A Prospective Study of Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetics Examining the Correlation Between Antioxidant Levels and Neuronal Layer Loss (DECAN)

Diabetic retinopathy has long been considered as a microvascular disease of the retina with complex pathways that contribute to the pathogenesis. There is significant evidence for the role of oxidative stress development of diabetic retinopathy and there is increasing interest in the role of antioxidant micronutrients in the prevention of diabetic complications. There is also growing evidence from clinical and laboratory studies to support neuronal damage in the retina of diabetic patients even before there are any fundal changes clinically. Studies have also examined the associations between macular pigment optical density and glycated haemoglobin (HbA1C) in type 2 diabetics with and without retinopathy. Although various theories have been proposed about neurodegeneration in diabetic retinopathy it remains unclear to what role it plays in the development and progression of diabetic retinopathy and if there is an early detectable relationship with antioxidant intake. The aim of this study was to examine this further by examining the relationship between retinal neuronal layer changes assessed using spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) with dietary intake of foods. The development of diabetic retinopathy was then further explored to determine the relationship between severity of diabetic retinopathy with neuronal layer loss in individuals with type 1 and type 2 diabetes. The study also explored the relationship of HbA1C and serum lipid levels with macular pigment optical density measurements. Although a significant number of potential susceptible genes have previously been identified, the results of many studies have been limited by a number of negative findings so the exact roles in this area is still uncertain. Some potential single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were selected based on previous studies for analysis as part of this an exploratory study. 204 participants were recruited to the DECAN study. Outcome measures were dietary intake assessed using a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ), optical coherence tomography (OCT), macular pigment optical density (MOPD), glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c), serum lipids and deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). The results of the study showed that both outer nuclear layer (ONL) and the inner nuclear layer (INL) showed statistically significant associations with Vitamin B12, Pantothenic acid, copper and selenium. Selenium was seen to be associated with a thinner INL. The ONL showed a statistically significant association with vitamin B12, indicating that an increase in Vitamin B12 results in a thicker ONL whereas an increase in pantothenic acid is also associated with a thinner ONL. At 12 months no correlations were evident between the FFQ data and severity of retinopathy or maculopathy. The study found that higher levels of MPOD values were positively associated with lower levels of triglycerides. There was no association was seen between MOPD scores, FFQ and OCT. Statistical analysis of the genotyping of 3 selected single nucleotide polymorphisms showed no statistically significant association between any of the groups. This study has added to the growing evidence that oxidative stress, antioxidants and neurodegeneration are critical factors in the pathogenies of diabetic retinopathy early on. The study showed promising results for further research that could lead to an interventional trial using a supplementation of selenium which has not been previously reported

Comparison of popular music in the United States and the United Kingdom: computerized analysis of 42,714 pieces

The present research employed computerised analyses of all those pieces to have achieved any degree of commercial success in either the United States or the United Kingdom in terms of energy, beats per minutes, and several emotion scores. Analyses showed differences between these two commercially-complete musical cultures in all variables except one of the emotion scores; that the relationship between popularity and each of the remaining variables was similar across the two countries; but that there were differences in the representation of genres. These findings indicate that it is possible to identify quantitative differences between musical cultures, and may have implications for ethnomusicology and the nascent digital music streaming industry

Perceptions of CUNY women athletes and coaches about selected coaching practices

This research described the beliefs and practices associated with women college coaches 1n the City University of New York. The Inquiry attempted to characterize coaches' behavior as it related to three broad considerations: (a) leadership style, (b) coach-player relationships and (c) personal freedom of athletes. Two data sources were used: the coaches' responses to specific questions and the players' responses to the same questions. The total number of sportswomen involved was 24 women coaches and 250 female intercollegiate athletes. They represent 12 institutions of higher learning 1n the CUNY system. Two forced-choice structure questionnaires were used as the data gathering instruments. Analysis of data involved conversion of frequencies of responses into percentages allowing for classification according to arbitrarily designated "anchor adjectives" and calculation of chi square for selected items. Modal responses were used to describe the profile of the women CUNY coach

Arab children's play as a reflection of social interaction patterns of their culture

The purpose of this study was to investigate social interaction patterns of an Arab culture as reflected by play of the children in the country of Syria. It was hypothesized that the games and play activities of the Arab children would reflect social interaction patterns of their culture, and that the games and play activities could be identified and designated with regard to interaction patterns. It was also hypothesized that social interaction patterns of the Arab culture could be described and categorized. Further, there would be differentiations as to who participated in varied games and play activities. For this study, the investigator was concerned primarily with the social interaction patterns of cooperation and competition

Approaches towards the biomimetic synthesis of 9-hydroxypinoresinol analogs: a stepping point in the development of a new anti-seizure drug

A recently isolated natural compound, Petaslignolide A, from the leaves of Petasites japonicas, has shown to be an effective neuroprotecting agent because of its antioxidant and anti-seizure activity. Recent studies have shown that the anti-seizure activity is dependent upon a metabolite of the natural product, 9-hydroxypinoresinol. Thus, the first total biomimetic synthesis was proposed to obtain 9-hydroxypinoresinol while employing metal-free organocatalysis. The synthesis utilizes the known Sonogashira Coupling reaction followed by hydrogenation using Lindlar's catalyst, epoxidation with mCPBA then ending with the highly complex step of metal-free organocatalysis to obtain 9-hydroxypinoresinol. Preliminary research in the use of metalfree organocatalysis approach were unsuccessful, thus a revised biomimetic synthesis was proposed. Previous reactions yielding the epoxide is further tosylated followed by coupling with 1-phenyl-3-butene-1-ol utilizing alkylation conditions. Further oxidation of the alkene using ozonolysis conditions then ends with metal-free organocatalysis. This revised synthesis provides promise to understanding the structure-activity relationship of the analogs to 9-hydroxypinoresinol and in turn, elucidating the mechanism of activity. The first total synthesis of 9-hydroxypinoresinol will allow the creation of a class of new novel anti-epileptic pharmaceuticals

A case study of an effective middle school Algebra I teacher

Using a qualitative case study approach, this research explored the perceptions of middle school students on the role of their mathematics teacher in their success or failure to achieve in his mathematics classroom. Also, the study examined the teacher’s perceptions of his role in the students’ achievement. Further, the research explored the teacher’s strategies while teaching Algebra I. Through the use of 135 hours of classroom observations, student interviews, teacher interviews, and field notes, the following teacher strategies were supported: the use of routine, extensive modeling, scaffolding, differentiation, real life examples, and strong encouragement. Achievement data and end-of-course assessments confirmed that this low-performing, high-poverty middle school had 100% pass rates on the state Algebra I end of course test

Consumed by consumption: a phenomenological exploration of the compulsive clothing buying experience

“At some point we have to face the certain reality: despite all the good the world seems to offer, true happiness can only be found in one thing: shopping” (Ally McBeal, 1997 as cited in Wagner, 2007). In today’s society, shopping is positioned as a major source of happiness and a signal of status and success. Messages in popular media not only condone the excessive acquisition of materials possessions but promotes it. Indeed, there is a great deal of pressure to think that “we are what we have.” Most individuals have appropriate defense mechanisms to resist this pressure, however, there are others that do not. Life experiences and personal characteristics, when combined with sociocultural factors, can lead these individuals to the excessive consumption of products in the hopes of achieving a desired sense of self, avoiding negative feelings or emotions, or compensating for perceived internal deficiencies. Indeed, buying behavior becomes a response to the desire to exert control over one’s life. Paradoxically, these individuals develop and maintain such behavior to the extent that it ends up controlling them (Cardella, 2010; Eccles, 2002). These consumers, known in the literature as compulsive buyers, are the focus of this dissertation. Compulsive buying behavior (CBB) is conceptualized as a compulsive behavior in which the individual uses shopping as a compensation mechanism due to feelings of emptiness or as an escape from unpleasant situations or negative feelings (Neuner, Raab, & Reisch, 2005; O’Guinn & Faber, 1989). Research suggest that these consumers tend to prefer appearance-related products when engaging in the behavior. However, little is known about the reasons why compulsive buyers prefer such items. To this end, the purpose of this dissertation was to develop an in-depth understanding of the compulsive buying experience. Further, this study addresses gaps within the consumer research literature specifically regarding the preference among compulsive buyers for appearance-related products (ARPs) by examining the experiences of as well as the overall shopping and buying process among six women who are compulsive clothing buyers. Three objectives were developed to address the purpose of this dissertation: (1) to examine the behaviors that comprise compulsive buying, (2) to investigate the role of appearance-related products relative to these behaviors, and (3) to explore the meanings compulsive clothing buyers assign to appearance-related items. A phenomenological approach to inquiry was used to accomplish the objectives and overall purpose of this dissertation. A combination of in-depth interviews and personal journals formed the basis of the data collection. Six women between the ages of 32 and 55 years old comprised the sample. Three levels of interpretation were developed based on the data collected. Personal Narratives constituted the first level of interpretation. Among the areas covered in each narrative are: participants’ personal background and family situation, early experiences with shopping and buying, moment of realization, motivations and triggers to engage in the behavior, product preference, thoughts about shopping and buying, and the importance of shopping and buying in her life. A thematic interpretation grounded on commonalities and differences across participants’ experiences formed the second level of interpretation. Four conceptual areas – The Person, The Process, The Product, and The Path to Recovery – frame the themes that surfaced to link each participant’s experiences with those of the group. In the first conceptual area, The Person, participants’ lived experiences with CCB are examined and their understandings of the behavior, triggers and motivations to engage, moments of realization and major struggles are identified. In the second conceptual area, The Process, the process of shopping and buying compulsively for appearance-related items as explained by the participants is explored. The third conceptual area, The Product, presents a deeper examination of participants’ preference for appearance-related products. In the fourth and last conceptual area, The Path to Recovery, consequences of CCB as experienced by participants and their paths to recovery are explored. The third level of interpretation, Theoretical Considerations, was then developed to theorize about the role of appearance-related products on compulsive buying and how these items impact participants’ sense of self. Findings indicate that compulsive buyers prefer ARPs over other consumer goods due to their physical attributes, the way these items make them feel, and the fact that these products allow individuals to fix/alter who they are, communicate who they are, fill a gap in their lives and/or take control over an aspect of their lives. Findings support previous research suggesting that CBB is a result of the interplay between psychological and sociocultural factors (e.g., DeSarbo & Edwards, 1996; Mueller, Mitchell, Marino, et al., 2010, O’Guinn & Faber, 1989), but offers situational factors as significant triggers of the behavior. Specifically, findings point to two triggers that have received little to no attention in the consumer behavior literature: fashion blogs and retail promotions. Findings also point to tensions participants experience at different stages of the shopping and buying process, whether before, during or after. These tensions would benefit from further exploration, especially through the Dialogical Self Theory. The ability to fantasize was also found to play a significant role on participants’ CCB. Finally, results suggest that associations between the terms “shopping” and “therapy” must be limited, as these associations impede the recognition of the behavior as a disorder and therefore deny the seriousness of CBB

Interventions for eye movement disorders due to acquired brain injury

This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (Intervention). The objectives are as follows: The primary objective is to assess the effects of any intervention and determine the effect of timing of any intervention in the treatment of strabismus, gaze deficits and nystagmus due to acquired brain injury in order to align visual axes in primary and/or secondary gaze positions. The secondary objectives will be to determine whether in patients with eye movement disorders due to acquired brain injury, at what time point or period, using the following interventions and comparators. •Restitutive treatment is more effective than control, placebo, alternative treatment or no treatment in improving ocular alignment and/or motility. •Substitutive treatment is more effective than control, placebo, alternative treatment or no treatment in improving ocular alignment and/or motility. •Compensatory treatment is more effective than control, placebo, alternative treatment or no treatment in improving ocular alignment and/or motility. •Pharmacological treatment is more effective than control, placebo, alternative treatment or no treatment in improving ocular alignment and/or motility

Attributional style, self-esteem, and celebrity worship

Two studies were carried out to investigate the relationship between attributional style (Study 1), self-esteem (Study 2), and different forms of celebrity worship. Entertainment social celebrity worship (the most normal form considered) was unrelated to attributional style or self-esteem; intense personal celebrity worship was related positively to self-esteem but also to a propensity toward stable and globalattributions; and borderline pathological celebrity worship (the most negative form considered) was related to external, stable, and global attributions. These results were independent of whether participants were located in Europe or North America, and are discussed in terms of whether celebrity worship should be regarded as positive or negative and as a unitary concept

Interventions for eye movement disorders due to acquired brain injury

BACKGROUND: Acquired brain injury can cause eye movement disorders which may include: strabismus, gaze deficits and nystagmus, causing visual symptoms of double, blurred or 'juddery' vision and reading difficulties. A wide range of interventions exist that have potential to alleviate or ameliorate these symptoms. There is a need to evaluate the effectiveness of these interventions and the timing of their implementation. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to assess the effectiveness of any intervention and determine the effect of timing of intervention in the treatment of strabismus, gaze deficits and nystagmus due to acquired brain injury. We considered restitutive, substitutive, compensatory or pharmacological interventions separately and compared them to control, placebo, alternative treatment or no treatment for improving ocular alignment or motility (or both). SEARCH METHODS: We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) (containing the Cochrane Eyes and Vision Trials Register) (2017, Issue 5), MEDLINE Ovid, Embase Ovid, CINAHL EBSCO, AMED Ovid, PsycINFO Ovid, Dissertations & Theses (PQDT) database, PsycBITE (Psychological Database for Brain Impairment Treatment Efficacy), ISRCTN registry, ClinicalTrials.gov, Health Services Research Projects in Progress (HSRProj), National Eye Institute Clinical Studies Database and the World Health Organization (WHO) International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP). The databases were last searched on 26 June 2017. No date or language restrictions were used in the electronic searches for trials. We manually searched the Australian Orthoptic Journal, British and Irish Orthoptic Journal, and ESA, ISA and IOA conference proceedings. We contacted researchers active in this field for information about further published or unpublished studies. SELECTION CRITERIA: We included randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of any intervention for ocular alignment or motility deficits (or both) due to acquired brain injury. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Two review authors independently selected studies and extracted data. We used standard methods expected by Cochrane. We employed the GRADE approach to interpret findings and assess the quality of the evidence. MAIN RESULTS: We found five RCTs (116 participants) that were eligible for inclusion. These trials included conditions of acquired nystagmus, sixth cranial nerve palsy and traumatic brain injury-induced ocular motility defects. We did not identify any relevant studies of restitutive interventions.We identified one UK-based trial of a substitutive intervention, in which botulinum toxin was compared with observation in 47 people with acute sixth nerve palsy. At four months after entry into the trial, people given botulinum toxin were more likely to make a full recovery (reduction in angle of deviation within 10 prism dioptres), compared with observation (risk ratio 1.19, 95% CI 0.96 to 1.48; low-certainty evidence). These same participants also achieved binocular single vision. In the injection group only, there were 2 cases of transient ptosis out of 22 participants (9%), and 4 participants out of 22 (18%) with transient vertical deviation; a total complication rate of 24% per injection and 27% per participant. All adverse events recovered. We judged the certainty of evidence as low, downgrading for risk of bias and imprecision. It was not possible to mask investigators or participants to allocation, and the follow-up between groups varied.We identified one USA-based cross-over trial of a compensatory intervention. Oculomotor rehabilitation was compared with sham training in 12 people with mild traumatic brain injury, at least one year after the injury. We judged the evidence from this study to be very low-certainty. The study was small, data for the sham training group were not fully reported, and it was unclear if a cross-over study design was appropriate as this is an intervention with potential to have a permanent effect.We identified three cross-over studies of pharmacological interventions for acquired nystagmus, which took place in Germany and the USA. These studies investigated two classes of pharmacological interventions: GABAergic drugs (gabapentin, baclofen) and aminopyridines (4-aminopyridines (AP), 3,4-diaminopyridine (DAP)). We judged the evidence from all three studies as very low-certainty because of small numbers of participants (which led to imprecision) and risk of bias (they were cross-over studies which did not report data in a way that permitted estimation of effect size).One study compared gabapentin (up to 900 mg/day) with baclofen (up to 30 mg/day) in 21 people with pendular and jerk nystagmus. The follow-up period was two weeks. This study provides very low-certainty evidence that gabapentin may work better than baclofen in improving ocular motility and reducing participant-reported symptoms (oscillopsia). These effects may be different in pendular and jerk nystagmus, but without formal subgroup analysis it is unclear if the difference between the two types of nystagmus was chance finding. Quality of life was not reported. Ten participants with pendular nystagmus chose to continue treatment with gabapentin, and one with baclofen. Two participants with jerk nystagmus chose to continue treatment with gabapentin, and one with baclofen. Drug intolerance was reported in one person receiving gabapentin and in four participants receiving baclofen. Increased ataxia was reported in three participants receiving gabapentin and two participants receiving baclofen.One study compared a single dose of 3,4-DAP (20 mg) with placebo in 17 people with downbeat nystagmus. Assessments were made 30 minutes after taking the drug. This study provides very low-certainty evidence that 3,4-DAP may reduce the mean peak slow-phase velocity, with less oscillopsia, in people with downbeat nystagmus. Three participants reported transient side effects of minor perioral/distal paraesthesia.One study compared a single dose of 4-AP with a single dose of 3,4-DAP (both 10 mg doses) in eight people with downbeat nystagmus. Assessments were made 45 and 90 minutes after drug administration. This study provides very low-certainty evidence that both 3,4-DAP and 4-AP may reduce the mean slow-phase velocity in people with downbeat nystagmus. This effect may be stronger with 4-AP. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: The included studies provide insufficient evidence to inform decisions about treatments specifically for eye movement disorders that occur following acquired brain injury. No information was obtained on the cost of treatment or measures of participant satisfaction relating to treatment options and effectiveness. It was possible to describe the outcome of treatment in each trial and ascertain the occurrence of adverse events