bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Caspase-12 Dampens the Immune Response to Malaria Independently of the Inflammasome by Targeting NF-κB Signaling
Authors: Labbé Katherine , Miu Jenny , Yeretssian Garabet , Serghides Lena , Tam Mifong , Finney Constance A. , Erdman Laura K. , Goulet Marie-Line , Kain Kevin C. , Stevenson Mary M. , Saleh Maya 
Published: September 2010

Abstract
Pathogen sensing by the inflammasome activates inflammatory caspases that mediate inflammation and cell death. Caspase-12 antagonizes the inflammasome and NF-κB and is associated with susceptibility to bacterial sepsis. A single-nucleotide polymorphism (T125C) in human Casp12 restricts its expression to Africa, Southeast Asia, and South America. Here, we investigated the role of caspase-12 in the control of parasite replication and pathogenesis in malaria and report that caspase-12 dampened parasite clearance in blood-stage malaria and modulated susceptibility to cerebral malaria. This response was independent of the caspase-1 inflammasome, as casp1−/− mice were indistinguishable from wild-type animals in response to malaria, but dependent on enhanced NF-κB activation. Mechanistically, caspase-12 competed with NEMO for association with IκB kinase-α/β, effectively preventing the formation of the IκB kinase complex and inhibiting downstream transcriptional activation by NF-κB. Systemic inhibition of NF-κB or Ab neutralization of IFN-γ reversed the increased resistance of casp12−/− mice to blood-stage malaria infection.
Training To Improve Awareness of Disabilities in Clients With Unilateral Neglect
Authors: Tham Kerstin , Ginsburg Elisabeth , Fisher Anne G. , Tegnér Richard 
Published: September 2010

Abstract
Objective. Awareness of disabilities is known to be a central problem of rehabilitation among clients with large right cerebrovascular lesions and unilateral neglect. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of an intervention program focused on improving the awareness of disabilities in four participants with unilateral neglect. The intervention program developed for this study was based on the assumption that awareness of disabilities is a prerequisite for being able to learn and use compensatory techniques in the performance of activities of daily living (ADL).
Method. The study followed a single-case experimental ABA design. The Assessment of Awareness of Disability was used to measure awareness of disabilities; the Assessment of Motor and Process Skills was used to measure ADL ability; and neuropsychological tests were used to assess unilateral neglect and sustained attention. The intervention program used meaningful and purposeful occupations as therapeutic change agents to improve awareness of disabilities.
Results. Awareness of disabilities and ADL ability improved in all four participants; unilateral neglect decreased in three participants; and sustained attention improved in two participants.
Conclusion. The preliminary findings indicate that training to improve awareness of disabilities might improve the ability to learn the use of compensatory techniques in the performance of ADL in clients with unilateral neglect. The effects of the intervention strategy need to be evaluated further in future research.
Adjustments to Managed Health Care: Pushing Against It, Going With It, and Making the Best of It
Authors: Walker Kay F. 
Published: September 2010

Abstract
In this qualitative study of managed health care and occupational therapy practice, participants described how their practice had changed, suggested that students be educated to communicate the value of occupational therapy and to navigate corporate medicine, and expressed ethical concerns regarding reimbursement versus therapy goals. In-person, individual, focused interviews were conducted with 25 therapists in the southeastern Atlantic states. Participants’ perceptions of pervasive changes in practice due to managed health care reflected three themes of meaning: the “pushing against it” personal–professional struggle; the “going with it” businesslike perspective, and the “making the best of it” optimistic outlook. These findings provide insight into therapists’ occupational adaptation to managed health care.
Effect of Interactive Metronome® Training on Children With ADHD
Authors: Shaffer Robert J. , Jacokes Lee E. , Cassily James F. , Greenspan Stanley I. , Tuchman Robert F. , Stemmer Paul J. 
Published: September 2010

Abstract
Objective. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of a specific intervention, the Interactive Metronome®, on selected aspects of motor and cognitive skills in a group of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
Method. The study included 56 boys who were 6 years to 12 years of age and diagnosed before they entered the study as having ADHD. The participants were pretested and randomly assigned to one of three matched groups. A group of 19 participants receiving 15 hr of Interactive Metronome training exercises were compared with a group receiving no intervention and a group receiving training on selected computer video games.
Results. A significant pattern of improvement across 53 of 58 variables favoring the Interactive Metronome treatment was found. Additionally, several significant differences were found among the treatment groups and between pretreatment and posttreatment factors on performance in areas of attention, motor control, language processing, reading, and parental reports of improvements in regulation of aggressive behavior.
Conclusion. The Interactive Metronome training appears to facilitate a number of capacities, including attention, motor control, and selected academic skills, in boys with ADHD.
Pencil Grasp and Children’s Handwriting Legibility During Different-Length Writing Tasks
Authors: Dennis Julie L. , Swinth Yvonne 
Published: September 2010

Abstract
Objective. This study examined the influence of pencil grasp on handwriting legibility during both short and long writing tasks in 46 fourth-grade students who were typically developing. Matched samples were used to control for variability.
Method. Regular classroom writing assignments were scored for word and letter legibility, and scores were compared using a mixed repeated-measures analysis of variance design. The two independent variables were pencil grasp (dynamic tripod grasp vs. atypical grasp) and task length (short vs. long).
Results. A significant difference was found between the letter legibility scores on the short task and the letter legibility scores on the long task. Students’ legibility was greater on the short task than on the long task across both grasp conditions. No significant difference was found in scores between students who used dynamic tripod grasps and those who used atypical grasps, nor was there a significant interaction between grasp and task length. No significant differences were found between word legibility scores.
Conclusion. The results indicate that although the students in this study wrote more legibly on the short task than on the long task, the type of grasp they used did not affect their legibility. Because of the limited sample size, the results of this study should be interpreted cautiously. More research in handwriting performance and pencil grasp is needed to provide clear expectations and treatment options for students.
Validity of the Baltimore Therapeutic Equipment Work Simulator in the Measurement of Lifting Endurance in Healthy Men
Authors: Ting W. , Wessel J. , Brintnell S. , Maikala R. , Bhambhani Y. 
Published: September 2010

Abstract
Objective. To examine the criterion validity of the Baltimore Therapeutic Equipment (BTE) work simulator by comparing endurance time, oxygen uptake (VO2), and heart rate measured during real and simulated lifting tasks and to derive a regression equation for predicting actual lifting endurance from measurements on the work simulator.
Method. Twenty healthy male volunteers repetitively lifted and lowered a load of 40 lb using the BTE work simulator and actual weights at a laboratory workstation. Postures, location, and frequency of lifts were kept constant. Endurance (defined as the time taken for the rating of perceived exertion to increase 2 units on the Borg scale) was measured under both conditions. VO2 and heart rate were also recorded, using standard physiological procedures.
Results. The mean values for endurance time, steady-state VO2, and heart rate were significantly different between the real and simulated tasks (p &lt; .05). Correlation of endurance time between the two tasks was significant (r = .71, p &lt; .05). Stepwise regression analysis resulted in the following equation for predicting real endurance from simulated time measurements: predicted real time = .34 simulated time + 3.29; r = .71; SE = 1.00 min.
Conclusion. The BTE work simulator tends to overestimate real lifting endurance performance in healthy men. The lower physiological stress during the simulated task suggests a significant difference between the real and simulated loads. Occupational therapists should exercise caution when using the results of the BTE work simulator during functional capacity evaluations.
Effect of Wrist Positioning on the Repeatability and Strength of Power Grip
Authors: Fong Pauline W. K. , Ng Gabriel Y. F. 
Published: September 2010

Abstract
Objective. This study tested the between-day repeatability and effect of wrist positioning on grip strength measurement.
Method. Thirty healthy men 20 years to 69 years of age were tested twice, 1 week apart, in six wrist positions.
Results. The findings showed good repeatability for grip strength, with the intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC(1, 3)] ranging from .9043 to .9663. Significant differences were found in grip strength among the six positions (p &lt; .001), with grip strength measured at 15° or 30° of wrist extension (EXT) and 0° ulnar deviation (UD) significantly greater than that of 0° UD and 0° EXT or 15° UD with or without EXT. This finding suggests the clinical importance of standardizing the testing position for grip strength measurement.
Conclusion. The high repeatability of the tests supports the use of the grip strength measurement to evaluate treatment progress.
Eliciting Children’s Voices in Qualitative Research
Authors: Curtin Clare 
Published: September 2010

Abstract
Objective. The purpose of this literature review was to summarize the issues and techniques involved when incorporating preschool and elementary-school-age children as informants in qualitative research.
Method. Literature on children’s studies, qualitative research with children as informants, and methods for obtaining children’s perspectives were examined.
Results. Conducting qualitative research with children involves different challenges and research techniques than research with adults. The researcher needs to examine beliefs regarding children’s competence, address the inequality of power in the adult–child relationship, and bridge different communication styles. The researcher can employ a variety of techniques and adaptations to help children express themselves.
Conclusion. This review adds to the understanding of occupational therapy researchers about children as informants in research. The practical suggestions presented can also be used in clinical practice to strengthen children’s voices in therapy.
Cross-Transfer Effects in the Upper Extremity During an Occupationally Embedded Exercise
Authors: Nagel Marica Juratovic , Rice Martin S. 
Published: September 2010

Abstract
Objective. Cross-transfer effects were investigated during an occupationally embedded task that involved learning a fine motor skill. Cross-transfer is a phenomenon that occurs when an untrained limb receives some of the same benefits in performance from unilateral training that the contralateral limb received. It was hypothesized that cross-transfer would occur after a unilateral training regime using an occupationally embedded task.
Method. Forty-eight participants (mean age = 24.4 years) volunteered for this repeated-measures study. Participants were randomly assigned to a training or control group and were asked to complete a toy maze with their right and left hands for the pretest and posttest. Whereas participants in the control group did not train, participants in the training group completed a toy maze three times a day for 7 days with their left hands. All participants returned in 1 week to complete the posttest portion of the experiment. Dependent variables included movement time, movement units, force oscillations, and average force.
Results. Significant decreases in movement time and force oscillations were found for the untrained limbs (p &lt; .0125) in the training group. No significant differences were found in movement units or average force. The improved movement time and force oscillations in the untrained limb provides evidence suggesting that cross-transfer occurred.
Conclusion. This study indicates that with a population without impairments, cross-transfer can occur during an occupationally embedded task. This phenomenon may prove useful to the field of occupational therapy to rehabilitate immobilized extremities. Further research is needed to test this phenomenon with special populations.
The Effect of Sports on Level of Community Integration as Reported by Persons With Spinal Cord Injury
Authors: Hanson Carolyn Schmidt , Nabavi David , Yuen Hon Keung 
Published: September 2010

Abstract
Objective. The purpose of this study was to determine whether participation in sports by persons with spinal cord injuries (SCIs) affected level of community integration as defined by the World Health Organization and as measured by the Craig Handicap Assessment and Reporting Technique (CHART).
Method. Forty-eight participants were recruited from a camp for persons with physical disabilities as well as from SCI support groups. Participants were divided into groups of athletes (n = 30) and nonathletes (n = 18) on the basis of their self-reported level of sports participation.
Results. Athletes scored significantly higher on four of five subsections of the CHART (physical independence, mobility, occupation, social integration), indicating greater levels of community integration than nonathletes.
Conclusion. These findings extend the literature outlining the physical and psychological benefits of sports. Occupational therapists have a unique opportunity to use the occupation of sports to integrate the roots of the profession with the cultural demands of society.
The Effectiveness of Occupational Therapy–Related Treatments for Persons With Parkinson’s Disease: A Meta-Analytic Review
Authors: Murphy Susan , Tickle-Degnen Linda 
Published: September 2010

Abstract
Given the current changes in health care, being able to obtain and use research evidence that supports occupational therapy treatment has become increasingly important. The purpose of this study was to synthesize available evidence on the effectiveness of occupational therapy–related treatments for persons with Parkinson’s disease. A meta-analysis was performed to achieve this synthesis. The results revealed small to moderate positive effects of intervention on outcomes related to clients’ capacities and abilities as well as for outcomes related to function during activities and tasks. Limitations in the research reviewed for this meta-analysis may have resulted in an underestimation of treatment effects. Occupational therapists can use results from this meta-analysis to communicate with clients about the possible benefits of participating in occupational therapy.
Narratives and Experience in an Occupational Transition: A Longitudinal Study of the Retirement Process
Authors: Jonsson Hans , Josephsson Staffan , Kielhofner Gary 
Published: September 2010

Abstract
This article presents the results from a longitudinal study of retirement. Data were collected through interviews with 12 Swedish participants over a 7-year period, beginning when they were still working and continuing through their early years of retirement. The findings show that the participants’ narrative anticipations of retirement interacted with the events of ongoing life. Sometimes these events influenced the outcomes of the retirement process unpredictably. Consequently, retirement was often full of surprises and temporary periods of turbulence. Although some participants managed a transition into a satisfying pattern of retirement, others found it an ongoing process of frustration and dissatisfaction. Evidence from this longitudinal study indicates that a special type of occupation—engaging occupation with six constituents—was an important determinant of retirement satisfaction. This key finding is discussed with regard to its implications for theory development as well as its practical implications related to the importance of differentiating occupations and attending to the interaction between internal motivation and external expectations in the occupational pattern.
The Functional Performance of Elderly Urban African-American Women Who Return Home to Live Alone After Medical Rehabilitation
Authors: Lysack Catherine L. , MacNeill Susan E. , Lichtenberg Peter A. 
Published: September 2010

Abstract
Objective. Elderly women who live alone are at increased risk for loss of independence. Hospitalization, in particular, often marks the transition from independent living to institutional care. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship of rehabilitation admission to the subsequent function of elderly women and their ability to return to live-alone status.
Method. The women in the study (N = 138) were admitted to a geriatric rehabilitation unit at a large urban medical center between September 1997 and September 1998. The findings reported here pertain to the subset of African-American women (n = 122), the majority of the sample. Data were collected using several standardized assessments, including the Functional Independence Measure (FIM).
Results. The FIM motor scores improved significantly for the total sample between admission and discharge, and the mean FIM motor score for the group that subsequently attained live-alone status was significantly higher than the non–live-alone group at 3 months and 6 months postdis-charge. The participants who returned to live alone also reported significantly greater independence than did their non–live-alone counterparts across a variety of activities of daily living and instrumental activities of daily living skills.
Conclusion. These data suggest that rehabilitation is associated with improved functional outcomes, and higher functional performance is related to live-alone status.
Problem Effectiveness in an Occupational Therapy Problem-Based Learning Course
Authors: Stern Perri , D’Amico Frank J. 
Published: September 2010

Abstract
Objective. The purpose of this study was to evaluate students’ perceptions of the extent to which faculty-generated learning objectives were addressed in a problem-based learning (PBL) course.
Method. Twenty-seven students enrolled in a 12-week PBL course were randomly divided by age, gender, and grade point average into four tutorial groups. Each group rated on a 10-cm visual analog scale their perceptions of how well they believed the objectives for each of four cases were addressed. Repeated-measures analysis of variance was used to test the average differences among the tutorial groups for each case. Further, post hoc tests were performed to compare the means among groups for each objective.
Results. No significant differences were found in the average perceptions among the tutorial groups for any of the four cases. Student ratings indicated their overall perception that within each problem, preset objectives had been met.
Conclusion. The results support that students’ interpretations of learning objectives for PBL cases are consistent with the problem developers’ intended learning objectives. In addition, the similarities in the average scores for learning objectives across the four tutorial groups support the notion that PBL outcomes can be consistent among students, even though their study and discussions are in separate groups with different facilitators.
Construct-Related Validity of the Toglia Category Assessment and the Deductive Reasoning Test With Children Who Are Typically Developing
Authors: Josman Naomi , Jarus Tal 
Published: September 2010

Abstract
Objective. Both classification and deductive reasoning are essential cognitive components underlying any learning process and, therefore, are important to assess in children with developmental or learning disabilities. The aim of this study was to establish construct-related validity of the Toglia Category Assessment (TCA) and the Deductive Reasoning test, which were originally developed to evaluate adults with brain injury. This study represents the first step in validating and adapting the two tests for children who are typically developing.
Method. The study population consisted of 235 children without disabilities in 6 different age groups (from 5–11 years of age). Both the TCA and the Deductive Reasoning test were administered to all participants.
Results. The results of the study indicate significant differences in the average performance of children in several age groups on both the TCA and the Deductive Reasoning test, but they do not show differences among all the groups. Children could not predict their ability in either test, but most were able to estimate their ability after actual performance of the TCA. A significant correlation was found only for the 5-year-olds and 7-year-olds between the Deductive Reasoning test final score and the children’s estimation of their performance.
Conclusion. The findings of this study support the suitability of the TCA and the Deductive Reasoning test for use with children who are typically developing. We recommend that both tools be studied further to amplify their validity.
The Sensations of Everyday Life: Empirical, Theoretical, and Pragmatic Considerations
Authors: Dunn Winnie 
Published: September 2010

Abstract
The experience of being human is embedded in sensory events of everyday life. This lecture reviews sensory processing literature, including neuroscience and social science perspectives. Introduced is Dunn’s Model of Sensory Processing, and the evidence supporting this model is summarized. Specifically, using Sensory Profile questionnaires (i.e., items describing responses to sensory events in daily life; persons mark the frequency of each behavior), persons birth to 90 years of age demonstrate four sensory processing patterns: sensory seeking, sensory avoiding, sensory sensitivity, and low registration. These patterns are based on a person’s neurological thresholds and self-regulation strategies. Psychophysiology studies verify these sensory processing patterns; persons with strong preferences in each pattern also have unique patterns of habituation and responsivity in skin conductance. Studies also indicate that persons with disabilities respond differently than peers on these questionnaires, suggesting underlying poor sensory processing in certain disorders, including autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, developmental delays, and schizophrenia.
The author proposes relationships between sensory processing and temperament and personality traits. The four categories of temperament share some consistency with the four sensory processing patterns described in Dunn’s model. As with temperament, each person has some level of responsiveness within each sensory processing preference (i.e., a certain amount of seeking, avoiding, etc., not one or the other). The author suggests that one’s sensory processing preferences simultaneously reflect his or her nervous system needs and form the basis for the manifestation of temperament and personality. The final section of this lecture outlines parameters for developing best practice that supports interventions based on this knowledge.