bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Use of checklists improves the quality and safety of prehospital emergency care
Authors: Kerner Thoralf , Schmidbauer Willi , Tietz Mares , Marung Hartwig , Genzwuerker Harald V.
Published: August 2015

Objectives

High-level emergency medical care requires transfer of evidence-based knowledge into practice. Our study is the first to investigate the feasibility of checklists in improving prehospital emergency care.

Materials and methods

Three checklists based on standard operating procedures were introduced: General principles of prehospital care, acute coronary syndrome and acute asthma/acutely exacerbated chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Subsequent to prehospital care and immediately before transport, information on medical history, diagnostic and therapeutic procedures was obtained. Data of 740 emergency missions were recorded prospectively before (control group) and after implementation of checklists and compared using theχ2-test (significance levelP<0.05).

Results

Documentation on patients’ history (pre-existing diseases: 69.1 vs. 74.3%; medication: 55.8 vs. 68.0%; allergies: 6.2 vs. 27.7%) and diagnostic measures (oxygen saturation: 93.2 vs. 98.1%; auscultation: 11.1 vs. 19.9%) as well as basic treatment procedures (application of oxygen: 73.2 vs. 85.3%; intravenous access: 84.6 vs. 92.2%) increased significantly. Subanalysis of acute coronary syndrome cases showed a significant increase of 12-lead ECG use (74.3 vs. 92.4%), administration of oxygen (84.2 vs. 98.6%), ASA (71.7 vs. 81.9%), heparin (71.1 vs. 84.0%), β blockers (39.5 vs. 57.1%) and morphine (26.8 vs. 44.6%). In the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease subgroup, oxygen supply (78.8 vs. 98.5%) and application of inhalative and intravenous β2-mimetics (42.4 vs. 66.7% and 12.1 vs. 37.9%) increased significantly.

Conclusion

Introduction of checklists for prehospital emergency care may help to improve adherence to treatment guidelines. Additional efforts (e.g. team trainings) have to be made to increase quality of care.
Frederick Sanger CBE CH OM. 13 August 1918 — 19 November 2013
Authors: Brownlee George G.
Published: August 2015

Frederick Sanger—always known as Fred—was one of the most influential scientists of the twentieth century. A committed molecular biologist, he spent all his academic life in Cambridge devising methods for sequencing proteins and nucleic acids. He twice won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry—once in 1958 for protein sequencing and then again in 1980 for sequencing nucleic acids. He is the only scientist to have achieved this distinction. The impact of his work was enormous. He opened up the field of protein chemistry in the 1950s, stimulating studies of the sequence, structure and function of many proteins and enzymes. In 1977 he devised an ingenious DNA sequencing method that has revolutionized molecular biology and made it possible to completely sequence the 3 × 10
9
nucleotides of the human genome. Moreover, he confirmed the genetic code, showed that the genetic code differed in mitochondria, and discovered overlapping genes. Fred Sanger was a modest, reserved man but to his colleagues and friends he always had vision. He was a pioneer and a leader.
An advanced shape-fitting algorithm applied to quadrupedal mammals: improving volumetric mass estimates
Authors: Brassey Charlotte A. , Gardiner James D.
Published: August 2015

Body mass is a fundamental physical property of an individual and has enormous bearing upon ecology and physiology. Generating reliable estimates for body mass is therefore a necessary step in many palaeontological studies. Whilst early reconstructions of mass in extinct species relied upon isolated skeletal elements, volumetric techniques are increasingly applied to fossils when skeletal completeness allows. We apply a new ‘alpha shapes’ (α-shapes) algorithm to volumetric mass estimation in quadrupedal mammals.α-shapes are defined by: (i) the underlying skeletal structure to which they are fitted; and (ii) the valueα, determining the refinement of fit. For a given skeleton, a range ofα-shapes may be fitted around the individual, spanning from very coarse to very fine. We fitα-shapes to three-dimensional models of extant mammals and calculate volumes, which are regressed against mass to generate predictive equations. Our optimal model is characterized by a high correlation coefficient and mean square error (r2=0.975, m.s.e.=0.025). When applied to the woolly mammoth (Mammuthus primigenius) and giant ground sloth (Megatherium americanum), we reconstruct masses of 3635 and 3706 kg, respectively. We considerα-shapes an improvement upon previous techniques as resulting volumes are less sensitive to uncertainties in skeletal reconstructions, and do not require manual separation of body segments from skeletons.
Nonomuraea flavida sp. nov., a novel species of soil actinomycete isolated from Aconitum napellus rhizosphere
Authors: Chen Shaofeng , Shi Jindi , Li Dan , Wu Yingying , Huang Yaojian
Published: August 2015

A novel actinomycete strain, YN-5-1T, isolated from the rhizosphere soil of a medicinal plant, Aconitum napellus, was characterized by a polyphasic approach to determine its taxonomic position. The strain showed highest 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities of 97.3, 97.2 and 97.1 % to Nonomuraea turkmeniaca DSM 43926T, Nonomuraea ferruginea DSM 43553T and Nonomuraea candida DSM 45086T, respectively. A wide range of genotypic and phenotypic characteristics, as well as levels of DNA–DNA relatedness between strain YN-5-1T and N. turkmeniaca DSM 43926T (57.46 %), N. ferruginea DSM 43553T (53.50 %) and N. candida DSM 45086T (48.80 %), distinguished the novel isolate from its closest phylogenetic neighbours. The morphological characteristics of strain YN-5-1T were typical of the genus Nonomuraea. Chemotaxonomic characteristics, such as diagnostic diamino acid of the peptidoglycan, whole-cell sugars, phospholipid type, major menaquinone and major fatty acids, further supported the assignment of strain YN-5-1T to the genus Nonomuraea. The G+C content of the genomic DNA was 72.1 mol%. Based on the above data, strain YN-5-1T is considered to represent a novel species of the genus Nonomuraea, for which the name Nonomuraea flavida sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is YN-5-1T ( = CCTCC AB 2012909T = KCTC 29143T).
Genome ARTIST: a robust, high-accuracy aligner tool for mapping transposon insertions and self-insertions
Authors: Ecovoiu Alexandru Al. , Ghionoiu Iulian Constantin , Ciuca Andrei Mihai , Ratiu Attila Cristian
Published: August 2015

A critical topic of insertional mutagenesis experiments performed on model organisms is mapping the hits of artificial transposons (ATs) at nucleotide level accuracy. Obviously, mapping errors may occur when sequencing artifacts or mutations as SNPs and small indels are present very close to the junction between a genomic sequence and a transposon inverted repeat (TIR). Another particular item of insertional mutagenesis is mapping of the transposon self-insertions and, to our best knowledge, there is no publicly available mapping tool designed to analyze such molecular events. We developed Genome ARTIST, a pairwise gapped aligner tool which works out both issues by means of an original, robust mapping strategy. Genome ARTIST is not designed to use NGS data but to analyze ATs insertions obtained in small to medium-scale mutagenesis experiments. Genome ARTIST employs a heuristic approach to find DNA sequence similarities and harnesses a multi-step implementation of a Smith-Waterman adapted algorithm to compute the mapping alignments. The experience is enhanced by easily customizable parameters and a user-friendly interface that describes the genomic landscape surrounding the insertion. Genome ARTIST deals with many genomes of bacteria and eukaryotes available inEnsemblandGenBankrepositories. Our tool specifically harnesses/exploits the sequence annotation data provided byFlyBaseforDrosophila melanogaster(the fruit fly), which enables mapping of insertions relative to various genomic features such as natural transposons. Genome ARTIST was tested against other alignment tools using relevant query sequences derived from theD. melanogasterandMus musculus(mouse) genomes. Real and simulated query sequences were also comparatively inquired, revealing that Genome ARTIST is a very robust solution for mapping transposon insertions.

Genome ARTIST is a stand-alone user-friendly application, designed for high-accuracy mapping of transposon insertions and self-insertions. The tool is also useful for routine aligning assessments like detection of SNPs or checking the specificity of primers and probes. Genome ARTIST is an open source software and is available for download atwww.genomeartist.roand atwww.bioinformatics.org.
β-Adrenergic receptor signaling and modulation of long-term potentiation in the mammalian hippocampus
Authors: O'Dell Thomas J. , Connor Steven A. , Guglietta Ryan , Nguyen Peter V.
Published: August 2015

Encoding new information in the brain requires changes in synaptic strength. Neuromodulatory transmitters can facilitate synaptic plasticity by modifying the actions and expression of specific signaling cascades, transmitter receptors and their associated signaling complexes, genes, and effector proteins. One critical neuromodulator in the mammalian brain is norepinephrine (NE), which regulates multiple brain functions such as attention, perception, arousal, sleep, learning, and memory. The mammalian hippocampus receives noradrenergic innervation and hippocampal neurons express β-adrenergic receptors, which are known to play important roles in gating the induction of long-lasting forms of synaptic potentiation. These forms of long-term potentiation (LTP) are believed to importantly contribute to long-term storage of spatial and contextual memories in the brain. In this review, we highlight the contributions of noradrenergic signaling in general and β-adrenergic receptors in particular, toward modulating hippocampal LTP. We focus on the roles of NE and β-adrenergic receptors in altering the efficacies of specific signaling molecules such as NMDA and AMPA receptors, protein phosphatases, and translation initiation factors. Also, the roles of β-adrenergic receptors in regulating synaptic “tagging” and “capture” of LTP within synaptic networks of the hippocampus are reviewed. Understanding the molecular and cellular bases of noradrenergic signaling will enrich our grasp of how the brain makes new, enduring memories, and may shed light on credible strategies for improving mental health through treatment of specific disorders linked to perturbed memory processing and dysfunctional noradrenergic synaptic transmission.
Culture, corporate governance and analysts forecast in Malaysia
Authors: Abdul Wahab Effiezal Aswadi , Allah Pitchay Anwar , Ali Ruhani
Published: August 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between Bumiputra (in reference to Malay indigenous race) directors, a proxy for culture and analysts forecast. In addition, the study investigates whether corporate governance affects that relationship.

Design/methodology/approach

– The sample of this study is based on 664 firm-year observations from 193 firms during the 1999-2009 periods. The authors employ a panel least square regression with both period and industry fixed effects. The authors retrieved of analyst data from the Institutional Broker Estimate System (I/B/E/S) database while the authors hand collected the corporate governance variables. The remaining data were collected from Compustat Global.

Findings

– The authors find a positive relationship between the proxy of culture, Bumiputra directors and analysts forecast error suggesting that cultural values influences the level of information in the Malaysian capital market.

Research limitations/implications

– The research is dependent on the data availability from I/B/E/S database.

Originality/value

– The authors extend the work of Haniffa and Cooke (2002) in investigating how cultural values influence the capital market. In addition, this is the first study that investigates culture values and the analysts forecast.
Contingency between S & OP design and planning environment
Authors: Ivert Linea Kjellsdotter , Dukovska-Popovska Iskra , Fredriksson Anna , Dreyer Heidi C. , Kaipia Riikka
Published: August 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to understand how companies design sales and operations planning (S & OP) contingent on the planning environment (PE).

Design/methodology/approach

– On the basis of the literature, the paper creates an analytical framework identifying the main constructs related to the PE and S & OP design, which is the basis for gathering and analysing qualitative data from eight cases in the food industry. The findings highlight the relations between S & OP and the PE, and are used for generating three propositions.

Findings

– Responding to the complex and uncertain PE, the companies set up S & OP on a stock-keeping unit (SKU) level, with the possibility of re-planning and a flexible planning horizon, thus differing from what has generally been suggested in the literature. In addition, the companies are aligning the inputs, activities, and outcomes of the S & OP process to the PE. Particularly important environmental contingencies are uncertainty connected to demand and supply, frequent product launches, and production network complexity. Product-related variables have a lower impact on the S & OP design.

Research limitations/implications

– The present study is limited to one industry only and a comparison between industries with larger data sets would be valuable in future studies. The study selected cases based on their S & OP maturity; further studies need to explore the effect of the alignment of S & OP and the PE on the planning performance.

Originality/value

– In the literature, S & OP is presented as a generic process with a strict formal design that is equal for all companies. The study provides insights into how companies adjust S & OP according to the PE.
The effect of high-involvement human resource management practices on supply chain integration
Authors: Huo Baofeng , Han Zhaojun , Chen Haozhe , Zhao Xiande
Published: August 2015

Purpose

– Taking an interdisciplinary approach, the purpose of this paper is to combine concepts from human resource management (HRM) and supply chain management (SCM) fields and explore the effects of high-involvement HRM practices on supply chain integration (SCI).

Design/methodology/approach

– Using empirical survey data collected from ten countries, the authors examine the specific effects of three dimensions of high-involvement HRM practices – employee skills, incentives and participation – on three types of SCI – internal integration, supplier and customer integration. The authors use structural equation modeling and the maximum-likelihood estimation method to test the proposed relationships.

Findings

– The results confirm the overall relevancy of HRM to SCI. However, several proposed links are not supported by the data collected.

Originality/value

– This study makes both theoretical and managerial contributions by empirically examining the interface between HRM and SCI. More specifically, it examines the effects of different high-involvement HRM practices on different types of SCI. The findings will not only help researchers to better understand the interface, but will also guide managers in adjusting HRM practices to achieve desired operational goals.
Consensus on supplier selection objectives in cross-functional sourcing teams
Authors: Meschnig Gavin , Kaufmann Lutz
Published: August 2015

Purpose

– A key driver of procurement effectiveness is the alignment of the procurement function with interlinked functions, such as R & D, engineering, production, and marketing. In the strategic management literature, the degree of alignment of individual team members on strategic objectives is termed “consensus.” The purpose of this paper is to investigate antecedents of consensus on objectives in cross-functional sourcing teams, the relationship between the degree of consensus and supplier performance, and moderators of the consensus-performance relationship. To do so, it ties strategic management literature to SCM and supplier selection research. As a result of these investigations, this research holistically introduces the concept of consensus to the discipline.

Design/methodology/approach

– The study analyzes a sample of 88 sourcing teams (233 team members) from three manufacturing companies using regression analysis and moderated regressions.

Findings

– Consensus on objectives for supplier selection among sourcing team members is positively related to the selection of higher performing suppliers. Sourcing team member experience is positively related to the level of consensus, and formalization of the selection process positively moderates the consensus-performance relationship. Team demographic diversity does not affect consensus among team members or supplier selection effectiveness.

Research limitations/implications

– This study investigates consensus on objectives as a state within the sourcing team; it does not analyze how decision-making processes unfold in situations of low- or high-initial consensus among sourcing team members.

Practical implications

– This paper provides insights into the drivers and effects of consensus on objectives and formalization of supplier selection in cross-functional setups.

Originality/value

– This research addresses a gap in the SCM literature by investigating the role of consensus on objectives and thereby contributes to a better understanding of cross-functional sourcing team setups and effectiveness. The study introduces a key construct from the strategic management literature to supply management research, and empirical evidence shows how consensus can improve supplier selection performance.
Interprovincial Competitiveness and Economic Growth: Evidence fromChinese Provincial Data (1992–2008)
Authors: Chen Jinzhao
Published: August 2015

This paper assesses the role of the internal real exchange rate as a competitiveness indicator in economic growth among provinces inChina. Using data from 28Chinese provinces for the period 1992–2008 together with dynamic panel data estimation, the results reveal a positive effect of real exchange rate appreciation on economic growth. In other words, a competitive internal real exchange rate has not been found to support provincial economic growth.
A Geospatial Methodology to Identify Locations of Concentrated Runoff from Agricultural Fields
Authors: Hancock Gregory , Hamilton Stuart E. , Stone Monica , Kaste Jim , Lovette John
Published: August 2015

A geospatial methodology has been developed that utilizes high resolution lidar‐derived DEMs to help track runoff from agricultural fields and identify areas of potential concentrated flow through vegetated riparian areas in the Coastal Plain of Virginia. Points of concentrated flow are identified across 74 agricultural fields within the Virginia portion of the Chesapeake Bay watershed. On average, 70% of the surface area of the agricultural fields analyzed drains through less than 20 m of the field margin, and on average 81% of the field surface area drains through 1% or less of the field margin. Within the riparian buffer, locations that were predicted by the geospatial model to have high levels of concentrated flow were found to exhibit evidence of channelization. Results indicate that flow concentration and channelized flow through vegetated riparian areas may be common along the margin of agricultural fields, resulting in vegetated riparian areas that are less effective at sediment trapping than assumed. Additional results suggest that the regulations governing the location and width of vegetated riparian may not be sufficient to achieve goals for reducing sediment and nutrient runoff from nonpoint agricultural sources. Combined with the increasing availability of lidar‐derived DEMs, the geospatial model presented has the potential to advance management practices aimed at reducing nonpoint source pollution leaving agricultural fields.
Poetry as an Act of International Diplomacy: English translations of Willem van Haren's Political Poetry during the War of the Austrian Succession
Authors: Jensen Lotte , Corporaal Marguerite
Published: August 2015

In the eighteenth century the worlds of diplomacy and poetry were inextricably connected. This is demonstrated by the work of the Dutch statesman and poet Willem van Haren (1710‐1768), whose political poems played an important role in the negotiations of international political relations during the War of the Austrian Succession. Several poems were translated into English by the Irish poet Samuel Boyse and published in The Gentleman’s Magazine. It is argued that the great interest in Van Haren's work in England can be clarified by the country's positioning in the European conflict, and by Anglo‐Irish relations during the 1740s.
Predicting Commodity‐futures Basis Factor Return by Basis Spread
Authors: Kim Daehwan
Published: August 2015

A growing body of literature confirms the significance of the commodity futures basis factor. It has a significantly positive premium and it explains the cross‐section of commodity‐futures excess returns. We extend the literature by documenting the predictive relation between this factor and the inter‐quartile spread in the basis; the predictability of the basis factor return has not been previously reported. From the simple regression analysis of the historical commodity futures data we show that the basis spread is a strong predictor of the basis factor return. We discuss the implication of this finding on the nature of the basis factor; we also discuss the market timing strategies based on the basis spread.
The potential impact of NIPT as a second‐tier screen on the outcomes of high‐risk pregnancies with rare chromosomal abnormalities
Authors: Maxwell Susannah , Dickinson Jan E. , Murch Ashleigh , O'Leary Peter
Published: August 2015

Aim

To describe the potential impact of using noninvasive prenatal testing (NIPT) as a second‐tier test, on the diagnosis and outcomes of pregnancies identified as high risk through first trimester screening (FTS) in a cohort of real pregnancies.

Materials and Methods

Western Australian FTS and diagnostic data (2007–2009) were linked to pregnancy outcomes. Karyotype results from invasive prenatal testing in high‐risk women were analysed. The outcomes of abnormal results that would not be detected by NIPT, assuming a panel of trisomy 21/18/13 and sex chromosome aneuploidies, and the likelihood of diagnosis in a screening model using NIPT as a second‐tier test are described.

Results

Abnormal karyotype results were reported in 224 of 1488 (15%) women with high‐risk pregnancies having invasive diagnostic testing. NIPT potentially would have identified 85%. The 33 abnormalities unidentifiable by NIPT were triploidies (n = 7, 21%), balanced (n = 8, 24%) and unbalanced rearrangements (n = 10, 30%) and level III mosaicisms (n = 8, 24%). For conditions not identifiable by NIPT, fetal sonographic appearance was likely to have led to invasive testing for 10 of 17 (59%) pathogenic abnormalities. If a policy was adopted recommending invasive testing for FTS risk >1:50 and/or ultrasound detected abnormality, the residual risk of an unidentified pathogenic chromosomal abnormality in those without a diagnosis would have been 0.33% (95% CI 0.01–0.65%).

Conclusions

A screening model with NIPT as a second‐tier for high‐risk pregnancies would be unlikely to have changed the outcome for the majority of pregnancies. Optimising the diagnosis of rare pathogenic abnormalities requires clear indicators for invasive testing over NIPT.
A new non‐invasive method of infant spirometry demonstrates a level of repeatability that is comparable to traditional methods
Authors: Bentsen Mariann H. L. , Haaland Øystein A. , Lønning Lise B. , Gudmundsdottir Hrefna K. , Markestad Trond , Halvorsen Thomas
Published: August 2015

Aim

The FloRight system provides novel non‐invasive infant spirometry based on electromagnetic inductance plethysmography. We investigated the consistency of repeated measurements carried out in a Norwegian neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) using the system and how well these were tolerated.

Methods

Tidal flow‐volume loops were obtained from 10 preterm infants at discharge, 10 stable growing preterm infants weighing about 1500 g and 10 term‐born infants. A nurse experienced with the system measured all patients before and after meals, and these measurements were repeated by nurses new to the system.

Results

The measurements were well tolerated by the infants. The repeatability for the two parameters ‘tidal volume’ (Vt) and ‘time to peak tidal expiratory flow to total expiratory time’ (Tptef/Te) were relatively poor, similar to previous methods. However, the repeatability was good for the new ‘flow‐volume gravity mid‐point’ (FVg) parameter. Repeatability was better for term than preterm infants, when measurements were obtained by the experienced nurse and for measurements carried out before meals.

Conclusion

The FloRight system proved feasible in a NICU setting. The repeatability of the lung function measurements was similar to those reported for traditional infant spirometry. The nurse's experience and the relationship to meals appeared to be important.
Detection of Gene–Gene Interactions Using Multistage Sparse and Low-Rank Regression
Authors: Hung Hung , Lin Yu-Ting , Chen Penweng , Wang Chen-Chien , Huang Su-Yun , Tzeng Jung-Ying
Published: August 2015

Finding an efficient and computationally feasible approach to deal with the curse of high-dimensionality is a daunting challenge faced by modern biological science. The problem becomes even more severe when the interactions are the research focus. To improve the performance of statistical analyses, we propose a sparse and low-rank (SLR) screening based on the combination of a low-rank interaction model and the Lasso screening. SLR models the interaction effects using a low-rank matrix to achieve parsimonious parametrization. The low-rank model increases the efficiency of statistical inference and, hence, SLR screening is able to more accurately detect gene–gene interactions than conventional methods. Incorporation of SLR screening into the Screen-and-Clean approach (Wasserman and Roeder, 2009; Wu et al., 2010) is also discussed, which suffers less penalty from Boferroni correction, and is able to assign p-values for the identified variables in high-dimensional model. We apply the proposed screening procedure to the Warfarin dosage study and the CoLaus study. The results suggest that the new procedure can identify main and interaction effects that would have been omitted by conventional screening methods.
Movement Prediction Using Accelerometers in a Human Population
Authors: Xiao Luo , He Bing , Koster Annemarie , Caserotti Paolo , Lange-Maia Brittney , Glynn Nancy W. , Harris Tamara B. , Crainiceanu Ciprian M.
Published: August 2015

We introduce statistical methods for predicting the types of human activity at sub-second resolution using triaxial accelerometry data. The major innovation is that we use labeled activity data from some subjects to predict the activity labels of other subjects. To achieve this, we normalize the data across subjects by matching the standing up and lying down portions of triaxial accelerometry data. This is necessary to account for differences between the variability in the position of the device relative to gravity, which are induced by body shape and size as well as by the ambiguous definition of device placement. We also normalize the data at the device level to ensure that the magnitude of the signal at rest is similar across devices. After normalization we use overlapping movelets (segments of triaxial accelerometry time series) extracted from some of the subjects to predict the movement type of the other subjects. The problem was motivated by and is applied to a laboratory study of 20 older participants who performed different activities while wearing accelerometers at the hip. Prediction results based on other people's labeled dictionaries of activity performed almost as well as those obtained using their own labeled dictionaries. These findings indicate that prediction of activity types for data collected during natural activities of daily living may actually be possible.
Home Care Workers’ Skills in the Context of Task Shifting: Complexities in Care Work
Authors: Barken Rachel , Denton Margaret , Plenderleith Jennifer , Zeytinoglu Isik U. , Brookman Catherine
Published: August 2015

Task shifting, which involves the transfer of care work from regulated health‐care professionals to home care workers (HCWs), is a strategy to ensure the efficient delivery of home care services in Canada and internationally. Using a feminist political economy approach, this paper explores the effects of task shifting on HCWs’ skills. Task shifting may be understood as a form of downward substitution—and an effort to increase control over workers while minimizing costs—as some of health‐care professionals’ responsibilities are divided into simpler tasks and transferred to HCWs. Our interviews with 46 home health‐care providers in Ontario, which focused explicitly on HCWs’ role in care provision, problematize the belief that “low skilled” care workers have little control over their work. HCWs’ skills become more complex when they do transferred tasks, and HCWs sometimes gain greater control over their work. This results in increased autonomy and mastery for many HCWs. In turn, this serves to reinforce the intrinsic rewards of care work, despite the fact that it is low paid and undervalued work.

Le transfert des tâches consiste à transférer certaines activités des professionnels de la santé aux travailleurs de soutien à domicile, et s'avère être une stratégie visant à assurer la prestation efficace des services de soutien à domicile au Canada et à l'étranger. En utilisant la théorie de l'économie politique féministe, cet article explore l'impact du transfert des tâches sur les compétences des travailleurs de soutien à domicile. Le transfert des tâches peut être interprété comme une forme de substitution à la baisse avec un contrôle accru des travailleurs et une minimisation des coûts des services. Ceci se produit lorsque certaines des responsabilités des professionnels de la santé sont fragmentées en tâches plus simples pour être ensuite transférées aux travailleurs de soutien à domicile. Pourtant, le contenu de 46 entrevues avec des travailleurs de soutien à domicile et professionnels de la santé vient ébranler l'hypothèse selon laquelle les travailleurs de soutien à domicile «peu qualifiés» auraient peu de contrôle sur leurs tâches de travail. Les résultats de cette étude suggèrent que les compétences des travailleurs de soutien à domicile se complexifient lorsqu'il s'agit de tâches transférées, et que ces travailleurs obtiennent parfois plus d'autonomie à l'emploi. Donc, les travailleurs de soutien à domicile acquièrent une plus grande autonomie et un contrôle plus significatif à l'emploi. Par conséquent, le transfert des tâches renforce les gratifications intrinsèques du travail en relation d'aide et ce, en dépit d'une piètre rémunération et de la sous‐valorisation du métier.
Critical Nexus or Pluralist Discipline? Institutional Ambivalence and the Future of Canadian Sociology
Authors: Puddephatt Antony J. , McLaughlin Neil
Published: August 2015

While some scholars believe in a transdisciplinary future for the social sciences and humanities, we argue that sociology would do well to maintain its disciplinary borders, while celebrating the plurality of its intellectual, social, and political content. Although a pluralist position can threaten disciplinary coherence and increase fragmentation, we argue the counterbalance ought to be convergence around shared institutional norms of knowledge production. Establishing these norms is not easy, since there is a great deal of institutional ambivalence at play in the field of sociology. As such, sociology is pushed and pulled between two poles of at least four major continuums of knowledge production, which include the following: (1) interdisciplinary versus discipline‐based research; (2) political versus analytical scholarship; (3) professional versus public/policy sociology; and (4) local/national versus global audiences. Since both sides of these ideal‐typical continuums contain their own pathologies, we propose adopting a balanced position to correct for the shortcomings of each. Rather than imposing one philosophical or theoretical paradigm for the field, we suggest that embracing the "chaos" of our diverse forms of knowledge and centralizing and integrating findings will serve to strengthen our collective efforts in the long term.

Alors que certains chercheurs croient en un avenir transdisciplinaire pour les sciences sociales et humaines, nous soutenons qu'il serait préférable pour la sociologie de maintenir ses frontières disciplinaires, tout en célébrant la pluralité de son contenu intellectuel, social, et politique. Bien qu'une telle position pluraliste puisse menacer la cohérence disciplinaire et accroître la fragmentation, nous défendons l'idée que la contre‐balance doit converger vers des normes institutionnelles communes de production de connaissances. La mise en place de ces normes n'est pas chose aisée. Une large quantité d'ambivalence institutionnelle est en jeu dans le domaine de la sociologie. Ainsi nous tendons vers quatre grands continuums de production de connaissances : (1) la recherche interdisciplinaire en opposition à la recherche par discipline ; (2) une érudition politique en opposition à celle analytique ; (3) une sociologie professionnelle contre une sociologie publique / politique ; et (4) un public local / national contre un public mondial. Dans la mesure où deux côtés de ces continuums idéaux‐typiques contiennent leurs pathologies propres, nous proposons d'adopter une position équilibrée pour corriger les lacunes de chacun. Ceci devrait être mieux reflété dans nos systèmes de récompense. Plutôt que d'imposer un paradigme philosophique ou théorique pour un domaine en question, nous suggérons de prendre en considération le «chaos» de nos diverses formes de connaissances, tout en centralisant et en intégrant plus efficacement nos conclusions. Ceci permettra de renforcer nos efforts collectifs sur le long terme.
How to assess diabetes distress: comparison of the Problem Areas in Diabetes Scale (PAID) and the Diabetes Distress Scale (DDS)
Authors: Schmitt A. , Reimer A. , Kulzer B. , Haak T. , Ehrmann D. , Hermanns N.
Published: August 2015

Aims

To compare the properties of the two most commonly used assessment tools for diabetes distress, the Problem Areas in Diabetes Scale (PAID) and the Diabetes Distress Scale (DDS), in order to discriminate their psychometric capabilities and functions.

Methods

Six hundred and twenty‐eight people with diabetes (67% Type 1, 33% Type 2) were cross‐sectionally assessed with the PAID, the DDS and further self‐report scales regarding coping, quality of life, depressive symptoms and self‐care, and medical data were gained. We analysed the PAID and DDS for areas of contentual/psychometric divergence in assessing diabetes distress and compared their associations with criteria of interest.

Results

Content analysis: The PAID covers a greater variety of emotional concerns and shows a stronger focus on food‐related problems and complications. The DDS is more reflective of physician‐related distress and problems concerning diabetes self‐management. Psychometric analysis: Exploratory factor analyses revealed four‐factor structures of both scales, explaining 60% (PAID) and 67% (DDS) of variance. Confirmatory factor analyses confirmed that single‐factor and four‐factor models fit the data. Total scales proved high and subscales mostly satisfactory reliability. Associations with criteria of interest: The PAID was significantly more strongly associated with dysfunctional coping styles, quality of life and depressive symptoms. The DDS showed significantly stronger associations with diabetes self‐care and metabolic outcomes.

Conclusion

Our results support both PAID and DDS as good self‐report measures of diabetes distress. The observed contentual/psychometric differences suggest that a justified choice with regard to the intended clinical or scientific purpose can improve the acquisition of the required data.
Ischaemic stroke patients who present early but with therapeutic anticoagulation: a treatment dilemma
Authors: Seet R. C. S.
Published: August 2015

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Importance of teeth in maintaining the morphology of the adult mandible in humans
Authors: Hutchinson Erin F. , Farella Mauro , Kramer Beverley
Published: August 2015

Edentulism can negatively affect both masticatory performance and dietary intake by altering the patterns of biomechanical stress and strain, which in turn modifies the morphology of the different regions of the mandible. The morphological changes in the mandible caused by these stressors are unknown when comparing mandibles across varying dentition states. This study investigated differences in the morphology of human mandibles across various states of the dentition. In total, 498 mandibles of individuals between 20 and 80 yr of age at death were sourced from the Raymond A. Dart Collection of Human Skeletons. These included fully dentate (n = 95), partially edentulous (n = 333), and fully edentulous (n = 70) mandibles. Twelve linear anthropometric measurements of the mandible were derived from digitized landmarks located on its external surface. Data analysis included geometric morphometrics and multivariate analyses. Compared with dentate and partially edentulous mandibles, fully edentulous mandibles showed a shorter alveolar height (−0.4 mm), a shorter mandibular body length (−4 mm), a larger gonial angle (+4°), a more obtuse mental angle (+4.7°), a broader bicondylar width (+3.8 mm), and a taller ramus height (+1.6 mm). Thus, edentulous states are associated with an altered mandibular morphology, which may result from a reduction in jaw function.
From Big Noise to Big Data: Toward the Verification of Large Data sets for Understanding Regional Retail Flows
Authors: Lovelace Robin , Birkin Mark , Cross Philip , Clarke Martin
Published: August 2015

There has been much excitement among quantitative geographers about newly available data sets, characterized by high volume, velocity, and variety. This phenomenon is often labeled as “Big Data” and has contributed to methodological and empirical advances, particularly in the areas of visualization and analysis of social networks. However, a fourth v—veracity (or lack thereof)—has been conspicuously lacking from the literature. This article sets out to test the potential for verifying large data sets. It does this by cross‐comparing three unrelated estimates of retail flows—human movements from home locations to shopping centers—derived from the following geo‐coded sources: (1) a major mobile telephone service provider; (2) a commercial consumer survey; and (3) geotagged Twitter messages. Three spatial interaction models also provided estimates of flow: constrained and unconstrained versions of the “gravity model” and the recently developed “radiation model.” We found positive relationships between all data‐based and theoretical sources of estimated retail flows. Based on the analysis, the mobile telephone data fitted the modeled flows and consumer survey data closely, while flows obtained directly from the Twitter data diverged from other sources. The research highlights the importance of verification in flow data derived from new sources and demonstrates methods for achieving this.
Estimating the cost‐effectiveness of daclatasvir plus asunaprevir in difficult to treat Japanese patients chronically infected with hepatitis C genotype 1b
Authors: McEwan Phil , Ward Thomas , Webster Samantha , Yuan Yong , Kalsekar Anupama , Kamae Isao , Kobayashi Masahiro , Tang Ann , Kumada Hiromitsu
Published: August 2015

Aim

Standard of care for chronic hepatitis C in Japan is currently a pegylated interferon (IFN)‐α + ribavirin (PR)‐based regimen, notably associated with efficacy and tolerability issues. The advent of novel direct‐acting antivirals (DAA) has provided more efficacious and better tolerated treatments. This study investigated the cost‐effectiveness of the daclatasvir + asunaprevir (DCV + ASV) DAA regimen in patients infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 1b who had previously not responded to or were ineligible for IFN‐containing regimens.

Methods

A cost–utility analysis using an established Markov model compared DCV + ASV with simeprevir + PR (SMV + PR), telaprevir + PR (TVR + PR) and no treatment using Japanese‐specific model inputs, with costs and utility values discounted at 2%. A cohort of patients was simulated until death and predicted quality‐adjusted life‐years (QALY) and costs were estimated. A subgroup analysis of patients with no DCV resistance was conducted.

Results

In all scenarios, DCV + ASV was predicted to be dominant over the comparator; namely, DCV + ASV was associated with increased QALY gains and decreased cost. In patients treated during the chronic hepatitis C stage, cost reductions were ¥1 057 288–2 619 206, and in patients treated during the compensated cirrhosis (CC) stage, reductions were ¥1 032 224–2 531 930. QALY gains were 0.749–2.609 and 0.874–3.043, respectively. Results improved when considering the subgroup of patients without DCV resistance.

Conclusion

Cost‐effectiveness conclusions are similar for patients treated in the chronic hepatitis C and CC disease stages, with DCV + ASV expected to be cost‐saving versus standard of care in Japan for patients with HCV genotype 1b patients who have failed prior therapy or are IFN‐ineligible/intolerant.
Clinical characteristics and prognosis of non‐B non‐C hepatocellular carcinoma patients with modest alcohol consumption
Authors: Urata Yohei , Yamasaki Takahiro , Saeki Issei , Iwai Shuji , Kitahara Masaaki , Sawai Yoshiyuki , Tanaka Kazunari , Aoki Tomoko , Iwadou Shouta , Fujita Naoki , Nakayama Yasuhiro , Maeshiro Tatsuji , Takami Taro , Sakaida Isao
Published: August 2015

Aim

Alcoholic hepatocellular carcinoma (ALD‐HCC) accounts for the majority of non‐B non‐C HCC (NBNC‐HCC) cases. Although alcohol is a potent carcinogen, there have been few reports on the influence of modest alcohol consumption in NBNC‐HCC. This study aimed to investigate the clinical characteristics and prognosis of NBNC‐HCC patients with modest alcohol consumption.

Methods

From 2007 to 2010, 2283 HCC patients were evaluated at 10 hospitals. We collected detailed etiology data of 588 NBNC‐HCC patients and compared the clinical characteristics and prognosis between ALD‐HCC and modest alcohol‐HCC patients.

Results

There were 69 HCC patients with modest alcohol consumption, accounting for 3% of all HCC patients evaluated. This patient group had significantly more women and higher prevalence of Child–Pugh class A, hypertension and advanced disease stage, and were diagnosed with HCC at an older age than the ALD‐HCC group (266 patients). Additionally, among the modest alcohol‐HCC patients, diabetes was significantly more common in the anti‐hepatitis B core (HBc) negative subgroup than in the anti‐HBc positive subgroup. However, no significant difference in survival was observed between the two patient groups regardless of significant differences in tumor staging. Alcohol consumption and metabolic factors were not significant independent predictors of survival.

Conclusion

The clinical characteristics of modest alcohol‐HCC included advanced staging, favorable liver reserve capacity and older age at diagnosis. HCC development in patients with modest alcohol consumption may relate to metabolic factors. Although approximately 30% of the evaluated HCC cases were in advanced stages, the prognosis of NBNC‐HCC patients with modest alcohol consumption was relatively favorable.
Hepatic resection of hepatocellular carcinoma after proton beam therapy: A case report
Authors: Kinjo Nao , Ikeda Yasuharu , Taguchi Kenichi , Sugimoto Rie , Maehara Shinichiro , Tsujita Eiji , Kawano Hiroyuki , Yamaguchi Shohei , Egashira Akinori , Minami Kazuhito , Yamamoto Manabu , Morita Masaru , Toh Yasushi , Okamura Takeshi
Published: August 2015

Despite the widespread use of proton beam therapy (PBT) as locoregional therapy, there is currently a lack of histological evidence about the therapeutic effect of PBT for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We present a case of hepatectomy and histological examination of HCC initially treated by PBT. A 76‐year‐old man with chronic hepatitis C underwent routine ultrasound surveillance, which revealed a 22‐mm HCC in segment 4 of the liver. His hepatic reserve was adequate for surgical resection of the tumor; however, he chose to undergo PBT because of his cardiac disease. The patient received 66 Gy in 10 fractions with no toxicity exceeding grade 1. Six months after completion of PBT, contrast computed tomography showed that the tumor had increased in size to 27 mm, and the marginal part of the tumor, but not the central region, was enhanced. Additionally, two new hypervascular nodules were present in segments 5 and 6. The patient underwent surgical treatment 7 months after PBT. The operation and postoperative clinical course were uneventful. Nine months later, however, computed tomography demonstrated new, small, enhanced nodules in the remnant liver (segments 3, 5 and 6) and sacrum. In conclusion, PBT is a valuable treatment for HCC; however, it is difficult to evaluate therapeutic effect of HCC during the early post‐irradiation period and provide an alternative treatment if PBT is not effective, especially in HCC cases with good liver function.
Medical terminology in online patient–patient communication: evidence of high health literacy?
Authors: Fage‐Butler Antoinette M. , Nisbeth Jensen Matilde
Published: August 2015

Background

Health communication research and guidelines often recommend that medical terminology be avoided when communicating with patients due to their limited understanding of medical terms. However, growing numbers of e‐patients use the Internet to equip themselves with specialized biomedical knowledge that is couched in medical terms, which they then share on participatory media, such as online patient forums.

Objective

Given possible discrepancies between preconceptions about the kind of language that patients can understand and the terms they may actually know and use, the purpose of this paper was to investigate medical terminology used by patients in online patient forums.

Design

Using data from online patient–patient communication where patients communicate with each other without expert moderation or intervention, we coded two data samples from two online patient forums dedicated to thyroid issues.

Results

Previous definitions of medical terms (dichotomized into technical and semi‐technical) proved too rudimentary to encapsulate the types of medical terms the patients used. Therefore, using an inductive approach, we developed an analytical framework consisting of five categories of medical terms: dictionary‐defined medical terms, co‐text‐defined medical terms, medical initialisms, medication brand names and colloquial technical terms. The patients in our data set used many medical terms from all of these categories.

Discussion and conclusions

Our findings suggest the value of a situated, condition‐specific approach to health literacy that recognizes the vertical kind of knowledge that patients with chronic diseases may have. We make cautious recommendations for clinical practice, arguing for an adaptive approach to medical terminology use with patients.