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Literature Relevant (literature + relevant)
Selected AbstractsThe gluten connection: the association between schizophrenia and celiac diseaseACTA PSYCHIATRICA SCANDINAVICA, Issue 2 2006A. E. Kalaydjian Objective:, Schizophrenia affects roughly 1% of the population and is considered one of the top 10 causes of disability worldwide. Given the immense cost to society, successful treatment options are imperative. Based on initial findings, gluten withdrawal may serve as a safe and economical alternative for the reduction of symptoms in a subset of patients. Method:, A review of the literature relevant to the association between schizophrenia and celiac disease (gluten intolerance) was conducted. Results:, A drastic reduction, if not full remission, of schizophrenic symptoms after initiation of gluten withdrawal has been noted in a variety of studies. However, this occurs only in a subset of schizophrenic patients. Conclusion:, Large-scale epidemiological studies and clinical trials are needed to confirm the association between gluten and schizophrenia, and address the underlying mechanisms by which this association occurs. [source] The new mycobacteria: an updateFEMS IMMUNOLOGY & MEDICAL MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 2 2006Enrico Tortoli Abstract The continuous evolution of mycobacterial taxonomy may represent a source of confusion for laboratories and clinicians. Apart from the obvious pathogenic strains of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex, Mycobacterium leprae and Mycobacterium ulcerans, the role of other mycobacteria may be associated with varying conditions ranging from contamination to specific disease processes. Of the more than 120 mycobacterial species recognized currently, very few have not been reported as pathogenic in humans or animals. Although the attempt to keep pace with the steadily increasing number of mycobacterial species seems hopeless, a careful review of the recent literature relevant to the newly described species may be advantageous. The aim of this present update is to provide epidemiological and clinical information along with major phenotypic and genotypic characteristics of the species described in the last 3 years. [source] Understanding heterogeneity in meta-analysis: the role of meta-regressionINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CLINICAL PRACTICE, Issue 10 2009W. L. Baker Summary Background:, Meta-regression has grown in popularity in recent years, paralleling the increasing numbers of systematic reviews and meta-analysis published in the biomedical literature. However, many clinicians and decision-makers may be unfamiliar with the underlying principles and assumptions made within meta-regression leading to incorrect interpretation of their results. Aims:, This paper reviews the appropriate use and interpretation of meta-regression in the medical literature, including cautions and caveats to its use. Materials & Methods:, A literature search of MEDLINE (OVID) from 1966-February 2009 was conducted to identify literature relevant to the topic of heterogeneity and/or meta-regression in systematic reviews and meta-analysis. Results:, Meta-analysis, a statistical method of pooling data from studies included in a systematic review, is often compromised by heterogeneity of its results. This could include clinical, methodological or statistical heterogeneity. Meta-regression, said to be a merging of meta-analytic and linear regression principles, is a more sophisticated tool for exploring heterogeneity. It aims to discern whether a linear relationship exists between an outcome measure and on or more covariates. The associations found in a meta-regression should be considered hypothesis generating and not regarded as proof of causality. Conclusions:, The current review will enable clinicians and healthcare decision-makers to appropriately interpret the results of meta-regression when used within the constructs of a systematic review, and be able to extend it to their clinical practice. [source] The changing professional organization: A review of competing archetypesINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MANAGEMENT REVIEWS, Issue 3 2006David M. Brock The aim of this paper is to summarize literature relevant to the professional organization and to present a contemporary analysis of the archetype concept in this field. In order to understand recent and ongoing changes in professional organizations, the paper begins with a review of how the professional archetype evolved from the 1960s to 1990. Then, with examples from contemporary accounting, health care and law organizations, it considers the processes by which an institutionalized archetype can change. Forces for change , such as deregulation, competition, technology and globalization , can challenge the interpretive scheme and eventually delegitimize the existing archetype. At the same time, significant environmental changes can override isomorphic pressures and de-institutionalize the long-accepted structures. Thus we herald the emergence a new professional archetype , or perhaps several competing archetypes. Finally, the paper reviews the evolving field of professional organization as a whole, and understands the extant archetypes. A typology of professional organizations is proposed that currently seems to have three clusters of organizations , possibly three competing archetypes , namely, the traditional professional partnership, the specialized ,Star' form and the corporate global professional network, or GPN. [source] Administration of blood transfusions to adults in general hospital settings: a review of the literatureJOURNAL OF CLINICAL NURSING, Issue 2 2001Dip N Ed, John Wilkinson BSc ,,The Serious Hazards of Transfusion (SHOT) haemovigilance scheme for the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland has clearly indicated that there are avoidable risks to which recipients of blood transfusion are exposed. ,,Sometimes errors in practice have led to serious and even fatal consequences, particularly when a haemolytic response occurs due to an incompatible transfusion. ,,Despite the risks, blood transfusion is an important and frequently life-saving therapy and its use in clinical practice is common. ,,This paper discusses recently published national guidelines for the care of recipients of blood transfusion in the light of a review of the literature relevant to the administration of blood transfusions to adults in general hospital settings. ,,Recommendations for practitioners, managers and teachers are offered in relation to preventing errors and to patient care associated with blood transfusion in the context of contemporary emphasis upon evidence based care. [source] Model of the home food environment pertaining to childhood obesityNUTRITION REVIEWS, Issue 3 2008Richard R Rosenkranz The home food environment can be conceptualized as overlapping interactive domains composed of built and natural, sociocultural, political and economic, micro-level and macro-level environments. Each type and level of environment uniquely contributes influence through a mosaic of determinants depicting the home food environment as a major setting for shaping child dietary behavior and the development of obesity. Obesity is a multifactorial problem, and the home food environmental aspects described here represent a substantial part of the full environmental context in which a child grows, develops, eats, and behaves. The present review includes selected literature relevant to the home food environment's influence on obesity with the aim of presenting an ecologically informed model for future research and intervention in the home food environment. [source] Diagnostic and surgical dilemmas in hereditary medullary thyroid carcinomaTHE LARYNGOSCOPE, Issue 7 2009Shawn M. Allen MD Abstract Medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) is a rare malignancy arising from the parafollicular C cells within the thyroid gland. The majority of cases are sporadic, but at least 30% are hereditary in nature. Inherited forms of MTC occur as familial MTC or as a manifestation of multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2. Early diagnosis and aggressive surgical management, including prophylactic thyroidectomy, improve the prognosis of patients with hereditary MTC. Several issues regarding the diagnosis and treatment of MTC remain controversial. Genetic penetrance and virulence are variable. We present an index case of familial MTC to illustrate common difficulties in the initial diagnosis and dilemmas in the surgical approach, followed by a review of current literature relevant to the management of hereditary MTC. Laryngoscope, 2009 [source] Intracranial atherosclerotic disease: An update,ANNALS OF NEUROLOGY, Issue 6 2009Adnan I. Qureshi MD The consensus conference on intracranial atherosclerosis provides a comprehensive review of the existing literature relevant to the epidemiology, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of intracranial atherosclerosis, and identifies principles of management and research priorities. Patients who have suffered a stroke or transient ischemic attack attributed to stenosis (50,99%) of a major intracranial artery face a 12 to 14% risk for subsequent stroke during the 2-year period after the initial ischemic event, despite treatment with antithrombotic medications. The annual risk for subsequent stroke may exceed 20% in high-risk groups. In patients with intracranial atherosclerotic disease, short-term and long-term anticoagulation is not superior to antiplatelet treatment. Overall, the subgroup analyses from randomized trials provide evidence about benefit of aggressive atherogenic risk factor management. Intracranial angioplasty with or without stent placement has evolved as a therapeutic option for patients with symptomatic intracranial atherosclerotic disease, particularly those with high-grade stenosis with recurrent ischemic symptoms, medication failure, or both. A multicenter randomized trial is currently under way to compare stent placement with intense medical management for patients with high-grade symptomatic intracranial atherosclerotic disease. Ann Neurol 2009;66:730,738 [source] ENDOVASCULAR REPAIR OF POPLITEAL ARTERY ANEURYSMS: TECHNIQUES, CURRENT EVIDENCE AND RECENT EXPERIENCEANZ JOURNAL OF SURGERY, Issue 6 2006Ray Siauw Endovascular repair of popliteal artery aneurysms is a new technique, which has emerged as an alternative to open surgical bypass. However, evidence to support its use is limited. We present a review of current literature relevant to this technique. The MEDLINE search terms were popliteal artery, aneurysm, endovascular, endoluminal and stent. Fifty-eight articles were yielded, of which 21 were studies of endovascular repair by implantation of stent or stent graft of true aneurysms of the popliteal artery. There was only one randomized study. Small numbers of endovascular interventions are reported, with variations in study design and endovascular techniques. Long-term follow-up data is lacking; however, early results have been promising with high rates of initial treatment success. Early thrombosis of stent grafts occurs in approximately 10%, but this does not herald limb loss. Endovascular treatment offers potential benefits over traditional surgery, but needs to be studied further with a large-scale multicentre randomized trial. [source] Radiofrequency exposure and mammalian cell toxicity, genotoxicity, and transformationBIOELECTROMAGNETICS, Issue S6 2003Martin L. Meltz Abstract The published in vitro literature relevant to the issue of the possible induction of toxicity, genotoxicity, and transformation of mammalian cells due to radiofrequency field (RF) exposure is examined. In some instances, information about related in vivo studies is presented. The review is from the perspective of technical merit and also biological consistency, especially with regard to those publications reporting a positive effect. The weight of evidence available indicates that, for a variety of frequencies and modulations with both short and long exposure times, at exposure levels that do not (or in some instances do) heat the biological sample such that there is a measurable increase in temperature, RF exposure does not induce (a) DNA strand breaks, (b) chromosome aberrations, (c) sister chromatid exchanges (SCEs), (d) DNA repair synthesis, (e) phenotypic mutation, or (f) transformation (cancer-like changes). While there is limited experimental evidence that RF exposure induces micronuclei formation, there is abundant evidence that it does not. There is some evidence that RF exposure does not induce DNA excision repair, suggesting the absence of base damage. There is also evidence that RF exposure does not inhibit excision repair after the induction of thymine dimers by UV exposure, as well as evidence that indicates that RF is not a co-carcinogen or a tumor promoter. The article is in part a tutorial, so that the reader can consider similarities and discrepancies between reports of RF-induced effects relative to one another. Bioelectromagnetics Supplement 6:S196,S213, 2003. © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] | ||||||||||