Changes in Creep Behaviour and Microstructure of Model Mozzarella Cheese During Working

The effect of shear work input on the microstructure, fat particle size and creep behavior of model Mozzarella type cheeses was studied. Cheese samples were prepared in a twin screw cooker at 70 °C by mixing protein and fat phases together with different amounts of shear work input. Major changes in cheese structure were observed while working at 150 rpm and 250 rpm screw speeds. Confocal microstructures plus macroscopic observations showed systematic changes in structure with increased shear work inputs with unmixed buttery liquid observed at kg−1, typical Mozzarella type microstructures (elongated fat-serum channels) at 6–15 kJ kg−1 and homogeneously distributed, small size fat droplets at \u3e58 kJ kg−1. At very high shear work inputs, \u3e 75 kJ kg−1, striations or anisotropy in the microstructures had disappeared and small micro-cracks were evident. A 4-element Burger\u27s model was found adequate for fitting the creep data of model cheese at 70 °C but a 6-element model was required at 20 °C. As shear work input increased retarded compliance decreased and zero shear viscosity increased indicating the more elastic behavior of the cheeses with higher shear work input. Changes in the protein matrix appear to be the main reason for increased elastic behavior

The use of a smartwatch as a prompting device for people with acquired brain injury : a single case experimental design study

Prompting-based memory compensation is a potential application for smartwatches. This study investigated the usability and efficacy of a Moto360 smartwatch as a memory aid. Four community dwelling adults with memory difficulties following acquired brain injury (ABI) were included in an A-B-A single case experimental design study. Performance of everyday memory tasks was tested over six weeks with the smartwatch and software provided during weeks three and four. Participants were asked to use their usual memory aids and strategies during the control phases (weeks 1–2, 5–6). Three participants successfully used the smartwatch throughout the intervention weeks and gave positive usability ratings. A fourth participant experienced a seizure and subsequently left the study before the intervention phase. Three participants showed improved memory performance when using the smartwatch. Nonoverlap of all pairs (NAP) analysis showed a non-significant small increase in memory performance between baseline and intervention phases (mean NAP = 0.1, p = .84). There was a larger, significant decline between the intervention and return to baseline (mean NAP = 0.58, p < .01). The use of an off-the-shelf smartwatch device and software was feasible for people with ABI in the community. It was effective compared to practice as usual, although this was only apparent on withdrawal of the device

Antimicrobial catheters for reduction of symptomatic urinary tract infection in adults requiring short-term catheterisation in hospital : a multicentre randomised controlled trial

Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. PMID: 23134837 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]Peer reviewedPostprin

The use of a smartwatch as a prompting device for people with acquired brain injury: A single case experimental design study

Prompting-based memory compensation is a potential application for smartwatches. This study investigated the usability and efficacy of a Moto360 smartwatch as a memory aid. Four community dwelling adults with memory difficulties following acquired brain injury (ABI) were included in an A-B-A single case experimental design study. Performance of everyday memory tasks was tested over six weeks with the smartwatch and software provided during weeks three and four. Participants were asked to use their usual memory aids and strategies during the control phases (weeks 1-2, 5-6). Three participants successfully used the smartwatch throughout the intervention weeks and gave positive usability ratings. A fourth participant experienced a seizure and subsequently left the study before the intervention phase. Three participants showed improved memory performance when using the smartwatch. Nonoverlap of all pairs (NAP) analysis showed a non-significant small increase in memory performance between baseline and intervention phases (mean NAP = 0.1, p = .84). There was a larger, significant decline between the intervention and return to baseline (mean NAP = 0.58, p < .01). The use of an off-the-shelf smartwatch device and software was feasible for people with ABI in the community. It was effective compared to practice as usual, although this was only apparent on withdrawal of the device

Measurement Techniques for Steady Shear Viscosity of Mozzarella-Type Cheeses at High Shear Rates and High Temperature

While measuring steady shear viscosity of Mozzarella-type cheeses in a rotational rheometer at 70 °C, three main difficulties were encountered; wall slip, structural failure during measurement and viscoelastic time dependent effects. Serrated plates were the most successful surface modification at eliminating wall slip. However, even with serrated plates shear banding occurred at higher shear rates. Because of the viscoelastic nature of the cheeses, a time dependent viscous response occurred at shear rates \u3c1 \u3es−1, requiring longer times to attain steady shear conditions. Prolonged continuous shearing altered the structure of the molten cheeses. The effects of structural change were greatly reduced by minimising the total accumulated strain exerted on the sample during flow curve determination. These techniques enabled successful measurement of steady shear viscosity of molten Mozzarella-type cheeses at 70 °C at shear rates up to 250 s−1

The effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta (REBOA) for trauma patients with uncontrolled torso haemorrhage : study protocol for a randomised clinical trial (the UK-REBOA trial)

Acknowledgements The UK-REBOA trial grantholders include Jan O. Jansen, University of Aberdeen, UK, and University of Alabama at Birmingham, USA; Marion K. Campbell, University of Aberdeen, UK; Chris Moran, Nottingham University Hospital Trust, UK; Karim Brohi, Queen Mary University of London, UK; Fiona Lecky, University of Sheffield, UK; Robbie Lendrum, Bart’s Health NHS Trust, UK; Graeme MacLennan, University of Aberdeen, UK; Jonathan J. Morrison, University of Maryland, USA; Nigel Tai, Academic Department of Military Surgery and Trauma, Royal Centre for Defence Medicine, UK; Tim Harris, Bart’s Health NHS Trust, UK; John Norrie, University of Edinburgh, UK; Dwayne Boyers, University of Aberdeen, UK; Alan Paterson, University of Strathclyde, UK; and Nick Welch. Funding {4} This study/project is funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) HTA Programme (reference 14/199/09). The views expressed are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the NIHR or the Department of Health and Social Care. The funder has/had no role in the design of the study; the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data; or writing the manuscript. The Health Services Research Unit, Institute of Applied Health Sciences (University of Aberdeen), is core-funded by the Chief Scientist Office of the Scottish Government Health and Social Care Directorates.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

The development of theory-informed participant-centred interventions to maximise participant retention in randomised controlled trials

Acknowledgements We would like to thank all of the participants who volunteered their time to contribute to this study. We would also like to thank all of the teams linked to the host trials we worked with to help identify potential participants. Funding This research is funded by the Chief Scientist Office of the Scottish Government’s Health and Social Care Department [HIPS/16/46]. KG held a Medical Research Council UK Methodology Fellowship during the delivery of this project [MR/L01193X/1]. The publication was supported through a Health Research Board Trials Methodology Research Network award. MDW acknowledges support from the NIHR Newcastle Biomedical Research Centre. MW acknowledges support from the NIHR Imperial Biomedical Research Centre (BRC). The Health Services Research Unit, Institute of Applied Health Sciences (University of Aberdeen), is core-funded by the Chief Scientist Office of the Scottish Government Health and Social Care Directorates. The funders had no involvement in study design, collection, analysis and interpretation of data, reporting or the decision to publish.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Protocol for a randomised controlled trial comparing laparoscopic cholecystectomy with observation/conservative management for preventing recurrent symptoms and complications in adults with uncomplicated symptomatic gallstones (C-Gall trial)

Acknowledgments Previous CHaRT director John Norrie for his work with the concept of this study. Funding The trial is funded by the NIHR Health Technology Assessment (HTA) Programme (funder number: 14/192/71).Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Effectiveness of conservative management versus laparoscopic cholecystectomy in the prevention of recurrent symptoms and complications in adults with uncomplicated symptomatic gallstone disease (C-GALL trial) : pragmatic, multicentre randomised controlled trial

Acknowledgments This project will be published in full in the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Health Technology Assessment (HTA) programme series. Data monitoring committee: Catherine Hewitt (University of York), Jonathan Lund (University of Nottingham), Tim McAdam (Belfast Health and Social Care Trust), and Amir Nisar (Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust). Trial steering group: David Beard (University of Oxford), Ian Beckingham (Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust), John Leeds (Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust), and Dee McDonald (patient representative). Funding: This project was funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Health Technology Assessment (HTA) programme (project No 14/192/71). The Health Services Research Unit of the University of Aberdeen is funded in part by the chief scientist’s office of the Scottish government’s health and social care directorates. The views and opinions expressed therein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the chief scientist’s office, HTA programme, NIHR, NHS, or Department of Health. The funder had no role in the study design, data collection, data analysis, data interpretation, or writing of the report.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy versus conservative management for adults with uncomplicated symptomatic gallstones : the C-GALL RCT

Acknowledgements The authors wish to thank the men and women who participated in C-GALL. We also thank the CHaRT data coordinators and trials managers who helped support the study: Zoe Batham, Louise Campbell, Janice Cruden, Dianne Dejean, Jackie Ellington, Andrea Fraser and Bev Smith (data coordinators), Tracey Davidson and Alison McDonald (Trial managers). We are grateful to Kirsty McCormack and John Norrie for their help and advice in developing the grant proposal, to the Programming Team in CHaRT for developing and maintaining the study website. We thank Juliette Snow and Rachael West for their help with contracting, and Louise Cotterell, Kerry Duffus and Anne Buckle for their assistance in managing the budget. Our thanks go also to the Research Governance team (Louise King, Stacey Dawson, Lynn McKay) at the University of Aberdeen for their advice and support during the study. Thanks to Jamie McAllister (NHS Grampian) for providing unit cost data for the within trial economic analysis. Thanks to the Chen et al. for allowing the C-GALL group the use of the Otago ConditionSpecific Questionnaire (OCSQ) for gallstone disease, developed by Chen et al. in the University of Otago, New Zealand.1,2 1. Chen TY, Landmann MG, Potter JC, van Rij AM. Questionnaire to aid priority and outcomes assessment in gallstone disease. ANZ J Surg. 2006;76(7):569-74. 2. Chen TY. A novel set of condition-specific quality of life questionnaires in elective general surgical patient prioritization and outcome assessment [dissertation]. Dunedin (NZ): University of Otago; 2012. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/10523/2588 Members of the PMG for their ongoing support and advice. The independent members of the TSC and DMC, and the staff at the recruiting sites (listed below) who facilitated recruitment, treatment and follow up of trial participants. Trial funding This project was funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) XXX programme and will be published in full in HTA journal; Vol. XX, No. XXPeer reviewe