influence knowledge and decisions regarding PCa screening.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among men aged over 40, randomly sampled from the Spanish population, 2022.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objective: Infrequent breast pumping limits mother's own milk production in mothers of infants admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit. We aimed to determine the feasibility and benefit of biomarker-based personalized text messages on pumping frequency and milk sodium levels. A secondary aim examined lactation outcomes.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • Recent guidelines suggest prostate cancer screening decisions should be made collaboratively between patients and clinicians, yet many clinicians lack awareness about screening practices.
  • A review of 14 studies found that general practitioners generally have lower awareness and less favorable opinions about PSA testing compared to urologists, who are more knowledgeable and proactive in using the test.
  • The study highlights a need for educational interventions for general practitioners to improve their understanding of prostate cancer guidelines and risk factors.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Concussion is commonly characterized by a cascade of neurometabolic changes following injury. Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) can be used to quantify neurometabolites non-invasively. Longitudinal changes in neurometabolites have rarely been studied in pediatric concussion, and fewer studies consider symptoms.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Mother's own milk (MOM) is known to decrease complications in preterm infants and when unavailable, it is recommended that preterm very low-birth weight infants be fed donor human milk (DHM). Due to the pasteurization, processing, and lactation stage of donors, DHM does not contain the same nutritional, immunologic, and microbial components as MOM. This review summarizes the differences between MOM and DHM, the potential effects on health outcomes, and the clinical implications of these differences.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • * An integrative review identified evidence that maternal biomarkers (MBMs) can measure lactation progress but highlights delays and impairments in this process for pump-dependent mothers of preterm infants.
  • * There is a need for better consensus on which MBMs to use in research and practice, as MBMs have significant potential to improve monitoring and support for lactation in this vulnerable population.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • The objective of this study was to explore the barriers and facilitators of shared decision-making (SDM) regarding PSA testing in primary care settings.
  • A systematic review was conducted using various databases, resulting in the analysis of 13 studies that highlighted common barriers (such as time constraints and knowledge gaps) and facilitators (like training and patient education).
  • The findings suggest that while there are significant challenges to implementing SDM, many of these barriers are modifiable, and enhancing facilitators could improve the practice.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Invited for the cover of this issue is the group of Professor Bert Weckhuysen at Utrecht University. The image depicts the change in fluorescence color of a resorufin dye molecule when it is protonated and confined inside the micropores of zeolite-β. Read the full text of the article at 10.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The purpose of this scoping review was to examine the oral microbiome composition in preterm infants, sampling and collection methods, as well as exposures associated with oral microbiome composition and health implications. We conducted a scoping review of the literature using the Arskey and O'Malley framework. We identified a total of 13 articles which met our inclusion criteria and purpose of this scoping review.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • Researchers used confocal laser scanning microscopy to study the diffusion and molecular accessibility of resorufin dye in large zeolite-β crystals.
  • Unlike its behavior in solution, protonated resorufin is highly fluorescent when confined in zeolite micropores, aiding in fluorescence microimaging.
  • The study revealed that resorufin diffuses evenly throughout the zeolite, indicating an accessible pore network, and the diffusion coefficient was measured to be 3×10 m/s, with noted impedance at zeolite subunit boundaries.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Epidemiological data demonstrate that bovine whole milk is often substituted for human milk during the first 12 months of life and may be associated with adverse infant outcomes. The objective of this study is to interrogate the human and bovine milk metabolome at 2 weeks of life to identify unique metabolites that may impact infant health outcomes. Human milk ( = 10) was collected at 2 weeks postpartum from normal-weight mothers (pre-pregnant BMI < 25 kg/m) that vaginally delivered term infants and were exclusively breastfeeding their infant for at least 2 months.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • Preterm very low birth weight (VLBW) infants are at risk for intestinal issues, and this study aimed to see if race, sex, and socioeconomic status affect their early intestinal microbiome development.
  • The research analyzed stool samples from 79 VLBW infants over the first four weeks of life, using advanced sequencing methods to assess the gut bacteria present.
  • Findings showed no significant differences in gut microbiome diversity based on race, sex, or insurance type, suggesting that these sociodemographic factors have a limited impact on early microbial colonization, highlighting the need for further research.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Critically ill infants admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit are at risk for ventilator-associated pneumonia and abnormal oral colonization. Adherence to evidence-based guidelines for oral care in critically ill adults is associated with improved short- and long-term health outcomes. However, oral care guidelines for critically ill infants admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit have not been established, possibly increasing their risk of ventilator-associated pneumonia and other health complications.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • Type 2 Diabetes (T2DM) is becoming more common in low- and middle-income countries, with a study in rural northern Ecuador finding a prevalence of 6.8%, significantly higher in women (10.4%) compared to men (2.0%).
  • The study used surveys and tests to estimate obesity prevalence at 30.8%, particularly noting that women's obesity rates (43.2%) were nearly three times those of men (14.7%).
  • Results suggest that gender roles heavily influence health outcomes, indicating a need for targeted health promotion strategies that consider gender differences, especially in rural communities.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF