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Gait flexibility among older persons significantly more impaired in fallers than non-fallers-a longitudinal study
No full textGait disorders are a relevant factor for falls and possible to measure with wearable devices. If a wearable sensor can detect differences in gait parameters between fallers and non-fallers has not yet been studied. The aim of this study was to measure and compare gait parameters, vestibular function, and balance performance between fallers and non-fallers among a group of older persons. Participants were senior members (n = 101) of a Swedish non-profit gymnastic association. Gait parameters were obtained using an inertial measurement unit (IMU) that the participants wore on the leg while walking an obstacle course and on an even surface. Vestibular function was assessed by the Head-shake test, the Head impulse test, and the Dix-Hallpike maneuver. Balance was assessed by the Timed Up and Go, the Timed Up and Go manual, and the Timed Up and Go cognitive tests. Falls during the 12-month follow-up period were monitored using fall diaries. Forty-two persons (41%) had fallen during the 12-month follow-up. Fallers had more limited ability to vary their gait (gait flexibility) than non-fallers (p < 0.001). No other differences between fallers and non-fallers were found. The use of gait flexibility, captured by an IMU, seems better for identifying future fallers among healthy older persons than Timed Up and Go or Timed Up and Go combined with a cognitive or manual task
Industrial hemp : A qualitative study about attitudes to a plant-based drink made of industrial hemp
No full textKlimatförändringar är ett faktum, och den globala livsmedelsproduktionen står för 25 – 30 % av de totala utsläppen. För att minska utsläppen krävs det stora förändringar i samhället. För den enskilda individen kan ett minskat intag av animaliska livsmedelsprodukter göra stor skillnad för miljö och klimat. För att lyckas med detta krävs det en attitydförändring och ökad kunskap bland konsumenter i samhället. Syftet med studien är att undersöka konsumenters attityder och intresse för en svenskodlad hampadryck. Relevant litteratur och teori användes för att få en ökad förståelse av människors matval och preferenser. Fokusgrupper användes som metod för att öka förståelsen för konsumenters attityder kring olika faktorer av hampadrycken. Urvalet baserades på heterogena grupper med olika kön, ålder och utbildning för att få en bredare diskussion. Studien resulterade i fyra olika teman som fokuserar kring hampadrycken. Allt handlar om smaken, Intresse och medvetenhet för svenskt, Marknadens mervärde och Attraktivt med tydligt innehåll. Dessa fyra olika teman hjälper till att få en helhetsbild av konsumenters kunskap och medvetenhet, och även vad som efterfrågas på marknaden, ur ett konsumentperspektiv. Människan är en komplex varelse och det finns många aspekter att ta hänsyn till vid förändringar,inte minst maten och måltiden. Sammanfattningsvis kan man se ett stort intresse och medvetenhet kring hållbara matval bland konsumenter, och en stark vilja att förändra sitt ätande för en bättre miljö. The climate change is a fact, and the global food production is responsible for 25 – 30 % of the greenhouse gases. To reduce the emissions major changes are needed in the society. For the individuals, a reduced intake of food products made of animals can make a big difference for the environment. To succeed in this matter, a change of attitude and increased knowledge among consumers in the society is required. The purpose of the study is to investigate consumers attitudes and interest in a beverage made of Swedish-grown hemp. Relevant literature and theory were used to gain an increased understanding of people’s food choices and preferences. Focus groups were used as method to interpret consumer’s attitudes about various factors of the hemp beverage. The selection of participants was based on heterogeneous groups with different genders, age and education and the purpose of this was to have a broader discussion among the participants. The study resulted in four different themes with focus around the hemp beverage. It is about the taste, Interest and awareness of Swedish products, The markets added value and Attractive with a clear content. These four different themes are helpful to get an overall picture of consumers knowledge and awareness, but also what is in demand in the market, from a consumer’s perspective. Humankind is a complex being and there is much to consider when change occurs, especially when it is about food and meal. In summary, there is a great interest and awareness for sustainable food choices among consumers, and a strong desire to change their eating habits for a better environment
Evaluation of analysis of pancreas-specific Lipase in dogs and cats with Vcheck V200 : a prospective comparative study
No full textPankreatit anses vara en vanligt förekommande sjukdom hos hundar och katter och kan diagnostiseras genom mätningar av koncentrationen Canine Pancreas-specific Lipase (cPL) respektive Feline Pancreas-specific Lipase (fPL) i serum. Utifrån dessa koncentrationer graderas patienten enligt normalvärde, gråzon eller indikation på pankreatit. Golden standardmetoden för att analysera cPL/fPL är Spec cPL respektive Spec fPL. Nya metoder har utvecklats för kvantitativ mätning av pankreas-specifik lipas såsom Vcheck V200, ett instrument, som analyserar cPL/fPL med en fluorescerande immunoassay. Syftet med studien var att utvärdera analys av cPL/fPL på Vcheck V200 samt jämföra resultatet från detta instrument med värdena från ett referenslaboratorium i Tyskland för att se om det fanns en signifikant skillnad mellan metoderna. Koncentrationen cPL i hundserum (n=37) och koncentrationen fPL i kattserum (n=29) analyserades på Vcheck V200. Dessa prover skickades även till referenslaboratoriet där analysen Spec cPL respektive Spec fPL utfördes. Spridningen var stor kring bias i Bland-Altman diagram för både cPL och fPL och jämförelsen mellan metoderna för de specifika koncentrationerna av cPL/fPL bedömdes vara statistiskt signifikant (p<0,05). 27% av hundproverna graderas olika enligt de båda metoderna och skillnaden var signifikant (p<0,05). 24% av kattproverna graderades olika men skillnaden var inte signifikant (p=0,257). Studien tyder på att jämförelsen mellan de båda metoderna var signifikant förutom vid graderingen av kattproverna. Beaktande detta och det faktum att kvalitetssäkringen brister vid analys av fPL på grund av avsaknad av kontroller kan i dagsläget inte cPL/fPL på Vcheck V200 ersätta den nuvarande golden standardmetoden, trots att ingen signifikant skillnad sågs vid gradering av kattprover.Pancreatitis is a common disease in canine and felines and can be diagnosed by measuring the concentration of Canine Pancreas-specific Lipase (cPL) or Feline Pancreas-specific Lipase (fPL) in serum. Based on the concentration of cPL/fPL, the patient is then classified in different diagnostic categories (normal value, gray zone or indication of pancreatitis). Spec cPL and Spec fPL is currently the golden standard method for analysis of cPL and fPL. New methods have been developed for the quantitative measurement of pancreatic lipases. Vcheck V200, being one example, utilizing a fluorescent immunoassay for quantification of the lipase. The aim of this study was to evaluate the cPL and fPL analysis on the Vcheck V200 and to examine if there was a significant difference (p≤0,05) when comparing the result from Vcheck V200 with the results from a reference laboratory. The concentration of cPL (n=37) and fPL (n=29) in serum from canine or felines were analyzed using Vcheck V200. The samples were also sent to the reference laboratory where Spec cPL and Spec cPL were performed. A Bland-Altman plot comparison between the two methods showed a large spread for both analysis of cPL and fPL. Comparison of the specific values for analysis of cPL and fPL between the two methods revealed a significant difference (p<0,05). 27% of the dog samples were categorized differently according to the two methods and this difference was significant (p<0,05). 24% of the cat samples were categorized differently and no significant difference were observed (p=0,257). This study indicates that the difference between the two methods was significant, besides the classification of cat samples. Considering this and the lack of quality assurance regarding analysis of fPL due to lack of controls, the cPL/fPL analysis on Vcheck V200 cannot replace the Spec cPL or Spec fPL at present
What does it take to make you stay? : A study on customers' willingness to stay with the same grocery retailer while moving from offline to online
No full textDigitalization has forced retailers to reevaluate their business models and channel strategies. Traditional brick-and-mortar retailers are no longer the standard and most of today’s retailers offer customers multiple sales channels to purchase from. The present study focusses on the grocery retail industry, which is rapidly shifting towards a more online purchasing setting. There is a need for further research regarding customer experience and customer loyalty, in an online grocery setting, with the aim to identifyimportant online attributes. Previous studies on online grocery and purchasing behavior have neglected to consider customers’ shift from the physical to the online store. Therefore, this study contributes to explain how factors of Brand Equity, Online Customer Experience (OCE) and E-loyalty affect customers’ willingness to stay with same grocery retailer while moving from offline to online. The study used a quantitative research approach by distributing a questionnaire on social media, resulting in 128 useful responds. The result demonstrated a positive relationship between the three concepts and customers’ willingness to choose the same online grocery retailer as offline. Brand was a significant factor in both offline and online. An online grocery retailer’s Website, Products, Interaction and Convenience wereshown to be important online attributes. Feeling secure with providing personal information and using acredit card online, was important. Lastly, maintaining a relationship with their online grocery retailer andfeeling emotionally satisfied after their online purchase was essential. Future research couldcomplement with other concepts that further explain grocery customers’ shift from the physical store to online
Does sleep selectively strengthen certain memories over others based on emotion and perceived future relevance?
No full textSleep has been found to have a beneficial effect on memory consolidation. It has furthermore frequently been suggested that sleep does not strengthen all memories equally. The first aim of this review paper was to examine whether sleep selectively strengthens emotional declarative memories more than neutral ones. We examined this first by reviewing the literature focusing on sleep/wake contrasts, and then the literature on whether any specific factors during sleep preferentially benefit emotional memories, with a special focus on the often-suggested claim that rapid eye movement sleep primarily consolidates emotional memories. A second aim was to examine if sleep preferentially benefits memories based on other cues of future relevance such as reward, test-expectancy or different instructions during encoding. Once again, we first focused on studies comparing sleep and wake groups, and then on studies examining the contributions of specific factors during sleep (for each future relevance paradigm, respectively). The review revealed that although some support exists that sleep is more beneficial for certain kinds of memories based on emotion or other cues of future relevance, the majority of studies does not support such an effect. Regarding specific factors during sleep, our review revealed that no sleep variable has reliably been found to be specifically associated with the consolidation of certain kinds of memories over others based on emotion or other cues of future relevance.Funding: Per Davidson is supported by a grant from the Swedish Research Council (Grant# 2017-06383). Edward Pace-Schott is supported by NIH/NIMH R21MH121832. Open Access funding was provided by Lund University and the Helge Ax:son Johnson Foundation.</p
How our senses and mood are affected by an augmented soundscape : A concept driven study of how a user experience could be designed to enhance our engagement with our everyday surroundings
No full textNyfikenhet och känsla av att kontakt med vår omgivning är viktigt för vårt välbefinnande. Däremot bidrar kombinationen av att vara hemmablind och mobiltelefonens tjuvande av vår uppmärksamhet till att vi distanserar än mer från den. Genom att engagera människor genom ljud för att rikta vår uppmärksamhet mot omgivningen och bort från mobiltelefonen kan man väcka nyfikenheten till liv, och på så sätt få ökad kontakt med omgivningen. En konceptdriven designstudie ligger till grund för ett designkoncept som den här kandidatuppsatsen presenterar. Syftet är att studien skall skall bidra med insikter och lärdomar för framtida forskning inom området. Arbetet undersöker hur användarupplevelsen av ett förstärkt ljudlandskap potentiellt kan designas för att människor ska få ökad kontakt med sin omgivning. I en empiriskt studie får deltagarna jämföra hur deras sinnesstämning påverkas av ett förstärkt ljudlandskap med det naturliga ljudlandskapet i en, för dem, känd miljö. Resultatet visar att det går att påverka användarens sinnesstämning, men att det råder delade meningar om den ger ökad kontakt med omgivningen. Slutsatsen blir att; sinnesstämningen påverkas olika, vilket kan bero på vilka personliga preferenser användaren redan har med sig. Curiosity and a sense of connection with our everyday environment is important for our well-being. However, the combination of not being able to appreciate what is close to us and smartphones stealing our attention just makes a larger gap between us and everyday environments. By engaging people through sound to direct our focus towards our surroundings and away from the smartphone, you can bring your curiosity to life, and in that way get an enhanced connection to the everyday environment. This paper presents a design concept based on a study made with a Concept-Driven Design method. The purpose of the suggested design concept is that the insights and knowledge that is drawn from it can be used to help future research within the field. This paper examines how a user experience of an augmented soundscape could be designed for people to enhance their connection to their surroundings. In an empirical study, participants get to compare how their mood is affected by a natural soundscape compared to an augmented soundscape in an everyday environment. The result shows that all of the participants' mood was affected by the soundscape, however when it comes to enhanced connection to their surroundings only 40% of the participants said it did. A conclusion was made that the mood is affected differently depending on personal preferences and previous experience
Schoolchildren's experience of pain : a focus group interview study
No full textAIM: To explore the experience of pain in 10- to 12-year-old children. METHODS: This interview study included students (n = 42) in grade 4-6 in focus groups (n = 10) in southern Sweden (52% girls); mean age, 11.3 years (range 10-12 years). The interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim and analysed with qualitative content analysis. RESULTS: The analysis resulted in one theme: Pain as a unique experience for each individual, which was divided into five categories: (a) Feeling bodily pain; (b) Pain related to the school environment and schoolwork; (c) Internal pain related to sorrow and grief; (d) Pain related to conflicts and remorse; and (e) Pain can be good. CONCLUSION: The children made distinctions between physical pain and emotional pain. Bullying, noisy school environments, grief and remorse were reported to be linked with headaches, stomachache and heartache
Att drabbas av sorg i samband med vuxen närståendes död : En allmän litteraturöversikt om anhörigas upplevelser av sorg och vad som förvärrar och lindrar sorgen
No full textBakgrund: Sorg är en normal reaktion i samband med närståendes död. Sorg är inteen sjukdom men kan ge besvär som liknar dem som uppkommer vid sjukdom. Om sorgeninte kan hanteras av personen som drabbas av sorg kan den leda till kompliceradsorg och sorgeprocessen förlängs. Sjuksköterskor som arbetar inom vård och omsorgmöter anhöriga som upplever sorg i samband med närstående döende och död ochbehöver ha kunskap och förståelse för hur deras situation kan vara för att kunna geadekvat stöd för anhöriga i sorg. Syfte: Syftet var att beskriva anhörigas upplevelser av sorg i samband med vuxen närståendesdöd. Metod: En allmän litteraturöversikt baserad på vetenskapliga artiklar med kvalitativstudiedesign. Vetenskapliga artiklar söktes fram i databaserna Cinahl Complete, Pub-Med och PsycINFO. Artiklarna kvalitetsgranskades utifrån kvalitativa kvalitetskriterieroch analysen av studiernas resultat genomfördes utifrån Fribergs analysmetod för litteraturöversikter. Resultat: Upplevelsen av sorg delas in i två kategorier och tio underkategorier. En känslomässigbelastning och att känna sig vilsen och oviss med underkategorierna Chockoch oförmåga att minnas, Smärta, Ångest och ledsenhet, Skuld och lättnad, Ensamhetoch saknad, Ovisshet samt Vilsenhet. Omgivningens agerande förvärrar och lindrarsorgen med underkategorierna Att mötas av personer som inte förstår, Att få informationsom ger förståelse samt Att få känslomässigt stöd. Diskussion: Studiens kvalitet diskuteras utifrån trovärdighetsbegreppen tillförlitlighet,verifierbarhet, pålitlighet och överförbarhet. I resultatdiskussionen diskuteras de trecentrala fynden: upplevelser av skuld, ovisshet och betydelsen av känslomässigt stödvid sorg. Fynden diskuteras i relation till personcentrerad vård och sjuksköterskorsbehov av kunskap för att kunna möta personer i sorg
Introducing mealworm as an ingredient in crisps and pâtés – sensory characterization and consumer liking
No full textThe objective of this study was to evaluate sensory perception and consumers’ attitude and liking of products with different textures, crisps and pâtés, with added mealworm ingredient in different amounts. By addition of mealworm ( Tenebrio molitor L. ) in the crisps, the brittleness increased. However, an increase in mealworm also increased the darkness. Adding mealworms to pâté reduced the odour and flavour of vegetable and increased the flavour of cinnamon and pepper as well as the oily texture. There was no significant difference in total liking between 10 and 30% addition of mealworm, nor between 0 and 10% addition, in any of the two products. The crisps received higher liking score than the pâtés. Thus, there is also a much higher probability that a customer would buy insect crisps than insect pâté. Environmental sustainability and sensory properties were shown to be the main reasons for buying foods with added insect ingredients.SLU, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (to M. L.) and RISE Research Institutes of Sweden (to J. B.) are greatly acknowledged for financial support. Insects - a culinary and sustainable delicac
Prevalence, student nurses’ knowledge and practices of needle stick injuries during clinical training : a cross-sectional survey
No full textBackground: The incidence of needle stick injuries is higher among nurses with a low level of knowledge on the prevention of needle stick injury, and who have not received the relevant training during their undergraduate study. The aim of this study was to determine the level of knowledge of the prevention guidelines and the prevalence of needle stick injury among students in Oman. Methods: An online cross-sectional survey using a questionnaire and involving 167 students from a governmental university was conducted. The questionnaire consists of 30 questions; eight general questions, knowledge related questions, and questions about risk factors, prevention measures, and actions in a case of needle stick injury. Ethical approval was obtained and the link to the survey was shared with students using their university email portal. Results: Of the participants, 81.2% were females; mean age was 23.3 (SD = 4.5) years. The mean total knowledge score was 6.6 out of 10 (SD = 2.1). In addition, 18.2% (n = 32) of the students experienced needle stick injury. Most of the injuries 71.9% (n = 24) occurred during medication preparation and administration. The main cause of NSI as reported by students was recapping the needles (59%, n = 19). Conclusions: This study demonstrates that student nurses have a moderate level of knowledge about needle stick injury prevention measures and lack many facets of safe infection control practice. These findings require the collaborative effort of nursing administrators from both academic and clinical areas, to develop effective strategies to reduce or eliminate the occurrence of needle stick injury.Open Access funding provided by Kristianstad University.</p