Instructional multimedia: An investigation of student and instructor attitudes and student study behavior

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Educators in allied health and medical education programs utilize instructional multimedia to facilitate psychomotor skill acquisition in students. This study examines the effects of instructional multimedia on student and instructor attitudes and student study behavior. Methods Subjects consisted of 45 student physical therapists from two universities. Two skill sets were taught during the course of the study. Skill set one consisted of knee examination techniques and skill set two consisted of ankle/foot examination techniques. For each skill set, subjects were randomly assigned to either a control group or an experimental group. The control group was taught with live demonstration of the examination skills, while the experimental group was taught using multimedia. A cross-over design was utilized so that subjects in the control group for skill set one served as the experimental group for skill set two, and vice versa. During the last week of the study, students and instructors completed written questionnaires to assess attitude toward teaching methods, and students answered questions regarding study behavior. Results There were no differences between the two instructional groups in attitudes, but students in the experimental group for skill set two reported greater study time alone compared to other groups. Conclusions Multimedia provides an efficient method to teach psychomotor skills to students entering the health professions. Both students and instructors identified advantages and disadvantages for both instructional techniques. Reponses relative to instructional multimedia emphasized efficiency, processing level, autonomy, and detail of instruction compared to live presentation. Students and instructors identified conflicting views of instructional detail and control of the content. PMID:21693058

Instructional multimedia: an investigation of student and instructor attitudes and student study behavior.

PubMed

Smith, A Russell; Cavanaugh, Cathy; Moore, W Allen

2011-06-21

Educators in allied health and medical education programs utilize instructional multimedia to facilitate psychomotor skill acquisition in students. This study examines the effects of instructional multimedia on student and instructor attitudes and student study behavior. Subjects consisted of 45 student physical therapists from two universities. Two skill sets were taught during the course of the study. Skill set one consisted of knee examination techniques and skill set two consisted of ankle/foot examination techniques. For each skill set, subjects were randomly assigned to either a control group or an experimental group. The control group was taught with live demonstration of the examination skills, while the experimental group was taught using multimedia. A cross-over design was utilized so that subjects in the control group for skill set one served as the experimental group for skill set two, and vice versa. During the last week of the study, students and instructors completed written questionnaires to assess attitude toward teaching methods, and students answered questions regarding study behavior. There were no differences between the two instructional groups in attitudes, but students in the experimental group for skill set two reported greater study time alone compared to other groups. Multimedia provides an efficient method to teach psychomotor skills to students entering the health professions. Both students and instructors identified advantages and disadvantages for both instructional techniques. Reponses relative to instructional multimedia emphasized efficiency, processing level, autonomy, and detail of instruction compared to live presentation. Students and instructors identified conflicting views of instructional detail and control of the content.

The Use of Concrete Learning Objects Taken from the History of Mathematics in Mathematics Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bütüner, Suphi Önder

2016-01-01

This study aimed to reveal the effects of teaching with concrete learning objects taken from the history of mathematics on student achievement. Being a quasi-experimental study, it was conducted with two grade 8 classes in a secondary school located in Trabzon. The experimental group consisted of 27 students and the control group consisted of 25.…

Consistent inter-individual differences in common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus) in Boldness-Shyness, Stress-Activity, and Exploration-Avoidance.

PubMed

Šlipogor, Vedrana; Gunhold-de Oliveira, Tina; Tadić, Zoran; Massen, Jorg J M; Bugnyar, Thomas

2016-09-01

The study of animal personality, defined as consistent inter-individual differences in correlated behavioral traits stable throughout time and/or contexts, has recently become one of the fastest growing areas in animal biology, with study species ranging from insects to non-human primates. The latter have, however, only occasionally been tested with standardized experiments. Instead their personality has usually been assessed using questionnaires. Therefore, this study aimed to test 21 common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus) living in three family groups, in five different experiments, and their corresponding controls. We found that behavioral differences between our animals were not only consistent over time, but also across different contexts. Moreover, the consistent behaviors formed a construct of four major non-social personality components: Boldness-Shyness in Foraging, Boldness-Shyness in Predation, Stress-Activity, and Exploration-Avoidance. We found no sex or age differences in these components, but our results did reveal differences in Exploration-Avoidance between the three family groups. As social environment can have a large influence on behavior of individuals, our results may suggest group-level similarity in personality (i.e., "group personality") in common marmosets, a species living in highly cohesive social groups. Am. J. Primatol. 78:961-973, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Group elicitations yield more consistent, yet more uncertain experts in understanding risks to ecosystem services in New Zealand bays

PubMed Central

Sinner, Jim; Ellis, Joanne; Kandlikar, Milind; Halpern, Benjamin S.; Satterfield, Terre; Chan, Kai

2017-01-01

The elicitation of expert judgment is an important tool for assessment of risks and impacts in environmental management contexts, and especially important as decision-makers face novel challenges where prior empirical research is lacking or insufficient. Evidence-driven elicitation approaches typically involve techniques to derive more accurate probability distributions under fairly specific contexts. Experts are, however, prone to overconfidence in their judgements. Group elicitations with diverse experts can reduce expert overconfidence by allowing cross-examination and reassessment of prior judgements, but groups are also prone to uncritical “groupthink” errors. When the problem context is underspecified the probability that experts commit groupthink errors may increase. This study addresses how structured workshops affect expert variability among and certainty within responses in a New Zealand case study. We find that experts’ risk estimates before and after a workshop differ, and that group elicitations provided greater consistency of estimates, yet also greater uncertainty among experts, when addressing prominent impacts to four different ecosystem services in coastal New Zealand. After group workshops, experts provided more consistent ranking of risks and more consistent best estimates of impact through increased clarity in terminology and dampening of extreme positions, yet probability distributions for impacts widened. The results from this case study suggest that group elicitations have favorable consequences for the quality and uncertainty of risk judgments within and across experts, making group elicitation techniques invaluable tools in contexts of limited data. PMID:28767694

The Relationship between Organizational Citizenship Behavior, Group Cohesiveness and Workplace Deviance Behavior of Turkish Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Apaydin, Çigdem; Sirin, Hüseyin

2016-01-01

This study aims to develop a structural model for organizational citizenship behavior, group cohesiveness and workplace deviance behavior. The study group consists of 639 Turkish teachers working in primary and secondary public schools. In the study, the "Organizational Citizenship Behavior Scale" and the "Group Cohesiveness…

Evaluation of the intima-media complex in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

PubMed Central

Przywara-Chowaniec, Brygida; Paluch, Michał; Opara, Mariusz; Pluszczyk, Marek; Puzio, Agata; Nowalny-Kozielska, Ewa

2014-01-01

The aim of the study The aim of the study was to determine whether there are any differences in the intima-media thickness (IMT) of carotid arteries between the group of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and the control group, and whether these differences are a consequence of SLE or independent factors of atherosclerosis development. Material and methods The patients were divided into three groups: the study group (n = 25, mean age: 39.8 years) consisting of patients suffering from SLE; the subgroup (n = 13, mean age: 39.2 years) consisting of patients suffering only from SLE without any accompanying diseases; and the control group (n = 25, mean age: 37.1 years) consisting of healthy patients (not suffering from SLE or any other disease of the connective tissue). The IMT of the left and right common carotid arteries (LCCA, RCCA) was measured by means of ultrasound. Results The analysis performed with the Mann-Whitney U test showed that a statistically significant difference of IMT occurs between the control group and the study groups (p = 0.006 for LCCA and p < 0.001 for RCCA), while there is no such relation (p = 0.86 for RCCA and p = 0.095 for LCCA) between the control group and the subgroup. Conclusions The group of patients with SLE was found to have an increased IMT in comparison with the reference group. The unfavorable influence of independent factors of atherosclerosis development on the increase of the IMT value in patients with lupus was thus indicated. This observation suggests a faster atherosclerotic process in this group of patients. PMID:26336397

[Cognitive mechanisms in risky decision-making in cannabis users].

PubMed

J R, Alameda-Bailén; M P, Salguero-Alcañiz; A, Merchán-Clavellino; S, Paíno-Quesada

2014-01-01

The relationship between the use of cannabis and the decision-making processes was explored. A computerized version of the Iowa Gambling Task (Cards Software) in its normal and reverse version was used, and the Prospect Valence Learning (PVL) model, which characterize the process of decision-making based on the parameters: Recency, Consistency, Loss aversion and Utility shape, was applied. Seventy-three cannabis consumers and a control group with 73 nonconsumers participated in the study. In the normal mode, subjects in the control group scored higher than cannabis consumers. Both groups showed consistent responses and aversion to loss. Nonconsumers showed greater influence of the gain-loss frequency, while consumers were more influenced by the magnitude of the gain-loss. The influence of immediate choices was higher among consumers who showed a quick oblivion while in the control group this process was more gradual. In the reverse mode, task performance was better among control group participants. Both groups showed consistency, loss aversion, more influenced by the magnitude of the gain-loss, and low influence of immediate elections. The results show the relationship between drug use and the decision-making processes, being consistent with the results obtained in other studies where consumers had worse results than control group. Moreover, the PVL parameters allow to adequately characterize decision-making. This confirms the relationship between drug use and decision-making by either the vulnerability prior to consumption or the neurotoxicity of drugs.

The risk assessment of a fall in patients with lumbar spinal stenosis.

PubMed

Kim, Ho-Joong; Chun, Heoung-Jae; Han, Chang-Dong; Moon, Seong-Hwan; Kang, Kyoung-Tak; Kim, Hak-Sun; Park, Jin-Oh; Moon, Eun-Su; Kim, Bo-Ram; Sohn, Joon-Seok; Shin, Seung-Yup; Jang, Ju-Woong; Lee, Kwang-Il; Lee, Hwan-Mo

2011-04-20

A prospective case control study. To investigate the risk of a fall by using functional mobility tests in patients with lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) via a comparison with patients with knee osteoarthritis (KOA). LSS is a degenerative arthritic disease in the spine that results in decreasing function, impaired balance, and gait deficit, with increased levels of leg and back pain. This physical impairment may result in an increased risk of fall later in the disease process, as shown in KOA. However, there has been no study regarding the association between the risk of a fall and LSS. The study was an age- and weight-matched case control study consisting of two groups: one group consisting of 40 patients with LSS who were scheduled to undergo spine surgery (LSS group) and the other group consisting of 40 patients with advanced osteoarthritis in both knees, scheduled to undergo TKA on both knees (KOA group). For both groups, four functional mobility tests, such as a Six-Meter-Walk Test (SMT), Sit-to-Stand test (STS), Alternative-Step Test (AST), and Timed Up and Go Test (TUGT), were performed. There was no difference in demographic data between both groups except for body mass index. For the SMT and STS, the patients in the LSS group spent significantly more time performing these tests than the patients in the KOA. For the AST, however, patients in the KOA group presented a statistically worse performance in functional mobility, compared with the LSS group. The mean TUGT time was not statistically different between the two groups. The current study highlights that patients with symptomatic LSS have a risk of a fall comparable with the patients who had degenerative KOA based on the results of functional mobility tests (SMT, STS, AST, and TUGT).

An Analysis of the Discriminatory Power of Holland's Types for Business Majors in Three Concentration Areas.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Utz, Patrick W.; Hartman, Bruce

1978-01-01

Graduating seniors in the School of Business who were in either accounting, marketing, or behavioral studies and were seeking a career consistent with their area's concentration were compared for their scores on the Self-Directed Search. The accounting group was consistently differentiated from the other group. (Author)

Low-molecular-weight heparin and intermittent pneumatic compression for thromboprophylaxis in critical patients

PubMed Central

WAN, BING; FU, HAI-YAN; YIN, JIANG-TAO; REN, GUO-QING

2015-01-01

The efficacy and safety of physiotherapeutic prophylaxis for venous thromboembolism in critically ill patients with heparin contraindication remains unclear. In the present study it was hypothesized that physiotherapy prophylaxis with intermittent pneumatic compression (IPC) would be safe and effective for patients unable to receive low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH). In addition, this study investigated whether a combined therapy of IPC with LMWH would be more effective for the prophylaxis of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in critical patients. A total of 500 patients were divided into four groups according to the prophylaxis of DVT. The IPC group consisted of 95 patients with heparin contraindication that received IPC treatment; the LMWH group consisted of 185 patients that received an LMWH injection; the LMWH + IPC group consisted of 75 patients that received IPC treatment and LMWH injection; and the control group consisted of 145 patients that received no IPC treatment or injection of LMWH. Each patient was evaluated clinically for development of DVT and the diagnosis was confirmed by Doppler study. Venous thromboembolism was a common complication among the trauma patients with severe injuries. Patients responded positively to the treatment used in the intervention groups. Patients exhibited an improved response to LMWH + ICP compared with IPC or LMWH alone, while no significant difference was detected between the IPC and LMWH groups. These results were applicable to patients that had a Wells score of ≥3; however, no significant differences in DVT incidence were observed among the patients who had a Wells score of <3. In this observational study, LMWH + ICP appeared to be more effective than either treatment alone in treating critically ill trauma patients with severe injuries that are at high risk for VTE and bleeding simultaneously. PMID:26668637

Analytical electron microscope study of eight ataxites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Novotny, P. M.; Goldstein, J. I.; Williams, D. B.

1982-01-01

Optical and electron optical (SEM, TEM, AEM) techniques were employed to investigate the fine structure of eight ataxite-iron meteorites. Structural studies indicated that the ataxites can be divided into two groups: a Widmanstaetten decomposition group and a martensite decomposition group. The Widmanstaetten decomposition group has a Type I plessite microstructure and the central taenite regions contain highly dislocated lath martensite. The steep M shaped Ni gradients in the taenite are consistent with the fast cooling rates, of not less than 500 C/my, observed for this group. The martensite decomposition group has a Type III plessite microstructure and contains all the chemical group IVB ataxites. The maximum taenite Ni contents vary from 47.5 to 52.7 wt % and are consistent with slow cooling to low temperatures of not greater than 350 C at cooling rates of not greater than 25 C/my.

Self-consistency in Bicultural Persons: Dialectical Self-beliefs Mediate the Relation between Identity Integration and Self-consistency

PubMed Central

Zhang, Rui; Noels, Kimberly A.; Lalonde, Richard N.; Salas, S. J.

2017-01-01

Prior research differentiates dialectical (e.g., East Asian) from non-dialectical cultures (e.g., North American and Latino) and attributes cultural differences in self-concept consistency to naïve dialecticism. In this research, we explored the effects of managing two cultural identities on consistency within the bicultural self-concept via the role of dialectical beliefs. Because the challenge of integrating more than one culture within the self is common to biculturals of various heritage backgrounds, the effects of bicultural identity integration should not depend on whether the heritage culture is dialectical or not. In four studies across diverse groups of bicultural Canadians, we showed that having an integrated bicultural identity was associated with being more consistent across roles (Studies 1–3) and making less ambiguous self-evaluations (Study 4). Furthermore, dialectical self-beliefs mediated the effect of bicultural identity integration on self-consistency (Studies 2–4). Finally, Latino biculturals reported being more consistent across roles than did East Asian biculturals (Study 2), revealing the ethnic heritage difference between the two groups. We conclude that both the content of heritage culture and the process of integrating cultural identities influence the extent of self-consistency among biculturals. Thus, consistency within the bicultural self-concept can be understood, in part, to be a unique psychological product of bicultural experience. PMID:28326052

Self-consistency in Bicultural Persons: Dialectical Self-beliefs Mediate the Relation between Identity Integration and Self-consistency.

PubMed

Zhang, Rui; Noels, Kimberly A; Lalonde, Richard N; Salas, S J

2017-01-01

Prior research differentiates dialectical (e.g., East Asian) from non-dialectical cultures (e.g., North American and Latino) and attributes cultural differences in self-concept consistency to naïve dialecticism. In this research, we explored the effects of managing two cultural identities on consistency within the bicultural self-concept via the role of dialectical beliefs. Because the challenge of integrating more than one culture within the self is common to biculturals of various heritage backgrounds, the effects of bicultural identity integration should not depend on whether the heritage culture is dialectical or not. In four studies across diverse groups of bicultural Canadians, we showed that having an integrated bicultural identity was associated with being more consistent across roles (Studies 1-3) and making less ambiguous self-evaluations (Study 4). Furthermore, dialectical self-beliefs mediated the effect of bicultural identity integration on self-consistency (Studies 2-4). Finally, Latino biculturals reported being more consistent across roles than did East Asian biculturals (Study 2), revealing the ethnic heritage difference between the two groups. We conclude that both the content of heritage culture and the process of integrating cultural identities influence the extent of self-consistency among biculturals. Thus, consistency within the bicultural self-concept can be understood, in part, to be a unique psychological product of bicultural experience.

Determinants of hospital fall rate trajectory groups: A longitudinal assessment of nurse staffing and organizational characteristics

PubMed Central

Everhart, Damian; Schumacher, Jessica R.; Duncan, R. Paul; Hall, Allyson G.; Neff, Donna F.; Shorr, Ronald I.

2014-01-01

Background Patient falls in acute care hospitals represent a significant patient safety concern. Although cross-sectional studies have shown that fall rates vary widely between acute care hospitals, it is not clear whether hospital fall rates remain consistent over time. Purpose The aim of this study was to determine whether hospitals can be categorized into fall rate trajectory groups over time and to identify nurse staffing and hospital characteristics associated with hospital fall rate trajectory groups. Methodology/Approach We conducted a 54-month (July 2006–December 2010) longitudinal study of U.S. acute care general hospitals participating in the National Database for Nursing Quality Indicators® (2007). We used latent class growth modeling to categorize hospitals into groups based on their long-term fall rates. Nurse staffing and hospital characteristics associated with membership in the highest hospital fall rate group were identified using logistic regression. Findings A sample of 1,529 hospitals (mean fall rate of 3.65 per 1,000 patient days) contributed data to the analysis. Latent class growth modeling findings classified hospital into three groups based on fall rate trajectories: consistently high (mean fall rate of 4.96 per 1,000 patient days), consistently medium (mean fall rate of 3.63 per 1,000 patient days), and consistently low (mean fall rate of 2.50 per 1,000 patient days). Hospitals with higher total nurse staffing (odds ratio [OR] = 0.92, 95% confidence interval [CI] [0.85, 0.99]), Magnet status (OR = 0.49, 95% CI [0.35, 0.70]), and bed size greater than 300 beds (OR = 0.70, 95% CI [0.51, 0.94]) were significantly less likely to be categorized in the “consistently high” fall rate group. Practice Implications Over this 54-month period, hospitals were categorized into three groups based on long-term fall rates. Hospital-level factors differed among these three groups. This suggests that there may be hospitals in which “best practices” for fall prevention might be identified. In addition, administrators may be able to reduce fall rates by maintaining greater nurse staffing ratios as well as fostering an environment consistent with that of Magnet hospitals. PMID:24566249

Actors, observers, and causal attributions of homelessness: Differences in attribution for the causes of homelessness among domiciled and homeless people in Madrid (Spain).

PubMed

Vázquez, José Juan; Panadero, Sonia; Zúñiga, Claudia

2017-01-01

The study analyzes the differences in causal attributions of homelessness and attributions of responsibility among the members of 3 groups: homeless group, consisting of a representative sample of homeless people in Madrid, Spain (n = 188); domiciled service-users group, consisting of people at risk of homelessness (n = 164); and domiciled nonservice-users group, consisting of people at no imminent risk of homelessness (n = 180). The domiciled service-users group and domiciled nonservice-users group were matched to the homeless group or sex, age, and nationality. The article also analyzes homeless people's causal attributions as regards their own situation. The results show that compared with the domiciled nonservice-users group, a higher percentage of members of the homeless group and domiciled service-users group attributed homelessness to individualistic causes and they blamed homeless people for their situation to a greater extent. The results also show that there was no "actor-observer bias" in causal attributions for homelessness in Madrid. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

King, W.A.; Kubas, G.J.

The present invention provides: a composition of the formula M{sup +x}(Ga(Y){sub 4}{sup {minus}}){sub x} where M is a metal selected from the group consisting of lithium, sodium, potassium, cesium, calcium, strontium, thallium, and silver, x is an integer selected from the group consisting of 1 or 2, each Y is a ligand selected from the group consisting of aryl, alkyl, hydride and halide with the proviso that at least one Y is a ligand selected from the group consisting of aryl, alkyl and halide; a composition of the formula (R){sub x}Q{sup +}Ga(Y){sub 4}{sup {minus}} where Q is selected from themore » group consisting of carbon, nitrogen, sulfur, phosphorus and oxygen, each R is a ligand selected from the group consisting of alkyl, aryl, and hydrogen, x is an integer selected from the group consisting of 3 and 4 depending upon Q, and each Y is a ligand selected from the group consisting of aryl, alkyl, hydride and halide with the proviso that at least one Y is a ligand selected from the group consisting of aryl, alkyl and halide; an ionic polymerization catalyst composition including an active cationic portion and a gallium based weakly coordinating anion; and bridged anion species of the formula M{sup +x}{sub y}[X(GaY{sub 3}){sub z}]{sup {minus}y}{sub x} where M is a metal selected from the group consisting of lithium, sodium, potassium, magnesium, cesium, calcium, strontium, thallium, and silver, x is an integer selected from the group consisting of 1 or 2, X is a bridging group between two gallium atoms, y is an integer selected from the group consisting 1 and 2, z is an integer of at least 2, each Y is a ligand selected from the group consisting of aryl, alkyl, hydride and halide with the proviso that at least one Y is a ligand selected from the group consisting of aryl, alkyl and halide.« less

Gallium based low-interaction anions

DOEpatents

King, Wayne A.; Kubas, Gregory J.

2000-01-01

The present invention provides: a composition of the formula M.sup.+x (Ga(Y).sub.4.sup.-).sub.x where M is a metal selected from the group consisting of lithium, sodium, potassium, cesium, calcium, strontium, thallium, and silver, x is an integer selected from the group consisting of 1 or 2, each Y is a ligand selected from the group consisting of aryl, alkyl, hydride and halide with the proviso that at least one Y is a ligand selected from the group consisting of aryl, alkyl and halide; a composition of the formula (R).sub.x Q.sup.+ Ga(Y).sub.4.sup.- where Q is selected from the group consisting of carbon, nitrogen, sulfur, phosphorus and oxygen, each R is a ligand selected from the group consisting of alkyl, aryl, and hydrogen, x is an integer selected from the group consisting of 3 and 4 depending upon Q, and each Y is a ligand selected from the group consisting of aryl, alkyl, hydride and halide with the proviso that at least one Y is a ligand selected from the group consisting of aryl, alkyl and halide; an ionic polymerization catalyst composition including an active cationic portion and a gallium based weakly coordinating anion; and bridged anion species of the formula M.sup.+x.sub.y [X(Ga(Y.sub.3).sub.z ].sup.-y.sub.x where M is a metal selected from the group consisting of lithium, sodium, potassium, magnesium, cesium, calcium, strontium, thallium, and silver, x is an integer selected from the group consisting of 1 or 2, X is a bridging group between two gallium atoms, y is an integer selected from the group consisting 1 and 2, z is an integer of at least 2, each Y is a ligand selected from the group consisting of aryl, alkyl, hydride and halide with the proviso that at least one Y is a ligand selected from the group consisting of aryl, alkyl and halide.

Remediation for Students With Mathematics Difficulties: An Intervention Study in Middle Schools.

PubMed

Moser Opitz, Elisabeth; Freesemann, Okka; Prediger, Susanne; Grob, Urs; Matull, Ina; Hußmann, Stephan

As empirical studies have consistently shown, low achievement in mathematics at the secondary level can often be traced to deficits in the understanding of certain basic arithmetic concepts taught in primary school. The present intervention study in middle schools evaluated whether such learning deficits can be reduced effectively and whether the type of instruction influences students' progress. The sample consisted of 123 students in 34 classes, split among one control group and two intervention groups: (a) small group instruction and (b) independent work partially integrated into regular classrooms. Over a period of 14 weeks, students were taught basic concepts, such as place value and basic operations. In addition, they practiced fact retrieval and counting (in groups). Multilevel regression analyses demonstrated that the interventions can be used to reduce given deficits.

Expression of extracellular matrix metalloproteinase inducer (EMMPRIN) in the endometrium of patients with repeated implantation failure after in vitro fertilization.

PubMed

Turgut, A; Goruk, N Y; Tunc, S Y; Agaçayak, E; Alabalik, U; Yalinkaya, A; Gül, T

2014-01-01

To compare the immunohistochemical expression of extracellular matrix metalloproteinase inducer (EMMPRIN) in repeated implantation failure (RIF) patients with normal fertile controls. The study group consisted of primary infertile patients with RIF and normal fertile controls between January 2011 and February 2013. Endometrial samples received at the luteal phase were exposed to immunohistochemical staining for EMMPRIN antibodies. EMMPRIN expression of endometrial glandular epithelial cells, stromal cells and vascular endothelial cells were evaluated. The main outcome measure was defined as immunohistochemical score with regard to the severity and extent of staining. The study group consisted of 26 primary infertile patients, whereas the control group consisted of 40 normal fertile controls. The fertile group was found to have stronger expression of EMMPRIN than the study group when endometrial glandular epithelial cells, stromal cells and vascular endothelial cells were evaluated with regards to the severity of staining (p < 0.001), the extent of staining (p < 0.001) and total staining score (p < 0.001). This is the first study showing low expression of EMMPRIN in the endometrial cells of the patients with RIF compared with fertile healthy controls. We suggest that reduced EMMPRIN expression in the human endometrium may lead to poor endometrial receptivity.

The use of CORE model by metacognitive skill approach in developing characters junior high school students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fisher, Dahlia; Yaniawati, Poppy; Kusumah, Yaya Sukjaya

2017-08-01

This study aims to analyze the character of students who obtain CORE learning model using metacognitive approach. The method in this study is qualitative research and quantitative research design (Mixed Method Design) with concurrent embedded strategy. The research was conducted on two groups: an experimental group and the control group. An experimental group consists of students who had CORE model learning using metacognitive approach while the control group consists of students taught by conventional learning. The study was conducted the object this research is the seventh grader students in one the public junior high schools in Bandung. Based on this research, it is known that the characters of the students in the CORE model learning through metacognitive approach is: honest, hard work, curious, conscientious, creative and communicative. Overall it can be concluded that CORE model learning is good for developing characters of a junior high school student.

Effect of self-consistency group intervention for adolescents with schizophrenia: An inpatient randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

She, Pan; Zeng, Hongling; Yang, Bingxiang

2016-02-01

The aim of the study was to explore the efficacy of structural group therapy on the self-consistency and congruence of inpatient adolescents with a diagnosis of schizophrenia. Sixty inpatient adolescents with schizophrenia were randomly assigned to an intervention group (n = 30) and a control group (n = 30). The intervention group was provided with a 12-session structural group therapy program for six weeks (1 h, two times per week), while the control group participated in a handicraft group. All patients were assessed with the Self-Consistency and Congruence Scale (SCCS) and the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) at pretest, posttest, three-month and one-year follow-up. The results were analyzed using t-test and repeated measures ANOVA. The two groups had no significant difference at the pre-test of outcome measures (p > 0.05). Significant differences existed between the two groups in ego-dystonic, self-flexibility, SCCS scores, positive syndrome, general psychopathology and PANSS scores after the intervention (p < 0.05). At the three-month follow-up, ego-dystonic, self-flexibility and PANSS scores were also found to be significantly different between the two groups (p < 0.05). But the outcome measures were not significantly different between the two groups at the one-year follow-up. Structural group therapy in a mental health setting had a positive effect on improving self-consistency and congruence, positive symptoms and general psychopathology of inpatient adolescents with a diagnosis of schizophrenia. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Effect of Integrated Movement Activities on Children's FMS

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yang, Shu-Chu; Lin, Shu-Jung; Hsu, Li-Chuan

2016-01-01

The purpose of the present study was to determine the effects of an integrated movement course on the FMSs of preschool children. Purposive sampling was used to select two classes at a public preschool in Chiayi City, Taiwan. The experimental group consisted of 9 boys and 12 girls, and the control group consisted of 11 boys and 8 girls. Both were…

The Impact of New State Accountability Standards on Algebra I Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heath, Kyle G.

2013-01-01

The purpose of this quasi-experimental quantitative study was to determine if a new Algebra I curriculum resulted in improved student performance on the state Algebra I exam. The treatment group consisted of 383 9th grade Algebra I students who received the college-ready standards-based (CRSB) curricula. The control group consisted of 338 9th…

The Effects of Cognitive: Linguistic Variables and Language Experience on Behavioural and Kinematic Performances in Nonword Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sasisekaran, Jayanthi; Weisberg, Sanford

2013-01-01

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of cognitive-linguistic variables and language experience on behavioral and kinematic measures of nonword learning in young adults. Group 1 consisted of thirteen participants who spoke American English as the first and only language. Group 2 consisted of seven participants with varying…

The Effects of an Ergogenic Aid on Golf Swing Consistency and Skill.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moore, John O.; Beitel, Patricia A.

Golf experts suggest that a performer should attempt to swing the same way during each shot, changing clubs to alter the flight trajectory and distance of the ball. This study sought to determine if there was a difference in the development of golf skill and swing consistency between a control group and an experimental group using an ergogenic…

Dealing with Conflicting or Consistent Medical Information on the Web: When Expert Information Breeds Laypersons' Doubts about Experts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kienhues, Dorothe; Stadtler, Marc; Bromme, Rainer

2011-01-01

The present study investigated how dealing with conflicting versus consistent medical information on the Web impacts on topic-specific and medicine-related epistemic beliefs as well as aspects of health decision making. One hundred mostly female university students were randomly assigned to three groups. Two intervention groups searched the Web…

A Contrast of Amount and Type of Activity in Elementary School Years between Academically Successful and Unsuccessful Youth.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Madden, Deirdre; Brueckman, Judith; Littlejohn, Kevin V.

This study compared the participation in various types of activities during the elementary school years of academically successful and unsuccessful youth. The academically successful group consisted of 63 college students from lower level general communication classes. The two unsuccessful comparison groups consisted of 53 youth, ages 13 to 16…

Australian Adult Consumers' Beliefs about Plant Foods: A Qualitative Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lea, Emma; Worsley, Anthony; Crawford, David

2005-01-01

This exploratory qualitative study examined consumers' perceived barriers and benefits of plant food (fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes, nuts, seeds) consumption and views on the promotion of these foods. Ten focus groups were conducted in Melbourne, Australia. Groups consisted of employees of various workplaces, community group members,…

Early maladaptive schemas in personality disordered individuals.

PubMed

Jovev, Martina; Jackson, Henry J

2004-10-01

The present study aimed to examine the specificity of schema domains in three personality disorder (PD) groups, namely borderline (BPD), obsessive-compulsive (OCPD), and avoidant PD (AvPD), and to correctly identify the three PD groups on the basis of these schemas. The sample consisted of 48 clinical participants diagnosed with PDs and assigned to 1 of 3 groups on the basis of their Axis II diagnoses (BPD: n = 13; OCPD: n = 13; AvPD: n = 22). High scores on Dependence/Incompetence, Defectiveness/ Shame and Abandonment were found for the BPD group. Such pattern appears to be most consistent with Young's theory of BPD. Consistent with the theory and empirical findings of Beck et al. (1990, 2001), OCPD was associated with elevations on the Unrelenting Standards schema domain, but not on Emotional Inhibition, which was found to be elevated for AvPD. In conclusion, the present study suggests that there are different patterns of schema domains across different PDs and that the Schema Questionnaire (SQ) is potentially useful in differentiating between these PDs.

Long-term effectiveness of a peer-based intervention to promote condom and contraceptive use among HIV-positive and at-risk women.

PubMed Central

Fogarty, L. A.; Heilig, C. M.; Armstrong, K.; Cabral, R.; Galavotti, C.; Gielen, A. C.; Green, B. M.

2001-01-01

OBJECTIVE: The authors used data from a larger study to evaluate the long-term effects of a peer advocate intervention on condom and contraceptive use among HIV-infected women and women at high risk for HIV infection. METHODS: HIV-infected women in one study and women at high risk for HIV infection in a second study were selected from the Women and Infants Demonstration Project and assigned to a standard or an enhanced HIV prevention treatment group. The enhanced intervention included support groups and one-on-one contacts with peer advocates tailored to clients' needs. The authors interviewed women at baseline and at 6-, 12- and 18-months, and measured changes in consistency of condom and contraceptive use and in self-efficacy and perceived advantages and disadvantages of condom and contraceptive use. RESULTS: Of HIV-infected women, the enhanced group had improved consistency in condom use, increased perceived advantages of condom use, and increased level of self-efficacy compared with the standard group. Of women at risk, the enhanced intervention group at six months maintained consistent condom use with a main partner and perceived more benefit of condom use compared with the standard group. These differences diminished at 12 months. CONCLUSIONS: The enhanced intervention was generally effective in the HIV+ study. In the at-risk study, however, intervention effects were minimal and short-lived. Factors related to the theory, intervention design, and sample characteristics help explain these differences. PMID:11889279

Comparison of nonsurgical treatment options in pediatric condylar fractures: rigid intermaxillary fixation versus using guiding elastic therapy.

PubMed

Tabrizi, Reza; Langner, Nicole Janine; Zamiri, Barbad; Aliabadi, Ehsan; Daneste, Hosein; Naghizade, Sina

2013-05-01

A prospective study was done to compare rigid intermaxillary fixation and guiding elastic for treatment of condylar fractures in pediatric patients. Sixty-one children younger than 12 years with condylar fractures were studied in 2 groups. Group 1 consisted of 31 patients who were treated with arch bar and intermaxillary fixation for 7 to 12 days, and group 2 consisted of 30 patients who were treated with arch bar and elastics without rigid intermaxillary fixation. Patients had minimal function during treatment time, which lasted 7 to 12 days. Evaluation of deviation on opening between both groups (groups 1 and 2) with a χ test did not show any relationship between them. Incidence of temporomandibular dysfunction signs was 25.8% in group 1 patients and 23.3% in group 2 patients. Comparison of temporomandibular dysfunction signs in both treatment groups did not show a statistically significant relationship. Our study showed the same results using guiding elastics as using rigid intermaxillary fixation in pediatric condylar fractures. Guiding elastic is more tolerable, and children have function during treatment.

Acid-base and electrolyte disorders in patients with diabetes mellitus.

PubMed

Sotirakopoulos, Nikolaos; Kalogiannidou, Irini; Tersi, Maria; Armentzioiou, Karmen; Sivridis, Dimitrios; Mavromatidis, Konstantinos

2012-01-01

Diabetes mellitus is the most common metabolic disorder in the community. The diabetics may suffer from acid-base and electrolyte disorders due to complications of diabetes mellitus and the medication they receive. In this study, acid-base and electrolyte disorders were evaluated among outpatient diabetics in our hospital. The study consisted of patients with diabetes mellitus who visited the hospital as outpatients between the period January 1, 2004 to December 31, 2006. The patients' medical history, age and type of diabetes were noted, including whether they were taking diuretics and calcium channel blockers or not. Serum creatinine, proteins, sodium, potassium and chloride and blood gases were measured in all patients. Proteinuria was measured by 24-h urine collection. Two hundred and ten patients were divided in three groups based on the serum creatinine. Group A consisted of 114 patients that had serum creatinine < 1.2 mg/dL, group B consisted of 69 patients that had serum creatinine ranging from 1.3 to 3 mg/dL and group C consisted of 27 patients with serum creatinine > 3.1 mg/dL. Of the 210 patients, 176 had an acid-base disorder. The most common disorder noted in group A was metabolic alkalosis. In groups B and C, the common disorders were metabolic acidosis and alkalosis, and metabolic acidosis, respectively. The most common electrolyte disorders were hypernatremia (especially in groups A and B), hyponatremia (group C) and hyperkalemia (especially in groups B and C). It is concluded that: (a) in diabetic outpatients, acid-base and electrolyte disorders occurred often even if the renal function is normal, (b) the most common disorders are metabolic alkalosis and metabolic acidosis (the frequency increases with the deterioration of the renal function) and (c) the common electrolyte disorders are hypernatremia and hypokalemia.

A cohort study of the relationship between anger and chronic spontaneous urticaria.

PubMed

Altınöz, Ali Ercan; Taşkıntuna, Nilgün; Altınöz, Sengül Tosun; Ceran, Selvi

2014-09-01

Anger plays a major role in psychodermatological diseases. Researchers have reported that anger and other psychological factors play a role in the etiology of chronic urticaria. This study aimed to examine symptoms of anger, anger-related behavioral patterns, thoughts associated with anger, situations that cause anger and experiences of interpersonal anger in patients with chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU). The authors hypothesized that patients with CSU react to more situations with anger and experience more anger symptoms as compared to alopecia areata (AA) patients and healthy controls. The cohort study population consisted of literate adult patients aged <65 years that were diagnosed with CSU at the outpatient dermatology clinics of Başkent and Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey, between September 2011 and October 2012. The first control group included individuals without any physical or mental disorders and the second one included literate adult patients diagnosed with AA. The patients and controls were matched according to age, gender, and level of education. A sociodemographic data form, and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and Multi-Dimensional Anger Inventory were administered to the participants. Data were analyzed using SPSS v.17.0 for Windows. The primary outcome was to determine whether there was a relationship between anger and CSU. The CSU group consisted of 30 participants; AA group consisted of 30 participants; and the healthy group consisted of 39 participants. Anxiety and depression scores in the CSU group were significantly higher than those in the healthy control group. Symptoms of anger, situations that cause anger, and thoughts associated with anger were significantly more common in the CSU group compared to AA group and healthy group. More of the CSU patients were observed to respond with excessive anger to most situations, to have high levels of anxiety anger and passive aggressive interpersonal relationships.

The immunopathogenesis of flea allergy dermatitis in dogs, an experimental study.

PubMed

Wilkerson, Melinda J; Bagladi-Swanson, Mary; Wheeler, David W; Floyd-Hawkins, Kim; Craig, Carol; Lee, Kenneth W; Dryden, Michael

2004-06-01

In this study, we investigated the development of clinical disease and immune responses in the development of an experimental model of flea allergy dermatitis. Dogs were randomly divided into four treatment groups and were infested with fleas on two different feeding schedules (continuous and episodic). Group 1 consisted of four non-exposed dogs (negative controls) and Group 2 consisted of six dogs exposed to fleas continually. Groups 3 and 4 consisted of 14 dogs each that were exposed to fleas on an episodic schedule (two consecutive days every other week for 12 weeks). Group 4 also received intraperitoneal injections of a low dose of lectin (ricin) with immunomodulatory properties. The purpose of Group 4 was to investigate the effects of ricin on enhancing the development of clinical signs, flea antigen-specific IgE levels and altering the number of CD4+ and CD8+ T cell subsets in peripheral blood. Clinical signs developed in all flea exposed dogs, however, the dermatology lesion scores were less and shorter in duration for continuously exposed dogs compared to episodic exposed dogs, independent of ricin treatment. Lesion development was concentrated in the flea triangle and consisted principally of erythema, followed by alopecia, excoriation, papules, and crusts. CD4+ and CD8+ lymphocyte subsets or IgE levels were not altered by ricin treatment. Flea antigen-specific IgE values were highest in dogs exposed to fleas on a continuous basis compared to those episodically exposed. A greater percentage of clinical responder dogs with negative flea-specific IgE titers or negative intradermal test (IDT) were present in the episodic exposure groups than in the continuous exposure group. IgE titers corresponded slightly better with clinical responders than the IDT. The agreement between the IgE titers and IDT was good (weighted K = 0.67). Histopathology of skin samples were consistent with a Type I hypersensitivity. In conclusion, we were able to develop a model of flea allergy dermatitis by experimentally exposing dogs to fleas on an episodic and continuous feeding schedule. In this study, continuously exposed dogs did not develop immunotolerance, and ricin did not enhance the development of FAD. Copyright 2004 Elsevier B.V.

Grupos de galaxias en el catálogo 2dF: La estructura en gran escala con grupos

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zandivarez, A.; Merchán, M. E.; Padilla, N. D.

We use the 2dF Galaxy Group Catalogue constructed by Merchán & Zandivarez to study the large scale structure of the Universe traced by galaxy groups. The resulting group power spectrum shows a similar shape to the galaxy power spectrum of the 2dF Galaxy Redshift Survey, but with a higher amplitude quantified by a relative bias in redshift space of bs(k) ˜ 1.5. The group two point correlation function ξ(s) for the total sample is well described by a power law with correlation length s0=8.9 ± 0.3 h-1 Mpc and slope γ=-1.6 ± 0.1. In order to study the dependence of the clustering properties on group mass we split the catalogue in four subsamples defined by different ranges of group virial masses finding that our results are consistent with a 40% increase of the correlation length s0. These computations allow a fair estimate of the relation described by s0 and the mean intergroup separation dc. An empirical scaling law s0=4.7 dc0.32 provides a very good fit to the results from this work, as well as to previous results obtained for groups and clusters of galaxies and for dark matter haloes in N-body simulations of ΛCDM models. We also study the redshift space distortions of galaxy groups, finding that the anisotropies in the clustering pattern of groups are consistent with gravitational instability, with a flattening of the ξ(s) contours in the direction of the line of sight and group pairwise velocities found for almost the whole sample of groups are consistent with < w2 >1/2 = (280+50-110)km/s, in agreement with ΛCDM cosmological simulations. The bias factor for the 2dF groups of moderate masses is consistent with the values predicted by the combination of a CDM model and the ellipsoidal collapse model for the formation of structures.

Assessment of the Basic Law Lesson Consistent with the Opinions of Social Studies Pre-Service Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haçat, Sibel Oguz

2018-01-01

The aim of the present study is to identify the approach of social studies pre-service teachers to legal topics in the "Basic Law" lesson within the Social Studies Teaching Bachelor's Degree Program. A case study based on qualitative research methods was employed. The study group consisted of 57 social studies pre-service teachers. Data…

The AIDS Memorial Quilt as preventative education: a developmental analysis of the Quilt.

PubMed

Knaus, C S; Austin, E W

1999-12-01

This study consisted of a survey given to college students (N = 560) at a rural university in the Pacific Northwest. The sample was randomly assigned into four groups, following the Solomon four-group study design. The two levels of treatment included interventions consisting of a visit to the AIDS Memorial Quilt for the experimental groups and attendance at an unrelated event for the control groups. Pretests were completed 4 weeks prior to interventions; posttests were completed by the entire sample 4 weeks after the interventions. Results confirmed expected differences among the four groups in terms of social distance, perceptions of people with AIDS, self-efficacy, and discussion of risky behavior. The results suggest that the AIDS Memorial Quilt addresses issues centrally related to behavior change and indicates support for the message interpretation process and stages of change models.

Teasing, Taunting, and the Politics of Politeness: High Sociometric Status Is Associated with Expectation-Consistent Behavior

PubMed Central

Kraus, Michael W.; Oveis, Christopher; Allison, Maria Logli; Young, Randall C.; Tauer, John; Keltner, Dacher

2014-01-01

Research examining face-to-face status hierarchies suggests that individuals attain respect and admiration by engaging in behavior that influences others' judgments of their value to the group. Building on this research, we expected that high-status individuals would be less likely to engage in behaviors that violate group norms and expectations, relative to low-status individuals. Adolescent participants took part in an interaction in which they teased an opposite-gender friend (Study 1) or an experiment in which taunting or cheering expectations were manipulated (Study 2). Consistent with the hypothesis, high-status boys and girls engaged in teasing behaviors consistent with their gender roles, relative to their low status counterparts (Study 1). In Study 2, high-status boys engaged in more direct provocation and off-record commentary while taunting, and more affiliative behavior while cheering on their partner, relative to low-status boys. Discussion focused on how expectation-consistent actions help individuals maintain elevated status. PMID:25157930

The Impact of Education on Inter-Group Attitudes: A Multiracial Analysis

PubMed Central

Wodtke, Geoffrey T.

2013-01-01

How does education affect racial attitudes? Past studies focus almost exclusively on Whites’ attitudes toward Blacks, neglecting important minority populations. This study extends previous research by analyzing the effects of education on beliefs about racial stereotypes, discrimination, and affirmative action policies among Whites, Asians, Hispanics, and Blacks. Results indicate that Whites, Hispanics, and Blacks with higher levels of education are more likely to reject negative stereotypes, but these effects are less consistent among Asians. And, although education has consistent positive effects on awareness of discrimination against minorities, a more advanced education is not associated with greater support for racial preferences among any respondent group. Education is, however, related to more favorable attitudes toward race-targeted job training. These results are partly consistent with a revised group conflict perspective positing that education unevenly promotes different elements of the dominant racial ideology among nonwhite minorities, depending on their position in the racial hierarchy. PMID:24409004

The Impact of Education on Inter-Group Attitudes: A Multiracial Analysis.

PubMed

Wodtke, Geoffrey T

2012-03-01

How does education affect racial attitudes? Past studies focus almost exclusively on Whites' attitudes toward Blacks, neglecting important minority populations. This study extends previous research by analyzing the effects of education on beliefs about racial stereotypes, discrimination, and affirmative action policies among Whites, Asians, Hispanics, and Blacks. Results indicate that Whites, Hispanics, and Blacks with higher levels of education are more likely to reject negative stereotypes, but these effects are less consistent among Asians. And, although education has consistent positive effects on awareness of discrimination against minorities, a more advanced education is not associated with greater support for racial preferences among any respondent group. Education is, however, related to more favorable attitudes toward race-targeted job training. These results are partly consistent with a revised group conflict perspective positing that education unevenly promotes different elements of the dominant racial ideology among nonwhite minorities, depending on their position in the racial hierarchy.

Consistent Individual Differences Drive Collective Behavior and Group Functioning of Schooling Fish.

PubMed

Jolles, Jolle W; Boogert, Neeltje J; Sridhar, Vivek H; Couzin, Iain D; Manica, Andrea

2017-09-25

The ubiquity of consistent inter-individual differences in behavior ("animal personalities") [1, 2] suggests that they might play a fundamental role in driving the movements and functioning of animal groups [3, 4], including their collective decision-making, foraging performance, and predator avoidance. Despite increasing evidence that highlights their importance [5-16], we still lack a unified mechanistic framework to explain and to predict how consistent inter-individual differences may drive collective behavior. Here we investigate how the structure, leadership, movement dynamics, and foraging performance of groups can emerge from inter-individual differences by high-resolution tracking of known behavioral types in free-swimming stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus) shoals. We show that individual's propensity to stay near others, measured by a classic "sociability" assay, was negatively linked to swim speed across a range of contexts, and predicted spatial positioning and leadership within groups as well as differences in structure and movement dynamics between groups. In turn, this trait, together with individual's exploratory tendency, measured by a classic "boldness" assay, explained individual and group foraging performance. These effects of consistent individual differences on group-level states emerged naturally from a generic model of self-organizing groups composed of individuals differing in speed and goal-orientedness. Our study provides experimental and theoretical evidence for a simple mechanism to explain the emergence of collective behavior from consistent individual differences, including variation in the structure, leadership, movement dynamics, and functional capabilities of groups, across social and ecological scales. In addition, we demonstrate individual performance is conditional on group composition, indicating how social selection may drive behavioral differentiation between individuals. Copyright © 2017 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

The Effect of Psychoeducational Group Training Depending on Self Regulation on Students' Motivational Strategies and Academic Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Onemli, Mehmet; Yondem, Zeynep Deniz

2012-01-01

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of psychoeducational group study regarding self regulation in learning on motivational beliefs and academic success of students. Pre and post tests with control group design were used in this study. Participants of the study consisted of 10th grade students at Anatolian High School.…

Correlates of Condom Use among Male High School Students in Nairobi, Kenya

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kabiru, Caroline W.; Orpinas, Pamela

2009-01-01

Background: Correct and consistent condom use is an effective strategy to reduce the risk of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). This study examines sociodemographic, behavioral, and psychosocial characteristics of 3 groups of adolescent males: consistent, sporadic, and non-condom users. Methods: The sample consisted of 931 sexually…

Who Is the Competent Physics Student? A Study of Students' Positions and Social Interaction in Small-Group Discussions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Due, Karin

2014-01-01

This article describes a study which explored the social interaction and the reproduction and challenge of gendered discourses in small group discussions in physics. Data for the study consisted of video recordings of eight upper secondary school groups solving physics problems and 15 audiotaped individual interviews with participating students.…

Evaluation of school-based reproductive health education program for adolescent girls.

PubMed

Golbasi, Zehra; Taskin, Lale

2009-01-01

To evaluate the effectiveness of school-based reproductive health education for adolescent girls on the reproductive knowledge level of the girls. This research was carried out as a quasi-experimental study at two vocational girls high schools, one of which was used as the study school and the other as the control school. The study group (97 students) consisted of three classes representing every grade. The control group consisted of students selected likewise (92 students). Reproductive health education was given to students in the study group for 10 weeks; the control group was not subjected to any educational program. The impact of the program was evaluated with reproductive health knowledge test designed for this study. A pretest evaluated baseline knowledge, and a posttest measured the gain in knowledge. Baseline knowledge score of students in study and control group were similar and low (p > 0.05). We found that the reproductive health knowledge level of students in the study group increased significantly after the program of education. Post-test knowledge scores (75.03 +/- 13.82) of the students in the study group were higher than those of the control group (36.65 +/- 14.17). The results showed students' low baseline knowledge and a good ability to learn. A school-based reproductive health education is needed to promote knowledge and prevention in reproductive health among teenagers.

ABO blood group and risk of cancer: A register-based cohort study of 1.6 million blood donors.

PubMed

Vasan, Senthil K; Hwang, Jinseub; Rostgaard, Klaus; Nyrén, Olof; Ullum, Henrik; Pedersen, Ole B V; Erikstrup, Christian; Melbye, Mads; Hjalgrim, Henrik; Pawitan, Yudi; Edgren, Gustaf

2016-10-01

The associations between ABO blood group and cancer risk have been studied repeatedly, but results have been variable. Consistent associations have only been reported for pancreatic and gastric cancers. We estimated associations between different ABO blood groups and site-specific cancer risk in a large cohort of healthy blood donors from Sweden and Denmark. A total of 1.6 million donors were followed over 27 million person-years (20 million in Sweden and 7 million in Denmark). We observed 119,584 cancer cases. Blood groups A, AB and B were associated either with increased or decreased risk of cancer at 13 anatomical sites (p≤0.05), compared to blood group O. Consistent with assessment using a false discovery rate approach, significant associations with ABO blood group were observed for cancer of the pancreas, breast, and upper gastrointestinal tract (mouth, salivary glands, pharynx, esophageal adenocarcinoma and stomach). Our study reconfirms the association between ABO blood group and cancer risk and exact underlying mechanisms involved needs further research. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

An Examination of Understandings of Prospective Teachers about Science and Science History

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yildiz, Cemalettin

2018-01-01

The purpose of this study was to reveal beliefs of prospective teachers about "science" and "science history." The qualitative research approach was employed in the study. The study group consisted of 150 prospective teachers. A form developed by the researcher was used for data collection. The form consisted of open-ended…

Investigation of Aggression Levels of University Students (Kocaeli University Case)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keskin, Özlem; Akdeniz, Hakan

2018-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the aggression levels of university students in different departments in terms of sport and other variables. The population of the study consists of university students studying at Kocaeli University; the sample group consists of a total of 700 students, 378 male and 322 female, studying in the Faculty of…

The Chinese Version of the Self-Report Family Inventory: Reliability and Validity.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shek, Daniel T. L.; Lai, Kelly Y. C.

2001-01-01

Reliability and validity of Chinese Self-Report Family Inventory (C-SFI) were examined in three studies. Study 1 showed C-SFI was temporally stable and internally consistent. Study 2 indicated C-SFI could discriminate between clinical and nonclinical groups. Study 3 gave support for internal consistency, concurrent validity and construct validity.…

International Group Heterogeneity and Students' Business Project Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ding, Ning; Bosker, Roel J.; Xu, Xiaoyan; Rugers, Lucie; van Heugten, Petra PAM

2015-01-01

In business higher education, group project work plays an essential role. The purpose of the present study is to explore the relationship between the group heterogeneity of students' business project groups and their academic achievements at both group and individual levels. The sample consists of 536 freshmen from an International Business School…

Accuracy and consistency of electronic root canal length determination with electrically isolating rubber stoppers.

PubMed

Kowollik, Susanne; Sonntag, David

2018-03-23

The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of an isolating silicone stopper on the measuring accuracy and display consistency of three electrometric apex locators. The length of the canal to the major foramen was determined electrometrically using an ISO size 10 file in 20 extracted teeth each with natural crowns (Group I), amalgam fillings (Group II) or base-metal crowns (Group III), The measurements were performed with isolating or conventional silicone stoppers using three different apex locators with a four-level scale consistency rating. The use of isolating stoppers resulted in a more consistent display than with conventional stoppers, independent of the presence or type of coronal restoration (P = 0.017). Across all coronal restorations, the position of the major foramen could be determined to within ± 0.5 mm without significant differences (P = 0.79) using conventional and isolating stoppers. The use of modified isolating stoppers provides a significant increase in display consistency. © 2018 Australian Society of Endodontology Inc.

Adaptation and initial psychometric study of the self-report version of Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale (LSAS-SR).

PubMed

Dos Santos, Larissa Forni; Loureiro, Sonia Regina; Crippa, José Alexandre S; de Lima Osório, Flávia

2013-06-01

The objectives of the present study were to adapt the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale from the clinician administered to the self-report version (LSAS-SR) and to perform the initial psychometric studies concerning internal consistency and item analysis. The phase of adaptation was performed by two specialists in the Mental Health area and the face validity was tested by a group of 30 university students. As part of the psychometric study of the LSAS-SR, the internal consistency was assessed and the items were analyzed by applying the scale to 682 university students. The LSAS-SR proved to be easy to understand by the group studied, with no need to make any changes in the instructions for application. The scale showed adequate internal consistency (α = 0.96) as well as an acceptable correlation between items and total score (0.38-0.72). The initial psychometric studies of the LSAS-SR presented adequate indicators, stimulating the continuation of studies involving the validation and reliability of the scale not only when applied to a sample of the general population, but also when applied to clinical groups.

Cohesion in Sports and Organizational Psychology: An Annotated Bibliography and Suggestions for U.S. Army Aviation (1993 to 2003)

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-04-01

serve as a deterrent to groupthink. The study consisted of 92 male and 56 female undergraduate students randomly assigned to groups. Directive and...attraction serves as the focus of this study. The study used 472 undergraduate psychology students divided into four-person groups. Some groups were made of...used 208 communication students over a one- year period. Work groups of five to seven members were formed and each group was assigned a project that

Development and validation of a knowledge test for health professionals regarding lifestyle modification.

PubMed

Talip, Whadi-ah; Steyn, Nelia P; Visser, Marianne; Charlton, Karen E; Temple, Norman

2003-09-01

We wanted to develop and validate a test that assesses the knowledge and practices of health professionals (HPs) with regard to the role of nutrition, physical activity, and smoking cessation (lifestyle modification) in chronic diseases of lifestyle. A descriptive cross-sectional validation study was carried out. The validation design consisted of two phases, namely 1) test planning and development and 2) test evaluation. The study sample consisted of five groups of HPs: dietitians, dietetic interns, general practitioners, medical students, and nurses. The overall response rate was 58%, resulting in a sample size of 186 participants. A test was designed to evaluate the knowledge and practices of HPs. The test was first evaluated by an expert group to ensure content, construct, and face validity. Thereafter, the questionnaire was tested on five groups of HPs to test for criterion validity. Internal consistency was evaluated by Cronbach's alpha. An expert panel ensured content, construct, and face validity of the test. Groups with the most training and exposure to nutrition (dietitians and dietetic interns) had the highest group mean score, ranging from 61% to 88%, whereas those with limited nutrition training (general practitioners, medical students, and nurses) had significantly lower scores, ranging from 26% to 80%. This result demonstrated criterion validity. Internal consistency of the overall test demonstrated a Cronbach's alpha of 0.99. Most HPs identified the mass media as their main source of information on lifestyle modification. These HPs also identified lack of time, lack of patient compliance, and lack of knowledge as barriers that prevent them from providing counseling on lifestyle modification. The results of this study showed that this test instrument identifies groups of health professionals with adequate training (knowledge) in lifestyle modification and those who require further training (knowledge).

Me against we: in-group transgression, collective shame, and in-group-directed hostility.

PubMed

Piff, Paul K; Martinez, Andres G; Keltner, Dacher

2012-01-01

People can experience great distress when a group to which they belong (in-group) is perceived to have committed an immoral act. We hypothesised that people would direct hostility toward a transgressing in-group whose actions threaten their self-image and evoke collective shame. Consistent with this theorising, three studies found that reminders of in-group transgression provoked several expressions of in-group-directed hostility, including in-group-directed hostile emotion (Studies 1 and 2), in-group-directed derogation (Study 2), and in-group-directed punishment (Study 3). Across studies, collective shame-but not the related group-based emotion collective guilt-mediated the relationship between in-group transgression and in-group-directed hostility. Implications for group-based emotion, social identity, and group behaviour are discussed.

The effect of tourniquet usage on cement penetration in total knee arthroplasty: A prospective randomized study of 3 methods.

PubMed

Ozkunt, Okan; Sariyilmaz, Kerim; Gemalmaz, Halil Can; Dikici, Fatih

2018-01-01

It is a randomized study to compare cement penetration on x-rays after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) among 3 different ways to use tourniquets; application during the surgery, application only with implantation prosthesis and with no tourniquet use. A total 69 knees of 59 patients were included in the study in a quasirandom manner. Each patient had physical exams and standard radiographic evaluations at 6 weeks after the TKA procedure. Outcome evaluations included visual analog scale (VAS) scores, Knee Society Scores (KSS), blood transfusion, and drainage status after surgery for all groups. For radiographic review, the tibial plateau was divided into zones in the anterior-posterior and lateral views, according to the Knee Society Scoring System. The average age of the patients who were eligible for the study was 65.05 (range 46-81) years. All 59 patients included in the study were female patients. Group 1 consisted of 24 patients who had TKA with use of a tourniquet during the entire operation. Group 2 consisted of 20 patients who had TKA with use of tourniquet only at the time of cementing and group 3 consisted of 25 patients with no use tourniquet. There is no significant difference in early cement penetration among the groups (group 1 2.50 mm, group 2 2.28 mm, group 3 2.27 mm; group 1 vs 2 P = .083, group 1 vs 3 P = .091, group 2 vs 3 P = .073). There is no significant difference for postoperative drainage among the 3 groups (group 1 245 mL, group 2 258.76 mL, group 3 175.88 mL; group 1 vs 2 P = .081, group 1 vs 3 P = .072, group 2 vs 3 P = .054). There was no need to transfuse more than 1 unit in any patient. The VAS score was significantly higher (group 1 3.58, group 2 1.55, group 3 1.52; group 1 vs 2 P = .022, group 1 vs 3 P = .018, group 2 vs 3 P = .062) and KSS was significantly lower in the tourniquet group (group 1 63, group 2 79, group 3 82; group 1 vs 2 P = .017, group 1 vs 3 P = .02, group 2 vs 3 P = .082). We do not suggest long-duration tourniquet use, which can lead higher pain scores and reduce functional recovery after total knee arthroplasty.

COMPARATIVE MACROSCOPIC STUDY OF OSTEOCHONDRAL DEFECTS PRODUCED IN FEMURS OF RABBITS REPAIRED WITH BIOPOLYMER GEL CANE SUGAR.

PubMed

de Albuquerque, Paulo Cezar Vidal Carneiro; Dos Santos, Saulo Monteiro; de Andrade Aguiar, José Lamartine; Filho, Nicodemus Pontes; de Mello, Roberto José Vieira; Costa, Mariana Lúcia Correia Ramos; de Albuquerque Olbertz, Clarissa Miranda Carneiro; de Souza Almeida, Tarciana Mendonça; da Silva Santos, Alessandro Henrique; da Silva, Joacil Carlos

2011-01-01

To study the surface, coloring, consistency, continuity and healing of osteochondral defects produced in the femoral condyles of rabbits and filled with sugar cane biopolymer gel (SCBG), after 90, 120 and 180 days, and in comparison with a control group. Sixteen adult New Zealand white rabbits aged 6 to 7 months, weighing between 2 and 2.5 kg and without locomotor system abnormalities were studied. In all the animals, a defect was made in the femoral condyles of the right and left knees, measuring 3.2 mm in diameter and 4 mm in depth, using a trephine. The animals were divided into two groups: study group formed by the right knees, in which the medial and lateral condyles received implants of SCBG; and control group formed by the left knees, in which the medial and lateral condyles were allowed to heal naturally. The knees were assessed 90, 120 and 180 days after the operation. After the animals had been sacrificed, the anatomical specimens were resected and placed in Bouin's solution. They were then photographed with a Nikon Coolpix 5400(®) coupled to a Nikon SM2800(®) stereoscopic loupe, to analyze the surface, coloring, consistency, continuity and healing. The results were evaluated using the chi-square test. There were no significant differences in the macroscopic assessments of healing between the study and control groups. With regard to the surface, coloring, consistency, continuity and healing of the defects, the macroscopic appearance of the tissue repaired with SCBG was similar to that of the control group.

Effect of gap detection threshold on consistency of speech in children with speech sound disorder.

PubMed

Sayyahi, Fateme; Soleymani, Zahra; Akbari, Mohammad; Bijankhan, Mahmood; Dolatshahi, Behrooz

2017-02-01

The present study examined the relationship between gap detection threshold and speech error consistency in children with speech sound disorder. The participants were children five to six years of age who were categorized into three groups of typical speech, consistent speech disorder (CSD) and inconsistent speech disorder (ISD).The phonetic gap detection threshold test was used for this study, which is a valid test comprised six syllables with inter-stimulus intervals between 20-300ms. The participants were asked to listen to the recorded stimuli three times and indicate whether they heard one or two sounds. There was no significant difference between the typical and CSD groups (p=0.55), but there were significant differences in performance between the ISD and CSD groups and the ISD and typical groups (p=0.00). The ISD group discriminated between speech sounds at a higher threshold. Children with inconsistent speech errors could not distinguish speech sounds during time-limited phonetic discrimination. It is suggested that inconsistency in speech is a representation of inconsistency in auditory perception, which causes by high gap detection threshold. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Influence of Stepped Osteotomy on Primary Stability of Implants Inserted in Low-Density Bone Sites: An In Vitro Study.

PubMed

Degidi, Marco; Daprile, Giuseppe; Piattelli, Adriano

The aims of this study were to evaluate the ability of a stepped osteotomy to improve dental implant primary stability in low-density bone sites and to investigate possible correlations between primary stability parameters. The study was performed on fresh humid bovine bone classified as type III. The test group consisted of 30 Astra Tech EV implants inserted following the protocol provided by the manufacturer. The first control group consisted of 30 Astra Tech EV implants inserted in sites without the underpreparation of the apical portion. The second control group consisted of 30 Astra Tech TX implants inserted following the protocol provided by the manufacturer. Implant insertion was performed at the predetermined 30 rpm. The insertion torque data were recorded and exported as a curve; using a trapezoidal integration technique, the area underlying the curve was calculated: this area represents the variable torque work (VTW). Peak insertion torque (pIT) and resonance frequency analysis (RFA) were also recorded. A Mann-Whitney test showed that the mean VTW was significantly higher in the test group compared with the first control and second control groups; furthermore, statistical analysis showed that pIT also was significantly higher in the test group compared with the first and second control groups. Analyzing RFA values, only the difference between the test group and second control group showed statistical significance. Pearson correlation analysis showed a very strong positive correlation between pIT and VTW values in all groups; furthermore, it showed a positive correlation between pIT and RFA values and between VTW and RFA values only in the test group. Within the limitations of an in vitro study, the results show that stepped osteotomy can be a viable method to improve implant primary stability in low-density bone sites, and that, when a traditional osteotomy method is performed, RFA presents no correlation with pIT and VTW.

The Effectiveness of Educational Games on Scientific Concepts Acquisition in First Grade Students in Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Al-Tarawneh, Mohammad Hasan

2016-01-01

This study aimed at investigating the effectiveness of educational games on scientific concepts acquisition by the first grade students. The sample of the study consisted of (53) male and female students distributed into two groups: experimental group (n = 26) which taught by educational games, and control group (n = 27) which taught by…

Awake craniotomy may further improve neurological outcome of intraoperative MRI-guided brain tumor surgery.

PubMed

Tuominen, Juho; Yrjänä, Sanna; Ukkonen, Anssi; Koivukangas, John

2013-10-01

Results of awake craniotomy are compared to results of resections done under general anesthesia in patients operated with IMRI control. We hypothesized that stimulation of the cortex and white matter during awake surgery supplements IMRI control allowing for safer resection of eloquent brain area tumors. The study group consisted of 20 consecutive patients undergoing awake craniotomy with IMRI control. Resection outcome of these patients was compared to a control group of 20 patients operated in the same IMRI suite but under general anesthesia without cortical stimulation. The control group was composed of those patients whose age, sex, tumor location, recurrence and histology best matched to patients in study group. Cortical stimulation identified functional cortex in eight patients (40 %). Postoperatively the neurological condition in 16 patients (80 %) in the study group was unchanged or improved compared with 13 patients (65 %) in the control group. In both groups, three patients (15 %) had transient impairment symptoms. There was one patient (5 %) with permanent neurological impairment in the study group compared to four patients (20 %) in the control group. These differences between groups were not statistically significant. There was no surgical mortality in either group and the overall infection rate was 5 %. Mean operation time was 4 h 45 min in the study group and 3 h 15 min in the control group. The study consisted of a limited patient series, but it implies that awake craniotomy with bipolar cortical stimulation may help to reduce the risk of postoperative impairment following resection of tumors located in or near speech and motor areas also under IMRI control.

Clown intervention to reduce preoperative anxiety in children and parents: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Dionigi, Alberto; Sangiorgi, Diego; Flangini, Roberto

2014-03-01

This study investigated whether a clown doctor intervention could reduce preoperative anxiety in children hospitalized for minor surgery and in their parents. A randomized controlled trial was conducted with 77 children and 119 parents: the clown group consisted of 52 children accompanied in the preoperating room by their parents (n = 89) and two clowns while the comparison group consisted of children accompanied by the parents only. The clown intervention significantly reduced the children's preoperative anxiety: children benefited from the clown's presence and showed better adjustment than children in the comparison group. Mothers in Comparison Group showed higher anxiety.

Factors in Human-Computer Interface Design (A Pilot Study).

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-12-01

This study used a pretest - posttest control group experimental design to test the effect of consistency on speed, retention, and user satisfaction. Four...analysis. The overall methodology was a pretest - posttest control group experimental design using different prototypes to test the effects of...methodology used for this study was a pretest - posttest control group experimental design using different prototypes to test for features of the human

Effects of Metacognitive Guidance on Critical Thinking Disposition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Akyüz, Halil Ibrahim; Samsa Yetik, Serap; Keser, Hafize

2015-01-01

The present study investigated the effect of metacognitive guidance in an online learning environment on the students' critical thinking competency. The research was carried out using experimental design with pretest-posttest control groups. The research group of the study consisted of 60 students studying at Computer and Educational Teaching…

A qualitative study exploring adolescents' experiences with a school-based mental health program.

PubMed

Garmy, Pernilla; Berg, Agneta; Clausson, Eva K

2015-10-21

Supporting positive mental health development in adolescents is a major public health concern worldwide. Although several school-based programs aimed at preventing depression have been launched, it is crucial to evaluate these programs and to obtain feedback from participating adolescents. This study aimed to explore adolescents' experiences with a -based cognitive-behavioral depression prevention program. Eighty-nine adolescents aged 13-15 years were divided into 12 focus groups. The focus group interviews were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Three categories and eight subcategories were found to be related to the experience of the school-based program. The first category, intrapersonal strategies, consisted of the subcategories of directed thinking, improved self-confidence, stress management, and positive activities. The second category, interpersonal awareness, consisted of the subcategories of trusting the group and considering others. The third category, structural constraints, consisted of the subcategories of negative framing and emphasis on performance. The school-based mental health program was perceived as beneficial and meaningful on both individual and group levels, but students expressed a desire for a more health-promoting approach.

Further evaluation of the characteristics of Treponema pallidum-specific IgM antibody in syphilis serofast reaction patients.

PubMed

Lin, Li-Rong; Zheng, Wei-Hong; Tong, Man-Li; Fu, Zuo-Gen; Liu, Gui-Li; Fu, Jian-Guo; Zhang, Dai-Wei; Yang, Tian-Ci; Liu, Li-Li

2011-11-01

Syphilis serofast reaction (SSR) is common in clinical work. From June 2005 to May 2009, 1208 syphilis patients were chosen for research by the Xiamen Center of Clinical Laboratory in China. Serologic tests were performed with toluidine red unheated serum test (TRUST) and Treponema pallidum particle agglutination (TPPA). Then, T. pallidum-specific IgM antibody (TP-IgM) was detected with fluorescent treponemal antibody absorption (FTA-Abs) and TPPA. In this study, patients were divided into the following experimental groups according to the results of TRUST and TPPA: (1) the SSR group consisted of 411 cases with (+) TRUST and (+) TPPA, and without clinical manifestations after 1 year of recommended syphilis treatment; (2) the serum cure group, which was further subdivided into group A consisting of 251cases with (-) TRUST and (+) TPPA; (3) group B consisting of 546 cases with (-) TRUST and (-) TPPA; and (4) the blood donor control group which consisted of 100 cases. We demonstrated that a total of 136 cases (33.09%) of 411 SSR patients were TP-IgM positive by TPPA, and this percentage was markedly higher than that in serum cure group A (9.16%). FTA-Abs analyses revealed similar results. All samples in serum cure group B and the control group were TP-IgM negative, which is identical to our previous report. The present study also indicated that the TP-IgM positive rate was not significantly different among patients with different ages, genders, and clinical phases after 1 year of recommended therapy. From the total of 1208 syphilis patients, 289 were randomly selected for TP-DNA detection by fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction, and the positive rate of TP-DNA was 32.53%, which was slightly higher than that of FTA-Abs TP-IgM, and no statistically significant difference by chi-square tests, indicating the TP-DNA result is preferably consistent with FTA-Abs and supporting our deduction that TP-IgM could be used as a serologic marker for the relapse and infection of syphilis. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Motivation in Technology Education among Novice and Technological Talents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Autio, Ossi

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the elements motivating comprehensive school students to study technology education. The research was carried out as a qualitative case study and the material was collected through individual theme interviews. The study group consisted of two different test groups: novice and technological talents. In…

Guided implant surgery with modification of the technique involving the raising of a semicircular miniflap: A preliminary study

PubMed Central

Viña, José; Maestre, Laura; Peñarrocha, David; Balaguer, José

2012-01-01

Objective: An evaluation is made of pain, swelling and peri-implant attached mucosal width after implant-based rehabilitation involving guided surgery and a modification of the technique with the raising of a semicircular miniflap, in single and partial replacements. Study design: A case-control study was carried out. The study group consisted of 12 patients with the placement of 19 implants using a guided surgery and miniflap technique. The control group consisted of 12 patients with the placement of 22 implants using the conventional technique. Each patient scored postoperative swelling and pain by means of a visual analog scale (VAS). Attached vestibular mucosa width was evaluated 12 weeks after implant placement. Results: Twelve operations were carried out in each group. Immediate aesthetics were established for all implants of the study group. One implant failed in each group. Maximum pain was recorded after 6 hours in both groups (mean VAS score 4 and 4.9 in the study and control group, respectively). Maximum swelling was recorded after 24 hours (mean VAS score 2.5) in the study group and on the second day (mean VAS score 3.4) in the control group. The mean attached vestibular mucosa width was 2.9 mm in the study group and 3.2 mm in the control group. Conclusion: In this preliminary study, guided implant surgery with a semicircular miniflap in single and partial replacements resulted in slightly less postoperative pain and swelling than with the conventional implant technique. The attached vestibular mucosa width was greater in the control group, though the differences were very small. Key words:Guided surgery, flapless surgery, miniflap, peri-implant mucosa. PMID:22549666

"I Feel I Mean Something to Someone:" Solution-Focused Brief Therapy Support Groups for Bullied Schoolchildren

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kvarme, Lisbeth Gravdal; Aabø, Liv Sandnes; Saeteren, Berit

2013-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate how bullied schoolchildren experience solution-focused brief therapy support groups, and to examine how members of the support group experience their participation in the group. An explorative qualitative design, with individual and focus group interviews, was used. The sample consisted of 19…

Pre-Service Science Teachers' Cognitive Structures Regarding Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM) and Science Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hacioglu, Yasemin; Yamak, Havva; Kavak, Nusret

2016-01-01

The aim of this study is to reveal pre-service science teachers' cognitive structures regarding Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM) and science education. The study group of the study consisted of 192 pre-service science teachers. A Free Word Association Test (WAT) consisting of science, technology, engineering, mathematics and…

The effects of a pulsed Nd:YAG laser on subgingival bacterial flora and on cementum: an in vivo study.

PubMed

Ben Hatit, Y; Blum, R; Severin, C; Maquin, M; Jabro, M H

1996-06-01

The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of scaling and Nd:YAG laser treatments with that of scaling alone on cementum and levels of Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans, Bacteroides forsythus, Porphyromonas gingivalis, and Treponema denticola. Study samples consisted of 14 patients, age 30 to 75 years, 8 females and 6 males, with a total of 150 periodontally involved sites with probing depth > or = 5 mm. Group A consisted of 100 pockets that were subdivided into 4 equal groups that were treated with conventional scaling and pulsed Nd:YAG laser using an optic fiber of 300 microns and 4 different power levels as follows: Group 1: P = 0.8 W, f = 10 Hz, E = 100 mJ/pulse; Group 2: P = 1.0 W, f = 1.0 Hz, E = 100 mJ/pulse; Group 3: P = 1.2 W, f = 12 Hz, E = 100 mJ/purse; and Group 4: P = 1.5 W, f = 15 Hz, E = 100 mJ/pulse. The time of each treatment was 60 sec per pocket in all 4 groups. Group B consisted of 50 pockets that were treated by conventional scaling alone and served as a control group. Microbiological samples from group A were collected before scaling; after scaling = before laser, just after laser, 2 weeks later, 6 weeks later, and 10 weeks later. Microbiological samples from group B were collected before scaling, after scaling, 6 weeks later, and 10 weeks later. Microbiological analysis of all samples was done by the Institute Für Angewandte Immunologie (IAI) method. The effects of laser on root surfaces were assessed by SEM examination and the sample consisted of 13 teeth from 5 different patients. Four sets of 3 teeth each were treated with Nd:YAG laser using 0.8, 1.0, 1.2, and 1.5 W, respectively. One tooth was just scaled and not treated with laser to serve as a control. Microbiological analysis of Group A samples indicated posttreatment reduction in levels of all 4 bacterial types tested compared to pretreatment levels and Group B controls. SEM examination of the specimens treated with Nd:YAG laser at different levels exhibited different features of root surface alterations.

The End-of-Life Experience in Long-Term Care: Five Themes Identified from Focus Groups with Residents, Family Members, and Staff

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Munn, Jean C.; Dobbs, Debra; Meier, Andrea; Williams, Christianna S.; Biola, Holly; Zimmerman, Sheryl

2008-01-01

Purpose: We designed this study to examine the end-of-life (EOL) experience in long-term care (LTC) based on input from key stakeholders. Design and Methods: The study consisted of 10 homogeneous focus groups drawn from a purposive sample of LTC residents (2 groups; total n = 11), family caregivers (2 groups; total n = 19), paraprofessional staff…

Effect of Audiovisual Distraction on Distress and Oxygenation Status in Children Receiving Aerosol Therapy.

PubMed

Shinta Devi, Ni Luh Putu; Nurhaeni, Nani; Hayati, Happy

Aerosol therapy, a treatment for children with disorders of the respiratory system, often causes distress, especially in young children. Distress during aerosol therapy can decrease the effectiveness of the treatment. This study aimed to determine the effect of audiovisual distraction on distress levels and oxygenation status (measured by oxygen saturation and respiratory frequency) in children who receive aerosol therapy for disorders of the respiratory system. A quasi-experimental design was employed, specifically a non-equivalent control group, pre-test-post-test design. The study sample consisted of 38 children who were divided into 2 groups (control and intervention), each group consisting of 19 children. The results of this study showed that there were significant differences in distress scores between the control group and the intervention group (p = .0001). There were also significant differences in the mean value changes in oxygenation status before and after intervention between the control and intervention groups. These findings could be used to prevent distress and increase oxygenation status in children who receive aerosol therapy.

Water supply management using an extended group fuzzy decision-making method: a case study in north-eastern Iran

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Minatour, Yasser; Bonakdari, Hossein; Zarghami, Mahdi; Bakhshi, Maryam Ali

2015-09-01

The purpose of this study was to develop a group fuzzy multi-criteria decision-making method to be applied in rating problems associated with water resources management. Thus, here Chen's group fuzzy TOPSIS method extended by a difference technique to handle uncertainties of applying a group decision making. Then, the extended group fuzzy TOPSIS method combined with a consistency check. In the presented method, initially linguistic judgments are being surveyed via a consistency checking process, and afterward these judgments are being used in the extended Chen's fuzzy TOPSIS method. Here, each expert's opinion is turned to accurate mathematical numbers and, then, to apply uncertainties, the opinions of group are turned to fuzzy numbers using three mathematical operators. The proposed method is applied to select the optimal strategy for the rural water supply of Nohoor village in north-eastern Iran, as a case study and illustrated example. Sensitivity analyses test over results and comparing results with project reality showed that proposed method offered good results for water resources projects.

Synthesis of [.sup.13C] and [.sup.2H] substituted methacrylic acid, [.sup.13C] and [.sup.2H] substituted methyl methacrylate and/or related compounds

DOEpatents

Alvarez, Marc A.; Martinez, Rodolfo A.; Unkefer, Clifford J.

2010-02-16

The present invention is directed to labeled compounds of the formulae ##STR00001## wherein Q is selected from the group consisting of --S(.dbd.O)--, and --S(.dbd.O).sub.2--, Z is selected from the group consisting of 1-naphthyl, substituted 1-naphthyl, 2-naphthyl, substituted 2-naphthyl, and phenyl groups with the structure ##STR00002## wherein R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3, R.sub.4 and R.sub.5 are each independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, a C.sub.1-C.sub.4 lower alkyl, a halogen, and an amino group selected from the group consisting of NH.sub.2, NHR and NRR' where R and R' are each independently selected from the group consisting of a C.sub.1-C.sub.4 lower alkyl, an aryl, and an alkoxy group, and X is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, a C.sub.1-C.sub.4 lower alkyl group, and a fully-deuterated C.sub.1-C.sub.4 lower alkyl group.

Classification of hydrogeologic areas and hydrogeologic flow systems in the basin and range physiographic province, southwestern United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Anning, David W.; Konieczki, Alice D.

2005-01-01

The hydrogeology of the Basin and Range Physiographic Province in parts of Arizona, California, New Mexico, Utah, and most of Nevada was classified at basin and larger scales to facilitate information transfer and to provide a synthesis of results from many previous hydrologic investigations. A conceptual model for the spatial hierarchy of the hydrogeology was developed for the Basin and Range Physiographic Province and consists, in order of increasing spatial scale, of hydrogeologic components, hydrogeologic areas, hydrogeologic flow systems, and hydrogeologic regions. This hierarchy formed a framework for hydrogeologic classification. Hydrogeologic areas consist of coincident ground-water and surface-water basins and were delineated on the basis of existing sets of basin boundaries that were used in past investigations by State and Federal government agencies. Within the study area, 344 hydrogeologic areas were identified and delineated. This set of basins not only provides a framework for the classification developed in this report, but also has value for regional and subregional purposes of inventory, study, analysis, and planning throughout the Basin and Range Physiographic Province. The fact that nearly all of the province is delineated by the hydrogeologic areas makes this set well suited to support regional-scale investigations. Hydrogeologic areas are conceptualized as a control volume consisting of three hydrogeologic components: the soils and streams, basin fill, and consolidated rocks. The soils and streams hydrogeologic component consists of all surface-water bodies and soils extending to the bottom of the plant root zone. The basin-fill hydrogeologic component consists of unconsolidated and semiconsolidated sediment deposited in the structural basin. The consolidated-rocks hydrogeologic component consists of the crystalline and sedimentary rocks that form the mountain blocks and basement rock of the structural basin. Hydrogeologic areas were classified into 19 groups through a cluster analysis of 8 characteristics of each area's hydrologic system. Six characteristics represented the inflows and outflows of water through the soils and streams, basin fill, and consolidated rocks, and can be used to determine the hydrogeologic area's position in a hydrogeologic flow system. Source-, link-, and sink-type hydrogeologic areas have outflow but not inflow, inflow and outflow, and inflow but not outflow, respectively, through one or more of the three hydrogeologic components. Isolated hydrogeologic areas have no inflow or outflow through any of the three hydrogeologic components. The remaining two characteristics are indexes that represent natural recharge and discharge processes and anthropogenic recharge and discharge processes occurring in the hydrogeologic area. Of the 19 groups of hydrogeologic areas, 1 consisted of predominantly isolated-type hydrogeologic areas, 7 consisted of source-type hydrogeologic areas, 9 consisted of link-type hydrogeologic areas, and 2 consisted of sink-type hydrogeologic areas. Groups comprising the source-, link-, and sink-type hydrogeologic areas can be distinguished between each other on the basis of the hydrogeologic component(s) through which interbasin flow occurs, as well as typical values for the two indexes. Conceptual models of the hydrologic systems of a representative hydrogeologic area for each group were developed to help distinguish groups and to synthesize the variation in hydrogeologic systems in the Basin and Range Physiographic Province. Hydrogeologic flow systems consist of either a single isolated hydrogeologic area or a series of multiple hydrogeologic areas that are hydraulically connected through interbasin flows. A total of 54 hydrogeologic flow systems were identified and classified into 9 groups. One group consisted of single isolated hydrogeologic areas. The remaining eight groups consisted of multiple hydrogeologic areas and were distinguished o

Auditory Brainstem Responses for Click and CE-chirp Stimuli in Individuals with and without Occupational Noise Exposure

PubMed Central

Pushpalatha, Zeena Venkatacheluvaiah; Konadath, Sreeraj

2016-01-01

Introduction: Encoding of CE-chirp and click stimuli in auditory system was studied using auditory brainstem responses (ABRs) among individuals with and without noise exposure. Materials and Methods: The study consisted of two groups. Group 1 (experimental group) consisted of 20 (40 ears) individuals exposed to occupational noise with hearing thresholds within 25 dB HL. They were further divided into three subgroups based on duration of noise exposure (0–5 years of exposure-T1, 5–10 years of exposure-T2, and >10 years of exposure-T3). Group 2 (control group) consisted of 20 individuals (40 ears). Absolute latency and amplitude of waves I, III, and V were compared between the two groups for both click and CE-chirp stimuli. T1, T2, and T3 groups were compared for the same parameters to see the effect of noise exposure duration on CE-chirp and click ABR. Result: In Click ABR, while both the parameters for wave III were significantly poorer for the experimental group, wave V showed a significant decline in terms of amplitude only. There was no significant difference obtained for any of the parameters for wave I. In CE-Chirp ABR, the latencies for all three waves were significantly prolonged in the experimental group. However, there was a significant decrease in terms of amplitude in only wave V for the same group. Discussion: Compared to click evoked ABR, CE-Chirp ABR was found to be more sensitive in comparison of latency parameters in individuals with occupational noise exposure. Monitoring of early pathological changes at the brainstem level can be studied effectively by using CE-Chirp stimulus in comparison to click stimulus. Conclusion: This study indicates that ABR's obtained with CE-chirp stimuli serves as an effective tool to identify the early pathological changes due to occupational noise exposure when compared to click evoked ABR. PMID:27762255

Investigation of relation between visceral and subcutaneous abdominal fat volumes and calcified aortic plaques via multislice computed tomography.

PubMed

Efe, Duran; Aygün, Fatih; Acar, Türker; Yildiz, Melda; Gemici, Kazım

2015-08-01

The present study investigated effect of subcutaneous fat volume and abdominal visceral fat volume on aortic atherosclerosis via multislice computed tomography. The present study comprised 424 subjects who underwent non-contrast-enhanced abdominal CT in our clinic between June 2012 and June 2013. Using dedicated software visceral fat volume was calculated for each individual and then subcutaneous fat volume was calculated by subtracting visceral fat volume from total fat volume. By dividing visceral fat volume/subcutaneous fat volume participants were assigned to three groups according to their mean visceral fat volume/subcutaneous fat volume: Group 1 consisted of subjects with visceral fat volume/subcutaneous fat volume lower than 0.48 (Group 1 < 0.48); Group 2 consisted of subjects with visceral fat volume/subcutaneous fat volume equal to or higher than 0.48 and lower than 0.69 (0.48 ≤ Group 2 < 0.69); and Group 3 consisted of subjects with visceral fat volume/subcutaneous fat volume equal to or higher than 0.69 (Group 3 ≥ 0.69). The mean abdominal aortic calcium scores according to Agatston scoring (au) were 136.8 ± 418.7 au in Group 1, 179.9 ± 463 au in Group 2 and 212.2 ± 486.9 in Group 3, respectively. We have demonstrated a significant correlation between visceral fat volume and abdominal aorta atherosclerosis, while there was absence of significant correlation between subcutaneous fat volume and abdominal atherosclerosis. © The Author(s) 2014.

Unique trajectories of anxiety among Chinese-Canadian women across the first postpartum year: A longitudinal cohort study.

PubMed

Dennis, Cindy-Lee; Brennenstuhl, Sarah; Wanigaratne, Susitha; Brown, Hilary K; Grigoriadis, Sophie; Marini, Flavia C; Vigod, Simone N

2018-04-01

Our objectives were to identify subtypes of Chinese-Canadian women with unique trajectories of anxiety symptomatology over the first postpartum year, investigate covariates associated with group membership, and determine if mental healthcare utilization varies by group membership. This was a longitudinal cohort study of 570 Chinese immigrant and Canadian-born women in Toronto, Canada with live births in 2010-2014. Covariates were age, immigrant status, income, fatigue, social support, acculturative stress, and depression. Mental healthcare utilization included visits at 4-24 weeks postpartum. Anxiety symptomatology was measured using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory-State. Growth mixture modeling was used to identify latent classes corresponding to trajectories of anxiety symptomology at 4-52 weeks. Three groups were identified: "consistently non-anxious" (74%, stable low levels of anxiety), "consistently anxious" (19.5%, clinically meaningful anxiety at baseline and across time), and "anxious-improving" (6.5%, high anxiety at baseline followed by decline). Compared to consistently non-anxious women, consistently anxious women were more likely to report baseline fatigue, depression, and acculturative stress; anxious-improving women were more likely to report baseline fatigue, depression, and history of depression before pregnancy. At 12-24 weeks, 13.8% of anxious-improving women sought mental healthcare compared to 8.6% of consistently-anxious women and 4.7% of non-anxious women (p = .06). Our sample comprised Chinese immigrant and Canadian-born women; results should be replicated in other groups. We identified three subtypes of postpartum anxiety trajectories. These groups of women may respond differently to interventions due to exposure to various combinations of risk factors. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The application of interactive worksheet to improve vocational students' ability to write financial statements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Larasati, Aisyah; Hajji, Apif Miftahul

2017-09-01

Vocational students in Culinary Department is required to mastering the ability on managing restaurant. One of the responsibility of the students while operating a training restaurant is writing financial statements. Most of the time, writing financial statements is the hardest part for students to be conducted in a training restaurant since the students have studied limited theory/courses on that topic. This research aims to explore the improvement of students' ability to write financial statements after the application of interactive worksheet by asking them to solve financial statements case study. This research is an experimental research. Three groups of samples are used in this research, in which each of the group consists of 74 students. The first group consists of the students who solve the case study without using any software/application, the second group solve the case study by using Microsoft excel, and the third group solve the case study by using the interactive worksheet application. The results show that the use of interactive worksheet significantly improve the students ability to solve the financial statement case study either in term of accuracy or time needed to write the financial statement.

Genetic heterogeneity in wild isolates of cellular slime mold social groups.

PubMed

Sathe, Santosh; Kaushik, Sonia; Lalremruata, Albert; Aggarwal, Ramesh K; Cavender, James C; Nanjundiah, Vidyanand

2010-07-01

This study addresses the issues of spatial distribution, dispersal, and genetic heterogeneity in social groups of the cellular slime molds (CSMs). The CSMs are soil amoebae with an unusual life cycle that consists of alternating solitary and social phases. Because the social phase involves division of labor with what appears to be an extreme form of "altruism", the CSMs raise interesting evolutionary questions regarding the origin and maintenance of sociality. Knowledge of the genetic structure of social groups in the wild is necessary for answering these questions. We confirm that CSMs are widespread in undisturbed forest soil from South India. They are dispersed over long distances via the dung of a variety of large mammals. Consistent with this mode of dispersal, most social groups in the two species examined for detailed study, Dictyostelium giganteum and Dictyostelium purpureum, are multi-clonal.

A Group Contingency for Electricity Conservation in Master Metered Apartments. Report No. 242.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Slavin, Robert E.; And Others

This paper reports the results of two studies designed to evaluate the effects of a group contingency for conservation on use of electricity. Residents of 166 apartment units in three towers participated in the first study. The group contingency consisted of biweekly payments to residents of the value of the electricity they saved, as compared to…

The Effects of the Computer-Based Instruction on the Achievement and Problem Solving Skills of the Science and Technology Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Serin, Oguz

2011-01-01

This study aims to investigate the effects of the computer-based instruction on the achievements and problem solving skills of the science and technology students. This is a study based on the pre-test/post-test control group design. The participants of the study consist of 52 students; 26 in the experimental group, 26 in the control group. The…

Consistency across Repeated Eyewitness Interviews: Contrasting Police Detectives’ Beliefs with Actual Eyewitness Performance

PubMed Central

Krix, Alana C.; Sauerland, Melanie; Lorei, Clemens; Rispens, Imke

2015-01-01

In the legal system, inconsistencies in eyewitness accounts are often used to discredit witnesses’ credibility. This is at odds with research findings showing that witnesses frequently report reminiscent details (details previously unrecalled) at an accuracy rate that is nearly as high as for consistently recalled information. The present study sought to put the validity of beliefs about recall consistency to a test by directly comparing them with actual memory performance in two recall attempts. All participants watched a film of a staged theft. Subsequently, the memory group (N = 84) provided one statement immediately after the film (either with the Self-Administered Interview or free recall) and one after a one-week delay. The estimation group (N = 81) consisting of experienced police detectives estimated the recall performance of the memory group. The results showed that actual recall performance was consistently underestimated. Also, a sharp decline of memory performance between recall attempts was assumed by the estimation group whereas actual accuracy remained stable. While reminiscent details were almost as accurate as consistent details, they were estimated to be much less accurate than consistent information and as inaccurate as direct contradictions. The police detectives expressed a great concern that reminiscence was the result of suggestive external influences. In conclusion, it seems that experienced police detectives hold many implicit beliefs about recall consistency that do not correspond with actual recall performance. Recommendations for police trainings are provided. These aim at fostering a differentiated view on eyewitness performance and the inclusion of more comprehensive classes on human memory structure. PMID:25695428

Consistency across repeated eyewitness interviews: contrasting police detectives' beliefs with actual eyewitness performance.

PubMed

Krix, Alana C; Sauerland, Melanie; Lorei, Clemens; Rispens, Imke

2015-01-01

In the legal system, inconsistencies in eyewitness accounts are often used to discredit witnesses' credibility. This is at odds with research findings showing that witnesses frequently report reminiscent details (details previously unrecalled) at an accuracy rate that is nearly as high as for consistently recalled information. The present study sought to put the validity of beliefs about recall consistency to a test by directly comparing them with actual memory performance in two recall attempts. All participants watched a film of a staged theft. Subsequently, the memory group (N = 84) provided one statement immediately after the film (either with the Self-Administered Interview or free recall) and one after a one-week delay. The estimation group (N = 81) consisting of experienced police detectives estimated the recall performance of the memory group. The results showed that actual recall performance was consistently underestimated. Also, a sharp decline of memory performance between recall attempts was assumed by the estimation group whereas actual accuracy remained stable. While reminiscent details were almost as accurate as consistent details, they were estimated to be much less accurate than consistent information and as inaccurate as direct contradictions. The police detectives expressed a great concern that reminiscence was the result of suggestive external influences. In conclusion, it seems that experienced police detectives hold many implicit beliefs about recall consistency that do not correspond with actual recall performance. Recommendations for police trainings are provided. These aim at fostering a differentiated view on eyewitness performance and the inclusion of more comprehensive classes on human memory structure.

Evaluation of fenbendazole for treatment of Giardia infection in cats concurrently infected with Cryptosporidium parvum.

PubMed

Keith, Carey L; Radecki, Steven V; Lappin, Michael R

2003-08-01

To determine whether fenbendazole effectively eliminates Giardia organisms from chronically infected cats that have a concurrent Cryptosporidium parvum infection. 16 clinically normal cats. Eight cats with chronic concurrent Giardia and C parvum infections received fenbendazole (50 mg/kg, PO, q 24 h) for 5 days (treatment-group cats). Feces from each cat were collected and processed 3 days weekly for 23 days after treatment. By use of an immunofluorescent assay for detection of Giardia lamblia cysts and C parvum oocysts, organism numbers were counted and scored. Fecal results from treatment-group cats were compared with those of 8 untreated cats with Giardia infection but no C parvum infection (control-group cats). Four of 8 treatment-group cats had consistently negative results for Giardia infection after treatment. These 4 cats had consistently positive results for C parvum oocysts prior to treatment and consistently negative results after treatment. One treatment-group cat had positive results for cysts on all fecal samples, and 3 treatment-group cats had 1 to 3 negative results and then resumed shedding large numbers of cysts; each of these cats had consistently positive results for C parvum oocysts. When compared with control-group cats, treatment-group cats shed less Giardia cysts during week 1 after treatment but not during week 2. Administration of fenbendazole decreases Giardia cyst shedding to less than detectable numbers in some cats. In our study, persistent C parvum infection may have been associated with failure of fenbendazole to eliminate Giardia infection.

The relationship between latent trigger points and depression levels in healthy subjects.

PubMed

Celik, Derya; Kaya Mutlu, Ebru

2012-06-01

Our purpose was to study the relationship between latent trigger points (LTrP) and levels of depression in healthy subjects. A total of 76 healthy subjects consisting of 40 men and 36 women (mean age, 25.4 ± 4.8 years; age range, 19-42 years) from the School of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation and the Orthopaedics and Traumatology Department of Istanbul University Medical Faculty were selected for the study. Latent trigger points on the scapular muscles of each subject were evaluated. The upper and middle trapezius, supraspinatus, serratus anterior, and rhomboideus muscles were examined respectively, by palpation with the thumb, to determine whether there was pain. The first group consisted of 30 subjects (20 men and 10 women; mean age, 24.2 ± 5.02 years) who had previously been diagnosed as negative after an LTrP examination (control group), while the second group consisted of 28 subjects (12 men and 16 women; mean age, 23.6 ± 2.24 years) who had been diagnosed with at least five LTrPs. The third group consisted of 18 subjects (8 men and 10 women; mean age, 26. 9 ± 7.23 years) who had been diagnosed with more than five LTrPs. All groups were assessed, using the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). The mean BDI value was found to be 8.0 ± 4.2 in the first group, 10.3 ± 3.4 in the second, and 28.5 ± 4.8 in the third. A significant difference was found between the mean BDI values of the first and second groups and also between the first and third groups. The mean BDI values of the second and third groups were also found to be statistically significant (p = 0.042). We observed a close relationship between the presence of LTrPs and depression levels in healthy people.

Effect of progressive resistance exercise with neuromuscular joint facilitation on the dynamic balance performance of junior soccer players.

PubMed

Wang, Hongzhao; Huo, Ming; Guan, Peipei; Onoda, Ko; Chen, Di; Huang, Qiuchen; Maruyama, Hitoshi

2015-11-01

[Purpose] The aim of this study was to investigate the change in dynamic balance performance of junior soccer players after progressive resistance treatment with neuromuscular joint facilitation (NJF). [Subjects] The subjects were 14 healthy males who were divided into two groups, namely the NJF and control groups. The NJF group consisted of 8 subjects, and the control group consisted of 6 subjects. [Methods] The participants in the NJF group received NJF progressive resistance treatment. Dynamic balance performance was measured before and after 3 weeks of exercise. [Results] Significant improvement in dynamic balance performance was observed both in the NJF and control groups. In the NJF group, dynamic balance performance was significantly increased compared with that in the control group. [Conclusion] The NJF intervention shortened movement time, which implies that NJF is effective for dynamic balance performance.

The relative validity of a retrospective estimate of food consumption based on a current dietary history and a food frequency list.

PubMed

Bakkum, A; Bloemberg, B; van Staveren, W A; Verschuren, M; West, C E

1988-01-01

The relative validity of information and food consumption in the distant past was assessed by combining a dietary history (referring to the recent past) with a food frequency list (monitoring major changes over the past 12-14 years). This approach was evaluated in a study of two groups of apparently healthy elderly people (mean age 80 years) who had participated in a food consumption study 12-14 years before the start of the present study. One group consisted of 18 harbor employees who retired subsequent to the initial assessment of food intake. On the average, each member of this group had reduced his food consumption by about 1,000 kcal. The other group consisted of 46 elderly men and women who had retired before their food consumption was measured initially. This group had not markedly changed their food intake. The results showed that both groups overestimated changes in their food intake and that the systematic overestimation and random error were similar for both groups. If the men in both groups were combined to form one group, a valid ranking of subjects in small and large consumers of energy and most of the selected nutrients was possible. However, current food intake influenced the accuracy of the measurement of past food intake.

An Examination of Fifth Grade Students' Attitudes towards Social Studies Course in Terms of Severable Variables

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ilgaz, Selçuk

2018-01-01

The aim of this research is to investigate the 5th grade students' attitude towards social studies course regarding several variables. The population of the study consisted of 4435 fifth grade students studying in public schools in Malatya, Yesilyurt. The sample group consisted of 362 students from 10 schools in the same district. The data used in…

Tutoring Trainees to Suture: An Alternative Method for Learning How to Suture and a Way to Compensate for a Lack of Suturing Cases.

PubMed

Wongkietkachorn, Apinut; Rhunsiri, Peera; Boonyawong, Pangpoom; Lawanprasert, Attaporn; Tantiphlachiva, Kasaya

2016-01-01

Tutoring in suturing was developed to compensate for a shortage of suturing cases. The objective of this study was to compare ideal suturing score (ISS; 9 points), suturing time (min:sec), and suture placement error (mm) between medical students completing the suturing tutoring program and medical students attending ordinary medical school training program. Participants consisted of 2 groups of medical students who had never performed suturing. The study group had the role of suturing tutor to teach interested high school students. The control group consisted of volunteers from the ordinary medical school program. Skills measurement was performed by having students from both the groups perform 3 vertical mattress sutures on a model. The study group was tested at weeks 1, 9, and 10 to assess improvement. Both the groups were tested at week 10 to compare final learning outcome. There were 41 and 40 participants in the study group and the control group, respectively. ISS was significantly improved in the study group from week 1-week 10 (7.0 ± 1.3 vs. 8.2 ± 0.9, p = 0.01). At week 10, the study group had a higher mean ISS than the control group (8.2 ± 0.9 vs. 7.8 ± 1.1, p = 0.68). Mean suturing time and mean placement error were also lower in the study group at the end of suturing training (5:1 ± 1:0 vs. 5:2 ± 1:2, p = 0.13; 7.4 ± 7.4 vs. 8.0 ± 10.8, p = 0.44). Tutoring trainees to suture can improve a student's ability to learn how to suture. Copyright © 2016 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Psychometrics and the neuroscience of individual differences: Internal consistency limits between-subjects effects.

PubMed

Hajcak, Greg; Meyer, Alexandria; Kotov, Roman

2017-08-01

In the clinical neuroscience literature, between-subjects differences in neural activity are presumed to reflect reliable measures-even though the psychometric properties of neural measures are almost never reported. The current article focuses on the critical importance of assessing and reporting internal consistency reliability-the homogeneity of "items" that comprise a neural "score." We demonstrate how variability in the internal consistency of neural measures limits between-subjects (i.e., individual differences) effects. To this end, we utilize error-related brain activity (i.e., the error-related negativity or ERN) in both healthy and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) participants to demonstrate options for psychometric analyses of neural measures; we examine between-groups differences in internal consistency, between-groups effect sizes, and between-groups discriminability (i.e., ROC analyses)-all as a function of increasing items (i.e., number of trials). Overall, internal consistency should be used to inform experimental design and the choice of neural measures in individual differences research. The internal consistency of neural measures is necessary for interpreting results and guiding progress in clinical neuroscience-and should be routinely reported in all individual differences studies. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Evaluation of Electronic Writing Experiences of Turkish Teacher Candidates at WATTPAD Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aytan, Talat

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study is to analyze Turkish teacher candidates' electronic writing experiences at wattpad.com environment. The study group of this research consisted of 53 Turkish teacher candidates who were studying at a state university in Istanbul. Teacher candidates in the study group joined Wattpad.com and wrote at least one narrative…

Measurement Properties of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D 10): Findings from HCHS/SOL

PubMed Central

González, Patricia; Nuñez, Alicia; Merz, Erin; Brintz, Carrie; Weitzman, Orit; Navas, Elena; Camacho, Alvaro; Buelna, Christina; Penedo, Frank J.; Wassertheil-Smoller, Sylvia; Perreira, Krista; Isasi, Carmen; Choca, James; Talavera, Gregory A.; Gallo, Linda C.

2016-01-01

The Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) is a widely used self-report measure of depression symptomatology. This study evaluated the reliability, validity, and measurement invariance of the CES-D 10 in a diverse cohort of Hispanics/Latinos from the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL). The sample consisted of 16,415 Hispanic/Latino adults recruited from four field centers (Miami, FL; San Diego, CA; Bronx, NY; Chicago, IL). Participants completed interview administered measures in English or Spanish. The CES-D 10 was examined for internal consistency, test-retest reliability, convergent validity, and measurement invariance. The total score for the CES-D 10 displayed acceptable internal consistencies (Cronbach α’s = .80 – .86) and test-retest reliability (r’s = .41 – .70) across the total sample, language group and ethnic background group. The total CES-D 10 scores correlated in a theoretically consistent manner with the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (r = .72, p < .001), the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 depression measure (r = .80, p < .001) the Short Form-12’s Mental Component Summary (r = −.65, p < .001) and Physical Component Summary score (r = −.25, p < .001). A confirmatory factor analysis showed that a one-factor model fit the CES-D 10 data well (CFI = .986, RMSEA = .047) after correlating one pair of item residual variances. Multiple group analyses showed the one-factor structure to be invariant across English and Spanish speaking responders and partially invariant across Hispanic/Latino background groups. The total score of the CES-D 10 can be recommended for use with Hispanics/Latinos in English and Spanish. PMID:27295022

A Retrospective Analysis of Dental Implants Replacing Failed Implants in Grafted Maxillary Sinus: A Case Series.

PubMed

Manor, Yifat; Chaushu, Gavriel; Lorean, Adi; Mijiritzky, Eithan

2015-01-01

To evaluate the survival rate of dental implants replacing failed implants in grafted maxillary sinuses using the lateral approach vs nongrafted posterior maxillae. A retrospective analysis was conducted to study the survival of secondary dental implants inserted in the posterior maxilla in previously failed implant sites between the years 2000 and 2010. The study group consisted of patients who had also undergone maxillary sinus augmentation, and the control group consisted of patients in whom implants in the posterior maxilla had failed. Clinical and demographic data were analyzed using a structured form. Seventy-five patients with a total of 75 replaced implants were included in the study. The study group comprised 40 patients and the control group, 35 patients. None of the replaced implants in the study group failed, resulting in an overall survival of 100%; three replaced implants in the control group failed (92% survival). The main reason for the primary implant removal was lack of osseointegration (35 [87.5%] of 40 study group implants and 23 [65.7%] of 35 control group implants [P = .027]). The difference between the groups with regard to the timing of primary implant failure was statistically significant. The study group had more early failures of the primary implant than did the control group (77% vs 62%; P = .038). Dental implants replaced in the posterior maxilla had a high survival rate. A higher rate of survival was found in augmented maxillary sinus sites. Within the limits of the present study, it can be concluded that previous implant failures in the grafted maxillary sinus should not discourage practitioners from a second attempt.

Canadian Mathematics Education Study Group = Groupe Canadien d'Etude en Didactique des Mathematiques. Proceedings of the Annual Meeting (24th, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, May 26-30, 2000).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Simmt, Elaine, Ed.; Davis, Brent, Ed.; McLoughlin, John Grant, Ed.

2000-01-01

This document contains the proceedings of the annual meeting of the Canadian Mathematics Education Study Group (CMESG) held at the University of Quebec in Montreal, Canada, May 26-30, 2000. The proceedings consist of two plenary lectures, five working groups, four topic sessions, new Ph.D. reports, and panel discussions. Papers include: (1)…

Development of calcium phosphate cement using chitosan and citric acid for bone substitute materials.

PubMed

Yokoyama, Atsuro; Yamamoto, Satoru; Kawasaki, Takao; Kohgo, Takao; Nakasu, Masanori

2002-02-01

We developed a calcium phosphate cement that could be molded into any desired shape due to its chewing-gum-like consistency after mixing. The powder component of the cement consists of alpha-tricalcium phosphate and tetracalcium phosphate, which were made by decomposition of hydroxyapatite ceramic blocks. The liquid component consists of citric acid, chitosan and glucose solution. In this study, we used 20% citric acid (group 20) and 45% citric acid (group 45). The mechanical properties and biocompatibility of this new cement were investigated. The setting times of cements were 5.5 min, in group 20 and 6.4 min, in group 45. When incubated in physiological saline, the cements were transformed to hydroxyapatite at 3, and 6 weeks, the compressive strengths were 15.6 and 20.7 MPa, in group 45 and group 20, respectively. The inflammatory response around the cement implanted on the bone and in the subcutaneous tissue in rats was more prominent in group 45 than in group 20 at 1 week after surgery. After 4 weeks, the inflammation disappeared and the cement had bound to bone in both groups. These results indicate that this new calcium phosphate cement is a suitable bone substitute material and that the concentration of citric acid in the liquid component affects its mechanical properties and biocompatibility.

Evaluation of metal ion release from Ti6Al4V and Co-Cr-Mo casting alloys: in vivo and in vitro study.

PubMed

El Sawy, Amal A; Shaarawy, Mohammed A

2014-02-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the amount of ions released from Ti6Al4V and Co-Cr-Mo alloys both in vivo and in vitro. Twenty-one discs of each alloy were constructed and divided into seven groups. Three specimens from each group were immersed in a buffered saline solution over a period of 1, 3, 5, 7, 14, 21, and 28 days. Twenty-eight participants were also included in the study, where the study group consisted of 14 mandibular partially edentulous patients, and the control group consisted of 14 volunteers. The study group was further divided into two equal groups: the first group received removable partial dentures (RPDs) constructed from Co-Cr-Mo alloy, while the second group received RPDs constructed from Ti6Al4V alloy. Saliva samples were collected from each participant over the same study period. The conditioning media and saliva samples were analyzed using a spectrophotometer. One-way ANOVA and Tukey tests were used for statistical analysis (p < 0.05). The concentrations of metal ions released from the studied alloys were significantly higher in the in vitro than in the in vivo study group during the follow-up periods. A statistically significant increase in ion concentrations of the different elements for both alloys was found with time (p < 0.05). The amounts of released metallic ions from Co-Cr-Mo and Ti6Al4V alloys were higher in the buffered saline solutions than in the studied saliva samples and control groups; however, these amounts were still within the physiological limit of trace elements in the human body. © 2013 by the American College of Prosthodontists.

Laryngeal Neuropathy in Adult Goats With Copper Deficiency.

PubMed

Sousa, R F A; Almeida, V M; Neto, J E; Nascimento, C W A; Medeiros, G X; Medeiros, R M T; Riet-Correa, F; Mendonça, F S

2017-07-01

The aim of this study was to elucidate the cause of a neurological syndrome characterized by stridor in adult goats with clinical signs of copper deficiency. The main clinical signs consisted of apathy, emaciation, pale mucous membranes, mucous nasal discharge, dyspnea, severe achromotrichia, diffuse alopecia, torpor, ataxia, and stridor. When the goats were forced to move, the stridor increased. In a herd of 194 Toggenburg goats, 10 adult goats with clinical signs of copper deficiency were removed from the herd and divided into 2 groups: group 1, which consisted of 4 nannies and 1 buck with stridor, and group 2, which consisted of 4 nannies and 1 buck without stridor. Group 3, used as a control, consisted of 5 adult goats from another flock without any clinical signs of disease. The mean serum copper concentrations were 1.3 ± 0.3 μmol/L in group 1, 8.1 ± 1.1 μmol/L in group 2, and 11.3 ± 2.2 μmol/L in group 3. The mean serum iron concentrations were 42.3 ± 14.2 μmol/L in group 1, 39.1 ± 8.2 μmol/L in group 2, and 20.6 ± 6.1 μmol/L in group 3. The main histological lesions in goats from group 1 were axonal degeneration of the recurrent laryngeal nerves and atrophy of the muscles of vocal folds and of the dorsal cricoarytenoid and right and left cricothyroid muscles. Goats with ataxia had neuronal degeneration and necrosis of cerebellar Purkinje cells and of the cranial cervical ganglion. We concluded that the stridor was caused by axonal degeneration of the recurrent laryngeal nerves due to the severe copper deficiency.

Adolescent peer group identification and characteristics: A review of the literature

PubMed Central

Sussman, Steve; Pokhrel, Pallav; Ashmore, Richard D.; Brown, B. Bradford

2011-01-01

This study provides an exhaustive review of 44 peer-reviewed quantitative or qualitative data-based peer-reviewed studies completed on adolescent peer group identification. Adolescent peer group identification is one’s self-perceived or other-perceived membership in discrete teenage peer groups. The studies reviewed suggest that adolescent peer groups consist of five general categories differentiable by lifestyle characteristics: Elites, Athletes, Academics, Deviants, and Others. We found that the Deviant adolescent group category reported relatively greater participation in drug use and other problem behaviors across studies, whereas Academics and Athletes exhibited the least participation in these problem behaviors. Additional research is needed in this arena to better understand the operation of adolescent group labels. PMID:17188815

[Level of selected antibacterial tear proteins in children with diabetes type 1].

PubMed

Moll, Agnieszka; Wyka, Krystyna; Młynarski, Wojciech; Niwald, Anna

2011-01-01

Antibacterial immunity in diabetes is impaired, which increases the risk of general and local infections. The aim of the study was to evaluate non-specific local antibacterial immunity based on lactoferrin and lysozyme concentration in tears in children with diabetes type 1. Children at the age of 10-18 years old were studied. Group 1. consisted of children without diabetes, group 2. included patients with new onset of diabetes and group 3. consisted of children with decade-long diabetes. Among all patients tears were collected from inferior coniunctival fornix with hematocrit glass capillaries in purpose to measure lactoferrin and lysozyme concentration. ELISA method was used in laboratory testing. Level of lactoferrin did not differ significantly among all groups. Concentration of lysozyme was statistically lower in group with decade-long diabetes (group 3.) compared to patients without diabetes. Mild correlation between lactoferrin and lysozyme levels was seen in individual patients in whole group of probands together. Diabetes type 1 in children is associated with significant changes in concentration of tear proteins, which contribute to antibacterial immunity.

Intervention Groups for Adolescents with Conduct Problems: Is Aggregation Harmful or Helpful?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mager, Wendy; Milich, Richard; Harris, Monica J.; Howard, Anne

2005-01-01

Past research has suggested that the aggregation of deviant peers during treatment may cause harmful effects (T. J. Dishion, J. McCord, & F. Poulin, 1999). This study compared the effectiveness of problem-solving skills training groups in which all members had conduct problems ("pure" group condition) with groups that consisted of adolescents with…

Targeted Next Generation Sequencing in Patients with Inborn Errors of Metabolism

PubMed Central

Yubero, Dèlia; Brandi, Núria; Ormazabal, Aida; Garcia-Cazorla, Àngels; Pérez-Dueñas, Belén; Campistol, Jaime; Ribes, Antonia; Palau, Francesc

2016-01-01

Background Next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology has allowed the promotion of genetic diagnosis and are becoming increasingly inexpensive and faster. To evaluate the utility of NGS in the clinical field, a targeted genetic panel approach was designed for the diagnosis of a set of inborn errors of metabolism (IEM). The final aim of the study was to compare the findings for the diagnostic yield of NGS in patients who presented with consistent clinical and biochemical suspicion of IEM with those obtained for patients who did not have specific biomarkers. Methods The subjects studied (n = 146) were classified into two categories: Group 1 (n = 81), which consisted of patients with clinical and biochemical suspicion of IEM, and Group 2 (n = 65), which consisted of IEM cases with clinical suspicion and unspecific biomarkers. A total of 171 genes were analyzed using a custom targeted panel of genes followed by Sanger validation. Results Genetic diagnosis was achieved in 50% of patients (73/146). In addition, the diagnostic yield obtained for Group 1 was 78% (63/81), and this rate decreased to 15.4% (10/65) in Group 2 (X2 = 76.171; p < 0.0001). Conclusions A rapid and effective genetic diagnosis was achieved in our cohort, particularly the group that had both clinical and biochemical indications for the diagnosis. PMID:27243974

The Adoption of E-Learning across Professional Groups

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gallaher, James; Wentling, Tim L.

2004-01-01

The purpose of the study was to determine the impact of professional group membership on the rate of adoption of e-learning. The sample consisted of Engineering, Finance, Human Resources, Legal, and Marketing professionals from a Fortune 500 manufacturing company. Professional groups were categorized based on Rogers (1995) five categories of…

Student Teacher Thinking: A Comparative Study of Elementary and Secondary Student Teachers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Galluzzo, Gary L.; Minix, Nancy A.

1992-01-01

Using videotaped simulated recall interviews, researchers assessed elementary and secondary student teachers' thoughts and concerns. Both groups considered pupil learning the greatest concern. There were consistent differences in how the groups perceived classroom interactions. Both groups addressed a narrower range of concerns regarding teaching…

Group Mirrors to Support Interaction Regulation in Collaborative Problem Solving

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jermann, Patrick; Dillenbourg, Pierre

2008-01-01

Two experimental studies test the effect of group mirrors upon quantitative and qualitative aspects of participation in collaborative problem solving. Mirroring tools consist of a graphical representation of the group's actions which is dynamically updated and displayed to the collaborators. In addition, metacognitive tools display a standard for…

Level of Anxiety, Depression, Self-Esteem, Social Anxiety, and Quality of Life among the Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

PubMed Central

Açmaz, Gökhan; Albayrak, Evrim; Acmaz, Banu; Başer, Mürüvvet; Soyak, Murat; Zararsız, Gökmen; İpekMüderris, İptisam

2013-01-01

Introduction. Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a heterogeneous disease and many symptoms are seen with varying degrees. The aim of the present study was to determine which symptoms increased such problems as depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, and social worry by classifying PCOS according to symptoms. Methods. The study was carried out with two groups. The first group consisted of 86 patients who were diagnosed with PCOS and the second group consisted of 47 healthy volunteers. Liebowitz' Social Anxiety Scale, Rosenberg' Self-Esteem Scale, Short-Form 36, Quality of Life Scale, Beck Anxiety Inventory, and Beck Depression Inventory were administered to each volunteer. Results. Depression scores of infertile group were higher while anxiety scores of the obese group were bigger than other groups. It was the obesity group that received the smallest score in self-esteem and trust in people and the highest score in sensitiveness to criticism. The most affected group was oligomenorrhea-hirsutism group in terms of physical functioning, physical role function, pain, social functioning, emotional role function, and emotional well-being. Conclusion. We suggest that not only gynecologist but also a multidisciplinary team may examine these patients. PMID:23935436

Intervention Fidelity: Aspects of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) Research

PubMed Central

Wyatt, Gwen; Sikorskii, Alla; Rahbar, Mohammad Hossein; Victorson, David; Adams, Lora

2010-01-01

Background The Treatment Fidelity Workgroup (TFW) established by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) provides a 5-point structure for intervention fidelity: dosing, interventionists’ consistency, intervention delivery, receipt and enactment of the intervention. Using our reflexology trial, we apply the first three points. Objectives Study objectives are to: 1) evaluate key dosage dimensions associated with CAM research; 2) evaluate approaches to interventionists’ consistency of delivery of CAM protocols; and 3) evaluate and discuss data that reflect CAM intervention fidelity. Intervention Women with late stage breast cancer (N=318) were randomly assigned to either 4 weeks of reflexology, placebo, or standard care. Results Dosing consists of three dimensions: frequency (4-sessions), duration (30 minutes), and interval between sessions (5–9 days). Interventionist consistency revealed over a 90% accuracy rate in following the protocol; 84% and 89% completion rate of the 4 session in the reflexology and placebo groups respectively; and no differences in attrition after randomization between reflexology and placebo groups (17% and 15%, respectively). Intervention delivery, examined through debriefing data, indicated a significantly higher rate of correct guesses on group assignment in the reflexology group as compared to the placebo (82% versus 46%, p-value=.0002). Conclusions This study points out the relevance of dosing, interventionists’ consistency, and delivery data within a CAM clinical trial, as well as the challenges of blinding. Implications Monitoring intervention fidelity by using the key areas identified by the BCC ensures that findings from a clinical trial are meaningful and have the potential to be translated to clinical practice. PMID:20467309

Combining independent decisions increases diagnostic accuracy of reading lumbosacral radiographs and magnetic resonance imaging.

PubMed

Kurvers, Ralf H J M; de Zoete, Annemarie; Bachman, Shelby L; Algra, Paul R; Ostelo, Raymond

2018-01-01

Diagnosing the causes of low back pain is a challenging task, prone to errors. A novel approach to increase diagnostic accuracy in medical decision making is collective intelligence, which refers to the ability of groups to outperform individual decision makers in solving problems. We investigated whether combining the independent ratings of chiropractors, chiropractic radiologists and medical radiologists can improve diagnostic accuracy when interpreting diagnostic images of the lumbosacral spine. Evaluations were obtained from two previously published studies: study 1 consisted of 13 raters independently rating 300 lumbosacral radiographs; study 2 consisted of 14 raters independently rating 100 lumbosacral magnetic resonance images. In both studies, raters evaluated the presence of "abnormalities", which are indicators of a serious health risk and warrant immediate further examination. We combined independent decisions of raters using a majority rule which takes as final diagnosis the decision of the majority of the group. We compared the performance of the majority rule to the performance of single raters. Our results show that with increasing group size (i.e., increasing the number of independent decisions) both sensitivity and specificity increased in both data-sets, with groups consistently outperforming single raters. These results were found for radiographs and MR image reading alike. Our findings suggest that combining independent ratings can improve the accuracy of lumbosacral diagnostic image reading.

The Adaptation of the Teaching-Learning Conceptions Questionnaire and Its Relationships with Epistemological Beliefs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aypay, Ayse

2011-01-01

The primary purpose of this study was to adapt the Teaching-learning Approaches Questionnaire. The working group of the study consisted of 341 student-teachers. The results indicated that the factor structure is partially consistent with the model. Cronbach reliability coefficient for the whole instrument was 0.71, while sub-scale reliabilities…

11th Grade Students' Conceptual Understanding about Torque Concept: A Longitudinal Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bostan Sarioglan, Ayberk; Küçüközer, Hüseyin

2014-01-01

In this study, it is aimed to reveal the effect of instruction on students' ideas about torque before instruction, after instruction and fifteen weeks after instruction. The working group consists of twenty five high school eleventh grade students. To reveal these students' ideas about the concept of torque a concept test consisting of seven…

Construction of the Mandarin version of the International Prostate Symptom Score inventory in assessing lower urinary tract symptoms in a Malaysian population.

PubMed

Quek, Kia Fatt; Chua, Chong Beng; Razack, Azad Hassan; Low, Wah Yun; Loh, Chit Sin

2005-01-01

The purpose of the present study was to validate the Mandarin version of the International Prostate Symptom Score (Mand-IPSS) in a Malaysian population. The validity and reliability were studied in patients with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS; benign prostatic hyperplasia [BPH] group) and without LUTS (control group). Test-retest methodology was used to assess the reliability while Cronbach alpha was used to assess the internal consistency. Sensitivity to change was used to express the effect size index in the preintervention versus post-intervention score in patients with LUTS who underwent transurethral resection of the prostate. For the control group and BPH group, the internal consistency was excellent and a high degree of internal consistency was observed for all seven items (Cronbach alpha = 0.86-0.98 and 0.90-0.98, respectively). Test-retest correlation coefficients for all items were highly significant. Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was high for the control (ICC = 0.93-0.99) and BPH group (ICC = 0.91-0.99). The sensitivity and specificity showed a high degree of sensitivity and specificity to the effects of treatment. A high degree of significance between baseline and post-treatment scores was observed across all seven items in the BPH group but not in the control group. The Mand-IPSS is a suitable, reliable, valid and sensitive instrument to measure clinical change in the Malaysian population.

The Effect of Grouping by Formal Reasoning Ability, Formal Reasoning Ability Levels, Group Size, and Gender on Achievement in Laboratory Chemistry.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moody, Judith D.; Gifford, Vernon D.

This study investigated the grouping effect on student achievement in a chemistry laboratory when homogeneous and heterogeneous formal reasoning ability, high and low levels of formal reasoning ability, group sizes of two and four, and homogeneous and heterogeneous gender were used for grouping factors. The sample consisted of all eight intact…

Cytological changes in the oral mucosa after use of a mouth rinse with alcohol: A prospective double blind control study

PubMed Central

Vera-Sempere, Francisco; Marzal, Cristina; Pellín-Carcelén, Ana; Martí-Bonmatí, Ezequiel; Bagan, Leticia

2012-01-01

Aim: The aim of this preliminary study was to detect cytological changes in the oral mucosa after using a mouth wash with alcohol. Material and Methods: A prospective double-blind, controlled study was performed, for 6 months. Group 1 consisted of 30 subjects who used a mouth rinse with 26.9% of alcohol [Listerine®] and Group 2 consisted of 30 subjects who used a mouth rinse with the same ingredients but with no alcohol. We obtained three cytological samples from the oral mucosa. The presence of cytological atypia, binucleation and karyorrhesis, and type of cells were studied. We also used a fluorescent in situ hybridization technique (FISH) in 15 samples in each group, for the micronucleus. Results: We found no clinical mucosal alteration after using the mouth wash at the end of the study in either group. We observed no cytological differences between the groups at the end of the study (p>0.05). Regarding the study of the micronucleus by FISH, we observed no significant difference between the groups (p>0.05). Conclusions: Our results showed no cytological alteration in patients using a mouth rinse with alcohol, but these findings should be considered preliminary results, to be confirmed in a greater sample of patients. Key words:Mouth wash, oral mucosa, cytological change, alcohol. PMID:23085712

A Brazilian-Portuguese version of the Kinesthetic and Visual Motor Imagery Questionnaire.

PubMed

Demanboro, Alan; Sterr, Annette; Anjos, Sarah Monteiro Dos; Conforto, Adriana Bastos

2018-01-01

Motor imagery has emerged as a potential rehabilitation tool in stroke. The goals of this study were: 1) to develop a translated and culturally-adapted Brazilian-Portugese version of the Kinesthetic and Visual Motor Imagery Questionnaire (KVIQ20-P); 2) to evaluate the psychometric characteristics of the scale in a group of patients with stroke and in an age-matched control group; 3) to compare the KVIQ20 performance between the two groups. Test-retest, inter-rater reliabilities, and internal consistencies were evaluated in 40 patients with stroke and 31 healthy participants. In the stroke group, ICC confidence intervals showed excellent test-retest and inter-rater reliabilities. Cronbach's alpha also indicated excellent internal consistency. Results for controls were comparable to those obtained in persons with stroke. The excellent psychometric properties of the KVIQ20-P should be considered during the design of studies of motor imagery interventions for stroke rehabilitation.

Health education needs of incarcerated women.

PubMed

Dinkel, Shirley; Schmidt, Katie

2014-07-01

This study identifies the healthcare education needs of incarcerated women in a state corrections facility. This was a naturalistic qualitative study. Focus groups included two groups of adult women incarcerated in a state corrections facility. One group consisted of women housed in maximum security, and one group consisted of women housed in medium security. Data were analyzed using a constant comparison approach. Three guiding questions provided the foundation for the identified themes. Themes included six healthcare education topics important to incarcerated women and three related to health education strategies best suited for incarcerated women. Trust, respect and empowerment are key concepts in educating incarcerated women about their personal health and health of their families. With over 200,000 women incarcerated in the United States today, creating policies and practices that focus on the healthcare education needs of women that are woman focused may enhance knowledge and skills and may ultimately lead to reduced recidivism. © 2014 Sigma Theta Tau International.

A multicomponent exercise program for institutionalized older adults.

PubMed

Justine, Maria; Hamid, Tengku Aizan

2010-10-01

This study examined the effects of a multicomponent exercise program on depression and quality of life in institutionalized older adults. A quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design was used. Participants were recruited from a publicly funded shelter home in Seremban, Negeri Sembilan Malaysia. The experimental group consisted of 23 volunteers 60 or older who performed 60 minutes of supervised exercise three times per week for 12 weeks. The control group consisted of 20 volunteers who continued with a sedentary lifestyle. At 12 weeks, the exercise group demonstrated an improvement in quality of life by 10.74% (p > 0.05) but not depression (-1.6%, p > 0.05). The control group demonstrated a decrease in both quality of life by 11.26% (p > 0.05) and level of depression by 17.7% (p > 0.05). This study suggests a multicomponent exercise program is a feasible intervention to improve quality of life in institutionalized older adults. Copyright 2010, SLACK Incorporated.

Canadian Mathematics Education Study Group = Groupe Canadien d'Etude en Didactique des Mathematiques. Proceedings of the Annual Meeting (25th, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, May 25-29, 2001).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Simmt, Elaine, Ed.; Davis, Brent, Ed.

2001-01-01

This document contains the proceedings of the 2001 annual meeting of the Canadian Mathematics Education Study Group (CMESG) held at the University of Alberta, May 25-39, 2000. The proceedings consist of two plenary lectures, four working groups, five topic sessions, new Ph.D. reports, an AD Hoc Session, and panel discussions. Papers include: (1)…

A prospective randomized study comparing percutaneous nephrolithotomy under combined spinal-epidural anesthesia with percutaneous nephrolithotomy under general anesthesia.

PubMed

Singh, Vishwajeet; Sinha, Rahul Janak; Sankhwar, S N; Malik, Anita

2011-01-01

A prospective randomized study was executed to compare the surgical parameters and stone clearance in patients who underwent percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PNL) under combined spinal-epidural anesthesia (CSEA) versus those who underwent PNL under general anesthesia (GA). Between January 2008 to December 2009, 64 patients with renal calculi were randomized into 2 groups and evaluated for the purpose of this study. Group 1 consisted of patients who underwent PNL under CSEA and Group 2 consisted of patients who underwent PNL under GA. The operative time, stone clearance rate, visual pain analog score, mean analgesic dose and mean hospital stay were compared amongst other parameters. The difference between visual pain analog score after the operation and the dose of analgesic requirement was significant on statistical analysis between both groups. PNL under CSEA is as effective and safe as PNL under GA. Patients who undergo PNL under CESA require lesser analgesic dose and have a shorter hospital stay. Copyright © 2011 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Formal Revision of the Alexandrium tamarense Species Complex (Dinophyceae) Taxonomy: The Introduction of Five Species with Emphasis on Molecular-based (rDNA) Classification

PubMed Central

John, Uwe; Litaker, R. Wayne; Montresor, Marina; Murray, Shauna; Brosnahan, Michael L.; Anderson, Donald M.

2015-01-01

The Alexandrium tamarense species complex is one of the most studied marine dinoflagellate groups due to its ecological, toxicological and economic importance. Several members of this complex produce saxitoxin and its congeners – potent neurotoxins that cause paralytic shellfish poisoning. Isolates from this complex are assigned to A. tamarense, A. fundyense, or A. catenella based on two main morphological characters: the ability to form chains and the presence/absence of a ventral pore between Plates 1′ and 4′. However, studies have shown that these characters are not consistent and/or distinctive. Further, phylogenies based on multiple regions in the rDNA operon indicate that the sequences from morphologically indistinguishable isolates partition into five clades. These clades were initially named based on their presumed geographic distribution, but recently were renamed as Groups I–V following the discovery of sympatry among some groups. In this study we present data on morphology, ITS/5.8S genetic distances, ITS2 compensatory base changes, mating incompatibilities, toxicity, the sxtA toxin synthesis gene, and rDNA phylogenies. All results were consistent with each group representing a distinct cryptic species. Accordingly, the groups were assigned species names as follows: Group I, A. fundyense; Group II, A. mediterraneum; Group III, A. tamarense; Group IV, A. pacificum; Group V, A. australiense. PMID:25460230

Evaluation of the Course of the Flight Simulators from the Perspective of Students and University Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kaysi, Feyzi; Bavli, Bünyamin; Gürol, Aysun

2016-01-01

The study evaluates the flight simulators course which was opened to fulfill the intermediate staff need of the sector. To collect data, Qualitative techniques were applied. Within this scope, the case study method was employed in the study. The study group consisted of students and instructors. In-depth and focus group interviews were conducted…

An Analysis of Internet Addiction Levels of Individuals according to Various Variables

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sahin, Cengiz

2011-01-01

The concept of internet addiction refers to the excessive use of internet which in turn causes various problems in individual, social and professional aspects. The aim of this study was to determine internet addiction levels of internet users from all age groups. The study used survey model. Study group of the study consisted of a total of 596…

A Study of Reliability of Marking and Absolute Grading in Secondary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abdul Gafoor, K.; Jisha, P.

2014-01-01

Using a non-experimental comparative group design in a sample consisting of 100 English teachers randomly selected from 30 secondary schools of a district of Kerala and assigning fifty teachers to groups for marking and grading, this study compares inter and intra-individual reliability in marking and absolute grading. Studying (1) the in marking…

A Pilot Study of Motor Disturbances in Children with ADHD Belonging to Chilean Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ancatén González, Carlos; Montes, Rodrigo; Gutiérrez-Rojas, Cristian

2017-01-01

The present pilot study aimed to determine motor control alterations in children with ADHD belonging to public schools, using Da Fonseca's Psychomotor Battery (BPM). This was a descriptive cross-sectional comparative study. The sample consisted of two groups, each group composed of 15 children between 7 and 9 years old belonging to public…

Visual Literacy and the Integration of Parametric Modeling in the Problem-Based Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Assenmacher, Matthew Benedict

2013-01-01

This quasi-experimental study investigated the application of visual literacy skills in the form of parametric modeling software in relation to traditional forms of sketching. The study included two groups of high school technical design students. The control and experimental groups involved in the study consisted of two randomly selected groups…

A Study on Contribution of the Basic Training Course to the Professional Development of Probationary Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yildirim, M. Cevat

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study was to make an evaluation on contribution of the basic training course to the professional development of probationary teachers. The study group consisted of 21 probationary teachers and 5 education supervisors in Sanliurfa province. The data were collected through semi-structured observation, focus group interview and…

Effect of Physical Activity, Nutritional Education, and Consumption of Extra Virgin Olive Oil on Lipid, Physiological, and Anthropometric Profiles in a Pediatric Population.

PubMed

Muros, José Joaquín; Zabala, Mikel; Oliveras-López, María Jesús; Bouzas, Paula Rodríguez; Knox, Emily; Rufián-Henares, José Ángel; López-García de la Serrana, Herminia

2015-09-01

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of nutritional education and vigorous physical activity on health-related parameters. The sample group consisted of 134 children from 5 rurally located schools. Participants were divided between 5 different experimental groups: control group (CG), physical activity group (PA), nutritional education group (NE), combined intervention group (PA+NE), and a combined intervention group with additional substitution of normally used oil for extra virgin olive oil (EVOO; PA+NE+EVOO). The intervention consisted of 60 minute sessions of physical activity held twice a week as well as nutritional education sessions held over 6 months. Students in the groups receiving physical activity reduced their fat percentage and increased their muscle mass post intervention. At posttest the lipid profile improved in all intervention groups. The proportion of macronutrients and dietary cholesterol improved in the groups receiving nutritional education. The posttest comparison showed significantly lower fat percentage, sum of skinfolds and waist circumference in NE relative to CG and PA relative to CG. Diastolic blood pressure and glycaemia were significantly lower in PA+NE+EVOO relative to CG. A school-based program consisting of nutritional education or nutritional education plus a physical activity program showed a positive effect on health-related parameters in children.

The Effect of Chronic Alcoholism on the Conjunctival Flora.

PubMed

Gunduz, Göksel; Gunduz, Abuzer; Polat, Nihat; Cumurcu, Birgul Elbozan; Yakupogulları, Yusuf

2016-06-01

We aimed to investigate the effect of alcohol abuse on the conjunctival flora. The cases were evaluated as two groups. The study group consisted of 55 heavy-drinking males diagnosed with alcohol abuse, while the control group consisted of 55 males without a history of alcohol abuse. Samples were taken from the inferior fornix conjunctiva with sterile cotton-tipped swabs (Amies transport medium) for culture. The samples were inoculated into blood agar, chocolate agar, eosine methylene blue agar and Saboraud-Dextrose agar (Oxoid/UK) with the dilution method. The microorganisms that grew in study group subjects were Coagulase Negative Staphylococcus (CNS) in 30 (54.5%), Staphylococcus aureus in 14 (25.5%), Moraxella spp. in 3 (5.5%), Streptococcus spp. in 3 (5.5), Bacillus spp. in 3 (5.5%), Corynebacterium spp. in 3 (5.5%), Candida spp. in 3 (5.5%), Haemophilus spp. in 2 (3.6%), Acinetobacter spp. in 2 (3.6%), Neisseria spp. in 1 (1.8%) and Micrococcus spp. in 1 (1.8%). The results for control group were CNS in 31 (56.4%), Bacillus spp. in 7 (12.7%), S. aureus in 5 (9.1%), and Corynebacterium spp. in 2 (3.6%). Moraxella spp., Streptococcus spp., Candida spp., Haemophilus spp., Acinetobacter spp., Neisseria spp. and Micrococcus spp. microorganisms grew in the conjunctival flora samples of the study group but not in the control group. S. aureus colonization was significantly higher in the study group than the control group (p < 0.05). The S. aureus colonization rate was statistically significantly higher in the study group. Some microorganisms only grew in the conjunctival flora samples of the study group. These findings indicate that the conjunctival flora in persons with chronic alcoholism is different than the normal population.

[Development and Effects of a Children's Sex Education Program for the Parents of Lower Elementary Grade Students].

PubMed

Lee, Eun Mi; Kim, Hyunlye

2017-04-01

This study was done to develop a children's sex education program for the parents of lower elementary grade students and to evaluate its effects on sexual knowledge, gender role attitude, parent efficacy for child's sex education, and marital consistency. A quasi-experimental with a non-equivalent control group pretest-posttest design was used. The participants were 29 couples (58 parents, experimental group=28, control group=30) from G city. The 5-week (5-session) program was developed based on 'A theory of protection: parents as sex educators' and used the case-based small group learning method. Data were collected during July and August 2015. The characteristics of the program developed in the present study were a theoretical-based, client-centered, multi-method. After the intervention, the experimental group showed a significant improvement in sexual knowledge, gender role attitudes, parent efficacy for child's sex education, and marital consistency, compared to the control group. The effect sizes of the program were .64 (knowledge), .65 (gender role attitudes), and .68 (parent efficacy). The results of this study provided implications for the parents as effective sex educator and the role expansion of school health nurses. © 2017 Korean Society of Nursing Science

A Study to Determine Whether There Is an Improvement in Attitude in Students Involved in Cooperative Education Programs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Testa, Donna M.

A study was conducted at Herkimer County Community College to determine whether a 40-hour work study experience affected the work attitudes of secretarial science students. The study population consisted of a group of June 1984 secretarial science degree candidates who had not yet participated in the work study program, and a group of 1982 and…

Structural and functional properties of hemoglobins from unicellular organisms as revealed by resonance Raman spectroscopy.

PubMed

Egawa, Tsuyoshi; Yeh, Syun-Ru

2005-01-01

Hemoglobins have been discovered in organisms from virtually all kingdoms. Their presence in unicellular organisms suggests that the gene for hemoglobin is very ancient and that the hemoglobins must have functions other than oxygen transport, in view of the fact that O2 delivery is a diffusion-controlled process in these organisms. Based on sequence alignment, three groups of hemoglobins have been characterized in unicellular organisms. The group-one hemoglobins, termed truncated hemoglobins, consist of proteins with 110-140 amino acid residues and a novel two-over-two alpha-helical sandwich motif. The group-two hemoglobins, termed flavohemoglobins, consist of a hemoglobin domain, with a classical three-over-three alpha-helical sandwich motif, and a flavin-containing reductase domain that is covalently attached to it. The group-three hemoglobins consist of myoglobin-like proteins that have high sequence homology and structural similarity to the hemoglobin domain of flavohemoglobins. In this review, recent resonance Raman studies of each group of these proteins are presented. Their implications are discussed in the context of the structural and functional properties of these novel hemoglobins.

Spatial variability in intertidal macroalgal assemblages on the North Portuguese coast: consistence between species and functional group approaches

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Veiga, P.; Rubal, M.; Vieira, R.; Arenas, F.; Sousa-Pinto, I.

2013-03-01

Natural assemblages are variable in space and time; therefore, quantification of their variability is imperative to identify relevant scales for investigating natural or anthropogenic processes shaping these assemblages. We studied the variability of intertidal macroalgal assemblages on the North Portuguese coast, considering three spatial scales (from metres to 10 s of kilometres) following a hierarchical design. We tested the hypotheses that (1) spatial pattern will be invariant at all the studied scales and (2) spatial variability of macroalgal assemblages obtained by using species will be consistent with that obtained using functional groups. This was done considering as univariate variables: total biomass and number of taxa as well as biomass of the most important species and functional groups and as multivariate variables the structure of macroalgal assemblages, both considering species and functional groups. Most of the univariate results confirmed the first hypothesis except for the total number of taxa and foliose macroalgae that showed significant variability at the scale of site and area, respectively. In contrast, when multivariate patterns were examined, the first hypothesis was rejected except at the scale of 10 s of kilometres. Both uni- and multivariate results indicated that variation was larger at the smallest scale, and thus, small-scale processes seem to have more effect on spatial variability patterns. Macroalgal assemblages, both considering species and functional groups as surrogate, showed consistent spatial patterns, and therefore, the second hypothesis was confirmed. Consequently, functional groups may be considered a reliable biological surrogate to study changes on macroalgal assemblages at least along the investigated Portuguese coastline.

The Immediate Effect of Neuromuscular Joint Facilitation (NJF) Treatment on Electromechanical Reaction Times of Hip Flexion.

PubMed

Huo, Ming; Wang, Hongzhao; Ge, Meng; Huang, Qiuchen; Li, Desheng; Maruyama, Hitoshi

2013-11-01

[Purpose] The aim of this study was to investigate the change in electromechanical reaction times (EMG-RT) of hip flexion of younger persons after neuromuscular joint facilitation (NJF) treatment. [Subjects] The subjects were 39 healthy young people, who were divided into two groups: a NJF group and a proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) group. The NJF group consisted of 16 subjects (7 males, 9 females), and the PNF group consisted of 23 subjects (10 males, 13 females). [Methods] Participants in the NJF group received NJF treatment. We measured the EMG-RT, the premotor time (PMT) and the motor time (MT) during hip flexion movement before and after the intervention in both groups. [Results] There were no significant differences among the results of the PNF group. For the NJF group, there were significant differences in PMT and EMG-RT after NJF treatment. [Conclusion] These results suggest that there is an immediate effect of NJF intervention on electromechanical reaction times of hip flexion.

The Immediate Effect of Neuromuscular Joint Facilitation (NJF) Treatment on Electromechanical Reaction Times of Hip Flexion

PubMed Central

Huo, Ming; Wang, Hongzhao; Ge, Meng; Huang, Qiuchen; Li, Desheng; Maruyama, Hitoshi

2013-01-01

[Purpose] The aim of this study was to investigate the change in electromechanical reaction times (EMG-RT) of hip flexion of younger persons after neuromuscular joint facilitation (NJF) treatment. [Subjects] The subjects were 39 healthy young people, who were divided into two groups: a NJF group and a proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) group. The NJF group consisted of 16 subjects (7 males, 9 females), and the PNF group consisted of 23 subjects (10 males, 13 females). [Methods] Participants in the NJF group received NJF treatment. We measured the EMG-RT, the premotor time (PMT) and the motor time (MT) during hip flexion movement before and after the intervention in both groups. [Results] There were no significant differences among the results of the PNF group. For the NJF group, there were significant differences in PMT and EMG-RT after NJF treatment. [Conclusion] These results suggest that there is an immediate effect of NJF intervention on electromechanical reaction times of hip flexion. PMID:24396211

Comparative analysis of rationale used by dentists and patient for final esthetic outcome of dental treatment.

PubMed

Reddy, S Varalakshmi; Madineni, Praveen Kumar; Sudheer, A; Gujjarlapudi, Manmohan Choudary; Sreedevi, B; Reddy, Patelu Sunil Kumar

2013-05-01

To compare and evaluate the perceptions of esthetics among dentists and patients regarding the final esthetic outcome of a dental treatment. Esthetics is a matter of perception and is associated with the way different people look at an object. What constitutes esthetic for a particular person may not be acceptable for another. Hence it is subjective in nature. This becomes more obvious during the post-treatment evaluation of esthetics by dentist and the concerned patient. Opinion seldom matches. Hence, the study is a necessary part of the process of understanding the mind of dentist and patient regarding what constitutes esthetics. A survey has been conducted by means of a questionnaire consisting of 10 questions, on two groups of people. First group consists of 100 dentists picked at random in Kanyakumari district of Tamil Nadu, India. Second group consisted of 100 patients who required complete denture prosthesis. The second group was divided into two subgroups A and B. Subgroup A consisting of 50 men and subgroup B consisting of 50 women. In each subgroup 25 patients were selected in age group of 40 to 50 and 25 patients were selected in the age group of 50 to 60. The questionnaire was given to both the groups and asked to fill up, which was then statistically analyzed to look for patterns of thought process among them. Results were subjected to statistical analysis by Student's t-test. Perceptions of esthetics differs from dentist who is educated regarding esthetic principles of treatment and a patient who is not subjected to such education. Since, the questions were formulated such that patients could better understand the underlying problem, the final outcome of survey is a proof that dentists need to take into account what the patient regards as esthetics in order to provide a satisfactory treatment. CLINICAL AND ACADEMIC SIGNIFICANCE: The current study helps the dentist to better educate the patient regarding esthetics so that patient appreciates the final scientifically based esthetic outcome of treatment. It also helps the dental students to understand the underlying patient's thought process regarding esthetics.

Complete mtDNA genomes of Filipino ethnolinguistic groups: a melting pot of recent and ancient lineages in the Asia-Pacific region

PubMed Central

Delfin, Frederick; Min-Shan Ko, Albert; Li, Mingkun; Gunnarsdóttir, Ellen D; Tabbada, Kristina A; Salvador, Jazelyn M; Calacal, Gayvelline C; Sagum, Minerva S; Datar, Francisco A; Padilla, Sabino G; De Ungria, Maria Corazon A; Stoneking, Mark

2014-01-01

The Philippines is a strategic point in the Asia-Pacific region for the study of human diversity, history and origins, as it is a cross-road for human migrations and consequently exhibits enormous ethnolinguistic diversity. Following on a previous in-depth study of Y-chromosome variation, here we provide new insights into the maternal genetic history of Filipino ethnolinguistic groups by surveying complete mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) genomes from a total of 14 groups (11 groups in this study and 3 groups previously published) including previously published mtDNA hypervariable segment (HVS) data from Filipino regional center groups. Comparison of HVS data indicate genetic differences between ethnolinguistic and regional center groups. The complete mtDNA genomes of 14 ethnolinguistic groups reveal genetic aspects consistent with the Y-chromosome, namely: diversity and heterogeneity of groups, no support for a simple dichotomy between Negrito and non-Negrito groups, and different genetic affinities with Asia-Pacific groups that are both ancient and recent. Although some mtDNA haplogroups can be associated with the Austronesian expansion, there are others that associate with South Asia, Near Oceania and Australia that are consistent with a southern migration route for ethnolinguistic group ancestors into the Asia-Pacific, with a timeline that overlaps with the initial colonization of the Asia-Pacific region, the initial colonization of the Philippines and a possible separate post-colonization migration into the Philippine archipelago. PMID:23756438

Effects of cooperative learning groups during social studies for students with autism and fourth-grade peers.

PubMed Central

Dugan, E; Kamps, D; Leonard, B

1995-01-01

We investigated the use of cooperative learning groups as an instructional strategy for integrating 2 students with autism into a fourth-grade social studies class. Baseline consisted of 40 min of teacher-led sessions including lecture, questions and discussion with students, and the use of maps. The intervention condition consisted of 10 min of teacher introduction of new material, followed by cooperative learning groups that included tutoring on key words and facts, a team activity, and a whole class wrap-up and review. An ABAB design showed increases for target students and peers for the number of items gained on weekly pretests and posttests, the percentage of academic engagement during sessions, and durations of student interaction during the intervention. PMID:7601803

Efficacy of a Group Intervention for Adult Women Survivors of Sexual Abuse

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hebert, Martine; Bergeron, Manon

2007-01-01

This study evaluates the effects of a group intervention for women sexually abused in childhood or adulthood. The sample consisted of 41 women involved in a group intervention based on a feminist approach offered by help centers for sexual assault victims in Quebec and 11 women in a wait-list comparison group. Results reveal that the group…

Effects of Group and Situational Factors on Pre-Adolescent Children's Attitudes to School Bullying

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nesdale, Drew; Scarlett, Michael

2004-01-01

This study examined the effect on pre-adolescent children's attitudes to bullying of one group-based variable (group status) and two situational variables (rule legitimacy and rule consistency). Pre-adolescent boys (n = 229) read a story about a group of boys who had high or low (handball) status. The legitimacy (high versus low) of the rules…

Does Repeated Reading Improve Reading Fluency and Comprehension for Struggling Adolescent Readers?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Still, Kristine Lynn; Flynt, Christine A.

2012-01-01

This was a 12-week study that explored the effects of repeated peer readings on struggling adolescent readers. It was a quasi-experimental design with one treatment group and one control group. There were two small group English classes that were consistently using the repeated reading strategy (the treatment group) and students in the co-teach…

A Comparative Study of Urban Black Argot. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Folb, Edith A.

A current vocabulary of argot terms and meanings was collected from a Black male control group in the South Central Los Angeles ghetto. This lexicon was used to elicit and compare responses from 5 male groups of youths between 15 and 20 years old. Two of the groups consisted of lower class blacks separated geographically. The other groups were…

Proceedings of the 17th Conference on Toxicology Held in Dayton, Ohio on 3-5 November 1987

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-09-01

mixtures often consist of solvents. One group of solvents that has been extensively studied for its neurotoxic properties has been the ketones. However...for workers. The purpose of this 40 research was to study a combination exposure from the same chemical group , test for possible neurobehavioral...2) comparable workers not using PGDN, and (3) an unrelated group of sailors involved in weapons guidance. The study period was from 1966 through

Using naturalistic driving data to identify variables associated with infrequent, occasional, and consistent seat belt use.

PubMed

Reagan, Ian J; McClafferty, Julie A; Berlin, Sharon P; Hankey, Jonathan M

2013-01-01

Seat belt use is one of the most effective countermeasures to reduce traffic fatalities and injuries. The success of efforts to increase use is measured by road side observations and self-report questionnaires. These methods have shortcomings, with the former requiring a binary point estimate and the latter being subjective. The 100-car naturalistic driving study presented a unique opportunity to study seat belt use in that seat belt status was known for every trip each driver made during a 12-month period. Drivers were grouped into infrequent, occasional, or consistent seat belt users based on the frequency of belt use. Analyses were then completed to assess if these groups differed on several measures including personality, demographics, self-reported driving style variables as well as measures from the 100-car study instrumentation suite (average trip speed, trips per day). In addition, detailed analyses of the occasional belt user group were completed to identify factors that were predictive of occasional belt users wearing their belts. The analyses indicated that consistent seat belt users took fewer trips per day, and that increased average trip speed was associated with increased belt use among occasional belt users. The results of this project may help focus messaging efforts to convert occasional and inconsistent seat belt users to consistent users. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comparative study of control selection in a national population-based case-control study: Estimating risk of smoking on cancer deaths in Chinese men.

PubMed

Jiang, Jingmei; Liu, Boqi; Nasca, Philip C; Han, Wei; Zou, Xiaonong; Zeng, Xianjia; Tian, Xiaobing; Wu, Yanping; Zhao, Ping; Li, Junyao

2009-10-28

To assess the validation of a novel control selection design by comparing the consistency between the new design and a routine design in a large case-control study that was incorporated into a nationwide mortality survey in China. A nationwide mortality study was conducted during 1989-1991. Surviving spouses or other relatives of all adults who died during 1986-1988 provided detailed information about their own as well as the deceased person's smoking history. In this study, 130,079 males who died of various smoking-related cancers at age 35 or over were taken as cases, while 103,248 male surviving spouses (same age range with cases) of women who died during the same period and 49,331 males who died from causes other than those related to smoking were used as control group 1 and control group 2, respectively. Consistency in the results when comparing cases with each of the control groups was assessed. Consistency in the results was observed in the analyses using different control groups although cancer deaths varied with region and age. Equivalence could be ascertained using a 15% criterion in most cancer deaths which had high death rates in urban areas, but they were uncertain for most cancers in rural areas irrespective of whether the hypothesis testing showed significant differences or not. Sex-matched living spouse control design as an alternative control selection for a case-control study is valid and feasible, and the basic principles of the equivalence study are also supported by epidemiological survey data.

Cooperating when "you" and "I" are treated fairly: the moderating role of leader prototypicality.

PubMed

De Cremer, David; van Dijke, Marius; Mayer, David M

2010-11-01

We developed a model predicting that leaders are most effective in stimulating follower cooperation when they consistently treat all group members in a fair manner and are prototypical (i.e., representative of the group's values and norms). In support of this idea, we consistently found that group members cooperated most when prototypical leaders treated themselves as well as their coworkers fairly across a laboratory experiment and 3 cross-sectional field studies. These findings highlight the important role of others' fairness experiences and perceptions in influencing one's own reactions and also the role of leaders as representing the group's values and norms. We discuss implications for fairness theory and the leader prototypicality literature. (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved.

Psychological changes in hundred-day remote Antarctic field groups

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wood, J.; Lugg, D. J.; Hysong, S. J.; Harm, D. L.

1999-01-01

Psychological adaptation to extreme environments has been examined from several perspectives. In this study, two Australian teams, each consisting of six male crew members, completed computer-administered questionnaires twice weekly during 100-day traverses around the Lambert Glacier Basin, Antarctica. Only small trends were noted when data were aggregated at the group level, which is consistent with the findings of others. Data were then analyzed using pooled time-series regression. These analyses incorporated personality characteristics, environmental factors, and interpersonal factors as predictors of Group Tensions, Personal Morale, Emotional State, Cognitive Readiness, and the Team's Work Life. Most of the psychological discomfort and problems that occurred appeared to be within the individual or between individuals. They did not affect all members of the group equally.

Self-concept and introversion in adolescents with cleft lip and palate.

PubMed

Persson, Martin; Aniansson, Gustaf; Becker, Magnus; Svensson, Henry

2002-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate if adolescents with cleft lip, or palate, or both (CLP), have an altered self-concept, and to assess their degree of introversion, compared with a control group. The CLP group consisted of 55 adolescents (aged 17-20 years) and the control group consisted of 31 adolescents (16-19 years). The Tennessee Self Concept Scale (TSCS) was used to measure the subjects' self-concept, while the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire Inventory (EPQ-I) was used to measure introversion. The results indicate that those with CLP have a normal or even a high self-concept, and no signs of introversion.

EVOLUTION OF GALAXY GROUPS IN THE ILLUSTRIS SIMULATION

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Raouf, Mojtaba; Khosroshahi, Habib G.; Dariush, A., E-mail: m.raouf@ipm.ir

We present the first study of the evolution of galaxy groups in the Illustris simulation. We focus on dynamically relaxed and unrelaxed galaxy groups representing dynamically evolved and evolving galaxy systems, respectively. The evolutionary state of a group is probed from its luminosity gap and separation between the brightest group galaxy and the center of mass of the group members. We find that the Illustris simulation overproduces galaxy systems with a large luminosity gap, known as fossil systems, in comparison to observations and the probed semi-analytical predictions. However, this simulation is just as successful as the probed semi-analytic model inmore » recovering the correlation between luminosity gap and offset of the luminosity centroid. We find evolutionary tracks based on luminosity gap that indicate that a group with a large luminosity gap is rooted in one with a small luminosity gap, regardless of the position of the brightest group galaxy within the halo. This simulation helps to explore, for the first time, the black hole mass and its accretion rate in galaxy groups. For a given stellar mass of the brightest group galaxies, the black hole mass is larger in dynamically relaxed groups with a lower rate of mass accretion. We find this to be consistent with the latest observational studies of radio activity in the brightest group galaxies in fossil groups. We also find that the intragalactic medium in dynamically evolved groups is hotter for a given halo mass than that in evolving groups, again consistent with earlier observational studies.« less

The Influence of Competitive and Cooperative Group Game Play on State Hostility

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eastin, Matthew S.

2007-01-01

Most research on violent video game play suggests a positive relationship with aggression-related outcomes. Expanding this research, the current study examines the impact group size, game motivation, in-game behavior, and verbal aggression have on postgame play hostility. Consistent with previous research, group size and verbal aggression both…

AN EXPERIMENT IN FLEXIBLE SCHEDULING IN TEAM TEACHING.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

BJELKE, JOAN; GEORGIADES, WILLIAM

A FOUR-PERIOD BLOCK PROGRAM CONSISTED OF ENGLISH, ALGEBRA, AND WORLD GEOGRAPHY. THE PROGRAM INCLUDED LARGE GROUP LECTURES, SMALL GROUP DISCUSSIONS, INDEPENDENT STUDY, AND A SUPERVISED STUDY HALL. PUPIL PERFORMANCE IN ENGLISH IN THIS SCHEMA AND PUPIL PERFORMANCE IN ENGLISH IN A REGULAR-SIZED CLASS WAS COMPARED. TEACHER REACTION AND STUDENT REACTION…

Preschool Teachers' Views on Schools' Indoor and Outdoor Environment Safety

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Konakli, Tugba; Ülçetin, Esra

2016-01-01

The aim of this research is to analyze opinions of teachers who work in preschool education institutions concerning precautions that should be taken for indoor and outdoor security. Study group of this research is determined by criterion sampling from purposeful sampling techniques. The study group of this research is consist of eight preschool…

Perceived In-Group and Out-Group Stereotypes among Brazilian Foreign Language Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

El-Dash, Linda Gentry; Busnardo, JoAnne

2001-01-01

Presents the results of a study of stereotypical perceptions of ten foreign populations by 164 Brazilian university students studying diverse foreign languages. Socio-cultural stereotypes were investigated using bipolar adjective scales paired in a Likkert-type format. Factor analysis suggested a three-factor system is at work, consisting of…

Medical consequences of a factory closure: illness and disability in a four-year follow-up study.

PubMed

Westin, S; Norum, D; Schlesselman, J J

1988-03-01

The effect of a factory shut-down on sick leave and disability pensions was investigated in a four-year controlled follow-up study in a general practice setting. The study population consisted of 85 people, 72 women and 13 men, who lost their jobs when a sardine factory near Bergen in Norway was shut down in 1975. The employees of a nearby sister factory' within the same company were chosen as a control population, consisting of 87 people, 66 women and 21 men. The average amount of sick leave for the study group within the first year of follow-up showed a twofold increase compared to the controls. The rate of disability pensions, estimated by the life table method with appropriate adjustments, was more than three times higher in the study group than in the control group from the second through the fourth year of follow-up. The results of this investigation provide further evidence in support of a causal relationship between job loss and illness.

A Comparison of Descriptive Tagging Practices by Library, Archive and Museum Professionals Using an Inter-Indexing Consistency Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Angel, Christine Marie

2012-01-01

This study is a comparison of the descriptive tagging practices among library, archive, and museum professionals using an inter-indexing consistency approach. The first purpose of this study was to determine the extent of the similarities and differences among professional groups when assigning descriptive tags to a wide variety of objects that…

The Artist Image: How Do Children Depict Artists?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oguz, Aysegul

2016-01-01

The aim of this study is to find out the artist image 5th grade elementary students have in their mind. Study group consisted of 60 students from the 5th grade elementary school in Rize province of Turkey during the 2014 instruction year. For data collection, an interview form was used consisting of 9 questions developed by researcher. An expert…

Gender-related differences in learning in student-led PBL tutorials.

PubMed

Kassab, Salah; Abu-Hijleh, Marwan; Al-Shboul, Qasim; Hamdy, Hossam

2005-07-01

Male and female students behave differently in problem-based learning (PBL) tutorials. However, these differences could be partly attributed to faculty tutor behavior in male and female tutorials. This study aims to examine the gender differences in learning outcomes between medical students when peer tutors facilitate PBL tutorials. A questionnaire-based study conducted in single-gender student-led (SLT) and faculty-led (FLT) tutorials. The study involved third year medical students (n = 91) divided into ten groups (five groups each). The SLT groups consisted of 16 male and 28 female students, while the FLT group consisted of 20 male and 27 female students. Students evaluated their individual and group performance in tutorials and also skills of tutors. Student performance in end-unit examinations and their perceptions about peer tutoring were also analyzed. A total of 290 questionnaires (response rate = 63.7%) were collected over the five-week period of the study. Although individual performance in tutorials and achievement in examinations were comparable in both groups, there was significantly higher group performance in female compared with male student-led tutorials (p < 0.01). This difference between male and female groups was not attributed to improvement in the performance of female groups, but rather to a decline in performance of the male SLT groups. In addition, both male and female students expressed facing difficulties in discussion and analysis of the problem in the first tutorial session. Understanding the gender differences in the group behavior in student-led tutorials is important for PBL programs adopting this approach.

[The effects of foot reflexology on nausea, vomiting and fatigue of breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy].

PubMed

Yang, Jin-Hyang

2005-02-01

The purpose of this study was to identify the effects of foot reflexology on nausea, vomiting and fatigue in breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. The research was a quasi-experimental study using a non-equivalent pre-post design and was conducted from Jan. 26, to Mar. 20, 2004. The subjects consisted of 34 patients with 18 in the experimental group and 16 in control group. A pretest and 2 posttests were conducted to measure nausea, vomiting and fatigue. For the experimental group, foot reflexology, which was consisted of 4 phases for 40 minutes, was given by a researcher and 4 research assistants. The collected data were analyzed by repeated measures ANOVA using the SPSS WIN 10.0 program. There was a statistically significant decrease in nausea, and vomiting in the experimental group compared to the control group over two different times. In addition, there was a statistically significant decrease in fatigue in the experimental group compared to the control group over two different times. Foot reflexology was effective on nausea, vomiting and fatigue in breast cancer patients receiving chemotherapy in this study. Therefore, foot reflexology can be usefully utilized as a nursing intervention in the field of cancer nursing for breast cancer patients receiving chemotherapy.

High-dose ascorbic acid decreases cholesterolemic factors of an atherogenic diet in guinea pigs.

PubMed

Filis, Konstantinos; Anastassopoulou, Aikaterini; Sigala, Fragiska; Theodorou, Dimitrios; Manouras, Andreas; Leandros, Emanouel; Sigalas, Panagiotis; Hepp, Wolfgang; Bramis, John

2007-03-01

The study evaluates the effect of a high supplemental dose of ascorbic acid (AA) on plasma concentrations of total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), total lipids (TL), and lipoprotein fractions high-density, very-low-density-, and low-density lipoprotein (HDL, VLDL, LDL) in guinea pigs fed with atherogenic diet. Group I consisted of 5 normally fed guinea pigs plus a low dose of AA (1 mg/100 g/day), group II consisted of 7 guinea pigs fed with food enriched with 2% cholesterol plus a low dose of AA (1 mg/100 g/day), and group III consisted of 7 guinea pigs fed with food enriched with 2% cholesterol plus a high dose of AA (30 mg/100 g/day). Cholesterolemic factors concentrations were determined after nine weeks. Concentrations of TC, TG, TL, LDL, and VLDL were increased in group II compared to group I (p < 0.01 for all differences). Supplementation with a high dose of AA resulted in decreased concentrations of TC (p < 0.01), TG (p < 0.01), TL (p < 0.01), and LDL (p < 0.01) in group III compared to group II. Additionally, concentration of HDL was increased in group III compared to group II (p < 0.01). High-dose AA supplementation to an atherogenic diet decreases concentrations of TC, TG, TL, and LDL and increases concentration of HDL compared to low-dose AA.

[The evaluation of color vision and its diagnostic value in predicting the risk of diabetic retinopathy in patients with glucose metabolism disorders].

PubMed

Jończyk-Skórka, Katarzyna; Kowalski, Jan

2017-07-21

The aim of the study was to evaluate color vision and its diagnostic value in predicting the risk of diabetic retinopathy in patients with glucose metabolism disorders. The study involved 197 people, 92 women and 105 men aged 63.21 ± 8.74 years. In order to assess glucose metabolism disorders, patients were divided into three groups. The first group (DM) consisted of 60 people (16 women and 44 men aged 61.92 ± 8.46 years). These were people with type 2 diabetes. Second group (IFG IGT) consisted of 67 people (35 women and 32 men aged 65 ± 8.5 years). These were people who were diagnosed with impaired fasting glucose or impaired glucose tolerance. The third group, the control one (K) consisted of 70 people (41 women and 29 men aged 62.6 ± 9.06 years). They were healthy individuals. In order to assess diabetic retinopathy study population was divided into two groups. The first group (BZ) consisted of 177 patients (84 women and 93 men aged 62.9 ± 8.78 years) without diabetic retinopathy. The second group (NPDR) consisted of 20 patients (8 women and 12 men aged 65.95 ± 8.17 years) with diabetic retinopathy. Glucose metabolism disorders were diagnosed with glucose tolerance test (OGTT). Evaluation of retinopathy was based on eye examination. All patients underwent binocular Farnsworth-Munsell 100 Hue color vision test (test result is a Total Error Score - TES). In the healthy control group (K) there were less patients with diabetic retinopathy (p = 0,0101), and less patients with abnormal color vision test (p = 0,0001) than in other groups. Majority of patients in K group had generalized abnormalities of color vision while other groups demonstrated tritanomalią (p = 0,0018). It was discovered that sTES value adequately distinguishes group K from group IFG, IGT, DM (AUC = 0,673), group K from group DM (AUC = 0,701), and group K from group IFG IGT (AUC = 0,648) sTES does not differentiate groups IGT, IFG and DM (AUC = 0,563). It was shown that in IGT, IFG group sTES was an independent risk factor that increased the risk of prediabetes almost six times (OR 5,924, 95% CI [1,169- 30,036], p = 0,032). In DM group sTES was an independent risk factor, which increased the risk of diabetes more than thirteen times (OR 13,408, 95% CI [2,324-77,345], p = 0,004). Higher values of sTES occurred in patients with retinopathy (NPDR) (p <0,001) and multivariate analyzes demonstrated that sTES ≥1.04 was an independent risk factor that increased the risk of retinopathy over twenty times (OR 21,380, 95% CI [1,101 -89,241], p <0,001). sTES is an independent risk factor for glucose metabolism disorders that increases the risk of prediabetes almost six times and the risk of diabetes more than thirteen times. sTES ≥1,04 is an independent risk factor for diabetic retinopathy. sTES ≥1,04 increases the risk of diabetic retinopathy over twenty times. The color vision 100 Hue test can be useful in detecting glucose metabolism disorders even before the ophthalmoscopic manifestation of retinopathy. Early detection rises the possibility to prevent or delay the development of diabetes through lifestyle changes and implementation of healthy behaviors.

Roosting patterns in a captive colony of short-nosed fruit bat Cynopterus sphinx (Vahl).

PubMed

Gopukumar, N; Manikandan, M; Arivarignan, G

2002-10-01

Development of roosting patterns under a limited resource was studied in the short-nosed fruit bat C. sphinx in captivity. Spatial fidelity during the resting period (day time) and the individual male bat's presence/absence in the roost (occupancy index) were estimated during the active period (night time). Results show the presence of three groups on the basis of spatial fidelity. The first group was associated with the tent consisting of a harem male and seven females. The second group stayed near to the harem. The third group consisting of two males showed little occupancy index and no spatial fidelity. Female turnover between the first and second groups, and harem male replacement were observed. These findings of male groupings and female loyalty on the basis of "resource", suggest that resource defence polygyny is the primary mating strategy in C. sphinx.

Identifying organic aerosol sources by comparing functional group composition in chamber and atmospheric particles

PubMed Central

Russell, Lynn M.; Bahadur, Ranjit; Ziemann, Paul J.

2011-01-01

Measurements of submicron particles by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy in 14 campaigns in North America, Asia, South America, and Europe were used to identify characteristic organic functional group compositions of fuel combustion, terrestrial vegetation, and ocean bubble bursting sources, each of which often accounts for more than a third of organic mass (OM), and some of which is secondary organic aerosol (SOA) from gas-phase precursors. The majority of the OM consists of alkane, carboxylic acid, hydroxyl, and carbonyl groups. The organic functional groups formed from combustion and vegetation emissions are similar to the secondary products identified in chamber studies. The near absence of carbonyl groups in the observed SOA associated with combustion is consistent with alkane rather than aromatic precursors, and the absence of organonitrate groups can be explained by their hydrolysis in humid ambient conditions. The remote forest observations have ratios of carboxylic acid, organic hydroxyl, and nonacid carbonyl groups similar to those observed for isoprene and monoterpene chamber studies, but in biogenic aerosols transported downwind of urban areas the formation of esters replaces the acid and hydroxyl groups and leaves only nonacid carbonyl groups. The carbonyl groups in SOA associated with vegetation emissions provides striking evidence for the mechanism of esterification as the pathway for possible oligomerization reactions in the atmosphere. Forest fires include biogenic emissions that produce SOA with organic components similar to isoprene and monoterpene chamber studies, also resulting in nonacid carbonyl groups in SOA. PMID:21317360

Who Is Studying Arabic and Why? A Survey of Arabic Students' Orientation at a Major University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Husseinali, Ghassan

2006-01-01

This study investigates the initial motivation of learners of Arabic as a foreign language (AFL). One hundred and twenty students enrolled in first-year and second-year AFL classes participated in this study. The participants were classified into two major groups of learners according to their heritage background: The first group consisted of…

Social Exclusion and Quality of Life: An Empirical Study from Turkey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bayram, Nuran; Bilgel, Firat; Bilgel, Nazan Gonul

2012-01-01

We examine the perception of social exclusion and quality of life and their interactions among a group of Turkish citizens. For this purpose we used the social exclusion scale developed by Jehoel-Gijsbers and Vrooman and the WHOQOL-BREF scale. The study group consists of 2,493 participants who are residents of a city in Turkey. Our study was based…

The Effect of the Use of Interactive Whiteboard on Students' Motivation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ozerbas, Mehmet Arif

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study is to determine how the use of smart board affects the motivation levels of students. This research was carried out with true experimental group and a control group. The sample of the study consists of 50 sophomore students, studying at the Department of Classroom Teaching of the Elementary Education Division at Gazi…

The Effects of Teaching Informative Text through Processual Model on Reading Comprehension Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sulak, Süleyman Erkam; Günes, Firdevs

2017-01-01

This study was carried out in order to search the effects of teaching informative text structures through processual model on the reading comprehension skills of 4th grade students. The research was designed in accordance with experimental model with pre-test-post-test control groups. The study group of the study consisted of 62 fourth grade…

Effect of Screen Reading and Reading from Printed Out Material on Student Success and Permanency in Introduction to Computer Lesson

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tuncer, Murat; Bahadir, Ferdi

2014-01-01

In this study, the effect of screen reading and reading from printed out material on student success and permanency in Introduction to Computer Lesson is investigated. Study group of the research consists of 78 freshman students registered in Erzincan University Refahiye Vocational School Post Service department. Study groups of research consist…

Is Counseling Going to the Dogs? An Exploratory Study Related to the Inclusion of an Animal in Group Counseling with Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lange, Amber M.; Cox, Jane A.; Bernert, Donna J.; Jenkins, Christie D.

2007-01-01

Research has demonstrated that the use of animals in counseling provides beneficial effects to clients. This article presents literature on Animal-Assisted Therapy (AAT), and details an exploratory study that applied AAT in an adolescent anger management group. Consistent with other research, beneficial effects noted in this study included a…

Six teachers' experience with a video-based professional development program: Its implementation and development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nelson, Marianne T.

Many professional development programs fall short of accomplishing their objectives. Recently, programs have been developed that would appear to appeal to teachers and to enhance their potential to influence teachers' practice. My research describes six teachers' responses to a professional development program that employs video as a key feature. The Next Move program consists of eight two-hour sessions, and includes a one-hour video intended to stimulate discussion among a group of teachers. All group participants were invited to participate in the study. My interview sample consisted of six teachers from two groups who volunteered to participate in the study. The first group consisted of four study participants from an urban district. Twelve teachers from this district attended the initial session. Of these, seven became regular participants who completed all sessions. Most of them registered for the graduate credit option. Two study participants were from a single suburban elementary school that had five teachers; they occasionally met jointly with a group from another elementary school, so the numbers varied. Teachers volunteering for this study had from four to seventeen years experience. They were all Caucasian and included four women and two men. My data set consists of three interviews with each teacher, one at the start of the program, one after the last session, and one at the end of the school year. I interviewed each facilitator and jointly interviewed the program's producer and project manager. Additional data was obtained from observation of program sessions and classrooms. Print data sources were the program guide and the project summative evaluation. The data analysis suggests a poor match between the funder's intent and what the teachers expected, based on the program title and information in the promotional flyer. Because of these discontinuities, the program failed to meet its objectives fully. However, some interesting benefits did appear. For example, the classroom clips did focus teachers' discussion on pedagogical issues. Each participant, over the short duration of the study, did implement at least one program idea, and several teachers mentioned continuing conversations they had begun during program sessions.

Еvaluation of health status of children attending primary schools with different organization of physical education lessons

PubMed

Kondratiuk, Oleksandra S.; Korshun, Maria M.; Garkavyi, Serhii I.; Garkavyi, Serhii S.

2018-01-01

The mandatory swimming lesson in primary schools, equipped with swimming pools, was introduced without studying of its health-saving effectiveness. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the health status of pupils studying in schools with different organization of physical education lessons. Cross-sectional study was organized in two schools with different organization of physical education lessons. The experimental group (E) consisted of 408 children of 1‑4 year of study (210 girls and 198 boys) who during one of the lessons of physical education were engaged in swimming in the school basin. Control group (C) consisted of 279 primary school children (210 girls and 156 boys) from a neighboring educational institution where all physical education lessons were organized in the gym. The health status was evaluated using classical method of complex assessment of the state of health with the subsequent assignment of each child to one of the health groups. In result of evaluation of state of health there was established that among pupils from E group the proportion of boys with harmonious anthropometric parameters is higher (p<0.05), children from this group are stronger than C group (p<0.05). The prevalence of diseases of the musculoskeletal system and the eyes among pupils in E group was lower comparing to the C group (p<0.01). In the E group percentage of pupils assigned to health group I was significantly higher and lower for the II (children with some morpho-functional abnormalities) comparing to the C group. Organization of one mandatory swimming lesson per week in primary school has positive effect on health status of children.

Contradictions in stem cell research education amongst science educators and Buddhist, Christian and Muslim theologians

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elhayboubi, Samira Nawal

We examine how teachers approach stem cell research (SCR) as a controversial religio-scientific issue, and how theologians derive rulings in SCR. We also examine the contradictions teachers have regarding religio-scientific aspect of SCR. Two observations were the igniters of this study, increasing public involvement in political decision-making and changing demographics among voters. Two samples were gathered, a teachers' group and a theologians' group. The teachers' group consisted of 43 graduate-level Science education teachers and teachers-in-training from the University of Texas at Dallas and Stanford University. The theologian's group consisted of theologians from 3 denominations, Buddhism, Christianity and Islam. Data was obtained using Likert-surveys, open-ended questions and interviews. Results show that majority of the teachers' group are open to discussing SCR but fear retaliation.

Analysis of Test-Retest Reliability, Construct Validity, and Internal Consistency of the Brazilian Version of the Pelvic Girdle Questionnaire.

PubMed

Simões, Luan; Teixeira-Salmela, Luci Fuscaldi; Magalhães, Lívia; Stuge, Britt; Laurentino, Glória; Wanderley, Elaine; Barros, Raphaela; Lemos, Andrea

2018-04-24

The purpose of this study was to evaluate test-retest reliability, construct validity, and internal consistency of the Brazilian version of the Pelvic Girdle Questionnaire (PGQ-Brazil). Analysis of the measurement properties was carried out in 4 steps. Step 1 was the pilot study, on which basis 4 hypotheses were formulated. These hypotheses were tested during the next step (construct validity, step 2) by completion of the questionnaire by the 2 groups (in pain [n = 105] and not in pain [n = 52]). For implementation of the PGQ-Brazil in the group with pain, we calculated the internal consistency (step 3) and, 7 days later, test-retest reliability (step 4) by re-application of the instrument in this group. First, the PGQ-Brazil was able to discriminate between these groups (construct validity). Second, test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficients for Activities subscale [0.97 with 95% confidence interval of 0.95-0.98] and Symptoms subscale [0.98 with 95% confidence interval of 0.97-0.98] and κ coefficient between 0.50 and 0.89 for the items) was found to be good; the Bland-Altman test indicated satisfactory agreement. The Rasch analysis indicated good internal consistency, and the instrument's ability to divide the participants into at least 3 levels of skills was confirmed. In contrast, a ceiling effect was observed, as 24% of pregnant women exhibited skills superior to what the PGQ-Brazil could evaluate. The PGQ-Brazil had good internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and construct validity in assessment of limitations in activities and symptoms of pregnant women with pelvic girdle pain. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

[Factors influencing the effectiveness of physical rehabilitation after myocardial infarction].

PubMed

Sumin, A N; Beresneva, V L; Enina, T N; Verkhoshapova, T N; Kabova, E A; Valeeva, V I; Shapaurina, N V

2007-01-01

The aim of the study was to compare initial clinical, hemodynamic, and vegetative parameters in patients with myocardial infarction (MI) who had undergone physical rehabilitation with different results. The subjects were 106 male patients aged 48.6 +/- 0.95 years undergoing sanatorium rehabilitation after MI. According to the dynamics of exercise tolerance (ET) during the course of treatment, the subjects were divided into three groups: group one consisted of 39 patients with a significant ET growth of more than 10W, group two consisted of 47 patients with no changes in ET or its insignificant growth of less than 10W, and group three consisted of 20 patients with a decrease in ET revealed during a repeated test. In group three patients, the initial EchoCG examination revealed a higher degree of myocardial lesion, which was manifested by lowered ejection fraction and sphericity index, increased end-diastolic volume, and increased degree of left ventricular (LV) asynergy. Furthermore, day-time ventricular extrasystoles were more frequent in these patients; the number of patients with large-focal MI, LV aneurysm, and post-infarction stenocardia was also higher in group three. Correlation and multiple step regression analysis revealed that both initial parameters of vegetative nervous system, data from initial load test, and the EchoCG measurements of the right atrium were associated with the degree of ET growth according to VEM results. The data from the study are able to help individualize rehabilitation of MI patients, especially those with severe myocardial lesion.

A Group Decision Framework with Intuitionistic Preference Relations and Its Application to Low Carbon Supplier Selection.

PubMed

Tong, Xiayu; Wang, Zhou-Jing

2016-09-19

This article develops a group decision framework with intuitionistic preference relations. An approach is first devised to rectify an inconsistent intuitionistic preference relation to derive an additive consistent one. A new aggregation operator, the so-called induced intuitionistic ordered weighted averaging (IIOWA) operator, is proposed to aggregate individual intuitionistic fuzzy judgments. By using the mean absolute deviation between the original and rectified intuitionistic preference relations as an order inducing variable, the rectified consistent intuitionistic preference relations are aggregated into a collective preference relation. This treatment is presumably able to assign different weights to different decision-makers' judgments based on the quality of their inputs (in terms of consistency of their original judgments). A solution procedure is then developed for tackling group decision problems with intuitionistic preference relations. A low carbon supplier selection case study is developed to illustrate how to apply the proposed decision model in practice.

A Group Decision Framework with Intuitionistic Preference Relations and Its Application to Low Carbon Supplier Selection

PubMed Central

Tong, Xiayu; Wang, Zhou-Jing

2016-01-01

This article develops a group decision framework with intuitionistic preference relations. An approach is first devised to rectify an inconsistent intuitionistic preference relation to derive an additive consistent one. A new aggregation operator, the so-called induced intuitionistic ordered weighted averaging (IIOWA) operator, is proposed to aggregate individual intuitionistic fuzzy judgments. By using the mean absolute deviation between the original and rectified intuitionistic preference relations as an order inducing variable, the rectified consistent intuitionistic preference relations are aggregated into a collective preference relation. This treatment is presumably able to assign different weights to different decision-makers’ judgments based on the quality of their inputs (in terms of consistency of their original judgments). A solution procedure is then developed for tackling group decision problems with intuitionistic preference relations. A low carbon supplier selection case study is developed to illustrate how to apply the proposed decision model in practice. PMID:27657097

Report on Focus Groups Conducted for the Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence and the Partnership for Kentucky School Reform.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roberts, Rona; Kay, Steve

Findings of a study that explored focus group participants' views on public schools and Kentucky's recent education reform efforts are presented in this document. In May 1992, 7 focus groups, with a total of 70 participants, were conducted at 6 locations throughout Kentucky. Three groups consisted of citizens who were not public school employees,…

Comparative evaluation of effectiveness of sodium dichloroisocyanurate and calcium hydroxide against Candida albicans.

PubMed

Kurian, Jacob; Bolla, Nagesh; Damaraju, Bhargavi

2012-09-01

Candida albicans is the most commonly isolated fungi from the oral cavity. It is the most infective to various intracanal medicaments and is considered as invasive yeast. Sodium dichloroisocyanurate (NaDCC) which is used as a disinfectant and as a biocide in treating potable water has similar action to that of sodium hypochlorite against microbes. The aim of the present study is to compare the effectiveness of calcium hydroxide and NaDCC against Candida albicans. After obtaining the stock cultures of Candida, the isolates were divided into six groups which were exposed to different concentrations of NaDCC and calcium hydroxide Ca(OH)₂. Group 1 consisted of the isolates which were subdivided into three groups, subjected to three different concentrations of NaDCC. Group 2 also consisted of three subgroups exposed to three different concentrations of Ca(OH)₂. Group three consisted of three subgroups which were exposed to three different concentrations of combinations of both NaDCC and Ca(OH)₂. The results of the present study show that calcium hydroxide was totally ineffective at all concentrations and NaDCC was effective and also the combination of both was shown to be effective. NaDCC alone was effective at all concentrations and the combination with Ca(OH)₂ was found to be less effective. Ca(OH)₂ was totally ineffective.

Differentiation of constrictive pericarditis from restrictive cardiomyopathy: the case for high-resolution dynamic tomographic imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weiss, Robert M.; Otoadese, Eramosele A.; Oren, Ron M.

1995-05-01

The syndrome of constrictive pericarditis (CP) presents a diagnostic challenge to the clinician. This study was undertaken to determine whether cine computed tomography (CT), a cardiac imaging technique with excellent temporal and spatial resolution, can reliably demonstrate the unique abnormalities of pericardial anatomy and ventricular physiology present in patients with this condition. A second goal of this study was to determine whether the presence of diseased thickened pericardium, by itself, imparts cardiac impairment due to abnormalities of ventricular diastolic function. Methods: Twelve patients with CP suspected clinically, in whom invasive hemodynamic study was consistent with the diagnosis of CP, underwent cine CT. They were subdivided into Group 1 (CP, N equals 5) and Group 2 (No CP, N equals 7) based on histopathologic evaluation of tissue obtained at the time of surgery or autopsy. A third group consisted of asymptomatic patients with incidentally discovered thickened pericardium at the time of cine CT scanning: Group 3 (ThP, N equals 7). Group 4 (Nl, N equals 7) consisted of healthy volunteer subjects. Results: Pericardial thickness measurements with cine CT clearly distinguished Group 1 (mean equals 10 +/- 2 mm) from Group 2 (mean equals 2 +/- 1 mm), with diagnostic accuracy of 100% compared to histopathological findings. In addition, patients in Group 1 had significantly more brisk early diastolic filling of both left and right ventricles than those in Group 2, which clearly distinguished all patients with, from all patients without CP. Patients in Group 3 had pericardial thicknesses similar to those in Group 1 (mean equals 9 +/- 1 mm, p equals NS), but had patterns of diastolic ventricular filling that were nearly identical to Group 4 (Nl). Conclusions: The abnormalities of anatomy and ventricular function present in the syndrome of constrictive pericarditis are clearly and decisively identified by cine CT. This allows a reliable distinction between patients with constrictive pericarditis and those with cardiomyopathy. The presence of diseased thickened pericardium does not by itself impart impairment of ventricular diastolic function. Thus, definitive diagnosis of constrictive pericarditis requires demonstration of both abnormal anatomy and physiology.

Validation and Cultural Adaptation of the Arabic Version of the Eating Assessment Tool (EAT-10).

PubMed

Farahat, Mohamed; Mesallam, Tamer A

2015-01-01

The Eating Assessment Tool (EAT-10) is a 10-item self-administered questionnaire. It is a noninvasive tool to measure patients' perception of their swallowing problems. The purposes of the present study were to develop an Arabic version of the EAT-10 and to evaluate its validity, consistency, and reliability in the Arabic-speaking population with oropharyngeal dysphagia. This was a prospective study carried out at the Communication and Swallowing Disorders Unit, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The Arabic EAT-10 was administered to 138 patients with oropharyngeal dysphagia and 83 control subjects. Internal consistency and test-retest reliability were evaluated. Content and clinical validity were studied, and the EAT-10 results were compared across patients and control groups. The Arabic EAT-10 showed excellent internal consistency (Cronbach's α = 0.92). Also, good test-retest reliability was found for the total scores of the Arabic EAT-10 (intraclass correlation = 0.73). There was a significant difference in Arabic EAT-10 scores between the oropharyngeal dysphagia group and the control group (p < 0.001). This study demonstrated that the Arabic EAT-10 is a valid tool that can be used for screening of dysphagia-related problems in an Arabic-speaking population. © 2016 S. Karger AG, Basel.

The effect of gender on the early results of coronary artery bypass surgery in the younger patients' group

PubMed Central

Uncu, Hasan; Acipayam, Mehmet; Altinay, Levent; Doğan, Pinar; Davarcı, Isil; Özsöyler, İbrahim

2014-01-01

Introduction In this retrospective study, we aimed to determine the risk factors for coronary artery bypass surgery in patients under 45 years of age, and evaluate the early postoperative results and the effect of gender. Methods A total of 324 patients under 45 years of age who undergone on-pump coronary artery bypass surgery between April 12, 2004 and January 10, 2012 were included to the study. Patients divided into groups as follows: Group 1 consisted of 269 males (mean age 41.3), Group 2 consisted of 55 females (mean age 41.6). Preoperative risk factors, intraoperative and postoperative data and early mortality rates of the groups were compared. Results Smoking rate was significantly higher in Group 1. Diabetes mellitus incidence and body mass index were significantly higher in Group 2 (P values P=0.01; P=0.0001; P=0.04 respectively). The aortic cross-clamping and cardiopulmonary bypass time and number of grafts per patient were significantly higher in Group 1 (P values P=0.04; P=0.04; P=0.002 respectively). There were no deaths in either group. Conclusion We found that gender has no effect on early mortality rates of the coronary bypass surgery patients under 45 years. PMID:25714211

Animal Study on Primary Dysmenorrhoea Treatment at Different Administration Times

PubMed Central

Pu, Bao-Chan; Fang, Ling; Gao, Li-Na; Liu, Rui; Li, Ai-zhu

2015-01-01

The new methods of different administration times for the treatment of primary dysmenorrhea are more widely used clinically; however, no obvious mechanism has been reported. Therefore, an animal model which is closer to clinical evaluation is indispensable. A novel animal experiment with different administration times, based on the mice oestrous cycle, for primary dysmenorrhoea treatment was explored in this study. Mice were randomly divided into two parts (one-cycle and three-cycle part) and each part includes five groups (12 mice per group), namely, Jingqian Zhitong Fang (JQF) 6-day group, JQF last 3-day group, Yuanhu Zhitong tablet group, model control group, and normal control group. According to the one-way ANOVAs, results (writhing reaction, and PGF2α, PGE2, NO, and calcium ions analysis by ELISA) of the JQF cycle group were in accordance with those of JQF last 3-day group. Similarly, results of three-cycle continuous administration were consistent with those of one-cycle treatment. In conclusion, the consistency of the experimental results illustrated that the novel animal model based on mice oestrous cycle with different administration times is more reasonable and feasible and can be used to explore in-depth mechanism of drugs for the treatment of primary dysmenorrhoea in future. PMID:25705236

Evaluation of the interferon-γ assay on blood collected at exsanguination of cattle under field conditions for surveillance of bovine tuberculosis.

PubMed

Okafor, C C; Grooms, D L; Bolin, S R; Averill, J J; Kaneene, J B

2014-12-01

Development of point of concentration (POC) surveillance strategies for bovine tuberculosis (bTB) would facilitate global efforts to eradicate bTB. The interferon-gamma (IFNγ) assay can detect IFNγ responses to Mycobacterium bovis in blood collected at commencement of exsanguination (COE) of experimentally challenged cattle but has not been evaluated under field conditions. The current study was aimed at determining (i) whether blood collected at COE of cattle at slaughter, under field conditions, is practical to obtain and useful for identifying cattle as IFNγ positive for bTB, (ii) whether the results of the IFNγ assay obtained at COE reliably compare with results obtained from live animals in the field, and (iii) whether the identified animal(s) originated from bTB-infected or bTB-exposed herds. Cattle from three risk groups were used: the highest risk group consisted of 49 cattle from 3 bTB-infected herds; the medium risk group consisted of 24 cattle from a potentially exposed herd; and the lowest risk group consisted of 60 cattle from herds with no known history of bTB exposure. The IFNγ assay was performed on blood collected both before stunning and at COE of cattle at slaughter. An enhanced slaughter inspection for gross lesions consistent with bTB was performed on all cattle. In addition, lymph nodes were cultured for M. bovis for cattle that tested positive for bTB via the IFNγ assay and for most cattle that tested negative for bTB. Cattle, both with and without lesions consistent with bTB, were identified as positive for bTB by the IFNγ assay using blood collected at COE, but none of the positive cattle originated from the lowest risk group. The current study demonstrates that blood collected at COE of cattle is both a practical and moderately reliable sample for accessing bTB infection using the IFNγ assay. © 2013 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Evaluation of teeth loss among workers in the laminate and composite materials department of aircraft factory.

PubMed

Bachanek, Teresa; Samborski, Dariusz; Chałas, Renata; Wolańska, Ewa

2005-01-01

Liquid epoxide resins, solvents and solvent-modified epoxide resins, as well as hardeners for epoxide resins, appear to be skin and mucosa irritants of different intensity and possibly have allergenic properties. Therefore, it is required that the employees are qualified and industrial safety rules are followed when these substances are in use in the manufacturing process. Our study evaluated the state of dentition and analysed the loss of teeth in the workers of the laminate and composite materials department of aircraft factory. The research has been carried out in a group of 114 workers, which consisted of 88 men and 26 women 20 to 61 years old. The control group consisted of 41 workers of the administration department in the aircraft factory who did not have any contact with chemical compounds. The workers in the studied group are characterised as having an unsatisfactory state of dentition, as shown by the high rate of lost teeth (74 %). Statistically significant difference between the studied group and the control was found when the relationship between the number of lost molar teeth in women in the studied group and those in the control group is taken into consideration, a statistically significant difference appears to refer to teeth 46 and 27. The same statistically important correlation between men in the control and studied groups concerns teeth 16. The research data shows that incisor teeth are the least frequently extracted teeth in the whole population studied. Statistically significant differences can be noted for teeth 21 and 23 between the women in the control group and those in the studied one. Future studies are necessary to assess the potential relationship between the loss of teeth among workers of the department of laminate and composite materials of aircraft factory and their workplace.

Tactical Mobile Communications (Communications tactiques mobiles)

DTIC Science & Technology

1999-11-01

13]. randomly at the network nodes. Each multicast group Our studies do, in fact, support this conjecture. consists of the source node plus at least...Capability investigate the MMR concept in some more detail. The study was contracted to a group which Multi-role denotes the capability to support a...through the HW- and SW-resources of the frontends can be incorporated in a task-dedicated GPU. Functions can be grouped into four categories: MMR

Water yields from forests: an agnostic view

Treesearch

Robert R. Ziemer

1987-01-01

Abstract - Although experimental watershed studies have consistently shown that water yield can be increased by removing trees and shrubs, programs to increase water yield on an operational scale have consistently failed. Failure has been related to overstated goals and benefits, unrealistic assumptions, political naivete, and the emergence of new interest groups....

"You Could Be Doing Brain Surgery": Gifted Girls Becoming Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Willard-Holt, Colleen

2008-01-01

This qualitative study focuses on messages to gifted girls about their choice of a career in teaching. Participants consisted of 18 female teachers identified as gifted. The methodology consisted of semistructured interviews and focus group discussions. Findings indicate that messages of discouragement toward a career in teaching were more…

A Head Start Control Group. Part of the Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cunningham, Grover

A study was conducted to determine if the observed changes in Head Start children were related to the practice effects inherent in a test-retest situation. The "control" group consisted of 64 children who had been eligible for a Head Start program. They roughly matched a group of Head Start (HS) children in IQ scores, age, and…

Adapting and Evaluating a Tree of Life Group for Women with Learning Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Randle-Phillips, Cathy; Farquhar, Sarah; Thomas, Sally

2016-01-01

Background: This study describes how a specific narrative therapy approach called 'the tree of life' was adapted to run a group for women with learning disabilities. The group consisted of four participants and ran for five consecutive weeks. Materials and Methods: Participants each constructed a tree to represent their lives and presented their…

Latent Profile Analysis of Sixth Graders Based on Teacher Ratings: Association with School Dropout

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Orpinas, Pamela; Raczynski, Katherine; Peters, Jaclyn Wetherington; Colman, Laura; Bandalos, Deborah

2015-01-01

The goal of this study was to identify meaningful groups of sixth graders with common characteristics based on teacher ratings of assets and maladaptive behaviors, describe dropout rates for each group, and examine the validity of these groups using students' self-reports. The sample consisted of racially diverse students (n = 675) attending sixth…

Informal Learning: Student Achievement and Motivation in Science through Museum-Based Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holmes, Julie A.

2011-01-01

This study examined changes in student motivation and achievement in science during a visit to a university children's science museum. The study was based on the pretest-posttest control comparison group design with four treatment groups: control, exhibit, lesson and exhibit/lesson. The sample consisted of 228 sixth-grade students from a Louisiana…

Attitudes of Jordanian Students towards Using Group Work in EFL Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ababneh, Sana'

2017-01-01

This paper addresses itself to the outcomes of a field study which was carried out to identify Jordanian EFL students' attitudes towards using group work in EFL classrooms. The study sample consisted of 179 students enrolled in English 101, an elementary language skills course taught at Al- Huson University College, Al -Balqa' Applied University,…

A Study on Social Competence and Temperament of Pre-School Children's

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pekdogan, Serpil; Kanak, Mehmet

2016-01-01

The purpose of this research is to explore the social competence and temperament of 4-6 age group children attending pre-school education institutions, to identify whether their social competence levels vary by gender, and to show the relationship between the sub-dimensions of social competence and those of temperament. The study group consists of…

Using Technology for Teaching Arabic Language Grammar

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arrabtah, Adel; Nusour, Tayseer

2012-01-01

This study investigates the effect of using technology such as CD-ROM, computers, and internet to teach Arabic language grammar to students at Princess Alia University College at Al-Balqa University. The sample of the study consisted of 122 third year female students; (64) for the experimental group and (58) for the control group. The subjects of…

Citizenship Orientation of Two Israeli Minority Groups: Israeli-Arab and Eastern-Jewish Youth.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ichilov, Orit

The purpose of this study was to examine and compare how Israeli-Arab and Eastern-Jewish adolescents view the role of the citizen. Both groups share a minority status within Israeli society, but have different socializing environments and different political and cultural status. The study population consisted of 118 Israeli-Arab and 279…

A Study of Leadership Strategies and Their Impact on Teacher Working Conditions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rosenbalm, Elizabeth M.

2012-01-01

Throughout this study, the researcher sought to find the key strategies needed to improve school culture and working conditions. These findings were measured by the 2010 and 2012 North Carolina Teacher Working Conditions Survey (NC TWCS) data, as well as staff focus-group dialogue at three selected schools. The participant groups consisted of an…

The Influence of Reflection on Employee Psychological Empowerment: Report of an Exploratory Workplace Field Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cyboran, Vincent L.

2005-01-01

The study examined the influences of reflection on the self-perception of empowerment in the workplace. The convenience sample consisted of non-management knowledge workers at a software company headquartered in the United States. A pretest, posttest control group design was used. The experimental group kept guided journals of their learning…

Diverse Educational Leadership Training Academy at Northeastern State University-Broken Arrow Campus in Oklahoma: Why Is It Working?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mahan, Melissa Kaye

2009-01-01

Scope and method of study. This study used a descriptive design in which quantitative subject profile data were expanded upon by qualitative data from focus group interviews. Specifically, institutional data from Northeastern State University and focus group interviews with DELTA graduates were used. The institutional data collected consisted of…

Stereotype-based faultlines and out-group derogation in diverse teams: The moderating roles of task stereotypicality and need for cognition.

PubMed

Stanciu, Adrian

2017-01-01

Alignment of individuals on more than one diversity attribute (i.e., faultlines) may lead to intergroup biases in teams, disrupting the efficiency expectancies. Research has yet to examine if this can be a consequence of a stereotypical consistency between social and information attributes of diversity. The present study tests the hypothesis that, in a team with a stereotype-based faultline (a stereotypical consistency between gender and skills), there is increased out-group derogation compared to a team with a stereotype-inconsistent faultline. Furthermore, the study proposes that tasks can activate stereotypes, and the need for cognition dictates whether stereotypes are applied. The findings confirm the hypothesis and additionally provide evidence that tasks that activate gender stereotypes emphasize out-group derogation, especially for team members with low need for cognition.

Factor Structure of the Spiritual Well-Being Scale: Cross-Cultural Comparisons Between Jordanian Arab and Malaysian Muslim University Students in Jordan.

PubMed

Musa, Ahmad S

2016-03-01

This study reported the differences in factor structure of the Spiritual Well-Being Scale (SWBS) among Jordanian Arab and Malaysian Muslim participants and further examined its validity and reliability. A convenience sample of 553 Jordanian Arab and 183 Malaysian Malay Muslim university students was recruited from governmental universities in northern Jordan. The findings of this study revealed that this scale consists of two factors for the Jordanian Arab group, representing the "Religious Well-Being" and the "Existential Well-Being" subscales, and consists of three factors for the Malaysian group, representing the "Affiliation/Meaning and Purpose," "Positive Existential Well-Being/God Caring and Love," and "Alienation/Despair" subscales. In conclusion, the factor structure of the SWBS for both groups in this study was psychometrically sound with evidence of acceptable to good validity and reliability. Furthermore, this study supported the multidimensional nature of the SWBS and the earlier notion that ethnicity shapes responses to this scale. © The Author(s) 2014.

Inbreeding Avoidance Drives Consistent Variation of Fine-Scale Genetic Structure Caused by Dispersal in the Seasonal Mating System of Brandt’s Voles

PubMed Central

Liu, Xiao Hui; Yue, Ling Fen; Wang, Da Wei; Li, Ning; Cong, Lin

2013-01-01

Inbreeding depression is a major evolutionary and ecological force influencing population dynamics and the evolution of inbreeding-avoidance traits such as mating systems and dispersal. Mating systems and dispersal are fundamental determinants of population genetic structure. Resolving the relationships among genetic structure, seasonal breeding-related mating systems and dispersal will facilitate our understanding of the evolution of inbreeding avoidance. The goals of this study were as follows: (i) to determine whether females actively avoided mating with relatives in a group-living rodent species, Brandt’s voles (Lasiopodomys brandtii), by combined analysis of their mating system, dispersal and genetic structure; and (ii) to analyze the relationships among the variation in fine-genetic structure, inbreeding avoidance, season-dependent mating strategies and individual dispersal. Using both individual- and population-level analyses, we found that the majority of Brandt’s vole groups consisted of close relatives. However, both group-specific FISs, an inbreeding coefficient that expresses the expected percentage rate of homozygosity arising from a given breeding system, and relatedness of mates showed no sign of inbreeding. Using group pedigrees and paternity analysis, we show that the mating system of Brandt’s voles consists of a type of polygyny for males and extra-group polyandry for females, which may decrease inbreeding by increasing the frequency of mating among distantly-related individuals. The consistent variation in within-group relatedness, among-group relatedness and fine-scale genetic structures was mostly due to dispersal, which primarily occurred during the breeding season. Biologically relevant variation in the fine-scale genetic structure suggests that dispersal during the mating season may be a strategy to avoid inbreeding and drive the polygynous and extra-group polyandrous mating system of this species. PMID:23516435

Values Range of Tympanometric Gradient in Otitis Media With Effusion.

PubMed

Duzer, Sertac; Sakallioglu, Oner; Akyigit, Abdulvahap; Polat, Cahit; Cetiner, Hasan; Susaman, Nihat

2017-05-01

The aim of this study was to establish how reliable a given tympanogram is in predicting the presence or absence of a middle ear effusion, and to provide new views for the diagnostic information of tympanometry. The use of tympanometric gradient in addition to static admittance is the focus of this study. The authors enrolled 146 female and 129 male patients. The participants were allocated into groups as follow: Group A1 consisted of 50 healthy children. Group A2 consisted of 86 children with otitis media with effusion. Group B1 consisted of 85 healthy adults. Group B2 consisted of 54 adults with otitis media with effusion. All diagnostic otoscopic examination and tympanometry were performed in both ears. The authors analyzed the distribution of tympanograms in patients with otitis media with effusion and healthy controls. When the right and left ear canal volume of either children or adults with otitis media with effusion compared with healthy controls, no statistically significant different was observed (P > 0.05). On the other hand, the statistically significant difference was detected for the values of compliance, pressure and gradient of either children or adults with otitis media with effusion compared with healthy controls (P < 0.05). The authors found the values range from 0.01 to 1.52 mL gradients (mean least value 0.15 mL) in adults and the values range from 0.01 to 0.93 mL gradients (mean least value 0.10 mL) in children in the presence of otitis media with effusion. The authors think that tympanometric gradient may be useful to detect the otitis media with effusion.

Time reproduction performance is associated with age and working memory in high-functioning youth with autism spectrum disorder.

PubMed

Brenner, Laurie A; Shih, Vivian H; Colich, Natalie L; Sugar, Catherine A; Bearden, Carrie E; Dapretto, Mirella

2015-02-01

Impaired temporal processing has historically been viewed as a hallmark feature of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Recent evidence suggests temporal processing deficits may also be characteristic of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, little is known about the factors that impact temporal processing in children with ASD. The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of co-morbid attention problems, working memory (WM), age, and their interactions, on time reproduction in youth with and without ASD. Twenty-seven high-functioning individuals with ASD and 25 demographically comparable typically developing individuals (ages 9-17; 85% male) were assessed on measures of time reproduction, auditory WM, and inattention/hyperactivity. The time reproduction task required depression of a computer key to mimic interval durations of 4, 8, 12, 16, or 20 sec. Mixed effects regression analyses were used to model accuracy and variability of time reproduction as functions of diagnostic group, interval duration, age, WM, and inattention/hyperactivity. A significant group by age interaction was detected for accuracy, with the deficit in the ASD group being greater in younger children. There was a significant group by WM interaction for consistency, with the effects of poor WM on performance consistency being more pronounced in youth with ASD. All participants tended to underestimate longer interval durations and to be less consistent for shorter interval durations; these effects appeared more pronounced in those who were younger or who had poorer WM performance. Inattention/hyperactivity symptoms in the ASD group were not related to either accuracy or consistency. This study highlights the potential value of temporal processing as an intermediate trait of relevance to multiple neurodevelopmental disorders. © 2014 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The Contribution of Music to the Fluent Writing Skills: Mayaz Technique

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Batur, Zekerya

2016-01-01

This is an experimental study. In this study, experimental and control groups have been formed based on the scores obtained from Turkish language exams. The study group consists of 80 pupils currently studying in the 5th and 6th grades of the secondary school who have an average GPA of 70 to 80 (of the 5th grade pupils, 20 of them are in the…

Effect of socio-cultural factors on spontaneous abortion in Burdur, Turkey: A population based case-control study.

PubMed

Catak, Binali; Oner, Can; Sutlu, Sevinc; Kilinc, Selcuk

2016-01-01

To determine the sociocultural factors that have effect on spontaneous abortion in Burdur, Turkey. Study was designed as case-control study. The case group consist of 257 women whose pregnancies ended with spontaneous abortion. The control group consisted of 514 women whose pregnancy continued since 22 weeks and more during the study. Chi-square, and backward LR logistic regression were utilized in analyses. In multifactorial-analyses it was determined that four factors (educational status of women, employment status of women, exposure to physical violence and non-receipt of ANC) created independent risk on spontaneous abortions. Pregnant women with these risk factors should be followed up more frequently and in a more qualified way in primary and secondary and tertiary health institutions.

Does a SLAP lesion affect shoulder muscle recruitment as measured by EMG activity during a rugby tackle?

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background The study objective was to assess the influence of a SLAP lesion on onset of EMG activity in shoulder muscles during a front on rugby football tackle within professional rugby players. Methods Mixed cross-sectional study evaluating between and within group differences in EMG onset times. Testing was carried out within the physiotherapy department of a university sports medicine clinic. The test group consisted of 7 players with clinically diagnosed SLAP lesions, later verified on arthroscopy. The reference group consisted of 15 uninjured and full time professional rugby players from within the same playing squad. Controlled tackles were performed against a tackle dummy. Onset of EMG activity was assessed from surface EMG of Pectorialis Major, Biceps Brachii, Latissimus Dorsi, Serratus Anterior and Infraspinatus muscles relative to time of impact. Analysis of differences in activation timing between muscles and limbs (injured versus non-injured side and non injured side versus matched reference group). Results Serratus Anterior was activated prior to all other muscles in all (P = 0.001-0.03) subjects. In the SLAP injured shoulder Biceps was activated later than in the non-injured side. Onset times of all muscles of the non-injured shoulder in the injured player were consistently earlier compared with the reference group. Whereas, within the injured shoulder, all muscle activation timings were later than in the reference group. Conclusions This study shows that in shoulders with a SLAP lesion there is a trend towards delay in activation time of Biceps and other muscles with the exception of an associated earlier onset of activation of Serratus anterior, possibly due to a coping strategy to protect glenohumeral stability and thoraco-scapular stability. This trend was not statistically significant in all cases PMID:20184752

[The Effect of Health Coaching Programs on Self-Efficacy, Health Behaviors, and Quality of Life in Hypertensive People Living in Poverty].

PubMed

Eom, Sun Ok; Lee, Insook

2017-06-01

This study was designed to determine the effects of health coaching and mediating variables on quantitative aspect of health in low-income hypertensive people. The experimental group for the current study consisted of 21 clients who received health coaching services, and the control group consisted of 22 clients who received home-visiting nursing services. Two groups received health coaching or homevisiting nursing services once a week for 8 weeks. The evaluation variables were self-efficacy, nutrition management, health behaviors, self-rated health, and quality of life. The results revealed that the level of nutrition management was significantly higher in the experimental group than the control group (F=10.33, p=.005). These results confirm that health coaching is a useful strategy that encourages clients to continuously maintain their own health behaviors. Thus, the findings of the current study provide useful data for establishing measures for the health management of those afflicted with chronic disease, such as hypertension. Furthermore, health coaching may be developed into useful intervention strategies for dealing with chronic diseases and improving home-visiting nursing. © 2017 Korean Society of Nursing Science

Effects of the functional regulator III on transversal changes: a postero-anterior cephalometric and model study.

PubMed

Kilic, Nihat; Celikoglu, Mevlüt; Oktay, Hüsamettin

2011-12-01

Studies assessing the transversal treatment changes caused by the functional regulator III (FR-3) are limited in number. This clinical study was planned to analyse the transversal effects of the FR-3 appliance therapy. The treatment group consisted of 17 patients (8 males and 9 females) with Class III malocclusion, who were treated with the FR-3 appliance. The control group consisted of 17 subjects (7 males and 10 females) with a normal occlusion. Mean ages of the subjects were 10.73 and 10.66 years in the treatment and control groups, respectively. Postero-anterior radiographs and stone casts were obtained before (T1) and after (T2) treatment/observation. The results of the Student's t-test comparing initial values showed that maxillary dentoalveolar and skeletal widths are significantly larger in the control group than those in the treatment group. At the end of the treatment, significant transverse increments occurred only at the dentoalveolar level of the maxilla. The transversal changes in the mandible were not statistically significant. Buccal shields of FR-3 did not stimulate the growth of maxillary apical base but caused an enhanced and supplementary widening of maxillary dental and alveolar structures.

Effectiveness of E-Content Package on Teaching IUPAC Nomenclature of Organic Chemistry at Undergraduate Level

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Devendiran, G.; Vakkil, M.

2017-01-01

This study attempts to discover the effectiveness of an e-content package when teaching IUPAC nomenclature of organic chemistry at the undergraduate level. The study consisted of a Pre-test-Post-test Non Equivalent Groups Design, and the sample of 71 (n = 71) students were drawn from two colleges. The overall study was divided into two groups, an…

[Bacterial vaginosis and preterm delivery risk].

PubMed

Milewicz, Tomasz; Hejnar, Janusz; Jach, Robert; Jaworowski, Andrzej P; Piskorz, Tomasz; Gach, Andrzej; Krzysiek, Józef

2010-01-01

The aim of the study was to evaluate the impact of early, second trimester bacterial vaginosis [BV] on the number of threatened preterm deliveries. Group A consisted of 52 pregnant women in whom BV was diagnosed in the beginning of the 2nd trimester of pregnancy. Group A patients were treated with a 10 day course of metronidazole 0.5 g vaginally daily. Group B consisted of 122 pregnant women without BV. The number of cases with threatened preterm delivery was prospectively assessed in both groups. There were 28 cases of threatened preterm delivery in group A (53.8%) and 6 similar cases in group B (4.9%) (p < 0.05--Chi square test d.f.1). All cases (n = 20) of BV at the time of hospitalization due to threatened preterm delivery occurred in group A. The cases of threatened preterm delivery occurred significantly more frequently in pregnant patients who had the BV diagnosed in the beginning of the 2nd trimester. This may suggest the link between BV and the occurrence of threatened preterm deliveries.

[The levels of selected cytokines in patients with colorectal cancer--a preliminary report].

PubMed

Grotowski, M; Piechota, W

2001-10-01

The aim of the study was to examine the frequency of the increased serum levels selected cytokines (IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10) in colorectal cancer and correlation their concentrations with stage of the tumour. The study was done on group consisted of 30 diagnosed colorectal cancer patients, with different location and stage of the tumour. Dukes described the used classification of stage of the tumour. The results were compared with control group consisted of 10 healthy persons. The cytokines were assayed by ELISA method (R&D Systems Minneapolis). In colorectal cancer group the serum levels of IL-6 were increased 3.5 times, IL-8--5 times and IL-10--13 times in comparison with control group. The serum levels of IL-6 and IL-8 increased with stages of the tumour, whereas IL-10 only in stage D. The serum levels of IL-4 were never elevated. This results permit for further study on usefulness of IL-6, IL-8 and IL-10 as a markers for colorectal cancer in clinical use.

Mandibular Third Molar Extraction Wound Healing With and Without Platelet Rich Plasma: A Comparative Prospective Study.

PubMed

Dutta, Shubha Ranjan; Singh, Purnima; Passi, Deepak; Patter, Pradeep

2015-09-01

To evaluate the efficacy of autologous platelet rich plasma (PRP) in regeneration of bone and to assess clinical compatibility of the material in mandibular third molar extraction socket. To compare the healing of mandibular third molar extraction wounds with and without PRP. Group A consists of the 30 patients where PRP will be placed in the extraction socket before closure of the socket. Group B consists of 30 patients who will be the control group where the extraction sockets will be closed without any intra socket medicaments. The patients would be allocated to the groups randomly. Soft tissue healing was better in study site compared to control site. The result of the study shows rapid bone regeneration in the extraction socket treated with PRP when compared with the socket without PRP. Evaluation for bone blending and trabecular bone formation started earlier in PRP site compared to control, non PRP site. Also there was less postoperative discomfort on the PRP treated side. Autologous PRP is biocompatible and has significant improved soft tissue healing, bone regeneration and increase in bone density in extraction sockets.

Evaluating Por Nuestra Salud: A Feasibility Study.

PubMed

Marshall, Brenda; Gonzales, Gustavo; Kernan, William

2016-01-01

This feasibility study evaluated the impact of a culturally consistent diabetes educational program, led by a Latino pastor, on Latino community diabetes knowledge levels. Latino adults were recruited from two churches serving Latino populations, one identified as intervention, the other as nonintervention. Both churches received the American Diabetes Association's booklets on diabetes education, "Four Steps to Control Your Diabetes for Life." The intervention group also received weekly reviews of the booklet's information from the church pastor, who was educated about diabetes by a Latino family nurse practitioner. Pre- and postintervention levels of diabetes knowledge were measured using the Diabetes Knowledge Questionnaire. Mean changes in the Diabetes Knowledge Questionnaire (DKQ-24) survey from pretest to posttest indicated a significant increase in knowledge in both groups. Only the grades for the participants from the pastor-led group, however, moved from failure in knowledge to high levels of passing. One hundred percent of intervention group participants reported having read the literature. This pilot study supports the feasibility of a local Latino pastor, as a culturally consistent diabetes educator, to increase Latino parishioner's knowledge of diabetes. © 2015 Society for Public Health Education.

National facilities study. Volume 3: Mission and requirements model report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1994-01-01

The National Facility Study (NFS) was initiated in 1992 by Daniel S. Goldin, Administrator of NASA as an initiative to develop a comprehensive and integrated long-term plan for future facilities. The resulting, multi-agency NFS consisted of three Task Groups: Aeronautics, Space Operations, and Space Research and Development (R&D) Task Groups. A fourth group, the Engineering and Cost Analysis Task Group, was subsequently added to provide cross-cutting functions, such as assuring consistency in developing an inventory of space facilities. Space facilities decisions require an assessment of current and future needs. Therefore, the two task groups dealing with space developed a consistent model of future space mission programs, operations and R&D. The model is a middle ground baseline constructed for NFS analytical purposes with excursions to cover potential space program strategies. The model includes three major sectors: DOD, civilian government, and commercial space. The model spans the next 30 years because of the long lead times associated with facilities development and usage. This document, Volume 3 of the final NFS report, is organized along the following lines: Executive Summary -- provides a summary view of the 30-year mission forecast and requirements baseline, an overview of excursions from that baseline that were studied, and organization of the report; Introduction -- provides discussions of the methodology used in this analysis; Baseline Model -- provides the mission and requirements model baseline developed for Space Operations and Space R&D analyses; Excursions from the baseline -- reviews the details of variations or 'excursions' that were developed to test the future program projections captured in the baseline; and a Glossary of Acronyms.

The role of cyclase activating (CAP) and cyclase inhibiting (CIP) parathormone fractions in the assessment of bone metabolism disturbances in women with hyperprolactinemia of various origin.

PubMed

Zadrozna-Sliwka, Beata; Bolanowski, Marek; Jawiarczyk, Aleksandra; Kaluzny, Marcin; Syrycka, Joanna

2008-02-01

Hyperprolactinemia could be one of possible causes of bone loss. The reason is thought to be connected with hypogonadism due to PRL excess and the role of other hormones like PTH and PTH-rP. There is no data on the influence of PTH fractions (CAP and CIP) on bone turnover and density in hyperprolactinemia. The aim of the study was to assess the influence of PTH and its fractions on bone metabolism in hyperprolactinemia of various origin. The study was carried out in 75 women. Group I consisted of 32 women with prolactinoma, group II consisted of 43 women with functional hyperprolactinemia. Both groups were subdivided in patients with hypogonadism and normal gonadal function. The control group consisted of 29 healthy women. In all subjects PRL, PTH and its fractions (CAP, CIP), and bone turnover markers (BAP, ICTP) were studied. BMD measurement was carried out using DXA. In patients with functional hyperprolactinemia i-PTH and CAP levels were lower than in controls. CIP concentrations were lower in patients than in controls. CAP/CIP ratio was higher in patients with prolactinoma than in patients with functional hyperprolactinemia and controls. Higher values of bone turnover markers (BAP, ICTP) in patients groups and subgroups were shown as compared to controls. Some correlations between PTH and its fractions, and BMD and bone turnover were observed. There is no direct benefit from the assessment of parathormone fractions and CAP/CIP ratio in the prognosis of bone metabolism changes in hyperprolactinemia of various origin.

Measuring treatment process in cognitive-behavioral and interactional group therapies for adolescent substance abusers.

PubMed

Kaminer, Y; Blitz, C; Burleson, J A; Kadden, R M; Rounsaville, B J

1998-07-01

The state of the art for treatment efficacy studies now requires manual guided treatments and tests of therapist adherence. This report provides findings regarding adherence assessment of therapists participating in an investigation of treatment matching in adolescent substance abusers. The Group Sessions Rating Scale (GSRS), a group-therapy process measure, was studied to determine its appropriateness for assessing group treatment of adolescents with a) substance use disorders (SUD), b) interrater reliability, c) internal consistency, and d) ability to discriminate the active ingredients of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) from interactional therapy (IT). Interrater reliabilities were moderate to high, with those for CBT generally higher than those for IT. Internal consistency of CBT items was moderate, whereas those of IT were moderately high. Discriminability between the two treatment modalities was high. The frequency of active ingredients was generally therapy-specific: high for the relevant and low for the nonrelevant therapeutic modality items. The GSRS was found to be effective in the measurement of treatment process in adolescents with SUD.

Advantages of autologous blood transfusion in off-pump coronary artery bypass.

PubMed

Ela, Yuksel; Emmiler, Mustafa; Kocogullari, Cevdet Ugur; Terzi, Yuksel; Sivaci, Remziye Gul; Cekirdekci, Ahmet

2009-10-01

In this randomized controlled study, we investigated the effects of autologous Hemobag blood transfusion (AHBT) and allogenic blood transfusion (ABT) in off-pump coronary artery bypass (OPCAB) surgery. Sixty patients who underwent surgery between February 2008 and August 2008 were randomized into 2 groups. The AHBT group (n = 30) consisted of patients who received autologous Hemobag blood transfusion, and the ABT group (n = 30) consisted of patients who received allogenic blood transfusion. All patients underwent OPCAB via sternotomy. The time to extubation, chest tube drainage volume, postoperative white blood cell counts, amount of blood transfusion, sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein concentration, postoperative temperature, and the presence of atelectasis were recorded in the intensive care unit. Intraoperative bleeding and fluid resuscitation were similar in the 2 groups (P > .05); however, there were significant decreases in postoperative blood loss, extubation period, postoperative white cell counts, sedimentation rate, incidence of atelectasis, C-reactive protein, and fever in the AHBT group compared with the ABT group (P < .05). The rate of atrial fibrillation in the AHBT group tended to be lower than in the ABT group. Autologous blood transfusion in OPCAB may be beneficial in certain cardiac surgery patients; however, these beneficial effects require further study to be proved.

Testing the continuum of delusional beliefs: an experimental study using virtual reality.

PubMed

Freeman, Daniel; Pugh, Katherine; Vorontsova, Natasha; Antley, Angus; Slater, Mel

2010-02-01

A key problem in studying a hypothesized spectrum of severity of delusional ideation is determining that ideas are unfounded. The first objective was to use virtual reality to validate groups of individuals with low, moderate, and high levels of unfounded persecutory ideation. The second objective was to investigate, drawing upon a cognitive model of persecutory delusions, whether clinical and nonclinical paranoia are associated with similar causal factors. Three groups (low paranoia, high nonclinical paranoia, persecutory delusions) of 30 participants were recruited. Levels of paranoia were tested using virtual reality. The groups were compared on assessments of anxiety, worry, interpersonal sensitivity, depression, anomalous perceptual experiences, reasoning, and history of traumatic events. Virtual reality was found to cause no side effects. Persecutory ideation in virtual reality significantly differed across the groups. For the clear majority of the theoretical factors there were dose-response relationships with levels of paranoia. This is consistent with the idea of a spectrum of paranoia in the general population. Persecutory ideation is clearly present outside of clinical groups and there is consistency across the paranoia spectrum in associations with important theoretical variables.

[The Thule case. Mortality and hospitalization after the crash of an American B-52 bomber in 1968].

PubMed

Juel, K

1993-07-26

In 1968, a B-52 bomber carrying nuclear bombs crashed near the Thule US Air-Base in Greenland. By 1986, many cases of disease had been reported among Danish workers employed at the base. A database has been constructed from staff files of workers employed from 1963 to 1971. Of 4,322 workers, 98.7% were identified in 1987. The study group consisted of 1,202 workers employed during the clean up period (from the time of the crash until the last of the contaminated material had been removed). The reference group consisted of 3,120 workers employed outside the clean up period. No differences were found in total mortality, or mortality from cancer, heart disease or accidents between the groups after adjusting for age, marital status and length of employment. Mortality from suicide was lower in the study group. The hospitalization rates for the period 1977-1985 also showed no differences between the two groups. The conclusion of the register surveys is that no harmful effect on health due to the crash can be established by measuring mortality or hospital admissions.

Auditory brain stem response and cortical evoked potentials in children with type 1 diabetes mellitus.

PubMed

Radwan, Heba Mohammed; El-Gharib, Amani Mohamed; Erfan, Adel Ali; Emara, Afaf Ahmad

2017-05-01

Delay in ABR and CAEPs wave latencies in children with type 1DM indicates that there is abnormality in the neural conduction in DM patients. The duration of DM has greater effect on auditory function than the control of DM. Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a common endocrine and metabolic disorder. Evoked potentials offer the possibility to perform a functional evaluation of neural pathways in the central nervous system. To investigate the effect of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) on auditory brain stem response (ABR) and cortical evoked potentials (CAEPs). This study included two groups: a control group (GI), which consisted of 20 healthy children with normal peripheral hearing, and a study group (GII), which consisted of 30 children with type I DM. Basic audiological evaluation, ABR, and CAEPs were done in both groups. Delayed absolute latencies of ABR and CAEPs waves were found. Amplitudes showed no significant difference between both groups. Positive correlation was found between ABR wave latencies and duration of DM. No correlation was found between ABR, CAEPs, and glycated hemoglobin.

Prevalence of dental attrition in in vitro fertilization children of West Bengal.

PubMed

Kar, Sudipta; Sarkar, Subrata; Mukherjee, Ananya

2014-01-01

Dental attrition is one of the problems affecting the tooth structure. It may affect both in vitro fertilization (IVF) and spontaneously conceived children. This study was aimed to evaluate and to compare the prevalence of dental attrition in deciduous dentition of IVF and spontaneously conceived children. In a cross-sectional case control study dental attrition status of 3-5 years old children were assessed. The case group consisted of term, singleton babies who were the outcome of IVF in the studied area in 2009. The control group consisted of term, first child, singleton and spontaneously conceived 3-5 years old children who were also resident of the studied area. A sample of 153 IVF and 153 spontaneously conceived children was examined according to Hansson and Nilner classification. Statistical analysis was carried out using Chi-square tests (χ(2) ) or Z test. No statistically significant difference found in studied (IVF children) and control group (spontaneously conceived children). IVF children are considered same as spontaneously conceived children when studied in relation to dental attrition status.

The Immediate Effect of Neuromuscular Joint Facilitation (NJF) Treatment on Hip Muscle Strength.

PubMed

Wang, Hongdan; Huo, Ming; Huang, Qiuchen; Li, Desheng; Maruyama, Hitoshi

2013-11-01

[Purpose] This study investigated the change in hip muscle strength of younger persons after neuromuscular joint facilitation (NJF) treatment. [Subjects] The subjects were 45 healthy young people, who were divided into two groups: a NJF group and a proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) group. The NJF group consisted of 21 subjects (11 males, 10 females), and the PNF group consisted of 24 subjects (11 males, 13 females). [Methods] Participants in the NJF group received NJF treatment. We measured the maximal flexor strength and the maximal extensor strength during isokinetic movement of the hip joint before and after intervention in both groups. The angular velocities used were 60°/sec and 180°/sec. [Results] The NJF group showed significant increases in the maximal flexor strength and the maximal extensor strength after the intervention at each angular velocity. In the PNF group, the maximal flexor strength of 60°/sec and the maximal extensor strength of 180°/sec were significant increases. [Conclusion] These results suggest that there is an immediate effect of NJF intervention on hip muscle strength.

Predicting the Trajectories of Perceived Pain Intensity in Southern Community-Dwelling Older Adults: The Role of Religiousness.

PubMed

Sun, Fei; Park, Nan Sook; Wardian, Jana; Lee, Beom S; Roff, Lucinda L; Klemmack, David L; Parker, Michael W; Koenig, Harold G; Sawyer, Patricia L; Allman, Richard M

2013-11-01

This study focuses on the identification of multiple latent trajectories of pain intensity, and it examines how religiousness is related to different classes of pain trajectory. Participants were 720 community-dwelling older adults who were interviewed at four time points over a 3-year period. Overall, intensity of pain decreased over 3 years. Analysis using latent growth mixture modeling (GMM) identified three classes of pain: (1) increasing ( n = 47); (2) consistently unchanging ( n = 292); and (3) decreasing ( n = 381). Higher levels of intrinsic religiousness (IR) at baseline were associated with higher levels of pain at baseline, although it attenuated the slope of pain trajectories in the increasing pain group. Higher service attendance at baseline was associated with a higher probability of being in the decreasing pain group. The increasing pain group and the consistently unchanging group reported more negative physical and mental health outcomes than the decreasing pain group.

A parallel form of the Gudjonsson Suggestibility Scale.

PubMed

Gudjonsson, G H

1987-09-01

The purpose of this study is twofold: (1) to present a parallel form of the Gudjonsson Suggestibility Scale (GSS, Form 1); (2) to study test-retest reliabilities of interrogative suggestibility. Three groups of subjects were administered the two suggestibility scales in a counterbalanced order. Group 1 (28 normal subjects) and Group 2 (32 'forensic' patients) completed both scales within the same testing session, whereas Group 3 (30 'forensic' patients) completed the two scales between one week and eight months apart. All the correlations were highly significant, giving support for high 'temporal consistency' of interrogative suggestibility.

Proceedings: Annual Conference of the Military Testing Association (24th) Held at San Antonio, Texas on 1-5 November 1982

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-03-25

influenced by external factors. 7. Controllable by client group . Members of the organization under study should be able to affect the outcome being measured. 8... Group B was tasked to develop six to nine "Indicators" of efficiency and effectiveness for each KRA. Each organization in the study was visited by a...second day, Group A was formed and KRAs were developed. Days three and four involved the generation of Indicators by Group B. Day five consisted of a

The effect of an educational programme consisting of group and individual arthritis education for patients with polyarthritis--a randomised controlled trial.

PubMed

Grønning, Kjersti; Skomsvoll, Johan F; Rannestad, Toril; Steinsbekk, Aslak

2012-07-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of an educational programme for patients with polyarthritis compared to usual care. Patients with rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis and unspecified polyarthritis were randomised to the intervention (n=71) or usual care (n=70). The intervention consisted of three group educational sessions followed by one individual educational session. The primary outcomes were a patient's global well-being and arthritis self-efficacy. Secondary outcomes were patient activation, physical and psychological health status, educational needs and disease activity. After four months the intervention group had significantly better global well-being, 95% CI (2.3-14.1), p=0.01, and self-efficacy, 95% CI (0.2-8.1), p=0.04, than the control group. There were also trends for improved disease activity, and a statistically significant improvement in patient activation and pain in the intervention group. This patient educational programme consisting of group sessions and nurse-delivered individual education has statistically significant benefits for global well-being and maintaining a level of self-efficacy in managing other symptoms in patients with polyarthritis. This educational programme allows patients to learn from each other in addition to addressing individual educational needs. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cariogenic Potential of Inhaled Antiasthmatic Drugs.

PubMed

Brigic, Amela; Kobaslija, Sedin; Zukanovic, Amila

2015-08-01

The organism of children with asthma is exposed to the effects of the disease but also the drugs for its treatment. Antiasthmatic drugs have different modes that promote the caries formation which varies according to their basic pharmacological composition. Namely, these drugs have a relatively low pH (5.5), can contain sweeteners such as lactose monohydrate in order to improve the drug taste or both. Frequent consumption of these inhalers in combination with reduced secretion of saliva increases the risk of caries. The study sample consisted of 200 patients, age from 7-14 years, divided into two groups: control group (n1 = 100) consisted of healthy children and the experimental group consisted of children suffering from asthma (n2 = 100). In both groups of respondents are determined the DMFT index, plaque index value and hygienic-dietary habits using the questionnaire. The subjects in the control group had significantly higher DMFT index than subjects in the experimental group (p = 0.004). It is determined that there are no significant differences in the values of plaque index (p>0.05). The effect of different diseases or medications from their treatment, diet and fermentable carbohydrates in the etiology of dental caries cannot be observed outside the living conditions of subjects, their social epidemiologic status, age, habits, oral hygiene, fluoride use, etc.

Can sparing of the superficial contralateral parotid lobe reduce xerostomia following radiotherapy for head and neck cancer?

PubMed

Nevens, Daan; Nuyts, Sandra

2017-12-01

The purpose of this study is to see whether sparing the superficial contralateral parotid lobe can help limiting xerostomia following radiotherapy for head and neck cancer. 88 patients that were included in two prospective randomized studies were analysed in the current study. Using the dosimetry of both the parotid glands, we divided our patients in four groups. Group 1 includes patients where we were able to reduce the radiation dose below the threshold in order to spare both the ipsilateral and contralateral parotid glands, Group 2 consists of patients where only the contralateral parotid gland could be spared. Group 3 consists of patients where only the contralateral superficial parotid lobe could be spared, while in Group 4 not even the contralateral superficial lobe could be spared. When we compared Group 1 and Group 2, we did not observe a significant difference between both groups in terms of xerostomia scores at 6 or 12 months. When we compared these groups with Group 3, we observed significant differences with more xerostomia in Group 3 where only the contralateral superficial lobe was spared. A significant difference was also observed between Group 3 and Group 4 with more xerostomia in Group 4. Sparing of just one superficial parotid lobe results in less xerostomia when compared to not sparing any lobe of both parotid glands. Advances in knowledge: When sparing of the whole contralateral parotid gland is not possible, delineating both the superficial parotid glands and trying to spare at least one of them can mean a way forward in limiting xerostomia in head and neck cancer patients treated with radiotherapy.

The brief multidimensional students' life satisfaction scale-college version.

PubMed

Zullig, Keith J; Huebner, E Scott; Patton, Jon M; Murray, Karen A

2009-01-01

To investigate the psychometric properties of the BMSLSS-College among 723 college students. Internal consistency estimates explored scale reliability, factor analysis explored construct validity, and known-groups validity was assessed using the National College Youth Risk Behavior Survey and Harvard School of Public Health College Alcohol Study. Criterion-related validity was explored through analyses with the CDC's health-related quality of life scale and a social isolation scale. Acceptable internal consistency reliability, construct, known-groups, and criterion-related validity were established. Findings offer preliminary support for the BMSLSS-C; it could be useful in large-scale research studies, applied screening contexts, and for program evaluation purposes toward achieving Healthy People 2010 objectives.

Exploring medical undergraduates' perceptions of the educational value of a novel ENT iBook: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Al-Hussaini, Ali; Tomkinson, Alun

2016-01-01

Undergraduate otolaryngology exposure is limited. It may be consolidated by the use of an iBook as a self-study tool. Following invitation to participate by email, five focus groups were formed, each consisting of six medical students (18 female, 12 male, median age 23 years). The focus group transcripts were imported to the qualitative data analysis software NVivo (QSR International, UK). The iBook was found to have a clear and consistent presentation, and a focused and user-friendly style, with reasonable interactivity and a good range of well-integrated media elements. It was, overall, perceived to be a valuable educational resource by the medical students.

How Affectively-Based and Cognitively-Based Attitudes Drive Intergroup Behaviours: The Moderating Role of Affective-Cognitive Consistency

PubMed Central

Zhou, Jie; Dovidio, John; Wang, Erping

2013-01-01

The moderating role of affective-cognitive consistency in the effects of affectively-based and cognitively-based attitudes on consummatory and instrumental behaviors was explored using two experimental studies in the intergroup context. Study 1 revealed that affectively-based attitudes were better predictors than cognitively-based attitudes regardless of affective-cognitive consistency for consummatory behaviors (e.g., undergraduates’ supportive behaviors toward government officials). Study 2, which investigated task groups’ supportive behaviors toward an immediate supervisory group, found that for these instrumental behaviors cognitively-based attitudes were better predictors than affectively-based attitudes only when affective-cognitive consistency was high. The present research also examined the mechanism by which affective-cognitive consistency moderates the relative roles of affectively-based and cognitively-based attitudes in attitude-behavior consistency. Results indicated that attitude-behavior consistency is eroded primarily because of the weaker relationship of affective or cognitive components to behaviors than to general attitudes. The reciprocal implications of research on attitudes and work on intergroup relations are considered. PMID:24244751

The enhancement of students' mathematical self-efficacy through teaching with metacognitive scaffolding approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prabawanto, S.

2018-05-01

This research aims to investigate the enhancement of students’ mathematical self- efficacy through teaching with metacognitive scaffolding approach. This research used a quasi- experimental design with pre-post respon control. The subjects were pre-service elementary school teachers in a state university in Bandung. In this study, there were two groups: experimental and control groups. The experimental group consists of 60 students who acquire teaching mathematics under metacognitive approach, while the control group consists of 58 students who acquire teaching mathematics under direct approach. Students were classified into three categories based on the mathematical prior ability, namely high, middle, and low. Data collection instruments consist of mathematical self-efficacy instruments. By using mean difference test, two conclusions of the research: (1) there is a significant difference in the enhancement of mathematical self-efficacy between the students who attended the course under metacognitive scaffolding approach and students who attended the course under direct approach, and (2) there is no significant interaction effect of teaching approaches and ability level based on the mathematical prior ability toward enhancement of students’ mathematical self-efficacy.

The enhancement of students' mathematical problem solving ability through teaching with metacognitive scaffolding approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prabawanto, Sufyani

2017-05-01

This research aims to investigate the enhancement of students' mathematical problem solving through teaching with metacognitive scaffolding approach. This research used a quasi-experimental design with pretest-posttest control. The subjects were pre-service elementary school teachers in a state university in Bandung. In this study, there were two groups: experimental and control groups. The experimental group consists of 60 studentswho acquire teaching mathematicsunder metacognitive scaffolding approach, while the control group consists of 58 studentswho acquire teaching mathematicsunder direct approach. Students were classified into three categories based on the mathematical prior ability, namely high, middle, and low. Data collection instruments consist of mathematical problem solving test instruments. By usingmean difference test, two conclusions of the research:(1) there is a significant difference in the enhancement of mathematical problem solving between the students who attended the course under metacognitive scaffolding approach and students who attended the course under direct approach, and(2) thereis no significant interaction effect of teaching approaches and ability level based on the mathematical prior ability toward enhancement of students' mathematical problem solving.

Interhemispheric Effective and Functional Cortical Connectivity Signatures of Spina Bifida Are Consistent with Callosal Anomaly

PubMed Central

Malekpour, Sheida; Li, Zhimin; Cheung, Bing Leung Patrick; Castillo, Eduardo M.; Papanicolaou, Andrew C.; Kramer, Larry A.; Fletcher, Jack M.

2012-01-01

Abstract The impact of the posterior callosal anomalies associated with spina bifida on interhemispheric cortical connectivity is studied using a method for estimating cortical multivariable autoregressive models from scalp magnetoencephalography data. Interhemispheric effective and functional connectivity, measured using conditional Granger causality and coherence, respectively, is determined for the anterior and posterior cortical regions in a population of five spina bifida and five control subjects during a resting eyes-closed state. The estimated connectivity is shown to be consistent over the randomly selected subsets of the data for each subject. The posterior interhemispheric effective and functional connectivity and cortical power are significantly lower in the spina bifida group, a result that is consistent with posterior callosal anomalies. The anterior interhemispheric effective and functional connectivity are elevated in the spina bifida group, a result that may reflect compensatory mechanisms. In contrast, the intrahemispheric effective connectivity is comparable in the two groups. The differences between the spina bifida and control groups are most significant in the θ and α bands. PMID:22571349

Using graphic organizers to enhance students' science vocabulary and comprehension of nonfiction science text

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buchanan, Edna

The purpose of this research was to investigate the effectiveness of Frayer Model and the Hierarchical Organizer as a literacy strategy to improve ninth grade students' science vocabulary and comprehension of non-fictions text in Environmental Science course. The study implemented a sequential explanatory methodology design that included quantitative and qualitative instruments. The research sample consisted of one hundred and two (102) high school environmental science students entering the ninth grade for the first time. The two treatment groups each consisted of thirty-five (35) students, and the control group consisted of 32 students. Treatment group one used the Frayer Model; treatment group two used Hierarchical Organizer and the control group used the traditional teaching methods without the use of a graph organizer. The investigator taught both treatment groups and the control group to ensure reliability. The two treatment groups were taught using graphic organizers as the main lesson plan tool and the control group was taught using guided notes lecture with PowerPoint. A pretest and post-test were administered to each student. Student test scores were evaluated to determine whether knowledge gains differed between the treatment groups and the control group. It was found that the use of graphic organizer instruction was significantly better for student achievement when compared to the use of PowerPoint instruction and that there was much more interaction between student and teacher during the graphic organizer lessons. The delivery of the lesson by the use of graphic organizers seemed to promote more success than the use of the PowerPoint and lecture.

Male sexual behavior and catecholamine levels in the medial preoptic area and arcuate nucleus in middle-aged rats.

PubMed

Chen, Joyce C; Tsai, Houng-Wei; Yeh, Kuei-Ying; Tai, Mei-Yun; Tsai, Yuan-Feen

2007-12-12

The correlation between male sexual behavior and catecholamine levels in the medial preoptic area (MPOA) and arcuate nucleus (ARN) was studied in middle-aged rats. Male rats (18-19 months) were assigned to three groups: (1) Group MIE, consisting of rats showing mounts, intromissions, and ejaculations; (2) Group MI, consisting of rats showing mounts and intromissions, but no ejaculation; and (3) Group NC, consisting of non-copulators showing no sexual behavior. Young adult rats (4-5 months) displaying complete copulatory behavior were used as the control group. Dopamine (DA) and norepinephrine (NE) tissue levels in the MPOA and ARN were measured by high pressure liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection. There were no differences between MIE rats and young controls in DA or NE tissue levels in these two brain areas. Furthermore, no differences were found between the MI and NC groups in DA or NE tissue levels in either the MPOA or ARN. DA tissue levels in the MPOA and ARN in the MI and NC groups were significantly lower than those in the MIE group. NE tissue levels in the MPOA of the NC group were significantly lower than those in the MIE group, but no differences in NE tissue levels in the ARN were seen between the four groups. These results suggest that, in male rats, complete male sexual performance is related to tissue levels of DA, but not of NE, in the MPOA and/or ARN. Furthermore, ejaculatory behavior might be associated with critical DA tissue levels in the MPOA and/or ARN in middle-aged rats.

Effects of Warm-Up Stretching Exercises on Sprint Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Makaruk, Hubert; Makaruk, Beata; Kedra, Stanislaw

2008-01-01

Study aim: To assess direct effects of warm-up consisting of static and dynamic stretching exercises on sprint results attained by students differing in sprint performance. Material and methods: A group of 24 male and 19 female physical education students, including 12 and 9 sprinters, respectively. They performed warm-ups consisting of dynamic…

Correlates of consistent condom use among men who have sex with men recruited through the Internet in Huzhou city: a cross-sectional survey.

PubMed

Jin, Meihua; Yang, Zhongrong; Dong, Zhengquan; Han, Jiankang

2013-12-01

There is growing evidence that men who have sex with men (MSM) are currently a group at high risk of HIV infection in China. Our study aims to know the factors affecting consistent condom use among MSM recruited through the internet in Huzhou city. An anonymous cross-sectional study was conducted by recruiting 410 MSM living in Huzhou city via the Internet. The socio-demographic profiles (age, education level, employment status, etc.) and sexual risk behaviors of the respondents were investigated. Bivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to compare the differences between consistent condom users and inconsistent condom users. Variables with significant bivariate between groups' differences were used as candidate variables in a stepwise multivariate logistic regression model. All statistical analyses were performed using SPSS for Windows 17.0, and a p value < 0.05 was considered to be statistically significant. According to their condom use, sixty-eight respondents were classified into two groups. One is consistent condom users, and the other is inconsistent condom users. Multivariate logistic regression showed that respondents who had a comprehensive knowledge of HIV (OR = 4.08, 95% CI: 1.85-8.99), who had sex with male sex workers (OR = 15.30, 95% CI: 5.89-39.75) and who had not drunk alcohol before sex (OR = 3.10, 95% CI: 1.38-6.95) were more likely to be consistent condom users. Consistent condom use among MSM was associated with comprehensive knowledge of HIV and a lack of alcohol use before sexual contact. As a result, reducing alcohol consumption and enhancing education regarding the risks of HIV among sexually active MSM would be effective in preventing of HIV transmission.

An Investigation of the Effects of a Non-Sexist Curriculum on One Preschool Group's Sex-Role Stereotypical Behavior.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kroeger, Janice E.

This study investigated effects of a nonsexist curriculum on preschoolers' dramatic role play behavior and usage of language and play space. A quasi-experimental design included two preschool groups, one of which received a treatment component that consisted of a nonsexist curriculum. The treatment group included 12 males and 10 females between…

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hanthorn, H.E.; Jaech, J.L.

Results are given of a study to determine the optimum testing scheme consisting of drawing a group of optimum size from the population being tested, and retesting it, if required, in subgroups of optimum size. An exact computation of optimum grouping and subgrouping was made. Results are also given to indicate how much loss inefficiency occurs when physical limitations restrict the size of the original group. (J.R.D.)

The Lexical Status of Basic Arabic Verb Morphemes among Dyslexic Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abu-Rabia, Salim; Saliba, Fadi

2008-01-01

The masked priming paradigm was used to examine the role of the root and verb pattern morphemes in lexical access within the verb system of Arabic. Three groups participated in the study: grade 6 dyslexics, a reading-level-matched group and grade 6 normal readers. The first group consisted of: 28 grade 6 reading disabled (RD) students, 8 girls and…

The Use of Consciousness-Raising Tasks in Learning and Teaching of Subject-Verb Agreement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Idek, Sirhajwan; Fong, Lee Lai; Sidhu, Gurnam Kaur

2013-01-01

This study investigates the use of two types of Consciousness-Raising (CR) tasks in learning Subject-Verb Agreement (SVA). The sample consisted of 28 Form 2 students who were divided into two groups. Group 1 was assigned with Grammaticality Judgment (GJ) tasks and Group 2 received Sentence Production (SP) tasks for eight weeks. Learners were given…

Advanced Theory of Mind in Children Using Augmentative and Alternative Communication

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sundqvist, Anett; Ronnberg, Jerker

2010-01-01

This study focused on the attainment of Theory of Mind (ToM) in children (aged 6 to 13) with complex communication needs who used augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). The AAC group (n = 14) was matched to a younger group, without disabilities, vis-a-vis nonverbal mental age. A second comparison group consisting of children with mild…

Trajectories of Social Withdrawal from Grades 1 to 6: Prediction from Early Parenting, Attachment, and Temperament

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Booth-LaForce, Cathryn; Oxford, Monica L.

2008-01-01

From 1,092 children in the NICHD Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development, the authors identified 3 trajectory patterns of social withdrawal from teacher reports in Grades 1-6: a normative consistently low group (86%), a decreasing group (5%) with initially high withdrawal that decreased, and an increasing group (9%) with initially low…

Examining the Impact of Chess Instruction for the Visual Impairment on Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aydin, Mensure

2015-01-01

The purpose of the study is to explore the impact of chess instruction for visually impaired children on math achievement. The study group consists of a total of 26 visually impaired students from inclusion classes in inclusive secondary schools of MoNE (Ministry of National Education), 9 male and 5 female students in the experiment group and 8…

The Effect of the Family Training Program on Married Women's Couple-Burnout Levels

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sirin, Hatice Deveci; Deniz, M. Engin

2016-01-01

This study aims to investigate the effect of Modules 2 and 3 of the Family Communication Section of the Family Training Program as prepared by the Ministry of Family and Social Policies on married women's couple-burnout levels. The study group consists of 40 married women in total: 20 constituting the experimental group and the remaining 20…

A Cross-Cultural Study of Taiwanese and Kuwaiti EFL Students' Learning Styles and Multiple Intelligences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wu, Shu-hua; Alrabah, Sulaiman

2009-01-01

The purpose of the present study was to relate the findings of a survey of learning styles and multiple intelligences that was distributed among two different cultural groups of Freshman-level EFL students in Taiwan and Kuwait in order to confirm its consistency for developing teaching techniques appropriate for each group's general profiles. Data…

The Effects of Staff Training on the Types of Interactions Observed at Two Group Homes for Foster Care Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crosland, Kimberly A.; Dunlap, Glen; Sager, Wayne; Neff, Bryon; Wilcox, Catherine; Blanco, Alfredo; Giddings, Tamela

2008-01-01

Objectives: An extensive literature base exists for behavioral parent training; however, few studies have focused on training direct care staff at group home and residential facilities for children. This study was conducted to determine whether a behavioral staff training program consisting of classroom training and in-home feedback would improve…

Factors Among Select Donors and Non-Donors Related to Major Gifts to a Private University.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McKinney, Ricardo J.; And Others

A study was conducted at the University of Miami to identify factors that might distinguish between donors and nondonors to the financial support of private universities. The theoretical framework for the study was based largely upon Lecky's self-consistency theory of personality. Three groups of donors and a group of nondonors to the University…

The Impact of Cooperative Learning on Developing the Sixth Grade Students Decision-Making Skill and Academic Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Asha, Intisar K.; Al Hawi, Asma M.

2016-01-01

This study aimed at investigating the effect of cooperative learning on developing the sixth graders' decision making skill and their academic achievement. The study sample, which was selected randomly, consisted of (46) students and divided into two groups: the experimental group that taught using the cooperative learning strategy and the control…

Teacher Ratings of Young Children with and without ADHD: Construct Validity of Two Child Behavior Rating Scales

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carney, Amy G.; Merrell, Kenneth W.

2005-01-01

This study examined teachers' behavioral ratings of young children (ages 5 and 6) with and without attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). A study group consisting of 30 children with formal diagnoses of ADHD and a comparison group of 30 children without ADHD were developed using randomized matching procedures. Teachers of these children…

The Impact of Social Networking on the Oral Performance of EFL Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Qarajeh, Masoud; Abdolmanafi-Rokni, Seyed Jalal

2015-01-01

The present study was set out to investigate the effect of social hubs on improving EFL learners' speaking skill. The participants of the study were 38 female and 26 male students between the age of 19 and 29. They were randomly assigned to two groups of experimental and control. Each group consisted of 32 participants. A language proficiency test…

Increasing Fluency in Disabled Middle School Readers: Repeated Reading Utilizing above Grade Level Reading Passages

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Paige, David D.

2006-01-01

This study examined the effects of repeated reading using above grade level narrative passages on: (a) reading rate as measured in words per minute (wpm) and (b) reading miscues. A single group, pretest-posttest design was used to measure the treatment effects. The study group consisted of 11, sixth grade African-American students with learning…

The Use of Interactive Computer Animations Based on POE as a Presentation Tool in Primary Science Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Akpinar, Ercan

2014-01-01

This study investigates the effects of using interactive computer animations based on predict-observe-explain (POE) as a presentation tool on primary school students' understanding of the static electricity concepts. A quasi-experimental pre-test/post-test control group design was utilized in this study. The experiment group consisted of 30…

Effectiveness of Blended Teaching Strategy on the Achievement of Third Grade Students in Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yaghmour, Kholoud Subhi

2016-01-01

The study aimed to investigate the Blended Education strategy in the achievement of the third grade students in mathematics. The study sample consisted of (97) male and female students distributed on four classes: (47) male and female students in the experimental group and (50) male and female students in the control group. To achieve the…

The Effect of Corpus-Based Activities on Verb-Noun Collocations in EFL Classes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ucar, Serpil; Yükselir, Ceyhun

2015-01-01

This current study sought to reveal the impacts of corpus-based activities on verb-noun collocation learning in EFL classes. This study was carried out on two groups--experimental and control groups- each of which consists of 15 students. The students were preparatory class students at School of Foreign Languages, Osmaniye Korkut Ata University.…

The Effect of Scratch-Based Game Activities on Students' Attitudes, Self-Efficacy and Academic Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Korkmaz, Özgen

2016-01-01

The purpose of the present research is to designate the effects of Scratch-based game activities on students' attitudes towards learning computer programming, self-efficacy beliefs and levels of academic achievement. The research was conducted through a pre-test-post-test control group quasi-experimental study. The study group consists of 49…

Risk of intrapartum cervical lacerations in women with cerclage.

PubMed

Seravalli, Viola; Potti, Sushma; Berghella, Vincenzo

2013-02-01

The aim of our study was to estimate whether the placement of cerclage in pregnancy to prevent preterm birth (PTB) is associated with higher incidence of intrapartum cervical lacerations. A retrospective cohort study was conducted on singleton pregnancies with risk factors for PTB. The study group consisted of women with either a history- or ultrasound-indicated cerclage placed between 12 and 24 weeks of gestation, while the control group consisted of women with similar risk factors for PTB but who did not receive a cerclage. Primary outcome was the incidence of intrapartum cervical lacerations. A sample size calculation was performed on the basis of the results of previous studies on cervical lacerations. We identified 134 women who had a cerclage placed in pregnancy. They were compared with 236 controls with no cerclage. Cases and controls had similar risk factors for cervical lacerations. Cervical lacerations occurred with similar frequencies in the cerclage and no-cerclage group (2.2 vs 1.3%, p = 0.78). There was no significant difference between the two groups for the risk of cervical lacerations (RR 1.76, 95% CI: 0.36-8.60). Cerclage placement during pregnancy is not associated with an increased risk of intrapartum cervical lacerations.

Consistency and Change in Participatory Action Research: Reflections on a Focus Group Study about How Farmers Learn

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Piercy, Fred P.; Franz, Nancy; Donaldson, Joseph L.; Richard, Robert F.

2011-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to reflect on our efforts to balance consistency in our multi-year participatory action research study with the need to adapt our research protocol to what we are learning along the way. While both are important, we share several examples of how our flexibility and openness to adapt our protocol to our research…

The efficacy of ranitidine bismuth citrate, amoxicillin and doxycycline or tetracycline regimens as a first line treatment for Helicobacter pylori eradication.

PubMed

Akyildiz, Murat; Akay, Sinan; Musoglu, Ahmet; Tuncyurek, Muge; Aydin, Ahmet

2009-01-01

The eradication rates of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) clearly decreased with standard PPI-based triple therapies. To assess the efficacy of two different triple therapies consisting of ranitidine bismuth citrate-amoxicillin-doxycycline and ranitidine bismuth citrate-amoxicillin-tetracycline combinations as a first line treatment option. One hundred and fifteen consecutive dyspeptic patients in whom H. pylori infection was diagnosed for the first time were enrolled in this study. The patients were randomized into two groups. Group 1 (n=57) was assigned to receive a 14-day triple therapy consisting of ranitidine bismuth citrate 400 mg (b.i.d.), amoxicillin 1 g (b.i.d) and doxycycline 100 mg (b.i.d.). Group 2 (n=58) was assigned to receive a 14-day triple therapy consisting of ranitidine bismuth citrate 400 mg (b.i.d.), amoxicillin 1 g (b.i.d.) and tetracycline 500 mg (q.i.d.). The eradication was achieved in 45.7% (21/46) and 40.8% (20/49) of the patients in group 1 and group 2, according to per protocol analysis. The intention-to-treat eradication rates were 36.8% (21/57) and 34.5% (20/58) in group 1 and group 2, respectively. Two-week therapy with neither ranitidine bismuth citrate-amoxicillin-doxycycline nor ranitidine bismuth citrate-amoxicillin-tetracycline is adequately effective for H. pylori eradication as a first line therapy.

Symptomatic rotator cuff tears show higher radioisotope uptake on bone scintigraphy compared with asymptomatic tears.

PubMed

Koike, Yoichi; Sano, Hirotaka; Kita, Atushi; Itoi, Eiji

2013-09-01

Some patients with rotator cuff tears complain of pain, whereas others are asymptomatic. Previous studies have pointed out the presence of active bone metabolism in the painful shoulder, identified with increased radioisotope uptake during bone scintigraphy. Shoulders with symptomatic rotator cuff tears will demonstrate higher radioisotope uptake than shoulders with asymptomatic tears with bone scintigraphy, reflecting active bone metabolism in symptomatic tears. Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3. The study consisted of 3 groups: patients with symptomatic tears (symptomatic group), patients with asymptomatic tears (asymptomatic group), and controls (no tear group). The symptomatic group consisted of 28 shoulders from 28 patients with symptomatic rotator cuff tears (pain score ≤4 on the University of California, Los Angeles [UCLA] shoulder evaluation form) who underwent bone scintigraphy followed by rotator cuff repair. Of 70 volunteers who had previously undergone bone scintigraphy for diseases unrelated to their shoulder, 34 were selected for the asymptomatic group (pain score ≥8 on the UCLA shoulder form), and 32 were selected for the no tear group. The mean radioisotope uptake in the symptomatic group was significantly higher than that in the asymptomatic group (P = .02) and the no tear group (P = .02). Ten of 28 shoulders (36%) in the symptomatic group showed increased radioisotope uptake exceeding 2 standard deviations from the mean of the no tear group. This percentage was significantly higher when compared with the asymptomatic group (0%) (P < .01). Shoulders with a symptomatic rotator cuff tear showed higher radioisotope uptake on bone scintigraphy than those with an asymptomatic tear. The radioisotope uptake in shoulders with an asymptomatic tear was comparable with that in shoulders without a tear. Positive radioisotope uptake may be associated with pain in a subgroup of patients with rotator cuff tears.

Comparative study of the blinking time between young adult and adult video display terminal users in indoor environment.

PubMed

Schaefer, Tânia Mara Cunha; Schaefer, Arthur Rubens Cunha; Abib, Fernando Cesar; José, Newton Kara

2009-01-01

Investigate the average blinking time in conversation and in Video Display Terminal use of young adults and adults in the presbyopic age group. A transversal analytical study in a readily accessible sample consisting of Volkswagen do Brasil - Curitiba, Paraná employees was performed. The cohort group consisted of 108 subjects divided into two age groups: Group 1, the young adult group (age range 20-39): 77 employees, mean age of 30.09 +/- 5.09; Group 2, the presbyopic adult group, (age range 40-53): 31 employees, mean age of 44.17 +/- 3. Subjects under 18 years of age, with a history of ocular disorders, contact lens wearers and computer non-users were excluded. The subjects had their faces filmed for 10 minutes in conversation and VDT reading. Student's t-test was used and the statistical significance level was 95%. The average time between blinks in Group 1 for conversation and VDT reading was 5.16 +/- 1.83 and 10.42 +/- 7.78 seconds, respectively; in Group 2. 4,9 +/- 1.49 and 10.46 +/- 5.54 seconds. In both age groups, the time between blinks in VDT reading situations was higher (p<0.0001). There was no statistically meaningful difference for conversation and VDT reading situations when the two studied age groups were compared (p>0.05). There was an increase in the blinking time between young adults and the presbyopic group in VDT use situations when compared with reading situations. The difference in the blinking frequency between young adults and the presbyopic group in VDT use and reading situations was not statistically significant.

Effects of pre-training using serious game technology on CPR performance--an exploratory quasi-experimental transfer study.

PubMed

Creutzfeldt, Johan; Hedman, Leif; Felländer-Tsai, Li

2012-12-06

Multiplayer virtual world (MVW) technology creates opportunities to practice medical procedures and team interactions using serious game software. This study aims to explore medical students' retention of knowledge and skills as well as their proficiency gain after pre-training using a MVW with avatars for cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) team training. Three groups of pre-clinical medical students, n = 30, were assessed and further trained using a high fidelity full-scale medical simulator: Two groups were pre-trained 6 and 18 months before assessment. A reference control group consisting of matched peers had no MVW pre-training. The groups consisted of 8, 12 and 10 subjects, respectively. The session started and ended with assessment scenarios, with 3 training scenarios in between. All scenarios were video-recorded for analysis of CPR performance. The 6 months group displayed greater CPR-related knowledge than the control group, 93 (±11)% compared to 65 (±28)% (p < 0.05), the 18 months group scored in between (73 (±23)%).At start the pre-trained groups adhered better to guidelines than the control group; mean violations 0.2 (±0.5), 1.5 (±1.0) and 4.5 (±1.0) for the 6 months, 18 months and control group respectively. Likewise, in the 6 months group no chest compression cycles were delivered at incorrect frequencies whereas 54 (±44)% in the control group (p < 0.05) and 44 (±49)% in 18 months group where incorrectly paced; differences that disappeared during training. This study supports the beneficial effects of MVW-CPR team training with avatars as a method for pre-training, or repetitive training, on CPR-skills among medical students.

Racial/Ethnic Differences in Perceptions of School Climate and Its Association with Student Engagement and Peer Aggression.

PubMed

Konold, Timothy; Cornell, Dewey; Shukla, Kathan; Huang, Francis

2017-06-01

Research indicates that a positive school climate is associated with higher levels of student engagement and lower rates of peer aggression. However, less attention has been given to whether such findings are consistent across racial/ethnic groups. The current study examined whether Black, Hispanic, and White high school students differed in their perceptions of school climate, student engagement, and peer aggression as measured by the Authoritative School Climate survey. In addition, the study tested whether the associations between school climate and both student engagement and peer aggression varied as a function of racial/ethnic group. The sample consisted of 48,027 students in grades 9-12 (51.4 % female; 17.9 % Black, 10.5 % Hispanic, 56.7 % White, and 14.9 % other) attending 323 high schools. Regression models that contrasted racial/ethnic groups controlled for the nesting of students within schools and used student covariates of parent education, student gender, and percentage of schoolmates sharing the same race/ethnicity, as well as school covariates of school size and school percentage of students eligible for free- or reduced-price meals. Perceptions of school climate differed between Black and White groups, but not between Hispanic and White groups. However, race/ethnicity did not moderate the associations between school climate and either engagement or peer aggression. Although correlational and cross-sectional in nature, these results are consistent with the conclusion that a positive school climate holds similar benefits of promoting student engagement and reducing victimization experiences across Black, Hispanic, and White groups.

Associating Mathematical Stories That Are Written by the 8th Grade Students Who Are Studying at Advantageous and Disadvantageous Regions' Schools with Their Mathematical Perceptions: Istanbul Case

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bahadir, Elif

2017-01-01

In this study, mathematical stories written by 50 middle school students were analyzed. The study group consisted of two different student groups who were living in advantageous and disadvantageous regions in Istanbul. At the first stage, the students were presented a mathematical story called "My Fractal Tree", then told about what the…

The Effect of Creating Digital Storytelling on Secondary School Students' Academic Achievement, Self Efficacy Perceptions and Attitudes toward Physics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kotluk, Nihat; Kocakaya, Serhat

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of Digital Storytelling (DST) on the (a) academic achievement, (b) attitude towards physics and (c) self efficacy perception of secondary school students. This study consists of an experimental group and a comparison group which are formed by equal number of students. The six-weeks study adopted a…

The Effect of Special Teaching Methods Class on the Level of Teachers' Self-Efficacy Perception of Pre-Service Teacher

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gökdag Baltaoglu, Meltem

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the change in the level of teachers' self-efficacy perception of primary school Social Studies pre-service teachers who take the special teaching methods class. Single group pretest-posttest model from pre-experimental patterns was applied in the research. The study group of the research consisted of 59…

The Effect of Yoga on Functional Recovery Level in Schizophrenic Patients.

PubMed

Kavak, Funda; Ekinci, Mine

2016-12-01

The objective of this study is to determine the effect of yoga on functional recovery level in schizophrenic patients. The study was conducted in quasi-experimental design with pretest-posttest control group. The population of the study consisted of schizophrenic patients with registered in Malatya and Elazığ Community Mental Health Centers and regularly going to these centers. The sample group of the study consisted of totally 100 patients including 50 patients in the experimental group and 50 patients in the control group who were specified through power analysis and chosen by using random sampling method from this population. The data were collected between April 2015 and August 2015. 'Patient Description Form' and 'FROGS' were used to collect the data. Yoga was applied to patients in the experimental group. Any intervention was not made to patients in the control group. Percentage distribution, arithmetic mean, standard deviation, chi-square, independent samples t test, and paired t test were used to assess the data. Patients in the control and experimental group pretest subscale and the total means scores of FROGS was found to be low. In the posttest subscale and total means scores of FROGS in the experimental group were higher than in the control group and the differences between them were found to be statistically significant (p<0.05). In the experimental group pretest and posttest subscale and total means scores of FR0GS was determined to be statistically significant (p<0.05). Yoga that applied to schizophrenic patients it was determined to increased the level of functional recovery. It can be suggested that yoga should be used as an complementary method in nursing practise in order to increase the effectiveness of the treatment. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Perceived Gender Ratings for High and Low Scorers on the Autism-Spectrum Quotient Consistent with the Extreme Male Brain Account of Autism

PubMed Central

Simons, Jessica M.; Maybery, Murray T.; Leung, Doris; Ng, Honey L. H.; Whitehouse, Andrew J. O.

2015-01-01

The Extreme Male Brain (EMB) theory posits that autistic traits are linked to excessive exposure to testosterone in utero. While findings from a number of studies are consistent with this theory, other studies have produced contradictory results. For example, some findings suggest that rather than being linked to hypermasculinization for males, or defeminization for females, elevated levels of autistic traits are instead linked to more androgynous physical features. The current study provided further evidence relevant to the EMB and androgony positions by comparing groups of males selected for high or low scores on the Autism-spectrum Quotient (AQ) as to the rated masculinity of their faces and voices, and comparable groups of females as to the rated femininity of their faces and voices. The voices of High-AQ males were rated as more masculine than those of Low-AQ males, while the faces of High-AQ females were rated as less feminine than those of Low-AQ females. There was no effect of AQ group on femininity ratings for female voices or on masculinity ratings for male faces. The results thus provide partial support for a link between high levels of autistic-like traits and hypermasculinization for males and defeminization for females, consistent with the EMB theory. PMID:26186689

Inactivated varicella zoster vaccine in autologous haemopoietic stem-cell transplant recipients: an international, multicentre, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

PubMed

Winston, Drew J; Mullane, Kathleen M; Cornely, Oliver A; Boeckh, Michael J; Brown, Janice Wes; Pergam, Steven A; Trociukas, Igoris; Žák, Pavel; Craig, Michael D; Papanicolaou, Genovefa A; Velez, Juan D; Panse, Jens; Hurtado, Kimberly; Fernsler, Doreen A; Stek, Jon E; Pang, Lei; Su, Shu-Chih; Zhao, Yanli; Chan, Ivan S F; Kaplan, Susan S; Parrino, Janie; Lee, Ingi; Popmihajlov, Zoran; Annunziato, Paula W; Arvin, Ann

2018-05-26

Recipients of autologous haemopoietic stem-cell transplants (auto-HSCT) have an increased risk of herpes zoster and herpes zoster-related complications. The aim of this study was to establish the efficacy and safety of an inactivated varicella zoster vaccine for the prevention of herpes zoster after auto-HSCT. In this randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 3 trial, participants were recruited from 135 medical centres (ie, stem-cell transplant centres and hospitals) in North America, South America, Europe, and Asia. Patients were eligible if they were aged 18 years or older, scheduled to receive an auto-HSCT within 60 days of enrolment, and had a history of varicella infection or were seropositive for antibodies to varicella zoster virus, or both. Exclusion criteria included a history of herpes zoster within the previous year of enrolment, and intended antiviral prophylaxis for longer than 6 months after transplantation. Participants were randomly assigned according to a central randomisation schedule generated by the trial statistician, to receive either the inactivated-virus vaccine from one of three consistency lots, a high-antigen lot, or placebo, stratified by age (<50 vs ≥50 years) and intended duration of antiviral prophylaxis after transplantation (≤3 months vs >3 to ≤6 months). Participants, investigators, trial staff, and the funder's clinical and laboratory personnel were masked to group assignment. Participants were given four doses of inactivated vaccine or placebo, with the first dose 5-60 days before auto-HSCT, and the second, third, and fourth doses at about 30, 60, and 90 days after transplantation. The primary efficacy endpoint was the incidence of herpes zoster, confirmed by PCR or adjudication by a masked clinical committee, or both, assessed in all participants randomly assigned to the vaccine consistency lot group or placebo group who received at least one dose of vaccine and had auto-HSCT. Safety was assessed in all randomised participants who received at least one dose of vaccine and had follow-up data. A prespecified vaccine efficacy success criterion required the lower bound of the 95% CI be higher than 25% for the relative reduction of the hazard ratio of herpes zoster infection in participants given the vaccine from one of the consistency lots compared with those given placebo. This trial is registered on ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT01229267) and EudraCT (2010-020150-34). Between Dec 7, 2010, and April 25, 2013, 560 participants were randomly assigned to the vaccine consistency lot group, 106 to the high-antigen lot group, and 564 to the placebo group. 249 (44%) of patients in the vaccine consistency lot group, 35 (33%) in the high-antigen lot group, and 220 (39%) in the placebo group discontinued before study end, mostly because of death or withdrawal. 51 participants were excluded from the primary efficacy endpoint analyses because they did not undergo auto-HSCT or were not vaccinated, or both (22 [4%] in the vaccine consistency lot group, and 29 [5%] in the placebo group). Mean follow-up for efficacy was 2·4 years (SD 1·3) in the vaccine consistency lot group and 2·3 years (SD 1·3) in the placebo group. 42 (8%) of 538 participants in the vaccine consistency lot group (32·9 per 1000 person-years) and 113 (21%) of 535 in the placebo group (91·9 per 1000 person-years) had a confirmed case of herpes zoster. The estimated vaccine efficacy was 63·8% (95% CI 48·4-74·6), meeting the pre-specified success criterion. For the combined vaccine groups versus the placebo group, the proportion of patients with serious adverse events (216 [33%] of 657 vs 181 [33%] of 554; risk difference 0·2%, 95% CI -5·1 to 5·5) and serious vaccine-related adverse events (five [1%] vs five [1%]; risk difference 0·1%, -1·4 to 1·1) were similar. Vaccine-related injection-site adverse events occurred more frequently in participants given vaccine than those given placebo (191 [29%] vs 36 [7%]; risk difference 22·6%, 95% CI 18·5-26·6; p<0·0001). This study shows for the first time in a large phase 3 trial that early vaccination of auto-HSCT recipients during the peri-transplant period can be effective for the prevention of an opportunistic infection like herpes zoster and that the vaccine is well tolerated. Merck & Co., Inc. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Longitudinal Trajectory of Exposure to Psychological Interpersonal Violence.

PubMed

Poehacker, Stefanie; Phillips, David; Riggs, Jessica; Lauterbach, Dean

2017-05-01

Psychological intimate partner violence (P-IPV) refers to verbal abuse from one partner to another and abuse of power or control from one partner to another. To date, no studies have examined the longitudinal course of P-IPV exposure among mothers or the effect that witnessing P-IPV can have on their children. Using latent class growth analysis, the current study identified five trajectory groups with the following intercept and growth characteristics: low stable, low-increasing, moderate-decreasing, high-decreasing, and consistently elevated. Membership in the four groups characterized by higher P-IPV exposure was predicted by maternal race and exposure to physical abuse. The children of mothers in the low-increasing and consistently elevated groups had elevated scores on the Internalizing and Externalizing scales of the Childhood Behavior Checklist. These findings remained after controlling for child sex, race, cumulative trauma exposure, and maternal depression.

Evaluation of the Effects of Music and Poetry in Oncologic Pain Relief: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

PubMed

Arruda, Maurilene Andrade Lima Bacelar; Garcia, Marília Arrais; Garcia, João Batista Santos

2016-09-01

Various forms of art therapy have been tested as adjuvants in the treatment of physical and emotional disorders, including music and poetry. To evaluate the effect of passive listening to music and poetry on the variation in pain, depression, and hope scores. This was a randomized trial, with multiple aspects and an allocation ratio of 1:1:1, in which one group listened to music, one group listened to poetry, and another group received no intervention over a period of three days. A total of 75 adult patients experiencing pain and hospitalized in a cancer facility were included. The study was conducted over a period of three months. The primary outcome consisted of pain evaluation using a Visual Analog Scale, and the secondary outcomes consisted of evaluations of depression (Beck Depression Inventory) and hope (Herth Hope Scale). The final sample consisted of 65 participants, with 22 in the music group, 22 in the poetry group, and 21 controls. Music promoted an improvement in pain (p < 0.001) and depression (p = 0.004), while poetry promoted an improvement in pain (p < 0.001), depression (p = 0.001), and hope (p = 0.009). However, a difference between the music and poetry groups and the control group after the study was only observed for the pain outcome (p < 0.001) (confidence interval = 95%). Both music and poetry produced a similar improvement in the pain intensity. The two therapies also affected depression scores, and only poetry increased hope scores. Further investigation of the effects and comparisons between the two therapies should be performed.

Experience-dependent induction of hypnagogic images during daytime naps: a combined behavioural and EEG study.

PubMed

Kusse, Caroline; Shaffii-LE Bourdiec, Anahita; Schrouff, Jessica; Matarazzo, Luca; Maquet, Pierre

2012-02-01

This study characterizes hypnagogic hallucinations reported during a polygraphically recorded 90-min daytime nap following or preceding practice of the computer game Tetris. In the experimental group (N = 16), participants played Tetris in the morning for 2 h during three consecutive days, while in a first control group (N = 13, controlling the effect of experience) participants did not play any game, and in a second control group (N = 14, controlling the effect of anticipation) participants played Tetris after the nap. During afternoon naps, participants were repetitively awakened 15, 45, 75, 120 or 180 s after the onset of S1, and were asked to report their mental content. Reports content was scored by three judges (inter-rater reliability 85%). In the experimental group, 48 out of 485 (10%) sleep-onset reports were Tetris-related. They mostly consisted of images and sounds with very little emotional content. They exactly reproduced Tetris elements or mixed them with other mnemonic components. By contrast, in the first control group, only one report out of 107 was scored as Tetris-related (1%), and in the second control group only three reports out of 112 were scored as Tetris-related (3%; between-groups comparison; P = 0.006). Hypnagogic hallucinations were more consistently induced by experience than by anticipation (P = 0.039), and they were predominantly observed during the transition of wakefulness to sleep. The observed attributes of experience-related hypnagogic hallucinations are consistent with the particular organization of regional brain activity at sleep onset, characterized by high activity in sensory cortices and in the default-mode network. © 2011 European Sleep Research Society.

Promoting Individual and Organizational Productivity Through Practice Intelligence: The Role of Tacit Knowledge in Personal and Organizational Effectiveness

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-05-01

indicate their conpany affiliation. Group 2 consisted of 51 graduate students in five business schools varying in level of prestige. Group 3 consisted...list; and 5 were from companies whose identity was not indicated. Group 2 consisted of 25 business graduate students from 7 business schools of varying

Effect of fermented milk containing Lactobacillus casei strain Shirota on constipation-related symptoms and haemorrhoids in women during puerperium.

PubMed

Sakai, T; Kubota, H; Gawad, A; Gheyle, L; Ramael, S; Oishi, K

2015-01-01

Constipation and haemorrhoids are common complaints after childbirth. The objective of this pilot study was to evaluate impact of fermented milk containing Lactobacillus casei strain Shirota (LcS) on stool consistency and frequency, constipation-related symptoms and quality of life, and incidence of haemorrhoids in women during puerperium. Forty women who had natural childbirth were randomised to group consuming either one bottle/day of fermented milk containing at least 6.5×109 cfu of LcS, or placebo, for 6 weeks after childbirth. Subjects filled in a diary on their bowel habits including number of bowel movement, stool consistency and incidence of haemorrhoids, and answered questionnaires on constipation-related symptoms (PAC-SYM) and quality of life (PAC-QOL) during the study period. The probiotic group showed the better scores on overall PAC-SYM (P=0.013), PAC-SYM subscales of abdominal symptoms (P=0.043) and rectal symptoms (P=0.031), and PAC-QOL satisfaction subscale (P=0.037) in comparison with the placebo group. In the probiotic group, two to four subjects experienced haemorrhoids during the first 3 weeks of treatment. The number decreased in week 4 and no one had haemorrhoids on most days in week 5-6. In the placebo group, on average four subjects had haemorrhoids from the beginning, and no obvious change was observed until week 6. No statistically significant effect was observed on stool consistency and frequency. The study products did not cause any adverse event in the subjects. Results of this study indicate that continuous consumption of fermented milk containing LcS might alleviate constipation-related symptoms, provide satisfactory bowel habit and result in earlier recovery from haemorrhoids in women during puerperium. Nonetheless, there are several limitations in interpretation of the results attributed to the study design, including lack of baseline data. Further study is required in order to confirm the efficacy.

Evaluation of anti-inflammatory effect of statins in chronic periodontitis.

PubMed

Suresh, Snophia; Narayana, Satya; Jayakumar, P; Sudhakar, Uma; Pramod, V

2013-01-01

Statins are the group of lipid-lowering drugs commonly used to control cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Statins have potential anti-inflammatory effect by blocking the intermediate metabolites of the mevalonate pathway. The objective of this study was to evaluate the anti-inflammatory effect of statin medication in chronic periodontitis patients. Thirty patients of age group between 40 and 60 years were selected from the outpatient pool of Department of Periodontics, Thaimoogambigai Dental College and Hospital, Chennai. Thirty patients selected were grouped into two groups, Group-I consists of patients with generalized chronic periodontitis and on statin medication and Group-II consists of patients with generalized chronic periodontitis. Clinical parameters were recorded and gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) samples were analyzed for interleukin (IL)-1β using commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The mean GCF IL-1β levels in generalized chronic periodontitis patients who are on statin medication (Group-I) were lower than the generalized chronic periodontitis patients without statin medication (Group-II). Reduction of GCF IL-1β levels in statin users indicate that statins have anti-inflammatory effect on periodontal disease.

Acute, Five- and Ten-Day Inhalation Study of Hydroprocessed Esters and Fatty Acids-Mixed Fats (HEFA-F) Jet Fuel

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-09-01

Groups ...................18 Table 6. Urine Specific Gravity in the Ten-Day Duration Groups ...............................................19 Table 7...exposed rats were not consistently significant compared to control groups and were considered random due to small group sizes. In urine samples...sources. Alternative fuels may be developed by synthesis from simpler molecules (e.g., natural gas) or by refining from non-petroleum sources (e.g

Physics and Technology of III-V Pseudomorphic Structures

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-03-01

AIISIRACT Iex~am uowo,, We have developed an in situ technique for determining the group -V composition in gas-source molecular beam epitaxy (GSMBE...growth of mixed group -V compounds, such as GaAsP, InAsP, and InGaAsP. The in situ technique consists of monitoring the intensity oscillations of ’ group -V...epitaxy ........................................................................... 58 13. A study of group -V desorption from InP and InAs by reflection

[Psychometric properties of the Eating Disorder Inventory (EDI-2) in adolescents].

PubMed

Salbach-Andrae, Harriet; Schneider, Nora; Bürger, Arne; Pfeiffer, Ernst; Lehmkuhl, Ulrike; Holzhausen, Martin

2010-05-01

The present study examines the psychometric properties of the German version of the Eating Disorder Inventory EDI-2 (1997) in 371 adolescents aged 13 to 18 years. Internal consistency, convergent and divergent validity were examined and a confirmatory factor analysis was conducted. Internal consistency was high for the group of patients and satisfactory for both control groups. Associations with other clinical instruments point in the expected direction and support the external validity of the EDI-2. The EDI-2 differentiated very well between the group of eating disorder patients (n=71) and the female (n=150) and male control groups (n=150). A discriminant analysis demonstrated that 86.0% of the cases were correctly classified, and a confirmatory factor analysis largely supported the six-factor structure generated by the German version of the EDI-2 (Thiel et al., 1997).

European Population Substructure: Clustering of Northern and Southern Populations

PubMed Central

Seldin, Michael F; Shigeta, Russell; Villoslada, Pablo; Selmi, Carlo; Tuomilehto, Jaakko; Silva, Gabriel; Belmont, John W; Klareskog, Lars; Gregersen, Peter K

2006-01-01

Using a genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) panel, we observed population structure in a diverse group of Europeans and European Americans. Under a variety of conditions and tests, there is a consistent and reproducible distinction between “northern” and “southern” European population groups: most individual participants with southern European ancestry (Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, and Greek) have >85% membership in the “southern” population; and most northern, western, eastern, and central Europeans have >90% in the “northern” population group. Ashkenazi Jewish as well as Sephardic Jewish origin also showed >85% membership in the “southern” population, consistent with a later Mediterranean origin of these ethnic groups. Based on this work, we have developed a core set of informative SNP markers that can control for this partition in European population structure in a variety of clinical and genetic studies. PMID:17044734

Slump Test: Effect of Contralateral Knee Extension on Response Sensations in Asymptomatic Subjects and Cadaver Study.

PubMed

Shacklock, Michael; Yee, Brian; Van Hoof, Tom; Foley, Russ; Boddie, Keith; Lacey, Erin; Poley, J Bryan; Rade, Marinko; Kankaanpää, Markku; Kröger, Heikki; Airaksinen, Olavi

2016-02-01

Part 1: A randomized, single-blind study on the effect of contralateral knee extension on sensations produced by the slump test (ST) in asymptomatic subjects. Part 2: A cadaver study simulating the nerve root behavior of part 1. Part 1: Test if contralateral knee extension consistently reduces normal stretch sensations with the ST.Part 2: Ascertain in cadavers an explanation for the results. In asymptomatic subjects, contralateral knee extension reduces stretch sensations with the ST. In sciatica patients, contralateral SLR also can temporarily reduce sciatica. We studied this methodically in asymptomatic subjects before considering a clinical population. Part 1: Sixty-one asymptomatic subjects were tested in control (ST), sham, or intervention (contralateral ST) groups and their sensation response intensity compared.Part 2: Caudal tension was applied to the L5 nerve root of 3 cadavers and tension behavior of the contralateral neural tissue recorded visually. Part 1: Reduction of stretch sensations occurred in the intervention group but not in control and sham groups (P ≤ 0.001).Part 2: Tension in the contralateral lumbar nerve roots and dura reduced in a manner consistent with the responses in the intervention (contralateral ST) group. Part 1: In asymptomatic subjects, normal thigh stretch sensations with the ST reduced consistently with the contralateral ST, showing that this is normal and may now be compared with patients with sciatica.Part 2: Contralateral reduction in lumbar neural tension with unilateral application of tension-producing movements also occurred in cadavers, supporting the proposed explanatory hypothesis.

Isokinetic and isometric strength in osteoarthrosis of the knee. A comparative study with healthy women.

PubMed

Tan, J; Balci, N; Sepici, V; Gener, F A

1995-01-01

Dynamic stability of the knee joint depends on the appropriate strength ratio of quadriceps and hamstring muscles. The purpose of this investigation was to determine the maximum peak torque (MPT) and MPT ratios of hamstrings to quadriceps (H/Q) muscles in patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA). Two groups of patients were included in the study. The first group consisted of 30 patients (Group A) with the clinical and radiologic findings of knee OA. The second group consisted of 30 patients (Group B) exhibiting knee joint pain without roentgenologic findings of knee OA. The findings of two patient groups were compared with each other and also with 30 healthy subjects (Group C). Isokinetic (at 60 degrees/s and at 180 degrees/s) and isometric (at 30 degrees and at 60 degrees of knee flexion) tests were performed by the rate-limiting isokinetic dynamometer system. Isokinetic and isometric MPT loss of knee flexors and extensors was found in both patient groups with respect to controls, but MPT ratios of H/Q muscles did not show a statistically significant difference compared with the control group. This may be related to the equal strength loss of knee flexors and knee extensors in patients with knee OA. It is concluded that strengthening exercises of hamstring muscles is as important as quadriceps strengthening in rehabilitation of knee OA.

The effects of inspiratory diaphragm breathing exercise and expiratory pursed-lip breathing exercise on chronic stroke patients' respiratory muscle activation.

PubMed

Seo, KyoChul; Hwan, Park Seung; Park, KwangYong

2017-03-01

[Purpose] The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of inspiratory diaphragm breathing exercise and expiratory pursed-lip breathing exercise on chronic stroke patients' respiratory muscle activation. [Subjects and Methods] All experimental subjects performed exercises five times per week for four weeks. Thirty chronic stroke patients were randomly assign to an experimental group of 15 patients and a control group of 15 patients. The experimental group underwent exercises consisting of basic exercise treatment for 15 minutes and inspiratory diaphragm breathing exercise and expiratory pursed-lip breathing exercise for 15 minutes and the control group underwent exercises consisting of basic exercise treatment for 15 minutes and auto-med exercise for 15 minutes. The activation levels of respiratory muscles were measured before and after the experiment using MP 150WSW to obtain the results of the experiment. [Results] In the present study, when the pulmonary functions of the experimental group and the control group before and after the experiment were compared, whereas the experimental group showed significant differences in all sections. In the verification of intergroup differences between the experimental group and the control group before and after the experiment. [Conclusion] The respiratory rehabilitation exercise is considered to be capable of inducing positive effects on stroke patients' respiratory muscles through diaphragm breathing exercise and lip puckering breathing exercise.

Teaching residents to use asthma devices. Assessing family residents' skills and a brief intervention.

PubMed Central

Kelcher, S.; Brownoff, R.

1994-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate an educational program for family medicine residents on using selected inhaler devices for delivery of asthma medications. DESIGN: A prospective analysis using pretests and posttests of a nonrandomized study group and control group. The study group of residents was given an instructional manual and a set of devices for home study, followed by a 1-hour tutorial session with a clinical instructor that included a video and hands-on practice. SETTING: Family medicine centres in Edmonton hospitals. PARTICIPANTS: The study group consisted of a convenience sample of 23 first- and second-year family medicine residents at the Misericordia Hospital Family Medicine Centre. The control group consisted of a convenience sample of 22 first- and second-year family medicine residents at the Royal Alexandra Hospital Family Medicine Centre. Nine residents did not take the posttest; one was absent because of injury, one missed the in-service, and seven had left the city on other rotations, had completed their program, or declined to participate. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Improvements in scores on a multiple-choice test and in techniques of using the devices. RESULTS: Using an average of scores on seven different devices, only 36% of residents showed adequate knowledge of how to use the devices on the pretest. Posttest scores improved for both the control (P < 0.001) and study (P < 0.001) groups, but improvement was significantly greater for the study group (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Residents lacked adequate knowledge of asthma devices. More study is needed to confirm the long-term effectiveness of formal teaching about the devices. Images Figure 1 PMID:7888821

Intraclade Variability in Toxin Production and Cytotoxicity of Bacillus cereus Group Type Strains and Dairy-Associated Isolates

PubMed Central

Jian, Jiahui; Beno, Sarah M.; Wiedmann, Martin

2018-01-01

ABSTRACT While some species in the Bacillus cereus group are well-characterized human pathogens (e.g., B. anthracis and B. cereus sensu stricto), the pathogenicity of other species (e.g., B. pseudomycoides) either has not been characterized or is presently not well understood. To provide an updated characterization of the pathogenic potential of species in the B. cereus group, we classified a set of 52 isolates, including 8 type strains and 44 isolates from dairy-associated sources, into 7 phylogenetic clades and characterized them for (i) the presence of toxin genes, (ii) phenotypic characteristics used for identification, and (iii) cytotoxicity to human epithelial cells. Overall, we found that B. cereus toxin genes are broadly distributed but are not consistently present within individual species and/or clades. After growth at 37°C, isolates within a clade did not typically show a consistent cytotoxicity phenotype, except for isolates in clade VI (B. weihenstephanensis/B. mycoides), where none of the isolates were cytotoxic, and isolates in clade I (B. pseudomycoides), which consistently displayed cytotoxic activity. Importantly, our study highlights that B. pseudomycoides is cytotoxic toward human cells. Our results indicate that the detection of toxin genes does not provide a reliable approach to predict the pathogenic potential of B. cereus group isolates, as the presence of toxin genes is not always consistent with cytotoxicity phenotype. Overall, our results suggest that isolates from multiple B. cereus group clades have the potential to cause foodborne illness, although cytotoxicity is not always consistently found among isolates within each clade. IMPORTANCE Despite the importance of the Bacillus cereus group as a foodborne pathogen, characterizations of the pathogenic potential of all B. cereus group species were lacking. We show here that B. pseudomycoides (clade I), which has been considered a harmless environmental microorganism, produces toxins and exhibits a phenotype consistent with the production of pore-forming toxins. Furthermore, B. mycoides/B. weihenstephanensis isolates (clade VI) did not show cytotoxicity when grown at 37°C, despite carrying multiple toxin genes. Overall, we show that the current standard methods to characterize B. cereus group isolates and to detect the presence of toxin genes are not reliable indicators of species, phylogenetic clades, or an isolate's cytotoxic capacity, suggesting that novel methods are still needed for differentiating pathogenic from nonpathogenic species within the B. cereus group. Our results also contribute data that are necessary to facilitate risk assessments and a better understanding as to which B. cereus group species are likely to cause foodborne illness. PMID:29330180

Personality and behavior prediction and consistency across cultures: A multimethod study of Blacks and Whites in South Africa.

PubMed

Fetvadjiev, Velichko H; Meiring, Deon; van de Vijver, Fons J R; Nel, J Alewyn; Sekaja, Lusanda; Laher, Sumaya

2018-03-01

The cross-cultural universality of behavior's consistency and predictability from personality, assumed in trait models though challenged in cultural psychological models, has usually been operationalized in terms of beliefs and perceptions, and assessed using single-instance self-reports. In a multimethod study of actual behavior across a range of situations, we examined predictability and consistency in participants from the more collectivistic Black ethnic group and the more individualistic White group in South Africa. Participants completed personality questionnaires before the behavior measurements. In Study 1, 107 Black and 241 White students kept diaries for 21 days, recording their behaviors and the situations in which they had occurred. In Study 2, 57 Black and 52 White students were video-recorded in 12 situations in laboratory settings, and external observers scored their behaviors. Across both studies, behavior was predicted by personality on average equally well in the 2 groups, and equally well when using trait-adjective- and behavior-based personality measures. The few cultural differences in situational variability were not in line with individualism-collectivism; however, subjective perceptions of variability, operationalized as dialectical beliefs, were more in line with individualism-collectivism: Blacks viewed their behavior as more variable than Whites. We propose drawing a distinction between subjective beliefs and objective behavior in the study of personality and culture. Larger cultural differences can be expected in beliefs and perceptions than in the links between personality and actual behavior. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Vocabulary growth rate from preschool to school-age years is reflected in the connectivity of the arcuate fasciculus in 14-year-old children.

PubMed

Su, Mengmeng; Thiebaut de Schotten, Michel; Zhao, Jingjing; Song, Shuang; Zhou, Wei; Gong, Gaolang; McBride, Catherine; Ramus, Franck; Shu, Hua

2018-02-06

The acquisition of language involves the functional specialization of several cortical regions. Connectivity between these brain regions may also change with the development of language. Various studies have demonstrated that the arcuate fasciculus was essential for language function. Vocabulary learning is one of the most important skills in language acquisition. In the present longitudinal study, we explored the influence of vocabulary development on the anatomical properties of the arcuate fasciculus. Seventy-nine Chinese children participated in this study. Between age 4 and age 10, they were administered the same vocabulary task repeatedly. Following a previous study, children's vocabulary developmental trajectories were clustered into three subgroups (consistently good, catch-up, consistently poor). At age 14, diffusion tensor imaging data were collected. Using ROI-based tractography, the anterior, posterior and direct segments of the bilateral arcuate fasciculus were delineated in each child's native space. Group comparisons showed a significantly reduced fractional anisotropy in the left arcuate fasciculus of children in the consistently poor group, in particular in the posterior and direct segments of the arcuate fasciculus. No group differences were observed in the right hemisphere, nor in the left anterior segment. Further regression analyses showed that the rate of vocabulary development, rather than the initial vocabulary size, was a specific predictor of the left arcuate fasciculus connectivity. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Occurrence of fat embolism after liposuction surgery with or without lipografting: an experimental study.

PubMed

Franco, Fernando F; Tincani, Alfio J; Meirelles, Luciana R; Kharmandayan, Paulo; Guidi, Marcelo C

2011-08-01

Liposuction in plastic surgery consists of the removal of excess fatty tissue in healthy individuals. In recent decades, this procedure has become more common worldwide. Associated with liposuction, lipografting has also been used for improving body contours, and has become known as liposculpture. Liposuction sometimes causes complications, including fat embolism, as described in the medical literature. The present study aims at ascertaining whether there is intravascular mobilization of fat after mechanical liposuction surgery and/or fat graft when carried out using one of the most common specific procedures used for liposuction, the superwet technique. A total of 30 Wistar rats were included in this study. Before the surgery, the animals were placed in the supine position and anesthetized with thiopental for 50 to 60 minutes, as it is generally performed in clinical practice. The animals were divided in the following 3 groups. Group A, consisting of 10 rats, served as controls, and were only anesthetized. Group B consisted of 10 rats, which underwent only liposuction. Group C also comprised 10 rats, which were liposuctioned and then lipografted in the dorsal region. Blood was collected just before and again, 48 hours after the procedure. After 48 hours, the animals were killed, and the lungs, kidneys, liver, and brain were histologically examined. All the collected samples were analyzed microscopically with 2 different stains, namely, hematoxylin and eosin, and Sudan black. Fat particles were found in the lungs of 3 animals in group B (those that underwent only liposuction) and in 6 animals of group C (liposuction and lipografting). No fat particles were found in any organ of the control group. With this experiment, the authors showed that there is a risk of systemic mobilization of fat after liposuction surgery and that this risk is even higher when fat grafts are also carried out.

Specific emotions as mediators of the effect of intergroup contact on prejudice: findings across multiple participant and target groups.

PubMed

Seger, Charles R; Banerji, Ishani; Park, Sang Hee; Smith, Eliot R; Mackie, Diane M

2017-08-01

Emotions are increasingly being recognised as important aspects of prejudice and intergroup behaviour. Specifically, emotional mediators play a key role in the process by which intergroup contact reduces prejudice towards outgroups. However, which particular emotions are most important for prejudice reduction, as well as the consistency and generality of emotion-prejudice relations across different in-group-out-group relations, remain uncertain. To address these issues, in Study 1 we examined six distinct positive and negative emotions as mediators of the contact-prejudice relations using representative samples of U.S. White, Black, and Asian American respondents (N = 639). Admiration and anger (but not other emotions) were significant mediators of the effects of previous contact on prejudice, consistently across different perceiver and target ethnic groups. Study 2 examined the same relations with student participants and gay men as the out-group. Admiration and disgust mediated the effect of past contact on attitude. The findings confirm that not only negative emotions (anger or disgust, based on the specific types of threat perceived to be posed by an out-group), but also positive, status- and esteem-related emotions (admiration) mediate effects of contact on prejudice, robustly across several different respondent and target groups.

Effect of air bubble localization after transfer on embryo transfer outcomes.

PubMed

Tiras, Bulent; Korucuoglu, Umit; Polat, Mehtap; Saltik, Ayse; Zeyneloglu, Hulusi Bulent; Yarali, Hakan

2012-09-01

Our study aimed to provide information about the effects of air bubble localization after transfer on embryo transfer outcomes. Retrospective analysis of 7489 ultrasound-guided embryo transfers. Group 1 included 6631 embryo transfers in which no movement of the air bubbles was observed after transfer. Group 2 consisted of 407 embryo transfers in which the air bubbles moved towards the uterine fundus spontaneously, a little time after transfer. Group 3 included 370 embryo transfers in which the air bubbles moved towards the uterine fundus with ejection, immediately after transfer. Group 4 consisted of 81 embryo transfers in which the air bubbles moved towards the cervical canal. The four patient groups were different from one another with respect to positive pregnancy tests. Post hoc test revealed that this difference was between group 4 and other groups. An initial finding of our study was significantly decreased positive pregnancy test rates and clinical pregnancy rates with air bubbles moving towards the cervical canal after transfer. Although air bubbles moving towards the uterine fundus with ejection were associated with higher pregnancy rates, higher miscarriage rates and similar live birth rates were observed compared to air bubbles remaining stable after transfer. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Who Attends Physical Activity Programmes in Deprived Neighbourhoods?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Withall, J.; Jago, R.; Fox, K. R.

2011-01-01

Objective: Physical activity can reduce the risk of several chronic diseases. Such diseases are most prevalent in economically-disadvantaged groups where physical activity levels are consistently lower. There is a need to engage disadvantaged groups in programmes to increase physical activity. This case study examined programmes on offer in a…

Student Success Skills: A Structured Group Intervention for School Counselors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Webb, Linda; Brigman, Greg A.

2007-01-01

This article describes the Student Success Skills (SSS) small group intervention developed for school counselors targeting academic outcomes. The SSS program is based on extensive reviews of research about the skills students need to be successful. Studies supporting program effectiveness are briefly reviewed and show consistent patterns of…

Robotic Cooperative Learning Promotes Student STEM Interest

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mosley, Pauline; Ardito, Gerald; Scollins, Lauren

2016-01-01

The principal purpose of this investigation is to study the effect of robotic cooperative learning methodologies on middle school students' critical thinking, and STEM interest. The semi-experimental inquiry consisted of ninety four six-grade students (forty nine students in the experimental group, forty five students in the control group), chosen…

An Evaluation of Informal Parent Support Groups.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lennon, Lori; And Others

This study examined the effects of an informal parental support network on parents' perceptions of child behavior, discipline style, and satisfaction in parenting. The parent support group consisted of 38 parents (mostly mothers) who met regularly and had an opportunity to discuss parenting concerns and compare experiences with their children;…

Middle School Students' Aggressive Reactions to Dating Situations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Prospero, Moises

2006-01-01

The present study investigated age differences in reactions to the perceptions of dating violence using both qualitative and quantitative research methods. Focus groups were conducted to develop age and culturally appropriate questionnaires for each age group (college and middle school). The questionnaires consisted of common dating scenarios that…

Communicative Anxiety in English as a Third Language

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Santos, Alaitz; Cenoz, Jasone; Gorter, Durk

2017-01-01

The present study focuses on the link between three factors, proficiency, language certificates and bilingualism, and levels of communicative anxiety in the third language (English) in two groups of adult users, university students and young professionals. The first group consisted of 217 university students who were enrolled at the University of…

Effect of sildenafil citrate on secondary healing in full thickness skin defects in experiment.

PubMed

Cakmak, E; Karasoy Yesilada, A; Sevim, K Z; Sumer, O; Tatlidede, H S; Sakiz, D

2014-01-01

An acceleration of the wound healing process expedites chronic wound patient's return to normal social environments significantly. Sildenafil, a cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP)-dependent phosphodiesterase- 5 inhibitor has been shown to be a potent stimulator of angiogenesis through upregulation of cGMP. In our study, sildenafil was administered orally as a cost-effective supplement in the treatment of full thickness defects and chronic wounds in that manner with low incidence of side effects and morbidity. Randomly selected 72 Wistar-Albino rats were divided into the two groups, 36 rats in each group. Control group (n =36) was divided further into a secondary healing group consisting of 9 rats and a pathology group consisting of 27 rats (pathology group 1: 9 rats, 4th and 7th day of wound healing, pathology group 2: 9 rats, 10th and 14th day of wound healing, pathology group 3: 9 rats, 21st and 28th day of wound healing. Experimental group consisted of 36 rats which received sildenafil citrate (Viagra® Pfizer, Germany) for secondary wound healing to proceed. The average wound healing period in the control group was 17.89 days and in the sildenafil citrate administered group 14.56 days. The difference of the epithelialisation on full thickness defects were more prominent on days 5 and 11 postoperatively. In the sildenafil citrate applied group, on the 7th day, the defect was 25% smaller and on the 13th day, the defect contracted by 38%. In conclusion, we believe that sildenafil citrate administered orally is a cost- effective supplement in the treatment of full thickness defects and chronic wounds in that manner with low incidence of side effects and morbidity (Tab. 4, Fig. 7, Ref. 34).

Switching from usual brand cigarettes to a tobacco-heating cigarette or snus: Part 3. Biomarkers of biological effect

PubMed Central

Ogden, Michael W.; Marano, Kristin M.; Jones, Bobbette A.; Morgan, Walter T.; Stiles, Mitchell F.

2015-01-01

Abstract A randomized, multi-center study of adult cigarette smokers switched to tobacco-heating cigarettes, snus or ultra-low machine yield tobacco-burning cigarettes (50/group) for 24 weeks was conducted. Evaluation of biomarkers of biological effect (e.g. inflammation, lipids, hypercoaguable state) indicated that the majority of consistent and statistically significant improvements over time within each group were observed in markers of inflammation. Consistent and statistically significant differences in pairwise comparisons between product groups were not observed. These findings are relevant to the understanding of biomarkers of biological effect related to cigarette smoking as well as the risk continuum across various tobacco products (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02061917). PMID:26525962

Synthesis of actinide nitrides, phosphides, sulfides and oxides

DOEpatents

Van Der Sluys, William G.; Burns, Carol J.; Smith, David C.

1992-01-01

A process of preparing an actinide compound of the formula An.sub.x Z.sub.y wherein An is an actinide metal atom selected from the group consisting of thorium, uranium, plutonium, neptunium, and americium, x is selected from the group consisting of one, two or three, Z is a main group element atom selected from the group consisting of nitrogen, phosphorus, oxygen and sulfur and y is selected from the group consisting of one, two, three or four, by admixing an actinide organometallic precursor wherein said actinide is selected from the group consisting of thorium, uranium, plutonium, neptunium, and americium, a suitable solvent and a protic Lewis base selected from the group consisting of ammonia, phosphine, hydrogen sulfide and water, at temperatures and for time sufficient to form an intermediate actinide complex, heating said intermediate actinide complex at temperatures and for time sufficient to form the actinide compound, and a process of depositing a thin film of such an actinide compound, e.g., uranium mononitride, by subliming an actinide organometallic precursor, e.g., a uranium amide precursor, in the presence of an effectgive amount of a protic Lewis base, e.g., ammonia, within a reactor at temperatures and for time sufficient to form a thin film of the actinide compound, are disclosed.

Experiences with Recruitment of Marginalized Groups in a Danish Health Promotion Program: A Document Evaluation Study.

PubMed

Rasmussen, Marianne; Poulsen, Eva Kanstrup; Rytter, Anne Stoffersen; Kristiansen, Tine Mechlenborg; Bak, Carsten Kronborg

2016-01-01

Studies have found that marginalized groups living in deprived neighborhoods are less likely to participate in health programs compared to the majority of society. This study evaluates recruitment approaches conducted during a national government-funded project in 12 deprived neighborhoods across Denmark between 2010 and 2014. The aim of this study was to understand how recruitment approaches could promote participation in health programs within deprived neighborhoods to reach marginalized groups. Documents from all 12 of the included municipalities were collected to conduct a document evaluation. The collected documents consisted of 1,500 pages of written material with 12 project descriptions, three midterm and 10 final evaluations. The collected data were analyzed through a qualitative content analysis. The results are based on the fact that only 10 municipalities have developed evaluations related to recruitment, and only three evaluations provided a description of which marginalized groups were recruited. Challenges related to recruitment consist of difficulties involving the target group, including general distrust, language barriers and a lack of ability to cope with new situations and strangers. Additional geographical challenges emerged, especially in rural areas. Positive experiences with recruitment approaches were mainly related to relationship building and trust building, especially through face-to-face contact and the project employees' presence in the neighborhood. Additionally, adjusting some of the interventions and the recruitment strategy increased participation. This study found that relation and trust between the residents and the project employees is an important factor in the recruitment of marginalized groups in deprived neighborhoods as well as adjusting the health interventions or recruitment strategy to the target groups. In future research, it is necessary to examine which recruitment approaches are effective under which circumstances to increase participation among marginalized groups.

Characterization of fecal microbiota across seven Chinese ethnic groups by quantitative polymerase chain reaction.

PubMed

Kwok, Lai-yu; Zhang, Jiachao; Guo, Zhuang; Gesudu, Qimu; Zheng, Yi; Qiao, Jianmin; Huo, Dongxue; Zhang, Heping

2014-01-01

The human gut microbiota consists of complex microbial communities, which possibly play crucial roles in physiological functioning and health maintenance. China has evolved into a multicultural society consisting of the major ethnic group, Han, and 55 official ethnic minority groups. Nowadays, these minority groups inhabit in different Chinese provinces and some of them still keep their unique culture and lifestyle. Currently, only limited data are available on the gut microbiota of these Chinese ethnic groups. In this study, 10 major fecal bacterial groups of 314 healthy individuals from 7 Chinese ethnic origins were enumerated by quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Our data confirmed that the selected bacterial groups were common to all 7 surveyed ethnicities, but the amount of the individual bacterial groups varied to different degree. By principal component and canonical variate analyses of the 314 individuals or the 91 Han subjects, no distinct group clustering pattern was observed. Nevertheless, weak differences were noted between the Han and Zhuang from other ethnic minority groups, and between the Heilongjiang Hans from those of the other provinces. Thus, our results suggest that the ethnic origin may contribute to shaping the human gut microbiota.

Characterization of Fecal Microbiota across Seven Chinese Ethnic Groups by Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction

PubMed Central

Guo, Zhuang; Gesudu, Qimu; Zheng, Yi; Qiao, Jianmin; Huo, Dongxue; Zhang, Heping

2014-01-01

The human gut microbiota consists of complex microbial communities, which possibly play crucial roles in physiological functioning and health maintenance. China has evolved into a multicultural society consisting of the major ethnic group, Han, and 55 official ethnic minority groups. Nowadays, these minority groups inhabit in different Chinese provinces and some of them still keep their unique culture and lifestyle. Currently, only limited data are available on the gut microbiota of these Chinese ethnic groups. In this study, 10 major fecal bacterial groups of 314 healthy individuals from 7 Chinese ethnic origins were enumerated by quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Our data confirmed that the selected bacterial groups were common to all 7 surveyed ethnicities, but the amount of the individual bacterial groups varied to different degree. By principal component and canonical variate analyses of the 314 individuals or the 91 Han subjects, no distinct group clustering pattern was observed. Nevertheless, weak differences were noted between the Han and Zhuang from other ethnic minority groups, and between the Heilongjiang Hans from those of the other provinces. Thus, our results suggest that the ethnic origin may contribute to shaping the human gut microbiota. PMID:24699404

Metal ion levels in patients with stainless steel spinal instrumentation.

PubMed

McPhee, I Bruce; Swanson, Cheryl E

2007-08-15

Case-control study. To determine whether metal ion concentrations are elevated in patients with spinal instrumentation. Studies have shown that serum and urinary levels of component metal ions are abnormally elevated in patients with total joint arthroplasties. Little is known of metal ion release and concentrations in patients with spinal instrumentation. The study group consisted of patients who had undergone spinal instrumentation for various spinal disorders with a variety of stainless steel implants, 5 to 25 years previously. A group of volunteers without metal implants were controls. All subjects were tested for serum nickel, blood chromium, and random urine chromium/creatinine ratio estimation. The study group consisted of 32 patients with retained implants and 12 patients whose implants had been removed. There were 26 unmatched controls. There was no difference in serum nickel and blood chromium levels between all 3 groups. The mean urinary chromium/creatinine ratio for patients with implants and those with implants removed was significantly greater than controls (P < 0.001). The difference between study subgroups was not significant (P = 0.16). Of several patient and instrumentation variables, only the number of couplings approached significance for correlation with the urine chromium excretion (P = 0.07). Spinal implants do not raise the levels of serum nickel and blood chromium. There is evidence that metal ions are released from spinal implants and excreted in urine. The excretion of chromium in patients with spinal implants was significantly greater than normal controls although lower where the implants have been removed. The findings are consistent with low-grade release of ions from implants with rapid clearance, thus maintaining normal serum levels. Levels of metal ions in the body fluids probably do not reach a level that causes late side-effect; hence, routine removal of the implants cannot be recommended.

Processing Social Information in Messages: Social Group Familiarity, Fiction/Non-fiction Labels, and Subsequent Beliefs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Slater, Michael D.

A study examined how the relative familiarity of a social group described in a message may affect the impact of ostensibly fiction and nonfiction messages on subsequent beliefs about social groups. The 24 paid subjects each received one of four sets of prose excerpts. Each set consisted of four excerpts that were labelled as fiction or nonfiction…

A Psychoeducational Group Intervention for Siblings of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brouzos, Andreas; Vassilopoulos, Stephanos P.; Tassi, Christina

2017-01-01

This study examined the effectiveness of an 8-week psychoeducational group program for siblings of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The sample consisted of 38 siblings aged 6-15 years (M = 10.75), allocated to the experimental (n = 22) or control group (n = 16). Self-report questionnaires were administered before and after the…

Impact of the Systemic Approach on Literacy Achievement of Jordanian 1st Graders at Mu'tah University Model School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Al-Hajaya, Nail

2012-01-01

This study investigates the effect of the systemic approach in literacy achievement of the first grade students at Mu'tah University's Model School. The sample (N = 45) consisted of all first grade students, who were assigned into two groups; a control group taught traditionally while the other group was exposed to the system approach during the…

Group virtue: the importance of morality (vs. competence and sociability) in the positive evaluation of in-groups.

PubMed

Leach, Colin Wayne; Ellemers, Naomi; Barreto, Manuela

2007-08-01

Although previous research has focused on competence and sociability as the characteristics most important to positive group evaluation, the authors suggest that morality is more important. Studies with preexisting and experimentally created in-groups showed that a set of positive traits constituted distinct factors of morality, competence, and sociability. When asked directly, Study 1 participants reported that their in-group's morality was more important than its competence or sociability. An unobtrusive factor analytic method also showed morality to be a more important explanation of positive in-group evaluation than competence or sociability. Experimental manipulations of morality and competence (Study 4) and morality and sociability (Study 5) showed that only in-group morality affected aspects of the group-level self-concept related to positive evaluation (i.e., pride in, or distancing from, the in-group). Consistent with this finding, identification with experimentally created (Study 2b) and preexisting (Studies 4 and 5) in-groups predicted the ascription of morality, but not competence or sociability, to the in-group.

Assessing the Research Needs of Graduate Students at Georgetown University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gibbs, David; Boettcher, Jennifer; Hollingsworth, Jill; Slania, Heather

2012-01-01

Describes a two-part study of the research needs of graduate students at Georgetown University. The first part, conducted in May 2010, consisted of an online survey about students' research practices and opinions about the library. The second part, conducted in May 2011, consisted of focus groups with particular subsets of graduate students. The…

The Effects of Reading from the Screen on the Reading Motivation Levels of Elementary 5th Graders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aydemir, Zeynep; Ozturk, Ergun

2012-01-01

This study aims to explore the effects of reading from the screen on elementary 5th grade students' reading motivation levels. It used the randomized control-group pretest-posttest model, which is a true experimental design. The study group consisted of 60 students, 30 experimental and 30 control, who were attending the 5th grade of a public…

The Effect of a Training Programme in Creativity on Developing the Creative Abilities among Children with Visual Impairment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Al-Dababneh, Kholoud A.; al-Masa'deh, Mu'tasem M.; Oliemat, Enass M.

2015-01-01

This study aims to investigate the effects of a training programme in creativity on developing creative abilities among 9-10-year-old children with visual impairment in Jordan. The study sample consisted of 41 students from fourth and fifth grades, who were randomly selected and divided into two experimental groups and two control groups. To…

Exploring the Impact of Argumentation on Pre-Service Science Teachers' Conceptual Understanding of Chemical Equilibrium

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aydeniz, Mehmet; Dogan, Alev

2016-01-01

This study examines the impact of argumentation on pre-service science teachers' (PST) conceptual understanding of chemical equilibrium. The sample consisted of 57 first-year PSTs enrolled in a teacher education program in Turkey. Thirty two of the 57 PSTs who participated in this study were in the experimental group and 25 in the control group.…

The Effect of Psychological Counselling in Group on Life Orientation and Loneliness Levels of the University Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gurgan, Ugur

2013-01-01

The present study was an experimental research which was applied for increasing of the life tendencies and decreasing the loneliness of the university students, and in which the effect of psychological counselling in group on loneliness level was analysed. The present study consisting of mix measurements was carried out by 2x2 split-plot in order…

The Effect of Speed Reading Strategies on Developing Reading Comprehension among the 2nd Secondary Students in English Language

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abdelrahman, Mahmoud Sulaiman Hamad Bani; Bsharah, Muwafaq Saleem

2014-01-01

This study aimed to find the effect of speed reading strategies on developing reading comprehension among second secondary literary stream students in English language. The sample of the study consists of (42) students assigned into two groups who were chosen randomly from schools, a controlled group (21) students, and an experimental (21)…

The Effect of Using a Proposed Teaching Strategy Based on the Selective Thinking on Students' Acquisition Concepts in Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Qudah, Ahmad Hassan

2016-01-01

This study aimed at identify the effect of using a proposed teaching strategy based on the selective thinking in acquire mathematical concepts by Classroom Teacher Students at Al- al- Bayt University, The sample of the study consisted of (74) students, equally distributed into a control group and an experimental group. The selective thinking…

The Effect of Lego Mindstorms Ev3 Based Design Activities on Students' Attitudes towards Learning Computer Programming, Self-Efficacy Beliefs and Levels of Academic Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Korkmaz, Özgen

2016-01-01

The aim of the study was to present the effect of Lego Mindstorms Ev3 based design activities on students' attitudes towards learning computer programming, self-efficacy beliefs and levels of academic achievement. The research is a pretest-posttest with control group semi-experimental study. The study group of the research consisted of 53 students…

Impact of Booster Breaks and Computer Prompts on Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior Among Desk-Based Workers: A Cluster-Randomized Controlled Trial.

PubMed

Taylor, Wendell C; Paxton, Raheem J; Shegog, Ross; Coan, Sharon P; Dubin, Allison; Page, Timothy F; Rempel, David M

2016-11-17

The 15-minute work break provides an opportunity to promote health, yet few studies have examined this part of the workday. We studied physical activity and sedentary behavior among office workers and compared the results of the Booster Break program with those of a second intervention and a control group to determine whether the Booster Break program improved physical and behavioral health outcomes. We conducted a 3-arm, cluster-randomized controlled trial at 4 worksites in Texas from 2010 through 2013 to compare a group-based, structured Booster Break program to an individual-based computer-prompt intervention and a usual-break control group; we analyzed physiologic, behavioral, and employee measures such as work social support, quality of life, and perceived stress. We also identified consistent and inconsistent attendees of the Booster Break sessions. We obtained data from 175 participants (mean age, 43 y; 67% racial/ethnic minority). Compared with the other groups, the consistent Booster Break attendees had greater weekly pedometer counts (P < .001), significant decreases in sedentary behavior and self-reported leisure-time physical activity (P < .001), and a significant increase in triglyceride concentrations (P = .02) (levels remained within the normal range). Usual-break participants significantly increased their body mass index, whereas Booster Break participants maintained body mass index status during the 6 months. Overall, Booster Break participants were 6.8 and 4.3 times more likely to have decreases in BMI and weekend sedentary time, respectively, than usual-break participants. Findings varied among the 3 study groups; however, results indicate the potential for consistent attendees of the Booster Break intervention to achieve significant, positive changes related to physical activity, sedentary behavior, and body mass index.

Impact of Booster Breaks and Computer Prompts on Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior Among Desk-Based Workers: A Cluster-Randomized Controlled Trial

PubMed Central

Paxton, Raheem J.; Shegog, Ross; Coan, Sharon P.; Dubin, Allison; Page, Timothy F.; Rempel, David M.

2016-01-01

Introduction The 15-minute work break provides an opportunity to promote health, yet few studies have examined this part of the workday. We studied physical activity and sedentary behavior among office workers and compared the results of the Booster Break program with those of a second intervention and a control group to determine whether the Booster Break program improved physical and behavioral health outcomes. Methods We conducted a 3-arm, cluster-randomized controlled trial at 4 worksites in Texas from 2010 through 2013 to compare a group-based, structured Booster Break program to an individual-based computer-prompt intervention and a usual-break control group; we analyzed physiologic, behavioral, and employee measures such as work social support, quality of life, and perceived stress. We also identified consistent and inconsistent attendees of the Booster Break sessions. Results We obtained data from 175 participants (mean age, 43 y; 67% racial/ethnic minority). Compared with the other groups, the consistent Booster Break attendees had greater weekly pedometer counts (P < .001), significant decreases in sedentary behavior and self-reported leisure-time physical activity (P < .001), and a significant increase in triglyceride concentrations (P = .02) (levels remained within the normal range). Usual-break participants significantly increased their body mass index, whereas Booster Break participants maintained body mass index status during the 6 months. Overall, Booster Break participants were 6.8 and 4.3 times more likely to have decreases in BMI and weekend sedentary time, respectively, than usual-break participants. Conclusion Findings varied among the 3 study groups; however, results indicate the potential for consistent attendees of the Booster Break intervention to achieve significant, positive changes related to physical activity, sedentary behavior, and body mass index. PMID:27854422

Digestion-resistant maltodextrin effects on colonic transit time and stool weight: a randomized controlled clinical study.

PubMed

Abellán Ruiz, María Salud; Barnuevo Espinosa, María Dolores; Contreras Fernández, Carlos J; Luque Rubia, Antonio J; Sánchez Ayllón, Francisca; Aldeguer García, Miriam; García Santamaría, Carlos; López Román, Francisco Javier

2016-12-01

Increased awareness of the importance of dietary fibre has led to increased interest in "functional" fibre components like digestion-resistant maltodextrin (RMD). This randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind study assessed the effects of RMD in the colonic transit time (CTT) and defecation characteristics (frequency, stool volume and consistency). Sixty-six healthy adult volunteers (32 men) who did not have a daily defecation habit had a 7-day run-in period before the 21-day intervention period with RMD or placebo. CTT and segmental CTT (SCTT) were assessed by a single abdominal X-ray film taken at the end of both periods after radiopaque marker ingestion. Defecation characteristics and intestinal functions were also assessed, which were self-reported by patients. Intragroup comparisons were evaluated by Student's paired t test, Bonferroni test and Chi-square test, while time comparisons by analysis of variance (ANOVA) and time-by-treatment interaction by repeated-measures ANOVA. Fifty-seven subjects were assessed for CTT (placebo, n = 28; RMD, n = 29). In the RMD group, the total CTT, left SCTT and rectosigmoidal SCTT decreased significantly compared to baseline (p < 0.01 each; -13.3, -4.7, -8.7 h, respectively). Significant differences between groups were observed in total CTT and left SCTT. Significant time-by-treatment interaction was observed in the RMD group for stool volume (p = 0.014), increasing 56 % compared to baseline (p < 0.01), while remained unchanged in the placebo group. Stool consistency was improved only in the RMD group (p < 0.01). No adverse effects related to study products were observed. The results show that RMD improved CTT, stool volume, stool consistency and some intestinal functions in a healthy population.

Effect of Ginger and Chamomile on Nausea and Vomiting Caused by Chemotherapy in Iranian Women with Breast Cancer.

PubMed

Sanaati, Fateme; Najafi, Safa; Kashaninia, Zahra; Sadeghi, Masoud

2016-01-01

Chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) places a significant burden on the patient. Herbal agents are the most commonly complementary therapies used among the public. This study was done to determine the effect of ginger and chamomile capsules on nausea and vomiting in cases undergoing chemotherapy for breast cancer (BC). In a randomized, double-blind and clinical trial study, 65 women with BC undergoing chemotherapy were referred to Breast Cancer Research Center, Tehran, Iran, between May 2013 to June 2014. Regimen for ginger group for 5 days before and 5 days after chemotherapy was: 2 times a day and 500 mg capsules of powdered ginger root in addition to a routine antiemetic regimen consisting of dexamethasone, metoclopramide and aprepitant (DMA) capsules. Chamomile group similarly was: 2 times a day and 500 mg capsules of Matricaria chamomilla extract in addition to a routine antiemetic regimen consisting of DMA capsules. Control group, routine antiemetic regimen consisting of DMA capsules. There were no significant differences between the ginger, chamomile and control groups regarding age. Drugs used for chemotherapy were identical and duration of disease was also matched (1-4 months). Ginger and chamomile were both significantly effective for reducing the frequency of vomiting, there being no significant difference between the ginger and chamomile groups. Moreover, unlike the chamomile, ginger significantly influenced the frequency of nausea. According to the findings of this study, it should be declared that taking ginger capsules (1 g/day) might relieve CINV safely. Nurses dealing directly with cancer patients should be responsible for providing educational programs for patients and their families about how to deal with their drug regimens and associated side effects.

Dental implants in medically complex patients-a retrospective study.

PubMed

Manor, Yifat; Simon, Roy; Haim, Doron; Garfunkel, Adi; Moses, Ofer

2017-03-01

Dental implant insertion for oral rehabilitation is a worldwide procedure for healthy and medically compromised patients. The impact of systemic disease risks on the outcome of implant therapy is unclear, since there are few if any published randomized controlled trials (RCTs). The objective of this study is to investigate the rate of complications and failures following dental implantation in medically compromised patients in order to elucidate risk factors and prevent them. A retrospective cohort study was conducted from patient files treated with dental implantation between the years 2008-2014. The study group consisted of medically complex patients while the control group consisted of healthy patients. Preoperative, intraoperative, and post operative clinical details were retrieved from patients' files. The survival rate and the success rate of the dental implants were evaluated clinically and radiographically. A total of 204 patients (1003 dental implants) were included in the research, in the study group, 93 patients with 528 dental implants and in the control group, 111 patients with 475 dental implants. No significant differences were found between the groups regarding implant failures or complications. The failure rate of dental implants among the patients was 11.8 % in the study group and 16.2 % in the control group (P = 0.04). It was found that patients with a higher number of implants (mean 6.8) had failures compared with patients with a lower number of implants (mean 4.2) regardless of their health status (P < 0.01). We found a similar rate of failure and complications of dental implantation in medically complex patients and in healthy patients. Medically complex patients can undergo dental implantation. There are similar rates of complications and failures of dental implants in medically complex patients and in healthy patients.

Analysis of visceral fat in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

PubMed

Lenártová, Petra; Habánová, Marta; Mrázová, Jana; Chlebo, Peter; Wyka, Joanna

2016-01-01

Cigarette smoking is a major public health problem, which leads to the formation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and is one of the main causes of avoidable death and disability worldwide. The aim of study was analysis and comparison of the visceral fat in the body of the three groups of subjects (non-smokers, smokers and COPD patients) by Tanita Viscan 140. The control group was composed of: (1) non-smokers (n=30), consisted of 13 males (43.4%) and 17 women (56.6%) - the average age was 52 ± 6.51 years and (2) smokers (n=30), consisted of 12 men (40%) and 18 women (60%) - the average age 46.53 ± 9.22 years. Study group consisted of patients with COPD (n=60), which consisted of 48 men (80%) and 12 women (20%). Mean age was 69.25 ± 9.90 years. The measurement of visceral fat by Tanita Viscan device 140, which uses bioelectrical impedance analysis to measure fat in the abdomen of the patient in the supine position. High levels of visceral fat (women from 36.9% to 52.3% and more, men from 27.1% to 40.3% or more) were observed in 19 patients (3 women and 16 men), with 19 smokers (10 women and 9 men) and non-smokers in 22 subjects (10 women and 12 men). The average value of waist circumference measured with a Tanita Viscan 140 was in the group of patients 96.38 ± 12.27 cm, in the group of smokers 95.23 ± 10.12 cm and in group of non-smokers 96.86 ± 10.88 cm. The results of our work are of great importance for the health assessment not only among patients with COPD but also in the group of smokers. Therefore it would be appropriate to remind the general public, eg. by campaign for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and its serious complications and reduce the life quality of these patients and thus help protect human health and in particular young people from the harmful effects of tobacco products.

Informed Decision-Making and Satisfaction with a Church-Based Men's Health Workshop Series for African-American Men: Men-Only vs. Mixed-Gender Format.

PubMed

Holt, Cheryl L; Le, Daisy; Saunders, Darlene R; Wang, Min Qi; Slade, Jimmie L; Muwwakkil, Bettye; Williams, Ralph; Atkinson, Nancy L; Whitehead, Tony L; Naslund, Michael

2015-09-01

Prostate cancer incidence and mortality are highest among African-American men, and coupled with the controversy around routine prostate cancer screening, reaching African-American men with interventions to help them make an informed decision about whether or not to be screened is critical. This study compares two approaches to delivering a church-based peer community health advisor intervention consisting of a series of four men's health workshops on informed decision-making for prostate cancer screening. In the men-only group, male community health advisors teach group workshops consisting only of men. In the health partner group, male-female pairs of community health advisors teach workshops in a mixed-gender format in which enrolled men are asked to invite a significant woman in their lives (e.g., wife/partner, sister, daughter, friend) with them to the workshops. Eighteen African-American churches were randomized to receive one of the two approaches, and 283 eligible men enrolled in the intervention. Main findings suggested that the workshops had an impact on stage of decision-making, and this increased significantly over time in the health partner group only. The intervention was highly rated by men in both groups, and these ratings increased over time, with some study group differences. Within-workshop study group differences favored the health partner group in some instances; however, men in the men-only groups reported greater increases in their ratings of trust in the workshops over time. The health partner intervention strategy appears to be promising for reaching men of color with health information.

Assessment of lead health hazards in a body shop of an automobile assembly plant.

PubMed

Lilis, R; Valciukas, J A; Kon, S; Sarkosi, L; Campbell, C; Selikoff, I J

1982-01-01

This study of an occupationally lead-exposed group in the automobile assembly industry (body shop employees) has provided information with regard to current and recent lead-exposure levels characteristic for these operations. Comparison with findings in other, previously studied occupational groups (secondary smelter workers) indicated that current and recent lead exposure was significantly lower in the autobody shop employees. Prevalence of symptoms was found to be higher than in a control, non-lead-exposed group of maintenance workers in the same plant, but the differences reached the level of statistical significance only sporadically. Long-term effects on renal function, as reflected in blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine levels, were documented to be significant in this group of autobody shop employees. When compared with two secondary lead smelter populations previously studied, correlations between indicators of renal function, BUN and creatinine, and duration of lead exposure were consistently higher in the secondary lead smelter populations than in the group of autobody shop employees, although duration of lead exposure was greater in the latter. These findings are consistent with a dose-response relationship with regard to renal function impairment due to lead absorption. An increased prevalence of hypertension, especially diastolic, was also found, probably the consequence of renal effect.

Is chronic pain associated with somatization/hypochondriasis? An evidence-based structured review.

PubMed

Fishbain, David A; Lewis, John E; Gao, Jinrun; Cole, Brandly; Steele Rosomoff, R

2009-01-01

This is an evidence-based structured review. The objectives of this review were to answer the following questions: (1) Are somatization/hypochondriasis associated with chronic pain? (2) Is the degree of somatization/hypochondriasis related to pain levels? (3) Does pain treatment improve somatization/hypochondriasis? (4) Are some pain diagnoses differentially associated with somatization/hypochondriasis? Fifty-seven studies which fulfilled inclusion criteria and had high quality scores were sorted by the above-mentioned objectives. Agency for health care policy and research guidelines were utilized to type and characterize the strength/consistency of the study evidence within each objective. Somatization and hypochondriasis were both consistently associated with chronic pain (consistency ratings B and A, respectively). Study evidence indicated a correlation between pain intensity and presence of somatization and hypochondriasis (consistency rating A and B, respectively). Pain treatment improved somatization and hypochondriasis (consistency rating B and A, respectively). Some chronic pain diagnostic groups somatized more (consistency rating B). Somatization is commonly associated with chronic pain and may relate to pain levels.

Functional recovery after injury of motor cortex in rats: effects of rehabilitation and stem cell transplantation in a traumatic brain injury model of cortical resection.

PubMed

Lee, Do-Hun; Lee, Ji Yeoun; Oh, Byung-Mo; Phi, Ji Hoon; Kim, Seung-Ki; Bang, Moon Suk; Kim, Seung U; Wang, Kyu-Chang

2013-03-01

Experimental studies and clinical trials designed to help patients recover from various brain injuries, such as stroke or trauma, have been attempted. Rehabilitation has shown reliable, positive clinical outcome in patients with various brain injuries. Transplantation of exogenous neural stem cells (NSCs) to repair the injured brain is a potential tool to help patient recovery. This study aimed to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of a combination therapy consisting of rehabilitation and NSC transplantation compared to using only one modality. A model of motor cortex resection in rats was used to create brain injury in order to obtain consistent and prolonged functional deficits. The therapeutic results were evaluated using three methods during an 8-week period with a behavioral test, motor-evoked potential (MEP) measurement, and measurement of the degree of endogenous NSC production. All three treatment groups showed the effects of treatment in the behavioral test, although the NSC transplantation alone group (CN) exhibited slightly worse results than the rehabilitation alone group (CR) or the combination therapy group (CNR). The latency on MEP was shortened to a similar extent in all three groups compared to the untreated group (CO). However, the enhancement of endogenous NSC proliferation was dramatically reduced in the CN group compared not only to the CR and CNR groups but also to the CO group. The CR and CNR groups seemed to prolong the duration of endogenous NSC proliferation compared to the untreated group. A combination of rehabilitation and NSC transplantation appears to induce treatment outcomes that are similar to rehabilitation alone. Further studies are needed to evaluate the electrophysiological outcome of recovery and the possible effect of prolonging endogenous NSC proliferation in response to NSC transplantation and rehabilitation.

Nailfold capillaroscopy assessment in patients with glaucoma with a current optic disc hemorrhage.

PubMed

Patel, Hussain Y; Buys, Yvonne M; Trope, Graham E

2015-04-01

To determine whether there is an increased prevalence of nailfold hemorrhages in patients with glaucoma with a current optic disc hemorrhage (ODH) compared with those without a history of ODH. Prospective observational study. Group 1 (n = 40) consisted of patients with primary open-angle glaucoma or normal tension glaucoma (POAG/NTG) with a current ODH who met the specified inclusion/exclusion criteria. Group 2 (n = 20) consisted of age- and sex-matched patients with glaucoma without a history of ODH who met specified criteria (control group). This study was performed in a clinical practice setting. Nailfold capillaroscopy was performed in each participant to determine the presence of nailfold hemorrhages and other capillary morphologic changes. There was no significant difference in mean age (68 ± 10 years for Group 1 vs 71 ± 12 years for Group 2; p = 0.20) or sex (62% female in Group 1 vs 59% female in Group 2; p = 0.80) between the groups. There was no significant difference in the proportion of patients with nailfold hemorrhage(s) between Group 1 (23%, 10/42) and Group 2 (26%, 11/42; p = 0.8). Subanalysis of Group 1 identified no significant difference in the prevalence of nailfold hemorrhages between patients with POAG (23%, 6/26) and NTG (25%, 4/16; p = 0.9). We report no increase in nailfold haemorrhages in patients with glaucoma with a current ODH compared with patients with glaucoma without a history of ODH. However, the prevalence of nailfold hemorrhages in patients with glaucoma either with or without an ODH is significantly greater than that identified in normal (nonglaucoma) control subjects in other studies. Copyright © 2015 Canadian Ophthalmological Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Orthographic learning and self-teaching in a bilingual and biliterate context.

PubMed

Schwartz, Mila; Kahn-Horwitz, Janina; Share, David L

2014-01-01

The aim of this study was to examine self-teaching in the context of English as a foreign language literacy acquisition. Three groups comprising 88 sixth-grade children participated. The first group consisted of Russian-Hebrew-speaking bilinguals who had acquired basic reading skills in Russian as their first language (L1) and literacy and who were literate in Hebrew as a second language. The second group consisted of Russian-Hebrew-speaking bilinguals who had not learned to read in their native Russian but had acquired Hebrew as their first literate language. The third group consisted of Hebrew-speaking monolingual children who were literate in Hebrew. This design facilitated examining the effect of biliteracy and bilingualism on basic English reading skills. We hypothesized that due to the proximity between the Russian and English orthographies as opposed to the Hebrew-English "distance," the Russian-Hebrew-speaking biliterate group who acquired basic reading and spelling skills in L1 Russian would have superior self-teaching in English as opposed to the two other groups. The standard two-session self-teaching paradigm was employed with naming (speed and accuracy) and orthographic choice as posttest measures of orthographic learning. Results showed that after 4 years of English instruction, all three groups showed evidence of self-teaching on naming speed and orthographic recognition. The Russian-Hebrew-speaking biliterate group, moreover, showed a partial advantage over the comparison groups for initial decoding of target pseudowords and clear-cut superiority for measures of later orthographic learning, thereby showing self-teaching while supporting the script dependence hypothesis. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Efficacy of laminar air flow room with or without clean nursing for preventing infection in patients with acute leukemia.

PubMed

Ueda, T; Shibata, H; Nakamura, H; Takubo, T; Kubota, Y; Oguma, S; Tani, Y; Masaoka, T; Nagao, T; Takeo, H; Hasegawa, H; Moriyama, Y

1983-01-01

The clinical effectiveness of bioclean rooms was studied in relation to prevention of infection during treatment for induction of remission of acute leukemia. According to the steps in clean patient care, patients were divided into three groups, Group A consisting of 106 patients who were accommodated in laminar air flow (LAF) rooms under strictly clean nursing, Group B consisting of 99 patients who were treated in disinfected rooms with LAF without any clean nursing techniques and Group C consisting of 188 patients who stayed in conventional wards. Since all patients were treated with antileukemic drugs and preventive administration of antimicrobial drugs under the same regimen, any difference between groups should be attributable to LAF or LAF and clean nursing. A marked and stepwise reduction in the incidence of infection between Groups A, B and C was observed. A statistically significant reduction in pneumonia, upper respiratory tract infection, periproctitis and skin abscesses was also observed in Groups A and B. As to the causative organisms, a relative increase in incidence of infections caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli and a decrease in those caused by Proteus and fungi were observed in Groups A and B, as compared with Group C. These data suggest that pneumonia etc. may be exogenous infections and that Proteus and fungi are exogenous organisms, while Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli are endogenous bacteria. These data seem very helpful for setting up several steps in bioclean rooms for effective and economic patient care.

Treatment of bilateral inguinal hernia -- minimally invasive versus open surgery procedure.

PubMed

Timişescu, L; Turcu, F; Munteanu, R; Gîdea, C; Drăghici, L; Ginghină, O; Iordache, N

2013-01-01

The aim of this study is to evaluate and compare the treatment outcomes of the bilateral inguinal hernia repair in one stage using minimally invasive technique (totally extraperitoneal) and conventional surgery (Lichtenstein). Records from all hospitalized cases in our institution between 2006 and 2011 that underwent surgery having the diagnosis of bilateral inguinal hernia were analysed. The study consists of two groups selected by means of the used procedure: the study arm which is laparoscopic (234 cases) and the control arm that consists of Lichtenstein procedure (91 cases). One conversion was recorded due to difficult dissection (0.4% of cases). There were complications reported in 2.5% cases in the laparoscopic group and 27.4% complications noted in the conventional group (p less then 0.01). Reinterventions were logged in 1.7% cases in the laparoscopic group and 2.1% reinterventions in the open group (p less then 0.01). The postoperative hospital stay was 2.1 days in the laparoscopic group and 4.7 days for the open procedure. Mortality was not recorded. In our department the procedure of choice for bilateral inguinal repair is the laparoscopic approach (TEP) which has a 10 fold decrease in complications rate than Lichtenstein operation and also a shortening by half of the hospital stay. Hernia recurrence is the same for both procedures. Celsius.

The influence of participation in target-shooting sport for children with inattentive, hyperactive and impulsive symptoms - A controlled study of best practice.

PubMed

Månsson, Annegrete Gohr; Elmose, Mette; Dalsgaard, Søren; Roessler, Kirsten K

2017-03-28

Practising target-shooting sport requires focused attention and motoric steadiness. A previous non-controlled pilot study suggests that children with impairing symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) benefit from participating in target-shooting sport in local shooting associations, as rated by parents and teachers. This study aims at examining if, and to which extent, target-shooting sport reduces parent- and teacher-reported severity of inattentiveness, hyperactivity, and impulsivity in children with attention difficulties, and if, and to which extend, target-shooting sport improves the children's wellbeing and quality of life. A mixed method approach is applied. A non-blinded, waiting list controlled study is combined with a case study, consisting of interviews and observations. The intervention consists of children practising target-shooting sport, by attending a local shooting association, once a week for six months, during regular school hours. Data from questionnaires (ADHD-RS, SDQ, Kidscreen-27), as well as a computerized continued performance test (Qb test), measure the children's activity and attention. The study includes 50 children in an intervention group and 50 children in a waiting list control group. The Qb test collects data from at least 20 children from the intervention group and at least 20 children from the waiting list control group. Data from the questionnaires and Qb-test is collected at baseline, and six months post intervention. In addition, a case study is carried out, consisting of interviews of at least five children from the intervention group, their parents, teachers and shooting instructors. Observations are carried out, when children are in school and while they are attending the local shooting association. The case study adds to an in-depth understanding of children's participation in target-shooting sports. At present, little is known about the effects and influence of practising target-shooting sport for children experiencing difficulties with inattentiveness, hyperactivity and impulsivity. This study is expected to contribute to an understanding of the influence of participating in target-shooting sports on inattentive, hyperactive and impulsive symptoms, and the effects on the children's psychological wellbeing and quality of life. Current Controlled Trials NCT02898532 . Retrospectively registered 14 September 2016.

Impact of organ donation education on US undergraduate nursing students.

PubMed

Kurz, Jane McCausland

2014-06-01

Experts advocate educational programs addressing misinformation regarding donation decisions to increase the potential donor pool. However, few researchers have measured outcomes with nursing students. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of an educational intervention on nursing students' knowledge, attitudes, registering as an organ donor, and family discussions. This quasi-experimental study used a pretest-posttest design with a control group. The research group consisted of 42 volunteers and the control group consisted of 73 volunteers. The written survey included 15 true-false knowledge items and 8 Likert items asking about attitude toward donation, registering as an organ donor, and family discussion. Normally distributed data showed no significant differences between groups on the pretest. The research group had no change in knowledge level 3 months later, but the control group had a significantly decreased knowledge level at that point. More members of the research group than the control group registered as organ donors after the intervention (χ2 = 4.5, P= .03). The control group had no change in registering as an organ donor between the pretest and posttest. Family discussions did not differ significantly from pretest to posttest in either group. One lecture/laboratory experience did make a difference in registering as an organ donor but not in discussing the decision with family members. Students can learn about organ donation from more than one specific class. Recommendations for educators and future research are provided.

Missing the Target for Routine Human Papillomavirus Vaccination: Consistent and Strong Physician Recommendations Are Lacking for 11- to 12-Year-Old Males.

PubMed

Vadaparampil, Susan T; Malo, Teri L; Sutton, Steven K; Ali, Karla N; Kahn, Jessica A; Casler, Alix; Salmon, Daniel; Walkosz, Barbara; Roetzheim, Richard G; Zimet, Gregory D; Giuliano, Anna R

2016-10-01

Rates of routine human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination of adolescent males in the United States are low. Leading health organizations advocate consistent and strong physician recommendations to improve HPV vaccine dissemination. This study describes the prevalence and correlates of consistent and strong physician recommendations for HPV vaccination of adolescent males. We surveyed pediatric and family medicine physicians in Florida about their HPV vaccine recommendations for male vaccine-eligible age groups (11-12, 13-17, 18-21 years). Descriptive statistics compared consistency and strength of HPV recommendations across age groups. Multivariable logistic regression examined factors associated with consistent and strong recommendations for 11- to 12-year-olds. We received 367 completed surveys (51% response rate). Physicians most often consistently and strongly recommended HPV vaccine to males ages 13 to 17 (39%) compared with ages 11 to 12 (31%) and 18 to 21 (31%). Consistent and strong recommendation for 11- to 12-year-old males was more likely to be delivered by Vaccine for Children providers and less likely among physicians who reported more personal barriers to vaccination, particularly concerns about vaccine safety, concerns about adding vaccines to the vaccine schedule, and difficulty in remembering to discuss HPV vaccination. Physicians' current consistency and strength of HPV vaccine recommendations do not align with national recommendations. Interventions to improve HPV vaccine recommendations must also consider the influence of physicians' personal barriers to HPV vaccine delivery. As one of the first studies to examine both consistency and strength of physicians' HPV vaccine recommendations for males, our findings can inform future interventions focused on facilitating physicians' recommendations. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 25(10); 1435-46. ©2016 AACR. ©2016 American Association for Cancer Research.

Effects of teaching communication skills using a video clip on a smart phone on communication competence and emotional intelligence in nursing students.

PubMed

Choi, Yeonja; Song, Eunju; Oh, Eunjung

2015-04-01

This study aims to verify the communication skills training for nursing students by using a video clip on a smart phone. The study settings were the nursing departments of two universities in South Korea. This study was a quasi-experimental one using a nonequivalent control group pre-posttest design. The experimental and control groups consisted of second-year nursing students who had taken a communication course. The experimental group included 45 students, and the control group included 42 students. The experimental group improved more significantly than the control group in communication competence and emotional intelligence. Using a video clip on a smart phone is helpful for communication teaching method. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Metabolic Analysis of Various Date Palm Fruit (Phoenix dactylifera L.) Cultivars from Saudi Arabia to Assess Their Nutritional Quality.

PubMed

Hamad, Ismail; AbdElgawad, Hamada; Al Jaouni, Soad; Zinta, Gaurav; Asard, Han; Hassan, Sherif; Hegab, Momtaz; Hagagy, Nashwa; Selim, Samy

2015-07-27

Date palm is an important crop, especially in the hot-arid regions of the world. Date palm fruits have high nutritional and therapeutic value and possess significant antibacterial and antifungal properties. In this study, we performed bioactivity analyses and metabolic profiling of date fruits of 12 cultivars from Saudi Arabia to assess their nutritional value. Our results showed that the date extracts from different cultivars have different free radical scavenging and anti-lipid peroxidation activities. Moreover, the cultivars showed significant differences in their chemical composition, e.g., the phenolic content (10.4-22.1 mg/100 g DW), amino acids (37-108 μmol·g-1 FW) and minerals (237-969 mg/100 g DW). Principal component analysis (PCA) showed a clear separation of the cultivars into four different groups. The first group consisted of the Sokary, Nabtit Ali cultivars, the second group of Khlas Al Kharj, Khla Al Qassim, Mabroom, Khlas Al Ahsa, the third group of Khals Elshiokh, Nabot Saif, Khodry, and the fourth group consisted of Ajwa Al Madinah, Saffawy, Rashodia, cultivars. Hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) revealed clustering of date cultivars into two groups. The first cluster consisted of the Sokary, Rashodia and Nabtit Ali cultivars, and the second cluster contained all the other tested cultivars. These results indicate that date fruits have high nutritive value, and different cultivars have different chemical composition.

Enhanced Early Neuronal Processing of Food Pictures in Anorexia Nervosa: A Magnetoencephalography Study

PubMed Central

Scaife, Jessica C.; Park, Rebecca J.

2016-01-01

Neuroimaging studies in Anorexia Nervosa (AN) have shown increased activation in reward and cognitive control regions in response to food, and a behavioral attentional bias (AB) towards food stimuli is reported. This study aimed to further investigate the neural processing of food using magnetoencephalography (MEG). Participants were 13 females with restricting-type AN, 14 females recovered from restricting-type AN, and 15 female healthy controls. MEG data was acquired whilst participants viewed high- and low-calorie food pictures. Attention was assessed with a reaction time task and eye tracking. Time-series analysis suggested increased neural activity in response to both calorie conditions in the AN groups, consistent with an early AB. Increased activity was observed at 150 ms in the current AN group. Neuronal activity at this latency was at normal level in the recovered group; however, this group exhibited enhanced activity at 320 ms after stimulus. Consistent with previous studies, analysis in source space and behavioral data suggested enhanced attention and cognitive control processes in response to food stimuli in AN. This may enable avoidance of salient food stimuli and maintenance of dietary restraint in AN. A later latency of increased activity in the recovered group may reflect a reversal of this avoidance, with source space and behavioral data indicating increased visual and cognitive processing of food stimuli. PMID:27525258

Impact of Postoperative Intravenous Acetaminophen on Opioid Requirements and Pain Scores Following Gynecologic Procedures.

PubMed

Stoudenmire, Laura G; Norman, Christy M; Latif, Erin Z

2016-10-01

This study aims to assess the impact of postoperative intravenous (IV) acetaminophen on opioid requirements and pain scores in patients following gynecologic procedures. A retrospective cohort study of patients undergoing gynecologic procedures was conducted to assess the impact of adding scheduled IV acetaminophen to postoperative analgesic regimens. The control group consisted of patients admitted prior to formulary addition of IV acetaminophen; the study group consisted of patients admitted after formulary addition of IV acetaminophen who received scheduled IV acetaminophen for at least the first 24 hours postoperatively. Opioid requirements 0 to 24 hours postoperatively served as the primary end point. Secondary end points included average pain score, cumulative acetaminophen dose, nonopioid analgesic requirements, and rate of adverse events 0 to 24 hours postoperatively. One hundred and thirty-seven patients who underwent a gynecologic procedure from January 2009 to April 2013 were included in this study. Baseline characteristics were similar between the groups. In the first 24 hours postoperatively, there was no difference in opioid requirements between the groups (21 mg [interquartile range, IQR, 15-39.8 mg] vs 32.6 mg [IQR, 16.75-41 mg], P = 0.150). The average pain score and incidence of adverse events did not differ between the 2 groups. Postoperative administration of IV acetaminophen did not provide a significant opioid-sparing effect in patients undergoing gynecologic procedures. © The Author(s) 2015.

Barriers to Physical Activity in a Mass Transit Population: A Qualitative Study.

PubMed

Das, Bhibha M; Petruzzello, Steven J

2016-01-01

The physical inactivity epidemic continues be one of the greatest public health challenges in contemporary society in the United States. The transportation industry is at greater risk of physical inactivity, compared with individuals in other sectors of the workforce. The aim of this study was to use the Nominal Group Technique, a focus group technique, to examine mass transit employees' perceptions of the barriers to physical activity at their worksite. Three focus groups (n = 31) were conducted to examine mass transit employees' perceptions of barriers to physical activity at the worksite. Salient barriers included (1) changing work schedules, (2) poor weather conditions, and (3) lack of scheduled and timely breaks. Findings were consistent with previous research demonstrating shift work, poor weather, and lack of breaks can negatively impact mass transit employees' ability to be physically active. Although physical activity barriers for this population have been consistent for the last 20 years, public health practice and policy have not changed to address these barriers. Future studies should include conducing focus groups stratified by job classification (eg, operators, maintenance, and clerical) along with implementing and evaluating worksite-based physical activity interventions and policy changes.

Validation study of the Japanese version of the Obsessive-Compulsive Drinking Scale.

PubMed

Tatsuzawa, Yasutaka; Yoshimasu, Haruo; Moriyama, Yasushi; Furusawa, Teruyuki; Yoshino, Aihide

2002-02-01

The Obsessive-Compulsive Drinking Scale (OCDS) is a self-rating questionnaire that measures cognitive and behavioral aspects of craving for alcohol. The OCDS consists of two subscales: the obsessive thoughts of drinking subscale (OS) and the compulsive drinking subscale (CS). This study aims to validate the Japanese version of the OCDS. First, internal consistency and discriminant validity were evaluated. Second, a prospective longitudinal 3-month outcome study of 67 patients with alcohol dependence who participated in a relapse prevention program was designed to assess the concurrent and predictive validity of the OCDS. The OCDS demonstrated high internal consistency. The OS had high discriminant validity, while the CS did not. Twenty-three patients (34.3%) dropped out of treatment. These patients had significantly higher OS scores than those who completed the program. At 3 months, the relapse group had significantly higher OCDS scores than the no relapse group. Also, the OCDS score was higher in subjects who had early-onset alcohol dependence than late-onset dependence. The OCDS is useful for evaluating cognitive aspect of craving and predicts dropout and relapse.

Trajectories of fathers' psychological distress across the early parenting period: Implications for parenting.

PubMed

Giallo, Rebecca; Cooklin, Amanda; Brown, Stephanie; Christensen, Daniel; Kingston, Dawn; Liu, Cindy H; Wade, Catherine; Nicholson, Jan M

2015-10-01

Fathers' parenting behavior is a likely key mechanism underlying the consistent associations between paternal mental health difficulties and poor emotional-behavioral outcomes for children. This study investigates the association between fathers' mental health trajectories and key parenting behaviors (warmth, hostility, consistency) spanning the first 8-9 years postpartum. Secondary analyses of 5 waves of data from 2,662 fathers participating in the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children were conducted. Latent growth class analysis was used to identify distinct trajectories of fathers' distress (Kessler-6; Kessler et al., 2003), and latent growth models estimated parenting warmth, hostility, and consistency. Multiple group analyses were conducted to describe and compare the course of parenting behaviors for fathers assigned to the distress trajectories identified. Two distinct classes of fathers were identified based on the trajectories of distress: minimal distress (92%) and persistent and increasing distress (8%). The latter group reported significantly lower parenting warmth when their children were 8-9 years and lower consistency and higher hostility across all study intervals. The postnatal and early parenting period is a critical time for the development of parenting behaviors that are important for children's development. Engagement and support for fathers around well-being and parenting is vital for promoting optimal family and child developmental outcomes. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

Dietary consistency and plasticity of masseter fiber architecture in postweaning rabbits.

PubMed

Taylor, Andrea B; Jones, Kelly E; Kunwar, Ravinder; Ravosa, Matthew J

2006-10-01

Dietary consistency has been shown to influence cross-sectional area and fiber type composition of the masticatory muscles. However, little is known about the effects of dietary consistency on masticatory muscle fiber architecture. In this study, we explore the effects of dietary consistency on the internal architecture of rabbit masseter muscle. Because activity patterns of the rabbit chewing muscles show inter- and intramuscular heterogeneity, we evaluate if alterations in fiber architecture are homogeneous across various portions of the superficial masseter muscle. We compared masseter muscle fiber architecture between two groups of weanling rabbits raised on different diets for 105 days. One group was raised on a diet of ground rabbit pellets to model underuse of the masticatory complex, while the other group was fed a diet of intact pellets and hay blocks to model an overuse diet. In all portions of the superficial masseter, physiological cross-sectional areas (PCSAs) are greater in the overuse compared to underuse diet rabbits. Thus, the mechanical demands for larger muscle and bite forces associated with early and prolonged exposure to a tough diet are met by an increase in PCSA of the superficial masseter. The larger PCSA is due entirely to increased muscle mass, as the two rabbit groups show no differences in either fiber length or angle of pinnation. Thus, increasing pinnation angle is not a necessary biomechanical solution to improving muscle and bite force during growth. The change in PCSA but not fiber length suggests that variation in dietary consistency has an impact on maximum force production but not necessarily on excursion or contraction velocity.

Inferring influence and leadership in moving animal groups.

PubMed

Strandburg-Peshkin, Ariana; Papageorgiou, Danai; Crofoot, Margaret C; Farine, Damien R

2018-05-19

Collective decision-making is a daily occurrence in the lives of many group-living animals, and can have critical consequences for the fitness of individuals. Understanding how decisions are reached, including who has influence and the mechanisms by which information and preferences are integrated, has posed a fundamental challenge. Here, we provide a methodological framework for studying influence and leadership in groups. We propose that individuals have influence if their actions result in some behavioural change among their group-mates, and are leaders if they consistently influence others. We highlight three components of influence (influence instances, total influence and consistency of influence), which can be assessed at two levels (individual-to-individual and individual-to-group). We then review different methods, ranging from individual positioning within groups to information-theoretic approaches, by which influence has been operationally defined in empirical studies, as well as how such observations can be aggregated to give insight into the underlying decision-making process. We focus on the domain of collective movement, with a particular emphasis on methods that have recently been, or are being, developed to take advantage of simultaneous tracking data. We aim to provide a resource bringing together methodological tools currently available for studying leadership in moving animal groups, as well as to discuss the limitations of current methodologies and suggest productive avenues for future research.This article is part of the theme issue 'Collective movement ecology'. © 2018 The Author(s).

The effect of age of cochlear implantation on vocal characteristics in children.

PubMed

Knight, Kerry; Ducasse, Simone; Coetzee, Ashley; van der Linde, Jeannie; Louw, Anel

2016-06-27

Early cochlear implantation aids auditory feedback and supports better communication and self-monitoring of the voice. The objective of this study was to determine whether the age of cochlear implantation has an impact on vocal development in children implanted before age 4. The study consisted of 19 participants in total. All implant recipients (experimental group) were 3-5 years post-implantation, including four prelingual (0-2 years) and five perilingual (2-4 years) implant recipients. The control group consisted of 10 children whose hearing was within normal limits between the ages 3-6 years and 10 months, which was compared to the experimental group. Established paediatric norms were used for additional comparison. A questionnaire was used to gather information from each of the participant's caregivers to determine whether other personal and contextual factors had an impact on voice production. An acoustic analysis was conducted for each participant using the Multi-Dimensional Voice Program of the Computerized Speech Lab. When the experimental group and the control group were compared, similar results were yielded for fundamental frequency and short-term perturbation (jitter and shimmer). More variability was noted in long-term frequency and amplitude measures, with significantly higher differences, and therefore further outside the norms, in the prelingual group when compared to the perilingual and control groups. In this study, age of implantation did not impact vocal characteristics. Further research should include larger sample sizes, with participants that are age and gender matched.

Consequences of routine delivery at 38 weeks for A-2 gestational diabetes.

PubMed

Rayburn, William F; Sokkary, Nancy; Clokey, Diana E; Moore, Lisa E; Curet, Luis B

2005-11-01

To report our intrapartum experience with routine delivery at 38 weeks of gestation of A-2 diabetic pregnancies requiring primarily oral hypoglycemic therapy. This retrospective study consisted of 143 consecutive women with gestational diabetes not controlled with diet alone (A-2). Each underwent a routine trial of labor at 38 weeks of gestation. The preinduction condition of the cervix, need for oxytocin, and primary cesarean rates were primary endpoints. For comparison, a control group during that same period consisted of 137 consecutive diet-controlled diabetic (A-1) pregnancies with the same eligibility criteria who underwent expectant management at 38 weeks. The study group was more likely to have an unfavorable cervix (75% versus 45%; p < 0.001) and to require oxytocin (76% versus 56%; p < 0.001). Early onset meconium was less common in the study group (3.5% versus 13.1%; p < 0.01). Primary cesarean rates were low and not different between the study and control groups (12.7% versus 11.7%; p < 0.8). The only stillbirth was in the control group and was associated with a tight double nuchal cord encirclement. Mean birth weights and the frequency of birth weights > 4000 g were not different between groups. Shoulder dystocia, low Apgar scores, and admissions to the special care nursery were infrequent in either group. No respiratory difficulties requiring resuscitation or prolonged nursery care were encountered. Routine delivery at 38 weeks in an A-2 diabetic population is not associated with additional intrapartum morbidity or a greater need for cesarean delivery.

The lifespan and life-cycle of self-help groups: a retrospective study of groups in Nottingham, UK.

PubMed

Chaudhary, Sarah; Avis, Mark; Munn-Giddings, Carol

2010-07-01

This article is based on an analysis of a practice database held by Self Help Nottingham, an organisation that supports local self-help groups. The database contains details of 936 groups that closed between 1982 and 2007. The aim of the study is to provide qualitative and descriptive quantitative information about the life-cycles of self-help groups, the problems that they face throughout their existence and the likelihood of different problems leading to their closure. The database was not collated for research purposes and so we restrict our discussion of the findings to identification of broad patterns regarding the birth and closure rates of different types of group and questions for future research. Comparisons were made between groups that addressed different types of problem, groups with different memberships and groups that had reached different stages in their existence. There was reasonable consistency in the survival rates of different types of group with physical health groups being the most likely to reach maturity followed by mental health and lastly social issue groups. Survival rates for groups that serve different membership populations were reasonably constant although there were some anomalies. There were high levels of consistency regarding the reasons for closure for groups closing at different stages of maturity. The most commonly cited reasons among all groups were the withdrawal of a 'key' member and a decline in membership. The article suggests that some of the assumptions and prescriptions within the existing literature need to be considered in light of more detailed empirical evidence, and it raises questions about the theoretical understanding of self-help groups.

External root resorption with the self-ligating Damon system-a retrospective study.

PubMed

Handem, Roberta Heiffig; Janson, Guilherme; Matias, Murilo; de Freitas, Karina Maria Salvatore; de Lima, Darwin Vaz; Garib, Daniela Gamba; de Freitas, Marcos Roberto

2016-12-01

The aim of this study was to compare the degree of external apical root resorption (EARR) in patients treated with self-ligating Damon appliances and with conventional preadjusted appliances. The sample comprised 52 patients, divided into two groups. Group 1 consisted of 25 patients treated with self-ligating Damon appliances, with an initial age of 16.04 years, final age of 18.06 years, and treatment time of 2.02 years. Group 2 consisted of 27 patients, treated with conventional preadjusted appliances, with an initial age of 16.77 years, final age of 18.47 years and treatment time of 1.70 years. The groups were matched regarding the initial and final ages, treatment time, type of malocclusion, and treatment protocol without extractions. Root resorption was evaluated on periapical radiographs of the maxillary and mandibular incisors at the end of orthodontic treatment with the scores of Levander and Malmgren. Intergroup comparisons of root resorption were performed with Mann-Whitney tests. No significant difference in the degree of root resorption between the two groups was found. Similar degrees of resorption can be expected after non-extraction treatment with Damon self-ligating or conventional preadjusted appliances.

Prevalence of dental attrition in in vitro fertilization children of West Bengal

PubMed Central

Kar, Sudipta; Sarkar, Subrata; Mukherjee, Ananya

2014-01-01

CONTEXT: Dental attrition is one of the problems affecting the tooth structure. It may affect both in vitro fertilization (IVF) and spontaneously conceived children. AIMS: This study was aimed to evaluate and to compare the prevalence of dental attrition in deciduous dentition of IVF and spontaneously conceived children. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: In a cross-sectional case control study dental attrition status of 3-5 years old children were assessed. The case group consisted of term, singleton babies who were the outcome of IVF in the studied area in 2009. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The control group consisted of term, first child, singleton and spontaneously conceived 3-5 years old children who were also resident of the studied area. A sample of 153 IVF and 153 spontaneously conceived children was examined according to Hansson and Nilner classification. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: Statistical analysis was carried out using Chi-square tests (χ2 ) or Z test. RESULTS: No statistically significant difference found in studied (IVF children) and control group (spontaneously conceived children). CONCLUSIONS: IVF children are considered same as spontaneously conceived children when studied in relation to dental attrition status. PMID:24829529

Studying the time trend of Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in Norway by use of non-stationary γ-Poisson distributions.

PubMed

Moxnes, John F; Moen, Aina E Fossum; Leegaard, Truls Michael

2015-10-05

Study the time development of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and forecast future behaviour. The major question: Is the number of MRSA isolates in Norway increasing and will it continue to increase? Time trend analysis using non-stationary γ-Poisson distributions. Two data sets were analysed. The first data set (data set I) consists of all MRSA isolates collected in Oslo County from 1997 to 2010; the study area includes the Norwegian capital of Oslo and nearby surrounding areas, covering approximately 11% of the Norwegian population. The second data set (data set II) consists of all MRSA isolates collected in Health Region East from 2002 to 2011. Health Region East consists of Oslo County and four neighbouring counties, and is the most populated area of Norway. Both data sets I and II consist of all persons in the area and time period described in the Settings, from whom MRSA have been isolated. MRSA infections have been mandatory notifiable in Norway since 1995, and MRSA colonisation since 2004. In the time period studied, all bacterial samples in Norway have been sent to a medical microbiological laboratory at the regional hospital for testing. In collaboration with the regional hospitals in five counties, we have collected all MRSA findings in the South-Eastern part of Norway over long time periods. On an average, a linear or exponential increase in MRSA numbers was observed in the data sets. A Poisson process with increasing intensity did not capture the dispersion of the time series, but a γ-Poisson process showed good agreement and captured the overdispersion. The numerical model showed numerical internal consistency. In the present study, we find that the number of MRSA isolates is increasing in the most populated area of Norway during the time period studied. We also forecast a continuous increase until the year 2017. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Priming irrational beliefs in recovered-depressed people.

PubMed

Solomon, A; Haaga, D A; Brody, C; Kirk, L; Friedman, D G

1998-08-01

Major depression has been linked with endorsement of irrational beliefs in cross-sectional research, consistent with the rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT) model. In this study, the authors extended prior research by using multiple measures of irrationality and by comparing never-depressed (ND) controls with people who had recovered from major depression. Contrary to the REBT model, the recovered-depressed (RD) group did not significantly exceed the ND group in irrational beliefs before, during, or after exposure to simulated stressful situations. However, associations between irrationality and negative mood, and to a lesser extent between situation-specific irrationality and personality vulnerabilities, were obtained in the RD group but not in the ND group. These findings are consistent with the possibility that RD persons on average may be especially susceptible to having irrationality primed by negative mood states or by the important setbacks that can lead to such mood states.

Evaluation of an Affordable Wireless Node Sensor (Mote69) Designed for Internet of Thing (IoT) Device

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruhiyat, Z. F.; Somantri, Y.; Wahyudin, D.; Hakim, D. L.

2018-02-01

This research aims to determine the student’s response to the implementation of Internet of Things (IoT) device based on RFM69, called Mote69, for practical work of Aircraft Electronic Circuits and Controllers. Participants in this study were students of a vocational high school of Aircraft Electronics which consisted of three groups. The first group is the students who have grades above the average class. The second group is the students who have grade the average class. The third group is the students who have grades below the average class. The research phase consisted of (1). Observation and Assessment of Empirical Issues; (2). Testing of Media Feasibility and Research Instruments; (3). Accumulate and Processing of Field Data; and (4). Results and Data Conclusions. The result of media feasibility showed that Mote69 is appropriate to be used in practical work of Aircraft Electronic Circuits and Controllers subject.

[Association of methemoglobinemia and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency in malaria patients treated with primaquine].

PubMed

Santana, Marli Stela; da Rocha, Marcos Antonio Ferreira; Arcanjo, Ana Ruth Lima; Sardinha, José Felipe Jardim; Alecrim, Wilson Duarte; Alecrim, Maria das Graças Costa

2007-01-01

This study had the aim of investigating occurrences of methemoglobinemia among individuals with glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency during treatment for malaria infection using primaquine. Patients with a diagnosis of malaria caused by Plasmodium vivax or the V+F mixture (Plasmodium vivax + Plasmodium falciparum) were selected. Group 1 consisted of 74 individuals with a clinical diagnosis of methemoglobinemia and Group 2 consisted of 161 individuals without a clinical diagnosis of methemoglobinemia. The glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency rates (numbers of enzymopenic individuals) in Groups 1 and 2 were 51.3% (38) and 8.7% (14) respectively. These data demonstrated a statistically significant association with methemoglobinemia only among the individuals in Group 1 (p<0.05). Investigation of the relationship between methemoglobinemia and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency showed that there was a possible association such that enzymopenic individuals may develop methemoglobinemia more frequently.

Middle Atmosphere Program. Handbook for MAP, Volume 17

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sechrist, C. F., Jr. (Editor)

1985-01-01

The Middle Atmosphere Program (MAP) handbook is divided into three parts. Part 1 consists of minutes of MAP steering committee meeting and MAP assembly. Part 2 consists of project and study group reports, such as: (1) Atmospheric Tides Middle Atmosphere Program (ATMAP), report of the Nov./Dec. 1981, and May 1982 observational campaigns; MAP/WINE experimenters meeting at Berlin, 1985; (3) MAP/WINE experimenters meeting at Loen, Norway, 1985; and (4) the penetration of ultraviolet solar radiation into the middle atmosphere. Part 3 consists of national reports.

Treatment effects of skeletally anchored Forsus FRD EZ and Herbst appliances: A retrospective clinical study.

PubMed

Celikoglu, Mevlut; Buyuk, Suleyman Kutalmis; Ekizer, Abdullah; Unal, Tuba

2016-03-01

To evaluate the skeletal, dentoalveolar, and soft tissue effects of the Forsus FRD appliance with miniplate anchorage inserted in the mandibular symphyses and to compare the findings with a well-matched control group treated with a Herbst appliance for the correction of a skeletal Class II malocclusion due to mandibular retrusion. The sample consisted of 32 Class II subjects divided into two groups. Group I consisted of 16 patients (10 females and 6 males; mean age, 13.20 ± 1.33 years) treated using the Forsus FRD EZ appliance with miniplate anchorage inserted in the mandibular symphyses. Group II consisted of 16 patients (9 females and 7 males; mean age, 13.56 ± 1.27 years) treated using the Herbst appliance. Seventeen linear and 10 angular measurements were performed to evaluate and compare the skeletal, dentoalveolar, and soft tissue effects of the appliances using paired and Student's t-tests. Both appliances were effective in correcting skeletal class II malocclusion and showed similar skeletal and soft tissue changes. The maxillary incisor was statistically significantly more retruded in the skeletally anchored Forsus FRD group (P < .01). The mandibular incisor was retruded in the skeletally anchored Forsus FRD group (-4.09° ± 5.12°), while it was protruded in the Herbst group (7.50° ± 3.98°) (P < .001). Although both appliances were successful in correcting the skeletal Class II malocclusion, the skeletally anchored Forsus FRD EZ appliance did so without protruding the mandibular incisors.

The Effects of Text Message Content on the Use of an Internet-Based Physical Activity Intervention in Hong Kong Chinese Adolescents.

PubMed

Lau, Erica Y; Lau, Patrick W C; Cai, Bo; Archer, Edward

2015-01-01

This study examined the effects of text message content (generic vs. culturally tailored) on the login rate of an Internet physical activity program in Hong Kong Chinese adolescent school children. A convenience sample of 252 Hong Kong secondary school adolescents (51% female, 49% male; M age = 13.17 years, SD = 1.28 years) were assigned to one of 3 treatments for 8 weeks. The control group consisted of an Internet physical activity program. The Internet plus generic text message group consisted of the same Internet physical activity program and included daily generic text messages. The Internet plus culturally tailored text message group consisted of the Internet physical activity program and included daily culturally tailored text messages. Zero-inflated Poisson mixed models showed that the overall effect of the treatment group on the login rates varied significantly across individuals. The login rates over time were significantly higher in the Internet plus culturally tailored text message group than the control group (β = 46.06, 95% CI 13.60, 156.02; p = .002) and the Internet plus generic text message group (β = 15.80, 95% CI 4.81, 51.9; p = .021) after adjusting for covariates. These findings suggest that culturally tailored text messages may be more advantageous than generic text messages on improving adolescents' website login rate, but effects varied significantly across individuals. Our results support the inclusion of culturally tailored messaging in future online physical activity interventions.

Evaluating the Correlation between Anteroposterior and Mediolateral Compensatory Curves and their Influence on Dentoskeletal Morphology-An In vitro CBCT Study.

PubMed

Babu, K Suresh; Kumar, A Nanda; Kommi, Pradeep Babu; Krishnan, P Hari; Kumar, M Senthil; Sabapathy, R Senkutvan; Kumar, V Vijay

2017-08-01

To date, many orthodontist corrects malocclusion based on patients aesthetic concern and fails to correct the compensatory curves. This scenario is due to less insight on understanding relationship of compensatory curves and its correlation in treatment prognosis. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the correlation between the curve of Spee, curve of Monson and curve of Wilson, their influence on dentoskeletal morphology and their contribution to occlusal stability. This study included 104 non-orthodontic models. The study casts were subdivided into two groups, Group-I consist 52 non- orthodontic models with Class-I molar relationship and Group-II consist of 52 non- orthodontic models with Class-II molar relationship. Curve of Spee was measured with digital vernier caliper, curve of Monson estimated using specially made sphere (7″inch, 8″ inch and 9″inch) and curve of Wilson was evaluated using Cone Beam Computed Technology (CBCT). Mean value for curve of Spee obtained for Group I and Group II is 1.844 mm and 3.188 mm. For curve of Monson, the mean value obtained for Group I and Group-II is 7.65 inches and 7.40 inches. The mean degree obtained for the curve of Wilson for Group I and Group-II is 12.05 and 16.49. The result showed positive correlation between curve of Spee and curve of Wilson and no correlation between curve of Monson and curve of Wilson and no correlation between curve of Spee and curve of Monson. The Pearson correlation coefficient analysis from the study confirmed these results. The results showed positive correlation between curve of spee and curve of Wilson. The data found in this study can be applied clinically for Class I and Class II malocclusion patients on diagnosis and treatment planning.

Transcultural Adaptation and Validation of the German Version of the Vocal Tract Discomfort Scale.

PubMed

Lukaschyk, Julia; Brockmann-Bauser, Meike; Beushausen, Ulla

2017-03-01

Currently, there is no standardized German questionnaire to assess vocal tract discomfort in voice patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the internal consistency, reliability, and validity of the German version of the Vocal Tract Discomfort (VTD) Scale. This is a cross-sectional study. First, a cross-cultural translation and adaptation from English to German was performed. One hundred seven patients between the ages of 18 and 76 with voice disorders were divided into two different diagnosis-related groups (organic and functional voice disorder) and 50 vocally healthy adults were included. All participants completed the VTD Scale and the Voice Handicap Index (VHI). The internal consistency of the VTD Scale was analyzed through Cronbach's α coefficient. Pearson correlation between the VDT Scale and VHI total scores was used to determine criterion validity. The VDT Scale score differences related to diagnosis groups were assessed with analysis of variance. Excellent internal consistency was found (α = 0.919, P < 0.05), and criterion validity was confirmed by a high correlation between the total VTD Scale and VHI (r = 0.674). There was a significant difference between the diagnosis groups' total VTD Scale score (F[4.135] = 15.114, P = 0.000). Furthermore, the vocally healthy adults had significantly lower values than the two diagnosis groups (x¯: 11.48, s = 8.340). The German version of the VTD Scale has an excellent internal consistency and reliability, and shows high clinical validity. Thus, it is a useful instrument in voice diagnostics. Copyright © 2017 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Serum angiotensin-converting enzyme (SACE) activity as an indicator of total body granuloma load and prognosis in sarcoidosis.

PubMed

Muthuswamy, P P; Lopez-Majano, V; Ranginwala, M; Trainor, W D

1987-09-01

The relationship between the level of serum angiotensin converting enzyme (SACE) and the total body granuloma load in patients with sarcoidosis was studied in two groups using SACE levels and total body gallium67 scans. The study group consisted of 22 patients with SACE levels greater than or equal to 100 U/ml (EH-SACE group) and the control group consisted of 24 patients consecutively diagnosed to have sarcoidosis in a one year period with SACE level of less than 80 U/ml. The average number of organs involved in the EH-SACE group was 3.9 +/- 1 compared to 2.3 +/- 1 in the control group (p less than 0.0001). The incidence of extra pulmonary organ involvement in the EH-SACE group was 2.2 +/- 1 organs compared to 1.0 + 0.8 in the control group (p less than 0.0002). The SACE level was correlated with the number of organs involved for all patients with sarcoidosis (r = .55; p less than .0001). Following corticosteroid therapy for 39 +/- 41 weeks the SACE dropped to 64 +/- 45 units in the EH-SACE group. But it took only 13 +/- 10 weeks to normalize the SACE level to 27 +/- 9 units in the control group. The EH-SACE group patients were followed for 114 +/- 64 weeks and 73% of them still have active sarcoidosis requiring repeated cycles of corticosteroid therapy, while after 42 +/- 23 weeks of follow up only 10% of patients from the control group were still on therapy.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

The Effect of Nasal Functions on the Integrity of Grafts after Myringoplasty

PubMed Central

Eser, Başak Çaypınar; Yılmaz, Aslı Şahin; Toros, Sema Zer; Oysu, Çağatay

2017-01-01

Objective We aimed to evaluate the effects of nasal functions for the integrity of grafts after myringoplasty. Methods In our study 78 patients who underwent myringoplasty operation between 2011–2013 were included. Group I was defined as the group with an intact tympanic membrane following surgery. Group II was defined as the group with a tympanic membrane perforation following surgery. Group I consisted of 44 and Group II consisted of 34 patients. Subjective and objective measurements of nasal functions, Eustachian tube function (ETF), and allergic status were performed using nasal obstruction symptom evaluation (NOSE) scale, visual analog scale (VAS), and the score for allergic rhinitis (SFAR) questionnaires and acoustic rhinometry and saccharin test. It was investigated whether there was any difference between these two groups in terms of these parameters. Results There was statistically no significant difference between groups according to the age, sex and the presence of tubal dysfunction and allergic rhinitis (p>0.05). In the group of intact tympanic membranes, the likelihood of right ear being the operated one was significantly higher compared to the group of myringoplasty failures (p=0.037). The VAS and NOSE scales did not show any significant difference between groups in terms of successful outcome of myringoplasty (p>0.05). The nasal congestion index (NCI) and the mucociliary clearance (MCC) did not show any significant difference between groups in terms of successful outcome of myringoplasty (p>0.05). Conclusion This study has shown that nasal functions measured by objective and subjective methods had no effects on the success of myringoplasty. PMID:29515926

The Effect of Nasal Functions on the Integrity of Grafts after Myringoplasty.

PubMed

Eser, Başak Çaypınar; Yılmaz, Aslı Şahin; Önder, Serap Şahin; Toros, Sema Zer; Oysu, Çağatay

2017-12-01

We aimed to evaluate the effects of nasal functions for the integrity of grafts after myringoplasty. In our study 78 patients who underwent myringoplasty operation between 2011-2013 were included. Group I was defined as the group with an intact tympanic membrane following surgery. Group II was defined as the group with a tympanic membrane perforation following surgery. Group I consisted of 44 and Group II consisted of 34 patients. Subjective and objective measurements of nasal functions, Eustachian tube function (ETF), and allergic status were performed using nasal obstruction symptom evaluation (NOSE) scale, visual analog scale (VAS), and the score for allergic rhinitis (SFAR) questionnaires and acoustic rhinometry and saccharin test. It was investigated whether there was any difference between these two groups in terms of these parameters. There was statistically no significant difference between groups according to the age, sex and the presence of tubal dysfunction and allergic rhinitis (p>0.05). In the group of intact tympanic membranes, the likelihood of right ear being the operated one was significantly higher compared to the group of myringoplasty failures (p=0.037). The VAS and NOSE scales did not show any significant difference between groups in terms of successful outcome of myringoplasty (p>0.05). The nasal congestion index (NCI) and the mucociliary clearance (MCC) did not show any significant difference between groups in terms of successful outcome of myringoplasty (p>0.05). This study has shown that nasal functions measured by objective and subjective methods had no effects on the success of myringoplasty.

Effectiveness of time-related interventions in children with ADHD aged 9-15 years: a randomized controlled study.

PubMed

Wennberg, Birgitta; Janeslätt, Gunnel; Kjellberg, Anette; Gustafsson, Per A

2018-03-01

Specific problems with time and timing that affect daily routines, homework, school work, and social relations have been recognized in children with ADHD. The primary treatments for children with ADHD do not specifically focus on time-related difficulties. The aim of this randomized controlled study (RCT) was to investigate how multimodal interventions, consisting of training in time-processing ability (TPA) and compensation with time-assistive devices (TAD), affect TPA and daily time management (DTM) in children with ADHD and time difficulties, compared with only educational intervention. Thirty-eight children on stable medication for ADHD in the 9-15-year age range were randomly allocated to an intervention or a control group. The children's TPA was measured with a structured assessment (KaTid), and the children's DTM was rated by a parent questionnaire (Time-Parent scale) and by children's self-reporting (Time-Self-rating). The intervention consisted of time-skill training and compensation with TAD. Data were analysed for differences in TPA and in DTM between the control and intervention groups in the 24-week follow-up. Children in the intervention group increased their TPA significantly (p = 0.019) more compared to the control group. The largest increase was in orientation to time. In addition, the parents in the intervention group rated their children's DTM as significantly (p = 0.01) improved compared with the parents in the control group. According to the children, their DTM was not significantly changed. In conclusion, a multimodal intervention consisting of time-skill training and TAD improved TPA and DTM in children with ADHD aged 9-15 years.

Cross-Cultural Adaptation and Validation of the Italian Version of SWAL-QOL.

PubMed

Ginocchio, Daniela; Alfonsi, Enrico; Mozzanica, Francesco; Accornero, Anna Rosa; Bergonzoni, Antonella; Chiarello, Giulia; De Luca, Nicoletta; Farneti, Daniele; Marilia, Simonelli; Calcagno, Paola; Turroni, Valentina; Schindler, Antonio

2016-10-01

The aim of the study was to evaluate the reliability and validity of the Italian SWAL-QOL (I-SWAL-QOL). The study consisted of five phases: item generation, reliability analysis, normative data generation, validity analysis, and responsiveness analysis. The item generation phase followed the five-step, cross-cultural, adaptation process of translation and back-translation. A group of 92 dysphagic patients was enrolled for the internal consistency analysis. Seventy-eight patients completed the I-SWAL-QOL twice, 2 weeks apart, for test-retest reliability analysis. A group of 200 asymptomatic subjects completed the I-SWAL-QOL for normative data generation. I-SWAL-QOL scores obtained by both the group of dysphagic subjects and asymptomatic ones were compared for validity analysis. I-SWAL-QOL scores were correlated with SF-36 scores in 67 patients with dysphagia for concurrent validity analysis. Finally, I-SWAL-QOL scores obtained in a group of 30 dysphagic patients before and after successful rehabilitation treatment were compared for responsiveness analysis. All the enrolled patients managed to complete the I-SWAL-QOL without needing any assistance, within 20 min. Internal consistency was acceptable for all I-SWAL-QOL subscales (α > 0.70). Test-retest reliability was also satisfactory for all subscales (ICC > 0.7). A significant difference between the dysphagic group and the control group was found in all I-SWAL-QOL subscales (p < 0.05). Mild to moderate correlations between I-SWAL-QOL and SF-36 subscales were observed. I-SWAL-QOL scores obtained in the pre-treatment condition were significantly lower than those obtained after swallowing rehabilitation. I-SWAL-QOL is reliable, valid, responsive to changes in QOL, and recommended for clinical practice and outcome research.

Rational Emotive Behavior Based on Academic Procrastination Prevention: Training Programme of Effectiveness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Düsmez, Ihsan; Barut, Yasar

2016-01-01

The research is an experimental study which has experimental and control groups, and based on pre-test, post-test, monitoring test model. Research group consists of second and third grade students of Primary School Education and Psychological Counseling undergraduate programmes in Giresun University Faculty of Educational Sciences. The research…

Investigation of Effective Strategies for Developing Creative Science Thinking

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yang, Kuay-Keng; Lee, Ling; Hong, Zuway-R; Lin, Huann-shyang

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to explore the effectiveness of the creative inquiry-based science teaching on students' creative science thinking and science inquiry performance. A quasi-experimental design consisting one experimental group (N = 20) and one comparison group (N = 24) with pretest and post-test was conducted. The framework of the…

Consistently Inconsistent: Teachers' Beliefs about Help Seeking and Giving When Students Work in Groups

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wosnitza, Marold S.; Labitzke, Nina; Woods-McConney, Amanda; Karabenick, Stuart A.

2015-01-01

While extensive research on student help-seeking and teachers' help-giving behaviour in teacher-centred classroom and self-directed learning environments is available, little is known regarding teachers' beliefs and behaviour about help seeking or their role when students work in groups. This study investigated primary (elementary) school…

A Grounded Theory of Effective Reading by Profoundly Deaf Adults

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Silvestri, Julia; Wang, Ye

2018-01-01

The purpose of the study was to uncover and describe psycholinguistic and sociocognitive factors facilitating effective reading by signing adults who are profoundly deaf and do not use hearing technology. The sample comprised four groups, each consisting of 15 adults, for a total of 60 participants. The four groups were "deaf…

A Transition Program for Underprepared Students in General Chemistry: Diagnosis, Implementation, and Evaluation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shields, Shawn P.; Hogrebe, Mark C.; Spees, William M.; Handlin, Larry B.; Noelken, Greg P.; Riley, Julie M.; Frey, Regina F.

2012-01-01

We developed an online exam to diagnose students who are underprepared for college-level general chemistry and implemented a program to support them during the general chemistry sequence. This transition program consists of extended-length recitations, peer-led team-learning (PLTL) study groups, and peer-mentoring groups. We evaluated this…

Adults with ADHD Benefit from Cognitive-Behaviorally Oriented Group Rehabilitation: A Study of 29 Participants

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Virta, Maarit; Vedenpaa, Anita; Gronroos, Nina; Chydenius, Esa; Partinen, Markku; Vataja, Risto; Kaski, Markus; Iivanainen, Matti

2008-01-01

Objective: In clinical practice, a growing need exists for effective nonpharmacological treatments of adult ADHD. The authors present results from a cognitive-behaviorally oriented psychological group rehabilitation for adult ADHD. Method: A total of 29 adults with ADHD participated. Rehabilitation consisted of 10 or 11 weekly sessions.…

Reducing Depression, Anxiety, and Trauma of Male Inmates: An HIV/AIDS Psychoeducational Group Intervention.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pomeroy, Elizabeth C.; Kiam, Risa; Green, Diane L.

2000-01-01

Reports on a quasi-experimental research study that found that a 10-session psychoeducational group intervention was effective in increasing knowledge of AIDS and decreasing depression, anxiety, and trauma symptoms among male inmates. The intervention consisted of both AIDS education topics and psychological support. Results indicate significant…

Analysis of the Interaction of Student Characteristics with Method in Micro-Teaching.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chavers, Katherine; And Others

A study examined the comparative effects on microteaching performance of (1) eight different methods of teacher training and (2) the interaction of method with student characteristics. Subjects, 71 enrollees in an educational psychology course, were randomly assigned to eight treatment groups (including one control group). Treatments consisted of…

The Effect of Constructivist Instruction on Prospective Teachers' Attitudes toward Human Rights Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gundogdu, Kerim

2010-01-01

Introduction: This study investigates the effect of employing constructivist methods and materials on the attitudes of prospective teachers' (psychological counseling students) toward human rights education. Method: The research employed a quasi-experimental pre test-post test control group design. The experimental group, consisted of 23 male and…

A Comparative Study of Collaborative Learning in "Paper Scribbles" and "Group Scribbles"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hao, Chen Fang

2010-01-01

"Paper Scribbles" (PS) consisting of markers, vanguard sheets and 3M "Post-It" notes, is a pedagogical tool to harness collective intelligence of groups for collaborative learning in the classroom. Borrowing the key features of PS and yet avoiding some of their physical limitations, a computer-based tool called "Group…

Studying the Motivated Agent Through Time: Personal Goal Development During the Adult Life Span.

PubMed

Dunlop, William L; Bannon, Brittany L; McAdams, Dan P

2017-04-01

This research examined the rank-order and mean-level consistency of personal goals at two periods in the adult life span. Personal goal continuity was considered among a group of young adults (N = 145) who reported their goals three times over a 3-year period and among a group of midlife adults (N = 163) who specified their goals annually over a 4-year period. Goals were coded for a series of motive-based (viz., achievement, affiliation, intimacy, power) and domain-based (viz., finance, generativity, health, travel) categories. In both samples, we noted a moderate degree of rank-order consistency across assessment periods. In addition, the majority of goal categories exhibited a high degree of mean-level consistency. The results of this research suggest that (a) the content of goals exhibits a modest degree of rank-order consistency and a substantial degree of mean-level consistency over time, and (b) considering personality continuity and development as manifest via goals represents a viable strategy for personality psychologists. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Measurement invariance of the strength of motivation for medical school: a multi-group confirmatory factor analysis.

PubMed

An, M; Kusurkar, R A; Li, L; Xiao, Y; Zheng, C; Hu, J; Chen, M

2017-07-11

The Strength of Motivation for Medical School-Revised (SMMS-R) questionnaire measures students' motivation for studying medicine. It includes three subscales: 'willingness to sacrifice', 'readiness to start', and 'persistence'. Measurement invariance is a prerequisite for group comparisons. The objectives of this study were to verify the factorial structure of the SMMS-R questionnaire and to investigate it's measurement invariance. A total of 989 medical students were approached, 930 cases were kept for data analysis. Factorial structure of and measurement invariance of the SMMS-R were tested using single and multiple group confirmatory factor analyses with Mplus. Trational Cronbach's α along with McDonald's ω and glb were used to measure internal consistency for each subscale. Internal consistency for subscales and the full instrument were within the acceptable range. A 3-factor structure of the Chinese version of the SMMS-R was supported. Full configural, metric and partial scalar invariance were obtained. The SMMS-R showed measurement invariance across gender and two independent samples. So it can be used for group and cross-cultural comparisons.

Effects of Relaxation Exercises and Music Therapy on the Psychological Symptoms and Depression Levels of Patients with Schizophrenia.

PubMed

Kavak, Funda; Ünal, Süheyla; Yılmaz, Emine

2016-10-01

This study aims to identify the effects of relaxation exercises and music therapy on the psychological symptoms and depression levels of patients with chronic schizophrenia. This semi-experimental study was conducted using pre- and post-tests with a control group. The study population consists of patients with schizophrenia who regularly attended community mental health centers in the Malatya and Elazığ provinces of Turkey between May 2015 and September 2015. The study's sample consists of 70 patients with schizophrenia (n=35 in the control group; n=35 in the experimental group) who were selected randomly based on power analysis. The "Patient Information Form," the "Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS)" and the "Calgary Depression Scale for Schizophrenia (CDSS)" were used for data collection. Patients in the experimental group participated in relaxation exercises and music therapy 5 times a week for 4 weeks. The experimental group of 35 persons was divided into three groups of approximately 10-12 individuals in order to enable all participants to attend the program. No intervention was applied to the patients in the control group. The data were evaluated using percentage distribution, arithmetic means, standard deviations, Chi-square and independent samples t-tests. The study found that patients in the experimental group showed a decrease in total mean scores on the BPRS and CDSS; the difference between the post-test scores of the experimental group and the post-test scores of the control group was statistically significant (p<0.05). The practice of relaxation exercises and music therapy was proven to be effective in reducing schizophrenic patients' psychological symptoms and levels of depression. Relaxation exercises and music therapy can be used as a complementary therapy in the medical treatment of patients with chronic schizophrenia. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Preliminary data on boulders at station 6, Apollo 17 landing site

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Heiken, G. H.; Butler, P., Jr.; Simonds, C. H.; Phinney, W. C.; Warner, J.; Schmitt, H. H.; Bogard, D. D.; Pearce, W. G.

1973-01-01

A cluster of boulders at Station 6 (Apollo 17 landing site) consists of breccias derived from the North Massif. Three preliminary lithologic units were established, on the basis of photogeologic interpretations; all lithologies identified photogeologically were sampled. Breccia clasts and matrices studied petrographically and chemically fall into two groups by modal mineralogy: (1) low-K Fra Mauro or high basalt composition, consisting of 50-60% modal feldspar, approximately 45% orthopyroxene and 1-7% Fe-Ti oxide; (2) clasts consisting of highland basalt composition, consisting of 70% feldspar, 30% orthopyroxene and olivine and a trace of Fe-Ti oxide.

Learning Social Studies through Mastery Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adeyemi, B. A.

2007-01-01

This study examined learning Social Studies by investigating the effectiveness of mastery approach on students' performance in Social Studies of two groups of students drawn from Osun State College of Education, Ila-Orangun and University of Uyo, Ila-Orangun Study Centre which consisted of 200 level Social Studies students and 200 level degree…

An empirical examination of consumer effects across twenty degrees of latitude.

PubMed

Lavender, James T; Dafforn, Katherine A; Bishop, Melanie J; Johnston, Emma L

2017-09-01

The strength and importance of consumer effects are predicted to increase toward low latitudes, but this hypothesis has rarely been tested using a spatially consistent methodology. In a consumer-exclusion experiment spanning twenty degrees of latitude along the east Australian coast, the magnitude of consumer effects on sub-tidal sessile assemblage composition was not greater at low than high latitudes. Across caged and control assemblages, Shannon's diversity, Pielou's evenness, and richness of functional groups decreased with increasing latitude, but the magnitude of consumer effects on these metrics did not display consistent latitudinal gradients. Instead, latitudinal gradients in consumer effects were apparent for individual functional groups. Solitary ascidians displayed the pattern consistent with predictions of greater direct effects of predators at low than high latitude. As consumers reduced the biomass of this and other competitive dominants, groups less prone to predation (e.g., hydroids, various groups of bryozoans) were able to take advantage of freed space in the presence of consumers and show increased abundances there. This large-scale empirical study demonstrates the complexity of species interactions, and the failure of assemblage-level metrics to adequately capture consumer effects over large spatial gradients. © 2017 by the Ecological Society of America.

The Effect of the Values Education Programme on 5.5-6 Year Old Children's Social Development: Social Skills, Psycho-Social Development and Social Problem Solving Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dereli-Iman, Esra

2014-01-01

The aim of this study was to examine the effect of the Values Education Programme (developed for pre-school children) on the children's social skills, psycho-social development, and social problem solving skills. The sample group consisted of 66 children (33 experimental group, 33 control group) attending pre-school. The Values Education Programme…

Proceedings of the 1983 Annual Meeting of the Canadian Mathematics Education Study Group (7th, Vancouver, British Columbia, June 8-12, 1983).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Verhille, Charles, Ed.

The papers in this document follow the order of the meeting and consist of two guest lecturers and reports from four working groups; two topic group presentations are noted but not included. One lecture, delivered by Peter Hilton, discusses the nature of mathematics today and implications for mathematics teaching, while, in the other paper,…

Pathology of ochratoxin A-induced nephrotoxicity in Japanese quail and its protection by sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L.).

PubMed

Patial, V; Asrani, R K; Patil, R D; Ledoux, D R; Rottinghaus, G E

2013-12-01

The present study was designed to study the protective effect of sea buckthorn (SBT) against renal damage induced by ochratoxin A (OTA) in Japanese quail. Day-old quail chicks were divided into six groups and fed a basal quail chick mash containing 2% SBT leaf powder (group SX), OTA at a dietary level of 3 ppm (group OX), 25 ppm L-beta-phenylalanine (Phe) plus 3 ppm OTA (group OP), 2% dietary level of SBT leaf powder plus 3 ppm OTA (group OS), SBT leaf extract at a level of 10%/L of drinking water plus 3 ppm OTA (group OSS), and a standard toxin-free feed (group CX, control) for 21 days. OTA at 3 ppm level in diet grossly revealed mild to moderate renal swelling in OX birds, and the severity was less in the case of OS, OSS, and OP birds. Microscopically, degenerative, necrotic, and inflammatory changes were observed in OX birds, but the changes were less severe in OS, OSS, and OP birds. Ultrastructural studies revealed remarkable and consistent changes in the proximal convoluted tubules (PCTs), with severe damage of mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum in OX birds, whereas SBT-treated birds (groups OS, OSS) had mild changes in mitochondria. A moderate to marked increase in number of peroxisomes in the cytoplasm of PCTs was a consistent finding in the Phe- and SBT-treated groups kept on OTA in comparison to the group fed OTA alone. In conclusion, the inclusion of 2% SBT leaf powder in feed and SBT leaf extract in water provided partial protection against OTA-induced nephropathy in Japanese quail.

Complete Bouguer gravity and aeromagnetic maps of the Rattlesnake Roadless Area, Missoula County, Montana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kulik, Dolores M.

1986-01-01

The rocks in the study area consist mainly of the Helena Formation and the Missoula Group of the Belt Supergroup (Proterozoic Y).  Rock units of less importance are diabase sills and dikes of probable Proterozoic Z age, Middle Cambrian rocks, and glacial deposits.  Structurally, the study area consists of the Rattlesnake thrust system in the south part and a parautochthonous area broken by vertical faults in the north part.

Open Versus Closed Septorhinoplasty Approaches for Postoperative Edema and Ecchymosis.

PubMed

Sakallioğlu, Öner; Cingi, Cemal; Polat, Cahit; Soylu, Erkan; Akyigit, Abdulvahap; Soken, Hakan

2015-06-01

The aim of this study was to compare periorbital edema and ecchymosis seen after closed (endonasal) and open (external) septorhinoplasty (SRP). In total, 50 patients undergoing hump extraction and osteotomies were allocated to 2 groups. Group 1 consisted of 25 patients who underwent closed SRP. Group 2 consisted of 25 patients who underwent open SRP. Operation time, amount of intraoperative bleeding, and complications were recorded. Scoring of eyelid edema and periorbital ecchymosis was evaluated on the first, third, and seventh postoperative days using a scale of 0 to 4 by the first author. There was no statistically significant difference between the groups in terms of age, sex, or operation time. No significant difference was observed clinically or statistically in the scores of periorbital edema or ecchymosis between groups 1 and 2 on the first, third, and seventh postoperative days (P > 0.05). The authors observed no clinically or statistically significant difference in comparing periorbital edema and ecchymosis seen after closed and open SRP.

Early stage second-language learning improves executive control: evidence from ERP.

PubMed

Sullivan, Margot D; Janus, Monika; Moreno, Sylvain; Astheimer, Lori; Bialystok, Ellen

2014-12-01

A growing body of research has reported a bilingual advantage in performance on executive control tasks, but it is not known at what point in emerging bilingualism these advantages first appear. The present study investigated the effect of early stage second-language training on executive control. Monolingual English-speaking students were tested on a go-nogo task, sentence judgment task, and verbal fluency, before and after 6 months of Spanish instruction. The training group (n = 25) consisted of students enrolled in introductory Spanish and the control group (n = 30) consisted of students enrolled in introductory Psychology. After training, the Spanish group showed larger P3 amplitude on the go-nogo task and smaller P600 amplitude on the judgment task, indicating enhanced performance, with no changes for the control group and no differences between groups on behavioral measures. Results are discussed in terms of neural changes underlying executive control after brief second-language learning. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Predicting the Trajectories of Perceived Pain Intensity in Southern Community-Dwelling Older Adults: The Role of Religiousness

PubMed Central

Sun, Fei; Park, Nan Sook; Wardian, Jana; Lee, Beom S.; Roff, Lucinda L.; Klemmack, David L.; Parker, Michael W.; Koenig, Harold G.; Sawyer, Patricia L.; Allman, Richard M.

2013-01-01

This study focuses on the identification of multiple latent trajectories of pain intensity, and it examines how religiousness is related to different classes of pain trajectory. Participants were 720 community-dwelling older adults who were interviewed at four time points over a 3-year period. Overall, intensity of pain decreased over 3 years. Analysis using latent growth mixture modeling (GMM) identified three classes of pain: (1) increasing (n = 47); (2) consistently unchanging (n = 292); and (3) decreasing (n = 381). Higher levels of intrinsic religiousness (IR) at baseline were associated with higher levels of pain at baseline, although it attenuated the slope of pain trajectories in the increasing pain group. Higher service attendance at baseline was associated with a higher probability of being in the decreasing pain group. The increasing pain group and the consistently unchanging group reported more negative physical and mental health outcomes than the decreasing pain group. PMID:24187410

Turkish adaptation of the pregnancy-related anxiety questionnaire-revised 2: Validity and reliability study in multiparous and primiparous pregnancy.

PubMed

Aksoy Derya, Yeşim; Timur Taşhan, Sermin; Duman, Mesude; Durgun Ozan, Yeter

2018-07-01

The purpose of this study was to create a Turkish version of the Pregnancy-Related Anxiety Questionnaire-Revised 2 (PRAQR2), which was revised for application to multiparous and primiparous pregnancy, and to explore its psychometric characteristics in multiparous and primiparous pregnancy. This study was methodologically designed to assess the reliability and validity of the PRAQ-R2. The study was carried out in the obstetrics clinic of a training and research hospital in Malatya. A total of 616 healthy pregnant women (399 multiparous and 217 primiparous) constituted the sample of the study. The cultural adaptation process of the questionnaire was conducted in three phases: language validity, content validity, and pilot application. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were used to test the construct validity of the questionnaire. The reliability of the PRAQ-R2 was evaluated with Cronbach's alpha internal consistency coefficient, item-total correlation, test-retest analysis, and parallel forms reliability. The EFA revealed that the PRAQ-R2 consists of 10 items for the multiparous group and 11 for the primiparous group after adding the item ``I am anxious about the delivery because I have never experienced one before.'' The CFA for both groups supported the three-factor questionnaire yielded by the EFA. Good fit index values were obtained in both groups. Cronbach's alpha internal consistency coefficient ranged from 0.81 to 0.93 for the multiparous group and 0.87 to 0.94 for the primiparous group for the complete PRAQ-R2 and each of its subdimensions. In addition, the item-total correlation, test-retest analysis, and parallel forms reliability of the questionnaire were highly correlated. The PRAQ-R2 is a valid and reliable instrument that can be used to evaluate the level of anxiety in Turkish pregnant women irrespective of parity. The use of the PRAQ-R2 in prenatal healthcare services will contribute to the early diagnosis, treatment, and management of pregnancy-related anxiety. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Neurobehavioral Deficits Consistent Across Age and Sex in Youth with Prenatal Alcohol Exposure

PubMed Central

Panczakiewicz, Amy L.; Glass, Leila; Coles, Claire D.; Kable, Julie A.; Sowell, Elizabeth R.; Wozniak, Jeffrey R.; Jones, Kenneth Lyons; Riley, Edward P.; Mattson, Sarah N.

2016-01-01

Background Neurobehavioral consequences of heavy prenatal alcohol exposure are well documented, however the role of age or sex in these effects has not been studied. The current study examined the effects of prenatal alcohol exposure, sex, and age on neurobehavioral functioning in children. Methods Subjects were 407 youth with prenatal alcohol exposure (n=192) and controls (n=215). Two age groups [child (5–7y) or adolescent (10–16y)] and both sexes were included. All subjects completed standardized neuropsychological testing and caregivers completed parent-report measures of psychopathology and adaptive behavior. Neuropsychological functioning, psychopathology, and adaptive behavior were analyzed with separate 2 (exposure history) × 2 (sex) × 2 (age) MANOVAs. Significant effects were followed by univariate analyses. Results No three-way or two-way interactions were significant. The main effect of group was significant in all three MANOVAs, with the control group performing better than the alcohol-exposed group on all measures. The main effect of age was significant for neuropsychological performance and adaptive functioning across exposure groups with younger children performing better than older children on three measures (language, communication, socialization). Older children performed better than younger children on a different language measure. The main effect of sex was significant for neuropsychological performance and psychopathology; across exposure groups, males had stronger language and visual-spatial scores and fewer somatic complaints than females. Conclusion Prenatal alcohol exposure resulted in impaired neuropsychological and behavioral functioning. Although adolescents with prenatal alcohol exposure may perform more poorly than younger exposed children, the same was true for non-exposed children. Thus, these cross-sectional data indicate that the developmental trajectory for neuropsychological and behavioral performance is not altered by prenatal alcohol exposure, but rather, deficits are consistent across the two age groups tested. Similarly, observed sex differences on specific measures were consistent across the groups and do not support sexually dimorphic effects in these domains. PMID:27430360

Short-term effects on lower-body functional power development: weightlifting vs. vertical jump training programs.

PubMed

Tricoli, Valmor; Lamas, Leonardo; Carnevale, Roberto; Ugrinowitsch, Carlos

2005-05-01

Among sport conditioning coaches, there is considerable discussion regarding the efficiency of training methods that improve lower-body power. Heavy resistance training combined with vertical jump (VJ) training is a well-established training method; however, there is a lack of information about its combination with Olympic weightlifting (WL) exercises. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to compare the short-term effects of heavy resistance training combined with either the VJ or WL program. Thirty-two young men were assigned to 3 groups: WL = 12, VJ = 12, and control = 8. These 32 men participated in an 8-week training study. The WL training program consisted of 3 x 6RM high pull, 4 x 4RM power clean, and 4 x 4RM clean and jerk. The VJ training program consisted of 6 x 4 double-leg hurdle hops, 4 x 4 alternated single-leg hurdle hops, 4 x 4 single-leg hurdle hops, and 4 x 4 40-cm drop jumps. Additionally, both groups performed 4 x 6RM half-squat exercises. Training volume was increased after 4 weeks. Pretesting and posttesting consisted of squat jump (SJ) and countermovement jump (CMJ) tests, 10- and 30-m sprint speeds, an agility test, a half-squat 1RM, and a clean-and-jerk 1RM (only for WL). The WL program significantly increased the 10-m sprint speed (p < 0.05). Both groups, WL and VJ, increased CMJ (p < 0.05), but groups using the WL program increased more than those using the VJ program. On the other hand, the group using the VJ program increased its 1RM half-squat strength more than the WL group (47.8 and 43.7%, respectively). Only the WL group improved in the SJ (9.5%). There were no significant changes in the control group. In conclusion, Olympic WL exercises seemed to produce broader performance improvements than VJ exercises in physically active subjects.

Group schema therapy for eating disorders: study protocol.

PubMed

Calvert, Fiona; Smith, Evelyn; Brockman, Rob; Simpson, Susan

2018-01-01

The treatment of eating disorders is a difficult endeavor, with only a relatively small proportion of clients responding to and completing standard cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). Given the prevalence of co-morbidity and complex personality traits in this population, Schema Therapy has been identified as a potentially viable treatment option. A case series of Group Schema Therapy for Eating Disorders (ST-E-g) yielded positive findings and the study protocol outlined in this article aims to extend upon these preliminary findings to evaluate group Schema Therapy for eating disorders in a larger sample ( n  = 40). Participants undergo a two-hour assessment where they complete a number of standard questionnaires and their diagnostic status is ascertained using the Eating Disorder Examination. Participants then commence treatment, which consists of 25 weekly group sessions lasting for 1.5 h and four individual sessions. Each group consists of five to eight participants and is facilitated by two therapists, at least one of who is a registered psychologist trained on schema therapy. The primary outcome in this study is eating disorder symptom severity. Secondary outcomes include: cognitive schemas, self-objectification, general quality of life, self-compassion, schema mode presentations, and Personality Disorder features. Participants complete psychological measures and questionnaires at pre, post, six-month and 1-year follow-up. This study will expand upon preliminary research into the efficacy of group Schema Therapy for individuals with eating disorders. If group Schema Therapy is shown to reduce eating disorder symptoms, it will hold considerable promise as an intervention option for a group of disorders that is typically difficult to treat. ACTRN12615001323516. Registered: 2/12/2015 (retrospectively registered, still recruiting).

Teaching Dental Students to Understand the Temporomandibular Joint Using MRI: Comparison of Conventional and Digital Learning Methods.

PubMed

Arús, Nádia A; da Silva, Átila M; Duarte, Rogério; da Silveira, Priscila F; Vizzotto, Mariana B; da Silveira, Heraldo L D; da Silveira, Heloisa E D

2017-06-01

The aims of this study were to evaluate and compare the performance of dental students in interpreting the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans using two learning methods (conventional and digital interactive learning) and to examine the usability of the digital learning object (DLO). The DLO consisted of tutorials about MRI and anatomic and functional aspects of the TMJ. In 2014, dental students in their final year of study who were enrolled in the elective "MRI Interpretation of the TMJ" course comprised the study sample. After exclusions for nonattendance and other reasons, 29 of the initial 37 students participated in the study, for a participation rate of 78%. The participants were divided into two groups: a digital interactive learning group (n=14) and a conventional learning group (n=15). Both methods were assessed by an objective test applied before and after training and classes. Aspects such as support and training requirements, complexity, and consistency of the DLO were also evaluated using the System Usability Scale (SUS). A significant between-group difference in the posttest results was found, with the conventional learning group scoring better than the DLO group, indicated by mean scores of 9.20 and 8.11, respectively, out of 10. However, when the pretest and posttest results were compared, both groups showed significantly improved performance. The SUS score was 89, which represented a high acceptance of the DLO by the users. The students who used the conventional method of learning showed superior performance in interpreting the TMJ using MRI compared to the group that used digital interactive learning.

The Effect of Fermi Questions in the Development of Science Processes Skills in Physics among Jordanian Ninth Graders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barahmeh, Haytham Mousa; Hamad, Adwan Mohammad Bani; Barahmeh, Nabeel Mousa

2017-01-01

This study aimed at exploring the effect of Fermi question on the development of science process skills in the physics subject at ninth Grade students. The sample of the study consisted of (2) classes for males and (2) classes for females, which were randomly divided into (2) groups: An experimental group of (41) students divided into a class of…

Student Centered Homogeneous Ability Grouping: Using Bronfenbrenner's Theory of Human Development to Investigate the Ecological Factors Contributing to the Academic Achievement of High School Students in Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Webb, Karla Denise

2011-01-01

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the interconnectedness of the environment, human development, and the factors that influence students' academic performance in a homogeneous ability grouped mathematics classroom. The study consisted of four African American urban high school juniors, 2 male and 2 female. During the 12 week…

Improvement of Working Memory in Preschoolers and Its Impact on Early Literacy Skills: A Study in Deprived Communities of Rural and Urban Areas

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rojas-Barahona, Cristian A.; Förster, Carla E.; Moreno-Ríos, Sergio; McClelland, Megan M.

2015-01-01

Research Findings: The present study evaluated the impact of a working memory (WM) stimulation program on the development of WM and early literacy skills (ELS) in preschoolers from socioeconomically deprived rural and urban schools in Chile. The sample consisted of 268 children, 144 in the intervention group and 124 in the comparison group. The…

Possible role of IL-6 and TIE2 gene polymorphisms in predicting the initial high transport status in patients with peritoneal dialysis: an observational study.

PubMed

Ding, Li; Shao, Xinghua; Cao, Liou; Fang, Wei; Yan, Hao; Huang, Jiaying; Gu, Aiping; Yu, Zanzhe; Qi, Chaojun; Chang, Xinbei; Ni, Zhaohui

2016-10-26

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of interleukin (IL)-6 and TIE2 gene polymorphisms on baseline peritoneal transport property. An observational study. Renji Hospital in Shanghai, China. This study included 220 patients with continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (PD). Patients were divided into 2 groups based on the results of an initial peritoneal equilibration test performed within 3 months of starting PD therapy: group 1 consisted of low/low average transporters (n=123), and group 2 consisted of high/high average transporters (n=97). We genotyped TIE2 and IL-6 polymorphisms and analysed their effects on baseline transport status. The genotype AT in IL-6 Rs13306435 and the genotype CC in TIE2 Rs639225 were both negatively associated with a higher initial peritoneal transport status (IL-6 Rs13306435: OR=0.408, 95% CI 0.227 to 0.736; TIE2 Rs639225: OR=0.188, 95% CI 0.044 to 0.806). IL-6 and TIE2 polymorphisms are associated with baseline peritoneal transport property. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

Association between cobalt allergy and dermatitis caused by leather articles--a questionnaire study.

PubMed

Bregnbak, David; Thyssen, Jacob P; Zachariae, Claus; Menné, Torkil; Johansen, Jeanne D

2015-02-01

Cobalt is a strong skin sensitizer and a prevalent contact allergen. Recent studies have recognized exposure to leather articles as a potential cause of cobalt allergy. To examine the association between contact allergy to cobalt and a history of dermatitis resulting from exposure to leather. A questionnaire case-control study was performed: the case group consisted of 183 dermatitis patients with a positive patch test reaction to cobalt chloride and a negative patch test reaction to potassium dichromate; the control group consisted of 621 dermatitis patients who did not react to either cobalt or chromium in patch testing. Comparisons were made by use of a χ(2) -test, Fisher's exact, and the Mann-Whitney test. Logistic regression analyses were used to test for associations while taking confounding factors into consideration. Leather was observed as the most frequent exposure source causing dermatitis in the case group. Although the case group significantly more often reported non-occupational dermatitis caused by leather exposure (p < 0.001), no association was found between cobalt allergy and dermatitis caused by work-related exposure to leather. Our study suggests a positive association between cobalt allergy and a history of dermatitis caused by non-occupational exposure to leather articles. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Wood anatomy of the neotropical Sapotaceae. VII, Chrysophyllum

Treesearch

B. F. Kukachka

1978-01-01

In the neotropics, the genus Chrysophyllum consists of C. cainito and a number of species which have recently been assigned to the genus Cynodendron. Many taxonomists have not accepted the new genus Cynodendron and this is supported by the present study of the wood anatomy. In this restricted sense, Chrysophyllum consists of a group of closely related species that are...

The Limerick Reading Initiative: A Reading Intervention Targeted at Struggling Readers in Primary School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Rourke, Diarmuid; Olshtroon, Aoife; O'Halloran, Claire

2016-01-01

In this study we examined the effectiveness of a reading intervention targeting a group of 24 struggling readers in ten primary schools in Ireland. The intervention consisted of two components; component one consisted of 15-20 minutes delivery of the Toe-by-Toe programme (a well established systematic synthetic phonics programme) and the second…

Acupuncture and Traditional Herbal Medicine Therapy Prevent Deliriumin Patients with Cardiovascular Disease in Intensive Care Units.

PubMed

Matsumoto-Miyazaki, Jun; Ushikoshi, Hiroaki; Miyata, Shusaku; Miyazaki, Nagisa; Nawa, Takahide; Okada, Hideshi; Ojio, Shinsuke; Ogura, Shinji; Minatoguchi, Shinya

2017-01-01

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of combination therapy consisting of acupuncture and traditional herbal medicine (Kampo medicine) for reducing the incidence rate of delirium in patients with cardiovascular (CV) disease in ICUs. Twenty-nine patients who had been urgently admitted to the ICU in the control period were treated with conventional intensive care. Thirty patients in the treatment period received conventional therapy plus a combination therapy consisting of acupuncture and herbal medicine. Acupuncture treatment was performed once a day, and the herbal formula was administered orally three times a day during the first week of the ICU stay. The standard acupuncture points were GV20, Ex-HN3, HT7, LI4, Liv3, and KI3, and the main herbal preparation was Kamikihito. The incident rates of delirium, assessed using the confusion assessment method for ICU, in the treatment and control period were compared. The incidence rate of delirium was significantly lower in the treatment group than in the control group (6.6% vs. 37.9%, [Formula: see text]). Moreover, sedative drugs and non-pharmacological approaches against aggressive behavior of patients who were delirious were used less in the treatment group than in the control group. No serious adverse events were observed in the treatment group. Combination therapy consisting of acupuncture and herbal medicine was found to be effective in lowering the incidence of delirium in patients with CV disease in ICUs. Further studies with a large sample size and parallel randomized controlled design would be required to establish the effects of this therapy.

Negotiating the Inquiry Question: A Comparison of Whole Class and Small Group Strategies in Grade Five Science Classrooms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cavagnetto, Andy R.; Hand, Brian; Norton-Meier, Lori

2011-03-01

The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of two strategies for negotiating the question for exploration during science inquiry on student achievement and teachers' perceptions. The study is set in the context of the Science Writing Heuristic. The first strategy (small group) consisted of each group of four students negotiating a question for inquiry with the teacher while the second strategy (whole class) consisted of the entire class negotiating a single question for inquiry with the teacher. The study utilized a mixed-method approach. A quasi-experimental repeated measures design was used to determine the effect of strategy on student achievement and semi-structured teacher interviews were used to probe the question of teacher perceptions of the two strategies. Teacher observations were conducted using the Reformed Teaching Observation Protocol (RTOP) to check for variation in implementation of the two strategies. Iowa Test of Basic Skills Science (ITBSS) (2005 and 2006) and teacher/researcher developed unit exams (pre and post) were used as student achievement measures. No statistically significant differences were found among students in the two treatment groups on the ITBSS or unit exams. RTOP observations suggest that teacher implementation was consistent across the two treatment strategies. Teachers disclosed personal preferences for the two strategies, indicating the whole class treatment was easier to manage (at least at the beginning of the school year) as students gained experience with science inquiry and the associated increased responsibility. Possible mechanisms linking the two strategies, negotiated questions, and student outcomes are discussed.

Research Review: Executive function deficits in fetal alcohol spectrum disorders and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder – a meta-analysis

PubMed Central

Kingdon, Danielle; Cardoso, Christopher; McGrath, Jennifer J.

2018-01-01

Background Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)-like symptoms are common in fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). FASD and ADHD groups both display executive function impairments; however, there is ongoing debate whether the pattern and magnitude of executive function deficits differs between these two types of disorders. Methods An electronic literature search was conducted (PubMed, PsychInfo; 1972–2013) to identify studies comparing the executive functioning of children with FASD with ADHD or control groups. FASD groups included those with and without dysmorphy (i.e., FAS, pFAS, ARND, and other FASD diagnoses). Effect sizes (Hedges’ g, standardized mean difference) were calculated. Random effects meta-analytic models were performed using the metafor package for R. Results Fifty-one studies met inclusion criteria (FASD N = 2,115; ADHD N = 453; controls N = 1,990). Children with FASD showed the strongest and most consistent deficits in planning, fluency, and set-shifting compared to controls (Hedges’ g = −0.94, −0.78) and children with ADHD (Hedges’ g = −0.72, −0.32). FASD was associated with moderate to large impairments in working memory, compared to controls (Hedges’ g = −.84, −.58) and small impairments relative to groups with ADHD (Hedges’ g = −.26). Smaller and less consistent deficits were found on measures of inhibition and vigilance relative to controls (Hedges’ g = −0.52, −0.31); FASD and ADHD were not differentiated on these measures. Moderator analyses indicated executive dysfunction was associated with older age, dysmorphy, and larger group differences in IQ. Sex and diagnostic system were not consistently related to effect size. Conclusions While FASD is associated with global executive impairments, executive function weaknesses are most consistent for measures of planning, fluency, and set-shifting. Neuropsychological measures assessing these executive function domains may improve differential diagnosis and treatment of FASD. PMID:26251262

Comparison between whole-body vibration, light-emitting diode, and cycling warm-up on high-intensity physical performance during sprint bicycle exercise.

PubMed

Teles, Maria C; Fonseca, Ivana A T; Martins, Jeanne B; de Carvalho, Marielle M; Xavier, Murilo; Costa, Sidney J; de Avelar, Núbia C P; Ribeiro, Vanessa G C; Salvador, Fabiano S; Augusto, Leonardo; Mendonça, Vanessa A; Lacerda, Ana C R

2015-06-01

The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of light-emitting diode (LED) irradiation and whole-body vibration (WBV) delivered either in isolation or combination (LED + WBV), warm-up (WU), and a control (C) treatment on performance during a sprint bicycle exercise. Ten cyclists performed a 30-second sprint cycle test under these conditions. The LED light was applied at 4 points bilaterally. Whole-body vibration consisted of 5 minutes of squats associated with WBV. LED + WBV consisted of WBV followed by LED therapy. Warm-up consisted of 17 minutes of moderate-intensity bicycle exercise. Control consisted of 10 minutes at rest. Blood lactate (BL) and ammonia (BA) levels and skin temperature (ST) were determined. Peak power (842 ± 117 vs. 800 ± 106 vs. 809 ± 128 W [p = 0.02 and p = 0.01]), relative power (12.1 ± 1.0 vs. 11.5 ± 0.9 vs. 11.6 ± 1.0 W·kg [p = 0.02 and p = 0.02]), and relative work (277 ± 23 vs. 263 ± 24 vs. 260 ± 23 J·kg [p = 0.02 and p = 0.003]) were higher in the WU group compared with the control and LED groups. In the LED + WBV group, peak (833 ± 115 vs. 800 ± 106 W [p = 0.02]) and relative (11.9 ± 0.9 vs. 11.5 ± 0.9 W·kg [p = 0.02]) power were higher than those in the control group, and relative work (272 ± 22 vs. 260 ± 23 J·kg [p = 0.02]) were improved compared with the LED group. There were no differences for BL, BA, and ST. The findings of this study confirmed the effectiveness of a warm-up as a preparatory activity and demonstrated that LED + WBV and WBV were as effective as WU in improving cyclist performance during a sprint bicycle exercise.

The importance of communication in the management of postoperative pain.

PubMed

Sugai, Daniel Y; Deptula, Peter L; Parsa, Alan A; Don Parsa, Fereydoun

2013-06-01

This study investigates the importance of communication in surgery and how delivering preoperative patient education can lead to better health outcomes postoperatively, via promoting tolerable pain scores and minimizing the use of narcotics after surgery. Patients who underwent outpatient surgery were randomly divided into groups to compare the pain scores of those who received preoperative patient education, the experimental group, and those who did not receive any form of patient education, the control group. Two weeks before surgery, the experimental group subjects received oral and written forms of patient education consisting of how the body responds to pain, and how endorphins cause natural analgesia. Moreover, patients were educated on the negative effects narcotics have on endorphin production and activity, as well as mechanisms of non-opioid analgesics. Of the 69 patients in the experimental group, 90% declined a prescription for hydrocodone after receiving preoperative education two weeks prior to surgery. The control group consisted of 66 patients who did not receive preoperative patient education and 100% filled their hydrocodone prescriptions. Patients in both groups were offered and received gabapentin and celecoxib preoperatively for prophylaxis of postoperative pain unless they declined. The control groups were found to have average pain scores significantly greater (P <.05) than the experimental groups and also a significantly longer (P <.005) duration of pain. This study illustrates the power of patient education via oral, written and visual communication, which can serve as an effective means to minimize narcotic analgesia after surgery.

Change in household income and risk for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder during childhood: A nationwide population-based cohort study.

PubMed

Choi, Young; Shin, Jaeyong; Cho, Kyoung Hee; Park, Eun-Cheol

2017-02-01

Childhood attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is reported to be more prevalent among socioeconomically disadvantaged groups in various countries. The effect of poverty on child development appears to depend on how long poverty lasts. The timing of poverty also seems to be important for childhood outcomes. Lifetime socioeconomic status may shape current health. Thus, we investigated the effects of household income changes from birth to 4 years on the occurrence of ADHD. Data were obtained from 18,029 participants in the Korean National Health Insurance cohort who were born in 2002 and 2003. All individuals were followed until December 2013 or the occurrence of ADHD, whichever came first. Household income trajectories were estimated using the national health insurance premium and the group-based model. Cox proportional hazard models were used to compare incidence rates between different income trajectory groups after adjustment for possible confounding risk factors. Of 18,029 participants, 554 subjects (3.1%) were identified as having ADHD by age 10 or 11. Seven household income trajectories within three categories were found. Children living in decreasing, consistently low, and consistently mid-low income households had an increased risk of ADHD compared to children who consistently lived in the mid-high household income group. Children who live in decreasing-income or consistently low-income households have a higher risk for ADHD. Promotion of targeted policies and priority support may help reduce ADHD in this vulnerable group. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Circadian blood pressure rhythm in normotensive offspring of hypertensive parents.

PubMed

Toker, Rabia Tutuncu; Yildirim, Ali; Demir, Tevfik; Ucar, Birsen; Kilic, Zubeyir

2015-01-01

The aim of this study was to explore the circadian blood pressure (BP) rhythm using ambulatory BP monitoring (ABPM) in normotensive children with a family history of essential hypertension. Group 1 consisted of children with hypertensive mothers and/or fathers (n = 20), Group 2 consisted of children with hypertensive grandparents (n = 20), and Group 3 consisted of children with normotensive parents (n = 20). All participating children underwent a 24-h ABPM and echocardiography. Significantly higher systolic burden was found in children with hypertensive parents (p < 0.05) and grandparents (p < 0.05) compared to controls. Ambulatory BP measurements had a higher daytime systolic BP in Group 1 compared to controls (p < 0.05). While left ventricular (LV) posterior wall thickness was similar in Group 1 and Group 2, it was significantly higher in both of these groups compared to the controls. The LV mass index (LVMI) was significantly higher in Group 1 than in controls (p < 0.05). However, diastolic BP was significantly higher in dippers compared to non-dippers (p < 0.05). LV posterior wall thickness, interventricular septum thickness and LVMI were significantly higher among non-dippers compared to dippers (p < 0.05). In children with a family history of hypertension, a positive correlation between nocturnal systolic BP and LVMI was found, and increasing nocturnal BP values were associated with increasing LVMI (p < 0.01). In children with a family history of hypertension, target-organ damage may precede the clinical detection of hypertension, and in those with a nocturnal non-dipper status, a more marked effect on LVMI may occur.

Compositions for labeling .beta.-amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles

DOEpatents

Barrio, Jorge R [Agoura Hills, CA; Petric, Andrej [Ljubljana, SI; Satyamurthy, Nagichettiar [Los Angeles, CA; Small, Gary W [Los Angeles, CA; Cole, Gregory M [Santa Monica, CA; Huang, Sung-Cheng [Sherman Oaks, CA

2008-03-11

Compositions useful for labeling .beta.-amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles are provided. The compositions comprises compounds of formula (I): ##STR00001## wherein R.sub.1 is selected from the group consisting of --C(O)-alkyl, --C(O)-alkylenyl-R.sub.4, --C(O)O-alkyl, --C(O)O-alkylenyl-R.sub.4, --C.dbd.C(CN).sub.2-alkyl, --C.dbd.C(CN).sub.2-alkylenyl-R.sub.4, ##STR00002## wherein R.sub.4 is a radical selected from the group consisting of alkyl, substituted alkyl, aryl and substituted aryl; R.sub.5 is a radical selected from the group consisting of --NH.sub.2, --OH, --SH, --NH-alkyl, --NHR.sub.4, --NH-alkylenyl-R.sub.4, --O-alkyl, --O-alkylenyl-R.sub.4, --S-alkyl, and --S-alkylenyl-R.sub.4; R.sub.6 is a radical selected from the group consisting of --CN, --COOH, --C(O)O-alkyl, --C(O)O-alkylenyl-R.sub.4, --C(O)-alkyl, --C(O)-alkylenyl-R.sub.4, --C(O)-halogen, --C(O)NH-alkyl, --C(O)NH-alkylenyl-R.sub.4 and --C(O)NH.sub.2; R.sub.7 is a radical selected from the group consisting of O, NH, and S; and R.sub.8 is N, O or S; and R.sub.2 is selected from the group consisting of alkyl and alkylenyl-R.sub.10 and R.sub.3 is alkylenyl-R.sub.10, wherein R.sub.10 is selected from the group consisting of --OH, --OTs, halogen, spiperone, spiperone ketal, and spiperone-3-yl, or R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 together form a heterocyclic ring, optionally substituted with at least one radical selected from the group consisting of alkyl, alkoxy, OH, OTs, halogen, alkyl-R.sub.10, carbonyl, spiperone, spiperone ketal and spiperone-3-yl, and further wherein one or more of the hydrogen, halogen or carbon atoms are optionally replaced with a radiolabel.

Methods for labeling .beta.-amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles

DOEpatents

Barrio, Jorge R.; Petric, Andrej; Satyamurthy, Nagichettiar; Small, Gary W.; Cole, Gregory M.; Huang, Sung-Cheng

2003-12-09

A method for labeling .beta.-amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles in vivo and in vitro, comprises contacting a compound of formula (I): ##STR1## with mammalian tissue. In formula (I), R.sub.1 is selected from the group consisting of --C(O)-alkyl, --C(O)-alkylenyl-R.sub.4, --C(O)O-alkyl, --C(O)O-alkylenyl-R.sub.4, --C.dbd.C(CN).sub.2 -alkyl, --C.dbd.C(CN).sub.2 -alkylenyl-R.sub.4, ##STR2## R.sub.4 is a radical selected from the group consisting of alkyl, substituted alkyl, aryl and substituted aryl; R.sub.5 is a radical selected from the group consisting of --NH.sub.2, --OH, --SH, --NH-alkyl, --NHR.sub.4, --NH-alkylenyl-R.sub.4, --O-alkyl, --O-alkylenyl-R.sub.4, --S-alkyl, and --S-alkylenyl-R.sub.4 ; R.sub.6 is a radical selected from the group consisting of --CN, --COOH, --C(O)O-alkyl, --C(O)O-alkylenyl-R.sub.4, --C(O)-alkyl, --C(O)-alkylenyl-R.sub.4, --C(O)-halogen, --C(O)NH, --C(O)NH-alkyl, --C(O)NH-alkylenyl-R.sub.4 ; R.sub.7 is a radical selected from the group consisting of O, NH, and S; and R.sub.8 is N, O or S. R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 are each independently selected from the group consisting of alkyl and alkylenyl-R.sub.10, wherein R.sub.10 is selected from the group consisting of --OH, --OTs, halogen, spiperone, spiperone ketal and spiperone-3-yl. Alternatively, R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 together form a heterocyclic ring, optionally substituted with at least one radical selected from the group consisting of alkyl, alkoxy, OH, OTs, halogen, alkylenyl-R.sub.10, carbonyl, spiperone, spiperone ketal and spiperone-3-yl. In the compounds of formula (I), one or more of the hydrogen, halogen or carbon atoms can, optionally, be replaced with a radiolabel.

Methods for labeling .beta.-amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles

DOEpatents

Barrio, Jorge R.; Petric, Andrej; Satyamurthy, Nagichettiar; Small, Gary W.; Cole, Gregory M.; Huang, Sung-Cheng

2001-01-01

A method for labeling .beta.-amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles in vivo and in vitro, comprises contacting a compound of formula (I): ##STR1## with mammalian tissue. In formula (I), R.sub.1 is selected from the group consisting of --C(O)-alkyl, --C(O)-alkylenyl-R.sub.4, --C(O)O-alkyl, --C(O)O-alkylenyl-R.sub.4, --C.dbd.C(CN).sub.2 -alkyl, --C.dbd.C(CN).sub.2 -alkylenyl-R.sub.4 , ##STR2## R.sub.4 is a radical selected from the group consisting of alkyl, substituted alkyl, aryl and substituted aryl; R.sub.5, is a radical selected from the group consisting of --NH.sub.2, --OH, --SH, --NH-alkyl, --NHR.sub.4, --NH-alkylenyl-R.sub.4, --O-alkyl, --O-alkylenyl-R.sub.4, --S-alkyl, and --S-alkylenyl-R.sub.4 ; R.sub.6 is a radical selected from the group consisting of --CN, --COOH, --C(O)O-alkyl, --C(O)O-alkylenyl-R.sub.4, --C(O)-alkyl, --C(O)-alkylenyl-R.sub.4, --C(O)-halogen, --C(O)NH , --C(O)NH-alkyl, --C(O)NH-alkylenyl-R.sub.4 ; R.sub.7 is a radical selected from the group consisting of O, NH, and S; and R.sub.8 is N, O or S. R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 are each independently selected from the group consisting of alkyl and alkylenyl-R.sub.10, wherein R.sub.10 is selected from the group consisting of --OH, --OTs, halogen, spiperone, spiperone ketal and spiperone-3-yl. Alternatively, R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 together form a heterocyclic ring, optionally substituted with at least one radical selected from the group consisting of alkyl, alkoxy, OH, OTs, halogen, alkylenyl-R.sub.10, carbonyl, spiperone, spiperone ketal and spiperone-3-yl. In the compounds of formula (I), one or more of the hydrogen, halogen or carbon atoms can, optionally, be replaced with a radiolabel.

Social supports and mental health: a cross-sectional study on the correlation of self-consistency and congruence in China.

PubMed

Gu, YanMei; Hu, Jie; Hu, YaPing; Wang, JianRong

2016-06-28

Psychosocial job characteristics require nursing staff with high self-consistency and good mental health. However, the attention and effort of such study remained very limited in China. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed to the bedside nurses in an affiliated hospital of Hebei Medical University, China. Of 218 registered bedside nurses eligible to participate in the survey anonymously, the data producing sample of 172 subjects resulted in a 79 % of effective response rate.. The Social Support Rating Scale was used to measure social support, and the Self-Consistency and Congruence Scale were used to measure mental health. Compared with the normal referenced group of college students, higher self-flexibility scores, lower self-conflict and self-stethoscope scores from the sample group were obtained with statistical significance in self-conflict scores. The close correlations were observed between participants' social support and Self-Consistency and Congruence Scale score. The difference of Social Support Rating Scale score was significant in demographic features including years of work, marital status, only child family, and levels of cooperation with other health worker. Bedside nurses in this study show a better inner harmony, and their Self-Consistency and Congruence closely correlates with the levels of social support. Thus, it is substantial to improve inner perception of support and external factors, such as the workplace support, and offer beneficial social environment to improve the bedside nurse's sub-health symptoms and decrease the high turnover rate.

76 FR 4072 - Registration of Claims of Copyright

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-01-24

... registration of automated databases that predominantly consist of photographs, and applications for group... to submit electronic applications to register copyrights of such photographic databases or of groups... automated databases, an electronic application for group registration of an automated database that consists...

Effects of neuromuscular joint facilitation on baseball pitching velocity and electromechanical reaction times of the teres major of young amateur baseball players.

PubMed

Wu, Peng; Huo, Ming; Maruyama, Hitoshi

2013-11-01

[Purpose] The aim of this study was to investigate the changes of baseball pitching velocity and electromechanical reaction times (EMG-RT) of the teres major of young amateur baseball players after neuromuscular joint facilitation (NJF) treatment. [Subjects] The subjects were 18 healthy males who were divided into two groups: a NJF group and a control group. The NJF group consisted of 10 subjects, and the control group consisted of 8 subjects. [Methods] Participants in the NJF group received NJF treatment. The baseball pitching velocity, the EMG-RT, the premotor time (PMT), and the motor time (MT) during shoulder internal rotation movement were measured before and after 8 weeks of exercise. [Results] There were no significant differences among the results of the control group. In the NJF group, there were significant differences in baseball pitching velocity, EMG-RT and MT after NJF treatment. [Conclusion] NJF intervention shortens not only EMG-RT but also MT, which implies that NJF is effective for motor processes. Since the baseball pitching velocity increased, NJF may be recommended for the improvement of the performance of baseball players.

Structural Brain Changes after Traditional and Robot-Assisted Multi-Domain Cognitive Training in Community-Dwelling Healthy Elderly

PubMed Central

Kim, Geon Ha; Jeon, Seun; Im, Kiho; Kwon, Hunki; Lee, Byung Hwa; Kim, Ga Young; Jeong, Hana; Han, Noh Eul; Seo, Sang Won; Cho, Hanna; Noh, Young; Park, Sang Eon; Kim, Hojeong; Hwang, Jung Won; Yoon, Cindy W.; Kim, Hee Jin; Ye, Byoung Seok; Chin, Ju Hee; Kim, Jung-Hyun; Suh, Mee Kyung; Lee, Jong Min; Kim, Sung Tae; Choi, Mun-Taek; Kim, Mun Sang; Heilman, Kenneth M; Jeong, Jee Hyang; Na, Duk L.

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate if multi-domain cognitive training, especially robot-assisted training, alters cortical thickness in the brains of elderly participants. A controlled trial was conducted with 85 volunteers without cognitive impairment who were 60 years old or older. Participants were first randomized into two groups. One group consisted of 48 participants who would receive cognitive training and 37 who would not receive training. The cognitive training group was randomly divided into two groups, 24 who received traditional cognitive training and 24 who received robot-assisted cognitive training. The training for both groups consisted of daily 90-min-session, five days a week for a total of 12 weeks. The primary outcome was the changes in cortical thickness. When compared to the control group, both groups who underwent cognitive training demonstrated attenuation of age related cortical thinning in the frontotemporal association cortices. When the robot and the traditional interventions were directly compared, the robot group showed less cortical thinning in the anterior cingulate cortices. Our results suggest that cognitive training can mitigate age-associated structural brain changes in the elderly. Trial Registration ClnicalTrials.gov NCT01596205 PMID:25898367

The influence of chronic and subacute exposure to lead on the levels of prolactin, leptin, osteopontin, and follistatin in humans.

PubMed

Dobrakowski, M; Kasperczyk, A; Czuba, Z P; Machoń-Grecka, A; Szlacheta, Z; Kasperczyk, S

2017-06-01

This study was designed to determine the levels of prolactin, leptin, osteopontin, and follistatin in workers chronically and subacutely exposed to lead compounds. The examined population consisted of three groups. The first group was composed of 56 male workers who were chronically exposed to lead for 13.38 ± 10.38 years. The second group served as a control group and consisted of 24 male administrative workers, while the third group included 32 male workers exposed to lead for 40 ± 3 days. The levels of leptin, osteopontin, and prolactin were significantly lower in the group of workers chronically exposed to lead than in the control group by 42%, 26%, and 41%, respectively. The levels of follistatin did not differ between those groups. The levels of all measured hormones did not change after a short-term exposure to lead compared to baseline. Chronic lead exposure is associated with significantly decreased level of prolactin, leptin, and osteopontin. Lead-induced changes in the levels of these hormones may disturb many functions of the human body, including the immune response, metabolism, reproduction, and bone turnover.

Blood groups and acute aortic dissection type III.

PubMed

Fatic, Nikola; Nikolic, Aleksandar; Vukmirovic, Mihailo; Radojevic, Nemanja; Zornic, Nenad; Banzic, Igor; Ilic, Nikola; Kostic, Dusan; Pajovic, Bogdan

2017-04-01

Acute aortic type III dissection is one of the most catastrophic events, with in-hospital mortality ranging between 10% and 12%. The majority of patients are treated medically, but complicated dissections, which represent 15% to 20% of cases, require surgical or thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR). For the best outcomes adequate blood transfusion support is required. Interest in the relationship between blood type and vascular disease has been established. The aim of our study is to evaluate distribution of blood groups among patients with acute aortic type III dissection and to identify any kind of relationship between blood type and patient's survival. From January 2005 to December 2014, 115 patients with acute aortic type III dissection were enrolled at the Clinic of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery in Belgrade, Serbia and retrospectively analyzed. Patients were separated into two groups. The examination group consisted of patients with a lethal outcome, and the control group consisted of patients who survived. The analysis of the blood groups and RhD typing between groups did not reveal a statistically significant difference ( p = 0.220). Our results indicated no difference between different blood groups and RhD typing with respect to in-hospital mortality of patients with acute aortic dissection type III.

Changes in higher order aberrations after wavefront-guided PRK for correction of low to moderate myopia and myopic astigmatism: two-year follow-up.

PubMed

Wigledowska-Promienska, D; Zawojska, I

2007-01-01

To assess efficacy, safety, and changes in higher order aberrations after wavefront-guided photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) in comparison with conventional PRK for low to moderate myopia with myopic astigmatism using a WASCA Workstation with the MEL 70 G-Scan excimer laser. A total of 126 myopic or myopic-astigmatic eyes of 112 patients were included in this retrospective study. Patients were divided into two groups: Group 1, the study group; and Group 2, the control group. Group 1 consisted of 78 eyes treated with wavefront-guided PRK. Group 2 consisted of 48 eyes treated with spherocylindrical conventional PRK. Two years postoperatively, in Group 1, 5% of eyes achieved an uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA) of 0.05; 69% achieved a UCVA of 0.00; 18% of eyes experienced enhanced visual acuity of -0.18 and 8% of -0.30. In Group 2, 8% of eyes achieved a UCVA of 0.1; 25% achieved a UCVA of 0.05; and 67% achieved a UCVA of 0.00 according to logMAR calculation method. Total higher-order root-mean square increased by a factor 1.18 for Group 1 and 1.6 for Group 2. There was a significant increase of coma by a factor 1.74 in Group 2 and spherical aberration by a factor 2.09 in Group 1 and 3.56 in Group 2. The data support the safety and effectiveness of the wavefront-guided PRK using a WASCA Workstation for correction of low to moderate refractive errors. This method reduced the number of higher order aberrations induced by excimer laser surgery and improved uncorrected and spectacle-corrected visual acuity when compared to conventional PRK.

Psychometric characteristics in normal and social phobic samples for a Spanish version of the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale.

PubMed

Baños, R M; Guillén, V

2000-08-01

The present paper had three purposes: (a) presenting normative data for the Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale in a Spanish sample, (b) studying whether there are significant sex or age differences in self-esteem, and (c) studying whether there are significant differences between a Control group with no psychological diagnosis and a group of social phobics. Of the total sample of 266 persons, 214 belonged to the Control group and 52 to the Social Phobic group. Item-total score correlations and alpha reliabilities supported the internal consistency of the scale. There were statistically significant differences between the Control and Social Phobic groups, but not by sex or age.

Effect of group size and maize silage dietary levels on behaviour, health, carcass and meat quality of Mediterranean buffaloes.

PubMed

Masucci, F; De Rosa, G; Barone, C M A; Napolitano, F; Grasso, F; Uzun, P; Di Francia, A

2016-03-01

The effects of different dietary levels of maize silage (10% v. 36% DM) and group size (7 v. 14 animals) were assessed on growth performance and in vivo digestibility of 28 male fattening buffaloes. In addition, the effects of diet on meat quality and group size on behaviour and immune response were separately evaluated. Animals were weighed and assigned to three groups. The high silage - low size group (HL) was fed a total mixed ration (TMR) containing 36% DM of maize silage and consisted of seven animals (age 12.7±2.6 months; BW 382.2±67.7 kg at the start of the study). The low silage - low size group (LL) was fed a TMR containing 10% DM of maize silage and consisted of seven animals (age 13.0±2.7 months; BW 389.4±72.3 kg). The high silage - high size group (HH) was fed the 36% maize silage DM diet and consisted of 14 animals (age 13.9±3.25 months; BW 416.5±73.9 kg). Total space allowance (3.2 indoor+3.2 outdoor m2/animal) was kept constant in the three groups, as well as the ratio of animals to drinkers (seven animals per water bowl) and the manger space (70 cm per animal). Growth performance, carcass characteristics and digestibility were influenced neither by dietary treatment nor by group size, even if the group fed 36% maize silage diet showed a higher fibre digestibility. No effect of diet was found on meat quality. Group size did not affect the behavioural activities with the exception of drinking (1.04±0.35% v. 2.60±0.35%; P<0.01 for groups HL and HH, respectively) and vigilance (2.58±0.46% v. 1.20±0.46%; P<0.05 for groups HL and HH, respectively). Immune responses were not affected by group size.

Chemical composition of individual aerosol particles in workplace air during production of manganese alloys.

PubMed

Gunst, S; Weinbruch, S; Wentzel, M; Ortner, H M; Skogstad, A; Hetland, S; Thomassen, Y

2000-02-01

Aerosol particle samples were collected at ELKEM ASA ferromanganese (FeMn) and silicomanganese (SiMn) smelters at Porsgrunn, Norway, during different production steps: raw material mixing, welding of protective steel casings, tapping of FeMn and slag, crane operation moving the ladles with molten metal, operation of the Metal Oxygen Refinement (MOR) reactor and casting of SiMn. Aerosol fractions were assessed for the analysis of the bulk elemental composition as well as for individual particle analysis. The bulk elemental composition was determined by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry. For individual particle analysis, an electron microprobe was used in combination with wavelength-dispersive techniques. Most particles show a complex composition and cannot be attributed to a single phase. Therefore, the particles were divided into six groups according to their chemical composition: Group I, particles containing mainly metallic Fe and/or Mn; Group II, slag particles containing mainly Fe and/or Mn oxides; Group III, slag particles consisting predominantly of oxidized flux components such as Si, Al, Mg, Ca, Na and K; Group IV, particles consisting mainly of carbon; Group V, mixtures of particles from Groups II, III and IV; Group VI, mixtures of particles from Groups II and III. In raw material mixing, particles originating from the Mn ores were mostly found. In the welding of steel casings, most particles were assigned to Group II, Mn and Fe oxides. During the tapping of slag and metal, mostly slag particles from Group III were found (oxides of the flux components). During movement of the ladles, most particles came from Group II. At the MOR reactor, most of the particles belonged to the slag phase consisting of the flux components (Group III). The particles collected during the casting of SiMn were mainly attributed to the slag phase (Groups III and V). Due to the compositional complexity of the particles, toxicological investigations on the kinetics of pure compounds may not be easily associated with the results of this study.

7 CFR 621.10 - Description.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... AGRICULTURE WATER RESOURCES RIVER BASIN INVESTIGATIONS AND SURVEYS USDA Cooperative Studies § 621.10 Description. Cooperative river basin studies provide USDA planning assistance to Federal, State, and local... the requesting agencies and citizen groups that are consistent with USDA authorities and...

7 CFR 621.10 - Description.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... AGRICULTURE WATER RESOURCES RIVER BASIN INVESTIGATIONS AND SURVEYS USDA Cooperative Studies § 621.10 Description. Cooperative river basin studies provide USDA planning assistance to Federal, State, and local... the requesting agencies and citizen groups that are consistent with USDA authorities and...

Postoperative rebound of antiblood type antibodies and antibody-mediated rejection after ABO-incompatible living-related kidney transplantation.

PubMed

Ishida, Hideki; Kondo, Tsunenori; Shimizu, Tomokazu; Nozaki, Taiji; Tanabe, Kazunari

2015-03-01

The purpose of this study is to examine whether postoperative antiblood type antibody rebound is attributed to kidney allograft rejection in ABO blood type-incompatible (ABO-I) living-related kidney transplantation (KTx). A total of 191 ABO-I recipients who received ABO-I living-related KTx between 2001 and 2013 were divided into two groups: Group 1 consisted of low rebound [(≦1:32), N = 170] and Group 2 consisted of high rebound [(≧1:64), N = 21], according to the levels of the rebounded antiblood type antibodies within 1 year after transplantation. No prophylactic treatment for rejection was administered for elevated antiblood type antibodies, regardless of the levels of the rebounded antibodies. Within 1 year after transplantation, T-cell-mediated rejection was observed in 13 of 170 recipients (13/170, 8%) in Group 1 and in 2 of 21 recipients (2/21, 10%) in Group 2 (Groups 1 vs. 2, P = 0.432). Antibody-mediated rejection was observed in 15 of 170 recipients (15/170, 9%) and 2 of 21 recipients (2/21, 10%) in Groups 1 and 2, respectively (P = 0.898). In this study, we found no correlation between the postoperative antiblood type antibody rebound and the incidence of acute rejection. We concluded that no treatment is necessary for rebounded antiblood type antibodies. © 2014 Steunstichting ESOT.

Soft Tissue Changes in Cleft Lip and Palate Patients: Anterior Maxillary Distraction versus Conventional Le-Fort I Osteotomy.

PubMed

Markose, Eldho; Paulose, Joby; Paul, Eldho T

2013-12-01

The purpose of the study was to compare the soft tissue changes after maxillary advancement in patients with maxillary deficiency associated with cleft lip and palate (CLP) by two approaches-anterior maxillary distraction (AMD) and advancement LeFort I osteotomy (ALO). Twenty patients with maxillary hypoplasia associated with cleft lip and palate who had undergone either LeFort I osteotomy or distraction osteogenesis with maxillary advancement were included in this study. Lateral cephalogram taken at various intervals of time were used to evaluate soft tissue and hard tissue changes over time. In both groups, vertical as well as horizontal changes in pronasale was well observed. A substantial increase in nasal parameters was noted in case of AMD group in comparison to ALO. Though maxillary advancement was evident in both the groups, a significant and consistent change was observed in AMD. Significant vertical and horizontal changes were seen with respect to subnasale and labrale superius in AMD group. Soft tissue as well as hard tissue relapse was greater in ALO group than AMD group. Significant soft tissue and hard tissue changes were clearly observed in both the groups, but the treatment results were more consistent in cases treated with AMD. Hence AMD could be considered as a better treatment of choice in cases of maxillary hypoplasia associated with cleft lip and palate.

Developing Statistical Physics Course Handout on Distribution Function Materials Based on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Riandry, M. A.; Ismet, I.; Akhsan, H.

2017-09-01

This study aims to produce a valid and practical statistical physics course handout on distribution function materials based on STEM. Rowntree development model is used to produce this handout. The model consists of three stages: planning, development and evaluation stages. In this study, the evaluation stage used Tessmer formative evaluation. It consists of 5 stages: self-evaluation, expert review, one-to-one evaluation, small group evaluation and field test stages. However, the handout is limited to be tested on validity and practicality aspects, so the field test stage is not implemented. The data collection technique used walkthroughs and questionnaires. Subjects of this study are students of 6th and 8th semester of academic year 2016/2017 Physics Education Study Program of Sriwijaya University. The average result of expert review is 87.31% (very valid category). One-to-one evaluation obtained the average result is 89.42%. The result of small group evaluation is 85.92%. From one-to-one and small group evaluation stages, averagestudent response to this handout is 87,67% (very practical category). Based on the results of the study, it can be concluded that the handout is valid and practical.

Identifying key radiogenomic associations between DCE-MRI and micro-RNA expressions for breast cancer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Samala, Ravi K.; Chan, Heang-Ping; Hadjiiski, Lubomir; Helvie, Mark A.; Kim, Renaid

2017-03-01

Understanding the key radiogenomic associations for breast cancer between DCE-MRI and micro-RNA expressions is the foundation for the discovery of radiomic features as biomarkers for assessing tumor progression and prognosis. We conducted a study to analyze the radiogenomic associations for breast cancer using the TCGA-TCIA data set. The core idea that tumor etiology is a function of the behavior of miRNAs is used to build the regression models. The associations based on regression are analyzed for three study outcomes: diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment. The diagnosis group consists of miRNAs associated with clinicopathologic features of breast cancer and significant aberration of expression in breast cancer patients. The prognosis group consists of miRNAs which are closely associated with tumor suppression and regulation of cell proliferation and differentiation. The treatment group consists of miRNAs that contribute significantly to the regulation of metastasis thereby having the potential to be part of therapeutic mechanisms. As a first step, important miRNA expressions were identified and their ability to classify the clinical phenotypes based on the study outcomes was evaluated using the area under the ROC curve (AUC) as a figure-of-merit. The key mapping between the selected miRNAs and radiomic features were determined using least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression analysis within a two-loop leave-one-out cross-validation strategy. These key associations indicated a number of radiomic features from DCE-MRI to be potential biomarkers for the three study outcomes.

Is there an association between the level of grandiose narcissism severity of psychopathology?

PubMed

Olssøn, Ingrid; Svindseth, Marit F; Dahl, Alv A

2016-01-01

Narcissism is a personality trait associated with both psychological health and resilience as well as with aggression and interpersonal problems. This study compares levels of total narcissism and subscale scores in inpatients, outpatients and a community sample. Inpatients (N = 186) were recruited from consecutively admitted patients to two closed units, and the outpatient group (N = 144) consisted of patients attending a psychiatric outpatient clinic. The patients and a normative community sample (N = 437) all filled in the Narcissistic Personality Inventory questionnaire (NPI-29). The NPI total and subscales scores showed considerable gender differences. Among men only the Uniqueness/Entitlement subscale showed significant group differences, with inpatients showing higher mean score than the two other groups. Among women three factors, Leadership/Power, Superiority/Arrogance, and Uniqueness/ Entitlement, showed significant differences between the different levels of psychopathology. The outpatient female group regularly had the lowest group mean scores. The NPI-29 scores of the normative group showed weak internal consistencies. Our hypothesis of a significant association between mean levels of total narcissism and subscale scores and severity of psychopathology was not supported.

Kata techniques training consistently decreases stereotypy in children with autism spectrum disorder.

PubMed

Bahrami, Fatimah; Movahedi, Ahmadreza; Marandi, Sayed Mohammad; Abedi, Ahmad

2012-01-01

The effects of 14 weeks of Kata techniques training on stereotypic behaviors of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) were investigated. The study included 30 eligible (diagnosed ASD, school age) children with ages ranging from 5 to 16 years whom they assigned to an exercise (n=15) or a no-exercise control group (n=15). Participants of the exercise group received Kata techniques instruction four times per week for 14 weeks (56 sessions). Stereotypy was assessed at baseline (pre-intervention), week 14 (post-intervention), and at one month follow up in both groups. Results showed that Kata techniques training significantly reduced stereotypy in the exercise group. Following participation in Kata techniques training, stereotypy decreased from baseline levels by a M of 42.54% across participants. Interestingly, after 30 days of no practice, stereotypy in the exercise group remained significantly decreased compared to pre-intervention time. The participants of the control group did not show significant changes in the stereotypy. Teaching martial arts techniques to children with ASD for a long period of time consistently decreased their stereotypic behaviors. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Psychiatric Symptom Improvement in Women Following Group Substance Abuse Treatment: Results from the Women’s Recovery Group Study

PubMed Central

McHugh, R. Kathryn; Greenfield, Shelly F.

2010-01-01

The Women’s Recovery Group study was a Stage I randomized clinical trial comparing a new manual-based group treatment for women with substance use disorders with Group Drug Counseling. Data from this study were examined to determine whether co-occurring symptoms of depression and anxiety would improve with treatment and whether these improvements would demonstrate durability over the follow-up period. The sample consisted of 36 women (29 WRG, 7 GDC) who were administered self-report and clinician-rated measures of anxiety, depression, and general psychiatric symptoms. Although there were no group differences in psychiatric symptom improvement, analyses demonstrated significant within-subject improvement in depression, anxiety, and general psychiatric symptoms. Symptom reduction was not mediated by changes in substance use. This study demonstrated significant psychiatric symptom reduction that remained durable through 6 month follow-up for women receiving group therapy focused on substance abuse relapse prevention. Reduction in psychiatric symptoms may be an additional benefit of substance abuse group therapy for women. PMID:20625473

Methods for synthesizing semiconductor quality chalcopyrite crystals for nonlinear optical and radiation detection applications and the like

DOEpatents

Stowe, Ashley; Burger, Arnold

2016-05-10

A method for synthesizing I-III-VI.sub.2 compounds, including: melting a Group III element; adding a Group I element to the melted Group III element at a rate that allows the Group I and Group III elements to react thereby providing a single phase I-III compound; and adding a Group VI element to the single phase I-III compound under heat, with mixing, and/or via vapor transport. The Group III element is melted at a temperature of between about 200 degrees C. and about 700 degrees C. Preferably, the Group I element consists of a neutron absorber and the group III element consists of In or Ga. The Group VI element and the single phase I-III compound are heated to a temperature of between about 700 degrees C. and about 1000 degrees C. Preferably, the Group VI element consists of S, Se, or Te. Optionally, the method also includes doping with a Group IV element activator.

Simulation of multiple personalities: a review of research comparing diagnosed and simulated dissociative identity disorder.

PubMed

Boysen, Guy A; VanBergen, Alexandra

2014-02-01

Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) has long been surrounded by controversy due to disagreement about its etiology and the validity of its associated phenomena. Researchers have conducted studies comparing people diagnosed with DID and people simulating DID in order to better understand the disorder. The current research presents a systematic review of this DID simulation research. The literature consists of 20 studies and contains several replicated findings. Replicated differences between the groups include symptom presentation, identity presentation, and cognitive processing deficits. Replicated similarities between the groups include interidentity transfer of information as shown by measures of recall, recognition, and priming. Despite some consistent findings, this research literature is hindered by methodological flaws that reduce experimental validity. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Tiers of intervention in kindergarten through third grade.

PubMed

O'Connor, Rollanda E; Harty, Kristin R; Fulmer, Deborah

2005-01-01

This study measured the effects of increasing levels of intervention in reading for a cohort of children in Grades K through 3 to determine whether the severity of reading disability (RD) could be significantly reduced in the catchment schools. Tier 1 consisted of professional development for teachers of reading. The focus of this study is on additional instruction that was provided as early as kindergarten for children whose achievement fell below average. Tier 2 intervention consisted of small-group reading instruction 3 times per week, and Tier 3 of daily instruction delivered individually or in groups of two. A comparison of the reading achievement of third-grade children who were at risk in kindergarten showed moderate to large differences favoring children in the tiered interventions in decoding, word identification, fluency, and reading comprehension.

Social Studies Student Teachers' Levels of Understanding Sociology Concepts within Social Studies Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karatekin, Kadir

2013-01-01

This study aims at investigating social studies student teachers' levels of understanding sociology concepts within social studies curriculum. Study group of the research consists of 266 teacher candidates attending the Department of Social Studies, Faculty of Education, Kastamonu University during 2012 to 2013 education year. A semi-structured…

Comparing two methods of education (virtual versus traditional) on learning of Iranian dental students: a post-test only design study.

PubMed

Moazami, Fariborz; Bahrampour, Ehsan; Azar, Mohammad Reza; Jahedi, Farzad; Moattari, Marzieh

2014-03-05

The importance of using technologies such as e-learning in different disciplines is discussed in the literature. Researchers have measured the effectiveness of e-learning in a number of fields.Considering the lack of research on the effectiveness of online learning in dental education particularly in Iran, the advantages of these learning methods and the positive university atmosphere regarding the use of online learning. This study, therefore, aims to compare the effects of two methods of teaching (virtual versus traditional) on student learning. This post-test only design study approached 40, fifth year dental students of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences. From this group, 35 students agreed to participate. These students were randomly allocated into two groups, experimental (virtual learning) and comparison (traditional learning). To ensure similarity between groups, we compared GPAs of all participants by the Mann-Whitney U test (P > 0.05). The experimental group received a virtual learning environment courseware package specifically designed for this study, whereas the control group received the same module structured in a traditional lecture form. The virtual learning environment consisted of online and offline materials. Two identical valid, reliable post-tests that consisted of 40 multiple choice questions (MCQs) and 4 essay questions were administered immediately (15 min) after the last session and two months later to assess for knowledge retention. Data were analyzed by SPSS version 20. A comparison of the mean knowledge score of both groups showed that virtual learning was more effective than traditional learning (effect size = 0.69). The newly designed virtual learning package is feasible and will result in more effective learning in comparison with lecture-based training. However further studies are needed to generalize the findings of this study.

The effectiveness of massage based on the tensegrity principle compared with classical abdominal massage performed on patients with constipation.

PubMed

Kassolik, Krzysztof; Andrzejewski, Waldemar; Wilk, Iwona; Brzozowski, Marcin; Voyce, Kamila; Jaworska-Krawiecka, Ewa; Nowak, Barbara; Kurpas, Donata

2015-01-01

The purpose of the study was to compare the effectiveness of massage based on the tensegrity principle and classical abdominal massage performed on patients with constipation. The study group consisted of 29 subjects with a pre-existing diagnosis of constipation based on the Rome III criteria. The patients were divided into two groups: the first group was made up of 15 patients who underwent tensegrity massage (average age: 59.8 years), and the second was made up of 14 patients who were given classical abdominal massage (average age: 55.7 years). The study consisted of six massage sessions in both groups, with two sessions per week performed over 21 days. The assessment was based on a patient questionnaire, the Rome III questionnaire and a diary of bowel movements. The results were analyzed before therapy, after one week of therapy and after the third (final) week of therapy. Changes in the number of defecations were compared between the two groups; the biggest changes occurred in the first and third week of therapy (P<0.01, calculated by the Mann-Whitey test). As a result of the therapy, tension during defecation dropped from 60% to 20% in Group I, and from 42.8% to 35.7% in Group II. The influence of the applied therapy was evaluated positively by 80% of the tensegrity massage group and 29% of the classical abdominal massage group. Massage based on the tensegrity principle may have a greater positive influence on the quality and quantity of bowel movements than classical abdominal massage. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Development and validation of a new instrument to measure health-related quality of life in patients with psoriatic arthritis: the VITACORA-19.

PubMed

Torre-Alonso, Juan Carlos; Gratacós, Jordi; Rey-Rey, José Santos; Valdazo de Diego, Juan Pablo; Urriticoechea-Arana, Ana; Daudén, Esteban; Moreno, Mireia; Zarco-Montejo, Pedro; Collantes-Estévez, Eduardo; Fernández-López, Juan Antonio

2014-10-01

To develop/validate an instrument to measure health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA), for use in clinical studies. An item pool of 35 items was generated following standardized procedures. Item reduction was performed using clinimetric and psychometric approaches after administration to 66 patients with PsA. The resulting instrument, the VITACORA-19, consists of 19 items. Its validity content, internal consistency, test-retest reliability, known groups/convergent validity, and sensitivity to change were tested in a longitudinal and multicenter study conducted in 10 hospitals in Spain, with 323 patients who also completed the EuroQol 5-dimensional questionnaire (EQ-5D) and a health status transition item. There were 3 study groups: group A (n = 209, patients with PsA), group B (n = 71, patients with arthritis without psoriatic aspect, patients with arthrosis, and patients with dermatitis), and group C (n = 43, healthy controls). The questionnaire was considered easy/very easy to answer by 94.7% of the patients with PsA. The factorial analysis clearly identified only 1 factor. Cronbach's alpha coefficient and interclass correlation coefficients exceeded 0.90. Statistically significant differences (p < 0.001) were observed between groups: subjects from group C had better HRQoL, followed by group B, and finally group A had the worst HRQoL. The VITACORA-19 scores showed significant correlations (p < 0.001) to PsA disease activity, EQ-5D, and perceived health state, scoring the patients with better health state higher. The minimum important difference was established as an 8-point change in the global score. The Spanish-developed VITACORA-19, designed to measure HRQoL in patients with PsA, has good validity, reliability, and sensitivity to change.

The relation between obesity and depressed mood in a multi-ethnic population. The HELIUS study.

PubMed

Gibson-Smith, Deborah; Bot, Mariska; Snijder, Marieke; Nicolaou, Mary; Derks, Eske M; Stronks, Karien; Brouwer, Ingeborg A; Visser, Marjolein; Penninx, Brenda W J H

2018-06-01

To examine the association between obesity and depressed mood in a large multi-ethnic population and check for consistency in this association across six ethnic groups. Data of 21,030 persons (18-70 years) were sourced from the HELIUS study. Cross-sectional relationships between obesity measures [body mass index (kg/m 2 ) and waist circumference (cm)] and depressed mood (PHQ-9 score ≥ 10) were analysed. Consistency of associations was investigated across ethnic groups by interaction terms (ethnicity*obesity measures) in basic (age, sex, education) and fully (health behaviours and somatic health) adjusted models. Obesity was prevalent in all ethnic groups, but varied substantially. After sociodemographic adjustment, obesity measures were associated with increased odds of depressed mood but this was inconsistent across ethnic groups. Obesity (BMI ≥ 30 or highest waist circumference quartile) was strongly and significantly associated with depressed mood in the Dutch [Odds Ratio (OR) = 1.72; 95% Confidence intervals (CI) 1.24-2.40, and OR = 1.86; 95% CI 1.38-2.50], respectively, and African Surinamese (OR = 1.60; 95% CI 1.29-1.98 and OR = 1.59; 95% CI 1.27-2.00, respectively) but had a weaker, non-significant association in other ethnic groups (South-Asian Surinamese, Ghanaian, Moroccan, Turkish groups). Adjustment for health behaviours and somatic health had limited effect on this pattern. Obesity was associated with a higher risk of depressed mood. However, ethnic differences were found: the obesity-depressed mood association was strong in the Dutch and African Surinamese populations, but not in other ethnic groups. Future studies should explore whether differential normative values or pathophysiology across ethnic groups explain why the obesity-depression association is inconsistent across ethnic groups.

Exploring teams of learners becoming "WE" in the Intensive Care Unit--a focused ethnographic study.

PubMed

Conte, Helen; Scheja, Max; Hjelmqvist, Hans; Jirwe, Maria

2015-08-16

Research about collaboration within teams of learners in intensive care is sparse, as is research on how the learners in a group develop into a team. The aim of this study was to explore the collaboration in teams of learners during a rotation in an interprofessional education unit in intensive care from a sociocultural learning perspective. Focused Ethnographic methods were used to collect data following eight teams of learners in 2009 and 2010. Each team consisted of one resident, one specialist nurse student and their supervisors (n = 28). The material consisted of 100 hours of observations, interviews, and four hours of sound recordings. A qualitative analysis explored changing patterns of interplay through a constant comparative approach. The learners' collaboration progressed along a pattern of participation common to all eight groups with a chronological starting point and an end point. The progress consisted of three main steps where the learners' groups developed into teams during a week's training. The supervisors' guided the progress by gradually stepping back to provide latitude for critical reflection and action. Our main conclusion in training teams of learners how to collaborate in the intensive care is the crucial understanding of how to guide them to act like a team, feel like a team and having the authority to act as a team.

A study of star formation by Hα emission of galaxies in the galaxy group NGC 4213

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maungkorn, Sakdawoot; Kriwattanawong, Wichean

2017-09-01

This research aims to study hydrogen alpha emission, corresponding to star formation of galaxies in the NGC 4213 group that has an average recession velocity of 6,821 km/s. The imaging observations with broad-band filters (B, V and RC) and narrow-band filters ([S II] and Red-continuum) were carried out from the 2.4-m reflecting telescope at Thai National Observatory (TNO). There are 11 sample galaxies in this study, consisting of 2 elliptical, 2 lenticular and 7 spiral galaxies. It was found that the late-type galaxies tend to be bluer than early-type galaxies, due to these galaxies consist of relatively high proportion of blue stars. Furthermore, the equivalent width of hydrogen alpha (EW(Hα)) tends to increase as a function of morphological type. This indicates that star formation in late-type galaxies taking place more than the early-type galaxies. Furthermore, a ratio of the star formation rate to galaxy mass also increases slightly with the galaxy type. This could be due to the interaction between galaxy-galaxy or tidal interaction occurring within the galaxy group.

R-THP-COP versus R-CHOP in patients younger than 70 years with untreated diffuse large B cell lymphoma: A randomized, open-label, noninferiority phase 3 trial.

PubMed

Hara, Takeshi; Yoshikawa, Takeshi; Goto, Hideko; Sawada, Michio; Yamada, Toshiki; Fukuno, Kenji; Kasahara, Senji; Shibata, Yuhei; Matsumoto, Takuro; Mabuchi, Ryoko; Nakamura, Nobuhiko; Nakamura, Hiroshi; Ninomiya, Soranobu; Kitagawa, Junichi; Kanemura, Nobuhiro; Nannya, Yasuhito; Katsumura, Naoki; Takahashi, Takeshi; Kito, Yusuke; Takami, Tsuyoshi; Miyazaki, Tatsuhiko; Takeuchi, Tamotsu; Shimizu, Masahito; Tsurumi, Hisashi

2018-06-08

Pirarubicin (tetrahydropyranyl adriamycin [THP]) is an anthracyclin with less cardiotoxicity than doxorubicin (DOX). We previously reported the efficacy and safety of R-THP-COP consisting of rituximab (R), THP, cyclophosphamide (CPA), vincristine (VCR), and prednisolone (PSL) for diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) in phase 2 studies. Here, we prospectively compared the efficacy and safety of the R-THP-COP and standard R-CHOP regimen (consisting of R, CPA, DOX, VCR, and PSL) in a noninferiority phase 3 trial. This prospective, randomized phase 3 study included patients younger than 70 years of age with previously untreated DLBCL. The regimen consisted of R (day 1), DOX, or THP (day 3), CPA (day 3), VCR (day 3), and PSL for 5 days every 3 weeks for 6 to 8 cycles. Between July 5, 2006 and June 11, 2013, 81 patients were randomly assigned to the treatment groups (R-CHOP group, 40 patients; R-THP-COP group, 41 patients). R-THP-COP was noninferior to R-CHOP, as assessed by the primary endpoint of complete response rate (85% vs 85% respectively). With a median follow-up of 75.2 months, the 5-year overall survival was 87% in the R-CHOP group and 82% in the R-THP-COP group (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.89, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.31-2.49; P = .82). The 5-year progression-free survival was 74% in the R-CHOP group and 79% in the R-THP-COP group (HR: 1.37, 95% CI: 0.56-3.55; P = .49). No grade 3 cardiac side effects were observed in either group. No serious late adverse reactions were observed in either group, with the exception of therapy-related acute myeloid leukemia in the R-THP-COP group. These data indicate that R-THP-COP is noninferior to R-CHOP with regard to clinical response, and has an acceptable safety profile. Thus, this regimen may be an alternative therapy to R-CHOP. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

A participatory model for improving occupational health and safety: improving informal sector working conditions in Thailand.

PubMed

Manothum, Aniruth; Rukijkanpanich, Jittra; Thawesaengskulthai, Damrong; Thampitakkul, Boonwa; Chaikittiporn, Chalermchai; Arphorn, Sara

2009-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the implementation of an Occupational Health and Safety Management Model for informal sector workers in Thailand. The studied model was characterized by participatory approaches to preliminary assessment, observation of informal business practices, group discussion and participation, and the use of environmental measurements and samples. This model consisted of four processes: capacity building, risk analysis, problem solving, and monitoring and control. The participants consisted of four local labor groups from different regions, including wood carving, hand-weaving, artificial flower making, and batik processing workers. The results demonstrated that, as a result of applying the model, the working conditions of the informal sector workers had improved to meet necessary standards. This model encouraged the use of local networks, which led to cooperation within the groups to create appropriate technologies to solve their problems. The authors suggest that this model could effectively be applied elsewhere to improve informal sector working conditions on a broader scale.

Advanced Nursing Education: Critical Factors That Influence Diploma and Associate Degree Nurses to Advance.

PubMed

McGhie-Anderson, Rose Lavine

The purpose of this study was to gain an understanding of the social processes associated with the decision of diploma and associate degree nurses to advance academically. Advanced nursing education needs to be pursued along the continuum of the nursing career path. This education process is indispensable to the role of nurses as educator, manager, nurse leader, and researcher who will effect policy changes, assume leadership roles as revolutionary thinkers, and implement paradigmatic shifts. Data were collected from two groups of participants using face-to-face, semistructured interviews. Group 1 consisted of diploma and associate degree nurses; Group 2 consisted of baccalaureate, masters, and doctoral degree nurses who have progressed academically. Emerging from the thick, rich data were core categories of rewarding, motivating, and supporting as critical factors that influence professional advancement. This qualitative study elucidated that professional advancement was the social process that grounds. The emergent theory was the theory of professional advancement.

Assessment and comparison of retention of zirconia copings luted with different cements onto zirconia and titanium abutments: An in vitro study

PubMed Central

Menon, Neelima Sreekumar; Kumar, G. P. Surendra; Jnanadev, K. R.; Satish Babu, C. L.; Shetty, Shilpa

2016-01-01

Aim: The purpose of this in vitro study was to assess and compare the retention of zirconia copings luted with different luting agents onto zirconia and titanium abutments. Materials and Methods: Titanium and zirconia abutments were torqued at 35 N/cm onto implant analogs. The samples were divided into two groups: Group A consisted of four titanium abutments and 32 zirconia copings and Group B consisted of four zirconia abutments and 32 zirconia copings and four luting agents were used. The cemented copings were subjected to tensile dislodgement forces and subjected to ANOVA test. Results: Zirconia abutments recorded a higher mean force compared to titanium. Among the luting agents, resin cement recorded the highest mean force followed by zinc phosphate, glass ionomer, and noneugenol zinc oxide cement, respectively. Conclusion: Highest mean retention was recorded for zirconia implant abutments compared to titanium abutments when luted with zirconia copings. PMID:27141162

Subject descriptions, control groups, and research designs in published studies of language-impaired children.

PubMed

Schmitt, J F; Meline, T J

1990-12-01

We reviewed the 1983-1988 issues of six journals that frequently publish papers including specifically language-impaired (LI) subjects. A total of 92 research reports provided data for our review. The research reports included experimental studies, ex post facto studies, and intervention studies. These studies represent a broad spectrum of the theoretical and empirical foundations of knowledge regarding LI children. The analysis of the published research centered on subject descriptions and the use of control groups. A descriptive analysis of the data showed few consistent trends among the studies with respect to subject selection, subject description, and the number and types of control groups. We discuss the importance of more complete subject descriptions in studies of LI children as well as the importance of the choice of matching criteria for control groups in between-subjects designs.

A clinical comparative study between conventional and camouflaged syringes to evaluate behavior and anxiety in 6-11-year-old children during local anesthesia administration-a novel approach.

PubMed

Melwani, Anjana M; Srinivasan, Ila; Setty, Jyothsna V; D R, Murali Krishna; Pamnani, Sunaina S; Lalitya, Dandamudi

2018-02-01

The sight of dental injection can bring about severe anxiety in children. Therefore, an alternative method that is convenient, effective, and keeps the needle hidden making it child friendly is necessary. The objective of the study was to compare the efficacy of a camouflaged syringe and conventional syringe on behavior and anxiety in 6-11-year-old children during local anesthesia administration. The study was a randomized, crossover clinical study including 30 children. Children were separated into two groups. Group 1 consisted of 15 children aged 6-8 years while group 2 consisted of 15 children aged 9-11 years. This study involved two sessions wherein all the children were injected using conventional and camouflaged syringes in separate sessions. Their behavior was assessed using the Faces, Legs, Activity, Cry, Consolability (FLACC) behavior pain scale and anxiety was assessed by measuring changes in pulse rate. Patient and operator preferences were compared. The results showed a lower mean change in pulse rate and FLACC scores in the camouflaged group, suggesting a positive behavior and lesser anxiety with camouflaged syringes than with conventional syringes. The use of camouflaged syringes for anesthesia was demonstrated to be effective in improving the behavior of children and decreasing their anxiety, and is therefore recommended as an alternative to the use of conventional syringes for local anesthesia.

Integrative care for the management of low back pain: use of a clinical care pathway.

PubMed

Maiers, Michele J; Westrom, Kristine K; Legendre, Claire G; Bronfort, Gert

2010-10-29

For the treatment of chronic back pain, it has been theorized that integrative care plans can lead to better outcomes than those achieved by monodisciplinary care alone, especially when using a collaborative, interdisciplinary, and non-hierarchical team approach. This paper describes the use of a care pathway designed to guide treatment by an integrative group of providers within a randomized controlled trial. A clinical care pathway was used by a multidisciplinary group of providers, which included acupuncturists, chiropractors, cognitive behavioral therapists, exercise therapists, massage therapists and primary care physicians. Treatment recommendations were based on an evidence-informed practice model, and reached by group consensus. Research study participants were empowered to select one of the treatment recommendations proposed by the integrative group. Common principles and benchmarks were established to guide treatment management throughout the study. Thirteen providers representing 5 healthcare professions collaborated to provide integrative care to study participants. On average, 3 to 4 treatment plans, each consisting of 2 to 3 modalities, were recommended to study participants. Exercise, massage, and acupuncture were both most commonly recommended by the team and selected by study participants. Changes to care commonly incorporated cognitive behavioral therapy into treatment plans. This clinical care pathway was a useful tool for the consistent application of evidence-based care for low back pain in the context of an integrative setting. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00567333.

Empirical evaluation of grouping of lower urinary tract symptoms: principal component analysis of Tampere Ageing Male Urological Study data.

PubMed

Pöyhönen, Antti; Häkkinen, Jukka T; Koskimäki, Juha; Hakama, Matti; Tammela, Teuvo L J; Auvinen, Anssi

2013-03-01

WHAT'S KNOWN ON THE SUBJECT? AND WHAT DOES THE STUDY ADD?: The ICS has divided LUTS into three groups: storage, voiding and post-micturition symptoms. The classification is based on anatomical, physiological and urodynamic considerations of a theoretical nature. We used principal component analysis (PCA) to determine the inter-correlations of various LUTS, which is a novel approach to research and can strengthen existing knowledge of the phenomenology of LUTS. After we had completed our analyses, another study was published that used a similar approach and results were very similar to those of the present study. We evaluated the constellation of LUTS using PCA of the data from a population-based study that included >4000 men. In our analysis, three components emerged from the 12 LUTS: voiding, storage and incontinence components. Our results indicated that incontinence may be separate from the other storage symptoms and post-micturition symptoms should perhaps be regarded as voiding symptoms. To determine how lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) relate to each other and assess if the classification proposed by the International Continence Society (ICS) is consistent with empirical findings. The information on urinary symptoms for this population-based study was collected using a self-administered postal questionnaire in 2004. The questionnaire was sent to 7470 men, aged 30-80 years, from Pirkanmaa County (Finland), of whom 4384 (58.7%) returned the questionnaire. The Danish Prostatic Symptom Score-1 questionnaire was used to evaluate urinary symptoms. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to evaluate the inter-correlations among various urinary symptoms. The PCA produced a grouping of 12 LUTS into three categories consisting of voiding, storage and incontinence symptoms. Post-micturition symptoms were related to voiding symptoms, but incontinence symptoms were separate from storage symptoms. In the analyses by age group, similar categorization was found at ages 40, 50, 60 and 80 years, but only two groups of symptoms emerged among men aged 70 years. The prevalence among men aged 30 was too low for meaningful analysis. This population-based study suggests that LUTS can be divided into three subgroups consisting of voiding, storage and incontinence symptoms based on their inter-correlations. Our empirical findings suggest an alternative grouping of LUTS. The potential utility of such an approach requires careful consideration. © 2012 BJU International.

Metaphorical Perceptions of the Concepts "Teaching Profession" and "Raising Students"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bezen, Sevim; Aykutlu, Isil; Secken, Nilgun; Bayrak, Celai

2017-01-01

Purpose of Study: This study aims to reveal, via metaphors, pre-service biology teachers' perceptions of "teaching profession" and "raising students." Research Methods: In accordance with the aim of the study, phenomenology, one of the qualitative paradigm patterns, is used. The study group consists of 80 pre-service biology…

The Impact of Training and Conflict Avoidance on Responses to Sexual Harassment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goldberg, Caren B.

2007-01-01

This study used a pretest/posttest design and included a control group to examine the impact of harassment training on intended responses to harassment. The sample consisted of 282 full-time professionals. At time 2, trainees expressed lower intentions to confront the perpetrator than did control-group participants. The simple and moderating…

Promoting Pre-Service Elementary Students' Understanding of Chemical Equilibrium through Discussions in Small Groups

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bilgin, Ibrahim

2006-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of small group discussion on students' conceptual understanding of chemical equilibrium. Students' understanding of chemical equilibrium concepts was measured using the Misconception Identification Test. The test consisted of 30 items and administered as pre-posttests to a total of 81…

Cluster Analysis of Assessment in Anatomy and Physiology for Health Science Undergraduates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Stephen; White, Sue; Power, Nicola

2016-01-01

Academic content common to health science programs is often taught to a mixed group of students; however, content assessment may be consistent for each discipline. This study used a retrospective cluster analysis on such a group, first to identify high and low achieving students, and second, to determine the distribution of students within…

Ecobehavioral Variables within a Classroom with Limited English Proficient Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chavez, Gene T.; Arreaga-Mayer, Carmen

A study analyzed the effects of classwide peer tutoring on science vocabulary spelling achievement for three language groups in one school's sixth grade. The groups consisted of: (1) Spanish-dominant and limited-English-proficient (LEP) students (n=8); (2) students proficient at grade level in both Spanish and English (n=14); and (3) monolingual…

Registered Nurse Staffing Mix and Quality of Care in Nursing Homes: A Longitudinal Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Hongsoo; Harrington, Charlene; Greene, William H.

2009-01-01

Purpose: To examine the relationship between registered nurse (RN) staffing mix and quality of nursing home care measured by regulatory violations. Design and Methods: A retrospective panel data study (1999-2003) of 2 groups of California freestanding nursing homes. One group was 201 nursing homes that consistently met the state's minimum standard…

On the Domain Specificity of Cognitive Complexity: An Alternative Approach.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cohen, Harvey S.; Feldman, Jack M.

This study attempts to assess differences in the three aspects of cognitive complexity--differentiation, discrimination, and integration--as functions of information about and interest in the relevant domain. The two groups of subjects consisted of 20 members of a local sports car club and an equal number from a local garden club. Each group had…

The Effects of Group Coaching on the Homework Problems Experienced by Secondary Students with and without Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Merriman, Donald; Codding, Robin S.; Tryon, Georgiana Shick; Minami, Takuya

2016-01-01

Research on the effectiveness of homework provides ample evidence that homework has a positive effect on learning, particularly for secondary students. Unfortunately, the rate of consistent homework completion for students, with and without disabilities, is low. This study used a between-groups design to examine the differential effectiveness of…

Efficacy of a Self-Management Program for Childhood Asthma-A Prospective controlled Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gebert, N.; Hummelink, R.; Konning, J.; Staab, D.; Schmidt, S.; Szczepanski, R; Rundex, B.; Wahn, U.

1998-01-01

Evaluates two training programs for asthmatic children, aged 7-14. The first group consisted of patients and their parents who participated in a five-day standardized family-oriented clinical asthma training program followed by monthly training sessions. The second group omitted these follow-up interventions. Results indicate that the first group…

The Effectiveness of a Peer-Helping Programme That Increases Subjective Well-Being

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eryilmaz, Ali

2017-01-01

The present study aims to investigate the effectiveness of a peer-helping programme in increasing the subjective well-being of a group of university students compared with a control group with the same characteristics who did not receive the intervention. The intervention recipients consisted of 13 male and 17 female participants. The peer helpers…

Argumentation Practices in Classroom: Pre-Service Teachers' Conceptual Understanding of Chemical Equilibrium

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kaya, Ebru

2013-01-01

This study examines the impact of argumentation practices on pre-service teachers' understanding of chemical equilibrium. The sample consisted of 100 pre-service teachers in two classes of a public university. One of these classes was assigned as experimental and the other as control group, randomly. In the experimental group, the subject of…

Story Processing Ability in Cognitively Healthy Younger and Older Adults

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wright, Heather Harris; Capilouto, Gilson J.; Srinivasan, Cidambi; Fergadiotis, Gerasimos

2011-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to examine the relationships among measures of comprehension and production for stories depicted in wordless pictures books and measures of memory and attention for 2 age groups. Method: Sixty cognitively healthy adults participated. They consisted of two groups--young adults (20-29 years of age) and older…

The Effects of Audiobooks on the Psychosocial Adjustment of Pre-Adolescents and Adolescents with Dyslexia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Milani, Anna; Lorusso, Maria Luisa; Molteni, Massimo

2010-01-01

The objective of the present research study was to understand what benefits the use of audiobooks (both school-books and books of various genres, recorded on digital media) could bring to preadolescents and adolescents with developmental dyslexia. Two groups, each consisting of 20 adolescents, were compared. The experimental group used the…

The Effects of Accelerated Math Utilization on Grade Equivalency Score at a Selected Elementary School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kariuki, Patrick; Gentry, Christi

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of Accelerated Math utilization on students' grade equivalency scores. Twelve students for both experimental and control groups were randomly selected from 37 students enrolled in math in grades four through six. The experimental group consisted of the students who actively participated in…

Essays on the Economics of Education in Mexico

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Perez Arce Novaro, Francisco

2011-01-01

This thesis consists of three essays in the economics of education with an empirical focus on Mexico. The first two chapters study a college in Mexico whose admission decisions are made through a lottery. Some applicants are randomly assigned into a group that can immediately enroll and the rest into a group that can only do so after waiting…

Segregation in the Classroom: What Does It Take to Be Accepted as a Friend?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pijl, Sip Jan; Frostad, Per; Mjaavatn, Per-Egil

2011-01-01

Research on students' social relationships shows their preference to associate with similar peers. This study focused on the similarity in selection criteria used by students to form groups and similarity of characteristics of existing groups in schools. It compared these criteria to those of isolated students. The sample consisted of 124 students…

Effects of a Group Contingency Strategy on Middle School Physical Education Students' Heart Rates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vidoni, Carla; Azevedo, Liane; Eberline, Andrew

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of a dependent group contingency on eighth-grade students' heart rates. Participants were 18 male and female students. A multielement research design was used to examine the intervention effects. The intervention consisted of: (a) teacher explanation about effort; (b) students' suggestions to…

National Academic Award Winners over Time: Their Family Situation, Education and Interpersonal Relations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sekowski, Andrzej; Siekanska, Malgorzata

2008-01-01

The article presents the results of a study focusing on the family situation, education and interpersonal relations of adults (26-35 years old) who in their adolescence (16-19 years old) displayed exceptional giftedness. One group of those surveyed were national academic award winners (90). The control group consisted of 90 people of no…

The Effect of Reflective Science Journal Writing on Students' Self-Regulated Learning Strategies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Al-Rawahi, Nawar M.; Al-Balushi, Sulaiman M.

2015-01-01

The current study investigates the effectiveness of grade-ten students' reflective science journal writing on their self-regulated learning strategies. We used a pre-post control group quasi-experimental design. The sample consisted of 62 tenth-grade students (15 years old) in Oman, comprising 32 students in the experimental group and 30 students…

Effects of Multidimensional Concept Maps on Fourth Graders' Learning in Web-Based Computer Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huang, Hwa-Shan; Chiou, Chei-Chang; Chiang, Heien-Kun; Lai, Sung-Hsi; Huang, Chiun-Yen; Chou, Yin-Yu

2012-01-01

This study explores the effect of multidimensional concept mapping instruction on students' learning performance in a web-based computer course. The subjects consisted of 103 fourth graders from an elementary school in central Taiwan. They were divided into three groups: multidimensional concept map (MCM) instruction group, Novak concept map (NCM)…

Detecting Emotional Expression in Face-to-Face and Online Breast Cancer Support Groups

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liess, Anna; Simon, Wendy; Yutsis, Maya; Owen, Jason E.; Piemme, Karen Altree; Golant, Mitch; Giese-Davis, Janine

2008-01-01

Accurately detecting emotional expression in women with primary breast cancer participating in support groups may be important for therapists and researchers. In 2 small studies (N = 20 and N = 16), the authors examined whether video coding, human text coding, and automated text analysis provided consistent estimates of the level of emotional…

Immersive virtual reality-based training improves response in a simulated operating room fire scenario.

PubMed

Sankaranarayanan, Ganesh; Wooley, Lizzy; Hogg, Deborah; Dorozhkin, Denis; Olasky, Jaisa; Chauhan, Sanket; Fleshman, James W; De, Suvranu; Scott, Daniel; Jones, Daniel B

2018-01-25

SAGES FUSE curriculum provides didactic knowledge on OR fire prevention. The objective of this study is to evaluate the impact of an immersive virtual reality (VR)-based OR fire training simulation system in combination with FUSE didactics. The study compared a control with a simulation group. After a pre-test questionnaire that assessed the baseline knowledge, both groups were given didactic material that consists of a 10-min presentation and reading materials about precautions and stopping an OR fire from the FUSE manual. The simulation group practiced on the OR fire simulation for one session that consisted of five trials within a week from the pre-test. One week later, both groups were reassessed using a questionnaire. A week after the post-test both groups also participated in a simulated OR fire scenario while their performance was videotaped for assessment. A total of 20 subjects (ten per group) participated in this IRB approved study. Median test scores for the control group increased from 5.5 to 9.00 (p = 0.011) and for the simulation group it increased from 5.0 to 8.5 (p = 0.005). Both groups started at the same baseline (pre-test, p = 0.529) and reached similar level in cognitive knowledge (post-test, p = 0.853). However, when tested in the mock OR fire scenario, 70% of the simulation group subjects were able to perform the correct sequence of steps in extinguishing the simulated fire whereas only 20% subjects in the control group were able to do so (p = 0.003). The simulation group was better than control group in correctly identifying the oxidizer (p = 0.03) and ignition source (p = 0.014). Interactive VR-based hands-on training was found to be a relatively inexpensive and effective mode for teaching OR fire prevention and management scenarios.

Spelling and Meaning of Compounds in the Early School Years through Classroom Games: An Intervention Study.

PubMed

Tsesmeli, Styliani N

2017-01-01

The study aimed to evaluate the intervention effects on spelling and meaning of compounds by Greek students via group board games in classroom settings. The sample consisted of 60 pupils, who were attending the first and second grade of two primary schools in Greece. Each grade-class was divided into an intervention ( N = 29 children) and a control group ( N = 31 children). Before intervention, groups were evaluated by standardized tests of reading words/pseudowords, spelling words, and vocabulary. Students were also assessed on compound knowledge by a word analogy task, a meaning task and a spelling task. The experimental design of the intervention included a pre-test, a training program, and a post-test. The pre- and post-assessments consisted of the spelling and the meaning tasks entailing equally morphologically transparent and opaque compounds. The training program was based on word families ( N = 10 word families, 56 trained items, 5 sessions) and aimed to offer instruction of morphological decomposition and meaning of words. The findings showed that training was effective in enhancing the spelling and most notably the meaning of compounds. A closer inspection of intervention data in terms of morphological transparency, revealed that training group of first graders improved significantly both on transparent and opaque compounds, while the degree of gains was larger on opaque items for the second graders. These findings are consistent with the experimental literature and particularly optimistic for the literacy enhancement of typically developing children in regular classrooms.

Spelling and Meaning of Compounds in the Early School Years through Classroom Games: An Intervention Study

PubMed Central

Tsesmeli, Styliani N.

2017-01-01

The study aimed to evaluate the intervention effects on spelling and meaning of compounds by Greek students via group board games in classroom settings. The sample consisted of 60 pupils, who were attending the first and second grade of two primary schools in Greece. Each grade-class was divided into an intervention (N = 29 children) and a control group (N = 31 children). Before intervention, groups were evaluated by standardized tests of reading words/pseudowords, spelling words, and vocabulary. Students were also assessed on compound knowledge by a word analogy task, a meaning task and a spelling task. The experimental design of the intervention included a pre-test, a training program, and a post-test. The pre- and post-assessments consisted of the spelling and the meaning tasks entailing equally morphologically transparent and opaque compounds. The training program was based on word families (N = 10 word families, 56 trained items, 5 sessions) and aimed to offer instruction of morphological decomposition and meaning of words. The findings showed that training was effective in enhancing the spelling and most notably the meaning of compounds. A closer inspection of intervention data in terms of morphological transparency, revealed that training group of first graders improved significantly both on transparent and opaque compounds, while the degree of gains was larger on opaque items for the second graders. These findings are consistent with the experimental literature and particularly optimistic for the literacy enhancement of typically developing children in regular classrooms. PMID:29238316

The Analysis of Certain Differences in Motor Skills of Sedentary Male Children in the 9-14 Age Group Based on the Biological Maturity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bayraktar, Isik; Yaman, Nigar; Zorba, Erdal; Yaman, Metin; Günay, Mehmet

2016-01-01

The aim of this study consists of the analysis of certain differences in motor skills of male children who are sedentary and in the age group of 9-14, in relation to the biological maturity. 522 sedentary male children from various parts of Turkey participated in this study. Body height and body weight measurements were taken from the participants…

Novel sonographic clues for diagnosis of antral gastritis and Helicobacter pylori infection: a clinical study.

PubMed

Cakmakci, Emin; Ucan, Berna; Colak, Bayram; Cinar, Hasibe Gokçe

2014-09-01

The purpose of this study was to find out whether transabdominal sonography may have a predictive role for detection of antral gastritis and Helicobacter pylori infection in the antrum. A total of 108 patients and 54 control participants were allocated into 3 groups: group 1, controls without any symptoms or findings of antral gastritis and H pylori infection; group 2, patients with symptoms and endoscopic findings consistent with gastritis in the absence of documented H pylori infection; and group 3, patients with symptoms and endoscopic findings consistent with gastritis and documented H pylori infection. These groups were compared in terms of demographics, antral wall thickness, mucosal layer (together with muscularis mucosa) thickness, and mucosal layer-to-antral wall thickness ratio. The groups had no statistically significant differences with respect to age, sex, body mass index, and smoking habits. However, it turned out that both antral walls and muscularis mucosa layers were thicker and the mucosal layer-to-antral wall thickness ratio was higher in groups 2 and 3 compared to group 1 (P > .001). In addition, group 3 had statistically significantly thicker antral walls and muscularis mucosa layers and a significantly increased mucosal layer-to-antral wall thickness ratio than group 2 (P < .001). Our results suggest that antral gastritis caused by H pylori infection is associated with characteristic features such as thickening of antral walls and mucosal layers on sonography. These novel clues may be useful in the diagnosis of gastritis, and unnecessary interventions and measures can be avoided in some cases. © 2014 by the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine.

On Consistency Test Method of Expert Opinion in Ecological Security Assessment

PubMed Central

Wang, Lihong

2017-01-01

To reflect the initiative design and initiative of human security management and safety warning, ecological safety assessment is of great value. In the comprehensive evaluation of regional ecological security with the participation of experts, the expert’s individual judgment level, ability and the consistency of the expert’s overall opinion will have a very important influence on the evaluation result. This paper studies the consistency measure and consensus measure based on the multiplicative and additive consistency property of fuzzy preference relation (FPR). We firstly propose the optimization methods to obtain the optimal multiplicative consistent and additively consistent FPRs of individual and group judgments, respectively. Then, we put forward a consistency measure by computing the distance between the original individual judgment and the optimal individual estimation, along with a consensus measure by computing the distance between the original collective judgment and the optimal collective estimation. In the end, we make a case study on ecological security for five cities. Result shows that the optimal FPRs are helpful in measuring the consistency degree of individual judgment and the consensus degree of collective judgment. PMID:28869570

On Consistency Test Method of Expert Opinion in Ecological Security Assessment.

PubMed

Gong, Zaiwu; Wang, Lihong

2017-09-04

To reflect the initiative design and initiative of human security management and safety warning, ecological safety assessment is of great value. In the comprehensive evaluation of regional ecological security with the participation of experts, the expert's individual judgment level, ability and the consistency of the expert's overall opinion will have a very important influence on the evaluation result. This paper studies the consistency measure and consensus measure based on the multiplicative and additive consistency property of fuzzy preference relation (FPR). We firstly propose the optimization methods to obtain the optimal multiplicative consistent and additively consistent FPRs of individual and group judgments, respectively. Then, we put forward a consistency measure by computing the distance between the original individual judgment and the optimal individual estimation, along with a consensus measure by computing the distance between the original collective judgment and the optimal collective estimation. In the end, we make a case study on ecological security for five cities. Result shows that the optimal FPRs are helpful in measuring the consistency degree of individual judgment and the consensus degree of collective judgment.

Relationships Among Chondrite Groups as Inferred from Presolar-Grain Abundances

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Huss, G. R.; Meshik, A. P.; Hohenberg, C. M.; Smith, J. B.

2002-01-01

Presolar-grain abundances show that C chondrites consist of two quite distinct groups, those containing primitive material, and those consisting of processed material. Ordinary chondrites are intermediate in many properties between these groups. Additional information is contained in the original extended abstract.

Applications of Text Messaging, and Bibliotherapy for Treatment of Patients Affected by Depressive Symptoms.

PubMed

Taleban, Roya; Zamani, Ahmadreza; Moafi, Mohammad; Jiryaee, Nasrin; Khadivi, Reza

2016-01-01

Intensity of depressive symptoms could be exacerbated due to the paucity of appropriate treatments. We assessed the effectiveness of bibliotherapy and text messaging, which aimed at amelioration of patient's behavior and consciousness, which could lead to suicide prevention. This was a randomized clinical trial implemented in rural health centers of Isfahan district (Iran). Health centers were assigned in three trials consisting of the booklet, text messaging, and control groups. Each group consisted of 70 patients. Inclusion criteria were being affected by depressive symptom, <18 years, and cell phone accessibility. Mental retardation, drug and alcohol abuse, visual disability, dementia, suicide attempt history, electrotherapy, and receiving psychological interventions were our not met criteria. Our patient outcomes comprised intensity of depressive symptom and treatment compliance. The first two trials were requested to study instructive booklets in 30 days while the second cohort was demanded to study the booklet in accordance with the daily delivered text messaging. Out of 210 individuals, 198 patients finished this study. The intensity of depressive symptom was significantly affected through time and group factors as well as time-group interaction (F = 12.30, P < 0.001). Based on treatment compliance, the interactive effect of group factor and the time factor was statistically significant. It seems that bibliotherapy could efficiently decrease the intensity of depressive symptoms. Nevertheless, in comparison with our booklet trial, the text messaging group achieved neither durable nor significant success; thus, bibliotherapy could be utilized as a complementary methodology aiming depression treatment.

Comparative Study of Early Secondary Nasal Revisions and Costs in Patients With Clefts Treated With and Without Nasoalveolar Molding.

PubMed

Patel, Parit A; Rubin, Marcie S; Clouston, Sean; Lalezaradeh, Frank; Brecht, Lawrence E; Cutting, Court B; Shetye, Pradip R; Warren, Stephen M; Grayson, Barry H

2015-06-01

The present study aims to determine the risk of early secondary nasal revisions in patients with complete unilateral and bilateral cleft lip and palate (U/BCLP) treated with and without nasoalveolar molding (NAM) and examine the associated costs of care. A retrospective cohort study from 1990 to 1999 was performed comparing the risk of early secondary nasal revision surgery in patients with a CLP treated with NAM and surgery (cleft lip repair and primary surgical nasal reconstruction) versus surgery alone in a private practice and tertiary level clinic. The NAM treatment group consisted of 172 patients with UCLP and 71 patients with BCLP, whereas the non-NAM-prepared group consisted of 28 patients with UCLP and 5 with BCLP. The risk of secondary nasal revision for patients with UCLP was 3% in the NAM group and 21% in the non-NAM group. The risk of secondary nasal revision for patients with BCLP was 7% in the NAM group compared with 40% in the non-NAM group. Using multicenter averages, the non-NAM revision rates were calculated at 37.8% and 48.5% for U/BCLP, respectively. Applying these risks of revision, NAM treatment led to an estimated savings of between $491 and $4893 depending on the type of cleft. In conclusion, NAM can reduce the number of early secondary nasal revision surgeries and, therefore, reduce the overall cost of care.

Variation of alluvial-channel width with discharge and character of sediment

USGS Publications Warehouse

Osterkamp, W.R.

1979-01-01

Use of channel measurements to estimate discharge characteristics of alluvial streams has shown that little agreement exists for the exponent of the width-discharge relation. For the equation Q = aWAb, where Q is mean discharge and WA is active-channel width, it is proposed that the exponent, b, should be of fixed value for most natural, perennial, alluvial stream channels and that the coefficient, a, varies with the characteristics of the bed and bank material.Three groups of perennial stream channels with differing characteristics were selected for study using consistent procedures of data collection. A common feature of the groups was general channel stability, that is, absence of excessive widening by erosive discharges. Group 1 consisted of 32 channels of gradient exceeding 0.0080, low suspended-sediment discharge, high channel roughness, and low discharge variability. Group 2 consisted of 13 streams in Kansas having at least 70 percent silt and clay in the bed material and having similar discharge variability, climate, gradient, and riparian vegetation. Group 3, in southern Missouri, consisted of discharge channels of 18 springs having similar conditions of very low discharge variability, climate and vegetation, but variable bed and bank material. Values for the exponent for the three groups of data are 1.98, 1.97, and 1.97, respectively, whereas values of the coefficients are 0.017, 0.042, and 0.011 when discharge is expressed in cubic meters per second and width is in meters. The relation for high-gradient channels (group 1) is supported by published data from laboratory flumes.The similarity of the three values of the exponent demonstrates that a standard exponent of 2.0, significant to two figures, is reasonable for the width-mean discharge relation of perennial, alluvial stream channels, and that the exponent is independent of other variables. Using a fixed exponent of 2.0, a family of simple power-function equations was developed expressing the manner in which channel sediment affects the width-discharge relation.

Unblocking brainstorms.

PubMed

Gallupe, R B; Bastianutti, L M; Cooper, W H

1991-02-01

Brainstorming groups have consistently produced fewer ideas than have the equivalent number of individuals working by themselves. These results have been attributed to social loafing, evaluation apprehension, and production blocking in groups. In this study, a new brainstorming technique--electronic brainstorming--that may reduce both production blocking and evaluation apprehension was assessed. Electronic and nonelectronic groups and nominal and interacting groups were compared in a 2 x 2 factorial design. Electronic groups were more productive than nonelectronic groups, but the productivity of nominal and interacting groups did not differ. In contrast, interacting groups felt better about the idea-generation process than did nominal groups. Ways in which electronic brainstorming can reopen a long dormant area of research and application are discussed.

Differential Risk of Incident Alzheimer's Disease Dementia in Stable Versus Unstable Patterns of Subjective Cognitive Decline.

PubMed

Wolfsgruber, Steffen; Kleineidam, Luca; Wagner, Michael; Mösch, Edelgard; Bickel, Horst; Lϋhmann, Dagmar; Ernst, Annette; Wiese, Birgitt; Steinmann, Susanne; König, Hans-Helmut; Brettschneider, Christian; Luck, Tobias; Stein, Janine; Weyerer, Siegfried; Werle, Jochen; Pentzek, Michael; Fuchs, Angela; Maier, Wolfgang; Scherer, Martin; Riedel-Heller, Steffi G; Jessen, Frank

2016-10-04

It is unknown whether longitudinal stability versus instability in subjective cognitive decline (SCD) is a modifying factor of the association between SCD and risk of incident Alzheimer's disease (AD) dementia. We tested the modifying role of temporal stability of the SCD report on AD dementia risk in cognitively normal elderly individuals. We analyzed data of 1,990 cognitively normal participants from the longitudinal AgeCoDe Study. We assessed SCD with/without associated worries both at baseline and first follow-up 18 months later. Participants were then classified either as (a) Controls (CO, with no SCD at both baseline and follow-up 1, n = 613), (b) inconsistent SCD (with SCD reported only at baseline or at follow-up 1, n = 637), (c) consistent SCD but without/or with inconsistent worries (n = 610) or (d) consistent SCD with worries (n = 130). We estimated incident AD dementia risk over up to 6 years for each group with Cox-Proportional Hazard Regression analyses adjusted for age, gender, education, ApoE4 status, and depression. Compared to CO, inconsistent SCD was not associated with increased risk of incident AD dementia. In contrast, risk was doubled in the group of consistent SCD without/ with inconsistent worries, and almost 4-fold in the group of consistent SCD with worries. These results could be replicated when using follow-up 1 to follow-up 2 response patterns for group definition. These findings suggest that longitudinal stability versus instability is an important modifying factor of the association between SCD and AD dementia risk. Worrisome SCD that is also consistently reported over time is associated with greatly increased risk of AD dementia.

Efficacy of Intracameral Moxifloxacin Endophthalmitis Prophylaxis at Aravind Eye Hospital.

PubMed

Haripriya, Aravind; Chang, David F; Namburar, Sathvik; Smita, Anand; Ravindran, Ravilla D

2016-02-01

To compare the rate of postoperative endophthalmitis before and after initiation of intracameral (IC) moxifloxacin for endophthalmitis prophylaxis in patients undergoing cataract surgery. Retrospective, clinical registry. All charity and private patients (116 714 eyes) who underwent cataract surgery between February 15, 2014, and April 15, 2015, at the Madurai Aravind Eye Hospital were included. Group 1 consisted of 37 777 eyes of charity patients who did not receive IC moxifloxacin, group 2 consisted of 38 160 eyes of charity patients who received IC moxifloxacin prophylaxis, and group 3 consisted of 40 777 eyes of private patients who did not receive IC moxifloxacin. The electronic health record data for each of the 3 groups were analyzed, and the postoperative endophthalmitis rates were statistically compared. The cost of endophthalmitis treatment (groups 1 and 2) and the cost of IC moxifloxacin prophylaxis (group 2) were calculated. Postoperative endophthalmitis rate before and after initiation of IC moxifloxacin endophthalmitis treatment cost. Manual, sutureless, small incision cataract surgery (M-SICS) accounted for approximately all of the 75 937 cataract surgeries in the charity population (97%), but only a minority of the 40 777 private surgeries (21% M-SICS; 79% phacoemulsification). Thirty eyes in group 1 (0.08%) and 6 eyes in group 2 (0.02%) were diagnosed with postoperative endophthalmitis (P < 0.0001). The group 3 endophthalmitis rate was 0.07% (29 eyes), which was also higher than the second group's rate (P < 0.0001). There were no adverse events attributed to IC moxifloxacin in group 2. The total cost of treating the 30 patients with endophthalmitis in group 1 was virtually identical to the total combined cost in group 2 of routine IC moxifloxacin prophylaxis and treatment of the 6 endophthalmitis cases. Routine IC moxifloxacin prophylaxis achieved a highly significant, 4-fold reduction in postoperative endophthalmitis in patients undergoing M-SICS. Compared with previous studies, having such a high volume of patients undergoing surgery during a relatively short 14-month time period strengthens the conclusion. This study provides further evidence that moxifloxacin is an effective IC prophylactic antibiotic and suggests that IC antibiotics should be considered for M-SICS and phacoemulsification. Copyright © 2016 American Academy of Ophthalmology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Comparison of temporary anchorage devices and transpalatal arch-mediated anchorage reinforcement during canine retraction

PubMed Central

Kecik, Defne

2016-01-01

Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare the dental and skeletal effects of canine retraction using conventional anchorage reinforcement systems and comparing them with the usage of TADs. Materials and Methods: The sample consisted of 50 patients having Class I malocclusions with bimaxillary protrusion indicated for first premolar extraction, and allocated into two groups. The first group consisted of 25 patients with a mean age of 18,7 years (min:14, max:22 years, 16 girls and 9 boys) that TADs were applied as an anchorage mechanic between attached gingiva of upper second premolar and first molar teeth. The second group consisted of 25 patients with a mean age of 19,4 years (min:15, max:23 years, 14 girls and 11 boys) that conventional molar anchorage with Transpalatal arch (TPA) was applied for the anchorage mechanics against canine retraction. Results: The results showed that mean mesial movement and the tipping of the first molars in TAD group between T0 - T1 were insignificant (P > 0,05), however in the TPA group were significant (P<0,01). Vertical movement of the molars were not significant when two groups were compared (P>0,05). Conclusion: Although TPA is a useful appliance, it doesn't provide an effective anchorage control on anteroposterior movement maxillary first molar teeth concerning first premolar extraction treatment. TADs are more convenient to provide absolute anchorage during maxillary canine retraction in contrast to transpalatal arch. PMID:28042267

Comparison of temporary anchorage devices and transpalatal arch-mediated anchorage reinforcement during canine retraction.

PubMed

Kecik, Defne

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to compare the dental and skeletal effects of canine retraction using conventional anchorage reinforcement systems and comparing them with the usage of TADs. The sample consisted of 50 patients having Class I malocclusions with bimaxillary protrusion indicated for first premolar extraction, and allocated into two groups. The first group consisted of 25 patients with a mean age of 18,7 years (min:14, max:22 years, 16 girls and 9 boys) that TADs were applied as an anchorage mechanic between attached gingiva of upper second premolar and first molar teeth. The second group consisted of 25 patients with a mean age of 19,4 years (min:15, max:23 years, 14 girls and 11 boys) that conventional molar anchorage with Transpalatal arch (TPA) was applied for the anchorage mechanics against canine retraction. The results showed that mean mesial movement and the tipping of the first molars in TAD group between T0 - T1 were insignificant ( P > 0,05), however in the TPA group were significant ( P <0,01). Vertical movement of the molars were not significant when two groups were compared ( P >0,05). Although TPA is a useful appliance, it doesn't provide an effective anchorage control on anteroposterior movement maxillary first molar teeth concerning first premolar extraction treatment. TADs are more convenient to provide absolute anchorage during maxillary canine retraction in contrast to transpalatal arch.

Choledochorraphy (primary repair) versus t-tube drainage after open choledochotomy.

PubMed

Saeed, Nadia; Nasir, Muhammad Tauqeer; Khan, Muhammad Iqbal; Channa, Ghulam Asghar

2012-01-01

T-tube drainage used to be standard practice after surgical choledochotomy, but there is now a tendency in some canters to close the common bile duct primarily. This study was designed to compare the clinical results of primary closure with T-tube drainage after open choledocotomy and assess the safety of primary closure for future application. This study was conducted at surgical Unit-3, ward 26 Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre Karachi, from January 2007 to January 2008. Forty patients were included in this study out of which 20 underwent primary closure and 20 T-tube placements. It was Quasi-experimental, non-probability, purposive sampling. Main outcome measures were operating time, duration of hospital stay, and postoperative complications. SPSS-10 was used for data analysis. The age of patients in the study ranged from 29-83 years. There were 3 male while 37 female patients. Group-1 consisted of 20 patients underwent primary closure after choledocotomy, while Group-2 also consisted of 20 patients underwent T-tube drainage after duct exploration. Mean hospital stay in Group-1 patients was 7.63 days while in group 2 it was 13.6 days. Overall complication rate in group 1 was 15%, biliary leakage in 1 (5%), jaundice in 1 (5%), wound infection in 1 (5%). No re-exploration was required in Group-1. In Group-2 overall complication rate was 30%, biliary leakage in 2 (2%), jaundice in 1 (5%), dislodgement of T-tube in 1 (5%), wound infection in 1 (5%), and sepsis in 1 (5%) patients. Re-exploration was done in one patient. Primary closure of Common Bile Duct (CBD) is a safe and cost-effective alternative procedure to routine T-tube drainage after open choledocotomy.

Comparison of different approaches applied in Analytic Hierarchy Process - an example of information needs of patients with rare diseases.

PubMed

Pauer, Frédéric; Schmidt, Katharina; Babac, Ana; Damm, Kathrin; Frank, Martin; von der Schulenburg, J-Matthias Graf

2016-09-09

The Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) is increasingly used to measure patient priorities. Studies have shown that there are several different approaches to data acquisition and data aggregation. The aim of this study was to measure the information needs of patients having a rare disease and to analyze the effects of these different AHP approaches. The ranking of information needs is then used to display information categories on a web-based information portal about rare diseases according to the patient's priorities. The information needs of patients suffering from rare diseases were identified by an Internet research study and a preliminary qualitative study. Hence, we designed a three-level hierarchy containing 13 criteria. For data acquisition, the differences in outcomes were investigated using individual versus group judgements separately. Furthermore, we analyzed the different effects when using the median and arithmetic and geometric means for data aggregation. A consistency ratio ≤0.2 was determined to represent an acceptable consistency level. Forty individual and three group judgements were collected from patients suffering from a rare disease and their close relatives. The consistency ratio of 31 individual and three group judgements was acceptable and thus these judgements were included in the study. To a large extent, the local ranks for individual and group judgements were similar. Interestingly, group judgements were in a significantly smaller range than individual judgements. According to our data, the ranks of the criteria differed slightly according to the data aggregation method used. It is important to explain and justify the choice of an appropriate method for data acquisition because response behaviors differ according to the method. We conclude that researchers should select a suitable method based on the thematic perspective or investigated topics in the study. Because the arithmetic mean is very vulnerable to outliers, the geometric mean and the median seem to be acceptable alternatives for data aggregation. Overall, using the AHP to identify patient priorities and enhance the user-friendliness of information websites offers an important contribution to medical informatics.