Preliminary Efficacy of Occupational Therapy in an Equine Environment for Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders - The purpose of this study was to identify appropriate outcome measures and assess preliminary efficacy of occupational therapy in an equine...     

Curcuma longa extract as a histological dye for collagen fibres and red blood cells

Crude ethanolic extract and column chromatographic fractions of the Allepey cultivar of Curcuma longa Roxb, commonly called turmeric (tumeric) in commerce, were used as a stain for tissue sections. Staining was carried out under basic, acidic and neutral media conditions. Inorganic and organic dissolution solvents were used. The stain was used as a counterstain after alum and iron haematoxylins. C. longa stained collagen fibres, cytoplasm, red blood cells and muscle cells yellow. It also stained in a fashion similar to eosin, except for its intense yellow colour. Preliminary phytochemical evaluation of the active column fraction revealed that it contained flavonoids, free anthraquinone and deoxy sugar. A cheap, natural dye can thus be obtained from C. longa.     

A novel approach to the development of benchmarking parameters for characterizing cartilage health

This article outlines the motivation and preliminary investigations into a novel method of characterizing cartilage health for potential in vivo application. Current in vivo indentation techniques, which primarily rely on stiffness measurements based on axial data, are unable to adequately distinguish between healthy and degraded tissue. The present in vitro study investigates the effects of controlled artificial degradation on the effective surface stretch, comparing the results with those obtained from the peripheral cartilage surrounding focal osteoarthritis. Results suggest that this technique is highly sensitive, showing a maximum range of 14% effective surface stretch in a normal joint compared with 42% for axial strain measurements. We further demonstrated that the technique can discriminate between degenerative changes and the intrinsic variations in cartilage properties across the normal joint. From these investigations we propose that the relationship between indentation and the in-plane strain field under the indenter can better distinguish degraded tissue than the currently used stiffness techniques.     

Appreciative inquiry for leading in complex systems: supporting the transformation of academic nursing culture

Increasingly complex environments in which nurse educators must function create distinct challenges for leaders in nursing education. Complexity is found in the presence of knowledge-driven economies, advancements in technology, and the blurring of campus boundaries created by online learning versus traditional classroom education. A dual bureaucracy of faculty and administration coexists in nursing education. The transformation of bureaucratic culture is a strategic challenge for academic leaders who strive to move dichotomous groups toward a collective vision of a preferred future. This article advocates for the affirmative administrative process of appreciative inquiry for academic nursing leadership, in nudging the dual bureaucracy toward transformational change. The intent and characteristics of appreciative inquiry are discussed, appreciative leadership strategies and actions are explained, methods for leading cultural paradigm shift are outlined, and an exemplar of the actualization of appreciative inquiry is presented.     

A systematic review of electrical stimulation for pressure ulcer prevention and treatment in people with spinal cord injuries

Context

Electrical stimulation (ES) can confer benefit to pressure ulcer (PU) prevention and treatment in spinal cord injuries (SCIs). However, clinical guidelines regarding the use of ES for PU management in SCI remain limited.

Objectives

To critically appraise and synthesize the research evidence on ES for PU prevention and treatment in SCI.

Method

Review was limited to peer-reviewed studies published in English from 1970 to July 2013. Studies included randomized controlled trials (RCTs), non-RCTs, prospective cohort studies, case series, case control, and case report studies. Target population included adults with SCI. Interventions of any type of ES were accepted. Any outcome measuring effectiveness of PU prevention and treatment was included. Methodological quality was evaluated using established instruments.

Results

Twenty-seven studies were included, 9 of 27 studies were RCTs. Six RCTs were therapeutic trials. ES enhanced PU healing in all 11 therapeutic studies. Two types of ES modalities were identified in therapeutic studies (surface electrodes, anal probe), four types of modalities in preventive studies (surface electrodes, ES shorts, sacral anterior nerve root implant, neuromuscular ES implant).

Conclusion

The methodological quality of the studies was poor, in particular for prevention studies. A significant effect of ES on enhancement of PU healing is shown in limited Grade I evidence. The great variability in ES parameters, stimulating locations, and outcome measure leads to an inability to advocate any one standard approach for PU therapy or prevention. Future research is suggested to improve the design of ES devices, standardize ES parameters, and conduct more rigorous trials.     

HIV-related enteropathy in Zambia: a clinical, microbiological, and histological study

To investigate the etiology of chronic diarrhea associated with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection in Lusaka, we studied 63 HIV-positive patients and 36 seronegative controls clinically and endoscopically. Stools were studied for morphology and for opportunist infections. Fifty-five percent of patients seropositive for HIV who presented with a history of chronic diarrhea had parasites; the most common were Cryptosporidium (32%), Isospora belli (16%), and Strongyloides stercoralis (6%). As indicated by villous blunting and inflammation on duodenal histology, those with diarrhea and parasites showed the most severe damage. We could not implicate mycobacteria or bacterial overgrowth as causes for the enteropathy associated with HIV.     

Disinterest in local self-help groups amongst patients with inflammatory bowel disease in Leicester

An invitation to attend the inaugural meeting of a self-help group and a questionnaire were sent to 2084 patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Twelve months later 180 patients who had joined the group (n=90) and a similar number who had not, were sent a second questionnaire seeking why they had or had not, and what functions the group had managed to fulfill. 254 (13%) responded and 138 (7%) joined. Patients with Crohn's disease (² = 5.43, P=0.02) and women (² = 3.80, P<0.05) were more likely to join. These differences were not seen amongst the Asians who responded to the questionnaire (² = 0.01, ns) who were much less likely to respond (² = 15.1, P>0.0001). Responders wanted the group to provide an information service (85%) to give an opportunity to discuss problems with other patients (77%) and to promote the needs of people with IBD to the local community. 88% (n=159) responded to the second questionnaire, including 83 from joiners and 76 from non-joiners. Forty-seven (57% of joiners) had attended meetings. Answers indicated the group provided useful general information (99%), mutual support (66%), information on medical research (70%) and an opportunity to meet (60%). Amongst nonjoiners, 81% (n=62) thought such a group might be useful. Reasons for not joining included: too busy (40%), too far away (23%), managing without support (28%) and reluctance to broadcast their illness (20%).

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Résumé Une invitation à assister à le réunion inaugurale d'un groupe d'aide personnelle et un questionnaire ont été envoyés à 2084 patients avec une maladie inflammatoire du colon. 12 mois plus tard, 180 patients qui avaient rejoint le groupe (n=90) et un nombre similaire qui ne l'avait pas fait ont reçu un deuxième questionnaire cherchant pourquoi ils avaient ou non fait cela et quelles fonctions le groupe avait décidé de remplir. 254 (13%) ont répondu et 138 (7%) ont rejoint le groupe. Les patients avec maladie de Crohn (² = 5.43, P=0.02) et les femmes (² = 3.80, P>0.05) étaient susceptibles de rejoindre le groupe. Ces différences n'étaient pas vues parmi les asiatiques qui ont répondu au questionnaire (² = 0.01, ns) qui étaient beaucoup moins susceptible de répondre (² = 15.1, P>0.0001). Les répondeurs demandaient au groupe de fournir un service d'informations (85%) de donner une opportunité de discuter des problèmes avec d'autres malades (77%) et de promouvoir les besoins des gens atteints de maladie inflammatoire dans la communauté locale. 88% (n=159) ont répondu au deuxième questionnaire, incluant 83 de ceux qui avaient rejoint et 76 de ceux qui n'avaient pas rejoint le groupe. 47 (57% de ceux qui avaient rejoint) ont suivi les réunions. Les répondeurs ont indiqué que le groupe fournissait des informations générales utiles (99%) une aide mutuelle (66%), des informations sur la recherche médicale (70%) et une opportunité de se rencontrer (60%). Parmi ceux qui n'avaient pas rejoint, 81% (n=62) pensaient qu'un tel groupe pouvait être utile. Les raisons de ne pas rejoindre comprenait: trop occupé (40%), trop loin (23%) pas de support (28%) et répugnance à diffuser leur maladie (20%).

     

Actin and myosin isoforms in gallbladder smooth muscle following cholesterol feeding in prairie dogs

Gallbladder smooth muscle contractility decreases after high-cholesterol feeding in prairie dogs. This decrease is not associated with alterations in the total amounts of the contractile proteins actin and myosin. The present study was designed to determine if cholesterol feeding results in alterations in the isoforms of actin and/or myosin heavy chain in gallbladder smooth muscle. Control prairie dogs were fed a trace-cholesterol diet and test animals were fed a high (1.2%)-cholesterol diet for 8 days. Although the proportion of beta-actin was unchanged, the proportion of alpha-actin in the gallbladder was less in the animals fed the high-cholesterol diet (32.6% +/- 1.5% in the control animals and 24.6% +/- 0.4% in the diet animals). On the other hand, the proportion of gamma-actin was significantly greater in the cholesterol-fed animals. There were no significant differences in the proportions of the myosin heavy-chain isoforms between the two groups. Also, there was no change in the volume fraction of smooth muscle in the gallbladders from the two groups. Thus, cholesterol feeding induces a shift in actin isoforms at the same time that there is a decrease in contractility. Whether the altered pattern of actin isoforms is related to the functional changes remains to be determined.