Physical Side Research Articles

Patient Perceptions of Radiation Therapy Prior to Initial Consultation with a Radiation Oncologist

PurposeThere are currently limited data regarding patient perceptions and fears related to radiation therapy (RT). This study sought to identify and quantify patient concerns regarding RT and to determine the potential value of assessing these expectations prior to initial consultation. MethodsPatients with no prior history of RT were invited to complete an investigator-developed anonymous electronic survey prior to consultation. Patients were queried about their perceptions of RT and potential fears/concerns. The content validity index for survey items were scored with adequate construct validity. Survey items were scored descriptively through summary statistics. Relationships between respondent variables and responses to survey questions were analyzed by univariate and multivariate logistic regression. ResultsFrom September 2020 through June 2022, 214 patients completed the survey and were included in the analysis. Fifty percent of respondents reported a complete lack of knowledge regarding RT. Twenty-seven percent of patients reported that RT is their most worrisome cancer treatment, compared to chemotherapy or surgery. The most common self-reported fears of RT included general side effects, skin burns, not knowing what to expect regarding RT, pain, and organ damage. The most frequently reported concerns of physical side effects of RT included pain (67%), memory loss (62%), nausea/vomiting (60%), and skin reactions (58%). Sixty-two percent of respondents reported being either moderately or very concerned about their ability to perform daily activities. Thirty-six percent of respondents reported at least moderate concern over the financial cost of RT. Twenty-six percent of respondents reported at least moderate concern regarding transportation to RT. Forty-eight percent of respondents reported concern about emitting radiation to others. ConclusionsPatient concerns related to RT toxicities and impact on daily life were common, as were misconceptions of RT. Pre-consultation assessment of patient expectations regarding RT is feasible and may be helpful in addressing patients concerns early and in real-time.

Evaluating the feasibility of an Adapted Physical Activity intervention among breast cancer patients

Abstract Adapted physical activity (PA) programs have shown promising results to reduce physical, psychological and social side effects associated with breast cancer (BC), but the extent to which they can be effectively adopted, implemented and maintained is unclear. The aim of this study is to use the RE-AIM (Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation and Maintenance) framework to evaluate RIPOSTE (Reconstruction, Image de soi, Posture, Oncologie, Santé, Thérapie, Escrime), an innovative intervention focused on improving the quality of life (QoL) of BC surgery patients through fencing. A convergent mixed-methods pilot study was conducted to evaluate the RE-AIM dimensions of RIPOSTE. 24 participants who have just undergone surgery for invasive BC were randomly allocated either in the “RIPOSTE” group (starting immediately after their inclusion), or the “Delayed RIPOSTE” group (starting at 3 months following their inclusion). They answered to questionnaires at inclusion and at the end of the program on QoL, shoulder functional capacity, fatigue, anxiety-depression and PA. Interviews were conducted with 10 participants, 3 sports physicians and 1 fencing master. RIPOSTE program was able to reach mainly young and dynamic participants, attracted by the originality of fencing and keen to improve their physical condition. Regarding effectiveness, our results suggest a trend to the improvement of health indicators, even without any significant differences between the two groups. The cooperation, exchanges and cohesion within the group greatly facilitated the adoption of the program, whereas interruptions during vacations were the main barriers. Maintenance analyses showed that most participants continued to practice PA after the program. RIPOSTE is an acceptable and effective program for involving BC survivors in PA, that needs to be tested at larger scale to investigate its effectiveness, but has the potential to be transferred and scaled up worldwide. Key messages • These results would help to enrich the literature on how to best intervene to enhance treatment and recovery among patients and facilitate transfer from a research program to a field daily practice. • By highlighting complexities of RIPOSTE effectiveness and implementation, this study could lead to a more complete program that addresses issues related to improving external and internal validity.

Assessing the Impact of the Prostate Cancer Patient Empowerment Program (PC-PEP) on Relationship Satisfaction, Quality of Life, and Support Group Participation: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Background/Objectives: The Prostate Cancer Patient Empowerment Program (PC-PEP) is a 6-month, home-based intervention aimed at enhancing mental health in men undergoing curative prostate cancer treatment. This exploratory secondary analysis evaluates PC-PEP's impact on relationship satisfaction, quality of life, and support group attendance among partnered participants. Methods: In a crossover randomized clinical trial ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03660085) of 128 men aged 50-82 scheduled for curative prostate cancer surgery or radiotherapy, 119 participants in relationships were included. Of these, 59 received the 6-month PC-PEP intervention, while 60 were randomized to a waitlist-control arm, receiving standard care for 6 months before starting PC-PEP. The intervention included daily emails with video instructions on mental and physical health, diet, social support, fitness, stress reduction, and intimacy. Outcomes were assessed using the Dyadic Adjustment Scale (DAS) and the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Prostate (FACT-P). Results: While relationship satisfaction remained stable, a significant improvement in emotional well-being was observed at 12 months in participants undergoing radiation therapy (p = 0.045). The PC-PEP intervention also led to significantly higher support group attendance at both 6 months (p = 0.001) and 12 months (p = 0.003), emphasizing its role in fostering social support and community engagement. Conclusions: The PC-PEP program effectively maintains relationship satisfaction and enhances emotional well-being, particularly in patients with fewer physical side effects. Its design promotes comprehensive care by integrating physical, psychological, and social support, making it a valuable resource for improving the quality of life in prostate cancer patients and potentially applicable to other cancer types.

Barriers to the Completion of Radiation Therapy in Cervical Cancer Treatment in Nigeria: A Review of Socioeconomic, Geographical, and Psychosocial Factors.

Cervical cancer is a major health concern in Nigeria, where it is one of the primary causes of cancer-related deaths among women. Despite the crucial role of radiation therapy in treating cervical cancer, many patients in Nigeria do not complete their prescribed treatment courses. This review examines the barriers contributing to this issue. Factors such as low awareness and utilization of Pap smears, inadequate HPV vaccination, financial constraints, insufficient radiotherapy infrastructure, and the psychological burden of cancer treatment are explored. Limited screening and vaccination efforts exacerbate the high incidence of cervical cancer in Nigeria. Financial barriers are a primary obstacle, with many patients unable to afford the high cost of radiotherapy. Nigeria's radiotherapy infrastructure is severely lacking leading to significant treatment delays and cancellations. Geographical barriers further complicate access, as many patients must travel long distances to reach treatment centers. Psychosocial issues, including anxiety and depression, significantly impact treatment adherence and completion. These psychological factors, coupled with the physical side effects of radiotherapy, contribute to high rates of treatment interruption. To address these challenges, the review suggests enhancing cervical cancer prevention through increased human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination and screening, expanding radiotherapy capacity by increasing the number of treatment centers, and providing comprehensive support systems to address financial and psychosocial barriers. By implementing these strategies, it is possible to improve treatment adherence and outcomes for cervical cancer patients in Nigeria.

Effect of γ-rays irradiation on the structural, magnetic, and electrochemical properties of ZnMn2O4 nanoparticles

The study explored the effect of gamma-ray irradiation on the physical, magnetic, and electrochemical properties of ZnMn2O4 synthesized by the burning method. On the physical characterization side, the study utilized multiple metrology techniques to determine the impact of radiation dosage on bond lengths, density, crystallite size, micro strain, lattice constant, and dislocation density. No irradiation impact on the sample's tetragonal spinel structure was observed up to 250 kGy doses. However, the lattice parameters increased post-γ-irradiation and were apparent in the morphology change of irradiated samples compared to control spinel. Conversely, the magnetic parameters decreased post-irradiation based on the vibrating-sample magnetometry (VSM) testing of control and γ-irradiated samples. Changes in parameters like saturation magnetization (Ms) and magneton number (nB) can be attributed to ion-induced disorder and cation distribution in irradiated samples. Finally, the electrochemical testing showed supercapacitor behavior for all ZnMn2O4 samples, with a positive impact of radiation on electrical capacitance and stability. While the γ-irradiated sample with a 250 kGy dose showed a capacitance (Csp) of 515 F/g with 87.6% stability, the control sample had a Csp of 123 F/g and 78% stability. ZnMn2O4 material meets the needs of energy storage devices operating at high ionizing radiation doses.

“Tell me I’m okay”: A cross-sectional quality-of-life assessment of patients in a breast cancer survivorship program.

213 Background: The number of breast cancer survivors is increasing due to improvements in care and an aging population, leading to an increased need for care that addresses the physical and psychological needs of patients after completion of active treatment. The Sunnybrook Breast Cancer Survivorship Program was established to provide comprehensive evidence-based survivorship care and facilitate the transition to family doctors. Despite rising interest in dedicated survivorship care, there is little consensus regarding which individuals are likely to suffer the most long-term impacts of breast cancer treatment. Factors as varied as age, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and treatment type can influence Quality-of-Life (QoL) outcomes. This cross-sectional assessment uses mixed methods to evaluate QoL trends in the patient cohort. Methods: Current patients of the Sunnybrook Breast Cancer Survivorship Program were asked to complete a baseline information form, as well as the EORTC QLQ-30 and BR-45, two validated measures of QoL for breast cancer patients and survivors. QoL, functional, and symptom domains were calculated from these responses accordingly and analyzed statistically. Patients reported their most bothersome QoL concerns through an open-ended questionnaire, which was analyzed and organized thematically. 99 patients have been recruited to date, of a planned 200. Results: We find that sexual health is of importance for this population, with 50 (50.5%) participants reporting sexual activity. Patients under 50 have poorer sexual functioning scores (p<0.01) as well as more issues with body image (p<0.05) than older survivors. Both married and under-50 patients are significantly more likely to have poorer outlooks on the future (p<0.05; p<0.01). Younger patients also tended to have worse role functioning, cognitive functioning, emotional functioning, and social functioning scores, though these differences were not statistically significant. Thematic analysis of qualitative data showed that patients’ chief concerns were the impact that ongoing side effects had on their daily functioning, impact of treatment on body image, disruptions to work and personal relationships, and strong anxiety about potential recurrence. Conclusions: While it is understood that younger BC survivors face unique challenges, our findings indicate that these obstacles persist into older age groups. In addition to physical side effects, such concerns as body image issues, social strain, and emotional functioning can drive QoL scores for these patients. Notably, many patients endorsed strong anxiety regarding potential recurrence that affected QoL, and identified dedicated survivorship follow-up as an ameliorating factor. Further research should be conducted into the unique needs of under-50 survivors, as well as the role of recurrence anxiety in impacting QoL.

Indoor mapping accuracy comparison between the apple devices’ LiDAR sensor and terrestrial laser Scanner

ABSTRACT Indoor 3D mapping is crucial for various architectural uses, including transforming physical floor plans and side walls into digital format, offering an interactive visualization of plans, sections, and elevations, and enabling data accessibility for different engineering needs, according to the available scanning tools, 3D interior modelling for surveying indoors usually uses terrestrial laser scanners, as they provide high accuracy but are expensive and take a long time, especially in data processing. Apple recently released smartphones with LiDAR sensors that can create 3D models. This study evaluates the accuracy of these LiDAR sensors, which are nearly cost 2.5% of the terrestrial laser scanners price and produce promising 3D model for indoor mapping. Evaluation is through a comparison between Apple’s iPad Pro 2021 LiDAR sensor and the terrestrial laser scanner Trimble Tx8, a 3D model created of a hall in the university campus using the Laser Scanner Trimble Tx8 and another two-3D models of the same hall using the iPad’s Pro 2021 LiDAR sensor, one of which is dynamic acquisition since the iPad was in motion and the other is static acquisition where the iPad stayed still and scanned the same hall through multiple overlapping scans, Comparisons were conducted depending on lengths, widths, hight and area measurements. In the static acquisition model, linear readings were 1–2 cm off, while area measurements were around 1-meter square accuracy.

Identifying the most critical side effects of antidepressant drugs: a new model proposal with quantum spherical fuzzy M-SWARA and DEMATEL techniques

Identifying and managing the most critical side effects encourages patients to take medications regularly and adhere to the course of treatment. Therefore, priority should be given to the more important ones, among these side effects. However, the number of studies that make a priority examination is limited. There is a need for a new study that determines which of these effects are more priority to increase the quality of the treatment. Accordingly, this study aims to define the most important side effects of antidepressant drugs with a novel model. Quantum Spherical fuzzy M-SWARA technique is considered to compute the importance weights of the items. The main contribution of this study is that the most critical side effects can be understood for antidepressant drugs by establishing a novel decision-making model. The findings demonstrate that psychological side effects are defined as the most critical side effects of antidepressant drugs. Furthermore, physical side effects also play a key role in this condition. Side effects in antidepressant treatment have a great impact on the effectiveness of treatment and patient compliance.

Effects of GSH on Alcohol Metabolism and Hangover Improvement in Humans: A Randomized Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Crossover Clinical Trial.

The definition of alcohol hangovers refers to a combination of mental and physical side effects that occur after drinking. One of the ways that hangovers can be ameliorated is by promoting the rapid and effective elimination of acetaldehyde to alleviate the discomfort it causes. This study aimed to investigate the effects of GSH (yeast extract containing 50 mg of glutathione) on the hangover-relieving effect. A randomized double-blind placebo-controlled crossover clinical trial was conducted with 40 participants who reported experiencing hangover symptoms. Participants consumed alcohol at a rate of 0.78 g per kg body weight with 40% whiskey, adjusted according to their weight. Alcohol and acetaldehyde concentrations in serum were analyzed at 0, 0.25, 1, 2, 4, 6, and 15 h after alcohol consumption. In the GSH group, the serum alcohol concentration decreased, although this change was not statistically significant. The serum acetaldehyde concentration was significantly lower in the GSH group in comparison to the placebo group (at 0.25, 1, 4, and 6 h (p < 0.01) and at 0.5, 2, and 15 h (p < 0.001) after alcohol consumption). However, there was no significant difference between the two groups on questionnaires such as the Acute Hangover Scale and the Alcohol Hangover Severity Scale. Overall, we consider the discovery that GSH lowered acetaldehyde concentration, a crucial factor in alcohol metabolism, to be more considerable. Therefore, GSH administration effectively reduces acetaldehyde levels in serum. This result suggests that this effect may contribute to the relief of hangover symptoms.

The Effectiveness of Nonpharmacological Interventions in the Management of Chemotherapy Physical Side Effects: A Systematic Review.

Despite advancements in cancer treatment, chemotherapy side effects significantly impact patients both physically and emotionally. While pharmacological treatments can mitigate these side effects, they may trigger additional side effects, exacerbating the overall discomfort experienced by patients; moreover, psychological factors influencing physical symptoms are beyond the reach of pharmacological interventions. Nonpharmacological interventions, however, offer the potential for complementary or alternative solutions. This review aims to offer a comprehensive analysis of the literature on the effectiveness of nonpharmacological interventions in managing the physical side effects of chemotherapy. This review, based on a search of PubMed, PsycINFO, and Web of Science databases, identified 46 relevant studies. It categorizes interventions and evaluates their effectiveness in managing common chemotherapy side effects (fatigue, nausea, pain, diarrhea, and constipation). Guided imagery, tailored exercises, and Qigong show promise in reducing fatigue, while interventions like yoga and cognitive-behavioral approaches address nausea and vomiting. Pain benefits result from guided imagery and educational interventions. Limited evidence exists for diarrhea and constipation interventions, necessitating further research. This review offers provisional conclusions, emphasizing the potential of integrating evidence-based nonpharmacological approaches alongside pharmacological interventions to enhance patient outcomes and reduce chemotherapy-induced side effects, considering factors such as accessibility, safety, customization, and adaptability in clinical settings.

The Role of Creative Communities in Supporting Development of Urban Heritage Tourism Kota Tua Jakarta

Kota Tua Jakarta or Jakarta’s Old City is a Cultural Heritage Area as well as a National Vital Object. This area is managed by the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government as a historical tourist destination. The increase in tourist visits to this area is caused by various things, one of which is the existence of tourist attractions developed by the local creative community. The role of the creative community has not been identified thoroughly. This study aims to explain the role of the creative community as a supporting tourist attraction in Kota Tua area. In addition, identifying this role is also important to help the government plan regulations that have an impact on optimizing tourism potential. This study was conducted using a qualitative method with descriptive data presentation. The results of the study show that the creative community also plays a role in developing tourism in Kota Tua ​​Jakarta. The role of the creative community is not only in providing new experiences, but also in being able to enliven the attractive atmosphere in the area of ​​cultural heritage sites that have developed into tourist destinations. The creative community has also become a tourism identity in the Kota Tua ​​Jakarta, apart from the physical side of the interesting colonial-style building architecture.

Internet of Things, critical infrastructures, and the governance of cybersecurity in 5G network slicing

Over the last decade, cybersecurity has become a disruptive challenge driven by the shift to 5G networks. 5G is an application-agnostic general-purpose technology (GPT) characterized by its major role as multidimensional upstream technology for a large and open set of downstream Internet of Things (IoT) applications and use cases in various network industries and, more generally, within the economy as a whole. The focus of this paper is on the network economics of cybersecurity governance, considering the interplay between the recent EU cybersecurity regulatory framework, the extensive standardization efforts of international standardization organizations, and the economic incentives to tackle 5G network performance and security challenges. Based on the economic concept of 5G-based network slicing, the entrepreneurial challenges driven by the Internet of Things (IoT) are analyzed with an eye towards the complementarity between the physical side and virtual side of IoT applications. Network slicing gains particular relevance in the context of different types of logically separated, QoS-differentiated 5G bandwidth capacities, which are combined with other virtual resources such as sensor networks, data storage and processing, together with end-to-end slice security. It is shown in this paper that economic incentives for the implementation of 5G cybersecurity cannot be considered in isolation but must be viewed in combination with other performance requirements of 5G network slices. This is the driver for implementing network slicing architectures within 5G networks that feature a multitude of heterogeneous network slices with different QoS differentiation and various cybersecurity requirements.

В.А. Базаров: от технологического эмпиризма к бергсонизму

The article presents an analysis of epistemology and philosophy of science of the Russian marxist philosopher V.A. Bazarov. In the first part of the work, two stages of the philosopher’s evolution are distinguished and analyzed: empiriocritical and voluntarist. First stage of Bazarov’s thought is characterized by anti-metaphysical and empiricist attitudes. What separates him from other representatives of empiriocriticism is his emphasis on the activeness of the cognizing instance. It is shown that around 1910 Bazarov’s views underwent a final shift towards voluntarism, considered as the second stage of his philosophical evolution. It is demonstrated that although Bazarov’s thought developed in this direction independently, the reception of H. Bergson’s philosophy played an important role in the transition between the two stages. Ultimately, the evolution of Bazarov’s views leads him to abandonment of the key commitements of positivism and to adoption of the Bergsonian “philosophy of action”. The second part of the work is devoted to an attempt to actualize Bazarov’s views in their development through their consideration in the context of “technological empiricism”, i.e. a position in the philosophy of science reconstructed by modern scholars that unites such thinkers as A.A. Bogdanov, O. Neurath and N. Cartwright. All of them stress technical, social and physical side of scientific experience, emphasizing the richness of reality under study and ways of its representation, as well as opposing fundamentalism about high-level theoretical constructions in science. The validity of Bazarov’s characterization at the first stage of his evolution as a representative of this position is substantiated. Then, Bazarov’s philosophical evolution is considered once again, but now through the optics of technological empiricism, which allows to draw conclusions about the internal tendency of this theoretical position towards voluntarism and relativism

The Impact of Chest Binding on Pulmonary Functions of Trans and Gender Diverse Youth

PurposeThere is a scarcity of information regarding the health consequences of chest binding and its effects on pulmonary functions (PFs). This study aimed to evaluate binding practices, physical outcomes, and effects on PFs of trans or gender diverse (TGD) youth who bind. MethodsThe TGD and control groups underwent pulmonary function tests (PFTs), with the TGD group undergoing testing both with their binder and after removal. We additionally evaluated binding practices and its physical outcomes. Results33 TGD participants with a mean age of 20.15 ± 2.76 and 31 controls with a mean age of 20.74 ± 2.95 years were included. A large majority reported physical side effects, back pain being the most common. The comparison of PFTs of the TGD group with and without binder showed that vital capacity , forced vital capacity, and forced expiratory volume in 1 second values were significantly lower in the presence of a binder (both % predicted and L) (p < .005). Binding duration (both lifetime and weekly) did not correlate with PFTs, however, the ratio of change in forced expiratory volume -1/ forced vital capacity induced by binding correlated with weekly binding duration. When we separately compared the PFTs of the TGD group with and without binder to the control group, we found no significant difference. DiscussionDespite the abundance of physical side effects, comparison with the control group does not support long-lasting effects of binding on PF; however, it indicates acute restrictive impairment without a significant effect on airflow obstruction in youth who bind. These findings hold significance in facilitating well-informed decision-making processes pertaining to binding practices.

Impact of Face Mask Wearing on Patient-Doctor Communication, and Associated Physical Side Effects

Background: Our study investigated the effect of face masks on communication between doctors and patients and the physical side effects associated with long-term mask use. (of) Methodology: This cross-sectional study was conducted at Jordan University hospital (Hospital) outpatient clinic between October 2021 and February 2022. Some 415 patients completed a self-administered questionnaire developed by the researchers based on their clinical observation and literature review. The questionnaire consisted of three main parts which assessed general sociodemographic information, the effect of mask-wearing on patient-doctor interaction, and common physical side effects of mask-wearing. Results: This study shows that wearing face masks had a significant impact on communication between doctors and patients, making it more difficult for patients to understand what the doctor was explaining to them. This poor communication could lead to non-compliance by patients and negatively affect treatment outcomes. Additionally, the study found other negative physical side effects of wearing face masks, such as the appearance of new or worsened acne, breathing difficulties, new-onset headaches, and an increase in the severity and frequency of pre-existing chronic headaches. Conclusion: Suggestions for future research would be to focus on measuring the extent to which poor communication during a consultation affects compliance and treatment outcomes. We also emphasize the importance of bringing these communication difficulties to the attention of healthcare professionals to avoid poor management and direct efforts towards finding solutions that ensure adequate healthcare for patients.

Bilateral Anterior Capsulotomy for Treatment-Resistant Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

Introduction: Ablative surgery is an intervention of last resort for treatment-resistant obsessive-compulsive disorder (TROCD). Our center has been using bilateral anterior capsulotomy (BAC) for the past 20 years for patients eligible for limbic surgery. This report details our experience with BAC for TROCD. Method: Five patients with OCD met eligibility criteria for BAC. Entry protocols were complex and took around 6 months to complete. Stereotactic radiofrequency was used to produce the capsulotomies. Lesion length varied between 5.7 and 16.9 mm in the coronal plane. Patients were followed between 4 and 20 years. Results: All 5 patients (100%) were responders as defined by the widely accepted criteria of a reduction of ≥35% in Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (YBOCS) score at 18-month follow-up. Four patients remained responders at the 48 months. One patient was lost to follow-up. Responder status when viewed from the perspective of the YBOCS was sustained over the 4- to 20-year follow-up with one relapse 19 years postsurgery when medications were discontinued. Real-world psychiatric outcomes were different as other vulnerabilities surfaced illustrating the multifactorial determinants of mental health. No patient had any significant long-term neurocognitive or physical side effects. Conclusion: BAC should remain an option of last resort for patients with severe OCD who remain unresponsive to all other interventions.

Medical termination of pregnancy: people’s expectations and experiences in the Netherlands

Purpose Annually, approximately 31,000 people experience a termination of pregnancy (TOP) in the Netherlands. In 2021, about one-third of them chose medical termination of pregnancy (MTOP). We explored experiences with MTOP and to what extent expectations, pain, and counselling in the clinic are associated with satisfaction with MTOP. Materials and methods A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted using an online questionnaire. We included 138 respondents, ≥16 years, who chose MTOP (September 2020–March 2022). Results The majority of respondents experienced MTOP more positively than expected or as expected (67%). For 24%, the experience was more negative than expected. In the event of another TOP, half of these respondents would hesitate to choose or would not choose MTOP, mainly due to physical side effects. The majority of respondents (73%) would choose MTOP again. Their main motivation was self-determination during treatment. Respondents cited four key elements: pain, intensity of experience during and after treatment, blood loss, and duration. Correspondence between MTOP expectations and experiences was associated with satisfaction with MTOP, while pain and satisfaction with counselling were not. Conclusions The majority of respondents were satisfied with MTOP and would choose the treatment again. Non-correspondence between expectations and experiences negatively affected satisfaction with MTOP. This highlights the importance of managing expectations by providing accessible information about the variety in expectations and experiences to patients with a focus on key elements of the experience.

Land- and water-based aerobic exercise program on health-related outcomes in breast cancer survivors (WaterMama): study protocol for a randomized clinical trial

BackgroundBreast cancer is a prevalent form of cancer among women worldwide, often accompanied by physical and psychological side effects due to the disease and the treatment’s aggressiveness. Regular physical exercise has emerged as a non-pharmacological approach to improve the quality of life of breast cancer survivors. We herein report the protocol of the WaterMama Study, which aims to evaluate the effects of land- or water-based aerobic exercise programs, compared to a health education program, on cancer-related fatigue and other health-related outcomes in breast cancer survivors.MethodsThe WaterMama trial is a randomized, single-blinded, three-arm, parallel, superiority trial. We aim to recruit 48 women ≥ 18 years of age who have completed primary treatment for stage I–III breast cancer. Participants are randomly allocated in a 1:1:1 ratio to 12-week interventions of aerobic exercise training programs either in the aquatic or land environment (two weekly 45-min sessions) plus health education (a weekly 45-min session), or an active-control group receiving health education alone (a weekly 45-min session). The primary outcome is cancer-related fatigue, and the secondary outcomes include cardiorespiratory fitness, muscular performance, muscle morphology, functional capacity, mental health, cognitive function, pain, and quality of life. Outcomes assessments are conducted before and after the 12-week intervention period. The analysis plan will employ an intention-to-treat approach and per protocol criteria.DiscussionOur conceptual hypothesis is that both aerobic exercise programs will positively impact primary and secondary outcomes compared to the health education group alone. Additionally, due to its multi-component nature, we expect the aquatic exercise program promote more significant effects than the land exercise program on cancer-related fatigue, muscular outcomes, and pain.Trial registrationThe study was prospectively registered at ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05520515. Registered on August 26, 2022. https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05520515

Modified yoga program for Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) patients undergoing hemodialysis: Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Background and objectivesHemodialysis is a life-saving treatment for end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Dialysis patients have a variety of physical and psychological side effects that significantly lower their quality of life. Yoga demonstrated to significantly improve Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) patients' physical and psychological symptoms. The current study evaluates the impact of Yoga on the renal, cardiac, and psychological health of hemodialysis-dependent individuals with CKD. Methods and analysisEighty ESRD patients with CKD stage-5 undergoing dialysis will be recruited for the study. 40 people in each group will be randomly assigned to the yoga and wait-list control groups. A modified sixty-minute yoga program will be given to the yoga group as an intervention in addition to the standard treatments (medication and hemodialysis). The wait-list control group's standard treatments will continue. Data will be collected at baseline, the end of the first month, the third month, and six months. The estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate (eGFR) is the primary variable. Secondary variables include renal function tests, hemoglobin, C-reactive protein, and subjective variables obtained through questionnaires (pain, depression, anxiety, fatigue, symptom score, sleep quality, and Quality of Life). Data will be analyzed with appropriate statistical tests after normality checks. The current study results could underscore the need for a patient-centered, holistic approach in hospital care that takes into account individual health dimensions. Ethics and disseminationThe study is approved by the Institutional Ethics Committee of S-VYASA Deemed to be University. Voluntary participation and a written consent form will be obtained prior to the inclusion of participants. The findings of the study will be disseminated through research articles and conferences. Trial registration numberCTRI/2021/11/038244 at Clinical Trial Registry of India.

Historiosophy of law: synthesis of disciplines or independent questioning?

The article examines the question of the essence of historiosophy as a cognitive discipline. As a result, it was found out that its capabilities are realized not by synthesizing subjects of different sciences (history, philosophy and law), but through an autonomous and self-sufficient range of issues with metaphysical origin and noospheric content. We are talking about a semantic area where the law is considered from the position of “was”, and not “yesterday”. In this regard, they ask: was there a right to “was” and is it still capable of being “was”? The likeness found in his life is evaluated on the subject of whether it was a moment, a passing illusion, or perhaps even “nothing” at all? Or was the grasped “was” itself a being that originated in the past, but has not gone anywhere and has a continuation in existence? As a result, it turns out that in law it leads to “historical transience”, and what in it ensures its “non-historical presence” in being. The study also showed that the main and structurally forming category of historiosophy is time, which is rarely thought about in modern jurisprudence. Jurisprudence is mainly concerned with periods, gaps and deadlines, rather than time per se. The omission of time and knowledge about it left jurisprudence standing on the absolutist and abstract concept of Newton, which never reproduced ideas about time based on reality. The theory played with the physical side of time and missed its socio-psychological dimension, that is, that life is the main vessel of time, the only source of its filling and the key means of exhaustion. The life of atoms, as well as the life of legal goods, is not only the source of their existence, but also the duration of this existence. In turn, time is a fundamental criterion for the viability of legal benefits.