Meaning making

Reported herein is a visible-light-mediated organocatalytic direct C-H functionalization of toluene derivatives to afford enantioenriched β-benzylated aldehydes from the corresponding enals. The process combines the oxidative power of a chiral excited-state iminium ion and the basic nature of its counteranion to trigger the generation of benzylic radicals by means of a sequential multisite proton-coupled electron transfer mechanism. This study shows that feedstock chemicals generally used as solvents, such as toluene and xylene derivatives, can be used as substrates for making chiral molecules with high enantioselectivity...

A low FODMAP (fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols) diet allows most irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) patients to manage their gastrointestinal symptoms by avoiding FODMAP-containing foods, such as onions, pulses, and products made from wheat or rye. The downside of a low FODMAP diet is the reduced intake of dietary fiber. Applying sourdoughs—with specific FODMAP-targeting metabolic properties—to wholegrain bread making can help to remarkably reduce the content of FODMAPs in bread without affecting the content of the slowly fermented and well-tolerated dietary fiber...

This study aims to contribute to the existing literature by looking at the influence of foreign direct investment on carbon dioxide emissions, carbon footprint, and ecological footprint. In order to realize the aim of this study, we have utilized the augmented mean group estimator, which is supported by common correlated effect mean group estimator in the analysis for 20 countries. The panel results reveal that foreign direct investment has no effect on environmental degradation indicators. The panel results further reveal that gross domestic product, energy consumption, and urbanization are the main contributors to environmental degradation...

OBJECTIVE: To investigate which shade guide, Vitapan Classical or Vita Bleachedguide 3DMaster, is better matched with the color of teeth in judging whitening effect, by comparing the color difference between shade tabs and corresponding teeth underwent cold light tooth whitening. METHODS: A total of 60 patients underwent Beyond cold light tooth whitening from May 2014 to April 2016. The patients were divided into two experimental groups according to the shade guide used...

BACKGROUND: Over the past decade, consumer demand for gluten-free products has increased, but little is known about the public health impact of and factors correlated with valuing gluten-free food. OBJECTIVE: Describe the sociodemographic and behavioral characteristics of young adults valuing gluten-free as an important food attribute, and compare their dietary intake with other young adults. DESIGN: Cross-sectional analysis of survey data collected in 2015 to 2016 as part of the fourth wave of the Project EAT (Eating and Activity in Teens and Young Adults) cohort study...

This study aimed to examine the professional values of nurses in Turkey. This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted with 310 nurses employed at public, university, and private hospitals between May-June 2015. Data were collected using a data collection form and the Nurses' Professional Values Scale-Revised, and they were analysed using descriptive statistics. Associations between socio-demographic variables and mean scores were analysed using the Kruskal-Wallis test. Nurses had higher scores on perception of professional values, and education level and years of professional experience were associated with higher scores...

BACKGROUND: Management of adult congenital heart disease (ACHD) patients requires understanding of its complex morphology and functional features. An innovative imaging technique has been developed to display a virtual multi-planar reconstruction obtained from contrast-enhanced multidetector-computed tomography (MDCT) corresponding to the same cross-sectional image from transthoracic echocardiography (TTE). The aim of this study is to assess the usefulness of this imaging technology in ACHD patients...

BACKGROUND: Systematic reviews are infrequently used by health care managers (HCMs) and policy-makers (PMs) in decision-making. HCMs and PMs co-developed and tested novel systematic review of effects formats to increase their use. METHODS: A three-phased approach was used to evaluate the determinants to uptake of systematic reviews of effects and the usability of an innovative and a traditional systematic review of effects format. In phase 1, survey and interviews were conducted with HCMs and PMs in four Canadian provinces to determine perceptions of a traditional systematic review format...

Tungsten-doped TiO2 (W@TiO2 ) nanoparticles, with different percentages of atomic tungsten dopant levels (range of 0 to 6 mol%) have been synthesized by the sol-gel method and characterized by UV-Visible spectroscopy, XRD, SEM, EDX, ICP-OES and XPS analysis. By means of UV-Vis spectroscopy, it has been observed that with 6 mol% tungsten doping the wavelength range of excitation of TiO2 has extended to the visible portion of spectrum. Therefore, we evaluated the photocatalytic activity of W@TiO2 catalysts for the degradation of Congo red dye under varying experimental parameters such as dopant concentration, catalyst dosage, dye concentrations and pH...

The rise of bacterial resistance makes it necessary to find innovative alternatives to control bacterial infections. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have been considered as the new generation of antimicrobial agents. Based on the fact that AMPs are sequence-dependent, a linguistic model for designing AMPs was previously developed. That model considers AMPs as a formal language with a grammar (patterns or motifs) and a vocabulary (amino acids). Albeit promising, that model has been poorly exploited mainly because it generates thousands of sequences, and the outcome has high similarity to already known AMPs...

In this paper, an extended heterogeneous SIR model is proposed, which generalizes the heterogeneous mean-field theory. Different from the traditional heterogeneous mean-field model only taking into account the heterogeneity of degree, our model considers not only the heterogeneity of degree but also the heterogeneity of susceptibility and recovery rates. Then, we analytically study the basic reproductive number and the final epidemic size. Combining with numerical simulations, it is found that the basic reproductive number depends on the mean of distributions of susceptibility and disease course when both of them are independent...

Dyer, B. Insight into the development and competitiveness of male UK-based stand-up paddleboard flatwater distance racing from 2013 to 2017. J Strength Cond Res XX(X): 000-000, 2018-An analysis of 2 stand-up paddleboard "distance" events was undertaken to investigate any change in their participation, racing behavior, and whether such events should be approached differently by practitioners. The completion time paddler-to-paddler gap was investigated as a means of assessing the performances in 2 flatwater distance events from 2013 to 2017...

OBJECTIVE: Rectangular (cylindrical) cuffs and bladders are currently used for blood pressure (BP) measurement at the upper arm. However, large arms have a troncoconical shape, which make cylindrical cuffs potentially unsuitable. Aim of this study was to investigate the effect of the shape of the cuff on BP measurement in very obese participants. METHODS: In 33 participants with upper arm mid-circumference at least 42 cm and 33 participants of control, cylindrical and troncoconical cuffs of appropriate size were compared...

OBJECTIVE: To explore how individuals with a laryngectomy (IWL) from diverse backgrounds make meaning and adjust to the physical and functional changes from a total laryngectomy (TL). To examine the extent primary supporters (PS) and health professionals (HP) are able to support IWL with the psychosocial and existential challenges rendered by a surgery that significantly impacts a person's talking, breathing, swallowing and appearance. METHODS: A constructivist grounded theory approach and symbolic interactionism were used to guide data collection and analysis...

OBJECTIVES: The CZEch Mental health Study (CZEMS) was launched to inform the ongoing mental health care reform. This paper describes rationale, methods, and the plan for the future analyses of this project. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey on a representative sample of the general adult noninstitutionalized population of the Czech Republic was conducted. Two-stage sampling was utilized and respondents were interviewed by centrally trained staff using a paper and pencil interviewing...

AIMS: To identify age and gender stratified normative values for the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) for older community-living adults. METHODS: Secondary analysis of data from a large cohort study produced norms presented as means, standard deviations, medians, ranges, and percentile scores. Non-parametric analyses were conducted to investigate the effect that demographic variables, smoking status and comorbidity had on the severity of Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms (LUTS) as measured by the IPSS...

AIM: It can be difficult for adolescents with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) to make the transition from paediatric to adult care. We studied the outcomes of this process and defined what constituted a successful transition. METHODS: In 2008, 50 adolescents who attended our IBD transition clinic completed IBD-yourself, a self-efficacy questionnaire that we had previously developed and validated. We approached the subjects in 2014, two to six years after they transferred to adult care, and 35 agreed to take part in the current study...

OBJECTIVES: To investigate establishing, applying and evaluating the fall prevention and control information system in elderly community. METHODS: Relying on internet technology and informatization means, the fall comprehensive prevention and control strategy of elderly was guided into online from offline. The fall prevention and control information system which was a collection of risk assessment, remote education and feedback was established. One hundred and twenty-six elderly (over 60 years old) in community were screened in this study and 84 high-risk elders who were involved in the remote continuous comprehensive intervention were screened out...

Evidence from randomised controlled trials (RCTs) is used to support regulatory approval and reimbursement decisions. I discuss how these decisions are typically made and argue that the amount of sample data and regulatory authorities' concerns over multiplicity are irrelevant when making reimbursement decisions. Decision analytic models (DAMs) are usually necessary to meet the requirements of an economic evaluation. DAMs involve inputs relating to health benefits and resource use that represent unknown true population parameters...

BACKGROUND: The laparoscopic cholecystectomy has allowed the detection of an increasing number of incidental gallbladder cancers (IGBC). Although laparoscopy is employed in the management of a variety of abdominal tumors, its use in gallbladder cancer is reduced and controversial. This study analyzes the role of laparoscopy in gallbladder cancer with the focus in IGBC. METHOD: We evaluated our prospective series of 51 patients with an IGBC who were treated by laparoscopy between 2006 and 2016 at the Clinica Alemana in Santiago, Chile...