bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Topographical orientation as a model of plasticity in children with perinatal stroke
Authors: Murias K , Liu I , Tariq S , Barton JJ , Kirton A , Iaria G
Published: June 2015

Background: Children with perinatal stroke go on to develop most cognitive skills (e.g. language) due to brain plasticity; however, their performance is usually poor when compared to age-matched controls, indicating a reduced potential compared to uninjured children. To date, how plasticity after early injury affects the development of complex cognitive skills remains uncertain. Here, we use topographical orientation, which relies on integration of several cognitive processes underlain by widespread neural networks, as a model to test plasticity in complex behaviour. Methods: Children with perinatal stroke and age-matched controls were tested with a neuropsychological battery and a novel navigation task. In addition, for each patient, we obtained the most recent MRI scan to assess the effects of lesion characteristics on performance at the navigational task. Results: Children with history of injury performed worse than controls, and their scores were not different based on lesion’s laterality, location or functional region affected. In particular, involvement of regions known to contribute to spatial orientation did not result in significantly decreased performance. Conclusions: As seen in other skills, orientation was preserved, but decreased when compared to age-matched controls. Given its cognitive and neural complexity, topographical orientation may be used as a model for network plasticity after early injury.
Neurology (Epilepsy and EEG)
Authors: Roy PL , Tellez-Zenteno JF , Wu A
Published: June 2015

Background: Corpus callosotomy is a palliative surgical procedure involving partial or complete disconnection of the corpus callosum. It has been shown to improve outcomes of seizure control with in six months of the procedure. Here, we discuss a challenging case of intractable generalized epilepsy with a delayed response to corpus callosotomy. Methods: This report describes a 23 year old female with onset of seizures since age 16. Patient was followed over 7 year period for evolution of her seizures and treatment. Results: Patient experienced three different types of seizures including atypical absences, drop attacks and grand mal seizures. The most disabling type of seizures were the drop attacks associated with injuries. MRI showed bilateral subependymal heterotopia. Multiple EEG telemetry studies showed generalized spike waves without clear lateralization or focalization. Patient failed seven different antiepileptic medications, ketogenic diet and vagal nerve stimulation. Treatment with anterior corpus callosotomy started to show improvements at 18-24 months after the procedure with less severe drop attacks. Conclusions: Corpus callosotomy usually works few months after surgery. This is a very atypical case in whom callosotomy had a delayed response. This is rarely reported and we do not have a clear explanation. Delayed re-organization of the pathways associated with the seizure initiation may be a potential explanation.
Marijuana use in intractable epilepsy
Authors: Massot Tarrus A , Martinez Lizana E , McLachlan R
Published: June 2015

Background: In Canada, marijuana is legal for those with seizures. We determined the prevalence of marijuana use in intractable epilepsy patients and assessed the perceived effects. Methods: Information about marijuana use was collected over 12 months from consecutive adult patients admitted to an 8 bed Epilepsy Monitoring Unit using a 27 item self-administered questionnaire. Patients unable to understand and give consent for participation were excluded. Results: 215 of 310 patients median age 36 (interquartile range 27-49) years, 57% female had proven epilepsy. Median duration of seizures was 12 years (interquartile range 5-24) occurring daily or weekly in 47%. 37% of patients used marijuana over the previous year, 85% by smoking and 56% on a daily basis. Mean dose was 1 gm/day. Another 19% had used it previously. Use of cigarettes was 27%, alcohol, 40% and street drugs 2%. Seizure improvement was perceived by 91%, decreased stress by 99%, improved sleep by 98% and reduction in antiepileptic drug side effects by 88%. Minor adverse effects of marijuana occurred in 13% including seizures worse in 3%. Conclusions: Patients investigated for intractable epilepsy use marijuana more than the general population and perceive improved seizure control, lower stress, better sleep and reduced side effects from antiseizure drugs.
Epidemiological patterns of traumatic brain injury identified in the emergency department in Ontario, 2002-2010
Authors: Fu T , Jing R , Cusimano M
Published: June 2015

Background: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is the leading cause of traumatic death and disability, and most TBIs are treated in the Emergency Department (ED). We examined the incidence and epidemiological patterns of TBIs presenting to Ontario EDs over an eight-year period. Methods: All TBI-related ED visits between April 2002 and March 2010 were identified using a population-based database that is mandatory for ambulatory care facilities in Ontario. Incidence rates were reported across multiple strata, including age group, sex, and mechanism of injury. Results: From 2002-2010, there were 1,032,249 ED visits for TBI in Ontario. Peak rates occurred among young children ages 0-4 (349 per 10,000) and elderly adults ages 85+ (243 per 10,000). Overall, males experienced a 53% greater rate of TBI compared to females. Falls (47%), motor vehicle crashes (MVC; 10%), and sports-related injuries (9%) were the most common causes of TBI. The highest rates of TBI-related falls, MVCs, and sports-related injuries occurred among young children (0-4) and elderly adults (85+), adolescents/young adults (15-24), and children (5-14), respectively. Conclusions: Our study reveals a substantial health system burden associated with TBI in the ED setting, underscoring the need for enhanced surveillance and prevention efforts targeted to vulnerable demographic groups.
Trends in entry to RCPSC neurosurgery residency training through the CaRMS match since loss of eligibility for ABNS certification
Authors: Tso MK , Findlay JM , Lownie SP , Wallace MC , Toyota BD , Fleetwood IG
Published: June 2015

Background: After July 16, 1997, Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC) trainees in neurosurgery were no longer eligible for American Board of Neurological Surgeons (ABNS) certification. It was anticipated that this would lead to an influx of neurosurgeons in Canada. Methods: We analyzed historical Canadian Residency Matching Service (CaRMS) data for 1997–2014 for trends in neurosurgery residency positions offered, vacancy rates, resident demographics and other pertinent data. Results: A mean of 0.94% of medical students applied to neurosurgery as their first choice (range: 0.54%-1.79%). Comparing 2 consecutive time periods (1997–2005 vs. 2006–2014), the mean number of neurosurgery entry positions per year increased from 14 to 19, while mean applicant numbers increased from 24 to 28, respectively. Ninety-five percent of those accepted into neurosurgery ranked it as their first choice discipline and few candidates who ranked neurosurgery highest were unmatched. Women applying to neurosurgery as their first choice discipline were equally likely to match as men (84% vs. 85%) and comprised 28% of neurosurgery residents selected since 2008 (vs. 14% in 1997–2007). Conclusions: The number of neurosurgery CaRMS positions and applicants have increased since 1997. This will have implications for neurosurgical workforce planning and physician employment in Canada.
Neurosurgery (Neuro Interventional)
Authors: Shankar JJ , Hodgson L
Published: June 2015

Purpose: CTA is becoming the frontline modality to reveal aneurysms in patients with SAH. However, in about 20% of SAH patients no aneurysm is found. In these cases, intra-arterial DSA is still performed. Our aim was to evaluate whether negative findings on CTA can reliably exclude aneurysms in patients with acute SAH. Materials and Method: We conducted a retrospective analysis of all DSA performed from August 2010 to July 2014 in patients with various indications. We selected patient who presented with SAH and had a negative CTA. Findings of the CTA were compared with DSA. Results: 857 DSA were performed during the study period. 51(5.95%) patients with SAH and negative findings on CTA who underwent subsequent DSA were identified. Of these, only 3(5.9%) of patients had positive findings on the DSA. One patient had a posterior inferior cerebellar artery aneurysm on the DSA, not seen on CTA due to the incomplete coverage of the head. Second patient’ CTA did not show any evidence of aneurysm. DSA showed suspicious dissection of the right vertebral artery, potentially iatrogenic. The third patient’s DSA showed suspicious tiny protuberance from left ICA, possibly infundibulum. Conclusion: In patients with SAH, negative CTA findings are reliable in ruling out aneurysms in any pattern of SAH on CT.
Case report of a serous endometrial carcinoma metastasizing to the brain
Authors: McGregor S , Boulton M
Published: June 2015

Background: Endometrial carcinoma (EC) is a rare cause of central nervous system metastases, with only 115 cases reported in the literature. There have only been 4 cases reported in the literature for the serous carcinoma subtype. This case study describes a new case of serous carcinoma metastasizing to the brain and demonstrates some of the potential characteristics of this subset. Case: A 77 year old female presented to the emergency department with a 2 week history of progressive left sided weakness and speech difficulties, and a known history of EC diagnosed approximately 3 years earlier. Imaging showed a right temporoparietal tumour. She underwent debulking of this tumour and was found to have a metastasis from her previously known serous carcinoma. Results: In comparing the serous subtype to the 115 known cases, many characteristics show similar patterns to EC as a whole; there could be a predominance to infratentorial lesions with the serous subtype, as 2/4 known metastases were cerebellar compared to only 25% of all endometrial carcinomas. Conclusions: There are possibly different characteristics of metastasizing of various EC subtypes. Before any conclusions can be drawn about the characteristics of any subtype, more data needs to be available for accurate interpretation.
Epidemiology of spinal infections: retrospective review of the patients with osteomyelitis, discitis, and epidural abscesses
Authors: Meguro K , Pirlot B , Ellchuk T
Published: June 2015

Background: Spinal infections are one of the most difficult, complex, and multi-disciplinary health conditions. The purpose of this paper was to gather demographic information of the patients with spinal infections and to identify factors that would influence their management. Methods: Retrospective chart review of 146 adult patients with osteomyelitis, discitis or epidural abscesses admitted to the Royal University Hospital, Saskatchewan, from 2007-2014. Results: Patient demographics included 59% male, 41% female, mean age 53 years. 36% of patients required surgery, 44% were IV drug users, and 71% were managed by surgeons. Presence of a neurological deficit, higher white blood cell count, and longer hospital admission, in relation to poor outcomes, were statistically significant. Higher age and shorter duration between onset of symptoms and admission showed a trend toward a poorer outcome. Epidural abscess and presence of a neurological deficit are variables isolated as being statistically significant in relation to need for surgery. 57.1% of patients with epidural abscess and 51.7% with neurological deficit required surgery. Conclusions: We were able to identify high-risk patients as to the need for surgery and poor outcome. Based on this information, we can better tailor our management strategy of this difficult condition.
Long-term outcomes in the management of painful diabetic neuropathy
Authors: Mai LM , Clark AJ , Gordon A , Lynch M , Morley-Forster PK , Nathan H , Smyth C , Toth C , Ware MA , Moulin DE
Published: June 2015

Background: Painful diabetic neuropathy (PDN) is a frequent complication of diabetes mellitus. Current treatment recommendations are based on short-term trials, generally of duration ≤3 months. Limited data are available on the long-term outcomes of this chronic disease. This study aims to determine the long-term clinical effectiveness of the management of chronic PDN at tertiary pain centres. Methods: From a prospective observational cohort study of patients with chronic neuropathic non-cancer pain recruited from seven Canadian tertiary pain centres, 43 patients diagnosed with PDN were identified for analysis. Data were collected according to Initiative on Methods, Measurement, and Pain Assessment in Clinical Trials (IMMPACT) guidelines including Brief Pain Inventory (BPI). Results: At 12-month follow-up, 37.2% of 43 patients achieved pain reduction of ≥30%, 51.2% achieved functional improvement with a reduction of ≥1 on the Pain Interference Scale (0-10, BPI), and 30.2% (95% CI: 17.2% to 46.1%) had achieved both these measures. Symptom management included at least 2 medication classes in 55.3%, and 3 medications classes (opioids, antidepressants, anticonvulsants) in 25.5%. Conclusions: A sizable minority of patients being managed for PDN in a tertiary care setting achieve meaningful improvement. Polypharmacy, including analgesic antidepressants, anticonvulsants and opioids, is often necessary to attain symptom management.
Epilepsy surgery in tuberous sclerosis complex: the BC Children’s Hospital experience
Authors: Wilbur C , Sanguansermsri C , Chable H , Mihaela A , Steinbok P , Singhal A , Connolly MB
Published: June 2015

Background: Epilepsy occurs in up to 90% of patients with Tuberous Sclerosis Complex (TSC) and is often refractory to medications. Our objective was to assess the safety and outcome of epilepsy surgery in children with TSC at our institution. Methods: We performed a systematic, retrospective chart review of children with TSC who underwent epilepsy surgery at our institution. Patients were identified through epilepsy and clinical neurophysiology databases. Results: 19 patients (out of 81 with TSC) underwent surgery between 1995-2014. Median age at surgery was 4.2 (Range 1.1-15.6) years, with patients having failed a median 4 (Range 0-10) anti-seizure medications. Surgery comprised corpus callosotomy in 2 and resection of one or more tubers in 17. 2 patients had a subsequent second resection. Minor neurologic deficits occurred after 14% of surgeries. Median follow-up was 2.4 years (Range 0.3 -13.8 years) following surgery . At last follow-up, 47% were seizure free, including 2 patients off anti-seizure medication. Conclusions: Epilepsy surgery is safe and effective in carefully selected TSC patients, with the majority having a good seizure outcome. Children with epilepsy secondary to TSC should be referred for epilepsy surgery assessment.
CNS / CSCN Platform Presentations
Authors: Furlan JC , Fang J , Silver FL
Published: June 2015

Background: We hypothesized that abnormal blood platelet count (BPC) is associated with poorer outcomes after acute ischemic stroke. Methods: We included data from the Registry of the Canadian Stroke Network on consecutive patients with acute ischemic stroke admitted between July/2003 and March/2008. Patients were divided into groups as follows: low BPC (<150,000/mm3), normal BPC (150,000 to 450,000/mm3) and high BPC (>450,000/mm3). Primary outcome measures were the frequency of moderate/severe strokes on admission (Canadian Neurological Scale: <8), greater degree of disability at discharge (modified Rankin score: 3-6), and 30-day and 90-day mortality. Results: We included 9,230 patients. Both low and high BPC were associated with higher 30-day mortality (p=0.0103) and 90-day mortality (p=0.0189) following acute ischemic stroke. The Kaplan-Meier curves indicate that abnormal BPC is associated with greater mortality after acute ischemic stroke (p=0.0002). Nonetheless, abnormal BPC was not associated with degree of impairment (p=0.3734), degree of disability (p=0.684), or length of stay (LOS) in the acute stroke care center (p=0.9541) after adjustment for major potential confounders. Conclusions: In patients with acute ischemic stroke, thrombocytopenia and thrombocytosis on the initial admission is associated with higher mortality after stroke. Abnormal BPC does not adversely affect the degree of impairment and disability, or LOS in the acute care center after acute ischemic stroke.
Incidence of Surgical Site Infection Following Mastectomy With and Without Immediate Reconstruction Using Private Insurer Claims Data
Authors: Olsen Margaret A. , Nickel Katelin B. , Fox Ida K. , Margenthaler Julie A. , Ball Kelly E. , Mines Daniel , Wallace Anna E. , Fraser Victoria J.
Published: June 2015

OBJECTIVE

The National Healthcare Safety Network classifies breast operations as clean procedures with an expected 1%–2% surgical site infection (SSI) incidence. We assessed differences in SSI incidence following mastectomy with and without immediate reconstruction in a large, geographically diverse population.

DESIGN

Retrospective cohort study

PATIENTS

Commercially insured women aged 18–64 years with ICD-9-CM procedure or CPT-4 codes for mastectomy from January 1, 2004 through December 31, 2011

METHODS

Incident SSIs within 180 days after surgery were identified by ICD-9-CM diagnosis codes. The incidences of SSI after mastectomy with and without immediate reconstruction were compared using the χ2 test.

RESULTS

From 2004 to 2011, 18,696 mastectomy procedures among 18,085 women were identified, with immediate reconstruction in 10,836 procedures (58%). The incidence of SSI within 180 days following mastectomy with or without reconstruction was 8.1% (1,520 of 18,696). In total, 49% of SSIs were identified within 30 days post-mastectomy, 24.5% were identified 31–60 days post-mastectomy, 10.5% were identified 61–90 days post-mastectomy, and 15.7% were identified 91–180 days post-mastectomy. The incidences of SSI were 5.0% (395 of 7,860) after mastectomy only, 10.3% (848 of 8,217) after mastectomy plus implant, 10.7% (207 of 1,942) after mastectomy plus flap, and 10.3% (70 of 677) after mastectomy plus flap and implant (P<.001). The SSI risk was higher after bilateral compared with unilateral mastectomy with immediate reconstruction (11.4% vs 9.4%, P=.001) than without (6.1% vs 4.7%, P=.021) immediate reconstruction.

CONCLUSIONS

SSI incidence was twice that after mastectomy with immediate reconstruction than after mastectomy alone. Only 49% of SSIs were coded within 30 days after operation. Our results suggest that stratification by procedure type facilitates comparison of SSI rates after breast operations between facilities.

Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2015;36(8):907–914
The Use of Channel-Purge Storage for Gastrointestinal Endoscopes Reduces Microbial Contamination
Authors: Saliou Philippe , Cholet Franck , Jézéquel Julien , Robaszkiewicz Michel , Le Bars Hervé , Baron Raoul
Published: June 2015

Storage cabinets for heat-sensitive endoscopes (SCHEs) are designed to store gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopes in a clean, dry and well-ventilated cupboard to prevent microbiological proliferation. The use of SCHEs in a GI endoscopy unit has significally reduced the rate of contaminated endoscopes (13.0% vs 45.0%, P<.001).

Infect. Control Hosp. Epidemiol. 2015;36(9):1100–1102
Oh, Brother (or Sister)!: An Examination of Sibling Attachment, Conflict, and Cooperation in Emerging Adulthood
Authors: Tibbetts Gillian , Scharfe Elaine
Published: June 2015

Despite the general belief that sibling relationships are unique in duration across the lifespan and the demonstrated importance of these relationships in childhood, to date, no studies have specifically explored sibling attachment in adulthood. In this study, we examined the sibling relationship from an attachment perspective by exploring the influence of attachment on sibling conflict and cooperation. Results of hierarchical multiple regressions indicated that sibling attachment uniquely influenced conflict and cooperation in the sibling relationship even after controlling for the effects of attachment to mothers, fathers and peers, as well as the reported warmth between siblings. In particular, fearful and dismissing sibling attachment predicted increased conflict and decreased cooperation with siblings. The findings simultaneously highlight the uniqueness of the sibling relationship and contribute important knowledge to the field of attachment, specifically providing some support for the role of siblings as attachment figures.
An enigmatic trace fossil from the Upper Triassic (Rhaetian) shales of Western Europe
Authors: Estes-Smargiassi K.A. , Klompmaker A.A.
Published: June 2015

Various trace fossils are known from the Upper Triassic (Rhaetian) shale deposits of western Europe, especially from Great Britain. Here we present a unique specimen, unknown from Rhaetian shales in western Europe thus far to our knowledge. The specimen consists of a string of small knobs collected from the dark-coloured Rhaetian shales from the eastern Netherlands, deposited in a marine, near-coastal environment. The specimen represents the first described trace fossil from these shales. The identity of this specimen appears enigmatic. However, SEM-EDS analysis showed that the string of knobs is pyritised and does not contain phosphorus nor did the sediment directly around the specimen, suggesting a non-coprolitic origin of the specimen. Eggs and larvae are also excluded as possibilities. The specimen closely resembles several trace fossils identified as burrows, which is why we favour this interpretation. The rare presence of trace fossils reinforces the hypothesis that the Dutch Rhaetian shales were deposited under a stresses regime with low oxygen conditions.
Central European History since 1989: Historiographical Trends and Post-Wende “Turns”
Authors: Port Andrew I.
Published: June 2015

In a luncheon address at the annual meeting of the German Studies Association in 2013, David Blackbourn delivered an impassioned plaidoyer to “grow” German history, i.e., to rescue it from the temporal “provincialism” that has, he believes, increasingly characterized the study of Germany over the past two decades. Blackbourn was critical of the growing emphasis on the twentieth century and especially the post-1945 period—not because of the quality of the work per se, but rather because of the resultant neglect of earlier periods and the potential loss of valuable historical insights that this development has brought in its wake. There have been other seemingly seismic shifts in the profession as a whole that have not left the history of Germany and German-speaking Central Europe untouched: greater emphasis on discourse analysis and gender, memory and identity, experience and cultural practices (i.e., the “linguistic turn” and the “new” cultural history). Accompanied by a decline in interest about Germany exclusively as a “nation-state,” the last decade in particular has seen a spike in “global” or “transnational” approaches. And, like other fields, the study of Germany has also witnessed greater interest in the study of race, minorities, immigration, and colonization—what Catherine Epstein referred to as the “imperial turn” in a piece that appeared in the journal Central European History (CEH) in 2013.
Some applications of modular units
Authors: Eum Ick Sun , Koo Ja Kyung , Shin Dong Hwa
Published: June 2015

We show that a weakly holomorphic modular function can be written as a sum of modular units of higher level. Furthermore, we find a necessary and sufficient condition for a meromorphic Siegel modular function of degree g to have neither a zero nor a pole on a certain subset of the Siegel upper half-space .
De-standardising ageing? Shifting regimes of age measurement
Authors: MOREIRA TIAGO
Published: June 2015

Departing from the proposition that, in the sociological debate about whether there has been a shift towards a de-standardised lifecourse in advanced economies, little attention has been devoted to the infrastructural arrangements that would support such a transition, this paper explores the changing role of standards in the governance of ageing societies. In it, I outline a sociological theory of age standard substitution which suggests that contradictory rationalities used in the implementation of chronological age fuelled the emergence of a critique of chronological age within the diverse strands of gerontological knowledge during the 20th century. The paper analyses how these critiques were linked to a proliferation of substitute, ‘personalised’ age standards that aimed to conjoin individuals’ unique capacities or needs to roles or services. The paper suggests that this configuration of age standards’ production, characterised by uncertainty and an opening of moral and epistemic possibilities, has been shrouded by another, more recent formation where institutional responses to decentred processes of standardisation moved research and political investment towards an emphasis on biological age measurement.
‘Old but not that old’: Finnish community-dwelling people aged 90+ negotiating their autonomy
Authors: PIRHONEN JARI , OJALA HANNA , LUMME-SANDT KIRSI , PIETILÄ ILKKA
Published: June 2015

Autonomy is a pervasive concept in Western lifestyles today. However, people in the fourth age are assumed not to be autonomous but dependent on other people. The data of this study consisted of interviews with Finnish community-dwelling 90–91-year-old people. The study aim was to examine how these people see their own autonomy in their everyday lives. The analysis was based on membership categorisation analysis. Our respondents considered their autonomy through three distinct themes. Functional ability was considered in terms of being physically capable of managing daily tasks. Independence in decision making was based on material and financial self-sufficiency and on the respondents' supposition that they were capable of making decisions due to an absence of memory disorders. Additionally, autonomy was considered as contesting norms of age-appropriateness. Among respondents, chronological age seemed to have been replaced by functional and cognitive ability as a definer of categorisations; age-others became ability-others. Our study revealed that the perceptions of autonomy also included gendered features as they were linked with differing gendered ideals, roles and life domains of women and men. The results highlight the internal diversity among the oldest old and challenge the third/fourth age division. Instead, they suggest the existence of a certain ‘grey area’ within old age, and urge an analysis on the subtle meaning making involved in older people's constructions of age-categorisations.
Entrainment of prosody in the interaction of mothers with their young children
Authors: KO EON-SUK , SEIDL AMANDA , CRISTIA ALEJANDRINA , REIMCHEN MELISSA , SODERSTROM MELANIE
Published: June 2015

Caregiver speech is not a static collection of utterances, but occurs in conversational exchanges, in which caregiver and child dynamically influence each other's speech. We investigate (a) whether children and caregivers modulate the prosody of their speech as a function of their interlocutor's speech, and (b) the influence of the initiator of the conversation on durational characteristics of the exchange. We analyzed naturalistic conversations from 13 mother–infant/toddler dyads aged 12–30 months across full-day recordings of 3–5 days per dyad using LENA and automated analytic tools. We found small, but significant, effects of mothers and their children influencing each other's speech, particularly in pitch measures. We also found longer utterances and shorter response latencies for the initiator of a conversation. While mothers show more mature conversational capabilities (more entrainment, shorter response latencies), our findings converge with prior research to highlight the active role of young children in the conversational exchange.
Theatre for the Less Oppressed than I: Reconsidering Augusto Boal's Concept of Spect-actor
Authors: LEE YONGHEE
Published: June 2015

Grounded on personal experience in Augusto Boal's workshop, this article explores his essential and radical concept of the spect-actor and its limitation. When he conceptualized the term, Boal seemed to ignore diversities and differences of subject in the grid of power relations such as class, gender, ethnicity, sexual preference and race. Furthermore, a silence that most of the workshop participants maintained needs to be examined critically, instead of unquestioningly, regarding their ‘democratic’ choices. In order to effectively discuss the limitations of the spect-actor concept, as well as the silence that was ignored in the workshop space, I speculate on similar relationships that occurr both in theatre workshop and classroom settings. Drawing the conclusion that both educators and theatre practitioners require self-reflexive attitudes, I expect a greater contribution of Theatre of the Oppressed to globalized societies.
Dancing Place/Disability
Authors: AMES MARGARET
Published: June 2015

This article is developed from a paper presented at IFTR as part of the Performance and Disability Working Group in summer 2013. The work considered is a practice-as-research contribution by Welsh dance theatre company Cyrff Ystwyth towards a large Arts and Humanities Research Council-funded enquiry into performance, place, dislocation and vulnerability. The article uses contrasting concepts drawn from the work of critical theorists and dance scholars André Lepecki and Carrie Noland to think about the implications of Cyrff Ystwyth's site-specific performance authored by choreographer Adrian Jones, who has a learning disability. The research question is interrogated through the lens of the practice and understandings of place, performance and vulnerability, and proposed in the light of theory and its application to practice. The practice's challenge to theory is then considered as it confronts the researcher's expected outcomes and posits new understandings.
Effects of prenatal substance exposure on infant temperament vary by context
Authors: Locke Robin L. , Lagasse Linda L. , Seifer Ronald , Lester Barry M. , Shankaran Seetha , Bada Henrietta S. , Bauer Charles R.
Published: June 2015

This was a prospective longitudinal multisite study of the effects of prenatal cocaine and/or opiate exposure on temperament in 4-month-olds of the Maternal Lifestyle Study (N= 958: 366 cocaine exposed, 37 opiate exposed, 33 exposed to both drugs, 522 matched comparison). The study evaluated positivity and negativity during The Behavior Assessment of Infant Temperament (Garcia Coll et al., 1988). Parents rated temperament (Infant Behavior Questionnaire; Rothbart, 1981). Cocaine-exposed infants showed less positivity overall, mainly during activity and threshold items, more negativity during sociability items, and less negativity during irritability and threshold items. Latent profile analysis indicated individual temperament patterns were best described by three groups:low/moderate overall reactivity, high social negative reactivity,andhigh nonsocial negative reactivity. Infants with heavy cocaine exposure were more likely in high social negative reactivity profile, were less negative during threshold items, and required longer soothing intervention. Cocaine- and opiate-exposed infants scored lower on Infant Behavior Questionnaire smiling and laughter and duration of orienting scales. Opiate-exposed infants were rated as less respondent to soothing. By including a multitask measure of temperament we were able to show context-specific behavioral dysregulation in prenatally cocaine-exposed infants. The findings indicate flatter temperament may be specific to nonsocial contexts, whereas social interactions may be more distressing for cocaine-exposed infants.
A Critique of Periodicity in Early Modern Journalism. The First Spanish Serial Gazette:Gazeta de Romain Valencia (1618–1620)
Authors: Espejo Carmen , Baena Francisco
Published: June 2015

In this paper we propose a methodological critique of the History of Early Modern Journalism. Our proposal recommends a review of the ‘micro’ concept applied to research in The History of Early Modern Journalism. The current study on theGazeta de Romain Valencia (1618–1620) is a sample of this microscopic procedure, and is an important and revealing example that enables us to reinterpret the concept of periodicity. We will discuss the value of periodicity as a demarcation. The contemporaries of the first European newspapers applied characteristics and criteria other than periodicity: a ‘newspaper’ was then a serial document that informed progressively about the news from a certain area at that time, the continuity of which was recognizable thanks to certain typographical resources, in the absence of the header concept.
Cross-cultural Translatability: Challenges and Prospects
Authors: Longxi Zhang
Published: June 2015

In our quest of a new paradigm for cultural or cross-cultural understanding, we must first take a look at the very concept of a paradigm, as Thomas Kuhn expounded in his celebrated book,The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, and the related concepts of incommensurability and untranslatability. Kuhn’s concepts have a significant influence on social sciences and the humanities, and they put an overemphasis on the difference and the impossibility of communication among different groups and cultures. Such a tendency has led to the fragmentization of the social fabric and the resurgence of a most tenacious tribalism. This essay launches a critique of such concepts and argues for the possibility and validity of cross-cultural understanding, and proposes world literature as an opportunity to embrace cross-cultural translatability as the first step towards a new paradigm in the study of different cultures in our globalized world today.
Electron Correlation Microscopy: A New Technique for Studying Local Atom Dynamics Applied to a Supercooled Liquid
Authors: He Li , Zhang Pei , Besser Matthew F. , Kramer Matthew Joseph , Voyles Paul M.
Published: June 2015

Electron correlation microscopy (ECM) is a new technique that utilizes time-resolved coherent electron nanodiffraction to study dynamic atomic rearrangements in materials. It is the electron scattering equivalent of photon correlation spectroscopy with the added advantage of nanometer-scale spatial resolution. We have applied ECM to a Pd40Ni40P20 metallic glass, heated inside a scanning transmission electron microscope into a supercooled liquid to measure the structural relaxation time τ between the glass transition temperature Tg and the crystallization temperature, Tx. τ determined from the mean diffraction intensity autocorrelation function g2(t) decreases with temperature following an Arrhenius relationship between Tg and Tg+25 K, and then increases as temperature approaches Tx. The distribution of τ determined from the g2(t) of single speckles is broad and changes significantly with temperature.
Phase and Texture Characterizations of Scar Collagen Second-Harmonic Generation Images Varied with Scar Duration
Authors: Chen Guannan , Liu Yao , Zhu Xiaoqin , Huang Zufang , Cai Jianyong , Chen Rong , Xiong Shuyuan , Zeng Haishan
Published: June 2015

This work developed a phase congruency algorithm combined with texture analysis to quantitatively characterize collagen morphology in second-harmonic generation (SHG) images from human scars. The extracted phase and texture parameters of the SHG images quantified collagen directionality, homogeneity, and coarseness in scars and varied with scar duration. Phase parameters showed an increasing tendency of the mean of phase congruency with scar duration, indicating that collagen fibers are better oriented over time. Texture parameters calculated from local difference local binary pattern (LD-LBP) and Haar wavelet transform, demonstrated that the LD-LBP variance decreased and the energy of all subimages increased with scar duration. It implied that collagen has a more regular pattern and becomes coarser with scar duration. In addition, the random forest regression was used to predict scar duration, demonstrating reliable performance of the extracted phase and texture parameters in characterizing collagen morphology in scar SHG images. Results indicate that the extracted parameters using the proposed method can be used as quantitative indicators to monitor scar progression with time and can help understand the mechanism of scar progression.
Parenting Support in Sweden: New Policies in Old Settings
Authors: Lundqvist Åsa
Published: June 2015

This article sets out to investigate the political development and implementation of parenting support services in Sweden. The object of the analysis is on how parenting support has been organised and how it has been articulated in policy debates, and also key elements of parenting support in practice. The analysis shows that parenting support builds upon a century-long tradition of, for example, pre-emptive health care check-ups and services to parents, counselling and parenting education. There are, however, elements in parenting support policy which mark a clear deviation from this policy legacy. These include the introduction of structured parenting programmes, the growth of the idea of parents as autonomous beings, and the partial relocation of parenting support into new public health goals.
The Exchange Relationship between Work-Family Enrichment and Affective Commitment: the Moderating Role of Gender
Authors: Marques António Manuel , Chambel Maria José , Pinto Inês
Published: June 2015

Workers’ perception that their job experience enriches their family life has been considered a mechanism that explains their positive attitudes toward the organization where they work. However, because women and men live their work and family differently, gender may condition this relationship between the work-family enrichment and workers’ attitudes. With a sample of 1885 workers from one Portuguese bank, with 802 women, the current study investigated the relationship between work-family enrichment and organizational affective commitment as well as the role of sex as a moderator of this relationship. The hypotheses were tested by using regression analysis. The results indicated that the perception held by workers that their work enriches their family is positively correlated with their affective commitment toward the organization. Furthermore, the data revealed that this relationship is stronger for women than for men. Study results have implications for management, particularly for human resource management, enhancing their knowledge about the relationship of work-family enrichment and workers’ affective commitment toward organization.
Körperliche Inaktivität und chronische Erkrankungen
Authors: Burtscher Martin
Published: June 2015

Das genetische Programm des heutigen Menschen ist weitgehend noch jenes des Jägers und Sammlers der Steinzeit, darauf ausgerichtet, die zugeführte Nahrung optimal als Energie für körperliche Aktivitäten in Hungerzeiten zu speichern. Der Lebensstil des Menschen westlicher Industrieländer ist jedoch vielfach durch sitzende Tätigkeiten und Überernährung geprägt. Die daraus resultierende positive Energiebilanz führt zu Fettakkumulation (Abdomen, Leber, Skelett- und Herzmuskulatur), gefolgt von Insulinresistenz und Glukoseintoleranz, mitochondrialer Dysfunktion, oxidativem Stress und verminderter Stickoxid-Produktion, Endotheldysfunktion und chronischen Entzündungsprozessen. Alle diese Veränderungen und deren Interaktionen bilden die komplexen Pathomechanismen vieler Stoffwechsel-, Herzkreislauf- und neurodegenerativer Erkrankungen.
Laboranalysen in der Sportmedizin
Authors: Clénin German E. , Cordes Mareike
Published: June 2015

Laboranalysen in der Sportmedizin sind in dreifacher Hinsicht relevant: 1. Beim sportlich aktiven Menschen sind Laboranalysen in der Diagnostik von Erkrankungen und Überlastungssituationen zentral. 2. Im Leistungssport können regelmässig durchgeführte Laboruntersuchungen bei Athleten mit grossen Trainings- und Wettkampfbelastungen helfen, Mangelsituationen frühzeitig aufzudecken. 3. Körperliche Aktivität im Allgemeinen und leistungsorientierte sportliche Belastungen im Speziellen verändern einige Routine-Laborparameter signifikant, ohne dass eine pathologische Situation vorliegt. Diese präanalytische Variation muss in der medizinischen Notfall- und Routinesituation bei der Befundinterpretation einbezogen werden. Der Artikel versucht Hilfestellungen für die medizinische Betreuung von Sportlern und für die Interpretation von Laborresultaten bei sportlich aktiven Personen zu geben.
Spiroergometrie in der Praxis – Indikation und klinische Bedeutung
Authors: Hansen Jörg , Rassouli Frank , Brutsche Martin H.
Published: June 2015

Dyspnoe ist ein häufiges Symptom einer Leistungsintoleranz. In Ruhe ausgeführte Tests können häufig nicht ausreichend eine zugrundeliegende Ursache erklären. Der kardio-pulmonale Belastungstest (CPET) ist der Test der Wahl zur differentialdiagnostischen Abklärung von Atemnot. Der CPET ermöglicht die Identifikation der für die Beschwerden hauptverantwortlichen Ursache. Ein CPET ist vor allem dann sinnvoll, wenn eine gründliche Evaluation mittels Anamnese, Status, EKG, Spirometrie, radiologische Untersuchungen, Blutuntersuchung und arterielle Blutgasanalyse keine Antwort ergeben hat. Der Bestimmung der maximalen Sauerstoffaufnahme kommt zudem eine prognostische Bedeutung bei verschiedenen Beschwerdebildern zu.
Renale Hypertonie – die Rolle der Nieren bei der Entstehung der arteriellen Hypertonie und die Nieren als Endorgan
Authors: Grendelmeier Ineke
Published: June 2015

Die Nieren spielen eine entscheidende Rolle bei der Blutdruckregulation, indem sie bei der Salz-Wasserregulation beteiligt sind und durch das Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosteronsystem selber über Instrumente zur Blutdruckregulation verfügen. Sie sind ebenfalls Effektororgan des sympathischen Nervensystems. Das Verständnis der Pathophysiologie führt zu einem gezielten Einsatz der Substanzklassen, welche zur Behandlung der arteriellen Hypertonie heute zur Verfügung stehen. Als renale Hypertonie bezeichnet man eine auf dem Boden einer Nierenerkrankung bestehende arterielle Hypertonie, wobei die Nieren auch Endorgan sind und der antihypertensiven Behandlung im Sinne einer optimalen „Nephroprotektion“ eine besondere Bedeutung zukommt. Dies beinhaltet die Blutdruckbehandlung innerhalb der Zielwerte < 130/80 mmHg und ein Absenken der Proteinurie auf < 1 g/d.
Therapieresistente arterielle Hypertonie
Authors: Buess Daniel , Henny-Fullin Katja , Handschin Anja , Leuppi Jörg , Dieterle Thomas
Published: June 2015

Die therapie-resistente arterielle Hypertonie ist ein häufiges Phänomen in der klinischen Praxis. Sie ist mit einem deutlich erhöhten Risiko für kardiovaskuläre und renale Ereignisse assoziiert. Die Ursachen reichen von falsch erhöhten Werten bei der Blutdruckmessung über Complianceprobleme, blutdrucksteigernde Komedikationen bis hin zu sekundären Hypertonieformen. Die Abklärungen sollten sich an diesem differentialdiagnostischen Spektrum orientieren. Während der letzten Jahre wurden unterschiedlichste medikamentöse und interventionelle Therapieverfahren beschrieben und in die Klinik eingeführt. Ziel dieses Artikels ist es, die klinisch relevanten Aspekte zu Diagnose und Therapie der therapie-resistenten arteriellen Hypertonie zusammenzufassen und einen Überblick über die rationale Herangehensweise an dieses Problem zu geben.
Therapie der arteriellen Hypertonie beim betagten Menschen
Authors: Handschin Anja , Henny-Fullin Katja , Buess Daniel , Leuppi Jörg , Dieterle Thomas
Published: June 2015

Unabhängig vom Alter ist die arterielle Hypertonie der wichtigste Risikofaktor für die Entstehung von Herzkreislauf- und Nieren-Erkrankungen. Mit zunehmender Prävalenz im Alter und einer zunehmend älter werdenden Bevölkerung wird die Betreuung von betagten Patienten mit arterieller Hypertonie in Zukunft noch einen weit größeren Stellenwert in der täglichen klinischen und Praxisarbeit einnehmen als dies bis anhin schon der Fall ist. Hypertonie beim betagten Menschen unterscheidet sich in diversen Aspekten von der Hypertonie des jüngeren Menschen. So findet sich beim älteren Menschen ganz überwiegend eine isolierte systolische Hypertonie. Die Therapie der arteriellen Hypertonie bei hochbetagten Menschen ist vergleichsweise wenig untersucht. Die verfügbaren Daten weisen jedoch klar darauf hin, dass eine Blutdrucksenkung auch im höheren und hohen Alter das Risiko für Herzinsuffizienz, Schlaganfall und sogar Mortalität entscheidend senken kann. Die besten Daten für die Therapie der arteriellen Hypertonie im Alter existieren für Diuretika und Kalzium-Antagonisten, wobei sich die primäre Wahl des Antihypertensivums jedoch an bereits bestehenden kardiovaskulären und/oder renalen Erkrankungen orientieren sollte.
Emotionale Kompetenz – der Einfluss von kognitiver Beeinträchtigung und Depression im Alter
Authors: Steixner Ruth , Moser Bernadette , Kemmler Georg , Freudenthaler H. Harald , Papousek Ilona , Deisenhammer Eberhard A. , Weiss Elisabeth M.
Published: June 2015

Die vorliegende Studie untersucht, ob im höheren Alter Defizite in selbst-eingeschätzten emotionalen Kompetenzen auftreten und ob altersbedingte kognitive Beeinträchtigungen und Depression diese Defizite verschärfen. Die emotionalen Kompetenzen wurde bei 84 ProbandInnen (30 kognitiv intakte Personen über 60 Jahre, 23 Personen mit minimaler kognitiver Beeinträchtigung (MCI) über 60 Jahre und 31 psychisch gesunde Personen unter 60 Jahre) anhand der Self-report Emotional Ability Scale (SEAS) erhoben. Ältere, nicht-depressive Personen schätzten ihre Kompetenz in der Regulation von Emotionen bei anderen niedriger ein als gesunde nicht-depressive jüngere Personen. Depression stellt einen wichtigen Einflussfaktor für eine Verminderung intra-personaler Aspekte der emotionalen Kompetenz (Erkennen und Regulation eigener Emotionen) dar, während der kognitive Status der älteren Personen keinen signifikanten Einfluss auf die Selbsteinschätzungen der emotionalen Kompetenzen hatte.
Visuelle Wahrnehmungsleistungen bei Kindern mit Lese- Rechtschreibstörung
Authors: Werpup-Stüwe Lina , Petermann Franz
Published: June 2015

Fragestellung: Die visuellen Wahrnehmungsleistungen werden bei der Erforschung von Lese-Rechtschreibstörungen aktuell weitestgehend vernachlässigt. Diese Studie spezifiziert die visuellen Wahrnehmungsleistungen bei Kindern mit Lese-Rechtschreibstörungen (LRS). Methodik: Die Wahrnehmungsleistungen von 35 Kindern mit LRS und 30 Kontrollgruppenkindern werden anhand des Frostigs Entwicklungstest der visuellen Wahrnehmung – Jugendliche und Erwachsene (FEW-JE) miteinander verglichen. Ergebnisse: 11 % der Kinder mit LRS weisen klinisch auffällige Ergebnisse im FEW-JE auf. Die Wahrnehmungsleistungen der beiden Gruppen unterscheiden sich insgesamt signifikant. Nach Kontrolle des Gesamt-IQ und des Indizes Wahrnehmungsgebundenes Logisches Denken lässt sich kein Effekt durch die Gruppeneinteilung auf die visuellen Wahrnehmungsleistungen nachweisen, jedoch nach Kontrolle der Indizes Sprachverständnis, Arbeitsgedächtnis und Verarbeitungsgeschwindigkeit. Schlussfolgerungen: Die Anzahl der Kinder mit LRS und visuellen Wahrnehmungsstörungen wurde bislang unterschätzt. Im Rahmen der klinischen Diagnostik sollten die visuellen Wahrnehmungsfähigkeiten daher immer überprüft werden. Zudem sollten die IQ-Testprofile von Kindern mit LRS und visuellen Wahrnehmungsstörungen mit Vorsicht interpretiert werden.