Occupational Therapy Certified Hand Therapists\u27 Perceptions of Remaining Rooted in Occupation in the Hand Clinic: A Phenomenological Study

Background: Occupational Therapy Certified Hand Therapists (OT CHTs) working in the outpatient hand clinic tend to use the dominant biomechanical approach in the rehabilitation of their upper extremity (UE) clients. Due to the existence of a multitude of barriers and challenges for implementing an occupation-based approach, OT CHTs may not treat their UE clients holistically, placing less focus on treating the occupational performance deficits caused by the UE impairment. Purpose: The purpose of this Capstone is to explore the essence of OT CHTs’ current lived experiences in the use of occupation-based approach in the outpatient hand therapy clinic. Theoretical Framework. The Capstone project is guided by the dominant biomechanical approach used in the outpatient hand clinic, The Canadian Model of Occupational Performance and Engagement (CMOP-E) an occupational-performance model, and the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF). The ICF is a framework that can bring balance to applying the occupation-based approach in hand therapy along with the dominant biomechanical approach. Methods. The descriptive phenomenological study included a questionnaire that was completed through interviewing six study participants on their perspectives on using an occupation-based approach with their UE clients. The results of the interviews were then analyzed for codes that resulted in four themes on the participants’ perspectives of the use of an occupation-based approach in outpatient hand therapy. Results. The results from the study indicate that the participants value occupation and do apply occupation-based interventions (OBI). The use of an occupation-based approach was found to be implemented at varying degrees in the hand clinic determined by the challenges and existing barriers each of the OT CHTs faced in the hand clinic culture and environment. Conclusions: The study participants demonstrated an awareness of occupation as the core value of the occupational therapy profession and implemented it to varying degrees in the outpatient hand clinic

IMECE2011-64472 MECHANICAL CHARACTERIZATION AND MODELING OF CORRUGATED METAL FOAMS FOR SOFC APPLICATIONS

ABSTRACT Planar solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) are made up of repeating sequences of thin layers of cermet electrodes, ceramic electrolytes, seals, and current-collectors. For electro-chemical reasons it is best to keep the electrolyte layers as thin as possible. However, for electrolyte-supported cells, the thin electrolytes are more susceptible to damage during production, assembly, and operation. The latest-generation electrolytesupported SOFCs feature metallic foam current-collectors which relay current between the energy-producing materials and the rest of the circuit. These foams are stamped into a corrugated shape which is intended to reduce the compressive loads which are transferred through the stack onto the brittle electrolyte, but the mechanical behavior of the foams remain to be fully understood. Characterization of the corrugated metal foams consists of comparison of load-vs.-displacement behavior between experimentally measured compression data and a singlecomponent finite element model which isolates the foam from the rest of the stack. Mechanical properties of the foam are found using an iterative approach, in which the material properties used as inputs to the model are changed until the load-displacement data best agrees with experiments. The model explores the influence of elastic and plastic properties in combination with and without friction. Thus obtained, the properties can then be used in a stack model to determine which parameters can best reduce the demands on the electrolyte without sacrificing electrochemical performance

Spread of porcine circovirus associated disease (PCVAD) in Ontario (Canada) swine herds: Part I. Exploratory spatial analysis

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The systemic form of porcine circovirus associated disease (PCVAD), also known as postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS) was initially detected in the early 1990s. Starting in 2004, the Canadian swine industry experienced considerable losses due to PCVAD, concurrent with a shift in genotype of porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2). Objectives of the current study were to explore spatial characteristics of self-reported PCVAD distribution in Ontario between 2004 and 2008, and to investigate the existence and nature of local spread.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The study included 278 swine herds from a large disease-monitoring project that included porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) virus-positive herds identified by the diagnostic laboratory, and PRRS virus-negative herds directly from the target population. Herds were included if they had growing pigs present on-site and available geographical coordinates for the sampling site. Furthermore, herds were defined as PCVAD-positive if a producer reported an outbreak of circovirus associated disease, or as PCVAD-negative if no outbreak was noted. Spatial trend was investigated using generalized additive models and time to PCVAD outbreak in a herd using Cox's proportional hazard model; spatial and spatio-temporal clustering was explored using K-functions; and location of most likely spatial and spatio-temporal clusters was investigated using scan statistics. Over the study period, the risk of reporting a PCVAD-positive herd tended to be higher in the eastern part of the province after adjustment for herd PRRS status (<it>P </it>= 0.05). This was partly confirmed for spread (Partial <it>P </it>< 0.01). Local spread also appeared to exist, as suggested by the tentative (<it>P </it>= 0.06) existence of spatio-temporal clustering of PCVAD and detection of a spatio-temporal cluster (<it>P </it>= 0.04).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>In Ontario, PCVAD has shown a general trend, spreading from east-to-west. We interpret the existence of spatio-temporal clustering as evidence of spatio-temporal aggregation of PCVAD-positive cases above expectations and, together with the existence of spatio-temporal and spatial clusters, as suggestive of apparent local spread of PCVAD. Clustering was detected at small spatial and temporal scales. Other patterns of spread could not be detected; however, survival rates in discrete Ontario zones, as well as a lack of a clear spatial pattern in the most likely spatio-temporal clusters, suggest other between-herd transmission mechanisms.</p

Spread of porcine circovirus associated disease (PCVAD) in Ontario (Canada) swine herds: Part II. Matched case-control study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The emergence of porcine circovirus associated disease (PCVAD) was associated with high mortality in swine populations worldwide. Studies performed in different regions identified spatial, temporal, and spatio-temporal trends as factors contributing to patterns of the disease spread. Patterns consistent with spatial trend and spatio-temporal clustering were already identified in this dataset. On the basis of these results, we have further investigated the nature of local spread in this report. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate risk factors for incidence cases of reported PCVAD.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A time-matched case-control study was used as a study design approach, and conditional logistic regression as the analytical method. The main exposure of interest was local spread, which was defined as an unidentified mechanism of PCVAD spread between premises located within 3 kilometers of the Euclidean distance. Various modifications of variables indicative of local spread were also evaluated. The dataset contained 278 swine herds from Ontario originally sampled either from diagnostic laboratory submissions or directly from the target population. A PCVAD case was defined on the basis of the producer's recall. Existence of apparent local spread over the entire study period was confirmed (OR = 2.26, 95% CI: 1.06, 4.83), and was further identified to be time-varying in nature - herds experiencing outbreaks in the later part of the epidemic were more likely than control herds to be exposed to neighboring herds experiencing recent PCVAD outbreaks. More importantly, the pattern of local spread was driven by concurrent occurrence of PCVAD on premises under the same ownership (OR_{EXACTwithin ownership}= 25.6, 95% CI: 3.4, +inf; OR_{EXACToutside ownership}= 1.3, 95% CI: 0.45, 3.3). Other significant factors included PRRSv status of a herd (OR_EXACT= 1.9, 95% CI: 1.0, 3.9), after adjusting for geographical location by including the binary effect of the easting coordinate (Easting > 600 km = 1; OR_EXACT= 1.8, 95% CI: 0.5, 5.6).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>These results preclude any conclusion regarding the existence of a mechanism of local spread through airborne transmission or indirectly through contaminated fomites or vectors, as simultaneous emergence of PCVAD could also be a result of concurrent change in contributing factors due to other mechanisms within ownerships.</p

Effects of purified perforin and granzyme A from cytotoxic T lymphocytes on guinea pig ventricular myocytes

Objective: Involvement of cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) in heart transplant rejection as well as in viral myocarditis is well established, but the precise mechanisms whereby infiltrating CTL damage the myocardium are unknown. The aim of the study was to investigate how CTL derived perforin, the serine protease granzyme A, and the combination of both, damage guinea pig ventricular myocytes. Methods: Action potentials and membrane currents were recorded by means of the whole cell configuration from guinea pig ventricular myocytes. Results: Resembling the effects of CTL derived lytic granules, perforin caused gradual myocyte shortening and contracture, leading to complete loss of the rod shaped morphology and to cell destruction. These changes were preceded by shortening of action potential duration and reduction of resting potential and action potential amplitude, followed by complete inexcitability. Granzyme A alone was ineffective, but accelerated the deleterious effects of perforin on the morphological and electrophysiological properties of myocytes. The effects of perforin were further evaluated by measuring membrane currents by means of the whole cell voltage clamp. Perforin induced discrete changes in membrane current, reminiscent of single ion channels, with large conductance and open time of up to several seconds. Linear regression analysis of the channel I-V relations resulted in a conductance of 890 pS and a reversal potential of −7.6 mV. These results suggest that perforin induces large non-selective channels, which can account for most of the observed adverse effects. Conclusions: As CTL participate in the immunological rejection of the transplanted heart, it is conceivable, but remains to be shown, that part of this damage is inflicted by perforin containing lytic granules. Cardiovascular Research 1994;28:643-64

A Comparison of Individual Versus Community Influences on Youth Smoking Behaviours: A Cross-Sectional Observational Study

Objectives: To compare individual with community risk factors for adolescent smoking. Design: A cross-sectional observational study with multivariate analysis.Setting: National telephone survey.Participants: 3646 US adolescents aged 13–18 years in 2007 recruited through a random digit-dial survey

Hydrodynamic attraction of swimming microorganisms by surfaces

Cells swimming in confined environments are attracted by surfaces. We measure the steady-state distribution of smooth-swimming bacteria (Escherichia coli) between two glass plates. In agreement with earlier studies, we find a strong increase of the cell concentration at the boundaries. We demonstrate theoretically that hydrodynamic interactions of the swimming cells with solid surfaces lead to their re-orientation in the direction parallel to the surfaces, as well as their attraction by the closest wall. A model is derived for the steady-state distribution of swimming cells, which compares favorably with our measurements. We exploit our data to estimate the flagellar propulsive force in swimming E. coli

Dopamine and Glutamate Induce Distinct Striatal Splice Forms of Ania-6, an RNA Polymerase II-Associated Cyclin

AbstractControl of neuronal gene expression by drugs or neurotransmitters is a critical step in long-term neural plasticity. Here, we show that a gene induced in the striatum by cocaine or direct dopamine stimulation, ania-6, is a member of a novel family of cyclins with homology to cyclins K/T/H/C. Further, different types of neurotransmitter stimulation cause selective induction of distinct ania-6 isoforms, through alternative splicing. The longer Ania-6 protein colocalizes with nuclear speckles and is associated with key elements of the RNA elongation/processing complex, including the hyperphosphorylated form of RNA polymerase II, the splicing factor SC-35, and the p110 PITSLRE cyclin-dependent kinase. Distinct types of neuronal stimulation may therefore differentially modulate nuclear RNA processing, through altered transcription and splicing of ania-6

Magnetic Field-Induced Condensation of Triplons in Han Purple Pigment BaCuSi2_2O6_6

Besides being an ancient pigment, BaCuSi$_2$O$_6$ is a quasi-2D magnetic insulator with a gapped spin dimer ground state. The application of strong magnetic fields closes this gap creating a gas of bosonic spin triplet excitations called triplons. The topology of the spin lattice makes BaCuSi$_2$O$_6$ an ideal candidate for studying the Bose-Einstein condensation of triplons as a function of the external magnetic field, which acts as a chemical potential. In agreement with quantum Monte Carlo numerical simulations, we observe a distinct lambda-anomaly in the specific heat together with a maximum in the magnetic susceptibility upon cooling down to liquid Helium temperatures.Comment: published on August 20, 200

Altered serological and cellular reactivity to H-2 antigens after target cell infection with vaccinia virus

MICE generate cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) which are able to lyse virus infected target cells in vitro after infection with lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) and pox-viruses1−3. CTL kill syngeneic and semiallogenic infected cells but not allogenic infected targets. Target cell lysis in these systems seems to be restricted by H-2 antigens, especially by the K or D end of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC). In experiments where virus specific sensitised lymphocytes kill virus infected allogenic target cells4 the effector lymphocytes have not been characterised exactly. Recent investigations suggest that the active cell in this assay, at least in the measles infection, is a non-thymus derived cell (H. Kreth, personal communication). An H-2 restriction of cell mediated cytolysis (CMC) to trinitrophenol (TNP)-modified lymphocytes has also been described5. Zinkernagel and Doherty6 postulated that the CTL is directed against syngeneic H-2 antigens and viral antigens and they suggested an alteration of H-2 induced by the LCMV infection. Earlier7 we found a close topological relationship between H-2 antigens and the target antigen(s) responsible for CMC in the vaccinia system. Here we report experiments which were carried out to prove alteration of H-2 after infection of L-929 fibroblasts with vaccinia virus