Asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are pulmonary diseases that are characterized by inflammatory cell infiltration, cytokine production, and airway hyper-reactivity. Most of the effector cells responsible for these pathologies reside in the lungs. One of the most direct ways to deliver drugs to the target cells is via the trachea. In a pre-clinical setting, this can be achi...

The present investigation sought to comparatively explore the effect of length of residence (LOR) as well as EFL instruction on the pragmatic competence of Iranian learners. The participants were 45 EFL learners in Iran and 45 learners in Canada selected based on snowball sampling and each group was divided into three sub-groups based on the years of learning English in an EFL or a natural sett...

Objectives. Hospital fear and avoidance of the routine hospital obstetrical interventions cause some women with low-risk pregnancies to spend most of the active labor period at home, and subsequently they present to the hospital for delivery. Our aim was to analyze the maternal and neonatal outcomes of pregnancies with a planned hospital birth, yet spending the first stage of labor at home with...

We discuss a possible framework for virtualizing the delivery of university courses. With the advent of new technological innovations like high speed computer networks and multimedia computers, there is an increasing awareness that direct face to face teaching is not the only possible mode of teaching in a university system. There is a demand for preparing high quality multimedia course materia...

Objectives and design National guidelines emphasise the need to enhance arm hand recovery poststroke. OnTrack is a 12-week package aiming address this need. Feasibility was evaluated in single-arm feasibility study (reported separately). This paper presents findings from nested process evaluation. The objectives were explore users’ experiences of fidelity delivery, order inform definitive trial...

Objective. To examine practice patterns for diagnosis and treatment of chorioamnionitis among US obstetricians. Study Design. We distributed a mail-based survey to members of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, querying demographics, practice setting, and chorioamnionitis management strategies. We performed univariable and multivariable analyses. Results. Of 500 surveys dis...

OBJECTIVES The objectives of this study were to define the components of a skilled low-cavity non-rotational vacuum delivery (occiput anterior, vertex at station +2 or below and less than 45-degree rotation from midline) and to facilitate the transfer of skills from expert to trainee obstetricians. DESIGN Qualitative study using interviews and video recordings. SETTING Two university teachi...

The initial composition of acrylic bone cement along with the mixing and delivery technique used can influence its final properties and therefore its clinical success in vivo. The polymerisation of acrylic bone cement is complex with a number of processes happening simultaneously. Acrylic bone cement mixing and delivery systems have undergone several design changes in their advancement, althoug...

INTRODUCTION Australia's National Mental Health Strategy's statement of rights and responsibilities states that children and adolescents admitted to a mental health facility or community program have the right to be separated from adult patients and provided with programs suited to their developmental needs. However, in rural Australia, where a lack of healthcare services, financial constraints...