The impact of perceived psychosocial performance related symptoms of college musicians

Researchers have extensively explored the lives of professional musicians, and the high prevalence of experienced physical injuries and psychological stressors. However, limited research has been published about the experiences of college musicians. The purpose of this survey design research study was to gain insight into the impact of the perceived psychosocial performance related symptoms (PPRS) experienced by college student musicians on their occupational engagement. An online, anonymous survey was administered to 570 college musicians at a small college in the Northeastern United States. The contents of the 21 survey questions and scales were designed with information gathered from a review of the available literature, the Occupational Therapy Practice Framework, and feedback from faculty experts and music alumni. The survey questions and scales investigated the impact of PPRS on college musicians, by examining the demographic makeup of this population, the prevalence of various PPRS, their impact on occupational engagement and well being, and the ways college musicians manage their symptoms. Results indicated that college musicians have a high prevalence of PPRS; most reported having at least 1 PPRS, and the average reported experiencing 7.11 PPRS. High stress, experienced by approximately 83% of the participants, was one of many factors that significantly contributed to amount of PPRS college musicians reported, their perceived abilities to manage their symptoms, and their level of difficulty with occupational engagement. In addition, 40% of participants noted that their PPRS had an impact on their ability to perform music. Occupational therapists could potentially address the negative impact of PPRS on engagement in meaningful occupations, through collaboration with music professors to provide education about coping strategies, symptom management, prevention, or time management strategies

Characterization of Sox family members in sponge stem cells and during development

Sponges are considered the oldest and most basal part of the metazoan lineage and therefore possess a unique set of gene families that are highly conserved among all animals. One of these gene families is known as Sox transcription factors. Sox genes are known to play important roles in complex animals such as the specification of the primary layers of the body, determination of sex, and most recently induction of induced pluirpotent stem cells (iPS cells) from both human and mouse fibroblasts with the help of three other transcription factors. We have found that two different demosponge species Halichondria bowerbanki and Ephydatia muelleri already possess at least three distinct Sox transcription factors using evolutionary PCR and bioinformatic approaches. This supports the hypothesis that eumetazoans possessed at least three distinct Sox genes. To better understand the role that each of these Sox transcriptions may have played during the evolution and development of complex body plans we conducted both temporal and spatial expression analysis. We performed both RT-PCR and Real Time RT-PCR on all Sox genes isolated from both marine and freshwater sponges. These studies demonstrated that Sox genes are expressed during larval and adult development in marine sponges and during the development of gemmules to fully functioning adult stages in freshwater sponges. In situ hybridization studies have revealed that one of the Sox genes is expressed in developing embryos of the marine sponge. Furthermore, at least one Sox gene in both the marine and freshwater sponges shows distinct expression in archeocytes, the sponge stem cell. The presence of Sox expression in archeocytes suggests a role in cell specification or differentiation, as well as suggests a possible role in evolution of multicellularity. Therefore this study provides an establishment for future studies aimed at testing the hypothesis that the Sox transcription factor family had a crucial role in the evolution of animal multicellularity

Water Quality Project Evaluation A Handbook for Objectives-Based Evaluation of Water Quality Projects

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Constitutive regulation of the glutamate/aspartate transporter EAAT1 by Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase II

Glutamate clearance by astrocytes is an essential part of normal excitatory neurotransmission. Failure to adapt or maintain low levels of glutamate in the central nervous system is associated with multiple acute and chronic neurodegenerative diseases. The primary excitatory amino acid transporters in human astrocytes are EAAT1 and EAAT2 (GLAST and GLT-1, respectively, in rodents). While the inhibition of calcium/calmodulin-dependent kinase (CaMKII), a ubiquitously expressed serine/threonine protein kinase, results in diminished glutamate uptake in cultured primary rodent astrocytes (Ashpole et al. 2013), the molecular mechanism underlying this regulation is unknown. Here, we use a heterologous expression model to explore CaMKII regulation of EAAT1 and EAAT2. In transiently transfected HEK293T cells, pharmacological inhibition of CaMKII (using KN-93 or tat-CN21) reduces [3 H]-glutamate uptake in EAAT1 without altering EAAT2-mediated glutamate uptake. While over-expressing the Thr287Asp mutant to enhance autonomous CaMKII activity had no effect on either EAAT1 or EAAT2-mediated glutamate uptake, over-expressing a dominant-negative version of CaMKII (Asp136Asn) diminished EAAT1 glutamate uptake. SPOTS peptide arrays and recombinant glutathione S-transferase-fusion proteins of the intracellular N- and C-termini of EAAT1 identified two potential phosphorylation sites at residues Thr26 and Thr37 in the N-terminus. Introducing an Ala (a non-phospho mimetic) at Thr37 diminished EAAT1-mediated glutamate uptake, suggesting that the phosphorylation state of this residue is important for constitutive EAAT1 function. Our study is the first to identify a glutamate transporter as a direct CaMKII substrate and suggests that CaMKII signaling is a critical driver of constitutive glutamate uptake by EAAT1

Telehealth Services to Improve Nonadherence: A Placebo-Controlled Study

This is the publisher's version, also available electronically from http://online.liebertpub.com/doi/abs/10.1089/tmj.2006.12.289.The objective of this study was to test whether a telehealth intervention could improve the compliance with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) by patients with sleep apnea. These patients had been nonadherent for the initial 3 months of therapy even after receiving the initial standard and then supplemental audiotaped/videotaped patient education for adhering to CPAP nightly. The materials and methods included a randomized testing of experimental and placebo interventions. Interventions were delivered by nurses to two groups in their homes by telehealth over a 12-week period. The placebo intervention was used to control for Hawthorne effect, time and attention influences and the novelty of having telehealth in the home. Results following the telehealth interventions were that significantly more patients in the experimental group 1 (n = 10) than the placebo group 2 (n = 9) were adhering nightly to CPAP (χ2 = 4.55, p = 0.033). Group 1 patients reported greater satisfaction with their intervention. However, both groups rated telehealth delivery positively. The mean cost of each 20-minute telehealth visit was $30 while the total cost of the telehealth intervention for each patient was$420. These costs included telehealth equipment, initial installation, longdistance telephone charges, nurse salary, and intervention materials. Conclusions are that telehealth interventions are a potentially cost-effective service for increasing adherence to prescribed medical treatments. Replication studies with large samples and in other clinical groups are recommended

Consensus for the management of pancreatic exocrine insufficiency: UK practical guidelines.

INTRODUCTION: Pancreatic exocrine insufficiency is a finding in many conditions, predominantly affecting those with chronic pancreatitis, pancreatic cancer and acute necrotising pancreatitis. Patients with pancreatic exocrine insufficiency can experience gastrointestinal symptoms, maldigestion, malnutrition and adverse effects on quality of life and even survival.There is a need for readily accessible, pragmatic advice for healthcare professionals on the management of pancreatic exocrine insufficiency. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: A review of the literature was conducted by a multidisciplinary panel of experts in pancreatology, and recommendations for clinical practice were produced and the strength of the evidence graded. Consensus voting by 48 pancreatic specialists from across the UK took place at the 2019 Annual Meeting of the Pancreatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland annual scientific meeting. RESULTS: Recommendations for clinical practice in the diagnosis, initial management, patient education and long term follow up were developed. All recommendations achieved over 85% consensus and are included within these comprehensive guidelines