Sleep alterations in cancer patients

This multi-institutional sleep study involved two phases aimed at investigating sleep alterations in patients with any stage of breast and lung cancer. The first phase of this study used an 82-item, 20-minute telephone survey to elicit information regarding the impact of sleep disturbances on a convenience sample of 150 patients. Of these patients, 44% reported a sleep problem during the month before the interview. Significant relations included these: report of sleep problems prediagnosis over the past month (x = 5.82; p = 0.02), duration of sleep medication use and frequency of sleep problem (r = 0.58; p = 0.05), age and severity of sleep problems (r = 0.38; p = 0.05), and frequency and severity of the sleep problem over the past month (r = 0.21; p < 0.10). Communication with health care providers occurred in 16.6% of patients reporting a sleep disturbance. The second phase of this study explored the type, frequency, and severity of sleep problems and perceptions of causation, support, and methods of coping with the sleep problem. A qualitative approach to the problem was used in this phase. A one-time telephone interview of 42 patients, derived from a convenience sample, revealed a 45% prevalence of sleep problems a month before the interview. A qualitative analysis of the responses suggested that sleep problems are related to experiences of other symptoms and perceptions of cancer and treatment. Content analysis of the responses identified the following categories: figuring out the reason, seeking help, seeking support and relation to the overall cancer experience.

Symptoms of ADHD and academic concerns in college students with and without ADHD diagnoses

OBJECTIVE

Previous research has found ADHD symptoms to be common in the general population but has not compared endorsement of symptoms between ADHD and non-ADHD groups. This study examines self-reported ADHD symptoms and academic complaints in college students.

METHOD

Students without (n = 496) and with ADHD (n = 38) completed a questionnaire covering the 18 ADHD symptoms in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders and academic and test-taking concerns.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSION

Students with ADHD diagnoses reported significantly more ADHD symptoms and academic concerns, but none of the 18 symptoms or 6 concerns proved to be both sensitive and specific to ADHD. Poor specificity of symptoms and academic complaints casts doubt on the utility of this self-reported information in diagnosis, particularly if used alone and without regard to severity or extent of impairment.

The role of impairment in the diagnosis of ADHD

OBJECTIVE

Current diagnostic criteria for ADHD require the consideration of impairment in making a diagnosis, although clinical and research definitions of ADHD rely more heavily on reported symptoms. This study explored the relationship between impairment and symptoms, variables predictive of impairment, and variation in ADHD identification when impairment criteria are added to symptom criteria.

METHOD

ADHD symptoms and impairment were assessed using archival parent and teacher rating scale data.

RESULTS

The results indicated that (a) single impairment measures alone and a global impairment index were, at best, only moderately correlated with symptom reports; (b) predictor variables accounted for a small percentage of the variance in impairment; and (c) the number of children meeting criteria for ADHD diagnosis varied dramatically when impairment measures were considered.

CONCLUSION

Symptoms and impairment are related yet distinct constructs that should be measured independently to determine the presence of ADHD.

Characterization of the subunit structure of the ribonucleic acid genome of influenza virus

Ribonucleic acid extracted from influenza virus was labeled at the 3' termini with (3)H and analyzed by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Influenza virus was found to contain a minimum of seven and possibly as many as 10 polynucleotide chains, most of which appear to terminate at the 3' end in uridine.

Characterization of a Ribonucleic Acid Polymerase Activity Associated with Purified Cytoplasmic Polyhedrosis Virus of the Silkworm Bombyx mori

Purified cytoplasmic-polyhedrosis virus has been found to have associated with it a polymerase activity capable of catalyzing the synthesis of virus-specific, single-stranded ribonucleic acid (RNA) from the double-stranded RNA genome.

Extended Time Accommodations and the Mathematics Performance of Students With and Without ADHD

Test accommodations such as extended time are presumed to reduce the impact of a disability, while not affecting test scores of the general population. This study examined the effects of an extended time (time and one-half) accommodation on the mathematics performance of fifth-to seventh-grade students with and without attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The results did not support the differential boost hypothesis in that the ADHD group did not make more gains than the control group with extended time. However, the ADHD group did demonstrate lower processing speed, math fluency, and achievement. These findings suggest that, although students with ADHD tend to work with less overall efficiency in terms of processing speed and task fluency, they do not benefit significantly more than nondisabled students when given extended time on a speed-based math task. Implications for future research and accommodations policies are discussed.

Effects of Extended Time Allotments on Reading Comprehension Performance of College Students With and Without Learning Disabilities

Students with disabilities often receive test accommodations in schools and on high-stakes tests. Students with learning disabilities (LD) represent the largest disability group in schools, and extended time the most common test accommodation requested by such students. This pairing persists despite controversy over the validity of extended time as a test accommodation. The current study examined the effects of 50% and 100% time extensions on the reading comprehension performance of college students with and without LD. Results indicated that typical students actually benefited more than the LD group when given extra time, indicating that extended time is not a test accommodation that is specific to those with a disability. Moreover, when only students with LD were given extended time, especially double time, they outperformed nondisabled peers. We discuss implications of these findings for future research as well as accommodation decisions in educational settings.

Comparison of the ribonucleic Acid subunits of reovirus, cytoplasmic polyhedrosis virus, and wound tumor virus

Double-stranded ribonucleic acid (RNA) from intact cytoplasmic polynedrosis virus (CPV) and wound tumor virus (WTV) was analyzed by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Using RNA from type 3 reovirus as a standard, it was calculated that CPV-RNA consisted of 9 subunits corresponding to a molecular weight of 12.7 x 10(6) and WTV-RNA consisted of 12 subunits corresponding to a molecular weight of 15.5 x 10(6).

Executive Dysfunction and Functional Impairment Associated With Sluggish Cognitive Tempo in Emerging Adulthood

OBJECTIVE

Research has identified a relationship between sluggish cognitive tempo (SCT) symptoms and symptoms of ADHD, anxiety, and depression; however, no study has controlled for symptoms of ADHD, anxiety, and depression when examining impairment related to SCT symptoms. This study aimed to examine (a) the extent to which functional impairment and executive function (EF) problems were accounted for by SCT symptoms when controlling for ADHD, anxiety, and depression symptoms, and (b) which type of symptoms were associated with the greatest amount of impairment.

METHOD

College students ( N = 458) completed self-report scales of ADHD, SCT, anxiety, and depression symptoms, as well as functional impairment and EF problems.

RESULTS

Thirteen percent of the sample was found to have high levels of SCT symptoms. SCT symptoms showed a moderate to strong correlation with the other symptom sets; however, high levels of SCT symptoms often occurred separate from high levels of ADHD, anxiety, or depression symptoms. SCT symptoms accounted for the most unique variance for both EF problems and functional impairment. Students with high levels of SCT symptoms, with or without high levels of ADHD symptoms, exhibited more impairment and EF problems than the controls.

CONCLUSION

SCT is a clinical construct worthy of additional study, particularly among college students.

Isolation of the major viral glycoprotein and a putative precursor from cells transformed by avian sarcoma viruses

Immune precipitation with a monospecific antiserum was employed to study the synthesis of the major viral glycoprotein gp85. Labeled gp85 was detectable by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of immune precipitates prepared from lysates of transformed cells which had been labeled for long term with radioactive amino acid or fucose. When immune precipitates were prepared from lysates of cells pulse-labeled with radioactive amino acid, the bulk of the precipitated counts did not appear in gp85 but in a heterogeneous protein fraction with a mean molecular weight of approximately 70,000; this fraction has been designated p70. If, however, the pulse label was followed by incubation of the cells in medium containing excess unlabeled amino acid, the bulk of the precipitated counts comigrated with gp85. Similar pulse-labeling experiments with radioactive fucose and glucosamine suggested that p70 represents incompletely glycosylated precursor to gp85.

Comparison of the structure and polypeptide composition of three double-stranded ribonucleic acid-containing viruses (diplornaviruses): cytoplasmic polyhedrosis virus, wound tumor virus, and reovirus

Iodination of reovirus, cytoplasmic polyhedrosis virus (CPV), and wound tumor virus (WTV), and their respective subviral forms, followed by analysis of the labeled polypeptides by using polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, has been used to compare the protein contents of these three diplornaviruses. This approach, when combined with electron microscopy and buoyant density determinations, appears capable of localizing individual polypeptides in some of the viral and subviral forms. CPV (p = 1.435 g/cm(3)) seems to resemble reovirus cores (p = 1.440 g/cm(3)) in both ultrastructure and polypeptide composition. CPV is composed of five polypeptides with molecular weights of about 151,000, 142,000, 130,000, 67,000, and 33,000. The polyhedral matrix, which in nature encapsulates the virions, is, in turn, composed mainly of two polypeptide species with molecular weights of about 30,000 and 20,000, and several minor proteins. The proteins of WTV consist mainly of four species of polypeptide with molecular weights of about 156,000, 122,000, 63,000, and 44,000, and several minor components. These molecular weight determinations are consistent with the hypothesis that, as has been suggested for reovirus, the viral proteins of CPV and WTV seem to be coded for by monocistronic mes senger RNA molecules transcribed from distinct segments of the double-stranded RNA viral genomes.

Effects of Extended Time for College Students With and Without ADHD

OBJECTIVE

The number of students with a disability requesting test accommodations has been steadily increasing in higher education settings. The present study examined the effects of extra time on the reading comprehension performance of college students with and without ADHD.

METHOD

A modified version of The Nelson-Denny Reading Test was completed by 38 college students with ADHD and 38 matched controls under three conditions: standard time, time and one half, and double time.

RESULTS

Groups did not differ in the number of items attempted or correctly answered at standard time, time and one half, or double time. Comparing the ADHD group at extended time to non-ADHD peers at standard time, the ADHD group attempted and answered significantly more test items.

CONCLUSION

Extra time conferred an advantage to the ADHD group, suggesting that extended time accommodations are not specific and perhaps not necessary for all college students with an ADHD diagnosis.

Test-Taking Skills in College Students With and Without ADHD

College students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) often request and receive extended time to complete high-stakes exams and classroom tests. This study examined the performances and behaviors of college students on computerized simulations of high-stakes exams. Thirty-five college students with ADHD were compared to 185 typical peers on measures of reading decoding, speed, vocabulary, comprehension, test strategies, time management, and test anxiety. Results indicated no differences between students with and without ADHD on various reading (decoding, speed, vocabulary, and comprehension) and test-taking variables (time utilization, navigation style, or strategy use), yet significant differences were present regarding their perceptions of, and anxiety during, test taking. It appears that students with ADHD perform similarly to peers on timed reading tests, although they think they perform less well and worry more about their performance.

Analysis of a viral agent isolated from multiple sclerosis brain tissue: characterization as a parainfluenzavirus type 1

A virus originally isolated from cell cultures obtained by lysolecithin-induced fusion of human multiple sclerosis brain cells with CV-1 cells has been analyzed for its antigenic, RNA, and polypeptide compositions, and for selective biological properties. Our findings establish that this isolate, designated 6/94 virus, contains a 50S RNA genome and is, as yet, indistinguishable from Sendai virus in its antigenic and total polypeptide compositions. Despite these similarities, the 6/94 and Sendai viruses differ in certain phenotypic properties. 6/94 virus is markedly less cytocidal for chick fibroblasts, especially at 37 C and, after beta-propiolactone inactivation, it possesses a greater capacity for cell fusion and a lower toxicity than does comparably treated Sendai virus. In addition, 6/94 virus shows greater hemolytic activity.

Extended Time as a Testing Accommodation for Students With Reading Disabilities

Testing accommodations have become a common component of services for students with disabilities at all levels of education. This study examined the effect of a common testing accommodation—extended time—on the reading comprehension test performance of high school students. Sixty-four students, half of whom had learning disabilities (LDs) in the area of reading, were given the Nelson Denny Reading Comprehension subtest under various time conditions. Nondisabled students benefited more from the extended time than students with LDs did. However, extended time did allow students with LDs to attempt as many questions as their nondisabled peers did under standard time conditions. Implications for future research, as well as policy in this area are discussed.

Hydrogen peroxide and superoxide anion production by polymorphonuclear neutrophils in patients with chronic periapical granuloma, before and after surgical treatment

Chronic periapical granuloma represents a localized tissue injury with well established signs of systemic immunological reactions. The aim of the study was to investigate changes in superoxide anion and hydrogen peroxide production by polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN) in patients with chronic periapical granuloma before and after surgical treatment. The affected teeth were extracted from 20 patients with chronic periapical lesions. Blood samples were obtained at admission, before extraction and on day 14. PMNs were isolated from blood samples and superoxide anion (O2-) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) production were estimated without stimulation and after stimulation of the cells with opsonized zymosan. Similar procedures were performed with blood samples obtained from 20 healthy controls. Superoxide anions as well as hydrogen peroxide production by unstimulated cells obtained from patients before treatment were significantly higher in comparison with controls. Fourteen days after extraction O2- production by unstimulated cells was higher than the controls and significantly lower in comparison to PMNs obtained before treatment, while H2O2 production was not significantly higher when compared to controls and significantly lower in comparison with PMNs obtained before extraction. The results obtained strongly imply the termination of a generalized inflammatory response after elimination of local inflammation by tooth extraction.

College Students’ Preferences for Test Accommodations

College students with ( n = 137) and without disabilities ( n = 475) were surveyed about their perceptions of using various types of test accommodations. Results indicated that extended time was perceived as having a positive effect by the most students (>87% of both groups), followed by separate room testing and extra breaks (>60% of both groups). Students with disabilities rated separate room, a scribe, reader, and word processor more positively than did nondisabled students. Students generally felt that test accommodations on high-stakes exams would be more beneficial than on classroom tests. A significant number of students felt that everyone should have access to test accommodations, and/or that tests should be redesigned to remove the need for accommodations. Implications of these findings for practice and future research are discussed.

The Symbol Digit Modalities Test: a screening instrument for brain-damaged children

28 brain-damaged males ranging in age from 8 to 16 yr. were compared with 28 nondamaged matching controls on their Symbol Digit Modalities Test performance. The damaged group performed significantly more poorly, and 75% of the subjects scored more than .5 z score below their matched controls. The results suggest that this brief and objective test can be used to screen brain-damaged children when their performance is compared to that of a control group or the normative group.

Sluggish Cognitive Tempo and Speed of Performance

OBJECTIVE

This study examined whether college students who reported higher levels of sluggish cognitive tempo (SCT) symptoms were actually more "sluggish" in their performance while completing speeded cognitive and academic measures.

METHOD

College students ( N = 253) completed self-reports of SCT and their reading and test-taking abilities as well as tests of processing speed, reading fluency, and reading comprehension.

RESULTS

Across all variables, SCT symptoms were most significantly associated with self-reported difficulty on timed reading tasks. However, students with high SCT scores were not significantly slower than controls on any of the timed tasks.

CONCLUSION

In college students, self-reports of high SCT levels do not suggest actual slow performance on cognitive and academic tasks.

Assessment of Reading Rate in Postsecondary Students

There has been a steady increase in students with disabilities attending college and making requests for test accommodations. Most requests are for extended time, presumably due to slow reading speed. Tests of reading rate for adults have been criticized for poor psychometric adequacy, and no current norms exist regarding the expected reading rate for college students. This study examined reading rate via two methods, as well as their relationship to other reading measures. Ninety typical college students (67% female) were administered the Nelson Denny Reading Test (Reading Rate [NDRR] and Comprehension [NDC] tests), the Woodcock Johnson-III Reading Fluency (RF) and Word Attack (WA) tests, and three oral reading probes used to obtain words read correctly per minute (WRCM). On average, college students read 189 words correctly per minute based on oral reading probes and 231 wpm based on NDRR. The WRCM measure was more strongly related to RF and WA than was NDRR and was a better predictor of reading comprehension (NDC). It would appear that WRCM may be a better measure of reading rate than the often used, much criticized, Nelson Denny Reading Rate. Additional research on WRCM with adults is recommended.

Oral and Written Compositions of Students with and without Learning Disabilities

The study compared seventh- and eighth-grade students with and without learning disabilities on two story production tasks -dictation and handwriting. The dependent measures were fluency (total numbers of words), time (total time of composing), rate (fluency divided by time), and thematic maturity (e.g., relevance to picture, title, dialogue). Handwritten compositions were scored further with the syntactic maturity, contextual vocabulary, contextual spelling, and contextual style subtests of the TOWL-2. Results indicated that the handwritten compositions of students with learning disabilities were technically (i.e., syntax, spelling, style, word length) inferior to normal achievers' compositions. Whereas the groups composed similarly on the oral task, thematic maturity scores on the written task increased for normal achievers and decreased for students with learning disabilities. Reading ability accounted for more variance in thematic maturity scores on the hand-written task (26%) than it did on the oral task (9%). It appears that learning-disabled students display weaknesses in various linguistic and technical requirements of writing and that oral composing may offer advantages to these students.

Subtle speech and motor deficits of children with congenital hypothyroid treated early

This study surveyed the development and functioning of a group of 16 children with congenital hypothyroidism who had been followed closely since treatment was instituted at an average age of 15.6 days. This group of early-treated young children had no deficits in cognitive or adaptive functioning. Some isolated motor deficits were found, although results of the Finger-tapping and Marching subtests of the Reitan-Indiana battery did not replicate the New England Congenital Hypothyroid Collaborative (1985) finding of impaired performance. Speech deficits were documented in some. Congenitally hypothyroid children with delayed neonatal bone-age performed more poorly on most measures than those whose bone-age had been normal at birth.

ADA-based accommodations in higher education: a survey of clinicians about documentation requirements and diagnostic standards

The expansion of the number of students requesting accommodations in postsecondary settings compels clinicians to become knowledgeable about the legal definitions and documentation requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Because the law is relatively new, courts and regulatory agencies have only recently begun to clarify what constitutes a disability. In this study, 147 clinicians completed a questionnaire developed to assess their understanding of the law and the diagnostic approaches they used to justify claims of learning disability (LD), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and psychiatric disability. Whereas the clinicians agreed on certain points (e.g., the right of institutions to formulate specific policies regarding documentation), they substantially disagreed on several fundamental issues. Clinician consensus was lowest on items that asked about the basic intent of the law, the metrics for assessing impairment, and the criteria for assessing ADHD in adulthood. Judged against the legislative history of the ADA and the body of regulatory rulings and legal decisions, many clinicians' responses showed a need for clarification regarding the distinction between special education law and the antidiscrimination intent of the ADA. The respondents also expressed a nearly uniform wish for more training in this fast-growing area of clinical practice.