1,016 research outputs found
Are Europeans moving towards dietary habits more suitable for reducing cardiovascular disease risk?
Aims: Cardiovascular diseases are the main cause of death in Europe. Food choices represent the most important factors undermining health and well-being; they account for as much as half of all CVD deaths in Europe. The aim of this viewpoint is to evaluate food choices of the European population and their temporal trends in relation to possible effects on the cardiovascular disease risk. Data synthesis: The CVD death rate attributable to diet-related factors has fallen in Europe over the last 25 years; however, the pace of the reduction has slowed down in the last ten years. In parallel, in the last decade unfavorable changes in the dietary habits associated with CVD risk have occurred. Conclusions: A mismatch exists between the available evidence on the health-promoting potential of the diet and the relatively modest and inconsistent improvements of dietary habits in the European population observed in recent years. Nutritional education alone will not be enough to improve the lifestyle of people in Europe. Policy options to be considered to reach this aim should necessarily include also initiatives for facilitating production, marketing, availability and affordability of healthy foods in each and every European country
Glucose lowering strategies and cardiovascular disease in type 2 diabetes – teachings from the TOSCA.IT study
TOSCA.IT is an institutional, non-industry-supported, head-to-head study comparing long term cardiovascular effects, efficacy and safety of two antidiabetes drugs (pioglitazone vs sulphonylureas) used in combination with metformin in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. The study results show that in the absence of clinically evident cardiovascular disease both treatment strategies represent suitable alternatives; however, in consideration of the greater durability of the metabolic effects, the lower risk of hypoglycemia and the potential benefit on atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, the combination of metformin and pioglitazone may be considered as the preferential therapeutic option. In this review the study is critically evaluated against the background of the evidence accumulated over the last decade on the impact of different glucose lowering drugs on cardiovascular events in people with type 2 diabetes
Knowledge, attitudes, and behavior concerning dental trauma among parents of children attending primary school
BACKGROUND: Traumatic dental injuries occur frequently in children and adolescents. The purpose of the present study is to examine the levels of knowledge and behaviors regarding dental trauma among parents of children attending primary schools in the Apulia region of Italy.
METHODS: The study was carried out using an anonymous questionnaire with closed answers distributed to 2,775 parents who were enrolled based on the entire regional school population. Analyses were conducted using the PROC CORRESP (procedure to perform multiple correspondence analysis) and PROC FASTCLUS (procedure to perform cluster analysis). Statistical significance was set at p-value <0.05.
RESULTS: A total 15.5% of the sample reported that their children had experienced dental trauma. Overall, 53.8% of respondents stated that they knew what to do in cases of dental injury. Regarding the time limit within which it is possible to usefully intervene for dental trauma, 56.8% of respondents indicated "within 30 minutes". Of the total sample, 56.5% knew how to preserve a displaced tooth. A total 62.9% of parents felt it was appropriate for their children to use dental guards during sports activities. The multivariate analysis showed that wrong knowledge are distributed among all kinds of subject. Parents with previous experience of dental trauma referred right behaviours, instead weak knowledge and wrong behaviours are associated with parents that easily worried for dental events.
CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that most parents reported no experience of dental trauma in their children, and half of them did not know what to do in case of traumatic dental injury and they would intervene within 30 minutes, suggesting that dental trauma may trigger panic. However, they did not have the information needed to best assist the affected child. Motivating parents to assume a preventive approach towards dental trauma may produce positive changes that would result an increase of long-term health benefits among both parents and children
Socioeconomic and territorial impact of the ski industry in the Spanish Pyrenees: mountain development and leisure induced urbanization
26 páginas, 8 figuras.[EN] This article assesses the territorial impact of the ski industry in
two areas of the Spanish Pyrenees (Aragon Pyrenees and the Catalan High
Pyrenees). By analyzing the changes on demographic dynamics and structure,
economic portfolio, and evolution of the built structure of these areas since the
construction of the ski resorts, we, firstly, identify a trend towards urbanization
emerging in these areas, and secondly, that this trend unfolds in two different
models: around the ski resorts at the northern end of valleys in the Aragon study site,
and in regional centers at the bottom of the main valleys in the Catalan High
Pyrenees. In this fashion the ski industry, which offers seasonal services to a mostly
urban clientele, contributes to the redefinition of peripheral rural areas taking into
account urban needs. The towns, by the ski resorts in Aragon, and in the bottom of
the valleys in Catalonia, have grown to become small nodes of a large network that
expands the physical, economic and cultural influence of the low lands cities over the
Spanish mountains.[ES] Se evalĂşa el impacto territorial de la actividad del esquĂ en los
Pirineos españoles (Pirineos Aragoneses y Alto Pirineo Catalán). A partir del
análisis de los cambios registrados en la dinámica y estructura demográfica y de las
prácticas econĂłmicas, desde la instalaciĂłn de las estaciones de esquĂ, se identifica, en
primer lugar, una tendencia urbanizadora emergente y, en segundo lugar, que dicha
tendencia se manifiesta en dos modelos diferentes: en el Pirineo aragonés se limita a
las cabeceras de los valles, mientras que en el Pirineo Catalán se expande a los fondos
de valle y cabeceras comarcales. De esta manera, la actividad del esquĂ contribuye a
redefinir las zonas rurales periféricas, teniendo en cuenta las necesidades urbanas.
Los pueblos prĂłximos a las estaciones de esquĂ en AragĂłn y de los fondos de valle en
Cataluña han crecido hasta convertirse en pequeños núcleos de una gran red que
expande la influencia fĂsica, econĂłmica y cultural de las ciudades de las tierras bajas
hacia las montañas españolas.This work has been supported by the research projects: PROBASE
(CGL2006-11619/HID), INDICA (CGL2011-27753-CO2-01 y 02) and
HIDROCAES (CGL2011-27574-CO2-02), financed by Spanish Commission of
Science and Technology.Peer reviewe
Arterial hypertension increases left ventricular mass: role of tight blood pressure control
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Time resolved magneto-optical spectroscopy on InGaAs nanostructures grown on (311)A and (100)-oriented substrates
We present a time-resolved magneto-photoluminescence study of In0.5Ga0.5As self-organized nanostructures grown on (100) and (311)A-oriented substrates by molecular beam epitaxy. The (311)A-oriented samples have a corrugated surface realizing a sort of quantum wire array, whereas the (100) samples exhibit Stranski–Krastanow islands. The different morphology of the nanostructures is reflected in the different electron/hole wave-function confinement along the three directions (perpendicular and parallel to the growth direction). We discuss the effects of the magnetic field (up to 8 T) on the recombination mechanism in these InGaAs nanostructures and on the transient dynamics of photoluminescence. We observe a clear decrease of the photoluminescence decay time with magnetic field flux indicating the exciton nature of the radiative low-temperature recombination processes
Local degradation of selectively oxidized AlGaAs/AlAs distributed Bragg reflectors in lateral-injection vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers
We show the local degradation of a selectively oxidized top distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) in a lateral-junction vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (LJ-VCSEL) working at room temperature in continuous-wave operation. The measurements were carried out by a scanning microluminescence system used in reflection mode. The injection of a few milliamps in continuous-wave operation at room temperature in the LJ-VCSEL induces damage both in the DBRs and in the active area. The submicron resolution maps of the reflected laser intensity, recorded from the top surface of the LJ-VCSEL, show a strong local change in the top DBR reflectivity before and after current injection. The ÎĽ-photoluminescence map, recorded after the device failure, shows that the radiative recombination is strongly decreased in the damaged area of the device
Issue 1: “It’s Better Late Than Never”: A Community-Based HIV Research and Training Response to Supporting Mothers Living with HIV Who Have Child Welfare Involvement (Part I)
Grounded in community-based research (CBR) principles and an anti-oppression framework, the Positive Parenting Pilot Project (P4) aimed to develop, implement, and evaluate an HIV education and training module to enhance the provision of support for families affected by HIV and who are at risk of or already involved with child protection services. We set out to strengthen the ability of Children’s Aid Societies (CAS) in Ontario to provide anti-oppressive services to families affected by HIV from diverse communities by increasing the capacity of social workers who support these families. Applying the principles of CBR, we increased communication and forged new collaborative relationships within and between CAS agencies, the HIV service sector, parents living with HIV, and researchers in order to better address family needs at societal and structural levels. The goal of this project was to develop, provide, and evaluate a framework for an anti-oppressive education and training module related to the multiple layers of oppression that are experienced by families living with HIV including HIV-related stigma and discrimination, racism, sexism, violence and poverty. This paper presents the qualitative analysis of pre- and post- focus groups with CAS workers who participated in P4 and the emerging practice implications for working with families living with and affected by HIV
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