Search results for "Pilot Project"
showing 10 items of 492 documents
The switch from conventional to atypical antipsychotic treatment should not be based exclusively on the presence of cognitive deficits. A pilot study…
2010
Abstract Background Atypical antipsychotics provide better control of the negative and affective symptoms of schizophrenia when compared with conventional neuroleptics; nevertheless, their heightened ability to improve cognitive dysfunction remains a matter of debate. This study aimed to examine the changes in cognition associated with long-term antipsychotic treatment and to evaluate the effect of the type of antipsychotic (conventional versus novel antipsychotic drugs) on cognitive performance over time. Methods In this naturalistic study, we used a comprehensive neuropsychological battery of tests to assess a sample of schizophrenia patients taking either conventional (n = 13) or novel a…
Postactivation potentiation in human knee extensors during dynamic passive movements.
2008
Purpose: Postactivation potentiation (PAP), i.e., the increase in twitch torque following a maximal voluntary conditioning contraction, has been shown to depend on muscle contractile conditions (e.g., muscle length). Few studies, however, have investigated the extent of twitch PAP under dynamic conditions in human subjects. Therefore, the aim of the present experiment was to test the twitch PAP during passive dynamic movements following isometric conditioning contractions on nine healthy men. Methods: Maximal twitches were evoked on the knee extensor muscles before and exactly 5 s after a 3-s conditioning maximal voluntary isometric contraction. PAP was determined at a constant joint angle …
Relationship between dopamine D2 receptor occupancy, clinical response, and drug and monoamine metabolites levels in plasma and cerebrospinal fluid. …
2009
Combining measurements of the monoamine metabolites in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and neuroimaging can increase efficiency of drug discovery for treatment of brain disorders. To address this question, we examined five drug-naive patients suffering from schizophrenic disorder. Patients were assessed clinically, using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS): at baseline and then at weekly intervals. Plasma and CSF levels of quetiapine and norquetiapine as well CSF 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC), homovanillic acid (HVA), 5-hydroxyindole-acetic acid (5-HIAA) and 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol (MHPG) were obtained at baseline and again after at least a 4 week medication trai…
Pilot study for the evaluation of morphological and functional changes in retinal blood flow in patients with insulin resistance and/or type 2 diabet…
2012
Background: The aim of this study was to investigate early morphological and functional pathology in the retinal micro-circulation in patients with insulin resistance and/or type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Methods: Fifty-four subjects, without features of retinopathy under ophthalmological investigation, were recruited for study participation and were classifed into three study groups according to their metabolic staging: (1) Group C comprised nondiabetic, insulin-sensitive subjects with a BMI <28kg/m2; (2) Group IR comprised nondiabetic, insulin-resistant, obese subjects with a BMI ≥28 kg/m2; and (3) Group DM comprised patients with manifested T2DM. Retinal microvascular blood flow was…
Liraglutide Reduces Oxidative Stress And Restores Heme Oxygenase-1 and Ghrelin Levels in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes: A Prospective Pilot Study
2014
Abstract Context: Liraglutide is a glucagon-like peptide-1 analog and glucose-lowering agent whose effects on cardiovascular risk markers have not been fully elucidated. Objective: We evaluated the effect of liraglutide on markers of oxidative stress, heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), and plasma ghrelin levels in patients with type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Design and Setting: A prospective pilot study of 2 months' duration has been performed at the Unit of Diabetes and Cardiovascular Prevention at University of Palermo, Italy. Patients and Intervention(s): Twenty subjects with T2DM (10 men and 10 women; mean age: 57 ± 13 y) were treated with liraglutide sc (0.6 mg/d for 2 wk, followed by 1.2 mg/d…
Interferon- and ribavirin-free therapy with new direct acting antivirals (DAA) for chronic hepatitis C improves vascular endothelial function.
2018
Abstract Introduction Chronic Hepatitis C virus infection (HCV) is associated with extrahepatic manifestations and an increased prevalence in cardiovascular disease. New direct acting antivirals (DAA) have revolutionized HCV treatment with high rates of sustained virological response (SVR). Recently it was demonstrated, that SVR reduces morbidity and overall mortality more than can be solely explained by hepatic effects, suggesting that treatment with DAA also affects cardiovascular disease. The aim of this pilot study was to identify possible underlying mechanisms behind the HCV-associated cardiovascular mortality reported by others. Methods and results 20 HCV patients (10 genotype GT1, 10…
Biomonitoring of Multiple Mycotoxins in Urine by GC–MS/MS: A Pilot Study on Patients with Esophageal Cancer in Golestan Province, Northeastern Iran
2021
A pilot study to investigate the occurrence of 10 mycotoxins (deoxynivalenol, DON
Nurses' perceptions of the benefits and adverse effects of hand disinfection: alcohol-based hand rubs vs. hygienic handwashing: a multicentre questio…
2008
Summary Background Nurses have a high risk of developing hand eczema due to hand disinfection procedures. Objectives To investigate the perception of nurses regarding the adverse effects of hand washing (HW) and alcoholic disinfection (ADI), and to obtain data on the prevalence of hand dermatitis and sensitization to alcohols and alcohol-based hand rubs (ABHRs). Methods A self-administered questionnaire survey, carried out as a pilot study (PS), followed by a modified multicentre study (MC) in five hospitals. Patch tests to ethanol (80%), 1-propanol (60%), 2-propanol (70%) and ABHRs were performed in a subsample. Results The majority (PS 60·1%; MC 69·5%) of nurses considered ADI to be m…
A Web-Based Telemanagement System for Improving Disease Activity and Quality of Life in Patients With Complex Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Pilot Rando…
2018
Background: The reported efficacy of telemedicine in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is inconsistent among studies, and data for complex IBD are lacking. Objective: We aimed to evaluate the impact of remote monitoring using a Web system—Telemonitorizacion de la Enfermedad de Crohn y Colitis Ulcerosa or Telemonitoring of Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis (TECCU)—as compared to standard care and telephone care on health outcomes and health care in patients with complex IBD. Methods: We performed a 3-arm randomized controlled trial. Adult patients with IBD who received immunosuppressants and biological agents were recruited from the IBD Unit of a tertiary university hospita…
Low-energy extracorporeal shock wave therapy for painful heel: a prospective controlled single-blind study.
1996
The aim of this prospective single-blind pilot study was to explore the pain-alleviating effect of low-energy extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) in painful heel associated with inferior calcaneal spurs. Thirty patients who suffered from persistent symptoms for more than 12 months qualified for low-energy ESWT and were assigned at random to two groups, real or simulated ESWT. Before beginning the treatment, any other therapy was stopped for a period of 6 weeks. The shock waves were applied by an experimental device allowing exact localization through an integrated fluoroscopy unit. Patients were treated three times at weekly intervals. Each time 1000 impulses of 0.06 mJ/mm2 were given …