Effectiveness of the video-based education in the retention of addiction treatment

Background: In recent years, a range of innovative interventions for drug abuse treatment has been developed. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effectiveness of video-based education on prevention of relapse and to investigate the factors that play important roles.

Methods: This is a before–after interventional design which was carried out on 40 addict clients who were admitted in the three addiction clinics in the city of Bojnourd, North East of Iran. All participants completed the questionnaire before watching the educational package digital video/versatile disc (DVD)1 and booklet1 as a pretest and one month after watching the DVD2 and reading booklet2 as a post test. The questionnaire contained 25 questions covering five factors, including family’s roles, items, treats, attitude toward behavior, friend’s roles, and self-efficacy. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS)-16 software was applied for data analysis

Results: The results showed that 73% of clients have remained without a history of drug intake during treatment. Family roles (U = 62.5, p = 0.011) and self-efficacy (U = 63.5, p = 0.013) were significant determinant factors for the effectiveness of the addiction treatment program. Conclusion: This study emphasized the effectiveness of the video-based education in retention of addiction treatment. It showed that the video-based education was an effective tool to increase family roles and self-efficacy in the clients.     

Diffraction tomography using beam waves: z-average reconstruction

This paper discusses the problem of diffraction tomography, when a general beam wave is used as the excitation and the three-dimensional structure of the object is considered. The special case of a zero-order beam wave with measurements of the average of the scattered field in the z direction is detailed. It is shown that in this case a reconstruction algorithm identical to the two-dimensional geometry yields a z-averaged tomogram of the inhomogeneity.     

Emergency Medicine Resident Interpretation of Pediatric Radiographs

Objective: To examine the concordance of pediatric radiograph interpretation between emergency medicine residents (EMRs) and radiologists.
Methods: A prospective, observational study was performed in a university pediatric ED with an annual census of 60,000 visits. Radiographs ordered by EMRs from December 1993 through October 1994 were initially interpreted solely by the EMR, with subsequent unmasked final review by attending radiology staff. Misinterpreted radiographs were placed into 3 categories. The groupings included overreads , underreads with no change in treatment, and underreads that required a change in treatment.
Results: A total of 415 radiographs were interpreted by PGY1–3 residents. Overall concordance was found for 371 radiographs (89.4%). There were 44 misinterpretations (10.6%), with 24 (5.78%) overreads, 13 (3.13%) underreads, and 7 (1.69%) underreads that required follow-up interventions. Misinterpretations were similar for the different levels of training:

The 5 most frequently ordered radiographs were chest (28%), ankle (7%), foot (6%), wrist (5%), and hand (5%). The most frequently misinterpreted radiographs were sinus, foot, shoulder, facial, and hand.
Conclusion: 89.4% of all the radiographs interpreted by PGY1–3 residents were read correctly. Only 1.69% of the misinterpreted radiographs led to a change in management. Level of training did not significantly correlate with radiograph misinterpretation rates.     

Anterior lamellar deficit ectropion management

AimsTo report the outcomes of using a modified Bick’s procedure (MBP) combined with a monopedicle myocutaneous flap (MMCF) or full-thickness skin grafting (FTSG) to correct lower eyelid cicatricial ectropion.Patients and methodsA retrospective case-note review of patients undergoing cicatricial ectropion repair between 2012 and 2016 was undertaken. Patient demographics, clinical features, the type of surgery, and outcomes were analysed.ResultsTwenty-four eyelids of 21 treated patients (17 males; 81%) with lower eyelid cicatricial ectropion were identified. They presented at an average age of 79.8 years (median 78; range 58–92). The commonest symptom was epiphora (15 eyelids; 63%), 12 patients (50%) experienced intermittent irritation, and 2(8%) had mucoid discharge. The aetiology included actinic cicatricial ectropion with midface descent (n = 19, 79%), previous tumour resection (n = 3, 13%), trauma (n = 1) and other previous eyelid surgery (n = 1). At a mean follow-up period of 15.3 months (median 6; range 6–52), 22 eyelids (92%) had anatomical success with good cosmesis and two eyelids (8%) had mild residual punctal ectropion. Twenty-one patients (87%) experienced functional success. Comparing the outcomes of MBP + FTSG versus MBP + MMCF, there was no statically significant difference in terms of anatomical (p = 0.48) and functional (p = 1.0) success rates. No cases of failure or recurrence were noted during the follow-up period.ConclusionsAnterior lamellar deficit ectropion occurs in the absence of overt scarring. It is crucial to fully address both the horizontal laxity and the anterior lamellar deficit associated with such ectropion to minimise the risks of early failure and recurrence. MBP combined with FTSG or MMCF is a safe and effective treatment for such ‘cicatricial ectropion’ and has a low early recurrence rate.Subject terms: Eyelid diseases, Eye manifestations     

Monoclonal T-cell expansions in asymptomatic individuals and in patients with large granular leukemia consist of cytotoxic effector T cells expressing the activating CD94:NKG2C/E and NKD2D killer cell receptors

We have analyzed the phenotype, cytokine profile, and mitotic history (telomere length) of monoclonal T-cell expansions in 5 CD3(+) T-cell large granular lymphocyte (TLGL) leukemia patients by fluorescence activated cell sorting (FACS) and single-cell polymerase chain reaction (PCR). We confirm that the common phenotype of TLGL leukemia is CD3(+)CD8(+)CD45RA(+)CD27(-)CD94(+)(CD57(+)). Interestingly, the C-type lectin-like type killer cell receptor CD94 was invariably associated with the activating form of its signal-transducing molecule NKG2. Furthermore, when judged by criteria such as interferon gamma (IFN-gamma)/tumor necrosis factor (TNF) production, expression of granzyme, FasL, and NKG2D, the TLGL cells had all the features of a cytotoxic effector T cell. Telomere shortening in TLGL cells was in the normal range for CD8(+) T cells, indicating that they had not divided significantly more than chronically stimulated CD8(+) T cells in healthy individuals. In 25 of 27 controls, cells with a TLGL phenotype occurred at low (1%-3%) frequencies. However, in the other 2 individuals (ages 28-36 years), large stable (> 3 years) monoclonal expansions of CD3(+)CD8(+)CD45RA(+)CD27(-)CD57(+)CD94(+) NKG2C(+) were found which rendered these controls phenotypically indistinguishable from TLGL leukemia patients. We believe that the TLGL clonopathy, rather than being of a neoplastic nature, is more likely an extreme manifestation of the large and stable clonal size characteristic of CD8(+) effector cells. Such a TLGL clone consisting of cells without any particular pathologic trait might exist in a considerable number of individuals. Clinical symptoms may occur in individuals in whom the TLGL clone encounters antigen and is triggered to produce large amounts of effector molecules that dysregulate the immune system, which could manifest itself as autoimmunity or as a FasL-mediated neutropenia.     

Hepatoprotective effect of the hydroalcoholic extract of Cichorium intybus in a rat model of obstructive cholestasis

Background and study aimsObstructive cholestasis increases the levels of oxidants and inflammatory mediators, leading to liver damage. Previous studies have found that Cichorium intybus possesses anti-inflammatory effects. In the present study, the effects of the hydroalcoholic extract of C. intybus leaves were assessed in a rat model of obstructive cholestasis.Material and methodsMale Wistar rats were randomly divided into five groups (n = 6 rats per group): sham-operated, control [bile duct ligation (BDL) + vehicle)] and BDL + extract treatment (100, 200 and 400 mg/kg/day, i.p.) groups. Rats received treatments for 7 consecutive days. On the eighth day, prothrombin time (PT); serum albumin, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase and total and direct bilirubin levels and total antioxidant and paraoxonase activities were measured using colorimetric methods. In addition, tumour necrosis factor-α and nitric oxide (NO) levels were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.ResultsThe hydroalcoholic extract of C. intybus significantly decreased PT and the serum levels of AST, ALT, TNF-α and NO compared with the control group (p < 0.05). On the other hand, the serum albumin levels were increased in the extract-treated groups compared with the control group (p < 0.05).ConclusionThe hydroalcoholic extract of C. intybus protects the liver against injury induced by obstructive cholestasis.