Do economic conditions and in-kind benefits make needy patients bond together? Insights from cross-section data on clusters of co-located patients in Vietnam

Needy patients in Vietnam have been facing risks of destitution and decreasing quality of life. The problem appears to have been persistent due largely to undeveloped healthcare and health financing systems, especially for patients from rural areas or those suffering from chronic diseases. To cope with harsh realities of life during their medical treatments, an increasing number of Vietnamese patients have chosen to live together in voluntary co-location clusters where they seek to support one another in reducing burdens and sharing resources, apart from information needs. By living together, patients in need hope for some improvement in quality of life, which is a crucial part constituting quality of healthcare during their long-term treatment.

Synthesis and Structural Properties Characterization of Ap/Mgo Nanocomposites for Biomedical Applications

A novel method was used to produce a nanostructured composite consisting of hydroxyapatite and MgO by varying the temperature. The structure and morphology of the synthesized nanocomposite were characterized. From x-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, an increase in crystallite size and degree of crystallinity with an increase in the temperature was observed.

The XRD investigation confirms that the grain size of the synthesized nanocomposites is in the range 4-11 nm. The grain size increases when the temperature is increased due to the agglomeration of nanoparticles. The fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) studies confirm the presence of PO4 3-, CO3 2- and Mg2+, and oh-  groups. The UV-VIS spectroscopy measurements show the reduction in the band-gap upon the temperature. Transmission electron microscope (TEM) images ascertained that nano HAp /MgO at 250°C and 300°C composite shows flakes like morphology.

A rare presentation of herpes zoster induced osteonecrosis of jaw in an immunocompetent individual

Herpes Zoster (HZ) or Shingles presents as a cutaneous vesicular eruption in the area innervated by the affected sensory nerve, usually associated with severe pain. Oral manifestations of HZ appear when the mandibular or maxillary divisions of the trigeminal nerve are affected. Osteonecrosis of Jaw Bones (ONJ) is one of the rare complications associated with it. This paper will discuss about a case of HZ with subsequent osteonecrosis of maxillary bone as one of the complication.

Preferences and Expectations of the Older Adult Care

The WHO defines the care services such as the provision of health services by formal or informal caregivers, at home, with the aim of promoting to restore or maintain the highest degree of comfort, functionality and health, including efforts to dignify death.
To comply with such a definition is of the utmost importance to know the real needs and problems in the elderly, as well as their real preferences and expectations and feelings about health care in general and before the death, so as to be able to adapt our interventions to meet these expectations, providing quality health care and a dignified death.

A cross-sectional study was conducted in adults older than 60 years who live in the community, municipality of Santa Catarina, Nuevo León, Mexico. During the months from January to May of 2017. Demographic data were collected and a survey was conducted of the preferences and expectations of the older adult about your medical care, which was applied directly by students of Community Medicine in the homes; the survey is made up of a total of 20 items, being 12 items relating to medical care in general and 8 items to medical care prior to death. The data were analyzed with the statistical program SPSS 20.0 (SPSS Inc.).

Evolution of uncontrolled severe asthma under Omalizumab and specialized care unit treatment

Bronchial asthma is one of the most frequent respiratory disorders, affecting 5% of the adult Spanish population, although its prevalence appears to be levelling off among adolescents. The management of asthmatic patients is widespread among general practitioners, allergists and pneumologists, although the most severe forms prove challenging for professionals due to the associated disability, reduced quality of life and treatment Costs. The prevalence of severe uncontrolled asthma is not negligible; a recent study that recorded information from 164 hospital units in Spain over 6 months, showed that 666 (65.9%) patients among 36,649 adult asthmatics, met criteria for uncontrolled severe chronic asthma according to GINA criteria. For this and other reasons, the creation of specific asthma units has led to improved assistance, a rational use of medical resources and the use of specific biologic therapies for this disease.

Exercise during pregnancy activates cardioprotective genes without a further increase in pregnancy-induced cardiac hypertrophy

Pregnancy and exercise promote cardiovascular remodeling: pregnancy is associated with prolonged, but reversible, cardiac volume overload secondary to increased blood volume and significant hormonal changes that together result in cardiac hypertrophy. During pregnancy, cardiac output increases gradually and reaches a peak from the second trimester through term. This increase in cardiac output is achieved by either gradual and substantial increases in heart rate and stroke volume or a fall in vascular resistance. In addition to hemodynamic alterations during pregnancy, the levels of circulating progesterone gradually increase with advancing gestational age, which contributes to pregnancy induced cardiac hypertrophy.

How Often Should Surgical Instruments Be Sterilized?

Proper and timely sterilization of surgical instruments is crucial for achieving desirable postoperative outcomes. Though the methods of sterilization have long been standardized, standardization of the specific time period after which they should be repeated, is yet to be achieved. A recent study regarding the same illustrated that surgical instruments remain sterile up to 6 hours after the sterilization procedure, after which the bacterial colonies begin to develop. It is hence recommended to re-sterilize surgical instruments after 6 hours of use. This newfound information specifically correspond to replacing surgical instruments after 6 hours of commencement of surgery, especially in those extensively lengthy multiple surgical regimes.