Tag: pubmed

Asian J Transfus Sci. 2024 Jan-Jun;18(1):73-78. doi: 10.4103/ajts.ajts_160_22. Epub 2023 Aug 2.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Hepcidin is the key regulator of systemic iron homeostasis. In iron-loading anemias, hepcidin levels are regulated by opposite forces of erythropoiesis and iron overload. In β-thalassemia major patients, transfusions are the predominant cause of iron overload; in such chronically transfused patients, hepcidin concentrations are significantly higher than nontransfused patients, due to both increased iron load of transfusions and the suppression of ineffective erythropoiesis.

AIM: This study aims to evaluate the effect of blood transfusions on serum hepcidin levels in chronically transfused patients of β-thalassemia major and correlate with hemoglobin and serum ferritin levels of pre- and posttransfusion.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-three β-thalassemia major patients requiring monthly transfusions were included in the study. Blood samples, collected pretransfusion and 7 days posttransfusion, were evaluated for hemoglobin, serum ferritin, and serum hepcidin using enzyme immunoassay.

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Data were statistically analyzed through SPSS software and P < 0.05 is considered statically significant.

RESULTS: Posttransfusion levels of hemoglobin, serum ferritin, and serum hepcidin increased. Posttransfusion levels of hepcidin were near normal levels. Pre- and posttransfusion hepcidin concentrations were significantly associated with hemoglobin levels.

CONCLUSION: Serum hepcidin concentrations vary depending on the degree of erythropoiesis drive and level of anemia. We found that the serum hepcidin levels decrease over the inter-transfusion interval and transfusions cause suppression of ineffective erythropoiesis by the increase in hemoglobin. Posttransfusion values of hepcidin in our study were closer to normal levels which may be due to lower erythropoietic drive posttransfusion. We suggest that the measurement of serum hepcidin in chronically transfused β-thalassemia patients can be used as a follow-up investigation for better management of these patients.

PMID:39036689 | PMC:PMC11259346 | DOI:10.4103/ajts.ajts_160_22

Dent Mater J. 2024 Jul 20. doi: 10.4012/dmj.2024-014. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Archwire bending is the key to orthodontic treatment, and multi-time bendings are inevitable during manual and robotic automated bending. The purpose of this paper is to quantitatively evaluate the mechanical effects of the different preparation modes and to compare the mechanical properties of the orthodontic loops in one and multiple bends. Three types of typical stainless steel orthodontic loops (vertical loop, T-loop, and L-loop) were used to quantify the mechanical effect of patterns for preparation by experimental comparison between loops with different bending times by using an orthodontic force tester (OFT). The results were statistically analyzed by t-test. The fracture test of the stainless steel archwire was also carried out, and the bending times at fracture were recorded. Results of the tests indicate that one-time and multi-time bending have a significant mechanical effect on orthodontic appliances. Multi-time bending causes significant mechanical decreases and can damage the appliances.

PMID:39034130 | DOI:10.4012/dmj.2024-014

J Epidemiol. 2024 Jul 20. doi: 10.2188/jea.JE20240085. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: A recent systematic review showed Japan’s mortality from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the lowest among 204 countries, despite notably higher smoking rates in men in Japan than in the US. This study aims to compare (1) trends in smoking rates, (2) trends in COPD mortality, and (3) the spirometry-based COPD prevalence in the general adult population between Japan and the US.

METHODS: Age- and sex-specific smoking rates from the 1980s through 2010s and COPD mortality from 1999 through 2019 were obtained from national surveys and official statistics (International Classification of Diseases-10^th codes J40-44), respectively. A systematic review and meta-analysis was performed to estimate COPD prevalence in Japan, while the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2007-2012 was used for the US. A fixed ratio of 0.7 of forced expiratory volume in the first second of forced vital capacity was used to define COPD.

RESULTS: Over the past four decades, men in Japan consistently had 20-30% higher smoking rates than their US counterparts. From 1999-2019, age-adjusted COPD mortality in men in Japan was only a third of the US, whereas that in women was less than a tenth in 2019. Synthesizing data from 11 studies, involving 89,955 participants, Japan’s COPD prevalence was more than 10% lower than in the US in almost all age groups for both sexes.

CONCLUSIONS: This study showed markedly lower rates of COPD in Japan than in the US. Investigating factors contributing to the paradoxical observations could lead to advancing COPD risk reduction strategies.

PMID:39034109 | DOI:10.2188/jea.JE20240085

Arch Psychiatr Nurs. 2024 Aug;51:48-53. doi: 10.1016/j.apnu.2024.04.004. Epub 2024 Apr 26.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: This descriptive-correlational study was carried out to determine the relationship between emotional intelligence levels and teamwork attitudes of nursing students.

METHOD: The study has a descriptive-correlational design. A total of 469 nursing students participated in this study. To collect the study data, the “Personal Information Form”, “Emotional Intelligence Evaluation Scale” and “TeamSTEPPS-Teamwork Attitudes Questionnaire” were used. Descriptive statistics, correlation and regression analysis were used to analyze the data.

RESULTS: The emotional intelligence levels of the nursing students were low and the level of their attitudes towards teamwork was above the average. There was a positive and significant relationship between the mean scores they obtained from the overall Emotional Intelligence Evaluation Scale and TeamSTEPPS-Teamwork Attitudes Questionnaire and their sub-scales.

CONCLUSION: Students’ emotional intelligence levels are low and their attitude levels towards teamwork are above average. Therefore, emphasis should be placed on increasing students’ emotional intelligence and teamwork attitudes during nursing education.

PMID:39034094 | DOI:10.1016/j.apnu.2024.04.004

Arch Psychiatr Nurs. 2024 Aug;51:38-47. doi: 10.1016/j.apnu.2024.04.002. Epub 2024 Apr 28.

ABSTRACT

Digital health technologies may offer an alternate approach to augmenting the established mental health care delivery systems for migrants and promoting their mental well-being. This review aims to provide a broad examination of literature, to determine the impact of technology-based interventions on outcomes of immigrants and refugees experiencing mental health symptoms associated with pre-and postmigration stress (depression, anxiety, psychological stress, PTSD). We searched five electronic databases (PubMed, Embase, PsycINFO, Web of Science, and the ACM digital library). We included studies that looked at the effectiveness of any technologybased intervention (internet or phone-based, telepsychiatry, telemedicine, digital technology, videoconferencing, or tele video). We limited our search to articles written in English and published up until January 2202. Two reviewers independently extracted article data and evaluated the quality of studies using the Cochrane risk-of-bias criteria and ROBINS-I risk of bias evaluation tool. We found scant evidence that the use of digital interventions, such as mobile-based therapies, video conferencing, and digital platforms, is associated with a statistically significant reduction in depressive and anxious symptoms among immigrants and refugees. In the included trials, no evidence of a substantial decrease in PTSD symptoms was found following the use of a self-help mobile app. Our systematic review revealed intriguing but limited evidence that digital psychological therapies can reduce depression in immigrants and refugees. Future study with a randomized experimental design is required to examine the effectiveness of digital treatments in lowering the impacts of mental health outcomes among immigrants.

PMID:39034093 | DOI:10.1016/j.apnu.2024.04.002

Arch Psychiatr Nurs. 2024 Aug;51:282-286. doi: 10.1016/j.apnu.2024.06.014. Epub 2024 Jul 9.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: Westernized alcohol and commercial tobacco use prevention approaches for Native Americans have not been effective, or sustainable. The overall objective of this study examined the effect of the culturally based Urban Talking Circle (UTC) intervention versus standard education (SE) program for the prevention of alcohol and commercial tobacco use among urban Native American youth.

DESIGN: The study employed a 2-condition quasi-experimental design and utilized convenience and snowball sampling methods for recruiting 100 urban Native American youth participants in two urban Native American community program locations in Florida. Study participants were randomized by their urban Native American community program location to one of the 2-conditions. These included the standard education (SE) program used within United States school systems (drug abuse resistance education) and the Urban Talking Circle (UTC) intervention, culturally tailored and developed for urban Native American youth from the culturally based Talking Circle Intervention for rural Native American Youth. The Native American Alcohol Measure for Youth (NAAMY) and Native Reliance Questionnaire were utilized to collect participants’ data. Participants’ data was analyzed using multivariate analysis of variance to determine differences between the scores on all measures at pre/post-intervention for the 2-conditions.

RESULTS: Study findings indicate that a culturally based intervention was more effective for the reduction of commercial tobacco and alcohol use than a non-culturally based intervention for urban Native American youth.

CONCLUSION: The study findings emphasized that the utilization of the culturally tailored UTC intervention reduced involvement associated with alcohol and commercial tobacco use.

PMID:39034090 | DOI:10.1016/j.apnu.2024.06.014

Arch Psychiatr Nurs. 2024 Aug;51:274-281. doi: 10.1016/j.apnu.2024.06.010. Epub 2024 Jul 1.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) is a significant public health concern that disproportionately impacts Indigenous American women more than any other ethnic/racial group in the United States.

PURPOSE: This study aims to inform the work of nurses and allied health professionals by providing insight into the lived realities of Indigenous women in urban areas and how IPV manifests in the lives of Indigenous women.

METHODS: Postcolonial and Indigenous feminist frameworks informed this qualitative study. Using thematic analysis, we analyzed data from semi-structured individual interviews with 34 Indigenous women in large urban areas in the upper Midwest.

FINDINGS: This manuscript discusses one broad theme: experiences of IPV during pregnancy and the devastating impacts on women and their children in the form of intergenerational trauma. Under this broad theme, we identified two sub-themes: impacts of IPV on individual pregnancy experiences and linkages to adverse pregnancy-related outcomes related to physical IPV during the childbearing years.

CONCLUSION: This Indigenous-led study informs the development of effective Indigenous-specific interventions to minimize barriers to accessing prenatal care and help-seeking when experiencing IPV to reduce the devastating consequences for Indigenous women and their families.

PMID:39034089 | DOI:10.1016/j.apnu.2024.06.010

Arch Psychiatr Nurs. 2024 Aug;51:259-267. doi: 10.1016/j.apnu.2024.06.006. Epub 2024 Jul 1.

ABSTRACT

Enhancing social support and connectedness can reduce suicide risk, yet few studies have examined this effect in American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) adults. We assessed suicidal ideation and behavior, thwarted belongingness, social support, enculturation, historical trauma, and traumatic life events in 709 AI/AN adults at high risk of suicide from five AI/AN communities. Suicidal ideation was associated with thwarted belongingness and protected against by social support and engaging in AI/AN ceremonies. Among those who made lifetime suicide attempts, traumatic life events, symptoms of depression/anxiety due to historical trauma, and thwarted belongingness were linked to more attempts. More engagement in cultural practices was associated with fewer suicide attempts. Higher levels of social support were associated with more suicide attempts, an observation potentially attributable to the cross-sectional nature of the study. Interventions should focus on protective factors and context-specific interventions emphasizing community history, values, and strengths.

PMID:39034087 | DOI:10.1016/j.apnu.2024.06.006

Arch Psychiatr Nurs. 2024 Aug;51:235-240. doi: 10.1016/j.apnu.2024.06.009. Epub 2024 Jul 1.

ABSTRACT

Indigenous youth in the United States are at high-risk for experiencing homelessness related to adverse childhood experiences such as parental substance use and low educational attainment. Such experiences may lead to adverse physical and mental health issues; these youth also have positive attributes of psychological capita (hope, self-efficacy, resilience, optimism) that are related to health outcomes. The purpose of this secondary analysis was to describe demographic attributes and psychological capital in Indigenous youth experiencing homelessness (IYEH) who participated in a longitudinal intervention study related to safe sex behaviors and life satisfaction. From a total of 602, Indigenous participants (n = 111; mean age 21.25 ± 1.82 years) were recruited from drop-in centers in Austin, Texas and Columbus, Ohio. Data were collected immediately after the intervention and at 3- and 6-month intervals. For this analysis, only data collected at the final time-point were used. Valid scales with Cronbach alphas of 0.75-0.92 (Hope, Resilience, Optimism, Self-efficacy for Substance Refusal, Self-efficacy for Safer Sex, Safe Sex Behaviors, Social Connectedness, and Life Satisfaction) were used. The majority of the IYEH reported smoking, drinking, and using drugs. Psychological capital variables of hope, self-efficacy for negotiating safer sex, resilience, and optimism were significantly related to one another, but not to safe sex behaviors or intention to use condoms. Resilience and optimism were significantly related to social connectedness but not to other psychological capital variables. Life satisfaction was significantly associated with hope, resilience, and optimism. Findings have implications for further theory and research development.

PMID:39034083 | DOI:10.1016/j.apnu.2024.06.009

Arch Psychiatr Nurs. 2024 Aug;51:228-234. doi: 10.1016/j.apnu.2024.07.005. Epub 2024 Jul 6.

ABSTRACT

AIM: This study was carried out to determine the effect of progressive muscle relaxation exercises (PMR) on premenstrual syndrome (PMS) symptoms.

METHODS: The study was designed in a single-blind randomized controlled type. The study was conducted in a hospital in Western Türkiye. Seventy-nine single women who experienced PMS who met the inclusion criteria were randomly assigned to the experimental group in which PMR would be applied, and the control group to continue their routine coping habits regarding PMS. PMR were applied to the experimental group every day for 8 weeks. At the end of 8 weeks, the experimental and control groups were re-evaluated with the Premenstrual Syndrome Scale (PMSS).

RESULTS: At the beginning of the study, it was observed that the individual, health characteristics and PMSS mean scores of the women in the experimental and control groups were similar (p > 0.05). At the end of eight weeks, it was seen that the mean PMSS score of the experimental group was lower than that of the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (p < 0.001). When in-group comparisons were made at the end of the exercise program, no significant difference was found in the mean PMSS score of the control group compared to the beginning (p > 0.05). The PMSS score of the experimental group decreased significantly and the difference was statistically significant (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION: In this study, it was seen that PMR were effective in improving PMS.

PMID:39034082 | DOI:10.1016/j.apnu.2024.07.005