A feasibility study for a remote laser water turbidity meter

A technique to remotely determine the attenuation coefficient (alpha) of the water was investigated. The backscatter energy (theta = 180 deg) of a pulse laser (lambda = 440 - 660 nm) was found directly related to the water turbidity. The greatest sensitivity was found to exist at 440 nm. For waters whose turbidity was adjusted using Chesapeake Bay sediment, the sensitivity in determining alpha at 440 nm was found to be approximately 5 - 10%. A correlation was also found to exist between the water depth (time) at which the peak backscatter occurs and alpha

Liver transplant recipients’ experiences and perspectives of a telehealth-delivered lifestyle programme A qualitative study

Introduction Dietary modification and exercise are encouraged to address cardiometabolic risk factors after solid organ transplantation. However, the lived experience of attempting positive lifestyle changes for liver transplant recipients is not known. The aim of this study was to explore the experiences of liver transplant recipients and their perspectives of a 12-week telehealth lifestyle programme and assess the feasibility of this innovative health service. Methods Focus groups and one-on-one interviews were conducted with participants who had completed a 12-week, group-based, telehealth-delivered diet and exercise programme and thematic qualitative analysis was used to code and theme the data. Results In total, 19 liver transplant recipients participated in the study (25-68 years, median time since transplant 4.4 years, 63% male). Overarching themes included: (a) 'broad telehealth advantages' which highlighted that telehealth reduced the perceived burdens of face-to-face care; (b) 'impact of employment' which identified employment as a competing priority and appeared to effect involvement with the programme; (c) 'adapting Mediterranean eating pattern to meet individual needs' which identified the adaptability of the Mediterranean diet supported by sessions with the dietitian; (d) 'increasing exercise confidence' which recognised that a tailored approach facilitated confidence and acceptability of the exercise component of the programme. Discussion A telehealth lifestyle programme delivered by dietitians and exercise physiologists is an acceptable alternative to face-to-face care that can meet the needs of liver transplant recipients. There is a need to further innovate and broaden the scope of routine service delivery beyond face-to-face consultations

“The RESPECT (Research in Palliative and End-of-Life Communication and Training) Center”

poster abstractCommunication is crucial to decision-making and high-quality care for patients with serious illness, but there are significant gaps in communication among patients, families, and clinicians. The Research in Palliative and End-of-Life Communication and Training (RESPECT) Center was funded in July 2010 under the IUPUI Signature Center Initiative to advance the science of palliative and end-of-life communication. The mission of the RESPECT Center is to build a collaborative, interdisciplinary scientific community of researchers and clinicians to work together to advance the science of communication in palliative and end-of-life care across the lifespan. The Center capitalizes on the complementary and expanding expertise at IU to support the advancement of research on communication in populations with serious illness that is lifethreatening, debilitating, or terminal. The Center is working to achieve its mission through three primary activities. First, the Center convenes researchers with shared expertise to utilize the collective wisdom of the interdisciplinary group in grant development and submission. The RESPECT Center uses a peer review meeting model to provide a forum for students, trainees, and faculty to develop and refine their grant writing activities focused on palliative and end-of-life care from idea development to grant revision. Second, research development is augmented by funding opportunities for peerreviewed pilot studies. Pilot funding is designed to attract new researchers to this area of study and to facilitate the generation of pilot data for more experienced researchers who are carving a new path in the field. Finally, several outreach activities are being undertaken with the goal of fostering new partnerships for translational science. The RESPECT Visiting Scholar series brings in external experts to present as part of a conference series and to meet with research faculty, clinicians, and administration to discuss issues related to advancing palliative and endof-life care research at IU. Additionally, a city-wide conference will be convened in year 3 to bring together members of the health care professional community with an interest in evidencebased practice in palliative and end-of-life care. The long-term goal of the RESPECT Center is to secure funding to permit the continued operation and expansion of Center activities

Protocol for a national monthly survey of alcohol use in England with 6-month follow-up: 'The Alcohol Toolkit Study'.

Timely tracking of national patterns of alcohol consumption is needed to inform and evaluate strategies and policies aimed at reducing alcohol-related harm. Between 2014 until at least 2017, the Alcohol Toolkit Study (ATS) will provide such tracking data and link these with policy changes and campaigns. By virtue of its connection with the 'Smoking Toolkit Study' (STS), links will also be examined between alcohol and smoking-related behaviour

Use of the Physician Orders for Scope of Treatment Program in Indiana Nursing Homes

OBJECTIVES: To assess the use of the Indiana Physician Orders for Scope of Treatment (POST) form to record nursing home (NH) resident treatment preferences and associated practices. DESIGN: Survey. SETTING: Indiana NHs. PARTICIPANTS: Staff responsible for advance care planning in 535 NHs. MEASUREMENTS: Survey about use of the Indiana POST, related policies, and educational activities. METHODS: NHs were contacted by telephone or email. Nonresponders were sent a brief postcard survey. RESULTS: Ninety-one percent (n=486) of Indiana NHs participated, and 79% had experience with POST. Of the 65% of NHs that complete POST with residents, 46% reported that half or more residents had a POST form. POST was most often completed at the time of admission (68%). Only 52% of participants were aware of an existing facility policy regarding use of POST; 80% reported general staff education on POST. In the 172 NHs not using POST, reasons for not using it included unfamiliarity with the tool (23%) and lack of facility policies (21%). CONCLUSION: Almost 3 years after a grassroots campaign to introduce the voluntary Indiana POST program, a majority of NHs were using POST to support resident care. Areas for improvement include creating policies on POST for all NHs, training staff on POST conversations, and considering processes that may enhance the POST conversation, such as finding an optimal time to engage in conversations about treatment preferences other than a potentially rushed admission process