bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Safety, tolerability, efficacy and pharmacodynamics of the selective JAK1 inhibitor GSK2586184 in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus
Authors: Kahl L , Patel J , Layton M , Binks M , Hicks K , Leon G , Hachulla E , Machado D , Staumont-Sallé D , Dickson M , Condreay L , Schifano L , Zamuner S , van Vollenhoven R F ,   on behalf of the JAK115919 Study Team
Published: April 2016

We aimed to evaluate the pharmacodynamics, efficacy, safety and tolerability of the JAK1 inhibitor GSK2586184 in adults with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). In this adaptive, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, patients received oral GSK2586184 50–400 mg, or placebo twice daily for 12 weeks. Primary endpoints included interferon-mediated messenger RNA transcription over time, changes in Safety of Estrogen in Lupus National Assessment-SLE Disease Activity Index score, and number/severity of adverse events. A pre-specified interim analysis was performed when ≥ 5 patients per group completed 2 weeks of treatment. In total, 84–92% of patients were high baseline expressors of the interferon transcriptional biomarkers evaluated. At interim analysis, GSK2586184 showed no significant effect on mean interferon transcriptional biomarker expression (all panels). The study was declared futile and recruitment was halted at 50 patients. Shortly thereafter, significant safety data were identified, including elevated liver enzymes in six patients (one confirmed and one suspected case of Drug Reaction with Eosinophilia and Systemic Symptoms), leading to immediate dosing cessation. Safety of Estrogen in Lupus National Assessment-SLE Disease Activity Index scores were not analysed due to the small number of patients completing the study. The study futility and safety data described for GSK2586184 do not support further evaluation in patients with SLE.

Study identifiers: GSK Study JAK115919; ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01777256.
Gastrointestinal manifestations in systemic lupus erythematosus
Authors: Fawzy M , Edrees A , Okasha H , El Ashmaui A , Ragab G
Published: April 2016

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disorder characterized by multisystem involvement, including the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. There is a significant variation in the clinical presentation and severity of GI disorders. When GI symptoms present as the initial manifestation of SLE, there is likely to be a delay in the diagnosis. The cause of these GI manifestations in SLE may be the disease, or the side effects of medications, or infections. In this study we investigated the GI manifestations in a group of SLE patients. Our study was conducted on 40 SLE patients and 30 healthy controls to assess the prevalence of GI symptoms in SLE patients. The prevalence of gastrointestinal manifestations in our study was 42.5%. GI manifestations in our SLE patients were: acute abdominal pain (due to pleurisy and peritonitis), 6%; diffuse abdominal pain, 23.5%; epigastric pain, 29%; epigastric pain with vomiting, 23.5%; epigastric pain with chronic constipation, 6%; chronic constipation, 6%; and diffuse abdominal pain with bleeding per rectum, 6%. In our study, we found a higher incidence of Giardia infestation in SLE patients than in healthy controls, and 10% of these patients were asymptomatic. There was more Giardia infestation in patients with GI symptoms as compared with patients with no GI symptoms, with a P value of 0.009. In our study SLE patients with GI symptoms had a peak systolic velocity (cm/s) with a mean of 108.4 ± 32.1 standard deviation (SD) in the celiac Doppler study. Patients without GI symptoms had a peak systolic velocity with a mean of 111.9 ± 37.7 SD, meaning that our patients mostly had no evidence of celiac trunk stenosis, but there was significant difference between SLE patients without GI symptoms and controls, as the mean was higher in SLE patients than in the controls. Also, the celiac end diastolic velocity was higher in both groups of SLE patients with GI symptoms and those without GI symptoms, compared to controls.
Association of estimated sodium and potassium intake with blood pressure in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus
Authors: Barnado A , Oeser A , Zhang Y , Okafor C R , Titze J , Stein C M , Chung C P
Published: April 2016

Sodium and potassium intake are modifiable determinants of hypertension in the general population but have not been studied in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). We examined the relationship between urinary excretion of sodium and potassium, as an estimate of intake, and blood pressure in patients with SLE. We studied 178 SLE patients and 86 controls, matched for age, sex, and race. Urine sodium (Na+) and potassium (K+) were measured by flame photometry. Blood pressure was the average of two resting measurements. The associations between systolic (SBP) and diastolic blood pressures (DBP) and estimated 24-hour urinary Na+, K+, and Na+:K+ ratio were tested. The estimated mean 24-hour urinary K+ excretion was lower, and the Na+:K+ ratio was higher in patients with SLE than controls. There were no significant differences in the estimated 24-hour urinary Na+. In patients with SLE, a higher urinary Na+:K+ ratio was associated with higher SBP (β coefficient = 4.01, p = 0.023) and DBP (β coefficient = 4.41, p = 0.002) after adjusting for age, sex, and race. SLE patients had significantly lower estimated 24-hour urinary K+ and higher estimated 24-hour urinary Na+: K+ ratio than controls. The urinary Na+:K+ ratio was significantly associated with SBP and DBP.
Money and Ritual in Eighteenth-Century South India
Authors: Parthasarathi Prasannan
Published: April 2016

Between 1600 and 1800 South Asia absorbed about a fifth of the new silver injected into the global economy and a number of historians have documented the commercial boom and monetization of economic life that followed. This article, which draws on evidence from South India, examines the use of money in rituals that marked life-cycle events such as birth, marriage and death, which is an element of monetization that has thus far gone unrecognized. Money was a critical part of the gifts that were given at ritual moments and coins were an essential object in rituals as they were believed to possess magical powers. The ubiquity of money in South Indian ritual life and its role in solidifying personal relations suggests that the classic social theories of money, which drew upon European thought and viewed it as a force that destroyed connections between people, must be rethought.
Mindfulness
Authors: Falter H. Ellie
Published: April 2016

Music teachers aim to deepen their students’ music understanding. An underused tool for doing so is incorporating mindful practice into music teaching. Through discussing research, examples from the classroom, and steps for incorporating mindful practices in lesson planning, the author hopes to illustrate its potential benefits and set music teachers’ minds at ease: Beginning to incorporate mindful practice is worthwhile but need not be elaborate, stressful, or intimidating.
What Implementation Components Predict Positive Outcomes in a Parenting Program?
Authors: Álvarez Míriam , Rodrigo María José , Byrne Sonia
Published: April 2016

Objectives:

To examine the components affecting the quality of the implementation and their impact on the outcomes of the “Growing Up Happily in the Family” program targeted at parents with children aged 0–5.

Method:

At-risk and non-at-risk parents ( N = 196) participated in 26 groups in local social services. Adherence, adaptations, quality of delivery, group and participant responsiveness, and implementation barriers were examined as predictors of attendance rate and changes in parental child-rearing attitudes, parental sense of competence, and parenting stress using hierarchical linear regressions analyses.

Results:

Greater participant responsiveness and fewer implementation barriers predicted higher attendance rates. These implementation variables, as well as greater program adherence, fewer crucial adaptations, and better didactic functioning of the sessions, predicted positive parental changes.

Conclusions:

The level of implementation contributes to the program effectiveness, suggesting the need to provide a high-quality and well-coordinated implementation to achieve the intended program outcomes in child welfare populations.
Proposing a New Approach to the Research on Men’s Organizations
Authors: Ben Salah Hakim , Deslauriers Jean-Martin , Knüsel René
Published: April 2016

This article describes a study of men’s groups in Switzerland, in which both the official positions of the men’s organizations ( N = 40) as well as the opinions of their members ( N = 324) are examined using a mixed methods research design. This research strategy revealed significant ideological fault lines within the men’s organizations, ranging from explicitly affirmed anti-feminism to radical profeminist positions. At the same time, the mixed methods approach uncovered the existence of a shared view that transcends these fault lines, a view common to all types of men’s organizations. In light of these findings, the methodological approach used in this study is compared with that employed in the landmark studies of men’s movements from the 1990s.
Forced-Choice Assessment of Work-Related Maladaptive Personality Traits: Preliminary Evidence From an Application of Thurstonian Item Response Modeling
Authors: Guenole Nigel , Brown Anna A. , Cooper Andrew J.
Published: April 2016

This article describes an investigation of whether Thurstonian item response modeling is a viable method for assessment of maladaptive traits. Forced-choice responses from 420 working adults to a broad-range personality inventory assessing six maladaptive traits were considered. The Thurstonian item response model’s fit to the forced-choice data was adequate, while the fit of a counterpart item response model to responses to the same items but arranged in a single-stimulus design was poor. Monotrait heteromethod correlations indicated corresponding traits in the two formats overlapped substantially, although they did not measure equivalent constructs. A better goodness of fit and higher factor loadings for the Thurstonian item response model, coupled with a clearer conceptual alignment to the theoretical trait definitions, suggested that the single-stimulus item responses were influenced by biases that the independent clusters measurement model did not account for. Researchers may wish to consider forced-choice designs and appropriate item response modeling techniques such as Thurstonian item response modeling for personality questionnaire applications in industrial psychology, especially when assessing maladaptive traits. We recommend further investigation of this approach in actual selection situations and with different assessment instruments.
Convergent and Discriminant Validity of the Five Factor Form and the Sliderbar Inventory
Authors: Rojas Stephanie L. , Widiger Thomas A.
Published: April 2016

Existing measures of the five factor model (FFM) of personality are generally, if not exclusively, unipolar in their assessment of maladaptive variants of the FFM domains. However, two recently developed measures, the Five Factor Form (FFF) and the Sliderbar Inventory (SI), include items that assess for maladaptive variants at both poles of each item. This structure is unique among existing measures of personality and personality disorder, although there is a historical, infrequently used Stone Personality Trait Schema (SPTS) that had also included this item structure. To facilitate an exploration of their convergent and discriminant validity, the SI and SPTS items were reorganized into FFM scales. The convergent and discriminant validity of the FFF, SI-FFM, and SPTS-FFM scales was considered in a sample of 450 adults with current or a history of mental health treatment. The FFF, SI-FFM, and SPTS-FFM were also compared with respect to their relationship with FFM domains. Finally, the FFF items and SI-FFM scales were tested with respect to their relationship with measures of maladaptive variants of both high and low agreeableness and conscientiousness. The implications of the results are discussed with respect to the assessment of maladaptive personality functioning, and suggestions for future research are provided.
Antiphospholipid Antibodies and Renal Impairment Parameters in Diabetic Nephropathy: Preliminary Data
Authors: Bećarević Mirjana , Čabarkapa Velibor , Đerić Mirjana , Ignjatović Svetlana
Published: April 2016

Objective:

Antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL Abs) represented an independent factor that was associated with the occurrence and/or progression of nephropathy in patients with antiphospholipid syndrome, but their role in diabetic nephropathy is not elucidated. Therefore, we evaluated the association of aPL Abs with the renal impairment parameters in patients with diabetic nephropathy.

Methods:

Concentrations of analyzed antibodies were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

Results:

Cystatin C and anticardiolipin (aCL) antibodies of the immunoglobulin (Ig) G ( r = .349, P = .004) and the IgM isotype ( r = .316, P = .009) were in positive correlation. The IgG isotype of the aCL Abs was in positive correlation with creatinine ( r = .252, P = .038), urea ( r = .241, P = .048), and uric acid ( r = .271, P = .025). The concentrations of the IgG isotype of the aCL Abs were significantly different between subgroups of patients with diabetic polyneuropathy and patients without this clinical finding (Mann-Whitney, P = .033).

Conclusion:

This is the first report on positive correlation between aCL Abs and renal impairment parameters. Larger studies are necessary for elucidation whether this association is involved in further progression of the disease.
Meaning and the Measuring Apparatus
Authors: Kaufmann Jodi
Published: April 2016

Meaning haunts me. At once its foundations are nebulous and its consequences profound, as bodies are broken and raised on its surface. An artifice that cuts deeply, meaning and its accomplice, the measuring apparatus, consume me. To assuage this haunting consumption, in a series of eight vignettes, inspired by posthumanism, I use a form of artistic inquiry to contemplate meaning and the measuring apparatus in qualitative research.
Modeling Psychological Functioning in Refugees
Authors: Robertson Cheryl Lee , Savik Kay , Mathiason-Moore Michelle , Mohamed Amin , Hoffman Sarah
Published: April 2016

BACKGROUND: Refugee trauma survivors often experience posttraumatic stress disorder, other anxiety disorders, depression, and somatization. As a result, many suffer a disproportionate vulnerability to a variety of interpersonal, health, and social problems. OBJECTIVE: The study purpose was to develop a preliminary predictive model identifying high-risk refugee trauma survivors based on levels of trauma and psychological functioning. METHOD: A subset of 449 Somali and Oromo refugee trauma survivors was randomly selected from a larger study for secondary data analysis. Data from the PTSD Checklist–Civilian version, the Revised Hopkins Symptom Checklist, and the Sheehan Disability Inventory contributed to a psychological functioning score. A researcher-developed survey contributed to a composite trauma score. RESULTS: Predictors associated with functioning level differed by gender. Of interest, caring for children and increasing coping strategies were related to lower functioning in women. The regression relationship between trauma and functioning was linear in men but quadratic in women. CONCLUSION: Understanding the mechanisms linking trauma and function is implicated in the assessment of risk among trauma survivors. Predictive models inform the effective psychosocial interventions targeting those at greatest risk.
Partial dealcoholization of red wine by nanofiltration and its effect on anthocyanin and resveratrol levels
Authors: Banvolgyi Szilvia , Savaş Bahçeci K , Vatai Gyula , Bekassy Sandor , Bekassy-Molnar Erika
Published: April 2016

The present work studies the use of nanofiltration for the production of red wine concentrate with low alcohol content. Factorial design was applied to measure the influences of transmembrane pressure (10–20 bar) and temperature (20–40 ℃) on the retention of valuable components such as anthocyanins and resveratrol, and on the nanofiltration membrane performance. The highest retention of anthocyanin and resveratrol was achieved at low temperature (20 ℃), while the high transmembrane pressure (20 bar) was found to increase the permeate flux considerably. The experiments demonstrated that nanofiltration appears as a valid technique for the production of low alcohol content red wine concentrate. Reduction of volume by a factor of 4, leads to 2.5–3 times more anthocyanins and resveratrol in the wine concentrates. The final new wine products – obtained by using various forms of reconstitution of the concentrated wine – had low alcohol content (4–6 % by volume) and their sensory attributes were similar to those of the original wine.
Podiatric Issues in Older Adults
Authors: Alpert Patricia T.
Published: April 2016

A common debilitating condition in older adults which impact their level of independence involve conditions interfering with the ability to walk freely. Podiatric conditions develop over decades of wearing ill-fitted shoes, heels or as a result of chronic systemic conditions which impact the feet. This article will discuss the most common podiatric conditions frequently observed in older adults and steps that home health care providers should take to eliminate the threat of impaired mobility
Community-Level Association Between Home Health and Nursing Home Performance on Quality and Hospital 30-Day Readmissions for Medicare Patients
Authors: Wang Yun , Pandolfi Michelle M. , Fine Jonathan , Metersky Mark L. , Wang Changqin , Ho Shih-Yieh , Galusha Deron , Nuti Sudhakar V. , Murugiah Karthik , Spenard Ann , Elwell Timothy , Krumholz Harlan M.
Published: April 2016

We evaluated whether community-level home health agencies and nursing home performance is associated with community-level hospital 30-day all-cause risk-standardized readmission rates for Medicare patients using data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services from 2010 to 2012. Our final sample included 2,855 communities that covered 4,140 hospitals with 6,751,713 patients, 13,060 nursing homes with 1,250,648 residents, and 7,613 home health agencies providing services to 35,660 zip codes. Based on a mixed-effect model, we found that increasing nursing home performance by 1 star for all of its four measures and home health performance by 10 points for all of its six measures is associated with decreases of 0.25% point (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.17-0.34) and 0.60% point (95% CI, 0.33-0.83), respectively, in community-level risk-standardized readmission rates.
Investigating Resilience to Depression in Adults With ADHD
Authors: Oddo Lauren E. , Knouse Laura E. , Surman Craig B. H. , Safren Steven A.
Published: April 2016

Objective: ADHD is associated with elevated rates of comorbid depressive disorders, yet the nature and development of this comorbidity remain understudied. We hypothesized that a longer period of prior ADHD treatment, being less likely to engage in maladaptive cognitive/behavioral coping strategies, and less severe ADHD symptoms would predict greater likelihood of lifetime resilience to depression. Method: Seventy-seven adults with ADHD completed diagnostic interviews, clinician-administered symptom rating scales, a stressful life events measure, and self-report questionnaires. We used logistic regression analyses to identify factors associated with resilience to depression. Results: Adults with more extensive ADHD treatment histories were more likely to be resilient to depression. Those who were less likely to report ruminative thinking patterns and cognitive-behavioral avoidance were also more resilient. Severity of current or childhood ADHD symptoms and recent negative life events did not predict resilience. Conclusion: Results identify protective factors that may promote the resiliency to ADHD-depression comorbidity.
Anti-fat bias by professors teaching physical education majors
Authors: Fontana Fabio , Furtado Ovande , Mazzardo Oldemar , Hong Deockki , de Campos Wagner
Published: April 2016

Anti-fat bias by professors in physical education departments may interfere with the training provided to pre-service teachers. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the attitudes of professors in physical education departments toward obese individuals. Professors from randomly selected institutions across all four US regions participated in the study ( N = 94). Participants took the Implicit Association Test and answered the Anti-Fat Attitude Scale and two questions specifically designed to measure their attitudes toward physical education teachers and majors who are obese. The participants exhibited implicit good–bad ( p < .001) and lazy–motivated ( p < .001) anti-fat biases. Professors favored accepting majors who are obese ( p < .001), but they strongly disapproved of obese physical education teachers as role models to their students ( p < .001). Explicit anti-fat bias was associated with a stronger disapproval of physical education teachers who are obese as role models to students ( p < .001) and accepting majors who are obese ( p < .001). Implicit good–bad anti-fat bias was associated with a stronger disapproval of obese physical education teachers as role models to students ( p = .047). The anti-fat bias demonstrated by the professors may negatively affect the training of pre-service physical education teachers to work with students of all body sizes. Awareness programs may be necessary to diminish anti-fat bias among professors in physical education teacher education programs.
Systematic review of mobile health behavioural interventions to improve uptake of HIV testing for vulnerable and key populations
Authors: Conserve Donaldson F , Jennings Larissa , Aguiar Carolina , Shin Grace , Handler Lara , Maman Suzanne
Published: April 2016

Introduction

This systematic narrative review examined the empirical evidence on the effectiveness of mobile health (mHealth) behavioural interventions designed to increase the uptake of HIV testing among vulnerable and key populations.

Methods

MEDLINE/PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Global Health electronic databases were searched. Studies were eligible for inclusion if they were published between 2005 and 2015, evaluated an mHealth intervention, and reported an outcome relating to HIV testing. We also reviewed the bibliographies of retrieved studies for other relevant citations. The methodological rigor of selected articles was assessed, and narrative analyses were used to synthesize findings from mixed methodologies.

Results

A total of seven articles met the inclusion criteria. Most mHealth interventions employed a text-messaging feature and were conducted in middle- and high-income countries. The methodological rigor was moderate among studies. The current literature suggests that mHealth interventions can have significant positive effects on HIV testing initiation among vulnerable and key populations, as well as the general public. In some cases, null results were observed. Qualitative themes relating to the use of mobile technologies to increase HIV testing included the benefits of having low-cost, confidential, and motivational communication. Reported barriers included cellular network restrictions, poor linkages with physical testing services, and limited knowledge of appropriate text-messaging dose.

Discussion

MHealth interventions may prove beneficial in reducing the proportion of undiagnosed persons living with HIV, particularly among vulnerable and key populations. However, more rigorous and tailored interventions are needed to assess the effectiveness of widespread use.
Parental attitudes to a telehealth parent coaching intervention for autism spectrum disorder
Authors: Salomone Erica , Maurizio Arduino Giuseppe
Published: April 2016

Introduction

This study examined the potential feasibility of tele-delivered parent coaching in a rural area of Italy through a survey of parents’ attitudes towards this type of intervention.

Methods

Parents of all children up to six years of age registered with a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder at the clinic catering for the area were invited to take part in the study. The final sample consisted of 43 parents.

Results

Parents with worse Internet skills and those who reported lower levels of satisfaction with currently received services were less likely to be willing to enrol. There was a trend for parents with lower self-efficacy to be less likely to enrol. Educational level, previous experience of video-calling, travel time to the clinic and child’s level of ability were not associated with the choice of enrolment.

Discussion

Implications for strategies to contrast barriers to adoption and strengthen implementation plans are discussed.
The relationship between particle and culturable airborne bacteria concentrations in public transportation
Authors: Onat Burcu , Alver Şahin Ülkü , Sivri Nüket
Published: April 2016

This study aims to determine the in-vehicle and outdoor culturable airborne bacteria concentration, fine particle (PM2.5) concentration and particle number concentration for six size ranges (0.3–0.5 µm, >0.5–1.0 µm, >1.0–3.0 µm, >3.0–5.0 µm, >5.0–10 µm, and >10 µm) and to assess the relation between the culturable airborne bacteria and PM2.5 concentrations in different public transport vehicles. The measurement campaign was conducted in the morning and evening onboard of the Metrobus, red-bus and outdoors. PM2.5 concentrations in the Metrobus and red-bus were observed as 58.8 ± 10.2 µg/m3 and 76.2 ± 30.9 µg/m3, respectively, and the outdoor value was about two times more. For both types of public transportation, the amount of internal environment particulate matter and the amount of external environment particulate matter displayed a high level of correlation (red-bus/outdoors, R = 0.97; Metrobus/outdoors, R = 0.88) with the particulate matter size. The concentration of Staphylococcus aureus correlated with PM2.5 concentrations in the Metrobus and Staphylococcus spp. was found to be higher in in-vehicle. The number of commuters, vehicle ventilation type and outdoor air entering the vehicles probably caused the differences in in-vehicle culturable airborne bacteria and particle concentrations.
Influences and vulnerabilities in radicalised lone-actor terrorists
Authors: Peddell Daniel , Eyre Marie , McManus Michelle , Bonworth Jim
Published: April 2016

The threat to national security from terrorists acting on their own initiative is a challenge for law enforcement and intelligence agencies in the UK and elsewhere. The UK Parliament’s 2014 threat assessment noted ‘a trend towards ‘low signature’ terrorism by small, self-directed groups and lone actors’ [House of Commons Home Affairs Committee (2014) Counter-Terrorism – Seventeenth Report of Session 2013–14]. Lone actors have become a higher priority for counter-terrorism professionals (UK police, Prevent practitioners and security agencies), but there is a paucity of research into the views and awareness of these professionals. This qualitative study examined how Prevent practitioners perceived the radicalisation and motivations of lone-actor terrorists they had encountered. Participants were an opportunity sample of five Prevent practitioners; all had served as police officers with varying employment backgrounds and counter-terrorism experience. A thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews identified perceived general characteristics of lone-actor radicalisation. Three themes clustering around the concept of becoming a terrorist are discussed: mechanisms of radicalisation, vulnerability to radical discourse, and individual motivation. Participants construed radicalisation as a process over time, accelerated in the presence of generalised criminality or extensive Internet use. Vulnerability was seen as inherent, as well as a product of social context. Participants adopted folk-psychological explanations with mental health problems, social isolation and relative deprivation cited as prominent vulnerability factors. Lone actors were seen as motivated by grievances (e.g. deprivation), pressure from external sources (e.g. rational prospectors) or personal reward (e.g. sensation-seeking). Practitioners’ perceptions of the process over time had parallels with a diathesis–stress model, although there was some support for social movement theory.
Techniques for analyzing rotating rake mode measurements over passive treatment
Authors: Sutliff Daniel L , Dahl Milo D
Published: April 2016

The NASA Glenn Research Center’s rotating rake mode measurement system has been successful in measuring the modal content propagating in hard-wall ducts. This paper proposes an extension of the rotating rake measurement and analysis technique to treated sections by developing basis functions based on wall impedance boundary conditions for flow conditions (i.e. constant duct area and Mach number), where the closed-form analytical solution exists. Analytical equations developed to estimate mode power are incorporated. Using the impedance boundary conditions results in better mode measurement solutions. This method is verified by decomposing and analyzing radial pressure profiles generated numerically by the Eversman propagation code. Several modes, frequencies, and impedances are evaluated.

For ducts with soft-walls and mean flow, the radial basis functions must be numerically computed. The linear companion matrix method is used to obtain both the eigenvalues of interest, without the need for an initial guess, and the radial basis functions. The governing equations allow for the mean flow to have a boundary layer at the wall. In addition, a nonlinear least-squares method is used to adjust the wall impedance to best fit the data in an attempt to use the rotating system as an in-duct wall impedance measurement tool. Simulated and measured data are used to show the effects of wall impedance and mean flow on the computed results.

Data from an inlet of a low-speed ducted fan with several different impedance conditions on the outer wall were acquired and reduced to determine the best fit to the data.

The methodology and analysis documented in this paper were directly inspired by the groundbreaking work of Dr. Edward J Rice.
Rectangular jet with shear layer swirl: Rotation & mixing enhancement
Authors: Farokhi Saeed , Taghavi Ray R
Published: April 2016

A rectangular jet emerging from a nozzle with embedded swirl vanes in its exit boundary layer is studied. The swirling shear layer imposes an external torque on the jet boundary where it causes jet rotation in the direction of axis switching, skew deformation as well as enhanced mixing. In moderate aspect ratio rectangular nozzles, e.g. AR = 5:1, a pair of co-rotating streamwise vortices is formed on the narrow boundary of the jet that dominates its dynamics in the near field. A vortex-induced model is developed that accounts for the rotation of the rectangular jet with embedded shear layer swirl. The model also shows that the jet rotation is diminished with increasing aspect ratio, as AR−2. The higher entrainment rate in the rotating jet with skew deformation causes the jet mass flow rate with shear layer swirl to be 20–25% higher than the corresponding plain rectangular nozzle of the same aspect ratio (x/De > 1). The proposed model is validated using computational simulation results of previous investigations that appeared in the literature.
Molecular and biological pathways of skeletal muscle dysfunction in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Authors: Barreiro Esther , Gea Joaquim
Published: April 2016

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) will be a major leading cause of death worldwide in the near future. Weakness and atrophy of the quadriceps are associated with a significantly poorer prognosis and increased mortality in COPD. Despite that skeletal muscle dysfunction may affect both respiratory and limb muscle groups in COPD, the latter are frequently more severely affected. Therefore, muscle dysfunction in COPD is a common systemic manifestation that should be evaluated on routine basis in clinical settings. In the present review, several aspects of COPD muscle dysfunction are being reviewed, with special emphasis on the underlying biological mechanisms. Figures on the prevalence of COPD muscle dysfunction and the most relevant etiologic contributors are also provided. Despite that ongoing research will shed light into the contribution of additional mechanisms to COPD muscle dysfunction, current knowledge points toward the involvement of a wide spectrum of cellular and molecular events that are differentially expressed in respiratory and limb muscles. Such mechanisms are thoroughly described in the article. The contribution of epigenetic events on COPD muscle dysfunction is also reviewed. We conclude that in view of the latest discoveries, from now, on new avenues of research should be designed to specifically target cellular mechanisms and pathways that impair muscle mass and function in COPD using pharmacological strategies and/or exercise training modalities.
Parents’ experiences of collaborating with professionals in the support of their child with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities
Authors: Jansen Suzanne LG , van der Putten Annette AJ , Vlaskamp Carla
Published: April 2016

Background:

There is little data on the collaboration between parents and professionals in the support of persons with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities. Since communication is essential to collaboration, this study analysed the frequency, means, and personal experiences of communication between parents and professionals.

Method:

A multiple case study ( n = 4) was conducted. Observations were logged for every contact between professionals and parents during 12 months.

Results:

The mean number of contacts a month ranged from 1.9 to 16.7 across the cases. Most of the contacts were with the child’s direct support persons (85.2%) and exchanging information (35.5%) was the most common function. Issues concerning health (28.4%) were the most common subjects discussed. The majority of the mothers’ experiences were positive.

Conclusion:

Direct support persons play a crucial role; they need to be aware of this role and to be trained to fulfill their role to acknowledge parents as partners.
Histologic features of acute thrombi retrieved from stroke patients during mechanical reperfusion therapy
Authors: Ahn Seong Hwan , Hong Ran , Choo In Sung , Heo Ji Hoe , Nam Hyo Suk , Kang Hyun Goo , Kim Hoo Won , Kim Jin Ho
Published: April 2016

Background

The histologic features of thrombus may differ according to the stroke subtypes. However, in acute reperfusion therapy, fibrin-specific thrombolytics are used based on the assumption that all thrombi are alike.

Aims

The histologic characteristics of thrombi were compared between patients with different stroke etiologies.

Methods

Between April 2010 and March 2012, we analyzed thrombi retrieved from acute stroke patients during mechanical thrombectomy. All thrombi were analyzed using component-specific stains such as Martius scarlet blue for fibrins and immunostaining with CD42b antibody for platelets. The stroke subtypes were determined based on the Trial of ORG 10172 in Acute Stroke Treatment classification.

Results

Among 36 patients, 22 were diagnosed with cardioembolism, 8 with atherothrombosis, and 6 with undetermined etiology. In arteriogenic thrombi, red blood cells were most abundant (56.9 ± 12.2%), and the platelets covered the fibrin layers or were localized at the edge or periphery of the thrombus. In cardiogenic thrombi, fibrin was most abundant (39.5 ± 13.5%), and platelets were clustered within the rich fibrin. Red blood cells proportion was greater in arteriogenic thrombi than in cardiogenic thrombi ( p < 0.001), whereas fibrin proportion was greater in cardiogenic thrombi than in arteriogenic thrombi ( p = 0.003). Of six patients with undetermined etiology, the thrombi in five showed histologic features and composition similar to that of cardiogenic thrombi.

Conclusions

Acute thrombi showed different histologic features according to the stroke etiology. The distribution of platelets and proportion of red blood cells and fibrin were major distinguishing factors between stroke subtypes.
Assessment of the structures at risk during wrist arthroscopy: a cadaveric study and systematic review
Authors: Shyamalan G. , Jordan R. W. , Kimani P. K. , Liverneaux P. A. , Mathoulin C.
Published: April 2016

We assessed the proximity of neurological structures to arthroscopic portals in a cadaveric study and through a systematic review. Arthroscopy was performed on ten cadaveric wrists. Subsequently the specimens were dissected to isolate the superficial branch of the radial nerve, the dorsal branch of the ulnar nerve, the posterior interosseous nerve and the extensor tendons. We measured the distances from the nerves to common portals. For the systematic review Pubmed and EMBASE were searched on the 31 May 2014 for cadaveric studies reporting the proximity of neurological structures to any arthroscopic wrist portal. In the cadaveric study, partial injuries were seen to six extensor tendons and one posterior interosseous nerve; it was assumed this was due to creation of the portals. Seven published studies were included in the systematic review. The dorsal sensory branch of the ulnar nerve was found to be at risk by performing the 6 Ulnar, 6 Radial and ulnar midcarpal portals, the sensory branch of the radial nerve by the 1–2 and 3–4 portals and the posterior interosseous nerve by the 3–4 and 4–5 portals.

Level of evidence: V
Treatment of proximal phalangeal fractures with an antegrade intramedullary screw: a cadaver study
Authors: Borbas P. , Dreu M. , Poggetti A. , Calcagni M. , Giesen T.
Published: April 2016

The aim of this study was to quantify the articular cartilage defect created with two different antegrade techniques of intramedullary osteosynthesis with a headless compression screw inserted through the metacarpophalangeal joint. In 12 out of 24 fingers from six cadaveric hands, a trans-articular technique with cannulated headless compression screws (2.2 and 3.0 mm diameter) was used; whereas in the other 12 fingers, an intra-articular fixation technique was used. The areas of the articular surface and the defects created were measured with a digital image software program. All measurements were made twice by two observers. In the intra-articular technique, the average defect in the base of the articular surface of the proximal phalanx was 4.6% with the 2.2 mm headless compression screw and 8.5% with the 3.0 mm screw. In the trans-articular technique, the defect size was slightly smaller; 4.2% with the 2.2 mm screw and 8% with the 3.0 mm screw, but the differences were not statistically significant. The main advantage of the intra-articular technique was that it avoided damage to the articular surface of the metacarpal head.
Intramedullary headless screw fixation for fractures of the proximal and middle phalanges in the digits of the hand: a review of 31 consecutive fractures
Authors: Giesen T. , Gazzola R. , Poggetti A. , Giovanoli P. , Calcagni M.
Published: April 2016

We present the results of 26 patients with 31 consecutive displaced or unstable extra-articular fractures of the base and shaft of the proximal and middle phalanges of the digits of the hand, treated over a period of 12 months with an intramedullary headless compression screw and early mobilization with no splinting. All fractures healed with no major complications. Only one patient, who had a pathological fracture through an enchondroma, required a tenolysis to improve the mobility of the finger. This technique seems to be technically simple, effective and with few drawbacks.

Level of evidence: IV
Engaging youth in rural Uganda in articulating health priorities through Photovoice
Authors: Esau Daniel , Ho Pak To , Blair Geoffrey K. , Duffy Damian , O’Hara Nathan N. , Kapoor Videsh , Ajiko Margaret
Published: April 2016

Youth living in rural Uganda represent over 20% of the country’s population. Despite the size of this demographic segment of the population, there is a paucity of data on their health priorities. Engaging people in understanding their own health status has proven to be an effective mechanism for health promotion. The objective of this study was to use Photovoice, a community-based, participatory action research methodology, to understand the current health priorities of youth living in rural Uganda. Thirty-two students between the ages of 13 and 17 were recruited from four schools within the region of Soroti, Uganda. Participants were given a disposable camera and were asked to photograph situations that contributed or detracted from their health status. The cameras were then returned to the investigators and each photo taken by the participant was reviewed with the investigators during a semi-structured interview. Codes were applied to the photographs and organized into overarching themes. Each participant chose one to two photos that were most representative of their health priorities for a secondary analysis. Participants provided 499 photos that met the eligibility criteria. The most common themes presented in the photographs were ‘hygiene’ ( n = 73, 12.4%), ‘nutrition’ ( n = 69, 11.7%), and ‘cleanliness’ ( n = 48, 8%). ‘Hygiene’ ( n = 6, 14.6%) and ‘exercise’ ( n = 6, 14.6%) were the most common priorities articulated in the representative photographs. Photovoice proved to be an effective method to assess and express the health concerns of youth in rural Uganda. Study participants were able to articulate their health concerns and priorities through photographs and reflect on opportunities for health promotion through subsequent interviews.
Racquet string tension directly affects force experienced at the elbow: implications for the development of lateral epicondylitis in tennis players
Authors: Mohandhas Badri R , Makaram Navnit , Drew Tim S , Wang Weijie , Arnold Graham P , Abboud Rami J
Published: April 2016

Background

Lateral epicondylitis (LE) occurs in almost half of all tennis players. Racket-string tension is considered to be an important factor influencing the development of LE. No literature yet exists that substantiates how string-tension affects force transmission to the elbow, as implicated in LE development. We establish a quantitative relationship between string-tension and elbow loading, analyzing tennis strokes using rackets with varying string-tensions.

Methods

Twenty recreational tennis players simulated backhand tennis strokes using three rackets strung at tensions of 200 N, 222 N and 245 N. Accelerometers recorded accelerations at the elbow, wrist and racket handle. Average peak acceleration was determined to correlate string-tension with elbow loading.

Results

Statistically significant differences ( p < 0.05) were observed when average peak acceleration at the elbow at 200 N string-tension (acceleration of 5.58 m/s2) was compared with that at 222 N tension (acceleration of 6.83 m/s2) and 245 N tension (acceleration of 7.45 m/s2). The 200 N racket induced the least acceleration at the elbow.

Conclusions

Although parameters determining force transmission to the elbow during a tennis stroke are complex, the present study was able to control these parameters, isolating the effect of string-tension. Lower string-tensions transmit less force to the elbow in backhand strokes. Reducing string-tension should be considered favourably with respect to reducing the risk of developing LE.
High Tech Versus High Touch
Authors: Naquin Charles E. , Kurtzberg Terri R. , Lewin Lisa
Published: April 2016

Previous research in the area of how individuals respond to hard-copy versus electronic communications indicates inconsistent results. Although media richness theory suggests that there is no theoretical distinction between physical, hard-copy and electronic, text-based communications, other research has shown that an individual’s response varies depending on the type of communication. The present research explores the reaction to unexpected opportunities as a function of how the communications are received—either via email or as a hard-copy. Results indicate that participants were equally satisfied to receive either an electronic or a physical gift certificate; however, they redeemed them in unequal amounts. Participants who received a physical gift card were more likely to redeem their gifts and were more likely to spend a greater amount of the total gift card than those who received an electronic one.
A general survey on learners and faculty perspectives on educational activities held in the National Dental Centre, Singapore
Authors: Ong Marianne Meng-Ann , Woo Kia Mun , Cook Sandy
Published: April 2016

Background:

The National Dental Centre Singapore (NDCS) has been educating learners since the late 1980s. However, in this time, no formal feedback about these educational activities has been garnered from education stakeholders (comprising learners and faculty). Furthermore, no formal faculty development efforts to improve the educational activities have been done.

Purpose:

The aim of the study was to collect data from learners about the NDCS’s educational activities and the faculty’s attitude towards teaching.

Methods:

A survey was administered to 239 education stakeholders from May to July 2015. The survey on learners focused on learners’ perceptions on the importance and frequency of the One-Minute Preceptor (OMP) five-step microskills model of clinical teaching, and the quality and quantity of teaching overall. For faculty, the survey focused on their attitudes around teaching.

Results:

A total of 92 responses were received from learners. Learners perceived the OMP elements to be important (mean Likert scores ranged from 4.13–4.44 out of 5). However, they reported infrequent use of this teaching model by the faculty (range 3.06–3.50 out of 5). While learners reported quality and content of teaching to be adequate, they felt the number of clinical hours for teaching could be increased. The faculty reported positive attitudes towards teaching.

Conclusion:

This study provided educators with valuable feedback on the NDCS’s educational activities, identifying strengths and weaknesses of the programmes that they can work towards improving.
Acute myocardial infarction in a young athlete: Optical coherence tomographic features of the culprit lesion
Authors: Klemenc Matjaz , Budihna Gregor , Bedencic Mateja , Bartolic Andrej , Kranjec Igor
Published: April 2016

Objectives:

We report on a young male athlete who suffered from acute myocardial infarction immediately after a vigorous training.

Methods:

A comprehensive optical coherence tomographic investigation of the culprit coronary artery was performed after the combined mechanical and pharmacological thrombus removal.

Results and Conclusion:

The imaging discovered a tear at the junction of the non-obstructive, largely fibrotic plaque with the normal arterial wall. This exertion-related vessel damage resulted in a dynamic thrombosis that almost completely occluded the culprit artery. As the vessel obstruction was not considered flow-limiting, the stent implantation was not required and the patient was discharged on the double antiplatelet therapy and statin.