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Participation in community activities contributes to child development and health-related quality of life (HRQOL), but restricted participation has been reported in children with disabilities. Occupational performance coaching (OPC) is an intervention that targets participatory goals in child performance through coaching parents, with evidence of effectiveness for pediatric populations. Little is known about the feasibility of OPC in Hong Kong, or its effect on children&rsquo, s community participation and HRQOL. A mixed-methods case study design was applied to explore Hong Kong parents&rsquo, experience of OPC in relation to goal achievement, community participation, and HRQOL change in children. Four parents of young children with developmental disabilities (aged five to six years) received OPC for three to eight sessions within one to three months. Quantitative pre- and post-intervention data were analyzed descriptively. Semi-structured interviews with parents were conducted at post-intervention, and analyzed using content analysis. Results showed a trend of improvement in goal performance, child involvement in community activities, and specific aspects of HRQOL among most participants. Parents perceived undertaking OPC positively, described gaining insights and skills, and felt supported. The findings suggest that OPC warrants further investigation for use in Hong Kong, to promote children&rsquo, s community participation and quality of life.

Although low levels of stress can be motivating, high levels of stress – especially when it is sustained – can be detrimental to mental and physical health. Mindfulness practice has been widely applied in health care worldwide as an effective stress management approach. This study compared the immediate effects of two types (religious: Serenity Prayer; and non-religious: Body Scan) of mindfulness practice with a control condition (resting: sitting) in six adults. This study found no statistically significant difference between the conditions, but data visualization showed a trend of cardiovascular modulation (increased high frequency of heart rate variability) and cortical modulation (increased alpha to beta ratio and theta to beta ratio of quantitative encephalogram) with a greater level of perceived stress-relieved by both types of mindfulness practice. In addition, religious belief may be a moderator of the effects of intervention. The results of this study offered insight into the effect of prayer on cardiovascular and cortical modulation for promoting the wellbeing of a person.

Main text A regional key comparison on calibration of a line scale, APMP.L-K7 was conducted. KRISS acted as the pilot laboratory, and a total of 15 National Metrology Institutes, (10 from APMP, 3 from EURAMET, 1 from SIM, and 1 from AFRIMETS) have participated in this comparison, where a 500 mm line scale made of low thermal expansion material was circulated during the period from April 2015 to December 2016. This document presents the approved report of the results of this comparison. To reach the main text of this paper, click on Final Report. Note that this text is that which appears in Appendix B of the BIPM key comparison database https://www.bipm.org/kcdb/. The final report has been peer-reviewed and approved for publication by the CCL, according to the provisions of the CIPM Mutual Recognition Arrangement (CIPM MRA).

A mathematical model is developed, which considers creep at the nonlinear range of stresses, shrinkage, aging, cracking, and the geometric nonlinearity in reinforced concrete columns. Creep is modelled through the modified principle of superposition that is based on the use of a stress-dependent compliance function. The governing equations are solved through numerical integration in time and the multiple-shooting method for the solution in space. An iterative procedure is used for convergence at each time step. A numerical study is conducted, which reveals the importance of considering the combined geometric and material nonlinear effects in the creep analysis of concrete columns.

In June 2016, an advanced extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) program consisting of a multidisciplinary team was initiated at a large level-one trauma center. The program was created to standardize management for patients with a wide variety of pathologies, including trauma. This study evaluated the impact of the advanced ECMO program on the outcomes of traumatically injured patients undergoing ECMO. A retrospective cohort study was performed on all patients sustaining traumatic injury who required ECMO support from January 2014 to September 2017. The primary outcome was to determine survival in trauma ECMO patients in the two timeframes, before and after initiation of the advanced ECMO program. Secondary outcomes included complication rates, length of stay, ventilator usage, and ECMO days. One hundred and thirty eight patients were treated with ECMO during the study period. Of the 138 patients, 22 sustained traumatic injury. Seven patients were treated in our pre-group and 15 in our post-group. The majority of patients were treated with VV ECMO. Our post group VV ECMO extracorporeal survival rate was 64% and our survival to discharge was 55%. This study demonstrated an improvement in survival after implementation of our advanced ECMO program. The implementation of a multidisciplinary trauma ECMO team dedicated to the rescue of critically ill patients is the key for achieving excellent outcomes in the trauma population.

The Rideau Canal has served several purposes since its establishment in 1832. Acting as a channel connecting Ottawa and Kingston, it was often used for the transport of commercial goods and lumber. Over time, its uses expanded to include recreational purposes such as: sport fishing, boating, cottaging, and tourism. This increased development and use has caused the Rideau Canal and its watersheds to become vulnerable to metal contamination. Studies within Dr. Linda Campbell’s Lab at Queen’s University have shown that cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), chromium (Cr), zinc (Zn), mercury (Hg), arsenic (As), and copper (Cu), are in concentrations that have reached or exceeded the level of potential concern for both aquatic and human health. This study explores the potential sources as well as both natural and human factors which could be related to the influx in metal contaminants within the system. A literature review of both historical and recent documents was completed and supplemented with personal interviews with professionals and community members. Based on these investigations, the primary sources being reviewed are: atmospheric deposition, natural geological processes, and anthropogenic factors relating to residential development. While research is still ongoing preliminary analysis suggests that these are the primary sources of contamination within the area.

Few studies have so far discussed how to measure youth entrepreneurship potential, a critical construct to enhance the success and performance outcomes of entrepreneurship education programs. This article investigates the adaptation of a measurement model of youth entrepreneurship potential, which a psychology strand of the extant entrepreneurship literature from the USA and Europe identified as characteristics of 'successful' future entrepreneurs. Two subsequent questionnaires were administered to measure youth entrepreneurship potential as part of an entrepreneurship education program in Mindanao, Philippines, a marginalised context. The first questionnaire had scales based on personality traits of autonomy, need for achievement, innovativeness and risk-taking propensity as per the extant literature, while the second had adapted scales to the local context. A confirmatory factor analysis tested the effectiveness of both measurement models. Results indicated that the locally adapted measurement model was more effective to assess youth entrepreneurship potential in the context of Mindanao, Philippines.

Emphasis has been put forth in the field of applied energy towards reducing consumption, using renewable energy sources and mitigating pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. Although these strategies are striving to achieve the same goal, there is no logical model that clearly establishes their pathway to success; therefore, DOSSA, a new and innovative model, has been developed to provide this necessary central bridge of multiple pathways through five easy and adaptable steps: (1) Data inventory; (2) Objectives; (3) Staff/Committee; (4) Strategy; and (5) Accountability (DOSSA). In this study, the DOSSA model was applied and compared to the University of Hawai’i at Manoa’s (UHM’s) current strategic energy plan: to achieve zero emissions in terms of energy by the year 2050. Under proper execution of each step from the model, this study shows the effectiveness of the application of DOSSA to any goal or objective by increasing efficiency and creative and innovative approaches to problems, specifically, environmental initiatives. Through the application of DOSSA in this case study at UHM, it was projected that UHM has the potential to be completely self-sustainable in terms of energy consumption approximately 23 years earlier to its expected “strategic plan” date of 2050. Thus, DOSSA cannot only be used as an instigator for achieving reduction goals but also as an accelerator for various green initiatives – a highway to energy self-sustainability.

Desensitization of the leukocyte beta-receptor system has been associated with a functional uncoupling of the components of the beta-receptor complex. In order to determine whether desensitization and uncoupling of the leukocyte beta-receptor is associated with any structural alterations in the beta-receptor, we studied labeling of lymphocytes using the photoactive beta-adrenergic antagonist p-azido-m-[125I]iodobenzylcarazolol. Labeled peptides were separated by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and detected using autoradiographic techniques. In broken cell preparations, specific labeling was demonstrated in two major peptide bands: mol wt approximately equal to 68,000 and mol wt approximately equal to 55,000. Inhibition of photolabeling was stereospecific and demonstrated an order of potency for agonists consistent with labeling of a beta 2-receptor. Preincubation of cells with the beta-agonist, isoproterenol, resulted in a reduction in beta-adrenergic-mediated adenylate cyclase activity to 60% of control, but no change in total binding sites as determined by [125I]iodocyanopindolol binding. In photolabeling studies, desensitization was associated with a reduction in proportional labeling of the 55,000 mol wt band as compared to the 68,000 mol wt band to 58 +/- 3% of control and a reduction in mobility of the upper band. These studies suggest that structural alterations in the human lymphocyte beta-receptors occur with desensitization, analogous to changes in several other beta-receptor model systems. Also, since the techniques described can identify alterations in human beta-receptor structure, these methods may be exploited to determine whether structural alterations in lymphocyte beta-receptors may occur in human disease states.

We studied the regulation of beta-adrenergic receptors in human mononuclear leukocytes (MNL). Total receptor number was determined as specific binding at 4 C of [3H] dihydroalprenolol or [125I]iodopindolol, and redistributed receptors were defined as those binding sites to which the hydrophilic antagonist CGP-12177 did not have access. Receptor function was assessed as cAMP accumulation stimulated by isoproterenol. In in vitro experiments, high concentrations of isoproterenol desensitized receptor function and promoted redistribution of about 80% of the receptors away from the cell surface. However, three in vivo protocols (upright posture for 3 h, moderate exercise, and infusion of isoproterenol for 30 min) redistributed few beta-adrenergic receptors on MNL. The 30-min isoproterenol infusion did not alter later cAMP accumulation, but posture change and exercise increased isoproterenol-stimulated cAMP accumulation in intact MNL. Infusion of isoproterenol for 120 min redistributed 9 +/- 2% (+/- SEM) of the receptors and decreased isoproterenol-stimulated cAMP accumulation by 19 +/- 6%. Isoproterenol-stimulated adenylate cyclase activity in membranes isolated from MNL previously was found to be decreased with upright posture, and we confirmed these findings in assays that did not include exogenous GTP, but instead relied upon guanine nucleotides retained in the membrane preparation. However, when excess GTP was included, isoproterenol-stimulated adenylate cyclase activity in MNL membranes was not altered by posture change. We conclude that substantial receptor redistribution of beta-receptors on MNL does not readily occur in physiological situations.

Little is known about neurohumoral control of the embryonic cardiovascular system. We studied the effect of increasing intravenous doses of isoproterenol, epinephrine and norepinephrine on heart rate (HR), mean dorsal aortic blood flow (Q)), mean vitelline artery pressure (P) and vascular resistance (R) in the stage 24 (4 day) chick embryo. Dorsal aortic blood velocity was measured with a 20 MHz pulsed-Doppler velocity meter. Pressure was measured with a servo null pressure system. β receptor properties were determined using radioligand binding and β agonist stimulated adenylate cyclase activity on vitelline vascular bed broken-cell preparation. Isoproterenol > epinephrine > norepinephrine caused a dose related decrease in Q, an increase in R but no change in HR or P. These effects were blocked by propranolol but unaffected by phenoxybenzamine. Radioligand binding was characteristic of a β receptor with a KD for [125I] Iodocyanopindolol of 10±3 pM and a receptor density of 139±8 fmol/mg protein. Isoproterenol increased adenylate cyclase activity 55%±6% from baseline values. These data are consistent with a β receptor which stimulates adenylate cyclase activity and mediates paradoxical vasoconstriction. Since isoproterenol causes vasodilatation in mature embryos, we speculate β receptor function changes with development.