Effects of saxagliptin add-on therapy to insulin on blood glycemic fluctuations in patients with type 2 diabetes: A randomized, control, open-labeled trial.

PubMed

Li, Feng-Fei; Jiang, Lan-Lan; Yan, Reng-Na; Zhu, Hong-Hong; Zhou, Pei-Hua; Zhang, Dan-Feng; Su, Xiao-Fei; Wu, Jin-Dan; Ye, Lei; Ma, Jian-Hua

2016-10-01

To investigate whether saxagliptin add-on therapy to continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) further improve blood glycemic control than CSII therapy in patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes (T2D). This was a single-center, randomized, control, open-labeled trial. Newly diagnosed T2D patients were recruited between February 2014 and December 2015. Subjects were divided into saxagliptin add-on therapy to CSII group (n = 31) and CSII therapy group (n = 38). The treatment was maintained for 4 weeks. Oral glucose tolerance test was performed at baseline. Serum samples were obtained before and 30 and 120 minutes after oral administration for glucose, insulin, and C-peptide determination. Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) was performed before and endpoint. A total of 69 subjects were admitted. After 4-week therapy, CGM data showed that patients with saxagliptin add-on therapy exhibited further improvement of mean amplitude glycemic excursion (MAGE), the incremental area under curve of plasma glucose >7.8 and 10 mmol/L compared with that of control group. In addition, the hourly mean blood glucose concentrations, especially between 0000 and 0600 in patient with saxagliptin add-on therapy, were significantly lower compared with that of the control patients. Furthermore, patients in saxagliptin add-on group needed lower insulin dose to maintain euglycemic control. In addition, severe hypoglycemic episode was not observed from any group. Saxagliptin add-on therapy to insulin had the ability of further improve blood glycemic controlling, with lower insulin dose required by patients with T2D to maintain euglycemic controlling.

Quiet Eye Training Facilitates Competitive Putting Performance in Elite Golfers

PubMed Central

Vine, Samuel J.; Moore, Lee J.; Wilson, Mark R.

2011-01-01

The aim of this study was to examine the effectiveness of a brief quiet eye (QE) training intervention aimed at optimizing visuomotor control and putting performance of elite golfers under pressure, and in real competition. Twenty-two elite golfers (mean handicap 2.7) recorded putting statistics over 10 rounds of competitive golf before attending training individually. Having been randomly assigned to either a QE training or Control group, participants were fitted with an Applied Science Laboratories Mobile Eye tracker and performed 20 baseline (pre-test) putts from 10 ft. Training consisted of video feedback of their gaze behavior while they completed 20 putts; however the QE-trained group received additional instructions related to maintaining a longer QE period. Participants then recorded their putting statistics over a further 10 competitive rounds and re-visited the laboratory for retention and pressure tests of their visuomotor control and putting performance. Overall, the results were supportive of the efficacy of the QE training intervention. QE duration predicted 43% of the variance in putting performance, underlying its critical role in the visuomotor control of putting. The QE-trained group maintained their optimal QE under pressure conditions, whereas the Control group experienced reductions in QE when anxious, with subsequent effects on performance. Although their performance was similar in the pre-test, the QE-trained group holed more putts and left the ball closer to the hole on missed putts than their Control group counterparts in the pressure test. Importantly, these advantages transferred to the golf course, where QE-trained golfers made 1.9 fewer putts per round, compared to pre-training, whereas the Control group showed no change in their putting statistics. These results reveal that QE training, incorporated into a pre-shot routine, is an effective intervention to help golfers maintain control when anxious. PMID:21713182

Short-term blueberry-enriched diet prevents and reverses object recognition memory loss in aging rats.

PubMed

Malin, David H; Lee, David R; Goyarzu, Pilar; Chang, Yu-Hsuan; Ennis, Lalanya J; Beckett, Elizabeth; Shukitt-Hale, Barbara; Joseph, James A

2011-03-01

Previously, 4 mo of a blueberry-enriched (BB) antioxidant diet prevented impaired object recognition memory in aging rats. Experiment 1 determined whether 1- and 2-mo BB diets would have a similar effect and whether the benefits would disappear promptly after terminating the diets. Experiment 2 determined whether a 1-mo BB diet could subsequently reverse existing object memory impairment in aging rats. In experiment 1, Fischer-344 rats were maintained on an appropriate control diet or on 1 or 2 mo of the BB diet before testing object memory at 19 mo postnatally. In experiment 2, rats were tested for object recognition memory at 19 mo and again at 20 mo after 1 mo of maintenance on a 2% BB or control diet. In experiment 1, the control group performed no better than chance, whereas the 1- and 2-mo BB diet groups performed similarly and significantly better than controls. The 2-mo BB-diet group, but not the 1-mo group, maintained its performance over a subsequent month on a standard laboratory diet. In experiment 2, the 19-mo-old rats performed near chance. At 20 mo of age, the rats subsequently maintained on the BB diet significantly increased their object memory scores, whereas the control diet group exhibited a non-significant decline. The change in object memory scores differed significantly between the two diet groups. These results suggest that a considerable degree of age-related object memory decline can be prevented and reversed by brief maintenance on BB diets. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Family-based Psychoeducation and Care Ambassador Intervention to Improve Glycemic Control in Youth with Type 1 Diabetes: A Randomized Trial

PubMed Central

Katz, Michelle L.; Volkening, Lisa K.; Butler, Deborah A.; Anderson, Barbara J.; Laffel, Lori M.

2013-01-01

Objective Youth with type 1 diabetes frequently do not achieve glycemic targets. We aimed to improve glycemic control with a Care Ambassador (CA) and family-focused psychoeducational intervention. Research Design and Methods In a 2-year, randomized, clinical trial, we compared 3 groups: 1) standard care, 2) monthly outreach by a CA, and 3) monthly outreach by a CA plus a quarterly clinic-based psychoeducational intervention. The psychoeducational intervention provided realistic expectations and problem-solving strategies related to family diabetes management. Data on diabetes management and A1c were collected, and participants completed surveys assessing parental involvement in management, diabetes-specific family conflict, and youth quality of life. The primary outcome was A1c at 2 years; secondary outcomes included maintaining parent involvement and avoiding deterioration in glycemic control. Results We studied 153 youth (56% female, median age 12.9 years) with type 1 diabetes (mean A1c 8.4±1.4%). There were no differences in A1c across treatment groups. Among youth with suboptimal baseline A1c ≥8%, more youth in the psychoeducation group maintained or improved their A1c and maintained or increased parent involvement than youth in the other 2 groups combined (77% vs. 52%, p=.03; 36% vs. 11%, p=.01, respectively) without negative impact on youth quality of life or increased diabetes-specific family conflict. Conclusions No differences in A1c were detected among the 3 groups at 2 years. The psychoeducational intervention was effective in maintaining or improving A1c and parent involvement in youth with suboptimal baseline glycemic control. PMID:23914987

40 CFR 63.5170 - How do I demonstrate compliance with the standards?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... percent on a monthly basis for individual or groups of coil coating lines; or overall organic HAP control... combination of compliant coatings and control devices and maintaining an acceptable equivalent emission rate... facility. (6) Control efficiency calculation of HAP emitted. For each work station or group of work...

40 CFR 63.5170 - How do I demonstrate compliance with the standards?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... percent on a monthly basis for individual or groups of coil coating lines; or overall organic HAP control... combination of compliant coatings and control devices and maintaining an acceptable equivalent emission rate... facility. (6) Control efficiency calculation of HAP emitted. For each work station or group of work...

40 CFR 63.5170 - How do I demonstrate compliance with the standards?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... percent on a monthly basis for individual or groups of coil coating lines; or overall organic HAP control... combination of compliant coatings and control devices and maintaining an acceptable equivalent emission rate... facility. (6) Control efficiency calculation of HAP emitted. For each work station or group of work...

Radioprotective Efficacy of Lutein in Ameliorating Electron Beam Radiation-induced Oxidative Injury in Swiss Albino Mice

PubMed Central

Vasudeva, Vidya; Tenkanidiyoor, Yogish Somayaji; Peter, Alex John; Shetty, Jayaram; Lakshman, Srikant Patil; Fernandes, Ronald; Patali, Krishna Ananthapura

2018-01-01

Background: Lutein, a carotenoid compound, has previously been studied for its antioxidant and medicinal properties as well as the moderate protection it confers against gamma radiation. This study aimed at evaluating the effects of lutein against radiation-induced hematological and biochemical changes in mice. Methods: The optimized dose of the compound was orally administered for 15 days, and the mice were irradiated (6 Gy) on day 15 after the administration of the compound. The groups were divided (6 mice in each group) into normal control, radiation control, gallic acid control, 10% DMSO control, lutein control, and irradiated groups pretreated with gallic acid, 10% DMSO, and lutein. Gallic acid was used to maintain a standard since it is a proven radioprotector. Within 24 hours post irradiation, the animals were anesthetized and sacrificed. The hematological, biochemical, and antioxidant changes were determined using suitable methods. Data were analyzed by the Kaplan–Meier curve (log-rank test) and ANOVA (the Tukey test). The independent t test was used to compare the independent groups. SPSS (ver. 16) was employed. Results: Maximum survival was observed with a dose of 250 mg/kg b.wt lutein. The total leukocyte count and the percentage lymphocyte count exhibited a significant decline in the irradiated groups pretreated with gallic acid and lutein in comparison to their controls, whereas the percentage granulocyte count showed a significant rise. Antioxidant activity had markedly declined in the irradiated groups, indicating oxidative stress. Lutein pretreatment reduced the damage and maintained the antioxidant system. Conclusion: The present study suggests a protective role for lutein in palliating radiation-induced oxidative changes and maintaining the antioxidant system in vivo. PMID:29398751

Effects of saxagliptin add-on therapy to insulin on blood glycemic fluctuations in patients with type 2 diabetes

PubMed Central

Li, Feng-fei; Jiang, Lan-lan; Yan, Reng-na; Zhu, Hong-hong; Zhou, Pei-hua; Zhang, Dan-feng; Su, Xiao-fei; Wu, Jin-dan; Ye, Lei; Ma, Jian-hua

2016-01-01

Abstract Background: To investigate whether saxagliptin add-on therapy to continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) further improve blood glycemic control than CSII therapy in patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes (T2D). Methods: This was a single-center, randomized, control, open-labeled trial. Newly diagnosed T2D patients were recruited between February 2014 and December 2015. Subjects were divided into saxagliptin add-on therapy to CSII group (n = 31) and CSII therapy group (n = 38). The treatment was maintained for 4 weeks. Oral glucose tolerance test was performed at baseline. Serum samples were obtained before and 30 and 120 minutes after oral administration for glucose, insulin, and C-peptide determination. Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) was performed before and endpoint. Results: A total of 69 subjects were admitted. After 4-week therapy, CGM data showed that patients with saxagliptin add-on therapy exhibited further improvement of mean amplitude glycemic excursion (MAGE), the incremental area under curve of plasma glucose >7.8 and 10 mmol/L compared with that of control group. In addition, the hourly mean blood glucose concentrations, especially between 0000 and 0600 in patient with saxagliptin add-on therapy, were significantly lower compared with that of the control patients. Furthermore, patients in saxagliptin add-on group needed lower insulin dose to maintain euglycemic control. In addition, severe hypoglycemic episode was not observed from any group. Conclusion: Saxagliptin add-on therapy to insulin had the ability of further improve blood glycemic controlling, with lower insulin dose required by patients with T2D to maintain euglycemic controlling. PMID:27787387

Efficacy and Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of Evidence-Based Nursing Interventions to Maintain Tissue Integrity to Prevent Pressure Ulcers and Incontinence-Associated Dermatitis.

PubMed

Avşar, Pınar; Karadağ, Ayişe

2018-02-01

A reduction in tissue tolerance promotes the development of pressure ulcers (PUs) and incontinence-associated dermatitis (IAD). To determine the cost-effectiveness and efficacy of evidence-based (EB) nursing interventions on increasing tissue tolerance by maintaining tissue integrity. The study involved 154 patients in two intensive care units (77 patients, control group; 77 patients, intervention group). Data were collected using the following: patient characteristics form, Braden PU risk assessment scale, tissue integrity monitoring form, PU identification form, IAD and severity scale, and a cost table of the interventions. Patients in the intervention group were cared for by nurses trained in the use of the data collection tools and in EB practices to improve tissue tolerance. Routine nursing care was given to the patients in the control group. The researcher observed all patients in terms of tissue integrity and recorded the care-related costs. Deterioration of tissue integrity was observed in 18.2% patients in the intervention group compared to 54.5% in the control group (p < .05). The average cost to increase tissue tolerance prevention in the intervention and control groups was X¯ = $204.34 ± 41.07 and X¯ = $138.90 ± 1.70, respectively. It is recommended that EB policies and procedures are developed to improve tissue tolerance by maintaining tissue integrity. Although the cost of EB preventive initiatives is relatively high compared to those that are not EB, the former provide a significant reduction in the prevalence of tissue integrity deterioration. © 2017 Sigma Theta Tau International.

Career Profiles- Drawing Controller Kelvin Siu- Operations Engineering Branch

NASA Image and Video Library

2016-06-23

The Drawing Control group provides project support in the form of drafting services, drawing version management, and drawing archival. The office provides drafting services through creation of new drawings and sketches, or integration of red-lines. They maintain physical and electronic storage of flight vehicle drawings, and archive all sketches for the AFRC community. This office is the controlling organization for all Armstrong drawing formats and maintains the drawing numbering system for flight vehicle projects.

Efficacy of a disease management program focused on acquisition of self-management skills in pre-dialysis patients with diabetic nephropathy: 24 months follow-up.

PubMed

Kazawa, Kana; Takeshita, Yae; Yorioka, Noriaki; Moriyama, Michiko

2015-06-01

We previously performed a preliminary 6-month controlled trial to examine the effect of a disease management education program on prolongation of the time to renal replacement therapy (RRT) and/or avoidance of RRT for patients with diabetic nephropathy. However, its duration was too short to follow the changes of renal function, so we performed the present study for 24 months. This was a two-group comparative study. The intervention group received self-management education from disease management nurses and was supported by the nurses in cooperation with their primary physicians for 12 months. Then this group was followed for a further 12 months. The control group received standard care and was followed for 24 months. Of the 31 subjects enrolled in each group, 26 subjects in the intervention group and 27 subjects in the control group were analyzed after excluding drop-outs. During the study period, 0 and 2 subjects in the intervention and the control group started RRT, respectively. In the intervention group, renal function was maintained, while significant worsening was observed in the control group. Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) improved in the intervention group, but became significantly worse in the control group. In the intervention group, all process indicators of behavior modification increased significantly after intervention. A well-designed disease management program might be useful for maintaining renal function and improving HbA1c in patients with diabetic nephropathy. It is considered that modification of patient behavior contributed to these results.

Probiotic supplementation prevents high-fat, overfeeding-induced insulin resistance in human subjects.

PubMed

Hulston, Carl J; Churnside, Amelia A; Venables, Michelle C

2015-02-28

The purpose of the present study was to determine whether probiotic supplementation (Lactobacillus casei Shirota (LcS)) prevents diet-induced insulin resistance in human subjects. A total of seventeen healthy subjects were randomised to either a probiotic (n 8) or a control (n 9) group. The probiotic group consumed a LcS-fermented milk drink twice daily for 4 weeks, whereas the control group received no supplementation. Subjects maintained their normal diet for the first 3 weeks of the study, after which they consumed a high-fat (65 % of energy), high-energy (50 % increase in energy intake) diet for 7 d. Whole-body insulin sensitivity was assessed by an oral glucose tolerance test conducted before and after overfeeding. Body mass increased by 0·6 (SE 0·2) kg in the control group (P< 0·05) and by 0·3 (SE 0·2) kg in the probiotic group (P>0·05). Fasting plasma glucose concentrations increased following 7 d of overeating (control group: 5·3 (SE 0·1) v. 5·6 (SE 0·2) mmol/l before and after overfeeding, respectively, P< 0·05), whereas fasting serum insulin concentrations were maintained in both groups. Glucose AUC values increased by 10 % (from 817 (SE 45) to 899 (SE 39) mmol/l per 120 min, P< 0·05) and whole-body insulin sensitivity decreased by 27 % (from 5·3 (SE 1·4) to 3·9 (SE 0·9), P< 0·05) in the control group, whereas normal insulin sensitivity was maintained in the probiotic group (4·4 (SE 0·8) and 4·5 (SE 0·9) before and after overeating, respectively (P>0·05). These results suggest that probiotic supplementation may be useful in the prevention of diet-induced metabolic diseases such as type 2 diabetes.

What older adults find useful for maintaining healthy eating and exercise habits.

PubMed

Greaney, Mary L; Lees, Faith D; Greene, Geoffrey W; Clark, Phillip G

2004-01-01

Four focus groups were conducted with a total of 29 adults 60 years of age and older enrolled in the SENIOR Project, a health promotion intervention study designed to increase fruit and vegetable consumption and exercise among community-dwelling older adults. The focus groups explored the motivations of older adults to eat five or more servings of fruits and vegetables and/or exercise and the strategies used to adopt or maintain these behaviors. Participants stated that maintaining health, remaining independent, and fearing illness provided the motivation needed to adhere to these behaviors. The strategies or the behavioral processes used to adopt or maintain these behaviors included counterconditioning, helping relationships, stimulus control, and self-liberation.

40 CFR Table 3 to Subpart Rrr of... - Summary of Monitoring Requirements for New and Existing Affected Sources and Emission Units

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

.... Group 1 furnace without add-on controls Fluxing in sidewell furnace hearth Maintain flux addition... emission units with an add-on air pollution control device Emission capture and collection system Annual... specifications, or at least once every 6 months. Group 1 furnace, group 2 furnace, in-line fluxer, and scrap...

A prescription for health: a primary care based intervention to maintain the non-smoking status of young people.

PubMed

Fidler, W; Lambert, T W

2001-03-01

To evaluate the effectiveness of primary health care teams in maintaining a group of young people aged 10--15 years as non-smokers. Randomised controlled trial using postal questionnaires. Oxfordshire, UK. 2942 young people who were initially self declared non-smokers. Information about smoking, sent under signature of the subject's general practitioner, certificates and posters intended to reinforce non-smoking behaviour. Changes in smoking behaviour, attitudes measured after one year. After a year, smoking uptake was 7.8% in the control group compared with 5.1% in the intervention group (odds ratio (OR) 1.6, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.1 to 2.2). Among boys the corresponding results were 5.2% and 2.4% (OR 2.3, 95% CI 1.2 to 4.6), and among girls 10.0% and 7.5% (OR 1.4, 95% CI 0.9 to 2.1). Among boys aged 14-15 the uptake rate was 12.8% in the control group compared with 5.4% in the intervention group. However, among girls of the same age the intervention was less effective, with smoking uptake of 15.1% in the control group and 12.8% in the intervention group. The intervention was more effective among young people whose initial attitudes identified them as definite non-smokers than those who were potential smokers. The intervention substantially reduced smoking uptake among the young people, particularly boys. Primary health care teams can play an important role in maintaining the non-smoking status of their young patients. Confidential postal contact from the doctor direct to the young person at home is influential and cost-effective.

15-month followup of women methadone patients taught skills to reduce heterosexual HIV transmission.

PubMed Central

el-Bassel, N; Schilling, R F

1992-01-01

Heterosexual contact with intravenous drug users accounts for a growing proportion of cases of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) among women. In an earlier study designed to reduce sexual risk behavior, the authors randomly assigned 91 methadone maintained women to information-only or skills-building conditions. Modest outcomes favored participants in the skills-building group. In this 15-month followup of 62 remaining study participants, skills-training group members were more likely than controls to use condoms. In comparison with controls, members in the skills-building group felt more comfortable talking about safe sex, perceived themselves as more able to reduce their exposure to AIDS, but were more likely to attribute AIDS risk to luck. No associations were found between group condition and number of sexual partners or frequency of buying and carrying condoms. Some gains associated with a group intervention tended to be maintained over time, indicating that preventive interventions composed of multiple sessions and conducted in treatment settings may have promise as useful strategies to prevent human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Nevertheless, decay was evident in other domains, suggesting that prevention specialists should consider booster sessions or other means of maintaining changes in risk behavior. PMID:1410230

Effects of task-oriented robot training on arm function, activity, and quality of life in chronic stroke patients: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Timmermans, Annick A A; Lemmens, Ryanne J M; Monfrance, Maurice; Geers, Richard P J; Bakx, Wilbert; Smeets, Rob J E M; Seelen, Henk A M

2014-03-31

Over fifty percent of stroke patients experience chronic arm hand performance problems, compromising independence in daily life activities and quality of life. Task-oriented training may improve arm hand performance after stroke, whereby augmented therapy may lead to a better treatment outcome. Technology-supported training holds opportunities for increasing training intensity. However, the effects of robot-supported task-oriented training with real life objects in stroke patients are not known to date. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effectiveness and added value of the Haptic Master robot combined with task-oriented arm hand training in chronic stroke patients. In a single-blind randomized controlled trial, 22 chronic stroke patients were randomly allocated to receive either task-oriented robot-assisted arm-hand training (experimental group) or task-oriented non-robotic arm-hand training (control group). For training, the T-TOAT (Technology-supported Task-Oriented Arm Training) method was applied. Training was provided during 8 weeks, 4 times/week, 2 × 30 min/day. A significant improvement after training on the Action Research Arm Test (ARAT) was demonstrated in the experimental group (p = 0.008). Results were maintained until 6 months after cessation of the training. On the perceived performance measure (Motor Activity Log (MAL)), both, the experimental and control group improved significantly after training (control group p = 0.008; experimental group p = 0.013). The improvements on MAL in both groups were maintained until 6 months after cessation of the training. With regard to quality of life, only in the control group a significant improvement after training was found (EuroQol-5D p = 0.015, SF-36 physical p = 0.01). However, the improvement on SF-36 in the control group was not maintained (p = 0.012). No between-group differences could be demonstrated on any of the outcome measures. Arm hand performance improved in chronic stroke patients, after eight weeks of task oriented training. The use of a Haptic Master robot in support of task-oriented arm training did not show additional value over the video-instructed task-oriented exercises in highly functional stroke patients. Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN82787126.

Impact of Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment on Quality of Life in Panic Disorder Patients.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Telch, Michael J.; And Others

1995-01-01

Patients (n=156) meeting criteria for panic disorder with agoraphobia were randomly assigned to group cognitive-behavioral treatment (CBT) or a delayed-treatment control. Compared with the control group, CBT-treated patients showed significant reductions in impairment that were maintained at follow-up. Anxiety and phobic avoidance were…

Assessing the effectiveness of a clinical instructor online training module as measured by student perception and sustained best practices.

PubMed

Engelhard, Chalee; Seo, Kay Kyeong-Ju

2015-01-01

Due to current scrutiny of physical therapy (PT) clinical education, clinical education models require revisions with close examination of current practice, including best practices in clinical instructor (CI) education. Unfortunately, depth of research currently available to support these revisions is minimal, particularly in areas of research that investigate maintaining recently taught skills in CI training and students' perceived CI effectiveness following training. This study's purpose was to explore these areas. CIs (n=21) were assigned to either a control or treatment group. Treatment group-CIs completed an online module prior to supervising a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) student during a 9-week clinical rotation and then participated in data collection activities following the rotation. Data from control group-CIs established a baseline. Data from students' assessments of their CIs' performances yielded qualitative themes demonstrating differentiated learning environments and module-taught best practices for treatment group-students. Quantitative findings did not make a distinction between the two student groups. Lastly, treatment group-CIs maintained best practices after an inactive period. This study suggests CIs were able to maintain best practices using just-in-time education, distributed clinical practice, and reflection. By continuing examination of online CI education, PT clinical education can move toward new models through evidence-based CI best practices.

Efficacy and Safety of Stroke Volume Variation-Guided Fluid Therapy for Reducing Blood Loss and Transfusion Requirements During Radical Cystectomy: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

PubMed

Kong, Yu-Gyeong; Kim, Ji Yoon; Yu, Jihion; Lim, Jinwook; Hwang, Jai-Hyun; Kim, Young-Kug

2016-05-01

Radical cystectomy, which is performed to treat muscle-invasive bladder tumors, is among the most difficult urological surgical procedures and puts patients at risk of intraoperative blood loss and transfusion. Fluid management via stroke volume variation (SVV) is associated with reduced intraoperative blood loss. Therefore, we evaluated the efficacy and safety of SVV-guided fluid therapy for reducing blood loss and transfusion requirements in patients undergoing radical cystectomy.This study included 48 patients who underwent radical cystectomy, and these patients were randomly allocated to the control group and maintained at <10% SVV (n = 24) or allocated to the trial group and maintained at 10% to 20% SVV (n = 24). The primary endpoints were comparisons of the amounts of intraoperative blood loss and transfused red blood cells (RBCs) between the control and trial groups during radical cystectomy. Intraoperative blood loss was evaluated through the estimated blood loss and estimated red cell mass loss. The secondary endpoints were comparisons of the postoperative outcomes between groups.A total of 46 patients were included in the final analysis: 23 patients in the control group and 23 patients in the trial group. The SVV values in the trial group were significantly higher than in the control group. Estimated blood loss, estimated red cell mass loss, and RBC transfusion requirements in the trial group were significantly lower than in the control group (734.3 ± 321.5 mL vs 1096.5 ± 623.9 mL, P = 0.019; 274.1 ± 207.8 mL vs 553.1 ± 298.7 mL, P <0.001; 0.5 ± 0.8 units vs 1.9 ± 2.2 units, P = 0.005). There were no significant differences in postoperative outcomes between the two groups.SVV-guided fluid therapy (SVV maintained at 10%-20%) can reduce blood loss and transfusion requirements in patients undergoing radical cystectomy without resulting in adverse outcomes. These findings provide useful information for optimal fluid management during radical cystectomy.

The Neural Substrates of Cognitive Control Deficits in Autism Spectrum Disorders

PubMed Central

Solomon, Marjorie; Ozonoff, Sally; Ursu, Stefan; Ravizza, Susan; Cummings, Neil; Ly, Stanford; Carter, Cameron

2009-01-01

Executive functions deficits are among the most frequently reported symptoms of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), however, there have been few functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies that investigate the neural substrates of executive functions deficits in ASDs, and only one in adolescents. The current study examined cognitive control –the ability to maintain task context online to support adaptive functioning in the face of response competition—in 22 adolescents aged 12–18 with autism spectrum disorders and 23 age, gender, and IQ matched typically developing subjects. During the cue phase of the task, where subjects must maintain information online to overcome a prepotent response tendency, typically developing subjects recruited significantly more anterior frontal (BA 10), parietal (BA 7, 40), and occipital regions (BA 18) for high control trials (25% of trials) versus low control trials (75% of trials). Both groups showed similar activation for low control cues, however the ASD group exhibited significantly less activation for high control cues. Functional connectivity analysis using time series correlation, factor analysis, and beta series correlation methods provided convergent evidence that the ASD group exhibited lower levels of functional connectivity and less network integration between frontal, parietal, and occipital regions. In the typically developing group, fronto-parietal connectivity was related to lower error rates on high control trials. In the autism group, reduced fronto-parietal connectivity was related to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder symptoms. PMID:19410583

Comparison of heparinized saline and 0.9% sodium chloride for maintaining peripheral intravenous catheter patency in dogs.

PubMed

Ueda, Yu; Odunayo, Adesola; Mann, F A

2013-01-01

To determine whether heparinized saline would be more effective in maintaining the patency of peripheral IV catheters in dogs compared to 0.9% sodium chloride. Prospective blinded randomized study. University Veterinary Teaching Hospital. Thirty healthy purpose bred dogs, intended for use in the junior surgery laboratory, were utilized. The dogs were randomized into 1 of 3 groups, 2 treatment groups and a control group. An 18-Ga cephalic catheter was placed in the cephalic vein of each dog. Each dog in the treatment group had their catheter flushed with either 10 IU/mL heparinized saline or 0.9% sodium chloride every 6 hours for 42 hours. The dogs in the control group did not have their catheters flushed until the end of the study period. Immediately prior to flushing catheters, each catheter was evaluated for patency by aspiration of blood and the catheter site was evaluated for phlebitis. All dogs in the heparinized saline and 0.9% sodium chloride group had catheters that flushed easily at each evaluation point. More dogs in the saline group had catheters from which blood could not be aspirated, but there was no significant difference between these groups. All dogs in the control group had catheters that flushed easily at the end of the assigned 6 hour interval except in 1 dog. Phlebitis was not detected in any dog. Flushes of 0.9% sodium chloride were found to be as effective as 10 IU/mL heparinized saline flushes in maintaining patency of 18-Ga peripheral venous catheters in dogs for up to 42 hours. For peripheral catheters placed with the intention of performing serial blood draws, heparinized flushes may be warranted. © Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Society 2013.

A Comparison of Escalating versus Fixed Reinforcement Schedules on Undergraduate Quiz Taking

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mahoney, Amanda

2017-01-01

Drug abstinence studies indicate that escalating reinforcement schedules maintain abstinence for longer periods than fixed reinforcement schedules. The current study evaluated whether escalating reinforcement schedules would maintain more quiz taking than fixed reinforcement schedules. During baseline and for the control group, bonus points were…

Strength training improves the tri-digit finger-pinch force control of older adults.

PubMed

Keogh, Justin W; Morrison, Steve; Barrett, Rod

2007-08-01

To investigate the effect of unilateral upper-limb strength training on the finger-pinch force control of older men. Pretest and post-test 6-week intervention study. Exercise science research laboratory. Eleven neurologically fit older men (age range, 70-80y). The strength training group (n=7) trained twice a week for 6 weeks, performing dumbbell bicep curls, wrist flexions, and wrists extensions, while the control group subjects (n=4) maintained their normal activities. Changes in force variability, targeting error, peak power frequency, proportional power, sample entropy, digit force sharing, and coupling relations were assessed during a series of finger-pinch tasks. These tasks involved maintaining a constant or sinusoidal force output at 20% and 40% of each subject's maximum voluntary contraction. All participants performed the finger-pinch tasks with both the preferred and nonpreferred limbs. Analysis of covariance for between-group change scores indicated that the strength training group (trained limb) experienced significantly greater reductions in finger-pinch force variability and targeting error, as well as significantly greater increases in finger-pinch force, sample entropy, bicep curl, and wrist flexion strength than did the control group. A nonspecific upper-limb strength-training program may improve the finger-pinch force control of older men.

Reducing absenteeism in hospital cleaning staff: pilot of a theory based intervention.

PubMed

Michie, S; Wren, B; Williams, S

2004-04-01

To develop, pilot, and evaluate a workplace intervention to reduce sickness absence, based on a demand-control-support model of job strain. Changes in the working arrangements of hospital cleaning staff were introduced with the aim of increasing their control over work and the support received at work. The study design was quasi-experimental, with 221 cleaning staff in the intervention group and 91 catering staff in the control group. The dependent variable was the difference in percentage monthly sickness absence between the 12 months preceding and following the intervention. Differences in sickness absence between staff groups for each month after the intervention were compared with differences between staff groups for the equivalent month one year prior to it. There was a significant reduction in the difference in sickness absence rates between the intervention and control group of 2.3% in the six months after the intervention, compared to the six months before. The difference was not maintained at 12 months. These results suggest that a workplace intervention aimed at increasing control and support at work has a small effect on reducing sickness absence among hospital cleaning staff in the short term. Future research should seek to replicate this effect in larger, experimental studies, analyse postulated mediators of such theory based interventions, and develop interventions that maintain improvement.

Effects of Aerobic Exercise Applied Early After Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting on Pulmonary Function, Respiratory Muscle Strength, and Functional Capacity: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

PubMed

Borges, Daniel L; Silva, Mayara Gabrielle; Silva, Luan Nascimento; Fortes, João Vyctor; Costa, Erika Thalita; Assunção, Rebeca Pessoa; Lima, Carlos Magno; da Silva Nina, Vinícius José; Bernardo-Filho, Mário; Caputo, Danúbia Sá

2016-09-01

Physical activity is beneficial in several clinical situations and recommended for patients with ischemic heart disease, as well as for those undergoing cardiac surgery. In a randomized controlled trial, 34 patients underwent coronary artery bypass grafting. A randomized control group (n = 15) submitted to conventional physiotherapy. The intervention group (n = 19) received the same protocol plus additional aerobic exercise with cycle ergometer. Pulmonary function by spirometry, respiratory muscle strength by manovacuometry, and functional capacity through 6-minute walking test was assessed before surgery and at hospital discharge. There was significant reduction in pulmonary function in both groups. In both groups, inspiratory muscle strength was maintained while expiratory muscle strength significantly decreased. Functional capacity was maintained in the intervention group (364.5 [324.5 to 428] vs. 348 [300.7 to 413.7] meters, P = .06), but it decreased significantly in control group patients (320 [288.5 to 393.0] vs. 292 [237.0 to 336.0] meters, P = .01). A significant difference in functional capacity was also found in intergroup analyses at hospital discharge (P = .03). Aerobic exercise applied early on coronary artery bypass grafting patients may promote maintenance of functional capacity, with no impact on pulmonary function and respiratory muscle strength when compared with conventional physiotherapy.

A 12-month follow-up of a mobile-based (mHealth) obesity prevention intervention in pre-school children: the MINISTOP randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Delisle Nyström, Christine; Sandin, Sven; Henriksson, Pontus; Henriksson, Hanna; Maddison, Ralph; Löf, Marie

2018-05-24

To date, few mobile health (mHealth) interventions aimed at changing lifestyle behaviors have measured long term effectiveness. At the 6-month follow-up the MINISTOP trial found a statistically significant intervention effect for a composite score comprised of fat mass index (FMI) as well as dietary and physical activity variables; however, no intervention effect was observed for FMI. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate if the MINISTOP intervention 12-months after baseline measurements: (i) improved FMI and (ii) had a maintained effect on a composite score comprised of FMI and dietary and physical activity variables. A two-arm parallel randomized controlled trial was conducted in 315 healthy 4.5 year old children between January 2014 and October 2015. Parents' of the participating children either received the MINISTOP intervention or a basic pamphlet on dietary and physical activity behaviors (control group). After 6 months, participants did not have access to the intervention content and were measured again 6 months later (i.e. the 12-month follow-up). The Wilcoxon rank-sum test was then used to examine differences between the groups. At the 12-month follow-up, no statistically significant difference was observed between the intervention and control groups for FMI (p = 0.57) and no maintained effect for the change in composite score was observed (mean ± standard deviation for the intervention and control group: + 0.53 ± 1.49 units and + 0.35 ± 1.27 units respectively, p = 0.25 between groups). The intervention effect observed at the 6-month follow-up on the composite score was not maintained at the 12-month follow-up, with no effect on FMI being observed at either follow-up. Future studies using mHealth are needed to investigate how changes in obesity related markers in young children can be maintained over longer time periods. ClinicalTrials.gov ( NCT02021786 ; 20 Dec 2013).

Normal T-cell activation in elite controllers with preserved CD4+ T-cell counts.

PubMed

Bansal, Anju; Sterrett, Sarah; Erdmann, Nathan; Westfall, Andrew O; Dionne-Odom, Jodie; Overton, Edgar T; Goepfert, Paul A

2015-11-01

HIV elite controllers suppress HIV viremia without antiretroviral therapy (ART), yet previous studies demonstrated that elite controllers maintain an activated T-cell phenotype. Chronic immune activation has detrimental consequences and thus ART has been advocated for all elite controllers. However, elite controllers are not a clinically homogenous group. Since CD4% is among the best predictors of AIDS-related events, in the current study, we assessed whether this marker can be used to stratify elite controllers needing ART. Sixteen elite controllers were divided into two groups based on CD4% (EC > 40% and EC ≤40%), and T-cell subsets were analyzed for markers of memory/differentiation (CD45RA, CCR7, CD28), activation (CD38/HLA-DR), immunosenescence (CD57), costimulation (CD73, CD28) and exhaustion (PD-1, CD160, Tim-3). Monocyte subsets (CD14, CD16) were also analyzed and sCD14 levels were quantified using ELISA. In the EC group, expression of activation, exhaustion, and immunosensescence markers on T cells were significantly reduced compared with the EC group and similar to the seronegative controls. The EC group expressed higher levels of costimulatory molecules CD28 and CD73 and had lower levels of monocyte activation (HLA-DR expression) with a reduced frequency of inflammatory monocyte (CD14 CD16) subset. Furthermore, the EC group maintained a stable CD4% during a median follow-up of 6 years. Elite controllers with preserved CD4T cells (EC) have normal T-cell and monocyte phenotypes and therefore may have limited benefit from ART. CD4% can be an important marker for evaluating future studies aimed at determining the need for ART in this group of individuals.

Effects of a Minimal Workplace Intervention to Reduce Sedentary Behaviors and Improve Perceived Wellness in Middle-Aged Women Office Workers.

PubMed

Urda, Joyan L; Lynn, Jeffrey S; Gorman, Andrea; Larouere, Beth

2016-08-01

The purpose of this study was to determine whether an alert to get up once per hour while at work would reduce sitting time, increase sit-to-stand transitions, and improve perceived wellness in women with sedentary jobs. Female university staff and administrators (48 ± 10 years) were randomly assigned to control-control (CC) (n = 22) or control-intervention (CI) (n = 22) groups. Both used a thigh-worn postural-based activity monitor for 2 weeks. The CC group maintained normal behaviors, whereas the CI group maintained behaviors during control week, but received hourly alerts on their computer during work hours in the intervention week. Time sitting and sit-to-stand transitions during an 8.5-hour workday were examined. A perceived wellness survey was completed at baseline and after the control and intervention weeks. Among all participants (N = 44) during the control week, 68% of the workday was spent sitting and 41 sit-to-stand transitions occurred. An analysis of variance revealed no statistically significant differences in variables over time (P > .05). There was a significant increase in perceived wellness from baseline in both groups (P ≤ .05). Perceived wellness showed no statistically significant difference between groups. The intervention had no statistically significant effect on sitting time or sit-to-stand transitions. Participation improved perceived wellness in the absence of behavior change.

Comparison of the effect of BCAA granules on between decompensated and compensated cirrhosis.

PubMed

Habu, Daiki; Nishiguchi, Shuhei; Nakatani, Shinji; Lee, Chulyoo; Enomoto, Masaru; Tamori, Akihiro; Takeda, Tadashi; Ohfuji, Satoko; Fukushima, Wakaba; Tanaka, Takashi; Kawamura, Etsuji; Shiomi, Susumu

2009-01-01

We designed a randomized trial to examine whether increase or preservation of serum albumin levels was attained with administration of branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) granules for compensated cirrhosis, compared with decompensated cirrhosis. Sixty-five patients with HCV-related cirrhosis with serum albumin level less than 4.0 g/dl were enrolled in this study. Half of the patients were randomly assigned to receive 14.22 g/day of BCAA granules orally, and half were assigned to a control group. Patients were evaluated at entry and at 1-year intervals for at least 2 years. The parameters were divided into 3 categories. Class 1 was decompensated cirrhosis with serum albumin level less than 3.5 mg/dl. Class 2 was compensated cirrhosis with serum albumin level over 3.6 mg/dl and molar ratio of BCAA to tyrosine (BTR) less than 4. Class 3 was compensated cirrhosis with serum albumin level over 3.6 mg/dl and BTR over 4. In class 1 and class 2, the BCAA group exhibited significantly higher rates of maintaining serum albumin level than the control group for 2 years. In contrast, there was no significant difference between the BCAA group and control group in rate of maintaining serum albumin levels in class 3. Those results suggested that if cirrhotic patients were in the compensated stage at the entry but with lower BTR, as for decompensated cirrhosis, oral BCAA supplementation might be effective in maintaining serum albumin level for 2 years.

The effect of ephedrine on intraoperative hypothermia

PubMed Central

Jo, Youn Yi; Kim, Ji Young; Kim, Joon-Sik; Kwon, Youngjun

2011-01-01

Background Prevention of intraoperative hypothermia has become a standard of operative care. Since ephedrine has a thermogenic effect and it is frequently used to treat hypotension during anesthesia, this study was designed to determine the effect of ephedrine on intraoperative hypothermia of patients who are undergoing spine surgery. Methods Twenty-four patients were randomly divided to receive an ephedrine (the ephedrine group, n = 12) or normal saline (the control group, n = 12) infusion for 2 h. The esophageal temperature (the core temperature), the index finger temperature (the peripheral temperature) and the hemodynamic variables such as the mean blood pressure and heart rate were measured every 15 minutes after the intubation. Results At the end of the study period, the esophageal temperature and hemodynamic variables were significantly decreased in the control group, whereas those in the ephedrine group were stably maintained. The index finger temperature was significantly lower in the ephedrine group compared to that in the control group, suggesting the prevention of core-to-peripheral redistribution of the heat as the cause of temperature maintenance. Conclusions An intraoperative infusion of ephedrine minimized the decrease of the core temperature and it stably maintained the hemodynamic variables during spine surgery with the patient under general anesthesia. PMID:21602974

Add-on effects of a low-dose aripiprazole in resolving hyperprolactinemia induced by risperidone or paliperidone.

PubMed

Qiao, Ying; Yang, Fuzhong; Li, Chunbo; Guo, Qian; Wen, Hui; Zhu, Suoyu; Ouyang, Qiong; Shen, Weidi; Sheng, Jianhua

2016-03-30

This study investigated the effects of a low-dose aripiprazole adjunctive treatment for risperidone- or paliperidone-induced hyperprolactinemia in Han Chinese women with schizophrenia. After 4 weeks of risperidone or paliperidone treatment, 60 out of 66 patients improved significantly and experienced hyperprolactinemia. They were randomly assigned to the treatment group (aripiprazole adjunctive treatment) (n=30) or control group (non-adjunctive treatment) (n=30). The dosage of risperidone and paliperidone were maintained; and aripiprazole was maintained at 5mg/day during the 8-week study period. The prolactin levels at the end of the 8th week were significantly lower in the treatment group than in the control group. The estradiol level correlated negatively with serum prolactin level both in the treatment group and the control group at the end of the 8th week and the 4th week respectively. The Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale score improved significantly during the 8-week study period in both groups. The incidence of treatment-emergent adverse event was similar in two groups. Low-dose aripiprazole adjunctive treatment is effective in relieving risperidone- and paliperidone-induced hyperprolactinemia in female schizophrenic patients without increasing adverse event. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

The effectiveness of beauty care on self-rated health among community-dwelling older people.

PubMed

Kawai, Hisashi; Inomata, Takashi; Otsuka, Rika; Sugiyama, Yoichi; Hirano, Hirohiko; Obuchi, Shuichi

2016-01-01

The maintenance and improvement of self-rated health is important for prolonging healthy life expectancy in a well-aged society. In the present study, we examined the effectiveness of beauty care on self-rated health among community-dwelling older people through a quasi- randomized controlled trial by propensity score matching (PSM). One hundred twelve community-dwelling older people who were recruited from the local community, participated in a beauty care program that consisted of two training sessions per month for 3 months and daily enforcement of facial skin care (intervention group). Seven hundred fifty-nine participants who received a comprehensive geriatric assessment were treated as a control group. Sex, age, BMI, lifestyle habits, hand grip strength, walking speed, skeletal muscle mass, bone density, medical history and life function (Kihon Checklist) were matched by the PSM method. We compared the subjects' self-rated health, depressive mood status (self-rating depression scale: SDS), and the frequency of going outdoors in the intervention and control groups before and after intervention. The improvements of SDS were significantly greater in the intervention group than in the control group. The self-rated health and the frequency of going outdoors were maintained in the intervention group but were significantly decreased in the control group. We conclude that beauty care is effective for maintaining and improving the self-rated health and depression status of community-dwelling older people and that it may help prolong healthy life expectancy.

Effect of different East Coast Fever control strategies on fertility, milk production and weight gain of Sanga cattle in the Central Province of Zambia.

PubMed

Minjauw, B; Otte, J; James, A D; de Castro, J J; Sinyangwe, P

1997-12-01

Five different East Coast Fever (ECF) (Theileria parva infection) control strategies, based on tick control and/or ECF immunization, were tested in groups of traditionally managed Sanga cattle in the Central Province of Zambia over a period of 2.5 years. Two groups were kept under intensive tick control (sprayed weekly), one group immunized and one non-immunized. Two further groups were under no tick control, one group immunized and one non-immunized, while a fifth group was immunized against ECF and maintained under strategic tick control (18 sprays per year). Tick control increased milk production and weight gain but not fertility. Immunization had neither marked detrimental nor beneficial effects on the cattle productivity. The combination of strategic tick control and immunization resulted in the highest level of production and at the same time reduced the potential risk from other tick-borne diseases.

Resistant starch reduces colonic and urinary p-cresol in rats fed a tyrosine-supplemented diet, whereas konjac mannan does not.

PubMed

Chen, Bixiao; Morioka, Sahya; Nakagawa, Tomoyuki; Hayakawa, Takashi

2016-10-01

The effect of resistant starch (RS) and konjac mannan (KM) to maintain and improve the large intestinal environment was compared. Wistar SPF rats were fed the following diets for 4 weeks: negative control diet (C diet), tyrosine-supplemented positive control diet (T diet), and luminacoid supplemented diets containing either high-molecular konjac mannan A (KMAT diet), low-molecular konjac mannan B (KMBT diet), high-amylose cornstarch (HAST diet), or heat-moisture-treated starch (HMTST diet). The luminacoid-fed group had an increased content of short-chain fatty acids in the cecum. HAS caused a significant decrease in p-cresol content in the cecum, whereas KM did not. Urinary p-cresol was reduced in the HAST group compared with the T group, but not the KM fed groups. Deterioration in the large intestinal environment was only improved completely in the HAST and HMTST groups, suggesting that RS is considerably more effective than KM in maintaining the large intestinal environment.

Minimizing variance in pediatric gastrostomy: does standardized perioperative feeding plan decrease cost and improve outcomes?

PubMed

Sunstrom, Rachel; Hamilton, Nicholas; Fialkowski, Elizabeth; Lofberg, Katrine; McKee, Julie; Sims, Thomas; Krishnaswami, Sanjay; Azarow, Kenneth

2016-05-01

A protocol for laparoscopic gastrostomy placement was implemented which specified perioperative antibiotics, feeding regimens, and discharge criteria. Our hypothesis was that hospital cost could be decreased, whereas at the same time improving or maintaining patient outcomes. Data were collected on consecutive patients beginning 6 months after implementation of our protocol. We recorded surgeon compliance, patient outcomes (as defined by 30-day NSQIP complication rates), and cost of initial hospitalization, which was then compare to a 6-month historical control period. Our control group n = 26 and protocol group n = 39. Length of stay was shorter in the protocol group (P ≤ .05 by nonparametric analysis). The complication rate was similar in both groups (23% control vs 15% protocol, P = .43). Initial hospital costs were not different. Surgeon compliance to protocol was 82%. A standard protocol is achievable for gastrostomy tube management. After implementation of our protocol, we were able to show a significant decrease in length of stay, whereas maintaining quality. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Leisure-time physical activity patterns by weight control status: 1999-2002 NHANES.

PubMed

Kruger, Judy; Yore, Michelle M; Kohl, Harold W

2007-05-01

Regular physical activity reduces the risk of hypertension, type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, stroke, and some cancers. Physical activity is associated inversely with overweight and obesity prevalence, thus potentially assisting in weight control efforts. The purpose of this paper is to examine the variability of physical activity levels and their patterns by self-reported weight control status in a nationally representative sample. Four years of data from the 1999-2002 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) were used to examine leisure-time physical activity patterns (regular, irregular, inactive) and the prevalence of weight control practices (trying to lose, trying to maintain, not trying to lose or maintain) among U.S. adults (N = 9496). The prevalence of regular physical activity was 32.6% among people trying to lose weight, 37.9% among people trying to maintain weight, and 21.8% among those not trying to lose or maintain weight. Those trying to lose weight were almost three times as likely to be regularly active (vs inactive), and those trying to maintain weight were over three times more likely to be regularly active (vs inactive) than those not trying to lose or maintain weight. The most commonly reported activities among those trying to lose weight were walking (38.3%), yard work (14.5%), biking (12.5%), and running (11.6%). Despite the importance of physical activity, fewer than half the people trying to lose or maintain weight were regularly active during leisure-time. People trying to lose or maintain weight had a higher likelihood of being regularly active than those not trying to lose or maintain weight. Walking was the most common type of physical activity among all weight control groups. Health promotion efforts should promote increased levels of physical activity among all adults.

Benefits of cognitive-motor intervention in MCI and mild to moderate Alzheimer disease.

PubMed

Olazarán, J; Muñiz, R; Reisberg, B; Peña-Casanova, J; del Ser, T; Cruz-Jentoft, A J; Serrano, P; Navarro, E; García de la Rocha, M L; Frank, A; Galiano, M; Fernández-Bullido, Y; Serra, J A; González-Salvador, M T; Sevilla, C

2004-12-28

To evaluate the efficacy of a cognitive-motor program in patients with early Alzheimer disease (AD) who are treated with a cholinesterase inhibitor (ChEI). Patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) (12), mild AD (48), and moderate AD (24) (Global Deterioration Scale stages 3, 4, and 5) were randomized to receive psychosocial support plus cognitive-motor intervention (experimental group) or psychosocial support alone (control group). Cognitive-motor intervention (CMI) consisted of a 1-year structured program of 103 sessions of cognitive exercises, plus social and psychomotor activities. The primary efficacy measure was the cognitive subscale of the AD Assessment Scale (ADAS-cog). Secondary efficacy measures were the Mini-Mental State Examination, the Functional Activities Questionnaire, and the Geriatric Depression Scale. Evaluations were conducted at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months by blinded evaluators. Patients in the CMI group maintained cognitive status at month 6, whereas patients in the control group had significantly declined at that time. Cognitive response was higher in the patients with fewer years of formal education. In addition, more patients in the experimental group maintained or improved their affective status at month 12 (experimental group, 75%; control group, 47%; p = 0.017). A long-term CMI in ChEI-treated early Alzheimer disease patients produced additional mood and cognitive benefits.

Development of the salt-reduction and efficacy-maintenance program in Indonesia.

PubMed

Irwan, Andi Masyitha; Kato, Mayumi; Kitaoka, Kazuyo; Ueno, Eiichi; Tsujiguchi, Hiromasa; Shogenji, Miho

2016-12-01

We conducted a randomized, controlled trial to examine the effects of a salt-reduction and efficacy-maintenance program on the improvement and maintenance of self-care and self-efficacy in reducing the salt intake of older people with high blood pressure. A total of 51 participants with hypertension/prehypertension in Indonesia were randomly assigned to a control group or one of two intervention groups: salt-reduction training or salt-reduction and efficacy-maintenance. The salt-reduction and efficacy-maintenance group received educational training and a maintenance meeting; the participants' knowledge, attitudes, self-care practices, and self-efficacy significantly improved after training and were maintained after the maintenance meeting. Participants in the salt-reduction training group showed significant effects for the same variables; however, their food salt concentrations rebounded after the maintenance meeting. No significant improvement was found in the control group. The salt-reduction and efficacy-maintenance group participants reported positive effects of salt reduction and different practices based on who prepared their meals. The salt-reduction and efficacy-maintenance group program was effective in improving and maintaining knowledge, attitudes, and self-efficacy of salt-reduction practices and could be applied with community-dwelling older people with high blood pressure. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

Maintaining nutrition in aged care residents with a train-the-trainer intervention and Nutrition Coordinator.

PubMed

Gaskill, D; Isenring, E A; Black, L J; Hassall, S; Bauer, J D

2009-12-01

To investigate the impact of a train-the-trainer program on the nutritional status of older people in residential care. Prospective, randomized controlled study. Eight nursing homes in Southeast Queensland, Australia. A total of 352 residents participated - 245 were female (69.6%). The mean age was 84.2 years and the majority (79.4%) were classified as high dependency. Residents from four nursing homes were randomly selected for a nutrition education program coordinated by Nutrition Coordinators. Residents from the other four nursing homes (control) received usual care. The Subjective Global Assessment was used to determine prevalence of malnutrition at baseline and six months post intervention. The Resident Classification Scale measured functional dependency. Prescribed diet, fluids, oral hygiene status and allied health referrals were obtained by chart audit. Approximately half the residents were well nourished with 49.4% moderately or severely malnourished. Residents in the intervention group were more likely to maintain or improve their nutritional status compared with the control group who were more likely to experience a deterioration (P=0.027). The odds of the control group being malnourished post test was 1.6 times more likely compared with the intervention group but this did not reach statistical significance (P=0.1). The results of the study encourage the implementation of a Nutrition Coordinator program to maintain nutritional status of aged care residents. Nevertheless, malnutrition rates continue to be unacceptably high. In a rapidly aging society, the aged care sector needs to confront malnutrition and provide better resources for staff to take measures against this problem.

A prescription for health: a primary care based intervention to maintain the non-smoking status of young people

PubMed Central

Fidler, W.; Lambert, T.

2001-01-01

OBJECTIVES—To evaluate the effectiveness of primary health care teams in maintaining a group of young people aged 10-15 years as non-smokers.
DESIGN—Randomised controlled trial using postal questionnaires.
SETTING—Oxfordshire, UK.
SUBJECTS—2942 young people who were initially self declared non-smokers.
INTERVENTION—Information about smoking, sent under signature of the subject's general practitioner, certificates and posters intended to reinforce non-smoking behaviour.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES—Changes in smoking behaviour, attitudes measured after one year.
RESULTS—After a year, smoking uptake was 7.8% in the control group compared with 5.1% in the intervention group (odds ratio (OR) 1.6, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.1 to 2.2). Among boys the corresponding results were 5.2% and 2.4% (OR 2.3, 95% CI 1.2 to 4.6), and among girls 10.0% and 7.5% (OR 1.4, 95% CI 0.9 to 2.1). Among boys aged 14-15 the uptake rate was 12.8% in the control group compared with 5.4% in the intervention group. However, among girls of the same age the intervention was less effective, with smoking uptake of 15.1% in the control group and 12.8% in the intervention group. The intervention was more effective among young people whose initial attitudes identified them as definite non-smokers than those who were potential smokers.
CONCLUSIONS—The intervention substantially reduced smoking uptake among the young people, particularly boys. Primary health care teams can play an important role in maintaining the non-smoking status of their young patients. Confidential postal contact from the doctor direct to the young person at home is influential and cost-effective.


Keywords: smoking initiation; smoking prevention; young people; primary care PMID:11226356

The synergistic effect of 5Azadc and TSA on maintenance of pluripotency of chicken ESCs by overexpression of NANOG gene.

PubMed

Wang, Xiaoyan; Wang, Yingjie; Zuo, Qisheng; Li, Dong; Zhang, Wenhui; Lian, Chao; Tang, Beibei; Xiao, Tianrong; Wang, Man; Wang, Kehua; Li, Bichun; Zhang, Yani

2016-04-01

NANOG is a transcription factor that functions in embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and a key factor in maintaining pluripotency. Here, we cloned the NANOG gene promoter from the Rugao yellow chicken and constructed a dual luciferase reporter vector to detect its transcriptional activity and analyze the effects of 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine (5-Azadc) and trichostatin A (TSA) on NANOG promoter activity and ESC pluripotency maintenance in vitro. NANOG transcriptional activity was enhanced when 5-Azadc and TSA were used alone or together, suggesting the possibility of elevated methylation of the CpG island in the NANOG regulatory region. When ESCs were cultured in basic medium with 5-Azadc and TSA in vitro, significantly more cell colonies were maintained in the 5-Azadc + TSA group than in the control group, which had many differentiated cells and few cell colonies after 6 d of induction. On the tenth day of induction, the cells in the control group fully differentiated and no cell colonies remained, but many cell colonies were present in the 5-Azadc + TSA group. The expression of NANOG in the cell colonies was confirmed by indirect immunofluorescence. Furthermore, ESCs could be passaged to the 12th generation under 5-Azadc and TSA treatment and maintained their pluripotency. Thus, we showed that 5-Azadc and TSA can effectively maintain chicken ESC pluripotency in vitro by increasing NANOG gene expression.

Goal-directed fluid optimization based on stroke volume variation and cardiac index during one-lung ventilation in patients undergoing thoracoscopy lobectomy operations: a pilot study.

PubMed

Zhang, Jian; Chen, Chao Qin; Lei, Xiu Zhen; Feng, Zhi Ying; Zhu, Sheng Mei

2013-07-01

This pilot study was designed to utilize stroke volume variation and cardiac index to ensure fluid optimization during one-lung ventilation in patients undergoing thoracoscopic lobectomies. Eighty patients undergoing thoracoscopic lobectomy were randomized into either a goal-directed therapy group or a control group. In the goal-directed therapy group, the stroke volume variation was controlled at 10%±1%, and the cardiac index was controlled at a minimum of 2.5 L.min-1.m-2. In the control group, the MAP was maintained at between 65 mm Hg and 90 mm Hg, heart rate was maintained at between 60 BPM and 100 BPM, and urinary output was greater than 0.5 mL/kg-1/h-1. The hemodynamic variables, arterial blood gas analyses, total administered fluid volume and side effects were recorded. The PaO2/FiO2-ratio before the end of one-lung ventilation in the goal-directed therapy group was significantly higher than that of the control group, but there were no differences between the goal-directed therapy group and the control group for the PaO2/FiO2-ratio or other arterial blood gas analysis indices prior to anesthesia. The extubation time was significantly earlier in the goal-directed therapy group, but there was no difference in the length of hospital stay. Patients in the control group had greater urine volumes, and they were given greater colloid and overall fluid volumes. Nausea and vomiting were significantly reduced in the goal-directed therapy group. The results of this study demonstrated that an optimization protocol, based on stroke volume variation and cardiac index obtained with a FloTrac/Vigileo device, increased the PaO2/FiO2-ratio and reduced the overall fluid volume, intubation time and postoperative complications (nausea and vomiting) in thoracic surgery patients requiring one-lung ventilation.

Effect of Task-Centered Instructional Programs on Hypertensives' Ability to Achieve and Maintain Reduced Dietary Sodium Intake.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mann, Karen V.; Sullivan, Patricia L.

This study sought to determine the effectiveness of systematically designed instructional programs in helping adult hypertensives to achieve and maintain dietary sodium intake. Sixty-six subjects were randomly allocated to one of three groups: task-centered instruction; task-centered instruction plus goal-setting and self-monitoring; or control.…

Wenxin Keli versus Sotalol for Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation Caused by Hyperthyroidism: A Prospective, Open Label, and Randomized Study

PubMed Central

Meng, Zhaowei; Tan, Jian; He, Qing; Zhu, Mei; Li, Xue; Zhang, Jianping; Jia, Qiang; Wang, Shen; Zhang, Guizhi; Zheng, Wei

2015-01-01

We aimed to compare effectiveness of Wenxin Keli (WK) and sotalol in assisting sinus rhythm (SR) restoration from paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF) caused by hyperthyroidism, as well as in maintaining SR. We randomly prescribed WK (18 g tid) or sotalol (80 mg bid) to 91 or 89 patients. Since it was not ethical not to give patients antiarrhythmia drugs, no control group was set. Antithyroid drugs were given to 90 patients (45 in WK group, 45 in sotalol group); 131I was given to 90 patients (46 in WK group, 44 in sotalol group). Three months later, SR was obtained in 83/91 or 80/89 cases from WK or sotalol groups (P = 0.762). By another analysis, SR was obtained in 86/90 or 77/90 cases from 131I or ATD groups (P = 0.022). Then, we randomly assigned the successfully SR-reverted patients into three groups: WK, sotalol, and control (no antiarrhythmia drug was given) groups. After twelve-month follow-up, PAF recurrence happened in 1/54, 2/54, and 9/55 cases, respectively. Log-Rank test showed significant higher PAF recurrent rate in control patients than either treatment (P = 0.06). We demonstrated the same efficacies of WK and sotalol to assist SR reversion from hyperthyroidism-caused PAF. We also showed that either drug could maintain SR in such patients. PMID:26074982

Randomized Controlled Trial of a MUFA or Fiber-Rich Diet on Hepatic Fat in Prediabetes

PubMed Central

Errazuriz, Isabel; Dube, Simmi; Slama, Michael; Visentin, Roberto; Nayar, Sunita; O’Connor, Helen; Cobelli, Claudio; Das, Swapan Kumar; Basu, Ananda; Kremers, Walter Karl; Port, John

2017-01-01

Context: Increased prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus and prediabetes worldwide is attributed in part to an unhealthy diet. Objective: To evaluate whether 12 weeks of high monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) or fiber-rich weight-maintenance diet lowers hepatic fat and improves glucose tolerance in people with prediabetes. Design: Subjects underwent a [6, 6-2H2]–labeled 75-g oral glucose tolerance test to estimate hepatic insulin sensitivity and liver fat fraction (LFF) using magnetic resonance spectroscopy before and after intervention. Setting: Mayo Clinic Clinical Research Trials Unit. Participants: 43 subjects with prediabetes. Intervention: Subjects were randomized into three isocaloric weight-maintaining diets containing MUFA (olive oil), extra fiber, and standard US food (control-habitual diet). Outcome Measures: LFF, glucose tolerance, and indices of insulin action and secretion. Results: Body weight was maintained constant in all groups during the intervention. Glucose and hormonal concentrations were similar in all groups before, and unchanged after, 12 weeks of intervention. LFF was significantly lower after intervention in the MUFA group (P < 0.0003) but remained unchanged in the fiber (P = 0.25) and control groups (P = 0.45). After 12 weeks, LFF was significantly lower in the MUFA than in the control group (P = 0.01), but fiber and control groups did not differ (P = 0.41). Indices of insulin action and secretion were not significantly different between the MUFA and control groups after intervention (P ≥ 0.11), but within-group comparison showed higher hepatic (P = 0.01) and total insulin sensitivity (P < 0.04) with MUFA. Conclusions: Twelve weeks of a MUFA diet decreases hepatic fat and improves both hepatic and total insulin sensitivity. PMID:28323952

Inhibition of surgically induced miosis and prevention of postoperative macular edema with nepafenac

PubMed Central

Cervantes-Coste, Guadalupe; Sánchez-Castro, Yuriana G; Orozco-Carroll, Mónica; Mendoza-Schuster, Erick; Velasco-Barona, Cecilio

2009-01-01

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of prophylactic administration of nepafenac 0.1% in maintaining mydriasis and in preventing postoperative macular edema following cataract surgery. Methods: This was a prospective, randomized, single-masked comparative study in 60 patients undergoing phacoemulsification cataract surgery. Patients were randomized to either the nepafenac or the control group. Nepafenac was administered 3 times daily 1 day before surgery and continued for 6 weeks. The control group received tobramycin-dexamethasone treatment only. Trans-operative mydriasis was measured before surgery, after nuclear emulsification, following cortex aspiration, and at the conclusion of surgery. Macular optical coherence tomography determined central foveal thickness (FT) and total macular volume (TMV) before surgery and at 2 and 6 weeks after surgery. All patients received tobramycin-dexamethasone for 2 weeks after surgery. Results: The difference in mean pupil size, at the end of surgery, between the control group (6.84 ± 0.93 mm) and the nepafenac group (7.91 ± 0.74 mm) was statistically significant (p < 0.001). There were no significant differences in FT values between the two groups at any time point; however, TMV at 2 and at 6 weeks was statistically significantly different (p < 0.001), with higher TMV in the control group. Conclusion: Prophylactic use of nepafenac was effective in reducing macular edema after cataract surgery and in maintaining trans-operative mydriasis. PMID:19668569

Effects of Oral L-Carnitine on Liver Functions after Transarterial Chemoembolization in Intermediate-Stage HCC Patients.

PubMed

Hassan, Abeer; Tsuda, Yasuhiro; Asai, Akira; Yokohama, Keisuke; Nakamura, Ken; Sujishi, Tetsuya; Ohama, Hideko; Tsuchimoto, Yusuke; Fukunishi, Shinya; Abdelaal, Usama M; Arafa, Usama A; Hassan, Ali T; Kassem, Ali M; Higuchi, Kazuhide

2015-01-01

Transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) is usually followed by hepatic dysfunction. We evaluated the effects of L-carnitine on post-TACE impaired liver functions. Methods. 53 cirrhotic hepatocellular carcinoma patients at Osaka Medical College were enrolled in this study and assigned into either L-carnitine group receiving 600 mg oral L-carnitine daily or control group. Liver functions were evaluated at pre-TACE and 1, 4, and 12 weeks after TACE. Results. The L-carnitine group maintained Child-Pugh (CP) score at 1 week after TACE and exhibited significant improvement at 4 weeks after TACE (P < 0.01). Conversely, the control group reported a significant CP score deterioration at 1 week (P < 0.05) and 12 weeks after TACE (P < 0.05). L-carnitine suppressed serum albumin deterioration at 1 week after TACE. There were significant differences between L-carnitine and control groups regarding mean serum albumin changes from baseline to 1 week (P < 0.05) and 4 weeks after TACE (P < 0.05). L-carnitine caused prothrombin time improvement from baseline to 1, 4 (P < 0.05), and 12 weeks after TACE. Total bilirubin mean changes from baseline to 1 week after TACE exhibited significant differences between L-carnitine and control groups (P < 0.05). The hepatoprotective effects of L-carnitine were enhanced by branched chain amino acids combination. Conclusion. L-carnitine maintained and improved liver functions after TACE.

[Effect of manual cleaning and machine cleaning for dental handpiece].

PubMed

Zhou, Xiaoli; Huang, Hao; He, Xiaoyan; Chen, Hui; Zhou, Xiaoying

2013-08-01

Comparing the dental handpiece' s cleaning effect between manual cleaning and machine cleaning. Eighty same contaminated dental handpieces were randomly divided into experimental group and control group, each group contains 40 pieces. The experimental group was treated by full automatic washing machine, and the control group was cleaned manually. The cleaning method was conducted according to the operations process standard, then ATP bioluminescence was used to test the cleaning results. Average relative light units (RLU) by ATP bioluminescence detection were as follows: Experimental group was 9, control group was 41. The two groups were less than the recommended RLU value provided by the instrument manufacturer (RLU < or = 45). There was significant difference between the two groups (P < 0.05). The cleaning quality of the experimental group was better than that of control group. It is recommended that the central sterile supply department should clean dental handpieces by machine to ensure the cleaning effect and maintain the quality.

45 CFR 1304.51 - Management systems and procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... control program quality, maintain program accountability, and advise governing bodies, policy groups, and... DELEGATE AGENCIES Program Design and Management § 1304.51 Management systems and procedures. (a) Program... program planning that includes consultation with the program's governing body, policy groups, and program...

Systematic evaluation of a tissue-engineered bone for maxillary sinus augmentation in large animal canine model.

PubMed

Wang, Shaoyi; Zhang, Zhiyuan; Xia, Lunguo; Zhao, Jun; Sun, Xiaojuan; Zhang, Xiuli; Ye, Dongxia; Uludağ, Hasan; Jiang, Xinquan

2010-01-01

The objective of this study is to systematically evaluate the effects of a tissue-engineered bone complex for maxillary sinus augmentation in a canine model. Twelve sinus floor augmentation surgeries in 6 animals were performed bilaterally and randomly repaired with the following 3 groups of grafts: group A consisted of tissue-engineered osteoblasts/beta-TCP complex (n=4); group B consisted of beta-TCP alone (n=4); group C consisted of autogenous bone obtained from iliac crest as a positive control (n=4). All dogs had uneventful healings following the surgery. Sequential polychrome fluorescent labeling, maxillofacial CT, microhardness tests, as well as histological and histomorphometric analyses indicated that the tissue-engineered osteoblasts/beta-TCP complex dramatically promoted bone formation and mineralization and maximally maintained the height and volume of elevated maxillary sinus. By comparison, both control groups of beta-TCP or autologous iliac bone showed considerable resorption and replacement by fibrous or fatty tissue. We thus conclude that beta-TCP alone could barely maintain the height and volume of the elevated sinus floor, and that the transplantation of autogenous osteoblasts on beta-TCP could promote earlier bone formation and mineralization, maximally maintain height, volume and increase the compressive strength of augmented maxillary sinus. This tissue engineered bone complex might be a better alternative to autologous bone for the clinical edentulous maxillary sinus augmentation. Copyright (c) 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

High sodium intake during postnatal phases induces an increase in arterial blood pressure in adult rats.

PubMed

Moreira, M C S; da Silva, E F; Silveira, L L; de Paiva, Y B; de Castro, C H; Freiria-Oliveira, A H; Rosa, D A; Ferreira, P M; Xavier, C H; Colombari, E; Pedrino, Gustavo R

2014-12-28

Epigenetic studies suggest that diseases that develop in adulthood are related to certain conditions to which the individual is exposed during the initial stages of life. Experimental evidence has demonstrated that offspring born to mothers maintained on high-Na diets during pregnancy have higher mean arterial pressure (MAP) in adulthood. Although these studies have demonstrated the importance of prenatal phases to hypertension development, no evidence regarding the role of high Na intake during postnatal phases in the development of this pathology has been reported. Therefore, in the present study, the effects of Na overload during childhood on induced water and Na intakes and on cardiovascular parameters in adulthood were evaluated. Experiments were carried out in two groups of 21-d-old rats: experimental group, maintained on hypertonic saline (0.3 m-NaCl) solution and food for 60 d, and control group, maintained on tap water and food. Later, both groups were given water and food for 15 d (recovery period). After the recovery period, chronic cannulation of the right femoral artery was performed in unanaesthetised rats to record baseline MAP and heart rate (HR). The experimental group was found to have increased basal MAP (98.6 (sem 2.6) v. 118.3 (sem 2.7) mmHg, P< 0.05) and HR (365.4 (sem 12.2) v. 398.2 (sem 7.5) beats per min, P< 0.05). There was a decrease in the baroreflex index in the experimental group when compared with that in the control group. A water and Na intake test was performed using furosemide. Na depletion was found to induce an increase in Na intake in both the control and experimental groups (12.1 (sem 0.6) ml and 7.8 (sem 1.1), respectively, P< 0.05); however, this increase was of lower magnitude in the experimental group. These results demonstrate that postnatal Na overload alters behavioural and cardiovascular regulation in adulthood.

9 CFR 93.400 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

...-federal disease control and eradication programs. Administrator. The Administrator of the Animal and Plant... the official animal health work of APHIS in the State concerned. As a group. Collectively, in such a manner that the identity of the animals as a unique group is maintained. Authorized USDA representative...

9 CFR 93.400 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

...-federal disease control and eradication programs. Administrator. The Administrator of the Animal and Plant... the official animal health work of APHIS in the State concerned. As a group. Collectively, in such a manner that the identity of the animals as a unique group is maintained. Authorized USDA representative...

9 CFR 93.400 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

...-federal disease control and eradication programs. Administrator. The Administrator of the Animal and Plant... the official animal health work of APHIS in the State concerned. As a group. Collectively, in such a manner that the identity of the animals as a unique group is maintained. Authorized USDA representative...

9 CFR 93.400 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

...-federal disease control and eradication programs. Administrator. The Administrator of the Animal and Plant... the official animal health work of APHIS in the State concerned. As a group. Collectively, in such a manner that the identity of the animals as a unique group is maintained. Authorized USDA representative...

9 CFR 93.400 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

...-federal disease control and eradication programs. Administrator. The Administrator of the Animal and Plant... the official animal health work of APHIS in the State concerned. As a group. Collectively, in such a manner that the identity of the animals as a unique group is maintained. Authorized USDA representative...

Virtual reality-based cognitive training for drug abusers: A randomised controlled trial.

PubMed

Man, David W K

2018-05-08

Non-pharmacological means are being developed to enhance cognitive abilities in drug abusers. This study evaluated virtual reality (VR) as an intervention tool for enhancing cognitive and vocational outcomes in 90 young ketamine users (KU) randomly assigned to a treatment group (virtual reality group, VRG; tutor-administered group, TAG) or wait-listed control group (CG). Two training programmes with similar content but different delivery modes (VR-based and manual-based) were applied using a virtual boutique as a training scenario. Outcome assessments comprised the Digit Vigilance Test, Rivermead Behavioural Memory Test, Wisconsin Cart Sorting Test, work-site test and self-efficacy pre- and post-test and during 3- and 6-month follow-ups. The VRG exhibited significant improvements in attention and improvements in memory that were maintained after 3 months. Both the VRG and TAG exhibited significantly improved vocational skills after training which were maintained during follow-up, and improved self-efficacy. VR-based cognitive training might target cognitive problems in KU.

Behaviours associated with weight loss maintenance and regaining in a Mediterranean population sample. A qualitative study.

PubMed

Karfopoulou, E; Mouliou, K; Koutras, Y; Yannakoulia, M

2013-10-01

In the US, the National Weight Control Registry revealed lifestyle behaviours shared by weight loss maintainers. In the US and the UK, qualitative studies compared the experiences of weight loss maintainers and regainers. High rates of physical activity, a low-energy/low-fat diet, weight self-monitoring, breakfast consumption and flexible control of eating are well-established maintenance behaviours. The Mediterranean lifestyle has not been studied relative to weight loss maintenance. This study focused on a sample of Greek maintainers and regainers. Maintainers emphasized home-cooked meals; their diet does not appear to be low-fat, as home-cooked Greek meals are rich in olive oil. Having a small dinner is a common strategy among maintainers. Health motives were not mentioned by maintainers. Maintainers, but not regainers, appeared to compensate for emotional eating. Weight loss maintenance is imperative to successful obesity treatment. We qualitatively explored lifestyle behaviours associated with weight regulation, in a sample of Greek volunteers who had lost weight and either maintained or regained it. A 10% intentional loss maintained for at least one year was considered successful maintenance. Volunteers (n = 44, 41% men) formed eight focus groups, four of maintainers and four of regainers. Questions regarded weight loss, weight maintenance or regaining, and beliefs on weight maintenance and regaining. All discussions were tape recorded. Maintainers lost weight on their own, whereas regainers sought professional help. Maintainers exercised during both the loss and maintenance phases, whereas regainers showed inconsistent physical activity levels. Health motives for weight loss were mentioned only by regainers. Emotional eating was a common barrier, but only maintainers compensated for it. Maintainers continuously applied specific strategies to maintain their weight: emphasizing home-cooked meals, high eating frequency, a small dinner, portion size regulation, and sweets' intake regulation. Regainers considered the behaviours leading to weight loss different from their normal lifestyle, and resumed their old habits when the diet was over. However, both groups believed that for long-term success, lifestyle changes need to be permanent. © 2013 The Authors. Clinical Obesity © 2013 International Association for the Study of Obesity.

A Graduate Management Project to Improve the Supplemental Care System at Walter Reed Army Medical Center

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-07-20

certain specified parameters. A method of establishing parameters for exceptions to the routine is called the ABC analysis of inventory control...Undcr ABC analysis, the A group is the 20% of line items which are most expensive per item, the B group is the next 20%, and the C group is the...part of a rational, orderly sytem which delivers the health care outputs required by the users, but allows the system managers to maintain control

Lipid-Emulsion Propofol Less Attenuates the Regulation of Body Temperature than Micro-Emulsion Propofol or Sevoflurane in the Elderly

PubMed Central

Jeong, Cheol Won; Ju, Jin; Lee, Dae Wook; Lee, Seong Heon

2012-01-01

Purpose Anesthesia and surgery commonly cause hypothermia, and this caused by a combination of anesthetic-induced impairment of thermoregulatory control, a cold operation room environment and other factors that promote heat loss. All the general anesthetics markedly impair normal autonomic thermoregulatory control. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of two different types of propofol versus inhalation anesthetic on the body temperature. Materials and Methods In this randomized controlled study, 36 patients scheduled for elective laparoscopic gastrectomy were allocated into three groups; group S (sevoflurane, n=12), group L (lipid-emulsion propofol, n=12) and group M (micro-emulsion propofol, n=12). Anesthesia was maintained with typical doses of the study drugs and all the groups received continuous remifentanil infusion. The body temperature was continuously monitored after the induction of general anesthesia until the end of surgery. Results The body temperature was decreased in all the groups. The temperature gradient of each group (group S, group L and group M) at 180 minutes from induction of anesthesia was 2.5±0.6℃, 1.6±0.5℃ and 2.3±0.6℃, respectively. The body temperature of group L was significantly higher than that of group S and group M at 30 minutes and 75 minute after induction of anesthesia, respectively. There were no temperature differences between group S and group M. Conclusion The body temperature is maintained at a higher level in elderly patients anesthetized with lipid-emulsion propofol. PMID:22187253

Lipid-emulsion propofol less attenuates the regulation of body temperature than micro-emulsion propofol or sevoflurane in the elderly.

PubMed

Jeong, Cheol Won; Ju, Jin; Lee, Dae Wook; Lee, Seong Heon; Yoon, Myung Ha

2012-01-01

Anesthesia and surgery commonly cause hypothermia, and this caused by a combination of anesthetic-induced impairment of thermoregulatory control, a cold operation room environment and other factors that promote heat loss. All the general anesthetics markedly impair normal autonomic thermoregulatory control. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of two different types of propofol versus inhalation anesthetic on the body temperature. In this randomized controlled study, 36 patients scheduled for elective laparoscopic gastrectomy were allocated into three groups; group S (sevoflurane, n=12), group L (lipid-emulsion propofol, n=12) and group M (micro-emulsion propofol, n=12). Anesthesia was maintained with typical doses of the study drugs and all the groups received continuous remifentanil infusion. The body temperature was continuously monitored after the induction of general anesthesia until the end of surgery. The body temperature was decreased in all the groups. The temperature gradient of each group (group S, group L and group M) at 180 minutes from induction of anesthesia was 2.5 ± 0.6°C, 1.6 ± 0.5°C and 2.3 ± 0.6°C, respectively. The body temperature of group L was significantly higher than that of group S and group M at 30 minutes and 75 minute after induction of anesthesia, respectively. There were no temperature differences between group S and group M. The body temperature is maintained at a higher level in elderly patients anesthetized with lipid-emulsion propofol.

Adherence to a diabetic care plan provides better glycemic control in ambulatory patients with type 2 diabetes.

PubMed

Chiu, Yi-Wen; Chang, Jer-Ming; Lin, Li-Ing; Chang, Pi-Yu; Lo, Wan-Ching; Wu, Ling-Chu; Chen, Tun-Chieh; Hwang, Shang-Jyh

2009-04-01

Tight control of blood sugar improves the outcomes for diabetic patients, but it can only be achieved by adhering to a well-organized care plan. To evaluate the effect of a diabetes care plan with reinforcement of glycemic control in diabetic patients, 98 ambulatory patients with type 2 diabetes who visited our diabetes clinic every 3-4 months and who completed four education courses given by certified diabetes educators within 3 months after the first visit, were defined as the Intervention group. A total of 82 patients fulfilling the inclusion criteria for the Intervention group but who missed at least half of the diabetes education sessions were selected as controls. Both groups had comparable mean hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels at baseline, which decreased significantly at 3 months and were maintained at approximately constant levels at intervals for up to 1 year. The HbA1c decrement in the Intervention group was significantly greater than that in the Control group over the 1-year follow-up period (HbA1c change: -2.5 +/- 1.8% vs. -1.1 +/- 1.7%, p < 0.01). The maximal HbA1c decrement occurred during the first 3 months, and accounted for 95.6% and 94.6% of the total HbA1c decrements in the Intervention and Control groups, respectively. In the multiple regression model, after adjustment for age, body mass index, and duration of diabetes, the Intervention group may still have a 12.6% improvement in HbA1c from their original value to the end of 1 year treatment compared with the Control group (p < 0.05). Diabetes care, with reinforcement from certified diabetes educators, significantly improved and maintained the effects on glycemic control in ambulatory patients with type 2 diabetes.

Religious behaviors as strategies for organizing groups of people: A social contingency analysis

PubMed Central

Guerin, Bernard

1998-01-01

A social contingency analysis of religion is presented, arguing that individual religious behaviors are principally maintained by the many powerful benefits of participating in social groups rather than by any immediate or obvious consequences of the religious behaviors. Six common strategies are outlined that can shape the behaviors of large groups of people. More specifically, religious behavior is shaped and maintained by making already-existing contingencies contingent upon low-probability, but socially beneficial, group behaviors. Many specific examples of religious themes are then analyzed in terms of these common strategies for social shaping, including taboos, rituals, totems, personal religious crises, and symbolic expression. For example, a common view is that people are anxious about life, death, and the unknown, and that the direct function of religious behaviors is to provide escape from such anxiety. Such an explanation is instead reversed—that any such anxiety is utilized or created by groups through having escape contingent upon members performing less probable behaviors that nonetheless provide important benefits to most individual group members. These generalized beneficial outcomes, rather than escape from anxiety, maintain the religious behaviors and this fits with observations that religions typically act to increase anxiety rather than to reduce it. An implication of this theory is that there is no difference in principle between religious and nonreligious social control, and it is demonstrated that the same social strategies are utilized in both contexts, although religion has been the more historically important form of social control. PMID:22478297

Religious behaviors as strategies for organizing groups of people: A social contingency analysis.

PubMed

Guerin, B

1998-01-01

A social contingency analysis of religion is presented, arguing that individual religious behaviors are principally maintained by the many powerful benefits of participating in social groups rather than by any immediate or obvious consequences of the religious behaviors. Six common strategies are outlined that can shape the behaviors of large groups of people. More specifically, religious behavior is shaped and maintained by making already-existing contingencies contingent upon low-probability, but socially beneficial, group behaviors. Many specific examples of religious themes are then analyzed in terms of these common strategies for social shaping, including taboos, rituals, totems, personal religious crises, and symbolic expression. For example, a common view is that people are anxious about life, death, and the unknown, and that the direct function of religious behaviors is to provide escape from such anxiety. Such an explanation is instead reversed-that any such anxiety is utilized or created by groups through having escape contingent upon members performing less probable behaviors that nonetheless provide important benefits to most individual group members. These generalized beneficial outcomes, rather than escape from anxiety, maintain the religious behaviors and this fits with observations that religions typically act to increase anxiety rather than to reduce it. An implication of this theory is that there is no difference in principle between religious and nonreligious social control, and it is demonstrated that the same social strategies are utilized in both contexts, although religion has been the more historically important form of social control.

Crime, Culture Conflict, and the Sources of Support for Gun Control.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kleck, Gary

1996-01-01

Questions whether attitudes towards gun control are influenced primarily by exposure to high crime rates, prior victimization, and fear of crime, or result from membership in social groups hostile to gun ownership. Maintains that support for gun control is more a product of culture conflict than a response to crime. (MJP)

Neuroscientific Insights: Attention, Working Memory, and Inhibitory Control

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Raver, C. Cybele; Blair, Clancy

2016-01-01

In this article, Cybele Raver and Clancy Blair explore a group of cognitive processes called executive function (EF)--including the flexible control of attention, the ability to hold information through working memory, and the ability to maintain inhibitory control. EF processes are crucial for young children's learning. On the one hand, they can…

Reliability Testing on the CTI-Cryogenic 1 Watt Integral Cooler (HD- 1033C/UA)

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-09-01

SUBJECT TERMS (Continue on reverse if necessary and identify by block numbe) FIELD GROUP SUB- GROUP Cryocooler, Stirling Cycle, Cryogenics 19, ABSTRCT...the Army. C2NVEO also maintains configuration management control of the forward-looking infrared (FLIR) Common Module coolers used in thermal imagers... controlled high/low temperature chamber. * A microprocessor which was programmed to automatically cycle the temperature in the chamber in accordance

Gossip as an effective and low-cost form of punishment.

PubMed

Feinberg, Matthew; Cheng, Joey T; Willer, Robb

2012-02-01

The spreading of reputational information about group members through gossip represents a widespread, efficient, and low-cost form of punishment. Research shows that negative arousal states motivate individuals to gossip about the transgressions of group members. By sharing information in this way groups are better able to promote cooperation and maintain social control and order.

Effect of intravenous infusion of dexmedetomidine on perioperative haemodynamic changes and postoperative recovery: A study with entropy analysis

PubMed Central

Patel, Chirag Ramanlal; Engineer, Smita R; Shah, Bharat J; Madhu, S

2012-01-01

Background: Dexmedetomidine, an α2 agonist, when used as an adjuvant in general anaesthesia attenuates stress response to various noxious stimuli, maintains perioperative haemodynamic stability and provides sedation without significant respiratory depression postoperatively. Methods: Sixty patients were randomly divided into two groups of 30 each. In group A, fentanyl 2 μg/kg and in group B dexmedetomidine were given intravenously as loading dose of 1 μg/kg over 10 min prior to induction. After induction with thiopentone, in group B, dexmedetomidine was given as infusion at a dose of 0.2–0.8 μg/kg. Sevoflurane was used as inhalation agent in both groups. Haemodynamic variables and entropy (response entropy and state entropy) were recorded continuously. Postoperative sedation and recovery were assessed by sedation score and modified Aldrete's score, respectively. Results: Dexmedetomidine significantly attenuates stress response at intubation with lesser increase in heart rate (10% vs. 17%), systolic blood pressure (6% vs. 23%) and diastolic blood pressure (7% vs. 20%) as compared to the control group (P<0.05). Intraoperatively, an average of 8% fall in systolic blood pressure and 8.16% fall in diastolic pressure in the test group as compared to 3.6% rise in systolic and 3.3% in diastolic pressure of the control group was observed. Postoperatively, the test group showed significant sedation at 2 h as compared to the control group (P=0.00) and recovery was better in the control group for the first 2 h post extubation. Conclusion: Dexmedetomidine attenuates various stress responses during surgery and maintains the haemodynamic stability when used as an adjuvant in general anaesthesia. Also, the sedative action of dexmedetomidine delays recovery for the first few hours post extubation. PMID:23325938

Effect of intravenous infusion of dexmedetomidine on perioperative haemodynamic changes and postoperative recovery: A study with entropy analysis.

PubMed

Patel, Chirag Ramanlal; Engineer, Smita R; Shah, Bharat J; Madhu, S

2012-11-01

Dexmedetomidine, an α2 agonist, when used as an adjuvant in general anaesthesia attenuates stress response to various noxious stimuli, maintains perioperative haemodynamic stability and provides sedation without significant respiratory depression postoperatively. Sixty patients were randomly divided into two groups of 30 each. In group A, fentanyl 2 μg/kg and in group B dexmedetomidine were given intravenously as loading dose of 1 μg/kg over 10 min prior to induction. After induction with thiopentone, in group B, dexmedetomidine was given as infusion at a dose of 0.2-0.8 μg/kg. Sevoflurane was used as inhalation agent in both groups. Haemodynamic variables and entropy (response entropy and state entropy) were recorded continuously. Postoperative sedation and recovery were assessed by sedation score and modified Aldrete's score, respectively. Dexmedetomidine significantly attenuates stress response at intubation with lesser increase in heart rate (10% vs. 17%), systolic blood pressure (6% vs. 23%) and diastolic blood pressure (7% vs. 20%) as compared to the control group (P<0.05). Intraoperatively, an average of 8% fall in systolic blood pressure and 8.16% fall in diastolic pressure in the test group as compared to 3.6% rise in systolic and 3.3% in diastolic pressure of the control group was observed. Postoperatively, the test group showed significant sedation at 2 h as compared to the control group (P=0.00) and recovery was better in the control group for the first 2 h post extubation. Dexmedetomidine attenuates various stress responses during surgery and maintains the haemodynamic stability when used as an adjuvant in general anaesthesia. Also, the sedative action of dexmedetomidine delays recovery for the first few hours post extubation.

Prevention of hypothermia in patients undergoing orthotopic liver transplantation using the humigard® open surgery humidification system: a prospective randomized pilot and feasibility clinical trial.

PubMed

Weinberg, Laurence; Huang, Andrew; Alban, Daniel; Jones, Robert; Story, David; McNicol, Larry; Pearce, Brett

2017-01-23

Perioperative thermal disturbances during orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) are common. We hypothesized that in patients undergoing OLT the use of a humidified high flow CO 2 warming system maintains higher intraoperative temperatures when compared to standardized multimodal strategies to maintain thermoregulatory homeostasis. We performed a randomized pilot study in adult patients undergoing primary OLT. Participants were randomized to receive either open wound humidification with a high flow CO 2 warming system in addition to standard care (Humidification group) or to standard care alone (Control group). The primary end point was nasopharyngeal core temperature measured 5 min immediately prior to reperfusion of the donor liver (Stage 3 - 5 min). Secondary endpoints included intraoperative PaCO 2 , minute ventilation and the use of vasoconstrictors. Eleven patients were randomized to each group. Both groups were similar for age, body mass index, MELD, SOFA and APACHE II scores, baseline temperature, and duration of surgery. Immediately prior to reperfusion (Stage 3 - 5 min) the mean (SD) core temperature was higher in the Humidification Group compared to the Control Group: 36.0 °C (0.13) vs. 35.4 °C (0.22), p = 0.028. Repeated measured ANOVA showed that core temperatures over time during the stages of the transplant were higher in the Humidification Group compared to the Control Group (p < 0.0001). There were no significant differences in the ETCO 2 , PaCO 2 , minute ventilation, or inotropic support. The humidified high flow CO 2 warming system was superior to standardized multimodal strategies in maintaining normothermia in patients undergoing OLT. Use of the device was feasible and did not interfere with any aspects of surgery. A larger study is needed to investigate if the improved thermoregulation observed is associated with improved patient outcomes. ACTRN12616001631493 . Retrospectively registered 25 November 2016.

Care control and collaborative working in a prison hospital.

PubMed

Foster, John; Bell, Linda; Jayasinghe, Neil

2013-03-01

This paper reports findings from a qualitative research project, using interviews, focus groups and participant observations, which sought to investigate "good practice" in a nurse-led prison hospital wing for male prisoners. The study raised issues about tensions between "caring" and "control" of prisoners from the perspectives of professionals working or visiting the wing. This paper discusses collaborative working between professionals from different backgrounds, including nurses and healthcare (prison) officers who were based on the wing and others who visited such as probation, medical, Inreach team or Counselling Advice, Referral, Assessment and Through Care team staff (CARAT). The key finding was that there is a balance between therapy and security/risk. In order to maintain this, the two main groups based on the hospital wing--nurses and prison officers--moved between at times cooperating, coordinating and collaborating with each other to maintain this balance. Other themes were care and control, team working, individual and professional responsibilities and communication issues. Enhancing the role of nurses should be encouraged so that therapy remains paramount, and we conclude with some recommendations to encourage collaborative working in prison healthcare settings to ensure that therapy continues to be paramount while security and safety are maintained.

Postural analysis in time and frequency domains in patients with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome.

PubMed

Galli, Manuela; Rigoldi, Chiara; Celletti, Claudia; Mainardi, Luca; Tenore, Nunzio; Albertini, Giorgio; Camerota, Filippo

2011-01-01

The goal of this work is to analyze postural control in Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) participants in time and frequency domain. This study considered a pathological group composed by 22 EDS participants performing a postural test consisting in maintaining standing position over a force platform for 30s in two conditions: open eyes (OE) and closed eyes (CE). In order to compare pathological group we acquired in the same conditions a control group composed by 20 healthy participants. The obtained center of pressure (COP) signal was analyzed in time and frequency domain using an AR model. Results revealed differences between pathological and control group: EDS participants pointed out difficulties in controlling COP displacements trying to keep it inside the BOS in AP direction and for this reason increased the use of ML mechanism in order to avoid the risk of fall. Also in CE conditions they demonstrated more difficulties in maintaining posture revealing the proprioceptive system is impaired, due to ligament laxity that characterized EDS participants. Frequency domain analysis showed no differences between the two groups, affirming that the changes in time domain reflected really the impairment to the postural control mechanism and not a different strategy assumed by EDS participants. These data could help in decision-making process to establish a correct rehabilitation approach, based on the reinforcing of muscle tone to supply the ligament laxity in order to prevent risks of falls and its consequences. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Aerobic exercise and respiratory muscle strength in patients with cystic fibrosis.

PubMed

Dassios, Theodore; Katelari, Anna; Doudounakis, Stavros; Dimitriou, Gabriel

2013-05-01

The beneficial role of exercise in maintaining health in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) is well described. Few data exist on the effect of exercise on respiratory muscle function in patients with CF. Our objective was to compare respiratory muscle function indices in CF patients that regularly exercise with those CF patients that do not. This cross-sectional study assessed nutrition, pulmonary function and respiratory muscle function in 37 CF patients that undertook regular aerobic exercise and in a control group matched for age and gender which consisted of 44 CF patients that did not undertake regular exercise. Respiratory muscle function in CF was assessed by maximal inspiratory pressure (Pimax), maximal expiratory pressure (Pemax) and pressure-time index of the respiratory muscles (PTImus). Median Pimax and Pemax were significantly higher in the exercise group compared to the control group (92 vs. 63 cm H2O and 94 vs. 64 cm H2O respectively). PTImus was significantly lower in the exercise group compared to the control group (0.089 vs. 0.121). Upper arm muscle area (UAMA) and mid-arm muscle circumference were significantly increased in the exercise group compared to the control group (2608 vs. 2178 mm2 and 23 vs. 21 cm respectively). UAMA was significantly related to Pimax in the exercising group. These results suggest that CF patients that undertake regular aerobic exercise maintain higher indices of respiratory muscle strength and lower PTImus values, while increased UAMA values in exercising patients highlight the importance of muscular competence in respiratory muscle function in this population. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of flashlight guidance on manual ventilation performance in cardiopulmonary resuscitation: A randomized controlled simulation study.

PubMed

Kim, Ji Hoon; Beom, Jin Ho; You, Je Sung; Cho, Junho; Min, In Kyung; Chung, Hyun Soo

2018-01-01

Several auditory-based feedback devices have been developed to improve the quality of ventilation performance during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), but their effectiveness has not been proven in actual CPR situations. In the present study, we investigated the effectiveness of visual flashlight guidance in maintaining high-quality ventilation performance. We conducted a simulation-based, randomized, parallel trial including 121 senior medical students. All participants were randomized to perform ventilation during 2 minutes of CPR with or without flashlight guidance. For each participant, we measured mean ventilation rate as a primary outcome and ventilation volume, inspiration velocity, and ventilation interval as secondary outcomes using a computerized device system. Mean ventilation rate did not significantly differ between flashlight guidance and control groups (P = 0.159), but participants in the flashlight guidance group exhibited significantly less variation in ventilation rate than participants in the control group (P<0.001). Ventilation interval was also more regular among participants in the flashlight guidance group. Our results demonstrate that flashlight guidance is effective in maintaining a constant ventilation rate and interval. If confirmed by further studies in clinical practice, flashlight guidance could be expected to improve the quality of ventilation performed during CPR.

Low central venous pressure with milrinone during living donor hepatectomy.

PubMed

Ryu, H-G; Nahm, F S; Sohn, H-M; Jeong, E-J; Jung, C-W

2010-04-01

Maintaining a low central venous pressure (CVP) has been frequently used in liver resections to reduce blood loss. However, decreased preload carries potential risks such as hemodynamic instability. We hypothesized that a low CVP with milrinone would provide a better surgical environment and hemodynamic stability during living donor hepatectomy. Thirty-eight healthy adult liver donors were randomized to receive either milrinone (milrinone group, n = 19) or normal saline (control group, n = 19) infusion during liver resection. The surgical field was assessed using a four-point scale. Intraoperative vital signs, blood loss, the use of vasopressors and diuretics and postoperative laboratory data were compared between groups. The milrinone group showed a superior surgical field (p < 0.001) and less blood loss (142 +/- 129 mL vs. 378 +/- 167 mL, p < 0.001). Vital signs were well maintained in both groups but the milrinone group required smaller amounts of vasopressors and less-frequent diuretics to maintain a low CVP. The milrinone group also showed a more rapid recovery pattern after surgery. Milrinone-induced low CVP improves the surgical field with less blood loss during living donor hepatectomy and also has favorable effects on intraoperative hemodynamics and postoperative recovery.

Efficacy of preventive spinal manipulation for chronic low-back pain and related disabilities: a preliminary study.

PubMed

Descarreaux, Martin; Blouin, Jean-Sébastien; Drolet, Marc; Papadimitriou, Stanislas; Teasdale, Normand

2004-10-01

To document the potential role of maintenance chiropractic spinal manipulation to reduce overall pain and disability levels associated with chronic low-back conditions after an initial phase of intensive chiropractic treatments. Thirty patients with chronic nonspecific low-back pain were separated into 2 groups. The first group received 12 treatments in an intensive 1-month period but received no treatment in a subsequent 9-month period. For this group, a 4-week period preceding the initial phase of treatment was used as a control period to examine the sole effect of time on pain and disability levels. The second group received 12 treatments in an intensive 1-month period and also received maintenance spinal manipulation every 3 weeks for a 9-month follow-up period. Pain and disability levels were evaluated with a visual analog scale and a modified Oswestry questionnaire, respectively. The 1-month control period did not modify the pain and disability levels. For both groups, the pain and disability levels decreased after the intensive phase of treatments. Both groups maintained their pain scores at levels similar to the postintensive treatments throughout the follow-up period. For the disability scores, however, only the group that was given spinal manipulations during the follow-up period maintained their postintensive treatment scores. The disability scores of the other group went back to their pretreatment levels. Intensive spinal manipulation is effective for the treatment of chronic low back pain. This experiment suggests that maintenance spinal manipulations after intensive manipulative care may be beneficial to patients to maintain subjective postintensive treatment disability levels. Future studies, however, are needed to confirm the finding in a larger group of patients with chronic low-back pain.

Learning to Control Actions: Transfer Effects following a Procedural Cognitive Control Computerized Training

PubMed Central

Shahar, Nitzan; Meiran, Nachshon

2015-01-01

Few studies have addressed action control training. In the current study, participants were trained over 19 days in an adaptive training task that demanded constant switching, maintenance and updating of novel action rules. Participants completed an executive functions battery before and after training that estimated processing speed, working memory updating, set-shifting, response inhibition and fluid intelligence. Participants in the training group showed greater improvement than a no-contact control group in processing speed, indicated by reduced reaction times in speeded classification tasks. No other systematic group differences were found across the different pre-post measurements. Ex-Gaussian fitting of the reaction-time distribution revealed that the reaction time reduction observed among trained participants was restricted to the right tail of the distribution, previously shown to be related to working memory. Furthermore, training effects were only found in classification tasks that required participants to maintain novel stimulus-response rules in mind, supporting the notion that the training improved working memory abilities. Training benefits were maintained in a 10-month follow-up, indicating relatively long-lasting effects. The authors conclude that training improved action-related working memory abilities. PMID:25799443

Following the Physical Activity Guidelines for Adults With Spinal Cord Injury for 16 Weeks Does Not Improve Vascular Health: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

PubMed

Totosy de Zepetnek, Julia O; Pelletier, Chelsea A; Hicks, Audrey L; MacDonald, Maureen J

2015-09-01

To evaluate the effects of following the physical activity guidelines (PAG) for adults with spinal cord injury (SCI) for 16 weeks. Randomized controlled trial. Community exercise program. Individuals with SCI (N=23; neurological level of injury, C3-T11; American Spinal Injury Association Impairment Scale A-C; time postinjury, 12.0±9.9 y; age, 41.4±11.6 y). Participants were randomly assigned to PAG training (n=12) or active control (n=11) groups. PAG training involved ≥20 minutes of moderate-vigorous aerobic exercise (rating of perceived exertion 3-6 on 10-point scale) and 3×10 repetitions of upper-body strengthening exercises (50%-70% 1 repetition maximum) 2 times per week. The control group maintained existing physical activity levels with no guidance on training intensity. Outcome measures were obtained pre- and postintervention. Vascular health indicators included arterial stiffness via carotid distensibility and pulse wave velocity, and endothelial function via flow-mediated-dilation. Fasted blood samples were analyzed for markers of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. Body composition was assessed via anthropometrics and with dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. Twenty-one individuals completed the intervention (PAG=12, control=9). Group-by-time interactions were observed for whole-body mass (P=.03), whole-body fat (P=.04), visceral adipose tissue (P=.04), and carotid artery distensibility (P=.05), suggesting maintained body composition and carotid stiffness in the PAG group concurrent with declines in the control group. No changes were found in any other outcome measure. While 16 weeks of adherence to the PAG in adults with SCI is insufficient to improve many markers of CVD risk, it may prevent declines in others. The PAG should continue to be promoted as a means to increase physical fitness and maintain body composition in individuals with SCI, but changes may be needed to achieve other health outcomes. Copyright © 2015 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

8 CFR 207.5 - Waiting lists and priority handling.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... REFUGEES § 207.5 Waiting lists and priority handling. Waiting lists are maintained for each designated refugee group of special humanitarian concern. Each applicant whose application is accepted for filing by... filing is the priority date for purposes of case control. Refugees or groups of refugees may be selected...

Tobacco Cessation for Adolescents: Developing a Group Therapy Approach.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moolchan, Eric T.; Ruckel, Susan J.

2002-01-01

Describes a cognitive-behavioral therapeutic approach to help teenagers better manage life stressors by using effective and adaptive coping skills, while identifying and addressing specific factors that lead either to smoking or maintaining abstinence from smoking behavior. Discusses specific group exercises that empower teens to take control of…

Ocular Fixation Abnormality in Patients with Autism Spectrum Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shirama, Aya; Kanai, Chieko; Kato, Nobumasa; Kashino, Makio

2016-01-01

We examined the factors that influence ocular fixation control in adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) including sensory information, individuals' motor characteristics, and inhibitory control. The ASD group showed difficulty in maintaining fixation especially when there was no fixation target. The fixational eye movement characteristics of…

Biochemical Changes in Postmenopausal Women Following a Muscle Fitness Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Snow-Harter, Christine

1987-01-01

Twelve postmenopausal women attending a 50 minute exercise class three times a week for eight weeks were compared with 10 controls who maintained sedentary routines. Results showed that the exercise group had higher serum alkaline phosphatase and lower serum calcium than the controls. (Author/CB)

Bon-EV: an improved multiple testing procedure for controlling false discovery rates.

PubMed

Li, Dongmei; Xie, Zidian; Zand, Martin; Fogg, Thomas; Dye, Timothy

2017-01-03

Stability of multiple testing procedures, defined as the standard deviation of total number of discoveries, can be used as an indicator of variability of multiple testing procedures. Improving stability of multiple testing procedures can help to increase the consistency of findings from replicated experiments. Benjamini-Hochberg's and Storey's q-value procedures are two commonly used multiple testing procedures for controlling false discoveries in genomic studies. Storey's q-value procedure has higher power and lower stability than Benjamini-Hochberg's procedure. To improve upon the stability of Storey's q-value procedure and maintain its high power in genomic data analysis, we propose a new multiple testing procedure, named Bon-EV, to control false discovery rate (FDR) based on Bonferroni's approach. Simulation studies show that our proposed Bon-EV procedure can maintain the high power of the Storey's q-value procedure and also result in better FDR control and higher stability than Storey's q-value procedure for samples of large size(30 in each group) and medium size (15 in each group) for either independent, somewhat correlated, or highly correlated test statistics. When sample size is small (5 in each group), our proposed Bon-EV procedure has performance between the Benjamini-Hochberg procedure and the Storey's q-value procedure. Examples using RNA-Seq data show that the Bon-EV procedure has higher stability than the Storey's q-value procedure while maintaining equivalent power, and higher power than the Benjamini-Hochberg's procedure. For medium or large sample sizes, the Bon-EV procedure has improved FDR control and stability compared with the Storey's q-value procedure and improved power compared with the Benjamini-Hochberg procedure. The Bon-EV multiple testing procedure is available as the BonEV package in R for download at https://CRAN.R-project.org/package=BonEV .

Physiological and Functional Alterations after Spaceflight and Bed Rest.

PubMed

Mulavara, Ajitkumar P; Peters, Brian T; Miller, Chris A; Kofman, Igor S; Reschke, Millard F; Taylor, Laura C; Lawrence, Emily L; Wood, Scott J; Laurie, Steven S; Lee, Stuart M C; Buxton, Roxanne E; May-Phillips, Tiffany R; Stenger, Michael B; Ploutz-Snyder, Lori L; Ryder, Jeffrey W; Feiveson, Alan H; Bloomberg, Jacob J

2018-04-03

Exposure to microgravity causes alterations in multiple physiological systems, potentially impacting the ability of astronauts to perform critical mission tasks. The goal of this study was to determine the effects of spaceflight on functional task performance and to identify the key physiological factors contributing to their deficits. A test battery comprised of 7 functional tests and 15 physiological measures was used to investigate the sensorimotor, cardiovascular and neuromuscular adaptations to spaceflight. Astronauts were tested before and after 6-month spaceflights. Subjects were also tested before and after 70 days of 6° head-down bed rest, a spaceflight analog, to examine the role of axial body unloading on the spaceflight results. These subjects included Control and Exercise groups to examine the effects of exercise during bed rest. Spaceflight subjects showed the greatest decrement in performance during functional tasks that required the greatest demand for dynamic control of postural equilibrium which was paralleled by similar decrements in sensorimotor tests that assessed postural and dynamic gait control. Other changes included reduced lower limb muscle performance and increased heart rate to maintain blood pressure. Exercise performed during bed rest prevented detrimental change in neuromuscular and cardiovascular function, however, both bed rest groups experienced functional and balance deficits similar to spaceflight subjects. Bed rest data indicates that body support unloading experienced during spaceflight contributes to postflight postural control dysfunction. Further, the bed rest results in the Exercise group of subjects confirm that resistance and aerobic exercises performed during spaceflight can play an integral role in maintaining neuromuscular and cardiovascular function, which can help in reducing decrements in functional performance. These results indicate that a countermeasure to mitigate postflight postural control dysfunction is required to maintain functional performance.

[Gastric dynamics analysis of TEAS combined SNP induced general anesthesia when controlled hypotension dropped to 60% of the MAP baseline].

PubMed

Zhang, Le-Le; Fang, Jian-Qiao; Shao, Xiao; Lian, Lin-Li; Yu, Xiao-Jing; Dong, Zhen-Hua; Mo, Ya-Di

2015-01-01

To observe the effect of gastric dynamics by transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) combined general anesthesia when controlled hypotension dropped to 60% of the mean arterial prenssure (MAP) baseline, and to provide experimental evidence for organ protection in clinical controlled hypotension. Eighteen male beagles were randomly divided into three groups, the general anesthesia group (blank), the general anesthesia induced controlled hypotension group (control), and the general anesthesia combined TEAS induced controlled hypotension group (experiment), 6 in each group. Controlled hypotension was performed in the latter two groups with isoflurane inhalation and intravenous injection of sodium nitroprusside (SNP). The mean arterial pressure (MAP) was lowered to 60% of the MAP baseline and kept for 60 min. Controlled hypotension was not performed in Beagles of the control group. For Beagles in the experiment group, TEAS [2/100 Hz, (4 ± 1) mA] was applied to bilateral Hegu (LI4), Quchi (LI11), Zusanli (ST36), and Sanyinjiao (SP6) from stable physiological conditions to the end of maintaining stages. Changes of EGG frequencies and EGG amplitudes were monitored. Serum levels of gastrin (GAS) and motilin (MTL) were also detected at corresponding time points during and after experiment. As for the pressure control effect of TEAS combined general anesthesia in the controlled hypotension, during the process of controlled hypotension (T1-T4), MAP levels of two controlled pressure groups remained relatively stable, and were kept at 60% of the MAP baseline. When the blood pressure dropped to the target low MAP and maintained at 60 min (T1-T4), EGG amplitudes of Beagles in all the three groups showed decreasing tendency. But it was more obviously lower than its basic level in the control group (P <0.05), while it was not obviously decreased in the experiment group (P < 0.05). EGG frequencies of Beagles in all the three groups showed no obvious change during this stage. By the end of the MAP rising stage (T8), the EGG amplitude of the experimental group was significantly higher than that of the control group and the blank group (P < 0.05), while it didn' t show any obvious increase in the control group. During this period, EGG frequencies of the two controlled hypotension groups decreased more than those of the blank group. Two h after rising blood pressure (at T9), EGG amplitudes and frequencies in the two controlled hypotension groups basically restored to their respective baselines and levels of the blank group at T9. At 2 h (T9) after controlled hypotension, serum levels of GAS and MTL were lower than those of basic levels in the two controlled hypotension groups (P <0.05). However, serum levels of GAS and MTL had an increasing trend in the two controlled hypotension groups at 24-72 h (T10-T12). Besides, the increasing speed and amplitude was better in experiment group than in the control group at T10-T12. However, there was no statistical difference between the two groups (P > 0.05). At 72 h (T12) serum levels of GAS and MTL had basically restored to their basic levels in the two controlled hypotension groups and that of the blank control group. EGG amplitudes could be effectively improved in TEAS combined general anesthesia for controlled hypotension at 60% of the MAP baseline, the recovery of the serum GAS level accelerated, gastric power improved and stomach protected.

Small quantities of carotenoid-rich tropical green leafy-vegetables indigenous to Africa maintain vitamin A status in Mongolian gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus)

PubMed Central

Ejoh, Richard A.; Dever, Joseph T.; Mills, Jordan P.; Tanumihardjo, Sherry A.

2015-01-01

Leafy vegetables are important sources of provitamin A carotenoids. Information on their ability to provide vitamin A is often misleading because of the methodology used to assess bioefficacy. Mongolian gerbils were used to evaluate the bioefficacy of provitamin A carotenoids in tropical leafy vegetables (i.e. Solanium nigrum, Moringa oleifera, Vernonia calvoana, and Hibiscus cannabinus) that are indigenous to Africa. Gerbils (n = 67) were vitamin A-depleted for 5 weeks. After a baseline kill (n = 7), the gerbils were weight-matched and assigned to 6 treatment groups (n = 10/group; 4 vegetable groups; negative and positive controls). For 4 weeks, the treatments included 35 nmol vitamin A (theoretical concentrations based on 100% bioefficacy) in the form of vegetables or retinyl acetate. In addition to their diets, the control and vegetable groups received daily doses of oil, while the vitamin A group received retinyl acetate in oil matched to prior day intake. Serum and livers were analysed for vitamin A using HPLC. Serum retinol concentrations did not differ among groups, but total liver vitamin A of the vitamin A and vegetable groups were higher than that of the negative control group (P < 0·0001). Liver β-carotene 15,15′-monooxygenase-1 expression levels were determined for two vegetable groups and were similar to the positive and negative controls. Conversion factors for the different leafy vegetables were between 1·9 and 2·3 μg β-carotene equivalents to 1 μg retinol. Small quantities of these vegetables maintained vitamin A status in gerbils through efficient bioconversion of β-carotene to retinol. PMID:20412609

Plasma leptin values in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis.

PubMed

Kocyigit, Hikmet; Bal, Serpil; Atay, Ayşenur; Koseoglu, Mehmet; Gurgan, Alev

2013-08-01

Obesity has a protective effect against osteoporosis and this effect has been attributed to a high body fat content. It has been shown that the leptin concentration is higher in obese patients. Leptin, the protein product of obesity gene, is a hormone produced in adipose tissue. Some studies suggest that endogenous leptin might influence bone metabolism in postmenopausal women. In this study, we investigated plasma leptin concentrations in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis and also analyzed the relationship between plasma leptin levels and bone mineral density (BMD) in order to understand the potential role of leptin in maintaining bone mass. Forty-two postmenopausal women with osteoporosis and thirty seven age and BMI-matched healthy postmenopausal women were included in the study. The mean femoral neck BMD value in the patient group was significantly lower than that in the control group (0.691±0.1 g/cm2 and 0.863±0.1 g/cm2, respectively; p<0.001). The mean plasma leptin concentration in the patient group was not significantly different from that in the control group (p>0.05). Plasma leptin levels were correlated with BMI in both groups (p<0.001 in the patient group and p=0.001 in controls). There was also a strong positive correlation between plasma leptin levels and %fat in both groups (p<0.001 in the patient group and p<0.001 in controls). But there was no correlation between plasma leptin levels and femoral neck BMD values in both groups. Our results do not support the hypothesis that leptin itself plays an important role in maintaining bone mass in postmenopausal women.

Neuropsychological functioning in buprenorphine maintained patients versus abstinent heroin abusers on naltrexone hydrochloride therapy.

PubMed

Messinis, Lambros; Lyros, Epameinondas; Andrian, Virginia; Katsakiori, Paraskevi; Panagis, George; Georgiou, Vasileios; Papathanasopoulos, Panagiotis

2009-10-01

Methadone and buprenorphine are among the most widely employed pharmacological treatments currently available for opioid addiction. Cognitive effects of buprenorphine in abstinent heroin abusers are nevertheless far from being understood. Neuropsychological performance of 18 buprenorphine-maintained patients (BMP) was evaluated relative to that of 32 currently abstinent heroin abusers on naltrexone hydrochloride therapy (FHAN), and 34 non-drug dependent controls. The three groups were demographically balanced. Clinical groups reported histories of similar patterns of drug use and had increased periods of abstinence from any illicit substance use including heroin. The BMP group performed poorer than controls on the RAVLT (encoding and delayed recall of verbal information), CTT (conceptual flexibility, executive functions) and the RBANS figure copy (visual perception) and delayed recall of visual information. There were no significant differences in any of the cognitive measures between the BMP and FHAN groups or between the FHAN group and controls. Furthermore, the non-differing percentage of abnormal cases between the two patient groups led us to infer that treatment with either BPM or FHAN is not accompanied by qualitative differences in the cognitive profiles of these patients. Overall, results suggest that treatment with naltrexone in abstinent heroin abusers may result in less impairment of cognitive functions compared to treatment with buprenorphine. These findings are relevant for improved prognosis and treatment strategies in opioid dependence.

Interlimb symmetry of dynamic knee joint stiffness and co-contraction is maintained in early stage knee osteoarthritis.

PubMed

Collins, A T; Richardson, R T; Higginson, J S

2014-08-01

Individuals with knee OA often exhibit greater co-contraction of antagonistic muscle groups surrounding the affected joint which may lead to increases in dynamic joint stiffness. These detrimental changes in the symptomatic limb may also exist in the contralateral limb, thus contributing to its risk of developing knee osteoarthritis. The purpose of this study is to investigate the interlimb symmetry of dynamic knee joint stiffness and muscular co-contraction in knee osteoarthritis. Muscular co-contraction and dynamic knee joint stiffness were assessed in 17 subjects with mild to moderate unilateral medial compartment knee osteoarthritis and 17 healthy control subjects while walking at a controlled speed (1.0m/s). Paired and independent t-tests determined whether significant differences exist between groups (p<0.05). There were no significant differences in dynamic joint stiffness or co-contraction between the OA symptomatic and OA contralateral group (p=0.247, p=0.874, respectively) or between the OA contralateral and healthy group (p=0.635, p=0.078, respectively). There was no significant difference in stiffness between the OA symptomatic and healthy group (p=0.600); however, there was a slight trend toward enhanced co-contraction in the symptomatic knees compared to the healthy group (p=0.051). Subjects with mild to moderate knee osteoarthritis maintain symmetric control strategies during gait. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Interlimb symmetry of dynamic knee joint stiffness and co-contraction is maintained in early stage knee osteoarthritis

PubMed Central

Collins, A.T.; Richardson, R.T.; Higginson, J.S.

2014-01-01

Individuals with knee OA often exhibit greater co-contraction of antagonistic muscle groups surrounding the affected joint which may lead to increases in dynamic joint stiffness. These detrimental changes in the symptomatic limb may also exist in the contralateral limb, thus contributing to its risk of developing knee osteoarthritis. The purpose of this study is to investigate the interlimb symmetry of dynamic knee joint stiffness and muscular co-contraction in knee osteoarthritis. Muscular co-contraction and dynamic knee joint stiffness were assessed in 17 subjects with mild to moderate unilateral medial compartment knee osteoarthritis and 17 healthy control subjects while walking at a controlled speed (1.0 m/s). Paired and independent t-tests determined whether significant differences exist between groups (p < 0.05). There were no significant differences in dynamic joint stiffness or co-contraction between the OA symptomatic and OA contralateral group (p = 0.247, p = 0.874, respectively) or between the OA contralateral and healthy group (p = 0.635, p = 0.078, respectively). There was no significant difference in stiffness between the OA symptomatic and healthy group (p = 0.600); however, there was a slight trend toward enhanced co-contraction in the symptomatic knees compared to the healthy group (p = 0.051). Subjects with mild to moderate knee osteoarthritis maintain symmetric control strategies during gait. PMID:24768278

Comparison of a step-down dose of once-daily ciclesonide with a continued dose of twice-daily fluticasone propionate in maintaining control of asthma.

PubMed

Knox, A; Langan, J; Martinot, J-B; Gruss, C; Häfner, D

2007-10-01

To compare a step-down approach in well-controlled asthma patients, as recommended by treatment guidelines, from fluticasone propionate 250 microg twice daily (FP250 BID), or equivalent, to ciclesonide 160 microg once daily (CIC160 OD) with continued FP250 BID treatment. Patients with well-controlled asthma prior to study entry were included in two identical, randomized, double-blind, double-dummy, parallel-group studies. After a 2-week run-in period with FP250 BID, patients were randomized to CIC160 OD (n = 58) or FP250 BID (n = 53) for 12 weeks. Primary endpoints were percentage of days with asthma control, asthma symptom-free days, rescue medication-free days and nocturnal awakening-free days. Secondary endpoints included lung function variables, asthma symptom scores, rescue medication use and asthma exacerbations. Safety variables were also recorded. Patients had >or= 97% of days with asthma control, 98% asthma symptom-free days and 100% of days free from rescue medication use and nocturnal awakenings in both treatment groups (median values). There were no significant between-treatment differences for any of the primary or secondary efficacy variables. Overall, 42 treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) were reported in the CIC160 OD group and 49 TEAEs were reported in the FP250 BID group. There were no clinically relevant changes from baseline in the safety variables in either treatment group. Patients well controlled on FP250 BID, or equivalent, who were stepped down to CIC160 OD, maintained similar asthma control compared with patients who received continued treatment standardized to FP250 BID.

CBT in a Caribbean Context: A Controlled Trial of Anger Management in Trinidadian Prisons.

PubMed

Hutchinson, Gerard; Willner, Paul; Rose, John; Burke, Ian; Bastick, Tony

2017-01-01

Anger causes significant problems in offenders and to date few interventions have been described in the Caribbean region. To evaluate a package of CBT-based Anger Management Training provided to offenders in prison in Trinidad. A controlled clinical trial with 85 participants who participated in a 12-week prison-based group anger management programme, of whom 57 (67%: 16 control, 41 intervention) provided pretrial and posttrial outcome data at Times 1 and 2. Intervention and control groups were not directly comparable so outcome was analysed using t-tests. Reductions were noted for state and trait anger and anger expression, with an increase in coping skills for the intervention group. No changes were noted in the control group. The improvements seen on intervention were maintained at 4 month follow-up for a sub-group of participants for whom data were available. Several predictors of outcomes were identified.

The effectiveness of a Group Triple P with Chinese parents who have a child with developmental disabilities: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Leung, Cynthia; Fan, Angel; Sanders, Matthew R

2013-03-01

The study examined the effectiveness of Group Triple P, a Level 4 variant of the Triple P multilevel system of parenting support, with Chinese parents who had a preschool aged child with a developmental disability, using randomized controlled trial design. Participants (Intervention group: 42; Waitlist Control group: 39) completed measures on child behaviour, parental stress, dysfunctional discipline styles and parental conflict before and after program completion by the Intervention group. Intervention group participants also completed these same measures six months after program completion. Compared to the Waitlist Control group, parents receiving Group Triple P reported significantly lower levels of child behaviour problems, parental stress, dysfunctional discipline style and parental conflict scores. The Intervention group participants maintained their gains six months after program completion. The results provided promising evidence for the Level 4 Group Triple P as an effective intervention program for Chinese parents who have preschool aged children with developmental disabilities. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Factors of Predicted Learning Disorders and their Interaction with Attentional and Perceptual Training Procedures.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Friar, John T.

Two factors of predicted learning disorders were investigated: (1) inability to maintain appropriate classroom behavior (BEH), (2) perceptual discrimination deficit (PERC). Three groups of first-graders (BEH, PERC, normal control) were administered measures of impulse control, distractability, auditory discrimination, and visual discrimination.…

Fluid-loading solutions and plasma volume: Astro-ade and salt tablets with water

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fortney, Suzanne M.; Seinmann, Laura; Young, Joan A.; Hoskin, Cherylynn N.; Barrows, Linda H.

1994-01-01

Fluid loading with salt and water is a countermeasure used after space flight to restore body fluids. However, gastrointestinal side effects have been frequently reported in persons taking similar quantities of salt and water in ground-based studies. The effectiveness of the Shuttle fluid-loading countermeasure (8 gms salt, 0.97 liters of water) was compared to Astro-ade (an isotonic electrolyte solution), to maintain plasma volume (PV) during 4.5 hrs of resting fluid restriction. Three groups of healthy men (n=6) were studied: a Control Group (no drinking), an Astro-ade Group, and a Salt Tablet Group. Changes in PV after drinking were calculated from hematocrit and hemoglobin values. Both the Salt Tablet and Astro-ade Groups maintained PV at 2-3 hours after ingestion compared to the Control Group, which had a 6 percent decline. Side effects (thirst, stomach cramping, and diarrhea) were noted in at least one subject in both the Astro-ade and Salt Tablet Groups. Nausea and vomiting were reported in one subject in the Salt Tablet Group. It was concluded that Astro-ade may be offered as an alternate fluid-loading countermeasure but further work is needed to develop a solution that is more palatable and has fewer side effects.

Maintenance of Improved Attitudes Toward Stuttering.

PubMed

St Louis, Kenneth O; Flynn, Timothy W

2018-05-03

This study sought to determine the extent to which experimentally induced positive attitudes in high school students in a previous investigation were maintained 7 years later. Authors and assistants recruited 36 adults in their early 20s (Follow-up group) who, in high school, had witnessed either a live oral talk by a person who stutters or a professionally made video on stuttering designed for teens followed by a short talk by the same speaker. The Public Opinion Survey of Human Attributes-Stuttering was administered before and after the interventions in high school and 7 years later such that pre-post group comparisons were made. Previously, the Follow-up group had demonstrated highly positive changes in their attitudes after the interventions. In addition, a control group of 56 former high school students from the same state, who did not participate in the interventions, were recruited and compared to the Follow-up group. The Follow-up group, which was found to be representative of the original high school cohort, held more positive Public Opinion Survey of Human Attributes-Stuttering mean ratings than the Control group, although somewhat less positive than their previous postintervention ratings. The Follow-up group maintained many of the positive changes in their beliefs and self reactions regarding stuttering that were induced 7 years earlier after witnessing personal stories and facts about stuttering.

Ageing and exercise: building body capital in old age.

PubMed

Bergland, Astrid; Fougner, Marit; Lund, Anne; Debesay, Jonas

2018-01-01

Research that provides better understanding of the motivational processes in older age to maintain a healthy and active lifestyle is sought after. We apply theoretical approaches to cultural capital, active and healthy aging health to shed light on the women's experiences in maintaining physical capabilities through an active lifestyle, and thereby facilitating their own inclusion in society. Thus, the aim of this paper is to explore why older home dwelling women over the age of 70 years or more spend time in physical exercise and their experiences about the importance of participating in group exercise for their daily life.This paper reports on a qualitative study based on interviews with 16 older women aged 70 years or more and regularly attending group exercise classes in the community at an established workout center. The data were analyzed the data using an inductive content analysis approach. Three overreaching and interrelated themes emerged from the interviews: "Building body capital for independence", "Building body capital to maintain vitality and being in control" and "Building resources for social interaction". The findings suggest that group exercise is important for building body capital. The group exercise helped the women in building bodily ability to manage everyday life, maintain vitality, being in control, pursue social interaction and live independently. These body resources were important for these older women's experience of the manageability and meaningfulness of daily life. This study has provided insights into older women's understanding and experiences of the challenges of everyday life within a theoretical framework of cultural capital and health. The women acquired cultural health capital, and more specifically body capital, by participating in the group exercise classes. The women's investment in body capital through regular physical activity created resources which facilitated social participation. Therefore professionals need to be aware of this when performing group exercise.

Effect of titanium dioxide nanoparticle addition into orthodontic adhesive resin on enamel microhardness

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Andriani, A.; Krisnawati; Purwanegara, M. K.

2017-08-01

White spots are an early sign of enamel demineralization, which may lead to development of dental caries. Enamel demineralization can be determined by examining the microhardness number of the enamel. Addition of antibacterial agents such as TiO2 nanoparticles into the orthodontic adhesive (TiO2 nanocomposite) is expected to prevent enamel demineralization. The objective of this study is to evaluate the effect of TiO2 nanocomposites in maintaining enamel microhardness around orthodontic brackets. The bracket was bonded to the premolar using Transbond XT (group 1), 1% TiO2 nanocomposites (group 2), and 2% TiO2 nanocomposites (group 3). Group 4 was the control group, and it was not given any treatment prior to the microhardness test. The samples of groups 1, 2, and 3 were soaked in BHI solution containing Streptococcus mutans, and then stored in an incubator at 37°C for 30 days. Demineralizations were determined on cross-sectioned tooth 100μm and 200μm cervical to the bracket by the Vickers microhardness test. The microhardness values were significantly different between every group, with the highest value obtained for control group, followed by the 2% TiO2 nanocomposite group, 1% TiO2 nanocomposite group, and then the Transbond XT group. The results of this study reveal that 2% TiO2 nanocomposites have the ability to maintain enamel microhardness around the orthodontic bracket.

Age-related changes in the center of mass velocity control during walking.

PubMed

Chong, Raymond K Y; Chastan, Nathalie; Welter, Marie-Laure; Do, Manh-Cuong

2009-07-10

During walking, the body center of mass oscillates along the vertical plane. Its displacement is highest at mid-swing and lowest at terminal swing during the transition to double support. Its vertical velocity (CoMv) has been observed to increase as the center of mass falls between mid- and late swing but is reduced just before double support. This suggests that braking of the center of mass is achieved with active neural control. We tested whether this active control deteriorates with aging (Experiment 1) and during a concurrent cognitive task (Experiment 2). At short steps of <0.4m, CoMv control was low and similar among all age groups. All groups braked the CoMv at longer steps of >0.4m but older subjects did so to a lesser extent. During the cognitive task, young subjects increased CoMv control (i.e. increase in CoMv braking) while maintaining step length and walking speed. Older subjects on the other hand, did not increase CoMv control but rather maintain it by reducing both step length and walking speed. These results suggest that active braking of the CoM during the transition to double support predominates in steps >0.4m. It could be a manifestation of the balance control system, since the braking occurs at late stance where body weight is being shifted to the contralateral side. The active braking mechanism also appears to require some attentional resource. In aging, reducing step length and speed are strategic to maintaining effective center of mass control during the transition to double support. However, the lesser degree of control in older adults indicates a true age-related deficit.

42 CFR 438.12 - Provider discrimination prohibited.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... designed to maintain quality of services and control costs and are consistent with its responsibilities to..., or PAHP declines to include individual or groups of providers in its network, it must give the...

42 CFR 422.205 - Provider antidiscrimination rules.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... designed to maintain quality and control costs consistent with its responsibilities. [65 FR 40324, June 29... certification. If an MA organization declines to include a given provider or group of providers in its network...

42 CFR 438.12 - Provider discrimination prohibited.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... designed to maintain quality of services and control costs and are consistent with its responsibilities to..., or PAHP declines to include individual or groups of providers in its network, it must give the...

42 CFR 422.205 - Provider antidiscrimination rules.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... designed to maintain quality and control costs consistent with its responsibilities. [65 FR 40324, June 29... certification. If an MA organization declines to include a given provider or group of providers in its network...

Does nutritional intervention maintain its prognostic benefit in the long term for malnourished patients hospitalised for heart failure?

PubMed

Bonilla-Palomas, J L; Gámez-López, A L; Castillo-Domínguez, J C; Moreno-Conde, M; López-Ibáñez, M C; Anguita-Sánchez, M

2018-03-01

To assess the long-term effect of nutritional intervention on malnourished, hospitalised patients with heart failure (HF). A total of 120 malnourished patients hospitalized for HF were randomised to undergo (or not) an individual nutritional intervention for 6 months. The primary event was the combination of all-cause death and readmission for HF. We performed an intent-to-treat analysis and assessed the effect of the intervention at 24 months. The combined event occurred in 47.5% of the intervention group and in 73.8% of the control group (hazard ratio: 0.45; 95% confidence interval: 0.28-0.72; P=.001). Thirty-nine percent of the intervention group and 59% of the control group died (hazard ratio: 0.53; 95% confidence interval: 0.31-0.89; P=.017). A nutritional intervention for malnourished patients hospitalised for HF maintains its prognostic benefit in the long-term follow-up. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier España, S.L.U. and Sociedad Española de Medicina Interna (SEMI). All rights reserved.

Effects of comprehensive geriatric intervention on physical performance among people aged 75 years and over.

PubMed

Lihavainen, Katri; Sipilä, Sarianna; Rantanen, Taina; Seppänen, Jarmo; Lavikainen, Piia; Sulkava, Raimo; Hartikainen, Sirpa

2012-08-01

We studied the effects of comprehensive geriatric assessment and multifactorial intervention on physical performance among older people. In a 3-year geriatric development project with an experimental design, 668 participants aged 75-98 were assigned to intervention (n=348) or control (n=320) groups. The intervention group received comprehensive geriatric assessment with an individually targeted intervention for 2 years. The outcome measures - performance in the Timed Up-and-Go (TUG), 10-meter walking and Berg Balance Scale tests - were gathered annually during the intervention and the 1-year follow-up after it. With linear mixed models, over the 2-year intervention period, the intervention group was found to be improved in the balance (p<0.001) and walking speed (p<0.001) tests, and maintained performance in the TUG test (p<0.001), compared with the control group. The results remained significant 1 year post-intervention. Comprehensive geriatric assessment and individually targeted multifactorial intervention had positive effects on physical performance, potentially helping to maintain mobility and prevent disability in old age.

Magnolol pretreatment prevents sepsis-induced intestinal dysmotility by maintaining functional interstitial cells of Cajal.

PubMed

Miao, Bin; Zhang, Shuwen; Wang, Hong; Yang, Tiecheng; Zhou, Deshan; Wang, Bao-en

2013-08-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the mechanism by which magnolol treatment prevents lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced septic dysmotility in mice. Sepsis was induced by intravenous tail vein injection of LPS (4 mg/kg body weight). Animals were divided into three groups: the magnolol-treated septic group, the placebo-treated septic group, and the control group. Intestinal transit and circular smooth muscle contraction were measured 12 h after LPS injection, and immunocytochemisty was performed to study the morphology of interstitial cells of Cajal (ICCs). Stem cell factor (SCF) expression and c-kit phosphorylation were determined by Western blot analysis, and the mRNA levels of inducible NO synthase (iNOS) were determined by RT-PCR. Nitric oxide (NO) content, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, and malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration were detected using commercial kits. Intestinal transit and muscular contractility were significantly lower in the LPS-treated group than in the control group. Immunocytochemical experiments showed that the total number of ICCs, and the total and average lengths of the ICC processes were significantly decreased in the LPS-treated group compared with those in the control group. In LPS-treated animals, magnolol pretreatment significantly accelerated intestinal transit, increased circular muscle contraction, and prevented ICC morphology changes. Phosphorylation of c-kit and expression of SCF were significantly downregulated in LPS-treated animals compared with control animals. Magnolol pretreatment prevented sepsis-induced decreases in c-kit phosphorylation and SCF expression in LPS-treated animals. Magnolol pretreatment prevented the sepsis-induced increase in NO concentration, iNOS expression, and MDA concentration, and decrease in SOD activity in LPS-treated animals. Our results suggest that magnolol treatment prevents sepsis-induced intestinal dysmotility by regulating SCF/c-kit and NO signaling to maintain functional ICCs.

Truel Conflict and Complex Decision Making. The Effects of the Three-Party-Duel on Military and Economic Behavior of Decision Making Groups in a Complex Environment.

DTIC Science & Technology

of their decisions in a simulated internation conflict. The duel conflict (conflict between two nations) was maintained for the control groups during...four one-half hour playing periods. Experimental groups were exposed to one duel playing period, and were then exposed to increasing threat of truel

Former Heroin Addicts with or without a History of Cocaine Dependence are more Impulsive than Controls

PubMed Central

Nielsen, David A.; Ho, Ann; Bahl, Ajay; Varma, Priya; Kellogg, Scott; Borg, Lisa; Kreek, Mary Jeanne

2012-01-01

Background Personality traits such as impulsivity and sensation seeking may contribute to the initiation and maintenance of illicit drug use. Since studies have reported higher impulsivity and sensation seeking traits in cocaine dependent subjects, we were interested in determining whether former heroin addicts in methadone pharmacotherapy with comorbid cocaine addiction have greater impulsivity than those without. Methods Instruments to assess impulsivity (Barratt Impulsiveness Scale version 11) and sensation seeking (Sensation Seeking Scale version V) were administered to former severe heroin addicts meeting Federal criteria for methadone maintenance pharmacotherapy with (n = 71) or without cocaine dependence (n = 31) and to 145 normal healthy (non-methadone-maintained) volunteers. Results The methadone-maintained without cocaine dependence and the methadone-maintained with cocaine dependence groups, both scored higher than did the normal volunteer group on the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale total score (p < 0.001). On the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale Attentional, Nonplanning, and Motor subscales, the methadone-maintained and methadone-maintained with cocaine dependence groups scored higher than did normal volunteers with no history of drug abuse or dependence (p < 0.001). There was no difference among groups on total score or any subscale of the Sensation Seeking Scale. However, males in all groups overall scored higher than did females on Disinhibition and Thrill and Adventure seeking subscales of the Sensation Seeking Scale version V (p < 0.001). Conclusions This study demonstrates higher impulsivity in former severe heroin addicts meeting criteria for or currently in stable methadone maintenance pharmacotherapy, irrespective of a positive or negative history of cocaine dependence. PMID:22265192

Diabetes in adolescence: effects of multifamily group intervention and parent simulation of diabetes.

PubMed

Satin, W; La Greca, A M; Zigo, M A; Skyler, J S

1989-06-01

Insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) is a complex, chronic disease that is difficult to control during adolescence. This study evaluated the effects of a 6-week, family-oriented, group intervention on adolescents' metabolic control and psychosocial and family functioning. Thirty-two families were randomly assigned to one of three groups: multifamily (MF), multifamily plus parent simulation of diabetes (MF + S), and control (C). Outcome measures included glycosylated hemoglobin (Hb Al); perceptions of diabetes; estimates of youngsters' self-care; and family functioning. Adolescents in the MF + S group displayed significant decrements in Hb Al, and adolescents in both intervention groups reported more positive perceptions of a "teen-ager with diabetes" at posttreatment, relative to controls. Adolescents participating in smaller family groups demonstrated clinically significant improvements in Hb Al that were maintained at 6-month follow-up. Parent reports suggested that adolescents in the intervention groups improved their diabetes care. Findings support the use of multifamily groups plus parent simulation of diabetes as an intervention strategy for adolescents with IDDM.

Pilates-based therapeutic exercise: effect on subjects with nonspecific chronic low back pain and functional disability: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Rydeard, Rochenda; Leger, Andrew; Smith, Drew

2006-07-01

A randomized controlled trial, prestest-posttest design, with a 3-, 6-, and 12-month follow-up. To investigate the efficacy of a therapeutic exercise approach in a population with chronic low back pain (LBP). Therapeutic approaches developed from the Pilates method are becoming increasingly popular; however, there have been no reports on their efficacy. Thirty-nine physically active subjects between 20 and 55 years old with chronic LBP were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 groups. The specific-exercise-training group participated in a 4-week program consisting of training on specialized (Pilates) exercise equipment, while the control group received the usual care, defined as consultation with a physician and other specialists and healthcare professionals, as necessary. Treatment sessions were designed to train the activation of specific muscles thought to stabilize the lumbar-pelvic region. Functional disability outcomes were measured with The Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire (RMQ/RMDQ-HK) and average pain intensity using a 101-point numerical rating scale. There was a significantly lower level of functional disability (P = .023) and average pain intensity (P = .002) in the specific-exercise-training group than in the control group following the treatment intervention period. The posttest adjusted mean in functional disability level in the specific-exercise-training group was 2.0 (95% CI, 1.3 to 2.7) RMQ/RMDQ-HK points compared to a posttest adjusted mean in the control group of 3.2 (95% CI, 2.5 to 4.0) RMQ/RMDQ-HK points. The posttest adjusted mean in pain intensity in the specific-exercise-training group was 18.3 (95% CI, 11.8 to 24.8), as compared to 33.9 (95% CI, 26.9 to 41.0) in the control group. Improved disability scores in the specific-exercise-training group were maintained for up to 12 months following treatment intervention. The individuals in the specific-exercise-training group reported a significant decrease in LBP and disability, which was maintained over a 12-month follow-up period. Treatment with a modified Pilates-based approach was more efficacious than usual care in a population with chronic, unresolved LBP.

Effects of a weight loss plus exercise program on physical function in overweight, older women: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Anton, Stephen D; Manini, Todd M; Milsom, Vanessa A; Dubyak, Pamela; Cesari, Matteo; Cheng, Jing; Daniels, Michael J; Marsiske, Michael; Pahor, Marco; Leeuwenburgh, Christiaan; Perri, Michael G

2011-01-01

Obesity and a sedentary lifestyle are associated with physical impairments and biologic changes in older adults. Weight loss combined with exercise may reduce inflammation and improve physical functioning in overweight, sedentary, older adults. This study tested whether a weight loss program combined with moderate exercise could improve physical function in obese, older adult women. Participants (N = 34) were generally healthy, obese, older adult women (age range 55-79 years) with mild to moderate physical impairments (ie, functional limitations). Participants were randomly assigned to one of two groups for 24 weeks: (i) weight loss plus exercise (WL+E; n = 17; mean age = 63.7 years [4.5]) or (ii) educational control (n = 17; mean age = 63.7 [6.7]). In the WL+E group, participants attended a group-based weight management session plus three supervised exercise sessions within their community each week. During exercise sessions, participants engaged in brisk walking and lower-body resistance training of moderate intensity. Participants in the educational control group attended monthly health education lectures on topics relevant to older adults. Outcomes were: (i) body weight, (ii) walking speed (assessed by 400-meter walk test), (iii) the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB), and (iv) knee extension isokinetic strength. Participants randomized to the WL+E group lost significantly more weight than participants in the educational control group (5.95 [0.992] vs 0.23 [0.99] kg; P < 0.01). Additionally, the walking speed of participants in the WL+E group significantly increased compared with that of the control group (reduction in time on the 400-meter walk test = 44 seconds; P < 0.05). Scores on the SPPB improved in both the intervention and educational control groups from pre- to post-test (P < 0.05), with significant differences between groups (P = 0.02). Knee extension strength was maintained in both groups. Our findings suggest that a lifestyle-based weight loss program consisting of moderate caloric restriction plus moderate exercise can produce significant weight loss and improve physical function while maintaining muscle strength in obese, older adult women with mild to moderate physical impairments.

Effects of a weight loss plus exercise program on physical function in overweight, older women: a randomized controlled trial

PubMed Central

Anton, Stephen D; Manini, Todd M; Milsom, Vanessa A; Dubyak, Pamela; Cesari, Matteo; Cheng, Jing; Daniels, Michael J; Marsiske, Michael; Pahor, Marco; Leeuwenburgh, Christiaan; Perri, Michael G

2011-01-01

Background: Obesity and a sedentary lifestyle are associated with physical impairments and biologic changes in older adults. Weight loss combined with exercise may reduce inflammation and improve physical functioning in overweight, sedentary, older adults. This study tested whether a weight loss program combined with moderate exercise could improve physical function in obese, older adult women. Methods: Participants (N = 34) were generally healthy, obese, older adult women (age range 55–79 years) with mild to moderate physical impairments (ie, functional limitations). Participants were randomly assigned to one of two groups for 24 weeks: (i) weight loss plus exercise (WL+E; n = 17; mean age = 63.7 years [4.5]) or (ii) educational control (n = 17; mean age = 63.7 [6.7]). In the WL+E group, participants attended a group-based weight management session plus three supervised exercise sessions within their community each week. During exercise sessions, participants engaged in brisk walking and lower-body resistance training of moderate intensity. Participants in the educational control group attended monthly health education lectures on topics relevant to older adults. Outcomes were: (i) body weight, (ii) walking speed (assessed by 400-meter walk test), (iii) the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB), and (iv) knee extension isokinetic strength. Results: Participants randomized to the WL+E group lost significantly more weight than participants in the educational control group (5.95 [0.992] vs 0.23 [0.99] kg; P < 0.01). Additionally, the walking speed of participants in the WL+E group significantly increased compared with that of the control group (reduction in time on the 400-meter walk test = 44 seconds; P < 0.05). Scores on the SPPB improved in both the intervention and educational control groups from pre- to post-test (P < 0.05), with significant differences between groups (P = 0.02). Knee extension strength was maintained in both groups. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that a lifestyle-based weight loss program consisting of moderate caloric restriction plus moderate exercise can produce significant weight loss and improve physical function while maintaining muscle strength in obese, older adult women with mild to moderate physical impairments. PMID:21753869

Method for control of subsurface coal gasification

DOEpatents

Komar, Charles A.

1976-12-14

The burn front in an in situ underground coal gasification operation is controlled by utilizing at least two parallel groups of vertical bore holes disposed in the coalbed at spaced-apart locations in planes orthogonal to the plane of maximum permeability in the coalbed. The combustion of the coal is initiated in the coalbed adjacent to one group of the bore holes to establish a combustion zone extending across the group while the pressure of the combustion supporting gas mixture and/or the combustion products is regulated at each well head by valving to control the burn rate and maintain a uniform propagation of the burn front between the spaced-apart hole groups to gasify virtually all the coal lying therebetween.

Using Biodata to Select Air Traffic Controllers

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-10-01

training success (Collins et al., 1990). In fact, in a study designed specifically to address the impact of education on controller suc- cess, defined...examination of adverse impact in controller selection for certain protected groups in controller selection. The concern was the use of the AT-SAT in...Broach et al., 2013). The issue is how to reduce adverse impact in controller hiring and still maintain a valid process for selecting the best

Effects of soybean oligosaccharides on antioxidant enzyme activities and insulin resistance in pregnant women with gestational diabetes mellitus.

PubMed

Fei, Bei-bei; Ling, Li; Hua, Chen; Ren, Shu-yan

2014-09-01

The effects of soybean oligosaccharides (SBOS) on antioxidant enzyme activities and insulin resistance in pregnant women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) were investigated. Ninety-seven pregnant women with GDM were randomly divided into two groups, the control group (51 cases) and the SBOS group (46 cases). Before the group separation, the blood sugar level in patients was maintained stable by regular diet and insulin treatment. The control group was continued with the insulin treatment, while the SBOS group was treated with the combination of insulin and SBOS. Results showed that SBOS were able to reduce oxidative stress and alleviate insulin resistance in pregnant women with GDM, which indicates that SBOS may play an important role in the control of GDM complications. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Using canopy resistance for infrared heater control when warming open-field plots

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Several research groups are using or planning to use arrays of infrared heaters to simulate global warming in open-field plots with a control strategy that involves maintaining a constant rise in canopy temperatures of the heated plots above those of un-heated Reference plots. . However, if the warm...

When the going gets tough...: Self-motivation is associated with invigoration and fun.

PubMed

Kazén, Miguel; Kuhl, Julius; Leicht, Eva-Maria

2015-11-01

Personality systems interaction (PSI) theory postulates two executive control modes in volitional action: Self-control and self-regulation (self-motivation). Self-control should deplete energy whereas self-motivation should maintain energy and result in invigoration. There were three groups of participants: Self-control, self-motivation, and pretend, who performed a resource-demanding Stroop-Shift and an anagram task. Performance and energy expenditure were examined in each task. Compared to the other groups, the self-motivation group showed increments in blood glucose throughout the experiment, indicating invigoration, and had better performance on the difficult Stroop-Shift task than the self-control group. Additionally, for the self-motivation group anagram performance correlated with less effort and ease of concentration and was moderated by fun in the task. These results are consonant with the predictions of PSI and self-determination theories. It is concluded that self-control depletes resources whereas self-motivation is associated with invigoration in carrying resource-demanding tasks.

The Effects of Panax ginseng and Panax quinquefolius on Thermoregulation in Animal Models

PubMed Central

Hong, Bin Na; Do, Moon Ho; Her, You Ri

2015-01-01

We devised a study using animal models of hyperthermia and hypothermia and also attempted to accurately assess the effects of Panax ginseng (PG) and Panax quinquefolius (PQ) on body temperature using these models. In addition, we investigated the effects of PG and PQ in our animal models in high and low temperature environments. The results of our experiments show that mice with normothermia, hyperthermia, and hypothermia maintained their body temperatures after a certain period in accordance with the condition of each animal model. In our experiments of body temperature change in models of normal, low, or high room temperature, the hyperthermic model did not show any body temperature change in either the PG- or PQ-administered group. In the normal and low room temperature models, the group administered PG maintained body temperature, while the body temperature of the PQ-administered group was lower than or similar to that of the control group. In conclusion, the fact that PG increases body temperature could not be verified until now. We also showed that the effect of maintaining body temperature in the PG-administered group was superior in a hypothermia-prone low temperature environment. PMID:25709709

Prevention of bedrest-induced physical deconditioning by daily dobutamine infusions. Implications for drug-induced physical conditioning.

PubMed Central

Sullivan, M J; Binkley, P F; Unverferth, D V; Ren, J H; Boudoulas, H; Bashore, T M; Merola, A J; Leier, C V

1985-01-01

The effects of intermittent infusions of dobutamine were studied in young normal male subjects during a period of bedrest deconditioning to determine whether this synthetic catechol affects physical conditioning processes in humans. 24 volunteers were placed at bedrest and randomized to daily 2-h treatments of saline infusions (control), dobutamine infusions, or maintenance exercise (control). Exercise, hemodynamic, and metabolic studies were performed at base line and at the termination of the 3-wk treatment period. Maximal exercise (duration, oxygen consumption, and workload) fell for the saline group and remained unchanged for the dobutamine and exercise groups. Hemodynamics during exercise were maintained the same as pretreatment base line for the dobutamine and exercise groups, whereas stroke volume and cardiac output dropped and heart rate rose for the saline group. The metabolic profile showed an increased blood lactate response at rest and during submaximal exercise after 3 wk of bedrest for the saline group, and essentially no change for the exercise and the dobutamine groups. Extraction of oxygen across the exercising lower limb rose for the dobutamine group, as did the activity of the skeletal muscle oxidative enzymes, citrate synthetase, and succinate dehydrogenase. In contrast to the exercise control group, the saline and dobutamine groups developed orthostatic hypotension, tachycardia, and accentuation of the renin-aldosterone response over the 3-wk treatment period; for the saline group, this is best explained by the observed fall in blood volume and for the dobutamine group, by the blunting of vascular vasoconstrictive responses. During a period of bedrest deconditioning in humans, infusions of dobutamine maintain many of the physiologic expressions of physical conditioning. PMID:3932470

Effect of hypokinesia on invertase activity of the mucosa of the small intestine

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Abdusattarov, A.

1980-01-01

The effect of prolonged hypokinesia on the enzyme activity of the middle portion of the small intestine was investigated. Eighty-four mongrel white male rats weighing 170-180 g were divided into two equal groups. The experimental group were maintained in single cages under 30 days of hypokinetic conditions and the control animals were maintained under ordinary laboratory conditions. It is concluded that rates of invertase formation and its inclusion in the composition if the cellular membrane, if judged by the enzyme activity studied in sections of the small intestine, are subject to phase changes in the course of prolonged hypokinesia.

Decreased cardiopulmonary baroreflex sensitivity in Chagas' heart disease.

PubMed

Consolim-Colombo, F M; Filho, J A; Lopes, H F; Sobrinho, C R; Otto, M E; Riccio, G M; Mady, C; Krieger, E M

2000-12-01

No study has been performed on reflexes originating from receptors in the heart that might be involved in the pathological lesions of Chagas' heart disease. Our study was undertaken to analyze the role of cardiopulmonary reflex on cardiovascular control in Chagas' disease. We studied 14 patients with Chagas' disease without heart failure and 12 healthy matched volunteers. Central venous pressure, arterial blood pressure, heart rate, forearm blood flow, and forearm vascular resistance were recorded during deactivation of cardiopulmonary receptors. By reducing central venous pressure by applying -10 and -15 mm Hg of negative pressure to the lower body, we observed (a) a similar decrease of central venous pressure in both groups; (b) a marked increase in forearm vascular resistance in the control group but a blunted increase in the Chagas' group; and (c) no significant changes in blood pressure and heart rate. To analyze cardiopulmonary and arterial receptors, we applied -40 mm Hg of lower-body negative pressure. As a consequence, (a) central venous pressure decreased similarly in both groups; (b) blood pressure was maintained in the control group, whereas in patients with Chagas' disease, a decrease in systolic and mean arterial pressure occurred; (c) heart rate increased in both groups; and (d) forearm vascular resistance increased significantly and similarly in both groups. Unloading of receptors with low levels of lower-body negative pressure did not increase forearm vascular resistance in patients with Chagas' disease, which suggests that the reflex mediated by cardiopulmonary receptors is impaired in patients with Chagas' disease without heart failure. Overall control of circulation appears to be compromised because patients did not maintain blood pressure under high levels of lower-body negative pressure.

Metabolic dysfunction following weight-cycling in male mice

PubMed Central

Schofield, SE; Parkinson, JRC; Henley, AB; Sahuri, M; Sanchez-Canon, GJ; Bell, JD

2016-01-01

Background Combatting over-weight or obesity can lead to large fluctuations in an individual’s body weight, often referred to as weight cycling or “yo-yo” dieting. Current evidence regarding the potentially damaging effects of these changes is conflicting. Methods Here, we assess the metabolic effects of weight cycling in a murine model, comprising three dietary switches to normal or high fat diets at 6 week intervals; male C57BL/6 mice were fed either a control (C) or high fat (F) diet for 6 weeks (n=140/group). C and F groups were then either maintained on their initial diet (CC and FF respectively) or switched to a high fat (CF) or control (FC) diet (n=35/group). For the final 6 week interval, CC and CF groups were returned to the control diet (CCC and CFC groups) while FC and FF groups were placed on a high fat diet (FCF and FFF) (n=28/group). Results For the majority of metabolic outcomes changes aligned with dietary switches; however assessment of neuropeptides and receptors involved in appetite regulation and reward signalling pathways reveal variable patterns of expression. Furthermore, we demonstrate that multiple cycling events leads to a significant increase in internal fat deposition, even when compared to animals maintained on a high fat diet (Internal Fat: FCF: 7.4 ± 0.2g vs. FFF: 5.6 ± 0.2g; p<0.01). Conclusions Increased internal adipose tissue is strongly linked to the development of metabolic syndrome associated conditions such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and hypertension. While further work will be required to elucidate the mechanisms underlying the neuronal control of energy homeostasis, these studies provide a causative link between weight cycling and adverse health. PMID:27840414

Analytic versus systemic group therapy for women with a history of child sexual abuse: 1-year follow-up of a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Elkjaer, Henriette; Kristensen, Ellids; Mortensen, Erik L; Poulsen, Stig; Lau, Marianne

2014-06-01

This randomized prospective study examines durability of improvement in general symptomatology, psychosocial functioning and interpersonal problems, and compares the long-term efficacy of analytic and systemic group psychotherapy in women 1 year after completion of treatment for childhood sexual abuse. Women (n = 106) randomly assigned to analytic or systemic psychotherapy completed the Symptom Checklist-90-R, Global Assessment of Functioning, Global Life Quality, Registration Chart Questionnaire, and Flashback Registration at pre-treatment, post-treatment, and at a 1-year follow-up. Post-treatment gains were significant for both treatment modalities on all measures, but significantly larger after systemic therapy. Significant treatment response was maintained 1-year post-treatment, but different trajectories were observed: 1 year after treatment completion, improvements for analytic therapy were maintained, whereas they decreased after systemic therapy, resulting in no statistically significant difference in gains between the groups at the 1-year follow-up. Despite maintaining significant gains, more than half of the patients remained above cut-off for caseness concerning general symptomatology at post-treatment and at 1-year follow-up. The findings stress the importance of long-term follow-up data in effect studies. Different trajectories were associated with the two treatments, but improvement in the two treatment groups did not differ significantly at the 1-year follow-up. Implications of the difference in trajectories for treatment planning are discussed. Both analytic and systemic group therapy proved efficient in improving general symptomatology, psychosocial functioning, and interpersonal problems in women with a history of CSA and gains were maintained at a 1-year follow-up. Despite maintaining statistically significant gains at the 1-year follow-up, 54% of the patients remained above the cut-off for caseness with respect to general symptomatology, which may indicate a need for further treatment. Different pre-post follow-up treatment trajectories were observed between the two treatment modalities. Thus, while systemic group therapy showed a significantly better outcome immediately after termination, gains in the systemic treatment group decreased during follow-up, while gains were maintained during follow-up in analytic group therapy. © 2013 The British Psychological Society.

Evaluation of Iron-induced Oxidative Stress and its Amelioration by Certain Herbs in Broilers

PubMed Central

Ramakrishnan, V.; Reddy, A. Gopala; Reddy, A. Rajasekher; Haritha, C.

2011-01-01

A total of 225 male broiler chicks (Cobb strain) of day-old age were randomly divided into 15 groups consisting of 15 chicks in each group. Group 1 was maintained as basal diet control and group 2 on ferrous sulfate at 0.5% in feed throughout 6 wk as iron toxic control without any treatment. Groups 3-15 were maintained on FeSO4 at 0.5% in feed for the 4 wk (28 days) of study and thereafter administered with different herbs and their combinations for the remaining 2 wk. The blood samples were drawn from wing vein at the end of 4th and 6th weeks from the birds in each group for the assay of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase. Sera samples were separated from the blood for the estimation of alanine transaminase (ALT) and serum creatinine. The birds were sacrificed at the end of 6th wk and tissues were collected for the assay of reduced glutathione (GSH) and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) in liver and kidney homogenates. The activities of SOD, catalase and ALT, and the concentration of TBARS and serum creatinine were increased significantly (P<0.05), while the concentration of tissue GSH was decreased significantly (P<0.05) in all the groups as compared to basal diet control and the values showed significant improvement in groups 3-15 that were treated during the last 2 weeks. It is concluded that iron induces toxicity by generating reactive oxygen species, and antioxidant herbs are useful in treating the iron-induced toxicity. PMID:21430923

The Relative Success of a Self-Help and a Group-Based Memory Training Program for Older Adults

PubMed Central

Hastings, Erin C.; West, Robin L.

2011-01-01

This study evaluates self-help and group-based memory training programs to test for their differential impact on memory beliefs and performance. Self-help participants used a manual that presented strategies for name, story, and list recall and practice exercises. Matched content from that same manual was presented by the trainer in 2-hr weekly group sessions for the group-based trainees. Relative to a wait-list control group, most memory measures showed significant gains for both self-help and group-based training, with no significant training condition differences, and these gains were maintained at follow-up. Belief measures showed that locus of control was significantly higher for the self-help and group-based training than the control group; memory self-efficacy significantly declined for controls, increased for group-trained participants, and remained constant in the self-help group. Self-efficacy change in a self-help group may require more opportunities for interacting with peers and/or an instructor emphasizing one's potential for memory change. PMID:19739914

School Gardening with a Twist Using Fish: Encouraging Educators to Adopt Aquaponics in the Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clayborn, Jaeson; Medina, Miles; O'Brien, George

2017-01-01

To evaluate the willingness of teachers to incorporate aquaponics in the classroom, we engaged teachers in a 6-week project. Participants in the experimental group maintained small-scale aquaponic systems. All teachers completed pretests and posttests, and exit surveys. Both groups (experimental and control) scored significantly higher on the…

Temporary arterial shunts to maintain limb perfusion after arterial injury: an animal study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dawson, D. L.; Putnam, A. T.; Light, J. T.; Ihnat, D. M.; Kissinger, D. P.; Rasmussen, T. E.; Bradley, D. V. Jr

1999-01-01

BACKGROUND: Temporary shunt placement can quickly restore perfusion after extremity arterial injury. This study examined the adequacy of limb blood flow with shunt use, non-heparin-bonded shunt patency over prolonged periods, and the safety of this technique. METHODS: Common iliac arteries were divided and 4.0-mm Silastic Sundt shunts placed in 16 anesthetized pigs. Eight (group I) had shunts placed immediately; eight others (group II) were shunted after an hour of limb ischemia and hemorrhagic shock. Physiologic parameters and femoral artery blood flow in both hindlimbs were continuously monitored. Limb lactic acid generation, oxygen utilization, and hematologic and metabolic effects were serially evaluated for 24 hours. RESULTS: Shunts remained patent in 13 of 16 pigs. Shunts thrombosed in two group I animals because of technical errors, but functioned well after thrombectomy and repositioning. Patency could not be maintained in one animal that died from shock. Flow in group I shunted limbs was 57 (+/-11 SD) % of control. For group II animals in shock, shunted limb flow initially averaged 46 +/- 15% of control, but 4 hours after shunt placement, the mean limb blood flow was the same as in group I. Increased oxygen extraction compensated for the lower flow. Lactic acid production was not increased in comparison to control limbs. CONCLUSION: Shunts provided adequate flow in this model of extremity trauma. Correctly placed shunts stayed patent for 24 hours, without anticoagulation, if shunt placement followed resuscitation.

Analyzing Cases of Resilience Success and Failure - A Research Study

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-12-01

controls [NIST 2012, NIST 2008] ISO 27002 and ISO 27004 Guidelines for initiating, implementing, maintaining, and improving information security...Commission ( ISO /IEC). Information technology—Security techniques—Code of practice for information security management ( ISO /IEC 27002 :2005). ISO /IEC, 2005...security management system and controls or groups of controls [ ISO /IEC 2005, ISO /IEC 2009] CIS Security Metrics Outcome and practice metrics measuring

Effecting attitudinal change towards rational drug use.

PubMed

Singh, T; Natu, M V

1995-01-01

Attitudes of 40 interns towards rational drug use (RDU) were assessed, using a standardized Likert type scale. The assessment was repeated after 4 months to evaluate the effect of usual working conditions of the hospital. After this period, the attitudes had slided towards negative side (p < 0.01). At this point, an intervention in the form of a workshop was provided for half the group while other half served as control. A repeat assessment after another period of 4 months revealed that the attitudes of test group returned towards positive side (p < 0.01) while control group maintained its negative attitudes.

Maintenance of HIV-Specific Memory B-Cell Responses in Elite Controllers Despite Low Viral Burdens.

PubMed

Buckner, Clarisa M; Kardava, Lela; Zhang, Xiaozhen; Gittens, Kathleen; Justement, J Shawn; Kovacs, Colin; McDermott, Adrian B; Li, Yuxing; Sajadi, Mohammad M; Chun, Tae-Wook; Fauci, Anthony S; Moir, Susan

2016-08-01

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-specific B-cell responses in infected individuals are maintained by active HIV replication. Suppression of viremia by antiretroviral therapy (ART) leads to quantitative and qualitative changes that remain unclear. Accordingly, B-cell responses were investigated in elite controllers (ECs), who maintain undetectable HIV levels without ART, and in individuals whose viremia was suppressed by ART. Despite a higher HIV burden in the ART group, compared with the EC group, frequencies of HIV-specific B cells were higher in the EC group, compared with those in the ART group. However, the initiation of ART in several ECs was associated with reduced frequencies of HIV-specific B cells, suggesting that responses are at least in part sustained by HIV replication. Furthermore, B-cell responses to tetanus toxin but not influenza hemagglutinin in the ART group were lower than those in the EC group. Thus, the superior HIV-specific humoral response in ECs versus ART-treated individuals is likely due to a more intact humoral immune response in ECs and/or distinct responses to residual HIV replication. Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of America 2016. This work is written by (a) US Government employee(s) and is in the public domain in the US.

The effects of autonomous difficulty selection on engagement, motivation, and learning in a motion-controlled video game task.

PubMed

Leiker, Amber M; Bruzi, Alessandro T; Miller, Matthew W; Nelson, Monica; Wegman, Rebecca; Lohse, Keith R

2016-10-01

This experiment investigated the relationship between motivation, engagement, and learning in a video game task. Previous studies have shown increased autonomy during practice leads to superior retention of motor skills, but it is not clear why this benefit occurs. Some studies suggest this benefit arises from increased motivation during practice; others suggest the benefit arises from better information processing. Sixty novice participants were randomly assigned to a self-controlled group, who chose the progression of difficulty during practice, or to a yoked group, who experienced the same difficulty progression but did not have choice. At the end of practice, participants completed surveys measuring intrinsic motivation and engagement. One week later, participants returned for a series of retention tests at three different difficulty levels. RM-ANCOVA (controlling for pre-test) showed that the self-controlled group had improved retention compared to the yoked group, on average, β=46.78, 95% CI=[2.68, 90.87], p=0.04, but this difference was only statistically significant on the moderate difficulty post-test (p=0.004). The self-controlled group also showed greater intrinsic motivation during practice, t(58)=2.61, p=0.01. However, there was no evidence that individual differences in engagement (p=0.20) or motivation (p=0.87) were associated with learning, which was the relationship this experiment was powered to detect. These data are inconsistent with strictly motivational accounts of how autonomy benefits learning, instead suggesting the benefits of autonomy may be mediated through other mechanisms. For instance, within the information processing framework, the learning benefits may emerge from learners appropriately adjusting difficulty to maintain an appropriate level of challenge (i.e., maintaining the relationship between task demands and cognitive resources). Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effects of long-term exercise training on autonomic control in myocardial infarction patients.

PubMed

Martinez, Daniel G; Nicolau, José C; Lage, Rony L; Toschi-Dias, Edgar; de Matos, Luciana D N J; Alves, Maria Janieire N N; Trombetta, Ivani C; Dias da Silva, Valdo J; Middlekauff, Holly R; Negrão, Carlos E; Rondon, Maria U P B

2011-12-01

Autonomic dysfunction, including baroreceptor attenuation and sympathetic activation, has been reported in patients with myocardial infarction (MI) and has been associated with increased mortality. We tested the hypotheses that exercise training (ET) in post-MI patients would normalize arterial baroreflex sensitivity (BRS) and muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA), and long-term ET would maintain the benefits in BRS and MSNA. Twenty-eight patients after 1 month of uncomplicated MI were randomly assigned to 2 groups, ET (MI-ET) and untrained. A normal control group was also studied. ET consisted of three 60-minute exercise sessions per week for 6 months. We evaluated MSNA (microneurography), blood pressure (automatic oscillometric method), heart rate (ECG), and spectral analysis of RR interval, systolic arterial pressure (SAP), and MSNA. Baroreflex gain of SAP-RR interval and SAP-MSNA were calculated using the α-index. At 3 to 5 days and 1 month after MI, MSNA and low-frequency SAP were significantly higher and BRS significantly lower in MI patients when compared with the normal control group. ET significantly decreased MSNA (bursts per 100 heartbeats) and the low-frequency component of SAP and significantly increased the low-frequency component of MSNA and BRS of the RR interval and MSNA. These changes were so marked that the differences between patients with MI and the normal control group were no longer observed after ET. MSNA and BRS in the MI-untrained group did not change from baseline over the same time period. ET normalizes BRS, low-frequency SAP, and MSNA in patients with MI. These improvements in autonomic control are maintained by long-term ET. These findings highlight the clinical importance of this nonpharmacological therapy based on ET in the long-term treatment of patients with MI.

Empowered Diabetes Management: Life Coaching and Pharmacist Counseling for Employed Adults with Diabetes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nishita, Christy; Cardazone, Gina; Uehara, Denise Lea; Tom, Tammy

2013-01-01

The Hawai'i Demonstration to Maintain Independence and Employment was a randomized controlled trial examining the effect of a participant-driven, multicomponent intervention on 190 employed adults with diabetes, 36% of whom were Asian and 35% of whom were Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander. A no treatment concurrent control group was used, and…

Recovery of short-term memory and psychomotor speed but not postural stability with long-term sobriety in alcoholic women.

PubMed

Rosenbloom, Margaret J; Pfefferbaum, Adolf; Sullivan, Edith V

2004-07-01

The authors assessed effects of extended abstinence on cognitive and motor function deficits previously observed in a group of alcoholic women (n = 43) initially tested after 15 weeks of sobriety. Alcoholic women were retested 1 and 4 years later, and control women were retested 3 years later. At Year 1, 14 of 23 returners had maintained sobriety, but they did not perform significantly better than relapsers; the group as a whole continued to show deficits relative to age norms. By Year 4, 13 of 14 returners had maintained sobriety for more than 30 months; as a group, these women had returned to normal levels on tests of memory and psychomotor speed but remained impaired in standing balance.

Two-year follow-up of an adolescent behavioral weight control intervention.

PubMed

Lloyd-Richardson, Elizabeth E; Jelalian, Elissa; Sato, Amy F; Hart, Chantelle N; Mehlenbeck, Robyn; Wing, Rena R

2012-08-01

This study examined the 24-month outcomes of a randomized controlled trial of a group-based behavioral weight control (BWC) program combined with either activity-based peer intervention or aerobic exercise. At baseline, 118 obese adolescents (68% female; BMI = 31.41 ± 3.33) ages 13 to 16 years (mean = 14.33; SD = 1.02) were randomized to receive 1 of 2 weight loss interventions. Both interventions received the same 16-week group-based cognitive-behavioral treatment, combined with either aerobic exercise or peer-based adventure therapy. Eighty-nine adolescents (75% of original sample) completed the 24-month follow-up. Anthropometric and psychosocial measures were obtained at baseline, at the end of the 16-week intervention, and at 12 and 24 months following randomization. An intent-to-treat mixed factor analysis of variance indicated a significant effect for time on both percent over 50th percentile BMI for age and gender and standardized BMI score, with no differences by intervention group. Post hoc comparisons showed a significant decrease in percent overweight at 4 months (end of treatment), which was maintained at both 12- and 24-month follow-up visits. Significant improvements on several dimensions of self-concept were noted, with significant effects on physical appearance self-concept that were maintained through 24 months. Both BWC conditions were effective at maintaining reductions in adolescent obesity and improvements in physical appearance self-concept through 24-month follow-up. This study is one of the first to document long-term outcomes of BWC intervention among adolescents.

The impact of phosphate-balanced crystalloid infusion on acid-base homeostasis (PALANCE study): study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Pagel, Judith-Irina; Hulde, Nikolai; Kammerer, Tobias; Schwarz, Michaela; Chappell, Daniel; Burges, Alexander; Hofmann-Kiefer, Klaus; Rehm, Markus

2017-07-10

This study aims to investigate the effects of a modified, balanced crystalloid including phosphate in a perioperative setting in order to maintain a stable electrolyte and acid-base homeostasis in the patient. This is a single-centre, open-label, randomized controlled trial involving two parallel groups of female patients comparing a perioperative infusion regime with sodium glycerophosphate and Jonosteril® (treatment group) or Jonosteril® (comparator) alone. The primary endpoint is to maintain a stable concentration of weak acids [A - ] according to the Stewart approach of acid-base balance. Secondary endpoints are measurement of serum phosphate levels, other acid-base parameters such as the strong ion difference (SID), the onset and severity of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV), electrolyte levels and their excretion in the urine, monitoring of renal function and glycocalyx components, haemodynamics, amounts of catecholamines and other vasopressors used and the safety of the infusion regime. Perioperative fluid replacement with the use of currently available crystalloid preparations still fail to maintain a stable acid-base balance and experts agree that common balanced solutions are still not ideal. This study aims to investigate the effectivity and safety of a new crystalloid solution by adding sodium glycerophosphate to a standardized crystalloid preparation in order to maintain a balanced perioperative acid-base homeostasis. EudraCT number 201002422520 . Registered on 30 November 2010.

An internet-based intervention with brief nurse support to manage obesity in primary care (POWeR+): a pragmatic, parallel-group, randomised controlled trial.

PubMed

Little, Paul; Stuart, Beth; Hobbs, Fd Richard; Kelly, Jo; Smith, Emily R; Bradbury, Katherine J; Hughes, Stephanie; Smith, Peter W F; Moore, Michael V; Lean, Mike E J; Margetts, Barrie M; Byrne, Chris D; Griffin, Simon; Davoudianfar, Mina; Hooper, Julie; Yao, Guiqing; Zhu, Shihua; Raftery, James; Yardley, Lucy

2016-10-01

The obesity epidemic has major public health consequences. Expert dietetic and behavioural counselling with intensive follow-up is effective, but resource requirements severely restrict widespread implementation in primary care, where most patients are managed. We aimed to estimate the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of an internet-based behavioural intervention (POWeR+) combined with brief practice nurse support in primary care. We did this pragmatic, parallel-group, randomised controlled trial at 56 primary care practices in central and south England. Eligible adults aged 18 years or older with a BMI of 30 kg/m(2) or more (or ≥28 kg/m(2) with hypertension, hypercholesterolaemia, or diabetes) registered online with POWeR+-a 24 session, web-based, weight management intervention lasting 6 months. After registration, the website automatically randomly assigned patients (1:1:1), via computer-generated random numbers, to receive evidence-based dietetic advice to swap foods for similar, but healthier, choices and increase fruit and vegetable intake, in addition to 6 monthly nurse follow-up (control group); web-based intervention and face-to-face nurse support (POWeR+Face-to-face [POWeR+F]; up to seven nurse contacts over 6 months); or web-based intervention and remote nurse support (POWeR+Remote [POWeR+R]; up to five emails or brief phone calls over 6 months). Participants and investigators were masked to group allocation at the point of randomisation; masking of participants was not possible after randomisation. The primary outcome was weight loss averaged over 12 months. We did a secondary analysis of weight to measure maintenance of 5% weight loss at months 6 and 12. We modelled the cost-effectiveness of each intervention. We did analysis by intention to treat, with multiple imputation for missing data. This trial is registered as an International Standard Randomised Controlled Trial, number ISRCTN21244703. Between Jan 30, 2013, and March 20, 2014, 818 participants were randomly assigned to the control group (n=279), the POWeR+F group (n=269), or the POWeR+R group (n=270). Weight loss averaged over 12 months was recorded in 666 (81%) participants. The control group lost almost 3 kg over 12 months (crude mean weight: baseline 104·38 kg [SD 21·11; n=279], 6 months 101·91 kg [19·35; n=136], 12 months 101·74 kg [19·57; n=227]). The primary imputed analysis showed that compared with the control group, patients in the POWeR+F group achieved an additional weight reduction of 1·5 kg (95% CI 0·6-2·4; p=0·001) averaged over 12 months, and patients in the POWeR+R group achieved an additional 1·3 kg (0·34-2·2; p=0·007). 21% of patients in the control group had maintained a clinically important 5% weight reduction at month 12, compared with 29% of patients in the POWeR+F group (risk ratio 1·56, 0·96-2·51; p=0·070) and 32% of patients in the POWeR+R group (1·82, 1·31-2·74; p=0·004). The incremental overall cost to the health service per kg weight lost with the POWeR+ interventions versus the control strategy was £18 (95% CI -129 to 195) for POWeR+F and -£25 (-268 to 157) for POWeR+R; the probability of being cost-effective at a threshold of £100 per kg lost was 88% and 98%, respectively. No adverse events were reported. Weight loss can be maintained in some individuals by use of novel written material with occasional brief nurse follow-up. However, more people can maintain clinically important weight reductions with a web-based behavioural program and brief remote follow-up, with no increase in health service costs. Future research should assess the extent to which clinically important weight loss can be maintained beyond 1 year. Health Technology Assessment Programme of the National Institute for Health Research. Copyright © 2016 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an Open Access article under the CC BY license. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

FUEL Your Life: A Translation of the Diabetes Prevention Program to Worksites.

PubMed

Wilson, Mark G; DeJoy, David M; Vandenberg, Robert; Padilla, Heather; Davis, Marsha

2016-01-01

To evaluate the effectiveness of FUEL Your Life, a translation of the Diabetes Prevention Program for worksites. A randomized control group design was conducted in five worksites of a large transportation company. Measures were collected pretest, posttest (6 months), and follow-up (12 months). Railroad maintenance facilities of Union Pacific Railroad. Participants consisted of 362 workers (227 treatment, 135 control). FUEL Your Life was translated from the Diabetes Prevention Program to better fit within the context of the worksite. The primary difference was the use of peer health coaches to provide social support and reinforcement and an occupational nurse to provide lesson content (six sessions of 10 minutes) to participants instead of the lifestyle coaches employed by the Diabetes Prevention Program, resulting in a less structured meeting schedule. The primary outcomes were weight and body mass index (BMI), with secondary outcomes including eating behaviors, physical activity, and social support. Latent growth modeling was used to measure changes in the outcomes over time. Participants in the intervention group maintained weight/BMI (-.1 pounds/-.1 BMI), whereas the control participants gained weight/BMI (+2.6 pounds/+.3 BMI), resulting in a statistically significant difference between groups. Fifty-five percent of intervention participants lost some weight, whereas only 35% of the control group lost weight. FUEL Your Life, a low intensity intervention, was not effective for promoting weight loss, but was effective for helping workers maintain weight over a 12-month period.

Transtheoretical Model Based Exercise Counseling Combined with Music Skipping Rope Exercise on Childhood Obesity.

PubMed

Ham, Ok Kyung; Sung, Kyung Mi; Lee, Bo Gyeong; Choi, Hee Won; Im, Eun-Ok

2016-06-01

The purpose was to evaluate the effects of a transtheoretical model (TTM) based exercise counseling offered with music skipping rope exercise on components of the TTM (stages of change, decisional balance, and self-efficacy), body mass index, glucose, and lipid profile of overweight/obese children in Korea. This study used a nonequivalent pretest and posttest experimental study design. A total of 75 overweight/obese children participated in the study. Eight sessions of exercise counseling combined with music skipping rope exercise for 12 weeks were offered for children in the experimental group, while one session of exercise counseling with music skipping rope exercise for 12 weeks was offered for children in the control group. Outcomes were measured at baseline, and 6 months after the intervention. After the intervention, self-efficacy significantly improved among children in the experimental group (p = .049), while these children maintained their baseline BMI at 6-month follow-up (p > .05). Among children in the control group, BMI significantly increased (p < .05). Fasting blood sugar significantly increased for both groups after the intervention (p < .05). However, a greater increase was observed for the control group. Our study partially supports the hypothesis that a TTM-based exercise intervention is effective in maintaining BMI and improving self-efficacy of overweight/obese children. The TTM-based counseling combined with exercise classes has potential to control weight among overweight/obese children, while involvement of parents and children in the development of the theory-based intervention may generate further benefits regarding health and well-being of overweight/obese children. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Centre of pressure correlates with pyramid performance in acrobatic gymnastics.

PubMed

Floría, Pablo; Gómez-Landero, Luis Arturo; Harrison, Andrew J

2015-01-01

Acrobatic gymnasts need excellent balance control to execute pyramids where one gymnast is supported by another. The objectives of this study were: (1) to describe balance performance by assessing the centre of pressure displacement in a group of acrobatic gymnasts executing pyramids; (2) to determine the relationship between the parameters describing the centre of pressure oscillations and pyramid score; and (3) to examine the role of each foot in providing a solid base of support to maintain the balance of the pyramid. Sixteen acrobatic gymnasts grouped in pairs performed a Half pyramid and a Straddle pyramid held for 7 s on two force platforms. Path length, variance, range trajectory, and surface area of the centre of pressure of each foot were examined to analyse the balance of the pyramid. The path length was correlated with the pyramid score (Straddle: p = 0.692 [large]; Half: p = 0.407 [moderate]). There were differences in the functions of each leg to maintain balance, with the non-preferred leg supporting a higher weight of the pyramid while the preferred leg performed control movements to maintain balance. The results suggested that quantitative analysis of balance can provide important information on pyramid performance.

Oxidative Stress Induced by Lead and Antioxidant Potential of Certain Adaptogens in Poultry

PubMed Central

Kumar, M. Ratan; Reddy, A. Gopala; Anjaneyulu, Y.; Reddy, G. Dilip

2010-01-01

Effect of lead was studied for its action on antioxidant defense in broilers. A total of 225 one-day-old male broiler chicks (Vencobb strain) were divided randomly into 15 groups consisting of 15 chicks in each group. Group 1 was maintained on basal diet, group 2 on polyherbal formulation (PHF; stressroak), group 3 on shilajit, group 4 on amla, and group 5 on vitamin E + selenium (Se). Group 6 was maintained on lead for 42 days (6 weeks) and group 7 on lead for 28 days and subsequently on basal diet without lead for the remaining two weeks. Groups 8, 9, 10, and 11 were given lead along with PHF, shilajit, amla, and vitamin E + Se, respectively throughout the experiment for 6 weeks. Groups 12, 13, 14, and 15 were given lead containing diet for the first four weeks (28 days) and subsequently treated with PHF, shilajit, amla, and vitamin E + Se, respectively for the remaining two weeks. Antioxidant status of the birds was analyzed by assaying blood samples for glutathione (GSH) peroxidase, GSH reductase, and catalase at the end of fourth and sixth weeks, whereas Thiobarbituric acid reacting substances (TBARS) and GSH concentrations were estimated in liver homogenate at the end of the sixth week. The antioxidant defense parameters were significantly altered in toxic control groups indicating the possible oxidative damage caused by lead, whereas the parameters were normal in control groups 1 to 5 and other groups that were given the drugs in test, indicating their good ameliorating activity in oxidative stress. PMID:21170243

Oxidative stress induced by lead and antioxidant potential of certain adaptogens in poultry.

PubMed

Kumar, M Ratan; Reddy, A Gopala; Anjaneyulu, Y; Reddy, G Dilip

2010-07-01

Effect of lead was studied for its action on antioxidant defense in broilers. A total of 225 one-day-old male broiler chicks (Vencobb strain) were divided randomly into 15 groups consisting of 15 chicks in each group. Group 1 was maintained on basal diet, group 2 on polyherbal formulation (PHF; stressroak), group 3 on shilajit, group 4 on amla, and group 5 on vitamin E + selenium (Se). Group 6 was maintained on lead for 42 days (6 weeks) and group 7 on lead for 28 days and subsequently on basal diet without lead for the remaining two weeks. Groups 8, 9, 10, and 11 were given lead along with PHF, shilajit, amla, and vitamin E + Se, respectively throughout the experiment for 6 weeks. Groups 12, 13, 14, and 15 were given lead containing diet for the first four weeks (28 days) and subsequently treated with PHF, shilajit, amla, and vitamin E + Se, respectively for the remaining two weeks. Antioxidant status of the birds was analyzed by assaying blood samples for glutathione (GSH) peroxidase, GSH reductase, and catalase at the end of fourth and sixth weeks, whereas Thiobarbituric acid reacting substances (TBARS) and GSH concentrations were estimated in liver homogenate at the end of the sixth week. The antioxidant defense parameters were significantly altered in toxic control groups indicating the possible oxidative damage caused by lead, whereas the parameters were normal in control groups 1 to 5 and other groups that were given the drugs in test, indicating their good ameliorating activity in oxidative stress.

Group therapy for somatization disorders in primary care: maintenance of treatment goals of short cognitive-behavioural treatment one-and-a-half-year follow-up.

PubMed

Lidbeck, J

2003-06-01

The objective of this study was to evaluate the maintenance of treatment goals of a short cognitive-behavioural group treatment programme for the management of somatization disorders in primary care. In a previous controlled 6-month follow-up study, patients with somatization disorders (n=32) improved with respect to illness and somatic preoccupation, hypochondriasis, and medication usage. In the present report the same group of patients were also investigated one-and-a-half year after initial treatment. The long-term follow-up manifested maintained improvement with respect to hypochondriasis. There was additional reduction of anxiety and psychosocial preoccupation, whereas somatization and depression-anxiety scores improved progressively. A short cognitive-behavioural group treatment of psychosomatic patients can be useful in primary care and may manifest maintained or progressive beneficial outcome.

Transistor step stress testing program for JANTX2N2484

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1979-01-01

The effect of power/temperature step stress when applied to the transistor JANTX2N2484, manufactured by Raytheon and Teledyne was evaluated. Forty-eight samples from each manufacturer were divided equally (16 per group) into three groups and submitted to the processes outlined. In addition, two control sample units were maintained for verification of the electrical parametric testing.

Formation Flying of Components of a Large Space Telescope

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mettler, Edward; Quadrelli, Marco; Breckenridge, William

2009-01-01

A conceptual space telescope having an aperture tens of meters wide and a focal length of hundreds of meters would be implemented as a group of six separate optical modules flying in formation: a primary-membrane-mirror module, a relay-mirror module, a focal-plane-assembly module containing a fast steering mirror and secondary and tertiary optics, a primary-mirror-figure-sensing module, a scanning-electron-beam module for controlling the shape of the primary mirror, and a sunshade module. Formation flying would make it unnecessary to maintain the required precise alignments among the modules by means of an impractically massive rigid structure. Instead, a control system operating in conjunction with a metrology system comprising optical and radio subsystems would control the firing of small thrusters on the separate modules to maintain the formation, thereby acting as a virtual rigid structure. The control system would utilize a combination of centralized- and decentralized-control methods according to a leader-follower approach. The feasibility of the concept was demonstrated in computational simulations that showed that relative positions could be maintained to within a fraction of a millimeter and orientations to within several microradians.

Use and effect of clinical photographic records on the motivation and oral hygiene practices of a group of mentally handicapped adults.

PubMed

Bickley, S R; Shaw, L; Shaw, M J

1990-01-01

A study was undertaken to test the hypothesis that clinical photographic records can be used to motivate oral hygiene performance in mentally handicapped adults. Plaque reduction over the period of the study was shown to be higher in the test group than the control group but differences between the test and control groups were not statistically significant. The small numbers involved (29) and the difficulties in matching subjects may have mitigated against demonstrating a statistically significant difference between the two groups. All participants demonstrated high levels of toothbrushing ability during the practical aspects of the study but this was not maintained through daily oral hygiene practices in the majority of subjects.

Electrical stimulation attenuates morphological alterations and prevents atrophy of the denervated cranial tibial muscle.

PubMed

Bueno, Cleuber Rodrigo de Souza; Pereira, Mizael; Favaretto, Idvaldo Aparecido; Bortoluci, Carlos Henrique Fachin; Santos, Thais Caroline Pereira Dos; Dias, Daniel Ventura; Daré, Letícia Rossi; Rosa, Geraldo Marco

2017-01-01

To investigate if electrical stimulation through Russian current is able to maintain morphology of the cranial tibial muscle of experimentally denervated rats. Thirty-six Wistar rats were divided into four groups: the Initial Control Group, Final Control Group, Experimental Denervated and Treated Group, Experimental Denervated Group. The electrostimulation was performed with a protocol of Russian current applied three times per week, for 45 days. At the end, the animals were euthanized and histological and morphometric analyses were performed. Data were submitted to statistical analysis with a significance level of p<0.05. The Experimental Denervated Group and the Experimental Denervated and Treated Group had cross-sectional area of smaller fiber compared to the Final Control Group. However, there was significant difference between the Experimental Denervated Group and Experimental Denervated and Treated Group, showing that electrical stimulation minimized muscle atrophy. The Experimental Denervated and Treated Group and Initial Control Group showed similar results. Electrical stimulation through Russian current acted favorably in maintaining morphology of the cranial tibial muscle that was experimentally denervated, minimizing muscle atrophy. Investigar se a estimulação elétrica pela corrente russa é capaz de manter a morfologia do músculo tibial cranial de ratos desnervados experimentalmente. Foram utilizados 36 ratos Wistar, distribuídos em quatro grupos: Grupo Controle Inicial, Grupo Controle Final, Grupo Experimental Desnervado Tratado, Grupo Experimental Desnervado. A eletroestimulação foi realizada com um protocolo de corrente russa aplicada três vezes por semanas, durante 45 dias. Ao final, os animais foram eutanasiados e, em seguida, foram realizadas as análises histológica e morfométrica. Os dados foram submetidos à análise estatística, com nível de significância de p<0,05. Os Grupos Experimental Desnervado e o Grupo Experimental Desnervado Tratado apresentaram área de secção transversal da fibra menor quando comparados ao Grupo Controle Final. Entretanto, constatou-se diferença significativa entre o Grupo Experimental Desnervado e o Grupo Experimental Desnervado Tratado, mostrando que a estimulação elétrica minimizou atrofia muscular. Ainda, observou-se que o Grupo Experimental Desnervado Tratado apresentou resultados semelhantes ao Grupo Controle Inicial. A estimulação elétrica por meio da corrente russa foi favorável na manutenção da morfologia do músculo tibial cranial desnervado experimentalmente, minimizando a atrofia muscular.

Virtual reality cognitive-behavior therapy for public speaking anxiety: one-year follow-up.

PubMed

Safir, Marilyn P; Wallach, Helene S; Bar-Zvi, Margalit

2012-03-01

Public speaking anxiety (PSA) is a common social phobia. Although cognitive-behavior therapy (CBT) is the treatment of choice, difficulties arise with both in vivo and in vitro exposure (lack of therapist control, patient's inability to imagine, self-flooding, and a lack of confidentiality resulting from public exposure). Virtual reality CBT (VRCBT) enables a high degree of therapist control, thus overcoming these difficulties. In a previous publication, the authors reported on their findings that VRCBT (n = 28) and CBT (n = 30) groups were significantly more effective than a wait-list control (WLC; n = 30) group in anxiety reduction on four of five anxiety measures as well as on participant's self-rating of anxiety during a behavioral task. No significant differences were found between VRCBT and CBT. However, twice as many clients dropped out of CBT (15) than from VRCBT (6). Results demonstrated that VRCBT is an effective and brief treatment regimen, equal to CBT. This brief report examined durability of these changes. They found that both VRCBT (25) and CBT (24) groups maintained their improvement from post treatment to follow-up, on all five measures. In addition, they found that the CBT group continued to improve from post treatment to follow-up on Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale (LSAS) fear. Thus, treatment gains were maintained at a 1-year follow-up.

Microprocessor-controlled hemodynamics: a step towards improved efficiency and safety.

PubMed

Keogh, B E; Jacobs, J; Royston, D; Taylor, K M

1989-02-01

Manual titration of sodium nitroprusside (SNP) is widely used for treatment of hypertension following cardiac surgery. This study compared conventional manual control with control by a research prototype of an automatic infusion module based on a proportional plus integral plus derivative (PID) negative feedback loop. Two groups of coronary artery bypass patients requiring SNP for postoperative hypertension were studied prospectively. In the first group, hypertension was controlled by manual adjustment of the SNP infusion rate, and in the second, the infusion rate was controlled automatically. The actual and desired mean arterial pressures (MAP) over consecutive ten-second epochs were recorded during the period of infusion. The MAP was maintained within 10% of the desired MAP 45.8% of the time in the manual group, compared with 90.0% in the automatic group, and the mean percent error in the automatic group was significantly less than in the manual group (P less than 0.01). It is concluded that adoption of such systems will result in improved patient safety and may facilitate more effective distribution of nursing staff within intensive care units.

Analytical Chemistry Laboratory

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Anderson, Mark

2013-01-01

The Analytical Chemistry and Material Development Group maintains a capability in chemical analysis, materials R&D failure analysis and contamination control. The uniquely qualified staff and facility support the needs of flight projects, science instrument development and various technical tasks, as well as Cal Tech.

Virtual reality-based training improves community ambulation in individuals with stroke: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Yang, Yea-Ru; Tsai, Meng-Pin; Chuang, Tien-Yow; Sung, Wen-Hsu; Wang, Ray-Yau

2008-08-01

This is a single blind randomized controlled trial to examine the effect of virtual reality-based training on the community ambulation in individuals with stroke. Twenty subjects with stroke were assigned randomly to either the control group (n=9) or the experimental group (n=11). Subjects in the control group received the treadmill training. Subjects in the experimental group underwent the virtual reality-based treadmill training. Walking speed, community walking time, walking ability questionnaire (WAQ), and activities-specific balance confidence (ABC) scale were evaluated. Subjects in the experimental group improved significantly in walking speed, community walking time, and WAQ score at posttraining and 1-month follow-up periods. Their ABC score also significantly increased at posttraining but did not maintain at follow-up period. Regarding the between-group comparisons, the experimental group improved significantly more than control group in walking speed (P=0.03) and community walking time (P=0.04) at posttraining period and in WAQ score (P=0.03) at follow-up period. Our results support the perceived benefits of gait training programs that incorporate virtual reality to augment the community ambulation of individuals with stroke.

Comparison of the fracture resistances of glass fiber mesh- and metal mesh-reinforced maxillary complete denture under dynamic fatigue loading.

PubMed

Im, So-Min; Huh, Yoon-Hyuk; Cho, Lee-Ra; Park, Chan-Jin

2017-02-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of reinforcing materials on the fracture resistances of glass fiber mesh- and Cr-Co metal mesh-reinforced maxillary complete dentures under fatigue loading. Glass fiber mesh- and Cr-Co mesh-reinforced maxillary complete dentures were fabricated using silicone molds and acrylic resin. A control group was prepared with no reinforcement (n = 15 per group). After fatigue loading was applied using a chewing simulator, fracture resistance was measured by a universal testing machine. The fracture patterns were analyzed and the fractured surfaces were observed by scanning electron microscopy. After cyclic loading, none of the dentures showed cracks or fractures. During fracture resistance testing, all unreinforced dentures experienced complete fracture. The mesh-reinforced dentures primarily showed posterior framework fracture. Deformation of the all-metal framework caused the metal mesh-reinforced denture to exhibit the highest fracture resistance, followed by the glass fiber mesh-reinforced denture ( P <.05) and the control group ( P <.05). The glass fiber mesh-reinforced denture primarily maintained its original shape with unbroken fibers. River line pattern of the control group, dimples and interdendritic fractures of the metal mesh group, and radial fracture lines of the glass fiber group were observed on the fractured surfaces. The glass fiber mesh-reinforced denture exhibits a fracture resistance higher than that of the unreinforced denture, but lower than that of the metal mesh-reinforced denture because of the deformation of the metal mesh. The glass fiber mesh-reinforced denture maintains its shape even after fracture, indicating the possibility of easier repair.

Effects of a group rational-emotive behavior therapy program on the Type A behavior pattern.

PubMed

Möller, A T; Botha, H C

1996-06-01

A sample of 44 male Type A insurance representatives, selected by means of the Videotaped Structured Interview, were randomly assigned to a treatment (n = 22) and a delayed treatment control group (n = 22). The treatment group participated in 9 weekly sessions of group Rational-Emotive Behavior Therapy and were followed up after 10 weeks. After the control period, the delayed treatment control group received the same treatment program. Repeated measurements were obtained by means of the Videotaped Structured Interview, Jenkins Activity Survey, Cook-Medley Hostility Scale, and Type A Cognitive Questionnaire. Self and spouse/friend ratings of Type A behavior were obtained by means of the Bortner Rating Scale. Analysis indicated that, compared to the control condition, the therapy significantly reduced the intensity of Type A behavior and its time urgency component. These improvements were maintained at follow-up and were accompanied by self-reports of significant positive changes in Type A behavior and irrational beliefs.

Effects of diets with different content in protein and fiber on embryotoxicity induced by experimental diabetes in rats.

PubMed

Giavini, E; Airoldi, L; Broccia, M L; Roversi, G D; Prati, M

1993-01-01

Three groups of streptozotocin-diabetic rats were maintained during pregnancy on three hyperproteic diets with different protein contents. These differences were compensated by an equal quantity of fiber (group 1: protein 55.0%, fiber 4.5%; group 2: 45.0%, 14.0%; group 3: 35.0%, 24.0%). Three groups of nondiabetic pregnant rats were fed with the same diets and served as control. The differences of the daily protein intake among the diabetic groups were less pronounced than those expected on the basis of the diet composition, and the embryopathic effects (reduced fetal weight, increased in malformation and resorption rate) were not statistically different among the three groups of diabetic animals. The frequency of congenital malformations was higher than that observed in a previous experiment in diabetic rats maintained on a standard diet, but much lower than that observed in animals fed on a purified, fiber-poor, normoproteic diet. When the caloric intake of the diabetic rats in the different groups was determined it was found to be similar for all of them and also similar to the caloric intake of the rats given a standard nonteratogenic diet (in previous experiments), while the rats maintained on a normoproteic, teratogenic diet increased their caloric intake. These results seem to indicate that the diet composition greatly influences the intake of food and calories of pregnant diabetic rats and this may play a role in modulating the embryopathic effect of diabetes.

Outcomes of a group-randomized trial to prevent excess weight gain, reduce screen behaviours and promote physical activity in 10-year-old children: switch-play.

PubMed

Salmon, J; Ball, K; Hume, C; Booth, M; Crawford, D

2008-04-01

To evaluate the effectiveness of an intervention to prevent excess weight gain, reduce time spent in screen behaviours, promote participation in and enjoyment of physical activity (PA), and improve fundamental movement skills among children. In 2002, 311 children (78% response; 49% boys), average age 10 years 8 months, were recruited from three government schools in low socioeconomic areas of Melbourne, Australia. Group-randomized controlled trial. Children were randomized by class to one of the four conditions: a behavioural modification group (BM; n=66); a fundamental movement skills group (FMS; n=74); a combined BM/FMS group (BM/FMS; n=93); and a control (usual curriculum) group (n=62). Data were collected at baseline, post intervention, 6- and 12-month follow-up periods. BMI data were available for 295 children at baseline and 268 at 12-month follow-up. After adjusting for food intake and PA, there was a significant intervention effect from baseline to post intervention on age- and sex-adjusted BMI in the BM/FMS group compared with controls (-1.88 kg m(-2), P<0.01), which was maintained at 6- and 12-month follow-up periods (-1.53 kg m(-2), P<0.05). Children in the BM/FMS group were less likely than controls to be overweight/obese between baseline and post intervention (adjusted odds ratio (AOR)=0.36, P<0.05); also maintained at 12-month follow-up (AOR=0.38, P<0.05). Compared with controls, FMS group children recorded higher levels and greater enjoyment of PA; and BM children recorded higher levels of PA and TV viewing across all four time points. Gender moderated the intervention effects for participation in and enjoyment of PA, and fundamental movement skills. This programme represents a promising approach to preventing excess weight gain and promoting participation in and enjoyment of PA. Examination of the mediators of this intervention and further tailoring of the programme to suit both genders is required.

Mindfulness training for reducing anger, anxiety, and depression in fibromyalgia patients.

PubMed

Amutio, Alberto; Franco, Clemente; Pérez-Fuentes, María de Carmen; Gázquez, José J; Mercader, Isabel

2014-01-01

Fibromyalgia is a disabling syndrome. Results obtained with different therapies are very limited to date. The goal of this study was to verify whether the application of a mindfulness-based training program was effective in modifying anger, anxiety, and depression levels in a group of women diagnosed with fibromyalgia. This study is an experimental trial that employed a waiting list control group. Measures were taken at three different times: pretest, posttest, and follow-up. The statistical analyses revealed a significant reduction of anger (trait) levels, internal expression of anger, state anxiety, and depression in the experimental group as compared to the control group, as well as a significant increase in internal control of anger. It can be concluded that the mindfulness-based treatment was effective after 7 weeks. These results were maintained 3 months after the end of the intervention.

Validation of Placebo in a Manual Therapy Randomized Controlled Trial

PubMed Central

Chaibi, Aleksander; Šaltytė Benth, Jūratė; Bjørn Russell, Michael

2015-01-01

At present, no consensus exists among clinical and academic experts regarding an appropriate placebo for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of spinal manipulative therapy (SMT). Therefore, we investigated whether it was possible to conduct a chiropractic manual-therapy RCT with placebo. Seventy migraineurs were randomized to a single-blinded placebo-controlled clinical trial that consisted of 12 treatment sessions over 3 months. The participants were randomized to chiropractic SMT or placebo (sham manipulation). After each session, the participants were surveyed on whether they thought they had undergone active treatment (“yes” or “no”) and how strongly they believed that active treatment was received (numeric rating scale 0–10). The outcome measures included the rate of successful blinding and the certitude of the participants’ beliefs in both treatment groups. At each treatment session, more than 80% of the participants believed that they had undergone active treatment, regardless of group allocation. The odds ratio for believing that active treatment was received was >10 for all treatment sessions in both groups (all p < 0.001). The blinding was maintained throughout the RCT. Our results strongly demonstrate that it is possible to conduct a single-blinded manual-therapy RCT with placebo and to maintain the blinding throughout 12 treatment sessions given over 3 months. PMID:26145718

Commission 5: Documentation and Astronomical Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Norris, Raymond P.; Ohishi, Masatoshi; Genova, Françoise; Grothkopf, Uta; Malkov, Oleg Yu.; Pence, William D.; Schmitz, Marion; Hanisch, Robert J.; Zhou, Xu

IAU Commission 5 deals with data management issues, and its working groups and task groups deal specifically with information handling, with data centres and networks, with technical aspects of collection, archiving, storage and dissemination of data, with designations and classification of astronomical objects, with library services, editorial policies, computer communications, ad hoc methodologies, and with various standards, reference frames, etc., FITS, astronomys Flexible Image Transport System, the major data exchange format, is controlled, maintained and updated by the Working Group FITS.

Group versus individual cognitive treatment for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: changes in non-OCD symptoms and cognitions at post-treatment and one-year follow-up.

PubMed

Belloch, Amparo; Cabedo, Elena; Carrió, Carmen; Fernández-Alvarez, Héctor; García, Fernando; Larsson, Christina

2011-05-15

Current cognitive approaches postulate that obsessions and compulsions are caused and/or maintained by misinterpretations about their meaning. This assumption has led to the development of cognitive therapeutic (CT) procedures designed to challenge the dysfunctional appraisals and beliefs patients have about their obsessions. Nonetheless, few studies have compared the efficacy of individual and group CT in changing the dysfunctional cognitions that hypothetically underlie Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). In this study, 44 OCD patients were assigned to individual (n=18) or group (n=24) CT. Sixteen completed the individual CT, and 22 completed the group CT. The effects of the two CT conditions on depression and worry tendencies were comparable. Individual treatment was more effective than group treatment in decreasing scores on dysfunctional beliefs (responsibility, overestimation of threat, and intolerance to uncertainty) and the use of suppression as a thought control strategy. The post-treatment changes were maintained one year later. The correlations between symptom improvement (OCD severity change) and belief changes were moderate: in the individual treatment the greatest associations were with beliefs about thoughts (importance and control), whereas in the group treatment the greatest associations were with beliefs related to anxiety in general (threat overestimation and intolerance to uncertainty). Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Sericin and swimming on histomorphometric parameters of denervated plantar muscle in Wistar rats.

PubMed

Santana, André Junior; Debastiani, Jean Carlos; Buratti, Pâmela; Peretti, Ana Luiza; Kunz, Regina Inês; Brancalhão, Rose Meire Costa; Ribeiro, Lucinéia de Fátima Chasko; Torrejais, Márcia Miranda; Bertolini, Gladson Ricardo Flor

2018-01-01

Objective To analyze the combined effects of the silk protein sericin and swimming exercise on histomorphometry of the plantar muscle in Wistar rats. Methods Forty adult rats were randomly allocated into 5 groups comprising 8 animals each, as follows: Control, Injury, Sericin, Swim, and Swim plus Sericin. Three days after crushing of the sciatic nerve the rats in the Swim and Swim plus Sericin Groups were submitted to swimming exercise for 21 days. Rats were then euthanized and the plantar muscle harvested and processed. Results Cross-sectional area, peripheral nuclei and muscle fiber counts, nucleus/fiber ratio and smallest muscle fiber width did not differ significantly between groups. Morphological analysis revealed hypertrophic fibers in the Swim Group and evident muscle damage in the Swim plus Sericin and Injury Groups. The percentage of intramuscular collagen was apparently maintained in the Swim Group compared to remaining groups. Conclusion Combined treatment with sericin and swimming exercise did not improve muscle properties. However, physical exercise alone was effective in maintaining intramuscular connective tissue and preventing progression of deleterious effects of peripheral nerve injury.

Small functional groups for controlled differentiation of hydrogel-encapsulated human mesenchymal stem cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Benoit, Danielle S. W.; Schwartz, Michael P.; Durney, Andrew R.; Anseth, Kristi S.

2008-10-01

Cell-matrix interactions have critical roles in regeneration, development and disease. The work presented here demonstrates that encapsulated human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) can be induced to differentiate down osteogenic and adipogenic pathways by controlling their three-dimensional environment using tethered small-molecule chemical functional groups. Hydrogels were formed using sufficiently low concentrations of tether molecules to maintain constant physical characteristics, encapsulation of hMSCs in three dimensions prevented changes in cell morphology, and hMSCs were shown to differentiate in normal growth media, indicating that the small-molecule functional groups induced differentiation. To our knowledge, this is the first example where synthetic matrices are shown to control induction of multiple hMSC lineages purely through interactions with small-molecule chemical functional groups tethered to the hydrogel material. Strategies using simple chemistry to control complex biological processes would be particularly powerful as they could make production of therapeutic materials simpler, cheaper and more easily controlled.

Clinical and radiographic analysis of an artificial cervical disc: 7-year follow-up from the Prestige prospective randomized controlled clinical trial: Clinical article.

PubMed

Burkus, J Kenneth; Traynelis, Vincent C; Haid, Regis W; Mummaneni, Praveen V

2014-10-01

The authors assess the long-term safety and efficacy of cervical disc replacement with the Prestige Cervical Disc in a prospective, randomized, multicenter trial at 7 years of follow-up. At 31 investigational sites, 541 patients with single-level cervical disc disease with radiculopathy were randomized to 1 of 2 treatment groups: 276 investigational group patients underwent anterior cervical discectomy and arthroplasty with the Prestige disc, and 265 control group patients underwent anterior cervical discectomy and fusion. Clinical outcomes included Neck Disability Index, the 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey, and neck and arm pain scores. Radiographs were assessed for angle of motion and fusion. Clinical and radiographic outcomes were evaluated preoperatively, intraoperatively, and at 1.5, 3, 6, 12, 24, 36, 60, and 84 months. Of the 541 patients treated, 395 patients (73%; 212 investigational and 183 control patients) completed 7 years of clinical follow-up. Significant improvements achieved by 1.5 months in both groups were sustained at 7 years. In the investigational group, mean Neck Disability Index improvements from preoperative scores were 38.2 and 37.5 at 60 and 84 months, respectively. In the control group, the corresponding means were 33.8 and 31.9. The differences between the investigational and control groups at the 60-month and 84-month periods were significant (p = 0.014 and 0.002, respectively). The overall rates of maintenance or improvement in neurological status in the investigational group were significantly higher: 92.2% and 88.2% at 60 months and 84 months, respectively, compared with 85.7% and 79.7% in the control group (p = 0.017 and 0.011, respectively). At 84 months, the percentage of working patients in the investigational group was 73.9%, and in the control group, 73.1%. Postoperatively, the implant effectively maintained average angular motion of 6.67° at 60 months and 6.75° at 84 months. Cumulative rates for surgery at the index level were lower (p < 0.001) in the investigational group (11 [4.8%] of 276) when compared with the control group (29 [13.7%] of 265) (based on life-table method), and there were statistical differences between the investigational and control groups with specific regard to the rate of subsequent revision and supplemental fixation surgical procedures. Rates for additional surgical procedures that involved adjacent levels were lower in the investigational group than in the control group (11 [4.6%] of 276 vs. 24 [11.9%] of 265, respectively). Cervical disc arthroplasty has the potential for preserving motion at the operated level while providing biomechanical stability and global neck mobility and may result in a reduction in adjacent-segment degeneration. The Prestige Cervical Disc maintains improved clinical outcomes and segmental motion after implantation at 7-year follow-up. Clinical trial registration no. NCT00642876 ( ClinicalTrials.gov ).

Driving Force.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rich, Richard A.

1998-01-01

Discusses campus parking assessment and planning to meet the increasing demands of colleges and universities while controlling costs and reducing student and staff discontent. Explores advice for expanding parking-lot space and maintaining security. Provides a chart that shows general parking requirements for various groups based on students…

Effects of ageing on orofacial fine force control and its relationship with parallel change in sensory perception.

PubMed

Etter, Nicole M; Mckeon, Patrick O; Dressler, Emily V; Andreatta, Richard D

2017-05-03

Current theoretical models suggest the importance of a bidirectional relationship between sensation and production in the vocal tract to maintain lifelong speech skills. The purpose of this study was to assess age-related changes in orofacial skilled force production and to begin defining the orofacial perception-action relationship in healthy adults. Low-level orofacial force control measures (reaction time, rise time, peak force, mean hold force (N) and force hold SD) were collected from 60 adults (19-84 years). Non-parametric Kruskal Wallis tests were performed to identify statistical differences between force and group demographics. Non-parametric Spearman's rank correlations were completed to compare force measures against previously published sensory data from the same cohort of participants. Significant group differences in force control were found for age, sex, speech usage and smoking status. Significant correlational relationships were identified between labial vibrotactile thresholds and several low-level force control measures collected during step and ramp-and-hold conditions. These findings demonstrate age-related alterations in orofacial force production. Furthermore, correlational analysis suggests as vibrotactile detection thresholds increase, the ability to maintain low-level force control accuracy decreases. Possible clinical applications and treatment consequences of these findings for speech disorders in the ageing population are provided.

Graviceptor development in jellyfish ephyrae in space and on Earth

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Spangenberg, D. B.; Jernigan, T.; Philput, C.; Lowe, B.

1994-01-01

Graviceptor (rhopalium) development in Aurelia aurita ephyrae which developed on Earth and in space during the nine-day NASA SLS-1 mission was compared. The space-developed ephyrae made graviceptors which were morphologically similar to those of their ground-based controls. Rhopalia of both groups developed statocysts with statoliths, ocelli, ciliated mechanoreceptor cells, and immature touch-plates with one type of hair cell. The number of rhopalia formed per arm of ephyrae of both groups revealed no significant differences. The number of statoliths formed per rhopalium was statistically higher in ephyrae which were induced to form in space with iodine than in L(Launch)+8h controls. Statolith numbers were not significantly different between Earth-formed control ephyrae and those formed from polyps induced on Earth and then sent into space 24h and 48h later. Statolith loss from rhopalia was significantly enhanced in the space-maintained ephyrae in artificial sea water (ASW) as compared to their controls. Ephyrae formed through thyroxine treatment and those maintained in thyroxine in space had statolith numbers comparable to thyroxine-treated controls. Pulsing abnormalitities seen in some space-developed ephyrae suggest that some space-formed ephyrae may have developed abnormal rhopalia because normal rhopalia development and function is necessary for normal pulsing.

A dual-motive model of scapegoating: displacing blame to reduce guilt or increase control.

PubMed

Rothschild, Zachary K; Landau, Mark J; Sullivan, Daniel; Keefer, Lucas A

2012-06-01

The authors present a model that specifies 2 psychological motives underlying scapegoating, defined as attributing inordinate blame for a negative outcome to a target individual or group, (a) maintaining perceived personal moral value by minimizing feelings of guilt over one's responsibility for a negative outcome and (b) maintaining perceived personal control by obtaining a clear explanation for a negative outcome that otherwise seems inexplicable. Three studies supported hypotheses derived from this dual-motive model. Framing a negative outcome (environmental destruction or climate change) as caused by one's own harmful actions (value threat) or unknown sources (control threat) both increased scapegoating, and these effects occurred indirectly through feelings of guilt and perceived personal control, respectively (Study 1), and were differentially moderated by affirmations of moral value and personal control (Study 2). Also, scapegoating in response to value threat versus control threat produced divergent, theoretically specified effects on self-perceptions and behavioral intentions (Study 3). 2012 APA, all rights reserved

Effects of ethanol on Pavlovian autoshaping in rats.

PubMed

Tomie, A; Cunha, C; Mosakowski, E M; Quartarolo, N M; Pohorecky, L A; Benjamin, D

1998-09-01

Approach responses, consummatory behaviors, and directed motor responses maintained by food reward resemble autoshaping CRs and are increased by lower doses of ethanol. This study evaluated the effects of presession i.p. injections of ethanol doses (0.00, 0.25, 0.50, 0.70. or 1.00 g/kg) on the acquisition of lever-press autoshaping CR performance in groups of male Long-Evans hooded rats. Paired groups received 15 daily sessions of Pavlovian autoshaping procedures, wherein the insertion of a retractable lever for 5 s (CS) was followed by the response-independent presentation of food (US). Ethanol facilitated lever-press autoshaping CR acquisition, as revealed by dose-related increases in the number of trials on which CRs were performed. The form of the dose-effect curve was inverted U-shaped with maximal responding induced during sessions 1-5 by the 0.70 g/kg ethanol dose. A similar dose-effect curve was observed during sessions 11-15, revealing that the effects of ethanol on autoshaping CR performance were relatively stable. A pseudoconditioning control group injected presession with 0.50 g/kg ethanol received training wherein the food US was presented randomly with respect to the lever CS. Few lever-presses were performed by the Random 0.50 group, indicating that ethanol's effects on autoshaping CR acquisition and maintenance observed in the Paired 0.50 group were not due to its psychomotor activating effects. A non-injection control group performed more autoshaping CRs than did the control group injected presession with saline, indicating that daily presession i.p. injections per se suppress autoshaping CR performance. Results reveal that low doses of ethanol enhance Pavlovian conditioning of directed motor and consummatory-like responding maintained by food reward. Implications for autoshaping accounts of impulsivity and drug abuse are considered.

How Local Landholder Groups Collectively Manage Weeds in South-Eastern Australia.

PubMed

Graham, Sonia; Rogers, Sarah

2017-09-01

For two decades researchers and policy makers have been arguing that community-based collective action is needed to effectively control weeds. Yet there has been little social research into the ways that collective weed control emerges at local scales. The aim of this paper is to investigate the mechanisms through which three local landholder groups in south-eastern Australia collectively manage weeds and the measures they use to evaluate success. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with members of three Landcare groups-Jerrawa Creek/Upper Lachlan, MacLaughlin River and Towamba Valley-as well as government staff external to the groups. The results reveal that for all three groups collective weed control is about supporting individual weed control efforts as well as proactively engaging landholders with the worst infestations. The groups were seen to be successful because they focused on the common challenge that weeds pose to all landholders, thereby removing the shame associated with having weeds, and because they organised community events that were as much about building and maintaining social relationships as improving weed control. Groups were positive about what they had achieved as collectives of landholders, but also saw an important role for government in providing funding, engaging with landholders who were unwilling to engage directly with the group, and controlling weeds on public lands.

Interactive effects of melatonin, exercise and diabetes on liver glycogen levels.

PubMed

Bicer, Mursel; Akil, Mustafa; Avunduk, Mustafa Cihat; Kilic, Mehmet; Mogulkoc, Rasim; Baltaci, Abdulkerim Kasim

2011-01-01

This study aimed to examine the effects of melatonin supplementation on liver glycogen levels in rats with streptozotocin- induced diabetes and subjected to acute swimming exercise. Eighty Sprague-Dawley type adult male rats were divided into eight groups: Group 1, general control; Group 2, melatonin-supplemented control; Group 3, melatonin-supplemented diabetes; Group 4, swimming control; Group 5, melatonin-supplemented swimming; Group 6, melatonin-supplemented diabetic swimming; Group 7, diabetic swimming; Group 8, diabetic control. Melatonin was supplemented at a dose of 3 mg/kg/day intraperitoneally for four weeks. Liver tissue samples were collected and evaluated using a Nikon Eclipse E400 light microscope. All images obtained from the light microscope were transferred to PC medium and evaluated using Clemex PE 3.5 image analysis software. The lowest liver glycogen levels in the study were found in group 4. Liver glycogen levels in groups 3, 6, 7 and 8 (the diabetic groups) were higher than group 4, but lower than those in groups 1 and 2. The lowest liver glycogen levels were obtained in groups 1 and 2. The study indicates that melatonin supplementation maintains the liver glycogen levels that decrease in acute swimming exercise, while induced diabetes prevents this maintenance effect in rats.

The preliminary effect of a parenting program for Korean American mothers: a randomized controlled experimental study.

PubMed

Kim, Eunjung; Cain, Kevin C; Webster-Stratton, Carolyn

2008-09-01

Traditional Korean American discipline is characterized by a lack of expression of affection and use of harsh discipline. The purpose of this study was to pilot test the effect of the Incredible Years Parenting Program among Korean American mothers. A randomized controlled experimental study design was used; 29 first-generation Korean American mothers of young children (3-8 years old) were randomly assigned to intervention (n=20) and control (n=9) groups. Intervention group mothers received a 12-week parenting program. Control group mothers did not receive the intervention. Mothers reported on discipline styles (positive, appropriate, and harsh), level of acculturation, and their child's outcomes (behavioral problems and social competence) at pre-, post-, and 1-year follow-up intervals. After completing the program, intervention group mothers significantly increased use of positive discipline as compared to control group mothers. Among intervention group mothers, high-acculturated mothers significantly increased appropriate discipline whereas low-acculturated mothers significantly decreased harsh discipline. In the 1-year follow-up, intervention group mothers maintained the significant effect for positive discipline. Providing this program appears to be a promising way of promoting positive discipline among Korean American mothers.

Achieving and maintaining asthma control in an urban pediatric disease management program: the Breathmobile Program.

PubMed

Jones, Craig A; Clement, Loran T; Morphew, Tricia; Kwong, Kenny Yat Choi; Hanley-Lopez, Jean; Lifson, Francene; Opas, Lawrence; Guterman, Jeffrey J

2007-06-01

National guidelines suggest that, with appropriate care, most patients can control their asthma. The probabilities of children achieving and maintaining control with ongoing care are unknown. We sought to evaluate the degree to which children in a lower socioeconomic urban setting achieve and maintain control of asthma with regular participation in a disease management program that provides guideline-based care. Interdisciplinary teams of asthma specialists use mobile clinics to offer ongoing care at schools and county clinics. A guideline-derived construct of asthma control is recorded at each visit. Two thousand one hundred eighty-five enrollees were eligible to evaluate the time to first achieve control, and 1591 patients were eligible to evaluate subsequent control maintenance. Depending on severity, 70% to 87% of patients with persistent asthma achieved control by visit 3, and 89% to 98% achieved control by visit 6. Subsequent control maintenance was highly variable. Thirty-nine percent of patients displayed well-controlled asthma (control at >90% of subsequent visits), whereas 13% displayed difficult-to-control asthma (<50% of subsequent visits). Patients from each baseline severity category were found in each group. Maintenance of control was influenced by physician-estimated compliance with the treatment plan, baseline severity, and the interval between clinic visits. Many children can achieve asthma control with regular visit intervals and guideline-based care; however, long-term control can be highly variable among patients in all severity categories. These findings highlight the need and feasibility for systematically tracking each patient's clinical response to individualize therapy and guide the use of population management strategies.

An Evaluation of a Behaviorally Based Social Skills Group for Individuals Diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

PubMed

Leaf, Justin B; Leaf, Jeremy A; Milne, Christine; Taubman, Mitchell; Oppenheim-Leaf, Misty; Torres, Norma; Townley-Cochran, Donna; Leaf, Ronald; McEachin, John; Yoder, Paul

2017-02-01

In this study we evaluated a social skills group which employed a progressive applied behavior analysis model for individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. A randomized control trial was utilized; eight participants were randomly assigned to a treatment group and seven participants were randomly assigned to a waitlist control group. The social skills group consisted of 32, 2 h sessions. Teachers implemented a variety of behaviorally based procedures. A blind evaluator measured participants' behavior immediately prior to intervention, immediately following intervention, and during 16 and 32-week maintenance probes. Results of the study demonstrated that participants made significant improvements with their social behavior (p < .001) following intervention, and the results were maintained up to 32 weeks after intervention had concluded.

Effects of xylitol as a sugar substitute on diabetes-related parameters in nondiabetic rats.

PubMed

Islam, Md Shahidul

2011-05-01

Abstract The present study was examined the effects of xylitol feeding on diabetes-associated parameters in nondiabetic rats. Seven-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into three groups: control (five rats), sucrose (six rats), and xylitol (six rats). Animal had free access to a commercial rat pellet diet, and ad libitum water, 10% sucrose solution, and 10% xylitol solution were supplied to the control, sucrose, and xylitol groups, respectively. After 3 weeks of feeding of experimental diets, food intakes were significantly (P<.05) lower in the sucrose and xylitol groups compared with the control group. Drink intake was significantly higher in the sucrose group but significantly lower in the xylitol group compared with the control group. Body weight gain was significantly lower in the xylitol group compared with the sucrose group. Weekly nonfasting blood glucose was significantly increased, but fasting blood glucose was significantly decreased, in the sucrose group compared with the control and xylitol groups. Significantly better glucose tolerance was observed in the xylitol group compared with the control and sucrose groups. Serum insulin and fructosamine concentrations were not significantly influenced by the feeding of xylitol or sucrose. Relative liver weight and liver glycogen were significantly increased in the xylitol group compared with the sucrose group, whereas no difference was observed between the xylitol and control groups. Serum total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol were significantly decreased in the sucrose and xylitol groups, and serum triglyceride of the xylitol group, but not the sucrose group, was significantly increased compared with the control group. Data of this study suggest that xylitol can be a better sweetener than sucrose to maintain diabetes-related parameters at a physiologically safer and stable condition.

Effect of parent-delivered action observation therapy on upper limb function in unilateral cerebral palsy: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Kirkpatrick, Emma; Pearse, Janice; James, Peter; Basu, Anna

2016-10-01

To determine whether home-based, parent-delivered therapy comprising action observation (AO) and repeated practice (RP) improves upper limb function more than RP alone in children with unilateral cerebral palsy (UCP). single-blinded parallel-group randomized controlled trial with 1:1 allocation comparing AO+RP (intervention) with RP alone (control). computer-generated, with allocation concealment by opaque sequentially-numbered envelopes. northern England, August 2011 to September 2013. 70 children with UCP; mean age 5.6 years (SD 2.1), 31 female. home-based activities were provided, tailored to interests and abilities. 15 minutes/day, 5 days/week for 3 months. Assisting Hand Assessment (AHA; primary outcome measure), Melbourne Assessment 2 (MA2), and ABILHAND-Kids at baseline, 3 months, and 6 months. Outcome data was available at 3 months for 28 children in the AO+RP group and 31 controls, and at 6 months for 26 and 28 children respectively. There were no between-group differences in AHA, MA2, or ABILHAND-Kids at 3 or 6 months versus baseline (all p>0.05). Combined-group improvements (p<0.001), observed in AHA and MA2 at 3 months, were maintained at 6 months. ABILHAND-Kids also showed improvement at 3 months (p=0.003), maintained at 6 months. Parent-delivered RP (with or without AO) improves upper limb function and could supplement therapist input. © 2016 The Authors. Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Mac Keith Press.

[The development and effects of an integrated symptom management program for prevention of recurrent cardiac events after percutaneous coronary intervention].

PubMed

Son, Youn-Jung

2008-04-01

This study was conducted to develop and to determine the effects of an integrated symptom management program for prevention of recurrent cardiac events after percutaneous coronary intervention. Subjects consisted of 58 CAD patients (experimental group: 30, control group: 28). The experimental group participated in an integrated symptom management program for 6 months which was composed of tailored education, stress management, exercise, diet, deep breathing, music therapy, periodical telephone monitoring and a daily log. The control group received the usual care. The experimental group significantly decreased symptom experiences and the level of LDL compared to the control group. The experimental group significantly increased self care activity and quality of life compared to the control group. Although no significant difference was found in cardiac recurrence, the experimental group had fewer recurrences. These results suggest that an integrated symptom management program for prevention of recurrent cardiac events after percutaneous coronary intervention can improve symptom aggravation, recurrent rate, self care activity and quality of life. Nursing interventions are needed to maintain and further enhance the quality of life of these patients and the interventions should be implemented in the overall transition period.

A Gradient Optimization Approach to Adaptive Multi-Robot Control

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-09-01

implemented for deploying a group of three flying robots with downward facing cameras to monitor an environment on the ground. Thirdly, the multi-robot...theoretically proven, and implemented on multi-robot platforms. Thesis Supervisor: Daniela Rus Title: Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer...often nonlinear, and they are coupled through a network which changes over time. Thirdly, implementing multi-robot controllers requires maintaining mul

[The neurotrophic effect of endogenous NT-3 from adult cat spared dorsal root ganglion on ganglionic neurons].

PubMed

Zhang, Wei; Zhou, Xue; Wang, Ting-hua; Wang, Te-wei; Liu, Su; Chen, Si-xiu; Ou, Ke-qun

2004-01-01

To investigate the neurotrophic effect of endogenous NT-3 from adult cat dorsal root ganglion (DRG) on ganglionic neurons. Rhizotomy of bilateral L1, L3, L5 and L7 dorsal roots of cats was performed, leaving L2, L4 and L6 DRG as spared DRGs. The separate neurons of normal (control) DRG, spared DRG and anti-NT-3 antibody blocking DRG were cultured in vitro respectively. The number of survival neurons and the length of neurites were measured and used for comparison in the control, spared DRG, and block groups. There were survival neurons and cell clusters in every group. The number of survival neurons and cell clusters of spared DRG group were much larger than those of the control and block groups. The neurite length of neurons, the neurite number and the length of cell clusters of spared DRG group were much greater than those of control and block groups. Endogenous NT-3 from spared DRG may act on ganglionic neurons to maintain survival of neuron and stimulate growth of neurite.

The Effectiveness of Theory of Mind Training On the Social Skills of Children with High Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorders.

PubMed

Adibsereshki, Narges; Nesayan, Abbas; Asadi Gandomani, Roghayeh; Karimlou, Masood

2015-01-01

Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) tend to have problems in establishing and maintaining their social relationships. Some professionals believe this social impairment is the result of deficit in Theory of Mind (ToM). This study was conducted to explore the effectiveness of ToM training on such children. A quasi-experimental method, pre- test, post-test with control group was used. The sample included of 12 girls and 12 boys with High Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorders (HFASD). Two instruments were used as follows: the Theory of Mind test and the social skills questionnaire (1). The samples were randomly placed in the experimental and control groups. The experimental groups had 15 sessions of ToM training and the control groups had just regular school program. The data were analyzed by Kolmogorov-Smirnov, independent t- and twoway- variance tests. The scores for social skills in the experimental group were significantly more than the control group. ToM training might improve the social skills of children with autism spectrum disorders.

Failure to establish and maintain a pregnancy in undernourished recipient ewes is associated with a poor endocrine milieu in the early luteal phase.

PubMed

de Brun, Victoria; Meikle, Ana; Fernández-Foren, Andrea; Forcada, Fernando; Palacín, Inmaculada; Menchaca, Alejo; Sosa, Cecilia; Abecia, José-Alfonso

2016-10-01

Embryos from undernourished and control donor ewes were transferred to undernourished and control recipient ewes. Progesterone and metabolic hormones were investigated in recipient ewes to determine their association with pregnancy success. Forty-five donor and 52 recipient Rasa Aragonesa ewes were fed 1.5 (control group; donor n=20; recipient n=25) or 0.5 (low group; donor n=25; recipient n=27) times the daily requirements for maintenance from the onset of estrous synchronization treatment to embryo collection and transfer. The embryos were collected 7days after the onset of estrus (day 0), and two good-quality embryos were transferred into each recipient ewe. The percentage of pregnant ewes on day 18 and 40 did not differ between the two groups, although the recipient undernourished ewes tended to have greater late embryonic mortality (from days 18-40) than the control recipient ewes (P=0.11). No effect of the nutrition of the donor was found. Recipients that became pregnant had a higher ovulation rate than non-pregnant ewes (P=0.02). Undernourished ewes had lower plasma insulin concentrations than control ewes (P=0.03), and those that suffered late embryo mortality (from days 18-40) tended to have lower insulin and progesterone concentrations than their counterparts that remained pregnant (P=0.06 and P=0.07, respectively). In this study, pregnancy in control and undernourished recipient ewes was not associated with the origin of the embryo (undernourished and control donors). In conclusion, failure to establish and maintain a pregnancy was associated with lower progesterone and insulin levels one week after estrus in recipient ewes. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Improving comprehension in adolescents with severe receptive language impairments: a randomized control trial of intervention for coordinating conjunctions.

PubMed

Ebbels, Susan H; Marić, Nataša; Murphy, Aoife; Turner, Gail

2014-01-01

Little evidence exists for the effectiveness of therapy for children with receptive language difficulties, particularly those whose difficulties are severe and persistent. To establish the effectiveness of explicit speech and language therapy with visual support for secondary school-aged children with language impairments focusing on comprehension of coordinating conjunctions in a randomized control trial with an assessor blind to group status. Fourteen participants (aged 11;3-16;1) with severe RELI (mean standard scores: CELF4 ELS = 48, CELF4 RLS = 53 and TROG-2 = 57), but higher non-verbal (Matrices = 83) and visual perceptual skills (Test of Visual Perceptual Skills (TVPS) = 86) were randomly assigned to two groups: therapy versus waiting controls. In Phase 1, the therapy group received eight 30-min individual sessions of explicit teaching with visual support (Shape Coding) with their usual SLT. In Phase 2, the waiting controls received the same therapy. The participants' comprehension was tested pre-, post-Phase 1 and post-Phase 2 therapy on (1) a specific test of the targeted conjunctions, (2) the TROG-2 and (3) a test of passives. After Phase 1, the therapy group showed significantly more progress than the waiting controls on the targeted conjunctions (d = 1.6) and overall TROG-2 standard score (d = 1.4). The two groups did not differ on the passives test. After Phase 2, the waiting controls made similar progress to those in the original therapy group, who maintained their previous progress. Neither group showed progress on passives. When the two groups were combined, significant progress was found on the specific conjunctions (d = 1.3) and TROG-2 raw (d = 1.1) and standard scores (d = 0.9). Correlations showed no measures taken (including Matrices and TVPS) correlated significantly with progress on the targeted conjunctions or the TROG-2. Four hours of Shape Coding therapy led to significant gains on comprehension of coordinating conjunctions which were maintained after 4 months. Given the significant progress at a group level and the lack of reliable predictors of progress, this approach could be offered to other children with similar difficulties to the participants. However, the intervention was delivered one-to-one by speech and language therapists, thus the effectiveness of this therapy method with other methods of delivery remains to be evaluated. © 2013 Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists.

Dietary habits and weight maintenance success in high versus low exercisers in the National Weight Control Registry

PubMed Central

Ogden, Lorraine G.; Phelan, Suzanne; Thomas, J. Graham; Hill, James O; Wing, Rena R.; Wyatt, Holly R.

2015-01-01

Background The National Weight Control Registry (NWCR) was established to examine characteristics of successful weight loss maintainers. This study compares the diet and behavioral characteristics and weight regain trajectories of NWCR members with differing physical activity (PA) levels at baseline. Methods Participants (n=3591) were divided into 4 levels of self-reported PA at registry entry (<1000, 1000 to <2250, 2250 to <3500, and ≥3500 kcals/week). We compared self-reported energy intake (EI), macronutrient composition, eating behaviors (dietary restraint, hunger, and disinhibition), weight loss maintenance strategies, and 3 year weight regain between these 4 activity groups. Results Those with the highest PA at registry entry had lost the most weight, and reported lower fat intake, more dietary restraint, and greater reliance on several specific dietary strategies to maintain weight loss. Those in the lowest PA category maintained weight loss despite low levels of PA and without greater reliance on dietary strategies. There were no differences in odds of weight regain at year 3 between PA groups. Conclusions These findings suggest that there is not a “one size fits all strategy” for successful weight loss maintenance and that weight loss maintenance may require the use of more strategies by some individuals than others. PMID:24385447

How Local Landholder Groups Collectively Manage Weeds in South-Eastern Australia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Graham, Sonia; Rogers, Sarah

2017-09-01

For two decades researchers and policy makers have been arguing that community-based collective action is needed to effectively control weeds. Yet there has been little social research into the ways that collective weed control emerges at local scales. The aim of this paper is to investigate the mechanisms through which three local landholder groups in south-eastern Australia collectively manage weeds and the measures they use to evaluate success. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with members of three Landcare groups—Jerrawa Creek/Upper Lachlan, MacLaughlin River and Towamba Valley—as well as government staff external to the groups. The results reveal that for all three groups collective weed control is about supporting individual weed control efforts as well as proactively engaging landholders with the worst infestations. The groups were seen to be successful because they focused on the common challenge that weeds pose to all landholders, thereby removing the shame associated with having weeds, and because they organised community events that were as much about building and maintaining social relationships as improving weed control. Groups were positive about what they had achieved as collectives of landholders, but also saw an important role for government in providing funding, engaging with landholders who were unwilling to engage directly with the group, and controlling weeds on public lands.

Effects of exercise training and detraining in patients with fibromyalgia syndrome: a 3-yr longitudinal study.

PubMed

Sañudo, Borja; Carrasco, Luis; de Hoyo, Moisés; McVeigh, Joseph G

2012-07-01

This study aimed to evaluate the immediate effects of a 6-mo combined exercise program on quality-of-life, physical function, depression, and aerobic capacity in women with fibromyalgia syndrome and to determine the impact of repeated delivery of the intervention. Forty-one women with fibromyalgia were randomly assigned to a training group (EG; n = 21) and a control group (CG; n = 20). Quality-of-life and physical function were assessed using the 36-item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) and the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire, and depression was measured using the Beck Depression Inventory. Physical fitness was measured using the 6-min Walk Test. Outcomes were assessed at baseline and after each 6-mo intervention, which was delivered over 30 mos (6 mos of training and 6 mos of detraining). After a 6-mo combined exercise program, there was a significant improvement in the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (P < 0.0005) for the training group over the control group. Repeated-measures analysis of variance across all time points demonstrated significant main effects for time for the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire, SF-36, Beck Depression Inventory and the 6-min Walk Test, but there were no between-group interaction effects. For the EG, there were significant within-group changes in the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire, SF-36, and Beck Depression Inventory at the final time point; however, there were no within-group changes for the control group. Improvement achieved for the training group were maintained during the detraining period. A long-term exercise program can produce immediate improvements in key health domains in women with fibromyalgia. The benefits achieved with regular training can be maintained for 30 mos. The lack of difference between groups over time may be caused by attrition and consequent lack of power at the final time point.

Transistor step stress program for JANTX2N2945A

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1979-01-01

Data compiled for the purpose of evaluating the effect of power/temperature step stress when applied to the transistor JANTX2N2945A manufactured by Raytheon and Teledyne is presented. A total of 48 samples from each manufacturer was divided equally (16 per group) into three groups and submitted to the processes outlined. In addition, two control units were maintained for verification of the electrical parametric testing.

Differential functional magnetic resonance imaging response to food pictures in successful weight-loss maintainers relative to normal-weight and obese controls1234

PubMed Central

Haley, Andreana P; Sweet, Lawrence H; Phelan, Suzanne; Raynor, Hollie A; Del Parigi, Angelo; Cohen, Ron; Wing, Rena R

2009-01-01

Background: Prior research indicates that successful weight-loss maintainers (SWLs) work harder than people of normal weight to maintain their weight loss, including greater dietary restriction of fat and higher physical activity levels. However, little work to date has examined how SWLs differ biologically from normal-weight (NW) and obese controls. Objective: The objective was to compare the brain responses of SWLs to food pictures with those of NW and obese controls. Design: Blood oxygen level–dependent responses to high- and low-energy food pictures were measured in 18 NW controls, 16 obese controls, and 17 SWLs. Results: Group differences were identified in 4 regions, which indicated significant change in activation in response to the food pictures. SWLs showed greater activation in the left superior frontal region and right middle temporal region than did NW and obese controls—a pattern of results confirmed in exploratory voxel-wise analyses. Obese controls also showed greater activation in a bilateral precentral region. Conclusions: These results suggest that SWLs show greater activation in frontal regions and primary and secondary visual cortices—a pattern consistent with greater inhibitory control in response to food cues and greater visual attention to the food cues. A greater engagement of inhibitory control regions in response to food cues as well as a greater monitoring of foods may promote control of food intake and successful weight-loss maintenance. PMID:19675107

Postural Stability of Patients with Schizophrenia during Challenging Sensory Conditions: Implication of Sensory Integration for Postural Control.

PubMed

Teng, Ya-Ling; Chen, Chiung-Ling; Lou, Shu-Zon; Wang, Wei-Tsan; Wu, Jui-Yen; Ma, Hui-Ing; Chen, Vincent Chin-Hung

2016-01-01

Postural dysfunctions are prevalent in patients with schizophrenia and affect their daily life and ability to work. In addition, sensory functions and sensory integration that are crucial for postural control are also compromised. This study intended to examine how patients with schizophrenia coordinate multiple sensory systems to maintain postural stability in dynamic sensory conditions. Twenty-nine patients with schizophrenia and 32 control subjects were recruited. Postural stability of the participants was examined in six sensory conditions of different level of congruency of multiple sensory information, which was based on combinations of correct, removed, or conflicting sensory inputs from visual, somatosensory, and vestibular systems. The excursion of the center of pressure was measured by posturography. Equilibrium scores were derived to indicate the range of anterior-posterior (AP) postural sway, and sensory ratios were calculated to explore ability to use sensory information to maintain balance. The overall AP postural sway was significantly larger for patients with schizophrenia compared to the controls [patients (69.62±8.99); controls (76.53±7.47); t1,59 = -3.28, p<0.001]. The results of mixed-model ANOVAs showed a significant interaction between the group and sensory conditions [F5,295 = 5.55, p<0.001]. Further analysis indicated that AP postural sway was significantly larger for patients compared to the controls in conditions containing unreliable somatosensory information either with visual deprivation or with conflicting visual information. Sensory ratios were not significantly different between groups, although small and non-significant difference in inefficiency to utilize vestibular information was also noted. No significant correlations were found between postural stability and clinical characteristics. To sum up, patients with schizophrenia showed increased postural sway and a higher rate of falls during challenging sensory conditions, which was independent of clinical characteristics. Patients further demonstrated similar pattern and level of utilizing sensory information to maintain balance compared to the controls.

Mindfulness training for reducing anger, anxiety, and depression in fibromyalgia patients

PubMed Central

Amutio, Alberto; Franco, Clemente; Pérez-Fuentes, María de Carmen; Gázquez, José J.; Mercader, Isabel

2015-01-01

Fibromyalgia is a disabling syndrome. Results obtained with different therapies are very limited to date. The goal of this study was to verify whether the application of a mindfulness-based training program was effective in modifying anger, anxiety, and depression levels in a group of women diagnosed with fibromyalgia. This study is an experimental trial that employed a waiting list control group. Measures were taken at three different times: pretest, posttest, and follow-up. The statistical analyses revealed a significant reduction of anger (trait) levels, internal expression of anger, state anxiety, and depression in the experimental group as compared to the control group, as well as a significant increase in internal control of anger. It can be concluded that the mindfulness-based treatment was effective after 7 weeks. These results were maintained 3 months after the end of the intervention. PMID:25628591

Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial of the GO Game Intervention on Cognitive Function.

PubMed

Iizuka, Ai; Suzuki, Hiroyuki; Ogawa, Susumu; Kobayashi-Cuya, Kimi Estela; Kobayashi, Momoko; Takebayashi, Toru; Fujiwara, Yoshinori

2018-05-01

This study investigated the effects of an intervention using the game "GO" on cognitive function in nursing home residents and evaluated the acquisition of GO according to each stage of dementia. Participants were randomly assigned to either the GO intervention group or a control group, and the intervention was performed once weekly for 15 weeks. Cognitive tests were conducted before and after intervention, and 17 participants were included in the final analysis. Analysis of covariance demonstrated that in the intervention group, the digit span total score significantly improved and the digit span backward score was maintained, whereas these scores decreased in the control group. All participants, including those who had moderate dementia, acquired the rules of the game, and participants with mild cognitive impairment and mild dementia could play the game successfully. This study indicates that GO might improve the cognitive function of residents living in nursing homes.

Unexplained head tilt following surgical treatment of congenital esotropia: a postural manifestation of dissociated vertical divergence

PubMed Central

Brodsky, M C; Jenkins, R; Nucci, P

2004-01-01

Background: Strabismus surgery for congenital esotropia can be complicated by the development of a postoperative head tilt. Purpose: To determine the pathophysiology of acquired head tilting following horizontal realignment of the eyes in children with congenital esotropia. Materials and methods: Retrospective analysis of nine children with congenital esotropia who developed unexplained head tilts following horizontal realignment of the eyes. Results: Shortly after strabismus surgery, each child developed a head tilt in association with asymmetrical dissociated vertical divergence (DVD). Five children maintained a head tilt toward the side of the fixing eye (group 1), which did not serve to control the DVD. Four children maintained a head tilt toward the side of the hyperdeviating eye, which served to control the DVD (group 2). Children in group 2 had earlier horizontal muscle surgery and developed better stereopsis than those in group 1, suggesting that the higher degree of single binocular vision and stereopsis in these children may have led to a compensatory torticollis to control an asymmetrical DVD. Conclusions: The onset of an unexpected head tilt after congenital esotropia surgery is usually a postural manifestation of asymmetrical DVD. In this setting, a head tilt toward the side of the fixing eye corresponds with a postural manifestation of the underlying central vestibular imbalance that produces DVD, while a head tilt toward the side of the hyperdeviating eye serves to counteract the hyperdeviation and stabilise binocular vision. PMID:14736789

Changes in oral ethanol self-administration patterns resulting from ethanol concentration manipulations.

PubMed

Slawecki, C J; Samson, H H

1997-09-01

A variety of initiation procedures have been used to develop oral ethanol consumption. Using the sucrose-substitution procedure, oral self-administration of ethanol-water solutions with ethanol concentrations as high as 40% can be initiated in food- and fluid-sated rats. An important question for these models is the relationship between ethanol concentration and self-administration patterns after initiation. This study examined the differential patterns of ethanol self-administration maintained by a range of ethanol solutions (10 to 30%) over a 5-week period, compared with rats maintained on 10% ethanol for 5 weeks. In 43 male Long Evans rats, the sucrose-substitution procedure was used to initiate responding maintained by 10% ethanol on a Fixed Ratio 4 schedule of reinforcement. The ethanol concentration presented was then increased to 30% in stepwise fashion and then returned to 10% [Ethanol Concentration Manipulation (ECM) group, n = 32], or 10% ethanol was maintained as the reinforcer for 5 weeks [Control (Con) group, n = 11]. Significant increases in ethanol intake and decreases in responding were associated with increased ethanol concentration. Although no overall differences in total session responding were observed in either group between week 1 and week 5 (10E vs. 10E), examination of changes in initial low responders of the ECM group revealed significant increases in responding that were not observed in the initial low responders of the Con group. Significant increases in momentary response rates were observed on both the ECM and Con groups, independent of the ethanol concentration presented. Increases in response rate in the ECM group were the result of increases in initial low rate and high rate responders; however, the increased response rates in the Con group were the result of increases only in the initial low rate responders. These data suggest that the ECM procedure can aid in the initiation of ethanol self-administration and may be particularly useful in rats of heterogeneous stock.

The benefits of a simplified method for CPR training of medical professionals: a randomized controlled study.

PubMed

Allan, Katherine S; Wong, Natalie; Aves, Theresa; Dorian, Paul

2013-08-01

We developed and tested a training method for basic life support incorporating defibrillator feedback during simulated cardiac arrest (CA) to determine the impact on the quality and retention of CPR skills. 298 subjects were randomized into 3 groups. All groups received a 2h training session followed by a simulated CA test scenario, immediately after training and at 3 months. Controls used a non-feedback defibrillator during training and testing. Group 1 was trained and tested with an audiovisual feedback defibrillator. During training, Group 1 reviewed quantitative CPR data from the defibrillator. Group 2 was trained as per Group 1, but was tested using the non-feedback defibrillator. The primary outcome was difference in compression depth between groups at initial testing. Secondary outcomes included differences in rate, depth at retesting, compression fraction, and self-assessment. Groups 1 and 2 had significantly deeper compressions than the controls (35.3 ± 7.6 mm, 43.7 ± 5.8 mm, 42.2 ± 6.6 mm for controls, Groups 1 and 2, P=0.001 for Group 1 vs. controls; P=0.001 for Group 2 vs. controls). At three months, CPR depth was maintained in all groups but remained significantly higher in Group 1 (39.1 ± 9.9 mm, 47.0 ± 7.4 mm, 42.2 ± 8.4 mm for controls, Groups 1 and 2, P=0.001 for Group 1 vs. control). No significant differences were noted between groups in compression rate or fraction. A simplified 2h training method using audiovisual feedback combined with quantitative review of CPR performance improved CPR quality and retention of these skills. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Effects of TeenSTAR, an abstinence only sexual education program, on adolescent sexual behavior].

PubMed

Vigil, Pilar; Riquelme, Rosa; Rivadeneira, Rosario; Aranda, Waldo

2005-10-01

Urgent measures are required to stop the increase in the frequency of pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases among teenagers. A means of facing this problem is promoting sexual abstinence among youngsters. There are studies that confirm the efficacy of this approach. To show the results of the application of a holistic sexuality program (TeenSTAR) among Chilean teenagers. Students attending basic or high school were divided into a control or study group. The control group (342 students) received the usual education on sexuality given by their schools and the study group (398 students) participated in twelve TeenSTAR sessions lasting 1.5 hours each, given by a trained professor. Assessment of achievements was made using an anonymous questionnaire answered at the start and end of the program. The rates of sexual initiation among control and study groups were 15 and 6.5%, respectively. Among sexually active students, 20% of those in the study group and 9% of those in the control group discontinued sexual activity. A higher proportion of students in the TeenSTAR program retarded their sexual initiation or discontinued sexual activity and found more reasons to maintain sexual abstinence than control students.

Comparison of the fracture resistances of glass fiber mesh- and metal mesh-reinforced maxillary complete denture under dynamic fatigue loading

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

PURPOSE The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of reinforcing materials on the fracture resistances of glass fiber mesh- and Cr–Co metal mesh-reinforced maxillary complete dentures under fatigue loading. MATERIALS AND METHODS Glass fiber mesh- and Cr–Co mesh-reinforced maxillary complete dentures were fabricated using silicone molds and acrylic resin. A control group was prepared with no reinforcement (n = 15 per group). After fatigue loading was applied using a chewing simulator, fracture resistance was measured by a universal testing machine. The fracture patterns were analyzed and the fractured surfaces were observed by scanning electron microscopy. RESULTS After cyclic loading, none of the dentures showed cracks or fractures. During fracture resistance testing, all unreinforced dentures experienced complete fracture. The mesh-reinforced dentures primarily showed posterior framework fracture. Deformation of the all-metal framework caused the metal mesh-reinforced denture to exhibit the highest fracture resistance, followed by the glass fiber mesh-reinforced denture (P<.05) and the control group (P<.05). The glass fiber mesh-reinforced denture primarily maintained its original shape with unbroken fibers. River line pattern of the control group, dimples and interdendritic fractures of the metal mesh group, and radial fracture lines of the glass fiber group were observed on the fractured surfaces. CONCLUSION The glass fiber mesh-reinforced denture exhibits a fracture resistance higher than that of the unreinforced denture, but lower than that of the metal mesh-reinforced denture because of the deformation of the metal mesh. The glass fiber mesh-reinforced denture maintains its shape even after fracture, indicating the possibility of easier repair. PMID:28243388

Evaluating a brief parental-education program for parents of young children.

PubMed

Nicholson, B C; Janz, P C; Fox, R A

1998-06-01

The effectiveness of a brief parental-education program for 40 families with very young children was studied. Families were assigned to either a parental-education or waiting-list control group. The parental-education program included information and strategies drawn from developmental and cognitive psychology and social learning theory. Analysis showed that participating parents significantly reduced their use of corporal and verbal punishment, changed their parenting attitudes, and improved their perceptions of their children's behavior in comparison to the control group. Effects were maintained at six weeks follow-up. Results supported tailoring parental-education programs to the unique needs of participants.

42 CFR 422.205 - Provider antidiscrimination rules.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... an MA organization declines to include a given provider or group of providers in its network, it must... or for different practitioners in the same specialty. (3) Implementation of measures designed to maintain quality and control costs consistent with its responsibilities. [65 FR 40324, June 29, 2000] ...

Finding of No Significant Impact: Repair and Renovate Airborne Warning and Control System Maintenance Group Complex, Building 230 Tinker Air Force Base Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-02-01

BASE OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA An Environmental Assessment (EA) has been prepared to assess the potential effects on the human and natural...hangars, and associated administrative and shop areas to allow the 552d ACW to inspect, service, and maintain E-3 AWACS aircraft safely and effectively ...maintain Tinker AFB’s mission effectiveness and optimize the 552d ACW’s sortie generation rates. Implementing the Proposed Action would provide a

Regenerative Environmental Control and Life Support System Diagram

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2000-01-01

This diagram shows the flow of recyclable resources in the International Space Station (ISS). The Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) Group of the Flight Projects Directorate at the Marshall Space Flight Center is responsible for the regenerative ECLSS hardware, as well as providing technical support for the rest of the system. The regenerative ECLSS, whose main components are the Water Recovery System (WRS), and the Oxygen Generation System (OGS), reclaims and recycles water and oxygen. The ECLSS maintains a pressurized habitation environment, provides water recovery and storage, maintains and provides fire detection / suppression, and provides breathable air and a comfortable atmosphere in which to live and work within the ISS. The ECLSS hardware will be located in the Node 3 module of the ISS.

IGF-I replacement therapy in children with congenital IGF-I deficiency (Laron syndrome) maintains heart dimension and function.

PubMed

Scheinowitz, Mickey; Feinberg, Micha S; Laron, Zvi

2009-06-01

Untreated patients with congenital growth hormone deficiency (GHD) and IGF-I deficiency are characterized not only by dwarfism but also by acromicria and organomicria, such as the heart. We assessed cardiac dimensions and function in very young patients with Laron syndrome (LS) undergoing IGF-I replacement therapy. Two to seven echocardiographic measurements were performed during IGF-I replacement therapy on male (n=4) and female (n=4) LS -patients, mean+/-SD age of 7.1+/-3.6 years (range 1.6-11.6 years), weight 16.1+/-9.7 kg, and height 89.9+/-18.5 cm. As aged- and gender-matched controls served 44 healthy children, age: 8.7+/-5.5 years, weight: 36.1+/-22.4 kg, and height: 129.7+/-33.1cm. Data of LS patients were normalized to body surface area and compared to the control group as well as nomograms of normal echocardiographic parameters for this age group. Left ventricular diastolic and systolic dimensions (LVDD/ LVSD, mm) and LV mass (gr) were significantly smaller in boys and girls with IGF-I treated LS compared with controls while the shortening fraction (%) and intraventricular septum thickness (mm) were similar. When compared with standard values for this age group, all treated LS patients were within 1 standard deviation of the mean. IGF-I therapy of young patients with Laron syndrome maintain LV dimensions and function within the normal range of aged-matched controls.

[Benefits of an educational intervention on diet and anthropometric profile of women with one cardiovascular risk factor].

PubMed

Soto Rodríguez, Anxela; García Soidán, José Luís; de Toro Santos, Manuel; Lagoa Labrador, Fiz; Failde Garrido, José M; Pérez Fernández, María Reyes

2016-05-20

To assess whether an educational intervention in perimenopausal women with hypertension, diabetes mellitus and/or dyslipidaemia would improve adherence to a Mediterranean diet pattern and achieve changes in anthropometric parameters. Randomized clinical trial of parallel groups: 320 women (45-60 years) in 2 urban primary care services. hip and waist circumference, body mass index (BMI), total, visceral and trunk fat (bioimpedance measures) and adherence to Mediterranean diet (MEDAS-14 questionnaire). Intervention group: 3 interactive workshops on prevention of cardiovascular disease, and control group: information by post. Two hundred and thirty women completed the study (113 control group and 117 intervention group). The differences between groups were significant in all parameters one year later. In the intragroup comparison, the intervention group maintained their BMI and improved adherence to the Mediterranean diet. The control group increased their BMI, abdominal and hip circumference and fat parameters (total, visceral and trunk fat). A simple educational intervention in perimenopausal women with cardiovascular risk can improve their healthy habits. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Moderate peripheral neuropathy impairs weight transfer and unipedal balance in the elderly.

PubMed

Richardson, J K; Ashton-Miller, J A; Lee, S G; Jacobs, K

1996-11-01

To quantitatively assess the performance of elderly with and without moderate, electrodiagnostically confirmed peripheral neuropathy (PN) on tasks of weight shifting and maintenance of unipedal balance. A case control study with PN subjects selected from a computerized data bank of all patients who had undergone electrodiagnostic studies at a university-based referral center. Control subjects of similar age and same gender were selected from the same source. Clinical examination included neurological and gross motor components. Quantitative evaluation included testing while the subjects stood with a force plate under each foot. Center of reaction (CR) excursions and ground reaction forces were quantified in: (1) six trials as subjects transferred their weight from bipedal stance to unipedal stance, on command, and attempted to maintain it for at least 3 seconds; and (2) in two additional trials in which subjects held unipedal stance for as long as possible. No subjects in either group had difficulty with level gait, a 180-degree turn, or required examiner assistance during an eyes-closed Romberg test. Biomechanical testing revealed that although the PN group used the same time to transfer their weight onto one foot as the C group, they achieved a significantly (1) lower rate of success in reliably maintaining 3 seconds of unipedal stance (.12 vs .58, p = .021), and (2) shorter mean maximum unipedal stance time (3.8 vs 32.3sec, p < .001). Furthermore, the PN group experienced greater difficulty in maintaining unipedal stance, as evidenced by significantly greater fluctuations in their ground reaction forces. The demonstrated impairment in reliability of unipedal stance in elderly with PN likely contributes to their known high rate of falls. Furthermore, unipedal stance testing serves to sharpen the physical examination by verifying the functional significance of impaired distal sensation-a common finding in the elderly.

Qualitative analysis of the role of self-weighing as a strategy of weight control for weight-loss maintainers in comparison with a normal, stable weight group.

PubMed

Carrard, Isabelle; Kruseman, Maaike

2016-10-01

Self-weighing seems to have a primary role in weight-loss maintenance. The use of this strategy may help correct even slight weight regain and contribute to long-term weight stability. However, self-weighing has also been associated with negative psychological health consequences in specific subgroups. This study aimed to explore the use and the behavioral and psychological consequences of self-weighing in a group of weight-loss maintainers (WLoMs). We chose a qualitative design to conduct this investigation. Eighteen WLoMs were interviewed and compared to a matched comparison group of 18 participants with a lifelong normal stable weight (NSW). Analyses showed that most WLoMs needed regular self-weighing to be aware of their weight. The weight displayed on the scale helped WLoMs sustain the continuous efforts needed to maintain weight loss and also at times triggered corrective actions that were sometimes drastic. Weight changes generated both negative and positive affect among WLoMs, who could experience anxiety because of self-weighing or have their self-esteem impaired in the case of weight gain. In comparison, the NSW group rarely used self-weighing. They relied on a conscious way of living to control their weight and needed fewer strategies. NSW participants simply went back to their routine when they felt a slight increase in their weight, without experiencing consequences on their mood or self-esteem. Regular self-weighing as a component of weight-loss maintenance should be encouraged to help WLoMs regulate their food and physical activity, provided that potential consequences on psychological well-being, including self-esteem, are screened and addressed when needed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Baseline red blood cell distribution width predicts long-term glycemic remission in patients with type 2 diabetes.

PubMed

Xu, Lijuan; Wang, Liangjiao; Huang, Xinwei; Liu, Liehua; Ke, Weijian; He, Xiaoying; Huang, Zhimin; Liu, Juan; Wan, Xuesi; Cao, Xiaopei; Li, Yanbing

2017-09-01

We explored whether red blood cell distribution width (RDW), a routinely checked item of complete blood cell counts, was an indicator of long-term euglycemia remission in patients with type 2 diabetes after short-term continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII). We analyzed the original data of patients enrolled in three randomized control trials from 2002 to 2014. CSII was administered to drug-naїve patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes to achieve and maintain euglycemia for 2weeks. A total of 185 patients were involved and 98 patients (52.97%) who achieved and maintained euglycemia for at least 12months were classified as the remission group, and the others as the non-remission group. Patients in remission group had a relatively lower value for baseline RDW (38.82±2.76vs 39.89±2.78fL, p=0.017) compared with those in non-remission group. A graded decrease of remission rate (67.50%, 55.00%, 53.66% and 30.77% for Quartile 1 to Quartile 4 respectively, P<0.05) was observed with the increasing of RDWs. The risk of hyperglycemic relapse was significantly increased for those in the highest quartile compared with the lowest (hazard ratio=2.68; 95% CI, 1.38-5.22). Those who achieved euglycemia within 7days or obtained a better fasting glucose after therapy had preferable remission rates. Patients with lower baseline RDWs are more likely to maintain a one-year euglycemia remission after short-term CSII. A faster normalization of glucose during treatment and a lower fasting glucose after therapy are correlated with a long-term glucose control. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Pressure-dependent changes in haematocrit and plasma volume during anaesthesia, a randomised clinical trial.

PubMed

Damén, T; Reinsfelt, B; Redfors, B; Nygren, A

2016-05-01

Induction of general anaesthesia has been shown to cause haemodilution and an increase in plasma volume. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether prevention of hypotension during anaesthesia induction could avoid haemodilution. Twenty-four cardiac surgery patients, 66 ± 10 years, were randomised to receive either norepinephrine in a dose needed to maintain mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) at pre-anaesthesia levels after induction or to a control group that received vasopressor if MAP decreased below 60 mmHg. No fluids were infused. Changes in plasma volume were calculated with standard formula: 100 × (Hct(pre)/Hct(post) - 1)/(1 - Hct(pre)). Arterial blood gas was analysed every 10 minutes and non-invasive continuous haemoglobin (SpHb) was continuously measured. Pre-anaesthesia MAP was 98 ± 7 mmHg. Ten minutes after anaesthesia induction, the haematocrit decreased by 5.0 ± 2.5% in the control group compared with 1.2 ± 1.4% in the intervention group, which corresponds to increases in plasma volume by 310 ml and 85 ml respectively. MAP decreased to 69 ± 15 mmHg compared to 92 ± 10 mmHg in the intervention group. The difference maintained throughout the 70 min intervention period. The change in haemoglobin level measured by blood gas analysis could not be detected by SpHb measurement. The mean bias between the SpHb and blood gas haemoglobin was 15 g/l. During anaesthesia induction, haematocrit decreases and plasma volume increases early and parallel to a decrease in blood pressure. This autotransfusion is blunted when blood pressure is maintained at pre-induction levels with norepinephrine. © 2016 The Acta Anaesthesiologica Scandinavica Foundation. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The effects of trunk stabilization exercise on bone density after menopause.

PubMed

Kang, Jeong-Il; Jeong, Dae-Keun; Choi, Hyun

2015-12-01

[Purpose] This study examined the effect of low intensity exercise on bone density by conducting trunk stabilization exercise on females after menopause for 24 weeks. [Subjects and Methods] Thirty three female subjects over 47 years old and under the age of 53 were selected and 16 for experimental group and 17 for control group were randomly selected. Experimental group had performed spinal and pelvic stabilization exercise 30 minutes a day, 5times a week, for 24 weeks. Except for the daily life, control group did not participate in any characteristic movement. Bone density of every member in experimental group was measured using average value of bone density of 1st-4th lumbar through quantitative computer tomography. [Results] There was a meaningful difference in only control group about measured value of bone density within each group, experimental and control group, but there was no meaningful difference in measured value of bone density between two groups, experimental group and control group. [Conclusion] Through this research, we could see the fact that although trunk stability exercise could not change bone density meaningfully, it could maintain bone density. In the future, it is randomly necessary to study things related this because results of researches can show different results according to exercise intensity, exercise period, age, weight, hormone status and mediation period. It is considered that it will help to prevent and treat patients with osteoporosis a lot.

Rearing and Release of Megamelus scutellaris Berg (Hemiptera: Delphacidae) for Biological Control of Water hyacinth in 2015

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-06-01

Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Research Service (ARS), Invasive Plant Research Lab (IPRL) in Fort Lauderdale, Florida where it was...State University (LSU), Agriculture Center, Baton Rouge, Louisiana. These insects were maintained and used in 2015 for field releases and greenhouse...Group for the Biological and Integrated Control of Water Hyacinth. Beijing, China, 9-12 December 2000. Australian Centre for International Agricultural

Influenza Vaccine Effectiveness: Maintained Protection Throughout the Duration of Influenza Seasons 2010-2011 through 2013-2014

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-06-08

Controls, n = 1094 (%) p value Age group (years) ɘ.001 0–4 72 (19) 400 (37) 5–24 206 (53) 436 (40) 25–49 67 (17) 161 (15) 50–64 37 (10) 86 (8) >64 5...vaccination >365 days after diagnosis. Among the remaining 1481 participants, 387 (26%) were cases (influenza qPCR positive), and 1094 (74%) were controls

A Comparison of Vasopressin, Terlipressin, and Lactated Ringers for Resuscitation of Uncontrolled Hemorrhagic Shock in an Animal Model

PubMed Central

Lee, Chien-Chang; Lee, Meng-Tse Gabriel; Chang, Shy-Shin; Lee, Si-Huei; Huang, Yu-Chi; Yo, Chia-Hung; Lee, Shih-Hao; Chen, Shyr-Chyr

2014-01-01

Aim The aim of this study is to compare the effect of lactated ringer (LR), vasopressin (Vaso) or terlipressin (Terli) on uncontrolled hemorrhagic shock (UHS) in rats. Methods 48 rats were divided into four treatment groups for UHS study. Vaso group was given bolus vasopressin (0.8 U/kg); the Terli group was given bolus terlipressin (15 mcg/kg); LR group was given LR and the sham group was not given anything. Mean arterial pressure (MAP), serum lactate level, plasma cytokine levels, lung injury and mortality are investigated for these different treatment groups. Results Compared with LR group, vasopressin and terlipressin-treated groups were associated with higher MAP, lowered mortality rates, less lung injury, lowered serum lactate level, less proinflammatory and more anti-inflammatory cytokine production at certain time points. Comparing between vasopressin and terlipressin treated groups, there is no statistical difference in mortality rates, lung injury, serum lactate level and cytokine level. However, there is a difference in the length of time in maintaining a restored level of MAP (80 to 110 mmHg). The terlipressin treated rats can maintain this restored level of MAP for 45 minutes, but the vasopressin treated rats can only maintain this restored level of MAP for 5 minutes before decreasing gradually to the MAP observed in LR group (40 mmHg). Conclusion Early optimization of hemodynamics with terlipressin or vasopressin in an animal model of UHS was associated with improved hemodynamics and inflammatory cytokine profile than the LR control. Compared with vasopressin, terlipressin has the advantage of ease of use and sustained effects. PMID:24759799

Supine Lower Body Negative Pressure Exercise Maintains Upright Exercise Capacity in Male Twins during 30 Days of Bed Rest

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, Stuart M. C.; Schneider, Suzanne M.; Boda, Wanda L.; Watenpaugh, Donald E.; Macias, Brandon R.; Meyer, R. Scott; Hargens, Alan R.

2006-01-01

Exercise capacity is reduced following both short and long duration exposures to microgravity. We have shown previously that supine lower body negative pressure with exercise (LBNP(sub ex) maintains upright exercise capacity in men after 5d and 15d bed rest, as a simulation of microgravity. We hypothesized that LBNP(sub ex) would protect upright exercise capacity (VO2pk) and sprint performance in eight sets of identical male twins during a 30-d bed rest. Twins within each set were randomly assigned to either a control group (CON) who performed no exercise or to an exercise group (EX) who performed a 40-min interval (40-80% pre-BR VO2pk) LBNP(sub ex) (55+/-4 mmHg) exercise protocol, plus 5 min of resting LBNP, 6 d/wk. LBNP produced footward force equivalent to 1.0- 1.2 times body weight. Pre- and post-bed rest, subjects completed an upright graded exercise test to volitional fatigue and sprint test of 30.5 m. After bed rest, VO2pk was maintained in the EX subjects (-3+/-3%), but was significantly decreased in the CON subjects (-24+/-4%). Sprint time also was increased in the CON subjects (24+/-8%), but maintained in the EX group (8+/-2%). The performance of a supine, interval exercise protocol with LBNP maintains upright exercise capacity and sprint performance during 30 d of bed rest. This exercise countermeasure protocol may help prevent microgravity-induced deconditioning during long duration space flight.

Effect of substitution of groundnut with high glucosinolate mustard (Brassica juncea) meal on nutrient utilization, growth, vital organ weight and blood composition of lambs.

PubMed

Tripathi, M K.; Mishra, A S.; Misra, A K.; Mondal, D; Karim, S A.

2001-03-01

Twenty-four 14-day-old weaner Avivastra (Russian MerinoxNali) male lambs were maintained for 180 days on ad libidum Cenchrus (Cenchrus ciliaris) hay and concentrate mixture (CM) contained groundnut meal (control) and mustard meal (MM group) as major protein source. The two CMs were isonitrogenous (21% CP) and isocaloric (2.78McalMEkg(-1) DM), while, CM fed to MM group contained 24.6mg glucosinolatesg(-1) DM. Digestibility of nutrients was similar (P>0.05) in the two groups except for CP and hemicellulose, which was higher (P<0.05) in control. Urinary N loss was higher (P<0.01) in control than in MM group, whereas N retention (% of N intake and absorbed) was higher (P<0.01) in MM group compared to control. Dry matter (gkg(-1)BW) and glucosinolate intakes were higher in MM fed group, whereas DCP and ME intakes were similar (P>0.05) in the two groups. Average daily gain (ADG) was, however, 22% higher (P<0.01) in control than in MM group. Hemoglobin and albumin contents were lower (P<0.01) in MM group than in control. Serum thiocyanate content was 26.7µgg(-1) in MM fed group, while it was not detected in control group. Thyroid weight was higher (P<0.01) while liver and kidney weights were lower (P<0.01) in MM group. Meat from dissected carcass of control group contained more protein and less fat, whereas the reverse was noticed in MM group. It is concluded that feeding mustard meal as protein supplement reduced growth rate and induced iodine deficiency. Carcass of lambs fed mustard meal had more fat and less protein.

Effectiveness of Switch to Erythropoiesis-Stimulating Agent (ESA) Biosimilars versus Maintenance of ESA Originators in the Real-Life Setting: Matched-Control Study in Hemodialysis Patients.

PubMed

Minutolo, Roberto; Bolasco, Piergiorgio; Chiodini, Paolo; Sposini, Stefano; Borzumati, Maurizio; Abaterusso, Cataldo; Mele, Alessandra A; Santoro, Domenico; Canale, Valeria; Santoboni, Alberto; Filiberti, Oliviero; Fiorini, Fulvio; Mura, Carlo; Imperiali, Patrizio; Borrelli, Silvio; Russo, Luigi; De Nicola, Luca; Russo, Domenico

2017-10-01

In hemodialysis (HD), switching from erythropoiesis-stimulating agent (ESA) originators to biosimilars is associated with the need for doses approximately 10% higher, according to industry-driven studies. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy on anemia control of switching from ESA originators to biosimilars in daily clinical practice. We retrospectively selected consecutive HD patients receiving stable intravenous ESA doses, and who had not been transfused in the previous 6 months, from 12 non-profit Italian centers. Patients switched from originators to biosimilars (n = 163) were matched with those maintained on ESA originators (n = 163) using a propensity score approach. The study duration was 24 weeks, and the primary endpoint was the mean dose difference (MDD), defined as the difference between the switch and control groups of ESA dose changes during the study (time-weighted average ESA dose minus baseline ESA dose). Age (70 ± 13 years), male sex (63%), diabetes (29%), history of cardiovascular disease (40%), body weight (68 ± 14 kg), vascular access (86% arteriovenous fistula), hemoglobin [Hb] (11.2 ± 0.9 g/dL) and ESA dose (8504 ± 6370 IU/week) were similar in the two groups. Hb remained unchanged during the study in both groups. Conversely, ESA dose remained unchanged in the control group and progressively increased in the switch group from week 8 to 24. The time-weighted average of the ESA dose was higher in the switch group than in the control group (10,503 ± 7389 vs. 7981 ± 5858 IU/week; p = 0.001), leading to a significant MDD of 2423 IU/week (95% confidence interval [CI] 1615-3321), corresponding to a 39.6% (95% CI 24.7-54.6) higher dose of biosimilars compared with originators. The time-weighted average of Hb was 0.2 g/dL lower in the switch group, with a more frequent ESA hyporesponsiveness (14.7 vs. 2.5%). Iron parameters and other resistance factors remained unchanged. In stable dialysis patients, switching from ESA originators to biosimilars requires 40% higher doses to maintain anemia control.

Internet Interventions for Hearing Loss.

PubMed

Thorén, Elisabet Sundewall; Öberg, Marie; Andersson, Gerhard; Lunner, Thomas

2015-09-01

The purpose of the two studies presented in this research forum article was to develop audiological rehabilitation programs for experienced hearing aid users and evaluate them in online versions. In this research forum article, the differences between the two studies are discussed. Two randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were performed evaluating the efficacy of online rehabilitation, including professional guidance by an audiologist. In each RCT, the effects of the online programs were compared with the effects measured in a control group. The results from the first RCT showed a significant increase in activity and participation for both groups with participants in the intervention group improving more than those in the control group. At the 6-month follow-up, after the study, the significant increase was maintained; however, amounts of increase in the two groups were no longer significantly different. The results from the second RCT showed significant increase in activity and participation for the intervention group, although the control group did not improve. The results from the RCTs provide evidence that the Internet can be used to deliver rehabilitation to hearing-aid users and that their problems are reduced by the intervention; however, the content of the online rehabilitation program requires further investigation.

Does Exercise Improve Cognitive Performance? A Conservative Message from Lord's Paradox.

PubMed

Liu, Sicong; Lebeau, Jean-Charles; Tenenbaum, Gershon

2016-01-01

Although extant meta-analyses support the notion that exercise results in cognitive performance enhancement, methodology shortcomings are noted among primary evidence. The present study examined relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published in the past 20 years (1996-2015) for methodological concerns arise from Lord's paradox. Our analysis revealed that RCTs supporting the positive effect of exercise on cognition are likely to include Type I Error(s). This result can be attributed to the use of gain score analysis on pretest-posttest data as well as the presence of control group superiority over the exercise group on baseline cognitive measures. To improve accuracy of causal inferences in this area, analysis of covariance on pretest-posttest data is recommended under the assumption of group equivalence. Important experimental procedures are discussed to maintain group equivalence.

Efficacy of Self-Hypnosis in Pain Management in Female Patients with Multiple Sclerosis.

PubMed

Hosseinzadegan, Fariba; Radfar, Moloud; Shafiee-Kandjani, Ali Reza; Sheikh, Naser

2017-01-01

Pain is common in patients with multiple sclerosis. This study evaluated self-hypnosis for pain control in that population. A randomized clinical trial was conducted on 60 patients, who were assigned to either a control group or to a self-hypnosis group, in which patients performed self-hypnosis at least 10 times a day. All patients were trained to score the perceived pain twice daily on a numerical rating scale and also reported the quality of pain with the McGill Pain questionnaire. Repeated-measures analysis showed a significant difference between the groups; pain was lower in the self-hypnosis group but was not maintained after 4 weeks. Self-hypnosis could effectively decrease the intensity and could modify quality of pain in female patients with multiple sclerosis.

A randomized controlled trial of group Stepping Stones Triple P: a mixed-disability trial.

PubMed

Roux, Gemma; Sofronoff, Kate; Sanders, Matthew

2013-09-01

Stepping Stones Triple P (SSTP) is a parenting program designed for families of a child with a disability. The current study involved a randomized controlled trial of Group Stepping Stones Triple P (GSSTP) for a mixed-disability group. Participants were 52 families of children diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder, Down syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, or an intellectual disability. The results demonstrated significant improvements in parent-reported child behavior, parenting styles, parental satisfaction, and conflict about parenting. Results among participants were similar despite children's differing impairments. The intervention effect was maintained at 6-month follow-up. The results indicate that GSSTP is a promising intervention for a mixed-disability group. Limitations of the study, along with areas for future research, are also discussed. © FPI, Inc.

Bisphosphonate ISS Flight Experiment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

LeBlanc, Adrian; Matsumoto, Toshio; Jones, Jeffrey; Shapiro, Jay; Lang, Thomas; Shackleford, Linda; Smith, Scott M.; Evans, Harlan; Spector, Elizabeth; Ploutz-Snyder, Robert;

The Reconstruction of Failure

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Turner, Ralph H.

1972-01-01

Seeks to explain the use of ideologies concerning the failure or non-failure in American education in terms of the struggle of sponsoring and professional groups to establish or maintain position on the social scene and, correspondingly, to gain control over those clienteles which are relevant to drives for social or professional mobility. (RJ)

Reducing Truancy in Students with Mild Handicaps.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hess, Albert M.; And Others

1990-01-01

Contingency contracting and group counseling were provided to 26 mildly to moderately handicapped middle school students with high rates of truancy. Subjects exhibited attendance gains after treatment; gains were not maintained at followup but attendance rates were still higher than the rates of control students. Measures of academic performance…

The Trainer's Handbook. The AMA Guide to Effective Training. Second Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mitchell, Garry

This trainer's handbook is designed to be a desktop reference on the nature of training and the procedures involved in training preparation and provision. Part 1 covers the essential interaction skills required of trainers (maintaining leadership, creating learning associations, planning lessons, controlling training groups, analyzing trainees,…

47 CFR 0.551 - Purpose and scope; definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

...: (1) Individual means a citizen of the United States or an alien lawfully admitted for permanent... maintained by the Commission, including but not limited to, such individual's education, financial... finger or voice print or a photograph. (3) System of Records means a group of records under the control...

Preliminary evaluation of a self-directed video-based 1-2-3 Magic parenting program: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Porzig-Drummond, Renata; Stevenson, Richard J; Stevenson, Caroline

2015-03-01

The current study examined the effectiveness of a self-directed video-based format of the 1-2-3 Magic parenting program in reducing dysfunctional parenting and child problem behaviors. Eighty-four parents of children aged 2-10 were randomly assigned to either the intervention group (n = 43) or the waitlist control group (n = 41). Participants in the intervention group reported significantly less problem behaviors for their children, and significantly less dysfunctional parenting, at post-intervention when compared to the control group. The results were maintained at 6-month follow-up. There was no significant change on measures of parental adjustment for either group. The current results provide preliminary support for the conclusion that the video-based self-directed format of the 1-2-3 Magic parenting program is suitable as an entry-level intervention in a multi-level intervention model and is suitable for inclusion in a population approach to parenting program delivery. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cancer Patients’ Preferences for Control at the End of Life

PubMed Central

Volker, Deborah L.; Wu, Hung-Lan

2011-01-01

The achievement of a death consistent with personal preferences is an elusive outcome for most people with cancer. Maintaining a sense of control is a core component of a dignified death; however, control might be a Western bioethical notion with questionable relevance to culturally diverse groups. Thus, the purpose of our study was to explore the meaning of control and control preferences in a group of racially and ethnically diverse patients with an advanced cancer diagnosis. Using a hermeneutic, phenomenological approach, we interviewed 20 patients with advanced cancer and uncovered two themes: (a) preferences for everyday control over treatment decisions, family issues, final days of life, and arrangements after death, versus (b) awareness that cancer and death are controlled by a higher power. Although the sample included non-Hispanic Whites, African Americans, and Hispanics, participants shared common views that are characteristic of American cultural norms regarding the value of autonomy. PMID:21734224

Effect of different East Coast fever control strategies on disease incidence in traditionally managed Sanga cattle in Central Province of Zambia.

PubMed

Minjauw, B; Otte, M J; James, A D; de Castro, J J; Sinyangwe, P

1998-05-01

A clinical trial, including five East Coast fever (ECF) control strategies (involving tick control and/or immunisation by infection-and-treatment) in five different groups of traditionally managed Sanga cattle, was conducted in Central Province of Zambia over 2.5 years between 1992 and 1995. Two groups were kept under intensive tick control by weekly acaricide treatment by hand spray; (one immunised and one non-immunised), two groups were under no tick control (one immunised and one non-immunised), and a fifth, immunised group was maintained under strategic tick control (18 sprays yr-1). ECF-specific mortality was highest in the non-immunised and non-treated group, while no difference in ECF-specific mortality could be observed between animals treated for ECF by immunisation or by tick control. Acaricide treatment and/or immunisation reduced the risk of clinical ECF by 92%. The results of an artificial challenge experiment at the end of the field trial indicated that about 60% of the animals in the control group had become infected with Theileria parva without showing clinical signs. ECF incidence in non-vaccinated cattle markedly declined six months after immunisation--suggesting that the carrier state induced by immunisation did not lead to a persistent high incidence, and might accelerate the progress to endemicity.

Effect of Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy on Hamstring Tightness in Healthy Subjects: A Pilot Study

PubMed Central

Kim, Yong Wook; Chang, Won Hyuk; Kim, Na Young; Kwon, Jun Beom

2017-01-01

Purpose To assess the effect of extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) for healthy participants with hamstring tightness. Materials and Methods This study was performed at a university rehabilitation hospital. Twenty nine healthy adults with hamstring tightness were enrolled and randomly allocated into four groups (ESWT, stretching exercise, ESWT with stretching exercise, and control). The effects of individual treatments were compared by the finger-to-floor test and popliteal angle. Results The ESWT group, stretching exercise group and ESWT with stretching exercise group had decreased finger-to-floor distances and right popliteal angles immediately after intervention, compared with the control group (p<0.05). At 4 weeks after completion of the interventions, finger-to-floor distances and the right popliteal angle in only the ESWT with stretching exercise group showed a significant improvement, compared with the control group (p=0.008 and 0.023). Conclusion While ESWT and stretching both reduced hamstring tightness immediately after interventions, only ESWT with stretching exercise maintained the significantly improved relief of hamstring tightness significantly after 4 weeks. PMID:28332373

16S rDNA analysis of the effect of fecal microbiota transplantation on pulmonary and intestinal flora.

PubMed

Liu, Tianhao; Yang, Zhongshan; Zhang, Xiaomei; Han, Niping; Yuan, Jiali; Cheng, Yu

2017-12-01

This study aims to explore the effect of FMT on regulations of dysbacteriosis of pulmonary and intestinal flora in rats with 16S rDNA sequencing technology. A total of 27 SPF rats (3-4 weeks old) were randomly divided into three groups: normal control group (K), model control group (MX), and fecal microbiota transplantation group (FMT); each group contained nine rats. The OTU values of the pulmonary and intestinal flora of the MX group decreased significantly compared with the normal control group. After FMT, the OTU value of pulmonary flora increased, while the value of OTU in intestinal flora declined. At the phylum level, FMT down-regulated Proteobacteria , Firmicutes , and Bacteroidetes in the pulmonary flora. At the genus level, FMT down-regulated Pseudomonas , Sphingobium , Lactobacillus , Rhizobium , and Acinetobacter , thus maintaining the balance of the pulmonary flora. Moreover, FMT could change the structure and diversity of the pulmonary and intestinal flora by positively regulating the pulmonary flora and negatively regulating intestinal flora. This study may provide a scientific basis for FMT treatment of respiratory diseases.

Effects of magnesium sulphate on postoperative coagulation, measured by rotational thromboelastometry (ROTEM(®)).

PubMed

Na, H S; Chung, Y H; Hwang, J W; Do, S H

2012-08-01

We investigated the effects of magnesium sulphate on blood coagulation profiles using rotational thromboelastometry in gynaecological patients undergoing pelviscopic surgery. Patients were randomly allocated to the magnesium group (n = 20) or control group (n = 20). The magnesium group received magnesium sulphate (50 mg.kg(-1) followed by continuous infusion of 15 mg.kg(-1).h(-1)), whereas the control group received the same volume of isotonic saline according to the same methods. Mean (SD) postoperative serum magnesium levels were 1.58 (0.17) mmol.l(-1) in the magnesium group compared with 0.98 (0.06) mmol.l(-1) in the control group (p < 0.001). Postoperative clotting time, clot formation time, α-angle and maximum clot firmness of INTEM, and clot formation time, α-angle, and maximum clot firmness of EXTEM were significantly different between the two groups (p < 0.05). Intra-operative infusion of magnesium sulphate seems to attenuate postoperative hypercoagulability by maintaining magnesium levels at the upper limit of the normal range. Anaesthesia © 2012 The Association of Anaesthetists of Great Britain and Ireland.

The motivation to self-administer is increased after a history of spiking brain levels of cocaine.

PubMed

Zimmer, Benjamin A; Oleson, Erik B; Roberts, David Cs

2012-07-01

Recent attempts to model the addiction process in rodents have focused on cocaine self-administration procedures that provide extended daily access. Such procedures produce a characteristic loading phase during which blood levels rapidly rise and then are maintained within an elevated range for the duration of the session. The present experiments tested the hypothesis that multiple fast-rising spikes in cocaine levels contribute to the addiction process more robustly than constant, maintained drug levels. Here, we compared the effects of various cocaine self-administration procedures that produced very different patterns of drug intake and drug dynamics on Pmax, a behavioral economic measure of the motivation to self-administer drug. Two groups received intermittent access (IntA) to cocaine during daily 6-h sessions. Access was limited to twelve 5-min trials that alternated with 25-min timeout periods, using either a hold-down procedure or a fixed ratio 1 (FR1). Cocaine levels could not be maintained with this procedure; instead the animals experienced 12 fast-rising spikes in cocaine levels each day. The IntA groups were compared with groups given 6-h FR1 long access and 2-h short access sessions and two other control groups. Here, we report that cocaine self-administration procedures resulting in repeatedly spiking drug levels produce more robust increases in Pmax than procedures resulting in maintained high levels of cocaine. These results suggest that rapid spiking of brain-cocaine levels is sufficient to increase the motivation to self-administer cocaine.

Three-Year Follow-Up of Insomnia and Hypnotics after Controlled Internet Treatment for Insomnia.

PubMed

Blom, Kerstin; Jernelöv, Susanna; Rück, Christian; Lindefors, Nils; Kaldo, Viktor

2016-06-01

To investigate the long-term effects of therapist-guided Internet-based insomnia treatment on insomnia severity and sleep medication use, compared with active control. This study was an 8 week randomized controlled trial with follow-up posttreatment and at 6, 12, and 36 months, set at the Internet Psychiatry Clinic, Stockholm, Sweden. Participants were 148 media-recruited nondepressed adults with insomnia. Interventions were Guided Internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (ICBT-i) or active control treatment (ICBT-ctrl). Primary outcome was insomnia severity, measured with the Insomnia Severity Index. Secondary outcomes were sleep medication use and use of other treatments. The large pretreatment to posttreatment improvements in insomnia severity of the ICBT-i group were maintained during follow-up. ICBT-ctrl exhibited significantly less improvement posttreatment (between-Cohen d = 0.85), but after 12 and 36 months, there was no longer a significant difference. The within-group effect sizes from pretreatment to the 36-months follow-up were 1.6 (ICBT-i) and 1.7 (ICBT-ctrl), and 74% of the interviewed participants no longer had insomnia diagnosis after 36 mo. ICBT-ctrl used significantly more sleep medication (P = 0.017) and underwent significantly more other insomnia treatments (P < 0.001) during the follow-up period. The large improvements in the ICBT-i group were maintained after 36 months, corroborating that CBT for insomnia has long-term effects. After 36 months, the groups did not differ in insomnia severity, but ICBT-ctrl had used more sleep medication and undergone more other additional insomnia treatments during the follow-up period. The trial was registered, together with a parallel trial, at Clinicaltrials.gov as "Internet-CBT for Insomnia" registration ID: NCT01256099. © 2016 Associated Professional Sleep Societies, LLC.

Relationship between PPARα mRNA expression and mitochondrial respiratory function and ultrastructure of the skeletal muscle of patients with COPD.

PubMed

Zhang, Jian-Qing; Long, Xiang-Yu; Xie, Yu; Zhao, Zhi-Huan; Fang, Li-Zhou; Liu, Ling; Fu, Wei-Ping; Shu, Jing-Kui; Wu, Jiang-Hai; Dai, Lu-Ming

2017-11-02

Peripheral muscle dysfunction is an important complication in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The objective of this study was to explore the relationship between the levels of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPARα) mRNA expression and the respiratory function and ultrastructure of mitochondria in the vastus lateralis of patients with COPD. Vastus lateralis biopsies were performed on 14 patients with COPD and 6 control subjects with normal lung function. PPARα mRNA levels in the muscle tissue were detected by real-time PCR. A Clark oxygen electrode was used to assess mitochondrial respiratory function. Mitochondrial number, fractional area in skeletal muscle cross-sections, and Z-line width were observed via transmission electron microscopy. The PPARα mRNA expression was significantly lower in COPD patients with low body mass index (BMIL) than in both COPD patients with normal body mass index (BMIN) and controls. Mitochondrial respiratory function (assessed by respiratory control ratio) was impaired in COPD patients, particularly in BMIL. Compared with that in the control group, mitochondrial number and fractional area were lower in the BMIL group, but were maintained in the BMIN group. Further, the Z-line became narrow in the BMIL group. PPARα mRNA expression was positively related to mitochondrial respiratory function and volume density. In COPD patients with BMIN, mitochondria volume density was maintained, while respiratory function decreased, whereas both volume density and respiratory function decreased in COPD patients with BMIL. PPARα mRNA expression levels are associated with decreased mitochondrial respiratory function and volume density, which may contribute to muscle dysfunction in COPD patients.

Physical activity improves symptoms in irritable bowel syndrome: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Johannesson, Elisabet; Simrén, Magnus; Strid, Hans; Bajor, Antal; Sadik, Riadh

2011-05-01

Physical activity has been shown to be effective in the treatment of conditions, such as fibromyalgia and depression. Although these conditions are associated with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), no study has assessed the effect of physical activity on gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms in IBS. The aim was to study the effect of physical activity on symptoms in IBS. We randomized 102 patients to a physical activity group and a control group. Patients of the physical activity group were instructed by a physiotherapist to increase their physical activity, and those of the control group were instructed to maintain their lifestyle. The primary end point was to assess the change in the IBS Severity Scoring System (IBS-SSS). A total of 38 (73.7% women, median age 38.5 (19-65) years) patients in the control group and 37 (75.7% women, median age 36 (18-65) years) patients in the physical activity group completed the study. There was a significant difference in the improvement in the IBS-SSS score between the physical activity group and the control group (-51 (-130 and 49) vs. -5 (-101 and 118), P=0.003). The proportion of patients with increased IBS symptom severity during the study was significantly larger in the control group than in the physical activity group. Increased physical activity improves GI symptoms in IBS. Physically active patients with IBS will face less symptom deterioration compared with physically inactive patients. Physical activity should be used as a primary treatment modality in IBS.

Twelve month follow-up on a randomised controlled trial of relaxation training for post-stroke anxiety.

PubMed

Golding, Katherine; Fife-Schaw, Chris; Kneebone, Ian

2017-09-01

To follow up participants in a randomised controlled trial of relaxation training for anxiety after stroke at 12 months. Twelve month follow-up to a randomised controlled trial, in which the control group also received treatment. Community. Fifteen of twenty one original participants with post-stroke anxiety participated in a one year follow-up study. A self-help autogenic relaxation CD listened to five times a week for one month, immediately in the intervention group and after three months in the control group. Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale-Anxiety subscale and the Telephone Interview of Cognitive Status for inclusion. Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale-Anxiety subscale for outcome. All measures were administered by phone. Anxiety ratings reduced significantly between pre and post-intervention, and between pre-intervention and one year follow-up ( χ 2 (2) = 22.29, p < 0.001). Reductions in anxiety in stroke survivors who received a self-help autogenic relaxation CD appear to be maintained after one year.

Management of neonatal abstinence syndrome in neonates born to opioid maintained women.

PubMed

Ebner, Nina; Rohrmeister, Klaudia; Winklbaur, Bernadette; Baewert, Andjela; Jagsch, Reinhold; Peternell, Alexandra; Thau, Kenneth; Fischer, Gabriele

2007-03-16

Neonates born to opioid-maintained mothers are at risk of developing neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS), which often requires pharmacological treatment. This study examined the effect of opioid maintenance treatment on the incidence and timing of NAS, and compared two different NAS treatments (phenobarbital versus morphine hydrochloride). Fifty-three neonates born to opioid-maintained mothers were included in this study. The mothers received methadone (n=22), slow-release oral morphine (n=17) or buprenorphine (n=14) throughout pregnancy. Irrespective of maintenance treatment, all neonates showed APGAR scores comparable to infants of non-opioid dependent mothers. No difference was found between the three maintenance groups regarding neonatal weight, length or head circumference. Sixty percent (n=32) of neonates required treatment for NAS [68% in the methadone-maintained group (n=15), 82% in the morphine-maintained group (n=14), and 21% in the buprenorphine-maintained group (n=3)]. The mean duration from birth to requirement of NAS treatment was 33 h for the morphine-maintained group, 34 h for the buprenorphine-maintained group and 58 h for the methadone-maintained group. In neonates requiring NAS treatment, those receiving morphine required a significantly shorter mean duration of treatment (9.9 days) versus those treated with phenobarbital (17.7 days). Results suggest that morphine hydrochloride is preferable for neonates suffering NAS due to opioid withdrawal.

Novel water-soluble curcumin derivative mediating erectile signaling.

PubMed

Abdel Aziz, Mohamed Talaat; El Asmer, Mohammed F; Rezq, Ameen; Kumosani, Taha Abdullah; Mostafa, Samya; Mostafa, Taymour; Atta, Hazem; Abdel Aziz Wassef, Mohamed; Fouad, Hanan H; Rashed, Laila; Sabry, Dina; Hassouna, Amira A; Senbel, Amira; Abdel Aziz, Ahmed

2010-08-01

Curcumin is an inducer of heme oxygenase enzyme-1 (HO-1) that is involved in erectile signaling via elevating cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP)levels. To assess the effect of oral administration of a water-soluble long-acting curcumin derivative on erectile signaling. Two hundred and thirty six male white albino rats were divided into four groups; group 1 (N = 20) includes control. Group 2 (N = 72) was equally divided into four subgroups; subgroup 1 received pure curcumin (10 mg/kg), subgroup 2 received the long-acting curcumin derivative (2 mg/kg), subgroup 3 received the long-acting curcumin derivative (10 mg/kg), and subgroup 4 received sildenafil (4 mg/kg). Subgroups were sacrificed after the first, second, and third hour. Group 3 (N = 72) was equally divided into the same four subgroups already mentioned and were sacrificed after 24 hours, 48 hours, and 1 week. Group 4 (N = 72) was subjected to intracavernosal pressure (ICP) measurements 1 hour following oral administration of the same previous doses in the same rat subgroups. Cavernous tissue HO enzyme activity, cGMP, and ICP. In group 2, there was a significant progressive maintained elevation of HO activity and cGMP tissue levels starting from the first hour in subgroups 3 and 4, whereas, the rise in HO activity and cGMP started from second hour regarding the other rat subgroups. Sildenafil effect decreased after 3 hours. In group 3, there was a significant maintained elevation of HO activity and cGMP tissue levels extended to 1 week as compared to controls for all rat subgroups that received both forms of curcumin. In group 4, long-acting curcumin derivative exhibited more significant potentiation of intracavernosal pressure as compared to control and to the pure curcumin. Water-soluble long-acting curcumin derivative could mediate erectile function via upregulating cavernous tissue cGMP. © 2009 International Society for Sexual Medicine.

A novel method for assessing contrast sensitivity in the beagle dog is sensitive to age and an antioxidant enriched food.

PubMed

de Rivera, Christina; Boutet, Isabelle; Zicker, Steven C; Milgram, Norton W

2005-03-01

Tasks requiring visual discrimination are commonly used in assessment of canine cognitive function. However, little is known about canine visual processing, and virtually nothing is known about the effects of age on canine visual function. This study describes a novel behavioural method developed to assess one aspect of canine visual function, namely contrast sensitivity. Four age groups (young, middle aged, old, and senior) were studied. We also included a group of middle aged to old animals that had been maintained for at least 4 years on a specially formulated food containing a broad spectrum of antioxidants and mitochondrial cofactors. Performance of this group was compared with a group in the same age range maintained on a control diet. In the first phase, all animals were trained to discriminate between two high contrast shapes. In the second phase, contrast was progressively reduced by increasing the luminance of the shapes. Performance decreased as a function of age, but the differences did not achieve statistical significance, possibly because of a small sample size in the young group. All age groups were able to acquire the initial discrimination, although the two older age groups showed slower learning. Errors increased with decreasing contrast with the maximal number of errors for the 1% contrast shape. Also, all animals on the antioxidant diet learned the task and had significantly fewer errors at the high contrast compared with the animals on the control diet. The initial results suggest that contrast sensitivity deteriorates with age in the canine while form perception is largely unaffected by age.

Effect of assertiveness training on levels of stress and assertiveness experienced by nurses in Taiwan, Republic of China.

PubMed

Lee, S; Crockett, M S

1994-01-01

The purpose of the study was to examine the effectiveness of assertiveness training in improving self-perceived levels of stress and assertiveness among nurses in Taiwan, Republic of China. The two-group experimental design was conducted in a 2,000-bed veteran general hospital. A sample of 60 volunteer Chinese-speaking nurses participated in the study. Subjects were randomly assigned to one of two treatments: assertiveness training (AT) or alternate treatment control (ATC), which served as a control and contained updated knowledge of new computer technology for in patient settings. Subjects in each group participated in six 2-hour workshops in the same two-week period. All subjects were pre-, post-, and follow-up posttested for stress and assertiveness with the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and Rathus Assertiveness Schedule (RAS), respectively. Results revealed the following: (1) subjects in both groups of pretest were clearly subassertive and under considerable stress; (2) by the end of training, the AT group scored significantly higher on the rating of assertiveness than those in the ATC group, and had successfully maintained their improvement by the 4-week follow-up; and (3) by the end of training, the AT group reported significantly lower levels of stress than the ATC group as indicated on the PSS, and successfully maintained their improvements at the 4-week follow-up. Overall, the results indicate clear support for the effectiveness of assertiveness training for treating subassertive behaviors and stress in a population of professional nurses in Taiwan.

Might astrocytes play a role in maintaining the seizure-prone state?

PubMed

Vessal, Mani; Dugani, Chandrasagar B; Solomon, Dianand A; McIntyre Burnham, W; Ivy, Gwen O

2005-05-24

The amygdala-kindling model is used to study complex partial epilepsy with secondary generalization. The present study was designed to (A) quantify astrocytic changes in the piriform cortex of amygdala-kindled subjects over time and (B) investigate the role that astrocytes might play in maintaining the seizure-prone state. In Study A, once the experimental subjects reached five stage 5 seizures, stimulation was stopped, and both kindled and control rats were allowed to survive for the interval appropriate to their group (7, 18, 30, or 90 days). Following each interval, the kindled and control animals were given 10 intraperitoneal injections of bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) and sacrificed 24 h following the last injection. Significantly higher numbers of dividing astrocytes (identified by co-labeling for BrdU and to one of the astrocytic intermediate filament proteins glial fibrillary acidic protein or vimentin) were found in the kindled brains. All kindled groups had significantly higher numbers of double-labeled cells on the side contralateral to the stimulation site, except for those in the 90 day survival group. In Study B, rats were implanted with chemotrodes, were kindled as in Study A, and were subsequently infused with either saline or with L alpha-AA (to lesion astrocytes) during a further 25 stimulations (1/day). L alpha-AA infused rats had significantly diminished levels of behavioral seizures, higher after discharge thresholds, lower after discharge durations, and decreased numbers of double-labeled astrocytes in piriform cortex than did saline infused rats. Together, the data indicate that astrocytes may play a role in maintaining the seizure-prone state.

PARKINSON'S DISEASE PATIENTS WITH DOMINANT HEMIBODY AFFECTED BY THE DISEASE RELY MORE ON VISION TO MAINTAIN UPRIGHT POSTURAL CONTROL.

PubMed

Lahr, Juliana; Pereira, Marcelo Pinto; Pelicioni, Paulo Henrique Silva; De Morais, Luana Carolina; Gobbi, Lilian Teresa Bucken

2015-12-01

This study assesses the association between disease onset side (dominant or non-dominant) and vision on postural control of Parkinson's disease patients. Patient volunteers composed two groups, according to the onset side affected: Dominant group (n=9; M age=66.1 yr., SD=7.2; 6 women, 3 men) and Non-dominant group (n=9; M age=67.4 yr., SD=6.4; 6 women, 3 men). The groups' postural control was assessed by posturography during quiet upright stance in two conditions, Eyes open and Eyes closed. Two-way analyses of variance (ANOVAs; group×condition) with repeated measures for the second factor assessed the differences associated with affected hemibody and vision on postural control. Analyses indicated that patients with the dominant side affected also presented significantly greater variation in center of pressure than those with the non-dominant side affected, mainly in the Eyes closed condition. The results demonstrate a higher reliance on vision in the dominant side, possibly to compensate somatosensory system impairments. These results also highlight the importance of analyzing the hemibody affected by the disease when postural control is assessed in this population.

Protective Effect of Sorrel Extract on Adult Rats Treated by Carbon Tetrachloride

PubMed Central

Alkushi, Abdullah Glil

2017-01-01

Context: Heart, kidneys, and liver are the vital organs present in vertebrates and some other animals. They have a wide range of functions, such as maintaining homeostasis, detoxification, protein synthesis, and production of biochemical, that are necessary for digestion and maintaining circulation. These organs are necessary for the survival, and currently, there are no means to compensate for the absence of their functionalities in a long term. The damage of liver can affect other vital organs, including kidneys and heart. Aims: This study aimed at investigating the effect of sorrel extract in the treatment of some of the diseases of liver, kidneys, and heart using experimental animals. Settings and Design: This study is a randomized, controlled clinical trial. Materials and Methods: Forty mature male albino rats, weighing 150–160 g, were used and divided into four equal groups. One group was kept as negative control (C −ve) group whereas the other three groups were injected subcutaneously (s/c) with carbon tetrachloride in 50% V/V paraffin oil (2 ml/kg b.wt.). Tissue specimens were obtained from all the groups and fixed in 10% formalin for histopathological examination. Statistical Analysis Used: The obtained data were statistically analyzed using computerized Superior Performing Statistical Software (SPSS) at SAS Institute, Cary, NC, USA. Effects of different treatments were analyzed by one-way analysis of variance test using Duncan's multiple range test, and P < 0.05 was also used to indicate the significance level between different groups (Snedecor and Cochran, 1967). Results: The resulting data showed that the sorrel extract demonstrated a significant enhancement in liver intoxication and all other tested parameters. In addition, it also helped in minimizing the structural tissue damages in the vital organs. Conclusions: According to these results, sorrel can impair the liver function and maintain the functions of the vital organs. SUMMARY All rats, poisoned with carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) and administrated with all tested herbs, showed a significant increase in BWG as compared to the control (+ve) groupSorrel extract demonstrates a significant enhancement in liver intoxication and all other tested parameters and can reduce the lipid peroxidation in CCl4-induced liver damageAll rats, poisoned with CCl4 and orally fed with all tested herbs, showed a significant decrease in the mentioned parameters when compared to control (+ve) group. Abbreviations Used: ALT: Alanine transaminase; AST: Aspartate transaminase; ALP: Alkaline phosphatase; ALB: Albumin; BWG%: Body weight gain percentage; CCl4: Carbon tetrachloride; CAT: Catalase; GGT: Gamma-glutamyl transferase; GSH-Px: Glutathione peroxidase; GLOB: Globulin; iNOS: Inducible nitric oxide synthase; MDA: Malondialdehyde; RP: Rumex patientia; SOD: Superoxide dismutase; TP: Total protein; TC: Total cholesterol; TGs: Riglycerides. PMID:28539746

Comparative evaluation of maintenance of cell viability of an experimental transport media “coconut water” with Hank's balanced salt solution and milk, for transportation of an avulsed tooth: An in vitro cell culture study

PubMed Central

Thomas, Toby; Gopikrishna, Velayutham; Kandaswamy, Deivanayagam

2008-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficiency of a new storage medium, coconut water, in comparison with other traditional storage media like Hank's balanced salt solution (HBBS) and milk, in maintaining the viability of an established cell line BHK-21/C13 (baby hamster kidney fibroblasts) using the direct suspension cell culture technique. The storage media tested in the study were divided into three major groups and two control groups - Group A: HBBS, Group B: milk, and Group C: coconut water. The positive and negative controls corresponded to 0-minute and 24-hour dry times respectively. The three groups were then divided into five subgroups, each denoting the storage time periods 15 min, 30 min, 45 min, 60 min and 120 min respectively. The cell line BHK-21/C13 was subcultured and the number of cells was standardized by making a cell suspension using Minimal Essential Medium in five culture plates. One ml of each experimental group (HBBS, milk and coconut water) was added to eight wells of each culture plate. The culture plates containing the cells and the experimental groups were incubated for the respective time periods. The cells were then counted with a Neubauer counting chamber, under light microscope. The results were statistically analyzed using One-way ANOVA and Multiple Range Test using the Tukey-HSD procedure to identify the significant groups at p ≤ 0.05. Within the parameters of this study, it appears that coconut water may be a better alternative to HBSS or milk, in terms of maintaining cell viability. Coconut water can be used as a superior transport medium for avulsed teeth. PMID:20142880

The long-term effect of a plaque control program on tooth mortality, caries and periodontal disease in adults. Results after 30 years of maintenance.

PubMed

Axelsson, P; Nyström, B; Lindhe, J

2004-09-01

The biofilm that forms and remains on tooth surfaces is the main etiological factor in caries and periodontal disease. Prevention of caries and periodontal disease must be based on means that counteract this bacterial plaque. To monitor the incidence of tooth loss, caries and attachment loss during a 30-year period in a group of adults who maintained a carefully managed plaque control program. In addition, a comparison was made regarding the oral health status of individuals who, in 1972 and 2002, were 51-65 years old. In 1971 and 1972, more than 550 subjects were recruited. Three hundred and seventy-five subjects formed a test group and 180 a control group. After 6 years of monitoring, the control group was discontinued but the participants in the test group was maintained in the preventive program and was finally re-examined after 30 years. The following variables were studied at Baseline and after 3, 6, 15 and 30 years: plaque, caries, probing pocket depth, probing attachment level and CPITN. Each patient was given a detailed case presentation and education in self-diagnosis. Once every 2 months during the first 2 years, once every 3-12 months during years 3-30, the participants received, on an individual need basis, additional education in self-diagnosis and self-care focused on proper plaque control measures, including the use of toothbrushes and interdental cleaning devices (brush, dental tape, toothpick). The prophylactic sessions that were handled by a dental hygienist also included (i) plaque disclosure and (ii) professional mechanical tooth cleaning including the use of a fluoride-containing dentifrice/paste. Few teeth were lost during the 30 years of maintenance; 0.4-1.8 in different age cohorts. The main reason for tooth loss was root fracture; only 21 teeth were lost because of progressive periodontitis or caries. The mean number of new caries lesions was 1.2, 1.7 and 2.1 in the three groups. About 80% of the lesions were classified as recurrent caries. Most sites, buccal sites being the exception, exhibited no sign of attachment loss. Further, on approximal surfaces there was some gain of attachment between 1972 and 2002 in all age groups. The present study reported on the 30-year outcome of preventive dental treatment in a group of carefully monitored subjects who on a regular basis were encouraged, but also enjoyed and recognized the benefit of, maintaining a high standard of oral hygiene. The incidence of caries and periodontal disease as well as tooth mortality in this subject sample was very small. Since all preventive and treatment efforts during the 30 years were delivered in one private dental office, caution must be exercised when comparisons are made with longitudinal studies that present oral disease data from randomly selected subject samples.

A Randomized, Controlled Trial of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction in HIV Infection.

PubMed

Hecht, Frederick M; Moskowitz, Judith T; Moran, Patricia; Epel, Elissa S; Bacchetti, Peter; Acree, Michael; Kemeny, Margaret E; Mendes, Wendy B; Duncan, Larissa G; Weng, Helen; Levy, Jay A; Deeks, Steven G; Folkman, Susan

2018-05-26

Evidence links depression and stress to more rapid progression of HIV-1 disease. We conducted a randomized controlled trial to test whether an intervention aimed at improving stress management and emotion regulation, mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR), would improve immunological (i.e. CD4+ t-cell counts) and psychological outcomes in persons with HIV-1 infection. We randomly assigned participants with HIV-1 infection and CD4 T-cell counts > 350 cells/μl who were not on antiretroviral therapy in a 1:1 ratio to either an MBSR group (n=89) or an HIV disease self-management skills group (n=88). The study was conducted at the University of California at San Francisco. We assessed immunologic (CD4, c-reactive protein, IL-6, and d-dimer) and psychological measures (Beck Depression Inventory for depression, modified Differential Emotions Scale for positive and negative affect, Perceived stress-scale, and mindfulness) at 3, 6 and 12 months after initiation of the intervention; we used multiple imputation to address missing values. We observed statistically significant improvements from baseline to 3-months within the MBSR group in depression, positive and negative affect, perceived stress, and mindfulness; between group differences in change were significantly greater in the MBSR group only for positive affect (per item difference on DES-positive 0.25, 95% CI 0.049, 0.44, p = .015). By 12 months the between group difference in positive affect was not statistically significant, although both groups had trends toward improvements compared to baseline in several psychological outcomes that were maintained at 12-months; these improvements were only statistically significant for depression and negative affect in the MBSR group and perceived stress for the control group. The groups did not differ significantly on rates of antiretroviral therapy initiation (MBSR = 39%, control = 29%, p = .22). After 12 months, the mean decrease in CD4+ T-cell count was 49.6 cells/μl in participants in the MBSR arm, compared to 54.2 cells/μl in the control group, a difference of 4.6 cells favoring the MBSR group (95% CI, -44.6, 53.7, p=.85). The between group differences in other immunologic-related outcomes (c-reactive protein, IL-6, HIV-1 viral load, and d-dimer) were not statistically significant at any time point. MBSR improved positive affect more than an active control arm in the 3 months following the start of the intervention. However, this difference was not maintained over the 12-month follow-up and there were no significant differences in immunologic outcomes between intervention groups. These results emphasize the need for further carefully designed research if we are to translate evidence linking psychological states to immunological outcomes into evidence-based clinical practices. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

High-dose amrinone is required to accelerate rewarming from deliberate mild intraoperative hypothermia for neurosurgical procedures.

PubMed

Inoue, Satoki; Kawaguchi, Masahiko; Sakamoto, Takanori; Kitaguchi, Katsuyasu; Furuya, Hitoshi; Sakaki, Toshisuke

2002-07-01

Since the time available to provide the cooling and rewarming is limited during deliberate mild hypothermia, the technique to accelerate the cooling and rewarming rate of core temperature has been studied. Amrinone has been reported to accelerate the cooling rate but not the rewarming rate of core temperature during deliberate mild hypothermia. The failure of amrinone effect on the rewarming rate might be due to an insufficient dose of amrinone during hypothermic conditions. The authors therefore tested whether higher doses of amrinone can accelerate the rewarming rate of core temperature during deliberate mild hypothermia for neurosurgery. After institutional approval and informed consent, 30 patients were randomly assigned to one of three groups. Patients in the control group (n = 10) did not receive amrinone; patients in the AMR 15 group (n = 10) received 15 microg x kg(-1) x min(-1) amrinone with a 1.0-mg/kg loading dose of amrinone at the beginning of cooling; and patients in the ReAMR group (n = 10) received 5 microg x kg(-1) x min(-1) amrinone with 1.0-mg/kg loading and reloading doses of amrinone at the beginning of cooling and rewarming, respectively. Administration of amrinone was started just after the induction of cooling and continued until the end of anesthesia. Anesthesia was maintained with nitrous oxide in oxygen, propofol, and fentanyl. After induction of anesthesia, patients were cooled, and tympanic membrane temperature was maintained at 34.5 degrees C. After completion of the main surgical procedures, patients were actively rewarmed and extubated in the operating room. The cooling and rewarming rates of core temperature were both significantly faster in both amrinone groups than in the control group. During the cooling and rewarming periods, forearm minus fingertip temperature gradient was significantly smaller in both amrinone groups than in the control group. During the rewarming period, heart rate and mean arterial pressure in the AMR 15 group were significantly faster and lower, respectively, than in the control group. Systemic vascular resistance in the AMR 15 group was smaller than in the control group throughout the study; on the other hand, only the value after the start of rewarming in the ReAMR group was smaller than in the control group. Amrinone at an infusion rate of 15 or 5 microg x kg(-1) x min(-1) with a reloading at the beginning of rewarming accelerated the rewarming rate of core temperature during deliberate mild hypothermia. This suggests that high-dose amrinone is required to accelerate rewarming from deliberate mild intraoperative hypothermia for neurosurgical procedures.

Randomised controlled trial and economic analysis of an internet-based weight management programme: POWeR+ (Positive Online Weight Reduction).

PubMed

Little, Paul; Stuart, Beth; Hobbs, Fd Richard; Kelly, Jo; Smith, Emily R; Bradbury, Katherine J; Hughes, Stephanie; Smith, Peter Wf; Moore, Michael V; Lean, Mike Ej; Margetts, Barrie M; Byrne, Christopher D; Griffin, Simon; Davoudianfar, Mina; Hooper, Julie; Yao, Guiqing; Zhu, Shihua; Raftery, James; Yardley, Lucy

2017-01-01

Behavioural counselling with intensive follow-up for obesity is effective, but in resource-constrained primary care settings briefer approaches are needed. To estimate the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of an internet-based behavioural intervention with regular face-to-face or remote support in primary care, compared with brief advice. Individually randomised three-arm parallel trial with health economic evaluation and nested qualitative interviews. Primary care general practices in the UK. Patients with a body mass index of ≥ 30 kg/m 2 (or ≥ 28 kg/m 2 with risk factors) identified from general practice records, recruited by postal invitation. Positive Online Weight Reduction (POWeR+) is a 24-session, web-based weight management intervention completed over 6 months. Following online registration, the website randomly allocated participants using computer-generated random numbers to (1) the control intervention ( n  = 279), which had previously been demonstrated to be clinically effective (brief web-based information that minimised pressure to cut down foods, instead encouraging swaps to healthier choices and increasing fruit and vegetables, plus 6-monthly nurse weighing); (2) POWeR+F ( n  = 269), POWeR+ supplemented by face-to-face nurse support (up to seven contacts); or (3) POWeR+R ( n  = 270), POWeR+ supplemented by remote nurse support (up to five e-mails or brief telephone calls). The primary outcome was a modelled estimate of average weight reduction over 12 months, assessed blind to group where possible, using multiple imputation for missing data. The secondary outcome was the number of participants maintaining a 5% weight reduction at 12 months. A total of 818 eligible individuals were randomised using computer-generated random numbers. Weight change, averaged over 12 months, was documented in 666 out of 818 participants (81%; control, n  = 227; POWeR+F, n  = 221; POWeR+R, n  = 218). The control group maintained nearly 3 kg of weight loss per person (mean weight per person: baseline, 104.4 kg; 6 months, 101.9 kg; 12 months, 101.7 kg). Compared with the control group, the estimated additional weight reduction with POWeR+F was 1.5 kg [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.6 to 2.4 kg; p  = 0.001] and with POWeR+R was 1.3 kg (95% CI 0.34 to 2.2 kg; p  = 0.007). By 12 months the mean weight loss was not statistically significantly different between groups, but 20.8% of control participants, 29.2% of POWeR+F participants (risk ratio 1.56, 95% CI 0.96 to 2.51; p  = 0.070) and 32.4% of POWeR+R participants (risk ratio 1.82, 95% CI 1.31 to 2.74; p  = 0.004) maintained a clinically significant 5% weight reduction. The POWeR+R group had fewer individuals who reported doing another activity to help lose weight [control, 47.1% (64/136); POWeR+F, 37.2% (51/137); POWeR+R, 26.7% (40/150)]. The incremental cost to the health service per kilogram weight lost, compared with the control group, was £18 (95% CI -£129 to £195) for POWeR+F and -£25 (95% CI -£268 to £157) for POWeR+R. The probability of being cost-effective at a threshold of £100 per kilogram was 88% and 98% for POWeR+F and POWeR+R, respectively. POWeR+R was dominant compared with the control group. No harms were reported and participants using POWeR+ felt more enabled in managing their weight. The qualitative studies documented that POWeR+ was viewed positively by patients and that health-care professionals generally enjoyed supporting patients using POWeR+. Maintenance of weight loss after 1 year is unknown. Identifying strategies for longer-term engagement, impact in community settings and increasing physical activity. Clinically valuable weight loss (> 5%) is maintained in 20% of individuals using novel written materials with brief follow-up. A web-based behavioural programme and brief support results in greater mean weight loss and 10% more participants maintain valuable weight loss; it achieves greater enablement and fewer participants undertaking other weight-loss activities; and it is likely to be cost-effective. Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN21244703. This project was funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Health Technology Assessment programme and will be published in full in Health Technology Assessment ; Vol. 21, No. 4. See the NIHR Journals Library website for further project information.

Effectiveness of Tai Chi on Physical and Psychological Health of College Students: Results of a Randomized Controlled Trial

PubMed Central

Li, Moyi; Ling, Kun; Lin, Hui; Chen, Lidian; Tao, Jing; Li, Junzhe; Zheng, Xin; Chen, Bai; Fang, Qianying

2015-01-01

Objective To investigate the effectiveness and safety of Tai Chi Chuan (TCC) on physical and psychological health of college students. Methods Two hundred six college students were recruited and randomly allocated to a control group or a TCC exercise group in an equal ratio. Participants in the control group were instructed to maintain their original activity level and those in the TCC exercise group received 12 weeks of TCC exercise training based on their original activity level. Physical and psychological outcomes were evaluated at baseline, 13 weeks and 25 weeks. Intention-to-treat analysis was performed for the above outcomes. Results Compared with the control group, the TCC exercise group showed significant improvements at the end of the 12-week intervention period for flexibility (length of Sit and Reach (cm): TCC group 14.09±7.40 versus control 12.88±6.57, P = 0.039 adjusted for its baseline measures using a general linear model) and balance ability (open eyes perimeter: TCC group 235.6(191~314) versus control 261(216~300); closed eyes perimeter: TCC group 370.5 (284~454) versus control 367 (293~483); P = 0.0414, 0.008, respectively, adjusted for corresponding baseline measures using a general linear model). No significant changes in other physical and mental outcomes were found between the two groups. No adverse events were reported during the study period. Conclusion TCC exercise was beneficial in college students for improving flexibility and balance capability to some extent, compared with usual exercise. Trial Registration Chinese Clinical Trial Registry ChiCTR-TRC-13003328 PMID:26147842

Impact of a Brief Group Intervention to Enhance Parenting and the Home Learning Environment for Children Aged 6-36 Months: a Cluster Randomised Controlled Trial.

PubMed

Hackworth, N J; Berthelsen, D; Matthews, J; Westrupp, E M; Cann, W; Ukoumunne, O C; Bennetts, S K; Phan, T; Scicluna, A; Trajanovska, M; Yu, M; Nicholson, J M

2017-04-01

This study evaluated the effectiveness of a group parenting intervention designed to strengthen the home learning environment of children from disadvantaged families. Two cluster randomised controlled superiority trials were conducted in parallel and delivered within existing services: a 6-week parenting group (51 locations randomised; 986 parents) for parents of infants (aged 6-12 months), and a 10-week facilitated playgroup (58 locations randomised; 1200 parents) for parents of toddlers (aged 12-36 months). Each trial had three conditions: intervention (smalltalk group-only); enhanced intervention with home coaching (smalltalk plus); and 'standard'/usual practice controls. Parent-report and observational measures were collected at baseline, 12 and 32 weeks follow-up. Primary outcomes were parent verbal responsivity and home learning activities at 32 weeks. In the infant trial, there were no differences by trial arm for the primary outcomes at 32 weeks. In the toddler trial at 32-weeks, participants in the smalltalk group-only trial showed improvement compared to the standard program for parent verbal responsivity (effect size (ES) = 0.16; 95% CI 0.01, 0.36) and home learning activities (ES = 0.17; 95% CI 0.01, 0.38) but smalltalk plus did not. For the secondary outcomes in the infant trial, several initial differences favouring smalltalk plus were evident at 12 weeks, but not maintained to 32 weeks. For the toddler trial, differences in secondary outcomes favouring smalltalk plus were evident at 12 weeks and maintained to 32 weeks. These trials provide some evidence of the benefits of a parenting intervention focused on the home learning environment for parents of toddlers but not infants. 8 September 2011; ACTRN12611000965909 .

Control of body temperature and immune function in patients undergoing open surgery for gastric cancer.

PubMed

Shao, Li; Pang, Nannan; Yan, Ping; Jia, Fengju; Sun, Qi; Ma, Wenjuan; Yang, Yi

2018-04-09

The influence of mild perioperative hypothermia on the immune function and incidence of postoperative wound infections has been suggested, but the specific mechanism is unclear. This study aimed to analyze the body temperature, immune function, and wound infection rates in patients receiving open surgery for gastric cancer. Body temperature was controlled in each patient using one of four different methods: wrapping limbs, head and neck; insulated blankets; warming infusion fluids and insulated blankets; and warming fluids without insulated blankets. One hundred patients were randomly divided into four groups of 25 patients each, and every group received a different intraoperative treatment for maintaining normal body temperature. Nasopharyngeal and rectal temperatures, transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β), interleukin 10 (IL-10) levels, and cluster of differentiation (CD)3+ and CD4+/CD25+ regulatory T cell (Treg) counts were measured before surgery and at 2 and 4 hours postoperatively. Patients were evaluated at one week after surgery for signs of infection. Intraoperative body temperature and measures of immune function varied significantly between the four groups, with the largest temperature changes observed in the group in which only the limbs were wrapped in cotton pads to control the body temperature. The group in which infusion fluids and transfused blood (if needed) were heated to 37℃, peritoneal irrigation fluid was heated to 37℃, and an insulation blanket was heated to 39℃ and placed under the patient, showed the lowest temperature change (i.e., close to normal temperature) and cytokine response after surgery. No intergroup differences were found in the infection rates at one week after surgery. In conclusion, body temperature variation during surgery affects the immune function of patients, and maintaining body temperature close to normal results in the least variation of immune function.

Influence of tibial shock feedback training on impact loading and running economy.

PubMed

Clansey, Adam Charles; Hanlon, Michael; Wallace, Eric S; Nevill, Alan; Lake, Mark J

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine whether real-time feedback (RTF) training would reduce impact loading variables previously linked with tibial stress fracture risk and whether these adaptations would influence running economy. Twenty-two male runners were randomly assigned to RTF (n = 12) and control (n = 10) groups. The RTF group received feedback based on their peak tibial axial accelerations (PTA) during six 20-min treadmill runs for 3 wk, whereas the control group adhered to the same training but without feedback. Unilateral three-dimensional kinematic and kinetic analysis and running economy measurements were conducted before, after, and at 1 month posttraining. The RTF group had significant reductions (P < 0.01) in PTA and average and instantaneous vertical force loading rates after training as compared with no changes in the control group. These modifications in impact loads were only maintained in PTA 1 month after the training. A significant increase (P = 0.0033) in ankle plantarflexion at initial contact and a significant change (P = 0.030) in foot strike pattern from a rearfoot to midfoot strike pattern and a significant decrease (P = 0.008) in heel vertical velocity at initial contact appeared to be the primary mechanical strategies adopted by runners to reduce impact loading after RTF training. Despite these gait adaptations, running economy was unaffected. The results of this study suggest that gait retraining using RTF is an effective means of eliciting reductions in impact loading without negatively affecting running economy. However, with loading rate reductions not being maintained 1 month posttraining, further research is required to determine how these reductions in impact severity can be retained long term.

Intervention for phantom limb pain: A randomized single crossover study of mirror therapy.

PubMed

Ramadugu, Shashikumar; Nagabushnam, Satish C; Katuwal, Nagendra; Chatterjee, Kaushik

2017-01-01

Mirror therapy suggested to help relieve phantom limb pain (PLP) by resolving the visual- proprioceptive dissociation in the brain, but studies so far either had shorter follow-up or smaller sample size. In this randomized single crossover trial, 64 amputees with PLP in the age group of 15-75 years of age were distributed into test and control groups by simple randomization method. Of these 28 in control and 32 in test groups, respectively, completed the 4 weeks of mirror therapy and 12 weeks of follow-up assessments. A standardized set of exercises for 15 min/day for 4 and 8 weeks in test and control groups (in the first 4 weeks, the mirror was covered), respectively, was administered under supervision of one of the authors. All were assessed using the visual analog scale and Short-Form McGill Pain Questionnaire on day 0 and at 4, 8, and 12 weeks after therapy. In control group for the initial 4 weeks, the mirror was covered. The assessing author was blinded to the group to which the participants belonged. Significant reduction in PLP was noted in the test group at 4 weeks compared to the control group ( P < 0.0001). Significant reduction was seen in control group also after the switchover and sustained for 12 weeks in both. No harm was reported. Mirror therapy is effective in relieving the intensity, duration, frequency, and overall PLP, and improvement is maintained up to 12 weeks' posttherapy.

Improved gait after repetitive locomotor training in children with cerebral palsy.

PubMed

Smania, Nicola; Bonetti, Paola; Gandolfi, Marialuisa; Cosentino, Alessandro; Waldner, Andreas; Hesse, Stefan; Werner, Cordula; Bisoffi, Giulia; Geroin, Christian; Munari, Daniele

2011-02-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of repetitive locomotor training with an electromechanical gait trainer in children with cerebral palsy. In this randomized controlled trial, 18 ambulatory children with diplegic or tetraplegic cerebral palsy were randomly assigned to an experimental group or a control group. The experimental group received 30 mins of repetitive locomotor training with an applied technology (Gait Trainer GT I) plus 10 mins of passive joint mobilization and stretching exercises. The control group received 40 mins of conventional physiotherapy. Each subject underwent a total of 10 treatment sessions over a 2-wk period. Performance on the 10-m walk test, 6-min walk test, WeeFIM scale, and gait analysis was evaluated by a blinded rater before and after treatment and at 1-mo follow-up. The experimental group showed significant posttreatment improvement on the 10-m walk test, 6-min walk test, hip kinematics, gait speed, and step length, all of which were maintained at the 1-mo follow-up assessment. No significant changes in performance parameters were observed in the control group. Repetitive locomotor training with an electromechanical gait trainer may improve gait velocity, endurance, spatiotemporal, and kinematic gait parameters in patients with cerebral palsy.

Comparing effects between music intervention and aromatherapy on anxiety of patients undergoing mechanical ventilation in the intensive care unit: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Lee, Chiu-Hsiang; Lai, Chiung-Ling; Sung, Yi-Hui; Lai, Mei Yu; Lin, Chung-Ying; Lin, Long-Yau

2017-07-01

Using patient-reported outcomes and physiological indicators to test the effects of music intervention and aromatherapy on reducing anxiety for intensive care unit (ICU) patients undergoing mechanical ventilation. Patients with ICU admission duration >24 h were randomly assigned to a Music intervention group (n = 41), Aromatherapy group (n = 47), or Control group (rest only; n = 44). Each patient in the Music group listened to music; each patient in the Aromatherapy group received lavender essential oil massage on his/her back for 5 min; each patient in the Control group wore noise-canceling headphones. Anxiety was measured using the Chinese version of the Stage-Trait Anxiety Inventory (C-STAI) and the Visual Analogue Scale for Anxiety (VAS-A) at baseline, post-test, and 30-min follow-up. Heart rate, breathing rate, and blood pressure were measured every 10 min from baseline to the 30-min follow-up. The Music group had significantly better post-test VAS-A and C-STAI scores, and had lower heart rate and blood pressure than the Control group. The Aromatherapy group had significantly better VAS-A score and lower heart rate than the Control group. The 30-min follow-up showed that both Music and Aromatherapy groups had lower heart rate and blood pressure than the Control group. Music and aromatherapy interventions were both effective for ICU patients. The effects of music intervention were greater than that of aromatherapy; both interventions maintained the effects for at least 30 min.

Maintenance of exercise-induced benefits in physical functioning and bone among elderly women.

PubMed

Karinkanta, S; Heinonen, A; Sievänen, H; Uusi-Rasi, K; Fogelholm, M; Kannus, P

2009-04-01

This study showed that about a half of the exercise-induced gain in dynamic balance and bone strength was maintained one year after cessation of the supervised high-intensity training of home-dwelling elderly women. However, to maintain exercise-induced gains in lower limb muscle force and physical functioning, continued training seems necessary. Maintenance of exercise-induced benefits in physical functioning and bone structure was assessed one year after cessation of 12-month randomized controlled exercise intervention. Originally 149 healthy women 70-78 years of age participated in the 12-month exercise RCT and 120 (81%) of them completed the follow-up study. Self-rated physical functioning, dynamic balance, leg extensor force, and bone structure were assessed. During the intervention, exercise increased dynamic balance by 7% in the combination resistance and balance-jumping training group (COMB). At the follow-up, a 4% (95% CI: 1-8%) gain compared with the controls was still seen, while the exercise-induced isometric leg extension force and self-rated physical functioning benefits had disappeared. During the intervention, at least twice a week trained COMB subjects obtained a significant 2% benefit in tibial shaft bone strength index compared to the controls. A half of this benefit seemed to be maintained at the follow-up. Exercise-induced benefits in dynamic balance and rigidity in the tibial shaft may partly be maintained one year after cessation of a supervised 12-month multi-component training in initially healthy elderly women. However, to maintain the achieved gains in muscle force and physical functioning, continued training seems necessary.

Enhancing inpatient psychotherapeutic treatment with online self-help: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Zwerenz, Rüdiger; Becker, Jan; Knickenberg, Rudolf J; Hagen, Karin; Dreier, Michael; Wölfling, Klaus; Beutel, Manfred E

2015-03-17

Depression is one of the most debilitating and costly mental disorders. There is increasing evidence for the efficacy of online self-help in alleviating depression. Knowledge regarding the options of combining online self-help with inpatient psychotherapy is still limited. Therefore, we plan to evaluate an evidence-based self-help program (deprexis®; Gaia AG, Hamburg, Germany) to improve the efficacy of inpatient psychotherapy and to maintain treatment effects in the aftercare period. Depressed patients (n = 240) with private internet access aged between 18 and 65 are recruited during psychosomatic inpatient treatment. Participants are randomized to an intervention or control group at the beginning of inpatient treatment. The intervention group (n = 120) is offered an online self-help program with 12 weekly tasks, beginning during the inpatient treatment. The control group (n = 120) obtains access to an online platform with weekly updated information on depression for the same duration. Assessments are conducted at the beginning (T0) and the end of inpatient treatment (T1), at the end of intervention (T2) and 6 months after randomization (T3). The primary outcome is the depression score measured by the Beck Depression Inventory-II at T2. Secondary outcome measures include anxiety, self-esteem, quality of life, dysfunctional cognitions and work ability. We expect the intervention group to benefit from additional online self-help during inpatient psychotherapy and to maintain the benefits during follow-up. This could be an important approach to develop future concepts of inpatient psychotherapy. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02196896 (registered on 16 July 2014).

Baseline performance and learning rate of conceptual and perceptual skill-learning tasks: the effect of moderate to severe traumatic brain injury.

PubMed

Vakil, Eli; Lev-Ran Galon, Carmit

2014-01-01

Existing literature presents a complex and inconsistent picture of the specific deficiencies involved in skill learning following traumatic brain injury (TBI). In an attempt to address this difficulty, individuals with moderate to severe TBI (n = 29) and a control group (n = 29) were tested with two different skill-learning tasks: conceptual (i.e., Tower of Hanoi Puzzle, TOHP) and perceptual (i.e., mirror reading, MR). Based on previous studies of the effect of divided attention on these tasks and findings regarding the effect of TBI on conceptual and perceptual priming tasks, it was predicted that the group with TBI would show impaired baseline performance compared to controls in the TOHP task though their learning rate would be maintained, while both baseline performance and learning rate on the MR task would be maintained. Consistent with our predictions, overall baseline performance of the group with TBI was impaired in the TOHP test, while the learning rate was not. The learning rate on the MR task was preserved but, contrary to our prediction, response time of the group with TBI was slower than that of controls. The pattern of results observed in the present study was interpreted to possibly reflect an impairment of both the frontal lobes as well as that of diffuse axonal injury, which is well documented as being affected by TBI. The former impairment affects baseline performance of the conceptual learning skill, while the latter affects the overall slower performance of the perceptual learning skill.

Effect of Protocatechuic Acid-Grafted-Chitosan Coating on the Postharvest Quality of Pleurotus eryngii.

PubMed

Liu, Jun; Meng, Chen-Guang; Wang, Xing-Chi; Chen, Yao; Kan, Juan; Jin, Chang-Hai

2016-09-28

Protocatechuic acid-grafted-chitosan (PA-g-CS) solution with antioxidant activity was developed as a novel edible coating material for Pleurotus eryngii postharvest storage. The effect of PA-g-CS coating on the postharvest quality of P. eryngii was investigated by determination of various physicochemical parameters and enzyme activities. Results showed that the antioxidant capacity and viscosity of PA-g-CS solutions were closely related to the grafting degree and were much higher than that of chitosan (CS) solution. At the end of 15 days of storage, serious mushroom browning was observed in the control and CS coating groups. By contrast, PA-g-CS coating groups with medium and high grafting degrees maintained better physical appearance. Among all of the treatment groups, P. eryngii in PA-g-CS III coating group exhibited the highest firmness and the lowest weight loss, browning degree, respiration rate, malondialdehyde content, electrolyte leakage rate, superoxide anion production rate, and hydrogen peroxide content. Moreover, P. eryngii in PA-g-CS III coating group maintained relatively higher antioxidant enzyme activities but lower polyphenol oxidase activity than other treatment groups. Therefore, PA-g-CS III is a promising preservation agent for P. eryngii.

Changes in knowledge, attitude and involvement of fathers in supporting exclusive breastfeeding: a community-based intervention study in a rural area of Vietnam.

PubMed

Bich, Tran Huu; Cuong, Nguyen Manh

2017-02-01

To test the hypotheses of positive changes of fathers' knowledge, attitude and involvement in supporting exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) after receiving breastfeeding education materials and counseling services. A quasi-experimental, pre-test-post-test, non-equivalent control group design was used. At baseline, 251 and 241 pregnant women and their husbands were enrolled into the intervention and control groups, respectively. The 1-year intervention targeting fathers included mass media, game show-style community events, group and individual counseling at health facilities and home visits. Compared to fathers in the control group, fathers in the intervention group had higher BF knowledge scores and higher attitude scores reflecting more positive attitudes toward early initiation of BF and 6 months EBF. Fathers in the intervention group were also more likely to report active involvement in supporting mothers to practice EBF during antenatal and postpartum periods. The community-based education model should be maintained and considered for conducting further test in wider application to mobilize fathers in supporting EBF.

Efficacy of Cognitive-Functional (Cog-Fun) Occupational Therapy Intervention Among Children With ADHD: An RCT.

PubMed

Hahn-Markowitz, Jeri; Berger, Itai; Manor, Iris; Maeir, Adina

2016-09-16

To examine the efficacy of a Cognitive-Functional (Cog-Fun) intervention for children with ADHD. Random allocation of 107 children to study or control groups preceded 10 parent-child weekly Cog-Fun sessions emphasizing executive strategy training in games and daily activities. Controls received treatment after crossover. Study participants were followed up 3 months post-treatment. Outcomes included parent/teacher ratings of executive functions, ADHD symptoms, and parent ratings of quality of life. Eight children withdrew prior to treatment. All children in both groups who began treatment completed it. Mixed effects ANOVA revealed significant Time × Group interaction effects on all parent-reported outcomes. Treatment effects were moderate to large, replicated after crossover in the control group and not moderated by medication. Parent-reported treatment gains in the study group were maintained at follow-up. No significant Time × Group interaction effects were found on teacher outcomes. Cog-Fun occupational therapy (OT) intervention shows positive context-specific effects on parent, but not teacher, ratings. © The Author(s) 2016.

Language ability of children with and without a history of stuttering: a longitudinal cohort study.

PubMed

Watts, Amy; Eadie, Patricia; Block, Susan; Mensah, Fiona; Reilly, Sheena

2015-02-01

This study aims to determine whether the communication and language skills of children who have a history of stuttering are different from children who do not have a history of stuttering at ages 2-5 years. This study utilizes data from the Early Language in Victoria Study (ELVS), a longitudinal study with a community sample of 1910 children recruited in Melbourne, Australia, as well as a concurrent study examining the onset and progression of stuttering. Participants with a history of stuttering (n = 181) and a control group without a history of stuttering (n = 1438) were identified according to the established protocol of these two existing studies. The stuttering group scored higher than the non-stuttering group on all of the communication and language outcomes measured. The group differences were statistically significant on four of the seven measures and these findings were maintained when potentially confounding factors were controlled for. Importantly, the children with a history of stuttering, as a group, and the control group without a history of stuttering demonstrated developmentally-appropriate early communication and language skills.

Strategies for improving memory: a randomized trial of memory groups for older people, including those with mild cognitive impairment.

PubMed

Kinsella, Glynda J; Ames, David; Storey, Elsdon; Ong, Ben; Pike, Kerryn E; Saling, Michael M; Clare, Linda; Mullaly, Elizabeth; Rand, Elizabeth

2016-01-01

Governments are promoting the importance of maintaining cognitive health into older age to minimize risk of cognitive decline and dementia. Older people with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) are particularly vulnerable to memory challenges in daily activities and are seeking ways to maintain independent living. To evaluate the effectiveness of memory groups for improving memory strategies and memory ability of older people, especially those with aMCI. 113 healthy older adults (HOA) and 106 adults with aMCI were randomized to a six-week memory group or a waitlist control condition. Outcome was evaluated through knowledge and use of memory strategies, memory ability (self-report and neuropsychological tests), and wellbeing. Assessments included a six-month follow-up. Using intention to treat analyses, there were intervention effects for HOA and aMCI groups in strategy knowledge (HOA: η2= 0.20; aMCI: η2= 0.06), strategy use (HOA: η2= 0.18; aMCI: η2= 0.08), and wellbeing (HOA: η2= 0.11; aMCI: η2= 0.05). There were also intervention effects in the HOA group, but not the aMCI group, in self-reported memory ability (η2= 0.06) and prospective memory tests (η2= 0.02). By six-month follow-up, gains were found on most HOA outcomes. In the aMCI group gains were found in strategy use, and by this stage, gains in prospective memory were also found. Memory groups can engage older people in techniques for maintaining cognitive health and improve memory performance, but more modest benefits are seen for older adults with aMCI.

The Allergic Rhinitis Control Test questionnaire is valuable in guiding step-down pharmacotherapy treatment of allergic rhinitis.

PubMed

Zhu, Rongfei; Wang, Jingru; Wu, Yuying; Yang, Yongshi; Huang, Nan; Yang, Yaqi; Zhang, Rui; Ma, Dongxia; Yang, Lin; Demoly, Pascal

2018-06-07

Allergic Rhinitis Control Test(ARCT) has been validated in allergic rhinitis(AR) step-up pharmacotherapy management approach. The aim of our study was to evaluate the potential of ARCT in AR step-down pharmacotherapy. In an open-labelled randomized controlled study, AR patients controlled with intranasal corticosteroid(INS) plus antihistamine(step 4) were included and randomized into an ARCT or a control group. In ARCT group, the patients were followed up every 15 days; if ARCT score was ≥20(controlled AR), the patient would step down to step 3(INS), step 2(daily antihistamine), step 1(antihistamine as needed) and step 0(no medication) consecutively; if ARCT score was strictly <20, the treatment would not be adjusted. In the control group, patients would be treated with step 4 medications during the whole study. Rhinitis Quality-of-Life Questionnaire(RQLQ), Morisky Questionnaire and Brief Illness-Perception-Questionnaire(B-IPQ) were completed at baseline and the end of the study. Medication use and side effects were recorded. A total of 255 AR patients were enrolled into the study, 27 patients dropped out. The control rates at D45 were 77.8% in ARCT group and 85.8% in control group(P>0.05). ARCT group had less mean medication use than control group(INS 1.27 vs. 2.22 bottle, antihistamines 35.9 vs. 61.4 tablets)(P<0.05). RQLQ, Morisky and B-IPQ score were significantly improved in both groups after treatment(P<0.05). Stepping down AR medications in controlled patients led to similar clinical outcomes at reduced cost compared with those who maintained their current treatment level. ARCT is an optimal tool for evaluating the step-down eligibility. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Energy management using virtual reality improves 2000-m rowing performance.

PubMed

Hoffmann, Charles P; Filippeschi, Alessandro; Ruffaldi, Emanuele; Bardy, Benoit G

2014-01-01

Elite-standard rowers tend to use a fast-start strategy followed by an inverted parabolic-shaped speed profile in 2000-m races. This strategy is probably the best to manage energy resources during the race and maximise performance. This study investigated the use of virtual reality (VR) with novice rowers as a means to learn about energy management. Participants from an avatar group (n = 7) were instructed to track a virtual boat on a screen, whose speed was set individually to follow the appropriate to-be-learned speed profile. A control group (n = 8) followed an indoor training programme. In spite of similar physiological characteristics in the groups, the avatar group learned and maintained the required profile, resulting in an improved performance (i.e. a decrease in race duration), whereas the control group did not. These results suggest that VR is a means to learn an energy-related skill and improve performance.

A controlled comparison of the effects of social skills training and remedial drama on the conversational skills of chronic schizophrenic inpatients.

PubMed

Spencer, P G; Gillespie, C R; Ekisa, E G

1983-08-01

This study compared the effects of social-skills training, remedial drama and group discussion on the conversation skills of chronic schizophrenic patients. After 16 one-hour treatment sessions only the social-skills training resulted in significant improvement, which was maintained at two-month follow-up. Although there was little evidence to support generalisation, the results are seen as indicating the usefulness of social-skills training in improving the performance level of chronic schizophrenic inpatients and in maintaining their social functioning. The implications for future rehabilitation practice are discussed.

Biofeedback Intervention for Stress and Anxiety among Nursing Students: A Randomized Controlled Trial

PubMed Central

Ratanasiripong, Paul; Ratanasiripong, Nop; Kathalae, Duangrat

2012-01-01

Purpose. It has been well documented that nursing students across the world experience stress and anxiety throughout their education and training. The purpose of this randomized controlled study is to investigate the impact of biofeedback intervention program on nursing students' levels of stress and anxiety during their first clinical training. Methods. Participants consisted of 60 second-year baccalaureate nursing students. The 30 participants in the biofeedback group received training on how to use the biofeedback device to assist in stress and anxiety management for 5 weeks while the 30 in the control group did not receive any training. Findings. Results indicated that the biofeedback group was able to maintain the stress level while the control group had a significant increase in the stress level over the 5-week period of clinical training. Additionally, the biofeedback group had a significant reduction in anxiety, while the control group had a moderate increase in anxiety. Conclusions. The better the nursing students can manage their stress and anxiety, the more successful they can be in their clinical training. Ultimately, the more psychologically healthy the nursing students are, the more likely they will flourish and graduate to become productive and contributing members of the nursing profession. PMID:22811932

[A control study of a school-based life skills education on prevention of behavior problems in third-grade schoolchildren].

PubMed

Lin, Hong; Wang, Yu-feng; Wu, Ye-ping

2007-06-18

To evaluate the effectiveness on the prevention of behavior problems of life skills education combining school-based and parent-involved approaches for third-grade students in China. This research was targeted at the population of third-grade children in two elementary schools in Qinhuangdao City, Hebei Province. Nine regular school classrooms were randomly divided into three groups: the intervention group (n=208), internal control group (n=209) and external control group (n=204). The intervention included 26-hour competence promotion for students and 5-hour parent training. The Rutter Scale by parent and teacher were used to evaluate the effects at pretest, posttest and 6-month follow-up. Improvement was observed among children in the intervention group than those in the control groups. The statistical difference was significant (P<0.05).1.The prevalence of total behavior problems, antisocial behavior and neurotic behavior problem at home: At termination, the prevalence in intervention group(11.2%,3.6% and 6.1%)was lower (except neurotic behavior) than those in internal control group (19.4%,5.6% and 6.1%)and external control group (18.9%,8.9% and 5.3%). At 6-month follow-up, the prevalence in intervention group (10.2%,2.5% and 3.6%)was still lower than those in internal control group (17.2%,6.8% and 6.8%)and external control group (17.8%,7.8% and 6.7%).2. The prevalence of total behavior problems and antisocial behavior problem at school: At termination, the prevalence in intervention group(5.3% and 4.3%)was lower than those in internal control group(10.1% and 7.7%)and external control group(14.9% and 12.4%). At 6-month follow-up, the prevalence in intervention group(2.9% and 2.4%)was still lower than those in internal control group (10.2% and 9.7%)and external control group(11.3% and 10.3%). Life skills education could reduce the children's home and school behavior problems, especially for antisocial behavior. The effects of intervention maintained during the 6-month follow-up study.

Opioid Abstinence Reinforcement Delays Heroin Lapse during Buprenorphine Dose Tapering

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Greenwald, Mark K.

2008-01-01

A positive reinforcement contingency increased opioid abstinence during outpatient dose tapering (4, 2, then 0 mg/day during Weeks 1 through 3) in non-treatment-seeking heroin-dependent volunteers who had been maintained on buprenorphine (8 mg/day) during an inpatient research protocol. The control group (n = 12) received $4.00 for completing…

75 FR 10554 - Privacy Act of 1974; System of Records Notice

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-03-08

... States Government collects, maintains, and uses personally identifiable information (PII) in a system of records. A ``system of records'' is a group of any records under the control of a Federal agency from... Act (e.g., to determine if the system contains information about them). IV. Privacy Impact Assessment...

One Family at a Time: A Prevention Program for At-Risk Parents.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nicholson, Bonnie; Anderson, Michelle; Fox, Robert; Brenner, Viktor

2002-01-01

Examines the effectiveness of a psychoeducational parenting program with at-risk parents of young children. Results showed that compared with the control group, parents participating in the program significantly decreased their levels of verbal and corporal punishment, anger, stress, and reported child behavior problems; results were maintained at…

"I Know What I Like": Stability of Aesthetic Preference in Alzheimer's Patients

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Halpern, Andrea R.; Ly, Jenny; Elkin-Frankston, Seth; O'Connor, Margaret G.

2008-01-01

Two studies explored the stability of art preference in patients with Alzheimer's disease and age-matched control participants. Preferences for three different styles of paintings, displayed on art postcards, were examined over two sessions. Preference for specific paintings differed among individuals but AD and non-AD groups maintained about the…

Iloprost ameliorates post-ischemic lung reperfusion injury and maintains an appropriate pulmonary ET-1 balance.

PubMed

Kawashima, Masahiro; Nakamura, Takayuki; Schneider, Sven; Vollmar, Brigitte; Lausberg, Henning F; Bauer, Michael; Menger, Michael D; Schäfers, Hans-Joachim

2003-07-01

Ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury of the lung involves increased pulmonary vascular resistance. Prostaglandins are thought to have a beneficial effect in lung transplantation, but their mechanism in I/R injury is unknown. We investigated whether iloprost, a stable prostacyclin analogue, prevents I/R-associated pulmonary vascular dysfunction and whether it affects endothelin-1 (ET-1) balance. In an isolated blood-perfusion model, we subjected lungs of Lewis rats to 45 minutes of ischemia at 37 degrees C and randomly allocated the lungs to 3 groups (n = 6 each): iloprost (33.3 nmol/liter) added to the perfusate before ischemia and reperfusion (ILO+IR), iloprost (33.3 nmol/liter) given only before reperfusion (ILO+R), and controls without iloprost treatment (ILO-). Reperfusion induced marked pulmonary edema in non-treated controls (ILO-), which was attenuated in ILO+R lungs and completely prevented in ILO+IR lungs. At 60 minutes reperfusion, arterial oxygen tension was significantly greater in both ILO+R and ILO+IR lungs compared with ILO- controls. Mean pulmonary artery pressure and pulmonary vascular resistance were slightly decreased in the ILO+R and significantly decreased in the ILO+IR group compared with the ILO- controls. Plasma levels of big ET-1, measured in both afferent and efferent blood, showed that I/R results in increased pulmonary venous levels of big ET-1. Interestingly, the increased venoarterial ET-1 gradient in ILO- lungs decreased significantly in the ILO+IR group. We demonstrated in an isolated lung perfusion model that iloprost ameliorates post-ischemic lung reperfusion injury and maintains an appropriate pulmonary ET-1 balance.

Does Exercise Improve Cognitive Performance? A Conservative Message from Lord's Paradox

PubMed Central

Liu, Sicong; Lebeau, Jean-Charles; Tenenbaum, Gershon

2016-01-01

Although extant meta-analyses support the notion that exercise results in cognitive performance enhancement, methodology shortcomings are noted among primary evidence. The present study examined relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published in the past 20 years (1996–2015) for methodological concerns arise from Lord's paradox. Our analysis revealed that RCTs supporting the positive effect of exercise on cognition are likely to include Type I Error(s). This result can be attributed to the use of gain score analysis on pretest-posttest data as well as the presence of control group superiority over the exercise group on baseline cognitive measures. To improve accuracy of causal inferences in this area, analysis of covariance on pretest-posttest data is recommended under the assumption of group equivalence. Important experimental procedures are discussed to maintain group equivalence. PMID:27493637

Water- versus land-based exercise in elderly subjects: effects on physical performance and body composition

PubMed Central

Bergamin, Marco; Ermolao, Andrea; Tolomio, Silvia; Berton, Linda; Sergi, Giuseppe; Zaccaria, Marco

2013-01-01

The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of a 24-week exercise protocol carried out in geothermal spring water to improve overall physical function and muscle mass in a group of healthy elderly subjects. A further aim was to compare this water-based protocol with a land-based protocol and a control group. For this purpose, 59 subjects were recruited and randomly allocated to three groups: aquatic group (AG), land group (LG), and control group (CG). AG and LG followed a 6-month, twice-weekly, multimodality exercise intervention. AG underwent the protocol in hot-spring water (36°C) while LG did it in a land-based environment. After the intervention, knee-extension strength was maintained in AG and LG. The 8-foot up-and-go test showed a reduction in both exercise groups (AG −19.3%, P < 0.05; LG −12.6%, P < 0.05), with a significantly greater decrease in AG. The back-scratch test revealed an improvement only in AG (25.8%; P < 0.05), while the sit-and-reach test improved in all groups. Finally, AG reduced fat mass by 4% (P < 0.05), and dominant forearm fat decreased by 9.2% (P < 0.05). In addition, calf muscle density increased by 1.8% (P < 0.05). In summary, both water- and land-based activities were beneficial in maintaining strength and in improving lower-body flexibility. Aquatic exercise appeared a better activity to improve dynamic balance. Thermal swimming pools and the use of rating of perceived exertion as a method of exercise monitoring should be considered potentially useful tools to enhance physical performance and body composition in healthy elderly. PMID:24009416

Influence of the treatment of Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium with citral on the efficacy of various antibiotics.

PubMed

Zanini, Surama F; Silva-Angulo, Angela B; Rosenthal, Amauri; Aliaga, Dolores Rodrigo; Martínez, Antonio

2014-04-01

The main goal of this work was to study the bacterial adaptive responses to antibiotics induced by sublethal concentration of citral on first-and second-generation cells of Listeria monocytogenes serovar 4b (CECT 4032) and Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium (CECT 443). The first-generation cells were not pretreated with citral, while the second-generation cells were obtained from cells previously exposed to citral during 5 h. The trials were conducted at 37°C. The presence of citral in the culture medium and the antibiotic strips resulted in a reduced minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) for the first-generation cells of Listeria monocytogenes serovar 4b and Salmonella Typhimurium. This result was observed for almost all the antibiotics, compared with the same microorganisms of the control group (without citral), which could represent an additive effect. For Listeria serovar 4b, the second-generation cells of the test group maintained the same susceptibility to antibiotics compared with cells in the control group and in the test group of the first generation. The second-generation cells of the control group indicated that the Salmonella Typhimurium maintained the same sensitivity to the antibiotics tested compared with the first generation of this group, except in the case of erythromycin, which exhibited an increased MIC value. With respect to the second-generation cells of Salmonella Typhimurium, the presence of citral determined a decrease in the antibiotic susceptibility for almost all of the antibiotics, except colistin, compared with the first-generation of the test group, which can be seen by increase of MIC values. In conclusion, the presence of citral in the culture medium of Listeria 4b and Salmonella Typhimurium increased the antibiotic susceptibility of the first generations, while we observed an increase in antibiotic resistance in the second generation of Salmonella Typhimurium.

The Beneficial Effects of Cognitive Training With Simple Calculation and Reading Aloud (SCRA) in the Elderly Postoperative Population: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial.

PubMed

Kulason, Kay; Nouchi, Rui; Hoshikawa, Yasushi; Noda, Masafumi; Okada, Yoshinori; Kawashima, Ryuta

2018-01-01

Background: There has been little research conducted regarding cognitive treatments for the elderly postsurgical population. Patients aged ≥60 years have an increased risk of postoperative cognitive decline, a condition in which cognitive functions are negatively affected. This cognitive decline can lead to a decline in quality of life. In order to maintain a high quality of life, the elderly postsurgical population may benefit from treatment to maintain and/or improve their cognitive functions. This pilot study investigates the effect of simple calculation and reading aloud (SCRA) cognitive training in elderly Japanese postsurgical patients. Methods: Elderly patients undergoing non-cardiovascular thoracic surgery under general anesthesia were recruited ( n = 12). Subjects were randomly divided into two groups-one that receives 12 weeks of SCRA intervention, and a waitlisted control group. Before and after the intervention, we measured cognitive function [Mini-Mental Status Exam-Japanese (MMSE-J), Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB), computerized Cogstate Brief Battery (CBB)] and emotional state [General Health Questionnaire-12 (GHQ-12), Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), Quality of Life Scale-5 (QOL-5)]. Results: Group difference analyses using ANCOVA with permutation test showed that the intervention SCRA group had a significant improvement in FAB motor programming sub-score, GDS, and QOL-5 compared to the control group. Within-group analyses using Wilcoxon signed-rank test to compare baseline and follow-up showed that the SCRA intervention group total FAB scores, FAB motor programming sub-scores, and QOL-5 scores were significantly improved. Discussion: This pilot study showed that there are important implications for the beneficial effects of SCRA intervention on cognitive function and emotional state in the postoperative elderly population; however, further investigations are necessary to reach any conclusions. Trial registration: This study was registered with the University Hospital Medical Information Network (UMIN) Clinical Trial Registry (UMIN000019832).

The Role of Bolus Injection of Saline with Arm Elevation on Rocuronium onset Time: A Randomized Control Study

PubMed Central

Kulkarni, Malavika; Chuchendra, L. S.; Bhavya, P. J.

2018-01-01

Background: The onset time of neuromuscular blockade is a crucial time associated with the risk of hypoxia and pulmonary aspiration. Various strategies have been undertaken to shorten this onset time. Therefore, we investigated the effects of bolus of 20 ml saline followed by limb elevation after administration of rocuronium in a dose of 0.6 mg/kg to study the onset time. Methodology: Thirty patients were randomly allocated to the bolus saline group or control group. General anesthesia was induced and maintained with fentanyl and propofol. Rocuronium 0.6 mg/kg intravenous (IV) was administered followed by 20 ml saline bolus and limb elevation in the study group compared to administration of 0.6 mg/kg in a running drip only in the control. Onset of neuromuscular block was assessed by acceleromyography at the adductor pollicis muscle with train-of-four stimulation. Results: The lag time was shorter in bolus group (34 s median) than in control group (45 s median), P < 0.017. The onset time was shorter in bolus group (55 s median) than in control group (110 s median), P < 0.001. The T1 recovery to 25% was longer in bolus group (42 min median) than in control group (39 min median) which was statistically not significant. Conclusion: Rocuronium 0.6 mg/kg IV followed by bolus 20 ml saline and concomitant limb elevation resulted in shorter lag time, faster onset of neuromuscular blockade, good intubating conditions without prolonging clinical duration of action when compared to the control. PMID:29628555

Reduced posterior parietal cortex activation after training on a visual search task.

PubMed

Bueichekú, Elisenda; Miró-Padilla, Anna; Palomar-García, María-Ángeles; Ventura-Campos, Noelia; Parcet, María-Antonia; Barrós-Loscertales, Alfonso; Ávila, César

2016-07-15

Gaining experience on a cognitive task improves behavioral performance and is thought to enhance brain efficiency. Despite the body of literature already published on the effects of training on brain activation, less research has been carried out on visual search attention processes under well controlled conditions. Thirty-six healthy adults divided into trained and control groups completed a pre-post letter-based visual search task fMRI study in one day. Twelve letters were used as targets and ten as distractors. The trained group completed a training session (840 trials) with half the targets between scans. The effects of training were studied at the behavioral and brain levels by controlling for repetition effects using both between-subjects (trained vs. control groups) and within-subject (trained vs. untrained targets) controls. The trained participants reduced their response speed by 31% as a result of training, maintaining their accuracy scores, whereas the control group hardly changed. Neural results revealed that brain changes associated with visual search training were circumscribed to reduced activation in the posterior parietal cortex (PPC) when controlling for group, and they included inferior occipital areas when controlling for targets. The observed behavioral and brain changes are discussed in relation to automatic behavior development. The observed training-related decreases could be associated with increased neural efficiency in specific key regions for task performance. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Increased crown-to-implant ratio may not be a risk factor for dental implant failure under appropriate plaque control.

PubMed

Okada, Shinsuke; Koretake, Katsunori; Miyamoto, Yasunari; Oue, Hiroshi; Akagawa, Yasumasa

2013-01-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate whether increased crown-to-implant (C/I) ratio influences implant stability or not under proper healthy control of peri-implant mucosa. The hypothesis of this study is that implant stability can be maintained despite High C/I, under appropriate plaque control. Five male Beagle-Labrador hybrid dogs (2 years old) were used. Their bilateral mandibular premolar extraction was performed. After allowing 12 weeks for bone healing, 3 types of vertical marginal bone loss were simultaneously prepared randomly. Then, 30 titanium implants were placed in the edentulous areas and defined as High C/I, Mid C/I and Low C/I groups. This time point was designated as the baseline (0 Week). Twelve weeks after implant placement, metal superstructures were cemented to the implants and an occlusal plate was set at the opposite side. At the same time, Calcein green was injected for remodeling evaluation. Implants were loaded by feeding the dogs a hard pellet diet. Tooth brushing was performed 5 days per week during the study to maintain healthy peri-implant mucosa. Twenty-four weeks following implant placement, the interface structure was evaluated clinically, radiologically, and histologically. Implant stability quotient (ISQ) increased with time in all 3 groups, without any significant correlation with the C/I value (p >0.05). Moreover, mean marginal bone loss adjacent around implants in all 3 groups ranged between 0.11 and 0.19 mm, with no significant difference (p >0.05). Many fluorescence-labeled bones are shown in the High C/I group. It is considered that high remodeling activity prevent marginal bone loss in the High C/I group and this may provide favorable implant stability under proper plaque control. These findings suggest that increased C/I may not be a risk factor for implant failure if the peri-implant mucosa is kept healthy, as was the case in this animal model.

Effects on training and detraining on physical function, control of diabetes and anthropometrics in type 2 diabetes; a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Park, Sang-Young; Lee, In-Hee

2015-02-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of circuit exercise training and detraining, which is defined by termination of training without additional physical activities, in type 2 diabetic patients. Elderly with type 2 diabetes were divided into a group that exercised for 1 h three times a week for 12 weeks, followed by detraining for 8 weeks, or into a control group. Muscular strength, endurance, flexibility, agility, balance, body mass index (BMI), glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), and blood lipid profile were measured. Of the 98 diabetic participants who joined this study, 37 patients completed the program (exercise group = 24, control group = 13). After training, muscular strength, flexibility, balance, agility, and endurance in the training group were significantly higher than at baseline and compared to the control group. HbA1c levels decreased in the training group. There was no significant improvement in BMI and blood lipid profile in either group. Flexibility and agility in the training group declined significantly after detraining. In spite of this decline, flexibility and agility were significantly higher compared to the baseline and to the control group. In type 2 diabetic patients, circuit training had a beneficial effect on the indices of physical function and glucose metabolism. Training resulted in good improvement; and during detraining, the effect of exercise training was maintained except in some parameters.

Reducing teachers' psychological distress through a mindfulness training program.

PubMed

Franco, Clemente; Mañas, Israel; Cangas, Adolfo J; Moreno, Emilio; Gallego, José

2010-11-01

Teachers constitute one of the professional collectives most affected by psychological problems. The purpose of this quasi-experimental study is to examine the efficacy of a mindfulness training programme to reduce psychological distress in a group of teachers. The sample comprised 68 teachers of Secondary School Education, from various public schools; half of them formed the experimental group, and the another half the control group. The levels of psychological distress were measured, in both groups, by the Symptom Checklist-90-R (SCL-90-R) before and after the application of the programme. Statistical analysis shows the significant reduction of three general measures of psychological distress (Global Severity Index, Positive Symptom Distress Index, and Positive Symptom Total), as well in all its dimensions (somatization, obsessive-compulsive, interpersonal sensibility, depression, anxiety, hostility, phobic anxiety, paranoid ideation, and psychoticism), in the experimental group compared with the control group. Follow-up measures show that these results were maintained for four months after termination of the intervention in the experimental group.

Six-month trial of bupropion with contingency management for cocaine dependence in a methadone-maintained population.

PubMed

Poling, James; Oliveto, Alison; Petry, Nancy; Sofuoglu, Mehmet; Gonsai, Kishorchandra; Gonzalez, Gerardo; Martell, Bridget; Kosten, Thomas R

2006-02-01

No effective pharmacotherapies exist for cocaine dependence, although contingency management (CM) has demonstrated efficacy. To compare the efficacy of bupropion hydrochloride and CM for reducing cocaine use in methadone hydrochloride-maintained individuals. This 25-week, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial randomly assigned participants to 1 of 4 treatment conditions: CM and placebo (CMP), CM and 300 mg/d of bupropion hydrochloride (CMB), voucher control and placebo (VCP), or voucher control and bupropion (VCB). Outpatient clinic at the Veterans Affairs Connecticut Healthcare System. A total of 106 opiate-dependent, cocaine-abusing individuals. All study participants received methadone hydrochloride (range, 60-120 mg). Participants receiving bupropion hydrochloride were given 300 mg/d beginning at week 3. In the CM conditions, each urine sample negative for both opioids and cocaine resulted in a monetary-based voucher that increased for consecutively drug-free urine samples during weeks 1 to 13. Completion of abstinence-related activities also resulted in a voucher. During weeks 14 to 25, only completion of activities was reinforced in the CM group, regardless of sample results. The voucher control groups received vouchers for submitting urine samples, regardless of results, throughout the study. Thrice-weekly urine toxicologic test results for cocaine and heroin. Groups did not differ in baseline characteristics or retention rates. Opiate use decreased significantly, with all treatment groups attaining equivalent amounts of opiate use at the end of the study. In the CMB group, the proportion of cocaine-positive samples significantly decreased during weeks 3 to 13 (P<.001) relative to week 3 and remained low during weeks 14 to 25. In the CMP group, cocaine use significantly increased during weeks 3 to 13 (P<.001) relative to week 3, but then cocaine use significantly decreased relative to the initial slope during weeks 14 to 25 (P<.001). In contrast, by treatment end, the VCB and VCP groups showed no significant improvement in cocaine use. These findings suggest that combining CM with bupropion for the treatment of cocaine addiction may significantly improve outcomes relative to bupropion alone.

Validation of computerized sniffer for monitoring perioperative normothermia.

PubMed

Giri, Jyothsna; Li, Man; Pickering, Brian; Subramanian, Arun; Kor, Daryl J; Herasevich, Vitaly

2013-01-01

The World Health Organization sets a standard to maintain patient core temperature greater than 36°C throughout the perioperative period. Normothermia (defined as >36°C) in the Operating Room (OR) is an important factor to preventing complications in patients (MI, infection, coagulopathy). Randomized studies suggests that maintaining at higher temperatures may further reduce complications in surgery (less complications for group at 36.4°C than the control group at 36.0°C) [1,2]. Perioperative normothermia is an important but often unrecognized element during anesthesia. Early recognition of hypothermia would allow for appropriate interventions and prevent complications. Manual validation of the diagnostic performance a clinical tool (alert) that would automatically measure changes in core temperature to identify patients who fail to be in range of normothermia during surgery. The clinical tool (alert) was found to be 97 % sensitive.

A randomised controlled trial of face to face versus pure online self-help cognitive behavioural treatment for perfectionism.

PubMed

Egan, Sarah J; van Noort, Emily; Chee, Abby; Kane, Robert T; Hoiles, Kimberley J; Shafran, Roz; Wade, Tracey D

2014-12-01

Previous research has shown cognitive-behavioural treatment (CBT) to be effective in reducing perfectionism. The present study investigated the efficacy of two formats of CBT for perfectionism (CBT-P), face-to-face and pure online self-help, in reducing perfectionism and associated psychological symptoms. Participants were randomly allocated to face-to-face CBT-P (n = 18), pure online self-help CBT-P (n = 16), or a waitlist control period (n = 18). There was no significant change for the waitlist group on any of the outcome measures at the end of treatment. Both the face-to-face and pure online self-help groups reported significant reductions at the end of treatment for the perfectionism variables which were maintained at the 6-month follow-up. The face-to-face group also reported significant reductions over this time in depression, anxiety, and stress, and a significant pre-post increase in self-esteem, all of which were maintained at the 6-month follow-up. In contrast, the pure online self-help group showed no significant changes on these outcomes. The face-to-face group was statistically superior to the pure online self-help group at follow-up on the perfectionism measures, concern over mistakes and personal standards. The results show promising evidence for CBT for perfectionism, especially when offered face to face, where sustained benefit across a broad range of outcomes can be expected. Crown Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of two fractions of inspired oxygen during anesthesia on early postanesthesia oxygenation in healthy dogs.

PubMed

Martin-Flores, Manuel; Tseng, Chia T; Robillard, Steven D; Abrams, Brittany E; Campoy, Luis; Harvey, H Jay; Gleed, Robin D

2018-02-01

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effects of 2 fractions of inspired oxygen (Fio 2 s) during anesthesia on postanesthesia Pao 2 and other measures of oxygen exchange. ANIMALS 22 healthy adult sexually intact female dogs undergoing ovariohysterectomy by ventral midline celiotomy. PROCEDURES Dogs were randomly assigned to receive either oxygen (Fio 2 > 0.9 [100% oxygen]; n = 11; control group) or a mixture of nitrogen and oxygen (Fio 2 = 0.4; 11; 40% oxygen group) as the carrier gas for isoflurane while anesthetized. All dogs were allowed to breathe spontaneously while anesthetized. For each dog, the Pao 2 , Paco 2 , other indices of oxygenation, and extent of sedation were monitored at predetermined times during and for 1 hour after anesthesia. Measured variables were compared between the 2 treatment groups and over time within each treatment group. RESULTS None of the measured variables differed significantly between the control and 40% oxygen groups at any time during the postanesthesia period. Within each treatment group, the Paco 2 and extent of sedation decreased over time during the postanesthesia period. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Results indicated that indices of oxygenation did not differ significantly between healthy dogs in which the Fio 2 was maintained at > 0.9 and those in which the Fio 2 was maintained at 0.4 while anesthetized for ovariohysterectomy. Thus, the addition of nitrogen to the carrier gas for an inhalant anesthetic conferred neither an advantage nor disadvantage in regard to oxygenation during the first hour of anesthesia recovery.

Micro-Bypass Implantation for Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma Combined with Phacoemulsification: 4-Year Follow-Up

PubMed Central

Fea, Antonio Maria; Consolandi, Giulia; Zola, Marta; Pignata, Giulia; Cannizzo, Paola; Lavia, Carlo; Rolle, Teresa; Grignolo, Federico Maria

2015-01-01

Purpose. To report the long-term follow-up results in patients with cataract and primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) randomly assigned to cataract surgery combined with micro-bypass stent implantation or phacoemulsification alone. Methods. 36 subjects with cataract and POAG were randomized in a 1 : 2 ratio to either iStent implantation and cataract surgery (combined group) or cataract surgery alone (control group). 24 subjects agreed to be evaluated again 48 months after surgery. Patients returned one month later for unmedicated washout assessment. Results. At the long-term follow-up visit we reported a mean IOP of 15,9 ± 2,3 mmHg in the iStent group and 17 ± 2,5 mmHg in the control group (p = NS). After washout, a 14,2% between group difference in favour of the combined group was statistically significant (p = 0,02) for mean IOP reduction. A significant reduction in the mean number of medications was observed in both groups compared to baseline values (p = 0,005 in the combined group and p = 0,01 in the control group). Conclusion. Patients in the combined group maintained low IOP levels after long-term follow-up. Cataract surgery alone showed a loss of efficacy in controlling IOP over time. Both treatments reduced the number of ocular hypotensive medications prescribed. This trial is registered with: NCT00847158. PMID:26587282

Effects of Relaxing Music on Mental Fatigue Induced by a Continuous Performance Task: Behavioral and ERPs Evidence.

PubMed

Guo, Wei; Ren, Jie; Wang, Biye; Zhu, Qin

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether listening to relaxing music would help reduce mental fatigue and to maintain performance after a continuous performance task. The experiment involved two fatigue evaluation phases carried out before and after a fatigue inducing phase. A 1-hour AX-continuous performance test was used to induce mental fatigue in the fatigue-inducing phase, and participants' subjective evaluation on the mental fatigue, as well as their neurobehavioral performance in a Go/NoGo task, were measured before and after the fatigue-inducing phase. A total of 36 undergraduate students (18-22 years) participated in the study and were randomly assigned to the music group and control group. The music group performed the fatigue-inducing task while listening to relaxing music, and the control group performed the same task without any music. Our results revealed that after the fatigue-inducing phase, (a) the music group demonstrated significantly less mental fatigue than control group, (b) reaction time significantly increased for the control group but not for the music group, (c) larger Go-P3 and NoGo-P3 amplitudes were observed in the music group, although larger NoGo-N2 amplitudes were detected for both groups. These results combined to suggest that listening to relaxing music alleviated the mental fatigue associated with performing an enduring cognitive-motor task.

Visual control of prey-capture flight in dragonflies.

PubMed

Olberg, Robert M

2012-04-01

Interacting with a moving object poses a computational problem for an animal's nervous system. This problem has been elegantly solved by the dragonfly, a formidable visual predator on flying insects. The dragonfly computes an interception flight trajectory and steers to maintain it during its prey-pursuit flight. This review summarizes current knowledge about pursuit behavior and neurons thought to control interception in the dragonfly. When understood, this system has the potential for explaining how a small group of neurons can control complex interactions with moving objects. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A preliminary, controlled investigation of magnesium L-aspartate hydrochloride for illicit cocaine and opiate use in methadone-maintained patients.

PubMed

Margolin, Arthur; Kantak, Kathleen; Copenhaver, Michael; Avants, S Kelly

2003-01-01

Based on pre-clinical studies suggesting that magnesium (Mg) reduces cocaine self-administration and potentiates the antinociceptive effects of morphine, we conducted a preliminary randomized clinical trial investigating Mg for the treatment of illicit cocaine and opiate use. Eighteen methadone-maintained patients who used illicit opiates and cocaine received either Mg (732 mg/day) or placebo for 12 weeks. Overall, findings showed that the percentage of urine screens testing positive for opiates in the Mg group (22.6%) was half that of the placebo group (46.4%), p = .04; the difference was even greater in the "medication compliant" sample (Mg: 16.3%, placebo: 47.9%), p = .02. Cocaine craving was lower in the Mg compared to the placebo group, but there was no difference between groups in cocaine use. These preliminary findings suggest that Mg may have a beneficial effect for reducing illicit opiate use. It is possible that a higher dose of Mg than was used in this study may be needed to decrease cocaine use.

A comparative study of the safety and efficacy effect of 5-fluorouracil or mitomycin C mounted biological delivery membranes in a rabbit model of glaucoma filtration surgery.

PubMed

Wu, Zhihong; Li, Shuning; Wang, Ningli; Liu, Wanshun; Liu, Wen

2013-01-01

To investigate the potential usage of biological delivery membranes containing mitomycin C (MMC) or 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) in the construction of glaucoma-filtering blebs, and to evaluate their safety and efficacy. Chitosan was selected as the biological membrane carrier to prepare sustained-released membranes. Twelve micrograms of 5-FU or MMC was covalently conjugated onto the membranes by solvent volatilization. Rabbits underwent glaucoma filtration surgery and were randomly allocated into one of the four treatment regimens: glaucoma filtration operation with no implantation of chitosan membrane group (as control), drug-free chitosan membrane implantation group (blank/placebo group), membrane containing 5-FU treatment group (5-FU group), and membrane containing MMC treatment group (MMC group). Each group consisted of 12 rabbits. Intraocular pressure (IOP) was measured and evaluated over a 28-day period follow-up preoperatively, then after surgery on days 1, 3, 5, 7, 14, 21, and 28 by Tono-Pen. The aqueous humor was analyzed in each experimental and control groups at days 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, and 20 after operation. Bleb survival and anterior segment were examined with a slit lamp microscope and photographed simultaneously. Two rabbits from each group were killed on day 28 and eight eye samples obtained for histopathological study. Corneas and lenses were examined by transmission and scanning electron microscopy. Both 5-FU and MMC significantly prolonged bleb survival compared with control groups. The filtering bleb's survival period was significantly more prolonged in the MMC and 5-FU groups (maintained 14 days) than the other two groups (maintained 7 days). Significantly lower IOP was observed within the control, blank, and 5-FU groups after surgery on day 14 compared with that before operation, with F-values of 6.567, 11.426, and 13.467, respectively (P < 0.01). The most significant lower IOP was recorded in the MMC group on day 28 postoperation (F-value 26.866, P < 0.01). No obvious abnormalities were found in cornea or anterior lens capsule 28 days after surgery. The study provided evidence that 5-FU and MMC biological delivery membranes could significantly improve the outcome of filtering procedures, the survival of the bleb, and maintenance of lower IOP. MMC membrane is superior to 5-FU, with regard to the more effective reduction of IOP. The results indicated a safe and effective treatment strategy in glaucoma surgery.

A comparative study of the safety and efficacy effect of 5-fluorouracil or mitomycin C mounted biological delivery membranes in a rabbit model of glaucoma filtration surgery

PubMed Central

Wu, Zhihong; Li, Shuning; Wang, Ningli; Liu, Wanshun; Liu, Wen

2013-01-01

Purpose To investigate the potential usage of biological delivery membranes containing mitomycin C (MMC) or 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) in the construction of glaucoma-filtering blebs, and to evaluate their safety and efficacy. Methods Chitosan was selected as the biological membrane carrier to prepare sustained-released membranes. Twelve micrograms of 5-FU or MMC was covalently conjugated onto the membranes by solvent volatilization. Rabbits underwent glaucoma filtration surgery and were randomly allocated into one of the four treatment regimens: glaucoma filtration operation with no implantation of chitosan membrane group (as control), drug-free chitosan membrane implantation group (blank/placebo group), membrane containing 5-FU treatment group (5-FU group), and membrane containing MMC treatment group (MMC group). Each group consisted of 12 rabbits. Intraocular pressure (IOP) was measured and evaluated over a 28-day period follow-up preoperatively, then after surgery on days 1, 3, 5, 7, 14, 21, and 28 by Tono-Pen. The aqueous humor was analyzed in each experimental and control groups at days 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, and 20 after operation. Bleb survival and anterior segment were examined with a slit lamp microscope and photographed simultaneously. Two rabbits from each group were killed on day 28 and eight eye samples obtained for histopathological study. Corneas and lenses were examined by transmission and scanning electron microscopy. Results Both 5-FU and MMC significantly prolonged bleb survival compared with control groups. The filtering bleb’s survival period was significantly more prolonged in the MMC and 5-FU groups (maintained 14 days) than the other two groups (maintained 7 days). Significantly lower IOP was observed within the control, blank, and 5-FU groups after surgery on day 14 compared with that before operation, with F-values of 6.567, 11.426, and 13.467, respectively (P < 0.01). The most significant lower IOP was recorded in the MMC group on day 28 postoperation (F-value 26.866, P < 0.01). No obvious abnormalities were found in cornea or anterior lens capsule 28 days after surgery. Conclusion The study provided evidence that 5-FU and MMC biological delivery membranes could significantly improve the outcome of filtering procedures, the survival of the bleb, and maintenance of lower IOP. MMC membrane is superior to 5-FU, with regard to the more effective reduction of IOP. The results indicated a safe and effective treatment strategy in glaucoma surgery. PMID:23576864

Preparation of high bioactivity multilayered bone-marrow mesenchymal stem cell sheets for myocardial infarction using a 3D-dynamic system.

PubMed

Wang, Yingwei; Zhang, Jianhua; Qin, Zixi; Fan, Zepei; Lu, Cheng; Chen, Baoxin; Zhao, Jupeng; Li, Xiaojuan; Xiao, Fei; Lin, Xi; Wu, Zheng

2018-05-01

Cell sheet techniques offer a promising future for myocardial infarction (MI) therapy; however, insufficient nutrition supply remains the major limitation in maintaining stem cell bioactivity in vitro. In order to enhance cell sheet mechanical strength and bioactivity, a decellularized porcine pericardium (DPP) scaffold was prepared by the phospholipase A2 method, and aspartic acid was used as a spacer arm to improve the vascular endothelial growth factor crosslink efficiency on the DPP scaffold. Based on this scaffold, multilayered bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell sheets were rapidly constructed, using RAD16-I peptide hydrogel as a temporary 3D scaffold, and cell sheets were cultured in either the 3D-dynamic system (DCcs) or the traditional static condition (SCcs). The multilayered structure, stem cell bioactivity, and ultrastructure of DCcs and SCcs were assessed. The DCcs exhibited lower apoptosis, lower differentiation, and an improved paracrine effect after a 48 h culture in vitro compared to the SCcs. Four groups were set to evaluate the cell sheet effect in rat MI model: sham group, MI control group, DCcs group, and SCcs group. The DCcs group improved cardiac function and decreased the infarcted area compared to the MI control group, while no significant improvements were observed in the SCcs group. Improved cell survival, angiogenesis, and Sca-1 + cell and c-kit + cell amounts were observed in the DCcs group. In conclusion, the DCcs maintained higher stem cell bioactivity by using the 3D-dynamic system to provide sufficient nutrition, and transplanting DCcs significantly improved the cardiac function and angiogenesis. This study provides an efficient method to prepare vascular endothelial growth factor covalent decellularized pericardium scaffold with aspartic acid, and a multilayered bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell (BMSC) sheet is constructed on it using a 3D-dynamic system. The dynamic nutrition supply showed a significant benefit on BMSC bioactivity in vitro, including decreasing cell apoptosis, reducing stem cell differentiation, and improving growth factor secretion. These favorable bioactivity improved BMSC survival, angiogenesis, and cardiac function of the infarcted myocardium. The study highlights the importance of dynamic nutrition supply on maintaining stem cell bioactivity within cell sheet, and it stresses the necessity and significance of setting a standard for assessing cell sheet products before transplantation in the future application. Copyright © 2018 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Impact of peer-led group education on the quality of life in patients with ankylosing spondylitis.

PubMed

Kaya, Taciser; Goksel Karatepe, Altinay; Atici Ozturk, Pinar; Gunaydin, Rezzan

2016-02-01

To determine the effect of peer-led group education on the quality of life and depression in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS). Eighty patients with definite AS were allocated randomly to either the education or control group. The education group (n = 40) was subjected to a peer-led group education program about disease and was given an educational booklet, while the control group (n = 40) was given the educational booklet only. Levels of quality of life and depression were measured at baseline, immediately after education (fourth week) and at 6 months in both groups. The results are based on 56 (n = 27, education group; n = 29, control group) patients. The level of quality of life and depressive symptoms were not changed except for a deterioration in the social functioning subgroup of Short From (SF)-36 in both groups. When the groups were compared, there were no significant differences between changes in social functioning scores. Peer-led education did not alter quality of life levels and depression scores. However, because of the maintainance of quality of life levels, this type of intervention may be considered as a supplementary intervention to the standard medical care for management of AS. © 2013 Asia Pacific League of Associations for Rheumatology and Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

Effects of Cognitive Training on Resting-State Functional Connectivity of Default Mode, Salience, and Central Executive Networks.

PubMed

Cao, Weifang; Cao, Xinyi; Hou, Changyue; Li, Ting; Cheng, Yan; Jiang, Lijuan; Luo, Cheng; Li, Chunbo; Yao, Dezhong

2016-01-01

Neuroimaging studies have documented that aging can disrupt certain higher cognitive systems such as the default mode network (DMN), the salience network and the central executive network (CEN). The effect of cognitive training on higher cognitive systems remains unclear. This study used a 1-year longitudinal design to explore the cognitive training effect on three higher cognitive networks in healthy older adults. The community-living healthy older adults were divided into two groups: the multi-domain cognitive training group (24 sessions of cognitive training over a 3-months period) and the wait-list control group. All subjects underwent cognitive measurements and resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging scanning at baseline and at 1 year after the training ended. We examined training-related changes in functional connectivity (FC) within and between three networks. Compared with the baseline, we observed maintained or increased FC within all three networks after training. The scans after training also showed maintained anti-correlation of FC between the DMN and CEN compared to the baseline. These findings demonstrated that cognitive training maintained or improved the functional integration within networks and the coupling between the DMN and CEN in older adults. Our findings suggested that multi-domain cognitive training can mitigate the aging-related dysfunction of higher cognitive networks.

Effects of Cognitive Training on Resting-State Functional Connectivity of Default Mode, Salience, and Central Executive Networks

PubMed Central

Cao, Weifang; Cao, Xinyi; Hou, Changyue; Li, Ting; Cheng, Yan; Jiang, Lijuan; Luo, Cheng; Li, Chunbo; Yao, Dezhong

2016-01-01

Neuroimaging studies have documented that aging can disrupt certain higher cognitive systems such as the default mode network (DMN), the salience network and the central executive network (CEN). The effect of cognitive training on higher cognitive systems remains unclear. This study used a 1-year longitudinal design to explore the cognitive training effect on three higher cognitive networks in healthy older adults. The community-living healthy older adults were divided into two groups: the multi-domain cognitive training group (24 sessions of cognitive training over a 3-months period) and the wait-list control group. All subjects underwent cognitive measurements and resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging scanning at baseline and at 1 year after the training ended. We examined training-related changes in functional connectivity (FC) within and between three networks. Compared with the baseline, we observed maintained or increased FC within all three networks after training. The scans after training also showed maintained anti-correlation of FC between the DMN and CEN compared to the baseline. These findings demonstrated that cognitive training maintained or improved the functional integration within networks and the coupling between the DMN and CEN in older adults. Our findings suggested that multi-domain cognitive training can mitigate the aging-related dysfunction of higher cognitive networks. PMID:27148042

A Framework for Identifying Selective Chemical Applications for IPM in Dryland Agriculture

PubMed Central

Umina, Paul A.; Jenkins, Sommer; McColl, Stuart; Arthur, Aston; Hoffmann, Ary A.

2015-01-01

Shifts to Integrated Pest Management (IPM) in agriculture are assisted by the identification of chemical applications that provide effective control of pests relative to broad-spectrum pesticides but have fewer negative effects on natural enemy (beneficial) groups that assist in pest control. Here, we outline a framework for identifying such applications and apply this framework to field trials involving the crop establishment phase of Australian dryland cropping systems. Several chemicals, which are not presently available to farmers in Australia, were identified as providing moderate levels of pest control and seedling protection, with the potential to be less harmful to beneficial groups including predatory mites, predatory beetles and ants. This framework highlights the challenges involved in chemically controlling pests while maintaining non-target populations when pest species are present at damaging levels. PMID:26694469

Coconut milk and probiotic milk as storage media to maintain periodontal ligament cell viability: an in vitro study.

PubMed

Saini, Divya; Gadicherla, Prahlad; Chandra, Prakash; Anandakrishna, Latha

2017-06-01

The viability of periodontal ligament (PDL) cells is a significant determinant of the long-term prognosis of replanted avulsed teeth. A storage medium is often required to maintain the viability of these cells during the extra-alveolar period. Many studies have been carried out to search for the most suitable storage medium for avulsed teeth, but an ideal solution has not yet been found. The purpose of the study was to compare and analyze the ability of coconut milk and probiotic milk to maintain PDL cell viability. In an in vitro setting, 69 caries free human premolars with normal periodontium that had been extracted for orthodontic purposes were randomly divided into two experimental groups on the basis of storage media used (i.e., coconut milk or probiotic milk) and a Hanks' balanced salt solution (HBSS) control group (23 samples per group). Immediately after extraction, the teeth were stored dry for 20 min and then immersed for 30 min in one of the storage media. The teeth were then subjected to collagenase-dispase assay and labeled with 0.5% trypan blue staining solution for determination of cell viability. The number of viable cells was counted under a light microscope and statistically analyzed using anova and post hoc Tukey test (P ≤ 0.05). Statistical analysis demonstrated there was a significant difference (P < 0.001) between coconut milk and probiotic milk as well as HBSS in maintaining cell viability. However, there was no significant difference between probiotic milk and HBSS in ability to maintain PDL cell viability (P > 0.05). Coconut milk may not be suitable as an interim transport media due to poor maintenance of cell viability. However, probiotic milk was able to maintain PDL cell viability as well as HBSS. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Effect of mode of hydrocortisone administration on glycemic control in patients with septic shock: a prospective randomized trial.

PubMed

Loisa, Pekka; Parviainen, Ilkka; Tenhunen, Jyrki; Hovilehto, Seppo; Ruokonen, Esko

2007-01-01

Low-dose hydrocortisone treatment is widely accepted therapy for the treatment of vasopressor-dependent septic shock. The question of whether corticosteroids should be given to septic shock patients by continuous or by bolus infusion is still unanswered. Hydrocortisone induces hyperglycemia and it is possible that continuous hydrocortisone infusion would reduce the fluctuations in blood glucose levels and that tight blood glucose control could be better achieved with this approach. In this prospective randomized study, we compared the blood glucose profiles, insulin requirements, amount of nursing workload needed, and shock reversal in 48 septic shock patients who received hydrocortisone treatment either by bolus or by continuous infusion with equivalent dose (200 mg/day). Duration of hydrocortisone treatment was five days. The mean blood glucose levels were similar in the two groups, but the number of hyperglycemic episodes was significantly higher in those patients who received bolus therapy (15.7 +/- 8.5 versus 10.5 +/- 8.6 episodes per patient, p = 0.039). Also, more changes in insulin infusion rate were needed to maintain strict normoglycemia in the bolus group (4.7 +/- 2.2 versus 3.4 +/- 1.9 adjustments per patient per day, p = 0.038). Hypoglycemic episodes were rare in both groups. No difference was seen in shock reversal. Strict normoglycemia is more easily achieved if the hydrocortisone therapy is given to septic shock patients by continuous infusion. This approach also reduces nursing workload needed to maintain tight blood glucose control.

Does rotational strain at screw tightening affect the attainment or maintenance of osseointegration?

PubMed

Moriya, Katsunori; Maruo, Yukinori; Minagi, Shogo

2006-08-01

This study investigated whether rotational strain affects osseointegration. A total of 135 male rats were divided into five groups: 2-w rotation, 4-w rotation, 8-w rotation, 12-w rotation and control. Two hundred and seventy implants were inserted in rat tibia. The control group received no strain, while the 2-w, 4-w, 8-w and 12-w rotation groups received rotational strain at 2, 4, 8 and 12 weeks after implant placement, respectively. Removal torque (N cm) was measured in vivo. Bone contact rate (%) was calculated histomorphologically. Immunostaining for osteonectin (ON), osteopontin (OPN) and osteocalcin (OCN) was performed. The removal torque and bone contact rate were analyzed using one-way analyses of variance and the Scheffé method. At 4 weeks, the torque was significantly higher in the 2-w rotation group (1.30+/-0.44 N cm) than in the control group (0.79+/-0.67 N cm). From 8 to 16 weeks, the strained groups showed no significant differences from the control group. From the bone contact rates, bone formation was larger in the 4-week rotation group (62.9+/-10.7%) than in the control group (42.1+/-17.9%) at 8 weeks. The 4-week rotation group showed higher bone contact rate (61.1+/-11.3%) compared with the other strained groups and maintained this higher value until 16 weeks, showing no significant difference from the control group (72+/-5.2%). At the implant-bone interface, OPN was widely distributed and OCN was detected at a low level; however, ON could not be observed in any group. The bone contact rate changed when rotational strain was exerted at different periods after implant placement. However, the removal torque and distribution of extracellular matrix proteins were not adversely affected by the rotational strain.

The effect of feedback-assisted reduction in heart rate reactivity on videogame performance.

PubMed

Larkin, K T; Manuck, S B; Kasprowicz, A L

1990-12-01

In 67 male volunteers, we examined the reduction of cardiovascular responsivity to a psychomotor challenge (videogame) achieved by use of heart rate (HR) feedback and effects of these procedures on concomitant behavioral performance. Each subject participated in a pretraining assessment of his cardiovascular responses to the videogame, a training condition, and a posttraining assessment identical to the initial evaluation. During training, subjects were assigned to one of four conditions: (a) a habituation control group receiving no instructions to alter HR (HC); (b) an instructions-only control group receiving instructions to maintain a low or unchanged HR during videogame presentations (IC); (c) a feedback group receiving instructions to reduce HR using ongoing HR feedback (FB-); or (d) a feedback group receiving instructions to lower HR and given HR feedback plus a score contingency in which total game score was jointly determined by subjects' game performance and success at HR control (FB+). Subjects receiving feedback (FB+, FB-) exhibited greater reductions in HR response to the videogame in the posttraining assessment than control (HC, IC) subjects; FB+ subjects showed greater HR reductions than subjects in any other group. FB+ and FB- subjects showed a lower SBP at posttraining relative to the two control groups, but no reduction in task-induced blood pressure reactivity. There were no group differences in videogame performance, either before or following training.

Annular dynamics after mitral valve repair with different prosthetic rings: A real-time three-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography study.

PubMed

Nishi, Hiroyuki; Toda, Koichi; Miyagawa, Shigeru; Yoshikawa, Yasushi; Fukushima, Satsuki; Kawamura, Masashi; Yoshioka, Daisuke; Saito, Tetsuya; Ueno, Takayoshi; Kuratani, Toru; Sawa, Yoshiki

2016-09-01

We assessed the effects of different types of prosthetic rings on mitral annular dynamics using real-time three-dimensional echocardiography (RT3DE). RT3DE was performed in 44 patients, including patients undergoing mitral annuloplasty using the Cosgrove-Edwards flexible band (Group A, n = 10), the semi-rigid Sorin Memo 3D ring (Group B, n = 17), the semi-rigid Edwards Physio II ring (Group C, n = 7) and ten control subjects. Various annular diameters were measured throughout the cardiac cycle. We observed flexible anterior annulus motion in all of the groups except Group C. A flexible posterior annulus was only observed in Group B and the Control group. The mitral annular area changed during the cardiac cycle by 8.4 ± 3.2, 6.3 ± 2.0, 3.2 ± 1.3, and 11.6 ± 5.0 % in Group A, Group B, Group C, and the Control group, respectively. The dynamic diastolic to systolic change in mitral annular diameters was lost in Group C, while it was maintained in Group A, and to a good degree in Group B. In comparison to the Control group, the mitral annulus shape was more ellipsoid in Group B and Group C, and more circular in Group A. Although mitral regurgitation was well controlled by all of the types of rings that were utilized in the present study, we demonstrated that the annulus motion and annulus shape differed according to the type of prosthetic ring that was used, which might provide important information for the selection of an appropriate prosthetic ring.

Suboptimal Anticoagulant Management in Japanese Patients with Nonvalvular Atrial Fibrillation Receiving Warfarin for Stroke Prevention.

PubMed

Hirano, Teruyuki; Kaneko, Hirokazu; Mishina, Sari; Wang, Feng; Morita, Satoshi

2017-10-01

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia, with increasing prevalence in Japan. Although prothrombin time-international normalized ratio (PT-INR) targets for monitoring warfarin therapy in patients with nonvalvular AF (NVAF) are well defined, real-world patient characteristics and PT-INR levels remain unknown among Japanese patients with NVAF who initiate and continue warfarin (warfarin maintainers) versus those who switch from warfarin to direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs; warfarin switchers). Patients with NVAF receiving oral anticoagulants between February 2013 and June 2015 were identified using a nationwide electronic medical record (EMR) database from 69 hospitals in Japan. Demographics and characteristics of patients, PT-INR, time in therapeutic range (TTR), and frequency in range (FIR) of PT-INR between warfarin maintainers and warfarin switchers were assessed. A total of 1705 patients met inclusion criteria and were examined (1501 warfarin maintainers versus 204 warfarin switchers). CHADS 2 , CHA 2 DS 2 -VASc, and HAS-BLED scores were comparable between groups. However, these scores were significantly higher among warfarin switchers at the time of switching than at the time of warfarin initiation. Furthermore, TTR and FIR of PT-INR were lower in warfarin switchers than in maintainers. Nevertheless, TTR and FIR were below 50% (PT-INR, 1.6-2.6) in both patient groups. In this EMR-based clinical study, patients who switched to DOACs had both poor or inadequate PT-INR control and higher risk factors of stroke. Many patients receiving warfarin did not achieve sufficient PT-INR therapeutic range. DOACs could be recommended in Japanese patients with NVAF with inadequate PT-INR control and increased risk of stroke. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[The effects of a diabetic educational program for coping with problem situation on self-efficacy, self care behaviors, coping and glycemic control in type 2 diabetic patients].

PubMed

Ko, Choun Hee; Gu, Mee Ock

2004-12-01

This study was conducted to develop and to test the effects of an educational program for coping with problem situations as a nursing intervention in the diabetic patient. A non-equivalent control group pretest-posttest design was used in this study. Data were collected from January to March, 2002. The subjects of the study consisted of 31 diabetic patients(experimental group: 17 patients, control group: 14 patients). The intervention of an educational program for coping with problem situations was applied to the experimental group for 4 weeks (total 8 hours). Data were collected before the educational program, immediately after and 1 months later and were analyzed with repeated measures ANOVA, t-test, and paired t-test. 1. There was a significant difference in self efficacy between the experimental and control groups (F=13.793, p=0.001). 2. There was a significant difference in self care behavior between the experimental and control groups (F=4.583, p=0.041). 3. There was a significant difference in coping behavior of the problem situation between the experimental and control groups (F=62.018, p=0.000). There was a significant difference according to experimental stages (F=4.546, p=0.015) and interaction between education and experimental stages (F=12.039, p=0.000). 4. There was a significant difference in glycemic control between the experimental and control groups (t=-3.112, p=0.004). These results support that a diabetic educational program for coping with problem situations is effective in promoting and maintaining self efficacy, self care behavior, problem coping behaviors and in improving glycemic control. Thus this program can be recommended as an effective nursing intervention of in-depth education for diabetic patient.

Pituitary oxytocin and vasopressin content of rats flown on Cosmos 2044

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Keil, L.; Evans, J.; Grindeland, R.; Krasnov, I.

1992-01-01

Preliminary studies in rats (COSMOS 1887) suggested that levels of posterior pituitary hormones were reduced by exposure to spaceflight. To confirm these preliminary findings, pituitary tissue from rats flown for 14 days on Cosmos 2044 is obtained. Posterior pituitary content of oxytocin (OT) and vasopressin (VP) were measured in these tissues as well as those from ground-based controls. The synchronous control group had feeding and lighting schedules synchronized to those in the spacecraft and were maintained in flight-type cages. Another group was housed in vivarium cages; a third group was tail suspended (T), a method used to simulate microgravity. Flight rats showed an average reduction of 27 in pituitary OT and VP compared with the three control groups. When hormone content was expressed in terms of pituitary protein (microg hormone/mg protein), the average decrease in OT and VP for the flight animals ranged from 20 to 33 percent compared with the various control groups. Reduced levels of pituitary OT and VP were similar to preliminary measurements from the Cosmos 1887 mission and appear to result from exposure to spaceflight. These data suggest that changes in the rate of hormone secretion or synthesis may have occurred during exposure to microgravity.

Calcium and vitamin D supplementation maintains parathyroid hormone and improves bone density during initial military training: a randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled trial.

PubMed

Gaffney-Stomberg, Erin; Lutz, Laura J; Rood, Jennifer C; Cable, Sonya J; Pasiakos, Stefan M; Young, Andrew J; McClung, James P

2014-11-01

Calcium and vitamin D are essential nutrients for bone health. Periods of activity with repetitive mechanical loading, such as military training, may result in increases in parathyroid hormone (PTH), a key regulator of Ca metabolism, and may be linked to the development of stress fractures. Previous studies indicate that consumption of a Ca and vitamin D supplement may reduce stress fracture risk in female military personnel during initial military training, but circulating markers of Ca and bone metabolism and measures of bone density and strength have not been determined. This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial sought to determine the effects of providing supplemental Ca and vitamin D (Ca+Vit D, 2000mg and 1000IU/d, respectively), delivered as 2 snack bars per day throughout 9weeks of Army initial military training (or basic combat training, BCT) on PTH, vitamin D status, and measures of bone density and strength in personnel undergoing BCT, as well as independent effects of BCT on bone parameters. A total of 156 men and 87 women enrolled in Army BCT (Fort Sill, OK; 34.7°N latitude) volunteered for this study. Anthropometric, biochemical, and dietary intake data were collected pre- and post-BCT. In addition, peripheral quantitative computed tomography was utilized to assess tibia bone density and strength in a subset of volunteers (n=46). Consumption of supplemental Ca+Vit D increased circulating ionized Ca (group-by-time, P=0.022), maintained PTH (group-by-time, P=0.032), and increased the osteoprotegerin:RANKL ratio (group-by-time, P=0.006). Consistent with the biochemical markers, Ca+Vit D improved vBMD (group-by-time, P=0.024) at the 4% site and cortical BMC (group-by-time, P=0.028) and thickness (group-by-time, P=0.013) at the 14% site compared to placebo. These data demonstrate the benefit of supplemental Ca and vitamin D for maintaining bone health during periods of elevated bone turnover, such as initial military training. This trial was registered with ClincialTrials.gov, NCT01617109. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Effects of exposure to artificial long days on milk yield, maternal insulin-like growth factor 1 levels and kid growth rate in subtropical goats.

PubMed

Hernández, Horacio; Flores, José Alfredo; Delgadillo, José Alberto; Fernández, Ilda G; Flores, Manuel de Jesús; Mejía, Ángel; Elizundia, José Manuel; Bedos, Marie; Ponce, José Luis; Ramírez, Sergio

2016-04-01

This study was designed to determine whether any relationship exists between exposure to artificial long days, milk yield, maternal plasma insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) levels, and kid growth rate in goats. One group of lactating goats was maintained under naturally decreasing day length (control group; n = 19), while in another one, they were kept under artificial long days (LD group; n = 19). Milk yield was higher in goats from the LD group than that in the control group (P < 0.05). Maternal IGF-1 levels at day 57 of lactation were higher (P < 0.05) in goats from the LD group than the levels in the control group and were positively correlated with the total milk yields per goat at days 43 and 57 of lactation (r = 0.77 and r = 0.84, respectively; P < 0.01). Daily weight gain at week 4 was higher (P < 0.01) in kids from the LD group than that in kids from the control group and was correlated with total and average IGF-1 maternal levels (r = 0.60 and r = 0.60, P < 0.05). It was concluded that submitting lactating goats to artificial long days increases milk yield, plasma IGF-1 maternal levels and the growth rate of the kids. © 2015 Japanese Society of Animal Science.

Effects of neck exercise on high-school students' neck-shoulder posture.

PubMed

Lee, Myoung-Hyo; Park, Su-Jin; Kim, Jin-Sang

2013-05-01

[Purpose] This study examined the effects of deep flexor muscle-strengthening exercise on the neck-shoulder posture, and the strength and endurance of the deep flexor muscles of high-school students. [Subjects] The subjects were 30 seventeen-year-old female high-school students who complained about bad posture and chronic neck-shoulder pain. They were randomly divided into an experimental group of 15 subjects, who performed a deep flexor muscle-strengthening exercise and a control group of 15 subjects, who performed a basic stretching exercise. [Methods] The experimental group of 15 subjects performed a deep flexor muscle-strengthening exercise consisting of low-load training of the cranio-cervical flexor muscle, and the control group of 15 subjects performed a basic stretching exercise consisting of seven motions. [Results] The experimental group showed statistically significant changes in head tilt angle, neck flexion angle, forward shoulder angle, and the result of the cranio-cervical flexion test after the training. In contrast, the control group showed no statistically significant changes in these measures following the training. When the results of the groups were compared, statistically significant differences were found for all items between the experimental group and the control group. [Conclusion] Strengthening cranio-cervical flexor muscles is important for the adjustment of neck posture, and maintaining their stability is required to improve neck-shoulder posture.

[Effects of a Multi-disciplinary Approached, Empowerment Theory Based Self-management Intervention in Older Adults with Chronic Illness].

PubMed

Park, Chorong; Song, Misoon; Cho, Belong; Lim, Jaeyoung; Song, Wook; Chang, Heekyung; Park, Yeon-Hwan

2015-04-01

The purpose of this study was to develop a multi-disciplinary self-management intervention based on empowerment theory and to evaluate the effectiveness of the intervention for older adults with chronic illness. A randomized controlled trial design was used with 43 Korean older adults with chronic illness (Experimental group=22, Control group=21). The intervention consisted of two phases: (1) 8-week multi-disciplinary, team guided, group-based health education, exercise session, and individual empowerment counseling, (2) 16-week self-help group activities including weekly exercise and group discussion to maintain acquired self-management skills and problem-solving skills. Baseline, 8-week, and 24-week assessments measured health empowerment, exercise self-efficacy, physical activity, and physical function. Health empowerment, physical activity, and physical function in the experimental group increased significantly compared to the control group over time. Exercise self-efficacy significantly increased in experimental group over time but there was no significant difference between the two groups. The self-management program based on empowerment theory improved health empowerment, physical activity, and physical function in older adults. The study finding suggests that a health empowerment strategy may be an effective approach for older adults with multiple chronic illnesses in terms of achieving a sense of control over their chronic illness and actively engaging self-management.

Fertility after uterine artery embolization: investigation using a sheep model.

PubMed

Yamagami, Takuji; Yoshimatsu, Rika; Matsumoto, Tomohiro; Anzai, Hiroshi; Yoshizawa, Masahiro; Fukui, Yutaka; Nishimura, Tsunehiko

2010-04-01

To investigate the influence of uterine artery embolization (UAE) on fertility after bilateral UAE with either tris-acryl gelatin microspheres (TAGM) or gelatin particles (GP). Six ewes that underwent UAE with TAGM, 6 ewes that underwent UAE with GP, and 6 control ewes were compared. After hormonal synchronization of the menstrual cycle, artificial insemination (AI) was performed. When pregnancy did not result, ewes were naturally inseminated. After AI, progesterone concentrations in blood increased and were maintained at >1.0 ng/mL in 9 ewes (3 per group). Three ewes became pregnant after AI. The abortion rate was higher in the UAE group. The remaining 15 sheep were naturally inseminated, with 14 delivering 15 lambs. Mean period of term gestation in UAE group ewes was 155.7 versus 158.6 days in control group ewes. Lambs' body weight, body length, and withers height after birth did not differ between those from UAE group and control group. Lambs from ewes embolized with GP tended to be smaller and had lower body weight than those from other groups. Uterine artery embolization influenced reproductive ability in sheep and UAE with GP could lead to intrauterine growth retardation.

A nutrition education intervention for anthropometric and biochemical profiles of rural older Malays with metabolic syndrome.

PubMed

Shahar, Suzana; Adznam, Siti Nur'asyura; Lee, Lai Kuan; Yusof, Noor Aini Mohd; Salleh, Mohmad; Mohamed Sakian, Noor Ibrahim

2013-03-01

This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of a nutrition education intervention package in improving anthropometric, clinical and biochemical indicators of rural older Malays with metabolic syndrome (MS). In this study, 47 older Malays diagnosed with MS were assigned to either the intervention group (n = 24) or the control group (n = 23) based on their geographical site. The intervention group received nutrition education via group counselling sessions, talks, and cooking and exercise demonstrations using a specifically developed healthy aging package for 6 months. The efficacy of the nutrition education intervention on anthropometric and biochemical parameters was assessed. Women in the nutrition education group showed a significant reduction in waist circumference (p < .01) compared to the control group. Men who received the nutrition education intervention maintained their total cholesterol (TC) level (p < .05) compared to the control group. The nutrition education intervention showed potential for improving TC levels in men and waist circumference in women with MS. Similar intervention studies could be initiated among the older adults in the community as a preventive measure. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Effect of Motivation by "Instagram" on Adherence to Physical Activity among Female College Students.

PubMed

Al-Eisa, Einas; Al-Rushud, Asma; Alghadir, Ahmad; Anwer, Shahnawaz; Al-Harbi, Bashayer; Al-Sughaier, Noha; Al-Yoseef, Noha; Al-Otaibi, Reem; Al-Muhaysin, Hanadi Ali

2016-01-01

To investigate the efficacy of using "Instagram application" with a "home-exercise program" as a motivational stimulus in improving physical activity (PA) adherence levels among female college students. Fifty-eight female undergraduate students with the mean age 20.3 ± 0.96 years participated. Participants were divided into two groups: intervention and the control group; both the groups received an exercise program and the intervention group was additionally motivated by "Instagram." Adherence to PA was measured by using an adherence sheet. The Exercise Motivation Inventory (EMI-2) was used to assess the motivational factors. The most frequent motivational factors were extrinsic as assessed using the EMI-2. "Positive health" was the most frequent factor mentioned of the two types with 47% of the sample. The intervention group adhered with 17% more to the activity program compared to the control group. Moreover, 72% of the participants in the intervention and control groups found the activity program flexible enough to be performed at home; they agreed about its effectiveness on adherence (53%). The use of Instagram with the home exercise program as a motivational modality could be attractive and effective to reinforce adherence and maintain an appropriate PA level.

Effectiveness of a Voice Training Program for Student Teachers on Vocal Health.

PubMed

Richter, Bernhard; Nusseck, Manfred; Spahn, Claudia; Echternach, Matthias

2016-07-01

The effectiveness of a preventive training program on vocal health for German student teachers was investigated on specific vocal parameters. The voice quality as described by the Dysphonia Severity Index of 204 student teachers (training group: n = 123; control group: n = 81) was measured at the beginning and at the end of the student teachers training period (duration 1.5 years). Additionally, for investigating the voice-carrying capacity, a vocal loading test (VLT) was performed. Finally, participants had to provide a subjective judgment of a possible Voice Handicap Index. The training program improved the voice quality of the trained group compared with that of the control group, whose voice quality declined. The trained group was also able to better sustain their voice quality across the VLT than the control group. Both groups, however, reported a similar increase in subjective vocal strain. The presented training program clearly showed a positive impact on the voice quality and the vocal capacity. The results maintain the importance of such a training program to be integrated in the education and occupational routine of teachers. Copyright © 2016 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effects of Rapid Weight Loss on Balance and Reaction Time in Elite Judo Athletes.

PubMed

Morales, Jose; Ubasart, Carla; Solana-Tramunt, Mónica; González, Luis-Millán; Fukuda, David; Franchini, Emerson

2018-05-29

Balance, reaction time, and strength are key factors affecting judo performance. While ample research exists examining potential strength changes caused by weight loss prior to competition, changes in balance and reaction time, have been overlooked. The objective of this study was to examine the effects of rapid and progressive weight loss (RWL and PWL) on balance, reaction time, and strength in a group of elite judo athletes. 38 female and male judo athletes (age = 20.6 ± 2.6 years) completed balance, reaction time, and strength assessments one week prior to an official weigh-in (pre-test) and immediately after the weigh-in (post-test). The judo athletes were divided into three groups, one control group who maintained regular training and eating habits, one experimental group who engaged in PWL (<3% reductions in body mass) and a second experimental group who used RWL techniques (>3% reductions in body mass). RWL group showed significant decreases (p<0.05) in balance performance (Ellipse area: 4.83±0.87 vs. 6.31±1.39 mm 2 with eyes closed; Mean Mediolateral Velocity: 2.07±0.2 vs. 2.52±0.45 mms -1 with eyes closed; Mean Anteroposterior Velocity: 2.25±0.20 vs. 2.51±0.32 mms -1 with eyes open and 2.44±0.26 vs. 3.06±0.56 mms -1 with eyes closed) and reaction time (0.38±0.04 vs. 0.42±0.06 seconds) with no changes in strength from pre- to post-testing. The judo athletes in the progressive weight loss and control groups maintained performance in all variables. These findings demonstrate negative effects on perceptual motor skill performance in judo athletes engaging in rapid weight loss strategies prior to competition.

Design of the SHAPE-2 study: the effect of physical activity, in addition to weight loss, on biomarkers of postmenopausal breast cancer risk.

PubMed

van Gemert, Willemijn A M; Iestra, Jolein I; Schuit, Albertine J; May, Anne M; Takken, Tim; Veldhuis, Wouter B; van der Palen, Job; Wittink, Harriët; Peeters, Petra H M; Monninkhof, Evelyn M

2013-08-23

Physical inactivity and overweight are two known risk factors for postmenopausal breast cancer. Former exercise intervention studies showed that physical activity influences sex hormone levels, known to be related to postmenopausal breast cancer, mainly when concordant loss of body weight was achieved. The question remains whether there is an additional beneficial effect of physical activity when weight loss is reached. The SHAPE-2 study is a three-armed, multicentre trial. 243 sedentary, postmenopausal women who are overweight or obese (BMI 25-35 kg/m2) are enrolled. After a 4-6 week run-in period, wherein a baseline diet is prescribed, women are randomly allocated to (1) a diet group, (2) an exercise group or (3) a control group. The aim of both intervention groups is to lose an amount of 5-6 kg body weight in 10-14 weeks. The diet group follows an energy restricted diet and maintains the habitual physical activity level. The exercise group participates in a 16-week endurance and strength training programme of 4 hours per week. Furthermore, they are prescribed a moderate caloric restriction. The control group is asked to maintain body weight and continue the run-in baseline diet. This study will give insight in the potential attributable effect of physical activity on breast cancer risk biomarkers and whether this effect is mediated by changes in body composition, in postmenopausal women. Eventually this may lead to the design of specific lifestyle guidelines for prevention of breast cancer. The SHAPE-2 study is registered in the register of clinicaltrials.gov, Identifier: NCT01511276.

Music for surgical abortion care study: a randomized controlled pilot study.

PubMed

Wu, Justine; Chaplin, William; Amico, Jennifer; Butler, Mark; Ojie, Mary Jane; Hennedy, Dina; Clemow, Lynn

2012-05-01

The study objective was to explore the effect of music as an adjunct to local anesthesia on pain and anxiety during first-trimester surgical abortion. Secondary outcomes included patient satisfaction and coping. We conducted a randomized controlled pilot study of 26 women comparing music and local anesthesia to local anesthesia alone. We assessed pain, anxiety and coping with 11-point verbal numerical scales. Patient satisfaction was measured via a 4-point Likert scale. In the music group, we noted a trend toward a faster decline in anxiety postprocedure (p=.065). The music group reported better coping than the control group (mean±S.D., 8.5±2.3 and 6.2±2.8, respectively; p<.05). Both groups reported similarly high satisfaction scores. There were no group differences in pain. Music as an adjunct to local anesthesia during surgical abortion is associated with a trend toward less anxiety postprocedure and better coping while maintaining high patient satisfaction. Music does not appear to affect abortion pain. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

An fMRI study of musicians with focal dystonia during tapping tasks.

PubMed

Kadota, Hiroshi; Nakajima, Yasoichi; Miyazaki, Makoto; Sekiguchi, Hirofumi; Kohno, Yutaka; Amako, Masatoshi; Arino, Hiroshi; Nemoto, Koichi; Sakai, Naotaka

2010-07-01

Musician's dystonia is a type of task specific dystonia for which the pathophysiology is not clear. In this study, we performed functional magnetic resonance imaging to investigate the motor-related brain activity associated with musician's dystonia. We compared brain activities measured from subjects with focal hand dystonia and normal (control) musicians during right-hand, left-hand, and both-hands tapping tasks. We found activations in the thalamus and the basal ganglia during the tapping tasks in the control group but not in the dystonia group. For both groups, we detected significant activations in the contralateral sensorimotor areas, including the premotor area and cerebellum, during each tapping task. Moreover, direct comparison between the dystonia and control groups showed that the dystonia group had greater activity in the ipsilateral premotor area during the right-hand tapping task and less activity in the left cerebellum during the both-hands tapping task. Thus, the dystonic musicians showed irregular activation patterns in the motor-association system. We suggest that irregular neural activity patterns in dystonic subjects reflect dystonic neural malfunction and consequent compensatory activity to maintain appropriate voluntary movements.

Evaluation of active living every day in adults with arthritis.

PubMed

Callahan, Leigh F; Cleveland, Rebecca J; Shreffler, Jack; Hootman, Jennifer M; Mielenz, Thelma J; Schoster, Britta; Brady, Teresa; Schwartz, Todd

2014-02-01

Adults with arthritis can benefit from participation in physical activity and may be assisted by organized programs. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a 20-week behavioral lifestyle intervention, Active Living Every Day (ALED), for improvements in primary outcomes (physical activity levels, aerobic endurance, function, symptoms). A 20-week randomized controlled community trial was conducted in 354 adults. Outcomes were assessed at baseline and 20 weeks in the intervention and wait-list control groups. The intervention group was also assessed at 6 and 12 months. Mean outcomes were determined by multilevel regression models in the intervention and control groups at follow-up points. At 20 weeks, the intervention group significantly increased participation in physical activity, and improved aerobic endurance, and select measures of function while pain, fatigue and stiffness remained status quo. In the intervention group, significant improvements in physical activity at 20 weeks were maintained at 6 and 12 months, and stiffness decreased. ALED appears to improve participation in physical activity, aerobic endurance, and function without exacerbating disease symptoms in adults with arthritis.

The effects of Chinese five-element music therapy on nursing students with depressed mood.

PubMed

Chen, Chen-Jung; Sung, Huei-Chuan; Lee, Ming-Shinn; Chang, Ching-Yuan

2015-04-01

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of Chinese five-element music therapy on nursing students with depressed mood. We randomly assigned 71 nursing students from Taiwan with depressed mood to the music and control groups. The music group (n = 31) received Chinese five-element music therapy, whereas the participants in the control group (n = 40) maintained their routine lifestyles with no music therapy. All of the participants were assessed using the Depression Mood Self-Report Inventory for Adolescence, and their salivary cortisol levels were measured. The study found that there was a significant reduction in depression between the pre- and posttherapy test scores and in salivary cortisol levels over time in the music group. After receiving the music therapy, the nursing students' depression levels were significantly reduced (P = 0.038) compared with the control group (P < 0.001). These results indicate that the Chinese five-element music therapy has the potential to reduce the level of depression in nursing students with depressed mood. © 2014 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

Effect of renal sympathetic denervation on the progression of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation in canines with long-term intermittent atrial pacing.

PubMed

Wang, Xule; Huang, Congxin; Zhao, Qingyan; Huang, He; Tang, Yanhong; Dai, Zixuan; Wang, Xiaozhan; Guo, Zongwen; Xiao, Jinping

2015-04-01

The aim of the present study was to explore the effect of renal sympathetic denervation (RSD) on the progression of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF) in canines with long-term intermittent atrial pacing. Nineteen beagles were randomly divided into sham-operated group (six dogs), control group (six dogs), and RSD group (seven dogs). Sham-operated group were implanted with pacemakers without pacing; control group were implanted with pacemakers with long-term intermittent atrial pacing; and RSD group underwent catheter-based RSD bilaterally and were simultaneously implanted with pacemakers. Atrial pacing was maintained for 8 h a day and a total of 12 weeks in the control group and RSD group. Echocardiography showed that the left atrial structure and function were significantly improved in the RSD group compared with the control group (P < 0.05). Compared with the control group, the RSD group had fewer incidences of AF and a shorter duration of AF (P < 0.05) after long-term intermittent atrial pacing. In addition to increased atrial effective refractory period (AERP) and AF cycle length, AERP dispersion and P-wave duration and dispersion were significantly decreased in the RSD group compared with the control group (P < 0.05). Atrial morphological evaluation suggested that fibrosis and ultrastructural changes induced by long-term intermittent atrial pacing were markedly suppressed in the RSD dogs compared with controls (P < 0.05). Immunohistochemistry results showed that connexin 43 distribution in RSD mid-myocardial was significantly fewer heterogeneous than that in control mid-myocardial (P < 0.05). Renal denervation inhibits the progression of paroxysmal AF, which might be related to the suppression of atrial electrophysiology and structural heterogeneity. Published on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved. © The Author 2014. For permissions please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Pectin enhances the effect of fecal microbiota transplantation in ulcerative colitis by delaying the loss of diversity of gut flora.

PubMed

Wei, Yao; Gong, Jianfeng; Zhu, Weiming; Tian, Hongliang; Ding, Chao; Gu, Lili; Li, Ning; Li, Jieshou

2016-11-03

Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) induces remission in ulcerative colitis (UC). However, the treatment effect of FMT diminishes over time. Maintaining the diversity of the gut flora for long periods may improve the effects of FMT in UC. Pectin, which can be fermented by gut microbiota into short-chain fatty acids, is postulated to shape the composition and maintain the balance of gut microbiota following transplantation. This study investigated whether pectin could enhance the effects of FMT in UC patients. Three FMT patients and four FMTP patients achieved the primary outcome. The Mayo scores of the FMTP group were lower than those of the FMT group at weeks 4 and 12 (P = 0.042 and P = 0.042, respectively). There were no differences in the diversity of the gut flora between the two groups at weeks 4 and 12; however, the composition of the gut flora of the FMTP group was more similar than the FMT group to that of the donor at all-time points post-treatment. Pectin decreased the Mayo score by preserving the diversity of the gut flora following FMT for UC. Current Controlled Trial NCT02016469 . Registered 10 November 2013.

Albumin supplementation for hypoalbuminemia following burns: unnecessary and costly!

PubMed

Melinyshyn, Alex; Callum, Jeannie; Jeschke, Marc C; Cartotto, Robert

2013-01-01

Following fluid resuscitation, patients with major burns frequently develop prolonged hypoalbuminemia. It is not known whether this should be corrected by albumin supplementation. The purpose of this study was to determine whether there are any benefits associated with albumin supplementation to correct hypoalbuminemia in burned adults. We conducted a retrospective comparison of patients with burns ≥ 20% TBSA admitted to an adult regional American Burn Association-verified burn center, from May 1, 2009, to September 30, 2010, where we did not routinely supplement albumin (control group), with patients admitted from October 1, 2010, to May 30, 2011, where we had instituted a protocol in which 5% human albumin was provided to maintain serum albumin levels >20 g/L (albumin group). Comparisons were made from postburn (PB) day 2 to day 30 inclusive. There were no significant differences between control (n = 26) and albumin (n = 17) in age (48 ± 15 vs 45 ± 21 years; P = .56), burn size (33 ± 13 vs 34 ± 13 %TBSA; P = .831), or full thickness burn size (19 ± 19 vs 23 ± 19 %TBSA; P = .581). Inhalation injury was significantly more frequent in the albumin group than in controls (71% vs 31%; P = .01). The groups did not differ significantly in need for admission escharotomy, admission Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score, number of surgical procedures/first 30 days, or 24 and 48 hours fluid resuscitation volume requirements. The overall mean daily serum albumin level from PB day 2 to 30 in the albumin group (26.9 ± 3.0 g/L) was significantly greater than in controls (21.9 ± 4.4 g/L; P < .001). There were no significant differences between the groups in daily SOFA score/first 30 days, peak SOFA score, ΔSOFA, hospital length of stay, time to wound healing, duration of mechanical ventilation, or 30-day and in-hospital mortality. The cost of routinely supplementing 5% albumin between PB day 2 to 30 in the albumin group was more than four times that for the controls where we did not routinely provide albumin (Can $65.50 vs Can $16.57 per patient per day). We conclude that routine supplementation of 5% human albumin to maintain a serum albumin level ≥ 20 g/L in burn patients is expensive and provides no benefit.

Increasing older adults’ walking through primary care: results of a pilot randomized controlled trial

PubMed Central

Mutrie, Nanette

2012-01-01

Background. Physical activity can positively influence health for older adults. Primary care is a good setting for physical activity promotion. Objective. To assess the feasibility of a pedometer-based walking programme in combination with physical activity consultations. Methods. Design: Two-arm (intervention/control) 12-week randomized controlled trial with a 12-week follow-up for the intervention group. Setting: One general practice in Glasgow, UK. Participants: Participants were aged ≥65 years. The intervention group received two 30-minute physical activity consultations from a trained practice nurse, a pedometer and a walking programme. The control group continued as normal for 12 weeks and then received the intervention. Both groups were followed up at 12 and 24 weeks. Outcome measures: Step counts were measured by sealed pedometers and an activPALTM monitor. Psychosocial variables were assessed and focus groups conducted. Results. The response rate was 66% (187/284), and 90% of those randomized (37/41) completed the study. Qualitative data suggested that the pedometer and nurse were helpful to the intervention. Step counts (activPAL) showed a significant increase from baseline to week 12 for the intervention group, while the control group showed no change. Between weeks 12 and 24, step counts were maintained in the intervention group, and increased for the control group after receiving the intervention. The intervention was associated with improved quality of life and reduced sedentary time. Conclusions. It is feasible to recruit and retain older adults from primary care and help them increase walking. A larger trial is necessary to confirm findings and consider cost-effectiveness. PMID:22843637

Intervention for phantom limb pain: A randomized single crossover study of mirror therapy

PubMed Central

Ramadugu, Shashikumar; Nagabushnam, Satish C.; Katuwal, Nagendra; Chatterjee, Kaushik

2017-01-01

Introduction: Mirror therapy suggested to help relieve phantom limb pain (PLP) by resolving the visual- proprioceptive dissociation in the brain, but studies so far either had shorter follow-up or smaller sample size. Materials and Methods: In this randomized single crossover trial, 64 amputees with PLP in the age group of 15–75 years of age were distributed into test and control groups by simple randomization method. Of these 28 in control and 32 in test groups, respectively, completed the 4 weeks of mirror therapy and 12 weeks of follow-up assessments. A standardized set of exercises for 15 min/day for 4 and 8 weeks in test and control groups (in the first 4 weeks, the mirror was covered), respectively, was administered under supervision of one of the authors. All were assessed using the visual analog scale and Short-Form McGill Pain Questionnaire on day 0 and at 4, 8, and 12 weeks after therapy. In control group for the initial 4 weeks, the mirror was covered. The assessing author was blinded to the group to which the participants belonged. Results: Significant reduction in PLP was noted in the test group at 4 weeks compared to the control group (P < 0.0001). Significant reduction was seen in control group also after the switchover and sustained for 12 weeks in both. No harm was reported. Conclusion: Mirror therapy is effective in relieving the intensity, duration, frequency, and overall PLP, and improvement is maintained up to 12 weeks’ posttherapy. PMID:29497188

The effect of East Coast fever immunisation and different acaricidal treatments on the productivity of beef cattle.

PubMed

Morzaria, S P; Irvin, A D; Wathanga, J; D'Souza, D; Katende, J; Young, A S; Scott, J; Gettinby, G

1988-09-17

A trial was performed on a farm in the Coast Province of Kenya to study the effects of East Coast fever immunisation and different acaricidal treatments on the productivity of immunised and unimmunised beef cattle. Eighty cattle were immunised against Theileria parva parva (Marikebuni) by the infection and treatment method and a similar group was left as an unimmunised control. Immunisation had no deleterious effect on the cattle. After immunisation, the immunised and control groups were each subdivided into four groups of 20 and each subgroup was managed under a different tick control regimen. The tick control regimen were, acaricidal spraying twice a week or once every three weeks, the application of acaricide-impregnated ear-tags, and no tick control. During a nine-month exposure period there were 18 cases of East Coast fever among the 80 immunised cattle, three which were severe and the others mild. Among the 80 unimmunised cattle there were 57 cases of East Coast fever, 50 of which were severe. The highest morbidity and mortality occurred in the groups under limited tick control or without tick control. Overall weight gain in the immunised cattle, irrespective of the tick control regimen, was better than the weight gain in the unimmunised groups. Within the immunised groups, the weight gain of the cattle sprayed twice weekly was comparable to the weight gain of the animals with acaricidal ear-tags and was significantly higher than the weight gains in the groups sprayed once every three weeks or with tick control. Preliminary cost/benefit analysis showed that it was uneconomical to maintain unimmunised cattle under limited or no tick control.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Out of control little-used clinical assets are draining healthcare budgets.

PubMed

Horblyuk, Ruslan; Kaneta, Kristopher; McMillen, Gary L; Mullins, Christopher; O'Brien, Thomas M; Roy, Ankita

2012-07-01

To improve utilization and reduce the cost of maintaining mobile clinical equipment, healthcare organization leaders should do the following: Select an initial asset group to target. Conduct a physical inventory. Evaluate the organization's asset "ecosystem." Optimize workflow processes. Phase in new processes, and phase out inventory. Devote time to change management. Develop a replacement strategy.

Testosterone, aggression, and territoriality in male Western Screech-owls (Otus kennicottii): results from preliminary experiments

Treesearch

Brian L. Herting; James R. Belthoff

1997-01-01

Using a hormone implant protocol, we created treatment groups in which circulating levels of testosterone (T) were increased, decreased, or maintained at normal levels (controls) in male Western Screech-owls (Otus kennicottii). Owls were exposed to tape-recorded vocalizations of a conspecific, to which territory holders responded with aggression....

Maintaining Vocational Skills of Individuals with Autism and Developmental Disabilities through Video Modeling

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van Laarhoven, Toni; Winiarski, Lauren; Blood, Erika; Chan, Jeffrey M.

2012-01-01

A modified pre/posttest control group design was used to measure the effectiveness of video modeling on the maintenance of vocational tasks for six students with autism spectrum disorder and/or developmental disabilities. Each student was assigned two vocational tasks at their employment settings and their independence with each task was measured…

The effects of postexercise consumption of a kefir beverage on performance and recovery during intensive endurance training.

PubMed

O'Brien, K V; Stewart, L K; Forney, L A; Aryana, K J; Prinyawiwatkul, W; Boeneke, C A

2015-11-01

This study was designed to determine whether kefir accentuates the positive health benefits assessed by measures in fitness, body composition, or both, as a measure of cardiovascular disease risk as well as the biomarker C-reactive protein (CRP). Sixty-seven adult males and females aged 18 to 24 yr were assigned to 1 of 4 groups: (1) endurance training + control beverage, (2) endurance training +kefir beverage,(3) active control + control beverage, or (4) active control + kefir beverage. The exercise groups completed 15 wk of structured endurancetraining while the active control groups maintained their usual exercise routine. Additionally, each group was assigned to either a kefir or a calorie/macronutrient matched placebo beverage that was consumed twice per week. No significant interactions were found among groups with respect to outcome variables with the exception of serum CRP. The endurance training was effective in improving 1.5-mile (2.41 km) times and kefir supplementation may have been a factor in attenuating the increase in CRP that was observed over the course of the intervention period. This preliminary study suggests that kefir may be involved in improving the risk profile for cardiovascular disease as defined by CRP. Copyright © 2015 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effect of a prenatal lifestyle intervention on physical activity level in late pregnancy and the first year postpartum

PubMed Central

Sagedal, Linda Reme; Haakstad, Lene Annette Hagen; Lohne-Seiler, Hilde

2017-01-01

Background Despite documented health benefits for mother and baby, physical activity (PA)-level tends to decline in pregnancy. Overweight/obese and physically inactive women are two selected groups at increased risk of pregnancy complications. Thus, efficient strategies to maintain or increase PA-level in pregnancy and the postpartum period, especially among these women, are warranted. This secondary analysis examined the effect of a prenatal lifestyle-intervention on PA-level in late pregnancy and the first year postpartum, with subanalysis on initially physically active versus inactive and normal-weight versus overweight/obese women. Method The Norwegian Fit for Delivery (NFFD) randomized controlled trial included healthy primiparous women with singleton pregnancies and body mass index (BMI) ≥19 kg/m2 assigned to an intervention group, n = 303 (twice weekly group-exercises and dietary counseling) or a control group, n = 303 (standard prenatal care). The International Physical Activity Questionnaire short-form was used to assess PA-levels at inclusion (mean gestational week (GW) 16), GW 36, and six and 12 months postpartum. Results At GW 36, a positive intervention-effect with a significant between-group difference in total PA-level compared to time of inclusion was found for the total group (530 MET-min/week, p = 0.001) and the subgroups of normal-weight (533 MET-min/week, p = 0.003) and initially active women (717 MET-min/week, p<0.001). Intervention-effect was dependent on exercise-adherence among overweight/obese and inactive women. Compared to time of inclusion, the intervention groups maintained total PA-level at GW 36, while total PA-level decreased in the control groups. The PA-levels increased postpartum, but with no significant differences between the randomization groups. Conclusion The NFFD prenatal combined lifestyle intervention had a significant effect on TPA-level in late pregnancy among women entering pregnancy normal-weight or physically active, thereby preventing the downward trend typically seen during pregnancy. Intervention-effect among overweight/obese and physically inactive women was, however, dependent on exercise-adherence. Long-term intervention-effect was not observed in the postpartum period. PMID:29176762

Effect of a prenatal lifestyle intervention on physical activity level in late pregnancy and the first year postpartum.

PubMed

Sanda, Birgitte; Vistad, Ingvild; Sagedal, Linda Reme; Haakstad, Lene Annette Hagen; Lohne-Seiler, Hilde; Torstveit, Monica Klungland

2017-01-01

Despite documented health benefits for mother and baby, physical activity (PA)-level tends to decline in pregnancy. Overweight/obese and physically inactive women are two selected groups at increased risk of pregnancy complications. Thus, efficient strategies to maintain or increase PA-level in pregnancy and the postpartum period, especially among these women, are warranted. This secondary analysis examined the effect of a prenatal lifestyle-intervention on PA-level in late pregnancy and the first year postpartum, with subanalysis on initially physically active versus inactive and normal-weight versus overweight/obese women. The Norwegian Fit for Delivery (NFFD) randomized controlled trial included healthy primiparous women with singleton pregnancies and body mass index (BMI) ≥19 kg/m2 assigned to an intervention group, n = 303 (twice weekly group-exercises and dietary counseling) or a control group, n = 303 (standard prenatal care). The International Physical Activity Questionnaire short-form was used to assess PA-levels at inclusion (mean gestational week (GW) 16), GW 36, and six and 12 months postpartum. At GW 36, a positive intervention-effect with a significant between-group difference in total PA-level compared to time of inclusion was found for the total group (530 MET-min/week, p = 0.001) and the subgroups of normal-weight (533 MET-min/week, p = 0.003) and initially active women (717 MET-min/week, p<0.001). Intervention-effect was dependent on exercise-adherence among overweight/obese and inactive women. Compared to time of inclusion, the intervention groups maintained total PA-level at GW 36, while total PA-level decreased in the control groups. The PA-levels increased postpartum, but with no significant differences between the randomization groups. The NFFD prenatal combined lifestyle intervention had a significant effect on TPA-level in late pregnancy among women entering pregnancy normal-weight or physically active, thereby preventing the downward trend typically seen during pregnancy. Intervention-effect among overweight/obese and physically inactive women was, however, dependent on exercise-adherence. Long-term intervention-effect was not observed in the postpartum period.

The Beneficial Effects of Cognitive Training With Simple Calculation and Reading Aloud (SCRA) in the Elderly Postoperative Population: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

PubMed Central

Kulason, Kay; Nouchi, Rui; Hoshikawa, Yasushi; Noda, Masafumi; Okada, Yoshinori; Kawashima, Ryuta

2018-01-01

Background: There has been little research conducted regarding cognitive treatments for the elderly postsurgical population. Patients aged ≥60 years have an increased risk of postoperative cognitive decline, a condition in which cognitive functions are negatively affected. This cognitive decline can lead to a decline in quality of life. In order to maintain a high quality of life, the elderly postsurgical population may benefit from treatment to maintain and/or improve their cognitive functions. This pilot study investigates the effect of simple calculation and reading aloud (SCRA) cognitive training in elderly Japanese postsurgical patients. Methods: Elderly patients undergoing non-cardiovascular thoracic surgery under general anesthesia were recruited (n = 12). Subjects were randomly divided into two groups—one that receives 12 weeks of SCRA intervention, and a waitlisted control group. Before and after the intervention, we measured cognitive function [Mini-Mental Status Exam-Japanese (MMSE-J), Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB), computerized Cogstate Brief Battery (CBB)] and emotional state [General Health Questionnaire-12 (GHQ-12), Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), Quality of Life Scale-5 (QOL-5)]. Results: Group difference analyses using ANCOVA with permutation test showed that the intervention SCRA group had a significant improvement in FAB motor programming sub-score, GDS, and QOL-5 compared to the control group. Within-group analyses using Wilcoxon signed-rank test to compare baseline and follow-up showed that the SCRA intervention group total FAB scores, FAB motor programming sub-scores, and QOL-5 scores were significantly improved. Discussion: This pilot study showed that there are important implications for the beneficial effects of SCRA intervention on cognitive function and emotional state in the postoperative elderly population; however, further investigations are necessary to reach any conclusions. Trial registration: This study was registered with the University Hospital Medical Information Network (UMIN) Clinical Trial Registry (UMIN000019832). PMID:29643802

Hepatocyte transplantation for enzyme deficiency disease in congenic rats.

PubMed

Vroemen, J P; Buurman, W A; Heirwegh, K P; van der Linden, C J; Kootstra, G

1986-08-01

Long-term effects of hepatocyte transplantation (HTX) in the treatment of enzyme deficiency disease were studied. Congenic enzyme-deficient (R/APfd-j/j) and non-enzyme-deficient (R/APfd) rats were used as recipients and donors, respectively. The R/APfd-j/j rat strain is congenitally deficient of bilirubin uridyldiphosphate (UDP)-glucuronyl transferase. R/APfd-j/j rats underwent HTX by intrasplenic injection of 10(7) isolated R/APfd hepatocytes (group 1A). Another group of R/APfd-j/j rats was treated similarly, but underwent splenectomy after 11 weeks (group 1B). Controls consisted of R/APfd-j/j rats grafted with 10(7) R/APfd-j/j hepatocytes (group 2), and R/APfd-j/j rats that underwent a sham operation (group 3). Total plasma bilirubin (TB) levels were significantly reduced in groups 1A and 1B during the experiment (both P less than 0.01). In the control groups TB reduction was not observed. Bile analyses at 30 weeks after HTX showed that in group 1A 13.7 +/- 2.7% of total biliary bilirubin was conjugated. In group 1B a significantly lower fraction was conjugated: 6.6 +/- 1.1% (P less than 0.05). Conjugated bilirubin was not found in bile of groups 2 and 3. Histology showed survival of hepatocytes in all spleens of rats of groups 1A, 1B and 2. It is concluded that congenic hepatocytes from R/APfd donors are not rejected after transplantation into the R/APfd-j/j rat, and maintain long-term function. Splenectomy does not abolish, but does reduce, the therapeutic effect significantly, indicating that part of the transplanted hepatocytes maintains function in the enzyme-deficient host liver. The congenic R/APfd-j/j and R/APfd rat strains represent a new animal model for research in metabolic deficiency disease.

[Quality of life in children with cancer history and parental adaptation].

PubMed

Tilkin, C; Touchèque, M; Missotten, P; Etienne, A M

2014-11-01

This study assesses quality of life (Qol) in children with cancer history as well as Qol of their parents and examines the relationship between parental adjustment and children Qol. Two groups were formed: an experimental group composed by children with cancer antecedents and their parents and a control group with healthy children and their parents. Children have filled a questionnaire about their Qol. Parents have completed questionnaires about their coping, their illness perceptions, their parenting stress and their Qol. The results show that Qol was satisfactory and similar in both groups. Significant correlations were found between parental illness representations (threat and personal control) and children Qol as well as between coping strategies based on maintaining family cohesion and children Qol. This study highlights the need to assess the adjustment of parents after child cancer and to develop interventions targeting parental representations and coping strategies.

Strength and coordination training are both effective in reducing the postural tremor amplitude of older adults.

PubMed

Keogh, Justin W L; Morrison, Steve; Barrett, Rod

2010-01-01

The current study investigated the effect of 2 different types of unilateral resistance training on the postural tremor output of 19 neurologically healthy men age 70-80 yr. The strength- (n = 7) and coordination-training (n = 7) groups trained twice a week for 6 wk, performing dumbbell biceps curls, wrist flexions, and wrist extensions, while the control group (n = 5) maintained their normal activities. Changes in index-finger tremor (RMS amplitude, peak, and proportional power) and upper limb muscle coactivation were assessed during 4 postural conditions that were performed separately with the trained and untrained limbs. The 2 training groups experienced significantly greater reductions in mean RMS tremor amplitude, peak, and proportional tremor power 8-12 Hz and upper limb muscle coactivation, as well as greater increases in strength, than the control group. These results further demonstrate the benefits of resistance training for improving function in older adults.

Biofeedback-based self-alert training reduces alpha activity and stabilizes accuracy in the Sustained Attention to Response Task.

PubMed

Braun, Niclas; Debener, Stefan; Sölle, Ariane; Kranczioch, Cornelia; Hildebrandt, Helmut

2015-01-01

Deficits in sustaining attention are common in various organic brain diseases. A recent study proposed self-alert training (SAT) as a technique to improve sustained attention. In the SAT, individuals learn to gain volitional control over their own state of arousal by means of electrodermal biofeedback. In this study, we investigated the behavioral, electrodermal, and electroencephalogram correlates of the SAT with a blinded, randomized, and active-controlled pre-post study design. Sustained attention capacity was assessed with the Sustained Attention to Response Task (SART). The SAT resulted in strong phasic increases in skin conductance response (SCR), but endogenous control of SCR without feedback was problematic. Electroencephalogram analysis revealed stronger alpha reduction during SART for the SAT than for the control group. Behaviorally, the SAT group performed more accurately and more slowly after intervention than the control group. The study provides further evidence that SAT helps to maintain SART accuracy over prolonged periods of time. Whether this accuracy is more related to sustained attention or response inhibition is discussed.

Anesthesia maintenance with 'induction dose only' sevoflurane during pediatric ophthalmic examination: comparison with standard low-flow technique through a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Datta, Priyankar K; Sinha, Renu; Ray, Bikash Ranjan; Jambunathan, Venkateswaran; Kundu, Riddhi

2017-02-01

Sevoflurane is preferred for pediatric day care procedures. However, financial and environmental costs remain major limitations. Induction dose of sevoflurane could itself be sufficient for maintaining anesthesia with low fresh gas flow during short noninvasive procedures. Fifty children, aged 1-5 years, scheduled for ophthalmic examination under anesthesia, were randomized into two groups. All children were induced with 8% sevoflurane in O 2 : N 2 O (40 : 60). In the Group S, anesthesia was maintained with 2% sevoflurane at 1 l·min -1 fresh gas flow [O 2 : N 2 O = 50 : 50]. In Group L, the sevoflurane vaporizer was turned off and fresh gas flow was reduced to 0.5 l·min -1 [O 2 : N 2 O = 50 : 50]. HR, BP, MAC, BIS, total sevoflurane consumption, ocular deviation, body movement, time to laryngeal mask airway removal (T WO ), and airway complications were compared between the groups. Rescue propofol bolus was used, if needed. Median duration of examination was 14 min (IQR = 9-17) in Group S and 15 min (IQR = 10-17) in Group L. Sevoflurane consumption was lower in the Group L (7 ml) compared to Group S (9 ml) [median difference = 2 ml, P < 0.001, 95% CI = 0.96-3.04]. T WO was lower in Group L (86 s) compared to Group S (131 s) [median difference = 45 s, P = 0.002, 95% CI = 19.85-70.15]. There was no difference in hemodynamic parameters, incidence of ocular deviation, movement or airway complications, and need for rescue propofol. Induction dose of sevoflurane is, in itself, adequate for maintaining anesthesia for short noninvasive ophthalmic examinations lasting approximately 15 min. This method significantly reduces sevoflurane consumption and cost. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Haemodynamic stability during general anaesthesia for intra-ocular surgery: the effect of topical oxybuprocaine.

PubMed

Lytle, J; Thomas, N F

1992-07-01

Local anaesthesia is frequently used in combination with light general anaesthesia to reduce the reflex responses to surgical stimulation. This combination has not previously been evaluated for intra-ocular surgery. During cataract extraction under general anaesthesia, the effect of topical anaesthesia with oxybuprocaine 0.4% on the pressor response was compared with normal saline in a control group. The simple technique of instilling local anaesthetic drops into the conjunctival sac blocked the pain pathway sufficiently to prevent the pressor response to surgical stimulation (p less than 0.001). Higher inspired concentrations of enflurane were required in the control group to achieve and maintain haemodynamic stability (p less than 0.001).

Persistent Pain Maintains Morphine-Seeking Behavior after Morphine Withdrawal through Reduced MeCP2 Repression of Glua1 in Rat Central Amygdala

PubMed Central

Hou, Yuan-Yuan; Cai, You-Qing

2015-01-01

As long-term opioids are increasingly used for control of chronic pain, how pain affects the rewarding effect of opioids and hence risk of prescription opioid misuse and abuse remains a healthcare concern and a challenging issue in current pain management. In this study, using a rat model of morphine self-administration, we investigated the molecular mechanisms underlying the impact of pain on operant behavior of morphine intake and morphine seeking before and after morphine withdrawal. We found that rats with persistent pain consumed a similar amount of daily morphine to that in control rats without pain, but maintained their level-pressing behavior of morphine seeking after abstinence of morphine at 0.2 mg/kg, whereas this behavior was gradually diminished in control rats. In the central nucleus of amygdala (CeA), a limbic structure critically involved in the affective dimension of pain, proteins of GluA1 subunits of glutamate AMPA receptors were upregulated during morphine withdrawal, and viral knockdown of CeA GluA1 eliminated the morphine-seeking behavior in withdrawn rats of the pain group. Chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis revealed that the methyl CpG-binding protein 2 (MeCP2) was enriched in the promoter region of Gria1 encoding GluA1 and this enrichment was significantly attenuated in withdrawn rats of the pain group. Furthermore, viral overexpression of CeA MeCP2 repressed the GluA1 level and eliminated the maintenance of morphine-seeking behavior after morphine withdrawal. These results suggest direct MeCp2 repression of GluA1 function as a likely mechanism for morphine-seeking behavior maintained by long-lasting affective pain after morphine withdrawal. PMID:25716866

Spaceport Command and Control System Automation Testing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Plano, Tom

2017-01-01

The goal of automated testing is to create and maintain a cohesive infrastructure of robust tests that could be run independently on a software package in its entirety. To that end, the Spaceport Command and Control System (SCCS) project at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Kennedy Space Center (KSC) has brought in a large group of interns to work side-by-side with full time employees to do just this work. Thus, our job is to implement the tests that will put SCCS through its paces.

A randomized trial of the effect of prayer on depression and anxiety.

PubMed

Boelens, Peter A; Reeves, Roy R; Replogle, William H; Koenig, Harold G

2009-01-01

To investigate the effect of direct contact person-to-person prayer on depression, anxiety, positive emotions, and salivary cortisol levels. Cross-over clinical trial with depression or anxiety conducted in an office setting. Following randomization to the prayer intervention or control groups, subjects (95% women) completed Hamilton Rating Scales for Depression and Anxiety, Life Orientation Test, Daily Spiritual Experiences Scale, and underwent measurement of cortisol levels. Individuals in the direct person-to-person prayer contact intervention group received six weekly 1-hour prayer sessions while those in the control group received none. Rating scales and cortisol levels were repeated for both groups after completion of the prayer sessions, and a month later. ANOVAs were used to compare pre- and post-prayer measures for each group. At the completion of the trial, participants receiving the prayer intervention showed significant improvement of depression and anxiety, as well as increases of daily spiritual experiences and optimism compared to controls (p < 0.01 in all cases). Subjects in the prayer group maintained these significant improvements (p < 0.01 in all cases) for a duration of at least 1 month after the final prayer session. Participants in the control group did not show significant changes during the study. Cortisol levels did not differ significantly between intervention and control groups, or between pre- and post-prayer conditions. Direct contact person-to-person prayer may be useful as an adjunct to standard medical care for patients with depression and anxiety. Further research in this area is indicated.

Neurocranial morphology and growth in Williams syndrome.

PubMed

Axelsson, Stefan; Kjaer, Inger; Heiberg, Arvid; Bjørnland, Tore; Storhaug, Kari

2005-02-01

Williams syndrome (WS) is a rare congenital neurodevelopmental disorder with distinctive facial features, cardiovascular abnormalities, short stature, mental retardation, and behaviour and cognitive characteristics. The aim of this study was to describe the neurocranial morphology and growth in a group of 62 individuals with WS. The neurocranium was analysed on lateral cephalograms and comparisons were made with neurocranial standards from longitudinal data derived from the Oslo University Craniofacial Growth Archive. The size and morphology of the neurocranium in WS subjects differed from controls. Females as a group showed greater differences than males. The posterior cranial base length was shorter in both WS males and females, and the anterior cranial base length was shorter in WS females whereas it was close to normal in the WS male group. The cranial base angle was, however, not different from the control groups. A flattening was seen in the superior aspect of the parietal bone in both WS males and females. In the posterior part of the neurocranium, the prominence of the occipital bone was larger than in the control groups, which was also reflected in a larger total length of the neurocranium. The thickness of the frontal and occipital bones was considerably greater than in the control group. The deviant size and morphology of the neurocranium in WS subjects was already established in the youngest age group and maintained throughout the observation period. The growth pattern of the neurocranium in WS subjects seemed to be similar to that of the control groups, except in a few individuals.

Nerve growth factor-enhanced airway responsiveness involves substance P in ferret intrinsic airway neurons.

PubMed

Wu, Z-X; Dey, R D

2006-07-01

Nerve growth factor (NGF), a member of the neurotrophin family, enhances synthesis of neuropeptides in sensory and sympathetic neurons. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of NGF on airway responsiveness and determine whether these effects are mediated through synthesis and release of substance P (SP) from the intrinsic airway neurons. Ferrets were instilled intratracheally with NGF or saline. Tracheal smooth muscle contractility to methacholine and electrical field stimulation (EFS) was assessed in vitro. Contractions of isolated tracheal smooth muscle to EFS at 10 and 30 Hz were significantly increased in the NGF treatment group (10 Hz: 33.57 +/- 2.44%; 30 Hz: 40.12 +/- 2.78%) compared with the control group (10 Hz: 27.24 +/- 2.14%; 30 Hz: 33.33 +/- 2.31%). However, constrictive response to cholinergic agonist was not significantly altered between the NGF treatment group and the control group. The NGF-induced modulation of airway smooth muscle to EFS was maintained in tracheal segments cultured for 24 h, a procedure that causes a significant anatomic and functional loss of SP-containing sensory fibers while maintaining viability of intrinsic airway neurons. The number of SP-containing neurons in longitudinal trunk and superficial muscular plexus and SP nerve fiber density in tracheal smooth muscle all increased significantly in cultured trachea treated with NGF. Pretreatment with CP-99994, an antagonist of neurokinin 1 receptor, attenuated the NGF-induced increased contraction to EFS in cultured segments but had no effect in saline controls. These results show that the NGF-enhanced airway smooth muscle contractile responses to EFS are mediated by the actions of SP released from intrinsic airway neurons.

An Internet- and mobile-based tailored intervention to enhance maintenance of physical activity after cardiac rehabilitation: short-term results of a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Antypas, Konstantinos; Wangberg, Silje C

2014-03-11

An increase in physical activity for secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease and cardiac rehabilitation has multiple therapeutic benefits, including decreased mortality. Internet- and mobile-based interventions for physical activity have shown promising results in helping users increase or maintain their level of physical activity in general and specifically in secondary prevention of cardiovascular diseases and cardiac rehabilitation. One component related to the efficacy of these interventions is tailoring of the content to the individual. Our trial assessed the effect of a longitudinally tailored Internet- and mobile-based intervention for physical activity as an extension of a face-to-face cardiac rehabilitation stay. We hypothesized that users of the tailored intervention would maintain their physical activity level better than users of the nontailored version. The study population included adult participants of a cardiac rehabilitation program in Norway with home Internet access and a mobile phone. The participants were randomized in monthly clusters to a tailored or nontailored (control) intervention group. All participants had access to a website with information regarding cardiac rehabilitation, an online discussion forum, and an online activity calendar. Those using the tailored intervention received tailored content based on models of health behavior via the website and mobile fully automated text messages. The main outcome was self-reported level of physical activity, which was obtained using an online international physical activity questionnaire at baseline, at discharge, and at 1 month and 3 months after discharge from the cardiac rehabilitation program. Included in the study were 69 participants. One month after discharge, the tailored intervention group (n=10) had a higher median level of overall physical activity (median 2737.5, IQR 4200.2) than the control group (n=14, median 1650.0, IQR 2443.5), but the difference was not significant (Kolmogorov-Smirnov Z=0.823, P=.38, r=.17). At 3 months after discharge, the tailored intervention group (n=7) had a significantly higher median level of overall physical activity (median 5613.0, IQR 2828.0) than the control group (n=12, median 1356.0, IQR 2937.0; Kolmogorov-Smirnov Z=1.397, P=.02, r=.33). The median adherence was 45.0 (95% CI 0.0-169.8) days for the tailored group and 111.0 (95% CI 45.1-176.9) days for the control group; however, the difference was not significant (P=.39). There were no statistically significant differences between the 2 groups in stage of change, self-efficacy, social support, perceived tailoring, anxiety, or depression. Because of the small sample size and the high attrition rate at the follow-up visits, we cannot make conclusions regarding the efficacy of our approach, but the results indicate that the tailored version of the intervention may have contributed to the long-term higher physical activity maintained after cardiac rehabilitation by participants receiving the tailored intervention compared with those receiving the nontailored intervention. ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01223170; http://clinicaltrials.gov/show/NCT01223170 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6Nch4ldcL).

Effects of Ving Tsun Chinese martial art training on musculoskeletal health, balance performance, and self-efficacy in community-dwelling older adults.

PubMed

Lip, Ryan W T; Fong, Shirley S M; Ng, Shamay S M; Liu, Karen P Y; Guo, X

2015-03-01

[Purpose] The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of Ving Tsun (VT) Chinese martial art training on radial bone strength, upper- and lower-limb muscular strength, shoulder joint mobility, balance performance, and self-efficacy in elderly participants. [Subjects and Methods] Twelve seniors voluntarily joined the VT training group, and twenty-seven seniors voluntarily joined the control group. The VT group received VT training for three months, while the control group received no training. The bone strength of the distal radius was assessed using an ultrasound bone sonometer. Muscular strength in the limbs was evaluated using a Jamar handgrip dynamometer and the five times sit-to-stand test. Shoulder joint mobility was examined using a goniometer. Balance performance and self-efficacy were evaluated using the Berg Balance Scale and the Chinese version of the Activities-specific Balance Confidence Scale, respectively. [Results] The results revealed a nonsignificant group-by-time interaction effect, group effect, and time effect for all outcome variables. However, general trends of maintenance or improvement in all outcome parameters were observed to a greater extent in the VT group than in the control group. [Conclusion] VT training might be a potential fall-prevention exercise that can be used to maintain general physique, balance, and confidence in the elderly population. A further randomized controlled trial is needed to confirm this postulation.

Effects of Ving Tsun Chinese martial art training on musculoskeletal health, balance performance, and self-efficacy in community-dwelling older adults

PubMed Central

Lip, Ryan W.T.; Fong, Shirley S.M.; Ng, Shamay S.M.; Liu, Karen P.Y.; Guo, X.

2015-01-01

[Purpose] The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of Ving Tsun (VT) Chinese martial art training on radial bone strength, upper- and lower-limb muscular strength, shoulder joint mobility, balance performance, and self-efficacy in elderly participants. [Subjects and Methods] Twelve seniors voluntarily joined the VT training group, and twenty-seven seniors voluntarily joined the control group. The VT group received VT training for three months, while the control group received no training. The bone strength of the distal radius was assessed using an ultrasound bone sonometer. Muscular strength in the limbs was evaluated using a Jamar handgrip dynamometer and the five times sit-to-stand test. Shoulder joint mobility was examined using a goniometer. Balance performance and self-efficacy were evaluated using the Berg Balance Scale and the Chinese version of the Activities-specific Balance Confidence Scale, respectively. [Results] The results revealed a nonsignificant group-by-time interaction effect, group effect, and time effect for all outcome variables. However, general trends of maintenance or improvement in all outcome parameters were observed to a greater extent in the VT group than in the control group. [Conclusion] VT training might be a potential fall-prevention exercise that can be used to maintain general physique, balance, and confidence in the elderly population. A further randomized controlled trial is needed to confirm this postulation. PMID:25931704

[Effects of VIMANG on various markers of HIV-1 progression in Cuban patients].

PubMed

Santos, Lissette Pérez; Aguirre, Sonia Resik; Fernández, Reynel Cancio; Robaina, Maité; del Valle, Lizette Gil

2003-01-01

68 patients divided into 2 groups were studied, one that received VIMANG during 6 months and another that was administered placebo. Titers of anti-p24 antibodies and concentration of antigen p24 were measured at 0 and 6 months. The differences found in the behavior of the titers of the antibodies between both groups were not significant, although the TPG were maintained in the group receiving VIMANG. In the placebo group, 2 patients elevated the antigen concentration and 2 were positive for this marker, whereas in the study group the Ag disappeared in a patient who became positive but with values 3 and 4 times lower than in the 2 patients of the control group, where it increased.

L-arginine and glycine supplementation in the repair of the irradiated colonic wall of rats.

PubMed

de Aguiar Picanço, Etiene; Lopes-Paulo, Francisco; Marques, Ruy G; Diestel, Cristina F; Caetano, Carlos Eduardo R; de Souza, Mônica Vieira Mano; Moscoso, Gabriela Mendes; Pazos, Helena Maria F

2011-05-01

Radiotherapy is widely used for cancer treatment but has harmful effects. This study aimed to assess the effects of L-arginine and glycine supplementation on the colon wall of rats submitted to abdominal irradiation. Forty male Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups: I-healthy, II-irradiated with no amino acid supplementation, III-irradiated and supplemented with L-arginine, and IV-irradiated and supplemented with glycine. The animals received supplementation for 14 days, with irradiation being applied on the eighth day of the experiment. All animals underwent laparotomy on the 15th day for resection of a colonic segment for stereologic analysis. Parametric and nonparametric tests were used for statistical analysis, with the level of significance set at p ≤0.05. Stereologic analysis showed that irradiation induced a reduction of the total volume of the colon wall of group II and III animals compared to healthy controls, but not of group IV animals supplemented with glycine. The mucosal layer of the irradiated animals of all groups was reduced compared to healthy group I animals, but supplementation with L-arginine and glycine was effective in maintaining the epithelial surface of the mucosal layer. The present results suggest that glycine supplementation had a superior effect on the irradiated colon wall compared to L-arginine supplementation since it was able to maintain the thickness of the wall and the epithelial surface of the mucosa, whereas L-arginine maintained the partial volume of the epithelium and the epithelial surface, but not the total volume of the intestinal wall.

A Therapeutic Workplace for the Long-Term Treatment of Drug Addiction and Unemployment: Eight-Year Outcomes of a Social Business Intervention

PubMed Central

Aklin, Will M.; Wong, Conrad J.; Hampton, Jacqueline; Svikis, Dace S.; Stitzer, Maxine L.; Bigelow, George E.; Silverman, Kenneth

2014-01-01

This study evaluated the long-term effects of a Therapeutic Workplace social business on drug abstinence and employment. Pregnant and postpartum women (N=40) enrolled in methadone treatment were randomly assigned to a Therapeutic Workplace or Usual Care Control group. Therapeutic Workplace participants could work weekdays in training and then as employees of a social business, but were required to provide drug-free urine samples to work and maintain maximum pay. Three-year outcomes were reported previously. This paper reports 4- to 8- year outcomes. During year 4 when the business was open, Therapeutic Workplace participants provided significantly more cocaine- and opiate-negative urine samples than controls; reported more days employed, higher employment income, and less money spent on drugs. During the 3 years after the business closed, Therapeutic Workplace participants only reported higher income than controls. A Therapeutic Workplace social business can maintain long-term abstinence and employment, but additional intervention may be required to sustain effects. PMID:25124257

Quality control and improvement of cancer care: what is needed? 4th European Roundtable Meeting (ERTM) May 5th, 2017, Berlin, Germany.

PubMed

Ortmann, Olaf; Helbig, Ulrike; Torode, Julie; Schreck, Stefan; Karjalainen, Sakari; Bettio, Manola; Ringborg, Ulrik; Klinkhammer-Schalke, Monika; Bray, Freddy

2018-06-01

National Cancer Control Plans (NCCPs) often describe structural requirements for high quality cancer care. During the fourth European Roundtable Meeting (ERTM) participants shared learnings from their own national setting to formulate best practice in optimizing communication strategies between parties involved in clinical cancer registries, cancer centers and guideline groups. A decentralized model of data collection close to the patient and caregiver enhances timely completion and the quality of the data captured. Nevertheless, central coordination is necessary to define datasets, indicators, standard settings, education, training and quality control to maintain standards across the network. In particular, interaction of parties in cancer care network has to be established and maintained on a regular basis. After establishing the structural requirements of cancer care networks, communication between the different components and parties is required to analyze outcome data, provide regular reporting to all and develop strategies for continuous improvement of quality across the network.

[The improvement of the abilities to maintain motor coordination and equilibrium in the students presenting with the functional disorders of the musculoskeletal system by introducing the elements of therapeutic physical training into the structure of academic schedule of physical education].

PubMed

Kapilevich, L V; Davlet'yarova, K V; Ovchinnikova, N A

The problem of deterioration of the health status in the university students at present remains as topical as it was before being a major cause of impaired working capacity, disability and/or poor social adaptation of the large number of graduates. It has been proposed to introduce a class of therapeutic physical training (TPT) into the schedule of physical education for the students. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the formation of the skills needed to maintain motor coordination and equilibrium in the students presenting with the functional disorders of the musculoskeletal system (MSS) including scoliosis by the introduction of the elements of therapeutic physical training into their academic schedules. The main study group was comprised of 32 students (men) at the age of 18-19 years presenting with the disorders of the musculoskeletal system (type III scoliosis, osteochondropathy, and osteochondrosis). The students of this group received a curriculum aimed at improving their motor skills with the emphasis laid on the selected elements of therapeutic physical training. The control group was composed of 17 students without disorders of the musculoskeletal system who attended the physical education classes following the traditional program. The coordination abilities and balance skills were evaluated based on the analysis with the use of the Stabilan-1 stabilographic apparatus. In addition, the stability test and the Romberg test with open and closed eyes were performed. The results of the study give evidence that the introduction of the elements of therapeutic physical training into the structure of academic schedule of physical education for the students suffering from diseases of the musculoskeletal system has beneficial effect on the parameters of stability and the general ability to maintain the posture and balance. Specifically, in the beginning of the academic year, the students of the main study group presenting with the locomotor problems (the scatter of the manifest disorders in the frontal and sagittal planes, the mean amplitude and velocity of fluctuations of the center of pressure, the area of the projection of the center of pressure displacements as well as the quality of the equilibrium function that characterizes the ability to maintain the posture) were significantly different from the respective characteristics in the control group (p<0,05). After the course of therapeutic physical training given during the academic year, the scatter of the manifestations in the frontal and sagittal planes as well as the role of the visual control in the maintenance of balance decreased significantly. The present study has demonstrated that the introduction of the elements of therapeutic physical training into the structure of academic schedule of physical education for the students presenting with the functional disorders of the locomotor apparatus exerts the positive influence on the parameters characterizing stability and the ability to maintain the posture as well as equilibrium at large. Such beneficial effect is apparent in the form of reduction of the amplitude and velocity of fluctuations of the centre of pressure, the decrease in the area of projection of its displacements, and the improvement of the quality of the equilibrium function that characterizes the ability to maintain the posture. Moreover, the ratio of spreading in the frontal and sagittal planes decreases, and the role of the visual control in the maintenance of equilibrium becomes diminished. The results of the study give grounds for recommending the introduction of the elements of therapeutic physical training into the learning process of students presenting with diseases of the musculoskeletal system.

A Telerehabilitation Program Improves Postural Control in Multiple Sclerosis Patients: A Spanish Preliminary Study

PubMed Central

Ortiz-Gutiérrez, Rosa; Cano-de-la-Cuerda, Roberto; Galán-del-Río, Fernando; Alguacil-Diego, Isabel María; Palacios-Ceña, Domingo; Miangolarra-Page, Juan Carlos

2013-01-01

Postural control disorders are among the most frequent motor disorder symptoms associated with multiple sclerosis. This study aims to demonstrate the potential improvements in postural control among patients with multiple sclerosis who complete a telerehabilitation program that represents a feasible alternative to physical therapy for situations in which conventional treatment is not available. Fifty patients were recruited. Control group (n = 25) received physiotherapy treatment twice a week (40 min per session). Experimental group (n = 25) received monitored telerehabilitation treatment via videoconference using the Xbox 360® and Kinect console. Experimental group attended 40 sessions, four sessions per week (20 min per session).The treatment schedule lasted 10 weeks for both groups. A computerized dynamic posturography (Sensory Organization Test) was used to evaluate all patients at baseline and at the end of the treatment protocol. Results showed an improvement over general balance in both groups. Visual preference and the contribution of vestibular information yielded significant differences in the experimental group. Our results demonstrated that a telerehabilitation program based on a virtual reality system allows one to optimize the sensory information processing and integration systems necessary to maintain the balance and postural control of people with multiple sclerosis. We suggest that our virtual reality program enables anticipatory PC and response mechanisms and might serve as a successful therapeutic alternative in situations in which conventional therapy is not readily available. PMID:24185843

Effects of Yoga on Heart Rate Variability and Depressive Symptoms in Women: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

PubMed

Chu, I-Hua; Wu, Wen-Lan; Lin, I-Mei; Chang, Yu-Kai; Lin, Yuh-Jen; Yang, Pin-Chen

2017-04-01

The purpose of the study was to investigate the effects of a 12-week yoga program on heart rate variability (HRV) and depressive symptoms in depressed women. This was a randomized controlled trial. Twenty-six sedentary women scoring ≥14 on the Beck Depression Inventory-II were randomized to either the yoga or the control group. The yoga group completed a 12-week yoga program, which took place twice a week for 60 min per session and consisted of breathing exercises, yoga pose practice, and supine meditation/relaxation. The control group was instructed not to engage in any yoga practice and to maintain their usual level of physical activity during the course of the study. Participants' HRV, depressive symptoms, and perceived stress were assessed at baseline and post-test. The yoga group had a significant increase in high-frequency HRV and decreases in low-frequency HRV and low frequency/high frequency ratio after the intervention. The yoga group also reported significantly reduced depressive symptoms and perceived stress. No change was found in the control group. A 12-week yoga program was effective in increasing parasympathetic tone and reducing depressive symptoms and perceived stress in women with elevated depressive symptoms. Regular yoga practice may be recommended for women to cope with their depressive symptoms and stress and to improve their HRV.

Effects of a high walnut and high cashew nut diet on selected markers of the metabolic syndrome: a controlled feeding trial.

PubMed

Mukuddem-Petersen, Janine; Stonehouse Oosthuizen, Welma; Jerling, Johann C; Hanekom, Susanna M; White, Zelda

2007-06-01

We investigated the effects of a high walnut diet and a high unsalted cashew nut diet on selected markers of the metabolic syndrome. In a randomized, parallel, controlled study design, sixty-four subjects having the metabolic syndrome (twenty-nine men, thirty-five women) with a mean age of 45 (sd 10) years and who met the selection criteria were all fed a 3-week run-in control diet. Hereafter, participants were grouped according to gender and age and then randomized into three groups receiving a controlled feeding diet including walnuts, or unsalted cashew nuts or no nuts for 8 weeks. Subjects were required to have lunch at the metabolic ward of the Nutrition Department of the North-West University (Potchefstroom Campus). Both the walnut and the unsalted cashew nut intervention diets had no significant effect on the HDL-cholesterol, TAG, total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, serum fructosamine, serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, blood pressure and serum uric acid concentrations when compared to the control diet. Low baseline LDL-cholesterol concentrations in the cashew nut group may have masked a possible nut-related benefit. Plasma glucose concentrations increased significantly (P = 0.04) in the cashew nut group compared to the control group. By contrast, serum fructosamine was unchanged in the cashew nut group while the control group had significantly increased (P = 0.04) concentrations of this short-term marker of glycaemic control. Subjects displayed no improvement in the markers of the metabolic syndrome after following a walnut diet or a cashew nut diet compared to a control diet while maintaining body weight.

Maintaining consistency in distributed systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Birman, Kenneth P.

1991-01-01

In systems designed as assemblies of independently developed components, concurrent access to data or data structures normally arises within individual programs, and is controlled using mutual exclusion constructs, such as semaphores and monitors. Where data is persistent and/or sets of operation are related to one another, transactions or linearizability may be more appropriate. Systems that incorporate cooperative styles of distributed execution often replicate or distribute data within groups of components. In these cases, group oriented consistency properties must be maintained, and tools based on the virtual synchrony execution model greatly simplify the task confronting an application developer. All three styles of distributed computing are likely to be seen in future systems - often, within the same application. This leads us to propose an integrated approach that permits applications that use virtual synchrony with concurrent objects that respect a linearizability constraint, and vice versa. Transactional subsystems are treated as a special case of linearizability.

Resilience at Information Processing Level in Older Adults: Maintained Attention for Happy Faces when Positive Mood is Low.

PubMed

Demeyer, Ineke; Urbain, Inke; De Raedt, Rudi

2017-10-30

Even though ageing is associated with declining cognitive capabilities, research has demonstrated an age-related improvement in affective well-being. This improvement can be related to increased resilience, developing as changes in emotion regulation at information-processing level. During negative mood, emotion regulation becomes a priority as demonstrated by an increased preference for positive over negative information in older adults. However, the effect of a positive mood on older adult's attentional preferences has not been established yet. To investigate this, 37 older adults were randomly assigned to a relaxation or a control condition (music). Mood state was assessed before and after the manipulation. Attentional bias was measured by an exogenous cueing task, in which the location of the target was correctly or incorrectly cued by happy, sad or neutral facial pictures. Both groups showed a decrease in negative mood (p < .001, 95% CI [2.73, 5.97], d = .82) without changes in positive mood. The relaxation group showed a significantly bigger increase in feeling relaxed (p = .017, η2 p = .15). No significant group differences were found for attentional bias. However, over the whole group, less positive mood after the manipulation was associated with more maintained attention for positive information (r = -.49, p < .01). These results indicate that older adults deploy emotion regulation strategies in attention during low positive mood. Flexible attentional processing of emotional information might serve as a resilience factor to maintain well-being during later stages of life.

Dexmedetomidine improves neurologic outcome from incomplete ischemia in the rat. Reversal by the alpha 2-adrenergic antagonist atipamezole.

PubMed

Hoffman, W E; Kochs, E; Werner, C; Thomas, C; Albrecht, R F

1991-08-01

Dexmedetomidine is an alpha 2-adrenergic agonist that decreases central sympathetic activity and reduces the anesthetic requirement for halothane. We evaluated the effect of dexmedetomidine on neurologic and histopathologic outcome from incomplete cerebral ischemia in the rat. Anesthesia was maintained with a 25-micrograms.kg-1.h-1 fentanyl infusion combined with 70% nitrous oxide. Incomplete ischemia was produced by unilateral carotid artery ligation combined with hemorrhagic hypotension to 35 mmHg for 30 min. Arterial blood gas tensions, pH, and head temperature were maintained at normal levels during the experiment. Four ischemic groups were tested: group 1 (n = 15) received an intraperitoneal (ip) saline injection (control); group 2 (n = 10) received an ip injection of 10 micrograms/kg dexmedetomidine 30 min before ischemia; group 3 (n = 10) received 100 micrograms/kg dexmedetomidine; and group 4 (n = 10) received 100 micrograms/kg dexmedetomidine plus 1 mg/kg atipamezole (an alpha 2-adrenergic antagonist). Neurologic outcome was evaluated for 3 days using a graded deficit score. Histopathology was evaluated in coronal section in caudate and hippocampal tissue segments. Dexmedetomidine (10 and 100 micrograms/kg) significantly decreased plasma catecholamines and improved neurologic and histopathologic outcome in a dose-dependent manner compared to control rats (P less than 0.05). Atipamezole abolished the decrease in catecholamines and the improvement in outcome seen with dexmedetomidine, confirming that these effects were mediated by alpha 2-adrenergic receptors. It is concluded that alpha 2-adrenoreceptor stimulation decreases sympathetic activity and decreases ischemic injury in a model of incomplete cerebral ischemia.

Effect of Ginseng on Calretinin Expression in Mouse Hippocampus Following Exposure to 835 MHz Radiofrequency

PubMed Central

Aryal, Bijay; Maskey, Dhiraj; Kim, Myeung-Ju; Yang, Jae-Won; Kim, Hyung-Gun

2011-01-01

Exponential rise in the use of mobile communication devices has generated health concerns due to radiofrequency (RF) exposure due to its close proximity to the head. Calcium binding proteins like calretinin regulate the levels of calcium (Ca2+) which plays an important role in biological systems. Ginseng is known for maintaining equilibrium in the human body and may play a beneficial radioprotectant role against electromagnetic field (EMF) exposure. In the present study, we evaluated the radioprotective effects of red ginseng (RG) extract in a mouse model. Calretinin (CR) expression was measured using a free-floating immunohistochemical method in the hippocampus of mice after 835 MHz EMF exposure for 5 h/d for 5 d at specific absorption rate=1.6 W/kg for the different experimental groups. The control animals were treated with NaCl while the experimental animals received 10 mg/kg ginseng, or 30 mg/kg; EMF exposed mice were also treated with NaCl, 10 mg/kg ginseng (E10), or 30 mg/kg (E30). Decreases in CR immunoreactivity (IR) along with loss of CA1 and CA3 interneurons and infragranular cells were observed in the ENaCl group while such losses were not observed in the E10 and E30 groups. CR IR significantly increased in the RG-treated group compared to control and EMF-exposed groups treated with NaCl. The study demonstrates that RG extract can serve as a radioprotective agent that maintains Ca2+ homeostasis and prevents neuronal loss in the brain hippocampal region caused by RF exposure. PMID:23717055

Physiotherapy and physical functioning post-stroke: exercise habits and functioning 4 years later? Long-term follow-up after a 1-year long-term intervention period: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Langhammer, Birgitta; Lindmark, Birgitta; Stanghelle, Johan K

2014-01-01

Physical activity is mandatory if patients are to remain healthy and independent after stroke. Maintenance of motor function, tone, grip strength, balance, mobility, gait, independence in personal and instrumental activities of daily living, health-related quality-of-life and an active lifestyle 4 years post-stroke. A prospective randomized controlled trial. Four years post-stroke, 37 of the 75 participating persons were eligible for follow-up; 19 (54.3%) from the intensive exercise group and 18 (45%) from the regular exercise group. Both groups were performing equally well with no significant differences in total scores on the BI (p = 0.3), MAS (p = 0.4), BBS (p = 0.1), TUG (p = 0.08), 6MWT (p = 0.1), bilateral grip strength (affected hand, p = 0.8; non-affected hand, p = 0.9) nor in the items of NHP (p > 0.005). Independence in performing the IADL was 40%, while 60% had help from relatives or community-based services. This longitudinal study shows that persons with stroke in two groups with different exercise regimes during the first year after stroke did not differ in long-term outcomes. Both groups maintained function and had a relatively active life style 4 years after the acute incident. The results underline the importance of follow-up testing and encouragement to exercise, to motivate and sustain physical activity patterns, to maintain physical function, not only in the acute but also in the chronic phase of stroke.

Effectiveness of melatonin and controlled internal drug release device treatment on reproductive performance of buffalo heifers during out-of-breeding season under tropical conditions.

PubMed

Ramadan, T A; Sharma, R K; Phulia, S K; Balhara, A K; Ghuman, S S; Singh, I

2014-12-01

Sixteen Murrah buffalo heifers, divided into control and treatment groups of eight animals each, were used to study the effect of melatonin and controlled internal drug release (CIDR) device treatment on the resumption of ovarian activity during out-of-breeding season (summer solstice). Treated group was implanted with melatonin (18 mg of melatonin per 50 kg of body weight) for 45 days and then heifers of both groups received CIDR for 9 days. All heifers received intramuscular 500 IU eCG on the day before CIDR removal and 10 μg GnRH on the day after CIDR withdrawal. All animals were subjected to estrus detection daily. Blood sampling in conjunction with transrectal ultrasonography were performed twice weekly to determine serum concentrations of melatonin, progesterone, LH, and antioxidant enzyme activities, as well as to monitor the ovarian follicular activity. Melatonin treatment resulted in an increase (P < 0.01) in serum melatonin and a decrease (P < 0.01) in serum progesterone and LH. In addition, melatonin had no significant effect on the frequency of LH pulses. Furthermore, melatonin treatment increased (P < 0.01) the diameter of the largest follicle and the number of large follicles between Days 0 and 35 of melatonin treatment. However, melatonin exhibited superior ability to maintain CL at 21 days after artificial insemenation (AI) and increased the percentage of conception to threefold higher than control. In conclusion, melatonin implantation successfully improved the diameter of largest follicles and the ability to maintain CL at 21 days after AI in buffalo heifers during out-of-breeding season under tropical conditions. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effects of a continuum of care intervention on frail older persons' life satisfaction: a randomized controlled study.

PubMed

Berglund, Helene; Hasson, Henna; Kjellgren, Karin; Wilhelmson, Katarina

2015-04-01

The aim of this study was to analyse effects of a comprehensive continuum of care (intervention group) on frail older persons' life satisfaction, as compared to those receiving usual care (control group). The intervention included geriatric assessment, case management, interprofessional collaboration, support for relatives and organising of care-planning meetings in older persons' own homes. Improvements in older persons' subjective well-being have been shown in studies including care planning and coordination by a case manager. However, effects of more complex continuum of care interventions on frail older persons' life satisfaction are not well explored. Randomised controlled study. The validated LiSat-11 scale was used in face-to-face interviews to assess older persons' life satisfaction at baseline and at three, six and 12 months after the baseline. The odds ratio for improving or maintaining satisfaction was compared for intervention and control groups from baseline to three-month, three- to six-month as well as six- to 12-month follow-ups. Older persons who received the intervention were more likely to improve or maintain satisfaction than those who received usual care, between 6 and 12 month follow-ups, for satisfaction regarding functional capacity, psychological health and financial situation. A comprehensive continuum of care intervention comprising several components had a positive effect on frail older persons' satisfaction with functional capacity, psychological health and financial situation. Frail older persons represent a great proportion of the persons in need of support from the health care system. Health care professionals need to consider continuum of care interventions' impact on life satisfaction. As life satisfaction is an essential part of older persons' well-being, we propose that policy makers and managers promote comprehensive continuum of care solutions. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Study protocol: a cluster randomised controlled trial of a school based fruit and vegetable intervention – Project Tomato

PubMed Central

Kitchen, Meaghan S; Ransley, Joan K; Greenwood, Darren C; Clarke, Graham P; Conner, Mark T; Jupp, Jennifer; Cade, Janet E

2009-01-01

Background The School Fruit and Vegetable Scheme (SFVS) is an important public health intervention. The aim of this scheme is to provide a free piece of fruit and/or vegetable every day for children in Reception to Year 2. When children are no longer eligible for the scheme (from Year 3) their overall fruit and vegetable consumption decreases back to baseline levels. This proposed study aims to design a flexible multi-component intervention for schools to support the maintenance of fruit and vegetable consumption for Year 3 children who are no longer eligible for the scheme. Method This study is a cluster randomised controlled trial of Year 2 classes from 54 primary schools across England. The schools will be randomly allocated into two groups to receive either an active intervention called Project Tomato, to support maintenance of fruit intake in Year 3 children, or a less active intervention (control group), consisting of a 5 A DAY booklet. Children's diets will be analysed using the Child And Diet Evaluation Tool (CADET), and height and weight measurements collected, at baseline (Year 2) and 18 month follow-up (Year 4). The primary outcome will be the ability of the intervention (Project Tomato) to maintain consumption of fruit and vegetable portions compared to the control group. Discussion A positive result will identify how fruit and vegetable consumption can be maintained in young children, and will be useful for policies supporting the SFVS. A negative result would be used to inform the research agenda and contribute to redefining future strategies for increasing children's fruit and vegetable consumption. Trial registration Medical Research Council Registry code G0501297 PMID:19531246

Study protocol: a cluster randomised controlled trial of a school based fruit and vegetable intervention - Project Tomato.

PubMed

Kitchen, Meaghan S; Ransley, Joan K; Greenwood, Darren C; Clarke, Graham P; Conner, Mark T; Jupp, Jennifer; Cade, Janet E

2009-06-16

The School Fruit and Vegetable Scheme (SFVS) is an important public health intervention. The aim of this scheme is to provide a free piece of fruit and/or vegetable every day for children in Reception to Year 2. When children are no longer eligible for the scheme (from Year 3) their overall fruit and vegetable consumption decreases back to baseline levels. This proposed study aims to design a flexible multi-component intervention for schools to support the maintenance of fruit and vegetable consumption for Year 3 children who are no longer eligible for the scheme. This study is a cluster randomised controlled trial of Year 2 classes from 54 primary schools across England. The schools will be randomly allocated into two groups to receive either an active intervention called Project Tomato, to support maintenance of fruit intake in Year 3 children, or a less active intervention (control group), consisting of a 5 A DAY booklet. Children's diets will be analysed using the Child And Diet Evaluation Tool (CADET), and height and weight measurements collected, at baseline (Year 2) and 18 month follow-up (Year 4). The primary outcome will be the ability of the intervention (Project Tomato) to maintain consumption of fruit and vegetable portions compared to the control group. A positive result will identify how fruit and vegetable consumption can be maintained in young children, and will be useful for policies supporting the SFVS. A negative result would be used to inform the research agenda and contribute to redefining future strategies for increasing children's fruit and vegetable consumption. Medical Research Council Registry code G0501297.

A Randomized Controlled Pilot Intervention Study of a Mindfulness-Based Self-Leadership Training (MBSLT) on Stress and Performance.

PubMed

Sampl, Juliane; Maran, Thomas; Furtner, Marco R

2017-01-01

The present randomized pilot intervention study examines the effects of a mindfulness-based self-leadership training (MBSLT) specifically developed for academic achievement situations. Both mindfulness and self-leadership have a strong self-regulatory focus and are helpful in terms of stress resilience and performance enhancements. Based on several theoretical points of contact and a specific interplay between mindfulness and self-leadership, the authors developed an innovative intervention program that improves mood as well as performance in a real academic setting. The intervention was conducted as a randomized controlled study over 10 weeks. The purpose was to analyze the effects on perceived stress, test anxiety, academic self-efficacy, and the performance of students by comparing an intervention and control group ( n  = 109). Findings demonstrated significant effects on mindfulness, self-leadership, academic self-efficacy, and academic performance improvements in the intervention group. Results showed that the intervention group reached significantly better grade point averages than the control group. Moreover, the MBSLT over time led to a reduction of test anxiety in the intervention group compared to the control group. Furthermore, while participants of the control group showed an increase in stress over time, participants of the intervention group maintained constant stress levels over time. The combination of mindfulness and self-leadership addressed both positive effects on moods and on objective academic performance. The effects demonstrate the great potential of combining mindfulness with self-leadership to develop a healthy self-regulatory way of attaining achievement-related goals and succeeding in high-stress academic environments.

The protective effect of aqueous extracts of roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa L. UKMR-2) against red blood cell membrane oxidative stress in rats with streptozotocin-induced diabetes.

PubMed

Mohamed, Jamaludin; Shing, Saw Wuan; Idris, Muhd Hanis Md; Budin, Siti Balkis; Zainalabidin, Satirah

2013-10-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the protective effects of aqueous extracts of roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa L. UKMR-2) against red blood cell (RBC) membrane oxidative stress in rats with streptozotocin-induced diabetes. Forty male Sprague-Dawley rats weighing 230-250 g were randomly divided into four groups (n = 10 rats each): control group (N), roselle-treated control group, diabetic group, and roselle-treated diabetic group. Roselle was administered by force-feeding with aqueous extracts of roselle (100 mg/kg body weight) for 28 days. The results demonstrated that the malondialdehyde levels of the red blood cell membranes in the diabetic group were significantly higher than the levels in the roselle-treated control and roselle-treated diabetic groups. The protein carbonyl level was significantly higher in the roselle-treated diabetic group than in the roselle-treated control group but lower than that in the diabetic group. A significant increase in the red blood cell membrane superoxide dismutase enzyme was found in roselle-treated diabetic rats compared with roselle-treated control rats and diabetic rats. The total protein level of the red blood cell membrane, osmotic fragility, and red blood cell morphology were maintained. The present study demonstrates that aqueous extracts of roselle possess a protective effect against red blood cell membrane oxidative stress in rats with streptozotocin-induced diabetes. These data suggest that roselle can be used as a natural antioxidative supplement in the prevention of oxidative damage in diabetic patients.

The protective effect of aqueous extracts of roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa L. UKMR-2) against red blood cell membrane oxidative stress in rats with streptozotocin-induced diabetes

PubMed Central

Mohamed, Jamaludin; Shing, Saw Wuan; Md Idris, Muhd Hanis; Budin, Siti Balkis; Zainalabidin, Satirah

2013-01-01

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate the protective effects of aqueous extracts of roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa L. UKMR-2) against red blood cell (RBC) membrane oxidative stress in rats with streptozotocin-induced diabetes. METHODS: Forty male Sprague-Dawley rats weighing 230-250 g were randomly divided into four groups (n = 10 rats each): control group (N), roselle-treated control group, diabetic group, and roselle-treated diabetic group. Roselle was administered by force-feeding with aqueous extracts of roselle (100 mg/kg body weight) for 28 days. RESULTS: The results demonstrated that the malondialdehyde levels of the red blood cell membranes in the diabetic group were significantly higher than the levels in the roselle-treated control and roselle-treated diabetic groups. The protein carbonyl level was significantly higher in the roselle-treated diabetic group than in the roselle-treated control group but lower than that in the diabetic group. A significant increase in the red blood cell membrane superoxide dismutase enzyme was found in roselle-treated diabetic rats compared with roselle-treated control rats and diabetic rats. The total protein level of the red blood cell membrane, osmotic fragility, and red blood cell morphology were maintained. CONCLUSION: The present study demonstrates that aqueous extracts of roselle possess a protective effect against red blood cell membrane oxidative stress in rats with streptozotocin-induced diabetes. These data suggest that roselle can be used as a natural antioxidative supplement in the prevention of oxidative damage in diabetic patients. PMID:24212844

Rapamycin preserves the follicle pool reserve and prolongs the ovarian lifespan of female rats via modulating mTOR activation and sirtuin expression.

PubMed

Zhang, Xing-mei; Li, Li; Xu, Jin-jie; Wang, Na; Liu, Wei-juan; Lin, Xuan-hao; Fu, Yu-cai; Luo, Li-li

2013-07-01

To maintain the normal length of female reproductive life, the majority of primordial follicles must be maintained in a quiescent state for later use. In this study, we aimed to study the effects of rapamycin on primordial follicle development and investigate the role of mTOR and sirtuin signaling. Rats were treated every other day with an intraperitoneal injection of rapamycin (5mg/kg) or vehicle. After 10weeks of treatment, ovaries were harvested for hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining, and analysis by immunohistochemistry and Western blotting. HE staining showed that the number and percentage of primordial follicles in the rapamycin-treated group were twice the control group (P<0.001). Immunohistochemical analysis showed that mTOR and phosphorylated-p70S6K were extensively expressed in surviving follicles with strong staining observed in the cytoplasm of the oocyte. Western blotting showed decreased expression of phosphorylated mTOR and phosphorylated p70S6K in the rapamycin-treated group, and increased the expression of both SIRT1 and SIRT6 compared to the control group (P<0.05). Taken together, these results suggest that rapamycin may inhibit the transition from primordial to developing follicles and preserve the follicle pool reserve, thus extending the ovarian lifespan of female rats via the modulation of mTOR and sirtuin signalings. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Balance and Gait Training With Augmented Feedback Improves Balance Confidence in People With Parkinson's Disease: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

PubMed

Shen, Xia; Mak, Margaret K Y

2014-07-01

Background Fear of falling has been identified as an important and independent fall-risk predictor in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). However, there are inconsistent findings on the effects of balance and gait training on balance confidence. Objective To explore whether balance and gait training with augmented feedback can enhance balance confidence in PD patients immediately after treatment and at 3- and 12-month follow-ups. Methods A total of 51 PD patients were randomly assigned to a balance and gait training (BAL) group or to an active control (CON) group. The BAL group received balance and gait training with augmented feedback, whereas CON participants received lower-limb strength training for 12 weeks. Outcome measures included Activities-Specific Balance Confidence (ABC) Scale, limits-of-stability test, single-leg-stance test, and spatiotemporal gait characteristics. All tests were administered before intervention (Pre), immediately after training (Post), and at 3 months (Post3m) and 12 months (Post12m) after treatment completion. Results The ABC score improved marginally at Post and significantly at Post3m and Post12m only in the BAL group (P < .017). Both participant groups increased their end point excursion at Post, but only the BAL group maintained the improvement at Post3m. The BAL group maintained significantly longer time-to-loss-of-balance during the single-leg stance test than the CON group at Post3m and Post12m (P < .05). For gait characteristics, both participant groups increased gait velocity, but only the BAL group increased stride length at Post, Post3m, and Post12m (P < .017). Conclusions Positive findings from this study provide evidence that BAL with augmented feedback could enhance balance confidence and balance and gait performance in patients with PD. © The Author(s) 2014.

Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation Regulates Organ Blood Flow and Apoptosis during Controlled Hypotension in Dogs

PubMed Central

Zhang, Lele; Shao, Xiaomei; Zhou, Chuanlong; Guo, Xiaoqing; Jin, Ling; Lian, Linli; Yu, Xiaojing; Dong, Zhenhua; Mo, Yadi; Fang, Jianqiao

2014-01-01

Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) is commonly used in clinical practice for alleviating pains and physiological disorders. It has been reported that TENS could counteract the ischemic injury happened in some vital organs. To determine the protective effect of TENS on internal organs during CH in dogs, target hypotension was maintained for 60 min at 50% of the baseline mean arterial pressure (MAP). The perfusion to the brain, liver, stomach, and kidney was recorded and apoptosis within these organs was observed. Results showed that when arriving at the target MAP, and during the maintaining stage for 10 min, perfusion to the stomach and liver in the CH+TENS group was much higher than in the CH group (P<0.05). Perfusion to the cerebral cortex greatly declined in both the controlled pressure groups when compared with the general anesthesia (GA) group (P<0.05). After withdrawing CH, the hepatic blood flow in both the CH and CH+TENS groups, and the gastric and cerebral cortical blood flow in the CH+TENS group, were rapidly increased. By the end of MAP restoration, gastric blood flow in the CH group was still low. At 72 h after applying CH, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling (TUNEL)-positive cells in stomach and kidney tissue from the CH group were significantly increased compared with those in the GA group (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in TUNEL-positive cells in the liver and hippocampus among the three groups. Our results demonstrated that CH with a 50% MAP level could cause lower perfusion to the liver, stomach, cerebral cortex, and kidney, with apoptosis subsequently occurring in the stomach and kidney. TENS combined GA is able to improve the blood flow to the liver, stomach, and reduce the apoptosis in the stomach and kidney. PMID:24732970

A field intervention examining the impact of an office ergonomics training and a highly adjustable chair on visual symptoms in a public sector organization

PubMed Central

Amick, Benjamin C.; Menéndez, Cammie Chaumont; Bazzani, Lianna; Robertson, Michelle; DeRango, Kelly; Rooney, Ted; Moore, Anne

2016-01-01

Objective Examine the effect of a multi-component office ergonomics intervention on visual symptom reductions. Methods Office workers were assigned to either a group receiving a highly adjustable chair with office ergonomics training (CWT), a training-only group (TO) or a control group (C). A work environment and health questionnaire was administered 2 and 1 month(s) pre-intervention and 3, 6, and 12 months post-intervention. Multi-level statistical models tested hypotheses. Results The CWT intervention lowered daily visual symptoms (p < 0.01) post-intervention. The TO group did not significantly differ from the control group. The CWT group differed significantly from the TO group (p = 0.01) post-intervention. Conclusion Workers who received a highly adjustable chair and office ergonomics training had reduced visual symptoms and the effect was maintained through twelve months post-intervention. The lack of a training-only group effect supports implementing training in conjunction with the highly adjustable chair to reduce visual symptoms. PMID:21963250

A field intervention examining the impact of an office ergonomics training and a highly adjustable chair on visual symptoms in a public sector organization.

PubMed

Amick, Benjamin C; Menéndez, Cammie Chaumont; Bazzani, Lianna; Robertson, Michelle; DeRango, Kelly; Rooney, Ted; Moore, Anne

2012-05-01

Examine the effect of a multi-component office ergonomics intervention on visual symptom reductions. Office workers were assigned to either a group receiving a highly adjustable chair with office ergonomics training (CWT), a training-only group (TO) or a control group (C). A work environment and health questionnaire was administered 2 and 1 month(s) pre-intervention and 3, 6, and 12 months post-intervention. Multi-level statistical models tested hypotheses. The CWT intervention lowered daily visual symptoms (p < 0.01) post-intervention. The TO group did not significantly differ from the control group. The CWT group differed significantly from the TO group (p = 0.01) post-intervention. Workers who received a highly adjustable chair and office ergonomics training had reduced visual symptoms and the effect was maintained through twelve months post-intervention. The lack of a training-only group effect supports implementing training in conjunction with the highly adjustable chair to reduce visual symptoms. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd and The Ergonomics Society. All rights reserved.

Ascorbic acid supplementation enhances recovery from ethanol induced inhibition of Leydig cell steroidogenesis than abstention in male guinea pigs.

PubMed

Radhakrishnakartha, Harikrishnan; Appu, Abhilash Puthuvelvippel; Indira, Madambath

2014-01-15

The impact of ascorbic acid supplementation against ethanol induced Leydig cell toxicity was studied in guinea pigs. Male guinea pigs were exposed to ethanol (4g/kgb.wt.) for 90 days. After 90 days, ethanol administration was completely stopped and animals in the ethanol group were divided into abstention group and ascorbic acid supplemented group (25mg/100gb.wt.) and those in control group were maintained as control and control+ascorbic acid group. Ethanol administration reduced the serum testosterone and LH (luteinising hormone) levels and elevated estradiol levels. Cholesterol levels in Leydig cell were increased whereas the mRNA and protein expressions of StAR (steroidogenic acute regulatory) protein, cytochrome P450scc (cytochrome p450side chain cleavage enzyme), 3β-HSD (3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase), 17β-HSD (17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase) and LH receptor were drastically reduced. Administration of ascorbic acid resulted in alteration of all these parameters indicating enhanced recovery from ethanol induced inhibition of Leydig cell steroidogenesis. Although abstention could also reduce the inhibition of steroidogenesis, this was lesser in comparison with ascorbic acid supplemented group. © 2013 Published by Elsevier B.V.

Human cooperation by lethal group competition.

PubMed

Egas, Martijn; Kats, Ralph; van der Sar, Xander; Reuben, Ernesto; Sabelis, Maurice W

2013-01-01

Why humans are prone to cooperate puzzles biologists, psychologists and economists alike. Between-group conflict has been hypothesized to drive within-group cooperation. However, such conflicts did not have lasting effects in laboratory experiments, because they were about luxury goods, not needed for survival ("looting"). Here, we find within-group cooperation to last when between-group conflict is implemented as "all-out war" (eliminating the weakest groups). Human subjects invested in helping group members to avoid having the lowest collective pay-off, whereas they failed to cooperate in control treatments with random group elimination or with no subdivision in groups. When the game was repeated, experience was found to promote helping. Thus, not within-group interactions alone, not random group elimination, but pay-off-dependent group elimination was found to drive within-group cooperation in our experiment. We suggest that some forms of human cooperation are maintained by multi-level selection: reciprocity within groups and lethal competition among groups acting together.

Individual- versus group-based financial incentives for weight loss: a randomized, controlled trial.

PubMed

Kullgren, Jeffrey T; Troxel, Andrea B; Loewenstein, George; Asch, David A; Norton, Laurie A; Wesby, Lisa; Tao, Yuanyuan; Zhu, Jingsan; Volpp, Kevin G

2013-04-02

Data on the effectiveness of employer-sponsored financial incentives for employee weight loss are limited. To test the effectiveness of 2 financial incentive designs for promoting weight loss among obese employees. Randomized, controlled trial. (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01208350) Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. 105 employees with a body mass index between 30 and 40 kg/m2. 24 weeks of monthly weigh-ins (control group; n = 35); individual incentive, designed as $100 per person per month for meeting or exceeding weight-loss goals (n = 35); and group incentive, designed as $500 per month split among participants within groups of 5 who met or exceeded weight-loss goals (n = 35). Weight loss after 24 weeks (primary outcome) and 36 weeks and changes in behavioral mediators of weight loss (secondary outcomes). Group-incentive participants lost more weight than control participants (mean between-group difference, 4.4 kg [95% CI, 2.0 to 6.7 kg]; P < 0.001) and individual-incentive participants (mean between-group difference, 3.2 kg [CI, 0.9 to 5.5 kg]; P = 0.008). Twelve weeks after incentives ended and after adjustment for 3-group comparisons, group-incentive participants maintained greater weight loss than control group participants (mean between-group difference, 2.9 kg [CI, 0.5 to 5.3 kg]; P = 0.016) but not greater than individual-incentive participants (mean between-group difference, 2.7 kg [CI, 0.4 to 5.0 kg]; P = 0.024). Single employer and short follow-up. A group-based financial incentive was more effective than an individual incentive and monthly weigh-ins at promoting weight loss among obese employees at 24 weeks. National Institute on Aging.

[Impact of glutamine, eicosapntemacnioc acid, branched-chain amino acid supplements on nutritional status and treatment compliance of esophageal cancer patients on concurrent chemoradiotherapy and gastric cancer patients on chemotherapy].

PubMed

Cong, Minghua; Song, Chenxin; Zou, Baohua; Deng, Yingbing; Li, Shuluan; Liu, Xuehui; Liu, Weiwei; Liu, Jinying; Yu, Lei; Xu, Binghe

2015-03-17

To explore the effects of glutamine, eicosapntemacnioc acid (EPA) and branched-chain amino acids supplements in esophageal cancer patients on concurrent chemoradiotherapy and gastric cancer patients on chemotherapy. From April 2013 to April 2014, a total of 104 esophageal and gastric carcinoma patients on chemotherapy or concurrent chemoradiotherapy were recruited and randomly divided into experimental and control groups. Both groups received dietary counseling and routine nutritional supports while only experimental group received supplements of glutamine (20 g/d), EPA (3.3 g/d) and branched-chain amino acids (8 g/d). And body compositions, blood indicators, incidence of complications and completion rates of therapy were compared between two groups. After treatment, free fat mass and muscle weight increased significantly in experiment group while decreased in control group (P < 0.05). And albumin, red blood cell count, white blood cell count and blood platelet count remained stable in experiment group while declined significantly in control group. During treatment, compared to control group, the incidences of infection-associated complication were lower (6% vs 19%, P < 0.05) and the completion rates of therapy were significantly higher in experiment group (96% vs 83%, P < 0.05). Supplements of glutamine, EPA and branched-chain amino acids can help maintain nutrition status, decrease the complications and improve compliance for esophageal cancer patients on concurrent chemo-radiotherapy and gastric cancer patients on postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy.

Comparison of the Effect of Continuous Femoral Nerve Block and Adductor Canal Block after Primary Total Knee Arthroplasty.

PubMed

Seo, Seung Suk; Kim, Ok Gul; Seo, Jin Hyeok; Kim, Do Hoon; Kim, Youn Gu; Park, Beyoung Yun

2017-09-01

This study aimed to compare the effects of femoral nerve block and adductor canal block on postoperative pain, quadriceps strength, and walking ability after primary total knee arthroplasty. Between November 2014 and February 2015, 60 patients underwent primary total knee arthroplasty. Thirty patients received femoral nerve block and the other 30 received adductor canal block for postoperative pain control. Before spinal anesthesia, the patients received nerve block via a catheter (20 mL 0.75% ropivacaine was administered initially, followed by intermittent bolus injection of 10 mL 0.2% ropivacaine every 6 hours for 3 days). The catheters were maintained in the exact location of nerve block in 24 patients in the femoral nerve block group and in 19 patients in the adductor canal block group. Data collection was carried out from these 43 patients. To evaluate postoperative pain control, the numerical rating scale scores at rest and 45° flexion of the knee were recorded. To evaluate quadriceps strength, manual muscle testing was performed. Walking ability was assessed using the Timed Up and Go test. We also evaluated analgesic consumption and complications of peripheral nerve block. No significant intergroup difference was observed in the numerical rating scale scores at rest and 45° flexion of the knee on postoperative days 1, 2, 3, and 7. The adductor canal block group had significantly greater quadriceps strength than did the femoral nerve block group, as assessed by manual muscle testing on postoperative days 1, 2, and 3. The 2 groups showed no difference in walking ability on postoperative day 1, but on postoperative days 2, 3, walking ability was significantly better in the adductor canal block group than in the femoral nerve block group. No significant intergroup difference was observed in analgesic consumption. The groups showed no difference in postoperative pain control. Adductor canal block was superior to femoral nerve block in preserving quadriceps strength and walking ability. However, adductor canal block was inferior to femoral nerve block in maintaining the exact location of the catheter.

The effectiveness of a health promotion with group intervention by clinical trial. Study protocol.

PubMed

Campo Osaba, Maria-Antonia; Del Val, José-Luis; Lapena, Carolina; Laguna, Vicencia; García, Araceli; Lozano, Olga; Martín, Ziortza; Rodriguez, Rómulo; Borrás, Enriqueta; Orfila, Francesc; Tierno, María Teresa

2012-03-19

The promotion of health and the interventions in community health continue to be one of the pending subjects of our health system. The most prevalent health problems (cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes...) are for the most part related to life habits. We propose a holistic and integral approach as the best option for tackling behavior and its determinants. The research team has elaborated the necessary educational material to realize group teaching, which we call "Health Workshops". The goal of the present study is to evaluate the effectiveness of these Health Workshops in the following terms: Health Related Quality of Life (HRQOL), incorporate and maintain a balanced diet, do physical activity regularly, maintain risk factors such as tension, weight, cholesterol within normal limits and diminish cardiovascular risk. Controlled and random clinical testing, comparing a group of persons who have participated in the Health Workshops with a control group of similar characteristics who have not participated in the Health Workshops.Field of study: the research is being done in Health Centers of the city of Barcelona, Spain. The group is composed of 108 persons that are actually doing the Health Workshops, and 108 that are not and form the control group. They are assigned at random to one group or the other. With Student's t-distribution test to compare the differences between numerical variables or their non parametric equivalent if the variable does not comply with the criteria of normality. (Kolmogorov-Smirnof test). Chi-square test to compare the differences between categorical variables and the Logistic Regression Model to analyze different meaningful variables by dichotomous analysis related to the intervention. The Health Workshop proposed in the present study constitutes an innovative approach in health promotion, placing the emphasis on the person's self responsibility for his/her own health.The rhythm of a weekly session during 8 weeks with recommended activities to put into practice, as well as the support of the group is an opportunity to incorporate healthy habits and make a commitment to self-care. The sheets handed out are a Health Manual that can always be consulted after the workshop ends. Clinical Trials.gov Identifier: NCT01440738.

Honor as Cultural Mindset: Activated Honor Mindset Affects Subsequent Judgment and Attention in Mindset-Congruent Ways

PubMed Central

Novin, Sheida; Oyserman, Daphna

2016-01-01

Honor values articulate gender roles, the importance of reputation in maintaining one’s place in society, and maintaining respect for the groups one belongs to. In that sense honor provides a template for organizing social interactions and hence may be functional even among people and societies that do not report valuing and endorsing honor. We test the prediction that honor influences judgment and attention when activated in two experiments (N = 538). Using a culture-as-situated cognition perspective, we predicted that activating one aspect of honor would activate other aspects, even among individuals who do not much endorse honor values. We tested these predictions among European Americans, a group that is not typically associated with honor values. In each study, participants were randomly assigned to experimental or control groups, which differed in one way: the experimental group read statements about honor values as a first step and the control group did not. Participants then judged stick-figure pairs (judging which is male; Study 1, n = 130) or made lexical decisions (judging whether a letter-string formed a correctly spelled word; Study 2, n = 408). In Study 1, experimental group participants were more likely to choose the visually agentic figure as male. In Study 2, experimental group participants were more accurate at noticing that the letter-string formed a word if the word was an honor-relevant word (e.g., noble), but they did not differ from the control group if the word was irrelevant to honor (e.g., happy). Participants in both studies were just above the neutral point in their endorsement of honor values. Individual differences in honor values endorsement did not moderate the effects of activating an honor mindset. Though honor is often described as if it is located in space, we did not find clear effects of where our letter strings were located on the computer screen. Our findings suggest a new way to consider how honor functions, even in societies in which honor is not a highly endorsed value. PMID:28018263

Multi-family group therapy for adolescent Internet addiction: exploring the underlying mechanisms.

PubMed

Liu, Qin-Xue; Fang, Xiao-Yi; Yan, Ni; Zhou, Zong-Kui; Yuan, Xiao-Jiao; Lan, Jing; Liu, Chao-Ying

2015-03-01

Internet addiction is one of the most common problems among adolescents and effective treatment is needed. This research aims to test the effectiveness and underlying mechanism of multi-family group therapy (MFGT) to reduce Internet addiction among adolescents. A total of 92 participants consisting of 46 adolescents with Internet addiction, aged 12-18years, and 46 their parents, aged 35-46years, were assigned to the experimental group (six-session MFGT intervention) or a waiting-list control. Structured questionnaires were administered at pre-intervention (T1), post-intervention (T2) and a three-month follow-up (T3). There was a significant difference in the decline both in the average score and proportion of adolescents with Internet addiction in MFGT group at post-intervention (MT1=3.40, MT2=2.46, p<0.001; 100 versus 4.8%, p<0.001) maintained for three months (MT3=2.06, p<0.001; 100 versus 11.1%, p<0.001). Reports from both adolescents and parents were significantly better than those in the control group. Further explorations of the underlying mechanisms of effectiveness based on the changed values of measured variables showed that the improvement in adolescent Internet use was partially explained by the satisfaction of their psychological needs and improved parent-adolescent communication and closeness. The six-session multi-family group therapy was effective in reducing Internet addiction behaviors among adolescents and could be implemented as part of routine primary care clinic services in similar populations. As family support system is critical in maintaining the intervention effect, fostering positive parent-adolescent interaction and addressing adolescents' psychological needs should be included in preventive programs for Internet addiction in the future. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

75 FR 74045 - Guidance on Planning, Implementing, Maintaining, and Enforcing Institutional Controls at...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-11-30

..., Implementing, Maintaining, and Enforcing Institutional Controls at Contaminated Sites AGENCY: Environmental... stakeholder input regarding the issues addressed in the EPA interim final guidance, titled Institutional Controls: A Guide to Planning, Implementing, Maintaining, and Enforcing Institutional Controls at...

Effect of home-based exercise intervention on fasting insulin and Adipocytokines in colorectal cancer survivors: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Lee, Mi Kyung; Kim, Ji-Young; Kim, Dong-Il; Kang, Dong-Woo; Park, Ji-Hye; Ahn, Ki-Yong; In Yang, Hyuk; Lee, Dong Hoon; Roh, Yun Ho; Lee, Ji-Won; Chu, Sang-Hui; Meyerhardt, Jeffrey A; Jones, Lee W; Kim, Nam-Kyu; Jeon, Justin Y

2017-11-01

Elevated circulating insulin is associated with increased risk of recurrence and cancer mortality in early-stage colorectal cancer (CRC). We conducted a randomized controlled trial to determine the effect of a 12-week home-based exercise program on fasting insulin, adipocytokines, and physical function in CRC survivors. One hundred and twenty-three stage II-III CRC patients were randomly assigned to either a home-based exercise (n=62) or standard care control group (n=61) for 12weeks. Home-based exercise consisted of aerobic and resistance training, with a goal of obtaining ≥18 metabolic equivalent task (MET)-h/wk. Participants in the exercise group were instructed to participate in >18MET-h/wk. of aerobic and resistance exercise while the participants in the control group were asked to maintain their usual daily activity. The primary outcome was fasting insulin levels. Secondary outcomes were adiponectin, TNF-α levels and 6min walk distance from baseline to post-intervention. After the 12-weeks, moderate-vigorous physical activity participation increased from 9.1±14.7MET-h/wk. to 26.6±21.7MET-h/wk. in the exercise group, with no change in the control group (p<0.01 for group and time interaction). Circulating insulin level decreased by 1μU/ml (6.0±3.9 vs. 5.0±3.5, p=0.009) in the exercise group with no change in the control group (p=0.022 for group and time interaction). A similar trend was observed in TNF-α (p=0.030 for group and time interaction). Six minute walk distance increased by 25.2m in the exercise group with no change in the control group (p=0.061 for group and time interaction). The 12week home-based exercise program increased level of physical activity and decreased circulating insulin levels in CRC survivors. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The effects of holistic health group interventions on improving the cognitive ability of persons with mild cognitive impairment: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Young, Kim-Wan; Ng, Petrus; Kwok, Timothy; Cheng, Daphne

2017-01-01

Persons with mild cognitive impairment (PwMCI) are at a higher risk of developing dementia than those without cognitive impairment. This research study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a holistic health group intervention, which is based on the holistic brain health approach as well as an Eastern approach to health care, on improving the cognitive ability of Chinese PwMCI. In a randomized controlled trial (RCT), 38 Chinese PwMCI were randomly assigned to either a 10-session holistic health intervention group or the control group. The holistic health treatment group attempted to promote the acceptance of their illness, enhance memory and coping skills, develop a positive lifestyle, maintain positive emotions, and facilitate emotional support among participants. The 10-session holistic health group intervention was structured, with each session conducted once per week and ~90 minutes in length. Control group patients and their family caregivers received standardized basic educational materials that provided basic information on cognitive decline for them to read at home. The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) test was used to assess the cognitive ability of PwMCI in the pre- and posttreatment periods by a research assistant who was blind to the group assignment of the participants. The paired-samples t -test indicated that the treatment group (n=18) showed significant improvement in the MoCA score, whereas the control group (n=20) did not. Moreover, 2×2 (group × time) repeated-measures analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) demonstrated that the holistic health group treatment was significantly more effective than the control intervention in improving the MoCA score, with a moderate effect size, and improving the delayed recall (ie, short-term memory), with a strong effect size, after controlling for age, sex, education, and marital status. This present RCT provides evidence to support the feasibility and effectiveness of the holistic health group intervention in improving the cognitive and short-term memory abilities of PwMCI.

Telehealth system: A randomized controlled trial evaluating the impact of an internet-based exercise intervention on quality of life, pain, muscle strength, and fatigue in breast cancer survivors.

PubMed

Galiano-Castillo, Noelia; Cantarero-Villanueva, Irene; Fernández-Lao, Carolina; Ariza-García, Angélica; Díaz-Rodríguez, Lourdes; Del-Moral-Ávila, Rosario; Arroyo-Morales, Manuel

2016-10-15

The chronicity status of breast cancer survivors suggests a growing need for cancer rehabilitation. Currently, the use of technology is a promising strategy for providing support, as reflected in the emergence of research interest in Web-based interventions in cancer survivorship. A randomized controlled trial was conducted that included a total of 81 participants who had completed adjuvant therapy (except hormone treatment) for stage I to IIIA breast cancer. Participants were randomly assigned to an 8-week Internet-based, tailored exercise program (n = 40) or to a control group (n = 41).The instruments used at baseline, 8 weeks, and 6-month follow-up were the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality-of-Life Questionnaire Core 30 and its breast cancer module, the Brief Pain Inventory, the handgrip dynamometer, the isometric abdominal test, the back dynamometer, the multiple sit-to-stand test, and the Piper Fatigue Scale. After the intervention, the telerehabilitation group had significantly improved scores for global health status, physical, role, cognitive functioning, and arm symptoms (all P < .01) as well as pain severity (P = .001) and pain interference (P = .045) compared with the control group. Significant improvements also were observed favoring the telerehabilitation group for affected and nonaffected side handgrip (both P = .006), abdominal, back and lower body strength (all P < .01), and total fatigue (P < .001). These findings were maintained after 6 months of follow-up, except for role functioning, pain severity, and nonaffected side handgrip. Analysis was based on an intention-to-treat principle. This program may improve adverse effects and maintain benefits in breast cancer survivors. The results of this study have encouraging implications for cancer care. Cancer 2016;122:3166-74. © 2016 American Cancer Society. © 2016 American Cancer Society.

A novel system for automated propofol sedation: hybrid sedation system (HSS).

PubMed

Zaouter, Cedrick; Taddei, Riccardo; Wehbe, Mohamad; Arbeid, Erik; Cyr, Shantale; Giunta, Francesco; Hemmerling, Thomas M

2017-04-01

Closed-loop systems for propofol have been demonstrated to be safe and reliable for general anesthesia. However, no study has been conducted using a closed-loop system specifically designed for sedation in patients under spinal anesthesia. We developed an automatic anesthesia sedation system that allows for closed-loop delivery of propofol for sedation integrating a decision support system, called the hybrid sedation system (HSS). The objective of this study is to compare this system with standard practice. One hundred fifty patients were enrolled and randomly assigned to two groups: HSS-Group (N = 75), in which propofol was administered using a closed-loop system; Control Group (N = 75), in which propofol was delivered manually. The clinical performance of the propofol sedation control is defined as efficacy to maintain bispectral index (BIS) near 65. The clinical control was called 'Excellent', 'Good', 'Poor' and 'Inadequate' with BIS values within 10 %, from 11 to 20 %, 21 to 30 %, or greater than 30 % of the BIS target of 65, respectively. The controller performance was evaluated using Varvel's parameters. Data are presented as mean ± standard deviation, groups were compared using t test or Chi square test, P < 0.05. Clinical performance of sedation showed 'Excellent' control in the HSS-group for a significantly longer period of time (49 vs. 26 % in the control group, P < 0.0001). 'Poor' and 'Inadequate' sedation was significantly shorter in the HSS Group compared to the Control Group (11 and 10 % vs. 20 and 18 %, respectively, P < 0.0001). The novel, closed-loop system for propofol sedation showed better maintenance of the target BIS value compared to manual administration.

Rhombohedral cubic semiconductor materials on trigonal substrate with single crystal properties and devices based on such materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Park, Yeonjoon (Inventor); Choi, Sang Hyouk (Inventor); King, Glen C. (Inventor); Elliott, James R. (Inventor)

2012-01-01

Growth conditions are developed, based on a temperature-dependent alignment model, to enable formation of cubic group IV, group II-V and group II-VI crystals in the [111] orientation on the basal (0001) plane of trigonal crystal substrates, controlled such that the volume percentage of primary twin crystal is reduced from about 40% to about 0.3%, compared to the majority single crystal. The control of stacking faults in this and other embodiments can yield single crystalline semiconductors based on these materials that are substantially without defects, or improved thermoelectric materials with twinned crystals for phonon scattering while maintaining electrical integrity. These methods can selectively yield a cubic-on-trigonal epitaxial semiconductor material in which the cubic layer is substantially either directly aligned, or 60 degrees-rotated from, the underlying trigonal material.

The effects of consuming a high protein diet (4.4 g/kg/d) on body composition in resistance-trained individuals

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background The consumption of dietary protein is important for resistance-trained individuals. It has been posited that intakes of 1.4 to 2.0 g/kg/day are needed for physically active individuals. Thus, the purpose of this investigation was to determine the effects of a very high protein diet (4.4 g/kg/d) on body composition in resistance-trained men and women. Methods Thirty healthy resistance-trained individuals participated in this study (mean ± SD; age: 24.1 ± 5.6 yr; height: 171.4 ± 8.8 cm; weight: 73.3 ± 11.5 kg). Subjects were randomly assigned to one of the following groups: Control (CON) or high protein (HP). The CON group was instructed to maintain the same training and dietary habits over the course of the 8 week study. The HP group was instructed to consume 4.4 grams of protein per kg body weight daily. They were also instructed to maintain the same training and dietary habits (e.g. maintain the same fat and carbohydrate intake). Body composition (Bod Pod®), training volume (i.e. volume load), and food intake were determined at baseline and over the 8 week treatment period. Results The HP group consumed significantly more protein and calories pre vs post (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the HP group consumed significantly more protein and calories than the CON (p < 0.05). The HP group consumed on average 307 ± 69 grams of protein compared to 138 ± 42 in the CON. When expressed per unit body weight, the HP group consumed 4.4 ± 0.8 g/kg/d of protein versus 1.8 ± 0.4 g/kg/d in the CON. There were no changes in training volume for either group. Moreover, there were no significant changes over time or between groups for body weight, fat mass, fat free mass, or percent body fat. Conclusions Consuming 5.5 times the recommended daily allowance of protein has no effect on body composition in resistance-trained individuals who otherwise maintain the same training regimen. This is the first interventional study to demonstrate that consuming a hypercaloric high protein diet does not result in an increase in body fat. PMID:24834017

Self-focused attention and safety behaviors across group therapies for social anxiety disorder.

PubMed

Desnoyers, Amanda J; Kocovski, Nancy L; Fleming, Jan E; Antony, Martin M

2017-07-01

Self-focused attention (SFA) and safety behaviors are two variables implicated in the maintenance of social anxiety disorder (SAD). The present study examined SFA and safety behaviors across two therapies for SAD, cognitive behavioral group therapy (CBGT) and mindfulness and acceptance-based group therapy (MAGT). Participants with symptoms meeting criteria for SAD (N = 137) were randomly assigned to the 12-week-treatment groups (n = 53 for each condition) or a waitlist control (n = 31). Variables were assessed at baseline, midtreatment, posttreatment, and a 3-month follow-up. Both treatment conditions reported significantly lower SFA and safety behaviors compared to control, but did not differ from one another at posttreatment. Mediation analyses supported the following models: (1) safety behaviors mediating the relationship between SFA and social anxiety, and (2) SFA mediating the relationship between safety behaviors and social anxiety. These models were supported for both treatment groups. Both treatments may have the potential to reduce the SFA and safety behaviors that serve to maintain SAD.

The Effects of the Science Curriculum Improvement Study on a Child's Self-Concept

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Krockover, Gerald H.; Malcolm, Marshall D.

1977-01-01

Describes research undertaken to determine if Science Curriculum Improvement Study (SCIS) can be instrumental in helping children either maintain or develop a positive self-concept. A total of 189 students in grades 3-6 were assigned to treatment and control groups for a period of four and one-half months. Findings did not reveal overall…

Postural Analysis in Time and Frequency Domains in Patients with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Galli, Manuela; Rigoldi, Chiara; Celletti, Claudia; Mainardi, Luca; Tenore, Nunzio; Albertini, Giorgio; Camerota, Filippo

2011-01-01

The goal of this work is to analyze postural control in Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) participants in time and frequency domain. This study considered a pathological group composed by 22 EDS participants performing a postural test consisting in maintaining standing position over a force platform for 30 s in two conditions: open eyes (OE) and closed…

Improving the Q:H strength ratio in women using plyometric exercises.

PubMed

Tsang, Kavin K W; DiPasquale, Angela A

2011-10-01

Plyometric training programs have been implemented in anterior cruciate ligament injury prevention programs. Plyometric exercises are designed to aid in the improvement of muscle strength and neuromuscular control. Our purpose was to examine the effects of plyometric training on lower leg strength in women. Thirty (age = 20.3 ± 1.9 years) recreationally active women were divided into control and experimental groups. The experimental group performed a plyometric training program for 6 weeks, 3 d·wk(-1). All subjects attended 4 testing sessions: before the start of the training program and after weeks 2, 4, and 6. Concentric quadriceps and hamstring strength (dominant leg) was assessed using an isokinetic dynamometer at speeds of 60 and 120°·s(-1). Peak torque, average peak torque, and average power (AvgPower) were measured. The results revealed a significant (p < 0.05) interaction between time and group for flexion PkTq and AvgPower at 120°·s(-1). Post hoc analysis further revealed that PkTq at 120°·s(-1) was greater in the plyometric group than in the control group at testing session 4 and that AvgPower was greater in the plyometric group than in the control group in testing sessions 2-4. Our results indicate that the plyometric training program increased hamstring strength while maintaining quadriceps strength, thereby improving the Q:H strength ratio.

Six-month follow-up and participant use and satisfaction of an electronic mail intervention promoting physical activity and nutrition.

PubMed

Plotnikoff, Ronald C; Pickering, Michael A; McCargar, Linda J; Loucaides, Constantinos A; Hugo, Kylie

2010-01-01

To evaluate the effects of a 12-week e-mail intervention promoting physical activity and nutrition, and to describe participant use and satisfaction feedback. A longitudinal, randomized trial. Five large workplaces in Alberta, Canada. One thousand forty-three participants completed all three assessments, and 1263 participants in the experimental group provided use and satisfaction feedback after receiving the 12-week intervention. Paired physical activity and nutrition messages were e-mailed weekly to the experimental group. The control group received all messages in bulk (i.e., within a single e-mail message) at the conclusion of the intervention. Self-report measures of knowledge, cognitions, and behaviors related to physical activity and nutrition were used. Satisfaction with e-mail messages was assessed at Time 2. Planned contrasts compared the experimental group measures at Time 3 with those reported at Time 2 and with control group measures reported at Time 3. Control group measures at Time 3 were also compared with control group measures at Time 2. The small intervention effects previously reported between Time 1 and Time 2 were maintained at Time 3. Providing the e-mail messages in bulk also had a significant positive effect on many of the physical activity and nutrition variables. E-mail offers a promising medium for promoting health-enhancing knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors. Additional research is needed to determine optimal message dose and content.

Randomised controlled trial and economic analysis of an internet-based weight management programme: POWeR+ (Positive Online Weight Reduction).

PubMed Central

Little, Paul; Stuart, Beth; Hobbs, Fd Richard; Kelly, Jo; Smith, Emily R; Bradbury, Katherine J; Hughes, Stephanie; Smith, Peter Wf; Moore, Michael V; Lean, Mike Ej; Margetts, Barrie M; Byrne, Christopher D; Griffin, Simon; Davoudianfar, Mina; Hooper, Julie; Yao, Guiqing; Zhu, Shihua; Raftery, James; Yardley, Lucy

2017-01-01

BACKGROUND Behavioural counselling with intensive follow-up for obesity is effective, but in resource-constrained primary care settings briefer approaches are needed. OBJECTIVES To estimate the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of an internet-based behavioural intervention with regular face-to-face or remote support in primary care, compared with brief advice. DESIGN Individually randomised three-arm parallel trial with health economic evaluation and nested qualitative interviews. SETTING Primary care general practices in the UK. PARTICIPANTS Patients with a body mass index of ≥ 30 kg/m(2) (or ≥ 28 kg/m(2) with risk factors) identified from general practice records, recruited by postal invitation. INTERVENTIONS Positive Online Weight Reduction (POWeR+) is a 24-session, web-based weight management intervention completed over 6 months. Following online registration, the website randomly allocated participants using computer-generated random numbers to (1) the control intervention (n = 279), which had previously been demonstrated to be clinically effective (brief web-based information that minimised pressure to cut down foods, instead encouraging swaps to healthier choices and increasing fruit and vegetables, plus 6-monthly nurse weighing); (2) POWeR+F (n = 269), POWeR+ supplemented by face-to-face nurse support (up to seven contacts); or (3) POWeR+R (n = 270), POWeR+ supplemented by remote nurse support (up to five e-mails or brief telephone calls). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES The primary outcome was a modelled estimate of average weight reduction over 12 months, assessed blind to group where possible, using multiple imputation for missing data. The secondary outcome was the number of participants maintaining a 5% weight reduction at 12 months. RESULTS A total of 818 eligible individuals were randomised using computer-generated random numbers. Weight change, averaged over 12 months, was documented in 666 out of 818 participants (81%; control, n = 227; POWeR+F, n = 221; POWeR+R, n = 218). The control group maintained nearly 3 kg of weight loss per person (mean weight per person: baseline, 104.4 kg; 6 months, 101.9 kg; 12 months, 101.7 kg). Compared with the control group, the estimated additional weight reduction with POWeR+F was 1.5 kg [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.6 to 2.4 kg; p = 0.001] and with POWeR+R was 1.3 kg (95% CI 0.34 to 2.2 kg; p = 0.007). By 12 months the mean weight loss was not statistically significantly different between groups, but 20.8% of control participants, 29.2% of POWeR+F participants (risk ratio 1.56, 95% CI 0.96 to 2.51; p = 0.070) and 32.4% of POWeR+R participants (risk ratio 1.82, 95% CI 1.31 to 2.74; p = 0.004) maintained a clinically significant 5% weight reduction. The POWeR+R group had fewer individuals who reported doing another activity to help lose weight [control, 47.1% (64/136); POWeR+F, 37.2% (51/137); POWeR+R, 26.7% (40/150)]. The incremental cost to the health service per kilogram weight lost, compared with the control group, was £18 (95% CI -£129 to £195) for POWeR+F and -£25 (95% CI -£268 to £157) for POWeR+R. The probability of being cost-effective at a threshold of £100 per kilogram was 88% and 98% for POWeR+F and POWeR+R, respectively. POWeR+R was dominant compared with the control group. No harms were reported and participants using POWeR+ felt more enabled in managing their weight. The qualitative studies documented that POWeR+ was viewed positively by patients and that health-care professionals generally enjoyed supporting patients using POWeR+. STUDY LIMITATIONS Maintenance of weight loss after 1 year is unknown. FUTURE WORK Identifying strategies for longer-term engagement, impact in community settings and increasing physical activity. CONCLUSION Clinically valuable weight loss (> 5%) is maintained in 20% of individuals using novel written materials with brief follow-up. A web-based behavioural programme and brief support results in greater mean weight loss and 10% more participants maintain valuable weight loss; it achieves greater enablement and fewer participants undertaking other weight-loss activities; and it is likely to be cost-effective. TRIAL REGISTRATION Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN21244703. FUNDING This project was funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Health Technology Assessment programme and will be published in full in Health Technology Assessment; Vol. 21, No. 4. See the NIHR Journals Library website for further project information. PMID:28122658

Ocular perfusion pressure control during pars plana vitrectomy: testing a novel device.

PubMed

Rossi, Tommaso; Querzoli, Giorgio; Gelso, Aldo; Angelini, Giampiero; Rossi, Alessandro; Corazza, Paolo; Landi, Laura; Telani, Serena; Ripandelli, Guido

2017-12-01

To study the efficacy of a novel device intended to control infusion pressure based on mean ocular perfusion pressure (MOPP) during pars plana vitrectomy (PPV). An arm blood pressure cuff connected to a vitrectomy machine calculated mean arterial pressure (MAP), while a pressure sensor close to the infusion trocar measured intraocular pressure (IOP). MOPP was calculated in real time in 36 consecutive patients undergoing PPV, who were divided into two groups. The device lowered IOP every time that calculated MOPP fell below 30 mmHg in the Control ON group (18 patients), while no action was taken in the Control OFF group (18 patients). Baseline IOP and blood pressure were similar between groups. The Control ON group had significantly lower average intraoperative IOP (30.5 ± 2.1 vs. 35.9 ± 6.9 mmHg; p = 0.002) and higher MOPP (56.4 ± 5.9 vs. 49.7 ± 6.1 mmHg) than the Control OFF group. The Control ON group also spent less time at MOPP < 10 mmHg and < 30 mmHg: 0 vs. 3.40 ± 2.38 min (p < 0.001) and 9.91 ± 7.15 vs. 16.13 ± 8.12 min (p = 0.02), respectively. The MOPP control device effectively maintained lower IOP and higher MOPP throughout surgery. It also helped avoid dangerous IOP peaks and MOPP dips, allowing patients to spend less time at MOPP of < 10 and < 30 mmHg.

Mindfulness-based resilience training to reduce health risk, stress reactivity, and aggression among law enforcement officers: A feasibility and preliminary efficacy trial.

PubMed

Christopher, Michael S; Hunsinger, Matthew; Goerling, Lt Richard J; Bowen, Sarah; Rogers, Brant S; Gross, Cynthia R; Dapolonia, Eli; Pruessner, Jens C

2018-06-01

The primary objective of this study was to assess feasibility and gather preliminary outcome data on Mindfulness-Based Resilience Training (MBRT) for law enforcement officers. Participants (n = 61) were randomized to either an 8-week MBRT course or a no intervention control group. Self-report and physiological data were collected at baseline, post-training, and three months following intervention completion. Attendance, adherence, post-training participant feedback, and interventionist fidelity to protocol all demonstrated feasibility of MBRT for law enforcement officers. Compared to no intervention controls, MBRT participants experienced greater reductions in salivary cortisol, self-reported aggression, organizational stress, burnout, sleep disturbance, and reported increases in psychological flexibility and non-reactivity at post-training; however, group differences were not maintained at three-month follow-up. This initial randomized trial suggests MBRT is a feasible intervention. Outcome data suggest MBRT targets key physiological, psychological, and health risk factors in law enforcement officers, consistent with the potential to improve officer health and public safety. However, follow-up training or "booster" sessions may be needed to maintain training gains. A fully powered longitudinal randomized trial is warranted. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Endocrine Secretory Reserve and Proinsulin Processing in Recipients of Islet of Langerhans Versus Whole Pancreas Transplants

PubMed Central

Elkhafif, Nabeel M.; Borot, Sophie; Morel, Philippe; Demuylder-Mischler, Sandrine; Giovannoni, Laurianne; Toso, Christian; Bosco, Domenico; Berney, Thierry

2013-01-01

OBJECTIVE β-Cells have demonstrated altered proinsulin processing after islet transplantation. We compare β-cell metabolic responses and proinsulin processing in pancreas and islet transplant recipients with respect to healthy control subjects. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS We studied 15 islet and 32 pancreas transplant recipients. Islet subjects were subdivided into insulin-requiring (IR-ISL, n = 6) and insulin-independent (II-ISL, n = 9) groups. Ten healthy subjects served as control subjects. Subjects were administered an intravenous arginine stimulation test, and insulin, C-peptide, total proinsulin, intact proinsulin, and proinsulin fragment levels were determined from serum samples. Acute insulin response (AIR) and proinsulin processing rates were calculated. RESULTS We found that basal insulin and C-peptide levels were higher in the pancreas group than in all other groups. II-ISL patients had basal insulin and C-peptide levels similar to healthy control subjects. The IR-ISL group had significantly lower AIRs than all other groups. Basal processing rates were higher in the pancreas and II-ISL groups than in healthy control subjects and the IR-ISL group. After arginine stimulation, all groups had elevated processing rates, with the exception of the IR-ISL group. CONCLUSIONS Our data suggest that II-ISL transplant recipients can maintain basal metabolic parameters similar to healthy control subjects at the cost of a higher rate of proinsulin processing. IR-ISL transplant recipients, on the other hand, demonstrate both lower insulin response and lower basal rates of proinsulin processing even after arginine stimulation. PMID:24041681

Cerebral Oximetry Monitoring to Maintain Normal Cerebral Oxygen Saturation during High-risk Cardiac Surgery: A Randomized Controlled Feasibility Trial.

PubMed

Deschamps, Alain; Hall, Richard; Grocott, Hilary; Mazer, C David; Choi, Peter T; Turgeon, Alexis F; de Medicis, Etienne; Bussières, Jean S; Hudson, Christopher; Syed, Summer; Seal, Doug; Herd, Stuart; Lambert, Jean; Denault, André; Deschamps, Alain; Mutch, Alan; Turgeon, Alexis; Denault, Andre; Todd, Andrea; Jerath, Angela; Fayad, Ashraf; Finnegan, Barry; Kent, Blaine; Kennedy, Brent; Cuthbertson, Brian H; Kavanagh, Brian; Warriner, Brian; MacAdams, Charles; Lehmann, Christian; Fudorow, Christine; Hudson, Christopher; McCartney, Colin; McIsaac, Dan; Dubois, Daniel; Campbell, David; Mazer, David; Neilpovitz, David; Rosen, David; Cheng, Davy; Drapeau, Dennis; Dillane, Derek; Tran, Diem; Mckeen, Dolores; Wijeysundera, Duminda; Jacobsohn, Eric; Couture, Etienne; de Medicis, Etienne; Alam, Fahad; Abdallah, Faraj; Ralley, Fiona E; Chung, Frances; Lellouche, Francois; Dobson, Gary; Germain, Genevieve; Djaiani, George; Gilron, Ian; Hare, Gregory; Bryson, Gregory; Clarke, Hance; McDonald, Heather; Roman-Smith, Helen; Grocott, Hilary; Yang, Homer; Douketis, James; Paul, James; Beaubien, Jean; Bussières, Jean; Pridham, Jeremy; Armstrong, J N; Parlow, Joel; Murkin, John; Gamble, Jonathan; Duttchen, Kaylene; Karkouti, Keyvan; Turner, Kim; Baghirzada, Leyla; Szabo, Linda; Lalu, Manoj; Wasowicz, Marcin; Bautista, Michael; Jacka, Michael; Murphy, Michael; Schmidt, Michael; Verret, Michaël; Perrault, Michel-Antoine; Beaudet, Nicolas; Buckley, Norman; Choi, Peter; MacDougall, Peter; Jones, Philip; Drolet, Pierre; Beaulieu, Pierre; Taneja, Ravi; Martin, Rene; Hall, Richard; George, Ronald; Chun, Rosa; McMullen, Sarah; Beattie, Scott; Sampson, Sonia; Choi, Stephen; Kowalski, Stephen; McCluskey, Stuart; Syed, Summer; Boet, Sylvain; Ramsay, Tim; Saha, Tarit; Mutter, Thomas; Chowdhury, Tumul; Uppal, Vishal; Mckay, William

2016-04-01

Cerebral oxygen desaturation during cardiac surgery has been associated with adverse perioperative outcomes. Before a large multicenter randomized controlled trial (RCT) on the impact of preventing desaturations on perioperative outcomes, the authors undertook a randomized prospective, parallel-arm, multicenter feasibility RCT to determine whether an intervention algorithm could prevent desaturations. Eight Canadian sites randomized 201 patients between April 2012 and October 2013. The primary outcome was the success rate of reversing cerebral desaturations below 10% relative to baseline in the intervention group. Anesthesiologists were blinded to the cerebral saturation values in the control group. Intensive care unit personnel were blinded to cerebral saturation values for both groups. Secondary outcomes included the area under the curve of cerebral desaturation load, enrolment rates, and a 30-day follow-up for adverse events. Cerebral desaturations occurred in 71 (70%) of the 102 intervention group patients and 56 (57%) of the 99 control group patients (P = 0.04). Reversal was successful in 69 (97%) of the intervention group patients. The mean cerebral desaturation load (SD) in the operating room was smaller for intervention group patients compared with control group patients (104 [217] %.min vs. 398 [869] %.min, mean difference, -294; 95% CI, -562 to -26; P = 0.03). This was also true in the intensive care unit (P = 0.02). There were no differences in adverse events between the groups. Study sites were successful in reversal of desaturation, patient recruitment, randomization, and follow-up in cardiac surgery, supporting the feasibility of conducting a large multicenter RCT.

Temperature control during therapeutic moderate whole-body hypothermia for neonatal encephalopathy.

PubMed

Strohm, B; Azzopardi, D

2010-09-01

The precision of temperature control achieved in clinical practice during therapeutic hypothermia in neonates has not been described. The hourly rectal temperature recordings from 17 infants treated with servo controlled and an equal number treated with manually adjusted cooling equipment were examined. The target rectal temperature for all infants is 33.5 degrees C for 72 h. During 6 to 72 h after start of cooling, the mean (95% CI, variance) of the averaged rectal temperatures was 33.6 degrees C (95% CI 33.4 degrees C to 33.8 degrees C, 0.1 degrees C) in the manually adjusted group and 33.4 degrees C (95% CI 33.3 degrees C to 33.5 degrees C, 0.04 degrees C) in the servo controlled group (means, p=0.08; equality of variance, p=0.03). The variance was also significantly different between infant groups during 1 to 5 h after start of cooling, p=0.01, but not during rewarming. The rectal temperature can be maintained close to the target temperature with either manually adjusted or servo controlled equipment, but there is less temperature variability with the servo controlled system in use in the UK.

Consumption of Cisatracurium in different age groups, using a closed loop computer controlled system.

PubMed

Joomye, Shehzaad; Yan, Donglai; Wang, Haiyun; Zhou, Guoqiang; Wang, Guolin

2014-01-01

We devised this study to quantify the effect of age on the consumption of cisatracurium under general anaesthesia, using a computer controlled closed loop infusion system. We further investigated this effect on, sufentanil and propofol consumption. 74 patients of physical status I and II, requiring general anaesthesia for elective abdominal surgery, were assigned to three groups. Patients in group 1 were aged from 20 to 45, group 2 were from 46 to 64, and group 3 above 65 years old. General Anesthesia was maintained with propofol and muscle paralysis was maintained using a closed-loop computer controlled infusion of cisatracurium. For analgesia, intermittent bolus of sufentanil 10 μg was given. Cisatracurium consumption in group 1, 2 and 3 were 1.8 ± 0.3, 1.6 ± 0.4 and 1.3 ± 0.4 μg/kg/min respectively. There was significant difference of cisatracurium consumption between group 1 and 3 (P = 0.002), and the consumption of cisatracurium in group 3 was less as compared with group 2 (P = 0.04). The average recovery index of patients in group 1, 2 and 3 were 8.8 ± 2.6, 11.5 ± 2.9 and 12.7 ± 2.5 minutes respectively. There were difference between group 1 and 2 (P = 0.02). As compared with group 1, the recovery index was still longer in group 3 (P = 0.001). Patients in group 1, 2 and 3 consumed an average sufentanil 0.4 ± 0.1, 0.4 ± 0.1 and 0.3 ± 0.1 μg/kg/hr, respectively. There were statistical significant between group 1 and 3 (P < 0.0001), and the same trend was found between group 2 and 3 (P = 0.03). The Consumption of propofol in group 1, 2 and 3 were 5.1 ± 0.4, 4.3 ± 0.6 and 3.1 ± 0.5 mg/kg/hr. The difference in the propofol consumption was found statistically significant when comparing between any two groups. We concluded that the sensitivity of anesthetic agents increased with age. Less medication was required to achieve a desirable effect in older patients specially those above 65 years of age, and the drug effect was prolonged. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01785446.

Kampo medicine "Dai-kenchu-to" prevents CPT-11-induced small-intestinal injury in rats.

PubMed

Chikakiyo, Motoya; Shimada, Mitsuo; Nakao, Toshihiro; Higashijima, Jun; Yoshikawa, Kozo; Nishioka, Masanori; Iwata, Takashi; Kurita, Nobuhiro

2012-01-01

The key anticancer agent, CPT-11 (irinotecan hydrochloride), induces severe diarrhea clinically. We investigated the effect of a Kampo medicine, Dai-kenchu-to (DKT), on CPT-11-induced intestinal injuries in rats. Twenty-four male Wistar rats were divided into three groups: a control group; a CPT-11 group, given CPT-11 150 mg/kg intraperitoneally for 2 days; and a DKT group, given DKT 300 mg/kg orally for 5 days with CPT-11 150 mg/kg intraperitoneally on days 4 and 5. The rats were killed on day 6. Interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-12, interferon (IFN)-γ, and tumor necrosis factor-α expression in the small intestine of the CPT-11 group was significantly higher than that of the control group. Interleukin-1β and IFN-γ expression was improved significantly by DKT (P < 0.05). The number and height of jejuna villi, injury score, and apoptosis index in the CPT-11 group were improved significantly by DKT (P < 0.05). DKT suppressed CPT-11 induced inflammatory cytokines and apoptosis in the intestinal mucosa and maintained the mucosal integrity.

Shrinkage of ipsilateral taste buds and hyperplasia of contralateral taste buds following chorda tympani nerve transection.

PubMed

Li, Yi-Ke; Yang, Juan-Mei; Huang, Yi-Bo; Ren, Dong-Dong; Chi, Fang-Lu

2015-06-01

The morphological changes that occur in the taste buds after denervation are not well understood in rats, especially in the contralateral tongue epithelium. In this study, we investigated the time course of morphological changes in the taste buds following unilateral nerve transection. The role of the trigeminal component of the lingual nerve in maintaining the structural integrity of the taste buds was also examined. Twenty-four Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into three groups: control, unilateral chorda tympani nerve transection and unilateral chorda tympani nerve transection + lingual nerve transection. Rats were allowed up to 42 days of recovery before being euthanized. The taste buds were visualized using a cytokeratin 8 antibody. Taste bud counts, volumes and taste receptor cell numbers were quantified and compared among groups. No significant difference was detected between the chorda tympani nerve transection and chorda tympani nerve transection + lingual nerve transection groups. Taste bud counts, volumes and taste receptor cell numbers on the ipsilateral side all decreased significantly compared with control. On the contralateral side, the number of taste buds remained unchanged over time, but they were larger, and taste receptor cells were more numerous postoperatively. There was no evidence for a role of the trigeminal branch of the lingual nerve in maintaining the structural integrity of the anterior taste buds.

Intervention to improve awareness of the risk factors for osteonecrosis of the jaw in patients under treatment with bisphosponates. Randomised clinical trial.

PubMed

García-Martínez, Lucía; Martín-Payo, Rubén; Pelaz-García, Alejandro; Sierra-Vega, Matilde; Junquera-Gutiérrez, Luis Manuel

To evaluate the effectiveness of a health education programme on knowledge and reduction of the risk factors for bisphosphonate-related osteonecrosis of the jaw. An experimental study control group without intervention was performed with 60 subjects who had started treatment with bisphosphonates in the University Hospital of León from October to December 2014. Patients in the experimental group received a structured education intervention in two sessions. The data was collected from a heteroadministered questionnaire at the beginning and at the end of the study period for both groups. The educational intervention designed showed a significantly increased adherence to healthy behaviours related to oral hygiene such as mechanical control of plaque and the use of clorhexidine prior to invasive oral procedures. All subjects reported that they had not been advised to maintain a good level of oral health before starting treatment. After the intervention high percentages of recognition of early diagnostic measures starting from a baseline total ignorance of them were determined. No conclusive information about the use of removable dental prostheses, toxic habits or maintaining proper metabolic control in patients with diabetes mellitus was observed. Improving adherence to healthy behaviours related to oral health following the intervention, as well as their contribution to the early identification of warning signs of jaw osteonecrosis, stresses the importance of the use of health education as a tool in routine clinical practice. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Usefulness of granular BCAA after hepatectomy for liver cancer complicated with liver cirrhosis.

PubMed

Togo, Shinji; Tanaka, Kuniya; Morioka, Daisuke; Sugita, Mitsutaka; Ueda, Michio; Miura, Yasuhiko; Kubota, Toru; Nagano, Yasuhiko; Matsuo, Kenichi; Endo, Itaru; Sekido, Hitoshi; Shimada, Hiroshi

2005-04-01

Nutritional disturbances such as ascites and hypoalbuminemia frequently arise after hepatectomy for liver cancer with liver cirrhosis. We examined the possibility of maintaining a favorable state of nutrition by outpatient administration of branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) granules. Forty-three patients who had gross liver cirrhosis complicated by liver cancer and underwent surgery up to May 2002 were given BCAA granules (n = 21, BCAA group) or no granules (n = 22, control group). 1) Background details such as age, sex, surgical technique, blood loss, and duration of surgery showed no significant differences. 2) Among objective findings, improvement of ascites and edema tended to occur sooner in the BCAA group, but without a significant difference. 3) Although serum albumin recovered its preoperative value 9 mo after surgery in the control group, only 6 mo was required for recovery in the BCAA group. Total protein showed similar changes, but neither group showed any difference in changes of aspartate aminotransferase, alanine transferase, or platelets. 4) One year postoperatively, the change from the preoperative indocyanine green retention rate at 15 min after intravenous administration tended to be worse in the control group, but not significantly so. 5) In the BCAA group, hyaluronic acid and type IV collagen 7S improved significantly sooner than in the control group. BCAA supplementation after hepatectomy promotes rapid improvement in protein metabolism and inhibits progression to liver cirrhosis. Administration of BCAA after hepatectomy is considered beneficial to a patient's nutritional state.

Effects of five-minute internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy and simplified emotion-focused mindfulness on depressive symptoms: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Noguchi, Remi; Sekizawa, Yoichi; So, Mirai; Yamaguchi, Sosei; Shimizu, Eiji

2017-03-04

Notwithstanding a high expectation for internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy (iCBT) for reducing depressive symptoms, many of iCBT programs have limitations such as temporary effects and high drop-out rates, possibly due to their complexity. We examined the effects of a free, simplified, 5-minute iCBT program by comparing it with a simplified emotion-focused mindfulness (sEFM) exercise and with a waiting list control group. A total of 974 participants, who were recruited using the website of a market research company, were randomly assigned to the iCBT group, the sEFM group, and the control group. Those in the intervention arms performed each exercise for 5 weeks. The primary outcome measure was the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression scale (CES-D) at postintervention. Secondary outcome measures were the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 scale (GAD-7). Intention-to-treat analyses were conducted. During postintervention assessment, there were no significant differences between the intervention arms and the control group in the CES-D, although the difference between the iCBT arm and control group was close to significance (p = 0.05) in favor of iCBT. There was a significant difference in the PHQ-9 in favor of the sEFM group compared with the control group. There were no significant differences in outcome measures between the three groups at the 6-week follow-up. Although both iCBT and sEFM have the potential to temporarily reduce depressive symptoms, substantial improvements are required to enhance and maintain their effects. This trial is registered with the UMIN Clinical Trial Registry (UMIN-CTR) (ID: UMIN000015097 ) on 1 October 2014.

[Effect of different heat treatment on the bonding strength of porcelain and Co-Cr alloy].

PubMed

Liao, Juan-kun; Ye, Jian-tao; Zhu, Feng; Zhang, Cui-cui; Wen, Xiao-shan; Zhang, Yi-ping; Li, Bo-hua

2011-12-01

To investigate and compare the effect of different heat treatment on the metal- ceramic bonding strength and the interfacial microstructure of the Co-Cr alloy. Thirty specimens were made according to ISO 9693,and then divided into 3 groups (n=10) through the measurements .Group A(degassed 60s):degassed and then maintained 60s in 980 degrees centigrade Group B(degassed 60s and preoxidation 60s): degassed and maintained 60s in 980 degrees centigrade, then were maintained continuously for 60s in 980 degrees centigrade after re-gassed,Group C(degassed 120s): degassed and maintained 120s in 980 degrees centigrade. The bonding strengths of the three groups were evaluated through three point bending test. Six specimens divided into 3 group were made in the same method to observe the metal-ceramic interface through scanning electronic microscope(SEM) and energy dispersive spectrum(EDS).The bonding strength data were analyzed using ANOVA and Bonferroni's test by SPSS13.0 software package. The mean value of bonding strength was (39.03±2.70)MPa for group A, (34.43±2.36)MPa for group B, (31.65±1.49)MPa for group C, respectively. There were significant difference between every two groups (P<0.05). SEM demonstrated that the width of interfacial transition layer was 12.3-16.4μm in group A, 15.2-21.8μm in group B and 26.3-32.2μm in group C. Higher metal-ceramic bonding strength for Co-Cr alloy will be formed under the situation of degassed,and maintained 60s in 980 degrees centigrade ; while extending degassed time, prolonging the heat maintained time and preoxidation after degassing will reduce metal-ceramic bonding strength.

Focal epidural cooling reduces the infarction volume of permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion in swine.

PubMed

Zhang, Lihua; Cheng, Huilin; Shi, Jixin; Chen, Jun

2007-02-01

The protective effect against ischemic stroke by systemic hypothermia is limited by the cooling rate and it has severe complications. This study was designed to evaluate the effect of SBH induced by epidural cooling on infarction volume in a swine model of PMCAO. Permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion was performed in 12 domestic swine assigned to groups A and B. In group A, the cranial and rectal temperatures were maintained at normal range (37 degrees C-39 degrees C) for 6 hours after PMCAO. In group B, cranial temperature was reduced to moderate (deep brain, <30 degrees C) and deep (brain surface, <20 degrees C) temperature and maintained at that level for 5 hours after 1 hour after PMCAO, by the epidural cooling method. All animals were euthanized 6 hours after MCAO; their brains were sectioned and stained with 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride and their infarct volumes were calculated. The moderate and deep brain temperature (at deep brain and brain surface) can be induced by rapid epidural cooling, whereas the rectal temperature was maintained within normal range. The infarction volume after PMCAO was significantly reduced by epidural cooling compared with controls (13.73% +/- 1.82% vs 5.62% +/- 2.57%, P < .05). The present study has demonstrated, with histologic confirmation, that epidural cooling may be a useful strategy for reducing infarct volume after the onset of ischemia.

Effect of Yoga Based Lifestyle Intervention on Patients With Knee Osteoarthritis: A Randomized Controlled Trial

PubMed Central

Deepeshwar, Singh; Tanwar, Monika; Kavuri, Vijaya; Budhi, Rana B.

2018-01-01

Objective: To investigate the effect of integrated approach of yoga therapy (IAYT) intervention in individual with knee Osteoarthritis. Design: Randomized controlled clincial trail. Participants: Sixty-six individual prediagnosed with knee osteoarthritis aged between 30 and 75 years were randomized into two groups, i.e., Yoga (n = 31) and Control (n = 35). Yoga group received IAYT intervention for 1 week at yoga center of S-VYASA whereas Control group maintained their normal lifestyle. Outcome measures: The Falls Efficacy Scale (FES), Handgrip Strength test (left hand LHGS and right hand RHGS), Timed Up and Go Test (TUG), Sit-to-Stand (STS), and right & left extension and flexion were measured on day 1 and day 7. Results: There were a significant reduction in TUG (p < 0.001), Right (p < 0.001), and Left Flexion (p < 0.001) whereas significant improvements in LHGS (p < 0.01), and right extension (p < 0.05) & left extension (p < 0.001) from baseline in Yoga group. Conclusion: IAYT practice showed an improvement in TUG, STS, HGS, and Goniometer test, which suggest improved muscular strength, flexibility, and functional mobility. CTRI Registration Number: http://ctri.nic.in/Clinicaltrials, identifier CTRI/2017/10/010141. PMID:29867604

Beware: hospital control or ownership of medical groups.

PubMed

Hepps, S A

1995-01-01

The rapidly changing, unsettled economic and political health care environment is cause for great anxieties for physicians and hospitals alike. Most physicians have joined IPAs or medical groups in order to obtain continued access to patients who are rapidly shifting from indemnity to cost saving HMOs and PPOs. Many hospitals are seeking to increase their primary care provider base by obtaining control of physicians which may increase their opportunity for institutional success. In many cases, hospitals are providing substantial subsidies or buying physician practices, sometimes in apparent violation of anti-trust law. Physicians ostensibly receive good management advice and infrastructure support from hospital business officers or hospital controlled MSOs. However, when the hospital controls individual physicians or medical groups, there is an inherent conflict of interest because of very different strategic needs. It is not in the physicians' best interests to succumb to the siren songs which hospitals are playing. Providing the highest level of care possible for patients requires that physicians maintain professional independence and autonomy now and in the foreseeable future. Equitable negotiation and collaboration between medical groups and hospitals can only be obtained when there is a lawful and level playing field.

Social stories: mechanisms of effectiveness in increasing game play skills in children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder using a pretest posttest repeated measures randomized control group design.

PubMed

Quirmbach, Linda M; Lincoln, Alan J; Feinberg-Gizzo, Monica J; Ingersoll, Brooke R; Andrews, Siri M

2009-02-01

An increasing body of literature has indicated that social stories are an effective way to teach individuals diagnosed with autism appropriate social behavior. This study compared two formats of a social story targeting the improvement of social skills during game play using a pretest posttest repeated measures randomized control group design. A total of 45 children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) ages 7-14 were randomly assigned to standard, directive, or control story conditions. Results demonstrated that the standard and directive story formats were equally as effective in eliciting, generalizing and maintaining the targeted social skills in participants who had prior game play experience and Verbal Comprehension Index (VCI) scores from the WISC-IV intelligence test in the borderline range or above.

A Randomized Controlled Trial to Improve Social Skills in Young Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder: The UCLA PEERS(®) Program.

PubMed

Laugeson, Elizabeth A; Gantman, Alexander; Kapp, Steven K; Orenski, Kaely; Ellingsen, Ruth

2015-12-01

Research suggests that impaired social skills are often the most significant challenge for those with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), yet few evidence-based social skills interventions exist for adults on the spectrum. This replication trial tested the effectiveness of PEERS, a caregiver-assisted social skills program for high-functioning young adults with ASD. Using a randomized controlled design, 22 young adults 18-24 years of age were randomly assigned to a treatment (n = 12) or delayed treatment control (n = 10) group. Results revealed that the treatment group improved significantly in overall social skills, frequency of social engagement, and social skills knowledge, and significantly reduced ASD symptoms related to social responsiveness following PEERS. Most treatment gains were maintained at a 16-week follow-up assessment with new improvements observed.

Relational Stability of Thyroid Hormones in Euthyroid Subjects and Patients with Autoimmune Thyroid Disease

PubMed Central

Hoermann, Rudolf; Midgley, John E.M.; Larisch, Rolf; Dietrich, Johannes W.

2016-01-01

Background/Aim Operating far from its equilibrium resting point, the thyroid gland requires stimulation via feedback-controlled pituitary thyrotropin (TSH) secretion to maintain adequate hormone supply. We explored and defined variations in the expression of control mechanisms and physiological responses across the euthyroid reference range. Methods We analyzed the relational equilibria between thyroid parameters defining thyroid production and thyroid conversion in a group of 271 thyroid-healthy subjects and 86 untreated patients with thyroid autoimmune disease. Results In the euthyroid controls, the FT3-FT4 (free triiodothyronine-free thyroxine) ratio was strongly associated with the FT4-TSH ratio (tau = −0.22, p < 0.001, even after correcting for spurious correlation), linking T4 to T3 conversion with TSH-standardized T4 production. Using a homeostatic model, we estimated both global deiodinase activity and maximum thyroid capacity. Both parameters were nonlinearly and inversely associated, trending in opposite directions across the euthyroid reference range. Within the panel of controls, the subgroup with a relatively lower thyroid capacity (<2.5 pmol/s) displayed lower FT4 levels, but maintained FT3 at the same concentrations as patients with higher functional and anatomical capacity. The relationships were preserved when extended to the subclinical range in the diseased sample. Conclusion The euthyroid panel does not follow a homogeneous pattern to produce random variation among thyroid hormones and TSH, but forms a heterogeneous group that progressively displays distinctly different levels of homeostatic control across the euthyroid range. This suggests a concept of relational stability with implications for definition of euthyroidism and disease classification. PMID:27843807

Exposure therapy changes dysfunctional evaluations of somatic symptoms in patients with hypochondriasis (health anxiety). A randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Weck, Florian; Neng, Julia M B; Schwind, Julia; Höfling, Volkmar

2015-08-01

Dysfunctional evaluations of somatic symptoms are considered a central factor in maintaining hypochondriasis. The aim of the current study was to investigate whether exposure therapy (ET) without cognitive restructuring is sufficient to change dysfunctional evaluations of somatic symptoms. The current study was based on a randomized controlled trial and compared patients with hypochondriasis (N=73) receiving ET or cognitive therapy (CT) to a wait list (WL) control group. In both the ET and CT groups, dysfunctional symptom evaluations changed significantly compared with the WL group. No differences between the ET and CT groups emerged. The relationship between the treatment condition (active treatment vs. WL) and reductions in health anxiety was mediated by changes in somatic symptom evaluations only in a specific card sorting procedure. We conclude that addressing dysfunctional symptom evaluations is a necessary precondition for the effective treatment of hypochondriasis. However, the results indicate that ET and CT appear to change those processes to a similar degree. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Moderate exercise plus sleep education improves self-reported sleep quality, daytime mood, and vitality in adults with chronic sleep complaints: a waiting list-controlled trial.

PubMed

Gebhart, Carmen; Erlacher, Daniel; Schredl, Michael

2011-01-01

Research indicates that physical exercise can contribute to better sleep quality. This study investigates the six-week influence of a combined intervention on self-rated sleep quality, daytime mood, and quality of life. A nonclinical sample of 114 adults with chronic initiating and the maintaining of sleep complaints participated in the study. The intervention group of 70 adults underwent moderate physical exercise, conducted weekly, plus sleep education sessions. Improvements among participants assigned to the intervention group relative to the waiting-list control group (n = 44) were noted for subjective sleep quality, daytime mood, depressive symptoms and vitality. Derived from PSQI subscores, the intervention group reported increased sleep duration, shortened sleep latency, fewer awakenings after sleep onset, and overall better sleep efficiency compared to controls. The attained scores were well sustained and enhanced over a time that lasted through to the follow-up 18 weeks later. These findings have implications in treatment programs concerning healthy lifestyle approaches for adults with chronic sleep complaints.

Moderate Exercise Plus Sleep Education Improves Self-Reported Sleep Quality, Daytime Mood, and Vitality in Adults with Chronic Sleep Complaints: A Waiting List-Controlled Trial

PubMed Central

Gebhart, Carmen; Erlacher, Daniel; Schredl, Michael

2011-01-01

Research indicates that physical exercise can contribute to better sleep quality. This study investigates the six-week influence of a combined intervention on self-rated sleep quality, daytime mood, and quality of life. A nonclinical sample of 114 adults with chronic initiating and the maintaining of sleep complaints participated in the study. The intervention group of 70 adults underwent moderate physical exercise, conducted weekly, plus sleep education sessions. Improvements among participants assigned to the intervention group relative to the waiting-list control group (n = 44) were noted for subjective sleep quality, daytime mood, depressive symptoms and vitality. Derived from PSQI subscores, the intervention group reported increased sleep duration, shortened sleep latency, fewer awakenings after sleep onset, and overall better sleep efficiency compared to controls. The attained scores were well sustained and enhanced over a time that lasted through to the follow-up 18 weeks later. These findings have implications in treatment programs concerning healthy lifestyle approaches for adults with chronic sleep complaints. PMID:23471095

Group selections among laboratory populations of Tribolium.

PubMed

Wade, M J

1976-12-01

Selection at the population level or group selection is defined as genetic change that is brought about or maintained by the differential extinction and/or proliferation of populations. Group selection for both increased and decreased adult population size was carried out among laboratory populations of Tribolium castaneum at 37-day intervals. The effect of individual selection within populations on adult population size was evaluated in an additional control series of populations. The response in the group selection treatments occurred rapidly, within three or four generations, and was large in magnitude, at times differing from the controls by over 200%. This response to selection at the populational level occurred despite strong individual selection which caused a decline in the mean size of the control populations from over 200 adults to near 50 adults in nine 37-day intervals. "Assay" experiments indicated that selective changes in fecundity, developmental time, body weight, and cannibalism rates were responsible in part for the observed treatment differences in adult population size. These findings have implications in terms of speciation in organisms whose range is composed of many partially isolated local populations.

Effectiveness of Cognitive-Functional (Cog-Fun) occupational therapy intervention for young children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: a controlled study.

PubMed

Maeir, Adina; Fisher, Orit; Bar-Ilan, Ruthie Traub; Boas, Naomi; Berger, Itai; Landau, Yael E

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of the Cognitive-Functional (Cog-Fun) intervention for young children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Nineteen children ages 5-7 yr diagnosed with ADHD were allocated to treatment and wait-list control groups. After the 12-wk intervention, the control group was crossed over to treatment. Follow-up was conducted 3 mo after treatment. Outcome measures included the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function and the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure. Before crossover, significant differences were found between groups in change scores on the outcome measures. After crossover, no significant differences were found in treatment effects, and significant moderate to large treatment effects were found for both COPM and BRIEF scores. Treatment gains were maintained at follow-up. The study supports the effectiveness of the Cog-Fun intervention in improving occupational performance and executive functions in daily life for young children with ADHD. Copyright © 2014 by the American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.

Evaluation of a standardized patient education program for inpatient asthma rehabilitation: Impact on patient-reported health outcomes up to one year.

PubMed

Bäuerle, Kathrin; Feicke, Janine; Scherer, Wolfgang; Spörhase, Ulrike; Bitzer, Eva-Maria

2017-05-01

To modify and evaluate a patient education program for adult asthma patients in consideration of quality criteria for teaching. This was a prospective single-center controlled trial in an inpatient rehabilitation center. The control group (n=215) received the usual lecture-based education program, and the intervention group (n=209) the modified patient education program. Data were assessed at admission, discharge, 6 and 12 months post discharge. The primary outcome was asthma control, the secondary outcomes were asthma knowledge, quality of life, and program acceptance. Analysis of change was performed by ANCOVA for each follow-up, adjusting for baseline values. Statistically significant increases in all health outcomes and in asthma control were maintained in both groups at 12 months: CG: +1.9 (95%-CI 1.3-2.6) IG: +1.6 (95%-CI 0.8-2.3). We observed no significant differences between the programs for asthma control and quality of life. Regarding practical asthma knowledge, after 12 months, a group*time interaction emerged with a small effect size (P=0.06, η2=0.01). The modified program was not superior to traditional patient education concerning asthma control. It permanently increased self-management knowledge. Structured and behavioral patient education fosters patient's disease management ability. Possible ways of improving asthma control need to be explored. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

A double-blind, randomized comparative study to investigate the morphine to hydromorphone conversion ratio in Japanese cancer patients

PubMed Central

Inoue, Satoshi; Saito, Yoji; Tsuneto, Satoru; Aruga, Etsuko; Ogata, Takeshi; Uemori, Mitsutoshi

2018-01-01

Abstract Objective To confirm the morphine to hydromorphone conversion ratio for hydromorphone (DS-7113b) immediate-release tablets in cancer patients who achieved pain control with oral morphine. Methods This was a multicenter, active-controlled, randomized, double-blind, parallel-group, comparative study (July 2013 to December 2014) at 39 Japanese sites. Seventy-one patients (aged >20 years) who had achieved pain control with morphine 60 mg/day and 90 mg/day were randomly allocated 1:1 to hydromorphone immediate-release tablets at a dose converted at a hydromorphone:morphine ratio of 1:5 or 1:8, respectively, and treated for up to 5 days. The efficacy was evaluated as the pain control ratio. Results The pain control ratio in the full analysis set was 83.3% (25/30) in the conversion ratio 1:5 group and 95.0% (38/40) in the conversion ratio 1:8 group, and both groups demonstrated highly successful pain control. The incidence of adverse events was 46.7% (14/30) in the conversion ratio 1:5 group and 58.5% (24/41) in the 1:8 group; the difference was not clinically relevant. Frequently observed adverse events (incidence ≥5%) were nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, somnolence and dyspnea. Conclusions A high pain control ratio was maintained by a switch at either conversion ratio, and no notable difference was observed in the incidence of adverse events. A switch from morphine to hydromorphone is effective at a dose converted at ratios of 1:5 and 1:8. PMID:29635632

Treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder in postwar Kosovar adolescents using mind-body skills groups: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Gordon, James S; Staples, Julie K; Blyta, Afrim; Bytyqi, Murat; Wilson, Amy T

2008-09-01

To determine whether participation in a mind-body skills group program based on psychological self-care, mind-body techniques, and self-expression decreases symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Eighty-two adolescents meeting criteria for PTSD according to the Harvard Trauma Questionnaire (which corresponds with 16 of the 17 diagnostic criteria for PTSD in DSM-IV) were randomly assigned to a 12-session mind-body group program or a wait-list control group. The program was conducted by high school teachers in consultation with psychiatrists and psychologists and included meditation, guided imagery, and breathing techniques; self-expression through words, drawings, and movement; autogenic training and biofeedback; and genograms. Changes in PTSD symptoms were measured using the Harvard Trauma Questionnaire. The study was conducted from September 2004 to May 2005 by The Center for Mind-Body Medicine at a high school in the Suhareka region of Kosovo. Students in the immediate intervention group had significantly lower PTSD symptom scores following the intervention than those in the wait-list control group (F = 29.8, df = 1,76; p < .001). Preintervention and postintervention scores (mean [SD]) for the intervention group were 2.5 (0.3) and 2.0 (0.3), respectively, and for the control group, 2.5 (0.3) and 2.4 (0.4), respectively. The decreased PTSD symptom scores were maintained in the initial intervention group at 3-month follow-up. After the wait-list control group received the intervention, there was a significant decrease (p < .001) in PTSD symptom scores compared to the preintervention scores. Mind-body skills groups can reduce PTSD symptoms in war-traumatized high school students and can be effectively led by trained and supervised schoolteachers. Copyright 2008 Physicians Postgraduate Press, Inc.

Complications of Lumbar Artificial Disc Replacement Compared to Fusion: Results From the Prospective, Randomized, Multicenter US Food and Drug Administration Investigational Device Exemption Study of the Charité Artificial Disc

PubMed Central

Majd, Mohammed E.; Isaza, Jorge E.; Blumenthal, Scott L.; McAfee, Paul C.; Guyer, Richard D.; Hochschuler, Stephen H.; Geisler, Fred H.; Garcia, Rolando; Regan, John J.

2007-01-01

Background Previous reports of lumbar total disc replacement (TDR) have described significant complications. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) investigational device exemption (IDE) study of the Charité artificial disc represents the first level I data comparison of TDR to fusion. Methods In the prospective, randomized, multicenter IDE study, patients were randomized in a 2:1 ratio, with 205 patients in the Charité group and 99 patients in the control group (anterior lumbar interbody fusion [ALIF] with BAK cages). Inclusion criteria included confirmed single-level degenerative disc disease at L4-5 or L5-S1 and failure of nonoperative treatment for at least 6 months. Complications were reported throughout the study. Results The rate of approach-related complications was 9.8% in the investigational group and 10.1% in the control group. The rate of major neurological complications was similar between the 2 groups (investigational = 4.4%, control = 4.0%). There was a higher rate of superficial wound infection in the investigational group but no deep wound infections in either group. Pseudarthrosis occurred in 9.1% of control group patients. The rate of subsidence in the investigational group was 3.4%. The reoperation rate was 5.4% in the investigational group and 9.1% in the control group. Conclusions The incidence of perioperative and postoperative complications for lumbar TDR was similar to that of ALIF. Vigilance is necessary with respect to patient indications, training, and correct surgical technique to maintain TDR complications at the levels experienced in the IDE study. PMID:25802575

Identification and prediction of group-based glycemic control trajectories during the transition to adolescence.

PubMed

Rohan, Jennifer M; Rausch, Joseph R; Pendley, Jennifer Shroff; Delamater, Alan M; Dolan, Lawrence; Reeves, Grafton; Drotar, Dennis

2014-10-01

To identify trajectories of glycemic control over a period of 3 years in a pediatric sample of youth diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes transitioning to adolescence. A second aim was to examine a set of modifiable individual and family level baseline predictors of glycemic control group membership. This multisite, prospective study included 239 children and adolescents (ages 9-11 years at baseline) diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes and their caregivers. Glycemic control was based on hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) collected at 6-month intervals over a period of 3 years. Predictors of glycemic control membership included baseline global executive functioning, diabetes self-management, diabetes-specific family conflict, blood glucose monitoring frequency, and relevant individual and family level covariates. Group-based trajectory analyses were used to describe patterns of glycemic control from baseline to 36 months and 3 trajectories were identified: low risk (42.9%), elevated risk (44.6%), and high risk (12.1%) subgroups. Baseline maternal-reported family conflict, blood glucose monitoring frequency, and gender were significant predictors of glycemic control group membership. Higher levels of baseline family conflict, lower frequency of blood glucose monitoring, and female gender were associated with elevated and high-risk group membership. These findings underscore the importance of examining trajectories of HbA1c across time. These results suggest that problematic trajectories of glycemic control are evident during the transition to adolescence. Furthermore, there are modifiable individual and family level characteristics that predict group membership and hence could be targeted in interventions to ensure adequate glycemic control is maintained over time and that risks for diabetes-related complications are reduced.

Identification and Prediction of Group-Based Glycemic Control Trajectories during the Transition to Adolescence

PubMed Central

Rohan, Jennifer M.; Rausch, Joseph R.; Pendley, Jennifer Shroff; Delamater, Alan M.; Dolan, Lawrence; Reeves, Grafton; Drotar, Dennis

2014-01-01

Objective To identify trajectories of glycemic control over a period of three years in a pediatric sample of youth diagnosed with type 1 diabetes transitioning to adolescence. A second aim was to examine a set of modifiable individual and family-level baseline predictors of glycemic control group membership. Methods This multisite, prospective study included 239 children and adolescents (ages 9–11 years at baseline) diagnosed with type 1 diabetes and their caregivers. Glycemic control was based on hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) collected at six month intervals over a period of three years. Predictors of glycemic control membership included baseline global executive functioning, diabetes self-management, diabetes-specific family conflict, blood glucose monitoring frequency, and relevant individual and family level covariates. Results Group-based trajectory analyses were used to describe patterns of glycemic control from baseline to 36 months and three trajectories were identified: low risk (42.9%), elevated risk (44.6%), and high risk (12.1%) subgroups. Baseline maternal-reported family conflict, blood glucose monitoring frequency, and gender were significant predictors of glycemic control group membership. Higher levels of baseline family conflict, lower frequency of blood glucose monitoring, and female gender were associated with elevated and high risk group membership. Conclusions These findings underscore the importance of examining trajectories of HbA1c across time. These results suggest that problematic trajectories of glycemic control are evident during the transition to adolescence. Furthermore, there are modifiable individual and family-level characteristics that predict group membership and hence could be targeted in interventions to ensure adequate glycemic control is maintained over time and that risks for diabetes-related complications are reduced. PMID:24274797

Is semantic verbal fluency impairment explained by executive function deficits in schizophrenia?

PubMed

Berberian, Arthur A; Moraes, Giovanna V; Gadelha, Ary; Brietzke, Elisa; Fonseca, Ana O; Scarpato, Bruno S; Vicente, Marcella O; Seabra, Alessandra G; Bressan, Rodrigo A; Lacerda, Acioly L

2016-04-19

To investigate if verbal fluency impairment in schizophrenia reflects executive function deficits or results from degraded semantic store or inefficient search and retrieval strategies. Two groups were compared: 141 individuals with schizophrenia and 119 healthy age and education-matched controls. Both groups performed semantic and phonetic verbal fluency tasks. Performance was evaluated using three scores, based on 1) number of words generated; 2) number of clustered/related words; and 3) switching score. A fourth performance score based on the number of clusters was also measured. SZ individuals produced fewer words than controls. After controlling for the total number of words produced, a difference was observed between the groups in the number of cluster-related words generated in the semantic task. In both groups, the number of words generated in the semantic task was higher than that generated in the phonemic task, although a significant group vs. fluency type interaction showed that subjects with schizophrenia had disproportionate semantic fluency impairment. Working memory was positively associated with increased production of words within clusters and inversely correlated with switching. Semantic fluency impairment may be attributed to an inability (resulting from reduced cognitive control) to distinguish target signal from competing noise and to maintain cues for production of memory probes.

Effect of antioxidants on the dentin interface bond stability of adhesives exposed to hydrolytic degradation.

PubMed

Gotti, Valéria B; Feitosa, Victor P; Sauro, Salvatore; Correr-Sobrinho, Lourenço; Leal, Fernanda B; Stansbury, Jeffrey W; Correr, Américo B

2015-02-01

This study assessed the effect of antioxidants vitamin C (Vit. C), vitamin E (Vit. E) and quercetin (Querc) on the dentin bonding performance, degree of conversion, and rate of polymerization of three commercial adhesive systems (Adper Single Bond 2 [SB], Clearfil SE Bond [CSE], Adper Easy Bond [EB]). Human premolars were restored using antioxidant-doped adhesives. The samples were stored for 24 h in distilled water or 6 months under simulated pulpal pressure. Teeth were cut into sticks and the microtensile bond strength (μTBS) to dentin was tested in a universal testing machine. Qualitative nanoleakage analysis was performed from a central stick of each restored tooth. Degree of conversion and rate of polymerization of adhesive systems were evaluated in triplicate using real-time FT-IR. Although the inclusion of the antioxidants negatively affected the μTBS over 24 h, the antioxidant-doped adhesives maintained (SB-Vit. C, SB-Vit. E, CSE-Vit. C, EB-Querc) or increased (SB-Querc, CSE-Vit. E, CSE-Querc, EB-Vit. E, and EB-Vit. C) their μTBS during 6 months of storage. Only the μTBS of Adper Single Bond 2 dropped significantly after 6 months among the control groups. Slight changes in the nanoleakage pattern after aging were observed in all groups, except for the EB-control group, which showed a noteworthy increase in nanoleakage after 6 months, and for EB-Vit. C, which presented a remarkable decrease. A lower degree of conversion was obtained with all antioxidants in SB and EB, except for the EB-Vit. E group. Similar degrees of conversion were attained in control and experimental groups for CSE. The rate of polymerization was reduced in antioxidant-doped adhesives. The performance of antioxidants changed according to the adhesive system to which they were added, and antioxidant-doped adhesives appear to have a positive effect on the adhesive interface durability, since their bond strength obtained after 24 h was maintained or increased over time.

Electroacupuncture analgesia in a rabbit ovariohysterectomy.

PubMed

Parmen, Valentin

2014-02-01

This study investigated the effectiveness of electroacupuncture analgesia (EAA) at local and paravertebral acupoints for a rabbit undergoing an ovariohysterectomy. Twelve clinically healthy New Zealand white rabbits were chosen and divided into two groups: the control group (5 rabbits) and the experimental group (7 rabbits). A neuroleptanalgesic (ketamine + xylazine) was administered to the control group (NLA group); the experimental group received EAA treatment (EAA group). The EAA treatment includes one acupuncture formula for local stimulation at the incision site and systemic stimulation. Results of clinical research have shown postoperative analgesia using EAA treatment to be superior to that using NLA. The average postoperative recovery time was 5.2 times longer in the NLA group than in the EAA group. Because consciousness was maintained, EAA presented an advantage in thermoregulation. Animals administered NLA had prolonged thermal homeostasis because of neurovegetative disconnection. For the EAA group, the operative times were characterized as excellent (28%, p = 0.28) or good (72%, p = 0.72). Local stimulation at the incision site provided excellent analgesia of the abdominal wall (100%). In conclusion, EA can provide general analgesia with a considerable analgesic effect for a rabbit undergoing an ovariohysterectomy, resulting in a short postoperative recovery time. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V.

The impact of occupational therapy and lifestyle interventions on older persons' health, well-being, and occupational adaptation.

PubMed

Johansson, Ann; Björklund, Anita

2016-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate whether a four-month occupational based health-promoting programme for older persons living in community dwellings could maintain/improve their general health and well-being. Further, the aim was to explore whether the programme facilitated the older persons' occupational adaptation. The study had a quasi-experimental design, with a non-equivalent control group combined with semi-structured interviews. The intervention group comprised 22 participants, and the control group 18. Outcomes were measured using the Short Form 36, Life Satisfaction Index-Z and Meaningful Activity Participation Assessment. Content analysis, based on concepts from the Model of Occupational Adaptation, was used to analyse the interviews. The intervention group showed statistically significant improvements in general health variables such as vitality and mental health, and positive trends for psychological well-being. There were no statistically significant differences between the intervention group and the control group, but the groups were not fully matched. The qualitative analysis based on Occupational Adaptation pointed out social aspects as a compliment to the overall results. Participating in meaningful, challenging activities in different environments stimulates the occupational adaptation process; this is something occupational therapists could use to empower older persons to find their optimal occupational lives.

Effect of virtual reality training on walking distance and physical fitness in individuals with Parkinson's disease.

PubMed

de Melo, Gileno Edu Lameira; Kleiner, Ana Francisca Rozin; Lopes, Jamile Benite Palma; Dumont, Arislander Jonathan Lopes; Lazzari, Roberta Delasta; Galli, Manuela; Oliveira, Claudia Santos

2018-04-07

To evaluate the effects of gait training with virtual reality (VR) on walking distance and physical fitness in individuals with Parkinson's Disease (PD). Thirty-seven individuals with PD participated in this prospective, randomized, controlled clinical trial. They were randomly allocated to a control group submitted to conventional training (n = 12), a treadmill group submitted to gait training on a treadmill (n = 13) and a VR group submitted to gait training using the XboxTM (n = 12). Clinical measures, gait variables and the Six-Minute Walk Test (6MWT) were evaluated: pre-intervention, after one intervention session, post-intervention and follow up (30 days after intervention). The VR and treadmill groups travelled longer distances on the 6MWT and had faster gait speed in comparison to the control group. The VR and treadmill groups demonstrated an increase in pre-6MWT HR. The VR group had more intense HR after the first session and throughout training, but these gains were not maintained at the follow-up. The present findings demonstrate that gait training with a VR program is as effective as treadmill training with regard to gains in walking distance and improvements in temporal gait variables in individuals with PD.

Hypothermia can reverse hepatic oxidative stress damage induced by hypoxia in rats.

PubMed

Garnacho-Castaño, Manuel Vicente; Alva, Norma; Sánchez-Nuño, Sergio; Bardallo, Raquel G; Palomeque, Jesús; Carbonell, Teresa

2016-12-01

Our previous findings demonstrated that hypothermia enhances the reduction potential in the liver and helps to maintain the plasmatic antioxidant pool. Here, we aimed to elucidate if hypothermia protects against hypoxia-induced oxidative stress damage in rat liver. Several hepatic markers of oxidative stress were compared in three groups of animals (n = 8 in each group): control normothermic group ventilated with room air and two groups under extreme hypoxia (breathing 10 % O 2 ), one kept at normothermia (HN) (37 °C) and the other under deep hypothermia (HH) (central body temperature of 21-22 °C). Hypoxia in normothermia significantly increased the levels of hepatic nitric oxide, inducible nitric oxide synthase expression, protein oxidation, Carbonilated proteins, advanced oxidation protein products, 4-hydroxynonenal (HNE) protein adducts, and lipid peroxidation when compared to the control group (p < 0.05). However, when hypoxia was induced under hypothermia, results from the oxidative stress biomarker analyses did not differ significantly from those found in the control group. Indeed, 4-HNE protein adduct amounts were significantly lower in the HH versus HN group (p < 0.05). Therefore, hypothermia can mitigate hypoxia-induced oxidative stress damage in rat liver. These effects could help clarify the mechanisms of action of therapeutic hypothermia.

Effect of Motivation by “Instagram” on Adherence to Physical Activity among Female College Students

PubMed Central

Al-Eisa, Einas; Al-Rushud, Asma; Alghadir, Ahmad; Al-Harbi, Bashayer; Al-Sughaier, Noha; Al-Yoseef, Noha; Al-Otaibi, Reem; Al-Muhaysin, Hanadi Ali

2016-01-01

Objective. To investigate the efficacy of using “Instagram application” with a “home-exercise program” as a motivational stimulus in improving physical activity (PA) adherence levels among female college students. Methods. Fifty-eight female undergraduate students with the mean age 20.3 ± 0.96 years participated. Participants were divided into two groups: intervention and the control group; both the groups received an exercise program and the intervention group was additionally motivated by “Instagram.” Adherence to PA was measured by using an adherence sheet. The Exercise Motivation Inventory (EMI-2) was used to assess the motivational factors. Results. The most frequent motivational factors were extrinsic as assessed using the EMI-2. “Positive health” was the most frequent factor mentioned of the two types with 47% of the sample. The intervention group adhered with 17% more to the activity program compared to the control group. Moreover, 72% of the participants in the intervention and control groups found the activity program flexible enough to be performed at home; they agreed about its effectiveness on adherence (53%). Conclusions. The use of Instagram with the home exercise program as a motivational modality could be attractive and effective to reinforce adherence and maintain an appropriate PA level. PMID:27034927

Effects of treadmill running on rat gastrocnemius function following botulinum toxin A injection.

PubMed

Tsai, Sen-Wei; Chen, Chun-Jung; Chen, Hsiao-Lin; Chen, Chuan-Mu; Chang, Yin-Yi

2012-02-01

Exercise can improve and maintain neural or muscular function, but the effects of exercise in physiological adaptation to paralysis caused by botulinum toxin A has not been well studied. Twenty-four rats were randomly assigned into control and treadmill groups. The rats assigned to the treadmill group were trained on a treadmill three times per week with the running speed set at 15 m/min. The duration of training was 20 min/session. Muscle strength, nerve conduction study and sciatic functional index (SFI) were used for functional analysis. Treadmill training improved the SFI at 2, 3, and 4 weeks (p = 0.01, 0.004, and 0.01, respectively). The maximal contraction force of the gastrocnemius muscle in the treadmill group was greater than in the control group (p < 0.05). The percentage of activated fibers was higher in the treadmill botox group than the percentage for the control botox group, which was demonstrated by differences in amplitude and area of compound muscle action potential (CMAP) under the curve between the groups (p < 0.05). After BoNT-A injection, treadmill improved the physiological properties of muscle contraction strength, CMAP amplitude, and the recovery of SFI. Copyright © 2011 Orthopaedic Research Society.

Effects of Greenselect Phytosome® on weight maintenance after weight loss in obese women: a randomized placebo-controlled study.

PubMed

Gilardini, Luisa; Pasqualinotto, Lucia; Di Pierro, Francesco; Risso, Paolo; Invitti, Cecilia

2016-07-22

Most subjects regain weight after weight loss due to compensatory adaptations finalized to maintain stable body energy stores. Green tea (GT) preparations, which help maintain energy expenditure while dieting could be a useful strategy to facilitate weight maintenance. The usefulness of GT preparations in weight maintenance has been poorly studied so far with conflicting results. This study evaluated if a supplement of GSP and piperine helps obese women to maintain the weight loss obtained with a 3-month lifestyle intervention. In a randomized placebo-controlled study, we examined whether a highly bioavailable GT extract may counteract weight regain after weight loss. Forty obese women (age 50.1 ± 10.1 years, Body Mass Index (BMI) 36.3 ± 2.7 kg/m(2)) underwent a 3-month lifestyle intervention. At the end of the intervention, the women were randomized in two groups for the weight-maintenance phase: 20 of them were prescribed twice a day, for 3 months, with a formula containing 150 mg/dose of Greenselect Phytosome® and 15 mg/dose of pure piperine (GSP group), and 20 were given placebo (P group). Anthropometric measures and body composition were measured before (V-3) and after lifestyle intervention (V0), 1 (V1), 2 (V2), and 3 (V3) months after prescribing supplements and 3 months following the discontinuation of supplements (V6). Lifestyle intervention induced a significant weight reduction in both groups with similar weight change (-6.2 ± 2.6 in GSP group vs. -4.8 ± 3.1 % in P group). In the GSP group, V1 in comparison to V0, had further reduction in weight and fat mass, which remained stable at V2 and V3 and increased at V6. In the P group, weight and fat mass increased from V2 onwards. Weight changes in GSP group and P group from V0 to V3 were -1.0 kg (95 % CI -2.5 to +0.5) and + 0.3 kg (95 % CI -0.9 to +1.6), respectively. The proportion of women with weight loss ≥ 5 % was greater in the GSP group than in the P group (75 % vs. 45 % at V1, and 60 % vs. 30 % at V6, p < 0.05 for both groups). Greenselect Phytosome® devoid of caffeine may have a clinical potential for the maintenance of weight after intentional weight loss. Clinicaltrials.gov NCT02542449 (September 2015).

Shelf-life extension of Pacific white shrimp using algae extracts during refrigerated storage.

PubMed

Li, Yingchang; Yang, Zhongyan; Li, Jianrong

2017-01-01

Shrimp is a low-fat, high-protein aquatic product, and is susceptible to spoilage during storage. To establish an effective method for the quality control of Pacific white shrimp, the effects of polyphenols (PP) and polysaccharides (PS) from Porphyra yezoensis on the quality of Pacific white shrimp were assessed during refrigerated storage. Pacific white shrimp samples were treated with 5 g L -1 polyphenols, and 8 g L -1 polysaccharides, then stored at 4 ± 1 °C for 8 days. All samples were subjected to measurement of total viable count (TVC), pH, total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N), K-value, thiobarbituric acid (TBA), polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity, and were also assessed by sensory evaluation. The results showed that PP, PS, and the mixture of polyphenols and polysaccharides (PP+PS) could inhibit the increase of total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N), thiobarbituric acid (TBA) and K-value, and reduce total viable count (TVC) compared with the control group. PP could also inhibit polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity. Sensory evaluation proved the efficacy of PP and PS by maintaining the overall quality of Pacific white shrimp during refrigerated storage. Moreover, PP+PS could extend the shelf-life of shrimp by 3-4 days compared with the control group. PP+PS could more effectively maintain quality and extend shelf-life during refrigerated storage. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

Using internet and mobile phone technology to deliver an automated physical activity program: randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Hurling, Robert; Catt, Michael; Boni, Marco De; Fairley, Bruce William; Hurst, Tina; Murray, Peter; Richardson, Alannah; Sodhi, Jaspreet Singh

2007-04-27

The Internet has potential as a medium for health behavior change programs, but no controlled studies have yet evaluated the impact of a fully automated physical activity intervention over several months with real-time objective feedback from a monitor. The aim was to evaluate the impact of a physical activity program based on the Internet and mobile phone technology provided to individuals for 9 weeks. A single-center, randomized, stratified controlled trial was conducted from September to December 2005 in Bedfordshire, United Kingdom, with 77 healthy adults whose mean age was 40.4 years (SD = 7.6) and mean body mass index was 26.3 (SD = 3.4). Participants were randomized to a test group that had access to an Internet and mobile phone-based physical activity program (n = 47) or to a control group (n = 30) that received no support. The test group received tailored solutions for perceived barriers, a schedule to plan weekly exercise sessions with mobile phone and email reminders, a message board to share their experiences with others, and feedback on their level of physical activity. Both groups were issued a wrist-worn accelerometer to monitor their level of physical activity; only the test group received real-time feedback via the Internet. The main outcome measures were accelerometer data and self-report of physical activity. At the end of the study period, the test group reported a significantly greater increase over baseline than did the control group for perceived control (P < .001) and intention/expectation to exercise (P < .001). Intent-to-treat analyses of both the accelerometer data (P = .02) and leisure time self-report data (P = .03) found a higher level of moderate physical activity in the test group. The average increase (over the control group) in accelerometer-measured moderate physical activity was 2 h 18 min per week. The test group also lost more percent body fat than the control group (test group: -2.18, SD = 0.59; control group: -0.17, SD = 0.81; P = .04). A fully automated Internet and mobile phone-based motivation and action support system can significantly increase and maintain the level of physical activity in healthy adults.

Selective aminolysis of acetylated lignin: Toward simultaneously improving thermal-oxidative stability and maintaining mechanical properties of polypropylene.

PubMed

Ye, Dezhan; Kong, Jinfeng; Gu, Shaojin; Zhou, Yingshan; Huang, Caoxing; Xu, Weilin; Zhang, Xi

2018-03-01

Even with outstanding radical capturing ability, the utilization of lignin as a natural antioxidant in polypropylene (PP) still has been pended. Usually, the compatibility of its blends is improved based on the reaction of hydroxyl content, thus leading to the decreasing content of phenolic hydroxyl (Ph-OH) group and inferior thermal-oxidative stability of lignin blends. Here, the selective aminolysis of acetylated Kraft lignin (pyr-KL) was investigated, which structures were characterized using FTIR, 31 P-NMR and GPC. The Ph-OH group of acetylated KL could be released by the addition of pyrrolidine; however the aliphatic hydroxyl group is still blocked. With the control of reaction conditions, the highest oxidation induction time of pyr-KL/PP (0.5wt% loading) reaches up to 22.6min, almost 2.6 times than that of pure PP. More importantly, the mechanical properties of PP were also maintained under the loading of pyr-KL, which is much better than that of curde KL/PP. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effects of treatment with sucrose in drinking water on liver histology, lipogenesis and lipogenic gene expression in rats fed high-fiber diet.

PubMed

Mašek, Tomislav; Filipović, Natalija; Vuica, Ana; Starčević, Kristina

2017-01-01

We studied the influence of sucrose in drinking water on liver histology, fatty acid profile and lipogenic genes expression in rats maintained on high-fiber. The experimental groups were: control group (water) and sucrose group (sucrose solution in drinking water, 30% w/v). Liver histology of sucrose treated rats revealed steatosis and increased number of αSMA immunoreactive cells without the signs of fibrosis. Sucrose treatment increased de novo lipogenesis, lipid peroxidation and MUFA content and decreased PUFA content, C18:2n6 and C20:4n6 content in total phospholipids and phosphatidylethanolamine and C18:2n6 content in cardiolipin. RT-qPCR revealed increase in Δ-9-desaturase and SREBP1c gene expression and decrease in the Δ-5-desaturase and elongase 5 expression. Treatment with sucrose extensively changes fatty acid composition of hepatic lipid and phospholipid classes including cardiolipin, increases oxidative stress and causes pathological changes in liver in rats maintained on high-fiber diet. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Sexual maturation and control issues among sexually abused and non-abused anorexia patients.

PubMed

Walsh, J; Burns, F

2000-09-01

To assess the relative salience of the maintenance of control and the avoidance of sexual maturation as sources of motivation for maintaining pathological eating behaviours among sexually abused anorexic patients. A two-factor mixed experimental design was employed. Three independent groups (sexually abused anorexics (N = 12); non-abused anorexics (N = 9); non-anorexic/non-abused controls (N = 12)) constituted the between-subjects factor. Allocation to abuse/non-abuse group was dependent upon replies to a questionnaire-based measure of unwanted sexual experience. The within-subjects factor comprised three conditions in which words of various colours were presented to participants for colour-naming (Stroop, 1935). The conditions were represented by lists of neutral words, sexual maturation words, and control-related words. Two trials were carried out in each condition and mean response times were measured. Within-group analyses revealed that interference was greater from sexual maturation words than from control-related words among the sexually-abused anorexics, but of equal magnitude among non-abused counterparts. Between-groups analyses found that abused patients experienced marginally greater cognitive interference from sexual maturation words than the non-abused patients. Theoretically, support is offered for elaborated schematic models of cognitive processing. Clinically, treatment interventions may need to pay particular attention to issues of sexual maturation among sexually abused anorexic patients.

Hemodynamic parameters in a surgical devascularization model of fulminant hepatic failure in the minipig.

PubMed

Kieslichová, E; Ryska, M; Pantoflícek, T; Ryska, O; Zazula, R; Skobová, J

2005-01-01

Animal models of fulminant hepatic failure (FHF) are important for studying the pathophysiology of this process and for evaluation of the efficacy of artificial and bioartificial liver support systems. In experiments, hemodynamic parameters were monitored in a group of minipigs with FHF induced by surgical devascularization, and compared with those in a control group. During the experiment, animals were analgosedated and were on mechanical lung ventilation. Crystalloid and colloidal solutions were administered and norepinephrine in continuous infusion was applied if mean arterial pressure (MAP) decreased below 60 mm Hg despite adequate intravascular volumes. An increase in heart rate, and decreases in MAP and systemic vascular resistance, compared with the baseline, occurred in the FHF group from 6 h after surgery. A comparison of FHF and control groups revealed no significant differences in systemic vascular resistance and MAP until after 12 h after surgery (systemic vascular resistance index: 953 FHF vs. 1658 controls; p < 0.05; MAP: 58.1 FHF vs. 76 controls; p < 0.05). No significant differences in CI were seen between the FHF group and controls. FHF animals survived for about 13 h after surgery, i.e. a period, which we consider long enough to test a support device. The parameters are believed to be quite adequate, as we were able to maintain satisfactory hemodynamic stability in all experimental animals with induced acute hepatic failure.

Developmental trajectories of bullying and social dominance in youth.

PubMed

Reijntjes, Albert; Vermande, Marjolijn; Goossens, Frits A; Olthof, Tjeert; van de Schoot, Rens; Aleva, Liesbeth; van der Meulen, Matty

2013-04-01

Bullying is increasingly conceptualized as strategic behavior motivated by a desire to gain social dominance in the peer group. Cross-sectional research has shown that relative to their peers bullies are higher in social dominance as indexed by resource control, and are often perceived as powerful and "cool." However, research examining the developmental relationship between bullying and resource control is lacking. The present longitudinal study fills this gap in the literature. Using a three wave design, participants (N=394) were followed from late childhood into early adolescence. Joint trajectory analyses were used to test whether groups with distinct developmental trajectories of bullying and resource control can be identified, and how these trajectories are related. For both bullying and resource control three groups emerged (high, medium, and low), indicating that bullies and social dominants do not constitute one homogeneous group. More intense bullying is associated with higher levels of social dominance. Being consistently high in bullying is almost synonymous with being consistently high in resource control, whereas the reverse is not the case. Findings suggest that high bullying leads to the attainment of high social dominance, and do not support the view that children high in social dominance engage in bullying to maintain their dominant position. This study further underscores the need for interventions targeting mechanisms by which the peer group assigns social dominance to bullies. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The parasitic castration and gigantism of Lymnaea truncatula infected with the larval stages of Fasciola hepatica.

PubMed

Wilson, R A; Denison, J

1980-01-01

The shells of Lymnaea truncatula infected with the larval stages of Fasciola hepatica were significantly longer than those of comparable uninfected controls. The dry mass (tissue, shell + parasite) of the same infected snails, 56 days after infection, was approximately twice that of the controls (tissue + shell). The increased mass of infected snails was not due to a disproportionate increase in shell weight relative to tissues. Infected snails maintained at 20 degrees C had virtually ceased egg production by 21 days post-infection whereas control snails continued to lay eggs steadily for the duration of the experiment. The dry mass of snail tissue plus the cumulative dry weight of eggs produced was taken as an indication of the ability of control snails to generate biomass. Similarly the tissue mass plus cumulative egg weight and parasite weight was taken as an indication of the ability of the infected snails to generate biomass. The control and infected snails were not significantly different in this respect indicating that the gigantism of infected snails could be the result of a switch in nutrient supply from reproduction to somatic tissue growth and parasite growth. Castration was brought about 17-21 days after infection as a result of the direct consumption of the ovotestis by a proportion of the redial population. In a separate experiment it was demonstrated that a population of infected snails maintained at 20 degrees C survived as long as a similar group of control snails. The findings with this host-parasite system are discussed in relation to possible mechanisms causing castration and gigantism in other digene-snail interactions, and in relation to parasitic castration in other groups. It is concluded that the observed gigantism of infected snails is more likely to have a nutritional rather than endocrine origin.

[Effects of acupuncture on circadian rhythm of blood pressure in patients with essential hypertension].

PubMed

Lei, Yun; Jin, Jiu; Ban, Haipeng; Du, Yuzheng

2017-11-12

To observe the effects of acupuncture combined with medication on circadian rhythm of blood pressure in patients with essential hypertension. Sixty-four patients of essential hypertension were randomly divided into an observation group and a control group, 32 cases in each group. All the patients maintained original treatment (taking antihypertensive medication); the patients in the observation group were treated with acupuncture method of " Huoxue Sanfeng , Shugan Jianpi ", once a day, five times per week, for totally 6 weeks (30 times). The circadian rhythm of blood pressure and related dynamic parameters were observed before and after treatment in the two groups. (1) The differences of daytime average systolic blood pressure (dASBP), daytime average diastolic blood pressure (dADBP), nighttime average systolic blood pressure (nASBP) and circadian rhythm of systolic blood pressure before and after treatment were significant in the observation group (all P <0.05); the differences of circadian rhythm of blood pressure and related dynamic parameters before and after treatment were insignificant in the control group (all P >0.05). The nASBP and circadian rhythm of systolic blood pressure in the observation group were significantly different from those in the control group (all P <0.05). (2) After the treatment, the spoon-shaped rate of circadian rhythm of blood pressure in the observation group was higher than that in the control group ( P <0.05). The acupuncture combined with medication could effectively improve the circadian rhythm of blood pressure and related dynamic parameters in patients with essential hypertension.

Moxibustion for breech version: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Guittier, Marie-Julia; Pichon, Michelle; Dong, Hongguang; Irion, Olivier; Boulvain, Michel

2009-11-01

To estimate the efficacy of moxibustion between 34 and 38 weeks of gestation to facilitate the cephalic version of fetuses in breech presentation and the acceptability of this method by women. We conducted a randomized controlled trial in a Swiss university hospital maternity unit. We proposed to stimulate the acupoint BL 67 by moxibustion daily for 2 weeks for 212 consenting women between 34 and 36 weeks of gestation with a single fetus in breech presentation. We did the intervention three times weekly in the hospital and a teaching session and information leaflet on the technique for additional daily therapy at home. The control group received expectant management care. The availability of external cephalic version was maintained for both groups. The main outcome measure was the comparison of the proportion of women with cephalic presentation at delivery. Baseline characteristics were similar between groups, except more nulliparous women were randomized to moxibustion. The percentage of versions was similar between groups: 18% in the moxibustion group compared with 16% in the control group (relative risk 1.12, 95% confidence interval 0.62 to 2.03). Adjustment for the imbalance in parity did not change these results. The frequency of cesarean delivery was similar (64% compared with 58% in the moxibustion group and the control group, respectively). Acceptability of the intervention and women's perceptions of moxibustion were favorable. We observed no beneficial effect of moxibustion to facilitate the cephalic version of fetuses in breech presentation. Despite this lack of proven effectiveness, women had positive opinions on the intervention. ClinicalTrials.gov, www.clinicaltrials.gov,NCT00890474. I.

A randomized controlled trial of brain training with non-action video games in older adults: results of the 3-month follow-up

PubMed Central

Ballesteros, Soledad; Mayas, Julia; Prieto, Antonio; Toril, Pilar; Pita, Carmen; Laura, Ponce de León; Reales, José M.; Waterworth, John A.

2015-01-01

This randomized controlled study (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02007616) investigated the maintenance of training effects of 20 1-hr non-action video game training sessions with selected games from a commercial package on several age-declining cognitive functions and subjective wellbeing after a 3-month no-contact period. Two groups of cognitively normal older adults participated in both the post-training (posttest) and the present follow-up study, the experimental group who received training and the control group who attended several meetings with the research team during the study but did not receive training. Groups were similar at baseline on demographics, vocabulary, global cognition, and depression status. Significant improvements in the trained group, and no variation in the control group had been previously found at posttest, in processing speed, attention and visual recognition memory, as well as in two dimensions of subjective wellbeing. In the current study, improvement from baseline to 3 months follow-up was found only in wellbeing (Affection and Assertivity dimensions) in the trained group whereas there was no change in the control group. Previous significant improvements in processing speed, attention and spatial memory become non-significant after the 3-month interval. Training older adults with non-action video games enhanced aspects of cognition just after training but this effect disappeared after a 3-month no-contact follow-up period. Cognitive plasticity can be induced in older adults by training, but to maintain the benefits periodic boosting sessions would be necessary. PMID:25926790

A randomized controlled trial of brain training with non-action video games in older adults: results of the 3-month follow-up.

PubMed

Ballesteros, Soledad; Mayas, Julia; Prieto, Antonio; Toril, Pilar; Pita, Carmen; Laura, Ponce de León; Reales, José M; Waterworth, John A

2015-01-01

This randomized controlled study (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02007616) investigated the maintenance of training effects of 20 1-hr non-action video game training sessions with selected games from a commercial package on several age-declining cognitive functions and subjective wellbeing after a 3-month no-contact period. Two groups of cognitively normal older adults participated in both the post-training (posttest) and the present follow-up study, the experimental group who received training and the control group who attended several meetings with the research team during the study but did not receive training. Groups were similar at baseline on demographics, vocabulary, global cognition, and depression status. Significant improvements in the trained group, and no variation in the control group had been previously found at posttest, in processing speed, attention and visual recognition memory, as well as in two dimensions of subjective wellbeing. In the current study, improvement from baseline to 3 months follow-up was found only in wellbeing (Affection and Assertivity dimensions) in the trained group whereas there was no change in the control group. Previous significant improvements in processing speed, attention and spatial memory become non-significant after the 3-month interval. Training older adults with non-action video games enhanced aspects of cognition just after training but this effect disappeared after a 3-month no-contact follow-up period. Cognitive plasticity can be induced in older adults by training, but to maintain the benefits periodic boosting sessions would be necessary.

Exercise Training During Bed Rest Attenuates Deconditioning

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Greenleaf, J. E.; Hargens, Alan R. (Technical Monitor)

1995-01-01

A 30-day 6 deg. head-down bed rest study was conducted to evaluate high-intensity, short-duration, alternating isotonic cycle ergometer exercise (ITE) training and high-intensity intermittent isokinetic exercise (IKE) training regiments designed to maintain peak VO2 and muscle mass, strength, and endurance at ambulatory control levels throughout prolonged bed rest. Other elements of the deconditioning (acclimation) syndrome, such as proprioception, psychological performance, hypovolemia, water balance, body composition, and orthostatic tolerance, were also measured. Compared with response during bed rest of the no exercise (NOE) control group: the ITE training regimen (a) maintained work capacity (peak VO2), (b) maintained plasma and red cell volume, (c) induced positive body water balance, (d) decreased quality of sleep and mental concentration, and (e) had no effect on the decrease in orthostatic tolerance; the IKE training regimen (a) attenuated the decrease in peak VO2 by 50%, (b) attenuated loss of red cell volume by 40%, but had no effect on loss of plasma volume, (c) induced positive body water balance, (d) had no adverse effect on quality of sleep or concentration, and (e) had no effect on the decrease in orthostatic tolerance. These findings suggest that various elements of the deconditioning syndrome can be manipulated by duration and intensity of ITE or IKE training regiments, and that several different training protocols will be required to maintain or restore physiological and psychological performance of individuals confined to prolonged bed rest.

Meal consumption is ineffective at maintaining or correcting water balance in a desert lizard, Heloderma suspectum.

PubMed

Wright, Christian D; Jackson, Marin L; DeNardo, Dale F

2013-04-15

Many xeric organisms maintain water balance by relying on dietary and metabolic water rather than free water, even when free water may be available. For such organisms, hydric state may influence foraging decisions, since meal consumption is meeting both energy and water demands. To understand foraging decisions it is vital to understand the role of dietary water in maintaining water balance. We investigated whether meal consumption was sufficient to maintain water balance in captive Gila monsters (Heloderma suspectum) at varying levels of dehydration. Gila monsters could not maintain water balance over long time scales through meal consumption alone. Animals fed a single meal took no longer to dehydrate than controls when both groups were deprived of free water. Additionally, meal consumption imparts an acute short-term hydric cost regardless of hydration state. Meal consumption typically resulted in a significant elevation in osmolality at 6 h post-feeding, and plasma osmolality never fell below pre-feeding levels despite high water content (~70%) of meals. These results failed to support our hypothesis that dietary water is valuable to Gila monsters during seasonal drought. When considered in conjunction with previous research, these results demonstrate that Gila monsters, unlike many xeric species, are heavily reliant on seasonal rainfall and the resulting free-standing water to maintain water balance.

Suppression of LPS-induced inflammatory responses by the hydroxyl groups of dexamethasone

PubMed Central

Chuang, Ting-Yun; Cheng, An-Jie; Chen, I-Ting; Lan, Tien-Yun; Huang, I-Hsuan; Shiau, Chung-Wai; Hsu, Chia-Lin; Liu, Ya-Wen; Chang, Zee-Fen; Tseng, Ping-Hui; Kuo, Jean-Cheng

2017-01-01

The innate immune response is a central process that is activated during pathogenic infection in order to maintain physiological homeostasis. It is well known that dexamethasone (Dex), a synthetic glucocorticoid, is a potent immunosuppressant that inhibits the cytokine production induced by bacterial lipopolysaccharides (LPS). Nevertheless, the extent to which the functional groups of Dex control the excessive activation of inflammatory reactions remains unknown. Furthermore, importantly, the role of Dex in the innate immune response remains unclear. Here we explore the mechanism of LPS-induced TNF-α secretion and reveal p38 MAPK signaling as a target of Dex that is involved in control of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α)-converting enzyme (TACE) activity; that later mediates the shedding of TNF-α that allows its secretion. We further demonstrate that the 11-hydroxyl and 21-hydroxyl groups of Dex are the main groups that are involved in reducing LPS-induced TNF-α secretion by activated macrophages. Blockage of the hydroxyl groups of Dex inhibits immunosuppressant effect of Dex during LPS-induced TNF-α secretion and mouse mortality. Our findings demonstrate Dex signaling is involved in the control of innate immunity. PMID:28537905

Postural insoles on gait in children with cerebral palsy: Randomized controlled double-blind clinical trial.

PubMed

Pasin Neto, Hugo; Grecco, Luanda André Collange; Ferreira, Luis Alfredo Braun; Duarte, Natália Almeida Carvalho; Galli, Manuela; Oliveira, Claudia Santos

2017-10-01

The aim of the present study was to assess the effect of postural insoles on gait performance in children with Cerebral Palsy (CP). Twenty four children between four and 12 years of age were randomly allocated either the control group (n = 12) or experimental group (n = 12). The control group used placebo insoles and the experimental group used postural insoles. Three-dimensional gait analysis was performed under three conditions: barefoot, in shoes and in shoes with insoles. Three evaluations were carried out: 1)immediately following placement of the insoles; 2)after three months of insole use; and 3)one month after suspending insole use. Regarding the immediate effects and after three months use of insole, significant improvements in gait velocity and cadence were found in the experimental group, along with an increase in foot dorsiflexion, a reduction in knee flexion and a reduction in internal rotation. Conversely, these changes were not maintained in the third assessment, one month after withdrawal of the insoles. The use of postural insoles led to improvements in gait performance in children with CP. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effectiveness of a decision-training aid on referral prioritization capacity: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Harries, Priscilla; Tomlinson, Christopher; Notley, Elizabeth; Davies, Miranda; Gilhooly, Kenneth

2012-01-01

In the community mental health field, occupational therapy students lack the capacity to prioritize referrals effectively. The purpose of this study was to test the effectiveness of a clinical decision-training aid on referral prioritization capacity. A double-blind, parallel-group, randomized controlled trial was conducted using a judgment analysis approach. Each participant used the World Wide Web to prioritize referral sets at baseline, immediate posttest, and 2-wk follow-up. The intervention group was provided with training after baseline testing; control group was purely given instructions to continue with the task. One hundred sixty-five students were randomly allocated to intervention (n = 87) or control (n = 81). Intervention. Written and graphical descriptions were given of an expert consensus standard explaining how referral information should be used to prioritize referrals. Participants' prioritization ratings were correlated with the experts' ratings of the same referrals at each stage of testing, as well as to examine the effect on mean group scores, regression weights, and the lens model indices. At baseline, no differences were found between control and intervention on rating capacity or demographic characteristics. Comparison of the difference in mean correlation baseline scores of the control and intervention group compared with immediate posttest showed a statistically significant result that was maintained at 2-wk follow-up. The effect size was classified as large. At immediate posttest and follow-up, the intervention group improved rating capacity, whereas the control group's capacity remained poor. The results of this study indicate that the decision-training aid has a positive effect on referral prioritization capacity. This freely available, Web-based decision-training aid will be a valuable adjunct to the education of these novice health professionals internationally.

A Tonsillar PolyICLC/AT-2 SIV Therapeutic Vaccine Maintains Low Viremia Following Antiretroviral Therapy Cessation

PubMed Central

Vagenas, Panagiotis; Aravantinou, Meropi; Williams, Vennansha G.; Jasny, Edith; Piatak, Michael; Lifson, Jeffrey D.; Salazar, Andres M.; Blanchard, James L.; Gettie, Agegnehu; Robbiani, Melissa

2010-01-01

Background HIV-infected individuals rely on antiretroviral therapy (ART) to control viral replication. Despite abundant demonstrable benefits, the multiple limitations of ART point to the potential advantages of therapeutic vaccination approaches that could provide sustained host control of viral replication after discontinuation of ART. We provide evidence from a non-human primate model that a therapeutic vaccine applied to the tonsils can maintain low viral loads after cessation of ART. Methodology/Principal Findings Animals received 40 weeks of ART initiated 9 weeks after rectal SIVmac239 infection. During ART, animals were vaccinated (or not) with AT-2 inactivated SIVmac239 using CpG-C ISS-ODN (C274) or polyICLC as adjuvants. PolyICLC/AT-2 SIV vaccinated animals maintained viral loads <3×103 copies/ml for up to 16 weeks post-ART, whereas the C274/AT-2 SIV vaccinated and non-vaccinated animals' viremia ranged between 1×104–4×105 copies/ml (p<0.03). Neutralizing Ab activity in plasma was increased by polyICLC/AT-2 tonsillar vaccination under ART, compared to controls (p<0.03). Subsequent vaccination of all animals with polyICLC/AT-2 SIV in the absence of ART did not alter viral loads. Other immune parameters measured in blood and tissues were comparable between groups. Conclusions/Significance These results provide support for the potential benefit of mucosally delivered vaccines in therapeutic immunization strategies for control of AIDS virus infection. PMID:20877632

Re-emergence of rabies virus maintained by canid populations in Paraguay.

PubMed

Amarilla, A C F; Pompei, J C A; Araujo, D B; Vázquez, F A; Galeano, R R; Delgado, L M; Bogado, G; Colman, M; Sanabria, L; Iamamoto, K; Garcia, R; Assis, D; Recalde, R; Martorelli, L F; Quiñones, E; Cabello, A; Martini, M; Cosivi, O; Durigon, E L; Favoretto, S R

2018-02-01

Paraguay has registered no human cases of rabies since 2004, and the last case in dogs, reported in 2009, was due to a variant maintained in the common vampire bat "Desmodus rotundus". In 2014, a dog was diagnosed as positive for rabies with aggression towards a boy and all required measures of control were successfully adopted. Epidemiological investigation revealed that the dog was not vaccinated and had been attacked by a crab-eating fox, "zorro" (Cerdocyon thous). The sample was diagnosed by the Official Veterinary Service of the Country and sent to the Center on Rabies Research from the University of São Paulo, Brazil, for antigenic and genetic characterization. A second sample from a dog positive for rabies in the same region in 2015 and 11 samples from a rabies outbreak from Asuncion in 1996 were also characterized. The antigenic profile of the samples, AgV2, was compatible with one of the variants maintained by dogs in Latin America. In genetic characterization, the samples segregated in the canine (domestic and wild species)-related group in an independent subgroup that also included samples from Argentina. These results and the epidemiology of the case indicate that even with the control of rabies in domestic animals, the virus can still circulate in wildlife and may be transmitted to domestic animals and humans, demonstrating the importance of continuous and improved surveillance and control of rabies, including in wild species, to prevent outbreaks in controlled areas. © 2017 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Assessing attentional biases with stuttering.

PubMed

Lowe, Robyn; Menzies, Ross; Packman, Ann; O'Brian, Sue; Jones, Mark; Onslow, Mark

2016-01-01

Many adults who stutter presenting for speech treatment experience social anxiety disorder. The presence of mental health disorders in adults who stutter has been implicated in a failure to maintain speech treatment benefits. Contemporary theories of social anxiety disorder propose that the condition is maintained by negative cognitions and information processing biases. Consistent with cognitive theories, the probe detection task has shown that social anxiety is associated with an attentional bias to avoid social information. This information processing bias is suggested to be involved in maintaining anxiety. Evidence is emerging for information processing biases being involved with stuttering. This study investigated information processing in adults who stutter using the probe detection task. Information processing biases have been implicated in anxiety maintenance in social anxiety disorder and therefore may have implications for the assessment and treatment of stuttering. It was hypothesized that stuttering participants compared with control participants would display an attentional bias to avoid attending to social information. Twenty-three adults who stutter and 23 controls completed a probe detection task in which they were presented with pairs of photographs: a face displaying an emotional expression-positive, negative or neutral-and an everyday household object. All participants were subjected to a mild social threat induction being told they would speak to a small group of people on completion of the task. The stuttering group scored significantly higher than controls for trait anxiety, but did not differ from controls on measures of social anxiety. Non-socially anxious adults who stutter did not display an attentional bias to avoid looking at photographs of faces relative to everyday objects. Higher scores on trait anxiety were positively correlated with attention towards photographs of negative faces. Attentional biases as assessed by the probe detection task may not be a characteristic of non-socially anxious adults who stutter. A vigilance to attend to threat information with high trait anxiety is consistent with findings of studies using the emotional Stroop task in stuttering and social anxiety disorder. Future research should investigate attentional processing in people who stutter who are socially anxious. It will also be useful for future studies to employ research paradigms that involve speaking. Continued research is warranted to explore information processing and potential biases that could be involved in the maintenance of anxiety and failure to maintain the benefits of speech treatment outcomes. © 2015 Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists.

Perceived Benefits and Factors that Influence the Ability to Establish and Maintain Patient Support Groups in Rare Diseases: A Scoping Review.

PubMed

Delisle, Vanessa C; Gumuchian, Stephanie T; Rice, Danielle B; Levis, Alexander W; Kloda, Lorie A; Körner, Annett; Thombs, Brett D

2017-06-01

Support groups are an important resource for many people living with rare diseases. The perceived benefits of participating in support groups for people with rare diseases and factors that may influence the ability to successfully establish and maintain these groups are not well understood. Thus, the objective of this scoping review was to provide a mapping of the available evidence on the (1) benefits or perceived benefits of participating in rare disease support groups and (2) barriers and facilitators of establishing and maintaining these groups. CINAHL and PubMed were searched from January 2000 to August 2015, with no language restrictions. Publications that described the benefits or perceived benefits of participating in rare disease support groups or the barriers and facilitators of establishing and maintaining them were eligible for inclusion. Two investigators independently evaluated titles/abstracts and full-text publications for eligibility, and extracted data from each included publication. Ten publications were included in the scoping review. There was no trial evidence on support group benefits. All ten publications reported on the perceived benefits of participating in rare disease support groups. Three reported on barriers and facilitators of establishing and maintaining them. Overall, seven different perceived benefits of participating in rare disease support groups were identified: (1) meeting and befriending other people with the same rare disease and similar experiences; (2) learning about the disease and related treatments; (3) giving and receiving emotional support; (4) having a place to speak openly about the disease and one's feelings; (5) learning coping skills; (6) feeling empowered and hopeful; and (7) advocating to improve healthcare for other rare disease patients. Several facilitators (e.g., meeting via teleconference) and barriers (e.g., getting patients and/or family members to lead the group) of establishing and maintaining these groups were identified. Rare disease support groups are an important source of emotional and practical support for many patients. There is no trial evidence on the benefits of these groups and limited evidence on the perceived benefits and barriers and facilitators to establishing and maintaining them.

Effects of rational emotive behavior coaching on occupational stress and work ability among electronics workshop instructors in Nigeria.

PubMed

Ogbuanya, Theresa C; Eseadi, Chiedu; Orji, Chibueze T; Ohanu, Ifeanyi B; Bakare, Jimoh; Ede, Moses O

2017-05-01

This study examined the effectiveness of rational emotive behavior coaching (REBC) on occupational stress and work ability in a sample of electronics workshop instructors in Nigeria. A pretest-posttest control group design was used. The participants were 108 electronics workshop instructors in technical colleges in the south-east of Nigeria who met the study inclusion criteria. Data were collected using 3 questionnaires and analyzed using a repeated measure analysis of variance and Mann-Whitney U test. REBC led to a significant reduction in occupational stress experienced by the electronics workshop instructors in the REBC group compared to their counterparts in the waitlist control group. Furthermore, the scores for occupation-related irrational beliefs of the instructors in the REBC group were significantly lower than those in the waitlist control group at the end of the coaching intervention. The work ability of the REBC group was significantly better than that of the waitlist control group. Finally, the effects in the REBC group were significantly sustained at 3-month follow-up. REBC is a time-efficient and solution-focused therapeutic modality for assisting occupationally stressed employees in a Nigerian setting. REBC can be used for improving and maintaining work ability of workers. The researchers hope that occupational health professionals and health counselors would extend this approach to tackle psychological issues limiting employees' effectiveness and performance in the Nigerian work environment and in other countries.

Effects of rational emotive behavior coaching on occupational stress and work ability among electronics workshop instructors in Nigeria

PubMed Central

Ogbuanya, Theresa C.; Eseadi, Chiedu; Orji, Chibueze T.; Ohanu, Ifeanyi B.; Bakare, Jimoh; Ede, Moses O.

2017-01-01

Abstract Background/objective: This study examined the effectiveness of rational emotive behavior coaching (REBC) on occupational stress and work ability in a sample of electronics workshop instructors in Nigeria. Methods: A pretest–posttest control group design was used. The participants were 108 electronics workshop instructors in technical colleges in the south-east of Nigeria who met the study inclusion criteria. Data were collected using 3 questionnaires and analyzed using a repeated measure analysis of variance and Mann–Whitney U test. Results: REBC led to a significant reduction in occupational stress experienced by the electronics workshop instructors in the REBC group compared to their counterparts in the waitlist control group. Furthermore, the scores for occupation-related irrational beliefs of the instructors in the REBC group were significantly lower than those in the waitlist control group at the end of the coaching intervention. The work ability of the REBC group was significantly better than that of the waitlist control group. Finally, the effects in the REBC group were significantly sustained at 3-month follow-up. Conclusion: REBC is a time-efficient and solution-focused therapeutic modality for assisting occupationally stressed employees in a Nigerian setting. REBC can be used for improving and maintaining work ability of workers. The researchers hope that occupational health professionals and health counselors would extend this approach to tackle psychological issues limiting employees’ effectiveness and performance in the Nigerian work environment and in other countries. PMID:28489795

Beneficial effects of Lactobacillus casei strain Shirota on academic stress-induced sleep disturbance in healthy adults: a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial.

PubMed

Takada, M; Nishida, K; Gondo, Y; Kikuchi-Hayakawa, H; Ishikawa, H; Suda, K; Kawai, M; Hoshi, R; Kuwano, Y; Miyazaki, K; Rokutan, K

2017-04-26

The present study examined whether Lactobacillus casei strain Shirota (LcS) improves sleep quality under psychological stress. A double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was conducted in healthy 4 th year medical students exposed to academic examination stress. The trial was repeated over two consecutive years in different groups of students, and the data were pooled. For 8 weeks prior to and 3 weeks after a national standardised examination, a total of 48 and 46 subjects received a daily dose of 100 ml of LcS-fermented milk or non-fermented placebo milk, respectively. Study measures included subjective anxiety, overnight single-channel electroencephalography (EEG) recordings, and the Oguri-Shirakawa-Azumi (OSA) sleep inventory scores of subjective sleep quality. Total OSA scores were significantly lower than baseline on the day before the exam and recovered after the exam, indicating a stress-induced decline in sleep quality. There was a significant positive effect of LcS treatment on OSA factors for sleepiness on rising and sleep length. Sleep latency measured by EEG lengthened as the exam approached in the placebo group but was significantly suppressed in the LcS group. The percentage of stage 3 non-REM (N3) sleep decreased in the placebo group as the exam approached, whereas it was maintained in the LcS group throughout the trial. Delta power during the first sleep cycle, measured as an index of sleep intensity, increased as the exam approached in the LcS group and was significantly higher than in the placebo group. These findings suggest that daily consumption of LcS may help to maintain sleep quality during a period of increasing stress. The observed retention of N3 sleep and increased delta power in the LcS group may have contributed to higher perceived sleep satisfaction.

Cryoprotective role of organic Zn and Cu supplementation in goats (Capra hircus) diet.

PubMed

Arangasamy, Arunachalam; Krishnaiah, Mayasula Venkata; Manohar, Narasimhaiah; Selvaraju, Sellappan; Rani, Guvvala Pushpa; Soren, Nira Manik; Reddy, Ippala Janardhan; Ravindra, Janivara Parameshwaraiah

2018-04-01

The current study focused on cryopreservation and assessment of characters of post-thaw semen of indigenous Osmanabadi bucks maintained with standard diet, supplemented with different concentrations of organic zinc (Zn), copper (Cu) or in combination, for a period of 180 days. The different doses of organic Zn and Cu were fed per kg DM basis, Zn groups (low: Zn20, medium: Zn40 and high: Zn60), Cu groups: (low: Cu12.5, medium: Cu25 and high: Cu37.5) and combination of Zn + Cu groups (low: Zn20 + Cu12.5, medium: Zn40 + Cu25 and high: Zn60 + Cu37.5) respectively. The control group bucks were maintained mainly on the basal diet without any additional mineral supplementation. Two hundred and forty (240) semen samples were collected from 40 bucks aged 11 months, through electro ejaculator method, processed and analysed for sperm quality parameters both at pre freeze and post-thaw stage. The semen samples were diluted in Tris egg yolk extender, cooled and equilibrated for 4 h at 5 °C, cryopreserved using programmable freezer (PLANER Kryo 360-1.7) and stored at -196 °C. The organic trace minerals (Zn, Cu and Zn + Cu) protected the spermatozoa against the cryoinjury and maintained higher post-thaw semen parameters except in high Zn group. Additional feeding of organic Cu and Zn to bucks had a protective role and resulted in higher sperm liveability, plasma membrane and acrosome integrities, motility and velocity and reduced oxidative stress in supplemented goats (P < 0.05). Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Retention of movement pattern changes after a lower extremity injury prevention program is affected by program duration.

PubMed

Padua, Darin A; DiStefano, Lindsay J; Marshall, Stephen W; Beutler, Anthony I; de la Motte, Sarah J; DiStefano, Michael J

2012-02-01

Changes in movement patterns have been repeatedly observed immediately after completing a lower extremity injury prevention program. However, it is not known if movement pattern changes are maintained after discontinuing the training program. The ability to maintain movement pattern changes after training has ceased may be influenced by the program's duration. The authors hypothesized that among individuals who completed either a 3-month or 9-month training program and who demonstrated immediate movement pattern changes, only those who completed the 9-month training program would maintain movement pattern changes after a 3-month period of no longer performing the exercises. Cohort study; Level of evidence, 2. A total of 140 youth soccer athletes from 15 separate teams volunteered to participate. Athletes' movement patterns were assessed using the Landing Error Scoring System (LESS) at pretest, posttest, and 3 months after ceasing the program (retention test). Eighty-four of the original 140 participants demonstrated improvements in their LESS scores between pretest and posttest (change in LESS score >0) and were included in the final analyses for this study (n = 84; 20 boys and 64 girls; mean age, 14 ± 2 years; age range, 11-17 years). Teams performed 3-month (short-duration group) and 9-month (extended-duration group) injury prevention programs. The exercises performed were identical for both groups. Teams performed the programs as part of their normal warm-up routine. Although both groups improved their total LESS scores from pretest to posttest, only the extended-duration training group retained their improvements 3 months after ceasing the injury prevention program (F(2,137) = 3.38; P = .04). Results suggest that training duration may be an important factor to consider when designing injury prevention programs that facilitate long-term changes in movement control.

The balance effect of acupuncture therapy among stroke patients.

PubMed

Huang, Shih-Wei; Wang, Wei-Te; Yang, Tsung-Hsien; Liou, Tsan-Hon; Chen, Guan-Yu; Lin, Li-Fong

2014-08-01

To analyze how acupuncture therapy affects balance in patients experiencing their first stroke and to identify the stroke group with greatest improvement in balance after acupuncture intervention. Retrospective case-control study. Ward of a medical university hospital. A total of 629 stroke patients were enrolled initially; 345 patients met the study criteria and 132 were analyzed (66 each in the study and control groups). The study group received physiotherapy combined with acupuncture and the control group received only physiotherapy. The Postural Assessment Scale for Stroke patients (PASS) was used to evaluate balance. This balance scale system can be subdivided into static balance (PASS-MP, maintain posture) and dynamic balance (PASS-CP, change posture). This study revealed no statistically significant improvement of balance in the study group (t test). When patients with high Brunnstrom stage (Br stage) and low Br stage were analyzed separately, once again no statistical difference was detected between the study and control groups of those with high Br stage. However, among low-Br stage patients, the study group showed significant improvement in static balance (mean PASS-MP score±standard deviation: 4.7±3.7) compared with the control group (PASS-MP score: 2.8±2.7) (p<0.05). In first-ever stroke patients with a low Br stage, acupuncture therapy can improve static balance during rehabilitation. However, the effect on balance was limited among high-Br stage patients. This study provides information valuable to patients with hemiplegic stroke because it suggests that acupuncture can be used to improve balance. A prospective double-blind, randomized, controlled study design is recommended for future studies in patients with hemiplegic stroke.

Extracorporeal shock wave therapy is not useful after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair.

PubMed

Kim, Jae Yoon; Lee, Jae Sung; Park, Chi Woo

2012-12-01

Extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) is known to accelerate the healing of musculoskeletal tissue. The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that ESWT stimulates rotator cuff healing after arthroscopic repair. Seventy-one consecutive patients with a small- to large-sized rotator cuff tear underwent arthroscopic rotator cuff repair. The patients were randomized into two groups: 35 patients underwent ESWT at 6 weeks after surgery (ESWT group) and 36 patients did not (control group). Cuff integrity was evaluated with computed tomographic arthrography at 6 months after surgery. Constant and UCLA scores were measurable outcomes. All patients were available for a minimum one-year follow-up. The mean age of the ESWT and control groups was 59.4 (SD: 7.7) and 58.6 years (SD: 7.8) (n.s.). There were no significant differences in tear size and repair method between the two groups (n.s.). The mean Constant and UCLA scores, respectively, increased from 54.6 to 90.6 (P < 0.001) and from 18.5 to 27.4 (P < 0.001) in the ESWT group, and from 58.9 to 89.3 (P < 0.001) and 18.5 to 27.4 in the control group. Computed tomographic arthrography was performed in 26 patients from the ESWT group and 24 from the control group, and cuff integrity was maintained in 46 out of 50 patients. Definite re-tear was observed in two patients of the ESWT group and four of the controls. There were no complications associated with ESWT. This study failed to prove that ESWT stimulates rotator cuff healing after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair. Additional ESWT after rotator cuff repair could theoretically be advantageous, and it was proven to be safe in this study. II.

Promoting evidence-based childhood fever management through a peer education programme based on the theory of planned behaviour.

PubMed

Edwards, Helen; Walsh, Anne; Courtney, Mary; Monaghan, Sarah; Wilson, Jenny; Young, Jeanine

2007-10-01

This study examined effectiveness of a theoretically based education programme in reducing inappropriate antipyretic use in fever management. Paediatric nurses' inconsistent, ritualistic antipyretic use in fever management is influenced by many factors including inconsistent beliefs and parental requests. Determinants of antipyretic administration, identified by the theory of planned behaviour, were belief-based attitudes and subjective norms. A quasi-experiment explored group effects of a peer education programme, based on the theory of planned behaviour, on factors influencing paediatric nurses' antipyretic administration. Surveys and chart audits collected data from medical wards at experimental and control hospitals one month pre and one and four months postpeer education programme. All nurses employed in targeted wards were eligible to participate in surveys and all eligible charts were audited. The peer education programme consisted of four one-hour sessions targeting evidence-based knowledge, myths and misconceptions, normative, attitudinal and control influences over and rehearsal of evidence-based fever management. All nurses in experimental hospital targeted wards were eligible to attend. Peer education and support facilitated session information reaching those unable to attend sessions. Two-way univariate anovas explored between subject, experimental and control group and within subject factors, pre, post and latency data. Significant interactions in normative influence (p = 0.01) and intentions (p = 0.01), a significant main group effect in control influence (p = 0.01) and a significant main effect between audit data across time points (p = 0.03) highlight peer education programme effectiveness in behaviour change. Normative, control and intention changes postpeer education programme were maintained in latency data; mean temperature was not. The peer education programme, based on a behaviour change theory, initiated and maintained evidence-based intentions for antipyretics use in fever management. The promotion of evidence-based change in organizational unit intentions and behaviour highlights the crucial role peer support and education can play in continuing educational programmes.

Safety and efficacy of conversion from twice-daily tacrolimus to once-daily tacrolimus one month after transplantation: randomized controlled trial in adult renal transplantation.

PubMed

Oh, Chang-Kwon; Huh, Kyu Ha; Lee, Jong Soo; Cho, Hong Rae; Kim, Yu Seun

2014-09-01

The purpose of this study was to compare once-daily tacrolimus with twice-daily tacrolimus in terms of safety, efficacy, and patient satisfaction. This prospective, randomized, open-label, multicenter study was conducted at three institutes. Patients in the investigational group were converted from tacrolimus twice daily to the same dose of extended-release tacrolimus once daily at 1 month post-transplantation, while patients in the control group were maintained on tacrolimus twice daily. The efficacies, safeties, and patient satisfaction for the two drugs at 6 months post-transplantation were compared. Sixty patients were enrolled and randomized to the investigational group (28 of 29 patients completed the study) or the control group (26 of 31 patients completed the study). At 6 months post-transplantation, composite efficacy failure rates including the incidences of biopsy-confirmed acute rejection in the investigational and control groups were 0% and 10.7%, respectively; patient survival was 100% in each group. No difference in estimated glomerular filtration rate values were observed at 6 months post-transplantation (p=0.97). The safety and satisfaction profile (immunosuppressant therapy barrier scale) of once-daily tacrolimus was comparable with that of twice-daily tacrolimus (p=0.35). Conversion from twice-daily tacrolimus to once-daily tacrolimus one month after transplantation is safe and effective.

Increase of crevicular interleukin 1beta under academic stress at experimental gingivitis sites and at sites of perfect oral hygiene.

PubMed

Deinzer, R; Förster, P; Fuck, L; Herforth, A; Stiller-Winkler, R; Idel, H

1999-01-01

This study analyses the effects of academic stress on crevicular interleukin-1beta(I1-1beta) both at experimental gingivitis sites and at sites of perfect oral hygiene. I1-1beta is thought to play a predominant role in periodontal tissue destruction. 13 medical students participating in a major medical exam (exam group) and 13 medical students not participating in any exam throughout the study period (control group) volunteered for the study. In a split-mouth-design, they refrained from any oral hygiene procedures in two opposite quadrants for 21 days (experimental gingivitis) while they maintained perfect hygiene levels at the remaining sites. Crevicular fluid was sampled for further I1-1beta analysis at teeth 5 and 6 of the upper jaw at days 1, 5, 8, 11, 14, 18 and 21 of the experimental gingivitis period. Exam students showed significantly higher I1-1beta levels than controls both at experimental gingivitis sites (area under the curve, exam group: 1240.64+/-140.07; control group: 697.61+/-111.30; p=0.004) and at sites of perfect oral hygiene (exam group: 290.42+/-63.19; control group: 143.98+/-42.71; p = 0.04). These results indicate that stress might affect periodontal health by increasing local I1-1beta levels especially when oral hygiene is neglected.

No effect of user fee exemption on perceived quality of delivery care in Burkina Faso: a case-control study.

PubMed

Philibert, Aline; Ridde, Valéry; Bado, Aristide; Fournier, Pierre

2014-03-11

Although many developing countries have developed user fee exemption policies to move towards universal health coverage as a priority, very few studies have attempted to measure the quality of care. The present paper aims at assessing whether women's satisfaction with delivery care is maintained with a total fee exemption in Burkina Faso. A quasi-experimental design with both intervention and control groups was carried out. Six health centres were selected in rural health districts with limited resources. In the intervention group, delivery care is free of charge at health centres while in the control district women have to pay 900 West African CFA francs (U$2). A total of 870 women who delivered at the health centre were interviewed at home after their visit over a 60-day range. A series of principal component analyses (PCA) were carried out to identify the dimension of patients' satisfaction. Women's satisfaction loaded satisfactorily on a three-dimension principal component analysis (PCA): 1-provider-patient interaction; 2-nursing care services; 3-environment. Women in both the intervention and control groups were satisfied or very satisfied in 90% of cases (in 31 of 34 items). For each dimension, average satisfaction was similar between the two groups, even after controlling for socio-demographic factors (p = 0.436, p = 0.506, p = 0.310, respectively). The effects of total fee exemption on satisfaction were similar for any women without reinforcing inequalities between very poor and wealthy women (p ≥ 0.05). Although the wealthiest women were more dissatisfied with the delivery environment (p = 0.017), the poorest were more highly satisfied with nursing care services (p = 0.009). Contrary to our expectations, total fee exemption at the point of service did not seem to have a negative impact on quality of care, and women's perceptions remained very positive. This paper shows that the policy of completely abolishing user fees with organized implementation is certainly a way for developing countries to engage in universal coverage while maintaining the quality of care.

Effects of milk supplementation with conjugated linoleic acid on weight control and body composition in healthy overweight people.

PubMed

López-Plaza, Bricia; Bermejo, Laura M; Koester Weber, Thabata; Parra, Pilar; Serra, Francisca; Hernández, Marta; Palma Milla, Samara; Gómez-Candela, Carmen

2013-11-01

Conjugated linoleic acids (CLAs) have shown beneficial effects in weight control therapy however this relation is not clear. The aim of the study was to examine the effects and safety of 3g of a 1:1 mix of c9-t11 and t10-c12 on weight control and body composition in healthy overweight individuals. A prospective, placebo-controlled, randomised double-blind, parallel clinical trial lasting 24 weeks was carried out in 38 volunteers (29w, 9m) aged 30-55 years and BMI ≥27-<30 kg/m2 who consumed 200 ml/day of skimmed milk with 3g of CLAs or 3g olive oil (placebo). Anthropometric, biochemical and dual x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) tests were measured. Diet and physical activity were assessed. Subjects maintained their habitual dietary and exercise patterns over the study. Only CLA group showed a significant decrease in weight (74.43 ± 10.45 vs 73.54 ± 11.66 kg, p = 0.029) and waist circumference (91.45 ± 10.33 vs 90.65 ± 9.84 cm, p = 0.012) between baseline and end of the study. BMI and waist height ratio decreased (28.44 ± 1.08 vs 27.81 ± 1.43 kg/m2, p = 0.030 and 0.57 ± 0.05 vs 0.56 ± 0.04 p = 0.013 respectively) in CLA group at the end. CLA group experienced a reduction in total fat mass after 24 weeks (38.62 ± 5.02 vs 36.65 ± 5.64%, p = 0.035). No decrease was observed in Control group. HOMA index had no changes. The consumption of skimmed milk enriched with 3g of a 1:1 mixture of c9-t11 and t10-c12 for 24 weeks led to a decrease in body weight and total fat mass in healthy, overweight subjects who maintained habitual diets and exercise patterns. No adverse effects were observed. Registered under ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier No. NCT01503047. Copyright AULA MEDICA EDICIONES 2013. Published by AULA MEDICA. All rights reserved.

[Effect of external abdominal aorta compression on circulation during anesthesia induction in elderly patients].

PubMed

Li, Xiuman; Wang, Lixiang

2017-07-01

To investigate the effect of external abdominal aorta compression on circulation during anesthetic induction in elderly patients. A prospective randomized controlled trial was conducted. Patients with age of 60-75 years old, requiring a general anesthesia for non-abdominal surgery, and with II-III class of American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status classification, and admitted to General Hospital of Chinese People's Armed Police Forces from January to April in 2017 were enrolled. They were divided into abdominal aorta pressure group and control group according to random number method, with 20 patients in each group. In both groups, anesthesia was induced with midazolam, propofol, fentanyl and cisatracurium, and was maintained with propofol, remifentanil and cisatracurium. After successful intubation, the anesthesia machine was changed into mechanical ventilation. The patients in abdominal aorta pressure group were given abdominal aorta pressure 1 minute after induction of general anesthesia with midazolam till 5 minutes after intubation. The mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate (HR) and blood oxygen saturation (SpO 2 ) were observed before anesthesia induction, immediately after anesthesia induction, immediately after intubation, 5 minutes and 10 minutes after intubation, respectively. The incidence of hypotension or bradycardia, and usage of ephedrine or atropine were recorded. There were no significant differences in MAP [mmHg (1 mmHg = 0.133 kPa): 83.6±4.7 vs. 82.9±4.7], HR (bpm: 67.3±5.9 vs. 65.9±5.7) and SpO 2 (0.962±0.007 vs. 0.960±0.009) before anesthesia induction between abdominal aorta pressure group and control group (all P > 0.05). Immediately after anesthesia induction, the MAP and HR in control group were significantly decreased as compared with those before anesthesia induction [MAP (mmHg): 70.0±8.7 vs. 82.9±4.7, HR (bpm): 60.7±6.7 vs. 65.9±5.7, both P < 0.05], and they were also significantly lower than those of abdominal aorta pressure group [MAP (mmHg): 83.1±3.9, HR (bpm): 66.8±4.9, both P < 0.05]. Immediately after intubation, the MAP and HR in control group were significantly increased as compared with those immediately after anesthesia induction [MAP (mmHg): 78.9±7.9 vs. 70.0±8.7, HR (bpm): 67.3±2.7 vs. 60.7±6.7, both P < 0.05], but the changes in MAP and HR in abdominal aorta pressure group were not obvious. During the anesthesia induction period, there was no statistical difference in SpO 2 change between the two groups. During induction of anesthesia, no adverse reaction was found in the abdominal aorta pressure group, but 4 patients with hypotension and 2 patients with bradycardia were found in the control group. Two patients with hypotension were treated with ephedrine, and 2 patients with bradycardia were treated with atropine. Anesthesia induction of elderly patients with abdominal aorta pressure can help maintain hemodynamic stability.

Who can provide diabetes self-management support in primary care? Findings from a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Siminerio, Linda; Ruppert, Kristine M; Gabbay, Robert A

2013-01-01

The purpose of this comparative effectiveness study is to compare diabetes self-management support (DSMS) approaches and determine who can be most effective in helping patients maintain/improve clinical outcomes, self-care behaviors, distress, and satisfaction following diabetes self-management education (DSME) delivered in primary care. After receiving DSME, 141 participants were randomized to receive DSMS delivered by a trained supporter: educator, peer, practice staff, or usual education during a 6-month follow-up period. DSMS groups were compared to determine which supporter helped participants to maintain/improve A1C, blood pressure, lipids, weight, self-care, and distress. DSMS satisfaction was also examined. There was a significant improvement in A1C, empowerment, aspects of self-care, and distress following DSME at 6 weeks. Those in the educator DSMS group best sustained improved A1C while those in the other DSMS groups maintained glycemic improvements but began to show trends toward worsening. No significant differences or clear trends were seen in other clinical, behavioral, or psychosocial outcomes. The Program Reinforcement Impacts Self-Management (PRISM) study demonstrates that following DSME, participants maintained improved glycemia, lipid, weight, and self-care behaviors and reductions in distress throughout the delivery of DSMS interventions regardless of DSMS supporter. All of the participants reported satisfaction with DSMS. These findings reaffirm the critical role of educators but suggest that others may serve as DSMS supporters. Results suggest that DSME delivered in primary care is effective and multiple DSMS agents are reasonable. As patient-centered self-management approaches are being explored in primary care, delivery of DSME and DSMS becomes paramount.

Nasal high-flow oxygen therapy improves arterial oxygenation during one-lung ventilation in non-intubated thoracoscopic surgery.

PubMed

Wang, Man-Ling; Hung, Ming-Hui; Chen, Jin-Shing; Hsu, Hsao-Hsun; Cheng, Ya-Jung

2018-05-01

Intraoperative hypoxaemia during one-lung ventilation (OLV) remains a major concern in thoracic surgery. Non-intubated video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) involves a greater risk of consequent emergent conversion to endotracheal intubation. Transnasal humidified rapid-insufflation ventilatory exchange (THRIVE) has recently been reported to be beneficial for higher oxygen reserves during difficult intubations and for enhancing postoperative recovery after thoracic surgery. However, the effects of THRIVE on oxygenation and carbon dioxide elimination before and during OLV in non-intubated VATS have not been investigated. Between September 2016 and October 2016, 30 patients underwent non-intubated VATS for lung tumour and were maintained with THRIVE at a flow of 20 l/min. These patients were compared with a historical control group comprising 30 patients who were maintained with oxygen masks at an oxygen flow of 10 l/min using a propensity score matching algorithm between September 2015 and July 2016. The preoperative arterial oxygen tension was significantly higher in patients maintained with THRIVE than it was in patients maintained with oxygen masks (mean 416.0 vs 265.9 mmHg, P < 0.01). During OLV, arterial oxygen tension remained significantly higher in the THRIVE group than in the oxygen mask group (mean 207.0 vs 127.8 mmHg, P = 0.01). The arterial carbon dioxide tension was comparable before and during OLV. The results indicated that THRIVE effectively increases the oxygen reserve both during OLV and after anaesthesia. Furthermore, non-intubated VATS is safer if THRIVE with flow adjustment is incorporated into a minimally invasive surgical approach, although carbon dioxide elimination is not facilitated.

Effects of a cross-training exercise program in persons with osteoarthritis of the knee a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Péloquin, L; Bravo, G; Gauthier, P; Lacombe, G; Billiard, J S

1999-06-01

This study was designed to evaluate, by means of a randomized controlled trial, the effects of a physical activity program incorporating aerobic, strength, and stretching exercises in individuals with osteoarthritis of the knee. We randomly assigned 137 volunteers ages >/=50 to an experimental group or a control group. The experimental group participated in three 1-hour sessions of supervised exercises per week over a 3-month period. The control participants were instructed to continue their usual daily activities, and they attended 1-hour education sessions twice a month. The effectiveness of the program was evaluated using repeated measurements of parameters related to self-reported health status, physical capacity, and joint tenderness.After 3 months, significantly greater improvements were observed in the experimental group than the control group in terms of: arthritis pain (p = 0.02), ability to walk and bend (p = 0.03), aerobic capacity (p < 0.0001), hamstring and low back flexibility (p = 0.003), quadriceps and hamstring strength (p <0.01), and the perception of changes relating to osteoarthritis of the knee and general condition (p < 0.0001). However, no significant differences were observed between the groups in isokinetic strength of the quadriceps (all p's >== 0.05), joint tenderness (p = 0.18), and health perception (p = 0.7). The overall results suggest that this program is effective for older persons with osteoarthritis of the knee and that it could contribute to maintaining their independence and improving their quality of life.

Brain training with non-action video games enhances aspects of cognition in older adults: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Ballesteros, Soledad; Prieto, Antonio; Mayas, Julia; Toril, Pilar; Pita, Carmen; Ponce de León, Laura; Reales, José M; Waterworth, John

2014-01-01

Age-related cognitive and brain declines can result in functional deterioration in many cognitive domains, dependency, and dementia. A major goal of aging research is to investigate methods that help to maintain brain health, cognition, independent living and wellbeing in older adults. This randomized controlled study investigated the effects of 20 1-h non-action video game training sessions with games selected from a commercially available package (Lumosity) on a series of age-declined cognitive functions and subjective wellbeing. Two groups of healthy older adults participated in the study, the experimental group who received the training and the control group who attended three meetings with the research team along the study. Groups were similar at baseline on demographics, vocabulary, global cognition, and depression status. All participants were assessed individually before and after the intervention, or a similar period of time, using neuropsychological tests and laboratory tasks to investigate possible transfer effects. The results showed significant improvements in the trained group, and no variation in the control group, in processing speed (choice reaction time), attention (reduction of distraction and increase of alertness), immediate and delayed visual recognition memory, as well as a trend to improve in Affection and Assertivity, two dimensions of the Wellbeing Scale. Visuospatial working memory (WM) and executive control (shifting strategy) did not improve. Overall, the current results support the idea that training healthy older adults with non-action video games will enhance some cognitive abilities but not others.

Brain training with non-action video games enhances aspects of cognition in older adults: a randomized controlled trial

PubMed Central

Ballesteros, Soledad; Prieto, Antonio; Mayas, Julia; Toril, Pilar; Pita, Carmen; Ponce de León, Laura; Reales, José M.; Waterworth, John

2014-01-01

Age-related cognitive and brain declines can result in functional deterioration in many cognitive domains, dependency, and dementia. A major goal of aging research is to investigate methods that help to maintain brain health, cognition, independent living and wellbeing in older adults. This randomized controlled study investigated the effects of 20 1-h non-action video game training sessions with games selected from a commercially available package (Lumosity) on a series of age-declined cognitive functions and subjective wellbeing. Two groups of healthy older adults participated in the study, the experimental group who received the training and the control group who attended three meetings with the research team along the study. Groups were similar at baseline on demographics, vocabulary, global cognition, and depression status. All participants were assessed individually before and after the intervention, or a similar period of time, using neuropsychological tests and laboratory tasks to investigate possible transfer effects. The results showed significant improvements in the trained group, and no variation in the control group, in processing speed (choice reaction time), attention (reduction of distraction and increase of alertness), immediate and delayed visual recognition memory, as well as a trend to improve in Affection and Assertivity, two dimensions of the Wellbeing Scale. Visuospatial working memory (WM) and executive control (shifting strategy) did not improve. Overall, the current results support the idea that training healthy older adults with non-action video games will enhance some cognitive abilities but not others. PMID:25352805

Douching for perceived vaginal odor with no infectious cause of vaginitis: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Hassan, Sarmina; Chatwani, Ashwin; Brovender, Herman; Zane, Richard; Valaoras, Thomas; Sobel, Jack D

2011-04-01

To demonstrate the effectiveness of medical-grade stainless steel Water Works Douching Device for treating abnormal vaginal odor in comparison with a commercially available over-the-counter plastic douching device. In a multicenter study, 140 women with perceived vaginal odor with no vaginal infection were randomized to either Water Works or control group in a 1:1 ratio and were douched daily for 4 weeks. A visual analog scale (VAS) was used to assess the intensity of vaginal odor. Primary outcome included subject assessment of odor improvement and Nugent Gram stain score of vaginal secretions. Secondary outcome compared the efficacy and safety of Water Works with control douching device. Each patient underwent baseline, week 2, and week 4 visits. The final analytic sample consisted of 96 women. Success score at 4 weeks was 78% for the Water Works group and 38.5% for the control group. Mean VAS was significantly reduced, and Nugent and Lactobacillus scores were maintained in both groups. In the Water Works group, VAS was reduced from 7.3 ± 0.3 to 1.8 ± 0.6 (p < .001) after 4 weeks. In the control group, baseline versus 4 weeks VAS was 7.2 ± 0.3 and 3.4 ± 0.8 (p < .003). Women reported significant reduction of vaginal odor after douching with water for 4 weeks without any alteration of vaginal flora. The Water Works Douching Device was superior to over- the-counter device in reducing vaginal odor.

Coordination exercise and postural stability in elderly people: Effect of Tai Chi Chuan.

PubMed

Wong, A M; Lin, Y C; Chou, S W; Tang, F T; Wong, P Y

2001-05-01

To evaluate the effects of coordination exercise on postural stability in older individuals by Chinese shadow boxing, Tai Chi Chuan (TCC). Cross-sectional study. Research project in a hospital-based biomechanical laboratory. The TCC group (n = 25) had been practicing TCC regularly for 2 to 35 years. The control group (n = 14) included healthy and active older subjects. Static postural stability test: progressively harder sequential tests with 6 combinations of vision (eyes open, eyes closed, sway-referenced) and support (fixed, sway-referenced); and dynamic balance test: 3 tests of weight shifting (left to right, forward-backward, multidirectional) at 3 speeds. Static and dynamic balance of Sensory Organization Testing (SOT) of the Smart Balance Master System. In static postural control, the results showed no differences between the TCC or control group in the more simple conditions, but in the more complicated SOT (eyes closed with sway surface, sway vision with sway surface), the TCC group had significantly better results than the control group. The TCC group also had significantly better results in the rhythmic forward-backward weight-shifting test. Duration of practice did not seem to affect the stability of elder people. The elderly people who regularly practiced TCC showed better postural stability in the more challenged conditions than those who do not (eg, the condition with simultaneous disturbance of vision and proprioception). TCC as a coordination exercise may reduce the risk of a fall through maintaining the ability of posture control.

Internet-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Adults With ADHD in Outpatient Psychiatric Care.

PubMed

Pettersson, Richard; Söderström, Staffan; Edlund-Söderström, Kerstin; Nilsson, Kent W

2017-04-01

The purpose of the study was to evaluate an Internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy (iCBT) program targeting difficulties and impairments associated with adult ADHD. Forty-five adults diagnosed with ADHD were randomized to either self-help (iCBT self-help format [iCBT-S]), self-help with weekly group sessions (iCBT group-therapy format [iCBT-G]), or a waiting-list control group. Treatment efficacy was measured at pre- and posttreatment and at 6-month follow-up. Intention-to-treat (ITT) analysis showed a significant reduction in ADHD symptoms for the iCBT-S group in comparison with the waiting-list controls at posttreatment, with a between-group effect size of d = 1.07. The result was maintained at 6-month follow-up. No significant difference was found at posttreatment or 6-month follow-up between the iCBT-S and iCBT-G groups. The findings show that a CBT treatment program administered through the Internet can be a promising treatment for adult ADHD. Limitations of the study design and directions for future research are discussed.

Effect of passive concentration as instructional set for training enhancement of EEG alpha.

PubMed

Knox, S S

1980-12-01

The technique of passive concentration, employed by autogenic training and Transcendental Meditation for achieving relaxation, was tested here as a technique for enhancing EEG alpha. Of 30 subjects displaying between 15% and 74% alpha in their resting EEGs recruited, 10 had to be eliminated. The remaining 20 constituted two groups. One was instructed only to attempt to maintain a tone indicating alpha but given no information about technique (control group). The other was given additional instructions in passive concentration (experimental group). Both were given four 5-min. trials a day for 4 consecutive days. Heart rate and skin conductance were measured to monitor autonomic arousal. The group receiving instructions in passive concentration had significantly less alpha than the control group, which did not increase amount of alpha above baseline. The reduction of alpha in the experimental group was interpreted as resulting from beginning long training periods (20 min. per day), a practice advocated by Transcendental Meditation but discouraged by autogenic training. It was concluded that the relevance of passive concentration for alpha enhancement is doubtful.

Alterations of motor performance and brain cortex mitochondrial function during ethanol hangover.

PubMed

Bustamante, Juanita; Karadayian, Analia G; Lores-Arnaiz, Silvia; Cutrera, Rodolfo A

2012-08-01

Ethanol has been known to affect various behavioral parameters in experimental animals, even several hours after ethanol (EtOH) is absent from blood circulation, in the period known as hangover. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of acute ethanol hangover on motor performance in association with the brain cortex energetic metabolism. Evaluation of motor performance and brain cortex mitochondrial function during alcohol hangover was performed in mice 6 hours after a high ethanol dose (hangover onset). Animals were injected i.p. either with saline (control group) or with ethanol (3.8 g/kg BW) (hangover group). Ethanol hangover group showed a bad motor performance compared with control animals (p < .05). Oxygen uptake in brain cortex mitochondria from hangover animals showed a 34% decrease in the respiratory control rate as compared with the control group. Mitochondrial complex activities were decreased being the complex I-III the less affected by the hangover condition; complex II-III was markedly decreased by ethanol hangover showing 50% less activity than controls. Complex IV was 42% decreased as compared with control animals. Hydrogen peroxide production was 51% increased in brain cortex mitochondria from the hangover group, as compared with the control animals. Quantification of the mitochondrial transmembrane potential indicated that ethanol injected animals presented 17% less ability to maintain the polarized condition as compared with controls. These results indicate that a clear decrease in proton motive force occurs in brain cortex mitochondria during hangover conditions. We can conclude that a decreased motor performance observed in the hangover group of animals could be associated with brain cortex mitochondrial dysfunction and the resulting impairment of its energetic metabolism. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Continuous microbial cultures maintained by electronically-controlled device

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Eisler, W. J., Jr.; Webb, R. B.

1967-01-01

Photocell-controlled instrument maintains microbial culture. It uses commercially available chemostat glassware, provides adequate aeration through bubbling of the culture, maintains the population size and density, continuously records growth rates over small increments of time, and contains a simple, sterilizable nutrient control mechanism.

An Evaluation of a Smartphone–Assisted Behavioral Weight Control Intervention for Adolescents: Pilot Study

PubMed Central

Duncombe, Kristina M; Lott, Mark A; Hunsaker, Sanita L; Duraccio, Kara M; Woolford, Susan J

2016-01-01

Background The efficacy of adolescent weight control treatments is modest, and effective treatments are costly and are not widely available. Smartphones may be an effective method for delivering critical components of behavioral weight control treatment including behavioral self-monitoring. Objective To examine the efficacy and acceptability of a smartphone assisted adolescent behavioral weight control intervention. Methods A total of 16 overweight or obese adolescents (mean age=14.29 years, standard deviation=1.12) received 12 weeks of combined treatment that consisted of weekly in-person group behavioral weight control treatment sessions plus smartphone self-monitoring and daily text messaging. Subsequently they received 12 weeks of electronic-only intervention, totaling 24 weeks of intervention. Results On average, participants attained modest but significant reductions in body mass index standard score (zBMI: 0.08 standard deviation units, t (13)=2.22, P=.04, d=0.63) over the in-person plus electronic-only intervention period but did not maintain treatment gains over the electronic-only intervention period. Participants self-monitored on approximately half of combined intervention days but less than 20% of electronic-only intervention days. Conclusions Smartphones likely hold promise as a component of adolescent weight control interventions but they may be less effective in helping adolescents maintain treatment gains after intensive interventions. PMID:27554704

Differences in intermittent postural control between normal-weight and obese children.

PubMed

Villarrasa-Sapiña, Israel; García-Massó, Xavier; Serra-Añó, Pilar; Garcia-Lucerga, Consolación; Gonzalez, Luis-Millán; Lurbe, Empar

2016-09-01

The main objective of this study was to determine differences in postural control between obese and non-obese children. The study design was cross-sectional, prospective, between-subjects. Postural control variables were obtained from a group of obese children and a normal-weight control group under two different postural conditions: bipedal standing position with eyes open and bipedal standing with eyes closed. Variables were obtained for each balance condition using time domain and sway-density plot analysis of the center of pressure signals acquired by means of a force plate. Pairwise comparisons revealed significant differences between obese and normal-weight children in mean velocity in antero-posterior and medio-lateral directions, ellipse area and mean distance with both eyes open and eyes closed. Normal-weight subjects obtained lower values in all these variables than obese subjects. Furthermore, there were differences between both groups in mean peaks with eyes open and in mean time with eyes closed. Alterations were detected in the intermittent postural control in obese children. According to the results obtained, active anticipatory control produces higher center of pressure displacement responses in obese children and the periods during which balance is maintained by passive control and reflex mechanisms are of shorter duration. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Exercise in waist-high warm water decreases pain and improves health-related quality of life and strength in the lower extremities in women with fibromyalgia.

PubMed

Gusi, N; Tomas-Carus, P; Häkkinen, A; Häkkinen, K; Ortega-Alonso, A

2006-02-15

To evaluate the short- and long-term efficacy of exercise therapy in a warm, waist-high pool in women with fibromyalgia. Thirty-four women (mean +/- SD tender points 17 +/- 1) were randomly assigned to either an exercise group (n = 17) to perform 3 weekly sessions of training including aerobic, proprioceptive, and strengthening exercises during 12 weeks, or to a control group (n = 17). Maximal unilateral isokinetic strength was measured in the knee extensors and flexors in concentric and eccentric actions at 60 degrees /second and 210 degrees /second, and in the shoulder abductors and adductors in concentric contractions. Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) was assessed using the EQ-5D questionnaire; pain was assessed on a visual analog scale. All were measured at baseline, posttreatment, and after 6 months. The strength of the knee extensors in concentric actions increased by 20% in both limbs after the training period, and these improvements were maintained after the de-training period in the exercise group. The strength of other muscle actions measured did not change. HRQOL improved by 93% (P = 0.007) and pain was reduced by 29% (P = 0.012) in the exercise group during the training, but pain returned close to the pretraining level during the subsequent de-training. However, there were no changes in the control group during the entire period. The therapy relieved pain and improved HRQOL and muscle strength in the lower limbs at low velocity in patients with initial low muscle strength and high number of tender points. Most of these improvements were maintained long term.

Effects of treadmill training with load addition on non-paretic lower limb on gait parameters after stroke: A randomized controlled clinical trial.

PubMed

Ribeiro, Tatiana S; Silva, Emília M G S; Silva, Isaíra A P; Costa, Mayara F P; Cavalcanti, Fabrícia A C; Lindquist, Ana R

2017-05-01

The addition of load on the non-paretic lower limb for the purpose of restraining this limb and stimulating the use of the paretic limb has been suggested to improve hemiparetic gait. However, the results are conflicting and only short-term effects have been observed. This study aims to investigate the effects of adding load on non-paretic lower limb during treadmill gait training as a multisession intervention on kinematic gait parameters after stroke. With this aim, 38 subacute stroke patients (mean time since stroke: 4.5 months) were randomly divided into two groups: treadmill training with load (equivalent to 5% of body weight) on the non-paretic ankle (experimental group) and treadmill training without load (control group). Both groups performed treadmill training during 30min per day, for two consecutive weeks (nine sessions). Spatiotemporal and angular gait parameters were assessed by a motion system analysis at baseline, post-training (at the end of 9days of interventions) and follow-up (40days after the end of interventions). Several post-training effects were demonstrated: patients walked faster and with longer paretic and non-paretic steps compared to baseline, and maintained these gains at follow-up. In addition, patients exhibited greater hip and knee joint excursion in both limbs at post-training, while maintaining most of these benefits at follow-up. All these improvements were observed in both groups. Although the proposal gait training program has provided better gait parameters for these subacute stroke patients, our data indicate that load addition used as a restraint may not provide additional benefits to gait training. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A Three Month Comparative Evaluation of the Effect of Different Surface Treatment Agents on the Surface Integrity and Softness of Acrylic based Soft Liner: An In vivo Study

PubMed Central

Mahajan, Neerja; Naveen, Y. G.; Sethuraman, Rajesh

2017-01-01

Introduction Acrylic based soft liners are cost effective, yet are inferior in durability as compared to silicone based liners. Hence, this study was conducted to evaluate if the softness and surface integrity of acrylic based soft liner can be maintained by using different surface treatment agents. Aim To comparatively evaluate the effects of Varnish, Monopoly and Kregard surface treatment agents on the surface integrity and softness of acrylic based soft liner at baseline, at one month and after three months. Materials and Methods A total of 37 participants who required conventional maxillary dentures were selected according to the determined inclusion and exclusion criteria of the study. In the maxillary denture on the denture bearing surface, eight palatal recesses (5 mm x 3 mm) were made and filled with acrylic based soft liner (Permasoft). The soft liners in these recesses were given surface treatment and divided as control (uncoated), Varnish, Monopoly and Kregard groups. The hardness and surface integrity were evaluated with Shore A Durometer and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) respectively at baseline, one month and three months interval. Surface integrity between groups was compared using Kruskal-Wallis test. Intergroup comparison for hardness was done using ANOVA and Tukey’s HSD post-hoc tests. Results Amongst all the groups tested, surface integrity was maintained in the Kregard group, as compared to control, Varnish and Monopoly groups for all three time intervals (p< 0.001). Kregard treated samples also demonstrated significantly higher softness at all the time intervals (p<0.001). Conclusion Surface treatment with Kregard demonstrated better surface integrity and softness at all the time intervals. PMID:29207842

Integration and Utilization of Peer Leaders for Diabetes Self-Management Support: Results From Project SEED (Support, Education, and Evaluation in Diabetes).

PubMed

Piatt, Gretchen A; Rodgers, Elizabeth A; Xue, Lingshu; Zgibor, Janice C

2018-05-01

Purpose The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a peer leader-led (PL) diabetes self-management support (DSMS) group in achieving and maintaining improvements in A1C, self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG), and diabetes distress in individuals with diabetes. Diabetes self-management support is critical; however, effective, sustainable support models are scarce. Methods The study was a cluster randomized controlled trial of 221 people with diabetes from 6 primary care practices. Practices and eligible participants (mean age: 63.0 years, 63.8% female, 96.8% white, 28.5% at or below poverty level, 32.5% using insulin, A1C ≥7%: 54.2%) were randomized to diabetes self-management education (DSME) + PL DSMS (n = 119) or to enhanced usual care (EUC) (DSME + traditional DSMS with no PL; n = 102). Data were collected at baseline, after DSME (6 weeks), after DSMS (6 months), and after telephonic DSMS (12 months). Results Decreases in A1C occurred between baseline and post-DSME in both groups. Both groups sustained improvements during DSMS, but A1C levels increased during telephonic DSMS. Improvements in self-monitoring of blood glucose were observed in both groups following DSME and were sustained throughout. At study end, the intervention group was 4.3 times less likely to have diabetes regimen-related distress compared to EUC. Conclusions PL DSMS is as effective as traditional DSMS in helping participants to maintain glycemic control and self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) and more effective at improving distress. With increasing diabetes prevalence and shortage of diabetes educators, it is important to integrate and use low-cost interventions in high-risk communities that build on available resources.

T cell costimulation blockade promotes transplantation tolerance in combination with sirolimus and post-transplantation cyclophosphamide for haploidentical transplantation in children with severe aplastic anemia.

PubMed

Jaiswal, Sarita Rani; Bhakuni, Prakash; Zaman, Shamsuz; Bansal, Satish; Bharadwaj, Priyanka; Bhargava, Sneh; Chakrabarti, Suparno

2017-08-01

We conducted a pilot study employing extended T cell costimulation blockade (COSBL) with Abatacept along with sirolimus and post-transplantation cyclophosphamide (PTCy) in 10 patients (median age 12) with severe aplastic anemia (SAA). Nine patients engrafted in the COSBL group, compared to all 10 patients (median 14 vs 13days) treated on PTCy protocols without abatacept (CONTROL group). The incidence of acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) was 10.5% in the COSBL group compared to 50% in the CONTROL group (p=0.04). Chronic GVHD (12.5% vs 56%, p=0.02) and CMV reactivation (30% vs 80%, p=0.03) were also reduced in the COSBL group. T and NK cell subset analysis revealed higher CD56 bright CD16 - NK cells in the CONTROL group (p=0.004), but similar CD56 dim CD16 + NK cells in both groups at day+30. Tregs (CD4 + CD25 + CD127 dim/- FoxP3+) were markedly higher in the COSBL group at day+30 (8.4% vs 1.1%) and the trend was maintained through day+90 (p<0.01). The GVHD and Disease-free survival at one year in the COSBL group was 80% vs. 30% in the CONTROL group (p=0.05). Our preliminary findings suggest that COSBL in combination with PTCy and sirolimus might augment transplantation tolerance in children with SAA, probably due to synergistic effect on early recovery of Tregs. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Family Caregiver Training Program (FCTP): A Randomized Controlled Trial.

PubMed

DiZazzo-Miller, Rosanne; Winston, Kristin; Winkler, Sandra L; Donovan, Mary L

The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of the Family Caregiver Training Program (FCTP) for caregivers of people with dementia. A random assignment control group research design with a 3-mo follow-up was implemented. Thirty-six family caregivers of people with dementia demonstrated an increase in activity of daily living (ADL) knowledge (p < .001) and maintenance of that knowledge 3 mo posttest. Caregiver confidence, regardless of group assignment, improved; however, it was not maintained. Burden, depression, and occupational performance and satisfaction remained unchanged for the intervention group; however, physical health as it pertained to quality of life improved 3 mo posttest (p < .001). Findings demonstrate that the FCTP can effectively provide knowledge to family caregivers on how to assist people with dementia with ADLs. Even when standard care was provided, there was limited information on ADLs that family caregivers faced daily. Copyright © 2017 by the American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.