Background:Venous ulcer represents the most advanced stage of chronic venous insufficiency.It is an important public health problem and has a significant impact on patients’quality of life due to chronic pain,inabili...Background:Venous ulcer represents the most advanced stage of chronic venous insufficiency.It is an important public health problem and has a significant impact on patients’quality of life due to chronic pain,inability to work,need for hospitalization and frequent outpatient follow-up.Objective:We investigated the treatment benefits of far-infrared ceramic(cFIR),in a 90-day study of lower limb venous ulcers and looked at ulcer healing scores,quality of life,serum bio-markers of oxidative stress and antioxidant defense enzymes.Design,setting,participants and interventions:This is a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled study conducted in the Vascular Surgery Service of a hospital located in the northwest region of the State of Rio Grande do Sul,Brazil.We included patients with lower limb venous ulcers who were randomized to use either a bioceramics wrap or a placebo wrap for 90 days.Main outcome measures:The following evaluations were conducted at baseline and after 15,30,60 and90 days:ulcer healing score,quality of life,and serum markers of oxidative stress and antioxidant enzyme activity.Results:Patients(n=24)with lower limb venous ulcers were randomized into two treatment groups.cFIR decreased the ulcer size on day 30(P=0.042)and 90(P=0.034)and the total ulcer healing scale scores on day 30(P=0.049)and 90(P=0.02)of the treatment,when compared to baseline.Additionally,cFIR improved tissue type(epithelial tissue)on day 60(P=0.022)when compared to baseline evaluation.Conclusion:cFIR clinically improved ulcer healing in patients with lower limb venous ulcers.Trial registration:RBR-8c7xzn on ReBEC.展开更多
Among all contaminants of emerging interest,drugs are the ones that give rise to the greatest concern.Any of the multiple stages of the drug's life cycle(production,consumption and waste management)is a possible e...Among all contaminants of emerging interest,drugs are the ones that give rise to the greatest concern.Any of the multiple stages of the drug's life cycle(production,consumption and waste management)is a possible entry point to the different environmental matrices.Psychiatric drugs have received special attention because of two reasons.First,their use is increasing.Second,many of them act on phylogenetically highly conserved neuroendocrine systems,so they have the potential to affect many non-target organisms.Currently,wastewater is considered the most important source of drugs to the environment.Furthermore,the currently available wastewater treatment plants are not specifically prepared to remove drugs,so they reach practically all environmental matrices,even tap water.As drugs are designed to produce pharmacological effects at low concentrations,they are capable of producing ecotoxicological effects on microorganisms,flora and fauna,even on human health.It has also been observed that certain antidepressants and antipsychotics can bioaccumulate along the food chain.Drug pollution is a complicated and diffuse problem characterized by scientific uncertainties,a large number of stakeholders with different values and interests,and enormous complexity.Possible solutions consist on acting at source,using medicines more rationally,eco-prescribing or prescribing greener drugs,designing pharmaceuticals that are more readily biodegraded,educating both health professionals and citizens,and improving coordination and collaboration between environmental and healthcare sciences.Besides,end of pipe measures like improving or developing new purification systems(biological,physical,chemical,combination)that eliminate these residues efficiently and at a sustainable cost should be a priority.Here,we describe and discuss the main aspects of drug pollution,highlighting the specific issues of psychiatric drugs.展开更多
Orthopedics is a major part of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine. In China, orthopedics includes two parts. One of which is called soft injury such as muscles, tendons, and ligaments as soft tissue. The other one is ha...Orthopedics is a major part of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine. In China, orthopedics includes two parts. One of which is called soft injury such as muscles, tendons, and ligaments as soft tissue. The other one is hard injury such as bones and joints. Bone fracture is common but never mentioned in Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine in USA. Orthopedics of TCM in China is widely used for people with problems such as fracture and trauma. Since our scope of practice limits in the US, we have only talked about orthopedics for pain mana- gement and soft tissue injuries. Many medical acupuncturists claim that they specialized in orthopedics and they only treat soft tissue injuries.展开更多
基金supported by the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development(CNPq,grant number476454/2013-1)the Research Support and Innovation Foundation of the State of Santa Catarina(FAPESC,grant numbers 3414/2012and FAPESC-2019TR73)+2 种基金the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel(CAPES)the UNISUL and UNIJUI Scientific Initiation Program(PUIC)supported by research fellowships from CNPq(309407/2017-6).
文摘Background:Venous ulcer represents the most advanced stage of chronic venous insufficiency.It is an important public health problem and has a significant impact on patients’quality of life due to chronic pain,inability to work,need for hospitalization and frequent outpatient follow-up.Objective:We investigated the treatment benefits of far-infrared ceramic(cFIR),in a 90-day study of lower limb venous ulcers and looked at ulcer healing scores,quality of life,serum bio-markers of oxidative stress and antioxidant defense enzymes.Design,setting,participants and interventions:This is a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled study conducted in the Vascular Surgery Service of a hospital located in the northwest region of the State of Rio Grande do Sul,Brazil.We included patients with lower limb venous ulcers who were randomized to use either a bioceramics wrap or a placebo wrap for 90 days.Main outcome measures:The following evaluations were conducted at baseline and after 15,30,60 and90 days:ulcer healing score,quality of life,and serum markers of oxidative stress and antioxidant enzyme activity.Results:Patients(n=24)with lower limb venous ulcers were randomized into two treatment groups.cFIR decreased the ulcer size on day 30(P=0.042)and 90(P=0.034)and the total ulcer healing scale scores on day 30(P=0.049)and 90(P=0.02)of the treatment,when compared to baseline.Additionally,cFIR improved tissue type(epithelial tissue)on day 60(P=0.022)when compared to baseline evaluation.Conclusion:cFIR clinically improved ulcer healing in patients with lower limb venous ulcers.Trial registration:RBR-8c7xzn on ReBEC.
文摘Among all contaminants of emerging interest,drugs are the ones that give rise to the greatest concern.Any of the multiple stages of the drug's life cycle(production,consumption and waste management)is a possible entry point to the different environmental matrices.Psychiatric drugs have received special attention because of two reasons.First,their use is increasing.Second,many of them act on phylogenetically highly conserved neuroendocrine systems,so they have the potential to affect many non-target organisms.Currently,wastewater is considered the most important source of drugs to the environment.Furthermore,the currently available wastewater treatment plants are not specifically prepared to remove drugs,so they reach practically all environmental matrices,even tap water.As drugs are designed to produce pharmacological effects at low concentrations,they are capable of producing ecotoxicological effects on microorganisms,flora and fauna,even on human health.It has also been observed that certain antidepressants and antipsychotics can bioaccumulate along the food chain.Drug pollution is a complicated and diffuse problem characterized by scientific uncertainties,a large number of stakeholders with different values and interests,and enormous complexity.Possible solutions consist on acting at source,using medicines more rationally,eco-prescribing or prescribing greener drugs,designing pharmaceuticals that are more readily biodegraded,educating both health professionals and citizens,and improving coordination and collaboration between environmental and healthcare sciences.Besides,end of pipe measures like improving or developing new purification systems(biological,physical,chemical,combination)that eliminate these residues efficiently and at a sustainable cost should be a priority.Here,we describe and discuss the main aspects of drug pollution,highlighting the specific issues of psychiatric drugs.
文摘Orthopedics is a major part of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine. In China, orthopedics includes two parts. One of which is called soft injury such as muscles, tendons, and ligaments as soft tissue. The other one is hard injury such as bones and joints. Bone fracture is common but never mentioned in Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine in USA. Orthopedics of TCM in China is widely used for people with problems such as fracture and trauma. Since our scope of practice limits in the US, we have only talked about orthopedics for pain mana- gement and soft tissue injuries. Many medical acupuncturists claim that they specialized in orthopedics and they only treat soft tissue injuries.
