Oral History Interview: Marion T. Bunche Gray

This interview is one of series conducted concerning the Oral History of Appalachia. The topic of this interview is the Civil Rights Movement. Bunche Gray discusses: her experiences during the movement; restaurants; organizations such as the NAACP and the League of Women Voters; white/black relations; black children\u27s experiences in schools; politics and Senator Robert C. Byrd; and other topics.https://mds.marshall.edu/oral_history/1431/thumbnail.jp

Good Readers and Their Reading Strategies

Those who are responsible for elementary reading programs should have as a major concern recognizing what children do as they engage in the act of reading. F. Smith (1973) makes this clear In his statement, Find out what a child is trying to do and then help hi m do it. (p. 195) In order to take a first step in gaining this information we need to have children provide answers to some pertinent questions. One of these would be what children consider as the criteria for good reading. A particularly relevant question, especially at the beginning stages, would be related to the word attack strategies employed when meeting an unknown word. Will those who share the same criteria for good reading use similar word attack strategies when meeting an unknown word

A cross-sectional comparison of quality of life between physically active and underactive older men with prostate cancer

Men with prostate cancer experience many side effects and symptoms that may be improved by a physically active lifestyle. It was hypothesized that older men with prostate cancer who were physically active would report significantly higher levels of quality of life (QOL) as assessed by the WHOQOL-BREF and the WHOQOL-OLD. Of the 348 prostate cancer survivors who were invited to participate in the present postal survey, 137 men returned the questionnaires. Those who were physically active had significantly lower prostate specific antigen (PSA) scores and higher social participation than those insufficiently active. These findings offer some support for the benefits of physical activity (PA) within the prostate cancer population in managing the adverse side effects of their treatments on aspects of their QOL. Future research should more closely examine what types of PA best promote improvements in varying aspects of QOL and psychological well-being for prostate cancer survivors

Effects of functional tasks exercise on older adults with cognitive impairment at risk of Alzheimer's disease: a randomised controlled trial

Objective: the aim of this study was to compare the effects of a functional tasks exercise programme to a cognitive training programme in older adults with mild cognitive impairment. Design: a single-blind randomised control trial with the intervention group compared with an active control group. Setting: out-patient clinic. Participants: older adults with mild cognitive impairment (n = 83) aged 60 and older living in the community. Methods: participants were randomised to either a functional task exercise group (n = 43) or an active cognitive training group (n = 40) for 10 weeks. All outcome measures were undertaken at baseline, post-intervention and 6-month follow-up using Neurobehavioral Cognitive Status Examination, Trail Making Test, Chinese Version Verbal Learning Test, Category Verbal Learning Test, Lawton Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Scale and Problems in Everyday Living Test. Results: the functional task exercise group showed significant between-group differences in general cognitive functions, memory, executive function, functional status and everyday problem solving ability. The improvements were sustained over time at 6-month follow-up. Conclusion: a functional tasks exercise programme is feasible for improving cognitive functions and functional status of older adults with mild cognitive impairment. This may serve as a cost-effective adjunct to the existing interventions for populations with mild cognitive impairment

A randomised controlled trial of the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of different knee prostheses : the Knee Arthroplasty Trial (KAT)

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

The Knee Arthroplasty Trial (KAT) : design features, baseline characteristics and two-year functional outcomes after alternative approaches to knee replacement

Background: The aim of continued development of total knee replacement systems has been the further improvement of the quality of life and increasing the duration of prosthetic survival. Our goal was to evaluate the effects of several design features, including metal backing of the tibial component, patellar resurfacing, and a mobile bearing between the tibial and femoral components, on the function and survival of the implant. Methods: A pragmatic, multicenter, randomized, controlled trial involving 116 surgeons in thirty-four centers in the United Kingdom was performed; 2352 participants were randomly allocated to be treated with or without a metal backing of the tibial component (409), with or without patellar resurfacing (1715), and/or with or without a mobile bearing (539). Randomization to more than one comparison was allowed. The primary outcome measures were the Oxford Knee Score (OKS), Short Form-12, EuroQol-5D, and the need for additional surgery. The results up to two years postoperatively are reported. Results: Functional status and quality-of-life scores were low at baseline but improved markedly across all trial groups following knee replacement (mean overall OKS, 17.98 points at baseline and 34.82 points at two years). Most of the change was observed at three months after the surgery. Six percent of the patients had additional knee surgery within two years. There was no evidence of differences in clinical, functional, or quality-of-life measures between the randomized groups at two years. Conclusions: Patients have substantial improvement following total knee replacement. This is the first adequately powered randomized controlled trial, of which we are aware, in which the effects of metal backing, patellar resurfacing, and a mobile bearing were investigated. We found no evidence of an effect of these variants on the rate of early complications or on functional recovery up to two years after total knee replacement. Level of Evidence: Therapeutic Level I. See Instructions to Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.NIHR Health Technology Assessment Programme (Project Number 95/10/01); Howmedica Osteonics; Zimmer; DePuy, a Johnson and Johnson company; Corin Medical; Smith and Nephew Healthcare. Biomet Merck; and Wright CremascoliPeer reviewe

Clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of open and arthroscopic rotator cuff repair [the UK Rotator Cuff Surgery (UKUFF) randomised trial]

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Amphetamine increases blood pressure and heart rate but has no effect on motor recovery or cerebral haemodynamics in ischaemic stroke: a randomized controlled trial (ISRCTN 36285333)

Amphetamine enhances recovery after experimental ischaemia and has shown promise in small clinical trials when combined with motor or sensory stimulation. Amphetamine, a sympathomimetic, might have haemodynamic effects in stroke patients, although limited data have been published. Subjects were recruited 3-30 days post ischaemic stroke into a phase II randomised (1:1), double blind, placebo-controlled trial. Subjects received dexamphetamine (5mg initially, then 10mg for 10 subsequent doses with 3 or 4 day separations) or placebo in addition to inpatient physiotherapy. Recovery was assessed by motor scales (Fugl-Meyer, FM), and functional scales (Barthel index, BI and modified Rankin score, mRS). Peripheral blood pressure (BP), central haemodynamics and middle cerebral artery blood flow velocity were assessed before, and 90 minutes after, the first 2 doses. 33 subjects were recruited, age 33-88 (mean 71) years, males 52%, 4-30 (median 15) days post stroke to inclusion. 16 patients were randomised to placebo and 17 amphetamine. Amphetamine did not improve motor function at 90 days; mean (standard deviation) FM 37.6 (27.6) vs. control 35.2 (27.8) (p=0.81). Functional outcome (BI, mRS) did not differ between treatment groups. Peripheral and central systolic BP, and heart rate, were 11.2 mmHg (p=0.03), 9.5 mmHg (p=0.04) and 7 beats/minute (p=0.02) higher respectively with amphetamine, compared with control. A non-significant reduction in myocardial perfusion (Buckberg Index) was seen with amphetamine. Other cardiac and cerebral haemodynamics were unaffected. Amphetamine did not improve motor impairment or function after ischaemic stroke but did significantly increase BP and heart rate without altering cerebral haemodynamics

Recent Revisions to PVWATTS

PVWATTS is an Internet-accessible software program that allows the user to easily calculate the energy production and cost savings for grid-connected photovoltaic (PV) systems located throughout the United States. To ensure that PVWATTS continues to meet its users' needs, an online survey form was provided to users to identify areas for improvement. The results of the survey were used to prioritize improvements to PVWATTS in FY2005. PVWATTS was revised by changing the PV system specification input for system size from an AC power rating to a nameplate DC power rating; adding an input for an overall DC to AC derate factor; updating the residential electric rates; adding monthly and yearly solar radiation values for the PV array; and simplifying the user interface for Version 2