Differentiating care for persons with mild intellectual disability or borderline intellectual functioning: a Delphi study on the opinions of primary and professional caregivers and scientists.

Background: The demand for support for persons with mild intellectual disability or borderline intellectual functioning is growing rapidly. These persons often encounter individual and familial limitations that influence their human functioning, and often have difficulty coping with the demands of modern society. Although in the areas of policy, research and practice, people with mild intellectual disability or borderline intellectual functioning are generally approached as one group, important differences between them have been reported.

Meeting the support needs of persons with mild intellectual disability or borderline intellectual functioning: still a long way to go.

Background: Among persons with a mild intellectual disability or borderline intellectual functioning, differences in their characteristics imply that a differentiated approach is required to meet their needs. This retrospective study examined whether the history of support/treatment programs and the type of healthcare providers involved matched the specific support needs of persons with a mild intellectual disability or borderline intellectual functioning.

Method: Five (previously identified) profiles of persons with a mild intellectual disability or borderline intellectual functioning were used to investigate to what extent the support needs of this group had been met.

Identifying classes of persons with mild intellectual disability or borderline intellectual functioning: a latent class analysis.

Background: Persons with mild intellectual disability or borderline intellectual functioning are often studied as a single group with similar characteristics. However, there are indications that differences exist within this population. Therefore, the aim of this study was to identify classes of persons with mild intellectual disability or borderline intellectual functioning and to examine whether these classes are related to individual and/or environmental characteristics.

Controlled peel testing of a model tissue for diseased aorta.

In this study, we examine the effect of collagenase, elastase and glutaraldehyde treatments on the response of porcine aorta to controlled peel testing. Specifically, the effects on the tissue׳s resistance to dissection, as quantified by critical energy release rate, are investigated. We further explore the utility of these treatments in creating model tissues whose properties emulate those of certain diseased tissues.

Creating a model of diseased artery damage and failure from healthy porcine aorta.

Large quantities of diseased tissue are required in the research and development of new generations of medical devices, for example for use in physical testing. However, these are difficult to obtain. In contrast, porcine arteries are readily available as they are regarded as waste.