Impact of performance improvement continuing medical education on cardiometabolic risk factor control: the COSEHC initiative.

Introduction: The Consortium for Southeastern Hypertension Control (COSEHC) implemented a study to assess benefits of a performance improvement continuing medical education (PI CME) activity focused on cardiometabolic risk factor management in primary care patients.

Methods: Using the plan-do-study-act (PDSA) model as the foundation, this PI CME activity aimed at improving practice gaps by integrating evidence-based clinical interventions, physician-patient education, processes of care, performance metrics, and patient outcomes. The PI CME intervention was implemented in a group of South Carolina physician practices, while a comparable physician practice group served as a control.

Factor-structure of the Italian version of the Scale Of Prodromal Symptoms (SOPS): a comparison with the English version.

Aims: The 19-item 'Scale Of Prodromal Symptoms' (SOPS) and its semi-structured interview, the Structured Interview for Prodromal Symptoms (SIPS), have been developed to assess prodromes of psychosis. We assessed psychometric properties of the Italian version of the instrument.

Methods: We collected socio-demographic and clinical data of 128 people seeking first-time psychiatric help in a large Roman area, either as outpatients at community facilities or as inpatients in psychiatric wards of two general hospitals.

Thoracic epidural anesthesia for off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting in a spontaneously breathing conscious patient.

Minimally invasive coronary artery surgery is nowadays considered a safe surgical strategy. We report a case of a 70-year-old man with a high operative risk who underwent off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting using only high thoracic epidural anesthesia without intubation. The patient well tolerated each phase of the operation.

Large recession nystagmus surgery in albinos: effect on acuity.

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of large muscle recessions on visual acuity in albinos with nystagmus.

Methods: This is a retrospective, unmasked, chart review of 12 patients with ocular or oculocutaneous albinism demonstrating nystagmus who underwent four horizontal rectus muscle retroequatorial recessions. Pre- and postoperative visual acuity were measured.

[Characteristics of articular caps of the elbow in relation to flex-extension movement].

Considering the factors limiting flexo-extension movements of the elbow, particular importance has been given to the possible existing contact between its articular ends in the final stage of the movement. However, this factor has different importance according to the angle formed by the ulnar and humeral diaphysis with their respective epiphysis. Some authors assert that humeral and ulnar articular ends do not come into any contact during the first stage of the sigmoid cavity movement on the trochlea, according to their opinion, in fact, an angle of 45 degrees should exist between the prolongation of the humeral diaphysis axis and the lower epiphysis and the great ulnar sigmoid cavity should be oriented forward and high forming an axis that is inclined of 45 degrees the horizontal plane.