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BackgroundThe clinical application of voice technology provides novel opportunities in the field of telehealth. However, patients’ readiness for this solution has not been investigated among patients with cardiovascular diseases (CVD). ObjectiveThis paper aims to evaluate patients’ anticipated experiences regarding telemedicine, including voice conversational agents combined with provider-driven support delivered by phone. MethodsA cross-sectional study enrolled patients with chronic CVD who were surveyed using a validated investigator-designed questionnaire combining 19 questions (eg, demographic data, medical history, preferences for using telehealth services). Prior to the survey, respondents were educated on the telemedicine services presented in the questionnaire while being assisted by a medical doctor. Responses were then collected and analyzed, and multivariate logistic regression was used to identify predictors of willingness to use voice technology. ResultsIn total, 249 patients (mean age 65.3, SD 13.8 years; 158 [63.5%] men) completed the questionnaire, which showed good repeatability in the validation procedure. Of the 249 total participants, 209 (83.9%) reported high readiness to receive services allowing for remote contact with a cardiologist (176/249, 70.7%) and telemonitoring of vital signs (168/249, 67.5%). The voice conversational agents combined with provider-driven support delivered by phone were shown to be highly anticipated by patients with CVD. The readiness to use telehealth was statistically higher in people with previous difficulties accessing health care (OR 2.920, 95% CI 1.377-6.192) and was most frequent in city residents and individuals reporting a higher education level. The age and sex of the respondents did not impact the intention to use voice technology (P=.20 and P=.50, respectively). ConclusionsPatients with cardiovascular diseases, including both younger and older individuals, declared high readiness for voice technology.

The aim of this study was to compare the composition of fatty acids (FA) present in raw milk. The variable factors were the type of food that was fed to the cows from which milk was collected and the time of year. Special attention was paid to the FA factor--important in human nutrition. The animals from which the raw material was collected were kept in a traditional system, i.e. in an alcove-pasture system (farm A) and in an alcove system with the use of food delivered by a mixer feeder wagon (farm B). The study material consisted of collected milk, which was tested in 12 replications at each farm during the winter and summer in 2019. The FA content showed variability for cows grazed on a pasture farm in the summer compared to few changes in the FA obtained from cows fed on the TMR feeding system. In general, the study showed that the choice of feed and the season in which the animals are fed are important, as these factors affect milk fat (fatty acid) and, more specifically, have an impact on overall milk quality. INSET: 23. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the results of studies on the preparation of cellulosic membranes, from a solution in 1-ethyl-3- methylimidazolium acetate (EMIMAc), using the phase inversion method. Initially, the membranes were obtained by coagulation of the polymer film in water and primary alcohols (methanol, ethanol, 1-propanol, 1-butanol, 1-pentanol), 1-hexanol, 1-octanol) resulting in membranes with significantly differing morphologies. Subsequently, composite membranes were produced, with the support layer being a membrane with the largest pores, and the skin layer a membrane with smaller pores. The resulting membranes were tested for physicochemical and transport properties. The morphology of the membrane surfaces and their cross-sections were investigated by using a scanning electron microscope (SEM). The structure of the membranes, on the other hand, was investigated by FTIR spectroscopy and WAXS structural analysis.

Emulsions are thermodynamically unstable systems whose destruction processes can take different forms. It can be a process of creaming, flocculation, coalescence, Ostwald ripening, or phase separation. The generation of a stable dispersion system requires the association of various factors. These factors can be appropriately selected emulsifiers or stabilizers that allow to produce, stabilize, and improve the functionality of the target emulsion system. The introduction of these substances is determined by the final purpose of the emulsion system. In addition, the type of emulsion, the use of different homogenization types leading to the required particle size of the dispersed phase, and the appropriate quantitative selection of phases as well as their density allow to produce a finished product acceptable in various areas. The paper presents the above-mentioned issues. However, the greatest emphasis was placed on the characterization of emulsion applications in food, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals. The types of emulsions--along with their disadvantages and advantages--were described, confirming that the conducted work of creating new emulsion systems was justified and expedient, because the form of the target emulsion products far outweighed their usefulness compared to other forms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]