In Nature, protons (H(+)) can mediate metabolic process through enzymatic reactions. Examples include glucose oxidation with glucose dehydrogenase to regulate blood glucose level, alcohol dissolution into carboxylic acid through alcohol dehydrogenase, and voltage-regulated H(+) channels activating bioluminescence in firefly and jellyfish. Artificial devices that control H(+) currents and H(+) c...

A unit has been designed which monitors newborn infants at risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) in a home environment. The unit monitors respiration, electrocardiogram (ECG) and haemoglobin oxygen saturation (SpO2), using an intelligent fuzzy logic algorithm to process the signals in order to detect any potentially life threatening event at an early stage. Provision is made for the gener...

In two nursing homes in Flanders, Belgium, four cases of acute hepatitis B infection have recently been detected, linked to the multiple use of blood capillary sampling (‘fingerstick’) devices on diabetic patients. Another outbreak of hepatitis B transmission in an elderly care home in Belgium, also linked to improper use of these devices, occurred in 2002/3 [1]. In addition, three outbreaks of...

BACKGROUND Exposure to ambient air particulate matter (PM) has been linked to decline in pulmonary function and cardiovascular events possibly through inflammation. Little is known about individual exposure to ultrafine particles (UFP) inside and outside modern homes and associated health-related effects. METHODS Associations between vascular and lung function, inflammation markers and exposu...

BACKGROUND Blood pressure (BP) monitors are commonly stationed in public places such as pharmacies, but it is uncertain how many people with hypertension currently use them. We sought to estimate the proportion of hypertensive patients who use these types of monitors and examine whether use varies by demographic or health characteristics. METHODS We conducted a cross-sectional mail survey of ...

The recent development and commercial availability of wearable devices like the FITBIT® and Apple Watch® reflect an increasing consumer interest in actively monitoring health parameters. Though wearable devices are beginning to emerge in a variety of fields and applications, there is particular interest in the development of wearable monitors for continuously sensing blood glucose levels. Diabe...

BACKGROUND Stroke is the leading cause of adult disability in the UK. Hypertension is the leading modifiable risk factor for stroke. There is increasing interest n home blood pressure monitors for self-monitoring, but no published research on the experiences of stroke patients who do self-monitor. AIM To explore stroke patients' experiences of self-monitoring with nurse-led support. DESIGN ...

Introduction. Amid reports of a growing number diabetic patients, the antidiabetics market players positioning is highly important for companies and country’s leadership. The regulatory measures management decisions depend on competitive situation in market. Aim. Analysis changes level dominance markets blood glucose monitors meters. Materials methods. distribution these by product groups, as w...