Search

Introduction: diabetes is a metabolic disease that can lead a reduction in health-related quality of life. The EQ-5D is a generic preference-based health-related quality of life questionnaire widely used in patients with diabetes. Objective: the aim of the current manuscript is to provide normative values of EQ-5D-5L for Spanish people suffering from diabetes. Methods: data from the Spanish Health Survey (2011/2012) was utilized. A total of 1 857 people suffering from diabetes participated in the survey. EQ-5D-5L scores were defined by sex, region (including the 17 Autonomous regions and 2 Autonomous cities of Spain), and 8 age groups. Results: mean EQ-5D-5L utility index for the whole sample was 0.742. It was better for men (0.826) than for women (0.673). Similar results were observed in the VAS. The ceiling effect was much higher for men (44.83%) than for women (24.41%). Conclusions: the current study provides EQ-5D-5L normative and representative data for Spanish people suffering from diabetes. Introducción: la diabetes es una enfermedad metabólica que puede conllevar una reducción de la calidad de vida relacionada con la salud. El EQ-5D es un cuestionario genérico de calidad de vida relacionada con la salud basado en preferencias sociales. Este cuestionario ha sido muy utilizado en pacientes con diabetes. Objetivo: el objetivo del presente artículo es informar sobre los valores normativos del cuestionario EQ-5D-5L en personas españolas con diabetes. Métodos: se utilizaron datos de la Encuesta Española de Salud (2011/2012). Un total de 1.857 personas con diabetes participaron en la encuesta. La puntuación del EQ-5D-5L se ha reflejado en función del sexo, región (incluyendo las 17 comunidades autónomas y las 2 ciudades autónomas de España), y 8 grupos de edad. Resultados: la media del índice de utilidad para toda la muestra fue de 0,742. Esta fue mejor para hombres (0,826) que para mujeres (0,673). Resultados similares se observaron en la Escala Visual Analógica. El efecto techo fue mucho mayor en hombres (44,83%) que en mujeres (24,41%). Conclusiones: el presente estudio recoge datos normativos representativos del EQ-5D-5L en España de personas con diabetes.

The aim: to identify the quality of life, health status and needs of non-Hodgkin's diffuse major B-cell lymphoma (NH DLBCL) patients during chemotherapy. The objectives:1)to identify quality of life of NH DLBCL patients during chemotherapy; 2) to identify the health status of NH DLBCL patients during chemotherapy; 3) to identify the needs of NH DLBCL patients during chemotherapy. Methodology. The study was conducted from December 2nd, 2013 to December 31st, 2014 in the LUHS Hospital Kaunas Clinic Department of Hematology and Chemotherapy day unit. 119 subjects were interwied. Quality of life was assessed using a EORTC QLQ-C30 questionnaire, state of health - EQ - 5D - 3L, questionnaire needs - Needs Assessment Questionnaire. Permission to use questionnaires was received from authors; permision from LUHS Bioethics Center was also received (No. BEC-KS (M) -86, 11th November, 2013). Results: general indicators of the quality of life and health status indicators were low, when compred with results other foreign authors had received, they were extremely low. The biggest negative impact on the quality of life had the symptom of fatigue. In the EQ - 5D - 3L questionnaire, the lowest evaluated dimensions were anxiety/depression. Older subjects statistically significantly lower rated both their quality of life and health status. The most important need expressed was not to feel pity from others. Conclusions: The quality of life during chemotherapy is poor. The biggest negative impact on the quality of life is made by bad social, emotional functioning, fatigue, anxiety, financial problems. Health status indicators were statistically significantly lower among older subjects and widows. Subjects’ needs during chemotherapy was associated with emotional aspects and highlighted the most important need – not to feel pity from others. Comfort, information from the medical staff were also very important needs

My postdoctoral research deals with the proposition of data-based failure detection and prognostics approaches. Developments aim at transforming raw data (gathered online on the monitored system) into health indicators that enable estimating the Remaining Useful Life (RUL) and the confidence interval associated to it. Three sets of contributions can be distinguished.–Characterize degradation phenomena. I mainly proposed a new features extraction and selection approach that allows building monotonic and predictable features. This proposition enhances detection of drifts and improve long term predictions of the ageing behavior.–Improve genericity of prognostics. From this point of view, my intent was to develop neural networks and neuro-fuzzy systems that aim at facilitating the building of prognostics algorithms by systematizing the generation of models while reducing the learning time required and avoiding arbitrary choices.–Reliable data-based prognostics. I developed news neuronal algorithms that enable, on one side, to quantify and master the error of prediction, and on the other side, to take into account the non-deterministic aspect of health states.The research project is articulated as follows (short term and mid-term perspectives). First, I would like to develop protocols and metrics for verification and validation of PHM approaches. I am also willing to go through a better modeling of multidimensional systems (physics, time, space). Finally, my intent is to extend PHM to what could be called the “predictive medicine”.; L’essentiel des travaux de recherche post-doctorale porte sur le développement d’approches orientées données de détection et de pronostic de défaillances. Les propositions faites visent à transformer un ensemble de données brutes recueillies sur l’équipement surveillé, en un indicateur de temps résiduel avant défaillance (RUL) auquel est associée une confiance. Trois foyers de contributions peuvent être distingués.–Caractériser les phénomènes de dégradation. Je me suis attaché à proposer une nouvelle approche d’extraction et de sélection de descripteurs permettant in fine d’obtenir des indicateurs de santé monotones facilitant la détection d’une dérive et les prédictions à long terme.–Améliorer la généricité du pronostic. De ce point de vue, mon travail a consisté à proposer des méthodes (neuronales et neuro-floues) permettant de systématiser la génération des modèles de pronostic, et de réduire le temps d’apprentissage nécessaire.–Fiabiliser le pronostic orienté données. J’ai sur cet aspect développé de nouveaux algorithmes permettant d’une part, de quantifier et maîtriser l’erreur de prédiction, et d’autre part, de tenir compte de la nature non−déterministe des états de santé.Le projet de recherche à court et moyen terme s’articule autour de trois axes. Le premier a trait à la définition de protocoles et de métriques de vérification et de validation des approches de PHM. Le second porte sur le développement d’outils pour les systèmes multidimentsionnels (physique, temps, espace). Le dernier vise à étendre la thématique à un cadre applicatif pour lequel elle n’a pas été initialement imaginée : le PHM médical.

Received: May 8, 2014; Initial acceptance: August 19, 2014; Final acceptance: October 22, 2014, Aerial basking may have several benefits for freshwater turtles in addition to thermoregulation such as removing parasites from the skin, which would improve health state. However, basking outside of water may be risky because it may expose freshwater turtles to terrestrial predators. Here, we monitored the basking activity of male Spanish terrapins (Mauremys leprosa) in a wild population of the south-western of the Iberian Peninsula. We also measured body size, health state parameters, parasite prevalence, and limb coloration of these individuals. We aimed to examine whether basking may improve health state of turtles. The results showed that male turtles with higher basking activity were those parasitized by Hepatozoon and that had lower total white blood cell (WBC). This might indicate that turtles in worse health condition increase their time spent basking to improve their immune system. In addition, because basking might be risky, we also expected that turtles with more conspicuous coloration should reduce their basking activity to avoid being detected by potential predators. We found that infected turtles, but not uninfected ones, that spent more time basking also had less bright coloration in limb stripes. Our study provides evidence that basking activity may improve health state of terrapins, but that color conspicuity may increase costs of basking, especially for parasitized individuals. Understanding the balance between the benefits and the costs of basking might be essential for the conservation of freshwater turtle populations., Financial support was provided by a FPI grant (reference: BES-2009-025228) to A.I. and by the project MICIIN-CGL2011-24150/BOS.

Вивчено стан здоров’я у доношених та недоношених новонароджених з вродженими вірусними інфекціями до 3-х років постнатального розвитку. Показники стану здоров’я як доношених, так і недоношених дітей з вродженими вірусними інфекціями залежать від своєчасного диспансерного спостереження. Встановлено, що у недоношених дітей показники стану здоров’я, темпи психомоторного та мовного розвитку відрізняються від відповідних показників доношених дітей. В етіологічній структурі перинатальних уражень ЦНС важлива роль належить асоціаціям вірусів, серед яких провідне місце займають ентеровіруси, віруси грипа в сполученні з цитомегаловірусом, вірусом простого герпеса, що потребує своєчасної профілактики та лікування цих інфекцій у вагітних та новонароджених. Виявлені патологічні зміни у соматичному та неврологічному статусі дітей з вродженими вірусними інфекціями зумовлюють необхідність комплексного диспансерного нагляду терміном не менше одного року з проведенням лікувально-реабілітаційних заходів в повному обсязі., Изучено состояние здоровья у доношенных и недоношенных новорожденных с врожденными вирусными инфекциями до 3-х лет постнатального развития. Установлено, что у недоношенных детей показатели состояния здоровья, темпы психомоторного и речевого развития отличаются от соответствующих показателей доношенных детей и требуют своевременного проведения лечебно-реабилитационных мероприятий., The health status in term and premature newborns with intrauterine viral infections up to 3 years of postnatal development was studied. Indices of health state in premature newborns, rates of psychomotor and speech development differ from corresponding indices of term infants and demand of timely treatment-rehabilitation measures.

There was investigated the contribution of factors of environment to formation of health for adult population on indicators of mid-annual rates of growth/decrease of disease of system of blood circulation and of some interfaced nosology on an example of the population of Vladimir region. The differential criterion of primary disease of system of blood circulation is considered as an indicator, integrally reflecting degree of adaptation to environment conditions on population and suitable for construction short-term prognostic estimations. It is shown that business factors or the factors of a standard of living characterized by economic indicators, are leading risk factors in disease of system of blood circulation in Vladimir region which contribution is estimated by size of 38 %. With use of regressive equations were received look-ahead estimations of annual rates of primary disease of system of blood circulation. In the regional centre Vladimir was observed more intense situation on rates of disease of system of blood circulation, than in Vladimir region.

Artykuł wpłynął do redakcji 20.10.2015; po recenzjach zaakceptowany 11.05.2016. The work presents an overview of selected documents prepared by international organizations and institutions which shows that the issue of improving the inhabitants’ quality of life has been approached numerous times since the 1950s. The documents focused on the issue of decent living meant to fulfil people’s basic existential needs. The last of the documents quoted, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, discusses the issue of the promotion of the broadly-understood prosperity for all people of all ages. The issues of the health of the elderly and the improvements thereto are also frequently discussed in the documents of international organizations and institutions. A particular attention, in this case, is paid to the promotion of a healthy lifestyle and health-improving behaviours. The purpose of the work is to determine the actions and solutions undertaken by international, national and EU initiatives directed at the elderly and intended to improve their quality of life. W opracowaniu dokonano przeglądu wybranych dokumentów organizacji i instytucji międzynarodowych i wykazano, że problem poprawy jakości życia obywateli był podnoszony już od lat 50. ubiegłego wieku. Zwracano w nich uwagę na godziwe życie, zapewniające mieszkańcom naszego globu zaspokojenie podstawowych potrzeb egzystencjalnych. W ostatnim z przytaczanych dokumentów, tj. w Agendzie na Rzecz Zrównoważonego Rozwoju 2030 podnoszona jest kwestia promocji szeroko rozumianego dobrobytu dla wszystkich ludzi w każdym wieku. Dużo miejsca w dokumentach organizacji i instytucji międzynarodowych i krajowych zajmuje kwestia stanu zdrowia osób starszych i jego poprawy. Szczególną uwagę zwraca się w tym przypadku na upowszechnianie stylu życia i zachowań sprzyjających zdrowiu.Celem opracowania jest wskazanie działań i rozwiązań, jakie są wyznaczane i podejmowane w inicjatywach międzynarodowych, unijnych i krajowych skierowanych do ludzi starszych i zmierzające do poprawy ich jakości życia.

My postdoctoral research deals with the proposition of data-based failure detection and prognostics approaches. Developments aim at transforming raw data (gathered online on the monitored system) into health indicators that enable estimating the Remaining Useful Life (RUL) and the confidence interval associated to it. Three sets of contributions can be distinguished.–Characterize degradation phenomena. I mainly proposed a new features extraction and selection approach that allows building monotonic and predictable features. This proposition enhances detection of drifts and improve long term predictions of the ageing behavior.–Improve genericity of prognostics. From this point of view, my intent was to develop neural networks and neuro-fuzzy systems that aim at facilitating the building of prognostics algorithms by systematizing the generation of models while reducing the learning time required and avoiding arbitrary choices.–Reliable data-based prognostics. I developed news neuronal algorithms that enable, on one side, to quantify and master the error of prediction, and on the other side, to take into account the non-deterministic aspect of health states.The research project is articulated as follows (short term and mid-term perspectives). First, I would like to develop protocols and metrics for verification and validation of PHM approaches. I am also willing to go through a better modeling of multidimensional systems (physics, time, space). Finally, my intent is to extend PHM to what could be called the “predictive medicine”., L’essentiel des travaux de recherche post-doctorale porte sur le développement d’approches orientées données de détection et de pronostic de défaillances. Les propositions faites visent à transformer un ensemble de données brutes recueillies sur l’équipement surveillé, en un indicateur de temps résiduel avant défaillance (RUL) auquel est associée une confiance. Trois foyers de contributions peuvent être distingués.–Caractériser les phénomènes de dégradation. Je me suis attaché à proposer une nouvelle approche d’extraction et de sélection de descripteurs permettant in fine d’obtenir des indicateurs de santé monotones facilitant la détection d’une dérive et les prédictions à long terme.–Améliorer la généricité du pronostic. De ce point de vue, mon travail a consisté à proposer des méthodes (neuronales et neuro-floues) permettant de systématiser la génération des modèles de pronostic, et de réduire le temps d’apprentissage nécessaire.–Fiabiliser le pronostic orienté données. J’ai sur cet aspect développé de nouveaux algorithmes permettant d’une part, de quantifier et maîtriser l’erreur de prédiction, et d’autre part, de tenir compte de la nature non−déterministe des états de santé.Le projet de recherche à court et moyen terme s’articule autour de trois axes. Le premier a trait à la définition de protocoles et de métriques de vérification et de validation des approches de PHM. Le second porte sur le développement d’outils pour les systèmes multidimentsionnels (physique, temps, espace). Le dernier vise à étendre la thématique à un cadre applicatif pour lequel elle n’a pas été initialement imaginée : le PHM médical.

Introduction: diabetes is a metabolic disease that can lead a reduction in health-related quality of life. The EQ-5D is a generic preference-based health-related quality of life questionnaire widely used in patients with diabetes. Objective: the aim of the current manuscript is to provide normative values of EQ-5D-5L for Spanish people suffering from diabetes. Methods: data from the Spanish Health Survey (2011/2012) was utilized. A total of 1 857 people suffering from diabetes participated in the survey. EQ-5D-5L scores were defined by sex, region (including the 17 Autonomous regions and 2 Autonomous cities of Spain), and 8 age groups. Results: mean EQ-5D-5L utility index for the whole sample was 0.742. It was better for men (0.826) than for women (0.673). Similar results were observed in the VAS. The ceiling effect was much higher for men (44.83%) than for women (24.41%). Conclusions: the current study provides EQ-5D-5L normative and representative data for Spanish people suffering from diabetes.

The number of different types of circulating leucocytes may provide information about the health state of birds in the wild. We counted the number and proportions of circulating leucocytes in blood smears of nestling pied flycatchers (Ficedula hypoleuca) shortly before fledging. We studied the relationship between these haematological measures and environmental factors like parasitism, body mass, hatching date, and brood size. The heterophils-to-lymphocytes ratio was higher in nestlings whose nests suffered from mite infestation and in lighter individuals, heterophils being the cells that responded preferentially to malnutrition. Recruited birds had lower lymphocyte and heterophil counts when nestlings than non-recruited ones. Our results show that heterophil count is a better predictor of local recruitment than other variables widely used for nestlings as survival predictors, like body mass or hatching date, supporting the hypothesis that low heterophil counts reflect a good individual health state in nestlings.

Województwo opolskie charakteryzuje się występowaniem dużych pokładów skał węglanowych. Służą one jako surowiec dla przemysłu cementowo-wapienniczego. Eksploatacja wapieni wiąże się z ogromnymi przekształceniami geomechanicznymi powierzchni ziemi. Jednym z podstawowych problemów wynikających z działalności przemysłu wapienniczego jest rekultywacja terenów przekształconych. W latach 2000-2001 prowadzone były badania dotyczące stanu zachowania upraw leśnych występujących na rekultywowanych powierzchniach Śląskich Zakładów Przemysłu Wapienniczego "Opolwap" S.A w Tarnowie Opolskim. Zakres prac obejmował wykonanie inwentaryzacji drzew oraz określenie ich kondycji zdrowotnej. Powierzchnie badawcze wybrano, kierując się wiekiem istniejących zadrzewień. Wyróżniono powierzchnie: jednoroczne, pięcio letnie. Na podstawie przeprowadzonych prac stwierdzono dobrą udatność następujących gatunków drzew: robinia akacjowa, jesion wyniosły i olsza czarna na wszystkich analizowanych powierzchniach. Jednocześnie odnotowano średnio dużą i małą udatność gatunków preferowanych w literaturze do zastosowania w rekultywacji gruntów przekształconych w wyniku eksploatacji surowców węglanowych, jak: klon jawor, dąb czerwony, klon zwyczajny i jarząb pospolity. Dobór gatunków zastosowanych w procesie rekultywacji na powierzchniach wyrobisk Śląskich Zakładów Wapienniczych Opolwap S.A. nie został optymalnie określony., Opole Voivodeship is characterized by large carbonate rock beds occurring within the area of the region. They have been exploited as raw materials for cement-lime industry purposes. However, lime exploitation is connected with tremendous geomorphological reshaping of land surface. Therefore, reclamation of transformed areas is the essential problem resulting from the lime industry activity. Research on the health state of forest crops on reclaimed land surfaces of the Silesian Lime Works "Opolwap" S.A. in Tarnów Opolski was carried out in years 2000-2001. The scope of the research included the inventory-making of trees and the estimation of their health state. The investigated areas were selected following plantings age. One-year and five-year's old objects were distinguished, considering the age differentiation of tree plantings. Results of the study revealed (1) the highest amount of trees taking root for black locust Robinia pseudoaccacia L., European ash Fraxinus excelsior L. and black alder Alnus glutionosa L. (2) the medium and low amount of trees taking root for sycamore Acer pseudoplatanus L., red oak Quercus rubra L., Norway maple Acer platanoides L., and mountain ash Sorbus aucuparia L., which are known from the literature as the preferential species used during the reclamation of land surfaces transformed by carbonate resource exploitation. Tree species selection applied in the excavation reclamation of Silesian Lime Works "Opolwap" S.A. has not been best determined.

This article is part of a Special Issue “Chemosignals and Reproduction”., Many lizards have diverse glands that produce chemosignals used in intraspecific communication and that can have reproductive consequences. For example, information in chemosignals of male lizards can be used in intrasexual competition to identify and assess the fighting potential or dominance status of rivalmales either indirectly through territorial scent-marks or during agonistic encounters.Moreover, females of several lizard species “prefer” to establish or spend more time on areas scent-marked by males with compounds signaling a better health or body condition or a higher genetic compatibility, which can have consequences for their mating success and intersexual selection processes. We review here recent studies that suggest that the information content of chemosignals of lizards may be reliable because several physiological and endocrine processeswould regulate the proportions of chemical compounds available for gland secretions. Because chemosignals are produced by the organism or come from the diet, they should reflect physiological changes, such as different hormonal levels (e.g. testosterone or corticosterone) or different health states (e.g. parasitic infections, immune response), and reflect the quality of the diet of an individual. More importantly, some compounds that may function as chemosignals also have other important functions in the organism (e.g. as antioxidants or regulating the immune system), so there could be trade-offs between allocating these compounds to attending physiological needs or to produce costly sexual “chemical ornaments”. All these factors may contribute to maintain chemosignals as condition-dependent sexual signals, which can inform conspecifics on the characteristics and state of the sender and allowmaking behavioral decisions with reproductive consequences. To understand the evolution of chemical secretions of lizards as sexual signals and their relevance in reproduction, future studies should examine what information the signals are carrying, the physiological processes that can maintain the reliability of the message and how diverse behavioral responses to chemosignals may influence reproductive success., Financial support during writing was provided by the project MICIIN-CGL2011-24150/BOS.

Com o objetivo de avaliar os efeitos de tratamentos de hidratação/desidratação no desempenho fisiológico e na sanidade de sementes de trigo (Triticum aestivum L.), amostras dos cultivares "OCEPAR 7 - Batuíra" e "CEP 14 - Tapes", foram submetidas a períodos variáveis de 0 a 48 horas de hidratação, com intervalos de três horas entre si. Ao término de cada período de hidratação, as amostras foram caracterizadas quanto ao teor de água e aos estádios de desenvolvimento e, em seguida, submetidas à secagem até atingirem a umidade original. Após dois meses de armazenamento em câmara fria, as sementes foram avaliadas através de testes fisiológicos e de sanidade. Conclui-se que: períodos de hidratação superiores a 30 horas (a 20°C), seguidos de secagem, trazem prejuízos ao desempenho fisiológico e à sanidade de sementes de trigo; as respostas mais favoráveis no aspecto sanitário são obtidas nos tratamentos em que as sementes são submetidas a períodos intermediários de hidratação (entre 15 e 30 horas), antes da secagem. To evaluate the effect of hydration and dehydration, wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) seeds of the cultivars `OCEPAR 7 - Batuíra' and `CEP 14 - Tapes' were submitted to periods of hydration, varying from 0 to 48 hours under constant temperature (20oC). At 3-hour intervals, seed samples of each treatment were characterized for water absorption and germination. The seeds were then oven dried at 30oC until their seeds reached the original moisture. After two months of storage in a cool chamber, seeds of the various treatments were evaluated for physiological aspects and health state. Hidration period over 30h followed by drying decreased the physiological performance and health. The best sanitary response was for intermediate periods of hytratation (15 to 27 hours).

Background The EQ-5D health-related quality of life instrument comprises a health state classification (health problems by severity in five domains), followed by an evaluation using a visual analogue scale (VAS). Despite the EQ-5D’s use in health technology assessment and as a patient-reported outcome measure (PROM), the correspondence between the two parts of the instrument remains ill-understood. In this paper, we consider whether the association between health state classification and VAS score might vary by medical condition. Methods EQ-5D data collected for studies of patients in four different clinical conditions or circumstances (stroke, low back pain, colposcopic investigation or cytological surveillance) were pooled to generate a sample of 3,851 patient records. VAS scores were regressed on reported problem severities, with the inclusion of intercept and slope dummy variables specific to condition. Results The regression model achieved a goodness-of-fit of 0.54. Given its structure and the significance of the coefficients, the proportion of VAS scores which differed by condition for the same health state varied between 33.3 and 88.5 per cent of possible states. Conclusions Many of the patients with different medical conditions or in receipt of different interventions recorded different VAS valuations, in spite of ostensibly being in the same EQ-5D-defined health states. By implication, it is probable that the same state-to-state change would by valued differently by patients experiencing different conditions.

BACKGROUND There is paucity of data concerning the self-perceptions of health status and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of veterans with multiple chronic medical conditions. MATERIAL AND METHODS Veterans who attended an out-patient power wheelchair clinic at a tertiary VA Medical Center were assessed. Health status and HRQoL were measured by using the EuroQol (EQ-5D) questionnaire. The EuroQol (ED-5D) visual analogue scale (EQ-5DVAS) measured their health state, and average values of the (EQ-5D) questionnaire for mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain or discomfort, and anxiety or depression (EQ-5Dprofile), and the EQ-5Dutility measured their HRQoL. RESULTS Of the 170 veterans who attended the out-patient clinic, the mean (±SD) age was 69.6±10.7 years, male/female ratio was 163/7, and 88% were non-Hispanic whites. Fifty-four percent were retired, 39% had a registered disabled, and only 3% were employed. Thirty-three percent were current smokers. More than 64% of the veterans had 4 or more co-morbid conditions for which they were receiving treatment. The mean (±SD) initial EQ-5Dprofile, EQ-5Dutility, and EQ-5DVAS scores were 10.3±1.5, 0.75±0.05 and 45.3±18.9, respectively. The social-demographic variables studied (age, gender, education, marital status, employment, co-morbid conditions, and current smoking history) were only able to predict the mobility and anxiety/depression domains of the EQ-5D. CONCLUSIONS Veterans who considered themselves disabled had multiple chronic medical conditions. Age, employment state, and number of chronic medical conditions were associated with poor health state and HRQoL. No relationship was found between health state and HRQoL in this sample of veterans.

Ticks consume resources from their hosts shaping their life-history traits and are vectors of many zoonotic pathogens. Several studies have focused on the health effects of blood-sucking ectoparasites on avian hosts, but there is limited information on the effects of ticks on adult and sub-adult birds, which may actively avoid ticks and are likely to present low infestation intensities. We evaluated the effects of the presence of feeding ticks and intensity of infestation on health variables of avian hosts. We also evaluated whether these variables were affected by tick infection by Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.) and by the presence of Borrelia infection on the birds' skin. Presence of parasite association among ticks, haemosporidea and Borrelia within the bird-host was also tested. We found that infestation by ticks significantly increased heterophyl/lymphocyte ratio in Turdus merula suggesting increased stress. This was especially evident at high infestation intensities when a significant decrease in body mass and body condition (body mass corrected for size) was also observed. Erithacus rubecula infested with more than 10 larvae tended to have lower haematocrit and blood haemoglobin. Plasma globulin concentration in T. merula tended to be affected by the presence of attached ticks and their infection with Borrelia, but this depended on the age of the bird. No association was detected among ticks, haemosporidea and Borrelia infection. We showed that ticks have detrimental effects on their avian hosts even under natural infestation conditions and that confirmed Borrelia reservoir hosts may also present symptoms of infection, though these may be subtle.

Background: Conventional techniques to measure health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in a single value or index are complex, require abstract reasoning skills, and are prone to biases (e.g., adaptation). A possible alternative that requires less cognitive demand is Thurstone scaling. The present explorative study investigates the feasibility and concurrent validity of using Thurstone scaling to elicit health-state values in patients with dementia and their proxies.Methods: The participants in the present study were 145 pairs, consisting of community-dwelling persons with dementia and their proxies. We administered the prototype of the dementia quality-of-life instrument (DQI), a dementia-specific HRQoL index instrument, to both patients and proxies. The patient's health state as defined by the DQI was placed randomly among nine other DQI health states and these were ranked from best to worst. These rankings were used for Thurstone scaling. After ranking, the health states were placed on a visual analogue scale (VAS).Results: Thurstone scaling had a completion rate of 37% for patients and 88% for proxies. Thurstone scaling showed a high correspondence with VAS values. In addition, we identified a trend that shows that patients value most of the evaluated health states systematically lower than proxies.Conclusions: Thurstone scaling proved to be unfeasible for most patients, but feasible for proxies. Its concurrent validity was supported and new insights into patient-proxy discrepancies were discovered. (C) 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Background and Purpose: Forests monitoring is one of the largest forest bio-monitoring systems that is carried out in order to record changes by using the most important environmental parameters. The National Focal Centre for forest monitoring in the Republic of Serbia, within the Institute of Forestry of the Republic of Serbia has been taking an active part in an international program of ICP Forest, with a view to improving its working activities and harmonizing them with other approaches to monitoring forests and forest ecosystems. Material and Methods: In order to determine forest ecosystem processes, it is necessary to carry out detailed research of ecological and socio-economic consequences of forest deterioration and to study the impacts of regional climate changes on forest communities. In the period from 2004 to 2009, observations were performed on 130 sample plots and data necessary for further analysis were collected. These plots are systematically arranged in either a 16x16 km or a 4 x 4 km grid system. The main parameters assessed on the sample plots are the degree of defoliation and discolouration as well as the extent of damage. A comparative analysis of the data obtained in this period will provide a better insight into the present state of beech forests in Serbia as well the effects of defoliation and discolouration trends. Results and Conclusion: Beech is the most common broadleaved tree species on the Level I sample plots. Its health state is the result of adverse effects of complex factors of abiotic and biotic origin (i.e. effects of both living organisms and complex natural processes within the beech forests habitats). This paper presents some indicators of beech forest vitality whose occurrence show certain regularity and which can be interpreted as a trend. The annual values of the health state elements and the fluctuations of these parameters from year to year present important indicators of vitality of beech forests in Serbia.

The theme of this thesis is to compare free housing with a milking robot, milking of serious housing in the pipeline. The evaluation is focused on milk yield and its quality, reproductive performance and health. It is also monitored by the free choice of milking cows during the day. Consideration is also observed in stable microclimate. Everything is assessed under operational conditions. Object of study is a refurbished barn, where both systems are in operation. Were measured and compared observed values of milk production, reproduction and health status between groups. The observed values were evaluated in the program Statistica 9th of a computerized milking robot system was speciaed the period of time when Nada dairy milk provides the most of milk through a robot.. In the area of dairy cattle milking robot reaches a higher milk yield and increasing the percentage of lactose recovery. Milking stalls of the pipeline has better results in the percentage of protein recovery. The choice of time period of milking cows, the most milk by dairy cows wasprovided between 10:00-18:00 pm. In the area of reproduction achieved better results with loose housing milking robot. The issue of health status showed a statistically better health outcomes for the free housing with a milking robot.

The thesis deals with accompanying of dying people in retirements homes including the elements of hospice care. First, the difference between mission of retirements homes and hospices is described. Based on theoretical pieces of knowledge from literature, there are defined: the dying, the reaction of a dying man to the message about his health state, needs of a dying man, care for the family of a dying man, engagement of a multidisciplinal team, death and care for surviving relatives. In the second half, the research on internal rules is described. The research is aimed at findings, if and how the single retirements homes treat the topic of accompanying of dying people in their internal rules. Last chapter results from the previous and offers the plan for creating the internal rules for accompanying of dying people.

Introdução: Nos últimos tempos tem-se assistido ao desenvolvimento de estudos em alguns países, de forma a obter funções de valoração relativas aos instrumentos de medição de preferências mais utilizados. Na verdade, a evidência sugere que as valorações dos estados de saúde podem diferir de país para país. O objectivo deste estudo foi a determinação de um sistema de valores subjacente ao SF-6D para Portugal. Metodologia: Uma amostra de 55 estados de saúde definidos pelo SF-6D foi valorizada por uma amostra aleatória estratificada da população em geral, utilizando o standard gamble (SG). A pesquisa foi conduzida por entrevistas pessoais, tendo os respondentes valorizado seis estados de saúde, acrescidos do pior estado de saúde definido pelo SF-6D ou da morte imediata. Estimaram-se vários modelos com o objectivo de prever as valorações dos estados de saúde. Numa primeira fase, foram estimados modelos lineares, tanto ao nível individual, como agregado, assim como modelos com efeitos fixos, com efeitos principais e de interacção e com a constante forçada à unidade. Numa segunda fase, foram ainda testados, pelo método dos mínimos quadrados generalizados, modelos com efeitos aleatórios (MEA). Foram também estimados MEA com a constante forçada à unidade pelas equações de estimação generalizadas (EEG). Consideraram-se especificações alternativas, como forma de tomar em consideração o enviesamento das valorações dos estados de saúde. Os modelos foram analisados em termos dos seus coeficientes, ajustamento e capacidade para prever os valores dos estados de saúde captados pelo SG. Resultados: Os MEA e os modelos EEG produziram coeficientes significativos, que se verificou serem robustos nas especificações dos modelos. A utilização de uma bateria de medidas de bondade do ajustamento levou à conclusão que o modelo EEG com efeitos principais era o melhor modelo estimado. Conclusão: Esta investigação demonstra que é possível obter sistemas de pesos para a medição da qualidade de vida relacionada com a saúde. O melhor modelo obtido parece prever adequadamente os valores dos estados de saúde da população portuguesa. No entanto, existem algumas incoerências que devem ser investigadas.

Background: In Sicily, people live near areas characterized by the presence of environmental polluting substances derived from urbanization and industrialization. In the areas of Augusta-Priolo (SR),Gela (CL) and Milazzo (ME), the increase of number of pathologies could be linked with environmental pollution. The aim of this paper is to present an overview of the available data and studies to underline the importance of these sources to conduct epidemiological survey in Sicily, besides to the analysis of mortality and morbidity.Methods: An evaluation of the health status of the residential population was done comparing the mortality and morbidity of the local population with the mortality and morbidity of a reference population. Data was obtained from the Italian national office of statistics and Hospital Discharge Records. Standardized Mortality Ratios and Standardized Hospitalization Ratios were calculated.Results: In the area of Augusta-Priolo we observed, in for men, a significative increase in mortality and hospital admissions for colon-rectal, trachea, bronchus, lung and pleura cancers. In Biancavilla, we observed an increase in mortality for pleura cancer in men and women and an increase in morbidity in women only. In Gela, a significant increase in mortality in males and females was observed only for tumoral diseases. In Milazzo, we only found a significant increase in the incidence of larynx cancer and cardiovascular disease for men and in women of pulmonary disease for women.Conclusions: This first review allowed us to update previous analyses of mortality data conducted in the same areas. The results, even taking into account the differences between the areas,, highlights changes in health status related to some diagnostic groups. These could be linked with pollution. Now that the available health data has been revised and updated new studies must be conducted.

Purpose: Health states that describe an investigated condition are a crucial component of valuation studies. The health states need to be distinct, comprehensible, and data-driven. The objective of this study was to describe a novel application of Rasch and cluster analyses in the development of three rheumatoid arthritis health states. Methods: The Stanford Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) was subjected to Rasch analysis to select the items that best represent disability. K-means cluster analysis produced health states with the levels of the selected items. The pain and discomfort domain from the EuroQol-5D was incorporated at the final stage. Results: The results demonstrate a methodology for reducing a dataset containing individual disease-specific scores to generate health states. The four selected HAQ items were bending down, climbing steps, lifting a cup to your mouth, and standing up from a chair. Conclusions: Overall, the combined use of Rasch and cluster analysis has proved to be an effective technique for identifying the most important items and levels for the construction of health states.

Policy studies often evaluate health for a population by summing the individuals’ health as measured by a scale that is ordinal or that depends on risk attitudes. We develop a method using a different type of preferences, called preference intensity or cardinal preferences, to construct scales that measure changes in health. The method is based on a social welfare model that relates preferences between changes in an individual’s health to preferences between changes in health for a population.

Several empirical studies provide evidence that their actual health state affects people's attitudes towards health and medical care in hypothetical health states. In the tradition of behavioural economics this paper considers the actual health state as a point of reference and builds a model for studying the implications of this phenomenon on health insurance and on demand for medical care. It considers the insurance demand of different types of agents: naive individuals, individuals who are able to commit to medical care demand and sophisticated individuals. Furthermore, it raises the question of whether inconsistency of preferences reinforces or tones down moral hazard problems.

Within the building preservation permanent monitoring gets an important matter. If fibre composite materials are used for strengthening measurements, then it seems reasonable to attach supervision elements e.g. Electrical Strain Gauges on the fibre. The measured strains by the electrical strain gauges and the strains in the fibres usually differs from each other. The differences are influenced by several parameters. In this paper a mathematical model is introduced followed by a sensitivity analysis for the description of such influences.

El Niño / Oscilación del Sur (ENOS) por interacción oceánico-atmosférica en el océano Pacífico tropical afecta al componente biológico. Estudios científicos sugieren que en iguanas marinas (Amblyrhynchus cristatus Bell, 1825) de Galápagos el impacto es negativo. La Fundación Charles Darwin para obtener información de largo plazo estableció un proyecto permanente de monitoreo en un sector de la isla Santa Cruz. El área de estudio abarca 6.1 km de costa desde Punta Núñez al sureste de la Isla hasta el muelle de la Estación Científica Charles Darwin. Este trabajo analizó el estado de salud de la población de iguanas marinas en esta zona por niveles 0-5 (saludable a muerta), comparando entre los períodos ENOS (1997-98) y Post ENOS (2000-01). Se determinó la diferencia entre éstos, y la relación entre niveles de salud y condiciones ambientales (precipitación, temperatura superficial del mar y del aire). Los resultados mostraron una diferencia significativa (z0,05=0.4477; P

The article deals with the problem of transportation improvement of the children with low and extremely low birth weight, who were born at the obstetrical clinics of the I–II levels and are transferred to the intensive care units of a diversified pediatric hospital in order to render highly qualified medical care. Methodological approaches to the transportation of such children, including case-records of transportation, indications and contraindications and health state of newborns, are developed by the authors. The efficacy of complex approach to the newborns with low and extremely low birth weight transportation were expressed as the decrease in children mortality from 8,5 to 4,1% per 1000 newborns in the Perm territory.

Background: Globally, ageing impacts all countries, with a majority of older persons residing in lower- and middle-income countries now and into the future. An understanding of the health and well-being of these ageing populations is important for policy and planning; however, research on ageing and adult health that informs policy predominantly comes from higher-income countries. A collaboration between the WHO Study on global AGEing and adult health (SAGE) and International Network for the Demographic Evaluation of Populations and Their Health in developing countries (INDEPTH), with support from the US National Institute on Aging (NIA) and the Swedish Council for Working Life and Social Research (FAS), has resulted in valuable health, disability and well-being information through a first wave of data collection in 2006-2007 from field sites in South Africa, Tanzania, Kenya, Ghana, Viet Nam, Bangladesh, Indonesia and India. Objective: To provide an overview of the demographic and health characteristics of participating countries, describe the research collaboration and introduce the first dataset and outputs. Methods: Data from two SAGE survey modules implemented in eight Health and Demographic Surveillance Systems (HDSS) were merged with core HDSS data to produce a summary dataset for the site-specific and cross-site analyses described in this supplement. Each participating HDSS site used standardised training materials and survey instruments. Face-to-face interviews were conducted. Ethical clearance was obtained from WHO and the local ethical authority for each participating HDSS site. Results: People aged 50 years and over in the eight participating countries represent over 15% of the current global older population, and is projected to reach 23% by 2030. The Asian HDSS sites have a larger proportion of burden of disease from non-communicable diseases and injuries relative to their African counterparts. A pooled sample of over 46,000 persons aged 50 and over from these eight HDSS sites was produced. The SAGE modules resulted in self-reported health, health status, functioning (from the WHO Disability Assessment Scale (WHODAS-II)) and well-being (from the WHO Quality of Life instrument (WHOQoL) variables). The HDSS databases contributed age, sex, marital status, education, socio-economic status and household size variables. Conclusion: The INDEPTH WHO-SAGE collaboration demonstrates the value and future possibilities for this type of research in informing policy and planning for a number of countries. This INDEPTH WHO- SAGE dataset will be placed in the public domain together with this open-access supplement and will be available through the GHA website (www.globalhealthaction.net) and other repositories. An improved dataset is being developed containing supplementary HDSS variables and vignette-adjusted health variables. This living collaboration is now preparing for a next wave of data collection. Keywords: ageing; survey methods; public health; burden of disease; demographic transition; disability; well-being; health status; INDEPTH WHO-SAGE (Published: 27 September 2010) Citation: Global Health Action Supplement 2, 2010. DOI: 10.3402/gha.v3i0.5302 Access the supplementary material to this article: INDEPTH WHO-SAGE questionnaire (including variants of vignettes), a data dictionary and a password-protected dataset (see Supplementary files under Reading Tools online). To obtain a password for the dataset, please send a request with ‘SAGE data’ as its subject, detailing how you propose to use the data, to global.health@epiph.umu.se

Aim: The aim of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a 10-week combined training programme (aerobic and strength exercise) compared to an aerobic training programme, and respiratory physiotherapy on COPD patientsâ health. Methods: Fifty subjects with moderate to severe COPD were randomly assigned to two groups. Combined group (CG, n = 25) who underwent combined training, and aerobic group (AG, n = 25) who underwent aerobic training. These were compared with fifty COPD subjects who underwent respiratory physiotherapy, breathing control and bronchial clearance techniques (RP group, n = 50). We evaluated health state through two questionnaires, St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) and SF-36, at the beginning and at the end of the programme. Results: The CG group showed differences (pÂ