The Bay Area Muslim mental health community advisory board: evaluation of a community based participatory approach.

AIMS: The aim of this paper is to present a novel case for the formation, operation and evaluation of a community advisory aboard comprised of Muslims residing in the San Francisco Bay Area, California that utilised a community based participatory approach to address local Muslim mental health needs. The CAB was recruited in partnership with the Muslim Community Association (MCA), one of the largest Islamic centres in the San Franscisco Bay Area. In addition to describing the development of the CAB, the authors present the findings of the evaluation and synthesis of best processes based on CAB members' feedback. METHODS: To evaluate the perceived community advisory board members' perceptions of their roles and elicit feedback on how to enhance the relationship between the university team and the CAB, an evaluation was conducted by an independent team who was not part of the research process. Data was collected using anonymous individual surveys and small group open discussions that were conducted over three evaluation meetings. The evaluation utilised mixed method data collection strategies using questions from Schulz et al. (, Evaluation and Program Planning 26, 249-262), an instrument for evaluating dimensions of group dynamics within CBPR partnerships. RESULTS: Results of the evaluation within the sphere of CAB operation indicated that CAB members found the greatest satisfaction from their contributions through direct participation in the research activities that were conducted by the university-CAB team. The collective responses indicated that most CAB members were satisfied with trust built between the university-CAB team and the diversity represented in the members of the board. However, given that the Bay Area is home to a very diverse Muslim community, challenges in recruiting representatives that account for all possible self-identifying groups was reported by the CAB with recommendations to recruit religious leaders. Recommendations also included eliciting funds for potential financial compensation for CAB members. CONCLUSIONS: The Stanford-San Francisco Bay Area CAB demonstrated that empowering community members through direct participation, creating channels and safe spaces for feedback help create community rooted research that carry the true voices of marginalised communities and reflects their evolving needs.

Primary stabilisation for tail avulsion in 15 cats.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effects of a primary tail stabilisation technique in relieving pain and supporting nerve recovery in cats that have lost voluntary motor function and pain sensation in the tail without caudal nerve transection. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Retrospective review of medical records and preoperative diagnostic tests, including clinical examination results and tail radiographs of cats suffering from tail avulsion with loss of pain perception in the tail between 2009 and 2015. Cats with open tail fracture, tail wounds that necessitated an amputation or caudal nerve root transection were excluded. Tail reconstruction was performed, after surgical exploration, with two nylon sutures. RESULTS: Fifteen cats were included, all of which had lost voluntary motor function in the tail and 8 of 15 were urinary incontinent. After surgery, 11 cats recovered voluntary tail function and pain sensation within 14 to 90 days (mean 39 days). Five of the eight previously incontinent cats recovered urinary continence within a month of surgery. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: The reported method of primary tail stabilisation is associated with recovery of lost function in the majority of cats presenting with tail avulsions, loss of pain sensation in the tail but without caudal nerve root transection. A comparison study is required to determine whether these results are superior to conservative management.

Results obtained with piracetam in foetal distress during labour.

A double-blind study was performed on ninety-six parturients of the Lima Maternity Hospital, Peru, with some evidence of foetal distress who were given indistinguishably piracetam or a placebo at random in order to investigate the effects of the drug on the foetus. The conditions of the new-born babies who had received piracetam were superior to those of the babies treated with the placebo, as evaluated with the Apgar at 1, 5 and 10 minutes after birth and on the basis of the neurological and clinical examination as from 24 hours until they were released. In addition, the reduction of the duration of the labour in the patients treated with piracetam as compared with the control group was obvious.

Resultados obtenidos con piracetam en el sufrimiento fetal durante el parto / Results with peracetam in fetal distress during labor

Se hizo un estudio doble ciego en 96 parturientas de Hospital Maternidad de Lima.Peru, con evidencias de sufrimiento fetal, a quienes se les administro indistintamente piracetam o placebo por randomizacion, para estudiar los efectos de la droga sobre el feto. Las condiciones de los recien nacidos que recibieron piracetam fueron superiores a la de aquellos a los que se administro placebo, evaluados por el Apgar a 1,5 y 10 minutos del nascimiento, y por el examen neurologico y clinico, desde las 24 horas hasta que fueron dados de alta.Fue notoria, ademas, la abreviacion de la labor de parto en las pacientes que recibieron piracetam, con relacion al grupo control