bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Recent Advances in the Treatment of Hypertensive Emergencies
Authors: Smithburger Pamela L. , Kane-Gill Sandra L. , Nestor Breanne L. , Seybert Amy L.
Published: October 2010

This review defines hypertensive crisis, hypertensive urgencies, and hypertensive emergencies, and provides recent updates on the management of acute hypertension.
Continuous ST-Segment Monitoring in the Intensive Care Unit
Authors: Fox Lisa , Kirkendall Carolyn , Craney Micky
Published: October 2010

This article provides evidence-based rationales to substantiate revisions of current monitoring practices and to provide realistic strategies for implementation of new practices.
Die vorming van ‘n eietydse ampsbegrip: Jesus se oproep tot dissipelskap
Authors: Jones Robert , Van Eck Ernest
Published: October 2010

The forming of a contemporary understanding of church office: Jesus’ calling to discipleship This article aimed to examine the Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerk van Afrika’s (NHKA) understanding of church office, and measure it against ‘office’ or ministries in the New Testament, and more specifically against Jesus’ calling to discipleship in Mark 8:34. The relevance of the historical Jesus for contemporary church theology is indicated by the ‘essential’ (Sache) continuity that exists between the historical Jesus and the church today. The article concludes that Jesus’ calling to discipleship in Mark 8:34 implies a certain understanding of office. The essence of this calling is servitude based on self-denial, the taking up of one’s cross, and the following of Jesus.Subsequently, a few remarks are made on the NHKA’s understanding of church office, as described in the NHKA church ordinance. The aim is for these remarks to serve as a guideline for the NHKA to form a contemporary understanding of church office. The concluding remarks have been derived from the results of the study on Jesus’ calling to discipleship, with the aim of ensuring that the NHKA serves and works in correspondence with the Word of God. This service occurs in a world very different from the one in which Jesus lived and served.
The use of a rat model to evaluate the in vivo toxicity and wound healing activity of selected Combretum and Terminalia (Combretaceae) species extracts
Authors: Masoko Peter , Picard Jackie , Eloff Jacobus N.
Published: October 2010

Wound healing is a fundamental response to tissue injury and several natural products have been shown to accelerate the healing process. The present study was undertaken to determine the safety and efficacy of the topical treatment of acetone leaf extracts of Combretum imberbe, Combretum nelsonii,Combretum albopuntactum and Terminalia sericea based on their in vitro antimicrobial activity. Four circular full-thickness skin wounds were made on the backs of eight anaesthetised Wistar rats using aseptic techniques. The treatments were administrated topically using 10% and 20% concentrations of each extract in aqueous cream in separate treatments. Indications of erythema, exudate, crust formation,swelling and ulceration were used to determine the wound healing process. All of the wounds closed completely within 17 days. Throughout the experiment, a subcutaneous probe was used to determine that the body temperature and body weight of the rats were within the normal range. C. imberbe and C. nelsonii extracts accelerated wound healing, but there was no significant difference in wound contraction using 10% and 20% concentrations of the extracts in cream. The results also showed the potential usefulness of this model to measure accelerating wound healing.The extracts could perhaps overcome defects associated with healing failure in chronic wounds and prevent secondary bacterial and fungal infections.
Cauchy problems for noncoercive Hamilton–Jacobi–Isaacs equations with discontinuous coefficients
Authors: De Zan Cecilia , Soravia Pierpaolo
Published: October 2010

We study the Cauchy problem for a homogeneous and not necessarily coercive Hamilton–Jacobi–Isaacs equation with an
x
-dependent, piecewise continuous coefficient. We prove that under suitable assumptions there exists a unique and continuous viscosity solution. The result applies in particular to the Carnot–Carathéodory eikonal equation with discontinuous refraction index of a family of vector fields satisfying the Hörmander condition. Our results are also of interest in connection with geometric flows with discontinuous velocity in anisotropic media with a non-euclidian ambient space.
Community in Three Undergraduate University Science Courses: An Analysis of Student Perception
Authors: Vavala Robert V. , Namuth‐Covert Deana , Haines Courtney , Lee Donald J. , King James W. , Speth Carol
Published: October 2010

Students who feel like part of a classroom community gain more enjoyment and are more academically successful than students who do not feel similar levels of community. This study intended to determine if students in online courses perceive the same level of community as students in face‐to‐face classes and if outside factors impacted community perceptions. The Classroom Community Survey (CCS) was administered to students in three introductory‐level science classes, each with a face‐to‐face section and an online section. The CCS consists of 20 questions, measuring overall community and two subscales, connectedness and learning. Five possible responses were given scores of 1 through 5 for a total of 100 possible points. Demographic questions were asked to establish if out‐of‐class factors affected community scores. Students in face‐to‐face sections (n = 183, M = 58.10) had significantly higher community scores than online students (n = 74, M = 55.24), t (255) = 3.55, p < 0.05. Connectedness scores for students in face‐to‐face sections were significantly higher than scores for their online counterparts, t (255) = 2.81, p < 0.05. Scores for the learning subscale were not significantly different based on course delivery method, t (255) = –1.80, ns. Of the eight demographic questions, only the question regarding if the course was required had a significant impact on community scores, t (186) = 2.95, p < 0.05. Results of this study showed that face‐to‐face students perceived significantly higher levels of community than did online students. Perception of learning and course grades were not significantly different for students across delivery methods.
Molecular Epidemiology of Leptospira borgpetersenii Serovar Arborea, Queensland, Australia, 1998–2005
Authors: Slack Andrew T. , Symonds Meegan L. , Dohnt Michael F. , Craig Scott B. , Smythe Lee D.
Published: October 2010

Leptospira borgpetersenii serovar Arborea is an emerging cause of leptospirosis in Australia. It was not previously recognized as an endemic serovar before the 1990s, but at that point, human infections with the serovar increased significantly. Using fluorescent-amplified fragment-length polymorphism (FAFLP) molecular typing, human and rodent isolates were compared genetically. Typing revealed 11 unique profiles among the 23 isolates examined; however, there was no clonality revealed between the human and rodent isolates. There was clonality among rodent isolates from geographically related areas. This study highlights the utility of Leptospira culture combined with FAFLP for the examination of the epidemiology of this disease.
Comparing the Understanding of Subjects Receiving a Candidate Malaria Vaccine in the United States and Mali
Authors: Ellis Ruth D. , Sagara Issaka , Durbin Anna , Dicko Alassane , Shaffer Donna , Miller Louis , Assadou Mahamadoun H. , Kone Mamady , Kamate Beh , Guindo Ousmane , Fay Michael P. , Diallo Dapa A. , Doumbo Ogobara K. , Emanuel Ezekiel J. , Millum Joseph
Published: October 2010

Initial responses to questionnaires used to assess participants' understanding of informed consent for malaria vaccine trials conducted in the United States and Mali were tallied. Total scores were analyzed by age, sex, literacy (if known), and location. Ninety-two percent (92%) of answers by United States participants and 85% of answers by Malian participants were correct. Questions more likely to be answered incorrectly in Mali related to risk, and to the type of vaccine. For adult participants, independent predictors of higher scores were younger age and female sex in the United States, and male sex in Mali. Scores in the United States were higher than in Mali (P = 0.005). Despite this difference participants at both sites were well informed overall. Although interpretation must be qualified because questionnaires were not intended as research tools and were not standardized among sites, these results do not support concerns about systematic low understanding among research participants in developing versus developed countries.
Bartonella Species in Small Mammals and Their Ectoparasites in Taiwan
Authors: Tsai Yi-Lun , Chuang Shih-Te , Chang Chao-Chin , Kass Philip H. , Chomel Bruno B.
Published: October 2010

Bartonella spp. prevalence in small mammals and their ectoparasites was investigated in Taiwan. Blood samples were obtained from 66 rats, 20 shrews, 276 mites (Laelaps spp.), 74 fleas (Xenopsylla cheopis), 81 lice (Polyplax spp.), and 47 ticks (41 Dermacentor spp. and 6 Ixodes spp.). Bartonellae were isolated or detected in 27 (31.4%) animals. Bartonella DNA was detected in 48 (64.9%) fleas and 11 (64.7%) pooled lice samples, but not in mite and tick samples. Bartonella phoceensis, B. queenslandensis, B. tribocorum, B. elizabethae, and B. rattimassiliensis were isolated or detected in bacteremic mammals. For the first time in Taiwan, B. tribocorum, B. elizabethae, B. queenslandensis, and a B. rochalimae-like strain were detected in fleas, and B. tribocorum, B. phoceensis, and B. rattimassiliensis were detected in lice obtained from small mammals. A broader range of Bartonella species was identified in the ectoparasites than in the small mammals.
A Comparison of Iron and Folate with Folate Alone in Hematologic Recovery of Children Treated for Acute Malaria
Authors: Gara Samuel N. , Madaki Aboi J. K. , Thacher Tom D.
Published: October 2010

Concern has been raised that iron supplementation for treatment of acute malaria may worsen the severity of malaria. We compared the effect of iron and folate with folate alone on hematologic recovery in children treated for acute malaria. We randomized 82 children 6–60 months of age from Nigeria with smear-positive malaria and anemia (hematocrit < 33%) to receive iron (2 mg/kg/day) plus folate (5 mg/day) or folate alone in addition to antimalarial drugs. The mean ± SD hematocrit at baseline was 28.5% ± 2.9%. At four weeks, the mean hematocrit increased by 2.5% ± 1.6% in the iron plus folate group and by 1.4% ± 1.0% in the folate alone group (P = 0.001). Baseline hematocrit, iron supplementation, weight for height, and weekly meat intake were significant predictors of final hematocrit. The effect of iron was not significantly modified by baseline hematocrit, weekly meat intake, nutritional status, mother's education, sex, or age of the child. Iron supplementation improved hematologic recovery in children with malarial anemia.
Gastrointestinal Illnesses among French Forces Deployed to Djibouti: French Military Health Surveillance, 2005–2009
Authors: Ollivier Lénaïck , Decam Christophe , de Santi Vincent Pommier , Darar Houssein Y. , Dia Aïssata , Nevin Remington L. , Romand Olivier , Bougère Jacques , Deparis Xavier , Boutin Jean-Paul
Published: October 2010

Despite an increase in foreign tourism and in the numbers of foreign military personnel deployed to Djibouti, little is known about the risk of gastrointestinal illness in this country in eastern Africa. To assess risk and to describe common features of gastrointestinal illnesses, reports of illness derived from military health surveillance data collected during 2005–2009 among French service members deployed to Djibouti were reviewed. Diarrhea was the most common problem; it had an annual incidence ranging from 260 to 349 cases per 1,000 person-years. The risk was higher among soldiers deployed short-term (four months) than among soldiers deployed long-term (two years). This five-year review of French health surveillance data documents a significant burden of diarrhea among French soldiers in Djibouti. The identification of factors associated with risk may permit efficient targeting of interventions to reduce morbidity from gastrointestinal illness.
Non-Oral Treatment with Ivermectin for Disseminated Strongyloidiasis
Authors: Fusco Dahlene N. , Downs Jennifer A. , Satlin Michael J. , Pahuja Meera , Ramos Liz , Barie Philip S. , Fleckenstein Lawrence , Murray Henry W.
Published: October 2010

Critically ill patients with disseminated strongyloidiasis may not be candidates for oral treatment. We report four patients with disseminated strongyloidiasis, believed to be unable to absorb oral therapy, who were treated with ivermectin by rectal and/or subcutaneous administration. Obtaining subcutaneous ivermectin and dosing it appropriately is a challenge. These cases underscore the need for improved access to subcutaneous ivermectin and more pharmacological data to guide use of this treatment approach.
Predicting the Unmet Need for Biologically Targeted Coverage of Insecticide-Treated Nets in Kenya
Authors: Noor Abdisalan M. , Alegana Victor A. , Patil Anand P. , Snow Robert W.
Published: October 2010

In some countries the biological targeting of universal malaria prevention may offer optimal impact on disease and significant cost-savings compared with approaches that presume universal risk. Spatially defined data on coverage of treated nets from recent national household surveys in Kenya were used within a Bayesian geostatistical framework to predict treated net coverage nationally. When combined with the distributions of malaria risk and population an estimated 8.1 million people were not protected with treated nets in 2010 in biologically defined priority areas. After adjusting for the proportion of nets in use that were not long lasting, an estimated 5.5 to 6.3 million long-lasting treated nets would be required to achieve universal coverage in 2010 in Kenya in at-risk areas compared with 16.4 to 18.1 million nets if not restricted to areas of greatest malaria risk. In Kenya, this evidence-based approach could save the national program at least 55 million US dollars.
Relationships Between Handwriting and Keyboarding Performance of Sixth-Grade Students
Authors: Rogers Janet , Case-Smith Jane
Published: October 2010

OBJECTIVES. This study examined the relationships between sixth-grade students’ handwriting speed and legibility and their keyboarding speed and error rate. A second purpose was to examine how well handwriting performance discriminates students as slow or fast in computer keyboarding.

METHOD. After participation in a school-required keyboarding class, 40 sixth-grade students were asked to copy a familiar poem using handwriting and keyboarding. Handwriting legibility and speed and keyboarding speed and errors were measured. Relationships among these variables were analyzed using Pearson product-moment correlations and discriminant analysis.

RESULTS. Keyboarding speed correlated with handwriting legibility (n = 38, r = .361, p = .026), suggesting that handwriting performance accounts for 12% to 13% of the variance in keyboarding performance. Handwriting speed and legibility together accurately categorized 71% of students as slow or fast in keyboarding. On average, students were able to keyboard faster than handwrite. Of the 20 slowest handwriters, 75% achieved more text production with keyboarding than with handwriting.

CONCLUSION. Keyboarding performance demonstrated low to moderate correlation with handwriting performance, suggesting that these forms of written expression require distinctly different skills. Most students who were slow at handwriting or had poor legibility increased the quantity and overall legibility of text they produced with a keyboard. These results suggest that keyboarding has the potential to increase and improve a student’s written output.
Development of a Standardized Instrument To Assess Computer Task Performance
Authors: Dumont Claire , Vincent Claude , Mazer Barbara
Published: October 2010

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this study was to determine the psychometric properties of the Assessment of Computer Task Performance, specifically, the test–retest reliability, internal consistency, construct validity, and ability to discriminate between known groups.

METHOD. This assessment comprises 14 standardized and timed tasks. It was administered to 24 persons with upper-extremity impairments and 30 with no impairments by a trained occupational therapist. To assess the test–retest reliability, participants in the impaired group were retested within 2 to 7 days. Intraclass correlation coefficients were calculated to determine test–retest reliability. Internal consistency was assessed with Cronbach’s alpha, and factor analysis was conducted to examine construct validity. The Mann Whitney U Test was used to assess the test’s ability to discriminate between the groups.

RESULTS. Results indicated that the tool has excellent reliability and internal consistency, can discriminate between groups, and has appropriate construct validity.

CONCLUSION. The Assessment of Computer Task Performance provides occupational therapists with an accurate test to measure computer performance and can assist them in providing computer access services.
Sensory Processing Issues Associated With Asperger Syndrome: A Preliminary Investigation
Authors: Dunn Winnie , Myles Brenda Smith , Orr Stephany
Published: October 2010

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this study was to identify the sensory processing patterns of children with Asperger syndrome.

METHOD. Researchers compared the performance of 42 children with Asperger syndrome and 42 children without disabilities on section and factor scores of the Sensory Profile.

RESULTS. As reported by parents on the Sensory Profile, the children with Asperger syndrome were significantly different from children without disabilities on 22 of 23 items. This result was obtained with good power estimates (.997–1.00) and large effect sizes (O2 = .267–.732). Both groups of children performed the same on modulation of visual input affecting emotional responses and activity level.

CONCLUSION. This study provides initial evidence that clear differences exist in the sensory processing patterns of children with Asperger syndrome when compared with peers without disabilities.
The Adolescent Role Assessment: Psychometric Properties and Theoretical Usefulness
Authors: Huebner Ruth A. , Emery Lynnda J. , Shordike Anne
Published: October 2010

OBJECTIVE. Fostering career adaptability may improve vocational outcomes for adolescents. This study examined the responses of adolescents on the Adolescent Role Assessment (ARA) to explore its usefulness as a measure of career adaptability.

METHOD. The ARA was administered to 101 adolescents 12 to 17 years of age. Descriptive statistics, reliability analysis, and factor analysis were generated from the ARA scores. Dominant narrative themes were coded into the six domains of the ARA and into the domains identified in the factor analysis.

RESULTS. The internal consistency of the ARA was low with few differences in findings across age. The identified factors—developing aspirations, self-efficacy, interpersonal competencies, and autonomy—are consistent with constructs of career adaptability found in the literature and differentiated low and high scorers.

CONCLUSION. Major changes to the ARA content and scaling or development of a new assessment of career adaptability using the factor structure are recommended for clinical and research applications.
Aspects of Emic and Etic Measurement: Lessons From Mary Poppins
Authors: Lee Christopher J.
Published: October 2010

This article describes emic and etic approaches to measurement in terms of a process of associating indicators and constructs. In this process, it is important to establish evidence of an adequate range of indicators and a relevant association of indicators and constructs and to recognize that such evidence places bounds on the interpretation of measurement outcomes. A passage from one of P. L. Travers’s Mary Poppins stories provides a counterpoint for this article’s discussion of these key aspects of emic and etic methods of measuring human individuality.
A Synthesis of the Effects of Occupational Therapy for Persons With Stroke, Part I: Restoration of Roles, Tasks, and Activities
Authors: Trombly Catherine A. , Ma Hui-ing
Published: October 2010

This article synthesizes research findings regarding the effects of occupational therapy on the restoration of role, task, and activity performance for persons who have had a stroke, with the purpose of guiding practice and research. It is the first of a two-part review of studies. Part II synthesizes research findings regarding the effects of occupational therapy on remediating impairments. Part I includes 15 studies involving 895 participants (mean age = 70.3 years). Of these studies, 11 (7 randomized controlled trials) found that role participation and instrumental and basic activities of daily living performance improved significantly more with training than with the control conditions. We conclude that occupational therapy effectively improves participation and activity after stroke and recommend that therapists use structured instruction in specific, client-identified activities, appropriate adaptations to enable performance, practice within a familiar context, and feedback to improve client performance. Empirical research to verify these findings and to characterize the key therapeutic mechanisms associated with desired outcomes is needed.
A Health Education Program for Elderly Persons With Visual Impairments and Perceived Security in the Performance of Daily Occupations: A Randomized Study
Authors: Dahlin Ivanoff S. , Sonn U. , Svensson E.
Published: October 2010

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this randomized, longitudinal study was to investigate the impact of a health education program on perceived security in the performance of daily occupations 4 months after the intervention period.

METHOD. Two groups of persons with age-related macular degeneration were compared: Those who had followed a newly developed health education program that was based on occupation and those who took part in a standard individual intervention program.

RESULTS. Significant differences in the level of perceived security between the groups were found for 13 of 28 occupations. Participants in the health education group maintained or improved their level of perceived security in 22 daily occupations, whereas those in the individual intervention group declined to a lower level in 17 daily occupations.

CONCLUSION. This study provides support for the effectiveness of the health education program to enhance security and hinder a progressive decline in perceived security in daily occupations.
Upper-Limb Injections of Botulinum Toxin-A in Children With Cerebral Palsy: A Critical Review of the Literature and Clinical Implications for Occupational Therapists
Authors: Hoare Brian J. , Imms Christine
Published: October 2010

This paper provides a review of the research literature that reports on the effectiveness of botulinum toxin-A (BtA) to reduce tone and improve functional use of the upper limbs of children who have cerebral palsy. Evaluation of the findings suggest that injections of BtA have demonstrated promising short-term results by reducing tone and increasing active range of motion in some children. Positive changes in function were also reported, however, only four studies used valid functional outcome measures. Children appropriate for BtA injections may be those with moderate tone, adequate grip strength, some distal voluntary control, intact sensation, and motivation to participate in postinjection training. Future research examining functional outcomes and the effect of repeated injections is needed. Active involvement of occupational therapists in the development and investigation of the most appropriate postinjection upper-limb training may help ensure optimal outcomes for children with cerebral palsy.
Transformation of Meaning Perspectives in Clients With Rheumatoid Arthritis
Authors: Dubouloz Claire-Jehanne , Laporte Diane , Hall Martha , Ashe Brenda , Smith C. Douglas
Published: October 2010

The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the process of transformation of personal beliefs, values, feelings, and knowledge (meaning perspectives) underlying occupational change in a small group of clients with rheumatoid arthritis during home-based rehabilitation. A grounded theory approach used to collect and analyze data concurrently included: (1) a sample of five adult clients diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis in occupational therapy, (2) data collection through 28 semi-directed interviews, and (3) data analysis using the constant comparison method. The study identified meaning perspectives of these clients with rheumatoid arthritis and explored the transformation of perspectives related to the modification of occupational performance. The study suggests that the exploration of meaning perspective transformation by clients and therapists could be a potential part of rehabilitation intervention.
Performing Bimanual Activities: The Experiences of Young Persons With Hemiplegic Cerebral Palsy
Authors: Sköld Annika , Josephsson Staffan , Eliasson Ann-Christin
Published: October 2010

This qualitative research study was designed to explore and describe the process of planning and performing bimanual activities in young persons with hemiplegic cerebral palsy. Interviews with 10 persons individually and four persons in a focus group provided rich information about their reasoning when confronting problems as well as insight into how they view their situations. The data were analyzed using a comparative method. The findings show that the participants had to make conscious choices about what would be the most effective strategies to use for carrying out activities. The choices involved weighing different options to find the least negative alternative. Even when able to find alternative strategies for performing the activity, the participants were often dissatisfied with negative consequences related to the strategy. Examples of such negative consequences could be, for example, that they would have to accept a need for extra time, planning, or concentration, to perform desired activities. When selecting a strategy it was thus favorable to have a repertoire of strategies from which to choose. In conclusion, the planning and performing of bimanual activities turned out to be a complex process influenced by a range of factors both internal and external to the person.
Factors Influencing Occupational Therapy Students’ Attitudes Toward Persons With Disabilities: A Conjoint Analysis
Authors: Tsang Hector W. H. , Chan Fong , Chan Chetwyn C. H.
Published: October 2010

OBJECTIVES. The purpose of this study was to examine factors influencing occupational therapy students’ context-specific attitudes toward persons with disabilities.

METHOD. Attitudes of 128 occupational therapy students toward placement of a residential treatment facility in their community were measured by a conjoint measurement of 16 stimulus cards (representing persons with varying disability types, gender, age, employment history, and history of aggression) and their responses were analyzed using conjoint analysis.

FINDINGS. Disability type and threat of violence were significantly higher on important scores compared with the other attributes across all students. Additionally, Year-Three students had significantly higher importance scores for the employment attribute than Year-One students.

CONCLUSION. Conjoint analysis can be used effectively, as an indirect measure, to study factors contributing to the formation of attitudes–preferences for persons with disabilities in specific social contexts.
Quality of Life and Supported Employment: A Case Study of Three Women With Developmental Disabilities
Authors: Siporin Susan , Lysack Cathy
Published: October 2010

This paper presents the findings of a qualitative case study of the quality of life of three women with developmental disabilities. In-depth interview data were collected from the women who had previously worked in a sheltered workshop environment and were, at the time of study, working in supported employment in the community. Interviews were also conducted with each woman’s job coach and a family member or close friend. On-site observations of the women in their supported employment environments were also undertaken. Results show that the women’s own perceptions about their quality of life were not always as family members and job coaches expected, and that the purported benefits of supported employment for the three women with developmental disabilities were not always realized. Occupational therapists have an opportunity to facilitate the occupational performance of adults with developmental disabilities but they must be willing to engage in wider health and social policy change if they are to make significant gains.
An Evaluation of a Hybrid Occupational Therapy and Supported Employment Program in Japan for Persons With Schizophrenia
Authors: Oka Masao , Otsuka Kensei , Yokoyama Nuburo , Mintz Jim , Hoshino Kenyo , Niwa Shin-Ichi , Liberman Robert Paul
Published: October 2010

OBJECTIVE. A vocational rehabilitation program (occupational therapy and supported employment) for promoting the return to the community of long-stay persons with schizophrenia was established at a psychiatric hospital in Japan. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the program in terms of hospitalization rates, community tenure, and social functioning with each individual serving as his or her control.

METHODS. Fifty-two participants, averaging 8.9 years of hospitalization, participated in the vocational rehabilitation program consisting of 2 to 6 hours of in-hospital occupational therapy for 6 days per week and a post-discharge supported employment component. Seventeen years after the program was established, a retrospective study was conducted to evaluate the impact of the program on hospitalizations, community tenure, and social functioning after participants’ discharge from hospital, using an interrupted time–series analysis. The postdischarge period was compared with the period from onset of illness to the index discharge on the three outcome variables.

RESULTS. After discharge from the hospital, the length of time spent by participants out of the hospital increased, social functioning improved, and risk of hospitalization diminished by 50%. Female participants and those with supportive families spent more time out of the hospital than participants who were male or came from nonsupportive families.

CONCLUSION. A combined program of occupational therapy and supported employment was successful in a Japanese psychiatric hospital when implemented with the continuing involvement of a clinical team. Interventions that improve the emotional and housing supports provided to persons with schizophrenia by their families are likely to enhance the outcome of vocational services.
A Dialogue on Occupational Therapy, Culture, and Families
Authors: Fitzgerald Maureen H.
Published: October 2010

This paper, based on a broad body of relevant data, presents a dialogue that explores and integrates two important concepts: family and culture. An understanding of these concepts is important for enhancing occupational therapy practice, in particular a practice that claims to be client-centered and holistic. The dialogue focuses particularly on issues students involved in the Intercultural Interaction Project, The University of Sydney, Australia, in 2002 identified as important. These include: a lack of understanding of the concept of culture, the confounding of culture and ethnicity, considering culture as an issue only in families from “other” cultural backgrounds, assumptions about the nature of families and therapists’ points of reference for making these assumptions, differences in client or family and therapist expectations, and how these expectations affect what happens in therapy and participants’ level of satisfaction with the outcomes of the interactions involved. The information suggests that there is a need for a better understanding of how culture influences ideas about families and how to work with them.
Parent Stress in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and the Influence of Parent and Infant Characteristics
Authors: Dudek-Shriber Linda
Published: October 2010

OBJECTIVE. This study investigated the stress experienced by parents in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), the infant and parent characteristics that resulted in different stress responses, and the characteristics that were predictive of stress.

METHOD. The Parental Stress Scale: Neonatal Intensive Care Unit was used to measure the stress of 162 parents. A Parent/Infant Demographic sheet provided information for determining which characteristics resulted in different responses and which variables were stress predictors.

RESULTS. The highest levels of stress experienced were in the relationship with baby–parental role area, and regarding how the baby looked and behaved. The infant characteristic of gestational age resulted in significantly different scores concerning the baby’s appearance and behavior. Consistent predictors of stress were length of stay, extreme prematurity, and a cardiovascular diagnosis.

CONCLUSION. Identifying the stressors parents experience can assist NICU therapists in intervention planning. Family-centered care that addresses stressors concerning their roles and their understanding of their infant should be emphasized.
The Meaning of Family Routines in a Homeless Shelter
Authors: Schultz-Krohn Winifred
Published: October 2010

OBJECTIVE. This exploratory investigation sought to understand what meaning parents, living in a home less shelter, attribute to family routines and the nature of those routines.

METHOD. In-depth interviews were conducted with 12 parents living in a homeless shelter. Thematic analysis was employed to develop descriptive codes and themes from transcribed data and field notes.

RESULTS. Parents described family routines focused on three features: promoting intimacy, maintaining or developing a legacy, and connections with the community. These routines seemed to preserve family integrity while homeless and to provide hope for the family to continue into the future.

CONCLUSIONS. Homeless parents, in this investigation, seemed to expend a substantial amount of energy to create or maintain family routines while living in a homeless shelter. Findings suggest that occupational therapy services may help support homeless parents as they exercise their role as the organizer of family routines.
The Everyday Occupation of Families With Children With Autism
Authors: Werner DeGrace Beth
Published: October 2010

The purpose of this qualitative research study was to understand a family’s experiences negotiating family daily life and the meanings they ascribed to these experiences when they had a child with severe autism. In-depth, semistructured interviews were conducted with five family units. The interviews explored the meaning of the family’s participation in daily life activities. The transcribed interviews were analyzed with a phenomenological method. The results emerging from this study indicate that families with children with severe autism may experience difficulty engaging in daily activities that hold positive meaning and rely on stringent patterns of routines that revolve around the child with autism to meet the demands of daily life.
Parenting a Child With a Chronic Medical Condition
Authors: Case-Smith Jane
Published: October 2010

PURPOSE. Parents of children with chronic medical conditions and associated disabilities have substantial caregiving responsibilities different from those of typical children. This ethnographic study examined how parents manage these caregiving demands, how they maintain their social lives, and how they form their self identities.

METHOD. Graduate students interviewed eight parents of children with chronic medical conditions and disabilities and participated in 60 hours of activities with them over a 6-month time period. The interview transcripts, students’ field notes, and journals were analyzed for themes that related to caregiving, social activities, and self-identity.

RESULTS. Parents felt that they “always needed to be with their child,” and most had changed their career plans to devote more time to caregiving. Parents also expressed anxiety about making difficult medical and educational decisions for their children. Activities outside the home required extensive planning and preparation and maintaining a social life was perceived as challenging because friends and relatives did not always understand the families’ limitations in activity.

CONCLUSIONS. Although the parents expressed stress related to coping with the caregiving load, they viewed having a child with chronic medical conditions as a positive experience that brought cohesion to their family. The parents explained that their experiences with their children helped them to appreciate life and develop more sensitivity to and tolerance of individual differences. The parents had become strong advocates for their children and other children with similar needs.
Social Security’s Five OASI Inflation Indexing Problems
Authors: Lovell Michael C.
Published: October 2010

This paper examines five problems with the indexing procedures used by the Social Security Administration of the United States in taking inflation into account when calculating Old Age and Survivor Insurance (OASI) Benefits. Because of the commingling of unindexed with indexed earnings, a retiree born in 1930 who continued in a high earning career until age 75 receives an annual benefit more than $1,800 larger than would have been generated with full indexing. While the inflation indexing problems identified in this paper do not attract much attention in normal times, they can contribute to serious short-run financial instability for the OASI trust fund in periods of substantial inflation or deflation. They make the percentage increase in your inflation adjusted (CPI-W) benefit if you elect to postpone retirement and the start of OASI benefits depend in part on the pace of inflation. This paper explains how these problems could be resolved in a way that would not hurt and might help resolve Social Security’s longrun solvency problems.
Technical Note: Cloud and aerosol effects on rotational Raman scattering: measurement comparisons and sensitivity studies
Authors: Kylling A. , Mayer B. , Blumthaler M.
Published: October 2010

Abstract. Rotational Raman scattering in the Earth's atmosphere explains the filling-in of Fraunhofer lines in the solar spectrum. Based on the versatile DISORT (Stamnes et al., 1988) radiative transfer solver, a new model including single rotational Raman scattering, has been developed and implemented into the freely available libRadtran radiative transfer package (Mayer and Kylling, 2005). The model is successfully compared against measurements of the differential optical depth for both optically thick clouds and aerosol loaded cases. Subsequently, the model is used for various sensitivity studies to investigate how clouds and aerosol affect the filling-in of the calcium K line.
Insight from ozone and water vapour on transport in the tropical tropopause layer (TTL)
Authors: Ploeger F. , Fueglistaler S. , Grooß J.-U. , Günther G. , Konopka P. , Liu Y.S. , Müller R. , Ravegnani F. , Schiller C. , Ulanovski A. , Riese M.
Published: October 2010

Abstract. We explore the potential of ozone observations to constrain transport processes in the tropical tropopause layer (TTL), and contrast it with insights that can be obtained from water vapour. Global fields from Halogen Occultation Experiment (HALOE) and in-situ observations are predicted using a backtrajectory approach that captures advection, instantaneous freeze-drying and photolytical ozone production. Two different representations of transport (kinematic and diabatic 3-month backtrajectories based on ERA-Interim data) are used to evaluate the sensitivity to differences in transport. Results show that mean profiles and seasonality of both tracers can be reasonably reconstructed. Water vapour predictions are similar for both transport representations, but predictions for ozone are systematically higher for kinematic transport. While for global HALOE observations the diabatic prediction underestimates the vertical ozone gradient, for SCOUT-O3 in-situ observations the kinematic prediction shows a clear high bias above 390 K. We show that ozone predictions and vertical dispersion of the trajectories are highly correlated, rendering ozone an interesting tracer for aspects of transport to which water vapour is not sensitive. We show that dispersion and mean upwelling have similar effects on ozone profiles, with slower upwelling and larger dispersion both leading to higher ozone concentrations. Analyses of tropical upwelling based on mean transport characteristics, and model validation have to take into account this ambiguity. In turn, ozone may provide constraints on aspects of transport in the TTL and lower stratosphere that cannot be obtained from water vapour.
Numerical dosimetric calculations for in vitro field expositions in the THz frequency range
Authors: Jastrow C. , Kleine-Ostmann T. , Schrader T.
Published: October 2010

Abstract. Field exposition experiments have been initiated by the German Federal Office for Radiation Protection (Bundesamt für Strahlenschutz – BfS) to examine genotoxic effects of THz radiation in vitro. Two different human skin cell types are exposed to continuous-wave radiation at six distinct frequencies between 100 GHz and 2.52 THz originating from different sources of THz radiation under defined environmental conditions. The cell containers are irradiated with free space power flux densities between 0.1 mW/cm2 and 2 mW/cm2 measured traceable to the SI units. For meaningful results, dosimetric calculations using the finite differences time-domain method have been performed in order to access the fields and consequently the specific absorption rate (SAR) in the cell layer.
Forward and backward RLS-DDCE processing in MIMO-OFDM spatial multiplexing receivers
Authors: Muxfeldt M. , Beinschob P. , Zölzer U.
Published: October 2010

Abstract. In this paper we present a novel approach in frequency domain channel estimation technique. Our proposal is based on the recursive least squares (RLS) algorithm combined with the decision making process called decision directed channel estimation (RLS-DDCE). The novelty and key concept of this technique is the block-wise causal and anti-causal RLS processing that yields two independent processing of RLS along with the associated decisions. Due to the implemented low density parity check (LDPC) code the receiver operates with soft information, which enables us to introduce a new modification of the Turbo principle as well as simple addition of the a-posteriori log-likelihood ratios (LLRs). Although the computational complexity is increased by both of our approaches, the latter is relatively less complex than the earlier. Simulation results show that these implementations outperform the simple RLS-DDCE algorithm and yield lower bit error rates (BER) and more accurate channel information.
Real time control of curved laser welding processes by cellular neural networks (CNN): first results
Authors: Nicolosi L. , Tetzlaff R.
Published: October 2010

Abstract. In the last decades the laser beam welding (LBW) has outclassed older welding techniques in the industrial scenario. Despite the improvement in welding technology, sophisticated methods of fault detection are not commonly used in commercially available equipments yet. A recent analysis of process images have revealed the possibility to build up a real time closed loop control system. By the use of image based quality features, a feedback signal can be provided to maintain the process in the desired state. The development of the presented visual control system has been focused on the adjustment of the laser power according to the detection of the so called full penetration hole. Due to the high dynamics of the laser welding, a fast real time image processing with controlling rates in the multi kilo Hertz range is necessary to have a robust feedback control. In this paper an algorithm for the real time control of welding processes is described. It has been implemented on the Eye-RIS v1.2, a visual system which mounts a cellular structure. By applying this algorithm in real time applications, controlling rates of about 7 kHz can be reached. In the following some real time control results are also described.
Hardware-Abbildung eines videobasierten Verfahrens zur echtzeitfähigen Auswertung von Winkelhistogrammen auf eine modulare Coprozessor-Architektur
Authors: Flatt H. , Tarnowsky A. , Blume H. , Pirsch P.
Published: October 2010

Abstract. Dieser Beitrag behandelt die Abbildung eines videobasierten Verfahrens zur echtzeitfähigen Auswertung von Winkelhistogrammen auf eine modulare Coprozessor-Architektur. Die Architektur besteht aus mehreren dedizierten Recheneinheiten zur parallelen Verarbeitung rechenintensiver Bildverarbeitungsverfahren und ist mit einem RISC-Prozessor verbunden. Eine konfigurierbare Architekturerweiterung um eine Recheneinheit zur Auswertung von Winkelhistogrammen von Objekten ermöglicht in Verbindung mit dem RISC eine echtzeitfähige Klassifikation. Je nach Konfiguration sind für die Architekturerweiterung auf einem Xilinx Virtex-5-FPGA zwischen 3300 und 12 000 Lookup-Tables erforderlich. Bei einer Taktfrequenz von 100 MHz können unabhängig von der Bildauflösung pro Einzelbild in einem 25-Hz-Videodatenstrom bis zu 100 Objekte der Größe 256×256 Pixel analysiert werden. This paper presents the mapping of a video-based approach for real-time evaluation of angular histograms on a modular coprocessor architecture. The architecture comprises several dedicated processing elements for parallel processing of computation-intensive image processing tasks and is coupled with a RISC processor. A configurable architecture extension, especially a processing element for evaluating angular histograms of objects in conjunction with a RISC processor, provides a real-time classification. Depending on the configuration of the architecture extension, 3 300 to 12 000 look-up tables are required for a Xilinx Virtex-5 FPGA implementation. Running at a clock frequency of 100 MHz and independently of the image resolution per frame, 100 objects of size 256×256 pixels are analyzed in a 25 Hz video stream by the architecture.