bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Substitution of Linoleic Acid for Other Macronutrients and the Risk of Ischemic Stroke
Authors: Venø Stine K. , Schmidt Erik B. , Jakobsen Marianne U. , Lundbye-Christensen Søren , Bach Flemming W. , Overvad Kim
Published: October 2017

Background and Purpose—

Ischemic stroke is a major health problem worldwide, but the influence of dietary factors on stroke risk is not well known. This study aimed to investigate the risk of ischemic stroke and its subtypes with a higher intake from linoleic acid and a concomitant lower intake from saturated fatty acids, monounsaturated fatty acids, or glycemic carbohydrates.

Methods—

In the Danish prospective Diet, Cancer, and Health Study of 57 053 participants aged 50 to 64 years at baseline, information on diet was collected using a validated semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire. Information on ischemic stroke was obtained from the Danish National Patient Register, and cases were all validated and subclassified according to the TOAST (Trial of ORG 10172 in Acute Stroke Treatment) classification. Substitution of linoleic acid for saturated fatty acid, monounsaturated fatty acid, or glycemic carbohydrates was investigated in relation to the risk of ischemic stroke and subtypes. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to estimate the associations with ischemic stroke adjusting for appropriate confounders.

Results—

During 13.5 years of follow-up 1879 participants developed ischemic stroke. A slightly lower risk of ischemic stroke was found with a 5% higher intake of linoleic acid and a concomitant lower intake of saturated fatty acid (hazard ratio, 0.98; 95% confidence interval, 0.83–1.16), monounsaturated fatty acid (hazard ratio, 0.80; 95% confidence interval, 0.63–1.02), and glycemic carbohydrates (hazard ratio, 0.92; 95% confidence interval, 0.78–1.09), although not statistically significant. Similar patterns of association were found for large-artery atherosclerosis and small-vessel occlusions.

Conclusions—

This study suggests that replacing saturated fatty acid, glycemic carbohydrate, or monounsaturated fatty acid with linoleic acid may be associated with a lower risk of ischemic stroke.
Civilian Structures as Military Restrictions
Authors: Wulff Petter J.
Published: October 2017

The military community is a secluded part of society and normally has to act on the conditions offered by its civilian surroundings. When heavy vehicles were developed for war, the civilian infrastructure presented a potential restriction to vehicular mobility. In Sweden, bridges were seen as a critical component of this infrastructure. It took two decades and the experiences of a second world war for the country to come to terms with this restriction. This article addresses the question as to why Swedish tanks suddenly became much heavier in the early 1940s. The country’s bridges play a key role in what happened, and the article explains how. It is a story about how a military decision came to be outdated long before it was upgraded.
The Secret of Seeing Charlie in the Dark
Authors: Ruth Richard A.
Published: October 2017

The introduction of night vision technology during the Vietnam War transformed how u.s. military men and their communist enemies fought at night. The starlight scope’s seemingly miraculous light-amplifying powers made hitherto unseen targets easier to see. And as sole possessor of this new technology, American soldiers had a profound tactical advantage operating at night. But they also paid a price for this new edge. Burdened by the scope’s weight, untested technology, and extreme secrecy, these servicemen suffered. They endured physical, psychological, and emotional stress unforeseen by the military leaders who pushed for the scope’s development during the Cold War. The new rifle-mounted scope figuratively transformed night into day, and, paradoxically, made it harder for many American soldiers to pull the trigger.
The American species of the genus Glaucolepis Braun, 1917 (Neotrifurcula van Nieukerken, syn. nov.) (Lepidoptera: Nepticulidae)
Authors: STONIS JONAS R. , REMEIKIS ANDRIUS , DIŠKUS ARŪNAS , SOLIS M. ALMA
Published: October 2017

We provide diagnostic characters for the genus Glaucolepis Braun, re-examine the type series of the type species of the North American G. saccharella Braun, describe two new species from Chile and Argentina (G. flagellata Remeikis & Stonis, sp. nov. and G. pseudoflagellata Remeikis & Stonis, sp. nov.), and provide the first photographic documentation of the central Andean G. aerifica (Meyrick). We synonymize Neotrifurcula van Nieukerken, 2016, syn. nov. with Glaucolepis and provide one new combination for the south Andean G. gielisorum (van Nieukerken, 2016), comb. nov. All species treated in the paper are illustrated with drawings and (or) photographs of the adults and genitalia.
Fluorescence Excitation Spectroscopy for Phytoplankton Species Classification Using an All-Pairs Method: Characterization of a System with Unexpectedly Low Rank
Authors: Rekully Cameron M. , Faulkner Stefan T. , Lachenmyer Eric M. , Cunningham Brady R. , Shaw Timothy J. , Richardson Tammi L. , Myrick Michael L.
Published: October 2017

An all-pairs method is used to analyze phytoplankton fluorescence excitation spectra. An initial set of nine phytoplankton species is analyzed in pairwise fashion to select two optical filter sets, and then the two filter sets are used to explore variations among a total of 31 species in a single-cell fluorescence imaging photometer. Results are presented in terms of pair analyses; we report that 411 of the 465 possible pairings of the larger group of 31 species can be distinguished using the initial nine-species-based selection of optical filters. A bootstrap analysis based on the larger data set shows that the distribution of possible pair separation results based on a randomly selected nine-species initial calibration set is strongly peaked in the 410–415 pair separation range, consistent with our experimental result. Further, the result for filter selection using all 31 species is also 411 pair separations; The set of phytoplankton fluorescence excitation spectra is intuitively high in rank due to the number and variety of pigments that contribute to the spectrum. However, the results in this report are consistent with an effective rank as determined by a variety of heuristic and statistical methods in the range of 2–3. These results are reviewed in consideration of how consistent the filter selections are from model to model for the data presented here. We discuss the common observation that rank is generally found to be relatively low even in many seemingly complex circumstances, so that it may be productive to assume a low rank from the beginning. If a low-rank hypothesis is valid, then relatively few samples are needed to explore an experimental space. Under very restricted circumstances for uniformly distributed samples, the minimum number for an initial analysis might be as low as 8–11 random samples for 1–3 factors.
Testing Equality of Treatment Effects in a Two-stage Censored Allocation Design
Authors: Bandyopadhyay Uttam , Bhattacharya Rahul
Published: October 2017

Tests for the equality of treatment effects are developed for a two-stage sampling design with failure censoring in each stage. Depending on the results in the first stage, adaptive failure censoring is adopted in the second stage. Assuming exponential responses, tests for comparing the response distributions are obtained and some related small sample and asymptotic properties are worked out. Relevant competitor is also suggested and compared with the proposed procedure.
Rendering visible heterosexually active men in Brazil: A national study on sexual behaviour, masculinities and HIV risk
Authors: Couto Marcia T , Grangeiro Alexandre , Venturi Gustavo , Levy Renata B
Published: October 2017

The HIV epidemic has not spread widely among heterosexuals in countries with medium to high per capita income rates. To understand this phenomenon in Brazil, this article analyses data from a national survey to distinguish groups of heterosexually active men in relation to their risk of infection. The analysis used an odds ratio to estimate the chance of belonging to the group of greatest risk and factor analysis to understand patterns of masculinity. It was found that a pattern of restricted sexual behaviour (having a stable partner, a relatively reduced sexual network and infrequent extraconjugal activities) limited the spread of HIV. Fewer than 1 in 10 of men presented great risk of infection. The odds of belonging to this group rose according to sexual characteristics and cultural values. Men presenting a pattern of masculinity that showed satisfaction with one’s sexuality were 2.3 times more likely to belong to the group at great risk, while a pattern of physical self-care and attention to one’s health reduced such a risk. The study therefore shows that heterosexual men are not a homogeneous group. Gender norms influence the risk of HIV infection and a small portion of men should be considered within preventative policies.
Mindfulness Increases the Belief in Climate Change: The Mediating Role of Connectedness With Nature
Authors: Wang Jian , Geng Liuna , Schultz P. Wesley , Zhou Kexin
Published: October 2017

The current article explores the impact of mindfulness on belief in climate change and the mediating effect of connectedness with nature in this relationship. Belief in climate change was assessed both explicitly (using a self-report questionnaire) and implicitly (using an Implicit Association Test [IAT]). A total of 103 university students were recruited for a between-subjects experiment. Participants were randomly assigned to a mindfulness or mindlessness intervention and then completed IAT and several questionnaires. The results showed that mindfulness significantly increased belief in climate change, both explicitly and implicitly. Our findings also showed that the relationship between mindfulness and climate change beliefs was mediated by an increase in connectedness with nature. These results indicate that mindfulness is an effective way to promote belief in climate change and that connectedness with nature plays an important role in this process.
Medicaid Prior Authorization Policies for Medication Treatment of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in Young Children, United States, 2015
Authors: Hulkower Rachel L. , Kelley Meghan , Cloud Lindsay K. , Visser Susanna N.
Published: October 2017

Objectives:

In 2011, the American Academy of Pediatrics updated its guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) to recommend that clinicians refer parents of preschoolers (aged 4-5) for training in behavior therapy and subsequently treat with medication if behavior therapy fails to sufficiently improve functioning. Data available from just before the release of the guidelines suggest that fewer than half of preschoolers with ADHD received behavior therapy and about half received medication. About half of those who received medication also received behavior therapy. Prior authorization policies for ADHD medication may guide physicians toward recommended behavior therapy. Characterizing existing prior authorization policies is an important step toward evaluating the impact of these policies on treatment patterns. We inventoried existing prior authorization policies and characterized policy components to inform future evaluation efforts.

Methods:

A 50-state legal assessment characterized ADHD prior authorization policies in state Medicaid programs. We designed a database to capture data on policy characteristics and authorization criteria, including data on age restrictions and fail-first behavior therapy requirements.

Results:

In 2015, 27 states had Medicaid policies that prevented approval of pediatric ADHD medication payment without additional provider involvement. Seven states required that prescribers indicate whether nonmedication treatments were considered before Medicaid payment for ADHD medication could be approved.

Conclusion:

Medicaid policies on ADHD medication treatment are diverse; some policies are tied to the diagnosis and treatment guidelines of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Evaluations are needed to determine if certain policy interventions guide families toward the use of behavior therapy as the first-line ADHD treatment for young children.
Inequality Frames: How Teachers Inhabit Color-blind Ideology
Authors: Cobb Jessica S.
Published: October 2017

This paper examines how public school teachers take up, modify, or resist the dominant ideology of color-blind racism. This examination is based on in-depth interviews with 60 teachers at three segregated schools: one was race/class privileged and two were disadvantaged. Inductive coding revealed that teachers at each school articulated a shared frame to talk about race and class: “legitimated advantage” at Heritage High School, “trickle-down dysfunction” at Bunker High School, and “antiracist dignity” at Solidarity High School. Each represents an inequality frame: a local meaning system that mediates the dominant race/class ideology, arising from teachers’ shared experiences of inequality in the school-as-workplace. The frames I observed responded to three organizational conditions that affected teachers’ experiences of inequality: school demographics, material resources, and professional culture. Variations in these conditions across schools provided opportunity spaces for teachers to either accept race/class domination as common sense or to critique it.
Cities for profit: Profit-driven gentrification in Seoul, South Korea
Authors: Lee Seon Young
Published: October 2017

Urban redevelopment in Korea has worked effectively as new-build, high-rise gentrification, since it is directly connected with social upgrading as a result of the improvement of the physical environment. This research attempts to explain the role of place entrepreneurs, especially property owners, in urban redevelopment and unravel key factors and their relationship to such redevelopment. The formation and nature of pro-gentrification coalitions is explored through a case study conducted in Yongsan, Seoul. Urban redevelopment processes have been primarily governed by the exchange value interests of property owners. Absentee landlords comprise the majority of property owners who have played the role of speculative investors. Even though owner-occupiers know they cannot afford to return after urban redevelopment, they do not strongly oppose urban redevelopment as long as they can share in urban redevelopment profit. To sum up, property owners play an important role as developers in the Korean urban redevelopment system and they accelerate gentrification.
Ethnic and class residential segregation: exploring their intersection – a multilevel analysis of ancestry and occupational class in Sydney
Authors: Jones Kelvyn , Johnston Ron , Forrest James , Charlton Chris , Manley David
Published: October 2017

Most studies of ethnic residential segregation recognise that occupational class is an important influence on the intensity of segregation of members of different ethnic groups, but are unable to explore variations in that intensity because of the lack of relevant data. Australian census data allow the class structure of different ancestry groups to be identified in small areas within cities. Such data for 17 ancestry groups in Sydney are used here to explore variations in segregation levels between classes within ancestry groups at three separate scales. To do this, a major extension to a recently-developed methodology for exploring multi-scale segregation patterns is introduced. The results show that for some groups class is more important than ancestry as an influence on segregation levels, whereas for others there is relatively little class segregation.
The uneven distribution of capital gains in times of socio-spatial inequality: Evidence from Swedish housing pathways between 1995 and 2010
Authors: Wind Barend , Hedman Lina
Published: October 2017

Housing wealth is the largest component of wealth for a majority of Swedish households. Whereas investments in housing are merely defined by income, the returns on this investment (capital gains) are dependent on local housing market dynamics. Since the 1990s, local housing market dynamics in Swedish cities have been altered by the upswing in levels of socio-spatial inequality. The simultaneous up- and downgrading of neighbourhoods is reflected in house price developments and exacerbates the magnitude of capital gains and losses. This article proposes that the selective redirection of housing pathways that causes an upswing in socio-spatial inequality translates into an uneven distribution of capital gains as well. A sequence analysis of the housing pathways of one Swedish birth cohort (1970–1975), based on population-wide register data (GeoSweden), is used to explain differences in capital gains between different social groups in the period 1995–2010. The results indicate higher capital gains for individuals with higher incomes and lower gains for migrants. When socio-spatial inequality increases, the more resourceful groups can use their economic and cultural capital to navigate through the housing market in a more profitable way.
Crises and international cooperation: an Arctic case study
Authors: Byers Michael
Published: October 2017

This article contributes the insight that during an international crisis, a pre-existing state of complex interdependence can help to preserve cooperation. It derives the insight from a case study on the International Relations of the Arctic before and after the 2014 Russian annexation of Crimea. The case study is examined through the lens of Robert Keohane and Joseph Nye’s concept of ‘complex interdependence’, as developed in their 1977 book Power and Interdependence – a concept which provides the analytical breadth necessary for a multifactorial situation of regional cooperation and conflict. It finds that Arctic international relations had achieved a state of complex interdependence by 2014, and that some important elements of interdependence then disappeared after the annexation of Crimea. But while most military and economic cooperation between Russia and Western states was suspended, many aspects of regional cooperation continued, including on search and rescue, fisheries, continental shelves, navigation and in the Arctic Council. The question is, why has Arctic cooperation continued in some issue areas while breaking down in others? Why have Russian–Western relations in that region been insulated, to some degree, from developments elsewhere? The concept of complex interdependence provides some answers.
Developing Community and Building Knowledge Online Using a Virtual Reality Environment and Student-Created Videos
Authors: O’Connor Eileen A.
Published: October 2017

Within an online science teacher education course, an important although secondary goal was to prepare students for a high-stakes licensure portfolio at some time after course completion. Thus, various communication technologies including synchronous virtual reality meetings and asynchronous student self-created video commentaries were interwoven to foster a community of problem solvers. This study examines the several technology-communication venues for evidence of student interpersonal communications and emerging content knowledge concluding with ways these communication tools might effectively support productive learning communities and engender professional yet “safe” and trusting environments in online and blended course environments.
Does Medical Tourism Promote Economic Growth? A Cross-Country Analysis
Authors: Beladi Hamid , Chao Chi-Chur , Ee Mong Shan , Hollas Daniel
Published: October 2017

In recent years, many countries have been actively promoting medical tourism to stimulate economic growth. However, the expansion of medical tourism has potentially detrimental effects for the welfare of host countries. In particular, a decline in workers’ productivity could arise as a result of a reduction in public health care provision due to the expansion of the medical tourism sector. By addressing the crowding-out effect on labor productivity, this paper sheds light on the economic impacts of medical tourism on host countries. Our empirical analysis confirms that medical tourism, on average, has a positive effect on host economies’ output growth, particularly in non-OECD countries. Nonetheless, the output contribution of medical tourism is overestimated by an average of 26.8% if the unfavorable indirect productivity effect is not taken into account.
EMBRacing Racial Stress and Trauma: Preliminary Feasibility and Coping Responses of a Racial Socialization Intervention
Authors: Anderson Riana Elyse , McKenny Monique , Mitchell Amari , Koku Lydia , Stevenson Howard C.
Published: October 2017

The goal of this article is to report initial feasibility and coping response data from a pilot study of a new five-session intervention (Engaging, Managing, and Bonding through Race [EMBRace]) for Black families utilizing racial socialization to address stress and trauma from racial encounters. Ten caregiver and youth dyads were enrolled and completed the EMBRace intervention. Feasibility was based on a closed-option survey for therapists as well as open-ended participant responses to program satisfaction post-intervention. Responses to stress management were assessed via repeated measures of self-reported coping strategies throughout the sessions. EMBRace was deemed to be acceptable by the majority of therapists and participants with regard to discussing racial encounters. Participant responses were categorized into five primary codes, including advice, clinician approach, program changes, likes, and dislikes. Participants’ coping data throughout the intervention indicates changes in the hypothesized direction (e.g., increased attention to and identification of stressor and decreased stress). The pilot data indicate the desirability of the intervention as well as useful participant feedback for future iterations of EMBRace.
The Structure of Matthew’s Antitheses in Light of Early Jewish, Christian and Rabbinic Sources
Authors: Goldstone Matthew
Published: October 2017

In this article I seek to advance our understanding of the compositional logic behind the Matthean antitheses by arguing that the juxtaposition of themes underlying the last three antitheses parallels a related grouping of topics in the Dead Sea Scrolls, the Testament of Gad and rabbinic sources. I suggest that just as Mt. 5.33-48 links a discussion of oaths to a reworked interpretative tradition on Lev. 19.17-18, the Damascus Document, Testament of Gad and later rabbinic works juxtapose the topic of oaths and these biblical verses. Although the various sources employ divergent rationales for linking these topics, the persistent presence of a connection between them speaks to a shared tradition that may have informed the order and organization of the Matthean antitheses.
Paul, Inclusion and Whiteness: Particularizing Interpretation
Authors: Horrell David G.
Published: October 2017

This article takes its point of departure from the effort to reflect critically on how my racial/ethnic identity shapes what I (and the academic tradition of which I am a part) see and ask (and do not see or ask) in our interpretative work. Selections from commentaries are used to illustrate the history of interpretation of Gal. 3.28, and the findings are interrogated in the light of questions and issues deriving from the field of ‘whiteness’ studies. For a start, such studies may provoke us to think about how far Christianness – and unspoken assumptions about its superiority – shapes what is said about this text (e.g., in the frequent contrast drawn between Jewish exclusivism and Christian inclusivism). Furthermore, we may ask about the particular location of this interpretative tradition not only in religious terms, but also in racial ones. The changing contours of interpretation help to show how it is, in part at least, shaped by its contexts of production in the white, Christian West: it may thus be ‘particularized’ in both religious and racial terms. Just as whiteness studies has criticized the tendency of the ‘white’ perspective to remain ‘unlabelled’, unspecific, implicitly ‘human’ and universal, so too we may critique the tendency of this tradition of biblical studies to avoid labelling and recognizing its own specificity. Doing so, moreover, may help us not only to acknowledge our own particularity, but also to recognize why we need the insights of differently located and embodied interpreters to reach towards richer insight. Recognizing and labelling the particularity of our own perspective is thus one step towards equalizing the value of the various (labelled and unlabelled) perspectives in biblical studies.
From “Experiments of Concern” to “Groups of Concern”: Constructing and Containing Citizens in Synthetic Biology
Authors: Frow Emma
Published: October 2017

Synthetic biology represents a recent and explicit attempt to make biology easier to engineer, and through this to open up the design space of genetic engineering to a wider range of practitioners (including, but not limited to, engineers). Proponents of this approach emphasize the standardization of practices as key to successful biological engineering; yet, meaningful transatlantic differences are emerging with respect to the constitution of key concerns and the governance of synthetic biology in the United States (US) and the United Kingdom (UK). In this article, I tease out how national approaches to governing synthetic biology are being framed against different salient past experiences with recombinant DNA technology. In the US, the governance of synthetic biology is consistently articulated in relation to the early days of recombinant DNA technology and the self-governance mechanisms pioneered in response to Asilomar. In the UK, more recent experiences with genetically modified crops provide the overarching imaginary against which governance initiatives are being proposed. I suggest that these differing sociotechnical imaginaries have implications for how new “groups of concern” are being defined in relation to synthetic biology and how measures to contain perceived risks are being pursued in the US and Britain.
On resonance: a study of culture-dependent reinterpretations of extremist violence in Israeli media discourse
Authors: Baden Christian , David Yossi
Published: October 2017

When and why do communities accept novel ideas as intuitively convincing? In this study, we make use of the socio-cultural fragmentation of Israeli society to expose the discursive processes shaping the culture-dependent resonance of ideas. Specifically, we trace how Israeli president Reuven Rivlin’s interpretation of two lethal attacks by Jewish extremists on a Palestinian family and the Jerusalem Gay Pride Parade was received across Israel’s ultra-orthodox, settler, LGBT, and Palestinian communities, as well as the mainstream right, center, and left. In a comparative analysis of media coverage catering to these groups, we distinguish six discursive responses to proposed ideas, which depend on their perception as plausible and appropriate given prior community beliefs. Our findings suggest a distinction between two possible meanings of resonance: Some ideas ‘click’ and are seamlessly appropriated in passing by a community, while others ‘strike a chord’ and raise a salient and emotional public debate.
Festival and Organization Studies
Authors: Toraldo Maria-Laura , Islam Gazi
Published: October 2017

The present essay examines the festival as a form of organizing and as a metaphor for contemporary organizations. Drawing upon classical and contemporary perspectives on festival, we focus on social ambivalences and how these are enacted and mediated through festivals. Specifically, we argue that festivals mark a tension between linear and cyclical dimensions of social time. Next, we argue that formal institutional and communitarian principles are mediated through festival. Finally, we argue that festivals mark a tension between reflexivity and social critique on the one hand and mass spectacle on the other, and problematize the notion of bodily enjoyment as a form of social consciousness. We discuss the implications of these three ambivalences – in the notion of time, the notion of community and the notion of reflexivity – for contributing to contemporary organizational discussions.
Antecedents and Consequences of Organizational Commitment: A Gender Study in the IT-BPM Sector of India
Authors: Memon Nazia Zabin , Satpathy Biswajit
Published: October 2017

Information technology-business process management (IT-BPM) sector of India employs 3.7 million people including 1.25 million female employees. The flip side of this high absorption rate is an equally fast attrition of employees and more so in females. This alarming number makes it imperative to study the antecedents of high organizational commitment as a consequence of which voluntary turnover diminishes. This research article aims at identifying variables impacting the organizational commitment of female employees. Leader-member exchange (LMX), work-life balance and gender bias have been studied for effect on organizational commitment in IT-BPM sector. Data were collected from female employees of BPM sector through questionnaire survey, and stepwise regression was applied to test the hypotheses. This article gives insight into the management of IT-BPM sector helping them enhance the organizational commitment of its female employees. This research is first of its kind conducted on the female employees of IT-BPM sector of India giving insights on leader-manager exchange, work-life balance and gender bias and its role in improving their organizational commitment.
Green removal of pyridine from water via adsolubilization with lignosulfonate intercalated layered double hydroxide
Authors: Xia Mengqi , Jin Cheng , Kong Xianggui , Jiang Meihong , Lei Deqiang , Lei Xiaodong
Published: October 2017

In this work, lignosulfonate intercalated Mg2Al layered double hydroxide was fabricated by coprecipitation method, which was used as a functional adsorbent for removing pyridine from wastewater. The X-ray powder diffraction and Fourier transformed infrared were carried out to investigate the structure of the product. In the removal process, the as-prepared lignosulfonate intercalated Mg2Al layered double hydroxide sample exhibited good adsolubilization property for pyridine, with maximum capacity of 400.8 mg g−1 in initial pyridine concentration of 400 mg/l and the removal percentage achieved about 87.9%. In addition, the influence of pH, time, and initial concentration of pyridine on the adsorption capacity was also examined. Moreover, the adsorption kinetic followed the pseudo-second-order model. Furthermore, after regeneration, the adsorbent can still show high adsorption capacity even for 10 cycles of desorption–adsorption. It hoped that lignosulfonate intercalated Mg2Al layered double hydroxide can be used as adsorbent for the removal of organic pollutants in wastewater.
A pilot randomized controlled trial of on-line interventions to improve sleep quality in adults after mild or moderate traumatic brain injury
Authors: Theadom Alice , Barker-Collo Suzanne , Jones Kelly , Dudley Margaret , Vincent Norah , Feigin Valery
Published: October 2017

Objective:

To explore feasibility and potential efficacy of on-line interventions for sleep quality following a traumatic brain injury (TBI).

Design:

A two parallel-group, randomized controlled pilot study.

Setting:

Community-based.

Subjects:

In all, 24 participants (mean age: 35.9 ± 11.8 years) who reported experiencing sleep difficulties between 3 and 36 months after a mild or moderate TBI.

Interventions:

Participants were randomized to receive either a cognitive behaviour therapy or an education intervention on-line. Both interventions were self-completed for 20–30 minutes per week over a six-week period.

Main measures:

The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index assessed self-reported sleep quality with actigraphy used as an objective measure of sleep quality. The CNS Vital Signs on-line neuropsychological test assessed cognitive functioning and the Rivermead Post-concussion Symptoms and Quality of Life after Brain Injury questionnaires were completed pre and post intervention.

Results:

Both programmes demonstrated feasibility for use post TBI, with 83.3% of participants completing the interventions. The cognitive behaviour therapy group experienced significant reductions ( F = 5.47, p = 0.04) in sleep disturbance (mean individual change = −4.00) in comparison to controls post intervention (mean individual change = −1.50) with a moderate effect size of 1.17. There were no significant group differences on objective sleep quality, cognitive functioning, post-concussion symptoms or quality of life.

Conclusion:

On-line programmes designed to improve sleep are feasible for use for adults following mild-to-moderate TBI. Based on the effect size identified in this pilot study, 128 people (64 per group) would be needed to determine clinical effectiveness.
Can rehabilitation improve the health and well-being in Friedreich’s ataxia: a randomized controlled trial?
Authors: Milne Sarah C , Corben Louise A , Roberts Melissa , Murphy Anna , Tai Geneieve , Georgiou-Karistianis Nellie , Yiu Eppie M , Delatycki Martin B
Published: October 2017

Objective:

To determine the effectiveness of a six-week rehabilitation programme followed by a home exercise programme for Friedreich’s ataxia.

Design:

Randomized, delayed-start control single-blind trial.

Setting:

Outpatient rehabilitation centre.

Subjects:

Ambulant or non-ambulant individuals with Friedreich’s ataxia.

Intervention:

Participants were randomized to a six-week outpatient rehabilitation programme, immediately (intervention group) or after a six-week delayed-start (control group). The rehabilitation was followed by a six-week home exercise programme.

Main measures:

The primary outcome was the Functional Independence Measure. Other measures included the Friedreich Ataxia Impact Scale and the Friedreich Ataxia Rating Scale. Outcomes were administered at baseline, 6, 12 and 18 weeks.

Results:

Of 159 individuals screened, 92 were excluded and 48 declined to participate. A total of 19 participants were enrolled in the study. There was no significant difference in Functional Independence Measure change from baseline to six weeks in the intervention group (mean ± standard deviation, 2.00 ± 3.16) as compared to the control group (0.56 ± 4.06). Change in the Friedreich Ataxia Impact Scale body movement subscale indicated a significant improvement in health and well-being in the intervention group compared to the control group ( P = 0.003). Significant within-group improvements in the Friedreich Ataxia Impact Scale and the motor domain of the Functional Independence Measure post-rehabilitation were not sustained post-home exercise programme.

Conclusion:

Our study indicates that rehabilitation can improve health and well-being in individuals with Friedreich’s ataxia; however, a larger study is required to have sufficient power to detect a significant change in the most sensitive measure of function, the motor domain of the Functional Independence Measure.
Astrocytes drive cortical vasodilatory signaling by activating endothelial NMDA receptors
Authors: Lu Lingling , Hogan-Cann Adam D , Globa Andrea K , Lu Ping , Nagy James I , Bamji Shernaz X , Anderson Christopher M
Published: October 2017

Astrocytes express neurotransmitter receptors that serve as sensors of synaptic activity and initiate signals leading to activity-dependent local vasodilation and increases in blood flow. We previously showed that arteriolar vasodilation produced by activation of cortical astrocytes is dependent on endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and endogenous agonists of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors. Here, we tested the hypothesis that these effects are mediated by NMDA receptors expressed by brain endothelial cells. Primary endothelial cultures expressed NMDA receptor subunits and produced nitric oxide in response to co-agonists, glutamate and D-serine. In cerebral cortex in situ, immunoelectron microscopy revealed that endothelial cells express the GluN1 NMDA receptor subunit at basolateral membrane surfaces in an orientation suitable for receiving intercellular messengers from brain cells. In cortical slices, activation of astrocytes by two-photon flash photolysis of a caged Ca2+ compound or application of a metabotropic glutamate receptor agonist caused endothelial NO generation and local vasodilation. These effects were mitigated by NMDA receptor antagonists and conditional gene silencing of endothelial GluN1, indicating at least partial dependence on endothelial NMDA receptors. Our observations identify a novel astrocyte-endothelial vasodilatory signaling axis that could contribute to endothelium-dependent vasodilation in brain functional hyperemia.
Ribbing disease: a systematic review
Authors: Pijls Bart G , Steentjes Koen , Schoones Jan W , Dijkstra Sander PD
Published: October 2017

Background

Ribbing disease, or multiple diaphyseal sclerosis, is a rare benign bone dysplasia.

Purpose

To systematically review the literature to determine the clinical and radiological presentation of patients with Ribbing disease as well as the effects of attempted treatments.

Material and Methods

We considered individual patient data of patients diagnosed with Ribbing disease derived from patient reports and patient series. All stages of the review were performed by two reviewers independently. Standard descriptive statistics were used for quantitative analyses and mixed model analyses were used when appropriate

Results

The literature search yielded 420 unique hits of which 23 studies were included, covering a total of 40 patients of whom 29 had bilateral involvement. The mean age at diagnosis was 35 years and the mean time between diagnosis and onset of symptoms, mostly pain, was five years (range = 1–16 years). The tibial diaphysis was the most commonly involved bone in 35 of 36 patients. Non-surgical treatment consisted of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), prednisone, and bisphophonates with mixed results. Surgical treatment consisted of intramedullary reaming and fenestration and was very effective to reduce pain.

Conclusion

The clinical presentation and imaging findings of patients with Ribbing disease are becoming more apparent. However, there is paucity of evidence on the natural disease progression and effectiveness of treatment modalities.
Applying self-regulated learning microanalysis to study musicians’ practice
Authors: McPherson Gary E. , Osborne Margaret S. , Evans Paul , Miksza Peter
Published: October 2017

This article describes the development of a music practice microanalysis protocol that is based on the three-phase model of self-regulated learning (i.e., Forethought, Performance, and Self-Reflection). Up until now, most studies on music practice have tended to focus on behavioural aspects. The expanded view presented here outlines a technique for mapping the types of behaviours (actions), cognition (thoughts), and affect (feelings) that can help focus musicians’ practice. To explain the technique, we describe the practice of two first year Bachelor of Music students studying at a prominent university music school who are compared at three time points across one semester as they prepare an étude for a performance exam. These case studies demonstrate two broadly contrasting self-regulated learning profiles of how microanalysis can be used to cue students to think about what they are doing and then reflect critically on the strategies they can use to improve their playing. As a technique, microanalysis can inform educational interventions aimed at breaking the cycle of habits that typify musical practice by encouraging musicians to become more behaviourally, metacognitively, and motivationally involved in their own learning.
Music as an emotion regulation strategy: An examination of genres of music and their roles in emotion regulation
Authors: Cook Terence , Roy Ashlin R. K. , Welker Keith M.
Published: October 2017

Research suggests that people frequently use music to regulate their emotions. However, little is known about what kinds of music may regulate affective states. To investigate this, we examined how the music preferences of 794 university students were associated with their use of music to regulate emotions. We found that preferences for pop, rap/hip-hop, soul/funk, and electronica/dance music were positively associated with using music to increase emotional arousal. Soul/funk music preferences were also positively associated with using music for up-regulating positive emotionality and down-regulating negative emotionality. More broadly, energetic and rhythmic music was positively associated with using all examined forms of musical emotion regulation, suggesting this dimension of music is especially useful in modulating emotions. These results highlight the potential use of music as a tool for emotion regulation. Future research can extend our findings by examining the efficacy of different types of music at modulating emotional states.
Variables Associated With the Subjective Experience of Coercive Measures in Psychiatric Inpatients: A Systematic Review
Authors: Aguilera-Serrano Carlos , Guzman-Parra Jose , Garcia-Sanchez Juan A , Moreno-Küstner Berta , Mayoral-Cleries Fermin
Published: October 2017

Objective:

This systematic review presents evidence regarding factors that may influence the patient’s subjective experience of an episode of mechanical restraint, seclusion, or forced administration of medication.

Method:

Two authors searched CINAHL, PubMed, SCOPUS, Web of Science, and Psych-Info, considering published studies between 1 January 1992 and 1 February 2016. Based on the inclusion criteria and methodological quality, 34 studies were selected, reporting a total sample of 1,869 participants.

Results:

The results showed that the provision of information, contact and interaction with staff, and adequate communication with professionals are factors that influence the subjective experience of these measures. Humane treatment, respect, and staff support are also associated with a better experience, and debriefing is an important procedure/technique to reduce the emotional impact of these measures. Likewise, the quality of the working and physical environment and some individual and treatment variables were related to the experience of these measures. There are different results in relation to the most frequently associated experiences and, despite some data that indicate positive experiences, the evidence shows such experiences to be predominantly negative and frequently with adverse consequences. It seems that patients find forced medication and seclusion to be more tolerable than mechanical restraint and combined measures.

Conclusions:

It appears that the role of the staff and the environmental conditions, which are potentially modifiable, affect the subjective experience of these measures. There was considerable heterogeneity among studies in terms of coercive measures experienced by participants and study designs.
Electroconvulsive Therapy Practice in the Province of Quebec: Linked Health Administrative Data Study from 1996 to 2013
Authors: Lemasson Morgane , Haesebaert Julie , Rochette Louis , Pelletier Eric , Lesage Alain , Patry Simon
Published: October 2017

Objective:

As part of a quality improvement process, we propose a model of routinely monitoring electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) in Canadian provinces using linked health administrative databases to generate provincial periodic reports, influence policy, and standardise ECT practices.

Methods:

ECT practice in Quebec was studied from 1996 to 2013, using longitudinal data from the Quebec Integrated Chronic Disease Surveillance System of the Institut National de Santé Publique du Québec, which links 5 health administrative databases. The population included all persons, aged 18 y and over, eligible for the health insurance registry, who received an ECT treatment at least once during the year.

Results:

Among recorded cases, 75% were identified by physician claims and hospitalisation files, 19% exclusively by physician claims, and 6% by hospitalisation files. From 1996 to 2013, 8,149 persons in Quebec received ECT with an annual prevalence rate of 13 per 100,000. A decline was observed, which was more pronounced in women and in older persons. On average, each patient received 9.7 treatments of ECT annually. The proportion of acute ECT decreased whereas maintenance treatment proportions increased. A wide variation in the use of ECT was observed among regions and psychiatrists.

Conclusion:

This study demonstrates the profitable use of administrative data to monitor ECT use in Quebec, and provides a reliable method that could be replicated in other Canadian provinces. Although Quebec has one of the lowest utilisation rates reported in industrialized countries, regional disparities highlighted the need for a deeper examination of the quality and monitoring of ECT care and services.
Planning the location of facilities to implement a reverse logistic system of post-consumer packaging using a location mathematical model
Authors: Couto Maria Claudia Lima , Lange Liséte Celina , Rosa Rodrigo de Alvarenga , Couto Paula Rogeria Lima
Published: October 2017

The implementation of reverse logistics systems (RLS) for post-consumer products provides environmental and economic benefits, since it increases recycling potential. However, RLS implantation and consolidation still face problems. The main shortcomings are the high costs and the low expectation of broad implementation worldwide. This paper presents two mathematical models to decide the number and the location of screening centers (SCs) and valorization centers (VCs) to implement reverse logistics of post-consumer packages, defining the optimum territorial arrangements (OTAs), allowing the inclusion of small and medium size municipalities. The paper aims to fill a gap in the literature on RLS location facilities that not only aim at revenue optimization, but also the participation of the population, the involvement of pickers and the service universalization. The results showed that implementation of VCs can lead to revenue/cost ratio higher than 100%. The results of this study can supply companies and government agencies with a global view on the parameters that influence RLS sustainability and help them make decisions about the location of these facilities and the best reverse flows with the social inclusion of pickers and serving the population of small and medium-sized municipalities.
Learning English Idioms With a Web-Based Educational Game
Authors: Müller Amanda , Son Jeong-Bae , Nozawa Kazunori , Dashtestani Reza
Published: October 2017

This article explores the usefulness of a web-based education game for learning English idioms and examines attitudinal factors contributing to the learning of the idioms with the game. The two studies reported in this article involved two groups of English as a foreign language students in two different contexts. The students were surveyed on their opinions of language learning and games and tested on their idiom knowledge before and after using the web-based educational game over a similar period of gameplay time. The studies found that both groups had significant gains in idiom knowledge, with some variation. It was also found that idiom knowledge improvement was largely mediated by willingness to learn English. In addition, other factors such as satisfaction and self-perception of improvement were noted. It is suggested that, in game-based language learning, attitudinal and motivational factors such as satisfaction with games and willingness to learn with games need to be carefully considered as they can generate positive learning outcomes. Further studies on the use of online educational games for language learning are recommended to be conducted in and out of the classroom in line with the evaluation of the games.