Is exposure to secondhand smoke associated with cognitive parameters of children and adolescents?—a systematic literature review

PURPOSE: Despite the known association of second hand smoke (SHS) with increased risk of ill health and mortality, the effects of SHS exposure on cognitive functioning in children and adolescents are unclear. Through a critical review of the literature we sought to determine whether a relationship exists between these variables. METHODS: The authors systematically reviewed articles (dated 1989–2012) that investigated the association between SHS exposure (including in utero due to SHS exposure by pregnant women) and performance on neurocognitive and academic tests. Eligible studies were identified from searches of Web of Knowledge, MEDLINE, Science Direct, Google Scholar, CINAHL, EMBASE, Zetoc, and Clinicaltrials.gov. RESULTS: Fifteen articles were identified, of which 12 showed inverse relationships between SHS and cognitive parameters. Prenatal SHS exposure was inversely associated with neurodevelopmental outcomes in young children, whereas postnatal SHS exposure was associated with poor academic achievement and neurocognitive performance in older children and adolescents. Furthermore, SHS exposure was associated with an increased risk of neurodevelopmental delay. CONCLUSIONS: Recommendations should be made to the public to avoid sources of SHS and future research should investigate interactions between SHS exposure and other risk factors for delayed neurodevelopment and poor cognitive performance

Physical activity and cognition in the elderly

Dementia is a common cause of disability in the elderly and, in the absence of a successful long-term treatment, it is important to investigate possible lifestyle interventions to help reduce an individual s risk of developing the condition. This thesis investigated the relationship between physical activity and dementia risk, finding that not all research supports the link. The literature review presented in this thesis (Chapter 2) highlighted several possible mediating factors, specifically the type of physical activity performed, the cognitive domains being studied and participant characteristics. Women seemed most susceptible to the effect of physical activity and some other forms of midlife interventions, possible mechanisms for which were discussed in another review (Appendix A). The cognitive test battery to be used in later studies was evaluated for its relevance to dementia and treatment during a 6-month study of Alzheimer's disease patients and their carers (Chapter 3). Memory tasks were found to be especially sensitive to clinical outcomes of dementia treatment (Chapter 4). An observational study of Indonesian elderly found a positive relationship between physical activity and memory performance on the same tests. This effect was strongest in women and in those with no pre-existing cognitive impairment (Chapter 5). However, the relationship could be further modified by other demographic factors, such as education. Health was independently affected in this model by exercise and its association with engaging in physical activity in this cohort was further investigated in Chapter 6. A randomised controlled trial (Chapter 7) was conducted to assess the effect of a 12-week programme of non-aerobic physical activity in sedentary middle-aged adults. Results indicated that resistance training, but not flexibility exercises, influenced memory but not executive function. Overall, this thesis suggests that several types of physical activity may be effective at slowing cognitive decline in elderly groups who are at increased risk of dementia, such as those in middle age and elderly women (Chapter 8). These findings should be expanded with the aim to improve healthcare advice and influence policy-making

Cliff Cottage, Bangor, Maine: 1847-1947

Details the history of the Kenduskeag Avenue, Bangor, Maine, residence of John Edwards Godfrey. Godfrey, in addition to being a judge, was the author of numerous articles on the history of early Maine. Covers Godfrey\u27s family history as told by his granddaughter, Angela Godfrey Clifford.https://digicom.bpl.lib.me.us/books_pubs/1304/thumbnail.jp

Induced Defects in Carbonaceous Materials for Hydrogen Storage

The induced defects in carbonaceous materials for hydrogen storage were studied. The effect of exfoliation was studied and the graphite nanofibers (GNF) diameter before and after exfoliation was quantified. Thermal decomposition of the GNF before and after sulfuric/nitric acid exfoliation indicated a clear loss of thermal stability. GNF exfoliation enhanced the hydrogen uptake by a factor of five compared to the untreated GNF. The amorphous carbon was reactive than GNF, and decomposed before the GNF. The higher pretreatment temperature was intended to preferentially remove amorphous carbon leaving a higher purity of exfoliated GNF

A cross-sectional study of physical activity and health-related quality of life in an elderly Indonesian cohort

© The College of Occupational Therapists Ltd.Introduction: Improving health-related quality of life (QoL) may have far-reaching clinical implications, and previous studies have shown associations between participation in physical activity and higher QoL. However, it is unclear which types of physical activity are particularly beneficial and how much of this relationship is explained by instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) following physical activity. Method: This observational study measured frequency of participation in several different physical activities and IADL scores in a large elderly, community-dwelling sample. Hierarchical regression analyses were used to assess relationships between these variables and self-rated QoL using the Medical Outcome Survey SF-36 questionnaire. Findings: Participation in walking was found to be associated with higher QoL ratings in older men and women. IADL scores were correlated with QoL ratings but only partially mediated the association between walking and QoL. Participation in other types of physical activity was not significantly associated with QoL ratings. Conclusion:Walking may be recommended alongside treatment for illness or disability due to its potential benefits to QoL and treatment outcomes. Further research should investigate the role of physical fitness in this relationship, to determine whether these findings can be replicated in different populations

Personal sacrifice and corporate cultures: career progression for disabled staff in higher education

Disabled people are under-represented in higher education (HE), especially in senior posts. This article reports research on the perspectives of career progression into leadership held by disabled staff in one post-1992 university. Findings indicated that some participants were already engaged in leadership or aspired to such roles, and reported positive experiences. However, participants also experienced barriers to progression, including a lack of awareness of equality and diversity among managers and colleagues, inadequate professional development opportunities and the competitive organisational culture of management that could impact on their health and work–life balance. We conclude that disabled staff in HE do not yet have equal opportunities for progression into leadership roles compared with their non-disabled peers. There is a need for realignment of the culture of leadership and management to make it more compatible with the full inclusion of disabled staff in HE such that their unique contributions are valued

Management of severe tetanus using magnesium sulfate – The experience in a tertiary health institution in Southern Nigeria

Tetanus is a vaccine-preventable disease caused by the neurotoxin of Clostridium tetani: A motile, Gram-positive, sporeforming obligate anaerobe commonly found in the soil, dust, and alimentary canals of various animals. It remains a public health challenge in the developing countries as the morbidity and mortality rates remain high unlike in the developed world where the incidence is markedly low and no longer contributory to significant mortality. We report two male adolescents admitted in the pediatric department of a tertiary medical center of Nigeria for severe tetanus following an open injury to the limbs. Due to poor response to initial management with the combination of chlorpromazine, phenobarbitone, and diazepam, the latter was replaced with continuous infusion of magnesium sulfate after a loading dose was administered. Both the patients recovered without any prevailing complications and were discharged after 26 and 50 days of hospitalization, respectively, after receiving tetanus toxoid and were subsequently followed up. Successful severe tetanus management without the use of sophisticated medical gadgets and expensive treatment in a resource-poor economy is achievable as demonstrated by our study with the use of magnesium sulfate infusion

Clostridium difficile Infection in Outpatients, Maryland and Connecticut, USA, 2002–2007

Clostridium difficile, the most commonly recognized diarrheagenic pathogen among hospitalized persons, can cause outpatient diarrhea. Of 1,091 outpatients with diarrhea, we found 43 (3.9%) who were positive for C. difficile toxin. Only 7 had no recognized risk factors, and 3 had neither risk factors nor co-infection with another enteric pathogen

Prevalence and determinants of undetected dementia in the community: a systematic literature review and a meta-analysis

Objectives Detection of dementia is essential for improving the lives of patients but the extent of underdetection worldwide and its causes are not known. This study aimed to quantify the prevalence of undetected dementia and to examine its correlates. Methods/setting/participants A systematic search was conducted until October 2016 for studies reporting the proportion of undetected dementia and/or its determinants in either the community or in residential care settings worldwide. Random-effects models calculated the pooled rate of undetected dementia and subgroup analyses were conducted to identify determinants of the variation. Primary and secondary outcome measures The outcome measures of interest were the prevalence and determinants of undetected dementia. Results 23 studies were eligible for inclusion in this review. The pooled rate of undetected dementia was 61.7% (95% CI 55.0% to 68.0%). The rate of underdetection was higher in China and India (vs Europe and North America), in the community setting (vs residential/nursing care), age of <70 years, male gender and diagnosis by general practitioner. However, it was lower in the studies using Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) diagnosis criteria. Conclusions The prevalence of undetected dementia is high globally. Wide variations in detecting dementia need to be urgently examined, particularly in populations with low socioeconomic status. Efforts are required to reduce diagnostic inequality and to improve early diagnosis in the community

Demographic and socio-economic influences on community-based care and caregivers of people with dementia in China

Background Dementia is a major public health challenge and China has the largest population with dementia in the world. However, dementia care and caregivers for Chinese are less investigated. Objectives and design To evaluate demographic and socio-economic influences on dementia care, management patterns and caregiver burden in a household community-dwelling-based survey, using participants’ care receipts and Zarit scale. Setting and participants Rural and urban communities across six provinces of China comprising 4837 residents aged ≥60 years, in whom 398 had dementia and 1312 non-dementia diseases. Results People with dementia were less likely to receive care if they were living in rural compared to urban areas (Odd ratio (OR) = 0.20; 95%CI: 0.10–0.41), having education level below compared to above secondary school (OR = 0.24; 95%CI: 0.08–0.70), manual labourer compared to non-manual workers (OR = 0.27; 95%CI: 0.13–0.55), having personal annual income below RMB 10,000 yuan (£1000) compared to above (OR = 0.37; 95%CI: 0.13–0.74) or having four or more than compared to less four children (OR = 0.52; 95%CI: 0.27–1.00). Caregivers for dementia compared with those for non-dementia diseases were younger and more likely to be patients’ children or children in-law, had lower education and spent more caring time. Caregiver burden increased with low education, cutback on work and caring for patients who were younger or living in rural areas, and this caregiver burden was three-fold greater than that for non-dementia diseases. Conclusions There are a number of inequalities in dementia care and caregiver burden in China. Reducing the socio-economic gap and increasing education may improve community care for people with dementia and preserve caregivers’ well-being