bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Psychological Literacy in Applied Psychology Disciplines
Authors: Tomcho Thomas J. , Foels Rob
Published: February 2017

Undergraduate psychology majors need a broad base of knowledge in order to be viewed as competent graduates. In addition to acquiring basic knowledge, the American Psychological Association (APA) has guidelines for applied knowledge as well. In order to ensure a broad base of knowledge, teachers therefore need to know what the important psychological concepts are not only in both basic and applied areas of psychology. We examined key concepts across five applied areas of psychology and identified 30 key concepts that occur in two or more applied areas of psychology. It is evident from our findings that there is notable intersection between applied psychology and basic psychological science but also important applied concepts that stand alone from basic psychology. We discuss how these findings are directly relevant to APA’s undergraduate learning goal of psychological literacy.
A rare case of anterior mediastinal mass caused by Brucella infection
Authors: Sabzi Feridoun , Faraji Reza
Published: February 2017

A previously healthy man, who had undergone coronary artery bypass 10 years earlier and had been diagnosed with brucellosis due to Brucella septicemia after Brucella arthritis, presented with chest pain and high fever. Anti- Brucella antibiotics were started, but after 4 weeks, his high fever remained. An infected mass was confirmed by computed tomography, and surgical intervention was performed via a median sternotomy. A large amount of thick pus gushed from an abscess in the upper mediastinum. The abscess cavity had a thick granulation wall, and cultured pus was positive for Brucella only. The patient responded well to antibiotic therapy.
Short- and Long-term Effects of Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation on Upper Limb Motor Function after Stroke: a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Zhang Lan , Xing Guoqiang , Fan Youlin , Guo Zhiwei , Chen Huaping , Mu Qiwen
Published: February 2017

Objective:

The aim of this study was to evaluate the short- and long-term effects as well as other parameters of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) on upper limb motor functional recovery after stroke.

Data sources:

The databases of PubMed, Medline, Science Direct, Cochrane, and Embase were searched for randomized controlled studies reporting effects of rTMS on upper limb motor recovery published before October 30, 2016.

Review methods:

The short- and long-term mean effect sizes as well as the effect size of rTMS frequency of pulse, post-stroke onset, and theta burst stimulation patterns were summarized by calculating the standardized mean difference (SMD) and the 95% confidence interval using fixed/random effect models as appropriate.

Results:

Thirty-four studies with 904 participants were included in this systematic review. Pooled estimates show that rTMS significantly improved short-term (SMD, 0.43; P < 0.001) and long-term (SMD, 0.49; P < 0.001) manual dexterity. More pronounced effects were found for rTMS administered in the acute phase of stroke (SMD, 0.69), subcortical stroke (SMD, 0.66), 5-session rTMS treatment (SMD, 0.67) and intermittent theta burst stimulation (SMD, 0.60). Only three studies reported mild adverse events such as headache and increased anxiety .

Conclusions:

Five-session rTMS treatment could best improve stroke-induced upper limb dyskinesia acutely and in a long-lasting manner. Intermittent theta burst stimulation is more beneficial than continuous theta burst stimulation. rTMS applied in the acute phase of stroke is more effective than rTMS applied in the chronic phase. Subcortical lesion benefit more from rTMS than other lesion site.
Effects of Implied Motion and Facing Direction on Positional Preferences in Single-Object Pictures
Authors: Palmer Stephen E. , Langlois Thomas A.
Published: February 2017

Palmer, Gardner, and Wickens studied aesthetic preferences for pictures of single objects and found a strong inward bias: Right-facing objects were preferred left-of-center and left-facing objects right-of-center. They found no effect of object motion (people and cars showed the same inward bias as chairs and teapots), but the objects were not depicted as moving. Here we measured analogous inward biases with objects depicted as moving with an implied direction and speed by having participants drag-and-drop target objects into the most aesthetically pleasing position. In Experiment 1, human figures were shown diving or falling while moving forward or backward. Aesthetic biases were evident for both inward-facing and inward-moving figures, but the motion-based bias dominated so strongly that backward divers or fallers were preferred moving inward but facing outward. Experiment 2 investigated implied speed effects using images of humans, horses, and cars moving at different speeds (e.g., standing, walking, trotting, and galloping horses). Inward motion or facing biases were again present, and differences in their magnitude due to speed were evident. Unexpectedly, faster moving objects were generally preferred closer to frame center than slower moving objects. These results are discussed in terms of the combined effects of prospective, future-oriented biases, and retrospective, past-oriented biases.
Genome-wide association study identifies novel susceptibility loci for migraine in Han Chinese resided in Taiwan
Authors: Chen Shih-Pin , Fuh Jong-Ling , Chung Ming-Yi , Lin Ying-Chao , Liao Yi-Chu , Wang Yen-Feng , Hsu Chia-Lin , Yang Ueng-Cheng , Lin Ming-Wei , Chiou Jen-Jie , Wang Po-Jen , Chen Ping-Kun , Fan Pi-Chuan , Wu Jer-Yuan , Chen Yuan-Tsong , Kao Lung-Sen , Shen-Jang Fann Cathy , Wang Shuu-Jiun
Published: February 2017

Background

Susceptibility genes for migraine, despite it being a highly prevalent and disabling neurological disorder, have not been analyzed in Asians by genome-wide association study (GWAS).

Methods

We conducted a two-stage case-control GWAS to identify susceptibility genes for migraine without aura in Han Chinese residing in Taiwan. In the discovery stage, we genotyped 1005 clinic-based Taiwanese migraine patients and 1053 population-based sex-matched controls using Axiom Genome-Wide CHB Array. In the replication stage, we genotyped 27 single-nucleotide polymorphisms with p < 10−4 in 1120 clinic-based migraine patients and 604 sex-matched normal controls by using Sequenom. Variants at LRP1, TRPM8, and PRDM, which have been replicated in Caucasians, were also genotyped.

Results

We identified a novel susceptibility locus (rs655484 in DLG2) that reached GWAS significance level for migraine risk in Han Chinese ( p = 1.45 × 10−12, odds ratio [OR] = 2.42), and also another locus (rs3781545in GFRA1) with suggestive significance ( p = 1.27 × 10−7, OR = 1.38). In addition, we observed positive association signals with a similar trend to the associations identified in Caucasian GWASs for rs10166942 in TRPM8 (OR = 1.33, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.14–1.54, Ppermutation = 9.99 × 10−5; risk allele: T) and rs1172113 in LRP1 (OR = 1.23, 95% CI = 1.04–1.45, Ppermutation = 2.9 × 10−2; risk allele: T).

Conclusion

The present study is the first migraine GWAS conducted in Han-Chinese and Asians. The newly identified susceptibility genes have potential implications in migraine pathogenesis. DLG2 is involved in glutamatergic neurotransmission, and GFRA1 encodes GDNF receptors that are abundant in CGRP-containing trigeminal neurons. Furthermore, positive association signals for TRPM8 and LRP1 suggest the possibility for common genetic contributions across ethnicities.
MAOA, Drug Selling, and Violent Victimization
Authors: Watts Stephen J. , Tetzlaff-Bemiller Melissa J. , McCutcheon James C.
Published: February 2017

Involvement in drug markets is a significant risk factor for criminal victimization. Separately, the monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) gene has been identified as correlating with risky and antisocial behaviors and moderating the effects of environmental risk factors on antisocial behaviors. Using a sample drawn from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health ( N = 8,860), we explore whether MAOA genotype moderates the effect of drug selling on violent victimization. Results show that drug selling increases violent victimization among males, but not females. Additionally, the effect of drug selling on violent victimization among males is greater among the carriers of the 2R/3R alleles of MAOA, providing evidence of Gene × Environment interaction. These results appear despite a number of controls that potentially make the drug selling–violent victimization relationship spurious. Implications of the findings are discussed.
Scaling effects in spiral capsule robots
Authors: Liang Liang , Hu Rong , Chen Bai , Tang Yong , Xu Yan
Published: February 2017

Spiral capsule robots can be applied to human gastrointestinal tracts and blood vessels. Because of significant variations in the sizes of the inner diameters of the intestines as well as blood vessels, this research has been unable to meet the requirements for medical applications. By applying the fluid dynamic equations, using the computational fluid dynamics method, to a robot axial length ranging from 10−5 to 10−2 m, the operational performance indicators (axial driving force, load torque, and maximum fluid pressure on the pipe wall) of the spiral capsule robot and the fluid turbulent intensity around the robot spiral surfaces was numerically calculated in a straight rigid pipe filled with fluid. The reasonableness and validity of the calculation method adopted in this study were verified by the consistency of the calculated values by the computational fluid dynamics method and the experimental values from a relevant literature. The results show that the greater the fluid turbulent intensity, the greater the impact of the fluid turbulence on the driving performance of the spiral capsule robot and the higher the energy consumption of the robot. For the same level of size of the robot, the axial driving force, the load torque, and the maximum fluid pressure on the pipe wall of the outer spiral robot were larger than those of the inner spiral robot. For different requirements of the operating environment, we can choose a certain kind of spiral capsule robot. This study provides a theoretical foundation for spiral capsule robots.
Lenalidomide as a treatment for relapsed AL amyloidosis in an HIV-positive patient
Authors: Denman Johanna , Manavi Kaveh , Cook Mark
Published: February 2017

We present a case of an HIV-positive man with systemic immunoglobulin light chain (AL) amyloid with cardiac involvement. At relapse, he was treated with lenalidomide and dexamethasone having previously developed autonomic neuropathy with bortezomib-based chemotherapy. The patient achieved a serological complete response with symptomatic improvement. After 11 cycles, lenalidomide was discontinued due to extensive ischaemia of the gastrointestinal tract. The patient remains symptomatically stable with normal levels of serum-free light chains 11 months after the treatment was discontinued. Lenalidomide can be a good treatment option for AL amyloidosis in HIV-infected patients on antiretroviral therapy.
The ideological construction of mother identity in the discourse of four women of the lower socio-economic group from Santiago, Chile
Authors: Gajardo Consuelo , Oteíza Teresa
Published: February 2017

This article examines the different ways in which a group of Chilean women of the lower socio-economic group dynamically construct their identity as mothers. The data collected through qualitative interviews were analyzed bringing together insights from the Appraisal Framework and Critical Discourse Studies. The findings show that these mothers instantiate three evaluative patterns to represent themselves: the mother-instructor, the attached mother and the striving mother. The linguistic resources deployed in the construction of these roles include the repeated use of modulation of obligations directed both at themselves and at their children in order for the latter to become socially valued through access to education. In addition, they construct their identities through the voice and affective behavior of their children, positioning themselves as the most important figure in their lives. The patterns of self-representation displayed suggest that these women’s only source of validation is their maternal function and their children’s love, in a context of poverty and invisibilization.
Deserving social benefits? Political framing and media framing of ‘deservingness’ in two welfare reforms in Denmark
Authors: Esmark Anders , Schoop Sarah R
Published: February 2017

The article contributes to the growing literature on framing of deservingness as an alternative to ‘blame avoidance’ strategies in the politics of welfare retrenchment. In particular, the article focuses on the interplay between political framing and media framing. Based on an analysis of two major welfare reforms involving reductions of social benefits in Denmark in 2005 and 2013, the article analyses the frames used by politicians supporting and opposing reform, as well as the frames used by the media. The article shows, first, that political reforms reducing social benefits are followed by increased framing of recipients as undeserving. The article finds a strong correlation between the political objective of reducing benefits and the reliance on frames that position recipients as undeserving. Second, the article shows that media framing remains significantly different from political framing in both years. However, the results also show that the media become less critical and more prone to frame recipients as undeserving along with the changes in political framing. Third, the article shows that media coverage of retrenchment reforms will be more critical under conditions of political conflict than in the case of political consensus. However, this result is also qualified by the observation that the media increasingly seek outside sources in order to find alternative voices under conditions approximating political consensus.
Dynamic characterization of elastico-mechanoluminescence towards structural health monitoring
Authors: Krishnan Srivatsava , Van der Walt Hugo , Venkatesh Vijay , Sundaresan Vishnu Baba
Published: February 2017

Light emission from zinc sulfide phosphors during elastic loading (elastico-mechanoluminescence, or EML) is characterized for application in structural health monitoring. Micron-sized EML particles are dispersed in an elastomeric matrix for characterization experiments. Numerical models and experimental investigations are combined to arrive at a correlation between EML emission intensity and average stress acting on phosphor particles. A maximum luminance of 25 cd/m2 is observed from composites with a 6.25:3 phosphor–matrix weight ratio. This intensely bright EML emission is visible under indoor lighting and is attributed to efficient interfacial stress transfer between the matrix and particles facilitated by a moisture-resistant coating. EML emission is captured over 2.5 million actuation cycles and a correlation between the structural health of the elastomer and the measured EML intensity is made. A significant drop in EML emission is observed right before the onset of structural failure which enables real-time prediction and prevention.
A verification and validation planning method to address change propagation effects in engineering design and manufacturing
Authors: Shankar Prabhu , Summers Joshua D , Phelan Keith
Published: February 2017

In-production changes must be validated prior to implementation requiring robust planning. A seven-step verification, validation, and testing method is used to identify assembly variants that should be included in testing. The method is applied to a change request causing propagation effects from variants in an automotive manufacturer. In evaluations of the method, engineers used the method successfully to identify variant propagation pathways, reducing the time and cost requirements that typically result from engineering changes. Based on the feedback from this evaluation of the verification, validation, and testing method regarding intensive laborious documentation, a semi-automated support tool is developed in Excel and presented in this research article.
A Comparison of Unidimensionality and Measurement Precision of the Narcissistic Personality Inventory and the Narcissistic Admiration and Rivalry Questionnaire
Authors: Grosz Michael P. , Emons Wilco H. M. , Wetzel Eunike , Leckelt Marius , Chopik William J. , Rose Norman , Back Mitja D.
Published: February 2017

The current study compares the closeness to unidimensionality (CU) and measurement precision (MP) of the Narcissistic Personality Inventory (NPI)—with either a pairwise forced-choice or 5-point Likert-type scale response format—to the Narcissistic Admiration and Rivalry Questionnaire (NARQ). Minimum rank factor analysis and item information curves from item response models were utilized. The results mainly confirmed our expectations that NPI subscales are lower in CU and MP compared with NARQ subscales when the NPI was administered with its traditional forced-choice response format. When the NPI was administered with a 5-point Likert-type scale response format, the NPI subscale Leadership/Authority and NPI Grandiose Exhibitionism showed similarly high levels of CU and MP as the two NARQ subscales. While the NPI subscale Entitlement/Exploitativeness had a higher CU than the NARQ subscales it showed considerably lower levels of MP.
The Growth Coalition in the (Post)-Fordist City: The Multi-Scalar and Dissonant Narratives of Mediated Urban Economies
Authors: Lamour Christian
Published: February 2017

One of the ongoing debates of late modern capitalism is the role played by global networks, state territories, and localized urban places in the shaping of urban economies. The objective of the article is to explore the narratives associated with these different spatial economic scales during a press conference organized to celebrate the success of the knowledge economy in the post-Fordist metropolis of Lille in Northern France. The discourse analysis of leaders reveals the strong and differentiated interconnections between scales but also a series of verbal dissonances due to the fact that stakeholders are placed in different and potentially conflictual contexts. The media are at the basis of the multi-scalar and polyphonic promotional discourse but also at the root of the dissonances.
Adenocarcinoma of the appendix occurring in a patient treated with paclitaxel for locally advanced esophageal cancer
Authors: Dasanu Constantin A , Hyams David M , Senatore Frank J
Published: February 2017

Paclitaxel has been linked with a number of immunosuppressive effects such as decreased numbers and activity of dendritic cells, NK-cells and monocytes, which may in turn lead to defective T-cell activation. In addition, this agent was shown to cause mitotic arrest resembling high-grade dysplasia throughout the gastrointestinal tract, including the appendix. We have previously documented a series of lung cancer patients who developed pre-malignant colonic polyps and/or colon cancer either during or weeks following chemotherapy with paclitaxel, suggesting a potential role of this agent in their pathogenesis. We describe herein a patient who developed adenocarcinoma of the appendix five months after paclitaxel therapy for a locally advanced lower esophageal cancer. Although the cancer of the appendix was in early stage, it was poorly differentiated and showed lymphovascular invasion. The context, timeline and existing experience suggest that this second cancer was triggered by a pre-existing insult, conceivably delivered by paclitaxel.
Pharmacological management of anticancer agent extravasation: A single institutional guideline
Authors: Kimmel Jaime , Fleming Patrick , Cuellar Sandra , Anderson Jennifer , Haaf Christina Mactal
Published: February 2017

Although the risk of extravasation of a chemotherapy (anticancer) medication is low, the complications associated with these events can have a significant impact on morbidity and health care costs. Institutions that administer anticancer agents should ideally have a current guideline on the proper management of the inadvertent administration of these toxic medications into tissues surrounding blood vessels. It is imperative that the health care team involved in administering drugs used to treat cancer be educated on the risk factors, preventative strategies and treatment of anticancer extravasations, as well as practice safe and proper administration techniques. Anticancer agents are generally divided into classes based on their ability to cause tissue damage. The review of current published guidelines and available literature reveals a lack of consensus on how these medications should be classified. In addition, many recently approved drugs for the treatment of cancer may lack data to support their classification and management of extravasation events. The treatment of the majority of extravasations of anticancer agents involves nonpharmacological measures, potentially in the ambulatory care setting. Antidotes are available for the extravasation of a minority of vesicant agents in order to mitigate tissue damage. Due to the limited data and lack of consensus in published guidelines, a working group was established to put forth an institutional guideline on the management of anticancer extravasations.
Do Individual Differences in Early Affective and Cognitive Self-Regulation Predict Developmental Change in ADHD Symptoms From Preschool to Adolescence?
Authors: Brocki Karin C. , Forslund Tommie , Frick Matilda , Bohlin Gunilla
Published: February 2017

Objective: The role of heterogeneous self-regulation deficits in ADHD has long been emphasized. Yet, longitudinal studies examining distinct self-regulation processes as prospective predictors of developmental change in ADHD symptoms spanning wide developmental periods are scarce. The aim of the current study was to examine affective and cognitive self-regulation as predictors of developmental change in ADHD symptoms from preschool to adolescence in a sample with one third of the children being at risk for developing an ADHD and/or ODD diagnosis. Method: At 5 years laboratory measures for hot and cool executive function (EF) and parental and teacher ratings were used for regulation of positive and negative emotionality. Symptoms of ADHD and ODD were measured at 5 and 13 years using parental and teacher ratings based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed.; DSM-IV). Results: Converging developmental paths in hyperactivity/impulsivity across time were found for those high versus low in early cognitive self-regulation, whereas the development of inattention symptoms diverged across time for those high versus low in early affective self-regulation. Conclusion: These results support the idea that different aspects of self-regulation are important for developmental change in the two separate ADHD symptom domains from preschool to adolescence.
Particle extrusion in elastohydrodynamic line contacts: Dynamic forces and energy consumption
Authors: Nikas George K
Published: February 2017

The author’s model of particle entrapment and thermoviscoplastic indentation built and experimentally validated in recent publications is utilised to calculate the contact forces on ductile, isolated interference particles passing through elastohydrodynamic, rolling–sliding, line contacts. The model is detailed and enriched by supplementary equations. A parametric study deals with the effects of particle size and cold hardness, kinetic friction coefficient, rolling velocity and slide-to-roll ratio of the contact on the particle contact forces, mean friction coefficient, temperature, plastic work and power required to deform a particle, as well as on dent volume and plastic strain rates of the indented contact surfaces. A factual selection of optimal conditions and parameter values that minimise the disruption of a contaminated contact is thus greatly facilitated.
Numerical analysis of the influence of distributed inhomogeneities on tangential fretting
Authors: Zhou Qinghua , Wang Jiaxu , Wan Qiang , Jin Fan , Yang Wanyou , Miao Qiang , Wang Zhanjiang
Published: February 2017

The tangential fretting is explored in the present study when one of the contacting bodies distributed with multiple inhomogeneities. The tangential fretting contact of an elastic sphere with an inhomogeneous material is considered. A new numerical model based on a semi-analytical method is developed by using Eshelby’s equivalent inclusion method and fast Fourier transform algorithms. The coupling between the contact loading and inhomogeneities is fully considered. The influence of multiple inhomogeneities on tangential contact is investigated. Parametric studies are conducted for the effects of randomly distributed inhomogeneities on the contact pressure, tangential displacement, subsurface stress, etc., revealing the significance of the influences of inhomogeneity distribution parameters on tangential fretting performance.
Indirect comparisons of treatment effects: Network meta-analyses
Authors: Sormani Maria Pia
Published: February 2017

Many therapeutic options are now available for patients with multiple sclerosis. While the efficacy of each drug has been assessed against placebo or, more recently, against interferon, no direct comparisons of these new therapies have been conducted in randomized clinical trials. Therefore, indirect treatment comparisons are needed to inform clinical decisions. In this brief report, some basic concepts about network meta-analyses that are the formal methods used to run multiple indirect treatment comparisons are reviewed when applied in the context of multiple sclerosis studies.
Foreign language enjoyment and anxiety: The effect of teacher and learner variables
Authors: Dewaele Jean-Marc , Witney John , Saito Kazuya , Dewaele Livia
Published: February 2017

Positive psychology has boosted interest in the positive as well as the negative emotions that Foreign Language learners experience. The present study examines whether – and to what extent – foreign language enjoyment (FLE) and foreign language (FL) classroom anxiety (FLCA) are linked to a range of learner internal variables and teacher/classroom-specific variables within one specific educational context. Participants were 189 British high school students learning various FLs. Higher levels of FLE were linked to higher scores on attitudes towards the FL, the FL teacher, FL use in class, proportion of time spent on speaking, relative standing and stage of development. Lower levels FLCA were linked to higher scores on attitudes towards the FL, relative standing and stage of development. FLCA thus seems less related to teacher and teacher practices than FLE. The pedagogical implication is that teachers should strive to boost FLE rather than worry too much about students’ FLCA.
Gendered accounts of managing diabetes in same-sex relationships: A discursive analysis of partner support
Authors: Jowett Adam
Published: February 2017

The gendered dimensions of partner support in relationships where one partner has a chronic condition has been a recurring focus within the literature on gender and health. Such literature however typically focuses exclusively on heterosexual couples while same-sex relationships are rendered invisible, leading to the discourse around partner support being heteronormative. This article examines gendered dimensions within accounts of lesbian, gay and bisexual people with diabetes using a discursive psychological approach. The analysis identifies how participants drew upon a range of interpretative repertoires, including: (1) notions that women are more caring than men; (2) that men can take control in an emergency; (3) that gay men are caring; (4) that grown men can take care of themselves; and (5) that gay men are more independent than heterosexual men. It is argued that rather than simply dismissing heteronormative repertoires of gender and health, non-heterosexuals draw upon them in ways that display ideological tensions.
Pat Boone’s last laugh: Cover versions and the performance of knowledge
Authors: Appel Nadav
Published: February 2017

The ‘cover version’ is a quintessential yet problematic popular music phenomenon. Endemic to a cultural form in which authenticity is a central value, it also calls authenticity into question by problematizing common notions of creativity and originality. This article investigates the practice of the cover version from a socio-epistemological perspective, inquiring as to the way that knowledge is performed through it. While the romantic mythology of the creative artist attributes the musician’s inspiration to an elusive ‘feel’, the cover version threatens to expose the formalized knowledge that lies behind the façade of pure intuition. Thus, when recording cover versions, musicians often take care to perform their knowledge in specific ways that allow them to reassert an air of unexplainable creativity. These various strategies are detailed and analyzed throughout the article in order to introduce and demonstrate a new theoretical framework for analyzing the relations between knowledge, performance, and cultural production.
Transcarotid Artery Revascularization With Flow Reversal
Authors: Alpaslan Alper , Wintermark Max , Pintér László , Macdonald Sumaira , Ruedy Richard , Kolvenbach Ralf
Published: February 2017

Purpose: To report a study evaluating the safety and efficacy of stenting via direct carotid access with flow reversal using the ENROUTE Transcarotid Neuroprotection System. Methods: Between March 2009 and June 2012, 75 patients (mean age 72.6 years; 45 men) underwent carotid artery stenting with the ENROUTE System; the majority of patients (63, 84%) were asymptomatic. The primary safety endpoint was the composite of major stroke, myocardial infarction, or death at 30 days. Efficacy outcomes included acute device success, procedure success, and tolerance to flow reversal. Fifty-six (74.7%) patients underwent diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DW-MRI) before and after the procedure to assess the development of new ischemic brain lesions. Results: Acute device and procedure success were achieved in 68 (90.6%) patients. The reverse flow circuit was established in 71 (94.6%) patients; only 5 patients demonstrated transient intolerance to flow reversal that did not interfere with completion of the procedure. The mean time on flow reversal was 19.1 minutes. In the DW-MRI substudy, 10 (17.9%) of 56 patients had ipsilateral new white lesions with a mean volume of 0.17 mL. At 30 days, no major stroke, myocardial infarction, or death occurred; 1 patient had experienced a minor stroke that was adjudicated as not related to either the device or procedure. Conclusion: Results of the PROOF study demonstrate the safety and efficacy of transcarotid revascularization with the ENROUTE Transcarotid Neuroprotection System.
A Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Randomized Evaluation of the Effect of Low-Level Laser Therapy on Venous Leg Ulcers
Authors: Vitse Julian , Bekara Farid , Byun Stephanie , Herlin Christian , Teot Luc
Published: February 2017

This study aimed to determine the effect of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) on chronic venous leg ulcers (VLUs). A double-blinded prospective randomized controlled trial was conducted to compare incidence of complete wound closure, ulcer size and pain reduction in patients randomized to 24 treatments of placebo or LLLT (635 nm) over 12 weeks. Patients presented with a 6-week history of VLUs ranging in size from 5 to 20 cm2. Venous origin was confirmed by Doppler ultrasound and an ankle brachial index of 0.8 or greater. Of 24 patients, 23% of the test group (n = 13) and 18% of placebo group (n = 11) achieved complete wound closure. At 12 weeks, patients in test and placebo groups had a mean surface area reduction of 6.26 cm2 ( P < .0001) and 6.72 cm2 ( P < .005), respectively, and a mean pain score decrease of 43.54 points ( P < .0001) and 25.73 points ( P = .002) respectively. Differences between groups was not statistically significant for wound closure ( P = 1.0) or ulcer size ( P = .80). Mean ulcer pain was significantly reduced from initiation of treatment compared with 4 weeks’ follow-up after 12 weeks with LLLT ( P < .01). Within the limitations of the study, LLLT may not have early effects as an adjunctive therapy to wound healing of VLUs, but LLLT may have delayed effects on VLU healing and associated pain, which requires further study.
Self-contained, low-cost Body-on-a-Chip systems for drug development
Authors: Wang Ying I , Oleaga Carlota , Long Christopher J , Esch Mandy B , McAleer Christopher W , Miller Paula G , Hickman James J , Shuler Michael L
Published: February 2017

Integrated multi-organ microphysiological systems are an evolving tool for preclinical evaluation of the potential toxicity and efficacy of drug candidates. Such systems, also known as Body-on-a-Chip devices, have a great potential to increase the successful conversion of drug candidates entering clinical trials into approved drugs. Systems, to be attractive for commercial adoption, need to be inexpensive, easy to operate, and give reproducible results. Further, the ability to measure functional responses, such as electrical activity, force generation, and barrier integrity of organ surrogates, enhances the ability to monitor response to drugs. The ability to operate a system for significant periods of time (up to 28 d) will provide potential to estimate chronic as well as acute responses of the human body. Here we review progress towards a self-contained low-cost microphysiological system with functional measurements of physiological responses.

Impact statement

Multi-organ microphysiological systems are promising devices to improve the drug development process. The development of a pumpless system represents the ability to build multi-organ systems that are of low cost, high reliability, and self-contained. These features, coupled with the ability to measure electrical and mechanical response in addition to chemical or metabolic changes, provides an attractive system for incorporation into the drug development process. This will be the most complete review of the pumpless platform with recirculation yet written.
Adaptive encoding scheme providing optimal performance for Internet of Things industry in the backscatter system
Authors: Ro Jae-Hyun , Kwon Bit-Na , Lee Seongjoo , Song Hyoung-Kyu
Published: February 2017

In the wireless communication market, Internet of Things is one of the major issues. Internet of Things is a technology which connects all objects to the Internet and enables to share the information of the objects with each other. Also, energy harvesting for batteryless devices is also one of the new issues in order to realize Internet of Things. Through the realization of Internet of Things, all objects can connect to the Internet and share own information with each other. Since the sensor communication with the low-power battery or without the battery is possible by the backscatter technique, a backscatter technique is highly useful for the realization of Internet of Things. This article proposes a scheme that a sensor is connected to the Internet and the optimal performance is obtained. For reliable backscatter technique for mobile user, this article proposes the two encoding schemes which are FM0 and Miller- n. Also, to minimize the loss of the data rate, these two encoding schemes are adaptively used according to mobility. The mobility is decided by signal-to-noise ratio and channel state. For mobile user, the proposed backscatter technique has high error performance due to proposed adaptive encoding scheme.
Radiographic Analysis of Simulated First Dorsal Interosseous and Opponens Pollicis Loading Upon Thumb CMC Joint Subluxation: A Cadaver Study
Authors: Adams Julie E. , O’Brien Virginia , Magnusson Erik , Rosenstein Benjamin , Nuckley David J.
Published: February 2017

Background: Therapy programs to treat thumb carpometacarpal (CMC) arthritis may engage selective activation and reeducation of thenar muscles, particularly the first dorsal interosseous (FDI) and opponens pollicis (OP) to reduce subluxation of the joint. We describe the effect of simulated selective activation of the FDI and OP muscles upon radiographic subluxation of the thumb CMC joint. Methods: In a cadaver model of CMC subluxation, loads were applied to the FDI, the OP, and then concomitantly at 0%, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% maximal loads and radial subluxation of the joint and reduction in subluxation was measured. Results: Selective activation of the OP, alone, improved the subluxation ratio (SR) in a dose-dependent manner. Selective activation of FDI, alone, demonstrated minimal effects on SR. Concomitant activation of OP and FDI improved the SR across all loading states, and activation of 75% and greater, when compared with FDI activation alone, resulted in a statistically significant improvement in SR to within 10% of the presubluxed joint. Conclusions: Concomitant activation of the FDI and OP acts to reduce subluxation of the thumb CMC joint in a dose-dependent fashion. The OP is likely the predominant reducing force. Hand therapy programs that focus on selective strengthening programs likely function in part to encourage patients to activate the easily palpable and easily understood FDI. Concomitant coactivation of the OP may be the major reducing force to elicit clinical and radiographic reduction of subluxation, improved thumb positioning, and reduction of pain and arthritic symptoms.
Outcomes Following Isolated Posterior Interosseous Nerve Neurectomy: A Systematic Review
Authors: Vanden Berge Dennis J. , Kusnezov Nicholas A. , Rubin Sydney , Dagg Thomas , Orr Justin , Mitchell Justin , Pirela-Cruz Miguel , Dunn John C.
Published: February 2017

Background: Posterior interosseous nerve neurectomies (PINN) are an option in the treatment of chronic dorsal wrist pain. However, the literature describing PINN consists primarily of small case series, and the procedure is typically done as an adjunct treatment; therefore, the outcomes of the PINN itself are not well known. We performed a systematic review of the literature to provide characteristics of patients following a PINN. Methods: A systematic review of the literature was performed. Papers published in the PubMed database in English on isolated PINN were included. Articles in which a PINN was performed as an adjunct were excluded. Primary outcomes were return to work, patient satisfaction, pain/function scores, wrist range of motion, complications, and pain recurrence. Weighted averages were used to calculate continuous data, whereas categorical data were noted in percentages. Results: The search yielded 427 articles including 6 studies and 135 patients (136 cases). The average age was 43.6 years (range, 17-75), and most patients were female (54.1%). At an average final follow-up of 51 months, 88.9% of patients were able to return to work. After initial improvement, a recurrence of pain occurred in 25.5% of patients at an average of 12.3 months. Excluding recurrence of pain, the complication rate was 0.9%, including 1 reflex sympathetic dystrophy. Overall, 88.4% of patients experienced a subjective improvement and were satisfied with the procedure. Conclusions: Isolated PINN have shown excellent clinical outcomes, with few patients experiencing recurrent pain at long-term follow-up. PINN can provide relief in patient’s chronic wrist pain.
The absent follower: Identity construction within organisationally assigned leader–follower relations
Authors: Schedlitzki Doris , Edwards Gareth , Kempster Steve
Published: February 2017

This article seeks to add to our understanding of processes of identity construction within organisationally assigned leader–follower relations through an exploration of the role of the absent, feminised follower. We situate our work within critical and psychoanalytic contributions to leader/ship and follower/ship and use Lacan’s writings on identification and lack to illuminate the imaginary, failing nature of identity construction. This aims to challenge the social realist foundations of writing on leader–follower constellations in organisational life. We examine our philosophical discussion through a reflective reading of a workplace example and question the possibility of a subject’s identity construction as a follower. If a subject is unable to identify him/herself as follower, he/she cannot validate others as leaders, rendering the leader–follower relationship not only fragile but phantasmic. We highlight implications of our exploration of the absence of follower/ship and endless, unfulfilled desire for leader/ship for future research and practice.
In vivo metacarpophalanageal joint collateral ligament length changes during flexion
Authors: Sun YC , Sheng XM , Chen J , Qian ZW
Published: February 2017

We investigated the in vivo length changes of the collateral ligaments of metacarpophalangeal joint during flexion. We obtained computed tomography scans of index, middle, ring and little fingers at 0°, 30°, 60° and 90° of joint flexion from six hands of six healthy adult volunteers. Three of them had their dominant right hand studied, and the other three had their non-dominant left hand studied. We measured and analysed the radial and ulnar collateral ligaments of each metacarpophalangeal joint from the reconstructed images. We found that the dorsal and middle portions of the both radial and ulnar collateral ligament lengthened progressively during digital flexion and reached the maximum at 90° flexion. The length of the volar portion increased from 0° to 30° flexion and then decreased from 30° to 60° flexion, reaching the minimum at 90°. In conclusion, three portions of collateral ligaments on both sides of the metacarpophalangeal joint have variable length changes during flexion, which act to stabilize the joint through its flexion arc.
Advocacy is essential to supporting women with pre-eclampsia
Authors: Tsigas Eleni
Published: February 2017

Advocacy has a critical role in advancing the maternal health agenda. Patient advocacy groups can hold governments and other stakeholders accountable and ensure that commitments are translated into concrete action. This article highlights the advocacy efforts of the Preeclampsia Foundation, a patient advocacy organisation that aims to improve the diagnosis, management, and prevention of pre-eclampsia through research and improved healthcare practices. A number of challenges continue to face maternal health advocacy especially in low- and middle-income countries. Future directions include developing a strategic focus for advocacy, effectively engaging citizens to build a culture of accountability, and monitoring and evaluation of advocacy efforts.
‘It’s on the tip of my Google’: Intra-active performance and the non-totalising learning environment
Authors: Snake-Beings Emit
Published: February 2017

Technologies that expand the learning environment to include interactions outside of the physical space of the classroom, such as the use of Google as an aid to memory, represent one aspect of learning that occurs within several seemingly decentralised spaces. On the other hand, it can be argued that such interactive technologies are enclosed in what Bruno Latour calls a ‘Black-box’: a ‘totalising’ enclosure that delimits interaction and channels users towards yet another form of centralised learning space.

Used as a starting point, the focus of this article rapidly shifts from the constraints of the ‘Black-box’ towards a type of engagement that embraces material agency: an engagement with materials and fragments of knowledge that emerge from the ‘non-totalising’ assemblage. To assist in this trajectory, Karen Barad’s concept of intra-activity is employed, where agency is seen as distributed between human and non-human actants.

The space in which this engagement between human and materials occurs, as a non-totalising learning space, is the concern of this article, which uses an interactive audio/visual performance event called Bingodisiac as a case study to examine various ways in which we can learn to move beyond the constraints of totalising structures. Bingodisiac is a project initiated by the researcher in 2002, as an informal collection of musicians who are assembled for a one-off improvised performance. This article draws upon interviews and journal notes collected at the time of the performances to explore the analogy of ‘noise music’ and how this can be related to ways in which the learning space of the classroom and the types of knowledge produced have become decentralised.
Supporting access to open education resources and massive open online courses for high school students of New Zealand
Authors: Hakim Sittara
Published: February 2017

Open education promotes an absolute openness in the dissemination of education, eliminating barriers including, but not limited to, cost and access to free and relevant resources. For open education, digital content has provided a means of not just sharing resources, but for promoting an interactive and collaborative culture of pooled Open Educational Resources to help others have the freedom of learning and educating themselves as per their necessity and yearning. Open Educational Resources in higher education have quickly gained a reputation, expanded and evolved with Massive Open Online Courses. In this paper, the significance, approach and implications of open education are extended to secondary education. Recommendations are reported for the development of High School Open Educational Resources in New Zealand, including the establishment of a High School Object Repository.
Prostacyclins have no direct inotropic effect on isolated atrial strips from the normal and pressure‐overloaded human right heart
Authors: Holmboe Sarah , Andersen Asger , Jensen Rebekka V. , Kimose Hans Henrik , Ilkjær Lars B. , Shen Lei , Clapp Lucie H. , Nielsen‐Kudsk Jens Erik
Published: February 2017

Prostacyclins are vasodilatory agents used in the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension. The direct effects of prostacyclins on right heart function are still not clarified. The aim of this study was to investigate the possible direct inotropic properties of clinical available prostacyclin mimetics in the normal and the pressure‐overloaded human right atrium. Trabeculae from the right atrium were collected during surgery from chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) patients with pressure‐overloaded right hearts, undergoing pulmonary thromboendarterectomy (n = 10) and from patients with normal right hearts operated by valve replacement or coronary bypass surgery (n = 9). The trabeculae were placed in an organ bath, continuously paced at 1 Hz. They were subjected to increasing concentrations of iloprost, treprostinil, epoprostenol, or MRE‐269, followed by isoprenaline to elicit a reference inotropic response. The force of contraction was measured continuously. The expression of prostanoid receptors was explored through quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR).

Iloprost, treprostinil, epoprostenol, or MRE‐269 did not alter force of contraction in any of the trabeculae. Isoprenaline showed a direct inotropic response in both trabeculae from the pressure‐overloaded right atrium and from the normal right atrium. Control experiments on ventricular trabeculae from the pig failed to show an inotropic response to the prostacyclin mimetics. qPCR demonstrated varying expression of the different prostanoid receptors in the human atrium. In conclusion, prostacyclin mimetics did not increase the force of contraction of human atrial trabeculae from the normal or the pressure‐overloaded right heart. These data suggest that prostacyclin mimetics have no direct inotropic effects in the human right atrium.