bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
From Resistances to Rewards: Social Worked Experiences and Attitudes toward AIDS
Authors: Gillman Ruth
Published: July 2018

As the incidence of HIV/AIDS increases, in-service training and professional education must prepare human service professionals to work with this growing population. A questionnaire was sent to a random sample of 500 members of the local division of the National Association of Social Workers in an East Coast urban city. Three-hundred and fifty-three usable questionnaires were returned. The study investigated members' attitudes, knowledge, and experiences with HIV/AIDS. Although many attitudes, especially those concerning homosexuals, were relatively positive, negative beliefs about intravenous drug users and fears about dealing with issues surrounding death raise concern. For those respondents who had experience with clients with HIV/AIDS, “dealing with young people who are dying” was reported as their greatest difficulty and “opportunity for personal growth” as their greatest reward. Implications for in-service training and social work education are discussed.
A Multilevel Social Systems Practice Model for Working with AFDC JOBS Program Clients
Authors: Vosler Nancy R. , Ozawa Martha N.
Published: July 2018

A multilevel social systems practice model is presented for work with individuals and families affected by the Family Support (“welfare reform”) Act of 1988. Discussion of issues in the implementation of the JOBS progam focuses on six social systems levels: national, state, local, neighborhood, family, and individual. A specific example of contrasting programs at local and neighborhood levels highlights differential approaches to facilitating individual and/or family system change.
Strengthening the Coping Resources of Lesbian Families
Authors: Levy Eileen F.
Published: July 2018

The author explores the psychological resources, family functioning, and coping strategies used by lesbian parents to deal with the stress of living in a heterosexual and homophobic environment. Interviews with 31 lesbian mothers revealed that coping patterns that emphasize social support, lesbian identity, and developing oneself were most helpful, whereas those that involved disclosure of lesbian identity to unsupportive people or social institutions were least helpful. Women had high self-esteem and moderate levels of mastery. Family functioning was characterized by balanced levels of family cohesion and family organization. Implications for practice focus on strengthening the coping resources of lesbian parents as well as changing the homophobic social environment.
Role Strain, Coping, and Marital Satisfaction of Stepparents
Authors: Whitsett Doni , Land Helen
Published: July 2018

The relationship among role strain, coping, and marital satisfaction is examined in a cross-sectional sample of 73 stepparents. New information is discussed pertaining to differential types of role strain identified in stepparent groups. The association between types of role strain and differential types of coping strategies and coping resources is analyzed. Results document the association between coping resources of self-esteem and self-efficacy and certain dimensions of role strain. An inverse relationship between role strain and marital satisfaction is noted. Based on study results, the authors identify vulnerable subgroups and suggest implications for practice with stepfamilies.
The Impact of Subjective Measures on Nonbehavioral Practice Research: Outcome vs. Process
Authors: Applegate Jeffrey S.
Published: July 2018

The author describes a study designed to assess the therapeutic reactive effects of filling out subjective self-ratings administered during a period of psychodynamic clinical social work intervention. A summary of quantitative findings related to outcome is followed by a more detailed presentation of anecdotal findings related to the impact of subjective measures on the intervention process. Results are considered in terms of their implications for social work's current interest in single-system designs and the challenges of applying these designs to nonbehavioral practice.
Adaptation to Divorce: The Impact of Role Orientation on Family-Life-Cycle Perspectives
Authors: Wijnberg Marion H. , Holmes Thomas
Published: July 2018

Identifying the role orientation of recently divorced women holds promise for further understanding the divorce process and the family life cycle of nonnuclear families. The authors describe how 30 female heads of family perceived their adaptation to divorce and to the reconstruction and development of their family units. Results of this exploratory study further suggest that the meaning and value a divorced woman attaches to the mothering component of her role as well as the comfort she feels in accepting a work identity affect the ways in which she adapts to being a single parent. The consequences of this adaptation, in turn, alter the content of the family life cycle.
Attachment, Loss of Spouse, and Disordered Mourning
Authors: Sable Pat
Published: July 2018

A conceptual framework of attachment is applied to understanding and treating the processes of grief and mourning when they take a maladaptive course following spousal bereavement. The author provides a delineation of disordered grief, its relationship to attachment and loss, and techniques for practice and prevention.
Involving Families in Programs for Pregnant Adolescents: Practices and Obstacles
Authors: Hanson Sandra L.
Published: July 2018

This study investigates the family-involvement strategies employed in Adolescent Family Life (AFL)-funded care programs for pregnant and parenting teenagers. Results from a survey of directors, supervisors, and line workers in more than 50 AFL programs show that only a minority of programs involve families in their intake, program, and discharge practices. Some of the barriers to involving families include large case loads; lack of training, funding, and administrative support; and negative staff attitudes about working with dysfunctional families. Although family-involvement practices are minimal, a majority of program workers have positive attitudes about the importance and effectiveness of family involvement. Policy and practice implications are discussed.
Child Care as an Economic Incentive for the Working Poor
Authors: Bowen Gary L. , Neenan Peter A.
Published: July 2018

New federal funds from the Child Care and Dependent Block Grant Act of 1990 provide resources for states to increase the supply of subsidized child care for the working poor. Based on data from the largest urban county in North Carolina, the authors examine the potential economic implications of expanded child-care assistance for a group of parents for whom this support may be effective as an employment incentive and support: low-income parents with preschool children who have a definite offer of a job or are already employed and who are on the waiting list for state-subsidized child-care support. The results are generally supportive of the importance and potential cost-effectiveness of expanded subsidized child-care assistance as an employment incentive and support to this group of parents. Many of these parents may require additional supports to improve their employment prospects and to promote their employment stability.
Therapy with African American Men
Authors: Franklin Anderson J.
Published: July 2018

African American males have a low participation rate in therapy. The author discusses how cultural, socialization, gender-related, and psychohistorical issues—specifically the “invisibility” of this population—contribute to African American males' resistance to therapy. Suggestions for how clinicians may bridge the gap of distrust between patient and therapist are offered.
Training Racially Sensitive Family Therapists: Context, Content, and Contact
Authors: Hardy Kenneth V. , Laszloffy Tracey A.
Published: July 2018

As society becomes more racially, ethnically, and culturally diverse, therapists' training needs to become broader in order to incorporate greater cultural sensitivity into practice. Educational programs must create a cultural milieu that challenges students to explore the complexities of race, ethnicity, and culture. The authors analyze training-program culture in terms of curriculum, structural composition, and the clinical components of practice. Suggestions for how the culture of programs can be reshaped are offered.
Multidimensional Assessment of the Elderly Client
Authors: Morrow-Howell Nancy
Published: July 2018

Practitioners encounter more elderly clients and their families as the service demands of our aging society continue to grow. This article seeks to increase gerontological knowledge among students and practitioners by providing an outline for the multidimensional assessment of the elderly client. Seven domains of assessment are reviewed: physical health, mental health, social support, physical environments, functioning, coping styles, and formal service usage. Discussion includes topics to be covered in each dimension, helpful assessment instruments, particularly relevant interviewing skills, and use of allied professionals.
Achievement among Women with Turner's Syndrome
Authors: Orten James D. , Orten Jana L.
Published: July 2018

The authors describe the results of a survey of educational achievement, occupational status, and personal happiness among adult women with Turner's syndrome, a sex-linked chromosomal abnormality. The results suggest that such women compare favorably in these areas with genetically normal populations. The authors conclude that the “cognitive deficits” reported in the literature are either overcome by the subjects or perhaps are exaggerated by researchers.
The Intent to Parent among Young, Unmarried College Graduates
Authors: Caron Sandra L. , Wynn Ruth L.
Published: July 2018

Issues surrounding intentions to parent are crucial given new reproductive technologies and increased infertility. Six hundred young, unmarried college graduates were interviewed concerning parenting plans. Coding categories, developed from their responses, were narcissistic concerns, societal concerns, generative concerns, attitudes toward children, and relationship concerns. Findings revealed a strong pronatalist bias that was supported primarily by narcissistic reasoning. The older men gave significantly more narcissistic and fewer generative reasons than did younger women. These results have important implications for family life education and family therapy practice.
Healthy Stepfamily Functioning
Authors: Kelley Patricia
Published: July 2018

Stepfamilies are the fastest growing family form in the country. Although clinicians note the need for different family patterns for stepfamilies, those differences have not been identified and empirically tested. The predominance of literature on the subject has been problem focused: Research has often been based on families in treatment or has assessed differences in stepfamilies as problematic. In this exploratory research, well–functioning stepfamilies were interviewed in their homes, themes common to and different from biologically based families were noted, and differences from families in treatment were assessed. A further purpose of this study was to assess the usefulness of standardized family-functioning measures on this population.
Ethnically Sensitive Practice to Enhance Treatment Participation of African American Men who Batter
Authors: Williams Oliver J.
Published: July 2018

Partner violence is as much a problem for the African American community as it is for other racial and ethnic groups. Although the element of race may have an impact on the effectiveness of traditional treatment approaches to African American men who batter, literature on approaches to reduce this problem among African American men is sparse. The author examines how ethnically sensitive approaches combined with traditional methods may influence treatment outcomes in this population.
Administrators' Beliefs about the Relative Competence of Recovering and Nonrecovering Chemical Dependency Counselors
Authors: Anderson Sandra C. , Wiemer Leslie E.
Published: July 2018

The authors review the literature on the relative competence of recovering and nonrecovering counselors and report the findings of a study on the beliefs, preferences, and practices of administrators regarding these two groups. Most administrators believe that the two groups have no differences in effectiveness. Administrators are equally divided between pre/erring a balance of recovering and nonrecovering counselors and having no preference. Implications for policy, practice, and research are discussed.
Spending Behaviors: Implications for Human Service Practitioners
Authors: Chatterjee Pranab , Farkas Kathleen J.
Published: July 2018

Recent studies in consumer behavior have focused on characteristics of a group of “compulsive consumers” and the urge to buy in a general population. However, little has been published on the assessment or treatment of dysfunctional spending behaviors. This article (1) sets forth a heuristic continuum of spending behaviors, (2) provides several case examples to illustrate the continuum, (3) offers suggestions for assessment and therapeutic intervention, and (4) sets forth an agenda for practice-based research on spending behaviors.
The Roles of African American Fathers: An Ecological Perspective
Authors: McAdoo John L.
Published: July 2018

The author provides a theoretical perspective for understanding the roles African American fathers play in their families. Ecological theory considers the context in which African American fathers play the roles of provider, protector, shared decision maker, child socializer, and supporter of his spouse. From an ecological and historical perspective, despite economic, employment, and educational barriers, African American fathers are no different from fathers in other ethnic groups regarding the roles they play within their family. Better evaluations of the interactions between African American fathers and the various institutions with which they come in contact will help human service practitioners develop better services and programs.
The Impact of Incarceration on African American Families: Implications for Practice
Authors: King Anthony E. O.
Published: July 2018

African American men constitute a disproportionate percentage of state-prison inmates throughout me United States. The author examines the reasons for this phenomenon and how imprisonment affects the families and family relationships of African American men. Five types of family-centered programs or services designed to help incarcerated African American men and their families survive the trauma of imprisonment are identified and described.
Managed Mental Health Care: Implications for Administrators and Managers of Community-Based Agencies
Authors: Winegar Norman
Published: July 2018

A revolution is occurring in the private mental health care delivery system in the United States, marked by increased employer interest in how health care dollars are spent, new financial arrangements between payers and providers, and a reshaping of clinical practice to focus on efficacy and efficiency according to objective clinical care guidelines. Managed mental health care (MMHC) evolved from early management processes such as retroactive review into networks of providers in partnership with MMHC firms whose goal is to pursue effective management of benefits and care. Areas of cooperation and potential pitfalls of relationships between community' based agencies and MMHC entities are discussed.
The Worker–Client Relationship Revisited
Authors: Coady Nick F.
Published: July 2018

Despite social work's historical emphasis on the importance of the worker–client relationship, in recent years more attention has been paid to theoretical and technical aspects of social work practice than to relationship factors. At the same time, recent research has led the fields of psychology and psychiatry to place a much greater emphasis on the importance of relationship factors for counseling outcomes. The author examines the waxing and waning of interest in relationship factors within the helping professions, reviews research on the concept of the “therapeutic alliance,” and offers suggestions for a renewed emphasis on relationship factors in social work practice, research, and education.
Health Effects of Adolescent Pregnancy: Implications for Social Workers
Authors: Combs-Orme Terri
Published: July 2018

Adolescent pregnancy carries significant risks to the health of the pregnant adolescent and her child. These risks, which include pregnancy complications, low birth weight, and infant mortality, are due in large part to the behavior of the adolescent and her socioeconomic circumstances. Early and consistent use of health care can minimize risks by permitting the detection and management of serious problems. Human service professionals should use every opportunity to encourage good prenatal care, while keeping in mind the developmental and personal needs of the pregnant adolescent.
Health and Risk Behaviors of Urban Adolescent Males Involved in Pregnancy
Authors: Resnick Michael D. , Chambliss Stephanie A. , Blum Robert Wm.
Published: July 2018

A growing number of researchers have focused attention on the social characteristics and health-jeopardizing behaviors of teenage fathers over the past decade. The authors expand the scope of such studies by including a wider array of outcome variables, compared across four groups of males: (1) those who caused a pregnancy that was carried to term or (2) a pregnancy that resulted in abortion or miscarriage, (3) those uncertain as to whether they ever caused a pregnancy, and (4) those who never were involved in a pregnancy. Those never involved in a pregnancy were less likely to manifest various acting-out and health-compromising behaviors, whereas the three pregnancy-linked groups were characterized by their similarity to one another.
Empowerment Theory and Practice with Adolescents of Color in the Child Welfare System
Authors: Gibson Cynthia M.
Published: July 2018

As more abused and neglected children, many of whom are minorities, are committed to state custody, child welfare workers and other helping professionals have begun to take a closer look at issues of race and power and how each affects the quality and quantity of services offered. Professionals have sounded a call for a renewed focus on the special needs of minority children as well as for the development and utilization of an empowerment-based model of practice. The author explores how this model might be applied to work with adolescents of color and how it can help to facilitate the development of racial identity, which some believe to be inseparable from core identity, in minority adolescents.
Wayfinding Training for the Severely Mentally Ill
Authors: Taylor Brennen , Taylor Ann
Published: July 2018

Compliance with outpatient community mental health treatment is problematic for seriously mentally ill adults. One way to facilitate clients' compliance is through training in public bus riding and way finding skills. The authors present the history of wayfinding services, a diagram to enhance clients' learning, and suggestions for implementation.
A Computerized Assessment System for Brief, Crisis-Oriented Youth Services
Authors: Franklin Cynthia , Nowicki Jack , Trapp John , Schwab A. James , Petersen Jerene
Published: July 2018

Agencies are moving increasingly to brief models that require social workers to provide rapid assessments of their clients. Recent innovations in computerized assessments have suggested methods to collect data from clients by means of assessment tools. The authors report on a computerized assessment system that was developed to collect information in a brief, crisis-oriented youth-services agency. The assessment system is illustrated with a case from the agency. In addition, the process of development is discussed to assist those who may be developing similar assessment systems.
Empiricists versus Social Constructionists: Time for a Cease-Fire
Authors: Atherton Charles R.
Published: July 2018

The controversy between two sets of social work researchers and theorists has the potential to split the profession into warring camps. Both sides have cloaked their arguments in philosophical constructs that may not be familiar to practitioners. This article translates the discussion into straightforward language and suggests that the advocates of the “pure” science approach have the weaker position because they have made a pseudoreligion out of science.
Cardiosphere-Derived Cells Attenuate Inflammation, Preserve Systolic Function, and Prevent Adverse Remodeling in Rat Hearts With Experimental Autoimmune Myocarditis
Authors: Nana-Leventaki E. , Nana M. , Poulianitis N. , Sampaziotis D. , Perrea D. , Sanoudou D. , Rontogianni D. , Malliaras K.
Published: July 2018

Background:

Cardiosphere-derived cells (CDCs) have yielded promising efficacy signals in early-phase clinical trials of ischemic and nonischemic cardiomyopathy. The potential efficacy of CDCs in acute myocarditis, an inflammatory cardiomyopathy without effective therapy, remains unexplored. Given that CDCs produce regenerative, cardioprotective, anti-inflammatory, and anti-fibrotic effects (all of which could be beneficial in acute myocarditis), we investigated the efficacy of intracoronary delivery of CDCs in a rat model of experimental autoimmune myocarditis.

Methods:

Lewis rats underwent induction of experimental autoimmune myocarditis by subcutaneous footpad injection of purified porcine cardiac myosin supplemented with Mycobacterium tuberculosis on days 1 and 7. On day 10, rats were randomly assigned to receive global intracoronary delivery of 500 000 CDCs or vehicle. Global intracoronary delivery was performed by injection of cells or vehicle into the left ventricular (LV) cavity during transient occlusion of the aortic root. Rats were euthanized 18 days after infusion. Cardiac volumes and systolic function were assessed by serial echocardiography, performed on days 1, 10, and 28. Myocardial inflammation, T-cell infiltration, and cardiac fibrosis were evaluated by histology.

Results:

Experimental autoimmune myocarditis was successfully induced in 14/14 rats that completed follow-up. Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and volumes were comparable on days 1 and 10 between groups. CDC infusion resulted in increased LVEF (81.5% ± 3% vs 65.4% ± 8%, P < .001) and decreased LV end-systolic volume (43 ± 15 vs 100 ± 24 μL, P < .001) compared to placebo administration at 18 days post-infusion. Cardiosphere-derived cell infusion decreased myocardial inflammation (7.4% ± 7% vs 20.7% ± 4% of myocardium, P = .007), cardiac fibrosis (16.6% ± 13% vs 38.1% ± 3% of myocardium, P = .008), and myocardial T-cell infiltration (30.4 ± 29 vs 125.8 ± 49 cells per field, P = .005) at 18 days post-infusion compared to placebo administration.

Conclusion:

Intracoronary delivery of CDCs attenuates myocardial inflammation, T-cell infiltration, and fibrosis while preventing myocarditis-induced systolic dysfunction and adverse remodeling in rats with experimental autoimmune myocarditis.
Association between periacetabular osteotomy and hip dysplasia among relatives: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Simonsen Pernille O , Hertz Jens M , Søballe Kjeld , Mechlenburg Inger
Published: July 2018

Introduction:

Previous studies indicate a familial predisposition for developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH), especially among first-degree relatives. This study investigated the association between unilateral or bilateral periacetabular osteotomy (PAO), family history of DDH and the degree of relationship with relatives with DDH.

Material and methods:

This cross-sectional study consisted of 815 consecutive patients undergoing PAO from 1998 to 2016. Information regarding unilateral or bilateral PAO, gender and age at the time of surgery was obtained from the clinical PAO database at Aarhus University Hospital, Denmark. A questionnaire was used to collect information about the family history of DDH. The association was assessed by logistic regression analysis, and divided into 615 unilateral and 200 bilateral PAO patients.

Results:

PAO patients with a first-degree relative with DDH had a 72% (odds ratio [OR] = 1.72, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.17; 2.50) higher occurrence of bilateral PAO than patients without family relatives with DDH. This association was statistically significant ( p = 0.005), even when adjusting for gender and age at the time of surgery. A similar association was not demonstrated among any other degrees of relationship.

Conclusion:

Danish patients with DDH and a first-degree relative with DDH have an increased risk of being surgically treated with bilateral PAO compared to patients without a family history of DDH. Patients undergoing bilateral PAO may therefore have a strong genetic predisposition for DDH. This study reveals a potential group of patients with DDH where genetic analysis may identify relatives with a higher risk of the disease.
Creating the ‘Girl Effect’: Including boys and men to promote girls’ land and asset ownership
Authors: Caron Cynthia M.
Published: July 2018

Empowering women and girls to gain access to resources is necessary to close the gender asset gap and reduce poverty. I bring together how the gender and development (GAD) approach conceptualizes the inclusion of men and boys in development programming with an analysis of a ‘Girl Effect’ intervention seeking to empower adolescent girls through land. This analysis adds to scholarship on the Nike Foundation’s ‘Girl Effect’ campaign and reveals the structural, gendered relations of power that girls must contend with and how such empowerment includes boys and men. Modes of their inclusion indicate that the ‘Girl Effect’ has not always overcome previous GAD critiques.
Evaluating a Glucose-Sensor-Based Tool to Help Clinicians and Adults With Type 1 Diabetes Improve Self-Management Skills
Authors: Toschi Elena , Fisher Lawrence , Wolpert Howard , Love Michael , Dunn Timothy , Hayter Gary
Published: July 2018

Background:

The goal of this uncontrolled pilot study was to assess the feasibility of a self-care management mobile app, called Sugar Sleuth, which incorporates the FreeStyle Libre™ glucose sensor, to help clinicians and people with type 1 diabetes (PWD) identify and mitigate self-care behaviors that contribute to glucose variability.

Methods:

PWDs with a baseline A1c between 7.5 and 9.0% used the mobile app for 14 weeks. The app prompted the PWD to enter the suspected cause of detected glycemic excursions, and to record food and insulin information. PWDs met with clinicians to collaboratively review data, identify challenges, and devise a specific self-care plan. Outcome measures included a single glycemic outcome score (SGOS) and attitude rating scales to better understand how participant attitudes could affect glycemic outcome.

Results:

Thirty enrolled PWDs had a mean age of 55 ± 2.6 years, and a mean diabetes duration of 32 ± 2.9 years. A significant average reduction in A1c of 0.5 ± 0.07% ( P < .01) and in mean daily carbohydrate intake of 43 ± 21 grams ( P = .05) was found. No statistically significant change in glycemic metrics, body weight, or total daily insulin dose was found. A significant negative association occurred between SGOS and “hypoglycemia tolerance” ( P = .04), and a positive correlation occurred that approached significance with “motivation to change behavior” ( P = .06).

Conclusions:

These findings suggest that this mobile app system, in conjunction with CGM, provides a useful platform for helping clinicians and adults with T1D improve self-management skills to improve glycemic control.
The social construction of technological stasis: The stagnating data structure in OpenStreetMap
Authors: Plennert Matthias
Published: July 2018

The article aims for examining the ‘technological stasis’ of the data structure in OpenStreetMap – the successful global collaborative geodata project devoted to ‘create and distribute free geographic data for the world’. Digital structures are strongly influenced by continuing stagnation. This technological stasis – the lack of change in technology – influences data in various ways, as demonstrated by the intensive discussion of the issue by computer scientists and software engineers. However, existing research describing stagnating software is often technic centred and fuzzy, while critical research is barely considering issues of technological stasis in the digital context at all. Therefore, this paper aims for enriching this body of knowledge in order to shed light on aging data structures. I reframe technological stasis with a social-constructivist perspective – using the approach of Social Construction of Technology – especially with the concept of technological frames. Based on the case example of OpenStreetMap, my findings suggest that the data structure – and its stasis – is the outcome of competing understandings and perspectives, shaped by power asymmetries. Although the data structure did not significantly change for more than 10 years, I demonstrate that this is not because of a lack of motivation, nor technological difficulties of carrying out such changes. The technological stasis is rather rooted in the dominant position of few project members who are able to change the software design; it is their perception of the project that defines how data should be stored and what features are dispensable.
Acquired urea cycle amino acid deficiency and hyperammonaemic encephalopathy in a cat with inflammatory bowel disease and chronic kidney disease
Authors: Dor Cécile , Adamany Jessica L , Kisielewicz Caroline , de Brot Simone , Erles Kerstin , Dhumeaux Marc P
Published: July 2018

Case summary

A 5-year-old male neutered Persian cat was referred for investigation of a 4 week history of weight loss, inappetence and intermittent vomiting. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) and inflammatory bowel disease were diagnosed, and despite immunosuppressive therapy and assisted enteral nutrition, the cat experienced persistent anorexia, vomiting and severe weight loss. After 2 additional weeks of treatment, the cat developed acute-onset neurological signs associated with severe hyperammonaemia and was euthanased. Plasma amino acid assessment revealed deficiency of several amino acids involved in the urea cycle, including arginine.

Relevance and novel information

To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of an acquired urea cycle amino acid deficiency without nutritional deprivation in a cat. Several contributing factors were suspected, including intestinal malabsorption and CKD. This case demonstrates the importance of urea cycle amino acids in feline metabolism and possible necessity for parenteral supplementation, particularly in the context of persistent weight loss despite adequate enteral nutrition.
Bilateral Solar Retinopathy After Gazing at the Great American Eclipse
Authors: Banda Himanshu K. , Dang Sabin , Shah Anjali G. , Shah Gaurav K.
Published: July 2018

Purpose:

We report a case of bilateral solar retinopathy following the Great American Eclipse on August 21, 2017. We summarize findings on multimodal imaging and risk factors associated with solar retinopathy.

Methods:

A teenage boy presented with painless vision loss 4 days following viewing a total solar eclipse. Funduscopic examination, optical coherence tomography, and fluorescein angiography revealed findings characteristic of solar retinopathy. Multifocal electroretinography was also performed. We add to the literature the first reported case of solar retinopathy following the Great American Eclipse.

Results:

The patient was observed with serial examinations over several weeks. Gradual trend toward visual recovery was noted on imaging.

Conclusions:

In combination with clinical history of sungazing and funduscopic examination, distinct findings on imaging help secure a diagnosis of solar retinopathy. Visual symptoms in solar retinopathy generally improve over time. Appropriate protective measures with counseling and filtered eyewear are recommended for eclipse viewers.
Reproducible Tables in Psychology Using the apaTables Package
Authors: Stanley David J. , Spence Jeffrey R.
Published: July 2018

Growing awareness of how susceptible research is to errors, coupled with well-documented replication failures, has caused psychological researchers to move toward open science and reproducible research. In this Tutorial, to facilitate reproducible psychological research, we present a tool that creates reproducible tables that follow the American Psychological Association’s (APA’s) style. Our tool, apaTables, automates the creation of APA-style tables for commonly used statistics and analyses in psychological research: correlations, multiple regressions (with and without blocks), standardized mean differences, N-way independent-groups analyses of variance (ANOVAs), within-subjects ANOVAs, and mixed-design ANOVAs. All tables are saved as Microsoft Word documents, so they can be readily incorporated into manuscripts without manual formatting or transcription of values.
Multi-slice frozen phonon simulations of high-angle annular dark field scanning transmission electron microscopy images of the structurally and compositionally complex Mo–V–Nb–Te oxide catalyst
Authors: Blom Douglas A. , Vogt Thomas
Published: July 2018

We report frozen phonon multi-slice image simulations for the complex oxidation catalyst M1. Quantitative analysis of the simulations suggests that the detailed order of the cations along the electron propagation direction in a [001] zone axis orientation can lead to different high-angle annular dark field signals from atomic columns with identical composition. The annular dark field signal varies linearly with atomic percent V, and the spread of intensities due to the atomic species order is of similar magnitude to the intensity difference due to ± 5% V.
The effect of ultrasound pretreatment on some selected physicochemical properties of black cumin (Nigella Sativa)
Authors: Moghimi Masoumeh , Farzaneh Vahid , Bakhshabadi Hamid
Published: July 2018

Background

In the present study, the effects of ultrasound pretreatment parameters including irradiation time and power on the quantity of the extracted phenolic compounds quantity as well as on some selected physicochemical properties of the extracted oils including oil extraction efficiency, acidity and peroxide values, color, and refractive index of the extracted oil of black cumin seeds with the use of cold press have been studied.

Methods

For each parameter, three different levels (30, 60, and 90 W) for the ultrasound power and (30, 45, and 60 min) and for the ultrasound irradiation time were studied. Each experiment was performed in three replications.

Results

The achieved results revealed that, with enhancements in the applied ultrasound power, the oil extraction efficiency, acidity value, total phenolic content, peroxide value, and color parameters increased significantly (P < 0.01). Enhancements in ultrasound irradiation time have not significantly increased the oil extraction efficiency, acidity value, total phenolic content, and peroxide value as well as the oil refractive index (P < 0.05). As the highest oil extraction efficiency (39.93%) was obtained from the seeds when the applied ultrasound power and time were 90 W and 60 min respectively, and the lowest acidity value of oil was achieved once the applied power and time of ultrasound were 30 W and 30 min respectively. The application of ultrasound as pretreatment has not shown any significant effects on the refractive index of the extracted oils (P > 0.05).

Conclusions

In summary, it could be mentioned that the application of ultrasound pretreatment in the oil extraction might improve the oil extraction efficiency, the extracted oil’s quality, and the extracted phenolic compounds content.
Development and Validation of a Multiparameterized Artificial Neural Network for Prostate Cancer Risk Prediction and Stratification
Authors: Roffman David A. , Hart Gregory R. , Leapman Michael S. , Yu James B. , Guo Fangliang L. , Ali Issa , Deng Jun
Published: July 2018

Purpose

To develop and validate a multiparameterized artificial neural network (ANN) on the basis of personal health information for prostate cancer risk prediction and stratification.

Methods

The 1997 to 2015 National Health Interview Survey adult survey data were used to train and validate a multiparameterized ANN, with parameters including age, body mass index, diabetes status, smoking status, emphysema, asthma, race, ethnicity, hypertension, heart disease, exercise habits, and history of stroke. We developed a training set of patients ≥ 45 years of age with a first primary prostate cancer diagnosed within 4 years of the survey. After training, the sensitivity and specificity were obtained as functions of the cutoff values of the continuous output of the ANN. We also evaluated the ANN with the 2016 data set for cancer risk stratification.

Results

We identified 1,672 patients with prostate cancer and 100,033 respondents without cancer in the 1997 to 2015 data sets. The training set had a sensitivity of 21.5% (95% CI, 19.2% to 23.9%), specificity of 91% (95% CI, 90.8% to 91.2%), area under the curve of 0.73 (95% CI, 0.71 to 0.75), and positive predictive value of 28.5% (95% CI, 25.5% to 31.5%). The validation set had a sensitivity of 23.2% (95% CI, 19.5% to 26.9%), specificity of 89.4% (95% CI, 89% to 89.7%), area under the curve of 0.72 (95% CI, 0.70 to 0.75), and positive predictive value of 26.5% (95% CI, 22.4% to 30.6%). For the 2016 data set, the ANN classified all 13,031 patients into low-, medium-, and high-risk subgroups and identified 5% of the cancer population as high risk.

Conclusion

A multiparameterized ANN that is based on personal health information could be used for prostate cancer risk prediction with high specificity and low sensitivity. The ANN can further stratify the population into three subgroups that may be helpful in refining prescreening estimates of cancer risk.
Changes in the material properties of the shell during simulated aquatic hibernation in the anoxia-tolerant painted turtle
Authors: Odegard Dean T. , Sonnenfelt Michael A. , Bledsoe J. Gary , Keenan Sarah W. , Hill Craig A. , Warren Daniel E.
Published: July 2018

Western painted turtles (Chrysemys picta bellii) tolerate anoxic submergence longer than any other tetrapod, surviving more than 170 days at 3°C. This ability is due, in part, to the shell and skeleton simultaneously releasing calcium and magnesium carbonates, and sequestering lactate and H+ to prevent lethal decreases in body fluid pH. We evaluated the effects of anoxic submergence at 3°C on various material properties of painted turtle bone after 60, 130, and 167-170 days, and compared them to normoxic turtles held at the same temperature for the same time periods. To assess changes in the mechanical properties, beams (4×25 mm) were milled from the plastron and broken in a three-point flexural test. Bone mineral density, CO2 concentration (a measure of total bone HCO3−/CO32-), and elemental composition were measured using microCT, HCO3−/CO32- titration, and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), respectively. Tissue mineral density of the sampled bone beams were not significantly altered by 167-170 days of aquatic overwintering in anoxic or normoxic water, but bone CO2 and Mg were depleted in anoxic compared normoxic turtles. At this time point, the plastron beams from anoxic turtles yielded at stresses that were significantly smaller and strains significantly greater than the plastron beams of normoxic turtles. When data from anoxic and normoxic turtles were pooled, plastron beams had a diminished elastic modulus after 167-170 days compared to control turtles sampled on Day 1, indicating an effect of prolonged housing of the turtles in 3°C water without access to basking sites. There were no changes in the mechanical properties of the plastron beams at any of the earlier time points in either group. We conclude that anoxic hibernation can weaken the painted turtle's plastron, but likely only after durations that exceed what it might naturally experience. The duration of aquatic overwintering, regardless of oxygenation state, is likely to be an important factor determining the mechanical properties of the turtle shell during spring emergence.
Convective oxygen transport during development in embryos of the snapping turtle Chelydra serpentina
Authors: Sartori Marina R. , Kohl Zachary F. , Taylor Edwin W. , Abe Augusto S. , Crossley Dane A.
Published: July 2018

This study investigated the maturation of convective oxygen transport in embryos of the snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina). Measurements included: mass, oxygen consumption (VO2), heart rate (fH), blood oxygen content and affinity and blood flow distribution at 50%, 70% and 90% of the incubation period. Body mass increased exponentially, paralleled by increased cardiac mass and metabolic rate. Heart rate was constant from 50% to 70% of incubation but was significantly reduced at 90%. Hematocrit (Hct) and hemoglobin concentration (Hb) were constant at the three points of development studied but arteriovenous difference (A-V diff) doubled from 50 to 90% of incubation. Oxygen affinity was lower early in 50% of incubation compared to all other age groups. Blood flow was directed predominantly to the embryo but highest to the CAM at 70% incubation and was directed away from the yolk as it was depleted at 90% incubation. The findings indicate that the plateau or reduction in egg VO2 characteristic of the late incubation period of turtle embryos may be related to an overall reduction in mass-specific VO2 that is correlated with decreasing relative heart mass and plateaued CAM blood flow. Importantly, if the blood properties remain unchanged prior to hatching, as they did during the incubation period studied in the current investigation, this could account for the pattern of VO2 previously reported for embryonic snapping turtles prior to hatching.
Current understanding of Alzheimer’s disease diagnosis and treatment
Authors: Weller Jason , Budson Andrew
Published: July 2018

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia worldwide, with the prevalence continuing to grow in part because of the aging world population. This neurodegenerative disease process is characterized classically by two hallmark pathologies: β-amyloid plaque deposition and neurofibrillary tangles of hyperphosphorylated tau. Diagnosis is based upon clinical presentation fulfilling several criteria as well as fluid and imaging biomarkers. Treatment is currently targeted toward symptomatic therapy, although trials are underway that aim to reduce the production and overall burden of pathology within the brain. Here, we discuss recent advances in our understanding of the clinical evaluation and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease, with updates regarding clinical trials still in progress.
Linguistic And Cultural Aspects of Children’s Word-Making
Authors: Матонин Василий , Matonin Vasiliy , Егорова Екатерина , Egorova Ekaterina , Бедина Наталья , Bedina Natal'ya
Published: July 2018

The article presents the results of the empirical study of children’s word creation in the linguocultural aspect. Based on the analysis of diary records of the large family Matonins-Morozovs (O. Solovki, 1981–2001), the word formation methods and the features of the thinking of children at different ages are systematised, the conclusions about the patterns of the reflecting of vision of world in the speech are drawed. Lexical material has obtained as result of the observations on the speech development of the half-brothers and sisters: Valya (1981), Katya (1983), Masha (1982), Vitalik (1984), Alexandra (1986) and Nicholay (1993). The utterances of the friends with whom the brothers and sisters Matonins-Morozovs communicated are also used. The indivisibility of children’s consciousness and the inartificial ways of child self-expression makes us wonder on the complex connection of thoughts and language in the process of the personality development and formation. As a result of the study, the following speech features of childrenfrom two to five years are noted. The animistic and totemic worldview manifestations, characteristic of the tribal communities culture, are characterized to children’s speech.In particular, they are expressed in the symbolic perception of reality, in the animating of toys and everyday life objects.At this age children use such forms of the word creation as compounding, saving of linguistic resources, using of well-known lexical forms to create neologisms based on onomatopoeia or familiar function of a thing by analogy. The blending can be calledas a special phenomenon in children’s speech. It manifests itself at all language levels. Preschoolers at the age of five or six often formulate thoughts in the short, fantastic stories, parables or fairy tales form. This is the most comfortable form of their communication. It has the language game character.Jargon expressions, imitation of the adults, misuse of terminology and unfamiliar words appear and dominate in the youngsters’s speech.
Models and indicators of technosphere safety
Authors: Есипов Юрий , Esipov Yuri , Мишенькина Юлия , Mishen'kina Yuliya , Черемисин Андрей , Cheremisin Andrey
Published: July 2018

The monograph "Models and indicators of technosphere safety" is based on previously published works of the authors and represents an attempt from engineering positions to present and reveal by examples the order and sequence of actions of the expert on the construction of logical models and parametric conditions of occurrence of accidents and their prerequisites mainly by means of the parametric model "impact – attenuation – susceptibility". The analysis and systematization of the main methods of calculation of safety indicators and (or) risk of the system based on the probability or possibility as an "objective" or "subjective" measures. Elementary logical models are systematized, which are obtained on the basis of the analysis of linguistic models of incidents in specific systems of the type "protection – object – environment – person". Collected rules convert the logical models in probabilistic and vozmozhnostey (fuzzy) functions of the vertex of the outcomes and presents the typical options of calculation of indicators of the system. Developed and illustrated with a parametric model allowing to calculate the probability and (or) vozmozhnostyu measures apical outcomes in a complex system of almost the entire range of values of the parameters of exposure and susceptibility. A combined version of the calculation of probability and possibility measures for the reduced parametric safety margin of the system is obtained and tested using an additional error function and the obtained analytical and calculated dependences of the possibility function of the vertex outcomes. On the basis of the proposed models and methods, the calculation of safety and risk indicators of specific technical and environmental systems was performed. Performed set-theoretic and a linguistic formalization of the task of assessing the levels of insurance contributions to the statistically unusual systems.
The monograph was developed the unified issues of formalization, modeling and evaluation safety and risk of complex technical and (or) ecological systems with the aim of developing a model of logical and parametric models to the assumptions of the accident and (or) emergencies. The widespread consideration of these theoretical issues will eventually lead to the creation of a single statistical data Bank for practical tasks in labour protection, insurance and various types of examination.
In didactic aspect the presented material serves as a basis for a comprehensive presentation of such academic disciplines as "System analysis and modeling of safety", "Calculation of safety and risk indicators", "Fundamentals of Risk", "Monitoring of safety", "Noxology", which contributes to the success in the implementation of training tasks and practical work on the analysis, justification and (or) optimization of methods and means of protection of workers and potentially dangerous objects.