Response Shifts in the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure: A Convergent Mixed-Methods Study.

IMPORTANCE: A response shift (RS) is a phenomenon in which there is an individual perceptual gap between pre and post assessments. RS effects were not considered in the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM) development process. OBJECTIVE: To detect the effects of RS on the COPM. DESIGN: Convergent mixed-methods research. SETTING: Subacute rehabilitation hospital in Japan. PARTICIPANTS: Nineteen adult patients with a range of neurological and musculoskeletal conditions recruited from a subacute rehabilitation hospital. OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: In the qualitative analysis, patients' perceptions regarding occupation identified by the COPM were compared between the initial assessment (Time 1 [T1]) and a reassessment (Time 2 [T2]). In the quantitative study, patients were asked to re-rate the occupations in which the RS had occurred, giving feedback on their perceptions at T1 (T2'). The difference between T2 and T2' was calculated to clarify the magnitude of the RS. RESULTS: Of the 19 patients, 18 had an RS in at least one occupation. The RS effects were classified into five categories: Replacing, Adding, Reducing, Unspecified, and Embodiment. Ninety occupations were extracted from all the patients, and 46 (51.1%) were affected by RS. The percentages of occupations for which the change in score due to RS exceeded the minimal clinically important difference (±2 points) was 26.1% (12 of 46) for COPM-Performance scores and 30.4% (14 of 46) for COPM-Satisfaction scores. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Diverse RS effects have been identified in the COPM, which also affect score interpretation. Plain-Language Summary: The Canadian Occupational Performance Measure has a potential measurement bias that is due to a response shift in which there is an individual perceptual gap between pre and post assessments. The results of this study reveal a need to establish more accurate measurement methods to reduce the impact of response shifts on COPM scores.

Coil Formation of a Silicone String Using UV-Ozone Treatment.

Microcoils are used in various mechanical devices. However, existing methods for producing microcoils from polymers often require expensive equipment. In this study, microcoils were prepared using a cost-effective and simple method. The material used was silicone, which is a biocompatible polymeric material. Silicone was solidified inside glass capillaries to form thin, straight strings with a diameter of 140 µm. The string was then transformed to a coil shape by oxidation using UV-ozone treatment while it was prestretched and pretwisted. The resilience force from the prestretching and pretwisting forces caused the string to bend and twist, respectively. As a result of the combination of these deformation modes, a coil was formed. As an application of the coils, an actuator was prepared, which repeatedly transforms between straight and coiled shapes. The actuation was caused by the swelling/deswelling of silicone with hexane. A large strain of 54% was obtained.

Domino Cross-Scholl Reaction of Tetracene with Molecular Benzene: Synthesis, Structure, and Mechanism.

A domino-type multiple C-H functionalization of tetracene with molecular benzene is reported. Under the typical conditions of the Scholl reaction, a domino reaction occurs between tetracene and six molecules of benzene in one pot to furnish an aromatic compound with a curved π-system. This reaction sequence involves oxidative cross-dehydrogenative coupling/annulation and Friedel-Crafts-type reactions. Eight C-C bonds are formed via this intermolecular domino reaction without mediation by a metal or the assistance of a specific substituent.

Subcutaneous abscess caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae serotype 28F in an infant: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) is defined by the detection of Streptococcus pneumoniae on culture from samples obtained from a normally sterile site. Pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCV) have been developed for the prevention of IPD that is caused by highly virulent serotypes. Despite the effective reduction of IPD caused by vaccine serotypes after the introduction of PCV, there has been a rapid increase in the incidence of IPD caused by non-vaccine serotypes, and serotype replacement has become a global issue. CASE PRESENTATION: We report a previously healthy 4-month-old girl presenting with a large subcutaneous abscess caused by S. pneumoniae, identified as non-vaccine serotype 28F. The patient had received routine vaccination, including PCV vaccination. After the incision and drainage of the subcutaneous abscess, the patient was treated with antibiotics. She was discharged on Day 7 of hospitalization without any residual sequelae. CONCLUSIONS: Subcutaneous abscess is a common pediatric skin and soft tissue infection, whereas pneumococcal subcutaneous abscesses are quite rare. As the pneumococcal serotype 28F caused a subcutaneous abscess, this serotype possibly has a high virulence. The incidence of IPD caused by non-vaccine serotypes, such as 28F, is expected to increase in the future. The consolidation of international data on pneumococcal serotypes is important for the development of novel PCV.

Benzo- and Thieno-Annulated Tetracenes: A One-Pot Synthesis via Cross-Dehydrogenative Annulation.

A facile method for the direct cross-annulation of unfunctionalized tetracene is reported. The one-pot oxidative cross-dehydrogenative coupling (CDC) between tetracene and aromatic compounds, such as benzene or 2-methylthiophene, furnished annulated products with an extended π-network. Moreover, relative to the benzo-annulated tetracenes, thieno-annulated tetracenes exhibited notably improved photooxidative stability. This behavior stands in sharp contrast with that of tetracene and its derivatives, such as rubrene, which readily engage in photoinduced oxidation reactions.

Species of the parasitic genus Duboscquella are members of the enigmatic Marine Alveolate Group I.

Small subunit ribosomal RNA gene sequences of Duboscquella spp. infecting the tintinnid ciliate, Favella ehrenbergii, were determined. Two parasites were sampled from different localities. They are morphologically similar to each other and both resemble D. aspida. Nevertheless, two distinct sequences (7.6% divergence) were obtained from them. Phylogenetic trees inferred from maximum likelihood and maximum parsimony revealed that these two Duboscquella spp. sequences are enclosed in an environmental clade named Marine Alveolate Group I. This clade consists of a large number of picoplanktonic organisms known only from environmental samples from various parts of the ocean worldwide, and which therefore lack clear characterization and identification. Here, we provide morphological and genetic characterization of these two Duboscquella genotypes included in this enigmatic clade. Duboscquella spp. produce a large number of small flagellated spores as dispersal agents and the presence of such small cells partially explains why the organisms related to these parasites have been detected within environmental genetic libraries, built from picoplanktonic size fractions of environmental samples. The huge diversity of the Marine Alveolate Group I and the finding that parasites from different marine protists belong to this lineage suggest that parasitism is a widespread and ecologically relevant phenomenon in the marine environment.