Data, Data Everywhere, and Still Too Hard to Link: Insights from User Interactions with Diabetes Apps

For those with chronic conditions, such as Type 1 diabetes, smartphone apps offer the promise of an affordable, convenient, and personalized disease management tool. How- ever, despite significant academic research and commercial development in this area, diabetes apps still show low adoption rates and underwhelming clinical outcomes. Through user-interaction sessions with 16 people with Type 1 diabetes, we provide evidence that commonly used interfaces for diabetes self-management apps, while providing certain benefits, can fail to explicitly address the cognitive and emotional requirements of users. From analysis of these sessions with eight such user interface designs, we report on user requirements, as well as interface benefits, limitations, and then discuss the implications of these findings. Finally, with the goal of improving these apps, we identify 3 questions for designers, and review for each in turn: current shortcomings, relevant approaches, exposed challenges, and potential solutions

Bildungsbedürfnisse und Hindernisse von Geflüchteten in Deutschland: Eine empirische Studie zu sozialen Netzwerken von Geflüchteten an deutschen Hochschulen

Der Beitrag gibt einen Überblick über die faktischen Herausforderungen, die Geflüchtete auf dem Weg zu einem erfolgreichen Studium in Deutschland überwinden müssen. Es zeigt sich vor allem, dass Geflüchtete als Stigmaträger an deutschen Hochschulen unter Anpassungsstörungen durch traumatisierende Erlebnisse und Diskriminierungserfahrungen leiden, was die Studienleistungen und den Lernerfolg erheblich beeinträchtigen kann. Geflüchtete haben außerdem Schwierigkeiten damit, sich ein unterstützendes Netzwerk zu Deutschen aufzubauen, das für den erfolgreichen Abschluss des Studiums unerlässlich erscheint. Abgesehen von Sprachproblemen sind auch die Unterschiede zu den im Heimatland gemachten Lern- und Lehrerfahrungen einfach zu groß. Der Beitrag schließt mit einer Diskussion der sozialwissenschaftlichen und politischen Implikationen mit Blick auf die Situation in Deutschland. Die dabei vorgestellten Befunde basieren im Wesentlichen auf einer qualitativen Studie, die im Sommersemester 2018 an zahlreichen deutschen Hochschulen durchgeführt wurde

Korea-small and medium industry bank(SMIB)

노트 : This document has a restricted distribution and may be used by recipients only in the performance of their official duties. Its contents may not otherwise be disclosed without World Bank authorization

Influence of fingerprints and finger positioning on accuracy of RF blood glucose measurement from fingertips

Non-invasive blood glucose measurement has attracted great interest from researchers deploying various techniques where microwave sensing is one of them. Microwave resonators are utilized as sensors for measuring the glucose levels. A body part is placed on the sensor for a reading and the measurement principle lies in the change of the dielectric properties of blood with varying levels of glucose. The fingertip is a popular measurement site as there is a good amount fresh blood supply. The position of the fingertip on the sensor has an effect on the sensor response due to the change in the propagation path of the electromagnetic field inside the finger. Moreover, fingerprints also affect the sensor response as the irregular ridges and valleys in the fingerprint introduce air gaps altering the effective permittivity seen by the sensor. The effects of fingerprints as well as finger positioning on the sensor is explored and explained in this paper

Development of a non-dairy probiotic fermented product based on almond milk and inulin

A new fermented almond milk that combined the properties of both almonds and probiotics was considered to cover the current versatile health-promoting foods' demand. Almond milk fermentation with probiotic Lactobacillus reuteri and Streptococcus thermophilus was studied by using a Central Composite design with response surface methodology, and different factors (glucose, fructose, inulin and starters) were optimised to assure high probiotic survivals in the final product. The optimal formulation was physicochemically characterised throughout cold storage (28 days) and both probiotic survivals to invitro digestion and proteolysis were quantified. Results showed that a high probiotic population (>10(7) cfu/mL) was obtained in the previously optimised almond milk throughout storage time, which correspond to the addition of 0.75g of glucose/100mL, 0.75g of fructose/100mL, 2g/100mL inulin and 6mL/100mL inoculum. Glucose was used as the main nutrient and the production of mannitol by L. reuteri was detected. The fermentation process increased the viscosity values, forming a weak gel structure, whose physical properties hardly changed. Probiotic bacteria notably survived (51%) to the invitro digestion, surely related to the inulin presence, which would add value to the developed product by enhancing the potential health benefits of its consumption.This research has been carried out thanks to a funded project by the Universitat Politecnica de Valencia (PAID-05-11-2740). This work was also supported by the Conselleria de Educacion of Valencia government, which granted the author N. Bernat (ACIF/2011).Bernat Pérez, N.; Cháfer Nácher, MT.; Chiralt Boix, MA.; González Martínez, MC. (2015). Development of a non-dairy probiotic fermented product based on almond milk and inulin. International Journal of Food Science and Technology. 21(6):1-14. https://doi.org/10.1177/1082013214543705S114216Aguirre, L., Garro, M. S., & Savoy de Giori, G. (2008). Enzymatic hydrolysis of soybean protein using lactic acid bacteria. Food Chemistry, 111(4), 976-982. doi:10.1016/j.foodchem.2008.05.018Albillos, S. M., Menhart, N., & Fu, T.-J. (2009). Structural Stability of Amandin, a Major Allergen from Almond (Prunus dulcis), and Its Acidic and Basic Polypeptides. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 57(11), 4698-4705. doi:10.1021/jf803977zAl-Dabbas. (2010). Acid-Base Buffering Properties of Five Legumes and Selected Food in vitro. American Journal of Agricultural and Biological Sciences, 5(2), 154-160. doi:10.3844/ajabssp.2010.154.160Angelov, A., Gotcheva, V., Kuncheva, R., & Hristozova, T. (2006). Development of a new oat-based probiotic drink. International Journal of Food Microbiology, 112(1), 75-80. doi:10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2006.05.015Arskold, E., Lohmeier-Vogel, E., Cao, R., Roos, S., Radstrom, P., & van Niel, E. W. J. (2007). Phosphoketolase Pathway Dominates in Lactobacillus reuteri ATCC 55730 Containing Dual Pathways for Glycolysis. Journal of Bacteriology, 190(1), 206-212. doi:10.1128/jb.01227-07Årsköld, E., Svensson, M., Grage, H., Roos, S., Rådström, P., & van Niel, E. W. J. (2007). Environmental influences on exopolysaccharide formation in Lactobacillus reuteri ATCC 55730. International Journal of Food Microbiology, 116(1), 159-167. doi:10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2006.12.010Bender FE, Douglas LW, Kramer DS (1989) Statistical methods for food and agriculture, Westport: Avi Publishing Co Inc, pp. 191–221.Bezkorovainy, A. (2001). Probiotics: determinants of survival and growth in the gut. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 73(2), 399s-405s. doi:10.1093/ajcn/73.2.399sBuddington, R. (2009). Using Probiotics and Prebiotics to Manage the Gastrointestinal Tract Ecosystem. Prebiotics and Probiotics Science and Technology, 1-31. doi:10.1007/978-0-387-79058-9_1Capela, P., Hay, T. K. C., & Shah, N. P. (2006). Effect of cryoprotectants, prebiotics and microencapsulation on survival of probiotic organisms in yoghurt and freeze-dried yoghurt. Food Research International, 39(2), 203-211. doi:10.1016/j.foodres.2005.07.007Champagne, C. P., Green-Johnson, J., Raymond, Y., Barrette, J., & Buckley, N. (2009). Selection of probiotic bacteria for the fermentation of a soy beverage in combination with Streptococcus thermophilus. Food Research International, 42(5-6), 612-621. doi:10.1016/j.foodres.2008.12.018CHANG, C.-Y., & STONE, M. B. (1990). Effect of Total Soymilk Solids on Acid Production by Selected Lactobacilli. Journal of Food Science, 55(6), 1643-1646. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2621.1990.tb03590.xChurch, F. C., Swaisgood, H. E., Porter, D. H., & Catignani, G. L. (1983). Spectrophotometric Assay Using o-Phthaldialdehyde for Determination of Proteolysis in Milk and Isolated Milk Proteins. Journal of Dairy Science, 66(6), 1219-1227. doi:10.3168/jds.s0022-0302(83)81926-2Coccorullo, P., Strisciuglio, C., Martinelli, M., Miele, E., Greco, L., & Staiano, A. (2010). Lactobacillus reuteri (DSM 17938) in Infants with Functional Chronic Constipation: A Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Study. The Journal of Pediatrics, 157(4), 598-602. doi:10.1016/j.jpeds.2010.04.066Cruz, A. G., Faria, J. A. F., Walter, E. H. M., Andrade, R. R., Cavalcanti, R. N., Oliveira, C. A. F., & Granato, D. (2010). Processing optimization of probiotic yogurt containing glucose oxidase using response surface methodology. Journal of Dairy Science, 93(11), 5059-5068. doi:10.3168/jds.2010-3336Cruz, N. S., Capellas, M., Jaramillo, D. P., Trujillo, A. J., Guamis, B., & Ferragut, V. (2009). Soymilk treated by ultra high-pressure homogenization: Acid coagulation properties and characteristics of a soy-yogurt product. Food Hydrocolloids, 23(2), 490-496. doi:10.1016/j.foodhyd.2008.03.010DE SOUZA OLIVEIRA, R. P., PEREGO, P., CONVERTI, A., & DE OLIVEIRA, M. N. (2009). The effect of inulin as a prebiotic on the production of probiotic fibre-enriched fermented milk. International Journal of Dairy Technology, 62(2), 195-203. doi:10.1111/j.1471-0307.2009.00471.xDonkor, O. N., Henriksson, A., Vasiljevic, T., & Shah, N. P. (2005). Probiotic Strains as Starter Cultures Improve Angiotensin-converting Enzyme Inhibitory Activity in Soy Yogurt. Journal of Food Science, 70(8), m375-m381. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2621.2005.tb11522.xFranck A.*. (2002). Technological functionality of inulin and oligofructose. British Journal of Nutrition, 87(6), 287-291. doi:10.1079/bjnbjn/2002550Glahn, R. P., Lee, O. A., Yeung, A., Goldman, M. I., & Miller, D. D. (1998). Caco-2 Cell Ferritin Formation Predicts Nonradiolabeled Food Iron Availability in an In Vitro Digestion/Caco-2 Cell Culture Model. The Journal of Nutrition, 128(9), 1555-1561. doi:10.1093/jn/128.9.1555Grobben, G. J., Peters, S. W. P. G., Wisselink, H. W., Weusthuis, R. A., Hoefnagel, M. H. N., Hugenholtz, J., & Eggink, G. (2001). Spontaneous Formation of a Mannitol-Producing Variant of Leuconostoc pseudomesenteroides Grown in the Presence of Fructose. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 67(6), 2867-2870. doi:10.1128/aem.67.6.2867-2870.2001Hutchings, J. B. (1999). Colour Measurement of Foods. Food Colour and Appearance, 238-326. doi:10.1007/978-1-4615-2373-4_8Indrio, F., Riezzo, G., Raimondi, F., Bisceglia, M., Cavallo, L., & Francavilla, R. (2008). The Effects of Probiotics on Feeding Tolerance, Bowel Habits, and Gastrointestinal Motility in Preterm Newborns. The Journal of Pediatrics, 152(6), 801-806. doi:10.1016/j.jpeds.2007.11.005Jones, J. L., Fernandez, M. L., McIntosh, M. S., Najm, W., Calle, M. C., Kalynych, C., … Lerman, R. H. (2011). A Mediterranean-style low-glycemic-load diet improves variables of metabolic syndrome in women, and addition of a phytochemical-rich medical food enhances benefits on lipoprotein metabolism. Journal of Clinical Lipidology, 5(3), 188-196. doi:10.1016/j.jacl.2011.03.002Kamil, A., & Chen, C.-Y. O. (2012). Health Benefits of Almonds beyond Cholesterol Reduction. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 60(27), 6694-6702. doi:10.1021/jf2044795Kolida, S., Tuohy, K., & Gibson, G. R. (2002). Prebiotic effects of inulin and oligofructose. British Journal of Nutrition, 87(S2), S193-S197. doi:10.1079/bjn/2002537Kopp-Hoolihan, L. (2001). Prophylactic and Therapeutic Uses of Probiotics. Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 101(2), 229-241. doi:10.1016/s0002-8223(01)00060-8Kroh, L. W. (1994). Caramelisation in food and beverages. Food Chemistry, 51(4), 373-379. doi:10.1016/0308-8146(94)90188-0Li, T. Y., Brennan, A. M., Wedick, N. M., Mantzoros, C., Rifai, N., & Hu, F. B. (2009). Regular Consumption of Nuts Is Associated with a Lower Risk of Cardiovascular Disease in Women with Type 2 Diabetes. The Journal of Nutrition, 139(7), 1333-1338. doi:10.3945/jn.108.103622Liu, R. H. (2012). Health Benefits of Phytochemicals in Whole Foods. Nutritional Health, 293-310. doi:10.1007/978-1-61779-894-8_13Julian McClements, D. (2004). Food Emulsions. Contemporary Food Science. doi:10.1201/9781420039436Matissek R, Schnepel FM, Steiner G (1998) Análisis de los Alimentos: Fundamentos, Métodos y Aplicaciones, Zaragoza: Acribia S.A. publishings, pp. 123–132.Ortiz, M. E., Fornaguera, M. J., Raya, R. R., & Mozzi, F. (2012). Lactobacillus reuteri CRL 1101 highly produces mannitol from sugarcane molasses as carbon source. Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, 95(4), 991-999. doi:10.1007/s00253-012-3945-zPatrignani, F., Iucci, L., Lanciotti, R., Vallicelli, M., Maina Mathara, J., Holzapfel, W. H., & Guerzoni, M. E. (2007). Effect of High-Pressure Homogenization, Nonfat Milk Solids, and Milkfat on the Technological Performance of a Functional Strain for the Production of Probiotic Fermented Milks. Journal of Dairy Science, 90(10), 4513-4523. doi:10.3168/jds.2007-0373Pereda, J., Ferragut, V., Quevedo, J. M., Guamis, B., & Trujillo, A. J. (2007). Effects of Ultra-High Pressure Homogenization on Microbial and Physicochemical Shelf Life of Milk. Journal of Dairy Science, 90(3), 1081-1093. doi:10.3168/jds.s0022-0302(07)71595-3Rivera-Espinoza, Y., & Gallardo-Navarro, Y. (2010). Non-dairy probiotic products. Food Microbiology, 27(1), 1-11. doi:10.1016/j.fm.2008.06.008Roberfroid, M. B. (2005). Introducing inulin-type fructans. British Journal of Nutrition, 93(S1), S13-S25. doi:10.1079/bjn20041350Roland, I. (2003). Systematic characterization of oil-in-water emulsions for formulation design. International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 263(1-2), 85-94. doi:10.1016/s0378-5173(03)00364-8Rajasekaran, A., & Kalaivani, M. (2012). Designer foods and their benefits: A review. Journal of Food Science and Technology, 50(1), 1-16. doi:10.1007/s13197-012-0726-8Savijoki, K., Ingmer, H., & Varmanen, P. (2006). Proteolytic systems of lactic acid bacteria. Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, 71(4), 394-406. doi:10.1007/s00253-006-0427-1Savino, F., Pelle, E., Palumeri, E., Oggero, R., & Miniero, R. (2007). Lactobacillus reuteri (American Type Culture Collection Strain 55730) Versus Simethicone in the Treatment of Infantile Colic: A Prospective Randomized Study. PEDIATRICS, 119(1), e124-e130. doi:10.1542/peds.2006-1222Sze, A., Erickson, D., Ren, L., & Li, D. (2003). Zeta-potential measurement using the Smoluchowski equation and the slope of the current–time relationship in electroosmotic flow. Journal of Colloid and Interface Science, 261(2), 402-410. doi:10.1016/s0021-9797(03)00142-5Tamime AY, Robinson RK (2000) Yoghurt. Science and Technology, Boca Raton: CRC Press, pp. 535–588.Vasiljevic, T., Kealy, T., & Mishra, V. K. (2007). Effects of ?-Glucan Addition to a Probiotic Containing Yogurt. Journal of Food Science, 72(7), C405-C411. doi:10.1111/j.1750-3841.2007.00454.xWilson, S., Blaschek, K., & Mejia, E. G. (2005). Allergenic Proteins in Soybean: Processing and Reduction of P34 Allergenicity. Nutrition Reviews, 63(2), 47-58. doi:10.1111/j.1753-4887.2005.tb00121.xWisselink, H. ., Weusthuis, R. ., Eggink, G., Hugenholtz, J., & Grobben, G. . (2002). Mannitol production by lactic acid bacteria: a review. International Dairy Journal, 12(2-3), 151-161. doi:10.1016/s0958-6946(01)00153-4Yaakob, H., Ahmed, N. R., Daud, S. K., Malek, R. A., & Rahman, R. A. (2012). Optimization of ingredient and processing levels for the production of coconut yogurt using response surface methodology. Food Science and Biotechnology, 21(4), 933-940. doi:10.1007/s10068-012-0123-0Yada, S., Lapsley, K., & Huang, G. (2011). A review of composition studies of cultivated almonds: Macronutrients and micronutrients. Journal of Food Composition and Analysis, 24(4-5), 469-480. doi:10.1016/j.jfca.2011.01.00

Dietary and physical activity strategies to prevent type 2 diabetes in South Asian adults:protocol for a systematic review

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a major health concern among populations of South Asian ethnicity. Although dietary and physical activity interventions may reduce the risk of T2D, the effectiveness has been moderate among South Asians. This might (in part) be because this subgroup follows strategies that were originally developed for interventions among other populations. Therefore, this review aims to assess the evidence for the current dietary and physical activity strategies recommended in T2D prevention intervention studies and guidelines for South Asians. Included will be all studies and guidelines on dietary and/or physical activity strategies to prevent T2D in adult South Asians. Two reviewers will search online databases from their start until the present date for published and unpublished experimental/quasiexperimental studies, with at least an abstract in English. References of identified articles and key reviews will be screened for additional studies. Guidelines will be identified by searches in online databases and websites of public organisations. Finally, expert consultations will be held to supplement any missing information. Trial quality will be assessed with the Quality Assessment Tool for Quantitative Studies Data, and guidelines with the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research & Evaluation II. Data on the strategies recommended, targeting and evidence on effectiveness will be extracted by two reviewers and presented in tabular and narrative forms. Recommendations will be compared with the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines [PH35]. Overall findings on dietary and physical activity recommendations, as well as findings for specific subgroups (eg, by sex), will be discussed. Ethics assessment is not required. Start date: 1 January 2016, finishing and reporting date 31 July 2016. Results will be published in a peer-reviewed scientific journal, the project report of EuroDHYAN (www.eurodhyan.eu) and in a PhD dissertation. The protocol is registered with the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) registration number CRD42015027067

Survival Analysis of COPD Patients in a 13-Year Nationwide Cohort Study of the Brazilian National Health System

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has an appreciable socioeconomical impact in low- and middle-income countries, but most epidemiological data originate from high-income countries. For this reason, it is especially important to understand survival and factors associated with survival in COPD patients in these countries. Objective: To assess survival of COPD patients in Brazil, to identify risk factors associated with overall survival, including treatment options funded by the Brazilian National Health System (SUS). Methodology: We built a retrospective cohort study of patients dispensed COPD treatment in SUS, from 2003 to 2015 using a National Database created from the record linkage of administrative databases. We further matched patients 1:1 based on sex, age and year of entry to assess the effect of the medicines on patient survival. We used the Kaplan-Meier method to estimate overall survival of patients, and Cox's model of proportional risks to assess risk factors. Result: Thirty seven thousand and nine hundred and thirty eight patients were included. Patient's survival rates at 1 and 10 years were 97.6% (CI 95% 97.4–97.8) and 83.1% (CI 95% 81.9–84.3), respectively. The multivariate analysis showed that male patients, over 65 years old and underweight had an increased risk of death. Therapeutic regimens containing a bronchodilator in a free dose along with a fixed-dose combination of corticosteroid and bronchodilator seem to be a protective factor when compared to other regimens. Conclusion: Our findings contribute to the knowledge of COPD patients' profile, survival rate and related risk factors, providing new evidence that supports the debate about pharmacological therapy and healthcare of these patients

Disentangling the climatic and biotic factors driving changes in the dynamics of Quercus suber populations across the species’ latitudinal range

We thank A.J. Muñoz‐Pajares, L. Rodríguez and G. Rutten for their help and logistic support during field sampling and M.E. Sánchez, M. Serrano and M.A. Romero for pathogen analyses and interest‐ ing discussions.Data will be available from the Dryad Digital Repository upon acceptance.Aim: Impacts of different global change drivers are altering the performance of plant species worldwide. However, these pressures usually differ across the species’ distri‐ bution range. To properly assess the combined effect of global change at species level, we need to evaluate its consequences across their complete distribution. We focused on recent decline in Cork oak (Quercus suber L.) populations given its high ecological and economic relevance. Location: We selected 10 different sites (and two populations per site) separated about one degree in latitude across the core distribution of Q. suber, following a transcontinental aridity gradient. Methods: To evaluate the current trends in population dynamics across the species’ distribution and the factors implied on population decline, we evaluated the effect of latitude, aridity, pathogens (Phytophthora cinnamomi), stand density and tree size on seed and crop size, demographic structure, dominance of recruitment bank, defolia‐ tion and mortality. Results: We found an increase in seed weight as latitude decreased, with a homogene‐ ous low crop size across the complete distribution. Demographic structure was deter‐ mined by latitude, precipitation and pathogen abundance. We detected a trend towards reduced sapling densities towards the southern edge of the distribution, with a demo‐ graphic structure dominated by old trees. The low sapling density at the southern edge translates into a loss of dominance with respect to other woody species, suggesting an alteration of community structure in the mid‐term future. Tree density, precipitation and pathogen abundance determined tree mortality across the species distribution, with a higher abundance of pathogens in central‐latitude populations. Main conclusions: Our results allow the early detection of declining trends and the evaluation of the main risks for species’ conservation, suggesting potential for range displacement of the species driven by the recruitment failure at the southern edge of the distribution and a likely range expansion at northern populations.This research was funded by the Large Research Grant (6007210) awarded from the British Ecological Society to L.M. L.G.A. acknowledges support from the MICINN project INTERCAPA (CGL‐2014‐56739‐R) and European FEDER Fund