Background:Urinary tract infections(UTIs),primarily caused by uropathogenic Escherichia coli(UPEC),are a significant global health concern.The complications arise from antibiotic resistance and biofilm formation,which...Background:Urinary tract infections(UTIs),primarily caused by uropathogenic Escherichia coli(UPEC),are a significant global health concern.The complications arise from antibiotic resistance and biofilm formation,which reduce the effectiveness of conventional treatments.This study aims to evaluate the antibiofilm activity of the homeopathic medicine Terebinthinae oleum in potencies 30C,200C,and 1M against UTI-causing E.coli,and to compare its effectiveness with the standard antibiotic Gentamycin.Methods:An in-vitro biofilm model was employed.E.coli biofilms were cultivated in microtiter plates and treated with Terebinthinae oleum(30C,200C,1M)and Gentamycin.Biofilm biomass was assessed through crystal violet staining,and optical density(OD)was measured using an ELISA microplate reader.Results:Among the tested potencies,Terebinthinae oleum 30C showed the most prominent inhibitory activity on E.coli biofilms.The inhibition percentage was compared with Gentamycin as a control.Terebinthinae oleum 30C demonstrated 41.88%inhibition of biofilm biomass,while Gentamycin exhibited up to 78.98%inhibition.Higher potencies of Terebinthinae oleum(200C and 1M)showed reduced activity(30.15%and 24.81%,respectively).Conclusion:Terebinthinae oleum,especially at 30C potency,exhibits measurable antibiofilm activity against E.coli,although less effective than Gentamycin.These findings support its use as a complementary therapy in managing biofilm-associated UTIs,justifying further clinical and immunological research.展开更多
Objective: To compare uterine tissue concentrations of ethinyl estradiol (EE) and etonogestrel (ENG) after one cycle of use of a contraceptive vaginal ring (NuvaRing;NV Organon, Oss, The Netherlands) or a combined ora...Objective: To compare uterine tissue concentrations of ethinyl estradiol (EE) and etonogestrel (ENG) after one cycle of use of a contraceptive vaginal ring (NuvaRing;NV Organon, Oss, The Netherlands) or a combined oral contraceptive (COC). Design: Randomized, open-label, pharmacokinetic study. Setting: Obstetrics and gynecology unit. Patient(s): Eight premenopausal women about to undergo hysterectomy but otherwise healthy. Intervention(s): One cycle (17-21 days) of NuvaRing or COC treatment that ended with surgical hysterectomy. Main Outcome Measure(s): Tissue concentrations of EE and ENG in uterine tissue samples taken from the upper myometrium and mid-myometrium, the cervical region, and the endometrium. Result(s): In both groups, concentrations of EE and ENG were similar in uterine tissue taken from the upper myometrium and mid-myometrium and the cervical region. However, compared with the COC group, concentrations of both hormones were markedly lower in tissue samples from the endometrium of women who had been treated with NuvaRing. Conclusion(s): Vaginal administration of hormones with NuvaRing did not produce elevated uterine concentrations of EE and ENG, compared with an oral contraceptive.展开更多
OBJECTIVE： To our knowledge, prescription of homeopathic medicines by homeopathic undergraduate students has not been studied before though it may possess serious implications. We aimed to determine the practice and ...OBJECTIVE： To our knowledge, prescription of homeopathic medicines by homeopathic undergraduate students has not been studied before though it may possess serious implications. We aimed to determine the practice and attitudes of prescription by homeopathic undergraduate students. METHODS： A cross-sectional study was carried out involving all the students from four government homeopathic schools of West Bengal, India. Ethical requirements were ensured and data were collected using self-administered questionnaires. Chi-square tests and logistic univariate regression analyses were performed to identify associations and differences. RESULTS： A total of 328 forms were completed. Of these, 264 （80.5%） homeopathic undergraduate students admitted of prescribing medicines independently and most （40.5%） said that they did this 2-3 times a year. The most common reasons for this were ＇urgency of the problem＇ （35.2%）, ＇previous experience with same kind of illness＇ （31.8%）, and ＇the problem too trivial to go to a doctor＇ （25.8%）. About 63.4% of the students thought that it was alright to independently diagnose an illness while 51.2% thought that it was alright for them to prescribe medicines to others. Common conditions encountered were fever, indigestion, and injury. Students who prescribed medicines were more likely to belong to Calcutta Homeopathic Medical College and Hospital （odds ratio = 5.8; 95% confidence interval 2.247-14.972）. Prescription by students gradually increased with academic years of homeopathic schools. Many students thought it was alright for students to diagnose and treat illnesses. CONCLUSION： Prescription of medicines by homeopathic undergraduate students is quite rampant and corrective measures are warranted.展开更多
OBJECTIVE： This study describes the development of a preliminary version of an instrument that attempts to assess the quality of reports of individualized homeopathic prescriptions in clinical trials and observationa...OBJECTIVE： This study describes the development of a preliminary version of an instrument that attempts to assess the quality of reports of individualized homeopathic prescriptions in clinical trials and observational studies. METHODS： A multidisciplinary panel of 15 judges produced an initial version of the instrument through iterative Delphi rounds and pilot-tested the instrument on five clinical trials. Later they assessed, under blind conditions, the individualization quality of 40 randomly-selected research reports. The final version of the instrument included six criteria. These items were scored consistently by all the raters regardless of background. RESULTS： The instrument appeared to have adequate face and content validity, acceptable internal consistency or reliability （Cronbach＇s a 0.606 - 0.725）, significant discriminant validity （F = 398.7; P 〈 0.000 1）, moderate interrater reliability （Fleiss K 0.533）, agreeable test-retest reliability （Cohen＇s K 0.765 - 0.934）, moderate sensitivity （0.4; 95% confidence interval 0.253- 0.566）, and high specificity （1.0; 95% confidence interval 0.891-1.000）. CONCLUSION： The initial data suggest that this instrument may be a promising systematic tool amendable for further development.展开更多
Background Various authors have explained Dr.Hahnemann’s concept of vital force and its substantialism.However,the explanation of Dr.Stuart Close,in his book Genius of Homoeopathy,remains in a scientific view.The int...Background Various authors have explained Dr.Hahnemann’s concept of vital force and its substantialism.However,the explanation of Dr.Stuart Close,in his book Genius of Homoeopathy,remains in a scientific view.The introduction of homeopathy involves philosophical and ethical foundations,with Dr.Stuart Close’s work offering a scientific perspective on vital forces and their role in health and disease.His statement,“All force is persistent and indestructible”,is the scientific statement of the Doctrine of Immortality[1].He provided the linear concept of power,force,and motion,representing the physical concepts of our dynamic,vital principle.According to him,power corresponds to a life principle(vital principle),force corresponds to vital force,and motion corresponds to the healthy state of man in the dynamic plane[1].When the life principle is deranged,the vital force becomes improper,leading to disease.Humanity has gone through different periods when it comes to physical well-being to lead a disease-free life.Gone were the times when the human race was expected to endure physical stress due to disease and quick relief is expected nowadays at all levels with the development of innovative and modern medicines.This transient alleviation of symptoms is temporary,and the patient would somehow return with the suffering again.This article emphasizes a new ideology of administering homeopathic medicines during the symptom-free period where the dynamic,vital principle is at rest and the action of which is substituted by yet another artificial morbific agent in materialistic doses,which remains an unavoidable situation that all homeopaths face.展开更多
Background Homoeopathy,a therapeutic method based on the principle of‘Similia Similibus Curentur’(like cures like),has been widely practiced and studied since its discovery by Dr.Samuel Hahnemann in the late 18th ce...Background Homoeopathy,a therapeutic method based on the principle of‘Similia Similibus Curentur’(like cures like),has been widely practiced and studied since its discovery by Dr.Samuel Hahnemann in the late 18th century.Over time,numerous homoeopathic stalwarts have contributed to the development and understanding of this system of medicine.Dr.Richard Hughes,a remarkable figure in the field of homoeopathy,has left an indelible mark on the development and understanding of this extraordinary system of medicine.展开更多
Background Preterm births(PTBs)and associated costs in the USA are a public health concern.This study evaluated maternal and neonatal hospital-based outcomes,resource use and costs during delivery and up to 30 days po...Background Preterm births(PTBs)and associated costs in the USA are a public health concern.This study evaluated maternal and neonatal hospital-based outcomes,resource use and costs during delivery and up to 30 days postdischarge following PTB.Methods This study was conducted in the USA among individuals who delivered at≥23 weeks gestation(1 January 2016-30 September 2021)captured in the Premier Al Healthcare Database.Linked neonatal data were used.Regression modelling and sensitivity analyses among spontaneous PTBs were performed.Costs were inflated to US$2022.In-hospital outcomes,resource use and costs were analysed.Results 4303772 deliveries were included;14.8%were linked to neonatal records.Compared with term delivery,adjusted ORs for the<32 and 32 to<37 weeks gestation cohorts,respectively,were 1.33(1.29-1.36)and 0.96(0.95-0.98)for postpartum complications;5.79(5.58-6.01)and 2.73(2.66-2.81)for maternal intensive care unit(ICU)admission;4.20(3.01-5.86)and 1.84(1.38-2.46)for maternal death;1.40(1.37-1.43)and 1.01(1.00-1.02)for maternal readmission;76.92(72.28-81.85)and 5.14(5.03-5.25)for neonatal morbidity;89.58(84.59-94.87)and 10.07(9.84-10.31)for neonatal ICU admission;155.51(130.98184.63)and 8.81(7.24-10.73)for neonatal death and 1.49(1.41-1.58)and 1.16(1.13-1.19)for neonatal readmission.Relative to term births,PTBs had significantly higher per-person maternal and neonatal resource use and costs.The results were robust to sensitivity analyses.Conclusions PTBs present a considerable maternal,neonatal and hospital burden compared with term birth.展开更多
文摘Background:Urinary tract infections(UTIs),primarily caused by uropathogenic Escherichia coli(UPEC),are a significant global health concern.The complications arise from antibiotic resistance and biofilm formation,which reduce the effectiveness of conventional treatments.This study aims to evaluate the antibiofilm activity of the homeopathic medicine Terebinthinae oleum in potencies 30C,200C,and 1M against UTI-causing E.coli,and to compare its effectiveness with the standard antibiotic Gentamycin.Methods:An in-vitro biofilm model was employed.E.coli biofilms were cultivated in microtiter plates and treated with Terebinthinae oleum(30C,200C,1M)and Gentamycin.Biofilm biomass was assessed through crystal violet staining,and optical density(OD)was measured using an ELISA microplate reader.Results:Among the tested potencies,Terebinthinae oleum 30C showed the most prominent inhibitory activity on E.coli biofilms.The inhibition percentage was compared with Gentamycin as a control.Terebinthinae oleum 30C demonstrated 41.88%inhibition of biofilm biomass,while Gentamycin exhibited up to 78.98%inhibition.Higher potencies of Terebinthinae oleum(200C and 1M)showed reduced activity(30.15%and 24.81%,respectively).Conclusion:Terebinthinae oleum,especially at 30C potency,exhibits measurable antibiofilm activity against E.coli,although less effective than Gentamycin.These findings support its use as a complementary therapy in managing biofilm-associated UTIs,justifying further clinical and immunological research.
文摘Objective: To compare uterine tissue concentrations of ethinyl estradiol (EE) and etonogestrel (ENG) after one cycle of use of a contraceptive vaginal ring (NuvaRing;NV Organon, Oss, The Netherlands) or a combined oral contraceptive (COC). Design: Randomized, open-label, pharmacokinetic study. Setting: Obstetrics and gynecology unit. Patient(s): Eight premenopausal women about to undergo hysterectomy but otherwise healthy. Intervention(s): One cycle (17-21 days) of NuvaRing or COC treatment that ended with surgical hysterectomy. Main Outcome Measure(s): Tissue concentrations of EE and ENG in uterine tissue samples taken from the upper myometrium and mid-myometrium, the cervical region, and the endometrium. Result(s): In both groups, concentrations of EE and ENG were similar in uterine tissue taken from the upper myometrium and mid-myometrium and the cervical region. However, compared with the COC group, concentrations of both hormones were markedly lower in tissue samples from the endometrium of women who had been treated with NuvaRing. Conclusion(s): Vaginal administration of hormones with NuvaRing did not produce elevated uterine concentrations of EE and ENG, compared with an oral contraceptive.
文摘OBJECTIVE： To our knowledge, prescription of homeopathic medicines by homeopathic undergraduate students has not been studied before though it may possess serious implications. We aimed to determine the practice and attitudes of prescription by homeopathic undergraduate students. METHODS： A cross-sectional study was carried out involving all the students from four government homeopathic schools of West Bengal, India. Ethical requirements were ensured and data were collected using self-administered questionnaires. Chi-square tests and logistic univariate regression analyses were performed to identify associations and differences. RESULTS： A total of 328 forms were completed. Of these, 264 （80.5%） homeopathic undergraduate students admitted of prescribing medicines independently and most （40.5%） said that they did this 2-3 times a year. The most common reasons for this were ＇urgency of the problem＇ （35.2%）, ＇previous experience with same kind of illness＇ （31.8%）, and ＇the problem too trivial to go to a doctor＇ （25.8%）. About 63.4% of the students thought that it was alright to independently diagnose an illness while 51.2% thought that it was alright for them to prescribe medicines to others. Common conditions encountered were fever, indigestion, and injury. Students who prescribed medicines were more likely to belong to Calcutta Homeopathic Medical College and Hospital （odds ratio = 5.8; 95% confidence interval 2.247-14.972）. Prescription by students gradually increased with academic years of homeopathic schools. Many students thought it was alright for students to diagnose and treat illnesses. CONCLUSION： Prescription of medicines by homeopathic undergraduate students is quite rampant and corrective measures are warranted.
文摘OBJECTIVE： This study describes the development of a preliminary version of an instrument that attempts to assess the quality of reports of individualized homeopathic prescriptions in clinical trials and observational studies. METHODS： A multidisciplinary panel of 15 judges produced an initial version of the instrument through iterative Delphi rounds and pilot-tested the instrument on five clinical trials. Later they assessed, under blind conditions, the individualization quality of 40 randomly-selected research reports. The final version of the instrument included six criteria. These items were scored consistently by all the raters regardless of background. RESULTS： The instrument appeared to have adequate face and content validity, acceptable internal consistency or reliability （Cronbach＇s a 0.606 - 0.725）, significant discriminant validity （F = 398.7; P 〈 0.000 1）, moderate interrater reliability （Fleiss K 0.533）, agreeable test-retest reliability （Cohen＇s K 0.765 - 0.934）, moderate sensitivity （0.4; 95% confidence interval 0.253- 0.566）, and high specificity （1.0; 95% confidence interval 0.891-1.000）. CONCLUSION： The initial data suggest that this instrument may be a promising systematic tool amendable for further development.
基金First and foremost,I thank God almighty.I would like to express my deep and sinceregratitude to the managemanet of Sarada Krishna Homeopathic Medical College for their timely support throughout the work and also The Tamil Nadu Dr.M.G.R.Medical University for their timely support。
文摘Background Various authors have explained Dr.Hahnemann’s concept of vital force and its substantialism.However,the explanation of Dr.Stuart Close,in his book Genius of Homoeopathy,remains in a scientific view.The introduction of homeopathy involves philosophical and ethical foundations,with Dr.Stuart Close’s work offering a scientific perspective on vital forces and their role in health and disease.His statement,“All force is persistent and indestructible”,is the scientific statement of the Doctrine of Immortality[1].He provided the linear concept of power,force,and motion,representing the physical concepts of our dynamic,vital principle.According to him,power corresponds to a life principle(vital principle),force corresponds to vital force,and motion corresponds to the healthy state of man in the dynamic plane[1].When the life principle is deranged,the vital force becomes improper,leading to disease.Humanity has gone through different periods when it comes to physical well-being to lead a disease-free life.Gone were the times when the human race was expected to endure physical stress due to disease and quick relief is expected nowadays at all levels with the development of innovative and modern medicines.This transient alleviation of symptoms is temporary,and the patient would somehow return with the suffering again.This article emphasizes a new ideology of administering homeopathic medicines during the symptom-free period where the dynamic,vital principle is at rest and the action of which is substituted by yet another artificial morbific agent in materialistic doses,which remains an unavoidable situation that all homeopaths face.
文摘Background Homoeopathy,a therapeutic method based on the principle of‘Similia Similibus Curentur’(like cures like),has been widely practiced and studied since its discovery by Dr.Samuel Hahnemann in the late 18th century.Over time,numerous homoeopathic stalwarts have contributed to the development and understanding of this system of medicine.Dr.Richard Hughes,a remarkable figure in the field of homoeopathy,has left an indelible mark on the development and understanding of this extraordinary system of medicine.
文摘Background Preterm births(PTBs)and associated costs in the USA are a public health concern.This study evaluated maternal and neonatal hospital-based outcomes,resource use and costs during delivery and up to 30 days postdischarge following PTB.Methods This study was conducted in the USA among individuals who delivered at≥23 weeks gestation(1 January 2016-30 September 2021)captured in the Premier Al Healthcare Database.Linked neonatal data were used.Regression modelling and sensitivity analyses among spontaneous PTBs were performed.Costs were inflated to US$2022.In-hospital outcomes,resource use and costs were analysed.Results 4303772 deliveries were included;14.8%were linked to neonatal records.Compared with term delivery,adjusted ORs for the<32 and 32 to<37 weeks gestation cohorts,respectively,were 1.33(1.29-1.36)and 0.96(0.95-0.98)for postpartum complications;5.79(5.58-6.01)and 2.73(2.66-2.81)for maternal intensive care unit(ICU)admission;4.20(3.01-5.86)and 1.84(1.38-2.46)for maternal death;1.40(1.37-1.43)and 1.01(1.00-1.02)for maternal readmission;76.92(72.28-81.85)and 5.14(5.03-5.25)for neonatal morbidity;89.58(84.59-94.87)and 10.07(9.84-10.31)for neonatal ICU admission;155.51(130.98184.63)and 8.81(7.24-10.73)for neonatal death and 1.49(1.41-1.58)and 1.16(1.13-1.19)for neonatal readmission.Relative to term births,PTBs had significantly higher per-person maternal and neonatal resource use and costs.The results were robust to sensitivity analyses.Conclusions PTBs present a considerable maternal,neonatal and hospital burden compared with term birth.
