Electronic Search Engines Research Articles

An update on diagnosis and therapeutics for type-2 diabetes mellitus.

Type-2 Diabetes mellitus is a common metabolic disorder. It is combined with co-morbidities, such as obesity, hyperlipidemia, hypertension and cardiovascular disease which taken together, comprise the 'Metabolic Syndrome'. This disease causes crucial morbidity and mortality at considerable expense to patients, their families and society. Different categories of drugs such as insulin secretagogues, insulin sensitizers, alpha-glucosidase inhibitors, GLP-1 agonists, DPP4 inhibitors, dual PPAR agonists and others are used for its management. Therefore, it is of interest to highlight the recent advances in diagnosis and therapeutics used in the treatment of type-2 diabetes mellitus. The classical and online-literature were used to compile data for this study. This includes the electronic search engine such as Scopus, Google Scholar, Sci Finder, PubMed and Web of Science. Data shows that there are different families of oral and injectable drugs at hand for the treatment of T2DM. Hence, we need to develop a novel, safety and effective agents that will improve the quality of life of T2DM patients, considering effectiveness and durability of lowering blood Glucose, risk of hypoglycemia and diabetes complications.

Contraceptive dynamics among women with disabilities in low- and middle-income countries: a scoping review protocol

IntroductionContraceptive dynamics is the use of contraception, unmet need, discontinuation, and/or switching of contraception. Women with disabilities (WWDs) in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) face a common problem: a low prevalence of contraceptive usage and a high unmet need. Even though certain studies have been conducted in high-income countries, research is scarce on the degree of contraceptive method mix, unmet needs, contraception discontinuation, and switching among WWDs in LMICs. As a result, the scoping review’s goal is to investigate, map available evidence, and identify knowledge gaps on contraceptive dynamics within LMICs WWDs.MethodsThe scoping review is guided by the six-stage Arksey and O’Malley methodology framework. Published articles will be retrieved from databases such as PubMed (MEDLINE), the Cochrane Library, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), and Global Health. Grey literature databases will be searched using electronic search engines such as Google Scholar, Google, OpenGrey, and Worldcat. In addition, a manual search of reference lists from recognized studies will be conducted, as well as a hand search of the literature. Any type of study design (e.g., randomized controlled trials, quasi-experimental studies, prospective and retrospective cohort studies, case-control or nested case-control studies, qualitative, cross-sectional studies) will be included in this scoping review. There will be no restrictions on publication year. Two independent reviewers will screen relevant publications, and data will be charted accordingly. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) checklist and reporting guidelines will be used to report all parts of the protocol and scoping review.DiscussionWhen compared to non-disabled women, WWDs had a lower prevalence of contraceptive usage and a higher unmet need in LMICs. Despite these facts, they are the most marginalized people on the planet. This is, therefore, critical to map available evidence and identify knowledge gaps on contraceptive dynamics. As a result, the findings of this scoping review will be significant in terms of the contraceptive dynamic among WWDs in LMICs.Systematic review registrationOpen Science Framework (OSF), with registration number; DOI/10.17605/OSF.IO/XCKPT.

Torture and Maltreatment in Prison: A Medico-Legal Perspective

The maltreatment and torture of prisoners constitute a global problem. Methods of maltreatment are classified as the psychological and the physical, and physical methods inevitably lead to psychological sequelae. Our review offers an analysis from the medico-legal perspective of the literature on the torture and physical and sexual abuse experienced by prisoners and their psychological sequelae and aims to investigate the medico-legal issues of investigating maltreatment in prison so as to suggest methodologies and updated approaches for dealing with such cases in a forensic context. We performed a comprehensive literature search of peer-reviewed publications (articles and reviews), research reports, case studies, books, service models, protocols, and institutional documents available online using key electronic databases (Scopus, PubMed) and search engines (Google Scholar) with the following keywords: physical violence, psychological violence, torture, maltreatment, physical abuse, psychological abuse AND prison OR prisoner OR jail OR custody. In the medical literature, most of the publications on torture are based on retrospective studies of torture among survivors and often refer to asylum seekers. Forensic evaluation is crucial for assessing the determinant elements of torture and maltreatment. A multidisciplinary approach and standardized and updated methodologies are needed to support policymakers, national institutions, and public health system initiatives in this field.

Does Health Literacy Have an Impact on Adherence to Diabetes Mellitus Treatment?

(1) Background: Health literacy is the intersection of general literacy, health, and healthcare, but it can also incorporate elements of other types of literacies to varying degrees. The notion of literacy surfaced from the fear that individuals would require more than general literacy skills to manage the complexities of health and health system issues. There is a substantial overlap between general literacy and health literacy. Diabetes patients frequently misinterpret medication instructions, resulting in non-adherence and poor health outcomes. (2) Aim: This study sought to review the literature on the impacts of health literacy on adherence and compliance to diabetes mellitus treatment. (3) Methods: A Narrative Literature Review method was used to identify, analyze, assess, and interpret the available information on health literacy regarding prescribed medication instructions. The following databases and search engines were used to locate the literature: electronic databases, search engines, and hand searches. Fifty-three (53) quantitative and qualitative studies and two books were reviewed. (4) Result: The review pointed out the following: the importance of health literacy, the implications of health illiteracy versus medication non-adherence, factors influencing health literacy versus medication adherence, and the interventions to improve medication non-adherence. (5) Conclusion: Relatively few studies have been conducted on how people living with diabetes should carry out their treatment. Therefore, more research on how people living with diabetes carry out their treatment daily is required. (6) Contributions: This study has identified that health literacy plays a role in adherence to treatment and contributes to improved health outcomes.

A MODERN VIEW OF RESEARCH METHODS AND SOCIAL CAUSES AFFECTING THE BIRTH OF PREMATURE BABIES

A lot of methods for studying premature babies are given and analyzes based on modern technologies are considered. The data of research literature in Russian in the cyberleninka.ru, eLIBRARY electronic search engines in the Scopus international databases for the period 2018-2022 were processed and analyzed.

Anti-Obesity Effects of Metformin: A Scoping Review Evaluating the Feasibility of Brown Adipose Tissue as a Therapeutic Target.

Brown adipose tissue (BAT) is increasingly recognized as the major therapeutic target to promote energy expenditure and ameliorate diverse metabolic complications. There is a general interest in understanding the pleiotropic effects of metformin against metabolic complications. Major electronic databases and search engines such as PubMed/MEDLINE, Google Scholar, and the Cochrane library were used to retrieve and critically discuss evidence reporting on the impact of metformin on regulating BAT thermogenic activity to ameliorate complications linked with obesity. The summarized evidence suggests that metformin can reduce body weight, enhance insulin sensitivity, and improve glucose metabolism by promoting BAT thermogenic activity in preclinical models of obesity. Notably, this anti-diabetic agent can affect the expression of major thermogenic transcriptional factors such as uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1), nuclear respiratory factor 1 (NRF1), and peroxisome-proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1-alpha (PGC1-α) to improve BAT mitochondrial function and promote energy expenditure. Interestingly, vital molecular markers involved in glucose metabolism and energy regulation such as AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) are similarly upregulated by metformin treatment in preclinical models of obesity. The current review also discusses the clinical relevance of BAT and thermogenesis as therapeutic targets. This review explored critical components including effective dosage and appropriate intervention period, consistent with the beneficial effects of metformin against obesity-associated complications.

Assessing the Effectiveness of Chin-Cup Therapy in the Treatment of Developing Class 3 Malocclusions

Background: Mandibular prognathism in Class 3 malocclusion (CLIII) is one of the most severe maxillofacial deformities. Fortunately, most of this malocclusion cases can be treated by facial growth modification, using extra and/or intra-oral appliances in growing individuals. Occipital-pull chin cup is the extra-oral orthopaedic appliance, which was mostly used for the treatment of mandibular prognathism in growing Class 3 1(Ngan, Sung, 2015). Unjustifiably, most orthodontists I know do not use chin cup therapy in the treatment of CLIII. Therefore, being new to the field of orthodontics, I needed to build a highly evidenced based knowledge on chin cup therapy’s effectiveness in the treatment of developing CLIII with prognathic mandible. Objective: Through a narrative literature review, the aim of the study was assessed following scientific methodology. Articles published from January 2010- November 2020 (commencement of the current review) were collected using keywords derived from PICO. Only highly evidence based studies (randomised and non-randomised clinical trials) with the least risk of bias scores were selected, and critically appraised using the Critical Appraisal Skill Programme (CASP). Results were used to draw the conclusion. Material and Method: The study title was broken down into its PICO (population, intervention, comparative, outcome) components and search keywords were derived. These were used to carry out a literature search through electronic search engines (Medline-PUBMED, Science Direct, ISI Web of Knowledge, Research gate, Google Scholar, Cochrane library and hand searching of references list. Collected articles were assessed for risk of bias using Downs and Black (D&B) scale. Papers with score ‘good’ and above’ on the D&B assessment were critically appraised. PRISMA statement reporting format and Harvard referencing system were adopted in the study. Result: Following the Downs and Black assessment only 4 studies were found at a level worthy to be critically appraised. Results of all the four articles revealed that chin cup therapy produced significant growth modification in the mandible, when applied at an early age. Moreover, chin cup was also found to increase the lower anterior facial height significantly. All the papers considered only the short-term effect of chin cup, but not the long-term effect. Treatment results stability was also not reported. Conclusion: The significant improvement in CLIII manifestation in the selected articles, make it possible to conclude that chin cup is viable for the treatment of CLIII malocclusion with mandibular prognatism. However, treatment results stability needs to be researched.

A Systematic Literature Review of Intensive Care Unit (ICU) Nurses’ Experience During Covid-19

Background: Numerous studies agree that intensive care unit (ICU) nurses carry a relatively heavy mental and physical load, which may be attributable to the gravity of their responsibilities in an environment where the slightest error could have catastrophic effects on the lives of the patients in their care. New insights are needed to support ICU nurses during the pandemic by recognizing their experiences and challenges in work environments. Hence, conducting a systematic literature review may provide a better understanding of the common challenges that ICU nurses experienced during COVID-19 and provide research-based evidence of effective adaptation strategies that have been implemented to lessen their burden. Objective: The impact of the 2019 COVID season on the work of intensive care unit (ICU) nurses is the subject of this review. Methods: A systematic literature review was performed on three electronic search engines, which are Scopus, ProQuest, and Google Scholar, from 2019 to 2022. A PRISMA flow chart was used to facilitate the process of article selection. Results: A total of 12 articles were selected for the review; the main themes were: i) The challenges in taking care of patients; ii) Adaptation strategies; iii) The impact of COVID-19 on social life; and iv) The impact of COVID-19 on perceptions of career. Conclusion: Given the challenges faced by ICU nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic, it is essential for healthcare institutions and policymakers to provide adequate support systems. This includes access to mental health resources, counseling services, and peer support programs to help nurses cope with the emotional and psychological stress associated with their work during a crisis. Even though this review attempted to identify the adaptation strategies used by ICU nurses, there are currently fewer studies investigating this issue. Hence, further study should explore this.

Propolis and its constituents against cardiovascular risk factors including obesity, hypertension, atherosclerosis, diabetes, and dyslipidemia: A comprehensive review.

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are some of the major causes of death worldwide. The modern lifestyle elevates the risk of CVDs. CVDs have several risk factors such as obesity, dyslipidemia, atherosclerosis, hypertension, and diabetes. Using herbal and natural products plays a pivotal role in the treatment of different diseases such as CVDs, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome. Propolis, a natural resinous mixture, is made by honey bees. Its main components are phenolics and terpenoid compounds such as caffeic acid phenethyl ester, chrysin, and quercetin. In this review, multiple studies regarding the pharmacological impacts of propolis and its constituents with their related mechanisms of action against mentioned CVD risk factors have been discussed in detail. Here, we used electronic databases or search engines such as Scopus, Web of Science, Pubmed, and Google Scholar without time limitations. The primary components of propolis are phenolics and terpenoid compounds such as caffeic acid phenethyl ester, chrysin and quercetin. Propolis and its constituents have been found to exhibit anti-obesity, anti-hypertension, anti-dyslipidemic, anti-atherosclerosis, and anti-diabetic effects. The vast majority of studies discussed in this review demonstrate that propolis and its constituents could have therapeutic effects against mentioned CVD risk factors via several mechanisms such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, reducing adipogenesis, HMG-CoA reductase inhibitory effect, inhibition of the ACE, increasing insulin secretion, NO level, etc.

Driving Hazard Perception Tests: A Systematic Review.

The present study was conducted to evaluate previous studies on hazard perception among road users. A comprehensive search was conducted using electronic databases and search engines including Science Direct, PubMed, Scopus, Embase, Web of Science, Iranmedex, SID, Irandoc, and Google Scholar from January 2000 to September 2021. The search was performed using a combination of medical subject heading terms and keywords. Endnote software version 20.0 (Clarivate, Philadelphia, PA, USA) was used to organize the included articles. Thematic content analysis was used to analyze the findings. The entire review process was conducted by two authors, and unresolved challenges were discussed with other researchers. Findings of the study show that all of the tests could discriminate between inexperienced and experienced drivers. The use of dynamic hazard perception tests was more common than static tests, and in some cases, simulators were used. Moreover, the results indicated a weak correlation between the results of dynamic and static tests. Therefore, it could be claimed that both dynamic and static methods measured certain dimensions of hazard perception. Regarding the importance of hazard perception, the findings of this study can provide further progress in designing hazard perception tests. The hazard perception tests can be sensitive to cultural or legal differences. It should also be noted that in developing tools for measuring drivers' hazard perception, different dimensions of hazard perception must be considered, so that the level of drivers' hazard perception can be reported accurately.

Residency is a fundamental stage of professional training of an otorhinolaryngologist

To analyze the results of the assessment of the quality of training in the residency of the Sverzhevky Research Clinical Institute of Otorhinolaryngology according to the survey of residents. The study includes the results of an anonymous questionnaire survey of a sample group of residents of the residency of the Sverzhevky Research Clinical Institute of Otorhinolaryngology of the second year of study. The data obtained allow us to judge the satisfaction with the quality of training of the absolute majority of the interviewed residents, their active use of specialized electronic search engines, a high assessment of the level of lectures, the desire to improve their surgical training. The importance for the professional development of residents of participation in weekly scientific and clinical conferences of the Sverzhevky Research Clinical Institute of Otorhinolaryngology, meetings of the Moscow Scientific Society of Otorhinolaryngologists, traditional annual scientific and practical conferences of otorhinolaryngologists of Moscow, as well as in the activities of the Youth Council of the Institute is noted. The results of the survey create prerequisites for improving the educational process, the formation of professional competencies and readiness for independent work among residents.

Primena socijalnih priča u radu sa decom sa poremećajem iz spektra autizma - komparacija percepcije nastavnika i roditelja

Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) represent a group of neurodevelopmental disorders characterized by deficits in social communication and interaction, and the presence of limited, repetitive patterns of behavior, interests or activities in early development, which negatively affects a person's development in all domains. As deficits in social interaction significantly complicate the adaptation of persons with PSA to the environment, and social skills cannot be learned spontaneously, it is necessary to apply different interventions. Social stories are recommended in working with people with PSA, although it must be pointed out that the results of research on the effectiveness of this intervention are conflicting. As teachers and parents play a significant role in a child's life, and often perceive the child's behavior in different ways, the paper was written with the aim of comparing the experiences of teachers and parents in the application of social stories in children with PsA. Based on the analysis of the included literature, which was accessed through the Google Scholar electronic search engine, it can be concluded that teachers and parents share opinions about the positive effect of social stories in the domain of behavior and social skills of children with PSA. It would be significant if, in future research on the topic of evaluating the application of this intervention, apart from objective factors that indicate changes in the child's behavior, the opinions of parents and teachers are also taken into account during the evaluation, in order to gain a realistic insight into the effectiveness of this intervention, and that its content and method of use would eventually be improved.

The Benefit of Shift Work Schedules for Nurses’ Outcome: A Sytematic Review

Background: the nurse scheduling problem (NSP) is a serious and complex challenge in the medical industry. Effective, efficient, and high-quality services must be carried out by nurses in hospitals.Purpose: the goal of the systematic review was to find out how nurses have a positive impact on shift schedules on professional nurses in hospitals.Methods: employed the PRISMA approach. Electronic search engines from Proquest, Science Direct, and Ebsco were used to locate pertinent publications. Only English-language publications released between January 1, 2019 and December 31, 2021, had an inpatient hospital focus.Results: after identifying 265 references initially, duplicates were eliminated, and then authors from 6 pertinent papers were chosen. Overall, nurses reported that 12-hour shifts had a favorable impact on retention, including "the ability to retain experienced staff." Most nurses are flexible, don't get too tired, and will respond to patient requests like "better handoff" and "improvement of morale", Conclusion: Given that shift nurses are supposed to work about 37 hours per week and that 12-hour shifts are popular (i.e., three shifts of 12-hours). Nurse managers may think about taking action to assist nurses in reducing potential job stress brought on by the need to work shifts in order to maintain patient care. More investigation is required.

Physical, Functional, Psychological, and Social Effects of a Physical Activity Program in Adults and Older Adults During and/or After Hospitalization for COVID-19: A Systematic Review.

It is necessary to investigate the effects of physical activity (PA) on the recovery of adults and the elderly, considering PA positively affects pathologies that share similarities with COVID-19. We present the results of a systematic review whose objective was to analyze the physical, functional, psychological, and social effects of PA in adults and the elderly during and/or after hospitalization for COVID-19. Searches were conducted between July and August 2021, following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement. Randomized clinical trials (RCTs) and non-randomized interventional studies were included in the databases: PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, EBSCOhost, Science Direct, Cochrane Library, Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro), and electronic search engines. Study quality was assessed using the PEDro for RCTs and the methodological index scale for non-randomized studies. This systematic review included original articles investigating the physical, functional, psychological, and social effects of any PA program on adults and older adults. A total of 302 studies were found. After applying filters according to the eligibility criteria, five studies were finally included for analysis, three RCTs and two intervention studies without a control group. Although the studies measured different variables of the physical, functional, and psychological components, the results showed significant differences in the variables between the control and intervention groups in both the RCTs and the single-group studies. The variables assessed in the social aspect were less homogeneous. In the available scientific evidence, respiratory muscle training was the most widely used intervention, which showed positive results in the physical, pulmonary, psychological, and social components. More research is required on the effects of PA on the population studied.

Orofacial and facial pain during the new coronavirus infection (COVID-19) pandemic. Choosing a non-steroid anti-inflammator – focus on nimesulide

Doctors of various specialties face orofacial and facial pain in their practice: dentists, maxillofacial surgeons, neurologists, neurosurgeons, otorhinolaryngologists, therapists, general practitioners, traumatologists, ophthalmologists, psychotherapists, physiotherapists, aesthetic medicine doctors, anesthesiologists, plastic surgeons and other specialists. The novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) pandemic, spread by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, has become a challenge for all medical specialties and health care systems around the world. The respiratory system is the dominant target of SARS-CoV-2. The oral mucosa is also highly susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection, due to the wide distribution of angiotensin-converting enzyme type II receptors in the oral cavity. We searched the literature for the period from the beginning of the pandemic until August 22, 2022, on the study of the association of orofacial pain with a new coronavirus infection COVID-19 in the electronic search engines PubMed and Scopus. Analysis of the found sources indicates an increase in the frequency of various types of orofacial pain associated with 1) violation of dentoalveolar and related structures during the COVID-19 pandemic; 2) temporomandibular disorders; 3) with damage or disease of the cranial nerves; and 4) like manifestations of primary headache. This growth is due both directly to the infection caused by SARS-CoV-2, its complications, and to a complex of biopsychosocial factors directly related to the pandemic. In the second part of the article, as part of the review, the possibility of using nimesulide for the treatment of orofacial and facial pain during the COVID-19 pandemic is discussed. The choice of nimesulide is supported by 1) the likely coadjuvant effect of nimesulide in the treatment of COVID-19; 2) positive experience with the use of nimesulide in the treatment of facial and orofacial pain in the period preceding the COVID-19 pandemic; 3) the safety of using nimesulide in comorbid patients, who are the main risk group for the development and severe course of COVID-19.

Epidemic Outbreak of COVID-19 in Foreign Closed Long-Term Care Facilities

Objective. Of particular interest is the incidence of COVID-19 in closed groups, in institutions, in particular, in nursing homes, geriatric centers, veterans' homes and neuropsychiatric boarding schools.Methods. Analysis and description of COVID-19 foci in closed long-term care facilities was carried out using literature sources from the MEDLINE medical information database using the PubMed electronic search engine, using the search query CARE HOME OR NURSING HOME OR LONG-TERM CARE FACILITY AND COVID-19 AND OUTBREAK. The share of sick people as a percentage of the total number of residents and individual employees was considered only in those publications that described the outbreak of COVID-19 in a single institution. The absence of data on the number of hospitalizations and deaths, symptoms, and data on the time frame of the outbreak was not an exclusion criterion, but their presence was taken into account in the analysis. We selected mainly publications where people with a positive PCR test for SARS-CoV-2 RNA were considered to be ill with COVID-19. However, it is worth considering that the authors describe outbreaks during the first rise in the incidence of COVID-19 in the world, when there was a shortage of test systems for a new coronavirus infection.Results. An overview of the incidence of COVID-19 in the world in closed long-term care institutions is presented. It has been shown that residents of closed communities are elderly people with many concomitant diseases, in connection with which a severe course of COVID-19 and high mortality are often noted.Conclusion. Convictions about the need to strengthen the quality of anti-epidemic measures in closed long-term care institutions, which are at risk, are summarized.

Obstetric and Maternal Outcomes After B-Lynch Compression Sutures: A Meta-Analysis.

This review article aimed to determine the obstetric and maternal outcomes after B-Lynch compression sutures to control atonic postpartum hemorrhage (PPH). This meta-analysis was performed after registering the protocol in the PROSPERO database with the registration number CRD42022355358. Two independent reviewers systematically searched electronic databases and search engines (PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar) to retrieve published articles from inception to July 2022. The obstetric and maternal outcomes after the B-Lynch compression suture were computed using the random-effects model inpooled proportion with a 95% confidence interval (CI). Meta-regression analysis and subgroup analysis were performed to explain any source of possible heterogeneity. Quality assessment of the included studies was done using Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) tools which are critical appraisal tools for systematic reviews and meta-analyses. This meta-analysis included a total of 30 studies involving 1,270 subjects. The pooled proportion of B-Lynch suture alone was 91% (95% CI = 82-97%). The combined proportion of B-Lynch suture plus another compression suture was 1% (95% CI = 0-3%), and the pooled proportion of B-Lynch suture plus vessel ligation was 3% (95% CI = 1-6%). The pooled proportions of PPH controlled and hysterectomies were 94% (95% CI = 91-97%, I2 = 65.3%) and 7% (95% CI = 4-10%, I2 = 72.13%), respectively. Therefore, B-Lynch suture (either alone or in combination with other techniques) is a simple and effective measure to control atonic PPH.

Social Networking Services as a Tool for Support of Mothers: A Literature Review.

Difficulties experienced by mothers in raising their children can be resolved using social networking services (SNSs). Being aware of issues associated with SNSs in such situations may be useful for supporting mothers. We herein review the issues associated with using SNSs to support mothers. This review was conducted using an electronic search engine to search for articles that described issues associated with using SNSs to support mothers, and which were published up to August 2022. After screening, a total of 19 articles were included. We thematically categorized the contents into three major issues associated with using SNSs for support of mothers: (1) issues on the management side, (2) issues on the user side, and (3) social and environmental issues. The mainly discussed issues were the safety of using SNSs and/or securing and training human resources on the management side, busyness of mothers on the user side, as well as sociocultural and communication environment-related limitations as social and environmental issues. The issues we detected would aid in developing the use of SNSs as a tool to support mothers. Further research on these issues is needed.

ADAPTATION OF “DRIED BLOOD DROP” METHOD FOR THERAPEUTIC DRUG MONITORING

To control the concentration of drugs with a narrow therapeutic range, and to conduct effective and safe treatments, Therapeutic Drug Monitoring (TDM) is carried out. However, to date, the implementation of TDM is associated with various difficulties, for the solution of which more convenient and less invasive methods for collecting biological material are being developed.The aim of the study was to develop protocols for the collection and storage of “dried blood spot” (DBS) samples, as well as protocols for the validation methods for the quantitative determination of drugs in whole blood, using this technology for subsequent therapeutic drug monitoring.Materials and methods. To analyze a “dried blood spot” method in detail and to identify the characteristic features of taking and storing biosamples, a collection and analysis of scientific literature over the past 10 years has been conducted. The search for literature materials has been carried out from open and accessible sources located in the scientific libraries of institutions, in electronic databases and search engines: Elibrary, PubMed, Scopus, Cyberleninka, Medline, ScienceDirect, Web of Science, Google Scholar. Primary protocols for taking, storing and analyzing samples of the “dried blood drop” have been prepared. To obtain the adequate quality samples, the developed protocols have been tested and optimized at the stages of selection and storage. By high-performance liquid chromatography with mass spectrometric detection (HPLC-MS/MS), using a “dried blood drop” as a sample preparation, drug validation protocols have been optimized to ensure that acceptable validation characteristics were achieved, and subsequent Therapeutic Drug Monitoring was performed.Results. The features of the collection, storage and analysis of the “dried blood spot” samples have been revealed. Such characteristics as a spot volume effect, a hematocrit effect, a droplet uniformity, which can affect the results of a quantitative HPLC-MS/MS analysis, have been determined. For a successful use of the new methods, appropriate protocols for taking samples of “dried blood spot” from the finger of adult patients and from the heel of newborns, as well as protocols for validating methods for the quantitative determination of drugs from these samples, have been developed.Conclusion. The application of the “dried blood spot” method using newly developed protocols for taking, storing and analyzing biological samples, relieves the existing constraints in conducting TDM, and can later become a promising method for conducting preclinical and clinical studies.

Is telehealth an effective and feasible option for improving falls-related outcomes in community-dwelling adults with neurological conditions? A systematic review and meta-analysis

Objective To determine the effectiveness of telehealth interventions in reducing community falls risk or rates compared to equivalent in-person interventions in adults with neurological conditions. Data Sources Eight electronic databases, trial registries and search engines were searched for the concepts ‘falls’, ‘neurological conditions’, and ‘telehealth’, limited to English language, from inception until August 2022. Review methods Search for original research where the intervention was delivered via synchronous videoconferencing with the aim of reducing falls and falls-related outcomes. Screening and risk of bias assessment were completed by two independent researchers. Outcome data included falls rates, falls-related outcomes, safety, feasibility, and acceptability. Risk of bias was assessed using the ROB-2 and ROBINS-I tools. Quality of evidence was rated with the grading of recommendations, assessment, development and evaluation (GRADE) approach. Results Seventeen studies with 581 participants were included; six were randomised controlled trials. Risk of bias ranged from low to high. Only one study (n = 76) reported falls and did not find differences between telehealth and in-person physiotherapy. There was low-quality evidence that telehealth interventions improve balance outcomes more than face-to-face interventions (pooled between-group mean difference 2.48 Berg Balance Scale units, 95%CI 0.77 to 4.20). Fear of falling was not different between intervention delivery modes. Conclusion Findings suggest that telehealth delivered falls prevention interventions are safe, feasible and acceptable in community-dwelling adults with neurological conditions, however, data related to effectiveness in reducing falls is limited. Low-quality evidence suggests that telehealth may deliver similar or better outcomes for standing balance in this population. PROSPERO Registration: (CRD42021240167).