Search results for "HC"
showing 10 items of 2361 documents
Recommendations for the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of chronic hepatitis B and C in special population groups (migrants, intravenous drug us…
2011
Abstract The global spread of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV), their high chronicity rates and their progression to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, are major public health problems. Research and intervention programmes for special population groups are needed in order to assess their infection risk and set up suitable prevention and control strategies. Aim of this paper is to give health care professionals information on HBV and HCV infections amongst migrants, drug users and prison inmates. The manuscript is an official Position Paper on behalf of the following Scientific Societies: Italian Association for the Study of the Liver (A.I.S.F.), Italian Society of In…
Exercise therapy for chronic musculoskeletal pain: Innovation by altering pain memories.
2015
Even though nociceptive pathology has often long subsided, the brain of patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain has typically acquired a protective (movement-related) pain memory. Exercise therapy for patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain is often hampered by such pain memories. Here the authors explain how musculoskeletal therapists can alter pain memories in patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain, by integrating pain neuroscience education with exercise interventions. The latter includes applying graded exposure in vivo principles during exercise therapy, for targeting the brain circuitries orchestrated by the amygdala (the memory of fear centre in the brain). Before initiatin…
Induction of dendritic cell maturation and modulation of dendritic cell-induced immune responses by prostaglandins
2000
Dendritic cells (DC) are the most potent antigen-presenting cells of the immune system. In this study we investigated the effects of various prostaglandins (PG) on the stimulatory capacity of DC. DC were generated from peripheral progenitor cells in the presence of IL-4 and GM-CSF and stimulated with IL-1, IL-6 and TNF-alpha on day 7. Simultaneously, PG (PGD(2), PGE(1), PGE(2), PGF(2 alpha), PGI(2)) were added at various concentrations (10(-5) to 10(-9) M) on day 7. In all experiments, PGE(2) had the most potent influence on the maturation of the DC, followed by other PG in the order PGE(1) > PGD(2) > PGF(2 alpha) > PGI(2). In addition, the expression of the surface molecules CD40, CD54, CD…
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in adults: update on clinical presentation and care
2014
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is characterized by traitlike symptoms, with stable features frequently emerging in early childhood and persisting throughout adolescence and adulthood. The hallmarks are pervasive, developmentally inappropriate levels of inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity leading to impairments in family life, social life, academic performance, and occupational functioning. Emotional lability is a commonly associated feature that is a further source of impairment. Diagnosis rests on a comprehensive assessment of developmental psychiatric history and current status, following DSM-5 guidelines on ADHD classification and diagnostic thresholds for adults.…
The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on ICU Healthcare Professionals: A Mixed Methods Study
2021
The large numbers of patients admitted to intensive care units due to COVID-19 has had a major impact on healthcare professionals. The incidence of mental health disorders among these professionals has increased considerably and their professional quality of life has suffered during the pandemic. This study aims to explore the impact of the provision of COVID-19 patient care on ICU healthcare professionals. A mixed methods study with an exploratory concurrent design was conducted between June and November 2020 in the Balearic Islands, Spain. Data were collected using a self-report online survey (n = 122) based on three validated questionnaires, and individual semi-structured in-depth online…
Treatment-resistant depression in a real-world setting: first interim analysis of characteristics, healthcare resource use, and utility values of the…
2020
Background: Major depressive disorder (MDD) is among the most common psychiatric disorders. One-third of patients are usually unresponsive to several lines of treatment. This study aimed to describe the FondaMental French cohort of patients with treatment-resistant depression (TRD) and to estimate utility and healthcare resource use outcomes. Methods: Patients with TRD were evaluated prospectively over four years (baseline, 6, 12, 18, 24, 36 and 48 months) in a real-world clinical setting. Interim analyses focused on the first two consecutive years. Four MDD-related states (major depressive episode (MDE), response, remission, recovery) were defined based on the MADRS (Montgomery&ndash
Effects of Home-Based Physical Exercise on Days at Home and Cost-Effectiveness in Pre-Frail and Frail Persons: Randomized Controlled Trial.
2021
Objectives: Frailty increases the risks of hospitalization, institutionalization, and death. Our objective was to study the effects of home-based physical exercise on the number of days spent at home among pre frail and frail persons, versus usual care. In addition, utilization and costs of health care and social services, cost-effectiveness, and health-related quality-of-life (HRQoL) were explored. Design: Randomized controlled trial, with year-long supervised exercise for 60 minutes twice a week versus usual care. Follow-up for 24 months after randomization. Setting and Participants: A sample of 299 home-dwelling persons in South Karelia, Finland. Main inclusion criteria: >65 years, meeti…
An unconventional TRAIL to cancer therapy
2013
Cellular immunotherapy offers novel, safe, and effective routes to treating cancer. However, approaches utilizing cytotoxic CD8+ T cells are hampered by the need to identify suitable target antigens that are expressed by tumor cells but not healthy tissues, and that are recognized with sufficient affinity. Most importantly, the applicability of CD8+ T-cell-based therapies is governed by the MHC restriction of tumor-specific epitopes, thereby limiting the potential benefit to patients carrying the appropriate MHC haplotype. Alternative approaches to harness the immune system against tumors exploit non-MHC-restricted γδ T cells that recognize stress-induced changes in transformed cells. A new…
Managing Peripheral Artery Disease in Diabetic Patients: A Questionnaire Survey from Vascular Centers of the Mediterranean Federation for the Advanci…
2020
Background The Mediterranean Federation for the Advancing of Vascular Surgery (MeFAVS) was founded on October 1, 2018, to enhance cooperation among vascular professionals within Mediterranean countries. Due to its prominent social and economic impact on national health systems, diabetic arteriopathy has been selected as the very first topic to be investigated by the federation. Methods MeFAVS members were asked to reply to a questionnaire on the management of diabetic ischemic foot. Results were collected and analyzed statistically. The questionnaire consisted of 15 multiple choice answers regarding diabetic foot (DF) diagnosis and treatment. The questionnaire was submitted to 21 centers on…
Neural Mechanisms of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Chronic Pain: A Network-Based fMRI Approach
2021
AbstractOver 100 million Americans suffer from chronic pain (CP), which causes more disability than any other medical condition in the U.S. at a cost of $560-$635 billion per year (IOM, 2011). Opioid analgesics are frequently used to treat CP. However, long term use of opioids can cause brain changes such as opioid-induced hyperalgesia that, over time, increase pain sensation. Also, opioids fail to treat complex psychological factors that worsen pain-related disability, including beliefs about and emotional responses to pain. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can be efficacious for CP. However, CBT generally does not focus on important factors needed for long-term functional improvement, i…