bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Descriptive Study of Occupational Therapists’ Participation in Early Childhood Transitions
Authors: Myers Christine Teeters
Published: October 2011

OBJECTIVE. The study describes the current role of occupational therapists in the transition of young children with special needs from early intervention to preschool and from preschool to kindergarten.

METHOD. Questionnaires were mailed to a random sample of 500 pediatric occupational therapists who are members of the American Occupational Therapy Association’s School System Special Interest Section.

RESULTS. The response rate was 44.3%, with 173 usable surveys. Approximately 40% of therapists working in the early-intervention-to-preschool transition and 32% of therapists working in the preschool-to-kindergarten transition reported not participating fully in the process. The primary barrier to full participation was “not enough time.” Evaluation was identified as the most frequently used strategy for participation. Only 23% of respondents reported receiving specialized transition training.

CONCLUSIONS. Although limited by a small sample, the study provides an initial description of occupational therapists’ participation in early childhood transitions.
Occupational Therapy Service Use Among People Aging With Multiple Sclerosis
Authors: Finlayson Marcia , Garcia Jennifer Dahl , Cho Chi
Published: October 2011

OBJECTIVE. We examined the use of occupational therapy services in a sample of people aging with multiple sclerosis (MS).

METHOD. A total of 1,282 people with MS, ages 45 to 90, participated in telephone interviews to identify unmet health-related service needs. Occupational therapy was 1 of 22 services examined. Proportional odds models were used to examine factors associated with how recently services were used.

RESULTS. Four hundred eighty-four participants (38.2%) had used occupational therapy services at some point since their diagnosis; 211 had used these services in the year before the interview. Recent users identified occupational therapy services as important to health and well-being. Satisfaction with services was high. Greater activity limitations and living in an urban or suburban area were associated with more recent use of occupational therapy services.

CONCLUSION. The results raise questions about what constitutes appropriate levels of occupational therapy service use and how to ensure that these levels are achieved.
Children’s Perceptions of Play Experiences and Play Preferences: A Qualitative Study
Authors: Miller Elissa , Kuhaneck Heather
Published: October 2011

This qualitative study investigated the perceptions of play experiences and rationales for play choices of 6 boys and 4 girls between the ages of 7 and 11 years. Individual in-depth interviews were completed and then transcribed, and the transcripts were coded and analyzed using grounded theory methodology. Fun emerged from the data as the core category explaining the choice of specific play activities for children, and 4 additional categories of characteristics surfaced as contributors to the children’s perception of fun: relational, activity, child, and contextual. The relationships among the core category, the 4 characteristics categories, and the development of play preference and meaningfulness are illustrated in the Dynamic Model for Play Choice. Included is a discussion of the usefulness of the model in supporting the careful consideration of factors that will increase the perception of fun during therapeutic activities and facilitate client-centered pediatric practice.
Person–Vehicle–Environment Interactions Predicting Crash-Related Injury Among Older Drivers
Authors: Classen Sherrilene , Awadzi Kezia D. , Mkanta William W.
Published: October 2011

OBJECTIVE. The object of this research was to identify interactions among person, vehicle, and environment factors associated with crashes and injuries among older drivers.

METHOD. We quantified risk factors and interactions for 5,744 drivers.

RESULTS. Women had a high crash risk during mornings (8:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m.; odds ratio [OR] = 1.73, confidence interval [CI] = 1.40–2.14) or afternoons (2:00 p.m.–8:00 p.m.; OR = 1.74, CI = 1.41–2.15); alcohol-related crashes were the least likely to occur during mornings (OR = 0.19, CI = 0.12–0.31). The greatest crash risk with another vehicle occurred during afternoons (OR = 3.89, CI = 2.41–5.05). Injury had interactions with fixed-object crashes (OR = 427, CI = 182.9–998.24), no seatbelt (OR = 5.69, CI = 3.90–8.29), female gender (OR = 1.54, CI = 1.67–1.92), and mornings (OR = 1.40, CI = 1.01–1.94).

CONCLUSION. An opportunity for crash and injury prevention research and shaping longer-range evaluation policies emerged.
Search Performance of Healthy Adults on Cancellation Tests
Authors: Warren Mary , Moore Jennifer M. , Vogtle Laura K.
Published: October 2011

Cancellation tests are used extensively to identify visual search deficiencies in people with neurologic conditions, but little is known about how healthy adults perform on these tests. This study described the performance and types of search strategies used by healthy adults to complete cancellation tests from the Brain Injury Visual Assessment Battery for Adults. Study participants predominantly used structured left-to-right and top-to-bottom linear search patterns regardless of the configuration of the visual array. Other search qualities included (1) use of the same pattern throughout the search of an array, (2) symmetrical search of the array, and (3) rechecking performance on complex arrays. Older adult participants took more time to complete the tests than younger adults did. Knowing the strategies healthy adults use on cancellation tests enables therapists to identify visual search deficiencies in clients and design interventions to reestablish normal search strategies in daily occupations.
Women With Disabilities’ Experiences in Long-Term Care: A Case for Social Justice
Authors: Magasi Susan , Hammel Joy
Published: October 2011

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this study was to explore women with disabilities’ perceptions of their lived experiences in nursing homes.

METHOD. This 16-month ethnography used multiple qualitative methods, including participant observations, thematic qualitative interviews, and focus groups, to examine the perceptions of life in nursing home for 6 women with disabilities who had returned to community living and their significant others (n = 13).

RESULTS. Nursing homes were living situations of last resort for women with disabilities. Life in the nursing home was characterized by lost choice, control, and occupational engagement; social isolation; social control; the political economy of the nursing home; and active resistance.

DISCUSSION. Occupational therapy practitioners practicing from a social justice paradigm have a responsibility to ensure that client goals to live in the least restrictive environments possible are realized. Implications for long-term-care referral practices, advocacy-based interventions, and partnership with the disability community are discussed.
Water Quality, Health, and Human Occupations
Authors: Blakeney Anne B. , Marshall Amy
Published: October 2011

OBJECTIVE. To introduce evidence of the critical link between water quality and human occupations.

METHOD. A participatory action research design was used to complete a three-phase project. Phase 1 included mapping the watershed of Letcher County, Kentucky. Phase 2 consisted of surveying 122 Letcher County health professionals. Phase 3, the primary focus of this article, consisted of interviews with Letcher County adults regarding their lived experiences with water. The Occupational Therapy Practice Framework: Domain and Process (American Occupational Therapy Association, 2002) was used to structure questions. The Model of Occupational Justice provided the theoretical framework for presentation of the results.

RESULTS. The watershed in Letcher County, Kentucky, is polluted as a result of specific coal mining practices and a lack of adequate infrastructure. As a result, citizens experience occupational injustice in the forms of occupational imbalance, occupational deprivation, and occupational alienation.
Variables Associated With Obesity Among African-American Women in Omaha
Authors: Blanchard Shirley A.
Published: October 2011

Obesity is a health disparity related to environmental, social, and physical health issues, including ethnicity, education, and gender. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship among obesity, age, education, and socioeconomic status and the relationship between obesity and depression among African-American women living in Omaha, Nebraska. A convenience sample of 378 African-American women completed the African-American Female Health Survey, which included the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale. Body mass index (BMI) was used to measure obesity. Results indicated that 87% of the women were overweight; mean BMI was 32.78 with high cardiovascular disease risks. There was a statistically significant and positive relationship between depression and BMI (r = .201, p < .01). Occupational therapists may provide primary, secondary, and tertiary intervention through culturally relevant and meaningful health education programs.
Perceptions of Cognitive Symptoms Among People Aging With Multiple Sclerosis and Their Caregivers
Authors: Finlayson Marcia , Shevil Eynat , Cho Chi C.
Published: October 2011

OBJECTIVE. We sought to examine the nature and extent of agreement on cognitive symptoms reported by people aging with multiple sclerosis (MS) and their primary caregivers and the factors associated with disagreement.

METHOD. Data were generated from telephone interviews with 279 dyads of people with MS and their caregivers.

RESULTS. Eighty dyads (28.7%) disagreed about the presence of cognitive symptoms in the person with MS. Disagreeing dyads were of two types: a dyad in which the person with MS indicated no cognitive symptoms, but the caregiver did (41 dyads; 14.7%), and a dyad in which the person with MS indicated cognitive symptoms, but the caregiver did not (39 dyads, 14%). Multinomial regression showed that gender and the number of years the person with MS has experienced symptoms were associated with type of disagreement.

CONCLUSION. The results point to the importance of discussing cognitive symptoms with people with MS and their caregivers.
Motor Impairments in Children Associated With Impairments of Speech or Language: A Meta-Analytic Review of Research Literature
Authors: Rechetnikov Rouslan P. , Maitra Kinsuk
Published: October 2011

OBJECTIVE. We investigated the co-occurrence of motor impairments in children with speech and language impairments.

METHOD. Three search strategies produced 16 studies that met the inclusion criteria for the meta-analysis. These 16 studies yielded 110 effect sizes (d). Heterogeneity was evaluated by obtaining Q and I-squared values.

RESULTS. Children with speech and language impairments made more motor errors than children without impairments, with a statistically significant large effect size (d = 1.23, p < .001). Statistically significant medium effects between groups were found in terms of motor score (d = −0.61, p < .001) and motor time (d = 0.47, p < .001). Heterogeneity was statistically significant for all three measurements of motor abilities.

DISCUSSION. Deficits in specific speech and language disorders were associated with motor impairments. This finding might be important for the development of daily living and academic skills in children with speech and language impairments.
Invited Commentary on “Sensory Sensitivities of Gifted Children”
Authors: Dunn Winnie
Published: October 2011

This commentary provides an analysis of an article by Gere, Capps, Mitchell, and Grubbs (2009) about sensory sensitivities of gifted children. The article reports that children who are gifted are more sensitive to sensory experiences. Researchers hypothesized that children's sensitivities contribute to their excellent problem-solving skills and might contribute to their challenges with social interaction. The coexistence of a helpful and challenging characteristic that may be related to sensory sensitivity suggests the need for additional intervention paradigms that support all aspects of children's participation. The Gere et al. (2009) study invites occupational therapists to consider broader perspectives about who would benefit from services and how we might provide services in a school context. This article offers suggestions that would strengthen future studies with gifted children and outlines strategies for evidence-based practice that include children who are gifted.
Meaning of Context in Recapturing Self-Care After Stroke or Spinal Cord Injury
Authors: Guidetti Susanne , Asaba Eric , Tham Kerstin
Published: October 2011

This study identifies the meaning of context in recapturing self-care after a stroke or spinal cord injury (SCI). Recapturing denotes the process of engaging in self-care to regain the ability to participate in self-care activities. Five people who had had a stroke and 6 people with SCI were interviewed 1–3 months after onset. The interviews were open ended and transcribed verbatim. They were analyzed by using the empirical, phenomenological, psychological method, which identified 6 main characteristics describing the role of context in recapturing self-care: (1) support from others, (2) an air of expectation, (3) extended time, (4) new daily structure, (5) therapeutic relationship as enabling possibility, and (6) gradual change in challenge. These findings showed that rehabilitation professionals play an important role in creating a context that contributes to recapturing self-care by allowing extended time, enabling patients to see possibilities, and creating expectations for them to do things on their own.
Classification of Occupational Therapy Intervention for Inpatient Stroke Rehabilitation
Authors: Smallfield Stacy , Karges Joy
Published: October 2011

OBJECTIVE. We investigated the specific type of occupational therapy intervention used by occupational therapists during inpatient stroke rehabilitation in one midwestern U.S. hospital to determine the frequency of prefunctional versus functional activity use.

METHOD. A retrospective chart analysis was conducted of clients who received inpatient stroke rehabilitation between January 2003 and June 2004. Type of intervention, intervention strategies, and adaptive equipment use were recorded for each session provided.

RESULTS. The majority of sessions (65.77%, n = 1,022) consisted of activities that were prefunctional in nature compared with 48.26% (n = 750) that focused on activities of daily living. Musculoskeletal intervention strategies were used in more than half (52.25%) of the sessions.

CONCLUSION. More sessions were spent on prefunctional than on functional activities, and musculoskeletal intervention strategies were most common. Future research studies are warranted to determine the most effective intervention for this client population.
Validity of the Loewenstein Occupational Therapy Cognitive Assessment in People With Intellectual Disabilities
Authors: Jang Yuh , Chern Jen-suh , Lin Keh-chung
Published: October 2011

We examined the psychometric properties (internal consistency, concurrent criterion validity, and known-group validity) of the Loewenstein Occupational Therapy Cognitive Assessment (LOTCA) in people with intellectual disabilities. A total of 111 people with intellectual disabilities and 19 people with no disabilities were included. We used Cronbach's alpha, Spearman's rho, the Kruskal–Wallis test, and one-way analysis of variance for analysis, where appropriate. Results showed good internal consistency on Orientation, Visual Perception, Spatial Perception, Visuomotor Organization, and Thinking Operations subscales (Cronbach's αs = .82, .74, .76, .86, and .80, respectively), but not on the Motor Praxis subscale (α = .48). We found significant correlations between participants’ performance on the Pictorial IQ test and disability level and scores on the LOTCA. The known-group validity of the LOTCA in people with intellectual disabilities was satisfactory. We concluded that the LOTCA is a suitable instrument for measuring cognitive abilities and visual perception in people with intellectual disabilities.
Qigong Massage Treatment for Sensory and Self-Regulation Problems in Young Children With Autism: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Silva Louisa M. T. , Schalock Mark , Ayres Robert , Bunse Carol , Budden Sarojini
Published: October 2011

Autism is commonly associated with sensory and self-regulatory disturbances. This article presents a randomized controlled study evaluating the effect of a 5-month intervention directed toward improving sensory impairment, digestion, and sleep in 46 children with autism < age 6. The intervention, Qigong Sensory Training (QST), is a qigong massage intervention based in Chinese medicine. It is two-pronged: Trainers work with children directly 20 times over 5 months, and parents give the massage daily to their children. Improvement was evaluated in two settings—preschool and home—by teachers (blind to group) and parents. Teacher evaluations showed that treated children had significant classroom improvement of social and language skills and reduction in autistic behavior compared with wait-list control participants. These findings were confirmed by parent data, indicating that the gains had generalized across contexts. A model and supporting data for understanding and treating sensory and self-regulation problems in autism is presented.
Reliability of Two Visual–Perceptual Tests for Children With Cerebral Palsy
Authors: Tsai Li-ting , Lin Keh-chung , Liao Hua-fang , Hsieh Ching-lin
Published: October 2011

OBJECTIVE. We examined the reliability of the Motor-Free Visual Perception Test–Revised (MVPT–R) and the Test of Visual–Perceptual Skills–Revised (TVPS–R) in 52 children with cerebral palsy.

METHOD. The MVPT–R and TVPS–R were initially assessed by a single rater and then randomly assigned to the same rater or another rater after 6 to 14 days.

RESULTS. For scale-level reliability of both tests, the intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) were high. The smallest real differences (SRDs) were largely acceptable. The ICCs of most subscale-level reliability of the TVPS–R were satisfactory. The SRD of each TVPS–R subscale score was notable (>29%). The internal consistency was high for both tests.

CONCLUSION. The scale-level reliabilities of both tests were satisfactory in children with cerebral palsy. Although most subscales of the TVPS–R had acceptable test–retest or interrater agreement, all subscales of the TVPS–R had large SRDs, limiting their clinical utility.
Training Multitasking in a Virtual Supermarket: A Novel Intervention After Stroke
Authors: Rand Debbie , (Tamar) Weiss Patrice L. , Katz Noomi
Published: October 2011

OBJECTIVE. To explore the potential of the VMall, a virtual supermarket running on a video-capture virtual reality system, as an intervention tool for people who have multitasking deficits after stroke.

METHOD. Poststroke, 4 participants received ten 60-min sessions over 3 weeks using the VMall. The intervention focused on improving multitasking while the participant was engaged in a virtual shopping task. Instruments included the Multiple Errands Test–Hospital Version (MET–HV) in a real mall and in the VMall.

RESULTS. Participants achieved improvements ranging from 20.5% to 51.2% for most of the MET–HV measures performed in a real shopping mall and in the VMall.

CONCLUSIONS. The data support the VMall's potential as a motivating and effective intervention tool for the rehabilitation of people poststroke who have multitasking deficits during the performance of daily tasks. However, because the sample was small, additional intervention studies with the VMall should be conducted.
Qualitative Exploration of a Client-Centered, Goal-Directed Approach to Community-Based Occupational Therapy for Adults With Traumatic Brain Injury
Authors: Doig Emmah , Fleming Jennifer , Cornwell Petrea L. , Kuipers Pim
Published: October 2011

OBJECTIVES. We explored the clinical application of goal-directed therapy in community-based rehabilitation from the perspective of clients with traumatic brain injury (TBI), their significant others, and their treating occupational therapists.

METHOD. Twelve people with TBI and their significant others completed an outpatient, goal-directed, 12week occupational therapy program. Semistructured interviews with 12 participants, 10 significant others, and 3 occupational therapists involved in delivering the therapy programs explored their experiences of goal-directed therapy.

RESULTS. Participants, their significant others, and therapists described goal-directed therapy positively, expressing satisfaction with progress made.

CONCLUSION. Goals provide structure, which facilitates participation in rehabilitation despite the presence of barriers, including reduced motivation and impaired self-awareness. A therapist-facilitated, structured, goal-setting process in which the client, therapist, and significant others work in partnership can enhance the process of goal setting and goal-directed rehabilitation in a community rehabilitation context.
Near-Vision Acuity Levels and Performance on Neuropsychological Assessments Used in Occupational Therapy
Authors: Hunt Linda A. , Bassi Carl J.
Published: October 2011

We investigated how induced blur affects performance on the Trail Making Test and Digit Symbol Test routinely used in occupational therapy cognitive evaluations. The study used a factorial design with both age (young and old adults) and simulated blur levels of near visual acuity (20/50 and 20/100) manipulated between participants. A sample of 124 healthy, community-living adults was used in the final analysis. Significant differences (p < .05) were found in performance for young participants between 20/50 and 20/100 blur level as well as between 20/20 and 20/100 blur level for the Digit Symbol Test. Scores for old participants decreased as a function of blur but were not significant. This study illustrates that cognitive evaluations used throughout the lifespan may require the appropriate visual acuity level to maximize performance. Occupational therapists’ understanding of client factors and their effect on performance is fundamental to the client evaluation process.
Beyond Flow: Temporality and Participation in Everyday Activities
Authors: Larson Elizabeth , von Eye Alexander
Published: October 2011

Experience sampling examined how temporality, the lived experience of time, varied related to specific activity qualities and experiences in everyday life. Thirty-five students completed electronic surveys regarding their current activity and feelings and rated the activity's novelty and complexity, their depth of emotional and intellectual engagement, the direction and depth of attention, and the demands of the activity on their skills. Using configural frequency analysis and an analysis of narrative responses, configurations of factors (types) associated with variations in perceived temporalities were described. Four composite types identified occurred with any temporality. In most habitual activities, time was perceived as passing the same as clock time. Most faster or timeless temporalities occurred in complex, novel, and skill-requiring activities that engaged participants. Unexpected activity configurations were also associated with accelerated perceptions of time. Occupational therapists may use this knowledge to assist clients to redesign activities that promote positive experiences without high activity demands.
Geriatric Research
Authors: Murphy Susan L.
Published: October 2011

The American Occupational Therapy Association’s Centennial Vision articulates the need for occupational therapy to be science driven and evidence based in major practice areas. This article provides a review on the state of the occupational therapy research published in the American Journal of Occupational Therapy (AJOT) in the area of productive aging in the past 2 years (2008–2009). The article identifies the types of research published, assesses how well the journal is meeting the Centennial Vision in productive aging research, and discusses implications for utilization of the evidence by occupational therapy practitioners. Although many basic research articles provide a foundation for future intervention development and further define practice roles, the AJOT articles addressing productive aging represent diverse research questions and have produced a body of knowledge that is not easily translated to practice. More effectiveness studies are needed to provide adequate evidence for occupational therapy intervention with older adults.
Effect of Assistive Technology in a Public School Setting
Authors: Watson Anne H. , Ito Max , Smith Roger O. , Andersen Lori T.
Published: October 2011

The Individuals With Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEA) requires assistive technology (AT) be considered at the yearly individualized education program (IEP) meeting of every student in special education. IDEA also directs that AT be implemented on the basis of peer-reviewed literature despite a paucity of research on AT’s effectiveness in the public schools. This repeated-measures quasi-experimental study explored AT’s effect in a public school special education setting. Participants (N = 13) were a heterogeneous group of students in 1 school system who had newly provided AT to address academic and communication goals in one school year. Results suggest that relative to other interventions, AT provided by a multidisciplinary team may have a significant effect on IEP goal improvement (t[12] = 5.54, p = .00) for students in special education (F[2] = 9.35, p = .00), which may support AT’s use in special education by occupational therapists as directed by IDEA.
Fabrication of Circular Periodic Structures on Polymers Using High Pulse Energy Coherent Radiation and an Axicon
Authors: Lasagni Andrés Fabián , Langheinrich Denise , Roch Teja
Published: October 2011

Fabrication of micrometer concentric ring structures on polymer substrate using an axicon and high power ultra violet laser radiation is reported. The fabrication method consists on producing a periodic intensity distribution over the polymer's surface with a Bessel beam shape. The micropatterns were fabricated using a pulsed laser system operating at either 266 or 355 nm. Theoretical calculations of the periodic intensity distribution are used to explain the observed experimental results. The simple optical arrangement used in this work can be used to fabricate the above mentioned patterns over several mm2.
Magnetic Magnesium Alloys Based on MgZn and SmCo with Sensory Properties
Authors: Klose Christian , Mroz Gregor , Rodman Michael , Kujat Bernd , Bormann Dirk , Reimche Wilfried , Bach Friedrich‐Wilhelm
Published: October 2011

In this article, manufacture of a magnetic magnesium alloy based on the known magnesium alloys AZ91 or ZEK200 together with samarium–cobalt is investigated. The objective of the investigations is to produce an Mg alloy by die casting, possessing both magnetic characteristics and satisfactory mechanical properties with the aim of obtaining an Mg alloy which can be utilized as a lightweight sensor material. Inverse magnetostriction (Villari Effect) is exploited in order to verify the instantaneous operating forces in lightweight structural components made from Mg such as a vehicle's stub axle. The magnetic properties subject to cyclic loading are determined with the aid of a harmonic analyze of eddy current signals. Results show that for an MgSmCoZn alloy, an unambiguous linear dependency exists between the applied mechanical loading and the harmonic's measured values. The mechanical properties of the MgSmCoZn cast alloy have a similar order of magnitude as those of Mg alloys employed in engineering, such as for example AZ91, and thus possess a good standard.
Polyester Materials with Superwetting Silicone Nanofilaments for Oil/Water Separation and Selective Oil Absorption
Authors: Zhang Junping , Seeger Stefan
Published: October 2011

Superhydrophobic and superoleophilic polyester materials are successfully prepared by one‐step growth of silicone nanofilaments onto the textile via chemical vapor deposition of trichloromethylsilane. The successful growth of silicone nanofilaments is confirmed with scanning electron microscopy, energy‐dispersive X‐ray analysis, and investigation of the wetting behavior of water on the textile. Even microfibers deeply imbedded inside a woven material could be coated very well with the nanofilaments. The coated textile is water repellant and could only be wetted by liquids of low surface tension. The applications of the coated textile as a membrane for oil/water separation and as a bag for selective oil absorption from water are studied in detail. Owing to the superwetting properties and flexibility of the coated textile, excellent reusability, oil/water separation efficiency, and selective oil absorption capacity are observed, which make it very promising material, e.g., for practical oil absorption.
ACRHR1haplotype moderates the effect of adverse childhood experiences on lifetime risk of major depressive episode in African‐American women
Authors: Kranzler Henry R. , Feinn Richard , Nelson Elliot C. , Covault Jonathan , Anton Raymond F. , Farrer Lindsay , Gelernter Joel
Published: October 2011

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) increase the risk for adult depression and substance dependence, possibly mediated by the corticotropin‐releasing hormone type 1 receptor (CRHR1). In some studies, a three‐SNP “T‐A‐T” haplotype inCRHR1, which encodes CRHR1, exerted a protective moderating effect on risk of depression in adults with ACEs. Other studies have shown a main or moderating effect of SNPs inCRHR1on alcohol consumption. We tested the moderating effects of the three‐SNP haplotype on lifetime risk of a major depressive episode (MDE) and alcohol dependence (AD) in 1,211 European‐Americans (EAs) and 1,869 African‐Americans (AAs), most of whom had a lifetime substance use disorder. There were no significant main or interaction effects of the TAT haplotype on AD. There was a significant interaction of ACE by TAT on risk of depression only in AA women (P = 0.005); each copy of the TAT haplotype reduced the odds of MDE by almost 40% (OR = 0.63). In AA women without an ACE and two TAT haplotypes, the risk of MDE was increased (OR = 1.51 for each copy). Our findings in relation to the TAT haplotype ofCRHR1extend those obtained in other populations to a largely substance‐dependent one. The complex structure ofCRHR1may help to explain why some variants in the gene moderate the effects of an ACE only on depression risk while others moderate the effect of an ACE only on AD risk. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Team‐based learning in anatomy: An efficient, effective, and economical strategy
Authors: Vasan Nagaswami S. , DeFouw David O. , Compton Scott
Published: October 2011

Team‐based learning (TBL) strategy is being adopted in medical education to implement interactive small group learning. We have modified classical TBL to fit our curricular needs and approach. Anatomy lectures were replaced with TBL that required preparation of assigned content specific discussion topics (in the text referred as “discussion topics”), an individual self‐assessment quiz (IRAT), analysis of the discussion topics, and then the team retaking the same quiz (GRAT) for discussion and deeper learning. Embryology and clinical correlations were given as lectures. Unit examinations consisted of graded IRAT and GRAT. The National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) Subject Examination was the comprehensive final examination. To evaluate the effect of TBL on student performance we compared the departmental and NBME subject examination scores between the traditional and TBL curricula. We collected five years of data on student performance in TBL‐based anatomy and lecture‐based preclinical courses. Our results show that departmental and NBME subject examination scores for TBL‐based anatomy were higher than those for lecture‐based anatomy. We subsequently compared average NBME scores for anatomy with those in other preclinical courses that were lecture‐based. Average NBME anatomy scores were significantly higher than those for all the lecture‐based preclinical courses. Since the introduction of TBL in anatomy, student performance has progressively improved in the NBME subject examination. Students perceived TBL as a motivator to be a responsible team member and to contribute to collective learning by the team. Further, it reinforced self‐directed learning and fostered an appreciation for peer respect. Interestingly, these perceptions were uniform irrespective of student course performance. Anat Sci Educ. © 2011 American Association of Anatomists.
Multicentre study of the quality of a large administrative data set and implications for comparing death rates
Authors: Holt P J E , Poloniecki J D , Thompson M M
Published: October 2011

Background

The aim was to compare the completeness and accuracy of the English Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) with a ‘gold standard’ data set for a sample of hospitals and to determine the effect of data quality on comparisons of hospital death rates.

Methods

A multicentre audit of data quality was undertaken, based on a sample of all elective abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repairs performed in England. All elective AAA repairs in nine collaborating hospital trusts were included over a 2-year interval. Cases were identified from HES, local databases, hospital administration systems and theatre records. The main outcome measures were the numbers of cases and deaths according to HES compared with case-note review. The recording of co-morbidities and the effect of data accuracy on mortality analyses and risk adjustment were quantified.

Results

A total of 1102 elective AAA repairs were identified from HES data. Of 962 procedures with case-note review, 827 (86·0 per cent, 95 per cent confidence interval 84·0 to 88·0 per cent) were confirmed as elective AAA repair. The survival status with HES was 99·8 per cent accurate on comparison with the Office for National Statistics death registry. There was no significant difference in mortality assessment between the HES data and the ‘gold standard’ data set (5·3 versus 5·0 per cent; P = 0·753). Smaller hospitals were more affected by data inaccuracies than larger hospitals.

Conclusion

This study confirmed that HES data can be used effectively to compare mortality between hospitals. Administrative data will be used increasingly for assessing performance and clinicians should accept responsibility to improve coding. Copyright © 2011 British Journal of Surgery Society Ltd. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Telomere Structure and Stability: Covalency in Hydrogen Bonds, Not Resonance Assistance, Causes Cooperativity in Guanine Quartets
Authors: Fonseca Guerra Célia , Zijlstra Hester , Paragi Gábor , Bickelhaupt F. Matthias
Published: October 2011

We show that the cooperative reinforcement between hydrogen bonds in guanine quartets is not caused by resonance‐assisted hydrogen bonding (RAHB). This follows from extensive computational analyses of guanine quartets (G4) and xanthine quartets (X4) based on dispersion‐corrected density functional theory (DFT‐D). Our investigations cover the situation of quartets in the gas phase, in aqueous solution as well as in telomere‐like stacks. A new mechanism for cooperativity between hydrogen bonds in guanine quartets emerges from our quantitative Kohn–Sham molecular orbital (MO) and corresponding energy decomposition analyses (EDA). Our analyses reveal that the intriguing cooperativity originates from the charge separation that goes with donor–acceptor orbital interactions in the σ‐electron system, and not from the strengthening caused by resonance in the π‐electron system. The cooperativity mechanism proposed here is argued to apply, beyond the present model systems, also to other hydrogen bonds that show cooperativity effects.
ChemInform Abstract: Synthesis and Characterization of Sulfuryl Diazide, O2S(N3)2.
Authors: Zeng Xiaoqing , Beckers Helmut , Bernhardt Eduard , Willner Helge
Published: October 2011

The title compound (caution: explosive) is prepared by reaction of SO2Cl2 and NaN3 in MeCN at room temperature (≈12 h; isolated by fractional condensation in the ‐30 °C trap).
ChemInform Abstract: Substrate‐Controlled, Phosphine‐Catalyzed Domino Reactions of Activated Conjugated Dienes: Highly Diastereoselective Synthesis of Bicyclic Skeletons.
Authors: Ma Jianze , Xie Peizhong , Hu Chongchong , Huang You , Chen Ruyu
Published: October 2011

A highly diastereoselective phosphine‐mediated domino reaction of activated conjugated dienes with β,γ‐unsaturated α‐ketoesters is described.
ChemInform Abstract: 3‐Halomethylated Cyclic Nitronates: Synthesis and Nucleophilic Substitution.
Authors: Mikhaylov Andrey A. , Dilman Alexander D. , Struchkova Marina L. , Khomutova Yulia A. , Korlyukov Alexander A. , Ioffe Sema L. , Tartakovsky Vladimr A.
Published: October 2011

The halogenation of five‐ and six‐membered N‐(silyloxy)enamines is studied.
ChemInform Abstract: Significant Heterogeneous Carbonate Salt Catalyzed Acetylation of Alcohols via a Transesterification Process with Carbonate Salt‐Activated Alcohol 1H NMR Evidence.
Authors: Xiong Yan , Zhang Xueqiang
Published: October 2011

A simple, mild, cheap and green synthetic methodology to produce esters as useful intermediates in organic syntheses is described.
ChemInform Abstract: A Novel and Facile Environmentally Benign Oxidative Electrocyclization of Acylthiosemicarbazone into Biodynamic 1,3,4‐Oxadiazoles.
Authors: Sharma Laxmi Kant , Singh Sushma , Siddiqui I. R. , Singh R. K. P.
Published: October 2011

A variety of 1,3,4‐oxadiazoles (II) (12 examples) are synthesized by controlled potential electrolysis of acylthiosemicarbazones (I) and screened for their antifungal activity.
ChemInform Abstract: Expeditious Assembly of a 2‐Amino‐4H‐chromene Skeleton by Using an Enantioselective Mannich Intramolecular Ring Cyclization—Tautomerization Cascade Sequence.
Authors: Ren Qiao , Siau Woon‐Yew , Du Zhiyun , Zhang Kun , Wang Jian
Published: October 2011

The medicinally important skeleton is catalyzed by a new indan organocatalyst IAT bearing amine and thiourea moieties.
ChemInform Abstract: An Efficient and Novel Synthesis of Chromonyl Chalcones Using Recyclable Zn(L‐Proline)2 Catalyst in Water.
Authors: Siddiqui Zeba N. , Musthafa T. N. Mohammed
Published: October 2011

The cross‐aldol condensation of 3‐formylchromones with a series of acetyl‐substituted heterocycles is investigated under optimized conditions.
ChemInform Abstract: trans‐Selective Hydrogermylation of Alkynes Promoted by Methyliron and Bis(germyl)hydridoiron Complexes as a Catalyst Precursor.
Authors: Itazaki Masumi , Kamitani Masahiro , Nakazawa Hiroshi
Published: October 2011

Terminal and internal alkynes undergo a regio and stereoselective hydrogermylation in the presence of an iron methyl complex.
ChemInform Abstract: Soft‐Chemistry of Garnet‐Type Li5+xBaxLa3‐xNb2O12 (x = 0, 0.5, 1): Reversible H+↔Li+ Ion‐Exchange Reaction and Their X‐Ray, Li MAS NMR, IR, and AC Impedance Spectroscopy Characterization.
Authors: Truong Lina , Thangadurai Venkataraman
Published: October 2011

The title compounds are prepared by a ceramic method from stoichiometric mixtures of LiNO3, Ba(NO3)2, La2O3, and Nb2O3 (alumina crucible, 700 °C for 24 h and sintering at 950 °C for 24 h in air).
ChemInform Abstract: Metal—Biomolecule Frameworks (MBioFs)
Authors: Imaz Inhar , Rubio‐Martinez Marta , An Jihyun , Sole‐Font Isabel , Rosi Nathaniel L. , Maspoch Daniel
Published: October 2011

Review: 131 refs.
ChemInform Abstract: Opportunities Offered by Chiral η6‐Arene/N‐Arylsulfonyl‐diamine‐Ru(II) Catalysts in the Asymmetric Transfer Hydrogenation of Ketones and Imines
Authors: Vaclavik Jiri , Kacer Petr , Kuzma Marek , Cerveny Libor
Published: October 2011

Review: 154 refs.
ChemInform Abstract: Oxidation of Sulfides
Authors: Lattanzi A.
Published: October 2011

Review: 151 refs.
ChemInform Abstract: Biocatalytic Routes to Nonracemic Chiral Amines
Authors: Turner Nicholas J. , Truppo Matthew D.
Published: October 2011

Review: 84 refs.
ChemInform Abstract: Chiral Amines from Transition Metal Mediated Hydrogenation and Transfer Hydrogenation
Authors: Church Tamara L. , Andersson Pher G.
Published: October 2011

Review: 223 refs.
ChemInform Abstract: Micro and Nano Chemical Systems
Authors: Yamamoto Tatsuhiro , Kazoe Yutaka , Mawatari Kazuma , Kitamori Takehiko
Published: October 2011

Review: ca. 30 refs.
Chemical Compounds for Energy Storage
Authors: Schüth Ferdi
Published: October 2011

Future energy systems, which will rely on substantially higher contributions from regenerative supply pathways and which will be increasingly less dependent on fossil energy resources, will require high energy density storage compounds as strategic reserves and for seasonal storage. Hydrocarbons, such as oil and natural gas, are currently serving this purpose. These will also be options in future systems, but in that case, these compounds would have to be synthesized using some other form of energy. Thus, with decreasing importance of fossil resources, other storage compounds also seem to be viable, the most prominent ones under discussion, in addition to the ones mentioned, being hydrogen, methanol, and ethanol. In this contribution, the different storage compounds will be discussed, and their merits and drawbacks for large scale implementation will be compared.
Association Between Sleep Duration and Hypertension Among Chinese Children and Adolescents
Authors: Guo Xiaofan , Zheng Liqiang , Li Yang , Yu Shasha , Liu Shuai , Zhou Xinghu , Zhang Xingang , Sun Zhaoqing , Wang Rui , Sun Yingxian
Published: October 2011

Background:

Short sleep duration was reported to be associated with an increased risk of hypertension among adults. The present study aimed to investigate this association in children and adolescents.

Hypothesis:

Short sleep duration is related to higher risk of hypertension among children and adolescents.

Methods:

We conducted a cross‐sectional study of 4902 children and adolescents age 5 to 18 years. Blood pressure (BP) was measured at the research center and classified using the population‐based percentiles. Sleep duration and related information were determined through questionnaires.

Results:

The prevalence of hypertension and prehypertension were 20.3% and 15%, respectively. The median sleep duration was 8.77 ± 1.07 hours (mean ± standard deviation). A short sleep duration (<9 hours) was associated with a higher risk of hypertension when compared with the group sleeping longer (9–10 h), among boys age 11 to 14 years old (OR, 1.5; 95% CI, 1.04–2.15), adjusting for age, body mass index, waist circumference, and physical activity. The linear regression stratified by age indicated that for boys age 11 to 14 years the inverse association existed after adjustment with the coefficients −1.04 mm Hg and −0.55 mm Hg per hour of sleep for systolic BP and diastolic BP, respectively.

Conclusions:

Short sleep duration (<9 h) is independently associated with hypertension among Chinese boys age 11 to 14 years old. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

L. Zheng and X. Guo contributed equally to this work.

The authors have no funding, financial relationships, or conflicts of interest to disclose.
Adsorption of BTEX on Surfactant Modified Granulated Natural Zeolite Nanoparticles: Parameters Optimizing by Applying Taguchi Experimental Design Method
Authors: Seifi Laleh , Torabian Ali , Kazemian Hossein , Bidhendi Gholamreza Nabi , Azimi Ali Akbar , Nazmara Shapoor , AliMohammadi Mohammad
Published: October 2011

In this paper, a novel adsorbent developed by means of granulating of natural zeolite nanoparticles (i.e., clinoptilolite) was evaluated for possible removal of the petroleum monoaromatics (i.e., benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene, BTEX). To do this, the natural zeolite was ground to produce nanosized particulate, then modified by two cationic surfactants and granulated. The effect of various parameters including temperature, initial pH of the solution, total dissolved solids (TDS), and concentration of a competitive substance (i.e., methyl tert‐butyl ether, MTBE) were studied and optimized using a Taguchi statistical approach. The results ascertained that initial pH of the solution was the most effective parameter. However, the low pH (acidic) was favorable for BTEX adsorption onto the developed adsorbents. In this study, the experimental parameters were optimized and the best adsorption condition by determination of effective factors was chosen. Based on the S/N ratio, the optimized conditions for BTEX removal were temperature of 40°C, initial pH of 3, TDS of 0 mg/L, and MTBE concentration of 100 µg/L. At the optimized conditions, the uptake of each BTEX compounds reached to more than 1.5 mg/g of adsorbents.
Parallelism, hybridism and coevolution in a multi‐level ABC‐GA approach for the protein structure prediction problem
Authors: Benitez César Manuel Vargas , Parpinelli Rafael Stubs , Lopes Heitor Silvério
Published: October 2011

This paper reports the hybridization of the artificial bee colony (ABC) and a genetic algorithm (GA), in a hierarchical topology, a step ahead of a previous work. We used this parallel approach for solving the protein structure prediction problem using the three‐dimensional hydrophobic‐polar model with side‐chains (3DHP‐SC). The proposed method was run in a parallel processing environment (Beowulf cluster), and several aspects of the modeling and implementation are presented and discussed. The performance of the hybrid‐hierarchical ABC‐GA approach was compared with a hybrid‐hierarchical ABC‐only approach for four benchmark instances. Results show that the hybridization of the ABC with the GA improves the quality of solutions caused by the coevolution effect between them and their search behavior. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Communication by identity discrimination in bio‐inspired multi‐agent systems
Authors: González‐Pardo Antonio , Varona Pablo , Camacho David , de Borja Rodriguez Ortiz Francisco
Published: October 2011

Network communications have been widely studied in the last decades in different research fields: artificial intelligence, computer science, biology, medicine and psychology among others. Some important efforts have been carried out to analyse communication features such as overhead, connectivity or communication protocols in these areas from their own perspectives. When this problem is restricted to intelligent agents or multi‐agent systems, networks are built by a set of interconnected agents that can be software or hardware. In multi‐agent systems, communication optimization is used to improve the overall performance of the system by reducing the information sharing (i.e. number of messages or message size) between the agents. This paper analyses a scale‐free network topology of agents to solve a multi‐sorting problem. The agents use their local information as well as a bio‐inspired identity discrimination process to select only those messages that are relevant for each agent to solve jigsaw puzzles. We provide a comprehensive study on the influence of some essential parameters (memory information size and reconnection probability) in an agent network, and how they can be set to obtain a better performance in the system. The experiments show that this strategy contributes to reduce the number of iterations needed to solve the problem. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.