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Daily Routine (daily + routine)
Selected Abstracts[Commentary] SUPPORTING GPS IN THE PROVISION OF SMOKING CESSATION INTERVENTION,FROM RESEARCH TO DAILY ROUTINEADDICTION, Issue 2 2008CHRISTIAN MEYER No abstract is available for this article. [source] Networking School Teachers to Promote Better Practice in the Teaching of Science across EuropeEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF EDUCATION, Issue 4 2009SUZANNE GATT Teachers are often confined to their classrooms with limited or no time to share with colleagues the difficulties they face, their concerns, and their successful initiatives. This leads to a situation where they end up teaching in ways and approaches they believe to be best with no chance to know how others may be approaching similar difficulties in different and potentially more effective ways. Teachers do not have the opportunity to share and collaborate on projects with other education professionals, as their daily routine confines them to their school premises. This article discusses how the Comenius 3 project ,Hands on Science' has helped to create a network through which regular meetings in the forms of conferences on science for teachers were and are still organised to promote good practice in science teaching. The method used for connecting so many teachers across Europe was through key persons strategically chosen across the different partner countries. The conferences organised by the network differed from academic conferences in that they provided a platform for teachers to share their successes in teaching different aspects of science, particularly through the promotion of the use of experiments and other hands on approaches. [source] Age and probabilistic reasoning: Biases in conjunctive, disjunctive and Bayesian judgements in early and late adulthoodJOURNAL OF BEHAVIORAL DECISION MAKING, Issue 1 2005John E. Fisk Abstract Probabilistic reasoning plays an essential part in many aspects of our daily routine and it has been argued that as we grow older, the need to make judgements under uncertainty becomes increasingly important. Two studies were conducted to establish whether the propensity to commit probabilistic reasoning errors increased with age. Young (aged 16,24), middle aged (25,54), and older persons (55 years and above) were included. Study 1 revealed systematic biases and errors across a range of judgement tasks. However, no evidence of any age effect in Bayesian inference, the incidence of the conjunction fallacy, or in the number of disjunction errors was found. The results obtained in Study 1 were replicated in Study 2, where the potential mediating role of working memory processes and intellectual capacity were explicitly assessed. While some aspects of probabilistic reasoning performance were correlated with measures of intelligence and working memory functioning among young adults, this was much less evident in older persons. The present findings are discussed in relation to the evolution of the dualistic heuristic,analytical system over the adult lifespan. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Epidemiologic aspects and laboratory features of enterovirus infections in Western Germany, 2000,2005JOURNAL OF MEDICAL VIROLOGY, Issue 7 2007Bernhard Roth Abstract From 2000 to 2005, a total of 1,096 enterovirus infections were diagnosed either by isolation of virus from cell culture or by RT-PCR (5,non-coding region (NCR)). Typing of viruses (n,=,674) was carried out by immunofluorescence with monoclonal antibodies, neutralization test or molecular methods. Seasons with high enterovirus activity were characterized by high prevalence of echovirus 30 (62.2% in 2000, 25.5% in 2001) and echovirus 13 (34.5% in 2001). In contrast, in the 2003 season, which had very low enterovirus activity, these types were rare. During this season, cell culture sensitivity (human colonic carcinoma cells and human embryonic lung fibroblasts (HEL)) was exceptionally low. In order to determine the type of "non-cultivable" enteroviruses, purified RNA from selected stool samples was subjected to direct molecular typing. VP1/2A-specific fragments were amplified by RT-PCR, cloned and sequenced. The predominant virus identified was coxsackie A. Consequently, rhabdomyosarcom cells were introduced into the daily routine, which improved the isolation of enteroviruses. Echovirus 30 was again most commonly isolated during seasons 2004 and 2005 with increasing enterovirus activity. In conclusion, high prevalence of echovirus 30 and 13 is indicative of seasons with high enterovirus activity. The type of circulating enteroviruses may influence isolation of enterovirus from cell culture. RT-PCR (VP1/2A) combined with cloning and sequencing of amplicons is a useful tool for viral typing directly from stool samples. In cases of severe enterovirus infection, virological diagnosis should not solely rely on virus isolation from cell culture. J. Med. Virol. 79:956-962, 2007. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] QUALITY OF LIFE OF GREEK PATIENTS WITH END STAGE RENAL DISEASE UNDERGOING HAEMODIALYSISJOURNAL OF RENAL CARE, Issue 3 2010Maria Kastrouni RN SUMMARY An evaluation of the quality of life of patients with end stage kidney disease undergoing haemodialysis in the Greek population was conducted to understand whether this quality could be improved. Comparisons were made with a similar study conducted in United States in regards to the effects of kidney disease in daily life, burden of kidney disease, work status, cognitive function, quality of social interaction, sexual function, social support, physical functioning, role physical on daily routine, pain, general health perceptions, role emotional, emotional well being, social function and energy/fatigue. Any differences are discussed and analysed. Sexual problems were found to be more prominent in this study, but the emotional status has greater influence in quality of life in the US study. The results were more positive in Greece with respect to dialysis staff encouragement, patient satisfaction, as well as acceptance and the understanding of illness. The results from our study reflect the differences of the health care systems in various countries as well as population-related beliefs and values. [source] Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders in Children Residing in Russian Orphanages: A Phenotypic SurveyALCOHOLISM, Issue 3 2006Laurie C. Miller Background: Alcohol use in Russia is among the highest in the world. Over 600,000 children reside in institutional care in Russia, most of them in baby homes and orphanages. The actual prevalence of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) among these children is unknown. Therefore, we performed a systematic survey of phenotypic features associated with prenatal alcohol exposure among institutionalized Russian children and related these findings to their growth, development, medical, and social histories. Methods: Phenotypic screening was conducted of all 234 baby home residents in the Murmansk region of Russia (mean age 21+12.6 months). Phenotypic expression scores were devised based on facial dysmorphology and other readily observable physical findings. Growth measurements from birth, time of placement in the baby home, and at present were analyzed. In addition, the charts of 64% of the children were randomly selected for retrospective review. Information collected included maternal, medical, developmental, and social histories. Results: Thirteen percent of children had facial phenotype scores highly compatible with prenatal alcohol exposure and 45% had intermediate facial phenotype scores. These scores correlated with maternal gravidity and age. At least 40% of mothers in whom history was available ingested alcohol during pregnancy; some also used illicit drugs and tobacco. Z scores for growth measurements corresponded to phenotypic score, as did the degree of developmental delay. Children with no or mild delay had significantly lower phenotypic scores than those with moderate or severe delay (p=0.04); more than 70% of children with high phenotypic scores were moderately or severely delayed. Conclusions: More than half of residents of the baby homes in Murmansk, Russia, have intermediate (45%) or high (13%) phenotypic expression scores suggesting prenatal exposure to alcohol. Despite good physical care, stable daily routine, availability of well-trained specialists, and access to medical care, these vulnerable children show significant growth and developmental delays compared with their institutionalized peers. [source] Systemic therapy of disseminated malignant melanoma: an evidence-based overview of the state-of-the-art in daily routineJOURNAL OF THE EUROPEAN ACADEMY OF DERMATOLOGY & VENEREOLOGY, Issue 10 2007D Nashan Abstract Aims, In the metastatic stage, malignant melanoma is resistant to systemic treatment and carries a poor prognosis. A critical, evidence-based analysis of standard approaches based on an extended search of published literature and from different Internet sources is presented. Material and methods, A critical, evidence-based analysis of standard approaches and their variations to systemic therapy based on an extended search of published literature and from different Internet sources is presented. Few meta-analyses are available. Therefore, assessment of therapies is mainly based on randomized multicentre studies or clinical studies achieving an evidence level grade 1 or 2. Results, Monotherapy with DTIC (dacarbazine) is the standard. Based on overall survival data, polychemotherapies cannot be recommended. Combination of polychemotherapy with the cytokines interferon-, and interleukin-2 substantially augments chemotherapy induced response rates, but a meta-analysis for survival does not support its therapeutic superiority. Biological therapies such as vaccinations have not yet delivered results on a higher evidence level. Thus, immunotherapies as well as chemo-immunotherapies will have to be evaluated in further studies. Conclusions, Although the therapeutic efficacy is very limited, dacarbazine cannot be rejected as standard therapy for disseminated melanoma, because no other therapeutic regimen exhibits a survival benefit over DTIC in an evidence-based analysis. This lack of therapeutic progress over the past 40 years clearly calls for further clinical studies, and patients should be enrolled into clinical trials whenever possible. [source] Continuous Glucose Monitoring in Dogs and CatsJOURNAL OF VETERINARY INTERNAL MEDICINE, Issue 1 2008C.E. Wiedmeyer Use of continuous glucose monitoring in veterinary medicine is gaining popularity. Through use of a commercially available continuous glucose monitor system, insights into daily glucose changes in dogs and cats are achievable. The continuous glucose monitoring system measures glucose concentrations in the interstitial fluid of the subcutaneous space by use of a small, flexible probe. When placed in the subcutaneous tissue, the probe is connected to a recording device that is attached to the animal and records the interstitial fluid glucose concentration every 5 minutes (288 readings per 24 hours). Once attached and properly calibrated, the instrument can remain in place for several days, hospitalization of the patient is not necessary, and the normal daily routine of the animal can be maintained. The data from the recording device are then downloaded and a very detailed picture of the interstitial fluid glucose concentration over that time period can be obtained. Subcutaneous interstitial fluid glucose concentrations have a good correlation to blood glucose concentrations within a defined range. The continuous glucose monitoring system has distinct advantages over traditional blood glucose curves and is a valuable tool for managing diabetic dogs and cats. In addition, other clinical uses for continuous glucose monitoring are being developed. This review is designed to outline the technology behind the continuous glucose monitoring system, describe the clinical use of the instrument, provide clinical examples in which it may be useful, and discuss future directions for continuous glucose monitoring in dogs and cats. [source] Patients' Attitudes Toward Implanted Defibrillator ShocksPACING AND CLINICAL ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY, Issue 6 2000MAHA AHMAD In addition to its beneficial effect on patient survival, the implanted cardioverter defibriliator (ICD) changes a patient's life physically, socially, and psychologically. For improved patient management, it is important to understand the quality-of-life changes that accompany this mode of treatment. To this end, 119 patients were surveyed retrospectively and interviewed concurrently regarding their emotional, physical, and behavioral responses to ICD shocks and to the device itself. Most (55%) correctly estimated the total number of shocks they had received within a 10% margin. They found the shocks severe, 79% assigning a score between 3 and 5 on a scale of 1,5. Common descriptions of the shock sensation were a blow to the body or a spasm causing the entire body to jump. Most patients tolerated the shocks as life saving, but 23% dreaded shocks and 5% even said they would rather be without the ICD and take their chances. After a shock, 50% of patients called their physician and 42% continued their daily routine. Thirty percent went to a hospital emergency room or called a rescue service. Sixty-five percent had no preshock prodromes. Fifty-four percent were interested in the programmable option of a warning signal prior to a shock, while 31 % preferred no warning. Of the 74% who were advised not to drive after implantation, 29% drove anyway. Five patients were shocked while driving with no resulting accidents. We conclude that most patients find ICD shocks moderately uncomfortable, but they tolerate them because of the lifesaving protection provided by the device. [source] Reactive oxygen species stimulate homologous recombination in plantsPLANT CELL & ENVIRONMENT, Issue 9 2003I. KOVALCHUK ABSTRACT Coping with the continuous production of free radicals is a daily routine of the cell. Despite their toxicity, the reactive oxygen species (ROS) are involved in dual physiological action , signal transduction and immune response. We analysed the influence of oxidative stress-generating compounds, rose Bengal (RB), paraquat (PQ) and amino-triazole (ATZ) on the genome stability of Arabidopsis using transgenic recombination-monitoring plants. Homologous recombination frequencies in plants were increased upon the treatment with RB and PQ but not ATZ. Application of the N -acetyl- L -cysteine (NAC), radicals scavenging compound, decreased the DNA damage caused by RB. Interestingly, the incubation of plants with very low concentration of RB (less than 0.2 µM) led to the subsequent increase in plant tolerance to methyl methane sulfonate (MMS): stronger plants with a lower increase of homologous recombination frequency. In contrast, the incubation of plants with 0.5 µM of RB resulted in the potentiation of the MMS effect: the weaker plants with higher frequency of recombination. The data of the present study suggest the existence of a dual concentration-dependent role of ROS in plants. [source] Effects of positive reinforcement training techniques on the psychological welfare of zoo-housed chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes)AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PRIMATOLOGY, Issue 8 2009Ori Pomerantz Abstract Captive environments encompass various factors that can elevate stress levels and jeopardize the wellbeing of the captive animals. The use of positive reinforcement training (PRT) techniques enables researchers and caretakers to reduce tension directly associated with potentially stressful procedures and states. The current study tested the general effect of PRT on the wellbeing of zoo-housed chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) by measuring behaviors that reflect poor and good welfare and that were not directly connected to the specific aim of the training session. The behavior of a group of twelve chimpanzees was measured throughout the day from the exhibition yard, at baseline (12 weeks) and during the PRT period (10 weeks). The results show a significant decrease in abnormal and stress-related behaviors and a significant rise in prosocial affiliative behaviors following implementation of the training program. The training was shown to have a greater positive effect on low-ranking individuals compared with high-ranking ones. This research shows for the first time that PRT offers an enrichment effect whose general influence lasts throughout the day, irrespective of any direct link to a specific trained behavior. Consequently, it can be claimed that PRT presents an effective enrichment tool that can be implemented with captive animals. Because of the above-noted differential effect between high- and low-ranking chimpanzees, however, this should be taken into consideration when combining PRT with the non-human primates' daily routine. Am. J. Primatol. 71:687,695, 2009. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Comparing cortisol, stress, and sensory sensitivity in children with autismAUTISM RESEARCH, Issue 1 2009Blythe A. Corbett Abstract Previously we reported that children with autism show significant variability in cortisol. The current investigation was designed to extend these findings by exploring plausible relationships between cortisol and psychological measures of stress and sensory functioning. Salivary cortisol values for diurnal rhythms and response to stress in children with and without autism were compared to parent-report measures of child stress, the Stress Survey Schedule (SSS), sensory functioning, Short Sensory Profile (SSP), and Parenting Stress Index. In autism, a negative relationship between morning cortisol and the SSS revealed that higher observed symptoms of stress were related to lower cortisol. Lower cortisol is seen in conditions of chronic stress and in social situations characterized by unstable social relationships. Sensory sensitivity painted a more complicated picture, in that some aspects of SSP were associated with higher while others were associated with lower cortisol. We propose that increased sensory sensitivity may enhance the autistic child's susceptibility to the influence of zeitgeibers reflected in variable cortisol secretion. Evening cortisol was positively associated with SSS such that the higher the level of evening cortisol, the higher the child's parent-reported daily stress, especially to changes, such as in daily routine. Regarding the response to stress, the psychological and parent variables did not differentiate the groups; rather, discrete subgroups of cortisol responders and nonresponders were revealed in both the autism and neurotypical children. The results support a complex interplay between physiological and behavioral stress and sensory sensitivity in autism and plausible developmental factors influencing stress reactivity across the groups. [source] Non-adherence to immunosuppressive medication in renal transplant recipients within the scope of the integrative model of behavioral prediction: a cross-sectional studyCLINICAL TRANSPLANTATION, Issue 2 2010Gabriela Schmid-Mohler Schmid-Mohler G, Pechula Thut M, Wüthrich RP, Denhaerynck K, De Geest S. Non-adherence to immunosuppressive medication in renal transplant recipients within the scope of the integrative model of behavioral prediction: a cross-sectional study. Clin Transplant 2009 DOI: 10.1111/j.1399-0012.2009.01056.x © 2009 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Abstract:, Background:, Non-adherence to immunosuppressive medication is strongly associated with poor outcomes. Identifying the factors influencing it is a first step in developing adherence interventions. This study's objective was to investigate the prevalence of self-reported and collaterally-reported non-adherence to immunosuppressives, and, based on the Integrative Model of Behavioral Prediction, to explore the association between non-adherence, intention to adhere, attitudes, norms and self-efficacy. Methods:, This cross-sectional study included a convenience sample of 114 renal transplant recipients in follow-up care, one to five yr post-transplant. Non-adherence was measured by self-reports and collateral reports. Factors of the Integrative Model of Behavioral Prediction were assessed using a self-report questionnaire. Results:, Self-reports showed non-adherence of 23.7%; collateral reports showed 3.8%; and a combination of the two showed 26.4%. Logistic regression analysis showed that the attitude "Not all immunosuppressive drugs are necessary to prevent rejection" was less frequent in patients with higher intentions to adhere, with an odds ratio (OR) of 0.05 (95% CI 0.01,0.50). The barrier of "Forgetfulness/Interruption of daily routine" was associated with non-adherence, with an OR of 3.74 (95% CI 1.55,9.03). Conclusions:, Forgetfulness is the most powerful barrier against adherence. Intention to adhere plays a minor role in non-adherence in renal transplant recipients. [source] Wool peptide derivatives for hand careINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF COSMETIC SCIENCE, Issue 1 2008C. Barba Hands experience much greater wear and tear during normal daily routines compared with most other parts of the body, and thereby demand specific needs from cosmetics targeted at hand care. Keratin proteins are the major structural component of the outer layers of the skin. In this work a novel keratin fraction from wool, which has high cystine content present in the S-sulphonated form, has been developed to target hand care applications. In vivo long-term studies were performed to evaluate the water-holding capacity and elasticity of hand skin following topical application of keratins. Moreover, protection of healthy skin against detergent-induced dermatitis was evaluated after topical application of the keratin-active formulation. Significant results in the measured biophysical parameters were found, which indicated an improvement in the skin's water-holding capacity, hydration, and elasticity for volunteers with dry skin as a result of the keratin peptide treatment. Results also indicated that the keratin peptide treatment can prevent some of the damaging effects associated with surfactant exposure. [source] Children's Perceptions of TV and Health Behavior EffectsJOURNAL OF NURSING SCHOLARSHIP, Issue 3 2002Christine M. Kennedy Purpose: To understand and document children's stated experiences and beliefs about television and to elicit their suggestions for alternative activities. Design and Methods: Eleven focus groups were conducted with 51 Anglo and Latino children, ages 7,10, in a large Northern California city. Philosophical underpinnings of developmental psychology were the basis for multiphase thematic analysis. Data were collected in 1998,1999. Results: Themes were identified in five conceptual categories. Findings showed that children did not perceive many parental rules related to TV watching, rather daily routines are associated with TV viewing. Children revealed both covert and overt motivations for watching. Nearly all participants spoke of the deception of advertising, but they were unclear about the role of commercial sponsors in payment for TV shows. Children perceived both negative physical and behavioral health effects of TV and they had great difficulty imagining life without a TV. Conclusions: Children perceived television as providing educational and relational needs. Although they preferred alternatives to TV, they had difficulty articulating and getting those needs met. Clinicians and researchers can utilize these findings to design health interventions that attenuate the health-impairing effects of habitual sedentary activity in childhood. [source] Text-based video content classification for online video-sharing sitesJOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR INFORMATION SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, Issue 5 2010Chunneng Huang With the emergence of Web 2.0, sharing personal content, communicating ideas, and interacting with other online users in Web 2.0 communities have become daily routines for online users. User-generated data from Web 2.0 sites provide rich personal information (e.g., personal preferences and interests) and can be utilized to obtain insight about cyber communities and their social networks. Many studies have focused on leveraging user-generated information to analyze blogs and forums, but few studies have applied this approach to video-sharing Web sites. In this study, we propose a text-based framework for video content classification of online-video sharing Web sites. Different types of user-generated data (e.g., titles, descriptions, and comments) were used as proxies for online videos, and three types of text features (lexical, syntactic, and content-specific features) were extracted. Three feature-based classification techniques (C4.5, Naïve Bayes, and Support Vector Machine) were used to classify videos. To evaluate the proposed framework, user-generated data from candidate videos, which were identified by searching user-given keywords on YouTube, were first collected. Then, a subset of the collected data was randomly selected and manually tagged by users as our experiment data. The experimental results showed that the proposed approach was able to classify online videos based on users' interests with accuracy rates up to 87.2%, and all three types of text features contributed to discriminating videos. Support Vector Machine outperformed C4.5 and Naïve Bayes techniques in our experiments. In addition, our case study further demonstrated that accurate video-classification results are very useful for identifying implicit cyber communities on video-sharing Web sites. [source] LiFE Pilot Study: A randomised trial of balance and strength training embedded in daily life activity to reduce falls in older adultsAUSTRALIAN OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY JOURNAL, Issue 1 2010Lindy Clemson Background:,Exercise as a falls prevention strategy is more complex with people at risk than with the general population. The Lifestyle approach to reducing Falls through Exercise (LiFE) involves embedding balance and lower limb strength training in habitual daily routines. Methods:,A total of 34 community-residing people aged ,70 years were randomised either into the LiFE programme or into a no-intervention control group and followed up for six months. Inclusion criteria were two or more falls or an injurious fall in the past year. Results:,There were 12 falls in the intervention group and 35 in the control group. Therelative risk (RR) analysis demonstrated a significant reduction in falls (RR = 0.23; 0.07,0.83). There were indications that dynamic balance (P = 0.04 at three months) and efficacy beliefs (P = 0.04 at six months) improved for the LiFE programme participants. In general, secondary physical and health status outcomes, which were hypothesised as potential mediators of fall risk, improved minimally and inconsistently. Conclusions:,LiFE was effective in reducing recurrent falls in this at-risk sample. However, there were minimal changes in secondary measures. The study was feasible in terms of recruitment, randomisation, blinding and data collection. A larger randomised trial is needed to investigate long-term efficacy, mechanisms of benefit and clinical significance of this new intervention. [source] Use of perioperative dialogues with children undergoing day surgeryJOURNAL OF ADVANCED NURSING, Issue 1 2008Berith Wennström Abstract Title.,Use of perioperative dialogues with children undergoing day surgery Aim., This paper is a report of a study to explore what it means for children to attend hospital for day surgery. Background., Hospitalization is a major stressor for children. Fear of separation, unfamiliar routines, anaesthetic/operation expectations/experiences and pain and needles are sources of children's negative reactions. Method., A grounded theory study was carried out during 2005,2006 with 15 boys and five girls (aged 6,9 years) scheduled for elective day surgery. Data were collected using tape-recorded interviews that included a perioperative dialogue, participant observations and pre- and postoperative drawings. Findings., A conceptual model was generated on the basis of the core category ,enduring inflicted hospital distress', showing that the main problem for children having day surgery is that they are forced into an unpredictable and distressful situation. Pre-operatively, the children do not know what to expect, as described in the category ,facing an unknown reality'. Additional categories show that they perceive a ,breaking away from daily routines' and that they are ,trying to gain control' over the situation. During the perioperative period, the categories ,losing control' and ,co-operating despite fear and pain' are present and intertwined. Post-operatively, the categories ,breathing a sigh of relief' and ,regaining normality in life' emerged. Conclusion., The perioperative dialogue used in our study, if translated into clinical practice, might therefore minimize distress and prepare children for the ,unknown' stressor that hospital care often presents. Further research is needed to compare anxiety and stress levels in children undergoing day surgery involving the perioperative dialogue and those having ,traditional' anaesthetic care. [source] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||