פרסומים

n-3 Fatty acids are recognised as influencing both wound healing and immunity. We assessed the impact of a fish oil- and micronutrient-enriched formula (study formula) on the healing of pressure ulcers and on immune function in critically ill patients in an intensive care unit. A total of forty patients with pressure ulcers and receiving nutritional support were enrolled (intervention group, n 20, received study formula; and a control group, n 20, received an isoenergetic formula). Total and differential leucocyte count and percentage of adhesion molecule positive granulocyte and lymphocyte cells (CD11a, CD11b, CD18 and CD49b) were measured on days 0, 7 and 14. Percentage of positive lymphocytes for CD54, CD49b, CD49d and CD8 were also measured on days 0, 7 and 14. The state of pressure ulcers was assessed by using the pressure ulcer scale for healing tool score on days 7, 14 and 28 of treatment. No between-group differences in patient demographics, anthropometry or diagnostic class were observed. Patients who received the study formula showed significant increases in the percentage of positive CD18 and CD11a lymphocytes and of CD49b granulocytes as compared to controls (P < 0.05). While the severity of pressure ulcers was not significantly different between the two groups on admission, severity increased significantly over time for the control group (P < 0.05), but not for the study group. The present study suggests that a fish oil- and micronutrient-enriched formula may prevent worsening of pressure ulcers and that this effect may be mediated by an effect on adhesion molecule expression.

This study examines epistemic thinking in action in order to shed light on the relation between students? personal epistemologies and their online learning practices. The study is based on observations of the learning behaviors of 6th-grade students (n = 38) during two online inquiry tasks. Data were collected through think-aloud protocols and retrospective epistemic interviews. The study examines how absolutist and evaluativist epistemic perspectives come into play in two key online inquiry strategies?evaluation of website trustworthiness and critical integration of multiple online sources. The study explores students? epistemic thinking on the cognitive and metacognitive levels and examines epistemic metacognitive knowledge about both persons and strategies. The findings demonstrate that epistemic thinking plays an important role in online inquiry learning. Participants? epistemic metacognitive knowledge regarding online learning strategies correlated with their epistemic cognition. Evaluativists significantly outperformed absolutists in the integration strategy but no significant differences were found in the evaluation strategy. Furthermore, there was evidence for considerable variability in students? epistemic thinking. The complex role of students? epistemic thinking in online learning is analyzed and discussed.

People generally overestimate the time they can save when increasing from a relatively high driving speed. Previous research suggested that people follow a Proportion Heuristic, calculating the time saved as the proportion of speed increase from the new higher speed. The present study suggests that drivers use another heuristic – the Percentage Heuristic – to calculate how much time they save by increasing speed. In the percentage heuristic, the initial (rather than higher) speed is used as the denominator. Using a discriminating set of questions, we classified participants' responses as normative (correct answer), as following the proportion or percentage heuristic, or some other strategy. We found that participants used the percentage heuristic more often, perhaps because it predicts linearly increasing values of time saved when increasing speed. In addition, we found that participants high in need for cognition (NFC) gave correct answers more often than low NFC participants who relied more on heuristics.

Background: Problems with out-of-home mobility are among the more common behavioral disturbances in dementia. Today people with dementia can be aided by easily accessible assistive technologies, such as tracking devices using Global Positioning Systems (GPS). Attitudes toward these technologies are still inconclusive and their use with people with dementia raises ethical concerns. The lack of ethical consensus on the use of GPS for people with dementia underlines the need for clearer policies and practical guidelines. Methods: Here we summarize qualitative and quantitative findings from a larger research project on the ethical aspects of using GPS for tracking people with dementia. Results: The findings are formulated in a list of recommendations for policy-makers as well as for professional and family caregivers. Among other points, the recommendations indicate that the preferences and best interests of the people with dementia should be central to the difficult decisions required in dementia care. Further, no-one should be coerced into using tracking technology and, where possible, people with dementia must be involved in the decision-making and their consent sought. Conclusions: The decision whether, when and how to use GPS for tracking people with dementia should be made at the time of diagnosis jointly by the person with dementia, his/her family and professional caregivers. This decision should be made in formal structured meetings facilitated by a professional team.