Prospective studies

Purpose A eutectic mixture of local anesthetics (EMLA) is commonly used to provide topical anesthesia for intravenous (iv) cannulation. One of its side effects is vasoconstriction, which may render cannulation more difficult. A gel formulation of amethocaine (Ametop™) is now commercially available. The aim of this study was to compare EMLA and Ametop™ with regard to the degree of topical anesthesia afforded, the incidence of vasoconstriction and the ease of iv cannulation. Methods Thirty two ASA 1 adult volunteers had a # 16 gauge iv cannula inserted on two separate occasions using EMLA and Ametop™ applied in a double blind fashion for topical anesthesia. Parameters that were recorded after each cannulation included visual analogue pain scores (VAPS), the presence of vasoconstriction and the ease of cannulation, graded as: 1 = easy, 2 = moderately difficult, 3 = difficult and 4 = failed. Results The mean VAPS ± SD after cannulation with Ametop™ M was 12 ± 9.9 and with EMLA was 25.3 ± 16.6 (P = 0.002). Vasoconstriction occurred after EMLA application on 17 occasions and twice after Ametop™ (P = 0.001). The grade of difficulty of cannulation was 1.44 ± 0.88 following EMLA and 1.06 ± 0.25 with Ametop™ (P = 0.023). Conclusions Intravenous cannulation was less painful following application of Ametop™ than EMLA. In addition, Ametop™ caused less vasoconstriction and facilitated easier cannulation. Its use as a topical anesthetic agent is recommended, especially when iv access may be problematic. Objectif Un mélange eutectique d’anesthésiques locaux (MEAL) est souvent utilisé pour l’anesthésie topique lors d’une canulation intraveineuse (iv). La vasoconstriction, qui est l’un des effets secondaires du MEAL, peut compliquer la mise en place d’une canule. Une présentation en gel d’améthocaïne (Ametop™) est maintenant offerte dans le commerce. Le but de la présente étude était de comparer le MEAL et l’Ametop™ en regard du degré d’anesthésie topique fourni, de l’incidence de la vasoconstriction et de la facilité de la canulation iv. Méthode: On a inséré, en deux occasions séparées chez 32 volontaires adultes d’état physique ASA 1, une canuleiv de calibre 16 en utilisant en double aveugle le MEAL et Ametop™ pour réaliser l’anesthésie topique. Après chaque canulation, on a enregistré les paramètres suivants: les scores de douleur à l’échelle visuelle analogue (EVA), la présence de vasoconstriction et la facilité de canulation notée 1 = facile, 2 = modérément difficile, 3 = difficile et 4 = impossible. Résultats Les scores moyens à l’EVA ± l’écart type ont été de 12 ± 9,9 à la suite de la canulation avec Ametop™ M et de 25,3 ± 16,6 après le MEAL (P = 0,002). La vasoconstriction est survenue en 17 occasions après l’application du MEAL et deux fois plus souvent après Ametop™ (P = 0,001). Le degré de difficulté de canulation a été de 1,44 ± 0,88 après le MEAL et de 1,06 ± 0,25 après Ametop™ (P = 0,023). Conclusion La canulation intraveineuse est moins douloureuse après l’application d’Ametop™ que celle du MEAL. De plus, l’Ametop™ a provoqué moins de vasoconstriction et a facilité l’introduction d’une canule. Son usage comme anesthésique topique est recommandé, surtout lorsqu’une action rapide est nécessaire ou que l’accèsiv peut être problématique.

One hundred seventy adult patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) or acute undifferentiated leukemia (AUL) were entered into a prospective multicenter therapy trial at 25 hospitals. The aim of the trial was to improve remission duration by using a modified form of an intensified induction regimen that was successful in childhood ALL, to define immunologic subtypes of ALL by use of cell-surface markers, and to extract other possible prognostic factors. The overall complete remission rate was 77.8%. The median overall survival time was 26 months, being 4 months for nonresponders and 32 months for responders. The median remission duration for the 126 patients with complete remission was 20 months. Prognostically favorable factors for remission duration were response to chemotherapy within 4 weeks, age less than 35 years, a low initial leukocyte count, and the immunologic subtypes c-ALL with early response to therapy and T-ALL, where 61% and 58%, respectively, are still in comp...

The aim of the present study was to examine an adapted integrated psycho-social model to predict sport injury rehabilitation adherence. A longitudinal prospective design was used whereby 70 patients attending private physiotherapy clinics completed a battery of questionnaires both pre- and post-rehabilitation treatment based on the adapted framework. All participants were receiving treatment for tendonitis-related injuries. Adherence was monitored prospectively over the entire rehabilitation program using an observational measure of clinic adherence, a self-report measure of home-based adherence, in addition to monitoring attendance at rehabilitation sessions. In the initial phase of rehabilitation learning goal orientation, attitudes and perceived severity were found to predict rehabilitation intention. Intentions were also found to mediate the relationship between the aforementioned variables and clinic rehabilitation. Self-efficacy and self-motivation were predictors of clinic rehabilitation and attendance but not home rehabilitation. During the maintenance phase of rehabilitation coping ability and social support were predictors regarding all three measures of adherence. Implications for practitioners rehabilitating injured athletes are discussed.

In 1987 William Huss and Edward Honton published the paper “Scenario Planning—What style should you use?”, in which they distinguish three types of scenario development approaches, namely ‘Intuitive Logics’, ‘Trend-Impact Analysis’ and ‘Cross-Impact Analysis’.
In 2002, Heijden, Bradfield, Burt, and Wright (Heijden et al., 2002: 128-129; Bradfield, et al.: 805) stated that the categorization presented above had two problems: the first one relates to the omission of the “La Prospective” methodology which it is for these authors a true school of Scenario Planning; the second one relates to the fact that the “Trend Impact Analysis” and the “Cross Impact Analysis”, although being standalone techniques, share the same foundations, which are anchored in the mathematical improvement of extrapolated time series data. In this sense, these two techniques must be viewed as a coherent group of techniques which, for convenience, those authors called `probabilistic modified trends' (PMT) methodology (Heijden, et al., 2002).
In this article we will present and characterize the three major schools or techniques of Scenario Planning identified by Bradfield et al. (20052): “Intuitive Logics”, the “Probabilistic Modified Trends” and the “La Prospective” methodologies.

Esta publicación es producto de la selección y edición de los mejores trabajos presentados durante las Terceras Jornadas de Planificación para el Desarrollo, que se celebraron en paralelo con el seminario internacional “Los Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible y la Construcción de Futuros para América Latina y el Caribe”, organizado en Santiago de Chile, del 18 al 20 de mayo de 2016, por el Instituto Latinoamericano y del Caribe de Planificación Económica y Social (ILPES) de la Comisión Económica para América Latina y el Caribe (CEPAL). Este seminario se desarrolló en el marco de las actividades del convenio de cooperación técnica entre la CEPAL y la República de Corea.