bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Shifting Control Algorithm for a Single-Axle Parallel Plug-In Hybrid Electric Bus Equipped with EMT
Authors: Yang Yunyun , Wu Sen , Fu Xiang
Published: December 2014

Combining the characteristics of motor with fast response speed, an electric-drive automated mechanical transmission (EMT) is proposed as a novel type of transmission in this paper. Replacing the friction synchronization shifting of automated manual transmission (AMT) in HEVs, the EMT can achieve active synchronization of speed shifting. The dynamic model of a single-axle parallel PHEV equipped with the EMT is built up, and the dynamic properties of the gearshift process are also described. In addition, the control algorithm is developed to improve the shifting quality of the PHEV equipped with the EMT in all its evaluation indexes. The key techniques of changing the driving force gradient in preshifting and shifting compensation phases as well as of predicting the meshing speed in the gear meshing phase are also proposed. Results of simulation, bench test, and real road test demonstrate that the proposed control algorithm can reduce the gearshift jerk and the power interruption time noticeably.
A Retrospective Study Investigating the Incidence and Predisposing Factors of Hospital-Acquired Anemia
Authors: Kurniali Peter C. , Curry Stephanie , Brennan Keith W. , Velletri Kim , Shaik Mohammed , Schwartz Kenneth A. , McCormack Elise
Published: December 2014

Hospitalized patients frequently have considerable volumes of blood removed for diagnostic testing which could lead to the development of hospital-acquired anemia. Low hemoglobin levels during hospitalization may result in significant morbidity for patients with underlying cardiorespiratory and other illnesses. We performed a retrospective study and data was collected using a chart review facilitated through an electronic medical record. A total of 479 patients who were not anemic during admission were included in analysis. In our study, we investigated the incidence of HAA and found that, between admission and discharge, 65% of patients dropped their hemoglobin by 1.0 g/dL or more, and 49% of patients developed anemia. We also found that the decrease in hemoglobin between admission and discharge did not differ significantly with smaller phlebotomy tubes. In multivariate analysis, we found that patients with longer hospitalization and those with lower BMI are at higher risk of developing HAA. In conclusion, our study confirms that hospital-acquired anemia is common. More aggressive strategies such as reducing the frequency of blood draws and expanding the use of smaller volume tubes for other laboratory panels may be helpful in reducing the incidence of HAA during hospitalization.
A Novel Parameter Estimation Method for Muskingum Model Using New Newton‐Type Trust Region Algorithm
Authors: Sheng Zhou , Ouyang Aijia , Liu Li-Bin , Yuan Gonglin
Published: December 2014

Parameters estimation of Muskingum model is very significative in both exploitation and utilization of water resources and hydrological forecasting. The optimal results of parameters directly affect the accuracy of flood forecasting. This paper considers the parameters estimation problem of Muskingum model from the following two aspects. Firstly, based on the general trapezoid formulas, a class of new discretization methods including a parameter θ to approximate Muskingum model is presented. The accuracy of these methods is second‐order, when θ ≠ 1/3. Particularly, if we choose θ = 1/3, the accuracy of the presented method can be improved to third‐order. Secondly, according to the Newton‐type trust region algorithm, a new Newton‐type trust region algorithm is given to obtain the parameters of Muskingum model. This method can avoid high dependence on the initial parameters. The average absolute errors (AAE) and the average relative errors (ARE) of the proposed algorithm of parameters estimation for Muskingum model are 8.208122 and 2.462438%, respectively, where θ = 1/3. It is shown from these results that the presented algorithm has higher forecasting accuracy and wider practicability than other methods.
ENSO Teleconnection Pattern Changes over the Southeastern United States under a Climate Change Scenario in CMIP5 Models
Authors: Oh Ji-Hyun , Shin D. W. , Cocke Steven D. , Baigorria Guillermo A.
Published: December 2014

A strong teleconnection exists between the sea surface temperature (SST) over the tropical Pacific and the winter precipitation in the southeastern United States (SE US). This feature is adopted to validate the fidelity of Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5) in this study. In addition, the authors examine whether the teleconnection pattern persists in the future under a global warming scenario. Generally, most of the eight selected models show a positive correlation between November SST over Niño 3 region and December–February (DJF) mean daily precipitation anomalies over the SE US, consistent with the observation. However, the models with poor realization of skewness of Niño indices fail to simulate the realistic teleconnection pattern in the historical simulation. In the Representative Concentration Pathways 8.5 (RCP8.5) run, all of the models maintain positive and slightly increased correlation patterns. It is noteworthy that the region with strong teleconnection pattern shifts northward in the future. Increased variance of winter precipitation due to the SST teleconnection is shown over Alabama and Georgia rather than over Florida under the RCP8.5 scenario in most of the models, differing from the historical run in which the precipitation in Florida is the most attributable to the eastern Pacific SST.
The Effect of Massage Therapy on Autonomic Activity in Critically Ill Children
Authors: Guan Ling , Collet Jean-Paul , Yuskiv Nataliya , Skippen Peter , Brant Rollin , Kissoon Niranjan
Published: December 2014

Objectives. Our main objective was to describe the effect of foot and hand (F&H) massage on the autonomic nervous system (ANS) activity in children hospitalized in a pediatric intensive care unit (PICU); the secondary objectives were to assess the relationship between ANS function and the clinical severity and to explore the effects of repeated massage sessions on the ANS. Methods. Design was a descriptive experimental study. Intervention was single or six session(s) of F&H massage. ANS function was assessed through the frequency‐domain analysis of heart rate variability. Main metrics included high and low frequency power (HF and LF), HF + LF, and LF/HF ratio. Results. Eighteen children participated in the study. A strong Spearman’s correlation (ρ = −0.77) was observed between HF + LF and clinical severity. During massage, the parasympathetic activity (measured by HF) increased significantly from baseline (P = 0.04) with a mean percentage increase of 75% (95% CI: 20%∼130%). LF increased by 56% (95% CI: 20%∼92%) (P = 0.026). Repeated sessions were associated with a persistent effect on HF and LF which peaked at the second session and remained stable thereafter. Conclusions. HF + LF is positively correlated with clinical severity. F&H massage can improve the ANS activity and the effect persists when repeated sessions are offered.
Cosmic Baryon Asymmetry in Different Neutrino Mass Models with Mixing Angles
Authors: Francis Ng. K.
Published: December 2014

We investigate the comparative studies of cosmological baryon asymmetry in different neutrino mass models with and withoutθ13by considering the three-diagonal form of Dirac neutrino mass matrices and the three aspects of leptogenesis, unflavoured, flavoured, and nonthermal. We found that the estimations of any models withθ13are consistent in all the three stages of calculations of leptogenesis and the results are better than the predictions of any models withoutθ13which are consistent in a piecemeal manner with the observational data in all the three stages of leptogenesis calculations. For the normal hierarchy of Type-IA with charged lepton matrix, model with and withoutθ13predicts inflaton mass required to produce the observed baryon asymmetry to beMϕ~2.2×1011 GeV andMϕ~3.6×1010 GeV, and the corresponding reheating temperatures areTR~4.86×106 GeV andTR~4.50×106 GeV respectively. These predictions are not in conflict with the gravitino problem which required the reheating temperature to be below107 GeV. And these values apply to the recent discovery of Higgs boson of mass~125 GeV. One can also have the right order of relic dark matter abundance only if the reheating temperature is bounded to below107 GeV.
Phenolic Profiling and Evaluation of Contraceptive Effect of the Ethanolic Extract of Salsola imbricata Forssk. in Male Albino Rats
Authors: Shehab Naglaa Gamil , Abu-Gharbieh Eman
Published: December 2014

Reported researches dealing with either composition or bioactivity of Salsola imbricata are limited. This study was conducted aiming to investigate the phenolic composition of the plant and evaluate its efficacy as male contraceptive. Polyphenols, namely, phenolic acids and flavonoids, were qualitatively and quantitatively analysed by RP‐HPLC in the hydrolysed methanol extract using two different wavelengths, 280 and 330 nm. The efficiency of different solvents in extracting the plant phenolics was assessed via spectrophotometric determination of the total phenolic and flavonoid contents. Acute toxicity study was carried out on the ethanolic extract to ascertain its safety prior to biological evaluation. The contraceptive effect was assessed, in male rats, by oral administration of the extract at two doses (250 and 500 mg/kg b. wt.), over a period of 65 days. HPLC analyses allowed the identification and quantification of a total of 13 and 8 components in the hydrolysed‐methanol extract; the overall phenolic composition was dominated by quercitrin (12.692%) followed by coumaric acid (4.251%). Prolonged oral administration of the ethanolic extract caused slight reduction in the testis weight only. A significant decrease in the sperm count was observed (P < 0.01) in the two treated groups while significant decrease in the epididymal sperm motility was only observed in the high dose group. Morphological abnormalities were observed in sperms of treated animals. No distinct change in serum FSH, LH, and testosterone concentration was recorded. The histopathological findings supported to a high extent these results. The male contraceptive activity of Salsola imbricata could be ascribed to its phenolic components, especially quercitrin.
Severe Growing-Up Phobia, a Condition Explained in a 14-Year-Old Boy
Authors: Perales-Blum Laurencia , Juárez-Treviño Myrthala , Escobedo-Belloc Daniela
Published: December 2014

We present the clinical case of a 14-year-old boy with gerascophobia or an excessive fear of aging, who felt his body development as a threat, to the point where he took extreme measures to stop or otherwise hide growth. He had a history of separation anxiety, sexual abuse, and suffering bullying. He presented with anxious and depressive symptoms and food restriction, criticized his body image, had negative feelings towards the maturation process, suffered at the thought of being rejected, and was preoccupied with certain physical characteristics. We conducted an analysis of biological, psychological, and environmental factors and their possible interactions and established treatment with psychotherapy and fluoxetine. Because of the favorable results, this approach could be considered a good option in such cases.
Preliminary Studies of New Water Removal Element in Purification Applications of Diesel Fuels
Authors: Chen Ruijun
Published: December 2014

To effectively and efficiently remove water contamination dispersed in petrodiesel fuels, a new water removal element with both coalescence and separation features is studied in this paper. The unique droplet coalescence and separation mechanism occurring in the new water removal element is proposed. The conceptual design of this filter element is presented and the basic features of FCP filtration systems are briefly introduced. A laboratory test stand and fuel analysis procedure are described. The results from preliminary water removal tests with number 2 petrodiesel fuel demonstrate the filtration performance of the new water removal element. For example, within one single fuel flow pass through FCP filtration system equipped with the new water removal element and running at 2 GPM flow rate, the water content in 80°F, number 2 petrodiesel fuel stream can be reduced from up to 40,000 ppm upstream to 64.8 ppm or less downstream.
Radical Resection of a Late-Relapsed Testicular Germ Cell Tumour: Hepatectomy, Cavotomy, and Thrombectomy
Authors: Ní Leidhin C. , Redmond C. E. , Cahalane A. M. , Heneghan H. M. , Motyer R. , Ryan E. R. , Hoti E.
Published: December 2014

Up to 3.2% of patients with testicular germ cell tumours represent with late-relapsing disease. Aggressive surgical resection confers the greatest chance of cure in this patient group. We present the case of a late and extensively relapsed nonseminomatous germ cell tumour with thrombus present along the entire length of the inferior vena cava, as well as in the right hepatic vein. Techniques practised in liver transplantation were used to achieve complete resection of the tumour thrombus. This case illustrates the enhanced potential for tumour resection through a fusion of principles derived from surgical oncology and liver transplantation.
Correlation of Processing, Inner Structure, and Part Properties of Injection Moulded Thin-Wall Parts on Example of Polyamide 66
Authors: Drummer Dietmar , Meister Steve
Published: December 2014

In micro- and thin-wall injection moulding the process conditions affect the developed internal structures and thus the resulting part properties. This paper investigates exemplarily on polyamide 66 the interactions of different cooling conditions on the morphological and crystalline structures. The investigations reveal that a slow cooling rate of the melt results in a homogeneous morphology and a higher degree of crystallinity and also a favoured crystalline structure. Consequently, the dielectric behaviour and light transmitting part properties are affected.
Decoupled Scheme for Time‐Dependent Natural Convection Problem II: Time Semidiscreteness
Authors: Zhang Tong , Tao ZhenZhen
Published: December 2014

We study the numerical methods for time‐dependent natural convection problem that models coupled fluid flow and temperature field. A coupled numerical scheme is analyzed for the considered problem based on the backward Euler scheme;
stability and the corresponding optimal error estimates are presented. Furthermore, a decoupled numerical scheme is proposed by decoupling the nonlinear terms via temporal extrapolation; optimal error estimates are established. Finally, some numerical results are provided to verify the performances of the developed algorithms. Compared with the coupled numerical scheme, the decoupled algorithm not only keeps good accuracy but also saves a lot of computational cost. Both theoretical analysis and numerical experiments show the efficiency and effectiveness of the decoupled method for time‐dependent natural convection problem.
A Giant Left Atrial Myxoma
Authors: Zaher Medhat F. , Bajaj Sharad , Habib Mirette , Doss Emile , Habib Michael , Bikkina Mahesh , Shamoon Fayez , Hoyek Wissam N.
Published: December 2014

Atrial myxomas are the most common primary cardiac tumors. Patients with left atrial myxomas generally present with mechanical obstruction of blood flow, systemic embolization, and constitutional symptoms. We present a case of an unusually large left atrial myxoma discovered incidentally in a patient with longstanding dyspnea being managed as bronchial asthma.
Performance of Series Connected GaAs Photovoltaic Converters under Multimode Optical Fiber Illumination
Authors: Shan Tiqiang , Qi Xinglin
Published: December 2014

In many military and industrial applications, GaAs photovoltaic (PV) converters are connected in series in order to generate the required voltage compatible with most common electronics. Multimode optical fibers are usually used to carry high-intensity laser and illuminate the series connected GaAs PV converters in real time. However, multimode optical fiber illumination has a speckled intensity pattern. The series connected PV array is extremely sensitive to nonuniform illumination; its performance is limited severely by the converter that is illuminated the least. This paper quantifies the effects of multimode optical fiber illumination on the performance of series connected GaAs PV converters, analyzes the loss mechanisms due to speckles, and discusses the maximum illumination efficiency. In order to describe the illumination dependent behavior detailedly, modeling of the series connected PV array is accomplished based on the equivalent circuit for PV cells. Finally, a series of experiments are carried out to demonstrate the theory analysis.
Traction Control of Electric Vehicles Using Sliding-Mode Controller with Tractive Force Observer
Authors: Kuntanapreeda Suwat
Published: December 2014

Traction control is an important element in modern vehicles to enhance drive efficiency, safety, and stability. Traction is produced by friction between tire and road, which is a nonlinear function of wheel slip. In this paper, a sliding-mode control approach is used to design a robust traction controller. The control objective is to operate vehicles such that a desired wheel slip ratio is achieved. A nonlinearity observer is employed to estimate tire tractive forces, which are used in the control law. Simulation and experimental results have illustrated the success of the proposed observer-based controller.
The Crystallization, Melting Behavior, and Thermal Stability of Poly(L-lactic acid) Induced byN,N,N′-Tris(benzoyl) Trimesic Acid Hydrazide as an Organic Nucleating Agent
Authors: Cai Yan-Hua , Zhang Yan-Hua
Published: December 2014

N,N,N′-Tris(benzoyl) trimesic acid hydrazide (TTAD), as a novel nucleating agent of poly(L-lactic acid) (PLLA), was synthesized and characterized by FT-IR and1H NMR. The crystallization, melting behavior, and thermal stability of PLLA induced by TTAD were investigated through DSC, TGA, depolarized-light intensity measurement, and so forth. The crystallization behavior indicated that the presence of TTAD accelerated the overall PLLA crystallization. Compared to neat PLLA, the crystallization onset temperature of PLLA/1%TTAD increased from 101.36°C to 125.26°C, the melt-crystallization peak temperature increased from 94.49°C to 117.56°C, crystallization enthalpy increased from 0.1023 J·g−1to 33.44 J·g−1at a cooling rate of 1°C/min from melt, and the crystallization half-time of PLLA/TTAD decreased from 2997.2 s to 108.9 s at 110°C. Moreover, the nonisothermal crystallization measurements also indicated that the crystallization peak became wider and shifted to a lower temperature with increasing cooling rate. With the presence of TTAD, the melting behavior of PLLA was affected significantly, and a double-melting peak occurred due to melting-recrystallization. Thermal stability research showed that there existed one degradation stage of PLLA and PLLA/TTAD samples, and the thermal degradation temperature of PLLA/TTAD decreased compared to neat PLLA.
Emergency Open Incarcerated Hernia Repair with a Biological Mesh in a Patient with Colorectal Liver Metastasis Receiving Chemotherapy and Bevacizumab Uncomplicated Wound Healing
Authors: Giakoustidis Alexandros , Morrison Dawn , Neofytou Kyriakos , Giakoustidis Dimitrios , Mudan Satvinder
Published: December 2014

Bevacizumab is a humanized monoclonal antibody targeting vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), often used in combinational chemotherapy regimens for the treatment of patients with colorectal liver metastases. However adverse events have been attributed to the use of bevacizumab including gastrointestinal perforations, thrombotic events, hypertension, bleeding, and wound healing complications. 53-year-old male, with a history of colorectal cancer with liver metastasis, receiving a combination of cytotoxic chemotherapy (FOLFIRI, irinotecan with fluorouracil and folinic acid) with bevacizumab presented as an emergency with an incarcerated incisional hernia. The last administration of chemotherapy and bevacizumab had taken place 2 weeks prior to this presentation. As the risk of strangulation of the bowel was increased, a decision was made to take the patient to theatre, although the hazard with respect to wound healing, haemorrhage, and infection risk was high due to the recent administration of chemotherapy with bevacizumab. The patient underwent an open repair of the incarcerated recurrent incisional hernia with placement of a biological mesh, and the postoperative recovery was uncomplicated with no wound healing or bleeding problems.
Rare Periodontal Ligament Drainage for Periapical Inflammation of an Adjacent Tooth: A Case Report and Review of the Literature
Authors: Guo Hongmei , Lu Wei , Han Qianqian , Li Shubo , Yang Pishan
Published: December 2014

Aim. To report a case with an unusual drainage route of periapical inflammation exiting through the gingival sulcus of an adjacent vital tooth and review probable factors determining the diversity of the discharge routes of periapical inflammation.Summary. An 18-year-old male patient presented with periodontal abscess of tooth 46, which was found to be caused by a periapical cyst with an acute abscess of tooth 45. During endodontic surgery, a rarely reported drainage route for periapical inflammation via the gingival sulcus of an adjacent vital tooth was observed for the first time. Complete periodontal healing of the deep pocket of tooth 46 and hiding of the periapical cyst of tooth 45 followed after root canal treatment and periapical surgery with Bio-Oss Collagen implantation on tooth 45. The drainage routes of periapical inflammation are multivariate and the diversity of drainage pathways of periapical inflammation is mainly related to factors such as gravity, barriers against inflammation, and the causative tooth itself.
Inheritance of Nitrogen Use Efficiency in Inbred Progenies of Tropical Maize Based on Multivariate Diallel Analysis
Authors: Guedes Fernando Lisboa , Diniz Rafael Parreira , Balestre Marcio , Ribeiro Camila Bastos , Camargos Renato Barbosa , Souza João Cândido
Published: December 2014

The objective of our study was to characterize and determine the patterns of genetic control in relation to tolerance and efficiency of nitrogen use by means of a complete diallel cross involving contrasting inbred progenies of tropical maize based on a univariate approach within the perspective of a multivariate mixed model. Eleven progenies, previously classified regarding the tolerance and responsiveness to nitrogen, were crossed in a complete diallel cross. Fifty-five hybrids were obtained. The hybrids and the progenies were evaluated at two different nitrogen levels, in two locations. The grain yield was measured as well as its yield components. The heritability values between the higher and lower nitrogen input environment did not differ among themselves. It was observed that the general combining ability values were similar for both approaches univariate and multivariate, when it was analyzed within each location and nitrogen level. The estimate of variance of the specific combining ability was higher than general combining ability estimate and the ratio between them was 0.54. The univariate and multivariate approaches are equivalent in experiments with good precision and high heritability. The nonadditive genetic effects exhibit greater quantities than the additive genetic effects for the genetic control of nitrogen use efficiency.
A Novel Receiving and Extraction Method for Echoes of Multistatic Sonar
Authors: Zhang Lanyong , Du Yixuan , Li Bing
Published: December 2014

Multiple carrier frequency detecting signals are transmitted simultaneously by multiple transmitters in multistatic sonar. The echoes mixed with different carrier frequency in the receiver. The different carrier frequency echoes must be separated from one another before features of echoes are extracted in the receiver. Such a problem can be solved by band‐pass and low‐pass filters. But the amount of operation by this way is too large for real‐time realization. Thus this paper presents the technique of channelized receiver based on multiphase filter and the receiving schemes of echo. The proposed receiver has a smaller amount of operation compared to low‐pass filter. At last, the feature extraction technology correlation processing and FDWT are introduced. In order to verify the feasibility of this scheme in multistatic sonar, the extracted features of original echo are contrasted with those of processed echo via simulation. Simulation results show that the proposed receiver provides considerable performance.
Quantification of Caffeoylquinic Acids in Coffee Brews by HPLC-DAD
Authors: Moeenfard Marzieh , Rocha Lígia , Alves Arminda
Published: December 2014

The influence of different brewing conditions on the concentration of the main caffeoylquinic acids (3-caffeoylquinic acid (3-CQA), 4-caffeoylquinic acid (4-CQA), and 5-caffeoylquinic acid (5-CQA)) was investigated. For this purpose, twenty-four coffee brews were extracted and analyzed using HPLC-DAD at 325 nm. Our findings demonstrate the great impact of brewing techniques on the caffeoylquinic acids (CQAs) content. The major isomer was 3-CQA, accounting for about 50% of the total CQAs, followed by 5-CQA and 4-CQA, accounting for about 24–36% for each one. The total content of CQAs was in the range of 45.79 to 1662.01 mg/L, found in iced cappuccino and pod espresso, respectively. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that coffee brews, in particular those prepared using pressurized methods, can be considered as the potential sources of antioxidants such as CQAs.
Urinary Continence Outcomes after Puboprostatic Ligament Preserving Open Retropubic Radical Prostatectomy at a Sub-Saharan Hospital
Authors: Kaggwa S. , Galukande M.
Published: December 2014

Background. Open retropubic radical prostatectomy is a commonly performed procedure for clinically localized prostate cancer. The demand for high level functional outcomes after therapy is increasing especially for young age patients; in this regard refinements in the surgical technique have been made. There is limited data to show the success of some of these refinements in resource limited settings.Methods. A retrospective clinical study was performed over a 2-year period at Mengo Hospital, Urology Unit. Men with clinically localized prostate cancer and who consented to the procedure were eligible and were recruited. Consequently excluded were those that turned out to have advanced disease and those with severe comorbidities. Patients were followed up for 3 months after surgery. Data was entered using SPSS version 17 and analyzed.Results. A total of 24 men with clinically localized prostate cancer underwent open retropubic puboprostatic ligament preserving radical prostatectomy technique. Mean age was 66, range 54–75 years.Outcome.Two patients had stress incontinence and three were incontinent at 3 months. The urinary continence recovery rate was 19/24 (79%) at 3 months.Conclusion. Preservation of the puboprostatic ligament in open retropubic radical prostatectomy was associated with rapid and a high rate of return to urinary continence among men with clinically localized disease.
A Comparison of Limb Praxis Abilities of Persons with Developmental Dyspraxia and Adult Onset Apraxia
Authors: Poole Janet L.
Published: December 2014

The purpose of this study was to determine whether gesture performance in developmental dyspraxia and adult onset apraxia are similar. The performance of children and adults with dyspraxia and adults with apraxia on similar tasks were compared. A convenience sample of six groups of participants were as follows: children with learning disabilities and dyspraxia, young adults with learning disabilities and dyspraxia, older adults with left hemisphere brain damage and apraxia, and three age-matched groups of control participants. There were 10 subjects in each group except the young adults with learning disabilities. Performance on two types of motor tasks was measured: item (transitive, intransitive) and mode (verbal command and imitation). A mixed-model analysis of variance showed significant main effects for Diagnosis, Item, Mode, and the interactions of Diagnosis X Item and Mode X Item. This study suggests that participants with developmental dyspraxia and adult onset apraxia exhibit similar performance deficits in gestural motor tasks. The children and young adults with dyspraxia also scored similarly implying that dyspraxic behaviors continue into adulthood. Application of the findings to intervention suggest that task performance may improve if therapists demonstrate motor tasks and eliminate or minimize tool use.
The 1999 Habits Conference Revisited: Research Questions and Theory Development
Authors: Tickle-Degnen Linda
Published: December 2014

This article uses Kaplan's (1964/1998) perspective on theory development to summarize key research questions generated at the first Habits Conference in 1999. It supports a mulidisciplinary, multiparadigmatic approach to the development of theory about the concept of habit.
The Self as Habit: The Reconstruction of Self in Chronic Illness
Authors: Charmaz Kathy
Published: December 2014

The self-concept is predicated on taken-for-granted ways of thinking, feeling, and acting that become defining characteristics of an individual and distinguish him or her from other people. Chronic illness disrupts these taken-for-granted notions about self, as well as daily habits that support this self. Yet not all people define the disruption that they experience as serious illness with lasting consequences. Their habitual ways of defining self do not permit them to accept altered images of self—even those given in experience. Thus they avoid viewing themselves as chronically ill and resist reconstructing an altered self around illness until they exhaust other plausible explanations and learn over and over in their daily lives that they have changed. The implications for occupational therapists are that patients may either view treatment as irrelevant for their future selves or see the self-images reflected in treatment activities as at odds with their habitualized self-concepts. The article draws on narratives from a qualitative interview study of 140 people with serious chronic illnesses.
Frail Older Adults' Self-Report of Their Most Important Assistive Device
Authors: Mann William C. , Llanes Catherine , Justiss Michael D. , Tomita Machiko
Published: December 2014

The increasing number of older individuals, especially those in the oldest-old age group, has resulted in a significant increase in the number of people with disabilities. Assistive technology offers the potential of increasing independence and quality of life for older individuals with disabilities, as well as reducing health-related costs. To increase our understanding of the value older individuals themselves place on their assistive devices, this study interviewed 1,016 home-based older individuals in western New York and northern Florida, specifically asking them what they considered their “most important” assistive device and why. Not considering the number of users, the top five most important devices were eyeglasses, canes, wheelchairs, walkers, and telephones. Controlling for the number of people using the device, the top five most important devices were oxygen tanks, dentures, 3-in-1 commodes, computers, and wheelchairs. This study suggests that older individuals with disabilities view certain assistive devices as important in maintaining independence.
The Validity of a Methodology to Describe Videotaped Mother—Toddler Interactions
Authors: Ray Sharon A. , Tickle-Degnen Linda
Published: December 2014

The validity of a methodology to describe mother—toddler interaction was examined in an exploratory study. The Parent—Toddler Coding System (PTCS) and Rating Scales of Dyadic Interaction (RSDI) were designed to quantify the task-supporting and socioemotional behaviors observed in exchanges between parents and their toddlers. The PTCS and RSDI were used to describe the videotaped interactions of mothers and toddlers engaged in play and eating activities in the home. The ability of the PTCS and the RSDI to discriminate between socioemotional and task-supporting dimensions of interactions was examined through a forced choice sort procedure. The construct validity was examined through principal component analyses and through procedures to examine the convergent and discriminant validity using correlational analyses. Both the PTCS and the RSDI were found to capture the socioemotional and task-supporting aspects of interactions in a sample of four mothers and their toddlers. This methodology may be useful for examining videotaped research data of interactions between parents and toddlers when engaged in child-focused activity.
The Reliability and Validity of the School Function Assessment—Chinese Version
Authors: Hwang Jeng-Liang
Published: December 2014

The purpose of this study was to examine the reliability and validity of the School Function Assessment (SFA)-Chinese version. The data drawn from the standardization sample of the instrument (N = 320) were used in the analyses. Using internal consistency procedures, Cronbach's alpha for each scale ranged from .94 to .98. The test—retest study reported intraclass correlation coefficients from .87 to .98 among the scales. Content validity of the SFA—Chinese version was confirmed by the overall high content validity indices (85% to 100%) determined by educational experts. Construct-related validity based on an exploratory factor analysis revealed two correlated functional domains of the SFA—Chinese version, “cognitive/behavioral” and “physical,” which were consistent with the theoretical construct hypothesized in the instrument. The known groups method demonstrated different patterns of the SFA scores among three different diagnostic groups. Moreover, discriminant analysis of the scores showed a high percentage of children correctly classified into their diagnostic groups. The overall results supported the psychometric properties of the SFA—Chinese version.
Physical Activity of Young Children
Authors: Ziviani Jenny , MacDonald Doune , Jenkins David , Rodger Sylvia , Batch Jenny , Cerin Ester
Published: December 2014

Occupational therapists concerned with the long-term health and welfare of children need to be aware of the decline in physical activity of children in most Western societies. The current study examined the extent of physical activity in the lives of 50 Australian children with a mean age of 7.74 years through questionnaires completed by the children's parents and pedometer (step) data collected from the children during 4 days. The current data show that higher self-perception of physical competence, child's levels of physical skill, and low parental perception of peer teasing were the best predictors of physical activity. Higher family socioeconomic status was found to be a significant predictor of more steps being taken on weekends, and partner's (usually a father's) level of exercise was an important predictor of the number of weekend steps. Children who were perceived to experience more peer teasing completed fewer steps on the weekend. The findings from this study indicate that children's physical activity levels may depend on the availability of family resources, and that children in their early school years may already experience negative effects from teasing that, combined with reduced self-confidence, may lay the foundation for their withdrawing from physical activity as they get older.
From Society to Self (and Back) through Place: Habit in Transactional Context
Authors: Cutchin Malcolm P.
Published: December 2014

This argument extends the efforts of scholars of occupation and habit in several ways. It extends previous examinations of John Dewey's perspective on habit by bringing to the forefront his view of the social and moral dimensions of habit in the context of his larger metaphysical ground-map. That view suggests a habit process involving the transaction of the social and the individual, with habit as central to that transaction. Dewey's view is further enhanced with a portrayal of how it operates in the material experience of place and landscape. Examples from several scales of place are discussed to illustrate the essential role of material landscapes in this habit process. Using these analyses, the concept of rehabilitation is reconsidered.
Mixed Methods Research in Occupational Therapy: A Survey and Critique
Authors: Mortenson W. Ben , Oliffe John L.
Published: December 2014

Mixed qualitative and quantitative studies are becoming popular in social sciences research and are recognized as legitimate project designs. However, diverse definitions and applications are common and little consensus exists about exactly what constitutes a mixed methods approach. In this article, the authors provide an overview of various approaches to mixed methods and present the findings derived from a survey of mixed methods research published between 2000 and 2005 in nine occupational therapy journals. The results from this survey indicate that, although the use of mixed methods is relatively common (14% of all research articles published), there are several methodological issues to be considered. These include the subordinate positioning of qualitative findings and lack of justification for using mixed methods. Recommendations are offered to conceptually advance future applications and guide occupational therapy researchers considering the use of mixed methods.
A Study of Patient Motivation and Cooperation/Participation in Occupational Therapy
Authors: Kielhofner Gary , Nelson Craig
Published: December 2014

This article reports the development of a model to explain patient motivation and cooperation / participation in occupational therapy and the findings of a descriptive study that examined the model using a survey design. The investigators' model, which was based on the health belief model, proposed that a patient's cooperation and participation in occupational therapy is based on his or her valuation of occupational therapy service. In turn, valuation is the result of the degree of concordance between the form of occupational therapy services received and the patient's expectations for recovery. Data from 338 physically disabled subjects were analyzed using the path analytic method. Results of the path analysis indicate limited support for the explanatory model. As hypothesized, valuation of occupational therapy is associated with cooperation and participation in therapy. However, the proposed determinants of valuation of occupational therapy were not supported by the results.
An Exploratory Study of the Relationship of Valued Activities to the Life Satisfaction of Elderly Persons
Authors: Maguire Gail Hills
Published: December 2014

Participants in a nutritional lunch program for the elderly were surveyed regarding their perceptions of the degree to which they are able to participate in valued activities. The respondents ( N=227) completed questionnaires that elicited the above information along with data on perceived health status, income, social supports, and life satisfaction. It was hypothesized that perceived adequacy of participation in valued activity (PAPVA) would be a significant predictor of life satisfaction. A stepwise multiple regression analysis was conducted, using scores on the Life Satisfaction Index as the dependent variable Results showed that perceived health, income, and social supports and PAPVA were significant predictors of life satisfaction The results provided support for the study hypothesis, which was based on an activity resource-perception model of life satisfaction in elderly persons proposed by the investigator.
Toward an Image of One's Own: Sources of Variation in the Role of Occupational Therapists in Psychosocial Practice
Authors: Barris Roann
Published: December 2014

Two notable characteristics of current psychosocial occupational therapy practice are ideological conflict and unclear or inconsistent role definitions Because professional education can contribute to or alleviate ideological conflict, this study proposed an educational needs assessment that would examine relationships between predominant ideologies in psychosocial practice and therapists' corresponding treatment activities The study surveyed therapists across the United States and found that there was a widespread prevalence of occupational behavior practices, despite the subjects' claims of differing ideologies Although all therapists were affected by their work environment, the therapists adhering to the occupational behavior ideology were less affected by the environment in shaping their roles according to professional beliefs.
A Well Woman's Health Maintenance Study Comparing Physical Fitness and Group Support Programs
Authors: Gill Alice Ann , Veigl Victoria L. , Shuster Jonathan J. , Notelovitz Morris
Published: December 2014

This pilot study examined the effect of group support and physical activity on 75 physiological and psychological indicators of health in well women 40 to 64 years old Fifty subjects were randomly placed in one of four groups: physical fitness (exercise), group support (discussion), physical fitness and group support, or control Groups met weekly for 3 months in structured programs. All subjects completed daily diaries Pre- and post-program psychosocial measures were obtained by questionnaires and standardized tests. Physical measurements were determined through treadmill pulmonary function, body composition, flexibility, and strength tests. A two-way analysis of variance determined differences between groups for changes in all measurements Diastolic pressure, quadriceps strength, and participation in organized sports decreased more in the exercise than nonexercise groups Maximal oxygen consumption, time on the treadmill, time to get 90% of maximal oxygen consumption, and amount of exercise done increased more in the exercise group. Heart rate increased more in the discussion than non-discussion group, while hand strength and forced vital capacity decreased more in the discussion group. Subjects who exercised felt they weren't doing enough exercise while those in discussion groups felt the opposite. Those exercising decreased their stimulant intake, and those not exercising increased their intake The purpose of this study was to delineate specific measurable variables and to identify procedural changes for a larger study.
Generating and Using Knowledge in Occupational Therapy: Implications for Professional Education
Authors: Barris Roann , Kielhofner Gary
Published: December 2014

A review of studies examining differences between graduate and undergraduate occupational therapy students and therapists educated at these levels suggests that while students are frequently found to be similar in their values and learning styles, therapists with graduate and undergraduate degrees may differ in their professional contributions and attitudes. Secondary analyses of two studies completed by the present authors, however, find evidence of differences in students' values and learning preferences, as well as a relationship between psychosocial occupational therapists' level of education and the degree of eclecticism in their theoretical orientation, the degree of consistency between their practices and beliefs, and their movement from staff into senior level positions. Implications of the literature and these studies are that an evolution toward master's level entry along with an increased emphasis on graduate education of all therapists are important strategies for knowledge development in occupational therapy.
Relationship of Occupational Therapists' Education and Experience to Perceived Value of Theory Development
Authors: Van Deusen Julia
Published: December 2014

The development and validation of theoretical bases for intervention have been identified as crucial goals for the profession of occupational therapy. An earlier study showed that recent graduates at the baccalaureate level tended to place less value on theory development than theory application, whereas graduates of professional master's degree or certificate programs in occupational therapy placed a significantly higher value on theory development. This finding led to speculation that theory valuing may be related to professional experience and maturity. This study sought to determine if attitudes of occupational therapists toward theory development are related to their level of education or to their length of professional experience. Using a survey instrument devised by the author, data were collected from a sample of 138 experienced therapists and compared with data collected earlier from recent graduates. Results indicated that both longevity of practice as well as level of education were associated with high priorities for theory development.
The Cardiovascular Fitness of Disabled Patients Attending Occupational Therapy
Authors: Bachynski-Cole Marte , Cumming Gordon R.
Published: December 2014

The purpose of this study was to assess the cardiorespiratory fitness of patients disabled by amputation, stroke, or low back pain who attended occupational therapy. Subjects performed a graded exercise test to their voluntary maximum level of exertion on either an arm crank ergometer or a bicycle ergometer. Measurements were made of heart rate, electrocardiogram, oxygen uptake, blood pressure, and blood lactate. All four patient groups, but particularly the older amputee and stroke patients, were found to tolerate lower maximum workloads and had lower maximal oxygen uptake values than would be anticipated for healthy, able-bodied subjects. Implications of these findings for occupational therapists are discussed.
Organization of Knowledge in Occupational Therapy: A Proposal and a Survey of the Literature
Authors: Kielhofner Gary , Barris Roann
Published: December 2014

There is no universally accepted structure for organizing knowledge in occupational therapy. Confusion over the structuring of knowledge in the field potentially adds to ambiguity of content. This article examines two existing proposals for knowledge organization and proposes a related but alternative approach. Based on this proposed structure, literature in the American Journal of Occupational Therapy over the past ten years was reviewed and classified to reveal patterns and trends.
Toward Validation of Constructs for Classifying Human Performance Dysfunction
Authors: Falconer Judith
Published: December 2014

Impairment, physical disability, and social disability are constructs used to classify human performance dysfunction. This study presents these constructs as extensions to the theoretical conceptualization of human performance dysfunction and tests their validity in a sample of persons with musculoskeletal disorders. Data representing impairment and physical and social disability were obtained from a random telephone survey of 2,350 working-aged adults who reported a musculoskeletal disorder. Empirical factors derived from principal component analysis of the data were compared with conceptual definitions to establish construct validity. Results were tested on subsamples of males and females. Factors of mobility and posture, manual function, activities of daily living, and work in these data were accurate, minimal representations of the constructs of impairment, physical disability, and social disability. Findings are discussed with reference to further theory development and data collection.