Decoding cultural conflicts.

As pioneers of the Carnegie Perspective recognized, conflicts in organizations can exist even when incentives of all parties are aligned. These can often be traced to differences in cognitions such as beliefs and values, which are foundational components of any given culture. This paper refines the operationalization of cultural clashes by identifying differences in beliefs about causality ("which actions cause which outcomes") and morality (in the broad sense of "what is evaluated as desirable") as two fundamental sources of conflict.

The results of a close follow-up of trainees to gain a good blood collection practice.

Background: Phlebotomy is one of the most important steps in the preanalytical phase of a clinical laboratory process. In order to decrease phlebotomy errors, this specific procedure should be taught in detail by laboratory organizations. Our study aims to practice the training program on venous blood sampling and observe the close follow-up results.

Age/disease duration influence on activities of daily living and quality of life after levodopa-carbidopa intestinal gel in Parkinson's disease.

Aim: To determine if age and Parkinson's disease duration at therapy initiation influence the efficacy of levodopa-carbidopa intestinal gel (LCIG) on quality of life and activities of daily living.

Patients & Methods: This post hoc analysis assessed subgroups of patients stratified by baseline age, disease duration, hours/day of 'off' time and levodopa equivalent dose. Patients' data were collected from the GLORIA study, a 24-month observational registry evaluating long-term effectiveness of LCIG.

Levodopa-carbidopa intestinal gel in advanced Parkinson's: Final results of the GLORIA registry.

Introduction: This registry evaluated the 24-month safety and efficacy of levodopa-carbidopa intestinal gel (LCIG) treatment in advanced Parkinson's disease (PD) patients under routine clinical care.

Methods: Motor fluctuations, dyskinesia, non-motor symptoms, quality of life, and safety were evaluated. Observations were fully prospective for treatment-naïve patients (60% of patients) and partially retrospective for patients with ≤12 months of pre-treatment with LCIG (40% of patients).

An Observational Study of the Effect of Levodopa-Carbidopa Intestinal Gel on Activities of Daily Living and Quality of Life in Advanced Parkinson's Disease Patients.

Introduction: Continuous delivery of levodopa-carbidopa intestinal gel (LCIG) by percutaneous endoscopic gastrojejunostomy (PEG-J) in advanced Parkinson's disease (PD) patients reduces variability in plasma levels, providing better control of motor fluctuations ("on" and "off" states). The MONOTREAT study assessed the effect of LCIG on activities of daily living, motor and non-motor symptoms, and quality of life in advanced PD patients.

Methods: This prospective, observational study included patients with advanced, levodopa-responsive PD with either 2-4 h of "off" time or 2 h of dyskinesia daily.

[Spinal cord stimulation in 62 patients: Retrospective evaluation].

Objectives: Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) is used for various indications such as Failed Back Surgey Syndrome, peripheral causalgia, neuropathic pain, complex regional pain syndrome, reflex sympathetic dystrophy, peripheral vascular disease, ischemic heart disease and cancer pain.

Methods: This is a retrospective study. 62 patients applied SCS were included in retrospective study from february 2011-january 2015 in Akdeniz University medicine faculty algology department.

Pre-Test and Post-Test Applications to Shape the Education of Phlebotomists in A Quality Management Program: An Experience in a Training Hospital.

Background: After the introduction of modern laboratory instruments and information systems, preanalytic phase is the new field of battle. Errors in preanalytical phase account for approximately half of total errors in clinical laboratory. The objective of this study was to share an experience of an education program that was believed to be successful in decreasing the number of rejected samples received from the Emergency Department (ED).

The role and structure of the multidisciplinary team in the management of advanced Parkinson's disease with a focus on the use of levodopa-carbidopa intestinal gel.

A multidisciplinary team (MDT) approach is increasingly recommended in Parkinson's disease (PD) treatment guidelines, but no standard of care exists for such an approach, and the guidelines do not provide clarification on how it should be implemented. This paper reviews evidence of MDT interventions in people with PD and provides expert clinical perspectives for an MDT approach, with a focus on advanced PD and levodopa-carbidopa intestinal gel (carbidopa-levodopa enteral suspension in the USA). The key recommendations are to enable the best possible treatment of people with PD locally by facilitating a close structured collaboration of different health care professionals working in a fixed network structure; to refer people with PD to established MDT centers in a timely manner; to establish regular meetings for the MDT enabling interdisciplinary exchange and learning; to optimize individual treatment and carefully evaluate available treatment options; to ensure treatment decisions are agreed jointly between people with PD, their caregivers, family, and health care professional; and to include specialists outside of neurology from adjuvant medical departments as necessary when implementing advanced therapies.

A model for managing and monitoring the quality of glucometers used in a high-volume clinical setting.

Introduction: The aim of this study is to present a model for assuring the quality of a large number of glucometers being used in a high-volume hospital clinical setting.

Materials And Methods: Internal quality-control samples and blood samples from two patients were used to determine the accuracy of 83 glucometers used at our hospital. On each glucometer three levels of control were used for glucose concentrations determination.

Sphenopalatine ganglion pulsed radiofrequency treatment in patients suffering from chronic face and head pain.

Purpose: There are various facial pain syndromes including trigeminal neuralgia, trigeminal neuropathic pain and atypical facial pain syndromes. Effectiveness of the pulsed radiofrequency in managing various pain syndromes has been clearly demonstrated. There are a limited number of studies on the pulsed radiofrequency treatment for sphenopalatine ganglion in patients suffering from face and head pain.

The Diagnostic Value of Oxidative/Antioxidative Balance Parameters in Venous Thromboembolism.

Background: The aim of this study is to observe the association between venous thromboembolism (VTE) and oxidative stress and to see if there is a diagnostic value in the oxidative/antioxidative balance parameters like total oxidant status (TOS), total antioxidant status (TAS), paraoxonase-(PON1), and arylesterase (ARE) enzyme activities in this specific disease.

Methods: Sixty-nine patients with deep vein thrombosis and/or pulmonary embolism and 40 control subjects were included in the study. Oxidative stress index, total oxidant status, and antioxidant status were examined in addition to the PON1 and ARE enzyme activities in both groups.

Global long-term study on motor and non-motor symptoms and safety of levodopa-carbidopa intestinal gel in routine care of advanced Parkinson's disease patients; 12-month interim outcomes.

Introduction: Intermittent oral delivery of levodopa is a major contributing factor for motor complications in Parkinson's disease (PD). Continuous infusion of levodopa-carbidopa intestinal gel (LCIG) into the jejunum using a portable pump via percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) improves motor complications and quality of life (QoL).

Objectives: To record long-term effectiveness of advanced PD patients undergoing LCIG infusion in routine care, by Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS), Non-Motor Symptoms Scale (NMSS), PDQ-8 and EQ-5D questionnaires.

[Sphenopalatine ganglion pulsed radiofrequency treatment in patients suffering from chronic face and head pain].

Purpose: There are various facial pain syndromes including trigeminal neuralgia, trigeminal neuropathic pain and atypical facial pain syndromes. Effectiveness of the pulsed radiofrequency in managing various pain syndromes has been clearly demonstrated. There are a limited number of studies on the pulsed radiofrequency treatment for sphenopalatine ganglion in patients suffering from face and head pain.

Comparison of health-related quality of life and exercise capacity according to stages in patients with non-small cell lung cancer.

Introduction: The aim of this study is to compare the exercise capacity and health-related quality of life parameters according to stages of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Materials And Methods: Fifty-two patients (who are able to ambulate independently) with stage I-II (group early-stage, n= 17) and stage IIIA-IV NSCLC (group advanced-stage, n= 35) were included. Exercise capacity (six minute walking test), strength of the peripheral muscle (Back and Leg Dynamometer), performance status (Karnofsky performance status scale), health-related quality of life- HRQOL (European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of life measure and Short Form-36 Health Survey), depression and anxiety (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale) were evaluated.

Decreased paraoxonase 1, arylesterase enzyme activity, and enhanced oxidative stress in patients with mitral and aortic valve insufficiency.

Background: Oxidative stress is reportedly associated with several cardiovascular diseases. The antioxidant ability of high density lipoprotein (HDL) is, at least in part, attributable to the pleiotropic serum paraoxonase (PON1). The aim of the study was to investigate the body oxidant/antioxidant balance in patients with mitral regurgitation (MR) and aortic regurgitation (AR) to get new points of view for the underlying oxidative mechanisms.

Probability of treatment following acute decline in lung function in children with cystic fibrosis is related to baseline pulmonary function.

Objective: To determine whether the association between high forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) and increased rate of decline in FEV1 in children with cystic fibrosis could be due to less frequent intervention after acute declines (sudden decline events) in FEV1.

Study Design: Patients with cystic fibrosis aged 6-17 years enrolled in the Epidemiologic Study of Cystic Fibrosis were assessed for a sudden decline event, defined as a 10% relative decline in FEV1% predicted from an average of 3 consecutive stable baseline spirometries. The likelihood of therapeutic intervention within 14 days before and 56 days after this event was then related to their baseline FEV1% predicted age-specific decile using a logistic regression adjusting for age group (6-12 years, 13-17 years) and presence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa on respiratory culture.

Key findings and clinical implications from The Epidemiology and Natural History of Asthma: Outcomes and Treatment Regimens (TENOR) study.

Patients with severe or difficult-to-treat asthma are an understudied population but account for considerable asthma morbidity, mortality, and costs. The Epidemiology and Natural History of Asthma: Outcomes and Treatment Regimens (TENOR) study was a large, 3-year, multicenter, observational cohort study of 4756 patients (n=3489 adults ≥ 18 years of age, n=497 adolescents 13-17 years of age, and n=770 children 6-12 years of age) with severe or difficult-to-treat asthma. TENOR's primary objective was to characterize the natural history of disease in this cohort.

Risk factors for rate of decline in FEV1 in adults with cystic fibrosis.

Background: Previously we assessed risk factors for FEV(1) decline in children and adolescents using the Epidemiologic Study of Cystic Fibrosis (J Pediatr 2007;151:134-139); the current study assessed risk factors in adults.

Methods: Risk factors for FEV(1) decline over 3-5.5 years for ages 18-24 and ≥25 years were assessed using mixed-model regression.

Multiple antibiotic-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa and lung function decline in patients with cystic fibrosis.

Background: The goal of this study was to determine the association of multiple antibiotic-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa (MARPA) acquisition with lung function decline in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF).

Methods: Using data from Epidemiologic Study of Cystic Fibrosis (ESCF), we identified patients with spirometry data and MARPA, defined as PA (1) resistant to gentamicin and either tobramycin or amikacin, and (2) resistant to ≥1 antipseudomonal beta lactam. MARPA had to be detected in a respiratory culture after ≥2 years of PA-positive but MARPA-negative respiratory cultures.

Evaluation of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute guidelines impairment domain for classifying asthma control and predicting asthma exacerbations.

Background: Accurate assessment of asthma control may help predict future asthma exacerbations.

Objective: To evaluate asthma guidelines impairment domain components as predictors of exacerbations in severe/difficult-to-treat asthma.

Methods: Children (aged 6-11 years; n = 289) and adolescents/adults (aged ≥ 12 years; n = 2,094) with complete baseline and 12-month data from The Epidemiology and Natural History of Asthma Outcomes and Treatment Regimens study were included.

Erratum to: Psychometric evaluation of the Cystic Fibrosis Questionnaire-Revised in a national, US sample.

Purpose: The psychometric properties of a health-related quality of life (HRQOL) instrument, the Cystic Fibrosis Questionnaire-Revised (CFQ-R), were evaluated in a national, US sample of patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). This is the first psychometric evaluation of the revised version of this instrument.

Methods: The Epidemiologic Study of CF is a national, US multicenter longitudinal cohort study containing CFQ-R and health outcomes data.

Impaired oxidative balance and association of blood glucose, insulin and HOMA-IR index in migraine.

Introduction: The nature of the relationship between glucose metabolism and occurrence of migraine has not been elucidated precisely. This study investigated the status of oxidative/antioxidative balance and its relationship with the glucose metabolism in migraineurs to get new points of view for the underlying oxidative mechanisms.

Materials And Methods: Sixty migraineurs and 46 control subjects were included in the study.