The ICF forms a useful framework for classifying individual patient goals in post-acute rehabilitation

OBJECTIVE: Timely goal setting in close collaboration with the patient is essential to successful rehabilitation. We therefore sought to identify goals of patients in early post-acute rehabilitation as predictors of improved functioning. DESIGN: We conducted a prospective multi-centre cohort study in 5 early post-acute rehabilitation facilities. PATIENTS: Patients with musculoskeletal, cardiopulmonary and neurological conditions were recruited between May 2005 and August 2008. METHODS: A semi-structured questionnaire was used to identify patient goals and to assess improvement in overall functioning. Patients' goals were coded according to the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF). By means of a mixed effects model we examined the association between goal attainment and improved functioning. RESULTS: A total of 116 patients gave 546 statements, of which 426 were linked to 74 ICF categories, which were assigned to the existing comprehensive post-acute ICF Core Sets. Improvements in walking, recreation and leisure, pain, and transfer were the most frequently reported goals. In multivariable analysis patients' goal attainment was not a predictor for improved overall functioning. CONCLUSION: The ICF can be used to identify and structure patients' goals. Patients' perspective should be considered in the rehabilitation process

Comparison of H2O2 screen-printed sensors with different Prussian blue nanoparticles as electrode material

In order to determine hydrogen peroxide condensing from gaseous and liquid phases screen-printed electrodes with controlled and adjustable thickness, shape and size of the working electrode as well as electrode paste composition were investigated. For this purpose Prussian blue (PB) nanoparticles with a different particle size distribution of 20- 30 nm (synthesized) and 60-100 nm (commercially available) were mixed with carbon paste and screen-printed on Al2O3 templates to establish H2O2-sensitive electrode. These two types of screen-printed sensors were compared to the commercial one during measurements in H2O2/water solutions at concentrations between 10-5 and 10-2 M H2O2. The linear signal in the investigated concentration range was found only for the sensor with the commercially available PB particles. Thus, this sensor prepared with PB particles of the size 60-100 nm showed the most reproducible and time-stable response versus the analyte in comparison to the others. This result offers the possibility to create sensors with adjustable design adapted to the concrete functionality. Thin films of collecting electrolytes based on agarose gels were printed on the sensor structures. They showed a distinct response on the application of H2O2-containing aerosols and gaseous phase

Estimating the abundance of common dolphins on the southern coast of South Africa

Sightings made on an aerial survey in December 1982 and on a ship-based survey in January/February 1983 have been used to assess the size of the population of common dolphins (Delphinus capensis) occurring over the continental shelf south of South Africa. Thirteen sightings (12 primary) were made in 2,445.7 n. miles flown on the aerial survey and 10 sightings (6 primary) in 1,772.2 n. miles steamed on the ship-based survey. Sightings and effort in both surveys have been stratified by water depth (0-100 m, 100- 200 m) and geographical region (west coast, south coast). Because of difficulties in accurately estimating the size of schools in this highly gregarious species, numbers of individuals were counted in composite aerial photographs taken of the school. Radial distance and angle estimates to sightings from the ship were smeared to allow for estimation errors. Assuming g(0) = 1.0, both data sets resulted in roughly similar estimates of the number of schools (52-58 for aerial, 40-59 for ship-based across a range of sensitivity tests), but mean school size estimates differed significantly (454 SE 90 for aerial, 159 SE 27 for ship-based). As the aerial estimates were based on counts of animals in composite vertical photographs, they are considered more reliable than the ship-based estimates that were made from a lower vantage point and at a greater angle. Given the small number of primary sightings on each survey, it was considered preferable to produce a combined estimate using school density estimates from both surveys weighted by their inverse variances but applying the mean school size from the aircraft. The resultant population estimate of 49 schools (CV = 0.29) and 22200 individuals (CV = 0.35) is discussed in relation to known or estimated incidental mortalities in South African waters

Magnetic resonance imaging of cerebrospinal fluid outflow after low-rate lateral ventricle infusion in mice.

The anatomical routes for the clearance of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) remain incompletely understood. However, recent evidence has given strong support for routes leading to lymphatic vessels. A current debate centers upon the routes through which CSF can access lymphatics, with evidence emerging for either direct routes to meningeal lymphatics or along cranial nerves to reach lymphatics outside the skull. Here, a method was established to infuse contrast agent into the ventricles using indwelling cannulae during imaging of mice at 2 and 12 months of age by magnetic resonance imaging. As expected, a significant decline in overall CSF turnover was found with aging. Quantifications demonstrated that the bulk of the contrast agent flowed from the ventricles to the subarachnoid space in the basal cisterns. Comparatively little contrast agent signal was found at the dorsal aspect of the skull. The imaging dynamics from the two cohorts revealed that the contrast agent cleared from the cranium through the cribriform plate to the nasopharyngeal lymphatics. On decalcified sections, we confirmed that fluorescentlylabeled ovalbumin drains through the cribriform plate and can be found within lymphatics surrounding the nasopharynx. In conclusion, routes leading to nasopharyngeal lymphatics appear to be a major efflux pathway for cranial CSF

Contrast of Backscattered Electron SEM Images of Nanoparticles on Substrates with Complex Structure

This study is concerned with backscattered electron scanning electron microscopy (BSE SEM) contrast of complex nanoscaled samples which consist of SiO2 nanoparticles (NPs) deposited on indium-tin-oxide covered bulk SiO2 and glassy carbon substrates. BSE SEM contrast of NPs is studied as function of the primary electron energy and working distance. Contrast inversions are observed which prevent intuitive interpretation of NP contrast in terms of material contrast. Experimental data is quantitatively compared with Monte-Carlo- (MC-) simulations. Quantitative agreement between experimental data and MC-simulations is obtained if the transmission characteristics of the annular semiconductor detector are taken into account. MC-simulations facilitate the understanding of NP contrast inversions and are helpful to derive conditions for optimum material and topography contrast

Voyagers 1 and 2 in a Shrunken and Squashed Heliosphere

We have extended our earlier calculations of the distance to the Heliospheric Termination Shock (HTS) - which covered the period from the launch of V1 and V2 in 1977 to 2005 - to the period from 2006 to 2011. During this latter period the solar wind speed, ram pressure and magnetic field decreased to the lowest levels in recent history, related to the sunspot minimum in 2008-2009. The HTS distance has decreased correspondingly so that V1, which was crossed by the HTS at 94 AU in late 2004, would now, in early 2011, be expected to reach the HTS at a distance ~80 AU, when the HTS distance would be expected to be at its minimum. Similarly V2, which was crossed by the HTS at 84 AU in mid 2007, would, in early 2011, reach the HTS at a distance of only 74 AU. These distances, in early 2011, are ~15% less than those at which V1 and V2 initially reached the HTS. The distance to the Heliopause (HP) is more uncertain but recent calculations place its equilibrium distance at between 1.4-1.6 times the HTS distance. Allowing for an additional 1 year for the HP to reach its equilibrium minimum distance relative to the HTS would mean that, assuming this distance remains a constant fraction larger than the HTS distance, the HP distance would be at its minimum distance of (1.4-1.6) x 80 AU = 112-128 AU at V1 in early 2012. At this time V1 will be at a distance of ~120 AU so that there is a possibility that V1 could cross the HP and enter interstellar space at the time 2012.0 \pm 1 year. If the crossing does not happen during this time period, then it is unlikely that V1 will reach this defining boundary before about 2016 because of the expected outward motion of the HTS and the HP towards their more normal distances of 85-96 and ~120 -140 AU coincident with the maximum of the new sunspot cycle.Comment: 23 pages including 7 figure

A theoretical study of the activity in Rh-catalyzed hydroformylation: the origin of the enhanced activity of the π-acceptor phosphinine ligand

The factors governing the activity in Rh-catalyzed hydroformylation were investigated using a set of computational tools. We performed DFT calculations on the phosphinine- modified Rh catalyst [HRh(CO)3(PC5H2R3)] and compared it to the phosphane-modified HRh(CO)3(PR3) and HRh(CO)2(PR3)2 complexes. The π-acceptor phosphinine ligand coordinates preferentially at the equatorial site of the pentacoordinated Rh complex with the heterocycle perpendicular to the equatorial plane, although the ligand freely rotates around the Rh–P bond. The overall energy barrier can be divided into the following contributions: alkene complex formation, alkene rotation and alkene insertion. In the absence of steric effects (model systems), the overall barrier correlates with the computed barrier for alkene rotation. This proves that π-acceptor ligands reduce back-donation to the alkene, leading to a lower rotational barrier and, consequently, to a higher activity. The Rh–P donor–acceptor interactions were quantified using a modified version of energy decomposition analysis (EDA). In Rh–phosphinine systems, the efficient directionality of the π-back-donation, rather than the overall acceptor ability, is responsible for the high catalytic activity. Introducing steric effects increases the energy required to coordinate the alkene, increasing the overall barrier. The factors governing the activity in Rh–monophosphane catalysts seem to be related to those derived for Rh–diphosphane during the development of a QSAR model (Catal. Sci. Technol. 2012, 2, 1694). To investigate whether the findings for mono- can be extrapolated to diphosphane ligands, we re-examined our previous QSAR model using the Topological Maximum Cross Correlation (TMACC) method based on easy-to-interpret 2D-descriptors. The TMACC descriptors highlight heteroatoms close to phosphorus as activity-increasing atoms, whereas highly substituted carbon atom groups are highlighted as activity-decreasing groups

Response to interferons and antibacterial innate immunity in the absence of tyrosine-phosphorylated STAT1

Signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (STAT1) plays a pivotal role in the innate immune system by directing the transcriptional response to interferons (IFNs). STAT1 is activated by Janus kinase (JAK)‐mediated phosphorylation of Y701. To determine whether STAT1 contributes to cellular responses without this phosphorylation event, we generated mice with Y701 mutated to a phenylalanine (Stat1(Y701F)). We show that heterozygous mice do not exhibit a dominant‐negative phenotype. Homozygous Stat1(Y701F) mice show a profound reduction in Stat1 expression, highlighting an important role for basal IFN‐dependent signaling. The rapid transcriptional response to type I IFN (IFN‐I) and type II IFN (IFNγ) was absent in Stat1(Y701F) cells. Intriguingly, STAT1Y701F suppresses the delayed expression of IFN‐I‐stimulated genes (ISG) observed in Stat1(−/−) cells, mediated by the STAT2/IRF9 complex. Thus, Stat1(Y701F) macrophages are more susceptible to Legionella pneumophila infection than Stat1(−/−) macrophages. Listeria monocytogenes grew less robustly in Stat1(Y701F) macrophages and mice compared to Stat1(−/−) counterparts, but STAT1Y701F is not sufficient to rescue the animals. Our studies are consistent with a potential contribution of Y701‐unphosphorylated STAT1 to innate antibacterial immunity