The Fractured Femur.
The Fractured Femur.
Filed under: Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation
Radiol Technol. 2013 Jan; 84(3): 273-291
Reynolds A
The femur is the largest and strongest bone in the human body, and great force is necessary to fracture it. In adults, the most common cause of femur fracture is motor vehicle accidents. In children, abuse is often the cause. And in the elderly, femur fractures most often occur from falling. Radiography is the gold standard for diagnostic imaging of femurs, but diagnosis can be complicated with nondisplaced or occult fractures. Particularly in the emergency setting, modalities such as magnetic resonance imaging or computed tomography may be necessary. Effective treatment of femur fractures is needed to restore homeostatic function and prevent complications.
HubMed – drug
Behavioral Economic Analysis of Cue-Elicited Craving for Tobacco: A Virtual Reality Study.
Filed under: Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation
Nicotine Tob Res. 2013 Jan 15;
Acker J, Mackillop J
INTRODUCTION: Subjective craving is a prominent construct in the study of tobacco motivation; yet, the precise measurement of tobacco craving poses several difficulties. A behavioral economic approach to understanding drug motivation imports concepts and methods from economics to improve the assessment of craving. METHODS: Using an immersive virtual reality (VR) cue reactivity paradigm, this study tested the hypothesis that, compared with neutral cues, tobacco cues would result in significant increases in subjective craving and diverse aspects of demand for tobacco in a community sample of 47 regular smokers. In addition, the study examined these motivational indices in relation to a dual-component delay and cigarette consumption self-administration paradigm. RESULTS: In response to the VR tobacco cues, significant increases were observed for tobacco craving and the demand indices of O(max) (i.e., maximum total expenditure toward cigarettes) and Breakpoint (i.e., price at which consumption is completely suppressed), whereas a significant decrease was observed for Elasticity (i.e., lower cigarette price sensitivity). Continuous analyses revealed trend-level inverse associations between O(max) and Intensity in relation to delay duration and significant positive associations between subjective craving, O(max), and Elasticity in relation to the number of cigarettes purchased. CONCLUSIONS: The results from this study provide further evidence for the utility of behavioral economic concepts and methods in understanding smoking motivation. These data also reveal the incremental contribution of behavioral economic indices beyond subjective craving in predicting in vivo cigarette consumption. Relationships to previous studies and methodological considerations are discussed.
HubMed – drug
Identifying optimal postmarket surveillance strategies for medical and surgical devices: implications for policy, practice and research.
Filed under: Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation
BMJ Qual Saf. 2013 Jan 15;
Gagliardi AR, Umoquit M, Lehoux P, Ross S, Ducey A, Urbach DR
BACKGROUND: Non-drug technologies offer many benefits, but have been associated with adverse events, prompting calls for improved postmarket surveillance. There is little empirical research to guide the development of such a system. The purpose of this study was to identify optimal postmarket surveillance strategies for medical and surgical devices. METHODS: Qualitative methods were used for sampling, data collection and analysis. Stakeholders from Canada and the USA representing different roles and perspectives were first interviewed to identify examples and characteristics of different surveillance strategies. These stakeholders and others they recommended were then assembled at a 1-day nominal group meeting to discuss and prioritise the components of a postmarket device surveillance system, and research needed to achieve such a system. RESULTS: Consultations were held with 37 participants, and 47 participants attended the 1-day meeting. They recommended a multicomponent system including reporting by facilities, clinicians and patients, supported with some external surveillance for validation and real-time trials for high-risk devices. Many considerations were identified that constitute desirable characteristics of, and means by which to implement such a system. An overarching network was envisioned to broker linkages, establish a shared minimum dataset, and support communication and decision making. Numerous research questions were identified, which could be pursued in tandem with phased implementation of the system. DISCUSSION: These findings provide unique guidance for establishing a device safety network that is based on existing initiatives, and could be expanded and evaluated in a prospective, phased fashion as it was developed.
HubMed – drug
pH-Responsive Nutraceutical-Mesoporous Silica Nanoconjugates with Enhanced Colloidal Stability.
Filed under: Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation
Angew Chem Int Ed Engl. 2013 Jan 15;
Guillet-Nicolas R, Popat A, Bridot JL, Monteith G, Qiao SZ, Kleitz F
An innovative platform for targeted oral drug delivery is proposed based on the functionalization of drug/dye-loaded mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) with a biodegradable nutraceutical (?-lactoglobulin). The attachment of the nutraceutical not only protects the drug/dye from leaching in acidic environment, but also effectively allows their release in desired basic sites (pH 7.4).
HubMed – drug
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