5,791 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
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
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
CENTRALIZED FOOD PROCESSING: NETWORK DESIGN AND OPTIMIZATION
No full textMaster'sMASTER OF SCIENCE IN HIGH PERFORMANCE COMPUTATION FOR ENGINEERED SYSTEMSDissertation Supervisors: 1. Assoc. Prof Teo Chung Piaw, SMA Fellow, NUS 2. Mr Michael Chua, Asst General Manager, SF
New relationship between Young's modulus and nonideally sharp indentation parameters
No full textAuthor name used in this publication: Chung Wo Ong2004-2005 > Academic research: refereed > Publication in refereed journalVersion of RecordPublishedVoR allowe
The spectrum of phenotypes associated with mutations in steroidogenic factor 1 (SF-1, NR5A1, Ad4BP) includes severe penoscrotal hypospadias in 46,XY males without adrenal insufficiency
No full textOBJECTIVE. Hypospadias is a frequent congenital anomaly but in most cases an underlying cause is not found. Steroidogenic factor 1 (SF-1, NR5A1, Ad4BP) is a key regulator of human sex development and an increasing number of SF-1 (NR5A1) mutations are reported in 46,XY disorders of sex development (DSD). We hypothesized that NR5A1 mutations could be identified in boys with hypospadias.
DESIGN AND METHODS. Mutational analysis of NR5A1 in 60 individuals with varying degrees of hypospadias from the German DSD network.
RESULTS. Heterozygous NR5A1 mutations were found in three out of 60 cases. These three individuals represented the most severe end of the spectrum studied as they presented with penoscrotal hypospadias, variable androgenization of the phallus and undescended testes (three out of 20 cases (15%) with this phenotype). Testosterone was low in all three patients and inhibin B/anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) were low in two patients. Two patients had a clear male gender assignment. Gender re-assignment to male occurred in the third case. Two patients harbored heterozygous nonsense mutations (p.Q107X/WT, p.E11X/WT). One patient had a heterozygous splice site mutation in intron 2 (c.103-3A/WT) predicted to disrupt the main DNA-binding motif. Functional studies of the nonsense mutants showed impaired transcriptional activation of an SF-1-responsive promoter (Cyp11a). To date, adrenal insufficiency has not occurred in any of the patients.
CONCLUSIONS. SF-1 (NR5A1) mutations should be considered in 46,XY individuals with severe (penoscrotal) hypospadias, especially if undescended testes, low testosterone, or low inhibin B/AMH levels are present. SF-1 mutations in milder forms of idiopathic hypospadias are unlikely to be common
Prospective investigation of Oswestry Disability Index and short form 36 subscale scores related to sagittal and coronal parameters in patients with degenerative lumbar scoliosis
No full textPurpose: This study investigated relationships of Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) and Short Form 36 (SF-36) total and subscale scores with global spinal parameters in patients with degenerative lumbar scoliosis (DLS). Methods: This was a prospective single-center study of 126 consecutive patients with DLS. Disability was evaluated using the ODI and SF-36 total and subscale scores. Sagittal and coronal parameters were measured. Pearson’s correlation analysis was performed to determine relationships between disability and radiographic parameters. Results: The study population included 76 women and 15 men (mean age, 70.2 ± 8.4 years). Mean Cobb angle was 18.9° ± 8.0°. The ODI total score and SF-36 physical component score were only correlated with coronal parameters. ODI pain intensity, personal care, lifting, sitting, and sex life domains were only correlated with coronal parameters. The walking, standing, social life, and traveling domain scores were correlated with coronal and sagittal parameters. The SF-36 bodily pain and vitality domain scores were only correlated with coronal parameters. The SF-36 physical function domain score was correlated with both coronal and sagittal parameters. Among the clinical and radiographic parameters, the personal care score and the coronal vertical-axis had the strongest correlation (r = 0.425), although the r2 value was only 0.18. Conclusions: ODI total score and most of the subscale scores were significantly, but weakly correlated with coronal parameters. Sagittal parameters were only correlated with some of the ODI and SF-36 subscale scores. Analysis using ODI and SF-36 subscale scores may aid in understanding and treatment of disability in patients with DLS
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
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