A Virtual Reality–Supported Intervention for Pulmonary Rehabilitation of Patients With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: Mixed Methods Study

Background: Uptake of traditional pulmonary rehabilitation classes from Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) patients is poor due to personal factors preventing accessibility to the venue. Therefore, there is a need for innovative methods of pulmonary rehabilitation and Virtual Reality (VR) could be the promising technology for COPD patients to access services remotely. Objectives: This study aims to investigate whether VR improves COPD patient’s compliance with pulmonary rehabilitation, particularly vulnerable patient group (MRC four or five), and whether VR provides a credible alternative to traditional pulmonary rehabilitation programmes. Methods: Eight-week patient trial using an innovative VR pulmonary rehabilitation programme. Purposive sample of ten COPD patients graded MRC four or five registered at a selected healthcare centre and a hospital in Cumbria, UK. Qualitative (focus groups and interviews) data were collected and to further support the qualitative findings, quantitative data (self-report patient surveys) were also gathered before and after the eight-week trial. The five self-report surveys included the Patient Activation Measure (PAM), Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7), Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB), and the Edmonton Frail Scale (EFS). Results: Using thematic analysis for the qualitative data, eleven themes emerged specific to delivering pulmonary rehabilitation using VR. The quantitative data further supports the qualitative findings by revealing significant improvements in all physical measures. Conclusion: Overall, this study demonstrates how remotely supervised VR-based pulmonary rehabilitation could help to overcome current issues and limitations associated with providing this service to COPD patients at scal

The Influence of Mixed Reality on Satisfaction and Brand Loyalty in Cultural Heritage Attractions: A Brand Equity Perspective

Mixed reality technology is being increasingly used in cultural heritage attractions to enhance visitors’ experience. However, how the characteristics of mixed reality affect satisfaction and brand loyalty has not been explored in previous research. The purpose of this study is to identify factors affecting satisfaction with mixed reality experiences at cultural and artistic visitor attractions and their influence on brand loyalty, which is connected with management performance. We propose a theoretical model based on brand equity theory in the context of mixed reality experience. Survey data were gathered from 251 respondents visiting a cultural and artistic visitor attraction in Seoul, Korea using a stratified sampling method. PLS-SEM was employed for the data analysis. The results suggest that the characteristics of mixed reality (interactivity, vividness) not only influence the affective aspects (perceived immersion, perceived enjoyment) of visitors’ experience, but also positively affect brand awareness, brand association, and brand loyalty

New universal ITS2 primers for high-resolution herbivory analyses using DNA metabarcoding in both tropical and temperate zones

DNA metabarcoding is a rapidly growing technique for obtaining detailed dietary information. Current metabarcoding methods for herbivory, using a single locus, can lack taxonomic resolution for some applications. We present novel primers for the second internal transcribed spacer of nuclear ribosomal DNA (ITS2) designed for dietary studies in Mauritius and the UK, which have the potential to give unrivalled taxonomic coverage and resolution from a short-amplicon barcode. In silico testing used three databases of plant ITS2 sequences from UK and Mauritian floras (native and introduced) totalling 6561 sequences from 1790 species across 174 families. Our primers were well-matched in silico to 88% of species, providing taxonomic resolution of 86.1%, 99.4% and 99.9% at the species, genus and family levels, respectively. In vitro, the primers amplified 99% of Mauritian (n = 169) and 100% of UK (n = 33) species, and co-amplified multiple plant species from degraded faecal DNA from reptiles and birds in two case studies. For the ITS2 region, we advocate taxonomic assignment based on best sequence match instead of a clustering approach. With short amplicons of 187–387 bp, these primers are suitable for metabarcoding plant DNA from faecal samples, across a broad geographic range, whilst delivering unparalleled taxonomic resolution

Adult antiretroviral therapy guidelines 2017

These guidelines are intended as an update to those published in the Southern African Journal of HIV Medicine in 2014 and the update on when to initiate antiretroviral therapy in 2015. Since the release of the previous guidelines, the scale-up of antiretroviral therapy (ART) in southern Africa has continued. New antiretroviral drugs have become available with improved efficacy, safety and robustness. The guidelines are intended for countries in the southern African region, which vary between lower and middle income

An Experiential View to Children Learning in Museums with Augmented Reality

Museums facilitate schoolchildren’s experiential learning, and when combined with Augmented Reality (AR) applications, schoolchildren can benefit from interactive, engaging learning experiences. Experiential learning is therefore situated in a context relevant to schoolchildren’s learning experience with digital technologies such as AR in museums, hence, it seems appropriate to employ Kolb’s (1984) Experiential Learning Cycle as a theoretical base. A museum in the UK was used as a single case study, and experiments and three focus groups were conducted with 19 schoolchildren and data analysed using thematic analysis. This study revealed three new themes specific to schoolchildren’s experiential learning experiences with AR in museums including: (1) integrating AR could further enhance knowledge acquisition, (2) schoolchildren were able to identify their preferred learning style, and (3) schoolchildren are motivated to continue learning with AR in museums. Theoretical contributions and practical implications are presented, as well as suggestions for future research

A virtual reality and retailing literature review: Current focus, underlying themes and future directions

This literature review reveals the current research focus, underlying themes and prominent research gaps in the Virtual Reality (VR) literature. 89 journal articles from the 22 years are thematically analysed in order to non-obvious reveal interconnections and themes, including research focus over time and underlying themes by research discipline. Over half of all papers focus on the need to understand the VR shopping consumer, yet no consensus exists as to what the optimal experience is or how to design effective v-Commerce stores. The most prominent research gaps are related to the unique HCI aspects in v-Commerce that influence shopping behaviours. The impact of this review is establishing the current challenges and future directions for academia in order to make v-Commerce a viable reality. Specifically, future research should focus on develop human factor theory in VR shop design (i.e. social dimension, eye-tracking etc.)

Final 192-week efficacy and safety results of the ADVANCE trial, comparing 3 first-line antiretroviral regimens

BACKGROUND: ADVANCE compared 3 World Health Organization-recommended first-line regimens in participants with HIV who were antiretroviral naive. METHODS: This randomized, open-label, noninferiority trial enrolled participants living with HIV with no antiretroviral exposure in the previous 6 months to 1 of the following arms: tenofovir alafenamide (TAF) / emtricitabine (FTC) + dolutegravir (DTG) (2 tablets), tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) / FTC + DTG (2 tablets), or a fixed-dose combination of TDF / FTC / efavirenz (EFV) (1 tablet). We report the final safety and efficacy data up to 192 weeks. RESULTS: Repeat consent from the original 351 participants randomized to each arm was obtained from 230 participants (66%) in the TAF/FTC + DTG arm, 209 (60%) in the TDF/FTC + DTG arm, and 183 (52%) in the TDF/FTC/EFV arm. At 192 weeks, 213 (61%) of the original 351 participants in the TAF/FTC + DTG arm, 195 (56%) in the TDF/FTC + DTG arm, and 172 (49%) in the TDF/FTC/EFV arm had confirmed RNA <50 copies/mL, with low virologic failure in all groups and no significant integrase inhibitor mutations in any arm. Mean weight gain was 8.9 kg (SD, 7.1) in the TAF/FTC + DTG arm, 5.9 kg (SD, 7.1) in the TDF/FTC + DTG arm, and 3.2 kg (SD, 8.1) in the TDF/FTC/EFV arm at 192 weeks from baseline and was greatest among women, those taking TAF, and those with lower baseline CD4 counts. The weight trajectory slowed after week 96. There were few clinical events and minor laboratory changes and differences among arms after 96 weeks. There were no significant differences in treatment-emergent hypertension or pregnancy outcomes by arm. CONCLUSIONS: High viral suppression was seen across arms, with no resistance to DTG. Weight gain continued but slowed after 96 weeks, with few clinical events or laboratory changes

Tourists’ Virtual Reality Adoption: An Exploratory Study from Lake District National Park

Virtual reality (VR) transforms the way destinations market their tourism offerings. To fully understand the opportunities of a technology, initial research is required assessing user adoption. However, empirical research and particularly exploratory qualitative research on VR adoption in tourism context is limited. Therefore, this study uses an exploratory interview approach with 35 participants near Lake District National Park, UK. Using thematic analysis, this study explores factors that influence VR adoption as well as the influencing factors on tourists’ behavioural intentions. This study adds to academia by qualitatively exploring the adoption of a scarcely researched technology within the tourism context

Appropriate clinical use of darunavir 800 mg

No abstract available

Southern African HIV Clinicians Society Guidance on the use of dolutegravir in first-line antiretroviral therapy

No abstract available