Cultural competence knowledge and confidence after classroom activities

Objectives

To determine change in cultural competency knowledge and perceived confidence of second-year pharmacy students to deliver culturally competent care after completing a required cultural competency curriculum.

Design

Cultural competence material was covered in the second-year PharmD curriculum through lectures, laboratories, and an experiential/out-of-class assignment.

Assessment

Eighty-five second-year (P2) pharmacy students completed a survey which assessed influence of classroom activities related to cultural competence. Mean values for knowledge and perceived confidence were significantly higher for posttest compared to pretest (p < 0.01), after cultural competency activities. Focus groups were used to solicit students'' opinions on instructional effectiveness, relevance of activities, and areas for enhancement.

Conclusion

The cultural competency curriculum increased pharmacy students'' awareness of and confidence in addressing cultural diversity issues that affect pharmaceutical care delivery.     

Antimicrobial emulsion (coating) based on biopolymer containing neem (Melia azardichta) and turmeric (Curcuma longa) extract for wound covering

Polymeric bio-adhesives emulsion which is biodegradable and non-toxic containing antimicrobial agents can play an important role in preventing infection in wound covering and coating for surgical implants. Therefore a bioadhesive polymer was synthesized by semi-Interpenetrating Network process using blend of shellac, casein and polyvinyl alcohol and Maleic anhydride (MA) as reactive compatibilizer. The synthesized polymer was mixed with neem and turmeric extract and homogenized using an emulsifier. Differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) was used to measure the molecular miscibility of biopolymer components and emulsion constituents. Stability of emulsion (coating) was measured by keeping property and accelerated stability test. Antimicrobial properties were evaluated for human pathogenic organisms namely E. coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, and Salmonella typhimurium using well diffusion assay. The results indicate that stability, miscibility and antimicrobial properties of bioadhesive was satisfactory, however further in vivo studies are required to ascertain suitability of emulsion (coating) for biomedical use.     

Association of DNA repair and cell cycle gene variations with breast cancer risk in Northeast Indian population: a multiple interaction analysis

Polymorphisms in DNA repair and cell cycle genes contribute to increased breast cancer (BC) risk. Their association and interaction in relation to betel quid and tobacco chewing habits need exhaustive multi-analytical investigation to explain BC predisposition due to DNA damage. Polymorphism in TP53-72Arg>Pro, RAD51-135G>C, BRCA2, and CCND1-G870A were examined in 204 BC cases and 217 controls from Northeast Indian population. Multifaceted analytic approaches were used to explore relationships between polymorphisms, tobacco history, and BC susceptibility. Betel quid chewing was identified as the predominant risk factor. CCND-AA and dominant model showed protection towards BC in betel quid chewer (BQC) [(0.28 (0.10–0.77), 0.01 and 0.32 (0.12–0.81), 0.01)] and non-betel quid chewers (NBQC) [(0.26 (0.09–0.78), 0.01 and 0.37 (0.16–0.87), 0.02)]. TP53-Pro/Pro genotype showed protection towards BC in NBQC (0.29 (0.10–0.81), p?=?0.01) and (0.51 (0.32–0.80), p?=?0.003, respectively). RAD51-C allele was associated with BC risk (2.03 (1.26–3.30) 0.002) in BQC. Two BQC cases had BRCA2 8415G>T:K2729N mutation in Exon18. MDR analysis showed best four locus model with TBA 0.6765 (0.005) and CVC of 10/10 in NBQC. Interaction diagram concurred the interactions between TP53 and RAD51 (1.32 %) with independent effect (1.89 %) of CCND1in NBQC. In CART analysis, BQC with CCND1 GG genotype were at risk (OR?=?33.0; 95 % CI?=?6.08–179.07), p?<?0.001) followed by combination of BQC, CCND1, No-Smk, and Alc (OR?=?42.00; 95 % CI?=?5.11–345.11, p?<?0.001). Risk was also observed in BQC, CCND1, No-Smk, Non-Alc, and TP53 combination (OR?=?14.84; 95 % CI?=?3.13–70.34, p?<?0.001) and BQC, CCND1, No-Smk, Non-Alc, TP53 (OR?=?9.40; 95 % CI?=?1.99–44.34, p?<?0.001). NBQC group showed risk with combination of NBQC and TP53 (OR?=?5.54; 95 % CI?=?1.11–27.42, p?=?0.03). Genetic variants in DNA repair and cell cycle genes contribute to BC risk through gene–gene and gene–environmental interactions.     

Human rights violations of people with mental and psychosocial disabilities: an unresolved global crisis

This report reviews the evidence for the types of human rights violations experienced by people with mental and psychosocial disabilities in low-income and middle-income countries as well as strategies to prevent these violations and promote human rights in line with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). The article draws on the views, expertise, and experience of 51 people with mental and psychosocial disabilities from 18 low-income and middle-income countries as well as a review of English language literature including from UN publications, non-governmental organisation reports, press reports, and the academic literature.     

Heterogeneity of Second-Line Treatment for Patients With Multiple Myeloma in the Connect MM Registry (2010-2016)

Background

The treatment landscape for multiple myeloma (MM) has undergone recent changes with the regulatory approval of several new therapies indicated for second- and later-line disease. Using data from Connect MM, the largest multisite, primarily community-based, prospective, observational registry of MM patients in the United States, selection of second-line treatments was evaluated during a 5-year period from 2010 to 2016.

Novel and Experimental Therapies in Chronic Pancreatitis

Chronic pancreatitis (CP) is a progressive inflammatory disease of the pancreas. The currently available treatment of CP is aimed at controlling symptoms and managing complications. Unfortunately, no specific treatment is available to halt the progression of the disease process because the pathophysiological perturbations in CP are not well understood. In this review, we discuss various therapeutic targets and investigational agents acting on these targets. Among these, therapies modulating immune cells and those acting on pancreatic stellate cells appear promising and may translate into clinical benefit in near future. However, these experimental therapies are mostly in animal models and they do not recapitulate all aspects of human disease. Still they may be beneficial in developing effective therapeutic modalities to curb inflammation in chronic pancreatitis.     

A randomised control trial of the effectiveness of personalised letters sent subsequent to school dental inspections in increasing registration in unregistered children

Background

The Child Perceptions Questionnaires (CPQ_8–10 and CPQ_11–14) are indicators of child oral health-related quality of life. The aim of this study was to assess the validity and reliability of the self-applied CPQ_8–10 and CPQ_11–14 in Brazilian children, after translations and cultural adaptations in the Brazilian Portuguese language.

Methods

Schoolchildren were recruited from general populations for pre-testing (n = 80), validity (n = 210), and test-retest reliability (n = 50) studies. They were also examined for dental caries, gingivitis, fluorosis, and malocclusion.

Results

Children with greater dental caries experience in primary dentition had higher impacts on CPQ domains. Girls had higher scores for CPQ_8–10 domains than boys. Mean CPQ_11–14 scores were highest for 11-year-old children and lowest for 14-year-old children. Construct validity was supported by significant associations between the CPQ_8–10 and CPQ_11–14 scores and the global rating of oral health (r = 0.38, r = 0.43) and overall well-being (r = 0.39, r = 0.60), respectively. The Cronbach's alpha was 0.95 for both questionnaires. The test-retest reliabilities of the overall CPQ_8–10 and CPQ_11–14 scores were both excellent (ICC = 0.96, ICC = 0.92).

Conclusion

The Brazilian Portuguese version of CPQ_8–10 and CPQ_11–14 was valuable and reliable for use in the Brazilian child population, although discriminant validity was sporadic due to the fact that impacts are mediated by others factors, such personal, social, and environmental variables.