Mechanotransduktion in Osteoblasten

Niertransplantatie is de beste behandeling voor nierfalen, maar sommige patiënten doen het beter dan anderen. Als we wisten waarom, zouden we misschien kunnen helpen als het minder goed gaat. Twee studies keken naar de invloed van individuele kenmerken op de patiëntenbeoordeling van gezondheid en welzijn. Eén omvatte patiënten tot 15 jaar na niertransplantatie, de ander volgde patiënten van vóór tot een jaar na transplantatie. Vele jaren met een getransplanteerde nier gaan samen met meer bijkomende aandoeningen en meer symptomen vanwege nierziekte en medicatie.Desalniettemin beoordeelden patiënten hun gezondheid even hoog dan kort na transplantatie. In sommige gevallen rapporteerden patiënten echter een verslechtering van hun gezondheid na transplantatie. Hoewel het niet mogelijk bleek deze verslechtering vooraf te voorspellen, waren deze patiënten vaak vrouwen met meer bijkomende aandoeningen en complicaties. Alhoewel de kwaliteit van leven na transplantatie vaak lager was dan patiënten hadden verwacht, waren daaruit voortvloeiende psychische klachten slechts van korte duur. Een slechte gezondheid leidde echter tot meer psychische klachten, omdat het de beoordeling van de gezondheid alsmede gevoelens van controle, optimisme en zelfrespect verlaagde. Omgekeerd resulteerden verhoogde gevoelens van controle en minder obstructie van belangrijke doelen na transplantatie in minder psychische klachten. Regelmatige controles van de patiëntenbeoordeling van gezondheid en welzijn zouden degenen kunnen identificeren die het minder goed doen. Daarna kan een beter beheer van symptomen en bijkomende aandoeningen, evenals interventies ter verbetering van het gevoel van controle, zelfrespect en het vermogen om met geblokkeerde doelen om te gaan, de gezondheidsbeoodeling en het welzijn van patiënten helpen verbeteren.Kidney transplantation is the best treatment for kidney failure, but some patients fare better than others. If we knew why, we might be able to help those who fare less well. Two studies were conducted to investigate the influence of individual characteristics on patient ratings of health and well-being. One included patients up to 15 years after kidney transplantation, the other followed patients from before to one year after transplantation. Patients who lived with a transplanted kidney for many years had more additional conditions and more symptoms because of their kidney disease and medication. Nevertheless, they rated their health equally high than those who lived shorter periods with a transplanted kidney. In some cases, however, patients reported a deterioration of their health after transplantation. While it was not possible to predict this deterioration beforehand, these patients were often women with more additional conditions and complications. Although quality of life after transplantation was often lower than patients had expected, any resulting distress was short-lived. Poor health, however, led to higher distress, because it lowered health ratings and feelings of control, optimism, and self-esteem. Conversely, increased feelings of control and less obstruction of important goals after transplantation resulted in less distress. Regular checks of patients’ health ratings and well-being could identify those who fare less well. Thereafter, enhanced management of symptoms and additional conditions, as well as interventions to improve feelings of control, self-esteem, and the ability to cope with obstructed goals might help to boost patients’ health ratings and well-being

Starting early: integration of self-management support into an acute stroke service.

Self-management support following stroke is rare, despite emerging evidence for impact on patient outcomes. The promotion of a common approach to self-management support across a stroke pathway requires collaboration between professionals. To date, the feasibility of self-management support in acute stroke settings has not been evaluated. The Bridges stroke self-management package (SMP) is based on self-efficacy principles. It is delivered by professionals and supported by a patient-held workbook. The aim of this project was to introduce the Bridges stroke SMP to the multidisciplinary staff of a London hyperacute and acute stroke unit. The 'Plan Do Study Act' (PDSA) cycle guided iterative stages of project development, with normalisation process theory helping to embed the intervention into existing ways of working. Questionnaires explored attitudes, beliefs and experiences of the staff who were integrating self-management support into ways of working in the acute stroke setting. Self-management support training was delivered to a total of 46 multidisciplinary stroke staff. Of the staff who attended the follow-up training, 66% had implemented Bridges self-management support with patients since initial training, and 100% felt their practice had changed. Questionnaire findings demonstrated that staff attitudes and beliefs had changed following training, particularly regarding ownership and type of rehabilitation goals set, and prioritisation of self-management support within acute stroke care. Staff initiated an audit of washing and dressing practices pre- and post-training. This was designed to evaluate the number of occasions when techniques were used by staff to facilitate patients' independence and self-management. They found that the number of occasions featuring optimum practice went from 54% at baseline to 63% at three months post-training. This project demonstrated the feasibility of integrating self-management support into an acute stroke setting. Further work is required to evaluate sustainability of the Bridges stroke SMP, to understand the barriers and opportunities involved in engaging all professional groups in integrated self-management support in acute stroke settings, and to assess patient reported outcomes

Hydrocephalus 2008, 17–20th September, Hannover Germany: a conference report

Hydrocephalus 2008 was held 17–20 September in Hannover, Germany, at the invitation of Petra M Klinge (President), co-hosted by Joachim K. Krauss (Vice President), and Madjid Samii (Honorary President). This meeting was a successor to Hydrocephalus 2006 held in Göteborg, Sweden, organised by Past-President, Carsten Wikkelso. The conference began with a general introductory session of six talks including three invited lectures, followed by eighteen parallel sessions. Subjects covered were hydrocephalus signs, symptoms and diagnosis, especially in normal pressure hydrocephalus; cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) physics and dynamics; CSF function and modelling of function; dementia and quality of life, economy, health care and rehabilitation; neuropsychology, cognition and outcome assessment; neuroimaging, functional imaging and non-invasive diagnostics; paediatric and adolescent hydrocephalus; intelligent shunt and valve design (e.g. telemetry, adjustable and antimicrobial shunts); endoscopic third ventriculostomy; technical advances and image-guided surgical approaches in the treatment of hydrocephalus; brain metabolism, biomarkers and biophysics; co-morbidity, classification and aetiology; epidemiology, registries and clinical trials; experimental hydrocephalus; and pharmaceutical modulation of central nervous system function (CNS drug delivery). Each session began with introductory talks from the invited chairpersons followed by six to eight submitted oral presentations. Overall, 136 oral presentations and 18 posters were presented, the abstracts of which were published elsewhere [1]. We present here an account of the introductory session, the invited chairperson's talks and the concluding remarks by Anthony Marmarou

Dietary patterns and colorectal cancer risk in the United Kingdom Women’s Cohort Study

ABSTRACT Background: Some dietary patterns have been associated with colorectal cancer (CRC) in observational studies but the findings are inconclusive. The aim of this study is to explore associations between two dietary patterns, derived using different dietary assessment methods, and risk of CRC. Methods: CRC event data for the UK Women’s Cohort Study were obtained from NHS Digital. Adherence scores to the Mediterranean dietary pattern and to the 2007 World Cancer Research Fund / American Institute of Cancer Research (WCRF/AICR) cancer prevention recommendations respectively were generated. Cox regression was used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) for CRC risk, for each score separately, using a cohort approach for food frequency data and a case-cohort design for analyses with food diary data. Agreement between scores derived by the two different assessment methods was assessed by weighted Kappa statistics and the Bland-Altman method. Results: After 17 years, 527 CRC cases were observed. The Mediterranean dietary pattern, assessed using the food frequency questionnaire (FFQ), was associated with a decreased risk of CRC. For a 2-point increment in the Mediterranean diet (MD) score, HR 0.88, 95% CI: 0.78, 0.99; Ptrend = 0.03. No evidence of an association was observed when data from food diaries was used for deriving the dietary pattern: for a 1-unit increment in the MD score, HR 0.94; 95% CI: 0.83 to 1.06; Ptrend 0.32. Similarly, no significant associations were observed between higher adherence to the WCRF/AICR guidelines and risk of CRC. For a 1-unit increment in the WCRF/AICR score, HR 0.92, 95% CI: 0.82, 1.03; Ptrend 0.169 for FFQ data whilst HR 1.01; 95% CI: 0.83, 1.24; Ptrend 0.87 for food diary data. The Bland-Altman method showed higher energy intake by the FFQ in comparison to the food diary and agreement between the two methods was slight for the MD score (Κ=0.15; 95% CI: 0.14, 0.16) and fair for the WCRF/AICR score (Κ=0.38; 95% CI: 0.37, 0.39). Conclusion: The Mediterranean dietary pattern is inversely associated with CRC risk whilst a higher adherence to the WCRF/AICR cancer prevention guidelines did not significantly decrease CRC risk in this cohort of British women

Characterisation of a three-dimensional Brownian motor in optical lattices

We present here a detailed study of the behaviour of a three dimensional Brownian motor based on cold atoms in a double optical lattice [P. Sjolund et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 96, 190602 (2006)]. This includes both experiments and numerical simulations of a Brownian particle. The potentials used are spatially and temporally symmetric, but combined spatiotemporal symmetry is broken by phase shifts and asymmetric transfer rates between potentials. The diffusion of atoms in the optical lattices is rectified and controlled both in direction and speed along three dimensions. We explore a large range of experimental parameters, where irradiances and detunings of the optical lattice lights are varied within the dissipative regime. Induced drift velocities in the order of one atomic recoil velocity have been achieved.Comment: 8 pages, 14 figure

Self-Rated Distress Related to Medical Conditions is Associated with Future Crashes or Traffic Offences in Older Drivers

Ageing is associated with the development of medical conditions, both acute and chronic. The aim of this study was to determine whether medical factors were associated with subsequent self- and officially-reported crashes and traffic offences in a group of cognitively healthy older drivers. We surveyed medical conditions, medications taken for these conditions, and the amount of subjective distress associated with medical conditions in a group of 56 drivers aged 72-85 years for a period of 24 months. We also compared exposure to driving at baseline to the number of crashes or offences at 24 months. We found no relationship between the number of medical conditions or medications taken and whether a participant had a crash or offence. However, those who reported more subjective distress associated with their condition/s were more likely to have a crash or offence during the study period. Drivers who had a crash or offence also had a higher mean driving exposure. However, there was no relationship between reported distress and driving exposure which indicates that these may be independent risk factors for experiencing a crash or traffic offence

Investigating determinants of obesity in 5- to 6-year-old Maltese children

Childhood obesity is increasing in most countries worldwide and Malta is no exception. However, local data regarding determinants of obesity is lacking. The aim of this preliminary study was to link some possible determinants of childhood obesity, namely, dietary intake and activity levels with anthropometric data in a sample of 5- to 6-year-old Maltese children and to investigate possible associations with parental body mass index (BMI). Stratified sampling which ensured good gender, geographical and socioeconomic representation and adequate representation from the three school-types (state, church, independent), provided a sample of 66 participants. Anthropometric measurements of children and parents were collected in 2015 and diet and lifestyle factors were assessed through food and activity diaries. The diaries were coded to retrieve energy and macronutrient intake and activity levels of the children. Multiple regression related BMI and waist circumference (WC) with dietary intake, activity levels and parental BMI. Children’s BMI and WC were positively and significantly (rs = 0.71, p < 0.001) correlated. Consumption of Non-Milk Extrinsic Sugars (NMES) were significantly higher for girls than boys (U = 366.0, p = 0.031). Multiple regression analysis yielded a significant positive relationship between NMES with both BMI (t (56) = 3.095, p = 0.003) and WC (t (56) = 3.365, p = 0.002). Paternal and child BMI were positively significantly correlated (rs = 0.372, p = 0.005). NMES intake was one possible contributing factor to obesity and central adiposity with physical activity having a protective effect, whilst sedentary behaviour and fat intake did not appear to be risk factors at this age. Further studies are recommended on larger sample sizes to extensively investigate the effect of different determinants on obesity in this age group and work towards developing nutritional recommendations on a national basis.peer-reviewe

Overview of the CLEF-2007 cross-language speech retrieval track

The CLEF-2007 Cross-Language Speech Retrieval (CL-SR) track included two tasks: to identify topically coherent segments of English interviews in a known-boundary condition, and to identify time stamps marking the beginning of topically relevant passages in Czech interviews in an unknown-boundary condition. Six teams participated in the English evaluation, performing both monolingual and cross-language searches of ASR transcripts, automatically generated metadata, and manually generated metadata. Four teams participated in the Czech evaluation, performing monolingual searches of automatic speech recognition transcripts

Adherence to the Mediterranean dietary pattern among university students

The Mediterranean dietary pattern is one of the healthiest dietary patterns. Despite Malta’s central location in the Mediterranean Sea, the Maltese dietary habits may have become more Westernised. The aims of this cross-sectional pilot study are to assess adherence to the Mediterranean diet in students at the University of Malta and investigate the feasibility of such a study and pilot the measurement tool. A structured interview was conducted with n=50 students who were conveniently recruited outside the University premises. The interview addressed lifestyle information and questions on the participants’ consumption of food items typical of a Mediterranean dietary pattern using a literature-based score. A photographic food atlas was used to aid the quantification of food portion sizes. A maximum of 18 points score indicating adherence was generated for each participant. The majority of students were female, Maltese, aged between 18–20 years old and within the normal BMI range. Students were unlikely to consume alcohol or smoke. The majority had a low-moderate intake of fruits, vegetables and legumes, low intake of fish and high intake of meat. The mean (95% CI) adherence score to the Mediterranean dietary pattern was 8.8 (8.1, 9.5) out of 18, classifying 72% of the students as medium adherers. No significant associations were found between overall adherence and all study parameters (p-value = 0.05). This study was the first to investigate the adherence to the Mediterranean dietary pattern in a sample of the Maltese population. A larger sample size is required to highlight associations between adherence levels and lifestyle factors.peer-reviewe