bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mechanical performance of woven kenaf-Kevlar hybrid composites
Authors: Yahaya R , Sapuan SM , Jawaid M , Leman Z , Zainudin ES
Published: November 2014

Hybrid composites offer a combination of advantages of constituent components to produce a material with determined properties. In the present work, woven hybrid composite was prepared by hand lay-up method in laminate configuration. Kevlar/kenaf hybrid composites were fabricated with total fibre content of 30% and the ratio of Kevlar/kenaf varies in weight fraction of 78/22, 60/40, 50/50, 26/74, and 32/68, respectively. The Kevlar/epoxy and kenaf/epoxy were also prepared for comparison. The mechanical properties of hybrid, kenaf/epoxy, and Kevlar/epoxy composites were tested. Morphological properties of tensile fracture surface of hybrid composites were studied by scanning electron microscopy. Results have established that the mechanical properties of kenaf-Kevlar hybrid composites are a function of fibre content. The hybrid composites with Kevlar/kenaf (78/22) ratio exhibited better mechanical properties compared to other hybrid composites. This result indicates the potential of Kevlar-kenaf hybrid composite for impact applications.
Risk Factors for Acute Symptomatic Seizure in Bacterial Meningitis in Children
Authors: Corrêa-Lima Ana Rosa Melo , de Barros Miranda-Filho Demócrito , Valença Marcelo Moraes , Andrade-Valença Luciana
Published: November 2014

The aim of this study was to investigate the association between clinical and laboratory parameters at admission and the occurrence of in-hospital symptomatic seizures in children with acute bacterial meningitis in Brazil. A retrospective case-control study in 270 children with confirmed bacterial meningitis, aged from 1 month to 14 years, was conducted between January 2004 and December 2008. Associations with the occurrence of in-hospital epileptic seizures were adjusted using stepwise multiple logistic regression analysis. Sixty-seven children suffered at least one in-hospital epileptic seizure. After multivariate analysis, the independent predictors considered for in-hospital epileptic seizures were as follows: age less than 2 years (odds ratio = 0.97; 95% confidence interval 0.97-0.98), pneumococcal etiology (odds ratio = 4.55; 95% confidence interval 1.88-11.0); altered mental status (odds ratio = 3.47; 95% confidence interval 1.66-7.26) and cerebrospinal fluid leukocyte count below 1000 cells (odds ratio = 2.14; 95% confidence interval 0.99-4.60). Mortality was higher in patients with intrahospital epileptic seizures compared to those without (25/67 [37.3%] vs 9/203 [4.43%], P < .001].
The Shadow of Physical Harm? Examining the Unique and Gendered Relationship Between Fear of Murder Versus Fear of Sexual Assault on Fear of Violent Crime
Authors: Riggs Samantha , Cook Carrie L.
Published: November 2014

The shadow hypothesis regarding the impact of fear of sexual assault on fear of violent crime suggests that female fear of crime is characterized by concern about sexual assault as a contemporaneous victimization event during a violent crime event. Recent research has found that other types of crime, namely physical assault, may also be feared as a contemporaneous offense. We know of no research that has examined the unique impact of fear of murder versus fear of sexual assault on fear of violent crime. There is also a lack of research that explores how these two types of fear uniquely affect men and women. In addition to gender, we examine factors that have been suggested in previous research to correlate with fear of crime: race, victimization, vicarious victimization, and perceived risk. Through survey methodology, this research examines the unique relationship between both fear of murder and fear of sexual assault and fear of three types of violent crime for men and women. Results suggest differences in how fear of murder and fear of sexual assault are related to fear of other types of violence for men and women. Specifically, fear of murder is important in estimating male fear of robbery and aggravated assault. However, fear of sexual assault is almost as important as fear of murder for men in estimating fear of home invasion. Similarly, for women, fear of sexual assault and fear of murder both are significant factors associated with fear of violent crime, and differences between the levels of significance are marginal. This study is a first to examine whether murder may also be feared as a contemporaneous offense. The results are informative in identifying what drives fear of crime, particularly violent crime, for both men and women. Avenues for future research are discussed.
The Process of Reporting and Receiving Support Following Exposure to Intimate Partner Violence During Childhood
Authors: Howell Kathryn H. , Cater Åsa K. , Miller-Graff Laura E. , Graham-Bermann Sandra A.
Published: November 2014

While a significant body of research suggests that exposure to intimate partner violence (IPV) during childhood has severe and long-lasting consequences, little is known about how children cope with witnessing IPV, including who they tell about the violence, whether they receive support after disclosing, and the association between childhood disclosure and adulthood mental health. The current study examines these issues in 703 Swedish young adults who endorsed witnessing IPV during childhood. In this sample, 57% reported that they had ever confided in someone about the witnessed violence. The primary reason given for not disclosing was the belief that no one could do anything about it, which was endorsed by 41% of the young adults who kept the violence concealed. Individuals who disclosed the violence were most likely to tell a friend and least likely to use an anonymous hotline. Young adults with higher levels of depression were less likely to have disclosed IPV during their childhood. Individuals’ use of formal reporting outlets was endorsed infrequently, with only 5.2% recalling that they had personally reported the violence or someone else had reported it on their behalf. If such reports were filed, it was most likely to the police. These formal reports typically resulted in participants feeling that the problem continued anyway or that they were believed, but no changes were made. Given the infrequent use of formal reporting services, results suggest that for this sample, reporting outlets for IPV exposure may be underutilized and may not be perceived as beneficial.
Transphobic Murders in Italy
Authors: Prunas Antonio , Clerici Carlo Alfredo , Gentile Guendalina , Muccino Enrico , Veneroni Laura , Zoja Riccardo
Published: November 2014

In Europe, 71 murders resulting in the death of transgendered persons were reported between 2008 and 2013, 20 of which perpetrated in Italy, the second highest rate in Europe after Turkey. We retrospectively analyzed the homicides of transgender people recorded at the Medicolegal Bureau in Milan from January 1993 to December 2012. First we considered the sociodemographic data of 20 victims and the circumstantial details of their deaths, then we examined the data related to the cause of death from the autopsy reports. Our data show that victims are mostly immigrants, biological males presenting with a feminine attire and with varying degrees of feminization. The large majority of the victims were sex workers from South America. As for murderers, they were unknown in 7 cases (35%); all the 13 murderers identified were males, aged between 17 and 63 ( M age = 31 years). In 38% of the cases, the murderer was the victim’s current or former partner. For half of the homicides, it was possible to identify at least one primary indicator of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) hate crime. Our findings call for the need to make explicit in Italian legislation that a crime perpetrated on the ground of sexual orientation and gender identity constitutes a hate crime.
The Trauma of Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Youth
Authors: Cole Jennifer , Sprang Ginny , Lee Robert , Cohen Judith
Published: November 2014

This study examined the demographic features, trauma profiles, clinical severity indicators, problem behaviors, and service utilization characteristics of youth victims of commercial sexual exploitation (CSE) compared with a matched sample of sexually abused/assaulted youth who were not exploited in commercial sex. Secondary data analysis and propensity score matching were used to select a sample of 215 help-seeking youth who were exploited in prostitution ( n = 43) or who were sexually abused/assaulted but not exploited in prostitution ( n = 172) from the National Child Traumatic Stress Network Core Data Set (NCTSN CDS). Propensity Score Matching was used to select a comparison sample based on age, race, ethnicity, and primary residence. Statistically significant differences were noted between the groups on standardized (e.g., UCLA Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Reaction Index [PTSD-RI], Child Behavior Checklist [CBCL]) and other measures of emotional and behavioral problems (e.g., avoidance and hyperarousal symptoms, dissociation, truancy, running away, conduct disorder, sexualized behaviors, and substance abuse). This study provides useful insight into the symptom and service utilization profiles of youth exploited in commercial sex as compared with youth with other types of sexually exploitive experiences. Targeted screening and event-sensitive measures are recommended to more accurately identify youth exploited in commercial sex. More research is needed to determine if and what modifications to trauma therapies may be required to address the more severe symptomatology and behavior problems associated with youth exploited in commercial sex.
Attitudes About Human Trafficking
Authors: Cunningham Katherine C. , Cromer Lisa DeMarni
Published: November 2014

Human trafficking is believed to oppress millions of people worldwide. Despite increased media attention and public awareness campaigns in recent years, no empirical research has examined public attitudes about human trafficking. The present study examined gender, sexual trauma history, and attitudes about human trafficking as they related to belief of a sex-trafficking scenario and willingness to blame the victim for the situation. Undergraduate students ( N = 409) at a large private university in the Northeastern United States completed measures in which they responded to a vignette portraying sex trafficking in the United States. Participants also reported their personal trauma history and completed a Human Trafficking Myths Scale. Results indicated that gender and human trafficking myth acceptance, but not sexual trauma history, were significantly related to participants’ belief of the sex-trafficking scenario and their perception of the victim’s responsibility. Potential implications and directions for future research are discussed.
Posttraumatic Stress Symptomatology in Pre-Hospital Emergency Care Professionals Assaulted by Patients and/or Relatives
Authors: Gómez-Gutiérrez M. Mar , Bernaldo-de-Quirós Mónica , Piccini Ana T. , Cerdeira Jose C.
Published: November 2014

Exposure to violence from patients or relatives causes problems in emergency departments. To assess the development of posttraumatic symptoms in pre-hospital emergency care professionals assaulted by patients and/or relatives, it may be crucial to establish preventive measures at different levels. This study examined 358 pre-hospital emergency care professionals assaulted by patients and/or relatives. The aims of the present study were (a) to assess the presence of posttraumatic symptoms and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and (b) identify compliance diagnoses for PTSD depending on the experience of aggression (presence of fear, helplessness, or horror during the aggression), the perceived severity of aggression, and socio-demographic variables (gender, age, profession, employment status, and work experience). The results show that the experience of aggression with fear, helplessness, or horror is associated with the presence of posttraumatic symptoms related to re-experiencing but is not related to avoidance and emotional numbing and arousal. Furthermore, the perception of aggression as severe was associated with the presence of symptoms related to re-experiencing. These results are presented and discussed.
The Good, the Bad, and the Incomprehensible
Authors: Mancini Christina , Pickett Justin T.
Published: November 2014

Public opinion has played a critical role in the development of sex crime laws. However, little scholarly work has focused directly on the origins of negative attitudes toward sex offenders. We address this research gap by developing and testing a theoretical account of such views. Drawing on recent national survey data, we examine the extent to which typifications about sexual victims and offenders—believing sex crime typically affects children and female victims and is committed by strangers—explain beliefs about the reformability of sex offenders, harm inflicted on victims, and the causes of offending. Results indicate that judging children to be typical targets of sex crimes is a key determinant of public views. We discuss the implications of our findings.
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder as a Mediator Between Trauma Exposure and Comorbid Mental Health Conditions in North Korean Refugee Youth Resettled in South Korea
Authors: Kim Yeunhee J.
Published: November 2014

A structural equation model was used to investigate the relationship between trauma exposure and comorbid mental health problems and the mediation effect of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) between trauma and mental health variables. The research model is based on the stress-vulnerability conceptual framework in which PTSD as a comorbid disorder mediates the relationship between trauma exposure and mental health problems. A self-administered survey was administered to 144 North Korean refugee youth residing in South Korea. Trauma exposure, both interpersonal and noninterpersonal, had no direct relationship with comorbid mental health problems. However, interpersonal trauma contributed to comorbid mental health problems through PTSD, demonstrating the mediation effect of PTSD and supporting the stress-vulnerability hypothesis of the current research model. Clinical implications of the study and future direction for research are discussed.
Torture and Long-Term Health Effects Among Lebanese Female Political Prisoners
Authors: Ghaddar Ali , Elsouri Ghadier , Abboud Zeinab
Published: November 2014

Lebanese prisoners during the Israeli occupation of Lebanon (1981-1999) were subject to regular torture. We examined the association between torture events and post-traumatic stress and cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) among former women political prisoners. We conducted a retrospective survey and performed health check-ups among 108 former women prisoners. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was measured through the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS), and CVDs were assessed by physicians’ diagnoses. The study was conducted between September 2008 and March 2010. All 67 participants in the study reported having been subjected to a variety of torture events. The prevalence of PTSD was 28.4% and that of CVD was 16.42%, respectively. PTSD and CVD were more likely to occur among women who had had longer imprisonment periods, and PTSD specifically was associated with exposure to torture (beating: OR = 1.49; 95% CI [0.48, 4.27] and threatening by rape: OR = 1.43; 95% CI [0.82, 9.30]). CVD was associated with asphyxia with water (OR = 3.86; 95% CI [0.03, 2.28]). Devoutness decreased the risk of PTSD (OR = 0.24; 95% CI [0.08, 1.41]). Torture had adverse long-term effects on prisoners’ physiological and psychological health; devoutness played a significant protective role. This study highlights the importance of documenting torture events and identifying the indicators of associated morbidity among surviving political prisoners for the provision of additional resources to care.
Affective Dispositions and PTSD Symptom Clusters in Female Interpersonal Trauma Survivors
Authors: Brown Wilson J. , Bruce Steven E. , Buchholz Katherine R. , Artime Tiffany M. , Hu Emily , Sheline Yvette I.
Published: November 2014

Interpersonal trauma (IPT) against women can have dire psychological consequences including persistent maladaptive changes in the subjective experience of affect. Contemporary literature has firmly established heightened negative affect (NA) as a risk and maintenance factor for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, the relationship between NA and PTSD symptoms is not well understood within IPT survivors, the majority of whom are female, as much of this research has focused on combat veterans. In addition, the connection between positive affect (PA) and PTSD symptoms has yet to be examined. With increased emphasis on “negative alterations in cognitions and mood . . .” as an independent symptom cluster of PTSD in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.; DSM-5), understanding the relationship between self-reported affectivity and the classic PTSD symptom clusters may be increasingly useful in differentiating symptom presentations of trauma-related psychopathology. The current study directly compared self-reported trait NA and PA with total severity and frequency cluster scores from the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS) in 54 female survivors of IPT who met criteria for PTSD. Results identify NA (but not PA) as a consistent predictor of total PTSD symptoms and, specifically, re-experiencing symptoms.
Military Milk
Authors: Stewart Kelley
Published: November 2014

Background:

The breastfeeding behaviors among Australian Defence Force women have not previously been examined. Studies have shown that breastfeeding prevalence and duration are affected by maternity leave entitlements and returning to work.

Objectives:

This study aimed to benchmark breastfeeding initiation, prevalence, and duration among a cohort of Australian Defence Force women and to compare these findings against Australian population norms.

Methods:

A cross-sectional survey was conducted via email in 2008 for Australian Defence Force women who had taken maternity leave in the Australian financial year of 2006/2007. Analysis of breastfeeding indicators was undertaken.

Results:

Ninety-eight percent of Australian Defence Force women in this cohort initiated breastfeeding and breastfed for a median duration of 8 months, returning to work when the mean age of the child was 8.4 months. Breastfeeding prevalence did not meet 2003 Australian National Health and Medical Research Council targets by 6 months postpartum but compared favorably to the Australian population norms. Sixty-six percent of the respondents returned to work full-time, with a median breastfeeding duration of 7 months. Women who returned to work part-time had a longer median duration of 10 months.

Conclusion:

Breastfeeding rates among this cohort of Australian Defence Force women compare favorably with the general Australian population until 9 months, coinciding with returning to work after a period of maternity leave. The results support recent Australian population studies on breastfeeding and employment.
Breast Milk Pumping Beliefs, Supports, and Barriers on a University Campus
Authors: Dinour Lauren M. , Pope Gina A. , Bai Yeon K.
Published: November 2014

Background:

Compared to nonemployed mothers, employed mothers are more likely to terminate breastfeeding sooner than recommended, due in part to a lack of workplace support.

Objective:

The purpose of this study is to compare the beliefs of employees and students affiliated with a university regarding pumping breast milk on campus.

Methods:

This qualitative study used semistructured interviews grounded in the theory of planned behavior, focused on behavioral, normative, and control beliefs regarding pumping on campus. Responses were independently coded and categorized based on common themes. Response frequencies were calculated and compared between students, staff, and faculty.

Results:

Thirty-two women (11 students, 8 staff, 13 faculty) participated in the interview. Overall, participants most frequently reported that maintaining milk supply/extending breastfeeding duration was an advantage to pumping on campus, and time/scheduling issues a disadvantage. The most commonly perceived supporters were peers, whereas those unaware, uninformed, and/or disapproving of breastfeeding were most commonly perceived as opponents to pumping on campus. Reporting within each category differed between students, staff, and faculty. It is notable that students most frequently identified the lack of available pumping space as a barrier, whereas faculty often reported that space availability made pumping on campus easier for them. In addition, both staff and faculty frequently stated that scheduling and time constraints were a pumping barrier.

Conclusion:

An inequality of current lactation support practice may exist at colleges and universities. It is necessary to extend this protection to all members of a workplace, regardless of their role.
Children’s imagined future families: Relations between future constructions and present family forms in Austria
Authors: Zartler Ulrike
Published: November 2014

Existing research on children’s depictions of their future families has primarily focused on gender aspects. In contrast, this study highlights children’s family structures as an arena of differentiation. The research is based on qualitative interviews with 50 Austrian 10-year-old children and relies on a social constructionist approach. Results indicate considerable differences with regard to family structure: Children living in non-nuclear families emphasised their wish to correspond to the norm, presented less detailed ideas about future partnerships, ascribed more agency to children and constructed parental roles differently from those living in nuclear families. However, distinctions were less pronounced in terms of gender roles.
(Don’t) Make My Vote Count
Authors: Faravelli Marco , Sanchez-Pages Santiago
Published: November 2014

Proponents of proportional electoral rules often argue that majority rule depresses turnout and may lower welfare due to the ‘tyranny of the majority’ problem. The present paper studies the impact of electoral rules on turnout and social welfare. We analyze a model of instrumental voting where citizens have private information over their individual cost of voting and over the alternative they prefer. The electoral rule used to select the winning alternative is a combination of majority rule and proportional rule. Results show that the above arguments against majority rule do not hold in this set up. Social welfare and turnout increase with the weight that the electoral rule gives to majority rule in a close election, while they are independent of the electoral rule when the expected size of the minority tends to zero. However, more proportional rules can increase turnout within the minority group; this effect is stronger the smaller the minority group. We provide a general version of the competition effect, i.e. that turnout in close elections is higher than in biased elections, independently of the systems adopted in the two cases.
A clozapine conundrum: clozapine toxicity in an acute medical illness
Authors: Matthews Christina J , Hall Tanya L
Published: November 2014

Objective:

The following report presents a case in which significant clozapine toxicity was demonstrated in a patient on established therapy, in the absence of identifiable risk factors. Through this case report, the authors aim to highlight the potential for clozapine toxicity to occur unexpectedly in times of acute medical illness, and the need to remain vigilant in such situations.

Methods:

Case report and review of the relevant literature.

Results:

We describe a case of a 62 year old man whom developed life-threatening clozapine toxicity in the context of a severe lower respiratory infection. Following investigation to exclude the usual causes of toxicity, it was surmised that impaired CYP1A2 function, secondary to the acute inflammatory process, had led to a toxic level of the drug.

Conclusions:

Given the possibility that serum clozapine levels may significantly rise in acute illness, the team recommends measurement of clozapine levels in these situations, in combination with the usual full blood count investigation. Such a practice should be considered in the local monitoring protocol, to avoid incidence of potentially toxic outcomes.
Sequence-characterized amplified regions that differentiate New World screwworms from other potential wound-inhabiting flies
Authors: Christen Joan A. , Skoda Steven R. , Heng-Moss Tiffany M. , Lee Donald J. , Foster John E.
Published: November 2014

New World screwworms, Cochliomyia hominivorax (Coquerel, 1858), were once devastating pests of warm-blooded animals in the United States before they were successfully eradicated using the sterile insect technique. Guarding against the introduction of screwworms to North America or any other screwworm-free area relies on rapid, reliable identification of suspected cases. In the current study, the DNA from excised markers generated by randomly amplified polymorphic DNA polymerase chain reaction was used as the basis to generate 2 species-specific sequence-characterized amplified region molecular markers. Resulting primer pairs, named CR92A1 and J1A2 (each with forward and reverse components), produced amplicons of 852 and 848 base pairs, respectively. The 2 primer pairs successfully discriminated between C. hominivorax, Cochliomyia macellaria (Fabricius, 1775), 8 other species of blowflies, 3 noncalliphorid dipterans, and 1 nondipteran outlier. These primers may become important tools for veterinary laboratories and the screwworm eradication and exclusion program for rapid identification or verification of suspicious larval samples in presumed outbreaks.
Isolation and genetic characterization of an Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae serovar K12:O3 strain
Authors: Ito Hiroya , Matsumoto Atsuko
Published: November 2014

An atypical Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae serovar 12 strain, termed QAS106, was isolated from a clinical case of porcine pleuropneumonia in Japan. An immunodiffusion (ID) test identified the strain as serovar 12. However, the ID test also demonstrated that strain QAS106 shared antigenic determinants with both the serovar 3 and 15 reference strains. Strain QAS106 was positive in the capsular serovar 12–specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay, while the PCR toxin gene profiling and omlA PCR typing assays indicated that strain QAS106 was similar to serovar 3. The nucleotide sequence of the 16S ribosomal DNA (rDNA) of strain QAS106 was identical with that of serovars 3 and 12, but it showed 99.7% identity with that of serovar 15. Nucleotide sequence analysis revealed that genes involved in biosynthesis of the capsular polysaccharide (CPS) of strain QAS106 were identical to those of serovar 12 at the amino acid level. On the other hand, strain QAS106 would express putative proteins involved in the biosynthesis of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) O-polysaccharide (O-PS), the amino acid sequences of which were identical or nearly identical to those of serovars 3 and 15. In conclusion, strain QAS106 should be recognized as K12:O3, even though typical serovar 12 strains are K12:O12. The emergence of an atypical A. pleuropneumoniae serovar 12 strain expressing a rare combination of CPS and O-PS antigens would hamper precise serodiagnosis by the use of either CPS- or LPS-based serodiagnostic methodology alone.
Rasch Analysis of the Arabic Language Version of the Functional Disability Inventory
Authors: Madi Dina , Clinton Michael
Published: November 2014

It is important for the responsive and effective treatment of pediatric cancer patients that functional disability is successfully measured, but no measures of functional disability have been validated for use with Arabic-speaking children and adolescents. The purpose of this study was to examine the psychometric characteristics of the first Arabic translation of the Functional Disability Inventory (FDI). A methodological study limited to the secondary analysis of functional disability data on 62 pediatric patients in Lebanon using the rating scale model and WINSTEPS Rasch analysis software was used. Disordered responses to 4 FDI times suggest that the Arabic translation of the rating scale categories might need revision or supplementation with a visual analogue scale. The dimensionality of the FDI needs further exploration because principal component analyses of residuals suggested the presence of secondary and possibly higher order dimensions. Additional FDI items are needed to improve targeting if low levels of functional disability are demonstrated to be clinically important for patient assessment and pain management. The FDI-A is suitable for clinical assessment and for monitoring the outcomes of pain management in Lebanese pediatric cancer patients. Our findings support the construct validity of the FDI-A and acceptable reliability for the 15-item scale, Cronbach α .93 and .85 for 4 of the item subsets we examined. Rating scale categories and the dimensionality of the FDI-A require further examination. The clinical relevance of distinctions between levels of functional disability in children and adolescents with cancer pain remains to be established.
Defining Engagement and Characterizing Engaged-Behaviors in Digital Gaming
Authors: Bouvier Patrice , Lavoué Elise , Sehaba Karim
Published: November 2014

Background. Although the analysis of engagement is crucial for digital entertainment or learning games, the concept of players’ or learners’ engagement is still confusing. Indeed, in digital games research, several concepts referring to the idea of engagement such as immersion, involvement, presence, and flow are used. Also, while the characterization of engaged-behaviors may be useful for designers or teachers in assessing players’ or learners’ engagement, the nature and the scope of these behaviors are still unclear.

Aim. In this article, based on a multidisciplinary state of the art on the concept of engagement, we define and delineate the concepts related to digital gaming engagement.

Results. We characterize engaged-behaviors by identifying four types of engagement: environmental, social, self, and action. We thus refine, disambiguate, and characterize the concepts of engagement and engaged-behaviors. This work therefore constitutes an effective support for analyzing, designing, assessing, and personalizing engaging activities in digital games.
Incredible Years Program Tailored to Parents of Preschoolers With Autism
Authors: Dababnah Sarah , Parish Susan L.
Published: November 2014

Objective:

This article reports on the acceptability and results from an evaluation of an empirically supported practice, The Incredible Years, tailored to parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

Methods:

Two groups of parents ( N = 17) participated in a mixed methods test with no comparison group of the 15-week intervention. Data were collected at baseline, posttest, and on a weekly basis.

Results:

Acceptability and attendance were high, attrition was modest, and parent stress decreased significantly after program completion. Parents highlighted several barriers to their success in the program, including difficulty applying some program content (e.g., time-out for noncompliance) to children with sensory or self-regulation challenges. However, participants reportedly enjoyed the play-based approach of the program, as well as opportunities for social support and peer learning.

Conclusion:

The Incredible Years is a promising intervention for parents raising preschoolers with ASD. A randomized controlled trial is needed to rigorously test the intervention.
The Loss of Balance Between the Art and Science of Management
Authors: Guerriero Wilson Robbie
Published: November 2014

This essay considers the developments in education for management in 20th-century Britain. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, that is, the highpoint of the United Kingdom’s economic success, management was considered more of an art than a science, and formal education specifically for management was limited. After the Second World War, Lyndall Urwick’s Committee on Education for Management promoted more “scientific” approaches to management and a greater emphasis on “practical” aspects of management. However, the Urwick Report still promoted a degree of balance between the art and the science of management. But as the State and society began to stress the economic contribution of education, as management education came to be dominated by universities, and as the nature of the U.K. economy changed, the provision of broad, liberal education fell by the wayside. Specialization and expertise became the measure of value. But specialization and expertise have revealed themselves to be of limited value in an increasingly complex environment. To help students prosper in their 21st-century careers, what may be needed is a refocusing on the “habits of mind” and intellectual skills fostered by a broad and balanced curriculum.
Significance of IMP3, Nucleophosmin, and Ki-67 Expression in Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma
Authors: Yorukoglu Aygun , Yalcin Nagihan , Avci Arzu , Cakalagaoglu Fulya , Yaylali Guzin , Akin Fulya , Haciyanli Mehmet , Ozden Akin
Published: November 2014

The purpose of our study was to investigate the diagnostic value of expression of IMP3, nucleophosmin, and correlation of these markers with Ki-67 proliferation index in papillary thyroid carcinoma and benign neoplasms of thyroid gland. The aim was also to investigate whether there is a difference between papillary and micropapillary carcinomas with regard to clinicopathologic parameters beside IMP3, nucleophosmin, and Ki-67 proliferation index. It was concluded that IMP3 and nucleophosmin cannot be a routine diagnostic marker for discrimination of papillary carcinomas and benign lesions. IMP3 positive staining was quite scarce in IMP3 positive papillary carcinomas although specifity of IMP3 is 100%. A statistically significant correlation was not detected between nucleophosmin, IMP-3, and Ki-67 proliferation index. A statistically significant correlation was found between tumor size, lymphovascular embolism, and Ki-67 proliferation index. There was also significant correlation between tumor size and lymphovascular embolism.
New Radiographic Parameter Assessing Hindfoot Alignment in Stage II Adult-Acquired Flatfoot Deformity
Authors: Williamson Emilie R. C. , Chan Jeremy Y. , Burket Jayme C. , Deland Jonathan T. , Ellis Scott J.
Published: November 2014

Background:

The hindfoot moment arm is a reliable measurement of hindfoot valgus deformity in stage II adult-acquired flatfoot deformity (AAFD) and can be used to guide intraoperative correction of the hindfoot. There is currently little understanding of how the hindfoot moment arm relates to angular measurements of hindfoot alignment. The purpose of this study was to develop a new hindfoot alignment angle that can reliably quantify hindfoot valgus in patients with AAFD and to establish the relationship of this angle with the hindfoot moment arm.

Methods:

Preoperative hindfoot alignment radiographs were reviewed for 10 consecutive patients (10 feet) who were indicated for reconstruction for stage II AAFD. A second group of 10 patients (10 feet) without flatfoot were identified to serve as normal controls. The hindfoot moment arm and the new hindfoot alignment angle were measured in blinded fashion by 2 readers. Reliability was assessed using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs). The difference in angle between normal and flatfoot patients was assessed with a Mann-Whitney U test. A linear regression model was used to assess the relationship between hindfoot moment arm and the new hindfoot alignment angle.

Results:

Intra- and interrater reliability for the hindfoot alignment angle was excellent (ICC = 0.979 and 0.965, respectively). Flatfoot patients had greater mean angles than did normal patients (22.5 ± 4.9 vs 5.6 ± 5.4 degrees, P < .001). The hindfoot moment arm was correlated significantly with the hindfoot alignment angle ( P < .001), increasing by 0.81 mm for every degree increase in angle (adjusted R2 = 0.9046).

Conclusion:

These results indicate that the new hindfoot alignment angle is a reliable measure of hindfoot valgus and can differentiate between flatfoot and normal patients. In addition, the strong linear relationship between the hindfoot alignment angle and moment arm may allow for the use of this angle in the intraoperative correction of hindfoot valgus.

Level of Evidence:

Level III, retrospective case control study.
Electrophysiological and Antiarrhythmic Properties of Potassium Canrenoate During Myocardial Ischemia–Reperfusion
Authors: Alexandre Joachim , Beygui Farzin , Puddu Paolo-Emilio , Manrique Alain , Rouet René , Milliez Paul
Published: November 2014

Introduction:

Recent clinical studies have reported the potential benefit of an early mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) blockade with potassium canrenoate (PC) on ventricular arrhythmias (VAs) occurrence in patients experiencing an ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). However, most of the electrophysiological properties of PC demonstrated to date have been investigated in normoxic conditions, and therefore, in vitro experiments during an acute myocardial ischemia–reperfusion were lacking.

Materials and Methods:

We used rabbit in vitro models and standard microelectrode technique to assess the electrophysiological impact of PC during myocardial ischemia–reperfusion, including right ventricle mimicking the “border zone” existing between normal and ischemic/reperfused areas (1 µmol/L, 10 and 100 nmol/L), isolated right ventricle, and sinoatrial node (SAN) experiments (1 µmol/L, respectively).

Results:

During ischemia–reperfusion, acute superfusion of PC 100 nmol/L prevented the increase in action potential (AP) duration at 90% of repolarization (APD90) dispersion between ischemic and nonischemic areas and in VAs occurrence induced by aldosterone 10 nmol/L (86 ± 3 vs 114 ± 4 milliseconds for aldosterone alone, P < .05). Potassium canrenoate also induced conduction blocks and significantly decreased Vmax during simulated ischemia (from 25 ± 5 to 12 ± 4, 14 ± 3, and 14 ± 5 V/s, respectively, for PC 1 µmol/L, 100, and 10 nmol/L, P < .05). Potassium canrenoate 1 µmol/L demonstrated cycle length (CL)-dependent effects on APD90 and on Vmax, and it also reduced SAN beating CL (from 446 ± 28 to 529 ± 24 millisecond, P < .05).

Conclusion:

Our experimental study highlights new evidence for an antiarrhythmic impact of PC during myocardial ischemia–reperfusion via multiple channels modulation. These results are in line with recent clinical trials suggesting that an early MR blockade in STEMI may be preventive of VAs.
Examining the Validity of AHRQ’s Patient Safety Indicators (PSIs)
Authors: Shin Marlena H. , Sullivan Jennifer L. , Rosen Amy K. , Solomon Jeffrey L. , Dunn Edward J. , Shimada Stephanie L. , Hayes Jennifer , Rivard Peter E.
Published: November 2014

Increasing use of Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality’s Patient Safety Indicators (PSIs) for hospital performance measurement intensifies the need to critically assess their validity. Our study examined the extent to which variation in PSI composite score is related to differences in hospital organizational structures or processes (i.e., criterion validity). In site visits to three Veterans Health Administration hospitals with high and three with low PSI composite scores (“low performers” and “high performers,” respectively), we interviewed a cross-section of hospital staff. We then coded interview transcripts for evidence in 13 safety-related domains and assessed variation across high and low performers. Evidence of leadership and coordination of work/communication (organizational process domains) was predominantly favorable for high performers only. Evidence in the other domains was either mixed, or there were insufficient data to rate the domains. While we found some evidence of criterion validity, the extent to which variation in PSI rates is related to differences in hospitals’ organizational structures/processes needs further study.
Working Alliance and Its Relationship With Treatment Outcome in a Sample of Aboriginal and Non-Aboriginal Sexual Offenders
Authors: DeSorcy Danielle R. , Olver Mark E. , Wormith J. Stephen
Published: November 2014

The relationship that develops between a client and therapist is arguably one of the most important factors toward achieving positive outcomes from therapy. The present study examined the therapeutic alliance, as measured by Horvath and Greenberg’s Working Alliance Inventory (WAI), as a function of Aboriginal ancestry and the relationship of alliance to important program outcomes, in a Canadian correctional sample of 423 treated sexual offenders. The men rated their primary therapists on the WAI 3 months into treatment. Higher self-report ratings on the WAI and its Task, Bond, and Goal subscales were associated with lower rates of treatment non-completion and longer stay in treatment. Aboriginal men scored significantly lower on the WAI’s Bond subscale (i.e., the emotional connection between client and therapist) than non-Aboriginal men, although by and large, the offender sample as a whole otherwise registered fairly high mean scores on the tool. Aboriginal men scoring below the median on WAI total score had the highest rates of treatment non-completion. WAI total score and scores on the three subscales were unrelated to post-program recidivism in the community. Cultural implications for correctional client engagement and service delivery within the context of the risk-needs-responsivity model are discussed.
Regression Discontinuity in Prospective Evaluations
Authors: Klerman Jacob Alex , Olsho Lauren E. W. , Bartlett Susan
Published: November 2014

While regression discontinuity has usually been applied retrospectively to secondary data, it is even more attractive when applied prospectively. In a prospective design, data collection can be focused on cases near the discontinuity, thereby improving internal validity and substantially increasing precision. Furthermore, such prospective application of regression discontinuity will often allow better understanding of the selection process, further increasing precision. As a result, regression discontinuity’s scope for application is considerably broadened in the prospective context. We demonstrate these ideas with an impact evaluation of the USDA Food and Nutrition Service’s Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP).
Bad jobs and good workers: The hiring of ex-prisoners in a segmented economy
Authors: Bumiller Kristin
Published: November 2014

Scholarship focusing on barriers to the employment of ex-prisoners has paid little attention to the linkages between mass incarceration and the structural conditions of low wage labor. In contrast, this article considers how decisions to hire ex-prisoners occur in the context of a highly segregated labor market. The research is based upon interviews with employers who are willing to hire persons exiting prisons. These employers were queried about their motivations for hiring, perceptions of their employees with criminal records, and their beliefs about fairness and justice. The interviews show that a strong motivating factor for hiring was finding a “good worker to do a bad job”, but also that decisions were influenced by employers’ common sense norms derived from surviving at the bottom of the economy. Despite the willingness of employers to offer “second chances” and make small allowances, these factors were insufficient to counteract the obstacles to sustainable employment.
Inequalities in health care use among older adults in Sweden 1992–2011: A repeated cross-sectional study of Swedes aged 77 years and older
Authors: Wastesson Jonas W. , Fors Stefan , Parker Marti G. , Johnell Kristina
Published: November 2014

Aims: In the last decades, the Swedish health care system was reformed to promote free choice; however, it has been questioned whether older adults benefit from these reforms. It has also been proposed that reforms promoting free choice might increase inequalities in health care use. Thus, the aim of this study is to investigate socioeconomic differences in health care use among older adults in Sweden, from 1992 to 2011. Methods: The Swedish Panel Study of the Living Conditions of the Oldest Old (SWEOLD) is a nationally representative study of Swedes over 76 years old, including both institutionalized and community-dwelling persons. We analyzed cross-sectional data from SWEOLD waves in 1992, 2002 and 2011 ( n ≈ 600/wave); and performed multivariate analyses to investigate whether socioeconomic position was associated with health care use (inpatient, outpatient and dental services) after need was accounted for. Results: For the period of 1992–2011, we found that higher education was associated with more use of outpatient and dental care, both before and after adjustment for need. The association between education and inpatient or outpatient care use did not change over time. There was an increase in the proportion of older adults whom used dental care over the 19-year period, and there was a tendency for the socioeconomic differences regarding dentist visits to decrease over time. Conclusions: Our study covering 19 years showed relatively stable findings for socioeconomic differences in health care use among older adults in Sweden. We found there was a slight decrease in inequality in dental care; but unchanged socioeconomic differences in outpatient care, regardless of the changes that occurred in the Swedish health care system.
Psychological consequences of screening for cardiovascular risk factors in an un-selected general population: Results from the Inter99 randomised intervention study
Authors: løkkegaard Thomas , Andersen John s. , Jacobsen Rikke k. , Badsberg Jens H. , Jørgensen Torben , Pisinger Charlotta
Published: November 2014

Background: Concerns that general health checks, including screening for risk factors to ischemic heart disease (IHD), have negative psychological consequences seem widely unfounded; however, previous studies are only based on self-reports from participants. Aim: To investigate if risk factor screening in healthy adults leads to mental distress in the study population, independent of participation. Methods: The Inter99 study (1999 – 2006) was a randomised intervention in the general population, aiming to prevent IHD by a healthier lifestyle. We included the whole study population, independent of participation ( n = 60,915). We merged data with information on the use of psychotropic medication and/or hospitalisation due to psychiatric diagnoses, as retrieved from national registers in Denmark, 4 years before and 5 years after the study began. We conducted analyses using generalised estimating equations. Results: There was no significant difference between the intervention and control groups in their use of antipsychotics, hypnotics/sedatives, antidepressants or anxiolytics. As regards admission to the hospital with mental disorders, no significant difference was seen. These findings were true based on a yearly basis, and when investigating both short-term and a long-term effects of the intervention. There was no interaction with socioeconomic status. Of the 918 persons with a psychiatric diagnosis before the study start, 303 (33%) were re-admitted in the intervention period. Pre-screening of psychological status did not influence the psychological impact of screening. Conclusions: This large, randomised intervention study supports that screening for risk factors to IHD does not increase mental distress, not even in the mentally or socioeconomically most vulnerable persons. This study included the whole Inter99 study population (not only study participants).