Polio survivors’ perceptions of the meaning of quality of life and strategies used to promote participation in everyday activities

This article is made available through the Brunel Open Access Publishing Fund.Introduction: The term ‘post-polio syndrome’ (PPS) is used to describe new and late manifestations of poliomyelitis that occur later in life. Research in this area has focused upon health status rather than its effect on quality of life. Aim: To gain an in-depth understanding of the meaning of quality of life for polio survivors and to determine the type of strategies that are used by people with PPS and the support that they consider as important to facilitate participation in everyday life activities that have an impact on their quality of life. Method: Six focus groups were conducted with 51 participants from two regions in England. Data were audio-taped and analysed using thematic analysis. Results: Our research found that polio survivors used terms used to describe quality of life which could be associated with that of happiness. Our research has identified resolvable factors that influence quality of life namely inaccessible environments, attitudes of health-care professionals and societal attitudes. Polio survivors have tried alternative therapies, chiefly acupuncture and massage, and found them to be effective in enhancing their quality of life. Conclusion: It is suggested that health-care professionals should consider factors which influence happiness and implement a person-centred approach with the views of the polio survivor being listened to. The three factors that influenced quality of life could be resolved by health-care professionals and by society. With regard to strategies used, we suggest that polio survivors should have access to the treatments that they perceive as important, although further research is required to design optimal interventions for this client group

Moldova: Small country – big problem! Corruption and a mono-garchy

Duyne, van Petrus C. Moldova: Small country – big problem! Corruption and a mono-garchy / Petrus C. Van Duyne, Brendan Quirke // Constructing and organising crime in Europe / Petrus C. van Duyne, Alexey Serdyuk, Georgios A. Antonopoulos, Jackie H. Harvey, Klaus von Lampe (Eds.); Kharkiv National University of Internal Affairs, Northumbria University, Teesside University, Utrecht University. – Chicago-Kharkiv : Eleven International Publishing, Kharkiv National University of Internal Affairs, 2019. - P. 367-398. - DOI: https://doi.org/10.32631/ccc19.15.Що таке корупція? Одне з численних відповідей на це питання: «Це зловживання державними посадами в особистих цілях» (Svensson, 2005: 19). Хоча це коротке визначення широко використовується, воно неточне. Воно має намір охопити занадто широкий спектр порушень закону, від хабарництва до розтрати та шахрайства, клієнтури і таємних угод. Ми вважаємо за краще поставити всі ці способи поведінки під егідою порушення цілісності. Однак концепція цілісності вимагає додаткової точності. Як ми побачимо, саме глибоке і повсюдне руйнування цілісності процесу прийняття рішень в державному управлінні та приватному секторі позначається на добробуті народів. У нашому дослідженні це незручне становище стосується Молдови, яка не самотня в цьому відношенні. Зрозуміло, що Молдова разом з Україною знаходиться на дні цього явно корумпованого регіону. Корупція є глобальною проблемою, і Молдова заявляє про це: вона є (або стане) учасником ряду міжнародних конвенцій проти корупції. Мета цієї глави - провести рекогносцировку, зібравши воєдино все, що відомо про корупцію в цій країні. Джерела для цього дослідження не багаті: корупція в Молдові, схоже, недостатньо досліджена. Обговорювані джерела складаються в основному з відкритих англомовних джерел, в основному з молдавських установ і місцевих авторів, чиї публікації були розміщені на різних веб-сайтах. Спочатку ми розглянемо загальний знаменник, що лежить в основі корупції в цьому регіоні: радянська спадщина.What is corruption? One of the many answers to this question is: “It is a misuse of public office for private gain” (Svensson, 2005: 19). Though this short definition is widely used, it is imprecise. It intends to cover a too wide range of law breaking, from bribery to embezzlement to fraud, clientelism and secret dealings. We prefer to bring all these modes of conduct under the umbrella of breach of integrity. However, the concept of integrity needs further precision. As we will see, it is the deep and pervasive erosion of the integrity of the decision making in the public administration and private sector, which affects the welfare of the peoples. In our study this awkward predicament concerns Moldova, which does not stand alone in this regard. It is clear that Moldova together with Ukraine, is at the bottom of this apparently deeply corrupt region. Corruption is a global concern and Moldova underwrites this: it is (or will become) a signatory of a number of international conventions against corruption. This chapter aims to make a reconnaissance by bringing together what is known about corruption in this country. The sources for this study are not rich: corruption in Moldova seems to be under-researched. The consulted sources consist mainly of open English language sources, mainly from Moldovan institutions and local authors whose publications were uploaded on various websites. We will first look at the common denominator underlying the corruption in this region: the Soviet heritage.Что такое коррупция? Один из многочисленных ответов на этот вопрос: «Это злоупотребление государственными должностями в личных целях» (Svensson, 2005: 19). Хотя это краткое определение широко используется, оно неточное. Оно намеревается охватить слишком широкий спектр нарушений закона, от взяточничества до растраты и мошенничества, клиентуры и тайных сделок. Мы предпочитаем поставить все эти способы поведения под эгидой нарушения целостности. Однако концепция целостности требует дополнительной точности. Как мы увидим, именно глубокое и повсеместное разрушение целостности процесса принятия решений в государственном управлении и частном секторе сказывается на благосостоянии народов. В нашем исследовании это неловкое положение касается Молдовы, которая не одинока в этом отношении. Понятно, что Молдова вместе с Украиной находится на дне этого явно коррумпированного региона. Коррупция является глобальной проблемой, и Молдова заявляет об этом: она является (или станет) участником ряда международных конвенций против коррупции. Цель этой главы - провести рекогносцировку, собрав воедино все, что известно о коррупции в этой стране. Источники для этого исследования не богаты: коррупция в Молдове, похоже, недостаточно исследована. Обсуждаемые источники состоят в основном из открытых англоязычных источников, в основном из молдавских учреждений и местных авторов, чьи публикации были размещены на различных веб-сайтах. Сначала мы рассмотрим общий знаменатель, лежащий в основе коррупции в этом регионе: советское наследие

Nanoparticle–membrane interactions

Engineered nanomaterials have a wide range of applications and as a result, are increasingly present in the environment. While they offer new technological opportunities, there is also the potential for adverse impact, in particular through possible toxicity. In this review, we discuss the current state of the art in the experimental characterisation of nanoparticle-membrane interactions relevant to the prediction of toxicity arising from disruption of biological systems. One key point of discussion is the urgent need for more quantitative studies of nano-bio interactions in experimental models of lipid system that mimic in vivo membranes

Bicycle Helmet Wearing in a Sample of Urban Disadvantaged Primary School Children

Bicycle helmet wearing is currently not legally enforced in Ireland and little is known about the self-reported practice amongst young children. The principal aim of this study was to assess self-reported helmet wearing amongst a sample (n=314) of primary school children (aged 8-13 years) attending disadvantaged schools in Dublin. Approximately 86% of the sample owned a bike and provided a response to the question on helmet use. The findings indicate that helmet wearing is not a widespread practice (50.4%; 136/270 report never wearing helmets). As children get older, reported practice is also less likely with 67% (27/40) of 12/13 year-olds compared to 38% (31/81) of 8/9 year-olds reporting never wearing protective headgear. Regardless of age, more girls (61%; 82/135) than boys (39%; 52/135) indicated always/sometimes using helmets when cycling. Conversely, the findings show that (mandatory) seatbelt wearing is standard practice for the majority (93%; 252/270). The findings relating to helmet wearing add further to the debate around the mandatory introduction of protective headgear for cyclists

Four genomic islands that mark post-1995 pandemic Vibrio parahaemolyticus isolates

BACKGROUND: Vibrio parahaemolyticus is an aquatic, halophilic, Gram-negative bacterium, first discovered in 1950 in Japan during a food-poisoning outbreak. Infections resulting from consumption of V. parahaemolyticus have increased globally in the last 10 years leading to the bacterium's classification as a newly emerging pathogen. In 1996 the first appearance of a pandemic V. parahaemolyticus clone occurred, a new O3:K6 serotype strain that has now been identified worldwide as a major cause of seafood-borne gastroenteritis. RESULTS: We examined the sequenced genome of V. parahaemolyticus RIMD2210633, an O3:K6 serotype strain isolated in Japan in 1996, by bioinformatic analyses to uncover genomic islands (GIs) that may play a role in the emergence and pathogenesis of pandemic strains. We identified 7 regions ranging in size from 10 kb to 81 kb that had the characteristics of GIs such as aberrant base composition compared to the core genome, presence of phage-like integrases, flanked by direct repeats and the absence of these regions from closely related species. Molecular analysis of worldwide clinical isolates of V. parahaemolyticus recovered over the last 33 years demonstrated that a 24 kb region named V. parahaemolyticus island-1 (VPaI-1) encompassing ORFs VP0380 to VP0403 is only present in new O3:K6 and related strains recovered after 1995. We investigated the presence of 3 additional regions, VPaI-4 (VP2131 to VP2144), VPaI-5 (VP2900 to VP2910) and VPaI-6 (VPA1254 to VPA1270) by PCR assays and Southern blot analyses among the same set of V. parahaemolyticus isolates. These 3 VPaI regions also gave similar distribution patterns amongst the 41 strains examined. CONCLUSION: The 4 VPaI regions examined may represent DNA acquired by the pandemic group of V. parahaemolyticus isolates that increased their fitness either in the aquatic environment or in their ability to infect humans

Equilibrium Simulation of the Slip Coefficient in Nanoscale Pores

Accurate prediction of interfacial slip in nanoscale channels is required by many microfluidic applications. Existing hydrodynamic solutions based on Maxwellian boundary conditions include an empirical parameter that depends on material properties and pore dimensions. This paper presents a derivation of a new expression for the slip coefficient that is not based on the assumptions concerning the details of solid-fluid collisions and whose parameters are obtainable from \textit{equilibrium} simulation. The results for the slip coefficient and flow rates are in good agreement with non-equilibrium molecular dynamics simulation.Comment: 11 pages, 4 figures, submitted to Phys Rev Let

Heightened immune response to autocitrullinated porphyromonas gingivalis peptidylarginine deiminase: a potential mechanism for breaching immunologic tolerance in rheumatoid arthritis

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is characterised by autoimmunity to citrullinated proteins, and there is increasing epidemiologic evidence linking Porphyromonas gingivalis to RA. P gingivalis is apparently unique among periodontal pathogens in possessing a citrullinating enzyme, peptidylarginine deiminase (PPAD) with the potential to generate antigens driving the autoimmune response. Objectives: To examine the immune response to PPAD in patients with RA, individuals with periodontitis (PD) and controls (without arthritis), confirm PPAD autocitrullination and identify the modified arginine residues. Methods: PPAD and an inactivated mutant (C351A) were cloned and expressed and autocitrullination of both examined by immunoblotting and mass spectrometry. ELISAs using PPAD, C351A and another P gingivalis protein arginine gingipain (RgpB) were developed and antibody reactivities examined in patients with RA (n=80), individuals with PD (n=44) and controls (n=82). Results: Recombinant PPAD was a potent citrullinating enzyme. Antibodies to PPAD, but not to Rgp, were elevated in the RA sera (median 122 U/ml) compared with controls (median 70 U/ml; p<0.05) and PD (median 60 U/ml; p<0.01). Specificity of the anti-peptidyl citrullinated PPAD response was confirmed by the reaction of RA sera with multiple epitopes tested with synthetic citrullinated peptides spanning the PPAD molecule. The elevated antibody response to PPAD was abolished in RA sera if the C351A mutant was used on ELISA. Conclusions: The peptidyl citrulline-specific immune response to PPAD supports the hypothesis that, as a bacterial protein, it might break tolerance in RA, and could be a target for therapy