bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Neonatal head and torso vibration exposure during inter-hospital transfer
Authors: Blaxter Laurence , Yeo Mildrid , McNally Donal , Crowe John , Henry Caroline , Hill Sarah , Mansfield Neil , Leslie Andrew , Sharkey Don
Published: January 2017

Inter-hospital transport of premature infants is increasingly common, given the centralisation of neonatal intensive care. However, it is known to be associated with anomalously increased morbidity, most notably brain injury, and with increased mortality from multifactorial causes. Surprisingly, there have been relatively few previous studies investigating the levels of mechanical shock and vibration hazard present during this vehicular transport pathway. Using a custom inertial datalogger, and analysis software, we quantify vibration and linear head acceleration. Mounting multiple inertial sensing units on the forehead and torso of neonatal patients and a preterm manikin, and on the chassis of transport incubators over the duration of inter-site transfers, we find that the resonant frequency of the mattress and harness system currently used to secure neonates inside incubators is [Formula: see text]. This couples to vehicle chassis vibration, increasing vibration exposure to the neonate. The vibration exposure per journey (A(8) using the ISO 2631 standard) was at least 20% of the action point value of current European Union regulations over all 12 neonatal transports studied, reaching 70% in two cases. Direct injury risk from linear head acceleration (HIC15) was negligible. Although the overall hazard was similar, vibration isolation differed substantially between sponge and air mattresses, with a manikin. Using a Global Positioning System datalogger alongside inertial sensors, vibration increased with vehicle speed only above 60 km/h. These preliminary findings suggest there is scope to engineer better systems for transferring sick infants, thus potentially improving their outcomes.
Three-dimensional printing of porous load-bearing bioceramic scaffolds
Authors: Mancuso Elena , Alharbi Naif , Bretcanu Oana A , Marshall Martyn , Birch Mark A , McCaskie Andrew W , Dalgarno Kenneth W
Published: January 2017

This article reports on the use of the binder jetting three-dimensional printing process combined with sintering to process bioceramic materials to form micro- and macroporous three-dimensional structures. Three different glass-ceramic formulations, apatite–wollastonite and two silicate-based glasses, have been processed using this route to create porous structures which have Young’s modulus equivalent to cortical bone and average bending strengths in the range 24–36 MPa. It is demonstrated that a range of macroporous geometries can be created with accuracies of ±0.25 mm over length scales up to 40 mm. Hot-stage microscopy is a valuable tool in the definition of processing parameters for the sintering step of the process. Overall, it is concluded that binder jetting followed by sintering offers a versatile process for the manufacture of load-bearing bioceramic components for bone replacement applications.
Numerical investigation of the flame stabilization in a divergent porous media burner
Authors: Hashemi Seyed Mohammad , Hashemi Seyed Abdolmehdi
Published: January 2017

In the present work, a numerical study on the flame stabilization in a divergent porous media burner was carried out. The purpose of this study was to peruse the influence of different conditions on the flame status in a porous medium. Two-dimensional axisymmetric model was used to simulate the process of premixed methane–air combustion. Nonequilibrium condition between the solid and gas temperature was considered and heat recirculation in the porous medium was quantified. The present numerical method was validated by comparison of solid and gas temperature profiles against the experimental data. The results showed that the stable flame within the porous medium can be controlled by velocity and equivalence ratio of the incoming mixture. Also, it was proved that the alteration of divergence angle can change the flame stability limit so that the optimum divergence angle that results in the highest limit of flame stability range was 60°. The heat transfer analysis indicated that the heat recirculation efficiency decreases with increase in the equivalence ratio and inlet velocity.
The final meltdown of dead-ice at the Holocene Thermal Maximum (8500–7400 cal. yr BP) in western Latvia, eastern Baltic
Authors: Stivrins Normunds , Liiv Merlin , Heinsalu Atko , Gałka Mariusz , Veski Siim
Published: January 2017

It is commonly assumed that the majority of buried ice-blocks in Europe melted at the end of Late Glacial period and during the first part of the early-Holocene. We show, however, that scattered dead-ice-blocks may have been preserved in the ground until 8500 cal. yr BP. We analysed thermokarst features in Lake Ķikuru, western Latvia, by means of a multi-proxy approach (pollen, non-pollen palynomorphs, plant macrofossils, diatoms, loss-on-ignition, magnetic susceptibility, C:N ratio, carbon accumulation rate and radiocarbon dating). Abiotic and biotic processes following the ice-block meltdown suggests abrupt development of a thermokarst from 8500 to 7400 cal. yr BP. Important changes in local vegetation occurred with the deepening of a kettle-hole during the transition from a fen to a lake that nearly coincided with the appearance of the first fish at 7800 cal. yr BP, thus forming a clear indication of a lacustrine environment. Our study shows that a thin peat layer formed at first and, due to the meltdown of the ice-block, it gradually lowered to the bottom of the kettle-hole, and gyttja begun to accumulate afterwards. Given that thermokarst arise when the mean summer air temperature gradually increases to a value above the present-day temperature, we must assume that the local conditions must have been exceptional to secure ice-block from the meltdown for so long. Therefore, the legacy of the last ice age was still evident even ca. 5500 years after the Weichselian ice retreat from the eastern Baltic.
Outcome in biopsy-proven Lupus nephritis: Evaluation of biopsies from the Norwegian Kidney Biopsy Registry
Authors: Norby G E , Mjøen G , Bjørneklett R , Vikse B E , Holdaas H , Svarstad E , Aasarød K
Published: January 2017

Objective

To evaluate long-term mortality and end-stage renal disease (ESRD) in a cohort of Norwegian patients with biopsy-proven lupus nephritis (LN).

Methods

Renal biopsies were obtained from 178 patients with LN from 1988 until 2007. Mortality rate and death causes were provided by Statistics Norway and ESRD data were provided by the Norwegian Renal Registry. Risk factors for all-cause mortality were evaluated by Cox regression. Standardized mortality ratio (SMR) was compared to observed deaths in a matched general population sample.

Results

Mean age was 37.6 (±14.4) years, and median time of follow-up was 8.5 years (0–26.2). Thirty-six patients (20.2%) died during follow-up. The SMR for all-cause mortality was 5.6 (Confidence interval [CI] 3.7–7.5). In an adjusted multivariate analysis proliferative glomerulonephritis (LN class IV) was independently associated with all-cause mortality; hazard ratio (HR) 2.6 (Confidence interval [CI] 1.2–5.7 p = 0.017). Main causes of death were infections (47.2%) and cardiovascular events 8 (22.2%). Thirty-six patients (20.2%) reached ESRD.

Conclusions

Biopsy-proven LN is associated with increased mortality compared to the general population. LN class IV is associated with all-cause mortality. Infections and cardiovascular events were the most common causes of death. Patients with LN have a high incidence of ESRD.
Retrospective review of lupus nephritis in a New Zealand multi-ethnic cohort
Authors: Ly E , Thein H , Lam Po Tang Michael
Published: January 2017

Increased lupus nephritis has been reported in Pacific Island and Maori populations. Previous studies suggest ethnic variation in response to immunosuppression treatment; however this has not been assessed in Pacific Island and Maori cohorts. This retrospective study reviewed class 3, 4 and 5 lupus nephritis outcomes and response to induction immunosuppression over a 10-year period in a New Zealand multi-ethnic cohort with high Pacific Island representation. This included 49 renal biopsies in 41 patients; by ethnicity Pacific Island 53.7%, Asian 31.7%, Caucasian 12.2%, and New Zealand Maori 2.4%. There were 11 class 3, 24 class 4 and 17 class 5 either alone or in combination with class 3/4. There were no statistically significant differences in renal function or proteinuria between ethnic groups at baseline. Pacific Island class 3/4 showed similar rates of renal remission with intravenous cyclophosphamide (6/8) and mycophenolate (4/7) induction treatment; results were comparable to the overall study group. There were no deaths or permanent dialysis requirements in the first six months of treatment, and no increased risk of adverse outcomes when stratified by ethnicity. Five lupus nephritis relapses occurred during maintenance treatment and there was no apparent ethnicity bias. Conclusion: Pacific Island people disproportionately present with increased lupus nephritis; and had comparable renal remission rates with intravenous cyclophosphamide and oral mycophenolate which were similar to the whole study cohort.
Nailfold capillaroscopic changes in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: correlations with disease activity, skin manifestation and nephritis
Authors: Shenavandeh S , Habibi S
Published: January 2017

Introduction

The clinical expression of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is the consequence of endothelial cell damage leading to serious multiple organ dysfunction. The aim of this study was to assess the association between nailfold capillaroscopic changes and disease activity, skin and renal involvement in patients with SLE.

Methods

Demographic variables, clinical manifestations and laboratory data of 108 patients with SLE were investigated. Nailfold capillaroscopy (NFC) was performed in all patients.

Result

Morphological changes in NFC were observed in 102 out of 108 (94.4%) SLE patients. Minor changes were found in 33 (30.6%) and major changes in 69 (63.9%) cases. The disease activity was significantly higher in the patients with major changes ( p < 0.002). A higher incidence of microhaemorrhages was seen in patients with active SLE disease ( p < 0.04). In SLE patients with active skin involvement, the disturbed distribution ( p < 0.004) was more frequent and subtle changes ( p < 0.009) were less frequently observed as compared with patients without active skin involvement. In the group of SLE patients with renal involvement, no correlation was found between the capillary abnormalities and the presence of renal involvement ( p > 0.05), except for the elongated capillary loops, which were seen more often in patients with renal involvement than in patients without it ( p < 0.03).

Conclusion

The results of the study showed that capillary changes (abnormal capillaroscopy) were very common in patients with SLE, although there were no specific patterns like the ones in scleroderma patients, and some changes may be associated with disease activity, especially in patients with active skin involvement.
Prevalence and incidence of systemic lupus erythematosus in the adult population of Estonia
Authors: Otsa K , Talli S , Harding P , Parsik E , Esko M , Teepere A , Tammaru M
Published: January 2017

Studies have demonstrated considerable variability in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) incidence and prevalence estimates. Lack of reliable epidemiological data may hinder evidence-based health care planning. The aim of the present study was to estimate the prevalence and incidence of SLE in the Estonian adult population.

The SLE billing cases were extracted from the Estonian Health Insurance Fund database 2006–2010 and verified using health care providers’ databases. The patients’ life status data for January 1, 2011, were retrieved from the Estonian Population Register. The calculations for the estimates’ lower limits were based on verified cases only; the upper limits calculations also accounted for the billing cases for which clinical data were unavailable.

The period prevalence of SLE was between 39 and 48 per 100,000 and incidence rate between 1.5 and 1.8 per 100,000 person-years. The point prevalence on January 1, 2011, was between 37 and 40 per 100,000.

The estimates are comparable with internationally published figures and can be used to enhance evidence-based health care planning. The high percentage of billing cases that could not be verified using clinical data supports the argument that epidemiological studies based solely on administrative databases are usually of low reliability.
A multi-group confirmatory factor analyses of the LupusPRO between southern California and Filipino samples of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus
Authors: Azizoddin D R , Olmstead R , Cost C , Jolly M , Ayeroff J , Racaza G , Sumner L A , Ormseth S , Weisman M , Nicassio P M
Published: January 2017

Introduction

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) leads to a range of biopsychosocial health outcomes through an unpredictable and complex disease path. The LupusPRO is a comprehensive, self-report measure developed specifically for populations with SLE, which assesses both health-related quality of life and non-health related quality of life. Given its increasingly widespread use, additional research is needed to evaluate the psychometric integrity of the LupusPRO across diverse populations. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the performance of the LupusPRO in two divergent patient samples and the model fit between both samples.

Methods

Two diverse samples with SLE included 136 patients from an ethnically-diverse, urban region in southern California and 100 from an ethnically-homogenous, rural region in Manila, Philippines. All patients met the ACR classification criteria for SLE. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFAs) were conducted in each sample separately and combined to provide evidence of the factorial integrity of the 12 subscales in the LupusPRO.

Results

Demographic analyses indicated significant differences in age, disease activity and duration, education, income, insurance, and medication use between groups. Results of the separate CFAs indicated moderate fit to the data for the hypothesized 12-factor model for both the Manila and southern California groups, respectively [χ2 (794) = 1283.32, p < 0.001, Comparative Fit Index (CFI) = 0.793; χ2 (794) =1398.44, p < 0.001, CFI = 0.858]. When the factor structures of the LupusPRO in the southern California and Manila groups were constrained to be equal between the two groups, findings revealed that the factor structures of measured variables fit the two groups reasonably well [χ2  (1697) = 2950.413, df = 1697, p < 0.000; CFI = 0.811]. After removing seven constraints and eight correlations suggested by the Lagrange multiplier test, the model fit improved significantly [χ2 (15) = 147.165, p < 0.000].

Conclusions

This research provides significant support for the subscale structure of the LupusPRO in two disparate cultural samples of SLE patients. Despite significant sociodemographic and clinical differences between the two samples, for the most part, the LupusPRO performed similarly in both samples.
The Finest Feats of the War? The Captures of Baghdad and Jerusalem during the First World War and Public Opinion throughout the British Empire
Authors: Fantauzzo Justin
Published: January 2017

In March and December 1917 the British Empire won two much-needed victories in Mesopotamia and Palestine: Baghdad and Jerusalem. Both cities were steeped in biblical and oriental lore and both victories happened in a year that had been otherwise disastrous. Throughout the British Empire the press, public, and politicians debated the importance of the two successes, focusing on the effect they would have on the empire’s prestige, the Allies’ war strategy, and the post-war Middle East. Far from being overwhelmed by the ‘romance’ of the fighting in the Middle East, the press’s and public’s response reveals a remarkably well-informed, sophisticated, and occasionally combative debate about the empire’s Middle Eastern war effort.
German Wartime Anglophobic Propaganda in France, 1914–1945
Authors: Wilkin Bernard , Williams Maude
Published: January 2017

This article explores Anglophobia as a topic in German wartime propaganda aimed at military and civilian communities of France. Anti-British topics were at the centre of a large campaign of propaganda designed to undermine French morale during the two world wars. This study will investigate the goals, the content, and the effects of Anglophobia in France to determine the relation between these two campaigns of psychological warfare. It will be argued that the Nazis and the Vichy regime almost entirely replicated the original production of Anglophobic propaganda in the occupied territories of France during the First World War. This article will also show that Anglophobia almost invariably failed to convince the French population.
The Political Economy of Intergovernmental Transfers—Evidence from Indian Disaster Relief
Authors: Kumar Nakul
Published: January 2017

India’s National Calamity Contingency Fund (NCCF) is a discretionary federal grant that supports the sub-national governments with their disaster relief efforts. Evidence suggests that discretionary intergovernmental transfers in countries with national coalition governments contribute to distributive politics. Coalition formateur(s) use these transfers to form or hold together fractious coalitions. We use data on the NCCF from 1997 to 2013 for 23 Indian states to test for distributive politics. Our results show no evidence of NCCF contributing to distributive politics. We argue instead that the NCCF contributes to a different political phenomenon— tactical redistribution.
Social Protection as a Human Right in South Asia
Authors: Chemmencheri Sudheesh Ramapurath
Published: January 2017

Social protection is variously seen as a right or poverty alleviation mechanism or shield from the vagaries of market. Although Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka have brought out various social protection programmes through policies, legislations, constitutional guarantees and so on, their comprehensiveness and implementation remain a challenge. In this backdrop, this article explores the utility of delineating the foundations of social protection in international human rights law as an advocacy tool to demand the adoption of comprehensive social security systems. This human rights approach is demonstrated through eight key principles, backed with examples from the five countries. The article finds that the social protection measures in South Asia exist as scattered programmes, rather than as comprehensive systems. Most programmes tend to be targeted rather than universal. The article highlights the advantage of the human rights approach to social protection in understanding the gender dimensions and implications for socially marginalized groups, while noting that cost and institutional capacities can pose challenges before its implementation.
Book review: Alice W. Clark, Valued Daughters: First-generation Career Women
Authors: Raju Saraswati
Published: January 2017

Alice W. Clark, Valued Daughters: First-generation Career Women. New Delhi: SAGE Publications India Pvt Limited, 2016, ₹595 (hardback), 200 pp.
Effects of Infrastructure Development on Foreign Direct Investment in Kenya
Authors: Wekesa Carol Teresa , Wawire Nelson H. , Kosimbei George
Published: January 2017

Kenya’s foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows as a percentage of GDP have been increasing negligibly over the last 4 years, increasing from 0.4 per cent in 2010 to 0.9 per cent in 2013. And yet evidence shows that quality infrastructure lowers the cost of doing business and thus attracts FDI. Kenya has visible signs of infrastructure inadequacy and inefficiencies despite the fact that since the year 2000, there has been increased budgetary allocation to the infrastructure sector. This study, therefore, sought to determine the effects of transport, energy, communication and water and waste infrastructure development on FDI inflows in Kenya. The study used annual time series data sourced from Central Bank of Kenya, World Bank and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). Using multiple regression analysis, it was established that improved transport infrastructure, communication infrastructure, water and waste infrastructure, exchange rate, economic growth and trade openness are important determinants of FDI inflows into Kenya. Hence, for Kenya to attract more FDI, continued infrastructural development is key since quality infrastructure affords investors a conducive investment climate in which to operate.
A Methodological Framework for Prioritising Infrastructure Investment
Authors: Andres Luis , Biller Dan , Dappe Matias Herrera
Published: January 2017

Policy makers are often confronted with a myriad of factors in the investment decision-making process. This issue is particularly acute in infrastructure decisions since these often involve large sums and lock-in technologies. In regions and countries where the infrastructure access gap is large and public budgets severely constrained, the importance of considering the different facets of the decision-making process becomes even more relevant. This is the case for South Asia. This article presents the infrastructure access gap in South Asia and discusses the impacts that this gap has in South Asian economies. It examines the links between the infrastructure and economic growth and infrastructure and welfare/poverty. The article reviews different methodologies to measure these impacts and hence serve as mechanisms to establish priorities. Finally, the article presents a methodology to holistically equate trade-offs among different policy objectives per key infrastructure sectors.
Fast and simple detection methods for the 4–base pair deletion of canine MDR1/ABCB1 gene by PCR and isothermal amplification
Authors: Stiedl Cathrin P. , Weber Karin
Published: January 2017

Dogs with a 4-bp deletion in the MDR1 (or ABCB1) gene show intolerance to certain drugs routinely used in veterinary medicine, such as ivermectin, vincristine, and doxorubicin. The mutation leads to a dysfunctional P-glycoprotein drug transporter, which results in drug accumulation in the brain and severe neurotoxicity. A rapid and accurate in-house test to determine the genotype of patients in cases of acute neurotoxic signs or in tumor patients is desirable. We describe a cost-effective detection method with simple technical equipment for veterinary practice. Two allele-specific methods are presented, which allow discrimination of all genotypes, require little hands-on time, and show the results within ~1 h after DNA sampling. DNA from buccal swabs of 115 dogs with known genotype (no mutation, n = 54; heterozygous for the mutation, n = 37; homozygous for the mutation, n = 24) was extracted either by using a column-based extraction kit or by heating swabs in a simple NaOH-Tris buffer. Amplification was performed either by allele-specific fast polymerase chain reaction or by allele-specific loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP). Analysis was done either on agarose gels, by simple endpoint visualization using ultraviolet light, or by measuring the increase of fluorescence and time to threshold crossing. Commercial master mixes reduced the preparation time and minimized sources of error in both methods. Both methods allowed the discrimination of all 3 genotypes, and the results of the new methods matched the results of the previous genotyping. The presented methods could be used for fast individual MDR1/ ABCB1 genotyping with less equipment than existing methods.
Structural condition assessment using entropy-based time series analysis
Authors: Makki Alamdari Mehrisadat , Samali Bijan , Li Jianchun , Lu Ye , Mustapha Samir
Published: January 2017

We present a time-series-based algorithm to identify structural damage in the structure. The method is in the context of non-model-based approaches; hence, it eliminates the need of any representative numerical model of the structure to be built. The method starts by partitioning the state space into a finite number of subsets which are mutually exclusive and exhaustive and each subset is identified by a distinct symbol. Partitioning is performed based on a maximum entropy approach which takes into account the sparsity and distribution of information in the time series. After constructing the symbol space, the time series data are uniquely transformed from the state space into the constructed symbol space to create the symbol sequences. Symbol sequences are the simplified abstractions of the complex system and describe the evolution of the system. Each symbol sequence is statistically characterized by its entropy which is obtained based on the probability of occurrence of the symbols in the sequence. As a consequence of damage occurrence, the entropy of the symbol sequences changes; this change is implemented to define a damage indicative feature. The method shows promising results using data from two experimental case studies subject to varying excitation. The first specimen is a reinforced concrete jack arch which replicates one of the major structural components of the Sydney Harbor Bridge and the second specimen is a three-story frame structure model which has been tested at Los Alamos National Laboratory. The method not only could successfully identify the presence of damage but also has potential to localize it.
Optimal vibration energy harvesting from non-prismatic axially functionally graded piezolaminated cantilever beam using genetic algorithm
Authors: Biswal Alok Ranjan , Roy Tarapada , Behera Rabindra Kumar
Published: January 2017

Optimal vibration–based energy harvesting from the axially functionally graded non-prismatic piezolaminated cantilever beam using finite element and genetic algorithm has been proposed in this article. The functionally graded material (i.e. non-homogeneous) in the axial direction is considered, where the cross section is varied (continuously decreasing from root to tip of such cantilever beam) using a proposed power law formula. The shape variations of piezolaminated cantilever (such as linear, parabolic and cubic) have been modelled using the Euler–Bernoulli beam theory. Hamilton’s principle is used in order to derive the governing equation of motion. The governing equation is solved by considering two-noded beam element with 2 degrees of freedom at each node. The responses (such as frequency, voltage and output power) are compared between uniform and the axially functionally graded beam with arbitrary power gradient index. The effects of taper (both in the width and height directions) on output power along with frequency and voltage are analysed for axially functionally graded beam. In order to maximise the output power within the allowable limits of voltage and stresses, a real-coded genetic algorithm–based constrained optimisation technique has been proposed.
Mindfulness-Based Interventions for Youth With Anxiety: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Borquist-Conlon Debra S. , Maynard Brandy R. , Brendel Kristen Esposito , Farina Anne S. J.
Published: January 2017

Purpose:

To examine the effects on anxiety of mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) among youth with anxiety disorders.

Method:

Systematic review and meta-analytic procedures were employed to synthesize experimental and quasi-experimental studies authored between 1980 and 2015.

Results:

The search yielded five studies from five countries reporting results for a total of 188 youth between the ages of 5 and 18 (mean age 13.26) who met criteria for an anxiety disorder. Risk of bias varied across studies. Meta-analytic results suggest a moderate and significant effect ( g = .62; 95% confidence interval = [0.20, 1.04], p = .004). Heterogeneity was moderate ( I2 = 47.22) and not statistically significant ( Q = 7.58, df = 4, p = .11), thus moderator analyses were not warranted.

Discussion:

The findings of this review suggest that MBIs for the treatment of anxiety in youth with anxiety disorders are effective.
Science, Innovation, and Social Work
Authors: Flynn Marilyn L.
Published: January 2017

Social work as a human services profession has been distinctive for its inclusion of research as a required element of practice and instrument in instigating reform. At the present time, the relationship of social work to science and a redefinition of social work as a science have reentered our national dialogue with new force. This expansion of perspective has, however, failed to explicitly attend to a closely related intellectual and practical domain, the world of social innovation. Innovation as an end itself, a synonym for progress, has largely been owned by the professions of business, engineering, and the biosciences. This essay presents a discussion of how social work may engage with social innovation and the tensions inherent to such an engagement. A place for social innovation within the recognized domains of scientific investigation and social work is essential. Social work would make a unique contribution to the enhancement of this conception through the weight given to values, social purpose, and context that is endemic to the social work perspective. The result of combining science and social innovation perspectives in the same academic home might be a flowering of new social configurations, networks, organizations, and relationships disciplined by repeated appraisals through the scientific method.
Participation in Care Encounters in Heart Failure Home-Care
Authors: Näsström Lena , Mårtensson Jan , Idvall Ewa , Strömberg Anna
Published: January 2017

The purpose of this qualitative study was to observe care encounters during home visits in Heart failure (HF) home-care to identify and describe participation in care. Seventeen patients diagnosed with HF, and 10 registered nurses participated. Data from 19 video-recorded home visits were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Two themes were identified: (a) Participation in the care encounter is made possible by interaction, including exchanging care-related information, care-related reasoning, collaboration; and (b) participation in the care encounter is made possible by an enabling approach, including the patients expressing their own wishes, showing an active interest, while the nurse is committed and invites to having a dialogue. The HF home-care context showed good potential for patient participation. Room for discussions and collaboration facilitated for the patients to be active partners in their care, which in turn may have positive effects on outcomes.
A gradient-enhanced damage model coupled to plasticity—multi-surface formulation and algorithmic concepts
Authors: Kiefer Bjoern , Waffenschmidt Tobias , Sprave Leon , Menzel Andreas
Published: January 2017

A non-local gradient-enhanced damage-plasticity formulation is proposed, which prevents the loss of well-posedness of the governing field equations in the post-critical damage regime. The non-locality of the formulation then manifests itself in terms of a non-local free energy contribution that penalizes the occurrence of damage gradients. A second penalty term is introduced to force the global damage field to coincide with the internal damage state variable at the Gauss point level. An enforcement of Karush–Kuhn–Tucker conditions on the global level can thus be avoided and classical local damage models may directly be incorporated and equipped with a non-local gradient enhancement. An important part of the present work is to investigate the efficiency and robustness of different algorithmic schemes to locally enforce the Karush–Kuhn–Tucker conditions in the multi-surface damage-plasticity setting. Response simulations for representative inhomogeneous boundary value problems are studied to assess the effectiveness of the gradient enhancement regarding stability and mesh objectivity.
A damage model of mechanical behavior of porous materials: Application to sandstone
Authors: Li MY , Cao YJ , Shen WQ , Shao JF
Published: January 2017

In this work, a multiscale model based on the Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) technique is applied to describe the mechanical behavior of porous materials. The effects of the microstructures (such as pore shape, number, size, distribution and orientation) on the overall strength of the porous medium and its microstress distribution are fully studied. The elastoplastic model is further extended by including a damage process. The influences of microstructure on the damage evolution of the porous medium are discussed and illustrated numerically. Then the proposed multiscale damage model is applied to study the macroscopic behavior of porous sandstone. According to the microstructure of the studied material, a representative elementary volume with randomly distributed spherical pores is considered. The solid phase of the sandstone is assumed to obey the Drucker–Prager criterion. Taking advantage of the FFT-based method, the evolution of generated damage is clearly illustrated during the loading process at the microscopic level. Comparisons between numerical results and experimental data show the efficiency of the proposed numerical model.
Adolescents Transitioning to High School: Sex Differences in Bullying Victimization Associated With Depressive Symptoms, Suicide Ideation, and Suicide Attempts
Authors: Williams Susan G. , Langhinrichsen-Rohling Jennifer , Wornell Cory , Finnegan Heather
Published: January 2017

Adolescents transitioning to high school may be at greater risk of depression and suicide if they are victims of bullying behavior. This study explored sex differences in bullying victimization (physical, verbal/social, and cyberbullying) and the impact on depressive symptoms and suicidal behaviors in ninth-grade students ( N = 233). Females reported significantly more verbal/social and cyberbullying than male students. There were no significant sex differences in physical bullying; male students who reported physical bullying victimization were more likely to experience depressive symptoms. Verbal/social bullying predicted depressive symptoms in males and females. Females who reported being victims of cyberbullying were more likely to report depressive symptoms, suicide ideation, and suicide attempts. Eighteen students reported suicide attempts, and each also experienced verbal/social bullying. School nurses are positioned to reach out to transitioning students, screen for mental health issues, provide a safe place to talk about bullying experiences, and promote positive mental health.
Assessing the Effect of Pharmacist Care on Diabetes-Related Outcomes in a Rural Outpatient Clinic: A Retrospective Case-Control Study
Authors: Moreau Cynthia , Sando Karen R. , Zambrano Daniel H.
Published: January 2017

Background: The care of diabetic patients in rural areas is complicated by factors such as poor health literacy, cultural barriers, and primary care provider (PCP) shortages. Integrating pharmacist care in diabetes management in these settings may increase access to care and improve patient outcomes. Objective: To evaluate differences in diabetes-related outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) managed by a pharmacist diabetes clinic compared with patients only managed by PCPs in a rural family medicine clinic. Methods: This was a retrospective case-control study. The primary outcome was achievement of hemoglobin A1C (A1C) reduction ≥0.5%. Secondary outcomes included average A1C reduction, achievement of A1C goal, angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor/angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) use, statin use, blood pressure control, and frequency of nephropathy screenings. Patients ≥18 years old with an A1C ≥7% were eligible. Cases included patients established with the pharmacist diabetes clinic. Cases were matched to controls in a 1:1 ratio based on PCP, age (±5 years), gender, and race. Results: A total of 21 pharmacist-managed patients met inclusion criteria. Cases were significantly more likely to experience an A1C reduction ≥0.5% (odds ratio = 7.51; 95% CI = 1.54-36.61; P < 0.01). Statistically significant improvements were also noted for ACE inhibitor/ARB use, statin use, and nephropathy screenings among cases. Conclusion: Patients managed by a pharmacist diabetes clinic were more likely to experience improved diabetes-related outcomes, including A1C reduction ≥0.5%. Pharmacist care, when added to standard care, can improve outcomes for patients with T2DM in rural areas.
Venetoclax: A First-in-Class Oral BCL-2 Inhibitor for the Management of Lymphoid Malignancies
Authors: King Amber C. , Peterson Tim J. , Horvat Troy Z. , Rodriguez Mabel , Tang Laura A.
Published: January 2017

Objective: To review the pharmacology, efficacy, and safety of venetoclax for treatment of lymphoid malignancies. Data Sources: A literature search was performed of PubMed and MEDLINE databases (2005 to September 2016), abstracts from the American Society of Hematology and the American Society of Clinical Oncology, and ongoing studies from clinicaltrials.gov. Searches were performed utilizing the following key terms: venetoclax, ABT-199, GDC-199, obatoclax, GX15-070, BCL-2 inhibitor, navitoclax, ABT-263, and Venclexta. Study Selection/Data Extraction: Studies of pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, clinical efficacy, and safety of venetoclax in lymphoid malignancies were identified. Data Synthesis: Recently, treatment of B-cell lymphoproliferative disorders has shifted from conventional cytotoxic chemotherapy to novel small-molecule inhibitors. The advent of recently Food and Drug Administration–approved oral agents ibrutinib and idelalisib has shifted the paradigm of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) treatment; however, complete remission is uncommon, and the outcome for patients progressing on these treatments remains poor. Attention has been focused on a novel target, the B-cell lymphoma-2 protein (BCL-2), which serves an essential role in regulation of apoptosis. Venetoclax has demonstrated efficacy in multiple subtypes of lymphoid malignancies, including patients with relapsed/refractory CLL harboring deletion 17p, with an overall response rate of nearly 80%. Venetoclax is generally well tolerated, with the significant adverse effect being tumor lysis syndrome, for which there are formal management recommendations. Conclusion: Venetoclax has demonstrated promising results in relapsed/refractory lymphoid malignancies, with an acceptable adverse effect profile. As the role of BCL-2 inhibition in various malignancies becomes further elucidated, venetoclax may offer benefit to a myriad other patient populations.
Statistics Myth Busters: Dispelling Common Misperceptions Held by Readers of the Biomedical Literature
Authors: Lam Simon W. , Bauer Seth R. , Yang Wei , Miano Todd A.
Published: January 2017

Proficiency in research design and statistical analysis is crucial to the success of a clinical pharmacist. However, new pharmacy graduates and residents may not have received adequate training and education in these areas. During the authors’ tenure as clinical pharmacists, several statistical “myths” were consistently maintained by residents and new clinical practitioners. The purpose of this narrative review is to discuss and dispel several of these statistical fallacies. The myths discussed involve 3 common areas of consideration when evaluating any clinical study: assessing the risk of bias from confounding (propensity score analysis and multivariable modeling), interpretation of the main study findings ( P values and hypothesis testing), and secondary evaluations (subgroup analyses). Literature examples are used to illustrate each of the topics. The authors hope that the discussion will augment each pharmacist’s knowledge of medical literature interpretation leading to improvements in patient care, education of future residents, and personal research endeavors.
Self-Interest, Beliefs, and Policy Opinions
Authors: Gerber Alan S. , Huber Gregory A. , Biggers Daniel R. , Hendry David J.
Published: January 2017

Research on how economic factors affect attitudes toward immigration often focuses on labor market effects, concluding that, because workers’ skill levels do not predict opposition to low- versus highly skilled immigration, economic self-interest does not shape policy attitudes. We conduct a new survey to measure beliefs about a range of economic, political, and cultural consequences of immigration. When economic self-interest is broadened to include concerns about the fiscal burdens created by immigration, beliefs about these economic effects strongly correlate with immigration attitudes and explain a significant share of the difference in support for highly versus low-skilled immigration. Although cultural factors are important, our results suggest that previous work underestimates the importance of economic self-interest as a source of immigration policy preferences and attitudes more generally.
What Are Our Personal Memories for? Effects of Gender and Country in Perceived Functions of Everyday Memories in Danish and Spanish College Students
Authors: Santamaría Andrés , de la Mata Manuel , Cubero Mercedes , Hansen Tia G. B.
Published: January 2017

Theorists in autobiographical memory (AM) studies generally agree that AMs serve three kinds of broad functions: self-related, social, and directive functions. Although these kinds of functions are probably universal, gender and country variations are expected. The study investigates perceived use of AMs in everyday life. Male and female Danish and Spanish college students were asked to carry a diary and report a sample of naturally occurring instances of AMs. Participants were asked to assess their memories in terms of perceived functions. Results showed some country differences that were consistent with the characterization of Danish and Spanish samples in terms of individualism–collectivism. Some gender differences were also found. These differences, in contrast to our expectations, were limited to the Danes. To interpret it, two main lines of reasoning were proposed. The first was concerned with changes in gender ideology in Spain in the last decades. According to the second, these analyses may lead us to expand the number of broad categories as well as the variety of specific uses of AMs in everyday activities.
Comparison of Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Stress Radiographs in the Evaluation of Chronic Lateral Ankle Instability
Authors: Jolman Scott , Robbins Justin , Lewis Laura , Wilkes Melissa , Ryan Paul
Published: January 2017

Background:

In patients who develop chronic ankle instability, clinicians often obtain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as part of the evaluation prior to operative referral. The purpose of this study was to analyze the diagnostic efficacy of MRI in the diagnosis of chronic lateral ankle instability. Our hypothesis was that magnetic resonance imaging would not be a specific diagnostic tool in the evaluation of chronic lateral ankle instability.

Materials and Methods:

A retrospective chart review of 187 consecutive patients (190 ankles) was performed. Inclusion criteria for the study group required a primary complaint of instability that required operative repair or reconstruction, a documented clinical evaluation consistent with instability, stress radiographs, and MRI. Stress radiographs and clinical examinations for the study group and a control group were reviewed independently by both a musculoskeletal radiologist and a board-certified orthopaedic foot and ankle surgeon. Predictive values in terms of sensitivity, specificity, and prevalence were performed. In total, 112 patients (115 ankles) were identified who underwent an operative reconstruction of their lateral ligaments with a history, physical examination, and stress radiographs consistent with lateral ankle instability. A control group was selected consisting of 75 patients seen in the foot and ankle clinic with a diagnosis other than lateral ankle instability. Thirty-seven of the patients in the control group had stress radiographs performed in the clinic to rule out instability as part of their evaluation, and this allowed for an evaluation of the efficacy of stress radiographs in addition to MRI. Statistical analysis was performed using predictive values from sensitivity, specificity, and prevalence.

Results:

The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) in regards to MRI in the evaluation of patients found to have clinical lateral ankle instability and those who did not had statistical significance. Sensitivity of MRI was 82.6%, specificity was 53.3%, NPV was 66.7%, and PPV was 73%. Since 37 patients in the control group also had stress radiographs, a subanalysis was performed to identify the same values with stress radiographs. Sensitivity, specificity, NPV, and PPV were 66%, 97%, 48%, and 98.7%, respectively. The overall accuracy within this study was 71% for MRI and 74% for stress radiographs.

Conclusion:

This study demonstrated that MRI has high sensitivity but low specificity in the evaluation of clinical ankle instability. While MRI has value as a screening tool for concomitant ankle pathology, it should not be considered diagnostic in terms of lateral ankle instability.

Level of Evidence:

Level III, retrospective cohort, comparative series.
Using Dominance Analysis to Decompose Narcissism and Its Relation to Aggression and Externalizing Outcomes
Authors: Vize Colin E. , Collison Katherine L. , Crowe Michael L. , Campbell W. Keith , Miller Joshua D. , Lynam Donald R.
Published: January 2017

Research on narcissism has shown it to be multidimensional construct. As such, the relations the larger construct bear with certain outcomes may mask heterogeneity apparent at the more basic trait level. This article used the Five Factor Narcissism Inventory, a Five-Factor Model–based measure of narcissism that allows for multiple levels of analysis, to examine the relative importance of narcissistic traits in relation to aggression, externalizing behavior, and self-esteem outcomes in two independent samples. The relative importance of the narcissism factors was determined through the use of dominance analysis—a relatively underused method for determining relative importance among a set of related predictors. The results showed that antagonism, compared with agentic extraversion and neuroticism, was the dominant predictor across all forms of aggressive behavior. Additional analyses showed that subscales within the broader factor of antagonism also showed differential importance relative to one another for certain aggression outcomes. The results are discussed in the context of the relation between narcissism and aggression and highlight the utility of using extensions of regression-based analyses to explore the heterogeneity within personality constructs.
Qualitative properties in strain gradient thermoelasticity with microtemperatures
Authors: Ieşan Dorin , Quintanilla Ramon
Published: January 2017

This paper is devoted to the strain gradient theory of thermoelastic materials whose microelements possess microtemperatures. The work is motivated by an increasing use of materials which possess thermal variation at a microstructure level. In the first part of this paper we deduce the system of basic equations of the linear theory and formulate the boundary-initial-value problem. We establish existence, uniqueness, and continuous dependence results by the means of semigroup theory. Then, we study the one-dimensional problem and establish the analyticity of solutions. Exponential stability and impossibility of localization are consequences of this result. In the case of the anti-plane problem we derive uniqueness and instability results without assuming the positivity of the mechanical energy. Finally, we study equilibrium theory and investigate the effects of a concentrated heat source in an unbounded body.