Digital Technology and design processes II: Follow-up report on FabLab@School survey among Danish youth

This report is part of the [email protected] research program, which investigates the use of digital fabrication technologies and design activities among students aged 11-15 years in Danish schools. In order to measure the effects of the [email protected] educational program from 2014 to late 2016, this follow-up survey was administered to two groups: first, schools in which FabLab and design activities had been carried out in the [email protected] project throughout a 2-year period (FabLab schools), and second, a control group of schools that were not part of the [email protected] project (control schools). The survey reported here, is a follow-up to a similar survey conducted in the fall of 2014

Digital Technology and design processes: Report on a FabLab@School survey among Danish youth

This report contains findings from a survey on Danish adolescents aged 11-15 years conducted in the fall of 2014 among 1236 students. It is a part of the [email protected] research program, which investigates the use of digital fabrication technologies in Danish schools

Prevalence of airflow obstruction in patients with stable systolic heart failure

Abstract Background Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is an important differential diagnosis in heart failure (HF). However, routine use of spirometry in outpatient HF clinics is not implemented. The aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence of both airflow obstruction and non obstructive lung function impairment in patients with HF and to examine the effect of optimal medical treatment for HF on lung function parameters. Methods Consecutive patients with HF (ejection fraction (EF)\u2009<\u200945%) and New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class II-IV at 10 different outpatient heart failure clinics were examined with spirometry at their first visit and after optimal medical treatment for HF was achieved. airflow obstruction was classified and graded according to the GOLD 2011 revision. Results Baseline spirometry was performed in 593 included patients and 71 (12%) had a clinical diagnosis of COPD. Mean age was 69\u2009\ub1\u200911\ua0years and mean EF was 30\u2009\ub1\u20099%. Thirty-two % of the patients were active smokers and 53% were previous smokers. Mean FEV 1 and FVC was 77.9\u2009\ub1\u20091.7% and 85.4\u2009\ub1\u20091.5% of predicted respectively. Obstructive pattern was observed in 233 (39%) of the patients. Of these, 53 patients (9%) had mild disease (GOLD I) and 180 (30%) patients had moderate to very severe disease (GOLD II-IV). No difference in spirometric variables was observed following up titration of medication. Conclusion In stable patients with HF airflow obstruction is frequent and severely underdiagnosed. Spirometry should be considered in all patients with HF in order to improve diagnosis and treatment for concomitant pulmonary disease

Anti-biofilm Approach in Infective Endocarditis Exposes New Treatment Strategies for Improved Outcome

Infective endocarditis (IE) is a life-threatening infective disease with increasing incidence worldwide. From early on, in the antibiotic era, it was recognized that high-dose and long-term antibiotic therapy was correlated to improved outcome. In addition, for several of the common microbial IE etiologies, the use of combination antibiotic therapy further improves outcome. IE vegetations on affected heart valves from patients and experimental animal models resemble biofilm infections. Besides the recalcitrant nature of IE, the microorganisms often present in an aggregated form, and gradients of bacterial activity in the vegetations can be observed. Even after appropriate antibiotic therapy, such microbial formations can often be identified in surgically removed, infected heart valves. Therefore, persistent or recurrent cases of IE, after apparent initial infection control, can be related to biofilm formation in the heart valve vegetations. On this background, the present review will describe potentially novel non-antibiotic, antimicrobial approaches in IE, with special focus on anti-thrombotic strategies and hyperbaric oxygen therapy targeting the biofilm formation of the infected heart valves caused by Staphylococcus aureus. The format is translational from preclinical models to actual clinical treatment strategies

The inflammatory biomarker YKL-40 decreases stepwise after exercise stress test

BACKGROUND: Serum YKL-40 is an inflammatory biomarker associated with disease activity and mortality in diseases characterized by inflammation such as coronary artery disease (CAD). Exercise has a positive effect on CAD, possibly mediated by a decreased inflammatory activity. This study aimed to compare serial measurements of serum YKL-40 before and after exercise in patients with stable CAD versus controls. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eleven patients with stable CAD verified by coronary angiography (>70% stenosis) and 11 patients with a computer tomography angiography with no stenosis or calcification (calcium score=0) (controls) performed a standard clinical maximal exercise test. Serum YKL-40 was measured before exercise, immediately after exercise, and every hour for 6 h. RESULTS: Cardiovascular risk factors were more prevalent among the CAD patients compared with the controls. CAD patients had higher serum concentration of YKL-40 at baseline compared with controls, median (interquartile range) 94 (52–151) versus 57 (45–79) μg/l. Serum YKL-40 decreased stepwise after exercise, with a median decrease of 16 (13–39) μg/l for the CAD patients and 13 (10–22) μg/l for the controls from baseline to the lowest value. Thereafter, values increased again toward baseline level. Time after exercise was a significant factor for decrease in serum YKL-40 (P<0.0001), but no difference in YKL-40 decrease over time could be demonstrated between the groups (P=0.12). CONCLUSION: Serum YKL-40 is elevated in patients with documented CAD compared with controls, and it decreases stepwise after exercise in both groups, indicating an anti-inflammatory effect of exercise independent of the presence of coronary atherosclerosis