Emergency skill training--a randomized controlled study on the effectiveness of the 4-stage approach compared to traditional clinical teaching

The "4-stage approach" has been widely accepted for practical skill training replacing the traditional 2 stages ("see one, do one"). However, the superior effectiveness of the 4-stage approach was never proved.

Use of modern and traditional products to self-treat symptoms of sexually transmitted infections in South African women

The objective of the study is to investigate products used by women self-treating symptoms of reproductive tract infections (RTIs), including sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and their methods of administration. A household survey using a multi-stage cluster sample design was undertaken in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Women aged 18-60 years were interviewed (n = 867) and information was collected on demographics, reproductive health and sexual behaviours. A fifth of women reported having RTI/STI symptoms (20.5%), of whom 41.9% were treating these symptoms (mostly discharge [79.1%], ulcers [6.8%] and itching [7.7%]). Only three women were using medication prescribed by a health provider, while the remainder were self-treating using traditional medicines and modern products, including antiseptics, soaps, petroleum jelly, menthol creams and alum. Products were administered in various ways. Although RTI/STI treatment is widely available and free in public health facilities, many women are still self-treating. Potential harm of products for self-treatment requires further investigation and efforts should be made to improve STI service uptake.

Quassinoids: From traditional drugs to new cancer therapeutics

Quassinoids are a group of compounds extracted from plants of the Simaroubaceae family, which have been used for many years in folk medicine. These molecules gained notoriety after the initial discovery of the anti-leukemic activity of one member, bruceantin, in 1975. Currently over 150 quassinoids have been isolated and classified based on their chemical structures and biological properties investigated in vitro and in vivo. Many molecules display a wide range of inhibitory effects, including anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, anti-malarial and anti-proliferative effects on various tumor cell types. Although often the exact mechanism of action of the single agents remains unclear, some agents have been shown to affect protein synthesis in general, or specifically HIF-1α and MYC, membrane polarization and the apoptotic machinery. Considering that future research into chemical modifications is likely to generate more active and less toxic derivatives of natural quassinoids, this family represents a powerful source of promising small molecules targeting key prosurvival signaling pathways relevant for diverse pathologies. Here, we review available knowledge of functionality and possible applications of quassinoids and quassinoid derivatives, spanning traditional use to the potential impact on modern medicine as cancer therapeutics.

Liver fat quantification by dual-echo MR imaging outperforms traditional histopathological analysis

The aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of dual-echo (DE) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with and without fat and water separation for the quantification of liver fat content (LFC) in vitro and in patients undergoing liver surgery, with comparison to histopathologic analysis.