The human body: From its instrumentality to its axiological precedence in the contemporary art of design

Heidegger’s notion of ‘handiness’ combines two meanings, which in my view should be separated. They both refer to ways of characterizing tools in a given culture. Every culture uses tools, and they are all used so they are ‘handy’. The question is: Handy with regard to what? Two answers come to mind. The first one suggests that handiness is typical of the aims achieved in a given culture, which are linked with that culture’s system of values. Having been fulfilled, the aims seem to disappear, but new ones emerge and the cultural values are all the time appreciated. The aims and values constitute a part of the vision of the world accepted by the members of a given cultural community. In such a context, we can understand the handiness of tools as their optimum quality in facilitating the achievement of the aims which maintain the current cultural values, and so the existence of a given culture. The second answer links handiness with fulfilling the requirements of the human body. When considering the body in terms of its biological categories (as an organism) we can bear in mind its universal characteristics such as limbs, height, differences in body measurements, etc. In such a context, Martin Heidegger’s handiness can be understood pragmatically, as the features of a tool when adjusting it to the human body. In this paper, I propose a thesis that contemporary design loses handiness of the first type, while concentrating on making tools more and more comfortable for the human body. The cultural aims and values traditionally recognized in a given culture lose their priority, or seem to be ignored. At the same time, every tool user is given a chance to develop handiness of the first type. Whether we use this opportunity or not is another problem

Is it worth it? Patient and public views on the impact of their involvement in health research and its assessment : a UK-based qualitative interview study

Funded by National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Oxford Biomedical Research Centre Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust University of Oxford Applied Health Research and Care OxfordPeer reviewedPublisher PD

Occurrence of tin in disposable baby diapers

Concentrations of tin were measured in six different brands of disposable baby diapers by using radioisotope (americium) excited energy dispersive x-ray fluorescence. Top sheet and adhesive tape system were measured separately. The concentrations found in top sheet and tape system were <1.5 to 23.1 mg/kg and <1.5 to 22.4 mg/kg, respectively. Almost all diapers contained tin in the adhesive tape system (four of five) and two of six samples contained tin in top sheet. Tin found in diapers may be an organotin substance: tributyltin (TBT), dibutyltin (DBT), monobutyltin (MBT) and/or dioctyltin (DOT), which are widely used in industrial processes as catalysts or as PVC heat stabilizers. Organotin substances have toxic effects which include neurotoxicity, reproductive and developmental toxicity, immunotoxicity, and endocrine disruption. The measured concentrations were less than EU regulatory levels of 0.1% by weight of tin prescribed by REACH Annex XVII No 20. However, the same regulation completely bans the use of organotin substances as biocides in antifouling paints. While effects of TBT on marine organisms from antifouling paints are well known, the effects of organotin compounds in childcare products and other commercial articles receive much less attention. Children who use disposable diapers every day are particularly sensitive

Establishing the values for patient engagement (PE) in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) research: an international, multiple-stakeholder perspective

PurposeActive patient engagement is increasingly viewed as essential to ensuring that patient-driven perspectives are considered throughout the research process. However, guidance for patient engagement (PE) in HRQoL research does not exist, the evidence-base for practice is limited, and we know relatively little about underpinning values that can impact on PE practice. This is the first study to explore the values that should underpin PE in contemporary HRQoL research to help inform future good practice guidance. MethodsA modified ‘World Café’ was hosted as a collaborative activity between patient partners, clinicians and researchers: self-nominated conference delegates participated in group discussions to explore values associated with the conduct and consequences of PE. Values were captured via post-it notes and by nominated note-takers. Data were thematically analysed: emergent themes were coded and agreement checked. Association between emergent themes, values and the Public Involvement Impact Assessment Framework were explored. ResultsEighty participants, including 12 patient partners, participated in the 90-min event. Three core values were defined: (1) building relationships; (2) improving research quality and impact; and (3) developing best practice. Participants valued the importance of building genuine, collaborative and deliberative relationships—underpinned by honesty, respect, co-learning and equity—and the impact of effective PE on research quality and relevance. Conclusions An explicit statement of values seeks to align all stakeholders on the purpose, practice and credibility of PE activities. An innovative, flexible and transparent research environment was valued as essential to developing a trustworthy evidence-base with which to underpin future guidance for good PE practice.Peer reviewe

Knowledge of midwives about clinical trials

Introduction: Proper level of knowledge of midwives on the subject of clinical trials is influenced by the participant's safety and the quality of conducted clinical trials. Aim: The aim of the study was to assess midwives knowledge of clinical trials. Material and method: The study involved 105 midwives, at the age of 20–54years. The method of a diagnostic survey was used. The study was conducted in period April - December 2018 year. Results: The majority of respondents - 81% (n=85) knew the correct definition of the clinical trial. The most important benefit of clinical trials for the study group was "creating new treatment standards" (69,5%, n=74), and the greatest risk resulting from clinical trials "was" the possibility of adverse events and events "(92,4%, n=97). Conclusions: Midwives knowledge about clinical trials is on a sufficient level

Patients’ experiences in the UK: Future strategic directions

Over the last decade policy has emphasised the importance of a good patient experience as a cornerstone of high quality health and social care in the UK, with many initiatives attempting to develop patient-centred practice. More recently, the Francis Inquiry has addressed the significant failings in care identified at Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust in England and has been pivotal in raising the importance of patient experience.1 The Francis report made 290 recommendations, with many emphasizing the importance of patient experience through their focus on specific ways in which the quality of experiences can be enhanced, for example, by improving support for compassionate, caring and committed care, achieved through stronger healthcare leadership. The linkages between experience, patient safety and clinical effectiveness have also been emphasized more recently.2 For the first time commissioners in England are working together to set a national level of ambition to improve experiences of care.3 Yet while policy has attempted to place patient experiences at the heart of care, significant challenges still remain before patient experience is fully integrated conceptually and organisationally. We review some of the key challenges in relation to research and consider ways forward

Iterative reconstruction as a method for optimisation of computed tomography procedures

Background: Computed tomography (CT) is still commonly regarded as a method that causes a high radiation exposure. For that reason, producers intensively try to find new solutions for dose reduction while maintaining a high diagnostic value of images. One of the recent strategies focuses on CT image reconstruction. Iterative reconstruction (IR) is an alternative for filtered back projection (FBP) that is commonly used today. The aim of the article is to demonstrate and compare the effects of two IR algorithms on dose value and image details. Material/Methods: Investigations were performed on two 128 multi-detector (MDCT) CT scanners: - iCT (Philips Healthcare with iDose4); - Definitions AS+ (Siemens Medical Solutions with SAFIRE system). The measurements involved: - image quality indicators for the CATPHAN 600 phantom; - dosimetric indicators of exposure (DLP i CTDIvol). Results: The signal-to-noise ratios (SNR) in the images reconstructed with IR and FBP were analysed, and the SNR(IR)/SNR(FBP) ratios were calculated and correlated with CTDIvol values. The effects of IR and FBP algorithms on low-contrast resolution were also compared in relation to CTDIvol values. The smallest diameter of supra-slice objects in the Catphan phantom were taken into consideration. Conclusions: Both iterative algorithms definitely improved the visibility of low-contrast objects in comparison to a standard algorithm (FBP) with similar exposure parameters. These algorithms allow an 80% reduction of the CTDIvol value while maintaining an acceptable visibility of low-contrast objects. However, the results obtained with each of the studied iterative algorithms differ