Search

Background/aim Health promotion and prevention is an important component of occupational therapy practice. Falls are one of the most common causes of ER visits among older adults and injurious falls requiring trauma care can have a significant impact on the health and quality of life of elders. The aim of this study was to compare characteristics and consequences of falls among older adult trauma patients across different age groups with an eye towards informing injury prevention programs. Methods A retrospective study using the trauma database from a level one trauma centre in the U.S. (N = 711) was conducted. We compared patient and fall characteristics across age groups and then used logistic regression to estimate odds ratios for hospital length of stay >4 days, discharge disposition, and injury severity (ISS >15). Results Associations between age group and fall height, location and alcohol use at the time of the fall were statistically significant (P

AIM: The aim of the present study was to examine significant differences in patient characteristics, associated factors and outcomes for indoor versus outdoor falls among trauma patients. METHODS: A retrospective cross-sectional study using data from the trauma registry and electronic medical records at a level 1 trauma center in the USA was carried out. People aged 55 years or older, for whom fall location could be identified (n = 712), were included in the study. Demographic information, functional status before admission, comorbid conditions, activation level, Injury Severity Score, discharge disposition and injury type were included in the comparative analyses. Associated factors for falls and fractures in each location were also examined using logistic regression. RESULTS: Significant differences were found in patient characteristics between indoor and outdoor fallers. Significant differences in outcomes were found related to discharge disposition and injury type. Open wounds were more common among outdoor fallers (26.5%) as compared with indoor fallers (16.3%, P = 0.002). Although disorders of joints with difficulty walking were associated with fractures among both indoor (OR 7.20, CI 2.19-23.66) and outdoor fallers (OR 5.65, CI 1.27-25.06), sex was only associated with fractures among those who fell indoors (OR 1.69 CI 1.12-2.56). CONCLUSIONS: Significant differences exist in characteristics of indoor and outdoor fallers, and for discharge disposition and injury type for each fall location among patients admitted for trauma care. Factors associated with fractures differ between indoor and outdoor fallers. RESULTS can help to inform targeted primary and secondary prevention initiatives.© 2016 Japan Geriatrics Society. Language: en

The purpose of the study was to examine the effects of participation in the Living Legends program upon health science students' image of older adults and interest in working with older people. A multisite quasi-experimental control group design with a connected qualitative component was used. Program sites included three Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities (NORCs) and one senior center. Health science students (n = 43) from two universities and two community colleges and community-dwelling seniors (n = 39) participated in the program. A baseline questionnaire was used to ascertain demographic characteristics and prior type and amount of contact with older adults. The Image of Aging Scale and Likert-style questions to measure interest in working with older adults were the primary outcome measures. Written responses to program experiences were also collected. Analysis of covariance was used to compare changes in Image of Aging subscale scores from pre- to posttest. Mean change in positive image of older adults subscale scores was 4.6 (SD = 4.4) for the intervention group and -0.6 (SD = 4.8) for the control group. The difference between groups was significant (F = 22.0, P < .001), and the effect size was large (Cohen's d = 1.07). Nine of the 22 students in the intervention group had a greater interest in working with seniors after the program. Qualitative themes that emerged included a positive and beneficial experience, life lessons, seeing the person beyond the visible, power of the written word, and shared lives. Living Legends is an effective program to enhance positive images of older adults in future healthcare professionals and may have a positive impact on some students with regard to interest in working with older adults.

The paper describes a numerical study to investigate the effect of the thermo-mechanical properties of heat resisting Nickel and Chromium alloys, used for super plastic forming (SPF) tools, on the tool service behaviour. The purpose of the paper is to rank the relative importance of each property studied for the heat resisting class of cast nickel and chromium alloys, subjected to repeated thermal cycles under typical industrial SPF conditions. A finite element model of a tool block within an industrial press furnace was developed to simulate the typical thermal cycles of an SPF tool, and predict the resulting mechanical performance. Important thermal and mechanical properties were identified for the cast nickel and chromium class of alloys studied in this paper and suitable ranges for the properties were determined for numerical simulations. The results include a quantitative analysis of the effect of the properties studied.

Resettled refugees living in Western countries frequently report high levels of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression. This study sought to measure levels of physiological arousal in a group of resettled Iraqi refugees in Australia receiving psychological treatment. A continuous recording of electrocardiogram (ECG) data was used to examine baseline heart rate (HR) and heart rate variability (HRV) in refugees (n = 25) and healthy age- and sex-matched controls (n = 23). Descriptively, PTSD (48%) was the most commonly noted disorder followed equally by major depressive episode (36%) and dysthymia (36%) in the refugees. Examination of the physiological data indicated that the refugee group had increased resting HR compared with healthy controls (78.84 vs. 60.08 beats per minute, p < .001). No significant differences were noted in the HRV data with age, gender, and years of education included in the model. This finding highlights the importance of examining levels of arousal in refugees presenting with mental health complaints to provide appropriate treatment strategies.

Preliminary measurements have been made of the volatile compounds emitted by the bacterium E. coli JM109 cultured in the commonly used media Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium (DMEM) and lysogeny broth (LB) using selected ion flow tube mass spectrometry, SIFT-MS, as a step towards the real time, non-invasive monitoring of accidental infections of mammalian cell cultures. In one procedure, the culture medium alone and the E. coli cells/medium combination were held at 37 °C in bottles sealed with septa for a given time period, usually overnight, to allow the bacterium to proliferate, after which the captured headspace was analysed directly by SIFT-MS. Several compounds were seen to be produced by the E. coli cells that depended on the liquid medium used: when cultured in DMEM, copious amounts of ethanol, acetaldehyde and hydrogen sulphide were produced; in LB ammonia is the major volatile product. In a second procedure, to ensure aerobic conditions prevailed in the cell culture, selected volatile compounds were monitored by SIFT-MS in real time for several hours above the open-to-air E. coli/DMEM culture held at close to 37 °C. The temporal variations in the concentrations of some compounds, which reflect their production rates in the culture, indicate maxima. Thus, the maxima in the ethanol and acetaldehyde production are a reflection of the reduction of glucose from the DMEM by the vigorous E. coli cells and the maximum in the hydrogen sulphide level is an indication of the loss of the sulphur-bearing amino acids from the DMEM. Serendipitously, emissions from DMEM inadvertently infected with the bacterium C. testosteroni were observed when large quantities of ammonia were seen to be produced. The results of this preliminary study suggest that monitoring volatile compounds might assist in the early detection of bacterial infection in large-scale bioreactors.

Several aquatic plants (Azolla filiculoides, Cladophora sp., Elodea sp., and Lemna sp.) were fed singly to groups of 30 juvenile Malaysian prawns (Macrobrachium rosenbergii) for 28 days, and comparisons were made with control prawns fed Ralston Purina Ration #20. The comparisons made were survival, weight change, and molting frequency. The animals ingested all diets during the experiment, though none on a plant diet fared as well as the controls in weight gains and survival by day 28. The controls increased 65% in dry weight, whereas the others lost weight. The control group had significantly higher survival by day 28, although on day 16 survival was better only than that of the Cladophora-fed group. Most deaths of plantfed prawns were in the last week of the experiment, whereas the control group had no deaths after day 9. In general, molting peaks occurred in 8–10 day cycles, and all groups molted less in the latter half of the experiment. Group percents for molting during various periods were consistently highest for controls. Molt/day, averaged over 28 days, was 7.3, 2.5, 4.0, 3.8, and 5.0% for the control, Azolla, Cladophora, Elodea, and Lemna groups, respectively. A single-species plant diet apparently did not satisfy the nutritional requirements of the prawn as indicated by increased mortality and decreased weight.

Three model 2,4,6-tris(amino)-1,3,5-triazines, structurally related to a dyestuff molecule previously studied by NMR, were synthesized in order to enable the effects of rotamer exchange on the NMR spectra to be investigated in more detail. Two of the compounds are novel. Internal rotation of the triazine ring substituents was studied by variable-temperature solution-state 1H, 13C and 15N NMR spectroscopy. All the expected rotamers were detected for each molecule. Rotamer exchange rates varied from slow to fast over the temperature range −40 to 90 °C, as observed for the dyestuff molecule itself. Solid-state 13C and 15N NMR provided information about the structures of the solid molecules. A full crystal structure determination from high-resolution powder x-ray diffraction was achieved for one of the molecules using simulated annealing techniques. Ab initio MO and 15N NMR chemical shift calculations, based on energy-minimized structures derived from the x-ray structure determination, enabled the effect of intermolecular hydrogen bonding on the 15N NMR chemical shifts to be studied. The results compared favourably with the experimental solid-state 15N NMR shifts. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The free acids and sodium salts of a series of sulphonated azobenzene dyestuffs were examined in the solid and solution states by 13C and 15N NMR spectroscopy. In solution the spectra of both the free acids and salts are characteristic of trans-azobenzene structures, as are the spectra of the solid samples of the salts. However, the spectra obtained from solid samples of the free acids are very different and are interpreted in terms of resonance structures of the azonium tautomers. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The effect of the ecdysone agonists RH-2485 (proposed name methoxyfenozide) and tebufenozide (RH-5992), was examined on eggs and larvae of the southwestern corn borer, Diatraea grandiosella Dyar. Both compounds exhibited a concentration-dependent ovicidal activity. More than 95% of eggs died when egg masses were dipped in solutions of 100 or 200 mg liter -1 of either compound in acetone + distilled water (1 + 1 by volume). Although some eggs treated with 1 or 10 mg liter -1 of the compounds hatched, the survival rate was low. Newly hatched larvae were fed for seven days on an artificial diet containing RH-2485 or tebufenozide. The LC 50 values were 0.049 mg kg -1 for RH-2485 and 0.185 mg kg -1 for tebufenozide, showing that RH-2485 was about four times more active than was tebufenozide. Although increasing the time of exposure to either compound decreased the LC 50 value significantly, the relative potency of RH-2485 versus tebufenozide was not changed. Newly ecdysed 4th-instar larvae fed with diets containing 0.125, 0.25 or 0.5 mg kg -1 RH-2485 or tebufenozide ceased feeding approximately 8 h after exposure, indicating that larvae had prematurely entered a molting cycle. Larvae treated with RH-2485 ecdysed earlier and died more quickly than those treated with tebufenozide. Ingestion of sublethal concentrations of RH-2485 (0.005 and 0.01 mg kg -1 ) or tebufenozide (0.03 and 0.06 mg kg -1 ) retarded larval growth, and decreased pupal weight and adult emergence. Increasing exposure time to tebufenozide tended to increase the larval mortality, significantly retarded larval growth, and decreased the mean weights of male and female pupae and adult emergence. RH-2485 (0.125 and 0.25 mg kg -1 ) and tebufenozide (0.25 and 0.5 mg kg -1 ) were lethal to newly hatched larvae, even after diets containing these compounds were held for 20 days at 30°C under long days (16 h light: 8 h dark). Our results suggest that field trials to assess the potential of RH-2485 and tebufenozide to control D. grandiosella are warranted.

A proton NMR database extension of the commercial spectroscopy database system SPECINFO has been developed. Compressed full data are stored, retrieved and displayed, including integrals, Standard SPECINFO search facilities of structure, name and formula are possible. Data entry has been highly automated to allow the rapid creation of a useful database.

The cold-hardening capacity of field-collected larvae from southeast Missouri and laboratory-reared larvae of the southwestern corn borer, Diatraea grandiosella Dyar, was examined. Supercooling points of non-diapause and diapause larvae collected from maize plants grown in Missouri (36° 30′ N lat.) were ca. -7.0 °C. The hemolymph melting points of diapause field larvae (-0.8 °C) were significantly lower than those of non-diapause larvae collected in July (-0.5 °C). The supercooling points of hemolymph from non-diapause and diapause field larvae ranged randomly from -10° to -18 °C. Supercooling points of non-diapause laboratory larvae increased from -13° to -10 °C prior to pupation, whereas those of diapause larvae increased similarly before the onset of diapause, but then decreased during diapause to ca. -17 °C. No change in supercooling points or capacity to survive in the presence of ice was observed in diapause laboratory larvae acclimated at 4 °C for 63 days. Laboratory and field larvae began to freeze at ca. -1.5 °C in the presence of ice, but survived to several degrees below their melting points. The high supercooling points of field larvae appeared to be due to the presence of an environmental ice-nucleator. Although data for laboratory larvae indicate sufficiently low supercooling points to permit winter survival in southeastern Missouri, considerable larval mortality occurs in the field due to inoculative freezing and the presence of an ice-nucleator.

The synthesis, processing, and secretion of lipophorin by the larval fat body of the southwestern corn borer, Diatraea grandiosella, was examined using in vitro techniques. Pulse-labeling of lipophorin with [35S]methionine showed that apolipophorin-I and -II were each synthesized and secreted from the fat body into Grace's medium with an intracellular transit time of about 45 min. Secretion of the apolipoproteins from the fat body became insensitive to the presence of monensin, which disrupts protein processing in the Golgi complex, at 30 min, indicating that most of the pulse-labeled apolipoprotein has transited the Golgi complex by this time. Three inhibitors of protein processing, carbonylcyanide m-chlorophenyl hydrazone, monensin, and brefeldin A, inhibited secretion of lipophorin into medium. Puromycin treatment did not appear to result in the secretion into the medium of lipophorin particles containing incomplete translation products of apolipophorin-I or -II. Incubation of fat bodies with [3H]oleate resulted in the secretion of lipophorin containing [3H]glycerides, a process that was inhibited by cycloheximide, puromycin, and monensin, indicating that apolipoprotein synthesis is required for secretion of [3H]glyceride on nascent lipophorin particles. In contrast, suramin, which has been shown to block the binding of lipophorin to plasma membrane receptors, inhibited the synthesis and secretion of lipophorin, but it did not appear to inhibit the transfer of [3H]lipid from the fat body to lipophorin. Inhibitors of protein synthesis and processing, therefore, can be used to distinguish between secretion of lipophorin-associated lipids and secretion of lipids mediated by the lipid-transfer particle outside the plasma membrane of the fat body.