Plos One
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To systematically evaluate the efficacy and safety of Modified Tongxie Yaofang (M-TXYF) for the treatment of diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D). ⋯ This meta-analysis indicated that M-TXYF could be a promising Chinese herbal formula in treating IBS-D. However, considering the lack of higher quality of randomized controlled trials (RCTs), highly believable evidences should be required.
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Manual hyperinflation (MH), a maneuver applied in mechanically ventilated patients to facilitate secretion removal, has large variation in its performance. Effectiveness of MH is usually evaluated by its capacity to generate an expiratory flow bias. The aim of this study was to compare the effects of MH-and its resulting flow bias-applied according to clinical practice versus according to expert recommendation on mucus movement in a lung model simulating a mechanically ventilated patient. ⋯ Performance of MH during clinical practice with PIF higher than PEF was ineffective to clear secretion in a lung model simulating a mechanically ventilated patient. In order to remove secretion, MH should result in an adequate expiratory flow bias.
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Lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM) is a rare, almost exclusively female lung disease linked to inactivating mutations in tuberous sclerosis complex 2 (TSC2), a tumor suppressor gene that controls cell metabolic state and growth via regulation of the mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTORC1) signaling. mTORC1 is frequently activated in human cancers and, although the mTORC1 inhibitor rapamycin has a cytostatic effect, it is, in general, unable to elicit a robust curative effect or tumor regression. Using RNA-Seq, we identified (1) Insulin-like Growth Factor (IGF2) as one of the genes with the highest fold-change difference between human TSC2-null and TSC2-expressing angiomyolipoma cells from a patient with LAM, and (2) the mouse IGF2 homolog Igf2, as a top-ranking gene according to fold change between Tsc2-/- and Tsc2+/+ mouse embryo fibroblasts (MEFs). We extended transcript-level findings to protein level, observing increased Igf2 protein expression and Igf2 secretion by Tsc2-/- MEFs. ⋯ In human pulmonary LAM lesions and metastatic cell clusters, high levels of IGF2 were associated with mTORC1 activation. In addition, treatment of three primary IGF2-expressing LAM lung cell lines with rapamycin did not result in IGF2 level changes. Thus, targeting of IGF2 signaling may be of therapeutic value to LAM patients, particularly those who are unresponsive to rapamycin.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Pragmatic Clinical Trial
Individually-tailored multifactorial intervention to reduce falls in the Malaysian Falls Assessment and Intervention Trial (MyFAIT): A randomized controlled trial.
To determine the effectiveness of an individually-tailored multifactorial intervention in reducing falls among at risk older adult fallers in a multi-ethnic, middle-income nation in South-East Asia. ⋯ Individually-tailored multifactorial intervention was ineffective as a strategy to reduce falls. Future research efforts are now required to develop culturally-appropriate and affordable methods of addressing this increasingly prominent public health issue in middle-income nations.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Effects of early, combined endurance and resistance training in mechanically ventilated, critically ill patients: A randomised controlled trial.
Neuromuscular weakness resulting in severe functional impairment is common in critical care survivors. This study aimed to evaluate effects of an early progressive rehabilitation intervention in mechanically ventilated adults at risk. ⋯ Early endurance and resistance training in mechanically ventilated, intensive care patients does not improve functional capacity or independence at hospital discharge compared to early standard physiotherapy but may improve mental health 6-months after critical care discharge.