The effects of a 12-week leisure centre-based, group exercise intervention for people moderately affected with multiple sclerosis: a randomized controlled pilot study

<b>Objective:</b> To establish the effects of a 12-week, community-based group exercise intervention for people moderately affected with multiple sclerosis. <b>Design:</b> Randomised controlled pilot trial. <b>Setting:</b> Two community leisure centres. <b>Participants:</b> Thirty-two participants with multiple sclerosis randomised into intervention or control groups. <b>Intervention:</b> The intervention group received 12 weeks of twice weekly, 60-minute group exercise sessions, including mobility, balance and resistance exercises. The control group received usual care. <b>Main outcome measures:</b> An assessor blinded to group allocation assessed participants at baseline, after eight weeks and after 12 weeks. The primary outcome measure was 25-foot (7.6 m) walk time, secondary outcomes assessed walking endurance, balance, physical function, leg strength, body mass index, activity levels, fatigue, anxiety and depression, quality of life and goal attainment. <b>Results:</b> The intervention made no statistically significant difference to the results of participants’ 25-foot walk time. However the intervention led to many improvements. In the intervention group levels of physical activity improved statistically between baseline and week 8 (P < 0.001) and baseline and week 12 (P = 0.005). Balance confidence results showed a significant difference between baseline and week 12 (P = 0.013). Good effect sizes were found for dynamic balance (d = 0.80), leg strength (d = 1.33), activity levels (d = 1.05) and perceived balance (d = 0.94). <b>Conclusion:</b> The results of the study suggest that community-based group exercise classes are a feasible option for people moderately affected with multiple sclerosis, and offer benefits such as improved physical activity levels, balance and leg strength

Macronutrient status and yield stability of arecanut (Kahikuchi) under integrated nutrient management practice in Assam

A long term field   experiment was carried out in clay-loam soil at ICAR-CPCRI, Kahikuchi campus,   Guwahati, Assam during 2000-2012 with arecanut variety Kahikuchi with seven   nutrient combinations. The treatments included control (T1), 100 per cent   vermicompost (T2), 200 per cent vermicompost (T3), 100 per cent chemical   fertilizer (T4), 50 per cent vermicompost + 50 per cent chemical fertilizer   (T5), 1/3rd vermicompost + 2/3rd chemical fertilizer   (T6) and 2/3rd vermicompost + 1/3rd chemical fertilizer   (T7). The treatment T7 produced highest fresh ripened arecanut yield of 16.7   kg i.e., about 3.6 kg dry chali per palm. Positive correlations were   obtained between yield of arecanut and soil available N, P, K content.   Significant and positive correlation was found between leaf N, P, K and   available N, P, K content in surface and sub-surface soil. Available N, P and   K content increased over the year under nutrient applied plot that reflected   in yield of arecanut. The average yield in various treatments followed in the   order of T7 > T5 = T6 > T2 = T3 > T4 > T1. The application of   targeted, sufficient and balanced quantities of organic and inorganic   fertilizer will be the need of the hour to make nutrients available for   higher yield, soil fertility maintenance and agricultural sustainability   without polluting environment

Effect of stocking density on growth of tiger shrimp (Penaeus monodon Fab.) fed on commercial formulated diets

Three different stocking rates in a semi-intensive pilot shrimp project was adopted in duplicates of three treatments designated as T1, T2 and T3 having initial per meter square stocking density of shrimp of 40, 44 and 51 respectively of 0.025g size post larva. The study was conducted for 84 days. Commercial pelleted diets designated as starter - 1, 2, 3 and grower were fed at a satiation level during the study period with a feeding frequency of 4 to 5 times per day. Feed rationing was based on the survivability, body weight and tray checking. 5-25% of the pond water was exchanged daily. Sampling was done for growth after every 2nd week. Monthly sampling was done for mortality in the ponds. Mean weight gain of the shrimp in treatments T1, T2 and T3 were 16.96 ± 1.14, 16.04 ± 1.38 and 14.08 ± 1.17g respectively and T1 with a low stocking density showed a significantly best growth among the treatments. Total mortality in treatments T1, T2 and T3 were as 30.00, 39.77 and 31.37% respectively. Significantly higher feed conversion ratio (FCR) of 1.87 was obtained with shrimp in treatment T3 followed by shrimp in T1 and T2 with FCR values of 1.70 and 1.41 respectively. A positive correlation of growth and salinity was observed during the study. Total production per unit area was the highest in the treatment T3 (4928 kg/ha) and followed by T1 (4747 kg/ha) and T2 (4251 kg/ha). The result show significantly negative correlation between individual growth and density

The effect of cycling using active-passive trainers on spasticity, cardiovascular fitness, function and quality of life in people with moderate to severe Multiple Sclerosis (MS): a feasibility study

Background: Exercise options for those with moderate to high levels of disability are limited. The aim of the study was to evaluate the feasibility of a progressive, four week lower limb cycling programme using active-passive trainers (APT's) on spasticity, cardiovascular fitness, function and quality of life in people with moderate to severe MS. Methods: Participants were in-patients in the Physical Disability Rehabilitation Unit, Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, Glasgow, UK and randomised to APT + usual care or usual care only. The APT group received 30 min of APT (2 min passive warm up, 26 min active cycling, 2 min passive cool down),five days per week for 4 weeks. Outcome measures; Oxygen Uptake Efficiency Slope, Modified Ashworth Scale, Multiple Sclerosis Spasticity Scale, Functional Independence Measure, Timed 25 foot walk test and the MSQOL-54, were taken before and after the intervention period. Symmetry, distance cycled and active participation were also recorded for each cycling session .Results:24 participants were recruited, 15 to the intervention and 9 to the control group. There was a 100% adherence to the intervention and a significant increase in average speed, power output and distance cycled (p< 0.001 for each) over the four weeks. There were no adverse events and both groups improved in average scores for all outcome measures. Conclusions: APT cycling was well tolerated, while the cycling parameters improved it was difficult to separate the effects of the therapy programme and APT cycling. A longer duration, fully powered trial in a community setting is merited

HUBUNGAN ANTARA PENDIDIKAN DAN PELATIHAN SERTA PENGHARGAAN DENGAN KINERJA PERAWAT DI RUANG RAWAT INAP RUMAH SAKIT UMUM PANCARAN KASIH GMIM KOTA MANADO

ABSTRAK   Rumah sakit sebagai salah satu jaringan pelayanan kesehatan memiliki peran strategis dalam penyediaan dan pengembangan sumber  daya  tenaga  kesehatan  yang  diharapkan memiliki  kompetensi  yang  sesuai  dengan perkembangan  pengetahuan  dan  demand  konsumen.  Perawat  merupakan  sumber  daya  tenaga  kesehatan dirumah sakit yang paling banyak jumlahnya, untuk itu kinerja perawat menjadi hal penting untuk diperhatikan. Pendidikan dan pelatihan serta penghargaan merupakan beberapa faktor yang dapat mempengaruhi kinerja seseorang. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah mengetahui hubungan antara Pendidikan dan Pelatihan serta Penghargaan dengan Kinerja Perawat di Ruang Rawat Inap RSU. Pancaran Kasih GMIM Kota Manado. : Jenis penelitian yang digunakan yaitu survei analitik dengan rancangan Cross Sectional Study dengan melibatkan 61 perawat. Data yang telah dikumpulkan dianalisis secara Univariat dan Bivariat. Data primer didapatkan dari kuesioner dan data sekunder di dapatkan dari profil rumah sakit. Uji statistik yang digunakan  adalah uji Chi Square  dengan bantuan program komputer. Hasil penelitian ini menunjukkan dari 61 responden bahwa sebesar 45,9% yang menilai Pendidikan dan Pelatihan baik dan kurang baik sebesar 54,1%, terdapat juga 47,5% yang menilai Penghargaan baik dan kurang baik sebesar 52,5% sementara sebesar 49,2% responden memiliki Kinerja baik dan sebesar 50,8% memiliki Kinerja kurang baik. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan ada hubungan antara Pendidikan dan Pelatihan dengan Kinerja perawat yaitu p value 0,003 (p0.05).     Kata Kunci : Kinerja Perawat, Penghargaan, Pendidikan dan Pelatihan         ABSTRACT Hospital as one of the health care networks has a  strategic role  in providing and development of health manpower resources which are expected to have appropriate competence and knowledge with the development of consumer demand. Nurse as a source of hospital health workers is the most numerous, so that the performance o f the nurse becomes important thing to note. Education and training as well as appreciation are some of the factors that can affect people's performance. The purpose of this study is to determine the relationship between education and training also appreciation with the Performance in Inpatient Room at Pancaran Kasih GMIM hospital, Manado. This type is an analytic study with cross sectional study design involving 61 nurses. The data has been collected and analyzed by univariate and Bivariate. Primary data obtained from questionnaires and secondary data is got from the hospital profile. The statistical test used Chi Square test with a computer program. The results shows that from 61 respondents there is 45.9% who value Education and training and less good is 54.1%, there is also 47.5% who value that appreciation is good and less good is 52.5% while there is 49.2% of respondents has good performance and of 50.8% has less good performance. The results shows there is a relationship between education and training with the nurses performance with p value= 0.003 (p 0.05).     Keywords : Nurse Performance, Appreciation, Education and Trainin

The Neoproterozoic Rivieradal Group of Kronprins Christian Land, eastern North Greenland

The Rivieradal Group, formally defined here, is confined to the Vandredalen thrust sheet of the Caledonian orogen in Kronprins Christian Land, eastern North Greenland. It comprises a succession of Neoproterozoic siliciclastic sediments that represent the fill of a half-graben basin. The syn-rift Rivieradal Group is overlain by post-rift sediments of the Hagen Fjord Group. The latter succession is present in both the thrust sheet and the Caledonian foreland to the west. In the foreland, where the Rivieradal Group is not represented, the Hagen Fjord Group disconformably overlies Palaeoproterozoic–Mesoproterozoic sandstones of the Independence Fjord Group

Studies on the growth and production of six major and exotic carps in Nasti baor, Jhenaidah, Bangladesh

An investigation on growth, production and fishery of three Indian major carps: rohu, Labeo rohita, catla, Catla catla and mrigal, Cirrhinus mrigala and three exotic carps: silver carp, Hypophthalmichthys molitrix, grass carp, Ctenopharyngodon idella, and common carp, Cyprinus carpio was carried out in Nasti baor during February to April months. In catch per unit effort (CPUE) study the highest catch/day/person (3.13 kg) and catch/day/gear (40.65 kg) was recorded in the month of March for kochal fishing. In komar fishing catch/day/person (15.08 kg) and catch/day/gear (1206 kg) was also found higher in March. Komar fishing was done only in March and April and its CPUE was greater in both the months than that of kochal. The average recovery rate (combination of all six species) was 37.80 considering the stocking from July month of the previous year. The recovery rate of common carp (54.1) was the highest and lowest (13.90) in case of silver carp. When the recovery was calculated on the basis of one year data and stocking, it was 55.6%. Analysis of production model revealed that the present production (54,806 kg/year) is less than both theoretical production (model I- 85,285 kg/year and model II -75,952 kg/year) estimated. Therefore, it may be concluded that the fish production from Nasti baor could still be increased from the present level of production

Chaos and Quantum-Classical Correspondence via Phase Space Distribution Functions

Quantum-classical correspondence in conservative chaotic Hamiltonian systems is examined using a uniform structure measure for quantal and classical phase space distribution functions. The similarities and differences between quantum and classical time-evolving distribution functions are exposed by both analytical and numerical means. The quantum-classical correspondence of low-order statistical moments is also studied. The results shed considerable light on quantum-classical correspondence.Comment: 16 pages, 5 figures, to appear in Physical Review

Sustainability of soil health and system productivity through arecanut based cropping system in the NE Region of India

The North-Eastern part of India contains seven states out of which, Assam is the major producer of arecanut. An attempt was made to study the impact of arecanut based multiple cropping system with proper utilization of recyclable resources on the long-term sustainability of acid soil at Kahikuchi. A long term arecanut based High-Density Multispecies Cropping System garden comprised of two models viz., Model-1 (M1): arecanut (Areca catechu), black pepper (Piper nigrum), banana (Musa spp.), citrus (Citrus limon) and clove (Syzygium aromaticum) and Model-2 (M2): arecanut, black pepper, banana, citrus and nutmeg (Myristica fragrans) as component crops was used. Both the models were sub-divided into three treatments viz., Full dose of recommended fertiliser (T1), 2/3rd of the recommended dose (T2) and 1/3rd of the recommended dose (T3) combined with treatment-wise recycling available biomass in the form of vermicompost and each treatment was replicated thrice. The results indicated that the quantity of recyclable biomass generated ranged between 8.27 to 12.23 t ha-1 year-1 and 8.11 to 12.38 t ha-1 year-1 in model-1 and model-2, respectively and revealed that the T2 treatment in both models improved the soil properties with respect to soil pH, organic carbon, available N, P and K status. Economics of the cropping system revealed that the maximum return was obtained from both Models under T2. The average benefit:cost ratio of T1, T2 & T3 was 3.38, 4.42 & 3.47 under model-1 and 3.34, 4.08 and 3.40 under model-2, respectively. Sustenance of soil pH above 5.0 over the years in the arecanut rhizosphere in both the models were found under T2, but T1 and T3 treatments showed a slow declining of pH towards increasing soil acidity

Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry for the rapid identification of yeasts causing bloodstream infections

AbstractFew studies have systematically standardised and evaluated matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) for identification of yeasts from bloodstream infections. This is rapidly becoming pertinent for early identification of yeasts and appropriate antifungal therapy. We used 354 yeast strains identified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) sequencing for standardisation and 367 blind clinical strains for validation of our MALDI-TOF MS protocols. We also evaluated different sample preparation methods and found the on-plate formic acid extraction method as most cost- and time-efficient. The MALDI-TOF assay correctly identified 98.9% of PCR-sequenced yeasts. Novel main spectrum projections (MSP) were developed for Candida auris, C. viswanathii and Kodamaea ohmeri, which were missing from the Bruker MALDI-TOF MS database. Spectral cut-offs computed by receiver operating characteristics (ROC) analysis showed 99.4% to 100% accuracy at a log score of ≥1.70 for C. tropicalis, C. parapsilosis, C. pelliculosa, C. orthopsilosis, C. albicans, C. rugosa, C. guilliermondii, C. lipolytica, C. metapsilosis, C. nivariensis. The differences in the species-specific scores of our standardisation and blind validation strains were not statistically significant, implying the optimal performance of our test protocol. The MSPs of the three new species also were validated. We conclude that MALDI-TOF MS is a rapid, accurate and reliable tool for identification of bloodstream yeasts. With proper standardisation, validation and regular database expansion, its efficiency can be further enhanced