Quality of Life and its Related Factors among Elderlies Living In Nursing Homes

Background & Aim: Elderly residents of nursing homes are one of the most vulnerable elderly populations and addressing the quality of these people’s life is one of the most challenging health issues in this century .The aim of our study was to determine the quality of life (QOL) and its related factors among elderlies living in Charmahal va Bakhtiyari nursing homes. Material & Methods: In this descriptive, cross-sectional study, 87 elderlies living in Charmahal va Bakhtiyari nursing homes were recruited by census. Data was collected by Short Form Quality of Life (SF-36) and then analyzed by independent t-test, ANOVA, Kruskal-Wallis and regression analysis using SPSS-PC (v.15). Results: The mean score of total QOl was 41.56±18.59 and most participants scored lower than 50 for overall quality of life and each of its subscales. The highest and lowest quality of life standard deviation and mean score was associated with “physical performance” (47.70±20.55) and “Emotional role playing” (36.78±27.71) subscales. Also quality of life was associated with age, gender, educational level and satisfying with nursing homes (P<0.05). Moreover, QOL was mostly related with age (β=-0.537, p=0.000). Conclusion: The Quality of life of elderly residents of nursing homes was low, especially in emotional role playing subscale. Moreover, the quality of life of older ones and illiterate participants, women and those with lower satisfaction with nursing homes was lower. Accordingly, designing and performing appropriate training and supportive interventions to promote these elderly people’s QOL are recommende

Foreign private investment and economic growth in Nigeria: A cointegrated VAR and Granger causality analysis

This research uses a cointegration VAR model to study the contemporaneous long-run dynamics of theimpact of Foreign Private Investment (FPI), Interest Rate (INR) and Inflation rate (IFR) on Growth Domestic Products (GDP) in Nigeria for the period January 1970 to December 2009. The Unit Root Test suggests that all the variables are integrated of order 1. The VAR model was appropriately identified using AIC information criteria and the VECM model has exactly one cointegration relation. The study further investigates the causal relationship using the Granger causality analysis of VECM which indicates a uni-directional causality relationship between GDP and FDI at 5% which is in line with other studies. The result of Granger causality analysis also shows that some of the variables are Ganger causal of one another; the null hypothesis of non-Granger causality is rejected at 5% level of significance for these variables

High-resolution spatial mapping of a superconducting NbN wire using single-electron detection

Superconducting NbN wires have recently received attention as detectors for visible and infrared photons. We present experiments in which we use a NbN wire for high-efficiency (40 %) detection of single electrons with keV energy. We use the beam of a scanning electron microscope as a focussed, stable, and calibrated electron source. Scanning the beam over the surface of the wire provides a map of the detection efficiency. This map shows features as small as 150 nm, revealing wire inhomogeneities. The intrinsic resolution of this mapping method, superior to optical methods, provides the basis of a characterization tool relevant for photon detectors.Comment: 2009 IEEE Toronto International Conference, Science and Technology for Humanity (TIC-STH

Enhancing Training of Staff of the Agricultural Development Programme for Effective Agricultural Extension Service Delivery in Nigeria

This paper, identified the areas where staff of the Agricultural Development Programme (ADP) that carry out grassroots extension service delivery need to be trained and the field problems requiring research intervention. Secondary data from Annual Performance Survey (APS) report of NAERLS and NPAFS between 2010 and 2012 were used. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results showed that the most frequent key areas where trainings needed were long term course, short term refresher trainings, pre-season training, management training for administrative staff, specialized for subject matter specialist and data collection processing/analysis. The study further revealed that the development of livestock feed formula from local materials, heat-tolerant and disease resistant varieties of tomato and wheat were the most pressing problems requiring the researchers’ attention. It is recommended that ADPs should be given periodic training by relevant organizations on the identified areas and researchers should focus their researches more on the identified problems requiring research intervention. Moreover, state governments should adequately sponsor trainings of ADPs in their various states. This will strengthen the ADPs skills and increase their productivities for an effective extension service delivery in Nigeria

Enhancing Training of Staff of the Agricultural Development Programme for Effective Agricultural Extension Service Delivery in Nigeria

This paper, identified the areas where staff of the Agricultural Development Programme (ADP) that carry out grassroots extension service delivery need to be trained and the field problems requiring research intervention. Secondary data from Annual Performance Survey (APS) report of NAERLS and NPAFS between 2010 and 2012 were used. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results showed that the most frequent key areas where trainings needed were long term course, short term refresher trainings, pre-season training, management training for administrative staff, specialized for subject matter specialist and data collection processing/analysis. The study further revealed that the development of livestock feed formula from local materials, heat-tolerant and disease resistant varieties of tomato and wheat were the most pressing problems requiring the researchers’ attention. It is recommended that ADPs should be given periodic training by relevant organizations on the identified areas and researchers should focus their researches more on the identified problems requiring research intervention. Moreover, state governments should adequately sponsor trainings of ADPs in their various states. This will strengthen the ADPs skills and increase their productivities for an effective extension service delivery in Nigeria

Socioeconomic dynamism and the growth of baby factories in Nigeria

Abstract: Illegally breeding babies for marketing purposes otherwise known as “infant commodification” is increasing in Nigeria. This menace is a vice that threatens the lives and wellbeing of babies, young girls, and women. This article investigates through an in-depth review of scholarly publication and media coverages the factors that have contributed to the emergence and growth of the illicit industry in Nigeria. It examines the role of cultural beliefs, social attitudes, and norms as well as the harsh economic conditions of the nation as factors playing pivotal roles in the continual growth of baby farming in Nigeria. Some of these sociocultural factors are social stigmatization of pregnancy outside wedlock, stigmatization of adopted children, and the importance attached to fertility and the demonization of childlessness. The article draws on Emile Durkheim anomie theory and Chambers dimensions of poverty to explain how breakdown within the nation’s socioeconomic structure has a concomitant impact in breading social vices. It concludes by recommending that there is a need to jettison stigmatizing sociocultural beliefs within the nation’s social fabrics. Responsive attitude toward family reproductive issues should be encouraged and finally the activities of health care providers, operators of nongovernmental organizations taking custody of babies and young girls be properly monitored. As well, stringent punishment be meted out to apprehended operators of these baby farms to serve as deterrent to others

Analysis of separate training and validation radical prostatectomy cohorts identifies 0.25 mm diameter as an optimal definition for "large" cribriform prostatic adenocarcinoma.

Cribriform growth pattern is well-established as an adverse pathologic feature in prostate cancer. The literature suggests "large" cribriform glands associate with aggressive behavior; however, published studies use varying definitions for "large". We aimed to identify an outcome-based quantitative cut-off for "large" vs "small" cribriform glands. We conducted an initial training phase using the tissue microarray based Canary retrospective radical prostatectomy cohort. Of 1287 patients analyzed, cribriform growth was observed in 307 (24%). Using Kaplan-Meier estimates of recurrence-free survival curves (RFS) that were stratified by cribriform gland size, we identified 0.25 mm as the optimal cutoff to identify more aggressive disease. In univariable and multivariable Cox proportional hazard analyses, size &gt;0.25 mm was a significant predictor of worse RFS compared to patients with cribriform glands ≤0.25 mm, independent of pre-operative PSA, grade, stage and margin status (p &lt; 0.001). In addition, two different subset analyses of low-intermediate risk cases (cases with Gleason score ≤ 3 + 4 = 7; and cases with Gleason score = 3 + 4 = 7/4 + 3 = 7) likewise demonstrated patients with largest cribriform diameter &gt;0.25 mm had a significantly lower RFS relative to patients with cribriform glands ≤0.25 mm (each subset p = 0.004). Furthermore, there was no significant difference in outcomes between patients with cribriform glands ≤ 0.25 mm and patients without cribriform glands. The &gt;0.25 mm cut-off was validated as statistically significant in a separate 419 patient, completely embedded whole-section radical prostatectomy cohort by biochemical recurrence, metastasis-free survival, and disease specific death, even when cases with admixed Gleason pattern 5 carcinoma were excluded. In summary, our findings support reporting cribriform gland size and identify 0.25 mm as an optimal outcome-based quantitative measure for defining "large" cribriform glands. Moreover, cribriform glands &gt;0.25 mm are associated with potential for metastatic disease independent of Gleason pattern 5 adenocarcinoma

IRE1α-XBP1s pathway promotes prostate cancer by activating c-MYC signaling

Activation of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress/the unfolded protein response (UPR) has been linked to cancer, but the molecular mechanisms are poorly understood and there is a paucity of reagents to translate this for cancer therapy. Here, we report that an IRE1α RNase-specific inhibitor, MKC8866, strongly inhibits prostate cancer (PCa) tumor growth as monotherapy in multiple preclinical models in mice and shows synergistic antitumor effects with current PCa drugs. Interestingly, global transcriptomic analysis reveal that IRE1α-XBP1s pathway activity is required for c-MYC signaling, one of the most highly activated oncogenic pathways in PCa. XBP1s is necessary for optimal c-MYC mRNA and protein expression, establishing, for the first time, a direct link between UPR and oncogene activation. In addition, an XBP1-specific gene expression signature is strongly associated with PCa prognosis. Our data establish IRE1α-XBP1s signaling as a central pathway in PCa and indicate that its targeting may offer novel treatment strategies.</p

Comparison of the force exerted by hippocampal and DRG growth cones

Mechanical properties such as force generation are fundamental for neuronal motility, development and regeneration. We used optical tweezers to compare the force exerted by growth cones (GCs) of neurons from the Peripheral Nervous System (PNS), such as Dorsal Root Ganglia (DRG) neurons, and from the Central Nervous System (CNS) such as hippocampal neurons. Developing GCs from dissociated DRG and hippocampal neurons were obtained from P1-P2 and P10-P12 rats. Comparing their morphology, we observed that the area of GCs of hippocampal neurons was 8-10 \ub5m(2) and did not vary between P1-P2 and P10-P12 rats, but GCs of DRG neurons were larger and their area increased from P1-P2 to P10-P12 by 2-4 times. The force exerted by DRG filopodia was in the order of 1-2 pN and never exceeded 5 pN, while hippocampal filopodia exerted a larger force, often in the order of 5 pN. Hippocampal and DRG lamellipodia exerted lateral forces up to 20 pN, but lamellipodia of DRG neurons could exert a vertical force larger than that of hippocampal neurons. Force-velocity relationships (Fv) in both types of neurons had the same qualitative behaviour, consistent with a common autocatalytic model of force generation. These results indicate that molecular mechanisms of force generation of GC from CNS and PNS neurons are similar but the amplitude of generated force is influenced by their cytoskeletal properties

Association of TMPRSS2-ERG gene fusion with clinical characteristics and outcomes: results from a population-based study of prostate cancer

Background: The presence of the TMPRSS2-ERG fusion gene in prostate tumors has recently been associated with an aggressive phenotype, as well as recurrence and death from prostate cancer. These associations suggest the hypothesis that the gene fusion may be used as a prognostic indicator for prostate cancer. Methods: In this study, fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) assays were used to assess TMPRSS2-ERG fusion status in a group of 214 prostate cancer cases from two population-based studies. The FISH assays were designed to detect both fusion type (deletion vs. translocation) and the number of fusion copies (single vs. multiple). Genotyping of four ERG and one TMPRSS2 SNPs using germline DNA was also performed in a sample of the cases (n = 127). Results: Of the 214 tumors scored for the TMPRSS2-ERG fusion, 64.5% were negative and 35.5% were positive for the fusion. Cases with the TMPRSS2-ERG fusion did not exhibit reduced prostate cancer survival (HR = 0.92, 95% CI = 0.22-3.93), nor was there a significant difference in causespecific survival when stratifying by translocation or deletion (HR = 0.84, 95% CI = 0.23-3.12) or by the number of retained fusion copies (HR = 1.22, 95% CI = .45-3.34). However, evidence for reduced prostate cancer-specific survival was apparent in those cases whose tumor had multiple copies of the fusion. The variant T allele of the TMPRSS2 SNP, rs12329760, was positively associated with TMPRSS2-ERG fusion by translocation (p = 0.05) and with multiple copies of the gene fusion (p = 0.03). Conclusion: If replicated, the results presented here may provide insight into the mechanism by which the TMPRSS2-ERG gene fusion arises and also contribute to diagnostic evaluations for determining the subset of men who will go on to develop metastatic prostate cancer.This work was supported by NIH grants RO1 CA56678, RO1 CA114524, and P50 CA97186; additional support was provided by the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and the Intramural Program of the National Human Genome Research Institute