Persuasive lighting : the influence of feedback through lighting on energy conservation behavior

Earlier research has investigated persuasive technology: Technology designed to influence human behavior or attitudes. The current research investigates lighting as persuasive technology. In an experimental study, participants could conserve energy while carrying out tasks and received feedback about their energy consumption in each task. We tested the effect of feedback through a lamp that gradually changed color dependent on energy consumption and compared these effects to more widely used factual feedback. Results indicated that feedback through lighting has stronger persuasive effects than factual feedback. Furthermore, factual feedback seemed more difficult to process than lighting feedback, because cognitive load interfered with processing factual feedback, but not with processing lighting feedback. Implications for theory and design of persuasive lighting, and (ambient) persuasive technology are discussed

Cochlear Implantation after Bacterial Meningitis in Infants Younger Than 9 Months

Objective. To describe the audiological, anesthesiological, and surgical key points of cochlear implantation after bacterial meningitis in very young infants. Material and Methods. Between 2005 and 2010, 4 patients received 7 cochlear implants before the age of 9 months (range 4–8 months) because of profound hearing loss after pneumococcal meningitis. Results. Full electrode insertions were achieved in all operated ears. The audiological and linguistic outcome varied considerably, with categories of auditory performance (CAP) scores between 3 and 6, and speech intelligibility rating (SIR) scores between 0 and 5. The audiological, anesthesiological, and surgical issues that apply in this patient group are discussed. Conclusion. Cochlear implantation in very young postmeningitic infants is challenging due to their young age, sequelae of meningitis, and the risk of cochlear obliteration. A swift diagnostic workup is essential, specific audiological, anesthesiological, and surgical considerations apply, and the outcome is variable even in successful implantations

Exhaled nitric oxide and clinical phenotypes of childhood asthma

Whether exhaled NO helps to identify a specific phenotype of asthmatic patients remains debated. Our aims were to evaluate whether exhaled NO (FENO0.05) is independently associated (1) with underlying pathophysiological characteristics of asthma such as airway tone (bronchodilator response) and airway inflammation (inhaled corticosteroid [ICS]-dependant inflammation), and (2) with clinical phenotypes of asthma

Exhaled nitric oxide and clinical phenotypes of childhood asthma

Whether exhaled NO helps to identify a specific phenotype of asthmatic patients remains debated. Our aims were to evaluate whether exhaled NO (FENO0.05) is independently associated (1) with underlying pathophysiological characteristics of asthma such as airway tone (bronchodilator response) and airway inflammation (inhaled corticosteroid [ICS]-dependant inflammation), and (2) with clinical phenotypes of asthma

A direct comparison of natural and acoustic-radiation-force-induced cardiac mechanical waves

Natural and active shear wave elastography (SWE) are potential ultrasound-based techniques to non-invasively assess myocardial stiffness, which could improve current diagnosis of heart failure. This study aims to bridge the knowledge gap between both techniques and discuss their respective impacts on cardiac stiffness evaluation. We recorded the mechanical waves occurring after aortic and mitral valve closure (AVC, MVC) and those induced by acoustic radiation force throughout the cardiac cycle in four pigs after sternotomy. Natural SWE showed a higher feasibility than active SWE, which is an advantage for clinical application. Median propagation speeds of 2.5–4.0 m/s and 1.6–4.0 m/s were obtained after AVC and MVC, whereas ARF-based median speeds of 0.9–1.2 m/s and 2.1–3.8 m/s were reported for diastole and systole, respectively. The different wave characteristics in both methods, such as the frequency content, complicate the direct comparison of waves. Nevertheless, a good match was found in propagation speeds between natural and active SWE at the moment of valve closure, and the natural waves showed higher propagation speeds than in diastole. Furthermore, the results demonstrated that the natural waves occur in between diastole and systole identified with active SWE, and thus represent a myocardial stiffness in between relaxation and contraction

Myofilament dysfunction in cardiac disease from mice to men

In healthy human myocardium a tight balance exists between receptor-mediated kinases and phosphatases coordinating phosphorylation of regulatory proteins involved in cardiomyocyte contractility. During heart failure, when neurohumoral stimulation increases to compensate for reduced cardiac pump function, this balance is perturbed. The imbalance between kinases and phosphatases upon chronic neurohumoral stimulation is detrimental and initiates cardiac remodelling, and phosphorylation changes of regulatory proteins, which impair cardiomyocyte function. The main signalling pathway involved in enhanced cardiomyocyte contractility during increased cardiac load is the β-adrenergic signalling route, which becomes desensitized upon chronic stimulation. At the myofilament level, activation of protein kinase A (PKA), the down-stream kinase of the β-adrenergic receptors (β-AR), phosphorylates troponin I, myosin binding protein C and titin, which all exert differential effects on myofilament function. As a consequence of β-AR down-regulation and desensitization, phosphorylation of the PKA-target proteins within the cardiomyocyte may be decreased and alter myofilament function. Here we discuss involvement of altered PKA-mediated myofilament protein phosphorylation in different animal and human studies, and discuss the roles of troponin I, myosin binding protein C and titin in regulating myofilament dysfunction in cardiac disease. Data from the different animal and human studies emphasize the importance of careful biopsy procurement, and the need to investigate localization of kinases and phosphatases within the cardiomyocyte, in particular their co-localization with cardiac myofilaments upon receptor stimulation.</p

How about your peers? Cystic fibrosis questionnaire data from healthy children and adolescents

Contains fulltext : 97967.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access)BACKGROUND: The Cystic Fibrosis Questionnaire (CFQ) is widely used in research as an instrument to measure quality of life in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). In routine patient care however, measuring quality of life is still not implemented in guidelines. One of the reasons might be the lack of consensus on how to interpret CFQ scores of an individual patient, because appropriate reference data are lacking. The question which scores reflect normal functioning and which scores reflect clinically relevant problems is still unanswered. Moreover, there is no knowledge about how healthy children and adolescents report on their quality of life (on the CFQ). With regard to quality of life the effect of normal development should be taken into account, especially in childhood and adolescence. Therefore, it is important to gain more knowledge about how healthy children and adolescents report on their quality of life and if there are any difference in a healthy populations based on age or gender. Without these data we cannot adequately interpret the CFQ as a tool in clinical care to provide patient-tailored care. Therefore this study collected data of the CFQ in healthy children and adolescents with the aim to refer health status of CF youngsters to that of healthy peers. METHODS: The CFQ was completed by 478 healthy Dutch children and adolescents (aged 6-20) in a cross-sectional study. RESULTS: The majority of healthy children (over 65%) did not reach maximum scores on most domains of the CFQ. Median CFQ-scores of healthy children and adolescents ranged from 67 to 100 (on a scale of 0-100) on the different CFQ-domains. Significant differences in quality of life exist among healthy children and adolescents, and these depend on age and gender. CONCLUSIONS: Reference data of quality of life scores from a healthy population are essential for adequate interpretation of quality of life in young patients with CF. Clinicians should be aware that the perception of health-related quality of life is not as disease-specific as one might think and also relies on factors such as age, normal maturation and gender

Primary retroperitoneal mucinous cystadenoma with sarcoma-like mural nodule: A case report and review of the literature

Primary retroperitoneal cystadenomas are extremely rare. This is the first report in literature to describe a primary retroperitoneal cystadenoma with a sarcoma-like mural nodule. A 45-year-old woman complained of a left-sided abdominal mass. A computed tomography scan revealed a cystic mass with a mural nodule, which seemed to originate from the tail of the pancreas. At laparotomy the cyst was not adhered to the pancreas but localized retroperitoneally. Histologic examination showed a mucinous cystadenoma with only foci of borderline malignancy with a mural “sarcoma-like” nodule. In view of the surgical and histopathological findings, the mucinous cystadenoma was regarded as primary retroperitoneal. This case demonstrates that in the era of radiological preoperative refinement, pathological diagnosis remains of utmost importance, especially for rare cases

Experimental animal models of coronary microvascular dysfunction

Coronary microvascular dysfunction (CMD) is commonly present in patients with metabolic derangements and is increasingly recognized as an important contributor to myocardial ischaemia, both in the presence and absence of epicardial coronary atherosclerosis. The latter condition is termed 'ischaemia and no obstructive coronary artery disease' (INOCA). Notwithstanding the high prevalence of INOCA, effective treatment remains elusive. Although to date there is no animal model for INOCA, animal models of CMD, one of the hallmarks of INOCA, offer excellent test models for enhancing our understanding of the pathophysiology of CMD and for investigating novel therapies. This article presents an overview of currently available experimental models of CMD-with an emphasis on metabolic derangements as risk factors-in dogs, swine, rabbits, rats, and mice. In all available animal models, metabolic derangements are most often induced by a high-fat diet (HFD) and/or diabetes mellitus via injection of alloxan or streptozotocin, but there is also a wide variety of spontaneous as well as transgenic animal models which develop metabolic derangements. Depending on the number, severity, and duration of exposure to risk factors-all these animal models show perturbations in coronary microvascular (endothelial) function and structure, similar to what has been observed in patients with INOCA and comorbid conditions. The use of these animal models will be instrumental in identifying novel therapeutic targets and for the subsequent development and testing of novel therapeutic interventions to combat ischaemic heart disease, the number one cause of death worldwide