A study of twenty-five children with stammering known to a child guidance clinic

Thesis (M.S.)--Boston University, 1949. This item was digitized by the Internet Archive

Availability, Use, and Cultivation of Support Networks as Predictors of the Well-Being of Middle-Aged and Older Chinese: A Panel Study

Objectives. To examine the impact of the availability, use, and cultivation of a support network on the well-being of community-dwelling, middle-aged, and older Chinese. Methods. A total of 2,970 Hong Kong Chinese aged 40–74 years were interviewed using a structured questionnaire in 2004. Out of the original group of interviewees, 2,120 (71.4%) were interviewed again in 2005. Results. Structural equation modeling revealed a good fit of the model employing Wave 1 support network data and demographic characteristics to predict Wave 2 well-being. As hypothesized, the availability of important social ties and the cultivation of one's support networks were found to predict well-being one year later, but not the use of support networks to meet emotional, financial, or companion needs after controlling for demographic variables and baseline well-being. Discussion. Cultivating support networks can be interpreted as positive and active coping. Such cultivation is in line with what socioemotional selectivity theory predicts; specifically, when people age, they become more selective and concentrate on strengthening their relationship with those they are emotionally close to. We argue that network cultivation deserves more attention in theory, practice, and research to strengthen the resilience and adaptability of individuals approaching and experiencing old age

Effect of Cardiac and Noncardiac Conditions on Survival After Defibrillator Implantation

ObjectivesWe sought to examine outcomes in recipients of implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) and the effect of age, gender, and comorbidities on survival.BackgroundAge, gender, and comorbidities may significantly affect outcomes in ICD recipients.MethodsWe examined factors associated with mortality in 2,467 ICD recipients in Ontario, Canada, using a province-wide database. Comorbidities were identified retrospectively by examining all diagnosis codes within the 3 years before implant.ResultsMean ages at ICD implant were 63.2 ± 12.5 years (1,944 men) and 59.8 ± 15.9 years (523 women). Mortality rates at one and 2 years were 7.8% and 14.0%. Older age at implant increased the risk of death with hazard ratios (HR) of 2.05 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.70 to 2.47) and 3.00 (95% CI 2.43 to 3.71) for those 65 to 74 years and ≥75 years, respectively (both p < 0.001), but gender was not a predictor of death. Common noncardiac conditions associated with death included peripheral vascular disease (adjusted HR 1.50, 95% CI 1.18 to 1.91), pulmonary disease (adjusted HR 1.35, 95% CI 1.10 to 1.66), and renal disease (adjusted HR 1.57, 95% CI 1.25 to 1.99). Many ICD recipients had prior heart failure (46.2%) with an increased HR of 2.33 for death (95% CI 1.96 to 2.76; p < 0.001). Greater comorbidity burden conferred increased risk, with HRs adjusted for age, gender, and heart failure of 1.72 (95% CI 1.44 to 2.05), 2.79 (95% CI 2.15 to 3.62), and 2.98 (95% CI 1.74 to 5.10) for those with 1, 2, and 3 or more noncardiac comorbidities, respectively (all p < 0.001).ConclusionsAge, noncardiac comorbidities, and prior heart failure influence survival outcomes in ICD recipients. These factors should be considered in the care of ICD recipients

Embrace Fintech in ASEAN: A Perception Through Fintech Adoption Index

In this new age of financial technology developments in ASEAN, the financial services industry is evolving quickly. However, consumer intention to embrace financial technology in different financial services remains vague. Hence, this study aims to investigate the consumer Fintech adoption level through constructing a Fintech Adoption Index for ASEAN countries. The empirical findings reveal that Singapore with a mature Fintech development having a relatively high adoption rate, while countries with nascent Fintech development such as Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Myanmar and Laos have a relatively low adoption rate as compared to the countries with emerging Fintech development such as Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam. All ASEAN countries show increasing trends in Fintech adoption from 2017 to 2019. From this study, the dimensional and final index scores generated are easy to understand, and this study has successfully simplified the complexity of Fintech adoption level across different sub-sectors for all ten ASEAN countries. In conclusion, the newly constructed Fintech adoption index for ASEAN countries can better illuminate consumer adoption preference toward Fintech development and thus leverage the results for productive financial policy direction

Social Network Characteristics and Salivary Cortisol in Healthy Older People

Psychobiological research on aging in humans has been confounded by individual differences that have not been adequately characterized in the literature. This paper is an attempt to shed light on this issue by examining the impact of social network characteristics predictive of successful aging on salivary cortisol among 78 older Chinese people in Hong Kong. Eight salivary cortisol samples were collected each day for two consecutive days from immediately after awakening to 12 hours later. Two components of the cortisol diurnal cycle, response to awakening and diurnal decline, were examined in relation to social network characteristics including size, emotional support, and cultivation. ANOVAs with repeated measured were run to examine influences of the three social network characteristics on the cortisol awakening response and diurnal decline, with the effects of gender, age, socioeconomic status, and waking time controlled. Results indicated that those who spent more time and effort in developing and strengthening their social ties (i.e., those high in “cultivation”) exhibited a significantly greater rise in cortisol in the morning and a significantly steeper decline over the day, thus attesting to more effective activation and deactivation of the HPA axis. Network cultivation reflected a positive motivation to nurture social relationships more than the other two network characteristics. Its effect on cortisol might stem from the positivity underlying the motivation

Majalah forwas "RBI Kemendikbud merambah ke pelosok tahun 2018 edisi II

The methodology for calculating the Prioritization Index for the Management of Seismic Risk in existing Buildings, came out as a result of the poor performance of structures that during the Cariaco 1997 earthquake, and the 1967 Caracas earthquake where the buildings collapsed, despite their apparent good state of conservation. In the case of four structures analyzed in this research, the Agustín Ocando Prosper School, the Agua Salobre Basic Bolivarian School, the Agustín Ocando Prosperous High School, and the Las Delicias Initial Education Center, these reinforced concrete buildings are located in the coastal zone of the Falcón State, in Venezuela, under the influence of the aggressive marine environment, and in the presence of the San Sebastian tectonic fault. The evaluation was carried out by applying the qualitative method of the Priority Index for Seismic Risk Management, verifying that the structures of the Agustín Ocando Prosperous School have a medium to high average vulnerability, however it is recommended to conduct detailed studies in modules 1 and 2 that have a very high frequency rating. For the Agua Salobre Bolivarian Basic School, the vulnerability index, corresponding to module 1, is medium high and the other group its classification is medium low; in Liceo Próspero Agustín Ocando modules 1 and 3 have a medium-high risk index and modules 1 and 3 are high. The Center of Initial Education Las Delicias, has the average risk index medium to lowLa metodología para el cálculo del Índice de Priorización para la Gestión de Riesgo Sísmico en Edificaciones existentes, surge debido al inadecuado desempeño de estructuras que durante el sismo de Cariaco 1997, y el sismo de Caracas 1967 donde las edificaciones colapsaron, a pesar de su aparente buen estado de conservación. En el caso de cuatro estructuras analizadas en esta investigación la Escuela Próspero Agustín Ocando, la Escuela Básica Bolivariana Agua Salobre, el Liceo Próspero Agustín Ocando, y el Centro de Educación Inicial Las Delicias, las edificaciones de concreto armado se encuentran en la zona costera del Estado Falcón, en Venezuela, están bajo la incidencia del ambiente marino agresivo, y en presencia de la falla tectónica de San Sebastián. La evaluación se realizó aplicando el método cualitativo del Índice de Priorización para la Gestión de Riesgo Sísmico, verificándose que las estructuras de la Escuela Próspero Agustín Ocando cuentan con un promedio de vulnerabilidad media alta, sin embargo se recomienda realizar estudios detallados en los módulos 1 y 2 que poseen una calificación de vulnerabilidad muy elevada. Para la Escuela Básica Bolivariana Agua Salobre el índice de vulnerabilidad, correspondiente al módulo 1, es media alta y el otro grupo su clasificación es media baja; en Liceo Próspero Agustín Ocando los módulos 1 y 3 tiene índice de riesgo medio alto y los módulos 1 y 3 elevado. El Centro de Educación Inicial Las Delicias, tiene el índice de riesgo y vulnerabilidad medio baj

Caracterización de fallas en edificaciones escolares expuestas en ambiente agresivo M4 del Estado Falcón

The present investigation focused on establishing a characterization of public used reinforced concrete constructions such as school units in the coastal zone of Chichiriviche and Tucacas in Venezuela’s Falcon State, exposed to highly corrosive environments and built with inadequate construction techniques. The ultimate aim was to make recommendations to regional bodies so that they could make structural interventions more precisely and assertively. The study was carried out in seven educational units, in which planimetric surveys were carried out, the collection of fault symptoms, tests in some structural members and finally a general evaluation of damages that allowed identifying their durability and particular recommendations for each school building. As a result, these units of different construction ages were in a better state of conservation, when compared directly to the sample evaluated in 2006 in private multifamily buildings, which were even younger than this sample. It was recommended for all cases that they apply a programmed and technical continuous maintenance system, which goes beyond the systems of paints whose substrate is not properly prepared, resulting in a process of superficial repair and aesthetic ineffective.El presente estudio se centró en establecer una caracterización de edificaciones de concreto armado de uso público como las unidades escolares, en la zona costera de Chichiriviche y Tucacas, en el Estado Falcón, de Venezuela, expuestas a ambientes altamente corrosivos y edificados en base a prácticas constructivas inadecuadas. La finalidad última era la de aportar recomendaciones a los organismos regionales, a fin de que pudieran hacer las intervenciones estructurales de manera más precisa y asertiva. Se realizó el estudio en siete unidades educativas, en las que se efectuaron levantamientos planimétricos, levantamiento de síntomas de fallas, ensayos en algunos miembros estructurales y finalmente una valoración general de daños que permitió identificar su durabilidad y recomendaciones particulares a cada edificación escolar. Se obtuvo como resultado que dichas unidades de diversas edades de construcción se encontraban en mejor estado de conservación, si se compara directamente con la muestra evaluada en el 2006 realizada en edificaciones multifamiliares privadas, que eran incluso más jóvenes que ésta muestra. Se recomendó para todos los casos que aplicaran un sistema de mantenimiento continuo programado y técnico, que fuese más allá de los sistemas de pinturas que cuyo sustrato no está idóneamente preparado, teniendo como consecuencia un proceso de reparación superficial y estético poco efectivo

Triage for coronary artery bypass graft surgery in Canada: Do patients agree on who should come first?

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The extent to which clinical and non-clinical factors impact on the waiting-list prioritization preferences of patients in the queue is unknown. Using a series of hypothetical scenarios, the objective of this study was to examine the extent to which clinical and non-clinical factors impacted on how patients would prioritize others relative to themselves in the coronary artery bypass surgical queue.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Ninety-one consecutive eligible patients awaiting coronary artery bypass grafting surgery at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre (median waiting-time duration prior to survey of 8 weeks) were given a self-administered survey consisting of nine scenarios in which clinical and non-clinical characteristic profiles of hypothetical patients (also awaiting coronary artery bypass surgery) were varied. For each scenario, patients were asked where in the queue such hypothetical patients should be placed relative to themselves.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The eligible response rate was 65% (59/91). Most respondents put themselves marginally ahead of a hypothetical patient with identical clinical and non-clinical characteristics as themselves. There was a strong tendency for respondents to place patients of higher clinical acuity ahead of themselves in the queue (P < 0.0001). Social independence among young individuals was a positively valued attribute (P < 0.0001), but neither age per se nor financial status, directly impacted on patients waiting-list priority preferences.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>While patient perceptions generally reaffirmed a bypass surgical triage process based on principals of equity and clinical acuity, the valuation of social independence may justify further debate with regard to the inclusion of non-clinical factors in waiting-list prioritization management systems in Canada, as elsewhere.</p

final overall survival and other efficacy and safety results from ascend 3 phase ii study of ceritinib in alki naive patients with alk rearranged nsclc

Abstract Introduction The phase II, single-arm ASCEND-3 study assessed the efficacy and safety of ceritinib in anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) inhibitor (ALKi)–naive patients with ALK-rearranged NSCLC who had received at least three previous lines of chemotherapy. Here, we report the final efficacy and safety results. Methods Eligible patients (including those with asymptomatic or neurologically stable brain metastases) received oral ceritinib (750 mg/day, fasted). The primary end point was investigator-assessed overall response rate (ORR). Secondary end points were Blinded Independent Review Committee–assessed ORR; investigator- and Blinded Independent Review Committee–assessed overall intracranial response rate, duration of response, time to response, disease control rate, and progression-free survival (PFS); overall survival (OS); and safety. Exploratory end points included patient-reported outcomes. Results Of the 124 patients enrolled, 122 (98.4%) had received previous antineoplastic medications (31 patients [25.0%] received at least three regimens), and 49 (39.5%) had baseline brain metastases. The median follow-up time (data cutoff: January 22, 2018) was 52.1 (range, 48.4–60.1) months. The investigator-assessed ORR was 67.7% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 58.8–75.9), and the median PFS was 16.6 months (95% CI: 11.0–23.2). The median OS was 51.3 months (95% CI: 42.7–55.3). Most common adverse events (all grades, ≥60% of patients, all-causality) were diarrhea (85.5%), nausea (78.2%), and vomiting (71.8%). Overall, 18 patients (14.5%) had an adverse event leading to treatment discontinuation. Health-related quality of life was maintained during ceritinib treatment. Conclusions Ceritinib exhibited prolonged and clinically meaningful OS, PFS, and duration of response in chemotherapy-pretreated (at least three lines), ALKi-naive patients with ALK+ NSCLC. The safety profile was consistent with that reported in previous studies