bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Chronic Degeneration Leads to Poor Healing of Repaired Massive Rotator Cuff Tears in Rats
Authors: Killian Megan L. , Cavinatto Leonardo M. , Ward Samuel R. , Havlioglu Necat , Thomopoulos Stavros , Galatz Leesa M.
Published: August 2015

Background:

Chronic rotator cuff tears present a clinical challenge, often with poor outcomes after surgical repair. Degenerative changes to the muscle, tendon, and bone are thought to hinder healing after surgical repair; additionally, the ability to overcome degenerative changes after surgical repair remains unclear.

Purpose/Hypothesis:

The purpose of this study was to evaluate healing outcomes of muscle, tendon, and bone after tendon repair in a model of chronic rotator cuff disease and to compare these outcomes to those of acute rotator cuff injuries and repair. The hypothesis was that degenerative rotator cuff changes associated with chronic multitendon tears and muscle unloading would lead to poor structural and mechanical outcomes after repair compared with acute injuries and repair.

Study Design:

Controlled laboratory study.

Methods:

Chronic rotator cuff injuries, induced via detachment of the supraspinatus (SS) and infraspinatus (IS) tendons and injection of botulinum toxin A into the SS and IS muscle bellies, were created in the shoulders of rats. After 8 weeks of injury, tendons were surgically reattached to the humeral head, and an acute, dual-tendon injury and repair was performed on the contralateral side. After 8 weeks of healing, muscles were examined histologically, and tendon-to-bone samples were examined microscopically, histologically, and biomechanically and via micro–computed tomography.

Results:

All repairs were intact at the time of dissection, with no evidence of gapping or ruptures. Tendon-to-bone healing after repair in our chronic injury model led to reduced bone quality and morphological disorganization at the repair site compared with acute injuries and repair. SS and IS muscles were atrophic at 8 weeks after repair of chronic injuries, indicating incomplete recovery after repair, whereas SS and IS muscles exhibited less atrophy and degeneration in the acute injury group at 8 weeks after repair. After chronic injuries and repair, humeral heads had decreased total mineral density and an altered trabecular structure, and the repair had decreased strength, stiffness, and toughness, compared with the acute injury and repair group.

Conclusion:

Chronic degenerative changes in rotator cuff muscles, tendons, and bone led to inferior healing characteristics after repair compared with acute injuries and repair. The changes were not reversible after repair in the time course studied, consistent with clinical impressions.

Clinical Relevance:

High retear rates after rotator cuff repair are associated with tear size and chronicity. Understanding the mechanisms behind this association may allow for targeted tissue therapy for tissue degeneration that occurs in the setting of chronic tears.
Design and Testing of the Degree of Shoulder Involvement in Sports (DOSIS) Scale
Authors: Blonna Davide , Bellato Enrico , Bonasia Davide Edoardo , Canata Gian Luigi , Rossi Roberto , Marmotti Antonio , Castoldi Filippo
Published: August 2015

Background:

For athletes affected by shoulder problems, the most important expectation is to resume sporting activities. The ability to return to sport is related to several parameters, including the type and level of sport played. By focusing on these parameters, the Degree of Shoulder Involvement in Sports (DOSIS) scale allows for a better assessment of the involvement of the shoulder in sports.

Purpose:

To design the DOSIS scale and test its psychometric features.

Study Design:

Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods:

The DOSIS scale was developed as a patient self-administered scale by the Sport Committee of SIGASCOT (Società Italiana del Ginocchio Artroscopia Sport Cartilagine Tecnologie Ortopediche) to score sports activity based on 3 parameters: (1) type of sport, (2) frequency with which the sport is played, and (3) level at which the sport is played. In a subsequent phase, the psychometric features of the DOSIS scale were measured in a cohort of 85 patients who were affected by recurrent anterior shoulder instability and who underwent an open Bristow-Latarjet procedure or an arthroscopic Bankart repair. The content validity, criterion validity, construct validity, responsiveness, and test-retest reliability were measured and compared with the psychometric features of the Tegner activity scale.

Results:

Neither the DOSIS nor the Tegner activity scale showed floor or ceiling effects, but the DOSIS scale had a different distribution of scores, with a tendency toward a higher percentage of patients with high scores. The test-retest reliability analysis of the DOSIS scale revealed excellent intraobserver reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.96). Regarding the construct validity, 3 of the 4 hypotheses that we tested were significant. The DOSIS scale showed good criterion validity when compared with the Tegner activity scale (ρ = 0.3, P = .003), and the effect size between the preoperative and postoperative DOSIS scale was 1.1.

Conclusion:

The DOSIS scale showed acceptable psychometric features and seems to be a valid instrument for shoulder assessment in athletes.
Pseudoparalysis From a Massive Rotator Cuff Tear Is Reliably Reversed With an Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repair in Patients Without Preoperative Glenohumeral Arthritis
Authors: Denard Patrick J. , Lädermann Alexandre , Brady Paul C. , Narbona Pablo , Adams Christopher R. , Arrigoni Paolo , Huberty Dave , Zlatkin Michael B. , Sanders Timothy G. , Burkhart Stephen S.
Published: August 2015

Background:

Pseudoparalysis is defined as active forward flexion less than 90° with full passive motion. There is controversy about the ideal surgical management of a massive rotator cuff tear with pseudoparalysis.

Purpose/Hypothesis:

The purpose of this study was to prospectively analyze the ability to reverse pseudoparalysis with an arthroscopic rotator cuff repair (ARCR). The hypothesis was that in the absence of substantial glenohumeral arthritis, preoperative fatty infiltration of grade 3 or higher and an acromiohumeral interval (AHI) of less than 7 mm would not prevent reversal of pseudoparalysis with an ARCR.

Study Design:

Case series; Level of evidence, 4.

Methods:

A prospective multicenter study of ARCR performed for preoperative pseudoparalysis was conducted. The minimum follow-up was 1 year. The mean patient age was 63 years, and pseudoparalysis was present for a mean of 4.2 months preoperatively. Preoperative radiographic evaluation included plain film evaluation of the AHI and Hamada classification and MRI evaluation of fatty degeneration and rotator cuff retraction. Functional outcome was determined by the Simple Shoulder Test (SST), American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) Shoulder Score, visual analog scale (VAS), and subjective shoulder value (SSV).

Results:

Of the 58 patients enrolled, 56 had at least 1 year of follow-up. Mean active forward flexion improved from 47° preoperatively to 159° postoperatively ( P < .001). Statistically significant improvements were seen in the SST (from 2.8 preoperatively to 10.1 postoperatively), SSV (from 28 to 83), ASES Shoulder Score (from 37 to 88), and VAS (from 5.7 to 1.1) ( P < .001). Pseudoparalysis was reversed in 53 of 56 patients (95%). There was no difference in the rate of reversal of pseudoparalysis between those patients with an AHI of less than 7 mm (88.2%) and those with an AHI of 7 mm or more (96.9%) ( P =.289). Pseudoparalysis was reversed in all 8 of the patients with fatty degeneration of grade 3 or higher in 1 or more of the rotator cuff muscles.

Conclusion:

ARCR can lead to reversal of preoperative pseudoparalysis in patients with minimal preoperative glenohumeral arthritis. ARCR is a viable first line of treatment for patients with pseudoparalysis in the absence of advanced glenohumeral arthritis.
Inclusion of Small Indigenous Fish Improves Nutritional Quality During the First 1000 Days
Authors: Bogard Jessica R. , Hother Anne-Louise , Saha Manika , Bose Sanjoy , Kabir Humayun , Marks Geoffrey C. , Thilsted Shakuntala Haraksingh
Published: August 2015

Background:

Within food-based approaches to improve nutrition during the first 1000 days of life, improved formulations of food products and the use of animal source foods, such as fish, are 2 widely cited strategies; however, there are few examples where the 2 strategies are combined. Furthermore, although small indigenous fish are highly nutritious and available to the poor in many regions of the world, their importance is often overlooked.

Objective:

To document the development of 2 nutritious fish-based food products in Bangladesh: a chutney for pregnant and lactating women (PLW) and a complementary food (CF) for infants and young children (6-23 months), including potential contributions to recommended or desirable nutrient intakes in the first 1000 days, processing methods, and nutrient composition.

Methods:

Local nutrient-rich ingredients and simple processing methods based on traditional knowledge (for the chutney), and a literature review (for the CF), were selected and trial batches produced. Products were analyzed for nutrient composition using standard analytical procedures and results compared with recommended or desirable nutrient intakes for women and children.

Results:

Both products could contribute significantly to micronutrient intakes of PLW (24% of iron and 35% of calcium recommended intakes) and macro- and micronutrient intake of infants and young children (≥65% of vitamin A, ≥61% of zinc, and 41% of iron desirable intakes) when consumed in the proposed serving size.

Conclusion:

Inclusion of small indigenous fish as an underutilized animal source food in combination with other local nutrient-rich ingredients in food products represents a promising food-based strategy to improve nutrition, with many additional potential benefits for communities involved in production, and therefore warrants further investigation.
Strength model for heat-damaged reinforced concrete circular columns confined with carbon fibre reinforced polymer fabrics
Authors: Al-Kamaki Yaman SS , Al-Mahaidi Riadh , Bennetts Ian
Published: August 2015

The strength models for fibre reinforced polymer wrapped columns available in the research literature were developed at ambient temperatures. To date, no experimental or analytical data have been available on the behaviour of large-scale reinforced concrete circular columns loaded during heating and cooling and subsequently wrapped with carbon fibre reinforced polymer fabrics. This paper deals with the development of new design-oriented strength models to predict the compressive strength of unheated and heat-damaged reinforced concrete columns confined with carbon fibre reinforced polymer. In this paper, 18 Ø 204 mm × 750 mm identical reinforced concrete columns were fabricated and tested, of which 12 were subjected to elevated temperatures under stress and then subsequently confined with carbon fibre reinforced polymer sheets after air cooling. The variables considered in these tests included the level of heat exposure and the number of carbon fibre reinforced polymer sheet layers. The digital image correlation technique and conventional foil gauges were used to determine the axial strain of carbon fibre reinforced polymer coupons and axial and lateral strains over the surface of unheated and heat-damaged carbon fibre reinforced polymer-wrapped columns. It was found that it is possible to repair heat-damaged concrete even to the extent of achieving the original compressive strength prior to heating through the use of appropriate carbon fibre reinforced polymer materials. The developed models were compared with the strength of columns obtained from test results of both unheated and heat-damaged carbon fibre reinforced polymer-wrapped columns and also with the existing ambient temperature strength models.
Fabrication and characterization of short glass fiber reinforced polypropylene hybrid composite foams
Authors: Yang Ji-nian , Ding Guo-xin , Wang Zhou-feng , Gao Jun-shan
Published: August 2015

To improve the comprehensive performances of polypropylene/ethylene-α-octene copolymer foams, short glass fiber was introduced to prepare polypropylene hybrid composite foams. Then, the effects of short glass fiber on the foaming qualities, interfacial morphologies, mechanical properties and energy absorption behavior of polypropylene hybrid composite foams were investigated. Results showed that the foaming qualities of the hybrid composite foams were improved greatly. The minimum average cell diameter and maximum cell density were achieved with adding 30% short glass fiber. From the analysis of interfacial structures, the interfacial interactions were mainly occurred in the polypropylene/short glass fiber and polypropylene/ethylene-α-octene copolymer pairs rather than short glass fiber/ethylene-α-octene copolymer pair. With increasing content of short glass fiber, the mechanical properties (excluding elastic modulus) of polypropylene hybrid composite foams were increased first and then declined. Within the study range, the energy absorption capability of polypropylene hybrid composite foams could be doubled with 30% short glass fiber added. The energy-absorption ratio was improved only with relative higher short glass fiber content, of which, however, the improvement was not as remarkable as that shown in the energy absorption capability.
Time is on my side? The impact of timing and dispute type on militarized conflict duration
Authors: Metzger Shawna K.
Published: August 2015

What influences the duration of interstate militarized conflicts? I argue that duration is affected by when the militarization occurs in the overarching dispute. Further, I suggest that the type of dispute being fought over has a conditioning effect. I hypothesize that later-occurring militarizations will last longer, but only in disputes over territorial issues. I test my argument on a sample of militarized conflicts over territorial, maritime, and river disputes, using a dynamic methodological technique to account for states’ strategic calculations. I find empirical support for my theoretical claims, contributing to our understanding of the interplay between interstate disputes and militarization.
Diversionary conflict: Demonizing enemies or demonstrating competence?
Authors: Haynes Kyle
Published: August 2015

How do embattled leaders hope to secure their hold on power by initiating conflict abroad? The literature on diversionary war has emphasized two distinct mechanisms by which leaders stand to gain from conflict — the “rally around the flag” and “gambling for resurrection” theories. But despite a massive literature on the subject, these competing theories of diversionary incentives have never been subjected to comparative empirical evaluation. This article seeks to fill this gap. I argue that the rally and gambling theories predict diversionary conflicts to target different types of states. Diversionary conflicts driven by a rally logic will target traditional enemies and out-groups, including rivals, neighbors, and geopolitically incompatible states. Gambling for resurrection, on the other hand, pushes leaders to target powerful states in order to demonstrate competence to their constituents. Challenging the conventional wisdom, I find little evidence to support the rally mechanism. The results offer substantial support for the gambling for resurrection theory, indicating that diversionary conflict may be primarily driven by unpopular leaders attempting to prove their competence domestically.
Enforcing order: Territorial reach and maritime piracy
Authors: Daxecker Ursula , Prins Brandon C.
Published: August 2015

Existing studies of piracy focus attention on the institutional determinants of maritime piracy, but neglect variation in governments’ reach over territory. We argue that the effect of state capacity on piracy is a function of states’ ability to extend authority over the country’s entire territory. We expect that government reach—a function of geographic factors such as the distance between a country’s capital and its coastline—mediates the effect of state capacity on piracy. Weak governments allow for the planning and implementation of attacks and reduce the risk of capture, but particularly so if sufficient distance separates pirates from political authority. An empirical analysis of country-year data on maritime piracy collected by the International Maritime Bureau for the 1995–2013 period shows that capital–coastline distance mediates the effect of institutional fragility on piracy as hypothesized. These results remain robust for alternative operationalizations of state capacity and reach. In addition, the models perform well in terms of predictive power, forecasting piracy quite accurately for 2013. The expectations and evidence presented in this paper help explain why states with intermediate levels of state capacity but low levels of reach—such as Indonesia, Tanzania or Venezuela—struggle with substantial incidence of piracy.
Novel Dioscorea hispida starch-based hydrogels and their beneficial use as disinfectants
Authors: Azman Imran , Mutalib Sahilah A , Yusoff Siti Fairus M , Fazry Shazrul , Noordin Akram , Kumaran Malina , Mat Lazim Azwan
Published: August 2015

Starch-grafted polyacrylamide hydrogels were successfully prepared via chemical polymerization method in basic solution, which provides a homogeneous suspension in the reaction system. The results obtained from Fourier transform infrared–attenuated total reflectance confirmed that the monomer polyacrylamide was grafted onto the starch backbone as shown by the cross-linked peak at 1638 cm−1. Scanning electron microscopy showed that the morphology of starch-grafted polyacrylamide hydrogels has a highly porous structure which provides excellent water absorption capacity with a swelling ratio up to 124%. The X-ray diffraction showed no significant crystallization peaks, indicating that an amorphous hydrogel has been produced. Supported by differential scanning calorimetry, the highest transition glass temperature was observed at 101°C. The starch-grafted polyacrylamide hydrogel extracts inhibited Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and Salmonella typhimurium growth The fish embryo toxicity test demonstrated that the hydrogel with 2:1 ratio of polyacrylamide: starch has an acceptable level of toxicity. This result indicates that the synthesized hydrogel is applicable for biological purposes with further modifications.
Graphene oxide/manganese ferrite nanohybrids for magnetic resonance imaging, photothermal therapy and drug delivery
Authors: Yang Yan , Shi Haili , Wang Yapei , Shi Benzhao , Guo Linlin , Wu Dongmei , Yang Shiping , Wu Huixia
Published: August 2015

Superparamagnetic manganese ferrite (MnFe2O4) nanoparticles have been deposited on graphene oxide (GO) by the thermal decomposition of manganese (II) acetylacetonate and iron (III) acetylacetonate precursors in triethylene glycol. The resulting GO/MnFe2O4 nanohybrids show very low cytotoxicity, negligible hemolytic activity, and imperceptible in vivo toxicity. In vitro and in vivo magnetic resonance imaging experiments demonstrate that GO/MnFe2O4 nanohybrids could be used as an effective T2 contrast agent. The strong optical absorbance in the near-infrared (NIR) region and good photothermal stability of GO/MnFe2O4 nanohybrids result in the highly efficient photothermal ablation of cancer cells. GO/MnFe2O4 nanohybrids can be further loaded with doxorubicin (DOX) by π–π conjugate effect for chemotherapy. DOX release from GO/MnFe2O4 is significantly influenced by pH and can be triggered by NIR laser. The enhanced cancer cell killing by GO/MnFe2O4/DOX composites has been achieved when irradiated with near-infrared light, suggesting that the nanohybrids could deliver both DOX chemotherapy and photothermal therapy with a synergistic effect.
Using Videoconferencing Technology to Provide Breastfeeding Support to Low-Income Women
Authors: Friesen Carol A. , Hormuth Laura J. , Petersen Devan , Babbitt Tina
Published: August 2015

The Tele-Lactation Pilot Project (TLPP), 1 of 13 community-based breastfeeding projects implemented in Indiana in 2013 using Centers for Disease Control and Prevention grant funds, explored the feasibility of using videoconferencing technology to provide breastfeeding education and support to low-income women by a centrally located International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC). The IBCLC was housed at the Breastfeeding Center at the hospital where the women would deliver; the women receiving the education and support were located at an inner-city community health center (CHC) where they received their primary care. The videoconferencing sessions were juxtaposed with the women’s regularly scheduled prenatal and postnatal visits at the CHC. After delivery, the lactation consultant visited the mother and infant in person at the hospital to offer additional support. Overall, 35 mothers were served by the TLPP during the 9-month project period. A total of 134 visits (30-45 minutes each) were conducted (3.8 sessions per woman). At the conclusion of the project, interviews with key participants indicated that the tele-lactation videoconferencing sessions were easy to implement, allowed the IBCLC to reach a wider client base, and allowed the women to receive expert support that they might not have otherwise received. Comments indicated that, in addition to providing education and increasing the women’s confidence, the tele-lactation sessions appeared to have decreased the mothers’ anxiety about the birthing process and the hospital experience. The TLPP demonstrated that incorporating videoconferencing technology into routine care can help foster collaboration among health care providers and provide mothers with continuous, easily accessible breastfeeding education and support.
Free vibration of bi-material cylindrical shells
Authors: Sarkheil Saeed , Foumani Mahmud S , Navazi Hossein M
Published: August 2015

Based on the Sanders thin shell theory, this paper presents an exact solution for the vibration of circular cylindrical shell made of two different materials. The shell is sub-divided into two segments and the state-space technique is employed to derive the homogenous differential equations. Then continuity conditions are applied where the material of the cylindrical shell changes. Shells with various combinations of end boundary conditions are analyzed by the proposed method. Finally, solving different examples, the effect of geometric parameters as well as BCs on the vibration of the bi-material shell is studied.
Fault diagnosis of hydraulic piston pumps based on a two-step EMD method and fuzzy C-means clustering
Authors: Lu Chuanqi , Wang Shaoping , Zhang Chao
Published: August 2015

Hydraulic piston pumps are commonly used in aircrafts and various other equipment, and efficient fault diagnosis of them is playing an important role in improving the reliability and performance of hydraulic systems. Given that the discharge pressure signal of piston pump is a quasi-periodic signal and contains variety of state information, this article proposes a fault diagnosis method combining a two-step empirical mode decomposition (EMD) method based on waveform matching and extrema mirror extension with fuzzy C-means clustering. Based upon discharge pressure signals of piston pumps, the two-step EMD method which can restrain the end effects of traditional EMD is adopted to decompose the original signal. Characteristic vectors are then constructed by computing the normalized characteristic energy of selected Intrinsic Mode Function (IMF) components on the basis of local Hilbert marginal energy spectrum. Finally, fuzzy C-means clustering algorithm is used to identify the faults of pumps. Experimental results indicate that the proposed method can identify the faults of pumps effectively.
Tweeting From Left to Right
Authors: Barberá Pablo , Jost John T. , Nagler Jonathan , Tucker Joshua A. , Bonneau Richard
Published: August 2015

We estimated ideological preferences of 3.8 million Twitter users and, using a data set of nearly 150 million tweets concerning 12 political and nonpolitical issues, explored whether online communication resembles an “echo chamber” (as a result of selective exposure and ideological segregation) or a “national conversation.” We observed that information was exchanged primarily among individuals with similar ideological preferences in the case of political issues (e.g., 2012 presidential election, 2013 government shutdown) but not many other current events (e.g., 2013 Boston Marathon bombing, 2014 Super Bowl). Discussion of the Newtown shootings in 2012 reflected a dynamic process, beginning as a national conversation before transforming into a polarized exchange. With respect to both political and nonpolitical issues, liberals were more likely than conservatives to engage in cross-ideological dissemination; this is an important asymmetry with respect to the structure of communication that is consistent with psychological theory and research bearing on ideological differences in epistemic, existential, and relational motivation. Overall, we conclude that previous work may have overestimated the degree of ideological segregation in social-media usage.
Lupus nephritis in Latin American patients: 10-year results from a single medical center in Argentina
Authors: Vinicki J P , Paniego F M , De Rosa G , Dubinsky D , Laborde H A , Marini A , Nasswetter G
Published: August 2015

Introduction

Several studies have shown that Hispanic patients generally experience a worse renal prognosis than non-Hispanic white patients with lupus. To date, there is no report on American College of Rheumatology (ACR) renal response criteria (ACR-RRC) in patients from Latin America.

Objective

To evaluate treatment response in patients with proliferative and membranous lupus nephritis (LN) according to ACR-RRC.

Methods

A retrospective study (2001–2011) was performed in our hospital and the data collected included clinical information, renal assessment and immunological parameters. Details related to treatment received during induction and maintenance therapy were also recorded.

Results

The study included forty-three Latin American patients (37 women) from Argentina. Mean follow-up was 54 months. The regimen used for induction therapy included intravenous cyclophosphamide (IV-CYC) for six months in 36 patients and only seven received mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) given twice daily for a total dose of 2.5 ± 0.5 grams a day. For the maintenance period, six patients continued with quarterly IV-CYC, 20 patients received MMF (1.5 ± 0.5 grams a day) and 17 patients received azathioprine (AZA) 1.5 – 2 mg/kg/day. ACR-RRC observed after induction therapy was complete response in 19%, partial response in 9%, improvement in 42%, unchanged in 14%, and 16% had deterioration despite treatment. ACR-RRC observed after maintenance therapy was complete response in 30%, partial response in 23%, improvement in 19%, unchanged in 16%, and 12% had deterioration. Relapse was observed in 11 patients (25%). Ten out of 11 cases (91%) who relapsed did not achieve a complete response at the end of the induction therapy.

Conclusion

In Latin American patients from Argentina, only 19% could achieve a complete response after induction therapy and 30% achieved a complete response after maintenance therapy. Failing to obtain a complete response after induction therapy was related to an increased risk of relapse during long-term follow-up in our study.
The efficacy of add-on tacrolimus for minor flare in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: a retrospective study
Authors: Watanabe H , Yamanaka R , Sada K-E , Zeggar S , Katsuyama E , Katsuyama T , Narazaki M T , Tatebe N T , Sugiyama K , Watanabe K S , Wakabayashi H , Kawabata T , Wada J , Makino H
Published: August 2015

Objective

We have assessed the effectiveness of tacrolimus for minor flares in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients.

Methods

The medical records of 313 patients were retrospectively reviewed over a period of seven years, from 2006 to 2013. We enrolled patients with minor flare treated with add-on tacrolimus, without glucocorticoid (GC) intensification (tacrolimus group). Minor flare was defined as a ≥1-point increase in a total score between 3 and 11 in the SLE Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI). We enrolled as controls patients who were administered increased doses of GC for minor flare (GC group). All patients were followed for one year. The primary outcome measure was the proportion of responders.

Results

There were 14 eligible patients in the tacrolimus group and 20 eligible patients in the GC group. The mean SLEDAI at flare tended to be higher in the tacrolimus group than in the GC group (7.5 vs. 6.2, p = 0.085). A mean dose of 1.6 mg tacrolimus/day was administered for flare, while the mean GC dose was 13.7 mg/day in the GC group. The proportion of responders was 86% (12/14) in the tacrolimus group and 75% (15/20) in the GC group ( p = 0.67). The mean dose of GC at 12 months was higher in the GC group than in the tacrolimus group (9.7 mg/day vs. 7.1 mg/day, p < 0.05). Only one patient discontinued tacrolimus because of fatigue after three months.

Conclusion

Adding tacrolimus without increasing the GC dose may provide an effective treatment option for minor flares in patients with SLE.
The stability of the foreign manufacturing sector: Evidence and analysis for Wales 1966–2003
Authors: McNabb Robert , Munday Max
Published: August 2015

The paper reports on a study of the comparative stability of foreign owned manufacturing firms in Wales, using as a framework the Welsh Register of Manufacturing Employment which records details of regional manufacturing entry and exits since 1966. The paper is set in the context of competing claims on the more transformative effects of inward investment with some stressing that notions of a ‘new regionalism’ in Wales have been unjustly founded on assumptions about the transforming effects of foreign investment. There is also a problem of a paucity of research showing how foreign investment had been involved in evolutionary processes of regional economic change. The paper shows that a more complete appreciation of the role of inward investment needs to consider not only its role in job creation but also the relative stability of the investment and jobs attracted. The paper reveals how analysis of plant birth and deaths also links through to perspectives offered by evolutionary economic geography, and how patterns of entry and exit might work to influence the economic trajectories of a disadvantaged region such as Wales.
Can Faith and Hospice Coexist
Authors: Townsend Apollo , March Alice L. , Kimball Jan
Published: August 2015

African Americans are twice as likely as Caucasian Americans to choose aggressive hospital treatment when death is imminent. Repeat hospitalizations are traumatic for patients and drain patient and health system resources. Hospice care is a specialized alternative that vastly improves patient quality of life at end-of-life. This study was conducted to determine if hospices partnering with African American churches to disseminate hospice education materials could increase utilization of hospice services by African Americans. Members of two African American churches ( N = 34) participated in focus group discussions to elicit beliefs about hospice care. Focus group transcripts were coded and comments were grouped according to theme. Six themes were identified. Lack of knowledge about hospice services and spiritual beliefs emerged as the top two contributing factors for underutilization of hospice services. Study findings support partnerships between hospices and African American churches to provide hospice education to the African American community.
Adult Learning in Executive Development Programs
Authors: Wuestewald Todd
Published: August 2015

Executive development programs (EDPs) have undergone significant change since their introduction in the early 20th century. As an adjunct or alternative to traditional education, EDPs are considered an efficient means of imparting critical, functional, and social-behavior skills to current and future organizational leaders. Consequently, such programs have undergone tremendous expansion in terms of breadth, the role they play in workforce education, and particularly the instructional strategies they employ. This article reviews the historical evolution of EDPs with particular attention to recent and future pedagogical trends. The author cites contemporary examples from participant observations with EDP in the public sector.
Cascading Losses
Authors: Treiber Linda A. , Markle Gail L. , Attell Brandon K.
Published: August 2015

In this case study, we analyzed an online illness narrative written by a middle-aged man living with HIV/AIDS who received a diagnosis of squamous cell cancer of the tongue. We found that the onset of a second illness initiated a series of cascading losses that became increasingly problematic, severe, and interconnected. In response to these losses, the author developed several coping strategies, including sharing his story with others and engaging in magical thinking. The findings of this case study broaden our understanding of what it means to live with a complex and unusual combination of illnesses. We conclude with implications for practitioners and scholars engaged in the sociology of loss.
Psychometric Properties of the Abbreviated Multidimensional Acculturation Scale and the Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure With Japanese Sojourners
Authors: Miyoshi Makoto , Asner-Self Kimberly , Yanyan Sheng , Koran Jennifer M.
Published: August 2015

The current study examined psychometric properties of the Japanese version of Abbreviated Multidimensional Acculturation Scale (AMAS-ZABB-JP) and the 20-item Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure (MEIM-JP) with 273 Japanese sojourners and immigrants to the United States. The theoretical six-factor structure for the AMAS-JP and two-factor structure for the MEIM-JP was consistent with the literature. The subscales of the AMAS and MEIM showed expected patterns of correlation with each other and with additional variables (i.e., number of years in the United States), providing evidence for construct validity. Cronbach’s alpha reflected high levels of reliability for both scales. Despite strong psychometric findings, there were translational and cultural-based findings that suggest the need for further research.
Development and Validation of a State-Based Measure of Emotion Dysregulation
Authors: Lavender Jason M. , Tull Matthew T. , DiLillo David , Messman-Moore Terri , Gratz Kim L.
Published: August 2015

Existing measures of emotion dysregulation typically assess dispositional tendencies and are therefore not well suited for study designs that require repeated assessments over brief intervals. The aim of this study was to develop and validate a state-based multidimensional measure of emotion dysregulation. Psychometric properties of the State Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (S-DERS) were examined in a large representative community sample of young adult women drawn from four sites ( N = 484). Exploratory factor analysis suggested a four-factor solution, with results supporting the internal consistency, construct validity, and predictive validity of the total scale and the four subscales: Nonacceptance (i.e., nonacceptance of current emotions), Modulate (i.e., difficulties modulating emotional and behavioral responses in the moment), Awareness (i.e., limited awareness of current emotions), and Clarity (i.e., limited clarity about current emotions). S-DERS scores were significantly associated with trait-based measures of emotion dysregulation, affect intensity/reactivity, experiential avoidance, and mindfulness, as well as measures of substance use problems. Moreover, significant associations were found between the S-DERS and state-based laboratory measures of emotional reactivity, even when controlling for the corresponding original DERS scales. Results provide preliminary support for the reliability and validity of the S-DERS as a state-based measure of emotion regulation difficulties.
How Freelance Journalists Can Help Shape Journalism Education
Authors: Solomon Eileen Fredman
Published: August 2015

Despite shrinking newsrooms, we have more journalism choices, in part because of freelance journalists. Freelancing creates workers who are particularly adaptive and creative; skills educators want to instill in students. I interviewed and surveyed more than 50 freelance journalists in several countries, including Turkey, Egypt, Colombia, Israel, Canada, Kenya, France, Germany, and the United States. While the basic skills of good journalism do not change, it is valuable to recognize and evaluate changing models. Independent and entrepreneurial freelancers have ideas that can help prepare journalism students to embrace the global realities of unpredictable and constant challenges.
Not Another Quiz
Authors: Wright Leigh L. , Shemberger Melony , Price Elizabeth
Published: August 2015

Journalism professors are concerned with how effectively students understand current news events and engage with mainstream news sources. This essay is based on a survey administered to students in a newswriting course and analyzed the kinds of current news that students followed in weekly assignments designed with a digital, interactive approach. Some outcomes indicated that students’ grades improved, breaking news and crime were the stories students followed the most, and students appeared to engage better with news sources through the interactive exercise. This essay also discusses practical implications for educators who are searching for innovative ways to boost media literacy and current news discussions in their classrooms.
Diversity and Journalism Pedagogy
Authors: Burns Shawn
Published: August 2015

This essay explores disability studies in broadcast journalism education and seeks to help answer a question faced by teachers: Does the material discussed in class make a difference in their lives, including how they approach their work? This essay draws on a case study of university broadcast journalism students who took part in classes that explored the representation of people with disability (PWD) in the media. It looks at whether diversity studies are relevant to the post-university lives of journalism students and whether it has affected the way they report about PWD.
Coming to Journalism
Authors: O’Boyle Neil , Knowlton Steven
Published: August 2015

This article presents findings from a pilot study of postgraduate journalism students in Dublin and Amman. The study compared professional outlooks and social characteristics of students in both contexts and examined institutional settings. The study finds that journalism students in Dublin and Amman have very similar views on the profession, although the students in Amman have a somewhat more activist outlook and less of a commitment to neutral or objective reporting; they also appear modestly more interested in effecting political and social change. We believe this has significant implications for journalism education across the region and for cross-cultural exchanges.
Colleagues in Training
Authors: Pardun Carol J. , McKeever Robert , Pressgrove Geah N. , McKeever Brooke Weberling
Published: August 2015

A survey of 241 full professors in journalism and mass communication were asked their views on doctoral education. Results indicated that the expected number of publications students should generate from their dissertations was positively correlated with the number of publications professors produced from their own dissertations, supporting the notion that mentoring involves passing on the behaviors that professors learned as graduate students themselves. The data also revealed that respondents tended to think of students as “colleagues in training” rather than simply as graduate assistants to help with the professors’ own work. Results also showed that those with a PhD believed a terminal degree was more important for journalism faculty than significant work experience in journalism, which further supports the idea of mentees following in their mentors’ footsteps.
Disproportionate Minority Contact
Authors: Fix Rebecca L. , Cyperski Melissa A. , Burkhart Barry R.
Published: August 2015

The overrepresentation of racial/ethnic minorities within the criminal justice system relative to their population percentage, a phenomenon termed disproportionate minority contact, has been examined within general adult and adolescent offender populations; yet few studies have tested whether this phenomenon extends to juvenile sexual offenders (JSOs). In addition, few studies have examined whether offender race/ethnicity influences registration and notification requirements, which JSOs are subject to in some U.S. states. The present study assessed for disproportionate minority contact among general delinquent offenders and JSOs, meaning it aimed to test whether the criminal justice system treats those accused of sexual and non-sexual offenses differently by racial/ethnic group. Furthermore, racial/ethnic group differences in risk, legal classification, and sexual offending were examined for JSOs. Results indicated disproportionate minority contact was present among juveniles with non-sexual offenses and JSOs in Alabama. In addition, offense category and risk scores differed between African American and European American JSOs. Finally, registration classifications were predicted by offending characteristics, but not race/ethnicity. Implications and future directions regarding disproportionate minority contact among JSOs and social and legal policy affecting JSOs are discussed.
Bulge initiation in tubes of time-dependent materials
Authors: Wineman Alan S
Published: August 2015

This work considers the inflation and extension of an elastomeric tubular membrane when its material exhibits a time-dependent response. Three different models for time-dependent response are considered: finite linear viscoelasticity, Pipkin–Rogers non-linear viscoelasticity, and thermally induced chemorheological degradation. The first two are based on different assumptions about stress relaxation effects while the third accounts for time-dependent microstructural changes due to simultaneous scission and re-cross-linking of macromolecular network junctions. Each of these models describes a material response that softens with time. It is shown that the constitutive equations for all three models are included in a general non-linear single-integral constitutive equation.

In previous work, for elastic membranes, the material is fixed and a localized bulge may form as the load increases. In this work, the load is specified, and a localized bulge may form as the membrane material undergoes a time-dependent response. It is assumed that the extension and inflation histories are initially uniform, but there may be a time when a localized bulge-like deformation starts to form. This is treated as branching from the uniform extension and inflation history. For times beyond this ‘branching time’, the governing equations are satisfied by both the continuation of the initial uniform deformation history and the branched deformation history for the bulge. A unified condition for determining this branching time, applicable to all three models, is derived in terms of the general non-linear single-integral constitutive equation. Post-branching response is not considered here.
Initial Evaluation of the Safety of Nanoshell-Directed Photothermal Therapy in the Treatment of Prostate Disease
Authors: Stern Joshua M. , Kibanov Solomonov Viktor V. , Sazykina Elena , Schwartz Jon A. , Gad Shayne C. , Goodrich Glenn P.
Published: August 2015

To evaluate the clinical safety profile for the use of gold nanoshells in patients with human prostate cancer. This follows on the nonclinical safety assessment of the AuroShell particles reported previously. Twenty-two patients, with biopsy diagnosed prostate cancer, underwent nanoshell infusion and subsequent radical prostatectomy (RRP). Fifteen of these patients had prostates that were additionally irradiated by a single-fiber laser ablation in each prostate hemisphere prior to RRP. Patients in the study were assessed at 9 time points through 6 months postinfusion. Adverse events were recorded as reported by the patients and from clinical observation. Blood and urine samples were collected at each patient visit and subjected to chemical (16 tests), hematological (23 tests), immunological (3 tests, including total PSA), and urinalysis (8 tests) evaluation. Temperature of the anterior rectal wall at the level of the prostate was measured. The study, recorded 2 adverse events that were judged attributable to the nanoparticle infusion: (1) an allergic reaction resulting in itching, which resolved with intravenous antihistamines, and (2) in a separate patient, a transient burning sensation in the epigastrium. blood/hematology/urinalysis assays indicated no device-related changes. No change in temperature of the anterior rectal wall was recorded in any of the patients. The clinical safety profile of AuroShell particles is excellent, matching nonclinical findings. A recent consensus statement suggested that the published literature does not support a preference for any ablation technique over another.1 Now that clinical safety has been confirmed, treatment efficacy of the combined infusion plus laser ablation in prostate will be evaluated in future studies using imaging modalities directing the laser against identified prostate tumors.
In situ analysis and visualization of massively parallel computations
Authors: Buffat Marc , Cadiou Anne , Le Penven Lionel , Pera Christophe
Published: August 2015

Massively parallel simulations generate increasing volumes of big data, whose exploitation requires increasingly large storage resources, efficient networking technologies and post-processing facilities. In the coming era of exascale supercomputing, there is an emerging need for new data analysis and visualization strategies. A promising solution consists of coupling analysis with simulation, so that both are performed simultaneously. This paper describes a client–server in situ analysis for massively parallel time-evolving computations. Its application to very large turbulent transition simulations using a spectral approximation is presented. It is shown to have a low impact on the computational time with a reasonable increase of resource usage, while enriching data exploration. Computational steering is performed with real-time adjustment of the simulation parameters, thereby getting closer to a numerical experiment process. This would not have been achieved with a classical work flow using off-line visualization.