Wavelet analysis of sacral skin blood flow oscillations to assess soft tissue viability in older adults.

The objective of this study was to investigate age-related changes of microvascular functions using wavelet analysis of blood flow oscillations (BFO), and to develop a new quantification method to present wavelet coefficients for studying the contribution of each blood flow control mechanism to the skin vasodilatory response. 20 older people between 65 and 85 years of age were recruited into the study. The heater temperature at the sacral skin was raised to 42 degrees C in 2 min and maintained at that temperature for the duration of the 50 minute heating period to induce a biphasic vasodilatory response: axon reflex mediated and nitric oxide mediated vasodilation.

A course in autoethnography: fostering reflective practitioners in occupational therapy.

This paper describes an academic course designed to lay the foundation for reflective practice in occupational therapy. In this course, students conduct highly personalized research based on experiences in Level II fieldwork that leads to writing an autoethnography. The paper describes autoethnography, details its use in occupational therapy literature, and discusses the design and outcomes of the course.