bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Validity of Three New Driving Simulator Scenarios: Detecting Differences in Driving Performance by Difficulty and Driver Gender and Age
Authors: Maxwell Hillary , Weaver Bruce , Gagnon Sylvain , Marshall Shawn , Bédard Michel
Published: July 2020

Objective

We explored the convergent and discriminant validity of three driving simulation scenarios by comparing behaviors across gender and age groups, considering what we know about on-road driving.

Background

Driving simulators offer a number of benefits, yet their use in real-world driver assessment is rare. More evidence is needed to support their use.

Method

A total of 104 participants completed a series of increasingly difficult driving simulation scenarios. Linear mixed models were estimated to determine if behaviors changed with increasing difficulty and whether outcomes varied by age and gender, thereby demonstrating convergent and discriminant validity, respectively.

Results

Drivers adapted velocity, steering, acceleration, and gap acceptance according to difficulty, and the degree of adaptation differed by gender and age for some outcomes. For example, in a construction zone scenario, drivers reduced their mean velocities as congestion increased; males drove an average of 2.30 km/hr faster than females, and older participants drove more slowly than young (5.26 km/hr) and middle-aged drivers (6.59 km/hr). There was also an interaction between age and difficulty; older drivers did not reduce their velocities with increased difficulty.

Conclusion

This study provides further support for the ability of driving simulators to elicit behaviors similar to those seen in on-road driving and to differentiate between groups, suggesting that simulators could serve a supportive role in fitness-to-drive evaluations.

Application

Simulators have the potential to support driver assessment. However, this depends on the development of valid scenarios to benchmark safe driving behavior, and thereby identify deviations from safe driving behavior. The information gained through simulation may supplement other forms of assessment and possibly eliminate the need for on-road testing in some situations.
Addressing Racial Biases in Medicine: A Review of the Literature, Critique, and Recommendations
Authors: Parsons Sharon
Published: July 2020

This article reviews the literature on racism in medicine in the United States and reflects on the persistent barriers to diminishing racial biases in the U.S. health care system. Espoused strategies for decreasing racial disparities and reducing racial biases among physicians are critiqued, and recommendations are offered. Those recommendations include increasing the number of minority students in medical school, using Xavier University in New Orleans, Louisiana, as the model for medical school preparation; revamping the teaching of cultural competence; ensuring the quality of non-clinical staff; and reducing the risk of burnout among medical providers.
Does It Pay Off? The Effects of Party Leadership Elections on Parties’ Trustworthiness and Appeal to Voters
Authors: Wauters Bram , Kern Anna
Published: July 2020

In the last few decades, political parties in several Western countries have opened up the process of leadership selection to all party members. So far, research has mainly focused on the drivers of this development, taking into account both internal factors (reducing power of middle-level party elites) and external factors (increasing the party’s attractiveness). Only few studies have tested the effects of these external arguments. In this study, we investigate whether parties that select their leader inclusively (1) exhibit higher levels of trustworthiness, and are more appealing to (2) voters and (3) potential members. Based on the procedural fairness argument, we expect a positive effect of inclusive procedures. We conduct a vignette experiment with fictional parties and find that inclusive selection procedures do not strengthen citizens’ perceptions of trustworthiness. Moreover, citizens are not more willing to vote or join parties with inclusive selection procedures.
Commentary on special issue: Syntax and verbal short term memory
Authors: Riches Nick
Published: July 2020

Short term memory (STM) and working memory (WM) performance consistently predict language abilities in children with developmental language disorders. However, causality is not fully established. Moreover, evidence from the fine-grained analysis of STM/WM tasks and comprehension of complex sentences, suggests that long term memory (LTM) representations play an important role. Critical assessment of the articles in the special edition focuses on Zebib et al. and Stanford and Delage. Zebib et al. find that sentence repetition by bilingual language-impaired children more strongly reflects WM than overall linguistic ability. This suggests a dependence on WM when linguistic representations are impoverished. However, the process of ranking predictors is problematic. Stanford and Delage find that STM/WM difficulties affect the processing of complex sentences by individuals with Specific Learning Disabilities. Yet, LTM-based explanations focusing on input frequency may also explain this phenomenon. To make progress we need a combination of experimental studies and large-scale longitudinal studies.
Tactile Speech Indicator: Adaptive Telephone Device for Deaf–Blind Clients
Authors: Lynch M.R.
Published: July 2020

The Tactile Speech Indicator is an adaptive telephone aid that is useful for deaf-blind clients with a speaking voice. Successful use of the device leading to more effective communication was influenced by such factors as having a prepared introductory speech, sequenced questions containing one variable, the voice and manner of delivery of the deaf-blind user, and the familiarity of the person being called. This article suggests teaching techniques and gives an example of placing a call.
Supported and Time-Limited Transitional Employment Services
Authors: Hanley-Maxwell C. , Griffin S. , Szymanski E.M. , Godley S.H.
Published: July 2020

Supported employment services have been utilized with developmentally disabled persons for nearly two decades (Wehman, 1988). This article explores the issues related to the use of supported employment and time-related transitional employment for blind and visually impaired persons, many of whom are unemployed or underemployed. It defines the concepts of supported and time-limited transitional employment, describes the characteristics that distinguish these services from others, and discusses the need for these services from the ecological, philosophical, fiscal, and learning perspectives.
An Integrated, Problem-Solving Approach to Low Vision Training
Authors: Mettler R.
Published: July 2020

An approach is proposed to help rehabilitation clients acquire the understanding and skills for making optimal use of their remaining vision for travel in unmodified environments. Against a background of competent, confident use of nonvisual travel strategies, “structured discovery learning” exercises can help clients experience the value and limitations of their remaining vision in a variety of environments. The article argues that the theoretical foundation for this approach is well grounded in accepted visual perception principles. Practical training activities are also outlined.
Bayley Mental Scale of Infant Development and Visually Impaired Children
Authors: Leguire L.E. , Fellows R.R. , Bier G.
Published: July 2020

Twenty infants and toddlers were determined to be visually impaired based on an ophthalmological examination and electrophysiological testing (Visual Evoked Response). To assess changes in visual-motor function with age, the 20 visually impaired infants and toddlers were followed, longitudinally, with the Bayley Mental Scale of Infant Development (BMSID). Based on the longitudinal BMSID data the study revealed the infants and toddlers obtained a range of scores. The results of the BMSID are discussed within the context of its role as a comprehensive assessment tool that charts changes in the visual-motor function of visually impaired children.
The Future of Access Technology for Blind and Visually Impaired People
Authors: Schreier E.M.
Published: July 2020

Many new products and services coming into general use or in the research stage may have considerable benefits for blind and visually impaired people. However, these newer technologies are not yet computer accessible to blind and visually impaired people. This article describes some of these products and services and discusses their potential use by blind and visually impaired people and the work that needs to be done to make them accessible.
Technological Needs of Visually Impaired and Blind Persons in Arkansas
Authors: Parette H.P. , Van Biervliet A. , Holbrook M.C.
Published: July 2020

This article reports on a statewide survey of the use of technological assistive devices and the unmet needs of 790 blind and visually impaired persons in Arkansas. The survey was conducted in preparation for establishing the Arkansas Technology Access Program under P.L. 100–407. The areas surveyed were life functioning, spending practices and credit options for purchasing devices, funding support systems, travel practices, need for further information, and satisfaction with services and devices.
Using a Braille Tachistoscope to Improve Braille Reading Speed
Authors: Cates D.L. , Sowell V.M.
Published: July 2020

This article reports the results of a study that explored the use of a computer-generated tachistoscopelike display of electronic braille to increase the reading speeds of three blind university students. The results did not indicate conclusively that such a program is effective. The subjects’ braille reading speed continued to be slow, which indicates the need for further research in the use of technology to improve braille reading skills.
Using Color and Contrast to Modify the Educational Environment of Visually Impaired Students with Multiple Disabilities
Authors: Gellhaus M.M. , Olson M.R.
Published: July 2020

All visually impaired students need environments that are “least restrictive.” For visually impaired students with multiple disabilities, the use of color and contrast can enhance their learning environment. This article offers functional teaching suggestions for the curricular areas of feeding-food preparation, bathing, grooming, dressing, and mobility.
Needs of Home-Based Older Visually Impaired Persons for Assistive Devices
Authors: Mann W.C. , Hurren D. , Karuza J. , Bentley D.W.
Published: July 2020

This study examined the use and need for assistive devices by 30 noninstitutionalized older visually impaired persons during intensive interviews in the subjects’ homes. It found a high rate of use of these devices, as well as the subjects’ expressed need for additional devices that they did not own. In addition, some of the subjects’ suggestions for the development of new devices indicated that the subjects did not have the latest information on assistive technology.
The Instructional Validity of Statewide Criterion-Referenced Tests for Students who are Visually Impaired
Authors: Siskind T.G.
Published: July 2020

The Education of the Handicapped Act stipulates that testing should be conducted in the mode in which students usually communicate. This study investigated the instructional validity of criterion-referenced tests in 30 states to determine which of the recommended instructional modes the states allowed to be translated into testing practice for students who are visually impaired. Although few modifications to the tests were universally accepted, testing directors seem amenable to reasoned change.
Full-Service Utilization through an Exit Orientation: A New Model for Residential Schools
Authors: Koehler W.S. , Loftin M.M.
Published: July 2020

This article describes a new philosophy and model of service delivery initiated by one residential school for the blind. Termed “full-service utilization through an exit orientation,” the model aims to provide each student access to the full array of services that will meet his or her needs at a given time and a change of services as the student's needs change. It also allows for close coordination among the personnel of local school districts, the staff of the residential school, and parents.
A Comparative Study of Residential Schools for Children with Visual Impairments: 1985–1990
Authors: Head D.N. , Maddock J. , Healey W.C. , Griffing B.L.
Published: July 2020

The 1990 survey of the member schools of the Council of Schools for the Blind was a follow-up to earlier surveys (1985 and 1986). This article presents a demographic snapshot of residential schools in 1990, highlights important changes that occurred during the years between the surveys, and discusses the critical needs that school administrators project over the next several years.
The Road Less Traveled: New Directions for Schools for Students with Visual Impairments
Authors: Erin J.N.
Published: July 2020

This article analyzes the changing purposes of schools for children with visual impairments in relation to their evolution, current practices, and future functions. It presents three models of future schools that emphasize that schools are becoming more heterogeneous in the orientations and services.
Employment and Residential Status of Graduates from a Residential School
Authors: Geruschat D.R.
Published: July 2020

Assessing the status of a school's graduates is one approach to program evaluation. Of specific concern to students, parents, and teachers is employment and housing. This article describes the findings of a study that evaluated the employment and housing status for five years of graduates from a residential school for the blind. The findings suggest that a high rate of placement was achieved, but that many graduates are not receiving competitive wages. Graduates who were not capable of competitive or supported employment also experienced a high rate of placement. Most of the graduates lived with their parents and were not looking to change this arrangement.
An off-Campus College Program to Prepare Rehabilitation Teachers of Visually Impaired Students
Authors: Shaw R. , Nye J.
Published: July 2020

An experimental off-campus training program for rehabilitation teachers of the visually impaired was cosponsored by Dominican College and the New York State Commission for the Blind and Visually Handicapped. The goal was to provide personnel in rural areas of the state where the need was the greatest. A unique feature of the program was the use of on-site rehabilitation teachers as adjunct faculty. Over a three-year period, 25 certifiable rehabilitation teachers were trained at four sites.
Suggestions for Refining the Chinese Braille System
Authors: Wu L.-Y.
Published: July 2020

Readers of Chinese braille need an efficient system of sound-generated braille and an opportunity to gain access to the character structure. This article presents a brief history of the Chinese braille system and the Chinese character structure, discusses the present Chinese sound-generated braille system and its limitations, and proposes some refinements of the present system and some techniques for instruction.
How Persons with Visual Impairments Explore Novel Spaces: Strategies of Good and Poor Performers
Authors: Hill E.W. , Rieser J.J. , Hill M.-M. , Hill M. , Halpin J. , Halpin R.
Published: July 2020

The study presented here examined the videotaped search patterns and strategies that 65 persons with visual impairments used to locate and learn the arrangement of five objects in a novel space. Videotapes of the 15 best-performing and 15 worst-performing participants’ explorations were then compared to the participants’ verbal self-reports of the strategies they used. The best-performing participants used search patterns and strategies that were effective in locating objects quickly and that facilitated the development of object-to-object relationships.
Nonvisual Adaptive Devices for Measuring Insulin
Authors: Cleary M.E. , Hamilton J.E.
Published: July 2020

This article presents information on nonvisual adaptive devices for measuring insulin and offers some suggestions for rehabilitation professionals who instruct and supervise clients with diabetes and visual impairment in the use of these devices.
Complications of Diabetes and Their Implications for Service Providers
Authors: Ponchillia S.V.
Published: July 2020

People who have diabetes and visual impairment, especially those with diabetic retinopathy, are at risk of a variety of other complications of the disease. With an awareness of these potential complications, service providers can help clients to set vocational goals, follow precautionary measures, and achieve their maximum potential.
Support Groups for Persons with Diabetes and Visual Impairment
Authors: Merrill J.L.
Published: July 2020

This section reports on two programs for persons with diabetes and visual impairment that offer group support, education, and a forum for the exchange of ideas.
Use of An Acoustic Orientation System for Indoor Travel with a Spatially Disabled Blind Man
Authors: Lancioni G.E. , Oliva D. , Bracalente S. , ten Hoopen G.
Published: July 2020

A simple acoustic orientation system was built for indoor travel and assessed with a blind man who had difficulty moving at home and at work. The results showed that the system helped the man move successfully (and perform activities) in both contexts and that the man was eager to use it.
Preschool Orientation and Mobility: A Review of the Literature
Authors: Leong S.
Published: July 2020

The past decade has witnessed the extension of orientation and mobility services to visually impaired children, aged birth to 6 years. These services have expanded rapidly despite the lack of a well-documented and thorough research base. This article presents a review of the literature on this topic, including its history and body of knowledge and research and suggests avenues for further research.
Emergent Literacy: A New Perspective
Authors: Stratton J.M.
Published: July 2020

Emergent literacy, a process in which the child constructs concepts about the functions of symbols and print, is based on experiences and meaningful language facilitated by interactions with adults. This article presents a literature-based overview of emergent literacy and explores the fit between emergent literacy and the learning needs of children who are blind or visually impaired.
Beginning Braille: A Whole Language-Based Strategy
Authors: Lamb G.
Published: July 2020

This article describes the whole-language philosophy of teaching reading and writing and its application to teaching braille reading. It presents examples of activities that are an effective vehicle for enhancing the development of early reading behaviors in children who use braille and that integrate the critical components of literacy learning with the special skills that are necessary for reading by touch.
The Computerized Braille Tutor: A Computer-Based Braille Learning Program
Authors: Kapperman G. , Heinze A. , Hawkins B.B. , Ruconich S.
Published: July 2020

The Computerized Braille Tutor is an interactive software tutorial, accompanied by a manual, that sighted persons can use to learn the literary braille code or to refresh their braille skills, either independently or under the supervision of an instructor in a braille course. The software presents 15 lessons that address different aspects of the literary braille code and include braille-translation and proofreading exercises and graded self-evaluation proficiency tests.
Improving the Braille Competence of Teaching Staff: A State Agency Model
Authors: Jones L. , Wolffe K.
Published: July 2020

The Texas Commission for the Blind's (TCB's) braille literacy initiative is an agency-based program designed to enhance the braille skills of teaching staff and hence to improve braille instruction to and the braille literacy of clients. In addition, TCB has established dedicated braille-production stations in 30 of its district offices and offers technical assistance to regional rehabilitation personnel.
Older Persons and Community Travel: The Effect of Visual Impairment
Authors: Long R.G. , Boyette L.W. , Griffin-Shirley N.
Published: July 2020

This article reports the results of a study that compared the community-travel habits and perceptions of older persons with visual impairments to those of older person without visual impairments. Factors that accounted for variations in the frequency of and satisfaction with travel in the visually impaired group were also explored. Implications of the findings for providers and consumers of rehabilitation services are discussed.
Object Permanence, Reaching, and Locomotion in Infants who are Blind
Authors: Ross S. , Tobin M.J.
Published: July 2020

This article reviews research and other work that suggests that congenital total blindness during infancy retards motor functions, most notably reaching for sound-making stimuli. Since there is a correlation between when infants who are blind begin to reach for rattles, bells, and the like and when sighted infants search for hidden toys in Piagetian experiments, it has been argued that for sound cues alone to elicit reaching, infants must first develop an object concept. Problems with this formulation are highlighted, and an alternative explanation is proposed that suggests possible interventions to redress the effects of congenital blindness on development.
Tactile Maps: New Materials and Improved Designs
Authors: Horsfall B.
Published: July 2020

This article evaluates the relative strengths of different ways to make tactile maps, including new photopolymers (plastics that harden with exposure to light) and computer-assisted design (CAD). Photopolymers yield crisp and precise images and produce excellent masters for vacuum forming maps. CAD allows for quick design and proofreading and the easy modification of images and text. High-quality tactile maps can be easily produced and refined by almost anyone using this technology.
Impact of Early Experiences on the Development of Young Children with Visual Impairments: Revisited
Authors: Dote-Kwan J. , Hughes M. , Taylor S.L.
Published: July 2020

This study examined the influence of several variables (maternal behaviors, home environment, and family's socioeconomic status) on the development of young visually impaired children. Specifically, 15 mother-child dyads were observed in their homes during daily routines at two points in time: when the children were aged 20–36 months and about one year later. Overall, the study found that maternal behaviors had more of an impact on the children's development at Time 1 than did the other variables, but at Time 2, the home environment appeared to have a greater influence.
Encouraging an Adolescent Daughter who is Blind and Learning Disabled to Read and Write
Authors: Miller D.D.
Published: July 2020

This article describes one mother's experiences raising an adolescent daughter who is blind and has learning disabilities. It focuses especially on ways in which she helped her daughter improve reading and writing skills by finding a meaningful purpose for those skills in daily life.
Impact of Adolescents’ Adjustment to Progressive Vision Loss on Braille Reading Skills: Case Studies
Authors: Truan M.B. , Trent S.D.
Published: July 2020

This article presents case studies of three adolescent boys with progressive vision loss who gradually became blind during adolescence. It examines the relationship between the boys’ psychological adjustment to their blindness and their acquisition of braille reading skills.
People with Usher Syndrome, Type II: Issues and Adaptations
Authors: Miner I.D.
Published: July 2020

People with Usher syndrome, Type II, were born hard-of-hearing and undergo the progressive loss of vision from adolescence onward—changes that require multiple adaptations. This article describes what they experience in childhood, adolescence, and adulthood; discusses the lack of appropriate services and the failure of professionals to provide sufficient information on the condition; and stresses the importance of access to information and the acquisition of new skills as early as possible before the visual impairment becomes severe.
Care Preferences Among Chinese Older Adults with Daily Care Needs: Individual and Community Factors
Authors: Lu Jiehua , Zhang Li , Zhang Kunyu
Published: July 2020

Traditionally, Chinese families have been the primary provider of care for older adults, and older people expected family care. However, along with the modernization and demographic transition, family functions have been weakened, and state-based care has begun to play an essential role in supporting family care for older people. This paper aims to assess the care preferences of older people and the different responsibilities of individuals and communities in modern China. Using data from the 2014 China Longitudinal Aging Social Survey (CLASS) and multinomial logistic regression modeling, we find that family care remains the cornerstone for older adults and their care preferences are associated with individual and community factors, mainly including the number of children, education level, residential area, the presence of health infrastructure and care facilities, and the values associated with filial piety of older adults.
Evaluation of a community-based mentoring program on psychosocial functioning of adolescents with a visual impairment: A randomized controlled trial
Authors: Heppe Eline CM , Willemen Agnes M , Kef Sabina , Schuengel Carlo
Published: July 2020

This study evaluated the efficacy of a mentoring program on improving psychosocial functioning of young people with a visual impairment (VI). Furthermore, the impact of experimentally matching mentees to mentors with or without VI on youth outcomes was examined. A total of 76 adolescents with VI (15–22 year; 46% boys) were randomized into a yearlong mentoring program ( n = 51) or care-as-usual ( n = 25). Mentoring involved one-on-one activities within community settings. Psychosocial functioning was improved in all participants during the study ( d = 0.35–1.06); however, mentoring outperformed care-as-usual only for autonomy (95% CI: 0.003, 0.31; d = 0.44) and competence satisfaction (95% CI: 0.02, 0.34; d = 0.55), and not for the other six psychosocial outcomes ( d < 0.36). Matching similarity was not significantly related to the outcomes assessed. Mentoring was of limited benefit for psychosocial functioning of youth with VI. This trial is registered in the Netherlands Trial Register NTR4768.
Indigenous investments: Are they different? Lessons from Iwi
Authors: Poyser Andre , Scott Ayesha , Gilbert Aaron
Published: July 2020

Iwi, the tribal entities of the Māori people of Aotearoa New Zealand, now manage billions of dollars, a task requiring increasing sophistication in their investment strategies. Asset classes of Iwi have evolved from the properties, fisheries quotas, and cash they received through Aotearoa New Zealand’s Treaty settlement process to now include major investments in private equity, infrastructure, and other financial assets. The literature has, however, been largely silent on Iwi investments. Performance discussions tend to emphasize a western approach focusing on traditional financial performance measures. Using Waikato-Tainui operated Tainui Group Holdings (TGH) as an example, we analyze a sample of corporate disclosure documents. We find the intent of tribal (Iwi) investment firms may not be adequately captured through traditional investment frameworks and classic performance metrics. Drawing parallels between Iwi investment firms and impact investing widens the scope for financial managers to think differently about how we quantify Indigenous investment performance.
A Topic-Based Bibliometric Analysis of Two Decades of Research on the Application of Technology in Classroom Dialogue
Authors: Hao Tianyong , Chen Xieling , Song Yu
Published: July 2020

With growing interest in technology and its application within education, an increasing volume of research literature concerning the utilisation of technology in classroom dialogue has become available. To provide a comprehensive overview of the research area, this paper reports the results of topic-based bibliometric analysis of relevant articles published from 1999 to 2018. Trends in articles and citations, productive institutions, countries/regions and journals are identified. Vital research interests in the research area and how have they evolved over time have been specified and visualised. Interest in the application of technology in classroom dialogue has grown significantly during the past 20 years and will continue to expand. The USA is the top productive country in the field, and countries/regions and institutions that display a large number of international collaborations are likely to be influential. Topic analysis highlights the existing prominence of research in the areas of Dialogue, Settings, Collaboration and Information communications technology, as well as increasing interest in Learning achievement and Teacher professional development. Findings obtained in this study could potentially help promote the use of technology in classroom dialogue, and provide suggestions for scholars and project investigators in (re)allocating research resources.
The Connection Between Animal Abuse, Emotional Abuse, and Financial Abuse in Intimate Relationships: Evidence From a Nationally Representative Sample of the General Public
Authors: Fitzgerald Amy J. , Barrett Betty Jo , Gray Allison , Cheung Chi Ho
Published: July 2020

This article empirically examines the extent to which the co-occurrence of the maltreatment of companion animals and intimate partner violence (IPV) previously documented in samples of women accessing services from domestic violence shelters extends to a nationally representative sample of the general Canadian population, with a specific focus on emotional and financial abuse. Using data from the intimate partner victimization module of the 2014 Canadian General Social Survey ( n = 17,950), the authors find that reporting one’s intimate partner threatened or abused companion animals in the home increased the probability that one had experienced at least one form of emotional abuse or financial abuse by 38.6% ( p ≤ .001) and 7.5% ( p ≤ .001), respectively, net of several key control variables. Moreover, the findings indicate that those who identify as women are significantly more likely to report their partner emotionally or financially abused them and threatened or mistreated their pet(s); the connection between animal maltreatment and IPV is particularly pronounced for emotional IPV when compared with other forms of IPV; challenge the commonplace conceptualization of animal abuse as a form of property abuse; and suggest a need for a more nuanced understanding of IPV perpetrators vis-à-vis animal maltreatment. This is the first study to use nationally representative data to assess the co-occurrence of animal abuse and IPV, and as such, it makes significant contributions to the interdisciplinary literature on animal abuse and IPV.
Quality of Life Assessments in Individuals With Young-Onset Dementia and Their Caregivers
Authors: Dixit Divyansh , Spreadbury John , Orlando Rosanna , Hayward Elaine , Kipps Christopher
Published: July 2020

Background:

Quality of life (QoL) has seldom been investigated or explicitly measured in young-onset dementia (YoD). The aims of this study were (1) to investigate and compare QoL self- and proxy reports in a sample of YoD patients and caregivers using different conceptual assessments of QoL and (2) to examine the relationship between caregiver QoL and both burden and mental health.

Methods:

There were 52 participants (26 YoD patient–caregiver dyads). The design was cross-sectional and part of a larger longitudinal prospective cohort study of YoD patients and caregivers. Primary measures included generic QoL (World Health Organization Quality of Life–short version [WHOQOL-BREF]), dementia-specific QoL (Quality of Life in Alzheimer’s Disease Scale [QoL-AD]), health-related QoL (EQ5D), and a single-item QoL measure. Secondary measures included caregiver burden (Zarit Burden Index), mental health (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale), and dementia severity (Clinical Dementia Rating).

Results:

Patient QoL self-reports were higher than caregiver proxy reports on the QoL-AD ( P = .001). Patient QoL self-reports for the WHOQOL-BREF ( P < .01) and single-item QoL ( P < .05) measure were significantly higher than caregiver self-reports. Dementia severity had no relationship with QoL self-reports. Caregiver burden, anxiety, and depression were negatively correlated with QoL when measured using a generic and single-item measure, but not with the health-related measure.

Discussion:

Patients and caregivers show a disparity in QoL reports, with patients tending to report higher QoL. Caregiver burden, anxiety, and depression should be areas targeted for interventions when supporting caregivers.
An observation of the evolution of equilibrium stress on poly(lactic acid) and poly(lactic acid)/hydroxyapatite nanocomposites
Authors: Dusunceli Necmi
Published: July 2020

Relaxation behavior provides specific information that indicates stress development with elapsed time for the determination of material characterization and constituting of material modeling. In addition, anomalous relaxation behavior of polymeric materials enables experimental analysis of some theoretical variables in constitutive equation. Equilibrium stress is one of the most prevailing variables in material modeling and it is generally considered as unmeasurable. In this study, evolution of equilibrium stress was examined with relaxation tests of two semi crystalline polymer materials, one of which was found to reach precise equilibrium stress levels. In accordance with this purpose, extensive relaxation tests were conducted on poly(lactic acid) and poly(lactic acid)/hydroxyapatite nanocomposites specimens at a wide range of temperatures from 23 ℃ and 55 ℃, and stress levels from 1 MPa to 50 MPa for poly(lactic acid) and 51 MPa for poly(lactic acid)/hydroxyapatite nanocomposites. All the specimens were subjected tensile loading–unloading and partial retraction process. The starting points of the relaxation test were chosen on unloading segment of stress–strain curves. Evolution of stress may decay, increase or decay then increase depending on the test point on unloading curves. Relaxation behavior of poly(lactic acid) and poly(lactic acid)/hydroxyapatite nanocomposites was simulated using viscoplasticity theory based on overstress for polymeric materials. Experimental results of poly(lactic acid) and poly(lactic acid)/hydroxyapatite nanocomposites were matched with numerical results of viscoplasticity theory based on overstress for polymeric materials, and viscoplasticity theory based on overstress for polymeric material model was found to have an aptitude for predicting anomalous relaxation behavior of poly(lactic acid) and poly(lactic acid)/hydroxyapatite nanocomposites. Additionally, the effect of temperature on relaxation time was investigated with using Kohlraush–Williams–Watts time-decay function. Modeling capability of Kohlrausch–Williams–Watts model was reasonable to predict short-term simple relaxation of poly(lactic acid) and poly(lactic acid)/hydroxyapatite nanocomposites. Responses of the model showed that interaction between relaxation time and environmental temperature was related to transition from glass state to rubbery state.
Biomechanical analysis of transverse acetabular fracture fixation in the elderly via the posterior versus the anterior approach with and without a total hip arthroplasty
Authors: Moktar Joel , Machin Alan , Bougherara Habiba , Schemitsch Emil H , Zdero Radovan
Published: July 2020

This study provides the first biomechanical comparison of the fixation constructs that can be created to treat transverse acetabular fractures when using the “gold-standard” posterior versus the anterior approach with and without a total hip arthroplasty in the elderly. Synthetic hemipelvises partially simulating osteoporosis (n = 24) were osteotomized to create a transverse acetabular fracture and then repaired using plates/screws, lag screws, and total hip arthroplasty acetabular components in one of four ways: posterior approach (n = 6), posterior approach plus a total hip arthroplasty acetabular component (n = 6), anterior approach (n = 6), and anterior approach plus a total hip arthroplasty acetabular component (n = 6). All specimens were biomechanically tested. No differences existed between groups for stiffness (range, 324.6–387.3 N/mm, p = 0.629), clinical failure load at 5 mm of femoral head displacement (range, 1630.1–2203.9 N, p = 0.072), or interfragmentary gapping (range, 0.67–1.33 mm, p = 0.359). Adding a total hip arthroplasty acetabular component increased ultimate mechanical failure load for posterior (2904.4 vs. 3652.3 N, p = 0.005) and anterior (3204.9 vs. 4396.0 N, p = 0.000) approaches. Adding a total hip arthroplasty acetabular component also substantially reduced interfragmentary sliding for posterior (3.08 vs. 0.50 mm, p = 0.002) and anterior (2.17 vs. 0.29 mm, p = 0.024) approaches. Consequently, the anterior approach with a total hip arthroplasty may provide the best biomechanical stability for elderly patients, since this fixation group had the highest mechanical failure load and least interfragmentary sliding, while providing equivalent stiffness, clinical failure load, and gapping compared to other surgical options.
Disease activity and health-care utilization among young adults with childhood-onset lupus transitioning to adult care: data from the Pediatric Lupus Outcomes Study
Authors: Haro Sara L , Lawson Erica F , Hersh Aimee O
Published: July 2020

Background

Individuals with childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematosus (cSLE) must transfer from pediatric to adult care. The goal of this study was to examine disease activity and health-care utilization among young adults with cSLE who are undergoing or have recently completed the transfer to adult care.

Methods

The Pediatric Lupus Outcomes Study (PLOS) is a prospective longitudinal cohort study of young adults aged 18–30 diagnosed with cSLE. We conducted a cross-sectional analysis comparing 47 participants under the care of pediatric rheumatologists to 38 who had completed transfer to adult care. Demographics, disease manifestations, health- care utilization and transition readiness were compared between groups.

Results

Those in the post-transfer group had significantly lower medication usage and were less likely to have seen a rheumatologist in the past year. Disease manifestations, flare rates, and hospitalizations were similar between groups. Nearly a quarter of patients who had transferred to adult care reported difficulties with the process.

Conclusion

Post-transfer patients had lower health-care utilization as evidenced by less medication usage and lack of rheumatology follow-up, in spite of the fact that disease activity was similar in both groups. Future studies will assess longitudinal changes in disease activity and damage in this population.
Propensity score specification for optimal estimation of average treatment effect with binary response
Authors: Craycroft John A , Huang Jiapeng , Kong Maiying
Published: July 2020

Propensity score methods are commonly used in statistical analyses of observational data to reduce the impact of confounding bias in estimations of average treatment effect. While the propensity score is defined as the conditional probability of a subject being in the treatment group given that subject’s covariates, the most precise estimation of average treatment effect results from specifying the propensity score as a function of true confounders and predictors only. This property has been demonstrated via simulation in multiple prior research articles. However, we have seen no theoretical explanation as to why this should be so. This paper provides that theoretical proof. Furthermore, this paper presents a method for performing the necessary variable selection by means of elastic net regression, and then estimating the propensity scores so as to obtain optimal estimates of average treatment effect. The proposed method is compared against two other recently introduced methods, outcome-adaptive lasso and covariate balancing propensity score. Extensive simulation analyses are employed to determine the circumstances under which each method appears most effective. We applied the proposed methods to examine the effect of pre-cardiac surgery coagulation indicator on mortality based on a linked dataset from a retrospective review of 1390 patient medical records at Jewish Hospital (Louisville, KY) with the Society of Thoracic Surgeons database.
Book review: Krishnan Srinivasan, James Mayall and Sanjay Pulipaka (Eds.), Values in Foreign Policy: Investigating Ideals and Interests
Authors: Behera Ajay Darshan
Published: July 2020

Krishnan Srinivasan, James Mayall and Sanjay Pulipaka (Eds.), Values in Foreign Policy: Investigating Ideals and Interests. London: Rowman & Littlefield, 2019, 293 pp. ISBN HB 978-1-78660-749-2. PB 978-1-78660-750-8.
The development of pathways for responding to patient complexity in a liaison psychiatry setting
Authors: Carpenter Lindsay Jane , Bautovich Alison , Sharma Swapnil , Gatsi Mike , Wand Anne Pamela Frances
Published: July 2020

Objectives:

The aims were to develop and operationalise a method of identifying patients at increased risk of adverse outcomes due to clinical and systems complexity within consultation-liaison psychiatry (CLP), and to formalise escalation processes for enhanced input with targeted clinical and organisational support.

Methods:

The literature pertaining to methods for identifying and responding to complexity in general hospital settings was reviewed. An Escalation Tool operationalising the identification of complexity and response pathways was devised and tested. Feedback on the face validity and utility guided refinement.

Results:

Two established tools that assess complexity, INTERMED and the Patient-Centred Accreditation method (PCAM) and a novel ‘episode complexity’ screening method, were identified and informed the development of a tool for identifying and responding to complexity, which was then piloted. The tool was deemed useful, notwithstanding variability in scoring.

Conclusions:

The Escalation Tool combined elements of existing measures to identify complexity in general hospital inpatients and guide pathways for action. It was well received and considered feasible for implementation, with local adaptation according to available resources.
Experimental capabilities and limitations of a position-based control algorithm for swarm robotics
Authors: Zheng Yating , Huepe Cristián , Han Zhangang
Published: July 2020

Achieving efficient and reliable self-organization in groups of autonomous robots is a fundamental challenge in swarm robotics. Even simple states of collective motion, such as group translation or rotation, require nontrivial algorithms, sensors, and actuators to be achieved in real-world scenarios. We study here the capabilities and limitations in controlling experimental robot swarms of a decentralized control algorithm that only requires information on the positions of neighboring agents, and not on their headings. Using swarms of e-Puck robots, we implement this algorithm in experiments and show its ability to converge to self-organized collective translation or rotation, starting from a state with random orientations. Through a simple analytical calculation, we also unveil an essential limitation of the algorithm that produces small persistent oscillations of the aligned state, related to its marginal stability. By comparing predictions and measurements, we compute the experimental noise distributions of the linear and angular robot speeds, showing that they are well described by Gaussian functions. We then implement simulations that model this noise by adding Gaussian random variables with the experimentally measured standard deviations. These simulations are performed for multiple parameter combinations and compared to experiments, showing that they provide good predictions for the expected speed and robustness of the self-organizing dynamics.
Mitochondrial Fatty Acids and Neurodegenerative Disorders
Authors: Kastaniotis Alexander J. , Autio Kaija J. , R. Nair Remya
Published: July 2020

Fatty acids in mitochondria, in sensu stricto, arise either as β-oxidation substrates imported via the carnitine shuttle or through de novo synthesis by the mitochondrial fatty acid synthesis (mtFAS) pathway. Defects in mtFAS or processes involved in the generation of the mtFAS product derivative lipoic acid (LA), including iron-sulfur cluster synthesis required for functional LA synthase, have emerged only recently as etiology for neurodegenerative disease. Intriguingly, mtFAS deficiencies very specifically affect CNS function, while LA synthesis and attachment defects have a pleiotropic presentation beyond neurodegeneration. Typical mtFAS defect presentations include optical atrophy, as well as basal ganglia defects associated with dystonia. The phenotype display of patients with mtFAS defects can resemble the presentation of disorders associated with coenzyme A (CoA) synthesis. A recent publication links these processes together based on the requirement of CoA for acyl carrier protein maturation. MtFAS defects, CoA synthesis- as well as Fe-S cluster-deficiencies share lack of LA as a common symptom.
Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation and Cognition in Neuropsychiatric Disorders: Systematic Review of the Evidence and Future Directions
Authors: Ciullo Valentina , Spalletta Gianfranco , Caltagirone Carlo , Banaj Nerisa , Vecchio Daniela , Piras Fabrizio , Piras Federica
Published: July 2020

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has been implemented in neuropsychiatric disorders characterized by cognitive impairment. However, methodological heterogeneity challenges conclusive remarks. Through a critical analysis of previous conflicting findings and in the light of current neurobiological models of pathophysiology, we qualitatively assessed the effects of tDCS in neuropsychiatric disorders that share neurobiological underpinnings, as to evaluate whether stimulation can improve cognitive deficits in patients’ cohorts. We performed a systematic review of tDCS studies targeting cognitive functions in mental disorders and pathological cognitive aging. Data from 41 studies, comprising patients with diagnosis of mood disorders, schizophrenia-spectrum disorders, Alzheimer’s disease (AD), and mild cognitive impairment (MCI), were included. Results indicate that tDCS has the capacity to enhance processing speed, working memory, and executive functions in patients with mood and schizophrenia-spectrum disorders. The evidence of a positive effect on general cognitive functioning and memory is either inconclusive in AD, or weak in MCI. Future directions are discussed for developing standardized stimulation protocols and for translating the technique therapeutic potential into effective clinical practice.