METHODS: A systematic literature search was performed in May-July 2021, in electronic databases, which included PubMed (MEDLINE), Embase, and Web of Science. Studies were included in this systematic review if they were original articles published in English language from 2010 to 2021 and evaluated the effect of any types of educational interventions intended to improve the ability of community pharmacists to provide smoking cessation services.
RESULTS: In total, 12 studies were included for this systematic review. The effectiveness of the educational interventions across the included studies was measured using a range of outcomes, which can be broadly categorized into 3 categories, namely changes in pharmacists' self-efficacy, knowledge, and attitude toward providing smoking cessation service, changes in pharmacists' smoking cessation practices, and changes in the effectiveness of community pharmacy based smoking cessation services. Included studies reported that educational interventions can improve pharmacists' self-efficacy, knowledge, and attitude toward smoking cessation, as well as pharmacists' smoking cessation practices. Though the evidence is limited, improvement in the effectiveness of community pharmacy based smoking cessation services has also been observed.
CONCLUSION: Any form educational interventions can positively impact improve community pharmacists' self-efficacy, knowledge, and attitude toward smoking cessation, as well as pharmacists' smoking cessation practices, but it is currently uncertain whether these outcomes are able to translate into higher effectiveness of the community pharmacy based smoking cessation services.
METHODS: Contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) images of a patient diagnosed with congenital cyst in the common bile duct with dilated hepatic ducts were used to create the 3D printed model. The 3D printed model was scanned on a 64-slice CT scanner using the similar abdominal CT protocol. Measurements of anatomical structures including common hepatic duct (CHD), right hepatic duct (RHD), left hepatic duct (LHD) and the cyst at left to right and anterior to posterior dimensions were performed and compared between original CT images, the standard tessellation language (STL) image and CT images of the 3D model.
RESULTS: The 3D printing model was successfully generated with replication of biliary ducts and cyst. Significant differences in measurements of these landmarks were found between the STL and the original CT images, and the CT images of the 3D printed model and the original CT images (P<0.05). Measurements of the RHD and LHD diameters from the original CT images were significantly larger than those from the CT images of 3D model or STL file (P<0.05), while measurements of the CHD diameters were significantly smaller than those of the other two datasets (P<0.05). No significant differences were reached in measurements of the CHD, RHD, LHD and the biliary cyst between CT images of the 3D printed model and STL file (P=0.08-0.98).
CONCLUSIONS: This study shows our experience in producing a realistic 3D printed model of biliary ducts and biliary cyst. The model was found to replicate anatomical structures and cyst with high accuracy between the STL file and the CT images of the 3D model. Large discrepancy in dimensional measurements was noted between the original CT and STL file images, and the original CT and CT images of the 3D model, highlighting the necessity of further research with inclusion of more cases of biliary disease to validate accuracy of 3D printed biliary models.
AIM: To develop a neutron-activated, biodegradable and theranostics samarium-153 acetylacetonate (153SmAcAc)-poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA) microsphere for intraarterial radioembolization of hepatic tumors.
METHODS: Microspheres with different concentrations of 152SmAcAc (i.e., 100%, 150%, 175% and 200% w/w) were prepared by solvent evaporation method. The microspheres were then activated using a nuclear reactor in a neutron flux of 2 × 1012 n/cm2/s1, converting 152Sm to Samarium-153 (153Sm) via152Sm (n, γ) 153Sm reaction. The SmAcAc-PLLA microspheres before and after neutron activation were characterized using scanning electron microscope, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, particle size analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermo-gravimetric analysis and gamma spectroscopy. The in-vitro radiolabeling efficiency was also tested in both 0.9% sodium chloride solution and human blood plasma over a duration of 550 h.
RESULTS: The SmAcAc-PLLA microspheres with different SmAcAc contents remained spherical before and after neutron activation. The mean diameter of the microspheres was about 35 µm. Specific activity achieved for 153SmAcAc-PLLA microspheres with 100%, 150%, 175% and 200% (w/w) SmAcAc after 3 h neutron activation were 1.7 ± 0.05, 2.5 ± 0.05, 2.7 ± 0.07, and 2.8 ± 0.09 GBq/g, respectively. The activity of per microspheres were determined as 48.36 ± 1.33, 74.10 ± 1.65, 97.87 ± 2.48, and 109.83 ± 3.71 Bq for 153SmAcAc-PLLA microspheres with 100%, 150%, 175% and 200% (w/w) SmAcAc. The energy dispersive X-ray and gamma spectrometry showed that no elemental and radioactive impurities present in the microspheres after neutron activation. Retention efficiency of 153Sm in the SmAcAc-PLLA microspheres was excellent (approximately 99%) in both 0.9% sodium chloride solution and human blood plasma over a duration of 550 h.
CONCLUSION: The 153SmAcAc-PLLA microsphere is potentially useful for hepatic radioembolization due to their biodegradability, favorable physicochemical characteristics and excellent radiolabeling efficiency. The synthesis of the formulation does not involve ionizing radiation and hence reducing the complication and cost of production.
METHODS: Using Cochrane, PubMed, and Google Scholar as the search engines, full-text articles in the scope of the study, written in English and within 10 years of publication were selected.
RESULTS: Out of the 677 articles, 27 articles fulfilled the eligibility criteria, where data was compiled into a table, outlining the general characteristics and findings. Throughout the different forms of H2 administration, study design and types of cancers reported, outcomes were found to be consistent.
CONCLUSION: From our analysis, H2 plays a promising therapeutic role as an independent therapy as well as an adjuvant in combination therapy, resulting in an overall improvement in survivability, quality of life, blood parameters, and tumour reduction. Although more comprehensive research is needed, given the promising outcomes, H2 is worth considering for use as a complement to current cancer therapy.
METHODS: The [152Sm]Sm2O3-PS microspheres were synthesized using solid-in-oil-in-water solvent evaporation. The microspheres underwent neutron activation using a 1 MW open-pool research reactor to produce radioactive [153Sm]Sm2O3-PS microspheres via 152Sm(n,γ)153Sm reaction. Physicochemical characterization, gamma spectroscopy and in-vitro radionuclide retention efficiency were carried out to evaluate the properties and stability of the microspheres before and after neutron activation.
RESULTS: The [153Sm]Sm2O3-PS microspheres achieved specific activity of 5.04 ± 0.52 GBq·g-1 after a 6 h neutron activation. Scanning electron microscopy and particle size analysis showed that the microspheres remained spherical with an average diameter of ~33 μm before and after neutron activation. No long half-life radionuclide and elemental impurities were found in the samples. The radionuclide retention efficiencies of the [153Sm]Sm2O3-PS microspheres at 550 h were 99.64 ± 0.07 and 98.76 ± 1.10% when tested in saline solution and human blood plasma, respectively.
CONCLUSIONS: A neutron-activated [153Sm]Sm2O3-PS microsphere formulation was successfully developed for potential application as a theranostic agent for liver radioembolization. The microspheres achieved suitable physical properties for radioembolization and demonstrated high radionuclide retention efficiency in saline solution and human blood plasma.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: Five male New Zealand White rabbits weighed between 1.5 and 4.0 kg were anesthetized and their livers were exposed. 18 liver biopsies were performed under control group (without tract ablation, n = 9) and study group (with tract ablation, n = 9) settings. The needle insertion depth (~3 cm) and rate of retraction (~3 mm/s) were fixed in all the experiments. For tract ablation, three different needle temperatures (100, 120 and 150 °C) were compared. The blood loss at each biopsy site was measured by weighing the gauze pads before and after blood absorption. The rabbits were euthanized immediately and the liver specimens were stained with hematoxylin-eosin (H&E) for further histopathological examination (HPE).
RESULTS: The average blood loss in the study group was reduced significantly (p