4,525 research outputs found
The SF-36: a simple, effective measure of mobility disability for epidemiological studies
No full textBackgroundMobility disability is a major problem in older people. Numerous scales exist for the measurement of disability but often these do not permit comparisons between study groups. The physical functioning (PF) domain of the established and widely used Short Form-36 (SF-36) questionnaire asks about limitations on ten mobility activities.ObjectivesTo describe prevalence of mobility disability in an elderly population, investigate the validity of the SF-36 PF score as a measure of mobility disability, and to establish age and sex specific norms for the PF score.MethodsWe explored relationships between the SF-36 PF score and objectively measured physical performance variables among 349 men and 280 women, 59-72 years of age, who participated in the Hertfordshire Cohort Study (HCS). Normative data were derived from the Health Survey for England (HSE) 1996.Results32% of men and 46% of women had at least some limitation in PF scale items. Poor SF-36 PF scores (lowest fifth of the gender-specific distribution) were related to: lower grip strength; longer timed-up-and-go, 3m walk, and chair rises test times in men and women; and lower quadriceps peak torque in women but not men. HSE normative data showed that median PF scores declined with increasing age in men and women.ConclusionOur results are consistent with the SF-36 PF score being a valid measure of mobility disability in epidemiological studies. This approach might be a first step towards enabling simple comparisons of prevalence of mobility disability between different studies of older people. The SF-36 PF score could usefully complement existing detailed schemes for classification of disability and it now requires validation against them
SF Gospel: Blog contents, 2006-2015
No full textSF Gospel (2006-2015) was a blog exploring religious and theological themes in science fiction and popular culture by Gabriel Mckee, author of The Gospel According to Science Fiction. The primary PDF contains the textual content of the blog, along with most images that accompanied the original posts. The appendix PDF contains guest posts written by Mckee for other blogs and websites (including SF Signal, Holy Heroes, Nerve.com, and Religion Dispatches) during the course of SF Gospel's existence
Induction of phase II enzymes by sulforaphane leads to cardioprotection
No full textThere is substantial evidence to support the theory that oxidative stress plays an important role in the pathophysiology of CVD (1). Accordingly, several naturally-occurring antioxidant compounds have been utilized to counteract oxidative cardiac injury (2,3). Another promising strategy for protecting cardiac cells against oxidative stress may be through the induction of endogenous antioxidants and phase II enzymes. Sulforaphane (SF) is a naturally-occurring isothiocyanate that is highly concentrated in Cruciferous vegetables. Many studies have shown a strong chemopreventive effect of SF through its ability to induce phase II detoxifying enzymes by activating antioxidant-response element (ARE) through the induction of Nrf2 (4), but no data are available to support a similar role for SF in cardioprotection. Using cultured rat cardiomyocytes, the time-dependent induction of cellular antioxidants and phase II enzymes by SF and its ability to protect cardiac cells against oxidative stress have been characterised, and the translocation of nrf2 to the nucleus after SF supplementation has been investigated. Cultured rat cardiomyocytes were prepared and grown as described previously (5). Cells were supplemented with 5 mM-SF for different time periods (6, 12, 24 and 48 h). The activities of glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione reductase (GR), glutathione-S-transferase (GST) and NAD(P)H-quinone reductase 1 (NQO1) were determined spectrophotometrically, and the content of intracellular reduced glutathione (GSH) was estimated using the fluorescent indicator monochlorobimane. Western-blot analyses of GR, GST, GPx and NQO1 were performed using specific antibodies and following the manufacturer’s recommended protocols. ROS formation was determined by a spectrofluorimetric method using 2',7'-dichlorofluorescein diacetate. Cell viability was evaluated by MTT assay and Nrf2 translocation to the nucleus by laser confocal microscopy using specific antibodies. Incubation of cardiomyocytes with SF resulted in a significant elevation of cellular GSH content for all exposure times. SF supplementation also led to a time-dependent increase in GR, GST and NQO1 activities. Accordingly, a significant increase in GR, GST and NQO1 expression was observed. In contrast, incubation of cardiomyocytes with SF for 6–48 h did not result in any significant increase in cellular GPx activity and expression, in agreement with published data (6). Laser confocal microscopy revealed the translocation to the nucleus of Nrf2 after SF supplementation. SF pretreatment led to a decreased intracellular accumulation of ROS and marked cytoprotection after exposure to 100 μM-H2O2. The results demonstrate, for the first time, that a number of endogenous antioxidants and phase II enzymes can be induced in cultured cardiomyocytes by low micromolar concentrations of SF, and that this nutritionally-mediated up-regulation of cellular defences is accompanied by a markedly increased resistance to cardiac cell injury elicited by peroxide. 1. Ceconi C, Boraso A, Cargnoni A & Ferrari R (2003) Arch Biochem Biophys 420, 217 -21. 2. Angeloni C, Spencer JP, Leoncini E, Biagi PL & Hrelia S (2007) Biochimie 89, 73-82. 3. Bandyopadhyay D, Chattopadhyay A, Ghosh G & Datta AG (2004) Curr Med Chem 11, 369-387. 4. Fimognari C & Hrelia P (2007) Mutat Res 635, 90-104. 5. Hrelia S, Fiorentini D, Maraldi T, Angeloni C, Bordoni A, Biagi PL & Hakim G (2002) Biochim Biophys Acta 1567, 150–156. 6. Cao Z & Li Y (2004) Eur J Pharmacol 489, 39–48
Additional Files for Master Thesis "Framing Diets for Policy to Fight Climate Change"
No full textAdditional files for Master Thesis "Framing Diets for Policy to Fight Climate Change: Using video messages to measure the effect of goal framing on attitudes and intentions to reduce beef and dairy consumption to fight climate change"
Datasets
Intervention Framed Videos
Written within the M.Sc. Public Policy and Human Development at Maastricht University MGSoG/UNU-MERIT
Author: Sten Ritterfeld
Supervisor: Michelle González Amador
Submission date: July 12, 202
Additional Files for Master Thesis "Framing Diets for Policy to Fight Climate Change"
No full textAdditional files for Master Thesis "Framing Diets for Policy to Fight Climate Change: Using video messages to measure the effect of goal framing on attitudes and intentions to reduce beef and dairy consumption to fight climate change"
Datasets
Intervention Framed Videos
Written within the M.Sc. Public Policy and Human Development at Maastricht University MGSoG/UNU-MERIT
Author: Sten Ritterfeld
Supervisor: Michelle González Amador
Submission date: July 12, 202
Systematic investigation of gastrointestinal diseases in China (SILC): validation of survey methodology
No full textBackground: Symptom-based surveys suggest that the prevalence of gastrointestinal diseases is lower in China than in Western countries. The aim of this study was to validate a methodology for the epidemiological investigation of gastrointestinal symptoms and endoscopic findings in China. Methods: A randomized, stratified, multi-stage sampling methodology was used to select 18 000 adults aged 18-80 years from Shanghai, Beijing, Xi'an, Wuhan and Guangzhou. Participants from Shanghai were invited to provide blood samples and undergo upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. All participants completed Chinese versions of the Reflux Disease Questionnaire (RDQ) and the modified Rome II questionnaire; 20% were also invited to complete the 36-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) and Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS). The psychometric properties of the questionnaires were evaluated statistically. Results: The study was completed by 16 091 individuals (response rate: 89.4%), with 3219 (89.4% of those invited) completing the SF-36 and ESS. All 3153 participants in Shanghai provided blood samples and 1030 (32.7%) underwent endoscopy. Cronbach's alpha coefficients were 0.89, 0.89, 0.80 and 0.91, respectively, for the RDQ, modified Rome II questionnaire, ESS and SF-36, supporting internal consistency. Factor analysis supported construct validity of all questionnaire dimensions except SF-36 psychosocial dimensions. Conclusion: This population-based study has great potential to characterize the relationship between gastrointestinal symptoms and endoscopic findings in China.Xiaoyan Yan, Rui Wang, Yanfang Zhao, Xiuqiang Ma, Jiqian Fang, Hong Yan, Xiaoping Kang, Ping Yin, Yuantao Hao, Qiang Li, John Dent, Joseph Sung, Duowu Zou, Saga Johansson, Katarina Halling, Wenbin Liu and Jia H
RESIDUAL SOLUBILITY OF SF-GROUPS
No full textSeifert Fibre Groups (SF-Gps) have been introduced and their first derived groups have been worked out in an earlier paper by the author [2,3]. Now we aim to prove that they are residually soluble and residually finite
Targeting autophagy in inflammed cortical astrocytes: novel protective strategies for nutraceutical compounds.
No full textThe complex ethiology of neurodegenerative diseases suggests a combined approach to their prevention, targeting neuroinflammation and stimulating the cellular degradation systems such as autophagy. Many pro-inflammatory molecules are ligands of Toll-like receptors, activators of autophagic pathway, thus autophagy might be prompted by these stimuli in astrocytes, whose key role during inflammation is well established. Sulforaphane (SF), an isothiocyanate of Brassica vegetables, has generated a great interest for its neuroprotective properties. We thus examined whether inflammation triggers autophagy in astrocytes and the contribution of SF in modulating the cellular and molecular mechanisms underpinning neuroinflammatory effects.
We observed that astrocytes react with autophagy to inflammation to prevent death, and that SF treatment is able to mimic this response. Further experiments are now required in order to gain insight into the mechanism underlying inflammation-induced autophagy and the effect of SF
Supforaphane as a new cardioprotecitive agent against oxidative damage.
No full textThe increasing recognition of the role of oxidative stress in the pathophysiology of cardiovascular diseases has led to extensive investigation on the protection against oxidative cardiac injury by exogenous antioxidants Several naturally occurring compounds are known to present detoxicating properties in different mammalian cells, mostly by their ability to induce Phase II enzymes, but data on the ability of functional components of food to increase endogenous antioxidant defences are lacking. As an important consequence of Phase II enzyme induction is the enhancement of cellular antioxidant capacity, the up-regulation of endogenous antioxidant systems may represent a promising strategy for protecting cells against oxidative damage.
Using cultured rat cardiomyocytes we have characterized the time-dependent induction of cellular antioxidants and Phase II enzymes by sulforafane (SF), a potent natural chemopreventive compound present in substantial quantities in the human diet (primarily originating from the ingestion of Cruciferous vegetables).
Incubation of cardiomyocytes with SF resulted in a marked increase of glutathio reductase, glutathione-S-tranferase and quinone reductase 1 activity and expression and of intracellular GSH (the most prominent intracellular thiol in the heart) levels. SF pretreatment caused a decreased intracellular accumulation of ROS and an increased cell viability in comparison to cells exposed to oxidants. Our results demonstrate that SF influences the intracellular redox environment up-regulating antioxidant cellular defences, thus acting as an indirect antioxidant leading to cardioprotection against oxidative damage
Supported by MIUR and Fondazione del Monte di BO e RA (Italy
The Author, the IRS and Prepublication Expenditures
No full textAuthors have customarily deducted expenditures incurred in preparing a book for publication. The IRS has taken the position that such expenditures should be capitalized and then amortized. In the recent case of Faura v. Commissioner, the Tax Court allowed authors to deduct prepublication expenditures rather than capitalize them. In 1976, section 280 was added to the Internal Revenue Code by the 1976 Tax Reform Act. This section appears to require authors to capitalize prepublication expenditures for books. The Tax Reform Act of 1976 also contained section 2119 which allows authors to deduct prepublication expenditures until regulations are promulgated concerning them. To date, there is no solid authority on whether an author should capitalize post-1976 prepublication expenditures
- …
