CareFlex HydroTilit, SmartSeat, and SmartSeatPro: evaluation of pressure and comfort

The purpose of this study was to explore the use of WaterCell Technology® in the redistribution of pressure of adults with mobility problems who remain seated for extended periods of time and self-reported comfort and discomfort scores using three chairs: HydroTilt, SmartSeat, and SmartSeatPro

Evaluating the impact of WaterCell® Technology on pressure redistribution and comfort/discomfort of adults with limited mobility

Aim of the study The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of WaterCell® Technology on pressure redistribution and self-reported comfort and discomfort scores of adults with mobility problems who remain seated for extended periods of time. Methods Twelve participants, were recruited and ranged in gender, age, height, weight, and body mass index. Five were male, seven were female, and five were permanent wheelchair users. Each participant was randomly allocated a chair, whose seat comprised of visco-elastic memory foam, high-elastic reflex foam, and watercells, to trial for a week. Data collected at day one and day seven included: interface pressure measurements taken across the gluteal region (peak and average); physiological observations of respiratory rate, pulse rate, and blood pressure; skin inspection and comfort and discomfort scores. Results Watercell® technology was found to offer lower average pressures than those reported to cause potential skin injury. Peak pressure index findings were comparative to other studies. No correlation was found between discomfort intensity rating and pressure redistribution. Discomfort intensity rating was low for all participants and general discomfort ranged from very low to medium. Physiological observations decreased for 50% of participants over the seven days. Conclusion From our study we have found that WaterCell® technology offers comparable pressure redistribution for people with a disability who need to sit for prolonged periods of time and the chairs were found to be comfortable

Understanding the association between pressure ulcers and sitting in adults what does it mean for me and my carers? Seating guidelines for people, carers and health & social care professionals

The aim of the publication was to develop a practical guide for people, carers and health and social care professionals on how the research and evidence base on pressure ulcer prevention and management can be applied to those who remain seated for extended periods of time. This publication was developed at the request of the Tissue Viability Society in order to revise the original seating guidelines from 2008 as evidence and subsequent care has moved forward in relation to this area. Since 2008, the costs for the prevention and management of pressure ulcers have increased significantly and there is limited published advice from health and social care organisations on seating and preventing pressure ulcers. These guidelines have been written for: • People • Carers • Health and Social Care professionals • Education and training staff • Independent sector Who live or work in primary, secondary, and tertiary settings

Evaluation of night time therapeutic positioning system for adults with complex postural problems

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of night-time positioning sleep systems for adults using the Simple Stuff Works Limited® system. A combination of quantitative and qualitative methods were used to assess the impact on a variety of factors; pain, physiological observations, oxygen saturation, nutrition and fluid intake, weight, Waterlow risk score, sleep score, choke risk score, skin integrity, comfort and quality of life. The project objectives were to: Evaluate the knowledge and skills of care staff in the delivery of night-time positioning (with and without equipment). Evaluate the equipment used in night-time positioning. Assess the impact of night-time positioning on activities of daily living. Measure the difference between pain, sleep scores, physiological observations, oxygen saturation, nutrition and fluid intake, weight, Waterlow risk score, choke risk score, skin integrity, comfort and quality of life before and after the intervention. The role of the company in the study was to provide the equipment. An independent clinician assessed the participants sleep system equipment requirements, demonstrated the first fitting and drew up the plan of care when using the equipment. Ethical approval to conduct the study was sought and granted by the University of Salford Ethics committee (see appendices, for the letter of approval)

On the linear fractional self-attracting diffusion

In this paper, we introduce the linear fractional self-attracting diffusion driven by a fractional Brownian motion with Hurst index 1/2<H<1, which is analogous to the linear self-attracting diffusion. For 1-dimensional process we study its convergence and the corresponding weighted local time. For 2-dimensional process, as a related problem, we show that the renormalized self-intersection local time exists in L^2 if $\frac12<H<\frac3{4}$.Comment: 14 Pages. To appear in Journal of Theoretical Probabilit

Fish oil omega-3 fatty acids partially prevent lipid-induced insulin resistance in human skeletal muscle without limiting acylcarnitine accumulation

This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Portland Press via the DOI in this record Acylcarnitine accumulation in skeletal muscle and plasma has been observed in numerous models of mitochondrial lipid overload and insulin resistance. Fish oil n3PUFA (omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids) are thought to protect against lipid-induced insulin resistance. The present study tested the hypothesis that the addition of n3PUFA to an intravenous lipid emulsion would limit muscle acylcarnitine accumulation and reduce the inhibitory effect of lipid overload on insulin action. On three occasions, six healthy young men underwent a 6-h euglycaemic-hyperinsulinaemic clamp accompanied by intravenous infusion of saline (Control), 10% Intralipid® [n6PUFA (omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids)] or 10% Intralipid®+10% Omegaven® (2:1; n3PUFA). The decline in insulin-stimulated whole-body glucose infusion rate, muscle PDCa (pyruvate dehydrogenase complex activation) and glycogen storage associated with n6PUFA compared with Control was prevented with n3PUFA. Muscle acetyl-CoA accumulation was greater following n6PUFA compared with Control and n3PUFA, suggesting that mitochondrial lipid overload was responsible for the lower insulin action observed. Despite these favourable metabolic effects of n3PUFA, accumulation of total muscle acylcarnitine was not attenuated when compared with n6PUFA. These findings demonstrate that n3PUFA exert beneficial effects on insulin-stimulated skeletal muscle glucose storage and oxidation independently of total acylcarnitine accumulation, which does not always reflect mitochondrial lipid overload.This research study was funded by The Royal Society [Grant RG100575]

Single Gene Deletions of Orexin, Leptin, Neuropeptide Y, and Ghrelin Do Not Appreciably Alter Food Anticipatory Activity in Mice

Timing activity to match resource availability is a widely conserved ability in nature. Scheduled feeding of a limited amount of food induces increased activity prior to feeding time in animals as diverse as fish and rodents. Typically, food anticipatory activity (FAA) involves temporally restricting unlimited food access (RF) to several hours in the middle of the light cycle, which is a time of day when rodents are not normally active. We compared this model to calorie restriction (CR), giving the mice 60% of their normal daily calorie intake at the same time each day. Measurement of body temperature and home cage behaviors suggests that the RF and CR models are very similar but CR has the advantage of a clearly defined food intake and more stable mean body temperature. Using the CR model, we then attempted to verify the published result that orexin deletion diminishes food anticipatory activity (FAA) but observed little to no diminution in the response to CR and, surprisingly, that orexin KO mice are refractory to body weight loss on a CR diet. Next we tested the orexigenic neuropeptide Y (NPY) and ghrelin and the anorexigenic hormone, leptin, using mouse mutants. NPY deletion did not alter the behavior or physiological response to CR. Leptin deletion impaired FAA in terms of some activity measures, such as walking and rearing, but did not substantially diminish hanging behavior preceding feeding time, suggesting that leptin knockout mice do anticipate daily meal time but do not manifest the full spectrum of activities that typify FAA. Ghrelin knockout mice do not have impaired FAA on a CR diet. Collectively, these results suggest that the individual hormones and neuropepetides tested do not regulate FAA by acting individually but this does not rule out the possibility of their concerted action in mediating FAA

Internal control genes for quantitative RT-PCR expression analysis in mouse osteoblasts, osteoclasts and macrophages

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Real-time quantitative RT-PCR (qPCR) is a powerful technique capable of accurately quantitating mRNA expression levels over a large dynamic range. This makes qPCR the most widely used method for studying quantitative gene expression. An important aspect of qPCR is selecting appropriate controls or normalization factors to account for any differences in starting cDNA quantities between samples during expression studies. Here, we report on the selection of a concise set of housekeeper genes for the accurate normalization of quantitative gene expression data in differentiating osteoblasts, osteoclasts and macrophages. We implemented the use of geNorm, an algorithm that determines the suitability of genes to function as housekeepers by assessing expression stabilities. We evaluated the expression stabilities of 18S, ACTB, B2M, GAPDH, HMBS and HPRT1 genes.</p> <p>Findings</p> <p>Our analyses revealed that 18S and GAPDH were regulated during osteoblast differentiation and are not suitable for use as reference genes. The most stably expressed genes in osteoblasts were ACTB, HMBS and HPRT1 and their geometric average constitutes a suitable normalization factor upon which gene expression data can be normalized. In macrophages, 18S and GAPDH were the most variable genes while HMBS and B2M were the most stably expressed genes. The geometric average of HMBS and B2M expression levels forms a suitable normalization factor to account for potential differences in starting cDNA quantities during gene expression analysis in macrophages. The expression stabilities of the six candidate reference genes in osteoclasts were, on average, more variable than that observed in macrophages but slightly less variable than those seen in osteoblasts. The two most stably expressed genes in osteoclasts were HMBS and B2M and the genes displaying the greatest levels of variability were 18S and GAPDH. Notably, 18S and GAPDH were the two most variably expressed control genes in all three cell types. The geometric average of HMBS, B2M and ACTB creates an appropriate normalization factor for gene expression studies in osteoclasts.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>We have identified concise sets of genes suitable to use as normalization factors for quantitative real-time RT-PCR gene expression studies in osteoblasts, osteoclasts and macrophages.</p

Why is cheating wrong?

Since cheating is obviously wrong, arguments against it (it provides an unfair advantage, it hinders learning) need only be mentioned in passing. But the argument of unfair advantage absurdly takes education to be essentially a race of all against all; moreover, it ignores that many cases of unfair (dis)advantages are widely accepted. That cheating can hamper learning does not mean that punishing cheating will necessarily favor learning, so that this argument does not obviously justify sanctioning cheaters. -- Keywords: academic dishonesty, academic integrity, academic misconduct, education, ethics, homework, plagiarismComment: 8 pages; new (completely rewritten) version; in Studies in Philosophy and Education (2009