bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Novel metered aerosol valve
Authors: Nourian Amir , Nasr Ghasem G , Yule Andrew J , Hawthorne Gary , Goldberg Tom
Published: February 2015

The design and performance of a new valving mechanism for portable pressurized spraying devices is described, where the propellant in the device is a safe gas (so-called compressed gas) propellant rather than the current liquefied gases all of which are either volatile organic compounds or greenhouse gases. The valve sprays a fixed volume of liquid when the spraying actuator is depressed, as is essential used medical sprays, such as pressurized metered dose inhalers and nasal sprays, and also for automatic (wall-mounted) aerosol delivery systems for air-fresheners, insecticides and disinfectants. For ‘compressed gas’ aerosol formats, there is no flash vaporization of propellant so that pumping liquid from a metering chamber and atomization to form a spray must be achieved entirely by designing some means of using the pumping action of the gas in the container to act upon the liquid in the metering chamber. The new design utilizes a loosely fitting spherical piston element and a simple arrangement of a concentric housing and a moveable valve stem, such that liquid flow paths between the different elements are automatically closed and opened in the correct time sequence when the valve stem is depressed and released. Spraying data show excellent repeatability of liquid sprayed per pulse throughout the lifetime of device and drop sizes that are acceptable for devices such as air-fresheners and nasal sprays. The valve has only one additional component compared with liquefied gas metered valves and can be straightforwardly injection moulded. As will be explained, previous attempts failed due to expense, complexity and unreliability.
The dynamics of the city-managing-county model in China: implications for rural–urban interaction
Authors: Yang Zhenjie , Wu Alfred M
Published: February 2015

This paper aims to shed fresh light on rural–urban interaction and urbanization in a non-Western authoritarian context. It describes the change in post-Mao China from very vertical and separate government hierarchies for rural and urban areas, which inhibited rural–urban interactions, to a city-managing-county model, with rural counties around a city coming under the jurisdiction of the city government. Drawing on field research and statistical data, the paper elucidates the dynamics and complexities of this model, arguing that the combination of city-based bureaucrats favouring the city and the priority given to economic growth mandated by the central government often meant a lack of attention to rural development and support for county government. The paper also comments on the recent development of the province-managing-county model in China, and argues that given an urban-centred administrative system, whether the current reform can change the political and administrative equilibrium in China remains an open question.
Bogus Visual Feedback Alters Onset of Movement-Evoked Pain in People With Neck Pain
Authors: Harvie Daniel S. , Broecker Markus , Smith Ross T. , Meulders Ann , Madden Victoria J. , Moseley G. Lorimer
Published: February 2015

Pain is a protective perceptual response shaped by contextual, psychological, and sensory inputs that suggest danger to the body. Sensory cues suggesting that a body part is moving toward a painful position may credibly signal the threat and thereby modulate pain. In this experiment, we used virtual reality to investigate whether manipulating visual proprioceptive cues could alter movement-evoked pain in 24 people with neck pain. We hypothesized that pain would occur at a lesser degree of head rotation when visual feedback overstated true rotation and at a greater degree of rotation when visual feedback understated true rotation. Our hypothesis was clearly supported: When vision overstated the amount of rotation, pain occurred at 7% less rotation than under conditions of accurate visual feedback, and when vision understated rotation, pain occurred at 6% greater rotation than under conditions of accurate visual feedback. We concluded that visual-proprioceptive information modulated the threshold for movement-evoked pain, which suggests that stimuli that become associated with pain can themselves trigger pain.
Prevalence and Sex-Related Risk Factors of Premarital Pregnancy and Reproductive Tract Infections Among Female Undergraduates in Wuhan, China
Authors: Cao Yue , Xiao Han , Yan Hong , Li Jingjing , Li Shiyue
Published: February 2015

In China, more and more female college students engage in premarital sex. Few seek reproductive health services, increasing their risk for unintended pregnancy and reproductive tract infections (RTIs). The present study aims to explore the prevalence and sex-related risk factors of premarital pregnancy and RTIs among female undergraduates in China. A total of 4769 females were recruited using randomized cluster sampling and anonymously completed questionnaires. Of the 4,769 females, 863 (18.1%) reported ever having sexual intercourse, 17.5% of which had become pregnant, and 22.7% had contracted RTIs. Younger age or not using a condom at first sex and having multiple sex partners contributed to premarital pregnancy. Majoring in arts, being from less-developed regions of China, having multiple partners, and self-reported pregnancy contributed to RTIs. Findings suggest importance of sexual health education among undergraduates, especially women from less-developed regions of China and/or majoring in arts.
Coxiella burnetii total immunoglobulin G, phase I and phase II immunoglobulin G antibodies, and bacterial shedding in young dams in persistently infected dairy herds
Authors: Serrano-Pérez Beatriz , Almería Sonia , Tutusaus Joan , Jado Isabel , Anda Pedro , Monleón Eva , Badiola Juan , Garcia-Ispierto Irina , López-Gatius Fernando
Published: February 2015

The current study examines Coxiella burnetii infection patterns in young dairy dams around the calving period in persistently infected high-producing dairy herds. Infection patterns were determined in terms of total immunoglobulin G (IgG) and phase-specific IgG antibodies by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and bacterial shedding by real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). On days 171–177 of gestation, at parturition, and on days 15–21 and 91–97 postpartum, 7 first-parity cows and 7 second-parity cows were sampled for serology and qPCR. Total phase-specific I (PhI) and II (PhII) IgG antibodies were detected in 2 animals at days 171–177 of gestation. Four additional animals underwent seroconversion on days 91–97 postpartum. Three of 6 seropositive dams according to total IgG, showed a PhI+/PhII+ profile, whereas dams that seroconverted exhibited a PhI–/PhII+ (2/6) or PhI+/PhII– (1/6) profile. An indirect fluorescent antibody test for PhI and PhII immunoglobulin M (IgM) was performed on plasma samples from the shedding dams, confirming seropositivity in a first-parity dam that seroconverted, and detecting a sudden spike of PhI-IgM antibodies in 1 further dam. No relationship was detected in young C. burnetii–infected animals between total IgG, PhI and/or PhII antibodies, and bacterial shedding throughout the study period. The highest bacterial load measured by qPCR was recorded in a second-parity dam. This animal presented abnormal peripheral blood counts, which would be an indication of severe peripheral blood alterations in some infected cattle. This study suggests that young shedder cows are mostly seronegative in early stages of infection.
Capillaria hepatica infection in black rats (Rattus rattus) on Diego Garcia, British Indian Ocean Territory
Authors: Berentsen Are R. , Vogt Scott , Guzman Antenor N. , Vice Daniel S. , Pitt William C. , Shiels Aaron B. , Spraker Terry R.
Published: February 2015

Rats ( Rattus spp.) are among the most damaging invasive species worldwide. The accidental introduction of rats has caused significant detriment to native flora and fauna, crops, structures, and human livelihoods. Rats are vectors of disease and carriers of various zoonotic parasites. Capillaria hepatica (syn. Callodium hepaticum) is a parasitic nematode found primarily in rodents but is known to infect over 140 mammal species, including human beings and several species of domestic animals. In this case study, the presence of C. hepatica infection in black rats on Diego Garcia, British Indian Ocean Territory, is reported. Liver samples from 20 black rats ( Rattus rattus) were collected during a concurrent population density estimation study. Histology revealed 15 (75%) of the rats sampled had a current or previous infection with C. hepatica. In addition, a larval cestode compatible in size and shape with Cysticercus fasciolaris, the larval stage of Taenia taeniaeformis of cats, was found in 3 (15%) of the rats sampled. The high prevalence of C. hepatica infection in rats on Diego Garcia has implications for human health given the high population density of rats found on the island.
Simulation of a Dynamic Theory of Reasoned Action
Authors: Boster Franklin J. , Shaw Allison Z. , Carpenter Christopher J. , Massi Lindsey Lisa L.
Published: February 2015

Background

The Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) is invoked frequently when social science scholars examine messages, affect, cognition, and action. Nevertheless, the fact that the TRA is a cross-sectional model limits its utility as an explanatory mechanism for those who study relationships among these variables as they change over time. This essay addresses this limitation by developing three versions of a Dynamic Theory of Reasoned Action (DTRA).

Method

Simulations were conducted to examine the properties of these varying DTRA models. The extent of autoregression was varied in these simulations, and the subsequent effects on the size and stability of the model parameters, the fit of the cross-sectional TRA, and the distributional properties of the variables that comprise the model were assessed.

Results

Results indicate that in the absence of an external shock (such as a persuasive message), these models reach equilibrium, and that trials to equilibrium increase as the autoregression parameters increase. The TRA fits perfectly at equilibrium, but may fail when the system is not in equilibrium, even when the DTRA fits perfectly. Finally, although starting with seed distributions closely approximating normality, distributional properties depart decidedly from normality over trials.

Conclusion

Implications for the fit of cross-sectional causal models and the meaning of cross-sectional associations are discussed.
Item-Based Psychometrics of the Preschool Behavioral and Emotional Rating Scale
Authors: Cress Cynthia J. , Lambert Matthew C. , Epstein Michael H.
Published: February 2015

The Preschool Behavioral and Emotional Rating Scale (PreBERS) is an assessment of emotional and behavioral strengths in preschoolers with well-established reliability and validity for educational and clinical application in children with and without disabilities. The present study provides further evidence of psychometric rigor for items and subscales within the PreBERS, including internal consistency, reliability, item quality, and factorial validity. A national sample of 1,292 preschool children whose teachers scored the PreBERS were analyzed using classical test theory, Rasch modeling, and confirmatory factor analysis. Results confirmed that individual items were internally consistent within a four-factor model, and showed consistent item difficulty, discrimination, and fit relative to their respective subscale scores. This analysis provides further confidence for the use of the PreBERS by teachers to determine emotional and behavioral strengths in preschool children.
Fibonacci sequence and golden ratio in new formula of predicting cracks propagation in reinforced concrete tie
Authors: Nassef Ahmad Salah Edeen
Published: February 2015

This paper is concerned of the Fibonacci sequence and the golden ratio in the possibility of predicting the crack propagation of concrete structures subjected to pure tension where it interrelated the effect of the change of dimensions of the reinforced concrete element in the Fibonacci sequence to the ratio of cracks transfer lengths and cracks spacing, which appeared in the golden ratio form. A governing differential equation was solved numerically and verified using previous theoretical and experimental researches. Also experimental researches were used to ensure the appearance of golden ratio effect on the cracks behavior.
Adjunctive Intraventricular Antibiotic Therapy for Bacterial Central Nervous System Infections in Critically Ill Patients With Traumatic Brain Injury
Authors: McClellan Nicole , Swanson Joseph M. , Magnotti Louis J. , Griffith Terry W. , Wood G. Christopher , Croce Martin A. , Boucher Bradley A. , Mueller Eric W. , Fabian Timothy C.
Published: February 2015

Background: Limited data exist on the role of adjunctive intraventricular (IVT) antibiotics for the treatment of central nervous system (CNS) infections in traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients. Objective: To evaluate differences in CNS infection cure rates for TBI patients who received adjunctive IVT antibiotics compared with intravenous (IV) antibiotics alone. Methods: We retrospectively identified patients with TBI and bacterial CNS infections admitted to the trauma intensive care unit (ICU) from 1997 to 2013. Study patients received IV and IVT antibiotics, and control patients received IV antibiotics alone. Clinical and microbiological cure rates were determined from patient records, in addition to ICU and hospital lengths of stay (LOSs), ventilator days, and hospital mortality. Results: A total of 83 patients were enrolled (32 study and 51 control). The duration of IV antibiotics was similar in both groups (10 vs 12 days, P = 0.14), and the study group received IVT antibiotics for a median of 9 days. Microbiological cure rates were 84% and 82% in study and control groups, respectively ( P = 0.95). Clinical cure rates were similar at all time points. No significant differences were seen in days of mechanical ventilation, ICU or hospital LOS, or hospital mortality. When only patients with external ventricular drains were compared, cure rates remained similar between groups. Conclusions: TBI patients with CNS infections had similar microbiological and clinical cure rates whether they were treated with adjunctive IVT antibiotics or IV antibiotics alone. Shorter than recommended durations of antibiotic therapy still resulted in acceptable cure rates and similar clinically relevant outcomes.
Virtual reality applications in manufacturing industries: Past research, present findings, and future directions
Authors: Choi SangSu , Jung Kiwook , Noh Sang Do
Published: February 2015

Today, manufacturing industries are trying to improve their competitiveness by combining manufacturing per se with information technology. Virtual reality is being used in product development processes in manufacturing enterprises as a helpful technology to achieve rapid consolidation of information and decision-making through visualization and experience. In this article, 154 articles relevant to virtual reality’s application to manufacturing were surveyed and analyzed. For this, (1) an analysis map was created, based on a virtual reality technology classification and the new product development process; (2) the articles investigated were located on the map; and (3) bibliometric analyses were carried out. Trends in past and present research were examined and future virtual reality research directions and application plans for manufacturing enterprises are discussed.
Organizational characteristics in concurrent engineering: Evidence from Brazilian small and medium enterprises in the medical device industry
Authors: de Sousa Mendes Glauco Henrique , de Toledo José Carlos
Published: February 2015

The success of a new product is more probable in a concurrent engineering context for product development. Concurrent engineering creates a dynamic environment based on four interconnected dimensions: the organization of managers and employees involved in product development; their means of communicating; their unwavering focus on the requirements of all clients within the product life cycle, from concept through disposal; and the integration of the development process. This article analyzes impacts of some organizational practices of these dimensions in product success in Brazilian small and medium enterprises from the medical device industry. The data were collected from a survey in a sample of Brazilian small and medium enterprises and from four case studies. The results highlight the importance for these small and medium enterprises of practices such as cross-functional integration, the role of top management in projects, and the social capital of the project leader. The results will assist companies in adopting an evidence-based approach for improving their new product success.
Maintenance of Reduction With Suture Button Fixation Devices for Ankle Syndesmosis Repair
Authors: Peterson Kyle S. , Chapman W. Drew , Hyer Christopher F. , Berlet Gregory C.
Published: February 2015

Background:

Malreduction of the syndesmosis can lead to increased peak pressures and subsequent arthritis. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the initial syndesmotic reduction and radiographic maintenance when using a knotless suture button fixation device for treatment of syndesmotic injury.

Methods:

A retrospective chart and radiographic review was performed to identify patients who underwent open reduction internal fixation of ankle syndesmosis ruptures treated with a knotless, suture button fixation system. Radiographic measurements included medial clear space, tibiofibular overlap, tibiofibular clear space, and the distance between buttons. Fifty-six patients underwent repair of an ankle fracture with syndesmotic rupture over a 3-year period, with a mean follow-up of 160.9 days.

Results:

The tibiofibular clear space and tibiofibular overlap significantly improved from pre- to first postoperative, but also demonstrated some loss of fixation at final follow-up ( P < .001). The distance between the buttons increased on average 1.1 mm from immediate postoperative to final follow-up, demonstrating some postoperative creep and loss of fixation in the system. A low complication rate and need for a revision operation was found in our patient cohort. Some loss of reduction did occur postoperatively, although this did not correlate to adverse patient outcomes.

Conclusion:

Syndesmotic stabilization, using a knotless suture button fixation device demonstrated adequate initial syndesmotic reduction, but also exhibited an increase in the tibiofibular clear space and tibiofibular overlap, relative to initial postfixation position, at short-term follow-up.

Level of Evidence:

Level IV, retrospective case series.
A Rasch Analysis of the QOLIBRI Six-Item Overall Scale
Authors: Muehlan Holger , Wilson Lindsay , von Steinbüchel Nicole
Published: February 2015

Objective: The Quality Of Life after BRain Injury (QOLIBRI) consortium has developed a short six-item scale (QOLIBRI-OS) to screen health-related quality of life after traumatic brain injury. The goal of the current study is to examine further psychometric qualities of the Quality Of Life after BRain Injury-Overall Scale (QOLIBRI-OS) at the item level using Rasch analysis with particular emphasis on the operating characteristics of the items. Method: A total of 921 participants with traumatic brain injury were recruited. The analysis sample was restricted to 795 participants with Glasgow Coma Score and Glasgow Outcome Score–Extended available in order to ensure a well-characterized sample. Results: Overall fit statistics indicate sufficient reliability of the QOLIBRI-OS. The assumption of unidimensionality could be confirmed with reservation. The range of item locations is small, whereas item thresholds cover a wide range of the latent trait. The majority of parameter estimations for all class intervals of the respective test are in accordance with the model assumptions. Conclusion: The results show that, despite marginal misfits to the model, the six items representing the QOLIBRI-OS could establish a Rasch scale.
Women From Different Ethnic Groups and Their Experiences With Victimization and Seeking Help
Authors: Postmus Judy L.
Published: February 2015

For women who experience abuse in childhood or adulthood, the assumptions are that surviving includes seeking help. This article presents an exploratory study on the prevalence of victimization in the lives of Caucasian, African American, and Latina women, if and to whom they disclosed their victimization, and where they turned for services and support. The results indicate Caucasian women turn more to traditional, therapeutic sources compared with African American women, who tend to use tangible supports. However, when controlling for a number of key variables, the ethnic differences disappear. Implications for further research and practice conclude this article.
An extended ultrasonic time-of-flight method for measuring lubricant film thickness
Authors: Geng Tao , Meng Qingfeng , Xu Xinping , Wang Peigong , Yuan Xiaoyang
Published: February 2015

An extended ultrasonic time-of-flight (TOF) method is proposed for measuring the thickness of lubricant film. Based on the spectrum analysis method of superimposed pulses, the extended TOF determines the travel time of ultrasonic wave and subsequently the film thickness in frequency domain. The method extends the measurable range of the original TOF method to the lubricant films of superimposed reflected pulses, which usually processed by the resonance model. The extended TOF gives another interpretation to the resonance phenomenon described by the resonance model. In theory and practice, the extended TOF integrates the resonance model and the original TOF method into one approach. This solved the problem that film thickness monitoring program needs to alter between time and frequency domains according to the changing of film thickness. A precision experimental apparatus was designed for verifying the correctness of the method. The lubricant films of different thickness were measured repeatedly and the measuring accuracy was analyzed.
Target markets as working archetypes
Authors: Weaver Adam
Published: February 2015

This article addresses target markets developed by Tourism New Zealand as part of the country’s efforts to attract international tourists. Studies of market segmentation and target markets undertaken by tourism researchers have typically involved the analysis of data obtained from tourists. Through such research, scholars identify a series of market segments and potential target markets. Attention, in this article, is directed at marketer-generated target markets used to promote a destination rather than segments or target markets identified by tourism scholars. Marketer-generated target markets are conceptualized as ‘working archetypes’ that direct the marketing activities of an organization. Such archetypes shape the work of Tourism New Zealand with regard to marketing; in addition, they are a form of working knowledge that is periodically subject to reconsideration and serious revision. An organization periodically replaces the working archetypes that inform its marketing efforts. Circumstances can change, and visualizing a different ideal consumer is sometimes seen to be necessary in order to ensure that marketing initiatives remain successful. This article explains the reasons for Tourism New Zealand changing its target market from the Interactive Traveller to the Active Considerer, demonstrating that this reworking of the country’s ideal visitor reflected both turbulent and uncertain economic times and the interpretation of new data collected by the organization.
The meaning of race in Malaysia: Colonial, post-colonial and possible new conjunctures
Authors: Gabriel Sharmani P
Published: February 2015

New transitions – and tensions – in Malaysian society have created a much-needed space for critical reflection on the meaning of race. They have also provided the impetus to rethink the dominant paradigm shaping Malaysian studies. This article begins this discussion by situating race within three frameworks that give it meaning – state, academic and people-centred discourse from the nation's cultural margins. These discourses are then viewed in terms of conjunctures or temporal formations. The state-driven paradigm of pluralism, as manifested in the separate and separable ‘Malay’/‘Chinese’/‘Indian’/ ‘Others’ (MCIO) racial categorizations, has its origins in British colonialism. It is deeply embedded in policies and practices and also integrated into formal structures and institutions. Although these categories of race and naming have begun to lose much of their salience on the ground, they continue to be mobilized by the state and other hegemonic non-state actors as a primary marker of difference and differentiation between groups. Equally disconcerting is the fact that even academic discourse is also largely conducted within the epistemological and ontological bases of colonialist knowledge production. Since state and other non-state actors who benefit from dominant paradigms have a vested interest in maintaining and sustaining them, and tend to resist reform, this article argues that it is imperative that the attempt to think critically about race is done at, from, and through the site of conceptual disjuncture between ‘how we are represented’ and ‘how we might represent ourselves’. This rupture must be seen as a seminal point of departure for knowledge construction. The article concludes with a consideration of the role of the researcher in its critical trajectory to track ‘where we are, how we got here and where we can go from here’.
Toward Best Practice in Evaluation
Authors: Francis Louise J. , Smith Ben J.
Published: February 2015

Evaluation makes a critical contribution to the evidence base for health promotion programs and policy. Because there has been limited research about the characteristics and determinants of evaluation practice in this field, this study audited evaluations completed by health promotion agencies in Victoria, Australia, and explored the factors that enabled or hindered evaluation performance. Twenty-four agencies participated. A systematic assessment of 29 recent evaluation reports was undertaken, and in-depth interviews were carried out with 18 experienced practitioners. There was wide variability in the scope of evaluations and the level of reporting undertaken. Formative evaluation was uncommon, but almost all included process evaluation, especially of strategy reach and delivery. Impact evaluation was attempted in the majority of cases, but the designs and measures used were often not specified. Practitioners strongly endorsed the importance of evaluation, but the reporting requirements and inconsistent administrative procedures of the funding body were cited as significant barriers. Budget constraints, employment of untrained coworkers, and lack of access to measurement tools were other major barriers to evaluation. Capacity building to strengthen evaluation needs to encompass system, organizational, and practitioner-level action. This includes strengthening funding and reporting arrangements, fostering partnerships, and tailoring workforce development opportunities for practitioners.
“Rights without Access”: The Political Context of Inequality in Health Care Coverage in the U.S. States
Authors: Zhu Ling , Clark Jennifer H.
Published: February 2015

The question of how the American political process shapes inequality remains unsettled. While recent studies break ground by linking inequality to political institutions, much of this work focuses on national-level income inequality. The literature is lacking in its examination of inequality in other issue areas at the subnational level. This research explores how partisanship in government affects subnational-level inequality in health care coverage in the context of racial diversity. Using a new Gini-coefficient measure of inequality in health insurance coverage, we find a negative relationship between the seat share of Democratic representatives and inequality in health care coverage but only in states with racially diverse populations. Moreover, Democratic-controlled state legislatures mitigate the negative impact of racial diversity on inequality in health care coverage. These results highlight the importance of examining the partisan foundation of health care inequality in the context of racial diversity.
Preliminary Psychometric Evidence of the Behavioral and Emotional Screening System Teacher Rating Scale–Preschool
Authors: Greer Fred W. , DiStefano Christine A. , Liu Jin , Cain Leia K.
Published: February 2015

The aim of this study was to provide psychometric evidence related to the Behavioral and Emotional Screening System Teacher Rating Scale–Preschool form’s (BESS TRS-P) ability to identify emerging problems in preschool children. Reliability and validity associated with screener scores were compared by analyzing teacher ratings of approximately 700 preschool children from 11 public schools. The BESS TRS-P provided high levels of internal consistency and inter-rater reliability among respondents. Furthermore, the form showed high predictive and concurrent validity estimates that were statistically significant and in expected directions. The information could assist teachers and school administrators in feeling more confident in using the BESS TRS-P to screen young children for behavioral/emotional problems.
A Case of Prolidase Deficiency Accompanying Leg Ulcers
Authors: Solak Berna , Kara Rabia Oztas , Erdem Teoman , Muftuoglu Tuba
Published: February 2015

Prolidase deficiency (PD) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder that has symptoms such as skin ulcers, characteristic facies, mental retardation, skeletal deformities, hematological anomalies, splenomegaly, and chronic infections. Deficiency of prolidase leads to the increased excretion of proline in urine, which causes impaired collagen synthesis and delay in wound healing. This case reports a 40-year-old female who has had cutaneous ulcers since the age of 7 years. We also recognized borderline intellectual functioning as well as hematologic abnormalities and splenomegaly. We present this rare case to draw attention to consider prolidase deficiency in the differential diagnosis of leg ulcers.
Chronic Expanding Organized Hematoma of the Lower Leg
Authors: Wollina Uwe , Heinig Birgit , Langner Dana
Published: February 2015

Chronic expanding hematoma is a rare entity on the leg. A 55-year-old women presented with 2 small nonhealing leg ulcers. On examination we observed a painless bulky tumor-like mass that developed slowly after deep soft tissue infection almost 2 years ago. Vascular computed tomography suggested an organized hematoma. Important differential diagnoses include sarcoma and lymphoma. Treatment of choice is surgery. Histology confirmed the diagnosis of an organized hematoma. Chronic expanding hematoma is a rare cause of nonhealing leg ulcers.
Visual modality research in virtual and mixed reality simulation
Authors: Stevens Jonathan , Kincaid Peter , Sottilare Robert
Published: February 2015

Military organizations worldwide continue to invest heavily in research, development, and fielding of virtual and mixed reality simulations and simulators for training. However, the future fiscal environment will be challenging for both simulation as well as the US Army as a whole. Thus, wise design decisions must be made when developing virtual simulations for training. In order to optimize the effectiveness of these simulations, developers must employ trade-off analysis and scientific methods to derive empirical evidence, in order to ensure that the simulation under development is optimized to meet the training requirements, while still adhering to cost and schedule constraints. This paper specifically focuses on the task of employing the optimal visual modality in virtual and mixed reality simulations. This paper reviews the literature on training simulation benefits and taxonomy, and examines the training efficacy of virtual and mixed reality simulation. Major concepts and applications of virtual and mixed reality simulation training efficacy are discussed. A key component of virtual simulation, visual modality, is examined through a literature review and recommendations for visual display design parameters are provided.
Is managing academics “women’s work”? Exploring the glass cliff in higher education management
Authors: Peterson Helen
Published: February 2015

Sweden is among the countries with the highest per cent of women university Vice Chancellors in Europe. In She Figures 2012 the average proportion of female Vice Chancellors in the 27 European Union countries is estimated to be 10 per cent. In Sweden the number is much higher: 43 per cent. Swedish higher education management has witnessed a demographic feminization during the last 20 years. Which factors can explain that women have been so successful in gaining access to these senior management positions in Swedish academia? This paper discusses the demographic feminization, drawing on qualitative interviews with women in senior academic positions in Swedish higher education. The paper suggests that women’s position in higher education management can be analysed using the concept “glass cliff”. This metaphor describes a phenomenon when women are more likely to be appointed to precarious leadership roles in situations of turbulence and problematic organizational circumstances. The findings illustrate that women have been allowed to enter into senior academic management at the same time as these positions decline in status, merit and prestige and become more time-consuming and harder to combine with a successful scholarly career.
“Someone’s been in the house:” A tale of burglary and trial by media
Authors: Chagnon Nicholas , Chesney–Lind Meda
Published: February 2015

This paper examines a case of trial by media revolving around a routine property crime in Hawaii. Trial by media is an emerging concept in crime media research; it illuminates how 21st-century mediascapes facilitate dynamic and interactive representations of crime, which may create spaces for alternative justice processes. Here we examine the impact of one victim’s efforts to identify a house burglar by sharing surveillance photos of the crime itself on the Internet, and the ensuing consequences. We chart how images of this relatively minor property crime circulated on the Internet through social media and eventually became a significant story for local corporate news. We also explore the consequences of this process, both in terms of restorative justice and surveillance research. Specifically, we document the way that social media presents opportunities outside of the criminal justice process for redress of grievances. We also, though, document how social media can create a forum for both racist and hate speech around criminals and those perceived to be criminal, and finally, we consider the ambiguous implications of using personal surveillance technologies as primary crime prevention strategies.
Faceless: High-profile murders and public recognition
Authors: Brookes Michael , Wilson David , Yardley Elizabeth , Rahman Mohammed , Rowe Sophie
Published: February 2015

This paper reports on the outcome of an investigation into whether or not members of the public would recognise high-profile victims and perpetrators and, if so, whom. The study was based on the premise that prominent media coverage would cause a greater number of perpetrators to be recognised than victims and that those victims who were recognised would be white children. Field research was conducted in a university and in non-university settings, such as fast food outlets, bus stops and shopping centres. All 20 images used were black and white headshots. Most photographs showed one person, but two photographs had two images. A total of 103 people were surveyed. The majority of our sample (78%) were unable to name any victims or perpetrators. These results provide strong evidence to suggest that despite 24-hour rolling news and the prominence of high-profile victims and perpetrators on the front pages of national newspapers, the public fails to remember who these victims and perpetrators are. We discuss why this may be so.
An attachment-focused parent–child intervention for biting behaviour in a child with intellectual disability
Authors: Mohamed Ahmed Riaz , Mkabile Siyabulela
Published: February 2015

Attachment and attachment-related psychopathology has increasingly gained focus since Bowlby introduced the concept into the clinical repertoire. However, little has been done to explore attachment, or attachment-based interventions, within the context of intellectual disability. Clinical experience, however, has demonstrated significant attachment-related problems in children with intellectual disability. This article explores one such case of a 13-year-old girl with moderate intellectual disability and severe and persistent externalizing behavioural difficulties – biting, in particular. Once the severity of the behaviour was formulated within the framework of attachment, a structured attachment-focused parent–child intervention was designed in order to repair the damaged attachment between mother and daughter as a way of addressing the problematic behaviour. Outcomes demonstrated a sustained – immediately, at 3- and 6-month follow-up – positive impact of the intervention not only on the presenting problem but also on the quality of the relationship between mother and daughter. Research and clinical implications are discussed.
Young adolescents’ positioning of human rights: Findings from Colombia, Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland and the United States
Authors: Barton Keith C.
Published: February 2015

This study investigated how young adolescents thought about the location of human rights issues and the nature of violations in differing geographic regions. Open-ended, task-based interviews were conducted with 116 students in Colombia, Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland and the United States. Although students in each location pointed to a combination of global, national, and local human rights issues, as well as those found in nations distant from their own, the salience of these varied by setting. Variations were consistent with the contexts in which students had learned about human rights; these included personal experience, school instruction, and broader national discourses. This research indicates that students’ understanding of human rights is influenced by a variety of contextual factors, and it suggests that educators may want to consider how they can complement the messages and experiences students encounter in settings outside school.
Precarious identities: ‘Young’ motherhood, desistance and stigma
Authors: Sharpe Gilly
Published: February 2015

This article explores desistance from crime and experiences of stigma among 19 young mothers with a criminal past. Drawing on narrative interview data from a qualitative longitudinal study of women criminalized as children, I argue that young mothers with a history of lawbreaking, as well as other markers of a spoiled past, are likely to encounter intense forms of gendered surveillance, social censure and stigma across multiple domains of identity, regardless of whether or not they are currently involved in crime. Motherhood frequently motivated the women to desist from crime, most notably in order to avoid their children experiencing the scrutiny and harmful state interventions that had such a profoundly negative impact on their own young lives. However, I conclude that many ex-offending mothers continue to be stigmatized as maternally deficient long after they have left crime behind.
Viral infections affecting the skin
Authors: Cashyap Alka
Published: February 2015

Viruses are intracellular parasites that cause a variety of skin rashes and lesions commonly seen in general practice. The purpose of this article is to focus on some of the most commonly encountered viral infections that have skin manifestations, and their recognition and management in primary care.
Quality of HbA1c Measurement in the Practice
Authors: Heinemann Lutz , Freckmann Guido
Published: February 2015

Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) measurement has come to be a cornerstone in modern diabetes therapy. However, the methodological aspects of this type of measurement have been given little attention lately due to its position as an established method of choice. Nevertheless, quite a number of issues face practical application, such as clinically relevant differences between different measurement methods—both lab-based and point-of-care (POCT) systems will show better or worse diabetes management results after switching methods; and there are a number of possible reasons that need to be known and observed in practice. The aim of this review is to draw attention to these problems from a German point of view and provide suggestions for appropriate measures to improve the situation.
Physiologic Concepts That May Revise the Interpretation and Implications of HbA1C in Clinical Medicine
Authors: Smith Eric P. , Cohen Robert M.
Published: February 2015

HbA1c, a routinely used integrated measure of glycemic control, is traditionally thought to be equivalent to mean blood glucose in hematologically normal individuals. Therefore, particularly as the methodology of measuring HbA1c has been standardized, clinical decisions dependent on mean blood glucose are often predominantly decided based on the interpretation of measured HbA1c. In this commentary, however, now that a more routine method of measuring red cell life span has been developed, we present evidence that the relationship between HbA1c and mean blood glucose is influenced by variation in red blood cell survival even in the hematologically normal. This variation has consequences for the appropriate interpretation of HbA1c in diverse clinical conditions such as the diagnosis of diabetes and management of diabetes in chronic kidney disease.
Critical metaphor analysis of citizenship education discourse
Authors: Lee Mary
Published: February 2015

Drawing upon critical public relations literature, this article calls for public relations research to critically examine the content in national narratives as the precursor to reconstructing a more tenable discourse on nation building and national interests. In the culture-centred approach, a deconstruction of the dominant discourse is the initial step to opening the space for participation. In line with the culture-centred approach, I conducted a critical metaphor analysis on 58 speeches delivered by Singapore government leaders on the necessity of national education for national survival. The analysis reveals eight metaphoric themes: CONTAINER, with BUILDING as a subset of that theme, JOURNEY, REMEMBERING, SEEING, MORALITY, CULTIVATION and LABOUR. This article discusses the four most salient themes of CONTAINER, BUILDING, REMEMBERING and MORALITY. Locating these themes in the socio-political context of a semi-authoritarian democracy reveals the ideational preoccupations of the government as the agent-organisation seeking to preserve its hegemonic leadership. The research highlights the usefulness of critical metaphor analysis for critical culture public relations practitioners and researchers in uncovering the propositions and agenda latent in naturalised discourse pervading a society.
Exploring the Role of Digital Storytelling in Pediatric Oncology Patients’ Perspectives Regarding Diagnosis
Authors: Wilson Dabney K. , Hutson Sadie P. , Wyatt Tami H.
Published: February 2015

Story is a powerful tool in holistic nursing care. Narrative therapy, story circles, narrative-psychotherapy, and family therapy methodology have incorporated storytelling in a research setting. Childhood cancers isolate children from traditional childhood experiences. In recent years, survival rates for pediatric oncology patients have improved, opening up opportunities for research. The increase in life expectancy makes it necessary to investigate the psychosocial perspectives of children as they progress. This review focuses on the use of digital storytelling among pediatric cancer patients as a form of reflection. Furthermore, it addresses the possible therapeutic effects that may be realized by children who produce a digital story. Sixty-four references were identified via Pubmed and CINAHL databases using the following keywords: “digital storytelling,” “narrative therapy,” “pediatric oncology,” “childhood development,” and “interactive narrative.” Future research will focus on addressing the gap in the science, particularly in evaluating pediatric oncology patients’ perspectives about the role of digital story in the context of Erikson’s developmental stages.
Cultural Norms of Clinical Simulation in Undergraduate Nursing Education
Authors: McNiesh Susan G.
Published: February 2015

Simulated practice of clinical skills has occurred in skills laboratories for generations, and there is strong evidence to support high-fidelity clinical simulation as an effective tool for learning performance-based skills. What are less known are the processes within clinical simulation environments that facilitate the learning of socially bound and integrated components of nursing practice. Our purpose in this study was to ethnographically describe the situated learning within a simulation laboratory for baccalaureate nursing students within the western United States. We gathered and analyzed data from observations of simulation sessions as well as interviews with students and faculty to produce a rich contextualization of the relationships, beliefs, practices, environmental factors, and theoretical underpinnings encoded in cultural norms of the students’ situated practice within simulation. Our findings add to the evidence linking learning in simulation to the development of broad practice-based skills and clinical reasoning for undergraduate nursing students.
Real-Time Elastography in the Follow-Up of Fibromatosis Colli
Authors: Aslan Ahmet , Aslan Mine , Kurtoğlu Ünal , Tan Sinan
Published: February 2015

Fibromatosis colli is a rare disease related to congenital muscular torticollis that responds well to therapy if diagnosed and treated early. Gray-scale ultrasonography is used for diagnosis and follow-up, but with limitations. A novel technique, real-time elastography, might prove helpful for evaluating the response to therapy. A case is presented of fibromatosis colli diagnosed with sonography and real-time elastography in the first month of life. The baby was treated with physiotherapy for 3 months, and therapy was ended on the basis of real-time elastographic findings. Real-time elastography has been shown to be useful in the diagnosis and follow-up to physiotherapy for fibromatosis colli.
JMML and RALD (Ras-associated autoimmune leukoproliferative disorder): common genetic etiology yet clinically distinct entities
Authors: Calvo Katherine R. , Price Susan , Braylan Raul C. , Oliveira Joao Bosco , Lenardo Michael , Fleisher Thomas A. , Rao V. Koneti
Published: February 2015

Ras-associated autoimmune leukoproliferative disorder (RALD) is a chronic, nonmalignant condition that presents with persistent monocytosis and is often associated with leukocytosis, lymphoproliferation, and autoimmune phenomena. RALD has clinical and laboratory features that overlap with those of juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia (JMML) and chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML), including identical somatic mutations in KRAS or NRAS genes noted in peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Long-term follow-up of these patients suggests that RALD has an indolent clinical course whereas JMML is fatal if left untreated. Immunophenotyping peripheral blood from RALD patients shows characteristic circulating activated monocytes and polyclonal CD10+ B cells. Distinguishing RALD from JMML and CMML has implications for clinical care and prognosis.