Effects of self-management program on healthy lifestyle behaviors among elderly with hypertension

© 2018, Behavioral Science Research Institute. This research aimed to evaluate whether a self-management program promoted healthy lifestyle behaviors (HLBs) and improved health outcomes among Thai elderly with hypertension. Participants were randomly allocated to either an intervention group (n=20), that received an 8-week self-management program that included home visits, or a control group (n = 20). The data were analyzed by a chi-square analysis, a mixed-model repeated measure MANOVA, and MANCOVAs. There were significant differences in the mean scores of healthy lifestyle behaviors at posttest and follow-up between the two groups (p < 0.01). Moreover, the experimental participants showed statistically significant decrease in BMI as compared to the control group participants in posttest and follow-up (p < 0.001). There was a statistically significant reduction in blood pressure in the experimental participants, compared with the control participants at follow-up (p < 0.001). Furthermore, healthy lifestyle behaviors increased significantly in the experimental participants compared with the control participants and baseline (p < 0.001). In addition, BMI and blood pressure decreased in the experimental participants compared with the control participants and baseline (p < 0.001). The self-management program resulted in improved healthy lifestyle behaviors, and health outcomes among the elderly with hypertension, and has implications for health promotion

Positron Emission Tomography Techniques to Measure Active Inflammation, Fibrosis and Angiogenesis in Hypertensive Heart Failure

Heart failure, which is responsible for a high number of deaths worldwide, can develop due to chronic hypertension. Heart failure can involve and progress through several different pathways, including: fibrosis, inflammation, and angiogenesis. Early and specific detection of changes in the myocardium during the transition to heart failure can be made via the use of molecular imaging techniques, including positron emission tomography (PET). Traditional cardiovascular PET techniques, such as myocardial perfusion imaging and sympathetic innervation imaging, have been established at the clinical level but are often lacking in pathway and target specificity that is important for assessment of heart failure. Therefore, there is a need to identify new PET imaging markers of inflammation, fibrosis and angiogenesis that could aid diagnosis, staging and treatment of hypertensive heart failure. This review will provide an overview of key mechanisms underlying hypertensive heart failure and will present the latest developments in PET probes for detection of cardiovascular inflammation, fibrosis and angiogenesis. Currently, selective PET probes for detection of angiogenesis remain elusive but promising PET probes for specific targeting of inflammation and fibrosis are rapidly progressing into clinical use

Developmental Regulation of an Adhesin Gene during Cellular Morphogenesis in the Fungal Pathogen Candida albicans

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Defining forgiveness: Christian clergy and general population perspectives.

The lack of any consensual definition of forgiveness is a serious weakness in the research literature (McCullough, Pargament &amp; Thoresen, 2000). As forgiveness is at the core of Christianity, this study returns to the Christian source of the concept to explore the meaning of forgiveness for practicing Christian clergy. Comparisons are made with a general population sample and social science definitions of forgiveness to ensure that a shared meaning of forgiveness is articulated. Anglican and Roman Catholic clergy (N = 209) and a general population sample (N = 159) completed a postal questionnaire about forgiveness. There is agreement on the existence of individual differences in forgiveness. Clergy and the general population perceive reconciliation as necessary for forgiveness while there is no consensus within psychology. The clergy suggests that forgiveness is limitless and that repentance is unnecessary while the general population suggests that there are limits and that repentance is necessary. Psychological definitions do not conceptualize repentance as necessary for forgiveness and the question of limits has not been addressed although within therapy the implicit assumption is that forgiveness is limitless.</p

Pressure measurement characteristics of a micro‐transducer and balloon catheters

Respiratory pressure responses to cervical magnetic stimulation are important measurements in monitoring the mechanical function of the respiratory muscles. Pressures can be measured using balloon catheters or a catheter containing integrated micro-transducers. However, no research has provided a comprehensive analysis of their pressure measurement characteristics. Accordingly, the aim of this study was to provide a comparative analysis of these characteristics in two separate experiments: (1) in vitro with a reference pressure transducer following a controlled pressurization; and (2) in vivo following cervical magnetic stimulations. In vitro the micro-transducer catheter recorded pressure amplitudes and areas which were in closer agreement to the reference pressure transducer than the balloon catheter. In vivo there was a main effect for stimulation power and catheter for esophageal (Pes), gastric (Pga), and transdiaphragmatic (Pdi) pressure amplitudes (p < 0.001) with the micro-transducer catheter recording larger pressure amplitudes. There was a main effect of stimulation power (p < 0.001) and no main effect of catheter for esophageal (p = 0.481), gastric (p = 0.923), and transdiaphragmatic (p = 0.964) pressure areas. At 100% stimulator power agreement between catheters for Pdi amplitude (bias =6.9 cmH2O and LOA −0.61 to 14.27 cmH2O) and pressure areas (bias = −0.05 cmH2O·s and LOA −1.22 to 1.11 cmH2O·s) were assessed. At 100% stimulator power, and compared to the balloon catheters, the micro-transducer catheter displayed a shorter 10–90% rise time, contraction time, latency, and half-relaxation time, alongside greater maximal rates of change in pressure for esophageal, gastric, and transdiaphragmatic pressure amplitudes (p < 0.05). These results suggest that caution is warranted if comparing pressure amplitude results utilizing different catheter systems, or if micro-transducers are used in clinical settings while applying balloon catheter-derived normative values. However, pressure areas could be used as an alternative point of comparison between catheter systems

Quantitative surface-enhanced resonance Raman scattering of phthalocyanine-labelled oligonucleotides

The evaluation of phthalocyanine labels for the surface-enhanced resonance Raman scattering (SERRS) detection of oligonucleotides is reported. Three phthalocyanine-labelled oligonucleotides were assessed, each containing a different metal centre. Detection limits for each labelled oligonucleotide were determined using two excitation frequencies where possible. Limits of detection as low as 2.8 × 10−11 mol. dm−3 were obtained which are comparable to standard fluorescently labelled probes used in previous SERRS studies. The identification of two phthalocyanine-labelled oligonucleotides without separation was also demonstrated indicating their suitability for multiplexing. This study extends the range of labels suitable for quantitative surface-enhanced resonance Raman scattering with silver nanoparticles and offers more flexibility and choice when considering SERRS for quantitative DNA detection

Characterisation of an atherosclerotic micro-calcification model using ApoE-/- mice and PET/CT

Intraplaque calcification is a prominent feature of advanced atherosclerotic plaque development. Current clinical evidence suggests that the size of calcium deposit may confer different effects on plaque stability [1], [2], [3]. Macro-calcified deposits (CT detected) are thought to confer plaque stability whereas micro-calcification ([18F]NaF PET detected) are thought to be a feature of high-risk ‘vulnerable’ plaques which are prone to rupture. Following on from the emerging role of micro-calcification in high risk plaques within the clinic [4], there is now an urgent need for preclinical atherosclerotic models with this feature to gain mechanistic insights and assess the impact of calcification-targeted therapies. Using a combination of invasive and ex vivo methods, ApoE−/− mice placed on an atherogenic diet have been shown to develop intraplaque calcification [5]. Additionally, [18F]NaF PET/CT has been used to assess the impact of exercise on calcification in ApoE−/− mice on a western diet [6]. In this study, we set out to determine if [18F]NaF PET/CT could be used to non-invasively detect and quantify micro-calficiation in the ApoE−/− high cholesterol diet (HCD) mouse model, and examine the temporal nature of this process

Quantitative surface-enhanced resonance Raman scattering of phthalocyanine-labelled oligonucleotides

The evaluation of phthalocyanine labels for the surface-enhanced resonance Raman scattering (SERRS) detection of oligonucleotides is reported. Three phthalocyanine-labelled oligonucleotides were assessed, each containing a different metal centre. Detection limits for each labelled oligonucleotide were determined using two excitation frequencies where possible. Limits of detection as low as 2.8 × 10−11 mol. dm−3 were obtained which are comparable to standard fluorescently labelled probes used in previous SERRS studies. The identification of two phthalocyanine-labelled oligonucleotides without separation was also demonstrated indicating their suitability for multiplexing. This study extends the range of labels suitable for quantitative surface-enhanced resonance Raman scattering with silver nanoparticles and offers more flexibility and choice when considering SERRS for quantitative DNA detection

Investigating food preference in zoo‐housed meerkats

Understanding food preference among animals in human care can support improvements to welfare through training and day‐to‐day care (e.g., diet management). Little has been published about food preference in zoo‐housed meerkats. Assessing meerkat food preference would be useful, not only for the welfare of that species, but also for developing approaches to assessing food preference in other grouphoused, social species. The specific aim of this study was to quantify food preference within the meerkat mob at Wellington Zoo. We developed a simple, cost‐effective method for characterizing the food preference hierarchy in meerkats by presenting pairs of foods to the mob as a group. We observed stable preference with the hierarchy for pups closely resembling that for adults. This study demonstrated that it is possible to assess food preference and identify a food preference hierarchy for a group of animals from a social species where it was neither practical nor appropriate to assess individuals' preferences separately