bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
New endoscopic classification system for biliary stricture after liver transplantation
Authors: Qin Zhichu , Linghu En-Qiang
Published: February 2014

Aim

A new classification system for biliary stricture (BS) after liver transplantation (LT) is proposed, aiming to standardize endoscopic treatment for this condition.

Methods

Data were retrospectively collected from patients who had undergone endoscopic retrograde cholangiography after LT, and who provided endoscopy images clear enough to reveal the biliary system. Images were classified separately by two endoscopists, who discussed and resolved any disputed findings. From these images, a new classification system is proposed (Ling classification): type A, normal biliary structure; type B, anastomotic stricture and normal intrahepatic biliary structure; type C, narrow and stiff intrahepatic biliary structure or beaded intrahepatic biliary structure or intrahepatic biliary cast without anastomotic stricture; type D, narrow and stiff intrahepatic biliary structure or beaded intrahepatic biliary structure or intrahepatic biliary cast with anastomotic stricture.

Results

Analysis involved 93 patients: 76 men and 17 women, median age 54 years (range, 12–69 years). Type B was the most commonly observed BS after LT, accounting for 44 cases (47.3%). Type A, the least commonly observed type, accounted for nine (9.7%), type C for 22 (23.7%) and type D for 18 (19.3%) cases.

Conclusion

A new endoscopic classification system for BS after LT is proposed, to help determine the most appropriate treatment for patients with each type of stricture.
Neoliberal pharmaceutical science and the Chicago School of Economics
Authors: Nik-Khah Edward
Published: February 2014

In recent years, science studies scholars have critically examined several methods used by the pharmaceutical industry to exert control over knowledge about drugs. Complementary literatures on ‘medical neoliberalism’ and ‘neoliberal science’ draw attention to the economic ideas justifying such methods of organizing knowledge, and in so doing suggest that neoliberal thinkers may play an important role in developing them. As yet, the nature of this role remains unexplored. Relying on heretofore-unexamined archival evidence, this article establishes a direct link between the Chicago School of Economics and the mobilization of the pharmaceutical industry in the 1970s. It argues that economists affiliated with the Chicago School of Economics sought to influence pharmaceutical policy and science and constructed institutions to do so. These institutions – most notably the Center for the Study of Drug Development – remain highly influential. This article contributes to a historical understanding of how neoliberal ideas came to assume prominence in pharmaceutical policy, the management of science, and scientific practice.
Estimating evaporation based on standard meteorological data – progress since 2007
Authors: Peel Murray C. , McMahon Thomas A.
Published: February 2014

Estimating evaporation from standard meteorological data continues to be an active area of research and practical application. Here we report on recent progress in using standard meteorology data to estimate potential, reference and actual evaporation from terrestrial landscapes as well as evaporation from lakes and reservoirs. We also address recent enhancements to standard methodologies through use of remote sensing and data-driven procedures. From our report we observe that remote sensing offers significant potential for mapping spatial variations in evaporation. There has been limited progress in estimating actual evaporation via the complementary relationship, whereas applications of the Penman-Monteith and related equations incorporating actual surface resistance term(s) have dominated the recent literature.
Walking to School
Authors: Banerjee Tridib , Uhm JungA , Bahl Deepak
Published: February 2014

Neighborhoods walkability has become an important public health concern. The child’s-eye view of safe and walkable environments is typically remiss from the literature. Particularly the experience of inner city kids, very different from that of suburban neighborhoods, remains unreported. The study reported here offers new insights based on the walking to school experience reported by the children of inner city neighborhoods of Los Angeles. Interviews with fifth-graders from five grade schools suggest that the dangers in their social milieu are a much greater concern for them than the physical milieu, which the walkability research typically emphasizes. The findings necessitate new policies.
Canadian Elementary School Teachers’ Perceptions of Gender Differences in Shy Girls and Boys in the Classroom
Authors: Akseer Tabasum , Bosacki Sandra L. , Rose-Krasnor Linda , Coplan Robert J.
Published: February 2014

Shyness may play a significant role in children’s socio-emotional and cognitive competence in the classroom. This qualitative study investigated elementary school teachers’ perceptions of the concept of shyness in their students. In particular, we explored teachers’ perceptions regarding the role that gender plays in shy children’s behaviours, and their suggestions for educational strategies for shy girls and boys to improve their socio-communicative competence and socio-emotional literacy. Twelve elementary school teachers (10 female, 2 male) participated in interviews about their thoughts/beliefs and feelings/attitudes regarding their experiences with shy girls and boys in the classroom. Overall, findings point to differences in teachers’ perceptions of shyness in boys and girls in the classroom, and suggest that some teachers perceive that shyness may be particularly problematic for boys. Findings are discussed in terms of inclusive and holistic educational programs that promote emotional and social competence among all children.
Occupational segregation and gender inequality in job quality: a multi-level approach
Authors: Stier Haya , Yaish Meir
Published: February 2014

Gender differences in perceived quality of employment (achievement, content, job insecurity, time autonomy and physical and emotional conditions) are examined. The study asks whether women’s occupations provide better conditions in areas that facilitate their dual role in society, as a trade-off for low monetary rewards. Specifically, it examines the association of women’s concentration in broader occupational categories, embedded in particular national contexts, with gender differences in job quality. Utilizing the 2005 ISSP modules on work orientation shows that women lag behind men on most dimensions of job quality, countering the hypothesis that women’s occupations compensate for their low wages and limited opportunities for promotion by providing better employment conditions. However, as women’s relative share in occupations grows the gender gap narrows in most job quality dimensions. The implications of these results are discussed.
Discourses of sameness: Expressions of nationalism in newspaper discourse on French urban violence in 2005
Authors: Costelloe Laura
Published: February 2014

November 2005 saw a significant flashpoint in the long-running history of tensions between minority groups and those in power in France: two teenagers, allegedly while hiding from the police, were electrocuted in a Parisian electrical sub-station, which was the catalyst for the unprecedented spread of violent riots across banlieues, or urban districts, in French cities lasting for a number of weeks. Mindful of the printed news media as important sites of ideology production, this study contributes to a growing body of work on newspaper representation of the banlieues, with a focus on the particularly traumatic events of November 2005. This article examines French newspaper representations of urban violence in 2005 using a critical discourse analytical approach, focusing on how the scenes of violent rioting prompted media discussions pertaining to French national identity. It argues that national identity and expressions of nationalism are defined in an exclusionary way, and that a discourse of sameness constructs symbolic boundaries between ‘us’ and ‘them’. The research suggests that in its reaction to the challenging events of November 2005, the printed news media adopts strategies which ‘other’ immigrant minorities and those living in the banlieues. Inhabitants of the banlieues are depicted as being outside the borders of the homogenously constructed French society in order to explain the violent scenes and ultimately uphold relations of discrimination and social dominance.
Immigrant voices in students’ essay texts: Between assimilation and pride
Authors: Archakis Argiris
Published: February 2014

The present study concentrates on immigrants’ positionings towards the discourse of the majority in Greece. While facing an influx of immigrants during the 1990s, the Greek majority adopted a particularly racist discourse. My purpose here is to explore how immigrant students attending Greek schools attempt to articulate their voice in relation to the assimilationist, racist discourse surrounding them. Focusing on the functions of the disclaimer I am adjusting myself, but … used by immigrant students in a corpus of school essays, we will argue that it constitutes a particularly effective means of allowing them to raise a complex and polyphonic voice pursuing adjustment to the host country, without, however, losing face and pride. More particularly, the data analysis shows that in their school essays, and under the influence of their immigrant/ethnic communities and their negative experiences in the host country, immigrant students recontextualise the majority disclaimer I’m not a racist, but … used by the majority population. The disclaimer seems to have undergone an entextualisation process that has led to the new disclaimer I am adjusting myself, but …, which is intertextually linked with the former, but reversing its target. While the majority disclaimer is an expression of latent racism, the one discussed here involves mitigated threatening acts against majority assumptions as well as the enhancement of immigrant students’ face.
The influence of basin morphometry on the regional coherence of patterns of diatom-inferred salinity in lakes of the northern Great Plains (USA)
Authors: Wigdahl Courtney R , Saros Jasmine E , Fritz Sherilyn C , Stone Jeffery R , Engstrom Daniel R
Published: February 2014

Sedimentary diatom profiles from saline lakes are frequently used to reconstruct lakewater salinity as an indicator of drought. However, diatom-inferred salinity (DI-salinity) reconstructions from geographically proximal sites in the Great Plains (USA) have yielded disparate results. This study explores how physical changes in lake habitat resulting from drought may affect climate inferences from salinity reconstructions. Differences in relationships among drought, lake-level change, and diatom community structure over the last century were examined for three saline lakes in the northern Great Plains with dissimilar DI-salinity records. At each site, models were developed relating available planktic:benthic (P:B) habitat area to lake-level change, and models were compared with instrumental drought records and fossil diatoms to understand how drought conditions were recorded in sedimentary diatom assemblages. The degree to which DI-salinity tracked drought variation was affected by site-specific physical characteristics that influenced the relationship between lake-level change and P:B habitat zonation within each lake. Moon Lake showed the strongest correlation between drought and DI-salinity, although this relationship was weaker during wetter conditions, as highstands resulted in a larger influx of benthic diatoms. At Coldwater Lake, a dual-basin system, P:B varied depending on lake level, which apparently reduced the correlation between DI-salinity and drought. At Lake Cochrane, the simplest and freshest of the three basins, the P:B of fossil diatoms was a better proxy for drought than DI-salinity. The integration of additional ecological characteristics into interpretations of paleoclimate records, particularly for biologically-based proxies, may improve reconstructions of regional patterns of climate variation.
Cruising an archive: On the palaeoclimatic value of the Lena Delta
Authors: Büntgen Ulf , Kirdyanov Alexander V , Hellmann Lena , Nikolaev Anatoly N , Tegel Willy
Published: February 2014

Today, there are only a handful of millennial-long and annually resolved tree-ring chronologies in existence. Explicit gaps in the global distribution of these regional chronologies together with an overall declining sample size back in time compel a community-wide challenge to discover new tree ring–based climate proxy records. Here, we present evidence for a yet unexplored palaeoenvironmental archive, define allied research tasks and emphasize probable hurdles within and beyond academia, in pursuit of answering this challenge.
Spirituality, Religiosity, and Personal Beliefs of Australian Undergraduate Nursing Students
Authors: Lopez Violeta , Fischer Imke , Leigh Maria Cynthia , Larkin David , Webster Sue
Published: February 2014

Purpose: To explore Australian nursing students’ perceptions of spirituality, religiosity, and personal belief. Background: Spiritual and religious literature support the benefits to patients’ physical and mental health. Nurses have an ethical obligation to understand and incorporate patient’s spiritual beliefs and values into the care plan. Method: A cross-sectional survey was conducted using the 32-item WHO-QOL-SRPB questionnaire. Sample: The sample consisted of 483 undergraduate nursing students in Sydney, Australia. Results: There were 21% male and 79% female students; age ranged from 18 to 56 years, with a mean age of 26.53 ( SD = 7.32). There were no significant difference between male and female nursing students, but there were difference in SRPB scores between first-, second-, and third-year students and between religious affiliations. Conclusions and Implications: Spirituality is multidimensional and multilevel and is interconnected with religiosity and personal belief. Nurses need to understand their own spirituality before they can incorporate spirituality in their patient care.
Design and optimisation of a footfall energy harvesting system
Authors: Gilbert James M , Balouchi Farouk
Published: February 2014

The scavenging of electrical energy from normal human activity has a number of attractions, and footfall energy is seen as one of the most attractive sources. However, footfall motion is characterised by relatively large forces and low velocities, and this makes it inherently poorly matched to electromagnetic generators which operate most efficiently at high speeds. In order to achieve an efficient velocity amplification, a novel mechanism has been developed which makes use of a spring and flywheel as energy storage elements and a ‘striker’ mechanism which controls energy storage and release. This energy harvesting mechanism is capable of being used either in footwear or under a floor. In this article, the structure of the proposed mechanism is described; the optimisation of the system parameters, based on a dynamic model, is discussed; and experimental results for an under-floor system are presented.
Three-dimensional dynamic responses of carbon nanotube–reinforced composite plates with surface-bonded piezoelectric layers using Reissner’s mixed variational theorem–based finite layer methods
Authors: Wu Chih-Ping , Lin Hong-Ru
Published: February 2014

A unified formulation of finite layer methods based on the Reissner’s mixed variational theorem is developed for the three-dimensional dynamic responses of simply supported, functionally graded carbon nanotube–reinforced composite plates with surface-bonded piezoelectric sensor and actuator layers and closed- and open-circuit surface conditions. In the formulation, the plate is divided into a number of finite rectangular layers, in which the trigonometric functions and Lagrange polynomials are used to interpolate the in- and out-of-plane variations in the primary field variables of each individual layer, respectively, such as the elastic displacement, transverse shear and normal stress, electric potential, and normal electric displacement (flux) components. The relevant orders used for expansion of these variables in the thickness coordinate can be freely chosen, such as linear, quadratic, or cubic ones. Four different through-thickness distributions of carbon nanotubes in the carbon nanotube–reinforced composite layer are considered, and the effective material properties of the layer are estimated using the rule of mixtures. The accuracy and convergence rate of the frequency parameters of the sandwiched hybrid carbon nanotube–reinforced composite and piezoelectric plates obtained using assorted Reissner’s mixed variational theorem–based finite layer methods are assessed by comparing their solutions with the exact three-dimensional solutions available in the literature.
Comparative modeling of low-frequency piezomagnetoelastic energy harvesters
Authors: Abdelkefi Abdessattar , Barsallo Nilma
Published: February 2014

In order to design efficient low-frequency piezomagnetoelastic energy harvesters, an effective analytical model which considers the effects of the electromechanical coupling and the nonlinear magnetic force is required. In this paper, the harvester consists of a partially covered piezoelectric cantilever beam with a fixed magnet mass at the top of the magnet tip mass. A nonlinear distributed-parameter model based on Euler–Bernoulli beam theory and Galerkin discretization is developed. The used mode shapes in the Galerkin discretization take into account the fact that the magnetic force and the piezoelectric sheet do not cover the whole beam. In addition, we develop an approximated distributed-parameter model that is based on the classical mode shapes of a fully covered piezoelectric cantilever beam in the Galerkin discretization. These distributed-parameter models are compared with a lumped-parameter model and experimental measurements. The results show that the derived distributed-parameter model accurately predicts the experimental measurements and particularly the accompanying softening behavior. On the contrary, it is demonstrated that the approximated distributed-parameter and lumped-parameter models give erroneous predictions of the resonance region, the level of the harvested power, and the softening behavior. In order to investigate the effects of the load resistance and the softening behavior on the performance of the harvester, a parametric study based on the analytically validated model is then performed. The results show that the presence and importance of the softening behavior depends on the electrical load resistance. It is also demonstrated that the presence of the softening behavior plays an important role in the short- and open-circuit configurations.
Comparing Face-to-Face and Online Qualitative Research With People With Multiple Sclerosis
Authors: Synnot Anneliese , Hill Sophie , Summers Michael , Taylor Michael
Published: February 2014

We compared face-to-face focus groups and an online forum in qualitative research with people with multiple sclerosis (MS) and family members. Although the merits and challenges of online qualitative research have been considered by others, there is limited literature directly comparing these two data collection methods for people with disability or chronic illness. Twenty-seven people participated in one of four focus groups and 33 people took part in an online forum. Demographic and MS-related characteristics were similar between the two groups, with a slight nonsignificant trend toward nonmetropolitan residence in online forum participants. There was a high level of overlap in the themes generated between groups. Participant responses in the online forum were more succinct and on-topic, yet in the focus groups interaction was greater. Online qualitative research methods can facilitate research participation for people with chronic illness or disability, yielding generally comparable information to that gathered via face-to-face methods.
The Experiences of Well-Being of Palliative Care Patients in Malaysia
Authors: Beng Tan Seng , Chin Loh Ee , Guan Ng Chong , Ann Yee Hway , Wu Cathie , Kuan Wong Sook , Jane Lim Ee , Khee Saw Shier , Meng Christopher Boey Chiong
Published: February 2014

A qualitative study was conducted with semistructured interviews to explore the experiences of well-being in 15 adult palliative care inpatients of University Malaya Medical Center, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The results were thematically analyzed. Six basic themes were generated (1) positive attitude, (2) positive cognitions, (3) positive emotions, (4) positive engagement, (5) positive relationships, and (6) positive circumstances. The Seeds Model was conceptualized from the analysis. This model may inform the development of interventions in the enhancement of well-being of palliative care patients.
Charismatic Leadership and Rhetorical Competence
Authors: Heracleous Loizos , Klaering Laura Alexa
Published: February 2014

One of the primary ways leaders influence others is through their rhetoric. Despite the clear link between charismatic leadership and rhetorical competence, empirical studies of this link in the management field remain sparse. We thus do not have a clear sense of the nature of the rhetoric of charismatic leaders and whether or how they alter their rhetoric in different situations. We conduct an in-depth case study of the rhetoric of the late Steve Jobs, an acknowledged charismatic leader, to expand our understanding of the fundamental link between charismatic leadership and rhetorical competence. We found not only an integration of customization to different audiences and situations but also continuity in central themes in different rhetorical contexts, which may be a key attribute of the competence of charismatic leaders. We also find that customized rhetorical strategies are influenced by the leader’s perceived ethos (credibility) in the respective situations, which in turn influences the extent of logos (appeal to logic) and pathos (appeal to emotions) employed.
Ignorance or Opposition? Blank and Spoiled Votes in Low-Information, Highly Politicized Environments
Authors: Driscoll Amanda , Nelson Michael J.
Published: February 2014

Voters often make the effort to go to the polls but effectively throw their vote away by leaving their ballot blank or intentionally spoiled. Typically construed as anomalous or errant, we argue that blank and spoiled ballots are empirically differentiable and politically informative. We consider self-reported vote choice from a nationally representative survey following the 2011 Bolivian elections, in which 60 percent of votes cast were blank or spoiled. We estimate a multinomial logit model, finding that both blank and null voting were driven by political concerns, though null voting was more common among politically sophisticated individuals.
Injectable Collagen Implant Improves Survival, Cardiac Remodeling, and Function in the Early Period After Myocarditis in Rats
Authors: Rinkevich-Shop Shunit , Landa-Rouben Natalie , Epstein Frederick H. , Holbova Radka , Feinberg Micha S. , Goitein Orly , Kushnir Tammar , Konen Eli , Leor Jonathan
Published: February 2014

Aim:

Despite clear evidence of immune system involvement in the pathogenesis of myocarditis, the treatment of myocarditis remains nonspecific and supportive. We sought to test the hypothesis that injection of a collagen-based implant into the inflamed myocardium would stabilize the left ventricular (LV) wall and prevent adverse remodeling and dysfunction.

Methods and Results:

Autoimmune myocarditis was induced in 42 male Lewis rats. Development of myocarditis was evaluated and confirmed by serial echocardiography and cardiac magnetic resonance scans, LV wall thickening, global and regional LV wall motion abnormalities, and in some cases pericardial effusion. Sick animals were randomized to either injectable collagen implantation or saline injection into the anterior inflamed myocardium 14 days after immunization. Significantly, injectable collagen implantation improved 31-day survival compared with controls (85.7% vs 50%; P = .03). Furthermore, although injectable collagen significantly attenuated LV systolic and diastolic dilatation and preserved LV geometry and function, control animals developed significant LV dilatation and dysfunction. These favorable effects on LV remodeling were confirmed by postmortem morphometry. Significantly, the injectable collagen implant attenuated cardiomyocyte hypertrophy and infiltration of macrophages and lymphocytes into the myocardium.

Conclusions:

The present study shows, for the first time, that injectable collagen biomaterial improves survival and attenuates cardiac inflammation, cardiomyocyte hypertrophy, LV remodeling, and dysfunction in the early period after myocarditis in rats. Our findings suggest a new biomaterial-based strategy to ameliorate the devastating effects of myocarditis.
Acceleration harmonic identification algorithm based on the unscented Kalman filter for shaking signals of an electro-hydraulic servo shaking table
Authors: Yao Jianjun , Xiao Rui , Chen Shuo , Di Duotao , Gao Shuang , Yu Han
Published: February 2014

Since there are nonlinearities in an electro-hydraulic servo shaking table, when the shaking table corresponds to sinusoidal shaking tests, its response contains higher harmonics, resulting in harmonic distortion and deteriorating the control performance. It needs to provide harmonic information for harmonic cancellation. The purpose of the paper is to develop an online acceleration harmonic identification algorithm for the shaking table. The unscented Kalman filter is applied to achieve this task. A nonlinear state space of the sinusoidal acceleration response is built for the unscented Kalman filter, which estimates the state of the nonlinear model, and the amplitude and phase of each harmonic, including the fundamental, can be directly decomposed from the identified state vector. The state transition equation is linear and the measurement equation is nonlinear. The efficiency and real-time performance of the developed acceleration harmonic identification are validated by simulation and experiment, in which the estimation error is further used to testify the estimation accuracy.
Youth With Autism Spectrum Disorders
Authors: Clark Brenda G. , Magill-Evans Joyce E. , Koning Cyndie J.
Published: February 2014

Quality of life (QoL) for persons with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and factors associated with QoL are not well understood. Prior literature has relied on parent-report though this is changing. It may be important to consider both parent-reported QoL and self-report. This study explored QoL in 22 Canadian adolescents (3 girls, 19 boys) ages 13 to 18 years ( M = 15.2 years). Adolescents completed the 10 subscales of the KIDSCREEN-52, a standardized questionnaire, while their parents completed the proxy form of the measure and the Adaptive Behavior Assessment System–II. Both parents and adolescents reported mean QoL scores in the lower average range. Intra-class correlation coefficients between parent and self-report were similar to adolescents without special needs except for four subscales. Correlations between QoL and the General Adaptive Composite score were remarkably low. Adolescents with ASD respond differently from their parents in some areas and both reports should be considered.
On Your Time
Authors: Kenefick Hope Worden , Ravid Sharon , MacVarish Kathleen , Tsoi Jennifer , Weill Kenny , Faye Elizabeth , Fidler Anne
Published: February 2014

The need for competency-based training for the public health workforce is well documented. However, human and financial resource limitations within public health agencies often make it difficult for public health practitioners to attend classroom-based training programs. The Internet is an increasingly popular way of extending training beyond the workforce. Although research describes attributes of effective online learning modules, much of the available training delivered via the Internet does not incorporate such attributes. The authors describe the On Your Time training series, an effective distance education program and training model for public health practitioners, which includes a standardized process for development, review, evaluation, and continuous quality improvement. On Your Time is a series of awareness-level (i.e., addressing what practitioners should know), competency-based training modules that address topics related to regulatory responsibilities of public health practitioners (e.g., assuring compliance with codes and regulations governing housing, retail food safety, private water supplies, hazardous and solid waste, on-site wastewater systems, etc.), public health surveillance, case investigation, disease prevention, health promotion, and emergency preparedness. The replicable model incorporates what is known about best practices for online training and maximizes available resources in the interests of sustainability.
Using Innovative Instructional Technology to Meet Training Needs in Public Health
Authors: Millery Mari , Hall Michelle , Eisman Joanna , Murrman Marita
Published: February 2014

Technology and distance learning can potentially enhance the efficient and effective delivery of continuing education to the public health workforce. Public Health Training Centers collaborate with instructional technology designers to develop innovative, competency-based online learning experiences that meet pressing training needs and promote best practices. We describe one Public Health Training Center’s online learning module design process, which consists of five steps: (1) identify training needs and priority competencies; (2) define learning objectives and identify educational challenges; (3) pose hypotheses and explore innovative, technology-based solutions; (4) develop and deploy the educational experience; and (5) evaluate feedback and outcomes to inform continued cycles of revision and improvement. Examples illustrate the model’s application. These steps are discussed within the context of design practices in the fields of education, engineering, and public health. They incorporate key strategies from across these fields, including principles of programmatic design familiar to public health professionals, such as backward design. The instructional technology design process we describe provides a structure for the creativity, collaboration, and systematic strategies needed to develop online learning products that address critical training needs for the public health workforce.
Charting a Course to Competency
Authors: Neiworth Latrissa L. , Allan Susan , D’Ambrosio Luann , Coplen-Abrahamson Marlene
Published: February 2014

Consistent with other professional fields, the goals of public health training have moved from a focus on knowledge transfer to the development of skills or competencies. At least six national competency sets have been developed in the past decade pertaining to public health professionals. State and local public health agencies are increasingly using competency sets as frameworks for staff development and assessment. Mapping competencies to training has potential for enhancing the value of public health training during resource-constrained times by directly linking training content to the desired skills. For existing public health trainings, the challenge is how to identify competencies addressed in those courses in a manner that is not burdensome and that produces valid results. This article describes a process for mapping competencies to the learning objectives, assignments, and assessments of existing trainings. The process presented could be used by any training center or organization that seeks to connect public health workforce competencies to previously developed instruction. Public health practice can be strengthened more effectively if trainings can be selected for the desired practice skills or competencies.
A Needs Assessment of Health Department Employees in Puerto Rico and Florida
Authors: Capriles-Quirós José A. , McCoy H. Virginia , Darrow William W. , Ríos Ruth E. , Rubens Muni , Silva-Suarez Georgina , Hughes Shannon
Published: February 2014

Public health training centers were established to enhance competencies in skills required to meet 21st-century public health challenges. In 2011, the Puerto Rico–Florida Public Health Training Center conducted surveys to assess the training needs of two populations of public health workers serving Hispanic communities: Florida Department of Health employees and workers at the regional and central offices of the Puerto Rico Department of Health. The two surveys were similar, but not identical in content and administration. A 52.6% response rate was achieved in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, where limited computer access necessitated use of a pen-and-paper survey. A 20.7% response rate was achieved in Florida, where an online survey was used and incomplete responses were problematic. Puerto Rico respondents ( n = 1,414) were similar in age (Mdn age = 48 years) to Hispanic Florida respondents ( n = 546, Mdn age =45 years). They also reported higher levels of academic achievement and more years of experience in public health. Nevertheless, self-assessed public health competency scores were in the low- to mid-range for Hispanic respondents in both locales. Although self-assessed training priorities differed, Hispanic employees in both jurisdictions preferred hands-on and face-to-face training to distance learning. Findings indicate a need for training based on adult learning theory, targeted to entry-level employees, and addressing the top five self-assessed training needs, especially health promotion and disease prevention and public health law and policy, which emerged as priority training areas in both survey populations.
Study on photoinduced anisotropy of liquid crystal doped in polymer film containing coumarin group
Authors: Cao Jin , Zhang Wei-min , Yang Jiao , Pu Jia-ling
Published: February 2014

In this article, the photoinduced anisotropy of a liquid crystal molecule doped into a polymer with photosensitive group was studied. The polymer with coumarin photosensitive group as side chain can generate a polarization axis-selective photoreaction and obtain anisotropy after being exposed at a certain wavelength of linearly polarized ultraviolet light, which occurs as [2+2] cycloaddition and form anchoring force. The thin film underwent subsequent annealing in the liquid crystal temperature range and it leads to a large optical anisotropic change in the polymer film for the self-assembly of molecule. The ultraviolet dynamic spectrum was used to evaluate the absorbance of the film, and the photoinduced optical anisotropy ΔA and order parameter S were calculated. The result shows that when the exposure energy was increased to 1908 mJ/cm2, the value of the absorbance does not change with the increase in exposure energy. When annealing temperature changed from 120 °C to 240 °C, ΔA changed from 0.07 to 0.11 and S changed from 0.02 to 0.04.
Gene expression of TLR homologues identified by genome-wide screening of the earthworm Dendrobaena veneta
Authors: Fjøsne Trine F , Stenseth Else-Berit , Myromslien Frøydis , Rudi Knut
Published: February 2014

TLRs represent one of the most important components of innate immunity. Currently, these receptors have been extensively studied in vertebrates and insects, but our knowledge for annelids is very limited. Therefore, the aim of our study was to identify earthworm TLR homologs by genome-wide screening, and to determine the expression of candidate genes as a response to Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Using a combination of deep pyrosequencing and quantitative PCR we found six candidate genes, for which all were expressed in Dentrobaena veneta. Two of the candidates showed significant response to bacterial exposure. In conclusion, TLRs seem to have a role in earthworm immunology.
An Unusual Case of Chronic Lateral Foot Pain Following Ankle Inversion Injury
Authors: Aydogan Umur , Dellenbaugh Samuel G.
Published: February 2014

Osteoid osteomas are common benign tumors normally seen in the femur, tibia, and spine. They rarely are seen in the foot. We present an unusual case of osteoid osteoma of the cuboid in a 26-year-old man. This was initially thought to be an ankle sprain, as its first presentation was after a sporting injury. It was then treated as an infection before the true diagnosis—that of osteoid osteoma—was obtained.

Level of Evidence: Therapeutic, Level IV: Case study
Glenohumeral Function of the Long Head of the Biceps Muscle
Authors: Chalmers Peter N. , Cip Johannes , Trombley Robert , Cole Brian J. , Wimmer Markus A. , Romeo Anthony A. , Verma Nikhil N.
Published: February 2014

Background:

Optimal treatment of superior labral anterior-posterior (SLAP) tears is controversial, in part because the dynamic role of the long head of the biceps muscle (LHBM) in the glenohumeral joint is unclear. The aim of this study was to determine dynamic LHBM behavior during shoulder activity by studying (1) the electromyographic activity of the LHBM during shoulder motion, (2) the effect of elbow immobilization on this activity, and (3) the effect of a load applied to the distal humerus on this activity.

Hypothesis:

The LHBM would not play a significant role in active glenohumeral range of motion.

Study Design:

Controlled laboratory study.

Methods:

Thirteen normal volunteers underwent surface electromyography (EMG) measurement of the LHBM, short head biceps muscle (SHBM), deltoid, infraspinatus, and brachioradialis during shoulder motion from the neutral position (0° of rotation, flexion, and abduction) to 45° of flexion, 90° of flexion, 45° of abduction, and 90° of abduction. These motions were repeated both with and without splint immobilization of the forearm and elbow at 100° of flexion and neutral rotation and with and without a 1-kg weight placed on the lateral distal humerus.

Results:

Mean EMG activity within the LHBM and the SHBM was low (≤11.6% ± 9.1%). LHBM activity was significant increased by flexion and abduction ( P < .049 in all cases), while SHBM activity was not. EMG activity from the middle head of the deltoid was significantly increased by loading with the shoulder positioned away from the body (ie, in abduction or flexion). When compared with the unloaded state, the addition of a distal humeral load significantly increased LHBM activity in 45° of abduction ( P = .028) and 90° of flexion ( P = .033) despite forearm and elbow immobilization. The SHBM showed similar trends.

Conclusion:

In normal volunteers with forearm and elbow immobilization and application of a load to the distal humerus, LHBM EMG activity is increased by both glenohumeral flexion and abduction, suggesting that this muscle plays a dynamic role in glenohumeral motion with higher demand activities.

Clinical Relevance:

Biceps tenodesis may result in dynamic change within the glenohumeral joint with higher demand activities.
Effect of microstructural heterogeneities on scatter of toughness in multi-pass weld metal of C–Mn steels
Authors: Song H. Y. , Evans G. M. , Babu S. S.
Published: February 2014

Often, scatter in mechanical properties of multi-pass steel weldments is qualitatively attributed to the underlying heterogeneous microstructure brought about by spatial variations of multiple thermal cycles. In this research, a method for quantitative heterogeneity calculation based on measured variations of microstructure and hardness throughout the multi-pass weld metals including various reheated regions was explored. Published data from multi-pass welds with controlled titanium additions (7–32 wt ppm) were correlated to comprehensive microstructure characterization. The scatter in 7 wt ppm Ti steel welds was larger than that of 32 wt ppm Ti steel welds. This change in scatter is correlated to spatial distributions of microstructural heterogeneity parameter, rather than the average value of heterogeneity parameter for the whole weldment.
Application of low Ms temperature consumable to dissimilar welded joint
Authors: Saraiva D. L. , Béreš M. , Silva C. C. , Nunes C. S. , Silva J. J. M. , Abreu H. F. G.
Published: February 2014

The welding of dissimilar joints is very common in systems used in oil exploration and production in deep sea waters. Commonly involves welding of low carbon steel pipes with low alloy steel forgings both with inner Inconel clad. The forged steel part undergoes a process of buttering with Inconel or carbon steel electrode before the weld of the joint. The buttering process is followed by a process of residual stresses relief. The conventional way of reducing the level of residual stresses in welded joints is to apply post welding heat treatments. Depending on the size and complexity of the parts to be joined, this can become a serious problem. An alternative technique for reducing residual stresses is to use an electrode that during the cooling process undergoes a displacive transformation at a relatively low temperature so that the deformation resulting from the transformation compensates the contraction during the cooling process, and, although many papers have been published in this direction using Fe–Cr–Ni alloys, most of them report a loss of toughness in the weld metal. Maraging steel is a family of materials with Ms temperature below 200°C and even without the final heat treatment of aging has superior mechanical properties to low alloy steels used in forgings. In this work, forged piece of AISI 4130 was buttered with Maraging 350 weld consumable and subsequently welded to ASTM A36 steel using Inconel 625 filler metal. In addition, the dissimilar base metal plates were welded together using Maraging 350 steel weld consumable. The levels of residual stress, and the toughness and microstructures of heat affected zone and weld metal were investigated.
Assessment of the normal and pathological alignment of the elbow in children using the trochleocapitellar index
Authors: Gorelick Lauren , Robinson Dror , Loberant Norman , Rozano-Gorelick Ayala , Yassin Mustafa , Garti Avraham , Ram Edward
Published: February 2014

Background

The current research is a retrospective study that involves the description of a new trochleocapitellar index (TCI), on basis of anteroposterior (AP) radiographs of normal and fractured paediatric elbows. This index may be useful in assessing the alignment of the elbow with a supracondylar fracture.

Methods

The index was evaluated to define its normal and pathological range in children between the ages of 1–13 years. A total of 212 elbows in 141 children were radiographically evaluated. 70 children without fracture elbows were evaluated by radiographs taken at the time of trauma. 35 children with unilateral fractures that healed in a normal alignment were compared to 33 patients that had a mal-union and three patients with bilateral elbow fractures. The patients were radiographically assessed at the time of fracture as well as after fracture healing as part of a routine clinical assessment. Treatment included observation, cast or internal fixation as needed.

Results

The current study establishes that the normal range of the TCI was 0.25-0.8. The average TCI is 0.45. The lower range correlates with a valgus alignment of the elbow while the higher range indicates a neutral alignment. The TCI in fractured elbows that have healed in a clinically normal alignment is different than the contra-lateral elbow’s TCI. This might indicate a sub-clinical remaining deformity.

Conclusions

In current practice, paediatric patients with elbow trauma, often undergo bilateral radiographs during emergency room visits. The TCI has high negative and positive predictive values and might be superior to direct angle measurement that is currently in use. The use of the TCI measurement is expected to reduce exposure to irradiation in elbow trauma patients as bilateral comparative films appear to be superfluous when this measurement is used.
Key considerations for the experimental training and evaluation of cancer odour detection dogs: lessons learnt from a double-blind, controlled trial of prostate cancer detection
Authors: Elliker Kevin R , Sommerville Barbara A , Broom Donald M , Neal David E , Armstrong Sarah , Williams Hywel C
Published: February 2014

Background

Cancer detection using sniffer dogs is a potential technology for clinical use and research. Our study sought to determine whether dogs could be trained to discriminate the odour of urine from men with prostate cancer from controls, using rigorous testing procedures and well-defined samples from a major research hospital.

Methods

We attempted to train ten dogs by initially rewarding them for finding and indicating individual prostate cancer urine samples (Stage 1). If dogs were successful in Stage 1, we then attempted to train them to discriminate prostate cancer samples from controls (Stage 2). The number of samples used to train each dog varied depending on their individual progress. Overall, 50 unique prostate cancer and 67 controls were collected and used during training. Dogs that passed Stage 2 were tested for their ability to discriminate 15 (Test 1) or 16 (Tests 2 and 3) unfamiliar prostate cancer samples from 45 (Test 1) or 48 (Tests 2 and 3) unfamiliar controls under double-blind conditions.

Results

Three dogs reached training Stage 2 and two of these learnt to discriminate potentially familiar prostate cancer samples from controls. However, during double-blind tests using new samples the two dogs did not indicate prostate cancer samples more frequently than expected by chance (Dog A sensitivity 0.13, specificity 0.71, Dog B sensitivity 0.25, specificity 0.75). The other dogs did not progress past Stage 1 as they did not have optimal temperaments for the sensitive odour discrimination training.

Conclusions

Although two dogs appeared to have learnt to select prostate cancer samples during training, they did not generalise on a prostate cancer odour during robust double-blind tests involving new samples. Our study illustrates that these rigorous tests are vital to avoid drawing misleading conclusions about the abilities of dogs to indicate certain odours. Dogs may memorise the individual odours of large numbers of training samples rather than generalise on a common odour. The results do not exclude the possibility that dogs could be trained to detect prostate cancer. We recommend that canine olfactory memory is carefully considered in all future studies and rigorous double-blind methods used to avoid confounding effects.
Optimal care and design of the tracheal cuff in the critically ill patient
Authors: Jaillette Emmanuelle , Martin-Loeches Ignacio , Artigas Antonio , Nseir Saad
Published: February 2014

Despite the increasing use of non-invasive ventilation and high-flow nasal-oxygen therapy, intubation is still performed in a large proportion of critically ill patients. The aim of this narrative review is to discuss recent data on long-term intubation-related complications, such as microaspiration, and tracheal ischemic lesions. These complications are common in critically ill patients, and are associated with substantial morbidity and mortality. Recent data suggest beneficial effects of tapered cuffed tracheal tubes in reducing aspiration. However, clinical data are needed in critically ill patients to confirm this hypothesis. Polyurethane-cuffed tracheal tubes and continuous control of cuff pressure could be beneficial in preventing microaspiration and ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). However, large multicenter studies are needed before recommending their routine use. Cuff pressure should be maintained between 20 and 30 cmH2O to prevent intubation-related complications. Tracheal ischemia could be prevented by manual or continuous control of cuff pressure.