Dependent seniors garment design

This paper is part of a PhD research in Textile Engineering at University of Minho and aims to establish an ergonomic pattern design methodology to be used in the construction of garments for elderly women, aged 65 and over, dependent of care. The research was developed with a close contact with four institutions involved in supporting this aged population, located in the cities of Guimaraes (Portugal) and Teresina (Brazil). These clothes should be adequate to their anthropometrics and their special needs, in accordance with important functional factors for the dependency of their caregiver, such as: care for the caregiver and comfort for the user. Questions regarding the functional properties of the materials, the pattern design process, trimmings and the assembling process of the garments are specially considered in the desired comfort levels, in order to provide an adequate handling by facilitating the dressing and undressing tasks, but also to assure the user the needed comfort in all its variables.This work is supported by FEDER funds through the Competitive Factors Operational Program (COMPETE) POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007136 and by national funds through Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), under the project UID/CTM/000264 financed by Science Without Borders/CAPEs.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

IL-15 Participates in the Respiratory Innate Immune Response to Influenza Virus Infection

Following influenza infection, natural killer (NK) cells function as interim effectors by suppressing viral replication until CD8 T cells are activated, proliferate, and are mobilized within the respiratory tract. Thus, NK cells are an important first line of defense against influenza virus. Here, in a murine model of influenza, we show that virally-induced IL-15 facilitates the trafficking of NK cells into the lung airways. Blocking IL-15 delays NK cell entry to the site of infection and results in a disregulated control of early viral replication. By the same principle, viral control by NK cells can be therapeutically enhanced via intranasal administration of exogenous IL-15 in the early days post influenza infection. In addition to controlling early viral replication, this IL-15-induced mobilization of NK cells to the lung airways has important downstream consequences on adaptive responses. Primarily, depletion of responding NK1.1+ NK cells is associated with reduced immigration of influenza-specific CD8 T cells to the site of infection. Together this work suggests that local deposits of IL-15 in the lung airways regulate the coordinated innate and adaptive immune responses to influenza infection and may represent an important point of immune intervention

The current state-of-the-art of spinal cord imaging: methods.

A first-ever spinal cord imaging meeting was sponsored by the International Spinal Research Trust and the Wings for Life Foundation with the aim of identifying the current state-of-the-art of spinal cord imaging, the current greatest challenges, and greatest needs for future development. This meeting was attended by a small group of invited experts spanning all aspects of spinal cord imaging from basic research to clinical practice. The greatest current challenges for spinal cord imaging were identified as arising from the imaging environment itself; difficult imaging environment created by the bone surrounding the spinal canal, physiological motion of the cord and adjacent tissues, and small cross-sectional dimensions of the spinal cord, exacerbated by metallic implants often present in injured patients. Challenges were also identified as a result of a lack of "critical mass" of researchers taking on the development of spinal cord imaging, affecting both the rate of progress in the field, and the demand for equipment and software to manufacturers to produce the necessary tools. Here we define the current state-of-the-art of spinal cord imaging, discuss the underlying theory and challenges, and present the evidence for the current and potential power of these methods. In two review papers (part I and part II), we propose that the challenges can be overcome with advances in methods, improving availability and effectiveness of methods, and linking existing researchers to create the necessary scientific and clinical network to advance the rate of progress and impact of the research

Effect Of Graded Levels Of Dietary Penicillin On The Growth Rate And Feed Conversion Of Broiler Chicks

One hundred , 4 – week old Anak broiler chicks were used in an experiment to evaluate the effect of graded levels of dietary penicillin on the growth rate and feed conversion of broiler chicks. The birds were randomly assigned to five treatment diets in a Completely Randomized Design [CRD] and each treatment group was further sub – divided into four replicates . The chicks were fed ad-libitum with five formulated broiler finisher diets supplemented with dietary penicillin at levels of 0ppm,50ppm, 100ppm, 150ppm, and 200ppm representing treatments 1,2,3,4 and 5 respectively. Performance criteria were feed intake, daily weight gain and feed conversion ratio (FCR). Results showed that in all the measurements, broiler fed on 50ppm, 100ppm and 150ppm penicillin supplemental levels performed significantly. (P 0.05) difference in the weight gain and feed conversion ratio among the birds fed T1 and T5 diets. The result of this experiment demonstrated that inclusion of penicillin in broiler diets enhanced growth rate and feed conversion of the birds and that penicillin could be supplemented in broiler diets at up to 150ppm levels. Journal of Agriculture and Social Research Vol. 4 (2) 2004: 25-3

Technical and Economic Efficiencies in Poultry Production in Imo State, Nigeria

This study was carried out to estimate the technical and economic efficiencies of poultry farmers in Imo State, Nigeria. The data was collected with semi-structured questionnaire from 140 randomly selected poultry farmers. A stochastic frontier production function was estimated by using the maximum likelihood estimation technique to obtain the technical and economic efficiencies of poultry farmers. The mean technical efficiency of poultry farmers was 75 percent, while their mean economic efficiency was 21 percent. The generalized likelihood test indicated that, the poultry farmers are not fully technically and economically efficient in resource use. There is 79% allowance to increase economic efficiency of poultry farmers by improvement in technical efficiency

Cervical Cancer Screening: Assessment of Perception and Utilization of Services among Health Workers in Low Resource Setting

Background. Cervical cancer is a preventable disease and the most common cancer among women in Nigeria. Objectives. To appraise the perception and utilization of cervical cancer screening services among female nurses in Federal Teaching hospital, Abakaliki. Materials and Methods. A cross-sectional study was done using semi-structured questionnaires on 408 consenting female nurses. Data was represented using simple percentages, charts, and Chi-square. Results. Of the 408 questionnaires shared, 388 were correctly and completely filled and analyzed. The respondents in this study showed good knowledge of cervical cancer as all (388) were aware that cervical cancer is a preventable disease of public health concern. Majority of them, 179 (46.1%) were between 21 and 30 years of age. The most common symptom of cervical cancer identified was postcoital bleeding (57%). Nursing training was the most common (73.5%) source of cervical cancer information. Utilization of cervical cancer screening was poor in this study as only 20.6% of the respondents had ever undergone screening. The most common reason for nonscreening was that they have not thought of it (28.4%). Conclusion. Despite the high level of awareness of cervical cancer screening, utilization remains low. There is, therefore, the need for cervical cancer education for the nurses to help improve utilization