Comparison of engagement and emotional responses of older and younger adults interacting with 3D cultural heritage artefacts on personal devices

The availability of advanced software and less expensive hardware allows museums to preserve and share artefacts digitally. As a result, museums are frequently making their collections accessible online as interactive, 3D models. This could lead to the unique situation of viewing the digital artefact before the physical artefact. Experiencing artefacts digitally outside of the museum on personal devices may affect the user's ability to emotionally connect to the artefacts. This study examines how two target populations of young adults (18–21 years) and the elderly (65 years and older) responded to seeing cultural heritage artefacts in three different modalities: augmented reality on a tablet, 3D models on a laptop, and then physical artefacts. Specifically, the time spent, enjoyment, and emotional responses were analysed. Results revealed that regardless of age, the digital modalities were enjoyable and encouraged emotional responses. Seeing the physical artefacts after the digital ones did not lessen their enjoyment or emotions felt. These findings aim to provide an insight into the effectiveness of 3D artefacts viewed on personal devices and artefacts shown outside of the museum for encouraging emotional responses from older and younger people

Treatment of acute diverticulitis laparoscopic lavage vs. resection (DILALA): study protocol for a randomised controlled trial

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Perforated diverticulitis is a condition associated with substantial morbidity. Recently published reports suggest that laparoscopic lavage has fewer complications and shorter hospital stay. So far no randomised study has published any results.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>DILALA is a Scandinavian, randomised trial, comparing laparoscopic lavage (LL) to the traditional Hartmann's Procedure (HP). Primary endpoint is the number of re-operations within 12 months. Secondary endpoints consist of mortality, quality of life (QoL), re-admission, health economy assessment and permanent stoma. Patients are included when surgery is required. A laparoscopy is performed and if Hinchey grade III is diagnosed the patient is included and randomised 1:1, to either LL or HP. Patients undergoing LL receive > 3L of saline intraperitoneally, placement of pelvic drain and continued antibiotics. Follow-up is scheduled 6-12 weeks, 6 months and 12 months. A QoL-form is filled out on discharge, 6- and 12 months. Inclusion is set to 80 patients (40+40).</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>HP is associated with a high rate of complication. Not only does the primary operation entail complications, but also subsequent surgery is associated with a high morbidity. Thus the combined risk of treatment for the patient is high. The aim of the DILALA trial is to evaluate if laparoscopic lavage is a safe, minimally invasive method for patients with perforated diverticulitis Hinchey grade III, resulting in fewer re-operations, decreased morbidity, mortality, costs and increased quality of life.</p> <p>Trial registration</p> <p>British registry (ISRCTN) for clinical trials <a href="http://www.controlled-trials.com/ISRCTN82208287">ISRCTN82208287</a><url>http://www.controlled-trials.com/ISRCTN82208287</url></p

System analysis and optimisation of a Kalina split-cycle for waste heat recovery on large marine diesel engines

Waste heat recovery systems can produce power from heat without using fuel or emitting CO2, therefore their implementation is becoming increasingly relevant. The Kalina cycle is proposed as an efficient process for this purpose. The main reason for its high efficiency is the non-isothermal phase change characteristics of the ammonia-water working fluid. The present study investigates a unique type of Kalina process called the Split-cycle, applied to the exhaust heat recovery from large marine engines. In the Split-cycle, the working fluid concentration can be changed during the evaporation process in order to improve the match between the heat source and working fluid temperatures. We present a system analysis to identify the governing mechanisms of the process, including a comparison of the efficiency of the Split-cycle and a conventional Kalina cycle and an investigation of the effects of using reheat in both cases. Results of a multi-variable optimisation effort using a genetic algorithm suggest that the Split-cycle process can obtain a thermal efficiency of 23.2% when using reheat compared to 20.8% for a conventional reference Kalina cycle. Reheat can increase the thermal efficiency by 3.4-5.9%. A simplified cost analysissuggests higher purchase costs as result of increased process complexity

Glioblastoma multiforme and papillary thyroid carcinoma - A rare combination of multiple primary malignancies

We are describing a 19-year-old white woman who presented with two synchronous primary cancers, namely glioblastoma multiforme and papillary thyroid cancer. The patient was admitted with dizziness, headache, and vomiting. CT head revealed acute intraparenchymal hematoma in the right cingulate gyrus and the splenium of the corpus callosum. Carotid and cerebral angiogram were unremarkable. MRI of the brain demonstrated a non-enhancing and non-hemorrhagic component of the lesion along the lateral margin of the hemorrhage just medial to the atrium of the right lateral ventricle that was suspicious for a tumor or metastasis. Brain biopsy confirmed it as glioblastoma mutiforme. CT chest was done to rule out primary cancer that revealed a 11 mm hypodense lesion in the left lobe of the thyroid and ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration biopsy confirmed it as papillary thyroid carcinoma. We should evaluate for multiple primary malignancies in young patients who are found to have primary index cancer