Head-up displays - A study of their applicability in civil aviation

Benefits and problems of using head-up displays in commercial and general aviation aircraf

Measurement properties of the UK-English version of the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory™ 4.0 (PedsQL™) generic core scales

Background Health related quality of life (HRQL) has been recognised as an important paediatric outcome measurement. One of the more promising measures to emerge in recent years is the Pediatric Quality Of Life Inventory (PedsQL™), developed in the US. Advantages of the PedsQL™ include brevity, availability of age appropriate versions and parallel forms for child and parent. This study developed a UK-English version of PedsQL™ generic module and assessed its performance in a group of UK children and their parents. Methods PedsQL™ was translated to UK-English. The psychometric properties of the UK version were then tested following administration to 1399 children and 970 of their parents. The sample included healthy children, children diagnosed with asthma, diabetes or inflammatory bowel disease and children in remission from cancer. Results Psychometric properties were similar to those reported for the original PedsQL™. Internal reliability exceeded 0.70 for all proxy and self-report sub-scales. Discriminant validity was established for proxy and self-report with higher HRQL being reported for healthy children than those with health problems. Sex differences were noted on the emotional functioning subscale, with females reporting lower HRQL than males. Proxy and self-report correlation was higher for children with health problems than for healthy children. Conclusion The UK-English version of PedsQL™ performed as well as the original PedsQL™ and is recommended for assessment of paediatric HRQL in the UK

Epicatechin Stimulates Mitochondrial Activity and Selectively Sensitizes Cancer Cells to Radiation

Radiotherapy is the treatment of choice for solid tumors including pancreatic cancer, but the effectiveness of treatment is limited by radiation resistance. Resistance to chemotherapy or radiotherapy is associated with reduced mitochondrial respiration and drugs that stimulate mitochondrial respiration may decrease radiation resistance. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the potential of (-)-epicatechin to stimulate mitochondrial respiration in cancer cells and to selectively sensitize cancer cells to radiation. We investigated the natural compound (-)-epicatechin for effects on mitochondrial respiration and radiation resistance of pancreatic and glioblastoma cancer cells using a Clark type oxygen electrode, clonogenic survival assays, and Western blot analyses. (-)-Epicatechin stimulated mitochondrial respiration and oxygen consumption in Panc-1 cells. Human normal fibroblasts were not affected. (-)-Epicatechin sensitized Panc-1, U87, and MIA PaCa-2 cells with an average radiation enhancement factor (REF) of 1.7, 1.5, and 1.2, respectively. (-)-Epicatechin did not sensitize normal fibroblast cells to ionizing radiation with a REF of 0.9, suggesting cancer cell selectivity. (-)-Epicatechin enhanced Chk2 phosphorylation and p21 induction when combined with radiation in cancer, but not normal, cells. Taken together, (-)-epicatechin radiosensitized cancer cells, but not normal cells, and may be a promising candidate for pancreatic cancer treatment when combined with radiation

Microscopic description of the beta delayed deuteron emission from \bbox{^6}He

The beta delayed deuteron emission from $^6$He is studied in a dynamical microscopic cluster model. This model gives a reasonably good description for all the subsystems of $^6$He and $^6$Li in a coherent way, without any free parameter. The beta decay transition probability to the $^6$Li ground state is underestimated by a few percents. The theoretical beta delayed deuteron spectrum is close to experiment but it is also underestimated by about a factor 1.7. We argue that, in spite of their different magnitudes, both underestimations might have a common origin. The model confirms that the neutron halo part of the $^6$He wave function plays a crucial role in quenching the beta decay toward the $\alpha$ + d channel.Comment: LATEX with REVTEX, Submitted to Phys. Rev. C, 11 pages, 3 figures (not included) are available upon request. ATOMKI-93/

Absorption and Emission Spectrum of CaF2:U3+ from 2.1 to 2.5 Microns

The emission and absorption of CaF2:U3+ has been scanned at 77° and 4.2°K and linewidths have been measured. The spectrum is interpreted as arising from ions perturbed by a weak tetragonal crystal field. Preliminary results of the Zeeman effect on the narrowest lines are presented.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/70905/2/JCPSA6-39-11-3127-1.pd

Effectiveness of osteopathic manipulation therapies vs PT/rehabilitation therapies on multiple sclerosis symptoms

Introduction: We review some of the epidemiologic and genetic aspects of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) while highlighting the benefits of an osteopathic approach to relieving symptoms and psychological distress in MS and similar disease states. We focus on the efficacy of current PT/rehabilitation therapies versus Osteopathic Manipulative Therapies for selected symptoms in patients with MS, including changes in mood, motor functions, fatigue, vertigo, sleep, and chronic pain. Living with MS is extremely expensive, ranging from an average per-person per-year cost of $65,612 for direct medical costs and an average of$18,542 for indirect costs/non-medical costs (Bebo et al., 2022). This study can be used to expand the utility of Osteopathic Manipulation Therapy to potentially serve as a quick, easy, and cost-effective adjunct therapy to alleviate symptom burden while reducing reliance on medications solely targeted for symptom management in patients living with MS. Methods: A literature search was conducted to review MS, OMT, and physical therapy/ rehabilitation therapy, as well as therapies used in other neurological conditions that may be applied to MS patients Databases searched: PubMed, Clinical Key, De Gruyter, Google Scholar, Elsevier Search terms (in combinations): multiple sclerosis, neurologic disease, OMT, Physical therapy, rehabilitation therapy, manual therapy, multiple sclerosis specific [symptom(s)] Inclusion criteria were set wide due to limited research on the effectiveness of OMT and rehabilitation therapy in MS and other neurological diseases. MS type: progressive and relapsing-remitting Study designs: RCT, experimental, Reviews, one case report, international studies Outcome measures: short- and long-term outcomes of OMT and physical therapy Exclusion criteria: publications prior to 2000, publications not published in a peer-reviewed journal Results: Mood: PT (aerobic exercise and gait training but not clinical Pilates) had a significant improvement in mood, while all OMT studies showed significant improvements. Motor functions: PT had a significant improvement in balance, mobility, and walkability but not spasticity. OMT had significant improvements in all categories in addition to weakness. Fatigue: Both PT and OMT had significant improvements in fatigue. Vertigo: There were specific maneuvers in PT for vertigo proven to be successful. OMT was found to be supportive but not proven to treat Sleep: There are data supporting PT, however, evidence was mixed for OMT Chronic pain: Both OMT and PT are helpful for chronic pain, however, more evidence supports OMT Discussion: The use of OMT as a complementary and alternative medicine to target symptomatic relief and enhance quality of life in all aspects for patients with MS is underexplored but shows promising data that it has a significant effect. Potential Limitations: Not everyone is trained in Osteopathy, which limits access to OMT; various trials have fewer participants, and the power is not great. Work must continue to unfold the inner workings of MS so that patients may have the best chance at slowing their progression, understanding how their disease developed, and having symptomatic relief

Patient Experiences with an mHealth App for Complex Chronic Disease Care: Connections Despite Lack of Traditional Clinical Interactions

Chronic diseases are costly to treat and burdensome for patients. Mobile health (mHealth) technologies might reduce costs of care and increase patient self-efficacy in chronic disease management, but the patient experience of mHealth is poorly understood. Our objective, therefore, was to evaluate patient experiences with using an mHealth app for complex chronic disease management, within a U.S. population of low-income patients. We used nurse/patient text messages from an mHealth complex chronic disease management tool, and exit interviews from patients, to assess qualitatively Medicaid patients\u27 experiences with a remote monitoring mHealth app. Salient themes about the patient experience included: (1) Visibility and Invisibility in the Medical System (patients felt both seen and heard when using the app), (2) Deconstructing the Clinical Encounter (patients were reassured by being able to access care from any place at any time), (3) Familiarity in the Nurse/Patient Relationship (patients felt connected to the nurses running the app), and (4) Technology as a Conduit of Caring (the technology enhanced nursing care, rather than detracting from it). M-Health apps might be a way to improve provision of care for high-utilizing patients, particularly those from historically marginalized groups

The effect of starch-based biomaterials on leukocyte adhesion and activation in vitro

Leukocyte adhesion to biomaterials has long been recognised as a key element to determine their inflammatory potential. Results regarding leukocyte adhesion and activation are contradictory in some aspects of the material’s effect in determining these events. It is clear that together with the wettability or hydrophilicity/hydrophobicity, the roughness of a substrate has a major effect on leukocyte adhesion. Both the chemical and physical properties of a material influence the adsorbed proteins layer which in turn determines the adhesion of cells. In this work polymorphonuclear (PMN) cells and a mixed population of monocytes/macrophages and lymphocytes (mononuclear cells) were cultured separately with a range of starch-based materials and composites with hydroxyapatite (HA). A combination of both reflected light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used in order to study the leukocyte morphology. The quantification of the enzyme lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) was used to determine the number of viable cells adhered to the polymers. Cell adhesion and activation was characterised by immunocytochemistry based on the expression of several adhesion molecules, crucial in the progress of an inflammatory response. This work supports previous in vitro studies with PMN and monocytes/macrophages, which demonstrated that there are several properties of the materials that can influence and determine their biological response. From our study, monocytes/macrophages and lymphocytes adhere in similar amounts to more hydrophobic (SPCL) and to moderately hydrophilic (SEVA-C) surfaces and do not preferentially adhere to rougher substrates (SCA). Contrarily, more hydrophilic surfaces (SCA) induced higher PMN adhesion and lower activation. In addition, the hydroxyapatite reinforcement induces changes in cell behaviour for some materials but not for others. The observed response to starch-based biodegradable polymers was not significantly different from the control materials. Thus, the results reported herein indicate the low potential of the starch-based biodegradable polymers to induce inflammation especially the HA reinforced composite materials