Understanding Dry Powder Inhalers: Key Technical and Patient Preference Attributes.

Inhalable medications for patients with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) can be confusing even for health care professionals because of the multitude of available devices each with different operating principles. Dry powder inhalers (DPI) are a valuable option for almost all of the patients with asthma or COPD. Based on recorded patient inspiratory profiles, the peak inspiratory flow requirement of 30 L min of high-resistance devices does not usually pose any practical limitations for the patients.

Continuous Subcutaneous Insulin Infusion in Adult Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus Patients: Results from a Public Health System.

To analyze prevalence and clinical effect of continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) in adult type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) patients in a public health system real-world scenario. All adult T1DM patients on CSII being followed at Castilla-La Mancha Health Public Service were included. Primary efficacy outcome was the change in HbA during the follow-up.

Coronary calcification as a predictor of cardiovascular mortality in advanced chronic kidney disease: a prospective long-term follow-up study.

Background: Patients with advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD) exhibit higher prevalence of coronary artery calcification (CaC) than general population. CaC has been proposed as a risk factor for mortality in end-stage CKD, but most studies in the field are based on short-term follow-up.

Methods: We conducted a cohort, 10-year prospective longitudinal study of consecutive cases referred to the renal unit.

Incivility at work, upset at home? Testing the cross-level moderation effect of emotional dysregulation among female nurses from primary health care.

Workplace incivility is a growing problem in nursing. However, most studies that explore this psychosocial risk and its consequences do so considering a single level and a between-person perspective. The aims of the study were to explore whether the effects of experiencing incivility during work-time could explain the daily levels of well-being of nurses at home; and to analyze if that relationship could be moderated by their levels of emotional dysregulation as a trait.

Analysis of the Behavior of SMA Mixtures with Different Fillers Through the Semicircular Bend (SCB) Fracture Test.

In most cases, stone mastic asphalt (SMA) mixtures placed in thin layers and subjected to stress develop early cracks (potentially resulting from being improperly affixed to the underlying layer, placed over previously cracked asphalt pavement, or placed over Portland cement concrete slabs). However, the filler used in SMA production is very influential on the performance of the mix. Fillers used in this type of mixture have a low plastic index or are inert (calcium carbonate or lime), so it is important to understand the effect of each material on the possible fissuring and cracking process of the SMA mixture.

The Spectrum of EBV-Positive Mucocutaneous Ulcer: A Study of 9 Cases.

We describe a series of 9 patients with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-positive mucocutaneous lymphoproliferative lesions that broadens the concept of EBV-positive mucocutaneous ulcer. We report 5 female and 4 male patients, with an average age of 74 years (range, 55 to 87 y), 2 of whom were HIV-positive. The lesions were located in the oropharynx, skin, and rectal and/or genital mucosa.

Perception of risk as a mediator between personality and perception of health: test of a model.

Background: This research article addresses the relationships among personality, risk perception, and health perception. The personality construct has been one of the main topics of research in psychology throughout history and is understood as the set of traits or cognitive, affective and behavioral characteristics that an individual possesses. Important relationships have been found that show the impact of personality on people's health as well as the impact of health conditions on the configuration of personality.

Differences in E-Cadherin and Syndecan-1 Expression in Different Types of Ameloblastomas.

Ameloblastomas are a group of benign, locally aggressive, recurrent tumors characterized by their slow and infiltrative growth. E-Cadherin and syndecan-1 are cell adhesion molecules related to the behavior of various tumors, including ameloblastomas. Ninety-nine ameloblastoma samples were studied; the expression of E-cadherin and syndecan-1 were evaluated by immunohistochemistry.

Is it possible to stop nucleos(t)ide analogue treatment in chronic hepatitis B patients?

Chronic hepatitis B (CHB) remains a challenging global health problem, with nearly one million related deaths per year. Nucleos(t)ide analogue (NA) treatment suppresses viral replication but does not provide complete cure of the hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. The accepted endpoint for therapy is the loss of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), but this is hardly ever achieved.

Systematic review of the mesopancreas: concept and clinical implications.

Background: In 2007, Gockel et al. coined the term mesopancreas (MP). In the next 10 years, a limited number of publications about MP have been published, but little is known about the oncological benefit of MP resection.

Evaluation and interpretation of the bucket test in healthy individuals.

Objective: To determine and interpret the range of normal deviation of the bucket test in healthy subjects Subjects and methods: Study design: Cross-sectional study in a secondary care center.

Inclusion Criteria: subjects ≥18 years old with no otologic or neurologic symptoms and normal complete neuro-otological examination. The subjective visual vertical was evaluated binocularly using the bucket test.

Sysmex UF-1000i flow cytometer to screen urinary tract infections: the URISCAM multicentre study.

Unlabelled: The new Sysmex UF-1000i analyzer - which incorporates bacteria morphology distinction - allows to automatically screen samples to be cultured at microbiology laboratories. We have evaluated the feasibility and accuracy of Sysmex UF-1000i to screen urinary tract infections (UTIs). A total amount of 2468 urine samples from six Spanish hospitals were analysed.

Treating amblyopia in adults with prosthetic occluding contact lenses.

Purpose: To investigate the feasibility, effectiveness and acceptability of using prosthetic occluding contact lenses (OCLs) to treat moderate amblyopia in adults and of the role of the multifocal visual evoked potential (mfVEP) as a predictor of postamblyopic therapy.

Methods: A comparative, prospective, interventional, case series pilot study with amblyopic adults (mean age: 40 years, range 20-50 years) allocated into two intervention groups: eye patching and OCL. The primary outcome variable was logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (logMAR) best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), and secondary outcomes were mfVEP amplitude and latency and patients' health-related quality of life National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire (NEI VFQ-25).

Nitric oxide in the nucleus of the tractus solitarius is involved in hypoglycemic conditioned response.

The repeated injection of insulin (unconditioned stimulus, UCS) immediately followed by exposure to sensory stimulation (e.g. sound or odor; conditioned stimulus, CS) results in a learned conditioned reflex in which the exposure to the CS alone lowers blood glucose.

Development of advanced biantibiotic loaded bone cement spacers for arthroplasty associated infections.

The incidence increase of infections in patients with hip or knee implants with resistant pathogens (mainly some S. coagulase-negative and gram positive bacteria) demands advanced antibiotic loaded formulations. In this paper, we report the design of new biantibiotic acrylic bone cements for in situ delivery.

Dynamic hyperinflation in patients with asthma and exercise-induced bronchoconstriction.

Background: Little is known about the behavior of operative lung volumes during exercise in patients with asthma and exercise-induced bronchoconstriction (EIB).

Objective: To compare the presence of dynamic hyperinflation (DH) in patients with mild asthma with and without EIB and in healthy individuals and to relate the changes in end-expiratory lung volume (EELV) with postexercise airflow reduction.

Methods: A total of 122 consecutive stable patients (>12 years of age) with mild asthma and 38 controls were studied.

Histological and Immunohistochemical Evaluation of the Efficacy of a New Cosmetic Formulation in the Treatment of Skin Photoaging.

. Mechanism of action of cosmetic products is not often studied. The aim of this study is to determine the histological, immunohistochemical, and clinical changes of a new cosmetic formulation.

Electrophysiological dynamic brain connectivity during symbolic magnitude comparison in children with different mathematics achievement levels.

Children with mathematical difficulties usually have an impaired ability to process symbolic representations. Functional MRI methods have suggested that early frontoparietal connectivity can predict mathematic achievements; however, the study of brain connectivity during numerical processing remains unexplored. With the aim of evaluating this in children with different math proficiencies, we selected a sample of 40 children divided into two groups [high achievement (HA) and low achievement (LA)] according to their arithmetic scores in the Wide Range Achievement Test, 4th ed.

Clinical update on the use of ospemifene in the treatment of severe symptomatic vulvar and vaginal atrophy.

The physiological decrease in vaginal estrogens is accountable for the emergence of vulvar and vaginal atrophy (VVA) and its related symptoms such as vaginal dryness, dyspareunia, vaginal and/or vulvar irritation or itching, and dysuria. The repercussion of these symptoms on quality of life often makes it necessary to initiate treatment. Up until now, the treatments available included vaginal moisturizers and lubricants, local estrogens, and hormonal therapy.

Specific CD8(+) T cell response immunotherapy for hepatocellular carcinoma and viral hepatitis.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and chronic hepatitis C (CHC) are characterized by exhaustion of the specific CD8(+) T cell response. This process involves enhancement of negative co-stimulatory molecules, such as programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-1), cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen-4 (CTLA-4), 2B4, Tim-3, CD160 and LAG-3, which is linked to intrahepatic overexpression of some of the cognate ligands, such as PD-L1, on antigen presenting cells and thereby favouring a tolerogenic environment. Therapies that disrupt these negative signalling mechanisms represent promising therapeutic tools with the potential to restore reactivity of the specific CD8(+) T cell response.

Alexandrite Laser for the Treatment of Resistant and Hypertrophic Port Wine Stains: A Clinical, Histological and Histochemical Study.

Background: Port wine stains (PWSs) are commonly treated by the pulsed dye laser. However, treatment of hypertrophic or resistant PWSs is a major therapeutic challenge. The long-pulsed Alexandrite laser could be a safe and effective treatment for resistant PWSs, due to an increase depth of penetration of 50-75% over PDL.

Role of taxanes in advanced prostate cancer.

Advanced prostate cancer is an androgen-dependent disease for which the initial treatment is an androgen deprivation maneuver. However, some primary resistances to hormonal treatment occur with increasing incidence throughout the evolution of the disease. The taxanes, docetaxel and cabazitaxel, exert their action at multiple levels at the tumor cell: besides inhibiting the mitosis and inducing the cell death, they induce the nuclear accumulation of FOXO1, a potent nuclear factor that acts against the activation of androgen receptor inhibiting the transcription of AR-V7 variant associated with the development of resistances to abiraterone and enzalutamide.

Evaluation of the genotoxic activity of dicamba and atrazine herbicides in several Mexican and South American varieties of sweetcorn (Zea mays L.).

Corn is a major crop and various herbicides are used to maximize its production, which include a dicamba-atrazine mixture. This has great advantages, but can also induce DNA damage. Genotoxic activity was assessed by comet assay following application of two concentrations of dicamba-atrazine: 1000-2000 and 2000-4000 ppm.

Heterogeneity of Genetic Damage in Cervical Nuclei and Lymphocytes in Women with Different Levels of Dysplasia and Cancer-Associated Risk Factors.

The comet assay can be used to assess genetic damage, but heterogeneity in the length of the tails is frequently observed. The aims of this study were to evaluate genetic damage and heterogeneity in the cervical nuclei and lymphocytes from patients with different levels of dysplasia and to determine the risk factors associated with the development of cervical cancer. The study included 97 females who presented with different levels of dysplasia.