Objective: In myocardial perfusion single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), abdominal activity often interferes with the evaluation of perfusion in the inferior wall, especially after pharmacological stress. In this randomized study, we examined the effect of carbonated water intake versus still water intake on the quality of images obtained during myocardial perfusion images (MPI) studies. Methods: A total of 467 MIBI studies were randomized into a carbonated water group and a water group. The presence of intestinal activity adjacent to the inferior wall was evaluated by two observers. Furthermore, a semiquantitative analysis was performed in the adenosine subgroup,using a count ratio of the inferior myocardial wall and adjacent abdominal activity. Results: The need for repeated SPECT in the adenosine studies was 5.3 % in the carbonated water group versus 19.4 % in the still water group (p = 0.019). The inferior wall-to-abdomen count ratio was significantly higher in the carbonated water group compared to the still water group (2.11 ± 1.00 vs. 1.72 ± 0.73, p\0.001). The effect of carbonated water during rest and after exercise was not significant. Conclusions: This randomized study showed that carbonated water significantly reduced the interference of extra-cardiac activity in adenosine SPECT MPI. Keywords: Extra-cardiac radioactivity, Myocardial SPECT, Image quality enhancement, Carbonated water
This study empirically examines individual and organizational factors that influence expatriates’ cross-cultural adjustment and job performance. The study was a quantitative research from 117 Thai expatriates who work in Thai multinational companies (MNC) located in Indonesia. The results of the study indicated that financial perceived organizational support influence positively towards Thai expatriates’ overall cross-cultural adjustment in Indonesia. This study found that cross-cultural training influenced positively towards Thai expatriates’ adjustment. A causal relationship between the predicting variables of crosscultural adjustment and Thai expatriates’ job performance was not found. Results suggest important consequences for management strategies providing support to Thai expatriate employees increasing their adjustment in Indonesia. Keywords: Cross-Cultural Adjustment; Job
NOVA—The Netherlands Research School for Astronomy—coordinates a group of three inflatable mobile planetariums that visit around 200 primary and secondary schools per year (approximately 30,000 students/year). After an initial stop in activities (March-June 2020) due to the COVID-19 crisis, NOVA has invested in a high quality screen in order to resume planetarium operations safely during the pandemic. The same interactive shows as present-ed in the dome are now given in a large, darkened room projected onto a flat screen with students sitting on cushions in a close group (current Dutch regulations allow close contact between children under the age of 18). A test of this COVID-19-safe “mobile planetar-ium” at a summer school for primary school children (ages 7-11; 180 students; 20 teachers) was highly successful. The evaluation showed that all participants found the experience to be highly inspi-rational. The expert presenters felt that the setup with the screen enhanced the interaction between the presenter and the students.
