42 research outputs found
Quality of life and lifestyle interventions in heart failure patients
No full textDespite significant scientific advances heart failure remains an escalating health problem, globally. Heart failure (CHF) is a clinical syndrome with a high mortality and morbidity. Community-dwelling patients with CHF experience significant symptoms that exert a negative influence on quality of life. Aim: The aim of the present study was to review the literature about factors affecting quality of life in patients with heart failure. Method and material : The method οf this study included bibliography research from both the review and the research literature, mainly in the pubmed data base which referred to the factors affecting quality of life in patients with heart failure. Results: Despite the recent therapeutic advances, heart failure remains a complex health problem with various personal, social, and financial aspects, and deterioration of the quality of life. According to the literature, the main factors affecting the quality of life of patients with heart failure are the difficulties occurring as the result of functional, cognitive, and emotional impairment, loss of independence depending on the stage of the disease, the level of support from both the family and the social environment, as well as the spirituality, religion and personal beliefs. All the above factors have negative consequences both for the patients and their environment. It is also widely accepted that the economic impact of the disease is considerable, worldwide. Conclusions: As it is supported by published evidence, understanding quality of life in patients with heart failure requires further exploration about their needs. Targeting interventions and supporting measures to promote functional mobility, to ameliorate symptoms and psychological distress, may lead to an improvement in the overall quality of life. The beneficial effect of a supervised nutritional and lifestyle intervention was proved as part of a non-pharmacologic treatment of patients with heart failure, with improvements in clinical status and quality of lif
Krylov Subspace Methods in Power System Studies
No full textPower system applications are computationally intense, and therefore there is a need to develop new methods for performing these calculations. This study proposes the use of numerical methods based on the Krylov subspace methodology on four areas of power systems: the power flow problem, the dynamic simulation, the trajectory sensitivity analysis and the model reduction. Krylov subspace techniques are tested and compared with traditional approaches. Additionally, a physical interpretation of this methodology is investigated, and links with well-established concepts in power systems are attempted.Made available in DSpace on 2015-09-25T20:07:51Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2
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Previous issue date: 2001Embargo set by: Seth Robbins for item 82010
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Reason: Restricted to the U of I community idenfinitely during batch ingest of legacy ETDsRestricted to the U of I community idenfinitely during batch ingest of legacy ETDsU of I Only136 p.Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2001
Staged oligonucleotide design, compilation and quality control procedures for multiple SNP genotyping by Multiplex PCR and Single Base Extension Microarray format
No full textThe value of the SNPs (Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms) as markers in various studies depends on their absolute numbers, but also on the more complicated issue of their availability. For any given study there must be enough SNPs suitably placed and satisfying specific generic qualitative criteria. The feasibility of a study depends on the ability to replace and keep the number of marker loci reasonably stable at each phase of the selected experimental procedures during the development of the overall methodology. We embarked on an experimental simulation, where we specified a series of criteria for the number and qualities of SNPs needed for a hypothetical study and proceeded to SNP selection and computerized primer design for each SNP locus. The decisive factor was the applicability of the primers in multiplex PCR format. The editing steps and software upgrades of the adopted selection procedure resulted in 98.6% primer efficiency. A total of 148 primer pairs were designed fulfilling multiplex PCR specifications, which were also effective in simplex quality control PCR assays against a start-up number of 15
Application of a modified GMRES algorithm for power flow analysis and voltage security calculations
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Reason: UIUC only access ETDsUIUC only access ETDsU of I OnlyPrintout.Thesis (M.S.)--University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1998.Includes bibliographical references (leaves 44-45)
Application of a modified GMRES algorithm for power flow analysis and voltage security calculations
No full textPrintout.Thesis (M.S.)--University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1998.Includes bibliographical references (leaves 44-45).U of I OnlyUIUC only access ETD
Study of stimulus transformation to biological activity in cardiac cells
No full textΣΚΟΠΟΣ ΤΗΣ ΠΕΙΡΑΜΑΤΙΚΗΣ ΑΥΤΗΣ ΕΡΓΑΣΙΑΣ ΗΤΑΝ Η ΜΕΛΕΤΗ ΤΩΝ ΜΗΧΑΝΙΣΜΩΝ ΜΕΤΑΤΡΟΠΗΣ ΤΟΥ ΕΡΕΘΙΣΜΑΤΟΣ ΣΕ ΒΙΟΛΟΓΙΚΗ ΔΡΑΣΤΗΡΙΟΤΗΤΑ ΣΤΑ ΒΗΜΑΤΟΔΟΤΙΚΑ ΚΑΡΔΙΑΚΑ ΚΥΤΤΑΡΑ ΜΕ ΤΕΧΝΙΚΕΣ ΕΝΔΟΚΥΤΤΑΡΙΑΣ ΗΛΕΚΡΟΦΥΣΙΟΛΟΓΙΑΣ.ΜΕΛΕΤΗΘΗΚΑΝ ΟΙ ΑΜΕΣΕΣ ΕΠΙΔΡΑΣΕΙΣ ΑΦΡΟΙΣΤΙΚΑ ΑΥΞΑΝΟΜΕΝΩΝ ΣΥΓΚΕΝΤΡΩΣΕΩΝ ΑΙΘΑΝΟΛΗΣ ΣΤΟΝ ΑΥΤΟΜΑΤΙΣΜΟ ΚΥΤΤΑΡΩΝ ΦΛΕΒΟΚΟΜΒΟΥ ΚΑΙ ΔΙΑΚΟΜΒΙΚΗΣ ΟΔΟΥ ΚΑΡΔΙΑΣ ΚΟΥΝΕΛΙΩΝ. ΣΥΓΚΡΙΤΙΚΗ ΕΚΤΙΜΗΣΗ ΕΓΙΝΕ ΜΕ ΤΗ ΧΡΗΣΗ ΟΚΤΑΝΟΛΗΣ ΩΣ ΠΑΡΑΓΟΝΤΑ ΗΛΕΚΤΡΙΚΗΣ ΑΠΟΣΥΖΕΥΞΗΣ. ΑΠΟ ΤΗΝ ΑΝΑΛΥΣΗ ΤΩΝ ΑΠΟΤΕΛΕΣΜΑΤΩΝ ΠΡΟΚΥΠΤΕΙ ΟΤΙ Η ΑΙΘΑΝΟΛΗ ΕΠΗΡΕΑΖΕΙ ΜΕ ΑΜΕΣΟ ΧΡΟΝΟ-ΔΟΣΟ ΕΞΑΡΤΩΜΕΝΟ ΤΡΟΠΟ ΤΙΣ ΗΛΕΚΤΡΟΦΥΣΙΟΛΟΓΙΚΕΣ ΙΔΙΟΤΗΤΕΣ ΤΩΝ ΦΛΕΒΟΚΟΜΒΙΚΩΝ ΚΥΤΤΑΡΩΝ.ΟΙ ΔΙΑΦΟΡΕΣ ΣΥΓΚΕΝΤΡΩΣΕΙΣ ΑΙΘΑΝΟΛΗΣ ΔΕΝ ΕΠΗΡΕΑΖΟΥΝ ΜΕ ΤΟΝ ΙΔΙΟ ΤΡΟΠΟ ΟΛΟ ΤΟ ΦΑΣΜΑ ΤΩΝ ΦΛΕΒΟΚΟΜΒΙΚΩΝ ΚΥΤΤΑΡΩΝ ΚΑΙ ΕΜΦΑΝΙΖΕΤΑΙ ΜΙΑ ΔΙΦΑΣΙΚΗ ΣΥΜΠΕΡΙΦΟΡΑ ΣΤΗ ΣΥΧΝΟΤΗΤΑ ΑΥΤΟΜΑΤΙΣΜΟΥ ΜΕ ΕΝΟΔΩΤΙΚΟ ΚΑΙ ΚΑΤΑΣΤΑΛΤΙΚΟ ΧΑΡΑΚΤΗΡΑ. ΟΙ ΤΙΜΕΣ ΔΙΑΦΟΡΟΠΟΙΟΥΝΤΑΙ ΕΠΙΠΛΕΟΝ ΣΕ ΔΙΑΦΟΡΕΤΙΚΕΣ ΣΥΝΘΗΚΕΣ ΘΕΡΜΟΚΡΑΣΙΑΣΚΑΙ ΣΥΓΚΕΝΤΡΩΣΗΣ ΚΑΛΙΟΥ.ΑΝΑΣΤΡΟΦΗ ΤΗΣ ΚΑΤΑΣΤΑΛΤΙΚΗΣ ΔΡΑΣΗΣ ΤΗΣ ΑΙΘΑΝΟΛΗΣ ΕΠΙΤΥΓΧΑΝΕΤΑΙ ΜΟΝΟ ΜΕ ΧΗΜΙΚΗ ΕΚΠΛΥΣΗ ΤΗΣ ΟΥΣΙΑΣ 'Η ΜΕΤΑ ΠΡΟΣΘΗΚΗ ΙΣΟΠΡΟΤΕΡΕΝΟΛΗΣ .Η ΤΡΟΠΟΠΟΙΗΣΗ ΤΩΝ ΜΕΜΒΡΑΝΙΚΩΝ ΔΥΝΑΜΙΚΟΥ, Η ΕΦΑΡΜΟΓΗ ΗΛΕΚΤΡΙΚΗΣ ΔΙΕΓΕΡΣΗΣ, Η ΣΥΝΕΧΗΣ ΕΞΩΤΕΡΙΚΗ ΒΗΜΑΤΟΔΟΤΗΣΗ ΚΑΙΗ ΠΡΟΣΘΗΚΗ ΑΤΡΟΠΙΝΗΣ ΔΕΝ ΑΠΟΚΑΘΙΣΤΟΥΝ ΤΗΝ ΗΛΕΚΤΟΦΥΣΙΟΛΙΓΙΚΗ ΣΥΜΠΕΡΙΦΟΡΑ ΚΑΙ ΤΟΝ ΑΥΤΟΜΑΤΙΣΜΟ ΤΩΝ ΦΛΕΒΟΚΟΜΒΙΚΩΝ ΚΥΤΤΑΡΩΝ.THE PURPOSE OF THESE EXPERIMENTS WAS TO STUDY THE MECHANISMS OF STIMULUS TRANSFORMATION TO BIOLOGICAL ACTIVITY ON ISOLATED SPONTANEOUSLY BEATING RABBIT AUTOMATIC CARDIAC CELLS.ELECTROPHYSIOLOGICAL DIRECT EFFECTS OF INCREASING ETHANOL CONCENTRATIONS ON ALL TYPES RABBIT ALL SINO-ATRIAL NODE AND INTERNODAL PATHWAYS WERE STUDIED IN NORMOTHERMIA, HYPOTHERMIA AND DIFFERENT POTASSIUM CONCENTRATIONS. FOR THIS STUDY WE USED OCTANOL AS AN AGENT THAT PRODUCES ELECTRICAL UNCOUPLING OF CELLS.ETHANOL EXERTED A BIPHASIC DOSE-TIME DEPENDENT ACTION ON HEART PACEMAKER CELLS, MOSTLY ON THE BEATING FREQUENCY.THE CONCENTRATION OF ETHANOL REQUIRED FOR DEPRESSION OF THE SINUS NODE AUTOMATICITY WAS DIFFERENTIATED IN PROPORTIONAL OF EACH AUTOMATIC TYPE CARDIAC CELLS.THIS DEPRESSENT EFFECT OF ETHANOL WAS NOT ABOLISHED BY ATROPINE OR BY INTENSE FIELD STIMULATION AND WAS DIRECTLY REVERSED WHEN ISOPROTERENAL ADDECT IN SUPERFUSED SOLUTION OR AFTER WASHOUT
Anthropometric, Lifestyle Characteristics, Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet, and COVID-19 Have a High Impact on the Greek Adolescents’ Health-Related Quality of Life
No full textObjective: The study aimed at analyzing the relationship between anthropometric characteristics, lifestyle, and dietary habits, as well as the burden of the pandemic on the health-related quality of life among Greek pupils. Research methods and procedures: On the whole, 2088 adolescents aged 12–18 years from Attica, Greece, were enlisted in this school-based cross-sectional study that took place in May–December 2021. Health-related quality of life was estimated through the KIDSCREEN-27 questionnaire, adherence to the Mediterranean diet—through the KIDMED test. For the empirical and econometric analyses, the Mann–Whitney U and Kruskal–Wallis means comparison tests were utilized; multiple linear regression was used accordingly. Results: The present study provides evidence to the fact that boys, younger adolescents, adolescents living with both parents and with highly educated mothers had a better health-related quality of life. Concerning their eating practices, positive predictors were consuming a better-quality breakfast, having all five meals daily, consuming lunch and dinner with parents, and higher adherence to the Mediterranean diet. Moreover, sufficient night sleep time, fewer hours spent on screen viewing, more frequent walks, and having hobbies were linked to the health-related quality of life with a positive sign. In contrast, negative predictors were higher body mass index and everyday life difficulties due to the COVID-19 pandemic crisis. Conclusions: Greek adolescents’ anthropometric characteristics, BMI, lifestyle and sedentary habits, eating habits, and adherence to the Mediterranean diet were significantly related to their perceived health-related quality of life during the pandemic
Cardiac functional remodeling indices in acute experimental infarction under the influence of inotropic agents
No full textTo study the time course changes of cardiac left ventricular (LV) geometry in acute experimental infarction by coronary artery ligation under the influence of inotropic agents. Methods: Cardiac remodelling indices depicted in the LV functional geometry such as lengths of LV long axis (LongAxL) and short axis (ShortAxL), their fractional shortening (LongAxFS and ShortAxFS) and a new recommended “function index” (FI=LongAxFS/ShortAxFS) were monitored echocardiografically in 20 anesthetized swines. Measurements were obtained before (control) and during a 75 min period following left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) ligation. Results: In the initial 11 animals studied ejection fraction (EF), LongAxFS and FI decreased significantly below control values all over the 75 min period after LAD ligation and ShortAxFS increased progressively above control values and maximized at the 45th min. In order to investigate the underlying mechanism of these changes, LAD ligation was performed under dobutamine infusion in the remaining 9 animals: EF, LongAxFS and FI failed initially into a decline and EF returned to control values at the 45th min and LongAxFS, FI at the 75th min. ShortAxFS remained unchanged vs control under dobutamine throughout the 75 min period. The changes in FI obtained under dobutamine infusion after ligation were best bivariately correlated (r=0.72, p0.001) and independently associated in a multiple regression model (b=0.45, p0.001) with the changes in EF. Conclusion: The echocardiography remodelling adaptation of LV functional geometry observed in acute experimental infarction consists in deterioration contractility across the LV Long Axis and in compensatory increase contractility of the Short Axis. Dobutamine infusion at a rate of 5 μg/kg/min was correcting both EF and LongAxFS and eliminating compensatory ShortAxFS changes to prevent the acute, unfavourable remodelling of the LV. Furthermore as manifested by all indices in this study, the new “function index” FI in early post myocardial infarction period predicts the complex LV functional geometry, cardiac remodelling and EF change
Coffee Intake Reduces Short-Term Carbohydrate and Lipid Consumption
No full textBackground: Epidemiological studies on the effect of coffee intake on food consumption have yielded conflicting results. We sought to study the immediate and short-term effects of coffee consumption on food preferences, total calories, and macronutrient consumption within a specific, closely supervised experimental protocol. Methods: Twenty-one normal-weight volunteers completed this crossover, randomized, controlled study. Each volunteer took part in two trials consuming (a) 200 mL of instant coffee providing 5 mg of caffeine/kg body weight or (b) 200 mL of water (control). In both trials, participants were offered an ad libitum lunch meal from a buffet for 30 min. Proteins, lipids, and carbohydrates, as well as total caloric consumption were recorded during the initial 30 min period of the experiment (immediate period) as well as during the rest of the day (short-term period). Results: Coffee intake resulted in a statistically significant lower intake of immediate and short-term carbohydrate consumption (p = 0.012 and p = 0.047), of immediate protein consumption (p = 0.019), and of short-term lipid consumption (p = 0.04) versus water consumption. As a result, the calories consumed both immediately upon coffee administration and during the rest of the day of the experiment were significantly lower (p = 0.026 and p = 0.006) in the coffee group. Conclusions: Coffee intake seems to exert an anorexigenic result that last for several hours upon its consumption, particularly for carbohydrates and lipids
