The four Ps of patient experience: A new strategic framework informed by theory and practice

This article proposes a new strategic framework to assist healthcare organizations in achieving great patient experiences in the healthcare setting. We synthesize models of practice and literature relevant to the patient experience in order to propose the four Ps of patient experience. Key levers used in this model are: (a) trained autonomous physicians, (b) multidisciplinary partners, (c) alternative places of care delivery matched to patient conditions and needs, and (d) standardized yet flexible processes. Healthcare leaders will be able to use the proposed framework to develop detailed strategies toward improving patient satisfaction and experiences.     

Diagnosis of endometrial nerve fibers in women with endometriosis

Purpose  

Recent studies indicated that there is a high density of small nerve fibers in the functional layer of the endometrium in women with endometriosis and that it can be used as a marker to detect endometriosis. In this study, the efficacy assessment of small nerve fibers’ density as a diagnostic marker was compared in patients with and without endometriosis.     

Comparison of the effects of MnO2-NPs and MnO2-MPs on mitochondrial complexes in different organs

Today, nanoparticles (NPs) have been widely used in various fields. Manganese oxide nanoparticles have attracted a lot of attention due to many applications. One of the major concerns regarding the widespread use of various NPs is the exposure and accumulation in human organs and finally toxicity. The generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by mitochondria is one of the most important mechanisms of toxicity suggested by published studies induced by other NPs. However, limited studies have been conducted on the mechanism of toxicity of MnO₂-NPs and MnO₂-microparticles (MnO₂-MPs). In this study, we compared the accumulation of MnO₂-NPs and MnO₂-MPs in different tissues and evaluated their effects on mitochondrial complexes in isolated mitochondria. Our results showed that intravascular (iv) administration of the MnO₂-NPs in the same dose compared to the MnO₂-MPs resulted in more accumulation in the C57 mouse female tissues. The effect of MnO₂-NPs and MnO₂-MPs in mitochondria showed that complexes I and III play an important role in increasing ROS generation and this effect is related to type of tissue. Also, our results showed that exposure to MnO₂-NPs and MnO₂-MPs reduced the activity of mitochondrial complexes II and IV. Our results suggest that the toxicity of the MnO₂-NPs is higher than that of the MnO₂-MPs and can lead to the depletion of antioxidant status, likely induction of apoptosis, cancer, and neurodegenerative disease.

Abbreviations: NPs: nanoparticles; ROS: reactive oxygen species; SDH: succinate dehydrogenase; DCFH-DA: dichloro-dihydro-fluorescein diacetate; ELISA: enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; MnO2-NPs: manganese oxide nanoparticles