bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Mixed-Methods Approach to Understanding the Palliative Needs of Parkinson’s Patients
Authors: Prizer Lindsay P. , Gay Jennifer L. , Wilson Mark G. , Emerson Kerstin G. , Glass Anne P. , Miyasaki Janis M. , Perkins Molly M.
Published: May 2018

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the second-most common age-related neurodegenerative disorder. Despite recommendations for a palliative approach, little is known about what palliative needs are unmet by standard care. This study aims to (a) identify palliative needs of PD patients, (b) determine the relationship between palliative needs and health-related quality of life (HRQoL), and (c) probe into factors affecting HRQoL. PD patients and neurologists were recruited for a survey on palliative need; a subset of patients was interviewed. Significant differences between physicians and patients were found in Physical, Psychological, Social, Financial, and Spiritual domains. Physical and Psychological needs predicted HRQoL. Primary themes across interviews included (a) lack of healthcare education and (b) need for care coordination. Secondary themes included (a) the importance of support groups, (b) the role of spirituality/religion, and (c) the narrow perceived role of the neurologist. Findings highlight the importance of coordinated individualized care.
Ecological Context, Criminal Propensity, and Recidivism
Authors: McNeeley Susan
Published: May 2018

This study examines whether the relationship between individual-level risk and recidivism varies according to ecological context, measured at the census tract level. It is hypothesized that high-risk offenders—as measured by Minnesota Screening Tool Assessing Recidivism Risk (MnSTARR) 2.0 and Level of Service Inventory–Revised (LSI-R)—will have elevated risk of recidivism when living in disadvantaged neighborhoods and lower risk of recidivism when living in affluent neighborhoods. These hypotheses are tested with hierarchical logistic models predicting rearrest and revocation for a technical violation among a sample of approximately 3,000 offenders released from Minnesota state prisons in 2009. Rearrest was positively related to neighborhood disadvantage and negatively related to neighborhood affluence, while revocation was positively related to neighborhood urbanism. Further, neighborhood disadvantage moderated the association between LSI-R and rearrest; however, this interaction was not in the hypothesized direction. The results contradict prior literature examining similar relationships at the county level.
Hubs for innovation: Examining the effects of consolidated news design on quality
Authors: Haught Matthew J. , Morris David L.
Published: May 2018

In an effort to cut costs, newspaper chains nationwide have consolidated design operations at a few sites. These design hubs have changed the newspaper production process and removed designers from newsrooms; yet, top designers are able to work with their peers in a major city to produce all titles for a chain. This study uses a quantitative analysis of front pages collected from 435 newspapers throughout the United States to examine the quality of newspaper designs at hub and nonhub-designed newspapers. It concludes that hub designed newspapers are generally better designed than nonhub newspapers.
Have You Asked for It? An Exploratory Study About Maltese Adolescents’ Use of Ask.fm
Authors: Farrugia Lorleen , Lauri Mary Anne , Borg Joseph , O’Neill Brian
Published: May 2018

This article focuses on adolescents’ use of anonymous social networking sites (SNSs). Their perceptions and attitudes toward one such platform, Ask.fm, are discussed using the framework of uses and gratifications theory to explore motivations for using it. Four focus groups and four interviews were carried out with 22 Maltese adolescents (10 female and 12 male) aged 11 to 16 years. Thematic analysis of data collected was undertaken to identify and develop themes relevant to Ask.fm use. Findings indicate that the platform is a space where adolescents interact with others as part of their identity exploration. The role of anonymity was salient throughout. Ask.fm users were aware of the risks related to using the site; yet, the possibilities for fun, peer acceptance, and identity exploration may be driving them to experiment with this risky behavior. The implications arising from these exploratory findings may be applicable to other anonymous SNSs.
Injury and infection in dental clinics: Risk factors and prevention
Authors: Al-Zoughool Mustafa , Al-Shehri Zaina
Published: May 2018

Needlestick and sharp instrument injuries are common in dental practice and present the risk of direct exposure to blood-borne pathogens, including hepatitis B virus. This cross-sectional study was carried out to determine the risk factors of injury and infection in three types of dental clinic in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. A total of 274 male and 241 female dentists completed a structured questionnaire on demographic factors, compliance with infection control practices, and past exposure to injury and infection hazards. Dentists with more years of professional experience were significantly less likely to report having had an injury in the past (unadjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were 0.48, 0.27–0.87 and 0.38, 0.16–0.89 for dentists with 10–20 years and for those with over 20 years of experience, respectively). Greater compliance with infection control procedures was associated with significantly fewer reports of previous infection (OR 0.31, 95% CI 0.12–0.84). Experience of occupational safety training was not associated with a lower rate of injury or infection. Greater occupational safety knowledge and compliance with infection control management practices contribute to a reduced risk of injury and infection among dentists. More focused and specialized training on infection control and occupational safety is needed for all practicing dentists and dental students.
Facilitators and Barriers to Oncologists’ Conduct of Goals of Care Conversations
Authors: Schulman-Green Dena , Lin Jenny J. , Smith Cardinale B. , Feder Shelli , Bickell Nina A.
Published: May 2018

Introduction:

Goals of care (GoC) conversations optimally begin early in the course of cancer care, yet most happen near the end of life. We sought to describe oncologist-reported facilitators of and barriers to GoC conversations with patients who have advanced cancer.

Methods and Materials:

We conducted individual, semistructured qualitative interviews with oncologists from 4 academic, community, municipal, and rural hospitals in New York and Connecticut. Interview topics included approach to GoC conversations, facilitators, barriers, and organizational influences. We analyzed data using interpretive description. We collected demographic and practice information and surveyed oncologists on their communication skills training. We calculated descriptive statistics for quantitative data.

Results:

Oncologists (n = 21) had a mean age of 46 years (range: 34-68), 67% were male, 71% were White, 24% were Asian, 10% were Hispanic, and 5% were Black. They reported an average of 20 years in practice (range: 8-42), and 62% had received training on having GoC conversations. Facilitators included patient’s poor functional status, patient’s high health literacy, family understanding and acceptance, oncologist’s practice experience, and a supportive practice environment. Barriers included certain patient demographic and clinical characteristics, patient religion and culture, patient’s denial, and lack of time.

Conclusion:

GoC conversations may be facilitated by enabling oncologists to conduct these conversations despite difficult circumstances and emotional reactions by activating patients and family via increased health literacy and by advancing palliative-informed practice environments.
Effect of Magnesium Loading Dose on Insulin Resistance in Patients With Stress-Induced Hyperglycemia: A Randomized Clinical Trial
Authors: Heidary Zinat , Khalili Hossein , Mohammadi Mostafa , Beigmohammadi Mohammad-Taghi , Abdollahi Alireza
Published: May 2018

Objectives:

There is currently no evidence that whether magnesium supplementation would improve stress-induced hyperglycemia (SIH) in critically ill patients. In this study, effects of magnesium loading dose on insulin resistance (IR) indices were evaluated in critically ill patients without diabetes having SIH.

Methods:

Seventy critically ill patients with SIH were assigned to receive a loading dose of magnesium (7.5 g of magnesium sulfate in 500 mL normal saline as intravenous infusion over an 8-hour period) or placebo. Changes in baseline of serum and intracellular magnesium and serum adiponectin (AD) levels, homeostasis model assessment of IR (HOMA-IR), and HOMA-AD ratio were assessed in this study.

Results:

Serum and intracellular magnesium levels increased significantly in patients in the magnesium group ( P < .001). At day 3, there were significant differences between the magnesium group and the placebo group in the mean changes from baseline in the HOMA (between-group difference: −0.11; 95% confidence interval [CI]: −0.19 to −0.01; P = .02), the AD (between-group difference: 0.94; 95% CI: 0.41-1.48; P = .04), and the HOMA-AD ratio (between-group difference: −0.03; 95% CI: −0.04 to −0.01; P < .001).

Conclusion:

In the present study, a single-loading dose of intravenous magnesium improved IR indices in critically ill patients with SIH.
“You Look Fine!”
Authors: Kattari Shanna K. , Olzman Miranda , Hanna Michele D.
Published: May 2018

Much existing research on ableism focuses on individuals whose disabilities are more apparent to others. Using a phenomenological approach, this study interviewed 14 participants, exploring how people with “invisible” physical disabilities experience ableism. In addition to multiple examples of microaggressions, emergent themes included the policing of bodies, tension in roles, a desire for justice, and internalized ableism. Many of the participants recounted experiences of having bodies and actions policed by others, and several struggled with their role in educating others about policies, needs, and accommodations. The theme of desire for justice included frustration at having to educate others, the energy this education took, and the desire for overarching justice regarding ableism. The theme of internalized ableism reflected both explicit experiences of individuals sharing their self-judgment and ableist statements during interviews. These findings indicate the need for a more nuanced understanding by social workers of how ableism is experienced by those with invisible disabilities as well as additional research on how to support these members of the community.
Advancing a Model of Secondary Trauma: Consequences for Victim Service Providers
Authors: Ellis Colter , Knight Kelly E.
Published: May 2018

A burgeoning body of scholarship is attempting to understand, normalize, and ameliorate the emotional strain of victim service provision. The literature, however, has yet to fully theorize the hazardous process of empathetic engagement with victims. As a result, concepts, mechanisms, and outcomes are often conflated, making it difficult to understand the etiological path of this occupational risk. The goal of this article is to attend to this gap by accomplishing three objectives. The first is to engage with the perspective of symbolic interaction to theoretically ground a conceptual model of secondary trauma. The second objective is to propose a model of secondary trauma that acknowledges its inherently interactional, interpretive, and, thus, vicariously transmissible nature. The third objective is to begin the work of empirically supporting this model with data from a sample of victim service providers ( n = 94) collected using in-depth interviews, focus groups, ethnographic participant observation, and community-based participatory research. Our findings suggest that victim service provision, in the form of empathetic engagement, can blur the boundary between self and other, and lead to a sense of damage in the self that manifests in unreliable self-agency, untrustworthy coherence of other, desensitized self-affectivity, and fractured self-history. This work has significant implications. We illustrate an important paradox by showing how victim service provision can be helpful to victims but harmful to providers. We also offer a pathway for reducing this harm. By specifying mechanisms of damage, the model can be used to inform policies and practices supportive of victim service providers’ health and well-being.
Exceptionality, Diversity, and Educator Preparation: Overview of the Topical Issue
Authors: Hoover John J.
Published: May 2018

Article provides an overview of the topical issue on exceptionality and diversity in educator preparation.
Distress Tolerance Intervention for Improving Self-Management of Chronic Conditions: A Systematic Review
Authors: Russell Beth S. , Lincoln Courtney R. , Starkweather Angela R.
Published: May 2018

Background: The inability to tolerate distress can negatively influence effective self-management (SM) of chronic conditions by interfering with the ability to focus on illness needs and impairing problem-solving and prioritizing capabilities, as well as engagement in SM activities. Interventions to increase distress tolerance offer a holistic approach to chronic disease SM and may enhance the individual’s ability to apply SM skills and resources to improve quality of life and overall health. The purpose of this systematic review was to deepen understanding of the relationships among distress tolerance and goal-oriented problem-solving as an aspect of chronic disease SM. Method: The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses recommendations were used to develop a search strategy, selection criteria, screening, and identification and extraction procedures. PubMed, CINAHL, PsychInfo, and Scopus were searched from 2006 to December 2017 using the following search terms: distress tolerance, chronic conditions, self-management. Results: Across the 11 studies included in the literature review, there was a high level of heterogeneity in the use of subjective and objective measures to assess distress tolerance, and only one study included instruments to measure goal-oriented problem-solving, the target of distress tolerance interventions that are assumed to influence the selected health outcome. Conclusion: Further research is needed on the efficacy of distress tolerance interventions for improving SM of chronic conditions. Theory-driven interventions that explicate the precise goal-oriented problem-solving and SM behaviors that are expected to change as a result of the distress tolerance intervention will provide insight on the efficacy of the intervention and help close the theory–practice gap.
Investigating the vibrational behaviour of a rotating two-blade propeller by using a self-tracking method
Authors: Ashory Mohammad-Reza , Talebi Farhad , Ghadikolaei Heydar R , Karimpour Morad
Published: May 2018

This study investigated the vibrational behaviour of a rotating two-blade propeller at different rotational speeds by using self-tracking laser Doppler vibrometry. Given that a self-tracking method necessitates the accurate adjustment of test setups to reduce measurement errors, a test table with sufficient rigidity was designed and built to enable the adjustment and repair of test components. The results of the self-tracking test on the rotating propeller indicated an increase in natural frequency and a decrease in the amplitude of normalized mode shapes as rotational speed increases. To assess the test results, a numerical model created in ABAQUS was used. The model parameters were tuned in such a way that the natural frequency and associated mode shapes were in good agreement with those derived using a hammer test on a stationary propeller. The mode shapes obtained from the hammer test and the numerical (ABAQUS) modelling were compared using the modal assurance criterion. The examination indicated a strong resemblance between the hammer test results and the numerical findings. Hence, the model can be employed to determine the other mechanical properties of two-blade propellers in test scenarios.
An optimized constitutive model for reproducing flow stress–strain relationships of anisotropic materials
Authors: Lin Yanli , Chu Guannan , Lin Caiyuan , Yan Yongda
Published: May 2018

Due to the strong anisotropic property of the advanced metal materials used in automobile, aviation, and aerospace, experimental flow stress–strain relations including different stress states are necessary to provide the information of anisotropic hardening and plastic flow for constructing a constitutive model. Therefore, reasonably reproducing the experimental stress–strain relations is the most fundamental work to substitute adequate flow stress–strain curves into the constitutive equation at the same time. However, accurate and stable regression results are difficult to obtain through the current regression models such as power exponent, second-order function model, fourth-order function model, and so forth. In this paper, an optimized model named as a least square quadratic regression model (ordinary least square model) was proposed based on the most useful second-order function model. The significant difference is that all experimental points are used to reproduce the experimental stress–strain relations in ordinary least square model in place of only three experimental points adopted in second-order function model, which results in good regression accuracy. Through comparison, it is found that the regression results by power function are poor with regard to some experimental results, and the results reproduced by second-order function model or fourth-order function model are very sensitive to the experimental points selected to do the regression. The sum of squares for error (SSE) increases sharply when the selected points are unreasonable. In addition, for second-order function and fourth-order function models, only limited experimental points are adopted to do the regression, the best regression accuracy cannot be obtained even if the selected points are reasonable. In contrast, SSE of the regression curve by ordinary least square model reduces to less than 50% of the best regressed result by second-order function model, the yielding behavior and variable strain increment ratio of the anisotropic materials can be reflected more accurately. This is very important for accurately describing the plastic flow behaviors of anisotropic materials.
Vibration analysis of a thin eccentric rotating circular cylindrical shell
Authors: Wu Zhihua , Yao Guo , Zhang Yimin
Published: May 2018

In this study, the vibration characteristics of a thin eccentric rotating circular cylindrical shell with simply supported boundary conditions are studied. Energy formulations based on Flügge’s thin shell theory, Hamilton’s principle, and the method of linear approximation are applied to derive the governing equations of motion. In addition to the effects of centrifugal and Coriolis forces, the effect of nonuniform initial stresses resulting from eccentric rotation are taken into account. The natural frequencies of the shell with respect to rotating speed and eccentricity are obtained using Galerkin’s method. To validate the present analysis, comparisons are carried out with the results in published literatures and finite element analysis, and good agreements are obtained. The effect of the eccentricity on the natural frequency of the eccentric rotating cylindrical shell is investigated. Some further numerical results are given to illustrate the irregular frequency mutation behaviors resulting from the eccentricity. The effects of the eccentricity on the critical speed and flutter speed of the eccentric rotating circular cylindrical shell are also investigated.
Positive psychology and the enhancement of happiness: A reply to Binkley (2018)
Authors: De La Fabián Rodrigo , Stecher Antonio
Published: May 2018

The following is a reply to Sam Binkley’s (2018) critical commentary, “The Work of Happiness: A Response to De La Fabián and Stecher (2017)”. In our paper, “Positive Psychology’s Promise of Happiness: A New Form of Human Capital in Contemporary Neoliberal Governmentality” (De La Fabián & Stecher, 2017), we showed that the kind of transformative work on oneself fostered by positive psychology should be understood as a transcendence of the Calvinist work formula of deferred pleasure. Binkley argues that this is a reductionist hypothesis, which risks turning into a deterministic conception of the processes of subjectivation. We argue that while we share this concern, we do not believe that the Calvinist formula is the right one to call upon to avoid this problem. Our main hypothesis is that positive psychology has created a new game of truth, in which the normative frame of justification that used to give sense to any kind of self-transformative task has been radically changed.
The hollowing out of children’s public library services in England from 2010 to 2016
Authors: Robertson Catriona , McMenemy David
Published: May 2018

This research develops a normative understanding of Rhodes’ (1994) theory of hollowing out of public services and the extent to which this process has happened to children’s library services between 2010 and 2016 in England. The objectives were to gain knowledge of the phenomenon, seek to assess emerging trends, and create a working definition of hollowing out as it applies in the public library domain. To achieve these objectives, Freedom of Information requests were made to local authorities across England to gather data on library input since 2010. It was found that there has been a significant downward trend in staff, spending and opening hours across children’s public library services in England between 2010 and 2016. The research found that there has indeed been hollowing out of children’s library services. On average, specialist staff have been cut by 40%, children’s book budgets by 23% and opening hours by 11%. The literature suggests that this is coupled with a rise in closures, community run and outsourced libraries, and volunteering. The data produced for this research describes a process which is consistent with the definition of hollowing out proposed by Rhodes (1994). This definition encompasses the economic and political factors that shape the phenomenon of hollowing out. This research is the first in the world to consider the concept of hollowing out in relation to public libraries. The definition and methods used will be beneficial for future research in the domain, and the findings from the study can help to inform debates about the condition of public library services in England in the modern era.
Epidemiology of cutaneous lupus erythematosus and the associated risk of systemic lupus erythematosus: a nationwide cohort study in Denmark
Authors: Petersen M Prütz , Möller S , Bygum A , Voss A , Bliddal M
Published: May 2018

Objectives

The objectives of this paper are to describe the epidemiology of cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE) and its subtypes in Denmark, and to investigate the probability of receiving a subsequent diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and the related time course.

Methods

A nationwide registry-based cohort study was conducted in Denmark based on data from the Danish National Patient Registry from 1998 to 2013 using International Classification of Diseases, Revision 10.

Results

We identified 2380 patients with CLE. The annual incidence rate (IR) of CLE was 2.74/100,000 with a female:male ratio of 4:1. During 12,047 person-years of follow-up, 8% were diagnosed with SLE. The probability of receiving a subsequent diagnosis of SLE was 12.9% after 10 years taking death as a competing risk into consideration, and the probability was highest among women and patients diagnosed with subacute CLE. The median time until a diagnosis of SLE was 2.05 years.

Conclusions

This is the first nationwide study on CLE in Denmark. Although we found the annual IR of CLE and the risk of receiving an additional diagnosis of SLE to be lower than previously described, continued monitoring and thorough information for patients with CLE is important due to the inherent risk of SLE.
How Co-Production Regulates
Authors: Innes Martin , Davies Bethan , McDermont Morag
Published: May 2018

This article examines how and why regulatory influences tend to embed within the practices of co-production. Informed by empirical data derived from semi-structured interviews conducted with a sample of experts in co-production, the analysis seeks to illuminate some of the ‘soft’ and ‘interactive’ forms of regulatory work that are performed. In so doing, the discussion provides a ‘lightly’ critical reading of co-production and draws in Erving Goffman’s hitherto neglected use of the concept of regulation. Framed by this work, a distinction is drawn between the regulation of co-production and regulation by co-production. The analysis contributes to a growing literature on some of the subtle and sophisticated ways in which regulation is being conducted in contemporary societies and how these contribute to the governance of social order more generally.
Pathology of coccidioidomycosis in llamas and alpacas
Authors: Fernandez Julian A. , Hidalgo Mireia N. , Hodzic Emir , Diab Santiago S. , Uzal Francisco A.
Published: May 2018

Coccidioidomycosis is a fungal disease caused by either Coccidioides immitis or Coccidioides posadasii. Anecdotal evidence suggests that camelids are particularly susceptible to this disease and that a relatively large percentage of pneumonias in these animals are caused by Coccidioides spp. In a search of 21 y (1992–2013) of records from the California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory, we found 79 cases of coccidioidomycosis diagnosed in camelids; 66 (84%) had pneumonia and 13 (16%) had lesions only in organs other than the lungs. The organs most frequently affected were lung (84%) and liver (78%). Coccidioides spp. were the cause of pneumonia in 66 of 362 (18%) camelid cases during the study period. The lesions in affected organs were multifocal-to-coalescing pyogranulomas, which in most cases were visible grossly. Ten of the 12 formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded lung samples tested by a universal Coccidioides spp. PCR assay were positive (4 C. immitis, 2 C. posadasii); the species could not be determined in 4 of the 10 cases positive by PCR. Coccidioidomycosis is an important cause of pneumonia in camelids in California, and can be caused by either C. immitis or C. posadasii.
Genital mycoplasmas of healthy bitches
Authors: Maksimović Zinka , Maksimović Alan , Halilbašić Anis , Rifatbegović Maid
Published: May 2018

Little is known about the presence of mycoplasmas in the genital tracts of domestic and stray bitches or in the vaginas of ovariohysterectomized (OHE) bitches. Moreover, to our knowledge, there has been no research to investigate the presence of canine vaginal mycoplasmas during the different stages of the reproductive cycle. We investigated the occurrence of mycoplasmas in the vaginas of healthy domestic and stray intact bitches, to correlate their presence with specific stages of the reproductive cycle, and to compare them with those in OHE bitches. We also investigated the presence of uterine mycoplasmas. Mycoplasmas were isolated from 41 of 122 vaginal swabs (34%) from domestic (27%) and stray (39%) bitches. Mycoplasma canis was the most commonly identified species ( n = 26; 63%), and was detected in both intact (60%) and OHE (73%) bitches. Mycoplasma isolates from the vaginas of healthy bitches did not vary during the various stages of the estrous cycle. Mycoplasmas were not detected in uterine samples.
Informal Recyclers’ Health Inequities in Vancouver, BC
Authors: Wittmer Josie , Parizeau Kate
Published: May 2018

We explore informal recyclers’ perceptions and experiences of the social determinants of health in Vancouver, Canada, and investigate the factors that contribute to the environmental health inequities they experience. Based on in-depth interviews with 40 informal recyclers and 7 key informants, we used a social determinants of health framework to detail the health threats that informal recyclers associated with their work and the factors that influenced their access to health-related resources and services. Our analysis reveals that the structural factors influencing environmental health inequities included insufficient government resources for low-income urbanites; the potential for stigma, clientization, and discrimination at some health and social service providers; and the legal marginalization of informal recycling and associated activities. We conclude that Vancouver's informal recyclers experience inequitable access to health-related resources and services, and they are knowledgeable observers of the factors that influence their own health and well-being.
Without Warning: Worker Deaths From Heat 2014–2016
Authors: Roelofs Cora
Published: May 2018

Worker deaths from heat exposure are unlike heat deaths in the general population; workers tend to be outside in variable temperatures and younger than sixty-five years. Climate change will increase the frequency, duration, and variability of hot temperatures. Public health warning systems, such as the Heat Index of the National Weather Service, do not generally account for workers' greater likelihood of exposure to direct sunlight or exertion. Only 28% of the 79 worker heat-related fatalities during 2014–2016 occurred on days when the National Weather Service warning would have included the possibility of fatal heat stroke. Common heat illness prevention advice ignores workers' lack of control over their ability to rest and seek cooler temperatures. Additionally, acclimatization, or phased-in work in the heat, may be less useful given temperature variability under climate change. Workers' vulnerability and context of heat exposure should inform public health surveillance and response to prevent heat illness and death.
Safety of Ibuprofen for Postoperative Pain After Palatoplasty
Authors: Cardon Brandon R. , Anderson Michael P. , Glade Robert S.
Published: May 2018

Objective:

To determine the safety of ibuprofen used for postoperative pain control following palatoplasty in pediatric patients.

Design:

Retrospective chart review.

Setting:

Tertiary care, pediatric hospital.

Participants:

Patients who received ibuprofen for postoperative pain control after palatoplasty.

Main Outcome Measures:

Number of doses of ibuprofen given during hospitalization and the presence of postoperative primary or secondary bleeding following palatoplasty. Detection of postoperative hemorrhage was obtained from (1) chart review from inpatient hospitalization after palatoplasty, (2) chart review of each patient’s 3-week postoperative clinic visit, and (3) phone call to caretakers from primary author.

Results:

Thirty-two patients underwent palatoplasty who received ibuprofen for control of postoperative pain. Mean number of inpatient doses given was 4.8 (range: 1-17). None (0%) experienced hemorrhage in the hospital before discharge. Thirty-two (100%) patients were seen at a 3-week follow-up and no (0%) episodes of postoperative hemorrhage were noted. Seventeen (53%) caretakers of patients responded to contact by phone and confirmed no subsequent bleeding.

Conclusions:

Ibuprofen may not increase postoperative hemorrhage after palatoplasty. Further studies will be needed to evaluate safety on a larger scale.
Markedly Elevated Intracranial Pressure Treated With Cranial Vault Expansion, Instead of CSF Shunting, in a Child With Hurler-Scheie Syndrome and Multiple Suture Craniosynostosis
Authors: Ching Jessica A. , Troy Jared S. , Ruas Ernesto J. , Beckman Joshua M. , Tuite Gerald F.
Published: May 2018

Despite a known association of mucopolysaccharidoses (MPS) and craniosynostosis, treatment of elevated intracranial pressure (ICP) in these patients is primarily cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) shunting. We present a unique case of Hurler-Scheie syndrome with multisuture craniosynostosis and elevated ICP, without ventriculomegaly, where elevated ICP was successfully treated with extensive cranial vault expansion and shunt placement was avoided. Patients with MPS should be evaluated for craniosynostosis, and calvarial vault expansion may be considered as a viable treatment alternative to CSF shunting for elevated ICP in select patients.
The Gender Gap in Youth Political Participation: Evidence from Germany
Authors: Pfanzelt Hannah , Spies Dennis C.
Published: May 2018

In this article, we consider the gender gap in political participation by analyzing recent survey data about German adolescents. Differentiating between institutional, non-institutional, and expressive participation, we show that, even in Germany where there is strong gender equality, type-specific gender differences persist. Testing for resource, socialization, and attitudinal explanations, in multivariate regression analyses, we identify socialization in civic forms of participation together with the lower confidence of women in their personal and political skills as major drivers for the sexual differences in political engagement, especially so for institutionalized forms of participation.
Understanding Design Vulnerabilities in the Physical Environment Relating to Patient Fall Patterns in a Psychiatric Hospital: Seven Years of Sentinel Events
Authors: Bayramzadeh Sara , Portillo Margaret , Carmel-Gilfilen Candy
Published: May 2018

BACKGROUND: The influence of the physical environment on patient falls has not been fully explored in psychiatric units, despite this patient population’s vulnerability and the critical role of the physical environment in patient safety. AIMS: The research objective is to describe the spatial and temporal pattern of falls occurrences and their location in relation to the levels of safety continuum model. METHOD: This article presents an exploratory case study design. Seven years of retrospective data on patient falls, yielding 818 sentinel events, in an 81-bed psychiatric hospital in the United States were collected and analyzed. Data focused on extrinsic factors for falls, emphasizing the physical environment. Through a content analysis of the sentinel event narratives, recorded by the hospital staff, this study explored patient falls related to location and elements of the physical environment. RESULTS: The analysis revealed that 15% of recorded falls were attributed to some aspect of or element within the physical environment. The most typical locations of falls were patient rooms (39%), patient bathrooms (22%), and dayrooms (20%). Also, the results identified patterns of environmental factors that appeared linked to increasing patients’ susceptibility to falls. Risk factors included poor nighttime lighting, flooring surfaces that were uneven, and spaces that inadvertently limited visual access and supervision. CONCLUSIONS: The physical environment plays an often-unexamined role in fall events and specific locations. These results are deserving of further research on design strategies and applications to reduce patient falls in psychiatric hospital settings.
Improved Cost-Effectiveness and Blood Product Utilization From Instituting a Blood Ordering Algorithm for Cardiac Surgical Cases
Authors: Ural Kelly , Trusheim Jay , Amiri Yamah , Gastañaduy Mariella
Published: May 2018

Background. Results of a previous study revealed an over-ordering of blood products for cardiac surgery and led to the creation of a new blood ordering algorithm. This follow-up study has been conducted to evaluate improvement in ordering practices. Methods. Retrospective data were collected for 171 patients who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting or valve surgery from March 2015 to March 2016 to determine the crossmatch-to-transfusion ratio (C:tx) and potential cost savings. Results were compared with pre-algorithm values and considered statistically significant if the 95% confidence interval did not include zero. Results. Prior to the algorithm, 100% of patients undergoing cardiac surgery were crossmatched. After instituting the algorithm, this decreased to 15%. The overall C:tx decreased from 7.97 to 2.14. Cost savings were calculated as $114.79 (coronary artery bypass grafting) and $129.05 (valve surgery) per patient. Conclusions. The creation of a new algorithm to guide ordering practices has significantly improved the C:tx, reduced unnecessary crossmatching, and lowered costs.
Masculinizing Care? Gender, Ethics of Care, and Fathers’ Rights Groups
Authors: Jordan Ana
Published: May 2018

This article contributes to theoretical debates around caring masculinity, especially attempts to integrate feminist ethics of care with masculinities scholarship. I apply ethics of care and masculinities theories to an illustrative case study of fathers’ rights group (FRG), (Real) Fathers 4 Justice, who, I argue, employ aspects of care perspectives framed as a “new man/new father” masculinity. Applying ethics of care to analyze caring masculinities demonstrates that men care and that caring masculinity can potentially destabilize dominant notions of masculinity. However, care is also coded masculine in complex, sometimes troubling, ways. The promise of masculinized care in the context of fathers’ rights is limited as, ultimately, gender binaries are reinforced more than they are rendered contingent. As well as contributing to analyses of the gender politics of FRGs, I argue that we should pay careful attention to the contexts within which caring masculinities may be strategically and problematically employed.
Response, disease-free interval and overall survival of cats with nasal planum squamous cell carcinoma treated with a fractionated vs a single-dose protocol of strontium plesiotherapy
Authors: Berlato Davide , Murphy Sue , Laberke Silja , Verganti Sara
Published: May 2018

Objectives

The main aim of the study was to establish response, disease-free interval (DFI) and overall survival of cats with nasal planum squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) treated with Sr90 plesiotherapy. A secondary aim was to determine whether a fractionated protocol is more effective than a single-dose protocol in terms of response, DFI and overall survival. The third aim was to evaluate whether we can identify prognostic factors that influence overall survival.

Methods

This was a retrospective study that included cats with a diagnosis of nasal planum SCC treated with Sr90 plesiotherapy at a single institution.

Results

Seventy-four cats were included in the study. Thirty-two were treated with a fractionated protocol and 42 with a single-dose treatment. Sr90 plesiotherapy was able to induce complete response in 74% of cats with nasal planum SCC. The median DFI was 780 days (95% confidence interval [CI] 383–1177), with 17% of cats experiencing local recurrence. The overall survival for all cats was 1039 days (95% CI 55–1528). The DFI of cats treated with the fractionated Sr90 was significantly longer compared with the single-dose treatment, whereas response and overall survival were not statistically different. Other prognostic factors that influenced the overall survival were early-stage disease, absence of concurrent problems and complete response to the treatment. Acute and long-term toxicity associated with the treatment were minimal and the aesthetic outcome was pleasing in almost all cases.

Conclusions and relevance

Strontium plesiotherapy is a safe and effective treatment of nasal planum SCC in cats.
Lumbosacral transitional vertebrae in cats and its relationship to lumbosacral vertebral canal stenosis
Authors: Harris Georgina , Ball Jessica , De Decker Steven
Published: May 2018

Objectives

Although a clear relationship has been demonstrated between the presence of lumbosacral transitional vertebrae and the development of lumbosacral stenosis in dogs, this relationship has not been evaluated in cats. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between the presence of lumbosacral transitional vertebrae and lumbosacral stenosis in cats.

Methods

The medical records and diagnostic imaging studies of 13 cats diagnosed with lumbosacral stenosis were retrospectively reviewed for lumbosacral abnormalities and compared with findings of 405 cats that underwent CT for reasons unrelated to spinal disease.

Results

Clinical signs associated with lumbosacral stenosis included lumbosacral pain, low tail carriage, difficulty jumping, and urinary or faecal incontinence. Neurological signs included proprioceptive deficits, ambulatory paraparesis, pelvic limb ataxia, reduced spinal reflexes and reduced perianal reflex. Duration of clinical signs ranged from 1 day to 10 months (mean 3 months). Of the 13 cats with lumbosacral stenosis, seven (53.8%) were diagnosed with lumbosacral transitional vertebrae. In the control population of 405 cats, 24 (5.9%) were diagnosed with lumbosacral transitional vertebrae. Results indicated that lumbosacral transitional vertebrae were significantly ( P <0.0001) more prevalent in cats with lumbosacral stenosis compared with the control feline population (odds ratio 18.52, 95% confidence interval 6.1–62.1). Development of clinical signs of lumbosacral stenosis in cats with lumbosacral transitional vertebrae (mean 10.8 years) was not significantly different from that of cats without lumbosacral transitional vertebrae (mean 12.7 years). Likewise, there was no significant influence of breed ( P >0.99) or sex ( P = 0.29) on the occurrence of lumbosacral transitional vertebrae.

Conclusions and relevance

Despite lumbosacral stenosis being a rare spinal condition in cats, lumbosacral transitional vertebrae can be considered a risk factor for its development.
What would help low-income families? Results from a North American survey of 2-1-1 helpline professionals
Authors: Thompson Tess , Roux Anne M , Kohl Patricia L , Boyum Sonia , Kreuter Matthew W
Published: May 2018

Almost half of young American children live in low-income families, many with unmet needs that negatively impact health and life outcomes. Understanding which needs, proactively addressed, would most improve their lives would allow maternal and child health practitioners and social service providers to generate collaborative solutions with the potential to affect health in childhood and throughout the life course. 2-1-1 referral helplines respond to over 16 million inquiries annually, including millions of low-income parents seeking resources. Because 2-1-1 staff members understand the availability of community resources, we conducted an online survey to determine which solutions staff believed held most potential to improve the lives of children in low-income families. Information and referral specialists, resource managers, and call center directors ( N = 471) from 44 states, Puerto Rico, and Canada ranked the needs of 2-1-1 callers with children based on which needs, if addressed, would help families most. Childcare (32%), parenting (29%), and child health/health care (23%) were rated most important. Across all childcare dimensions (e.g. quality affordable care, special needs care), over half of the respondents rated community resources inadequate. Findings will help practitioners develop screeners for needs assessment, prioritize resource referrals, and advocate for community resource development.
Experimental study on ground vibration attenuation induced by heavy freight wagons on a railway viaduct
Authors: Hu Jingjing , Luo Yi , Ke Zaitian , Liu Penghui , Xu Jiayun
Published: May 2018

Studies on ground vibration induced by railway operation usually focused on wagons running on ground or abutments, while vibration from a railway viaduct is often assumed to be much lower. Based on field test in the vicinity of a heavy freight railway viaduct above Shenshan Village, China, the attenuation of ground vibration induced by heavy freight wagons for coal transportation is studied. And evaluation is conducted on an adjacent house to access vibration disturbance to residents near a viaduct. Propagation and attenuation of vibration induced from viaduct are studied by analyzing peak particle velocity and spectra of ground and house vibration in the vicinity of the viaduct. Vibration signals were collected for 34 trains with different train speed and wagon weight. In all monitored situations, vertical vibration is generally larger than horizontal vibration. The relationship between distance to pier and PPV is revealed by a power function modified from Sadovskii formula with high correlation factor. Analysis also indicates a much lower dominant frequency induced by low-speed trains with or without acceleration than normal speed trains. A dramatic amplitude reduction is shown within frequency between 25 Hz and 35 Hz when train speed is reduced. Empty wagons also show smaller amplitude in most frequency bands, with significant difference in 15–25 Hz. Analysis on the house also shows larger vibration in vertical than horizontal, and vibration amplitude in some frequency bands has exceeded relative criteria. Analysis result shows significant ground and house vibration effect form a viaduct, and piers should be considered as vibration sources for ground and houses in future studies.
Navigating through the effects of ‘Cracked Trials’
Authors: Cheng Kevin Kwok-yin
Published: May 2018

‘Cracked trials’ have been identified as a major problem in the criminal justice process, causing wastage of resources and time for all parties involved. The sliding scale of sentence discounts was implemented in England and Wales to tackle the problem of ‘cracked trials’ through providing the greatest amount of sentence reduction for earlier guilty pleas and thereby discouraging defendants from entering late guilty pleas. The sliding scale has been recently implemented or is being considered by other common law jurisdictions. This article examines how legal practitioners in Hong Kong have navigated around the adverse effects of cracked trials prior to the implementation of the sliding scale and argues how the sliding scale of sentence discounts is problematic. The findings offer insights regarding strategies and reforms on other aspects of the criminal procedure in responding to late guilty pleas.
Blood Sugar, Your Pancreas, and Unicorns: The Development of Health Education Materials for Youth With Prediabetes
Authors: Yazel-Smith Lisa G. , Pike Julie , Lynch Dustin , Moore Courtney , Haberlin Kathryn , Taylor Jennifer , Hannon Tamara S.
Published: May 2018

Background. The obesity epidemic has led to an increase in prediabetes in youth, causing a serious public health concern. Education on diabetes risk and initiation of lifestyle change are the primary treatment modalities. There are few existing age-appropriate health education tools to address diabetes prevention for high-risk youth. Aim. To develop an age-appropriate health education tool(s) to help youth better understand type 2 diabetes risk factors and the reversibility of risk. Method. Health education tool development took place in five phases: exploration, design, analysis, refinement, and process evaluation. Results. The project resulted in (1) booklet designed to increase knowledge of risk, (2) meme generator that mirrors the booklet graphics and allows youth to create their own meme based on their pancreas’ current mood, (3) environmental posters for clinic, and (4) brief self-assessment that acts as a conversation starter for the health educators. Conclusion. Patients reported high likability and satisfaction with the health education tools, with the majority of patients giving the materials an “A” rating. The process evaluation indicated a high level of fidelity and related measures regarding how the health education tools were intended to be used and how they were actually used in the clinic setting.