bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Routine administration of the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure: Effect on functional outcome
Authors: Colquhoun Heather , Letts Lori , Law Mary , MacDermid Joy , Edwards Mary 
Published: September 2009

Background/aim:  Routinely using outcome measures as an integral component of practice has been encouraged for decades yet has not been widely adopted. There are many reasons to measure outcomes yet any positive effect of measurement on our programs or clients has not been substantiated. If the time‐consuming nature of outcome measurement is to be encouraged, we need to begin addressing larger questions of the value of outcome measurement on care and outcomes. This cohort study evaluated the impact of routinely administering the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure on client outcomes on a geriatric rehabilitation unit. Methods:  Changes in Functional Independence Measure™ scores between an experimental group (n = 45) that received the routine use of the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure for evaluation/planning versus a historical comparison group (n = 58) that received ‘usual’ care were analysed using generalised linear modeling.Results:  Both groups had significant changes in Functional Independence Measure™ scores over time. Results for differences between groups were inconclusive with a significantly underpowered analysis; however, results suggest that a medium to large effect of this intervention cannot be expected. Conclusions:  Results are significant for the field of routine outcome measurement, suggesting that when adding the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure to routine assessment within an inpatient rehabilitation setting, substantially improved Functional Independence Measure™ score outcomes should not be expected. The value of routine outcome measurement on client outcomes remains largely unexplored. Routinely, using outcome measures requires additional research to determine the specific benefits to our programs and client outcomes.
The structure of novice and expert occupational therapists’ clinical reasoning before and after exposure to a domain‐specific protocol
Authors: Kuipers Kathy , Grice James W. 
Published: September 2009

Background/aim:  The research aimed to determine the influence of a protocol designed for use in the domain of upper limb hypertonia due to brain injury on novice and expert occupational therapy clinical reasoning.Method:  Individual, structured repertory grid interviews were completed with 13 novice and eight expert occupational therapists prior to, and following, exposure to a domain‐specific clinical reasoning protocol. Data were subjected to quantitative analyses (Principal Components Analysis, Generalised Procrustes Analysis).Results:  Novice participants demonstrated statistically significant change in the structure of their clinical reasoning following exposure to the protocol (P < 0.004). Prior to exposure, novices relied on therapy tasks, the problem‐solving process, environmental factors and standard practice to structure their reasoning. Following exposure, novices’ clinical reasoning changed to more closely reflect experts’ reasoning. Thus, a ‘structured approach’ and (theoretical) practice perspectives became evident. Prior to exposure to the protocol, experts structured reasoning in terms of (personal and theoretical) practice perspectives, therapy tasks and the scope of such tasks (either ‘general’ or ‘specific’). Following exposure, therapist/client collaboration and upper‐limb‐related constructs emerged as being used to structure experts’ reasoning, although these changes were not statistically significant.Conclusion:  A protocol designed for guiding clinical reasoning in the context of upper limb hypertonia was perceived to be conceptually useful by novice and expert occupational therapists.
An evaluation of the construct validity of the Developmental Test of Visual‐Motor Integration using the Rasch Measurement Model
Authors: Brown Ted , Unsworth Carolyn , Lyons Carissa 
Published: September 2009

Background:  One method of evaluating the construct validity of instruments is the Rasch Measurement Model (RMM), an increasingly popular method used for test construction and validation.Aim:  The aim was to examine the construct validity of the Developmental Test of Visual‐Motor Integration 5th Edition (VMI) by applying the RMM to evaluate its scalability, dimensionality, differential item functioning and hierarchical ordering.Method:  The participants were 400 children aged 5 to 12 years, recruited from six schools in Melbourne, Victoria, who completed the VMI under the supervision of an occupational therapist. VMI items 1, 2 and 3 were excluded from the Rasch analysis since all of the children achieved a perfect score on these items.Results:  None of the items exhibited RMM misfit due to goodness‐of‐fit mean square (MnSq) infit statistics and standardised z (ZStd) scores being outside the specified acceptable range. VMI item 9 (copied circle) exhibited differential item functioning based on gender. In relation to hierarchical ordering of items, several were found to have similar logit difficulty values. For example, VMI items 26, 27 and 29; items 18, 22 and 24; and items 4, 5 and 11 were found to have the same level of challenge. As well, the VMI scale item logit measure order did not match that presented in the VMI test manual.Conclusion:  Theoretically, the VMI items are developmentally ordered; however, this ordering was not mirrored by the item logit difficulty scores obtained. This has scoring implications, where scoring a respondent's VMI test booklet is terminated after three consecutive items are not passed. Clinicians should also be aware that item 9 may exhibit bias related to gender.
Advancing the metabolic theory of biodiversity
Authors: Stegen James C. , Enquist Brian J. , Ferriere Regis 
Published: September 2009

AbstractA component of metabolic scaling theory has worked towards understanding the influence of metabolism over the generation and maintenance of biodiversity. Specific models within this ‘metabolic theory of biodiversity’ (MTB) have addressed temperature gradients in speciation rate and species richness, but the scope of MTB has been questioned because of empirical departures from model predictions. In this study, we first show that a generalized MTB is not inconsistent with empirical patterns and subsequently implement an eco‐evolutionary MTB which has thus far only been discussed qualitatively. More specifically, we combine a functional trait (body mass) approach and an environmental gradient (temperature) with a dynamic eco‐evolutionary model that builds on the current MTB. Our approach uniquely accounts for feedbacks between ecological interactions (size‐dependent competition and predation) and evolutionary rates (speciation and extinction). We investigate a simple example in which temperature influences mutation rate, and show that this single effect leads to dynamic temperature gradients in macroevolutionary rates and community structure. Early in community evolution, temperature strongly influences speciation and both speciation and extinction strongly influence species richness. Through time, niche structure evolves, speciation and extinction rates fall, and species richness becomes increasingly independent of temperature. However, significant temperature‐richness gradients may persist within emergent functional (trophic) groups, especially when niche breadths are wide. Thus, there is a strong signal of both history and ecological interactions on patterns of species richness across temperature gradients. More generally, the successful implementation of an eco‐evolutionary MTB opens the perspective that a process‐based MTB can continue to emerge through further development of metabolic models that are explicit in terms of functional traits and environmental gradients.
Changes in habitat specificity of species at their climatic range boundaries
Authors: Oliver Tom , Hill Jane K. , Thomas Chris D. , Brereton Tom , Roy David B. 
Published: September 2009

AbstractSpecies are thought to have more restricted niches towards their range boundaries, although this has rarely been quantified systematically. We analysed transect data for 41 butterfly species along climatic gradients within Britain and show that 71% of species have broader niches at sites with milder winters. Shifts in habitat associations are considerable across most species’ ranges; averaged across all 41 species, we estimate that if 26% of individuals were associated with the favoured habitat on the species’ warmest transect, then 70% of individuals would be confined to this habitat on the species’ coldest transect. Species with more southerly distributions in Britain showed the greatest changes in their habitat associations. We conclude that geographic variation in realized niche breadth is common and relatively large, especially near range boundaries, and should be taken into account in conserving species under changing climates.
Control of negative emotions and its implication for illness perception among psoriasis and vitiligo patients
Authors: Kossakowska MM , Cieścińska C , Jaszewska J , Placek WJ 
Published: September 2009

AbstractBackground  The purpose of the study was to determine the intensity of control over negative emotions of anger, depressed mood, and anxiety in certain skin diseases such as psoriasis and vitiligo, and to define the predictors of this emotional control in terms of the illness perception in the following context: duration of illness, age at onset, subjective knowledge of the causes of illness, subjective sense of control over the disease.Methods  The study included 60 patients with psoriasis (n = 30) and vitiligo (n = 30) as well as healthy persons (n = 60) matched to the experimental group in terms of gender, age, and level of education. Control of negative emotions was examined by means of Watson and Greer’s Courtauld Emotional Control Scale (Polish adaptation by Juczynski) and the illness perception by means of Kossakowska’s Chronic Patients Questionnaire.Results  The research concludes that psoriasis patients control negative emotions more intensively than healthy people. Vitiligo patients on the other hand do not differ in the control of negative emotions compared with healthy subjects. There are no significant predictors of negative emotional control in vitiligo. In psoriasis gender and age are the main contributors to negative emotional control and anger control is predicted by the age at onset as well.Conclusion  The specificity of the skin disease affects maladaptive negative emotional control and the suggestion is to use psychological treatment in hospitalised psoriasis in particular.
Unit cost of Mohs and Dermasurgery Unit
Authors: Wanitphakdeedecha R , Nguyen TH , Chen TM 
Published: September 2009

AbstractBackground  Appropriate pricing for medical services of not‐for‐profit hospital is necessary. The prices should be fair to the public and should be high enough to cover the operative costs of the organization.Objective  The purpose of this study was to determine the cost and unit cost of medical services performed at the Mohs and Dermasurgery Unit (MDU), Department of Dermatology, The University of Texas – MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX from the healthcare provider’s perspective.Methods  MDU costs were retrieved from the Financial Department for fiscal year 2006. The patients’ statistics were acquired from medical records for the same period. Unit cost calculation was based on the official method of hospital accounting.Results  The overall unit cost for each patient visit was $673.99 United States dollar (USD). The detailed unit cost of nurse visit, new patient visit, follow‐up visit, consultation, Mohs and non‐Mohs procedure were, respectively, $368.27, $580.09, $477.82, $585.52, $1,086.12 and $858.23 USD. With respect to a Mohs visit, the unit cost per lesion and unit cost per stage were $867.89 and $242.30 USD respectively.Conclusions  Results from this retrospective study provide information that may be used for pricing strategy and resource allocation by the administrative board of MDU.
Measuring mobility limitations in children with cerebral palsy: interrater and intrarater reliability of a mobility questionnaire (MobQues)
Authors: VAN RAVESTEYN NICOLIEN T , DALLMEIJER ANNET J , SCHOLTES VANESSA A , ROORDA LEO D , BECHER JULES G 
Published: September 2009

Aim  The objective of this study was to assess the reliability of a mobility questionnaire (MobQues) that was developed to measure the mobility limitations of children with cerebral palsy (CP) as rated by their parents. A clinical version of the questionnaire, consisting of 47 items (MobQues47), is available, as well as a research version with 28 items for a specific population (MobQues28). Total scores are expressed on a scale of 0 to 100.Method  We assessed the interrater reliability between both parents of 289 children with CP (168 males, 121 females, age range 2–13y, Gross Motor Function Classification System levels I–IV) and the intrarater reliability within a subgroup of 38 parents (of 23 children) who completed the MobQues twice.Results  For the interrater reliability, high intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) were found for the MobQues47 (ICC 0.92) and MobQues28 (ICC 0.87). The standard error of measurement (SEM) was 7.8 and 8.9 respectively. As expected, the intrarater reliability was higher, as represented by higher ICCs (0.96–0.99) and lower SEMs (3.5–4.9) for both MobQues versions.Interpretation  The results of this study indicate that the MobQues is a reliable instrument to measure the mobility limitations of children with CP.
Reading performance correlates with white‐matter properties in preterm and term children
Authors: ANDREWS JAMES S , BEN‐SHACHAR MICHAL , YEATMAN JASON D , FLOM LYNDA L , LUNA BEATRIZ , FELDMAN HEIDI M 
Published: September 2009

Aim  We used diffusion tensor imaging to investigate the association between white‐matter integrity and reading ability in a cohort of 28 children. Nineteen preterm children (14 males, five females; mean age 11y 11mo [SD 1y 10mo], mean gestational age 30.5wks (SD 3.2), mean birthweight was 1455g [SD 625]); and nine term children (five males, four females; mean age 12y 8mo [SD 2y 5mo], mean gestational age 39.6wks (SD 1.2), and mean birthweight 3877g [SD 473]).Method  We tested whether fractional anisotropy in a left hemisphere temporoparietal region and in the corpus callosum correlates with birthweight and scores on the following three subtests of the Woodcock‐Johnson III Tests of Achievement: word identification, word attack, and passage comprehension.Results  Preterm children had lower reading scores than a comparison group for all reading subtests (p<0.05). We found significant correlations between birthweight and fractional anisotropy in the whole corpus callosum (p=0.001), and between fractional anisotropy and reading skill in the genu (p=0.001) and body (p=0.001) of the corpus callosum. The correlation between reading skill and fractional anisotropy in a left temporoparietal region previously associated with reading disability was not significant (p=0.095).Interpretation  We conclude that perinatal white‐matter injury of the central corpus callosum may have long‐term developmental implications for reading performance.
Dysfunction of the unfolded protein response increases neurodegeneration in aged rat hippocampus following proteasome inhibition
Authors: Paz Gavilán María , Pintado Cristina , Gavilán Elena , Jiménez Sebastián , Ríos Rosa M. , Vitorica Javier , Castaño Angélica , Ruano Diego 
Published: September 2009

SummaryDysfunctions of the ubiquitin proteasome system (UPS) have been proposed to be involved in the aetiology and/or progression of several age‐related neurodegenerative disorders. However, the mechanisms linking proteasome dysfunction to cell degeneration are poorly understood. We examined in young and aged rat hippocampus the activation of the unfolded protein response (UPR) under cellular stress induced by proteasome inhibition. Lactacystin injection blocked proteasome activity in young and aged animals in a similar extent and increased the amount of ubiquitinated proteins. Young animals activated the three UPR arms, IRE1α, ATF6α and PERK, whereas aged rats failed to induce the IRE1α and ATF6α pathways. In consequence, aged animals did not induce the expression of pro‐survival factors (chaperones, Bcl‐XL and Bcl‐2), displayed a more sustained expression of pro‐apoptotic markers (CHOP, Bax, Bak and JKN), an increased caspase‐3 processing. At the cellular level, proteasome inhibition induced neuronal damage in young and aged animals as assayed using Fluorojade‐B staining. However, degenerating neurons were evident as soon as 24 h postinjection in aged rats, but it was delayed up to 3 days in young animals. Our findings show evidence supporting age‐related dysfunctions in the UPR activation as a potential mechanism linking protein accumulation to cell degeneration. An imbalance between pro‐survival and pro‐apoptotic proteins, because of noncanonical activation of the UPR in aged rats, would increase the susceptibility to cell degeneration. These findings add a new molecular vision that might be relevant in the aetiology of several age‐related neurodegenerative disorders.
Methionine sulfoxide reductase A expression is regulated by the DAF‐16/FOXO pathway in Caenorhabditis elegans
Authors: Minniti Alicia N. , Cataldo Romina , Trigo Carla , Vasquez Luis , Mujica Patricio , Leighton Federico , Inestrosa Nibaldo C. , Aldunate Rebeca 
Published: September 2009

SummaryThe methionine sulfoxide reductase system has been implicated in aging and protection against oxidative stress. This conserved system reverses the oxidation of methionine residues within proteins. We analyzed one of the components of this system, the methionine sulfoxide reductase A gene, in Caenorhabditis elegans. We found that the msra‐1 gene is expressed in most tissues, particularly in the intestine and the nervous system. Worms carrying a deletion of the msra‐1 gene are more sensitive to oxidative stress, show chemotaxis and locomotory defects, and a 30% decrease in median survival. We established that msra‐1 expression decreases during aging and is regulated by the DAF‐16/FOXO3a transcription factor. The absence of this enzyme decreases median survival and affects oxidative stress resistance of long lived daf‐2 worms. A similar effect of MSRA‐1 absence in wild‐type and daf‐2 (where most antioxidant enzymes are activated) backgrounds, suggests that the lack of this member of the methionine repair system cannot be compensated by the general antioxidant response. Moreover, FOXO3a directly activates the human MsrA promoter in a cell culture system, implying that this could be a conserved mechanism of MsrA regulation. Our results suggest that repair of oxidative damage in proteins influences the rate at which tissues age. This repair mechanism, rather than the general decreased of radical oxygen species levels, could be one of the main determinants of organisms’ lifespan.
Ultrasound measures of muscle thickness: intra‐examiner reliability and influence of body position
Authors: Thoirs Kerry , English Coralie 
Published: September 2009

SummaryUltrasound is an inexpensive and practical alternative to gold standard measures of muscle mass. Changes in body position may lead to intra‐muscular fluid shifts that may affect the reliability of ultrasound measures. We assessed test–retest reliability of ultrasound measures of muscle thickness and the effect of position on these measures. Measures of muscle thickness were made from B‐mode ultrasound images in 18 healthy participants. Repeated measurements were made by one examiner from two participant positions; standing and recumbent, from 18 anatomical sites. Results demonstrated high test–retest reliability for measures taken in both participant positions [intra‐class coefficient (ICC) scores 0·65 to 0·94], except for the recumbent posterior lower leg measures (ICC 0·34). Recumbent measures were significantly smaller than those taken with participants standing. Length of time participants spent lying down did not significantly affect measures, indicating that any changes in intra‐muscular fluid related to the time spent recumbent are negligible.
Digital Inequality and Place: The Effects of Technological Diffusion on Internet Proficiency and Usage across Rural, Suburban, and Urban Counties*
Authors: Stern Michael J. , Adams Alison E. , Elsasser Shaun 
Published: September 2009

AbstractRecently researchers have made efforts to reconceptualize digital inequality into discrete levels. These levels reflect access to and diffusion of technologies, proficiency in Internet usage, and propensity to take advantage of the opportunities afforded by information and communication technologies for assistance in daily life. We assess the utility of this approach for studying digital inequality across rural, suburban, and urban counties. Based on data from a 2005 nationally representative random sample telephone survey of 2,185 adults, the results provide mixed support for using this approach to studying digital inequality. In particular, we find that rural residents use Internet technologies less for assistance in helping with economics and other daily activities when compared with individuals from suburban and urban areas; however, our results suggest that this relationship is the product of the slow diffusion of advanced technologies to rural areas. The implications of these findings for understanding this under‐theorized form of inequality are discussed, and we make contributions to this literature through empirically addressing issues of digital capital.
Association of holidays, full moon, Friday the 13th, day of week, time of day, day of week, and time of year on case distribution in an urban referral small animal emergency clinic
Authors: Drobatz Kenneth J. , Syring Rebecca , Reineke Erica , Meadows Cheyney 
Published: September 2009

AbstractObjective
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To interrogate the association of variables: day of week, time of day, day of the year (major holidays, Friday the 13th, and the full moon), and month of year with the caseload of an urban academic emergency service.Design
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Retrospective study.Setting
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Urban small animal teaching hospital emergency clinic.Animals
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Cats and dogs that were presented to the emergency clinic.Interventions
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None.Measurements and Main Results
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The hospital computer database was searched for all visits to the Emergency Service of the Mathew J. Ryan Veterinary Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania from January 1, 1987 through December 31, 2002. Variables included in the electronic data were date of admission, time of day of admission, species (dog or cat), hospital service the case was transferred to for ongoing care and whether the case was discharged directly from the emergency service. The association of caseload with day of week, time of day, day of the year (major holidays, Friday the 13th, and the full moon), and month of year was described and statistically evaluated. Saturdays and Sundays were the busiest days of the week and significantly increased caseload was noted for the majority of holidays (except Easter Day and Thanksgiving Day) with Memorial Day being the busiest. Midweek evenings as well as Saturday and Sunday afternoons were the busiest periods of the day. There was no association with caseload and Halloween, the full moon, or Friday the 13th.Conclusions
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The busiest times were midweek evenings, Saturday and Sunday afternoons, and most major holidays.