Aide-memoire diaries in longitudinal research

Background: Diaries can be used as contemporaneous tools for gathering data, frequently in combination with interviews. However, diaries can also be used by study participants as personal records to improve their recall during interviews, without having to be collected for analysis. Aim: To discuss the use of diaries as aide-memoires by participants in a study exploring women’s views and experiences of the quality of maternity care they received in community maternity units in Scotland. Discussion: The use of aide-memoire diaries was an effective way to enhance the quality of data collected during interviews. Conclusion: This use of diaries would help longitudinal research in different contexts, including long-term care, as an aide-memoire to help participants recall their experiences throughout their care. Implications for practice: Aide-memoire diaries provide a private platform for contemporaneously and honestly recording participants’ reflective accounts throughout their experiences of care

Effect of Storage Time and Temperature on the Recovery of Milk and Peanut Residue from Environmental Swabs

Environmental swabs of shared processing equipment are commonly utilized by the food industry during cleaning validation studies. Some of these swabs are sent to 3rd party laboratories for evaluation. However, the recovery of protein residues of allergenic foods between the time of swabbing and time of testing has yet to be systematically studied. The objective of this study was to determine the recovery of allergen residues (peanut and milk) from swabs held at different holding times and temperatures. Commercial ELISAs (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays) were evaluated to determine allergen residue recovery from swabs inoculated with known amounts of peanut and Non-Fat Dry Milk (NFDM). For each allergen, 100, 50, and 25 ppm peanut flour or NFDM were prepared and each spiked onto Neogen Environmental Swabs (Product No. 8432S) which were stored at room temperature (RT), 37, 4, and -20°C for 0, 1, 3, 5, 7, 10, and 14 days. Subsequently, swabs were tested using the commercial Veratox® for Peanut and Veratox® for Total Milk Allergen Quantitative ELISA Test kits from Neogen Corp. (Lansing, MI) and the Peanut Protein ELISA kit from Morinaga Institute of Biological Science, Inc. (Japan). While both allergens were detected by ELISA on day 14 at all four storage temperatures, the percentage recovery decreased from day 0 to14 with the greatest decrease occurring from day 0 to 1. For swabs spiked with peanut and tested with the Veratox for Peanut ELISA kit, the largest decrease was observed at RT and 37 °C (3-6-fold decrease in recovery). However, only a 2-fold decrease in recovery was observed with peanut swabs stored at 4 °C and -20 °C, with the highest recovery observed from swabs stored at -20 °C. When peanut spiked swabs were analyzed using the Morinaga peanut ELISA kit, less variation in recovery was observed from day 0 to 14 at all four storage temperatures and at all three spike levels. For all swabs, there was a less than 2-fold decrease in recovery from days 0-14. For swabs spiked with NFDM, the percent recoveries decreased between 2-3-fold when stored at RT and 37 °C and ~2-fold when stored at 4 °C and -20 °C. The apparent recovery of peanut and NFDM decreases when the swabs are stored for extended times at higher temperatures but were minimally affected when stored at 4 or -20 °C. These results indicate that testing laboratories and the food industry should transport swabs at 4 or -20 °C. However, these results are limited to the Neogen Environmental Swabs and the evaluated test kits. Further evaluation of additional protein targets and ELISAs is warranted to determine if these results are consistent for alternate targets and extractions

The Effects of Dry Needling and Whole-Body Vibration on Jump Height and Performance in Adults: A Critically Appraised Topic

Whole-body vibration (WBV) involves oscillation of the plates to produce vibrations. It cause: rapid eccentric-concentric muscle action to enhance muscle performance due to rapid reflex and stretch-reflexes. WBV can also cause temporary positive changes to soft tissues like skeletal muscle by increasing circulation. Dry needling (DN) is an invasive skilled intervention performed by licensed physical therapists requiring a thin filiform needle through the skin to reach soft tissues like muscle or bone that causes a mild inflammatory response to improve pain and relax muscles tissue. Analysis of jump height was the outcome measure used to determine muscle performance. The purpose of our study is to compare WBV and DN in regard to improving jump performance in the healthy and injured adult populations

Increasing the resilience of cultural heritage using novel technologies : the perspective from a UK volunteer-led site

Continuing anthropogenic induced climate change poses risks to Cultural Heritage (CH) across the world. In the UK, cultural, natural and built heritage sites are often run by or with the help of groups of volunteers, whether that being at a national level or at a local level. Mellor Archaeological Trust is one such local charity which aims to preserve, maintain and protect the local CH assets. Climate change and its impacts are, therefore, a big concern for the trust as it looks to plan for the future. After a successful pilot of the STORM service, Mellor was able to demonstrate how the use of inexpensive and novel technologies can help small and large volunteer-led organisations in protecting heritage whilst ensuring that correct procedures are followed. Keywords: culture, mitigation, precipitation, volunteer

First-principles data for solid-solution strengthening of magnesium: From geometry and chemistry to properties

Solid-solution strengthening results from solutes impeding the glide of dislocations. Existing theories of strength rely on solute-dislocation interactions, but do not consider dislocation core structures, which need an accurate treatment of chemical bonding. Here, we focus on strengthening of Mg, the lightest of all structural metals and a promising replacement for heavier steel and aluminum alloys. Elasticity theory, which is commonly used to predict the requisite solute-dislocation interaction energetics, is replaced with quantum-mechanical first-principles calculations to construct a predictive mesoscale model for solute strengthening of Mg. Results for 29 different solutes are displayed in a "strengthening design map" as a function of solute misfits that quantify volumetric strain and slip effects. Our strengthening model is validated with available experimental data for several solutes, including Al and Zn, the two most common solutes in Mg. These new results highlight the ability of quantum-mechanical first-principles calculations to predict complex material properties such as strength.Comment: 9 pages, 7 figures, 2 table

Modification of cell wall properties in lettuce improves shelf life

It is proposed that post-harvest longevity and appearance of salad crops is closely linked to pre-harvest leaf morphology (cell and leaf size) and biophysical structure (leaf strength). Transgenic lettuce plants (Lactuca sativa cv. Valeria) were produced in which the production of the cell wall-modifying enzyme xyloglucan endotransglucosylase/hydrolase (XTH) was down-regulated by antisense inhibition. Independently transformed lines were shown to have multiple members of the LsXTH gene family down-regulated in mature leaves of 6-week-old plants and during the course of shelf life. Consequently, xyloglucan endotransglucosylase (XET) enzyme activity and action were down-regulated in the cell walls of these leaves and it was established that leaf area and fresh weight were decreased while leaf strength was increased in the transgenic lines. Membrane permeability was reduced towards the end of shelf life in the transgenic lines relative to the controls and bacteria were evident inside the leaves of control plants only. Most importantly, an extended shelf-life of transgenic lines was observed relative to the non-transgenic control plants. These data illustrate the potential for engineering cell wall traits for improving quality and longevity of salad crops using either genetic modification directly, or by using markers associated with XTH genes to inform a commercial breeding programme

Modelling Identity Disturbance: A Network Analysis of the Personality Structure Questionnaire (PSQ)

Due to the relevance of identity disturbance to personality disorder this study sought to complete a network analysis of a well validated measure of identity disturbance; the personality structure questionnaire (PSQ). A multi-site and cross-national methodology created an overall sample of N = 1549. The global network structure of the PSQ was analysed and jointly estimated networks were compared across four subsamples (UK versus Italy, adults versus adolescents, clinical versus community and complex versus common presenting problems). Stability analyses assessed the robustness of identified networks. Results indicated that PSQ3 (unstable sense of self) and PSQ5 (mood variability) were the most central items in the global network structure. Network structures significantly differed between the UK and Italy. Centrality of items was largely consistent across subsamples. This study provides evidence of the potential network structure of identity disturbance and so guides clinicians in targeting interventions facilitating personality integration