Propagation Losses Estimation in a Cationic-Network-Based Hydrogel Waveguide.

A method based on the photographic recording of the power distribution laterally diffused by cationic-network (CN) hydrogel waveguides is first checked against the well-established cut-back method and then used to determine the different contributions to optical power attenuation along the hydrogel-based waveguide. Absorption and scattering loss coefficients are determined for 450 nm, 532 nm and 633 nm excitation. The excellent optical loss values obtained (0.32-1.95 dB/cm), similar to others previously described, indicate their potential application as waveguides in different fields, including soft robotic and light-based therapies.

How does meaning in life predict proactive coping? The self-regulatory mechanism on emotion and cognition.

OBJECTIVE: This study examined the effectiveness of a photographic intervention method on meaning in life (MIL) and further investigated the self-regulatory mechanism responsible for the effect of MIL in the promotion of proactive coping. METHOD: Participants were 145 Chinese adults (Mage  = 27.82; 71.3% female), who were randomly assigned into one of three conditions: An intervention (taking photos and writing expressively), a taking-photos-only control, or an assessment-only control. MIL, positive affect, future temporal focus, and proactive coping were measured before and after the intervention, with follow-up assessments conducted 1 week and 1 month later. Additionally, daily assessments were conducted during the intervention week. RESULTS: MIL improved daily in the intervention condition, an effect that was also found post-intervention and at follow-up. Significant increases in positive affect, future temporal focus, and proactive coping were also observed after the intervention. Hierarchical linear modeling demonstrated that daily MIL positively predicted daily future temporal focus and positive affect. Furthermore, longitudinal mediation analysis confirmed that future temporal focus and positive affect mediated the relationship between MIL and proactive coping. CONCLUSIONS: MIL's self-regulatory mechanism is reflected in both cognitive (future temporal focus) and emotional (positive affect) dimensions, which promotes proactive coping with future stressors.

Validation of the Photography Method for Nutritional Intake Assessment in Hospitalized Elderly Subjects.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to validate the photographic indirect method as an accurate and specific tool to assess nutritional intake in a cohort of elderly hospitalized patients. DESIGN: this is a prospective observational study. SETTING: hospital (geriatric acute ward and transitional care of IRCCSS AUO San Martino Hospital, Genoa, Italy). PARTICIPANTS: 255 consecutive elderly hospitalized patients. MEASUREMENTS: assessment of malnutrition by: Mini nutritional assessment (MNA) and abbreviated Comprehensive geriatric assessment (CIRS; Barthel index, SPMSE). The direct method (Gold standard): food dish weight (before lunch) and residual (after lunch) food dish weight and estimation of the percentage of eaten food and of residual food for each dish. The percentages of food intake and residual food were calculated according to the following formula: intake %= initial weight of the dishes- residual food weight)/ initial weight dish x100. The unit of variable was the percentage. The indirect photographic method with extrapolation of the lunch food intake by photographic method confronting initial meal and residual meal (25% quartile food dish estimation). RESULTS: The results showed a significant correlation between the direct method (weighing residual food) and the indirect photographic method(n=255; r=0.9735; p<0.001) as well as a significant positive correlation between the indirect photographic method and the food caloric estimation calculated by the direct method (n=255; r= 0.6489, p<0.001). Intraclass coefficient (ICC), showed a highly significant degree of agreement between the gold standard and the indirect photographic method (ICC: 0.69; p<0.0001). Additionally, the results showed a good inter rater agreement of the indirect photographic method (kappa-statistic measure of interrater agreement: (Z=13.04; p<0.001); agreement 70.29% e Kappa=0.5965) and a good specificity of the indirect method as it was independent on the single food item. CONCLUSIONS: The study originally provided the validation of the indirect photographic method for the assessment of nutritional intake in a vast cohort of hospitalized elderly subjects. The present results moved a step forward in the appropriate assessment of nutrition intake in frail elderly, providing an easy to use tool that may be incorporate in routine clinical practice for early and targeted therapeutic interventions.

Digital photography and transparency-based methods for measuring wound surface area.

To compare and determine a credible method of measurement of wound surface area by linear, transparency, and photographic methods for monitoring progress of wound healing accurately and ascertaining whether these methods are significantly different. From April 2005 to December 2006, 40 patients (30 men, 5 women, 5 children) admitted to the surgical ward of Shree Sayaji General Hospital, Baroda, had clean as well as infected wound following trauma, debridement, pressure sore, venous ulcer, and incision and drainage. Wound surface areas were measured by these three methods (linear, transparency, and photographic methods) simultaneously on alternate days. The linear method is statistically and significantly different from transparency and photographic methods (P value <0.05), but there is no significant difference between transparency and photographic methods (P value >0.05). Photographic and transparency methods provided measurements of wound surface area with equivalent result and there was no statistically significant difference between these two methods.

Analysis of lid Contours in Children

We measured the height and length of palpebral fissure, intercanthal distance and upward deviation of lateral canthus, and ovserved presence of double lid and epicanthal fold of 316 children who had no ocular disease except refractive anomaly by the use of standardized photographic method. We also analyzed the results according to the age, sex and the degree of refractive anomaly. The mean of central height of palpebral fissure was 8.0mm and the mean of maximal height was 8.1mm. In most of cases, the point where the height became maximal was at the center of the palpebral fissure and there was no difference accorging to laterality, sex, age and the degree of refractive anomaly. The length of palpebral fissure was 20.0mm in average and there was no difference according to laterality, sex and the degree of refractive anomaly, but it increased with the increasing age. The intercanthal distance was 33.8mm in average and increased with the increasing age but was not influenced by sex and refractive anomaly. The lateral canthus was deviated upward in relation to medial canthus by 5.90 in average and it was more deviated in female than in male. There was no difference according to laterality, age and refractive anomly, The double lid was present in 28.2% of total subject and it was equally frequent in male and female, and more frequent in the older age group. The epicanthal fold was present in 54.7% of total subject and there was no difference accrding to age and sex. Most of them were epicanthus tarsalis(56.1 %) and epicanthus palpebral is type.