Biosensing platform combining label-free and labelled analysis using Bloch surface waves

Bloch surface waves (BSW) propagating at the boundary of truncated photonic crystals (1D-PC) have emerged as an attractive approach for label-free sensing in plasmon-like sensor configurations. Due to the very low losses in such dielectric thin film stacks, BSW feature very low angular resonance widths compared to the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) case. Besides label-free operation, the large field enhancement and the absence of quenching allow utilizing BSW coupled fluorescence detection to additionally sense the presence of fluorescent labels. This approach can be adapted to the case of angularly resolved resonance detection, thus giving rise to a combined label-free / labelled biosensor platform. It features a parallel analysis of multiple spots arranged as a one-dimensional array inside a microfluidic channel of a disposable chip. Application of such a combined biosensing approach to the detection of the Angiopoietin-2 cancer biomarker in buffer solutions is reported

Investigacion en enfermeria: Brasil y Portugal en la construccion de la identidad profesional

Objective: to investigate the construction of professional identity in Brazilian and Portuguese nursing research, according to the perception of their researchers, adopting Gaston Bachelard as a theoretical framework. Method: descriptive and exploratory research, with a qualitative approach, undertaken in Brazil and Portugal. Semistructured interviews were held with 17 nurse researchers from both countries, with experience in scientific research and doctorates and/or post-doctorates. Analysis of the data was undertaken in the following order: exploratory phase, selection of the units of meaning and process of codification of the units of analysis, with the respective construction of aprioristic categories. Results: two categories emerged for discussion: object and lines of research in nursing; and the political attitude of the researchers. Conclusion: the weak points in the construction of the professional identity need to be broken with, based on the undertaking of experimental investigations, with immediate responses for the health services and which meet the social requirements. Professional satisfaction is the best advertisement for the profession. Through professional qualification in nursing it will be possible to occupy better positions and undertake the role of leadership and the political attitude with greater apprpriateness.Objetivo: compreender a construção da identidade profissional na pesquisa em enfermagem de Brasil e de Portugal segundo a percepção de seus pesquisadores, adotando-se Gaston Bachelard como referencial teórico. Método: pesquisa descritiva, exploratória, de abordagem qualitativa, realizada no Brasil e Portugal. Adotou-se entrevista semiestruturada com 17 enfermeiros pesquisadores de ambos os países, com experiência em pesquisa científica e título de doutorado e/ou pós-doutorado. A análise dos dados obedeceu a seguinte ordem: fase exploratória, seleção das unidades de significado e processo de codificação das unidades de análise com a respectiva construção de categorias não-apriorísticas. Resultados: emergiram duas categorias para discussão: Objeto e linhas de pesquisa em enfermagem; e, Atitude política dos pesquisadores. Conclusão: as fragilidades na construção da identidade profissional precisam ser rompidas a partir do desenvolvimento de investigações experimentais, com respostas imediatas aos serviços de saúde e que atendam às demandas sociais. Profissional satisfeito é o maior marketing da profissão. Por meio da qualificação profissional na enfermagem será possível ocupar melhores cargos e desenvolver com maior propriedade o papel de liderança e a atitude política.percepción de sus investigadores, adoptándose Gaston Bachelard como referencial teórico. Método: investigación descriptiva, exploratoria, de abordaje cualitativo, realizado en Brasil y Portugal. Se adoptó entrevista semiestructurada con 17 enfermeros investigadores de ambos países, con experiencia en investigación científica y titulo de doctorado y/o post-doctorado. El análisis de los datos obedeció el siguiente orden: fase exploratoria, selección de las unidades de significado y proceso de codificación de las unidades de análisis con la respectiva construcción de categorías no apriorísticas. Resultados: emergieron dos categorías para discusión: Objeto y líneas de investigación en enfermería y; actitud política de los investigadores. Conclusión: las fragilidades en la construcción de la identidad profesional precisan ser rotas a partir del desarrollar de investigaciones experimentales, con respuestas inmediatas a los servicios de salud y que atiendan a las demandas sociales. Profesional satisfecho es el mayor marketing de la profesión Por medio de la calificación profesional en enfermería será posible ocupar mejores cargos y desarrollar con mayor propiedad el papel de liderazgo y la actitud política.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Acoustic Intensity Causes Perceived Changes in Arousal Levels in Music: An Experimental Investigation

Listener perceptions of changes in the arousal expressed by classical music have been found to correlate with changes in sound intensity/loudness over time. This study manipulated the intensity profiles of different pieces of music in order to test the causal nature of this relationship. Listeners (N = 38) continuously rated their perceptions of the arousal expressed by each piece. An extract from Dvorak's Slavonic Dance Opus 46 No 1 was used to create a variant in which the direction of change in intensity was inverted, while other features were retained. Even though it was only intensity that was inverted, perceived arousal was also inverted. The original intensity profile was also superimposed on three new pieces of music. The time variation in the perceived arousal of all pieces was similar to their intensity profile. Time series analyses revealed that intensity variation was a major influence on the arousal perception in all pieces, in spite of their stylistic diversity

Potentially inappropriate medication in older participants of the Berlin Aging Study II (BASE-II) - Sex differences and associations with morbidity and medication use

INTRODUCTION: Multimorbidity in advanced age and the need for drug treatment may lead to polypharmacy, while pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic changes may increase the risk of adverse drug events (ADEs). OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine the proportion of subjects using potentially inappropriate medication (PIM) in a cohort of older and predominantly healthy adults in relation to polypharmacy and morbidity. METHODS: Cross-sectional data were available from 1,382 study participants (median age 69 years, IQR 67-71, 51.3% females) of the Berlin Aging Study II (BASE-II). PIM was classified according to the EU(7)-PIM and German PRISCUS (representing a subset of the former) list. Polypharmacy was defined as the concomitant use of at least five drugs. A morbidity index (MI) largely based on the Charlson Index was applied to evaluate the morbidity burden. RESULTS: Overall, 24.1% of the participants were affected by polypharmacy. On average, men used 2 (IQR 1-4) and women 3 drugs (IQR 1-5). According to PRISCUS and EU(7)-PIM, 5.9% and 22.6% of participants received at least one PIM, while use was significantly more prevalent in females (25.5%) compared to males (19.6%) considering EU(7)-PIM (p = 0.01). In addition, morbidity in males receiving PIM according to EU(7)-PIM was higher (median MI 1, IQR 1-3) compared to males without PIM use (median MI 1, IQR 0-2, p<0.001). CONCLUSION: PIM use occurred more frequently in women than in men, while it was associated with higher morbidity in males. As expected, EU(7)-PIM identifies more subjects as PIM users than the PRISCUS list but further studies are needed to investigate the differential impact of both lists on ADEs and outcome. KEY POINTS: We found PIM use to be associated with a higher number of regular medications and with increased morbidity. Additionally, we detected a higher prevalence of PIM use in females compared to males, suggesting that women and people needing intensive drug treatment are patient groups, who are particularly affected by PIM use

Superpulsed low-level laser therapy protects skeletal muscle of mdx mice against damage, inflammation and morphological changes delaying dystrophy progression.

Aim: To evaluate the effects of preventive treatment with low-level laser therapy (LLLT) on progression of dystrophy in mdx mice. Methods: Ten animals were randomly divided into 2 experimental groups treated with superpulsed LLLT (904 nm, 15 mW, 700 Hz, 1 J) or placebo-LLLT at one point overlying the tibialis anterior muscle (bilaterally) 5 times per week for 14 weeks (from 6th to 20th week of age). Morphological changes, creatine kinase (CK) activity and mRNA gene expression were assessed in animals at 20th week of age. Results: Animals treated with LLLT showed very few morphological changes in skeletal muscle, with less atrophy and fibrosis than animals treated with placebo-LLLT. CK was significantly lower (p = 0.0203) in animals treated with LLLT (864.70 U.l−1, SEM 226.10) than placebo (1708.00 U.l−1, SEM 184.60). mRNA gene expression of inflammatory markers was significantly decreased by treatment with LLLT (p<0.05): TNF-α (placebo-control = 0.51 µg/µl [SEM 0.12], - LLLT = 0.048 µg/µl [SEM 0.01]), IL-1β (placebo-control = 2.292 µg/µl [SEM 0.74], - LLLT = 0.12 µg/µl [SEM 0.03]), IL-6 (placebo-control = 3.946 µg/µl [SEM 0.98], - LLLT = 0.854 µg/µl [SEM 0.33]), IL-10 (placebo-control = 1.116 µg/µl [SEM 0.22], - LLLT = 0.352 µg/µl [SEM 0.15]), and COX-2 (placebo-control = 4.984 µg/µl [SEM 1.18], LLLT = 1.470 µg/µl [SEM 0.73]). Conclusion: Irradiation of superpulsed LLLT on successive days five times per week for 14 weeks decreased morphological changes, skeletal muscle damage and inflammation in mdx mice. This indicates that LLLT has potential to decrease progression of Duchenne muscular dystrophy