Development of a Parent Version of the Manchester-Minneapolis Quality of Life Survey for use by Parents and Crers of UK Children: MMQL-UK (PF).

Background Although it is now widely endorsed that children should as far as possible rate their own health related quality of life (HRQL), there are situations where proxy information on child HRQL may be useful, especially where a child is too ill or young to provide their own HRQL assessment. There is limited availability of generic HRQL scales that have a parallel child and parent version and that are reliable, valid, brief, comprehensible and suitable for use in UK populations. The aims of this study were therefore to develop and validate a parent version of the anglicised Manchester-Minneapolis Quality of Life child form (MMQL-UK (CF)) and to determine the level of association between the child and parent versions of this form. Methods This study was undertaken concurrently with the anglicisation and validation of the MMQL, a measure of HRQL developed for use with children in North America. At that time, no parent version existed, so the MMQL form for children (MMQL-UK (CF)) was used as the basis for the development of the MMQL-UK parent form (PF). The sample included a control group of healthy children and their parents and five exemplar groups; children diagnosed with asthma, diabetes or inflammatory bowel disease and their parents, children in remission from cancer and their parents and children in public care and their carers. Consistency of the MMQL-UK (PF) components were assessed by calculating Cronbach's alpha. Validation of the parent questionnaire was undertaken by comparing MMQL-UK (PF) component scores with comparable components on the proxy PedsQL™ quality of life scales, comparing MMQL-UK (PF) component scores between parents of healthy and chronic disease children and by comparison of component scores from children and their parents or carers. Reproducibility and responsiveness were assessed by retesting parents by follow-up questionnaires. Results A total of 874 children (completing MMQL-UK (CF)) and 572 parents or carers (completing MMQL-UK (PF)) took part in the study. The internal consistency of all the MMQL-UK (PF) components exceeding the accepted criterion of 0.70 and the construct validity was good with moderate correlations being evident between comparable components of the MMQL-UK (PF) and the proxy PedsQL™. Discriminant validity was demonstrated with significant differences being identified between parents of healthy children and those with chronic conditions. Intra-class correlations exceeded 0.65 for all MMQL-UK (PF) components demonstrating good reproducibility. Weak to moderate levels of responsiveness were demonstrated for all but social functioning. The MMQL-UK (PF) showed moderate parent-child correlation with the MMQL-UK (CF) for all components. The best correlations were seen for those components measuring the same construct (Pearson's r ranged from 0.31 to 0.61, p < 0.01 for equivalent components). Conclusion The MMQL-UK (PF) showed moderate to good correlations with the MMQL-UK (CF) component scores. The MMQL-UK (PF) will be of use when comparing child and parent/carer perception of the impact of a child's condition on their HRQL or where the child is too ill or young to provide their own report.

Evaluation of the anti-arenaviral activity of the subtilisin kexin isozyme-1/site-1 protease inhibitor PF-429242.

The cellular protease subtilisin kexin isozyme-1 (SKI-1)/site-1 protease (S1P) is implicated in the proteolytic processing of the viral envelope glycoprotein precursor (GPC) of arenaviruses, a step strictly required for production of infectious progeny. The small molecule SKI-1/S1P inhibitor PF-429242 was shown to have anti-viral activity against Old World arenaviruses. Here we extended these studies and show that PF-429242 also inhibits GPC processing and productive infection of New World arenaviruses, making PF-429242 a broadly active anti-arenaviral drug. In combination therapy, PF-429242 potentiated the anti-viral activity of ribavirin, indicating a synergism between the two drugs. A hallmark of arenaviruses is their ability to establish persistent infection in vitro and in vivo. Notably, PF-429242 was able to efficiently and rapidly clear persistent infection by arenaviruses. Interruption of drug treatment did not result in re-emergence of infection, indicating that PF-429242 treatment leads to virus extinction.

Structural tuning of Montmorillonite clays by pillaring: Designing of shape selective solid acid catalysts and PANI - Montmorillonite nanocomposites

Green chemistry boots eco-friendly,natural clays as catalysts in the chemical as well as in the pharmaceutical industry.Industry demands thermal stability,mechanical strength etc for the catalyst and there the modification methods becomes important.Pillaring tunes clays as efficient catalytic templates for shape selective organic synthesis.Here pillared clays are used as promising alternatives for the environmentally hazardous homogeneous catalysts in some industrially important Friedel-Crafts alkylation reactions of arenes with lower alchohols and higher olefins.The layer structure is enhanced upon pillaring and allows the nanocomposite formation with polyaniline to develop today’s nanoscale diameter devices.Present work gives an entry of pillared clays to the world of conducting composite nanofibers.

El cuestionario 16 PF : un análisis desde el modelo de parámetros.

Con este estudio se pretende evaluar y analizar los diferentes ítems del cuestionario 16 PF desde el modelo de parámetros. Primera administración: 300 alumnos de BUP; 127 varones y 173 mujeres. Segunda administración: 95 alumnos de BUP; 43 varones y 52 mujeres. Como el objetivo de la investigación era aplicar el modelo de parámetros a los resultados de los cuestionarios que se habían administrado por dos ocasiones a algunos alumnos, lo primero que se tuvo que hacer era asignar cada uno de los 187 ítems a los niveles de consolidación básico, intermedio y situacional, según el contenido semántico del referente verbal de los ítems. Para ello, después de hacerse una selección previa por el autor y director de esta investigación, se hace una segunda selección por el criterio de experto según el autor del modelo de parámetros. Cuestionario de personalidad 16 PF de R.B. Cattell, versión española del 16 PF forma 'A' (TEA SA, 1975) y modelo de parámetros de Pelechano, V. 1. Se analizaron los ítems según el referente verbal al que hacían alusión, pudiéndose insertar en los niveles de consolidación básico, intermedio y situacional. 2. Se realiza un análisis factorial de primer orden con rotación oblicua, obteniéndose siete factores en el nivel de consolidación básico, cuatro factores en el nivel intermedio y siete factores en el nivel de consolidación situacional. 3. Se realiza un análisis factorial sobre los factores de primer orden con rotación Varimax, en el que se obtienen tres factores en el nivel de consolidación básico, dos en el nivel intermedio y dos factores en el nivel de consolidación situacional. 4. Todos los factores de primer orden y de segundo orden poseen una estabilidad temporal elevada. 5. La consistencia interna varía dependiendo de nivel de consolidación de los ítems, siendo por lo general mayor y más estable en el tiempo para el nivel de consolidación básico frente al nivel de consolidación intermedio, y a nivel de consolidación situacional, aunque sus niveles no suelen alcanzar 80. 6. Los factores 16 PF original se diluyen dentro de los factores encontrados por nosotros, de tal forma que no se encuentra ningún tipo de sinonimia entre los factores del 16 PF y los encontrados en esta investigación. 7. Los factores encontrados en esta investigación permiten hablar de una mayor homogeneidad semántica. 8. La 'perspectiva de parámetros' ha permitido comprobar la disparidad de contenidos recogidos en el 16 PF, la dependencia del nivel de consolidación en la homogeneidad intrafactores y la relevancia de la propuesta constructiva del modelo para reanalizar los cuestionarios de personalidad al uso. Los resultados encontrados permitieron, en general, comprobar los objetivos propuestos, aunque se sugieren nuevos estudios.

On the synthesis and structures of the complexes [RuCl(L)(dppb)(N-N)]PF(6) (L = CO, py or 4-NH(2)py; dppb=1,4-bis(diphenylphosphino)butane; N-N=2,2 `-bipyridine or 1,10-phenanthroline) and [(dppb)(CO)Cl(2)-Ru-pz-RuCl(2)(CO)(dppb)] (pz = pyrazine)

The ""Ru(P-P)"" unit (P-P = diphosphine) is recognized to be an important core in catalytic species for hydrogenation of unsaturated organic substrates. Thus, in this study we synthesized six new complexes containing this core, including the binuclear complex [(dppb)(CO)Cl(2)Ru-pz-RuCl(2)(CO)(dPPb)] (pz = pyrazine) which can be used as a precursor for the synthesis of cationic carbonyl species of general formula [RuCl(CO)(dppb)(N-N)]PF(6) (N-N = diimine). Complexes with the formula (RuCl(py)(dppb)(N-N)]PF(6) were synthesized by exhaustive electrolysis of these carbonyl compounds or from the precursors [RuCl(2)(dppb)(N-N)]. The new complexes were characterized by microanalysis, conductivity measurements, IR and (31)P{(1)H)} NMR spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry and X-ray crystallography. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Synthesis, characterization and cytotoxic activities of the [RuCl(2)(NO)(dppp)(L)]PF(6) complexes

The synthesis and characterization of ruthenium compounds of the type [RuCl(2)(NO)(dppp)(L)]PF(6) [dppp = 1,3-bis(diphenylphosphino)propane; L = pyridine, 4-methylpyridine, 4-phenylpyridine and dimethyl sulfoxide] are described. The complexes were characterized by elemental analysis, UV/Vis and infrared spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry, and X-ray crystallography for the complexes with the pyridine and 4-methylpyridine ligands. In vitro evaluation of these nitrosyl complexes revealed cytotoxic activity from 7.1 to 19.0 mu M against the MDA-MB-231 breast tumor cells and showed that, in this case, they are more active than the reference metallodrug cisplatin. The 1,3-bis(diphenylphosphino)propane and the N-heterocyclic ligands alone failed to show cytotoxic activities at the concentrations tested (maximum concentration utilized = 200 mu M). (C) 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Electropolymerization studies of PAni/(poly)luminol over platinum electrodes

This work presents a cyclic voltammetry study of the polyaniline/polyluminol copolymer on platinum electrodes. The results show that under determined conditions it is possible to obtain the copolymer deposited on a metallic surface. The luminol presence clearly affects the oxidation of aniline in the nucleation process and, additionally, changes the cyclic voltammetric characteristics of the obtained material. In this aspect, the copolymer presents hybrid characteristics when compared to the polyaniline and polyluminol separately obtained and seems to present intermediary conductivity.

Influence of Reaction Conditions on Synthesis of PAni/MnO(2) Composites

An investigation of the parameters as aniline: MnO(2) and temperature on synthesis of polyaniline/MnO(2) composites was performed. The composites were chemically prepared in H(2)SO(4) media using different aniline: MnO(2) ratios at 0 degrees C. After the ratio optimization, the syntheses were performed at 20 degrees C. The polyaniline/MnO(2) composites were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), ultraviolet-visible, near infrared and infrared spectroscopic techniques. Composites obtained with a uniform, homogeneous and thicker coating of polyaniline films under oxide was considered as the best condition for synthesis.

The effect pf diary foods on CHD: a systematic review of prospective cohort studies

There is interest in the degree to which fats in dairy foods contribute to CHD. We undertook a systematic review to investigate the effect of dairy  consumption on CHD using prospective cohort studies. A systematic search of electronic databases identified studies relating dairy food intake in adulthood to episodes or death from CHD, IHD and myocardial infarction. Included studies were assessed for quality based on study methodology, validity of dietary assessment, success of follow-up, standardised  assessment of CHD, IHD or myocardial infarction end points and  appropriateness of statistical adjustment. Data from twelve cohorts involving >280 000 subjects were included. Most studies had follow-up of >80 %, adjusted statistically for three or more confounders and used standard criteria to determine end points. About half the studies used a validated FFQ, administered the FFQ more than once or had follow-up of >20 years. Fewer than half the studies involved subjects representative of the general population. Four of the twelve cohorts found no association between dairy intake and CHD. Eight studies reported varying relationships between different dairy foods and CHD or differential associations based on race, sex or over time. Although dairy foods contribute to the SFA composition of the diet, this systematic review could find no consistent evidence that dairy food consumption is associated with a higher risk of CHD. This could be due to the limited sensitivity of the dietary assessment methods to detect an effect of a single food in a mixed diet on complex clinical outcomes.

Construção de uma escala de escores centroides para o 16 PF

Este trabalho consiste na construção de uma escala de escores centróides para o "Questionário de 16 Fatores de Personalidade, (16 PF)" de Raymond B. Cattell e Herbert W. Eber. A escolha desse questionário recaiu no fato de ser um instrumento de avaliação objetiva da personalidade de grande utilização na Orientação Vocacional. Optamos pela transformação dos escores brutos em centróides, considerando que estes pressupõem uma escala bipolar que por sua natureza permite a determinação de um índice de adaptação do indivíduo ao grupo. Sendo o 16 PF, um teste que fornece dados para que os indivíduos possam ser encaminhados para grupos ocupacionais adequados aos fatores de sua personalidade, esperamos que essa nova escala de avaliação venha facilitar o trabalho daqueles que lidam com Orientação Vocacional.

A grana do Japa na PF

O orçamento da PF perdeu R$ 1,4 bilhão desde 2013 (valores corrigidos pelo IPCA), segundo levantamento feito pela FGV/DAPP

Ao contrário do que prega Cardozo, orçamento da PF vem encolhendo

Levantamento da FGV/DAPP sobre dados do orçamento da PF em coluna do Ancelmo Góis

Analysis of the Al-PANI interfaces by complex impedance spectroscopy

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)