Tarpbritt7302

OBJECTIVE Given the free movement of workers across countries, knowledge regarding communication differences between countries is imperative. In this study, we explored and compared the supportive responses of nursing staff to older persons' emotions in home care in Norway and Sweden. METHODS The study had an observational, cross-sectional, comparative design, which included 383 audio-recorded home-care visits. Communication was coded using Verona Coding Definitions of Emotional Sequences. Worries and responses were categorised with regard to reference, communicative function and level of person-centredness. Standard statistical tests were used to analyse the data. RESULTS The Swedish nursing staff provided space for further disclosure of worry more frequently than the Norwegian nursing staff (75.0 % versus 60.2 %, χ2 = 20.758, p less then 0.01). In all, 65 % of the responses were supportive. Multiple logistic regression analyses showed that highly person-centred responses were independently associated with worries phrasing an emotion, OR (95 % CI) 3.282 (1.524-7.067). CONCLUSION The level of person-centredness was associated with the way in which older persons expressed their distress. The Swedish nursing staff provided opportunities for further disclosure of worries more frequently than the Norwegian nursing staff. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS Findings of intercultural differences should be incorporated into the training of nursing staff. OBJECTIVE This study evaluated the effects of a short health education and counseling intervention program, in a primary healthcare setting, on daily physical activity (PA), arterial stiffness, and cardiac autonomic function in individuals with moderate-to-high risk of cardiovascular disease. METHODS This was a parallel-group study with a 4-month-long intervention, plus 8 months of follow-up. 164 individuals with moderate-to-high cardiovascular risk were allocated to either an intervention (n = 87) or a control group (n = 77). The intervention consisted of 3 walking and face-to-face group sessions plus text messages. Primary outcome was daily PA (sedentary time, light and moderate-to-vigorous PA, all in min/day); secondary outcomes were arterial stiffness i.e., carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV, m/s)] and cardiac autonomic function [(i.e., standard deviation of all N-N intervals (SDNN, ms) and absolute high frequency (HF, ms2)]. RESULTS There were not significant group*time interactions for sedentary time [-7.4 (7.6); p = 0.331)], light PA [4.4 (6.4); p = 0.491] or moderate-to-vigorous PA [0.1 (2.6); p = 0.938]. Considering secondary outcomes, there were not significant group*time interactions for cfPWV [0.09 (0.18); p = 0.592], Ln_SDNN [0.09 (0.06); p = 0.148], or Ln_HF [0.16 (0.14); p = 0.263]. CONCLUSION The program did not improve daily PA, arterial stiffness, or the autonomic cardiac function. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS Primary care staff should consider longer or other types of intervention to improve daily PA. OBJECTIVE The study identifies appropriate risk expressions by healthcare professionals in communicating the risks of driving-impairing medicine to patients, gauging changed patient behavior, preventing traffic accidents due to drugs, and improving drug adherence. METHODS An online questionnaire survey was conducted on participants' perception of driving-related risks, and risk awareness, as well as reports of healthcare professionals' expressions and warning messages regarding driving-impairing drugs. RESULTS Approximately 80 % of participants were aware of the effects of pharmaceutical drugs on driving ability, and 50 % responded that they had received an explanation from their respective health professionals. As reported by participants, although healthcare professionals typically used more indirect expressions, direct warning messages were associated with high-risk awareness. CONCLUSION The content of the explanatory sentences and debriefing influenced risk perception among participants. Direct expressions were more desirable for appropriate risk perception by participants. Providing information from healthcare professional about the degree of risks and patients' determining their influence on driving behavior based on risk perception was necessary to clarify the predictors of driving behavior. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS Health professionals should be aware that their warning messages could have a significant impact on patients' risk perception and driving behavior. A case of midget-faded rattlesnake (Crotalus oreganus concolor) envenomation of an adult male professional herpetologist occurred in a rural setting and resulted in an array of venom induced myoneurologic symptoms. The patient experienced blurry vision, total body paresthesia, dyspnea, chest tightness, and waves of spastic muscle movements of the hands and feet that resembled tetany. It was not apparent whether these symptoms were potentially venom induced or were related to stress-induced physiologic responses. Local envenomation effects were minimal, and coagulation parameters remained within normal limits. Antivenom was not administered per patient concerns related to a history of acute allergic reactions to antivenom. Venom was collected from the Crotalus oreganus concolor responsible for the bite, and analysis revealed the presence of high levels of myotoxins (SR calcium pump antagonists) and concolor toxin, a presynaptic neurotoxin that can have myotoxic effects and cause respiratory paralysis; several serine proteinases associated with coagulopathies were also present in the venom profile. OBJECTIVES To describe international practices on the use of calcium salts during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) weaning in adult cardiac surgery patients. DESIGN Multiple-choice survey on current practice of CPB weaning. SETTING Online survey using the SurveyMonkey platform. PARTICIPANTS Departments of cardiac anesthesiology worldwide. INTERVENTIONS None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS Out of 112 surveys sent, 100 centers from 32 countries replied. The majority of centers (88 of 100 = 88%) administer calcium salts intraoperatively 71 of 100 (71%) are using these drugs for CPB weaning and 78 of 100 (78%) for correction of hypocalcemia. Among the 88 centers that use calcium salts intraoperatively, 66% (58 of 88) of respondents use calcium chloride, 22% (19 of 88) use calcium gluconate, and 12% (11 of 88) use both drugs. Calcium salts are routinely used during normal (47 of 71 centers = 66%) and difficult (59 of 71 centers = 83%) weaning from CPB. Doses of 5 to 15 mg/kg during termination of CPB were used by 55 of 71 centers (77%) either by bolus (39 of 71, 55%) or over a time period longer than 1 minute (32 of 71 = 45%). Norepinephrine is the most commonly used first line vasopressor or inotropic agent used to support hemodynamics during termination of CPB in 32 out of 100 centers (32%), and calcium is the second one, used by 23 out of 100 centers (23%). CONCLUSION This survey demonstrates that the majority of cardiac centers use calcium in adult patients undergoing cardiac surgery, especially during weaning from CPB. There is variability on the type of drug, dose, and modality of drug administration. Liver transplantation continues be the standard for treatment of end-stage liver disease, and even with recent advances in organ preservation, the anesthetic management continues to require understanding of multiple organ systems beyond the liver. Multiple factors contribute to hemodynamic changes after reperfusion of the liver graft that anesthesiologists should be aware of before unclamping. Concomitant renal dysfunction in end-stage liver disease is not uncommon, and preparation for continuous renal replacement therapy may need to be considered in certain cases. Cardiac evaluation of liver transplantation patients with an emphasis on arrhythmias, including atrial fibrillation, can help prevent both intraoperative and postoperative complications detrimental to the patient and graft. Finally, combined liver and thoracic organ transplantations may be indicated for certain disease processes that affect multiple organs. These cases require an understanding of the surgical technique and acknowledgment that some goals of the procedures may be in direct opposition to each other. OBJECTIVE Lifetime intellectual engagement may be associated with cognitive ability late in life. However, the current evidence on whether cognitive activities will improve and/or maintain cognitive function is heterogeneous. Drawing on knowledge of the brain's intrinsic small-world organization which combines regional specialization and efficient global information transfer, we aimed to explore that whether individual differences in the small-worldness of resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) networks would explain the variability in the strength of the association between intellectual engagement and cognitive functioning. METHODS Sixty-five elderly people without dementia were enrolled and scanned with a 52-channel near-infrared spectroscopy system. The number, frequency, and participation hours of intellectual activities were investigated to measure intellectual engagement. Global cognition was assessed by the Montreal Cognitive Assessment. The general linear models and the simple slope analysis were employed to measure the modulatory role of network properties. RESULTS The small-worldness of the brain network emerged as a moderator of the association between intellectual engagement and cognition. Exclusively among elderly people with lower small-worldness, greater intellectual engagement, including the frequency and participation hours of activities, was associated with greater global cognitive function. Furthermore, we observed that elderly people with lower small-worldness exhibited decreased rsFC across the bilateral frontopolar areas and increased rsFC across the bilateral parietal cortex. CONCLUSION The individual differences in the small-worldness of rsFC networks might explain the varying strength of the association between intellectual engagement and cognitive functioning. Our findings imply that the intrinsic small-worldness of the brain network might be a potential neurobiological contributor that interacts with the intellectual engagement in enhancing the cognitive ability in late life. BACKGROUND Left ventricular (LV) assist devices (LVADs) are known to elicit reverse remodeling by mechanically unloading the left ventricle. Current guidelines target a reduction in LV end-diastolic diameter (LVEDD) of 15% compared with pre-LVAD dimensions; however, there is significant heterogeneity in the degree of unloading achieved. We sought to investigate factors associated with mechanical unloading at 6 months of LVAD support. METHODS Data were retrospectively collected for 75 LVAD recipients at five time points pre-LVAD, within 14 days post-LVAD, and at 1, 3, and 6 months post-LVAD. The percentage change in LVEDD between the pre-LVAD and 6 months post-LVAD time points was termed ΔLVEDD. Optimal LV unloading was defined as ΔLVEDD of ≥15% at 6 months. Patients who achieved optimal unloading (group A, n = 30) were compared with patients who did not (group B, n = 45). RESULTS At 6 months, optimally unloaded patients (group A) demonstrated higher fractional shortening (15% ± 10% vs 10% ± 7%, P = .007), lower rates of moderate or severe mitral regurgitation (10% vs 33%, P = .