AIMS To explore the relative value patients place on comfort and convenience versus test sensitivity and specificity in the context of computed tomographic colonography (CTC) screening. MATERIALS AND METHODS Twenty semi-structured interviews were carried out with patients attending hospital for radiological tests unrelated to CTC. Preferences for CTC with different types of bowel preparation ...

Convenience the ability to reduce consumer’s time and energy costs in purchasing or using goods and services has become an important attribute for time poor consumers. Berry, Seiders and Grewal (2002) proposed that convenience can be measured as a five dimensional construct comprising decision, access, transaction, benefit, and post-benefit. This paper examines the empirical reliability and val...

This article provides an updated report on functional bracing for anterior shoulder instability. A classification of shoulder braces is reintroduced into three separate types. Type A braces limit shoulder motion to a "safe zone," whereas types B and C apply indirect and direct stabilizing forces to the joint, respectively. Thirteen of the most widely available braces were surveyed and the param...

Body Area Networks (BAN) can provide a wide range of applications including medical support, healthcare monitoring, and consumer electronics with increased convenience or comfort. To harmonize with the strong demands from both medical and healthcare societies, and information and communications technology (ICT) industries, IEEE 802.15.6 task group (TG6) was set up to develop an IEEE wireless st...

This paper considers a residential market with real-time electricity pricing and flexible electricity consumption profiles for customers. Such a market raises an optimisation problem for home automation systems where they need to schedule consumption activities to reduce costs, whilst maintaining a base level of comfort and convenience. This optimisation problem faces uncertainty in real-time p...

physiologically thermal comfort condition is a limit of temperature and humidity. ,in which thermal control mechanism of human body is in its least activity . thermal comfort conditions not only have impact on sizes of heating and cooling equipment ,but also affects the thickness of insulation, and .energy, consumption of buildings. it is necessary to define thermal comfort condition for differ...

Purpose. Although stair use in workplaces can provide an accessible means of integrating physical activity into work routines, there is little information available on how building design influences stair use. Design. This cross-sectional study assessed the relationship between stair use and the design and location of stairs. Setting. Ten threeor four-story academic buildings on two university ...

The decisive factor for the popularization of telematics services in the future is the ability to produce advanced services that match the needs of drivers and passengers. The Dedicated Short Range Communications (DSRC)type of wireless communication system, which is being developed for the Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS), is one of the broadband wireless systems contributing to the improvem...

This study aims to investigate the key considerations of the public when choosing recreational activities, and concludes the key factors to be considered when choosing recreational activities, as well as the influence of various factors by means of literature review, expert interview, questionnaire survey, and Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP). Through analysis, this study identified 12 influe...

The first industrial hospital in America opened in 1840 in Lowell, Massachusetts. The Lowell Corporation Hospital was sponsored by the town's textile employers for ninety years. This article analyses the contextual complications surrounding the employers' sustained funding of the hospital. Motivations for sustained sponsorship included paternalism, clinical excellence, business custom, the labo...