Keele University

About: Keele University is a education organization based out in Newcastle-under-Lyme, United Kingdom. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Stars. The organization has 11318 authors who have published 26323 publications receiving 894671 citations. The organization is also known as: Keele University.

Interventions to improve adherence to exercise for chronic musculoskeletal pain in adults

Abstract: The objectives of the intervention are: To systematically search, critically appraise and summarise all randomised or quasi-randomised controlled trials pertaining to the efficacy and effectiveness of interventions targeting adherence to exercise therapy in adults, 18 years or over, with chronic musculoskeletal pain. Specific objectives are to: 1) Identify randomised and quasi-randomised controlled trials measuring the effect of strategies to improve exercise adherence in chronic musculoskeletal pain. 2) Critically appraise and assess the quality of the included studies 3) Describe the range of interventions aimed at improving exercise adherence in chronic musculoskeletal pain. 4) Assess the effectiveness of these interventions on adherence itself, clinical outcomes (pain, functional disability, psychological well-being) and health care outcomes (health care use, cost). 3) Describe in a narrative summary the features of the interventions which appear to be most effective in improving adherence to exercise therapy in chronic musculoskeletal pain.

Unification of X-ray winds in Seyfert galaxies: from ultra-fast outflows to warm absorbers

Abstract: The existence of ionized X-ray absorbing layers of gas along the line of sight to the nuclei of Seyfert galaxies is a well established observational fact. This material is systematically outflowing and shows a large range in parameters. However, its actual nature and dynamics are still not clear. In order to gain insights into these important issues we performed a literature search for papers reporting the parameters of the soft X-ray warm absorbers (WAs) in 35 type 1 Seyferts and compared their properties to those of the ultra-fast outflows (UFOs) detected in the same sample. The fraction of sources with WAs is >60 per cent, consistent with previous studies. The fraction of sources with UFOs is >34 per cent, >67 per cent of which also show WAs. The large dynamic range obtained when considering all the absorbers together, spanning several orders of magnitude in ionization, column, velocity and distance allows us, for the first time, to investigate general relations among them. In particular, we find significant correlations indicating that the closer the absorber is to the central black hole, the higher the ionization, column, outflow velocity and consequently the mechanical power. In all the cases, the absorbers continuously populate the whole parameter space, with the WAs and the UFOs lying always at the two ends of the distribution. These evidence strongly suggest that these absorbers, often considered of different types, could actually represent parts of a single large-scale stratified outflow observed at different locations from the black hole. The UFOs are likely launched from the inner accretion disc and the WAs at larger distances, such as the outer disc and/or torus. We argue that the observed parameters and correlations are, to date, consistent with both radiation pressure through Compton scattering and magnetohydrodynamic processes contributing to the outflow acceleration, the latter playing a major role. Most of the absorbers, especially the UFOs, show a sufficiently high mechanical power (at least approx 0.5 per cent of the bolometric luminosity) to provide a significant contribution to active galactic nuclei (AGN) feedback and thus to the evolution of the host galaxy. In this regard, we find possible evidence for the interaction of the AGN wind with the surrounding environment on large scales.

A data envelopment model for aggregating preference rankings

Abstract: This paper presents a general model for aggregating votes from a preferential ballot. The thrust of the model is to accord each candidate a fair assessment in terms of his overall standing vis-a-vis first place, second place, ', kth place votes. The form of the model is a combined index Σj = 1kWjvij where vij is the number of the jth place votes received by the ith candidate. The weights Wj are assumed to form a monotonically decreasing sequence with Wj-Wj + 1 ≥ dj, e. These constraints correspond to the assurance region AR side constraints in the DEA framework. The properties of the model are examined in terms of this discrimination intensity function d, and in the special case that dj, e = e, our model is shown to be equivalent to the consensus models of Borda and Kendall.

A longitudinal study of ammonia, acetone and propanol in the exhaled breath of 30 subjects using selected ion flow tube mass spectrometry, SIFT-MS.

Abstract: Selected ion flow tube mass spectrometry, SIFT-MS, has been used to monitor the volatile compounds in the exhaled breath of 30 volunteers (19 males, 11 females) over a 6 month period. Volunteers provided breath samples each week between 8:45 am and 1 pm (before lunch), and the concentrations of several trace compounds were obtained. In this paper the focus is on ammonia, acetone and propanol. It was found that the concentration distributions of these compounds in breath were close to log-normal. The median ammonia level estimated as a geometric mean for all samples was 833 parts per billion (ppb) with a multiplicative standard deviation of 1.62, the values ranging from 248 to 2935 ppb. Breath ammonia clearly increased with increasing age in this volunteer cohort. The geometric mean acetone level for all samples was 477 parts per billion (ppb) with a multiplicative standard deviation of 1.58, the values ranging from 148 to 2744 ppb. The median propanol level for all samples was 18 ppb, the values ranging from 0 to 135 ppb. A weak but significant correlation between breath propanol and acetone levels is apparent in the data. The findings indicate the potential value of SIFT-MS as a non-invasive breath analysis technique for investigating volatile compounds in human health and in the diseased state.

The Current State of Peritoneal Dialysis

Abstract: Technical innovations in peritoneal dialysis (PD), now used widely for the long-term treatment of ESRD, have significantly reduced therapy-related complications, allowing patients to be maintained on PD for longer periods. Indeed, the survival rate for patients treated with PD is now equivalent to that with in-center hemodialysis. In parallel, changes in public policy have spurred an unprecedented expansion in the use of PD in many parts of the world. Meanwhile, our improved understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved in solute and water transport across the peritoneum and of the pathobiology of structural and functional changes in the peritoneum with long-term PD has provided new targets for improving efficiency and for intervention. As with hemodialysis, almost half of all deaths on PD occur because of cardiovascular events, and there is great interest in identifying modality-specific factors contributing to these events. Notably, tremendous progress has been made in developing interventions that substantially reduce the risk of PD-related peritonitis. Yet the gains have been unequal among individual centers, primarily because of unequal clinical application of knowledge gained from research. The work to date has further highlighted the areas in need of innovation as we continue to strive to improve the health and outcomes of patients treated with PD.