Background This study reports on the process of conducting participatory research by training peer researchers to conduct interviews and analyse data collected with parents of overweight children. The methodology was chosen as a means of (a) encouraging participation among a hard-to-engage group (i.e., parents of overweight children), and (b) generating novel insights and challenging academic/h...

Here, we present a simple theoretical model to study plasmid stability, based on one input parameter which is the copy number of plasmids present in a host cell. The Monte Carlo approach was used to analyze random fluctuations affecting plasmid replication and segregation leading to gradual reduction in the plasmid population within the host cell. This model was employed to investigate maintena...

Efficacious interventions to promote long-term maintenance of physical activity are not well understood. Engineers have developed methods to create dynamical system models for modeling idiographic (i.e., within-person) relationships within systems. In behavioral research, dynamical systems modeling may assist in decomposing intervention effects and identifying key behavioral patterns that may f...

BACKGROUND I wanted to explore family physicians' perceptions of working in a group model health maintenance organization participating in ongoing quality improvement initiatives. METHODS I undertook a qualitative study using semistructured interviews with 24 family physicians in which there was specific inquiry about informants' perceptions of organizational and team functionality. RESULTS...

Overweight and obesity affects 1 in 3 US children and adolescents. Clinical recommendations have largely focused on screening guidelines and counseling strategies. However, the physical examination of the child or adolescent with obesity can provide the clinician with additional information to guide management decisions. This expert-based review focuses on physical examination findings specific...

INTRODUCTION The identification of stages of dietary change and the factors affecting food choices can direct more effective nutritional intervention against coronary heart disease progression. OBJECTIVE Identify the stages of change of eating behavior and its relation with nutritional status, food consumption and previous cardiovascular events in patients who underwent coronary angioplasty. ...

BACKGROUND The purpose of this paper is to evaluate costs associated with the online intervention trial, Making Effective Nutritional Choices for Cancer Prevention (MENU), and to connect the findings to the study outcomes. METHODS Using prospective data collected during the MENU development and implementation phases, we estimated overall costs per person, incremental costs for the three arms ...

BACKGROUND This paper describes the rationale, implementation and operation of a "world first" Islamic inspired methadone maintenance treatment project delivered in a mosque setting and presents the outcome for the first group of participants. The project explored the viability of expanding addiction recovery services through the network of mosques in Muslim communities. METHODS The project c...

AIMS To compare the efficacy of slow-release oral morphine (SROM) and methadone as maintenance medication for opioid dependence in patients previously treated with methadone. DESIGN Prospective, multiple-dose, open label, randomized, non-inferiority, cross-over study over two 11-week periods. Methadone treatment was switched to SROM with flexible dosing and vice versa according to period and ...