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Uncovering self-management needs to better design for people living with lymphoedema
Get PDFThis paper reports on the application of design-based tools used to uncover the needs of people living with a chronic condition. It was built on increasing rhetoric calling for greater involvement of patients in the creation of appropriate support mechanisms and presents a means to achieve this using design approaches and tools. The paper presents the development and use of scenario-based design probes to facilitate the participation of People Living with Lymphoedema (PLWL) early in the design process. Lymphoedema is a chronic condition requiring a cumbersome everyday management routine. Self-management is necessary to increase quality of life and decrease complications and hospitalisation. However, consistent practice of self-management among PLWL is low and the need to improve support is recognised. This research explored how PLWL’s transitions towards becoming experts of their condition might be supported. Literature describing the lymphoedema experience was systematically investigated from a behavioural perspective to develop scenario-based probes. These probes provided rich insights by facilitating the envisioning of alternative futures to self-management support with interview participants with lymphoedema. To inform the design of better support for chronic conditions, the stages and components of behaviour change for lymphoedema self-management and the associated support needs are presented
Biomechanical Analysis of Angular Motion in Association with Bilateral Semicircular Canal Function
Get PDFThe aim of this study was to characterize cupular deformation by calculating the degree of cupular expansion and cupular deflection using a finite element model of bilateral human semicircular canals (SCCs). The results showed that cupular deflection responses were consistent with Ewald’s II law, whereas each pair of bilateral cupulae simultaneously expanded or compressed to the same degree. In addition, both the degree of cupular expansion and cupular deflection can be expressed as the solution of forced oscillation during head sinusoidal rotation, and the amplitude of cupular expansion was approximately two times greater than that of cupular deflection. Regarding the amplitude frequency and phase frequency characteristics, the amplitude ratios among the horizontal SCC, the anterior SCC, and the posterior SCC cupular expansion was constant at 1:0.82:1.62, and the phase differences among them were constant at 0 or 180° at the frequencies of 0.5–6 Hz. However, both the amplitude ratio and the phase differences of the cupular deflection increased nonlinearly with the increase of frequency and tended to be constant at the frequency band between 2 and 6 Hz. The results indicate that the responses of cupular expansion might only be related to the mass and rigidity of three cupulae and the endolymph, but the responses of cupular deflection are related to the mass, rigidity, or damping of them, and these physical properties would be affected by vestibular dysfunction. Therefore, both the degree of cupular expansion and cupular deflection should be considered important mechanical variables for induced neural signals as these variables provide a better understanding of the SCCs system’s role in the vestibulo-ocular reflex during the clinical rotating chair test and the vestibular autorotation test. Such a numerical model can be further built to provide a useful theoretical approach for exploring the biomechanical nature underlying vestibular dysfunction
Domestic kitchen microbiological contamination and self-reported food hygiene practices of older adult consumers
No full textDue to increased susceptibility, older adults have an increased risk of foodborne infection and data suggest elevated incidence, therefore, food hygiene is essential to reduce the risk. Research suggests older adults’ inadequate knowledge and negative attitudes towards food hygiene, may increase implementation of unsafe food practices. Data on microbiological contamination of domestic kitchens of older adults are lacking. Therefore, this study aimed to determine microbiological contamination of older-adults’ domestic kitchens. Food contact surfaces/equipment (n=1292) in older-adults (≥60years) domestic kitchens (n=100) were analyzed to isolate aerobic bacteria, Enterobacteriaceae, Staphylococcus aureus and Listeria spp.; self-reported hygiene practices were also recorded. Highest contamination levels were determined on in-use cleaning equipment (dish brushes/dishcloth/sponges) with aerobic bacteria <9.3 log CFU/item, Enterobacteriaceae <8.8 log CFU/item and S. aureus <7.0 log CFU/item. Reported usage-length of dish brushes was significantly correlated (p<0.05) with Enterobacteriaceae contamination. Significant correlations (p<0.05) were determined between contamination and reported cleaning frequency of refrigerators. Contamination of hand towels in single-occupant households was significantly greater (p<0.05) than multi-occupant households. The study facilitates novel comparison between reported hygiene practices with microbial contamination, suggesting older-adults fail to implement adequate and regular hygiene practices that may increase the possibility of cross-contamination in the domestic kitchen and the associated risk of foodborne illness. Data from this study has determined a need for older-adults to improve food-hygiene practices in the domestic kitchen
Gambling Sponsorship and Advertising in British Football: A Critical Account
Get PDFProblem gambling is a growing public health issue in the UK. In this paper, we argue that football plays a problematic role in the promotion and normalisation of gambling. Given that sport broadcasts offer gambling (and alcohol) companies a loophole to avoid the post-watershed guidelines, children and young people are also exposed. By marketing gambling in general and to children in particular, football contributes to an increase in the overall ‘amount’ of gambling in society. In turn, this contributes to an increase in the prevalence of problem gambling (including gambling disorder) and all the associated harms. Furthermore, we argue that a significant amount of gambling profits come from problem gamblers. Therefore, football benefits from, and contributes to, the addictive consumption of gamblers
E-Marketing via Augmented Reality: A Case Study in the Tourism and Hospitality Industry
No full textMarketing plays an extremely significant role in the success of any business. In the hospitality and tourism industry, marketing is a key tool to introduce various destinations to customers and attract them to visit a place or stay in a particular hotel. The forms of marketing have considerably evolved during the past decades owing to enhancements in technology
Upward resetting of the vascular sympathetic baroreflex in middle-aged male runners
Get PDFThis study focussed on the influence of habitual endurance exercise training (i.e. committed runner or non-runner) on the regulation of muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) and arterial pressure in middle-aged (50 to 63 years, n= 23) and younger (19 to 30 years; n=23) normotensive men. Haemodynamic and neurophysiological assessments were performed at rest. Indices of vascular sympathetic baroreflex function were determined from the relationship between spontaneous changes in diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and MSNA. Large vessel arterial stiffness and left ventricular stroke volume also were measured. Paired comparisons were performed within each age-category. Mean arterial pressure and basal MSNA bursts·min-1 were not different between age-matched runners and non-runners. However, MSNA bursts·100 heartbeats-1, an index of baroreflex regulation of MSNA (vascular sympathetic baroreflex operating point) was higher for middle-aged runners (P=0.006), whereas this was not different between young runners and non-runners. The slope of the DBP-MSNA relationship (vascular sympathetic baroreflex gain) was not different between groups in either age-category. Aortic pulse wave velocity was lower for runners of both age-categories (P<0.03), although carotid β stiffness was lower only for middle-aged runners (P=0.04). For runners of both age-categories, stroke volume was larger, while heart rate was lower (both P<0.01). In conclusion, we suggest that neural remodelling and upward setting of the vascular sympathetic baroreflex compensates for cardiovascular adaptations after many years committed to endurance exercise training, presumably to maintain arterial blood pressure stability
No Relationship Between Preoperative and Early Postoperative Strength After ACL Reconstruction
Get PDFContext:
All rehabilitative programs before ACL reconstructive surgery, which are focused on recovery of proprioception and muscular strength, are defined as prehabilitation. While it has shown that prehabilitation positively affects the overall outcome after ACL reconstruction, it is still controversial whether enhancing preoperatively quadriceps strength has some beneficial effect on postoperative strength, mainly during the first period.
Objective:
To determine whether there is any relationship between pre- and early postoperative quadriceps strength.
Design:
Case control.
Setting:
University research laboratory.
Participants:
Fifty-nine males (18-33 y; age: 23.69 (0.71) y) who underwent ACL reconstruction with patellar-tendon autograft were examined the day before surgery, at 60 and at 90 days after surgery.
Main Outcome Measures:
The limb-symmetry-index (LSI) was quantified for maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) of the knee extensor muscles and of the knee flexor muscles at 90° joint angle. K-means analysis was performed on either quadriceps or hamstrings LSI before surgery to classify the patients in high and low preoperative LSI clusters. Differences in postoperative LSI were then evaluated between the high and low preoperative LSI clusters.
Results:
Following surgery, there were no differences in the quadriceps LSI between patients with high and low preoperative quadriceps LSI. Sixty days after surgery, the hamstrings LSI was higher in patients with high than low preoperative hamstrings LSI (84.0±13.0% vs 75.4±15.9%; P<0.05).
Conclusions:
Findings suggest that quadriceps strength deficit is related to the ACL injury and increases further after the reconstruction without any correlation between the pre-operative and postoperative values. Therefore, it appears that there is no need to delay surgery in order to increase the preoperative quadriceps strength before surgery
An interdisciplinary examination of attentional focus strategies used during running gait retraining
Get PDFThe aim was to investigate the biomechanical, physiological and perceptual responses to different motor learning strategies derived to elicit a flatter foot contact. Twenty‐eight, rearfoot‐striking recreational runners (age 24.9±2.8 years; body mass 78.8±13.6 kg; height 1.79±0.09 m) were matched by age, mass and height and assigned to one verbal cue group: internal focus of attention (IF), external focus of attention (EF) and a clinically derived condition (CLIN) incorporating an IF followed by an EF statement. Participants completed two treadmill runs at 10 km.h‐1 for six minutes each: normal running (control) followed by the experimental condition (IF, EF or CLIN). Lower limb kinematics, oxygen consumption (V̇02 )and central and peripheral ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) were recorded for each run. Compared to the control condition, foot angle was reduced in the IF (difference=5.86°, d=2.58) and CLIN (difference=3.00°, d=1.31) conditions, but unchanged in the EF (difference=0.33°, d=0.14) condition, whilst greater knee flexion at initial contact in the EF and CLIN conditions was observed (difference=‐5.19°, d=1.97; difference=‐3.66°, d=1.39, respectively). A higher V̇02 was observed in the CLIN condition (difference=‐4.56 ml.kg‐1.min‐1, d=2.29), but unchanged in the IF (difference = ‐1.87 ml.kg‐1.min‐1, d=0.94) and EF conditions (difference=‐0.37 ml.kg‐1.min‐1, d=0.19). All experimental conditions increased central and peripheral RPE (difference=‐1.08, d=0.54 and difference=‐2.39, d=1.33 respectively). Providing gait retraining instructions using an internally directed focus of attention was the most effective way to target specific changes in running kinematics, with no detrimental effect on physiological responses. Yet, perceptual effort responses increased regardless of the type of cue provided
Energy Prices Volatility and the United Kingdom: Evidence from a Dynamic Stochastic General Equilibrium Model
Get PDFThis paper analyses the consequences and effects of volatile energy prices in the UK. The evidence provided are from an estimated DSGE model of energy. The model is applied on filtered data from 1981:Q1 to 2013:Q1 and evaluated by the indirect inference testing. In analysing the structural shocks, the study found higher volatility in energy prices shock during the Great Recession compared to the sample period. The high volatility of energy prices shock caused inflationary pressures in the economy. The study found energy prices shock amplified the Great Recession by significantly contributing to the fall in output. Thus, energy prices shock is an important driver of economic activity. However, given the shocks are stationary, energy prices shock is temporary. Therefore, all consequences of energy prices in the economy are short-term. By implication, when volatile energy prices create an output shortfall, monetary policy is the tool used to off-set short-term falls in output. We find results persists with robustness check. The findings justified why the DSGE model is a policymakers’ workhorse
The angiotensin-(1-7)/Mas receptor a xis protects from endothelial cell senescence via klotho and Nrf2 activation
Get PDFEndothelial cell senescence is a hallmark of va
scular aging that pre
disposes to vascular
disease. We aimed to explore the capacity of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS)
heptapeptide angiotensin (Ang)-(1-7)
to counteract human endothelial cell senescence
and to identify intracellular pathways mediati
ng its potential protective action. In human
umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC) cult
ures, Ang II promoted cell senescence, as
revealed by the enhancement in se
nescence-associated galactosidase (SA-
-gal+)
positive staining, total and telomeric DNA
damage, adhesion molecules expression and
human mononuclear adhesion to HUVEC monolaye
rs. By activating the G-coupled
receptor Mas, Ang-(1-7) inhibit
ed the pro-senescence action
of Ang II, but also of a non-
RAS stressor such as the cytokine IL-1
. Moreover, Ang-(1-7) enhanced endothelial
klotho levels, while klotho silencing resulted in th
e loss of the anti-senescence action of
the heptapeptide. Indeed, both Ang-(1-7) and recombinant klotho activated the
cytoprotective Nrf2/heme-oxygenase-1 (HO)-1 pathway. The HO-1 inhibitor tin
protoporphyrin IX prevented the anti-senescence action evoked by Ang-(1-7) or
recombinant klotho. Overall, the present study ide
ntifies Ang-(1-7) as an anti-senescence
peptide displaying its protectiv
e action beyond the RAS by consecutively activating
klotho and Nrf2/HO-1. Ang-(1-7) mimetic dru
gs may thus prove useful to prevent
endothelial cell senescence and its re
lated vascular complications