In-task auditory performance-related feedback promotes cardiovascular markers of a challenge state during a pressurized task

This is the final version. Available on open access from Taylor & Francis via the DOI in this recordBackground and Objectives: Individuals evaluate the demands and resources associated with a pressurized situation, which leads to distinct patterns of cardiovascular responses. While it is accepted that cognitive evaluations are updated throughout a pressurized situation, to date, cardiovascular markers have only been recorded immediately before, or averaged across, these situations. Thus, this study examined the influence of in-task performance-related feedback on cardiovascular markers of challenge and threat to explore fluctuations in these markers.Methods and Design: Forty participants completed a pressurized visual search task while cardiovascular markers of challenge and threat were recorded. During the task, participants received either positive or negative feedback via distinct auditory tones to induce a challenge or threat state. Following task completion, cardiovascular markers were recorded during a recovery phase.Results: Participants' cardiovascular responses changed across the experimental protocol. Specifically, while participants displayed a cardiovascular response more reflective of a challenge state following in-task performance-related feedback, participants exhibited a response more akin to a threat state later during the recovery phase.Conclusions: In-task auditory performance-related feedback promoted cardiovascular markers of a challenge state. These markers fluctuated over the experiment, suggesting that they, and presumably underlying demand and resource evaluations, are relatively dynamic in nature.Experimental Psychology Societ

PGX Technology: Novel tailor-made and tuneable Delivery Systems for poorly water-soluble Bioactives

The delivery of poorly water-soluble bioactives, including active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) and nutraceutical components is of great interest for existing drugs and new drug developments, cosmetic formulations, functional foods and nutraceuticals. This article presents a novel patented technology called PGX Technology, which utilizes pressurized gas expanded (PGX) liquids to dry, micronize, purify and functionalize water-soluble polymers. PGX Technology can generate open-porous nanostructured polymer carriers composed of one or several water-soluble polymers forming powders, granules, nano-fibrils, aerogels and exfoliated nano-composites with specific surface areas (SSA) ranging from tens to several hundred m2/g. Such mesoporous water-soluble carrier systems can be impregnated with a bioactive by means of adsorptive precipitation, utilizing supercritical carbon dioxide, leading to the uniform deposition of nano-scale particles (<120 nm) throughout the porous matrix, forming a bioactive-polymer complex, for example coenzyme Q10 on β-glucan (CoQ10-iBG). A nano-dispersion of CoQ10 is formed when such CoQ10-iBG complex is dissolved in water, which is stable over 6 months at room temperature. The bioavailability of the CoQ10-iBG complex tested in rats compared favorably with a positive control (CoQ10 in triolein) and a commercial CoQ10-cyclodextrin complex

Commissioning measurements on an Elekta Unity MR-Linac

Magnetic resonance-guided radiotherapy technology is relatively new and commissioning publications, quality assurance (QA) protocols and commercial products are limited. This work provides guidance for implementation measurements that may be performed on the Elekta Unity MR-Linac (Elekta, Stockholm, Sweden). Adaptations of vendor supplied phantoms facilitated determination of gantry angle accuracy and linac isocentre, whereas in-house developed phantoms were used for end-to-end testing and anterior coil attenuation measurements. Third-party devices were used for measuring beam quality, reference dosimetry and during treatment plan commissioning; however, due to several challenges, variations on standard techniques were required. Gantry angle accuracy was within 0.1°, confirmed with pixel intensity profiles, and MV isocentre diameter was < 0.5 mm. Anterior coil attenuation was approximately 0.6%. Beam quality as determined by TPR20,10 was 0.705 ± 0.001, in agreement with treatment planning system (TPS) calculations, and gamma comparison against the TPS for a 22.0 × 22.0 cm2 field was above 95.0% (2.0%, 2.0 mm). Machine output was 1.000 ± 0.002 Gy per 100 MU, depth 5.0 cm. During treatment plan commissioning, sub-standard results indicated issues with machine behaviour. Once rectified, gamma comparisons were above 95.0% (2.0%, 2.0 mm). Centres which may not have access to specialized equipment can use in-house developed phantoms, or adapt those supplied by the vendor, to perform commissioning work and confirm operation of the MRL within published tolerances. The plan QA techniques used in this work can highlight issues with machine behaviour when appropriate gamma criteria are set

The Importance of Partnership in the Rollout of Triple-Drug Therapy to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis in the Pacific

We discuss the experience of some Pacific island countries in introducing the new WHO-recommended treatment protocol for lymphatic filariasis—a triple-drug therapy composed of ivermectin, diethylcarbamazine, and albendazole. The successful rollout of the new treatment protocol was dependent on strong partnerships among these countries’ ministries of health, WHO, and other stakeholders. Effective communication among these partners allowed for lessons learned to cross borders and have a positive impact on the experiences of other countries. We also describe various challenges confronted during this process and the ways these countries overcame them

Promoting novelty, rigor, and style in energy social science: towards codes of practice for appropriate methods and research design

A series of weaknesses in creativity, research design, and quality of writing continue to handicap energy social science. Many studies ask uninteresting research questions, make only marginal contributions, and lack innovative methods or application to theory. Many studies also have no explicit research design, lack rigor, or suffer from mangled structure and poor quality of writing. To help remedy these shortcomings, this Review offers suggestions for how to construct research questions; thoughtfully engage with concepts; state objectives; and appropriately select research methods. Then, the Review offers suggestions for enhancing theoretical, methodological, and empirical novelty. In terms of rigor, codes of practice are presented across seven method categories: experiments, literature reviews, data collection, data analysis, quantitative energy modeling, qualitative analysis, and case studies. We also recommend that researchers beware of hierarchies of evidence utilized in some disciplines, and that researchers place more emphasis on balance and appropriateness in research design. In terms of style, we offer tips regarding macro and microstructure and analysis, as well as coherent writing. Our hope is that this Review will inspire more interesting, robust, multi-method, comparative, interdisciplinary and impactful research that will accelerate the contribution that energy social science can make to both theory and practice

Prayer for family and friends:the body and religion in eighteenth-century Britain

This article explores how writers, predominantly adhering to a variety of different Christian denominations but also including Jewish writers, discussed religion and body in letters throughout the long eighteenth century. It draws on a corpus of over 2500 familiar letters written by men and women of different denominations between 1675 and 1820. These letters were not chosen because of their religious content. This, and also that letters are not a genre specifically rooted in devotional practice, makes them a good ‘test’ of the role of faith in everyday understandings of the body. By exploring how lay people used letters to construct understandings of health and bodily experience as directed by God, this article underscores the continued centrality of religious discourse and devotional practice in eighteenth-century everyday life. This article finds that religion was a commonplace register deployed when discussing bodily matters throughout the long eighteenth century. Significantly, this was the case for individuals who otherwise made scant reference to their faith. The physical body encouraged recourse to providence, a public discussion of doctrine and the shared expression of devotion. The ongoing force of religion in people’s lives was thus intimately tied to their embodied experiences. Letters not only expressed but actively maintained this widely shared religious framework for understanding the body. Through letters, men and women created connections between their physically separated bodies, connections which were reinforced by their religious dimension, and which enabled them to provide one another with care and consolation for both body and soul

Impact of Let\u27s Go! 5-2-1-0: a community-based, multisetting childhood obesity prevention program.

OBJECTIVE: Document the impact of Let\u27s Go!, a multisetting community-based childhood obesity prevention program on participants in 12 communities in Maine. METHODS: The study used repeated random telephone surveys with 800 parents of children to measure awareness of messages and child behaviors. Surveys were conducted in schools, child care programs, and afterschool programs to track changes in policies and environments. RESULTS: Findings show improvements from 2007 to 2011: Children consuming fruits and vegetables increased from 18%, 95% CI [15, 21], to 26% [23, 30] (p \u3c .001); children limiting sugary drinks increased from 63% [59, 67] to 69% [65, 73] (p = .011); and parent awareness of the program grew from 10% [7, 12] to 47% [43, 51] (p \u3c .001). Participating sites implemented widespread changes to promote healthy behaviors. CONCLUSIONS: A multisetting, community-based intervention with a consistent message can positively impact behaviors that lead to childhood obesity