Exploring “Everyday Experience Methods” as a means to assess the (social-)psychological comfort of clothing

One of the main challenges for the Science of Clothing Comfort, is to uncover the intricacies and complexities of the psychological aspects of the clothing comfort perception. The concept and the parameters of this comfort dimension are still in the process of maturing, and the methods and tools to assess this component are still underdeveloped. One of the main drawbacks of the research on the psychological comfort of clothing resides in the dependency of the context and situational information, to elaborate a psychological comfort or discomfort perception. In the realm of the psychological or social-psychological comfort, it’s primordial that the context variables are considered. This pilot study aims at examining the feasibility of assessing the perception of (social-)psychological comfort of clothing, using an everyday experience method. For this purpose, the PACO application (pacoapp.com) was the chosen platform.This work is supported by FEDER funds through the Competitivity Factors Operational Programme - COMPETE and by national funds through FCT – Foundation for Science and Technology within the scope of the project POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007136. The first author would also like to gratefully acknowledge the support from the Federal University of Technology, especially, the Fashion Design Department and the Office of Research and Graduate Studies.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Water activity in lamellar stacks of lipid bilayers: "Hydration forces" revisited

Water activity and its relationship with interactions stabilising lamellar stacks of mixed lipid bilayers in their fluid state are investigated by means of osmotic pressure measurements coupled with small-angle x-ray scattering. The (electrically-neutral) bilayers are composed of a mixture in various proportions of lecithin, a zwitterionic phospholipid, and Simulsol, a non-ionic cosurfactant with an ethoxylated polar head. For highly dehydrated samples the osmotic pressure profile always exhibits the "classical" exponential decay as hydration increases but, depending on Simulsol to lecithin ratio, it becomes either of the "bound" or "unbound" types for more water-swollen systems. A simple thermodynamic model is used for interpreting the results without resorting to the celebrated but elusive "hydration forces"Comment: 24 pages, 12 figures. Accepted for publication in The European Physical Journal

Relativistic spectroscopy of the extreme NLS1 IRAS13224-3809

The narrow line Seyfert 1 (NLS1) IRAS 13224-3809 is the most X-ray variable active galactic nucleus (AGN), exhibiting 0.3-10 keV flux changes of over an order of magnitude within an hour. We report on the results of the 1.5 Ms 2016 XMM-Newton/NuSTAR observing campaign, which revealed the presence of a 0.24c ultra-fast outflow in addition to the well-known strong relativistic reflection. We also summarise other key results of the campaign, such as the first detection of a non-linear RMS-flux relation in an accreting source, correlations between outflow absorption strength/velocity and source flux, and a disconnect between the X-ray and UV emission. Our results are consistent with a scenario where a disk wind is launched close to the black hole, imprinting absorption features into the spectrum and variability.Comment: 6 pages, 7 figures, contributed talk at "Revisiting narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxies and their place in the Universe" (Padova, April 2018). Accepted for publication in Proceedings of Science, PoS(NLS1-2018)03

Changing European storm loss potentials under modified climate conditions according to ensemble simulations of the ECHAM5/MPI-OM1 GMC

A simple storm loss model is applied to an ensemble of ECHAM5/MPI-OM1 GCM simulations in order to estimate changes of insured loss potentials over Europe in the 21st century. Losses are computed based on the daily maximum wind speed for each grid point. The calibration of the loss model is performed using wind data from the ERA40-Reanalysis and German loss data. The obtained annual losses for the present climate conditions (20C, three realisations) reproduce the statistical features of the historical insurance loss data for Germany. The climate change experiments correspond to the SRES-Scenarios A1B and A2, and for each of them three realisations are considered. On average, insured loss potentials increase for all analysed European regions at the end of the 21st century. Changes are largest for Germany and France, and lowest for Portugal/Spain. Additionally, the spread between the single realisations is large, ranging e.g. for Germany from −4% to +43% in terms of mean annual loss. Moreover, almost all simulations show an increasing interannual variability of storm damage. This assessment is even more pronounced if no adaptation of building structure to climate change is considered. The increased loss potentials are linked with enhanced values for the high percentiles of surface wind maxima over Western and Central Europe, which in turn are associated with an enhanced number and increased intensity of extreme cyclones over the British Isles and the North Sea

ДОСЛІДЖЕННЯ СТАНУ ЗДОРОВ’Я НАСЕЛЕННЯ – МОЖЛИВОСТІ ДЛЯ РОЗВИТКУ СВІТОВОЇ СПІЛЬНОТИ І ПРОФЕСІОНАЛІВ ІЗ ГРОМАДСЬКОГО ЗДОРОВ’Я

The aim of the work. Cooperation between MacEwan University and I. Horbachevsky Ternopil National Medical University in the realization of the educational programme of Public Health. Materials and Methods. 23 students of the MacEwan University Nursing Faculty (including Canada, Ghana, Nigeria, and India) spent one week at I. Horbachevsky Ternopil National Medical University (TNMU). The work of students and teachers was focused on interactive learning of questions of global/planetary health issues and included flipped classroom format, seminars, team-based learning and field clinics coordinated by MacEwan faculty members in partnership with the TNMU members. Results and Discussion. Cooperation between TNMU and MacEwan University corresponds to the strategy of the MacEwan University Nursing Faculty: Nurses making a difference in the health of global communities and mission: transformative learning in nursing education and professional practice. The educational course was organized to the students to align with three essential components of planetary health: relationality, sustainability, and ways of knowing. Through interactive learning in an international setting, students developed a shared understanding of how people relate to each other and to their environments, compared Canadian and Ukrainian approaches to the Sustainable Development Goals, and created space for understanding different ways of knowing and how these enhance health and wellbeing. Students visited a variety of health care facilities, including pediatric clinics, mental health hospital, HIV clinic, perinatal centre, orphanages, and rehabilitation centres. Conclusions. Co-creation of the program, and involving Ukrainian students offers opportunities to examine and change nursing education and professional practice. The face-to-face format of the trip is invaluable in enhancing emotional and informal learning as well as developing capacity as global citizens. The course provides an excellent foundation for students who wish to pursue graduate studies in global health either in Nursing or in Public Health.Мета роботи. Розвиток співпраці між університетом МакЮена (Канада) та Тернопільським національним медичним університетом імені І. Я. Горбачевського МОЗ України в рамках у реалізації освітньої програми охорони здоров’я. Матеріали і методи. 23 cтуденти медсестринського факультету університету МакЮена (включаючи студентів із Канади, Гани, Нігерії та Індії) провели один тиждень у Тернопільському національному медичному університеті імені І. Я. Горбачевського МОЗ України. Робота студентів і викладачів була зосереджена на інтерактивному навчанні з питань глобальних/планетарних проблем здоров’я та включала перевернутий формат аудиторії, семінари, командне навчання та польові клініки, координовані членами факультету МакЮена у партнерстві з викладачами Тернопільського національного медичного університету імені І. Я. Горбачевського МОЗ України. Результати й обговорення. Співпраця між Тернопільським національним медичним університетом імені І. Я. Горбачевського МОЗ України та університетом МакЮена відповідає стратегії діяльності медсестринського факультету університету МакЮена: медсестри, які впливають на здоров’я світової спільноти та виконують важливу місію: транс­формаційне навчання та впровадження знань у професійну практику. Навчальний курс, який представили студентам, був організований з метою узгодження з трьома важливими складовими здоров’я на планеті: відносністю, стійкістю та способами пізнання. Завдяки інтерактивному навчанню в міжнародному середовищі, студенти виробили спільне розуміння того, як люди ставляться один до одного та до свого оточення, порівняли канадський та український підходи до цілей сталого розвитку та створили простір для розуміння різних способів пізнання та як вони зміцнюють здоров’я і добробут. Учасники відвідали різноманітні заклади охорони здоров’я, включаючи дитячі клініки, лікарні психічного здоров’я, клініку ВІЛ, перинатальний центр, дитячі будинки та реабілітаційні центри. Висновки. Співпраця у реалізації програми дає можливість вивчити та змінити освіту медсестер та їх професійну практику. Формат поїздки віч-на-віч є неоціненним для підвищення неформального навчання, а також для розвитку потенціалу особистості у світі. Курс є чудовою основою для студентів, які бажають продовжити навчання в університеті, вивчаючи основи здоров’я або в галузі медсестринства, або в галузі охорони здоров’я

Fertility preservation in ovarian tumours

A considerable number of patients with a cancer diagnosis are of childbearing age and have not satisfied their desire for a family. Despite ovarian cancer (OC) usually occurring in older patients, 3%–14% are diagnosed at a fertile age with the overall 5-year survival rate being 91.2% in women ≤44 years of age when it is found at 1A–B stage. In this scenario, testing the safety and the efficacy of fertility sparing strategies in OC patients is very important overall in terms of quality of life. Unfortunately, the lack of randomised trials to validate conservative approaches does not guarantee the safety of fertility preservation strategies. However, evidence-based data from descriptive series suggest that in selected cases, the preservation of the uterus and at least one part of the ovary does not lead to a high risk of relapse. This conservative surgery helps to maintain organ function, giving patients of childbearing age the possibility to preserve their fertility. We hereby analysed the main evidence from the international literature on this topic in order to highlight the selected criteria for conservative management of OC patients, including healthy BRCA mutations carriers

Lack of Spontaneous Venous Pulsation: Possible Risk Indicator in Normal Tension Glaucoma?

PURPOSE: Recently, the absence of spontaneous venous pulsation (SVP) has been suggested as a vascular risk factor for primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG). As the mechanism behind this phenomenon is still unknown, the authors have studied this vascular component using colour Doppler imaging (CDI). METHODS: A total of 236 patients were divided into three diagnostic groups: healthy controls (81), POAG (86) and normal tension glaucoma (NTG; 69). All subjects were submitted to CDI studies of the retrobulbar circulation, intraocular pressure measurements and assessment of SVP existence. Mann-Whitney, chi-square contingency tables and Spearman correlations were used to explore differences and correlations between variables in the diagnostic groups. RESULTS: Eighty-two percent of healthy controls had SVP (66/81), while a smaller numbers were registered in both glaucoma groups: POAG - 50% (43/86); NTG - 51% (35/69). In NTG patients, but not in POAG patients, the prevalence of the SVP phenomenon decreases with increased glaucoma damage (p = 0.04; p = 0.55, respectively). Overall glaucoma patients from both groups had lower central retinal vein (CRV) velocities than the healthy controls (p < 0.05). NTG patients with SVP had less severe visual field defects (mean defect -6.92 versus -11.1, p < 0.05), higher [correction added after online publication 21 September 2012; the word 'higher' has been inserted to replace the word 'lower'] peak systolic and mean flow velocities in the central retinal artery (p < 0.01; p < 0.05, respectively) as well as higher [correction added after online publication 21 September 2012; the word higher has been inserted to replace the word lower] maximal velocities and RI of the CRV (p < 0.02; p < 0.05, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Glaucoma patients have a decrease in CRV velocities. SVP is less prevalent in glaucoma patients than in healthy individuals. This phenomenon apparently reflects different hemodynamic patterns in the central retinal vessels. This variable may be of particular importance in NTG patients, where it may be associated with more advanced functional damage

Changing European storm loss potentials under modified climate conditions according to ensemble simulations of the ECHAM5/MPI-OM1 GCM

International audienceA simple storm loss model is applied to an ensemble of ECHAM5/MPI-OM1 GCM simulations in order to estimate changes of insured loss potentials over Europe in the 21st century. Losses are computed based on the daily maximum wind speed for each grid point. The calibration of the loss model is performed using wind data from the ERA40-Reanalysis and German loss data. The obtained annual losses for the present climate conditions (20C, three realisations) reproduce the statistical features of the historical insurance loss data for Germany. The climate change experiments correspond to the SRES-Scenarios A1B and A2, and for each of them three realisations are considered. On average, insured loss potentials increase for all analysed European regions at the end of the 21st century. Changes are largest for Germany and France, and lowest for Portugal/Spain. Additionally, the spread between the single realisations is large, ranging e.g. for Germany from ?4% to +43% in terms of mean annual loss. Moreover, almost all simulations show an increasing interannual variability of storm damage. This assessment is even more pronounced if no adaptation of building structure to climate change is considered. The increased loss potentials are linked with enhanced values for the high percentiles of surface wind maxima over Western and Central Europe, which in turn are associated with an enhanced number and increased intensity of extreme cyclones over the British Isles and the North Sea

Ophthalmic Artery Doppler Waveform Changes Associated with Increased Damage in Glaucoma Patients

PURPOSE: To characterize Doppler waveform variables (early systolic acceleration [ESA] and systolic/diastolic mean velocity ratios [Sm/Dm]) of the Ophthalmic Artery (OA) by color Doppler imaging (CDI) in eyes with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG). METHODS: Analysis of CDI examinations of the retrobulbar circulation of patients with POAG (n = 102), normal tension glaucoma (NTG, n = 89), and healthy controls (n = 59) by a condition-masked investigator. One-way ANOVA, chi-square, and Spearman's rank correlation tests were used to determine differences, establish comparisons, and to explore associations between variables, respectively. RESULTS: The overall Doppler waveform presented a shift to the right in the glaucoma groups, with significantly lower Sm/Dm ratios when compared to the control group (healthy: 2.94 ± 0.86, POAG: 2.60 ± 0.67, NTG: 2.63 ± 0.84; P = 0.01). ESA was significantly lower in the glaucoma groups (healthy: 688.8 ± 484 cm·s(-2), POAG: 548.1 ± 419 cm·s(-2), NTG: 548.5 ± 337 cm·s(-2); P = 0.03). No statistical differences were, however, detected in the OA velocities or resistance index (P ranged between 0.08 and 0.96). In the glaucoma groups, waveform parameters such as ESA, acceleration time, and systolic mean velocities correlated with systemic blood pressure variables (P < 0.05). In these groups, negative correlations were detected between Sm/Dm ratios and the degree of visual field defects (POAG: P = 0.01; r = -0.25) and retinal nerve fiber layer thickness (NTG: P = 0.02; r = -0.25). CONCLUSIONS: The pattern of blood flow velocities in the OA throughout the cardiac cycle seems to be altered in glaucoma patients. Further studies on how systemic blood pressure affects waveform variables in glaucoma patients may provide a better understanding of an underlying vascular dysfunction