Suchergebnisse

This study aimed to determine if: 1) C-reactive protein (CRP) level correlated with PTSD symptom severity as measured by PTSD Checklist-5 (PCL-5), and 2) ketone supplement reduced PTSD symptoms. Twenty participants with PTSD were randomly assigned to a ketone supplementation or placebo group and evaluated for 6-weeks for PTSD symptom severity and CRP levels. The Spearman Rank correlation between PCL-5 and CRP was positive, but not statistically significant. Mixed models on the ranks of the data were used to examine the difference in PCL-5 and CRP between ketone and control groups over time. Median PCL-5 at the pre-test was higher than at the post-test in the ketone group but not in the control. The reduction of PCL-5 medians between ketone and control groups at the post-test was not different. The median pre-test CRP was not different from than post-test in the ketone group or control group. This pilot study did not find a correlation between CRP levels and PTSD symptom severity but was limited by a lack of CRP data collection due to the loss of follow-up. PTSD symptom severity was not altered by 6 weeks of chronic ketone salt supplementation compared to the control group but should be examined in a larger sample size for further verification.

"Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a condition associated with high levels of stress often linked to elevated resting blood pressure (BP). Beta-hydroxybutyrate, a fuel source and signaling molecule, has been shown to improve metabolic and neurological conditions, as well as decrease systolic BP in healthy populations. The purpose of this study was to determine if longterm beta-hydroxybutyrate administration via ketone salt (KS) supplementation alters BP, complete blood count (CBC), or comprehensive metabolic panel (CMP) results in adults diagnosed with PTSD. Sixteen adults (ages 21-65; 12 women/4 men) with PTSD completed this randomized, double-blinded, and placebo-controlled study by taking KS or a placebo supplement for 6 weeks. Blood was collected (for CMP and CBC assessment) and BP measurements were taken before and after the intervention period. None of the variables changed significantly based on the condition (p > .05 for all interaction effects). The reduction in BP measures following the KS supplementation, though non-significant, may be clinically meaningful in PTSD populations and others subject to increased cardiovascular mortality risk. Chronic KS supplementation did not negatively impact BP, CBC, or CMP measures in adults with PTSD. Further investigation of KS as a hypertension treatment approach is warranted in this population."

"The current COVID-19 pandemic creates unique and unmatched challenges to healthcare system worldwide. For vulnerable hosts such as immunodeficient individuals, older people, and those with additional comorbidities, SARS-CoV-2 infection primary raises high risk of death outcome. The population should be protected from the further distribution of SARS-CoV-2 through contact distancing, the using of protective masks and other hygiene measures, but also through vaccination, since vaccinations are one of the most important primary prevention tools. Therefore, vaccine is anticipated to protect the vaccinated person from severe disease if infected by the specific pathogen the vaccine was targeted against. On 11th March 2020 the World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 as pandemic, yet in 2019, the vaccine hesitancy was named by the WHO as one of the top 10 threats to global health. Acceptance of the vaccine is critical to its success and with the rise of the anti-vaxxer movement; continuous increasing public awareness is needed without any delay. Mandatory vaccination, including for COVID-19, could be ethically justified if the threat to public health is serious, the confidence in efficacy and safety is high, the anticipated utility of mandatory vaccination is superior to the alternatives, but also if the penalties or charges for non-compliance are balanced. Besides, one can argue that vaccination isn't just an individual preference, namely vaccination protects those who can't be vaccinated. So, although vaccine mandates for adults may be legal, so far they have been applied restrictively to select groups, such as health care providers, but also in businesses that require in-person attendance, education-related sectors, or in long-distance travel businesses, rather widely enforced. As for the vaccination hesitancy, the results of majority of studies indicated vaccine safety, efficacy, protection duration, and potential side effects as the most important reasons for COVID-19 vaccination hesitancy. Apart from vaccine-specific concerns, reasons for vaccine hesitancy also included a need for more information, antivaccine attitudes or beliefs, and a lack of trust. Taking into account the need to keep the world population over the herd immunity threshold, a continuous action is going to be expected from public health authorities to maintain trust and reduce COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. "

"This article is analysing the legal perspective on whistleblowing, at European and national level, focusing on the scientific studies' results and theories, emphasizing nuances which worth discussing in order to a better understanding of the social phenomenon and of individual psychological decision process for reporting a wrongdoing or the suspicion of a possible breach. We are also arguing that current whistleblower regulations must take into account both the European directive and recent research in this field, pointing out some question which are raising from the lack of the ethical and cultural focused research of Romanian society perspective on whistleblowing, considering also the recent past experiences of Romanians with 'political police' actions in years of communism. We are establishing a few research direction which we conclude that could bring the knowledge to drawing a more relevant and applicable whistleblowing law. Keywords: whistleblower, EU directive, Romanian law, whistleblower protection, normative conduct theories. "

In this study, a gas chromatography-mass spectrometry method was developed for the determination of nicotine and cotinine wherein human plasma, urine, and saliva. In addition, it was aimed to determine statistically the correlation between nicotine and cotinine levels in urine and saliva samples and nicotine and cotinine levels in blood samples. The limit of quantification was ≤0.83 ng/mL and precision were ≤4.91 and accuracy (RE%) was between (-4.93) and 4.90. Recovery was detected between 95.4% and 104.7%. The method was employed to determining the nicotine and cotinine concentrations in plasma, saliva, and urine total of 91 samples belong to non-smokers (n=37) and active smokers (n=54) who were healthy (n=65) and COPD patients (n=27) and the statistical relationship within the nicotine and cotinine values of the samples were investigated. It was found a correlation (r=0.752, p≤0.01) between plasma and saliva cotinine levels and estimation equation calculated as y=1.56x+43.24. Also, the correlation between plasma and urine cotinine levels was found (r=0.787, p≤0.01) by the equation that y=0.31x+34.59. The results show that by accurately determining the amount of cotinine in both saliva and urine, the exposure risks of both active smokers and those exposed to cigarette smoke with the ETS can be estimated.

State of Maine Handbook for Hazardous Waste Generators Department of Environmental Protection, Augusta, Maine 1995. Contents: Introduction to Hazardous Waste / Purpose of This Handbook / Who Generates Hazardous Waste and How? / How Do I Determine If I Generate Hazardous Waste? / Am I a Small Quantity Generator (SQG), an SQG Plus, or a Generator? / Hazardous Waste Management Practices / Manifesting Hazardous Waste / In Summary / Appendix A - D ; https://digitalcommons.usm.maine.edu/me_collection/1087/thumbnail.jpg

Supersedes TM 8-233, 20 Nov. 1945, including C 1, 27 May 1949, prepared by the Surgeon-General's Office and issued by the War Dept. ; Department of the Air Force manual, AFM 160-18. ; General -- Pharmaceutical mathematics -- Chemistry -- Physical processes and techniques -- Classes of pharmaceutical preparations -- Prescription and its preparation -- Incompatibility -- Toxicology -- Veterinary Pharmacology -- Appendices -- Index. ; Mode of access: Internet.

Wood Measurement Rules Maine Department of Agriculture, Food & Rural Resources, Division of Quality Assurance & Regulations, Augusta, Maine, 2006. Contents: Chapter 380: General Provisions / Chapter 381: General Requirements for Wood Transactions / Chapter 382: Measurement of Wood and Declaration of Quantity / Chapter 383: Measurement and Prompt Furnishing of Measurement Tally Sheets / Chapter 384: Complaints and Investigations / Chapter 385: Licensing of Wood Scalers / Appendix ; https://digitalcommons.usm.maine.edu/me_collection/1177/thumbnail.jpg

Acute poisonings represent an emergency pathology that associates an increased risk of unfavorable outcomes or death. The mortality rate can be improved by the fast recognition of its severity, which in turn allows a prompt intervention of the medical team. In the practical approach of the case, a standardized measure of predicting the patient's evolution would be necessary, which could be applied quickly to the patient's bed and easy to calculate and apply irrespective of the evaluator. Currently, for acute poisoning cases, Poisoning Severity Score (PSS) is used, a complex and dependable tool that accurately stages the severity of the case but has the disadvantage of being quantified retrospectively. This study presents the development and validation of a linear regression model that can be applied right in the emergency department (ED) and predicts the severity of the case by estimating PSS with an accuracy of 75%. The proposed model uses ten objective and quantifiable variables representing anamnestic, clinical, and biological parameters evaluated in the early stages of the poisoning. The regression was developed in the study group consisted of 62 pediatric patients diagnosed with severe acute poisoning with cardiotoxic agents complicated by cardiogenic shock.

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a global pandemic on March 11, 2020. Since then, researchers worldwide have focused their attention on identifying effective treatments and developing vaccines to combat this disease. Aim: To report the effectiveness of the drugs employed in the COVID-19 treatment protocols based on data from clinical trial studies conducted from the beginning of the pandemic until December 10, 2020. Methods: Following the PRISMA guidelines, we conducted an advanced search in several electronic databases. A total of 13553 studies was screened by two people simultaneously and separately based on the article title, abstract and full-text. The quality of the studies was evaluated using the Cochrane criteria. Results: Of the 13553 studies identified, 50 clinical trials were included in this systematic review. Of these, three studies explored the use of remdesivir, nine studies the use of hydroxychloroquine, five studies the use of lopinavir/ritonavir, six studies the use of favipiravir, one study the use of tocilizumab, two studies the use of interferon beta-1a and two studies the use of umifenovir.

"Water is an essential resource and its purity should not be negotiated when it comes to human consumption. This study investigated the antibacterial activity of Garcinia kola and Hunteria umbellata seed and epicarp on some bacterial isolates from sachet water. Duplicate samples of ten brands of sachet water were purchased from sales outlets around Ugbowo community, Benin City. Plate count techniques, minimum inhibitory and minimum bactericidal concentrations of the extracts were adopted in this investigation. Heterotrophic bacterial counts revealed highest range of 3.72±0.50x102 cfu/mL in EJ water and lowest in IB water (0.00±0.0x102 cfu/mL) while total coliform counts revealed its highest value in EJ water (3.62±0.30x102 cfu/mL) and lowest value (0.00±0.0 x102 cfu/mL), in OL, IB, NOS and UNI water. Aeromonas sp., Bacillus sp., Pseudomonas sp., Staphylococcus aereus and Enterobacter sp. were isolated. The antimicrobial susceptibility profile revealed varying zones of inhibition of 4 mm for Aeromonas sp., for Garcinia Kola and 20 mm recorded against Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus sp. for Hunteria umbellata epicarp extract. The Minimum Inhibitory Concentration of susceptible bacteria to Hunteria umbellata and Garcinia kola extract were 6.25mg/mL and 12.5mg/mL, respectively, except Aeromonas sp. which had 50 mg/mL. Hunteria umbellata epicarp had a greater bactericidal effect of 6.25mg/mL against Staphylococcus aureus, while Garcinia kola had its greatest bactericidal effect on Enterobacter sp. with a minimum bactericidal concentration of 12.5mg/mL. This study has revealed the potentials of Hunteria umbellata epicarp and Garcinia kola as effective natural therapeutic agents against some harmful bacteria, preventing their pathogenic effect. Keywords: Herbal extracts, Hygiene education, Minimum Bactericidal Concentration, Minimum Inhibitory Concentration, Sachet water."