debate physical therapy

The oncogenicity of the human cytomegalovirus (CMV) is currently being widely debated. Most recently, mounting clinical evidence suggests an anti-cancer effect via CMV-induced T cell-mediated tumor destruction. However, the data were mostly obtained from single-center studies and in vitro experiments. Broad geographic coverage is required to offer a global perspective. Our study examined the correlation between country-specific CMV seroprevalence (across 73 countries) and the age-standardized incidence rate (of 34 invasive tumors)...

Despite serum progesterone being a widely accepted method for luteal phase support during embryo transfer cycles, debates persist regarding the optimal strategy for guiding clinical decisions on progesterone dosages to maximize reproductive outcomes. This retrospective study explored the utility of microRNA (miRNA) biomarkers in guiding personalized progesterone dosage adjustments for frozen embryo transfer (FET) cycles in 22 in vitro fertilization (IVF) patients undergoing hormone replacement therapy. Utilizing MIRA, an miRNA-based endometrial receptivity test, we analyzed patients' miRNA expression profiles before and after progesterone dosage adjustments to determine suitable dosages and assess endometrial status...

Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) is an underdiagnosed cause of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) that usually presents in young female patients. Risk factors include female sex, physical and emotional stressors, and fibromuscular dysplasia, and diagnosis is usually made by coronary angiography aided by intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) or optical coherence tomography (OCT). While conservative treatment is usually preferred over percutaneous coronary intervention or surgery, medical management of SCAD has been under debate...

BACKGROUND: It remains a matter of debate as to what extent early intervention may facilitate long-term functional outcomes of preterm infants in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). We aimed to examine the effect of increasing physical therapy (PT) staff dedicated to the NICU on temporal changes (initiation, duration) of PT interventions and functional outcomes (acquisition of full oral feeding and Hammersmith Neonatal Neurological Examination). METHODS: Extremely low birth weight infants, retrospectively collected from an academic medical center, were allocated to two subgroups, either a baseline period (N = 48) without NICU-dedicated PT staff (non-dedicated group) or a quality improvement period (N = 42) with additional dedicated staff (dedicated group)...

Mast cells (MCs) are derived from hematopoietic progenitors, mature in vascularized tissues, and participate in innate and acquired immunity. Neuroinflammation is a highly debated topic in the biomedical literature; however, the impact of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and IL-33 on MCs in the brain has not been widely addressed. MCs can be activated by IgE binding to FcεRI, as well as by different antigens. After activation, MCs mediate various immunological and inflammatory responses through TNF and IL-33...

INTRODUCTION: There is a longstanding debate about whether health care is more efficiently provided by the public or private sector. The debate is particularly relevant to the Military Health System (MHS), which delivers care through a combination of publicly funded federal facilities and privately contracted providers. This study compares outcomes, treatments, and costs for MHS patients obtaining care for low back pain (LBP) from public versus private providers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was completed using TRICARE Prime claims data from April 2015 to December 2018...

INTRODUCTION: Determining why physical therapists choose certain pathways to expertise is not well understood. Developing an understanding of these different choices is important for the physical therapy profession and the future of postprofessional education. REVIEW OF LITERATURE: Pathways to expertise as a physical therapist have evolved over the history of the profession, including the most recent emergence of residency education. Regardless of the path taken, physical therapists have a societal duty to be lifelong learners...

PURPOSE: The optimal adjuvant therapy (anti-estrogen therapy (ET) + radiotherapy or ET alone, or in some reports radiotherapy alone) in older women with early-stage breast cancer has been highly debated. However, granular details on the role of insurance in the out-of-pocket cost for patients receiving ET with or without radiotherapy are lacking. This project disaggregates out-of-pocket costs by insurance plans to increase treatment cost transparency. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Several radiotherapy schedules are accepted standards as per the National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines...

BACKGROUND: In the context of managing persistent post-concussive symptoms (PPCS), existing treatments like pharmacotherapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, and physical rehabilitation show only moderate effectiveness. The emergence of neuromodulation techniques in PPCS management has led to debates regarding optimal stimulation parameters and their overall efficacy. METHODS: this scoping review involved a comprehensive search of PubMed and ScienceDirect databases, focusing on controlled studies examining the therapeutic potential of non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) techniques in adults with PPCS...

The Second International StemNet (Federation of Stem Cell Research Associations) meeting took place on 18-20 October 2023 in Brescia (Italy), with the support of the University of Brescia and the Zooprophylactic Institute of Lombardy and Emilia Romagna. The program of the meeting was articulated in nine sections: (1) Biomedical Communication in Italy: Critical Aspects; (2) StemNet Next Generation Session; (3) Cell-Free Therapies; (4) Tips and Tricks of Research Valorisation; (5) Stem Cells and Cancer; (6) Stem Cells in Veterinary Applications; (7) Stem Cells in Clinical Applications; (8) Organoids and 3D Systems; (9) induced pluripotent stem cells (iPCS) and Gene Therapy...

The aim of this systematic review with meta-analysis was to evaluate the effects of resistance training on physical fitness, physiological variables and body composition of postmenopausal women. The present systematic review was performed in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) statement and was registered in PROSPERO. A total of 12 studies were included. The literature search was performed in PubMed, Web of Science and EBSCO. Randomized control trials were included...

The concepts of metacognitive reflection, reflection, and metacognition are distinct but have undergone shifts in meaning as they migrated into medical education. Conceptual clarity is essential to the construction of the knowledge base of medical education and its educational interventions. We conducted a theoretical integrative review across diverse bodies of literature with the goal of understanding what metacognitive reflection is. We searched PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, PsychInfo, and Web of Science databases, including all peer-reviewed research articles and theoretical papers as well as book chapters that addressed the topic, with no limitations for date, language, or location...

Polycythemia vera (PV) and essential thrombocythemia (ET) are myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN) characterized by clonal erythrocytosis and thrombocytosis, respectively. The main goal of therapy in PV and ET is to prevent thrombohemorrhagic complications. Despite a debated notion that red blood cells (RBCs) play a passive and minor role in thrombosis, there has been increasing evidence over the past decades that RBCs may play a biological and clinical role in PV and ET pathophysiology. This review summarizes the main mechanisms that suggest the involvement of PV and ET RBCs in thrombosis, including quantitative and qualitative RBC abnormalities reported in these pathologies...

BACKGROUND: The long-term use of opioids for chronic non-cancer pain (CNCP) has drawn more attention and debate. Although opioids are frequently used to treat chronic pain, their effectiveness and safety over extended periods are still unknown. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of what is currently known about the adverse events of long-term use of opioids in CNCP. It also delivers patient-centered strategies designed to mitigate these risks...

BACKGROUND: Rotator cuff calcific tendinitis (RCCT) is a commonly occurring disease, with a prevalence of up to 42.5% in patients with shoulder pain1,2 . RCCT is characterized by hydroxyapatite deposits in the tendons of the rotator cuff and is considered a self-limiting disease that can be treated nonoperatively3 . However, in a substantial group of patients, RCCT can have a very disabling and long-lasting course1,4 , requiring additional treatment. Ultrasound-guided percutaneous needling and lavage (i...

The genotoxicity of AuNPs has sparked a scientific debate, with one perspective attributing it to direct DNA damage and another to oxidative damage through reactive oxygen species (ROS) activation. This controversy poses challenges for the widespread use of AuNPs in biomedical applications. To address this debate, we employed four-dimensional atomic force microscopy (4DAFM) to examine the ability of AuNPs to damage DNA in vitro in the absence of ROS. To further examine whether the size and chemical coupling of these AuNPs are properties that control their toxicity, we exposed individual DNA molecules to three different types of AuNPs: small (average diameter = 10 nm), large (average diameter = 22 nm), and large conjugated (average diameter = 39 nm) AuNPs...

In recent years, accumulating evidence from preclinical and clinical studies consistently indicated that physical activity/exercise plays a crucial role in reducing the incidence and recurrence of various malignancies, by exerting a beneficial modulation of cancer hallmarks. Moreover, physical activity is suggested to attenuate certain adverse effects of anticancer therapy, including the reduction of cardiovascular toxicity and symptoms related to depression and anxiety, among others, while preserving muscular strength...

This narrative review critically examines the role of albumin in sepsis management and compares it to its well-established application in liver cirrhosis. Albumin, a key plasma protein, is effective in the management of fluid imbalance, circulatory dysfunction, and inflammation-related complications. However, its role in sepsis is more intricate and characterized by ongoing debate and varied results from clinical studies. In sepsis, the potential benefits of albumin include maintaining vascular integrity and modulating inflammation, yet its consistent clinical efficacy is not as definitive as that in cirrhosis...

Our objective was to overview the novel aspects in the field of adrenal gland neoplasms, namely, the management of bone status with respect to primary aldosteronism (PA). In the current narrative review, a PubMed study was conducted from inception until June 2023. The inclusion criteria were: human (clinically relevant) studies of any study design (at least 10 patients per study); English papers; and the following combination of key words within the title and/or abstract: "aldosterone" AND "bone", "skeleton", "osteoporosis", "fracture", "calcium", "parathyroid", "DXA", "osteocalcin", "P1NP", "alkaline phosphatase", "bone marker", "trabecular bone score", or "FRAX"...

Axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) is a chronic, inflammatory rheumatic disease that primarily affects the axial skeleton, often inflicting severe pain, diminished mobility, and a compromised quality of life. The advent of Assessment of SpondyloArthritis international Society (ASAS) classification criteria for spondyloarthritis (SpA) have enabled the classification of patients with axSpA in the non-radiographic stage but poorly perform if mistakenly used for diagnostic purposes. Despite notable progress in early diagnosis facilitated by referral strategies and extensive magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) utilization, diagnostic delays persist as a concerning issue...